Now bring the call the meeting to order at 7 p.m. and ask the city cler to read a statement of compliance with the meetings acted to the record please. This meeting is being held in compliance with the open public meetings act with notice provided to the Hunter County Democrat, New Trenton Times, individuals
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 streamed live and recorded using the Zoom meeting platform. Roll call. Yes, please. Councilwoman Kaminsky, here. Councilman
Ry, here. Councilman Stegman, here. Council President Lambert here. She's here. She's online. She might just be muted. Mayor now here. Here. I would also like to welcome you on to Morris
this evening. She'll be sitting in for Bill Oak this evening's meeting. Um so welcome. La last uh last Friday had occasion to be in the New York City Public Library and uh up on the wall was a quote that I thought was worth
sharing. something by Eie White and uh was for an essay he wrote in uh the New Yorker back on July 3rd 1943 and the the essay was called the meaning of democracy. It is the feeling of privacy in the voting booth the feeling of communion in
the libraries the feeling of vitality everywhere. Democracy is a letter to the editor. Democracy is the score at the beginning of the night. It is an idea which hasn't been disproved yet. The song the words of which are not all bad.
On that note, uh we'll rise for the pledge of allegiance remains stand in honor of the 4th of July and the happy 49th birthday. Thank you. Keeping with the approval of the minutes, the following set of minutes
from May 1st May 1st, 2025 close session minutes, May 1st, I'm sorry, May 15th meeting minutes, May 15th close session minutes and the June August work session minutes. Do we have a chance to review them? And are there any comments or
questions? Okay. Uh, hearing none, I I'll make a motion to accept minutes. Is there a second? Second. Okay. All in favor, please say I. I. I. Council President, are you? I'm
unmuted. Am I muted? There was zoom [Music] each other. Thank you. Can you hear me now? Sorry.
Not able to recognize you. What is that? I wonder if you wanted to vote to approve the minutes. Oh, yes. It seems like we can hear you well now.
So, please uh let us know if you have any uh questions or concerns or can't hear us. Okay. Um, moving on to the administrative reports. I hope everybody had a chance to look at everything. Yep. Okay. Any questions on administrative reports?
All right. Uh, I'll make a motion to accept the uh the administrative reports. May I have a second, please? All in favor, please say I. I. I. Um, before we open it up to participation, to offer a few updates.
Sometimes I think it's better to think update at the beginning of the meeting maybe rather than at the end. Um, and so first I wanted to give the award to councilwoman PSI to just kind of talk about her work uh on Kill since
Sean is not here but u since the last meeting I've been working with Sean and Karen Atwood and the folks up there on getting the test together and determining like what holes we had if we had any need for for funding or
financing and what we uh look everyone up there has done a great job. We have Excel there they have an Excel spreadsheet of everybody who's been tested and folks who are going to be tested by D. Um we actually were out
last week when D came out to follow up with some folks that they had given notices to but they hadn't talked to. Um, we had a Spanish-sp speakaking interpreter come to help us with two of the households. So, and which has been great. We actually uh I went up and down
to Manny's a couple of times to get it all straightened out. And now we're both in contact with D in terms of when they're testing, you know, any holes that they have. So, we kind of have a little bit of a network going. I know
the department was coming out today to do some testing and and tomorrow and then we're going to follow up again on on any any problems who's outstanding. There's a few tests that um we were able to shift over people who wanted to test
right away to some of the free tests that were offered um by Jeff. I'm not sure like how that has worked out but um D has been has has their list. there have been testing and now I mean essentially they're kind of as they get
a positive test they move another like 500 ft and then they do the next test. So essentially now they're kind of more deeper into West right moving up 179 as they get positive tests. So we're awaiting some of their results. you
know, it's still, you know, we're still in the in the testing phase, but it's been great. And and I know that the some of the other neighbors that um have we working on their repair issues, but a lot of these things are up. So, I think we pretty much have a handle on I don't
want to ever say never on, you know, what what's needed and what's going on, but right now we're testing still and I think and the department's been very good about getting everybody as many people on the public testing roles as they can.
Um, and I think our next two is we're like branching out a little to West Danwell now that we're in West Danwell also, but um Karen and I were talking to to Zach Rich about um what you know what their needs you know and um look they're
waiting because it just keeps moving there and uh um but in terms of resources if if you know he's taking care of that on the Westwell end. Thank you. I appreciate that. Um, surprise
yesterday or two days ago, um, we finally were able to dispose of a couple of properties that we've been trying to sell for about three years now. A long complicated street, but uh, this sheriff's deal and we sold 113 Swan Street um, for just over $20,000, a
small plot on the $20,100. So that's uh so you're going up the hill on Swan Street, the wooded section on the on the right, small parcel on 179 sold for $5,100. And the third parcel um which is down at 310 North Union Street did not sell with
the city and now able to contact the contiguous owners to see if either of those property owners would like to purchase property through direct negotiations with the city. So I'm pleased to finally have some movement on that. And uh thank you to Cindy uh Bill
who's not here who's really uh had to really worked through a lot of process to to make this happen. So um a couple of just a couple of uh updates for those who may not have red matters this morning. Um in terms of Kabala Park, there's a little bit more testing needs
to happen characterization tests which um effectively um is to gauge the level of hazardous material that may be in the contaminated soil which then affects kind of where the soil goes and how it
needs to be disposed of. Um that we weren't going to be able to get that kind of turned around time for the July meeting. So hopefully by the August meeting we will have been able to get those results and get the contract uh and then award the contract. Uh I'll keep everybody keep everybody up to date
on that as things happen. Um I also noted that village departments uh you know we've had more communication with the developers. Uh they have they they were scheduled to meet with the D this week um to consider some flood hazard controls for the property. Uh he pushed
back that meeting until July. So, uh, it is all in the works. Um, they are looking at a like a kind reconstruction on the site. That's 44 units. So, uh, as we have more information about that, I will update the community as well. Um,
Church Street, uh, still waiting to hear back from the DOT on these last minor adjustments that, uh, they requested. Uh and uh in regards to the North Franklin Street water main replacement project, I'm meeting with uh Violia next week to understand kind of what the delay is on
their end. Um so I don't have more information about that specific the delay in that project. I should be able to go into make an announcement next week in Lal Matters about what the what the timeline is is expected to be for that. So, just as a reminder, they're going to be replacing the water man on
North Franklin Street from Swan about halfway up the hill, after which the city has a has a project to repave all of South Franklin from Highland down to Swan. Um, and then lastly, there was a question that came in just about um, and
this is something that's on the consent agenda, so I just wanted to kind of get out there in front of it. Uh it was question about uh you know a property owner's ability to expand a plenary uh retail construction license. Um and that is just something that uh would always
need to be uh approved by the by the city council. Um so if there's any questions about that I'm happy to answer that or we can direct forward. Um and I think that was all I wanted to just sort of update everybody on um
before we went into public comment which we will now do. So um as we go into public comment we remind everybody that uh we have a threem minute limit. Uh then we will let you know when you have 30 seconds. We ask you to state your name and address for the record and your that time is not interrupted for your
comments or questions. Uh Jeff Fiddle 33 Wilson Street. I saw that about two weeks ago Kavanian filed a motion to exclude uh the letters from D and the other the report from the
court case in front of the judge. were able to take them in from the judge. And I was wondering what the city is doing as far as either trying to challenge their ability to do that since the public comment the company the call
the session was over from you know what do you call that hot period you know what I mean and so are we are we challenging that or is the judge going to just dismiss it or we have any idea what's going on with that? Uh, is that all you all you wanted to tell? I I have one other question. Okay, you could go
with your second question. Okay. My second question is uh has there been any contact to the city from Pink Bulls or any professionals for Pinkle Pinkles or uh to either the planning board or any of the building inspector construction board officials or land use
administrator planner trying to find out where they are, what they're doing. So, okay. Uh I'll answer that question first because it's easy. No. Okay. We've had zero contact. Uh there's been nothing submitted. There's been no uh no there's no no outreach to
the construction office. Literally zero. Um and then just on the on the first point, um you know, I did talk to the the the attorneys kind of handling this matter with Kha. Um and you know, they did at the judge's request submit all of the documentation from the D and all the
letters from the residents following uh the letter that came from Khob. You know, I had a conversation with them and they felt as though because the judge had asked for the documentation that was the the signing. The judge fully understood that he did want to review all the documentation and they they
thought that was probably going to be counterproductive to actually, you know, go back to the court and say say, you know, judge, you know, did you get this? You know, we want to say something about this other letter. Um, so I think that I think that their strategy was that it wasn't necessary because the judge had
had requested the material and their expectation was the judge is going to review it. Uh, it is, you know, submitted from the state from residents. So that's just like they're wanted to challenge it and I don't know if they actually filed a motion. I can look at later. They did file a letter rejecting
it and um Kelly Graham contacted me because I was at the meeting just to you know see what I recalled about and I distinctly remember the judge asked her to not only share it with all parties but to upload it and so uh there's a written record of that so I'm not really sure what gay hob was doing because it's
reported you know they could have just checked the transcript so yeah the uh our attorneys filed everything on June 9th. Yeah. Paul Stevens 394. Uh I have a question about one of the uh bonds that's in the
continuing in the resolution and the consent resolution about retiring things. I guess it's right way of saying it. In particular, the one about Swan Creek, I'm curious about it. Looks like there's, if I read it correctly, there might be $6,000 left. I was under the
impression that that money was all spent. You know, $6,000 out of the 30 some odd. Um, might that not seem like a lot, but still there's uh plenty of stuff in Swan Creek that he ends up
getting $6,000 spent on moving some of the big pieces of concrete that have come down. of anything we can do. So, uh it would be helpful. Okay. Thanks. So, Cindy, this was the this was a a very
old project. This is many years before Ida. So, this was a project I think that was not completed. Is that right, Cindy? I believe so. This is before Ida. Yeah. Yeah. It's not related to this goes back a decade or more. So, we were doing work
on the FL Swan Creek flood duts. I think that that that might be that. Well, even it's still part of Swan Creek. $6,000. $6,000. There's not something but I think the useful purpose was differs from construction to I think
that was for um consult consultations. Okay. Thank you. Thanks. Good evening, John 99 orange. I always do that's good people who don't know where um couple things. First of all, I think
it's very important that it be understood. John, pull the mic towards you please so all of us can hear you. Thank you. Um the limit of three minutes I believe u constitution under constitution a
violation first amendment it's a bridgement and such actual impact the agreement limited in west is 15 at the war um I think it could call the action
for saying that and I said don't worry I think it's up to I don't really think any of us want to deal with today's political environment who's the appointees
that's it secondly um the streets we had in our two cars ladies who have not enrolled and if there's anything that can be done
to them we can go from there it's important we take care of our neighbors now in the last three years we have had blasting taking place site plan work done
out for a very They have no application. They have no legal right to do anything of what they're doing. And they're doing it. And as I look up right now, you got, as I said before, for 45 years, I stood
on my mailbox once. And I will look up and I can tell you right now work in front of their constituted site plan without an application site review and illegal because it's constant limit and
there are no records of any that or city. So I would welcome those who come up take a look at what is taking place
with Mr. Jeff saying that 4 and a2 acres holds back 4 million gallons of water and um million gallons million gallons 4 and a2
acres million and that will end up down here and then lastly not lastly um I have a gentleman who I talked about before who more than five years ago went to the
your predecessor and asked to be considered it appears to me didn't use the right language um to be used as a builder's relic uh has three and a half acres is uh
he also land you he therefore able to take advantage of that he and his wife wanted to build 20 out and they had a wonderful Mal housing
they whom they're talking with also has world and they want to see eventually if they pushed in the right direction that they had a tiny calculation I think
we get great publicity and it would be built by the Amish. So I went back to that on the record. And then lastly um at times we forget and it's very easy to do so that we either stand together
or as Ben Franklin said be either in order in a situation where certain levels but those developers have a legal way to put the best use of the land otherwise they become domination
without proposition. So I think we have to tread lightly but make sure people gentlemen told me he wanted me to run numbers as kid my mom died and he told me I could go to jail. I said well
pieces of paper with numbers on it and he gave me the best legal advice I ever had. the wall [Music] for but he said a pretty uh thank you very much for your time
serious reconsideration we don't need to be creating our own bad publicity and where to go with that now Governor Murphy has $30 million
a lot of it could be our money for the revolution. We have the most instruction in the history of New Jersey because Mur can do all they want but we have
receipts that Washington was there and we have it on record in primary source that so come on get ahead. This is the gold mine. We want to be able to be treated that the
most money that's spent for 70% of the money is heritage tourism. And I believe when you look at heritage tourism, I went to the symposium back in 96. That's the only and they said we're going to be the cleanest money maker.
They're free and they keep us clean. So way to go. I thank you very much for your time. And I made it through. Did I miss anything? Sandy Hannah 249. I'd like to put a formal request in that
um on the city's right away along South Franklin, there are a few trees there. Now, last year some trees were taken down by the town. There are four there that managed to pull my wire out of my building, drop the limbs on the wires,
make it so my neighbor across the street has no electric either, damage the um whatever that thing is up there on the telephone pole. Anyway, um and I get yelled at by the neighbors saying that is my responsibility for the truth. It
is not. You've already taken action to remove the four and I would love to have you do that. It's on the rightway. It's on our tax map. The two of us have no children. We have no city water. We have no city sewage. We I have to carry my
garbage up and over. So basically, I don't get anything but thank you for putting some salt and occasionally plant. So if there's any way that we can address those trees, I would be grateful and that is my request. Thank you. Thanks. I'm I'm just going to speak to
that. So, uh, you know, the city has removed a few trees in the right of way. Uh, and we did that really erroneously. Uh, and that was my experience, uh, that that allowed them to go forward. And I spoke to the residents up at South Franklin Street when we did that.
Residents are responsible for, uh, their property up to, uh, you know, up through the right of way, whether it's a maintenance or a tree issue. Um, so you know, the city's not prepared, I think, financially, to deal with every uh tree
that's on someone's property that happens to also be in the right of way. Um, so we we did cut down a number of trees. Uh, and I did speak to the city attorney about this. Um, and uh, you know, it's not something that I think we would typically do again. Um, because
there's just too too much of it, right? We have we've spent $30,000 in the last uh a year in the last three years just removing dead trees in city parks in city properties. Um we could be talking about tens of thousands of dollars removing trees in v on various
properties in right away. So um you know I I have to admit that that was technically a mistake uh that uh that that was my fault a couple of years ago. We did remove, I think, four or five or six trees uh on several properties uh up up uh in your neighborhood, but I don't
see it as something that we can continue to do or or that we would do normally. So, um that's that that has to be my response to that. Do you have any any thoughts about that? I mean, the right of way is the right of way trees in the rightway actually belong to the the
residents because generally when you own property, you own to the middle of the road. So, so the trees are yours. However, if these trees are in the right of way and if they threaten any of your electrical I'm sorry, any of your uh electrical wires uh that belong to the
electrical utility, you can call your electrical utility and let them know. They may want to come around um and take a look and maybe cut down the trees. I know JCPNL has a tree cutting program. PSEG may have one as well. Who's your electric service provider? It's JCPNL.
JCP Health does have a a tree uh mitigation program. Uh they are investing a good deal more money in the coming years in order to mitigate uh these trees that are in the right way. So I suggest that you call JCPNL if you have any trees that are overhanging your
electric wires. Yeah. And and they have come out on occasion. I have called them on behalf of a couple of residents on um Cottage Hill at various points and they make the determination. So unfortunately, you know, and I think some of your neighbors may have spoken
to them, but because you know, you you're in a tough spot up there. There's only three or four houses here at the end of the electrical line, they have to pri prioritize kind of where their work is done. So, you know, that's just something to keep in mind when you call them as well. Um, you know, they're more likely to remove a dentree that whose
fall will affect 100 customers than than three customers. Um, very true. Yeah. other members of the public wish John 14. Um, sorry I got here a little late. Did we hear anything back from the
owners of village apartments in regards to their offering towards fair share housing? Yes, you did get here a little bit late. I did talk about that already. So, um, okay. So, there 44 units with, uh, nine units of affordable
housing. And that's, uh, also tied in with the, uh, property across the street, the farm. We're putting housing there as well. It's not tied into it, but we will have, we do have a signed memorandum of
understanding with Habitat for Humanity for six units on that. So then we're meeting our third round at that at that point then. Well, uh I've said before the um the third round is uh we've had verbal confirmation from fair
share that they will apply those six units for the Habitat project to the five police station units. So we still have to go back to the court and file a request to amend the settlement uh which has not been done yet because of all fourth grant activity that's been tying
up fair share in courts but talked to the city the the for housing attorney and that's something that we'll be doing uh very soon. Okay, very good. Thank you. You're welcome. Sarah, anyone wish to speak? Have a motion to follow
a second. All in favor, please say I. I. I. Thank you. Right. Resolutions. Uh this is the consent agenda. The resolutions on the consent agenda are considered routine. shall be backed by one motion should any member of city council seek separate discussion of any
item that shall be removed and discussed separately. Does anyone have anything they would like to ask? Rich said that one question um because we're uh renewing or on the the boat house the
licenses only for the boat house and revolution. Correct. Yeah. if they wish to uh to expand their their footprint with their plenary license, they will ask me back to the council for approval. Any other questions from council?
Um hearing none, I would ask for a motion to approve the resolutions listed in the consent agenda numbers 1225 through 115 2025. Second. All in favor, please say I. I. I. I. Madam President.
Um that's the end of set agenda. Um moving on to resolution number 116-2025. This is the resolution of the city of Landerville and county honored and doring the fourth down housing plan element and fair share plan adopted by planning board of the city of Landville
on June 4th 2025. So here we are after six months of lots of work. I I do want to take a minute to thank everybody especially uh here on the council and also particularly on the affordable housing advisory committee. Um the work that that committee has done
has just been very very helpful and I uh we met last night in this room and had further discussion about the evolution of that committee. We're going to take the summer uh number of us are going to be kind of communicating oneonone to um kind of find you know kind of next next steps for that that committee. I think
it's a it's a a great help and and it has the possibility to assist the planning board and the zoning board and work through zoning ordinances and the master plan. So, we're going to be looking at a lot of that over the course of the summer. We expect to meet up again in September with uh a refined or
beginning conversations about a refined mission and u you know possibly incorporation under under an ordinance with the support of the city council. So, thank you to everybody who participated and thank you to the public who showed up to those meetings and participated in all property owners, the 40 the 42 of them that we contacted
about participating or partnering with the city. So, um all good stuff. Um are there any questions from the council about this? Uh you know, I would just say just a comment about the committee that we've had. You know, I think it was a great idea to start the affordable housing
committee. We've done some great work with that and uh you know there's been so many questions about updating the master plan and to me it just seems like that's the logical conclusion to use this committee to help with that and you know as we look at Lambertville especially Brit
Street and you know the entrance into town uh from uh from Stockton I think that we just need to reexamine our master plan so we can decide how we want the city to look in the future. So I look forward to hopefully doing that with the committee. Great. Thanks. Uh,
and you know, before I ask for a motion or a further conversation, I did want to clear clear something up. So, there's been some conversation floating around uh about a 15% set time on rental units. That was something that was mentioned in one of the affordable housing advisory committee meetings by one of our
professionals. Um, I went I took a little bit of a dive today. I actually went went into the code. Um and the 15% that the confusion I think arises from the fact that the 15% set aside component of the overlay ordinances in
the 2020 uh amended settlement agreement. So on the on the the overlays that were in that amended agreement call for 15% um set aside if if the properties are developed as rentals. Um the the city
code requires a 20% set aside. So, um I just wanted to clarify that because uh I have misspoken and a number of other people have as well and sorry for any confusion and sorry for not apologologist for not getting that clarified a little bit sooner. Um any
other questions or thoughts about the which specific properties? All all three all three that way and they're trying to pack the battery. Okay. Um well then I would entertain a
motion to um endorse the um the fair the housing element fair share plan as adopted by the planning board. Second. Okay. All in favor please say I I I thank you. Um
everybody take a look at the bills list. We pay the bills. Okay. That sounds like a motion which I'll second. So move second. Thanks be I mean council president. Um all in favor of paying the bills say I.
I moving on to ordinances first reading. This is ordinance number 15-2025. It's an ordinance to amend Landville city code 2014 chapter 7 handicap parking to include a space in front of 67 York Street. Um this is something
that we do routinely. Um and uh the city is going to begin to complete a review of all the handicapped parking spaces. Council president and I talked about this the other day. I think it's a good idea to really understand where all the spaces are and make sure that uh that they are still being used by the
intended kind of recipients uh of those um and uh and this will allow us to study kind of what we currently have and to prepare a plan moving forward for how best to handle requests of this nature. Um, as the council president pointed out, and as I'm happy to point out as well, you know, we now have a block
where we're going to have probably three or four uh handicap spaces. Um, and obviously we're going to, you know, move forward, I think, with those uh with those requests, but you know, we're also mindful of the impact it has on other neighborhoods as well. So, um, Council
President, did you want to add anything to that or, um, Mayor, I I just think we need to be mindful of trying to figure out a way to manage these requests and um, I guess
place them in such a way where uh, they're not so scattershot. And if it makes sense to I don't know um you know try to make sure that we're not creating a parking issue for
non-handicapped um you know drivers whether they be residents or visitors. Um you know I think we just have to be mindful. I think the easy uh e easiest route is to
have maybe um every few years assess you know go through the list and see which ones are still being actively used and if uh you know there are some that aren't being used then we could take that away. Um you know I I don't think
we should do anything drastic. I just think we need to have some sort of um eye toward not letting it get um out of control uh in a particular area or overall. I think we just have to be, you know, just have to be careful and think
it through. Thank you. Um Cindy, do you think it's something that we could publish over the summer to do an inventory? Yeah, because Lester does have a list of active ones and when unfortunately when somebody passes away or moves, the
neighbors call right away and both Lindsay and I do see in most cases um um PE, you know, through the the EDRS, the death records. So, we do see that. Um so, but there that that being said,
there could be a few scatter that, you know, we've missed. So, um I think we can go through this, work with Lester over this summer and get his list and revisit them just to make sure it's it's accurate. Um and then maybe we can try
and get this on mapping in some way so that we can see where they all are. Yeah, we just had one like a while ago taken out uh on Clinton Street, you know, and it was very helpful to, you know, because the folks had moved and you know, eventually come out and spray,
you know, it is it is a good thing and adjusted. You know, sometimes too there's old like looting zone signs up and things that, you know, people are are kind of vigilant on, but sometimes they talk amongst themselves and we don't get the reports. It would be good
if we had down time just to check them out. Sure. I I agree with that. Okay. Then I'm going to request that we do inventory over the summer that you just make a notes uh this September voting session that we just have a a formal review if that's okay.
Thank you. Um so that still leaves us with um uh any other questions or comments? If none uh then I would ask for a motion to introduce ordinance number 15 2025 on first reading of the second public uh the second reading public hearing scheduled for July 17. So
I think so moved. We are now we can add to the list. Okay not anymore. I move I made the motion. Thank you council president. Second. All right. All in favor? I I motion carries.
Seconds here. [Music] Let's do this. Ordinance number 16-2025. This ordinance of the city of Lambertville County and state of New Jersey uh seeks to adopt the Holton farm redevelopment plan pursuant to the local redevelopment of housing law. Um so this
is the redevelopment plan uh for uh Holen Park. Um the plan would be subject to a public hearing at the planning board on July 2nd uh and then come back to the governing body for a July 17th second reading of public hearing. Um so uh as everybody knows we've owned now
property for five four years and um we're ready to move forward on several plugs and uh this redevelopment plan allows us to do that. It allows us effectively to do a couple things at the moment. One, it allows us to begin process formally of dedicating the the
property for um the purposes of the Habitat for Humanity houses. Um and then secondly, it will allow us to move forward with negotiations and the sale of the um the farm market deficiencies mark and just terms of process how this
would work. I've just said that this it would be introduced tonight. We'll go to the planning board July 2nd. It'll come back to uh this body on July 17th. uh after which um the engineers and the architects for um fisherman's mark would
prepare the liinary and final site plan submission to the plan board. Um and uh once once the the council approves the redevelopment plan, then um the fisherman's mark will go back for a final site plan to the planning board
for a public hearing after which the planning board assuming they would approve the preliminary and final site plan. Once that's done, um the the city can move forward with closing on the purchase and sale with Fisheries Mark. So, that's kind of how the process will be laid out over the next several
months. Um we're looking forward to moving through the process and hoping that all goes very smoothly. I'm in regular contact with Fisherman's Mark and city attorney um and everybody at NEP in terms of make sure it all goes smoothly um on all fronts for both the
habitat project and for this project. So, um, it's taking a long time. There's a lot of moving parts to this. We've talked about this. Uh, we still have a number of moving parts in terms of the road dedication and doing anchors and yada yada yada, but we're working through it all. And, uh, tonight we would tonight, I think, to introduce
this ordinance. There questions from council about it. Yeah. No. Uh, I just want to say that it it's great. I know it's taken a long time that we're able to use the property for affordable housing as well as fisherman's mark purchase it and do some
things. I mean um when you look at the redevelopment plan it's a a a interesting lesson about buying open space. So I hope next time we buy open space we buy open space. So, um, but, um, I think while we're on the topic,
um, we'll make a motion to move this, um, is, um, just an update on where we are with Green Acres when you raised it because it does seem like it's a complicated process getting the money back from Green Acres and you have to file so much paperwork and it this is in
the exclusion zone, so it doesn't affect our reimbursement, but our reimbursement is, I think, is still chugging along. So, it does. And you know, I'll just I'll flesh that out a little bit. So the the we've completed everything that we need for Green Acres except one thing. There's always seems like there's one
thing that somebody forgot along the way and and this one thing was the the the the dedication of a public access to to the park, right? So and and um so so that is the road that goes up through the park up to the log cabin. Um once we
began that to consider the property for expanded use with the the um uh downtown for humanity project. We we now needed uh to incorporate that as a we needed to dedicate that as a city roadway. Um we began the paperwork. We did all the we
did all the engineering, all that surveying. Um then found out that we need it's a major application with the DOT because of the exit October 29. So the engineers have been working on the packet for the um it's a major access I think is what it's called. Um, and so we
are working through that. As soon as we have that with the DOT and soon as we can, you know, adopt ordinance to dedicate the roadway, that will be the last thing. And I've been in contact with Green Acres. I know it's the last thing. I would love to get this done this year. And I would love to. We have
a great commissioner at DOT right now, great chief of staff, and I'm sure he would be happy to see it get done during his tenure. Yes. While we're doing that, is there any way to talk to them about pedestrian access to the park there?
Because it's very complicated. So, I had an email about this this morning. So, there have been several conversations and I have had a conversation I enforce um when it was a year and a half ago maybe about um a crosswalk there and
they said no um because of the site limitations on the north end of 29. What? And I just had a volunteer, a second volunteer, Fisherman's Mark, write to me today about this. And my plan is that once we once once we're in place with Fisherman's Mark
with Fisherman's Mark to write, you know, this request directly to the commissioner with the pedestrian plan that uh DOT offered to help us with along that road and Bridge Street, we can they can they will look at that. So, we need to pass
the resolution that Ed said so we can start with a process because we preliminarily had talked about other pedestrian um walkways in different places maybe one at York and one at Elie Field but and and that had been an issue as well and and they'll look at it
because if we start this process they'll we'll look at this as a whole. Sure. So that would be a great thing to do in park to get there, you know, because it's beyond fisherman's mark really since it is state highway though. Yeah. And we'll start that in July. So and
thank you for your work on getting us sort of set up for that. Yeah. Okay. Where where I am. We have a motion. We have a motion. Second. All right. All in favor
in the introduced ordinance 16 2025 on first reading I I president did you vote did president vote um are you I'm sorry what
we had motion in a second to introduce the um you need a vote or a from you. I didn't catch it. Yeah, if you're able to vote on this, we already have a
motion and a second. Oh, I vote yes. Sorry, I was sneezing. Bless you. Thank you. Okay, you're welcome. Would you um reach out? So, we are going to talk to Stephanie. So, if you will,
let's I think Stephanie's next up. So Stephanie, if you will u unmute yourself. Uh the next ordinance is ordinance number 17-2025. This is an ordinance granting municipal send for the operation of the cable television system franchise within the
city of Lambertville County, New Jersey to Comcast of Southeastern Pennsylvania LLC here after. Um, so this is a uh it's an ordinance that is signed to renew the the contract with Comcast for a 10-year period of
time. Uh, it's been reviewed by the broadband cable and television advisory committee. Um, and I'd like to thank in particular the members of that committee, uh, Stephanie Brand and Dave Bird, Sean Ellis, and John Weber. Um, this ordinance took a long time. It's,
uh, requires a lot of different steps. I'd like to offer an opportunity uh to Stephanie Brandt who's with us via Zoom to speak to a couple minutes about uh the ordinance, why it's important, what the process was. Stephanie, if you could please. Yeah. Thanks, Andrew. Can
everyone hear me? Yes. Yes. Okay. Um, as as the mayor mentioned, um, about 15 years ago, the town granted a franchise to Comcast that included a 10-year renewal, um, as long as Comcast was in
compliance with the ordinance. The uh, broadband, cable, and telephone committee conducted a review over the last year to see if they had in fact complied. We conducted hearings. We talked to a bunch of um agencies
including the schools and fire and police uh the library. We also got complaints from the BPU and reviewed all of that and issued an ascertainment report which uh I think you all have received. In fact, I know you all have
received. It was uh last October. Um the the ascertainment report found that Comcast had complied for the most part um but that some items had either not gotten done or um had lapsed because of
changing technology uh and they had become obsolete. Uh the changes in the ordinance reflect the findings of the ascertainment report and the recommendations in that report. Some obligations are taken away because they've been um viewed as obsolete.
Others have been modified. Um you know, an example is that one of the requirements in the original ordinance was that they build a link between the justice complex and city hall. They ne that never got built. Um but now that obligation is being taken out, but but
they're um being required to provide basic internet to both of those buildings. um and uh also a mo an updated modem uh and service to the library. And there's one other item in the ordinance that came out of our
process uh particularly the public comments and that is that when Verizon I'm sorry when excuse me comcast closed their local office in 2016 the town agreed to that it was approved by the BPU. Uh but what has occurred since as
as uh the world has changed is that there's nowhere in town uh where people can return equipment. If you don't have a car, the nearest uh uh store is in Flemington and if you don't have a car,
it's very it would be very difficult to return the equipment there. Comcast does say that you can return it at any UPS store, but for us that is in New Hope. It's in a different state. So, one of the things that uh the the committee
recommended that's in this ordinance is that they provide either a dropbox or some arrangement with a local uh business so that Leverville residents who don't have access to a car can return equipment uh within the town. And if anybody has any questions, we're
happy to answer them. We'll have spectum uh the next uh the next meeting. Um but I think we should be able to Yeah, thanks Steph and Dave. That's that's a great list of of guests from uh from Comcast. We're certainly
lucky to have you on leading the committee and uh that's all good stuff for us. Thank you. Yeah. And the entertainer report, how many pages wasn't Steph? It was a lot. He wrote it all. So, thank you very much for the the members
of the committee. Um, I have a comment just well a question first. Stephanie, thank you for the update and thank you to you and the the team for all the hard work on this. Um, it's kind of a thankless job because everybody loves to hate the cable company. So, um, but, uh,
I was wondering were other providers considered or was that kind of out of scope? I should have asked that question last year, but it just occurred to me. Well, well, it's kind of out of scope because of this 10-year what they what they're calling an automatic renewal.
Okay. Yeah. And in fact, Comcast didn't even engage with us at all because they I mean, we we certainly informed them of everything we were doing. We sent them the ascertainment report, but their their view is it's automatic. It's automatic. So, um you know, we will see what what their reaction is to this
podcast. this is the only um provider that we we can use. I mean, they're the only ones around. So, I mean, Verizon never came in with the fiber optic and so, you know, fortunately or unfortunately, however you look at it, I
thought glass full of the we have Comcast as our are providing, right? Is that Yeah. Well, they're the only wired option there. There are wireless options like Verizon's 5G or T-Mobile's 5G start
and I had to go to Tren to return and they lost it. I think I think that the Comcast is facing challenges from getting away from wire and just you know
going a different I had work in the meeting we're doing yes they has helped, you know, step it up for us. So, thank you, Ton. Hey, thank
you. Yes, Stephanie and Dave, Sean. So, let's move on to a motion, please read. Second. All in favor, please say I. I. I. Thank you. Uh, public hearing and second reading will be J for this uh
ordinance. Okay, moving on to the second reading of of some ordinances. Uh the first second reading is ordinance number 11-2025 ordinance to amend the Lville city code chapter 7 traffic section 7-7.2
[Music] stop intersection. This will add a four-way stop Rosemont Avenue and Delaware Road intersection. um talked about disputedly and there's been some uh you know people have been concerned about sea with which you know dealers are passing through using mountain
warnings um from you know avoiding 29 and the lights going out through the neighborhood and going out to so uh in talking with quite a few of the local residents out there u we determined that this would be a great idea just one more stop sign um right where it needs to be
and uh slow everybody down and make sure that children are safe in the neighbor's hall that attention and the safety of the streets. Uh so I'm going to open this up to public comment. Uh this is a public hearing for this ordinance. If there's anybody here that would like to speak to it or ask any questions the
moment is there anyone online who'd like to speak to this? All right. I have a motion to close comment period on this. Please second. I I I thank you. Um now, unless there
are any further comments from the council, I would motion to um grand plan approval to ordinance 11-2025. So move. All in favor, please say I. I. Motion carried. Um, next is ordinance
number 12-2025. Uh, the ordinance the city of Lamville to ran the Landfield city code 2014 article 7 department of administration 2-7.2 division of municipal operations letter E purchasing number two purchase
by quotation. Um, so this is just really I consider this a housekeeping matter. This brings us into line with the state of New Jersey policies and procedures and uh recommended by the city auditors. I will open up the public hearing on
this uh fascinating ordinance which seems to generate no controversy among us in the room. Anyone online? 10. All right. I will make a motion to close public comment period. Do I have a second? Second. All in favor of closing
public comment period on this ordinance, please say I. I. I. I. Right. Is there any further discussion? Okay. Would someone make a motion, please? Did someone second it? Second. Okay. All in favor of adopting on second
reading ordinance 11 125 granting final approval. I I I motion carries and adopted.
See ordinance number 13-2025. an ordinance from the city of Lamville authorizing a special emergency appropriation pursuant to NJSA 40-3 for the purposes of funding preparation and revised tax maps that we talked
about this last time. This is to update tax maps which have not been updated since 2007. That was a long time. We need our tax maps and um this funding through a special emergency allows us to raise the funds to pay for pay for it over a period of five years
and a lot has happened in Lambertville. We you beta so we really need to have them updated. Yeah. And Cindy's been longing been hoping for this moment for years. For years. Yes. How many years is it? 2007 to 18 years. Uh yeah, a long
time. And and I I've asked almost every year at budget time, can we do the tax, please? Can we do it? And we even implemented a um a fee a tax mdivisions. So um so they did that I believe in
2014. Um so seems like a natural pathway. I'm grateful. Good. Sorry I was taking so long. Um this for public uh participation motion to close the public comment
period on this second. All in favor of closing the public comment period please say I. I unless there's any further comment I would entertain a motion to adopt ordinance.
All in favor of adopting ordinance 13-2025. Second meeting granted final approval. Please say I. I. Thank you. Congratulations Cindy. Thank you everyone. I won't anymore.
Perfect. Uh ordinance number 14-2025. Ordinance of the city of landfill from the county would provide for various capital improvements of and for the city appropriating 1,100,000
therefore authorizing is the issuance of45 I'm sorry $1,ion45,000 in general involves permit to finance obviously to finance sustain. So, uh, I said it last time, I think it's important when we borrow a million dollars or when we're
on the trust of borrowing a million dollars to just kind of run through what why we're borrowing it and trying to do that again. Let's take a couple of minutes. Um, and then I also do want to just uh talk a little bit about debt service and kind of where we are so everybody understands that as well and kind of what our capital what I see as
our capital needs in the next couple of years, which all this will just take a couple minutes. So, the ordinance seeks to um to to fund some uh repairs at the police station in the amount of $8,000 um including outside lighting. Um uh it
also seeks to uh include painting of the um headquarters last done about 15 years ago. Um and purchase body warrant war cameras which are required. Um it also seeks to purchase a new uh Ford 215
pickup truck for um the DPW standard replacement. This particular placement is from two would be replacing a a vehicle from 2011. So a 14y old pickup truck. Um this seems about time for that. All the recycling truck which is from 2009 you probably seen that on the
streets. So you know holes in the body uh showing us signs of old age. It hasn't come out yet. So, uh, we'll continue to use that as a backup, which would be nice. Um, and, uh, that is going to cost about $350,000. The pickup truck will cost about
$46,000. We do have estimates obtained for all of these items, by the way. They're all on file if anybody wants to receive them. Um, technology uh, upgrades here, $75,000. Uh, these are from estimates generated in 2023. we would finally like to do what we need to
do. So everybody can hear us all the time here in the room. Um the next two are related to storm water. These are requirements of the NJ DP tier 8 permit. Um one is uh in the amount of $225,000.
Uh this year we are required to retrofit all of our storm drains. Those that do not meet the current requirements. I think there's 275 of those. So this is a significant capital project that's required to be done by the end of this year. Um as is the requirement uh
actually that may that may be next year but we're going to do it this year. Um the requirement to completely map all of our storm water systems is uh deadline is approaching on December 31st of this year. Um $15,000 for that. Um we are
actively working on that in the department of public works but we need our engineer to um you know take what we have uh and put it into GIS um so that it's all complete and ready for state approval. The last two things that uh
this ordinance seeks to fund is some tree planting in the Senate business district grinding and tree planting in the amount of $40,000. And um uh we have beenated for a FEMA what's called a 406 mitigation grant to put in flood gates
here automatically closing floodgates here at this building which will protect it uh from excessive flooding damage. Uh the bond amount of that is $250,000. um 60% of that total cost will be reimbursed by FEMA. So that project has
been obligated and we're looking forward to getting that done. That's been a couple years in the works and uh kind of given where the federal government is heading with FEMA. I'm glad the money is already in the bank for that so to speak. So uh that's a good project. Um just to touch base about our um our debt
service. So I did ask the financial advisors to provide us with an uh outstanding debt service as of January 1st. We put this on the website. It's on the finance uh page on the website and I did get a balance um from the CFO um
this week. Our current balance in the reserve for debt service is of $248,000. Um that's what we'll be heading into in 2026 with a debt service um and reserve plus whatever we add to that this year with the potential sale of the farm
market and Green Acres, the potential um $300,000 from Green Acres from Kala Park. So, um, the CFO sure is going this is a very we're got a good number here and it's only going to get better um this year as we continue to close out some of these other um when we start to
see some of these other revenues that could go into. So, uh, at this point I'm opening this conversation up to the public for any questions or comments they may have in regards to this ordinance. Keep moving this back.
Good evening. John Hack regarding the uh floodgates. We had a presentation by engineers quite a while back in which the uh engineer said as long as the outflow from the canal into the area behind where the gates would be
installed was not increased past a certain level that it would not um it wouldn't work. And so um we had a room full of people that were we hadn't any flooding on the Delaware
uh for 50 some years and then all of a sudden in 17 18 months we had three major floods and the people were becoming undone. So at that point I talked and they they came up to me and I said what what are you doing? They
already said it wouldn't work. And what am I going to tell these people? And I have to saw where he was coming from. We have people that have been injured here. They don't know what the cure is, but they have something in front of them and we're not going to arbitrarily tell them
it ain't going to work. He said, "But if you can find something, get back to me because part of the flood gate program is pumps that have to take the water from the outflow that goes into the area
of um where where the canal spills spillway and then has to pick it up and shoot it out." And the way the canal is engineered, it won't work. We also uh but like I said I fully understood where he was
coming from. We have destroyed people who have had their property destroyed and you can't say an engineer said it won't work. You got to engineer it out and see that it won't work. And uh the uh Army Corps of Engineers reviewed
it and their answer was keep your foot and they put that right. But we have another issue here. We've been at the bottom of the bat toe. I mean, what happens above us is going
to hurt us down here. West is looking put in uh I think it's called the village or something. That'll be a tremendous amount of impervious surface. Uh the school I don't know where their snow is coming from. Going to go. Excuse
me. I do not know where schools put the storm water. If it goes either side, there's two swans that come together. It still goes to the same spot right out here. I believe we have to take a more of a regional approach and say, "Wait a
minute. If you're going to build up here in West and us down here, you have a moral and a legal obligation for us to all work together." So although I'd like to see the storm doors there, but it's also storm doors with a pump. And when
Dave told me to look into it, I happened to contact someone actually in the Navy and I said you guys and I ended up they were very cooperative. I also told them, you know, I was in so that gave me leverage me too. So um
what they told me is that the amount of water that comes have to be they said we always use our pumps. You would have to have somebody trained and know how to use your pumps and then use them. And I
say so well we can do that you know. But now if we have West Emma adding to the mix and the area as I mentioned before which is diagonal to the school which has been always hydrated soil because there was a historically there
was an area up there that was a a mill and now they're putting that into the swan. The uh our problems are not created here. We just in the catches mill. So, um,
can we get together and do a regional approach here and then get a solution that will work that we're all good neighbors and we work together and perhaps, just perhaps the water that comes out of West Elmo has to be caught
on the way down or other aspects of that so that it never never reaches us here. And part of our flooding, which I again you folks put a lot of time and effort in, of our problem here was the
deadfall created a dam where the Rock Creek where Rocktown Marville Road crosses the swamp and it damned up area because of dead fall. Oh, and by the way, those two little old ladies, they have a big walnut tree sitting on their
wall. We built them and they have no means to get it off. and it's a big black wallet that's been cut back a bit. And so they're going to it's going to cause us problems again because we're downstream. So I uh I want you to understand that I understand as a
elected official sometimes you have to take action to satisfy the needs of people who are very concerned. Even though you may not you may have a feeling that the outcome is not going to go your way, you still got to do it
because you owe it to the people that you do so. And so there is no criticism on my part actually one of the few things we agreed upon. So I thank you very much for your time. And by the way folks, I I I have to leave. But I would like you to know because I do not have
the name of a complaint to my insurance company damage. Our house has been damaged from last week. So is the house behind me. People are having their clocks blown off the wall, things like that. There is activity taking place
without cycling review on Academy Hill. And uh more than welcome. We just paid two grand to get the plaster put down on our third floor, but it's all plaster. 300 years old. Blew off of our house.
Okay, good evening. Thank you very much for your time. Jonathan, could I ask to sit for a minute so I can respond to that? Yeah, because I have a few things to say if that's okay. Um, please have a seat for just two more minutes. Um, you know, I want to emphasize that the the
floodgate project is specifically for this building. I know you're talking about the the the the report that was generated in 2008 with the floodgates, you know, at the end of the creek. what we're talking what this project seeks to do is just to add floodgates outside of
the doors of this building to so I'm just I'm just explaining right so yeah and and the second thing is uh you know on Tuesday evening the city hosted an event a meeting here with go hunter and their sustainability so we had people
from all over the county and we were talking about flooding issues and uh we were talking I spoke about some of the work that we have done here one of the the the Last remaining component of the requirement of the MS4 tier A permit is an in the city will have to complete a
watershed improvement plan by the end of 2027 and the state now requires they've changed the requirements here. So every individual municipality in the state is required to generate a watershed improvement plan. And uh you know a year
and a half ago at the watershed institute conference I challenged the commissioner the DP commissioner on on on the practicality of you know our wershed plan is is is only you know is only as good as how about you know how
clean we get the water and how good we get through the city with keeping everybody safe. Right. So, so one of the things that we talked about and Michael Storo from the water the the the institute was here at the meeting and the watershed institute is now working with several communities in uh Mercer
County to create a watershed uh you know storm water plan and so we talked about that and we're going to have to get Westwell involved and uh that is definitely coming I can assure you because we cannot continue to manage all of this on our own but as I've said in
the past you know for my my work in the last couple of years is to make sure that we're you know the city is as safe as I can make it and as as safe as we can make it in terms of managing water comes through the regional approach is definitely going to be something that we're going to have to talk about
because we cannot continue to bear the burden of hundreds of thousands of dollars in infrastructure costs and everything else without you know getting assistance from the communities upstream. So I I I don't make promises that I can't keep. I promise that we're going to be talking about this a lot
more in the next year and a half. Please, of course, Stephen 39. It's good to hear. I was pushing for that about two years ago. Anyway, uh in terms of the impact on the debt service, uh I thought, you know, there might be more
file out there to go look at. It would have been nice to know that that it was there before. Um I guess my one question is I haven't heard anything though. Does that incorporate you know any sort of outear spending plan uh in terms of capital
things? We have a lot to do in this town in terms of capital spending and I was just wondering if that I'd look at the file but it won't matter after tonight. Um but have you considered has the CFO put in some sort of spending
plan out here? uh so we know how it grows or doesn't grow. Thank you. Well, it's obviously going to be uh you know updated once the once the bond is approved, right? So, you know, this is kind of where we are and as we continue to bond, you know, that the outlook
changes. Um you know, I don't see us, you know, when we look at our five-year capital plan that we talked about, you know, in the finance committee, um this is really, I think, the big year. next year. I said the last meeting, you know, we're taking a year off from road work.
I don't see that there's any major capital expenditures that are on the horizon other than some routine stuff replacing vehicles for the police. We've done a tremendous amount of work this in the last couple of years, whether it's the elevator at the library for what is it $300,000 or the painting or all of
these other major capital expenditures for the DPW. um we effectively are uh are going to be coming up I think in the next couple of years on a on a borrowing profile that's going to be significantly less than the last three years. Well, I I don't see how that's possible if we're
going to do everything we can to minimize the impact of flooding in town. Okay. Thank you. Anyone else? Anybody else like this? Uh J 255 Brunswick Avenue uh on the the
floodgates for this facility. All right. Uh we installed floodgates in the facility. All right. Uh after some major flooding in this building. All right. They were installed and used I think a
number of times at least sometimes. So what are we doing differently? Well I think those weren't those ones someone actually had to come and actually I'm sorry. Yeah. So yeah those so the floodgates that are being proposed I saw them installed at Diamond Silver. So I saw they're fantastic. Um they are
automatic once the water above hits. The other ones did not. Somebody had to come over here and activate. So yeah that's the I think that's the principal uh benefit here. You know, these gates are designed to as the water fills into it goes in, it pushes the gates right up. So there are there are them over at the
D silver that we use as a as a model. We talked to the building over corner over there. Um they're not even mechanical. They're they're just uh they're done by kind of gravity and uh and the pressure of the water. And you know, we have had we have had times here when the floodgates have been on the building and
we forget to take them off and then it's a a hazard in terms of the exit. So these are these are self-regulating um and uh you know we'll act very quickly if there's a flash flood. Right. So and and how much are those? Well the total uh the total project costs $250,000
um and the grant will cover 60% of that. Okay. Okay. On both. Yes. I would just when we put it on the front I noticed that diamond silver some of the handicap accessible it does affect that. So we just want to make sure that
we still keep us as accessible as possible. Hey John town 14 handover. I'm not a smart man. Many of you will agree with that. Right. Thank you. Thank you very much. Um at just over eight pounds a gallon
water. you guys had a black flood. Whether it's automatically racing or not, you got people stuck in this building, you get a pretty substantial flood. Are we doing anything to reinforce said buildings? Because if I put 10,000 pounds of force on the
outside of that building without that wall being reinforced. So, we're kind of putting the cart before the horse. It's nice. We're going to cover up a door, but when the wall collapses, what the hell is the matter? Why are we going to spend all that money for a building that shouldn't have been put in a flood zone?
We're if anything going to invest money in a flood zone building. What does the federal government recommend? Raise it up. Sounds like a lot better investment than a floodgate. It's going to cost $260,000
with zero guarantee that it's going to work or that the rest of the building won't collapse around it. If that's making sense motion to close public comment period on this ordinance second all in favor of closing the public
hearing, please say I. I. I. I. Are there any further questions or I have a a uh a question about the storm water end of mapping the storm drains? Are we are we going to use our technology that
we had the grand for storm trains during this or is that it's an independent activity? So the the mapping is is the way the mapping is done. Lester knows a lot of it already. So he's got you know we
printed maps and he's writing you know of the system as we as we mapped inlets and outalls and he's taking a red marker and you know doing arrows. That's that's how we know going the the the video camera uh is for setting pipes. And
what's are we planning on doing this next year? I would love to get that started this year. So we bought a trailer for it. There was a box that had to be had to come in that we had to be outfitted. So that's finally up and ready to go. Um so we will start that.
Um we've got to get the mapping done and so but we'll also start videoing the the system. Yeah. I would think that then once we did the mapping, since we have the camera, the next step is to have an engineering firm review the data to put
together. Again, going to like a what are you talking about? Five to 10 year, you know, capital plan of what we're going to do down the road, you know, okay, what are the projects that we need to fix this system and and when would we stage them and and how would that work?
Um and and and probably in terms of planning just to say about you know our buildings as well you know what we've studied a lot of times but just in terms of you know what's our fiveyear plan in
terms of you know there is there outstanding problem but I would think that our facilities as you put and and our storm water facility would be our capital like improvement focus for
and develop kind of a plan so we kind of know what we're thinking we're doing every year from the deficits that we determine are there. Yep. Absolutely. So, we'll do the mapping and one of the
one of the things one of the one of the initial assessments that will happen this year is as we um go through the replacement of all of the retrofitting the storm drains. Um when when each storm drain is being retrofitted, an assessment of the of the
inlet will be made. Uh at that time it's uh very unwieldy for the crew to go out and pull the grates off of 575 uh and make assessments. Britney has started to do that. Um you know when she needs to clear out a catch basin or an
inlash you know off comes the the grate and she you know clears it out and then she'll you know photograph and make some notes of the work that might be might need to be done. you know, we're talking about 275 inlets that are going to get personalized attention this year when that when they're being retrofitted. So,
you know, that will also provide us a basis of understanding what, you know, what shape those uh those plots, you know, those inlets are. Uh and then, you know, once we begin kind of, you know, videoing the system, we'll have a better sense. Um and it's going to take a while
to video pipes. Yeah. Some of our issues are, you know, not just these inlets, but the system, you know, itself you need, right, to uncover and we may at some point sooner rather than later need
to procure and put out like an RP for an engineer who would do that and maybe they could actually through the RFP pro process propose like a program for us because, you know, hey, look, we can think of what it is, right? But, you
know, we might as well go to to, you know, ask professionals what, you know, what they would recommend and how that would be priced. You know, I think that would probably be best for us since, you know, you know, we, you know, I don't know that we're going to think of it
ourselves, but, uh, seems a little more technical than, you know, just a thought. Okay. Uh, any other comments? Right. May I have a motion to adopt ordinance
number 14-2025 second reading granting final approval. Um all in favor please say I. I I Okay, that was unanimous. The motion carries. We have a resolution um
resolution 117-2025. It's a resolution to amend resolution number 11-2011-225 contracting Gilmore and Associates to fund the engineering for the following projects of obtaining the tax maps not to exceed an amount of $43,910.
Then as for outall pipe mapping, the not to exceed a contract amount of $9,500 in the storm drain inlet grade replacement program inclusive of design permit and inspe inspection fees but then not to exceed amount of $18,700.
So we did this after the bond ordinance because these uh projects are tied to the bond ordinance. Um, so I want to see if they have any questions on this these proposals that we've reviewed and um feel comfortable if they're comfortable
moving forward if everybody else does. Yeah. Make the motion on it. I'll second it. All right. Um, so all in favor of adopting resolution number 117-2025 amending contract to the city engineer to include updating tax maps, a commens
outfall pipe mapping and the engineering for the storm drain inlet brake replacement program. I I carries correspondence correspondence
anymore. um board appointments. Uh just to note this evening. So uh to the parks and recreation commission, I'd like to appoint Jillian Roberts um to a regular position. There are two alternates to stay alternates in those positions. And
on the planning board, uh I'd like to appoint Jensen to the second alternate position. Any questions about these? No. Okay. We have a motion to confirm these nominations. So move second. All in
favor please say I I carries um for dates so after hours I haven't fallen asleep yet can get my notes
notes all over the place. Yeah. Okay. Thanks. Um so welcome Liz. Um we began a conversation about a program that the chamber was interested in sponsoring. Um this came out of the um sort of born after the success of the
local night and shot fest and um you know we had some conversations. Councilman I thank you for your time and your efforts um moving this conversation forward with the chamber. Uh and um we continued to have conversations since the last meeting. Uh and what we came
back with or what the chamber came back with was a proposal um after after a few conversations um with myself and the council um councilman to uh create kind of an after hours block party. And what uh the chamber is proposing that this would be an event held on summer
evenings uh three in particular July 11th, August 1st, and September 5th from 5 to 900 p.m. Uh this event would take place on Church Street between North Union and George Street. So it's a fairly short block. Um and it features
seating, music, extended shopping hours, dining hours, children's activities, and opportunities for a community connection. Um, so, uh, that's what's being proposed and, uh, you know, we've had some conversation, I had some conversation with the council members.
Um, and you know, there would be a certain amount of the city would request. Um, and I'm just going to sort of mention those. Uh, you need to write it down. We'll send them off to you. Um, and, uh, and then we'll we'll see if everybody's comfortable with that or if there are further things that the city
would like to to talk about. So, um, you know, a couple of things we would ask the chamber to agree to do is to reimburse the city for the meter fees for that block during that period of time to, uh, reimburse the city for, um, any garbage and recycling fees. Probably pretty minimal. It may just be one or
two people like trash on Saturday morning. Depends on how much you generate. Um, that you contact all the businesses on the block question. I believe that's already been done um, from a conversation I had with Carolyn. um that you would provide uh your insurance coverage for the event. Um and
then lastly, city council um you know would review this uh the first event would be on July 11th and we would have a conversation on July 17th at our council meeting. So we'll see how it went. Talk about whether there are changes, whether we think it's successful, whether we think it should
continue uh or whether it was something that uh you know doesn't doesn't move forward. Mayor forgot the necessary police department resources. Oh yes, and whatever there are in terms of police resources that might be needed. So um those are all things that we would ask
that the chamber um take on part of the responsibility of um taking over one of the streets for a few hours on on a Friday evening. And uh wanted to check in with the council members at this point to see if everybody how everybody feels about this as a plan. Um whether there are outstanding questions or other
things that you want to consider adding. Um uh and then I'll offer my thoughts. Uh so I would just add one more thing. I know we're going to notify the businesses, but we should also notify the residents that live there because obviously they're not going to be able to park it. There's not many, but we
should let them know. Um I think it's a great idea. I really enjoyed it at uh in April when we did it. Um my other request was a beer truck, which I guess didn't get on the list, you know, maybe that's a great idea. Yeah. Um, I I think it was great. I think the locals really
liked it. Uh, just me thinking I I would think that maybe a less busy night than Friday might be more beneficial, but you know, I'm certainly willing to try this. I kind of thought maybe a Monday or Tuesday might be pretty neat because that's going to bring more people to the area because Friday we already have people, but you know, I'm on board. I',
you know, interested in seeing how it works and um, I just appreciate everything you and Carolyn and the other remaining chamber people are doing doing a great job. And I would say that these these evenings coincide with the fireworks um across the river. That's sort of our our original answer to the
fireworks. I I think it's a terrific idea. I think you guys know when you know when people what people are kind of hungry for given you know your customer base and uh yeah it's great to come inside with the fireworks. It's because people are kind of kicking around in fireworks nights looking for something
to do. Yeah. Um and it's nice so you can do both. Right. Right. But yeah, so there's something to Yeah. do and it's just it's terrific. The chambers. So thanks. Well, it was great working with the committee and with chambers,
you know, to get to get this off the ground. And uh yeah, thanks thanks for wanting to do something like this. I think it's going to add a lot to uh number one to a street. If you have a business on Church Street, it's
sometimes it's a challenge to get people to walk down the street. I I was at number one church. I know what it's like being, but it's, you know, it's it's a great community event and the chamber's really uh h the direction
uh in the past few years to focus on on what you're focusing on, which is great. So, it's a great community event. Thanks for taking it on, Council President. Yeah. Um I I have to say I'm in agreement with moving this forward. Um,
we could, you know, we could sit around and and kind of speculate what we think could go right or wrong, but the only way to know is to do something. And we have a fixed number of of um dates. So, it's not like it it it's going to spiral
out of control quickly, and if it does, we'll just cancel the next two. You know what I mean? So, so I think um it's it's good to for us to support the chambers's efforts to try to increase uh you know
uh exposure for their businesses. Great. Thanks. I feel the same way. I'm excited about it. I'm enthusiastic about it. I think that I always say there are students. We can use them how we want. We're we get to decide, right? was a lot of thoughtful input and uh you know
trust and responsibility and and just that good naturatured block party thing that we all love so much that I just I particularly love. Unfortunately, I will be out of the state so I won't be there this for the 11th but I'll make the other two. Um and just in terms of advising the residents I think that we
can do that. I'm not some of those buildings are rental buildings, so I don't want to be able to have, you know, we could probably put flyers on on doors and, you know, maybe Lindsay or we we could help identify property owners or whatever. So, that's a pretty straightforward I think thing that that
we could do. It's a fairly small block. Well, and I think if we put it in landful matters and pay for it and um I I don't know, we can check to see I think we have a database for landlords, we might be able to sort that. Is there a way to do it by the parking permits
there? The people that I don't know. Yeah, that might be just because I think people parking that's really going to be the primary concern that park in the spot. So, okay. So, um are there any thoughts before we move forward? Do we need should we adopt the resolution or
resolution? I it is in the folder for everybody and it really just mirrors this. Yeah, certainly would be best if I just read the resolution. Yeah. Okay. So um so this would be resolution 1182025. It's a resolution to authorize for the J for the greater area chamber of commerce
for landfill after hours. This will take two minutes for three minutes to whereas the greater area chamber of commerce has requested approval for Lambertville after hours from the city of Lambertville on the following days Friday July 11, August 1st and September 5th. And whereas the request includes
road closures, police services, garbage and recycling. Whereas the city of Lambertville is requesting reimbursement for lost muted revenue payments for garbage recycling fees associated with the advancing police coverage. And whereas a portion of church will be closed from 5 to 9 on first Friday beginning July and ending in September.
Whereas the following areas will be closed to vehicular traffic on the dates previously specified. Church Street between North Union and George. Now therefore be resolved by the governing body of city of land. yada yada yada. We are hereby authorized to execute the memorandum of understanding with the greater area chamber of commerce for the
land to go after hours events with the following conditions. Chamber agrees to reimburse the city for meter fees and any necessary police department resources. Reimburse the city for garbage recycling fees. Contact all businesses on the block. The chamber must provide insurance coverage for the
event and the city council will review on July the July July 11th event at our July 17th council meeting and reserves the right to modify or cancel the remaining schedule. That's that's the uh that's the resolution right into the record. Um if anybody's comfortable
making a motion I'll make a motion. Okay. All right. All in favor please say I. I. I. Okay. Motion carries unanimously. This is great. Let's get underway and have some fun. The uh mushrooms, the the only parking lot that
is off of that street is behind number one tourist street, you know, in that little lot. So, you're going to have to make the people, you know, it's part of the noticing, but that's you know what if they're in, they're in.
I think we know who that word is that building. So, I don't know who it is now. Is it still the Orland family? Did they I think she sold I think she sold. Well, there's probably a registration floating should be.
All right, let's keep the flow. Uh announcements. July 4th holiday. I'll see clothes and recycling for Friday. Pick up scheduled for Monday, July. Oh, sorry. seven right
seven okay the street will not run on July 4th I'll also uh note that um the construction code official is going out the birth of the seven scheduled in early July um we are going to do our best to maintain uh a schedule in the
construction office uh Crystal is still out and will be out for the same twoe period of time so uh Subacorn I I see you out there um subacorn and I will be uh in the construction office as well. Oh, that's a five finger way. Five
finger wave. Um so patience will be appreciated. Uh and now we will open this up to the second and last permanent public participation standing rules apply. Paul Stevens 39 uh just point of clarity. Uh will now
this uh uh draft uh redevelopment plan for the Oakland Park be available for the public and so hopefully by tomorrow since next week it's like going to the planning board. No, because it was a draft document. It will be Yeah. You go
under ordinances. It should be tomorrow. I'll send it tonight. They should post it tomorrow. Yeah. I combine the ordinance with that. So it's one document. That's fine. It gets uh like I said, planning board meetings uh Yep. next Wednesday, right? Yeah. So, well,
it's it's uh in the agenda, Lindsay. So, the agenda has already been posted for the planning board meeting with a link to the plan. So, it's already it's already available even though it was a draft and had not been introduced here. Thank you. Chef TD, 33 W Street. That was my first
question. The second question is talking about the redevelopment plan there about the road improvements I guess that are going to be because we have to widen the driveway bring it when it becomes a street we have to widen it bring it to to road. Is there any concept of what
that's going to cost? Uh no not yet. So yeah I I don't know what that's going to cost. Um we've talked a little bit about it. It may not need to be done right away. We do have money in the site planning uh bond for the purchase of the custom property that can be used for that. Uh it certainly has been surveying
um and uh yeah my second point is once you figure out maybe if there's some DOT grants nonprofit historic be could be pretty pricey. Paula just checked it is available right
now to click that go to the planning board calendar and get it there. Uh Judy Gleason 86 North Union Street. Um this is following up. I asked a question at the last meeting or last month I think about that playground that
was touted as a playground that would be available for kids in town when while the uh playground is closed because of the dirt because of the whatever and I hear tonight that we still have a
long way to go on that and I I still see the clos sign and I know Crystal's out and I know she does a good job for construction, but I know she doesn't inspect and stuff. So, I'm just wondering where's the progress on that because nobody seems to know whether
there's going to be that playground open for kids and it's the summer and I don't know what we're doing about that. I'm sorry. Which playground are you talking about? Are you talking about shed? Yes, at the church. Well, that's private property. So, I know, but when you Excuse me, B has that I'll say. No, no,
please. When when people asked about that when you said the other program is closed, you mayor said, "Oh, there's going to be this new playground though that kids will be able to use at the church because they're building this
playground." Right. So, I didn't know that that was the town's view of what the playground would playground access would be, but you said that would be the access. I did. And now I'm just wondering because co asked me because I was concerned about the fact that there
were no permits and nothing had been approved. But so that's why I asked last month and I'm just trying to follow up now and see if we know anything about what we're doing about approving those. Yeah. So so nothing's changed. So initially
I'll I'll just clarify this. So initially the the um the school reached out to us um before there was an before there was a known issue and said we want to open this playground to the public um we wanted to have the house be open to the public right that was before we knew
that there was an issue with the zoning and with the with the construction. So when they offered it to the public I then on their behalf offered it to the public and this was before we knew that there was a problem there. So once the once the problem uh you know became
luminous they decided that you know for insurance reasons that it was not a good idea to keep it the open to the public and I you know I stated that as well. So if it's not hit the private part it was initially before before they before the problem was they were going to open it
to the public. So so that's the that's the that's the timeline there. Um and they have not submitted an application to the zoning board. The next zoning board meeting is July 31st. Um, Crystal is keeping some uh an eye on email and so am I. And I don't know what they're
doing in terms of presenting something to the board. The construction office already told them they needed to get permits. That was all done before they opened it up for their own kids who go to school there. I mean, that was all happening. The construction office knew. Crystal knew. The construction the head
construction guy was new. I'm sorry to say I don't his name but that was all out there that we knew they needed permits. So So I I think J I think once they said they were opening that's when some neighbors asked about the permits and that's when we learned that there
were no permits issued. So because I talked to Crystal that day so before the park was open she didn't even know that. So um it's different information than I've seen paperwork done but Okay. Well, no. I think I think the issue is I think the
issue is some of those neighboring properties did not realize that this was going to be a park open to everyone and they had some concerns about that too as a joint property owner. So that's why I think they may have decided not to open that to the public as of now.
So all of that discussion and all of those things are now off the table. Nothing's going to happen. Is that Do I understand what you just said? I have no idea what's going to happen. I don't I haven't spoken to them about when they're going to uh speak put in an application before the zoning board. I believe they need a variance request now
because of the work that they've done. Uh and so I don't know when that's happening. It's a private property followed up specifically with them. They've got they're operating it they're operating it under the offices of their own organization and that's it. I'm happy to ask him tomorrow when I drop
myself off for you. So I'll ask Miss Anyone else? Sorry. I'll make a motion to close the public comment period. Is there a second? All in favor, please say I. I. I.
Motion carries. Uh, and at this point, there's any closing thoughts from the council members to adjourn. No move. All right. All second. All in favor? I I thank you very much for being here. All right, we are at 45.
Hi. Thank you. And that's