Good evening everyone. Thank you for coming. We previously closed session. Now we're in open s once again. As we do uh at each meeting, we'll begin by standing for the pledge of allegiance and then remain standing for the flag
of American. this evening with uh my state of the city address. So comfortable self want to turn it off but down required by the city's administrative code. The mayor must report on the state
of the city within the first 60 days of each year. Some years it can seem like a herculean effort to combine all the relevant facts with the feeling of the place and the mood of the people. But it's an exercise in which I find partfelt appreciation. Whether in the quiet early morning of my
kitchen, my daily walks with Archer, or sitting at my desk at city hall, it seems I am always always thinking of Lambertville. Many of you think of Lambertville with the same intensity, the same sense of purpose. And let me acknowledge upfront
that the true state of the city is established by the daily commitment of its people, not by the annual report of the mayor. Our dared enthusiasm, hard work, pride, neighborliness are the rocksolid foundations of the city. And
whether a good day or a bad day, we can take joy or comfort in knowing these attributes are constant. The city's enjoyed many successes over the last year, and I'll get to those in a few minutes, but I need to start on a more serious note.
In the process of closing out the city's books for 2025, I was informed by our city auditors that there was a significant tax assessment error in 2024 that caused a gap in tax collections for the 2025 calendar year. Through good
planning, we have enough in our reserves to manage the issue and we have a plan in place to rectify future budget impacts to asssure the highest level of transparency on the matter, accountability for those involved and to protect the rights of our employees and the commission independent investigation
of the issue with our city attorney. The outcome will inform us as to how the mistake happened and bring those involved to account for the errors. I will keep you informed of the progress of this investigation as we write our 2026 budget and budget address.
Once the final 2025 transfer resolution has been approved this evening, the annual financial statement will be released by the auditors tomorrow. It will be posted to the city website early next week. Though we haven't yet reviewed all of the year-end figures for board financial statement, I have run a
few reports and can share some encouraging news on the revenue sites. In 2025, the city received $270,460 from the 2% cannabis transfer tax, approximately $85,000 more than the city
budgeted and $50,000 more than the previous year. Another cannabis retail micro business has received its certificate of occupancy from the city and once the cannabis regulatory commission has signed off and will open its doors in the Riverwalk building.
The hotel and motel occupancy fees which include the 46 registered short-term rentals brought in $196,000 in revenue last year. And lastly, parking revenue had an all-time record at $597,581, closing up $33,362
over the previous year. City currently employs 26 full-time and 12 part-time employees. No, I think I'm reading the thing. Hold on a second. Um, I made a cold line of this before, so we'll just have to go with what this
is. The city currently employs 26 fulltime and part-time employees. These are the 38 people you meet on a daily basis. They're keeping the lights on, so to speak. They work outside. They work inside. They pay the bills. They keep us safe, respond to emergencies, pick up
trash, sweep the streets, maintain the public record, and so much more. Last year, we said goodbye to four employees who retired. Danny Pool, Ken Rogers, Robin Worththington, and Anthony Mel. Other employees who left include
Kath Kathy McLaren, Samuel Peratus, David Lucco, Melanie Bent, Jack Angelone, Brian Never, and most recently Jesse Kerr. Our hires in 2025 and early 2026 include Laura Wesnjak, Connor
English, Nicole Barry, Kevin Lagram, Conor Hughes, Patrick Hoy, Freddy Tyona, and uh Ken Shank. To each and every one of them, I offer my thanks. Sin continues to be served by more than a hundred volunteers on our committees,
boards, and commissions, and and the community emergency response team. The two exceptions I've recently attended reorganization meetings for the planning board, the library board, the parks and rent commission, the zoning board of adjustment, the LMU way board, the environmental commission, the historic
preservation commission, human rights council, the broadband cable and television telephone services committee, the Shakespeare commission, and the office of emergency management. This year, these dedicated individuals will set the course and begin the work of recrafting the city's master plan as
well as rewriting our environmental resource inventory. Also, this year, any day in fact, Glamberville will join the verified ranks of less than 50 certified local governments in New Jersey. Took us nearly three years to see the process through and is a testament to our
veneration of historic Lambertville. Through the National Park Service program, the Historic Preservation Commission will work with state and federal governments to promote preservation initiatives and secure dedicated grant funding for preservation related projects. This is one of the
many real achievements of 2025 that will have a lasting impact on streets of Lambertville and in the community at large. affordable housing and the bureaucracy and intensity of a year working with the affordable housing advisory committee, the planning board,
various city professionals, the court and fair chair housing center, and the city council. It was sometimes easy to get separated from the reasons why this work is so important. I recently received an email from a single mother, a single mother struggling to make ends
meet here in town. She works two jobs and while she's got a good landlord at the moment, she worries about her long-term housing prospects. Like so many other hardworking people, she is integral and important to this community. She is as integral and important to this community as anyone at
the other end of the socioeconomic spectrum. And her letter was a sober reminder of the growing need. In the last decade, market forces and desiraability grow substantial increases in property values, which is nice for those of us who own so long as you can pay the taxes, less so for those who
rent. City's fortunate to have a varied housing stock, but even at the lower end, it's becoming very difficult to find an affordable place to buy and rent. And while affordability and affordable housing do not consistently overlap, the housing element and fair share plan that
will be endorsed by the governing body this evening is a promise to both current and future residents that we have worked toward building a community which will house people of all economic realities. City may not have the authority to regulate uh rental increases, but we
have registered 254 long-term rentals this year, ensuring public safety and landlord accountability through state regulations and strong local ordinances. Beyond what the city has done in meeting its affordable housing obligations, I'm really pleased to report that region 9,
a nonprofit housing corporation, recently purchased the Hiburnian apartments and the South High Apartments and they're undertaking major renovations of both properties. A notable a notable percentage of residents in those properties have lived in Lamfil all their lives and the care
and consideration of region 9 to improve the quality of their homes is one of this year's great highlights. On February 28th of last year, Cahanian filed a motion with the New Jersey Superior Court to intervene and to resend conditional judgment compliance
and oppose for failure to adopt a Lville High School redevelopment plan. Subsequent filings and motions were submitted by both sides as well as by Fair Share Housing Center. On July 7, the Superior Court of New Jersey ordered that quote, "The city shall immediately amend the Lambertville High School
redevelopment plan based upon the May 2024 Law High School redevelopment plan amendment previously introduced by the city council to allow for 200 unit inclusionary project proposed therein." End quote. City council adopted the redevelopment plan on September 18th and
is currently in negotiations with Kmania on redevelopment agreement. The city's three major areas of focus in this agreement are the possible environmental issues at the site, storm water management, and traffic and pedestrian circulation. In addition to the 40 affordable family
apartments that will be built as part of the high school redevelopment plan, the city is also actively working in partnership with Larin Valley Habitat for Humanity to build six affordable houses in the exception area of Hulcom Park. With regard to municipal projects, a lot
was accomplished in the past year and with nearly as many projects set for the coming year. Church Street repaving and oneway restoration project was finally complete. The upper York Street retaining wall project was completed. The library was repointed and painted and is currently undergoing an elevator
replacement. Firehouse stormwater infrastructure project was also completed this year and is working beautifully. The public works garage expansion and ocean upgrades were completed. the repair and replace when the effects have to be postponed until the spring. Both the Hulcom house and the police
station were painted. 17 trees were planted in the central business district and consideration of improvements to the North Street parking lot will be taken up again this spring. After more than a yearong closure, Cabal Park will be open on March 1st.
Amen. The response action outcome has been filed with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the city is working with Green Acres to close out the project. Violia is scheduled to begin replacement of 500 foot section of water man on South Franklin Street the first week of
April. The project will take about a month. Once completed, the city will repave South Franklin Street from Highlands to Swan. Small sections of Swan and South Union are also slated for repayment. The city is still working toward the sale of the former homestead market to
fisherman's mark. Final negotiations are underway and both parties are eager to close the sale. I'm currently communing communicating with Frenchtown Stockton and West Although Mayor Deal, thank you for coming on some proposed shared service
agreements including uh storm water maintenance and zoning reviews. We look forward to those partnerships. In terms of PAS, uh, Councilwoman Kaminsky, West EML, Mayor Robin Deal and I continue to partner with residents and meet with the D on an ever on the
everexpanding issue of POS exceedences in private wells. I'll include some statistics in an upcoming newsletter article, but for now, I'll note that there are 65 active spill upon claims in Landerville alone. Storm water management and resilience
continue to be uppermost in mind and in works. On March 20th of last year, the city received the final version of the resilience action plan, a 155page guide toward greater resilience in a changing climate. Without a moment's hesitation, Maryanne Borish, who should be a
household name by now, seized the report and got to work partnering with the Saline Conservancy, the parks and commission and the park stewards have removed vast quantities of invasive mug wart and planted a riparian buffer along the banks of Haley Creek behind the ball fields. Maryann's awarded a $5,000 grant
from the lower Delaware Wild and Scenic River Management Council to plant trees in Cabala Parker. Most significantly and on our behalf, the Sland Conservancy was just awarded $95,300 $95,300 to restore 16.5 acres along the Rust
Lambert Nature Trail that have suffered great losses from beach leaf disease and emerald ashbor. The grant was supplied by the Delaware Watershed Conservation Fund with support from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The project will get underway in April.
Additionally, a $4,000 grant was awarded for a pollinator garden near um Elie Playground. Mary and I, Maryanne and I are currently working on a New Jersey Department of Environmental um production natural solutions grant opportunity that has the
potential to provide more than a million dollars worth of green storm water infrastructure along the eastern edge of music mountain. Awarding the contract for necessary engineering studies may be up for consideration at the next council meeting. Britney Gorsch uh our stormwater
management coordinator has finished the required mapping of the stormwater system and is now working in collaboration with the pro programs to write the required watershed improvementally. The city is currently out to bid on a
FEMA 4016 406 mitigation grant to construct self-closing floodgates on both the front and back doors of this building justice center. It's taken several years to get to this moment. And and when complete, these gates will make the building much more resistant to
flash flooding in particular. Day after day, I'm astonished by this community. The past several year the past year, several residents got together, started a nonprofit, and installed tools spellbinding creatures all around the city in time for
Halloween. Amy CS, Jane Wesby, and the board of Jim Hamilton scholarship fund took the best of Lambertville's artistic talent and turned it into $48,000 worth of scholarship gold over the Shhatfest weekend last year. The chamber began a
wildly fun series of first Fridays on Church Street. It seems the Sunday morning farmers market at the library is at hand. Working with the police department and city hall, leaders of wellorganized protests have kept thousands of people safe while exercising the most
fundamental of American rights. Fisherman's Mark and the Delaware food pantry remain the keystone of stability for hundreds of local families whose needs could not be elsewhere. The British community lunchon at the Presbyterian Church, the screening room,
the colony at club, the historical society soup salon, the library. No doubt I'm forgetting a few things, but you get the point about all the people that keep this community strong. The city council and I continue to work with gladness and determination
to atone and do the work letting the municipality responsibly and honestly council president Lander Counciloman Kaminsky Council live and council steady. I'm paradoxically both proud and humbled
to serve with the council members year after year in our co mission. Finally, a minute of personal privilege to thank three people. There were many moments this year when Ela Clif and I were working for medically to meet the endless deadlines associated with tying up the third and fourth round paper to
work for the ultimate virus. Her expertise, professionalism, sense of humor, and willingness to work unreasonably long hours to satisfy the goal was of an inestimable value. To Michael Dis, a city's budget consultant, I have a great deal. There
have been a few times in the last year or two when I stupidly thought I'd learned enough to do it without him, but thankfully I always came to my senses. No one knows more about municipal administration and budgeting than Michael and the city and I have great benefited greatly from the deep thought of his knowledge and commitment.
Lastly, a welldeserved recognition to Bill Opal, a city attorney. Bill is my count before responding. Gives he gives the best legal analysis and invite the city almost every day. To make him laugh in public meetings is a long-standing goal of mine.
to make them speak louder is a long-standing goal of yours. Thank you, Bill. And thanks to everyone for listening and being part of this great city, especially it's a great city. We love living here. We're through our problems and our challenges and everybody does a
tremendous amount of work to make life better for everybody. Whether it's shoveling your neighbor's law or whether it's serving on a board or a commission, whether it's working longer hours than your uh employment complexes, you have to um all kinds of really really
remarkable people in this town. There's not a day that goes by when I I don't feel a tremendous sense of gratitude for everybody in this room and everybody in the city. So, thank you for coming out and listening to that. That will be posted to the city website um probably in the next couple days.
uh approval of minutes. So I would ask for a motion to approve the following sets of minutes um as submitted and amended. I made a couple of minor changes today. Um Councilman Steman made suggested change that was incorporated into the minutes. Um, so
we're looking at the the a motion for the January 22nd meeting minutes, the January 22nd closed session minutes, the February 5th work session minutes, and a February 5th close session. Is there a motion? >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> Second.
>> Any further questions or comments? >> Hearing none. Um, all those in favor, please say I. >> I. Thank you. >> Uh, and now we'll briefly discuss the administrative reports. So everybody a chance to look those over. >> Um just a couple of things. The clerk's
office is off to its usually strong start uh in January. Total revenue from the clerk's office was already $45,000 this month. So uh well done. Uh the park bases brought in 14,000. Parking permits brought in almost 16,000 and lots of
other things still getting underway. Landlord registration. That's just a small number but number nonetheless. Um, and I'll note that we also have a really good January for um, parking meter revenues, $38,000.
Um, which is a pretty good number for January. It's better than any other city years. Um, I do need to make one I'll just make one correction for the for the record. um in in the minutes and I don't know whether I said this in the last meeting but I referred it looks like in
the minutes I referred to the the work that was being done at Cabala Park or the documentation that was required to submit the D possibly referred to that as a as a remedial action permit. It was actually a response action outcome permit. So let the record show that
that's that that's the correct um terminology is want to ensure that understood that. Um so unless there are any questions about the the administrative torch I would ask a motion to accept them second. >> All in favor I reflect the
administrative now you participation constituent service microphone once you have ability issues in this case we'll bring it to you. Um, we have uh three minutes to time for comments or questions. The council may
respond to the public 33 W Street. Thank you for your report. Uh, though I'm more concerned about this year and things that are coming up. Um, I know
you're still negotiating a nanian, but the town's really going to have to do a lot of work to deal with the impacts. That's going to change this town probably more than almost any other project in the town's history between the size and scope, the construction of it, and the impact of storm water and to
our u our other utilities, both water and sewer, plus the contamination up there. This is going to be, you know, an incredibly important year to try to get a handle on it because it could really end up having negative impacts when you have steep slopes and heavy rains and
trees that are going to get cut down, mudslides and a whole range of other things are real real problem trying to deal with the storm order coming in. And then the other issue for me um is what's going to happen uh on Cory Street.
I've been through development issues for over 50 years and historically this is what happened. There's a big public outcry. So the developer bachelor waits six months and then comes back again. In fact there's a hotel down in Ocean City.
Same thing just happened. Um and my concern if they get the use of amance even though there's 200 there's a hundred other uses you can put there. um they're going to come back to the hotel because it's still zone for a hotel and even though there may be shop and going
into finkles developers can wait. So my biggest concern right now is storm water dealing with the construction up at the of the um and it's going to happen because you know the old joke is when does a
developer give up on the plan when it's built. So, if you get if you get this if you get them weddings, then you you get you'll end up getting a hotel. You may end up inviting for a parking deck, and you're probably going to get sued, by the way, on on having an ordinance that, uh, restricts the paid parking in this
town. And I've heard that from a couple of sources. And then my last point, um, which is that we really need to have a snow removal plan when there is a major snowstorm. Um, there was a catastrophe for parts of this town.
Saturday because of of Valentine's Day. So many parts were trying to come into town, go to the end of the hall. I knew people who were going to the elves. It took them 20 minutes. People actually ended up parking at Acme and walking. Uh I've seen cars having to back up because
these streets are one way. You know, luckily there hasn't been any accidents, but you can't see around corners. Even today, if you're on Lily and 29, there's no mobile pile at the at the uh at the library. You can't see the lane coming. You have to kind of move sideways to
look. And you know, the biggest and most important thing in a town is public health and safety. And if we had a fire or a major accident or even someone with a heart attack, some of the streets could have been blocked and we could have had a catastrophe. We need to make sure we have a contingency plan that we have either
emergency funds somewhere or reach out to contractors used to help out years ago and others but this was not tenable and we're just very lucky um that nothing really bad happened and people
you know because it's not because they people did something wrong just that there was so much snow pile that it made it hard to walk you couldn't get from even if you parked and parted town, you had climbing up a a 4ft mound to get onto the sidewalk. People could have
gotten hurt, but they slipped. And so I really believe that you should have a backup plan. You know, they they say a city mayor is measured by garbage and snow. So take care. >> Thanks. I'm happy to discuss the snow a
little bit. Um certainly this was a decision that was made ultimately I made the decision to to proceed as we did. Um, I certainly talked to your council members uh about what I thought was probably the the
proper or the best given circumstances course of action. was in regular contact of course with Lieutenant Brown. talked about uh public safety concerns and uh you know there's no there was no increase no extraordinary increase in kind of accidents or incidents um which
suggests that people were taking great care and I said this at the last meeting you know there's something there was something probably people take the wrong way but there was something almost sweet about having to stop your car at at an intersection and wait for somebody to
come through and get a big friendly wave So, you know, I understand that there was definitely some circulation slowdowns. Um, and then just in terms of the snow removal end of things, so we did decide to clear the central business district. Um, and you know, all these
decisions are are made considering multi, you know, many different elements, right? So, the overtime cost just to clear the central business district was $8,800. Um, the city has only cleared snow out
of the out of the the downtown area twice in the last 30 years. So, in 1996, Lizard of 1996, the city cleared snow and dumped it in the river. And then in 2014, the city did clear snow. I have the report here. So if anybody's
interested in seeing it did clear snow from the entire downtown district, but that was when we had um uh correctional facility employees who were I don't know what the salary was having to drive down to the correction the correction facility that got people and bring them
back uh to clear the streets and they were also working with the DPW trap for a number of years. Um and uh while that may have been an economic uh may had has economic advantages to the city uh you know I don't know that that would be a that would be something that we could do
and we we we considered it a little bit kind of at the beginning of my mayorship and I discounted it. I didn't think it was a for a lot of reason something that we wanted to move forward with. Um but that snowstorm in 2014 which generated 14 inches of snow probably close to twice what we got this
past storm um was largely cleared by prison convicts uh in the city. Um and so you know the cost of that was much lower. Uh you know you could expect that if we were going to do the downtown residential areas you know tens of thousands of dollars. Um, so I have to
be mindful of the budget and I know that it was great inconvenience and we did continue to clear some streets. We did take special care to clear a couple of streets where emergency vehicle access is uh is important. So outside of the central business district, we especially
cleared swamp um swamp street because of the narrowness of that street to allow for emergency access vehicles. So all of these things were considered and they were all taken into uh to to my decision making criteria that rely heavily on what we have in terms of staffing. Uh
you know we did we were loaned a a truck and a couple of employees from these pies, one from the county, one from Westwell. The second week you know two weeks of trash had piled up. Um and uh people were very courteous and respectful about getting it out to the street instead of putting it on the
sidewalk. So thank you to everybody who did that. Um, so you know, a lot of there are a lot of different components that go into every decision. I stand by the decision about how we handled the the snow removal. Um, and I personally took many calls and a lot of people uh,
I would say probably about 50% of the people who reached out to me were pleased with the way the city handled the snow. 50% of the people that reached out to me were unhappy with the way we we handled the snow. It's a difficult decision, but now that the snow's melted and we're going to spend 30 or 40 to $50,000, that's a decision that I can
live with. Um, that said, I think your point about having uh, you know, possibly money in the bank uh for contingencies, it's a good one. Um, and I'm certainly willing to consider it. Uh, and I think that if the budget can can withstand it, you know, I don't know whether it's setting up a trust account,
putting a little bit of it, put a little money into it every year with with the purpose of either over time for, you know, flooding clear, you know, whatever whatever the whatever the need may be. I think that's a good idea and I'll take it under advisory. So, thank you, >> Mayor. Would it be possible to use our
alert system to like because I notice on North Union Street would be nice if you know the people would move their cars so the plows could get in and so if we do have an event like this again I think we might be able to use the system like that because you can't plow four or five days later because all the ice and
everything but that day afterwards if we' set an alert out everyone on North Union Street moves your car I know some people are going to be unhappy they're have to find a place for their car but I think that would have made a big difference. Um, and obviously we didn't know the snow was going to last as long as it did, too. So, >> well, yeah, certainly that's a I mean
frigid temperatures until recently, right? So, that was a that was definitely a concern >> for the blows can't get out because the cars and so we tell everyone to move their car, especially that main thoroughare. I think that like sucked the machine. So, >> I would let Cindy or Lieutenant Brown speak to the the the snow emergency
system that the city had in the past. I I do know that when the snow was cleared in 2014, it required a blockbyb block organization of people moving their cars. It had to be very carefully orchestrated uh and timed. Um so it's a huge logistical challenge and and I was
living here in 2014 and remember it and thought it was well well done. I don't know maybe but I had a driveway so maybe it wasn't going well. I had no idea. So, I don't know if you want to talk about kind of things. >> Um, well, it's just really from memory. Um, and and Councilman Stegman was uh
very heavily involved in that as well. Um, but we noticed every car and and we in the past always had this view of the emergency system to only use it for emergencies. So, that's why we decided at that time to just put notices on
cars. you know, this is the snow removal and of course we used our Facebook and we used the city website and our list serve to notify. Um, I thought it went relatively well, but it it was very costly.
>> And the other thing too is in 2014 things changed drastically since then. You know, we were able to put the snow up under the bridge, but you can't do that now. So, you know, in this snowstorm when we were planning, where are you going to put the snow became a
very big consideration? Um, and we had people at city Hollywood calling to see where they could take the snow and you know, the snow has contaminants in it. We can't advise people to dump it at playground or any any place else. So
even if we could have I think before we you know budgeting money is great but before you do that you've got to lay out the plan and decide. >> Exactly. I would Yeah. I just want to suggest that you know part of the I think the challenge is is just kind of understanding the costs and having a
little bit of a of a playbook you know ready. You know, sometimes you can rent equipment ahead of time like rent a front loader if we were going to pursue it ourselves or contacted um different like I know like landscape
companies you know they do do the initial plowing and then they have some time and a lot of their issue is is when you're a landscaper you're not planning plants in the winter but you invested in the equipment to do clearing and to do
and they pay, you know, shorts of, you know, find out like what, you know, what the costs are involved in in doing that. So you kind of have some folks and when you're in an emergency situation sometimes you know it's not that you
already budgeted for it that you can also you you know find it later on because you are in an emergency you know over in New Hope they did choose outside you know and outside now granted because they have more money whatever but you
know if you at least know who you're who you could call and have support you know you're kind you know we kind of have gain Yeah, along with the with the checklist of, you know, like Lester does, you know, make sure the equipment is ready
and do we have, you know, you know, is everything, you know, good to go, but we think we're going to need a front loader. You got to get in line ahead of time on truck or thank god we could borrow and do some things, but then we would know what the what the universe
is. We we did in the past reach out to landscapers trying to get someone on an on call list but the problem is they don't carry the insurance that we require. So that's why we were never successful in getting in being able to compile a
list. Now having said that that was back in 2017 2018 we could always try it again and maybe with some of the contractors that we use for our road projects they may have the equipment that you know might be able to to help us in an emergency.
>> Can we make some calls? Lester make some calls for the front loader. Uh you know and was probably too close to the storm but even then you know what do you do? You take a front loader, you rent a front loader and hope that you get less
snow and you justify the cost and there's no anomaly, you know. No, if you're going to have six inches, no, but you know, this was like, you know, a snow company. So, you know,
we're done for that conversation. Is there anyone else in the room who wishes to make a public comment? before anything. There was an article about loss in the New York Times with our house this week. So, everyone should check it out. >> Philadelphia.
>> Yes. I I love to support the Inquirer. Yeah. It's a fun thing and featured uh you know, talks a little about Lambertell, so I encourage everyone to check it out. Um uh yes, my name is Lauren Bron Rafvelt. I live uh on North Union Street. Um and I um just wanted to
say ask actually has a question about the zoning overlay um that is under consideration today. Um one of the zoning overlay properties um actually both um are within the the range of my home. I'm here as a person who is saying
yes, I think we should do this. I'm this I'm a Yimi person. Yes, in my backyard. I just have a question that I was hoping um that uh council might be willing to clarify just so I can understand. I noticed in the zoning overlaid proposal for the um the scope works building um
that there is a uh it it states that the Elm Street um entrance would be closed and that the North Union Street would become the main entrance and exit both pedestrian and um vehicular. Um uh my neighbors and I have some concern about that just because of the narrowness and
the limitations of that entrance as well as noticing the definitely increased traffic. There's very frequentoint traffic with the cannabis store. Um and it is vehicular traffic primarily um that comes in and out. Now, um I was on the council or the advisory board,
whatever it was called, that advised for the traffic management plan, and one of the solutions we arrived at that we were glad was adopted was to have the one-way entrance off of Elm. Um that does seem to help securely with um my children,
young children or pedestrians. Um so I was just wondering if I might understand um why that is written in as different. Um, I noticed that the Cherry Street Clan has some changes and requirements, but that they don't um address
or exit from the lot. Um, I also want to emphasize as a resident of the town who's also very concerned with affordability um that I'm glad to see these overlays are being adopted and that the other the Cherry Street site is also um being considered
for these types of plans. And I encourage council um to continue to work in this regard really creatively um and work hand in hand with those developers and uh people who might bring affordable housing to go. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Um happy to answer questions. I'll also note that we will have a public hearing. I'll open these ordinances in a few minutes when we get to them. Um when the council was considering that overlay um and working kind of uh with
the city planners to kind of develop the the specifics um you know there have been some issues with neighbors on Elm Street with the entrance on Elm Street. It it's felt that uh I can't speak to a spec plan right but it's felt that there
has to be a two that there would be two separate entrances off of North Union Street. So whether that means that one of the existing buildings allows for uh you know a double a double entry an entryway and and an exit kind of middle of the block that's possible. There
weren't specific um there weren't specific requirements as to where those two points on North Union would be. Um but it it was felt that uh it would be important for circulation and planning that the Elm Street entrance be closed if that site is developed. And some of
that has to do with the just the basic requirements of a site plan. Pretty pretty uh the city council uh felt when we when we talked about this uh and it's reflected in the ordinance that a wider buffer than usual was
appropriate around the around the site and that and that the two-way traffic thing was going to be an important element for you know both exiting and entering. So it's not there's no determination about where they would have to be on the site.
Um but then part of the the site plan is part of the development plan super describing that. That's it. Okay. Are there anyone else in the room? Anyone online?
>> Oh god. >> Okay. How many people we have on? >> 13. >> 13. Hello people online. Thanks for joining us. >> All right. In that case, I will ask for a motion to close the public comment period this time. >> Mayor, I just got a hand raised.
>> Oh, okay. Let's uh >> went away. >> Susan, did you have a comment? >> Um, I'll make a motion to close the public comment period. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor, please say I. I. I. You.
Move on. Resolutions on the consent agenda this evening. These resolutions are considered routine and they're typically enacted by one motion. If anybody has a question on city council question discussion, please let me know and we'll
be discussing separately. Um, are there any questions about this uh resolution 21? hearing. None. I accept a motion to consider the consent for the items numbers 43-2026 through 65. I'm sorry. 6526.
So there very satisfying most efficient resolution 66-2026. This is a resolution to endorse the housing plan element and fair share
plan. I hope by now everybody has seen and read the 396 pages of the plan. I've been talking about it since last year this time. Um thank everybody I think a thousand times for all of their work on it. It's a tremendous amount of work. So
if I entertain questions or comments for a motion to adopt resolution 66-206 second okay all those in favor please say I >> and before we move on to
uh say thank you to um she completed the financial portion of uh all of the documents for the spending plan um are been uploaded. Do you want to talk a little bit about this because it's just an enormous amount of work. I
kept looking at the screen and shaking my head and walking away. >> Essentially, what you do is you take the housing plan element and fair share plan and you take everything in that and you're uploading it into our website with what they call affordable housing
um site at BCN. So you have to take that plan and then you you know put everything in. Sue did all the financials but I actually put everything in for the housing plan and then after you do that you have to do each individual project and each project has
a title. For instance you have um Heritage Village. So from Heritage Village, we have 37 units and each each of those units are put in 37 times and you have to put whether it's low, moderate or you know very low income and
yeah it's just it's just a structure and that's how you get your points is by doing all that. So it took an a lot of time to do that and be very specific and it really was for the third and fourth ra round. uh AMS is not or the DCA is not differentiating between the two on
the website. And what that does is that feeds into a uh dashboard that they have on another section of their affordable housing website that tells when people look what how many what your number. So
>> yeah, and that's but that's only updated once a year. So it's updated after you do your annual report, then you'll see those numbers. So should tie back. >> It was fun. It was interesting. >> It it was there were times when it was
uh it was uh challenging, but um that that's you know that and grant writing out there, my loves. >> Well, a real shout out to you because not only did you get it before the deadline 15 weeks currently, seven weeks. Thank you. >> It was fun now that it's over.
Uh >> um resolution number 67-2026. This is a resolution to support the creation of the Lambertville Farmers Market, Lambertville free public library parking lot. So I've talked about this many times. This is a project that I've
uh been thinking about for years based on the suggestion that Sarah Gold gave me back before I was even mayor. And uh we've got a great team of people. Uh this is a project if uh if it enjoys council support tonight um we'll move forward. Um they will be basically the
council is committing to giving us the giving the farm market the space and I'm pulling pulling myself out of you know working with the council on whatever requirements there are. Um certainly uh working with the uh the committee to make sure that the market is um well
funded initially super well organized. it's got a variety of excellent products. Um, and that we're really mindful of kind of the community because seems to be very broad support for this. Um, and um, I think it's going to be a great success. Um, and Alexander
Packel's husband is here. He's been one of the people who's uh, really helped us. I think we're up to 20 something vendors now um, all across the spectrum. So, the market will be um, at the library parking lot from 9 to noon on Sundays. Um, we intend to have, you
know, some musicians and some communion space. A lot a lot of places to sort of sit and gab and uh buy your vegetables and we've talked to a lot of other farm markets. We've talked to farm market managers and I feel like we've got a really good handle on uh how much work this is and what a tremendous asset it
could be to the community. So, um I dare you to vote no. No. >> Uh are there any questions for anybody on the council? Certainly all the farmers have submitted uh certificates of insurance uh called harmless
waiverss. Um and you know it's a it's a complicated set of scheduling to arrange. Some will be in every week, some will be in a popup, some will be in half season. So there's a lot of logistical challenges just arranging who's going to be there ready. Um and I do anticipate hiring a farm market
manager um uh every year. So uh the first year it's going to be handled through a private LLC started by me and uh we've already talked to a couple of uh possible partners to to work under an established nonprofit or we'll or we'll
begin. So, any questions about that? >> What will you call the market? >> It's the Landerville Farmers Market. >> Okay. >> Our website is up and running. We have we have a great um Instagram page. So,
uh and we've got Yeah, we've got lots of lots of expertise happening. >> Um I just had a question about logistics with the parking. Um so, when are the residents not allowed to park there before? or are they allowed to park their their cars by 7? >> Yeah, I think so. We'll work on some
details. I I think that yeah, I think people can clear out by 700. That would be great. Um and then our intention is to certainly have everything back opened up but before 1:00 when the year started. Um it's possible that we may need some um last time I reported that
some of some of the applicants, the early applicants did not need access to their trucks. Um we've now heard from some quite a few that that do need access. So we may use um Lily Street primarily for truck parking, but we'd also like to really have a dedicated
public space as well for kids to head out, that kind of thing. So >> is it possible to have the sweep or go through that afterwards? See before or before >> sweep myself means before before the >> No, you sweep that while you come up to
the hill. >> Um certainly that's consideration. Everything's on the table. I'll have to go work with whatever the council will certainly need to to work with Brown on signage and making sure the letters are dropped off. I'll do outreach to all the neighbors, talk about the, you know, the
the parking lot and uh when we're sleep where we people have to >> you walk down. >> Yeah, but then we have to walk out. >> Well, yeah, but you'll have vegetables. >> Is it worse? There we go.
>> All right. >> So, I would ask a motion to adopt resolution 67 2026 supporting creation of public market. >> So, moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I appreciate
I promise to do well by everybody else. So, thank you, Alexander. Um approval of the bills list. Uh who would like to pay the bill? One second. Who who would like to make a motion to pay bills? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor?
>> I ordinances on first reading. We have ordinance number 032026. It's an ordinance of the city of Lambertville County state of New Jersey to amend the zoning ordinance article 12 affordable housing. So this is uh the
the last uh thing that we'll deal with um to meet all of our um all of our requirements. Um this ordinance was finalized. Uh it really takes a lot of what we already have and look at the ordinance. The the the new sections which are required were highly
calcated in yellow. So it's a long ordinance. Um but it's a good one and um you have any questions about it or should we just get it underway? Okay. Um, so I'll make a motion to introduce our first reading ordinance
number 03-2026. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I I and I will note that this public hearing scheduled for March 19th, 2026. Next is ordinance 04-2026. It's an ordinance to amend the
Lambertville city code 2014 BH3-1 sanitation retail food establishments, food and beverage vending machines and cottage population. Yes. Uh this is a revision uh this revision is an update
to the board which includes some new languages and increases the fees of food licensing. So maybe I want to add anything else on that forward. >> Just we we talked at our last meeting board of health really is county board of health was making some changes and so what we did was tried to bring our
ordinance in line with with the board of health. Um and so and also we did increase the fees $50 by each except food. >> Yeah, we did food uh trucks we lowered to 50 because the inspections aren't
going to be done by us. It's not by the county. >> All right. Motion to introduce the morning report6 on first reading with public hearing scheduled for March 19th. So move. >> All in favor? >> I. Yes. >> Okay.
This is second reading. So I bought the day for this one because I have been f of the works. So >> do you have to leave the room? Okay.
Ordinance. Ordinance number 012026, an ordinance of the city of Lambertville, Hunter County, state of New Jersey to amend the zoning ordinance, article three, zoning
districts and zoning map and article four zoning to establish the IO inclusionary overlay uh three uh zone three on block 106,
lots 35 35 36 37 38 and 40. Uh I'd like to open this for public hearing. If you have questions, please step to and state your name and address for the
record. Good evening. My name is Carol Hia. H O E K J E. and I live at 205 North Union Street. So, where I live is um zoned residential. So, I live in a group of row houses right pretty much on the
corner of North Union and Elm Street. There's a residential zone that continues all the way around Elm Street. This proposed change to the ordinance of course concerns a district that's zon commercial but
together we comprise a neighborhood that is really a mixeduse neighborhood. And I'd like first of all to ask the council to in considering proh proposals and projects like these to remember that
it is a greater neighborhood and that there are people that live actually in that neighborhood. So that's my first comment. My second is I really support as along with Lauren the need for affordable housing in the city and I'm
certainly sympathetic to the efforts that the city has been appreciative of of the efforts all the efforts that the city is going through to meet its requirements and I also think yes there is a need for even more. Um um
so that that being said, I look at this plan and I look at the reality of what goes on in that unexposed work site and I think how can that realistically be enacted if we continue with the cannabis
retail store. two years ago or something like that, I came here with some other residents when the city council was considering um allowing the cannabis retail store to go in on that site and our main concern
I think was about the traffic generated and as a result there was the oneway traffic study and then there's the oneway entrance to Elm Street. So this proposal I think is great that it closes off that entrance. It makes those of us
that live on that corner very happy. But the practical result of having the cannabis retail store is there is that it's non-stop traffic vehicular and foot traffic from its opening at 8:30 in the morning or whenever that is all the way
all day long, seven days a week. There's an incredible amount of in and out and in and out. So that being said, it's hard to imagine how that use would continue on that site and that there would also be all these
residential units also constructed on that site. I could see a scenario where the cannabis retail store would move out and goes somewhere else. Then you'd have the whole
set of blocks um for the residential development. I know there's some um there's an architect firm there and there's also the separate restaurant. Um I don't know what would happen with those things. Um but I can't see under
the current situation that you could have the cannabis retail store and also 40 units of residential units on the same site. Um, I also haded the same concern Lauren had
about um seeing the the proposal for the two-way new street two-way street off the road union. I think it's awfully vague. I know the mayor said, "Well, would we don't know where it would go, but it seems to me the ordinance should give more notice to the neighbors as to
where specifically that would go." the current driveway off the drive union really isn't wide enough for a two-way street. So, you know, would it be a demolition of one of the existing buildings? Would there be building over the cover that's there that was the
cause of so much flooding back of the hurricane Ida? So, that that's my real question. I think should the cannabis retail store go somewhere else um that the proposed residential use and
construction in that area could actually bring stability to the neighborhood. Um I'm not a little concerned about ported units um how that would look. Um, and also the parking being so dreadful as it is, but I would imagine that any
concrete proposal for parking would um would also have a some sort of a hearing before planning board. So, it might be premature to get too upset about that right now. So, that's all. Thank you very much. >> Okay. Thank you.
Anyone else? >> Anyone online? All >> quiet just follow up. Um, so whatever project comes in, we'll go through every process that every process
has gone through in the past with traffic and circulation study, pedestrian safety, um, you know, and and like it. And that'll be a public hearing as well. The ordinance, although it does get into
some specifics, things might change uh in in in the event that that site is developed. And uh I'm not sure if the existing buildings are going to stay or go or whether it's going to all be
commercial or be mixed use. But in order to get that many units in, I I I would be surprised if the exit buildings uh were uh not commercial for maybe not even
there. So there's a lot of moving parts. What it does, it sets up as far as fair share is concerned, it sets up a process that the city is trying to, you know, approve and increase our our fair share housing.
>> So, this is not the this is not the only bite at the apple, so to speak. >> So, this is like a placehold. >> Yeah. Yes. It's a placehold >> and lots of things can happen. >> And will I hear your concerns?
>> Okay. Okay. Thank you, Coun. Uh, so I have a motion to close the public hearing on ordinance 012026. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Did you say that?
>> I did. can't hear so good. Okay, >> I'll say it again. >> Okay, thank you. Um, and now I have a I'd like to ask for a motion to adopt ordinance number 012026 on second reading granting final approval.
>> So move second. All in favor? >> I >> I thank you. Don't worry here. Your job is saying it's harder than it looks. >> And and just as a conversation note
before, no, you can leave the chair. In fact, I'll talk to you. Is is it there were recommendations from the planning board to to to make a couple of changes in the ordinance? >> Yes. Yes. as part of the approval and I know Bill
could perhaps guide us through this. >> Yeah, I forgot to ask you that. Um, so um let's can we can we go through the next can we go question afterwards? Yeah, the point I think that so so I
better raise a point so there's no confusion about this afterwards. So, so the um did you get a copy of the consistency review from Scott? I did. Yes, you did. Okay. So, the question here and I I neglected to ask
you slightly today. So, um I'll just read this so that we're clear about it. Uh by unanimous vote, the board voted to deem ordinance uh 01 2026 as being substantially consistent with master plan. However, the board does suggest that the ordinance include a table with
bulk area, yard, and height information, but the table does not prevent both from deeming it substantially consistent. So, if at some point the city council would like to include that recommendation, we haven't talked about it as a group yet. Um, would we So, I have two questions.
One, um, I would imagine we could amend the ordinance at a later date, correct? Um, and you may or may not know the answer to this question, but that also required amending to the housing element fair share plan. So, I don't know that. Okay. >> What was your answer? >> I don't know that off the top of my
head. I would >> read what the I forget what the recommendation was and Scott unless it fundamentally changes the the >> plan itself. I don't know that it's the >> Yeah, Scott didn't mention that here.
Um, but we can certainly add it. I think in the meantime we should I don't necessarily want to talk about it tonight but we should talk about this and and I would obviously I don't care we council were you at the the plan meeting discuss this >> yeah
what >> so something that we we'll pick around >> thank you for reminding me on that I didn't have the letter here I ask d so so pain I forgot
All right. Ordinance number 02-206 the ordinance of the city of Lambertville state of New Jersey tremendous zoning ordinance article I don't know what that is I2 zoning districts 10 zoning map and article I
four four sorry was it four >> yeah three I had this numerals over here >> yeah before I made it >> all should have >> and then she let me do it. That's very nice.
>> Enjoy. Thank you and um so I'll start again. Article three zoning districts and zoning map and article four zoning to establish 10-4 I >> the inclusionary house 4 on block 104
lots one and two uh Again, this is u we'll adopt an overlay zone to increase the destination of affordable housing on the CVS site. Just to remind everybody that an overlay zone is really just a mechanism that allows for potential development. This is part requirement.
So, um you know, doesn't mean somebody's going to come knocking on the door tomorrow necessarily to develop it. Um so, I would at this time open the public hearing for ordinance 02-2026. Anybody would like to make a comment or ask questions and step to the
podium. >> CBS CBS tonight. Okay. Did we lose anybody yet? >> Just just to be clear, it's not it's not the park of a it's not the Cherry Street park. No,
>> we can't do it. >> This was >> Yeah. >> Um I'm going to ask a motion to close the public hearing on ordinance number two. >> Second. >> All right. All in favor? I >> All right. Any questions, concerns,
comments? Hearing none. I motion to adopt on second reading ordinance number 026. So move. >> Second. >> All in favor? Hi. >> Hi. >> Great. Thank you. >> Um couple of just last things before um
maybe possibly go back into close session. Um that one gives me an opportunity to update the the council members and the residents um on our work on abandoned vacant properties. >> So we've been working on this list uh
vacant properties for several years. abandoned properties really that's something kind of even though we adopted the ordinance in 2020 it's really for us on our radar something that's new. So um we I I put together a little
memo for you all um even though I haven't noted that it's an abandoned property you haven't officially designated as abandoned yet. So, um, what we did or we mailed out, uh,
several letters, 14 of them in total, to property owners who either have had an application approved by planning or zoning board and have had no action in several years. Um, or um, the property, they bought the property and they've not
paying taxes on it. They've done some renovations without getting building permits and the property sits vacant. So, um, if we were we have nothing from them coming forward, the plan would then be at the next meeting. Um, I'll give
you an update and then you can make a decision as to whether you're moving a forward with deeming a property as an abandoned property. Vacant properties, we've had vacant properties before. We ask that they register them with us and
a fee. And we ask that because it's in the neighborhood and you don't want, you know, to have um animals getting in. You want it, you don't want everybody to see something boarded up, but sometimes that's the best mechanism for the neighbors. So, depending on the
situation, um we have seven currently that are vacant. Um and we have uh four that we have foreclosure notices on of those seven. So, um it's moving forward. Um I did include you all copied you all
in the notices that were mailed out. So, you will receive them and see them. Um out of everything that we sent out, we have received a response from two of the property owners. Um and both of them are working on their properties. So, what we've asked them to do is to give us a
monthly update in which I will continue to provide that to you as well. Um, so I think as long as they're communicating with us and they have a plan, then it's not technically an abandoned property. But all these letters were mailed out on February 10th and I've received two
responses. So, you know, that's little concerning to me. >> Uh, it did snow a little bit. >> True. And we mailed them both certified and regularly. >> Thank you. Good work.
Uh just a couple notes of correspondence uh on and mentioned this in the last council meeting. So councilwoman Kuminsky and D and I met with the D um on January 14th. We talked a little bit about that meeting our last council
meeting. Um there are concerns from residents in both communities about um odors uh that were not uh that were not present before the the point metric treatment systems were installed by the state to to remediate the um the
seamless and POS. So uh we did receive a letter from the D on February 5th. U letter this letter and our response we posted to the city website uh in the next day or two. Um, basically the D letter basically said that uh it doesn't
indicate a public health threat under conditions currently documented. So, uh, they back to us to sort of deal with and um, working with Mayor D here this evening. Um, we drafted the letter
people council people here who help with the letter back to the D um, saying we don't really agree with that. We we need more for our residents. screens and if we really deal like you to step up that's the long and short of it. Um and the three of us met
with the DP this afternoon uh I think in that meeting they agreed now to test um the water samples both pre pre and post treatment um and to try and find some common uh reason why these odors are are
are present um and to to to address them as well. So it was a good meeting today. a short meeting, but uh we I think uh we made some good progress with the T. Our expectation that they need to kind of step back in and help out with these very specific order issues. Um was
wellreceived and uh moving forward. Um so we keep everybody uh updated on that front and these will be posted to the website. Council, do you have anything to add? >> Yeah. No, it was hey, they responded and we wrote them a letter
to you know that we really felt that you know the decision that they had made was a little bit it'll be on the website a little off the cuff and without a lot of science behind it. So they've agreed to do the testing and do the due diligence because you know our residents do
deserve better and the odors have just come with the point of treatment systems. there have not been, you know, sulfur odors in water up there. So hopefully we'll get some answers from them about the systems and the filters
and uh we're going to get them match data with them with West ourselves as to the exact homes and the numbers and who needs the work. And um we also have an announcement that was in LR bill matters
today that Sydney have been working on where we did get a grant from the department of health uh to do about 15 uh free tests for people with peas contamination that um need some
assistance and have put out a pass to contact Cynthia Epic um if you're interested in participating in our testing. where headquarters is going to assist us along with Garden State Lou in you know
in providing um you know this service so we can get you know 15 people in and because it does continue to spread ac also has a similar brand doing and doing the same you did so last year so we have
a lot of activity there and do a lot of case work how you know you know on a home byome basis. So if anybody has any questions really feel free to call me. Um I can help fill out this full fund paperwork whatever whatever you need. We
and then if you're not getting an answer back from D we I spend some time with Bill Shreer at D and working on individual you know special problems. >> Thank you. >> I might add that Evan has a hand in that
the composition of the letter as well. Oh, I don't know if you >> I heard you. >> Okay, we're gonna tell you >> with a anti-agressive
the letter was still >> Thank you. >> Uh secondly, just a note, uh we received an announcement today about some flagging traffic flagging operations on the on the New Hope Landville free bridge or the full supported bridge. I think it's official name. Uh next couple
of weeks between 8:30 and 3:30 Mondays to Fridays, um there will be some top flaggers out there. They're moving some of the uh work platforms um that were associated with some recent work. So you'll see some some people out on the
bridge encouraging you to stop or still >> because of the lights because there's something about short circuiting and I just thinking I I saw it. Okay. >> Yeah, it was. Yeah. Yeah, >> it was. Uh, yeah. And something about short circuiting and I was thinking
those electrical junction boxes. >> That's in black and white. That's an old show. >> Okay. Super Italian flag. Red, white, and green for the Olympics.
Sorry. Hey, wait. But shout out to the women's hockey team. >> That was awesome. and the figure right tomorrow on ice.
I like my curling point in the parking lot. >> Just two announcements. Dog cat licenses are due no later than February 27th to avoid late fee. Landlord and short-term rental applications are out. Annual
landlord registration period is now open. People properties must be registered with the city. Um we'll open this up to the second public participation um session. Same rules as before. We ask you to speak for three minutes uh more name and address for the
record and council may respond. Jesse Maria Billers, a church speak um wanting to speak on the farmers market. I'm so much support of this. I am very excited for the farmers market coming to town. I will be there probably
every weekend shopping the local like farm stands. That's something I'm so supportive of. Um one question that I do have uh is around parking for both the vendors and for the customers of the farmers market that are coming. um just because
we'll be using the parking spaces at the library for the folk market itself, but so we're losing those spaces for like accessibility. Um so I was just wondering what the plan was for like vendor parking and also like just the increased traffic for restaurants. >> It's something that we'll work uh with
the city on. Um certainly parking will be uh the lot lock and clear by 7 o'clock on Sunday mornings. uh and the vendor the vendor parking you know we need to get a better handle on who which vendors being access to which vehicles.
So that's why we've asked for Lily Street to be um closed as well potential vendor parking. Um so we'll have a better idea once we settle into which vendor times. Um but that the market itself is really designed and I can you
know I can do a slideshow very easily if somebody's interested. Um uh we've got kind of the basic market design in the lot and then you know we branched it all out and and and so so effectively those spaces in the lot and on Millie Street will be not available to people. the
market um demographic is going to be probably primarily from what from from what our kind of people have done research there certainly radius uh but the thinking is that most of the market um uh most of the purchasers and visitors are going to be local residents
um and you know as part of our up and running we'll have some suggestions about parking in the area um for people places to see some places where people can park um oftent times in Sunday mornings there's, you know, parking at the justice center or, you know, and
summertime tends to parking in the mornings over the weekend tends to be a little bit lighter. There's a lot of people away and so um you know, we haven't developed a very um precise plan yet. Um but uh we'll certainly be talking about it. That's good. I know
there are like a number of businesses that aren't open on Sundays and so like maybe talk to some of those businesses that have a lot to split those out type thing but so in support of this so very excited for the farmers market like I think it's also working so
>> well thanks always very mindful it's always the first thing that comes up in the Yes. >> Okay. Motion will close the public comment period second. Second. >> All those closing the public comment period. Please say I. >> I. I.
>> Okay. At this time ask for a motion to go back in close session to discuss attorney client n related to potential motivation. Second all in favor will not be taking action. >> We will not be taking any action. That's
right. Tina come out of close not taking any action. You saw the following answer earlier. Thank you all so much for coming. It's nice to see some uh some more familiar faces but unfamiliar in the room. So I'm glad to see you and I'm happy to answer more questions or have a
lot of conversation with you about the delay or anything else you'll get.