adequate notice of this meeting of the Lawrence Township Council being held on Tuesday May 21st 2024 has been provided through the posting of the annual meeting schedule of said Council in accordance with Section 13 of the open public meeting act said notice was forwarded to the Trentonian the times and the Kingson packet on December 11 I would like to um first and foremost uh give recognition and a thank you to honor and remember all of our veterans as we come to the celebration of Memorial Day later this week we are united in our thanks to all of the fallen and we always must remember that freom is never great as the daughter of a World War II veteran it is especially um an honor to represent my town so thank you I'd also um at this time would like to take a moment um to recognize one of our employees Sons um passed away today and our thoughts and prayers are with him and the family and now madam cler we can have an inspiration may we carry out our work at this meeting in a just honorable and sincere manner always bearing in mind our duties and continuing to keep Lawrence a wonderful community in which to live I pledge alance to the flag the United States of America and to the rep for it stands one nation God indivisible with liy and justice for all Madam clerk if you could please call the r Mr Bob here Mr Kaki here M Perry here Mr Ryan here mayor farmer here okay at this time um we have a presentation I believe M okay yes presentation we'll ask for the Lawrence Township Public Schools to come forward and we have a very long agenda so we're asking about 15 minutes 10 10 perfect Str hi everybody um I'm Robin clim I'm the superintendent of schools for Lawrence Township I actually took the seat on September 1 so I'm a very proud superintendent we' done a lot of work and I'm standing here with my colleagues good evening I'm Tom ELD I'm the business administrator so we're really here tonight I've never had a problem rejecting my voice I'm just going to go off M um we are really here tonight to speak to Town Council and all of the constituents and we're so happy to have a crowd because we're doing a lot of work to reexamine the footprint of lawen countship public schools so as a lot of you know who may have matriculated through our school system some of our buildings are are reaching their 75th year anniversary and one of those buildings is Lawrence Middle School so in a year from now we'll be looking at plans to celebrate 75 years well what does that mean that means as our community grows and the needs of our student body increases we have to kind of reconsider what the footprint looks like what grade configuration looks like and what best practices for instructional um and curriculum needs so what we are doing and proposing tomorrow evening we really wanted to invite you all and just get in front of you to let you know our plans is we are looking at a concept of redesigning the grade levels across the district we got the preschool Universal Grant so what that means is over the next five years everyone in this Township who has a preschooler a third a three-year-old and a four-year-old is able to attend our schools for free but what does that mean that means we have to build out a footprint right to kind of support that while we simultaneously planned for the Middle School needs because as you know we sort of have a tricky grade level switch with laoren intermediate school so our proposal and our footprint tomorrow evening in front of the Architects will be our site plans will be up and our uh um I'm sorry our floor plan for Lawrence Middle School and what we're hoping to highlight is really the needs and the expansion of this community um it'll move to a 68 building for middle school and of course High School Remains the Same but we what we also want to point out is the footprint of that parking lot you all know that campus I'm sure you've driven in and out of there um can get pretty hectic so we have had designed you know we've had um Engineers come out um we've had site Engineers we've had Traffic Engineers come out and really examine how to do this in a thoughtful way again this is not happening tomorrow this is a concept that we are looking at from sort of a bird's eyee View um but ultimately the preschoolers would be coming into the Four elementary schools so it'll be a prek-2 l becomes a 35 Middle School becomes a true Middle School model a 68 and of course our high school remains constant so we will be able to offer a neighborhood preschool program for all of our Township constituents do you want to add to that this is a big deal but it does is it brings together the Synergy of uh trying to create appropriate learning spaces and additional learning spaces for our new three-year-olds and foury olds the three-year-olds and foury olds essentially represent a one grade level before kindergarten and then one more before that so about two grade levels is what we would add so in a sense we are growing um we applied for the grant as Dr clim said we received the grant um excuse me the state aid for that and that is an ongoing um concern for us meaning it's not concern it's going to be ongoing it's part of our foundation budget um this is uh changing uh what we do in Lawrence Town there's been nothing like this in the past 20 years um whereas we're adding two more years of schools at the early school at the early age the idea of course is focusing on students first more than anything and so when we add those two grade levels we do have space in the elementary but only if we push a grade level up what just so happens to be that the oldest building that we have that we haven't renovated and is in need of renovation is the middle school so this is an opportune time for us to expand the Middle School renovate what we will not just build new but renovate reuse what we can and create appropriate learning spaces and that's for parents who are concerning themselves for sure with have children who come in and they want to get ahead um so essentially what we've done is we've expanded two more years of public school some people seek to put it on the end but if we put it in the beginning then what we do is we get Readiness for our kids some of our kids with our English language is a second language it helps them in their Readiness for school it helps a typical student in their Readiness for school which opens up opportunities on the back end you think about it with fewer uh cases of rework whether that's through academic support instruction and things of that nature so we look at this of course with an eye and a lens towards our students first um if you're an economically minded person and you think they're first then you're also thinking it's efficient when you're at your greatest point of Readiness that's when you be with us so uh with that we have the concept of be rolled out tomorrow evening it is a complete strategic plan this is not something we thought of just recently we were doing the ground works and before Robin became the superintendent pepper Evans was the chair of Finance she's one of our school board members she was chairing a committee where we were research in these things and already on our way to doing this with Robin's leadership Robin came to the district and said let's do something bold something that makes a difference something that really is Meaningful for Lawrence F and we went forward and now we have 120 preschoolers in Lawrence Township who don't pay tuition um and for people who live in Lawrence Township and you're a resident here and you're a taxpayer here this is even a better uh concept these dollars come back from the state and so we're not raising these dollars for preschool from property taxes so all of New Jersey pays their their payroll taxes and they're collected by the state and they're redistributed to all the various towns in form of state aid we get approximately 16,000 P students that's coming from other TOS because we had the initiative to move this ball forward and so we want to perpetuate this keep moving forward and keep Lawrence always ahead but bring us even higher step in terms of what we do for our kids thank you thank you hopefully thank Youk [Applause] before before we move forward Madam mayor may I make a comment absolutely uh first of all is there any questions I didn't want to interrupt about the presentation you're um good evening everyone I just wanted to first of all uh speak in reference to the public safety report that was published on the website I'm very happy to say that the subcommittee for Public Safety met um at our first meeting recently and we are reviewing the public safety report but it's just that a report we were charged by Council to come up with recommendations so um I know several of you or some of you may or no one may come up and make comments on the public safety report but just know it's a foundation and not the end all to be all and that we are committed to doing the right thing and the best thing for the township thank you I also I um I'm sorry wanted to I didn't get to thank Dr Clint and Mr Eldridge for your presentation um as someone who believes very much in education that's as he said it's a very bold and important move for our young people um in their development and their investment in early intervention in some instances so thank you for your presentation okay with that now we will move on to public comment we ask that if anyone would like to make a comment if they come to's got to be first put this right here can you hear me evening Council my name is Dr John of the knights I live at 23 Sunset Road i' like to start with a bit of background about myself personally I'm a husband a father and a neighbor to all of you it's nice to meet you um professionally I'm a computational scientist I'm the head of applied science and data engineering and the health technology sector I've developed Technologies leading before patents and authored more than 25 textbook and peer review Publications in the areas of Computer Science pharmacometrics computational Biology information Theory digital bi markers clinical trial design and statistical genetics to with a humble introduction as my wife told me now contrary to my introduction I did not come to the podium tonight to read highlights for my resume I came up here tonight Council because I hear month over month that one of the major roles of our Township manager is to get recommendations from experts and provide you with information so that you can make a decision you are the accountable elected officials and I believe that although I've never been personally consulted by the township manager I hope my introduction is sufficient to establish myself as an expert in the design analysis and interpretation of data it's now time to Pivot to the fire studies these have been the topic of conversation the past many months and as a side note thank you to all of our First Responders if there are any here or online um you truly are heroes and if you ever see me in Starbucks or a cafe please don't hesitate to introduce yourself I would love to buy you a coffee for all you do for our town Public Safety should be our primary concern strengthening and future proofing our first resp resp infrastructure should be Paramount the reports we have been discussing are supposed to serve as the foundation for session a plan however I stand up here tonight as an expert to ensure that the record demonstrates that the treatment of our data has never once addressed how population growth and Commercial development influences emerging areas of greatest threat to our community it never once addresses the best location for placement of first responder resources and from what I can tell not a single author on any of the reports is a statistician scientist or an analyst to quote the 2020 report the scope of this project did not allow for an in-depth study and sight selection through new fire station let me repeat that the scope of this project did not allow for an in-depth study and site selection for a new fire station a subsequent quote from the 2023 report indicates a location that has been proposed by local officials I have also read and I'm happy to share because it's public record every email in and out of the township email servers from the original report and there was never any mention or intention to evaluate Altima locations for our First Responders I'm also up here tonight to ensure that the record demonstrates how other municipalities with a council manager style government just like ours have already paved the way for what a genuine interest an emergency service resource placement should look like go uh in the folder are five color copies and outside of that are three black and white color cop copies this is a report from Alexandria Virginia explicitly addressing optimal location identification for a fire station and their municipality I've just replaced I've just made these available and they're publicly available on the internet as well so while it may be true that some experts have been consulted to generate summary reports of our first responder data there's been no objective analysis or mention of at least from what I've read how our plan actually prepares us for the future how our plan aligns with patterns and trends rather both reports explicitly and implicitly state that there has been no objective evaluation of such questions if you are not aware of such gaps in the scope of our analyses or in the panel of experts generating those analyses you are now and as our manager reminds us as elected officials the accountability of what to do with that information that falls to you for what it's worth I'm here as a neighbor and a resource thank you for your time [Applause] my name is Ron Mel the 2020 study was written with a predetermined conclusion we know about about the relationships and the absence of an RFP we also know that no one from the team had the right qualifications to decide how we should spend 20 to $30 million the data analysis is garbage if you look at page 105 of the report a geographical center of Township is recommended why um I could have come up with that proposal in about two seconds for free Ryder students would be volunteer firefighters really that's the best anybody could come up with then there's the Shirley Turner Grant there are eight references to 1252 Lawrence Road zero references to the corner of West Long Drive who and how is it decided that 1252 could and should be moved to our Corner the Cotter strategies report on page 14 States a location has been proposed by local officials could I see a show of hands who proposed that raise your hand if you were involved in that decision I don't see any hands so I'm just not sure how that happened so is the report totally bogus or is anybody just afraid to raise their hand okay so you're all Witnesses here the YouTube is going the CER report states that a location has been proposed by local officials but these are all of the local officials and nobody is saying that they have been involved in the West Long location of the firehouse where is this analysis and how does it make any sense when did any of these conversations happen and why weren't any other locations considered now the 2023 study when did we change the plan from one large campus to two firehouses and now public works is included but a community center is not because I think I miss those conversations as well I don't know where I can find any due diligence associated with any of these decisions I've placed multiple o requests I've been asking a lot of questions I don't understand how these conversations and these decisions keep surfacing with no background information what soever nothing in writing we don't know what the paper trail looks like you just can't find it further we keep hearing beginning stages but these studies the 2023 study in particular is not beginning stages we want these studies thrown out and until you say we are done with these studies and we are moving on we're going to keep coming up here and discrediting you um because you own the situation now we want the Public Safety Committee to start over Clean Slate start over and we would like monthly progress reports as the Public Safety Committee makes progress towards a new predetermined solution based on legitimate data spending 20 to $30 million for a solution based on garbage data is nonsensical irresponsible and it cannot imagine that any of you want to tie your reputations to this so I'm going to ask that question and you spoke a little bit before about you know oh again we're beginning stages and you know we're going to do the right thing I would like you to verbally State you're going to throw out these studies and we're starting over with something that's real something that makes sense because we're not going to go away until that happens and this is going to get worse and worse and it's going to escalate and escalate and it's going to turn into legal fees and all kinds of other stuff that none of us really want to deal with so could we please say that we're going to throw out these studies and move on [Applause] Ronnie thank you very much for that passionate and informative discussion as I stated before we are newly elected to council we were not part of the decisions that were made but we are starting from the beginning looking at all the needs of the town for Public Safety to ensure that from Staffing to proper location to all the equipment the needs everything that will ensure that our Public Safety team has all the resources they need to properly serve service this community we will evaluate and analyze from the beginning thank you and if I could just add one thing and I think it's not unreasonable to um expect a monthly report on what is occurring um as you know or may not know we created a subcommittee to specifically look at this in Greater detail um as councilwoman mentioned she both she and I are new to councel so we're looking at it with fresh OD you know for the first time and we're engaging members of the community to assist us with this process so we just ask that you bear with us as we go through all of the information and Report out to the public may I speak yeah um just a point of clarification the 2020 study was funded by the government body I believe in 2017 the purpose of the 2020 study was to study the current state of our fire service in the community the current state as it existed at that time we Lawrence Township had been behind the eightball behind the times of every other town around us in terms of identifying the the volunteer fire service was dissipating in members and that we would need as a community to make difficult decisions and also improve the our fire response by adding career service but there would be a transition period involved where the volunteers and the career would be built back together that 2020 study that's the purpose for it and it set out 38 recommendations for us to follow from absolute Ely qualified individuals who came in studied our three volunteer fire houses our volunteer service response our career response at that time and the infrastructure that we had in place and it provided us with a good synopsis of where we stood at that time and it gave us a game plan to move forward those 38 recommendations served as a foundation that we been working on over the last four or five years and we've met 32 of those 38 one of them is to study whether or not consolidation was appropriate for our community one of them and it's a big one a lot of towns are going through the exact same thing that we're going through they had the the they were blessed with volunteer firen who for almost a century provided service to their their Community for free to go into fires and protect the community that volunteerism doesn't exists that much anymore but and I don't say this to disparage the the volunteers that are actively working right now God bless them they are an asset to our community and we value their service but they're they can only do so much you need four firemen three firemen to get on an apparatus to respond the data shows that that's not existing right now in a lot a lot of times so we need to build our career and we also need to figure out where where we go from here in terms of whether we consolidate does it make sense to consolidate and we need to determine what type of station we could have that could include our EMS and our fire and what that looks like in terms of size and what's appropriate in terms of Building forward into the future not just building for the present but building as we grow and so that that means we turn to experts to determine the size of the building what needs to be involved to comply with federal and state guidelines and compliance issues and once we have that in mind then we can look at a location I'll raise my hand I think this is the perfect spot this is right here in our campus me personally I'm not speaking they're the ones that make the decision from my V View Point that's Municipal land to be used for an important Public Safety Municipal purpose and if we have the technology to build it in a space for our community our entire Community we should absolutely look be looking hard at it we thought that Lawrence Road was an appropriate spot as we went through the process and if we consolidate and and have the fire apparis apparatus come and go from that location well you know what one of the elements in the report was it should not be located in high pedestrian traffic areas I don't know about you but I see Lawrence Middle School Lawrence High School Notre Dame High School kids walking up and down that street during the school all the time I see s ants I see uh Varsity Pizza there and Dunkin Donuts it's a high traffic area so that gives me some concern I don't want to be a part of a decision that says we can't do it here because we're getting some push back from local people close by and then have somebody lose their life or get injured as a result of placing something somewhere else this is this is the study this so I'll just conclude by saying this is all a part of our process and what's in my mind and what we have done along the way is not in the report but it's involved in our in our studies okay thank you is it in the report or I'm sorry we cannot have um we can't have yelling from the audience any comments that need to be made you have to please come to the podium we're gonna have the quum here okay thank you are there any other addition comments in the public with regation good evening I had more than five minutes but I'll just give you a conclusion okay your name to start building could we have your name sir please your name I'm sorry my name is Graham web I live just across the street here okay sorry about that um this is just frankly overall I'm not interested in property values or things like that but you're considering building a building over a drainage basin and it's going to have certain rather peculiar facts peculiar um additions to it it's going to be very expensive and on the reports that I I think the last one is Cotter nobody talks about money and this is my favorite subject there is I'm thinking of putting an expensive building with Museum space and things like that very interesting very nice makes the Lawrence Township headquarters look a little more noble perhaps a little richer it doesn't fight the fire the when I look at back and I'm afraid my figures are somewhat old the Cy and Lawrence Road centers carried the majority of the fire calls and in Lawrence Road there there's also the EMS doing about three I think the figures I had all over 3,000 calls on that um and they're in the highly populated areas as Mr Linsky has pointed out but they're also in the fragile areas we have all the properties closer together and that's probably why we get more of the calls why we did it that time anyway I say I haven't got upd here we need to spend money on the sharp end if you're going to fight fire get arms to fight fires the report by Cotter was basically a bunch of pla at best probably phot copy from the other reports that they make for other communities very very similar comments about how nice it would be but people here this is going to be a demonstration if we're building a big building in in the central yes it will be organization but it will also be a demonstration of C North coat Parkinson's law does anybody know what that is please tell us gole work expands to the time and space available the building will be full of people and will be busy none of them will be putting out files they will all be doing important tasks and and frankly I thank all of you because this is not always easy to listen to but you're you're doing public service and um you you will have a building full of people here but in the end you're expecting everything to go down from BS drive to places that at the moment are closer to stackwood and La Road and are more populated than where the people really are need the answer it it seems to be by again the same somewhat old statistics that the um career Farm are much more rapid than the volunteers who as we've heard are never L heroes in our midst but it means putting career firemen close with the fires because they're going to put the fire out not because they're going to be organized right and not because they're getting we live in an age where communication is the easiest thing to get and here we are saying no it's much much better if we can have everybody down the same Corridor I don't believe it you're you're basically greasing the headquarters you're making the next C in sky thank you [Applause] [Music] 32 West Church I've lived in the township since 78 lies you know I wasn't going to get up right because my neighbors have killed this whole issue of the firehouse and Report it's a garbage real Mel and if you look at it I made a comment to to some friends of mine looking at together and that is that all due respect to to the doctor um I do work with pabes data right and one of the things my responsibility to do on a DayDay basis is work with board members my board to present projects right and all that based on facts and what's missing from this these reports is fundamental facts there is no reference material there is no data there is no reference to other towns doing around us so why is report let's kill that for a second I think we kill it did I want to talk about why we have more faith anymore in the management in general not going to call people out first we came here originally talk about three West law why was that being acquired by the township and as I remember correctly it was for three people three people spend three4 of a million dollars for all this Bas and I understand needed the space argument there people need to work in good space but why are we spending three4 million dollars for office space with that and what I heard that at the same time was that well we're not do Ada changes we're not going to do anything to do changing the the bars as commercial space at the same time as I checked on fragen corner there were two offices available for sale so why so now we're asking well what was the real directional behind that decision spend that kind of money for three offices let's put that aside then we heard about I think that one after was around the traffic L buer Hill it was going to cost $500,000 however what we heard was there was a mistake it was going to cost a million $500,000 more right to do that traffic light because it required additional road work and we're going to go to Healing Township and hope we to put the cost four months later what we heard was they weren't going to do it now here's what really called me I'm sorry nobody on the board questions the extra $500,000 why that's my question right no doubt they very important back of matter is if I'm the manager in hopwell and I just build all his homes or even build the homes I'm not think some else you pay for it so it's it's those type of decisions right that worry us okay we do have faith in the council 100% okay I think we've proved the fact that the reports are really not what this Township needs it's not complete yes it may be foundation for really threw me off was Kevin said well the report said well there's people in neighborhoods that's not what he told us originally what he originally told us was we don't own the property that was the rationale to move it here go back to to the recording that's what he said and that has now changed secondly I got a question if thank you for pointing out fact it's when said population not taking consideration for the study most of the population is there so what you're saying is now you're scared about having fire companies and fire trucks and come out of that area where they belong and where the population is but you don't care if they come out from here and go there with the school in the way the crossings in the way the buildings in the way things like that again it's those type of things that sort of worry us and makes that pause right more I want to threw me off okay we talked about the Princeton Pike development great idea don't get me wrong right most of us were concerned about the fact that why is a Township person employee doing the presentation first of all okay secondly I think we agreed or to discuss that that would wait until the master plan was done was not that not the discussion it was it was the discussion okay yet couple meetings ago and here's what we brought we said was there's a problem okay we have issues with schools no school study we have issues with police and fire no police and fire study we have issues with traffic no traffic stuff but beyond all that it was approved and on top of that the same meeting when it was proved we were discussing the fact that there is a sore issue no new construction so how are you going to own those homes that going to be built there the apartments going to be built there going to get stores are we going to bypass that with that approval and are we gonna have another traffic light there would have the traffic study so that's why I think all of us really I don't want to bring up the study anymore because I've heard enough about it I've been through it multiple times I've been through it from a data perspective from a quality perspective I think we know it's not good and thank you for for saying out loud that you starting from rout zero I appreciate that I do I really do because it's important we're not saying it shouldn't be here that's what it ends up being fine what we want is facts data analysis properly done to say here's why I go the this location or some other location and we have plenty of other ones thank you thank you for your time here May I'm gonna speak that's a part of I know I know I know um all of you know you all of you know the story of Bunker Hill and the traffic L actually have up look but you all know and and this gentleman came up and said something completely factually Incorrect and we're not going to correct and I think that feeds into the uh the belief that we're all Knuckleheads up here I am or we don't know what's going on so we all know that the traffic light at Bunker Hill we haven't even it's not even gone out for design we have no idea how much it's going to cost we don't we've met five times with Hopewell and Ying officials to try and work and address the the issue at Federal City Road and have a traffic design studies that happened for Bunker Hill and for Federal Point those traffic studies that was done it was provided to all of you and it concluded that that area would benefit from lights from at Bunker Hill and at Federal point however if there was one light that had to go had to be installed the recommendation was the light at Federal Point once that study was done we approached and shared it with ying and Hopewell and we said okay we know that there's two lights that are needed can we move forward ask your elected officials if they will participate in sharing the cost with regard to the design work and cost estimates for both lights we know the answer ying and Hopewell backed out of the light at Federal Point didn't like the didn't like the decision hell was right across the street so we all agree that we need to take care of residents C our citizens that are at Federal Point and we decided to move forward with the traffic light at Federal Point next meeting you're going to be asked to vote on a bid package that's going to go out for accompany to design and develop a cost analysis for that so this whole idea that we knew the costs at Bull Run Road and federal point we don't we haven't even gotten there yet so I'm not sure about that and then last can I just for Bull Run and federal City will run Federal City yes did um was there cooperation from the other townships on that did they would they consider that location the elected officials told their business administrators they would not participate with us for federal point they were going to do their own own on Bull Run Road so they would do a I don't know I don't know what the status of what those two entities are going to do on Bull Run Road I've not followed up on that I'm focusing on our town and and and providing the best for the for the residents at Federal Point so that's all that my only point was this we had somebody come up and say something about $500,000 and it's it's not true we don't know how much it's going to cost so we're putting the cart before the horse and a lot of these things and just one other point slackwood Firehouse Lawrence Road Firehouse Lawrence zil Firehouse I think they're almost all a hundred years old none of them comply with the federal or state standards when it comes to having an active career firefighters work out of there that's our problem we all know this we know this right but an individual is coming up and saying you got something at slackwood you got something at Lawrence Road and you got something if we build a career staff like we know we have to we have to find a place for them because there is no place at slap with there is no place at Lawrence Road as it currently exists and there is no place at lawrenville although they're they're now sharing with a Volunteer Fire Company so there's a lot of information that I know that you guys have and that aren't it's just not the four corners of two reports I've been here for eight years working on this so it's not all reflected in the reports the reports serve a purpose we are nowhere near answering the questions of consolidation what we need in terms of a building or where it's going to be located we're in the middle of it right now and we got $750,000 from state of New Jersey to help us get to that point I don't know why it's a negative it shouldn't be a negative it's a process that we're going through and everybody wants answers before we're done with the process very frustrating and the other the other point that I would like to make and just for the public is that we release the study for the first time at the request of the public in terms of having transparency so I know that we since our last meeting this is the first time that we're meeting where members of the public have had an opportunity to review that report so you know we are here to listen and as you said this is a process that is going to take time and will require input from many people members of our community professionals there's no action that's being taken anytime am I correct with that you correct and I have one more point of clarification just so we're all on the same page 3131 what Princeton this Council along with the planning board was asked to determine whether it was an area in need of Redevelopment right and that study was done it has not been presented to the planning board so there is no studies with regard to traffic there is no studies with regard to storm water management there is no disc discussion or studies having to do with anything related to the actual construction of the Redevelopment project at 3131 princ and Pike the proper venue for that is the planning board and we haven't gotten there yet right so it's not like we're looking the other way and say hey go build something we haven't even gotten there yet it's premature this correct thank you okay if we can have your name please yes than you more perfect timing because um Kevin I wanted to ask you um nothing back just you know nothing it's okay I'm not like the money person although I like money I'm not the money person and I didn't read the report except for one part that said um that the site was chosen by the uh people who wanted the study that they wanted on the corner that was the only thing I really got out of that um but I'm from New York where Queens have ton of fire stations uh Liv on mury street over by Halo Farm um really close together to my neighbor neighbor's house goes on fire slackwood was there within like 30 seconds save my house from burning so I have experienced we're having something close by totally get that they're 100 years old they've been here serving the community very well we haven't had any major disasters or anything like that I think they've done a great job I mean Parton me says well instead of building one site put some money into fixing out the others but what I did at curiosity nothing bad again I was my children say tell me nothing bad um Hamilton has 135 career members and five volunteers on duty for 247 responding out a seven stations really big Township seven stations Ying I didn't get how many people they have but they have three stations prinson has two um listen if you built it on our Corner we're all good like where's a fire we have someone right there but the the concern is the rest of the township and response time and all that stuff so my um thought about career is that you probably could look like maybe make space somewhere here for like an Administration uh for a fire and then have career firemen at all the locations so that it could service the whole Community because what worries me about it being here is like you have cr Bridge Mall you have like all like all the way out I don't know it's Costco and Lawrence yes right think about all that out there so like you're right here you got to go all the way out there I almost say fix up the fire stations and then put one out there so and I but I get there's a tax thing and some money and whatever you know I don't know that but I'm just saying that that's the biggest concern for me is like I hate fire and I would have one right in the corner wouldn't like it but why why what is wrong with multiple yeah answer yes listen first of all thank you very much so this this discourse I'll take any day of the week right you're you're a resident that has legitimate concerns and you're expressing them and I appreciate that um consolidation is a movement that's happening all around the country um because it has benefits to taxpayers as well as organizational structure within fire departments in the NS consolidation meaning each town was built with a volunteer fire like so so slackwood was built and you know it's for was for the people that lived around the slackwood area they'd be volunteers and they would serve that Firehouse Lawrence Road people that lived around the Lawrence Road area they would do that lawrenville the same thing that's how it was back then right um the trend now um is if you as in a community have one or two stations that can get within the five to seven minute response time that is is is is what the target is in terms of responding to fires then consolidation is something that you could really think about and the advantages are less apparatus that you have to buy at $1 million $1.5 million you can buy them um over time like instead of 20 years we've got some apparatus are 17 20 years old that are breaking down now because we got them out of three firehouses but if you have one or one and a half it's less apparatus that we can buy and keep newer and better and operational and on the road that's just one part of it um so it's all a part of the discussion it nothing's been resolved and that Public Safety Committee is going through what's the best for our community and it could very well be that they recommend you as the governing body said you know what we're kind of off the consolidation let's see what we could do more spread out but the one thing that people don't really understand is that we we are not an island of our s lawence Township we have mutual Aid agreements that we share with Trenton Hamilton Ying uh hope well so when we have a fire if if we're not able to get out we're not getting out in time howon is here so in that area near slackwood Trenton comes in in near West Windsor West Windsor will come in and we do the same for them right right so that's Mutual we are not an island of ourselves so the thought of what are we going to do for the outer reaches of our community during the you know what do we have four or five AC of fires a year I think it's been more recently but so so that's where Mutual Aid comes in so it's just a whole bunch of information that we have to process through to make the best decisions for our community and that's all on the table right so I I agree I could see that but um I get the money issue for the equipment for sure um I don't want to have to rely on other towns like if I you know that's just me I don't want to rely on other towns I want Lawrence if they're going to do the right thing if they're going to spend $30 million on a complex or 20 million whatever it is you want it to be able to handle it on its own I don't want to have to rely on other time they could be having a fire at the same time where they could choose somewhere else so I think that we should have our own our own distribution but I think most importantly is like I've seen these complexes and there like there's one on um you know if you go down Clarksville maybe that's West Windsor I'm thinking like that they have like a massive property we don't have that here and so if you're gonna have H one which I think maybe that's what they have I don't know it's a massive thing like you you need to like spread it out and I bet you they can use that as a community Ser you know Center and uh administration building and it doesn't affect any kind of thing we're a different Community we're a different Community we've got different needs and different things available to us to build our infrastructure so I'm just saying keep in mind the multiple because you know honestly my husband's family's been here for like 80 years and even though times are changing it still did a good job and sometimes if it in broke like what I fix it but it's broke though so it's broke in some ways it is broke in some ways but the concept is doable uh you know maybe it might make more sense MoneyWise to spend it on multiple uh than on just one that's and and that's the process right and so we're not there but I mean the fact that like what worries me is that like you're position of influence and the fact that you want I don't really have much influence well I mean but if you did Let's Pretend um that concerns me because again I showed you the traffic situation and I showed you all that other stuff it's a worry for our community in fact uh one of our neighbors who Moved she's 998 she moved in 98 she said well what's going on in the corner and I said well it hasn't been decided yet so that would be a shame because a changes the whole landscape now becomes more urban than like suburban and one thing that I'll thank you very much for all your comments it's in front of It's Made in front of the right people right uh this is a conversation that should have happened 10 years ago it didn't happen so I so where I'm sitting now and my responsibilities to this town absolutely has to happen and I'll take the hits for it if that's what has to happen but so it's a difficult conversation to get through but it should have happened a while ago get okay yeah mayor I I have a couple and thank you for your mayor I have I have a couple questions uh just based on all the public participation so far it's hard to believe we're only four five um first uh for Council one Perry have how many times has your committee met so far it just sounds like I apologize we we got to have some dequorum I just got the finger pointed at me and I I don't know what community I'm in anymore I just don't know what community I'm in anymore and I think there needs to be a a a level of decorum and I apologize for interrupting you but it just deeply offends me that I'm just trying to do my job the best way I know how and to have somebody give me the finger at a at a meeting is beyond the pale with me I'm sorry I just I'm just not interested okay MERS of the audience it's all work together I didn't see anything okay I saw you saw got the fing okay if you want to know who it is I'll be more than happy to tell you I'm sure you will that's not necessary I'd love to finish yes two things one from what I'm hearing from the public our neighbors residents uh is that there's a concern about the fire study and the and the review of that so I was curious about sort of how many meetings we've had so far and what you know it's it's may now there's conversations about this back in November um whether uh Council woman Perry do they does her committee have a timeline of any sorts uh in terms of of coming back to Council so that we could review and then start to to respond to some of these questions so as we have discovered there is um more information that we need to gather before we can properly give any report to the township and to council we have had one meeting that was over two and a half hours long and just so you know the meeting is with decades worth of experience we have have a fire chief a volunteer a current career member a member of our community and myself and also our the director of our EMS team so these are all officials who have extensive experience beyond my years so we have had one meeting and I vow to you before the end of summer I'm not going to make a commitment today because there's a couple of players that have to happen before we come to you with the first information so before the end of summer you will have a report of the first few steps that are necessary we are we are so far from even the word consal not consolidate consolid wait before we get there so mayor can I follow can I follow that up also with a question of as much as I appreciate everyone's conversations uh discussions this is this should be public comment where we sort of hear from the from the group um and not necessarily have a back and forth and one of the things I was wondering is these are public meetings right correct uh the sub subit that's that's a shame because I I feel as if this conversation would be so welcome no no as with as with any organization we are not being uh we are totally transparent but for decorum and for the proper protocol and for the process it needs to be closed when we present you the recommendations the council will vote we are not doing anything in the meeting but discovering the layer of things that should have been done that were not done and what needs to be done and at that point we will present everything for the council to decide and then public participation to give us your feedback and that's the process okay all right come forward please and I may I made one more thing the reason that's the process is because of the people on the team members of the community and no other council member but myself and I am listening to what they are explaining and recommending and most importantly telling me things that what has happened yeah yeah information outside of the reports so you know as councilwoman Perry said you know starting over she has to gather all as much information as possible so that we can accurately respond to the public and share that information with you you know we're we're committed to doing that I'm Jim CLE I really U that last lady kind of stole most of my thunder the uh hearing all this I looked report the best I could but I don't don't claim any real expert no expertise and I don't claim to have even read the whole thing but the uh and I know there are people here who have expertise but just I can imagine that like Kevin said I guess we should have this should have started years ago and I'm sure uh it's even though I come to meetings religiously I didn't really pick up on it until the last less than a year I guess and and I guess and I I can understand completely Kevin's frustration like what do you pay me for if you're going to tell come up and tell me that you know better than me on all the things that I've really study uh and and from on the other hand from some some of us it feel it felt like to tell you the truth that it the decision had already been made and we were just going through the motions but that's probably and I certainly think that we should back up and and and kind of acknowledge that everybody here I'm maybe I'm not I'm probably naive but that everybody here wants to do the right thing and I also looked at places like of Princeton where they built the big police and fire places right out there on 206 righted kind of like what we're talking about the whole like we should have here on the other hand like the like you said Hamilton and Ying have different setups I guess that the the trend according to what uh what Kevin saying I'm sure it must be true is that the trend is for consolidation uh and certainly it's a the need for more lots more paid firefighters is a is a given we have things like the uh what is the good the old good old rubber or something that happened in the middle of the night and we have people on from 8 to 4 from Monday to Friday instead all all the volunteers and all the people from all the surrounding area out there for 17 hours I think fighting that thing and it's true everybody came to help but that and that would there's still always going to be some of that I guess we do it in other places but that certainly is a demonstration God forbid that had been a residential uh complex or something so I I came at first I thought and now the more I hear about it the more I think that all I ask is that we is that we consider the different options I heard I heard when the fire the fire commissioner or what it was came in and gave his report for his budget he talked about how not as you said none of the existing departments are uh are up to up to Snuff they're old and they they don't they're unsuitable for female uh firefighters that's just a number of things I guess so so to get that to to build a to to build the new unit is going to I we I I guess one of the things we're going to find out is how much that will cost certainly a lot but on the other hand to improve the existing ones would also cost a lot and all and both of them are going to require new equipment when I say improve the existing ones I'm saying if it to at least not reject that possibility out of hand um and hiring hiring enough firefighters to man all that now you have to weigh that against how many firefighters You' need here probably more uh and and every one of them is not just salaries it's benefits and retirement and all that but but just not to I'm just saying that trying asking if we can at least consider that possibility because while there's a lot of examples you can see about the United United ones you can also see the examples of ones that are are decentralized and the now how if you expanded them is there the space there what's it going to require and all kind of but on the other hand it does I see slackwood for example which I think is the only one we own I keep thinking all those houses down there that are close together we all keep saying the same thing all the time when one fire is there they need it people to get there quick and on the other hand up here it's expand this is the part of the township that has grown a lot so I'm just saying well I'm just even though I know it must be frustrating to be saying at this point take longer and but but that's what I'm saying is no don't make any decisions we would not we would not all right got do we need to sign in again just Bri doct again where I work so my man Jim back there said assume best inent where I work we have a value called lightful and that means always the student best intent uh I shouted earlier Kevin this is not the schoolyard I apologize for for shouting at you but let me ask a question so consolidation benefits sure um I've never seen anybody ask the question of like what if we need four firehouses what if it is just one what if it's three where do those need to go like the whole problem right now is under the assumption of like they have to go where they are or they have to get like some to go and then we like replace it with one there's one plan that we're valuated right so the subcommittee how many firehouses do we need that is what we're going to find out that is what we're going to find out how many fir we have to do all that due diligence and question that will be awesome to see can I just have a a verbal confirmation that everybody will receive a copy of that report that information from Virginia we appreciate that okay thank you so much okay all right with that we will close public comment and to review any revisions to the agenda I don't believe there are any um May if I could ask the attorney do we need to close session I don't no no we didn't advertise for close session so we're okay I just saw on age4 that necessary so I'll I'll remove that thank you okay and do not have any minutes right in this okay Madame mayor um if we are ready I I would like to move uh ordinance number 2472 d24 in ordinance amending ordinance 24642 24 salary ordinance of the township of Lawrence unclassified and or exempt seasonal emergency non-union employees for 2023 through 2025 amending schedule B grade four years 2024 and 2025 condensing from 11 steps to six steps I move to table this orance you have a second I'll second that okay mad call Mr B no Mr Kaki no M Perry yes Mr Ryan Yes mayor far yes uh mayor if I may uh since we sort of skipped over conversation and we went right to the vote um can I ask the reason why is there more information that the councilwoman needs about mayor I had I had a question uh on that there there was a uh steps to take on that and also in the salaries there's there's uh and may ask a simple question did you want me to answer or you go ahead no no finish your finish your thoughts sir no like on the grade 19 we have it down as Deputy municipal clerk at 70 moving the month 7 we don't even have a deputy Municipal cler on here we just that I know me personally I have some additional questions and so and so I'll I'll ask one last question and then we can move on if that's all right with you there you're good one question I have is that we typically receive the books Friday afternoon I know and so I'm just wondering why no questions were asked to the municipal manager either over the weekend or Monday Monday or Tuesday do you know that there weren the uh Councilman Ryan just said that he had questions about the salary earance and I'm just cons curious why no questions were asked or answered and you also just mentioned that you have questions about yeah I have addition and so I was just so my question then my followup question councilman and I'll finish after that is uh do you plan on asking these questions before our next meeting so that you can have the answer so that we can then introduce this ordinance in a timely fashion absolutely on my behalf you my questions I will ask also mayor pay thege mayor U point of order is this going for a date certain to the next meeting or is it just held in ADV B date certain to the next meeting if the questions are resolved okay would be June 18 just so it's clear for the clerk that this will be at the next meeting and the questions submitted May I'm not doing it on this right now i' ask one last question and and we all understand that this is merely the introduction of an ordinance that there would be a second reading uh before it's adopted so that we would have time to ask the questions Council I'm gonna ask you respect our votes no no I I I'm I'm just asking that question that's all okay we're going to table this the next meeting understood that I already passed okay thank you so I I just was asking the question okay Madam mayor make I would like to make a motion to move ordinance number 24684 ordinance providing for various Road improvements Mill and overly including oil work and materials and in the town by the township of Lawrence in the county of Mercer New Jersey appropriating 3,691 180 in capital Improvement funds okay is there any questions from the public with regards to this coordinates need a second may I have a second second thank you C none if you could call the please did you close closing sorry closing ordinance number 24-24 Mr bobin yes Mr Kaki yes Miss Perry yes Mr Ryan Yes mayor farmer yes madame mayor I would like to make a motion to move ordinance number 24694 ordinance appropriating 1, 14511 145 from Capital Improvement funds for various Capital Improvements in and by the township of Lawrence in the county of Mercer New Jersey may I have second please second um mayor before that I just have a a couple of questions on that um is this for the Police Department with 151,000 it says the body cameras is that just for the police department that's not for Public Works inspectors nor the code enforcement it's the police it's just the police department and and the police vehicles now also why um do they need a signage is that a sign that they tow behind the vehicle Mr wisky what was what was the question there's a sign that's being res there's there's a signage in there that the police are requesting for so you're not aware of that this just so everybody is aware we've had before that this is this is a capital funding mechanism it's already been approved in the budget it's already been approved this is so this is so this is so this is in performance of what you've all approved I just want that to be clear so and this is not a purchase of anything this is a funding so it's going to go out for right that was an introduction right and they're GNA do the cost analysis this is these are all um estimated things no sorry I understand that but my question was for the 151,000 acquisition of public consistent for the body vehicle cameras to clarify I have no problem with everything else on this I just have questions on this for it's not for police I mean only for Police use not Public Works inspectors or code enforcements or anything like that on that and then also do not we have two message boards correct for public works and we need a third for just the police yeah that's that's it and that's what like 39,000 for that this is just an estimate [Music] okay okay do have any um questions from the public regarding this ordinance see none mad cler you could call the RO pleas and I'm closing out ordinance number 24692 Mr Bobby yes Mr Kaki yes Miss Perry yes Mr Ryan yes mayor farmer yes madame mayor may I would like to make a motion to move ordinance number 247-2420 drainage and storm water management second is there any questions on this ordinance from the public I think we saw you last night yes speak go right ahead I the experts speak on this one signing in but I'm not sure anyone will be able to read it I'll thank you very much my name is Mike Taro I'm the policy director for the watered Institute if many of you don't know we are in hopal Township uh serving 30 communities throughout Central Jersey in the State uh we've been working on storm water I've been working on it for at least 10 years now and we've been meeting over the last several years including Lawrence uh on enhancing our ability to manage stor as we all know all of our communities are experiencing flooding in a more significant way and it's just going to get worse the way we manage storm water today doesn't address it is sort of a baseline that hopefully doesn't get things that much worse but things are wor it sort of tries to minimize the worse I which is probably not not the most elant thing I could say um but we've been working with communities over the last four or five years to enhance our ability to do storm water management and I realized the township is under a deadline to adopt this ordinance because of the Inland flood protection rules uh we met and I met with Jim and BR Kramer last week to talk about opportunities to enhancement and one of the things that would suggested is maybe pulling together a committee of interested people to look at it uh so that over the next several months Lawrence can consider enhancements so that we can better protect our communities reduce water pollution and hopefully reduce flooding I think this is extremely important I would urge the township to do that uh and I also would you know two other things you know the township is under a legal mandate under our Municipal separate storm store system permit ms4 to come up with a plan and to reduce that flooding and improve water quality you have until 2027 to do that taking opportunities through development process to improve water quality and reduce flooding makes sense otherwise the town is going to have to come up with projects to do that so why not take the opportunities as we develop and redevelop to make those improvements so that is one and one of the reasons to do the enhancement the second and uh We've you all probably should have got a letter at the beginning of this year talking about the wers shed Institute one of the other things Brenda and Jim have been participating and counc Bob has as well on occasion uh is a meeting of the Stony Brook Watershed towns you know we all share the Stony Brook it runs into Carn Lake around you know route one we all know Route One floods occasionally um as part of this process to improve water quality you have to look at the ston you have to look at the As and pink the talents are starting to come together and talk about sharing those resources developing a common plan um so um we have a proposal from a consultant to develop that plan and to help the communities uh so I would encourage the council to look at that as well I'd be more than happy to sit down with anyone who's interested in talking about storm water I take you up on that off all right yes thank you very muching that I just we close that motion did we voted on it I'm sorry weot it no okay closing ordinance number 24724 Madam CL you could call the RO Please Mr Bob yes Mr con yes M Perry yes Mr Ryan Yes mayor Farm yes madame mayor I would like to make a motion to move ordinance 2471-20 ordinance providing for sidewalk improvements and by the Township in the county of Mercer state of New Jersey appro appropriating $700 therefore and directing the special assessment of the cost thereof have a second my apologies May second is there any comment from the public C ordinance number 24714 mad cler if you could call the Mr pit yes Mr Kaki yes M Perry yes Mr Ryan Yes mayor farmer yes and now this brings us to the manager report um yeah F first I want for Mr Brian um I had a question about the salary ordinance I just want you to know that this is a salary guide these are titles and steps and salar so when you and mentioned that we didn't have a certain person but it's here there's that's throughoute here because these are just titles and if and when we have an assistant municipal clerk then then we're ready to go for that so these aren't these aren't people these are titles and these are salaries and I will just reaffirm with all of you M Bar you always ask questions beforehand so I'm you know so if for whatever reason something came up at the last minute that's completely fine but to all of you for the appearance in the public and all that I am here for you Monday through Monday right if you have a question I will answer it for you if I don't know off the top of my hand I will get you the answer so when we come to do business like setting the salary for a municipal judge who's in place and is expecting to be paid you'll get your answer and then we can move forward like this introduction is just an introduction so it's just something that I I can get you that information and we and we continue with the process of moving this town operationally in in a very functional way so I just want I'll make a com because yes mrsk you have been very available to us especially to um Council woman Perry and myself who are new to to the Council and um whenever we have a question absolutely are there to answer and so yeah so you guys send me your questions about it and hopefully we can get this going I don't I don't know what the ramification is about the paying the judge but we hope it's we hope it's not but just to that point because you're saying this is related to the J the municipal judge judge salary yeah so what is all of the other listings that are on there that's a salary guide that that's just the township salary guide and it lists all the positions and titles some of them are filled some of them are not filled but if we do fill them then they're there and we know what the salaries and and we able to present offers to people that say here this is the salary this is how you'll grow over the seven 10 12 steps or whatever it is so that's just a guide and and what the manager is supposed to do the CEO it sets the salary guys for unclassified individuals like you know since since we began in 1971 so so when I looked at this and I looked at what the the the shift in the municipal Court's work and case load and how the process has streamlined and reduced I felt it was necessary and appropriate to reduce the step guy uh because it's no longer the really busy court that it was before it's just not and so that's fiscal responsibility on my part but I'll answer all your questions and hopefully we get this going the next we we just went to be yeah and I did again I just wanted you to know we did get our uh annual comprehensive financial report ending 2023 I've uh gave you each a copy for you to review um at your leisure if anything anything comes up it's a really good document to to reference and save um no negative um reporting again you know our finances are always in excellent uh shape so uh perus is a wonderful job um and our audit is fine so get this time reading really enjoy that rival and just and one final thing the uh light at Federal Point um the um our Municipal engineer has completed the bid speec and it will be presented to you all for a vote on at the next council meeting what that will do is if you pass it it goes out to a bit we get uh we get proposals back and then we're able to select a responsible uh professional vendor who will then do the design and cost work that we need to determine what how we're going to budget this for 2025 okay okay that's all I have 2025 that's the next budget okay we're we're we're Expediting it and I may come back to you in September say hey we're ready to roll we could do some transferring and get this done but I just didn't want to set expectations at a level you know so so I know it's needed and we need to get it done and we're Expediting as much as we I every time I write G I think about it yeah next one um Mr second you have anything just uh briefly Madam mayor uh this may at a future meeting be a topic of a Clos session but I I just received a email and I had a phone call today from an attorney apparently our offer on the uh property on Route 206 in altimar Avenue has been accepted at the number that we suggested and that are really our real opinion of value suggested uh and uh we will be going to a contract I spoke briefly to the attorney uh and uh we will be you know preparing the necessary documents probably at the next close session we'll go into some of the N gritt of that but uh I was very very pleased to see the uh results of our work and I think the uh you know we we didn't go through the expense time aggravation of full appraisal you know we we got a a broker's opinion of value and that seemed to push it over the edge and saved I guess it was about 4 $42,000 so uh I think that would be that's going to be a good acquisition for the town and we'll you know as they say more to follow and we we will have we have some new uh actually one thing came in today in terms of litigation that we cannot discuss in public public nothing honorous but uh we will we will have a close session on that at the next meeting also thank you thank you m Madam cook you have anything for us I do I have few things I have to type it out all righty so we know that by the time I see you next time elections will be over so June 4th is primary election polling is 6: to 8 you know that early voting will start May 29th through June um 2nd um Wednesday that's Wednesday through Saturday it will be open um uh 10: to 8 um you know our polling site is right at the Lawrence uh Library there Mercer County Library okay let's see and they do have some sites throughout the county that you can vote in any one of those uh let's see sample ballots will be going out tomorrow that's the official day but our County Clerk is great she may have already started sending the mouch okay mailing those out they will look a little bit different so they will so okay to say the least um so if you go through calls they you know in a block form for the Democrats at the top so um that that I just mind for of that uh May 28th is the deadline May 28th is the deadline for the ballot um after that you have to apply in person at the county clerk's office uh let's see and you know the districts are going to you know for the district um 10 the ballots for district 10 I mean um pay attention that ballot district 10 is 21 and dist but district 10 was merged into a district so that will be on the ballot and district 21 was renamed to district 10 with the redistricted that we did so some people will be a little bit confused by it but um we can we'll be here to help anyone okay um oah um U my my staff and Peter and I we met with uh well not met with but we did it online um with the representative Josh Taylor from Civics plus we're looking into getting the op program um you all know that the op is a big thing right now it's called next request we did a demo it's a great program um it will come under our $6,600 threshold for now but each year it will be a $10,000 uh but at this time this is something that we need for our office to be a little more efficient uh let's see right here and then speaking of that we have a resolution on um 28-24 as you know that the modernization of the was passed in the Senate and the um assembly and it is on the governor's debts for Signature um but we didn't get our resolution in time enough to get it for last meeting but I felt like it should be on so they can know that we support this um is it's something that's long overdue um so I hope you support it and let's see summer schedule starts June July meetings are they will start at 6 o'clock p.m. and that is about it our plans over this summer we get caught up on some of our backlog and we're going to start our record management project digitizes some of our records okay do we have any unfinished business new business Madame mayor I would like to make a motion or a proposal for uh a juneth celebration here in Lawrence Township that would be um in our front lawn uh celebrating this very mon monumentous event uh the proposal is to have a speaker uh breakfast some Community organization tables and that it would be on June 18th approximately 9:00 a.m. to 11: a.m. that okay do we have a second second you have a comment yeah now that it's open uh is this coming from you as a council woman is it coming from Dei committee is it coming from Rec committee I'm just trying to understand you know where is this coming from it's coming from me as the council woman okay no that's fine and and sort of and and I'll ask the manager then do we have funding available for this do we have any sort of budget right now for this or anything like that we will make it happen if it's the will of the council to do it I I'm just trying to be so I'm just trying to be respons not overpromise and underd deliver anything like I mean listen it's it's new business we we will we'll go through it we gota actually have it done quickly so yeah yeah yeah that's that's the other thing I mean we're we're under under a month now so and I believe and mayor I believe we uh Council has to fill out a form if we're bringing food yeah process who's on the de here yes are you are you get a meeting soon we have we have that one we I can call a meeting yeah I think it would be a really good idea to do just to have that support Council initiative but like let's see if the Dei can support it and that could be where funding can come from exactly hear what you're saying I just wanted to bring it out to my fellow council members so to for their support the full body and we can all participate together to make it happen absolutely wonderful thanks for the answers appreciate it to V on that I I think I have my marching orders on I think you need a vote vot okay all right let's see public participation um second time we have have a three minute limit my speakers no I just want to um I I take prerogative I just want to shout I think that's BB folks in the that there I just want to say thank you for coming um didn't get to throw that ball out so I'm still filed I'm all practiced and ready to go so the St we'll bring is there any other public participation see none all right okay Madame mayor I would like to make a motion to move in Block resolution 18a through H4 excluding F2 and H3 do I have a second excuse me four there's no four on there if it's necessary only okay P three so for protocol Madame mayor I would like to make a motion to move in Block 18a through H3 excluding F2 and H3 second that okay discuss okay Mr Bobby yes Mr Kaki yes M Perry yes Mr Ryan Yes mayor farmer yes madame mayor I would like to make a motion to discuss F2 to move F2 that second May second thank okay and have a discussion yes you move for discussion the three of you yeah sorry that's fine I'll take it C thank you so much uh for your input um this question is really I guess for Mr cek yes um the litigation of caponi yes with that that's eard Sean yes on it which we're doing do you know I mean how long are we into this do you know and what and do you have any ballpark what we spent with eard Seaman last year by any chance I do not I would not know uh there we can you find out for us and get back to us yeah I ask Mr nnsky to that's beyond my ability to get that uh there's activity on the case it's not a whole lot we can say and public right now but there's movement on the case um I think there'll be some activity sooner than later um and uh it I think we'll be able in a position to give you a better understanding what's happening well before the end of summer okay thank you thank you that's it okay thank you sir you're welcome all right discussion okay we have the motion the second on the floor M you could call Mr bobit yes Mr Kaki yes Miss Perry yes Mr Ryan Yes mayor farmer yes and now for H3 Madam mayor I would like to make a motion to table H3 I'll second that okay all right with a motion in a second M you call the Please Mr bobin may I add one point of conversation to to Mr cyc's uh uh concern is is this a motion of table to a date certain to the next are we just tabling it or should we the next meeting we would like to review it um in further detail with Mr SC H3 H3 I believe it's it's it's still on the governor's desk and Governor's desk and he's going to tweak it a little bit so I think it's prudent that we wait on and see what where it's going on that okay yeah that makes sense yeah it it it's uh was passed by the Senate the correct the assembly yeah yeah my apologies for asking a question then confusing myself is this a are we voting on a motion to table this to date to the next meeting yes thank you may okay mad call the Mr Bob no Mr Kaki yes M Perry yes Mr Ryan Yes mayor far yes now we have our Council initiatives and our reports um do we have any updates on el Elsa uh just a reminder for councel uh is Memorial day Saturday the pray kicks off at 10: council's all invited mayor we ask you to walk and we will introduce you at the service to speak all right briefly uh and then we'll move in with the service but 10:00 sharp it gets kicked off it's um we show up 9:00 at the high school though right 9:30 o' guess start and then they goad from there okay all right that um councilwoman Perry is there anything additional you'd like to comment on okay um no update currently on the growth and Redevelopment there are working on some things that I will share in the next meeting and um just final word thank you for all the comments on the public safety report and believe me I hear you and we do not take it lightly and we thank you for your support and your patience um C about it do you have any updates on your Comm yeah I just like to say uh environmental resources um excuse me sorry is uh definitely uh very active with the storm water management stuff to what Mr pizaro was saying from the large head and so um we will continue to look at that and probably start to probably bring something forward to planning board I'm assuming to uh and and have other conversations so stay tuned on that councilman B may ask what role do you think Council should play with that I think it's more my understanding is it's more a planning board issue right now um I will speak with uh the plan the uh Environmental Green uh committee and sort of touch base with them as well as uh speak with Mr pizaro and um Mr about that mon so hey counc L do you have any updates no mayor thank you so much okay um M mayor sure follow up uh today house board meeting counc could make it but 12 homes were approved single family homes appointment sorry I yes and then there's a meeting coming up with the construction board with d and we feel it's going to be what we call our March and orders they're going to tell us what we got to do and what time we got to get it done in it's supposed to be scheduled for May 31st but Bob was supposed to get a confirmed uh notice today or tomorrow to confirm for us so when do you think we should have um the executive director from Elsa come back to the board to the council for any updates do you think there's a need or for for D no for Bob to come before us again well Bob's coming in front of you next month okay on the Lakeland pip work okay okay uh I don't think we'll have answers uh in time okay all right because uh it's going to depend what the uh tells us okay it's scheduled for the 31st Kevin's outside Kevin um sorry the 12 you said there were 12 Lo approv yes in lawence or single yeah no this is for Lawrence 12 single family homes were approved I forgot thank you m CL would you mind sending have to forward to Elsa for June 18th email before okay and then planning board is um did meet yesterday we are still waiting to secure the location for our community meetings I am hoping that um the next time I'm here I'll be able to share with you those dates which U we should have available to us that's the opportunity for the public to engage with the planning aard on the master plan review where we're going out into the community and asking for your support similar to you that's a public object for those that are even talking about the fire studies and all those things that's again an opportunity um Dei committee met via zoom and we had a civil rights um speaker to talk about some additional um information to share with the diversity equity and inclusion committee that's all I have um read communication do we have any no okay we're not having ex session so this brings us to the point in the meeting for a request for anj do I have a motion m a mayor may have a request I may have a motion to to okay all in favor thank you so much to the public for coming out we appreciate all your input today very helpful so uh juneth something else yes youing that all right I'm good good you still doing your gig yeah all right question for you I got distracted one second one second the AL still on the AL still live still alive the the eyes are [Music] on I got distracted when you were talking