Okay, I know you have screen. It's not showing anything at all. Dude, if we all at least would be off. How about now? No, you're not even on there.
Yeah, whatever you're How about now? Now it's showing directly on you, so I think it does have to be turned off. Hi, everybody. It's set on stationary, so it's just going to be audio tonight. Okay. I think just a
[Music] directly facing the tape and I'm not touching it. Oh, the audio is still Welcome everyone. Um, thank you for coming out this evening. I hope you are enjoying our jigs. Um,
they look really nice. Um, I want to give a special shout out and thank you to Nad who was the project leader on this initiative. And I say she did a marvelous job. It looks really nice. Um,
didn't cost too much, right? Didn't cost too much. Hasn't been done in over 50 years. So, we are most appreciative and hopefully you all will find it easier to reach us by coming up the aisles and that you are comfortable with your chairs. Okay.
And with that, I'll open up the meeting. Notice adequate notice of this meeting of the Lawrence Township Council being held on Tuesday, October 7th, 2025. Oh, okay. [Music] Okay.
Okay. We just have one moment. Okay. We'll address that shortly. Adequate notice of this meeting of the Lawrence Township Council being held on Tuesday, October 7th, 2025 has been provided in the posting of the annual meeting schedule of said council in
accordance with section 13 of the open public meetings act. Said notice was forwarded to the tronium, the times, and the princet on December 19th, 2024. I'm going to pause for a moment. I need to address a member of the community. Then
I'm going to write her a note. Just a step. I'm going step out for one second. You want to come. [Music] All right. So, we're just going to take a brief pause if you don't mind um while we uh
address something. [Music] [Music] I'm public speaking. Can you let me know? She couldn't even put caps on my TV for me. Just for the record,
they know. Yeah, it was emailed to her that I had the IT people out here today to look at argue to it does not have that ability at this time.
But when we redo our video system, it will. Okay. So, just to um Okay, just to address the matter that's taking place. I know that um we don't have a visual today. Is that correct?
Our person is working on the visual. So, we're having some technical difficulties today with regards to our visual YouTube channel and also brought to our attention about um captions closed captions closed captions being an option for some
for members of our community. So, as that has been brought up, we that is something that we can definitely discuss and we should definitely look to accommodate. Um it should be so we will be working on that. Okay. And I understand uh there's a member um in our
audience who would like to address the council regarding that matter at a public uh participation time. So that's just a brief um pause and then now uh if we are Yeah. And I did um try to get an
interpreter. Okay. She was not available to be with us. Okay. She's unavailable. And thank you for bringing that to that matter to our attention. I can't hear a word. Okay. I'm 100% deaf.
Okay. I can hear you though. I hear what you're saying. Are you speaking to me though? I'm fully deaf. Let's not discriminate against me in a council meeting. I can't hear a word. Okay. So, I gave plenty of notice.
She could have put the captions on a screen. Our screens currently are are not uh working but we will definitely look to address this um immediately because it's um something that we should definitely be accommodating for everyone.
Okay. If we could now we will have our inspiration. Okay. 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 algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. Madam Madam, if you could call the RO. Mr. Bobby here. Mr. Kaki here. Merry here. Sanchez here. Mayor here. And now we have a special proclamation
for the 2025 community of lights day proclamation. Whereas it is the policy of Lawrence Township to recognize organizations that have contributed to the overall benefit of the community. And whereas Unity,
formerly Women's Space, founded in 1977, has demonstrated a unique ability to provide comfort, support services, crisis intervention, and safety to women, men, and children who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault,
and strangulations. Whereas Unity, former women's space in the belief that peace begins at home has asked Mercer County Community to join them in their struggle against violence by participating in their annual communities of light project. And
whereas Unity has provided emergency shelter in secure locations and comprehensive services for victims of domestic violence since 1977. sexual assault since 2002 and strangulation since 2024
for more than 130,24 women, 17,782 children and 9,397 men. Additionally, Unity has assisted more than 332
9 332,296 hotline callers for over the last 48 years. And whereas Unity in November of 2025 changed its name to show growth as an organization and their commitment to inclusivity.
While honoring women's faith legacy, the new name reflects their mission of fostering unity, empowerment, healing for survivors from all backgrounds. And whereas Lawrence Township commends Unity for their efforts to bring an end
to the cycle of interpersonal violence imposed on women, men, and children. And whereas as mayor of Lawrence Township, I urge that each and every household demonstrate their support of the concept that peace begins at home by placing
luminaries along their driveways and sidewalks on Monday, October 27th, 2025 as a visible symbol of that support. And whereas the proceeds from the Communities of Light 2025
will be used to fund vital services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, strangulation, and human trafficking. Now therefore, I, Patricia Farmer, mayor of Lawrence Township, County of Mercer, State of New Jersey,
do hereby proclaim October 27th, 2025 as Communities of Life Day, and hereby honor unity on its many accomplishments and wish them continued success with Communities of Life in the years to come. Peace begins at home. It should
shine throughout community December 7th, 2025. Thank you, Madam Clerk, for preparing this for us today. You're welcome. And now we will have the first opportunity for public participation
which will be for five minutes. I'll go I go there. Hello everybody. My name is Deborah Dorner. Put my hands down. I am here tonight as a member of Friends
of Colonial Lake Park for two reasons. One of them a very positive reason. Um we would like to just take the time to thank the old and new board members and everything that took place um
few years ago to make a nice positive change at the chef parcel. Um, I personally went one day and was surprised to see that parking lot was gone. And then the next week I was surprised to see how the
parking lot went from black to green. Uh, the walking path going down to the new walking path that goes out to the highway and the um shoreline restoration that's happening. Um it's amazing and
large township has has had a lot to do with that and we thank you. Um but the one sad thing that I have to say is we've discovered that the uh New Jersey department uh the D fish and wildlife
division plans not to stock the lake in 2026 uh with trout. Um they had gone around and interviewed 22 fishermen and out of the 22 11 said they're happy with the fishing
experience. Maybe they don't use the right bait. Who knows? So with that in mind, they decided to send the trout swimming someplace else. They want to send it I don't recall the name of the lake, but they want to send
the trout to a different lake next year. Um so knowing what has happened to make all the beautiful improvements and all of the time and effort that has gone into making those beautiful improvements. Now we have a concern not only for the
fishermen because some fishermen do enjoy the lake and there are many fishermen that come from all over. Um, once again, we can have people coming in um on the bus on Route One, kids come on
their bicycles and they've been fishing there for years. My son did it many, many years ago. Um, so our concern about them choosing not to stock the lake is not only the fisherman, but the ecosystem.
We have quite an abundance of wildlife that actually does catch and eat the trail. Um, I had the pleasure of being out a few Saturdays ago with an elementary school from the neighborhood
who were on a nature walk with their families and and some teachers. And these kids actually got to see, excuse me, the um the eagle sitting up in a tree. They watched and the thing put on a
perfect show at the perfect time. These kids saw the eagle come down, snatch a fish out of the lake and fly off and eat. So here are these young kids who were armed with binoculars and
magnifying glasses, enjoying being outside, being with their families, not looking at telephones, no screens. And they walked all the way around the lake. And they went around so far that they came back to the tree where the eagle was sitting. And it's
not just eagles. There's corn ants and blue herring and many other things that we offer these. So we have um one of our members put another change.org
petition out. We had a petition that we had at our festival. I have it here with us tonight. Um we had our fall festival and we put a few signatures and people are very interested in um maintaining the quality of life at the
park. I also had the pleasure of meeting Shirley Turner the other night at a function and um I did get the opportunity to mention it to her. So, um, planning on following up with her, but we're kind of interested to know if
we can get any support and backing from the people who started making this project so amazing to begin with. You saw the kids. Oh, yeah. They were they were there. And, um, they go every other month for the entire
school year. And as this as the season progresses, they will stop along the way and have science experiments to do. And these are K to3 kids. So um thank you for your comments. So I don't know if there's anything that
we could do. We could talk to somebody, meet with someone, we would really be appreciative of any input. Thank you, Andy. Mayor, I'll I'll just say that hats off
to to this corner and the ability to to corral a bunch of kindergarten lower elementary school kids all the way around a mile long loop of the lake. So, problems for that and and yeah, it's something special to see the eagle out there. I think we'll be in conversation
about how we can reach out to both our legislative senate members and senator as well as thanks. Thank you. Uh good evening. I'm here to uh express my appreciation to council um on behalf
of myself as an individual um 45 year resident of Lawrence Township. um uh your um attention to um the uh information provided by the task force is much appreciated and um I really uh
am respectfully um uh expressing my um gratitude for everything that you've done to allow that uh to happen. Uh, and I was particularly gratified uh in picking up
the Lawrence Gazette the other day to find that every candidate um is using the uh community center uh as a platform for um their positions. And so, uh it's
obviously an important issue. Uh and there were two things I thought everybody had in common which I was particularly excited about. Uh, one was the um, everyone seemed very appreciative and wanted to uh, respect
the task force work uh, which is very heartening to me because I know those folks put a lot of effort into what they did and the other was uh, voiced in different ways by different people but um, it was the idea I think I say Bob
said that's um um, while being mindful of the physical impact tax on the municipal budget. And so that's what I want to talk a little bit about um as as we go forward. Um you're probably aware, but many people
in the audience are probably not aware that the task force report uh has a section um called strategic partnerships. The value of strategic partnerships is that it is a fiscal answer to the idea
of having a community recreation center which accomplishes what the community expressed in the task force report. And the reason for that is simple. Partners bring resources. So for example, um the
school district brings personnel. if we need computers or we need uh people to help teach computer science to um adults, um the school district has those resources and in fact they've offered to participate. Um so we have the idea the
idea that we can actually create resources through partnerships. Um many of you know and you and several of you have said that uh I engaged um um quite a bit with uh Every Child Value. Every
Child Value writes grants, brings money, tutors kids, and brings resources to the community. Every Child Valued is growing very rapidly. We we're getting more and more support from this outstanding school district with a tremendous and outstanding school leaders and uh we are
going to be growing. Uh, so we're going to be needing space, but we bring with that space, we bring resources, we bring personnel, we bring teachers, we bring we bring equipment and materials, supplies. Um, and so there are lots of opportunities um, available um, through
that. So, I know that you've had a chance to look through this section on strategic partnerships. Um, I want to bring it to the attention of the public as well. Uh it's it's really a a a a blueprint for how we can be fiscally responsible and provide the community
with everything it's really asking for. Um I haven't had a chance to ask anybody for questions. Um if I have another minute, uh that's on my time clock. I'd be happy to have any questions if you have any.
All right. Well, I'll be here uh till you guys make a decision. So you have plenty time to ask questions. Thanks a lot. Oh, I don't know if my voice is going to be loud enough. I can't hear my voice. Um,
I did seek an accommodation for tonight's meeting under the ADA and the New Jersey law against discrimination. I felt that if the municipal clerk didn't have enough time to get an interpreter, they could at least put cops on the screen. I think those are
free. But in any event, I came to this township around the end of December 2024. the state's mandated public accommodation posters were not up. These
posters came out on August 1st, 2022. So when I came here in the end of December, more than two years ago, I had to do the advocacy. I didn't physically tap the posters up on the wall, but I had to advocate. They put
one poster up in the beginning. When you walk in, it's not even at eye level. And when you walk in the front door, it's not even up in Spanish. Tonight, I noticed outside that door for the first time.
For the first time, I see it up at the police department. The state can't list every place at the public accommodation, but it does say including police department. That poster at the police department didn't go up until after
three years these posters came out. The truth of the matter is even when people do put the posters up and they're mandated, it's it's not an option. It's mandated. I've seen cases where people put a poster up, but a poster can't work
magic. How people comply with this law, that's just as important as having a poster up. I look at everybody, one, two, three, four, five, six, and I say to myself,
why was it I that had to advocate to get the posters up in the building? I don't even work for the township. I look at all these people. How could anybody be less capable than I speaking up against the poster? And I suppose that people really don't pay
attention to the state's New Jersey law and discrimination even though it's entrenched in employment, public accommodation, housing, and medical facilities. The other reason I'm here is that your police department does not comply with
the ADA title 2 nor the New Jersey law against discrimination. I am not getting equal, effective, and non-discriminatory access to the police department's program service activities. Now, it's true if I wanted to try and
make a meeting in advance, be it set up for an interpreter, but I'm talking on scene. Please don't even understand the concept of what is a public accommodation. All they have to do is go to a business.
The business said, "We don't want to serve her. Please spread you out." And this is just not how it works at a place of public accommodation. There's no such thing when you have all these protected categories. The trust pass for
absolutely no reason at all the police be doing what they can to support these laws. They're not helping the township. They're not helping the businesses. a trespassing individual who are under
protected category saying for no reason at all you can't go services and the police should be doing our bias supplement forms for me and they got it. I did try to get the meeting with the ADA coordinator or send him an email
September 27th. He didn't email me back. So, I decided whatever it is that I think is wrong here, I'm going to find a different way to deal. I'm not going to meet with the ADA board. I'll figure out a different
way, but it's not the um the document the post it is posted. Ma'am, ma'am, I have a 100 hearing loss. I can't hear
I'm needing I can't get any meaningful participation. Finally up there. Finally up at the police department. Excuse me. Those are my copies. I vote at least will go to a business. A police will go to a business. They'll
have a either no poster or an outdated poster. An outdated poster is like no poster. Police only serve the businesses. They do not serve somebody who has a disability who's trying to get access to
goods and services. If I tell a business that restaurant, just go right on paper and lay down. The police said that very needs be filling out a bias supplement form. Remember the New Jersey law against
discrimination prohibits discrimination and harassment in places of public accommodation based on actual or perceived. Your police officers are telling me, "Oh, no, you're not being biased." They're not that they don't
understand discrimination against the best actual procedure. They only speak up for the business. Thank you. So, yes. So, I guess I So, let me set this record straight
that she came to us over a year ago. I got a new bulletin board put up on the bill on the side of the board and that post it has been posted for over well over a year. Um we I also asked for a
ADA compliance officer which is now with you which we adopted and we had which is Greg W. We have information on our website. I have been in contact with Miss Abbott um because um I let her know
that I brought in our IT person um to look at our um aisle. We're going to get a system. We're going to get it where it's going to be where we will be able to have closed caption and then we'll be able to uh be in compliance. I also told her tonight that we would not be able to
do it because the interpreter could not come um was unable was not available for this evening and in addition we couldn't um when um our IT person chat we were unable to get it through YouTube on live stream.
Okay. So I did send her an email to that of that. Um yesterday our police department had to her they had an interpreter and she didn't show up. Interpreters are quite expensive.
In addition to that um Greg Whitehead sent her an email on a Saturday at 513 letting her know that he would meet with her and he also copied our manager on that. Um, and then, um, I don't know if
it was delivered or not delivered, but I explained to I sent her an apology if it wasn't delivered because she said she doesn't have her own phone. She uses a public um, way of communicating with us. I communicated all week with her up
until before this meeting. So, my apologies to her and we do everything we can to comply. Okay. Thank thank you for that um clarification I think and you know it is something to be brought to our attention
so it is something that we can definitely address. Um close caption is not something that's you know very it's a pretty easy fix that we can um definitely get there but I just want to make sure the posters were posted and
the police department did um reach out to her as did Mr. Whitehead. Who is our ADA compliance officer? Okay. Thank you for that. Good evening. My name is Molina Vinc and I am a lifelong resident of Warren
Township. I'm here today on behalf of a coalition of environmental, residential, and local advocacy organizations with respect to the Williams Transcope Northeast Supply Enhancement Pipeline Project, also known as Messi.
Messi would bring fracked methane gas to Long Island, New York. And Messi also calls for a massive two engine gas fired compressor station in Franklin Township, New Jersey, and would cut more than 23 miles through the Raron Bay and connect to the Rockaway lateral in the ocean off
of Long Island. On June 20th, 2025, coalition member Elizabeth Modell sent a copy of the resolution passed by South Brunswick Township opposing the construction and installation of the proposed compressor station and opposing
the entire pipeline project. Since then, Elizabeth and Lupali Chakraarti, another member of the coalition, have requested multiple times that the Lawrence town that Lawrence Township adopts a resolution opposing the proposed compressor station and the pipeline
project. As of September 2025, 20 towns across New Jersey have passed resolutions opposing the Nessie pipeline. We request that the resolution will be on the agenda for the next council meeting. And I urge you all to vote against the messy pipeline. Thank
you. And in my remaining time, I um would definitely like to hear if there's a current status on whether there will be the resolution on the next council agenda. Thank you. Um, we haven't discussed the agenda for
next council meeting, but um, we can definitely talk about it this evening. Thank you. I included my email address on um, the public participation list, so if you have an update, feel free to reach out. Thank you. Good afternoon or good evening ladies
and gentlemen. Um, my name is Fred Burine. Um, 26 Fred Bane Junior Road. Um, I'm not going to spend much time talking to you tonight. Um, Chris has done a
good job and I think we have some more folks who are going to um to talk tonight. Um, but what I do want to do, I've made a package for each person. I
made a package for you tonight also. Um, um, and it's there's there's four items in this package. Um, one is a pictures of um,
the uh, little center when we were refurbishing it. And the other another picture is um of the neighborhood center under the the present center under construction. Um
it it was the contractor who started building the center um applied for chapter 11 while it was under constructions and the building set for uh um it set for almost a year before we
we started construction again. So, and the the other items in here is just some some some history of things that I I've written uh about the neighborhood center and
I I was told that um you your history helps you u to go to move forward to where you want to go. So, I think the the more the
more council knows a little bit more about history, then uh you you'll get a better understanding of how what Chris alluded to is how people come together to do things. And
it it was the uh people from throughout the town, not just folks in Edgar's Crossing, but uh people and organizations that help build Eg Crossing Village,
help build the community of Edgar Crossing. um and supported many thousands of families that have gone through that in in the past 50 years that that we've been in existence.
So there are there are resources and there are people out out here in this community who aren't just waiting to uh um to help to fill a need. And there is
a there is a need and it be a greater need as as this town has become more diverse than than when I when I was a kid. So with that I'm I'm going to I think
there's enough packages for council people and and manager and the attorney. Um, and I I do hope you take this stuff and read it. Don't let it gather dust.
And it it's it's worthwhile. Um, learning how how people from throughout this town made all this possible. And I I do wish you folks would um come down
and and really um walk through Edgar's Crossing as you see it today. Take time to do that. Take time to walk through the village. These are, you know, people said that the village wouldn't last six months.
We just celebrated our 50th anniversary. Uh, and you look at Edgar's crossing and you look at Edgar's crossing. When I grew up in Edgar's Crossing, it was dirt roads. People had toilets in the backyard, including my people lived in
self-standard housing. and the the um the health officer was on our our committee, our housing committee, and he he was asked a question, how come you don't condemn the houses? He said, well, we can't condemn the houses. Where are
we going to put the people? We took it upon ourselves to build 100 units of low and moderate income housing. That's a story within itself. So, um,
people are out there, as I say, repeating myself, people are out there waiting, um, to help do whatever we need to do. And, uh, and I mean professional. Thank you.
Sorry. Hi everybody. Good evening. Happy Tuesday. Um, my name is Integra Feliciano. I am a resident here at Barnes. I brought my mom here with me. She has been a resident in Edgar's cause for
over 28 years. So I grew up here. Um I am a treasurer on the board of Ed every child and before I was a board member I was a part of ECB every child. So I grew up in the program the after school
program the summer camp. When I got to high school I received multiple scholarships for college. Um, I received a laptop from the program when I needed one for college. And then when I came home from college, they provided me with a summer job as a camp counselor, a
senior camp counselor. And then at that neighborhood center, I taught students, tutoring students there as well. Um, I graduated from Mon State University with a bachelor's degree in biology and minor in Chinese studies. went on to do my my master's degree at Georgetown University
um an accelerated mast's program. But I say all that because my education started at that neighborhood center. Um I went to preschool there. My grandmother was a preschool teacher there. [Music] So I have a picture too of her.
[Music] Right. And when I graduated, I graduated in that gymnasium at the neighborhood center. I have a graduation. [Music] Not only that, but I went back, like I
said, I tutored kids at that program, the destinations program, and that was a safe space for children who, you know, if their parents weren't home from work, they got to go to that program. They learned new skills. We taught students how to cook so that when they were home, they'd have alternative healthy snacks
to make. We did nature walks with them. And this was also a space to, like I said, I have my mom here with me. My mom and dad have been residents for over 30 years. They've been married for 25. And between the two of them, they have 11 children.
Yes. Um when they got married, they didn't have a lot of money to do a big old fancy wedding, but they wanted a space where they could commemorate their marriage and share their union. And so they got married in that neighborhood center, too.
[Laughter] So, this space is a all-encompassing space for us. It's important for our community and being a part of Lawrence, I know that there is no shortage of recreational spaces for Lawrence, but this particular neighborhood center is important to us. It's important to
Easter. It's important to our community. And so, not only does Every Child need access to this space, but we can continue to provide resources for students and community, but we need increase access. So, I thank you so much for your time tonight for allowing me to
voice my opinion. Have a good night. There's one more over there. Thank you so much. [Laughter] Congratulations for your success. Thanks Mr.
[Music] Good evening. Good evening. I'm greeted with you have a tough act to follow. Right. Of course. But um my name is Ka King Green. I'm not a a a resident of Lawrence, but I am an educational leader
and a community um leader in Lawrence at the Every Child Valued um center. And so I am the the executive director there. Um October 1st marks my first year, which I'm really excited about. And Mr.
Marine shared that at the Edgar's Crossing Village, they just celebrated the 50th year and that stood out to me because I just celebrated my 50th year on October 2nd, right? So, it's just really a incredible time for me. But
what is even more incredible is continuing and working to continue this incredible legacy that as you just heard um from Integra with the program of every child valued and working so closely with the Lawrence Township
Public Schools to ensure students such as Integra have the resources and the support they need at such a young age. Um, what we're excited to celebrate at ECB right now is the partnership between
ECB and Lawrence Township Public Schools growing and strengthening to the to the fact that they are bringing on a third destination coach. Um, and also looking for us to expand our services to
students. And so what the real impact of what that looks like for us at ECB, which we don't just service the um families of Eckert's Crossing Village, but we also welcome as our mission all of the children of Lawrence um Township,
but it calls for us to increase our numbers around student um student attendance. And we have about you know hundred students in in that in that area in that area and we are increasing
numbers but there's only so many hours in an evening right students are already at school all day and so when we have our after school program from 3:30 to 5:30 for our K through sixth grades um we're looking at planning into the
evening for our middle school and high school students when we had access to to the neighborhood center. There was time to run um um you know programming at the same time. So high schoolers, middle
schoolers, elementary school students, elementary school students were at the center um in Edgar's Crossing Village and the older students were at the Lawrence um community center. So that's my most recent experience. I I haven't
been here for a long time, but I've experienced a partnership with Lawrence Township Public Schools strengthening and expanding through our collaborative work. And I think Chris really spoke about the power of partnership,
strategic partnerships specifically in this administration during this time as it relates to, you know, fiscal management. We do bring in our our own resources, but as it relates to capacity
and space, we need the space. We need the space to to serve um not just obviously the Egos Crossing Village, but a part of our mission intentionally is that we serve and we already do. A lot of our students that are a part of our
center are not Eckers Crossing Village residents, but they are Lawrence Township residents. And so today, I request that um that you ensure as a council that you ensure that the Lawrence Community C
Center's policies and practices fully include all children and they fully include um partners that will continue to also meet that mission around serving all children. So, thank you
Good evening. My name is Ken Kieran. First, I want to thank Dr. Wood for doing what he did for this report and Martha for being the secretary for pushing everybody to get things together for the full year that she's been involved. I do have some questions based on the transparency and what I've read
in the report. Um because you know actually on page six if actually one of the pieces was transparency and accountability, operate with openness, share outcomes and continues continuously seek feedback to
improve programs. Um I I've got to admit that um and I was and Dr. knows this that I did call out that um was it best led by Dr. Bully if there is a conflict of interest with every child. He's
proven to himself that he's been very fair and fun and u and what he's been tasked to do by the mayor's council mayor's piece. But I I've got some questions and then to take back just to understand so
we can fully look at this um on on a full level before we make decisions and and just do it. Um one of the the recommendations was based on clear community input we recommend creation of representative body leveraging strategic
partnerships by key stakeholders accountable to the council to create a plan for governance governance and staffing and implementation of this. So, they're recommending a governing council, a governing body that is
separate from Lawrencetown Council. Um, is it under under our guidance and our form of government? Can that happen? Can you form a go a governing body to run a township owned building outside of
town council? So, um, just questions, you know, to for input. Okay. um most of these things that I do agree with, you know, we have to keep every child value in our communities. Um some of the pieces that I did I I do um
wonder is within that um have we looked at Lawrence Township schools now that they're providing preschool for three and four year olds if that conflicts or if it's still needed? Um I don't know. um because that is available to every student now and not just others um but
you know a certain amount of people with teachers. So, um, the shared responsibility. So, um, again, going back to the transparency, um, I' I've done some research and there's not one town within New Jersey
that you can have a council or a a a shared building where a town um, department runs in that building alongside of a a volunteer organization, nonprofit
organizations. How we are we recommending that or are we recommending like Franklin Township does it where a nonprofit takes it over and we just manage have a manager there like they do in um just questions um forming
partnerships as well. Um, are we are we being asked is the town asking or this recommendation being asked for the township to do the the form of this um to provide those or the
nonprofits themselves. Um, I wish that we got more responses from this. was only 159 which is about.5% of our total population and of that 42% of that population didn't even know what was going on
there. So I I feel we should have taken a little bit more time to get more surveys to to make better judgments and better recommendations. Um, again I I I have to understand what a decentralized governance model is and if that's even legal within the township
to take on. So other than that, thank you for your time. Thank you for your insightful questions. Good evening, Martha Friend. Um, actually, I was going to come up and wait for the other public comment to just ask a separate question. It's
probably of the clerk, and I apologize. I could have sent an email. I was just hoping that we would again have digital display board talking uh reminding our residents about early voting. We did that last year. I wasn't sure if it was a thing that was now going to happen every year. Oh, we can put we're gonna
put that out because I was going to do a little report. It starts October 25th, but we'll have it out again this year. Thank you so much. Um, and then just the second thing I need to address um because Mr. Kieran does bring up a point that was on the task force. So, here
with that hat on, um, the members of the task force had deep discussions about whether we had enough data to move forward. uh and so because we are not statisticians, we brought in an expert. So we had Dr. um come in front of us,
meet with us and we deferred to her expertise. Uh and I'm sure she would be happy to answer questions. We didn't um we didn't record that conversation, but every member of the task force was convinced by her expertise that we had a
representative sample. So, I just want to encourage you if any council member is questioning that, you could always get her to um have a meeting with you or or share the expertise that she shared with us. Just wanted to bring that up. Thanks. Uh thank you, Miss and also to add that
the task force members themselves represented various groups within our township that was a larger body. for example, um someone who represented a maybe a a faith-based organization, they were they
also shared the information with their organizations. So of the of the members the sampling you know the information ext expanded beyond that as with Miss Francher um Lawrence Neighbors Together
is a community um organization in our town that also expands out to hundreds of people. So that in itself also was part or taken into consideration in the representation of the population that we
were tapping into. If that makes sense. This is not the first time this question's come up. Thanks for bringing it up because it's not the first time it's come up. So, we had 159 uh responses on the survey which again is not a large number
compared to the 35,000 31,000ship. So obviously the uh the task force had questions for our expert and um uh she said that in surveys like this it's not usually the number uh that you get so
much as it is the demographic data that you get and I think Mr. bothered about that. We were lacking in some of the demographic data. Uh there were some constituents that were not represented. Um so um she writes um
it's moderately representative um and there are also community conversations input as well which we didn't capture in the demographics not just the survey. I think the key feedback offered is the center should be
for all Lawrence Township residents. The community should continue to be included in conversations as things move forward. Show that people giving feedback were reflecting on needs of the whole community, not just themselves.
So, um there's a little more complexity to survey research than um just a number. Uh we had um as the mayor pointed out a lot of town leaders involved in the conversations. So they
were representative of larger groups of people and also we were fairly representative in many categories of the demographics but we did miss a few including Asian and South Asian folks. So uh which Mr. B pointed out. Um
I will say that um in my doctoral dissertation consisted of 123 a sample of 123 people. It was recommended for a national award because it had national implications with 123 students
represented in my study. So you don't always have to have thousands of people involved in a study to afford it to have large implications. And I think what our expert Dr. is saying is that the big picture items
are probably pretty valid. Um, but when it gets down to whether we should have a pool or not, um, probably we need more conversation about that. So, I think that there's some give and take there, but I think it's a really good question and it's not the first time it's come up. I appreciate that.
Thank you. Sylvia, good evening. Um, so I was not involved in the task force for the community center, but I was asked to translate some flyers into Polish. Um for those who didn't recognize my
accent, yes. Um so there was uh definitely um big try big push to involve as many as possible people as many people as possible to answer the survey. Um you
can't force people to answer surveys. Um so you can't blame the task force or uh people who or the mayor who formed the task force but people did not respond. We had an outreach for uh the master
plan for the public meetings uh with the and and this the surveys and meetings for the master plan and also very few people uh got involved in that. So, um I
think it's um not really about um the the task force or people who are involved in trying to get to put who are putting the surveys out there. It's just um I think we need to encourage more
people to get involved and how we do that I don't know. I don't have the answer to that. I'm involved. I try to get people involved. I bring people with me to the meetings and all that but um so the question that few people answered I know that Polish community is not very
involved anymore or um we just come from from our history is still there that you don't get involved you just be quiet and and don't show yourself right so um certain communities language barriers
all of that people just don't get involved that's why you might not have the South Asians or the Polish people showing up for many things. I hope you but um so that's that's just my my input on the on the fact that the task force
really try to to get pe as many people as possible um in their language and you can only lead a horse to the border, right? So thank you. Thank thank you and thank you for always
showing up. I I just wanted to end this just for I did forget this piece, you know. So, um the recreation department did provide something. I'm sorry. Ken Ken again. Sorry. uh they provided
about seven pages of what they thought but from what I've seen from up there um there wasn't enough information or credence given to that except some people agreed some people didn't um that you know I feel that they made a great
presentation on how they could lead by bringing other nonprofits and working with them but that wasn't discussed or reviewed so I don't know um I I know was presented um but just based on just two sentences is some people agreed with it, some didn't. Um, how did that factor
into Dr. Matillo's formulation? Yeah, that that is more of a discussion for council to address, but it was in the survey. That's why I'm saying it's so it was it was brought up.
You can't speak on the record. So what is brought up in here um presented but there's only two sentences some agreed some didn't. So the credence to what was presented was not fair
evaluation of what was presented from them. Okay. Did I misunderstood you? No. Maybe I misunderstood because it was a presentation with recreation. We had a lot of discussion. Please
definitely add to that. See no additional um public participation at this moment. Um we'll close on the participation. There will be another opportunity later. review the agenda. Are there any
positions? I don't believe for agenda. I do have uh revision. Okay. Um resolutions 18H3 and H4 are bid actually bid awards.
So you want to move them. So I would like to pull them out and 9A and 9B so we can uh because of participation 9 [Music]
under the housing Okay. Can you repeat that one more time for me? 18 H3 and 18H4 are under resolutions and they need to be moved to awarding and or rejecting a
bids. No. Thank you. Anything else? Then if we can have an adoption of the minutes. Do I have a motion for special meeting June 5th, 2025? We have to move.
I'm sorry. Somebody needs to make a motion. Do we have a motion to uh amend the agenda? Make a motion to agenda the amended. I'll try this again. I will make I will
make a motion to move uh 18H3 number uh authorizing award of contract to Master Build and Design for Lawrence to perform rehabilitation on 3351 Fontaine Lane and as well as move 18H4
authorizing award contract to Sylvia my apologies painting and remodeling LLC to perform form real rehabilitation at 742 admin. Move those from resolutions to number nine awarding and rejecting the bids
making H3 now A 9 A and H4 now 9B. Mr. Bobby, yes. Mr. Kaki, yes. Merry, yes. Yes. Yes. All right. All right. Thanks, Mayor. Uh,
I'll make a motion to move 8A special meeting June 5, 2025. Second. Mr. Bob. Yes. Mr. Kaki. Yes. M. Perry. Yes. Abstain.
Mayor. Yes. I'll make a motion to move 8B regular meeting June 17th, 2025. Second. Madam clerk, recall the role, please. Mr. B. Yes. Mr. Kaki. Yes. Merry?
Yes. Miss San Dav. Yes. I will move 9A. Um 9A uh authorizing award of contract to master build and design for Lawrence to
perform rehabilitation at 351. Second. Madam cler Mr. publication. Are there any questions from the public? Seeing none, madam clerk, if you could call the role, please. Mr. Bobby,
yes. Mr. Kaki, yes. Merry, yes. Mint, yes. May, yes. Mayor, I'll move uh 9B authorizing award of contract to Selier Nu Leu Painting and Remodeling LLC to perform
rehabilitation at 742 Pearson Avenue. Second. Is there any public participation on this item? Seeing none, Madam Clerk, could you call the RO, please? Mr. Bobby, yes. Mr. Kaki, yes. Merry, yes.
Yes. Brown, yes. Okay. Now for the introduction of ordinance first. there. I would like to make a motion um for 10A ordinance number 250025
ordinance providing for sidewalk improvements in and by the town of county New Jersey appropriating $29,5885 and directing a special assessment of the cost. Second additional information.
This is a part of our sidewalk improvement program where residents uh property owners can opt into the program and they this 29,585 is an appropriation meaning they will eventually pay that over the program
terms period 5 years interest free. More people should take advantage of Any additional comments? Okay. If we could call the role, please. Mr. Bobby. Yes. Mr. Kaki. Yes. Merry. Yes. Yes. Mayor Farmer.
Yes. I'll move 10B, ordinance number 251-25, an ordinance to vacate, release, and extinguish any and all dedication of public rights in or to certain point
portions of Hen Avenue block 302 block 2. So this is u from time to time uh paper streets in Lawrence Town. they are they are a part of a of the original master plan where there was an intention to
build a street that street was never built. Um so they remain on the plan but as a paper street and from time to time if there is determined to be no need to retains or no prospective need to uh create a street um adjoining property
owners. Okay. adjoining property owners um asked the township if they could um acquire uh the paper street and add it on to their property. There's a process that needs
to take place where notice is provided to uh the adjoining property owners. Uh that notice did go out and there was no response. Um, we do have one property owner, the owner of Harney's Corner Auto Body that is interested. And because the
other party, um, expressed no interest, that entire paper street would be transferred and become a part of the township's tax roles. Tax, right? And paper meaning basically the street is listed on paper. Just on paper. as that.
[Music] Okay, we have a motion in a second. Madam clerk, could you call the role, please? Mr. Bobby, yes. Mr. Kaki, yes. Merry, yes. Santa, yes. Mayor, yes.
Dr.'s um manager's report. Uh I two things. The first first is is that we have uh did the advertisement for the open position for deputies municipal manager and I received about 20 um applications and resumes. I'm
going through them and I anticipate um uh send uh contacting uh to interview several of the uh more qualified individuals and we'll start that next week. I'll keep you informed along the way. And and the other thing that I want to
say, I want to work with the clerk with regard to the hearing impaired woman that came here. Um, you know, we talked about the different devices that now are available through AI. I feel like there's an opportunity for us to be
completely ready should someone hearing impaired show up without prior notice. And I'm going to explore those issues with the clerk um over the next couple days and we'll reach out to the uh state um entity that's uh involved in that. We'll see if we can get some good
guidance on that so this does not happen again. Um and that's all I have. Thank you. Mayor, if I could ask one question of the manager. Um, one of the things that that uh the woman brought up was just her feeling that we weren't being sort
of um up to up to state and stuff. Is is there I would hope that during this conversation about about the hearing portion for our meetings that maybe we could you could also have uh our ADA director as well to to just and maybe
the township attorney as well just to make sure that we're complying with all uh state and federal laws. So, as you know, we we just appointed the ADA coordinator, and I know for a fact that um Greg has done his survey of all all
the uh buildings. He's uh meeting with uh ADA coordinators to get an understanding of what other towns are doing. You know, this all there's surrounding towns, we're all getting on board with this. Now, um there's a class that I know Greg is going to be taking that's going to that's run by the state
that will provide assistance on what systematically we needed to do and I will be meeting with our police chiefs tomorrow um to discuss some of the concerns that um the individual expressed. So, we're on notice. Uh we've been
working to get it done and we're going to have to give it our full attention. Wonderful. Thank you. No, if I could mention also the reconfiguration of this room also was done to be a compliant. The reason why
uh we took on this project was one of the specific reasons was for that as well more. Okay. So, thank you. Thank you for looking into that trust. Attorney's report. Yes, mayor. Uh we will have an executive
uh session following our regular meeting to discuss matters on litigation involving potential fourth round obligation certain real estate matters involving open space and possible potential land acquisition and certain personnel
matters which will be covered as I say in the executive session. The other I'll call it matter that's come up is it's it's apparent that at the by the time of the next meeting both Mr. Nerwinsky and I will not be in New Jersey. He's gone
to Italy. Um uh and whether or not we can uh since we Mr. Winsky and I have reviewed what possibly would be on that agenda. There's nothing in terms of any uh
immediate financial ordinances or resolutions coming up that could not wait. And whether or not you wanted to uh possibly cancel that meeting and go to the next meeting which would be November 6th which is a Thursday which
normally obviously we meet on Tuesday but that's election day. So we normally move and we have moved that meeting to November 6th. So it's really I can have Mr. Tyler Newman here in my my place but
uh that's an issue or question we we thought we should address to council today and uh just bring it up. The other issue is if we if we push it one week into the last week of October,
that's a week before the next meeting in February. So, and it the sunshine notice issue presents a problem as we discussed with our clerk. So, um and I've confirmed with our uh CFO that we have
nothing um that presents us with an issue where we needed to have that second meeting. But um I'm not if I'm not here, the world does not stop. It could go on. Um and you know,
I could zoom in if that's so we're saying I don't I don't think it's it doesn't present an issue for the functioning of our government if if this was um uh cancelled and we picked back up November 6. Okay.
uh we can hold the the council. I know I would love to have a working session. Give us an opportunity to have some conversation as a council. Um but that um should we do a polling of the council now? Would that be appropriate? Okay.
So, we'll make a motion um for those who are would um not move forward with having a meeting at our next um meeting which the date. I'm sorry. Is this gated? 21st.
Okay. October 21st. If we madam clerk, if you could just hold the council the yes or no for October 21st meeting by myself. Mr. father. Either way, I can I can do that.
Keep going. Mr. Kaki, Miss Perry, no. Mayor Frank. Yes. Okay. So, are we having a meeting
to Can I change my Yeah, it will be it may just be a subject. So, what is the we'll have a meeting and we'll meet and we'll need an attorney. We don't have to
decide now. No, listen. If the need arises over the next couple days, we have to meet. This is just an open discussion. Yes. Right. An open discussion. So, we can um provide for anity. Oh, yeah.
And if the public wants to attend, you are welcome. It will be uh you know a light agenda and we can maybe have more conversation. Okay. So we'll have now that brings us to the clerk's report.
So as you know um in person early voting will start on October 25th through November the second um and then we will of course uh November 4th will be the um election day. So it is coming very fast.
So, we're getting ready for that. Um, also, you know, the ballot box is open for all that. And then, uh, let's see what else I have. I want to um also um as you see this room, this beautiful
room here um I want to thank our manager when I post it to him and this was collaborative and I can't thank him enough for his it was all of us you know um our public works department for all
the work they did to freshen this room up to make it a beautiful room to come into um nice and clean and a representative of what Lauren says, you know, so I hope you all like it. Um I I
I am very happy with it. So and our public works, like I said, our manager in our public works just they're phenomenal. Yes, I know that Kelly specifically was involved with chair selection
with the money. This is a high pressure situation. We did a wonderful job. I know. I came to do a wedding one day and I think the roof the ceiling was already being torn apart and and benches were out there. So, um, yeah, absolutely. Our
public works and the guidance of the hotel management and the CFO who wrote the check. Yeah. Our public works, they, you know, saved a lot of money. They did a lot of the labor and everything else was off the state
contract. So, We were able to do that. We got a lot done. All right. Unfinished business. Anything unfinished discussed? Okay. Old business council discussion on the
planning fire study the RFP and selection of the consulting firm uh council woman. So, um just to re just to read that because it's been some time. The three selections that we um
came down to were CGR, their consulting firm um headquartered in Rochester, New York. Um some of the things that we did like with them was the fact that one, they have had several similar projects
in New Jersey. Um they are a nonprofit and their staff was award-winning and extremely qualified. Um the second bid was uh H2M architectures who are headquartered in W Township. Uh again
experienced with the need and that we have requested and they have done similar municipality management here in New Jersey. And the third was CPSM, Center for Public Safety Management,
which is headquartered in Washington DC. Uh we were very impressed with the um expertise of some of the projects that they have done up and down the east coast. Um all three proposals were given to
council to review. Um the subcommittee feels that the best option would be to go with CGR. We had not discussed this or boarded to council prior to tonight because we wanted to confirm that all the bids were
still valid. All of them were continuing to honor the bids that they had submitted originally with their first proposal except for CGR which increased the bid by 3% which came out to be um
from 57,000 to 58,700. Uh, at this time based on what you've reviewed, does anyone have any additional questions? Yeah, I I have a few questions. has this
I know the subcommittee um reviewed this and worked with you council but had had your had the public safety committee ever had a chance to look at this or do the subcommittee I'm just asking sort of sort of the steps in sort of the rating and everything else right
we we presented to the sub the public safety committee the matrix that we used and also the report that was given to us that we created so they did have ample information to review. Um there was no
comment or anything else. So they they looked at at these these big proposals. Yes. Okay. Um and then another question I had um and thank you for sharing the rubric because I was just curious about you know um
I guess you're you're you're saying CGR is the one so I don't really need to worry about H2M. No, only because they had sort of the similar ranking to a couple other consultants. I'm curious about that. Um,
I did like the the structure of CGR's project management compared to H2A. That was one thing I really liked their process. And then I just I you know I'm just trying to understand you know um
I'm trying to understand sort of the the the process when we got these these bids back in January correct and so it's coming before us now was there much conversation you know much debate you know oh yeah
yeah and so so as as if you remember the first step was that we sat down and reviewed the main reason that the council created the committee was to see if there's a need for consolidation,
what the location was, and what would be the process. And we have had several surveys done prior, but we felt that was needed for us to go to bid for a survey because before it was assigned versus bid. And the biggest difference with
that is that different organizations present to us so that we can understand what their expertise are, what their experiences, and if they would be a good fit for our township. So, as I mentioned before, the experts that were on the
public safety um committee, um myself, not an expert before or now. I know a lot more than I did six months ago, but we had a security um safety expert, Mr. John Clark, who's here in the audience.
We had um Chief Navy, who is um part of the volunteer crew. We did have a firefighter as well, Mike Radcliffe. We did have a volunteer firefighter um who has served Ron Dinsky. and most
importantly the expertise of our director of EMS. So they had the institutional knowledge of our township better than anyone else could. I myself just facilitated the
conversations with the assistance of of our township attorney. So we started off by discussing the facts and the matter we will put together. A what makes sense as far as consolidation, what makes sense as far as the proper
model for our township and then we went from there. All of us received all seven bids to review and individually came back and we debated. And how they came back and debated is
that with the expertise of of the fire two of our firefighters we created a rubric. So the rubrics basically explained what would be the formula to choose the
right um company. So using that that's how we got from seven to three. Now we presented to the safety committee the rubrics and our outline of each of
the companies what was good what was bad so that they could review and come back and comment when they reviewed any everything there was no you know people were in agreement there was no um comment yay n they or
they didn't like the idea but as per council man Kaki. He wanted to make sure, which I understand, that they knew what was going on and they understood how we got to our decision. From there, we presented all three to
council to review so that they could understand how the subcommittee got to their part the decision. Now, we did not take lightly that a lot of the experts that were here that explained everything in their packets. One of the main things
is if you're in a corporate setting or any type of business presentation and also explanation is extremely important. We had a couple companies that literally gave us a
staple flyer of how their bid was. would you choose that contractor? So, I mean, we read through it. We did the due diligence, but they were John's laughing because, you know, we they were out. They were out not simply for
presentation, but really just digging into it. Uh we looked at also the experiences because um there are many companies that have done work um here in New Jersey who are not necessarily from
New Jersey. One of which was a California-based company. Okay. Now, also speaking to the experts and talking about who would know our township and how they would proceed to um do the
analysis that we need them to really do. Did they have to be a New Jersey base or do how much New Jersey um hey Jersey is unique? How much information or experience did they need of this territory to do their job properly? and
we reviewed that in in in entirety. But most importantly, we looked at all of the components that we were asking as far as the expertise of the people who were in the company. What have they done
before? What I liked about CGR is that they have at least three former um um firefighters, chiefs on their staff. They have um two very strong analytical
people on their staff and they're a nonforprofit. So they're going to look out in my in our opinion for the best solution, not just the bottom line. So was everything done without any
error? I cannot say that. But we did due diligence with the process to make sure that we can 100% justify our process and how we got to the conclusion. Does that make sense?
Yeah. I mean I I'll let other people speak and I'll take all so much. Thank you. Good question.
I I I appreciate all that background. Um I I'm trying to think of where I was going to start. So um do we know what their timeline is for for delivering say if we let them go now? I I know in their their proposal they said they would be done in
July of 2025 and that was a January. Correct. So the timeline was um in most cases 9 to 12 months. Okay. But being that we started a little later, the timeline would be revised based on when the bid goes out. So, um
they have all um agreed to except for the one company to stick to the budget. Um one company did want to charge us an addition um travel cost. So, that was one thing that we thought was because they were in Washington DC. So, we kind
of they were like number three on the list. Um, but as far as the the funds and how they're going to proceed, just think of the same timeline, just we'll push it from if we do the bid in November, it'll be November to that
time. But we will confirm that before it goes out and not putting words in the manager's mouth because he will be doing it. But that's basically what I thought I'd ask because I I see people going I became sort of familiar with
back in the fall of 2023. So I just trying to figure out like how much how much more um how long before we can kind of get a resolution on where where to place this firehouse and what's next. Um if that's the best model. No. And and and so that that leads me to
the other point is that from the Rogers report, you know, that was done back in 2020, there were 38 recommendations about um operational uh staffing and things like that. Are we revisiting all the entire fire service EMS service
again? So there were several that's I wasn't I wasn't sure from from this about the best. It says uh recommend staffing requirements for both fire and EMS services. with with uh future personnel development. So if you could sort of Sure.
Yeah. So those are two separate conversations simply because a lot of the Rogers report recommendations were initiated and started by um the fire department. Now since then there have been a lot of
um factors that have changed. So that is necessary 100% to be revisited because at that time what the model and quant quant quantity of people servicing
um our fire department has skewed a bit but in open public I would have to have permission because I can't discuss personnel matters. completely understand. But thank you for your sort of openness about because I I agree in conversations I've had with with members of the fire service that things have
changed over the last gez five years now. So it makes sense that he would take a look at it. So I appreciate that. Um yeah, I I just like to see it happen. Um I think I think many of us would love to
to open. So this dye is covering all the great Council, do you have any comments? I know you served on the committee. Thank you. And your committee is we had two studies done.
may not agree with them but we know about manpower equipment and all that what has to be done and it's been worked on over the last probably four years.
So we are moving forward with that. My thing would be just tell me where the firehouse goes. I don't feel we need another complete
study. I just would like to see where and then you move forward from there cuz you got your manager, you got Jack, some of the people you said on your staff, people sitting out here can help,
but let's find out just where to put a firehouse and then let the residents know. that that is I understand what you've done. I appreciate everything you've done. So I agree 100% but respectfully what I was
tasked to do was to bring an objective party to clearly give the township what they asked for right as an objective result and analysis of the right not
location only the right model for our township. So consolidation may not be the right model for our township. So by elect selecting this party to do the analysis
they will give us an objective and again I'm just the facilitator. They will give us an objective opinion on what is the best model for Lawrence Township to have a productive
safe environment. So that's why the committee was put together and for us to present. The great thing about this is that we have different options for locations.
But let us see based on the ask of our residents what this new company says to us. Any questions? the funding because yeah, you're right. We we have to decide on a location,
but that also has to be what the model is going to be. I understand what you said, what you've done. I appreciate everything. I was in some of your meetings over there and I appreciate everything and the group that
you formed to get this done. It's just again I would just like to see the group come in and say North Lawrence is where it belongs based on looking at the area and the fastest
safest way to cover this township. All right, that's what I would like to see. I agree. I agree 100%. I know you do. But I don't feel we need a full study. We already know where we got to move and we're moving that way.
All right. We already know how many firemen we got to hire within the next few years or whatnot down the road. Equip it. We know all that. And all they're going to do is repeat what we know when we have two of the best people
doing it for us right now. Well, respectfully, all that we did know ever since the original survey, there are still things that need to be done. Yeah. And they're working on it. But all the
experts that worked on the subcommittee, believe it or not, did not agree with some of the things that came out of those reports. Mhm. And they're the ones that are boots on the ground. So, I am not the person to say, "Yes,
this person was wrong. No, this person was right." No. But what I do know is that we're going to do a fresh start. Do it as fast as possible and move forward. If not, just go ahead and build it where you think it should be and let them
decide whether we did the right thing. Don't get me wrong, I support everything you've done and this group done, okay? I also talked to our professionals out there. All right? I hear what they had
to say and I know what they had to say about the study. All right? I won't repeat it. I can't. But I'm just saying myself. I'm not speaking for counsel. I know for myself I would just like to see
the study done of the area and say the best location they might say quick mall is the best location which traffic will be horrible but location I think you're influencing the
I understand what they've done in this study well respectfully with the um discussion again I'm just the facilitator with the discussion with um the manager and Chief Oakley, maybe it's
a two-part conversation that the first part is that as quickly as possible, they survey and give us a decision on the location. But again, that's a conversation that is over my pay grade. I I I don't I I think we sent out a
correct me if I'm wrong, but if the CR is the bid, we would still have to send it to them just to if anything revise it because you got three bids here that we can't Yeah. You're not
you're not awarding a contract tonightally. No, all you're doing would be my uh suggestion would be to have a motion to direct me to contact CGR to obtain the uh contract with all the particulars
that would then be given to council for review, modification, change, whatever, whatever you think may be appropriate uh and before any vote would be taken on it. And if you want to bifurcate it into the two areas you spoke of, we could do
that. So, so there's no definitive contract being awarded tonight, no vote on a contract, simply giving me direction to contact them and obtain the necessary legal documents to move forward. Will that be here in two week
be done in two weeks? I doubt it. It might be uh but um I think we could uh move quickly and I understand your question. It's it's certainly a valid point that but and I and I sat through all the meetings. It was it was a very
diligent effort with a lot of uh time given to this issue. It's a it's a critical important issue. there there's other you know since those reports the other two reports the writers report were made uh here in in town
I I'll say there there are dramatic changes with regard to uh housing population that could be coming about in in the towns for Lawrence over the next 12 to 24 months and those
things have to be now considered in this court otherwise it would be folly. You'd be wasting your money taxpayer money. Um so it's it's it's
a complicated issue. We know that. Uh but I do agree that that possibly a a bifurcation could be available or could be possible with regard to the placement of the facility. And then uh you have other questions with regard to uh
staffing whatever whatever other areas uh that that they would go into. But there there is a substantive material change in uh with regard to possible
substantial housing stock in the township that would would would have a real impact on the location of it. So uh I think uh that can be addressed and can be addressed in the contract which we can uh which we will prepare and present
the council. Can can you just say there is a difference between personnel with regards to our fire um fire department and the physical location of the building. So and one can happen without
the other. So um fire personnel can um yeah there's two divergent issues there. So just you know wanted to make that clear it's not a one piece of paper fits all
here. This is going to be a uh I don't want to say overly complicated but it's going to be a diverse contract with different parts and you have to approve it. you have to approve it for uh form and uh uh as to the
budget etc. So uh yeah, you will have a shot to to do that and certainly they're all valid questions that are coming up tonight because we're not going to do I don't think we're going to do this again. So and and in addition to that once once a decision is made we're talking about 12
months to 14 months implementation. I'm sorry 12 to 14 months. No not necessarily. No no no the time at this time I don't think it would be prudent to give a timeline until we um
review what the process is going to be if we're splitting the um the uh bid return. So, um, most importantly, we just have to make sure that we get it right once and for all. Not that any of the other surveys weren't valid or
anything else, but the charge that I was given. I hope that everyone was is satisfied with the results that we got and that um moving forward, you know, um council has the information to make the right decision based on all the
information that was presented to them. And thank you for the honor of being able to work on this. and and you know I will I I'll say just just one final point in a way trying to look at this from 10,000 feet you know as to what's
happening and knowing uh what has happened in terms of changes to our master plan and and and certain things that are uh under discussion in in in township with regard to possible housing developments.
It's probably a good idea that that we didn't do this report because it would probably not be totally valid based on on certain factors that we could never think of a year ago or 6 months ago or eight months ago. So, uh I think the
time is is right. I think we have enough information to move forward. we can bifurcate it, you know, and and show that we have two two areas of of concern and uh address that both in the contract and in our discussions with the with the
vendor and uh hopefully get a report that is as up to-date giving all the factors that have changed over the last few months that will possibly affect uh the decision making that that you have
to do. So, and funding for the report is through I'm sorry the funding of the report was monies from the funding for the there was a $725,000
grant I think in 2023. I think we're going to lose that money because of the delay. So, I can I could make a request of the DCA to see if we can get another year
um extension, but that's there's no guarantee that that will happen. What is the time frame in this? We're well past it. We're well past it. I I want to if you don't mind, I just I want to have a conversation
um and just just for the record because we're in a We're transitioning into a different area for how this government functions. Um, we are a council manager form of government.
You appoint the the manager who's the chief executive officer and responsible for the day-to-day operations and the running of each department. In October of 2023, Jack Oakley and I made the recommendation that we needed
to consolidate and we needed our own facility located at this municipal complex. That was the recommendation that was based upon six years of he and I working together. I have um
since 2017, if you put 30 firemen in a room and ask them their opinion on something, there will be 30 different opinions. It's just how it is. Everybody has an idea about how best to
run the fire department. But this is where we're diverging diverting as as as a government right now. you've kind of wrestled what is supposed to be the authority of the chief executive officer, the professionally managed
government, and you you're now going to ask some consultants to direct I don't know who is it you or is it me on what's the best way to create and operate a fire department. I don't know what's going to
happen in the future. this report comes back and they say a and Jack Oakley and I say hey he's not right I don't know what happened I don't know what so so location
is not a that's f that that's a policy issue right I can make I have a voice not a vote and I can make a recommendation to you with what I think is based upon the data where it's best located um to meet our responsibilities
for public safety. So the location I don't I don't have a problem with. It's the looking to others to say how to run a department when when you've appointed individuals to run the department. So how many how
many different hands are going to be involved? And you know the everybody goes into the subcommittee with the best of intentions. I understand that. But I I'll just say this publicly. We need our own facility. We need our own facility because the three firehouses that we
have are more than 100 years old and they don't comply with what needs to be complied with when you have a full-time career fire department. Right? We need to have compliance for safety issues as well as accommodations for both genders
or all genders. Um and we don't have that right now. So, so there there is this pressure that's happening where the career staff wants to be further ahead than we are because their experience
will change with a new facility. All of a sudden, from 12 firemen, it's going to be 28 to 32 firemen operating out of maybe two facilities. There's going to be different levels. There's going to be
more opportunities. it's going to be more pay. So, they have that idea of what they want, right? And they've been expressing that to you. I know they have. Um, but we don't get there without a facility. And so, and so Jack
and I have been really clear. I believe the key to all of this is if we definitely need to be 247 365 at the career, but also include our volunteers to continue to serve their community if
they want to for sure. But we're not going to get there until we get a facility. And so that's where I think should be our focus first and foremost because I can see a pathway coming down the down the line where this report
comes back and it's inconsistent with what whoever is sitting in my seat. It doesn't it's not me. This is not a personal thing at all. Um but you you base your decisions upon what you know to be true over seven or eight years of understanding where we are, where we
want to be, where we need to be. So I just caution all of you because if you don't like the way public works is is going, do you create a subcommittee and we form it out to a consultant to tell you how best to run the public works department? So I I I see a precedent
happening here and I'll be long gone and I don't I want to preserve what a council manager form of government is and I think we're kind of going a little bit astray from that. But I've sat quietly. I want you guys to do what you need to do to feel comfortable. But I just want you to know further down the
line that issue is going to have to be discussed. Um, so to me, my recommendation is let's get somebody to determine number one if we need a new building, which we do. That's not even
and and where it should go for the maximum um impact towards public safety response. That's what we need. And we've needed it for a couple years now. And I know our career fire men, I can speak for them on this issue. They're chopping after they
want the experience of a professional fire department. They're waiting for it and and we need to get there sooner rather than later. And I think we can get an answer if we bifurcate it um on that issue. And and honestly, I
will tell you I'll be open to to whatever these consultants suggest for sure. You know, you have to be able to be open to everything that's being recommended. Um so I I just want that to be clear because I'm sitting back and I'm seeing
a divergence of where where we should be and where we're going and it's going to be an issue at some point. And yeah, if I may to follow up, you know, I I I've been a part of many studies in my other positions, many uh and this is not
a binding document. This is not tie your hands that if they say they wanted the Brunswick Circle, you know, some crazy place putting in their pin. Yeah, right. It's he Mr. Dwinsky is correct. You know, the placement is a
policy decision, but it's this is not a binding document. I mean, it's hopefully a staff professionals who do this on a daily basis are going to give you their best thoughts on different issues. I think the bifurcation makes sense. We
could probably get an answer on the location much quicker than anything and uh then address what other what other comments there are keeping in mind our form of government and and the the strong manager
form of government that we have. So, this and I want the the the taxpayers sitting here today to know that that this is this is a tool that's being used by council and and the township for hopefully, you know, a a
very very critical issue of public safety that we're hopefully not going to address again for a long time. you got to make the right decision and there's going to be uh you know a a I'm sure debate over items that are in it and
that's healthy and that's good but uh I think as long as we realize that this is just the hopefully I'll call it a professional tool that you will have to review look at agree disagree modify whatever and then make a a hopefully
quick decision on the placement and then move forward with with the other areas that that have to be addressed given what are going to be anticipated, you know, changes in certain demographics and whatever in the township. So,
we're not binding you or anybody with this report. [Music] And um I just want to apologize. I um I don't have the history that some of our other council members and Mr. Nwinsky have with the other fire studies and um
all the opinions that have gone into this. I come at this um as sort of a more with a naive perspective but strictly procurement one. Um and I just wanted to say that I'm really pleased that the subcommittee uh chose CGR as
their top choice. Um, as a person who looks at technical proposals for a living, that was also my top choice. I did appreciate that their consulting team consisted of mostly fire and EMS professionals, which I thought was very important. But more importantly to uh,
Councilman Kaki's point and Mr. Lensy's point, they were the only ones that really highlighted their flexibility and adapting the scope of work, which I think would be important moving forward. Um, so hopefully we can find some collaboration and you know with all of the background information we have
already. Uh, my major question is when when can we when can we do this? I'm like how soon like a date? I mean, I'll contact them tomorrow and indicate that, you know, there's a a feeling to to move
forward or or there was a discussion and we we want to entertain their contract. Uh look at it. I can explain to them, you know, some of the discussion that we had this evening. I think you're right. I mean, I don't have it in front of me, but I recall
they were, I thought, the most flexible of all the proposals. uh uh and in a way professional. I thought they were very professional and indicate that you know we're we're most concerned about the time time constraints here. uh there's a
feeling that that we may need to bifrocate certain parts of it and indicate that that we we need to have a more definitive timetable and a contract as quickly as possible. I think we'll get it, you know, pretty quickly, you know, that they don't need to reinvent
the wheel here for Lawrence Township. So, uh, they'll probably send me their, uh, where it looks like contract and we'll have to massage it and modify it and indicate our our concerns and, uh, share that certainly with the manager
and hopefully move forward. Can we have it within two weeks? I don't know. So, so the way I see it is if if if you all se select, when I say select, you're just instructing Mr. to engage CPR into
preparing a uh an agreement that we could get on the agenda for the November 6th meeting. That for me will help us when we appeal to the DCA for our funding saying, okay, you know, we we got we're we're
good now. We've got this thing because that $725,000 is for soup to nuts for the lo location, study and design of the new facility, right?
So, so we we really want to save this and I think that's the best opportunity we have is if we are able to vote on a contract November 6 that we can then engage our state officials and say, "Okay, you know, there was a little bit
of an issue. We got it resolved and we're moving forward in two weeks." and and you know I can make it clear to the vendor that that that's the time constraint you know we have to have this the back and forth whatever changes
whatever you know in a format ready for a vote on November 6th and uh that would be the timeline that's what we'll do mayor if I could say one last thing to and directed towards Mr.
In phase one, I know you're concerned about sort of policy versus day-to-day operations. In phase one of project initiation, it says CGR team project team will meet with township representatives and public safety committee and we'll discuss at at this
meeting we will and one of the things is clarify the role of township leadership and agency leaders in the study. So, I hope that gives you some confidence that they will start to understand at that meeting that you are in fact the one who runs the day-to-day operations and
everything else. I mean, yeah, that that's fine. The other thing that I think that they're going to find helpful is that these two other studies will collected data over a period of years. So, they're not starting from scratch, right? And they don't have to look at whatever skewed data. you just look at
the raw data and you know a lot of the historical things that they would be having to come up with it's gonna it's going to expedite the review. So hopefully that's the case. And mayor one last thing I know it's getting late but
I think it'd be wise to have our CFO in those meetings as well. At least some of them. Oh, thanks. Okay. So it sounds like you have a plan. Yes. And one last thing is um I'm glad
that back in October there was discussion of 2023 that um the council was not able to move forward for whatever reasons because we weren't here. Yeah. But the manager did instruct the council
and if I'm putting words in your mouth, please stop me to um come up with the best you know resolution from there. But luckily in between that time and this time we've come to a position that we can move forward with that um hopefully
we don't lose any grant money going forward based on what we have put together. Um but as the manager and all of council we cannot make a decision that we will
regret down the road. So, mayor, I think uh what we need to do and I would ask that that you u make a motion authorizing me to engage
CGR not to engage CGR to contact CGR request that we get their form contract as soon as possible. I can do that tomorrow. Yes. And upon receipt of that, uh, you know, I can certainly distribute the initial
contract and then take comments from any council members and from the manager and, uh, you know, place them before uh, representative CGR and tell them that we hope to finalize this, excuse me, by the
November 6th meeting. And that is our timetable and that'll that'll be the task before me. So I would ask for that motion in a second and we need a vote. Okay. So we will have a motion. You have a motion authorizing the
attorney to contact the vendor CGR request their form contract agreement. uh with the understanding that we wish to u have uh all negotiations concluded
and and a a vote would be taken with regard to this uh form agreement by November 6th of this year. Okay, Madam Cler. I second. We have a second motion.
seconded. Mr. Bobett, yes. Mr. Kaki, yes. Merry, yes. Santos, yes. Yes. And uh thank you for all of your work, Council Perry. And um we look forward to
moving forward. All right. Now we are public participation for three minutes. [Music] Karen again
bringing this question based on my history in EMS. I've got over five years as a flight medic 10 years as an EMT both paid and um volunteer including PDM and Lauren statues. So, um, you had
stated that, um, we're looking for a location. When I asked about this last year, a single location was not ever confirmed. Um, at least said we're not sure it's going to be one or two. But when you look at a single location
versus across this township of 22 miles, what is the actual coverage and the speed to coverage within there? Has there been any precedent within this state of a town our size that one station can cover it adequately? There is not one other township in this state
of this size that has a single house to house fire trucks. I I can tell I can tell you that it was never a single station. It was never we were going to retain at least one if not more. And I think that's basically what the study is supposed to reveal to us.
understood but everything was station single not plural in this conversation. Well, three exist township was one of the three and then the one that was the subject of discussion was the one that we would build that would be township. So I think
that's what I just want clarity to be. There's going to be people that are going to be complaining that there's only one including paid and volunteer fire and the people that are served on that area. And the other thing that I want to make clear to everybody here is is that there is a market difference between um a
volunteer fire force who is at home or at a restaurant or wherever fire is called they are and they got to get in their car. They got to go to the fire station. They got to get dressed and they got to get on an apper uh apparatus, right?
Absolutely. Versus a career fire staff that is there at the facility ready to rock and roll as soon as the thing happens. So that's where the coverage so that's where our 22 square miles, right? That's where that this study will tell us what's the
standards, what's the standards from from the fire call to arrival on the scene. And that location will dictate um what we need to be able to meet that as a career fire. Understood. Yeah. And we have to our volunteers are
our core to grow into them. How will those volunteers come up so we can incorporate them in the paid in the long term? That's a bigger question. Volunteers have been an incredible asset to this community for very long. There's no
communication in what we discuss about getting rid of volunteers. And again, I know my question was you had mentioned station as a singular and you clarify that maybe not which one, but I just want to make sure because
stating that is going to cause a lot of consternation against a lot of people within those three department coverage of who's going to be served best and who's going to lose that coverage. Thank you. Good evening everyone. My name is John Clark, former US diplomat. Um, I've
served in several crisis zones and locations. I'm a resident of Orange Township. Um, I wanted to thank Miss Councilwoman Olympia for her leadership in creating the subcommittee. I think that expertise is very important. Um,
and I also wanted to thank our lawyer for serving on that committee as well. I couldn't agree more that it's there is a need for multiple opinions and expertise when we're talking about multi-million dollar investments concerning public
safety. I worked on evacuations and public safety support of firefighters from Los Angeles for the Mexico City earthquake in 2017. I worked on responses to Hurricane Maria and Puerto
Rico. And I've also worked on crisis management in Haiti, Libya, and a few other countries. When we talk about natural disasters and the increasing frequency with climate change, there's an increasing risk of high powered tornadoes and other um disasters
impacting one area. So, it's really a higher risk when we consolidate all of our our public safety responders, our first responders and our EMS in one part of the city. I think also when you
look um as Mr. Kieran spoke on the 22 square miles of Warren Township as well as the high traffic frequency at rush hour on 295 in Route 1 and when you look at 206 if anyone's been on 206 on a
Thursday or Wednesday at 7:30 or 8 in the morning it's nearly impossible. So you really need multiple locations. We need multi multiple areas where our firefighters, our EMS can respond and we want to make sure our times are as as rapid as possible. So I'm very glad that
we've done this study. I think it's important to have as much information as possible when we're making these decisions. And so that is all I really want to say. I think consolidation is something we should seriously reconsider
in in in light of these natural disasters, in light of these traffic patterns and in light of the growing needs of our city. As the lawyer uh properly stated, we are expecting a population influx. So, we want to make
sure that the highest density areas of our city are covered. And as we all know, the area by 206 and over here is one of the lowest density areas of the entire town and also one of the areas with the least flammable buildings and
industrial sites. So that's all. Thank you. If I can just say one thing, I think Mr. Clark points out the challenge to us when we get the study back that um not everyone's going to be happy and we're going to have to understand you know
that. So thank you for your comments. Thank you sir. My name is Robert Gordon Smith and I we've been uh 15 years here um in this lovely township which we really do love
and echoing John a little bit when I got or when we got a bit more involved in this it was it was because we didn't really know what was going on And I really commend this council for
spending the time to do the study. I know Mr. Kevin over there says I'm the CEO. I can do what you know. Well, he's been very good about it. So, I'm not being negative here, but I Sorry, Kevin. Um, but I I I felt a
little bit not knowing and I know I'm not the council or Mr. care or or lawyer, but I it was very helpful to feel now and council woman and Miss Barry did a great job just explaining what she's done and how she thought
about it. And I know this may be the third report, but as our our lovely lawyer there just saying, this is great, Jim, it's great you didn't do it because of all the influx of people. we would be nuts to go ahead and have done it when
all this new information came about. So now we're here, we know the influx of of likely residents into this uh township. We and it will allow us us taxpayers to feel the council is actually on top of
it and talking out and hearing different opinions. That is absolutely great and again I really want to thank Ma and the group the subcommittee for doing all all that work and it's not it's a multi-million dollar investment that
we're going to do here for this township. So I commend what what what has happened. I commend it and I I I like the fact there's a professionalism of discussion. I'm not saying the CEO
and everybody wasn't professional. I'm sure they were. But we've added from the taxpayers point of view, from my point of view, you heard us and said, "We're worried. Sorry, we're worried. Please look at it." And you have. So, thank
you. Now, what I would like once you've decided who this um consultant um that we do get maybe a little bit of feedback. Oh, we are going to do two or whatever we decide to do. And I do M
agree. We're not all going to agree, but I feel this process is what's needed and we shouldn't be upset with it. It's a multi-million dollar investment and I I'm I'm happy for it. So, please keep know if you come back with feedback.
we're going to do this and then talk to us in front of all of us and say this is what we do and then we can say I don't quite like that and just talk about it. We may not get agreement and you may just go as though we've gone this way
but this partition participation will allow us to feel comfortable with the decision and then it will be a solid decision. If everybody's grumbling, oh Mr. Kevin did this or Mr. Jim did this or whatever you did. I did this. I don't
want to disclude you, but yeah, I appreciate that. No problem. So, I think that that will make us feel comfortable and even if the decision that we don't quite get grumpy about, then okay, but we we'll we'll move forward. And I think if the
decision is no, we're going to move it in this location quick and bridge I think was the decision. Um if you got to say we're going to do this quaker bridge then um you know will there be extra insurance we need to think about you
know are people around that will us house owners we're going to have to pay more insurance so I would like the consultant or to review all that sort of stuff so for our benefit but again I don't think this this is makes me feel
um much more comfortable with what decisions you're coming out and that's very very important for um this uh township a multi-million investment I think that's the right thing so thank you thank you
thank you described a democracy that's thank you all All right, we see no additional public participation at this time. We will close public participation.
And now we are into our resolution. Mayor, if I may move them as a block. There's no objection. I see nodding their heads. I'll move uh resolutions 181 through H2 then H5 through H8.
Second. Okay, there's a little catch. And as a reminder, H 18H3 and four as amended. General. Okay. Have a motion to be on a second. Yeah.
Mr. Yes. Mr. Yes. Mr. Yes. Yes. Council initiatives and reports. I have just a brief one. uh the environmental green uh green advisory
committee is uh they have a subcommittee that they've formed to looking at uh turf the use of turf within the township. Um so they are taking a look at um the impacts of using artificial turf within the township of the heat
island effect as well as sort of disposal the fact that you can't really recycle it from what I'm learning. Um, and so they're they're putting that together and at certain points they will bring it to me and then I'll bring it to you all to take a look at. Um, I've I've
told them to to keep it very fact-based and sort of actionoriented in terms of what opportunities are and things like that. So um, stay tuned. I love it. I love that. So Katie getting involved
pretty good on their own. Oh yeah, they had some passion. Sorry, they had some passion people on the committee who were going to look at it. So, go ahead. Madam Mayor, I just want to give a report on an event coming up from the um
economic development uh growth and economic development. On Wednesday, October 15th, we will be having a job and networking um event at
the uh senior center from 5:15 to 7:30. We've invited um speakers to come out and help with um small businesses as they're growing. One of the main speakers is going to be the um director of economic development for Mercer
County, Anthony um Caribelli, and also we have some small business owners who will be speaking. So if you know any small businesses that want to come out, showcase and also mingle and network, please tell them about it and and let them know. Um the other thing, Madame
Mayor, if I may make the Liberty, um this Saturday is the International Day of the Girl. It's a great opportunity to celebrate young women in our community and there is a big event at the
foundations academy from 9:30 a.m. to 10, excuse me, 12:30 a.m. Now, it's not our township, but it's great to see that Mercer celebrating our young women. So, please come out and um support. Uh the
last thing I want to mention is um unfortunately there was a dear member of our community who passed away uh recently and the reason why I'm bringing this up is that she was a model of community service. She worked with
women's space which is one of the the I wish we didn't have to have it in this township but is one of our jewels because of the work that they do. She was a a board member um Minister Lorraine Williams Bernett. She also served in
other um services such with the um her homeront um Shiloh Baptist. She had been a resident for 37 years here in Lawrence Township. So, um, I love that we have
this type of person in our community and she is not only unique but also a foundation of what Lawrence is made of. So, we hope to celebrate her life on Thursday, October 9th. Thank you. Thank you.
This senior center last week had their 34th anniversary and I was there for to get it kicked off but throughout the day they had other stuff. Uh I forget who the main speaker was
coming. They had a speaker coming. They were dancing. I saw some of the video. I was there at 10:00 when it kicked off or 9:30. Help them get everything and all you do is tell seniors there's free food and they come out.
They have a lot of fun. They have a lot of fun. How would that be? [Music] And also the recreation department did an outstanding job with community day.
So that was really nice. Okay. Uh I have a few things I wanted to um I know that the task force has been here but the community center and I just wanted to touch those council to make sure that everyone has read the report
and if there are any questions um to please you know reach out with those u because we like to um to our community to give them a timeline of when we are going to make a decision uh with regards to the use of the center or the
direction that we're going to go in. So, I just want to make sure the council um understands and um makes a you know provides information feedback back to the um to the community
because there are a lot of questions around um the timeline of what when we're going to do things. So, wanted to just um make sure you know that uh if anyone's read the report and if there are any questions. I know it was pretty
lengthy and detailed. Um the other thing is uh the Louiswis railroad marker. This um this was a week ago had um a tremendous event at the Lawrenville school. If you all recall that is the um the historical
marker that's on Lewis Railroad just off of um Friendly Warner Road. There was a symposium that was held um really well attended. Again, it was in partnership with um the Historical Society of Lawrence um Lawrence Township Public
Schools, the Lawrenceville School, um the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, um our historian, our Lawrence Township historian, I think that and Lawrence Neighbors together um came together and did a
symposium with the living residents um descendants of the enslaved people on Louisville. road. So it um is going to become part of the documentation of our town for its historical effect and um
there is a third part to all of this um which uh will gather the information again um for the historical purposes. Um what else? Um, as we've mentioned earlier, the planning board um met last
night at a quite review 10 push right up to the the first 10 or the 10:15 numbers. But, um, as was mentioned, there is questions in regards to the
master planning and updates. um wanting to get back to the public to let you all know that um we are still working on the master plan. However, as was mentioned, we do have a housing plan which is taking precedence um and the discussion
and the challenges uh along with what that entails for our town. So um just want you know the public to know that we are still moving forward just that the housing plan that we are currently working on along with um the challenges
that um present us that we you know legally we need to abide by. So, she's going to do that. Um, trails and open space is going to be hosting a walk um in the next week along the Bosio Salt um
preserve. So, if any members of the public are interested in joining us, I can share more information. It should be on on our website. Um, and they continue to ask me about Colonial Lake and the sidewalk and when that development
happens, making sure that um there is a good buffer and safety for the u the construction uh community day. Again, that was a fantastic well um
organized recreation committee did an outstanding job as always. It was very um nice to see our community come out um and just you know belong. It was really nice. Um I think everybody in this room probably was there.
Uh let's see. I wanted to mention to Kevin just the parking lot improvements. I know we funded that. Was that last year? And now to see what it really Yeah. It was a long road to get there.
that bond ordinance. That Yeah, that's smooth. Yeah. I just want to thank you and and I know you're um Yeah. And your staff because I know you were
involved. I I think did we did that, right? No, it was contracted. Oh, contracted. But I saw a lot of my trucks. Yeah. Yeah. So, thank you for that. I hope you all also appreciate the smoothness. Um,
okay. There was this one thing I wanted to Oh, a story I wanted to share. I had a a resident call me um about uh wanted wanted me to make sure to thank our police department. Um there was an incident with an individual. I
know we always hear those gray alerts where people are are missing or disoriented and you just never know, you know, uh what what can happen. And this um resident shared with me how um there
was uh a gentleman who was very disoriented, apparently had come all the way from Ohio and was lost on Route One um near the Chick-fil-A. and a resident of ours um reached out to our police
department and called them and they were there within minutes like probably four minutes um and helped this gentleman who you know like I said was very disoriented was you know was from Ohio um and didn't know where it was and I just want to
thank publicly our police department once again who does an outstanding job in our community um listens to our residents and is on the job and you know shows up and you know we all read those gray alerts and we never think that you
know it could affect one of us. So I just wanted to share that story um and thank again our our wonderful police department and for helping out our residents. Okay, I think that's all I have.
Okay, I just there is some written communication entry fresh that just came this morning. I'll start with that. Um, as you all are aware, we are uh in conversations
with our fellow municipalities and mayors with regards to Trenton Waterworks and um which just so you know it's Hamilton Township, the city of Trenton, Muing Township, Lawrence
Township, and Hopewell. So, we're all in in communication with one another and there um have been some concerns and we've had meetings and just as a point of keeping you all a breast of what is transpiring and um
but I said this is communication that came in today and I think if you all indulge me I think it's worth it. Okay. So, it's from uh the township of Mar of Hamilton. This is um
I can read this. Well, yeah. I mean, we're involved in litigation on this. I I reviewed the letter and Let me take a moment. Yeah. It really does not go into any specific part of the litigation. Uh uh it it's
really you know one mayor's request to check the city council uh with regard to a ad hoc committee. I can summarize it if if you want. Sure. I'll I'll sorry you get me out of trouble.
Uh it was it was from um as the mayor Jeff Martin the mayor of Hamilton Township to Trenton City Council uh who has a city council meeting tonight and one of the resolutions there's more than one I think but one of the resolutions involving Trenton Waterworks was to
create an ad hoc ad hoc committee up to three city council members to address issues relating to the Trenton waterworks. uh and he indicates that he he that one of the resolutions uh acknowledged the Czech Waterworks as a regional public
water utility and he was he was happy that it was so designated. However, his his concern was a couple concerns was that that since it is a quote regional public order facility, he really wanted
uh to have representation by the other municipalities uh that that are involved. Obviously, Lawrence Yuing Hopewell and thought that the committee should be
should be expanded. He also indicated that he attended the zoom conference where the DE commissioner came before the council on August 1 and uh indicated that he he really felt that there was a feeling that the city council was
against creating a regional utility but he thought that adding a representative from each municipality would would help with transparency and oversight in in that decision. Second resolution would authorize spending Tren Waterworks funds for a
third independent assessment of the Tren Waterworks. and he basically criticized uh that indicating that he he thought that they had studied it in essence enough and uh quoted the former director
Steve Pico who who's now a consultant to the city chart board works as to the how the finances are in a haphazard state. the trouble keeping qualified personnel equipment has been insufficiently
addressed for at least 20 years. And he said instead of spending the money on third report, which will at best contradict two other independent reports, they should spend the money on necessary items of the uh Trent waterworks. So that that's in a
nutshell, you know what the the good mayor addressed to the Trenton city council. I'll be shocked if they do anything any month, but u I think it's there's some sound logic here as to the
uh requests especially trying to move forward with with some regionalization plan. It's been been a a long battle and uh you know been trying to keep track of what's happening in the litigation which is
going very slow. Uh, and I can say this, we don't need an executive session for this, that, you know, they're they're finally getting into a discovery phase of it. Uh, I've talked to our our attorney who's handling it and gave him
certain thoughts on it and, you know, we may have more to report. I think we may have more to report on this uh before the end of the year into some possible resolution of this through legislative action but
they say stay tuned. So that's basically the just a letter and update on the litigation. Okay. just as you know we're all still engaged and we're still talking and having conversation with among
municipalities in the city. Yeah, that's good. Definitely communications which is good and the word regional public water utility was mentioned to that plus y New Jersey league of municipalities um
we have for all this enclosed the annual audit statement starting the week's financial activities for the fiscal year just closed July 1st 2024 through June 30th 2025. Okay. If you have any questions about the league's
finances, do not hesitate to call me. Sincerely, Michaela, executive director. We have a thank you note. Um, dear council members, thank you for the beautiful flower arrangements and for your thoughts and prayers during this
difficult time for our families. So just a a quick uh communication. The community well will be ho hold holding a lunchon for civic wellness and the key speaker will be our mayor mayor Patricia Palmer. The event will be on October
30th from 12 to 1:30 at 2688 Main Street at the Chambers Walk. All right. Is there anything else? Any communication? Right. I think I got everything. All right. This brings us to our
executive session. Um this is where we thank the public for attending tonight's meeting and engaging with us. Um seeing democracy at work. Thank you for spending your time with us this evening. Enjoy.