Do we have everybody? Barry, we're good. Who are we waiting for? Okay, we're good. All right, Andy, we're good. All right. Hi, everybody. Welcome. Uh, I have been alerted that uh we have Girl Scout cookies courtesy of Liz Nardo in the uh the other chamber. We want to say
thank you very much for that. Very important to keep the council wellfed. All right, good. Thank you for that. Um, okay. Everyone, if you want to come in, please uh please step inside. Okay, everyone, welcome to our town
council uh comp uh our town council regular meeting. Uh let me just move up here. So, this is uh March 16th, 2026. This is our sunshine statement. This is a statement of compliance with the sunshine law NJSA 104-10.
This meeting is being held in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act and adequate notice of this meeting has been provided as required by law. Specifically, the annual notice was emailed to the West Trabune and the Star Ledger on January 5th, 2026. The agenda and resolutions for the meeting are available on Livingstonj.org.
Certain portions of this meeting may be closed to the public for the purpose of personnel and or other matters as outlined in the sunshine law. Decisions made and or discussed in the closed session uh for the purpose uh excuse me decisions I lost my place. Decisions made and or discussed in close session
will be made known to the public at a later time. Notice to members of the governing body and township staff any use of electronic devices during this meeting shall be used solely for the purposes of township business and any communications are subject to the open public records act. To the extent possible, this evening's Township of Livingston Council meeting will be
livereamed via Facebook at www.fas.com/ facebook.com/limmsontownshipenj. Questions or comments should also be will also be accepted by emailing live comments atlmsonj.org by 4 p.m. on the day of the meeting and shared with township council members before the meeting. Each speaker should
follow the rules of order in Livingston code 2-15- uh3. Caroline, please call the role. >> Uh council members Minhart >> here, >> Anthony here, Vieira present. >> Deputy Mayor Banani >> here. Mayor Klein >> here. Everyone, please rise. Join me in
a moment of silence. Thank you. Aston Roberts, will you lead us in the pledge of allegiance? >> You can do it from there. It's all right. in prayer. >> Allegiance 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. >> Time for Ess's County updates. I see Eileen Fishman. You want to please come on up and um let us know what's happening in Ess's County.
>> Thank you. Eileen Fishman on behalf of >> microphone right over the top there. >> Where is it? >> Sorry. >> Yeah, sure. >> I'll put it up for next time. You can put it in there if you want. >> Thank you.
Not really mechanically inclined, but I'm here. Um, so we have a lot going on in April with our cherry blossom festival. Um, not much in the wintertime, but um, but this is exciting because it starts April 4th and it goes through the 19th and there's a cherry
blossom bike race on April 4th and Sunday the 12th is the Cherry Blossom 10K run. Um, which some mayors, by the way, participate in. So, I don't know if you're running, but you know, maybe you want to sign up. Uh, Saturday >> could take it.
>> Saturday the 18th, um, the onem fun run in family day at the credential concert grove and Sunday the 19th, 11 to 5:00, the Bloomfest. So, um, that's all the fun we have, uh, in April. And that's it. >> Thank you for coming. >> Thank you. >> All right. Good to see you, Riley.
Thanks, everyone. All right. Good. >> Um, we are going to move on to our uh, presentations. And the first one is on human trafficking awareness. Um, who is uh here to present for that? Okay, good. Merl's right there. There she is. Come
on up, Merl. Um, and I'm particularly pleased that Livingston is recognizing in a formal way the horrors of human trafficking and an awareness that hopefully will
help people to understand it, recognize it, and help those who have been traffic traffked. Um, just came back from Chicago and everywhere I went at every airport there were huge signs
about human trafficking. It cannot be missed. The phone numbers are there, the contacts are there, pictures are there, and we should all be aware of it because there are so many people who have been injured,
hurt, killed through this. And we're now at a time, especially with the uh I'm not a football player. a foot
Scott I excuse me a soccer player. The >> soccer games starting and being held in New Jersey among other places uh will bring many many people here who are not usually here. We have many
hotels who will that will be filled and we need to be on our guard at every at every turn. And so it gives me great pleasure that our town council has adopted this or is adopting this
resolution. And if there is anyone of you or anyone in the audience or anyone in all of Livingston who wishes to be in contact with the coalition against human trafficking,
the email is very easy. the I mean the uh the whatever you can tell I'm old and I don't deal with electronics though. Well, um
>> safer neww jersey.org safer neww jersey.org >> safer neww jersey.org >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Thank your staff as well. Carolyn was terrific and I appreciate all that you've done.
>> Merl, just to give us a proper emphasis, we're gonna we have a proclamation that Caroline helped to prepare and with your help and first of all, thank you for your passion for this. Um, the council's going to read through the proclamation. We don't do this with everyone, but we want to give it a proper emphasis. And then we want to take a picture so that we have something to center it and uh,
you know, if someone wants to put in the paper or elsewhere, but just some we'll create some media so that people can show uh, you know, that we're highlighting this important point. I couldn't ask for more. >> Thank you. Um, we want to just read through uh, Council Minhart. >> The proclamation is titled on human trafficking awareness ahead of the 2026
FIFA World Cup. Whereas human trafficking is among the world's fastest growing criminal enterprises and it profits from the exploitation of vulnerable populations, including minors and adults. And whereas nearly 26 years after passing of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, an estimated 27.6 6
million people are subject to human trafficking globally with cases reported in every US state and territory. And whereas human trafficking is a borderless crime against individuals that violates the most basic human
rights and deprivives victims of every shred of personal freedom. Human trafficking occurs when a person is recruited, harbored or obtained through force, fraud or coercion for the purposes of sexual or labor exploitation. And whereas victims can be
US citizens or non-citizens and can be any age or gender, but they are they have a shared experience of having been forced, tricked, manipulated or threatened into compliance with the criminals seeking to exploit them. And
>> whereas large sporting events like the World Cup are known to increase the demand for sex trafficking victims and the World Cup in particular has also been associated with labor trafficking cases including construction, hospitality, retail industries, etc. It
is especially important to educate our communities and raise awareness before, during, and after the event. And whereas New Jerseyy's Metife Stadium will host eight matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup from June 11th, 2026 for over 5 weeks,
including the World Cup final on July 19th, 2026 along with FanFest in Liberty State Park along with the Jersey Shore and other locations. And >> whereas the Township of Livingston stands committed to protecting human rights and individual freedom by raising
awareness of human trafficking. And whereas the township of Livingston has resolved to support all efforts by individuals, businesses, organizations, and governing bodies to raise awareness of and opposition to human trafficking and to make additional efforts to keep
its residents aware of the warning signs, survivor prevention messaging, and how to respond in the case of suspected trafficking before, during, and after the 2026 FIFA World Cup. And >> whereas the Township of Living Livingston is committed to ensuring that
those impacted by human trafficking receive services that are trauma-informed and responsive to their individual needs. And whereas the Township of Livingston commends the work of the New Jersey coalition against human trafficking for its survivor inclusive efforts to end human trafficking in our state and beyond
through education, advocacy, and assistance to survivors and through information on its websiteenj.org or to increase coordination and visibility of New Jersey's commitment to end human trafficking. Now therefore, I the mayor and township, excuse me, we the mayor and township council of the
township of Livingston, county of Essex, state of New Jersey, do hereby proclaim our community's readiness to raise awareness about the signs and sequence and consequences of human trafficking, to promote opposition to human trafficking in all its forms and to encourage support for the survivors of human trafficking through the state of
New Jersey and across the world to put an end to this criminal activity and restore freedom and dignity to its survivors. Okay, why don't we >> Thank you. Have some company. Are we in the center? Are we good? >> You're the only one. We actually have to
see this picture from you. >> All right. Good. >> They chose what they wanted. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you so much. I appreciate it. >> Thank you very much.
>> Taking pictures. >> Thank you very much. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Now we're friends. >> Thank you. And actually, We're going to move on to our Thank you, Andy. Uh to our next presentation. This
is for the Livingston High School chess team who are once again the New Jersey state champs. Is this I want to be clear. We have the We've had some We've had some state champs. We just had the uh the uh LHS girls soccer
team in here not too long ago. Uh no one's been four times in a row, though. I'll tell you that. Right. Fourth year in a row you guys state champs. Incredible. Very It just It makes everyone up here. It makes everyone in this uh in this building. It makes everyone in this town incredibly proud. It's such a massive achievement. Uh so
uh we want to bring everybody up. Uh Mr. Peklo. Yes. All right. Um we're going to we're going to call people up. Um uh why don't we come down? We'll all come down and uh and and give these up. Do we have we have um
or we just have the uh we just have the Are they right there? Oh, they're right here. This. All right. There we go. >> All right. Good. All right. Let's give some >> All right. Fine. So, we'll have Mr. Beck. That's fine. All right. Good. That's okay. All right. We're going to call the members.
>> We're going to call the members of the team up and uh congratulate them individually and of course as a team. Uh so I'm going to hand the microphone off. Here we go. >> All right. Uh firstly, I just want to say thank you for having us here. We really appreciate that. Uh thank you for all of you guys because you put in all
the effort and all the parents who have helped us get here. Um first, uh I'll just start calling people. Is that okay? Yeah. All right, sounds good. So, I'll start with the captains. Uh Aston Roberts Down the line, man. Down the line.
>> Congratulations. >> I have no hands. I'm sorry. Uh, Lev Kenov >> down there. You got to start at the end, man. You got to start at the end. You got >> Claire Chang. CONGRATULATIONS. Way to go.
>> Congratulations. >> All right. And now moving down through our varsity team, uh, Teddy Bernstein. We know the chess. >> Thank you. >> I forgot where I was. >> Lucas, right? Lucas Young. All right. All right.
>> Congratulations. >> Mayukumar. uh we have a couple people who were not here tonight. Henry Tang, Dennis Koganov, and Ben Murkus. Uh but we do have Sophia Bejinari.
That's right. Right in front. Right in front. >> Uh, and moving on to our JV members. Our our JV team also actually came in first in the state and second. We had two teams placed in the top two. Uh, Vivon Sharta Congratulations. >> Yeah. Why don't we You guys want Why
don't you guys >> We're running out of here. >> Oh, they can come this way. Get Actually, we can just Let's solve. They can get the first and then shake hands afterwards. Or we >> confused. I'm confused as yesterday. >> All right. Good. >> It's working out. I'm probably the
shortest person here, so I'll stay checkm Leo Xiao. >> EMMA HOPES OF THERE YOU GO. >> You can stay right there. >> Aaron Castanovich. >> Congratulations. Congratulations.
Congratulations. Vhan Chartery. >> Congratulations. >> I've lost my place. Aaron Shang. All right. Way to go. >> System down. >> Congratulations, >> Ethan Murcus.
Congratulations, >> Nate Chan. >> Congratulations. >> Uh, Rishi Jane is not here. Max Persad. Great job. Congratulations, >> Anerv. Yanugu. Congrats.
Congratulations, >> Elas Chen. >> We've added a lot of members. It's chess Chen. Congratulations. Congratulations.
>> Uh Anneil Gupta is not here and Keon Shetty. >> Congratulations. All right, there you go. >> Congratulations. >> Thank you. >> That was Thank you. We >> Okay, good. So, we have a plaque >> I'm just I want to present to you and then I have a couple plaques for
individual achievement. Uh but so this is is the uh this is a citation. It says the mayor and members of Livingston Township Council are pleased to recognize Livingston High School Chess Team, the 2026 New Jersey State Championship first place winners. Congratulations everybody.
Everyone's going to take a picture or hold on. Are we Hold on. We're blocking the kids. Should we go up? Why don't you give the other Yeah, we got Why don't you guys Why don't we go up Why don't you get the other plaques out and then we'll take pictures. >> He's got two more pl
after he gives these pucks. Then we go up there. So, uh, I'm gonna actually, uh, M. You want to just explain, uh, what their accomplishments have been so that we can, uh, it's not enumerated on the plaque. So, just understand why these two individually are being recognized. >> Yeah. So, uh, a few years ago when they
were freshman, um, we made a plea to the, um, superintendent to help us out and he said, "How good can this team be?" and I said we could be state champions. And I walked out of that meeting and I was like, "Oh boy, I just
Oh boy. I thought I overstated it. I clearly understated it." Um, but I definitely want to thank our two senior captains over there who have done this for four years for us. They started it. They're still here with us. Aston
Roberts, Lev Kogan. Great job. >> This is for you. >> So this is for this is for Aston and this is for >> Lev. >> Okay. And uh congratulations. Just we wanted to uh you know your your achievements have been for four years
and everyone understands that this town has all you know in the in almost overnight it seemed like became this incredible chess mecca. Um you know beating all these private schools in New York City. You know, I I know I I had parents who had kids there in private city who were chess people that you guys
know and they all knew about Livingston and they all knew about our chess team and and right out of the gate we were monsters and it's it's really thanks to you guys for setting the pace uh and making this town so proud. >> You guys want to slide in? Let's try to uh
>> do one of these Okay, I'm gonna go >> try to smush it, as best you can. >> Do it like this. >> Can we get an eight? Okay. Everybody make sure Cheese. >> All right.
Bro needed a handshake. >> I did. All right, we're going to carry forward with the meeting. We're moving to the uh approval of the minutes uh pending. Any corrections? Um Sean, you're you're going to need a
roll call for this because we have two absent members. >> Okay. Um >> you have the same. >> So we have the regular and conference uh close session minutes from March 5th, 2026. Can I have a motion to approve the meeting minutes? Pending corrections? >> Motion. >> I'll move up. Second.
>> Second. Okay. Uh we're going to have we're going to do a roll call for this. Carolyn, >> Council Member Anthony, >> yes. >> Uh Council Member Vieira, >> abstain. Deputy uh council member Minhart >> abstain. >> Deputy Mayor Buptani
>> approve. Yes. >> Mayor Klein. >> Yes. >> Uh that moves us to public comment on agenda items only with a form >> motion to open up the meeting for public comment agenda items. >> Second non-aggenda I'm sorry on agenda items only. Sorry. >> Um can I have all in favor?
>> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. Opposed? >> All right. At this time the meeting is now open for agenda items only. There's a fourminut time limit per person on any comments that you want to make on agenda items. Residents can come to the microphone for four minutes.
>> Motion to close. >> Second. >> Okay. >> All in favor? >> All in favor? >> I >> oppose. Okay. This we're moving on to passages of ordinances. Uh there are eight final ordinances uh for second reading
tonight. Um, madame clerk, can you please read ordinance 4-2026 by title? >> Yes, mayor. Ordinance 4-2026 amending and supplementing chapter 29 traffic and parking stop signs. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Can I have a motion to open the public hearing?
>> Motion. >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Opposed. >> The public hearing on ordinance 4-2 uh 2026 is now open. There is a 4m minute time limit per person. If you come to the microphone, please state your name and whether you live in town.
>> Motion to close. >> Second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Opposed? >> Can I have a motion to move ordinance 4-226? >> Motion to move. >> Second. >> Second. >> Okay. Any council members have any comments on ordinance 4-26? >> Excuse me. Excuse me, mayor. Officer, you got to keep the door open, please.
>> Yeah, one door. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Any any That's all right. Any comments on 4-2026? >> No. Okay, madam, please proceed with the Madam Clerk. Roll call. >> Council member Minhardt, >> yes. >> Anthony, >> yes. >> Vier, >> yes.
>> Deputy Mayor Baptani, >> yes. >> Mayor Klein, >> yes. Madam clerk, please read ordinance 5-2026. >> Ordinance 5-2026 amending chapter 306 trees. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. >> I'll make a motion to open public hearing. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Yes.
>> Opposed? Okay. The public hearing on ordinance 5-2026 is now open. There's a 4-minute time limit per person. >> Motion to close public comment. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I >> opposed. >> Okay. Can I motion to move ordinance by >> motion to move?
>> Second. >> Okay. Any council members with comments? >> Uh yes. This is for second, right? The trees. >> Yes. >> So, mayor, thank you. Uh I just want to make a couple of comments. So, this is the ordinance is an example of how the
community engagement works. Um I'm so proud of uh Mr. Rob Kun who came in uh met with me and then rest of the council as well. The issue that was that he brought to the table and to our attention is that
uh as our town gets into a revamp of neighborhoods, the old houses going away, construction happens. Uh there is front yardage of of lot of trees. The old trees, mature trees gets cut down because construction needs space and
then they don't get replanted. So what that does in his mind and I think that that proved true it is a aware citizen aware resident who brought this uh saying that I'm seeing this in my neighborhood let's replicate that that's the kind of engagement we need so what
happens really here is with this ordinance is we looked at the code that was quite old where we needed to kind of revamp and make sure that we create uh enough room for additional fees
create ways to uh to inspire the builders and plant new trees and not just let it go. So when the new house comes up, if the mature tree is gone, then replant something bigger, something equally nice and sort of inspire them.
And if not, there are fees involved which the town can then with the new residents permission to kind of go in and and do this. This is not the ordinance to set the fees right now, but this is a structure that in place to kind of create those those new fees as we go along by resolutions. Uh Barry
would uh anything else to add here uh from the tech technical aspects of this ordinance? >> No, it it just allows uh us to react by setting a resolution every year to change the fees. And the important thing was to ensure that the and the fee is what they would forfeit if they don't plant the tree. And what we learned was
the fee was way too low. builders found it more economical just forfeit the fee than actually plant the tree when the intent was to get the trees planted. So I think we're we're optimistic that uh having the flexibility to tweak the fees in response to what we see to make it at such a level to ensure that trees get planted I think it's going to be
successful. >> Thank you. Thank you Barry. So just once again uh just reiteration of how uh residents involvement connecting with uh with the with the with the council connecting and standing up and saying hey I want to I want to talk about this
can really make a difference if I quote Mr. Coons who was there last time when we introduced it. I did not know a coffee will will will turn into a an ordinance. So that's exactly what we want and that's exactly how we want to grow our town, make it better. Thank you mayor.
>> Thank you. Any other comments? Okay. I would I would just add um a couple of small comments to what uh the deputy mayor said. So, this this the way we're going to structure this is going to be a disincentive to cutting down trees needlessly and then certainly trying to make sure that people plant
trees if if if trees are cut down. Um trees in this community are are really create the leafy feel. I I think everyone on this council feels like when we're losing trees, we're in trouble. That that is part of what makes Lmson feel like uh like Livingston. And just
in just to emphasize a point, we have a lot of money in our tree fund right now. And if there's anyone out there that wants a tree planted uh in in in the right of way in front of their house, please call the town. We will plant a tree for you. Um we have money to do it. We have we want to we want to make this
uh we want to make our neighborhoods as leafy as possible. So please reach out to to uh the township and let us know that you want a tree. Okay. Uh, we will now move on to uh the roll call, please. >> Council member Minhart, >> yes. >> Anthony, >> yes. >> Vieiraa, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Buptani,
>> Proudly, yes. >> And Mayor Klein, >> yes. Uh, madame clerk, can you please read 6-2026? >> Ordinance 6-2026 authorizing the discharge of mortgage for 78 Hillside Terrace. >> Thank you. A motion. >> I'll make a motion to open public hearing. >> Second. >> All in favor?
>> Yes. I >> opposed. The public hearing on ordinance 6-2026 is now open. There's a 4-minute time limit per person. >> Motion to close. >> Motion to close. >> No. Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I >> opposed. Can I have a motion to move
ordinance 6-2026? >> Moved. >> Second. >> Okay. Do any council members have any comments on 2020 on 6-2026? >> Okay. Madam clerk. >> Uh, council council member Minhart. >> Yes. >> Anthony, >> yes. >> Vieira, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Botani, >> yes.
>> Mayor Klein, >> yes. Uh, Madame Clerk, 7-2026, please. >> Ordinance 7-2026, an ordinance to amend Chapter 170, land use, article 15, development fees. >> Can I have a motion? >> I'll make a motion to open public hear.
>> Second. >> All in favor? >> Yes. >> Opposed. The public hearing on ordinance number 7-2026 is now open. 4m minute time limit. >> I'll make a motion to close the public hearing. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Opposed?
I have a motion to move. >> Motion to move. >> Second. >> Any council members have any comments on 7-2026? >> Okay. Uh Madame Clerk, can you please uh call the role? >> Council member Reinhardt? >> Yes. >> Anthony, >> yes. >> Vieira, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Bani, >> yes. >> Mayor Klene,
>> yes. Uh before I move on and and uh Jared, can you just comment on seven and eight uh just as they are requirements uh moving from the third round of affordable housing to the uh >> Sure, Mayor. Thank you. We also have we also have a Tacha planner here Mark Liner. Um so these so these ordinances
and it's ordinances um 8-2026 9-2026 um they're part of our um settlement with uh they're part of our order and settlement with fair share housing
corporation. Um and essentially what they do is these ordinances um are currently in place. Um they're being amended to implement uh the fourth round uh statutory regulations. They were largely drafted by DCA. Uh they're boilerplate and these are the um
mechanisms. Um uh they they deal with the set aside um and certain other fra whether you need fractional units. There was some changes between the third and the fourth round and these are all mandatory and statutory. >> Good. Thank you very and none of them require any additional units.
>> Thank you. Uh Madame Clerk, uh we are now up to 8-2026. >> Ordinance 8-2026 and an ordinance to amend chapter 170 land use article 14 affordable housing regulations. >> Motion to open public hearing. Second.
>> All in favor? >> I opposed. The public hearing on ordinance 8-2026 is now open. There's a 4-minute time limit per person. >> Motion to close. >> Second. Okay. All in favor? I >> opposed. Can I have a motion to move
ordinance 8-2026? >> Second. >> Do any council members have comments on ordinance 8-2026? Madame clerk, roll call, please. >> Council member Minhart, >> yes. >> Anthony, >> yes. >> Vieiera, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Baptani, >> yes. >> Mayor Klein,
>> yes. Uh 9-2026, please. Caroline. Ordinance 9-2026, Ordinance of the Township of Livingston, repealing and replacing chapter 170-105R-6, Senior Citizen Housing District of the Code of the Township of Livingston. >> Can I have a motion? >> I'll make a motion. Second.
>> All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Public hearing on ordinance 9-2026 is now open. There's a 4-minute time limit per person. Motion >> to motion. Yep. >> Second. >> All in favor? I I >> opposed.
>> Okay. Um, do any council members have any comments on ordinance 9-2026? >> I'll move the ordinance. >> Move it first. Let's do that first. Absolutely. Thank you. >> Um, second if it wasn't second. >> Um, any do any have any uh comments at
this point? >> Roll call, please. >> Council member Minhardt, >> yes. >> Anthony, yes. >> Vieira, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Batani, >> yes. >> And Mayor Klein, >> yes. Uh Carolyn 10-2026, please. >> Ordinance 10-2026 authorizing the township to enter into a
rightsof way agreement. >> I have a motion. >> Motion open. Public comment. >> Uh >> second. >> Second. >> Okay. Uh all in favor? >> I >> I >> opposed. The public hearing on ordinance 10-2026 is now open. There's a 4-minute
time limit. >> Motion to close. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed. And I have a motion to move 10-2026. >> Second. >> Do any council members have any comments on 10-2026?
>> No. >> Roll call, please. >> Council member Minhardt, >> yes. >> Anthony, yes. >> Vieiraa, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Banani, >> yes. >> And Mayor Klein, >> yes. Uh 11-2026. >> Ordinance 11-2026. Ordinance authorizing the dissolution of the swimming pool utility.
>> I'll make a motion to open public hearing. >> Second. All in favor? I >> opposed. The public hearing on ordinance number 11-2026 is now open. There's a 4-minute time limit per person. >> Motion to close. >> Second. >> All in favor?
>> I >> opposed. Can I have a motion to move ordinance 11- >> Okay. Anyone have any comments on this? >> So, just one mayor. This is just to clarify and I know we did this last time. uh this is not to dissolve the
utility. This is not uh even though it reads it has nothing to do with it. It's it's the accounting adjustment uh where the swimming pool is going to stay as it is. This is just to move the the accounting part of it. >> Thank you, Mayor.
>> Okay. Anyone other comments? Okay. Please uh call the role. >> Council member Minhardt, >> yes. >> Anthony, yes. >> Vierra, >> yes. >> Deputy Deputy Mayor Batani, yes. >> And Mayor Klein, >> yes. There are no ordinance tonight for introduction this evening. Okay, we're going to move down to the
consent agenda. All matters listed with an asterisk are considered to be routine and non-controversial by the council and will be approved by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the governing body so requests in which case the item will be removed from the consent agenda and considered in its normal sequence on
the agenda as part of the general orders. Do any members of the council wish to have any items removed from the consent agenda for separate discussion and voting? >> Okay. Madame clerk, please read all the resolutions on the consent agenda by title and resolution number. >> Resolution 26-131
2025, budget appropriation transfers. Resolution 26-132, authorizing transfer of 2025 budget appropriation reserves. Resolution 26, excuse me, 26-133, approval to execute a jurisdictional
agreement with the New Jersey Department of Transportation. Resolution 26-134, approving annual budget for Livingston Community Partnership Corporation. Resolution 26-135, authorizing the award of a contract to Rivax Contracting Corp. Resolution
26-136 authorizing the award of a contract to Xerox Corporation. Resolution 26-137 providing the combination of certain issues of general improvement bonds into a single issue of bonds aggregating not
to exceed 12.4 million in principal amount for sale to the New Jersey I Bank and the state of New Jersey. Resolution 26-138 authorizing the award of a contract to Stanziel Construction LLC. Resolution 26-139 authorizing the
execution of the developers agreement with Spectrum 360 LLC relative that certain property commonly known as 630 West Mount Pleasant Avenue. Resolution 26-140 authorizing 2026 temporary emergency appropriations.
Resolution 26-141 endorsing the township of Livingston amended housing element and fair share plan. Resolution 26-142, adopting an affirmative marketing plan for the Township of Livingston. Resolution 26-143,
authorizing the execution of a settlement agreement with Payic Avenue Partners LLC. Resolution 26-144, adopting the housing rehabilitation program operating manual for the administration of for sale and rental
units. and resolution 26-145 adopting an affordable housing trust fund spending plan. >> Someone get that woman a drink of water. >> May I have a motion to approve the resolutions uh on the consent agenda? >> I'll move
>> second the discussion for one second. I I want just have a discussion for one second. I just want to um and I don't need to pull it out but I just uh going back to resolution 26141 our living amended housing element and fair share plan. Just want to give a shout out again to our attorney Jared Caner and
our planner Mark Linser and Topology for all that they did. Um we thank them for all the hard work getting us to this point having a zero obligation for our fourth round. I think all this council should be proud of ourselves for the work that we put in as well. We thank our township manager Barry Lewis as well for guiding this through this uh
unbelievably hard uh um path that we all were on together. And I think we all came to this wonderful evening. So, I just want to thank you guys very much. >> And much of that was under your mayor, your mayor. >> No, that's not I said has nothing to do with me. I say this is a group. This was a group this was a group effort. We spent we spent hours here uh many
evenings together as a group of five doing it together. It didn't matter who's in the middle of some extra credit. You would all of us. It's all of us together. But thank you very much. >> Thank you. Well said. Good points. >> Um okay, this moves us to vote. Yeah. Yeah. Madam court, please call the role.
>> Council member Minhart. >> Yes. >> Anthony. Yes. >> Vier. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Batani. >> Yes. >> And Mayor Klein. >> Yes. Mayor. Uh Madame Clerk, uh for resolution 26-134, can you please announce when the public hearing will be for that budget?
>> Yes. The uh resolution 26-134, they will have their uh public hearing on April 27th, which is a Monday, at 7:30 p.m. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh this moves us along to the public portion on any subject. >> Motion to open to public portion any subject.
>> Second. All in favor? >> Yes. Yes. >> Any opposed? Okay. The meeting is now open on any subject with a threeminut time limit. Please come to the microphone. State your name and whether you live in town. >> Hi, I'm Mila and Sophia's mom.
uh otherwise known as Liz Levy, the woman with the cookies. Um we live on 159 Walnut Street in Livingston. Um my husband Dora and I are raising our two girls here in Livingston. And um tonight, uh I'm here speaking as a
member of the parentled group, Wait until 8th. Uh the idea is kind of simple if you're not familiar. basically uh parents plan together to delay smartphone usage and kind of remove social pressure. Um so
kids can be kids a little bit longer. They can have more offline activity. Good. Um, so wait until 8th is uh growing very quickly in Livingston. We were here less than a year ago. Um, and our numbers are building very very
quickly. Uh, 386 kids covered by the pledge within the school system across seven schools including Heritage and Mount Pleasant Middle School, which is no easy feat to have these parents like kudos to them. Um and 140,000 families
nationwide have signed the pledge. Um so the growth has been really good. So basically the discussion um that we're hearing locally and it's also going on nationally is you know smartphones and kids at what age is it
okay to give to them and and in what way? Um, common sense media tells us 40% of kids have smartphones by age 10. What I'm hearing from a lot of parents in Livingston, it's actually between age and nine that they're starting to get the requests and the pressure from the
kids. There may be a kid in the classroom that has the phone. Um, and I think that really showed up this summer or this September during the LPD block party where we had 70 parents sign the pledge on the spot. Um, that was
tremendous, tremendous growth for us. >> Should we remind them the pledge is something parents can sign that says that they will wait until at least the end of 8th grade for children to have a smartphone. And by smartphone, they mean a phone. They walk around with the internet enabled on it
>> as opposed to something that's just like talk or text enabled. >> Sorry, one more thing. Once the pledge is signed, I think it's by 10 families in a grade or more, they share that information so the families are aware who else is of like mind and you can
cultivate a community where you know you're not alone if you're choosing to delay the smartphone. My daughter's daisy troop was formed out of a wait until 8th contact list. So when it went active, a very clever mom said, "Aha." And she contacted 10 moms and I think
all 10 said yes, which is insane return. um on a on an ask like that. Um and actually what I've noticed is there's a bit of a Girl Scout revival happening in town. There's quite a few Daisy troops popping up. So, um we're going to try
and get them all together. >> Sorry. Uh so, um basically, oh no, I'm not moving anymore. Um the national trends and the state trends are talking about whole community
approaches when we're dealing with youth mental health. Um so there are national national governor association guidelines um saying full families, schools, health care providers, local government, community groups. Um Governor Cheryl has
made youth mental health and online safety a priority. Um and then here in Livingston, we're also having the very same conversations. Um so we are a community in action. Um we're we have our own movement. We have other
organizations like Shiv's third eye that have the youth mental wellness fair that are participating. And today I wanted to share the sisterhood of Temple Benet Abraham. We are hosting a community event open to all. It's free. We just need registration. and we'll be um
presenting this documentary and beginning a conversation on parenting in the age of digital technology with different scientific expertise and insights and um and that's on April 16th
at 700 p.m. It's free in Livingston. Um, so our our number one ask is to help amplify the community resources, whether it be the screening, wait until aid, uh, youth mental wellness fair, um, similar
in the way that something like hidden in plain sight might be shared. Um, and we noticed in neighboring towns that there's a lot of support for facilitating conversations amongst the parents on these topics. We're looking for a little bit more support there. um
you know some of that is coming from the schools but I think um you know as from a public health standpoint youth mental wellness could be um something that the local government could be involved in. And the last is to consider the kids. um
with the mall redevelopment. Um there are a few uh redevelopment plans that are really spectacular. Um that have a lot of the elements that I think um have been outlined. Um but what I wanted to just highlight was indoor recreation
space as um something that is integral to that plan. Losing the Livingston Mall didn't just mean Macy's instore returns and a Cinnabon. It meant that the kids didn't really have anywhere to go anymore. Um so the requests are uh share
things like screen aers youth mental wellness fair our information partner with us if we can co-host our own kind of screening or forum or programming education about smartphone alternatives um in the way that other and then also
build it indoor gathering space at that mall site would be awesome for the kids really truly that's Is that it? >> That's great. I mean, it's it's nice to see I'm sorry.
>> So, a couple things. Um, first of all, thank you again for coming in and please come back. So, I'm, you know, through December, still me sitting up here. Come back in a few months and let's do this again, right? We need these are this is such important stuff. We want to emphasize it over and over again. Andy,
um, when we do the clips of, uh, you know, of the meetings that we that we put out, let let's make sure that this is one of the clips if we can, if you can talk to Mike Gizo so we can make sure that, uh, on the Limson Facebook page, we show clips and let's make sure this is one of those. There's some tools that we have in our tool belt to help amplify this message. It's such an
important message. Um, you know, for for those of us who have kids who are older than that, you know, we we we wish this was a message we heard a long time ago. I would just ask you um do you know about and I don't know that much about this but I know that um Assemblywoman Andrea Katz is working on something statewide for this. Are you aware?
>> No. >> Okay. I'm not sure what form it has or you know whether it's possible. Um but I I was told that she is starting to do something along these lines. So um I haven't had a chance to figure out what that is yet, but you obviously uh of interest to you guys as well. Um so that just may be something to look at and
maybe someone she's a resource that you guys uh could talk to. >> Yeah. Great. >> Um sorry. Go ahead. Yeah, I was gonna say, so first of all, it's great and it's lovely to see the numbers have grown so much since last time you've been here. I guess my suggestion would be if we could think about it the movie that is being uh shown in April at TBA. Maybe we might consider doing it this
summer when we have our summer film festivals as well outside on the lawn. Maybe that's a film that we might consider using from a town forum to help show to show it up as well. That that was my suggestion. >> Yeah. No, I I love that. I think doubling up would be a great idea. A movie, regular movie and the
documentary. I think that's that's a great idea. So I will I'll just I'll just add uh fantastic work. I don't want to repeat any other great things that you heard, but the numbers are really outstanding. The the feature that really caught my attention was having 10
members or 10 families when you have it in grade to share that information. >> I was at the at the school one of the schools where we're looking at the traffic situation and all that you know especially at heritage and I know this is just rolling into heritage wait till deate. It is important that uh this is
shared because kids come out and say hey my mom or dad has a phone I have a phone we know where to meet and we would go there when they don't it's it's where you know all these situations help where you have consortium of kids and parents who rely on each other and still achieve
the goals that you have. So so great great think thinking there. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh seeing uh no other speakers. >> Maybe I'll say something. >> Oh, okay. Good. >> What's that?
>> Hi. Um I wasn't planning on speaking, but after seeing that slide, I thought it'd be interesting because Oh, my name is Bill Lamb. I live on 36 North Mitchell. Uh so when I saw your slide about the the living mallal uh and indoor recreation for kids and a
community, I thought that was really important because when I was growing up in the 70s, we used to ride our bikes to the mall, lock them up outside of Sears, and that's how we stayed out of uh trouble somewhat. But uh that was uh that was really I mean it it would be great if there was something like that
for the kids today. So thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Lamb. >> Okay. Seeing no other speakers, can I have a motion to close public portion on any subject? >> Motion to close. Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Okay. Uh we now come to reports
of town fish township officials and professionals. Town manager Barry Lewis. >> Um what I would although he left I'd certainly echo um all the comments that Councilman Minhardt made for Mr. Lertoy
Mr. Caner's office and and the work of the council. uh there's a number of the ordinances and resolutions all relate to that. So uh certainly thank you to all those involved in that. Um we uh since the last meeting I think we are um
getting some comp you know concerns and calls in if uh in the course of two of the bigger snow storms you had anything damaged uh by snow plows feel you know please reach out uh and if it's our responsibility we will take responsibility and and make it right. Um
and then uh just thoughts and prayers to uh Mr. Lerner, our assistant township manager, who is uh got a family medical situation that he's attending to and uh the prayers are with him. Thank you. >> Um Deputy Town Manager Russ Jones.
>> Uh nothing for tonight, Mayor. Thank you. >> Um township clerk Carolyn Mazuko. >> Nothing for me tonight, Mayor. Thank you. >> Uh township attorney Jar Caner. >> Thank you, Mayor. Briefly, uh, I just want to iterate, uh, what Mr. Lewis
said. U, our town planner, obviously Mr. Lewis and this council, we work really hard on our fourth round plan um, and adopting the legislation tonight. The ordinances and resolutions. Uh, we're fully compliant uh, with the court's order. Um, those files will be um, all
the ordinances, the resolutions will be uh, filed this evening by my office and uploaded to e courts. Um, the next step will be we're asking the court for a hearing. we where we'll get our final uh compliance and we'll have uh fourth round immunity which will last for 10
years until July of of 2035. >> Uh we'll now go to deputy mayor Bhani for council report. >> Thank you mayor. Uh so just a council report is really a summary of what we as a team did and what we as a team are looking through and plus some more
callouts. uh really and I'll go through a couple of points real quick. Uh first is uh there was a great celebration by Taiwanese association for Lunar New Year. Uh they did a fabulous job celebrating the the Lunar New Year. Uh that association does it every year. Um
the call out is really uh Mr. Keith Hines. Uh Livingston lost a hero just recently. Uh and his visitation was on March 10th. Um many of the members of our council were there paying him respect as he was laid to rest. Uh Mr.
Hines is really the institution in a way that no other Livingston community and diversity initiatives can be done or reme done without remembering him. Um it is uh something that that a one individual can impact uh how far his
impact can go. He was really uh uh the the living example of it or the example of it now. Uh rest in peace Mr. Hines. Um I was also at the Bernett Hill trip always amazing uh to see the young entrepreneurs to you know doing a lot of
great work. Uh there was a fantastic senior social. Livingston is one of the most uh active senior community and kudos goes to always Jennifer Walker and her team over there and Barry we we never thank enough and we we never stop
thanking her and the team and goes through your office as well. So great job again by the se by the senior social team there. Fantastically prepared food mayor. All of it was was really made locally. It was it was that great and and everybody was so happy about it.
Cycle for Survival, although it's a private event. Um it is not really a a township um sort of council invite type of event, but this is something that we all at the DS are so proud of. This is the this is the um the the charity or or
the initiative that started from Livingston. Um and it has gone all over the country. Um amazing work, fantastic event. Uh I know councilman Vieira biked, I biked and it was it was wonderful to have uh that fun event.
Young men's ser service league uh councilman Vara and I were at the service league presenting uh our thoughts on civic duty to about 20 young kids and that was a brilliantly uh engaged engaging um uh conversation with
them. Uh we just had a Livingston High School art show today uh that was fantastically done. Uh kudos to Livingston uh high school arts uh group there and of course um Arts Council of Livingston. Uh looking forward we have
of course St. St. Patrick's Day. Happy St. Patrick's Day to everybody celebrating. Um Arts Council has an open mic event uh coming up. Um we on the council will be reviewing and busy in uh reviewing the budget in in upcoming weeks. So we'll be getting into that
motion. Uh and of course happy Easter advance to everybody. Um just one call out uh as well is that we talked about the transparency uh just just earlier uh we talked about how engagement happens uh from residents to government uh and
there is an announcement and I'm not sure mayor if you were trying to to to announce that but there is a newsletter that we we're going to be uh going after. So if that's something you're planning to go so thank you mayor. I think that's a wrap. >> Thank you Kaden. Um, a couple things.
Um, I got I I got approached by a lot of people uh in my neighborhood about the road conditions after uh PSEG was there um and did a a patching job on our roads which was, you know, not great. Uh and then the snow plows came in and people's
lawns were covered in uh in black top from that got chipped off. Um and uh we discussed this uh Barry, right? and and uh um the a lot of that material is in the town right away and and the town's going to clean that up and we're going to you know let uh let PSEG know uh how
much time and effort and money we spent on that. >> By the way, I actually have an update and uh the kudos to our township engineer Janette Hardy who was on the email. She already reached out to PSEG and they had crews out today starting to pick it up. >> So PSG was taking I will say that they they do try to be responsive to the town
needs. >> Good. Thank you for that. Um, and I just I was just going to uh say one more thing about what uh the deputy uh mayor said. Um, so we had uh Vision 2020 come in uh and do a a presentation which they they do surveys every couple years and
it's wonderful to it's so professionally done and that crew does such a good job. Um and um one of the things they talked about was one of the requests by uh one of the most common requests by residents was that they wanted a newsletter or you
know sort of a a fact sheet coming from the township with township news and and facts uh on a regular basis as an email coming into their inbox a newsletter. Uh and uh it was great because Mike ISO who is our uh you know fairly newly installed communications director uh has
already been uh working on that and we're able he was able to raise his hand and said that's going to be coming along very quickly. Uh it's already in the pipeline and lo and behold you can now sign up for it. That was only a week ago it was asked for uh and and Mike is delivering on it and so if you go to the town uh web page you can sign up online
at livingstonj.org org/notifyme uh and from that website you will get uh lots of uh good information, useful stuff uh from the from uh from the council, from the town government uh and from our professionals. So please go and sign up for that email. I think it'll be really helpful for everyone to to be
there. Uh all right, our next uh mayor, do you mind if I just say one more thing as well? So you you always talk about hats off. I just want to give a hats off as well. one to our Gary Marshoots and the entire LPD and well to you mayor for getting the word out so quickly and everything that they did to uh protect
the houses of worship after what took place in Michigan. Thank you. Um they they were out there and you got the word out as well. So hats off to you for getting the word out and we appreciate everything that the LPD does uh to protect all the houses of worship. So thank you. >> Heartfelt thank you. Um so we are going
to go back into conference meeting everyone. We are remaining in open session and everyone's welcome to join us next door as we finish uh up our items in that room. Uh a next council meeting is scheduled when Caroline? >> April 6th. >> April 6th. Uh this is ajourned. Thank you very much. >> And just so everybody's aware uh there'll be no further action taken by
the council other than maybe a close session resolution although there is not one scheduled currently but if any action will be taken will just be to go into close we're going to go through. >> Yeah. Go.