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Matt, you're so excited. >> Oh my goodness. >> Good. Good evening everybody and we are starting on time at 7:30. Very proud of us. So, welcome to the June 17th Township Committee meeting. Um, Megan,

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would you please read the statement of presiding officer in compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act of New Jersey, adequate notice of this meeting, specifically the time, date, and public call and information were included in the meeting that was electronically sent to the Echo Sentinel Morris daily record and posted on the township website. The agenda and public handouts for this

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meeting can be viewed online at www.longhillnj.gov. A public comment period will be held in the order it is listed on the meeting agenda. Failure of the governing body to provide a live broadcast of this meeting or technological problems encountered during the meeting that affect remote viewing and/or participation will not

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invalidate this meeting or any action taken including but not limited to the adoption of any ordinance, resolution or motion. >> Megan, thank you. Would everybody please rise and join me in the pledge of allegiance? I allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the

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republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Megan, please kindly take role. >> Committee Committeewoman Fetis will not be joining us tonight. Committee Liberado >> present. >> Committeeman Verza >> present.

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>> Deputy Mayor Dorsy here. >> Mayor Peria >> present. And so tonight we have uh two championship teams in our presence and I believe we're going to do the baseball team first for no uh reason other than

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they're listed first and uh I don't know should we well first I'll read it and maybe everybody can join. We're going to get photographs and everything and maybe we can get both teams together. Uh I don't know if the Echos is here. If not Megan is an outstanding photographer.

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she can take a couple of uh photographs. So anyway, the 2026 Hustle and Warriors won their first county championship since 2009 and first sectional final appearance since 2016. They spent four straight weeks ranked in

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NJ.com top 20 in the state and were ranked as high as number 14 and finished 18. And I want to give a round of applause before we even go any further. So, I'm going to read the names if I mispronounce anybody's name. Matt, you

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be quiet. >> Some of you, I think I coached at some point in a distant past. Anyway, Landon Puddle, please hold your applause until everybody's name is announced. >> First name. >> It is the first name. >> I messed it up. >> It says Landon Puddle.

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PLA. >> Here we go. >> Oh boy. >> Brody Griffith. How did I do, Matt? >> We have to get the Italian names. Oh, >> come on. I'm Italian. Nick Benetti, >> Stefano D. Geronimo, Sam Huniger,

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Isaac Russell, Robert Centmore, Captain Joe Guerrera, Christopher Dorsy, James Espazito, Brady Simo, Max Payne, Captain Joe Peruna, Lucas

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Sheen, Jacob Jagansski, Jacob Oshil, Kaden Diaz, Matt Yubert, Arav Raju Bennett Dillerman Tyler slept with Kora.

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How'd I do? Pretty good, huh? David Beari, Kylin Patel, Lucas, Richie, Ricky, >> Richie, you said. I tell you mess up an Italian name. >> Oh man,

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Matt Dor do the next V Griffith. was the same last name. >> And and I apologize. The administrator pointed out that I did miss Stefano D. Gerano is also a captain. So we three cap three captains. And now let's go

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with the coaches. Joe Tremarco, Joe Ascaliss, James Serrano, Paul Lineback, and Vin Krosafi. So at this point, maybe we have uh some proclamation

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here to give to everybody. So we can go and maybe the entire township committee go up there. I mean they represent all of us. So let's go let's go out there as we hand these a well perhaps that would make best

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coaches can hand them out. Yeah. You decide who you want or all of you. >> Let's do it. That's perfect. That's Little tighter catcher.

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Are >> we good? Let's get five All right. Don't want to do Absolutely. >> That's it. I'll get you. >> All right. Here we go.

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>> So, what's better than one championship? Let's go with two. So, the Central Middle School girls softball team, they had a 13-0 record. Central Jersey Junior softball league regular season and tournament champions.

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It is their fifth consecutive tournament championship. So, boys, you've got something to look forward to or challenge going forward for you juniors. Uh, scored 165 runs while only allowing 12 runs all season long.

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Well, you're about to clap again. Our eighth graders leave Central with an astounding record of 35 wins and only two losses. All right, here we go again. If I mispronounce your names, and the first one's going to be a difficult one.

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Ella, did I get that part right? >> Jim Bronn. >> Jim Bron. Okay, so we don't say Bron. Jim Bron, Lexi Miller, Kenzie Miller, Paige Anthony. Thank you for giving me an easy one. Ariel Varva

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Sailor Simo Mero Lao Kira Vanderreet Lexi Clark Jenny McKenna Addison Peruna Julia Stro Strower.

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Okay. Oh, okay. Somebody else say it. How do you say it? >> No. Starter. >> Store. All right. I put an R before the H and another R. Stora Stowra. How's that? No, there still

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>> Sure. Okay. Sorry, Julia. >> Claire Sely Rosalyn Claus. Serena Hansen. Uh >> oh. Kylie. >> That that how say it again?

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>> Thank you very much. And I'll leave it at that, Coach Hawkmire. So, a round of applause. And if I could ask the girl, Steve, come up first and then we're going to do a group picture as well. You guys do all your meetings on on

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graduation. >> Congratulations. >> Thank you very much. Appreciate it. That's it. That's it, bro. All right. So, Yeah, the girls I'll probably turn your body in the Make sure you're seen.

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>> Get in there. >> Coach, you want to come up here? >> We're stand on a chair. >> Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Ready? Ready? >> One, two, three. >> Very nice.

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Congratulations. Thanks, >> Mr. 10 minutes, >> Cooper. >> All right. I'm his wingman. >> Cooper, >> would you leave him alone?

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>> Oh, you were being nice. >> Yeah. >> Oh, okay. I thought you were I thought you were telling them to get out. >> Wait, are we in trouble? So, as as the teams are walking out, I want to publicly thank Megan, >> our esteemed clerk, municipal clerk. Nothing good happens here without her.

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You organized this. So, thank you. >> So, >> thank you. Uh >> oh. Yeah, I'm I'm about to say it. Chuck, you can stand there. >> All right. So, the item number five, the meeting is open to the public. Remarks and statements pertaining to agenda items only,

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>> comments and remarks. three minutes if you could. >> Chuck, the mic is yours. Thank you very much. You're welcome, sir. >> Charles of Renaitz Millington. My comment is a discussion item. Trash can ordinance.

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Please do not waste your time. This ordinance is not needed like the overnight parking ordinance. Don't even discuss it. It's not needed. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Chuck. The meeting is still

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open to the public on any item >> on the >> on the agenda. I apologize. >> Hi. >> Hi, >> Melissa in Millington. >> Pleasure. >> Um, I have a question about the chicken ordinance. It's you limit it to four chickens.

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Are chickens who currently lived here before the ordinance goes into effect, are they grandfathered? My answer is my my human answer is it they should be only because they're pets slash

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technically no because of the police regulation not only but if you want to make that I mean I have >> chickens are we talking >> um I don't know they're not mine I'm just >> just a general like 20 or eight you Um

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the thing is in Warren in 2012 they had a chicken ordinance very similar um and they grandfathered in the chickens who already live there because they recognized their >> Thank you for telling us that. I think that's fair. So do I. >> Yeah, I don't think that's an issue. >> I appreciate you bringing that to her

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attention and I the last thing I want to do is have a family especially with young children who have chickens. They're they become part of the family. The question is if you have fire >> I I unless they're a nuisance I don't think anybody's going to go out and and

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and cause cause a ruckus on this. Yeah, certainly. I mean, if there are noise or other complaints, that's a different issue. But if there are no complaints, >> we haven't received all that many complaints to be perfectly honest with you. Just >> what what about the place over by the

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great swamp that sells eggs? I'm guessing they have more than >> The funny thing is there's a rooster. Is there a farm or something? I look forward to hearing that. >> I wonder if they're a farm. >> They may be. >> You know the place I'm talking about? It's in the great swamp. It's a nice

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They have they sell eggs there. They decorate real nicely. >> White. >> Yes. >> Oh, I missed. I thought you were talking about Hill. >> Yes. Yeah. So, I mean, I'm I'm guessing they have more than >> they produce food for thought. Thank Hillview Farm is

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the same thing. That's the one I was referencing. They have a >> a little bit from my house and it's kind of >> being a city boy, I kind of enjoy hearing that. >> Oh, really? But it but that's a honestly it's a well behaved rooster

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crows or whatever for a minute or so early in the morning don't hear him again. That's not what we've heard for other situations. So >> but thank you for bringing that and I think you can amend it to say something or grandfathering in and then as they as

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they >> or can we just remain silent on it? >> Why don't we remain silent? >> Fair enough. >> Okay. to to Mr. Arento's point, you don't want to micromanage um you know responsible behavior. So, thank you.

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>> Okay. And I had one other >> um at the you I won't review the whole history of the open space beautifification and was combined and then at the last meeting you decided we're not going to have beautifification. We're just going to

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proceed with open space. But you said you were uh willing to consider it. So, just some items to consider. Um, neighboring towns have volunteer based committees or 501c3s that work on beautifification.

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>> So, the downtown Bernardsville nonprofit secured the funding for the mural for the bridge. Warren has an environmental commission, green team, and garden club that all work on beautifification. Berkeley Heights downtown beautifification committee. New Providence beautifification committee.

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Summit has a nonprofit called Summit Public Art and the mission is to bring public art obviously uh throughout Summit. Booten is part of the Main Street America group and uh that's a group of nonprofits. It's dedicated to beautifification,

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historic preservation and helping local businesses. So I was appointed to the open space beautifification. >> Um my interest was more on the beautifification side. Um, but in my short time on the committee, I did look

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into projects that were similar to ones that other towns have completed. And I know you're thinking we don't need a beautifification committee, but based on my research about what the other towns have done and it's time consuming.

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>> Okay. A couple of things about that. The the some of those nonprofits you referenced, I believe, would be uh privately formed. I I don't know. town form them. >> They can, but they do it in sort of in conjun conjunction with the town. Like

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they would need to get approval before they're going to >> Let me ask you a question and we hadn't met previously on this. We had a green team for a number of years and I think it's still it's still active and part of the reason we did it was be because I I knew the people over in Warren quite

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well and I still do know the the folks over in Warren quite well. uh in addition to doing whatever activities that they would do, it also provides the ability to apply for the very grants you you're referencing, >> right? It makes it easier.

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>> Would you and I'm sorry putting you on the spot, but that's I've done this before. You everything you say makes perfect sense. Would you be willing to be on the green team >> if that's if it does do the beautifification uh type of tasks?

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That's my interest rewarded to to say that. Understand something. I get picked on by my colleagues up here. >> The idea >> that doesn't happen. >> The I right the idea to combine the two was in fact mine and with the intent of

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just what you're saying and combining it with what's happening across the street and open space. What I miscalculated was there are spaces I thought we had moved on. having any available open space in town to purchase. That's not true. There are and

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and part of it that triggered it back into top of mind is there's some changes coming down the road at the state level regarding affordable housing which will make certain spots that previously Well, I better stop there.

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My point is there is open space in Longill Township for purchase, but it needs to be researched by qualified and capable folks which what the open space group did. Now, there's no reason why the green team/bate whatever we do it can't cross-pollinate regarding across

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the street. I was going to speak about Central Park later on in the context of something else, but that is is something that is in motion already and will continue to be in motion. So, maybe we can do something with the green team to

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to test them with other things. Um, I don't know. It was not a reflection of the the folks on that we were appointing to open space beautifification. What became apparent to us and my colleagues like to point that out and what became

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apparent to me while it may have been a good idea in in in my head it was not a good idea in in practice. So, we're going to this evening reconstitute that open space committee, appoint members.

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Um, but in your case, it sounds to me like you're more interested in the beautifification side of things and and and certainly Vic is. That's that's been a a pet project. Not that's making light of it. It's not a pet project. A focus

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of of of Committeeman Brelesa. >> So, maybe we can get Committeeman Burlesa, sorry, to get involved with the green team and incorporate some of the ideas that you and and Chief Gallow and and Colette were working on as part of that.

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>> Sure. >> We would we discussed that in exec just now. We were trying to figure out how to to invigorate or reinvigorate that whole beautifification side of things. Vic's done a lot of work. He's he was the driving force behind uh Sterling uh

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train station. Uh Vic, I know some people, but I love the idea of the the what do you call it? The >> the covering on uh BNCG >> uh the box. >> I love it. I mean, so >> field,

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>> right? >> Right. So there there it's not diminishing what beautifification was doing. I I just didn't think they needed to be combined anymore. >> Uh and we do have a green team. In fact, that came from Warren. Warren did it

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first and we follow their lead. >> Um, so I appreciate you coming to the mic. It's not always an easy thing to do. >> Uh, so would you mind me Megan? I think you already have Megan, you already have contact information. Maybe you can

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coordinate. >> And I I forget who's on the green team now. Uh, I think I'm the township leaison. >> I don't know. Fine. We'll work on that. Okay. >> But again, thank you. >> You know how to find me >> and we will.

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>> Thank you so much. >> Good evening. How are you? Um, I wasn't really expecting to comment tonight, but since the the young lady, Michael Pavlo, Chestnut Street in Sterling, her concern about uh grandfathering existing chickens in if there someone has more

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than four. >> I'm more interested in the rooster aspect of it. I can stand here and tell you I do not want any roosters grandfathered in under this new ordinance. It's not fun waking up at 10 after 4 every morning. So, it's I'm not

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a lawyer, but is it treacherous ground to grandfather in hens and then you ban roosters if someone already has a rooster? >> That's why I made it a police power ordinance and not a zoning ordinance. Under a zoning ordinance, you'd have a

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good argument that your grandfather was under a police power ordinance. You're not. >> Okay. So, if someone has a rooster now, >> the rooster can be enforced immediately. Okay. >> And in fact, I think what Jack said, we're going to remain silent for now on the grandfathering of the chicken. So, it's actually a non

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>> it's not it's not written down. >> It's hypothetical at this point. >> Okay. My other question is um we've been patient for almost a year living with this rooster. It's not ours, but it might as well be because we hear it every morning and all day long. Um is

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there what action has to be taken to try and um >> when the code enforcement officer will enforce this new ordinance uh if the person in question does not comply and a summon will be issued and uh the person will be brought to

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>> I mean is it up I'm I'm here by myself but I'm speaking for my own family and all the neighbors around us they're all behind us so >> do we does do we have to approach In fairness to the neighbor, I think he stated publicly and he has conversed

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with matter or something. I mean, he absolutely intends to comply. So, >> he hasn't complied yet. I guess he's waiting for the law. >> Let me say this. Every morning that that rooster crows multiple times, it's a nightmare for everybody in >> it's not once and >> it's not fair.

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>> You find it whimsical at the farm because you hear it you hear it once and you think, "Boy, this is this is great." Believe me, once it starts in the morning, it does not stop for at least an hour. >> And closing the windows doesn't we can't we don't dare even go to the bed with

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the windows open. Jack, if I if I may ask two questions pertaining to these comments. Number one. >> So this does not apply to any farmland in town or a farm. >> Farm cannot state law. There's the right to farm. >> So if you live next to So for instance,

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if you live near a farm, you there would nothing you'd be able to do. So wherever there is farm or farm land doesn't apply. Does this also affect for the chickens? Just so I understand. Does it affect the location of the chicken coops in this ordinance? This has nothing to do with construction.

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>> This ordinance changes the setback requirement request from 40 ft to whatever the setback for accessory buildings is in the >> I appreciate your concern and and uh that's it, I guess. Thank you.

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>> Thank you. Look, I'm not an expert on roosters, but I can tell you the rooster on Hillview Farms crows in the morning couple of times and then I don't know. >> Yeah, he must he must be on social security because our guy's exuberant. >> So, I have a I have a question. So, when

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when is zoning going to go and take care of this issue? >> If we vote on it and it passes, it could be taken care of tomorrow. >> Has to be the attorney will tell you what it takes. >> Thank you. publication. And how long is

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that? >> Tomorrow. >> Oh, he published tomorrow. Okay. >> Okay. >> And again, I want to be fair to the neighbor. I know there's been some concern, but he stated publicly and he has stated to us individually he intends to comply. So, I think he

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>> deserves the opportunity to comply. >> I gather from what you're saying that it's been a all the neighbors are up in arms about this is what you're saying. Well, the ones that I've talked to, >> cuz we'll be out chatting in the evening and the thing will start to crow and everyone's like, "Can you believe this? We've been dealing with this for so

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long." And um I don't want to belver the point, but um our hope was that it would have been gone already and not waiting for a law, but what can you do? Um thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.

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>> Anyone else in the audience? Seeing none, Megan If anybody on Zoom would like to make a public comment regarding agenda items only, please raise your hand now. >> I don't see anyone. Mayor, >> thank you, Megan. >> Okay, I hear you. I hear you. So, it's

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double bite. Okay, let's Item number six, ordinance 592-26, first reading introduction. Ordinance amending and supplementing certain sections of the land use ordinance of the township of Longill 1996 to add or update certain terms and to remove invalid and

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redundant terms. That sounds like Jack. I think this came from the planning board and it's really a cleanup ordinance. All right, it's first reading so I'll ask the town committee. Any questions, comments? Seeing none, looking for a

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motion. Second. >> Committeeman Liberado. >> Yes. >> Committeeman Berlesa. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Dorsy. >> Yes. >> Mayor, >> yes. Ordinance 593-26, first reading, introduction. Ordinance amending land

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use ordinance of the township of Long Hill regarding places of assembly, places of worship, and public and private schools. I have a feeling it's the same response, but Jack, you you are correct, and I think the title is pretty self-explanatory. This also came from the planning board and under the

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procedural we've been following this was on last meeting agenda for discussion prior to introduction questions comments from committee hearing none. I apologize. Did I not You did take a

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vote on the last one. All right. So we have to take a vote now. >> You have to have a motion and a second. Oh, I I I motioned and second it myself. >> You can motion it. >> All right, I motion it. Looking for a second. >> Second. >> Committeeman Liberado.

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>> Yes. >> Committee Verza. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Dorsy. Mayor Bergia. >> Yes. Okay. Ordinance 588-26. This is second reading adoption capital ordinance providing for various improvements in and by the township of Longill in the county of Morris, New

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Jersey, and appropriating 1.4 million approximately. So 1403800 therefore from capital improvement fund of the township. This is definitely Randy. >> Yes. This is our 2026 capital

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improvement uh for various um improvements. It includes um road improvements, uh purchase of equipment, purchase of uh safety uh for for our fire department, uh police, um and improvements to some um infrastructure

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for the town. Okay, since this is second reading, I'm going to open this up to the public for questions or comments. Seeing none, Megan, >> anybody on Zoom would like to make a public comment regarding ordinance

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588-26, please raise your hand now? >> I don't see anyone. Mayor, >> thank you, Megan. I probably should have had the township committee. You have any questions or comments for Randy? >> Seeing none, I'm looking for a motion to approve.

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So move. >> Second. Committeeman Liberado, >> yes. >> Committee, >> yes. Deputy Mayor Dorsey, yes. Mayor Peria, >> yes. Ordinance 589-26, second reading, up for adoption, an ordinance repealing

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resolution 26-025 and ordinance 580-26 and readopting and codifying former section 2-37 of the township code to reestablish the open space advisory committee. So we discussed this in exec

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but now we're going to appoint the names >> consent >> agenda. >> Oh we're going to move oh I apologize. So that will be part of the consent agenda. This is second reading uh and we'll talk about the names in momentarily but I'd like to open the

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meeting for questions or comments on ordinance 589-26. Mayor, it's my understanding the pure committee would like to increase the number of members potential members to 12 but would not require you to 12. >> Okay. And currently it's 10. Correct.

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>> It will all be the residents at large and there are iterations. There's four to six at large and then there's several there's not at least one member of the tent committee but not more than two a member of the environmental commission. >> Gotcha. Okay. Okay. So to do that would

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be by motion since it's an advisory committee I think you could amend tonight and adopt tonight. >> Perfect. So again what we're increasing uh town community members from 10 to 12 uh it's defined certain numbers or or

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you know certain numbers apply to >> the increase will all be in members at large category. >> Yeah that's the one part I did not ask you previously. Okay. So the meeting is open to the public. I didn't >> We need a motion to make that amendment. Second, then open.

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>> All right. So let somebody else. >> So moved. >> Second. >> That could be a voice. >> All in favor? >> I >> I now open to the public. >> Seeing none, Megan, please. >> Anybody on Zoom would like to make a

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public comment regarding ordinance 589-26, please raise your hand now. I don't see anyone mayor. >> Okay. Can I have a motion to adopt 589-26?

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>> Second. >> Committeeman Liberado. >> Yes. >> Committeeman Blesza. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Dorsy. >> Yes. >> Mayor Peria. >> Yes. Ordinance 590-26 second reading adoption amending section 17-17 entitled fees in chapter 17 entitled

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fire prevention of the township code Randy or Jack who wants to take this one this changes from the uh the fire official recommended by the fire official. >> Yes. >> Okay. So I'll open up the meeting to 59

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-26. It is under uh discussion for adoption. Seeing none, Megan, please kindly home. If anybody on Zoom would like to make a public comment regarding ordinance 590-26, please raise your hand now. >> I don't see anyone. Mayor,

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>> so we'll close the meeting uh to the public and I'll look for a motion to approve ordinance 590-26. >> So moved. >> Second. Committ Committeeman Liberado. Yes. >> Committee Verza. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Dorsy. Mayor.

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>> Yes. So, ordinance 591-26, second reading for adoption. This is moving the regulations concerning the keeping of chickens on residential properties from the land use ordinance to the police regulations section of the township code and amending several sections of the township code. Our town

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council kindly pointed out to me we probably should have held off on conversation regarding the chickens till the end, but that's perfectly fine. You're welcome. Again, the meeting is open to the public on this ordinance 591-26. >> Seeing none, Megan, >> I have a Jack, just >> I apologize.

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>> No, no, I have a question. So, right now, it's they're going to be the same setbacks you put a shed on your yard or anything else. >> That's correct. >> Okay, that was my concern. >> Sorry, I should have asked the town. >> Anybody? >> All right, so we're going to close the meeting to the to the public. Oh,

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>> if anybody on Zoom would like to make a public comment regarding ordinance 591-26, please raise your hand now. >> We don't see anyone. Mayor, >> thank you, Megan. So now, can I have a motion to adopt ordinance 591-26? And Jack, I think you've already kindly

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explained it will be published tomorrow if it is approved. >> So moved. >> So moved. Looking for a second. Megan, >> Committeeman Liber. >> Yes. >> Committee Verza. >> Yes.

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>> Deputy Mayor Dorsy. Mayor Burgia. >> Yes. So now item number seven on your agenda. This is the 2026 budget budget budget presentation. Uh Randy, I think this is you. Okay.

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My computer's taking a minute because of all the hard work it's done so far. >> So, mayor, I start off before the budget before the PowerPoint. Um, as the school boards have have told us in the past couple meetings, this has been a very

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difficult budget year. uh especially with areas of just general economic inflation uh but also uh health benefits and insuranceances uh have been very difficult especially health benefits um

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I think our joint insurance fund has done a good job with the other health uh other insuranceances the liability of the workers comp uh they've kept those to reasonable increases and I applaud uh the board uh for doing that Um but uh

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let's go right into the PowerPoint. So how the budget process works um we we start the process um in September October of the of 2025. We look at everything. We look at all the uh uh we have the budget the

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department heads request a budget. Um we review each of the budgets review them with the department heads. uh come up with uh reasonable expectations of what they'd like to accomplish uh in the budget and um and and so forth. They we

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took a we take a look at the tax levy how it compares to to uh last year to 2025 compared to 2026. We look at all the revenues, all the um expenditures

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and we try to come up with a reasonable um financially uh um sound budget uh not only for this year but also keep it in consideration for the following years. We do have a six-year capital budget

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plan in this budget. Um our population is under 10,000. So, by state law, we're only required to have a three-year uh capital budget, but uh we've we've done six years in the past. We like to keep six years so that we have some idea of where we're going with uh with the um

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capital. So, how how we got here, like I said, we started in September uh getting the departments and working with the departments uh on their budgets. in uh January we became we started coming up

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with a preliminary budget. Um in uh earlier uh in April and May we sat down with the finance committee which this year consisted of the mayor and Teresa. Uh we had several

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meetings of of good discussions and and u again not only discussing the current year budget but also discussing what what does next year look like? What does the following year look like? So, you know, you need you need to take a look

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at this because obviously things that you do this year and revenues you may use this year may affect what's available and and um and present issues in the next couple of years. So, how does the uh township, if you

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will, financial report card look? So this year we 2025 we budgeted 17,698 900 u 17,698,981 we collected $18 million$18,900. Uh so we we took a surplus of that. We

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spent 16779 out of 17. So we still had in reserves for appropriations $2.1 million. So the surplus um reserves as you can see have gone down a little bit each year. Uh we are aware of that. Um

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we we made those decisions to help with uh tax increases and deferring tax increases and looking at what's coming u online over the next couple years. Uh the committee felt comfortable in taken this risk to uh try to help the

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taxpayers in a difficult time if you will. Everybody's facing um many increases uh just you know gas alone but also uh inflationary numbers. Um the debt as percentage of assessed value we're allowed up to 3.5%.

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Um last year uh we uh paid down on the debt so it went from 053% so 5 100 of 1% down to 0.083

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uh in I mean it went to yeah the other way it went from 0.083 to 0.053. So um what does that mean? It means we have very little debt. Uh we have no um bond notes or bonds on record where we

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just have deferred charges which we raise in the budget um each year. So Randy, can I add just a little context to this page to to give a perspective on what Randy just discussed? Uh 16 or so years ago, there was $600,000 in

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surplus and our auditor had, you know, advised us at the time, you need to increase that and we slowly steadily increased it up to that high water mark of 3.2 million. Um, so our auditor will

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be comfortable with this, I believe, in this rough area. >> Shake his head. Yes. >> All right. >> And I'm not putting words in your mouth. You could speak uh certainly intelligently on your own. I would also

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point out 16 years ago, I mean, that debt level is effectively zero. I mean, it's there 0.08 whatever. Well, 0.05 now. uh that's effectively uh zero. Uh 16 years ago, the debt for WL Township was $20

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million. So steadily over the course of time uh partially due to sewer sale, but that didn't didn't account for $20 million. Uh the debt was u uh eliminated. So I

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just wanted folks to understand where we were and where we are. >> And and mayor, you make a You ask a valid question. What what is a fair reserve for for um capital surplus I mean surplus in the

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budget um or what they call fund balance there there is no real benchmark. I strongly believe it depends on each town. Um you know you have to know what's going on in each town. You have to know uh for instance you know a big

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thing is pilot programs in various towns. What's new construction? on what are expenses, what are debt services, what are capital improvement needs, and so forth. So many people say, well, what's the benchmark? I I I don't know if if uh a benchmark makes sense to as

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an overall average. Um I think it's individual for each town. Uh we've done very well in the budget since I've been here since 2018. Uh with with, you know, um very very uh mild tax increases. Uh

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I I I think the committee has done a good job with that. Um disclosure revenue. One of the things I want to highlight in here, you know, there's a huge revenue increase with grants that fluctuates depending on how how many grants you get

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each year and and what is being put in the budget. But uh one thing I do want to uh point out state aid if you see that number that is zero zero increase over last year and zero increase over the year before zero. So we've only over

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the last 15 years I think we've increased about $80,000. Okay. So and part of this what what the state refers to as state aid is uh what I refer to as energy receipt tax which

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All of you pay everybody in in the state of New Jersey pays that. And what is that? That's that's part of your utility bills. Um they I don't know if it still says it on on my utility bill, but I remember what used to saying that certain percentage of this bill goes to

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your municipality. Well, years and years ago that was true. Then it went to the state because the utilities didn't want to cut 567 checks every year. So the state said we'll take care of it and we'll take a little bit for our efforts.

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Um right now um you could build more more in the town. Obviously that's more utility uh bills going out. We should be getting more money but we don't. So, um, hopefully, uh, you know, that's a big issue with the state.

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>> Randy, if I, so I'm a member of several committees at the state level regarding this, the energy tax receipts. Uh, that has been a a huge issue for all 564 towns. Uh, it's not a party issue. Uh,

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the budget for, uh, upcoming year is is, uh, due by July 1. uh you know there some meetings we've had at the New Jersey League municipalities and conference of mayors uh and the comments made is this is the

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quietest it has been this close to the budget being announced usually there's some information that gets leaked to the league or to the conference of mayors and uh there's some concern about what's happening u and I wouldn't uh hold out

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much hope that the energy tax receipts uh return to the to the municipalities will increase. We're reasonably confident it will remain uh where it is. Yep. And that's what the state is telling us to use the same number. So um

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two other noticeable that I want to bring up is the library tax uh which is which is um basically designated by the state of New Jersey that has increased 9.4% from last year. our municipal tax levy has

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increased and I do see that I made an error in spelling that um I it increased 5.2%. But I will say with a 5.2% tax increase we are under the state mandated 2% cap

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level for taxation. So the breakdown of other revenue um as you can see there's not not a lot of changes. Um, you know, two areas that that increase is construction code fees. Um, we have gotten a major project that

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came on uh that applied for permits and the sale of municipal assets which is the uh funds from the sale of the uh sewer utility. So where do we stand with the tax levies? So as you can see um the percentages of

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of your tax levy to uh school tax is 43.7. The municipal tax is 24.3. Uh the regional school is 6 18.12 and th those school taxes together is is

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just about uh 60%. Um which is pretty normal in in municipalities. uh usually ranges from like 50 58% to 65% depending on the municipalities. So we're right in line with that. Morris County tax 11.2,

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library tax 1.6 and uh our open space taxes under 1%. Where does the taxes come from? Our property uh assessments are residential residents and the residential properties

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pick up the bulk of the taxes. So they pick up um 88.48% of the of the taxes and as you can see the rest fall in line um to make up the 11.4 that's in being in tax. Uh the next

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slide is the property tax assessments. Uh the assessments increased about 8.9% just under just under 9%. Um, you know, this is just uh because of the uh reassessment and what the market is

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doing uh to our to our area uh with regard to uh property values. As you can see, the residential in Longill is increasing the most and these are based on actual sales that have occurred last

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year through October 1st of 2025. >> So Randy, can I just on the pre could you go back to the previous uh page page eight? So as Randy uh pointed out, the bulk of

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our uh revenue comes from residents. That is a very high percentage relative to our surrounding towns. Towns like Chattam uh Berkeley Heights even more. I think that 30% come from uh commercial. The Cadams are like 2020. Form parks

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even higher. I think it's 40. Uh so that's a challenge for Long Hill. We don't have a lot of ratables in town. Now there is this year as Randy pointed out and next year will be a little bit challenging uh in large part because of uh health co health care costs. But

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there are uh there is construction going on and will go on this year and next year that will act as ratables even though they are uh residential and those are the fair share uh developments that people have seen right next to Anona or right next to the haircut place over

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there and there's several others in town one of which is uh the Tifa property over near the Millington train station. So these will uh actually bring in revenues and and there are studies done regarding uh uh school age children that will come out of these types of

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developments and it's pretty exact. These numbers have been consistent for since CO has been around. Uh so we know it won't present too much of a burden uh on the school system. In fact, uh the the K8 school and the high school came

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in and presented over the last couple of months. Um and they they showed that in enrollment has steadily decreased and I think the high school next year will be 1640 if my memory is correct and when the K8 folks came in it's going to go down from about 870 this year 850 870

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and it'll be 768 next year. So the schools are in a good position to absorb any uh students that come. um from the new development. So those new developments will will act as a uh a ratable

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two slides. So this slide is just showing you tax rates how they have changed from 2021 to 2026. Um a lot of people ask is like yeah well your taxes increase 5.2%. Well what does it mean to me? Okay. So the

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top portion of here uh tells you shows you the tax rates. Each year the tax rate has gone down including this year. Okay. That's because the ratables increase more than than what the uh tax taxes percentage is increasing. The

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bottom portion is what is an average home in the uh township of Long Hill and and what is the impact. So, as I showed you before, the largest increase in in assessments is the residential because of the sales and everything. So, while

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the taxes are going up 5.2%, the average home is increasing uh just under 5.8%. And the last previous years you have there ranging from 1.29 to 2.12 in in any given year. So, um even and in a

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minute we'll show you the appropriations. So, a what I believe is a very difficult budget year. Um while the percentage is higher, um it it's reasonable once you see the expenses. So

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Megan, let's go to budget allocations. So the top number there is huge um 37.4% increase over last year and all of that is basically health benefits. Uh we did

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have some the next increase. I'm I'm eliminating the grants because as I said before the grants will fluctuate tremendously depending on what year you get and grants to let people know offset revenues to expenses. So that's a wash in any any budget. Um the next increases

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are the employer pension costs um largest increase and and overall you can see the other percentages while there's you know some um you know modest increases. Overall, it's it's uh decent

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to help reduce that 37% down to an 8.2% tax increase. I mean, appropriation, I'm sorry. So, here we just take taking the uh 8.2% and spreading it out into what categories

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uh the actual um increases are are going in. So um you know one of the areas the the capital deferred charges reserve actually went down a little bit. Uh the the largest amount is in administration where that insurance is the

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insuranceances fall and the next largest would be human health and human services uh and then with the library and that 8.8%. So, the six-year uh capital fund uh as you can see the

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the 2026 funding plan calls for $1.4 million um plan. Uh future taxations uh over the um course of six years are anticipated at 24 uh 24.5 million.

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Some of that um you know will be a pay as you go uh capital and and some may be debt that may be issued. Um that will be decisions made in the upcoming years for

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a total six-year plan of 25.8 million. That basically wraps up the presentation. Uh mayor um overall I'd like to thank especially the mayor and Teresa for for spending uh um way too

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many Friday afternoons uh talking about budgets. Um and I appreciate I appreciate the uh conversations we had and and uh let's say the um benefit discussions that we we've had.

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>> They were spirited but um as as as it should be with with budgeting and being concerned about uh people's uh personal finances, >> right? We do take that's our main job is providing services

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and we only went back to 21 fs just could not. >> Yeah. One of the big accomplishments in this budget and and I think the committee should take credit for it. You guys made a commitment in uh uh giving

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the police department the the staffing that they need uh and and uh expenses and equipment as outlined in in the report that was given and this budget does that. So kudos for you guys and

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moving forward. Good point. All right. So, at this point, all right. So 26-157 correct me to be read by title at the public hearing. >> Correct.

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>> All right. So what exactly do >> you want to do a second? Right. So I'll move for a motion to >> otherwise I have to sit here and read every single line item of the budget which will take another hour. Well, so we'll do one resolution and then we'll

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do the public hearing for the budget. >> Okay. So 26-157 >> to be approved by by voice or >> no motion. >> All right. So I need a motion. >> So second. >> Committeeman Liberado.

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>> Yes. >> Committeeman Verza. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Dorsy. Yes. Mayor Peria. >> Yes. 26-15. >> So, let's open up the meeting to the public for those that are present in the courtroom for 26-15.

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>> Now, I'm thoroughly confused. Is open to the public, >> correct? >> All right. Here we go. So 2 26-15 adoption of 26 budget for those that are present. Charles Rena with Millington.

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It's my recollection that Warren dealt with their insurance um increases by going outside the state insurer. I'm not sure exactly. There's been some publications so forth. Given

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the fact that we had a 37% increase, have we looked at doing what Warren's doing? And what was the conclusion? >> Well, the answer is yes. The challenge there, correct me if I'm wrong, Randy, if you go outside the state, you're from

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going back into the state for three years. And we did not think that was for a one-year contract. We tried to get a contract multiple years and other towns have done it but I don't think that was the follow to be kicked out of the state

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plan for three years for one year because then you're subject to >> yeah and I'll even add to that uh we yes we have looked outside the state uh we are also looking at uh various um options within the state health benefits

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and sitting down with the unions uh you know, this is this is a uh person personnel concerned with the union agreements uh and talking with them to help offset not only the cost to the taxpayers but their costs also.

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>> Well, I I know some of you have very strong relationships with the committee in Warren and the administrator. So our your difference about the one year, threeyear, was that discussed with them and they came to a different conclusion

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than you did or what? >> Yeah, they came to a different conclusion. I wouldn't have done it. They did it. They were elected by their residents. So >> um has have other towns um done what Warren's done? I mean, of the 576

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or 67, >> well, there's there's a lot of towns that were have never been in the state health benefits program, but there are towns making a lot of adjustments. So, yes, there's towns moving out. Um, you know, I asked uh for a 18-month contract

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uh from from somebody who presented us a deal, and they said they could not do that. Uh so, u it you know, at the time, they said it would save us $300,000. When I ran the numbers, it was actually $200,000.

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Um there we are agreed to >> and we are discuss we have discussed that with the mayor and Teresa. I I've discussed various options um um that unfortunately I I I can't go into detail with because it is uh contract

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negotiations if you will uh but that can provide um good savings to the taxpayers in the upcoming year. And by the way, Chuck, your question is bang on. That is exactly the right question to ask. I'm not trying to sidestep it. That is the right question.

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>> So that doesn't preclude us from going next year out if it jumps to 42 or whatever. >> Yeah. No, not not at all. And and you know when when the mayor said we had a um I don't want to say heated discussions, but we we had a lot of

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intense discussions about that uh within our budget meetings. to your question as towns leave the state think about what that's going to do going forward. We're well aware and we need to be in front of this. We are

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going to look and we're hopeful that whether we can comp I don't think we're going to have a choice next year but to leave because this year next year that's going to push up.

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>> Yeah. >> Your question is exactly right. >> Anyone else? If anybody on Zoom would like to make a public comment regarding the budget, please raise your hand now. I don't see anyone there.

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>> Oh, yeah. Absolutely. >> All right. Uh, we have our auditor present. He's going to come up and hopefully hopefully say well done. >> But honestly, we have not spoken. So, I don't know what you're going to say. I I

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have to tell you, uh, everyone has stolen my thunder. Um, you know, going back to just the comments and the conversation related to the health benefits, um, I see a lot of towns throughout the state. Our memory is a little bit short term on

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this one, but if you look back a couple years, this really wasn't something we ever questioned if you go back six, seven years ago of do we want to be in the state health benefit program or not. It wasn't going up to this extreme. It's only the last couple years. And to your point, there's a lot of variables that

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come into what what kind of a deal you're going to get by going outside of the health benefits program. And I've seen a lot of mixed results in towns. Some of them aren't happy. Uh some of them are very happy. Some of them have seen big increases after what their

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first year contract was. Some of them it hasn't gone up as much. It's on a case- by case basis. The decision that you make is your own. Um Overall, your budget is is solid. Um, thank God that, you know, you're able to

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stay within both of the caps uh to continue to provide the services to your residents that you have, continue to work on your capital items. Um, as Randy said, very difficult year for a lot of towns. And it's the same thing that I hear at every single budget

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meeting. It's health benefits, it's pensions, and just the overall cost of things going up. But, um, with that being said, that's all opinion stuff here. Uh, factually, um, you're below both of your appropriation caps. You have a good solid budget. Uh, Randy had

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sent it to me, uh, April, >> something like that, right? Um, I took a review. I made sure that we had everything, all the eyes were dotted, the te's were crossed, so on and so forth. Um, couple of minor things, sent him back, and we're all good. Um, you

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are fully ready. This is a fully adoptable budget. Um, and like I said, you guys have really stolen a lot of my thunder on a lot of the notes that I have related to capital and paying down the deferred charges. Uh, just another quick note on the deferred charges. Um,

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because I don't know if everyone really understands this, because of the financial uh, position of the township, one of the things that we did with those deferred charges is essentially we're funding it every year in the budget. So, we're really we're financing it through the budget, which we're really saving on the interest cost for that. So, it's

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it's really if if you can do it, it's a great way to do it. You're borrowing from your own money and you're just paying a little bit every year. Um, so that's that's all I've really got for you all. But really great job on the budget. Um, it's obvious that a lot of

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care and thought goes into it. Um, and that's all I have unless anyone has any questions for me. question. >> Is there is there anything that you would say that we could improve upon? >> Um, it's really subjective in that. Um, I

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think that one of the things that I like to see most is consistency >> in budgeting, right? So, the same the same theories year-over-year being applied to the budget. And you're doing that, >> okay? >> Right. We're we're fully funding all of the capital that we're planning on doing

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for this year and putting a little bit aside. great way to go about it, right? We're paying down those deferred charges every year. We're not letting it we're not getting lazy and saying, "Oh, let's cut a little bit out." We're being responsible in that respect. And the most important thing, of course, as you

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all know, is that the second that you start taking away any kind of services to your residents is the second that um it impacts you and the community the most and you've maintained that level of service. So overall, I think again

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really difficult budget year. Um but I really don't see a lot of improvement that you could that you can make. I think it's all just very fiscally responsible. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> I I appreciate you coming and I want to publicly thank you. I want to publicly

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thank Randy. And Randy, we are still talking after those Friday afternoon meetings. >> I was I left where we weren't talking, but I think we're back to talking. Randy actually asked me if I'd like to come to some other Friday meeting. I said absolutely. So, >> so next year we'll have a a another

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party at the uh meeting. >> In the end, for the record, Randy was right in the things he was recommending. You know, as an elected official, you want to get the budget increased down to as low as possible and the history being what 1.7% over 16 years. We just weren't

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able to do it. And and thank you for pointing out there was no way to anticipate what was going to h happen to healthare costs seven years ago. Um it kind of hit a lot of towns and I think that's why a lot of towns we did a survey of towns and most of them are a

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little bit above us. >> Yeah. Yeah. As far as the tax increases. Yeah. >> So but thank you. >> Very welcome. >> Thank you for confirming. We did not discuss so I didn't know what you were going to say. >> Thank you. Have a great night. >> Have a great night. Thank you for coming. >> Thank you.

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>> So now the the meeting was already open and closed to the public. So we just look for a motion. Yep. >> Okay. Looking for a motion to approve. Let's read it though. Can I have a motion to approve resolutions 25-1578? >> Oh, just 158. That is correct. I apologize. So just Can I have a motion

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to approve resolution 26-158? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Committeeman Liber. >> Yes. Committee Verza. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Dorsy. >> Yes. >> Mayor Purgia. >> Yes. All right. So, item number eight on is the consent agenda resolutions.

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Megan, should we hold on to the side for 26-185 that we're appointing and then you'll read the numbers or do you want to do it right now? So, how did you want to proceed? >> So, you're adding resolution. >> Right. So, what we have is 26 for the

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public. We have 26-159 through 26-184, but we're going to add resolution 26-185 appointing the open space members. We'll do that publicly here and increase the size from 10 to 12. >> All right. So then we don't have to do

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it now with just so >> so I'll read them by name and the resolution will reflect and it will be staggered um appointments. So some will have one year term, some will have two, some will >> just to keep get back into the cycle that would have been if I had not

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brought up the correct >> combination of the two committ >> correct. So the regular members of the um open space advisory committee will be Anthony Abate, Steve DeMarco, Fred

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Alanski, Charles Oranowitz, Dennis Sandow, Denise Murphy, the uh environmental commission crossover is Tom Flattley and then we have Frank Liberado and Victor Verlesa as well.

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>> And that will leave room for I think three more. Because we are now 12. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Correct. >> And tax committee terms are >> at the end of the year.

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>> Didn't those are the names we got from people that submitted, >> right? We didn't >> we didn't pick them, but we did, but they're the ones that submitted as >> right. There were there were no applications to be on the open space committee that were not appointed. >> Correct. So, if anybody is out there

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would still like to be on, there are some open open spots. We did that on purpose to to to give room and and and uh sorry for laughing. Um the correct we we left it open and the open

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space committee is going to be tasked and we spoke about it a little bit earlier uh with some serious work this year. Uh we've got across the street we have affordable housing as the Is it coming? And we do have to look at some we don't just buy properties. Uh a lot

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of work is put into that by the open space committee and they they did a lot of work on the property across the street over the years. In fact, that's how I became involved with the council committee to begin with was on the property across the street which is like 73 acres, eight of which is developable

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and what we're going to be looking at with the open space committee and more importantly with the residents. So, anybody who's listening, start those ideas percolating because we need to know what we want to do, what you want to do. Uh, you're paying for it. Uh,

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okay. So, all that said, any resolutions that a committee member would like to pull for further discussion or recuse themselves? Matt, usually from 2616, the liquor license. >> Gotcha.

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Any anybody else? All right. So, looking for a motion to approve 26-159 through 26185 185 is the open space uh appointment the members and with Matt recusing himself from 26-166

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so moved >> second >> committeeman Liber >> yes >> committeeman Verza >> yes >> deputy mayor Dorsy >> yes >> mayorio >> yes >> okay committee reports Frank looks he's

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I'm ready. >> Then I'll let you go. I don't want to steal your thug beer if you want to. Right. >> No, no, you can go. You can go. >> So, I'll start with a report uh which I haven't done uh yet so far. I wanted to give everyone an update on what the fire company's been up to training wise. Uh

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this past spring, both Milink and Sterling have done numerous uh training together with uh instructors uh going over electric vehicle car fires and properly being prepared for that and using equipment we have for it. Also, fire dynamics. It's an excellent

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refresher for us understanding fire movement, smoke movement, protection of firefighters, uh how to stay alive uh in there and also um how to protect and uh rescue. In addition, we did some training with the VA uh hospital uh fire

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department, which was very helpful. We did forceful entry with them. And then uh we had a two-part uh training session with New Jersey Transit because we have three stations in town and we have an electric rail line uh the responding to an emergency on the rails with the

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assistance of transit. Uh we would be obviously the first responders there. Uh with the amount of electricity that's involved, there's a lot of safety uh that the first responders need to know so we can stay safe, so we can help those in need. So New Jersey Transit

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came out. They work both fire companies. They did a lecture in the field uh at fire company and then we did hands-on actually at the Gladstone yard uh getting on all the different cars, understanding the electrical system and learning about all the hazards, things

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you don't even think about. And it was excellent course taught by New Jersey Transit and we really appreciate their time. We also did some commercial emergency vehicle training recently and with the amount of homes and businesses with solar panels, we've also taken

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additional training on dealing with solar panel fires. So that's for the fire department. Uh next item is HPAC. Uh had a meeting on um June 2nd which I attended. Uh they're def they're working on a uh recognition plaque for an

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existing home in town. They just got an application for a new homeowner who just bought a home up on Elm Street. And that home dates back to when the silk factories were here in the 1800s. So, they do a lot of uh interesting historical stuff and if anyone's ever interested, meetings are open to the

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public. The next meeting uh is, I believe, scheduled for July 15th and that'll be posted on the website. And the last uh report just wanted to give them an update on the new um exploratory committee that was set up uh for the new

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police station um which both committee Morsey and I are on along with Randy and members of the police department. It's an exploratory committee that's engaged in engineer to do an assessment and that's the earliest stage. They really kind of they come in, they evaluate the

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existing building, what the police department currently has, what future needs may be required, and they do a tabulation, they put basically report together, and based on that, they come up with square footage, what would be needed for a new building if it were to

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be built. And uh basically, we've been meeting every Tuesday for a couple of months. There's a little gap right now. uh they're working on uh some early drafts on different options of what could be built based on their assessment

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but we are in the early stages but it is it is in process and I'm very happy to see it moving along and I think you know uh it will take time but I think we will definitely get there >> and to add to that though there will be presentations

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>> oh yes to the public here at this level of course That's great. >> That That was my last report. >> I'll try to do more next time. >> I appreciate that. So, Vic, all of a sudden, you have a tough act to follow. So, I don't know. That was Let's see.

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>> And I didn't have the I didn't have a teleprompter either. >> No, you didn't have it written out for you either. >> That was off the cuff. Very well done. >> Are we ready? All right. Our wreck update is as follows. On Friday, June 5th, we welcomed almost 200 kids, grade

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five through seven, for our Spring Lake dance at Sterling Lake. The kids had a blast. Construction on the basketball court and tennis courts at Caner Park resumed on Monday, June 15th. The weather has been perfect so far. As long as this stretch

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of good weather stays with us, we anticipate the first part of the project will finish next week. Then there is a month or so of curing that needs to take place. We hope to be back on the courts at the beginning of August. Please use extra caution while in the parks and

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stay clear of all the construction equipment. Thank you for your patience and cooperation during this time. And yes, it is our plan to repair the walking pathways as soon as we are done with the construction. Our dog days of summer concert series

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kicks off this Thursday, June 18th, with a crowd favorite, Parrot Beach. Come join us at Sterling Lake as we welcome back the sounds of Jimmy Buffett with this tribute band. Bring a beach chair and relax. fun for the whole family. Due

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to limited parking, car pooling and walking are encouraged. Please note there is no swimming during the concert. Then make sure to mark your calendar for the next eight Thursday evenings. And

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join us as our free concerts continue at Caner Park. Don't forget the screen truck will have ice cream for sale from 7:30 to 8:30 at all concerts. It's a great way to beat the heat and chill. All concerts are Thursday nights

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beginning at 700 p.m. Summer camps are starting. Our summer rec camp for children grades K through eight starts on Monday, June 22nd. Our prek camp for children's ages three through five starts on Monday, June

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29th. There are still spots available in our prek camp. We are also excited to start camp and welcome our campers. We have lots of fun planned. Please check out our summer camps page on our website

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for lots of information. Join us on Wednesdays at Sterling Lake starting June 24th. Town librarian Albi Ashbrook will lead books. I'm sorry. Will read books and do a craft with

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everyone while the sun is shining. Open to all residents and it is free. No registration is necessary. You may notice an extra set of footprints, actually paw prints, leading into the parks and recreation office.

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Stop by and meet Nacho, who is training right now to work in the parks. He would love to meet you. Want to have some fun with us in parks and recreation? Come join the parks and recreation advisory committee. Please

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visit our website for more information. And last but not least, don't forget to show your park some love and keep garbage in its place. And that concludes my recreation update. Thank you. >> Has Oscar the Grouch retired?

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>> No reference to Oscar the Grouch. >> So, we have a new one. I like the new >> Thank you. >> Thank you, >> Matt. Oh, first from the health committee. It's important. They're doing a free skin cancer screening. It's over

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at Fellowship V Fellowship Village Wellness Center July 15th and 16th. Um the screening includes a full body check for early detection of skin skin cancer including melanova. All confidential exams. They're by board certified

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dermatologist for adults 18 and over. um and you never you can't have previously attended a burn of skin cancer screening in the past or be under the care of an active dermat active care of a dermatologist, please call Tara or uh

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Jackie over at the Bernard's Board of Health to register, but it's free for basically 18 and up. It's a very good program. Who else do we have? Anything? >> Excellent. And don't forget to recycle. Al, how we doing with the uh mattresses? Anybody yet?

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Six mattresses so far. It's pretty good. So, we haven't really advertised, but six people with mattress um recycling. And don't forget, we have the styrofoam, which actually was overfilling this week, which is great. Uh cans, light bulbs, batteries, uh cooking oil, and grease. We got everything down there.

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So, please come down and let's get more programs. You have any ideas, please contact one of us or Al Galla. Thank you. >> Not not lithium batteries, though, right? >> Yes. car batteries, but batteries including remote controls. >> Oh, really? Oh, yeah. >> Super nuts on the battery side.

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>> Yeah, got that. They got that back started. >> Well done. >> I mean, Al and Matt have worked on this for a number of years. So, kudos to you. Kudos to the DPW team. So, thank you. Uh, there's a couple items, I think, on discussion. So, we we'll hold off on

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data centers. I don't want to steal Ry's thunder. Just Myersville Road. I received a number of I live in Marsville, so a number of folks have uh felt u to reach out. I have to give NJ American Water or their contractor credit because the reason why you don't

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pave a road immediately and obviously Al knows this better than I do is it'll sink. >> And yet that road is reasonably drivable. It's not great, but it's reasonably drivable. And I couldn't figure out why. The reason why is they come back every couple of days and refill it. As it sinks, they refill it.

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And then maybe maybe you have a a timeline. You have a timeline, I assume, on Hickory to Chattam. Uh I know you don't have Longill Road West from Milesville Road and Long Hill to Basking Ridge because that's county, but you stay in touch with them. I just wanted

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to go over that. Uh cell towers are not on discussion and I won't go too far other than to say there is a active application, a live application front of the board of adjustment. So there's a limit to what we can say. I think we've already announced that we gone out to bid

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thinking maybe it would be in a more appropriate spot over near Millington train station. We did not receive any bids. So that application remains live which means we're not going to talk about small cell uh uh uh possibility uh as that application proceeds. Whatever

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happens there happens there. Uh the board of adjustment as Jack has pointed out in the past is a quasi judicial body. We have no say in that application. We do not discuss it with the board of adjustment. Um and we certainly don't discuss it with Verizon

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and blah blah blah the engagement committee. I was going to talk about it under u digital engagement under uh old new business but I think the committees will have some conversations here. Uh I'm looking

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forward for that group to to come back to us with with some recommendations uh as to better uh you know interact with the public as the auditor. We've done a very very good job uh regarding uh spending your money. It's your money and

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providing the services that go along with it. I don't know if we do a great job probably conversing with the public and I would probably ask Frank and Teresa who's not here this evening. You have new eyes, fresh eyes. >> Yes. >> So maybe the two of you can work. We

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have some ideas on um you know uh like you and I had talked about some implementing um you know uh it'll take a little bit of time some customer service ideas because you know it's it's one of the things you know when you're either in business or they even teach you actually the first day at fire school

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it's it's actually something that uh director quer said at the county is you know whether you're a firefighter or anyone who's in public service um you're in the customer service business whether you realize it or not. So, you know, as a firefighter, obviously you're there to

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help people and it's, you know, could be on their worst day or could just be, you know, something as simple as an alarm. But even here at Town Hall and all of our employees, they're all in customer service, too. And the residents are the customers. So, whatever we can do to

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improve our customer service relations with everyone and make your experience better, whether it's, you know, uh, getting a dog license or coming to the construction department or coming to town hall, anything that we can do to improve that and improve communication.

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And it's even the same thing for us like we were talking about maybe even you know you were talking maybe doing office hours or something or I might even consider doing it or you know opening up to the public and stuff like that. >> And Jack unless there's an issue with this what Frank and I have discussed is

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not just the mayor because we're all kind of equals up here. So the mayor would have a Friday or a day whatever day that might be and then Vic might have one and Frank might have one and >> we'll just use your office. Absolutely. >> You know, we'll hang a little sign in

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there. We're in for an hour or two hours, whatever it is. And this way, especially for people who may not want to come and speak at the podium. It is intimidating at times. They just want to pop in and they have a concern because it's not necessarily looking on social media to find what people are talking

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about. Sometimes people want to talk to you oneon- one. And hopefully, you know what, you might sit there and be there for an hour and nobody comes by because there's really nothing pressing. It might be that one resident you can help that might not want to come here. And I think if we, you know, extend that out,

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I think it would only reap benefits. >> And I don't think we have to. I mean, we could start at a >> meeting. I don't know what the committee looks at a Friday, a Monday, whatever. I >> dor we'll discuss it. We'll come up with something. We have times. Not something we have to do tonight, but I think over

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the summer we could collaborate. And, you know, Teresa, you know, definitely is on board with that also. when we talked about, you know, doing stuff to engage the public. So, we have updates coming in the future. >> I appreciate that. And so,

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I'm good. And without further ado, Randy. >> Okay. So, I have a report for the month of May. Um, let's get right into uh the most important things, engineering projects. Long Hill Road phase one has been substantially completed with punch

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line list items if any to be addressed. Uh Chestnut Street, same thing. Um New Jersey American Water continues to do sewer work throughout the township. Um they are off Myersville substant is substantially done with that. Uh they

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will be coming back at at some time to pave. Um people say six months. Um I don't know if that's a really standard time. They are uh like you said they are making weekly improvements to the to the uh sinking trench which um obviously is

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better than just waiting until 6 months and then coming back and finishing it. >> So I misspoke. I said six weeks. >> So but but typically like the county uh the county actually has a policy six months after they do the work that they expect the uh to let it settle and and

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do work long phase two. The next big question, contractor is projected to be out there the week of July 4th, so uh June 29th, uh with of course this is weather permitting, uh

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with milling the first day and paving the next two days and after the holiday, they'll uh finish the striping and curving. Um he believes that uh they can get that done in that in that time frame. Um Vic uh talked about the tennis court and

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basketball court. Um they are actively doing work. Uh they were not out there today, but they'll be back tomorrow. Uh with the again the substantial work being completed next week. Um it is an

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active park. So uh the contractors are uh being very safe uh safety oriented, but we ask the public to be please be patient. These are projects that um are long overdue. We we really need to get it done. Um it it looks a mess right

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now, but the final project will be topnotch and and uh like Vic said, yes, we are aware of the pathways. In fact, we already have money appropriate for that um in 2025 and we decided to hold off because of this project. Um, so if

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you've been out in the park uh and see uh one section of pathway, you'll you'll be very appreciative that we held off and not not let the phantom trucks run over the new pavement. So, um you know that will um and again uh like Vic said

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in beginning of August, second week of August, they'll be coming back to um do the color coding on the tennis courts and the uh basketball courts and um should have everything completed by August and the park will look have a

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nice uh update and refresher. Um zoning, we have two new applications that were submitted, bringing a total of uh 10 applications that are before the boards right now. Six zoning permits were issued. Uh clerk's office, we had 19 dog license issues and and that's the due to

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the work of the township clerk's office sending out reminder notices and uh in some cases summones to uh get that get people to come and pay their license. They issued 533 daily parking permits and 109 other registration license

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requests. Uh fire prevention. Uh they continue doing food truck uh approvals. They're busy with home sale inspections. They've had 17 fire incidents whereby nine investigations were completed. Um, just want to do a shout out to our fire

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marshal, Don Huber, who was awarded a 35 year service award for from the International Association of Arson Investigators. So, congratulations, Don Huber. Uh, code enforcement. Um, he handled 48

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complaints, came through the office. All 48 complaints were investigated and followed up on. uh whether they needed to be uh continued summones or um they complied. 10 uh temporary sign permits

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were issued. U he gave out 20 recycling warning tags. Um and that's important because the the county uh recycling does not will not pick up recycling if it's not correctly um coordinated. So please

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people, you know, make sure you're you're coordinating your recycling. Um there's an extensive uh on our website there's extensive instructions um and again like uh Deputy Mayor Dorsy said there's

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anything you can imagine recycling public works sneakers tennis balls uh those you know those items. Um so we we do a very a lot of expenses and and we even do food waste which a lot of municipalities do not do. So if you want to get rid of your food waste uh I know

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we have people come there every day to get rid of their food waste. So, uh kudos to those people, but um it's there. And three temporary signs were issued. Uh in finance in in May, we collected uh two in for 2025 taxes, we

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collected 61,731. Um we had our tax sale for delinquent 2025 and prior. Uh all the leans uh we had three leans, three properties. All leans were sold to outside investors. Um

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so we we collect we were made whole um for the for 2025 2026 taxes collected were 8,297646. Other revenue collected was 295,172. Parking utility we collected 4,902.

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Total dispersements in local school tax was 1,594553. Regional school tax 637,868. Other dispersements were 2 million 2726 384. Parking utility had uh just under $200.

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Um with recreation, we talked about the um the park improvements which are going uh very well. Um if anybody has any concerns or anything with that, just please let me know. Uh but we do have

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inspectors out there on a daily basis when they are working. Uh we also uh recreation and our recreation director and our community services director work together with a concern of of um the seniors citizen group had of uh

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providing transportation to get to the park for the um concerts in the park. Um, you know, in the past, uh, um, our recreation director would help people, uh, you know, if they, if they need help and and ask, they would certainly help

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people get over to the park. But this parking lot out to the park can be challenging for, uh, not only senior citizens uh, with with some disabilities, but also other people with disabilities. So, we are implementing um a system where we will allow people to

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park at the senior center, which is just down the road, and we'll have a we we will have them bust from the senior center to the soccer field and u and back to there. So, if you need assistance with the summer concerts, uh

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please contact the community services uh office, um Shane Daily, and she will arrange those arrangements. Uh, last but not least, uh, municipal court and, uh, we always we always appreciate this. We collected

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13,625 and our portion was 4,900. So, I I don't know what to tell you. Uh, there were 89 tickets issued and 19 criminal complaints. >> Matt's very familiar with that. The state has their hand in that pocket.

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>> Yeah. And um with with the police, we have calls for service for the month of May, 2570, making a total for the first five months, 13,338.

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Um wow, there's there was uh about 18 motor vehicle accidents during the month of May and two with um injury and one

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actually resulted in a um charge for DWI and alcohol influence. Um there was multiple training done during the uh month of May. Uh we um are constantly training uh people don't know

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um maybe the committee is not aware of it but with the new police licensing that was issued by the state there are continuing education that is constant and and uh it is the responsibility of the chief of police to make sure that everybody gets that training and renew

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their their licenses. So so she takes care of that on a on a regular basis. they uh the police on May 7th who represented the police department at career day at county at the county college Morris and u they had a great

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day and a great uh great time doing that. So um that's wraps. So, great. >> I know I know I spoke way too much tonight. >> And again, I want to thank Chief Gallow and Matt Dorsy regarding the uh and and

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and obviously the DPW team regarding the recycling. We may be we're certainly amongst the best in the state. So, and that's a lot of work. So, thank you. I want to thank uh Chief Jim Relo for what you just described. Uh that department

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is topnotch. The team uh uh is topnotch. So, a big shout out to them. Matt, can I ask you a favor? Can you do uh the trash can ordinance? I have to run for just two seconds. I'll be back out. Just start just start the conversation up here and I'll be right back.

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>> Or you want Why don't you start with the amending and I'll probably be back before you get >> good here. This one. There you go. I apologize. >> Yeah, you can. >> Okay. So first thing is discussion on topic amending section 7-20

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uh about vehicles over designated weight. Is that what you want to talk about? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Excluded from certain streets of Long Hill Road. A portion of Long Hill Road. Jack. >> Yes. This came from the police department. Okay. Uh because there's been an issue with large commercial

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vehicles becoming disabled while attempting the right turn from northbound Mountain onto eastbound Longill. Uh, and what this does was it prohibits vehicles over 10 tons on Longill Road east of Mountain Avenue to

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the township of Chattam Township. >> Oh, I Yeah, they were talking about the uh traffic advisor came here for a couple months. Yes, >> Lieutenant Sutton. That's one of his recommendations. I remember a truck got stuck up there. I know Frank was on the fire department. I know I was when the bus got some of the bus that wasn't an

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oversized truck, but it's a tight turn. Well, you saw an 18heer where the underc carriage, the landing legs got caught on the hill there. But I guess Jack, my question to you is when you restricted to 10 tons, 20,000 lbs, you can still be pulling a trailer behind that and you

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know, and you get trailer scrapes on that hill where they just paved coming around. So, is it you restricting trailers too or just the gross vehicle weight of the truck? >> It would be trailers too. >> Okay. >> Now, now keep in mind any those

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restrictions if you're doing delivery to that road, >> right? Like so a landscaper >> landscaper can still do their job delivery. >> So it's mostly people passing through is what we're trying to stop. >> And and to emphasize what deputy mayor said, uh this was discussed at the tax committee and we do have the county

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representation at the T committee and they did agree uh that this was this was a good call to do a wait on that road. >> Yeah. And we're just following our process of discussing at one meeting, the meeting prior to introduction. >> That makes sense. >> So I guess that'll be introduced. Do

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anything next. >> Next meeting. Okay. >> Next is the infamous trash can ordinance uh with possible introduction. I believe there's copies of it here. Um Mr. Already commented on I think I know where I stand on it. Um is there

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anything we discuss? Maybe Frank, Vic, anything you guys want to say before I mean I mean we're just doing this because we got one particular situation and it's >> well you know situation growing you know unfortunately

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I got a complaint today about somebody else in a different area town that leaves the garbage cans out at the street all you all week long. Um, look, I it's um I know in my town because we have to get our own garbage companies, there was no there's no way anybody can

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enforce that in Hillsboro because everybody has different days and everything else that the town would not know what day you get picked up. Um, you know, this this was brought forward because uh when when our uh code enforcement officer went out to talk to

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the person um they they were less than cooperative and there was no ordinance that the code enforcement could enforce against the person. So, he actually brought the guy's garbage can back up to the house, but you know, obviously you can't do

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that every week. So, uh that's why this was brought forward to the committee. Um I'm, you know, I'm not saying we should definitely have it or we shouldn't have it, but uh this is where you guys make the big bucks and you guys discuss it. So,

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look, I'm really troubled about legislating decency. >> I mean, because we're not an HOA. >> Well said. >> I don't know how else to >> And Matt, I think I know where you standing. By the way, why don't you speak because I think >> Yeah. Again, I don't want to create an

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ordinance for just one or two people. As I suggested, the neighbors can police themselves, and they probably should. Wink wink. But that's that's between them. >> But I I can't just This is going to create too many problems. a slippery slope. >> So if someone refuses to take their garbage cans in,

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>> there's nothing. >> So So we should just let that go and say it's okay. Just leave it there. There's no way to reinforce it. >> Disappear. What are you going to do? >> Or if it's left in the street, then they could get a probably summons from the police obstru,

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>> right? Because Title 39 kicks in if you're in the road. >> The flip side is I don't think the police department No, no, but yeah. Yeah, exactly. So, we're we're spending a lot of energy on >> one person. >> One person. >> All right. I think Frank, if I'm reading

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your body language correctly, you don't want to legislate for uh to to for common decency. Matt, I think >> I have to agree with I'm torn. I don't know what Teresa is saying. We could certainly wait for

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Teresa to come back. Um Has it resolved itself on any level? >> Not that one property. >> Not that one property. >> Mark just got um we just got another complaint unfortunately with today about a different property. Look, Mark will

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always go out if somebody complains, Mark will go out discussions with >> most of the time he can make the argument of he just do it because it's a decent thing to do. So most of the time people are reasonable.

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>> I'll say that. >> And maybe the second complaint you have a more reasonable person on the other end of it. So who knows? >> Well, one thing's for sure. Even if Vic and I said, "Oh, let's pass the ordinance." It or, you know, propose the ordinance, it's still only going to be two tonight anyway, >> right? >> Uh and and and I'm telling you, it

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depends on my mood. I I don't want to pass an ordinance for one person. We have 3,000 uh resides, a little bit less residential properties in this town. And we're publicly admitting we're going to pass it because of one property

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>> and it's illogical. So >> I don't think we're going to get anywhere tonight anyway. >> Well, it's only on discussion tonight, >> right? If you I just want to take your temperature. If you where would you think you would come out. I'm for it.

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You're for it. I I I'm troubled by it. And the more I thought about it after Matt spoke at the last meeting, I I just don't want to pass one home with 2,800 properties. I don't know what

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the resolution is, but uh you know, the street is public property. I just don't understand how somebody can leave it there. I mean legally I don't know how you >> as said

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>> well uh we'll we'll carry the discussion you know to to the next meeting meeting but I think I'm going to publicly say I'm I'm leaning against it. I just it doesn't sit well with me. >> I I don't know what the resolution is though.

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>> Uh all right. So and you already did the other one. So we're up to data centers, right? And so if I could just you know mention what where I'm coming from and as I know I would normally open it up to the others first. U and after speaking with Jack and a few members of the

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planning board and typically we would send something like this to the planning board. >> That's correct. Yeah, almost universally >> and and and I know that the uh the planning board has a u uh subcommittee an ordinance review

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subcommittee and the members of that and they're very good. Uh you have former uh planning board chair David Hans, you have Bob Lavario, you have Tom Jones, uh the current chair, uh you have Scott Lavender, and you have the professionals

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uh uh planning and zoning administrator Dev Coun uh and the planner and the planning and and the and the attorney. They're more versed in this than we are. They they they wrote the ordinances that are in place uh that it appears to

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already preclude a data center. But I I don't want to speak too far. I want them to review it and probably put a timeline on it. I I think we would like a response from them maybe by what are we uh June July. >> How about the middle of August? >> One meeting.

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>> We only have one meeting in July and August. >> They only have one meeting. I know we do. The one is planning for have their meeting. >> How about the How about give them until the the first meeting in September? >> Yeah. Not too long. >> Not too long. >> Too long. >> Middle of August.

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>> Middle of August. I think enough unless they're not having meetings. I'm cool with that. >> Do they have no meetings on the >> They've already They've already been discussing it. >> Okay. >> So, I think follow the proper channels and let them get back to us and then >> which in fairness we probably should have done right from the getgo uh with

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something. >> Okay. You're going right channels now. So, is everybody okay with that? >> Yes. So, basically, just to sum up for everybody listening to that, >> we're sending the issue of the AI data center to the planning board to weigh in on, get back to us by August, and then

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we'll obviously discuss it in public. >> Yeah, >> that is correct. >> Okay. All right. >> That's the right procedure. Just for clarification, you're asking their opinion on whether they should be banned, whether >> actually well I think it needs to be in

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the context of current ordinances, how would they apply, >> right? >> And what would they recommend? >> Is it already prohibited? I think is is probably likely. >> But if a new ordinance is is needed, you're asking them to draft an ordinance for your consideration. Is that correct?

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>> Sounds right. >> I mean, you know, having conversations and and you know full disclosure the League of Municipalities so we had a board meeting the other day one of the topics that was discussed in fact was data centers and the expert there he's a member he's the mayor of Mount Arlington

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but he's an expert in data centers uh he in fact was Governor Cheryl's expert when she had a press conference a couple of weeks back he spoke there as well and it it depends it depends on the town I know Frank you're very familiar with Kennaw they're putting one in there

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But there's a difference between a large town with a lot of open space >> and an industrial town that has the facilities and has the support and the space. >> So our job as elected officials is how does Longill address this issue? We're

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not going to speak for Worth Hillsboro. That's your town, right? Hillsboro. I don't know what they're doing there, but there was a time where you had a lot of open space, >> increase the taxes and buy it up property. So I am curious what they have to say

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and you know and if they may come back and say we need to have an ordinance professional. >> So we good with that? I'm fine. >> Yes, I'm fine with >> it. As long as we long as we get some by August, I'm fine. >> Okay. All new business. I think we

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discussed >> everything. Did I anybody have any old new? >> We we covered a bunch we were going to cover >> uh earlier. So, announcements. Megan, I didn't you give me an announcement. I don't have any announcements. >> And Matt,

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>> the blood frog was yesterday. So, Matt, >> saw the sign. I have an announcement though. >> This is a first. >> Oh, what? >> No announcements. >> I got an announcement. >> Oh, great. You have announcement. >> Go ahead. >> Oh, happy Pride Month to all our family, friends, and neighbors. So, happy uh Pride Month. Have this great, healthy,

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and happy June. >> Mandy, was that your announcement, too, >> Frank? good right now. >> I know you we already went over to concerts. Concerts coming up. By the way, those concerts those concerts are funded uh by a gift that keeps on giving

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uh the field the rentals that come from the concert. So, they're they're free. That's why they're free. >> Use congratulations Scotland. One of the first wins of the World Cup ever. and taking over Fenway Park.

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>> That was It was up in Boston, right? >> Yes, >> they took over Fenway Park. >> They took over Fenway Park. Everybody had a grand old time up in Boston, I hear. >> And Boston ran out of beer. >> And they ran out of beer, which I'm not. >> I was not going to say that, >> but that was in fact widely reported.

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>> The Scottish apparently like beer, huh? Who knew? >> They like scotch and beer. They they do that, I will say. >> All right. Item number 14. The meeting is open to the public. Remark, statements pertaining to any matter. Comments, remarks, if you could limit it to three minutes, but we're not too strict as long as

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uh there's it's justified. >> Good evening. I know we know each other, but if you could >> Good evening. Yes. Sir Derso, 23 Windingway in Sterling. Um unfortunately, I missed the first half

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of the meeting. Um I'm a contractor. I work 13 14 hour days and I'm actually legally parked in the township unlike the four or five spots that I will drive by on my way to winding this evening when I go home. Um I understand that the

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ordinance was passed today for the chickens. I could someone just quickly give me a a overview of it. >> You can you can keep your chickens. Rooster has to go and then the sideyard setback is going to be the same as it is for sheds and everything.

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That's >> perfect. Okay. So, this all started back in February, as I mentioned. I got a letter from uh Mark asking about a zoning permit. So, this all started with a zoning permit and which I'm still

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working on and going through the uh process of getting the survey. >> Might not. No, there's a money for $100. Yeah. So, with that said, um I don't know those who are familiar with uh Millington Heights where I live. They're

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all acre properties. Okay. My neighbor to the left, not the one that's adjacent behind me and not the one to the right, made a complaint across Chestnut Street. Okay. And over one. Plus, wonderful job paving Chestnut, by the way. What was

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that? 40T. So, I'm like nowhere near this complaint and I I I got this issue with the zoning permit which I'm going through. Okay. And now we pass an ordinance. I know some have had conversations with Mark asking about if

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this was an isolated incident throughout the township, which it was. He openly admitted this is an isolated incident. Okay. There's not. What was there? 2,300. You said residents. >> 28. I think it's 2800 2,800 properties.

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>> Residential. Residential >> properties. >> How many emails did you get, Mayor, >> regarding roosters? >> Yeah. >> One. One. One. Right. One. Okay. Did we just not have a conver? You got to listen to yourselves talk here. You just

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said that you didn't want to pass a garbage ordinance for one person, one squeaky wheel. That an email and what did you do now? You passed an ordinance because I got a complaint

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about a setback. Does that make sense to you? >> Well, the setback we addressed, I think, to accommodate. >> But that's how this all started and it snowballed. Okay. >> I got to ask you a question. Do you think that it's fair to your neighbors that you have a rooster?

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>> Do I think it's fair? I I'm I'm operating in the guidelines that were given by the township. >> So when you hear that when you hear that rooster crowing early in the morning and every one of your neighbors hear it, you think that's pleasant? You think they enjoy it?

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>> You're you're defending your position on having a rooster that wakes up your whole neighborhood, >> which I rehomed. And if I had the conversation as an adult, okay, no one could have come to me as an adult, not the self-appointed mayor of Millington

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Heights speaking on behalf of the neighborhood on Chestnut and Winding Way. Okay, >> but let me You didn't notice it. You didn't notice that. >> I don't HEAR IT. THE DOORS I DON'T hear it. I don't hear it. And there's another rooster that is closer to the complaint.

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But now that you know that everybody else hears it in the neighborhood, >> you say everybody else, the one person that sent an email, Vic, >> no, there's Listen, I've I don't want to listen, you're a good guy. I don't mean to be confrontational

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and argumented, but I experienced this myself in life where someone had a rooster >> crowing all the time when I was in Georgia going to chiropractic college. It was so it it it crucified the quality of life in our neighborhood. You It would crow

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at all times. It would wake you up. >> How big were those lots, Vic? I don't live on a postage stamp. >> I don't live on a postage stamp. >> This This rooster was >> where it was like over like a like it's hard to describe, but it was like a few acres away.

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>> Few acres away. >> That's the truth. And it was so loud you even if you closed your window, you still heard it. It was a real disruptive disruptor. And when you were trying to study, >> I think that Mr. Pablo decides to have his windows open in the middle of winter

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when the complaint came through January and February. That's when the complaint came in. And again, one gentleman, one person, you refuse to pass an ordinance or discuss it even on a garbage because it's on an HOA. >> So, let me ask you this question. >> Rewind it. Rewind it. Since you say you

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don't hear it, stand out of your outside of your home one day and listen to it for yourself. >> You mean nature >> and >> nature? The birds. You know what I do here? >> The rooster. Listen to that. >> Listen, listen to that rooster and tell me what you think because I'm going to

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tell you, I guarantee you're going to say that is loud. That is disruptive and my neighbors don't like it. >> You know what the the difference is? I grew up in Morris County in Myersville. I'm a you you guys forgot what this township looked like 50 years ago

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because you weren't here. There's a couple up there that were here. >> That makes it okay then. I guess >> that's the roots. This was a farming and a community. Okay. And at the same time, I have one soul

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that is complaining. Okay. Maybe there was someone else. Maybe there's someone else. Well, they're not here. But I can just shoot an email. You know what bothers me and my my my kids is the incessant barking in the neighborhood. >> I'm not gonna argue with that either.

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>> Is there is there a >> I wouldn't argue that either to be honest with you. >> Is there an ordinance on that? I don't think I took the time I took the time this afternoon to look at it. There is. >> There is an ordinance on bar. >> Yes, there is. >> So who do I should I send an email to guy

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>> and maybe he'll he'll handle it? Maybe you'll handle it, guy, for me. Or is there an ordinance about having a dog on private property? Because just this week, I have a couple neighbors that decide to use my beautiful lawn that I take care of and I curate and I

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irrigate, spend a lot of money on chemicals that decides just to defecate on my lawn. Maybe as a FU because I have a rooster. I don't know. But there's an ordinance there, too. I appreciate that, you know. the thought that you gave to

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the garbage ordinance, but this one person, we're gonna we're gonna blanket it. >> It is true though, Jack, and you correct me if I'm wrong. It's not uncommon. Towns do have ordinances. >> Oh, the same towns that Mr. Pavlo mentioned at Berkeley Heights, which

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were nothing like, >> fair enough. Basking Ridge, which were nothing like Bedminster, like we're nothing like Burnsville. These are all the towns that he said that we're like. Do have you been down to their downtowns? Have you been down Main Street or down Valley Road? Looks

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nothing like Burnsville. Looks nothing like Ridge. You know, I I mean, I'm killing you guys up here. Absolutely killing you guys. Now, I know I remember Randy remembered a dead wrong. I think that is mad

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inconsiderate of you to to bestow a rooster upon your neighborhood with that loud noise. I think that's awful of you. Totally. Maybe you SHOULD TALK TO MARK ANDRE, one of your employees that said I was on the right because there is no ordinance,

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>> male, female. >> But shouldn't you have noticed that it was loud, obnoxiously loud? >> And I apologize about your I mean come on. I would point out >> it's brutal if you do to your neighbors >> and you doesn't SEEM LIKE YOU CARE.

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THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE AN ORDINANCE. >> There was one on the books, Vic. There was one on the books. >> Just one thing. So there is an ordinance uh what is it? 5-1.6 nuisances >> which is 1967 nearly 60 years old. >> So at least no person shall keep within

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the township any dog causing a nuisance or disturbing the peace or quiet of the neighborhood unnecessarily. So, who should I call? >> And how do you define that? >> And I agree with you on the whatever >> barking for should I call Alexis? Am I one of my classmates that I went to school with?

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Should I call them? >> Maybe should the chief of police maybe I'll handle I don't think this is I mean you guys it's it's ridiculous. >> Look, I I I hear you. U >> but I appreciate you passing the one the ordinance for the one person, but the garbage can guy, he he he beat you. He beat you.

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>> I mean, he crushed you. >> I want to pass it for the garbage can guy, too. Well, he's consistent. >> The only one the only one that's up there. >> I DON'T THINK IT'S NICE WHEN you leave your garbage out. >> Furthermore, let me circling back on another point because you guys uh spoke

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to about customer service. I think Mr. Liberado is trying to create that. And to go on record, probably the greatest hire in the townships. I've said this to a couple of the members up there is Don Huber.

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Phenomenal. If maybe he could give some training to a couple of the other people in this building, that would be helpful. Another great guy behind me. Okay. Past Chief Gallup and head of director of public works. >> We appreciate. >> Tremendous. Tremendous. These these are

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terrific guys. Maybe they could learn something in construction because the only way to correct that >> is a pixel. Gentlemen, thank you for your time. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. So, any other member of the public?

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>> Well, I think I have to excuse me, come up and defend myself because there was a little bit of a character assassination a few minutes ago. Um, I congratulate Mr. Derso for being a public servant and I appreciate him for that. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He says he

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doesn't hear the rooster from inside. Maybe he's a sound sleeper. Maybe he doesn't have good hearing. I don't really know. Um his point of contention was you guys didn't want to discuss well you didn't want to pass an ordinance right now for one homeowner who has a

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garbage can that gets left out. That garbage can doesn't wake anyone up. That garbage can doesn't disturb anyone's peace all day long. I don't. my wife and I and when we have our grandchildren over, we don't like to

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get woken up 4:30, 5:'lock every morning, windows open, windows closed. He said, "I open my windows in the middle of the winter when this all started." It all started when I contacted I sent an email, I think, to I don't even know who I sent it to originally, and said,

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"Are roosters allowed in Long Hill Township?" And that's when Mark Andress reached out to me and said, "There is no ordinance against uh Roosters in Long Hill Township." So, we let time go by. Rooster kept disturbing us. That's when

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I sent the email to the township committee. So, um I can appreciate where he's coming from. He wants to keep his rooster. >> Well, maybe it needs to be rehomed to a farm. That's the only thing I could suggest to him. >> That h I mean, every I'm an animal

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lover. I'm not telling him to kill the rooster. I would say have the rooster go to a farm. It'll be as happy as a clam. And the rest maybe. >> Yeah. He could be a friend to the one that you hear. I mean, I don't know. >> You still hear it or not?

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>> Oh my gosh. The rooster. >> Is there a second one? He says another one. >> I don't hear another rooster. I hear one sometimes when I hear it. I hear another one off in the distance. Kind of like birds how they talk to each other. I don't know where the other rooster is that he's that he's discussing. And just

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to refute his point, >> they're starting communication. >> Just just to refute his point. >> Yeah, we all have about an acre of property, but I walk a lot, right? >> I've been I've been walking to Dorsy's

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pharmacy and I'm on main a and I can hear that rooster. Okay. He's >> You have good hearing. >> No, you don't need to have good hearing, >> dude. half a mile away. >> If there's any I mean the ordinance already passed, so maybe this is a moot point, but if anybody thinks that this

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is frivolous, I invite you to come stay at my house for one night with the window shut. >> Look, you've been respectful and I appreciate it. I actually think Mr. Dors, he's been respectful as well. Maybe a little bit more u animated, but I think he's been respectful, too.

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>> Yes. I mean, I have I I know them. I really >> about this rooster. All I'm telling you is the rooster next to me admires goes off at five o'clock and then goes I don't know what he does. >> All I would say is mayor count yourself lucky. Count yourself lucky that it's not in your neighborhood and it's not as

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exuberant as his is. I would want to ask him why did you rehouse it? Did it get thrown out of some other neighborhood? >> I'll give you I'll give you a sports analogy. My high school coach taught us that they play or you call safe and then then never argue a call in your favor.

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>> You're right. I I only came up here to just, you know, >> but what if that rooster woke you up every day at 5:00? WOULD YOU HATE IT? >> IT'S ALREADY been resolved. >> It's been resolved. And I hope that we can have an amicable relationship. We talk when we walk around the block.

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>> He's a good guy. I'd like to think I'm a good guy, but that rooster's tearing the neighborhood apart. So, thank you for your time. >> Thank you. You're welcome. >> Any other member of the public? >> Going once, twice >> at home.

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>> Anybody on Zoom would like to make a public comment, please raise your hand now. >> I don't see anyone there. >> So, journ. >> So, move. >> Everybody, thank you for coming. Appreciate it. >> Wait, is there a second?

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>> You think you said second? Can you turn the lights off, please?