Okay, I'd like to call to order the uh regular meeting for the township of L Pacon from March 4th, 2026. Uh please bow your head for a moment of prayer, please. Pledge of >> Allegiance to the flag of the United States of
America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Adequate notice of this meeting had been provided indicating the time and place of the meeting in accordance with
chapter 231 of the public laws of 1975 by advertising a notice in the star ledger the express timelehigh valley.com and the township website at lacant township.com and by posting a copy on the bulletin board in the municipal
building. Roll call Terry please. >> Yes. Council Marinelli >> here. >> Council >> here. >> President >> here. >> Mayor >> here. Um Wade, would you summarize executive session, please? >> Yeah. The township council met in
executive session where it discussed the following privileged matters. Attorney client privilege with Pacong Park project contractual LAA contract update. Personnel docket number AR2 2026 21 2011 police grievance contractual
South 6 street law lawsuit update attorney client privilege the cubes warehouse fee agreement with Pohakong litigation harbor management breakley gardens update contractual DPW contract update contractual police PVA contract update minutes from the executive
session will be released at such time as the council deems no public harm will come from it and no official action was was taken I do need a motion to authorize the execution of a settlement agreement for the PBA grievance subject to revisions discussed in executive.
>> I'll make that motion. >> Second. We have a roll call. >> Marinelli. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> President. >> Yes. >> Yes. All right. Thank you. Old business.
Number one, approve minutes from February 4th, 2026 executive regular sessions. Have a motion in a second, please. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Roll call vote. >> Council Marinelli. >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Yes. >> Abstain. Number two, ordinance 2026-1, second reading and public hearing of the cap bank ordinance. Oops, I forgot about that there. We're going to go back to public comment. I'm sorry.
>> We're right by it. Uh public comment on agenda items only. Mr. Bruce I had it checked off. >> Bob Bruce 11 hallway shrub. Um Mr. Wizooki can address I know we're pack project executive session but
during your time if you can adjust you know rather than now the status where we are with the park. Yeah, of course. >> Okay. And then the other only other thing was um I don't know. Affirmative marketing plan. Little short synopsis on
what that is. >> What are you talking about there, Mr. >> Affir? Affirmative marketing plan, new business resolution. >> Uh so that's for the fourth round affordable housing. >> Okay. Um as part of uh the new uh administrative codes to comply with the
fourth round and get uh immunity uh for affordable housing, we need to adopt affirmative marketing plan. We all of these are part of that. We're required to have an affirmative marketing plan to market the affordable housing spending plans to uh spend on the uh affordable
housing trust fund and then uh endorse the housing element fair share plan that was reviewed by the planning board and uh that's it. >> Okay. Thank you, sir. >> Sure. >> Oh, and the uh second reading of the ordinance is related to that of the uh
number three. Y >> anyone else? Agenda items only. Okay. Now we'll move on to old business. Approve the minutes uh from February 4th, 2026 executive and regular sessions. Motion in a second.
>> Motion. >> Second. >> We did that, right? >> Yeah, we did it again. So, we'll do it again. >> All right. Ordinance 26 2026-1. Second reading of public hearing of the cap bank ordinance. Motion and second to hold the public hearing.
>> Motion. Second. >> All in favor? I I >> we have comment from the public. We just heard that from Mr. Motion and second to close public hearing. >> Motion >> second. All in favor? >> I. >> And a motion second to adopt the
ordinance. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Roll call vote, please. >> Councilman Marinelli. >> Yes. >> Council. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Mayor, >> yes. Number three, ordinance number 2026-2, second reading of public hearing to
amend the code of the township of Lakon, chapter 67, affordable housing, and chapter 243, zoning and land use, article 20, administration and enforcement. I have a motion and a second to hold public hearing.
>> Motion second. >> All in favor? >> Public comment from the public on it. Seeing nothing. Motion and a second to close public hearing. >> Motion. >> Second. All in favor?
>> Motion in a second to adopt this ordinance. >> Motion. Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Councilman Marinelli. >> Yes. >> Council. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. New business. Fourth round housing
element and fair share plan. I need resolution to adopt, update, and affirm marketing plan. These are all resolutions. >> These are all each one is a resolution and you're going to be adopting them. >> We can do all three of them at once, right? >> Yep. >> Okay. And number two, resolution adopt
spending plan. And number three, resolution endorse amendment to the housing element fair share plan for items one to three. Can I have a motion and second, please? >> Motion. Second >> for all three resolutions. Can I have a roll call vote? >> Yes. Counciloman Marinelli.
>> Yes. >> Council. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. Ordinance number 22 26-3 first reading to accept roadways known as Mountain View Road in Spring Court. I
have a motion in a second, please. >> Motion. >> I'll second that. Roll call vote. >> Councilman Marinelli. >> Yes. >> Council member. >> Yes. President. >> Yes. >> Mayor. >> Yes. Consent agenda. Motion and second
from items 1 through 19. >> Motion and second, please. >> Motion. >> I'll second it. Roll call vote. >> Councilman Mayorelli. >> Yes. >> Councilman. >> Yes. >> Council president. >> Yes. >> Mayor.
>> Yes. Okay. Council reports. Mr. McQuade. >> All right. I got u prepared uh a prepared statement to make to our constituents, mayor, council colleagues, and constituents. I'd like to report that Councilman Bel Carol and I attended Philipsburg sewer meeting on February
10th as representatives of Lakon Township due to our town being one of four sending municipalities. I have a quick bulleted synopsis of the meeting and I just want to bring it forward. I know there's been a lot of questions throughout uh these few months about our sewer. The town of Philsburg
has had only one rate increase adjustment for the sending districts over for over the past 20 years. Based on previous litigation settlement agreement with LOAC on agreement, no rate increase was permitted until 2025. A recent rate study completed by Phoenix
advisers provided a proposed rate increase based upon agreed upon methodology for shared cost allocations. This methodology used by Phoenix was in accord with the negotiated cost allocation as part of the previous litigation with Low Pacon and Greenwich.
0.0054 cents is the current rate based upon per gallon usage. This equates to five $5.40 per 1,000 gallons. The town of Philsburg approved a sewer rate increase as
recommended by Phoenix of 0.00.66 66 per gallon for the four sending districts. This equates to $6.60 per 1,000 gallons. This represents an increase of 22% and will become
effective for 2026 second quarter billing. Quarterly bills are calculated based on the readings obtained from the water company. The town of Philsburg remains in the process of evaluating the potential privatization sale of sewer ridge infrastructure.
A potential meeting among among officials from the sending municipalities and the town of Philsburg is hopefully going to take place to explore options and alternatives moving forward. For in layman's terms, I used my sewage my sewage usage. I used 11,000
gallons um in the last quarter of last year at $5.40 per thousand. Um that equates to $59.40 40 plus the the the flat rate of $45.
Now that will be increased from 59.40 to 7260 as a layman's term for $13.20 increase. So that that's my particular usage. Just wanted to give that out to everybody. So the bills are increasing
>> and that's right now happening >> with the new sewer rate has nothing to do with privatization of the uh sewer. That's a whole different animal >> and that's going to raise up >> that and that'll raise too if that ever comes to fruition. >> So hopefully we can get some answers and
get some better news on that. >> All right, Scott, >> I have nothing. Um, yes, I'd like to thank the police, fire departments, and the DPW for all their help during the recent snowstorm. Um, also with recreation committee, um,
town is having its annual Easter egg hunt on March 28th, rain day, April 4th. That's all for now. Thank you. >> Okay, cool. Um, all right. Um, I'm going to save some of my stuff for when the fire chief comes up. Um, we had a tough
winter. Um, if you guys notice stuff in your travels or you have problems in your yards or whatever, reach out to Beth. I'm sure there's some damage out there after this from the storms we had. So, um, give us a call if we can help you out. Be more than happy to help you.
And that's about all I have there. Engineers report. >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. >> Um, start off uh with the request on the uh by Mr. Bruce for the update on the park project. So, the park project was
originally bid uh late last year. The bids came back back. We actually only received one bid last year. Um and the bids were in excess of the the project budget that was scoped for the for the improvements. The project was rebid and
bids were open last Wednesday, uh February 25th. Uh this time we actually we rebid the project in a in a more wider circulation so we can get hopefully garner more bids. This time we did receive three bids rather than one bid.
Um but again the bids have exceeded the project budget um that was originally um you know projected for the project. So, um, we had our, uh, you know, discussions about it and, uh, the project engineer from
our office that's preparing the plans and and advancing the construction project and contracts and going out to bid. Um, the council has authorized our firm to rebid the project. uh but this time reducing the scope and removing
some of the outuildings that were originally proposed and a lot of the utility work that was necessary to service some of those outuildings. So the project will now be rebid uh in a reduced scope focusing around the pool area and the pool house area and the
specific uh parking and utility and other improvements necessary to bring the pool back into operation. Um, so that those plans are currently uh are almost prepared essentially ready uh very close to be ready to be advertised and the hope is that that bid goes out
and we're able to realize a project that we can award based on the available budget that the township council has allocated for the pool construction. So in the future there will be other improvements planned uh an open air pavilion, a threeseason pavilion uh for
use by the public. um as well as playground improvements and some other and and also a fieldhouse uh for you know the parks sports programs to utilize as well. Um but that will ultimately that will be a future phase
project once we get the pool in and that's sort of our anchor project and then we can get the other facilities installed as time goes on as budgets allow but right now so that's the next step there. Um, so that's the update on the pool project. Uh, the other projects we have,
you know, sort of similar through through the recent uh, you know, winter months. We haven't haven't had a lot certainly in the way of construction, but we do have the Salort project here. Probably everyone noticed our caution tape decorations uh, in the in the meeting room. Uh, the Salort project is
approximately 50% complete at this time. Um we're hopeful that you know in the next uh month or two the project will be completed. The contractors are starting work on the roof structure. They delivered some materials here uh in the front parking lot as well and um we're
working to get a matching brick because we'd like to have a matching brick. I know that Beth is really keyed in on that the aesthetics. So that's in progress. But otherwise the work's going very well. Um and hopefully the police department will be able to take advantage of that new facility uh and
utilize it utilize it in their operations. Um other than that, Stonehenge Drive is under construction, but it's been on hold. The hope is that in the uh typically by mid to late March, if the weather cooperates, asphalt plants are open, and uh our
contractor topline that has done a lot of good work in town, they'll be ready to come in. and they they've let us know that, you know, pretty much all of the concrete work has been completed on the project. So, what's left is just asphalt paving, milling, and resurfacing of the of the roadway. Uh, and for them, they
come in and they they'll get that done within two weeks. So, we're pretty close to being done on Stonehenge. Um, the next project that we have lined up and I have to speak with um with our CFO uh regarding Striker Road phase one improvements. That'll be our
next local aid funded project for this year. Then we'll have to get designed and into DOT for approval with the hope that we we need to award a contract construction contract by the end of this year essentially mid November. Uh you know certainly we have plenty of time for that. If we can get this constructed
uh in the summer months that will be ideal. Um and uh that's all I have. All right. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Police report. Chief, >> thank you, Mayor. Um, just the, uh,
February traffic report. It's all I have for the month. Um, we had a total of 381 traffic stops for the month of February. 68% of the drivers that were stopped were issued traffic citations and 18% of those issued traffic citations were for
commercial motor vehicles, tractor trailers, overweight. And um I would just like to u offer my condolences or I'm sorry, commend the uh the fire department for a job well done for a structure fire that uh recently occurred
at the Bravely Garden Apartments. um they did a uh a great job and as well as the uh surrounding surrounding fire departments, mutual aid and um my officers that responded out there as well. It's a job well done. >> Good job. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Chief.
DPW fire department Jim Thank you. Um so February report uh month of February we answered 13 calls um including one building fire which was the uh maintenance garage at Brley Garden Apartments. Um and then we also
had um one uh cover assignment in the city of East. We were in the city of Houston covering them during the Northampton Street fire for approximately 6 and a half hours and we answered seven calls in the city of East while we were over there covering them.
Uh year to date uh 36 calls so far. Um and then the only other thing is the uh about the new ladder truck arriving uh that should be arriving in town sometime next week. Um we have scheduled our
training with it. uh March 13th, 14th, and 15th. So residents will see it will see us around town um operating that in multiple areas of the town, getting used to it. And uh a representative from Pierce Manufacturing in Wisconsin is
flying out here next uh Thursday to uh conduct the training with us for a three. It's a three-day training. Friday night will be 6:00 to 9:00 and then all day Saturday and all day Sunday our members and our operators will be training on the new truck.
>> Um I had the opportunity to go out there with the fire department to inspect the truck. Uh beautiful piece of equipment. Saved a lot of money doing it this way and look at the turnaround time. I mean amazing and you guys did a great job with that. You really did. Thank you.
And uh so the town is going to be a lot safer with this and I'm sure the other towns are going to appreciate it too cuz you know how many times people getting called out anymore. >> And then um just another update on our uh our current 2004 ladder truck. Um we
found a purchaser for it. Um we just waiting on u an updated aerial test and pump test which is going to be completed March 5th. So this Friday, um, our testing company's coming out and testing that. Um, everything there's no seems to be no issues, so everything should go
smoothly with that. And then, um, an Anchorage Middletown Fire and EMS in, uh, right outside of Louisville, Kentucky, um, will be purchasing the truck. >> Um, you mentioned the wet down. Uh yeah, wet down will for the new truck will be
May 30th um at the uh Delaware Park Field, the circle and um we submitted uh some of the question. >> Absolutely. >> So, uh there'll be food everyone community is invited to come see the
truck and >> be nice. >> All right. Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Uh nobody from PEMS is here. Shade tree board of education.
>> You guys want to say something? >> Hi. Thank you so much for putting us on the agenda. Do I need to give you my name and address? Yes, I'm doing okay because I am reporting from the board of ed today. So, thank you. Um, very quickly. So, uh, our staffs and our
students and our staff celebrated the 100th day of school on February the 10th. And then Lakong had five student instrumentalists perform with the AR all-star band that was comprised of sixth graders from across Warren County. The performance was held February 18th
at Philipsburg High School. And in addition, our Lacong music teacher, Mr. Cvani, conducted two of the six pieces performed. Our elementary school students are finalizing a two-week readathon sponsored by the PTA. The students record their minutes of
independent reading and awards will be presented for classes with the highest totals. Um the classes that are winning those are winning an ice cream social. And also there were the individual student prizes based on the hours that they're reading and and those are uh books that have been bought um and some
certificates. If any council member would like to be a guest reader for our students, please let me know. we'd love to have you in the school and the students would love to see you. So, thank you that if you are interested in doing that. Um, our elementary school also just presented a parent workshop on
February the 25th that was dedicated to supporting young readers journeys and building their confidence. Uh, in the workshop, they shared practical strategies and tips for parents. It included decoding strategies, what to do when you hit a rough word, the power of
questions, simple prompts to help them understand and remember what they read, creating a reading zone, tips for building a literacy rich environment at home, and resource toolkits were shared over which is an overview of free digital tools and take-home materials.
Um, so this was the first time that we're doing these workshops and they uh we used a staff member and some parent support to provide these workshops. So that was at the elementary school. The middle school also presented a parent workshop just this week with a focus on assisting students in the English
language arts and math at home. This involved familiarizing parents with teacher expectations for homework, how to check the homework agenda book, and strategies to employ as students are working on assignments at home. So we're trying to support the parents in in encouraging their students in their
learning. Our fifth grade science program is actually pretty exciting right now. Uh has once again begun participation in a program titled the great growalong which brings together scientific method, biomedical research and nutrition concepts in a fun and
exciting six-week educational program through an animal feeding project that's using live lab rats. The students witness the effects of nutrition on growth and are challenged to reflect on their own food behaviors. Students also learn that the steps of the scientific
method, how to set up a valid scientific experiment, how to collect data and analyze the results, how they can learn about their own bodies by studying animals. This program is in partnership with the Pennsylvania Society of Biomedical Research. This year, the students have named the rats Bluey and
Bingo. And if any of you would be interested in coming in and visiting the school to view this experiment and maybe hold the rats, I did it. It's fun. um and see the students with Blue and Bingo, please let us know. We'll be happy to arrange a visit. It's really a
pretty exciting um experiment. They they measure them. They they measure all the food. They measure the water. They measure what and one rack gets one thing and another rack gets another. So, it's pretty exciting. The fifth graders also participated in an Antarctica research webinar where students con conference
with scientific research teams in Antarctica that are studying migration patterns, invasive species, and climate situations that impact native species. Our elementary and middle school students are also putting the final touches on the elementary school play,
Finding Nemo Kids, which will be on March 20th at 7:00 p.m. and March 21st at 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. We would love to see you there if you can make it. Tickets are $7 for children and $10 for adults. Our um program all the time.
The kids just love doing these presentations, so it's it's just a good thing to go see. Our board members received a training at our last meeting on the code of ethics for schoolboard members. This is a yearly mandate under the New Jersey Administrative Code. Additionally, school board members are
in the process of completing their financial disclosure statements, also required by New Jersey Administrative Code. I think that's something a lot of people don't realize that school board members have to do. Tomorrow night, I will be forming an ad hoc committee from the board to work with our administration over the next month to
examine our elementary school facility capacity and an overview re and overall review of both schools discussing and evaluating remediation of overcrowding and optimal use optimal usage of both buildings. It's one of the concerns that
we see. Our elementary school enrollment is really increasing and the space is getting very tight. So, we're putting an ad hoc committee to work with administration uh to to view uh options. And lastly, the board of education and the administration will be holding a
state of the district community event on Thursday, March the 19th to be held at the middle school. Two years ago, the district distri distributed surveys and held a community meeting to gather information which was then used to develop a five-year strategic plan. This
month, we would like to share where we are, what has been accomplished to date, and to take a temperature on the remainder of the plan to ensure that we are still on track. A survey has been distributed to determine topics for the discussion at this meeting on the 19th.
We are inviting all Lacatong families and residents to attend and to share their thoughts and expectations. There will also be a monitored virtual attendance option. Please join us. It's from 6:30 to 8 again on March the 19th. We will be sending you an email on that
as well just to make sure um you have all the details. We would love to have your input. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> All right. Approval of department reports. Motion second, please. >> Motion. Second. >> All in favor? I
>> bills. Motion and second, please. Motion. >> Second. >> Roll call vote. Okay. >> Councilman Marinelli. >> Yes. >> Councilman. >> Yes. >> President. >> Yes. >> Mayor Right. >> Yes. All right. Public comment.
>> Mr. Bruce. >> Bob Bruce. Paul Witch Road. I just want to thank Mr. Wiznooi uh for his forthrightness in uh keeping us a breast of uh what's going on with the park project. And I wanted to uh thank uh
Councilman McUade and uh Councilman Bicaro for their efforts on behalf of the sewer. Uh I kind of have two questions in regard to that. They're conjoined. One is uh how often are we subject to rate increases and uh is the
whole thing going to start again? like it h how does the potential private sale impact the frequency of rate changes? Is it annually? The rate the rates that were approved 22% right for this year
five another 5% next year and then 2% for the following two or three years. >> So we got a three-year lock or >> I think it's five five >> to 2030 but >> okay >> has nothing to do with them wanting to privatize. So that may change.
>> And if the privatizers were at square one with rates. >> All right. Thank you so >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> John Ketcherson, 38J Lane. Uh thank you also for uh for the information on the
uh the sewer rates. Uh silly question. We don't have any say in that at all, right? I mean, this is just reporting. We We're at complete mercy of >> every sending district has a vote, but we're out voted. >> Okay. >> Yeah.
>> Pretty much >> Lou and I and a representative from Hack. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, regarding the the park and I was going to ask about this until I before I saw it on the uh the
agenda. Um, this is what, four bids now that have been rejected, right? Because they were too high. How high are they? I mean, are they like 25% more? I'm just curious. >> How many% they are?
>> Um, I know Derek was here. He >> Yeah, I know. >> from my firm. Um, yeah, I believe the expectation was that the over had. Let me just take a look. >> In the long run, it's way too high. >> Way too high. >> Yeah, it's like 50%.
>> Oh, wow. >> Over the budget. >> It's not even negotiable. >> It's a lot. It's not a negotiable amount. Right. Okay. >> So, the the the understanding was in in reviewing the bids. I personally didn't review them, but people at my firm did that worked on the the plans and do a
lot of these types of large scale park recreational and school district type projects. uh was that the size of the project for the biders that that might have been eligible is so big that they can't even submit a bid. Okay, >> we had 30 biders pick up and that was
including subcontractors, you know, pool contractors, electricians, all types of, you know, trades and and also general contractors, site contractors. And the scale of the project that we're trying to bid out and the available pool of contractors that can execute and bond
for that type of project are is a very small pool of contractors. So, if we go out with a smaller project, it's likely that we'll increase our pool of available biders and we'll get better pricing. That's the thought. We bid the project twice. >> We've received three bids. The first time we bid the project, we only got one
bid. The second time we bid the project project, we got three bids >> because we advertise in a larger circulation area, larger radius, but uh still still too high. Probably in the in the order of like 30 to 50% over the budget.
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> All right. Thank you. Sure. Anyone else? Hi. Um, my name is Tracy Taylor Adelbach of 48 Reservoir Road. Um, I have concerns regarding our road. The last
time I believe it was paved was in 1988 or ' 89. I know that area in Lat is pretty much forgotten, but that road is atrocious. Someone is going to get hurt. Um, many people walk up to the reservoir
and even just driving down the road. So, if you're so inclined, take a ride up and you can see how bad it is. >> We looked at it last year, right? And that's part of those hollow. The other side, right? >> Have that on the list. >> It's on the lists. >> The band-aids aren't working anymore.
>> Yeah. >> Now, I have to read that little >> just as the other side because I'm on the other side of wide. >> Yeah. The other side of Will's hollow. Yeah. Do >> we have any idea when we're >> I will say we don't have it on the schedule to be completed this year, but
that's not to say that we can't. >> So definitely we'll talk to Kim about it in terms of funding and I think >> Oh, it's terrible. Both sides. >> Like I said, a lot of people walk up to go to the reservoir and somebody is going to get hurt. I know just the other
weekend I had my 83y old mother walking down the road >> and you literally had to hold on to her because >> people she's not stable to begin with but even me walking >> is is I was up your house what last year a year before
>> and it was horrible then so >> it's worse now. >> Yeah, I'm sure. I'm sure. >> Okay, >> thank you. boardrooms that were going to be addressed up there was just a lot of raw, >> right? >> I mean, is that that's what I'm saying?
We've seen this money get spent other ways for parks and stuff like that where this is you're going to get a lawsuit with this coming up. >> Yeah. >> Yep. >> I'm sorry. Can you just state your name for the record since you >> Res.
Okay. Anyone else? Seeing none. Motion for adjournment. >> Second. All in favor? >> I. >> Thank you. Okay. Go.