##VIDEO ID:4PMyBaztQYU## good evening everyone this is a meeting of the township committee January 21st 2025 the notice requirements provided for in the open public meetings act have been satisfied notice of this meeting was properly given by transmission to the Asbury Park Press the two of her times and by posting at the Middletown Township Municipal Building and filing with the Township Clerk all on January 9th 2025 committee man Clark here committee woman Katz here committee man SED brino here deputy mayor hio here mayor Perry here please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance what uh Heidi why don't we have our two teams come up here they're coming up for a presentation you guys can lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance all right come on up come through these doors come right into the well right here and you can lead us in the pledge all right the flag the flag's right back here so take take two steps back there you go perfect perfect beautiful all right ready all right lead us off United States America na all right great job stay here turn around and smile at your parents at this time I'd like to ask for a moment of silence to honor our troops serving worldwide defending our constitutions freedoms and way of life thank you our first presentation tonight is recognizing MUSC 2013 boys Premiere 1 and 2014 boys Premiere 2 teams for winning New Jersey state cup titles at this time I'd like to invite Coach Lee dur Drury to please come to the front of the room but the boys are already here so you passed your first test You' been able to do the Pledge of Allegiance without any problems that's that's that's a good first step all right so let's bring let's bring those trophies up here in the front center we got we got let's get those two trophies right in the middle here right Jimmy is it is it that heavy you got a banged up finger though all why do you have to go you guys let me know when you're ready and I'll keep going good yeah all right good excellent uh well first of all uh on behalf of the township committee on behalf of Middletown congratulations guys are champions I understand it was the the national Cup and the President's Cup yeah yeah yeah yeah awesome all right we we love having this Hardware come through town hall and I I just want to say before I I turn it over to Coach Lee uh I want to say how proud Middletown is to have you not only representing uh your parents your families out here but representing Middletown representing this great town and bringing that trophy home it means a lot to us to parade all of our winners that come through uh each Township committee meeting seeing the efforts that they put out there understanding all the practices but the one thing that I'm going to ask all of you to do turn and look at your parents your loved ones and say thank thank you for driving you to all the practices all the games all that good stuff give give your parents a big round overoll all right got him when you clap at him say thank you because all I do all I do is have to listen to Deputy Mayor Hy talk about how he's basically a glorified tatic cab driver at this point in time driving his kids I don't get paid though um but seriously Middletown is proud of you keep up the effort to continue doing everything you can because your Championship is the demonstration of what a team is right because not one of you is a champion without the person next to you because soccer teams act as a unit they work together collaboratively understanding what motions are going to be taken by by the person to the left to the right in front of them behind them understanding where they fit in a puzzle and that's how championship and that's why these two trophies are here today so Coach Lee I want to congratulate you congratulate the team y I'll keep it short and sweet because you hear me talk all the time and shout all the time so first all just to thank all you guys for giving me the opportunity to coach these kids um it's more than a job to me I love it I love the boys and I couldn't be any more prouder of them bringing these titles home to to middle toown and to MTH United so boys fantastic parents thank you I appreciate you all and love all these boys and girls all right so boys it doesn't get any more authentic than that when you have that accent talk about well excuse me sorry about that um so we have certificates for everybody but we just Middletown wanted to say our thanks for representing this great town we are PR so proud of this amazing achievement because this this Championship reflects the team's consistent hard work commitment and passion for the game your individual contributions and incredible teamwork have inspired this Township and we'll hope that you continue to shoot for your goals and thank you for representing your club and Middletown so well let's give it up for for these you want to roll this Banner out yeah sure all right I love it uh okay yeah this is a new phenomenon too at these Township all these championships these banners coming out and I I like it I like it all right let me squeeze behind you all right now see we're g to do that in a minute don't worry this is this is AOS gonna have right here Raven's gonna say one two three beautiful and all your parents keep smiling all right all right one ready okay one two three awesome now pose for a little bit as your parents and gardiens take photos pretty little face all right hey you guys have [Music] [Music] a all right get in circle up Circle up circle circle up Circle up it's not a g it's not a game yeah but this what happens here right all right's the captain all right let's go here we go let's give it for these two teams uh photo of each of the teams all right so te all right SC scoot over this way there we go good job nobody gets her perfect all right what's that all [Music] right all right all right excellent all right great job great job let's give it up number all right ready [Music] all right all right everybody great job congratulations everybody e e e ready mayor all right Heidi let's kick it off just for the record we have other proclamations um Proclamation recognizing January 22nd through 26 2025 is the great kindness challenge in the township of Middletown we have a proclamation recognizing 20 uh excuse me January 26 through February 1st 2025 as Catholic schools week in the township of Middletown and a proclamation recognizing February 2025 as black Black History Month in the township of Middletown and also Proclamation recognizing February 2025 as Children's Dental Health month in the township of Middletown at this time we have approval of minutes for executive sessions May 20th 2024 July 22nd 2024 and August uh 19 2024 and the December 16 2024 regular meeting motion to approve second it committee man Clark yes committee woman Katz yes committee man srino yes Deputy Mayor hbel yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to pass the approved minutes at this time we have a public hearing on ordinance 202- 3447 an ordinance implementing voter approved increase to the annual collection rate of the Middletown open space Recreation flood plane protection farmland and historic preservation trust fund any member of the public wishing his speak on public ordinance number 225-3463 proposed ordinances our first ordinance 2025 3448 and ordinance amending chapter 240 of the code of the township of Middletown implementing certain parking fee waivers as part of Middletown's volunteer incentive program any um I'm sorry I got toe myself motion to introduce second committee man Clark yes committee woman Katz yes committee man s and bro yes Deputy Mayor hbel yes mayor Perry yes motion carries to pass ordinance on first reading with a public hearing to be held February 3rd 2025 at this time we have ordinance 2025 3449 an ordinance amending the township salary ordinance setting salaries for non-contractual employees for 2025 motion introduce second commitment Clark yes committee women Katz yes committee man sen brino yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor yes motion carries passes ordinance on first reading with a public hearing to be held February 3rd 2025 at this time we have a uh consent agenda which would include resolutions 25-54 through 25-70 including firefighter appointments motion to approve consent agenda second commit man Clark yes committee women Katz yes committee men sen brino yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion motion carries to adopt consent agenda at this time we have Township committee comments Clark um first congratulations no I keep telling everybody that I'm I keep telling you that I'm gonna switch it up but then I look you push it up he didn't make his comments yet no no I'll let him go for this we chair eventually I will we're going to change chairs next we go ahead Ry all right um allow me to steal as much Thunder as possible from uh the other four up here um first congrats to uh the young men and women uh from the soccer teams not only is it awesome to see the kids in our community succeed but as I've said a million times and mayor I'm so glad you asked them to come up hearing that many Little Voices say the Pledge of Allegiance at a meeting that's typically a little on the boring side uh makes me very very happy so uh um congrats to all of them uh on a bit of a different note um and probably probably nobody in here really knows her but uh our community lost somebody over the weekend that uh was near and dear to me uh she was a teacher um and uh like a second mother to me uh so Nancy pierless uh both her sons are um good former residents well one's still resident Middletown the other one has moved on to uh high level FBI positions and counterterrorism and other sorted things but her and her husband Bob he passed away a few years ago uh raised two great kids and uh she's she's GNA be a loss to the community um and then on a positive note uh over the last two weeks we've had the opportunity to open up several businesses in town um and cut ribbons and celebrate bringing Commerce and uh so Falcone restaurant over in linkof uh they look like they're opposed uh poys to do very well Nothing Bunt Cakes is uh my favorite cake place so um uh I was very happy that they asked us to be part of that ribbon cutting because it made it made a uh husky is the right word a husky boy happy um and then on Saturday uh we got to welcome in uh Indigo Art Studio which uh they do a whole bunch of different things from kids birthday parties through adult paint and sips and everything in between over on Highway 36 in East Road uh so I just want to congratulate all three of them and wish them the best of luck that's all I got thank you commun I I do have to say in I don't know how many years I've been sitting up here at this point that is the first time the term husky has been used Kev I don't know as as the as the longest serving member if anyone's used the term husky on attach committee husky has husky has a dating to it that proceeds commit all right thank you committment Seno thank you Mr Mayor and now the committment Clark has uh just about said everything that no no I wasn't go I wasn't about hus but I but I do have some questions for the mayor before I make my comments the MUSC 2013 boys Premiere one and two how old are those boys they had to be they're about 10 10 11 I 10 11 yeah that is an amazing job to get 10 and 11 year olds to work together towards the same goal and coordinate them my my kids are 13 and I still can't get them to work towards the same goal and coordinate them so that is a feat in and of itself and as committee M Clark mentioned this continues to get Middletown on the map and we're starting younger and younger and younger and when I read the uh the the title of the presentation I read it too fast because I didn't have my glasses and I said what I said we're winning New Jersey Stanley Cup tiles is wow I said that's fantastic um but this is great for Middletown and uh and we look forward to more and again they they get younger and younger and the midan Clark has uh has dedicated himself to copying one of the hairstyles of one of the one of the the players we won't mention which one it is but wait till next meeting and you'll see uh thought it was going to be Deputy Mayor hiel is what I said before we all started well all I'll tell you is that there were two colors yeah that's all I have to tell all right committee cratz uh once again the gentleman to my right steal most of the Thunder and but just echoing the same sentiment of that it is always wonderful to celebrate our young people and and and teams like that just a testament to good coaching good families and you know we often say you know about about children and on social media and being consumed with with their telephones and all of that but when you have teams like that it's just shows dedicated they are and what it entails to be a part of a team like that so really congratulations to all of them um it was absolutely fun to be at at the opening for Nothing Bunt Cakes it was it was fabulous um definitely tasty and and four of us managed um to get there which was which was great too maybe that because there was cake involved our schedules afforded the opportunity but it was uh it was really good so congratulations to all of our new businesses to to prove that as well I made no no quals about it I know I was not allowed to return home without bringing some home so um my family appreciated it too so uh congratulations to all of them we wish them the best um also just want to recognize and give a shout out to bore Middle School too um this week coming we'll celebrate their kindness challenge we read the proclamation you'll see the proclamation here um something that I've been able to be a part of both of my boys went to middle school there and just a wonderful School wonderful community um and it's a fabulous week that they that they do different activities throughout the week just to promote kindness and nothing wrong with that in the in the most wonderful of ways so just congratulations to them on such a wonderful Endeavor and I'm looking forward to being there on Monday thank you DM go Dolphins doin yes to think about that uh I do have to just Echo everyone's uh comments here but the the the kids sports teams uh I I know the mayor dinged me up a little bit but I do drive a lot and I just know that what it takes to uh to get kids everywhere and bring them everywhere so uh hats off to the parents and the kids uh because playing as a team it's it's it's you got to be there and those kids were all in tune with each other every one of them had their arms around each other they all they all had that that passion for each other I want to thank the voters again we passed U um our open space um uh tax that we finalized tonight so uh very important so glad to see that went through and that that's all I have mayor all right uh I'll open it up for public comments any member of the public wishing to make a public comment about anything you want come on down just ask that you state your name you stand right there and John's gonna bring you a microphone so we can hear you loud and clear okay and just state your name for the record thank you hi my name is Deborah dwor you have to spell it no no um I'm Middletown resident been here since 1978 and right now um I'm here to speak to you guys or beg to you guys um I'm a a member of the senior center the senior center is a great thing that we have going on in the town um I brought like different things to to see the mission statement up there how concerned you are about us as Citizens and our well-being but unfortunately we were told that for July and August the the um facility will be open senior facility will be open I want to be very clear about that but all our classes that we have are going to be taken away now some of the classes that we have I've brought like a a calendar what we have but I can tell you we have like on Mondays we have Zumba Gold for our seniors and it's good cardio and we dance and you know we have a nice group there and we have chair yoga on Monday and a book club with an instructor on Tuesday they have chair volleyball on I don't go to all of them but on Wednesday There's tap dance there's acting and there's chair yoga once again chair yoga is just regular yoga but geared more for us seniors you know most of us are in our 60s 70s even some 80s and we should get credit for getting up and out and really having fun you know rather than just rotating you just sit home do nothing Thurs a we don't really have any classes that are presented but like I said we have presentations that people may come and they may talk to us about our states or our health or things that are available to us it's it's just a great place and on Friday we have this thing called um gentle strength and we have little weights in this you guys the town provides two pound weights and three pound weights and we do music and we just have a great time and there's also an art class now unfortunately we were told that there's going to be no classes for July and August why because the town is having a camp at that time and and and there's it's a big money maker for the town and I get that but it just seems to be the senior center is just that the senior center now we don't mind sharing our senior center but why are they just going to cancel the class they keep telling us that it's a six- week program for the camp and if there's inclement weather they need to use the facilities so that being said the on where the senior center is they have the Fieldhouse they have Cen Hall they have bore now we maintain 11 schools I don't see why they couldn't really use there but again as seniors we're so thankful for what we have we don't want to be greedy that we would really like to share so with that being said we had come up with an idea that maybe the the senior center directors or whatever could post something like if there's inclement weather classes will be cancelled because the campers need the facility so if it rains they need to come in we get that but why would they cancel all our classes for two months you know and just on the off chance that it rains so I have good news for you oh good what so uh this did come up in the recreation budget now just for background purposes part of the senior center is funded by what is a grant through Mammoth County and often times around this time we have to manipulate what that schedule looks like and the C and the classes are paid for utilizing that Grant well while we were working with the recreation budget with Janet I said that we could no longer cancel or stop classes just because we run out of funds in order to do thisk so you all of your classes will be fully funded and happening despite the camp and despite the grant will be fully funded in this year's operating budget which we will pass in a few months it will H it will happen well before those classes start so you have nothing to worry about about them being moved or being cancelled it's all being taken care of so you get you could take the credit I have your word and it's whatever 100% cancel out classes all of you thank you so much that's all we really want we really felt like we were being treated like second class citizens and kind of being kicked to the curb I and it was it was sad it was just kind of like just the old folks like they'll deal with it I had to speak up 100 100% agree with you and we needed to find a solution so not only is the location uh issue solved but the funding is also being included in the budget to ensure that the classes continue so all the classes that we have now are going to be in July and August the programming that is appropriate for the staffing levels and the and the and the attendance of the seniors through the summer will continue through uh that time period meaning you see a drop are we getting double talked here or I mean meaning no no no meaning sometimes you see a drop off in the seniors that attend it's just it's just reality so you you you don't have enough seniors to maintain all the levels of the classes that are there got it but you you know I I've been to the senior center many times when when they're there and you have the gentlemen that sit in the pool room over there you have the you have you have pool they play cards they play cards they do all these they some of them play pickle ball do all these different things well we don't do pickle ball I played I played indoor pickle ball I played indoor pickle ball at the senior center over well right in the gym yeah in the gym at croon okay so uh oh they oh they play and they're serious about it um so but you you have our our word that that program is not being moved now just in case anybody doesn't know about the Senor and here's things if you guys want to see him like this all the classes we have it's really wonderful and the directors and wonderful and I know that they're a little annoyed with us making noise about having our classes cancelled you know I don't think Maria I don't think Maria's been annoyed a day in her life so oh well you should come by then she'd be like you know it's just the way it is and you guys have to deal with it and there's 600 campers and you know it's a big money maker where are the kids gonna be it is a big it is a a big strain on space and there's no there's no doubt that some of the seniors don't like the kids being over there as well it's it's it's it's it's a it's a double-edged sword certainly they they feel like it's noisy and and all those things and and I get that and I respect that but I agree with you the the the efforts that will be made not only in terms of upgrades that will be made at the senior center over the next few years um in terms of just the overall appearance and Facilities of the senior centers is being upgraded it's a great facility it is it's wonderful and and we're we seniors I speak for all the seniors we're so thankful for it and we don't want to start losing things this was a conversation we already had so you get to deliver the good news when you go next and say that you were here to my Zumba class there you go you can Zumba on about it not being uh postponed during the uh during the summer all right if if there's from the director if I hear from the you tell her call the mayor you tell her call the mayor can I call the mayor you tell her to call the mayor I'll tell her to call the mayor and and all classes scheduled now are going to continue no words if if Camp is six weeks why were they going to cancel us for two months the the grant the grant always runs out it's it's an issue it's an issue that happened that has happened for years and the the amount of money that we charge doesn't obviously you know we charge like five dollar for the class it it doesn't cover any really anything so we eat into our grant whatever the remaining balance is unfortunately that money goes down and Tony and I sat in the recreation budget meeting a few weeks ago and discussed this very topic ensuring that this does not happen again well I appreciate all your time and I appreciate I appreciate you guys appreciate what we appreciate what we have you know if that makes any sense really thank you every we appreciate you no I appreciate thank you any other member of the public wish to make a public comment on that note uh seeing no other member of the public stepping forward move close public portion ended journ second commit man Clark it yes committee women Katz yes committee men sen bro yes Deputy Mayor hell yes mayor Perry yes motion carries have a good night everybody thank you all