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act have been satisfied. Notice of this meeting was properly given by transmission to the Asbury Park Press and the Toover Times by posting at the municipal township building and filing with the township clerk on January 9th, 2026. Committeeman Clark, Committee, Committee

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Kratz here, >> Committeeman Senino, >> Deputy Mayor Hibell here, >> Mayor Perry >> here. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation

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under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> At this time, I'd like to ask for a moment of silence to honor the troops serving worldwide, defending our constitutions, freedoms, and way of life. Thank you. Our first item on tonight's

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agenda, we have introduction of proposed ordinance 2026-3527, an ordin ordinance authorizing acceptance of deeds of permanent easement for installation and maintenance of utilities upon block 1131 lots 30.01 and 32.02.

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>> Motion to introduce. >> Second. Um, committeewoman Kratz, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Hibbell, >> yes. >> Mayor Perry, >> yes. >> Motion carries a p pass this ordinance on first reading with a public hearing to be held August 17th, 2026.

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Our next items on tonight's agenda are the known action items. We have a resolution 26-221, resolution appointing Timothy J. Cunningham as township administrator and director of public safety and authorizing employment agreement. >> Uh I'm going to I'm going to make a

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motion, but I'm going to make a brief comment. Um I I am it's extremely hard and and our our next meeting is is going to be even harder. Um because uh after

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40 plus years in municipal um life, uh Tony Merkante, our longtime township administrator, is going to be retiring, a well-deserved retirement, and uh I'm going to have a big speech um at our

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next meeting, whether he likes it or not. U yeah, you can skip it. Um but uh after a very lengthy um process, one that has gone on for

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um probably close to eight months at this point, um uh we have um found our our next administrator. But I just want to say um before I before we we take a a roll call

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vote here, uh it has been my absolute privilege uh and honor to work alongside Tony Merante for nine years now and uh I have learned a tremendous amount from him, because of him, uh because of the man he

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is, because of the leader that he is. And while today's vote um is to uh appoint his successor, um Tony, it has been my absolute privilege to work alongside you for these many years, to

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have known you for even longer than that. Um I'm going to miss you. I'm going to save the rest for uh our next meeting. But Tony, it is it's been an honor, my friend. >> Appreciate. So, um, I'll make a motion to, uh, resolution 26221.

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>> Second. >> Committeewoman Kratz. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Hibbell, >> yes. >> Mayor Perry, >> yes. >> Motion carries to adopt resolution 26-221. >> And I just want to say, Tim, uh, our next administrator, Tim Cunningham, um, is, uh, an incredible individual. Um,

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it, like I said, it's been a very long process. Um and uh we're we're fortunate to have him coming on board and to step right in into Tony's shoes. Uh an attorney um a former director of local government services, longtime

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administrator both at the county and municipal level. Um but uh once again, Tony, uh appreciate everything that you've done. So thank you. >> All right, Heidi. >> Okay. Um, at this time I'd like to ask the township committee if you'd like to

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adopt a consent agenda, which would include resolutions 26-22 through 26 uh-227. >> Motion to approve the consent agenda. >> Second. >> Committ Kratz. >> Yes.

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>> Deputy Mayor Hibbo. >> Yes. >> Mayor Perry. >> Yes. >> Motion carries to adopt consent agenda. >> Okay. Township committee comments. Committeewoman Kratz. Thank you, mayor. Um, just real brief, I just wanted to um congratulate the fire department. All of

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the fire department held their touch a truck event last night and it was wonderful. It was it's always such a beautiful event. It's wonderful to see our families come together and and our children get to enjoy all of the equipment and and meet our firemen and women and our emergency services, our

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folks. And it's uh it's really a special evening. So I just wanted to congratulate them on another successful evening for sure. Um mayor and I had the privilege uh in addition on Saturday to welcome a new business into town which is always also a wonderful thing. Uh we

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L Grandand Coffee House opened which is shares the same parking lot as the shop rate. So I would encourage all of you to attend. If you don't know Eric Lrand is is a young man who was paralyzed in uh during a Ruters football game. He's a Ruters player, a wonderful young man.

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and so a testament to resiliency and perseverance and and just a beautiful family and and a great business and we're excited to have him here in town. So I would encourage you to to offer your support and enjoy a cup of coffee there. It's it's a great it's really a great spot. Thanks, Mayor.

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>> All right, DM. >> Mayor, I'm going to hold my comments, Tony. You'll get a bunch next uh next meeting. >> All right. Um I echo uh Committee Katz's comments. I want to thank Eric um and his entire family for uh choosing

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Middletown. Uh I've been begging for 16 months for him to pick Middletown for his second location and I'm glad it finally opened up. Um so appreciate him uh seeing the vision and coming to Middletown certainly. um and to our fire

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department. Um despite uh the what sounded like a catastrophe of weather coming our way, um certainly hasn't panned out that way the last two days thankfully. Um but it was a great turnout for our the men and women of our fire department. So I just want to thank

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them very much for what they did yesterday uh for their fourth annual touch a truck. With that, I'll open it up for public comment. Any member of the public wishing to make a public comment may do so. We ask that you state your name um for the record and that you keep your comments to 5 minutes. At four

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minutes, uh Heidi will let you know that you have one minute remaining. With that being said, any member of the public wish to make a public comment. Go ahead, Moren. Hello. >> Moren Kramer Belelfford. Um I were a month ago I was at one of the meetings.

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Um, I discussed the problems with the sidewalks between Hopping Road and the sidewalks on Lenardo, uh, past the overpass and I left a packet, this packet for each of the committee members and for you, mayor,

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>> um, with the pictures. >> We did receive. Yes. >> Okay. So, at that meeting, you told me when you got this packet that you were going to get in touch with me. Um, I also offered to walk that distance um with anybody if they wanted to join me

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and I haven't heard from anybody. So, my question tonight is um what is the status with the sidewalks, especially the sidewalk that was damaged by Jersey Central Power and Light. >> Ted and I actually went through and and looked at the the sidewalk conditions.

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Again, they are part of an ongoing project. I don't know if Tony knows what the be doing. >> But do you have a do can you give an estimated timeline on it or No. >> Okay. >> Okay.

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>> Okay. Um >> Okay. But this doesn't have anything to do with the county project. This is between Hopping Road and East Road, not at the intersection. There's a rightway that's owned by Jersey Central Power and Light between Hopping Road and Roxberry Road, which is off East. They did all

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their $133 million project with we had put up with that nonsense for months. Um, and they damaged the sidewalk to a point where it was the first picture was the first picture in the packet of 24 pictures I gave you where you can't even walk. That's not part of the Mammoth

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County project. That was the sidewalk that was damaged. It's right in front of their rightway with their tons and tons of equipment and trucks that they had. Well, I have a I have a meeting with the CEO of Jersey Central Power and Light on Friday. So, I I'm to do a debrief on

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their response from the last storm that we had. Um so, I will absolutely have them replace that sidewalk if uh if the easement is is theirs. >> Okay. And then where the sidewalks are, where they put the telephone poles in the middle of the sidewalk,

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>> right by the school, >> um, is that going to be addressed to with Jersey Central Power and Light? >> Tony and I were just talking about this actually. Go ahead, Tom. >> No, that that's that's a part of the those those poles were removed having to do with the rewiring of the light at that at that intersection. They they do

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have to re repair it, but right now it's under construction. So, they're going to repair it while the intersection is under >> Is that going to be done with where the children start school in September? >> No, don't think so. >> Okay. And I would suggest that there be a police officer there because of the um situation I explained at the last

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meeting that I came to where the woman came out in the traffic, 40 mph traffic, um with a baby carriage because you can't walk on the sidewalk there. We can certainly have uh our traffic along with count the county traffic uh and and

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engineering department do do figure out some type of safe mechanism to ensure that it's uh properly um guided as the as kids are okay >> going they can build a safe route around those poles. They just didn't do a good job that they did a terrible job at the

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place now. So that can be done redone so that it works and it's safe. Well, in the morning when there's school, there's you do know there's cars parked there, people dropping kids off. So, that makes part of the problem. The other problem was um especially in the Lonardo section

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where there are no um ramps, curb ramps on the sidewalks, they're just really high curbing and um I wanted to know what was going to be done about that. and all the other the other issues that I had listed in there. The water companies um

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whatever that is, it's some kind of a cap that's in the middle of there. I can't I found three of them um with the sidewalks all broken up and the some of the streets that do have ramps, but they're broken and crushed. >> Talking about You're talking about the ADA ramps.

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>> Yes. >> Yeah. >> And when is that going to be done? the they're done as the the they were pre-installed prior to ADA requirements. So that's why when we do our sidewalk program, all the ADA requirements have

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to be done when those are are being done. The ADA law, I know we you spoke about it last time and Mr. Nelson can interject if if if he wants. Um but the those are all done as we do the sidewalk improvements. I think two meetings ago

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we did we award uh awarded the sidewalk program. Um so like all the sidewalks that will h are happening under this program will be will be ADA accessible. >> So do you have any time frame for when that's going to be happening >> the the ones in Leonardo

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>> Ted would have to answer that. >> You have to if you give me the intersections I'll take a look and see if we can put them on this. >> Okay. I'll give them the packet that you g you gave me. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you Morin. Uh, I saw hands raised. Come on. Come on up, sir. He He had I'm

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gonna come right to you next. Okay. >> How are you today, sir? >> Very good. How are you? >> Good, thank you. >> Uh, my name is Glenn Keyirl. I'm a Middletown resident. I'll try to keep the question as quick as possible. Um

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years ago I was a realtor and um I met a guy that used to buy houses at sheriff sales for closures. He fix them up and sell them. And he was also a licensed uh builder. So he would look for land. He look for vacant lots that

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met the zoning requirements and um you know he'd put a house on it and then he'd list it with a broker and wait for a buyer to come by. He was known as a spec builder. So we were always looking

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for vacant land to to build a house and you know sell it as opposed to you know somebody like Toll Brothers where you don't you sign a purchase contract before you build the house. >> Mhm. >> So my question is

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um there's a vacant lot on Arthur Drive. It's 120 uh I think it's 125 ft of frontage and it's 100 deep and the baseball fields are at the end. So I'm sure over 80 years spec builders have

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driven down the road, saw that lot and said, you know, oh that that lot's uh you know might might be I could probably build on that lot. And the township must have had questions from spec builders over 80 years. uh whether you know in

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inquiries about you know vacant land and and now all of a sudden I noticed that after 80 years it's up for sale. So I was wondering you know why is that? Why didn't it sell you know 50 years ago? Why was it wasn't available and now it

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is >> why Well I'm not Are you talking about the property >> the online auction is gone? >> Yeah. O over by Bodman. Yeah. Um, why is it up for sale now? >> Yeah, there's five five lots up for sale.

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>> The the first of all, the township normally forecloses on quite a few properties all across town. Um, just because it's been there for 80 years doesn't technically mean that it's I I don't know when the town acquired the property. Um, >> about 80 years ago. It was dedicated to

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the town by the bobins. if it was dedicated for the purposes of open space. >> Well, they put baseball fields at the store. >> Correct. There there is there is a parcel on Arthur Drive that is dedicated and is on our Rossi. >> It's on what?

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>> It's it's called the Rossi, which means that it's protected for open space. It's three houses down from from >> Right. Yeah. That's not the lot I'm talking about. >> You're talking about the one a little bit farther down, >> right? >> Yeah. Well, the we put several of the

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properties uh up for all. There's two on market. There's no three on market. Two on one side, one on the other. There's one on Patterson. Correct. >> Then there's three others down in Port Mammoth or >> Correct. >> Correct. Because because these properties come into the possession and

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unfortunately when there is a tax foreclosure, uh these properties come into the possession of the township, but they're not they're not for public. This was dedicated and they're tax exempt. There are no taxes. I don't think it's vacant land. >> There there actually are taxes. The

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township of Middle >> Township owns it. It says it's exempt. >> It's it's that's actually not true. Um when when property is owned even by nonprofits, for example, if you're not using that to further the purpose of your nonprofit, that is a taxable lot.

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Um that is not exempt from property taxes. The township is actually not exempt from property taxes on property that we uh have identified and and are not using for the purposes of open space um or uh preservation, wetlands,

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environmental things like that that have been >> a minute remaining >> identified. Um, so these these lots that are up are in R10 zoning, which means that uh you have to have one single family house on a 10,000 square foot

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piece of property. >> Yeah, I'm aware of it. Yeah, I know. >> But uh my question is they were never sold before. Why now? >> Well, you know, why at 36? I can't really tell you why 80 years ago it was it was decided. Um but uh the the the

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township unfortunately in quite a few areas and far too often Mr. Nelson has to send letters to individuals that are utilizing property both that is protected and is not protected because neighbors often will infringe on other

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pieces of property and they'll build sheds and they will cut down trees and things of that nature. It is constant. It is not unique to one part of town or another part of town. And these properties right now are, like I said, 18 of the h of the houses on in in this

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area are not are conforming to the R10 zone zoning. Um, and the the township is can't it can't just hold on to foreclose. Taxpayers paid to foreclose on these property, certain properties. Um, and >> I don't understand that part because

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they were donated by the Bobmans to the township. >> This this property was not donated. The property that you're referring to was not donated. >> Oh, really? >> It was not donated. And if and if it has to go through title search, correct, Mr. Nelson?

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>> Yeah. Any bar all all these none of these properties that are subject so we do property auctions every few years. This is a regular routine occurrence that happens every few years as the township aggregates enough lots to hold an auction. We hold an auction. I think

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we did the last one five or six years ago. Um and sold dozens of properties throughout all different portions of the town. They're not properties that are preserved on the Rossi. They all have title checks on them. They're, you know, we can't sell those properties

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obviously. Um, the properties are sold as is, where is we make no representations to any of the people buying them as to what they can or cannot do with them. Some might have incumbrances of some sort. We don't know. We don't, >> you know, we don't that that's up to

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them to figure out if you're you're taking a risk. If you bid on these, you're taking a risk. You have to do your own homework, right, >> to determine whether or not you can do anything with it or not. Um, sometimes neighbors will buy them. Other times developers would build want to build a house there will buy them. You know,

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it's it's all different people that that that bid on these lots. Um, and they're throughout the township. And it's a routine occurrence that when we have a certain number of lots that are not contributing to the tax base and are a liability to the township because right now if a tree falls and hits somebody or

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somebody slips and falls or somebody starts using it as an extension of their backyard now, which is a problem that occurs a lot. Um, then it becomes a liability to the township. And so these are liabilities that are already and and the township estimates these property

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sales in the township budget that was already adopted this year. So there's a line item in the budget in anticipated revenues that anticipate the sale of these properties to help lower taxes and if they're not sold then the tax bills

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could go up. Um so so they're they're antic there's anticipated revenue in the municipal budget for the sale of properties that have no other no other purpose. Um when there are properties that are you know directly adjacent to or probably we've bought hundreds of

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acres of open space just in the last few years. If there are properties that are useful for a park or something like that then the township saves them and preserves them. Um and there's in fact more acquisitions coming this year as well that we're working on. But but these are all properties that are too

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small for a park couldn't don't have parking or other ability or other facilities or you know wouldn't make sense for there's no other public purpose or use for these properties which is a threshold determination under the law to be able to put them out at auction. So >> do you ever uh resend some of these

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properties from being sold at an auction? >> Well, they don't. So they none of them are sold until the township gets the bids and determines whether so so the township reserves the right to reject any and all bids. So if the township's not satisfied with the the bids that are

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received then it can reject. So the township will have to formally adopt a resolution accepting or rejecting the bids after they're received. >> Is that the case over there in Bodman Park that uh you have the ultimate say on whether or not the bid is you know

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>> we would have Yes. Correct. If if it's too low, then then there's no there's no point in selling it. >> I don't know of a um you know what the uh say threshold is

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and I guess >> until it occurs. That's when we make a judgment call on that. >> After the winning bidder is enacted. >> They're not they don't win until we accept it. >> Right. Right. Okay. All right. >> Thank you, sir. I'm going to come right

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to you. uh after this gentleman. Okay. How are you sir? >> Good, thanks. >> Well, Ben for 17 Bayside Parkway. We were here in April at a meeting and we we uh inquired about putting uh posting parking signs at the ideal beach at the

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parking lot closing the parking lot and we were told specifically that it would be early May at the latest Memorial Day and that never happened. Um, I went away for a few weeks and when I came back signs are those signs

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right now. So, they should be >> They're not there's no permanent signs. I was told matter of fact, >> they're temporary signs going up because we have >> Yeah, but I have pictures of them. Could I distribute these? >> We have to um we have to do an ordinance. The crimes enforceable.

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>> I know. That's why I'm here. >> But the the temporary signs will be up until we get and then we'll get the permanent signs up. the current the signs that were put up are here along with Janet Dellet's email comments back >> Janet is going to be speaking at our at the next township committee meeting I

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believe tone to uh as a discussion item to bring all this up. >> Okay. Well, the issue, you know, the issues for us are that we were told these signs were going to be posted. nothing was ever done. And uh the only when when I contacted uh in late June, early July, I contacted the parks

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department, I was told that uh no one had communicated back to them that they were going to update and post signs. Now, if you look at the pictures on the back there, what they did was they took there was two different parking hours listed and you can't even read it

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because they added it to a list of the exact Yeah. See, he's he's got it. Look how he's looking at it trying to read it. He's just he's just blind to begin with. >> I'm blind, too. That's why I'm using these reading glasses. But, you know, nothing was ever there was a disconnect somewhere from sometime in April until

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now. We still don't have the signs. And then they were talking about >> the township committee be because of the >> It's an ordinance. I understand that. Are you talk Did you Is the ordinance on the docket tonight or No, >> it's on it will be on the docket on August 17th.

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>> Okay. So, that will that will it be after August 17th? Will it be implemented? it will be introduced and adopted. Uh it'll be adopted the first meeting in September. >> Okay. So that's the opposite of what I was told. I was told that it would be introduced tonight and adopted on 17th.

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If you turn it around, it's direct quote from Janet on there on the process. So something we asked very simple very simple that we asked for in April were just parking signs showing that the park parking lot closes at whatever time 8:00

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9:00 whatever year round correct >> there where this the what was posted there if you can read it uh says just through Memorial through Labor Day and then there were other there's another hour uh parked there nobody's reading it

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okay no one can see it so I don't know what the temporary signs are going to look for or how they're going to how they're going to manifest themselves when you put them up. But, you know, I'll be over there looking at them because I'm retired. >> The re the re the reason that you have to make the ordinance change. >> Yeah. I because you have you initially

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said it via ordinance. So, you have to modify it. Correct. >> Correct. Because it's not enforceable. So, we that the the police department would not be able to enforce the rules >> without the ordinance going back to that that >> So, what happened from April until now?

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with what? >> Well, April, you said it was going to be taken care of. >> When Mr. Nelson then researches the ordinances and then sees the inconsistencies in April, if the ordinance was consistent, you would have been able to post those signs immediately. When you when you see the

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inconsistency, you have to make those changes. >> So, why is it taken to August to to do this thing? >> There's a lot a lot of things that go into those ordinances. It's not just the hours. >> It's I can't just just asking a question. I'm just curious. >> When we do our parks and recreation um

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rules, >> um there's a whole bunch of them and they they then have to apply to other parks. >> So then we have to list which parks apply have certain hours and which parks have different hours. So it's not just like uh overnight you prepare an ordinance like that. It's pretty complex and you'll see next week there's going

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to be a presentation and the night we introduce that ordinance on the 17th. Um and you'll see there's there's a lot of stuff that goes into it. It's not just putting them time into an ordinance. >> Well, if that had been communicated to us at that time in April >> or someone to follow up with us prior to

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me coming back from a a long trip and discovering that the signs weren't there, then I wouldn't be here tonight questioning this. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> But there was no communication. There appears to be a disconnect here somewhere. And I'm just I'm just curious about it. >> It's not It's not a disconnect. It's

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making sure that it's consistent. You can't have inconsistent ordinances on the books because then they're uninforceable and then the very thing >> I get that >> sir if you'll just give me just a half a second. Okay, >> I got it. >> You can't have inconsistencies on in there. The minute the minute that you

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have inconsistencies is the minute that someone's going to fight it in court and then all the very people that you want to prevent doing something are are not going to follow them because they know that they're going to be able to get away with it. making things consistent across the board, having signs printed,

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making sure it's the right thing to do. If the if the ordinance had been consistent in April, we would have absolutely been able to post it right then and there. When Mr. Nelson then says that we have to make X, Y, and Z changes when Janet makes recommendations on these things. You make them in one

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one ordinance and you correct them all so that they're all consistent and all ready to go. I understand that you think that there's a disconnect, but there's a lot of things that happen behind the scenes that most people are never going to know about. Consultation with DP in

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in certain instances, making sure that they're approving and in line with the rules that we're making for these things. We apply to D for a lot, and we need to make sure that when we make certain changes, those happen. >> All right. All right. Well, the current

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ordinance says that the park closes at 8:00 p.m. Correct. >> The the current ordinance says that the parks are open from dawn until dusk. >> Okay. Well, that wasn't posted. >> That that's that's a rule for all parks. It's not posted, >> but it's not posted. Oh, it's posted at

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some of the parks in town. >> A couple, but most most, >> you know, we asked for it to be posted. We just wanted something there to protect us from people back in. And I also understand that the dawn to dusk parking restrictions for using the beach except for you can't prohibit fishing.

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>> I >> So just so you understand, >> I understand that totally. I'm a fisherman. I know. >> So I won't apply to you. >> Uh but um >> and to be honest, the other thing that I can't stand is 100 signs because you talk about not not reading this. You

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have this sign pollution that is here. >> Nobody pays attention to any of them. Mhm. >> to have when it drives me nuts that that you know when you do when you add certain things or D adds something that now we're required to to do the breathe

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easy law where you're not allowed to smoke in certain areas. Those are all things that then require signage and all these different things. And guess what? Then nobody follows them. >> No, no one even looks at them because nobody's going to sit there and read.

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>> We just asked for signs. ask for a parking sign. >> I I understand >> be more involved. Yeah. >> One other thing just so you know that it's going to be added to the ordinance is um requiring head-end parking only because I know some of the neighbors have complained about people back into those spaces back in

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>> but now it's going to be specific on the sign that it's head in parking only >> with new with new vegetation to prevent headlights if somebody does not follow those rules having a 36 inch hedge or vegetation to prevent headlights from

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being out. And and normally in planning board applications when you see these things, you require a 36-in hedge of some sort so that you don't get those uh headlights going into uh people's homes. >> Okay. And one other quick thing, we also spoke about the litter litter patrol

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there. Um how often is the litter supposed to be picked up in the parking lot? Is it in the ordinance or is it does anybody here know? >> It's not in the or I mean I know that our public works department ras that beach. Our litter hasn't been picked up in about 5 days.

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>> Okay. >> Litter or the garbage can? >> Litter. >> Just litter. >> And when I asked >> from the garbage from the garbage cans. >> No. No. From people throwing stuff on the ground because they're too lazy to walk 50 feet or 100 feet to the garbage cans. There aren't that many garbage

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cans out this year. There's some at one end of the one end of the parking lot and some at the other. There's nothing in the middle. Now, I have to say this year people are a lot cleaner than they have been the last because I've been there six years the last four or five years. They're a lot better. But if park

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maintenance doesn't come and pick up the garbage, it builds up and collects. And we haven't had a pickup in front of my house. I have those photos, too, if you'd love to see them. Uh, in at least five, six days. All right, we'll talk to

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>> Right. So, I mean, I see guys driving through with trucks and parking, you know, I see him parked. I don't see him getting out picking up uh soda cans and beer cans. And then the other thing is we asked you specifically, you know, we we don't go out and pollute our own

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neighborhood. We don't we don't uh we don't throw litter and trash in the street, but I was told that the parks department would not cross that BM to pick up a can or a paper towel or a diaper or whatever is there. So I I

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really don't understand that. But >> I don't stuff in the street you're talking about? >> Yeah, stuff that blows into the street. You know, we get a lot if you ever lived on the water, but we get a lot of wind. We get a lot of wind on the water there. I'm uh we get we get the we had we had a wind the other day knocked over a 30

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foot. >> There's absolutely no reason that they wouldn't pick up something that's across the street. That's ridiculous. >> I've never seen him cross it once and I've been there six years. >> Well, thank you for your time. >> Thank you very much. Um yes, ma'am.

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>> No, no, no. Hold on. Ma'am. Ma'am. >> Hi, my name is Tim Zadigan. I'm a new resident of uh Middletown Township. Um when I moved here three years ago, um I was pretty happy

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uh to see the land behind me. I remember buying the house um and sitting in well before I bought the house I was sitting in the kitchen with my partner and my two young kids and we were looking um out the window and our decision in buying the house was that you know there

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was like this beautiful woods behind us that of course now we find out is being auctioned. Um so this is the same land that Glenn is talking about near Bodman Park. Um, I understand that it seems like it's township land and that it seems like the township can do what they

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want with that land if that's their land and they own the deed to it. Um, however, I have a few questions that I'm hoping you'll be able to help me understand a little bit more and just kind of be able to sleep at night because I feel like I've been up a little bit. Um, just trying to like put

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clues together and see what's going on with um, all of the land that's surrounding me and my kids. >> Um, thank you. So, um, this is just my question on my phone that I'm looking at, but, um, Mr. Nelson, you had mentioned when Glenn was talking that

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the land that was auctioned is being sold as is. Um, in particular, for me, the land that affects me the most is block 974, lot 4. This is um, >> which I'm and I'm sorry to >> 974 lot 4. It's on Market Street.

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>> Okay. Market. Okay. >> Yeah. It's um it's 100 by 300 approximately. Mhm. >> Um that being said, um I had spoke well so you said that the land is being sold as is of course uh

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what I have been researching when I'm up at night with you know my kids are like sitting here right I'm up on my phone trying not to let them see. Um but what I'm researching is that um there are wetlands on the property and when I had called uh the head of planning, she

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confirmed that. And so um I started to kind of look through and I saw on the map that um is from Middletown Township that this is deciduous uh wetlands. So, this is necessary for the wetlands nearby, the water nearby, um, and the

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flood plane level, um, which I had talked to Amy about on the phone as a concern with my house. I don't want flooding. Some of us have basements, some of us are on slabs. Some of us, um, had have just put in some pumps and French drains because there's so much flooding there. And that's that seems to

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be because according to the Middletown map, which tells me that you guys know that there are wetlands on that property because that's on the Middletown site, um documented, but if you're selling the land as is, and most of the property 974

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lot 4 is wetlands and you then likely have to build 50 ft from that wetland property, how are you saying that is that you can build a house on that property if you can't

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possibly build with the with the >> ft plus cuz you're selling it as R R10. So you're saying that you can put a house on the property. No, >> that's the zone. >> R10 is just a zone. It's an it's an overlay on a map. Okay. >> This section of town is R10,

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>> right? >> The what what Mr. Nelson was saying was that we we say absolutely that there is no guarantee that you can build on there. That's on the that's on a potential buyer. I have I make no

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qualms that you have to be the one that can prove that you can do it. You have to go get D approval. You have to go get an engineer. You have to do all those things. The township is not going to pay for those things. >> Well, because the township knows that it's wetlands mater that that it's wetlands because that's what Amy had

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said and it's on your What happens with the the map is and it's it's it's very common to look at the map and say this is wetlands. What they what any applicant would have to do if there was to get a letter of interpretation >> of course from the neighborhood >> and the D would then make a

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determination as to whether or not there is is wetlands on there. Okay. >> They make that that final determination and then they would provide that to somebody that says yes there is. Here's a map or no it's not. and you you you're you're good to go.

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>> And out of the goodness of your hearts, you guys know that you'll be able to sleep at night knowing that they're not wetlands possibly and that you're not duping somebody else because I I personally I'm sorry. I don't I hope I'm I don't I hope

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it doesn't seem like I'm attacking, but um my family feels really duped and many of us do on the block, especially the newcomers. Um because this seems to be what's going to happen again to whoever buys that land because it is wetlands.

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It's the it it is it has 100-year-old trees. It has like little baby deer families that this one family there's there's four bucks in our backyard all the time. There's well in that land which is in facing our backyard. Um so we consider that but um there's these

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little baby deer with the little bambi spots. There's there's, you know, all of these um when it rains like tonight, uh that property is going to pull up and there's going to there's dips and there's going to it's going to pull up and that's a good thing because it's

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sucking up the water so that we don't have flooding in the houses surrounding our area which is actually in the um Bobman deed that that land is supposed to be taken care of. um that that the land that is in the deed that the

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township has now has is supposed to be taken care of, including the water, the house, the lands around it. Um because if you don't take care of the this deciduous wetlands that's in block 974, lot 4, I'm presuming. Um, if you don't

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take care of that on the three lots that are being sold that are wetlands, then you're not taking care of that property that is in the deed, which is the wetland property, those expired. >> If it's wetlands, then no one's going to bid on it. >> Well, they won't know until they're

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until they buy it. I thought that was the risk you were saying. >> Again, we've had lots of auctions of properties and no one bids on them. >> Okay. >> So, we don't make a representation about how buildable the property is. That's up to the buyer to do that. So, they may choose not to buy it. >> So, what they will do most likely is

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anybody who's interested will send their engineer to walk the property >> because the the maps you're looking at, by the way, they're not Middletown maps. They're de state D maps >> under your Middletown website. Yes. >> They're on our website, but they're we don't create >> Well, you're supporting them on your website. >> No, that's showing they're they're just

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D's and I can tell you they're they're terribly inaccurate. We we rarely find that what actually happens on a property reflects what their map shows. Sometimes it does, but I'd say threequarters of the time it's pretty inaccurate. >> D contradicts itself by saying one thing but having their map say something

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different. >> Yeah. So >> they will send an engineer to the property. They'll walk the property and they'll make an assessment for themselves how buildable it is or isn't. And that's what that'll dictate how much they're willing to pay for it or not at all. Like I said, the last um uh

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>> auction we did, I think at least three of the properties we had, nobody bid on at all. >> So, if I I know my time is is up. Um if I were to bid on the property, the beginning is 10,000. Is that correct? >> Is that starting at 10,000? Is there a start? >> Put on the website. They were going to

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have a low value to start with. Yes. >> Okay. And then is there a max value? Because you have to take the highest bidder. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> So, um is there a max is there a minimum value? Can I bid let's say the minimum's 10 10,000 can I bid $10,0001

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and receive the property or will you not accept that >> auction that that's a decision of the township committee >> yeah that's what I mean what is your decision >> during the auction >> what's your plan of a minimum is my question >> you there there is there is no there there's no plan

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>> 10 the 10,000 is the starting point in this hypothetical question that you're asking If you were to bid 10,0001 and you were the only bidder >> and the township committee decided, well, no one is obviously interested in

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this property and we don't want it. We could the township committee if a majority of the township committee sitting here said, "Sure, we'll take $10,0001. The property would then be yours." >> Or you could say no. >> Correct. >> Got it. So you're in control. >> Correct.

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>> Got it. Okay. Just like just like anyone else that is >> buying or selling a piece of property, >> of course. >> We we can take an offer or we don't have to take an offer, >> right? Okay. >> Well, thank you for your time. I really appreciate your clarity in this in this important issue. Thank you. >> No problem, miss.

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>> Thanks. >> Yes, ma'am. I'm going to get I'm going to come to your benchmate next. All right. >> How are you today? >> Good. How are you? >> Good. Thank you. >> Uh good evening evening. Well, good evening, Mayor Tony Perry and the rest of the committee.

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>> Um, my name is Peggy Figuly and I live at Seven Heagle Place on in Port Mammoth. It is directly across from the proposed development site that the township plans to auction off. This

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parcel is not a vacant land or an empty right ofway. It's an intact, highly functional ecosystem with vegetated coastal dunes, active wetlands, and an active um wildlife and

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a corridor direct to the Raritton Bay. Excuse me, I have to turn the page. >> Okay, take your time. It has many layered wildlife community as a nesting and denning ground for foxes, coyotes,

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deer, groundhogs, and raccoons. It also sits directly on the Atlantic flyway coastal boundary, providing a habitat for birds, including the great horned owls, eastern screech owls,

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morning doves, great egrets, snowy egrets, and green herand. Selling this land to a private developer will cause severe consequences to our community. It will number one displace wildlife and

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cause habitat fragmentation. Secondly, it will destroy permanently the wetlands root system and dunes which are natural storm and flood buffers.

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This increases the risks of local flooding and coastal erosion to the Port Mammoth's neighborhood. I also wanted to state for the record that an immediate review by the New Jersey Department of Environmental

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Protection Endangered and non-game species program and the division of land resource protection be done. This land falls under the state's coastal area facility review act and the freshwater

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wetlands protection rules. So these things need to be done. On a more personal note, when I bought my home here 14 years ago, I was told that building on the parcel was not

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permitted as it was given to the Port Mammoth as protected wetlands. After working for 22 years as a PTSD and trauma counselor before retiring, this

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home became my sanctuary as well. Helping others recover from the Twin Towers attack of 911, family losses due to overdoses, accidents, murders, and other traumas. I

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knew I could come home, sit on my porch, look across the street, and see life at its best. In the greenery, the deer, the foxes and

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birds, and most of all, the quiet. It has become my refuge, safety, and healing space. I urge this committee to pull this parcel from the auction block immediately.

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>> You have a minute remaining >> together. >> You have one minute remaining. >> My name >> You have one minute remaining. >> Okay. Sorry about that. I'm on my last page. Don't trade our natural storm

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protectors, our wildlife habitats, and our community and my refuge, safety, and quiet for a short-lived and shortterm financial gain. Let this

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land be preserved. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Mayor, how are you members? Hi, I'm Tina Fry. I'm I live at 269 Seabbze Avenue in North Middletown. So, right across from

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Phyllis. Uh there's a lot of our neighbors are here tonight because everyone is very concerned about the flooding that could happen in development of this property. So, um we're we're and some of the questions were answered, so I'm going to skip

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around a little bit. Okay. We're here tonight about that auction of that property on Bayside Parkway between Hegel Place um and a Paper Street Bay View Avenue and Seabbze Avenue where it dead ends. That's also part of it has

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been vacated >> but part of it is still there. >> Um block 17, lot one. So, we're just all curious as to why the town would sell this off this beautiful piece of property that's located right on the beach. And

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I know that um and it's owned by Middletown. Ideal Beach is owned by Middletown, too. It's very adjacent to it. And I know you, mayor, that you're a very big proponent of open space, as are some of the committee members, I believe. And um we just received that

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budget overview in in our tax bill. It says that your acquisition uh Middletown has protected 15.4 acres through the acquisition of various properties. So, I'm just confused why they you would try

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to acquire new properties when for open space when we have this beautiful piece of property right on the beach. It it is unimproved. It's wooded. I mean, I I understand what he said about liability, but I was thinking there's not really any maintenance because it's woods and

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uh the tenure of the land does go up and on and it protects the neighborhood from storms and from flooding. And we do have still a lot of flooding on Seabbze Avenue. There's a creek that runs right where Seb is there in the front of this property and that always backs up and

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comes up the street. my neighbor's uh daughter's car got flooded out the other uh the last storm. Mhm. Um and so that creek floods right on Sebreeze Avenue and and into the dead end street and we believe clearing this land would

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substantially impact the neighborhood. Uh we we do we'll also urge the committee to pull this par parcel from the auction block and don't let our natural storm protection you know and wildlife habitats be endangered and we

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why couldn't we work with like uh open space or monoth conservation foundation or the county open space program if the middle town doesn't want to be liable for it. Um, I just had some pictures of

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uh, you know, the property and the >> if you want to leave you want to leave them right at the end there. >> Sure. >> I'll grab them on the way out. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. >> No problem. Yes, sir. Uh, I'm sorry. Wait, did I Yeah. I didn't promise

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anybody else, did I? Come on down, sir. I'm starting to lose track of who said yesterday. Good evening, >> how are you? Good. Yeah, I'm going to come to you you next. Okay, ma'am. >> Um, my name is Joe Colardo. I live at

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107 Woodgate Road. Um, I'm here to question or comment the land auction as well. Different property though. I recently found out the Route 36 and Wilson Avenue commuter lot. Yes. >> Is going to be auctioned. I use that lot

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in addition to probably 30 other regular commuters every day. And just talking to some of them tonight and this morning, we're all kind of wondering what's the thinking behind selling this the largest commuter lot on Route 36. You know, it's it's >> moving it.

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>> Moving it. Okay. That's moving it where is it known yet or is it further down the road or is it going to be combined with another? >> Can we say yet or no? >> Yeah, we we're talking to another property owner. First of all, we did a we did a a survey over a period of a couple weeks and that average is about 15 cars and there's 100 spaces in the

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lot. So, >> it is summer, so I want to say it is light. >> We we did it in the spring. >> Okay. I mean, but on a good day, there's there's 25 or 30 cars, but >> you're going to Monday or Friday. Not so much. >> We're working on uh we're working on a location that will replace that um that

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parking, but I can't say because we're not not far away. >> Okay. And I and I know there's parking at, you know, by the Gems Bagels on Main Street and the other >> Thompson. We used to have that. We We don't have that. >> Oh, you don't? Okay. >> We don't have that lease anymore. >> Okay. What about Thompson is still there. Yeah.

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>> Well, that's a small lot. I think it's only 30 spots, correct? But again, it's never even close to full, >> right? Okay. So, that was just my concern of, you know, >> it's not being eliminated. It wouldn't be eliminated where you would have no option. >> Okay. You know, that was my concern.

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>> Yep. >> Crystal clear. All right. Perfect. Thank you. >> You got it. No problem. Uh, yes, ma'am. >> Hello. My name is Linda Avalenda. A ved da. I live at 5 Bayside Parkway, Middletown. >> You became Brian Nelson's friend after

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spelling your last name like that. Just without off the cuff like that. >> Go ahead. >> Okay. >> How are you today? >> Uh, I'm fine, thank you. I hope everyone is well as everyone is well. Um I was here in April with the last meeting at in front of the

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ideal beach and uh I had requested if it was possible for them to put lines so people would park um in a way that would be easier for the residents that live there, including myself. Yes,

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>> I have I live at um block one, lot one. >> Um >> you're the OG then. Block block one light. >> I think it is. Anyway, um my point is that uh I also have some photos. I will

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leave this for you. >> Just leave it right down there. Yeah, >> I hope you will be able to read it. >> Two, lot two. >> Lot two. Block two. I'm sorry. >> Okay. Anyway, >> number two is all right. I'm happy there. Um the way there's no

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signs as you come off uh Ocean Avenue that people sometimes drive against the traffic. >> Yes. >> Which it's not a lot. It's really it's really very few every day, but there is a few. And that concerns me that there

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can be an accident. There was an accident there uh yesterday. Yesterday, day before yesterday, I called the Middletown police, but it was just one of those I guess they bumped into to one car bumped into the other one

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>> for some reason. In front of my house, it's prime parking. The reason that I'm saying that because the car is >> block two, lot two. Who doesn't want to park in front of that one? because um the woman that parked there

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>> which had uh the incident, the first car, which I have photos of it, um wound up stopping when they saw the parking space and I guess she was just going to pull in there. Ultimately, she

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did pull into that spot after the incident, but the police came and there was nothing because they all said there was no accident. And there was cuz I have proof of it, which is really no big deal. But my concern is this. My

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driveway is very narrow. So, as I pull out, if there's a car parked right to the edge of my driveway, and there's also the house next door, which is the only ranch

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house on that on that block. Um, it makes it very difficult to pull out. We have to go around the the one car to make a righthand turn to to leave. And ultimately, we have to back

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up at least twice to do that. If there's a car coming in the opposite direction, it will definitely run into me. And sometimes, even though I could see beyond that, and there was there's more than one person that owns a car in the

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house, even though I can see beyond that, um, depending on the size of the car or how tall it is, you can't really see. Ted Ted, just so you know, Ted and I did discuss this and Ted was coming did did come up with a a painting plan for the

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curbs over there to prevent people from parking so that there there's no parking uh areas over near clo too close to people's driveways. Um, >> paint yellow curb. >> So they'll they'll paint the curb not allowing parking yellow.

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>> You see anything? I even requested that if they the township permits me, I'll even buy the paint and do it myself. >> We got we got you on the paint. We'll take care of the paint for you. >> And and second of all, um just so people know that they cannot drive against the

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against the one way that we have for the summer. you know, on on that topic, just since we have some Bayside Parkway residents, one of the problems is that people's GPS's don't know that for the summer it's only one way, so they send them the wrong way. So, in some cases, it's it's kind of an innocent innocent

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mistake, but some cases it's not. But, um, what what would you think about making the one way year round? Would that bother anybody? >> That would be >> Yeah. Well, but I think it would be much easier to enforce because now we can say you can't use the GPS excuse anymore. Apple Apple Maps.

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>> We've talked to the police department. They're totally in favor of it. We were actually going to set up a meeting with the Ideal Beach Community Association to kind of >> ask the neighborhood what they thought, but I'm glad we were three and 0 uh with you guys here. Four and0 hold

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on one hang on one second. Let me let me just are were you I just want to let you wrap up your comments here so that there's not >> so ultimately my concern is my coming out of the driveway and getting hit or the other drivers out

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>> before you leave just I just want to take your phone number. I'm not going to make you say it into the microphone here. So, I'm gonna take your phone number and Ted is going to call you with an update so that he can have tell you when the paint is g the painting company will come in >> the ranch between my house and the house next door.

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>> We have to take into consideration all the driveways. That's why you there's a calculation. >> Okay. There. Okay. Okay. >> It's really it's really a spot where you could park, but the problem is when I come out you can't see. It's like this

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monster here and you're trying to see but by the time you see it's too late. You're already out and they already hate you. >> I got I I 100% got it. Ted, you you'll um >> I will leave this. >> Yep. Just leave it right down there and and we're going to get your phone number

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before you leave and Ted will update you on the on the painting. Okay. All right. >> Thank you so much. Thank you for your time. You can give it to you give it to Heidi. Um >> Yes, sir. Mayor, >> how are you, sir? >> Good, thank you. Committee, uh, Bill Donnelly, tenure resident Port Mammoth.

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Uh, I'm here to ask you to consider maybe after you. >> Sure. Yeah. >> Thank you. Um, adjourn tonight and prepare agenda for future meetings to resend, I believe it's 3510, the auction, uh, temporarily. I understand

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that there's budget implications and maybe there's still time to put it back on the agenda, but you've heard all the questions. I would uh argue to Mr. Maloney that if you did this five years ago, if that's the last time you did it, Middletown is very different than it was

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5 years ago. And I don't think it's business as usual anymore as it was 5 years ago. These properties affect all different locations in Middletown, as you know, and you've heard the questions. We do know that in New Jersey, people build on wetlands and wetlands mitigation is is a thing. You've heard where is the parking lot

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going? Uh what's going to happen to the the wildlife? What's going to happen to water and storm management? Those are all valid questions. When that came up when you first addressed it in in the May meeting, you asked for public comment, but I assume either the public wasn't here or didn't wasn't aware of

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the agenda item and didn't ask any questions. when you adopted it in uh in the following meeting, none of you asked any questions. I mean, these are valid questions and you all take an oath to operate transparently. These are natural questions that I think committee members would have had. Uh how how did these get

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on the list and do these nine lots need to be on this list? What was the criteria for them? So, if you were to rescend it and give time for public comment and more questions to be answered, many of the questions that were asked tonight, it still could come back on the agenda. maybe uh slightly

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different, maybe different lots, maybe consideration would be given to some of the uh concerns that were raised here and you could still meet your objectives to to sell some of these properties and cover the budget item that you you've allocated for these uh funds. So, uh that's uh that's what we're asking just

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for in terms of status. We formed an association uh that is has people joining from all those different places that are impacted by the nine lots that are in the auction uh in motion. uh we may hire an attorney, but I really do open space protection is not an

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adversarial issue. I know you've worked on that as a committee. Uh the the community has worked on that. So I don't think there's anything adversarial about it. It could be collaborative to just revisit why these properties, where are they? Is it necessary for all them to be there? What was the decision criteria for them to be on the list? Uh that's

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all I had to say. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Yeah. >> Yes. Okay. Um, I actually wanted to just start by a very late thank you name for the >> Oh, I'm so sorry about that. Tracy

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Lewis, 45 made a terrace. Um, I want to say about 10 years ago, we had asked for a four-way stop at market in Patterson and it actually took about two years, but you guys did it and the kids are safer. So, thank you very much for that. Um, I have read Mrs. Bodman's will and

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there are some small parcels of land. I was wondering are any of those part that are be between the baseball fields and Navisync and are any of those parcels going to be going up for auction? >> So, so I just want to say one thing. I

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know that many residents have talked to Tony Merkante about this. You know, this past week he's talked to a few of you. Um, several I I don't know if any of those individuals are here or not, but several have mentioned about a will and >> I have a copy of it. Okay. If if you

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could provide that, okay, >> to Mr. Merkante because everybody that has talked to him about the will has said that these properties are are protected. Now, what I can say is Mr. Nelson is charged with ensuring that

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with the title of these properties that they are not pro not protected. Sometimes that gets recorded, sometimes that doesn't. If you have a will that specifically states that these >> I went to was either Trenton or Freehold probably >> if someone would like because in Mr.

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Nelson's search it does not come up. >> Okay. >> Right. So, but if they are, I'll be the first one to to make a motion to to get >> because I know Bonman Park itself is also in that same will. >> Correct. So, >> and there and there's

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>> and you can you can see the map. list of block and now there will be the old block and lot numbers so we have to dig back into the old tax records because all the block and lot numbers changed okay in the 90s so we'll have to go search it but if you can leave a copy of it we'll take a look >> because I did go on a bike ride and I

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you know looked at where it was and it's it is it's like just >> vacant land that's left there >> in the middle of a neighborhood >> in the middle of a neighborhood so I wanted to just state something that actually happened um my family works with the Ottabon society

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and my father lives in West Long Branch and there's pieces of property that he maintains. Uh when the Home Depot was built, there was a lot of wildlife that was displaced and he still maintains those pieces of

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property. I'm not sure how it would be set up so that everything could be safe, but I would love to see something like that be done with Mrs. Bodman's property because she did clearly state that she wants it for recreational purposes. So,

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you know, hopefully that could be done. And I did want to ask a question if there was a legal way for a township to take a piece of property if someone donates it in their will that they're able to take that property and sell it.

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>> Is there a way can do that? I'm not a lawyer, but so I'll I'll defer the I'll defer the actual question to to Brian, but the one thing that I can say is when someone d there are multiple ways that somebody can donate land. >> Um there are times when it's deed and

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donate it for the purposes of preservation. Bodman Park where where the recreation is now is deed along with several parcels along the front of Navy River Road right there.

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>> Okay. So the those are all deed. They appear green on our maps meaning that they are on our official Rossi which is the category and catalog of preserved open space when the township buys

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property. Um, as Mr. Nelson alluded to, we're we're going to be uh announcing a large acquisition um hopefully very soon that that will be deed because we used open space dollars for that. Um,

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sometimes people will donate land to nonprofits or organizations for the purpose of selling them so that the nonprofit can make money off of it. So, it's not a yes or no answer, but it's got to be specifically, and Brian, correct me if I'm wrong,

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>> specifically said that this land is to be forever preserved for open space. Brian? >> Yeah. No, restriction. >> Eight years ago, they used the open space wording. >> And this this property, just see this specific property you're talking about, this neighborhood there. No, Bodman's

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not in the title. It was Riverside Drive Land Company. Yeah, everybody one at a time. >> And someone that I spoke to today, their family owns Chris's or owned Chris's deli. >> And

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it goes like takes a special type of person to like lose a millions of dollars and then donate. Noel, sell your property or will your property for a very low price and I >> respect those type of individuals do the

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do that and I love what happened at Chris's Deli. Y >> so I'd love to see if something could be happen could be done >> to Mrs. Bodman's properties >> and if there's you want to volunteer I can help out. >> Yeah. The ju and just to be clear though when when the county did purchase those

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properties they're they're paid the the fair market value for those properties. They're not the >> No, sir. >> Yeah, >> it's her time. You you you had your time. Let's Let's be courteous and allow allow Miss Luca to speak. But the the the uh the they're paid their far fair

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market value when you sell it. We have to get an appraisal on it. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Well, thank you very much. >> Have a great day. >> You too. Thank you. >> Any other member of the Yes, sir. How are you today? >> Doing good. How are you? >> Good, thanks.

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>> Uh Keith Mandel, I'm in the uh Bobin Park area. Tony, uh appreciate all the correspondence this week and uh still look forward to the meeting on Friday to try and consolidate some of this for everyone to review. Um, when talking to some of the neighbors that have been in

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that neighborhood for 50 plus years, they mentioned the Bodman deed and that there was an attempt to sell property back in 2008 that was ultimately paused and reverted based on the deed. >> And so, naturally, it raised the question of it sounds like some due diligence was done, but there was due

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diligence missed in 2008. Is is there a way to procure documentation of the due diligence the town did to be able to sell the lots in question across all the lots that are going up for sale? >> Well, I just Tony, do you know about

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>> Yeah, I mean I I don't know. Um, as has been stated, I've been here a long time and I they those long long predate me. Um, >> and and I don't know I haven't seen anything that specifies how those lots came to the township. The some of the ones clearly were Bodman properties

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because they were put on the Rossi that we're referring to is stands for recreation and open space inventory which most towns have that once it's on there basically you can never come off of it. Um so it's preserved forever. So some of the lots in the neighborhood as the mayor mentioned it one's closer to

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Nink River Road and then a few others just polka dotted in the neighborhood frankly are are come up as green properties that are preserved. all these do not and you know I can't tell you specifically why because someone would have to do a a title search um and but

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from what Mr. Nelson has found so far those didn't seem to have Bodman in the title in their history. So, but if we get the deed, I mean the will, we'll we'll definitely look at that. That might clear some things up. Um and hopefully if I get it soon when we meet

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on Friday, >> yeah, >> we'll have more information for you. >> No, I appreciate that. I I think like it feels like the burden of obligations on the residents and we just want to make sure the town has done the due diligence on the lots that are going up for sale and and based off of the president just want to make sure that you know if if

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there's a way to access the documents of the search that was done. Obviously this is a passionate community uh we want to make sure everything's up and up. N >> and with the August 19th auction that doesn't leave a lot of time and oh August 12th that leaves even less time.

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No, it's it's the n it's the 19th. >> Oh, it is the Okay. >> People can start submitting submitting business. >> Correct. But not it closes on the 19th. >> So, ultimately, Antonio, I'll ask this on Friday, too. But I I think the the residents are asking for time to just

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ensure that the due diligence is done. We've cross-cheed all historical records that we could access and uh you know, take it from there. Tony will will absolutely I'll have Brian give Tony the the title search information which is the requirement for it so that Tony has

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it for for your meeting on on uh Friday. >> Perfect. That would be great. And and I think uh another request, I don't know how this works, but maybe based off of um you know how important the open spaces are, irrespective of how they're

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designated, if there could be an actual township vote on on selling off of those properties. I'm a lifelong resident of Mammoth County across Little Silver Red Bank and now Middletown. We see it happening in other towns. It's uh doesn't feel like it's in the best

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interest of the residents in any capacity. >> The issue with that though, >> yeah, >> here lives near those properties. If you put up to a vote for the entire town and you say, "Well, selling those properties could keep your tax increase down by, I don't know, a percent or two, whatever

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it is, you're going to get outvoted just because it's not in their neighborhood." So, that's the problem with doing things like that. it becomes very parochial like I want to protect my neighborhood but people on the other side of town they'll they'll save the tax money rather than buy a lot next to your house you know what I mean so

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putting up sounds like a good idea but it doesn't really make >> logical sense and you probably would lose most cases >> so are we saying that the sale of this property will reduce our taxes and obligations >> we what what was mentioned earlier was the revenue from the the sales was baked

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into the budget that was adopted which kept the tax increase to a to a minimum if we hadn't, it would have been higher and it may be next year if they don't get sold. >> One man's point of view, I still I'll take my chances in a townwide vote. I think people want to preserve this as

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opposed to continue to build to become, you know, Morristown 2.0, which is funnily enough where a lot of the people moving in are coming in from North Jersey, Staten Island, overcrowded spaces, and just creating the same. And uh so just to put that out there in this

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public forum. That's all I had. >> Thank you, sir. Appreciate it. >> You got it. Thank you. >> How are you? >> Good. My name is Irene Roa. My family has been in the area since the 1950s. My grandmother came from Jersey

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City and she bought several properties. One on Port Mammoth Road. We were told most of our lives that the property behind us 449 Port Mammoth 447 was built in uh 1982. 449 was built in 2008. Rolo

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Builders. We were told the property behind us was wetlands. We were told the property behind us would not be built on. We have two ne we have 10 neighbors here this evening. Two of them have drainage issues so bad that the water

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comes up and it approaches her foundation. I'm one house over. I don't have that problem. But two houses to my left, there are major drainage issues. Seb, that whole section,

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it's all wet. It's all wetland. And to top it off, there's standing water and the Mammoth County Mosquito Control come and they test the waters. That's how much water there is. These people need

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help. I'm asking you, please help them. >> Okay. Thank you very much for your comments. Any other member of the public? Yes, sir. How are you, sir? Good. >> Joe, Jimmy, 14 Market Street. So, I'm

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with the the Bodman crew here. Um, a lot of the sentiments that I have have already been spoken about by by my neighbors, but I just had a couple of additional ones that I wanted to to voice. I I can't make that meeting with you on on Friday, so I just wanted to

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let these uh, you know, be heard. When I purchased my home uh eight almost eight years ago to the day, uh what it's worth, I was told that those lands next directly next to my house were protected

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and could not be built on. Um, from a tax and investment in building on that property standpoint, if there were to be houses built there, there would have to be some burden on taxpayers to for

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plumbing, water, all those types of purposes which would offset, I believe, any savings and tax that are being proposed by, you know, >> the township wouldn't pay for those. So when so if you're talking about drainage that has Township of Middletown stamped

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on it and you're building new houses that would not require more drainage, more plumbing, more township services. >> Anyone that would would want to build on that if they if they were successful and the township were to accept it would be

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responsible for the payment of including that in there. >> All right, I'll pull that one off then. Um, but aside from that, from a safety perspective, um, on the street, I don't know if you have ever been up and down Market Street, um, or the surrounding

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streets when there is a baseball game or a 5K. You can people are parking well back beyond my house. The addition of new properties on that house would just congest the area much more, making it less safe for my children. I have a 12

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and nineyear-old. One of them was here dancing for you the other day with the Daily Irish dance team. Um, so the idea of a disruption of the neighborhood for going to the park down the street because of the addition of

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new properties on the street is just not something I feel that would be, you know, in the best interest of of the neighborhood. Um yeah, been been many times for many baseball games, good and bad baseball games. Um uh the the one

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thing that I would say is we we are actually working um currently we we have uh an effort in the works to um renovate the park maintenance buildings that are over at Bodman um and work to uh

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incorporate more parking over there um to try and alleviate the the very uh parking issue that uh that neighborhood has given all the baseball games and and recreational activities. ities that occur over there. Just as a side note.

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>> Okay. And the the parks are a different safety the parks department is a different safety concern because they fly around up and down my street all day and night, but that's for a separate discussion. Um and then the other piece of this just related to adding

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potentially adding new properties in the neighborhood. There's just with the amount of construction, maybe not directly related to Middletown, but right in Redbank across the bridge, the apartment buildings there, the apartment

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buildings by the train station, there's an influx of just available places to live. the idea of selling these off for even if they're single family homes just doesn't seem like it would be, you know, something that the the town or the

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neighborhood needs at this moment. So, it's just not something that uh you know, not something that I think is in the best interest while you're collecting tax dollars. I'm sure it doesn't seem like it would benefit

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anyone in this room at the moment from any type of savings or any of the other concerns that I had or the other uh neighbors of mine have already raised. Understood. Thank you very much for your comments, sir. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. Any other

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member of the public wish? Any other member of the public? Okay. I want to um just say thank you to everybody. appreciate the conversation and the dialogue obviously. Um I think some uh information that might not have

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been available um hopefully has has become available um uh that Mr. Nelson provided and Tony provided. Um uh but I just want to say thank you very much for the the the consistent and and courteous dialogue. appreciate that

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amongst all all the residents and and uh um certainly be following up with some of you with regard to that and I know Tony's meeting with a few of you on Friday. So seeing no other member of the public stepping forward, I'll move the close the public portion and adjourn. >> Second. >> Committeewoman Kratz. >> Yes.

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>> Deputy Mayor Hibbo. >> Yes. >> Mayor Perry. >> Yes. >> Motion carries to adjurnn. >> Have a good night everybody. Thank you all.