There you go. Good. Thank you, Frank. And uh good evening everyone. Welcome to the January 15, 2026 meeting of Milbourne Township Charter Study Commission, which is called to order in
accordance with section five of the Open Public Meeting Act, chapter 231, Public Laws 1975. Be advised that notice of this meeting was made by posting on the bulletin board in town hall and forwarding to the officially designated newspapers that
this meeting would take place on Zoom at 8:00 on Thursday, Jan 15. Meeting details and the draft agenda have been posted and also at the Bower Center. Okay. Do we have an American flag here?
>> Oh, okay. Uh, I'd like to uh ask everyone to please stand for the pledge of allegiance. >> I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for
all. >> Okay. Um, Dr. Khan, I will uh will you please have a roll call? Yep. Mr. Bill here. Dr. Con is here. Miss Parker L >> here. >> Mr. Tenner >> here. Mr. Gar
>> here. Uh the record will show that we have a forum for this meeting. May I have first of all did everyone have a chance to uh read the um agenda? >> Yes. >> Okay. Uh do I have a motion to approve
the agenda? >> I motion. >> Second. All in favor? I I >> um may I have a motion to approve the January 8th meeting minutes? >> I have a motion. >> Okay. Is there a second?
>> Second. >> Okay. Thank you. All in favor? >> I >> I >> Okay, moving right along. Are there any commissioners with reports since our last meeting? >> Um so we did receive an email earlier
today from Mr. Phelp. Um, so I'll just read it out into the record since Dr. requested. >> Okay. >> Uh, because of tonight's conflicting >> Excuse the Can you just >> Oh, yes. Um, I should note I should have done this after roll call. We have Suzanne Sebasco from uh King mentioning
Collins here as our council. >> Thank you. Happy to be here. >> Um, so thank you. >> Just read out Mr. Pel question. Because of tonight's conflicting BOE strategic planning committee meeting, I cannot attend tonight's charter study commission meeting. Accordingly, would you please consider the following and acknowledge receipt of this email in
tonight's meeting public record and minutes. Number one, posting the records change in New Jersey municipal government report outlining the three-phase charter study commission report process undescribed at the last gen 8 meeting by Attorney Collins. Number two, posting the recent Redbank, Bradley Beach, and Home Charter study
commission reports in order for the public to understand the current charter study commission report template and the phase one type of supporting findings. Number three, requesting a short noticed opportunity to speak at the TC and BOE meetings so that you can explain the three-phase process to the community. In the past, the TC has provided the
environmental commission and others a noticed pre-public comments opportunity to communicate to the community. Number four, providing the community a phase one opportunity to be heard on supporting facts or allegations, supporting deficiencies in our current form of government. Number five,
reaching out to the police department for the list of all current local neighborhood watch groups. feel free to contact me. Um, so just as an update, the items requested in number one and number two, which was the Rucker document, the Red Bank, Bradley Beach Home Charter Study Commission reports,
those are now on the Charter Study Commission website. Um, as for number three and four, I think we can discuss that, you know, maybe after public comment if others >> or yeah, new business. Um, and then the
police department, I asked him for clarification on this. Um he basically just said he wanted to use that as an outreach so we could add the neighborhood watch groups as an outreach platform I suppose. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> That's absolutely no problem.
>> Right. Those were our boards. >> Right. Um Dr. Khan update uh number 88 please. >> Um they So that was from last meeting. >> Oh right. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm
sorry. Um are there any other reports? Um I would do you want me to I can give a report. Um so I started a report regarding sort of the second phase where we look at different forms of government
for similar communities. So I put together a report of municipalities in New Jersey. There are approximately 20,000, so about 18 to 22,000 residents with downtowns. What form of government, whether they have a mayor,
whether the mayor is elected, the the let's see what else. Um the terms for the committee, whether it's partisan elections or not, uh election cycle, pretty much uh >> at large or >> right. Thank you. I was going to show up
you added it was at large and and what was the second thing because I I didn't add it to >> Yeah. So it's it's a it's a pretty interesting um uh interesting spreadsheet at this point. Uh there's about one, two, three,
four, five, six, seven. Yeah, give it 20 or so municipalities. Uh so it'll give us good reference points and then from there I suppose we can sort of dig deeper and decide which ones are most similar or dissimilar and um sort of use
it as as our our litmus test and maybe even go speak to some people from some of these municipalities. >> Great. Thank you Corey. Um my question to you and Shinook, are you guys um do
you guys think you'll go to a uh TC meeting at these other municipalities or or have contact with them or >> uh definitely contact. So my my first thought is to maybe interview or talk to the mayor or committee members and things like that to see whether it's
worth going to committee meetings. >> Um but we'll have to come up with and I haven't yet questions that I think would be relevant for >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, well, I I thank you guys for that and um >> you know, we're not we're not ready for
phase two too yet, but thank you for, you know, starting it. Yeah. Yeah. >> This is more a ground work. So, >> can I ask a question on the groundwork? Um >> of of the 20 that so far are popping up, um how many are local to us in our surrounding area that you've noticed so
far? >> We have Summit in here. We have South Orange in here. Is that is that what your question is? >> Yes, it's really like our borders. >> So, somebody in South Orange are a part of this and then >> South Hill Scotch Plains. >> Scotch Plains. >> Can we and and I think it'd be worth
adding everyone who kind of borders us. So, like Livingston has brought up to us in our TC interviews as a a model that's similar yet slightly different. So, I think it'd be nice to find out since the towns around us, not everyone has a
train line or a specific downtown. >> No, that that is also in here, too, is which ones have trains and stuff. >> Um, >> but I think we should also go a little bit outside the train line and downtown situation because I know Livingston doesn't have a traditional downtown, but they have similar makeup of like
>> demographics and >> demographics and also they've got the five person um >> board um TC. So, and and it it seems to be a lot of people have been running for, you know, many years to get like together, working together. So, be nice to see what our neighbors are actually.
>> Yeah, I could do Livingston, Maplewood. >> Um, well, we already have some. >> Yeah, I think I think it'd be nice to see what Chad's doing, too. And I don't know if Madison is on that, but >> Shan, did you say Springfield? >> If you're neighbors,
great. It's small, but yes, be great. they're we share a lot of uh research with them in terms of uh our our employees rely on their >> you know services sometimes. So I think anyone who we're relying on for either shared information, shared services and
just neighborly courtesies >> would be great for us to explore. >> So so Springfield West Orange I guess. >> Yeah, >> West Orange. Yes, it is actually a direct neighbor above South Orange Avenue and >> trying to picture Google Maps in my mind. >> Yes. Yes. know exactly West Orange for
sure. >> We do have shared services with uh Summit and the surroundings, >> not even services but just the courtesies like as in you know research and policing and things like that. So
>> yeah. >> Uh thank you Corey and Shinook. Um, I'd just like to say Joanna Parkensz and I, um, we are finishing up the municipal employees. We have two left, which is
one will be tomorrow and another one will be next week. And then um, we have compiled uh, Dr. Khan and Joanna Parker Lens have compiled a list of former TC
members, former mayors of the township, and it goes back all the way to 19. >> Yeah. >> 1992. >> 1992. Yeah. Yeah. Very, very good. >> Like I think 90 or 91.
>> Yeah. 91. Yes. Uh all the way from 1991 to uh current. we we already uh in interview the um current TC members you know and um I'd just like to say that
our interviews and our questions and by the mere fact that it is not official um I've heard from Dr. Khan when he spoke to Michael Collins, the Red Bank
interviews lasted a half hour and some of them were uh adversarial and uh our interviews that that we have had last an hour and 15 to an hour and a half and the information that we are
getting is incredible. So we will document that uh the two of us and then another two And then we will have a summary report at the end of phase one.
We will give certain points of our interviews at the end of phase one and then at the end of uh phase three we will have a comp comprehensive report. So um that is that is my report for now.
Uh any other commissioners have um any other any other thing to say? Okay. Thank you. >> All right. Um public comment. To speak during uh the public comment period, please follow these instructions. Ensure your Zoom
display named shows your your first and last name. Click uh the raise hand button. You will be called upon in order and promoted to P panelist. Uh, please turn on your video when called to speak. Um,
clearly state your full name and whether you are a Milbour resident or business owner. To facilitate an orderly meeting and permit all to be heard, please limit your comments to three minutes. A reminder that the public comment period is an opportunity for residents to share
their views with the commission. Commissioners will not uh will not respond to questions or engage in dialogue during your speaking time, but will carefully consider all comments at the end of the public comment period. Questions and discussion may be
addressed at the chair's dis uh discretion. Um uh Dr. Khan, is anyone on? >> Yeah. Uh we have Mr. Morali. Hi, Jay Morelli. Uh, >> res good morning. Good evening, Jay.
>> Hey there, Chris. How are you? >> Great. Thank you. It's a little cold, but but we're here. I I figured you might come to the Bis. I uh I I'm taking advantage of the uh Zoom uh option and uh for the reasons
you just mentioned. >> Gotcha. >> So, I'm Jay Morali, resident representing the Short Hills Association. We'd like to commend the commission on their public outreach and thank the commission for their offer to meet in person and discuss some of the
issues. And uh if I've got things right, I think we've agreed uh on a time this Saturday. So uh thank you for that opportunity. We also would like to commend the commission on the open dialogue public comment format. Um we believe this
fosters an environment conducive to public trust. And as a as an aside, um I learned recently that uh in the past township committee meetings used to have open discussion of issues. Not sure when that stopped. I can kind of understand
why. Um, but I hope we can continue it here. I think it's helpful. Um, one question tonight and I think you partially answered or maybe you fully answered it and that uh uh is regarding uh partially regarding the information
from the conf uh confidential interviews. Uh but the question I think that we uh raised uh last uh meeting was whether there would be any um in-person public interviews of TC members. It
sounded from the tone uh that that was uh maybe being frowned upon, but if you've uh reached a decision and a consensus on that um I would certainly uh be interested to know. Um and related
uh a question for council. Um if there is information from those interviews that is going to be used to inform the commission decision, are there any requirements for public deliberation
of that information? Those are my questions. Again, thanks for all you're doing. Um look forward to hearing your responses. Thank you. Thank you, Jay. Um, Jerk, anyone who's anyone else?
>> No one else on the Zoom. Um, although if anyone is on the Zoom and would like to speak, please raise your hand. >> All right. I'm sorry. >> Okay. >> All right. I now close the first public comment uh period. Are there any other
comments from the commission regarding any comments made by the public? >> If I can address if I can address that. Um, we have been having discussions uh one-on-one as we are only allowed to have that. Um, to make sure that
everyone in the public feels that there is the proper transparency. Um, there will be published interviews for the elected officials. Once we get confirmation from those folks that they're comfortable having their words
published, we're going to make sure that our interviews, so far we've only interviewed the folks who are currently serving. Um, we haven't set forth into the past TC members. So, we'll have those conversations going forward. We're being very uh cognizant of the fact that
there are a few members that keep bringing up the fact that they'd like to see more of the published uh dialogue. So, while we're not going to be videoing these interviews, we are going to be, you know, going forth and taking diligent notes and making sure that the
people who are being interviewed are being characterized the correct way, the answers being uh responded to the correct way. So, we're going to get official statements from people to say, "Yes, this is actually what I said. This is what I meant. you interpreted correctly and the things that we can aggregate the field the things that make
sense to the public to take in like anything from lengths of terms election cycles the amount of people on the TC should it be partisan nonpartisan if there are anecdotes related to things that matter to those aggregated answers
we are absolutely willing to consider that I think maybe four out of five of us are have have been discussing going forward in that manner. We still have another discussion to be ma to be had um to make sure we're on the same page. We want to make sure that the public is on board with us. We're on
board with public. We want to make sure people are, you know, hearing what we're hearing, but also things that don't matter, the sidebars, which could be about Rockfest or about parking. Like there's a lot of aides in these conversations that have no bearing
and they will not, you know, they will not influence us in how we decide. But again, we're all neighbors. We're all people who work together, live together, volunteer together. So some conversations just aren't meant for public consumption and and allow for a certain measure of comfort in discussing
these things. We're not trying to hide things. So we want to make sure the things that matter to the public about this particular vote are absolutely 100% relayed to the public and the employees our attorney has uh relayed to us that the employees should absolutely have the
modocum of privacy and we'll have a summary and having an employment attorney on our commissioner group here is very helpful and instrumental into saying hey we don't need to publish anything about individuals as employees.
We'll relay the general sentiment and concerns if there are or positives if there are. And then what we're hoping after phase one gets published once we research the the next phase which is the studying of the governments um around us and if there are positives, negatives or
things we have to go back to, we're hoping that the past TC's can be invited to a public forum where again some people may live here elsewhere. We we're going to hopefully invite EP not hopefully, we will invite everyone. We'll make it a Zoom so it's as easy as
it possibly can be for people to participate. We'll invite the public. We'll have our questions to reiterate like, hey, based on the things we've studied from the forms of government, these are the things we've now learned. What do you think about this? And and we'll make the public involved in that
portion as well. So, we don't we want to make sure that public is absolutely feeling that this is transparent and that they're a part of it. Yes, >> that makes sense everyone. I will end right there. >> Dr. Khan, do you have anything else to uh add to that?
>> I think Jonah did a great job. Um, you know, at the risk of sounding obvious, I think >> we'll make as transparent as possible sort of the collective or in aggregate as is needed in level of detail. You know, I don't know if it's quite as
informative to say TC member A said this, TC member B said this, TC member, and then there's quite too much information. I think our job is to identify sort of themes and just you know general contours of things that can be improved perhaps or pain points. Um
versus rather than getting into the weeds of you know TC member you know X from 1995 said this and then go into a bunch of detail. I think it's just extracting the sort of ideas and themes
that would be necessary to convey to the public. I think that >> but I think that the as long as we as long as we go forward with the next 13 people that we put on our list and ask them and and say are you comfortable being fully transpared
>> on the things that are aggregate research >> and if there are anecdotal stories to that point can we put them out there and we'll make them responsible for yes we're comfortable and we're signing off on this we said we said what you have written >> is true
>> so that's what I'd like to put out there >> and if we can make the current TC I I know that we talked about there are rules about obviously having the TC in one place and having all of us in one place, right? So is there a part of a TC
meeting that we can be invited to to have an open forum discussion between maybe the five of us and the five of them? Is there some forum that might exist for even a 30-minut public session of like discussion if there's questions like hey let's discuss this is what
we've learned these other forms of government have sevenyear terms threeear terms I mean I'm making things up a 14 person TC or I mean again crazy a seven person TC three person versus nine you know if there's a a conversation maybe
there's that's a question for the TC if that's possible is is that to be orally. >> I'm going to uh refer that to our attorney. >> Yeah, that's certainly something that if your if your TC was willing to open to put you on as an agenda item and have you there um there's no reason that you
couldn't speak to the TC, you know, as any other member of the public. >> It's a quiet month, right? So, we're not wasting anybody's time. It's quiet month. We're not like a million things are happening, but >> Right. Okay. >> We can have a quorum for both bodies at the same time or
>> um Yeah, I believe that you can. I want to check into that 100% for you, but I believe that you can. But I'll get back to you tomorrow on making sure that we >> People are concerned about the quorums. >> Okay. >> And they want us to be in the same place. They want TC. So, >> make sure we're doing it right. So,
>> Right. Yeah. >> because, you know, I'll have a conversation with Joanna Parker Lens and I'll have a conversation with Dr. Khan, right? you know, and so but um to answer um well, I think Joanna sort of did, but
um the folks that we have in interviewed, everyone said, "Come back to us if you have more questions and a couple of them said you could quote me." >> Yeah, >> they said you you can quote me. So again, we are not Redbank. We are
Milbourne Township. We are very open and I and I say this every meeting but we have extremely dedicated uh people that work from Milbourne Township. Okay. Um
all interviews we did um uh next item under old business is community outreach. I think uh Dr. Khan and Joanna Parkensz are having a uh Can can you guys explain? >> Sure. Um yeah, so the we've published um
a list of frequently asked questions to our website. Um so members of the public that are um trying to wrap their heads around exactly who we are and what we're trying to do hopefully can get up to speed relatively quickly. Um with the goal being that, you know, we want as much public participation as possible.
Um, you know, we were hoping that now that we're meeting in person, we would have more people join. Um, >> it's cold. >> It's cold. >> It is cold. >> Jay said it was cold outside. >> It's cold outside. >> It's hard to find. Um, so, you know, hopefully going forward, you know, once
we're once we'll we have sort of more things to discuss. I think once we have a phase one review I think you know hopefully there will be more public participation just you know or even just more eyes on what phase one has found um because I I think it is very important
the public is going to vote on this at the end of the day so yes the public should participate as much and as frequently as possible >> but this is why we're having this the focus groups and I do I agree with you the summary is going to help round out the people's opinions like when once
there summaries we be Oh, now I understand. This is what happened. We have our FAQs up there. I think they're very informative. I think they're clear. If people could log on to the our website and the township part of the website that has charter study commission information and give us
opinions, you know, do you have enough information? I mean, to me, it seemed really quite good and comprehensive. Um, we'll see what happens when we sent we just sent it out to 2500 people. So, we'll see if anybody has questions or they feel like they're well informed. Um, any other focus groups that want to
come forth and sit down with us, we'd love to continue doing that because it's informative to us to hear from people who actually elected us. So, we're good with that. >> Joanna, when you said you just sent it out to 2500 people, uh, can you give us
the the name of the association? >> Sure. The list serves. So two list serves that I happen to be a part of is um work mom and newcomers. So those are the two list serves that I really regularly send out broadcast things to. Um I'm sure there are many of us who are
part of WhatsApp groups and other Facebook groups that are in town. My one reservation and I I I will defer. I'm not a I I don't post on Happy Melbourne as much as others. I feel like there are so many people there who don't necessarily live here. Is it the right
forum to announce and invite public scrutiny from everybody and their mother who used to live here, right? And do we want to engage with people who are going to take up a little bit of our valuable time when we have people in town who really do care and want to know like
there's there's political groups on Facebook that are limited to 07078 and 07 oh my god 41 >> 41 I reached out to South Mountain >> South Mountain Civ Association for Hills Civ Association. So if there's other
associations and other nonprofits, I feel like if every nonprofit can be contacted, every I don't know if they will send out a a email on our behalf because I know that for the Verette Foundation, for example, the board that I'm on, they limit it to emails that are
restricted to the fundraising that we do. So there are 6,000 people on that group, but like will the school district maybe send out an email or will the township send an email? I thought of the school district and I'm nervous because people think it's a charter school.
>> Is this going to confuse people more? >> All right. >> Well, um to answer your question about um Happy Milbourne, I have made a decision. We are not we're not going to publicize us on uh H Happy Milburn. >> Your unilateral decision
>> Happy Milbour Happy Melbourne is not happy. >> Just to let just to let everyone know. But uh has its utility, not not this forum. >> Exactly. >> Limiting it to to zip codes that we actually are represented in and we've
been voted by. >> Yes. >> So we should, you know, I know that Jeff Jeff suggested Jeff Be suggested going to the watch groups. They're very small groupings of people, right? >> There's like a tiny little group in the Fairfield section, a tiny little group elsewhere. Like I know my neighborhood
doesn't really have that. So, >> I have a I I have a I'm captain of the uh South Mountain um neighborhood watch. There's three of us, >> right? And so, like >> I didn't know we had one, Chris. >> Yeah. if it's not a
>> and and basically what happens Cory if if there's you know somebody you know someone like there's a robbery or or something like that um I sent out a u you know the police the police report so
so far knock on wood we haven't had anything so so that's good um yes so we you know what what's up that's a very good suggestion that's a Very good suggestion. >> Happy to share on some groups. >> Are you? >> Okay. So, Shanook, can you send out our
uh FAQs and and and what have you. >> Thank you. >> You know what actually would be really great? Um I feel like so >> the Chinese Association has a very large following as well >> and I wonder if we can ask the presidents to because that is literally
limited to our township, right? >> We've got the Desi Club. >> Yes. Um and and I think that if we can cover um we have the two biggest list serves. We've got work mom newcomers. If there are other list serves that any of
us are on I know the South Mountain Association >> Pacific Association >> Association. Is that a list or a Facebook group? >> Uh >> Facebook. >> Yes. they do have a lister because occasionally I get stuff but I haven't got >> so we can if we can cover those both of
those channels you know otherwise the other civic associations nonprofits are kind of small >> so it'd be nice to blanket a larger grouping >> um I think if we can get a township announcement you know on a Friday uh call
>> to say next week there is a charter study commission meeting if that's I mean I I don't want come and dear it because it's we meet once a week almost >> right >> so but it's a limited time so if if it's valid enough and like we said if
somebody shows up to TC and says hey you know please show up but again we're relying on people to actually log in it's a small grouping of people that log in in time >> the live things are really the list serves the WhatsApp groups um tap into again it's more public rather than than
insular and the neighborhood based zip codes that were you've been voted in by. >> Yes. So, um I'm happy to if folks want to just send me different groups that you're sending to just so that we know we've covered everything. So, we
have like a centralized repos like if you send the web to say like I've sent it to this. So, >> yeah, I'll send you stuff. >> I'm happy to aggregate all of that and >> everyone. So, basically a syndication list as we've been talking about for a while. He's sending out more. Obviously, as we
get more completed with our summaries, people will start to pay attention more and care about what those mean because right now it's a little bit more, you know, >> process. Yeah. >> Yeah. It's process and it's whatifs. It it's there's nothing concrete yet. >> We're getting there, but
>> Yeah. Yeah. No, it that's it takes time. That's for sure. But the folks who care about it right now and and help and are helping us shape the course of it, that's who's going to show up now. And obviously that's who we're hearing from the smaller focus groups. >> Later we can all, you know, put our our
data forth and others will probably also say, "Oh, you missed this. >> We'll go back and cover that, too." >> Right. >> Um, so for I know we discussed this briefly at our last meeting. Um I'm I go to all the TC meetings anyway. So does
anyone object or I guess >> do we need to like get >> No, you offered. >> Yeah, >> we're all good. >> Okay. So I'm happy to make an announcement as you said. >> I will do that at the next TC meeting because hopefully it won't be as crazy as the reord. Um >> and I don't know who else goes to BOE.
Maybe we can ask uh friends of ours who go there regularly. I know who does. >> Well, I could um >> go to BOE. >> Sure. >> Yeah. Is it? >> Yeah. As long as it doesn't coincide with >> your recognition Mondays, I think. >> Oh, they're Monday. >> Mondays. Yeah,
>> sometimes. >> Okay. All right. Yeah. Let me let me look at the schedule. I have absolutely no problem. >> There's some friends of ours who go there regularly so we can ask them to announce, hey, I'm here and >> take notes and what have you. >> Yeah, we'll just say, "Hey, can you please whoever would like to show up? Charter Commission study is meeting this
week at this time." >> Oh, okay. >> Just to announce. >> Okay. Yeah, actually that's a great point actually. >> Um, do that. >> Um,
>> yeah. Yeah. Okay, let's go to 14. I swear I'm I'm going to memorize this by the time we're done. Public comment. Speak during the public comment period. Please follow these instructions. Ensure your Zoom display
name shows your first and last name. Click the raise hand button. You will be called upon and ordered and promoted to panelist. Please turn on your video when called to speak. Clearly state your full name and whether you are a Milbourne resident or business owner to facilitate
an orderly meeting and permit all to be heard. Please limit your comments to three minutes. A reminder that the public comment period is an opportunity for residents to share their views with the commission. Commissioners will not respond to questions or engage in
dialogue during the speaking time, but afterwards will carefully consider all comments and at the end of the public comment period, questions and discussions may be addressed at the chair's discretion.
Dr. Khan, is anyone anyone like to speak? >> Oh, great. This room is starting to get warm. >> Hey Jay, just to let you know, this room was cold when we got in here. >> Over.
>> It looks like a nice room, though. I've never been in that room. >> We're very warm. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I'm going to have to find out more information. That looks like a a great spot you guys have got there. Uh let's see a few comments. Uh, number
one, uh, good work on the website, by the way, and and, uh, these are going to be more kind of my my my thoughts based on, uh, what you've, uh, spoken to here, but, good job on the website, uh, uh, the charter commission township website.
I think it's a a big improvement and, uh, much easier to follow uh, with all the dates and everything. So, good job there. Um I like your suggestion um of having sort of a public information
session. Um my sense is uh getting people uh getting and and again this is my sense um getting people to show up at at these type of meetings is going to be a tough pull. um not only because of the
weather but um as you pointed out it's mostly procedural stuff that you're doing uh at least at this point um uh but I think if you have a general information session um where you allow the public to ask questions where it's u
um you know more of a a free form dialogue type of thing I think that could be incredibly helpful and uh you know if you need uh anything we could do to help publicize that if you do in fact decide to go that way. Uh we'd be more
than help be uh happy to help with um what else did I want to say? Um yeah and I think the other thing too uh is that in a forum like that uh you can you can get uh if it's just one event people
will come to it versus having a you know especially in your case since you're running weekly meetings people doing that. So, um I I would I would fully uh support and help in any way. The other thing I would say though um uh is and I heard the comment on um you know that
that in uh from Michael Collins that some of the Homedale uh interviews um the and it's clear if you watch those interviews and and I've watched all of them uh that that there is um different
viewpoints of the commissioners um and they drill down on different aspects of things. So you actually get it when they're interviewing people and yes it was contentious um but contentious can
sometimes be a good thing because you actually get to hear both sides of of an argument right um so you know look at our TC meetings um there are meetings when easy decisions well not easy but where there's unanimous decisions people
agree you got through it okay but there's also a lot of good discussion where um TC members don't agree and you get to hear both sides of an argument. So, if you're going to be asking um you know, trying to discern, for example,
whether having an elected mayor is a good thing or a bad thing, um I think the public would benefit from hearing from people that have both, you know, different views and having somewhat of a
um back and forth dialogue of, well, what about this and what about that? Um to me, >> thank you. Thanks. Thank you, Jay. Let me um No, no. You know what? Since it's only you, I just want to, you know, uh
answer a couple of your suggestions. We're going to refer to uh council to see if we could have a public meeting uh on on the agenda at the TC meeting. She uh >> well, that's one thing, but there's the second. So, there's two, right? The public and there's the other and the
other. So we will um we will we will get back to you on on on those two issues. You know and uh Dr. Khan is there is there anyone else? >> Uh anyone else wishing to speak can
raise their hand now? >> No one else. >> Okay. Um >> so I I'm happy to respond to some of Mr. Royale's comments. >> Okay. Um I I think that the back and forth sort of the last point that we were trying to make regarding, you know,
direct election of mayor as an example. I think the back and forth is not quite like the interview at least in my mind is not quite the sort of time to be doing that back and forth necessarily, right? Because if you, you know, say Joanna and I are asking someone a question,
>> you know, do you think um there's there should be a directly elected mayor? They'll give their reasons. we might challenge some of their reasons. That's sort of the back and forth. >> Yes. >> Um, you know, and certainly, >> you know, we go in there, you know, playing devil's advocate,
right? Like we're not saying, "Okay, we want X, so we're going to challenge them if they don't agree with X." They might say, "Why?" And then we'll say, "Well, what about this other thing that you didn't consider?" I think the point of the interviews is to actually challenge them. And I don't, you know, I don't
necessarily see the additional benefit perhaps of, you know, all five of us doing that sort of interrogation so to speak. I think it might be it might be in that situation where I'm thinking faster than I'm talking. So I think once we have
that write up, you know, we'll circulate it with the rest of the folks and then, you know, anyone who wasn't present at that interview might say, "Well, did you ask them about such and such?" Right? So I think >> well I I think so far we've only interviewed the folks who are actually elected currently >> right
>> and it has not been contentious. So I think for us there hasn't been a need for a challenge. People have provided their reasons and there's been no reason to say well what have you what do you mean? Have you considered it's more like this is exactly how I feel. >> This is what I think should this is the
benefit. This is the not benefit. It's been pretty >> it's just logical. So, we've been writing down the comments as logic. However, what we might find that could be more >> uh of a challenge is when we get to the place of when you guys are researching
Shinook and Corey, the next places that we're going to research, right? When we find out how other places are doing it, that's where we might learn to say, "Oh, wow. None of us consider this one thing or two things or 10 things."
>> Yes. And that's when we might come back to these folks who are currently elected and past elected and be able to say, can we have a discussion about this? And that might be where, as Jay might said, the sparks might fly or like there might be I I hope nothing's going to be
adversarial. It's more conversational. Yes. And we're going to have a debate among intelligent, logical people because so far the conversations we've had have been very very logical and not contentious. And the current TC seemed extremely healthy in the ways that
they've been communicating with each other. Maybe not always in public, but the way that that they view this particular process has been pretty logical. So we haven't find we haven't found points of contention or we haven't found ourselves in adversarial
situations. But I feel like once we analyze the future questions that we don't even know what to ask yet that will come hopefully forth when phase two is done we will have some robust conversations whether they're going to be in the public facing TC meeting with
a 30 minute grace period toward us or whatever or we have the all the past TC people that we invite to a public forum that we can zoom because people in other places that people will actually get a more of a discussion that they're that are hopefully hoping for. Right. So,
>> yes, >> we're not there yet. >> But, but Joanna, we have asked pertinent questions. >> Oh, everything that makes sense for now. >> Yes. Yes. >> What we don't know is what we don't know. So, I think the bottom line is we
asked based on what we know in our current form of government >> and what we think is the logical set of questions. We're also meeting with our future focus groups. We might get a few more. >> Yes. you guys will will uncover, you know, some of the forms of government. I think all of us are going to research
together, but obviously you've got you're the you're the points point people for this. >> So, we'll take the your lead based on what you find out from some of the other, you know, townships and we'll all help out as much as we can. >> Um, and we'll rely on our legal counsel
on what kind of public forums we can have, but we will have public forums. You know, it's just >> how they look. We'll we'll we'll define them later. >> I think to your point, we don't know what we don't know. That's a great way of saying like, you know, maybe folks that were interviewed said, "Oh, we hate having an indirect," just as an example,
"we hate having an indirectly elected mayor. Like having a directly elected mayor would be so great." >> Maybe it turns out we talked to some other town and they have a directly elected mayor and they're like, "Well, there's these types of dysfunction with a directly elected mayor that you might not be aware of." So, we bring that back, >> right? And we say, "This is what they're
having issues with. >> Let's think of it in this manner because we've never had this format." So, >> and ultimately, I would anticipate, and correct me if you guys don't see it the same way, but our report that we ultimately put out, and this is in Redbanks, it's it's not going to be any
different, is it's not going to be like here's our suggestion, and and this is what we support. It's going to be here's some of the facts we gathered, the pro, the con of this, and that, and based on that, then here is our suggestion. So to Jay's point about allowing the public to hear the back and forth and what's
better for the may ultimately the public is going to see them. >> Yeah. >> It's just going to be distilled into a report and that's kind of the point of a charter committed study is you know the town elects five individuals to do this work for them. Otherwise it's kind of got to get out of hand. And we
definitely want public input and we want that to frame our research. But we also have to keep in mind we have a limited amount of time. We have nine months to get this done and we have to do it in a very efficient manner. So >> yes, >> but there's plenty of opportunity in this nine month period to every week or
almost every week people can come and say, "Oh, we've seen what you've done." So every week when we put out more information as we publish our studies, >> people will come back and say, "Oh, we understand this. What do you think about this?" >> Yeah. I I just I want to distinguish from let's take uh like an election
cycle where you see people who are candidates running for office and you hear the back and forth about their opinions and then you as an individual have to then make your if you want report and decide on that >> right >> the public has elected us. We're going to take it in. We're going to with the
public's input, which we've reached out a ton to the public, try to have a most comprehensive research and then put a study and then the public can weigh that that report and make a decision. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Thank you, Corey. That was very good. Actually,
>> actually broken clock is the right place today. I exceeded expectations. >> I understand. >> Well done. >> Uh, okay. Dr. Khan, is there anyone else? Uh, and >> Oh, I think we >> Oh, oh, we did that. All right. I closed
that, right? >> Did you have anything? >> No, I think it was said. All I was going to say is there's nothing to be contentious about right now. We don't have a meeting. Our job is to just absorb information for now before we synthesize. >> Yes. >> All right. This is great. Quarter to
nine. May I have a motion to adjourn the meeting? >> Motion. >> Right. Second. >> I always wanted to do that. Thank you, Jay. Thank you, everyone that was listening.