Good evening everyone. >> Good evening. >> In accordance with section five of the Open Public Meetings Act, be advised that a notice of this meeting was made by posting on the bulletin board and town hall and forwarded to the officially designated newspapers that this meeting would take place at the
Milbourne Education Center at 7 p.m. on October 7th, 2025. Meeting details in the draft agenda were also posted on our website. Please stand to salute the To the flag of the stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and
justice for all vote, please. >> Deputy Mayor Cohen >> here. >> Mr. Cosbow >> here. >> Mr. Sakamandi >> here. >> Mr. Stler >> present. >> Mayor Romano >> here. May I have a motion to approve the agenda? >> Motion. >> May I have a second?
>> Second. >> All in favor? >> I may have a motion to approve the September 16th, 2025 township committee mints. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I.
>> May I have a motion to approve the September 16th, 2025 special township committee minutes? >> I have a second. Second. >> All in favor? >> Okay. What are we doing? Um
the logo. So I'm going to ask committeeman stolen to present the uh 250 celebration. >> All right. All right. Good evening everyone. Tonight, uh we're thrilled to recognize a talented young member of our community
at Mil as Milbourne gears up for the 250th anniversary of the United States. Um our celebration committee saw a logo blending our local history with n with the national milestone and we invited the community to scenic designs. The winner is Milbour High School, Jonah Dubdan.
involved the Milburn 250 committee. He's a student athlete on the varsity basketball team, an aspiring digital artist. Jonah's design elegantly weaves in Milburn's iconic mail, the Rawway River, and our revolutionary war roots accented by the American flag to honor our national
>> story 626. Uh, please join me in congratulating Jonah. uh have a little proclamation. I'm going to read it fairly quickly. Uh you can study at home. Uh whereas the township of
Milbour stands as at the threshold of an extraordinary milestone preparing to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States and our committee's proud role in that history. And whereas the Milbourne Township 250th anniversary of the United States Celebration Committee invited the community to create a logo that would symbolize our heritage,
highlighting the town's deep historical roots and enduring legacy of independence shaped by its contributions to the American Revolution. And whereas Jonah Dubdan, a talented junior at Milurn High School, answered that call with a design that blends tradition and creativity, capturing Milbourne's story
while connecting it to the enduring ideals of freedom and unity. And whereas Jonah's logo featured the iconic mill and subtle patriotic elements will now serve as the official symbol of Milbour 250 representing our community across all events, publications, celebrations
leading up to July 4th, 2026. Now be it further resolved that Milbourne Township Committee on behalf of the Milbourne Township's 250th anniversary of the United States Celebration Committee and Milbourne Township Presidents does proudly recognize and commend Jonah for his exceptional artistic achievement and
meaningful contribution to the historic commemoration. His work will inspire civic pride and remind all who see it of Milbour's heritage and enduring connection to the American story. Big round of applause. Great. >> Thank you. >> And we all we all have to show up to
watch Chase Brother and Jonah news. Committee men second you are scheduled to present the proclamation for fire week >> whereas the town whereas the township of Milbour New Jersey is committed to
ensuring the safety and security of all those living in and visiting our township whereas >> promote this year's FPW campaign charging to fire safety lithium ion batteries in your home. It highlights how important it is to buy, charge, and
recycle lithium ion batteries safely. Whereas most of the electronics we use in our homes every day, smartphones, tablets, power and lawn tools, laptops, ecigarettes, headphones, and toys to name just a few, are powered by lithium ion batteries. In fact, most everything
that's rechargeable uses this type of battery. If not used correctly or damaged, lithium-ion batteries can overheat, start a fire, or even explode. To reduce these risks, look around your home. It is important to know which devices are powered by them. And whereas
buy only listed products when buying a product that uses a lithium ion battery, take time to research it. Look for a stamp from a nationally recognized testing lab on the packaging and product, which means that it meets important safety standards. And whereas charge devices safely. Always use the
cables that came with the product to charge it. Follow the instructions from the manufacturer. If you need a new charger, buy one from the manufacturer or the one that the manufacturer has approved. Charge your device on a hard surface. Don't charge it under a pillow, on a bed, or on a couch. This can cause
a fire. Don't overcharge your device. Unplug it or remove the battery when it's fully charged. Whereas, recycle batteries responsibly. Don't throw lithium ion batteries in the trash or regular recycling bins because they could catch fire. Recycling your device or battery into the safe battery
recycling locations best way to dispose of them. Visit calltorecycle.org to find a recycling spot near you. Whereas Milburn's first responders are dedicated to reducing the occurrence of lithium ion fires and injuries through
prevention and protection education. And now therefore, be it resolved that the Milbourne Township Committee on behalf of the residents does hereby proclaim October 5th through 11th, 2025 as fire prevention week throughout the township and encourages all residents to be aware
of their devices. Follow the buy charge and recycle safe approach and support this year's EW theme charge into fire safe. >> Thank you. >> The open house is this weekend or next week.
Yes. >> Okay. Reports committee, you want to start? >> Would you like to start? >> Sure. >> Okay. Um to open, I would just like to uh give a statement on the anniversary
of October 7th, uh which was a travesty. Uh we mourn the lives lost and pray for the safe return of all hostages still held alive and dead. My personal belief is to stand firmly against terrorism in all of its forms. My sympathy and support goes to the victims and their families. While I recognize the
complexities in the region, I want to make it clear that there's no justification for acts of terror and we should never support or reward those who committed acts of terror. Now I'll jump into course uh recreation committee. We had a great uh successful tour to
Melbourne with over 300 participants registered. Our annual part three golf tournament was held this past weekend and went very well. Uh fall programs are going strong with playoffs starting later this month. Winter registration is still open. Includes basketball,
wrestling, cheer, dance, uh ski club uh needs volunteers. That's a great volunteer position by the way. Um, Special Improvement District Halloween. Save the date for the third annual Halloween celebration in downtown Milbour from 2:30 to 6:30. I mentioned
this on my uh message two weeks ago. Uh, check out all the fun stuff going on from free face painting to custom photos, trick-or-treating, and local businesses. Uh, and then s'more shopping at the Winter Villages. Save that date. Uh it's uh you know the winter villages
was rebranded s'more shopping and that will be on December 6, Saturday and December 13th at Down Hall plaza from 3 to 7. Uh the BOE uh schools back in session. Everybody please please slow down uh and
drive responsibly. um joint facilities. Uh I have a discussion on that later tonight in our uh old business, new business, uh portion, so I'll go into that. Uh Mount Valley uh
emergency uh uh center is looking to hire 911 public safety telecommunication officers. Uh for anyone who's interested, uh you can visit MVECC web page uh or their Facebook page for details. Uh from a u work standpoint, we
just continue to work with Summit uh for the potential new organizational structure and the home for the uh uh dispatch and remain committed to working a solution out that continues to provide a high level of service to our residents. Uh flood mitigation. Uh no no
real updates. Uh and then uh the open space tax fund. Uh we had our third meeting. Uh we're finishing up the bylaws reviewing certain criteria including the empirical matrix to uh qualify potential projects and we should be sharing that hopefully in the near
future. Affordable housing. I'm going to defer to council. And then on a personal note, I attended the uh Milbour Police Benevolent Association Local 34 2025 golf outing at Cedar Hill Country Club uh last week. It was fantastic. It was
sold out. The sponsorships were sold out. The weather held out. It was fantastic. For the record, Gil Chief Gilfitter hit a ball right into my throat. He almost hit me. So, >> I know here uh and that's it. Thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Yeah, I don't have much for this period. What I will say is that the uh the project to look at flooding um along the the Glenwood Ben Winkled Brook um by the arboritum made some progress. There was
a meeting where they they came up with some high level alternatives. But more importantly, the next step is to get a better estimate of for each of the alternatives that they came up with to estimate how much capacity of of rainwater it would hold as well as their
associated costs. So we're expecting that within the next couple of weeks. >> Thank you. >> Sure. So like uh Committee Stellar, I have a brief remark to make first. Uh today marks two years since the October 7th attacks that took over,200
lives and forever changed countless others. On this solemn day, I stand in solidarity with our Jewish neighbors who continue to mourn those lost and hope for the safe return of the hostages still held. I recognize the fear and pain that this day brings for many in a
community and I reaffirm my unwavering support Israel's right to exist in a peaceful uh and secure manner. I condemn anti-semitism in all of its forms and remain committed to ensuring our township is a place where all residents feel safe and supported. Now for my
reports. Um the environmental commission is proud to announce the creation of a student environmental group. The EC recognizes that crucial community benefits result from fostering relationships between adults and young people that focus on educating, encouraging, and guiding young people to
identify, pursue, and meet goals for the greater good. Students in grades 8 through 12 who have shown a commitment to advancing environmental sustainability and climate resiliency practices are encouraged to apply to join the student environmental group where they will be guided and educated
to continue accomplishing meaningful initiatives including school and/or community education product uh projects and programs. Public and private school students who are Milbourne residents will be able to apply online as soon as the forms are set up on the EC's
website. More information will be available soon and students may contact the EC at milc.ngmail.com now to express their interest in taking part in the student environmental. That's it for my reports. >> Thank you.
>> Yes. Thank you, mayor. Um on the Historic Preservation Commission, um you'll see this in new business as well. Um they're working on um where they have a proposal um where they're asking the township committee to approve a research on the railroad bridges that go through
town, six or I think there's six of them together, the New Jersey Transit bridges. So that's it. It's it's uh it'll be discussed a little in new business and then a presentation I think at the next TC from the HPC audit. Thank you.
>> Um Mr. >> Thank you, mayor. Um just an update on our uh third round fair share housing and our uh ongoing dispute related to Nine Main Street. Uh on September 26th, um the township filed this notice of appeal giving a matter of final
compliance order, which is what we were waiting for. Um we're appealing approximately 25 orders uh from the trial court. Uh it's a lot of orders. Um some of them are redundant. Some of the orders were granting relief on one and denying relief on the other. But
appealing 25 orders. Um I can just briefly summarize and I'm just reading from kind of what we filed but it says what we filed uh we to give a summary to the health division and once the health division approves our filing uh it'll it'll give dates for briefing and things like that but uh the
plaint of the town is seeking a remand to a non-conlicted judge to consider whether a 75 unit exclusionary housing project may be relocated to alternate superior site other than the current site which which is the township ship's
current operating EPW site and is highly contaminated. Specifically, the township is appealing from its final judgment in its round three affordable housing matter. In that regard, the township is appealing several orders from the New Jersey Superior Court which pertain to the project being forced to be built at
the DPW and not at a more avid pages location. Such orders being appealed include and among other the fairness order approving the settlement agreement and relative to the specific direction by the special master not to disclose the terms of the settlement agreement to
the public prior to voting. The township's object is parenthetically the township's objecting to the settlement agreement only to the extent as it relates to the project being located at the DPW site. And then the next is orders deeming the RDA approved and
executed by the township. Orders deeming the payment in le tax pilot agreement approved and executed by the township. Orders denying the township's motion for recusal due to a clear bias being shown against the township by the court. Orders denying the township's second
motion for recusal relative to the court's admission of predetermining the case. In addition, the township is appealing the court's failure to approve the superior alternative sites to be developed for the project and the court allowing the developer RPM to
participate in the process of evaluate of evaluating alternate sites allowing RPM to participate was against the order of the court and the words in the within the settlement agreement. Additionally, the township is appealing all orders which granted fees to RPM at Fair
Housing Center related to these orders being appealed here. So we think it's pretty comprehensive appeal. Um we're still waiting uh to be doced by the appallet division and I will continue to provide the public updates uh from that appallet action as they're provided. Um other than that I have no further report
unless there's any questions make >> Oh yes. >> Thank you mayor. Um few reports. First and foremost, just want to bring to the public's attention that um PSENG
will be doing uh necessary work on Essex Street and this is uh is a main replacement due to uh I think an ongoing leak. That work is anticipated to start uh Mon Monday
after next week. So there will be some activity uh in particular in front of the uh Andy says property that's under construction, but um they are also then going to have to march down Essex Street believe in the lefthand lane um for
about a month um a month's time uh to fix this leak and replace this gas man. Um and then there will also be some services that need to be attached at some point. Um but we're going to get that information out. Uh we're just waiting on PSCG to give us the uh the
details and the and the copy for that. Um but uh but I just wanted everybody to be aware to anticipate that it will be a lane closure on Essex Street um as a result of that uh that work. And that's from the intersection of Milbour and
Essex to the intersection of Maine and uh Essex. And they're anticipating about I think 200 feet a day uh if all goes well. So, um, it will take it will take a little bit of time.
Um, I just wanted to, I think at this point, just clear the air as quickly as possible as it relates to, uh, the July 16th block party. Um, at previous meetings and previous correspondents, it has been indicated that uh, the township
did not make the county aware. I just want the public to know that the township's traffic bureau sent a email to the county on July 16th letting them know that's 10 days prior to the event letting them know that uh the event would be taking place. Uh we heard
nothing uh at that point from the county proceeded with the event. Uh the county did send us an email afterward after receiving complaints uh from um parties uh in that area. Um sent us a email stating that they just need a heads up uh when these things do take place. Uh
we I responded to them letting them know that let them know um and that um and that we you know we'll continue to give them a heads up as we have uh when these things do occur. Um and uh just wanted again there was there's no there was no
permit indicated um that was needed. There was just uh just a simple please give us a heads up uh which I just indicated we had on uh as it relates to Chattam Road and pedestrian safety. Um we are uh there
will be a machine delivered tomorrow um uh by the developer uh that will be moving the um walkway to the south side of uh Chattam Road. This work is anticipated to take place on Thursday. So there will be a closure uh briefly or
I don't know how long it's actually going to take but hopefully it's briefly uh after 9:00 am on Thursday uh to move that walkway. I just want to be clear um uh with the public that there will most likely be a time that that walkway has
to move back to the other side of the street uh when there is utility work being done in the right of way to connect to that uh to that building. Um and uh and I just want you know everybody to understand that and anticipate that. I don't know when that is. I don't know the the the construction schedule or when they're
anticipating connecting utilities, but um certainly uh if they're if I have that lead time, I will announce that at the uh at a township committee meeting, but uh it looks like that is uh that is going to be resolved uh this week. Just a reminder residents about the leaf
collection schedule. It's getting to be about that time. So, we're just asking that you please please follow the leaf collection schedule. Uh put leaves out on the street when indicated on that schedule. uh DPW will be around to pick them up as close as possible to as indicated on that schedule. Some things
do cause delays in that generally weather or a quick fall of the leaves. Um but uh but for the most part we've been able to keep on schedule and the DPW has done a good job and and clearing the leaves and and and staying on schedule. I think last year we were a little bit behind. But also don't just
leave leaves in the street. Um make sure you're putting them out there on your days. uh it helps everything from safety to um to uh to the cleanup efforts to understand where we are in the process, all of that. Um and so much like to my
next point, um certainly um we will continue to remind residents uh as best we can uh about their if they're not following the schedule. Um and and um that kind of segus into the next point
which is we are still having residents put out trash bags um without a trash can. Uh we have put out several notices on social media, several notices on the the Milurn message as well as the website. Uh the ordinance prohibits uh any trash being put in a bag only on the
curb and you need to have it in the can. Uh for those that have been red tagged um multiple times, uh they will receive a notice of violation and a summon as a result of those infractions. Um and again, just I think there should be a
monthly reminder about um you know, putting wipes in sewer systems. Um these are not good for our systems. Um, as many of you may know, we have several pump stations that uh help um force uh our sewer system uh up over the hill and
then are gravity fed down uh to Elizabeth where our sewage is treated. Um the more that wipes are placed in the systems, the more repairs we are required to do, um the more issues we have with those pump stations, um they
may say flushable, they are not. They do not dissolve. Um so just please keep that in mind. Uh we've again we put out several notices on social media and the mil message as well as the touch website indicating as such but we just appreciate everybody's uh cooperation with that. That's all our reports.
>> Thank you. Real quick um I think you forgot to indicate there is a stop work order now for the Silverman project. Correct. >> The there there is. However, if they're working with us, I mean, keep in mind when they're stopped work, that's more time it takes for them to finish the
project. So, if they're working with us, uh we did issue a stop work order today. However, uh I think we've we've we've gotten the response that we we we hoped for and we will uh we will work with them to get this done and uh we will work with them to keep the job open as well.
>> Yeah, there's nothing like a stop work order to get their attention. So, feel free to use it. >> Okay. Um the flood mitigation public session is October 29th. I think it's >> Tuesday the 29th. >> Tuesday, right?
>> Correct. >> Sorry about that. >> Sorry, that was the last that was the last second. >> Okay. um at the pedestrian safety advisory board last week. Um we had someone in uh from Avenues in Motion at
our meeting that uh is developing a a guide book um with uh suggestions for proper um ecooter ebike usage and some proposed ordinance language in it. So, um, we're hoping to see that in a couple
of weeks so that we can put something out, you know, on on a township level just to to add to the laws or lack of or that's already in place. Um just also the community police unit has been uh in
the elementary schools no in the high schools and the middle schools attending assemblies talking to kids about proper riding and and um riding with traffic and and and etc. Um they've been talking to the kids. They've been uh meeting the
kids at the middle school, at the high school, and this morning in the morning, observing them, you know, complimenting them when they do something when they're when they're riding appropriately, wearing a helmet, and if they're not, telling them that they're not. Um and also,
um there is a possibility. I think where we're going is uh if um the if a police officer observes a rider that is breaking the law, they will probably
depending on the severity uh or not wearing a helmet or doing something they're not supposed to be doing, accompanying that child home and giving their parent a violation. So, just, you know, if you're if you have children that own them, just make sure that you talk to them and that they follow the
law and they're care and they're careful driving it. Um, we also don't we also talked about an increase in poor driving habits, especially around our schools, especially during pickup, during drop off. So, just ask everybody to please
just slow down and and pay attention of pedestrians, of other cars in the roadway. Um, add that. I also want to congratulate Ziv Danv Sha, 2025 graduate of the Pingry School,
was recently the recipient of the 2025 US Presidential Scholar Program. The program recognizes students and honors some of the most distinguished graduating high school seniors in the country. 161 students are named each year as presidential scholars. I spoke
to Ziv last week to congratulate him and connected him with Governor Murphy who also called him last week to congratulate him and also congratulations to Pingry senior and township resident Ray Fang on her incredible performance at the 13th
Junior Ryder Cup. She scored the final point to secure team USA's victory over team Europe and an incredible accomplishment and a proud moment for our community. when she took the shot, she didn't even realize it was the last point that she needed until she saw her teammates cheering.
>> So, I wanted to congratulate her in senior citizen that I did not report on last week, our last meeting. Just a couple of things. Um, just want to say a thank you to the American Legion that hosted most of the summer
programs over the summer since they couldn't use Bower because of the children's camps. Um, a carit program was also held over the summer where they had uh it's developed by the AARP and the American Occupational the Therapy
Association. And what they did was they um they read JIRO and they had seniors that uh came to them and they made sure that they were properly fitted in the driver's seat that their seats were adjusted the right way, that their mirrors were adjusted the right way. So
that was that was a good experience. Um, Friday friends started back up this fall. And then finally, the results of the senior services senior services survey results. Uh, this is um a questionnaire
that some of the group put together that uh Jamie, the senior citizen coordinator, and the members of the group pushed out to the community. They were able to fill it out online, by paper in town hall, at the library, etc. So, this I believe it's on the township website right now. I think it's already
up. But some of the um big the most the big issues that came out of it was there is a strong demand for affordable senior housing in our community. Um they also looked for more social and cultural programs, technology support, which we
already have thanks to the students at the Milbert High School. Um and of course they commented on pedestrian safety, handicapped accessibility parking. Um some also uh were looking for um free meals on wheels delivery
and um a dedicated senior center which hopefully we'll have in a couple of years. And that's all I have >> public I'd be remiss in just saying to u the two young girls who were apparently
murdered and cramped. Uh you know we all need to understand that the bullying is real. Uh it happens in a lot of our towns etc. and we just want to keep them in our our prayers and families. >> Thank you. >> When invited to speak to offer your
comments, please come to the lector and clearly state your name and whether you are a Milbourne resident and/or property or business owner. Please do not provide your full address seeing our meetings are recorded and readily available to the public. To help facil facilitate an orderly meeting and to permit beheard, speakers shall limit their comments to
one three minute session. You will be prompted when there's 30 seconds remaining. A reminder that this is not a time for dialogue or to debate a matter and this time during our business meeting for the public to offer their comments. I will now open public. Uh, I'd like to congratulate John on his
winning design for the 250th anniversary. You know, it's not here. Um, I don't know if there's any plan to offer that as a banner that people can put in in front of their h homes. I
certainly would be a purchaser of that if it's available either through the town or a civic organization. Uh I hope we can uh you know capitalize on that a little bit and uh and promote that by offering banners in perhaps some
different sizes and format. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hi everyone cyber the country president. I want to thank Ben and Frank for acknowledging today,
October 7th, being a day that will never be forgot by mainly the Jewish community. I guess I was surprised to see that no one else on the dis mentioned it except those two. Anyway, I
uh I don't know much about the affordable housing laws and rules, but I do know how to make money and where money can be made should be made. So we were going to sell
the dump to RPM for a dollar so he could build 75 units that we would backs stop for 50 or 60 million that he would borrow the money or get it granted by the state of New
Jersey. I don't understand why we don't become the landlord. Why aren't we the landlord? this town. We have enough money in this town to be the landlord and we don't have to hire RPM to build it, but there's plenty of builders out there
that will build it. Is it a law that we have to hire a builder that the fair share housing picks to build on our land? Because the other two sites that are being talked
about, we own. you do own it. Why don't we build it? Why aren't we the landlord? >> Why don't we have the revenue that comes into our town and goes into our coffers
to save taxpayers in this town money? I I just don't get it. Why would we let somebody else build in this town on our property? Look, if we have to build, >> let's build, but why don't we own it?
Maybe I'm crazy. Excuse me. >> Excuse me. Thank you. Wolf Gide reser expansion. I am here to report that we
are damaged living through the paper mill statue. We daily are exposed to noise and construction debris extent by eyes actually burn.
Township construction rules are not were not followed in the uh reconstruction of parking lot across the street from the paper mill. Um these are the rules and I could go through them with you but they
didn't do it. Um, our houses and property are saturated with brown sticky asphalt containing soil and soot and whatever the car is dripped into the asphalt. We
request remediation for ourselves and relief. We request a site director to to communicate with us and I would imagine that would be from the township. Um and the third point is uh we request that the con that a copy
of the township ordinance be given to the contractors whoever they may be in in the following months or whatever that it will take to complete this project so that they know to put a fence and put a
backing on it and to wet down their piles of dirt and to not unload in the bricks in front of our houses >> and the rules are all here and um that's all I have to say. Thank you.
>> Well, >> and I also live next door to Patty and Ed. And um our houses, there aren't that many and they're very old and sometimes people look at them houses with disain I think u because they're old. They're not
like the bigger houses in the area. Anyway, um they've been here my house through Rukor and their house um was 1881 and their house, if I remember correctly, was 1850 something to there
was a fire um in town hall records that makes them 1915. if you look at the uh real estate sales. Anyway, what I have here um I'm not a lawyer, but I read and
uh there is 3-8 is the construction uh rules in the um ecore municipal guidelines or rules. And I'm just going to go through a few for the few minutes I have. a lot more to say on this left,
but um I'm just going to go through a few of them. Um there's 3 point 3-8.1 there's a purpose regulation of hours of construction and there's definitions if you can look it up. It's all there. But
uh one of the one of the points is that dust fil control required fencing. And as Patty stated, the uh paper mill parking lot, what they did is they may have had the idea for a while, but they
they decided to work on it without telling us. and where their house is one house away from a big destruction construction and right across the street from simultaneously where they're doing the uh destruction construction of paper
mill. So you have two major digging of all this stuff and and it's not a big street if people have even been down there. were mountains of debris, big big trucks going by with with everything on them and idling in front of our houses.
In fact, there were there are um legal holidays supposed to start at 8. They start at seven one time. I I spoke with the director because there was a truck idling with flashing lights uh before 7 and another time on the parking lot.
Sorry. >> I I don't >> You have 30 seconds. Go ahead. >> Okay. Um, so weekday is supposed to be 8:00. They've been coming much earlier. Sunday's illegal holidays. Uh, there was a truck that almost uh picked up a
Caterpillar or whatever you call them, bulldozer thing, and and had to pick it up from the township site, the construction site of the parking lot. And he comes, I just have to finish it. He comes and he puts it on the truck, the flatbed, and it almost falls off. We
have a video. It almost falls off on some of my properties. So, if the township doesn't want uh all this debris to build houses on a lot that's uh toxic, they should also take a good look
at what's going on at the paper mill and how they don't care. >> Thank you. I I will. I will. Um, good evening. My name is Jeffrey Bell section. As my custom, I sent a heads up
memo regarding the packet. And traditionally, you will receive any response by anyone from the TC regarding the agenda. Um, this time I'm going to try to talk about two items on the consent agenda.
The first is you're now approving close executive session minutes for this year. Um the law requires you to do it within a reasonable time. Today is October 7th. You know, we're now approving close executive session minutes from January
on. You know, that should be done within a meeting or two meetings. As to the billist, I think the public is entitled to know how much money, how your committee, their lawyers have spent trying to smear
and gaslight. Earlier this evening, we heard a report from our attorney as to the issues that we were appealing. Who was the first person that questioned in July 30th, 2021 the procedural due
process validity of the settlement? All I know is I'm the evil one. I have horns growing out of my head. I'm crazy. But you filed a notice of appeal adopting all the legal arguments that I haven't been raising since July 30th, 2021. I
think I'm entitled to a public apology from you. As to the bill list, I gave you a list of certain payments at bare properties. How much money had to be spent in that? Bare properties, too. We don't have a piece of paper entered by the judge. Someone should be asking why
hasn't the judge entered any orders when she dismissed the case to call the orally on August 19th, 45 days. That's a message coming from the court. And the reason I say that because if you attended last night's board of education meeting, there are two policies and
regulations being approved about paying attorneys fees and monitoring. They said the duty of a public fiduciary is to minimize legal expenses. It seems that this township committee historically rather than minimizing they
rather liticate and increase cost. I think we should have an evaluation. Um, as to certain capital expenditures, it seems that we're buying a a new fire engine. It says 93. I don't know if that's the model or that's the year of
the engine. I know we've always been assessing uh money tomorrow. As to the paper mill project, we're paying almost a quarter of a million dollars for steel. Where did we get the money from? To my knowledge, we have not issued any bond anticipation notes for that
project. Where did we get the money? I said that. >> Thank you. Of course. Thank you. >> Good evening, Leah Cruz, county president. I wasn't going to get up and speak tonight and I decided I would after hearing these two residents who
live on Brookside Drive. I'm really appalled that this has continued. Um they they've been here before. I think one time I was here. I don't know how many other times they've been here, but I wonder since they were first here, if anybody on the TC or Alex has gone to
visit the site and see what is going on. I think if this was happening in your neighborhoods, they would have been taken care of immediately. I don't understand why things are allowed to happen. I know sometimes at these meetings you say, "Oh, we're letting people know
about putting leaves in the street or this or that." But nothing is ever enforced. I mean, I think we need more enforcement. The speeding, the sidewalk thing. I mean, somebody needs to go out there and take care of this immediately. Like, tomorrow, somebody should be
there. There's no reason. So, that's all I have to say. Thank you. Thank you. >> Hello, Judy Christian Township resident. I just wanted to um send out a friendly reminder that could maybe be included in
the mayor's message. Um when I've been running uh especially up in short hills, I see many many people um on streets like Long Hill and Heartshore who are either running or walking
um not facing traffic. I don't know when this started, but it's, you know, very dangerous. Um, and just as someone who's run around town for many years. Um, maybe we could put out a reminder. Most
alarming is when I see um you assume they might be opairs walking in streets and short hills that don't have sidewalks um not facing traffic. So maybe just a friendly reminder in the mayor's message
especially to since the time changes. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hello. >> Good afternoon or good evening. Betala resident at uh of Melbourne Township for last four years. The reason for me to
come here and attend the township meeting is to bring to their attention that there was a hidden run accident of a middle school student and uh there is a precarious situation of construction that is taking place on the library
side. The students of the Milburn Middle School travel across the street to go and play in the playground. So they are being sandwiched between the library renovation project as well as the paper playhouse construction project. Uh so it
would be in the best interest of the community and the township if there are active duty uh construction personnel who would be able to regulate the traffic flow as the students have to go in between classes to attend their uh
physical education as well as if they have to go and spend time at the library. So I'm trying to bring this to your attention in order of public safety. Thank you. >> Thank you. Hi, I'm Jamie Strudo, uh, lifelong Milburn Shortles resident. Wanted to
bring up a few points that some were that were addressed this evening. Um, we, uh, we're obviously experiencing darker uh, darker fall as we enter deeper into fall and many residents have
expressed concerns. Um, you know, we talked about scooters tonight, but also uh walkers and is there a plan for increased lighting? We heard about the stop order with the Woodland Road project and improvements in pedestrian safety there. Will there be improvements
in lighting there and also looking at lighting around all of our train stations as people are starting to drive? We heard recklessly uh and not conscious of the lighting. Number two, um I was on Deo Road of Port uh just off
of Milbour Avenue earlier today and there were massive potholes uh size of craters. I understand it's a private road, but there are, you know, lots of members of the public that are that do use that road. There are businesses there as well. Um just wonder if there's
might be an opportunity to look at a few of these areas in particular, even if they are private roads. um you know to to to do an inventory of some of the potholes. It is a safety concern um that was brought to my attention. Um and also
um just a uh reminder to everyone I I think uh committeeman uh Stler mentioned uh what happened in Cranford uh which is very disturbing and I think we need to
be u we all need to be good neighbors and need to be conscious of how you know we treat one another in particular on the roads. I was crossing the street the other day in downtown Milbourne, went speeding past me right in the
crosswalk. Most nailed me. There's going to be a closure on Essex Street uh of a whole lane of traffic and that property already has a disturbed um pedestrian walkway by the ants property. Will there be uh the necessary precautions in place
to ensure that that pedestrian walkway is accessible? Those are some points I want to bring up tonight. Have a great evening. Get home safe. Good evening Diane English lifetime resident. I want to talk about the SDL portal how
it really works. It's been maybe four years when Dave Marorrow who is my independent running mate had put in the SDL quarter portal to have a crosswalk at IV and Midwood and it is finally getting put in. So that's amazing. That's a real safety issue for South
Mountain. Another safety issue for South Mountain is the temporary plastic barriers at Whittingham in front of the post office in the UPS store. I sent Alex and Christine a picture. I didn't get it out to all of you. There was a Tesla parked in front of the barrier in
on the um post office side, trunk open. She was in UPS and I'm waiting to cross over to Oscars. So, I see the cars, you know, zipping by. I don't know how long her car was there for. And then she comes strutting out of the UPS store, closes her trunk and leaves. And I
looked at her. I didn't say anything. I'm thinking like, are you kidding? Like, why are you parked in the middle of Milward Avenue? So, I think those plastic barriers really have to be moved. I've said this before. I'm not a fan of those big bumpouts that but I
think small safelysized bumpouts would work on that corner to not only pedestrian rise up to be seen but if a car would have the nerve to park in front of a bumpout I mean we are we've lost all hope in this town. Um my daughter was getting her hair done at
Dolce. She saw a man get hit in the crosswalk because he's parking with the light and her and the guy doing her hair were like, "Oh my god, that woman just hit that man in the cross who has a light." Um,
let's see. Okay. Any other thing I want to say? It's not inappropriate, but I'm going to go ahead. I want to commend it at Michael and performance as debate. You really showed that you know what you've talked about. Three years experience makes a difference and you demonstrated
your knowledge and your experience and you both have my support in my vote. Good luck. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. Jerry Kong shorts president. I'm here to address something fundamental, truthfulness and how our government works. Romano and Cohen
recently claimed that they did not remove Zoom in January 2023 and that they did not advance the dump housing project. Both claims are false. First, the Zoom issue. Immediately after Romano and Cohen took office, Zoom participation was eliminated with no
vote. When I tried publishing this, Romano had it censored. >> Elise, our local reporter, told me. Annette told me that Maggie Miggins was the one who didn't want to. But that's not how our government works. There's five seats on the DC. Three votes make
majority. Terara Pubis supported keeping Zoom. If Romano and Cohen truly supported it, that's three votes, a majority. Zoom was restored eventually after public outcry. But why was it removed in the first place? Because Romano and Cohen worked with Miggins and
Banaya to remove it. They had four votes, gave the order, then hid when residents demanded answers. Now, the dump housing project. Romano and Cohen were complicit with Migans and Vaniah in advancing the dump project in 2023. In
April 2023, there was a final compliance hearing in Superior Court. Terra publicly opposed the dunk project. Yet Romano and Cohen along with Megan and Vaniaak instructed township professionals to enter the order formally designating RPM Development as the developer, giving them legal
standing to sue our township. Romano and Cohen are now hiding behind we didn't take a public vote. That's exactly the problem. That's not how government works when you have the majority. Romano, Cohen, Miggins, and Vaniac had four votes out of five. They instructed staff
to proceed and staff followed. Romano and Cohen cite this technicality, claiming they never voted, even though they were the deciding voices in directing the outcome. They're using the structure of government to rewrite history and escape accountability for giving a for-profit developer that
doesn't even own land in town legal standing to sue us. I'm running for Charter Study Commission to examine balance of power and accountability. The incumbents are hiding from the records by claiming we didn't vote even though they clearly directed the outcome. This is a failure of transparency and
accountability. Romano and Cohen, you removed Zoom access. You gave RPM standing to stew us. You're deceiving voters and hiding behind Mr. Caner and Mr. McDonald who simply followed your direction. Now, it makes perfect sense why you tried to table this charter
study commission or you want business as usual. You want to continue hiding behind unaccountability. You don't want residents examining how power actually works because sunlight would expose what you're actually doing. The Charter Study Commission is needed to examine these accountability gaps. This pattern,
removing public access, advancing projects through back channels, blaming others, rewriting history, shows why our government desperately needs the structural scrutiny and substantive reform that so terrifies you. Thank you. I'm gonna be like
last place after that epic speech. Okay. Christine Best, Milbour Township. Um I just want to um thank you for um talking about uh the October 7th. Um my uh nephew was
actually in a bomb shelter crying on the phone packed in um like sardines um with a lot of crying women and it was really quite horrifying to actually hear bombing going off in the background and talking to somebody in the middle of the night in Israel. Um obviously I'm not
Jewish but I I have so many family members that are and um you know it's a very important day to remember. So thank you for bringing that up. Um, I wanted to, well, I have a lot of things to talk about, but I thought I'd just pop over to the charter study because that was on my
list after Jerry talked about it. And, um, one of the things that I noticed, I actually go on the Milbourne Township Facebook page or Instagram page where you guys put your notices up and very few people actually go there and see anything. So, it's not really great marketing tool at this point. But um I
noticed you guys have been posting like notices on like what the charter study is and it's really not clearly explained and not being promoted. And I I highly recommend that you promote it out there so people understand it like and you put
it in basic feet because it's literally so convoluted how it was described um on the township's um you know social media pages. Um, and I think it's really important that you have signs up because I think a lot of people are going to phone it in and not vote properly. So, I feel that we should be really promoting
it so people understand it just like you're promoting on the township websites to vote early. Um, which is something that I think is kind of a little bit off-putting because I think people really need to hear all the debates before they vote. We shouldn't be pressuring people to vote early, etc. So because we need to remind them that
they have till I think November 4th to vote and they should hear all the people's opinions in the parties. So that's just a personal opinion of mine. Um and then I want to just make a comment. I was going to talk about this on the e vehicles. Um something to think
about. It's a surfer and a skater. I don't I don't use they have e surfboards actually and e foils. I I use a hand foil. Um, if you're an experienced skateboarder or an experienced cyclist or an experienced rider of a hoverboard
and you're just like kind of just done it a couple times and then you you add 30 miles per hour to something like that, it's very very dangerous. So, you might want to include some other vehicles just besides the the bikes. Just a thought. Um, because I've I've just seen kids like blowing down my street at 30 miles an hour and I was
like, I don't even drive my car that fast on the street, which is kind of funny. Like they're sort of dangerous. you know, at least when I surf, if I've got a surfer coming at me, I can dive in the water, but you kind of don't have, you know, abilities. I wanted to also talk um or actually this is a question
to Alex or anybody who knows, can people park their vehicles on their property and use it as a parking lot on the grass like >> Thank you. >> Yeah, you're done. Thank you. >> Okay, thank you. >> Just remember that at the end. Thank you
so much. Anyone else? Anyone online? We have one hand raised. >> Good evening. You're muted.
>> Hi. Sorry about that. Um, I'm Tracy Lavine, a 25 plus year resident of the lower Wyoming section. Um, over the past few years, I've been increasingly disappointed by the deteriorating condition of several vacant properties in town. More than 5 years postco, these
eyes continue to sit untouched, and it's well past the time for the township to take meaningful action. That's why I was very encouraged to see that tonight's agenda includes the introduction of an ordinance to address these properties in several important ways. Thank you all
for prioritizing this issue. I'm also glad to hear that code enforcement staff has recently been increased. I truly hope this leads to real accountability. Property owners must be held responsible for meeting the appearance and maintenance standards that are in the property maintenance code, such as
resolving overgrown landscaping, broken windows, cracked paint, and other signs of long-term neglect. I served on the board of Explore Milbourne Short Hills, Milbour's Special Improvement District, for more than four years. During that time, there was significant progress in reducing the commercial vacancies,
stabilizing below the industry average. Therefore, the small number of abandoned properties stand out in a very troublesome way. Despite the demand for real estate in our town, these owners have not maintained or invested in their properties, putting a negative paw on the community. Two of the worst
offenders at opposite ends of town, one right near me on my home is the long abandoned gas station at Voxhole Road in Milbourne Avenue and at the other end the former Gany Rust Optitians building which is hideously boarded up at Glenwood and Milbourne Avenues. These
sites are not just unattractive. They're the first impression visitors get of Milbourne from two key gateways to our town. Long vacant buildings like the former Footers properties in the heart of downtown also hurt the overall vibrancy of the community. While one of these buildings is now thankfully
occupied and one is in progress, the other remains a blight. Longer term, I also encourage the township to consider whether any of these abandoned sites could be repurposed for alternative uses that would improve flood mitigation or public safety. On one more topic, I'd appreciate an update from the TC and
from our Essex County representative on the status of long promised improvements to the intersection at Roxhall Road in Milbourne Avenue. This was one of 12 county intersections identified back in 2020 for upgrades to improve traffic and safety. As of a Bay 2024 county info
session, completion was projected for Q4 2025, but there's been no visible progress. Now, thank you for all your time and attention and effort and for continuing to work on making Milbourne safer, more attractive, and more welcoming.
>> Thank you, >> Jean Pastnac, resident. This is a quote. I am a lifelong resident of Milbourne as well as a longtime registered Democrat. I have served Milbourne Township in volunteer positions for over 25 years, including 15 years on the MSH volunteer first aid
squad. Over the last six years, I have represented township residents as mayor and now deputy mayor on the township committee until recent local events forced me to choose between the party and my conscience. I had no intention of leading a local Milbourne Short Hills Democratic Party. I first noted a
problem in party politics when I was expected to hire firms that were promoted by the county Democratic Party to perform township work. I was forced to choose between obedience to the party and maintaining my integrity and commitment to serving the residents of Milbourne Short Hills. This personal
challenge escalated when it became clear that current mayor Maggie Miggins as well as my opponents in the upcoming November election, Annette Romano and Michael Cohen, support the current New Jersey state mandate to greatly escalate the creation of low-income housing regardless of its threat to our town's
infrastructure and small town feel. The township's Democratic committee chaired by Romano forced me off the ticket for my opposition to the party machine's wishes. This was written by Diane Egllo in September of 2022.
>> Thank you. Anyone else? >> I will now close public comment. >> Would you like to begin? >> No, someone else can go first. >> I can go first.
this opportunity. Um, I see a couple of things. First of all, if I see something as a theme in the public comments, it's all about enforcement and that's been a historic issue. I'm glad to hear that we've hired more people, but of course, they can't be everywhere. But, you know, we hear this time after time. I'm sorry
to hear that the people from the paper mill are back because they were here at the last meeting and made very similar complaints and apparently nothing has been done. it is critical that we or that the problem I shouldn't say nothing has been done but the problem still exists and so it's imperative that we
get somebody over there and and you know get that situation get that situation handled similarly you know as a great idea from Miss Christian about uh putting out um reminding people that when they're
walking or whatever that they should be walking facing traffic. Um but again again another theme with enforcement is and public safety is the comment made with the line by the with the middle school and the library. I mean we have and the last that I heard it was about
two and a half people. I don't know that a town this size I don't know we have hashtacks up to other towns but obviously two people can't be everywhere but when we hear of a problem it it needs to be you know it needs to be acted on. Um,
I've said I've said it I've said it before and I'll say it again. This come up numerous times to quote that uh from former mayor Egllo. Maybe that was true when she was on the board in the three years that I have been here. No one has ever told me who to hire. It may have
happened in the past. It may not have. I don't know. I wasn't here, you know, but it doesn't happen now and it hasn't happened in the three years that that I've been here. Lastly, of course, I was saddened and deeply affected by what happened on October 7th. I take I take
the section where we do reports as it used to say that when the mayor reads the the script for that. This is the time where people are supposed to talk about the committees that they serve on. It is not the time to make a public comment about how you feel about what's going on in the world. So, I didn't
choose to do that. That does not mean that I feel any lack of sympathy for what happened in the Middle East. I just didn't think that was the appropriate place to voice that. Thank you. for this office almost begrudgingly. We
we won by twothirds of the vote. I put in hours upon hours. I don't know how many hours you put in, but when it's my turn to speak, I'm going to talk about what really affects me, my family, my heart. And October 7th was was very, very challenging. It still is, uh,
especially with my my kids. Uh, so you know, I'll address that piece right there, Michael. Um the being thematic, you know, the first thing I did after last meeting is I called some folks at the paper mill and said, you know, I don't care if you have
to go over there and knock on the doors and find out what the hell's going on and make sure that this is getting fixed. So, I'll talk with uh with Alex tomorrow and try to figure out, you know, you shouldn't be your home should not be damaged uh an inconvenience at 7
a.m. uh 6:00 a.m. whenever it is on the holidays, etc. So, I I still commit to making sure that we follow up on that. >> We're talking a lot about this election season and I just want us to try to rise above it. You know, for the last two years being up here, we've been very
good with professional civil discourse, civil conversation, uh, and improving the the town, taking credit. Everyone seemed to want to take credit for everything. I don't care. As long as it's getting done, it's
done for the benefits of all residents. Whether it's a Democrat, a Republican, independent, doesn't matter. We left all that behind when you get up here. So it's how do we serve the residents in the best format? Um talking about what was done in the past on affordable
housing which was the underlying reason too that I ran was it's either incompetence or culpability by prior township committees or both. I'm probably one of between Frank and myself and the rest of the township
committee, we've seen exactly what's happened and transpired. It's not good. And we're going to try to do everything we can to to straighten it out, fix it, uh delay it, what whatever the case may be. We all support affordable housing,
but not done in a nonsensical manner that has tremendous financial burdens on our town and on our infrastructure, including our schools, which we'll get into a little later. Uh,
new business. >> Uh, and Tracy Levine, uh, you know, thank you for bringing that up. Absolutely. when we talk about eyes and we talk about the entries to our township uh you know from both directions we certainly have to do
better to to make that to make that a more welcoming site >> yes mayor thank you um I I too will chime in on October 7th I did not mention that in the intro because it it's reports. But I agree um it's a
horrible thing that happened. I agree with the statements made by the you know our co-committ people and and I don't fault you then for making the comment at the getgo. Thank you.
>> Maybe um so Mr. cyber. Um, I think you asked some very interesting questions. Um, and I think you deserve to have some answers. So, yes, back prior to prior to uh prior
TC signing that agreement, they could have concocted a different agreement. They probably could have worked something out where the town would continue to own the property. Maybe there could have been a ground lease. um since they agreed to backs stop the whole thing, you know, I think there's probably a lot of options that they
could have pursued, but they didn't. Um I think it was a mix of incompetence. Um I know one of the TC members involved in that is uh in the audience right now. I think it was incompetence. Uh I think it was ineptitude and uh I think it was just irresponsibility.
I also think that there may have been outside influence at work um that led them down a specific path. And um you know since Ben and I got here, we've been trying to do all we can to undo the sins of the past and the damage that
prior TC's uh have caused this town. Um it's challenging. You know, I wish that in 2023 uh on some of my colleagues sittings of my right uh came on to the TC that they had made different decisions, better decisions and and tried to actually
fight against things then uh because we would have been in a much better position uh you know uh from a legal perspective. Um you know had RPM not been uh officially made part of the lawsuit. that would have been, you know, one less set of filings that we would
have had every time we go to court, right? We get opposition from fair share housing, we get opposition from RPM, uh if we didn't have the developer in the mix, then that would make that a little bit easier. And we also could have potentially pursued other options. Um I also think uh other developers should
have been looked at. Um we certainly um you know proposed two alternative sites uh and we actually um worked with a a developer uh out of Princeton uh had a good track record. Uh the court um
unfortunately did not choose to allow us to pursue those. We're we're still pursuing the alternative sites and I I can't go into specific details um right now, but it is something that we are still trying to work through, but it would have been a lot easier if people
made better decisions uh prior to when Ben and I took office. Um, now to all of you that came out to speak about uh the issues with the paper mill construction, um, I am I am disturbed and saddened that you guys had to come out here
again. Uh, this is something we have already heard about as Bruce uh mentioned. Um, I would have felt that it would have been dealt with swiftly. Um, but it seems that there are still ongoing issues and yes, I guess code enforcement can't be everywhere, but
considering the town owns the paper mill uh and the land. I think we should absolutely hold ourselves to a higher standard and make sure that anyone doing work on town property is adhering to all of the rules and regulations uh and take
the necessary action if they're not. And I think this, you know, goes into an overall theme that we've seen over the past few years where there's just a lack of enforcement of a lot of our building codes and laws. Uh so you know uh I will talk with the business administrator
offline about this. Maybe we need to re-evaluate who we have doing the code enforcement. Maybe we need more code enforcement officials. Uh maybe it's a problem with leadership at the top. Maybe as a TC we need to take a look at that. But it's clear that residents want
accountability. Um, I think we as a TC should hold people accountable and uh if if the people we have are not doing the right job, then well, we should re-evaluate whether they're the ones that should be doing the job. Um, so I'm going to stay on top of this paper mill
issue as uh I know Mr. Stler said he he would as well. Um, let's see. Uh, Miss Best, I think that's a good question. Can people park on their lawns? Um, I don't know the answer to that. I'm hoping Mr. McDonald will be
able to tell us. Um, I certainly think it looks terrible when people use their front yards as parking lots. I I don't see that all too often in this town, thankfully. Um, but if it is allowed, then maybe that's something we should consider making an ordinance to prevent
because that just seems like a ridiculous thing uh to have people parking on their lawns. And if there's a specific instance where you've seen this, um please let me know uh and we'll we'll get into that. Um
Miss Miss Lavine, um thank you so much for your comments. Um you know, uh I'm very glad that we have the ordinance on tonight uh to address adding, you know, additional fees for these abandoned properties. Uh I do think we have far
too many abandoned and blighted properties in town. I know you mentioned the Flutter building. That's one in particular that I think we need to to look at. Um but you know there's only so much we can do uh in terms of increasing the fees
for these properties. So we've increased them you know to the maximum that we can. Um we'll see if those have an effect. If they don't, then we may have to see what other mechanisms are available um to incentivize owners of those properties to do something uh with
those properties. U so I do appreciate you coming out and and speaking about that. Uh specifically with regards to the gas station, I know that we have looked at potentially as whether it would make sense for the township to acquire that. I think there's concerns
about contamination. I know that there was a parking lot we have in town and we've been dealing with uh the fact that it was a former gas station and there was contamination and we've been dealing with it and paying for it for over 20 years now. So um you know it's not
always in the best interest of a township to acquire uh you know those properties. It would be better if owner of those properties clean them up and do something with them and uh maybe we have to find other mechanisms to that.
>> Um Let's see. Uh for all of you that talked about pedestrian safety, uh I agree it's it's a concern. It's something that we're taking very seriously. Um we're going to be uh doing some education programs with the schools and the students. Uh and as you heard
earlier tonight, um we are going to be looking at some enforcement. Uh so hopefully we'll see some improvement. I also would uh challenge the pedestrian uh safety advisory committee to really take a strong look at everything. Uh I
don't know, you know, what they've been doing the past few years. There's there's been some stuff here and there, but seems like things are getting worse, not better. So maybe we need to re-evaluate who's on that committee, what their mission is, and uh you know, hold them hold them accountable. That's
all. >> I would just like to echo something that Mr. Saki said. I do agree with the uh with the risks we have about perhaps purchasing the that Exxon site. As as he mentioned, we've been beaten over the
head with with another one. What I would like to see is that something that we should encourage the county to buy because that fits in with a lot of what we've heard here about what what do we get from the county? Well, that's something I'd like to get from the county. I'd like to see them get involved and maybe buy it instead of the
town and deal with the the mediation because their pockets are a little deeper than than ours. So, that's something that I would like to to work on and see if we can make that happen. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, I I'd like to comment. Um, absolutely, Michael. I'm not sure if
you've been paying attention, but we actually went over and met with the county and that was one of my main ask uh since someone had gone over and met with the county the town in 10 over 10 years and and Annette was there. You can you can validate this. The ask was for them to pay for it. They said they could
not pay for it, but they could certainly contribute to the redevelopment of that property. So, we've already put that in motion. Uh but that's what to answer your question of why. That's why. second um to uh to uh uh uh promotion of the
charter commission. I don't think there's a more important u uh thing to do in the next 28 days or so. You guys will know better how many days are left uh in this election, but really we should start promoting a little bit more. I just had a Can you turn a lot of
weed? Uh we had a uh meeting with a bunch of folks in my section in Wyoming to discuss what that charter commission is and why it's important. Uh it has not been updated. Uh there's not been a study in Milbourne since 1972.
Little history last time I was born in 1972. So it's a long time ago. I feel it every day on my knees. uh and it was actually it was actually modeled after a uh township act of 1899
which was soon abolished. So we have not updated our form of government or even and this isn't even to do that. This is to study what is the appropriate form of government in our town. So to get that message out, I think we should do some more education and really beat that
home. Uh to get people educated about that, whether it's on the township website banners. I know there's a whole link up there. People have to go look for it, etc. But maybe we could work with some of Happy Milburn or some of the the the social media platforms to do a quick little segment just to educate
everybody about what they're going to be seeing on the ballot. I just want to respond. >> Can we You guys got like one turn and then we have to continue. >> I was aware of your meeting certainly that you had but I haven't seen any results come of it and maybe it's too
soon but you know to say we have to buy it before they do anything with it is really not acceptable because then we we continue to have the liability for the contamination and the cleanup and we know from the other property that's now more than 20 years worth of payments.
Okay, we have to stop. >> We have to stop. Okay, we have to stop. >> Okay, so yes, um today is >> Excuse me. So, yes, today is the um second anniversary of October 7th. Um reminded about it every day. I speak to
members of the Jewish community all the time and um you know, I we continue to pray for uh the release of the hostages and family members. Um, as far as uh Voxall Avenue, Vauxhall Road and Milbour Avenue. I did get an email tonight about
that, but I didn't even get a chance to read it yet, but I will get back to Tracy about that. Um, we were talking about the possibility of bumpouts on Whittingham at some point, doing something to definitely shrink that road. And I know we've also been talking
about um continuing the angle parking after Milbour Deli. So, these are all things that hopefully um we'll get moving in the coming weeks, hopefully by the end of the year, just to shrink that down to two lanes. It's it's going to slow traffic down. People are going to
complain, but that's that's at least we, you know, we'll have a reduction in in accidents hopefully. Um and Brookside Drive, I will I'm going to come by your house tomorrow morning
before I go to work. because I'd like to I'd like to see what's going on over there. Um, Mr. Canders any question. I don't have any response to public. >> Thank you. I'm um not quite sure where to begin. Um
but understand that uh so look there's there's a uh there's a degree of I guess and and maybe I shouldn't say anything but uh there's a degree of frustration that I have um given the
fact that um You know, certainly people bring up valid concerns and they have concerns and things happen in their in their their day-to-day life and the township is painted in a way at these meetings that
we are unresponsive and I am frustrated by that because I know how many requests, complaints, issues, things that are brought to our attention
that we address in a very expeditious way. Some are easier than others. Some are a little bit more complex. You know, I had a guy call me up the other day. He says, "Oh, I have a drainage problem on my road. It's been happening for the last four years, but I'm calling you now to
complain about it, and you know what can be done?" Well, you know, I explained to him that that's not necessarily an easy project, but we're happy to look into it. come up to take a look at what the issues are. He explained the issues to me. But I think that at times, you know,
in in in particular in these township committee meetings from my, you know, past experience even, you know, previous to taking this position was, you know, we would accept what people said. We would look into it, get your contact
information after, certainly, you know, go through that process to try to address your concerns. Um, as it relates to the paper mill property, after these residents spoke at the next meeting, the very next day, I went to the code enforcement officer
said, "Go out, take a look at the site, what's happening, speak to the guy, the people out there, make sure that we're following the rules of the construction ordinance." I had not heard anything further from that. I did not see an SDL complaint. I did not uh hear from the engineering department. I did not hear
from code enforcement officer. Did not hear from the people playhouse. I did not hear from anyone else regarding the concerns or the matters that were taking place at the paper mill because if we had had there been we would have been out there and so I I I I don't know who
you talk to and I'm happy to speak to you after the meeting and I'm happy to you know take that information. I'm happy to come out there tomorrow as well and take a look at what occurred. Um, but there are I I just I just want to be clear that um you know and there's been
a lot of things brought up about pedestrian safety. Um I don't think that you know I mean I think we're again saying things are getting worse. >> I don't I don't know that uh for sure. I
mean I know that from 2021 to 2023 pedestrian crashes have been down. Right. that data is on the township's website. That data is provided by the pedestrian safety advisory board. Um whether we've had an influx of innocent incidents perhaps, right? And some of
those have been, you know, um I you know, again, the the the crosswalk incident on Lacawana, right, where we installed a pedestrian lead interval like all the other intersections in the downtown to create additional safety. Does that mean it's never going to happen? No. But you know certainly it's something that we need to um you know
hear, understand, address if we can. Um you know I just um it's it's it is it is a it is a little bit frustrating because I feel like in these meetings it's it's very much um portrayed that we are unresponsive or that we are not doing anything. And
um I uh I can I can tell you that we that we are that the staff works hard that we do a lot with what we have and we respond. And so um that's all I'll say about that. But certainly as it relates to Brookside Drive, we will have somebody out there first thing in the
morning. Uh we'll all be out there. We'll come out and take a look and see what's happening. Um we do have a flood mitigation meeting at 8:30 in the morning but um you know perhaps um after that or before that um as it relates to place
um it is a private road. Private roads have always had the responsibility to pave their own streets. they own the road. Um, and so they have uh the responsibility for paving their streets. These individuals have been in in in
contact, it's been explained to them. There's actually an agreement, I believe, from the 60s with that particular street um for them to have the respon for for them to have that responsibility. Um, and so certainly if they want to reach out to me directly, they can do that. I can have that
discussion with them. I can help them understand the process, what that means, how the township may be able to help given a given a paving contractor that we are hired and maybe they can do something with that same paving contractor, but it's not the township's responsibility to pay for the paving of
>> just a question on that. If they don't want to do it, we can't force them. Is that correct? >> Correct. Private. It's private property. >> So, we don't even know for a fact that they want it. >> Don't I mean I mean I'm guessing they they do. It is in bad shape. I agree. I want to pay for it.
>> And so there again there are other conversations that can be had but but I haven't had I haven't been contact >> and Alex uh you know >> I don't want you to feel like we're imputing or bismerching you or anything
from that. What you do is so so great for our town. I send people left and right to you. Sometimes I give them your cell phone number and you always answer and you always do and go over and beyond what you have to do from a guy who has a tree limb fall off the New Jersey
Transit tracks onto their car to a pothole to a drainage to whatever. And I tell you, there's no harder working person in this town than than Alex, our and his staff and our police and our fire. Once a month, I go to this uh committee for affordable housing.
There's about 25 mayors uh and committee people from all over New Jersey and you hear some of the horror stories and I'm always relieved that we have the best people in the in the in the in in the state working on our issues. So, we appreciate that. Thank you.
>> I appreciate that, Committee Stler. Um I again I I just want to make sure that um um that here we want to take in your concerns and be able to address them. Um and so if there is something that you want to contact the township about,
happy to talk after the meeting, happy to happy to discuss that. Um and what it is, but also sometimes like just understanding that there may not be things that we can do immediately or quickly or easily, but but that we will certainly hear you out and uh what can
be done. Uh enforcement keeps coming up. Um, we did hire a part-time enforcement uh, code enforcement officer who actually, you know, happened to be a uh, be upon that pedestrian crash on Lacawana, helped secure the site. Um, helped make sure things were safe prior to uh, first responders getting there.
Um, but they're, you know, they're out there and they're and they are uh, they are looking at the the issues of the town. It also, I have said this before, it also helps when people let us know what it might be and so that we can go out and look at that. Um just one other
thing uh as it relates to the banner. Uh you know the 250th committee is discussing um making additional um you know getting more patriotic things whether it's flags, banners, um copies
of these banners, something that uh we can put out to the public so that we can sort of you know paint the town so to speak when it comes to 2026. So, uh, be on the lookout for that, uh, as we continue to meet with the 250th committee. Um, and >> you're not allowed to park on the grass,
>> right? >> You're not, >> but I mean, certainly people will on occasion, but if it is a consistent thing, like, um, uh, you know, again, that can be brought to our attention. Um, sometimes people make their own driveway, too. Um um and they decide
that well I parked in the grass long enough I'll put some stone there and then I'll widen my driveway you know uh if if that does occur then um you know we can we can uh >> yeah that that might be me during that downpour there was a that water was rushing across Lynwood and a guy asked
me I park on the grass versus the three or four feet of water I was in drive I said sure that might be >> I took Good executive power on that. >> The township committee will now consider consent agenda resolutions. Are there any comments from the committee in
regard to any items listed on the consent agenda? >> May I have a motion to approve resolution 25-226 through 25-231 which are listed on the consent agenda? >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> Roll call vote, please.
>> Deputy Mayor Collin. >> Yes. >> Mr. Cosro, >> yes. >> Mr. Sakamandandy, >> yes. >> Mr. Stler. >> Mayor Romano. >> Yes. >> I'm sorry, Cler. May I please make a comment regarding the consent agenda items? Um the resolution for the DNL um
paving for the curb cuts just needs a title change. It currently has mo. So that's all >> the resolution. >> Correct. >> Okay. Where are we? >> Committee members still, you are
scheduled to sponsor ordinance 2718-25. >> Got to talk about relevancy, right? Uh I'd like to present an ordinance inside ordinance number 2718-25, an ordinance to amend and supplement the revised general ordinances of the township of Milburn, chapter uh XXI,
abandoned properties, article 21-1.2, inventory of abandoned property, registration of property owner. Uh the purpose the the purpose of this is this ordinance is to amend article 211.2 which is inventory of abandoned property. Uh specifically subsection H3
uh which means we can it's going to increase registration fees and the renewal of registration fees for abandoned properties. These changes to the registration fee reflect the increased cost to the township to administer uh this uh these registered properties. addition to increase on the
community particularly those that are renewed renewed several times throughout this process. Uh this uh ordinance will see initial registration and each subsequent renewal indicated in the ordinance uh increased threefold. I would have liked it more but was I was
told is that what we had to do. Um uh it should also be noted uh that this fee has not been adjusted since 2016. Uh uh obviously we've been in some bit of hyperinflation. So um and the uh township will also add a section as it
relates to the maintenance of listed abandoned properties. I move that this or are there any questions? I move that this ordinance be taken up and passed on first reading and the township clerk be authorized to have the ordinance published in accordance with law and the item and for hearing and final touches on Tuesday, November
12th, 2025. Please be advised that the public hearing of this ordinance will be held at the Milbour Education Center 13434 Avenue. May >> I have a second? >> Second. >> Roll call vote, please. >> Deputy Mayor Cohen, >> definitely yes. >> Mr. Costro,
>> yes. >> Mr. Sakamandandy, >> yes. >> Mr. Stler, >> Mayor Romano, >> yes. >> Thank you. >> Deputy Mayor Cohen, you are scheduled to sponsor 2716-25. I present for cons I present for consideration ordinance titled ordinance
2716-25 ordinance amending and supplementing the township of Milburn development regulations and zoning ordinance tonight is the time set for the public hearing and final passage as advertised accordance with
>> I declare the hearing overhead I move that this public hearing be closed and the ordinance be adopted on final reading and that the council clerk be directed to publish the ordinance by title as passed on final reading in accordance with law. And just so everybody knows this was the one on
lighting standards. I moved >> a second. I have a second >> second please. >> Deputy Mayor Cohen. >> Yeah. I have a question for Mr. Um, so Mr. Po, I think I sent you some
uh questions that I received from the resident about this this ordinance and uh I think you said you indicated in the email that you might be able to address some of them. >> Yeah. So um first of all, good evening uh members of the governing body pedi planner. Um this ordinance uh which is
pending your final vote um is product zoning code examination subcommittee. Um I thank uh committee member Sakami forwarding a couple questions that some residents had raised. Um you know I think um in consideration of some of the comments and questions I I believe it's related to non non-permitted use within
the residential zone and lighting standards that effect. What I want to stress in this ordinance is that um these are not um features or standards that will be administratively approved. These are all features that would be part of a board application, part of an application to a board who can adjudicate and allow for deviations or
adjustments based on unique features to a proposed use or to a site um to address concerns or comment by resident um to you know mitigate those those those factors uh during the course of an land use board. Um I think that the important part of codifying this
ordinance before you this evening is um presently within the ordinance there is no standard uh within residential districts for lighting of uh of mixed use developments or other non-residential developments within residential zones. Uh the ordinance before you which you're about to
consider um establishes those standards irrespective of the location and does it based on type of development or type of building that's proposed. um it crafts a series of standards with respect to lighting and also landscaping um to ensure that the board at least has some basis to begin adjudicating the review.
Presently there is not um the board is just relying on the applicant to present what they believe are good standards for this. Um so so I think that it's important for us to see how this goes a little bit. Um and again land use ordinances are always dynamic. If there is an issue we can certainly revisit and
make adjustments based on >> Sure. So would it be fair to say that you know applicant came before like the planning board or the zoning board, they would be able to take into account the specific circumstances and uses and you know all the other variables and these are
guidelines that would help them make a decision as to what's you know should or should not be allowed and >> 100%. Yes, exactly. And and right now you know what I just continue to stress is that the landing boards are operating without those guidelines. So giving them some rules of the road is really going to help that process. Thank you for
that. Kevin, >> thank you. Did we get a second? Roll call vote, please. >> Deputy Mayor Cohen. >> Yes. >> Mr. Costco. >> Yes. >> Mr. Sakamandi. >> Yes. >> Mr. Stler. >> Uh, yeah. Thank you, Graham, for that.
You're you work so diligently on all these. We appreciate you as well. Uh, permanent. Permanent. >> Mayor Romano. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Committee in Cosg Grove, you're scheduled to sponsor 2717-25. >> Yes. Thank you, mayor. I present for consideration an ordinance entitled
Ordinance 2717-25. It's an ordinance amending and supplementing the Township of Milburn development regulations and zoning ordinance. This deals with two aspects. One is placement of air
conditioning units, condenser units outside uh and accessory uses in residential areas. Tonight is the time set for the public hearing and final passage as advertised in accordance with law.
>> I declare the hearing open question. Hi Diana, can you explain what those other accessory uses are? Did you hear me? >> Explain what the other >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You said and
>> accessory dwelling units in residential districts. >> Okay. Like somebody wanted like a grandma grandpa house in their backyard or something. >> Or the thing on thing on Amazon where 15 grand to get a house in your backyard. >> Oh, that's a deal. >> Really?
>> Okay. No hands. Can >> I just ask a question? I'm not trying to critique it. >> I just I had a question. So, I apologize for not being fully well read on this.
Um, you're not going to remove like the fact that people have to cover their air conditioning units with greenery of sorts, right? No, >> I'm just asking because it's a new it's a new Mr. Petta. >> I just I wanted to make sure that that
wasn't going to happen. And you're not allowing people to attach their huge that's the side of their house, right? >> It's going to be okay. I just wanted to understand that going to be for the benefit of people not making it worse. >> Yeah. So essentially um again grandpa
planner that this is another ordinance that is a product of the zoning code examination subcommittee presently within the within 609.1 accessory uses in residential district subsection D is just a lengthy paragraph that explains how air conditioning units are to be considered and treated as accessory structures. Um we're mostly looking at a
restructuring of this section so it's a little bit clearer and more enforceable for um the administrative office um and the zoning officer to to adjudicate uh you know application review. Um I to uh address Miss Beth's question. Uh there is now a a clarified subsection called
yard and screening requirements. Sideyard screening units located in sideyards must be fully screened from view from the street and adjoining properties by solid fence or dense evergreen planting at least six feet. So that screening requirement still remains within the ordinance. It's clarified though in a little bit more robust detail. >> And and what about are you allowing
rooftop air conditioning? >> We are not. No. So it's prohibited locations. Uh that's subsection one now of the air conditioning standards is exterior rooftop installation of air conditioning to distribute thank you air conditioners I don't understand
>> a rooftop >> a rooftop okay not residential >> okay >> this is well this just to further clarify within residential zone districts rooftop installation of HBAC equipment is not proposal
thank you any other questions I move that this I move that this public hearing be closed and that the ordinance be adopted on final reading and that the township clerk be directed to publish the ordinance by title as passed on final reading in accordance with law.
>> We have a second >> second roll. >> Deputy Mayor Cohen. >> Yes. >> Mr. Cosbro. >> Yes. >> Mr. Sakamandi. >> Yes. >> Mr. Stler. >> Mayor Romano. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Okay. All business. Committeeman Stler
talking about board of ed township joint fields. >> Thank you. Uh the township of Milbourne and the board of education have been engaged in productive discussions regarding a collaborative project aimed at enhancing Milbourne high school sports programs, club sports, and school
related activities. Uh for almost two years, Chris Hinrix, current president of the of the BOE, and I have been actively meeting with all BOE representatives, BOE staff, township personnel to thoroughly review and build upon the feasibility study on high
school playing fields that was completed by the BOE last year. Uh we recently brought a few new folks into the conversation including Michael Con, no bigman to address any final details, ensure we have complete buyin uh and to and to help where we may have missed something and make sure it's a
nonpartisan event. Uh through these ongoing conversations, we have worked closely with the BOE to refine a proposal that holds strong potential to address persistent challenges related to field availability, scheduling constraints, and overall usage while maintaining a measured and deliberate approach to ensure feasibility and
sustainability. uh and financial constraints. Uh this would be a true partnership with both entities deriving clear benefits and sharing responsibilities for the field's improvements as we continue our internal deliberations on key aspects such as
usage protocols, maintenance responsibilities, and procurement processes. Our commitment remains steadfast to fully vet all elements of the project, address any initial questions comprehensively, and proceed with complete transparency to foster
trust. trust and get informed community input. We anticipate presenting this initiative to the public for formal discussion andformational sessions well in advance of any official decisions. Uh although a precise timeline is not yet
finalized, we aim to initiate these public engagements towards the end of 2025 or in the early months of 2026. Uh we believe it is essential to keep our residents informed of this collaborative effort uh which represents a thoughtful step forward in resolving
this long-standing and multiaceted challenge. Um the entire community's feedback will be invaluable as we progress and we encourage questions or comments in the interim. I'd also like to note in the audience we have Greg Burman and we have Scott Regler who was
here as well who's uh very very instrumental in putting in the um the the fields next to the library. Uh and they've been involved with great community input. Uh this crosses all community uh the entire community uh and
it's for our kids and in giving them builds that rival some of our neighbors and uh and increases the uh the playership. Any questions? >> Yeah. Um, is there, you know, obviously we want to get all the public input. Is
there any way we could start to schedule those public information sessions uh prior to the end of the year? I think >> 100%. They're going to be done within relative short period of time. And, you know, as we get this out here now, we're at a point that we're comfortable. Um,
can Chris speak or No, we we haven't opened it up to other folks or no public comments. >> Okay. Okay. So, uh you know, we've worked tirelessly to bring this to this event with the support of of all the constituents. Uh this is not about any
party, anything about this. This is about how do we perform and deliver uh state-of-the-art playing fields for our children. >> I look forward to seeing it or so we have a consensus, >> right? >> Yeah. >> Absolutely. >> Excellent.
>> Okay. New business, Mr. McDonald. >> Uh yes, as is sort of tradition this time of year, we have several modifications, changes to the chapter 7 uh code of uh the township's general code, which is traffic and parking. Um I
outlined those uh proposed changes to the township committee in a memo. Essentially, they are uh restricting parking along Old Short Hills Road uh in front of the middle school uh during certain hours. I believe it's uh 7 to 4.
There's been an ongoing issue with uh parking to drop off at that location and people uh cutting across the uh old shorts road to get to the middle school directly instead of being further up uh where the crossing guards and police are
generally located. Um codifying the deli parking lot, lot 12 change to 15minute parking. This was implemented to create additional turnover and keep um some of the Uber and um Door Dash drivers from
sitting in the parking lot and idling and and taking up those spaces. Um stop signs on West and South Terrace uh to be codified. Also a physical stop sign on South Terrace and Hobart uh to be codified. Um and then um we're
evaluating the ch a change at the bottom of south uh of Cyprus and Norwood uh where it is um dangerous and a challenge to take a left-hand turn during certain hours in the afternoon. Um so we are um
looking to add that to uh that known lefthand turn during certain hours. I think it's 4 to 6 um uh during weekdays um at that location at those locations. So, uh, we are just an aside, we are also looking to install some additional
signage regarding the railroad trestles on Cypress and Ridgewood um because people are using those streets. They're getting up to a certain point and realizing that they are too high um to get past. So, a lot of turnarounds have
been taking place at the Ridgewood Road train trestle. Um so advanced signage uh at the beginning of Ridgewood Road at Boxhall and the beginning of Cypress Street at Milurn Avenue. Um that is uh that is what we're looking
for in chapter 7 update. >> Okay. So we're we're good with that, right? Um, Deputy Mayor Cullen, do you have proposed construction?
>> Yeah, this is I mean this was brought to to to me by um the um there was an issue uh a complaint u regarding uh construction. I think it gave us the opportunity to evaluate um sort of the
construction ordinance kind of plays into what is uh some of the stuff that's been discussed tonight. Um so one of the requirements in the ordinance is that um offense is put up uh if a
soil Hudson Essex permit is acquired. Um obviously that doesn't catch everything. uh quite honestly might not even catch an entire demolition of a of a home. Um so we just need to be able to have uh some additional leverage to require
fencing to go up. Uh a lot of times the contractors will work with us if we go out and say, you know, ask that they need a fence or they you know they're already put a fence up for safety. But this would establish a uh additional requirement that if you know 50% or more of the the home or property is
demolished, it requires a fence um to be surrounded with the same requirements of the sheathing and things like that. Um, additionally there's been some discussion and you know I think one of the difficulties in this construction ordinance is the
um part about days and times and who has the ability to work on holidays and Sundays and that is uh you know in a lot of cases particularly with a developer developing
a property usually they are the purchaser and owner owner of that property. So they are exempted in this ordinance and can work on Sundays and can work on holidays. Um so either one of two routes taking place with this ordinance would be to eliminate the um
the exemptions or just eliminate construction alto together on you know Sundays and and holidays. So, um I think too often, you know, especially in this community where there are a lot of uh tear downs um and rebuilds that it's
usually developer purchasing the property. So, they're the owner. So, technically they're exempted from the ordinance um and they can work um work, not necessarily use heavy equipment or heavy machinery, but work on Sundays and holidays. So uh just making an adjustment there so that uh I think it's
a little bit more quality of life quality of life or changes for uh for the residents. >> I don't think that wasn't the intent of of allowing that was not I know they are the legal but that was clearly not the intent correct was put in >> but it is a loophole
>> right so it needs to be closed. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I mean, I do think that, you know, someone that has a single family home and they're out there on Sunday, you know, replacing a shutter or something, they're not a developer. That's one thing and that should be allowed. But,
you know, major construction, uh, you know, should should not be allowed. >> Yeah, I think we can nuance the ordinance. >> I don't that, but I'm sure it's possible. And additionally, listen, I'm
all about less regulations to improve improve the town if needed. But this, you know, we need the balance between regulation and quiet enjoyment of our properties. Just because somebody's skirting something because they're an owner, uh, you know, we should fill that
gap. Another interesting one that has come up is um landscaping. So sometimes landscaping will take place on Sundays. Um, landscaping is not considered heavy machinery. Um, so, uh, under the ordinance. So, therefore, a landscaping
company can do work on a on a property. Um, again, I think some of these changes, however, we nuance this language for uh for that can help eliminate that as well. >> That makes sense. I've never seen my landscape ever.
>> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, some landscaping requires heavy equipment, especially if there's no pre-existing landscaping or you're ripping stuff out. I imagine that would be disruptive and we don't allow that on Sunday. But, you know, normal maintenance of property landscaping,
trimming, etc. That should be allowed. So the >> but but mowers by but again this does this isn't this isn't dealing with private property owners or the owners of the home but a landscaping truck coming in with you know large mowers things like that. I I again I don't know if
it's a it's a it's a it's a widespread issue or if this is just something >> I've only I've only seen it when there's been like heavy rain Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and they get backed up. So they they work on Sunday because I'm sure they don't want to be working on Sunday either. But I think we need to
take a look at it and figure out what we want to do. >> Okay. Property design regulations. Mr. Graham, >> Mr. bridges. >> What? >> Oh, okay.
>> Okay. So, I have to recuse myself because we're talking about transit bridges. I can think of so many jokes right now. >> That's right. >> So, so on on item three, designation of the railroad bridges, there there's 10
bridges in town. Uh the HPC did have, you know, a hearing or a couple hearings over time on this. Um the proposition is to have their um the town's expert do a a study to determine whether or not the
bridges can be should be etc. Uh designated the price tag attached as about $30,000. Um so you know procedurally HPC is going to have someone here at the next meeting uh to talk about you know what they want
to do and what the plan is. Um, and then ultimately the township committee here, you know, is going to have to approve the expenditure of that money and then ultimately, you know, vote yes or no designation for us. All right. Don't we know what they're going to do? Is they're just going to let it fall into
disrepair? >> Well, no. I I think the the goal >> I understand, but right now every every one of those bridges seem to be in disrepair. Right. So, so by begging them historically when when they have to repair them with you know as they have
to repair them they can't repair them substandard >> right but let's be careful we get what we wish for is we that they haven't touched them in 50 years are they now going to not touch them in another 50 years or >> no no the the bridges if they're structurally deficient or need to be
>> dealt with and have to be redone the idea is if they're you know designated historic they would need to replace it sort of in find or have something that natures >> because what we've seen is, you know, sometimes, you know, you have these
bridges that were were done in a way they used to do things and they're nice and they look good. Uh, and then they tear them down and they put something really ugly in its place. Um, and I think that that has happened far too often throughout the state. And so the idea is, you know, NJ Transit's likely
going to have to pay to replace these. they ought to do it in such a way that looks like it did and uh fits in with the community >> and it's not just not just ugly, it's also shoddy, you know. So, you know, >> that also sets some standards about what
it is that what kind of materials they can use that are that would last, you know, for a long time, >> right? There's been the expression, you know, they don't build stuff like they used to. wise here. You know, we don't want something built cheaply and and you
know, it's not going to last. So, I'm all for it. >> I am, too. So, I guess we have the I support it. Okay. So, we have the >> Thank you. >> I think you're still going to hear from Mr. Davis from the HBC next.
[Music] >> Thank you. You said God. Thank you. Uh good evening everyone once again here as planner. Uh this is another uh forthcoming ordinance from the zoning code examination subcommittee um to further uh enhance and refine the
site design standard within the count DRZ um to as I mentioned earlier better guide uh land use applicants in their appearance before the respective land use boards um with both prepared plans uh submissions. Uh so the uh proposed ordinance for you for consideration for
future introduction um establishes site building and public realm design standards for uh proposed uh multif family mixed use uh commercial development uh anything that requires site kind of approval at one of the corresponding land use boards. Um the uh ordinance before you establish a site
planning and circulation standards including building placement, pedestrian circulation, vehicular access and parking, how to lay things out, um uh bicycle parking standards, and then also a series of building design standards uh broad broadly um including refuge
storage requirements and location, parking visibility, service visibility, prohibited materials for use on sites. And then it also establishes specific building design standards for based on different building type types proposed under the applications as well. Um again
in the absence of your standards right now applicants are appearing before the board with they think best fits the community um the design standards here uh provide them some rules of the road in preparing our application um and applicants will come to the boards a little bit more an understanding of what
the township is looking for um with respect to design how site should work facilitate that development in the township um for the boards to better adjudicate those applications they have some kind of standards to to make reference to Any questions have this? >> Sure. Um, so it's my understanding that
there's a number of other towns. So I think Summit has design guidelines. I'm sure there's plenty of other towns. So this is not an uncommon thing. Correct. >> That's correct. >> Okay. >> And this actually, I think, would make things easier for developers uh that come before these boards because they
would have, you know, a better sense of what the town is looking for. Um, so they're not just, you know, shooting blindly in the dark. >> 100%. Yes. So this should actually help streamline uh those processes. Yes, that's great. Great.
>> It would also it would also save them save them time and money in the long run because if they present something and it isn't it is not something that would get through those boards then they have to go back and so in the long run it will be you know improve their uh improve
their chances of being approved by the board. So >> yeah, and that's one of the key um uh recommendations of the master plan that I cite in the one of the warehouse clauses. Um the master plan recommends that the township, you know, go through its plan development ordinance to promote clear, user-friendly, and transparent application review and
public hearing processes for development. So this is a key step in that process to provide that transparency up front so developers and applicants know that process. >> All right. Well, some of us love transparency, so I can't wait to see it.
Good. >> Y >> we're gonna >> Okay. Public comment. This public comment period is allow is to allow for final comments from the community when invited to speak to offer your comments. Please come to the lecturally state your name and whether you are Milberg
resident and your property business owner. Please do not provide your full address seeing our meetings are recorded and readily available to the public. A reminder that in order to help facilitate orderly meeting and to permit all to be heard, speakers shall limit their comments to one three minute session.
>> Uh Charles Ben resident of Hills. Uh, Alex, if I might ask, when you're revisiting the uh, traffic regulations, uh, I spoke uh, three meetings ago about
the handicap parking situation in town and I I ask that you uh, visit that in your study in particular parking lot. I don't know the lot number behind schoolhouse plaza as one example. There
are two handicapped parkings. They are immediately adjacent to Taylor Street, furthest away from Milbourne Avenue. >> If somebody was going to park there that was handicapped, they'd want to be closest to Milurn and not furthest away. >> So I things like that need to be looked
at and and made right. So if you can revisit that, I appreciate it. Second item I'd like to talk about. Several meetings ago it was discussed. I know I've had discussions with committee members uh separately stormwater
detention for new construction, new largecale construction. There was talk of doubling the stormwater detention. Um I've heard a lot tonight about building ordinances and and and and guidance for planning uh and and and
land use boards. Uh I hope we include uh doubling of the uh stormwater detention. You know we don't want situation to quote Johnny Mitchell where we pave paradise in front of parking lot
should be pious paving and there should be copious storm water tension. The last thing we need when we're trying to deal I'm a member of the flood mitigation committee as well. The last thing we need is to be dealing with more runoff
the situations we have in where there's new construction the the developer and builder needs to step up and do their share and and detain more water on site. >> Thank you sir.
>> I'm just uh thank you. I feel like you're insulted maybe that we didn't contact you directly. Uh or maybe we didn't know who to contact. No, not at all. >> Well, we didn't know who to contact
exactly. If you're coming out to which is great, um you just should know that a lot of things already transpired and we have a lot of film that we've taken and actually legally at
check we can take film from our porch or as long as it's public we can take a picture. So you don't you won't see when and you won't hear probably from the engineer and from the director of the theater. you'll hear a different story I
think I'm guessing but um we have a lot of film and I will say the other day I was sitting on my porch and I was filming a big flat bed truck that was right across the street and he had a big I don't know if you call it a
caterpillar what you call it um and he was removing it off his flatbed up closer to the theater and he saw me filming And when he came back to get into his truck, he decided
to give me double uh fingers. And then he took his phone out. I won't do the thing, but he came and he took his phone out and he went like this. And I don't know what he said because I'm glad I didn't. But um someone else on
the site went over to him. There weren't many people there, but someone else saw him doing this with the thing and he said, "What are you doing?" And I didn't report it because, you know, I'm alone. I don't really want repercussions and
so I got a message from the director saying, "I heard there was an incident um with a neighbor. Are you the one?" >> And I and I'm very naive about it. I said, "Oh, yes. I was
And you know, I told him this story, but then after I and then he said to me, "Well, I talked to the the contractor in charge and I uh and he's going to be banned from deliveries and blah blah." And I was talking to my daughter who's a little more savvy than me. She said,
"No, he didn't." Well, I I can't say if he did or not, but there's a lot of things that you won't know went on. I'm just telling you, okay? And you you'll see things and they'll be like, "Oh, it's fine." You know, >> thank you. Thank you.
>> I'm not saying you're not responsive, but you don't know. >> Is someone else coming up? [Music] >> Scott Rler, no resident. Um, first of all, I want to thank all of you for your service. guys put a lot of time and effort and it is appreciated. We know it can be complicated. There's a lot of
personalities in the town and some people go about things the right way and you guys I think hold your own very well. Um I will say that um you know going over the fields real quickly for the high school. I was very instrumental in helping get the library field done. You know, when I was put on the rec
commission in 2017, um I talked to them about the deficit of fields that the library field was called called like the mud bowl, uh the dust patch. And you know, we all know and Chris Duck goes Chris Ducker's been trying to get fields since 2010.
I'm like, now now it's 2017 and we still don't have fields. They're like, well, we're going to get West Orange. We're going to get this. We can get that. I said, well, how about the library field? It's a Mburn field. We can control what we do there. We can get turf fields there. Then like, well, what about who's going to get the time from the rec
commission or board of ed? Who's going to get it? Who's going to contribute? I'm like, does it matter? It's our kids and we need fields. We need respectable fields so they could hold their head high and they could play and not get hurt, not get twisted ankles, not have be rained out. And PS, the town came
together and by 2019, the field was done. It's six years later. Everyone uses it. Everyone loves it. So, the back of the high school, okay, is muddy. Kids twist their ankles. If it rains, you can't have practice there. Uh, my son is in the high school. I've visited 15
different high schools. They have turf fields in the back. They do. Our uh recreation, you know, our fields are not the same brand. We have a high brand in Milbour Foothills and they come here. Sometimes they laugh. Sometimes they have to reschedule and we have to go somewhere else because our fields are
unplayable. And I know that there's a lot of things that need to be done in the high school besides the fields, but the fields need to be done. And as we all know, you guys are you're here working for the town because you've had kids here. Time's gone by. We all love the town. Just don't keep putting this
off because this could happen in four years from now, six years from now, nine years from now. We're going to have a new town council. we're gonna probably have new turnover at on the board of ed and the cans be kicked down the road just like it was from 2010 to 2017. So
now that the feasibility study is done and says we can build the fields, let's just approve it and then figure out how to get funding from the town council, from the board of ed. And if there's not enough money from the town council and the board of ed, I guarantee you, you'll
get private money that will put their naming on things just like the football field that got done a decade ago to make the proper facilities for the kids. It's not about Democrats, Republicans, it's about the kids. It's about the schools and they deserve fields to be proud of.
>> Thank you. >> Hi, I'm Chris Hinrich. I'm a long time resident, but I'm probably more here to speak on Fields in my uh school board president role. So, first of all, thank you, Commman Stler. That was a great statement in support of fields and it seems like there's broad support across
the township committee for this. Maybe I can just uh mention a few things to help. Uh first off, the project will have to be done during summertime obviously not to or to minimize impact on school sports. Um I think we've missed the window for the summer of 26
unfortunately. So that means it's a summer of 27 project meaning we have a little bit more time. So although we are in a rush to Mr. Red's point, we want to get this project done as fast as possible, approved, and if it sits on a shelf just waiting to be built,
fantastic. So, it can't be undone. So, that is certainly our intent. Um, >> the I would characterize it as we did the feasibility, the architects came up with a kind of a quick design. Now that we think we have funding, we think we
have support, it's a good chance to revisit, say, is this what we really want? both in terms of the big structure, the number of fields, and the shape with the intent of expansion for later on. So, that's a bigger decision. And then there's all sorts of nuances of fences
and walkways. Ben has some great ideas. Alex has some great ideas. So, it'll be a combination of when do we go to the public? Do we need every last detail planned out because I know the public questions these things rightly so versus, oh, this is the big strokes. we
need to plan the X Y and Z detail. That way we can get to the public faster and build support for it. So we have a meeting October to kind of talk through all those things. That's why we couldn't give a new suck Monday a more clean answer on the funding. So if we can get
a good plan next month and we can get a public presentation together, November, December seems quite doable, but you know, I'd rather be super prepared for the public and have a gangbuster presentation of this. till January. We have the time. So I I hope that helps
enlighten. Glad to hear there's so much support in the community for this. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Section six points to bring up. Um this coming up week we have two festivals, religious festivals. ones are going on now to co sucas next Tuesday night and
our Indian community will be selling Dalia which is really the fight between darkness and light good versus evil um as to educating about the charter study um commission referendum. Last week, Union County posted the difference
between local governments that are governed by a charter, local governments that are governed by the Faulner Act. And they broke out various communities, whether they were burrows subject to Faulner, but that's something I think that we should be doing to educate the
public as to the need for that. Um, we're still as to round three. There was a hearing in front of Russ, a very short hearing last Tuesday. We're still waiting for him to enter an amended order adding exhibits and that would trigger I believe the uh the appealing
the notice of docketing. As to Oprah, earlier today we heard about the July 26th road closure and supposedly written communications between the county
and the township. I made an open request both the county and to the township. Township should produce no written documentation. County only produced the email to the VA. Response was not produced. So I
don't know. I'm just going by the documents. They don't support what we heard earlier today. Also, I made an open request. If you remember in August when there was going to be the designation of the paper mill as a historical landmark the executive director of the paper mill stood up
saying asking for a postponing saying that he wrote there was a writing submitted to township to postpone it. I made an Oprah request that writing has not yet been produced. So I don't know what happens because Oprah allows us keep transparency and accountability.
uh hopefully next meeting we will have best uh practice inventory responses presentation that's required to be done by the end of October and finally what is the status of the SID ordinance subcommittee review
that was created in February we've been ter you met several times when will the public told be told what the results of that sub thank you >> thank Uh, good evening. Bill Hers from over in resident. Um, I'm actually glad Mr.
McDonald said what he did tonight. Um, I can understand his frustration because I think, uh, you know, to some extent we become a kind of a culture of have kind of a culture of grievance where people sometimes more interested in complaining
than finding solutions and sometimes they're bringing up things that are rather trivial. um not something like the residents on Brookside, something like that, but things would could be better addressed. Um and often that that just sort of puts
a shadow of criticism of negativity and even distrust against the uh staff of the town, against the township committee. Um, I think there's room for a lot more positivity, for recognition of the work that is done instead of implying sometimes that the staff is not doing their job, that someone's lazy,
they should be, um, they should be replaced, you know, without even giving any background to that. Um, real quick story. Earlier this year, I was down by I guess it's lot five, uh, the kiosk by Dunkin Donuts, where I go to often. And
um I noticed that the uh logo was peeling off where you scanned the park and I love that parking app and it was going to be gone pretty soon. So this was one day on a Sunday when I actually remembered when I got home but I wanted to do something about it. I sent a
message to the SDL portal um on a Sunday. Tuesday I was back at Dunkin Donuts too soon really. Um, I saw somebody working on a kiosk and I went over and uh he gave me his name. It was
the person who answered my uh gave me an answer through the portal they were going to look into. It was the uh traffic department of police department. And he was there and he said, "Yeah, I'm going to replace these on all the kiosks." And he was putting up a much better type of more permanent logo. And
that's just one example where um trying to find a solution, giving the township information they might not have because they can't be everywhere. Um that I got a response. I got it very quick. And part of the problem may be as was mentioned, some people don't know how to
approach these problems, but I had very good responses through the SDL portal, through emails. And there's much more that can be done than sometimes coming to a meeting and complain complaining just because you want to get something off your chest. And I think that will keep more of a positivity rather than
this negativity that Mr. McDonald had to in his >> Thank you. by Jim Gillson, Wilbur resident. Uh my my have to do what been talking about, but uh I'm curious as to what
kind of liaison we have with the postal service. As everyone knows, you go to the mil post office and right now it's very difficult for many uh uh members of the community to even get into the building. The door is hard to open. Doesn't meet ADA requirements. Anybody
in a wheelchair would not have access to a facility that my question is how do we liazison with the service so that they can come in and fix those facilities so that we can get access to our community.
Thank you. [Music] >> Christine Best Township. Wow. I think I'm going to call myself a complainer, but um because I'm gonna I'm going to be the antithesis of what was said. I actually think that
voicing your opinions is really really important. And actually a bunch of things happened in this meeting tonight that because of my complaining, they actually happen. And um and so a lot of us complainers spend hours and hours writing documents using chat GPTs, which
some of my friends have helped me with um getting into the you know 2030 age. Um and so there's so much civic responsibility. If I see somebody building a road incorrectly because I've I directed a group of engineers, I I'm
gonna I'm gonna call the town and and complain about it. Um, if I see there's no drainage done, I'm going to complain about it. Um, if there's no design standards and there's builders just recklessly building buildings that don't fit into the culture and the style of this town, I'm going to complain about
it. I'm sorry. And I think it actually is effective. And I'm sorry that you know part of your responsibility and in your choice to sit up here is to listen to people say great things. I say great things and I really am very appreciative of all the design standards and the zoning changes that you've made. I think
it's amazing and I thank you greatly and I'm sorry that I had to come up and bring that up and I actually did present Summit's design standards um a number of years ago and I was just so pleased to actually see something being done about it. So, I don't think we're bad people. Um, and it doesn't mean that I don't
respect each and every one of you because I could not do your job. Not right now. So, thank you. Okay. And I also don't agree with everybody in this room, but there's a lot of things that I agree with with a lot of people in this room, okay? Even people that dislike me immensely. But I also want to talk to
you guys. If you I will leave you my number. If you get bullied by any contractor, I will calm down personally because it annoys me what goes on the reckless and excuse me. >> Okay. Sorry. Thank you. You're not they
are not allowed to um dry saw stone or asphalt. It's actually not legal. It has to be wet cut and that's probably why you're getting dust. And they should fully clean off all your houses appropriately with good power washers. not like you know that's completely
unacceptable and I I if I can just give you any kind of guidance I'm more than happy to help you because it really bothers me. I had my own bad experiences. Thank you. That's all to say. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Judy Christian Milburn resident
forever. I I just want to um bring up the post office quickly. Mayor Alana knows that uh was about a year ago or so the air conditioning in last summer, no air conditioning for them, no heating in
the winter. I've recently heard a rumor that Mil post office will be closing and only the short post office will take over. If you could find out if that's true, that is just wrong.
That is just wrong. Um, so I don't know if that's true or not, but I would hope that I know lots is going on with the postal service and um, but I would hope that
one post office, it will be the one in town in Milbury in Milbour Township, not >> Thank you. Richie Cyber Township res
like to give praise when praise is due. Alex, I know you're hardwork and do a good job. Jared, I know you're hard work and do a good job. I know you're all doing a good job.
Um, but I did hear today that the Milbour, like so we don't own the Milbour Post Office, >> uh, the post office owns the post office, >> and there's been lots of things going on with that post office, stolen mail out
of the mailbox in front of it. You're right. You walk in there, the lights are off, one person walking working there. Uh, do you have any stamps? No. Is the computer working? No.
Is the postmaster here? No. Where's my mail? I don't know. This past week, I had a new American Express card coming. You get an email from Post Office saying,
"Your credit card is out for delivery. Please confirm when you receive it." I didn't receive it. Waited till Thursday. I called. Where? Where is it? Oh, you didn't get it. Uh,
American Express. That is we'll send you a new one. You're not going to send it by the post office. No, we'll use UPS overnight. Okay. It came perfectly. But I did speak to someone this morning
who said to me that the US Postal Service is consolidating offices because they're a bankrupt agency. They can't make money and they're going to close the Milburn Post
Office and maybe we should buy that before we get affordable housing. >> Do we have right of first refusal to buy that property? historic. >> I don't know. That's a silly question. Anyway, >> I did hear it today from someone who
knows. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> Anyone? >> Diane Egllo. Um, as Phil said, the SL portal is a great tool. It is successful. I've had success with it. I just don't know if enough residents know
about it. Um, when I was up here before, I was not trying to take credit. I was merely pointing out that things in government take a long time. Except Doge and in Trump, too. I know the town is doing so much to address pedestrian safety. It's the distracted drivers going too fast,
texting. It's the distracted walkers. And that's really a big part of the problem. And I don't know how you change human behavior. But my real reason for staying was for Miss Jean Pashnack, who revels in reading and posting my open letter of several years ago.
Politicians and humans are flexible and entitled and must be able to change their mind. So yes, I did want to run again. I wasn't selected. So I chose to run as an independent and I proudly got more than a thousand votes. And it was pretty difficult as an independent
without a lot of money and very little backing. But I did it and I was very proud. I did not change my party. I have never changed my party as some who have run for a township committee and maybe some of you up there have changed your party. I've been a
Democrat since I first registered at 18 years old and I remain a Democrat. Our country's democracy is at a dangerous crossroad. I will always remain affiliated with the Democratic Party and I will be voting the Democratic line B because this year B is better. Thank
you. Thank you. >> Anyone else? >> Excuse me. >> Excuse me. Would anyone like to comment? >> I'll I'll comment. Um
I don't know where to start. Let me start with the the main one that we didn't say hello. Um, honestly, when you wrote that letter, it actually opened my eyes to a lot of what's going on. So, we have to be very careful on what we do. I mean, I wish I had it in front of me. I would read
parts of it, but it really talked about grip. It talks about uh the biting, the bidding at at the behest of party leaders and of politicians and things along those
lines. Um so to me the there the difference is night and day uh today versus what it was a few years ago. Um uh on the other, you know, party be damned. I don't care about Democrats or
Republicans. We care about Milbourne residents and what the services that we offer them, their children, the education, the safety. the someone use the term uh brand the Milburn Short Hills brand and that's
what we need to ensure not as individual partisans but as a group that's here to service the community they've entrusted us they've voted us in and those are the decisions and that might be part of the reason you may or may not have been effective as when you were on the township I don't know just wild ass
guess but from that standpoint uh I I like where we're going I like everyone on this day. I think we're doing a good job and I just want to my commitment is to everybody sitting out here in this audience, not to some politician sitting in Trenton uh or
Newark or wherever the hell they're sitting uh spending our dollars eating lobsters and grift that's coming up through the vendors and the suppliers. And listen, it's never been more obvious to me that when I was sitting with the first of all with Mr. Feld and the judge says vote them out. So we did. Uh, and
then when I sat with this guy, Frank Banish, uh, who's our special master on the housing, and I walked, literally walked with him all of the sites that we were proposing and over to the This guy could not have been nicer. Reminded me of my grandfather. Gave me a hug when he left. He understood everything we were
discussing. He didn't want children to get, you know, long-term disability from being on the dump. Everything went fine. And then we turn around and he stabbed us in the back and and literally lied to the court. Literally lied to the court.
And he was not actually put on the stand to to to answer for his actions. Uh so I I digress, but I just wanted to get that out there. Um Chris, it's been a great pleasure working with you on the on the fields. Uh same thing for Greg and
Scott. You guys are just fantastic and we all do it with the with the blinders on that this is for the children and for the next generation and to give them the Milbour brand and give them fields that they can play on and not are destroyed by rain. And actually when you see it,
it actually improves flooding. It it creates funnels to put the water where it belongs into whatever tension basin which is what Mr. Barber has been preaching for the last uh seems like forever. Um uh and and and what we're working at on the flood mitigation
committee. Um what else do I have? Uh the post office. I mean, hell, a post office should be privatized. Uh in my opinion, it's so dysfunctional. The building's in disrepair. Put an Amazon store there. I don't know. Amazon always seems to get
me my package in 30 minutes. >> My daughter Thanks you. And then uh and then the last piece the last piece here I want to talk about is u uh is the u what was it? Oh uh miss best. You know
you know >> every every time you come up I've been on your property. We've walked your site. We've done everything. Listen that's what gets things done. I always use a term in my business. The squeaky will gets the oil. And a lot of people don't understand that. So, you know, uh
it there's a benefit to hear a lot of these a lot of these. And uh once again, I just voice my appreciation for Alex and for the police chief and his staff and the fire department uh for Graham Pedo uh and for all of the township employees because they do a ymen's job
serving the brand for for the community. Thank you. And that's to the positivity from Mr. K. Thank you guys. >> Yeah. I just want to um you know echo some of that. I mean it is clearly the case
we're not said certainly we're not saying you know don't come here and voice your you know your concerns of course you should do that but it is likelier that before you wait for the two weeks for the next meeting you know put something into that portal call
somebody at the town to give them a head start to actually have a chance to work on it. And if they did that by the time, you know, by the time the meeting came, it could reser at least who have an answer as as to why it's not. I know that whenever residents reach out to me and I pass some of that on to Mr.
McDonald, it's taken care of. I mean, there was a there was a ongoing gas leak in actually in my neighborhood around the corner from where I live. The resident complained. Alex was there like the next day, took numerous phone calls. you think a gas leak would pull us PS&
to act on it but maybe not. So it took numerous phone calls and whatnot and finally um finally they came and so that's but that's the kind of thing you have to do. They didn't come to the township committee but that's how that's how you get things solved and you know
that's something you should do first I guess is if you really want to get something solid that's the place to get it started. >> Thank you. Um, command it. >> Uh, so Mr. Banar, I think we are in the process of updating our ordinances so
that we can double the storm water detention requirements. I think we talked about it. >> Yeah. So, so the the D has to approve that. So, but that's something that we're actively working on and pushing forward. Um,
you know, I also want to echo what Mr. Stler said. This wheel gets grease. Um, yes, it would be nice if people came here and sung our praises, but I think people have better things to do with their time. Uh, so in general, the people that are going to come out are
going to have something to say, and it's often going to be critical, and that's just part of being in, uh, government, right? U, you know, we have to be responsive to residents needs. Um, and maybe we need to do a better job of
publicizing the ways the residents can uh get in touch. Um, but I've had uh an uptick of emails, calls, complaints about lack of zoning code enforcement, lack of building code enforcement. Um, I
think it is a problem. Um, I intend to look into it further. Um, because I didn't get this level of of complaints uh the first year I was up on this data. So, uh, I think something's going on and, uh, I think people should call us out for that. When you see something,
say something and, uh, we'll try to make it better. And, uh, yes, all of our our employees for the for the most part, uh, do a great job. Uh, sometimes there's some that don't, and, uh, we'll identify those and deal with
those. All >> say, >> yes, thank you, mayor. Um I I would just encourage people to keep coming to these meetings and I like hearing from you. >> Um I just want to add I don't think anybody's a bigger cheerleader for Mr.
McDonald and staff than I am. Um because I know you work 247 and you know you respond to residents on Saturdays, on Sundays and you know whenever need be. Um I don't think Mr. Kur meant not to
complain. I think what he meant was if you have a problem you you know if there is a problem you don't need to wait till our next township committee meeting you can call the main number in town hall 5647000 and they'll direct you to whatever
department or whome whoever it is that you need to speak to or you know that use or use the portal and um the post office I'm going to see what I can find out about that tomorrow but I know they've been having issues for a long time. So,
>> okay. >> Yeah. Uh, I just also want to be clear that I was not saying anyone shouldn't complain. Um, nor should they get up at meetings and let us know what's going on and nor was I insulted by anything that anybody said from the public. Um, so I
just want to uh to make that clear. I think it's uh um it is beneficial but certainly I'd love to start on these issues you know prior to the meeting make sure that we can we can address things that are able to be addressed and there are certainly larger issues that
need to be discussed more holistically from the public from the township committee from myself but um again wasn't insulted in any way by what anybody said anything to add comment Do you have anything?