Good evening everyone. Sorry about that. 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 in town hall and forwarding to the officially designated newspapers that this meeting would take place at the Milbourne
Education Center at 7 p.m. on September 2nd, 2025. Meeting details and the draft agenda were also posted on our township website. Please stand to salute the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation
under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all my microphone. Thank you so much. Okay. U before we um get started, I just want to um pause uh tonight to uh honor
the memory of Lieutenant Robert Robert Kaiser who passed away recently. His service and commitment to our community will never be forgotten. Let's keep the Kaiser family, friends, and uh his family at the Melbourne Police Department in our thoughts and prayers.
So, let's just join in a moment of silence just to remember uh Lieutenant Kaiser for his life of service and devotion to our town. Thank you. Roll call, please. Deputy Mayor Deputy Mayor Cohen here.
Mr. Cosro here. Mr. Sacramento here. Mr. Stler. Mayor Romano here. Thank you. May I have a motion to approve the agenda? So moved. May I have a second? All those in favor? I May I have a motion to approve the
August 12th, 2025 township committee minutes? I move. May I have a second? Second. All those in favor? I. May I have a motion to approve the August 12th, 2025 special township committee minutes? So move. May I have a second? Second. All those in favor? I.
Okay. Um reports. Um so I'm going to ask members of the township committee to reports on to report on committee that they are leaison to and um while I have the opportunity now before we get to public comment I just want to remind
everyone that we are all neighbors and we are all members of this community um so we need to respect each other from the deis from the audience um and uh we don't want to point out any members of
the public or um you know anything like that. So thank you. Would I start? Sure. Um I was present at the uh at the funeral
for Lieutenant Kaiser and it was listen it was very difficult very very difficult. Uh but it was heartwarming to see the police from Nutley Summit, West Orange, Belleville, Springfield, Montlair, and numerous other municipalities all show up and provide
that emotional lift to our guys in blue. Uh and they also did a 21 gun salute. So it was very moving. Um always probably one of the most difficult things to do, especially had done gone to the Lions is
a couple a year ago. Okay. Recreation Committee. Uh it's last call for fall registration in the tour to Milbour, which will take place this Sunday on September 7th. Still not too late to get in if you want to ride in the to Milburn. Uh we're also looking for
referees and officials. Any student a students ages 14 and up uh can work. Let's all understand those are kids and our neighbors kids. So, let's not beat up the referees, but uh soccer, flag, football, girls volleyball. Uh see their wreck employment page for more. You guys
would not even believe some of the abuse these kids take, but good for them learning valuable life skills. Uh the Special Improvement District, uh Town Hall Plaza, uh we've concluded the second year of music and community
program on Town Hall Plaza. Uh we had 22 live music performances, seven community events, and dozens of local business participate. Uh and it was just a fantastic summer. Uh we'd like to thank uh on behalf of the explor team, they
want to thank the township committee uh for all their support and constant presence at events. Uh there's a 5-year anniversary mixer for explore which everyone's welcome to on September 15th. Free drinks 5:30 to 7:30 in the
courtyard in downtown. Uh food's going to be served from Evo and Lemon and business property owners that etc invited to come. uh board of education lays on. Uh listen guys, school's back in session. Let's slow down. Everyone
understands those are our kids out there. Uh no need to speed. Extra 5 miles an hour is not going to get you there any quicker if you kill a kid. So or hit a kid. Uh let's just be cognizant that school's back in session. Uh our kids are out there walking to school. Uh
and uh let's show a little presence. Um, other than that, you know, it was a pretty uh slow summer on the Mountain Valley Emergency Communications. I think we're doing that on the 17th. We had just saw that meeting pop up. Flood mitigation we gave last week or last session and we'll open that. Oh, open
space tax fund. Um, we've actually reviewed uh the bylaws and certain criteria uh which includes an imperial matrix uh to qualify potential projects. Uh we're working through that. that will be available I I would say within the
next 60 days 45 60 days in terms of what that material looks but it's been a fantastic uh uh collection of folks on there and Dave supporting me on that as well over uh affordable housing I'm going to defer to council that's it for my reports
thank you Sure it's has been a quiet summer I'll just talk about a couple of things couple of events the uh third annual cornhole throwdown sponsored by the Corhart Arborita. It's happening on September 21st between 1
and 4. Details are on their website. And the uh friends of the library are holding a community picnic on um on the 27th of September from 2 to 4. Also details are also available on the on their website. Um as far as the joint
fields, we had another meeting today. We continue to make progress. We are uh getting pretty close. We have some legal things to work through, but um there should be more information coming on that shortly. And then um there are a couple of items on the agenda that
originated from the zoning subcommittee that we'll be talking about tonight. Second, Andy. Sure. So, the planning board will be meeting tomorrow evening uh and we'll be voting on uh a new planning board
engineer. So, if you're interested in that meeting is tomorrow night. Uh for the Environmental Commission, um they're going to have a booth at Rocktoberfest, which is on Saturday, September 13th. Uh and they're also getting ready to print flyers with information for the
community regarding the uh gas powered meat blower for students. All I have Thank you, mayor. An update on the um historic preservation commission. They have a meeting this Thursday and they
one of their main topics this Thursday is going to be designating the railroad bridges that go through town for New Jersey Transit railroad bridges as historic elements. So thank you. So be there if you interested. I just want to add real quick um that
funeral was a a touching and emotional send off. I've never seen anything like it before. And also want to thank Explore Milburn Short Hills for um an incredible summer at um Town Hall Plaza. Uh just a few brief updates. Um we're
wrapping up our uh 2025 uh road projects. As uh many have seen uh those are being paved. PSCG now is about to start um their milling and paving projects. Uh that includes um
I think starting on the 8th, you know, this is up in the section of rolling hills, uh Silvin, Holly, Hickory, West View, Long Hill Drive, As Wego, Deer Path, Kyogre, Tyogga. Um so quite a few roads that have been impacted by their work. Um
uh I guess that was winter and spring uh will be build and paved. And um just an update that we've started the work at the uh Greenwood Rididgewood area for the drainage improvement um and we're continuing to work through uh the Gil
replace pump station improvement uh as well. So just those brief updates, Mr. Thank you, M. I have no report tonight. Thank you. Uh public comment. When invited to speak
to offer your comments, please come to the lecture. Clearly state your name and whether you are a Melbourne 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 facilitate an early meeting and to permit all to be heard, speakers shall
limit their comments to one three minute session. You will be prompted when there's 30 seconds remaining. A reminder, this is not a time for dialogue or to debate a matter. This is a time during our business meeting for the public to offer comments. I will now open public. Well, good evening and uh happy almost
fall, I should say. Uh welcome back to the community and uh happy opening of schools. I think uh Mr. Stler said it well. You you know we I'm Jamie Sudo, by the way. I should state that long a lifelong resident and I'm a Billboard High alum.
And so our schools um and our safety of our children are critical at the beginning of the school year, during the school year, after the school year, throughout the school year. And in particular, you know, we've been hit with uh massive development throughout the township overdevelopment. And uh so
I'm really happy to see the uh pedestrian safety measures on the agenda, in particular on Chadam and Woodland Road. Um I drive on that street. I walk on that street almost every day. get gas on that street, slice a pizza, etc. on that street, ride the
train. Um, and as a result of the overdevelopment, we've been faced with a uh, you know, revised crosswalk and, uh, lighting that is not sufficient, especially as the, you know, uh, time of year changes. So, I'm really really um,
happy to see that. And you know, that's a really important um thing that we all need to keep in mind in all of our neighborhoods where we can continue to whether it's landscaping or making sure our sidewalks are cleared or managed. Um, you know, really really critical for
commuters, for students, uh, for anybody, you know, and that's all about quality of life. I also just want to highlight since summer was uh in a lot of different respects. National night out and of course my hearts and prayers uh always go out to uh our men and women
in blue. Um we had uh a couple of township residents participating in those services as well um from a music standpoint uh which is really phenomenal. Um and I know Dan Canel will be up here in a little bit later um with other kudos to some of our scouts and
young leaders. Um, also, uh, just a huge push, right? Rocktoberfest is Saturday the 13th, just around the corner in the committee, as Cara's in the audience and we're still hurting thunder, uh, but really, really awesome uh, spectacular tender coming uh, to fruition. I
encourage the entire community. There's still time to donate and to support and to sponsor. Um, and it's all about fellowship and community and engagement. So, just want to say that happy fall, stay safe as always. It's a great day to be in Miller. Let's just say that the announcements at Milburn High. Let's
keep our students safe so they can say it, too. Thank you. hold this. All right, I'm trying not to do any more damage tonight. Um, good evening. Uh, Phil Hers, Milurn resident. At the last township committee
meeting, Dr. Franklin made a public comment alluding to the idea that we here in Milbourne are inextricably part of a greater whole. And I wanted to add to what I think is a very valid thought. Beyond Milbour first, Essex County first
or America first. Even as we sit in the fortunate community gated by economic prosperity, we are like it or not immune from crime, disease, climate disaster, or other misfortune. And beyond any moral issues, we are
irrevocably part of the larger world. We take from it as we commute to our businesses or bring in our foods and we give to it in our labors and tax. And it is easy, in fact natural, to sometimes focus on our own needs and
interests to the exclusion of those we might see as being outside. Getting more specific, I would still like to see a figure of how much and dollars of aid and services we receive back from Essex County in a given year and hear from an informed county
representative a description of the services provided, many of which may not be readily visible to us. And dare I say that we might be more concerned about the billions of already legislated federal dollars that are being frozen or rescended from our
state than about a perceived county shortfall. But getting back to our part in a larger rural, I would like to cite some figures from the township's user-friendly budget document that some of us may not be familiar with.
Yes, we paid over $45 million in taxes to the county last year. Are we aware of the size of the bucket that came out of? That bucket held almost 10 billion dollar.
So we pay only one out of every $218, excuse me, or less than one half of 1% of our wealth to the county. Additionally, we have an effective individual property tax rate here that is under 2%. While the median for the
county as a whole is 3.51%. Not a bad deal for Milford, right? Thank you. It wasn't me. You got charged for breaking the property. Good evening. My name is Jeffrey Phil in
the poet section. As my cousin, prior to this meeting, I emailed the members of the TC public official heads up comment and question regarding tonight's uh agenda and I wish that some of them would have
been answered prior to citizens comment to raise them. My comments right now of this session will be based on the agenda consent agenda. You look at the bill list there's questions I I asked like why
haven't municipal attorneys May June and July time been put on the bill list. Um, also there's a $790,76247 capital improvements that's been payable to joint county um improvement
authorities. How is this reserve funded? Was it paid by bond proceeds or do we funded out of our budget? There's just sort of seems to be inconsistencies within our audit in our annual debt statements. Also, who's our joint county representative? Does that person receive
an extra statement for serving on that council? Regarding the SID 150,000 Main Street, New Jersey conduit resolution, I think the public should know what are the boundaries of our designated Main Street, New Jersey entity. Is it limited
to the downtown business area and the bids? I'm trying to understand how this works because the will the bids be subject to the adopt code prevailing wage requirement because when you read theou it sort of says indicates that
this is the first time the the sid has an on bids. I don't believe that's correct because when they did the Morris Morris Avenue improvements they did the work didn't come out to us. Um who has a responsibility to monitor and approve the work performed under this grant?
will be the city executive director, our township engineer because there seems to been a problem on Campbell Road where we had to do a redo doover of the street work. So I think it's very important to understand who's going to be have responsibility monitoring the
work as it goes and will there be a a shorty bond guaranteed with work so we don't have a problem. Um, as to the non-emp employeeou resolution, how many employees are we talking about? And I don't understand why we can't have a chart to figure out how many employees there are. What is the additional cost
and benefits over the time? Finally, there is a a resolution regarding our GIF. I think the public should understand um who what is our deductible because I have a friend who's very involved in spots and their GIF to run
out of money and I think it's very important that we understand the deductibility and solveny of our GIF. Thank you. I live in town. I'm here to talk about traffic enforcement. I'm kidding. Um, I can't believe you all fell for that. Um,
my Rocktober shirts were all dirty. So, I'm just in a Melbourne shirt. Um, I don't have to sell you guys on Rocktoberfest because it is like literally the greatest event in town ever. We love Fourth of July. We love Winter Walk and we love things like
that. But Rocktoberfest is really special because it gives back. It gives back to our kids. It gives back to our schools. I think you guys, if you're here, you're smart enough to know about budgets. And our budget pays for
salaries. It pays for benefits. It pays for some of the maintenance of the buildings. But literally every fun, interesting, innovative program that you are going to see in the schools is either going to be paid for by the PTO's
or by the Ed Foundation. It's just the reality of it. Um, so if you know this town, you know how committed we are to giving our kids the best. We would not have worldclass robotics kids winning world-class competitions. We have
invested a ton of money in technology, but also in like amazing programs that, you know, our our special needs kids do. It really runs the gamut. Our teachers put in for, you know, that thing where, you know,
for our program, they put in for it. We try to approve all we can. We can't do anything for the schools unless the money comes in and it has to come in for from somewhere. We've cut down on events. We don't have Melbourne schools rocket anymore. This is really the
biggest and only event. Um, so besides all of you coming, telling every friend and neighbor that you have, going up to strangers on your Wah and just saying, "Hey, you just moved here. Do you know about Retro Fest?" You can get people from other towns to come.
People literally come from all over. It's really become this like lovely regional thing. Um, so anyway, the only people who shouldn't come are people who don't eat, don't drink, don't like music or to rock out in the park, don't like to play because we have
a great kids area, don't like to dance, don't like to shop because we have great vendors, and don't like to laugh. So, if you don't do any of those things, don't come. It's really fine. Um, but the other thing in my 30 seconds that I would just like to say that we I usually don't
bring up at these meetings is a lot of towns that are similar to ours will actually have mandatory check writing for PTO's and things like this. Places out in California, in
Connecticut, um, Milbour schools are the best bargain that we have. So, you can also go to our website and donate any amount to the Ed Foundation. The kids will appreciate it. Everyone will appreciate it. Thank you so much and have a good night.
Good evening. My name is Penelopey Brazelle. Oh, and I'm Genevie Brazelle. We are both students at Milbourne High School and proud members of Scouting America True Team from St. Rose of Lima Church. As you may know, Milbourne Township 250th anniversary of the United
States Celebration Committee is organizing events to honor our country in the years leading up to uh July 4th, 2026. We have the privilege of leading the kickoff program on Wednesday, September 17th at 7 p.m.
Under our leadership, we are coordinating a program called Voices of Freedom, a public reading of the United States Constitution. at the Bower Center in Taylor Park. Joining us will be fellow Melbourne students, scouts, and the interns of the Milbourne Short Hills Historical Society, all taking part in
this community celebration. We would like to warmly invite members of the township committee and the greater Melbourne community to join us um in this living tribute to documents that to the to sorry to join us in this living tribute to the document that continues to guide to guide our nation and uphold
the ideals um that secured our freedom. Free copies of the constitution will be distributed to all attendees and we look forward to seeing the entire community. Thank you. Hi, Chris Hrix, town resident. I just want to say storm water control
regulations are under new business tonight. I think it's very important that things get passed with all the development over development in the town. I think this is the least we can do to make sure we're helping out with our water management to protect homeowners and business needs. Thank
you. Charlie Van 28 year res [Music] 28 year res. Um, I've recently learned that a longtime contributor to our Milbourne community, Sarah Sherman, has sold her home and is moving throughout
the community. First, I'd like to acknowledge and commend Sarah for her significant contributions to our community, specifically to the flood mitigation advisory committee and to the Melbourne Public Library. I'd like to personally recommend that Sarah be cited
publicly and thank for her efforts. Uh I was privileged to work along Sarah alongside Sarah on the FMAC. She played an important role in publicity and public awareness. Uh over the past 18 months uh that I've been involved the
mission of the FMAC has changed. uh current and more immediate emphasis is on engineering solutions to reduce the impact of flooding in the near term and to undertake projected flooding
which will take longer to fund and implement. Uh because of this, it's an opportune time to transition to thank and acknowledge uh Sarah and then to part ways. The FMAC is a residence community. One of our township's many
volunteer citizens committees. Being a resident has always been a common sense qualifying condition. To have non-residents sitting on a committee sets a bad precedent and should not be allowed. Therefore, uh if she hasn't already done so, I must respectfully
request that Sarah be asked to resign her township committee posts as has been uh the traditional practice in our town. Uh again, my sincere thanks to you Sarah. I wish you many years of luck, health, and happiness in your new home.
But my first matter, second matter, I just had a knee replacement surgery and had a temporary handicap pig and I realized how terrible the handicap parking situation is and sit down. You know, I I I suggest that
you pretend you're handicapped and ride around and just try to find a handicap parking space. There's one by Basilico, there's one by Duncan, there's one by the clock, and there's two across the street from Liquids. That That's terrible. We should be
ashamed of ourselves. So, I I I really hope you'll visit that and take a look at the handicap parking. Hopefully, I won't be needing it for much longer, but there are people that depend on it and it's nowhere's near where they need to
be. Thank you. Thank you. How you doing? Ricky Cyber, 25 year residents. It was a good summer. I went to a lot of the town music nights. Next year, let's get popcorn. Please get a popcorn thing.
It'll make it a little bit more exciting. Um, after Charlie, I I was going to make a comment and ask a question, but I guess I still will. So, I was appointed to be
on the senior citizen advisory committee by the township committee members for a one-year term. It was extended a second year. I enjoy going to the
I probably was appointed because I was a resident of the town. If I wasn't a resident, probably wouldn't have been appointed. So, I was going to ask what the rules are about
being a member of a board or a committee. Do you need to be a resident of the town to be on a board or a committee? And if so, let me know. And if not, I'm
interested in hearing about that as well. So, if I decided to sell my house and moved, which I'm not, I'm dying in my house. But if I was, would I have to resign from my post
on the senior citizen advisory committee or would I be able to serve the rest of my term even though I didn't live in town anymore? That's it. Hey, I'm the president here. I'm happy
to see today that we are going to talk about safety, pedestrian safety. I live in the Glenus area. I commute to the city almost every day. I go to the train station and I talk about this with
I send an email to everybody. I thank you for those who answer me uh who respond to my image. I feel that the pedestrian safety is a priority in our it should be a priority in our town. It's very dangerous the situation that we have in Chan and Woodland. I talked
this three months ago in the pedestrian safety committee today of class the school and nothing changed. We have I saw today we have a camera there. I don't know what it's the second time that we see a camera here. I don't know
what we are expecting to see. I see that the town put place some flags and sand instruction to cross the sidewalk which is unbelievable. I don't know if we are going expecting the kids or anybody I
need to read the instruction so I couldn't read the instruction because I don't see anybody doing that. And when I see that it means there is a problem because if we need a traction to cross a sidewalk if you thought there is a problem. So this is is absolutely
important. I don't know why the town engineer said that this is fine. It's not fine for me. I work in this field and during the planning board two years ago, three years ago whenever was that the condition of the approval and I have
here the resolution condition of approval was to keep the sidewalk open all the time. The sidewalk is closed. I understand why it's closed because I work in construction. I know there are sometimes we need to close sidewalk but there are ways to solve the problem and
it should be paid by the developer not by the town. So I don't understand why we don't do anything that's ah they were talking about fest and they didn't mention about tour the milbour they talk about July 4th and all those events this Sunday is to the mil so I hope to see
everybody there to describe event that is for the community hi Diane town resident um just a few points Why is the planning board getting a new engineer? Um, Alex, any update on the cross look at nodding. So that's
good. I ridgewood. I put on the quarter portal hoping to have the words stop on either end of beach terrace. I want to thank Tom Dodie for approving that. I hope people will slow down the south mountain section. Um,
oh, I was at town hall plaza Friday night. and you're passing out surveys and I did put I think it would be a consideration to maybe move the movie the music down towards Milbourne Avenue because once you leave there you don't know that there's music all the way at the far end of Town Hall Plaza. So maybe
if you moved everything towards the avenue people walking at Augendas or wherever they are would actually see there's something happening there. Um oh any any update happening at the entrance of Taylor Park and Milurn Avenue. I know that had been approved I thought.
Um, okay. That's it. Have a good night. Thank you. Anyone else before we go online? Sell Reef here uh in Milburn since 1902. And um right now I guess it's okay. It's
not my address, exact address, but uh Brookside Drive. And I'm bringing up the construction at uh let me see if I can move this short uh about the construction that's taking
place um at the Paper Mill Playhouse and the parking lots that are being combined across the street. And in no way would I ever say that the Himmo Playhouse is not extremely important to the town. And I
also think local neighbors are important as taxpayers and as people just living living their lives. And uh there are some ordinances that don't seem to be uh taken into account or abided by and some
of them are are listed in the uh municipal uh codes and I have here um mostly 3.8 eight, one, two, three, four, five, six, on and on. And they have to do with um
we know that construction has to take place, but they have to do with protecting the um environment as much as can be. I mean, yesterday there was on a holiday, a public holiday where things
were closed, there was construction there. And I was kind of surprised, but I know that they're trying to uh get the parking lots paved and everything in order to have uh time in time for the
shows to begin. They coordinated it with I think the show's schedule, but there are if any of you drive down Milbour, I mean down Brookside, you'll see that it when I saw pictures on television about Utah, I said, "Oh, that looks like
Brookside Drive. There were these big mountains, seriously like a range of uh mountains and they weren't covered with anything. The trucks go by, they're not let down at the end of the day, which is in uh
3.8 1 2 3 4. You look at it. Um there uh also there's a um Chainley Prince. Oh, you have 30 seconds. I'll give you 30 seconds. Anyway, they're not the fences. The fences are chain link and
they're supposed to have a uh covering covering around them and they don't. There's partial one and then there's uh just a plastic thing in front of the parking lots. So, thank you. Thank you. All right. I have some time to speak.
I'm also a Brookside Drive resident and um basically that h this has to do with protecting us residents from I'm sorry. Can you just give us your name please? I'm sorry. Patricia Wolf. Thank you. Um this basically has to do with
protecting us from the dust and debris that's happening um floating over our houses and into our houses from the construction. Um I've read through the um township uh rules about construction and an example is that if you are doing
construction um there should be a chain lit linked fence with a covering over it so all of it doesn't come on top of us. Um, and there are other there are other issues with the um with the construction
that are very um hard on us residents. And um we'd like we we brought this up a couple years ago when when uh the expansion was discussed with Paperville and we did complain and they told us
that it was the township's responsibility to um you know make sure that the construction was safe and it seemed it seems and we have contacted persons about it but nothing happens and
um it's very upsetting for us to live there right now. And if the person who's in charge of the construction would read the rules to protect us, um it might make our lives the big difference. Thank you. Thank you.
Christine Best, Melvin Township. Um, I want to comment on that side drive comment. That is so unfortunate and I feel really really badly for you. I went through my own construction thing and you should continue to articulate your frustration because it's totally wrong.
Um, I just want to talk about a few things regard in regards to engineering in particular. Um, the first one that's really important to me is the continuing of Sarah Sherman's position on the flood mitigation committee as a potential non-resident when she gives up
residency. I I can't even believe that's even on the table for anybody. If you're not a resident, you shouldn't be serving on any committee here unless you're a hired employee of the town. There's so many so much conflict of interest that could occur. It is absolutely unacceptable. And actually Annette, I
think you offered to um put me on that committee um and I was doing the HPC, but I'd be willing to take that on um as a responsibility. You know, I'm busy if you need somebody. Okay. So, I also wanted to talk about um Campbell Road um
because um I actually watched that road under construction and I was quite disturbed as to the quality level of the um sort of I don't know what you call it but it's sort of like a ditch that they build that um you know they build it with um curb block and it's sort of like a little ditch and it's I mean that's
one of the historic landmarks um of Short Hills. style in the way that we do our curving is very unique and quite beautiful and lovely and it's actually falling apart everywhere. If you notice, particularly up on Old Turtle Road, people have created their own curve stone and they just like pile rocks
everywhere. It's like it's hilarious. I'll take photos next time. But I I find it really interesting like this is a new creative way to do curbstone because we don't have it. And I know that in my neighborhood, we had our roads done very well because I watched them actually and complained about it because there was nobody from engineering to do that.
Which goes to my next point about township engineering. Thank you for hiring a planning board engineer that's going to be new and specifically focusing on the planning board. I think it is the best idea ever. You are clearly overrun with too much work and the engineering department should grow
which means that allocation financial allocations from things like the paper mill or good feel-good events need to go back to basics so we can pay for the appropriate amount of engineers to monitor things like construction products so dust doesn't get in people's homes roads are done properly. You can't
just like throw black mcadam over you know curbstone and think that's acceptable. It's not acceptable. people pay a lot of taxes. I also want to talk about the corner of Brandwood Terrace and Hobart Avenue. I'm sure no one probably seen this, but that um house is
a new construction house and clearly it wasn't signed off properly by engineering or maybe they never put in a permit. I really don't know, but literally their entire front yard is a landslide and has knocked their fence down. And I it goes again to the management of the engineering department
and it's very concerning to me to see things like that. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Alex, if I made just on that same comment, I think you know that I brought that up a long time ago. Maybe that could be addressed that land is still sitting like that on whatever. um
resolution 25218 tonight on the liquor license for the short hall which is the only one that's uh eligible for it. I don't believe the wording is correct nor the intent of this where it says be a further
resolve of the request for proposals. Without the landlord's permission, there are no proposals. The landlord is the mall. The mall is going to be the applicant. There can't be applicants without approval. The intent of this
legislation by the state is to get two more liquor licenses in malls. really want we're not looking to we know that we would like to get them all to give up two licenses if we give them two licenses. I don't believe that will happen. What really should be happening in the legislation within the state is
whether Livingston, Milburn, Wayne, Bridgewater, all the many towns Wayne there is to get the downtowns have lost I believe we've lost four licenses, five licenses to the mall to
be corrected is to get two licenses into downtowns. not to position this in such a manner that we're going to entice them all in some manner maybe to sell us two of their licenses or these two licenses which are legislated under the state
guidance to be issued by us. Right. I'd like to comment on that later but maybe this could be explained further before you vote on it. I would question that. Um, my second item for now, Explorer, right? I've remained quiet for the
better part of a few years. Explorer is not doing what Explorer is supposed to do, the special improvement district. If those don't know they're in residents or on the board, you go on their own website. The amount of vacancy in the downtown is growing. Whether Mars turn
up in Melbourne Avenue, they're not doing business attraction. They're not doing business retention. their special events and their marketing. Steve is very, very good at this. We're unsuccessful in what we're doing. The special improvement district should be doing things to change and
better the downtown. The original 1919 statute in the state. Um the vacancy is going to continue to grow. I'm also a property owner as many of you would know. We're going to have more vacancy. We're not competing well. The deli is doing well. Some of my property tenants
are doing well. Uh, Lift Bakery is doing well. Retail, we don't have traditional retail, right? Heartscape retail is hard to attract. We have a lot of small space. We could be doing better. Explore does not market office space. They more recently are probably my criticism. We
have a lot of vacant office space. That's where our customers comes up. Thank you. Jean Pastor Nac resident. I just wanted to um agree with Jorge's uh comments tonight. I regularly also uh go down in that direction past 85 Woodland. I can't
tell you how many times we have close calls, especially in when it's darker. It's it's really not working. It's too narrow for both uh uh vehicular traffic as well as pedestrian. Uh I just I'm just waiting for the time when I get hit
or a person gets hit. I can't tell you how many times I haven't seen someone coming from the train, you know, in their dark clothes, all of a sudden there they are. It's just not well done. That sidewalk needs to be open and we need to widen the road again. Thank you. Thank you.
Anyone online? No hands raise and I'll post public comment. Um still might as well uh Jorge I agree 100%. I mean honestly
if we're going to let them build the uh the complex they're not living up to their obligations under the uh under that we need to hold them accountable. So I would like to know whether they are being held accountable and what their obligations are. There's nothing more important than our children. Uh it's not
good to be epoplexic after a kid gets hit. Why not be approplexic now? Uh and I say that in a lot of the the different things. Um Diane Eglo the music being moved down. My big my big uh suggestion was we should put bottle openers on the gazeos.
So yours might be a little bit different. So we'll go with that. Uh and then uh also too for for the for Pat for Patricia and Sarah for the paper mill. I
I think we should at the very least under we need to understand whether those fences the I guess national rental fence is the big one in the business that does it has the coding on it. So uh we don't want dust traveling across to uh to residents properties.
Uh and Carrie, we had Mr. Hower, we had the same uh kind of same thoughts about the liquor license. I I think it's not only to entice, but we've had discussions and I'll let Alex explain that as well. Sure. You know, I also live in the
Glenwood neighborhood. I think uh I'm anxious to hear what we can do to improve that situation. It's it's I'm also a pedestrian actually. um not a driver. So, it's it's it is dangerous there. It is a big construction project in the middle of a of a very congested
area. So, it'll be interesting to see what we can do to make that better. Um for the paper mill, you know, we clearly need to send a code officer over there to take a look at what's going on. Um no one no one wants to live across the street from a construction site and when
that happens, you need to be protected. Um lastly, Mr. of the handicap parking. I think that's an endemic problem all over the place. Actually, my wife recently broke a bone in uh in her in her ankle and we have a handicap parking for her car and I was astounded at how
few but it's everywhere. I mean, we went to Costco, which I know is not in in Melbourne, of course, but the number of of of handicap spaces there and a parking lot of that size was minimal. And of course, they're always they're always taken. So, I'm not sure what we
can do with that, but certainly some analysis needs to be done to uh to improve that and and make more of that. Thank you. Um, can I please? Sure. Uh, so I'd like to thank Miss Dasburg for reminding us all about
Rocktoberfest. It is truly a fantastic event, one of the events of the year that we have here every year in Milbour. So, I encourage all of you to attend. I also encourage all of you to go on their website and donate, you know, whatever amount you can. The Ed Foundation does so much for our schools. We wouldn't
have some of the fantastic programming we had without their assistance. Um, so I encourage everyone to uh participate and and enjoy October Fest. Um, Mr. Bambber, I couldn't agree with you more. I think that if uh residents that are on
boards and committees move out of town, then they should resign from said boards and committees. I think there are plenty of residents in town that would love the opportunity to join the flood mitigation committee or the library board. Um so I think it would only be fair uh for Miss
Sherman to step down immediately if she has not done so already. And we actually are going to have an item under new business uh tonight to discuss advisory board regulations because I feel strongly that it should be a regulation across the board to all of our committees that you have to be a
resident in town. Um so we'll discuss that further later. Um Jorge, thank you so much for coming out and bringing up this issue of pedestrian safety. I know you and I have talked about this in the past. We have an item uh on the agenda tonight to take a look
at that specifically. Um I agree with those of you that uh said that the developer is not following the agreement and the requirements set forth by the planning board. Um you know, it seems to me the sidewalk should either remain open or we should have a temporary uh
sidewalk that's protected from, you know, the debris and whatnot on the same side of the street as the existing sidewalk. It's totally ridiculous that people need to cross the street, use the temporary sidewalk, and then cross again. It just doesn't make sense. So, we'll talk more about that later. Um,
we need I'm butchering your name on it. I'm sorry. Surel and Patricia. Um, you know, thank you very much for bringing the issue to our attention. Um, you know, I think that one thing that we've seen time and time again during these
meetings is that code enforcement is often lacking, there's just a lot going on and they can't be everywhere. Um, so it's always good to report these things. I'm a little concerned. Uh, one of you said that you did actually speak to members of the township and sounds like
things fell on deaf ears. That's unacceptable. We do need to get to the bottom of that. Um, I remember when I was building my house years ago, we were required to put a fence and to have plastic on that fence. Uh, and they also were required to have water on site so that when they were doing demolition,
they could spray things down to keep down on the dust. It's really important that these regulations are followed. No one wants a huge cloud of dust, you know, just blowing uh towards them. Uh, so, you know, I would like Mr. McDonald to look into this and make sure we have zoning
enforcement out there and whoever else we need out there to take a look at this and monitor it much more closely, especially since, you know, the town owns the land. We should be setting a good example whether we're doing the work or not. Um, we should be setting a good example. Um, so let's do better on
that. Um, Mr. Heler, um, I I I do agree with you. I I think that on a state level, uh, they need to reevaluate how liquor licenses are allocated. Um, you know, uh, certainly in other states, it seems like any other restaurant that wants a liquor license and can afford to
get one can. Uh, that's not the case in New Jersey. I think it does hurt some of our, uh, restaurants in town, if they don't have those licenses. And I believe the impetus for uh the mall getting those special licenses is so that
potentially they could you know sell the ones that they have uh so they could be used by business in town that would benefit from them. Um but I will defer to Mr. McDonald on on explaining that to the extent we can explain. Um
that's all for now. Thank you. Yes. Thank you mayor. Um, a few comments. Some might be repetitive on on Chattam Road, the development going on there. Um, you know, it's on the agenda for later, so I'm not going to spend a lot of time on it, but I was at a lot of
those meetings. Um, and the concept I came away from those meetings and there were a lot of a lot of residents who came to that meeting to talk about pedestrian child safety. Um there was supposed to have been a a a device you or an alleyway
constructed on the south side um of Chad Road to protect anybody walking on that side. Uh when I look at the uh the resolution that was approved by the board by the planning board, um paragraph 21 specifically says the
applicant shall ensure access to all you know emphasizing that all public rightaways and sidewalks is maintained and not impeded in any way during the construction projects. For those of you who are not familiar with that site,
there's three pedestrian ways around that. There's a there's a mechanum path or used to be that went along the stream on the Chattam road on the Woodland Road side. There's a there's a sidewalk that used to be there that was on Chattam Road and of course there's a sidewalk
that goes down Woodland. Um the developer, for some reason, unknown to me, has blocked all of those off completely. Um and they're gone. Um, and my understanding is this project's not going to be finished until about 2026.
So, we're not looking at a, you know, a temporary inconvenience that's going to be resolved. And I'm curious actually who at the town approved um a complete divergence from what the planning board decided belong there. Um, next would be
there were a few comments about um the flood mitigation and um so folks know I you know I don't think we want to lose institutional knowledge on on any committee because someone moves out of town and they're going to finish out their term. So I those are my thoughts
on that. Thank you. Um actually let me go first. I just want to add on um what committeeman Cosgro said as far as our advisory boards. Uh no one there's no maximum number of people that serve on these advisory
boards. So uh yes, she is stepping down uh plans to step down at the end of the year, but we didn't when we when we uh do the advisory boards in the beginning of the year, we don't leave anyone out of advisory boards. So boards like the
flood mitigation or local assistance or senior citizen, everyone that wanted to be a part of it and art advisory was was put on it. Um and also uh these volunteers spent a lot of time uh on
these boards. They've lived here for a very long time. And um I think we should at least give her the respect of letting her finish her term. Um Will Road we'll talk about later. I just want to mention the flags. I they they're in and
Springfield. I've seen them on Myel Avenue and they work very well. The kids use them very well. So, um just wanted to give that a try. Um and the liquor licenses, I guess we're going to talk about too, but okay, that's all I have.
Mr. Thank you. Um I guess I'll just go through a few. Uh I'm not going to comment on Chad Woodland as we're going to have that discussion later. Um but I will offer my thoughts um to the committee on that. Um as it relates to
the joint meeting um of S6 Union, which is township sewer that goes to that goes through the budget. It's an in and out on the budget. um GIF resolution. Um the township, you know, as far as deductibles and go, if anybody has a
question about that, they can certainly email us. I think uh you know it does fluctuate uh at times depending on our losses and depending on uh you know where the township stands but this is a renewal that is done every three years uh with the joint insurance fund which certainly has been beneficial to the
municipality not having to go out for private insurance when there was liability BLP uh workers comp etc. Um the as it relates to the paper mill, I do
appreciate you bringing that to my attention as well. I haven't seen an email or correspondence regarding it. Um but happy to have code enforcement go out and take a look. I think it just should be mentioned that um obviously when we in the ordinance when we are
talking about water on demolition materials, uh it's not we're not talking about dirt and the movement of dirt. Um but certainly when a when a property is demolished you know prior to that demolition um asbestous is uh is is abated and I think when that was
originally uh reconsidered in 2018 uh individual was concerned that even though you say the asbestous is abated you know maybe it's not it should be wet down prior to and during the demolition of the property. Um, but we'll certainly
take a a look at your concerns um uh as it relates to the paper mill uh projects. Um just an update on the crosswalk. Uh in particular, it's more about the curb
ramping uh for uh Ivy and Ridgewood. Uh the township is planning on going out the bid within a very short period of time here. Our goal is to have that finished before the weather turns and we do not have uh the ability to pour concrete. But all the curb ramps that
are planned uh through the CDBG grant um should be completed before uh the winter time. Um Mr. Heler best we'll take a look at Brenwood and White Oakidge Road is what I think best meant at that time. Um and
as it relates to the the liquor license um on the agenda, uh I'm going to let uh council comment on the RFP status of it, but just so everyone is aware, you know, some and I think u committee said it is that you know this is a little bit of a
you know playing with the hand that you don't. Um we were provided a a law that allowed for those towns that have uh regional malls particularly of a certain square footage. Uh that uh additional license would be available to the township to distribute sell uh to those
malls. Um I think that the the advantage that we have in that situation is that we hold the licenses and should we not be able to get some sort of reciprocation in uh the sale of additional license from the mall uh we
can continue to hold those licenses. Uh that is the avenue approach that we're taking um with what we're dealt you know what we're dealt at this time. Uh as far as why it's an RFP I'll just let Mr. Caner comment on that. Yeah. So, thanks. So, it's uh it's it's
an interesting law because there's only obviously the short mall is the only one in town that has 750,000 square ft of mall that could put the RFP in. Um but it is it's going to be a proposal process and as Mr. McDonald said, we are looking for one license to be uh sold
back uh to the township. We're going to work through with Short Hills attorneys on that. That'll be part of the proposal that part of the proposal is they're going to agree um to sell one of those licenses back short hills if we're going to issue two new licenses to the mall and they're having conversations around
that with them all. I don't want to get into too much. It's still under contract negotiations. Um but it's not a bidding process. It is a application or proposal process and we'll put the specs out to the mall. We want to make sure the mall qualifies. Um it has to be but we're pretty sure that the shorts mall does but they will file an application or
proposal. we'll put it out. Um they'll respond and as part of that proposal, we will be asking them um to give up more license they have uh back to Short Hills because the two legal can only be used at the mall.
Uh and as far as the committee status goes, some of our committees are statutory and the laws would provide whether or not the happy residents like for example the planning board of the happy residents. Uh some of our committees are in the code and I I did a brief search of our code and most of the
code provides the members are residents. These advisory committees that aren't in the code. Um that's probably discretion of the board if it's not in the code what they want to do of the resident or not status. I didn't see the senior advisory committee or the flood mitigation committee uh in the code when
I just but committees that are codified do require residence for members. They don't have to, but that's the way we organize them. The township committee will now consider consent agenda resolution.
Are there any comments from the committee in regard to any item listed on the consent agenda? May I have a motion to approve resolution 25-209 through resolution 25-220, which are listed on the consent agenda? So move.
May I have a second? Second roll call vote, please. Deputy Mayor Cohen, yes. Mr. Costro, yes. Mr. Sakamandi, yes. Mr. Stler, affirmative. Mayor Romano, yes. Deputy Mayor Cohen, you are scheduled to sponsor ordinance 2716-25.
Before we do, I just want to let know that Mr. Ped is on Zoom. You would like to, you know, provide any explanations to these ordinances. Uh, I would like to present an ordinance entitled ordinance 2716525,
ordinance amending and supplementing the township of Milbour development regulations and zoning ordinance. Um, this is the one uh this is the lighting standards one, correct? So, um, as part of the work that we've done on the
zoning code subcommittee, um, there really weren't any logic standards at all or they were pretty out of date. Um, and so we've spent time actually spent a lot of time coming up with new ones. We tweaked it on the committee and that's where the ordinances. Graeme, if you'd
like to add anything, um, please do. Sure, Mr. Cohen. Um, good evening everyone. Um, Bram Pedo here this evening as township planner. As Mr. Cohen mentioned uh this is an ordinance um that is a product of the zoning code examination subcommittee. Um it really contains two component section standard sections. The first is uh lighting
standards. Um the present ordinance uh defines lighting standards by zone district uh rather than development or building type. Um therefore you know development in non-residential in residential zones for example does not have explicit lighting standards. Um the new ordinance that we put together creates lighting standards and
requirements for a lighting plan submission to uh the land use boards in the township um with a series of requirements uh including lighting intensity, lighting color, um security lighting, a series of standards that were not contemplated previously within the ordinance. The second component of
the ordinance uh before you this evening for introduction is a landscaping requirement. Um it it now introduces a full landscape plan requirement um inclusive of can canopy coverage, other tree planting requirements, size of planting um and uh additional requirements for landscape features. Um
at the request of uh Mr. Stler following last meeting, I did reach out to the township forester who did provide review and comment of the ordinance draft that's before you this evening. Um and we have incorporated all the comments uh that we received from the forester in due course. Any questions? Happy to address.
Thank you. Sure. Okay. Uh I move that this ordinance be taken up and passed on first reading and that the township clerk be authorized to have the ordinance published in accordance with law in the item and for a hearing and final passage on Tuesday, October 7th, 2025. Please be advised that a public
hearing of this ordinance will be held in Milburn Education Center located at 434 Milbour Avenue in Milburn. May I have a second? Second. Roll call open, please. Deputy Mayor Cohen. Yes. Mr. Cosbro. Yes. Mr. Sakamandandy. Yes. Mr. Stoler.
Mayor Romano. Yes. Thank you. Committeeman Cosgro, you are scheduled to sponsor ordinance 2717-25. Thank you, mayor. I would like to present an ordinance entitled ordinance number 2717-25. It's an ordinance amending and
supplementing the Township of Noburn development regulations and zoning ordinance. It's it it again is a result of the efforts of the um of the zoning review board. Uh and it does deal with the placement of AC units uh and uh
accessory dwelling units and Graham if I may ask you to Sure. Happy to opine. Um thank you Mr. Cosgrove for the initial introduction. Um so yes the ordinance before you this evening regarding uh accessory uses in residential districts does three things. Uh first it clarifies the location of uh
HVAC units uh and prohibits rooftop placement of such units within residential zone districts. Um it also creates a replacement exemption provision for those units being replaced in kind in the same location that are no larger than the existing size. The second is that the ordinance also clarifies uh treatment of accessory
structures in their relation to a principal structure. Um so those uh accessory uses or structures that are affixed or attached to the principal structure are subject as both as principal regulations uh principal structure regulations rather than accessory for example. Um and the second and the third and final thing that the
ordinance before you this evening does is it distinctly uh prohibits accessory dwelling units within residential districts as well. Um that use was not contemplated previously within the zoning ordinance. Um but the uh zoning code examination committee felt that it was important to uh stress the prohibition of such uses within
residential districts. Any questions? Happy to advise. Thank you. Thank you. I have a question time. Uh so does that so from our pre previous discussions that does not affect current existing infrastructure that's in place or
current applications that are in front of the plan board that planning board that were done prior to this. Is that correct? That's correct. Yes. So things that have already received an approval or um you know in process uh you know under current uh permitting structure um would not be subject to the new regulations.
This would be applicable under the the municipal land use law time of application rule um you know new applications for these features. Okay. So current applications that are in process are those affected or they'll have to go back and change their plans? That's the question.
No. If those applications the the the effective date is is stipulated within the ordinance. So this this ordinance will take effect following the second reading and passage. Any application that has made a a filing uh preceding the date of adoption um whereby they've applied for the permits or applied for
their approval um is you know subject to the time of application protections in the municipal land use law. Okay. And just to be on the record here, it does not affect current infrastructure. Uh when you speak to infrastructure, this is really speaking specifically to private residences. So not necessarily
public infrastructure. Yes. Anybody else? I move to I move that this ordinance be taken up and passed on first reading and that the township clerk be authorized to have the ordinance published in accordance with law in the item and for
hearing and final passage on Tuesday, October 7th, 2025. Please be advised that the public hearing of this ordinance will be held at the Milbour Education Center located at 434 Milbour Avenue in Milbour, New Jersey.
May I have a second? Second. Roll call vote, please. Deputy Mayor Cullen. Yes. Mr. Costco. Yes. Mr. Sakamandandy. Yes. Mr. Stler. Mayor Romano. Yes. Thank you. Uh, old business abandoned properties regulations. Mr. McN.
Yes. Yes, I just wanted to put um you know the potential committee had discussed this in a previous meeting uh regarding increasing the fees on the abandoned property ornaments. I think at that time the committee asked me to go back and do a little bit of research um
because there was a desire to um increase the fees even further. Uh I provided that research to the township committee. Um and I believe uh I would still conclude and suggest to the township committee that it not be
increased any further than what was suggested in the original draft. um only because um certainly of just the sample that I've taken, we would still be uh one of the more aggressive if not most aggressive community as it relates to
these um uh fines or registration or fees. Um so I just wanted to make sure I provided that to the town committee. Um the special improvement district explore Milurn and Short Hills also commented on a few um uh items. I think some of these
are relevant. Some of these are not necessarily um relevant or more just suggestions about use and forth of the ordinance. Um but wanted to ask the committee if they have any additional questions or concerns or recommendations
and whether we could proceed forward with the ordinance. So could you just refresh everyone's recollection as to what the fee was going proposed fee was going to increase? Yeah, the the proposed fee was going to increase from those initial registration
fee of of 500 that was going to increase to 1500. Um the next fee level was 1,500 that was going to increase to 3,000. Uh no sorry500 yeah 4500. Um and then the the next fee level was 3,000 that was
going to increase to 9,000 and the final renewal in fourth year was 5,000 which was going to increase to 15,000 that is a 3x of every fee category that we currently have uh as it relates to pre
the spectrum then I guess that be fine because to put it too high it's my understanding that that could be challenged correct I think we need to be able to have the ability to justify um the reasons for those fees and that we're charging those fees uh which I think we
can do um in most cases as a result of the loss tax revenue for uh these properties. We just did a brief analysis of that myself um to uh with the help of our tax assessor. Um and I think that would be a way to justify the increase
in fees. Yeah, honestly I would still go higher if we want to get people to fix those properties up and move the properties etc. I give a rat's ass about justifying when we have properties just sit there and sit there and we just collect fees on it year
after year after year. We see the progress of uh certain building uh buildings in town today and what they can be and what the effect on the local economy will be. You know, I think anything we can do to accelerate that growth, we should do.
So, I would I would suggest you can start with with triple and see if it has any effect. Then certainly next year then five times. Yeah. I I I think I think the point is too is that um this you it won't be
effective if it's challenged and don't we're not asked to put it somewhere else, right? Or back to the way it was. I think being effective is is sort of a finding a a a level that is both effective in what you described, Mr.
Stler, as well as getting the ordinance uh in place. And I think that one of the key things to the way that the ordinance was drafted was that it is not just applicable to back to your previous question, applicable to new properties. It would also apply to the properties
that are currently on that list. Yes. Do you need as long as there's consensus? I'll put an introdu ordinance for introduction. One one question. Um, so I see here that Sid made some recommendations.
What can we do about this loophole they point out with building where the first floor is poorly quoting from the doc first poorly maintained and uh the owner is not under threat being put on the list. Is there something we can do about that? Because that is kind of a flooded
property. Yeah, I think one of the difficulties here is that there's a difference between um almost like an abandoned properties ordinance that you know every community has established and uh I think what is uh maybe being referred to as
more of a vacancy tax. And so I would I the one thing that they did suggest and I will look into whether that can be incorporated into the uh to the ordinance draft is the ability because of the residential exemption that would help in terms of even if even if you
have residents living above the property but your first floor has remained vacant for the last five years, four years, three, whatever it is, you should still be able to be a part of this list because um that part of your property is is Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely.
Vacancy tax. Vacancy tax. Do we have we we went through that before. I don't think you have the ability to in in the state of New Jersey to uh issue a vacancy tax. Um that I think this would essentially kind of serve as that because where a lot of
properties do get um this this loophole which is well I have my residents you know living above that are so the technically the building is occupied. It's not been it's not meeting any of these criteria. uh but the first floor has been you know uh empty for a number
of years but the argument that was tax revenue would still prevail because the assessment would be lower if it's only being based on the occupied residential apartments upstairs so we would still have that argument so if if we could bundle it into this one then that would
be good right and can we just maybe have Jared take a personally look and we're not allowed to do a vacancy tax because if we are even if we're the first can do tested, but sounds like that could be a good idea. I know Mr.
Heler, I think, brought up the amount of vacancies in in town. Um, so a vacancy tax might help motivate uh some of those landlords to spaces out. Try to take a little. Okay.
New business, storm order control regulations. Yeah, this was just more of uh wanting to make sure that this got on the agenda under new business for town committee awareness um as well as public awareness
that uh the the township is looking to increase the uh standards of its storm water ordinance, but uh it has been suggested to us that we do it in a way that um reverts the current ordinance to
the D model ordinance. um a simplified version of that. So it refers to the D ordinance and then that we uh specify a safety factor of two in the ordinance which would essentially I think to the point that was described double everything uh double the requirements
within that ordinance. um it's an easier way of doing it because part of the part of the issues down the road will be the D is constantly um changing the ordinance and if we have the entire ordinance written out in our
code then we need to go through and it's it is a it is a ton of work to look back at what you have and what the changes are in the DP and change the code as a result of that. referring to the model ordinance in statute uh is a uh is a a far easier way to do that and then
applying the safety factor too. Also just wanted again for awareness because we had to provide that ordinance that draft of that to the D. We have not heard comment back from that them but as soon as we do hear back from them I want to be sure that we can get this on the
agenda uh as an introduc so we have consensus then to move forward. Okay second the advisory board regulations. Yes. So, this came up a little bit during the public comment. Um, but it's
come to my attention that there are some boards and committees in town that don't have residency requirements written into them. Um, you know, I I I take a I disagree with what you you said in that you said that, you know, these are advisory boards and we just increase
them in size at any time. Well, for example, tonight we just heard that Miss Pes would like to join the flood mitigation advisory committee. So, um, are you going to put that on for for next meeting to to have her? I really haven't thought about that. Well, you know, if you're going to keep Sarah on, then I think that would only
be fair. If as you say that anyone that wants to be on these advisory committees can because we don't have a cap, then one that wants to be on them should, right? Your own words. When we do that in the end of the year, the beginning of the year, yes, that's typically what we do. We did it with library. We did it with senior citizen.
I mean, not library, we did it with senior citizen. to do with flood mitigation are an advisory. Yes. Okay. Well, fact remains right now there's a bit of inconsistency because there are certain boards and committees where there's statuto requirements that uh members reside in town and then we
have others that are not consistent. So I think we should have consistency. We should have a uniform rule across the board. If you're on a board committee in town, you have to live in town. That just seems like a basic fundamental concept. Uh and I think that's something that we should apply across the board.
Uh I don't disagree if uh if we should have a rule that prevails for events just like this. I mean Mr. Vander Charles did a great uh you know he respects her. He said how helpful she
was etc. But why does she he have to say that when we get to the purge something on the books that will regulate the situation? I think that's something as we form this committee we forms that in particular all the advisory ones they form in January every year and at that
point that's those are the people we would choose but if somebody somebody moves out toward the end of the year it just doesn't make sense for the last two months to make that change what if what if they move out February March if you don't have a rule then you're not going to have consistency so
it's important to have a rule because these issues are going to come up we had someone from the environment commission that uh moved out of town they resigned and I believe that's because statutoily they had to but we should have this uniform rule should apply it's not about
any one person we should have a rule stick to it and now we found an issue and when we find issues like this we should address so I would be comfortable having a rule that if it's anytime you know if they move out anytime in after mid year then they can finish out the term because
these are all one year terms I don't, you know, to make someone resign for the last couple of months doesn't make a lot of sense. Well, and we also have to talk about the boards that um have volunteers that serve on them that lived in town at one time but don't live here anymore like
the library board. I mean the I keep saying library art advisory and senior citizen. There are people on those boards. Most of those boards are people that lived here for 40 or whatever years and moved but still want to be part of it. So, we have to take that into consideration also.
Well, you know, I mean, we could do whatever the group wants to do, but I'm just bringing that up. When you live in a town, you get to be part of that community and you get to give back to that community. When you leave the town, you still want to be involved in the community. You find other ways to do so. But advisory
committ Well, I don't think we should take spots away from people. We didn't take any spots away from anyone. What? And again that goes back to my point that if anyone wants to join at any point during the year should we let them join right we should have a consistent stand with our land use boards we do f we do
fill spots with our land okay so why would we not apply that same rule to the advisory board would have to look at so maybe maybe we you know Alex or Jared come up with the standard and fine we'll put it to a vote let the chips fall where they may
that's fine No, but I was going to uh also suggest that um given I mean I I think I think there are certainly important things to discuss as early support. I was I would
also just make sure that and if Jared and I should be tasked with uh looking at um the the township's policy on attendance for those boards as well. Sure. And make it consistent among all Yeah. I mean for for instance we had a
member of the environmental commission uh who is a student who didn't attend a single meeting all year according to the attendance records. And this was actually brought to the attention of the mayor early on in the year. And the mayor wanted to keep this individual on this board for reasons unbeknownst to
us. And that we had the entire we had the entire year where we were down one seat because the mayor wanted to keep someone who wasn't attending meetings on the board. So if we want to have an attendance policy, let's absolutely look at that and make sure it's applied to the system. Let's also make sure that we
can utilize the latest technology we have available to us and allow those that might be traveling or away can be easy. Well, we don't I I think you got to be careful about that too because that that's fine. But if there's a consistent
need to use electronic means and particularly if again just by example if it has to do with some sort of um you know land use board then I don't know if that is advisable or permissible and so I think again among all of these things
being discussed I agree there should be consistency because it also puts staff in a position where people are asking well you know can this person do this and can this person do that or can we get rid of this person But having something that's consistent much like the regulations that govern the township
committee and and I think would be really helpful and and and good option is something certainly that could be done on the advisory boards but we've been I've been advised by the planning board attorney that it is not permitted
on land use. We'd have to check the other news but they're all lands. are all reviewing applications, right? And then, you know, I'm going to go down this rabbit hole. Uh, you know, you have
to have equitable. You were talking about the township committee. I'm a big believer that if you're on the township committee, you should be on some committees. We had, we just came off of a period where we had a township committee member on zero committees. I'm doing seven, eight. Frank's doing seven,
eight. You guys are doing six, seven, whatever the case may be. But there should be no one elected to the township committee. If you're willing to run, you should put in the time, understand the underlying fabric of this town, and and be as helpful as possible. Right. I think that was a problem last year. I don't think
No, I But if you're going to regulate it, is there an attendance policy on those courts? I I I think I think the problem is is that you know there are for some things you can point to a statute or
but not for all things and so again if if I think the conversation is good and if it's about consistency then let's look at a consistent policy among all of the boards commissions advisory committees I mean you you have close to 15 of these
things running in in a particular year so so you know It it's it's a lot to manage and it's also something that if there's consistency among it then it's that takes out a little bit. But even the ones by statute are not consistent with each other. Correct. They have different rules. I know that the library allows people that don't
there's a certain number of people that are not town residents are allowed to be by statute on the library board. So my point is just that even the ones by statute are not consistent. The advisory ones are the ones we thought we needed. So it's really up to us to make up
whatever rules we think are necessary. So the takeways you'll get establishing we'll get a draft document to the committee in the near future. Thank you. Okay. Um, so I think I think we heard from some people what what the problem
is and it seems like there's a simple solution. Um, one, we could go back to what the planning board came up with when they approved the application and enforce uh what they had in the agreement that they developed. Um, that would be a simple solution. What that
would do is that would mean that we move the temporary sidewalk from side of the street that it's on right now over to the same side of the street as where the sidewalk was. And that will prevent people from having to cross the street twice to utilize that temporary sidewalk. Um I believe that the agenda
packets diagram was provided. Um it shows the current state and then what would happen if we were to move uh that temporary sidewalk over to the construction side. Um as you can see it
would uh make it a lot easier uh for pedestrians. So I think that's the obvious place to start. Yeah, you move the sidewalk back to the other side though, it would need substantially more protection than than that site is
offering today. So, it's not just, you know, moving the the cones over. Uh there's that fence is is is has missing pieces. It's certainly not we heard about paper not being covered. That fence has gaps as well and on the
Chattam roadside and also on the Woodland roadside. So, I mean, yeah, Michael, if they if they agree to it, it only takes one kid getting hurt and we should act prior to that happening. Absolutely.
And absolutely. I I my blood pressure is going up because we I walk through New York City. I drive in I go in every day and there's facade work being done up. Correct. Correct. And it's protected. There's an overhang. These guys can absolutely comply because
they're building a nice project and wood on the woodland project right there. Beautiful location close to the train station. They can sure as hell come up with some money to protect our kids. If they don't probably like to protect kids, but it's everybody. I mean,
kids, grown-ups, elderly, handicap, whatever you guys want to call before we get can I just offer some context as to why it is what it is, right? some of the rationale as to why it's not on the other side of the street. I think
to also committee man Cosgro's uh question is who authorized this? Um right and what I feel like is a you know obviously a a a public uh concern.
So obviously you have a very large scale development. You actually have two very large scale developments going on in town. one on Melbourne Avenue which also has a sidewalk closed which has people crossing a fourlane highway, you know, strokes. But again, you you also have
and you have this development which in our conversations with the developer, we made a decision. When I say we, me, engineering, police, um, based on the type of construction that would be taking place early on in this project,
um, to have that on the other side of the street because one, there's a 25 foot drop from the site. Uh at this point they have a multitude of utility work that needs to take place within that rightway which will cause them to
move back and forth between multiple configurations of of this particular one on Chattam Road because they're bringing in electric from that side, gas from that side, water from that side. So in those conversations, it was important that we established something that could
be established that people would understand and use until there was a point that once the development was far enough along, you can reopen that sidewalk or put it on the other side as you as you indicate in your diagram. um certainly willing to go back to the
developer and have a conversation about this, but I think part of the issue is is the way that the work is going to be done, particularly from the utility side. And I don't know when that's going to take place. I think that would probably be the next point is well, you're, you know, you've got this situation set up and you don't know when
this utility work is going to take place. And so, um, you know, the fact is is that there are push there there's push button notific uh signals there. There's see me flags which I understand people have said that they're, you know,
they don't necessarily want to do that or know how to do that. Um, but but certainly there are safety measures put in place. There's signage, um, things like that. Just providing you some background as to this. There there there's a construction site. I think we would get just as much
consternation or similar constation or some consternation from people that are walking right next to a construction site. Um especially as those individuals start start to as the facade starts to go up again having to whatever you know
but building a structure over it for them to take that structure back to have to take that structure down while they're doing utility work put it back up and and I think that is some of the concern so what we're doing to the developer we're we're trying to bend over
backwards right to be nice to a developer who by the way sued the town at at the risk of of our people. I mean, I don't know where this comes from when we we need a reset in town
where we're looking out for residents. Yeah. And then these guys are set knock and if you have to if they have to block something off for an hour to put a sewer line in, they already drop they block the street off for a while to put the sewer line that's already in. But
you know it's we're just we're looking at this from in my opinion the wrong angle completely wrong. And in this case we know that this is a very very dangerous intersection of a woman was hit by before any of this construction. a woman was hit by a car
and died. You know, it right there. And it's since it's right by the train station, people who are running late to the train are speeding down are speeding down Chattam Road and having people cross there is just unbelievably dangerous.
It's like a game of frog in that video. We need action on this right away. So, and even the Seami flags, I mean, I I I see the Seami flags. I'm on Wyoming. You can wave that thing. Light a flare. Duke think Mr. McDonald talk to
just have a conversation with them. I think it's more than have a conversation. It's you know I just again it's a it's a construction site and I know we want to be careful of the kids walking to school. We want them to be safe but I would hate for some type of equipment to
be like hanging over. Well, you know, that's my only that are using this, you know, train station, they're used to seeing these covered walkways protect protect the pedestrians that are walking through, but the work's not coming from that
road. The work is above them, right? Right. But if the work is happening on Chattam Road, that's my only concern. The work's happening on Chattam Road and these kids and people are walking through there. But if it's temporary two, three days to put in a sewer or
something versus and we have a planning board resolution supporting which we don't always have but here we do. So we should make use of absolutely in the flag. I don't know why we're entrusting and empowering 12y olds to
actually wave flags to have people cross the road. You know, to me it's just it's very dangerous to give them the power to stop traffic. Excuse me. Excuse me. Thank you. The idea is to stand in the crosswalk with the flag so that the drivers see you
that you're looking to cross. Oh, I I understand the concept, but to empower young kids to and young adults, young children to stand there and think they're dictating traffic and someone's just to make make a driver aware that they're standing there. And I guess I
mean at some point somewhere I would hope right you're not going to be able to walk them to do something. And I guess the question is there's no crossing card over there. There is not. So why is that? Excuse me everybody. We can't really
hear what's going on up there. You want you want to you want to demand them have it on the other side of the street. Fine. We'll take care that I mean is that a place we can add a crossing guard depending upon how this works? But if if if they're crossing Woodland,
because if this if it's on that side of the street, they don't even cross that crossing. This isn't rocket science. You tell them to put it back on the other side if they're closing that down. They have a crossing walk on site at that time. Pretty simple. I mean, just safety first.
Uh public comment. This public comment period is to allow for final comments from the community. When invited to speak to offer your comments, please come to the lectern. Clearly state your name and whether you are an 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. A reminder that in order to help facilitate an orderly meeting and to permit all to be heard, speakers shall limit their comments to one three minute session. 28 res. Um, please don't misconp or get wrong what
my statement was. My first statement was to thank Sarah for her contribution and recommend that that contribution be cited and somehow uh uh be a citizenship award. I think she deserves it. Okay,
that said, uh I have a very strong opinion that in support of of what committee man Sakamande said that committee members need to be residents of town. Thank you very much for
somebody that that does the type of work and contribution that Sarah did. Thank you very much. But then it's time to move on. You want to leave the community and go to another town, go do so. This is not with two months left in the year. This is with four months left in the
year. And then you start drawing lines in the sand on a timeline when it should be black and white. If I leave town, I would I will resign any committees that I I think that's just Thank you.
So just listen everybody here make me feel very frustrated. Alex, I don't agree with you at all because the first thing that we have to think is about residents, not about developers. And the way that you are explaining this doesn't make any sense. I have in the
construction field 30 years of experience. I know how to make pedestrian safety everywhere. I work in the city in the city where there are so many pedestrian people, cars everywhere. There is these bridges everywhere. I
sent this months ago and nothing happened. So if there is an accident here, I'm going to blame on all of you that nothing was done. To flag to have a flag like this is stupid. I don't see that anywhere. I'm sorry. I was sitting there and I couldn't believe what I'm
hearing here. Do you have an expert to say something here? Because I can't believe this. We need to solve the pedestrian safety here. This is is aity in our town. And I'm talking about this corner because I live there. I don't know what happened in another
construction site, but we should be very careful on those situations. Sorry for my frustration, but I just was sitting there hearing this and I can't believe it. Thank you. Jeffrey Jeffrey Phil I basically had to
read comments. Um on the Chadam Woodland Road safety I feel like the spirit of Joe Steinberg is in this room. When Joe Steinberg was part of the planning board he warned people he said blood will be on someone's hands. I don't know how
many people remember that comment. I know David did because he was we're all we weren't on the board. We were listening virtually. He said blood on the hand about the pedestrian safety. Tools just opened. Until we fix this, we better have a crossing guard to let the students go to Glenwood being protected
crossing the streets. As to the paper mill, I feel these people's pain. Uh we met about two years ago on the first. There's something about the paper mill. We sent the TC sent out the bids. I think the is the general contractor. So
I don't understand go and the way I understand it, we send out the bids. Milbourne is the general contractor, but the people that are inspecting make sure they enforce aren't enforcing because Milbourne is the general contract because of the way this this deal was was structured.
Um I want to go back to the last meeting. It's September. I historically always talk about you have to have healthy skepticism of authority that saved my wife's life on 911. I go back to the crescent. Why can't we have a
more expansive memorial plaque there like we have in Taylor Park? What is the cost? You tell me the cost. I might go in my pocket just to do because this community as a whole was impacted on that day. And I think we should remember how we all came together as a community
to heal each other, but how many other people were affected by that? Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? I'll take it. Christine Best, I also I never say thank you because I have too many things to talk about, but thank you so much for
October Fest and what you do. I don't have children. I run a school system, but that is why the school system is amazing. People like you. Um I just want to continue to talk um about some just engineering issues really quickly. I
don't know if anybody's seen these really hideous installed panels next to the Hibachi restaurant. I forget the name of it, but there's this generic office building and there's some type of garden apartments behind it. And somebody, again, another engineering decision. I don't even know if it's up to code, but I really don't know how an
accessory structure literally like five feet off. It looks like it's 5 feet off the property line and like pop all those lights in there and these poor people that live in the apartments back there are going to be like, "Woohoo!" I mean, it's terrible. We have to start thinking about the people that live here, okay?
Not developers. I'm I'm sorry you want to have like what you deem as green like energy, but you can't like blow up other people's residents to get that. Um, and then I also want to talk um, if somebody could do something about since I'm here, the construction part um, trucks that
are parking um, on Old Short Hills Road next on the Old Short Hills park properties, damaging the grass, etc. They need to park around the corner where they can park or park on the property that they're doing construction on. They have no right to damage our private parks or parkland. I also want
to talk about something posted in regards to um, the SID issue. Um, and Mr. I think it's Carrie Heler who spoke um about the downtown. I 100% support everything you said. Um, I have a major problem with the fact that our STI is
operated mostly by people with the exception of Mr. Wasserman with zero retail experience um, and no design experience. And this Mr. Gillow, well, I'm sure he's a very nice person and he's really good at being a really good project manager. He's not a marketer.
That's why you don't have people coming into our town. That's why you don't have people besides like a few locals at a lot of township events. That is why you have hardly any clothing stores. I mean, I was making a list of all the places I go to out of town. I do all my shopping out of town. I go down to Spring Lake. I
buy clothes in downtown Spring Lake. I buy clothes in Peacock Gladstone. I buy clothes in Madison. I don't buy clothes downtown that much. I mean, I buy mostly food and that's about it. Um, so we don't have a um I guess robust retail environment and we also don't understand what metrics
are even though they claim to teach people metrics. And I want to talk about the SID issue. I'm not sure why there was all this um I guess conversation about um bare properties lawsuit for $200,000 and it was published all over
the place and explore Milberg inappropriately got somebody to sideswipe and published it on non um township web pages which is inappropriate and um I I want to make sure that that's not done anymore. Um, so and I think you should look at Miss
High Center for things like that. Thank you, Jean Pastor. I love the word consistency. Glad to hear it tonight. Um, it seems like consistency has been a consistent word of the days tonight. Common sense
is also a phrase that needs to be added to the conversation. Residents and property owners only should be contributed to governing their own town, not people who don't live here. Policies put in place should
be consistent across the board. I would also raise the application of the consistent consistency regarding the nepotism policy. As I recall, it was an interesting timing in terms of when that policy was put in place. It was just
after Mr. Sakamandi was put on and elected to this governing body. And it was done, it seems, to prevent his husband from serving on any board or committee. Someone who's contributed amazingly to this town in many different ways. So, it seems a bit of a mystery
that Mayor Romano's husband is still on uh one of the boards, the recreation board, I I gather. So, if you're in favor of consistencies, mayor, why don't you be in favor of that one being consistent? Because it's your husband.
I'd also ask about Miss Sherman being a close political ally, running various um Facebook groups that favor and exclude people that are not in the Democratic party. Is that what part of the reason why you want to keep her on in this
election year? Thank you. Sel Reef again, longtime resident. Um I there was something a few years ago actually. I don't know if it's appropriate to bring it up now, but I'll bring it up. Um with again with the paper mill playhouse
um but it doesn't necessarily only relate to them. It's it's more the process. Um I read a few years ago when uh the paper mill did open they rented a place at 20 I think it's 20 main uh for
their studio that they have and then I was reading in the plans that uh there's a um strategic a board agreed strategic plan to expand the footprint of the
paper mill and that they want to open an education center, which is great. You know, the theater's great, everything, but in terms of what we could afford, I mean, I'm not a budget person at all. uh but what we could afford what we choose
to have as a project and to invest in I don't know if the if the paper mill having gotten 7 whatever million to uh expand and do what they're doing would they necessarily be asking for monies
and space to open an education center permanent education center because that was what's written. It was very cryptic to me. I kept reading it. I said, "How come I don't see anything else anywhere about what this board approved strategic
plan is?" That's how it's written. So, um I don't know that you know what I'm talking about, but but I did read it and I don't hope that we aren't asked to uh have taxpayer money go towards
something that we don't all have input about. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening. Uh Jerry Kong, resident. Um while we're talking about pedestrian safety, I just wanted to flag something I noticed when I was driving down here. Actually, um I saw some kids riding
bicycles. Um they did have their helmets on, but they weren't actually clipped in. So, it's not really useful if you fly with the handlebars and you're on the ghost glide. It's not really going to help you. Um, they were also accompanied by some kids on electric scooters. Um, I don't think any of them had helmets on. So, I was just wondering
if there are rules and regulations if our police are, you know, proactive to stopping children when they see this and making sure that they're practicing proper safety because it's really bad if you're speeding down the sidewalk. And I don't even know if you should be speeding down the sidewalk on an
electric scooter at 20 miles hour with no helmet on. Just Exactly. Um, so I just wanted to flag that. Um, another question that I had with regards to the handicap parking, I think, um, is it possible for us to have simultaneously have
handicapped and express parking? So, if you're not if you don't have a handicap permit Oh, you can't. Okay, I see Alex shaking his head. You can't you can't handicap spaces are for handicapped and there's a regulation that says how many handicap spaces need to be in a certain number of space lock.
Got it. Is that a is that a minimum or it's a like a a strict number? Okay. So, we we could potentially have Okay. Um so I I just wanted to flag that because um and I don't know how many handicap spots are in lot two say, but it might make sense to have more
handicap spots along the street where the businesses are so that it's easily accessible from the street than say lot two where you have to cross Essex Street. Um, so you know, just some ideas there. There's none over. Yeah. So, you know, I
I think we could probably do a bit better there if you know, we put our eyes together. Thanks. Thank you. Anyone else? Sure. Um, car maybe the update on park. I think Diane asked
have some info on that. Um, China Road drop off. I guess staying on that same thing, I'm guessing we have an update as to the train drop off. Uh, on that same subject, Milburn Avenue, sorry, Essex Street, front of the train station some
years ago. I don't think anybody on this board has seen it. Alex, I think briefly saw it. Um, had an engineer and architect. We have a very wide road now that the development is being done. We know Essex Street cars take that turn pretty fast. They come down Essex very
very fast. There is room for a drop off plan and there is an engineering plan that is out there. There's also money out there things like this. Just a thought on that. Um, in the vein of traffic control, we're we're thinking small though
important in terms of pedestrian and small streets in Montlair right now. Claremont Avenue, I'm sure many of you are familiar with it. Internally, Claremont Avenue is as busy as White Oak, Ultra Rose, Parson. Our three streets that I just mentioned are more
transient. Claremont Avenue is less transient, but really vital to Montlair. The traffic light has popped up. No less than six or seven stop signs have shown up. I'm not suggesting here tonight that we put stop signs necessarily at every
one of those intersections. Parage and Ultra Ridge Road, partning those things that benefit residents versus not creating traffic, but creating pathways for people to cut through. I'm in the poet section. I can't do 24 to 78
in the morning when I go down to my New York property. through the downtown. People from outside of town are doing a lot faster than I am. There's a lot of things that we can do more regional. That goes for 24 and 78. The amount of apartments that have been built west of us
separate from the traffic and the number of cars. You go east on 24 right now. It goes from three lanes to two lanes. As many of you probably know, there's no sign telling you. You go west on 24, past the mall, goes from three lanes to two lanes, there's no sign. the
gentleman that got killed I think two years ago. I may be off I think Jared even from Livingston I believe on 24 getting on at the the entrance that is virtually a death trap for anyone who really goes on that road. You're going left and you're going right. Four lanes are coming from Route 78 going east. We
have two lanes from Route 24 going east into four lanes. Yet you have to make a decision to go to express or local or get off at 78. It's here's my enough shift and summit Springfield Maplewood Milbour Livingston for park there needs
to be something regional done with all the towns and maybe it starts here with less of the mayor's suggestion or administrator. Thank you. Anyone online? Good evening. You're muted if unmute yourself.
There you go. Am I unmuted? I take it. I'm unmuted. There you go. Yeah. Charlie Dwire, longtime resident. With regards to Woodland and Chadam, I think you have to take in consideration if you move those that temporary walkway
to the side where the construction is. You're also changing the configuration of the road and that's going to make cars having to swerve slightly in order to continue down Cadam Road time. Yeah. the I think there's always
been an issue with Woodland and Chadam and because that's a straightaway and people are running up and down that street either going away from the train station or towards a train station that that probably should be a three-way stop. Take that in consideration because that
will slow traffic down and make people stop and if you keep the barriers where they are allow people to cross over. The other thing to take in consideration maybe is students that are coming from walking to Glenwood. Are they how many
are really going up and down across and then down and back over across Chadam versus taking the pathway that runs along the arboritum to get on to Chadam to get themselves to Glenwood school if they're walking to school. That's close.
Those are just some things you may need to take in consideration because if you do put the barrier on the construction side, again, it's it is a bit more dangerous because of the work they are doing there. And even for them to have the skirt around the entire fencing. I
know. I've asked them if they could keep it off the corners because when you come when you're making the left turn off of Chadam, you couldn't with the skirts there, you could not see around the corner to see if any traffic was coming. So that, you know, that's that's just a
traffic safety thing for people that are trying to make the turn. Some things I just think you got to take in consideration and as you talk about, you know, the movement of the walkway from one side to the other. Thank you. Thank you.
Anyone else? I will now close public comment. Committee would like to start. Uh, sure. Um, so with regards to Mr. Dwire, I don't think cars will have to swerve if there's a protected walkway. Uh, especially if you put the protected
walkway where the sidewalk used to be, which is, I believe, what the planning board had visioned. So, uh, the business administrator is going to look into this and, uh, we will hopefully have an update by the next meeting, if not sooner. Um, Dr. Connley, in regards to
your comments about helmets, maybe that's something we can um, suggest that the school board make an announcement about. Uh, kids are going back to school. Uh, you're right. I have myself seen people with helmets on head, not
strapped in. Um or you know if there are laws on the books then you know maybe we should have an officer out there reminding kids you know at least the next few days as people are just starting to go back to school hey make sure you're wearing a helmet if you're on a scooter and if you have a helmet make sure it's buckled up. I do think we
need some increased awareness there. Um let's see. Miss Pastorneck um you brought up a very good point about the nepatism policy. Um I don't remember what the logic was at the time as to why uh Mr. Romano was allowed to stay on the
rec committee. Um I think that uh logic dictate that he would have to come off especially since we had a change uh in the ordinance uh with regards to the SID and the SID chair. You know there was a conflict there and and the S chair had to come off. So I would think you know
um it would probably make sense for Mr. Alano to come off that committee. Um, see, Mr. Feld, um, rarely do I agree with, uh, things that you bring up, but in this case, and I mean that, no offense
to you, Miss Mel, but um, I do think we should do an expanded 911 memorial. That is a tragedy that, uh, we as a country suffered and it's a tragedy that we as a town suffered through. And I do think we should have a better memorial uh than
the one that we have there now. Um so that's something that I would be in support of as well. Um and uh for uh Mr. Master Pietro, I agree the flags the flags don't work. They don't cut it. So um it sounds like we're going to get
some positive action on this. Uh so I appreciate everyone that brought this to the committee's attention. um you know, if you see other things like this that that need to be addressed, email us as TC members and we'll we'll do what we
can to uh look into it. Thanks everyone. Nothing. Thank you. Sure. So, uh to uh Dr. come. Um, you know, I think I'm the only one in day with school age children who are actually biking through town. There's a word for this. It's called parenting.
Making sure to ensure the child has a helmet and that they are buckling the helmet. I do agree that we should create as much awareness for it as possible especially in this age of of the motor scooters which fly and uh and I know we
talked about that pedestrian safety. Um Mr. Heler, I love the idea of the drop off lane. I think we should continue to look at that. Uh and uh Miss Best Cloier in town Gerard Albert made this suit for me. So, we're doing a good job. Um,
anyway, uh, that's it. Thank you. Two things. First of all, um, with your question about the paper mill and soft, you know, whatever they plan to do, we the money that that was given was given for a specific purpose. If they come and they want to do what
you read or whatnot, that would be a separate decision and there's no, you know, that would be decided at the time, but there's no, you know, automatic uh giving of funds for some other new project that would need to be discussed. Um, and then we have a pedestrian safety
board. So, I know Mr. Master Petro's been very vocal about that, but I would have expected that that come not just from him, but from that board as a whole. I mean, he's one person, but you know, that's the job of that. That's why we have that board and I would have
thought that that I mean, we see how seriously we're all taking it. Um, but you know, as you were concerned that, you know, it wasn't fast enough, that's something I would have thought that the members of the board would have would have raised as well. Be fair, I do think he brought it to the
pedestrian safety a long time ago, but we came to us. So, that's why I put it on the agenda. Yeah, we didn't see anything from the board as a whole. We saw something from, you know, from him as a resident. I would think the board should have also, you know, added some
some seriousness to that, you know, made that a concern. Have have people come. This goes back. I know you were away for a while. While you were away, I would have thought some of the other members of the board would have would have taken taken this on while you were while you were away.
need to be examined who's on that board and if they're actually effective that's going talk to the PTO representative um I just wanted to add um the nepotism ordinance I believe was introduced either by you committee or by committing
because we did that in 2020 not I don't recall. But um so that's why that went into play. That that was I believe we did that last year. And I also um
we didn't say any there's nothing in the ordinance about ending someone's term because they're related to someone. I we talked about this last year sometime. I know we did. And then as far as the Senate ordinance, that was in reference to the Democratic
chair stepping down and that's why she stepped down from uh from the Democratic committee to remain on the Senate. Just saying. Um M. Yeah. Um just by way of update on Taylor
Park, uh the township received a bid on Taylor Park and that was rejected at the last township committee meeting for being well overpriced uh or the estimate. We now have the ability to go and negotiate um the
uh project with multiple contractors. Uh so we're in the process of doing that. I think I provided that update to the township committee, but just so that the township residents are aware um as it relates to the short host train station
uh safety improvements and the grant that was received by the township for safe routes to transit. Um, we expect to have some sort of public information session, discussion, sit down, um,
toward the end of September, maybe early October. Um, and look forward to to having that and hearing people's thoughts and and different things. While we do have a general concept, I think uh, it's not fully deb and uh, we'll
look forward to to having those discussions. Um the other consideration um just with helmet safety I think it's a a good idea to raise awareness and and things like that. And back to Mr. Stler's point
about um you know parent responsibility. One of the difficulties in enforcing that is that you're not really giving fines to um the children. You're going to be giving fines to the parents for not wearing their helmets. So, um, but I'll have a discussion with the police
department, um, about what awareness we can, uh, drum up, maybe even some, um, healthy incentive for those who do wear their helmets and, um, do a good job buckling them. Uh, and
I think that is it. Um, but as far as I just want to be fair to uh, Mr. Mr. show he did bring this to the pedestrian safety advisory board. Also want to be fair to the board that this was done in I believe it was June. Um there was discussion about it. I don't know that
there was a whole whole lot of um you know um uh call for action from those board members. I don't know that that makes them ineffective. Um and I don't know if that's fair to say um given this particular instance as we discussed
tonight. I will go back to the contractor. we'll have this conversation and uh and uh make the changes that were suggested by the township. Thank you. I got I have one more thing um for for Mr. Kersh. You know, you were talking to
before about Essex County and their and their enormous uh their enormous tax structure. uh over, you know, when I was we were going over to Essex County to talk to them about what they can give back to our community and why we believe
that we weren't getting our fair share and we're starting to get it. Uh one reason, you know, a couple of the issues are we're about the budget for their billion dollar budget, it's about 15% come from municipalities. We for the last 22 years have been the
largest payer of that percentage. Glenn Ridge, Maplewood, South Orange, Mont Clair round out the top five. And I I did all this work before we went over there, so it's just fresh in my mind. Um
it's a huge benefit for Essex County for our property values to continue to go up because it means our our our the monies we're paying them continues to rise. Uh, and then a big big kudos to the group up here today is they were going to do a
global assessment of our properties here in Milbour Short Hills and we were able to push it back three years. And I just don't know why that doesn't get more play uh because it's huge for everyone's bottom, you know, for everyone's wallet because it's less dollars coming out of
our pockets. Uh, just want to bring that up. Sorry. Just want to correct the record on something. So, uh, Mayor Romano, when when you said that, um, you know, Jackie stepped down from the Dem committee, uh, because she wanted to remain on the SID committee, I remember
that if she didn't do that, she would have had to come off the SID committee. If she remained uh the chair of the local Dem. So, by that logic, I'm I'm not sure why your husband wasn't required to step down. Well, I'm just I'm just saying it's an
example of someone was on a committee, the rules changed, and then they would have no longer been eligible to stay on that committee unless they took some other action. In this case, Jackie took another action. I think a lot of us remember I just don't know why that
policy didn't apply. You know, maybe Mr. It was it was not to affect any current person because it could have affected an employee who may have been here for a long time who may got appointed by the mayor at the time. So we we didn't it
did not have retroactive impact where the other ordinance was effective immediately and had immediate impact. So it was not retroactively affected by members. That was due to the way it was written essentially. Yeah. But I think there was a consensus that we didn't know potentially to
affect. I think that was someone's job. Someone's job. It wasn't it wasn't related to it was more related to it can't be hired. They can't be promoted. It was all there was was a lot attached to policy and the SID director is it I mean the SID committee was something
different and also the Democratic chair you know we don't we don't control you know the the committee chair. So I think those are some distinctions but that there is a distinction about the ordinances. But to be clear going forward if if uh the mayor were to being reappointed. Could be reappointed.
Yeah, right. That's correct. Do you have any other No, unless there's any questions from the committee. We have a motion to adjourn. Motion second. Second.