Loud and clear. >> Loud and clear. >> Okay. >> I'd like to call the regular session meeting to order. Roll call, please. >> Mayor Ramen >> here. >> Commissioner Hwitt >> here. >> Commissioner Suie >> here. >> Vice Mayor Watson >> here. >> Commissioner Kasabun
>> here. May you please rise for invocation and salute a flag. Invocation given by Pastor Brian Robinson. Would you pray with me? We come to you tonight, heavenly father, grateful for this city that we all love.
We thank you for those first responders who keep us safe. We thank you for all the city employees who work their best to make this a great place to live. And we thank you for our city commission and those who've taken up the responsibility
of making decisions. We are commanded to pray for those in authority. And so tonight we come asking that as this meeting goes on that the commissioners would make decisions that are filled with justice,
that are full of mercy for both the wellto-do and the less wellto-do, and full of your wisdom. Because we can't do this on our own.
We ask you would bless this city, its businesses, its houses of worship, and all its residents that this would be a place that we can be proud of and would make you proud, too. It's in the name of your love we
pray. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
>> This meeting is being conducted in accordance with the Oakland Public Meeting Act of 1975. Was advertised, posted, and made available to the public as required by statute. The admissible clerk is directed to include a statement in the minutes of this meeting. Madam clerk, are there any changes to the agenda? >> There are none, mayor.
>> Public comment on agenda items only. If anybody from the public would like to comment on the agenda items, please come to the podium, state your name, address your concerns, and please limit those concerns to approximately 5 minutes. Thank you. >> Good evening, commissioners. Mike Batty,
46 Wharton Street in the development of Four Seasons. Um I rise to uh have a discussion about resolution number one which is the release of the bond to the developer Mr. Pac. Um first thank you to
Commissioner Watson for setting up a wonderful meeting we had out of our development. Um Brock was with us. Engineering I see engineering's here again. Uh I thought it was a really good tour of uh phase 2D
uh which is uh essentially the resolution. Uh we did point out some issues at during our little walk um which we feel are really issues that are in the realm of the developer. There's
some ashvault issues uh suggested that there was some storm drain issues and uh ADA issues. Once again, you may hear all those and recall that that's also things the city is accountable for. So once the
developer the bond is released, then of course the city would take over those type of issues. Uh not sure the residual on the bond uh pardon me is sufficient to cover those type of issues. So maybe you might want
to just relook at that residual. It's a 100K. That seems a little slight. In addition, as we were walking, uh we all noted that uh the trees which are on the site plan approved by Sha Tree Commission, um are mo are a good deal of
them are dead. Um by the way, that's the second dead. They've been planted once and died. They planted again and died. Um Mr. Russell and I talked about maybe a maintenance bond uh where the developer still should be held
accountable for ensuring those trees that that a set of trees I guess approved by the shade tree commission are planted and they survive. Um once again we'd like to thank everybody. Um, we feel there's some issues out
there still that were driven by both the developer and the homebuilder Ryan Holmes, but once again, we understand this is just 2D and um the retained off the bond feels like it's a little low.
So for item one I don't in my other job we would table it again to make sure the engineering department uh is consulted and the retainer is sufficient to cover the issues that may have to come up by
the developer. Thank you. >> Thank you Mr. Bey. Go ahead. Um, my name is Dennis Sander. Um, live at 17 Toursdale Street in the Four Seasons. Um,
I'm here to request that the performance bond be increased to $250,000 instead of 100. Um the city uh was at the Four Seasons
last week and um Mr. Watson and Mr. Brock um um we did take a walk. Um some of the items you were only concerned with were from
curb to curb. Um there's a lot of items that are in common areas. drainage uh water standing um that need to be uh addressed.
Um my concern is that these items are on a site plan and why are they not uh done uh correctly? Why do we even have a site plan? If not,
you're not going to follow it. I know this performance bond is held by the city and we have to come to you to get things fixed, which um I have to correct myself because I found out that
we don't have to come to you. It's the developer that will fix it and the bond will be returned to him if he fixes it. Um, our community has a lot of elderly residents and are on fixed incomes.
Uh, if a $100,000 you want to give us is not enough to cover the work to be done in our community, the HOA will have to raise fees, which puts the burden on our senior residents.
At the meeting the other day, Mr. Russell stated the city would impose another bond on Mr. Beac for tree replacement, which I hope you do.
If we can't get things fixed in section 2D, the HOA's satisfaction will we will have no recourse but to take legal action. Thank you. Good evening, Tim Cardi Mobile. First
off, my expertise as far as road work, pavement, and everything due to my employer and all the multiple classes I've taken at Ruckers University. I believe that the city should come up with an ordinance for issues like this to file the New Jersey Department of
Transportation specifications. So that way you're not having issues with the water ponding, your ADA compliances because we have to file them on state highways and also with trees because on our projects, and I'm not speaking on
behalf of New Jersey DOT, my employer, but on my projects, the trees must be maintained and living for at least one year and take growth. So something to think about. I know election time's coming up, but I don't know if engineering is doing it or not. Maybe they should adopt New Jersey Department
of Transportation specifications, especially since lawyers have already been involved and approved them. And also on that note, I'm here to speak on resolution number Oh, and also as far as the bond goes, $100,000 today for a
contractor. That's like like urinating in the wind today. Maybe you guys should be looking to go to a million-doll bond on certain projects. Any road project right now should be up to a million dollar bond automatically.
The million dollars were hurdle more than 100 thou anything that's in the thousands. So now I'm done off that one. Let me go to resolution three. Repaving a buck street. I have a question on how come we're repaving Buck Street and not Broad
Street. Broad Street is one of the main thorough affairs into our city and out of our city. the county paid from Seventh Street out and then the rest of the Broad Street is horrible. You have a you have a beautiful athletic stadium sitting there
and you have visitors coming in from all over the state and maybe the country to go to them sporting events or band competitions and they're riding on a horrible road. I travel that road every day and it seems like I'm missing
potholes more and more and I rode Buck Street today and there's only like a small section that needs to be redone. You want to make the city more attractive to the visitors. You want to make it look more important to everybody else. And you remember even
though it's in the city of Binland, you got a million-dollar golf course where visitors are going to be going back and forth. Okay, little That's the entrance. >> And >> it's Mr. Card's turn to speak. Please let him speak. >> And you know, for Buck Street, why don't
you guys wait until the DOT local a grant comes out or another grant? Because honestly, Buck Street's been passed over for how many years and look at the disaster that it is. And I'm not saying you got to pay all of it. Just go from High Street to Seventh Street.
That's all you got to do. I mean, we're using UEE money. Why are we and this is the main thoroughfare into our city. You know, we want to compete with Vinland ride violin roads. None of their main thorough affairs are bumpy and you got to dodge uh craters and holes.
Uh my next one, resolution number four, $166,289 for the Milville UE clean team. I've never heard of it. And honestly, I don't see the need. I
I'd really like to know what the clean team's going to do because the state gives us every year clean community money that's based off our recycling. And that money should be used to clean the streets, pick up trash for the nonprofits to go for fundraising.
I don't, you know, to me, $166,000 for a clean team, which I don't even think we ever had, is a waste of UE funding, especially when we can use it to put towards a fire
truck, an ambulance, police cars. UZ money can be designated for that. The city of Camden just bought a brand new fire truck, and I forget how many millions out of UEZ money. And the same thing with your emergency vehicles. So, it's something to think
about. You know, when I ride into a city, first thing I look at is all the flags. Then I look at all the city properties. Then I look at all the city equipment. If I see dirty ammo, firet trucks, police cars, I know they're busy. If if you don't have pride
in your city equipment, then you'll never have pride in your city or old fire trucks or whatever. I mean, $166,000 in new easy funding can go a long way. Again, I'd like to I'd like you to reconsider repaving a buck street
and take that money for Broad Street and on the resolution four, I'd like you to reconsider it and think about what else you can do with that U money. Thanks. [Applause]
See Good evening. My name is Sheri McFersonen from 209 Cottage Street. First of all, I want to thank those of you who came out to our community on August 13th for a site visit. This visit was a follow-up to the concerns we expressed at your meeting on August 6th.
One outcome of your visit is that we now have a firewall of protective spacing around the perimeter of our of our community. Um, up until your visit, we have asked the developer, Barry Belot, for years to mow the grass, the tall grass that is on the perimeter of our
community. But our concerns have been ignored for years. Tonight, while we are grateful for the field that was mowed, we are still concerned residents. We have worried about the deficiencies that still exist and are ongoing and the non-compliance with the site plan.
Unfortunately, we have no leverage with the developer or the builder, but of course, all of you do have that leverage, and we're hoping you consider using it tonight in our favor. We are concerned that you are going to release all but $100,000
of the existing bond. Instead, we are asking for you to vote tonight and consider leaving $250,000 in the bond. We are aware that this developer and builder are planning to add another phase of housing to our community. If they are not held accountable to the
standards set forth in the site plan, then they are free to continue with the substandard workmanship our engineer documented and our neighbors are here tonight presenting. Please consider their concerns when you vote.
[Applause] Good evening. My name is Judith Augustus. I'm a longtime resident of the Four Seasons. I live at 116 Wharton Street. I was disappointed with the decision to
release the amount of the bond that was stated. In my opinion, it shows a lack of concern for the issues that have been voiced by those who have made purchases with the expectation that their homes and surrounding land would reflect what was promised. It sets a precedent that
tells builders they can come into Milville and without impunity do shoddy and or incomplete work that does not conform to their contract. Too often decisions are based upon monetary concerns rather than what is right and
just for the people who are affected by those decisions. I hope this is not the case here and that this decision was not made merely to avoid a lawsuit that may have been brought if the bond was not released by the deadline. Thank you.
[Applause] >> Good evening. I'm Chris Bud, 7 Torsdale Street. I would like to discuss the the raveling of the asphalt on Torsdale. It was brought up to the tour last week and was determined that it's not that
bad. Let me explain what a mess it is. It traps all the road dirt, grass clippings, which traps water and causes standing water. In turn, this standing water allows algae to grow and breeds mosquitoes.
When I pull into my driveway, I track this nasty stuff up my driveway and into my garage. I have to power wash the driveway often. Uh would you allow this in front of your homes? What I'm asking is that the city hold
$250,000 of the $900,000 bond you plan to release until mine and many of these other issues are addressed. Thank you. [Applause] Hi, my name is Connie Resnik. I'm from
40 Cottage Street in Four Seasons. The sidewalk and the apron of my driveway, which was on the list to be completed, was not. It continues to crumble and continues to disintegrate, and it will
continue to do so. I feel actually that it was a little bit of a bait and switch on a lot of this stuff because what I was promised, what I paid for is not what I got. What I got was poor quality and shoddy workmanship
and that is not what I paid for. Now, I ran into somebody taking pictures of my driveway yesterday from the city, and he told me that the city would be attending to some of the items that the developer and the
builder who the developer brings on um would not doing. And my concern here is that they have not lived up to their end of the deal. They have not fulfilled their obligation. They should not be
rewarded by having a bond release. The bond is there to make sure that this information is done. The city approves the plan. It approves the developer. It approves everything and is responsible for monitoring and oversight. And
basically what I really would like to see is nothing released. But if you're going to be taking a look at your costs, I'm hoping that you're really considering everything that would be included in those costs in any project that you're going to do, which is going to be your hidden costs as well. And
it's going to be everything in regard to anything that you have to reallocate as far as assets and resources, including if you have to take them off of other programs. There's a cost to that as well, just to address stuff that you should really not be having to address.
I chose this city to move to, to live in, to become a part of. I don't want this city to be the city where bad players think they can come and operate without repercussions. We are the residents. We are the
citizens of this city. We are the ones have our back. We're the ones you should be fighting for. I don't want developers or anybody else coming in, swooping in by day, grabbing the money, and they're gone by night. And we
have nothing to do. Everything that you do here today is going to inform that next phase of development. They've already proven they're not a good player. They're a bad player. They're going to continue with the shortcuts. They're going to continue with the poor quality, assuming the city can just come
in. I really really strongly urge you to take into consideration the need now if there's some cost to the city for holding on to this bond that's making everybody anxious to release it at the minimum I think you really should keep
$500,000 there it chunk change 100,000 200,000 500,000 you don't know until the end of the day when you sit down and everything is completely done and done well, will you know what your true costs are? So,
I'm hoping that you will please take that into consideration. Don't sell yourself short and hold on to as much as necessary. This is not going to this is not going to bankrupt the man or his
organization or the builder and it is part of the oversight and monitoring that the city should be doing. So, I appreciate it. you're listening to me. Thank you very much. [Applause]
>> Hi, Scott Fisherman from 61 Wharton Street. uh when we elect our public officials, there's certain things that we would expect and that would be uh that you have our interests at heart for our safety and our well-being.
And I also think you have a fiduciary obligation to us to protect us financially as well with our homes, with our city infrastructure, our streets. Uh Mr. Belot uh has a long track record as
most of you are aware uh of not uh fulfilling his obligations. This goes back you a number of years. It's not the first time we've met with you. We were here two years ago asking for basic things like street lights, street signs that the streets be paved without
manholes sticking up. I spoke to Commissioner Suie on the phone several times. He was very helpful back then. that this is a repeating cycle that we should not have to keep going through. Uh you'd probably not like to you'd like to get home earlier at night for meetings and not listen to crowds like
this with complaints like this. So what I'd like to see is since the municipal land use law, specifically NJSA 40 col 55D53 states, you can legally withhold uh up to 30% of that bond until
everything is completed satisfactory. So, just like Connie said, uh you're saving us as taxpayers money in the future to repair a lot of these things that are not done properly right now. So, the band-aids don't help. The band-aids get ripped off and there's
always something worse. More pus, more scab, other things under the band-aid. So, we would ask that you fulfill your fiduciary responsibility to us. And I'm sure you're not going to want to hold that whole bond back, but you're legally entitled to hold 30% of it back. That's
300,000. It's a lot of numbers in front of you today, but my personal preference is hold the whole bond because this guy's a repeat offender. It's not the first time we've been here. I'm sure it won't be the last. So, our three incumbents who are running again, we're watching very closely how you vote on
this and we hope you will be supporting us because we'd be very happy to support you. Thank you. >> Hi, I'm Tom McGinty. I'm from Milville. Also, um I'm glad Mr. Cart Cardi spoke up about item number four. I haven't
heard about the clean team either. Um maybe I, you know, I thought I looked at things and been checking things out. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. maybe and I'm not, you know, privy to where these things get uh named and put out there and then we want to give
$167,000 to them. Um, you know, I'm I'm all for having clean community. Uh, Mr. Suie and I and other people uh from the city and city workers got out and just
as a small uh example, we went down and we cleaned the railroad tracks from Route 47 to out about Sixth Street. Um people brought their own equipment. One guy
brought his tractor. Um you know, I'm not naming names purposely. Uh people put time, effort, their money, their equipment out there. Um did a good job.
Uh people appreciated it and subsequently, for lack of a better term, I'm going to say street people. not going to lump them in with the homeless or the unhoused or the addicts or the
infirm or anybody else. But um to spend $167,000 to clean up different areas of the city, you can't have street people who are out there um thinking that it's fine for
them to camp on city property, to camp on private property to bring their trash from wherever they get their food and wherever they get their meals or whatever they steal or whatever they're bringing out there to burn. Um, it's
really weird some of the things you see. We see a lot of uh kids toys and Hot Wheels that they ride around in with the battery and all. I'm like, why do they bring these out here? This is crazy. What are they going to do with it? I found out they pull the motors out of
them. They steal the batteries, take it all to the junkyard for 50 cents. something they get out of something that some poor kid, you know, has in his yard or is on his porch and then it disappears and goes out there and gets stripped burning. We're stuck with the plastic to pick up or, you know, drag
out of the woods or off private property. Um, like I said, I'm not picking on, you know, people that have nowhere to go and whatever, but uh, within days, somebody already started
rebuilding their encampment out there that we tore out that had needles, uh, drugs, prescription drugs, um, bed frames, you name it, they had it
tied in so they could go in there and hide and shoot up their drugs. I've gone out there subsequently. Now the guy's right out in the open. You can watch him. He's shooting up right there in the same place we pulled the stuff out of. And I've talked to him ad
nauseium. And uh we need to do something about that before we spend $167,000 to go clean something up. And in a week, you know, that the the purpose and the use of that money goes for bad because somebody comes right back in there and
trashes the place. You know, if you're not going to arrest them for littering and trespassing, then why spend the money? Thank you. [Applause] Good evening. My name is David Nosera.
I'm at 44 Wharton Street in the Four Seasons. Um, there's a lot of people that got up from our community and they said a lot of different things about Mr. Beac. And what I wanted to say is uh I
just want to put my my name to support what they said. Um I don't have anything new to add to what they just said, but I just wanted to be here present and to let you know that I I agree with what they're saying. The other thing um I
wanted to add and this may not have to do with what's going on with the uh bond but I live on Wharton Street and there's a little culde-sac at the end of that and during the hunting season there are people that come into our community and
bring their car and they just sit in that community in that uh that circle and we don't know who these strangers are and it's supposed to be a private community for them to I know it's public streets that they can drive through there that's not a problem but when
they're there for four five six seven hours until the end of the evening uh that's kind of worrisome and then you hear gunshots so they could shoot and do what they want cuz but they shouldn't be hunting in our little community I have a dog people walk their dogs in that area
people walk throughout our community they sometimes you know you hear a gunshot Heck, you're going to duck and you want to get the heck out of there. That's not the way we should be living. Again, the developer was asked to put up no hunting
signs and that hasn't happened. And I just wanted to make that clear that we really need that happening, too. Thank you. [Applause] Good evening. Don Ley, 43 Wharton
Street, Four Seasons. Um, I would like to thank the U commissioners for coming out on the tour on August 13th. Um, the city reviewed and finalized the punch list that was dated a April 25.
Um there was a great deal of um more issues on that that punch list that wasn't submitted by the developer. Uh maintaining $100,000 for a bond that would would there would be nowhere near enough to cost repairs that were not on
the punch list. I know legally you have to release some of the money tonight uh because of the situation that the developer but I'm requesting that the city keep at least onethird which is $300,000 or more uh of the bond to cover
any additional cost of repairs that weren't on the punch list from the April 20 25 list. Thank you. [Applause] Seeing no one else, I will close public
comment on agenda items only. Presentations, please. >> Discussion from engineering regarding the bond reduction for four seasons phase 2D. So, before we get started, can we uh can we talk to the public that's here before we start? >> Go ahead.
>> Okay. I I want to thank you all for coming out um tonight, and I appreciate all your concerns and comments for your homes and your residences and what you're experiencing out there. Uh I'm Wayne Johnson. I'm the city engineer.
When I first came back here in 2022, one of my main first projects was to come out to Four Seasons and whip that project back into shape. Uh when I got there, things were a disaster. Uh Torale was like the ocean. There were fire
hydrants that were out of plum, sewer lines clogged up, storm lines clogged up, everything was a mess. We've gone the battle with this contractor for years to get things to where they're at today. I know a lot of you may not be
happy with that, but we've worked hard. We fought and argued and we went in the trenches with this guy to get where we're at today. Um, the bond, I hear a lot of numbers thrown around. The bond isn't just for, you know, trees or
concrete sidewalks. It's for the serious infrastructure, the land clearing, the sewer mains, the water manes, the storm water basins, storm water lines in the street. So, there's a lot more to be considered in the bond analysis than
just looking at a sidewalk or ADA ramp. Now, ADA compliance is something we take very seriously here at the city. I have a disabled son, so that makes me more, you know, sympathetic to that. Um, we had this guy rip out ramps three times
to get them right. Um, if there's an issue you guys know about, we didn't see, we'll look at it. But I wanted to make you aware of some of the history. Michelle's done an excellent job on a a PowerPoint, you know, to kind of show you the history. But I heard somebody
say, you know, you're the residents of the city. We really work for you. We don't work for Barry Belot. We fight with him. We argue with him all day long, but we work for you. We want to make sure that your community is safe for everybody. Uh we don't want to leave anything that's a hazard. You know,
public safety is paramount in everything we do. Um so I just wanted to let you know that before we get started with our presentation. But thank you again for all your your comments. [Applause] Hi everyone. I'm Michelle Noaf,
assistant municipal engineer here at the city of Mobile. Um, this is the overall site that's been built to date. This is the whole entire development at this point. Um, specifically phase 2D is where we're in discussion about as it
relates to the bond reduction. Um, just to start off with the categories of the bond and what those items are that are included in the bond that we have gotten and we've received and the items that are in question that we can
remediate. Uh so the categories are soil erosion and sediment control, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, water, concrete, curving and pavement, landscaping and lighting and finally survey. >> Go ahead, Vice Mayor. Just turn off some
lights for us. >> Got it. Uh so first up, soil erosion and sediment control. Uh this is in order of how they're listed on the bond and the prices and quantities. I apologize it is small. I try to get as much information in here
as possible. Uh stone net protection, we have construction entrance and silt fence. Those are just rudimentary items for construction and those costs associated with them. For storm sewer, we have various sizes, 15, 18, 21, and
36 inch RCP reinforced concrete pipe. We have type B inlets with curb head pieces, and type A inlets that are flush to the ground. sanitary sewer that is covered under the bond is 4 foot sanitary manholes, 8 in
PVC sanitary laterals, and uh 4in PVC sanitary laterals as well. For water, we have 8 in sealed DIP water mane, 6-in valve boxes, and 1-in diameter HDPE pipes.
Michelle, can I interrupt? >> Absolutely. And I think this is important to note that these numbers are so old. These this bond has been in place for so long. You'll see the numbers for things look low. That's why they're low. It's so old. The prices
have escalated so high. You know, in recent years, the supply chain issues like we're we're paying like $67 a foot for C900 8 inch water mane. They have $40 a foot of ductal iron in here. So that's the difference in the numbers.
why it seems low. I just thought that was something to, you know, point out. I'm sorry. >> No, you're fine. No, it's a great point. >> Uh, for concrete curving and pavement, >> we have concrete vertical curb. >> We have our surface course asphalt, base
course asphalt, our subbase DGA type I5, 4-in thick concrete sidewalks, 6-in thick concrete driveway aprons, and we have ADA ramps. 4 in phase 2D. Landscaping and lighting is next.
Deciduous trees, large evergreen trees, small evergreen trees, shrubs, understory trees, and lastly, a light fixture. And finally, we have our survey, which includes monuments and the different
outbounds and right ofways that would be documented and submitted to the city by Asbolt. So the performance bond total, what we're looking at with all these items added up, the subtotal is $854,11. When you add 20% contingency for bonding
requirements, you're adding an additional $170,82.20. So the total bond amount that we have on file with the city for this phase 2C develop 2D development is $1,24,813.20. uh a two-year maintenance bond will be
posted once this project is closed out. And that total is based off of the performance bond amount, 15% of that, which the performance bond, the maintenance bond is $153,721.98 and that lasts for two years. And that
could be used for maintenance items such as concrete, asphalt, um if any infrastructure utility in terms of storm water, water, sewer, uh were to expire, if service life, um trees, lighting, anything that's in the bond, anything
that has a service life that has failed within two years. >> Could I interrupt you with a question here? >> Absolutely. So you have when you said the performance bond is closed out then you have the maintenance bond. >> Correct. >> So if we don't close out the entire
performance bond, are you allowed to cause them to post the maintenance bond? >> No, sir. >> So you can't have part of the performance bond and require them to post a maintenance bond. Correct. >> Correct. Yeah. You have to close out performance bond and then that triggers a two-year maintenance. >> Thank you.
>> Per land use law. Um, so some of the backstory of Torresell Street, as Wayne had mentioned prior, uh, it was a bit of a nightmare to get the developer back to snuff and reinstate what was supposed to be um, installed. So the developer came to us,
said, "Look what we did. We did it." And it wasn't good at all. Um, to put it politely. So the initial roadway construction of Torsdale Street, um, there was significant ponding. Um you can see on the right hand side of the photo it's I apologize it's small as
large as I can get it. Um the the matching pavement does not meet um uneven paving pavement ponding. It did in fact look like an ocean um waves. I think I actually caught air when I went
out to inspect. Not going very fast. Um horrible patching. This was their final product uh which was obviously unacceptable to the city. Uh we requested them to do reconstruction and repaving and that was a huge undertaking by the developer and
it took a lot of um teeth pulling on our department and our staff to get this done and accomplished. Uh it required a lot of trench boxes out um repaving and uh regrading the base course down to
DGA, taking it down to subsurface. Multiple spots were boxed out where you just you couldn't salvage with a mill machine. It just had to be boxed out and reconstructed. The base paving was installed. This looks a heck of a lot better than what
it was in that first picture despite uh the size. Um this was more acceptable base paving. And you can see that the water valves and the manhole are at a reasonable height at and around the base paving before surface was applied.
This is base paving. Another shot down the road. Um, significantly more acceptable than what we had prior. Keying in. And this was the final paving match line. Uh, much like that first photo that was shown. Um, it's at grade. The
manholes are at grade. Valve boxes are all at grade. Um, and significant reduction in ponding on the curb lines. So the incorrect items in phase 2D are as follows that were corrected.
There were crooked inlets obviously crooked fire hydrants also obviously leaking water surfaces which were unacceptable that had to get fixed. Um that also required subsurface water
removal. a factor truck to come in and remove the high volumes of water that were out there due to environmental constraints and also water main uh utility leaks. Manholes were above grades significantly higher than what base paving and surface
paving would require broken and poor condition curbing of Belgian block specifically. There was also missing grout throughout the project. Non-compliant ADA ramps and missing curbs. Non-compliant ADA ramps that had both
Belgian block and concrete curbing which is not compliant for ADA. Pick one. And they also weren't flush with the ground. There were collapsed water pipes with no stiffeners. And this was a repair of one of those
connections. Um, properly fixed, which you shouldn't have a repair when you're out there, at least not every single service. There are crooked light post and they were the incorrect type. I think that's a big problem. Not only that, it wouldn't turn on. The electric was
hanging outside of the light. Um, so you could flip the switch as much as you wanted. Nothing would happen. Um and to mention on the lighting, we did work diligently with uh the developer in the future phase. They proposed nine lights and we worked with
ACE to have them install or propose 21 of those lights. So they have moved forward with lighting um after that very long uphill battle with lighting. So they have made well on their word on phase three.
uh items that were recently corrected in the past, let me say two months or >> two months. Um cottage street, a spal and cracked sidewalk was removed and replaced. Um this is obviously a bad picture before. This is final install of
that concrete. We're satisfied with the job that they have done. They corrected ADA compliant handicap ramps along Bustleton and Cottage Street. Uh like Wayne said, they had to replace these three times. um unacceptable that it had to be done three times, but acceptable as it is
installed now. Um corrected ADA handicap ramps along Bustleton and College. Again, that's just another example of a compliant handicap ramp. Uh they uncovered water valves that were not set at grade. Uh they melted out the asphalt, cut around them, and made them
exposed for our utility. They have repaired driveway aprons and curbing. Um they complied with a city required hydrants for sorts quick connections throughout the project that were not the
case. Replace curb and missing grout. The outstanding items that we have currently now that we're basing this bond reduction on and the retainage of the bond are as follows.
Spald concrete pads at 40 and 52 Cottage Street. This is just an example of the stretch. Um this is at 40 Cottage Street. Spald concrete along the sidewalk. Cracked and spaldled concrete pads at 52
cottage. You can see a crack in that picture vaguely. I apologize for the small picture. And then there's there are dead trees throughout phase 2D. It's hard to see. It's in line with the with the with the house, but um we do have some dead trees throughout the project.
So, the cost estimate of the outstanding bonded items based off of the outdated to be mindful of outdated bonding prices are as follows. Item number 20, 4 in concrete sidewalk, 160 square feet at
$10 a square foot. Estimated cost $1,600. Item number 23, deciduous trees, one at $300. $300 total. Item 24, large evergreen trees, one at $99, total of
99. Item 25, small evergreen trees, six at $30 each with a total of $180. And finally, item number 27, understory trees with two at $15 a piece, creating
uh totaling $30. uh 1.36% of the concrete sidewalk remaining out of the 11,760 square feet total. That is what's in our punch list. Um it's a very small amount that needs to be addressed according to
our punch list and our walkthrough inspections. 100% of the trees are being considered as there's only 10 proposed. Um so we're considering them as that amount into our retainage. The total cost of the outstanding items,
$2,29. Based off of those outdated prices, the original bond amount, as we all know, 1,24,81320, we were requesting a reduction of $924,81320 with a remaining balance of 100,000.
The percentage of work remaining versus the ultimate balance is 2.21%, 21% which is why the number is so low keeping in mind outdated prices but the work that has been completed up to this point has been satisfactory and the work that
remains out is a very small portion of what was involved per municipal land use law requirements however uh 40 55D 53E1 states and I will spare you it's at the
bottom unless you want me to read I can. Um, the takeaway is that 30% of the bond may be retained. That dollar amount is $37,000,443.96. Um, which is a significant
uh amount compared to the $2,200 amount. So, that is an item that we wanted to highlight. You can retain 30%. Um, >> is that current, Michelle? Yes, that that would be the number at 30%.
We're requesting 100,000 for under $2,500 of work. Items not covered by bond, driveways behind the sidewalk. So, anything towards the house, behind the sidewalk, up to the house, those driveway portions are not covered under
the bond. Um, it's only you city rightway. So, anything from that line forward or down in that photo is covered by the bond. There are exposed electrical wires governed by ACE and BPU. Uh my office will reach out to
Atlantic City Electric if nobody on behalf of the city has done so um and get in communication with that contact and see what can be done about this. This is unacceptable. However, it is not a bonded item. Lastly, there's overgrown weeds at the limits of paving on cottage. And I know
some of the residents had mentioned the overgrown weeds. I believe this is something that city code enforcement can take over and cite the developer. Uh we do not want to site our residents for this. This is not a residents or um HOA specific uh issue. We want to make sure
that this is taken care of and kept up >> and that's not a common area. That's just a >> buildable property that will be built on later. This is the end of phase 2D and future phase three. Um that's been approved for planning from planning board. Uh yeah, this is this is
developer land, not HOA or resident owned. >> So going back to code for how far back are they supposed to enforce it? >> As far back as a property line is the >> entire part of the phase. >> However, code enforcement enforces weeds and uncut grass.
However, code enfor I'm not knowledgeable on the >> code. We'll have to talk later. But it's undeveloped land the way I'm looking at it. If you have if you're going to tell them they have to cut 30 acres. I don't know. >> But it's cleared land border line being set. >> They were they said they're cut back 30 feet. >> 30 feet.
>> Thank you. >> Yeah, I I can see a borderline being set, but like Commissioner Sie said, not clear at all. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. >> That's all that we have in a nutshell. I know it doesn't do the full story justice, but that's where we've come. It
doesn't uh give testament to our office and the amount of uh correspondence and coordination with the developer and Ryan Holmes uh Mr. Beot. So, tried to keep it as short and sweet as possible without uh drilling this home, but that's where we're at. If you have any questions,
obviously, we're here. So, feel free to ask. >> I just want to reiterate one more time. So, if we keep $100,000 for the bond, >> they still don't have to post a maintenance bond. And if we keep $300,000 for a bond, they still don't have to post a maintenance bond. >> Correct. Until the performance bond is
released, they do not have obligation for a maintenance bond. >> Okay. So, then this kind of related. So, how much bond are they posting for the next phase? Do we know that yet? >> We haven't received that yet. And they can't move forward. >> I'm sorry, Michelle. I >> uh Commissioner, I did an estimate on that over a year ago.
>> Yeah. It was just under $3 million for the next phase. So that's considerably higher. You know, big difference in time between phase 2D and the next phase. And now prices have escalated again, but you know, we already have our estimate done and
they're they're going to post that bond. >> One one other question while I'm thinking about it. So it took these guys forever to get this done. up to where it is now. And I'm supposing we didn't go after the bond because that's difficult to do
legally. Not difficult to do legally. >> Well, it's expensive. It's time consuming. And uh I think what you want is you want to get the developer to actually fix the problem, which I think you were successful in doing. At least as to the things that Michelle's placed
on the record. If I may, the only time I've ever had to call a bond on a developer was when they uh defaulted, like a bankruptcy situation. We called the bond, the bonding company hired another contractor to come in and finish
the the project. Um, and we haven't seen that kind of, you know, issue there. They're always working. Their work may not have been what we liked, but they were always working. They didn't walk away from the job. So, it' be kind of hard to call the bond, you know, while they're moving forward in my opinion.
Anyway, >> thank you. >> I don't know. Um I don't know if this is going to be a question you're going to be able to answer. The law states that we can withhold 30% of the original bond. Correct. >> Now, because of the items that still need to be repaired are so low, that's
why it's being requested only to withhold 100. >> But they're low compared to old for >> I get that. Yes. >> So basically say if I were to if we wanted to do say 25% of the bond >> just because of the items are
significantly lower than that does the city face any repercussions if we decide to go with 25%. Well, if I may speak freely, Commissioner, if I were to change it at all, I'm not saying we should change it, I would go to the 30%, not go in between
because municipal land use law says 30%. >> So, if we went to the 30%, it's something that, you know, I mean, >> 30% is $37,443 in today's money. that that could that could open the city up to, you know,
legal ramifications with the developer because of the low amount of work left to be done. >> The the other problem is is that the engineer has already issued his recommendation in a report. So, if we do something that deviates from that, you know, we're deviating from the
recommendation of our own engineer. Okay. >> And I think that's something the court would assess in deciding whether or not to make us pay attorney's fees, among other things. Okay. Thank you. >> No comment. >> Can I ask a question? >> No, there's
>> No, this is a presentation only. Sorry. >> Before you uh step down, I just wanted to say thank you for all the hard work. Uh thank you for attending a meeting that wasn't really planned well in advance and putting this presentation together. Uh engineering always does a great job for the city. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate that.
>> Any further comments, commissioners? Basically, what I'm hearing here is uh the residents want more. Like I wanted less years ago when this was first done and the builder was supposed to pay for all the utilities, go past my house and
down Cedar Street out four seasons and we all had to come as residents and fight that and we won uh because he changed his mind. Ed got the city's okay. Uh but basically what I'm seeing here is uh
we're being asked to vote onund $100,000 reducing to $100,000. Uh I can see we need some kind of uh legal I don't know Brock uh
hold on clearing up the uh wild growth I'll call it around the facility. Well, that's something to >> Well, it you know, in terms of code enforcement, that really can be done. I mean, if there were no bond, he's liable for a code violation, any other property
owner. And the other the other thing I think I may have heard someone say and I don't know if this is the case or not but to the extent that he has not complied with the site plan uh he can be uh uh pursued legally by the code enforcement or the zoning officer for
that for not complying with the site plan. If if that's in fact true and that c that can go to municipal court that can go to superior court. It really has nothing to do with the bond. Any further comments, commissioners? No.
Thank you. >> Thank you, engineering, for the presentation. >> Thanks. >> Bills. Make a motion to pay the bills. >> Second a motion. >> Motion second on bill payment bills. Roll call, please. >> Commissioner Heel. >> Yes. >> Vice Mayor Watson. Yes.
>> Commissioner Kasabun. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Suie. >> Yes. >> Mayor Romnick. >> Yes. >> Petitions and letters. >> We need a motion to receive and file a letter from Atlantic City Electric regarding pruning and removal of trees around electrical distribution facilities. >> Make a motion.
>> Second. We have a motion to second a petition letter item number one. >> Any comments? >> Roll call, please. >> Commissioner Hwitt, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Watson, >> yes. >> Commissioner Kasaboon, >> yes. >> Commissioner Suie, >> yes. Mayor Ramen. >> Yes. >> Ports of commissioners. Commissioner Hwitt, go ahead.
>> Uh, yes. I'll be I'll be short. Uh, we have two resolutions on tonight, which is a resolution for repairing our new tower truck and the resolution for repairing one of our fire engines. Uh, these are both repairs. These are both
covered pretty much by insurance. I just wanted to let you know in case anybody had any questions on those resolutions. uh so we can get moving and get these trucks uh back up to full potential
with that uh progress >> with uh Commissioner H regarding the uh tower truck is that repair is being done in in the state of New Jersey or >> No, it's not. It's back out to the factory correct chief to at the factory. >> Understood. >> Engine will be done here.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Huitt. Commissioner Suie. >> Sure. I'll touch on UEZ update and then uh when we get to the specific resolutions I'll comment on those. So the UE team is working hard to get up to speed with all things UE. The marketing
application which we have discussed before is awaiting state approval. Last week clean team and repaving with Buck Street applications were both approved at the joint vin Millville UE board and on on the agenda for the commission's consideration tonight. I will mention
this when we do UEZ projects and do UEZ things the idea is to regenerate money in the UEE zone. So if you're doing an area where businesses are planned or businesses exist when you receive that sales tax that regenerates the money in
the UE zone. So if we spend it where there aren't businesses then we're not going to regenerate that money. So keep that in mind and I'll comment more on that later. Um, and then let me get on to the clean team a little bit here. The clean team is will be comprised of a
twoman crew that will be able to clean up anything along the UEZ zone areas. And this includes trash, shopping carts, bulk items, brush, weeds, etc. They will work under the department of the part. Yeah. Under the direction of the parks department. So keep this in mind. Also,
now we have clean communities money. We haven't spent any on a cleanup in a long time, but what this allows the clean communities money we can use pretty much anywhere. So if we use UE money to clean up the UE zone, that opens up more money to clean
up other areas of the city. Now, we all know there are plenty of dirty areas in the city, and we could just let them go because we can't enforce this or can't enforce that, or we can clean them and attempt to keep them clean. You guys live in a great neighborhood. I don't see trash in your neighborhood and I
want to get this city cleaned up. I've been working diligently to do that. In fact, Mr. Mcini left, you know, stated when we volunteered to do that. So, this isn't to replace clean communities. This is to add to clean communities, create a synergistic
synergistic relationship so that more can be done and the money that's generate money in the UE zone. Now, when I had the opportunity to to visit Austin, Texas, which was I haven't been there for a while, but it was very, you know,
very touristy, right? Very great place to visit. Wonderful place. They had these guys in yellow shirts that were cleaning up the sidewalk. So, I I got curious. I said, "What what's going on with these guys in the yellow shirts?" I asked a couple of the business owners and they were like, "Oh, well, they
clean up our area." Now, down there, they pay for that. The business owners pay for that. here. Kind of the same thing except UEZ money will pay for that. So that kind of keeps the UEZ clean. That's one of the main complaints we
hear. Things aren't clean, things are dirty. Clean up the town. So this is an attempt to do that. We had some other ideas for UEZ stuff which I'll get into later. Now the repaving of Buck Street will be the section between Broad and Mine. It'll be
milled, paved, curbs and sidewalks will be repaired where needed again to encourage development in that area to regenerate money coming into that area. The reason that we didn't choose High Street is because we have work coming up on High Street from a state grant that
will provide bumpouts for pedestrian safety. So, it made no sense to do High Street first because then we'd be tearing it up to do the bumpouts. So, that makes no sense to do that first. So we do this with this and work our way around and again all to get reinvestment
money spent in the UEE zone. Now keep in mind that we've expanded the uee zone a significant amount. So as we do this we can move down the UEZ zone. Hopefully whoever's on the next commission will do that and keep taking care of stuff like that. So so that's the goal here.
All right. So, at the last comm uh downtown improvements at the last, uh, commission meeting, we put out the bid and we're hoping to award that contract by the end of October. That includes sidewalks and stuff on High Street. We already started some of it, Buck Street,
Sassifrass to get that all done. The UEZ police program update. So, as you recall, we had quite a debate on ue, you know, use of police for ue money for use of police. So, so far in June and
July, there were 252 hours of extra patrols in the UEZ zone. There were 340 service calls generated. One handgun seized during these two months. Now, with this last application, we are tied down to certain hours due to the way
that the application was written to the state. and I'm looking at to open these loosen these time frames up somewhat so that we can cover more hours and if we can cover more hours as it stands now we either use the police department or the sheriff's department. So if we open this
up more we'll be able to use both and if we do that I think we'll end up with a safer downtown area without an increased cost on our property taxes. So let me let me mention one other thing about street paving. We were previously told that we couldn't pave streets with
ueiz money. Well, that turned out to be false. When we took it in house, we started doing some research. We found out we could. In fact, Britton put in for a grant to do it. There's another town that put I think I can't remember if it was Camden or somewhere else. A huge amount of money for street paving. And
it's unfortunate that we didn't do this earlier, but we were limited by the information that we obtained. Very unfortunate. Now, I mentioned the taxes because tie this into all this. We received the notice that health benefits are going to
go up 37%. So, to give you an idea, if the health costs in the month of July were $317,232 for our employees, of that, the city paid $246,000
694 and the employee cost was $70,000. So if they go up to 36 cents, you're looking at an increase of about a million $95,000.
So myself and the mayor have a meeting set up tomorrow to discuss with an outside agency to see if we can find other ways to get this cost down. And it would be with an equivalent program, but we're going to explore it. That amount works out to $112
on $150,000 house. That's how much that costs just for the increase in benefits told to us by the state. So, it's imperative that we offset costs with UE money that would normally go to the taxpayer to make up for some of this
this loss. That's that. All right. Parts update. We've been trying to get all the grass cut on city- owned properties. Last week, we were thrown a curveball. Board of Education informed us that boxes placed in a Hall Memorial would need to
be moved because of this stuff going on with Lakeside Middle School not being able to open due to some structural >> or Holly Heights, I'm sorry. Holly Heights. >> Lakeside's always stuck in my mind for some reason. So, some of those classes will be moved to Memorial required us to
move the uh boxes. So, I want to thank the men and women of the parks department for moving these boxes again. And it was to work with Commissioner Watson to get that stuff done. Upcoming events. This Friday will be our last fourth Friday of the year.
Hopefully, we'll see everyone from out to Buck Park from 5 to 8. On Saturday, August 30th, we'll hold our annual Holly City Fest, which will take place on High Street from 11:00 a.m. to 3 PM. We currently have 75 vendors, and we are still accepting applications. So, reach
out to the recreation department if you're interested. There'll be plenty of things to do there on that event with 75 vendors. Looking at September, we have our annual car show coming up on Saturday, September 13th, 11:00 a.m. to 3 PM. So
far, we have 70 cars registered. Once again, reach out to the recreation part department to get signed up. And remember that the first 100 cars to register get a free t-shirt. And the number to reach out with is is 8568257000 extension 7394.
Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Suie, for that well-depth inverse uh update for everybody. Commissioner Cosman, go ahead. Okay, just a quick report from Streets and Roads with they're currently working on Wade Boulevard to abate that
flooding problem issue. They're making great progress in this completion by sometimes next week. Alltime brush collection, everybody wants to know. Residents are able to put their brush out for collection. Streets and roads will begin collecting September the 2nd.
Will they will make one pass through the city? Looseleaf collection will begin November the 1st. Residents can place these loose leaves out for collection from November 1st to December the 31st. And why I'm quick thank you to the Tiger
Sharks who did their second litter pickup on Adopt a Road program this Saturday. They picked up over 30 bags. They're a great group of kids and I want to say thank you. Anyone interested in doing adopt a road or adopt your neighborhood, give us a call at 8257000
and ask 7390. That's all I have. Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Cosman. Vice Mayor Watson, >> are we allowed to ask questions of the agenda before we get into this? Um, for the clean team, is that uh two additional
personnel for parks or is that >> it's two additional personnel coming out of the UE? And again, keep in mind, we have to when we buy something such as a firet truck or a police car or whatever, we have to use that in the UEZ zone. We're not permitted to use it anywhere else. Some cities have much bigger >> UEZ zone. So, yes. So that that will be
two additional people >> 40 hours a week. >> I think it's part-time. I don't think it's full. I can't remember off the top of my head. >> Um for the 167 is that like just for the year or is that >> that's for the Yeah, for the >> till it runs out. >> Or it runs out $18. There's a
>> basically for the year. I can get you more information if you want. >> Okay. Okay. >> Yeah, it sounds good. >> Um >> yeah, thank you to the parks department for moving those records for us. Uh I asked sewer and they were more than happy to help. Y >> um but you know it was kind of a big unexpected lift. So thank you for your
department. Um I have had conversations about trying to move forward to trying to get some of those records out. Uh some of them records are ready to destroy. >> Correct. >> Uh but there's just certain things that we have to follow before we do. >> Um on tonight's agenda, we have the Huber Soul source resolution. Um it's
based on the pilot study that recently completed at the wastewater treatment plant. Uh the objective of this equipment was to increase the um thickened sludge to a higher percent solids. Uh our current 30-year-old gravity belt thickeners produce one to
one and a half% solids. The pilot study gave us 5% solids. So big increase. Uh another benefit to the Huber equipment um it was self-contained. Uh again reducing odors and providing a safer environment for our operators. Uh had a small footprint. Um you know better
overall. Uh, another big thing for this also had low maintenance costs, less moving machinery. Um, for the force main install at Ireland Avenue pump station, we've received a few calls uh questioning the lateral repairs or in um, yeah,
questioning the lateral repairs in the area. Um, and that was caused by the new force main install. Uh, so you can't tie a gravity lateral into a force mane. So laterals were replaced and redirected to
the nearest gravity line. Um for Falton, uh the engineering department is working with South State to expedite the paving on Falton from those repairs on the force main. Uh water department sent me an email today saying that the South 15th Street water
main project was complete. Uh water and bacteria samples were uh negative. And thank you again for for engineering uh for all their hard work and you know meeting us out there at Four Seasons, all the time spent this week trying to put the project together. Thank you so
much. And that's all I have. >> Thank you, Commissioner. I mean, sorry. Thank you, Vice Mayor Watson. There will be a zoning board meeting with multiple agenda items on it. Will take place on Thursday, September 4th at 6 o'clock p.m. located here in the
chambers. Planning board will then take place on Monday, September 8th at 6:30. I'd like to congratulate, you'll see on the agenda tonight, we are appointing a brand new CFO to start. I would like to thank Susan for all her hard work here in the city of Millville as our CFO. I hope she enjoys the best of whatever her
next chapter in her life brings to herself and her family. Public affairs office is working like a welloiled machine. I always get updates from the phone um especially emails uh from Sean Freel, my business manager on the fifth floor. and uh he shared a very uh enlightening um issue that was take care
taken care of from the employees of uh public affairs office of a resident um here in the city of Milville and it it truly warmed my heart to see a progress of efficiency working well um in public affairs office and the whole team there doing a great job um every single day in
whatever issues arise for that department. So, thank you to all the all my employees in that specific department. Ordinances in the second reading. >> Ordinance for second reading. Item number one, an ordinance amending Milville Code Chapter 30, land use and
development regulations to permit class 5 cannabis retailer and class 6 cannabis delivery licensed facilities in certain zoning districts within the city. >> Move the ordinance on second reading. >> Second motion. We have a motion and
second on ordinance item number one and second reading. I will now open public hearing on this ordinance. If anybody from the public would like to comment on this ordinance, please come to the podium, state your name, address your concerns. Please limit those concerns to approximately 5 minutes. Seeing no one, I will close public
hearing. Roll call, please. >> Commissioner Huitt, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Watson, >> same. >> Commissioner Kasaboon, >> yes. Commissioner Suie, >> yes. >> Mayor Romik, >> yes. >> Ordinance for second reading item number two, an ordinance amending the municipal
code of the city of Milville, motor vehicle and traffic regulations, parking reserve for handicapped persons, 230 South third South 3rd Street. >> Make a motion. >> Second. >> We have a motion second. An ordinance in the second reading line number two. I'll now open up public hearing on this. If
anybody from the public would like to comment, please come to the podium. Seeing that, I'll close public hearing. Any comments? Roll call, please. >> Commissioner Hwitt, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Watson, >> yes. >> Commissioner Kasaboon, >> yes. >> Commissioner Suie, >> yes. >> Mayor Ramnik,
>> yes. >> Ordinance for second reading item number three, an ordinance approving and authorizing an application to the Cumberland County Roadway Department for Milville Girls Softball League to hold a coin drop on September 27th and 28th, 2025 at the intersections of Buckshoot and Cedarville Road.
>> Make a motion. >> Second. We have a motion second for ordinance in the in the second reading item number three. I now open up public hearing on this ordinance if anybody from the public would like to comment. Seeing that I will close public hearing. Any comments? Roll call, please. >> Commissioner Huitt,
>> yes. >> Vice Mayor Watson, >> yes. >> Commissioner Caboon, >> yes. >> Commissioner Suie, >> yes. >> Mayor Romick, >> yes. >> Seeing no ordinance in the first reading, resolutions, please. Resolution item number one, we need a motion to remove resolution approving requests for
performance guarantee reduction for Regency Development Properties LLC for Seasons Phase 2D as submitted by the engineer in compliance with NJSA 405D-53 from the table. >> Make motion. >> Second motion.
>> We have a motion to second to remove the request for performance guarantee reduction of res residency development properties from the table. Roll call, please. >> No comment. >> Comment, please. >> All right. I will tell you this. There are things that are legal, things that
are moral. I have all the utmost confidence in the world in our engineering department. We have some great engineers up there. In fact, almost everybody's in everybody up there is an engineer except for the inspector. However,
I don't like what's been going on at Four Seasons. And I know this. I wasn't elected and given a vote for somebody to tell me I had to do something. So, I'm going to vote no against taking this off the table.
My fellow commissioners can certainly do what they want. And I've been sued since I've been up up here six times for some of the most stupidest stuff you ever saw. Complaints filed against me for laughing, joking,
cussing. It never ends. Lawsuits never end. I don't care what we do up here. So, I will vote accordingly. [Applause] >> If I may, >> go ahead. >> I I have some uh I still have questions.
I'm listening to our attorney. I'm listening to the engineers. I have full faith in in both engineering and attorneys. But I've seen a lot uh a lot possibly would have affected me living out there on Cedar Street towards the Blinker from
the inception of the Four Seasons. Uh I would like to dig as deep as we can dig to get all the answers before we vote on this. Uh so my vote will for removing it will show my thoughts.
Roll call for removing it from table, please. >> Commissioner Hwitt, >> no. >> Vice Mayor Watson, >> yes. >> Commissioner Kasaboon, >> no. >> Commissioner Suie, >> no. >> Mayor Romick, >> no.
[Applause] Resolution item number two, a resolution appointing chief financial officer. >> Make a motion. >> Second motion. >> We have a motion second. Resolution item number two. Any comments?
>> Um I like poaching. Let me just say that. Uh so good job. >> We'll uh I believe she starts Monday. So at next meeting we'll congratulate her in her position and go from there. >> I've had the opportunity to meet her. We're excited to have her.
>> We are excited to have her. Yes. >> So, okay. Once a September meeting, we'll we'll say exactly what exactly happened. So, but >> yeah, you poach her. >> Yes. I like poaching. >> Roll call, please. >> Commissioner Huitt, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Watson? >> Yes. >> Commissioner Kasaboon?
>> Yes. >> Commissioner Suie? >> Yes. >> Mayor Romnick? >> Yes. Resolution item number three, resolution authorizing the execution of an application to the NJ Urban Enterprise Zone Authority for first generation urban enterprise zone assistant funds in the amount of $693,658
to fund the Millville UE repaving of Buck Street. >> Make a motion. >> Second motion. >> We have a motion and a second on resolution item number three. Any comments? >> I guess I kind of said it already after I said I wouldn't, but no point in repeating it.
And as far as I'm concerned, we are we are taking great advantage of uh UE funds for the safety of the city and hopefully we're going to build that uh like the commissioner said and uh I have dug into UE phones and I know that it's to our benefit to keep it within the
zone spending this kind of money. >> Roll call, please. >> Commissioner Huitt, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Watson, >> yes. >> Commissioner Kasaboon, >> yes. >> Commissioner Suie, >> yes. Mayor Romik. >> Yes. >> Resolution item number four, resolution authorizing the execution of an
application to the NJ urban enterprise zone authority for first generation urban enterprise zone assistant funds in the amount of $166,289 to fund the Millville UE clean team project. >> Make a motion. >> Second a motion. >> We have a motion second on resolution
item number four. Any comments? >> Roll call, please. >> Commissioner Hwitt, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Watson, >> yes. Commissioner Kasaboon. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Suie, >> yes. >> Mayor Romik, >> yes. >> Resolution item number five.
>> Sometimes perfect timing. >> That is perfect timing. >> Resolution approving shared services agreement with the Atlantic County Utilities Authority. >> Make a motion. And with that, I have certification of funds for the
$1,338,000438 and 72 cents from Susan Quinon as chief exec financial officer. >> Second motion. >> We have a motion to second resolution item number five. Any comments? >> Yes, ACA has been a great partner. Uh good shared service. We evaluated us
multiple times in the past couple years and you know this is the best route for the city of Milville. uh recycling coordinator has um you know good relationship with ACUA and works well with them. They're always fast to respond. Thank you for Commissioner Cosmoon to have me keep me included with that those meetings.
>> I've learned a lot. Yeah. >> Yeah. He and I have to say that um our coordinator has done his due diligence in getting the best price and they are very good to work with. Yes. >> And also thank you to our business administrator and Brock um you know for
attending this meeting, putting in their input. you know, they're valuable resources to the city. >> Yeah, I think we all learned our lesson collectively when we tried to uh uh learn about ACUA and learn about other entities that handle uh municipalities trash that they don't exist. So, I'm
appreciative of LA County Utilities Authority and I have had the opportunity to meet with them and uh learn from them, especially from our employees that have known a great deal about ACUA. So, roll call, please. Commissioner Huitt, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Watson, >> yes.
>> Commissioner Kasaboon, >> yes. >> Commissioner Suie, >> yes. >> Mayor Roman, >> yes. >> Resolution item number six, resolution authorizing adjustment to the tax and utility records. >> Make motion. Second a motion. >> Yeah. Motion to second. And resolution item number six. Roll call, please. >> Commissioner Hwitt,
>> yes. >> Vice Mayor Watson, >> yes. >> Commissioner Kasaboon, >> yes. >> Commissioner Suie, >> yes. >> Mayor Ramick, >> yes. Resolution item number seven, resolution awarding a purchase order for the Pearson forcer repairs to fire and safety in the amount not to exceed $386,788.
>> Make motion and with that I have certification of funds in the amount of $386,788 signed by our chief financial officer Susan Kenyon. >> Second motion. >> We have a motion second on resolution item number seven. Any comments?
>> Yes. This is to uh repair and get our new tower back in service and serving the residents of the city. >> I hate to ask, but how long is this expected to take? >> Year and a half, two years. >> No,
>> my early ass would be March or April of >> Okay, I was I was cringing for 27, but okay. Uh thank you, Chief. Roll call, please. >> Commissioner Hwitt, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Watson, >> yes. >> Commissioner Kasabun, >> yes. >> Commissioner Suie,
>> yes. >> Mayor Romik, >> yes. >> Resolution item number eight, resolution awarding a purchase order for the engine 34 repairs to Lee's emergency equipment in the amount not to exceed $40,272. >> Make motion. And with that, I have certification of funds in the amount of
$40,272. Signed by our chief financial officer, Susan Kenyon. >> Second motion. >> We have a motion to second. Resolution item number eight. Any comments? >> Roll call, please. >> Commissioner Hwitt, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Watson,
>> yes. >> Commissioner Kasabun, >> yes. >> Commissioner Suie, >> yes. >> Mayor Ramik, >> yes. >> Resolution item number nine. Resolution designating Hubert Technology as the sole source supplier of the bioolid thickening system at the Millville wastewater treatment plant. Make a motion.
>> Second a motion. >> We have a motion second. Resolution item number nine. Any comments? >> Gas engineering department invited me down to the wastewater treatment plant. So, thank you for that. It was a nice pilot study and good results and it seems like a good unit. Hopefully have a lot of good. >> Roll call, please.
>> Commissioner Huitt. >> Yes. >> Vice Mayor Watson? >> Yes. >> Commissioner Kasaboon? >> Yes. >> Commissioner Suie? >> Yes. >> Mayor Romick? >> Yes. >> New business? Seeing none, we have now reached the public portion portion of our meeting. Anybody from the comment
section from the We have now reached the public comment portion of our meeting. Anyone who would like to address the commission, please go to the podium, state your name, and address your concerns. Please limit your concerns in your comments to approximately 5 minutes. Thank you. >> Point of clarification, please. Uh,
resolution item one is tabled again. >> Yeah, correct. >> Thank you. Hi, thank you for the presentation. I have a question on two things that I saw. Um, one you had mentioned on the cement portion it said surface 2 in
>> for asphalt. >> Cement. Was that the cement portion? >> No. No, there is no surface. >> Okay. Because I thought it's concrete. Okay. Asphalt. Um my other question is related to the recommendation um that the engineering department made that you
said had to be adhered to. Um so I noticed that it was estimated cost. So is the final recommendation including replacement cost or actual costs? And are in other words you're are you
stuck with the estimated cost? Can you revise it to include the difference between what it was estimated at the time and your replacement costs or what will act your actual cost will be and up it?
If I may, um, you know, our engineering estimate of the outstanding work, even with the old dollars from the original bond was still low. If we quadruple it, it would still be low $100,000.
You know, you change it, it would still be low. That's what you're asking, >> right? So if you had to basically if you're going out now and you have to use current costs in order to do the replacement you can get those current costs can you update the recommendation
to the city which will increase the 100,000 >> in order to do the replacement cost >> current do you have comment We can read the number. >> I think the engineer is saying that you can >> right
>> amend the uh the cost estimate >> right >> and and therefore then you can have the contingency up the contingency to cover it. I'm just saying that if you're using the old numbers, the 100,000 you're saying isn't even going to, you know, work with you with contingency or you're
not sure and you can amend it, then I would hope hope >> maybe to take a look at that based on >> uh Rick Copville. Uh just a quick update um for the S SOA um contract cuz it's
sort of we forgot about that. We're now almost up to 20 months um without a contract. 85 weeks and 595 days. That's a lot of workers in our city that's going without a contract now for
that long. Good evening, commissioners and ladies and gentlemen who are here this evening. My name is David Inennis and I am a resident of Milville. Always proud to say born in the city of Milville. I grew
up in Haleyville and the biggest attraction in Haleyville was a stoplight. And I remember watching that stoplight and there was a sign that said Millville 12 miles north, Bridton 21 miles west,
Marstown 3 miles east, Port Norris 3 miles north south. None of those areas did nothing for me, but Milville has always been an attraction. I I love this city. I'm here tonight because
it's risky. Trust me, I had to really pray about whether I wanted to come here tonight because it's always risky when you become a public voice. I want to first of all encourage the commissioners. I've sat where you're sitting. I sat there for four years.
It's never easy when you're trying to create segways and you're trying to get things done. It's not easy. It comes with a cost. What I want to recommend and suggest to those of you who are running in the
upcoming election. I want you to seriously think about something because it's going to make all the difference in the world. Why are you running? I know it sounds like a stupid question. But it matters. When I ran, I ran on the
premise of rebuilding, reclaiming, and restoring. I wanted to reclaim because during the time I ran, it kind of tailgated on a lot of criminal activity. My brother got shot and killed right in
this city, in his own yard, minding his own business. Uh, I fought crime. Some of you don't even know. I fought it so hard until my life was threatened. The Milville police actually escorted me home from my church
for two weeks because the word was going to get rid of Pastor Enis. That didn't bother me because I know the Bible says it is appointed unto man once to die. So, we're all going to leave here. I wasn't intimidated about that.
What I'm trying to get across to you, it's risky when you get involved in community and communities such as the city of Millville. We had a shooting a few days ago right in the broad daylight. Man got shot. Who ever thought
that that would happen in the city of Milville? I remember I told Jim Quinn in 2005. I says, "Jim, I had a bad dream that Milville became a a baby Camden City." And I'll never forget it. Jim fell back in his chair and he laughed.
He laughed because he could not even begin to comprehend that that could happen to Milville. Well, it's happened. Getting back to my point, for those of you who are running, please, this is not a game, as most of
you know. It's not a place where you come to to bicker and argue and to represent particular political parties. You come because there are 30,000 residents in this city that need representation
and they're looking to a city government that can represent and present something that makes sense. I'm asking you to begin to think about this election day is coming. Somebody's gonna win and somebody's gonna lose. I
want you to really do an introspect. Think about why am I running? Can I make progress? And where do I fit in? Those are the three things that I want you to consider because even though when I ran, Joe was
part of the commission. Yeah, it got muddy. But you know what? As I look back, we made progress. Every time I ride down Cedar Street, I think about all of the brand new infrastructure that's under Cedar Street, the new paving of Cedar Street. We made progress. When I think about the
construction of 15th Street, that new facility, that's progress. When I think about the inspection annually of all of the hydrants in the city of Millville, that came under my tenure. That's progress.
You want to make progress when you're elected because if you sit in a seat for four years and then that seat expires and you look back and all we've been known for is the bickering and arguing. It it makes us look bad. I can tell you
uh I got one minute left. I was just the other day someone came into my my presence and said, "You know what? What's happening in Melville?" And I'm I'm begging you, those of you who are running, it's making us all look bad.
The hate for words and you arguing and bickering, it it's stuff that children would do. It's not the time to do that because if we do that, we're going to lose this city. As sure as you're born, we're going to lose it because there's
an element out there that actually capitalizes off of this type of government that's divided. When we're divided, we can't work together. And I don't care whether you're a Republican. I don't care whether you're a Democrat. I don't care whether you're an independent. The day is long gone when
we can just work sporadically apart from each other. We have to come together to make this city live again. If we do not do that, you're going to see more and more and more of what you seen in this city a few days ago. It's ripe for it.
And if we don't act quickly, it's bad when the outside looks inside and the inside looks just as combative as the outside. There's got to be a standard. We've got to raise a standard in this city that
says we're going to do it better. Thank you very much. [Applause] Wow, that's hard to follow. Thank you, pastor. Um, it's David Nosera
again. Uh, I wanted to address the the u the engineers about you were talking about the money for four seasons. Uh, very little left to do. Uh I live on Morton Street as I mentioned before and
my side my my curb and my uh sidewalk is very bad and nobody addressed that at all. As a matter of fact, Frankfurt was also not on your list. I Don is here. You know, oh you have you
had on the checklist. My house was on that at 44 Wharton. Yet they came, they left, and Are they finished doing the work for all the repairs on the on the sidewalks? >> What's that? >> Oh, so that's on the older phase. Okay.
Well, that's just >> is that being >> engineering, please? Can you please step to the other microphone to answer the public? >> So then that's something else. >> Wayne, can you move up to the other microphone and answer the public, please, so we can record it properly? >> I apologize you couldn't hear me. I I
think you're in the older phase, phase 2C, and that was prior to my time here at the city. Um, if you have an issue, you send us a an email. We'll look at it. I don't think there's anything we could do under this bond for that, but
be glad to to look at it for you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And if if I may, I mean, everybody here had such, you know, detailed concerns. if you could email me and Michelle all your concerns, we can, you know, look at
them and reassess them as part of our ongoing effort to, you know, finalize this part of the project. Um, I'm not sure I should have asked that, but please send them. Thank you. >> Hi, I want to thank uh Tom McGinty. Um,
I want to thank Mayor Suie for cleaning up the the clean team. I had didn't really know, you know, what that was and now that it's part of urban, you know, I I get it and that's a that's a great thing. >> Um,
with regard to uh some of the issues that you've had out at Four Seasons, just real quickly, thank you engineering um for doing that in-depth look at that. Uh, I'm sure the residents out there appreciate it. Um,
I'm sure you been out there three times and looked over things a bunch of times, had to go there uh repeatedly. Um, a a reputable contractor should had it done in one time. And my question was at
the time and I had to wait till now is is there a way that you can go after them for administrative cost recovery for the time of engineering spent going out there to re-evaluate, reinspect, and evaluate for the time they spent to
bring this presentation for four seasons tonight. um their time's valuable and uh I feel that, you know, it's worth something for the contractor to have to pay for their
time. When people bring plans before us, they get evaluated, they get checked out, and then they get a bill. So, um, if administrative cost recovery can be considered, uh, I think it'd be a thing of beauty and, um, it might be a
deterrent for future, uh, foot dragging and, you know, shoddy workmanship. Um, I got I don't want to sound like I'm advertising at a p public meeting. I'm also one of the candidates that's running. I just found out tonight that I
have to have some extra signatures. So, if you want to see me after sign one of my petitions, I'd appreciate it because every time I go to get one signed, I sit for a couple hours and people want to feed me and talk and took me forever to get 50, let alone, you know, and I got two days to get 75, which would be no
problem, but I'd appreciate it. Just seems like it's good thing to ask right now. Um, my last thing, I don't want to try to push an agenda or anything, and I'm not I'm not also trying to pat myself on the back or
propose something to make myself look good. Um, uh, I spoke to Mayor Suie. We kind of like >> Tom, I appreciate it, but I'm not the mayor. That'd be Mr. R >> or uh not Mayor Suie, Commissioner Suie.
And um uh a while back I talked an idea came to my head about getting a uh a golf cart type device to you know a large one to uh shuttle people from the parking at the library at the parking
lots on Buck Street and so forth and so on. Um I've talked to uh various um business people throughout the community. Um, I'm not going to name them, but they all have businesses on High Street and some
other areas. And they thought it was a great idea and they thought that, you know, it wouldn't be hard to get contributions from people to get that ball rolling. Um, my thinking
is the police could use it uh at times when it's not being used for um shuttling public around to public events and making them feel more comfortable and so the older people like me with bad knees don't have to walk up the hill on
High Street. I've also offered to drive the thing as a volunteer if that's allowed. you know, at the same time while you're driving around, um, people complain about the people that are panhandling. People are complaining about people in
the parking lots. People complain that they don't feel safe. Um, I spent 20 years observing a lot of things. It wouldn't be anything to observe what's going on in the parking lots when I'm not doing, you know, a run up high
street. you know, ride around a lot, sit out there and look around while things are going on and nobody's moving and it'll be a deterrent for breaking the cars, people roaming around looking for,
you know, something nefarious to do. Something as simple as a radio and a pair of eyes might prevent, you know, a problem. Um, and you know, I'm sure there are other people like me that would be willing to help out with that
because I've heard way too much, I don't feel safe on High Street. I don't feel safe anywhere. As a proposed commissioner, I think that everybody in this city needs to feel safe. That's the only way we're going to turn this around. It's the only way we're going to get pride in the city.
It's got to happen. This might be one small tool to get it done. >> Thank you, Mr. McGinty. Thank you, Mr. Gizzy. >> Good evening. My name is Jim Canubal. I live at 41 Dipman Street, Four Seasons.
I want to take this moment to thank the engineers. They put a lot of work into what they did tonight. Uh it it it took a lot of time and effort to and walking around to see what went on and put that in a report. So I want to thank you. I believe that validated your vote tonight
on the bond. I really do. So I want to take this time to thank them because I don't think they get the credit for having done all that work uh at our place. and on behalf of my wife and all the Four Seasons residents, thank you
and thank the uh commissioners for their vote tonight. Thank you. >> Um good evening. My name is Tenia Taborn. I live at 310D Street. Um I am the owner and operator of Paint Drop Produce, a small business I launched
right here in Millville. I'm here tonight to introduce myself and share a bit about the work we're doing and ask for your partnership and support, not just financially, but as a community. I'm a mother, grandmother, and great-g grandandmother. A longtime resident of New Jersey, deeply committed to the
well-being of my family and my community. My background includes wellness, food systems, entrepreneurship, and most of all, finding creative ways to turn hardship into hope. This stand comes to life because I saw a real need. I personally had a hard time myself getting fruits
and vegetables. Families with limited access to fresh produce, seniors struggling to make it to the store, parents trying to find healthier options for their children, and too many of us living in areas where quality food is hard to come by. Paintrop is more than
just a produce stand. It's a community food access project. We launched July 5th. And although we started strong, like many small businesses, we've already seen how quickly momentum can shift. That's why I'm here to connect with this body early and let you know
that we're trying what we're trying to build. We currently offer fresh affordable farm fresh affordable fruits and vegetables, a mobile popup at locations like churches and community centers, nutrition conscious options for low-income families, and and soon we'll
be accepting EBT as well. Um, this isn't just about selling produce. It's about reducing food waste, keeping our dollars circulating locally, supporting public health, and making Millville a model for food access and innovation. We want to partner with local schools, senior
programs, churches to meet people where they are, and keep food access constant, consistent, especially for those who need it most. Um, I'm not here tonight to ask for a handout. I'm here to ask for a hand up. help identifying resources like micro
grants or community development funds. Introductions to organizations or city departments that can help us expand our reach. Support for popup popup locations, churches, health fairs, and food distribution events. And in time, perhaps an endorsement um when we're
applying for funding. We already feeding families, but your support can help us feed many more and do it with dignity, consistency, and love. We're located at 622 North High Street in front of Solar the Sea and um we thank you again for
your time and attention and this is just the beginning. I'd love a chance to speak with anyone after the meeting over coffee or to continue this conversation and I brought a brief handout about paint drop to include in my contact information and a few ways you can help us. Um thank you um for welcoming me and
for everything you do in this community. And um before I go, I want to acknowledge something very real that's been on my heart. In the last few weeks, I witnessed two shootings. We're sitting in the front at the front of um Soul of the Sea across from Family Dollar on one
side across from the liquor store. Somebody was shooting and we actually saw the shooters run right across in front of us. Uh last week we saw the shooting that the pastor was talking about. We were like right there. Um it's paralyzing to witness something like this, you know. Um,
we believe we need to redirect that energy into something powerful and positive for our youth. And that's why we're working on launching a second initiative initiative, paintball forever, a safe, structured outdoor paintball and recreation program designed to lower gun violence, give
young people a safe outlet, and teach teamwork, discipline, and peace building. We believe that with paint drop feeding the community and paintball giving youth new options, we can help shift and narrate and a narrative in Millville from survival to strength. So
again, thank you for hearing from me and I look forward to working together on all that's good and still possible. [Applause] Hi, I'm Regina Cece. I live at 308 D Street
and I have prepared something to read. Good evening everyone and thank you for allowing me a chance to speak. My name is Regina. I'm the COO of Paint Drop and Paintball Forever. But more than that, um I'm a mother, a daughter, and a community member who loves this city.
And like so many of you, I've seen too much, too much violence. Too many young people carrying a fear that they should never have to carry. Just a few weeks ago, we did witness two shootings right in front of the produce stand. Um, it was less than a block away. We heard everything happen. I heard people
screaming. We saw people trying to attack the police cuz they were just upset. And I commend the police because they actually did a great job with crowd control. They understood people's pain. Um, why Paintball Forever? This is what we're here to do. We're bringing
paintball forever here. It's a state a safe structured place to get adrenaline out, a team instead of a gang, leadership, training and jobs, and most importantly, a sense of belonging and purpose. The main property we are working on is in Bridgeton. We've already been networking with the school
districts and the police there, but we just moved into Milville and this is our home now. So, we're here tonight because we want to invest our energy here as well. Um, to bring that vision into focus, we're planning an event this Halloween season. Think of it as a lowcost, family-friendly way to give
kids a safe celebration and also an introduction to what Paintball Forever is about. We're fortunate that Sam, the owner of Soul of the Sea, is donating his property for us to host it. And we're also excited to have Kelly from DJ Academy helping us bring music and energy. Um, this event is bigger than
just Millville. It's for Cland County as a whole. But even if it were only Milville, it would still be big. That's why we're asking for city support to help us organize, promote, and make it a safe, successful community event. What we need to make this happen is partnership with the city for logistics
and promotion, sponsors, vendors, volunteers to help build long-term support as we grow Paintball Forever into a permanent program. At the end of the day, it's about changing the culture. When we have kids safe place, when we have safe places for kids, they're less likely to be victims or
perpetrators of violence. When families see joy in their community, they regain trust. And when we show up, not just at funerals, but at festivals, we reclaim our neighborhoods from fear. This Halloween, we're not just planning an event. We're planning hope. We're not just talking about play. We're creating purpose. And with your support, we can
do this not just for Mil for Millville, but for Rich and Cumberland County and all of our kids. Um, thank you for your time. Thank you for standing with us. And I'd love to connect with anyone who wants to hear more about our business. [Applause]
Hello, Steve Solaf from Vinand. For anybody who doesn't already know, I run the website informthevenj.com, which is just designed to help people learn about the candidates who are running before they walk into the ballot booth so that they have some kind of
idea of what they're voting for. Um, I just wanted to extend the invitation to people who are not running, either incumbents who might be able to provide extra insight or anybody in the community who's involved and might want
to just help build the base of knowledge for the community. And uh second thing was just wondering why certain candidates are scrambling for extra signatures at the last moment. If there's any uh
clarification on that. Thanks. Oh, okay. This is going to be interesting. I can't stand on my foot this time. Uh Greg Kier, um Milville, New Jersey. Come on. Sorry. I just wanted to get up to actually this is a rarity I think in New Jersey
actually to see a city commission that stands up to a major developer. So I kind of want to give you guys like props. Like I really think that like if a company like Ryan Holmes comes in and wants to develop something, they should
be paying for the cost, not the taxpayers that don't live there. But that's my own personal opinion. Um, so I think it's really awesome that you guys kind of fought a developer. It doesn't happen often in New Jersey. I mean, I drive through Vineland. You can see it there. That's the proof in the pudding.
Um, second thing I want to say is actually oddly positive for Millville, too. And it kind of piggybacks on what Commissioner Andis was saying. And I don't know, I I heard we were talking about like bringing in the positivity and seeing Milville in a more positive light. And maybe it's because I have a
different perspective because of circumstance, but I work downtown at my job and um like I use a wheelchair and crutches and I walk downtown at night because we have events often downtown at
the RCA and the uh Rowan uh center for the Clay College building. And I work to walk to work every day right down here from city hall. And I don't know, I've just never been bothered. I mean, I see it. I know there's a problem in Noville.
It needs to be addressed, but I it feels bigger and more societal than just a quick fix. So, I think maybe if because an election's coming up, the next commission can think about those bigger social things that go into what creates these problems. Be it education, be it
poverty, be it something as easy as code enforcement, it goes a long way. So that's all. [Applause] >> Good evening, Commissioner. Robert Mcuade, former Milville city
commissioner for 22 and also a candidate this year, too. Um, this the incident that happened on High Street probably was something that would have never been able to stop anyway with police on the street or not. was something that I understood that was
a drive by shooting basically. So that's kind of hard. But when I we patrolled, we did have a lot of uniform presence out on the street when Chief Harvey was there on High Street. Folk patrol and bike patrol, they see a lot. They smell a lot. Um and you know, moving things
forward. Um that would that would help. Although there, as Commissioner Kurt Uitt said, there isn't enough funding for that. So hopefully we can find that in the future. Second of all, there is, as Commissioner Ennis had said, and I asked him if he would run again, but he said he won't because there's just too
much controversy with the commission. It was funny when I was there with this commission besides Kasamoon, and Watson. I was with Kirk, Lisa Ordorf, Mayor Romanik, and Suie. We did not have any arguments, no
controversy, no nothing going on. We 100% worked together. And you can ask Suie and he can guarantee he'll tell you the truth. Everything works smoothly. We got that factory tore down. We've got I worked with code enforcement even though it was under Lisa and we removed people
squatters basically at 808 um Third Street. There was a lot of people living in there and selling drugs that got sold. Got Sheriff Augustino involved with a lot of the properties and we got those properties removed. Um Atlantic Electric was making deals with the people to keep the electric on it. the
city itself was making deals on keeping the water on for squatters who were illegally living in properties. These are issues that need to be resolved and I hope that gets resolved in the next commission because I I I think this commission is a lot of controversy now
since I left. I mean that's why Lisa's gone because of controversies. I know two commissioners that argue and fight because one didn't get promoted to one job so he left and went to another job and blamed another commission and that was told to me when we were running. So
I think this whole thing has been a bandanna and and you're going to get mad at me. I don't care anymore. I'm sick and tired of the way this city is run and the way it acts. It's like the people here were just ponds and you just do what you want now and you're arguing
with your own little agenda and it's getting sickening. I'm tired of it. I sat back and watched and watched and watched. So people, when you vote this November, you need to vote for somebody that cares about the city. Myself, I care. I go out, I pick up televisions
for people. We clean up areas. And I go back to caring about the city since 1971 when I was hit by a Millville fire truck and had both legs broken. Okay. I'm also a product of the schoolboard system where I was on special ed and I was in these classes that didn't think I was going to move anywhere because spelling,
reading, and mathematics were hard for me. But I achieved and had a tough mother and moved me forward. And I'm proud of that. So I feel that there is a lot of people out there. They're not saying vote for me, but there's a lot of people you need to go and check their backgrounds and look
them up. Make sure they got the right people in here that we're not going to have backroom arguments, which causes issues. And again, I go back with Dennis. He he mentioned those arguments in the background and I'm confirming those
arguments. It goes on from commission to commission. And arguing up here with people, we never did that on the school board. We may have had disagreements, but we never argued in front of the public. It doesn't look professional and it doesn't
look good for the public because it makes you look like an ass and it makes the people feel that you don't know what you're really doing. Thank you and have a good evening. >> Good evening, Tim Cardi. Um um Mr. Mayor, can I make a suggestion
and maybe Mr. Russell can look into it? I know it's public comment, but I believe that campaigning shouldn't be done during city commission meetings cuz we have how many people campaigning? They all get five minutes and I know the ladies and gentlemen and people watching don't want
to watch everybody campaign. Maybe somebody that's running could maybe set up a town hall meeting somewhere instead of taking up the city's time because I don't think it's fair for the other candidates the other candidates that are running that may not have a chance to come here
while other people are up here campaigning and yourself as commissioners shouldn't be campaigning up on a dis neither. So Mr. Russell, if you could, I'm asking as a member of the public, can you make can you look into the laws and see if we can prevent the
campaigning at public meetings and have them shift it elsewhere? Thank you. Now, on to what I was going to speak about. Uh, the leaf and brush pickup that's beginning on September 2nd, and I bring this up every time leaf and brush
pickups come, time comes. Um, is there a way to notify the public which are streets and roads are going to be in picking up >> especially look into that and get back to you >> because I've been told numerous times
from streets and roads that it's impossible which I don't understand how bigger municipalities can give their residents a heads a week's heads up or in advance so they can have their brush picked up.
I mean it would really help out especially since we're doing brush pickup once a week on one one time this round and leaves are until a certain date. Um also my second question is and I'm going to go back for I remember
when Mayor Shannon was mayor and I even asked this at a couple other meetings with prior commissions. Is it possible to attach the bills onto the agenda? Because this way we know what bills you guys are voting for and if we have questions on the bills, maybe we can
ask. It's only fair since it's our tax money that are paying for their spending and instead of me doing an Opra request or waiting till the minutes are approved and then it gets posted onto the
website. It would be nice if the public can see where our money is actually going and can question it before you guys vote on it. That's all I have. Thank you, >> Mary of Milville. One, I applaud the
commission for standing up to people that want to sit there and ask for astronomical fees for doing a job that I'm sorry, I wouldn't give a two-year-old the credit of of what
they've done. But it needless to say, this is one way we can send a message that can change the mindset of a lot of people.
This town is a town that cares. We bond together when there's been disasters. We bond together when there's been a tragedy. We've bonded together and came up with things like play streets,
popups, pal, boys and girls clubs. These are all things that can sit there and change. I applaud the fact that we managed to get
those that have decided to make dumb choices off the street so they can't do it again. I applaud that. That was quick. I've seen a lot. I've been here a lot.
I've been to these meetings more times than I've got fingers and toes. And I'm working on body parts now. And I'm glad to say that I'm going to continue to do it as long as I've got breath in me. I will stand side by side
with our law enforcement. I will stand side by side for this city. I'm originally from Newark and I've said it since I moved here. I'll be darn if I'm going to see this town turn out like
the town I was born in. where you call for help because you need it and you're literally told, "We'll make a list." But yet, let something simple as
somebody punch you. You got just about everybody and anybody under the sun at your doorstep. That's not the way to live. Yes, we can change our mindsets. Yes, maybe sometimes we need to look
back. I know the old cliche goes, you can't go back, but maybe we can look back at what was working, such as PAL, extend PAL, bring back the DARE program,
possibly take some of the officers, put them on bikes on real good days. You'd be surprised how much that helps. I know all the officers are basically community
officers, but take a few and designate them as community officers because I myself have seen a lot of these officers pull their cruisers over and go play basketball or volleyball with these kids. And that changes the outlook of
how they think and it makes a better person. Yes, we've all struggled. We still struggle. I don't care how young or how old you are, whether you have a job or or you're
not old enough to have a job. We all struggle. But if we work together and go back to the basics, yes, take care of what's in your own yard and expand whether my neighbors do or my neighbors
don't. And I'm not worrying about if they do or they don't, look out towards my property to make sure that nothing's going wrong. But I'll look out on theirs and I'll be proud to stand and say I've
done it. and I thank you. >> Seeing no one else, I will close public comment. Closing comments of commissioners. Commissioner Hwitt, go ahead. >> Uh, basically, thank you everybody for coming out. Shows you what happens when people do come to a meeting. There was a
lot decided tonight. I don't know if they were going to be voted on the way they were. Uh, that's what it takes is community involvement. With that, thank you folks for being out here and uh that's all. Mayor, >> thank you, Commissioner Hwitt. Commissioner Suie.
>> Sure. First of all, I'd like get to the young lady up there that spoke about the businesses. So, you may or may not be aware. We have UE grants, facade grants in the amount of $20,000 available for businesses. We also, the EDA just announced grants. That information is on
our website, okay? on the city website. We also have loans available for that. You can contact our administrator, Mr. Couchy. He'll set you in the right directions direction and that's through the uh Cumberland Empowerment Zone using uee money. Um and and to touch on
something that Mr. Kier said as well as Miss Messi said, so you're right. We should we should go back to the way things were. But there's a lot of things missing that we don't have anymore. Among those things that are missing or discipline in
the homes for kids. They don't get it. They go to school. They don't get disciplined. Teachers get told to pass them. They don't get thrown out. They'll go to alternative school. Sometimes my understanding they can still play sports. Ridiculous.
We have prosecutors that are more interested in social programs than in prosecuting criminals. There aren't serious enough offenses for things besides murder. And I can tell you that from personal experience when I had the individual come through my window and he was out of jail in 8
months in the middle of the night. We have attorney general that handcuffs our police. You'll see people ride. You know, it all starts with with basic stuff. You you'll see the the people riding down the streets with the four-wheelers and the
cops are told they can't chase them. They can't pursue them, but run into one of them. See what happens, right? So, you have that. You have bail reform. So, you're going to arrest them. You know, we did the park ordinance. We pass an ordinance so you can't camp camp
in the park. Let's say we go arrest them. We take them to city hall. We prosecute them or process them. What do you think happens? I don't know. >> They're not putting them in jail. They're letting them right out. Now, that's a lot of stuff. I could go on and on and on, but you know, one thing we we've been
working for and this commission has worked towards is economic opportunity through economic development. Not only on High Street with the projects out at the airport with CRP, you don't really see a lot of minor crimes like if I go to Cherry Hill, I don't see this kind of
stuff, right? If I go to Henfield, I sure don't see it. So, we have to give e economic opportunity to everybody. And that may h sound like a campaign speech to you, Mr. Cardi, but uh it's the truth. >> So,
you know, that that that's the kind of stuff that we have to work on that, you know, we can arrest the criminals. We can provide our police department with funding, which we have. They've been fully funded. Recruitment has been the problem. We can do all that, but until everybody
else starts doing their part, it doesn't work. And you do have an election in November. And I'm not talking about this local election. I'm talking about on the state level. Think very carefully. Look at your candidates. Look at what you think will happen when you elect
whatever candidate you decide to elect. That goes for the state. It goes for the county. You know, there's a resolution on the county agenda to make a new authority with taxing power so that we can have a shared services agreement with Camden County for some
kind of re-entry thing. I don't know. I didn't get into it all the way, but I can tell you another tax isn't going to solve the problem. I don't know why we couldn't build a county jail. We started to and we stopped. So, look into all that when you make your decisions. Good luck with the new
business. Appreciate it. And with that progress, >> thank you, Commissioner Silly. Commissioner Kasoon. >> Well, I don't want to sound like I am, but I had this from this morning and I just felt the need to address our community with the concerns brought to
me about what happened last week. It yes, another senseless shooting and death in Millville. But I want everyone in this city to know this commission does not tolerate this type of behavior and we are all equally concerned about what occurred. Nothing matters more to
me and the rest of this board than the safety of our youth and citizens and party lines are not working here. Everyone is working together to find solutions for the many problems mobile is having. But I also want to remind you
as a community, we are a community. Don't govern on Facebook. Please, if you're upset about something that has occurred, call, ask about it. find out what is the role, what is the law, and if we don't know the answer, we
will get back to you. Another thing is look for community events where you can volunteer such as clean communities, your streets, etc. This is a terrific way to meet your neighbors. Please remember, we did not get this way overnight and we're not
going to fix it overnight. A community working can together can achieve change. And if there's anything I've seen in the past few months, Milville is resilient and I've seen our town come together in many positive ways. So, I'll end this
with a quote, but first I want to say thank you to Four Seasons for coming out and the engineering department. Great job. You have taught me so much. Thank you, Michelle. Um, the most important thing is to keep going. Thank you. That's all I have.
>> Thank you, Commissioner Kasibu. Vice Mayor Watson. for S SOA negotiations. Uh that's been ongoing, you know, for quite some time. Yes. But, you know, we're hopefully towards the end. September 11th is our next negotiation meeting. Uh yes, for those that requested
petitions, the number is 75. Um there was a count 50 60 for most. So, be sure to grab your petitions and get more signatures. Uh an email was sent out to all of those that have requested them um you know, for updates. um you know partial responsibility
um you know for the the mishap is you know this year we were short-handed in clerk's office you know and I I could take responsibility for that you it was my department at that time u so the number if anybody heard something different I believe it was 50 you know fault goes to me so if you have anybody to uh blame
uh for Susan Conez uh as the mayor stated um again best wishes to her as she moves on um I know she looks forward to retirement. Uh, thank you for everything that you've taught me, the time that you spent with me. I know you needed a lot
of patience as I asked a lot of the same questions. Um, so best wishes to Susan for for disagreement in the commission. I mean, I don't think it's progress to fall in line and do what another commissioner says or to smile in front
of the public. You know, that's not commission. That's not progress to me. I think progress is actually having debates and having discussions and have differences of opinions and at the end of that you can still shake that person's hand and appreciate you know their opinion. So you that's where I stand on that and that's what this kind
of commission is supposed to be for. So with that thank you all for coming again. Thank you for engineering department. Thank you water and sewer for all your updates on sewer for having me down there to to do the pilot study and check out um you know the project going on out back for the clarifier. And
uh thank you to all the commission. uh you know, a lot of things get caught up and I think that we all try to do the best that we can with the time given and uh I learned a lot from all of you. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Vice Mayor Watson. Uh Tim, yeah, I agree it's a public meeting. I don't like campaigning at a public
meeting. If you want to campaign, go to town hall, quote unquote. Um I will say this that the I believe the chamber, the local chamber of commerce is looking to have an open forum of candidates. It was being talked about. Um and that'll be the place to do it. I mean, I don't know if there's any ordinance or I can just
say I don't want you to campaign in at during a city meeting where we have city business to discuss where concerned citizens and residents in the city of Milville have an obligation to convey their concerns and not for you to campaign. If they want to know about you, they'll get in contact with you.
There's 27,500 residents in the city and about 10,000 are registered to vote and about 3,000 actually vote. So they'll find you who you are that are campaigning golf cart idea. Uh Vinland spent over $40,000 on a police utility vehicle
that's basically a car that's electric. And the first time they used it, Mr. McGinty, was National Night Out and they've never used it since. Um so the from the deputy chief, Picado, Paciato Picado, I believe. Um Pacidto. Thank you. um you know, Vinlands and their
their last names. Uh but uh you know, he uh rolled his eyes with that uh investment that the police department made. Um so we'll think long and hard about that. >> Mary, thank you. You come here even when you're sick and
you always say the right things. We might not not always agree, but in the end, you know, most of my notes when everybody speaks, you know, especially today, go Mary. Thank you, Mary. Greg, I hope you're doing all right. I
see you. Um, hope everything's all right. And and you're right. Most municipalities don't go after big business. Don't put the foot down and hold their feet to the fire and say, "Hey, this isn't right. This is what we're going to do." We listen. And truthfully, we're in a rock between a
hard place. Um, but as Commissioner Suie said, you know, I have faith in the engineering department. I have faith in our uh our solicitor that, you know, what does come of this, you know, will be right in the end. Um, so thank you,
Greg. New business. Um, I couldn't hear your names. You speak very quiet and politely, but I appreciate you coming here. I know it takes a lot of courage. Um, I did get your address down so the CI know exactly where that is. Um, uh, I'll be sure to stop by and just say
hello. But as Commissioner Suie says, you know, we do have a lot of grants available. Please do contact the business administrator, Mr. Couchy. Um, and you already missed CBDG grants, but please do apply for them for next year as that can help as well.
every Friday. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Mayor. Before you adjourn, I'd like to ask the commission something. >> 1 to 7. Yes. >> Go ahead, Commissioner Z. >> Yeah, I meant to ask it when we voted on the uh cannabis resolution, but I think
um now that the resolution is passed and we have an application for the retail sale that we should start handing that out, getting it filled out. We have 20 days before the ordinance actually takes effect so we can begin renewing them if can have a consensus for that. >> Correct.
>> Yeah. There's no problem with handing the the application process we have out before the ordinance takes effect. >> Yeah, you can do it. I mean obviously they can't get a permit until the the it becomes a permitted use. >> Correct. Okay. >> I agree. >> Okay.
>> Thank you. I mean, when I know the Four Seasons was going to show up, you know, for and but thank you for the public. I asked for it, you know, two weeks ago. I said, you know, I appreciate all these seats being filled. You know, I put the chief on a hot seat with how many people we could fit in here, but uh we're still
under capacity and I like the new businesses coming up and saying, "Hey, this is who we are. This is what we want to be. This is how we want to help." You all are here to help the city that you live in and that city is Mil New Jersey. And I appreciate each and every one of you being here. I appreciate each and every one of your comments. I hope that
you all have a great night and enjoy the weekend. See you September 2nd. >> Motion for a German.