You move on to read item four, please. >> In accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, it is hereby announced and shall be entered into the minutes of this meeting that adequate notice has been provided by the following. One, posted on the bulletin board within the municipal building on December 26, 2025,
and remains posted at that location for public inspection. Two, printed in the Home News Tribune and the Cranberry Press on December 26, 2025. Three, posted on the Monroe Township website. And four, sent to those individuals who have requested personal notice. In
accordance with chapter 3, section 17 of the Monroe Township Code, public comment shall be limited to five minutes unless further time is granted by the council president. >> Thank you. Moving on to item five, we have a few proclamations and a presentation this evening. Our
proclamations of Flag Day, June 14th, 2026, and celebrated Frank L. Cadella's 100th birthday on June 6, 2026. This evening, our presentation is recognizing the 2026 Mayor's Youth Advisory
Committee. I'm going to ask Mayor Delina and Kyle Johannes to join me at the podium. Kyle will be hold leading our presentation this evening as the adviser to our youth advisory council. And students, as you come up, we're going to ask you to come stand here
after you get your presentation. and we will take a 5minut break after the presentation for pictures. >> It's a big moment I get to speak at a council meeting. Um so as council president Seagull said I am the uh
coordinator for the mayor's youth advisory council. Um so each year council president and I select 16 students from a highly competitive pool of over 300 applicants we have to serve on Mayor Delena's youth advisory council. Um, so throughout the year students meet monthly with council
president Seagull and I to learn about the inner workings of the township and the local government and directly engage with township uh leaders and departments. So every year we select new uh department heads for the students to uh learn from. So we had Carolyn Bara from the recycling center, uh Christine
Robbins and Tanya Ponucci from the clerk's office who stopped around. Um Emily Mazone and Mia Riser from the library, Kevin McGawan, our business administrator, and of course Mayor Delena. Um, so these guest speakers provide students with a unique opportunity to ask questions uh and gain firsthand insight to the many services
local government provides. Um, as part of their term, students also um are expected to complete a final project. So, in celebration of America 250, Mayor's Youth Advisory is partnering with the Historic Preservation Commission to host a bit of a history fair uh this Sunday at the Dy Farm site
from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Uh students have conducted extensive research on a wide range of topics highlighting Monert Township's important role in the founding and development of our nation. Um so, we encourage all residents to stop by this Sunday and support all the great students work. And tonight in lie
of that we recognize these students for their dedication, hard work and commitment to public service. And uh please note with final exams underway we couldn't have all the students uh able to attend but we hope to see everyone at the die farm on Sunday. So I will uh
hand the certificates over to the mayor and we'll we'll read some names. >> Perfect. >> All right. So our our first first student is Alexandria Picio. Uh, Aiden Moody, Venita Canala,
Samuel Layman Bella Shriafa, Arnav, Japuti. Mahi Patel Hawaii Deru Diamodi Aditi Armanoth, Annayia Cody, Cherella, Nihal Sen.
Kava ka makala Laurenro anvi Kumar and Aravkumar, a DT just getting a certificate. A DT arman of applause. So, we're going to take a five minute
recess so we can take some pictures to item six. Clerk, can you please read item six? Resolutions for consideration under the consent agenda at the June 3rd, 2026 regular meeting R6 2026 1111
through R6 2026 123. >> Thank you. Council members, please review the resolutions. Does anyone have any resolutions to be removed? >> No. >> Okay, great. Thank you. Moving on to our
public comments. Limited to agenda items only. Five minutes per speaker. May I have a motion to open? >> Second, please. >> All in favor? >> Any opposed? >> Agenda items only for this public comment section. Five minutes per
speaker. Please state your name and address for the record. Praash 33 day drive. Uh good evening, President Seagull and council members. Uh I'm in support of um these
resolutions, but I have some questions. R 6206120 about uh 2,395,000 for indoor sports facility adjust uh new sports facility. um what we are
going to use this means what is the sports facility we are going to design I mean support of it but want details because R62026121 architecture engineering cost is 87,500 so what is the total cost and why we are
paying 87,500 for architecture engineering consultant so like to know the details Please. >> Sure. Council President. So, um, this was a a project that we talked about at length back in 2024 when the council,
just to remind the council, when the council put the uh the funding in place for this, this is going to be a uh a multi-use um 80 by 100 uh building at James Monroe Park. Uh it doesn't replace any of the
fields or any of the other amenities over there. It's in a different spot of James Monroe Park. Uh it will be uh designed uh with with indoor turf um with indoor turf inside and it will be available and to use for multiple township recreation programs. It's not a
commercial facility. Uh it is for our township uh recreation programs. Uh obviously baseball being right there, they will get uh priority scheduling and and and likely the majority of the use as uh batting cages uh will be uh
>> total cost please because I have only five minutes so sorry for that. >> Sure. >> Um so the total cost is uh about $3.2 million with soft cost and hard cost. And I can explain that if you'd like. Why we are paying 87,500
for the 2 3.2 million budget entire thing is 3.2 million. Why we are paying 87,500 for consultation and engineering? This is a regular way or this all you know that's I'm questioning. >> Sure council president. Last year we put
a resolution on for the engineering design and bidding phase of this project. This 87500 is for our engineers at H2M Engineering to uh conduct the construction management and inspection as the building is being constructed. That's very common. Uh it's what we do
in all of our construction projects here in town. It's what every town does for all of their construction projects. So we put the money in place last year for the engineering and design and this year we are authorizing the construction management. >> It is about 5% less. So this is normal. Looks like >> it is very normal. Absolutely. Thank you
very much, sir. >> Good evening. Bob Valentine, 68 Union Valley Road. I just want to follow up on on this topic a little bit and ask a couple of questions. Um, how much could you tell me how much we paid for phase one with the work on the bidding that was referenced in the resolution?
>> Yes. Sorry, bear with me one moment. If you have other questions, >> I'll ask another I'll ask another question while you're doing that. Um, try to understand a little bit. I have to educate probably a little bit, but I assume the people doing the construction have a construction manager who's overseeing the project. He oversees the
subs and does all that work. So when you talk about construction management paying this firm like I understand the u permits and making sure that things are built to to town codes and inspection. I'm having a little trouble with the management part of it because I assume we're paying for that but the construction company. So maybe you can
help me understand that a little better. >> Well so the council president sorry uh and it's it was about 160,000 for the engineering and design and then 87,500 for uh the construction management. Construction managers represent the township, right? These are who we hire
to inspect the project as it's being completed to make sure that it's being done to the specifications, to make sure it's being done to code, to make sure that it's uh happening on time and on budget. So, while a contractor will have their own project manager, of course, um the the construction management firm uh
works for the township and represents the township in making sure that this gets done correctly. Like I said, incredibly common in these projects. >> Yeah. That person will meet periodically with the construction company and talk about how things are going and honestly >> on a weekly basis. Absolutely. Yes. >> So, how many hours did you buy for $87,000? How many hours of time did you
buy? >> It's not it's not broken out hourly. >> No, just flat fee. >> It's a flat fee. Correct. >> It's a flat fee, but you >> Well, I'm sorry. I shouldn't say that. It's not that it's not invoiced hourly, but that that 87,500 is not based on a particular number of hours that are that
are estimated. So if the project runs over um and the council feels that it's legitimate reasons that it runs over and we need additional money for construction management, we'd have to come back here to the council. >> So how do you evaluate that in terms that in terms of the hours? I like I'll take the opposite. Let's
things go really go smoothly, goes well, it's done very quickly. Yeah. >> How do you know that maybe you should be how do you know what the final number you end up paying? Maybe it should be $50,000. So, you know, we receive a proposal council president based on, you know, the industry standards of a project of this size. Uh, and based on the project of this size, that's how
those estimates are calculated. We could be a little bit under, we could be a little bit over and need to come back. Obviously, if the project gets done and there's not $87,000 worth of work, then that's not what we're paying. But this authorizes the council to give us a contract for this manager not to exceed
87,500. >> So, just bear with me just to again, I'm just trying to understand. So how you make that evaluation just educate me a little bit like how do you know that the value you're going to end up agreeing to you're com how do you get com comfortable with that based on the the project being completed successfully is there other things you're looking at
>> project being completed successfully that's the goal line >> so budget and within on time they're going to get $87,000 >> correct thank Thank you. You're welcome. >> Councilman, five kilow. Um, council president,
not to beat up on this same issue over and over again, um, uh, Pelpro, is this, uh, a state approved contractor? What, what do we know, uh, about this person or about this company,
>> Mr. May? >> Council President, this company is the lowest qualified bidder out of 12 biders. So um they are uh fully qualified uh to do the project. They've worked with our construction manager on
other projects in other parts of the state successfully and on time and on budget. And so they have all the proper state lensers and accreditations. They will proceed to hire their subcontractors per the bid and we're confident that they'll be able to get the job done. My council president, my
concern here is we've gone through this exercise with the police um department. Uh very small expansion, 1,600 ft or something like that. Not not a large amount. Uh
and here we are years later, not complete, unpaved. Um leaks in the roof. um no recourse from the problems that came up from either the architects or
the engineers. Uh we haven't recovered any of that money yet that I'm aware of that's come up in the meetings. Um I just don't want to see us fall down in that same hole again. And I'm not
comfortable uh with the information we have here is what protections we have in place. uh if if this for whatever reason um this contractor declares bankruptcy and walks away like we had happened with
the police department. So, could someone tell me how we're how we are going to be protected in in this quite large, you know, $3 million that the township is spending. It's not
chump change. >> Council president, I can speak a little bit to that and if if Mark has anything to add sort of generally on on the process. Um, so there's no question that the contractor at the police department did not fulfill their role. That's why we terminated that contract. We didn't
take that lightly. It took a while to get to that point. Uh we were trying to work with that contractor to get this done. Uh ultimately we had to make the right decision for the residents and ultimately move on from that particular contractor. It's an unfortunate situation in terms of the recourse of
that. Um that contractor like this one has to post a bond. Uh the bond company at the police department has now and it's taken several months, but they have now um negotiated with a new general contractor to come in at the expense of
the bond company to finish the project at the police department. Now, that's not ideal, but at least it's not additional funds out of the township's pocket. Um, so that's happening starting in the next couple of weeks and we're hopeful that between the summer and the early fall, uh, the new general
contractor will be able to, uh, to finish the job. This project would go through the same would have the same, um, legal protections. I'm not suggesting that they're perfect, but this contractor has to post a bond. This contractor is subject to daily and weekly reviews by our construction
manager. Um and ultimately um if they are not performing uh then we take the legal steps that are available to any municipality. Uh Mark I don't know if there's any sort of generally council president I was just going to give the update that you did on the police station uh that that is moving forward
with the bond company and and and the bond is our protection. I mean George you're in the industry you understand that um you know they have to post a bond upfront. Um we don't have a crystal ball before a project is awarded. You can all you can do is you can review
their resumes, review all the information if they're if that's why we say they're the lowest qualified bidder uh when we award because they meet all the qualifications required by the state and they have the bonding in order, they have the experience in order and and the
advantage we have on this project is our construction manager and and design engineer has worked with this contractor before and has completed projects with this contractor. Um, so a little bit different from the police station where we didn't have experience with that contractor. So I'm I'm I'm fairly
confident with this one going in um as the construction manager has already worked with this contractor. Lastly, I'd like to ask if if we've collected anything from the um errors and omissions insurance that either the
the architects or the engineers had uh in the police project or police station project. >> We have not >> a lot of errors, a lot of omissions. Thank you. Any other members of the public wishing to speak? Seeing none, may I have a
motion to close? >> Motion. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> Any opposed? All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Thank you. Moving on to item eight, meeting adjournment. May I have a motion to adjurnn? May I have a second? >> Second. >> Roll call, please.
>> Councilwoman Cohen, yes. >> Councilman Depiro, >> yes. Councilman Vanzora, Council Vice President Markell, Council President Seagull. >> Yes. >> The time is 6:56. >> Great. Thank you. Moving on to our regular meeting. May I have a motion to
open? >> May I have a second, please? >> Second. >> Clerk, roll call, please. >> Councilwoman Cohen. Councilman Depiro, >> yes. >> Councilman Vanzora, >> Council Vice President Markell, >> Council President Seagull, >> yes.
>> Thank you. Moving on to item two, motion to approve the payment of claims per run date May 28th, 2026. May I have a motion? Thank you. May I have a second? >> Clerk, roll call, please. >> Councilwoman Cohen, >> Councilman Diapro,
>> Councilman Vanzora, >> yes. >> Council Vice President Markell. >> Council President Seagull, >> yes. >> Motion carries. >> Thank you. Approval of the minutes. May I have a motion to approve the minutes of the following meetings as written and presented? May 4th, 2026 agenda and
regular combined meeting. Thank you. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Councilwoman Cohen, >> yes. >> Councilman Dapiro, >> yes. >> Councilman Vanzora, >> yes. >> Council Vice President Markell, >> Council President Seagull, >> yes. >> Motion Motion carries.
>> Thank you. Clerk, can you please read item four? >> Resolutions for consideration under the consent agenda. R6 2026 1111 through R6 2026123. >> Council President, >> if I may, um, can I just ask a couple
questions in reference to um the uh the what the public just brought to our attention. If we could just put a little um little clarity on how long is this contract good for? Um, and what are the
liquidated damages if the contractor would um not fulfill uh this contract obligation to the to the to to us? >> Mr. McGawan Council President, I believe the um the timetable or the end date of
the contract is uh the end of this year, the end of um 2026. Uh we hope that it doesn't take that long, but that is that is sort of the end deadline. Uh we're hopeful that it won't. Um I believe the default we're in the default liquidated
damages, uh which I think is $500 a day. Um and I can double check on that for you, Councilman. I don't have that in front of me. It's something that, you know, um, in the past, as some of our residents brought that to our attention, uh, we're
going through a situation at James Monroe Park right now that's been going on and on and on and I get constant questions on when's it going to be ready, when's it going to be done. So maybe maybe we post that when we uh put our website on what jobs we're doing, on
what the completion date would be. uh try to give a little insight on everybody like our paving we try to do everything before school starts stuff like that and I and I understand weather permitting and there are some situations um that our professionals uh are
requested from the contractor say listen there I can't get the materials or or whatever the case may be weather but uh it just might be a little bit more insight to give our residents to say here here's a 90-day contract or a contract that's for six months response
uh along those lines, you know. Thank you. >> Thank you. We're May I have a motion? >> Second, please. >> Second. >> Clerk, roll call, please. >> Councilwoman Cohen, >> Councilman Dapiro,
>> yes. >> Councilman Vanzora, >> yes. >> Council Vice President Markel, >> yes. >> Council President Seagull, >> yes. >> Motion carries. >> Thank you. Moving on to our administrator's report. Mr. McGowan. >> Thank you, Council President. I'll be very brief. Um, just wanted to update
the public. Uh, our our MTUD has had a series of complicated uh, water main breaks in the last several weeks, and I just want to thank uh, our utility director, Joe Stroin, and and all of his uh, staff for their outstanding professional work, often overnight,
often on holiday weekends um, to to repair and maintain our water system. Not an easy task. And, uh, and they do a wonderful job. Um, I wanted to mention, you know, we've received a number of questions over the last several weeks regarding AI data centers in Monroe. Uh,
the mayor is going to speak to this uh in more detail shortly during his report, but I just want to I just want to clarify that there are no data centers approved anywhere in the township and we have no applications for development of any data center uh down
in our planning and zoning office. and they're actually not they're not a permitted use uh specifically in any any of our zones in town. So, the mayor is going to provide uh more thoughts on that on behalf of the township, but I just wanted to to make that point. Uh and I want to thank the council for approving the new indoor recreck
facility at James Monroe Park. Uh the questions that we got from the public were were were well taken and and are absolutely essential. Questions from the councilman uh are very important as as we move through an expensive project like this. Uh this is being built mostly with grant funds from the state and from
the county which is which is helpful uh and a little bit of funds from from the municipality as well. So we appreciate the continued support by the council for all of our um our recreation programs. And speaking of recreation, it's a very big night for the McGawan family because
the Knicks are in the NBA finals for the first time in 27 years. And I didn't even plan the color scheme of our wire microphones. It's just the universe telling us that this is the year. Council President. So, thank you very much. >> Thank you, Mr. McGowan. Uh, moving on to
the engineers report. Mr. Razimoitz. >> Thank you, Council President. Uh, I have updates on uh several projects in town. Pickle ball courts and the parking lot at the senior center. Uh, the pickle ball courts will be uh surfacecoated and striped next week, weather permitting, and uh completion of the project in
about two weeks. James Monroe Park concession stand, the new electric service is being installed. We have about another week of electrical work and barring any additional delays, we anticipate completion of the project by the end of the month. Uh Lynx Drive,
Lynx Drive, uh that was an NJ DOT grant on that of um about $552,000. The concrete work on that project is complete. Um the milling and paving of the road uh needs to be done. We are holding off until school is out uh so
that the traffic is a little bit less out there so they can get that paving done. So that'll happen uh you know in the near future. Uh the 2026 road project concrete work on that project has started. Uh we have about 18 township roads that are getting
done. The milling and paving of that work will be uh in July and August uh over the summer. And let's see Prospect Plains Applegarth Road intersection. And that's a Middle Sex County project. There's a lot of work going on out there. Uh there's lane closures. Uh
please use caution. And the update I have from the county is they're working with JCPNL on utility pole relocations. There were some conflicts out there with some of the existing underground utilities and uh they're waiting on revised utility layouts from uh Jersey
Central Power and Life. And lastly that I have uh this is actually the county intersection in Jamesburg Halfacre Road and Forsgate Drive. They're planning on doing uh milling and paving next week uh
Tuesday, June 9th through Friday, June 12th. It's going to be nighttime work uh from 700 p.m. till 5:00 a.m. in the morning. There will be road closures at that intersection. So uh just keep that in mind. Uh again, that's night work. uh
next week, June 9th through June 12th, Halfacre Road in Forsgate Drive, actually in Jamesburg. That's my report. >> Great. Thank you. Moving on to council reports. Councilman Depiro, >> thank you. Um I wanted to uh
to ask a question on the opticom. Uh I sent an email in reference to the traffic lights for first responders. So, if we can get the uh traffic lights that are either county or township, the opticon uh lights to make sure that when
the flashing lights from our first responders uh it shuts the other three ways uh direction of traffic that turns the lights reds. It's very important for first responders to get to a call as soon as possible. So, if there's
somebody that could give us an update on the uh the traffic light situation through our town. >> Council President may jump in. Uh we do have a contract that that's awarded to uh >> um I believe it's Gen Electric. Uh I reached out to them earlier today to get
an update as to where that report is. They they need to provide us a an inspection of all the opticons in the in the township. So, uh, I did not hear back today, but as soon as I hear back, I will I will let, uh, the administration know and and you as well. >> All right. Thank you. Cuz the one right
here, Municipal Plaza is not functioning at right. And we have police coming out of here and first aid and fire um daily quite a bit on um Apple Road and Center Drive. There's a beacon that's a fire uh
district three beacon laying on in the median and there's a uh a light pole down in the middle middle of the median. So I just wanted to uh see if we can get some uh some get it to work because that that signals all the traffic when the
fire trucks come out of Center Drive and it and it helps helps them be aware that there's a fire engine coming out. I wanted to say thank you to the clerk's office for the uh primary that was yesterday. Congratulate everybody that
stepped up. Uh it's not easy thing to do uh to make that decision and the families that that sacrifice for the the ones that make that decision to be to try to be an elected official, try to give to the community and help. So, I just wanted to congratulate all the
winners and also to say thank you to our clerk's office that they work uh incredible hours before and after and during. So, I just want to say thank you to all the pole workers and everybody that made it happen along with our police department. So, thanks for that.
Um I attended a banner reveal ceremony for the Monroe Township Falcons High School varsity ice hockey. Um, they're champions for GMC for 2023 2024 season
and 2425 season back to back. A great bunch of um young men and uh coaches and I I attended a little awards ceremony that they had for them. They put a banner they they had a nice banner that
they had made for them along with the help of the school. So, I just wanted to thank all of the uh the coaches, the families, and the players that hockey, let's not forget hockey in Monroe. It's a good it's a good sport, and a lot of
these uh young men go on to to bigger places. Uh they go to the last one was in Colorado. There was in there was a tournament that we sent u a lot of people from Monroe. So there's u along
with the uh expansion of the uh rec center, community center, parking lot, I would just like to once you get a plan see what we're going to do with the hockey rink. It's it's very important to them and and also to the community that we can do as much as we can with that
hockey rink. Um we a lot of us all of us attended Joel Greenberg's community garden that the shade tree commission we planted a tree and and the plaque and the family was there and it it was just bringing bringing everybody together for
a man that did so much that um I I personally known Joel for a while and and for many years and sitting at a lot of meetings after he passed they all sat down and they they couldn't put together how much he really did because no one
really knew what he did until he was gone. And then they realized who took care of who took care of the food pantry and who took care of the plant sale and everything that was that was done in the community garden. And everybody came back and said, "Well, Joel Joel Joel
Greenberg was u on a shade tree commission. I'm the liaison for the shade tree. It's something that's very important to our community." And uh I just wanted to say thank you to everybody for coming and it was a great event our shade tree commission put
together and um it was just it's sad to lose a great man but he he won't be forgotten or and we'll miss him. I attended a um at the senior center the Monroe Senior Chorus had a Broadway
uh it was it was an orchest orchestra. It was great. It was really good. David was played the piano and he was keeping up the tradition with telling jokes in between and it was just really well to see a great group of 26 people singing
seniors that was really well and they said if anybody would like to join they're there Tuesday morning at the senior center at 9:00 a.m. So if you like to uh to to see what they do or be part of it um please stop by the senior
center at 9:00 on Tuesdays. the uh water tower on 522. Could we get an update on the water tower painting? Councilman, we're uh in the process of just finishing everything up. Uh the tank has been painted both inside and
out. Uh the foundation has been reinforced as per the design. And uh our plan is is that uh within the next week we're going to be filling that tank and putting it back in service. >> Wow. And how's the budget look for that? You did it on budget. >> Yes.
>> Got to love that. That great job, Joe. Thanks for that and your team. Thank you very much. Uh Federal Road and Primeville Road has a couple branches that are hanging over the dead dead trees. So I just like to as the leaison I we were t we were talking about at last night's meeting as well. So, I
don't know if we can notify the county. They did take some trees down on Union Union Valley after the last storm. Federal Road is township owned. We have a contract with the tree contractor, but it's something that um Primal Road is
has a lot of big limbs that are hanging over that are dead. So, I also attended um the seniors I mean uh I'm sorry the high school uh armed forces day was their 10th 10th annual um event which
was really really nice to do for the armed forces appreciation day and I just wanted to thank everybody that put that together. Thank you council president. >> Thank you Councilman Vanzora. >> Thank you Madam President. Um
Not to continue with some bad news. >> Oh, sorry. >> Just hit. >> There we go. Sorry. Um, thank you. Um, not to continue with some bad news, but there was another person that I I want to be remembered in town. Um, it was a
uh a Monroe resident, 39 years old. This was a uh a fellow who was a a New Jersey corrections officer uh who died suddenly uh last Tuesday. Uh his name was Matt Pelican. And uh Matt left uh his wife
Lisa and two young boys. Um he pretty much devoted his whole life to uh uh public service. He started out at in our uh state prison system. He did some uh uh work as a a TSA agent up at Newark
and over in Trenton. He also worked security over at Monroe Village. helped a lot of our uh our elderly residents there uh before going back to uh Department of Correction. So, it was something that was kind of sudden. Uh two little boys and a wife. Uh they had
a GoFundMe page I saw that was posted. I don't know much else about it. I didn't know Matt personally, but kind of strikes you when somebody's uh 39 years old. That's kind of tough for the family. So, I'd like him to be remembered also if possible. And if
anybody can help out his family, that would be a nice thing, too. Um, on a happier note, uh, last Saturday, the Monroe High School baseball team, which was the number nine seed, that means that they they thought that at least
eight teams in the county were better than us, but they weren't. We went on and took the county tournament over in East Brunswick, beating Old Brbridge seven to nothing. So, it wasn't even close. Um, we got to give a a special
shout out. Our pitcher, Ben Fagan, uh, who is really quite a quite a good pitcher. He's only a junior, I believe, had a no hitter until the last inning and then wound up giving up one hit the whole game, hung in there and got the win. But the team, you know, it's funny,
the team was about a 500 team, but they came together as the season went on. and Ben. And also there's another pitcher on the team by the name of Andre Love who was also an excellent uh pitcher. So as they went through the tournament, they
had two of the the really better kids uh pitching against a lot of teams that were really highly uh respected. So for a number nine seed to go on and win the tournament, that was something I I thought was really special. And it's the
first time they won it since uh 2015. So, it isn't something that happens every year. And I I think that's the only the only other time they they may have won it ever. So, uh for the second time, but I I was happy uh I got there for the last inning or two. And uh it
was nice to see uh Monroe celebrating. It was funny because they played Oldbridge and both teams the colors are purple basically. A lot of purple around there, but our our purple and gold uh came through. So, congratulations to the boys that did that. And um nice to see.
And and one other thing I was going to say also, although they didn't win their tournament, um out of the blue, we had a tremendous boys volleyball team this year, the regular season, they at one point, I know they were 19 and one, which is really really hard to do in
volleyball. So, uh they had a great year. They didn't quite get the the same accolades because they didn't win the tournaments, but I wanted to give them a shout out, too. So, um, as being our, uh, our rep to the, uh, uh, wreck advisory board, um, I'm glad to see that
things are coming along at the, uh, baseball fields and, uh, the refreshment stands are finishing up to the point where we're, uh, we're finally getting there. So, uh, all that good stuff. I I think the, uh, the sports stuff is, uh,
it really is good cuz it, not only is it good for the kids, but it it brings a a sense of pride for the for the town in in its entirety. So, congrats to them. And that's all I have right now. Thanks. >> Great. Thank you, Councilwoman Cohen. >> Yes.
>> Going to see garden. And they should have taught me to run a microphone. would have been more helpful. So, I'm kind of waiting for the Knicks to win this tonight. Um, it will be a lot of fun to see that happen. We also used to go and see the
Dodgers play baseball at Ebates Field. Sometimes we were supposed to be in school. Uh, just a couple of things. I was at the library this week and for those of you who are interested in ma jang uh they are having a ma jang thing
on the 24th of June and July 14th it is free bring your ma jang set set up a table doesn't matter if you live in town they are looking forward to having enthusiastic ma jang players they're doing something called American and
Chinese ma jang I do not know the difference. I apologize. And if you haven't looked yet, the Monroe Township Parks and Recreation Bulletin lists all of the events for July 4th leading up to uh the fireworks
on the 4th starting on June 29th. So, look at your bulletin. Don't don't ignore it because there are many exciting things going on a different event in a different location every in town the whole week. So it really should
be a lot of fun. And I think that that I Joel Greenberg was my neighbor and he and my husband used to shoot hoops in front of the basketball hoop in front of my house. though it was very nice to see all he
accomplished here in Monroe and that the committee did a wonderful job and a shout out to Pam because she coordinated that whole event and it was indeed lovely.
That is my report for today. >> Great. Thank you, Council Vice President Markeel. Uh yeah. Well, I just wanted to say um Cong uh Councilman Deiro mentioned the armed forces appreciation day at the at the
high school which is really unbelievable. It's a great event and they should be com commended on what a great job they do for to honor our armed forces. Um last month between the Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day, it was uh
time we thought about our veterans and the pe and and um the people that defend this country and give their lives for this country. And I just wanted to mention um that I I took some time this week since
Memorial Day to look up the names and addresses of families of the 13 service people that died in this in this um war we have with Iran. Um, so I just think that it's really great to say a
few words over the flag and say God bless them, but I think we should put a name to these people and and a little bit of who they leave behind. It's more than just thank you. It's it's we should know what these people are all about.
Um, the oldest person that passed was 54 and the youngest person that died was 20. So, it's pretty young to end your life. Um, I have that from experience. I'm a little bit past that. Um, I just
wanted to mention that being armed forces day and memorial, they just passed. Um, I'd also like to thank the clerk's office. I'm very involved in the election and um I don't want to tell you the amount of work that they do and they make it easy for us elected officials
and the people that run. Uh, one other thing I'm going to mention is that on June 18th, um, is our celebration here in Monroe for Junth. Um, that's a celebration of the emancipation of, um, slaves here in
this country. It was actually 3 years after um Lincoln freed the slaves. It was three years it took for the people of Texas to know that they were free, which is kind of an atrocity. Obviously, they didn't have the
internet, but 3 years to be enslaved when they were actually free is pretty pretty terrible. So, anyway, on um June 18th at the senior center, there's going to be the Junth celebration. Every year it's getting bigger. There's going to be
speakers and some light fresh light refreshments. Please join us. It's a very important uh event in American history. Uh very important for uh important group of people here. And that's about all I have to say. Thank you.
>> Great. Thank you. >> Uh a couple short updates for me in the spirit of we were recognizing our youth advisory council this morning. I recently was reading something um from our Middle Sex County Replenish. our Monroe Township Middle School students
were recognized as one of the top 10 schools in the county to collect donations for replenish this school year. The donations contributed to the 77,000 plus pounds of food collected this school year through the county. So, I just want to give a shout out to our
Monroe Middle School students. And I also want to share our as we're moving into summer, lots of summer things happening. Farmers markets will be starting soon at the library and our summer concerts sponsored by the cultural arts commissions. They will be Thursdays at 6 p.m. in Thompson Park
from July 9th through August 13th. Look out for information for the line lineup. They have a great lineup this year. So that's my update. Um Mayor Delina, pass it to you. >> Thank you, Madame Council President. have to bear with me a little under the
weather. We'll call it allergies. Hope it's nothing more than that. So, here in New Jersey, there's always something that it psyches the citizens in a not a good way. Um, first we had
the aliens landing in Grover Mills. We had buses of migrants. We had drones to excite our residents. Now it's AI data centers and certainly despite the real information that gets ignored
misinformation rules the roost. So here in Monroe Township as certainly mentioned by uh our business administrator uh there are no applications uh first of all there are no data centers here in Monroe Township. there are no applications
uh in line uh to be uh heard regarding um AI data centers. However, I know there are truly legitimate questions and concerns around the topic from certainly multiple perspectives pro and con. In
Monroe, we always try to take a thoughtful um reasonable and fact-driven approach to these issues and that's exactly what we are doing now. Uh we have certainly have identified some studies. Uh we look at other
municipalities throughout the state um and the pros and cons of their actions and there's certainly dozens of um other dynamics to be vetted. And again to look at the potential
positive and negative impact of these facilities in various municipalities. Uh I was very happy to see that the leaders of our state um have taken this very seriously and in conjunction with what they do. I think
it's also very important for us to be mindful of what they um some of their recommendations and how we can implement them here in Monroe Township. Um I'm certainly very interested to see in the
safeguards uh that are developed statewide and together as a community as we always do will decide what makes sense for the citizens of Monroe Township. Um, so with that again being said, one more reiteration.
We do not have any data centers here in Monroe Township and there are no data centers um on the books to be heard um as we speak uh tonight. Um
yeah, there was a number of events that were touched upon. Um obviously there's um lots of stuff going on in June and July but to be brief I do want to finish on the topic duour no not data centers
but Mr. McGawan's love for the Knicks. >> I should have started. I'm sorry. >> Kevin, as you know that one of the players, one of their better players, Carl Anthony Towns, is a Middle Sex County resident.
And I think you do know that my son went to high school with Carl Anthony Towns and St. Joe's Metouch. And my son texted Carl and said, "Win it
for McGawan." >> Nice. >> Now it's definitely >> So, so, so take that with you, Kevin. We're all rooting for you. And I hope when we come to our next meeting next month
>> that that you will have in your shoes all of the confetti from the the victory parade that they have down Manhattan the the canyon of heroes that you will be there and have all of that confetti in your shoes c from that celebration. So with that being said madame president
I'm sorry I got a little silly but that's just how I'm rocking and rolling tonight. Thank you, mayor. >> Okay, moving on to public comments. May I have a motion to open, please? May I have a second? >> Second. >> All in favor?
>> Any opposed? Thank you. Public comments is open. Five minutes per speaker. >> Please state your name and address. >> Please state your name and address for the record. Praash Parab 33 Dana Drive. The primaries are over
but the November elections are very important. Fingerpointing will go on but the the politicians have to understand the common people are in trouble. Affordability
is one of the biggest question going around before the elections they said affordable will be solved within one month now it is about two years the elections however the president is there
and I looked at BOE budget I know in general I'm talking how the government moves per family the insurance is $85,000. Can you believe it? Per employee of the
school $85,000 and is going on for several years. Last year it was 75,000. It went for 50 75 85,000. Do you think it is affordable? Why it is so? At the same time the federal government funding has stopped.
It goes on but it is not affordable. The people who are drawing 100,000 paying taxes when the government employees insurance is 85,000 something is wrong. The math doesn't
allow it. The health care cost are hitting the roof. Auto insurance cost are hitting the roof. Gas prices are hitting the roof. the um you know groceries are hitting the roof. You talk to the Walmart co said the guys who are
earning less than 50,000s are stretched guys who are earning 100,000s are stretched where the country is going to the docks. Go the elections are coming. Republicans, Democrats or independents,
we don't care. Solve the problems. Get the solutions. You know, you have to solve the problem. Not fingerpointing and come on. Arresting people first without arresting criminals, not arresting common people who are working
where my god where the country is going. Okay. So, think over it. So I'm tired of looking at the TVs. What is going on? And our Facebook. Oh boy. Yesterday, last week, someone went into the HOA
community and the child and the father played. They said, "Please, this is not a public area. The guy puts on the Facebook and this is near the Monro place near Route 33. Children have no place to
play. There's a half acre, not even a half acre, less grass field people, children are trying to play. So the township should look at it. We need a playground of building building going on. Children have to play somewhere.
People have to meet and talk to each other. So take that into consideration. And I'm very glad that recreation center is going to come near the golf course. So someone give me the update when to I know how the projects are going to move
and when it will be going to go in please >> council president. >> Yes please. >> So uh I think last year um Dr. PR is referring to uh you know an idea that we have to partner with the board of education to maybe bring um an
additional recreation facility to the uh Applegarth um Cranberry Halfacre Road area where the where the uh board of education owns a piece of property. I don't have an update of where we are right now. We haven't engineered or designed anything. Um you know that that I think as we mentioned last year that's
going to be uh you know several years out. Um but but it is it is certainly something that we want to see uh happen in the next few years. >> Thank you very much. Let us have a move on that point. >> Any other members of the public wishing to speak? Seeing none, may Oh, sorry. Go
ahead, George. George Gunkelman, 5K, Monroe. Uh, Council President, a couple of things. Um, JCPNL and and the engineer uh referenced what
was going on there with the re location of the poles. Uh but inspector from the the from Middle Sex who was overseeing some of the work when I was there last week commented to me that
he didn't think that intersection was going to be done this calendar year because of JCPNL. Now, we had people come here, uh, two men to tell us how they were going to deal with, um, uh, street lights. Very
nice. Uh, but that intersection being the way it is under construction, uh, represents a hazard. Uh, traffic is changes daily. Uh, our inputs of of police are very high there on a regular
basis. Um, and it seems like the big problem is once again JCPNL. So, I think we need to reach out to them. And the idea that they can't figure out where to put their poles without putting them right on top of our
critical sewer lines next to the pump station and stuff is a little bit silly. There's the whole other side of the road with almost nothing on it. And the idea that the engineer needs weeks or months to figure out how to cross the road is a
bit much. Uh engineering doesn't take that long. So we we need to put some pressure on them. Uh I just want to mention one thing about the um data center issue that was been
thrown around a little bit. When the aliens came to Grover's Mill, the cost of electricity for every resident didn't go up. This is different.
It's impacting us all very much right now, even if we don't have a center here in Monroe. And you know when I'm when I'm finished I hope someone can tell me the statement was made this evening that data centers
are not a permitted use. I'd like to know what the basis for that statement of you know what ordinance do we have in place that is going to allow our zoning and planning boards to reject an application if that's not a permitted
use. Uh, I know other towns are in the process of of putting in new ordinances to protect and the state is working, as the mayor said, to help find uh ways to do this. But if if in fact it's not a
permitted use, I'd like to know what the ordinance is that is going to protect us. Lastly, I want to talk a little bit about Route 33. um went by there not too long ago in the morning and
dump truck after dump truck after dump truck is going into a Monroe site uh with with Phil. Normally in the planning board, one of the requirements of projects is they
balance, meaning no dirt comes out, no dirt comes in to reduce the amount of truck traffic. Obviously, this site doesn't balance because the amount of truck traffic some mornings is horrendous over there. It's one after another.
Phil should be coming from a tested and approved source. Every truck is supposed to have a manifest that says it comes from the tested and approved site.
It's my impression that none of that exists here. The statement made in this room to console was, "Oh, they're doing it at their own risk." I want to remind people that this is the same developer
that put contaminated fill in our township from the Ford plant a number of years ago. And now we're letting them apparently operate at their own risk. put that in quotes. I think the risk is
ours and it it needs to be curtailed somehow and oversight has to be put in place so that site is not loaded up with contaminated fill. They they're going ahead with all their sight and service stuff, you know, the underground for
water and sewer and and they're putting curbs and roads um all without inspections and permits. It's, you know, I I don't understand how that happens. I worked in this industry for a long time
and I never worked on a site where you could do things like that. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Any other members of the public wishing to speak? Seeing none, may I have a motion to close, please? May I have a second?
response to >> council president's question >> if if you'd like me to respond. >> Sure, Mr. Rosmo. >> Resident. >> Sure. >> Well, first off, >> I don't know. >> First off, I'm not sure where you got information that they're doing it at their own risk. Um, the site is being
inspected. They are providing the documentation that you refer to, uh, certifying that the materials clean. Um, with regard to a balance site, that was heavily discussed, I believe, at the planning board about the amount of materials that would be brought into that site at the time of the planning
board approval. Um, that that's all that I mean, it is being inspected. Some of the comments are just not true when it's saying it's uh, you know, it's being done without inspections. That's that's false. Um, doing it at the own risk. You you said
it was quoted, put it in quotes. I'm not sure who said that or where you got that information from. Sure. >> Okay. So, um but the site is being inspected. It has an approved site plan and uh and they are providing the documentation. So,
>> thank you, >> Council President. Just quickly in terms of the permitted use, um you know, there's no one ordinance that stretches across the across the entire township obviously, but when someone wants to develop and wants to submit an application to the planning board, um they have to meet uh one of the
permitted uses in that zone and we have many zones throughout the township. So, uh uh not meeting that is is sort of the first hurdle that that any applicant has to has to jump through and and uh and it doesn't meet that. Thank you. Thank you.
Okay, we had a motion to close. We had a first and we had a we had a second. Thank you. All in favor? >> Any opposed? Thank you. And we'll move on to meeting adjournment. May I have a motion, please? And a second, please.
>> All in favor? >> Any opposed? None. Thank you. Meetings adjourned. Have a good