you the this is a combined agenda and regular meeting of the Monroe Township Council. By this action, we have called the meeting to order. Would you all please rise as we salute our flag 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. Thank you all. You may be seated. My chair has regular arguments with me
that I lose. I'm good. Would the clerk please call the role? Councilman Charles Dapiro here. Councilman Michael Markell here. Councilwoman Rupa P. Seagull here. Council Vice President Terren Vanzora here. Council President Miriam Cohen
here. Would the clerk please read the Sunshine Law into the record? 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 27th, 2024 and remains posted at that location for public inspection. Two, printed in the Home News Tribune and the Cranberry Press on December 27th, 2024. three posted on the Monroe Township website and four sent to those individuals who
have requested person in accordance with chapter 3 of the Monroe Township. Public comment shall be limited to five minutes unless further time is granted by the council president. Thank you. We have a number of proclamations and additionally
presentations this evening. One of these is mine. Okie dokie. This May is Military Appreciation Month. It is also the national day of prayer on May 1st. A praia awareness day is May 14th. Our day
is May 18th. There's a municipal clerk's week as you sit to my right, both of you, May 4th through May 10th. National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day May 11th through May 17th. Emergency
Medical Services Week is May 18th through May 24th. National Public Works Week is May 18th through May 24th as well. Those of us on the council, those of us who live in Monroe are very grateful for the services provided by
all of these people and wish research on the diseases that continue to affect our population. She keeps on stealing this right now. Thank you. We have two presentations tonight. Uh the
first presentation is in honor of the heroic act by the middle school student Iman Sudu. I would like to ask our mayor, our police chief, our fire chief Lions, and our EMS director, Richard
Morris, and Dr. Leman to please join the mayor in honoring this very glorious young man. You like to bring up the mic? Shut your phones off.
All of them. Thank you. In recognition of your brave heroic actions, extinguishing the fire to Mon Middle School on March 12th, 2025, your actions help save the life of your classmate. It's like honor honor your selfless courage on behalf of the
township council and the mayor. [Applause] There's the picture.
Is her family here? They want to join a picture. [Applause]
And we move to something that we look forward to every year, the Human Relations Commission annual ceremony, honoring and presenting awards to those students who exemplify the six pillars of character, caring,
responsibility, respect, fairness, citizenship and trustworthiness. Doing the honors today is our mayor, of course, Mayor Delina and Somaya Elsamra and Dillia Gaines. Would they also please join the
mayor if they're there already? All yours. It's all yours. All yours. All right. Good evening, everyone. I'm a little short, so I have to adjust. Um, my name is Somaya Elsamra. Stepping in today for our esteemed Monroe Township Human Relations Commission
Chairperson, Haret Verdie. Hargie extends her heartfelt congratulations to all our outstanding recipients and regrets that she couldn't join us tonight due to a scheduling conflict. Our human relations commission is both proud and honored to celebrate with all
of you tonight the exceptional qualities of our students receiving the good character award from Monroe Township. Each year we invite our teachers and staff in the Monroe Township School District to nominate one student from every grade who embodies the six pillars
of good character. Trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. Tonight is a special occasion to honor these remarkable children who exemplify these values. We extend our gratitude to the
mayor and the town council, all the members of the human relations commission and Eileene Beninas who collaborated with all the schools in the district to gather the names of our awardees. Through the commitment of the human relations commission, we ensure our community remains equitable,
inclusive, and one that respects and honors the traditions of all people. At this time, I kindly request our HRC members to stand and be recognized. Okay. Thank you. Now, we will call the names of each student. As you as your name is announced, please
come forward to receive your certificate from Mayor Delina. Pose for a photo and then return to your seat. At the conclusion of the ceremony, we invite all awardees to gather for a group photo with the mayor, town council, and human relations commission members. So, please
don't leave until we take the group picture. Okay. From Barkley Brook PreK, Kyra Casternakis. [Applause] Okay. Congratulations. [Laughter] All righty. Meeting's over.
Oh, she's excited. I love that spirit. Can we have all the kids do that? All right. Um, from kindergarten, also Barkley Brookke, uh, Serena Patel. [Applause]
Congratulations. Take a picture with the mayor. Says says a man who doesn't have daughters. [Laughter] Okay. From Barkley book first grade, Akashar Anund.
[Applause] Great. Thank you. [Applause] From Barkley Brook, second grade, Mariah Sangroa. [Applause]
from Mil Lake PreK. Alysia Arisicado. [Applause] Congratulations from Mil Lake Kindergarten. Nairaaya, [Applause]
congratulations Can you turn around? May they always be so happy would be wonderful. [Applause] [Laughter] From Mil Lake First grade, Emma Styles.
[Applause] She's not here from Mil Lake. Second grade, Olivia Faulner. [Applause] from Mil Lake third grade. Mallerie Stankawix. He's the little baby. Cute little baby in the
room. Oak tree kindergarten. Sawill SDV. [Applause] Have you done this before? Congratulations. Thank you.
from Oak Tree Grade 1, Aston Shang. [Applause] [Laughter] God bless him.
Look, he's looking. He's looking. from Oak Tree First Grade. Naira Malatra [Applause] from Oak Tree Second Grade. Reagan Parker. Congratulations. So pretty. I miss little girls. Miss
little girls. Good job, Dad. [Applause] From Oak Tree, third grade. Shaniah Rodriguez. Applegarth fourth grade. Shavei Prasab.
Oh, that's the baby. [Laughter] Almost had the cookie on that one. Sly one. All right. Fifth grade, Applegarthic Tenacella.
[Applause] Three, two, one. Brookside, third grade. Natasha Natasha, sorry. Natasha Godson. [Applause] fourth grade. Brookside Amoris Tan
[Applause] That poor baby. Can I hold the baby? The baby would be much better if I Brookside fifth grade. Yash Anund. So I' I've been told now this is a brother first time ever that since we've been giving out this award that it's run
in the family. Oh, [Applause] thank you so much. Woodland School fourth grade, Ava Lutz. [Applause]
She's the athlete. [Applause] Woodland School, fifth grade. Nicole Padrino. [Applause] Look at that little person. [Applause]
from the middle school. Sixth grade, Dylan Jabal. [Applause] [Applause] seventh grade. Shannon Takis.
[Applause] [Applause] Eighth grade, Iman Sadu. [Applause]
[Applause] ninth grade. Shub Gala [Applause] Mr. Hi. 10th grade, Mia [Applause] Marabuto. 11th grade, Alina Chowry.
[Applause] Thank you. And finally, 12th grade, Juliana Dow. Cong congratulations to all our recipients. So, at this time, we'd like to call the mayor, the town council, human relations commission, and our
recipients to come take a group photo. All right, voter. Voter time, folks. Yes. President. The ordinance is for second reading at the May 7th regular meeting. 042025-000 07. It's an ordinance to
exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and to establish a cap bank 042025008 ordinance authorizing the acceptance of one property known as block 52 lot
2.05 that is the Buckaloo schoolhouse for fire Department easement 042025-00009 ordinance approving the traffic traffic signal improvements for Appleg and Joan Warren Wayade
042025-0 ordinance amending the code of the township of Monroe under chapter 108 section 6.23 23 to amend the medical facility requirement in the planned retirement community district 2
parenthetical PRC-2. Would you clerk please read the ordinances for introduction? Ordinance 05202501 ordinance authorizing the township of Monroe to acquire an easement over property located on 951
State Route 33 West known as block 5, lot 12.0. 02 from Hennessy Realy LLC in connection with the installation and maintenance of water and sewer installations. Ordinance 05202512 ordinance authorizing the township of Monroe to acquire an
easement over property located on 46 Bentley Road known as block 5 lot 4.01 from Bonnie Lina and Edward Lina in connection with the installation and maintenance of water and sewer installations. Ordinance
052025013. Ordinance authorizing the township of Monroe to acquire an easement over property located on Columbus Avenue known as block 106.04 lots 1 to 11 from Natalyia Mcheco for the purpose of access to and
maintenance of existing utilities. Would you please continue with the budget resolutions? Budget resolutions for consideration at the May 7th, 2025 regular meeting. R52025103. Resolution providing that the 2025 municipal budget be read by title
at the time of the public hearing. Resolution R52025104A resolution amending the 2025 municipal budget. Resolution R52025104B resolution adopting the 2025 municipal budget. Resolutions for
consideration under the consent agenda R52025105 through R52025117. Any of the council members have questions with any of the resolutions? Do they need to be removed from the agenda? None. Okay. Moving
forward, we will move to item 10, which is the public comment section, and it is limited to agenda items only. I'd like a motion to open the public comment section, please. Motion. Thank you. May I have a second?
Second. Thank you. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Good. Anyone wishing to address the council on the agenda session items, please come forward now, stating your name and address for our records, please. Good
evening. Barbara Lavine, 38 Timber Hill, president of the HOA association at Stonebridge. I'd like to thank you all again. Um, I've talked to you numerous times, so I guess you're used to me
here. Basically, we're going to ask once again that the township consider removing the mandated nurses ordinance. As stated, a lot has changed since 2006 when it was first put in place. There
are many other medical services, but most importantly, we are being treated differently from the other 55 plus communities and we would like parody with the other communities. I will state again that even if you decide to remove
the mandate, nothing will change in the nursing services we currently have at Stonebridge. For there to be any potential change in the future, it would require a twothirds vote of the home
owners to make any changes. We thank you for your consideration and we hope that you will vote to remove the ordinance. Thank you. Anyone else wishing to address us? Please again, you have five minutes, your name and address for our
records. Good evening. Stanley Fiser, 112 Timber Hill Drive, Monroe, also Stonebridge, uh members of the council, mayor, uh others, and thank you once again for
those of you who are elected officials. Thank you for raising your head and serving all of us. A month ago, we voiced our disappointment when you told us of your intention to amend the zoning ordinance that effectively requires Stonebridge to maintain a 247 nurs's
office. A few days later, we mailed all of you, our elected officials, and Kevin McGawan, suggesting that the amendment add one sentence to the operative provisions of the ordinance as it exists at this time.
Specifically, this is the sentence. Nonetheless, such development may eliminate, reduce, or modify the level of nursing services available to its members with the aver affirmative vote of twothirds of its members in good
standing. This additional sentence takes what our HOA board has promised, and you just heard Barbara Lavine's statement, and codifies it. It is unambiguous and it gives us the comfort
of knowing that this or a future board won't decide that they don't have to abide by a prior board's promise and lower the voting threshold or have no vote at all. Frankly, it's not everything we wanted and we continue to
disagree with the amendment. But we understand your desire. Most importantly, believe we believe that since we are using our board's own language, there should be no reasonable objection to adding this one sentence
and eliminating any uncertainty going forward about how changes in the operations of our nursing office can be achieved. Finally, when we've discussed this additional language with our fellow residents, they have unanimously thought
that this reasonable addition should raise no objection from anyone whose primary objective is self-determination. We ask you for your consideration of this modification and welcome any discussion you might wish to
have. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening. Alan Stalber for Cobblestone Boulevard uh Monroe. I live in Stonebridge. I also am a member of the uh Stonebridge HOA board and I'm here to speak in opposition to the
amended language that is suggested by Stanley to the to the committee to the council. Uh the primary reason why the primary rationale that the council has given for advancing the new ordinance is
that Stonebridge should not be treated any differently than any other 55 plus community in Monroe. If you add a voting requirement, if you codify a voting requirement into this
ordinance, that would in effect be obiating the rationale because we would be have a voting requirement that no other 55 plus community in the township would have.
Um, we should have our own independence. we should be able to uh change our governing documents or not change our governing documents as we see fit. We're an independent organization independent from the
township. Um that is the primary reason why I object and I speak on behalf of the board why I object to the compromised language. Yes, our governing documents currently provide that twothirds voting
requirement to change the nursing services and we are committed to that requirement. However, if the council now adds that twothirds voting requirement to the ordinance now it doesn't become a
stonebridge requirement. it becomes a township requirement because it's built into a township ordinance and it becomes impossible and that much more difficult to uh to change the ordinance to to change
to change our voting our governing documents. I'm sorry if I'm fumpering. Um but that's my primary reason for coming before the board at this time. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Is anyone else wishing to address this please? Irvin Rothb. You
need to sit down so we can hear your name in the microphone. Irvin Rothb. Yes, sir. 91 Diamond Spring Drive in Monroe Township. Get closer. Okay. Uh, I have my license to practice from the same state that Mr. Stalba does. He's
mistaken, pure and simple. It is not in Stonebridge's governing documents that they would have to have a vote of homeowners with a twothird majority to change the nurse requirement. It's in a mere board
resolution. And in New Jersey, generally a corporation such as Stonebridge can always change its prior resolution. So, we walk out of here with nothing unless you put it in the
statute. Now, in the ordinance, if it's put into the ordinance, it would not even mention Stonebridge. It would refer to anyone who would have this nurse requirement. There happened to be no other such communities, but that's what
it would do. It would protect the homeowners and it would prevent Stonebridge or more likely a future board in Stonebridge from succumbing to the temptation of simply doing away with a homeowner vote to
change the nurse provision. The language that Stanley read to you is the identical language that's in the Stonebridge board resolution that Mr. Stalber apparently wants to have the right to change and to
eliminate. If the language is adopted, it does not refer to Stonebridge. It doesn't single anyone out. I have it here in the context of the existing ordinance. If the council and the mayor wish to see it, I could hand it up or
of course. Yes. But I think we are familiar with it. It has been sent to us in the mail. I'm sorry. I believe we are familiar with it. We have it. We've got it. We've got already have it. Okay. Now, again, this
would give the this would give the council, the mayor, and the Stonebridge board exactly what they say they intend. And it would make it binding so that the homeowners would at least walk away with
that much. It would not it would not allow a Stonebridge board to change its mind. More likely a future board which would not remember today when they promised you that it wouldn't be changed or when the president of the board did,
but Mr. Stalber did not. So perhaps there are divisions in the board. Perhaps not. But it would be part of the law of Monroe that the change here allowing Stonebridge to set its own future with
respect to a nurse. However, pursuant to everyone's agreement, that would have to be by a vote of twothirds of the homeowners. That was the understanding that I had at the first reading when everybody here or
most people here said what their intention was. Uh there's another issue. If the township does not want future developments to be bound by the nurse requirement of the ordinance, you can
have the amendment simply say that the requirement will not apply to new developments. Uh I respectfully ask that the amendment do no more or less than accomplish what is intended. Stonebridge
would gain a path to change its nurse services and the homeowner's right to vote would be protected. Thank you. Thank you for the comments, sir. I could hold that. Anyone else wishing to
address us, please come forward. Good evening. My name is Lauren Sattinger. I live at 39 Turret Drive in the Stonebridge development. I encourage the council to pass the ordinance as currently written and do not include the amended language.
There is no precedent for any township to get involved in an HOA's governance. And by adding the language that has been requested, the amended language, you're getting into the weeds with governance and politics of a HOA
where you have no business to be involved. The idea of this ordinance was to make Stormbridge equal to the other 55 age communities in Monroe. There is no reason whatsoever to treat Stonebridge
differently from the other 55 age communities. I can't imagine why we are treated differently, but I know it's because of the ordinance. But for you to go to further and say that we have a requirement to get 2/3 voting in an HOA,
a private association, you are getting into the business and politics of the HOA. and the township council has enough on his plate without having to get into an individual HOA's business. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Anyone else
wishing to address the council? Sir, your name and address for our records, please. Jerry Morelli, 15 Lion Hart Road. Um on the board, vice president. Um well I agree that it would be preferable oh township members and
the mayor. Thank you. I agree that it would be preferable if uh township didn't get involved with HOA uh management. Be that as it may you are. So given that um I agree with my fellow
board members that we didn't want to be singled out by this amendment with the putting in the 2/3 requirement because no other HOAs have that requirement. That being said, if the amendment is
worded as such that as soon that if you put it in in such a way that it immediately applies to all HOAs that they can't make any changes to their
nurse without a 2/3 um vote of all of their homeowners, then it doesn't apply just to stone own bridge and we're being treated equally to all HOAs. That would be something that would
be worth considering. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else wishing to address the council, please come forward. [Music] Good evening. Is this on? Is it not on? Good evening, Lucille
Panos, 1208 Sandera Plaza, Monroe. The appropriations in the budget calls for uh a reserve of a little over $4 million for uncollected taxes. So my question is how much was put in last year's budget for uncollected taxes and how much was
actually used? Mr. McGo andor the rest of the finance team to help me out with that answer. Yes, please. You you will need a microphone. I forget she's short shorter than I am,
too. The amount used last year was 4,200,000, which is the same as this year. Last year was a percent of 98.28% of the reserve and this year it's 98.33%. So, it's basically the same.
Thank you. You're welcome. Very much, Laura. Thank you. Michelle Arminio, Ward 29 Nathaniel Street. Uh, ordinance for the second reading 0420 uh
2025007. The ordinance appropriations limit and the uh to establish a bank cap. Can we have some raw numbers on that please? Yes, we do have the numbers. Whichever of you gentlemen chooses. All right, just bear with us. Council I just I get that the clock
then. There's a number of pages. I just finished. Do you have Yeah. Do you have something else to add to your No, I' I'd like to I'd like to answer that first, please. Okay, please. $531,690.80. That's on sheet 3B of the
budget. Okay. Um let Yeah. Since you mentioned the budget, it's a little disappointing and I think I said this last month there there wasn't a full budget presentation from this council and uh I know that the the documents are
online, but an explanation of the costs. We're at what? 76 million $76 million budget and we're not hearing any of our council people discuss it. We're not hearing any deliberation over the
budget. Was there a budget? Was there any public budget presentation of this budget where we could have seen and heard our council people and the mayor discuss the budget. The budget hearing is this evening.
People are welcome to comment. That wasn't the question, Madame President. The the question was But that is my answer. The budget is online. So the answer is no. There was no public presentation of the budget in your version of public presentation. Well,
the public presentation is in front of your representatives. For instance, last night, uh, Monday night, I believe it was, the board of education at $156 million, considerably more, however, did a full, uh, budget presentation with
the, um, uh, our business administrator, and she gave a very succinct and detailed budget presentation. Don't forget, we the people are asked to pay this money. you get to spend it, but we would sometimes like to have a presentation where that how and where
that money is spent. And I have looked at it online, but again, um the council people are representing of all the different wards and it would have been nice. I do have a question about ratables. um the and I I don't know if
the numbers are true uh or accurate compared to the municipal but the ratables uh given by the board of education for 2025 was 254,617,472 for 2025 talking about total
ratable the the total ratable what I have on here this the schedule of ratables net taxable value according to the U. No, it's in the billions, right? It is. No, the No, no, I'm sorry. The increase over the prior year. Forgive
me. Forgive No, that was my mistake. For the increase, I figured I'd lower the the numbers here. So, the increase over the prior year was the 254 million. Uh, they're projecting that the 2526 ratable increase is only $78
million. Is there a confirmation on that for this budget, Council President? Yes, please. This year's uh ratable increase was $78 million compared to the prior year which was a ratable increase of 254 million
give or take. Now, that 254 million increase that we saw last year is still in our ratable base and we still tax those ratables, but the new ratables for this year were less than the prior year. That's correct. Is there an explanation? Uh because going again, we're increasing
the budget, but if the ratables uh income is less, the net value is less. How is it? So, so that means we may have to raise the levy, the tax levy instead of relying on the ratables. No, the net value is not less. It's $75 million
more. I'm sorry. You said the net value was less. It's not. It's $75 million. Last year it was $ 250 million over the year before it and this year it's $75 million more. So it's not less than last year. It's $75 million more than but
it's a it's a the change in the prior from the prior increase. It's not a change from the prior. It's a it's a cumulative number. So the township's ratable base is what 89 billion. Correct. So it went up
254 million last year and this year it went up 75 million. It didn't go down. Yeah. No, but never goes down. But there's if there's a decrease in ratables, how does that happen? But because there's not it's an increase in ratables, it's an increase of $75 million. So over So the levy is based
upon the levy is the budget divided the the amount to be raised by taxation divided by the ratable base. I'll come back. So it's bigger this year than it was last year. Yes. Your time is your time is up. Of course. Only time is never up with lawyers. Yeah. Yeah. But only the people in the people in the
min. Council President, I just wanted to just just to add to to Lou's point, right? We have had positive ratable growth each year. Um it's just that the ratable growth for last year was more than the ratable growth for this year. There is no decrease in ratables. There's no loss of money. Correct. Does
that make is that a little more clear? It's a little more clear. Except we don't have as much to spend as the prior year. No, we have more. Not true. We have more to spend. I'm saying can we just hold this? I'll work it. I know you will be back. So, let us move on with who else? Anyone else wishing to
comment, please? Yes, sir. Good evening everyone. Bob Valentine, 68 Union Valley Road. Just two questions I wanted didn't get to ask last month. Um, one was the mayor spoke about there was about five positions that you talking to the microphone. I drop slower a little difficult. I'm conscious of my time. I
know you are, but I'm learning. I'm learning it the hard way. Like to hear your time, of course. Thank you. Um I just want to ask um the mayor is proposing the add some positions to the budget. He talked about in the police department and the MS. I was curious if you could tell me an estimate of what the additional cost is going to be that's in the budget for those
positions. Um approximately. So sir, I I may I may ask for some help on those numbers. So those positions uh since they're not full year, they're prrated and they'll come online at different times throughout the year.
There's three police officers and two EMTs. It's hard to approximate exactly because it'll depend on when they're hired in terms of how they impact the annual budget, you know, but you have the but you must have them in the budget for a certain time and come online at a certain point in the budget. That's what I need a little uh reminder if I could.
Just a rough estimate. I don't expect you to know the exact number. Just a rough estimate. Um I would say for the five employees about probably about $200,000. Okay. That's an estimate. That's depends on when they're hired. So that's that's the highest estimate that
I Okay. And my second question is what would be the incre the incremental revenue raised from the tax increase if you you approve what you proposed? I'm sorry. Can you repeat your question? The incre what would be the incremental revenue raised from the tax increase that you proposing to put in. You talked
to enacting last month. So it's a one sorry council. So, it's a 1.5 C increase on a ratable base of about $8.7 billion. So, you're talking um 1.3 million. Okay.
So, we're going to raise 1.3 million to pay for $200,000. We're going to raise 1.3 million for our budget of which 200,000 is going to be some of which is included for those five employees. Correct. I'm not going to ask you the question this time. I'm hoping that when the council members have their
turn to speak, some of the things I commented on last week, he also you have some things to say about that. Okay. Thank you. Anyone else wishing to address the council at this time? Seeing and hearing none, I will call for a motion to close the public portion. Motion. Thank you.
Second. Second. Thank you. Hello. Uh, my name is Agneskumour, 26 Brunswick Avenue. Um, I'd like to comment about the fire siren that goes off every day on Harrison Avenue. Um,
it's not it's not it's at the end of the next meeting. We have two public for those of you who are new to our meetings, there's two public comment sections. The first is on the agenda and we comment on agenda items only. at our regular meeting when we have our comment
section. You are please welcome to stay and offer your questions and concerns. Please do. Please do. Thank you. May I now have a motion to adjourn the meeting? Thank you. A second on that.
Second. Roll call. Councilman Dapiro. Yes. Councilman Markell. Yes. Councilwoman Seagull? Yes. Council Vice President Vanzora? Yes. Council President Cohen? Yes. Meeting is adjourned. We will now call the regular meeting of the Monroe
Township Council to order. May I have a motion? Motion. Second on that, please. Second. Roll call. Councilman Diapro. Yes. Councilman Markell. Yes. Councilwoman Seagull? Yes. Council Vice President Vanzora? Yes. Council President Cohen? Yes. May I have a
motion to approve the payment of claims per the run date of May 1st, 2025? So moved. Thank you. Second. Second. Roll call. Councilman Dpiro, yes. Councilman Markell, yes. Councilwoman Seagull, yes. Council Vice President Vanzora, yes.
Council President Cohen, yes. Motion carried. Thank you. Item three is the approval of minutes of April 7th, 2025, both the agenda and regular combined meeting. Motion, please. Motion. Thank you. Second. Second. Thanks again. May I have a roll call on that? Councilman
Dapiro, yes. Councilman Markell, yes. Councilwoman Seagull, yes. Council Vice President Vanzora. Yes. Council President Cohen. Yes. Motion carries. Motion carries. I've clearly lost my battle with pollen, so forgive me for sniffing. Whatever I'm taking for my
allergies is less than less than perfect. Um, we have ordinance for second reading. I would ask the clerk to please read the ordinance. Ordinance 04202507 ordinance to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits
and to establish a cap bank. May I have a motion to open the public hearing? Motion. Second. Second. All in favor? I. Assuming no objection. Anyone wishing to comment on this ordinance 042025-00007, please come forward now.
Seeing and hearing none, I will entertain a motion to close the public hearing. Motion. Thank you. A second on that. Second. No objections. All in favor? Yes. I I would like a motion to adopt ordinance 042025-00007, please. Motion. Thank you.
A second on that. Second. Thank you again. Roll call. Councilman Dapiro. Yes. Councilman Markell. Yes. Councilwoman Seagull. Yes. Council Vice President Vanzora. Yes. Council President Cohen. Yes. Motion carries. 042025-00008. Ordinance authorizing the
acceptance of one property known as block 52 lot 2.05. May I have a motion to open a public hearing? Post. May I have a second on that? Second. All in favor? I. Anyone desiring to comment to the
council on ordinance 042025-00008, please come forward now. Seeing and hearing none, a motion to close, please. Moved. Thank you. A second. Second. Thank you. A motion to adopt. So moved.
042025 has been motioned. Z. And may I have a second on that? Second. Thank you. Roll call. Councilman Dapiro. Stand. Councilman Markell, yes. Councilwoman Seagull, yes. Council Vice President Vanzoro, yes. Council President Cohen,
yes. Motion carries. 042025-00009 is an ordinance approving the traffic signal improvements for Applegarth Road and Joan Warren Way. Motion to open public hearing, please. Thank you. A second on that. Second. All in favor? I. Anyone wishing to address
the council on 042025-00009, please come forward now. Seeing and hearing none, I'll entertain a motion to close. Motion. Thank you. A second on that. Second. All in favor? I. Thank you. May I have a motion to adopt?
Motion. Thank you. Thank you. A roll call. Councilman Diapro. Yes. Councilman Markeel. Yes. Councilwoman Seagull. Yes. Council Vice President Vanzora. Yes. Council President Cohen. Yes. So we have adopted 042025-00009
042025-010 ordinance amending the code of the township of Monroe under chapter 108 section 6.23 to amend the medical facility requirement in the planned retirement community district 2 parenthetical PRC-2.
Motion to open the public hearing. Motion. May I have a second? Second. Thank you so much. All in favor? I I Anyone wishing to address the council again on this issue, please feel free to come forward now. Address the
council. Do I have another opportunity to You can address the council again. Um, my hearing isn't the best, but I think I heard several members of the board of
Stonebridge say that if they're given a path to eliminate our nurse, they want to reserve the right to eliminate a vote by the homeowners in order to eliminate the
nurse. I don't think I was mistaken on that. This is a very, very unusual occurrence. They're saying something that to me is amazing. The same board that came to you and said, "Your testimony on this ordinance, please,
sir, your testimony on this ordinance, please. Your please, your testimony on this ordinance." I'm talking about well the ordinance the ordinance to amend the ordinance that requires uh uh developments in PRC2
zone to have a nurse if they have more than 600 homes. But I think the confusion sir is I don't think anybody said what what you what you just said. Nobody said that. Nobody said that. And that is the way I interpreted what they
said. They wanted to have the same right as anyone to change their documents whenever they wanted to. No, no, sir. No, sir. You misheard because it is not what I heard. Well, I've then I can attribute it again to my hearing. I
thought I did hear that. Well, I am sure you did not and they said something else and then I apologize. However, however, as a very famous broadcaster said, let's go to the videotape. So, I will look at YouTube and see whether I heard what I
thought I heard or not. Thank you. You're welcome. Anyone else wishing to address this on this ordinance, please? Yes, please shar 2, 9, Nathaniel Street. I just have a question about the timing of the ordinance. If the ordinance is passed as
it is written tonight, when does it go into effect? Is there a 30-day or 45day? I'm not aware. 20 20 days after it's signed and published and what can happen in that 20 days legally? What could happen? Yeah. Isn't there so
you just can't enforce that ordinance until 20 days from now? There isn't any appeal or anything that goes on within that 20 days. No, it's just a 20-day stay. They they call it unstoppable period. It's a waiting period. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. Anyone else
wishing to comment now? Seeing and hearing none, I'm going to ask for a motion to close the public hearing. Motion. Thank you. A second on that, please. Second. All in favor? I would like a motion to adopt 04
2025-0, please. Now, do I have a motion? Motion to adopt. Thank you. Do I have a second on that motion? Second. Thank you. May I have a roll call, please? Councilman Depiro. Council President, can I make a comment before I vote,
please? Be my guest. Am I allowed to make a comment on on Sure. Go right ahead. Okay. So after hearing months and months of both sides of uh
PRC2 uh zone, I'm concerned about future development. Everybody keeps talking it's Stonebridge versus all the other communities. And um I also brought up a couple times about a hospital that we were supposed to receive and the reason
why this zone was changed uh created u by uh the uh past council and mayor. Uh I I I researched everything uh and as a real estate broker with due diligence uh
you you do your due diligence before you move into these developments. Number one. Number two, developers receive um funds, people that purchase these homes based on the PRC2 zone. So, I I'm just
concerned with the PRC2 zone future developments. I don't want to uh just sit here. I heard everybody say Stonebridge is the only community that has this. So, um I I don't feel that
way. I look at it there are other developments that could come in front of the the mayor uh council someday ask the same question uh if it's if it's they want to change or they can come to a zoning board and get a change. So, I'm
more concerned on future development and I'm also concerned on past developments that received real estate development funds. Uh just like we have a high school and a park that said preserve forever. Okay.
So, there's a lot of change that could happen. So, I'm concerned with future development with the PR C2 zone. I'm not just holding Stonebridge as Stonebridge being the only development. So I I vote
no. Councilman Markell. It's tough decision, but I vote yes. Councilwoman Seagull. Yes. Council Vice President Vanzora. Yes. Council
President Cohen. Yes. Motion carries. Please, there's no we can you please read the next one. I am beginning to lose my voice again. Ordinances for first reading. Ordinance 052025 011. Ordinance authorizing the
township of Monroe to acquire an easement over property located on 951 State Route 33 West known as block 5, lot 12.02 02 from Hennessy Realy LLC in connection with the installation and maintenance of water and sewer
installation. May I have a motion, please? Motion. Second. Second. Thank you. Roll call, please. Councilman Diapro, yes. Councilman Markell, yes. Councilwoman Seagull, yes. Council Vice President Vanzora, yes. Council President Cohen,
yes. Motion carries. Ordinance 052025012. Ordinance authorizing the township of Monroe to acquire an easement over property located on 46 Bentley Road known as block 5 lot 4.01 from Bonnie
Lina and Edward Lina in connection with the installation and maintenance of water and sewer installations. Motion please. Motion. Second. Second. Roll call. Councilman Dapiro. Yes. Councilman Markell. Yes. Councilwoman Seagull. Yes.
Council Vice President Vanzora. Yes. Council President Cohen. Yes. Motion carries. Ordinance 052025013. Ordinance authorizing the township of Monroe to acquire an easement over property located on Columbus Avenue known as block
106.04 lots 1 to 11 from Natalia Mcheco for the purpose of access to and maintenance of existing utilities. Motion, please. Motion. Thank you. Second. Second. Roll call. Councilman Diro. Yes. Councilman Markell, yes.
Councilwoman Seagull, yes. Council Vice President Vanzora, yes. Council President Cohen, yes. Motion carries. Thank you. We move to the 2025 municipal budget, the resolution providing that the 2025 municipal budget be read by
title at the time of the public hearing. May I have a motion to that effect? Motion. Second. Second. Roll call. Councilman Diapro. Yes. Councilman Markell, yes. Councilwoman Seagull, yes. Council Vice President Vanzora, yes.
Council President Cohen, yes. Motion carries. Public hearing on the 2025 municipal budget introduced on April 7th, 2025. May I have a motion to open that public hearing? Sorry, Council President. Would I be able to just address one thing before we go into the public hearing on the budget?
Absolutely. A minor amendment. Correct. There's a minor amendment. There's a minor amendment um that I just wanted to explain. So, we introduced our budget um as you know on April 7th and provided that uh introduced budget to the DCA for their review on April 8th. Uh the DCA
recently reached out to us and asked us to make I'm sorry, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs um Division of Local Government Services that that reviews and approves all introduced budgets and adopted budgets. Um they we had originally charged some
of our debt service to the library um as we charge um several other things appropriately to the library. They asked that we not charge our debt service amounts to the library and absorb that into our budget. So, we uh Lori and her team diligently did a great job and went
through the introduced budget and found areas to reallocate those funds, find additional savings so that we do not have to raise uh the tax rate in any way and the overall budget amount remains virtually the same. So, I just wanted to explain why we're going through that
amendment. Thank you. Thank you. May we continue to have a motion to open the public hearing, please? Motion. And we had a second. Second. May we have a roll call on that? Councilman Dapiro? Yes. Councilman
Markell? Yes. Councilwoman Seagull? Yes. Council Vice President Vanzora? Yes. Council President Cohen? Yes. Am I in sync by saying those who wish to address us, please come forward now. Shin 9. Nathaniel Street.
So, we had uh uh an increase in taxes as of the originally introduced budget. Is is there going to be now no increase in taxes because of the amendment? Correct. Uh council president, no, the increase is still 1.5 cents. There's no additional increase because of the
amendment. It remains the same. Um okay. Um I I was unable to see that amendment. Um, I would ask this council and the president um and the mayor to have that read into the record tonight. How is it a is it a long uh amendment? It would be
um prudent and it would be um nice for the public to hear what that amendment is. It's on it's on the website. It is on the website available on the website and it's and it is and it is not if you read it nobody would understand it because I beg your pardon, sir. It's not
fair to say that the p if the Okay, so actually that puts just all try to talk one at a time. It would be so helpful. It it is on the website. Okay. So, two comments. One, it's on the website again, which is my objection that it has not been discussed in public. But two, sir, you just said that no one would
understand it, which wait may I It's my time. which means that it should be spoken of in public and desri and described and us given information. If you're saying the public cannot understand what's on the
website, then indeed I think it's even more important that it be discussed in public and explained in public. So my question is will it please be read tonight? And you don't have to answer that now. You can answer when I'm finished. And do we have is the audit on
the website as well? And do we have an audit of the budget, Mr. Mc? You don't you don't So you don't audit the budget? You you audit prior to the budget. So the question is, is the 2024 audit? I don't even think it's
complete yet. The 2024 audit is not complete yet, Council President. The 2023 audit is on the website. Our auditors also, while they don't audit the budget, they are required to sign every budget that's submitted to the Department of Community Affairs. They have, they're here tonight. they've
reviewed and they approve of of the budget as submitted as well. But the audit for 2024 um is due in in around the summertime. I forget the exact date. Um and our auditors are going through the process of going through last year's financials
to prepare the audit. So, we're still on time for that as well. And that'll be on the website. Are there any recommendations this thus far for to the budget for 2024 andor 2026? I'm sorry. I don't I don't know how to ask the recommendations haven't been
formulated. Correct. So So and the previous budget that has been signed off uh the audit that has been signed off there have been no recommendations prior to this. So the last audit that we had council president just had a recommendation to do so in a more timely manner which we are now doing which we
have addressed. Correct. Okay. And again the total is about $76 million in change for our budget going forward. Council President, is it itemized on and now I did pull it off the website um but I didn't have time to go through the whole
thing. Is it itemized as well on the website? The council president. Yes, it is. It's in the state format. It's in the state format. Itemized which is all itemized. Yes. Correct. Okay. I'm sorry. You think that some of the people in Monroe can't understand? No, no, no. I I
said it. No. What I said was is that Mr. Mr. McGawan is happy to explain it, but if I read you this number to this number, this number to this number, you don't get a flavor for it. All I'm saying is that Mr. McGowan explained it to you. He could explain it in more detail if that's your question. I didn't
mean to suggest that you wouldn't understand that 348,621 is 348,621. Contacts you don't necessarily I know that there are people in this community who are far smarter than me. Um, but I can still understand the
budget and I also think that we have uh accountants, we have CPAs, we have a lot of people who do budgeting and and so I think that they do understand it very well. But if I would ask that you have Mr. McGowan go through that a little bit
in more detail for the for the whole public, not just for me. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Anyone else wishing to address us? I'm breathing. It's been a long struggle. Your name and address for our records please sir. Praash Parab 33 Dana
Drive. I have come in previous years and there is a slight presentation slight presentation on the budget. um April 7th I attended I didn't see any slide presentation or I missed it and u I saw
the 40 pages are there attachment and all I glanced it but for the lay man it is too much uh to read into it when I go to budget hearings for the board of education and all there are nice good slight presentation and discussion
uh so please clarify there were slight presentations in the last meeting. No, I didn't. No, we did not do a slide. Rahin last year last I remember very well there are there were
slight presentations president I was there and I do not remember that here president sorry not not here not here my request is due request is it it is good
it is nice uh to present uh the slide presentation so we understand you know if we have you know we go through 40 pages But we are not experts any in budgets and all. We are common people
you know whatever we hear we try to understand and explain to our community and explain to ourself itself. Okay those are my comments. President thank you. Anyone else please come forward. Lucio Panos 128 Linder Plaza. I agree. I
have to say, I know there's a new BA and things and I hope that things change. That should be a presentation to the public. That kind of tax dollar should be presented to the public. I was a council woman for 16 years. We would
have meetings with each department head. You were assigned which departments you were. Then there'd be a presentation to the public. Come on, folks. I know that the audit recommended that it be done in a timely fashion cuz two years ago it wasn't. So, um I'm glad it is this year,
but I agree it needs to be more available to the public. Thank you. Thank you for your comments, sir. Good evening. George Gunglman, five Kelly Court, Monroe. Good evening.
Um, couple of things. First of all, I'd like to support what was just said the last couple of people. I missed the old budget presentations that we did years ago where you know each department would defend and that were those were public
sessions and there were several of them and maybe for whatever immediate reasons that we didn't have time or whatever but I would like for the administration to consider going back to those public sessions. We have a lot of experienced
people in our community. Um, former bank people, former accountants, uh, or retired, you know, not not former, I guess they still know what they're doing. Anyway, I just like to make that comment. The other thing I
wanted to bring up is that I guess I'm one of those people who doesn't understand the reading, but it the previous resolution said that the 25 budget be read by title at the time
of the public hearing. What does that mean? Means that we title the 2025 budget that this mean you just repeat the word 25 and that's the my understanding Mr. McGowan. Am I wrong? Yeah. No, that's correct. Oh, good. I did that. So, you
just read that title. Correct. As opposed to reading the entire 9. So, that's a formality of saying we covered the basics. Yes, sir. Okay. But I assumed when I read that online that we were going to get into the budget. Not.
So, thank you. You're welcome. Anyone else wishing to address the council, please come forward now. Uh, no. Who were you here in this? You just asked budget. Oh, no, no, no. He was that was during Oh, that was the workshop. Was in the workshop. It's
We'll blame this on my allergies. I'm sorry. Sorry. I suffer with the meteorite. I empathize. Sorry. No, I would just say your name and address for the record again, please. Sure. Robert Valentine, 68 Union Valley Road. Yes, sir. You know, I say even more for the public. You know, imagine walking into a
car dealer or a Best Buy and you're making a major purchase. you're spending hundreds of thousand, hundreds of dollars, maybe thousands of dollars, and the and the person on the other end says, "Well, here's your car or here's your appliance. We fit it out the way we think you should have it. It's going to cost you X, and we're going to take it
out from you over the next 12 months." I know you'd be smiling, say, "Thanks so much for doing that for me. I really appreciate it." You know, the taxes that we pay is one of the biggest purchases we make every year, and we just take it for granted. We don't ask questions. We don't challenge. And it's what goes on
here. I don't think in fairness to all of you, this is probably not unusual. This is probably goes on in a lot of places. I'm not suggesting it's unique, but it's just not appropriate. We should understand what we're paying for. But we should be have the opport we I'm glad we have challeng but we need all of you to
challenge and and we need I appreciate all the comments that people made tonight because it's just necessly not adequate and it's these are all big items for us and we should understand what we're buying and how it's being created and why things are being done the way
they're being done and the audit is out there for this year. I've looked at it. I feel sorry for anybody who doesn't have a background finance try to look at that document because they it's hopeless and it's another situation where that could be boiled down and shared and we could help people understand it better
and know what's going on. The money you are the stewards of is one of the most important things and most important responsibilities you have and my personal opinion I don't think in terms of how you interact with the public. I don't think you mean them. I think the finance people do an excellent job. I've said that before. I'm not questioning
their capabilities in any way. I just think it's important that the public try we educate the public and talk to the public in a responsible way about what's happening financially and I hope and continue to hope that we'll move more in that direction to more transparency,
more dialogue and help the public be more aware of what's going on and I think everybody will benefit from that. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Anyone else wishing to come up, please do. Good evening. Uh Chrissy Scurby, Monroe Township, 21 PNness Drive. Um I think
that is the I want to echo what has been said. It's about transparency. And I agree. I know um when I was on the board of education as the president, we made sure that we provided the public with documents that it's called a userfriendly budget. So it breaks down
um by categories. uh very easy for people to understand what is in the budget. So I echo um what some of uh my fellow residents have have asked for going forward. And um I just want to uh bring up something that uh Miss Armenino
brought up before about the ratables. Um the uh Monroe Township Board of Education passed their budget the other night. It's going to be the largest tax increase for school tax in Monroe's history without a vote of the taxpayers.
And one of the points that they made strongly was about the ratables. And I again as having been the board president, I understood what I thought was the ratables and the way it was explained tonight that the ratables were not shrinking, they actually were
increasing. Um, but to Miss Armenino's point, um, the school board made it sound like the ratables were shrinking and they were blaming that, um, decrease on the township and the reason for why the, uh, school tax was going up so
much. So, I just wanted to clarify. Um, I know Miss Armenia was there at the school board meeting as well as many others of us here tonight. Um, we were there to hear that and they based a lot of what their presentation was on ratables. Um, so I just thought I would clarify that. Thank you. Thank you for
your comments. Anyone else wishing to address us, please come forward now. Seeing and hearing none, I'm going to make a motion, ask for a motion to close the public hearing, please. Motion. Thank you. May I have a second on that?
Second. Thank you. May I have a roll call? Councilman Shapiro? Yes. Councilman Markeel? Yes. Councilwoman Seagull. Yes. Council Vice President Vanzora. Yes. Council President Cohen. Yes. Council President, can I just I just want to comment on on
something that was said about about the ratables. The difference between So, first the user friendly budget is not something that the board of education invented. It's actually the form that the state requires us to use. So the budget that we have on our website is the userfriendly budget in this kind of
in a very similar form except in more detail for the municipality than it is for the board of education. The issue of ratables and the board of education budget is an interesting question. I'm not sure why the board raised it because while the municipal tax levy gets
adjusted for the ratables the so the amount of money that you can raise by taxation gets adjusted each year if the ratable base goes up. That's not true for the board of education. So the board of education's budget only gets adjusted for increased
number of of school children or for the same exemption that we have which is for increases in health and pension uh benefits. So they're they're not really I mean the way it works is that the board of education strikes their budget and they send the bill to the town and we raise the money. We raise the money through the tax rate. Actually the
county strikes the tax rate. Um, so there I'm not sure what the point that was made at the board of education meeting, but I know that whether our ratables went up or not does not affect the size of their budget at all. Their budget is their budget. Um, so I just I
it's a it's a common question that gets asked and I just thought it's it's a it's appropriate to give an answer to that. Council President, thank you, sir. Council President, can I make can I make a comment what our what our attorney just said? So after sitting uh Monday
night after sitting there for over 6 hours at at a meeting um that it's just unbelievable to watch and to see and u to watch everything that's going on in our community. We're all trying to work together. We're everybody's here working
trying to make the community a better place for for the future. And it's a beautiful town. Our town's a beautiful town. But I I I have to say that I don't disagree with the public that came up the presentation that they and the picture that they painted was it was
like, you know, I don't want to say our fault and and put them like we're all on a team together. We're all working together, but they made it sound like because the ratables are going down, the tax is going up. And then when I looked at the enrollment, I looked at the
enrollment and I didn't want to go to the microphone uh and make a comment, but if you look at the enrollment for the last three or four years, enrollment's going down in in Monroe Township and and as our attorney just pointed out with number of students, if
the enrollment's going down, but they're going over the 2%, you know, cap and they increased their budget by like $3.6 million. You know, I'm not a CPA or I'm not an auditor, but I can tell you that
and I we all know cost went up. It went up in my house, went up in everybody's house in this room. We're all increased cost. we all inflation and u and I wanted to say that our staff our finance staff did an incredible job CFO and also
Kevin everybody all professionals because we do watch everything that we spend here and we try our best but we try not we try not to cut and that's what the board of ed said they weren't cutting positions well they're increasing a big increase with
enrollment going down so the picture that they really painted to the public in my opinion was because the ratables are going down, we have no choice but to raise the taxes. So, I was there. That's what I heard. I'm back to where I was.
Where was I? We need a We need a motion to amend amend the 2025 municipal budget R5 2025-104A. May I have a motion, please? Motion. Thank you. May I have a second?
Second. Thank you. Roll call, please. Councilman Tapiro, yes. Councilman Markell, yes. Councilwoman Seagull, yes. Council Vice President Vanzora, yes. Council President Cohen, yes. Motion carries. Thank you. R2025-104B resolution adopting the 2025
municipal budget. May I have a motion, please? Motion. Second. Second. Thank you. A roll call. Councilman Diapro. Yes. Councilman Markell. Yes. Councilwoman Seagull. Yes. Council Vice President Vanzora. Yes. Council
President Cohen. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. We have now item seven, resolutions for consideration under the consent agenda. R52025-105 through R52025-117. There were no exceptions on them tonight. Correct. Correct. So, may
we have a motion to approve? So moved. May we have a second on that? Second. Roll call, please. Councilman Dapiro, yes. Councilman Markell, yes. Councilwoman Seagull? Yes. Council Vice President Banzora? Yes. Council President Cohen? Yes. Motion carries. We
are skipping eight. We are moving right to our administrator's report. Mr. McGawan, please. Thank you, Council President. And I I'll be brief. Just want to thank the council for approval of our paving program tonight. We received 13 bids. Uh we're actually doing a little more municipal paving
this year than in the last couple of years, which is always a benefit to our residents. So, thanks to the council for their support. Uh want to thank Lori and the finance team. We achieved another A+ bond rating from S&P this week and uh and we're very proud of that and um and
that's a testament to to the healthy budget and to the support of the council and the work of the mayor and the administration. And I want to thank all of our professionals for helping us maintain um a healthy financial management system. Uh now that spring is finally here, just want to thank our recreation and parks department for all
their hard work in getting the fields in great shape for spring and summer sports at James Monroe at the softball, soccer, and and Danny Ryan Field. Really appreciate all the hard work that they do. And that's my report. Thank you very much,
Mr. Razimo. Thank you, Council President. Uh quick update on a couple projects in town. The uh the demolition of the old Garveys. Uh we have all the testing that was done out there. We're just trying to get the uh scheduling uh for the
remediation work to uh to dig out the uh the soil. Uh the tanks were removed. However, again, we're just running into a scheduling conflict. Uh but we'll get that going as soon as we can. Inwood Estates. Um council may recall we did concrete work throughout that community
at the end of last year. Uh we're looking to schedule the paver in there to wrap that up. Um we're also working with our utility department. There's some valve replacements that they have to do. So uh so as soon as that's wrapped up, we we should be paving uh sometime in
June. Uh James Monroe Park, the concession stand and park improvements. The old concession stand has been uh demolished. Uh they're removing the old septic system and and that project's moving along. The township police station addition
uh that project is moving along at this point. Uh electrical and HVAC uh roughening has been completed or nearly completed. Sheetrocking of the walls is underway and uh as I mentioned that that's moving now. Uh lastly, uh
tonight the council awarded the 2025 roads repaving. As uh Kevin had mentioned, there was 13 bids. Uh we got about 13 roads that's getting done. Uh the bids, uh came in, uh very good and uh we awarded the base bid along with
add alternates one, two, and three, and the total amount was 1,738,000 and change. And that's my report. Very good. Thank you. Move to council reports. I'll make move to my extreme left the war two councilwoman
Rupa Seagull, please. Thank you, council president. Good evening, everyone. Uh I did I just want to point out real quick about some of those proclamations today. We had so many on the agenda and I would highly recommend to read them, but I did want
to highlight our clerk's office week, police, EMS, and public works. They are such a vital part of our community. They do so much every day to keep our community looking beautiful and our safety and security for all our residents and our clerk's office takes care of our council and they do so much
more. So, thank you. Um, I did want to also thank Lori Ola and our finance department administration for this year's budget. It's months of hard work that goes into the budget process, working with our departments, working with everyone, all that are involved.
After reviewing the budget, it's a fiscally responsible and solid budget that meets the needs of our growing community. We offer so many important services and a amenities which are truly miles ahead of other communities. Um I was happy to see that
our 2025 paving plan resolution, there's lots of streets, I think they said 13 being paved throughout the township. I'd like to highlight a few in Ward 2 because I know people do mention it to me on different roads. So, uh, Deer Path and Lawrence Road, McFarland Circle and
Highland Drive, a part of Day Grove Road and Grace Hill Road as well. And I also wanted to, um, mentioned that I've been listening to our community members from the southern side of Monroe, sharing their thoughts and ideas about the
recreation on that side of town. I have asked our administration to see if they could find an area where we could create a walking trail. I am excited to share tonight that the township has identified an area off of England Road and has begun to clear that
area for a walking trail which will be about 2.6 miles round trip. This is a wonderful passive recreation option for families and community members to enjoy the outdoors and get your steps in. So, this further demonstrates our commitment to the wellness and health of our
residents. Thank you for all those residents for taking the time to share your ideas with me and the township with your collaboration to make this happen. So, please look out for more information from the township when the trail is open and ready to
use. And I wanted to also welcome some of our new businesses. We had a couple ribbon cutting ceremonies. Kids in Kaboodle and all care spine and sports medicine. We wish you the best and welcome to Monroe. And uh just a update from one of the commissions, our historic preservation
commission as a liazison. We had our first open house at Die Farm. Rain or shine, didn't matter. The open house went on and we had our Monroe Township Library book was there, which I don't know if anyone's seen it. I know they show up at the farmers market and other
events in the town, but the book bike not only has books, but you can check out books there, and you can also sign up for a library card. So, do look out for the book bite bike. It's something neat that we have here. And then I did want to share a little update around our youth advisory council. So our students
have finished their projects. Yesterday the mayor, Mayor Delina and some of our council members, we attended a presentation done by our students on their projects. And this year, I think I've been sharing in past months that the students have been charged with
working through our boards and commissions and looking at it with the lens from our youth and their pers and their perspective. And they presentations yesterday were phenomenal, amazing. They really did the research and worked hard through the commissions
to come up with ideas on how they can add value to these commissions and boards um with and enhance and engage more students to get involved and make their mark on societ here right in our community. So I'm really hoping that some of the ideas that they've shared
are some things that we can put forward and help them implement as we move forward. So I do want to thank Kyle Johansson again. He's a wonderful leader and mentor to the students. Does a great job really guiding them through this process. Um so thank you
Kyle and I think that concludes my report. Thank you. I'm going to move to Mr. Markel. Uh thank you Rupa for making my report for me. I appreciate it. Why we share? Um I just like to I'll be brief because uh um
Councilman everything's done. You're good. There you go. uh kind of hit on most of my points. I I would like to comment on the youth advisory committee which I was um attending yesterday. They were uh the young people there were absolutely uh
fantastic. Uh they gave us some ideas. Uh I'm on the human um relations committee so they came up with some fantastic ideas and I I did ask them to pinpoint uh one of their most important ideas so we can get working on it right away. Um I want to thank Kyle with a
great job. He he unbelievable job he did with these young kids. Uh and Councilman Seagull was the leazison for that. Um one thing this is um military appreciation month. I was at the um in Rosmore uh we had a
um ceremony to commemorate the 50 years uh of the ending of the Vietnam War. Uh and it was I attended that with the Vietnam veterans. Uh I'm not a veteran myself, but I've heard I heard some fantastic stories. Um most of which were
were wonderful stories. They didn't get into the nitty-gritty of how terrible the war was. They told her the camaraderie and what they've accomplished and the people they met and the people they still um know and and communicate with. So that was a great
event. Um, I'd just like to say, um, approach a veteran all the time, especially this month. Approach a veteran, thank them. They do appreciate it. Especially, um, the way the Vietnam veterans were welcomed back into this
country was atrocious. And, um, I think we should say to them, when you see a vet uh, a hat that says Vietnam veteran, you say, "Welcome home." I think they'll still appreciate that because they didn't get that. Um, the only thing I'd
like the only thing I'd like to touch on is the clerk's office. Um, they did such they do such a great job for us. They actually uh when I walk in there, they actually smile. I'm surprised. Um, I think which is nice. Uh, Lori and her
her um office did a fantastic job on the budget. Um, when I sat down with them, they did a great job explaining to me what was going up, what was going down, what was costing us money, and where our money, uh, where the money goes. We take
it, obviously, we take it very seriously, where to spend your taxpayers money. We pay taxes here, too. So, we want to, uh, make sure they're spent in the right direction. Um, emergency services, that goes without saying. Um
the uh that's the May 18th through the 24th is emermergency medical services. Uh we keep saying we have bar none the best medical services in in the county which we do. So thank you um for
doing such a great job. Obviously with the senior community here I think there's about 40 some odd percent of the county of our uh town is seniors. So we do need good service. Um, that's about it. I just want to thank everybody for coming today and helping us participate
and showing your concern and for your community. And um, just say we didn't take anything lightly on the votes today. Uh, especially the stone bridge. Um, I obviously it's been going on a while and I woke up many nights 2:00 in
the morning thinking about it. I just didn't wasn't easy. But we try to do the right thing. Thank you very much, Mr. Dupiro. 43. Okay. Thank you very much. Um, first first I'll start off with I I got to I
have to echo my fellow council and uh and all the all the appreciation that every everyone that we we recognize tonight public works uh we should definitely add MTUD to that public works
because uh it's definitely uh they're a team. They work together. So, uh, maybe next year we can add MTA and public works week along with emergency services. I mean, you know, I I like to say second to none when it comes to uh
services in Monroe Township. Uh, and these guys and and and women and all the volunteers and the career staff are second to none when it comes to emergency services, fire, police, first aid. Uh, as firsthand as a fire
commissioner for District 1. Uh, it's a passion very close to my heart and I love being there. I I I just just they amaze me every day more and more. They just keep rising. The bar goes higher. the from storms, hurricanes, you name
it, the men and women are there, the volunteers, the career. It's just amazing what what they do for towns and surrounding towns. It's just the clerk's office. You still take my calls. Thank you. I mean, I I can't say enough. You guys are
always there. You just, you know, you looked at every single thing here and it's an amazing appreciation month. Uh, I just wanted to add it's also teachers appreciation week. Um,
that amazing things happen in our school district and they and the teachers and the staff all staff should should get that uh teacher appreciation week pretty much every every day because they do they do do a great job and uh they're
that's close to my heart too is our school system. It's also national um nurse nurse I believe day. You took my little thing to say. I took I took I'm sorry. I I know. Um it's also appreciation for the nurses
and every everyone that helps us when we're in need. Um I want to thank there's a gentleman here that puts on a vest, puts on his hard hat, and he's got his bucket and his his can. He's picking up the garbage uh in front of my office
quite a bit. Uh George Gunglman is out there and I want to say George, thank you for making Prospect Plains Road. Uh a clean street uh as a citizen. He goes by, picks up. Uh I see him out there
quite a bit. And I just want to put a thanks shout out to George on keeping uh Prospect Plains Road clean. And with that, we're doing a community cleanup this Saturday from 8:30 to 10:30 on Primeville Road if anyone would like to
volunteer. It's going to start at Stop and Shop and it's going to go to Union Valley Road between 8:30 and 10:30 this Saturday. And it's something that brings the community together. And our DPW does a lot cuz the county gives us some
grants and some funds. But that's uh something that if you want to get out and volunteer, that's our next community cleanup. As uh Councilwoman Seagull said, we attended a couple uh ribbon cutings, kids in Kaboodle in Suburban
Plaza. It's a business that came from Spotswood and decided to move to Monroe. They're at 365 Spotswood Englishtown Road at Suburban Plaza. We wish them well and hopefully if you need a party for grandchildren or children that
you'll use their their facility and their services and you know concentrate on shopping uh local uh shop local to help our businesses. Also we we attend some of us attended the spine and sports medicine at 237 Prospect Plains Road.
They were located at 350 Forsgate Drive and they just moved to 237 about a month ago. They've been in Monroe for approximately 13 years. I I have to put a shout out to um
we we all of us attended on April 27th the senior center for the Holocaust. Uh it was um it was amazing presentations that everybody uh we all came together
and the volunteers and the and the committee that puts that together. It's almost like an election. They start the next day after. And I just want to say thank you to everybody that was part of that from our from our senior uh staff,
the uh the board that put it all together, all the volunteers, the rabbis that came, everybody that came together uh for that. And I just I'm we attended, my wife and I attended, but it was done exceptional. You guys did a guys and
women did a great job. There was a um as council uh councilwoman Seagull and Councilman Markle said, the mayor and and we attended last night the mayor's youth advisory uh
council when when they went to each one of our like shade tree commissions uh which I'm the liazison and green team and all the other advisory wreck and and historic commission die farm I mean, Kyle, you you did an exceptional
job. I want to say thank you. They all everybody was the vision that they have for the future of Monroe made me feel like we're in good hands. We are definitely in good hands to see the residents um children come up or
grandchildren come up and and not only tell us what the problems are that part of our committees that we have in our and our the presentations that they made. They gave us solutions. you know, they they said, you know, we need some kind
of a display to get all the sports together and, you know, put a calendar together and get it get more awareness. Uh, and and just the ideas that they did was exceptional. And I know our mayor is very proud and as a councilman, all of
us were very proud of them. They did an exceptional job. Um, I have an idea. Uh, maybe we could reach out. A lot of people been complaining about this Real ID. Um, going to get a Real ID from DMV. Maybe there's something that we could
reach out to get a mobile unit in Monroe Township to help our residents. Uh maybe come to the senior center, come to the library, come to the rec center. If we can get a mobile DMV uh to help our residents get real
ID, I think that would that would be a good service that you know because what I'm hearing is a lot of them they can't even figure it out when they get there and they have a lot of problems. So let's see hopefully maybe we get a mobile DMV or
or you know maybe we can get them to come here and help us our residents. I wanted to say um also on June 14th, a flag day, second annual uh classic car, Mandro Township High School booster club
at our at our high school at 9:30. Anyone likes classic cars, uh come out and support our booster club at 9:30 at the high school. That's June 14th. Cha tree, I mentioned it last
meeting. We had an exceptional committee. We have a great team. Um Gary Lavala, he does a great job. And uh we planted a tree at Barkley Brook School. So uh I spent a lot of time in the uh
principal's office from 1967 when I was there. Uh and that so I know that school pretty well. My dad was there in 1936 when they built the school. So that we planted a tree there which was very close. Uh and my daughter works there now as well too. So it's a really good
arbor day. It was great uh to plant a tree and in a school that we all attended water main breaks. Joe, your your your leadership and the work, the crew, the staff. Um alongside my house
there's a street called Garvey Drive. There was a water main break. I I went out there because the residents, 23 residents were out of water. I I received a few phone calls. I I didn't want to bother your your staff. You had nine trucks out there. You had guys
going light bar. I mean, to do that to do to do a job like that in house in house and I say it time and time again, it's such an amazing savings. It's such an amazing service to our community and
and the residents weren't complaining about I'm out of water because few of the residents we offered our home to if they needed water, my wife and I, cuz they're all our neighbors. But I got to tell you, nobody was complaining about they were out of water. They were they
were complimenting the the professionalism that your staff out there was doing. they were going on social media uh complimenting your your crews and to hear that and see that when time is like oh the waters doesn't work
oh everybody wants to complain you know you had a water man break today on 10th t 10th uh avenue as well I mean you guys just as I said before about first responders the water company definitely definitely and sewer authority you guys
do an amazing job and thank the staff and your leadership for that Thank you. Um, I've been getting a lot of calls from racing cars up and down Federal Road, Union Valley Road, Mammoth Road,
Spotswood, Englishtown Road, and it seems and it even happens over where I live too. But you hear there's these cars going up and down these roads at high speeds in the middle of the night. So, I don't know if we can increase um
on those streets. federal road. It's 35 miles an hour. If if I'm traveling 35 miles an hour, you get shot to trellis go around you and the road rage, it's just unbelievable on Federal Road, uh Union Valley and Mammoth Road. So, I
think it's something if we can increase the traffic uh you know, safety for our residents and put also the trailer out there with the speed speed limit sign that would definitely help. May 26, 9:30, Memorial Day, we will
we'll be uh at Veterans Park on Avenue K. Yes, we will. For the for the residents if um anybody would like to attend. Um I also I went today to our veterans building and I got an update
like I said last month I would do it. I'm going to do it monthly. And I went there today. I sat there for about a half hour and I talked to the three three people that are trying to uh to take the uh applications for our
veterans. And we have 15 nonveterans that are moved into the facility and we have only 23 veterans that have moved in. So right now there's 38 out of 80 units that are occupied. All the
onebedrooms are gone. They're they're there's a waiting list if somebody needs a onebedroom. And and there's um 10 applications that are veterans that are pending. So I've I've heard in the past
people say I have a family member that's waiting and you know I can't we can't interfere with names and stuff like that. But it's just something that we need to to improve on the veterans um awareness. So they're having two open
houses. Maybe we can advertise it to help them. They're having two open houses. May 29th from 3:00 to 7:00 at the facility, 3:00 to 7:00. And then May 30th from 10 to 2, they're having another open house. Uh so if
anybody can tell a veteran or help a veteran uh these the facilities will be open you can you can go through the facilities and get an application try to help a veteran with housing and the last thing I just wanted to say is happy
Mother's Day to all the mothers and uh grandparents great grandparents as well. Thank you. Thank you. Before I give this to Councilman Banzora, our council vice president, I needed to share that tomorrow I will be at a celebration for
nurses week. And as I was forcefully reminded by a colleague in the audience, it wasn't on the list that this is nurses week. And so, yes, it is. And as I'm still working as a nurse, um I will be enjoying having a celebration tomorrow
of all that we bring to the world at large. We are still the world. We are still the most trusted profession of all. They will people will tell you that they trust a nurse. And that is a sacred trust. You know that we all feel even if
I forgot to mention that this is the week that our word is our bond. We take care of our patients. So to all my colleagues out there, keep strong. We do good stuff. Uh
Mr. Vir, thank you, Madam President. Um every year the human relations committee uh has its presentations and I think this is truly one of the best events that we have at the council meeting. To paraphrase what somebody
once said, the the value of a person is not how much you have, but how you treat and give to others. And each of these children who are here tonight that received presentations really reflect that ideal cuz how they treat their
fellow uh classmates and other people. And we heard from the young lady who uh you know helped save the at at the fire helped save the other person. you know, in this day and age and with all the uh back and forth going on, I I think it's
more important than ever that we have people that respect others and to see these kids doing it at an early age and hopefully carrying it through. I I think it's very heartwarming and and it's a good thing for our town to to be able to look forward to. a couple of items when
when you're one of the last ones to go. Mike thought that they had already covered everything by him, but after going after Charlie and and Charlie covered a bunch of the things, I was also going to say um Memorial Day the and all the all the good work that's done whether it be the clerks, the
people around the town, the the emergency that just just to follow up on what Charlie said with that emergency, they had a water mane break and I saw one of the emails that came back and forth. Our MTUD people were out there. They had the whole crew out there and they stayed until it was done at and
they were out there till 4 in the morning the following day to get it done. So, I mean that that's a real that's a real credit to our crew and uh Joe's leadership there. And that's just one specific example. It's it's day day in and day out they do things. Not just
them, the police and the EMS and all the others. I'm not going to go down the whole list because they all do great work here and we're very proud of them. Um, the police also had a very important thing. They, uh, because they did some really good police work, they were able to break up some type of ring that I
think was involved. If I'm not mistaken, I think it was some type of credit card fraud, but going back with our our uh uh cameras that do the reading, they found stuff. They relayed information to others and and they they did a major uh stop in uh crime and that that was a
very good thing also. Um, so I did want to give them a shout out. Um, I was not able to go to the all cure spine uh opening to the ribbon cutting last week because I had to work. However, I've been to all cure spine cuz I've had
sciatica for about 4 months and I went and I treated there and after a few months of treating, I can tell you those people are nothing but positive and I no longer have the sciatica. So, I can't give them a better endorsement than the fact that when you go there, they treat
you for what you have and it actually worked. I was a little skeptical at first, but but I went through it and and they did a good job and I'm so happy that I'm not dealing with that anymore. So, that was another great thing. One of the other things I was also going to follow Charlie brought up was the
veterans housing. It's a little I I questioned a lot of it because I thought we would have had a lot more people. It's it's not just veterans. They have to fit into a particular income. they they can't make less than a certain amount because they have to qualify, but they can't make more than a certain
amount because it has to be low income. But all I can say is let's try to get the word out to as many people as possible to open houses, whatever it might take. Let's we want it mostly veterans. We don't want it to just be other lowincome housing. So, let's keep
pushing. If you know anybody, you know, just spread the word as best you can. Um, another thing I happen to notice, uh, in the last week or two, they did the ground, and I think Mark mentioned it, they did the groundbreaking for the improvements over at our baseball fields over at James Monroe Park. That's
already a great facility over there, but there were things after time, you know, the the pathways needed to be improved, the refreshment stand, making things ADA compliant and stuff like that. So, this is a project that's really worthwhile and uh will definitely get use and it's
always nice to see the town anytime the town puts forth anything toward recreation. I think it's a good thing to help encourage the kids and stuff. Um talked about Memorial Day, May 26, 9:30, that's Avenue K. if anybody can make it,
that's where we have our annual ceremony and it's always a nice presentation and and we very much appreciate our our veterans and things. Um, one other thing that Oh, and also I want to mention May 18th is the Ampere Memorial 5K run
that's over at uh John at Thompson Park and that's in honor of uh a young uh Monroe resident who passed away of cancer unfortunately at an early age. but we go out every year to honor him and raise money for, you know, cancer
awareness and and things of that nature. So, we have some good things going on. And one other thing I wanted to do is I wanted to compliment our administration. You might remember a few months ago, uh, someone gave a presentation about the affordable housing. Um, and the way it
kind of works is the state gives you a particular number and a requirement. So when and this past uh over the past month some of the numbers came out as to how much you had to do and what you got.
So the state told us we needed to have 751 affordable housing units. But after we we had hired the firm and they did their work, we were able to settle at a number of 460. So, it saved the town the
need to build 291 additional affordable housing units, which as you guys probably know, if you're building 291 of those, when the developers come, then they get to build what maybe like another four times that
nonaffordable. Again, the numbers go through the roof. So, it's not ideal. I mean, I understand this is, you know, we're in 2025 there. We have a town that has a lot of space and and there are some requirements, but it could have been so much worse if not for the uh the
effort that was put in. And the reason I say that is cuz by comparison's sake, I just want to mention two other towns that are nearby. One was their state only set theirs at 250 and they had a settle at 240. So they saved themselves
10, right? Almost nothing. And then there's we often hear about Oldbridge. Oldbridge had their uh standards set at 685 and they had it settle at 673. So they only saved 12 compared to
us saving 291. So when you look at numbers like that, I I think it really sets forth the effort that was made by the administration, the people they hired and and the real savings and cost to, you know, to the town. So, my compliments to them along with all the
others, our clerks, our our our whole budget Lori and Joe, everyone around that's been doing everything. But those were my comments. I I thought it was a good thing and it it just shows that the town's the town's still working hard and I appreciate that. Thank you. Thank you,
Madam President. Thank you. And as is always my pleasure and my honor, Mr. Mayor, sir. Thank you, Madam Council President. And I know the residents back there have been putting in their time. You'll be going on after me and I I promise I I I will I will be brief. I I
I will. Um so, uh you know, all this talk about PT. I I think I need PT right now. We sat so long. Uh 40 miles on my bicycle on Sunday and then genulecting 30 40 times to take pictures with kids. I think I need a little something. Um so
here's here's government in in in action, my friends. The council has asked and we will deliver um Real ID Councilman Debero May 15th mobile unit uh I mean 13th in in Monroe Township as
well as June 20th. Please keep an eye out for the it's not the DMV, the MVC website. uh they usually open up uh mobile locations couple days, weeks or so
before it happens, but you're going to have to be diligent and keep your eye out on that. Uh but we will be having it here in Monroe Township. Um let's see here. the affordable
housing, the valor point uh was brought up and and Councilman Vanzur, we're we're doing outreach. First though, let me just give the correct numbers. Um there are indeed 15 non-veterans, but
these are people who fit the affordable housing category and threshold. So, they are allowed to go in there. There are 20 indeed 23 veterans that have moved in. There are six in the final stages of
approval and there are seven current be current veterans being processed. Their applications are being processed. So that's that's what's going on. But after the last meeting, I had directed the administration. a number of the uh the
the team members here at town hall had gotten together and they were parsed out certain parts of the state to start going to solicit what we have here the affordable housing veterans unit. So,
uh, it was a personal outreach from Monroe Township to the following organizations, and we've made some progress engaging tunnels to Tower, the New Jersey Department of Veteran Affairs, various other veterans offices
in each of the counties and the state, VA hospitals, Ruckers University, and many others. So we are personally Monroe Township is going out to solid solicit as many veterans organizations as
possible to try to say this is a place that we want you to come in and and you know spend your spend your time because we love our veterans. Um speaking of love, love to L'oreola and and everyone on your staff uh for for the budget. Um
it's a it's a long process and I know as we talked about um you know events that you know start up soon as it's over and I know you'll be starting on the next budget as we speak when you walk in tomorrow morning. Um do want to thank all the council for their review of the
budget uh and thank all of the residents and their public input as well. Um mayor's wellness uh the police bike ride and car show was held this last Saturday. Uh the Hollywood Knights were there with the car show. W want want to
appreciate uh their their efforts and everyone who participated. Um the military apprec appreciation month has kicked off with a viewing of the movie the good morning Vietnam. Thanks to the Stonebridge veter veterans for hosting the event. And I know it was mentioned
about Memorial Day on on May uh 26, but it's going to be more than just Memorial Day on that uh particular occasion at that particular location. We will be unveiling a U addition to the already
existing monument. So, it's going to be a dedication ceremony as well as our Memorial Day services. So, it's we're really going to amp it up uh and make it a great event. Um, speaking of our veterans, we have a upcoming picnic on
May 17th, 1 to 4 at our Veterans Park on Avenue K. It's open to all the veterans and their families, and we're certainly looking forward to that. Uh, and with that being said, happy Mother's Day. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. I hope
that was brief. That was brief. I'm sorry. We're going to have our public comment section now. May I have a motion to open public comments, please? May I have a second? Second. All in favor? Any
opposed? Those residents wishing to address us, please come forward stating your name and address for our records. Where is that young woman who was here before and didn't want her to get lost? Ah, she is here. Okay, good.
Good evening. Yes, good evening. Gerby again, uh, 21 Pness Drive. I just had a question about the walking parks that were mentioned on England Road. Not exactly sure where that is going to be. Well, I'm clearly not where on England Road that is, Mr. McGowan. Sure, Council
President. So, um, this is a sort of a combination of lots that the township had acquired a while ago that we've we've underutilized. So now, uh, is it on England Road or is it on Mount Road? Well, uh, so that's a different piece of property on that that that faces Mount
Road. This sits between this is a large piece of property, an assemblage of lots that sits between Pineville and England if you're looking at the GIS map from above. Um so there is um an area where people will be able to enter from England Road as well as a small area
where people could enter from Pionville Road. However, the Panville Road one entrance might not be as conducive to So it's back through the woods. Correct. Okay. Are we going to have parking back there? Correct. Yes. There'll be a few spots like East Brunswick and other towns do. There'll be a few parking
spaces that are set aside within if I could make a recommendation. Um I I live off of England Road 2 and I know many of the residents have asked in the past to have um road upgrades on England. Uh there's a section on England Road right
before Federal Road where um there's gullies. It's it's very narrow and we have asked residents have asked for um guard rails to be put up uh many many years ago. There was a a school bus that tipped over into there and had to be pulled out. Um so if we're going to be
increasing traffic back there, I would I would ask the council and the and the township to possibly do some type of road improvements at the very least put guard rails in. Um and then I also just wanted to um mention something that I heard at the board of education meeting. I know the the township municipality and
the board are separate, but they do work together. And I was when I was the president, I'm no longer on the board of education, but we were very appreciative of the shared services agreement to fix Applegarth School. Um that was something that we were very excited. I know the township was, the the school was.
Um currently uh there is a part um that is is on delay um that has caused concern that Applegarth School might not open this coming September. Um that's a real problem and it's it's unfortunate
because when I was on the board I got off last um April um the project was supposed to be completed last summer. I don't know why it got pushed in an entire year or what is going on. Um but I do know um you know Councilwoman
Seagull last summer uh testified in a case against me and said that she was supporting uh Peep Hero in the election to unseat me. He's taken over the buildings and grounds committee and now all of a sudden there's an issue going on with the completion of that project.
It makes me wonder and I hope it's not true because it was said by the facilities director who is very close with Mr. Piro that if the project does not get completed in that time frame or the board wishes to not go forward the district will lose all of that money to fix Applegart school and the project
will never be completed. I hope this township is not trying to reneg on giving the school district that money. That was a very long uh time to come up with that agreement. It was ratified by the board. It was ratified by the council. It should have
been completed. If Applegart school does not open in September. The plan when I was on the board, what I was told as board president was if there was an emergency, the students would be housed in the senior center. I don't know if the township will continue to um use the
senior center in an emergency for the schools, but if that part does not come in, we will not have a place for fourth and fifth graders in our school district. And I hope the township, whatever you can do with whatever engineers and contacts you have and
senators you can reach out to or whatever, please try to help the school district get that part because it will be a tragedy in this town if the school doesn't open. I I don't know what they will do. I'm not on the board of education, but I I'm a parent and a taxpayer. I I really hope that you'll
work with the the school district to make sure that that project moves forward, and I hope this isn't some type of a a backdoor scheme to to take the money back from the school district. Thank you. Anyone else wishing to address? Sorry. Yes, Mr. McGallen. Council President, I
just I just wanted to to clarify, we committed um $5 million toward that project. the the township has not in any way uh reigged on that and we haven't been approached by the board of education regarding the funding. Uh the the funding there's no reigging on that
funding. That was a commitment we were just as as proud of as as the board of eds. So I just wanted to clarify that. I appreciate the clarification. Ma'am, your name and address for our records, please. Yes. Good evening. My name is Maryanne Dary and I live at 9
Garvey Drive. Um, and I would also like to reiterate what Charlie said about the um, public works. Yesterday, we had no water. Um, but they were out there working until after I think 11 or 12:00 last night. And we do have water today.
So, I thank you for that. Um, I am here tonight only by the grace of God. About a year ago, I was driving on North State Home Road going towards Spotswood Spotswood Gravel Hill Road
after picking my dog up from the groomer around noon time. A large garbage truck who was driving responsibly was coming the other way. A white BMW was behind the garbage truck. He began to pass the
garbage truck in my lane, increasing his speed exponentially. passing that garbage truck on a double yellow lined road on a curve with no shoulder at excessive speed. He was
headed right for me. Luckily, I reacted immediately as did that garbage truck driver. The BMW came within feet of my car. My life flashed in front of me and I
thought I was going to meet my maker. Had I not slowed down and the garbage truck slowed down, the BMW would have hit me headon at an excessive speed. Because of the actions of that garbage truck driver, I am here today.
The young man who was driving that white BMW did not even look up and continued speeding down that road as if that was normal behavior. This is only one of four or
five instances that I have experienced on Monroe roads in my section of town. And that does not include people running dead red lights. It is really dangerous
there. I realize the police cannot be everywhere, but I have come to the end of my rope with this reckless behavior, and so have many of my neighbors. The peacefulness and tranquility we enjoyed in Monroe is gone. We can't leave the
windows open on the weekend or in the evenings as the speeding and the muffler shooting continues into the early morning hours. The quality of my life after living here for 36 years is being
negatively impacted all because of a group of individuals who have demonstrated blatant disregard for the laws are self-centered, entitled, and don't care about their neighbors. How sad is that?
The mayor, council members, and police traffic patrols should read all the complaints on Facebook and Next Door. Ah, but they've all been taken down. People are fed up. Matchaponics,
Spotswood Gravel Hill Road, North State Home Road, and Spotswood Englishtown Road, where I've been passed on a double line near North State Home Road when the going the speed limit when a young man
traveling at an unbelievable speed passed me. These quiet county roads have become the new Englishtown Raceway. Two Sundays ago, my husband and I were working outside in the garden. And for
most of the afternoon, the speeding and the straight pipes turbo, I don't know what it's called. Turbochargers. Start it up again. I, for one, do not want to hear this all summer
long. I want to be able to enjoy my yard and my deck in peace and quiet on a Sunday afternoon. We had company last year from out of state and we were sitting outside on a beautiful summer afternoon. The racing and muffler
shooting started. Our company asked, "What's that noise?" I explained, "You want me to tell you what their comment was?" They said, "I thought you lived in one of the safest towns in New Jersey. The roads here cannot be safe with all
of that going on. I'd be afraid to drive around here. And yes, I have called the police on numerous occasions, as well as having gone to the police station myself. The loud shooting exhaust and speeding on my own street, which is
Garvey Drive, have decreased due to the police patrolling. Thank you. Wait, excuse me. I just want to finish. I have only two more sentences and I thank the and I thank the police for that. However, it's starting up again with the nice weather
and it's much worse on Machoponics and the other streets I have mentioned. I am imploring you to do something about it. Thank you. Thank you. I see the mayor making notes. Uh Praash Pura 33 Dana Drive.
Uh Manu is beautiful. I tell you yesterday I was there in the playgrounds children on prospect law next to post office children were playing beautiful
sunlight that is our township is very beautiful and I'm thank you many of you you know we come and comment here but positive is also had to be said I met um senator Greenstein about two weeks back I spoke to her in a candid way and said
we need mobile units. She called on the phone immediately and arranged 2 days. So I thank her but the thing is within few minutes each day they can only do 140 and I tell you the within 2 minutes
those 140 are gone once the announcement is made. So uh there is um that is the fact. Okay. So many many uh we can mayor can look into it but we appreciate what goes on. Uh Omar day is on May 18th. We
lost a child due to a middle school child due to cancer. And for the child care child cancer awareness and to support the research of the child cancer we have May 18th a walk and run and um I
request many of you to register and participate. It is a it will be a beautiful day. Um the next thing is our internet in our township a
monopoly I tell you a monopoly my bill used to come $210 with the TV and internet so went and cancelled it with X infinity I don't want your TV thousand channels I don't even use it then said okay your bill
will be $140 I said You advertise for $65. Oh, that is only for new customers. So you pay $140. Went to other Verizon. Verizon say Praash in area. We don't only X infinity
is the one which does it. So I think we have to remove the monopoly of these internet guys in our township. the internet $35 to $65 that's what people can pay you know and with the inflation going on we have to these corporations
greedy corporations with their stocks what they look for is their stocks they don't care for the people so I request uh mayor and township to look into it and um another one thing is appreciate 13 roads pavingings are approved and I
heard um deer path road So the question is the rejudist state is approved. That's my request. I've been called requesting for 2 3 years. Is there a question sir that you're
asking? Yeah. Rejud state you know I have been requested the the paving for the communities is done which are not operated by HMOs is taken care by the township.
So is rejude estate is approved in that list. Mr. President, I'm not sure what the question is. I don't understand. Dear path road is deer path road is road. Dear path road if I can. We are paving deer path and Lawrence court. Okay.
Thank you very much. Thank you consequence. Thank you for that. Yeah. Thank you very much. No questions sir. Yes please. Your name and address for our record. Is this on? Yes. Yes. Uh, my name is Tom D. Carlo, 31
Brunswick Avenue, Monroe Township. I live right behind the old fire department. And speaking of sound, that siren, we have to do something about it. It's It's an antique. The siren used to go off 10, 12 times a month. It's three
or four times a day. And it's screaming in our ear. And I got my neighbors with me and they could all vouch for it, too. Um, I mean, we hear the trucks go out from the new fire department. They're already going down the road and then the siren goes off. We don't need it. It
doesn't go off between 10 at night and 6:00 in the morning. I guess that's an ordinance. So, is there no fires at night? We only get them during the day. How are they getting the signal, right? So, they don't need it. You can't sleep with your windows open. It's ridiculous. You can't talk to somebody in your
backyard. And as taxpayers, we were paying, you know, to upgrade for the communications such as pagers, Wi-Fi, cell phone. Why are we paying for all that? Why do we have this old whistle and they move the fire department brand new up the road? Take your whistle with
you. Or the people up there maybe don't want it, but it's it's very antique. Very antique. And uh and now I'm concerned now they're going to be they're building all them new condos behind the old uh Greeks playland over there. Mhm. Every burnt
food call is that fire alarm going to go off. It I'm telling you three or four times a day now. It is the most annoying thing you ever heard. And if I went to sell my house and somebody walked in my house, open house and heard that go off, they'd turn right around and walk away. They'd be like, "I ain't moving around
here. I don't want to live around that crap." have any I wish somebody would come down here and listen to it. It's earpiercing. You could ask a lot of people here. I don't know if we have Sorry, can I didn't want to interrupt the resident, but if you had additional things I I
don't know enough about it, but I um I would encourage you to we'll pass along your your message to the fire department. Um you could always attend tried that. Okay. you could always attend uh fire commissioner meetings and and I just don't know offhand if if the
noise ordinance would apply to emergency um sirens differently than it does to to other uh aspects of noise. I just don't know the answer. So I I apologize. We can engage with them. We can engage with them. We certainly can. Yes. And the animals I mean the poor dogs, they're
they scream when it goes off. It's We can certainly engage and try to learn more than we currently know. Okay. I'm very I appreciate that. Thank you. You're welcome. Anyone else wishing to address us? Your name and address for our records, please. Hi, my name is Sher
Freriedman. I live at 6 Rothwell Drive. And um two very quick things and then a little bit longer. One is bike paths. Is that happening? Is that on on the drawing board? More bike paths for for riding our bicycles in a safe manner
along the streets. We attended a meeting recently. Yes, please, Council President. So, that is a goal and objective of our master plan. Um, it's part of our overall uh recreation plan for the next several years. Um, obviously that plan gets rolled out and phased out. So, we have
no design for any particular bike paths at this point, but it is uh it is something that uh we're always looking into and it it is a goal and objective in the master plan. It would be nice to have the opportunity to be more healthy and have less pollution and be safe
while I'm on my bicycle going to the CVS or the library. Second thing, uh, aggregation of electric. Is anything happening? I know that we're about to have a 20% increase. Yes. Is there any aggregation in the
works? Yes, council president. Yes, there is. I don't know the exact date, but we're going to put out some information on that. It's it we've gone out for it every year and we're going to go out for it again this year. In the past, the rate that we got was higher than the tariff rate. So, so of course, we couldn't do the program, but with
volatility in the energy market this year may may very well be different and it may very well be to our advantage. So, uh we'll keep you updated at the next council meeting for that as I don't know whether the town can get this, but I um I did Arcadia and I get it's a
solar farm. Now, I don't know if that's only for residents or the town could be looking into something like that as well. I know the hospitals do it. I know Mercer County College does it. We are aware. We are aware. Yes. Yes. Yes, we
are aware. Okay. And the other thing is so I am the president of something called SeaTac which is I never can remember I made it up myself community theater arts consortium that's five communities in the township five senior
communities in the township that perform together and I wanted to publicly thank Rupa Seagull for helping us to wonderful I'm going to call it be adopted by the town It was um a huge success. We sold
out. Now we just want a bigger venue. And I wanted to say thank you. We need more. Always wanting more. Yes. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Your name and address for our record, please. Uh good evening. Uh Harold Kane
480B Newport Way in Rosmore. I have some questions about the veterans housing. Want me closer? I think a little further back back. How's that? You're doing the best at the mic of anyone. Veterans housing is your uh I'm trying to remember on the
veterans housing was 78 units. No, 80 80 units. Good guess. Uh and what the mayor said, there's 15 nonveterans living there right now because it is affordable housing. Correct. 23 vets are in there
and there's six in the progress which would give you 44 active and give you um 36 vacant units right now. Now um can the balance of the building be all veterans if you have enough apply
who meet their qualifications? Absolutely. Absolutely. Oh, okay. Good. That's good to know. Absolutely. And what were the days of the open houses? There's two open houses. I don't remember. So, the the open houses that I'm aware of had already
taken place. I'd have to get the dates if if they're if they're um planning additional open houses. I believe the last couple they had weren't as well attended. Um but I'll we'll put out the dates if if there are additional ones. I thought the mayor said that uh that
there were two. No, no. What what the mayor said is that the that real ID correct real ID driver's license said it was you lost me two dates
you can sorry you can go there anytime um there are there are potentially two dates but I'm not familiar with those dates I I have the two dates if you want me to comment it's the two dates are May 29th from 3 to 7 and May 30th from 10 to
2. All right. I can advertise that through the American Legion in uh Middle Sex County. Good. So maybe help get it filled up. Thank you very much. And Okay. And and as the mayor said, um the the township is reaching out to all
veterans organizations from Bergen County to Atlanta County over the next several weeks to try and uh to try and encourage additional applications as well. I I can get to about 20,000. Not bad. Right in the area, which is where you're really going to draw from. Absolutely. Thank you. Thank you,
Mr. Gunglman. George Gungkelman, five Kelly Court, Monroe. Um, I don't know what the our ordinances have in place for it, but as it's as it warms up, I'm seeing
more and more uh people on ebikes, particularly young people, but not exclusively, traveling pretty fast and with the same uniform I have on, no helmet. Um,
and you know that almost certainly will end badly. Anybody that knows has been around motorcycles and and stuff and it's just and I don't care if it's a a young person or an old person. Uh, if
you value what you put in the helmet, we need to get helmets on people because it it just is too predictable and they're and they're going quite fast. they're going 40 more miles an hour. Uh some of the ebikes and even e- scooters. Um so I would appreciate it if
someone could see what is within our ordinances for enforcement even if it's just stopping them and suggesting and you know I I don't know
it's just I see it and I just am certain it's going to end badly there. There's it's a state law u the helmets and all of that. So we can pass it on to the police department. So even for ebikes. Correct. Correct. Ebikes the ones they're different class of the ones that go less than 20 m an hour are
effectively just bicycles. So they they're whatever the regulations are for bicycles. After that it's more regulation. But okay, we we'll mention it to the chief though. Right. Um, in in the previous meetings, people have talked about quads getting out on
the streets and going into areas, I did happen onto them over on Texas Road. And um what I observed were other than that they were going up the median and it was disconcerning to people in the cars but
the quads weren't doing anything wrong other than hauling mud up onto the the the margin of the road and they were being pretty careful about crossing. U not all of them had helmets on but uh
some of them did. Um the Garvey property. I assume when we bought it that due diligence was done and it appears that uh we have a um
remediation project that we have to pursue. If when we contract with anybody to do due diligence, part of what we pay them for is their in is their insurance. So, I'm wondering if we can't go after the
original company that if if they didn't identify what this pollution is that we're now remediating at our expense, if there is an opportunity there to go after the insurance because when we contract with them, we paid for that. So
that there should be an opportunity to look after the township's interest in in that area worth looking at in in the at the minimum. um when we make contracts with with someone like
for the paving fairly large million7 um I don't know if we have in our ordinance the the ability that it's it's not a Monrobased contractor we should be able to find a way in the bid review
process where we can favor either by saying uh preference uh will be given in in the cases of close if not similar bids to contractors employing people from our township. We'd love to do it,
but you know, we have to follow the state's local public contracts law, which does not it only allows us to award to the lowest responsible bidder, unfortunately. Okay. that it's it's kind of weird because at
other levels in state and federal they are allowed to well not not I mean for different things they'll say preference will be given for people that use uh American equipment as opposed so that's that's part of so my by America is part
of the local public contracts law but unfortunately all right yeah council president a bad idea though if I if I can just add the the bidder this year for the 25 road paving is the is the bidder who did the project for
2024 road paving in the township to the tune of about 1.5 million. So, and we were satisfied with them last year. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And my time's up as well. Anyone else wishing to address us, please come forward now,
please. You look like you're hovering around the microphone for a while. Your name and address for our records, please. Hi. Uh my name is Jessica D. Carlo and I'm at 31 Brunswick Avenue in Monroe. Um I just wanted to give some more information um on the firehouse
alarm that my father uh brought up earlier. Um so this is the former firehouse that is at 24 Harrison Avenue. Um I believe uh from what I've researched this is no longer in active use and just from being around because
we hear the alarm but you don't see the trucks go out anymore or hear them. Um, so it's it's used for storage. Um, but the stationary alarm is still there. It usually goes off uh twice in a row back to back. Um, I'd say for maybe about 20
seconds, maybe maybe a little uh more or less. Uh, we did have one of our neighbors measure it. It did ring in at 110 dB. Um, which is very loud. Um, so I've lived directly uh behind this firehouse my whole entire life. Um, and
I can say that it's definitely going off um, a lot more as of maybe the past three to four years. Um, as my dad mentioned there, we did, as I was growing up, there was a family next door that had two huskys that every time the alarm would go off, they would just like
cry and screech the whole time. And as kids, you know, we thought it was cute, like they were singing or something. But um turns out uh that sound is actually very damaging not only to um animals but humans as well. Um so I did look into
the New Jersey uh noise control uh code and it looks like these alarms are limited to 8 sorry uh 10 seconds per day um and 80 dB. So, this one I believe is exceeding um both
limits. Um unless you know, I could be wrong. There are some type of exemptions, but um it doesn't seem like it's used for emergencies anymore. So, like I said, I'm not sure. Um I also wanted to bring up that there is Woodland School uh right at the end of that street, which is a little bit
concerning because when you're outside in the area, you really can't hear anything else that's going on. So I do have a concern for the children who are at recess. Um just you know if there was a true emergency um for the staff members, the teachers,
the kids not to be able to hear is kind of a safety concern for the children there. Um as well as a distraction and you know just a stress inducer quality of life um issue for the children and everyone
else uh in the area. So, um, if you could please look into that, that'd be really great and I really appreciate it. Thank you for the information. Thank you. Bob Valentine, 68 Union Valley Road. Uh, a a request and a comment. Uh, the
request is on the audit. Um, the audit report is very lengthy document and I understand why it is. All the activity, financial activity has to be broken into different types of funds and each fund requires pages upon pages of information about it. There is a schedule that you
will often see in these situations called a a combined balance sheet and a combined P&L. And what that does is on one page it summarizes each fund's activity. So you can see in a very concise manner, you know, what's going on. It's a very it'd be a tremendous
value to you as council people trying to understand the finances and it'd be great for the public instead of trying to go through 100 and how many pages. They go to two pages and see a very clear snapshot. Now I know the combined balance sheet was in the audits at least through 2022. Finance department correct
me if I missed it. I didn't see one for 2023 and that's why I'm raising it. If I'm wrong about that, please correct me. But I didn't see it when I was looking at it. But if we could have a combined balance sheet and a combined P&L and the supplemental information to the audit, I think that'd be a tremendously valuable
tool to really at a very concise way understand what's going on. So I just want to make that comment. I don't have the audit in front of me, but if you can look into that, that's fine. Okay. But I just take that under advisement and we do that. Same comment. I just want to quickly touch on discuss some of the discussion earlier with the school.
um the presentation at the school board did give an out in my opinion outsized emphasis on the ratables and frankly I think that was mainly to be a distraction because that's something they don't control and allow allowed kind of diverted public attention away from the spending growth and the spending issues that they have and and
the reason I bring it up here is so very simply this town is already the residents are already funding 85 probably maybe 90% of the budget and for years the school district's been trying to get adjustments to their government funding to help manage the burden. And a
lot of the expenses, some are discretionary, but some are they're required to do. I'm I'm just my personal opinion, but I just personally very concerned going out over the next few years what's going to happen in the school district with it finances if it doesn't get some relief in terms of
government support. So, I do understand it's not your direct responsibility. It's not why I'm raising it, but you are leaders in the community. you have relationships and we need all of you to be actively engaged in trying to help the district lobby, educate and push uh
to get the school some relief because I I hope to I hope very much that I'm wrong, but I'm just very concerned financially for the future of the school is going out if we don't get some significant help uh from Trenton pretty soon uh to correct some of the structural deficits they're suffering in terms of what they need to provide
versus what they're getting funded. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else wishing to comment before us, please? Told you you got your turn. Your name and address for our records, please. Agnes Kumour, 26 Brunswick
Avenue, Monroe Township. Hey. Uh, I'd just like to add to the points about the fire siren that were going off. Um, just to add to it, uh, it definitely does raise my stress level,
the how loud it is. And I have family members that like to come over with their children. Well, they have to rearrange their plans because they know that if they're there when the fire alarm goes off, if their kids are taking a nap, they're going to wake up from the nap, the our piece is going to be
ruined. Um, and same thing, you know, working different shifts, nurses working different shifts. So I'm a fellow nurse you know um people need thank you working you know nights you know people need to sleep during the daytime
um so just you know disturbance of peace for all the town uh people in the community there thank you anyone else wishing to comment please come now your name and address for our records hi
Jennifer Canenti 25 Brunswick Avenue. We are the ones directly behind the siren. My house shakes when it goes off. It's gotten louder and louder. Something needs to be addressed and it's not even
useful. I mean, we pay for this upgrade in technology with our taxes and for what? It's if it could be off from 10 to 6, it could be off all the time. The technology could be used 24/7. My house
shakes when it goes off. My husband is the one clocking how high the decel is. I don't even want to sit in my backyard sometimes. It needs to be addressed. Thank you. You're most welcome. Anyone else wishing to speak before the
council? [Music] Shell Arminino, 9 Nathaniel Street. Um, I want to thank everyone who characterized my interpretation of the ratables before, but since I'm here, I'm
going to clarify my own points. Um the ratables are collected by the municipality and the board of ed does not really have control over them but of course they use them for the uh the school. But the comment that I made
about the ratables and I was corrected wasn't a decrease in the money raised. What it was was that the increase from years prior was smaller. So I know we
got more money to the tune of $78 million, but the prior year the increase was $254 million. So my concern is is this a pattern and we are in volatile
economic times and I think the council and certainly the board of education is going to have to consider it um how we spend the money because I'm sure when we see hundreds of millions of dollars $254 million um of income coming in the
ratable I I apologize and I I don't mean to that's not income we received it's the value of the township ship, right? So, it's not it's not but it's not income we receive. Our budget is is based upon the board of education's budget is based upon 2% more than what
it was the year before. It has nothing to do with the rate of and it's not more money coming in. So, I you keep saying it's like it's revenue. It's not revenue. It's not revenue. It's the value. So, the value of the ratables and when the ratables increase, doesn't that increase the taxes that we receive? No.
What increases the taxes is the budget increases. The only the only thing that the ratables does is it changes the changes the rate because you're dividing the amount of the budget into the ratable base. So it doesn't change how much money the budget is. It has no
effect on it at all. So you're saying that no additional money comes in from higher ratables? No. It what it well it does it spreads the pie out over more people. That's what it does. But it's not when you say, "What are you doing with the $250 million? This has $250
million." Mr. McGowan, you're holding the mic again. Go ahead. Go ahead. No, go ahead. Cuz the public needs to understand. So do I. And and and and what I said before was with regards to the board of education, it makes no difference because their number is struck whatever their number is, and
they just send us a bill. So So before Mr. McGowan goes, uh, for years I've been coming here, budget hearings, all this stuff, and everybody has touted the RA ratables going up and how that's going to help our budgetary um, policies. So now it seems to be in the
reverse, but I'm not going to argue time's passed. What I'm concerned about is when we put up a like you say, okay, so we're going to put up a lot of um storage facilities, a lot of these big warehouses. Do we not gain any income
from their taxes from what the value of those buildings are? So more ratables, lower rate. That's what it is. Because more more people are paying dividing. You're dividing the budget number into a bigger number. Correct. Exactly. All right. So somehow I think we're talking
about the same thing. I might be increasing it. Okay. So the question is so let me let me move on because I think that there's something to be said about how we we value our our real estate. Um I I attended the Stonebridge movie Good
Morning Vietnam with my husband who's a Vietnam veteran from the 173rd. So I honor him this month. uh and he had never seen that and I was really concerned because of his experience in Vietnam. He had never seen that movie and he had some issues but fortunately
uh we got through the movie and we were very happy that Stonebridge um had it. I'd also like since it's military appreciation um and I said this once before on a personal level my husband's brother who was also in Vietnam died in
2024 from Agent Orange. So, um, want to honor him as well in this. He was in Vietnam as well. Um, the I also attended the Concordia Green Fair and one of the vendors, uh, I would love I wish it had been my idea, but going back to all of
these, um, uh, warehouses that we're putting up, can we put in our approvals for it because we have we, you know, they have to do BMS, they have to do a lot of things that the township uh, requires. I mean, I would like to see
far less uh of these things going up, but then we were told that helps the ratables, so go figure. But in any case, one of the vendors for the environment said, why if we are going to put them up, why don't we require them to put up
um solar panels? And I thought that that was a good idea. And I have one quick question, please. Okay. Because you're out of time. I know other people have been as well. I just said that you're out of time. That's all I said. Okay. 400 acres in on Pionville from the Turnpike Remediation Area. Is that in
any way what you're talking about to put um the bicycle paths in? Yes or no? Council President, not a bicycle path. Uh a walking trail. Um I I'm not sure. I I'm I'm assume we're talking about the same property, but we can take a look.
I'm not sure exactly which property you're talking about. that was given to Monroe because of the of the uh turnpike expansion. It was a they did a wetlands mitigation there. Right. Correct. Correct. I was told that there's not you really
can't do much with that under the the acceptance of that under the covenant. There's some areas that you can't there's some areas that you can't touch, but there's some passive areas. I I don't know whether it's the same area or not. I think we might be talking if you're talking about from road there's
some restrictions on with that because of course specifically as a remediation and wetlands anyone else the walking trail is not going to be paved there's no construction that's going to happen and and the actual trail um avoids the wetland areas but it's a good talked
about paving for a parking lot oh no no sorry uh the parking lot isn't a paved parking lot either it's a small area for uh three or four cars to park I think we should watch out for that we're very careful at all times. On that note, I'm seeing no other further public comments.
May I have a motion to close the public comment section? Somebody. So moved. Thank you. Second on that. All in favor? I. Public comments are closed. May I have a motion to adjurnn? Motion. Thank you. May I have a
second on that? Second. Thank you. We are adjourned. We are adjourned. The time is 9:25.