[Music] everybody everything's running a little bit late so I apologize and I appreciate everybody coming out if you please rise Jo me of the United States of America to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty Justice for All almighty God we ask you bless this governing body with an abundance of wisdom and understanding so that in fulfilling their public trust every deliberation will result in actions that will promote the common good and general welfare for all the people of Mars PL amen amen notice to members of the governing body and burrow staff any use of electronic devices during this meeting shall be used solely for the purpose of burrow business we have no minutes approval of consent calendar Treasures report December 2023 resolution 2024 36 entitled Bar Morris PLS Municipal Alliance Governor's Council on alcoholism and drug abuse fiscal grants cycle October 2020 through June 2025 resolution 202 2437 entitled Bar Morris PLS Municipal Alliance strategic plan funding Municipal alliances resolution 2024 38 entitled resolution of support to submit the Morris Plains Community energy Grant resolution 20243 entitled Municipal recycling tonnage Grant application B Morris Plains resolution 20244 entitled HSA Morris Plains raffle license number 34024 resolution 202 2441 entitled resolution adopting a temporary capital budget for 2024 resolution 202442 entitled resolution amending the existing Personnel policies and procedures Manual of The Bu of Morris Plains dated January 2024 with an amendment to section three paid and unpaid time off paid holidays of the employee handbook Michael alada 8 Drake way Morris Plains be hired as part-time Deputy Court Administrator at the hourly rate of $303 affected February 2nd 2024 Jared hopping 96 McCulla AB Morristown be hired as a probationary laborer for the Department of Public Works at a rate of $21.9 per hour effective February 5th 2024 pending the results of a background check the friendly sons of St Patrick be granted permission to parade through a portion of the Barrow on Saturday February 17th and that the police department provide the necessary support Ron young 113 Glenbrook Road be granted permission to hold a block party on the Glenbrook Road Extension from the intersection at Homer to Central on Saturday February 17th 2024 from 10:00 a.m. to 1 P p.m further permission to serve alcoholic beverages be granted the DPW will provide the necessary barricades the bur Treasurer be authorized to advertise for the receipt of bids to replace the Burrow's four dial post clock with bids to be received on Wednesday February 28th 2024 up to 10:30 a.m. in the council chambers is there a second second second mik Cathy R call please M yes Mr yes mrz yes M yes M Kelly yes mrag yes and now we invite any members of the public to step up state your name and address and your compliment how you doank at the meeting before this they talked about creating a full-time position of fire inspector I've watched two meetings now of this and how long this has been going on and to me what I see that process being so slow and C with so many whats that they hastening the day that we have a professional fire company that we have the added cost having to pay for fir because who is going to join the fire department under that kind of stress thank you anybody else support hello sir how are you John I live at 12 May if you would address the council about an issue we have in the neighborhood I don't know what what this the legality part of it is but we have a neighbor um he uh is renting a single family home at 11 na Ro and he uh I guess uh his family is consists of him and four three children and uh to make the rent it seems to me that he's doing some construction he put the rooms in his basement from what I can gather and he's renting other rooms in his house he's did other uh construction work where he's divided his home up to allow other people to rent rooms and what I gather on uh Facebook he has put advertisements and uh I guess he's asking $1,000 a month to rent these rooms out now I don't know if that's legal somebody to subl that's renting to Su rooms in the house and I don't know that if the if you can put rooms in your basement legally without permits or getting an occupancy permit or some type of legality to do it I don't know if it's safe for the people to be down there does the town have anything to say about it I certainly do yeah um I was notified by some residents in your neighborhood and was sent those Facebook posts um I had a discussion with uh first of all our Deputy clerk who's in charge of landlord identity registration and immediately had that sent out to to the landlord or the proper that we knew of at least um spoke with Don solo zoning he had spoke with chis our fire prevention official and coming up with a strategic plan so this takes a little bit of time and so this is probably a week and a half maybe two weeks ago something along those lines that I was notified um Don's been there a few times hasn't seen anything and reported back to me today I'm uh in town hall and a gentleman comes up and uh is talking to one of the clerks and was turning in his landlord identity registration statement and it happened to be the owner of that piece of property there when I overheard the conversation I I had a conversation with the property owner asked him numerous questions I invited him into my office to to talk about it um I had his cell phone his two addresses and he said he had contacted Chet but hadn't got a call back to have that inspected told me it was the same tenant that has been in that house since 2019 uh the same his spouse has has passed away so he's living by himself with his three kids um there's another person in that house that uh is a a woman with another child that is the uh cousin of the wife um I told him that tomorrow uh somebody will be contacting him whether it's cret or the building inspector and make himself available to have that house inspected and the gentleman had no problem with that whatsoever um we actually had to call him back with on his cell phone which he answered right away to get a little bit more information but he just forgot to put on the the application it was the information very L um told me that he does not want any trouble uh it's not how he runs things the ad is on Facebook were not him it was his tenant that did that spoke to his tenant about about the place book post and told him to immediately take them down which the person did so I think after tomorrow or the day after whatever it's going to be tomorrow Monday whenever arish can get over there uh to look inside that uh residence just to see if there is any construction or building or renovation or anything going on that shouldn't be going on well is it is it is he give him the right to occupy that area or how does that I don't want to make any assumptions one way or another until one of the the officials I mean he's doing this the identity identity registration uh he happily filled that out and so he is renting it whether it meets the standard of renting be determined did he know that his tenant is subletting rooms in his house he does not he did not know until he saw the post he saw the post himself asked his tenant to take it down the person that's there the cousin uh he does not believe is p any sort of rent there but he does not know whether that is he has a clause in his lease also that says no sub he doesn't think so he's had the same gentleman like I said since 2019 with the family and hardw workking people use him in the neighborhood to do OD jobs or whatever I don't know whatever and so until we get some of our officials in there to look at it but we're certainly a lot closer than we work to be they'll be looking to see how many people are there because it's I mean just him and his kids yeah we have a we have a statement here name of the tenants you gave us the the names of the tenants that that are there yeah and we'll see if the accommodations are appropriate for the tenants that are here he's giving you the names of the tenant he's renting it to or all of the tenants who are living there well these are the tenants that he is renting to that he knows that are there that he knows that are there okay well there's something well again like I said the Facebook post he told that tenant to take that down and like I said tomorrow or Monday whenever the first chance that our officials are able to get out there we have all the information his address his cell phone very willing to give it and doesn't want any trou so he's more than willing to work with us you have to come up and Steve come up please I think it's Steve um I just want to show your name and address for sorry steeve planning 15 thank you for um I second everything John said I just wanted to share a little color there with um occupants of the house which um is a very lovely man no beef with the gentleman in fact we've been friendly with him since the day he moved in there have absolutely no beef with the owner of the home either um he's been you know he's been present he's been talkative you know things like that my concern with the ads on Facebook and and things like that and the people that I see roaming around that property because I live right in next store um I just want to I just want to know if we have zoning laws and it's a one family house how come we can't enforce those Zone laws so first of all it has to be reported right and then we have to see it happen right that's why we have a zoning official to see those things a Fire official to see those things if something that's how this came about somebody reached out the me and now we have the go we do have things in place I don't know off the top of my head exactly what it is but there areces in place that control can you just educate me or educate us on a spot inspection is it truly a spot inspection or do you have to give the people in the house time to get ready for that inspection not sure the legalities of that I don't the chief can answer I don't I don't know I don't want to answer that and and be incorrect okay I do not just please understand there's things like space heaters and things that people use that's why Fire official will be there our houses are like this far apart our zoning official I just want the record to state that the gentleman that the gentleman's there he lost his wife unfortunately he's he's a he's a beautiful man and there's no qualms with the homeowner either um he was very receptive to my wife's call um I don't want to disregard them in any way I just want to do what's right in regards to resoling law you want to be safe you yeah no we all do so I'm glad somebody reached out a concern a lot of times a lot of these things go by the wayside because we don't know about it right so if people don't say anything we don't know all the time right the police May pick up on something or whatever once in a while but the best the best that happen if somebody called they they something's not right right I just hate to you know the bot I would love it to be a an inspection you know whereas they're there they don't have time to move things out of the way they don't have time to move space heers they don't have you know the spot I told the the property owner that it will be tomorrow somebody will contact him to make sure he answers his phone so one way or another he's getting a phone call tomorrow by somebody and uh I I don't think he ran home and was taking down 2x4 studs tonight open up the room we appreciate your help we apprciate we're on top of it Forward sounds good thanks this is something we I was going to ask Steve if uh if you notice you think it could be like an Airbnb type situation where the tenant no has set up a room and then he's air being that room out no it would concern me if there's like different people every couple weeks in and out of that it was that years ago years ago that that was the case this is totally separate the um I know from knowing the gentleman he's in he's in the building business he's in he's in the business so he has the means and the where we all to you know get material and do what he needs to do do you see him doing things like that yes he's putting things in the garage and taking him into the house and building something absolutely um I mean and and we we try we tried to kind of you know mind our business you know fully understandable but when we saw the ads it just infuriated us I don't blame you know so we there's people coming in there we don't know we don't you know we just don't know um but and like I said he's a lovely he's a lovely guy um I'm sorry he lost his wife we were really close with the kids too the kids that live there that's what the the owner said the kids seem to play you know in the neighborhood and all that there neighbors get alone with everybody yeah nothing against any of them just uh the zoning the zoning issue is what's will have somebody in first and foremost on our minds timing is everything but this is what happened today so okay cool thank you for asking thank you anybody else Matt step um I actually am the own address um yeah my name is Max scante um and I'm you know I'm sorry for uh the trouble um and um I don't think I need to adding to it I think I actually I agree with everything was stated so think it's an accurate um summary the facts so I The General very good man and 's lived there for a that time and um I guess you know he had a big family and wife passed with right I mean I don't need toat everyone again just um you know it's it's it's a one unit house um I certainly don't want multiple people living there that's 100% what I don't want you know it's a beautiful house beautiful Street I just put a bunch of money into it um and U I'm sorry that it it it's seen as something other than that and um um 100% F to have the inspector come through you know he's been there once before I think Mr Mr Shay like a couple years ago when I first son Le so um that's all I have you know anyone concerned that you know I apologize for whatever might be like I told you before we'll get to the bottom of this and it's for your safety and and everybody else's so we want to make sure everything is right for you and for the neighb and everybody else so I appreciate you coming out here tonight ites Gent to come out and possibly hear something negative oh no I mean just addressed everything I think it was just totally for chance you know that I ran after so very good all right thank you I appreciate it thank you thanks for coming anybody else seeing no one I close the public hearing reports of committees our department heads Finance thank you mayor a report from clerk's office um in the month January they have processed 4 and what looks like seven 47 dog and cat licenses in the month of January alone with many more to go um the uh the number that I like it's four times as many dog licenses and Cat licenses hoay for dogs um parking permits uh the office issued 95 parking stickers uh which is a which is a great number so um remember that parking ordinance we added eight additional eight additional streets so it looks like a good number of those residents on those streets are taking advantage of those parking stickers so awesome stuff there um continue to work on um several Oprah requests I met with uh our CFO today uh she she told me that uh the annual debt state and the annual financial statement have been filed and that's all in preparation for Budget month February uh is budget month for them and that uh precedes our two budget Works uh workshops in March um so plenty of work in that office um I also have this to report our uh collections our current tax uh uh 2023 Levy um we've collected 99.29% of of taxes that are able to be collected so hooray for the taxpayers of Morris Plains and that's it good Public Safety Mr Cortez thank you mayor what a meeting anyway February we're welcome in the Black History Month just so everyone knows beautiful month foror in since 1915 it focuses on the attention on the contributions of African-American and the suffer they had in the history since the 17th century going forward on that I met with my uh committee because now I moved over to Public Safety the other night and our chief we uh up updated all the work that was uh still going forward Nancy was there Nancy thank you for the uh all the information you gave me Pon very thorough expect L from you and um another one we have is I reached out also to the traffic committee uh trying to get a date together I only spoke to Ralph atundo who had some issues coincidentally so we're working on on those um last night was a really nice night we we we Alison are you there stand up stand up stand up come on come on this is downtown morain over right how about that pumpkin lighting huh right I I I had the honor to they invited me to meet with them and uh I I just can't tell you how happy I was to hear it and how happy I was to be there and how happy I was when I left because they said they had a great year in 2023 and there's more to come in 2024 so I love it and I and I'm sure everybody welcomes at the board and U I'm sure the residents who showed the uh their their support that night by uh coming out and and our police chief thank you for closing the roads keeping everybody safe coming out and that that was big and it was a great night um I'm consent C you also see there's a part-time uh Court Administrator please understand that with we're not hiring the law said that we have to have one person in case the court administrator something were to happen sick or what have you leaves we used to have three two of them left far away the third one didn't renew the license so that's why that that's there it's not necessarily a hire as much as it's a it has to get done by the courts that control that department it's outside of the council's hands um and on another note uh all the employees in Marsh BL you got your personnel manual please look it over uh sign it and get the letter back to resent or she will be calling you and emailing you like crazy because she's got to get them all in and uh I think that's about all I have just to Echo what Sal said we met Monday's at public safy committee went over our 2024 plans and reviewed uh the draft budget which I within a couple days follow reading I submitted to miss Thomas so uh looking forward to that review in March um and the only other thing that I have is I was notified uh this morning by representative of the Boy Scouts America I'll be certainly inviting the mayor and Council to evening dinner in the spring I've been uh recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Boy Scouts of America for supporting St throughout my entire life so is an addition to my chief please do as well as being an e Scout myself which is why I still continue to support scouting and Morris Plains and throughout Morris County uh they're giving me this recognition so I'll be inviting you all to a dinner this spring sounds great I think you'll join Mr Jack Van Orton on that list of Morris pl's people I think there's a couple others Public Works Mr broom thank you so DPW they continually work on uh police vehicles whatever maintenance they need DW Vehicles they up the garbage in all their Parks which we appreciate it's not a fun job but they do a nice job with that um they went around and got I think everybody's Christmas trees I don't think I've seen any leftovers out there and some uh couple rounds of brush so thank you for that they're potle seasons and some bigger than others and they're working on filling those they start taking down I think they got them all down the Christmas lights it's always sad to see those go but U they look beautiful putting them up and sad to see them go down have couple of smaller storms that they had to go out and more salt and then they had to go back and plow and then salt again they were a challenging Mother Nature storm so they did a good job and then the days that it's not snowing they uh are fixing up our buildings they painted some uh basements spackled um painted some other buildings was good um then there's some building work over there that they're doing inside um and then this building was uh 1940 was erected and there's four lights that were out by the fire bay doors that haven't worked in forever so uh we found a company in Livingston that was uh willing to refurbish them to keep the history and possibly recreate a couple of them that we'd like to add two more so they took those down thank you for taking those down we'll get those looked at um continue to sweep the Lots the town Lots um they interviewed the candidates and we did three candidates and they hired uh Jared tonight we approved that that's good they could bring their staff back up and uh there's two employees that'll be tending electrical school at vot Tech so we appreciate their willingness to continue to learn and help the town uh their experience that's all I have good thank you public bildings and grounds John great um so just an update on the farmers market February 1 we are officially kicking off our 2024 Farmers Market season we'll be updating our registration forms we already have a lot of um former vendors and new vendors reaching out uh so we're excited to kick off our season uh pool registration for the community park pool will open on March 1st and the DPW will be chatting about this they're already purchasing the materials that they need that famous blue paint uh and some of the other um supplies so that they can really have an opportunity to take care of the take advantage of the warmer weather and start some of those uh spring activities a little sooner um so more updates on that but we're hoping that maybe we could open a little earlier than normal um and then the parade committee had their inaugural meeting last week um I wasn't able to attend I had a a meeting conflict but I'm excited to uh partake in the next meeting that is it for me Public Health sanitation SW than sure um the MUA announced hazardous waste drop off dates the first dat Saturday May 11th from 9:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Public Safety Training Academy on West hover app that's things like aerosol cans fire extinguishers oil based paines Etc I'm still on boarding to my new uh committee here so I met with Anna on our sewer contract and um we have that contract with Mars Township that was renewed in 2023 for the next 25 years the contract is a flat per unit charge and I'm teaching you what I learned based on number number of units on the residential side and on the commercial side it's assessed by square footage revenue and sales so the burrow pays for a single family unit $452 per year per residence single family residence but because the number of residences has increased in Mars Plains in recent years we expect an increase in sewer treatment cost for the burrow in 2024 of about $132,800 disposal for our solid waste collection expires at the end of this year so stay tuned for more on bidding out that contract um I'm hearing from other municipalities that there is a it's tough to get bids on that so we'll see how that goes um Municipal Alliance has a meeting Monday February 5th clean communities I met with James barino to review his committee and he's looking at doing a community clean up in April we're targeting um Earth week which is uh April 1 to 27th so somewhere in there if you have a Girl Scout Troop or Boy Scout Troop or another any other nonprofits who want to help out we're going to get some information out about that teen center had an event planned on Friday night uh a Friday night a while ago that was canceled for the weather a couple weeks ago after our last meeting I believe um and we're sending out an email about chaperon commitments and make making sure that the chaperon submit a background check in order for them to let their student attend events we're having shortage of ch so if we get those forms in for the background checks which are required by our insurance we should be good to go with the chaperon they're also looking to fill a couple of board positions and they have an exciting event coming up next week the N uh the 9th February 9th is the Valentine's dance at the community center um you also see the energy plan uh Grant tonight we we voted on and uh we finished our plan so I'm hoping to get that up on the website so people can take a look at that and what that in inails it's kind of a uh it's kind of a a road map for us to lower our greenhouse gas emissions so um we're going to start implementing things this year um on a priority basis so looking forward to some of that that's all I got Joe just back to building ground a walkr or anything for DPW with the buildings yeah we're going to schedule that uh ordinances and Public Utilities Kathy yes thank you mayor uh planning board for all new members of which there are three there is a mandatory training basic course and it took place for me last Saturday there were they have many dates that you can sign up for it's a 5 hour morning on Saturday and um lot of information to the point that um probably the third or fourth man to speak with the engineer from the company that does this and he was going on and on more facts more facts more facts of course every slide he put up on the T on the screen I took a picture of um and finally he stopped and said hey everybody who's listening out there I just want you to know you're not going to remember all of this so just relax a little and it kind of lowered the uh tension level I guess but it was a really excellent uh five hours well spent and yes I don't know everything I don't know if you ever know everything about PL but we're I'm trying um I know what the land use law is now and uh it was run by the New Jersey planning officials um there's a model storm water Control Ordinance for for municipalities that has to be filed uh eventually with the state in March and I'm working on that now I've met with engineer lean Hall to discuss and I will be asking my committee to meet with me and uh they will get a copy of the document so we can work together to make sure that we have it right in place and Leon will uh check it out once we finish um when Allison white walked in tonight I said to her oh two nights in a row because mayor car and I were with S at the meeting last night for the downtown M uh Morris Plains and the Business Development Committee trying to just see where where both committees are and what we can do to progress so thanks Alison glad to see you tonight and that's all I have sir fantastic we have no presentations of communications or petitions we do have uction of an ordinance yes sir I have it um I uh council member Kelly introduced the following ordinance and read the Same by title and move that it be passed on first reading ordinance 1-20 24 Bond ordinance providing for the Improvement of various roads in and by the burrow of moris plains in the county of Morris New Jersey appropriating $684,000 therefore and authorizing the issuance of $649,800 in bonds or notes of the burrow for financing such appropriation is there a second second roll call please M ber yes Mr BR yes mrte yes M yes M yes Mr yes oh yes I council member Kelly offer the following resolution whereas the above ordinance was introduced and read by title at this meeting on at this meeting on February 15th and passed on the first reading now therefore be resolved February 1 it should say February 1 thank you that's what I thought um because it it's the next paragraph it explains it now therefore be it resolved that at a meeting to be held on February 15th 2024 at 8:30 p.m. preva in time at the municipal building in said burrow this Council will further consider for second reading and final passage the set ordinance and be it further resolved that the clerk of this burrow b and she is hereby directed to publish in mail the proper notice therefore including the ordinance post the ordinance on the bulletin board in the municipal building and to make copies available to members of the general public is there a second second with with the with the with the date change yes second by Dennis all in favor I oppos abstain this just temporarily puts the funds in place for really our engineer to start the plans and specs for road projects coming up this Summer that will be raised in the budget we have no ordinances on second reading we have no resolutions no unfinished business no new business vouchers Wagner I was provided a checklist dated February 1st 2024 uh with a total of 4 million a minut that yeah you got 36,000 there's got to be a page there's got be a page missing the total's probably right because one you guys saw for the county was total total's right we don't have what what's the count how much was that County a milon 44,000 it's on the add up to be form You' have to add the school then table is checklist there's no way that those numbers add up to to4 million but it is signic closer to that's assuming these two numbers are ACC that's the number okay right yeah I was just adding up two numbers that we have one that's written yep I got it uh so I have a checklist here dated February 1st 2024 the amount of 1,4 is there a second second second by Kathy roll call please miss miss ver yes Mr B yes Mr yes yes yes we do need an executive session while she's looking for that I'd like to thank everybody for coming out tonight we will be returning I can't tell you when so if you'd like to wait and come back in of this regular meeting of the mayor and Bar Council the bar mors Plains which regular meeting has been open to the public the mayor and bar counc shall ex session from the public shall be excluded to discuss matters n 4-25 --------- and the smoke detector wasn't even there so wired I mean you're not going to could happen to a 100 other homes in in the burrow as well it happen right I agree they want to make the resid safe nobody has has looked so just nobody has looked into an extra stien maybe we can give them an extra stien has anybody looked into there was talk that the extra ST has anybody looked into the potential or possib if they're so backed up on on office work a part-time secretary like we have in in some of the other offices to alleviate some of that pressure don't isn't there also the possibility of some of the police off fire officials who can and do this part-time they already are trained to do it why aren't we using them there's special certifications that are needed for this role so then we get the certifications for them as well because they've been doing they just start ask all and I think they should it's all volunteer cathic it's that's fine going to be available people work and they have kids so it's not like it's a we still a dream there are people who can on the fire department can do it I'd like to see your list all right I'll tell you um I don't know where you got your figures from I I emailed CFOs of the 39 municipalities in in Mars County three of them have fulltime uh fire expector okay three that's I don't know I'm not good with math 7% of the county maybe have if that I don't even know three seven five something like that percent have full-time inspectors you emailed who the CFOs municipalities for business administrators I have multiple towns using the same person and our part-time person it looks it appears to be if the information is right as doing four towns and a full-time job I I have questions I am not saying that this is not the right position or that we should be doing it but I need the questions answered if nobody else here on the council needs these questions answered I need the questions answered I was elected to a position that I am responsible for the funds of this town and everybody expects me to do my job and I think everybody on this day is ran as uh uh fiscally responsible people and to not have all the information and to force a vote in five minutes or the next meeting or whatever it is without everything being vented that has not been vented for the last seven years or however long it's been is irresponsible of this Council you got a memo in 2017 did get memo Why did no one look into it now wasn't on the committee I have Chris Shay's all of his resumes that he's given me over the past years I have done I have done some research throughout the years this is my it's not my responsibility don't P push this off on me I did research and I I don't think the rest of the council has done research you got your information from people here it's one-sided and if that's the way it turns out at the end if that's the best best decision then so be it but without looking at all the information and all the facts and all the questions being answered and to demand a vote in five minutes or next meeting is utterly ridiculous and if you want to do that you can go right ahead and do it that's my two cents we're all elected up here to do the right job no respect for this position or myself either I don't have respect for you no well that's an opinion that's not true some of this stuff wasn't even talked about with the attorney you expect to have answers like this with with with no context bring it on him like that sometimes we had discussions about it being separate we were going to have vote on the fulltime position first and the personal issues could not be discussed this way and had to be an executive we did have that discussion several is the council being influenced by people in the audience here you have a room full of fire firemen here they obviously want this position none of us I didn't say anybody asked them I said are you influen no it's not on my God Joe this is a big decision for the entire town and the entire coun decision that's why we want to discuss it well you wanted to wanted to move motions here five minutes ago because we've been talking about it that's Years Years we're acting like we've been talking about it for two meetings no that not when was the last time before the previous meeting two previous meetings ago that it was ever discussed at a council table like this we discussed it in committee so we discussed it when we were on Public Safety how many times you know that Chris did a lot a lot it's noted Jason is saying is just as you were Che for last two years Nancy and I would bring it to you and you would say you weren't ready to have say that Nancy don't say that I I respect you I would go to you don't say that okay well two meetings whether whether you told me about it and I said no or told me about it and I said get more information or told we had numerous conversations about it the last conversation was July of this past year July or August I asked for some information at that at that at that meeting meeting that we had I don't think there's ever going to be enough information for you apparently the council votes so the council wants to move forward that's up to the council but I'm saying my piece it's not right I don't think the council did all of their due diligence I think we're on the right track we're on the right road but the due diligence isn't 100% here we've we've debated things and and argued things and dug deep into things for less more far less importance than this this is very important on the positive side on the negative side I see a lot more negatives to not doing it than I than I see to doing it honestly it almost pays for itself it's not financially fiscally irresponsible this position brings in money I was told last year get the position get the position first and then ask for the ordinances that we want to protect our apartment residences so that's what we're doing here that's what that's the direction I got to get the because we know as a council discussed it at least my committee was in favor of passing the department ordinance but I was told we don't have the staff for it get the staff first that's what we're doing here okay in 2023 $63,600 worth of expenditures for for fire prevention salaries their budget all that all that stuff okay for part-time people Chris's salary F Sal whatever everything we realized $36,250 27 ,000 is unaccounted for that that falls on the taxpayers B unaccounted for yes it's the only position actually brings in Revenue exactly it brings in Revenue but it didn't cover it doesn't cover it doesn't have to cover it that's what everybody's been saying this covers the job and never said that I didn't say you said you're getting value from you're getting value from all of our employees you don't expect them to cover their salary they're they're adding value our clerks add value our tax collector add value everyone adds value our conru conru office this is a position that's that adds value inherently and also happens to bring in revenue and the what I have is brought they brought in the department $413 in Revenue last year that's different than number he you and this is an Anna's handwriting too so I don't know this is an is two right exactly different numbers couple thousand isn't going to make right it comes down to a value what do you value do you are we here I think our number one job as a governing body is to provide safety health and safety for our residents that's my number one position of job as well exactly and and we do that and this is and those people out there do that on a daily basis as well and they have asked for this and as art said they don't ask for things they don't need they're not asking us we try to give everybody everything that they need the police department needs this we get it the police department needs that road department needs a new piece of equipment we uh we need a new computer in the clerk's office we got that the fire department I just talked to Kevin two days ago about getting me numbers for a new fire truck to start that discussion I I approached them they life they have a useful life they have to we just we just gave them 100,000 or 150,000 whatever it was to refurbish another fire truck so don't you know saying that the fire department is lost so that's incorrect well the other alternative is to contract out our fire services and it's going to be way more than what you're talking about with equipment how does anybody we're not talking about Out Source in the fire department well we have to supply them with the equipment and the personel they need otherwise they have to Outsource and we do Jason you said you had to reach out to Kevin to ask him about the engine he wrote he wrote us a letter in 2021 with the 5year plan this was the today I talked you said that he didn't Prov that no cuz I asked him to give us a 5year plan at that that time but I just talked to him two days ago about getting numbers on replacing a truck start those conversations now so that's forward thinking it's not waiting for them to come to us to talk about it you we appreciate in your thing you said that we don't appreciate anything that they do we hold every one of these guys on a pedestal higher than higher than myself I'm a nobody compared to what they do and I hope everybody up here feels the same way I think the dedication that every one of those guys gives to this town day in day out for 35 years 12 years two years the brand new Max I just see walk in here dedicating his time and effort in here is is outstanding so don't don't ever put those kind of words in my mouth like we don't do that because we do that I going to read something else that group I'd like to encourage Kathy sa Dennis Joan and Nancy and myself to feel comfortable and confident in their decisions at a committee level and with their individual votes our constituents elected us to make the best decisions for their families and for this town it's unfortunate that there are some former elected officials and some current elected officials that tries to make us feelc comfortable with our decisions or intimidate us with their opinions they have every right to their opinion we Council are ultimately making the decision that we feel is best for the town our forefathers in 1926 adopted the burough form of government and this is to prevent one person from making all the decisions they didn't want a king they wanted a mayor I would like to read the definition of bur form of government to remind our fellow councilmen and to educate the public this is from New Jersey municipality's magazine forms of government everything he always wanted to know but were afraid to ask talk about the township the town the city and our form which is burrow the burrow form Remains the single most popular form of local government New Jersey it dates back to the act of 1878 revised in 1897 and the burrow Act of 1987 the burrow mayor is elected at large to a four-year term six council members are elected to stagger a three-year term the burough form is often referred to as a weak mayor and strong Council form the mayor retains all General law Authority residing over Council meetings and can only vote in a tie the mayor points with the advice and consent Council all of subordinate officers of munip of the municipality the council is the legislative body of the burrow all executive responsibilities not placed in the office of Mayor by General law or the B burrow law remain with the council like the other traditional forms the Barrow May appoint an administrator or Delegate for a portion of the executive responsibilities to him or her the council may also adopt an administrative code prescribe prescribing how the council shall perform its duties so we all come from different backgrounds and life experiences and none of us know everything we appreciate each other's elected positions lengths of services we should learn from our past history but we should also be able to adopt to the Ever Changing future our town is growing and we need need to make the right decisions to keep our residents safe and our town as healthy as possible financially with the vibrant downtown so this is where I feel a lot of times with the tone of your voice tone of some other people's voice that we try to make the right decision Nancy's done a tremendous job we just got to make the decision and run with it I mean you have some valid points but we should never feel our our decisions are the wrong decisions we got elected to make decisions so I think we should take the vote that's my opinion I think we have enough information should I second the motion I think enough has transpired since the first Mo I would I would remove it clarification I I would remove I would reiterate the motion which my understanding was the motion was to to to to to not necessarily amend but to I guess to to designate the position of fire inspector from part-time to a full-time position was that the original motion yes is there someone me another member of council willing to second that motion second now have a motion we have a second so we have to take an individual roll call for Miss B yes Mr BR yes Mr cor I just want to say something before I give my vote um I think the fire prevention Bureau um town has grown so there is know more need for inspections we heard from a chief was an incident a emergency staircase being blocked um right now I I just wish the council and the mayor and everyone else we really need to talk more outside of the council level and not have this happen um the disparity all the other things um I'm I'm in favor of either a jump or um the new position I I I don't know how that's going to work we haven't had one talk about salary conclusive talk so um I I am going to the motion on the floor right now is if we need a full time we want we want to abolish to part-time and create a full-time but we haven't even talked about salaries and that's the next phase that's not this phase all right then I have to say that I have to vote Yes I am in favor position yes Miss I just wanted to share um for those that don't know we don't have the opportunity to talk as as a Full Count mayor and counsel our form of government is set up by committee we we work with our committees that's that's three of us on each of the different committees the only opportunity that we get to have these conversations democracy and action is at the council meeting so that's why this is transpiring that's why these conversations are happening now I vote Yes Miss Kelly John could you repeat what the motion is on the the mo there's a motion there's a valid motion pending for vote to to not necessarily increase but to to to amend the position of of fire inspector from a part-time position to a full-time position okay well my my only comment to that is that I can understand an extra strip P um for Chris but I would like to keep him as part- time so I V know Mr Wagner just to inter check though real quick the no vote's valid okay but we're not tonight saying anything about money well not only that but we're not talking about individ this isn't you know well his name has been mentioned a number of times and it has and I and I gave a little bit of wiggle room on that a little bit of rope U but but again really the parameters of tonight's discussion are are we amending the position of fire inspector from part-time to full-time position that doesn't Encompass salary it doesn't Encompass individuals it just encompasses the position itself it's a very limited Motion in the global SCH it may be the initial motion of multiple motions to come at some point but it is a very standing alone limited motion I will still say no Mr Wagner yes thank you I think still think that vote was premature disappointed with uh Steve we have 10 minutes I think you can maybe get one Personnel issue cleared up yes executive session