I call to order this regular meeting of the township committee of the township of Morris this Wednesday, February 18th, 2026. The time is now 7:05 p.m. This meeting is being held in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, and
adequate notice of this meeting has been provided as required by law. Specifically, notice of this meeting was mailed to the daily record and the Morris newsby on January 8th, 2026 and posted on the Township of Mars website. The agenda and the resolutions for the
meeting are available on marswp.com under the agenda center. Certain portions of this meeting meeting may be closed to the public for the purpose of personnel andor other matters as outlined in the sunshine law. Notice to the members of the governing body and
township staff. Any use of electronic devices during this meeting shall be used solely for the purpose of township business and any communications are subject to the open public records act. Madame clerk, roll call, please. >> Mr. Greselle, >> here.
>> Mr. Ravitz, >> here. >> Mr. Janata, >> here. Miss Mayor Griglio >> here. >> Please rise and join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance 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. I did want to just make one um comment because obviously many of you have heard this news but if not and you're looking
up at the deis um former mayor and committeeman Mark Jory has taken a position um we're all very excited for him as the chief of staff for the commissioner of banking and insurance with the governor's office. So, we are
in the process now. We're going through um the necessary process to have somebody appointed to the township committee. So, that's why Mark's not here. And also, we will be honoring him and thanking him. He was not able to attend this meeting, so that'll probably
be next month or the month after, but um he's already sorely missed and we wish him well. Can I have a motion to approve the minutes from November 12th, 2025 for close, regular, and the special meeting
and December 8th, 2025's special meeting by one motion? >> So move. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> We have one proclamation on our agenda tonight and I will It is Black History
Month. So, I will read the Black History Month proclamation. Whereas, Black History Month provides an opportunity to recognize the struggles and achievements of African-Americans and their vital contributions to our nation's economic, cultural, spiritual,
and political development. And whereas in 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week, which was expanded to Black History Month in 1976 and has been celebrated nationally every February since then. And whereas
February marks many significant milestones in AfricanAmerican history, including the birthdays of Frederick Douglas, Web Dubois, Web Dubois, and Rosa Parks, the February signing of the Congressional Resolution that became the
13th Amendment abolishing slavery, the ratification of the 15th Amendment granting voting rights, the founding of the NAACP, and other key civil rights actions, and legislation. And whereas the lives and contributions of leaders
such as Thood Marshall, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Maya Angelou, Harriet Tubman, John Lewis, Barack Obama, and countless others highlight the importance of recognizing Black history and promoting equality. And
whereas observing Black History Month reminds us of the ongoing need to address systemic barriers, promote understanding, and build a more just and equitable society. Now th therefore be it resolved that the Morris Township
Committee supports the celebration of Black History Month in February 2026 and encourages residents to reflect on its meaning, honor the achievements of African-Americans, and strive for a more inclusive and equitable community.
Um, I do want to just also point out that the theme in 2026 is a century of Black History commemorations. In 1926, there was the first Negro History Week highlighting evolution, impact, and perseverance
praise pence >> perseverance of the African-American history and culture. We need to continue to celebrate and integrate black history into our national narrative. It is important to protect, promote, and preserve black history for future
generations. And as you've all heard, uh Jesse Jackson has just passed away. And um a favorite quote of his, one of them is never look down on anyone else unless you are helping them up. It's a lesson we all still need to practice every day.
He was a civil rights activist, fought for voting rights and economic justice. After a lifetime of dedication by him to advance these areas, we are still fighting for some of the very same things today. So, may he rest in peace
and power. We have two presentations on our agenda tonight. So we will begin with the Mars ARC 81 catch road the CDBG application generator installation that is for $77,750
if you would come to the podium. Thank you. >> Good evening. >> Nar would just give us your name and your position with more please. >> Yes, my name is Naan. I'm the chief operating officer for Ark Morris and
with me is You want to say? >> Yes. >> Hello. My name is Antonio Salters. I'm the senior director of operations for Ark Morris. >> Thank you for having us here today. Um, do you want me to just do the presentation? Okay. So, um, Ark Morris,
>> can I can I ask a question first? >> Sure. >> Just for the public so we understand. Why are they appearing before us instead of the planning board? No, this is not a planning, but this is they're playing plan. They are making a grant application through the community
development block grant program. The community development block grant program requires that any entity who's going to make applications must present it to the governing body of municipality where this project is going to take place. that is the reason that they are here to
talk about their application uh for a generator for their facility on catch road. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Sorry for interrupting you. >> Oh, no problem. Uh so we Art Morris is an organization that has been in Morris County for over 70 years supporting
people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We have number of group homes day programs across. Now one of them is the supervised apartments building on 81 catch road which is affordable housing that provides housing for people with intellectual and developmental
disabilities. There are 15 residents in that home. So we would like to apply for community development block grant for uh the amount um $77,750 to install a generator in that property.
Uh over the years the property has experienced many times when there is bad weather they lose power and as per um because we are supporting very vulnerable population with medical issues and many times when it's severe weather disruptions we have to relocate
people which puts a lot of strain on uh the agency and on emergency staff to be honest with you because sometimes we need assistance from the township. Uh so uh what we are planning to do is to install a generator backup generator so in case of a loss of power we don't have
to relocate the individuals and can provide essential services to people with disabilities who really need it and we would appreciate the support of the township in this application. So we applied for um we want to apply to this grant and we se uh three bids and uh we
would like to select the man salum electric which provided the most costefficient bid and uh their price is 7750 which is the lowest. So uh in case the application is approved we and we will receive the grant that's the company we're going to go with to
install the generator. >> Okay. Thank you. Does anybody have any questions? >> No. >> Thank you very much. >> We may have to get some documents to Naira for her application that we will consult. >> Yes, the application may need that
resolution. So, I'll give you the detail. >> Absolutely. >> Thank you. Thank you so much. >> Yeah. I would just like to say thank you to Ark Morris for providing the services that so many people in need uh require in this community. So, thanks for doing the work. >> Thank you very much. Really appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Okay. Our next presentation, we have the 2025 environmental commission annual report by the chair, Brian Morgan. Welcome, Brian. >> Guys, you skip the public comment. >> Y public.
>> I have Oh, >> yeah. We'll go to the public comment right after Brian's presentation. >> Did I have that wrong? That's okay. It's my fault. >> Yeah, you weren't checking that. >> I wasn't there.
Check that. >> Why don't we have it here? >> Agenda and the script. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Okay. Okay. Ryan, go ahead. Yeah, I I reversed it. Okay.
>> Yes. >> So, um, yeah. Hi. Thanks for, uh, allowing me the time to speak. Um, as you all likely know, environmental commission, we look to protect the natural resources of our township, including sustainability and environmental protection.
Um, with this discussion and annual report submission, I'm hoping to quickly highlight what we've been doing and touch on our focus area for this coming year. We are seven me seven voting members, two alternates and five associates. So, we're currently at 14
members, 14 volunteers. We meet 11 months of the year and collectively put in many hours in support of our objectives. In this report, you'll find a high level overview of these accomplishments. You'll see highlighted the site reviews as I'm scrolling through. I'm not sure if you can see them in any detail, but again, this will
be available online and you guys have it submitted for uh for the for today. Um it's highlighted the many site reviews that we conduct, the um highlights of the year, including sustainable Jersey certificate reertification to get bronze
um that benefits the township. um the sustainable landscaping event that we held in this room as well as in the overflow room because we had over 90 attendees to that. Our regular news newsletter with over 800 recipients that goes out almost every month or every other month. Our poster contest for
local students and other outreach events that we conduct. It includes our natural environment and conservation efforts including the Butterworth garden which continues to flourish under our member sector under nature's oversight. uh our engagement with the county to help
support the removal of the invasive fragmitees near the Washington Valley Schoolhouse. We've also done a lot of collaboration. We have strong ties with our neighbors and collaborated with the Madison Environmental Commission to hold a forum to educate nearby environmental commissions and township committee
members about the benefits of a dark sky legislation. So, I wanted to thank again Jeff Grezel who attended and provided the open remarks to that event that we held that we shared in Madison. Uh in terms of education, we we continue to ensure we are providing the most value
and um not causing any harm and always trying to improve the township by focusing a lot on our education. We um we focus a lot on that. We've conducted tours around the town. We've uh taken three trips this year to the sewage last year 2025. We visited the sewage
treatment plant, Unity Charter School, and the DPW and county composting sites. So those trips were very informative. We had special guests come to our meetings and we attend many many educational sessions online and in person. So just
as a recap, what you see in this report are 14 residents. Oh, I'm sorry. And here's here's the many online uh the many uh sessions that we attend, training certifications that we go through. And so just to recap, right, there's 14 residents here that are very
passionate about making Morris Township a better place to live, spending their discretionary time to educate themselves to make better informed decisions so we as a township can can collectively benefit. I commend all of the EC members and thank them for the hard work and dedication. I want to also give a big huge thanks to
the administration for their support. Mr. Quinn's support is essential for us to be able to do the things we do. Additionally, we were all blown away by the professionalism and expertise of the township employees when we go on our tours and our other interactions as well as the EC secretary Anelise is amazing and I don't know what we would do
without her. I want to especially thank Deputy Mayor Janada and Councilman Graal for being our liaison for the past two years and welcome Mayor Gria as our liaison joining us this year with SA. Um, lessons learned. So, no review would be complete without discussing the
lessons learned. There were several areas where we did not see as much progress as hoped. I see the most successful ECs in the area. When I speak with them, they have clear partnerships with the township councils and administrations. They are leveraged as partners as an extension of the team to help promote and enact their priorities.
I feel our our EC has a lot of opportunity in this area and we are an we are an untapped resource for the township. I'm encouraged by early discussions with our liaison Donna and SA that we can have goals that are not just EC goals, but township goals that we collectively work towards together.
Our current list of objectives include getting an environmental resource inventory, an ERRI, and I thank the council and Mr. Quinn for adding to tonight's agenda a resolution to support a 10,000 grant to get an ERRI. We have a list of suggested ordinances that we are pushing uh from the EC on based upon
neighbors and state best practices. We we have more outreach, education, and improvement planned, which I can happily share. As mentioned, I'm hoping to hear more clearly what the township council's priorities are so that we can help drive the environmental change that we both want. Having townshipwide sustainable
environment goals would give tremendous benefits to our town and give us greater purpose and focus. Thank you for your time, and I'm happy to take any questions. >> Thank you, Brian. Do any committee members have questions or comments for Brian?
Well, I just want to say that as a semi participant as well as a leazison uh to the EC, I can see how uh how the uh volunteers at the EC environmental commission have done a
very well commendable job and we encourage you to keep continue doing it and uh all your suggestions we do take into into consideration and uh and we try to weld it with uh what is doable
and what can um what uh may not be able to be done at this point. But I especially liked your the sustainable landscaping forum that we had. It was well attended
and as the pictures showed there and also the sustainable jersey bronze I know we're we're trying to get to silver and I'm sure we're going to get there with everybody's help and and the town administration has helped very well
mildly on that with the health department and engineering and um DPW they all played a part in getting us into a higher level of bronze. So, um next year silver. Thanks.
>> Following um tonight's approval for receiving for the record, then um the report will be posted up on the more static website on the environmental page uh tomorrow morning. >> If there are no other comments, I Brian, I just want to say to you, I'm excited to be the leaison this year on the
environmental commission. And again, um, we value all of our volunteers. The residents that live in the township are amazing. But I have to tell you, this guy is like, I mean, he'll have a phone call with Steve and I, and he'll have a two-page agenda. I mean, he is on top of
all of this under his leadership. I think that's why the EC works as hard as they do. You show such dedication to just trying to make this be a better place for everybody. So, thank you very much and we appreciate you coming in to do the report. >> Yeah. May and mayor if I could just add
uh you know I I always say that the volunteers are part of the backbone of this community. You know we we can't do it all ourselves and the volunteers provide such a tremendous service on behalf of everybody else but the chairs all the chairs of the committees and the planning board and the zoning board. Uh
they do they do a lot extra. So just extra thank you for being stepping up and being the chair and continuing to be the chair because I know how much extra work that is. >> Thank you Brian. And thank you, Brian, and to the entire committee. We appreciate the work that
you do. It's it it's a vital function in the municipality. >> Yeah. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you so much. So, now we will go to the public commentary. There are currently 12 members of the public joining us via Zoom and eight here in
person. Um, we will first take comments from in-person attendees, then we'll switch over to Zoom. Please use the raise hand function in Zoom if you would like to speak. Please state your name and if you are a resident or non-resident for the record. Please note that comments are limited to 5 minutes
per speaker. >> If you have questions you would like answered. Your remaining time to speak will be yielded back for this purpose. Is there a motion to open the public comment? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> I >> welcome.
Hi guys. Um, tomorrow WisherD, 32 Kadina Road, Mars Township. Um, I wanted to thank you for your proclamation on Black History Month, uh, which is vital at this particular moment in history. Um, it's part of what
brings me out today. Um, we all know that Marstown and Mars Township are of great historical importance. George Washington spent lousy winters here. We all know about it and we're rightly proud to live in a place where so much
history was made. But I want to tell you about something. Right here in Morris Township on the Patriots Path, right off of Washington Valley Road, there are a couple offormational sign boards. They've been there for a long time. And they talk about the farms that existed
on that land uh from the 18th to the 20th centuries, who owned them, the agricultural practices they used, what farm life was like, blah blah blah. They are detailed and they have a lot of text. I have some images of them if anybody's interested. I can give you
those later or now. Um, you have to read quite a bit down those signs before you get to a sentence which is very near the end of the second sign board. And it reads as follows. Some of the early families also owned slaves to
do extra work the way later farmers would own machines. Some of the early families also own slaves to do extra work the way later farmers would own machines. uh all this information about people who
owned the land, the names, the dates, the marriages, the children, their lime kilm, their homes, their outbuildings. And this is the only mention of the enslaved people who lived and worked
that land. People who were no less important than the white people who enslaved them. So, why did I decide to bring this up here tonight? Because it now matters maybe more than ever. I'd like to read
you. Uh, this is from an article from WH YY. A federal judge on Monday ruled the Trump administration must restore the slavery exhibits at the President's House site on Independence Mall in
Philadelphia. While the case over the National Park Services actions continue, in January, employees from the National Park Service removed the display that detailed the lives of nine people George Washington enslaved at his home while he
was president. US District Judge Cynthia Roof compared the administration's rationale for removing the signs detailing slavery to the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell's 1984, a dystopian novel about authoritarianism. Here's what she said. Quote, "As if the
Ministry of Truth in George Royal's 1984 now existed with its motto, ignorance is strength, this court is now asked to determine whether the federal government has the power, it claims, to dissemble and disassemble historic historical
truths when it has some domain over historical facts." ROF wrote in her decision, "It does not." So, I'm here to ask you for three things. One, some of the early families also owned
slaves to do extra work the way later farmers would own machines. Not only is this wolffully inadequate acknowledgement of enslaved people, this is dehumanizing language as though enslaved people are farm equipment. It's
not acceptable. These signs must be removed. And if you don't have the authority to do it, find out who does. Talk to them. Get it done. Number two, if that location matters enough to put up those signs that stood there for decades,
then it matters enough to replace them with better signs that tell the stories of all the people who lived there. Not just white owners, but enslaved African-Americans, Native Americans who were displaced from that land, immigrant laborers,
anyone who was there is of historical value. This should be researched. And when we have that missing information, let's get new signs. And third of all, please don't stop there. How many people around here know that slaves worked on
the land where we all live? You can't swing a dead cat in Morristown without learning about George Washington and the Skylers and Alexander Hamilton and the Marquita Lafayette. But do people know anything about who was here when Europeans arrived other
than the words Lenny Lapi? We all know the words. Do we know about enslaved black people, free black people? Do we know about the immigrants who settled here? >> I apologize to interrupt, but you're at your five minute. >> Okay. Um, so to finish what I'm saying,
I'm asking you to spend some money for research to learn about the history of our area and to institute programs and signage to educate people about all the people who have lived here because it matters. We need to save our history.
So, thank you very much. I don't know if you remember when um Kathy Wilson was deputy mayor, Kath, you came I can't remember if you came here, but we went and looked at the signs and it was my understanding and I'll check um that the
county was notified about replacing the signs and doing research. Obviously, that you know has fallen through the crow, but we'll follow up. >> Yeah, the signs are still there. >> No, I know they're there. >> Yeah. No, they're still there. But but I do remember that. I do remember um so
and it's again for so many reasons now but this is a really important one to get new signs and take out the language that's in >> I can reach out to executive director >> y >> uh do you need images that I brought or >> if you have them I'll take them but you
can leave them there I'll pick them up when we're done >> thank you very much >> thanks >> also thank you for mentioning uh what happened in Philadelphia. I was going to mention that, but thank you saved me that few minutes of that.
>> You're welcome. May >> Mayor, >> yes. >> If I could also add, I I believe those signs were installed and paid for by the Washington Valley Community Association, not not the county, >> correct? That's their their moniker is on it. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, we can speak to the
county. Um it is county property and they got permission to put them up >> to put them up. Uh but the community association is the one that originally put them up. >> Do you know when uh when they were put? >> I want to say about 12 years ago. >> They were they've been up a long time.
>> Yeah. 12 14 years ago. I think I was on the board of the community association when they were we voted on spending money to put them up. Yeah. So maybe Yeah. Could be too young. >> Yeah. Yeah. Maybe more. Yeah. Maybe more
than a dozen. Is there anybody else in person who would like to go to the podium? Sir, >> thank you. >> Thank you, Madame Mayor. And and the first thing I want to say is uh um well, first I'm Steve Lis. I live at 20 Oak
Park Drive. My wife, Andrea, were there for 28 years. Wonderful township. We love everything about this place. Um we recently got a tree from the township. Everybody was very professional. It was very easy for us to pick the tree we wanted. The group that came in and put
it in did a beautiful job and I hope that program continues. It's a really nice >> little thing that you guys did and it's was well appreciated. >> The reason I'm here is really about Woodruff Road again. Um Woodruff Road
when we first moved here 28 years ago was a small little community road and now it's really a major thoroughfare. I know uh Administrator Quinn and the the police chief were very nice to do a traffic study there, but we really do need a couple of things. Maybe some
signage um because there is a big turn there. You don't really see who's coming around the turn now that we have this um soccer facility. It's used as a thoroughare fair more than more than ever. Um maybe
we could consider that the committee can consider speed bumps. I know there's no speed bumps allowed in the township. Maybe it's time we start to reconsider that. I think it would be perfect place to have a couple speed bumps there. And the last thing is, you know, we have a
beautiful sidewalk on the left hand side as you go down towards the the um arboritum. There's nothing on the right, which is okay, but we need to have a little bit of a cutout because there was tons of snow there. So, if you're walking across with your dog, in my case
with my dog, my wife with our dog, you have to climb over the big hump of snow to get to the sidewalk and you have to do it very quickly. We have some people on our block that walk a lot as therapy. You know, they're somewhat disabled. Um, and we just really need to do something
there before someone really gets hurt. Um, this is the second time I'm here. I don't really want to come back here again if there's something that we could do. The last thing I wanted to mention, actually two other things. Oak Park Drive, the the the road is the worst
that I've seen it in 28 years. I know it's very expensive to keep up the roads in the township, but maybe we need to have someone come and take a look because we have a lot of potholes. We have a lot of uh, you know, kind of grally that the uh road is dug up. And
then the the last thing is of course and I know you guys are very familiar with this but where Woodruff Road you have that triangle where Woodruff Road meets uh that thoroughfare uh it's um Columbia Turnpike.
Every other week there's an accident there and people have been hurt. You had a police officer flip a police vehicle right at that corner. Something needs to be done. you need to either write a letter to the to the to the state or the county, but that's got to be changed.
Something has to be done because someone's really going to get hurt. These have been car accidents. You lose your car, you go out and buy a new car. It's no big deal. But if someone really gets hurt there, god forbid someone gets killed. Every other week there's an accident there and the township really
needs to start to do something about that one little intersection over there. Besides that, you guys are doing a great job. We love it here. Hopefully, we'll be here another 28 years. Thank you for the tree. >> Thank you very much for your comments. Um, Mr. Clinton will address some of the
uh issues with the Woodrift Road >> progress. following our traffic study. Um, you know, where we looked at that, one of the things that we can do, there was not an issue where there was significant speeding, but there was significant volume of traffic there, is to do what's
called lane narrowing, and that's to put in the white flag lines and to bring the lanes down from the curb, and it brings them down to about 11 ft. So, our Department of Public Works is working with our contractor for this spring and we're going to be doing lane narrowing on on Woodruff Road from Whippity Road
all the way out to to Columbia Road there. Um, and that has shown that has decreased speeds um when we've done it on other roads in the township such as on Old Glenn Road, Turtle Road. Um, it's been effective. So, we will be doing that um for that
this spring. Um, you know, speed bumps is a another tricky one and it's also regulated by the state as to regulations and the volume of cars that go down Woodruff Road would um, if the township is even willing to do them, it far exceeds what's permitted to use speed
bumps um, because of the volume of traffic that is is on that roadway. Um, it is a major thoroughare between two county roads. Um, we know that there's a significant amount of traffic that uses that roadway every single day. Um, moving on to the intersection of Columbia Road. We've been working with the county on that and getting the
accident histories and looking for solutions to that and um, working with the county. We are changing the timing cycle on that to increase the double red for intersection. So, it'll give it additional time in between switching from a red light to a green light. So,
hopefully some of those accidents where somebody running a red light at the last minute um, now will have a double red for a period of time on that. So, I believe they may have already taken care of that. Uh, but that was the one uh recommendation from the county who's has
the oversight of that intersection and see how that works to it's going to reduce the accidents for that location. >> The question, can can we get can we get additional signage on Woodruff Road? Is that possible? Either this, you know, a
be careful sign or PE people crossing or or um 25 mph zone or 30 I think it's 30 >> 35. We can take a look at for the speed limits there. I, you know, the crosswalking, there should be signage for the crosswalks. I know we've looked at the crosswalk at one location by Oak
Park, but the issue there was sight distance. Um, it wouldn't be safe to encourage somebody to walk across the street and somebody coming around would have enough time to stop if they were in the in the crosswalk. Um, but yes, we can I can have our police department take a look at the signage, especially the the speed limit signage.
>> Thank you very much. And obviously on Oak Park Drive, Tim, we go out especially after the winter months and Oh, sorry. >> I didn't address that. I apologize. >> That's okay. No, no, go. I mean, we check for all the >> We evaluate every road every year >> and uh goes into the budget. The trans
committee appropriates $800,000 for road repaving plus another $90,000 for for crack sealing every year in addition to our reconstruction projects. Um so we'll be going out um once the weather's a little bit better. And we do we have uh a system that's a mounted and it takes a
picture of all of the roadways and then it evaluates them and then it rates all the roads and then we work with our department of public works along with the um standing committee that has the oversight and we select the roads for the repaving for this year and then the repaving is usually done in the August
September after the capital budgets adopted in June. So, but we've had concerns with Oak Park. So, I think it's pretty high on the list and if it's going to be in the next round, but it I know it it will be in the short term.
>> Tim, uh what's what's the meaning of the double red? >> So, >> is it two is it two actual red lights or is it just double timing? >> Double timing. So, the on Normandy Heights Road and Columbia Road will both be red at the same time for a short period of time.
>> Oh, that's what Okay. traffic to really stop it. >> So it stops the traffic and just delays. >> Yep. >> When it So it doesn't turn red and the other turn. >> So they're both red >> and it gives a little short time. So somebody runs the red light. >> Mhm. >> The person who gets the green light is
not proceeding into the intersection. >> Gotcha. One other one other idea for signage is since there's a crosswalk there now to the museum, maybe we can have a pedestrian with an arrow pointer sign or something like that to indicate there are pedestrians in the area. Is there such a sign?
>> I will look at the It has to, as you know, it has to meet the MUTCD. >> If it does, um, there I know there's advanced warning signs for crosswalks. >> We'll take a look at that. >> Okay. >> Anybody else in person? If not, we'll go
over to Zoom. And Charlie, do you have a question? >> Yes. Hi, Charlie Shar Raleigh Court. Um more more of just comment than question. Um well maybe question as well at the end. Uh so first I just wanted to uh thank Brian Morgan for his work as the
commissioner of the uh as the uh chairperson of the uh environmental commission. Um he does an amazing job and uh all credit is is due to him. Um, it is through my work on the Environmental Commission that I became aware of the issue of gas leaf blowers
and I know I've spoken to you all now three months in a row about this and I'll I'll continue to come back and talk to you about it. I just wanted to update you right now on some research I was doing that I thought was kind of interesting. Um, I was looking more into the uh the uh noise ordinances that we
had discussed last month. And I just want to remind again that noise is not um a nuisance issue. it is a health issue and the township's noise ordinance does you know in its findings say excessive sound is a serious hazard to public health. So I'd like to approach
this with that in mind. Um, looking at the tables, uh, it appears that to my to my knowledge, and I, anyone can tell me if I'm wrong here, that 65 dB, um, appears to be the standard, uh, for
daytime uh, for residential and 24 hours for all other properties. So, 65 dB is our baseline. Um, I was looking I did a little research on sort of what is the market leader uh for commercial uh gas
leaf blowers and it appears to be the Echo 9010T. Uh, so I'm just going to use that as a benchmark. Uh, it is it is rated by the manufacturer at 79.3 dB. So again, the uh right now the
standard in the township is 65. The leaf blower is rated at 79.3. The difference is 14.3 dB, which may not sound like a lot. But I also learned that decibb are a logarithmic scale, not arithmetic. So
the truth is that a 14 point difference in decibb means that the sound is 27 times more intense, which is perceived by the human ear as 2.5 times louder. So I'll just repeat that once again. The
Echo 9010T leaf blower is 2 point times 2.5 times louder than the 65 del sound limit set by the township. So I understand the need for um exceptions. Uh I just think that an exception that
is two and a half times uh the standard uh seems not necessarily to pass the common sense test. Um and then the second thing about the exception is that I noticed that the equipment that is accepted sort of in a group with um with
lawn landscape and yard maintenance equipment is heavy equipment power tools and and heavy equipment is even listed as bulldozers, back hose, dump trucks, etc. Well, I got to tell you, in 24 years of living in the township, I'm not
sure I've ever heard a bulldozer nearby. So even if there were a bulldozer, even if a property were being constructed near me, I think that would be a matter of weeks or months. Whereas the gas leaf blower is something that comes back week after week, season
after season. It is not a one-time type thing like heavy equipment and power tools. So, I would just um urge the township committee to re-examine that ordinance to look at the exceptions and really think hard about whether again
2.5 times uh the the standard is a reasonable exception. That's it. >> Okay. All right. Thank you, Charlie. Appreciate >> and >> go ahead. you you went through the where the
exemption is for landscaping equipment. >> Yes, exactly. >> All right. >> And uh Yes. And I and again, I just don't see, you know, landscaping equipment as being really in the same category as the other heavy equipment listed, which would be much more of an
occasional or or one-time use versus regular use. and and and yeah and then just the again logarithmic nature of decibb uh really the math uh is I mean I I was I was really surprised uh by those numbers but
it makes sense to me because I think this is why you guys get so many complaints is because anything that's two and a half times the standard that you've set is likely to cause issues >> again Charlie thank you for the
information as We we continue to look at this. Um the tangent committee continues to look at it. Um appreciate the work that you are doing and the information we're getting from the surrounding municipalities as well >> and I appreciate you listening to me and and giving me your time. Thank you.
>> Absolutely. Jim O'Reilly. >> Mr. O'Reilly, do you have a question? Jim C, can you hear us? You have your hand up. >> Hello. Can you hear me? >> Yes, now we can hear you.
>> Okay. Uh, two questions. First, uh, I miss, uh, Mark Jory already. >> So do we, >> right? and uh I'm sure he'll do a good
job where he's going. Uh how will his replacement be chosen? >> So right now currently um what happens in this process and we actually have the MTDC chair in the audience here. So, if he has to approach the mic, you're
welcome to do that. George, just to um There's a nominating committee from the Mars Township Democratic Committee and tomorrow night, Jim, there's a convention being held, the MTDC convention. There are seven candidates who have come forward to be appointed.
So, tomorrow night at that convention, there'll be a report from the nominating committee. Then there'll be a vote taken and you the MTDC has to come forth with three candidates to turn over to the township committee members who then
review those candidates and make a decision. And actually George is at the podium if maybe George you want to give them the timeline. >> Yes. So Jim is George Quillin. Um and everything Mayor Gria has said is correct. Um the township uh Democratic
committee has 15 days from the date that Mark Dorphy resigned to give the township committee a list of three names. And the township committee then chooses from those three names. And we're going to hopefully um have a vote
tomorrow night to determine who the three people are whose names we will give to the taser committee on Friday. Is the uh is the time and place of the meeting to be public knowledge or is that confidential within the township
Democratic committee? >> Well, I only invited people who are members of the committee. So, I'd be happy to talk to you afterward about it, but uh >> but yeah, I did not publicly announce it. >> Uh thank you. >> Okay. You're welcome.
>> My second question. >> Yeah. Uh Jim, if I sorry if I could add one thing just so you understand this is this is a state statute that we're following. It's this is not something locally that's been implemented. We're just following state statute locally to fill a vacant position on the governing
body. >> I understand you're following the law. >> Good point. And I never would have invented such a system. >> Uh Jim, your next question. >> Next question I have to ask you. Uh
so I turn this over. Oh, can I ask a question now about ordinances for introduction? >> Um if it's a specific one, you can. >> Yeah. Okay. Uh what is this the all the ordinances affecting chapter 95 zoning
of the code uh township of Morris by adding different zones and everything. The seat is 1 0 0426 0526 0626
0726 >> 0826 0926 >> Yeah, Jim, you don't have to read them. They're they're all the affordable housing. Um, >> what what do they do? >> I think we're going to give an intro, right?
Well, that would be on the night of the >> on the night of the >> what they are is, as Mr. O'Reilly, you know, every municipality in the state of New Jersey um is subject to the afford fourth round affordable housing. Um and there's very strict timelines on when things have to get done. Um we've been
in this process since October of 2024. Have been going through it. Um the township has an obligation of 375 affordable housing units that um township committee uh has been working on to meet. Um that requires us to meet
with a number of different property owners and developers um to put this plan into place so that we are compliant with the state statute for affordable housing. Uh we've been before the um judge the master who is handling all
this our projects. um have been received and approved so that we are not subject to what they call builder's remedy lawsuits. Um so the township has to move forward on these seven different properties um that will provide an affordable housing
component uh to meet our obligation. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. >> You're welcome. Seeing no other members of the public wishing to speak, will someone make a motion to close public comment? >> One one last comment. >> Next time.
>> Okay. >> There's there's another round. >> There's the second round. >> Second round. >> Okay. Great. Thank you, >> Mayor. I'll move the motion. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> This evening, we have three ordinances scheduled for public hearing and adoption. Madame clerk, please read the
title of ordinance 01-26 into the record, after which we will open the public hearing. >> Ordinance 0126, an ordinance of the township of Morris authorizing the execution of an amended historic preservation easement agreement between
the township of Morris, the township of Morristown, and the Morris County Board of County Commissioners. note amends the historic preservation easement for the Morristown and Morris Township Library. >> We will take comments from in-person attendees first and then we'll switch
over to Zoom. Please virtually raise your hand if Zoom if you would like to speak. May I have an o motion to open public hearing on ordinance number 01-26. >> So move second. >> All in favor? >> I I
>> Hold on. Seeing no members in person or anybody on Zoom, may I have a motion to close? >> So move public. >> All in favor? >> I. >> May I have a motion to adopt ordinance
number 01-26? >> So move. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Madame clerk, may I have a roll call vote? >> Mr. Janata? >> Yes. >> Mr. Ravitz? >> Yes. >> Mr. Griselle? >> Yes. >> Mayor Grigglia? >> Yes. I, Donna J. Gerrigia mayor declare
ordinance number 01-26 approved and adopted and direct the township of clerk to publish proper notice thereof in the official newspaper. Madame clerk, please read the title of ordinance 02-26 into the record and then we will open the public
hearing. 02-26, an ordinance of the township of Morris authorizing the execution of a lease agreement between the township of Morris and the Morristown Wildcats football club. note authorizes a lease of the fieldhouse at Cornine Field to the Morristown Wildcats
Football Club. >> We'll take com comments from inerson attendees first, then we'll switch over to Zoom. Please virtually raise your hand on Zoom if you would like to speak. May I have a motion to open the public hearing on ordinance number 02-26.
>> So move. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. Seeing no members of the public wishing to speak, will someone make a motion to close the public comment? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Mayor, before you proceed with the vote,
may I ask a question? >> Yes. >> Um, so Mr. Quinn, you're probably the one to answer this. Um, I hadn't seen before that the term of the lease is for 5 years. Is this subject to an annual review and and possible cancellation or is it full 5 years? No. Yes, we have an
annual review requiring us to inspect the property. >> And is there a way of us getting out of this contract for five years? >> No, we're signing a 5-year contract. As long as they act in good faith, it would be five years. Did someone This is not something that
we've had previous contracts for the last 20 plus years. They're all five-year contracts. >> And they're five They were five-year contracts with who? >> With the Wildcats before then? from the Mortown colonials. >> Okay. I mean, yeah. And G given the the
recent issues that we had at the fieldhouse, is is 5 years warranted? >> That's why we put all the things to this contract to prevent that from happening again. >> And it's is that within the ordinance? >> It is. >> It is. >> What What are you asking? What is in the ordinance
>> about that? You said there is stipulations in the ordinance that they follow. >> Oh, yeah. They have to follow. They can't do any improvements. They can't do anything without our permissions. They have to have inspections. Um, we put a lot of tight controls into it for the oversight. >> Great. And if they vi if they violate
it, can we can we terminate the contract or if they don't they're not in conformance? >> Mr. Caner says we can. >> Mr. Caner says we can. >> The attorney. It would have to go back to attorney review. But >> that there's provisions that if there's somebody's not been compliant to any
contract that the contract can beed. Mhm. >> But it would take a legal action. >> Okay. I'm personally I'm a little uncomfortable with a 5year term. >> Well, it's been reviewed by the park and recck advisory committee. It's not, you
know, it's it was out the meeting last meeting. It's >> okay. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Mayor. >> Madame Cler, may I have a roll call vote? >> Oh, we didn't we didn't make that ordinance yet. Sue says we did. >> We read the ordinance.
>> Do we did we did we opened it? >> We didn't move to com. >> So I'll I'll move to adopt it. >> Second. >> Well, the >> Well, then I thought we did and that's when you asked your question, but anyway. Okay. >> Now, Madame Clerk, may I have a roll call vote?
>> Okay. Mr. Janata? >> Yes. >> Mr. Ravitz? >> Yes. >> Mr. Griselle? Um uh under advisement uh of the parks and recreation committee um I will vote yes uh with on the record noting my No seriously noting my
hesitation previously had not >> duly noted. >> Yes. >> Oh and Mayor Grigia. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> I Donna J. Grigia mayor declare ordinance number 02-26 approved and adopted and direct the township clerk to publish proper notice
thereof in the official newspaper. Madame clerk, please read the title of the last ordinance for public hearing and adoption into the record after which we'll open the public hearing. >> Ordinance 03-26, an ordinance amending chapter 367 entitled parks, playgrounds, and public
places section 5 and six. note amends park use fees, permits, and insurance requirements. >> We'll take comments from the people in person first, then we'll switch over to Zoom. Please raise your hand on Zoom if you would like to speak. May I have a motion to open the public hearing on
ordinance number 03-26? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. Seeing no members in person or on Zoom, will someone make a motion to close public comment? So move. >> Second.
>> All in favor? >> I. >> May I have a motion to adopt ordinance number 03-26? >> So moved. Second. >> Any questions or comments? >> Yeah. Yes, I have a comment. Um uh somebody made um a comment to me
about the wear and tear at Cornine Field over the years and the cost that eventually it's going to, you know, cost the township to replace it. Um Tim, remind me when was Cornine Field put in? >> In 2018. >> In 2018. And how what's the usual lifespan of a turf field?
>> 10 to 12 years. We are budgeting it that plan to replace it in approximately 2031. >> Uh-huh. So yeah. So somebody had suggested that the user fees for Cornine in particular since it's turf uh should be higher. um so that we and we can we can put those monies away so that when
it time when it's time to to resurface the field, it's not all on the taxpayers, it's on the user base um who uses that field. And so it's a little bit more of a shared cost. And I just wanted to pass along that comment uh in in relation to Cornine Field.
>> Okay. Noted. >> Thank you. We don't we don't charge for our youth leagues to um use the fields if they're a nonprofit. >> Oh, so there are no user fees in here for cornine fields. >> Well, there are user fees if if they're a for-profit organization or they don't
have an affiliation to the township. Yes, there's user fees. >> Mhm. But the, you know, for, you know, the organizations that do not have paid staff that organizations that are just supporting the kids like Morstown National Little League uses sometimes
uses >> cornine. >> There are that we don't charge them fees for using the fields. >> In addition, the fees wouldn't any come anywhere close to covering the cost of a new turf. It's not only that they're negligible fees. >> They would put the fees on the backs of the kids.
>> Correct. the participants. >> Uhuh. Yeah. >> So, >> okay. >> Just a suggestion. Okay. Somebody made. >> Thank you. >> Defray the cost. >> Thank you. Madame clerk, may I have a roll call vote? >> Mr. Ravitz, >> yes. >> Mr. Janata, >> yes. >> Mr. Griselle, >> yes.
>> Mayor Griglia, >> yes. >> I, Donna J. Garriglia mayor declare ordinance number 03-26 approved and directed approved and adopted and direct the township clerk to publish proper notice thereof in the official newspaper.
We have 12 ordinances for introduction on tonight's agenda. Madame clerk, please read the title of ordinance 04-26 into the record. 04-26 amending chapter 95 zoning of the code of the township of Morris by adding the
MF TH zone and adopting associated regulations 60 Columbia Road block 9301 lot 8. >> May I have a motion to introduce ordinance number 04-26? So
>> moved. Second. >> Is there any discussion or any questions? Madame Clerk, may I have a roll call vote? >> Mr. Gazelle, >> yes. >> Mr. Janata, >> yes. >> Mr. Ravitz, >> yes. >> Mayor Grigley, >> yes. The public hearing and final consideration and adoption of ordinance
number 04-26 will be held at a special township committee meeting on Monday, March 9th, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at the municipal building, 50 Woodland Avenue. Madame Clerk, please read the title of ordinance '05-26 into the record.
>> 05-26. amending chapter 95 zoning of the code of the township of Morris by adding the TH82 zone and adopting associated regulations 221A/227
Sussex A block 601 lot 16 and lot 18. May I have a motion to introduce ordinance number 05-26? So move >> second. >> Is there any discussion or questions? Madame clerk, may I have a roll call vote? Mr. Griselle, >> yes. >> Mr. Ravitz, >> yes.
>> Mr. Janata, >> yes. >> Mayor Griglia, >> yes. The public hearing and final consideration and adoption of ordinance number 05-26 will be held at a special meeting on Monday, March 9th, 2026 at 6 p.m. at the municipal building 50
Woodland Avenue. Madame Clerk, please read the title of organ ordinance 06-26 into the record. 06-26 amending chapter 95 zoning of the code of the township of Morris by adding the TH15
AH zone and adopting associated regulations 300 Madison A block 8601 lot 4. >> May I have a motion to introduce ordinance number 06-26? >> So move second.
>> Any discussion or questions? Madame Clerk, may I have a roll call vote? >> Mr. Janata. Yes, >> Mr. Ravitz. >> Yes, >> Mr. Griselle. >> Yes, >> Mayor Grigley. >> Yes. The public hearing and final consideration and adoption of ordinance number 06-26
will be held at the special township committee meeting on Monday, March 9th at 6 p.m. at the municipal building Woodland Avenue. Madame Clerk, please read the title of ordinance 07-26 into the record. 07-26
amending chapter 95 zoning of the code of the township of Morris by adding the TH5 AH zone and adopting associated regulations 100 Southgate Parkway block 7101 lot 2.
>> May I have a motion to introduce ordinance number 07-26 into the record? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Madame clerk, may I have a roll call vote? >> Mr. Gazelle, >> yes. >> Mr. Janata, >> yes. >> Mr. Ravitz, >> yes. >> Mayor Griglia, >> yes. The public hearing and final
consideration and adoption of ordinance number 07-26 will be held at the special township committee meeting Monday, March 9th at 6 p.m. at the municipal building. Madame Clerk, please read the title of ordinance 08-26 into the record. 08-26
amending chapter 95 zoning of the code of the township of Morris by adding the TH6H2 zone and adopting associated regulations 291 James Street block 6705 lot 5. >> May I have a motion to introduce
ordinance number 08-26? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Madame clerk, may I have a roll call vote? >> Mr. Ravitz? >> Yes. >> Mr. Janata? >> Yes. >> Mr. Gazelle? >> Yes. Mayor Griglia. >> Yes. The public hearing and final consideration and adoption of ordinance number 08-26
will be held at special township committee meeting on Monday, March 9th at 6 p.m. at the municipal building. Madame clerk, please read the title of ordinance 09-26 into the record. 09-26 amending chapter 95 zoning of the code
of the township of Morris by adding the S SNH zone and adopting associated regulations for Old Turnpike Road block 8602 lot 10. May I have a motion to introduce ordinance 09-26 into the
record? So move second. >> Any discussion? Madame clerk, may I have a roll call vote? >> Mr. Gazelle, >> yes. >> Mr. Janatada. >> Yes. >> Mr. Rabbitz, >> yes. >> Mayor Griglia, >> yes. The public hearing and final consideration and adoption of ordinance number 09-26
will be held at a special township committee meeting on March 9th, 2026 at 6 p.m. at the municipal building. Madame Clerk, please read the title of ordinance 10-26 into the record. 10-26, an ordinance of the Township of Morris,
Morris County, New Jersey, adopting the amended Mount Kemell Avenue redevelopment plan, regarding the property identified on the township's tax map as block 5506, lot 25, 95 Mount
Kemell A, and block 5605, lots 56 and 7 and 8, 102, 106, and 108 Mount Kebell A. pursuant to the local redevelopment and housing laws NJSA 48 col2A-1.
>> May I have a motion to introduce ordinance number 10-26? So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> Yes. I have a question. The second parcel that listed 102, 104, 106, and 108 Mount Kimell uh was the old
uh thrift store site. Is it is it that wasn't Tim? That wasn't one site. would it appears it's multiple sites. >> There's multiple sites because there's three sites. You got the parking lot, you have the bargain box where it was, and then you have two small houses to the south that are all part of the
property owned by Atlantic Health. >> Those So, the first two houses are part of this lot and and they would come down as part of this redevelopment. >> They've already come down, sir. >> They've already come down. >> Yes. They're all on by Atlantic Health. >> When did the houses come down? >> Approximately 3 months ago.
Got to get over to that side of town, Jeff. >> Yeah, I didn't notice that. Okay. I assume would they weren't >> Yeah. So, I assume they weren't historic homes like the Prudin Town brick homes. >> No, they were not. >> Okay. Thank you.
>> They were redoed. All of our demolition gets redoed by the historic preservation before we do the demolition permits. >> Excellent. Thank you. >> Thank you, Madam Cler. May I have a roll call vote? >> Mr. Ravitz? >> Yes. >> Mr. Janata? >> Yes. >> Mr. Gazelle? >> Yes. Mayor Grigley. >> Yes. The public hearing and final
consideration and adoption of ordinance number 10-26 will be held at the special meeting on Monday, March 9th at 6 p.m. at the municipal building. Madame clerk, please read the title of ordinance 11-26 into the record. >> 11-26 amending chapter 95 zoning and
chapter 57 land development of the code the township of Morris. Note affordable affordable housing regulations for the fourth round. >> May I have a motion to introduce ordinance number 11-26? >> So moved. >> Second.
>> Any discussion? Madame clerk, may I have a roll call vote? >> Mr. Janata? >> Yes. >> Mr. Gazelle? >> Yes. >> Mr. Ravitz? >> Yes. >> Mayor Gerlio? >> Yes. The public hearing and final consideration and adoption of ordinance number 11-26 will be held at a special township committee meeting on Monday,
March 9th at 6 p.m. at the municipal building. Madame clerk, please read the title of ordinance 12-26 into the record. 12-26, an ordinance of the township committee of the township of Morris, repealing and replacing article
4, section 385-15 through 385-21 of the code of the township of Morris. Note, bamboo regulations. >> May I have a motion to introduce ordinance number 12-26? >> Second.
>> Any discussion or questions? >> Mr. Rabbits, >> if possible, Mr. Quinn, could you explain to the public what these new bamboo regulations are? >> This is to this is to fortify the existing bamboo. We have a number in where existing
bamboo has transgressed onto neighboring properties. The present ordinance um any bamboo that had been planted prior to the uh ordinance taking place uh was exempt. it doesn't address the current problem we have with about 15 or so
properties in the township where we have bamboo going from one property to another. So, um this allows the enforcement to require the um property owners to remove that bamboo if it transresses onto somebody else's property and they don't they can't say
that the um their ordinance their bamboo was planted prior to the ordinance. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Madame Cler. May I have a roll call vote? >> Mr. Janata, >> yes. >> Mr. Ravitz, >> yes. >> Mr. Gazelle, >> yes. >> Mayor Grigglia,
>> yes. >> The public, >> go ahead. No, no, go, >> I I had one more question before we got to the vote. Um, so Tim, with uh with regard to planting new bamboo, this this primarily addresses existing bamboo or
it's transgress on to other properties. But just to be clear, the we can't pl you can't plant new bamboo, right? >> And that was in that's also in the previous ordinance um that was adopted about four years ago. You cannot plant new bamboo. You are allowed to have bamboo if you have it in a container.
>> That's so it can't spread, but you cannot do this. Did not change that regulation in the ordinance about not being able to plant bamboo. That's still in existence. >> Okay. Very good. Thank you. Sorry. >> Thank you. No, that's okay. The public hearing and final consideration and adoption of ordinance number 12. -26
will be held at the next regular township committee meeting on Wednesday, March 18th at 7 PM at the municipal building. Madame clerk, please read the title of ordinance 13-26 into the record. 13-26, an ordinance of the
township of Morris, County of Morris, concerning salaries for non union personnel. >> I have a motion to introduce ordinance number 13-26. So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion or questions? Madame clerk, may I have a roll call vote?
>> Mr. Gazelle, >> yes. >> Mr. Janata, >> yes. >> Mr. Ravitz, >> yes. >> Mayor Griglia, >> yes. The public hearing and final consideration and adoption of ordinance number 13-26 will be held at the next regular township committee meeting on Wednesday,
March 18th at 700 p.m. at the municipal building. >> Madame Clerk, please read the title of ordinance number 14-26 into the record. 14-26, an ordinance appropriating $195,000 available in the general capital fund
balance to provide for part of the cost of various capital improvements by the township of Morris. Note uses $195,000 from the general capital fund for capital project improvements. >> May I have a motion to introduce
ordinance number 14-26? >> So moved. Second. >> Any discussion or questions? The public hearing. May I have a roll call vote? Oh yeah, >> Madam Cler. >> Mr. Ravitz. >> Yes. >> Mr. Janata? >> Yes. >> Mr. Gazelle? >> Yes. >> Mayor Griglia?
>> Yes. The public hearing and final consideration and adoption of ordinance number 14-26 will be held at the next regular township committee meeting on March 18th at 700 p.m. at the municipal building. Madame Clerk, please read the title of the last ordinance into the
record. >> 15-26. Ordin ordinance appropriating $195,000 available in the sewer utility capital fund balance to provide for part of the cost of various capital improvements by the township of Morris. Note uses
$195,000 from the sewer utility capital fund for capital project improvements. May I have a motion to introduce ordinance number 15-26? So >> moved. Second. >> Any discussion? Madame clerk, may I have a roll call
vote? >> Mr. Gazelle, >> yes. >> Mr. Janata, >> yes. >> Mr. Ravitz, >> yes. >> Mayor Grigglia, >> yes. >> The public hearing and final consideration of ordinance number 15-26 will be held at the next regular township committee meeting on March 18th
at 700 p.m. in the municipal building. We have 12 resolutions on tonight's agenda. May I have a motion to approve resolutions number 50-26 through 61-26 by one motion? >> So moved. >> Second.
>> Madame clerk, may I have a roll call vote? Mr. Ravitz? >> Yes. >> Mr. Janata? >> Yes. >> Mr. Gazelle? >> Yes. >> Mayor Griglia? >> Yes. We have five items on the consent calendar this evening. May I have a motion to approve approve all items on
the consent calendar in a single motion? >> Second. All in favor? I >> I. >> The consideration of monthly reports. The following reports are on record with the township clerk and township administrator. The December 2025 police
and joint municipal court and the January 2026 tax collector joint municipal court and the Marstown Mars Township Library. May I have a motion to approve the monthly reports? >> So moved. >> All in favor? I
>> I claims for payment and the list of bills and vouchers. The total amount of bills and vouchers for this meeting is 13 million7,5918. We are also the tax collector for the school district, the library, and the county. May I have a motion to approve the list of bills and vouchers?
>> So moved. Second. >> Madame Clerk, may I have a roll call vote? >> Mr. Gazelle? >> Yes. >> Mr. Janata? >> Yes. >> Mr. Rabbitz? >> Yes. >> Mayor Griglia? >> Yes. received for the record. We have five items listed as received for the record on tonight's agenda. These items
are being acknowledged and entered into the official record. At this time, we will now go to our standing committee reports and general commentary from each member of the township committee. And we will start with Mr. Rabbitz. Committeeman Rabbitz.
>> Thank you, Mayor. Um, good evening everybody. Uh just a quick word of thanks for uh to former mayor and committeeman Mark Gorfy on his dedication of service to Mars Township. I'll have more to say next month when we formally honor his tenure on the
township committee. I don't have any um urgent committee reports to to give you this this month. So, I am going to beg your indulgence as I summarize an important President's Day message from a former president.
On President's Day this year, uh, former President George W. Bush published an essay reflecting on the leadership of George Washington. Regardless of party affiliation or ideology, the essay offers a timely reminder of a principle that sits at the
very foundation of our democracy. Power in America is meant to be exercised with restraint and ultimately relinquished. President Bush wrote that few qualities inspired him more than Washington's
humility. The word humility is not always the first trait we associate with political leadership. We tend to think of strength, resolve, vision, or decisiveness. But Washington's greatness, as the essay
argues, rested in something quieter and argu arguably more profound. His willingness to step back from power when he could have clung to it. After leading the Continental Army to victory, my history lesson that Stephen Gennady
usually gives, Washington was arguably the most powerful man in the new nation. There were voices urging him to assume even greater authority. Instead, he resigned his military commission and returned home to Mount Vernon. In doing
so, he established a precedent that the military answers to civilian authority and that leaders serve the republic and not themselves. Years later, as the as the nation's first president, Washington again confronted the question of power.
He could have continued in office indefinitely. There was no constitutional limit at the time. Yet after two terms, he stepped aside. As President Bush wrote, Washington could have remained all powerful, but twice he
chose not to. By relinquishing power voluntarily, he enforced the idea that America would not become a monarchy or something worse, but a constitutional republic grounded in the peaceful transitions of authority.
That example still shapes us today. The orderly transfer of power, the acceptance of electoral outcomes, and respect for the institutional limits are not procedural technicalities. They are the guard rails that preserve the public
trust and democratic stability. President Bush also acknowledged the complexity of Washington's legacy. Washington was a man of his time, including a slaveholder. Yet even in that painful context, Washington's later
decision to free the enslaved people he legally controlled through his will demonstrated an evolution in conscious and recognition of the moral contradiction embedded in the young republic. The lesson here is not to
sanitize history, but to confront it honestly and recognize that leadership includes the capacity for moral growth. So why does this matter here at the local level? Because the principles Washington embodied do not apply only to
presidents. They apply to every elected official at every level of government. In township government, our authority is limited by statute. Our decisions are bound by open meeting laws and ethical standards.
Also, budget constraints and the will of our residents. That structure is not an inconvenience. It's a design feature. It ensures that no single individual or faction dominates the public square. It ensures transparency. It demands
collaboration. Washington's example reminds us that leadership is not about personal advancement, public recognition, or political performance. It's about stewardship. It's about temporarily holding the responsibility on behalf of
others and being willing when the time comes to pass that responsibility along in in good order. It also reminds us that tone matters. Washington modeled restraint in speech and conduct. In an era when public discourse can feel
fractured and performative, we would we would do well to remember that civility is not weakness. It is discipline. It is respect for the office and for the people we serve. As members of the township committee, we may not face
decisions that that alter the course of a nation, but we do make decisions that affect our neighbors about land use, public safety, infrastructure, taxes, environmental protection, and community investment.
In those decisions, we are entrusted with public confidence. That trust is fragile. It is earned not through rhetoric, but through integrity, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to the common good.
The enduring lesson from Washington revisited in President Bush's essay is that Americans American leadership is defined not by accumulation of power but by its responsible use and its peaceful
surrender. The health of our democracy depends less on the ambitions of those who hold office and more on the willingness to honor limits. If we can carry even a fraction of that example
into our work here, if we can approach our responsibilities with humility, discipline, and for the resp and respect of the institutions we serve, then we strengthen not just the township but the democratic tradition that began nearly
250 years ago. And and lastly, I want to end up with thank you. Um, when you go about your business each and every day, be kind. Be kind to yourselves, be kind to others because it can make a world of difference. Mayor,
>> thank you, Committeeman Rabbitz. Well said, Committee Ben Grazel. >> Uh, I I'll start by uh continuing the thought that Mr. Rabbitz just shared with us. There's a there's a commercial on during the Olympics uh that's been playing over and over again which I
think is very touching um that we all have to remember that we're on the same team um always and uh we we feel uh during the Olympic period that we're all rooting for one country, right? One
team, the United States. And I think just bouncing off of what you just said, uh during this Olympic time, we have to remember always that we're on the same team. Um, I have one committee report. Um, and I'm going to first ask Mr. Quinn when the sewer bills are going out or if
they've gone out already. >> Went out. >> You should, sir. Okay, they went out. >> Great. I better look through my mail. So, um, as chair of the sewer committee, um, you will see that you got a bill in the mail with an increased fee uh, along with a letter uh, explaining why. Um, we
passed an ordinance uh, at the end of last year raising sewer fees. There are a number of significant sewer projects uh that are uh on tap. Uh we saw the importance of maintaining sewer facilities with the recent disaster with
the PTOAC River down in Maryland and the this all the the sewer disaster that happened down there where Ross sewage was pouring into the PTOAC for a week. Um, that's one particular situation, but uh, our sewer plants, and we have two of
them in Morris Township, uh, need constant maintenance, and we also want to make sure that the, uh, effluent that we're putting back into the environment is as clean as possible. Um, and so we have a number of major projects coming up, uh, that require us to raise those fees to meet those environmental
obligations. Um, that's my only uh, committee report for today. I too want to thank Mark Jory for his service to the community. Um I think Mark brought a very unique perspective to this governing body. Uh as many of you know he was born and raised here and has
spent most of his life in Morris Township. And that is a perspective that none of us uh up here have. And um I think we're going to miss that perspective. you know, as much as we all care obviously about our community and raising our kids here, he brought that
unique perspective uh that I think we'll miss. So, thank you, Mark, for your service to community and good luck uh helping our state along uh down in Trenton. I also want to acknowledge on the agenda the three-year appointment of Suzanne Walsh uh is continuing as our clerk and I wanted to thank you for all
the great service uh you do on behalf of the community too and look forward to seeing you every month here on the day with us. Um, and lastly, we had a lot of ordinances tonight uh on the agenda related to affordable housing. There's going to be a special meeting as the
mayor mentioned in her uh remarks on March 9th uh starting at 6:00. But before that date, I urge everybody to read the ordinances that are now posted online um for your review. Uh you'll see a lot of details about what's going on
there. We also have an affordable housing page on the website that everybody should review. Uh this governing body has been very diligent. Uh thank you uh Mayor Kathy Wilson for pushing us to inform the community over and over again about the importance of
the communication efforts that we do here. And there's there's a lot of information on that web page that everybody should review in advance of this March 9th meeting. And as we all know, this the state has decreed that every community has to put in affordable
housing. I just want to assure the public that Morris Township has done an incredibly thoughtful job in putting in their affordable housing. Other towns have put it on their borders. That's going to impact the neighboring communities. Other some other towns have
built monstrosities of affordable housing in one location that's going to impact one area of town. Um, this thoughtful plan that we've put together spreads out the obligation that the community has across the entire municipality. There's no one section of
town that's adversely impacted more than another, I believe. And, uh, it's a very thoughtful plan compared to what other communities have done. And I think for that reason, uh, we're going to be one of the first towns in the in the in the state to have an approved affordable housing plan. So, I just encourage
everybody to do your research before you come on March 9th so you're fully informed and can ask some really good questions of the governing body. And that's it from >> Thank you, Committeeman Grace. And two things I want to point out. One, by Friday too on the website, there will be
our planner, Liz Laney. There will be uh a new post um kind of recapping where we were, where we've gotten to, and what's happening on the 9th as well. So that should be up by Friday. Correct. And the other thing I just want to point out, not an elected official, but there is
someone on the deis, born and raised and lives in the community with a lot of dedicated service, and that is our administrator, Mr. Quinn. >> I don't know how his mom raised six, right? Six. Five kids. >> Six. >> Six. Five boys.
>> So he said he's still standing in the community. >> They all learned it from me. Hey, mayor, can I just add one more remark uh related to that affordable housing meeting on the 9th? So, we are sending out the special notice as required. Um and um we're following as
best we can the 21-day notice that is on the books here in Morris Township. Um but given that we are just passing these ordinances tonight and they're going to be published tomorrow, uh the meeting notice is going out on Friday. Correct. >> No, >> no, tomorrow. It's going out tomorrow.
So it's like 19. Oh, it's going out tomorrow when these are published. So it's 19 days, >> not the full 21 days. And we apologize in advance, but we tried to as hard as we could to meet the obligation. >> Yeah. But we It is longer than the 10 days. >> Yes. >> Because of the requirements of the state. >> Yeah. It's because of the require. Yeah.
And this had to be published before that we could send out the notice. >> Yep. >> Thank you, Deputy Mayor Janata. >> Thank you, Mayor. First, I want to thank our environmental commission chair Ryan Morgan for presenting the highlights of the C accomplishments in 2025.
He mentioned that they applied for a grant to pay for the envir environmental resource inventory or ERRI. An ERRI is a compre comprehensive compilation of text maps and data that details the natural and environmental features such as wetlands, forests, soils, and wildlife
habitats. This is among other things is needed to help the updating our township's master plan that is to be completed next year. Also, I didn't mention earlier uh in previous month. There is good news in the for Drew Forest in Madison. Both Drew University
and Matt the burrow of Madison are in the final steps for the burrow in purchasing Drew forest which is the location of the buried valley aquifer which is the major source of fresh water for 31 m municipalities as well as the numerous endangered wildlife and a place
where native plants and vernal ponds thrive. Saving this vital area has been an ongoing project not only for Madison but neighboring municipalities including Morris Township. We cheer for any good news on this front and I encourage any uh people to visit the Drew forest when
the once the snow is cleared particularly Zuck Arboritum and Heburn Forest are two preserved sections that can be toured to see how trees can grow without deer infestation. Both parts are surrounded by I think 20 foot high fences.
I also want to thank former mayor committeeman Mark Jy although he was much younger than me. I'm not going to say by how much. I benefited from his experience and institutional knowledge he acquired in the seven years he was on this committee. He is also a fellow
alumnist of Marstown High School. I'm wearing a marine maroon tie here. Mark will be missed but we know he will be help Governor Cheryl and the state in his new position. And thank you for reminding me tomorrow for about the
issues of slavery. So slavery in the Morristown area, there were many prominent families that owned slaves. McCulla call and Washington's headquarters, Ford Mansion mentions that maybe not to a full extent. And because Ford mansion, Washington's
headquarters, people don't realize that the Fords also own slaves as well as many prominent families in the area. There is a book or a website some or both that chronicles the african African-American life in the area that also lists the names of of prominent
families that own slaves and that includes the names of these slaves. Also, New Jersey was the last northern state to end slavery gradually. The last slave was freed in 1863. The only state New Jersey was also the
only state not to vote for President Lincoln. And as Miss Wish mentioned, there was a recent slavery exhibit at what was President Washington's home at at Philadelphia near Independence Hall. I visited that
site about 10 years ago. And I didn't know that President Washington's home was located in what is now Independence Mall. It's right near the Liberty Bell Pavilion. You can still see it now. Thankfully, you can see the exhibit of
mentioning slave the slaves who were there. And one thing about the slaves in Philadelphia, the city of Philadelphia had passed an ordinance or law that would if a slave was there for more than 6 months, they would be free. So Washington and other
slaveholding members of the government would put place their slaves on fivemon rotations. So once the five months would go, they would ship one of the slaves back and then replace them with another and then there so they would not be there for the full six months, therefore
be freed, which is one of the reasons why they moved the capital from Philadelphia to what is now Washington DC. And and the fact that the these exhibits that talked talked about this, I found this only when I was reading the the
exhibit there. the fact that there was removed is really trying to whitewash history. I mean we always want to see uh see see ourselves in the best light and those who know me I talk about history and always talk about the great things that
we this country has done what this area has been but we also should know and be aware of the dark side the things that are that make us take pause because it tells us however great people like
President Washington or General Washington were we also know that they they were still human. They had to live in a time where they did awful things. And we need to acknowledge that. And then also to know that that history is
not just something to inspire, but also something to give us warning. Thank you, mayor. Thank you, Deputy Mayor. So, my comments, the first thing I want to talk a little bit about is obviously we're right in the middle of budget season. We're starting to wrap
everything up again. Um Sean Ferguson, our CFO, and our administrator Tim Quinn, and everybody, the department heads have done a great job. That being said, you know, we're not going to we're going to be honest. This is a tough year. There's some unexpected increased cost, you know, insurance, pension, work
needed on our sewer plants, which will maintain this essential service, rising costs for infrastructure, the possible decreased state and federal funding. These are all contributing to a very tight budget. So, we will continue to be fiscally responsible and we
understand the impact on our residents and we'll do everything we can to try to help. Uh, the township still is on the lower side as far as our taxes in Morris County and any increase will be to ensure that we can continue providing essential services and keep our
community safe and vibrant. As far as some of the committee reports, everything just kicked off. The economic development advisory committee had a good first meeting. They're talking about what they're scheduling, doing a lot of work still with our small business, trying to get a a website page
up so that we can start to develop some more things with them. Um, again, Brian, can't thank you enough. Excited about the environmental commission. A lot to look forward to. I do want to also mention that on February 28th at 10:00 a.m. till noon at the
Fairchild Firehouse is coffee with the mayor. We urge everybody to stop by. It's 2 hours. It's a nice event. We have coffee and munchkins. So, please stop by if you can. I had a meeting with our new assembly woman, Marissa Sweeney. Um, and
we'll be talking to our other committee members. We're going to be putting together things that we needs that we see for the township that in any way she can help and we're going to have a monthly meeting or call um which I think is really great that she's reached out
to do that. I attended a week ago um a mental health awareness symposium in Hanover with many of our other municipal mayors. This is something that Mayor Gallagher and Hanover has really taken to heart and we do a lot of these uh
mental health awareness symposiums with different issues each time and this one all had to do with high school students especially high school and all the problems and stress and pressures and anxiety that they go through. So, they actually had a really good um the
superintendent there um from Hannover did a whole little report on what they do in that school system. And I know here in Marstown too, we have excellent services and in the high school for all of our residents that attend, they're doing everything again. But again, this
is a really for high school students, there's a lot that they're dealing with. So, we're going to stay on top of that and help in any way we can. I want to send a very big thank you out to our DPW. I know when we had the 10 inches of snow, there's always some people,
there's some things that come up where driveways get blocked in or, you know, you can't get around corners, but overall just want to thank our DPW. These guys come in, they work, you know, two, three days in a row and overall did a really good job. So, want to thank
them. I also want to mention I did go to the OEM flower sale um for Valentine's Day and these are the kinds of things that kind of warm my heart in a town like ours. So again, it's a fundraiser for OEM, but I don't know how many of you know that when you go there and they
sell roses and other things for Valentine's Day, but it is whether they're OEM or the firefighters, they are the ones putting the taking the roses apart and putting them back together with greens and other things. So, you know, here are guys, I said to
them, when when was this part of your training? So, it was not, but they are so dedicated and they're in there working all day putting together these lovely bouques for people to come in. Um, so that's really special. And again,
um, I would be remiss if I didn't mention this being such a big Winter Olympics, uh, fan. One of the things I don't know if everybody caught and it was during a hockey game which is very near and dear to me. Not a USA game, but I don't know if any of you saw on social
media, there was a time uh there was not a game going on yet. Nobody was on the ice, but the whole arena was full and they were playing Imagine by John Lennon. The entire arena started to sing. It was It gives me chills almost.
It's like an amazing and that is um which committeeman Grazeel pointed out that is one of the things that during the Olympics is so special and the power to unite us beyond borders, languages and differences. Competition
and sports are a worldwide phenomenon that engage people. The Olympics remind us that our shared humanity encouraging us to care for one another and embrace our differences is always there. They ignite compassion and camaraderie, but
also cultivate empathy and respect for different traditions and perspectives, uniting us in a way that few other events can. So, I hope for those of you who haven't watched yet, turn on the Olympics. Um, it's amazing. And again,
the respect among athletes from different countries around the world is amazing. We could probably all take a page out of their book to learn how to get along a little bit better. With that said, just want to wish everybody a happy Lunar New Year, um, Ramadan
Mubarak and Ash Wednesday. And with that, I will close and we will move on to our second public commentary. There are currently eight members joining us via Zoom and there are nine people in person. We will now open for
public comment. We'll take comments from inerson people first and then switch over to Zoom. Please raise your hand in in Zoom if you would like to speak. Please state your name and whether or not you're a resident and then you'll be limited to 5 minutes. If you have questions, your remaining time to speak
will be yielded back. Is there a motion to open public comment? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Hello. >> I uh Larry Savage and yes, I'm a resident. Uh nine-year resident, first township committee meeting. Although my
first overall down committee meeting was in Roxberry a few weeks ago and that was a pretty powerful one. I'm here to talk about ICE and proactively protecting our community. Um Renee Good, Alex Freddy,
Keith Porter, John Wilson Brutus. Um, I'm here because our community is at a crazy moment in history, in the US, in New Jersey, and right here in Morris County. Um, we're watching a situation
in Roxberry where DHS is looking to open a warehouse to hold 1,500 human beings. Um, the Roxbury Council passed a resolution claiming to oppose this facility, but they also stated clearly
that they support ICE. That is a contradiction that offers zero protection. The non-binding resolution is not a shield. It's a press release. We saw the results of that weakness just today. Uh despite local outrage,
condemnation from Senator Booker and others, it looks like the purchase of that Roxbury warehouse by DHS may be moving forward unconfirmed still. Um we know that warehouses are for cargo and not for human beings and we can't afford
to be surprised when the buses arrive here next. So, I have a letter at home from a member of this committee stating that I'm ready to fight back. I will get ICE and the National Guard out of our
communities. Uh, and I appreciate that. And to that I say, let's lead instead of waiting for another moment. Let's let Morris Township be the spark. Let's lead with our community values and act so strongly that we become the gold
standard for the state and the country. We don't want just want to do just enough. We'd like to build uh or should build we need to build a fortress of local policy that says not here not
ever. So at the state level they're looking at something called the values act. Those are three bills that are going to be introduced by assembly members Robbie Bala and Katie Brennan. But at the town level, we can mirror
those. Uh I'm calling them the I'm proposing that we call it the Ruin Your Own Town Act or the Riot Act. Um if these agencies want to ruin a community, they can go ruin their own. they aren't
ruining ours. So, mirroring these uh these state bills, which I'm not sure if they'll get get the support or pass, uh I'm proposing we adopt local versions of the state bills. So, at the state level, there's A4,300, which is a 50% profiter
tax on uh these detention facilities. We should implement an additional local tax on private detention facilities. so massive that it becomes a financial impossibility to operate in Morris Township. If a corporation pro profits
from exploitation, their profits should instead fund the legal defense of our neighbors that they target. There's also A4301, protecting our police. We must ensure that no federal agent can shut out our
local police from a crime scene. Our officers do the incredible work for this community and their authority in this town must never be sidelined or bullied by outside agencies. Lastly, there's A4302,
integrity of public service. This is about who teaches our children and who patrols our streets. We must ensure that nobody who has worked for ICE during this cruel administration will ever work in law enforcement or educate our
children here in Morris Township. This will eventually be recorded as a shameful chapter in American history. I think it already is being recorded that way. But today, we have the chance to be the ones who stood up. I'm asking
that we use every power in the township to make it clear that these facilities are not welcome here. We love our neighbors regardless of where they were born, their race, or even their party, and we must protect them from any force that seeks to do them harm. So, I'm
asking if our town attorney can look into everything that we can do legally. And I think we have an opportunity to show our neighboring towns the stark contrast of electing a democratic committee who respects due process like
this one. Thank you. >> Thank you so much for your comments. And again, I'm not sure which committee per if it was a committee person who wrote you the letter >> from Jeff. >> Well, thank you committeeman. >> Um again, really appreciate your
comments and again uh I think it's it it goes unsaid. I won't speak for any other any other committee member, but with what is occurring, it's really shocking to everyone. So, appreciate you coming here to the township. Thank you, Mrs. Wilson.
>> Hello. Good evening. It's nice to see you. >> Nice to see you. >> So, I have a couple of questions and um a couple of questions about ordinance 10-26. So this is the one having to do with the amended redevelopment plan and I'm
interested to know uh to clarify a little bit about the process going forward. So the way I read this is that the uh between now and the March 9th special meeting the planning board will
review the amended redevelopment plan. Right. >> They're going to review all of the ordinances for master plan consistency on >> March the second. March. >> Okay. Well, for just for this period, I'm I'm interested in this ordinance.
Are are when they review the amended redevelopment plan, is there an opportunity for public comment? >> There is not. >> There is not. Is there an opportunity for the public to get a copy of the report? Uh the amended report? It's
being posted on the website tomorrow morning. >> It is. >> Yes, ma'am. All the ordinances and the redevelopment plan are all being posted on the website. >> Okay, good. Good. Um, I guess I I ask about that because I do remember the original redevelopment plan
that goes back to 2018 and I I will be very interested to see what the suggested revisions are for the amended plan. Um, also then, uh, I would just like to,
uh, I I I would encourage you guys to think about possibly offering some type of additional training or Q&A or something because I'm just reading through the the agenda, all the ordinances. I don't have to tell you
it's a ton of material and it's yes, of course, it's very helpful to to read it, but I think um members of the public would benefit from some type of additional um information being shared
offline from the sort of legalistic uh forum that is part of the whole process. So, I'll just plant that as a as a suggestion. doing it. >> To be honest, we actually are already in that process and I'm not I it's just
honestly too um we've just been as you know we have so much on our plate right now. I don't and >> I can see just from this agenda >> well and then even you know just even finding who's going to be appointed to mark seat and all this. So the the underthe gun not only that we feel but
everybody working on the affordable housing that is our plan is we've talked about holding some kind of public meeting and making sure we can bring in and and having a more um a discussion like you said that's not so legalistic just to explain
>> I think what's really helpful to people is the opportunity for Q&A to have a a basic informational presentation and then the opportunity to ask questions. That would be my input. Um, I also wanted to ask I I I noticed there's a
reference to the Highlands U assessment the that's on the >> um what's it the consent agenda correct? So is there a report >> is will it be on the website >> after everything gets approved by the
contain time? Yes. So what is the process going forward on that? It's >> up to the township committee. >> I don't understand what you mean. The the report is in your office and the township committee has to review it. Is that it? >> They have the report. It's been
completed as part of the grant process we went through. We have it back now and next steps have to be considered. >> Okay. So the the report is is in the hands of the township committee and not currently available to the public. >> It's available to the public. >> Oh, it is? Yes, ma'am.
>> Through uh is is it on the website or do you have to >> It will be, but right now if anybody wants it, they can file an open request. It's a public document. >> Okay. Thank you. I appreciate that. And then um also just um when you were talking about the 21day thing that I
good I like to hear that, but it made it raised a question on are you sending letters to people who live within 200 feet? So, a lot of people are getting letters here. >> Oh, yeah. It's required by statute. We're following the statute plus what the town committee wants of six
>> 200 and 400 >> and they're sending that to 400. >> 200 and four. Wow, that's great. >> Yes. The 200 gets a certified letter and the 400 gets regular mail. >> Great. I'm so glad to hear that. Okay. Um, I appreciate all your work. I know
there's a lot on your plate here. So, and thank you for all that you do. >> Well, thanks. Thanks for coming in. We haven't seen you in a while. I know it's been a while. I missed your report. >> Wait, Mr. Goldberg is first. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> No, no, go ahead. Go ahead. >> You want to go?
>> No, sorry. >> Uh Lee Goldberg, 10 Arrowhead Road. Uh I am a resident of Morris Township. Um I'd like to thank uh Brian Morgan for his report. Um I also serve on the zoning board. um and oftentimes the materials and the artifacts that you guys produce
end up in our packets and it proved useful um many times. So, thank you for all your your work and service uh to to to produce all that. It's super helpful. So, thank you for that. Um just curious on the the March 9th special meeting,
the the reason it's not being just at a regular meeting is because of some timeline or constraints been posed by the state. So, that's the rationale for the special meeting. Um, and then the decision to have it at 6 PM versus 7 PM maybe to give folks more time to get here after work. Is there any flexibility there? What was the
rationale with that? >> Well, and I think too because there's so many um there's so much that we'll be discussing and doing them each ordinance one at a time. >> Eight public hearings. >> Yeah, eight public hearings. And we wanted to give people time. Now, I will
say this ahead of time. Um, if you know when there's a really packed room and we have that many, I know the public gets upset sometimes because it's normally a five minute. It could be three minutes due to the fact that there's eight of them. And again, if someone wants to speak on each one, they're going to be
welcome to come up, but sometimes those get repetitive questions. So, it's not that we're trying to take away any time from the public. Got >> we're trying to be fair to everybody who shows up and wants their voice heard. >> Okay. And and for that meeting that is it correct to assume that Mr. Warner, the professionals will all be here as
well and available as part of that process. Great. Um, and thank you for the elaboration on the notice, the 200, the 400 uh, fee. Is I know I know it's going to be all posted on the website. Is there anything else that the township can look to um outside perhaps um you
know a press release or something to get out to just increase the knowledge within the community that this is about to happen on March 9th or I know you know I know again we're following the the rules and regulations but is there anything extra we can do to to to alert folks to that such an important
meeting that's going to have such an impact on the community with zoning to get >> I mean the clerk has advertised in the paper >> advertised in paper in terms of >> and we do send out to two two emails when we have public meetings. >> Okay. >> And it'll be on municipal messenger
also. >> It will be on Okay. >> It's already it's already out on a lot of that stuff. >> Super. Thank you. Um, another question on the bamboo uh the bamboo uh news from tonight. Uh it's impacting my neighborhood, one of some of my neighbors. It's a common topic. We have a a vacant house that's no one living in
it. The taxes are being paid. The lawn's being mowed, but the bamboo is encroaching on people's uh property. So what is the enforcement or the teeth behind that? Is it what is the mechanism there to actually remediate it or you know solve the problem? >> Court order.
>> A court order who? So the res it's on the onus is on the resident to get the court order to >> no our property maintenance officer. >> I'm sorry. If we get a report about bamboo that's encroaching somewhere else or it's then we send out someone and
then we will >> get a court order too. >> Property maintenance officer would sign a complaint against the property owner. >> I'm sorry I didn't hear that. >> Property maintenance officer would sign a complaint against the property owner to be heard in municipal court. >> Okay, great. Thank you for
>> hopefully they comply before it goes to court. >> Well, if it's a vacant house, they may not comply >> if it's Yeah, but hopefully they would comply once they got the notice. Okay. All right. Thank you very much for explaining that. Um I just have a couple questions. I didn't what no u um agendas
to pick up. So I had written them down at home, but so I just had a couple of questions. Um one was on 5126. It just references certain private access roadways or something about signs. Is can you elaborate as to what that's about? >> The Red Bull sign signage to change it
from Honeywell Drive to uh Stockton Way. >> Gotcha. All right. Thank you. um 5426 the expenditure for 5700 to about 90 thou not to exceed $90,000 for Mr. Warner, that's all for anticipated affordable housing work that's to be
happening in the future. No, it's not anything to do with affordable housing. >> That's that's already work that has been done. >> That's for work that has been done. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you for letting me know that and acknowledging that. Um 5926 just says transfer of funds. Is that
>> it's a normal finance thing to move funds from one account to another account. >> So no other elaboration. say that on a number of agendas throughout the end of the year and the beginning of the year procedure. >> Okay. Um and to um uh former mayor
Wilson's point um I did see the the line item on the master plan in the highlands. Um I believe ours is coming up redo in 2027 or every 10 years. So we're approaching that now. Does does that work to start to initiate in 2027?
>> Starts now. >> It's starting. So, you're at your five minutes, sir. >> Well, it starts now. We're trying. We We're actually getting the dates together to set the schedule. >> Okay. >> To start that. >> Great. Thank you. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
>> Thank you. >> Just uh just two comments. First of all, >> sorry, >> you have to give your name again. >> Oh, Steve Lis, 20 Park Drive. They're 28 years. my wife Andrea, committeeman uh Rabbitz, thank you very much for making that statement. That was really beautiful. And committeeman
Janatada, that was real add-on. But I just want to say one thing about slavery. It's it really is a scar in this country. And uh let's all not let's all understand that slavery goes on today right now in restaurants on roofs
in houses of prostitution and pedophilia and all that type of stuff. So let's not it's just not in our history. It's going on right now in even in our town. The last thing I want to say is I'm one of the only people in my area that actually
cuts their own grass anymore and and blows their own leaves. the gentleman who called earlier about the leaf blower. I have that leaf blower. I invite the committee any committeeman to come to my home, stand on the curb, and if it disturbs them in any way, um, you know, I'll certainly get rid of mine.
But I've never had I've had it for about four or five years now. I've never had a complaint from any of my neighbors, including most important neighbors, my wife, that never said it's too loud. Um, and the last thing I So, I I think I I am an expert on that leaf blower. And
then the the last thing I want to say, if we're all concerned about noise, the days where we're in our homes for the most part are Saturday and Sunday, let let's limit professional gardeners from coming into our neighborhoods on a Saturday or a Sunday. Let's leave those
days for parents to spend time throwing the ball around in the yard with their kids. That's, I think, more important than just the level of noise on my almost acre of property. So, please consider limiting professional landscapers to Monday through Friday in
the township. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. >> Hey, Steve. Steve, before you go, I just want to let you know that the m and thank you for your comments about slavery, including what's happening in present day America. I just want to let you know that our police force actively
trains on human trafficking. And we were talking about it a little bit earlier. Mayor, maybe you can elaborate on uh what you're involved with. Um but we are fully aware of that kind of slavery occurring and we are we work very hard
to ensure that it doesn't happen in our community. >> Thank you very much. >> Yeah. Most of the municipalities you I I mean we are well aware and we know that it's not something and to your point it's not you know what people automatically think of when they first hear slavery. It's happening everywhere
and in all different capacities. And um there is a seminar coming up that we will have someone from the township one of the police officers. We went last year and we'll be there again. So constantly trying to help fight that which is a really tough issue. But um
everybody's well aware that it's going on. So appreciate your comments there too. >> If you have a comment deputy mayor, >> he's saying a hand. >> Well, Charlie's hand. Yeah, it is up. Okay, if there's nobody else here then
Charlie, go ahead. >> Yeah. Hi. Thank you. Uh Charlie Shar, 10 Raleigh Court. And uh you know, first of all, I just I just got to say I wish I had started attending these township committee meetings a lot sooner. Um, tonight's meeting has been truly
inspiring to me and and I I I just so many amazing things have been said tonight and I just appreciate the the caring of the community uh on the whole range of issues and uh so that's one thing. Uh secondly, Donna, you did
briefly mention the letter that the uh mayor uh Nancy Adams of Maplewood had sent to the township committee. I just wanted to follow up. You mentioned at the end of your agenda that five items were being entered into the record. Was that letter one of those items?
>> No. >> No, I don't think so. >> No, it wouldn't. >> No, it's it's reports. >> Those were reports that are in >> Is that letter somehow officially has it or will it be acknowledged officially or entered into the record or is that
something I should put forward? Uh, did you all receive the letter on the leaf blowers from Maplewood? You did, right? You all got a copy. >> It's just correspondence. It's not something. >> Wonderful. Thank you.
>> Understood. Understood. And uh, and finally, I I really respect Steve's comments about his leaf blower. Um, I look forward to having uh him maybe participate if we can have a, you know, some discussion in the future on this issue. and um you know, we'll all learn
from each other. >> Okay, great. Thank you, Charlie. >> Thank you. >> Seeing no other hands raised, um would someone make a motion to close public comment? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor?
>> I. >> Okay. The next special township committee meeting is Monday, March 9th, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the municipal building, 50 Woodland Avenue, public hearing and adoption of ordinances 04-26
through 11-26. The next regular township meeting is Wednesday, March 18th at 700 p.m. 5:30 p.m. close session in the municipal building 50 Woodland Avenue. The time is now 9:02. May I have a motion to adjourn
the regular session? >> So move. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Thank you all so much for coming out. Have a great night. Go USA. >> Thank you everybody for coming out. Noise.