prayer and or reflection as today Burton County marked the 111th anniversary of the Armenian genocide. >> Please salute the flag to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. starters fire exit behind you into the main parking lot and to my left, your right into the main hallway. The New Jersey Open Public Meetings Law was enacted to ensure the right of the
public to have advanced notice of and attend any meetings of public bodies at which any business affecting their interest is discussed or acted upon. In accordance with this act, the mayor and council of the bur of New Milford have caused notice for this meeting to be published by having the date, time, and place thereof posted in the burough hall
and the burough website and notices have been sent to the record and the bridge needs. The mission of this governing body is to provide essential services through the establishment and implementation of public policy that will safeguard the infrastructure, provide fair, honest and courteous professional services, establish a sense
of trust and accomplishment between all residents. The research and prudent planning seek to minimize risk while improving our services. We are sensitive to the needs and satisfaction of our taxpayers while realizing that this governing body cannot be all things to all people within the revenue constraints imposed by state mandates,
economic conditions, and prevailing attitudes about taxation. At this time, I would ask the clerk to please call the role. >> Councilman Samusen here. Councilman Zner >> here. >> Councilman Duffy here. Councilman Grosky >> here. Council President Seymour
>> here, Councilwoman Grant here, Mayor Patino >> here, and before we move to our first name, let me just mention that Senator Joseph Lagon is here tonight and so is woman Lisa Swain. We also have some uh basketball champions in the house tonight.
So, we're going to be recognizing the eighth grade travel basketball team. We're the Burton County champions. And another special thing, Senator Lana, that also makes certificates for you guys. So, first I'm going to have the coach come up here and say a few words about the season and it's important
even. >> Good evening everyone. >> I'm Rick Hernandez. Coach Peter and I had the privilege coaching these young men this season. We stressed integrity and accountability. We set high standards and they absolutely met those
standards. They began the season in a lower division. They accepted the challenge to go to a higher division. None of they performed well, but they ended up winning the championship. We're extremely proud of them and we thank everyone for recognizing the team's accomplishments.
two coaches. >> Yes, sir. So, we'll call your name. Come on up. We'll be your certificate and stand in the front and we'll take a picture. OUR games collection. CONGRATULATIONS
FRIENDS HERE. ETHAN AOSTA and Evan Hernandez. IMAGINATION PARK. and Ryan MCCLASKY certificates also for the coaches for Richard.
Congratulations. And then here if I was in the Thanks so much. Yeah. Congratulations. >> Hello. How you doing? Hello. How are you? Good to see you.
>> I love that. All right. So, I'm assuming everyone who's still here wants to be here, correct? >> All right. >> Just to mention, uh, assemblyman Chris Tully came in with in the middle of the presentation, so I didn't get to announce him.
part of the legislative committee team. So, at this time, um, as I had build it earlier last week, we have Senator Joseph Lagana who's going to, um, do a presentation to the council. He's going to be talking about some legislation he's coming up with that perhaps could
help lower or eliminate affordable housing mandated numbers, our obligation that Milford faces. We've been talking for a while. We've been talking about options, things that we could do. Um, he watches New Milford. He sees the lawsuits we're in. He sees the
complications we have. And obviously, he sees the voice of our residents. I mean, everyone does. Everywhere I go, I hear about it, which is great. So, they're here. They are our legislative representatives, and when we have a problem, we go to them for solutions for things that we can't fix on our own
because it's a bigger problem. So, they are here tonight to uh talk about possible legislation. After the council has a chance to ask any questions, I will open it up to the public for questions to them on only this legislation or affordable housing and then we will close it. Anyone who
has any comments or questions about the good welfare of New Milford at the end of our meeting, I will open up to the public for general questions. We all good with that? Okay. At this time, Senator Lana, you want me to come on up? Assembly or whatever you guys want to do? Sure.
It takes it'll be a group effort. Just take that. Just make sure that >> Okay. >> So, thank you uh thank you mayor uh members of the council uh and to the residents that came out to uh uh just to kind of get a an understanding of what
we're attempting to do here. So, the mayor uh and and some members of the council and administrator came to meet with uh with us. And so, for those of you who may not know, I'm I'm your state senator from district 38. Uh Lisa Swain is your state assembly woman and Chris Tully is your state assembly been
representing you in Trenton. Uh I've been I've proudly representing represented Milford for going on 14 years. I can't believe it's been that long but uh but me, Chris and Lisa have been partners for the better part of a decade. Uh and you know I live in Paramis Chris is B from Burgerfield and
Lisa is from New Milford. I'm sorry from Fairon. Uh we're in New Milford. Uh but you know we have 16 towns in our district and uh they're all very special to us. Uh New Milford is especially uh you know has a has a special place in our heart because of the difficulties
that we usually deal with which is which is flooding which kind of comes into something that's going to come up in in this conversation. Um so we met probably a few weeks ago maybe two months ago uh and we had a conversation about where Milford sits as far as affordable
housing obligation. So the affordable bar housing laws are kind of all over the place. Um in each one of our respective towns there's billing there's there's there's buildings going up everywhere in Paramis where I live. Uh if you pass by the Gate Plaza which they're doing a groundbreaking tomorrow
maybe Glenn State Plaza Pramis Park uh the nurseries that are sit on acres of property they're building everywhere. So, you know, to put into perspective, Pamis has about 28,000 people right now. Uh, and we're going to be about 40,000 people when this is all said and done.
Uh, so, you know, it's, you know, Fair Lawn is probably the most populated of towns. They're currently at 35,000 people and it'll increase Bergenfield's about the same size, you know, 30,000. It'll and it'll increase soon. Um, so you know, we're not uh against, you
know, the idea of uh of uh providing people with an affordable place to live. Uh it's gotten very expensive to try to live anywhere. Uh if you're a young person trying to buy a house, even with good jobs and trying to save money, it's very difficult. Uh so we get it. Uh and if you are you just don't want to live
in a house, you want an apartment or you don't want a townhouse, they're just unaffordable really. So we do have an obligation to provide something, but it has to make sense, right? And right now it seems like what's in front of us does not make sense to to a certain degree.
So the Milford is a very um it's very unique in that uh it has a uh a large quantity of garden apartments that have been here since post World War II. Uh and garden apartments aren't specifically unique to Milford. There a
lot of towns have garden apartments in them. I actually grew up in Richfield which has tons of garden apartments. Uh the unique thing about a lot of the garden apartments is that they're rent controlled. So, you know, historically speaking, these go back to post World War II. They were built uh at the end of the war when when, you know, when when
this area of Burton County was was being built up in a kind of a middle class form, and these were all really HUD subsidized uh properties. I mean, the federal government paid for developers to build these things to get allow people to have an affordable place to live. So, they kind of came out of an
affordable housing uh idea. And you know, here we are so many years later where you know, we had the Mount Laurel uh decisions that came out uh you know, decades ago which created an affordable housing obligation. Uh and then it kind of went through different variations and
uh unfortunately COA when Governor Christie was here was disbanded and the courts completely took it over and essentially we're dictating what has to be done. Now there's a an organization which is a a nonforprofit uh called fair share housing and they have unfortunately a lot of authority because
they were given special standing by the Supreme Court many years ago to kind of argue on behalf of of of you know residents right on behalf of people uh which is typically not seen in the law. I mean usually you have to have some sort of connection to something to make
an argument uh or to bring bring a lawsuit but it's continued all these years and we're trying to deal with it. A few years ago, we passed a law to try to create more transparency and and give towns an the opportunity to present uh uh their uh their plans, created more
rounds. Uh we limited builders remedy, you know, suits been they not completely gone, but we've limit limited them to a certain degree. Uh but in the Milford specific situation clause it uh or or uh or mandates that they have to provide 36
>> 368 affordable housing which means 1,00 >> 5,840 >> 840 regular units uh which of course is just not tenable. I mean again the reason why you're seeing this is very unique because where it sits uh as far as environmental impact zone because of
the uh flooding. Uh I used to work with a a a a woman who uh lived down by the uh by the river. She was her home was purchased through Blueacres. So you know in one hand we have houses that are being purchased and and and taken down because they just they're flood built on
a river that's just not sustainable. And then to to another extent you have developments that are going up that are going to really add to flooding. Uh I know where the locations are. I mean they're it's literally in flood zones, right? I mean it's where they sit uh and or or potentially con you know I mean there the water running off there right
down by the chopper right so I mean there you know I I've seen I've seen that football field under water right and and that's where these things are being built uh I actually when when I was in high school we used to play in Milford I remember playing on that field years ago and you know we had times where you couldn't play cuz it was underwater uh so what is the solution to
this um these are fairly difficult topics to try to address only because, you know, we live here, we live in this area, and we have to work with legislators that live all over New Jersey. They live in the mountains, they live on the farms, they live down the shore, they live in
cities. Uh so, you know, we try to be very focused on our district, and that's what we're doing here with without uh having uh or trying to have an impact that's going to affect other areas of New Jersey with that we really don't want to affect. So, how do we do that?
Um what we've been we've been looking at is this idea of of credits, right? uh if a if a municipality or city uh has existing affordable housing units, should they be getting credits for it? And there are in the law, there are areas where credits are being provided.
If they're fully affordable, if if it's for seniors, it's for veterans, right? There are areas where we can look at that. But nowhere doesn't say anything about rent control. Uh so if we were to pass legislation, which is what we intend on doing, that would basically
give you one credit per one housing unit that is that is uh rent stabilized, then it would count towards your obligation. So that's over 2,000 units from what I understand. So that would essentially mean that Newford has met its obligation. Um now there's different
tweaks to the formula because right now if it's a bonus credit, you can only get up to 25%. Uh uh so we have to see how we define it. Is it a bonus credit? Is it a regular credit? How do we how do we determine that? So so you understand how the legislative process goes. Um a bill
has to be introduced in the state senate and another bill has to be introduced in the state assembly which Chris Anisa uh will uh will consider. And those bills once they're introduced first of all we have to draft the bill to make sure it's what we want. uh when the bill gets introduced they get gets assigned to
committees and the committees are the housing committees in each each house and the bills have to remain the same as they go through the process. So they go through committees and people come to the committees and they testify and talk and when we do the when we do these bills I would invite anybody from the north to come talk
and you know I know they they'll be there too >> and uh you know and and what happens is you know we we talk about we kind of tease things out and we get information from from there on out there may be amendments or may not be amendments. The bills then go to each respective house
for a full vote. So, I have to convince uh 21 people, they have to convince 41 people to both of this. Uh now, I think that there's going to be a significant amount of of support in one side and maybe not so much in the other. I think people are going to want to, you know, talk and figure out how this affects their particular town. You know,
sometimes we vote on things that may or may not affect where we live, but we still consider it, right? I mean, if we're dealing with, you know, farmland and say, you know, there's already farmland here. I mean, so we we want to make sure that we're not doing anything that's going to negatively affect where we live. and people other legislators at the state rightfully so uh should be
doing the same thing before any any bill is introduced um I particularly know Chris and Lisa kind of follow you know follow that same mantra we don't just introduce bills and then see where they go right we put a lot of work up front to make sure uh that the bill as
introduced is uh first of all not a surprise right because we we will I will speak to fair share housing I will have a meeting with them uh I will speak to the chairman of the housing committee in the Senate. I will speak to the senate president. We will speak to the speaker uh and whoever chairs uh housing in the
assembly. Make sure I give all. Okay. So, you know, so we have a lot of friendly faces of people we can we can discuss this with. Uh and what's going to end up happening is a review is going to be done most likely. So, uh fair share housing will probably look at its
impact on how much will not be built because of this, right? because they're they want everything as much built as much as they possibly can, as much affordable housing as they possibly can. So, if they're going to look at and say, "Okay, if we give one credit per one housing unit per in a in a municipality or city that has uh rent controlled uh
rent controlled units, you know, how much is it going to bring down what we think we need and how much of it can be applied towards their obligation." So, a lot of this comes down to negotiating that. And they're not just the endall. I mean, we're the legislators, you know, and we're not just going to say what they whatever they tell us. Uh, but it's
part of the process. Uh, because if we can get to a good place with fair share housing where they may be amendable to something like this, uh, then it goes a lot easier. Uh, and I'm trying to find the easest easiest route between point A and point B and at the same time get the
desired effect uh, for specifically for New Town that has guard departments. You drive through a lot of towns and they have them. I'm not sure how many of them are rent stabilized. Uh but I do know historically speaking that uh that it was challenged. You said 1975 by >> Yes. Correct. >> Uh went to the New Jersey Supreme Court
and the New Jersey Supreme Court upheld the Milford's uh rent control ordinance. Uh so you guys are on solid uh footing and this may be something that only affects the Milford, right? I mean, but after we do a review, uh, we will, uh, definitely, uh, come back and, speak
with the mayor and council and, uh, be happy to come to any meetings to talk to, uh, residents and, you know, our offices in Paramis, uh, and we will certainly make ourselves available to talk to anybody who has any, uh, any concerns or questions about how this goes. But it's a very it's a very the
premise is easy. The implementation is going to be, you know, there said doubles in detail. Uh but essentially what it's going to be is we're going to look at existing units and those that fall within the category of being rent controlled that the municipality will get one credit per unit of housing
counted towards our obligation. Uh so in a town like the Milford if we were completely successful you wouldn't have to build anything again. Uh if they even if they said well we'll only give you credits but it can only be up to 50% of your obligation. Still reduces what you need by half. Uh so you know anything is
better than you know kind of what you're facing here. Um and again you know it's a it's very unique here because it's an environmental impact uh zone. Um you know we have always significant flooding here and this is just going to add to it and you know we shouldn't be
you know sticking our heads in the sand uh and you know wait for the next catastrophe and you know look back in 30 years and say how how did they let them build that and how did they let them build that and that's not what we want to do. We're stuck as legislators now. I'm always looking back and saying, why would they let them do that 50 years ago? Why did they, you know, not fix
this, you know, 60 years ago? It's like everything here was built 100 years ago and they never touch anything since, right? Uh so, you know, we're kind of left to deal with with those repercussions. So, that's kind of the the you know, in a nutshell. If you guys want to cover it,
>> all I just wanted to say is I I live in Fairlon. We um we have a lot of rent control housing there as well. I was I'm the former mayor of Feralon. Served on the council for 10 years. So I'm also very familiar with this issue. So I
think our team, you know, with Chris also from Bergenfield, we're very familiar with this issue. So you know, we're here to do whatever we can. >> Sure. I just really want to add I want to thank the mayor and council for for coming to us talking to us directly about the issues that you're seeing here
in the Milford. And this is the importance of government when we as your state legislators and your representatives come together with our local mayor, local council and try to drive solutions that are going to help move the ball forward and deal with this issue because we see you. We see how it's affecting the community. I love
Romans. I go to Romans all the time. I see I see Mark Hosp there who owns a business. He's on the the council in Bergenfield and a great friend also owns a business uh right in the area that's affected in Milford. So this is what it's all about. It's about coming together and uh finding solutions and we as your representatives and everybody up
here in the stasis is determined to find that solution. So I just want to thank you for coming here tonight and I guess we're going to open the floor to uh to uh some questions. So first I'm going to ask if uh the council has any questions we can do that now and then when the council's done I'm going to open up to the public for questions about about
this. So >> thank you very much. Fantastic. >> I I I just want to say thank you. I want to say thank you not only for coming here tonight to addressing the mayor and council, but addressing our community. But many of you may not realize that tonight's meeting did not happen
spontaneously. Uh our legislators took a tremendous amount of time in the past couple months to meet with us and work with us and discuss and research this issue. Thank you for the time that you put in and thank you for always supporting us in our community. Thank you.
>> HI I'D LIKE to reiterate what Councilman Seymour, Council President Seymour just said and also ask you um if you have any sense of how the legislature might respond to this proposed legislation that you hope to propose or plan to
propose. So, as I stated earlier, you know, introducing a bill and then and then trying to fly with it is a bad idea because it gets uh it gets, you know, we like I like to say it gets polluted. Uh and then it's always hard to backtrack uh where it's almost like you're making it less bad. Uh so I don't like to start
out that way at all. Um I learned my lesson when I was in the state assembly 14 years ago not to do that. So I try I try not to do that and you know we try to be thoughtful and when I say that you know we I don't want this to be a surprise to anyone. So, you know, when I'm meeting with the housing advocates,
for me to sit down to say like, look, uh, we have an issue in in in my district, we have an issue in one of my towns. This is the situation, right? And and lay it all out out there. And, you know, my questions to them is, how do we fix this? How do we resolve this? You know, they're sitting on 2,100 and
something units that are rent controlled that were subsidized by the government. I mean, you can't get more affordable than that. And, you know, why are they not counted? you know, give me one good reason why they're not capital towards besides you just want more and that's not a good reason for me. Uh because it's not like you just have you can just
build 300 and something units. You have to build up 1,800 to get it right. It's just, you know, it's kind of like, you know, you're chasing good with bad. Uh so, you know, my my hope is by the time a bill gets introduced and we're currently working on it. By the time a
bill gets introduced that my meetings with the my meetings with the advocates will get us to a good place. I mean, I'm hoping that I can get them to a, you know, hopefully a yes. Uh, not get opposition, uh, but an understanding because they're going to have to do their homework. They're going to look at and they're going to, again, like I said
earlier, how much how much is this going to impact, right? I mean, know if this bill becomes a law, is it going to cut every town's obligation by 50%. Which of course is not true. Uh, so they're going to look at that, right? And which of course they wouldn't want. uh if they look at it and say, "Okay, well, listen, this is going to have a minor effect in
a few places and we can live with this, right? It makes it makes sense." And then it'll come down to, well, should it be a regular credit? Should it be a bonus credit? Should should it be account for 100% of their obligation? Should it be 50%, currently it's 25%. Right? So, if you build something that's
completely affordable, uh it's only 25% like it's a bonus cut up to 25%. Right? So, it doesn't like completely it's not like a one for one, right? When it comes to what you need to do. Uh, so I would like it to be a one for one. Um, and uh, you know, but if we get a 50, if if it's
a, you know, 50% of it for a talent to go for it, it it'll still cover your obligation. Uh, so uh, you know, our main concern right now is this town. Uh, if it does have an effect of uh, of helping other towns reduce their obligations, then so be it. Uh but the
whole point of it is to understand that you know in this specific situation you know with with new Mauford that it will have a detrimental impact on the on this community and on on this town uh for a multitude of reasons. You know the schools are already uh at capacity. Um
the uh you know infrastructure suffers you know we talking about for the most part you know more adding more impervious coverage more traffic. I mean these things just are bad for the environment. Uh, so you know, you think that the housing advocates were also environmentalists, but they're not. Um, so you know, but, um, that's really what
I plan on doing. I think it's good idea to introduce something and then try to explain it to people. You know, we always say if you're explaining, you're losing. So, uh, we try to make sure going in that people understand exactly what we're trying to do and that and that we're not anti-affordable housing, right? That that's not what's going on
here. It's just more it if it doesn't make sense, right? If we're ruining a community, why are we doing this? I was I was just going to say that I've said it all along. We're not against affordable housing. We're against overdevelopment that hurts the community. New Milford has never skirted its affordable housing obligation. We're
compliant in rounds 1, 2, and three. We are one of the first to have the mandatory rent control. If anyone wants to look it up, it was it's Brunetti versus New Milford 1975. They sued us and said it was unconstitutional to mandate rent control and they lost. Senator Milford has
always provided affordable housing to to our residents. Um the mathematical formulas that went into this new round and the affordable housing, that's what's unfair to us and that's what we're trying to change. I have a question. My big concern is the timeline
here. As you know, we're under constraints now. We have three lawsuits going against us and they're looking for solutions. From what I'm hearing, and not to you guys fault, this is going to take time. Is there any way we can put some kind of say on this somehow where
we could hold up to see what happens with this bill so we're not forced into something we don't want to be forced into? >> Well, so the the timeline is is whatever the process is. We're going to introduce the bill I hope probably in May. Uh I'm I'm literally spending I had a
conversation today uh with fair share and with their attorney uh and with some advocates that I know who uh work with them all over the state, right? and and it's more like, hey, I need you to help me with this, right? Like because this is this is something we need to do. And it could be, you know, it could be
something that introduced in May, we're here in June and try to move out of committees. Uh but, you know, you're talking about, you know, we're in a budget season right now. We go back in the middle of May. Uh from middle of May to the end of June, we pass state budget and then July and August, this
legislature doesn't meet and then September, we start again. Uh so you know this if there's if I can get fair share to agree on some type of formula for this and they don't oppose it will fail. Uh there won't be anybody there to jump up and down me now. Um so that's
the goal. My my goal is in the next 30 days to try to get them on my side for this uh and uh and have them evaluate because they will come to they will look into they will evaluate it to see uh and uh you know hopefully we can do that. As
far as a stay, you know, unfortunately only a court can say something. Uh, and I don't know if you have legal standing to because just a bill was introduced to to bring to file uh an action that would that would stay the current uh the current round. Uh, but this is could be
something that you know again and I'll sit with you guys in the magnet to talk about exact and and the uh and your uh your your more than capable borrow attorney who uh who I've got to work with for 15 years, but uh but he's he's great. and we'll sit down and we'll talk about uh you know where you are right
now in the process because again I'm I'm negotiating with the group that's suing you basically right so you know so they're going to be they're going to be well you know versed in what's happening here uh so you know the idea is to get this done as soon as possible and get it done the right way uh so you know how
long that takes I hope it's not I hope it's not long I mean I would like to say by the end of the year but hopefully before that >> okay so we're going to open up to the public for any questions regarding this. Um, you have to come up. Please give us your name and then you could ask the
question. >> Motion. >> Oh, can I get a motion over to the public for >> favor? I Any opposed? >> Yes. >> Lori Barton, thank you for coming. Thank you for this this great idea. Um, do you
foresee this potentially as being something that can be supported bipartisanly? supported by I didn't hear. >> Absolutely. >> By what? >> In a bipartisan manner. >> Yes. Okay. Because that's important. Is there anything that we as residents can
do to help? And if so, what do you recommend? >> Um, so I was I was thinking about that. So, thank you for asking about that. Um, just as in any legislation that's introduced,
when it goes to committee, as the senator said, we love to hear from people and especially in this case who support the legislation. So, you can write to your representatives. That's us. Um, but then you can write to
representatives around the state asking them to support this legislation. And then you can also if you feel like shleing to Trenton, you can testify in front of a committee. So there's a lot of opportunities for everyone. Thank
you. Come on. There's got to be someone else. >> I thought you did a great job. >> I tried to be I'm going to pick someone at random >> like school. >> Yes. >> Uh Paige Ryan. So, uh, I've lived in the
community now for god 25 years. And, um, you know, when we first came here, it this it was the closest of the community. It was this what little space we had. It was it's been the comm the council. It's been everything. So, thank you so much for coming here and showing
that support. Um, wish it not against you, wish it was sooner so that we weren't at the point where Councilman Gosski said that would be my question. and he asked it. But I guess maybe from that sense, we're doing all the right things, but what if these lawsuits go
through and we have 1,800 units that have to be built and we can't knock them down? We can't take them back. What What kind of recourse would there be? Do we know? >> Yeah. >> Well, this round we're not obligated to that number. >> Okay. >> That's our total obligation.
>> Yeah. So, what is it this partic this very first? >> Our new round is 110 right now. >> 110. >> Okay. All right. >> So, the whole business won't come. >> Yes. >> Yes. And maybe less. I don't know. So, anyway, thank you so much. And I know that there's people here who've been speaking out a lot and I know that we will do whatever we need to do to
support whatever legislation we get out there because it's not just about us. It's about all of our children and and anyone else that's going to live here after us. Thank you. But understand that the 110 units that we're obligated for now actually means
500 units of of of units but >> 20% >> 20%. So when we say 110 units in order to get the 110 units we have to build 500. >> Just give us your name. I've been waiting for you guys to be here for a
long time. So I got my question. Hi, my name is Kathy Columbus. I've lived here 48 years. I taught in the school system over 20 years. We have a great school system. We'd like to keep it this way.
They Brenetti quoted that only two children will come from the new the new places. >> Whatever. So, we've heard this over and over. Every time they want to build something, only a couple children. We had to examine two of our elementary schools,
rearrange how our classes were all designed. Has any thought gone into how much it's going to cost us to upgrade our school system and our police officers. I mean, they do a great
job, too. But you add a couple thousand more people. We're going to need more policemen. Wouldn't you agree? That wasn't I'm I'm behind you 100%. They are great cops. >> They come into our schools. I'm telling you, I had the best DARE officer in the
world for years helping my kids, keeping them off drugs. I love this community, but I can't afford my taxes to go up so we can add on to schools again. I'm 75. I'm retired. I'm on, you know, I'm not getting a raise every year. I'm getting
cuts. So, has anything any consideration gone into this from the fair housing people? How are we going to help support this community when they have to expand everything if these house if these
apartments go through and I don't fight really? >> Well, no. I mean, obviously that's a good question. I mean, when you think when you think about increasing the population significantly, everything comes along with it, right? We need you need more of everything. We need more police officers. You need more more firefighters mostly volunteer, right?
So, we need more people to volunteer for fire and they should. >> No, no, no. I'm sorry. Fire fire and AMS. No, >> but then you might need paid for because how many volunteers can you get? >> Well, it's it I agree with you. I mean, it's it it changes the landscape of the
town. I mean, you know, we uh you know, in Paramis, we deal with the you know, always the blue laws coming, right? What's then what happened to Paramis? we have to hire 100 more police officers. Uh and that's just, you know, opening on on a Sunday. So, uh but the town's also facing a a huge influx of apartments. I
mean, the Grand Plaza wants to put 1,800 just there. Just there. So, there are four phases. >> Promise Park Mall. Yeah. I mean, Victoria's nursery was leveled and they're putting 45 town houses that are $2 million each. Uh so you know I mean
listen theoretically it brings in more revenue more and more taxes. However is that enough to offset um you know there's always been this mystery around how many how many how many school age children come to a town uh when all of that I'm sorry I was just too
>> but it's it's also it's also impossible to know. >> Yeah, >> right. I mean, it's not you don't really know who's moving in and then you don't know how many um >> but if you have a threebedroom apartment, >> you can have children in that apartment. >> Probably three bedroom apartments were talking to a green.
>> Look, we're not we're not we're not talking specifically about one project, >> right? >> So, we're only talking about >> affordable housing children if you >> probably Yeah, probably. Yeah. I don't I don't disagree with that. But, you know, the whole point of what we're trying to
do here is really to limit it uh and um uh come up with a fair solution that puts a cap on it. And you know, we will, you know, judging by where you stand in the rounds, I mean, this could affect that. I mean, know the whole point of of what we're trying to do here is to affect even the current obligation if we
hadn't. Uh is not to just say, well, you know, this goes into effect in 50 years. That's not that wouldn't help anybody. What we're trying to do is make this uh uh make this a priority now so that we can uh help this town because it is you know you talk about you know when we go
to court uh you know there's a when you something's emergent the uh the standard is whether will there be irreparable harm um and clearly here there could be irreable harm uh so you know it may lead the introduction of the bill and its passage may lead to a lawsuit filed by
the municipalities uh to prevent the current I mean these are things that could come Uh so you know all we can do we can't speak about court actions but all we can do is put forth legislation that uh that allows a town like New Milford to utilize its current affordable housing
units uh as as credits and essentially allow it I mean have an existing have have already met its obligation to its existing uh housing and that's really what we're trying to do here. Uh and again I don't think this is going to be something that affects every single town in the state. It's just not there are places in New Jersey that they don't
there no such thing as garden apartments, right? This is really a phenomenon in Bergen County uh uh in Middle Sex County to a certain degree. Uh but other parts of the state, you don't really, you know, you don't really have uh apartments. I mean, I pulled an
article from 2016 that the Bourbon Record wrote about garden apartments, but if you could probably just Google it, it'll come up and it gives the history of when they were built and why they were built and and how they're specific to Burn County. Uh, so, you know, again, we're not trying to stifle the ability for people to find an
affordable place to live, but when a town has over 2,000 places to live that are rent controlled, um, you know, I mean, it it should follow that they should be considered as part of your obligation. And that's really what the argument is. I mean, it's, you know, it's a simple argument to make. you
know, hopefully we can get it to where, you know, we do it expeditiously and that we do it where um, you know, it it gets to the point where we can put the Milford in a good spot and and forever it it kind of meets your obligation. So, we're not dealing with this in 20 years.
We want to we want to cut this off now. Thank you. So Dan and Monty um like to thank good for being here. Um, one point I did want to make based on the last meeting
and to your point, uh, intriguingly enough, I went and saw the Rutner study and their definition of high-rise is incredibly short. So the number cut off for that study that they were using was a little disingenuous. Um, just need to uh, identify that. Um, one thing the
current, and this is just understanding, the current um, requirement is based off of low-inccome housing from some date, correct? Some date forward because they're too old to >> Yeah.
>> I believe 1980. >> I thought you were talking about our obligation. >> If I knew I was talking, it wouldn't be a question. change, you know. Um, are there any other ways to look at taking care of
this, including just changing the date, you know? Um >> well I mean so the answer so so the answer to that is you know the the less give me um the um the uh
in order for us to get to the finish line on this we have to make this as little impactful as we can right so we're going to do something that completely affects the entirety of the state where now you have legislators from Cape May calling us and legislators from you know Cumberland county and
Salem County, you know, cuz they're going to they're going to be like, well, you know, this is a problem for us now or this really is giving. So, by limiting it to this specific issue, what it does is we're kind of narrowly tailoring it to just really affect what we want. I thought about that, too. I said, let me debate, but then it affects
everybody. Uh, you know, like I said before, the amount of municipalities cuz it doesn't really affect cities. I mean, cities have no obligation basically, right? So if you're looking at uh rent control the units uh and you know we're talking about really garden apartments,
right? That uh it would really limit it to that specific point. Um so if I'm talking to somebody who's from Sussex County, they're like I don't care. I don't know what a garden is, right? I mean so you know they don't have the sprawl like we do. Uh so that's kind of the best case scenario where the the
more ambivalent people are of to it and again if fair share housing says you know we can live with this it'll sail through right I mean we won't have an issue that's a lot of ifs but it won't have an issue but if we make it more encompassing cuz I I originally thought
to do um you know not have it uh for things that were rent controlled cuz if you're changing the date it's basically applicable to anything that's under a certain threshold let's say that would just kind of open it up And it would it would require us to do a lot more arm twisting and a lot more fighting. Yeah.
So, we're trying to make it very like I said, this may only really affect a few pounds at the end of the day and and hopefully so, right? Cuz then it'll be a lot easier to to get done. Uh uh and there's also, you know, we can also argue that Nimford has a special circumstance and be just be just be very
uh you know, new Morfordcentric with with what we do. Uh and you know, listen, the court cases can also be limited, too. I mean, fair share housing has gone back and amended amended amended the court, you know, the court rulings uh when it had to. So, there are there is there are a few avenues.
There's a legislative avenue and then there's the one avenue that fair share mentioned about the actual court case about making a specific exception which could be another way to do it, but I'm still kind of teasing it out. So, so that the reason why is it'll be too open and it won't
fine. Um, the only other thing I would say in deference to the police force, if this has to happen with the way it is, it probably need better benefits and better coffee. Okay, seeing that no one else from the public wishes to comment at this time, I'd ask
for a motion to close the public. Motion >> second. >> All in favor? I. Any opposed? Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to take another two-minute break. So, if anybody would like to leave, you can. If you'd like to stay, we're more than welcome to have you. Once again, I'd like to thank our legislature for being
here tonight. We look forward to the progress and when they need us, I know that we will be there. Absolutely. We are back. >> Okay. Okay. Moving on. Uh, under appointments. Can I get a motion to appoint Connor Tanzy to fire department
company one? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Any opposed? >> Congratulations, Connor Tany. and thank you very much for serving and open. Okay. At this time, we're going to have a public hearing on the 2026 Burton
County Open Space Trust Fund Grant application, Kennedy Field Tennis Court Improvement Project. >> Yes. Take over. >> Thank you, Mayor. Yes, we've made an application to Burn County Open Space for um an uh a grant for the
improvements to the Kennedy Field Tennis Courts. The project includes resurfacing of the courts, installation of new nets and posts, and the addition of energy efficient lighting. The improvements will enhance safety, improve playability, and expand the hours of use
for the facility. Um, the proposed improvements are going to rehabilitate the courts and add in introduce additional recreational opportunities through the inclusion of pickable striping, which has become increasingly popular among residents, particularly older adults. according to the
application. Um, and as a requirement of the application, we have to open this meeting up to the public to have a public hearing on the application. So, may I get a motion to open to the public for a public hearing on this application? >> So, move second. >> All in favor? >> I. Any opposed? Ladies and gentlemen of
the public. If anyone has any questions or comments regarding this application, now is your opportunity to speak. Seeing that no member of the public wishes to comment at this time, I ask for a motion to close to the public. >> Motion to close. All in favor?
>> Any opposed? >> Nope. >> Okay. Under unfinished business, can I get a motion for the approval of the minutes for the April 6th, 2026 work session meeting? >> Motion. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed?
>> One obstension. Abs. Okay. >> Okay. We have a couple ordinances we're going to be looking to adopt tonight. The first one is 2026 col 15. And when the clerk has the opportunity, I'd ask you to please read the ordinance. an ordinance to authorize the making of
various public improvements and the acquisition of new additional or replacement equipment and machinery and new communication and signal systems equipment in buy and for the bur of New Milford in the county of Bergen State of New Jersey to appropriate the sum of $416,000
to pay the cost thereof to make a down payment to authorize the issuance of bonds to finance such appropriation and to provide for the issuance of bond anticipation notes in anticipation of the issue of such bonds. The purpose of this ordinance is for various public
improvements and acquisitions including road resurfacing, body worn cameras, replacement of firearms and fire apparatus. May I get a motion to open to the public for public hear on this ordinance? >> Some move. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Any opposed?
>> Ladies and gentlemen, the public, if anyone has any questions or comments regarding this ordinance, now is your opportunity to speak. Seeing that no member of the public wishes to comment on this ordinance at this time and ask for a motion to close the public. >> Second. >> All in favor? Any opposed? May I get a
motion to adopt this ordinance on its final reading? >> Motion second. Make a roll call, please. >> Yes. Councilman Sanen, >> yes. >> Councilman Xylner, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Duffy, >> yes. >> Councilman Gratzky, >> yes. >> Council President Seymour, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Grant,
>> yes. Next one is ordinance 2026 code 16. When the clerk has the opportunity, I would ask her to please read the ordinance. >> Calendar year 2026 ordinance to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and to establish a cap bank
pursuant to NJSA4A 4-45.14. Purpose of this ordinance is to authorize an increase in the annual budget that exceeds the appropriation limits to establish a cap bank. Make a motion to open to the public for a public hearing on this ordinance.
>> So moved. >> Second. All in favor? >> Any opposed? Ladies and gentlemen of the public, if anyone has any questions or comments regarding this ordinance, now is your opportunity. >> Seeing that no member of the public wishes to comment at this time, I'd ask for a motion to close to the public. >> Second.
>> All in favor? I. >> Any opposed? May I get a motion to adopt this ordinance on its final reading? >> Motion. >> Second. >> May I get a roll call, please? >> Councilwoman Sanusen, >> yes. >> Councilman Zmer, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Duffy, >> yes. >> Councilman Gratzky, >> yes.
>> Council President Seymour, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Grant, >> yes. >> Okay, moving on to new business. Item number one is Blueac Acres Rucker Landscape Design Grant Project. Councilwoman Sandy. >> Thank you, Mayor. So, uh, what I have
today is, uh, a request for I'm going to share, uh, information about a proposal to participate in a program with Ruters Blue Acres open space, uh, visioning project. And my request is to have a consensus vote for us all to to have the
council to agree that we participate in this program. So, Ruckers and Blue Acres of NJ are uh running a pilot program where they are
uh working with uh stakeholders to create uh visioning plans for uh for Blue Acres properties. So, New Milford has over 37 Blue Acres
properties right now and they've been sitting uh a little bit I guess you would say. Uh the burrow is responsible for maintaining them even though the state uh manages the land. So there is
uh no financial requirement for the bureau to participate. There is no obligation to implement the plans, but there is an opportunity for the municipality to participate in uh in
designing uh envisioning possible uh resiliency projects that will uh revitalize the ecology of the uh Blueacres properties. Uh the stakeholder meetings would be run by uh by Ruters.
There are two phases to this program. Uh they're looking to have a meeting in May. Uh with a stakeholder group and a follow-up meeting in August. So the Ruckers and
Rucker students would be designing would be drawing out plans. So basically the burrow would receive plans that could then be drawings not plans not a design. they would be they would be receiving a
design that could then be used in future projects uh so uh for uh procuring implementation grants. So this uh these these plans are very hard. these grant
grants like this opportunities like this are very few and far between and uh I would like to even though the timeline is a little bit short for us I think it would be a really great opportunity for new Milford to participate in and since
uh we have the environmental commission I think it would be really great to get the flood committee the shade tree commission and green team involved in that first meeting and then uh to really discuss with uh Ruters and NJP.
What they will Ruckers and NJ are really interested in hearing about the vision and the concerns uh about what to do with these uh with this land. And part of the uh the opportunity and the goal
with these plans and visions is to build resiliency for and to mitigate flooding. So would be resiliency related to flooding and drought and to also heat. So there's a benefit sometime in the future if we if the future uh governing
bodies decide to implement any of these plans, but really it starts with a vision and it's a long-term plan. I would take on the uh organizing piece of it and uh we would just need to provide a meeting space for those two meetings.
They suggested uh the possibility of Wednesday, May 20th and Monday, June 1st as opportunities for the first meeting. >> I have a question. >> Mhm. >> I mean, those pieces of property are vacant because they um were victims of
repetitive flooding and I know that at one point we planted trees on some of those properties and my understanding is that they didn't last that they died. Why is that land now more fertile than it was just a few years ago or is it
just how it would work since it hasn't worked before? >> Right. So, uh the opportunity here is that we would be able to that information would be documented. So, part of this visioning process is they're they're going to be doing uh
land assessment. They're going to be looking at soil permeability. They're going to be addressing all these questions. So we can actually bring all of these questions directly to the NJT and Blue Acres and share with them our
challenges just similar to what we did with with Fairshare housing is be being able to bring these concerns is just as important as you know create as the vision uh because they want to see plans
implemented. So um so that gives us gives all the organizations and agencies an opportunity to see what the challenges are as well. Does that any further questions? >> Not really. I'm just concerned about the flooding of any plan would it get
implemented? You know how it would fair the property be flooded? But that's something I suppose could have been discussed. >> That would be include that would be a concern to be included into this plan. Mhm. >> Well, it seems like a good idea to get the designs. I mean, it's still on the
map. >> Also, >> and maybe it will be a benefit. >> A number of those trees we planted in the Columbia Harbor area. Um, some of them were actually destroyed due to deer and they some of them got run over by people who should not have been parking.
>> The trees that run over, >> the baby ones that we planted. Yeah. So, it wasn't all blossome, >> right? So the the opportunity to also is to create some more uh passive parks. You know, we uh New Milford's very our
green spaces are very few and far between. So this would be an opportunity to uh improve our air quality and also um since you mentioned the trees, our forestry canopy is diminishing uh each
year is coming down each year. So, this would be uh a way to begin some of that planning to uh keep our forestry to to be to be good stewards of our forestry canopy helps improve air quality, public
health. So, this isn't just like a uh I know the environmentalists always get like we're always green and fuzzy about, you know, it'll be really pretty, but it's really about health, public health, safety, and uh long-term resiliency for
the community. >> All right. So, guess I'm going to ask for a motion to uh take part in this. Yeah, I would like to make a motion to participate in the Ruters Blue Acres open space visioning pilot program. >> Second.
>> All in favor? >> I thank you very much. >> Who needs to did you want to get talk about the date or we going to >> propose a date forward with the suggested May 20th?
>> Let's move forward with a suggested May 20th. >> Okay. That gives you enough time to >> Yes. Okay. And I'll do you want me to let Amanda from the D? >> Yes, please. I will. >> So, you are the ladies on environmental as well as the green team.
>> Councils sh >> So, I'd like you to keep councils in the loop as well. >> Okay. >> Um, and >> yeah, got it. Council President Cong as well. So three of you.
>> Thank you. >> And that that's not a that's not a quorum. Okay. All right. >> I just want to make sure that I can ethically email everybody. >> You guys come. >> Thank you very much everyone. I think
this is a really lovely opportunity. Thank you for your support and participating in this. We were all when we first sat through the meeting, we were all just slightly disappointed when we realized that it was they were going to help us come up with a plan, but there was not the next step. But without
the plan, there's no hope for a next step. So dying. >> After we had time to absorb it, we decided that yeah was probably a great opportunity. >> Okay. Updates. Thursday, April 30th, the Milford High
School junior and senior art show reception sponsored by the Milford High School. It will take place from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Art Center of Northern New Jersey. On Friday, May 15th is the Michael Pedney/ Lauren Savino Scholarship Barbecue sponsored by the New Milford
High School Scholarship Fund. It'll be from 3:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the New Milford High School cafeteria. On Wednesday, May 20th is the New Milford Antibbias Symposium sponsored by the Burough of New Milford, the New Milford Police Department, and New Milford School District. It'll take
place from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the New Milford High School Auditorium. On Monday, May 25th is New Milford's annual Memorial Day parade, sponsored by the New Milford Public Events Committee. Parade lineup is at 8:30 at the Nightsfield parking lot. And then the
parade will start exactly at 9:00 and proceed from the parking lot to the burrow hall. On Saturday, May 30th is Mental Health Awareness Day sponsored by the New Milford Municipal Alliance. It'll be from 9:30 a.m. to
12:00 p.m. at the New Milford YMCA. Later that day, it'll be the 250 Years of America sponsored by the New Milford Arts Committee from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the New Milford YMCA. So, you can just stay there all day. And on Monday, June
29th is the New Milford Athletic Department 30th annual golf outing sponsored by the New Milford Athletic Department. It'll take place at um the Golf Club at Mansion Ridge and check-in is at 8:15 and we'll tee off at 9:00
a.m. any other events that I've skipped or missed by accident. Okay. Moving on to item number three tonight is the administrator's report. >> Thank you, mayor. You're welcome.
>> Uh for the engineering update, I'm kind of in a holding pattern on a few things. We've submitted revised bid documents for the uh NJ DOT roadway improvement project for East Woodland Road, Grieve Drive, Ridge Street, and the intersecting roadways, and we're waiting
for their approval. Um, we also submitted the documents for an environmental review to Bergen County Community Development for the Clinton Avenue, Even Road, Arlington Road, and Yale Street improvements waiting on their review. Uh, we have a walkthrough
scheduled um this week, next week with uh the contractor for the Main Street Improvement Project to review some punch list items prior to the continuation of the construction, which would entail the repaving of the street. Um the contractor for the French book
restoration project is working on punch list items as well including top soil seed and mulch and we'll be starting the final cleaning and demobilization. That's for the first phase. We are still waiting for the DP to um complete its review of our application for the minor
technical modification. Uh they deem the application complete February 2nd. I believe they go with a 90day review period. So hopefully we're fast approaching that that period and we'll hear something back from them uh and be able to move forward with the um
additional phase of that project. Uh there's a resolution on tonight's agenda to authorize the engineer to proceed with the design for the Pine Avenue and use road sanitary sewer rehabilit rehabilitation project. And um the public hearing for our 2026
municipal budget is going to be held uh at our next meeting on May 11th. And that's the only other thing to report. Our next meeting of the mayor council. It's a work session scheduled for Monday, May 11th. I'm not sure if you wanted to have it in here as we're going to have the public hearing for the
budget. And that's it for me, mayor. Thank you. >> Any questions for the administrative? I just I don't have any questions, but I do have a correction because May 20th is conflicts with the antibbias program. So, uh I just wanted the other date for
the Blue Acres stakeholder was June 3rd. >> June 1st. >> Monday, June 1st. Yes. Good catch. Thank you, Councilwoman. Certainly. >> I was wondering how it was going to be
in two places. It went >> to bringing. >> All right, we're going to move on to council committee reports. Um, Councilwoman San it's it's a councilwoman Sand Husen show today. Okay. So, uh, I have a little bit
of a lengthy report and a little bit of a fun thing at the end. So, uh, here we go. It's been a while since I've had an opportunity to give a report. So, first I want to say um I attended uh Little League opening day. It was super fun and
it was really great uh uh moving event to have the dedication for the softball field. Uh the Liberty Tree Planting event on the 18th was a really lovely event and highlighted the environmental commission and the green team uh
participated that day with a cleanup, America's great great American cleanup which was attended by volunteers uh Scout Troop 78 and the Girl Scouts. Uh everyone really enjoyed the Arbor Day giveaway. Uh, and it was a really lovely
uh lovely day to have everything all together and I'll let everyone else talk about their events more. So, the um I also was able to attend the uh Bergen County Legislative Breakfast with Councilman Seymour on Friday, April
17th, hosted by Bergen's Promise. The program highlighted the need for mental health care services and Bergen County's uh commitment to access to services. Uh I also attended the Miliff safety breakfast with members of the New
Milford staff on Thursday, April 23rd and New Milford is the proud winner of a proud awardee of a uh platinum award for safety. So that's the highest level of safety that a community can can receive.
So I want to say congratulations and thank you to administration DPW fire and police departments uh for taking safety seriously and uh uh something since we're talking about events. Tomorrow is Tuesday, April
28th. I will be uh presenting at the Hackinack River Nation Summit. I'll be giving a talk with uh Councilwoman Hillary Goldberg from Tina uh talking about the shared roles of private nonprofit and local government in
environmental stewardship projects. >> That's going to be at Fairly Dickinson. >> But what is it you're presenting at? What? >> Hackinack River Nation Summit. That's at Fairly Dickinson University at uh from
8:30 to 4:00. And there will and the NJD will be there. It's a water themed uh day. Lots of good networking uh available there. Let's see where's where's page three.
Okay. So then um I'm going to go by memory. So, the environmental commission is working on their community energy plan and will be having a public presentation uh at the mayor and council meeting. Uh
that's May 27th is the Wednesday. Is that the correct? >> Mhm. >> So, uh they've uh they're finalizing up a draft and they would like to be able to put post that draft on the website for the public to have access. It's a
90page document. I will be forwarding that to mayor and council. So, you'll have time to review that before the meeting. That'll be a public uh opportunity for public comment as well. The environmental commission has also been
working hard on moving their excuse me site plan that for the native plant garden along. I'm going to take a sip of water. I'm almost done. Excuse me. It's allergy season
and the green team is busy working on the trucks uh truck bin. So, thank you so much. That's my environmental list. And now I have one here's my finale. The finale is that we received our award
for the mayor's wellness campaign committee. So, here's your plaque, mayor. Here's your plaque. Congratulations for the healthy cow. We also received a banner that will be uh displayed at at the front of Burough Hall. And so the request is that you
take a picture with the banner and the plaque. We'll do >> so they can send it to the quality institute. So thank you. >> This took a lot of work. This took a lot of work. >> I want to thank you. I want to thank the members of the committee and I want to thank you know our partners you know our local and external partners bridge
medical center the YMCA um for helping us with events organizing events and and getting people out there so there will be some mayor wellness events coming up in the balance of this year we hope everyone is there and we're definitely hanging this one in the hall
>> yes this is a big deal this year because last year we were up and coming and this and so 2025 we actually are awarded did a healthy town award. So, >> mayor's wellness campaign New Jersey healthy town 2025 presented to Burough
Milford for your commitment to improving the health and wellness of your community. Compliments of the New Jersey Healthcare Quality Institute. So, >> so thank you for Thank you for that >> and I'm complete. >> Okay, it's a great way to end that.
>> You're welcome, Council Z. >> Thank you. I don't have much. Um I will mention though the grand worship for public events is Angel Hotel. You know the resident
>> very excre um they finally had their annual egg hunt go off without any rain. Took a couple of years, but they got there. And registration for the adult kick room, uh, I believe began on the 15th. Uh, the
games won't be starting until after Memorial Day. DPW, they're out with the winter we had, they're out there fixing potholes. Uh they did a lot of repairs to catch
catch basins after they were cleaned in the south end of town and they started tree planting in designated areas. That could close my reports. >> You're not going to mention I threw a bad picture on opening nights. My turn now.
>> Yes, it was bad. But he did a couple of pushups. All right. Uh, thank you, Ma. Okay. Um, sorry. >> Let's see. Uh, I want to report that the
fire department, it is in its first year of, uh, implementing the 5-year grant that they received. And it seems that every meeting we're here, we are uh welcoming new members uh to the junior
and the regular fire department. So that's a small part of this grant. uh it is uh and you know participation uh volunteering um retention as well as training and PR
cuz you know firemen are amazing and they are great at what they do but sometimes they're crimes they have to be nice anyway um I want to report also that I have a
quarterly report from um the fire official uh his remarks are during the first quarter of 26 uh a serious there was an investigation of a serious fire in Milford. It was
accidental and there were no injuries and all other fire inspections are up to date. So that's important to know. Um the multiple dwelling inspections were 1,884
units. Uh it's a lot. Yeah. So um on the job as always those guys uh the board of health met and during uh their meeting our uh public health officer had a
discussion with us regarding the rise in measel cases uh around the state as well as uh our country. And it is uh very similar that the same thing is happening
with vaccines with a drop in vaccine. So, um, coincidentally, our public health nurse went to our senior center, uh, with her with the intern from Ruckers and had a
presentation to the seniors regarding the importance of vaccines. And this would be all types of vaccines and how important they are for everyone but specifically seniors and
anyone with specific um you know conditions underlying. So uh that's always very interesting. But the presentation was really well done. People asked questions so everybody
learned something that day. Um, I want to also, uh, to Lisa's comments, um, thank everyone for last, uh, Saturday's event, um, with the planting of our
Liberty Tree in the front of Carl Hall. uh Nancy Veroni, our chair to the 250th committee, uh as well as she is the chair to our historic commission. Uh talked to us at the tree, the new tree
site regarding the meaning of a liberty tree. So, look it up. It's really cool. Um I want to thank the DBW especially. They really went the extra
mile to make it look ceremonial and really lovely there that day. Uh I want to thank the police uh color guard for being there. The women's club came out. Uh the scouts were there and then of
course all the environmentalists that were out doing their cleanup. So it was a really really nice event. Um, so you know, keep on the lookout for more. That's my
>> Thank you, Council Member. >> Thank you. >> As most of us know on the uh council here last week, there was a serious uh collision involving one of our police cars. Uh the car was totaled and
fortunately a police officer wasn't seriously injured. So, we're looking to replace that car eventually. from the shade tree commission. Uh sometime soon in the near future, our arborist will be going out and doing a
tree inventory of the whole town. Uh to Lisa's point about uh trees disappearing. Uh so we'll be looking at that. And also uh there'll be in discussion with the school system to uh possibly paint a mural at the tree farm
uh down in the back of the DPW. So, uh, that looks like it might be going to have some more on that. That's it for me. Thank you, Council President Seymour. >> Thank you, Mayor. Uh, I want to thank, uh, Councilwoman Sam Husen for the great
invitation to attend the legislative breakfast in support of Bergen's promise and expanding mental health care. Um it's it's so important that we not only raise awareness of mental health and and uh its dangers to our society, but we've
come together as a community to expand access to care for everybody. Uh, and I I was truly moved uh at the opening day for Little League and I just want to just express my gratitude to the Joerger family for their tremendous
contributions not only to softball and not only to sports in town but to our entire community. Every person in the Joerger family is dedicated to helping our community, our schools and sports uh every day. So I just want to just express my gratitude to their to their
family. And uh for anyone who is not aware, we are having our first antibbias symposium for those who are watching this at home. Uh as the mayor indicated on Wednesday, May 20th, it is open for live in person attendance that it will
also be livereamed. For people who are looking for the live stream, it is on the New Milford public school district's YouTube channel. And mayor, I just want to again express gratitude to the New De Moer Police Department, our school district, prosecutor's office, uh,
sheriff's office, and this governing body for the tremendous support and partnership. And I have to just say, uh, the moment each and every time I ask Chief Clansancy or Superintendent Colasso or any of our department heads for support, they never hesitate to
offer their support and partnership. Without their support, these programs wouldn't be possible. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Council McGra. >> Thank you, Mayor. First, although it seems like a long time ago, the rabies clinic was in March and it was a
wonderful success. It's one of my favorite things to do all year. I love dogs and cats. And I'd like to thank Carol Corberry who is a veterinarian and donated again this year. she did the honores and Joe Leage who organized it
from Montaburo um Moy and Marian Maharaj um also volunteered uh at the clinic and it was a wonderful success. So thank you and thank you to everybody who came down to get their pets vaccinated. Three weeks is not a fun thing. Let's make
sure it disappears forever. Um the library has new two new museum passes, one to the Cleveland and one to the Storm King which is a sculpture garden. And thank you to the friends for supplying the funds for those museum passes as well as the few that we got
earlier this year. I think we now have six. So hopefully we'll be able to add to that next year. The local history room, the what will be the Tinducia history room uh is being installed this week. So, I'm really excited to see how
that comes out and we'll have an opening reception uh sometime in the fall. Um last week was National Library Week and as part of that the friends of the library organized a big basket bonanza which was very successful. The baskets
were terrific. Thanks to Chief Mental and I thank the entire so many people who participated. Art finished uh its tax season. and uh they can come come every year to as volunteers to help people in Moba with
their taxes. We uh our new um library director Stephanie Alstro has put together a strategic plan for 26, 27, and 28. You can see a copy of it at the library if you'd like. It talks about the goals of the library and metrics
that will be used to determine if our goals are reached. It's the first time that I know of that we've ever done this. So, um think you'll enjoy it. And there even some pictures, so that's always a plus. Uh the red leveling board uh met last week and we had an interesting
discussion about why some apartments are not subject to rent control. I know we talked earlier this evening about Bookchester apartments being rent control, but there's some because of the way they're financed aren't for a period of time. For example, the nest. So, we had discussion about that because a
couple of fans came to talk about the um more than 2% rents increase they got this year and they wanted to know more about that. The senior activity center well uh councilwoman Duffy mentioned that burough nurse scaffed online on the burough website. They of
ours have several trips scheduled. Recently they went to a show on Broadway. Uh last week they went to a casino in Pennsylvania and they're planning a cruise on the Hudson River for this summit. So that will be lots of
fun. And I think that's it. Oh, the library also had a meet and greet on Friday at a lunchon for the staff, the trustees, and the friends of the library. This is our second annual. book community every year because each one of those groups contributes their own in
its own way to making our library the fabulous library that it is. So we thank all the staff members and the trustees um and the friends. Thank you. Thank you. I'm not going to just repeat everything.
14 events we had since our last meeting. I was probably at 13 of them and they were all fantastic. I did want to say that it was um truly an honor and most deserving that we named the field after Debbie Jagger. So whole field a field
and that was that was really special to add to that opening day. Uh we've been talking about affordable housing a lot tonight. Just wanted to remind everyone you go to the burough website. We have an affordable housing picture right on it. Click on it. Everything that we are doing with
affordable housing, including correspondence between judges and our lawsuits, is on that page for anyone to follow and to learn more. Um, that's all I have. Everyone has seen the resolutions. Are
there any that need to be pulled for further discussion? And we'll vote. Okay. If not, I'd ask for a motion to go to the public. >> Motion. >> Second. >> All in favor? I >> ladies and gentlemen of the public, if anyone has any questions or comments related to the good and welter to the
bur of Milford, now is your opportunity to go forward. >> You got a race. >> Richard Sabolski, 58 no 48 years in New Milford. I'd just like to thank the police department. They're wonderful here. I'm so happy to be in Guilford
residents. Unbelievable. It's such a good community. I grew up with a lot of people, you know, in here. And I really want to thank the mayor and council and everybody up here on the deis for the work they're doing to with the affordable housing. You guys are doing
an awesome job and you should be uh appreciated for that. And that's all I have to say. >> Thank you. I will show you. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. >> Um, hi, my name is Kiana San Pedro and I
currently serve as class president at David Owens Middle School. >> My name is Michael Lean. I was here um I was at the high school meeting last month. Um, I am a I am the stage manager
at the middle school and uh my family also owned a business at the uh Rochester shopping centers. >> Hi, I'm Ethan Kim. I'm also another student at the at the middle school here and I also talked at last month's
meeting. >> Hi, I'm Ari. I'm also student Dio and I was on the basketball team and I do theater and stuff. >> Sorry, I'm short. Um, I have a question addressing the demolition of the Brook
Country Shopping Center to pave way for apartments, which I also started a petition about a few weeks ago. So, my question is, will there be more facilities built and more teachers hired to help the to help accommodate the overcrowdedness that could occur through the new apartments coming? And if so,
where is the funding coming from? >> Well, the hiring of of staff for the school district is up to the board of education, not the mayor and council. I would imagine that when the need comes, of course, they're going to look to do what is best for our school district and
our students. Um, as you know, we are trying to limit the amount of school age children from overdevelopment, but when it comes to hiring and increasing staff, that that's a border decision, not us.
>> But that's a good question. I I I just wanted to say, >> but ultimately the taxpayers will pay for it. >> That's the I just had to I just wanted to say thank you. Your leadership is incredible. I'm so impressed by you. Your petition is amazing. Thank you for
becoming for for rising up as a leader in our community. I respect you. Well, good job. >> So, I was here I was not here but at the high school at last month's meeting. Um, I work under Mr. Dan Pre and Miss uh
Mrs. Heidi Habith Bower. Um, I help them like with the theater program at the middle school. So, like so far in my 3 years at the middle school, this year has been like the most like there's been
the most people in the music program. Um, last year I believe there was only about 50 to 60 people in the band. Um, this year I would say it's closer to 80 from if I remember properly. Um, and the
the theater program also increased by I think a a lot from what I could see. Um, so I feel like that's a little bit of an issue if we add even more like people to this
town. Uh, but also my family owns a business here. So, from when we learned about this, um, we've been stressing over it for a few months now. And if this happens, I'm
planning also to get like myself a job to help support my family, which I don't feel like it should be my responsibility. So, that's what I have to say for now. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you.
Hey, so obviously the creation of the apartment buildings is going to have an effect on the financials uh the like the financial basis of our community, right? Um historically um obviously there's like a lot of apartments and buildings
here in Newford. U historically what has how has the creation of apartments and buildings done financially to the to the town of New Milford? It's like overall uh
>> you want to know how apartments have helped me in Milford? >> Yeah, financially like just the effects. Um how have there been any like long-term effects with like taxing and >> long-term effects? I mean Brookchester apartments were built after World War II,
>> right? So they provided housing for um people coming back from the war and starting families >> and they were very successful. >> A lot of people have started in Brookchester and then went on to have families and own homes in New Milford. >> Mhm. >> So there's, you know, I'm sure there was
a period of time where these were very beneficial to New Milford. And I'm not saying they're not beneficial now. Mhm. >> I mean, apartments provide, you know, a space for, you know, certain families, certain people, um, coming and going. Also, people have stayed in apartments
their whole time in Milford. I grew up in Brookchester apartments as well. >> Mhm. >> We, it's not just the Brookchester apartments. We can't just look at them. It's everything. It's the It's the balloon effect of the affordable housing mandates that we have.
>> So, we can't just say it's Brookchester. You just can't say it's another development. It's it's everything together. And as you heard earlier, we have our assemblyman people here. We have our senator here. The idea is for new welfare to be able to lower their obligation number. And once that happens, there will be less likely for
overdevelopment in town. Anyone who comes to build something will have to conform 100% to all of our zoning and planning laws. That's one of the things that does not happen when there's going to build a remedy suit. judges in Trenton can tell the milford they can do
this and we lose local control >> and that is the biggest problem with what's going on and what we're we're facing. >> Yeah. >> But I you know apartments they they're they provide good services. I mean we get tax ratables from apartments. Um
you know so that's a hard question but no there there's obviously there's benefits of apartments in a town. It's to how many All right. Thank you. Wait, Councilman Council. >> No, you actually brought up the point I was going to bring up. >> Okay. >> And as you've heard today, there were
most of them are rent control, right? >> So that also provides a service and to us it provides affordable housing. One of the things that we're not against. We're against overdevelopment. >> All right. Thank you. Um, I don't have a question, but I just wanted to add kind of like what Michael
was saying, how um like, you know, how this isn't like uh a good idea, how we could um how it affects like the community negatively. And so, you know, I'm on the basketball team and me and all of my friends, we like to go to Kennedy Field, which is right next to
the shopping center. And usually after um you know when we're tired and we gonna stop uh playing basketball, we usually bike or walk over there. And you know it's just like a nice sort of safe space that we can all like just hang out
after in our free time. And you know, um, when there's a bunch of apartments there, it's going to be like like if there's a bunch of apartments there is, it'll be like a lot more, uh, difficult to find places to sort of, uh, relax. Um, like in this like it's getting a lot
warmer now, too. It's nice weather and it's going to be a lot of more summers with just apartments. So, I just thought, yeah, I thought it was important to say. >> Can I add something to the to your question? Every town needs a a balance
of um housing, >> businesses, and open space, >> right? >> And so you want to have a nice balance among those three >> as opposed to having it leaned more towards businesses or towards um
housing. So that's what one I think all community status look. >> Go ahead. Thank you. If if I could just just add that as we've said from the beginning, while of course we support affordable housing, we want people to have a place to live,
we oppose overdevelopment that would not only put a strain on our resources and our school districts and our services, but would also dramatically and significantly alter the character and the nature of our entire community. And I think that you you you all have raised some very excellent points and you've
asked excellent questions and simply by coming here to this meeting and coming to all of our previous meetings, you're making a difference. You're raising awareness. Thank you. >> Uh I have one last question. So, I don't know if this is accurate or not, but I
searched up like what's the population density of like this town. Um, it says it's about like 7,000 people per square mile. >> 7,100 and I think 46. >> Yeah, that I feel like that a lot compared to like since this is a small
town. It's pretty close to the city, but still like a pretty small town. I feel like it's a lot. What are like the population densities like say like Bergen Field? >> We're like the 15th >> Yeah. >> highest population density in town.
>> And it's the most densely populated town in the United States. >> Oh, without a doubt. Our population density is high. 17,000 people, 2.2 square miles. So what like didn't if these apartments were to
be like approved how much would it go up about? >> Depends on how many people moved in but it will go up. >> Okay. >> It will go up without a doubt. >> I kind of thought of one more question as well. Um uh so if with all these um apartments
being built as well um and >> I I feel like you know like you said New Milford isn't super big uh I don't think that there's >> you're super small. >> Yeah we're super tall. Yeah. Um, if there's a lot more uh population in like
such a densely packed uh neighborhood, how do you think this would affect like New Milford has like little to no poverty? I feel like like um but if there's even more people and like less opportunities for these people in New Milford, how do you think poverty uh
would be in New Milford if there was to be any >> that that's that's another um hard question because you don't know how many units or who's moving in. Yeah. >> Um, poverty is everywhere. Every community has poverty. >> So, that's let's just get that out there. You know, that's why we actually
have services that we provide. We have the food bank. We have social services to to help with that. >> Um, >> the the issue with the departments that they that are built with affordable housing, like once again, I don't want to talk specifically about a project
because we are in litigation, but just in general, 20% is affordable. And that number, that unit rate is set by the state. It's like three classifications of affordable. So, we really don't know what that number is. The rest of them are market rate. We're talking about
units that are going for 33500, $4,000 a month. >> That's not poverty. >> Yeah. >> So, it brings an influx of that if they can actually be rented, right? If the market dictates that there's enough demand for it, they will fill up. If
not, they will they'll be vacant until market conditions change. So, I I don't think, you know, it's not gonna it's not going to be a poverty strain on the town. It's going to be more public services, infrastructure, public safety,
>> flooding, contributing to flooding, right? Coverage. That's what we're talking about. And and obviously schools, right? >> More influx of uh student body. >> Yeah. The classes are like $10. Uh, last question for me. So, I've
looked at like the floor plan for their propos for their prop proposal of this like apartment complex. So, I feel like the parking lot is like really small. There's no room for any parking. Like
even now there's like barely any room. Sometimes people need to go over to Shopright just to park their cars. So, how are you going to like how are we going to do anything about that? Because traffic's already pretty bad.
>> Um, all I can say is uh traffic and parking is one of the concerns we have and it has been raised with them. >> I don't think there's themselves. There's actually a study they use that
determines how many parking spots you need for any department. >> Very good. >> Thank you. >> Thank you guys. >> Mayor, here you go. Mayor doing good things. >> Mayor Council has something she wants to
I just want to remind you that um the two assembly people that were here tonight and our senator are encouraging all of us uh the public and you guys would be great to contact their office. Write
your thoughts down, your concerns. They're valid. They're important. So, you know, contact their offices. Council is correct. As Senator Lana said, once
the legislation is introduced and he comes to us to support it, we should organize something together and with the schools and all flood it with letters and support. That's that's how we'll do. We'll definitely reach out to >> I think more importantly, aside from contacting them because they're already
on our side, he suggested contacting other senators throughout the state, >> right? and attending >> let's get in touch and coordinate that >> and committee testimonial when it's presented >> mayor
>> pardon me mayor uh testimonials in person testimonials when the bill is introduced in committee is also extremely helpful >> thank you so much >> thank Seeing that no member of the no other member of the public wishes to come forward at this time. I ask for a motion
to close it. >> Motion second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Okay. May I get a motion to approve resolutions 2026 column 116 through 2026 calling 125? >> Motion. >> Second. All
>> in favor? Any opposed? Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to be going into close session. When we come out of close, this governing body will take no formal action. I get a motion to go into close session. >> So move. >> Second. >> All in favor?
>> I move. >> Thank you very much. Thank you for attending tonight. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. Good job.