Please give the public. >> Good morning. Welcome to the special meeting of the Newark Municipal Council on Tuesday, October 7th. In accordance with New Jersey Law, adequate notice of this meeting has been provided to the Star Ledger, the Jersey
Journal, and the public at large establishing the date, time, and location of this meeting. In addition, the agenda for this meeting was disseminated on October 3rd at the time of preparation and posted on the city's website. Roll call. >> Council
>> present. >> Gonzalez >> present. >> Kelly >> present. >> Kintana >> here. >> Ramos >> here. >> Scott Roundree >> present. >> Silva absent. President Trump >> present. >> Council president. Council members I'm aware of an executive session. Like to
take a roll call for exe. >> Roll call for executive session. Council, >> yes. >> Gonzalez, >> yes. >> Kelly, >> yes. >> Kintana, >> yes. >> Ramos, >> yes. >> Scott Roundtree, >> yes. >> Silva, absent. President Crump,
>> yes. >> We'll be back. Good morning. Brandy Daniel, legislative coordinator for economic and housing development. Council president to the question. Um the amendment in this agreement is to list the lender within
the language of the agreement as the mortgage e >> I hate to say that. Can you say it again a little more in the mic? I I really >> The lender is requesting to be uh put into the agreement paperwork as the mortgage e in order to uh give funding to the developer. So they want to be
mentioned within the agreement. So we had to do the amendment. >> Okay. Anything else from the council? >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Roll call to advance and adopt. >> Yes.
>> Gonzalez. >> Yes. Kelly, >> yes. >> Nana, >> yes. >> Ramos, >> yes. >> Scott Roundtree, >> yes. >> Silva, >> yes. >> President Trump, >> yes.
>> The ordinance adopted today on first reading will be advertised in accordance with law and a public hearing will be held at a regular meeting on October 22nd or soon thereafter in the council chamber. Council President, council members, we
have one added starter. It's 7R8 CSS which is waving special event application permit fee for the annual trike masters breast cancer motorcycle run sponsored by Councilman Gintana. >> Is there a second?
>> Second by Councilman uh uh Gonzalez. >> Roll call. >> Council. >> Yes. >> Gonzalez. >> Yes. >> Kelly. >> Yes. Kintana, >> yes. >> Ramos, >> yes. >> Scott Roundtree, >> yes. >> Silva, >> yes.
>> President Trump, >> yes. >> We are in the 30 minute public comment portion of this meeting where each speaker will have three minutes to speak. Please state your name for the record. Is there anyone wishing to address the council?
Good morning everyone again. >> Good morning. >> Uh Donna Jackson. So I see you deferred the budget again but still it's not clear even on the city website and the state website. There's no breakdowns. I
asked at the last meeting uh what is the amount being spent currently for executive protection and I'm not playing. Is it up to $30 million? because the police budget has increased. Um, and I have a problem paying officers outside of my city. Yes, the mayor's going to travel, but we don't need to
take 13 with him. He could take one. Uh, J drive with one. Uh, if you guys had one, you'd be driving with one. You wouldn't have two in the back and a car behind you. I don't know what this presidential stuff that Corey Booker started. And then we we continue the
nonsense, but that's too much money on executive protection and you guys need to start pushing back. I like that you push back on this budget today, but I'd like to know what direction is the state giving you. How much fines have you guys paid till today for this budget not being done? Um, this also falls on
Congresswoman MacGyver's shoulders because this is the president that she started as she sat in that seat where Mr. Trump is now. You guys are not doing what needs to be done. we're not being fiscally prudent in terms of doing the things that we need to do. You guys need
to look over the $6 million that you just gave to the housing authority. You need to see what's going on with that because people are testifying at the uh NHA meetings and it's not going well. You can't take people You can't just take Donald off the street. I've been sleeping in Penn Station for 10 years
and put me in an apartment with no support. And it's not happening. I'm telling you, the seniors are angry. They're upset. They're trying to work some things out, but y'all destroying the senior buildings with this program with no direction. The other thing is um the police budget,
the fire budget. I got a fire truck with a ladder sitting on 18th Avenue and stops and been sitting there three years. The window is broken. How do we have equipment that's not working? I didn't hear anybody in their budget presentation doing that. The budget presentations that were given horrible
and it needs to be redone. the disrespect you guys show us by allowing these departments run by the administration to just give half hazard. I didn't hear anybody ask for extra staff. What are you doing in code enforcement? What's being recouped in code enforcement? How much money are we
making from the parking authority? How much of that comes back over here? I'm very serious because you talking about we operating in a deficit. We over here we borrowing money. Y'all asking the state for money. That's fiscally irresponsible. And that's been happening before some of you got up here. with
this Barack administration since 2014. We spending what we don't have and that's got to stop. Y'all getting ready to slam these homeowners. I talked about Urban, but y'all getting ready to kill these people. And I'm out there with the senior freeze applications and the anchor applications letting people know
what you guys are doing because Urban doing the same thing. They don't have a budget, but they put in their assessments for the revaluation. And average homeowner is getting a $2,000 increase in one quarter. Y'all getting ready to do the same thing to us. is wrong. >> Thank you for your comments. Next
speaker. >> Good morning everybody. My name is Edison. >> Morning. >> I'm the investor like I came last month like three weeks ago something like that. So I own the properties from 633 to 645 South 18th Street. You guys when
I come in 2017 was worse much better look at these days in South area but we need more the taxes increase because you know a lot of investors they come because they believe in this this city like I say last time I do believe that
you guys doing but guess what last night 6:45 South 18 they vandalize the property at 1:00 in the morning I have the videos but the detectives they are over there right now you know they keep calling me I say, you know what, I'm not going to answer because I would like
especially for councelor Kelly, you're doing good job. We have a nice park over there, the streets. But like I say, you know, the properties, you know, the tax increase, the people who who
doing the tax assess assessors, you know, because the citizens, you know, they do their job. Me, other investors, you guys doing the job. But you know at this time I I lost like a $5,000 in materials. So
who's going to respond this? I need more police in the my area. Like I say 633 to 645 and I have other properties around in west in west war area. So like I say you feel frustrated you know when I see police
all day long in the home depot area. I do believe because you know the Home Depot they give a job to a lot of people and also I I do I give apartment for a lot of citizens and also you know and I pay higher taxes because you know when I
do improve like a fix the house renovations is better for the city is better for the other people believe that and also I asked last time if it's possible more signs like I say Police whoever people
eat put it in the garbage trash in my neighbor. Many times I have to myself barrels some people who eat throw in the sidewalk. So we need more education more sign is saying
place the the food in the garbage. Now I have to call the exterminator to do the the job. So like I say, appreciate what the job a guy is doing. Like I said, you're going to see more often because you know this has to be changing. You guys did the job change already. But I need change in my
my westward area. Especially for you, Mr. Mr. Kelly. Please. Thank you. I'm sorry if I be rude, but that's I feel like right now really frustrated for you know somebody bothered my pocket. Thank you so much.
>> Thank you for your comments. Next speaker. Good morning. >> Good morning. >> My name is Ariel Leavitz. Uh I grew up here in Essex County and I live in Jersey City currently. Um I'm also a public public policy specialist with
Humane World for Animals, uh formerly known as the Humane Society of the United States. I've come here today to urge this council to consider joining 150 cities in New Jersey and over 500 nationwide in passing an ordinance that
bans the retail sale of dogs and cats in pet stores. I'm urging this action because Newark's one puppy selling pet store is currently breaking state consumer protection law um has been operating without a license uh and is
sourcing from outofstate puppy mills that no one would knowingly support. Um there are also city officials that have admitted that the city does not have the ability to regulate this store. Um, on top of this, there's currently nothing stopping another store from opening in
Newark. And so, now is the time to say enough is enough. So, 150 cities have passed a humane pet shop ordinance, as I mentioned, because puppies stores uh harm residents by deceiving consumers, selling sick puppies, and using
predatory financing practices. Most recently, Union City passed an ordinance like this um which affected three puppy selling pet stores in that district. This offers pet stores an opportunity to move to a more humane business model to
expand their, you know, services and goods. They could sell uh dog toys, dog food, offer boarding or grooming, things like that. things that um folks who have pets are willing to spend a lot of money on. The pet service and and retail
industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. Um and no pet shop needs to sell puppies in order to be successful. Additionally, under an ordinance like this, residents would still be able to get the pet of their choice by going to
their local animal shelter, a local rescue, including breed specific rescues. Um, and they would still be able to go to responsible breeders who are only selling directly to the public, showing folks, you know, where the parents, where those puppies have been raised and people can make that decision
for themselves. Um, going forward, if this is something that you consider, I'm offering myself as a resource. Um, we our organization has uh language that we can help draft that would fit into the city code of Newark. and um I'm I'm here
for any questions that anyone may have. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you for your comments. Next speaker. It's been a minute since I did this. Donald Jackson, New York resident, good friend of mine
few years ago told me that we govern through effective policy and either the policy is ineffective or we're not governed properly. It could be a combination of both.
We're less than 90 days away from 2026 and we do not have an approved budget for 2025. How is this effective governing? How is this good governance? Convince me as a Norcer
that the city hasn't already over spent what is proposed budgeted for 2025. Sounds like mis fiscal mismanagement to me. And unfortunately, the taxpayers
and the citizens are being extorted. Parking is criminal here downtown. If you do not properly pay the meter and in some parts of downtown you can't feed the meter, you will receive a $91 parking ticket.
How much money is coming back to the city of New York from these fines? I don't have too much for today as I'm still trying to comb through the budget because quite honestly it's a little hard for me to understand.
um could be due to me forgetting how to read certain things since my time on the school board. Some things look familiar, some things don't. But I do have to ask the question, how is this good governance? Before any of you talk about the
beautiful America bill, before you talk about the federal government shutdown, just know that the city of North has not adopted a 2025 budget. How is that good governance? The residents are demanding
good governance and I think we're owed that here in the city of North. You can't run on a platform for 20, 30 years and talk about a previous administration, a previous administration and here we are 10 years later
and have no representation. Things are not getting better. Do you drive through this city? Where are the street cleaners? I can't tell you the last time I saw a street cleaner. So, I'mma get off my soap box and I'll
be back. But again, I have to beg the question, is this good governance? >> Thank you for your comments. Next speaker. >> Looks like public speaking. Uh, no other public speakers now closed.
Council President, council members, that concludes the agenda for today. >> Roll call to adjourn. >> Council, >> yes. >> Gonzalez, >> yes. >> Kelly, >> yes. >> Nana, >> yes.
>> Ramos, >> yes. >> Scott Roundtree, >> yes. >> Silva, >> yes. >> President Trump, >> yes. >> Council members, we are now in the special conference portion of this meeting. We will have a discussion
regarding the puquanic watershed from directors Adem and director reading. >> Good morning directors. >> Good morning council president, council members. Kareem, director of department of water and sewer utilities.
A great morning uh council president and distinguished council members Darnell Reading, director of department of recreation, culture affairs and senior services. Great morning, council president, council members, the wershed consists of uh 74.6 square miles
of uh watershed land, a little over 37,000 acres that the city owns in four different counties. Um, in 2022, the city finished phase one of a security upgrade plan, uh, which required us to do infrared lightning on
some infrared cameras on some of the dams. Uh, bring internet connectivity to some of the dam areas and the spillways. Also do target hardening, putting up barriers, some roads, road improvements and things like that.
Um, we own not is 24.6 six square miles including the airport and the seapport. So the wershed land that we own is about three sizes the size of north. Um the city also inside that wershed we have five uh reservoirs with a capacity
of 15.5 billion gallons of raw raw water. Some of the other security improvements we've made we currently have three security guards. We have uh four security vehicles, two pickups, two uh mark uh security cars and three ATVs.
About two years ago, we hired a drone pilot. We ordered we now fly three drones. I mean, two drones. They go out manned or unmanned. I mean, we can program them to fly on their own, come back and land on the roof of the watershed building or wherever we
choose, or we can just ride it. We also just hired Michael Baker in 2022 to do a watershed encroachment study. As a part of that encroachment study, we identified about a little over 300 properties um 300 potential
encroachments. We started going out sending letters out to those individuals to cease and desist um removing off the city's property. in 2025. Earlier this year, we partnered with um
Greystone, another company that's helping us working with our city surveyor Joe Fox to follow up on some of the people that's still encroachment so we can start legally putting them in court to remove off our property and that's still ongoing. We've also finished a study on the
watershed police force that's, you know, we got the study back. is still being reviewed by the law department and the administration, but that's something that we're still looking forward to one day having that um security force up there. We've just recently um put out bids uh
as of uh two weeks ago on phase 2 a of the waterershed security project, which will cause to do a little more fencing around our Cedar Grove area and and some drainage improvements. Um, we've also we've also
hired about we've hired three additional foresters and two different two more engineers to come on board to help us work with um the Highlands Commission around restoring our trailways and access and doing the tree canopy,
counting our trees and taking better quality of our water source that we comes into the the reservoirs that we treat at the bquinic water treatment plant. We know that this administration since 2014 has in took the in the
forefront of the steps it took to better protect our wershed and it's still more to go and we look forward to doing that. I'm going to turn it over to director Ray. >> Thank you director. uh there's u some key points that I want
to uh address in direct did uh kind of you know stabilize in in terms of what's very important which is our high urgent importance and that's providing additional security uh ticket enforcements as well as our
fee scale upgrades. So just want to uh present to you uh the collection of revenue that from our uh daily activities at the camp. I'm just going to go from 2022 our revenue
collected was $94,978 and 2023 it was $82,940. uh 2024 was 88,258 and year to day to date currently is $90,17. So also which I have attached in that
package are some of the concerns that uh we are facing at camp watershed. Uh we have some folks that's riding ATVs. I'm quite certain director IM is uh you know doing a little bit more to enforce additional securities but that
also is going to be additional funding that's needed as well. Uh the encroachment issues in terms of uh getting our fair share and more importantly uh going up on our increases uh for non Newark residents.
uh our problematic situation which I believe can be abated is that we have folks that just comes in uh from the uh uh township itself in West Milford, PA, New York and um they show disrespect
right in terms of okay uh if we don't have enough security we're going to come in and utilize the facilities anyway. So that's something that we're working diligently on to ensure that we can get the revenue that the city of Norc is owed and also to help sustain us
fiscally to move forward. So uh what my recommendations are for our fees is to go up on our non-norc resident fees. We're going to uh stabilize our fees we have currently for Newark residents. keep that what it is and also look at um
you know getting the best bang for the residents of the city of New York uh increasing those outside entities and agencies that's trying to abuse the facility. I'm open up for questions. >> Yeah, Mr. Chair
>> questions from the council councilman. Dr. Kareem, uh, can you give us an assessment of the recent fire at the watershed and what were the damages? >> Yes, Council President, Councilman Quentana's question. So, we this the
latest fire that we had burned 800 acres. Um, if we do know that uh maybe earlier last week, the commissioner for the D issued a drought warning. So, we're in a drought. So a lot of forest fires in the drought is right very dry.
That means the ground is very dry. So anything can spark a fire a forest fire. But the last fire was contained in about three days but it burnt up about 800 acres. Not all fire I just want to clarify. Not all wildfires are
dangerous. You know unlike in Florida they do they burn about three million acres every year. It's called control burns. Control burns help you limit a wire a wildfire from getting out of control, right? And vegetation grows back. In New Jersey, they really don't
do too many control burns, but it's something we did bring up to the state about doing control burns, right? Because it allows the vegetation to grow back in in a good time. So, um, West Milford Township and the local responders that come up there, our NORC
team, you know, uh, OEM director John James and his team all they always come up and visit when there's a wildfire so we can provide assistance. I mean, they also use our water to put out the the wildfire, but um, our team always respond.
>> Thank you, Councilman. Council, >> yeah, a couple of things. um o over the the the course of 2022 to 2024 uh director and we have and 2025 it
seems like we have uh decreased in the uh revenue uh up there and then some of the information that both you and and director deem uh discussed uh was the uh encroachment issues uh as well as uh
just other violation ISS issues of individuals just using the facilities. Uh and it it may appear that that correlation uh helps to discover one the probably need for more security. So I know we talked about the two drones, we talked
about um the potential of the three guards, but what does that look like and dates of service? Are they up there during the weekend? What is the high volume of incidents that are occurring? Is it happening on Saturdays or Sundays or the weekend? if we have the adequate
amount of staff up there uh to cover uh all of this because one it it appears that even with the encroachment issues, what is the plan moving forward uh to deal with it, especially the the space uh that we have up there and the amount
of dollars? What does that look like in terms of dollars and cents, the security issues, and what will be our plan uh for that? I know we talked about possibly raising the fees for non-residents. I'm definitely uh in agreeance uh with that,
but without the proper security and and and and detailing up there, probably raising those fees with individuals who are um going on the property uh unobstructed uh is um
not be helpful. Um, so I just want to try to wrap our arms around that and those plans. Where are we in in a kind of, you know, vangelo way with both of you guys trying to work to to deal with this? >> Well, actually that's a great point, Councilman Council, but to your point,
um, it would actually actually help us and I'm just going to keep pointing that uh point out in terms of the security perspective, right? Uh, we're open Monday through Saturday. Uh, we're not open on Sundays. So, uh, unfortunately on Sundays, I feel as though, you know,
some of the residents that's in surrounding areas feel as though they have free reign to enjoy the city of Newark's property. Right? So, what I do uh suggest and recommend is that uh we have, and I'm just putting this number out. I believe this would be a great
number, right? if we could have 10 additional officers at uh camp watershed. In addition to that, right, we two team members to actually uh work at our uh location which is our main office. Uh we had one uh team member uh
resign, moved on. So uh we still need to fill a void there. Right. So once we able to fill that void, we will have more as you say presence and to be able to uh do more monitoring and and gathering uh those uh fiscal uh you know
disparities that we we're dealing with. So I'm looking at that from a more of a collection uh perspective. Revenue in addition to that um with security and I'm I'm just going to kind of double down on this is that uh it provides us
the opportunity to ensure that these payments and when you seen the uh the decrease from 2022 to 2023 and versus to year to date which is not 90,17 that's a blessing. we at this particular time and receive that revenue of
$90,717. But more importantly, we would be uh collecting way more revenue than that if we had more um you know hands on boots on the ground, a couple of more people working in the main office and once
again uh additional security to ensure that uh these residents or these entities are paying their fair share. And right now we're not even talking about fair share. We're talking about to increase the cost and because we lost a
lot of revenue unfortunately in such this manner. So now it's time to uh enforce uh the outside entities if I could use that terminology to give the city of New York fair share and more. >> Anything else? Councilman council.
>> Yeah. Uh just wait the director Dean. I know we talked about the possible 300 uh potential encroachments. I know one of them is behind the train track where there's a baseball softball field someone uses up there religiously. There's a couple of other areas but just
in terms of just being aggressive uh in that area and then you know ultimately after that um to talk about some kind of revenue generating ideas right there are individuals who are up there they go up during this season cut our wood take it
home sell it on on on the road uh but just to think about some possible um you know revenue generating ideas that would be able to help us outside of raising the fees and Then just to give perspective to when we just talk about what's happening up there, when you talk
about boating licenses and hunting licenses uh as it as it refers to, you know, all all of the kind of wildlife that we have up there and individuals who are up there hunting and fishing uh really for free uh in the city not
generating or gaining the revenue from it. um how do we you know really put our hands on it when we talk about the two drones that we have and the three security guards for 37,000 miles of land 72.6
square miles of land. >> So yes council president councilman council one the water security force is working seven days a week so we're here seven days a week. Um, two, we work with the local all those local
towns that border the watershed, right, to call them in when we need assistance with the police force. Um, 76 four square miles, the heavy encroachment that we seen years ago, we don't see now because everybody know
we're out there and we're coming out of the our team and the city surveyor and Greystone, the company that we hired and Michael Baker to follow up. We've have um and I can get that amount. We re red we did some leases with people that leasing land whether they're parking for their stores or their businesses or they
wish to do some encroachment. I can get that number. So we do see revenue coming from those areas because people have always asked to lease land whether they open up a new business or parking up there. So that doesn't go unabated. the more of the encroachment that we're
doing is making sure people get off our land that shouldn't be on our land, we want them to cease and desist or they can request to lease parts of our land, but if we if if the conservation easement allows it. The other part that
a lot of the the illegal tree cutting is not to the area is not like it used to be, right? again our presence with the with the more foresters that we hired um security being able to ride some of these ATVs that we see um we do work
with the state um D and the and the uh game warding to come up there and stage you know sitins and pass information on to them so our job is not to chase people on the ATV is really to track the ATV right where it's going so they may
park four miles away we go and with the drone stoop down get the license plates of all those pickup trucks or trucks they putting those four-wheelers on. We then work with the local police in the city and we send them letters that we've seen you up there. We catch you up there. All that type of stuff, right? Where we want to make sure we're
informing them that they're trespassing. We will, you know, confiscate these and go after them legally for trespassing on the city's property. So, I think more people are noticing that we're using the drones. Uh we brought the mark police cars up there maybe two years ago.
security cost. Are we saying that? But it's never enough security when you're talking about um 37,000 acres, 76.4 square miles. However, I think this administration is moving forward uh aggressively um with the police force
that's been under review that and continuing to do um phase one, two, and three of the security upgrade, right? and collaborate and continue to collaborate with our sister cities that border the watershed that we pay taxes to, right? They have ability when we
call them to come out and provide assistance and we hold them to that. >> Anything else from council members? I I got a quick question, I guess. What's the total and you might have said this and I I apologize if I missed it. What's the total number of employees that you
have assigned to the wershed and what are their positions? So we have five foresters, two engineers, three security personnel, and four maintenance personnel.
>> And how many vehicles are assigned here? >> We have uh two pickups, two seven >> seven total. Not counting ATVs, but it's >> How many ATVs you have?
>> Three. >> Okay. >> Are those open to us? No, I'm sure. >> Um, that's all I have. Just wanted to get the number. >> I just wanted to jump back in. Where where are we with with the uh one on on Yeah. And I know we talked about the
Verizon building again. That project uh I believe is that canister road or Verona? No, the the rising building is right by Green Pine Road. >> Green Pine Road, right? And then second, the uh uh cabin project and I know that
was uh some conversation a while back building the cabins for revenue generation on the uh uh uh watershed side where the main office is. Uh probably need to get engineer uh the engineering department back involved with that. But when we talking about
revenue generating ideas, uh that was something that was discussed and partnered with. So if we can get an update on where we are with that project. >> You're talking about the overnight camping project. I I don't know that's something that engineering, but we can revisit that. Engineering is working on
thinking about an overnight camp. Um thought that was a great idea when they brought it up years ago. Um I'm sorry, Council President. We do have three boats, too. We have three three boats. >> All right. Thank you. Uh, Councilman, I'm sorry, Councilman Katan.
>> Yeah. Director, in terms of security, are these armed officers? >> No. >> Well, let me go back in in history. One time there was presence there and they were called like rangers
>> and they were armed and there was some kind of they would tell folks you you know, do you have a permit for fishing? You didn't you were out in summons at that time. There was
two I believe they one was during the day or one at night but it was presence because the person was armed and there was respect in that area and they were called rangers. So not security guards, rangers, you
know, because again in th those folks in the woods, you know, sometimes they don't have that much respect for security. When you mention rangers to them, they they assume that somebody's armed. And again, that whole the whole
thing, how about in terms of the boats? How many how many boats boats do we have on the uh on the lake? Well, council president when council president councilman quint answer your question. one those gentlemen back then
they were we although we called them rangers they were the city security guards they were armed so we did used to have horses up there so they rode horses right on the trails right most people don't know that and we had like the little dirt bikes they rode the dirt bikes or the horses boats the city has
three boats in the watershed area and two boats at the city grove area and one boat in the city of north for the water department >> thank you >> so we got six boats >> thank you anything else from the council I'm sorry, Councilman Gonzalez.
>> Yes. Director reading, uh, you said that if you had more employees, >> yes, >> the revenue would increase. >> Uh, would they say the revenue compensate for the additional salaries that we have to pay?
Well, actually I'm looking at it from the uh from year to year date in terms of the revenue that we already collected versus to what we can be collecting if we had additional uh team members. Uh I did mention earlier that one of our team members did uh leave and went to another
u you know job. So that diminished us in terms of having uh which we should have four team members there but now we only have two. So that's why I actually um stated that we needed uh two additional team members. >> But if you were to hire them, let's say,
how much more revenue will you have? >> Well, I can't specifically answer that. How much revenue that we would generate? I would definitely I definitely know that uh we'll have more boots on the ground to be able to uh you know push our whole uh agenda in terms of uh
bringing that revenue on because we have uh more folks to to uh request uh payment instead of you know letting folks if you don't have eyes around you can't see. when you had let's say four you had four individuals uh boots on the
ground and you had revenue of 80,000 now you have one individual and you have revenue of 90,000 so the having more people working doesn't translate into more revenue is what I'm trying to say >> two right and that's on top of with what
I stated earlier we have two people not one person right it's two people we would collect more revenue than we have right now, which I also stated that's in conjunction with security because security then can enforce uh some of these folks, right? That's taking
advantage of our property and not paying and just being up there without uh enforcement to be able to uh ensure that they pay. I'm saying that the additional two uh members that we because we used to have four back in in time, right? So, I just wanted to make sure that we can
get back to where we was, right? and back in time we was able to be a little bit more effective. So that's why I said we needed two additional team members along with proposed 10 office. >> What I'm saying is that maybe adding the two people might not increase the the
revenue because at one point in time you have four and you have less revenue. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I I I get Councilman Gonzalez's point, but but to pinpoint that one, the number of permits year to date, I don't know if you have that number, but then
in in the past, the revenue was well over $100,000 annually. And so, if you have only two part-time employees up there now without full-time employees, that may be able to help in terms of the direction and the monitoring of what is
happening up at the watershed part. and then to possibly get back with the engineering uh department and look at because I know we've passed some stuff to talk about parks and and fixing parks and doing some other things. Uh but to really begin to look at what it looks
like in terms of building cabins and cabin space up on the watershed property that will help to generate revenue uh allow individuals to come up there for conferences and retreats. allow our young people who experience camp over the summer to have a real overnight experience instead of sending them to
other uh locations that would be begin to help in terms of revenue generation as well. And then I think by uh double portion adding uh the additional security of putting more eyes on individuals who are non-nor individuals
who are up there illegally hunting and fishing uh and and and and doing you know uh other things uh up on the watershed property selling the wood and all of those things that can help generate revenue in terms of ticket taking. So when we do write a ticket to
these individuals, who receives the the the payment of the ticket? Is it the city of Newark or is it West Milford? >> I'm going to yield to >> If a ticket is wrote, I don't think we currently write tickets, but if a ticket is wrote, it's West Milford or whatever
town that the ticket is wrote in because it would be their police force writing it. uh to your I'm glad you pointed that out councilman council in terms of it is a difference when we talking about thank
you for refreshing me right it's a difference when you have part-time people right we have two part-time people right so you you're straining two part-time pe uh team members one team member was full-time that actually left so that does make a big big difference
when you have uh two part- timerrs trying to do something two full-time should be doing in addition >> I Just want to just state that. >> Thank you. Anything else from the council >> hearing? None. I I believe we are we are
wrapping up. Thank you so much. Is there anything before I go? Anything else outside for the council for administration at this point? No. All right. Thank you everybody. Great. [Music]