All right. Meeting call to order. This is the August 26, 2025 mayor and council meeting. Uh would the clerk please read the statement of compliance? This meeting is being held in accordance with the open public meetings law duly announced, advertised, and posted in the
municipal building. The meeting will adjourn no later than 10 p.m. unless the majority of the council members that are present vote to extend the time. All rise for the pledge of allegiance. Chief, would you lead us in the pledge of allegiance? I pledge allegiance 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. Please remain standing for a moment of silence. Clerk, please call the role. Mayor Kala here. Council President Susinski
here. Councilman McCann here. Councilman Pignatelli. Councilwoman Rhodess here. Councilman Salamani. Salani. Sorry. Council Miss Talamini here.
John's here. And John, did I say man? You did. Yeah, you did. All done. Yep. Make a motion to excuse Councilman. Second. All in favor? I
All right. Do I have a motion to take the meeting out of order? Would you like to swear an Yes, I'll make a motion. And we finished, pal. We'd like to square in our new uh CLEO for Valley School. So, we want to take it out of order. So, move. Second. All in favor?
All right. So, we have resolution 25246 authorizing the hiring of Rodrigo D. Ro as a class 3 special law enforcement officer. Do I have a motion to approve? So move. Do I have a second? Second.
Roll call. Council President Swisinski, yes. Councilman McCann, yes. Coun Councilman Woman Rose, yes. Councilman Saliani, yes. And Councilman Talamini,
yes. Okay. At this time, I'd like to ask Rodrigo D. Ro to come up to the front of the council meeting. We'll get you sworn in. pictures. All right. This the oath of office for 3003. I, Rodrigo D. Ro.
I, Rodrigo D. Ro. Do solemnly swear. I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution that I will support the Constitution of the United States of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey in the Constitution of the State of New Jersey that I will bear true faith that I will bear true faith and allegiance
and allegiance to the same to the same and the governments established in the governments established in the United in the United States in the United States and in this state and in this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the people and that I will faithfully and I will faithfully impartially impartially
and justly and justly perform all the duties perform all the duties of the office of CEO3 of the office of CEO3 for the years 2025 through 2026 through year 2025 through the year 2026 according to the best of my ability at the best of my ability to help me guide
so help me guide congratulations thank you sir [Applause] right Congratulations. Thank you, Mayor. Congratulations. Thank you. Thank you again. Welcome to Oakland. Thank you.
Thank you, sir. Congratulations. Thank you. Congratulations. Congratulations. All right. At this time, uh, you're certainly under no obligation to stay. We're going to be going back to a regular meeting. So, make a motion to move back to the
agenda. Second. All in favor? Second. Was that you, John? Yes, it was. I All in favor? Okay. All right. We're going to move on to the mayor's report. We'll let the room just clear out for about two minutes here. All right. From a mayor's report. All
right. The number one uh inquiry I've been getting and members of the governing body have been getting in regards to the Patriots Way Bridge. All right. So, the Patriots Way Bridge itself is complete. Okay. I like the celebration. We're not quite there yet, but anyway, uh the new
signage has all been installed. Uh all the fencing has been installed. Uh the guide rail on the south side has been installed. However, our contractor ran into a problem with installing the guide rail on the north side of the bridge
with approaches of the bridge. Okay, there's a lot of utilities in the roadway. Uh we've been working trying to resolve the issue. We had a meeting this morning with the contractor and one of his subs. Uh we hope to have an update later this week. Uh but we just want to let everybody know we're working
diligently to get this bridge open as soon as we can. But the bridge itself is complete. Okay. Uh, Yapo Avenue paving. Uh, we received bids on this uh, last couple weeks ago. I'm happy to report that there's a resolution on tonight's meeting to approve the paving of Yo
Avenue. A lot of people have been really waiting for this road to get done, but we're we're right there. Uh, the flood buyout houses. Now, by Truman, we have also received bids for the flood buyout homes. And once again for tonight tonight's uh agenda, we have a
resolution approving the removal of those houses and that that contract Truman Boulevard lights for the rec for the recreation. Uh once again this previous month bids uh we have uh got a resolution ready to approve the uh
installation of the lights down at Truman Field uh which is part of our agenda. Want to remind everybody that the Oakland Outdoor Market is this Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Uh the Oakland Fire Department will have their 911 memorial service on September
7th. That's a Sunday at the Yawa Firehouse at 4 p.m. Everybody's invited. It's actually a really nice ceremony that they do down there. They shut the road down and they have plants they plant flags for each one of the victims that were killed. They've been doing this since 911. And I really encourage
the residents to come out and support this so we never forget 911. Okay. Uh the Great Oak Park Concert Series, uh there's a concert on August 31st, Sunday from 5 to 8:30 p.m. It's going to be the Mark Stan Stan Stangga
Band and they're going to be doing Bosanova and the blues. All right. the I'm sure a lot of people are familiar with the Ramapo motel site when you're coming in from Wayne and it's on the lefth hand side. Uh and if you recall this governing body passed a resolution to do a redevelopment study
about 3 months ago. So I'm happy to report that the study has been completed and they will be presenting it at this September 11th planning board meeting. after they've presented a planning board, it will be brought back to this governing body based upon their
recommendation on how to proceed and accept that study. So that is in the works. I suggest people attend that planning board meeting. Also, we're going to be passing a resolution tonight for the 250th anniversary. And what that resolution is going to allow us to do is to form a
committee so that we can have programs and events for the 250th, which is next year. And just a quick programming note, uh, Altis has changed the channel for public access for our meetings. It's no longer 77. They've made it real easy to
find at 1,316. So, we are public access to channel is 1316. And that concludes my mayor's report. Do I have a motion to open a open a public? So, move. I'll second. All in favor? I any from the public wish to address the
governing body. Oh, is it open? It is open. Okay. Hi. Uh, my name is Chris Null. Uh, N O W E L and I live in Fort Lee. I'm sorry, I I wasn't sure your name again.
Chris Null, NL. Um, and I live in Fort Lee and I'm a co-founder of Bergen County Complete Streets along with Pat Doma who's here also tonight. Um, I'm I'm also a a bike and pedestrian assistant manager at Easyide. Um, and I I know that you know
uh who Easy Ride is because I know that you adopted a completing green street policy last year. Um, and so, you know, I'm here because of the crash that really resulted in the death of Jaylen Gomez and the injuries to his family.
And, you know, um, I was obviously heartbroken to learn the news and then I came and I I visited the memorial shortly afterwards and um, I I came back again because I it was just kind of like eating at me like what had happened. And
so, um, I I checked out the intersection. and I came with my wife and we kind of uh just observed and believe it or not we were almost struck by drivers twice in a row making a left turn um while we were attempting to cross like in this direction from the
other side of of 202 and um you know it really kind of made me think about the design of the the intersection besides so I don't want to talk for too long tonight I mean I know there's a limit anyway but um you know I was really
impressed to to find out that Oakland um you had you have developed some commercial district plans for parts of 202 and you had applied for the TA TA set aside grant and I'm really glad that you worked with Easy Ride to adopt a complete and green streets policy and so
we uh we have been gaining a fair amount of experience um in kind of like um I guess I could say dealing with the county. So, uh, speaking with county commissioners, uh, learning as much as we can about how the county, uh,
interacts with municipalities, right? And in Fort Lee, um, uh, I helped to form a mayor's active transportation advisory committee. So, we're going to be interacting with the county very soon. And, um, they the county has a local safety action plan that is
essentially finished right now. The engineering and planning team will be passing it to the county commissioners hopefully soon. and it it actually covers some intersections like a few that are along 202 um with with recommendations for
solutions that are very simple and cheap or even uh no cost and quick to implement. And so, you know, really here uh just to kind of like uh offer our support um in in however we can and um
you know, be here to to listen too if you have questions for us or figure out how how we could you know assist each other or collaborate to kind of make sure that some of the conditions are improved um you know um in in areas where there
there may be some dangerous interactions. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else wish to address the company? Sir, I'm just gonna come up Pat Doma. I'm just going to kind of echo a little bit of Chris. You need to speak. Sorry. I'm just going
to echo a little bit of what my uh colleague Chris said. Um we're we're county advocates for safe streets and so this was something that just when we saw the story it was very heartbreaking. Um it's a county road that's involved. So
it's something that we have brought to the county's attention multiple times. And so we just kind of wanted to show up and lend any support that we could in terms of trying to get some kind of movement cuz it's from what we've seen Oakland has made some efforts to try and
get improvements on this roadway before. So you know any anything that we can be of assistance with be Thank you so much. Anybody else wish to address the governing body? Not seeing anybody. We have a motion to close. So moved. Second. All in favor?
All right. We have approval of minutes July 15th, 2025. We have a motion to approve. So moved. Second. Roll call. I'm sorry. Who's who motioned? I didn't hear. It was me. Kevin. It was Kevin. And then who second? John.
Thank you. Sorry. Couldn't hear you roll. Okay. Okay. Roll call. Council President Sinski, yes. Councilman McCann, yes. Councilwoman Rose, yes.
Councilman Saliani, yes. Councilman Talamini, yes. All right, we have July 15th, 2025 executive minutes. Do I have a motion to approve? So move. Okay. Who? Russ and John.
Second. If anybody's any changes has to be done exebody any changes otherwise it has to be done executive session. Not seeing any roll call. Council President Slinsky. Yes. Councilman McCann. Yes. Councilman Councilwoman Rhodess.
Yes. Councilman Saliani. Yes. Councilman Palini. Yes. Okay. We're up to special announcements appointments and raffles. Uh I'm sure you've everybody had a chance to seen the new access for
all logo on your packet. Yes. Uh that was put together. It was actually voted by um the at the Oakland Carnival uh with members of the Access for All community and their population. They had several logos
to choose from and this is the one that came out as the winner. And I guess the question is for this governing body is are we happy with this logo and do we want to adopt this logo going forward for access for all? I'm open for comments or suggestions. Any discussion?
You're good with it. I'm good with it. I'm good with it. Everybody's good. I'm good. All right. So, I guess Mr. Cruz, we have to put that to a vote or we just uh put it out on a resolution for next meeting. Uh unless the burough attorney says otherwise, I think just a a quick vote
to memorialize that in the minutes would suffice. Yeah, I think that'd be fine. So, we'll just put to a vote right now. Yes. Motion. A motion motion to adopt the new logo for access for all John and Steve. Okay to do all in favor?
Yes. All in favor? All right. Very good. Uh we have from Garden State Builders for 445 Rampo Valley Road. They wish to do work on the weekends. Mr. Coons, you want to expand on that for us?
Uh sure. They approached the burough clerk with the request they are looking essentially to work indoors on Saturdays. Looking for permission to work indoors on Saturdays 9th to 4. Uh
starting this Saturday through January 3rd. So pretty much every Saturday. Uh that's one part of their request. And then they're also looking to work outdoors uh on the Saturdays in September uh the 6th, 13th, 20th, and
27th, I believe. Also 9 to 4. So that is their that is their request. I mean, clearly it's on route 202 right by the Exxon station. Uh does anybody on this governing body have any concerns? Just for traffic.
Just say it again. just for traffic like you know shouldn't miss uh engineer shouldn't be issuing traffic correct the work there should be no additional traffic all work will be on site it shouldn't generate generate any additional traffic what they're proposing okay any other
what's the outside work going to be sighting finishing installing of sighting on [Music] that's in that's insighting Any further discussion? All right. Somebody
want to make a motion to approve? So move. Have a second. Second. All in favor? I I All right. Mr. Cruz, you can let them know that's I just want to make it clear we're improving both, right? Indoor and outdoor. Okay. Okay. Uh and I I will point out to one
of the standard provisions that you adopt uh with these approvals is that if we do receive complaints that we reserve the right of course to revisit it and you know amend the uh the approval. All right, we're going to do these raffle license as a consent agenda. I
got raffle license RL1554 for the RE Foundation for Autism on January 13th 26th. I got authorized rapper license RL155555 for the Knights of Columbus for for December 12th, 202025 for a 50/50. Authorized social affairs permit
for the Elks Lodge 21667 on September 20th from 5 to 9:00 p.m. for a fundraising concert. I got authorized raffle license RL1556 for the Oakland Elks on September 20th, 2025 for a 50/50 to support the Elks charities. I
got authorized raffle license RL1557 for the Oakland Elks on November 22nd for a Tricky tray to support the Elks charities. I got authorized raffle license RL1558 for the Oakland Elks for November 22nd for a 50/50 to support the Elks charities. I've got authorized
social affairs permit for the Oakland Elks 2167 on November 22nd from 5 to 11 for a tricky tray to support the lodge. Do I have a mo motion to approve? So move. Do you have a second? Second. All in favor?
I. All right. Moving right along. I got two appointments. First one is Ben Eer to the Oakland Sustainable Green Team. That's a mayoral appointment. And the next one I have is Veronica O'Brien for the arts committee. This I would like to bring Veronica forward. Uh this is mayor with council
consent. So move. Do have a second. Second. Who's got it? Caroline. Okay. All in favor? I Congratulations, Veronica. You're on the arts committee. All right. We're up to the approved also.
Yep. Mhm. All right. We're going to do a consent agenda for the resolutions. Have a consent agenda for 25.227 through 25257. Does anybody wish to pull any out? Not seeing any. Do I have a motion to approve? Move.
Do I have a second? Second. Mr. Talamini and I got Councilwoman Rose. Roll call. Council President Sassinski. Yes. Councilman McCann. Abstain. Councilwoman Rose. Yes.
Councilman Saliani. Yes. And Councilman Tamini. Yes. Rep ordinance. Uh we have introduction of 25 code 973 property maintenance maintenance. Mr. Coons, you want to just revisit this real quick? Uh sure. This follows on from our
conversation uh at the last meeting in workshop regarding a couple of changes uh most significantly just to uh put residential properties on the same footing as commercial properties in terms of prohibiting parking on front lawns. There a couple of uh another
change there to regarding the enforcement officers. Uh and there's a section of the code that's we're taking one provision regarding the height of grass putting it in the property maintenance code where it belongs. There was a question that was raised at the last meeting regarding uh that provision
regarding uh parking on grass and what other towns may or may not prohibit it. Uh we surveyed surrounding towns uh looked at 19 different codes. Uh 12 of the 19 uh prohibit parking on laws in some manner.
Okay. Can I just I I was working in another town and I was in in a backyard and the yard behind them, they had a big box truck and I and I asked the the people that that I was the house that I was in,
you know, is that always there and they said, "Yeah, it's been there for about a year." Um, and they weren't happy about it. Do we have any any anything about somebody parking, you know, a box truck in their backyard for long periods of time or is that just something
or even RVs? So we so we do have regulations regarding parking uh of contractor vehicles uh construction vehicles, RVs and the like. Uh and certainly if they're parking it in the backyard on grass, well this would then
prohibit that from happening. Okay. Thank you. Any other further discussion? Yes. Mission. All right. Do I have a motion to introduce 25 code 973 property maintenance? So moved. Council Saliani. Do we have a second?
Second. Councilwoman Rose. Roll call. Council President Sinski. Yes. Councilman McCann. Yes. Councilwoman Rose. Yes. Councilman Saliani. Yes.
Councilman Talini. Yes. All right. Final adoption will be uh September 9th council meeting for with public comment. All right. We've got 25 code 974 capital ordinance. various public improvements. Mr. Coons, you want to talk to us about water?
Uh, sure. One of the uh one of the projects that we're looking to move ahead with uh is an INI, also known as inflow and infiltration project for the Oakwood Nles part of the sewer collection system. The purpose of that
type of project is to basically regrout the lines, make sure manholes are sealed, you keep water from getting into the system. uh that essentially then has to go through the pump station and gets sent to the sewage treatment plant and we're paying to treat groundwater or clean water and there's a cost to that.
Um so this project has been in the works. Uh we allocated money in the sewer utility budget. The capital ordinance simply funds that project. Uh we did take bids on this and a bid award is waiting in the wings for the financing to come online. So uh this is
not a bond ordinance. It is being fully funded. uh if you introduce it tonight, we think we can uh schedule adoption for the next meeting on September 9th uh and move forward with the award of the uh the contract for the work. Any discussion?
Not seeing any. M council Sal. All right. Do I have a motion to introduce 25 code 974 capital ordinance for various public projects improvements? So move. Councilman Talamy. Second. Second by Councilman Silinski.
All right. Roll call. Council President Sinski. Yes. Council uh Councilman McCann. Yes. Councilwoman Rose. Yes. Councilman Saliani. Yes.
Councilman Telamini. Yes. All right. Final adoption of public comment will be the September 9th meeting. Uh we'll let the record show that Councilman Pignatelli has just joined us. I guess he just came back from an EMS call. All right, we're up to final adoption 25
code 971 filming ordinance. This has to do with uh fees for shooting motion pictures in the town of Oakland. It was introduced at the last meeting. Uh this is now open for public comment. Do we have a motion open to the public? So moved. Do we have a second? Second. All
in favor? I. Anybody from the public wish to discuss 25 code 971 filming ordinance? Not seeing anything. Motion to close. So move. Second. All in favor?
All right. This is the final adoption of 25 code 971 filming ordinance. Do I have a motion to adopt? So moved. Councilman Saliani. Second by Councilman Slinski. Roll call. Council President Sinski. Yes.
Councilman McCann. Yes. Councilman Pigmatelli. Abstain. Councilwoman Rose. Yes. Councilman Saliani. Yes. Councilman Tamini. Yes. Okay. We're up to final adoption of 25
code 972. Amend 9-2.3 uh recreation fee schedule. I know we discussed this at the last meeting. Uh do I have a motion to open to public? So moved. I'll second. Do we have first second? We got Rose from Saliani. All in favor? I.
Anybody wish to discuss amending the recreation fees from the public? Not seeing anybody have a motion to close. Second. Got we got first and second sali.
Okay. All right. All right. Do I have a motion to adopt 25 code 972 amend 9-23 fee schedule for recreation fees? So moved. Councilwoman Rose. Second. Second by Councilman Saliani. Roll call.
Council President Sinski. Yes. Councilman McCann. No. Councilman Pigmatelli. Yes. Councilwoman Rose. Yes. Councilman Saliani. Yes. Councilman Talamini. Yes.
All right. We have no work session. Anybody have any new business? Not seeing any. Anybody have any old business? I I have something that's quasi new in in Okay. So, so um a few years ago we had
to redo a lot of our water sewage infilt drinking water with the PAS. I don't know if u Rich this is for you. Uh the state settled a nice case for$ two billion dollars in the uh regarding uh PAS water treatment and uh for people
having to go forward treating their water like we did. Um I'm told that um we should probably contact the D and there's a possibility um uh because the D will be they themselves will be in
charge of deciding who gets what. Okay. we may be able to recoup some of our costs given how recent recently we we were forced to repair because of the quality of the water and um and the lawsuit had already begun when we were doing that. So
we may qualify. So that money is going to be basically run through D to provide assistance to communities and private property owners. Okay, good. Yeah, we can reach out and be on the lookout for any programs that come out. I actually have a legal memorandum that I drafted
on behalf of another community in the area uh that I was retained to do. So I can provide that to you. That'd be great. Okay. Appreciate that. Okay. Anybody else have any old business? Not seeing any. All right. We're going to go out to our leazison council reports. Uh we'll start with Mr.
Palamini. Uh sure. We have So, winter sports signups are will be opening soon and you just have to go to the Oakland website. It's oaklandrec.org and you can sign up for all the winter
sports. Uh we just want to mention that we have we did work on two two playgrounds. One by the uh Danny D building uh brand new all ready to go. It looks beautiful. Um got some shade there. It's um uh it's a a nice nice job
they did. And then also we did uh by the Colony playground. We we renovated that. Um other than that, please uh take the time to coach your kids. I don't get to do it anymore. So uh uh I miss it and um
it's the greatest thing I ever did in my life. So uh thank you and enjoy the rest of the summer. Council Pnatelli. Uh no reports, Mayor. Thank you, Council Saliani. Um, I was asked by the fire chief to remind everyone that October is
fire prevention month and that there will be uh the poster night that they do for fire prevention week every year in the schools and on October 6th will be the drawings uh the they'll be judging all of the drawings and there'll be award at the Yawpo fire station on
October 6th uh and remind get all the residents ready to prepare in that for the um Oakland for the Oakland Communications Commission. Um, as just reiterate what the mayor said, um, Oakland, we are no longer on
channel 77. Altis Optimum is now, uh, channel 1316 and we will still remain at FiOS on channel 2145. Apologies to anyone out there. Uh, we were not, the Oakland Communication, Communications Commission was not notified this change. It was done
quickly and randomly. So we apologize for anyone who's looking for anyone who's looking for the the uh organization formal RFQS for the position of the tele television control control room engineer for the television station is are due
soon. So if anyone is interested please email assistant admin at Oakland New Jersey oakland- new jersey.org work. And then finally, finally, if you the Oakland
Communications Commission is looking for volunteers, if you are interested in joining the Bolton board committee, the newsletter committee, the television committee, the welcome website committee, or social media committee, please email occ.org to gather more information and learn about these open positions. That's all I
have tonight. Mayor, thank you. Uh, Councilman, I'm glad you reminded me. I just a note to the public uh as we were talking about the flood by house flood buyout houses that are going to be torn down. I know I mentioned at the last meeting was in my newsletter. Uh for the people that live down at Truman Field uh on Monday nights you may
see the fire department drilling on these houses. It gives a wonderful opportunity for the emergency services to work, you know, develop their skills on these houses. You may also be seeing police activity as well. Uh they will also be doing exercises throughout the houses till they come down. Uh so everything's going to be quiet. At one
point you will be hearing saws and and you're going to be hearing windows being broken out and holes being cut into the house. It's all part of the fire department drill. Uh that'll be probably a week before they come down and at that point uh all the exercise will commence. Okay. Uh council meant
um I know there's not much we can say legally, but I I just want to acknowledge thank you for coming. Uh it's important work that you've been doing is in acknowledging that that is a county road is real important in the context. Uh, and this is our first meeting and I know everyone on the
council because just we all showed up ourselves uh and the mayor as well. Uh, our hearts went out to that family. Uh, particularly I know that we're proud of the men and women of the emergency response teams, the police and in the
ambulance squad in particular, uh, the captain of the ambulance squad uh, was um, who had to work on that young man all the way to the hospital. really really bad day for everyone in uh in Oakland. And you I think you can see that uh the hearts of Oakland, how big
they are as as you drive by the site now and uh see the crosswalk with all the flowers and toys that are left. Uh it's quite a tragedy and uh thank you for coming. That it did you have an update on,
Councilman Slinsky? Uh no report tonight. Thank you, Councilwoman. Uh yes, I have a short report. um shade tree committee met on Monday, August 3rd. Um the adopt a tree program again is going very it's getting very popular. If anybody's interested in having a tree
planted in their front yard, just you know sign up for it uh by reaching out to them. Uh foresters report, I mean they we issued 22 permits, 40 trees removed and only three were replaced. Um their next meeting is scheduled for
September 8th at 7:30. Uh ours committee met on Monday, August 18th. Uh the outdoor market is doing very well. The next one coming up is August 30th. Uh there is another free outdoor concert scheduled for August 31st from 6:00 to
8:30 p.m. at the pavilion at Great Oak Park. Bring a chair. Uh Murder Mystery performance is confirmed for October 16th through the 17th. Auditions is taking place on September 9th and 10th and rehearsals will be September 16th
from 7 to 9. And that's it. Thank you. All right, we're up to uh bills to be paid. Councilman, uh total bills to be paid 2,984,9014. So moved. Do I have a second? Second. Second by council. Roll call.
Council President Swissinski. Yes. Councilman McCann, yes. Councilman Pigatelli, yes. Councilwoman Rose, yes. Councilman Zeliani, yes. Councilman Talamini, yes. All right. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? Still moved. Councilman Pnatelli. Do I have a second?
Second. C. A second by Councilwoman Telamini. All in favor? I. All right. This concludes tonight's meeting. The next burough council meeting will be held Tuesday, September 9th, 2025, 7 p.m. at the Oakland Chambers. Meeting adjourned. Thank you everybody. I'm exhausted.