77 on cable vision. Can I have a roll call, please? Mayor Neutenni here. Deputy Mayor Fischer here. Council members the chair here. Kaplan here. Weinstein here. The notice requirements of the open public meetings act for this meeting have been satisfied and a copy of the annual notice was sent to the Asbury Park Press and the coaster posted in
town hall and filed in the office of the municipal clerk on January 3rd, 2025. We are going to start off with the township engineer. Okay. Good evening everybody. Okay. Um 2023 road program has been
submitted to the state for the final change order approval. We'll get our final payment from them in about a month. The 24 program we're waiting for them to authorize us to go out to bid. 25 program we've actually started surveying the roads. The KEO project we're still waiting for the JCP and
Almeir to be set there. reached out on Monday to Jose Ortiz to see if he can give us some help. So, I haven't heard back from him yet, so I'll give him another call tomorrow. Uh, next one, Fireman Pond Dredging. Uh, it's scheduled for this October. I reached out to uh the new DPW director
uh to try to set up a meeting for next week or the week after so we can get all logistics worked out in the field with where his setup's going to be. Uh, Lollipop Pond. Um, we had a pre-app meeting with the state because there's a a tree island in the middle of the lollipop pond that we were going to
dredge. State said we cannot dredge that. It's forested wetlands. So now we're just reming the plan so we can we're going to dredge on both sides. We'll have a little island in the middle of the pond. Not that it makes a difference because you can't see it from anywhere. But just so you know, Terrace Pond, we're just waiting to finish up
some of the other ones. We're just have to do some additional soil sampling which we'll get to in probably about a month. uh 1515 Logan. We're waiting for DP approval. The deadline on that for our 30-day extension is uh the 16th, which I believe is Saturday.
Um the Bimler uh Bimler traffic study, they the county came back to me and wants us to do a traffic study for the impact of us closing that lane and what the impact will be on the light down the stream there. So, that's something we're going to have to do. They asked us to do before we close that off. So, that's what I'm
Who asked for it, the county or the county? the county asked us to do that. How much is that going to delay our plans? Uh it's really the really not the terrific report won't take the that big. It probably take us a month, maybe six weeks to do that. Um we'll try to get it in before the summer ends, next two
weeks for the traffic counts, but uh it's really how long the county takes to review it after that. So I don't think they're in any big hurry because it it's going to probably result in them having to change a traffic light down the way. I think that's what they're dragging their feet on. And just
so everybody knows, I did speak to mayor Moore about it and he knew about this months ago and was fine with it. So it really was not Asbury Park stopping it. Yeah, that did cross my mind to be honest. Listen to me. No, it can't. Listen to
me. Believe me, we were at a table and allegedly Moore and I had a problem with each other and we were literally sitting there. and sheets. They go, "You got a problem with me? You got a problem?" No, it had nothing to do with us. It was the
county. I think exactly what Greg's saying. Uh it's about the light up the way. So, I get it. That makes sense. Okay. The next one is uh the lighting for the roads up in Large Woods Sachs and an old farm. Um I reached out. I got
the lighting patterns from GE today. Looked at them. I've got the lights. We narrowed it down to two lights. What I'm going to do, I'm going to call back uh First Energy JCPNL now and get the cost difference between the two and see which one we want to pick to uh to use.
Obviously with the cheap one. They're both LEDs have bought roughly the same pattern. I just want to make sure they're both about the same cost. Greg, are you recommending that every time there's a light out that they go LED? Uh we haven't there haven't been We have not. No, they're going to start. Okay. I know they've been they've not
really changed a lot of lights and they usually don't ask, but I'm going to tell Jos Ortiz that that's what we want to match these in the future. Just makes sense instead of us. So, they're the brighter ones. They're not that yellowy looking. No, they're the white or that cleaner light. That other color that Yeah. Like sodium
like a Yeah, like a orange pinkish. Yeah, like pinkish orangey looking 80s. Right. Totally. And these are well what we're going to do as we that's we discussed before I want to start on largewood because this they're going to be a lot brighter than what's there. So
it's it's that's probably a nice road to start on it's a little wider a lot less you know a lot more traffic a lot less homes. So I think if we start on that then we kind of our way into the neighborhoods after that. Plus it comes down to cost. I don't think we're going to have it in our budget this year to do these. So these will probably have to be
done next summer. But just to let every know they're coming. We'll pick it and we'll get it all queued into JCP. I don't know how long it's going to be on their Q cycle once we order them for them to install them either cuz they're as we're seeing the set of meters taken, you know, over 9 months so far.
But I'll work all that out before the next meeting and let you know. Uh the new DP DPW facility on Cindy Lane is uh believe AR has submitted the wetlands delineation for approval. So,
we should be hearing back from to go back and forth probably a couple times, probably about six months. We should get our approval for that. Then, we're going to have a couple general general permits we got to do, but generally we're looking to get that LOI approved so we can determine we can then do the soil borings to determine whether it's a landfill or illegal dump. That's what
we're waiting for because the DP won't let us do so borings until we know where the wetland alienation is, whether those borings are in or outside the wetlands. What So, does their report tell us what percentage is wetlands? What where where did we come in? About where we thought it was too. We we
guesstimated the line. It's very close to that. So, we're we're in good shape that way. And there's a couple GPS we're going to get to get a couple piece of isolated wetlands eliminated. We'll just fill them in. So, that'll help us a little more. That one just a matter of getting that LOI approved so we can get to the next
step. Uh Kramer Court bridge. We're waiting for the meter to be set. I called Jose Ortiz on that one too on Monday. asked him I'll follow up with him again tomorrow. Um the emergency work that we did on
Beverly and uh was this completed the curve on Sunset and the Pepsi driveway. The we have a sink hole in our driveway. That was one of the other previous emergency work we had approved earlier. That's all those are both getting taken care of next Monday. The pipe actually pipes coming in Monday and the they're
going to be installed on Tuesday. Uh there's also other emergency work that we've got. We're going to actually put it into the road program. I've got the sinkhole on Sunset Avenue, which I'm sure everybody has seen the barrels on Sunset on the west side of 35. That's getting that'll get fixed probably about two weeks. We got to order the pipe for
that. And then also there's a a sinkhole in the front of a residential home on 17 Arbor Way, which will get repaired probably in two weeks. Those are both coming out of the 25 road program. Um,
and then I've got the the light at deal and popppler. Um, I talked to the uh to Maurice and all the conduit is in, everything's in, and they're just waiting for the hardware, which is due September 8th. Oh, I thought we got the hardware. So did I.
Okay. I just want to make sure I heard you right. Okay. Because they told me the hardware was in before and I guess they thought it was in, but it's still that's on supposed to be here on September 8th now. So, okay. after school. After school starts worried about the first week. Yeah. Yeah. That's unfortunate. Yeah.
There was a construction. They do think it's more of a school thing than a summer. There was electrical work was done. It's definitely There's definitely a school thing. They put electrical work done school traffic at that light than there is summer traffic. I think there will be at that time of the day. Yeah. That time of the day in the
morning is going to be rough, right? Without that light. It's I don't think it's going to be any different than it was last year though. No. It'll be better when we fix it'll be better on September 8th. You guys think it's more it's a bigger problem for the residents or that light
is a bigger problem in the off season as opposed to the summer. No, I think the summer's I thought that little that quick that quick hour in the morning I thought was a problem. Maybe 15 minutes. Maybe 15 minutes in the morning, right? Summer or what? What do you think?
I I think the winter. Oh yeah. The school it backs up onto Deal Road. Yeah. So the last that's the problem. No, I'm I got it. I just Okay. Thank you. Okay. And the last item I have is uh last meeting remember we talked about that somebody opened with mistakenly was given a permit to open up Deal Road
which was under moratorium just west just east of uh Whale Pot on the south side of Deal Road of or east of Whail Pot. There was a water connection put in there that was mistaken. It was given permit was given by DPW to open that up.
Well, luckily we have an they need another warm water permit next house within 100 feet of that. That gentleman is going to post a bond to pay for our rules with your approval. 100 ft each side of that. He's willing to pay curb to curb 100 ft each side. Wow.
Which will wipe that cut out also. Merry Christmas. That was very upsetting. Whatever. Wow. Brand new road. I'm like really? And I saw it marked out and I'm like there's no way he's digging any. So, pardon me. RD DPW. Yeah, they're in charge of giving road
opening permits and but we've we've resolved the problem. Hopefully, they've got an updated list. They know that they pass most of them pass me now for road opening permits. So, make sure Yeah. Well, it's we're working that out. Okay. Yeah.
But that that is if you guys don't if you approve that, I think that would be obviously a good thing for us to do. let him do that and he'll put the bond up and we'll let him pave that 200 foot stretch when he's done. Probably the paving will probably the the connection will probably be in the next week or so
and the paving won't happen until probably September because we just don't next two weeks we don't be closing deal road even at night. Right. That's just too much. So that'll be closing probably be nighttime paving when that is done. Okay, sounds fair. So we got rid of one bad one.
Okay, that was all I had. Can I I think I asked and if I didn't I'll ask now. Can you share that with us either before or after the meeting so we don't have to take note. I mean I can always watch the video. You want me to email it to you or do you want The email is beautiful. Yeah, I'll email it to you copy.
That's fine. Thank you. Gen, I'm good. Thank you. Dave? No, I'm good. Jeff? Um not anything for Greg. Okay. Um, so we have to go uh you need a half
hour, Joe. Yeah. Okay. Let me go around the table, see if we have any uh any time. We have to go in close session by 6 p.m. to go over uh area need redevelopment. So, let me start off with uh Rob. Got my questions answered. Oh, you're done. Okay, Pet.
Okay. I just wanted to make a comment that after 50 years of having the Italian-American Festival, finally the parking situation seemed actually better. So, whoever was in charge, you can please tell them they did a good job. Like one of the young police officers
said, it only took him 49 years to figure that out. So, for the record, and I think John will defend this, and if he doesn't, I'll disagree with it. I can't say how far back we've made this suggestion, but we have made this for a while. Having said that, I'll concur.
Okay. But I will say I get why they it was risky to try. The good news was there was a young police officer. Well, she's not that young that stepped up, said, "I think we can make this work." Convinced the chief, and we did.
There were uh they they worked as a team cuz I you know, I thought it was Martinez, but it was actually the team of them, Todd Gregory and Martinez. And so, I mean, really, they came up with a great plan. And when I took it in the first day and getting all of that
festival traffic into the park and off the road probably put 100 cars in queue y all the way wrapped around. So clearly made a big difference. The only thing that I think that they're going to have to improve on next year is probably doing some shuttling from some of the
schools just to alleviate closing this year. And one thing I would suggest also is um they put up some signs for when people are leaving because several people were going easterly or westerly and they were turning left following the fire truck thinking that was how to get out and then they went all the way down and
then some of them actually turned right went all the way down towards the library and had to back all the way back up. So we definitely improved the signage on Whale Pond after the first night, maybe halfway through the first night where we put vest because people were coming didn't know coming south on Whale Pond
that the entrance was the first one, not the second. When they got to the second, they got screwed. Then they had to either go all the way through Shadow and come all the way around again or go all the way around the highway. So that got resolved. We put the big one up there and we we were golden. There were issues
with handicap parking. So I talked to I talked to the Sergeant Martinez. I said, "Listen, we got to fix this. There's a problem. It it's filling or it's not full. People ride by it, see it's empty, they come all the way around, and they're told they can't go park in it because it's and we know it's empty."
She like, Rob, you realize, you'll appreciate that. You realize why it's full so fast, don't you? I No. He says, "Well, your members park in there because they're all handicapped." So, so we actually, while we're on the topic real quick, we're actually talking
about uh putting uh strips at the entrance and the exit to count cars coming in and out. That will solve some of the problem. The other thing we're going to do is actually mark, we think, with permission. We'll mark the sections of the um area A, B, C, D, or 1, 2, 3, whatever it is. And then we're actually
going to put a drone up there so that we can actually communicate with the explorers to say there's spots in A, there's spots in B, and what the count is. So, it worked. We We still think we can improve it. Yeah, cuz we closed I mean, it was fireworks, but we closed it down at 7:30 on Friday night. Yeah.
4,000 cars. Wow. It was crowded. Wow. Yeah. Kudos. Thank you. Appreciate it. It happens to be and I'll pass it along. One of my Yeah. One of my neighbors asked for contact information for people she could thank because she said the road closed was so helpful and
everything was so clean. And what's her name? Asked for garbage cans. We put those out there. I think that worked because frankly it did. Good. I mean Steve went right out and lined him up which was great. That was a good idea too. Yeah. Yeah. So thanks D. Okay. That's all I have.
Um one topic I have is on the uh Steve Levy used to be the environmental commissioner for the town. He was the chairman for a number of years. He passed away last year. Hasn't been a resident I guess for a little while. Years ago years ago years ago he passed away years ago.
No he passed away last year. No, no, that's what they that's what the three or four. That's what the sister-in-law That's what the daughter-in-law want. I'm going to go three could be four. I'm going to go. Well, this is what this is from her. So, anyway, she was looking for a way for the family is looking for a way to kind of recognize him. So, I didn't know
if we wanted to have some kind of way of proclamation or some kind of way to recognize him. I She gave me his whole bio of what he did for the town and all that kind of stuff. So, I passed it over to Dave and Dave suggested I bring it up to everybody here to kind of talk about it. recognize and do. Yeah, it was very great.
So, I'll I'll forward all of you this write up so you can kind of see that and we can figure out when to do that and I'll let the family know they were thinking about it. Get the dates right before I'll talk to her. She g she she basically sent me this whole thing about having last year. So, I don't know what it's okay. Yeah. Wonderful.
Uh the other thing is I just want to bring up that show as part of the um uh community forest management plan we're putting together. Uh we're having a meeting that involves a lot of people throughout the town and a lot of people here. So I'm going to be So Patty is uh
is putting together a list and kind of kind of trying to coordinate this. So I might be recruiting some people here in the town to kind of be part of that. We're having a kickoff meeting. I believe it's September 4th on uh we had a kickoff meeting about the actual
project a couple of weeks ago and on September 4th we're having like okay let's figure out all the dates and work backwards so we can kind of get to at the end of December having a a real forest management plan for the town. And one of the resolutions uh on the uh
agenda is for the uh $5,000 um that we're going to use towards this consulting. Oh, I was going to ask what that was for. Yeah. And pardon my ignorance. I'll bite. A forest plan is what is that? The tree planting plant. It's part that's part of it. That's part
because also includes tree maintenance. Okay. One of the challenges it only really includes things that are part of our purview. So like the board of ed is their land is their land. So it would not include like board of ed properties
and private properties and it kind of includes the properties that we have control over and the easements of those properties, right? And what the plan and what maintenance is and all this kind of stuff. So thank you. Y I like that word better. No problem. That was it for me, John.
Thank you. Uh I have nothing. Can we go around the room, Jim? Uh great. Uh on the Kewell property, you're going to have a lot of heavy machinery in there. get it. And uh Jeff, you might not be familiar with this is a
topo map that you they've seen before. And on the north side of the building by the air conditioners is the 102 foot topographic line. On the east side, 80% to the east is the 100% 100 foot
topo. So there's a two two foot grade on a large area of the north area between 102 foot and two 100 foot. since he has all the heavy machinery coming in here right now. If they were to have the landscape architect look at the feasibility
of using that machinery to build between 100 foot and 102 foot, then you get a meaningful quality drainage acceptably large area to be worth the effort. And then on the east side, it
drops from a 100 foot to a 94 foot topo. And that would be a six-foot drop in a place where the landscape architect would choose to have that 6t be 6t over a 10ft area, 6t over a 15t area, 6t over a 20ft area, but it' be 6t drop. So if
you have the machinery there and the landscape architect or yourself, hold the thought of utilizing land that's there but would require a little bit of machinery to use it. That's all I have. Thanks.
Anybody? Thank you. I'd like a little more information about the light that is being put on dealer. Right. There's already a light there. We're just putting a left turn ceiling.
On which way? If you're going northbound coming off of Roller Road and southbound off of Poppler will both have left turns. Both have left turns. Okay. Um my other question is how many accidents have been there in the past two years. You have to ask the police.
Good question for the police. And how would I go about doing that? Just send Dave Brown an email and he'll get it over to the chief. And I do have another question. Um because as a resident, I live right in that area. So I'm really happy to see that we're doing
this. Um because I know it's been many years and I know of one fatality that you know a lot of residents have been very upset about. So thank you for doing that. I hate to say I don't know if the arrow would have helped that the one that that that fatality, but it should reduce
issues. Alex. Um, Alex Hayes Oak, I think I have four questions for right now. Um, the green communities $5,000 grant. Did I just hear correctly? We're using the $5,000 grant from the state, not to plant new trees or anything like that for this
forestry program. We're going to use it for a consultant. Uh, we need a consultant to help us um put the put the forestry plant together. So, that's correct. Okay. Um, following up on that, one of
my questions is the community forest management committee, as we're calling it a committee. How do people join? How do you select people? Um, Jackie Wel would be a great person to nominate since she was very involved in the tree canopy and the forestry management in
town. I would hate for her to be overlooked in something as important as this that involves forestry and trees and management of environmental concerns. So, how do people get selected for this? It's really up to the people who are running the committee. Um,
whichever. Uh, Norm Coloulton is the um committee or commission. Commission. Yeah, sorry. Commission. Sorry. Just and this is not a committee. This is actually just a group to help us to get different constituences point of views,
right? It's really to help the survey. It's really helping for the application and for the plan. So, it's uh I'm not sure how much time it takes for each individual. So, it would be um Patty Cronin would also be the other person.
If you want to send me a um an email, I'd be happy to pass it on to those people if you're interested. Thank you. Um those were two questions. Uh third question is um fabulous to see that minutes are being presented today
finally after months of waiting um to be uh approved for today. So that in itself is great. However, nothing's posted online. So they're posted after they're approved. She was advised by the attorney not to post them until after the voter line. But I just went tonight to check on
2025's minutes. There are two. And on 2025's minutes for work session, there are zero. So there's physically no check that tomorrow. Go check it. The minutes that are on tonight cannot
be posted until tomorrow. That I get. It just there's more. Seems like the ones that have been approved in previous They should have been I didn't see it. They should have been posted. Okay. Yeah. This fourth one. Uh fourth one is
um quite surprised in seeing in the agenda today the Anora building those two buildings right in between the church I think it's a Methodist church on West Park and the middle school being up for discussion for redevelopment um you know being being the inquisitive
person I am I called over there today um and that business has no idea what's going on any proposed redevelopment um maybe they're not the owners of the two buildings that could Um, but I'm kind of shocked that there's a business in town that's currently being looked at as a redevelopment site,
but the people who work there have no idea what's going on. So, I'm wondering, were they ever consulted with any of this pre-planning? That would be messaging that the owner of the property would have to do with a nor. It was actually the owner of the property that
approached the municipality, approached the township manager about area needed redevelopment to do a different project. One of the buildings is completely empty. So in no process uh up until now was
there a need to email Rolling Meadows people at the church. There's nothing that's gone on there right now. They're just requesting an area near redevelopment for a study that has to go over to the planning board similar to what we did with Orchard Plaza. So there's nothing set yet until it goes to the planning board
if something is decided by notifications will be sent out absolutely within 200 residents in the area and there will obviously be a concern and I would assume that the owner of the property will message that out to the I I don't even know if it's an operator an owner of Anora. I really don't know
how that operates over there. Okay, that's all I had. Sure. Uh motion to go into close session. Second. Second. Second. All in favor? I posted. Okie dokie.
Just want to remind everybody that all council meetings will be audio and video taped. They'll be shown on Oceans Community cable channel 22 on Verizon FiOS and channel 77 on Cable Vision. Can I have a roll call, please? Mayor Katani here. Deputy Mayor Fischer here. Council members Aera, yes.
Kaplan, yes. Wininstein here. Can everyone please stand for a pledge of allegiance and remain standing as we say a silence. 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. You may be seated. The notice requirements of the open public meetings act for this meeting have been satisfied and a copy of the annual notice was sent to the Asbury Park Press filed in the office filed in
sent to the Asbury Park Press in the coaster posted in town hall and filed in the office of the municipal clerk on January 3rd, 2025. There are two emergency exit to my right that'll take you to the front of the building and one that'll take you to the back of the building. If you have to make a phone call, please make sure you walk outside.
Please have your cell phones turned off so they can remain silent. We are going to open it up for council comments. I'm going to start down at the end with Deputy Mayor Dave Fischer. Thank you, Mayor. Uh, as I said in the workshop meeting, uh, kudos to the Italian Club, Ocean Township Police
Department, DPW for finally figuring out how to get us all into the fair in a safe, effective manner. I love the new trash can. So, uh, to all the, uh, people who work so hard to make that happen, well done. Um, second thing, mayor, my favorite subject is ebikes. I
know we've heard this ad nauseium from me, but the state of Connecticut is actually, uh, enacting laws starting in October. Um, they're going to require driver's license for these bikes that are going over 30 miles hour. There's been an 800% increase in ER visits due
to these bikes. There's about 1.7 million of them have been sold in the United States. Is described as an emerging public threat. So you're going to have to have insurance. And they estimate about 20,000 people are hurt on these bikes annually. So I would suggest if you have a passion for this issue as
I do, you should call your legislators because I believe something does need to be done. Unfortunately, I really just think that they are a danger to the public. Um and uh on another side note, uh we do have a code enforcement department here in Ocean Township. Uh you know, complaining on the internet is
wonderful, but unfortunately it doesn't uh get action. If you're seeing trash, if something's wrong, please reach out to our code enforcement department. They would be glad to uh take a look at these issues, but um you know, unfortunately, you complain on the internet. It's a tree falling in the forest. That's it.
Mayor, thank you, Councilwoman Kaplan. As usual, Deputy Mayor Fischer stole my thunder. Oh my god. Um, thank you. I just want to echo his thanks to the Italian-American Club, um, the police DPW for just an amazing
festival. Um, as a close by resident, uh, the streets were, uh, very clean, very clear, and my kids had an amazing time as I do every year. I'm just wishing everybody a great end of the summer and start to the school year, believe it or not. Um, thank you.
Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilman Asera, I will certainly echo uh everybody's comments about the Italian Festival given that John and I are part of the association. Uh there was a lot of work that went into it. So, everybody from town, the town that contributed that was
already mentioned and uh certainly a shout out to all of the volunteers that participated. Uh the numbers were, as you would imagine, uh record-breaking um to the best of my knowledge and I haven't heard anything from anybody. there were no incidents. Uh so the police did a phenomenal job to Dave's
point and Gita's point. The traffic was great. Uh there's certainly still room for improvements. We are going to have a um meeting with the town that we had prior to the festival to recap everything. Uh so we can only improve upon it. So uh but thank you all for
coming. Thank you to the residents, the non-residents. We appreciate your money and your donations. Um, I will say the 50/50 uh raised $26,000 265 I think it was for scholarships. Uh, so that was a great uh asset as well as the uh the other funds
that were contributed and there were certainly a ton of community organizations, baseball, soccer, and others that were able to participate and raise funds as well. So, it's uh it's always a great event. So, thank you. Thank you, Councilman Weinstein. Uh, thank you, Mayor. Um, I had a great
time at the Italian Fest, too. Congrats to everybody. Feel like I got to join the crowd here on saying something nice. So, um, want to just uh uh kind of talk about a couple of things. One is October 4th is the fall fest and uh the Sha Tree
and the environmental uh commission have um worked with uh the town to have Greenfest part of it. So, uh there'll be a section dedicated to Greenfest um which is uh which you know is exciting. It's going to be a great event. So, just mark your calendars. Um, I do want to
say I do appreciate all the work that the people on the Shade Tree Commission and the Environmental Commission. We have a number of volunteers. The attendance to these to the to our meetings is great. Participation has been great. So, um, and there's a lot of good work that we're doing on a number of things. The community forest
management plan and and a bunch of other initiatives we have. So, just want to congratulate all of them. um uh myself and Rob working uh on um uh FIFA 2026 and so we're spending some time with uh
Ocean United and um the school district and our town and we've had some meetings to discuss what our involvement is and how that can be a great event for all different parts of our community um next year between uh June 8th and I believe
July 19th. So, we're trying to figure out those things and kind of involving different groups. And that's all I have for now. Okay. Thank you, Councilman. Uh, two things. I just want to give people an update as to uh where we stand right now with the
lake dredging projects that the township of Ocean will be working on. Uh, we're starting off with Fireman's Pond. Had a good meeting with uh Commissioner Director Arnown in regard to utilizing equipment and manpower from them. The state has given us grant for the lake
cleanup. The biggest issue is the the uh spoils. We'll be working our way down to Lollipop Pond next year and then the following year once they complete their project upstream, Terrace Pond will be dredged as well in the backside. So, we
are getting up to speed on our infrastructure and you know projects that need to be done. And so the council's working very hard to make sure that we're getting these projects up and running. And the other thing I know there's been a lot of talk and discussion again on social media uh in
regard to Orchard Plaza. What's going on with that? As people are aware, it's been designated as an area in need of redevelopment. Uh we got word as a council that the uh ownership has changed hands. Um, and I think that it's
in part to uh the council that's up here uh that have looked at that site and have looked at it as an unsightly site. Uh, although it has changed hands, we are still voting on, you know, the area
need of redevelopment so that the council has the ability to have say in what goes in on that 11 acres. Uh, as Deputy Mayor Dave Fischer said earlier, we have one shot at creating something
nice here with an 11 acre, you know, plot of land. So, we all have the town's best interest and, um, you know, we will make sure that this is steered in the right way. Uh, I would have to say that we're far away from a project starting,
but understand that this was the first step in getting this site cleaned up. So I you know I have to thank the council um for you know seeing the vision and knowing that this is probably the right thing to do moving forward for the
municipality. Uh right now it is a uh site that does not have a huge ratable so anything improved there will be an increased ratable. Um, with that being said, we want to start off with a proclamation for International Overdose Awareness Month,
which uh ends on August 31st. And we have an international overdose awareness day, which is August 31st. Whereas each year we lose thousands of people from drug overdose globally. Some survive but suffer permanent injury with devastating
impact on their family and friends. Whereas the troop of ocean is not immune. You may have seen it as it has happened to people around you, tomorrow it could happen to someone you love. This is not an invisible issue. And whereas International Overdose Awareness Day provides an opportunity for us to
reflect on practical ways to prevent overdose in our community. Overdose is preventable. Knowing the real facts about drugs and what they do. You see someone experience an overdose does save lives. International Overdose Awareness
Day events that aim to educate our communities about drugs can really help. Now therefore, be a proclaimed that the mayor and council of the township of a ocean in the county of Mam state of New Jersey hereby declares that international overdose awareness day is
set for August 31st, 2025. And if you have seen out in front, there are 13 purple flags out there that represent one life lost to an overdose in Mammoth County from January 1st, 2025 to March 31st, 2025.
Two signs that explain the display and two white flags that represent all individuals who have lost their lives to an overdose throughout 2024. Um, signs and purple flags will be placed out between August 5th and
September 2nd. Very, very important. I'm pretty sure everybody in this room has probably known somebody or has a relative or a friend that has experienced this, myself personally, multiple times. Very, very important that we raise awareness for drug
overdose awareness day. Thank you. Um, so we will open it up for questions on the consent agenda. All items listed on the consent agenda are considered routine by the township of council and will be enacted by one motion in the
form listed below. There will be no separate discussion of these items. If discussion is desired on any item, that item will be considered separately. The purpose of the public portion is to solely ask questions to understand resolutions that appear on this agenda and is not an occasion for a public
hearing on an ordinance. All questions not related to an item on the agenda should be asked during the public comments portion at the conclusion of the meeting. If you have any questions as it relates to the agenda, the consent agenda, please step up to the microphone. State your name and address
for the record. You have three minutes. If you come up to the microphone, please ask your questions and we will answer them accordingly once you're finished. Just to confirm, if you have anything to ask about resolutions through
Yes. correct. Um my question is in regards to the domain. I think it's number one, right? Um, for the process,
I'm just curious if you've ever asked the owner out. Um, and you're basically saying you don't know what you're going to do with the property. Ah, there we go. Um, so my question to reiterate was, have you asked the
current owners um if they are ever willing to sell? Also, you made it clear that you really don't have plans for this site. So, I'm flabbergasted that you're going to eminent domain 11 acres without a plan of what to do with it. Is
it a park? Is it going to be the new town hall? I don't understand. It sounds like we're we're putting the horse before the cart here. You literally have no plans to do this. And I I feel like that's the backwards way of that other towns do it. Like you say, we want to do XYZ. That's why we're going to eminent
domain this area. So, um I'm kind of curious, um going into this, um how are you possibly considering this without a plan? Okay, so that was two questions, I guess. Uh another question, back to my earlier comments about the Onora
building, um at 1213 and 1211 West Park Avenue. Um according to the maps that I saw online, it seemed that there were two plots that were like 1.2 acres each. So, I'm kind of curious if all the expense and all the looking into a redevelopment for this is really worth
it. Seems like two and a half acres. Hold on. We got to upgrade our AV. Why does it keep Please I didn't get a taxi. [Music]
Okay. Um, where was I? Um, so it sounds like we're only looking about 2 and a half acres for the two plots of land at the Anora facility. Um, so I'm just kind of curious if in a costbenefit analysis if all that we are planning on
undertaking is worth it for less than 3 acres, what it looks like on the property. Two more questions. Um, the sub lease of the community solar, um, that's been announced and supposed to be in the works for years. I'm surprised it's finally happening. Um, is that going to
be the community solar that residents can opt into and sign up for for energy savings? And my final question, this one's more um aimed at um the attorney, Mr. Connealy, I don't know how to say your name, I apologize. Um I'm just
wondering, did I get it right, Connealy? Um I just wonder what the rules are um for a person running for council facing school ethics charges. Um, you know, we currently have a a council member who is facing OAL court, two court cases and I
think it's something like 10 plus ethics charges. So, I'm wondering what the legalities are in running if you're currently in front of an OAL case or two. And then I know you can't sit on a a council if you're convicted of something in a criminal court. So, if there are any um decisions on the two
OAL ethics charge cases, what are there any things that a councilman can or cannot do if they are con not convicted? I don't even know what the word is. Found guilty of ethics charges in the state of New Jersey. So, I think that's five questions. Thank you. Um actually, these are all for the attorney. So, I'm going to hand
it over to Scott on uh So, um I think you uh referred in the beginning of your question resolution 20, but I think your question was addressing resolutions 18 and 19 initially um with regard to resolution the uh property referencing um eminent
domain. The uh resolutions 159 and 160 um 25 159 25 160 on the agendas 18 and 19 refer to the Orchard uh Orchard Park property. Mhm. Um that property has been uh studied,
referred to the planning board and um the um the resolutions are designating it as an area um in need of redevelopment, including the authority of condemnation. That's at the advice of the the uh township's redevelopment council to
include that. But this is a resolution to designate it as an area in need of redevelopment. Um with that then comes the next resolution which is to prepare a redevelopment plan by designating it as an area need of redevelopment. The council um is doing two things. One recognizing that the property meets one
of the criterias um under the redevelopment law which in this case is that it's been vacant for an extended period of time. Um but there's all kinds of other criteria. I haven't I'm not specifically certain if it was limited to that one criteria. But it is a property need of redevelopment. It's a large commercial tract. by developing
it, designating as a redevelopment area, the governing body can um uh have a a fair amount of control that they otherwise might not have if the property just chose to go to the board of adjustment or the planning board. Um so that's why that's being done. In terms of condemnation, that's at the
recommendation of redevelopment council to retain that authority um in case the uh governing body is not happy with the direction that the um proposed uh developer of the property is taking. Um, so I I think that's what I would answer
as to your questions with regard to that property. So I I read it as you were eminent domaining it tonight. So that is not the case. No, they're designating it as an area of redevelopment including the authority of the governing body to pursue condemnation. It's a reservation of authority within that resolution. It's
not there is no condemnation that is going forward today. Okay, that's a good clarification. It's what's happening is it's being formerly designated as an area need of redevelopment and a formal plan is being pursued and and it'll be discussed with the property owner. The property recently changed hands. Um the new
property owner will be in discussions with the redevelopment council. Okay. So, as far as the other property uh resolution um 20 on the agenda 25-161 um my understanding from conversations with redevelopment council uh that is at
the request of the property owner. They have asked that we undertake uh a study to determine if it's an area needed redevelopment in which case again the governing body if they found that it met the criteria. I don't know if it will or not um could um negotiate with the
property owner as to what would occur there. Um and the cost of that will be borne by the property owner. So um it's really not uh a hard resolution to undertake. Okay. So last one was the uh park center. Uh, no. Second to last was the the community
solar question. Um, I'm not sure. Um, community solar. That was Isn't Isn't the resolution to subleasase so that there can be solar placed on the park center, right? Oh, there's a um a request by the um is
this the tennis center? Yeah. Yeah. They requested the uh township, they have a lease that runs for about the next 20 plus years on that property. Um they have requested the township authorize them to enter into a sub lease for solar panels on the roof
with a solar provider. But you have no idea this that facility has had a sign up a year or two that says community solar like the state community solar program coming to this west park. So that is not
the resolution is authorizing the tenant because it is township property essentially even though they they're on our long-term lease and built the building to install solar panels on the roof. Okay. So we have no idea if it has to do with community solar I guess. Right.
Okay. Okay. And then my last I can reach out to the park avenue kind of send it in. Then then my last question. What was your last question? Oh, about the election. I Yeah, honestly, there's um I'm not familiar at all with what you're discussing um in
terms of who it even is. Um but um there's nothing in your question that would prevent somebody from running for office for those circumstances. And then if the second part of the question was if somebody were to I would need to know a lot more about what happened. I'm not going to answer a hypothetical about what would happen on
an ethics complaint. So that's okay. I'm happy I'm happy to send you all the ethics complaints or Mr. Widenstein can also give you information on his cases. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else wishing to be heard on the consent agenda, please step up to the microphone, state your name
and address for the record. Hi, my name is Debbie Connley. My address in Ocean Township is 1509 Spruce Avenue in Wamasa. I'm not sure if it's appropriate timing for me to raise the issue now. It was kind of serendipitous to discover this on the agenda tonight.
Uh, ordinance 2517. Is my timing appropriate to approach now? It's not. This is uh comment on resolutions. That's what I thought. The res. You mean the ordinance? You mean the ordinance? That's an introduction. That's just being introduced tonight.
You can speak on it next month. I see. Yeah. Once we go for adoption. No, if I separately have a question with regard to storm water management, an issue that we're experiencing at the end of the day. Thank you very much. Sure. 10 years.
Hello. Hi, Grace Aneler Rico. Um, Fieldstone Lane and Wayside. I have a few concerns and questions regarding resolution number 10. As a past member who served on the zoning board under the previous mayor
from November 2022 to June 30th, 2023, I'm very interested in the reasoning behind combining these two boards. If my recollection serves me, there are always extra special meetings, sometimes several per month called due to the number of cases needing to be heard. So
my first question is, will there be additional members added? Will there be more meetings each month to accommodate the residents needs? Um my second question comment even more importantly, what are the qualifications for the members to serve? Now, with our previous mayor, it used to be any resident that
lived in Ocean for one year or more and had the desire to serve on one of these boards. At the end of my term, which happened to coincide with the new mayor and council taking over, I was told by a neighbor that I was not reappointed to the zoning board and that the decision was made at the July 2023 council
meeting. That's how I found out. I then sent an email to our current mayor inquiring why I was not reappointed. He stated he was going in a different direction and only wanted engineers, realtors, real estate attorneys, planners, and residents working in
construction on these boards and I no longer qualified. I shared with him at that time that I realized my expertise was not in those areas, but my value came in as a member that represents the resident's voice and my background as a mediator helps ensuring both sides are
heard. He then cited he did not want school board members to also serve on other town boards. Although there were two other school board members left to continue to serve. One who is newly appointed council member Mr. Boenstein
as chair of the planning board even though he also does not work in those areas. Um it was also stated that he felt having members with these areas of expertise mentioned was the right thing to do to move this town forward and in the best interest of the municipality. So my question is, is that still the
case or has that changed back to include all residents, not just ones that allegedly benefit by being on these boards? And a disclaimer, my opinions are my own, do not represent any boards that I serve on. Uh so resolution 10, that was a
recommendation made by the planning department to join the boards. Uh zoning board has a lot of work, planning board does not. Um, as for the qualifications and such, uh, same answer as before and
what I just read. Correct. Okay. Thank you. Anyone else wishing to be heard on the consent agenda items only? Uh, this is for paving a street. None of the agenda. That's it. At the end, we'll give you Okay. Sure.
Yep. Anyone else wishing to be heard? Seeing hear none, do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? Yeah. Yes. I'd like to offer um resolutions 25142
to um 25164. Second. I'll second the minutes. And the minutes. Oh, and also like to um have the minutes for approval as well. I'll second that, too. Aera.
Yes. Kaplan. Yes. Yes. Yes. To all except I'm going to recuse myself from 25-156 as I was not on the board at the time. I also actually have to recuse myself from resolution 23 25164.
I'm going to start over. Council member Terra. Yes. Again. Fisher. Yes. Kavlin. Yes. Except 2516 Weinstein. Yes, except for 25-156. I'll recuse myself. Perfect. And then
uh yes, except for 25-145. I will recuse myself from that one. Yes to everything else. Individual action vouchers in the amount of 17,962,82.72. Someone please offer. I'll offer.
Second. A second. Roll call. A chair. Yes. Fisher. Yes. Kaplan. Yes. Winstein. Yes. Yes. Ordinances up for introduction. Ordinance 2517, which is a bond ordinance providing for various road and drainage improvements appropriating $4
million. Therefore, and authorizing the issuance of $3,655,362 in bonds and notes to fish to finance a portion thereof and authorized in and by the township of a ocean. Someone please introduce ordinance 2517. I move to introduce ordinance number
2517. Second. Second. Roll call. Aera. Yes. Fisher. Yes. Kaplan. Yes. Yes. Yes. That ordinance will have its public hearing on the 11th of September. Uh, ordinance 2518, which is an ordinance
amending and supplementing ordinance number 2343 entitled an ordinance amending the revised general ordinances of the township of ocean 1965 relating to personnel policies, practices, and procedures. Someone please introduce ordinance 2518. I move to introduce
ordinance number 2518. Second. Second. Roll call. A chair. Yes. Fisher. Yes. Yes. Winston. Yes. Lieutenant. Yes. That too will have its public hearing on the 11th of September. Uh we will now open it up for public comment on anything germaine to the
township of ocean. Um you may step up to the microphone again. State your name and address for the record. [Applause] Hi Deborah Connley 1509 Spruce Avenue in the Wanamasa section of Ocean Township. Um,
I realize now after you made it clear that this ordinance is simply being introduced tonight and the public hearing for that will be in September. Um, and I'm happy to hear that. But separately and you you I I'm open to any
guidance you may have as to maybe shelving my concern until then. I'm not really sure. Um, living on Spruce Avenue, which is off of Park Boulevard, I am at the Dead End. There are seven streets along Park Boulevard that to the
north, dead end to the rear of Grassir Avenue for now, we've lived in our home since 1996, and it's been a very long road when it comes to storm water management on our
streets. Specifically, of those seven dead end streets. Five are equipped with one, if not two, storm water drains. Spruce Avenue has none.
Birch Avenue has none. the homes. There are a dozen families immediately impacted the rear of the properties on Grassmre as well as the properties the dead end to the backside of Grassmir on
Spruce Avenue and Birch Avenue. Um and additionally the other there are five homes on Spruce Avenue. We are all terribly impacted by storm water issues. Um, we all have experienced days and days and days and days and days at much
more of an expense these days than it used to be. Are some pumps incessantly running without any storm water drains on our street or the next and we don't even have sewers at the corner at Park Boulevard either. Um, we are left to
simply continually cycle that water until such time that the weather permits it to dissipate. Um, we recently had um some fence improvements done and literally when they were trying to put the posts in the ground, you dug two to
three in and you were at standing water. Um, recently, I'm going to say within the last 5 to 8 years, two homes pretty much abudding this area that I'm speaking of have been um approved to
install in ground pools which takes away from um ground that will absorb some of that water. Um at the corner of Spruce Avenue where I am and it's only three houses
deep until you're at Park Boulevard. There is a home on the corner that recently made major renovations and an addition. And in the process of getting approvals for what came out beautifully,
um, they were forced into having to spend an additional more than 15, not quite $20,000 to pay for and provide their home with adequate some sort of a drainage system
that they were required to install as part of their approval process. And according to that neighbor, in his words, um, and I I I can't speak for someone else, but what we've been told is that that was because of his distance
to any nearby storm water drains. Um, one of the homes in particular that's been impacted within that immediate 12 home area where we all kind of meet up together um is
currently under construction adding a twostory addition to the rear of the home and additionally removed an oak tree that must have had at least a three-foot diameter. So again, taking away
more ground that's supposed to absorb the rain and taking away a huge tree that of course absorbed a lot. Um let's see. So essentially what we experience is a lot of standing water
for extensive periods of time. Um over the years I've been in touch with Ocean Township on a number of occasions. There was I'm going to say about 10 years ago that in dealing with the township engineer at the time, maybe you have about 30 seconds left.
Okay. Um let me then list major concerns. Standing water, mosquitoes, um some pumps incessantly running. We have no curbs or sidewalks on Spruce Avenue. Therefore, we cannot neatly
have a place where all this water can dispel. Um, let me make important points. Many of us have had to replace our furnaces that are situated in our crawl spaces because they've been damaged by
standing water in our crawl spaces or basements. Um, let's see. In the 2023 master plan on pages 9, 60, and 72. Okay. So, so Debbie on uh on all of this stuff that you're
talking about with spruce, this we'll have to go over with the engineer to find out um what is being proposed for the future for spruce whether or not they're going to add the drainage in there. So, I'll have to go over that with the engineer. I've been in touch with Mr. Brown and
Mr. Blash. Okay. And the last feedback that I received was that at the dead end of Spruce, um, some of these streets have pavement all the way to the end up to the rear fence of the home on grass.
Our street in particular has about 8 to 10 ft of grassy area that we maintain as far as mowing and all of those things. Um, and that of course abuts the the home. So Debbie, let me uh let me have a conversation with the engineer and see
if uh we can get some where he left off was indicating that he was going to send letters to the property owners on Grassmir whose rear yards are impacted by this where the water will pond. It exists in their
yards. They have the whole bottom of their sheds is all rotted from standing water and it also sits on this side of the fence at the foot of Spruce Avenue and entirely in front of our house. My husband is totally and permanently disabled and to have to dodge these deep
puddles to get in and out of our vehicles is quite the challenge. with that ordinance. I'm really hopeful that with the the financing that will be available, um I'm hoping Ocean Township can resolve some of this. Okay. Thank you.
All right. Thank you. Anyone else wishing to be heard? Please step up to m to the microphone. State your name and address for the record. Anything at this point. Good evening everybody. Mark Cornella, 909 Brookside Avenue, off of Rosseld. I
think there's two Brooksides in Ocean Township. I'm new in town. Uh well, 2018 we moved in. Okay. But um since I've been here, uh our our street has been patched, I believe, two or three times.
We're at the point where it can't be patched anymore, right? Um I got I got pictures for the board if you want me to approach Sure. Yeah. Um I also have in attendance some wonderful neighbors. Uh we have Bill and Journey.
Um what's your new address now, Bill? 900. 900 Rosel. I'm 909. Oh, 900 Rosel still, but he's he's on his he just remodeled his house. He's on his main house. Is that No, I'm I'm I'm no engineer here. Do you have any other point? This primarily
about Brookside, right? Brookside app. Okay. It's 100 It's 120 yards long. So, again, I'm no engineer, but looking at these pictures, yeah, I can probably venture to say it's pretty close to being replaced. It's on a
council just added additional money into the road program. We have a 25-y year road program that our engineer works on and we, you know, we redo the roads every 25 years. Uh, with the cost of everything over the last few years, obviously those prices have gone up and
we've gotten less. That's why we added more money into the road program. Um, if you contact the township manager um, not next week, but the following week, or I'll give you my number, you can call me. I'll find out from the engineer where you are. Appreciate it. Okay. So, if I can give you my number at the end.
Oh, great. I appreciate it. Is there any way if we're on schedule, right? Any way to move us up because we have we have it's pretty it's actually a safety issue now. There's holes in the road. Well, why don't you uh I'll give you my number and I'll get in touch with the engineer for you and I'll find out
exactly where you are. Thank you. Okay. You got it. You got it. Sure. Anyone else? Sure. Come on. Step up to the microphone. State your name and address. Hi. Uh Sher Rosen, 328 Roosevelt Avenue.
Um I wanted to talk about Roosevelt Avenue. There is so much traffic on it right now. It's like it's for blocks at at the light. Um and I don't know what can be done about it actually at both ends at both lights at Norwood and at
Mammoth. And I don't know like if you have to put in a left turn signal. I mean, the road's not wide enough to put in like a left turn lane, but it's in the summertime, it's awful. It really is bad. Like, I have I'm like a few houses away from my house to pull into my
driveway, and I'm waiting 5 10 minutes. Okay. It's it's really bad. Um, so that's one thing. The other thing is that um I guess the town has already done tried to deal with it already and they've made um Roosevelt Avenue between Norwood and Mammoth that you can only park on one
side of the street. And that happened because at one time they were trying to get some emergency vehicles through and they wound up even having to park in my driveway, right? Um and I think that was a good solution. The problem is that there's so many more summer people coming in to to that area
around Roosevelt um that there is just there's so much traffic and it's getting to be very dangerous. Even with one side of the street parking, I am noticing that people driving on the side where the cars are, they're driving on the other side of the road. And I think
someone's going to get hurt. It's really And they're like, I'm driving and they don't even care. Like people are just like they just pull into the other lane when there's oncoming traffic. Um, and I think something's going to happen. You have people walking. You have kids on
the motor motor scooters. Ebikes. Is that that's an ebike? Scooters, ebikes. Oh, that's it's awful. I mean, and they're like, you try to go around it. I had the one kid who was like, he he went onto my property after I pulled into my driveway and he's knocking on the window
of my car. It's like you can't go around me. I'm like, you know, like I don't think you should be in the street with that. Um, but again, I'm just wondering, can something be be done about the street? I've l noticed some other streets where there's so many people now I think it's mostly
like summer people they don't want to park in their driveway so the streets on both sides um are packed a lot of streets you can only get one car through like today um there were cars on both sides on Cedar there's only room for me
for one car to go through and I had to go through very slowly so I think maybe I don't know if you can take a look at what can you do in the summer maybe you don't have to do it all year round but Maybe like on some of the streets it's like no parking during the summer months
just to make it cuz it it's it's not safe. Someone's going to get hurt. So that's Thank you. That's what I want to You're very fortunate. Our uh head of traffic is in the back taking notes down. So um I will have we'll chat tomorrow. Um officer Martinez right now,
Sergeant Martinez is on her way out, but she's here in case there's a few other things that need to be addressed. So speak to her. Thank you very much. Thank you. I have to get other people up to the microphone. Yeah, one shot. You can talk to me after.
Yeah, we can chat after. I'll be here. Yep. No, she's not. Oh, God. No, she's not. I Hayes Oak. Yes. And as a reminder, anybody can come up a second time as
long as all other people have um given their um opinions. So feel free to definitely come up again. Um correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe if you have um to recuse yourself, um maybe it's different in the schoolboard, I don't know. Um but
schoolboard policies are if you recuse yourself, you have to state why. Like you have to give an actual statement as to why you're recusing as to just What I mentioned was that I was not. You gave yours, but other people didn't. Thank you for yours. Is that a policy that if you recuse you
don't you have to they can just recuse? They can just say I recuse and not give a reason. Okay. I was just keeping in mind your last uh meeting's comment and anything that has to do with the property located at Haloshiva. I wanted to recuse myself since I'm on the board of that school. That's helpful to know. So, thank thank you for that.
And mine's simple enough. It's my ex-in-law that owns the property. Therefore, I recused myself. I mean, in full transparency, I think that that's helpful to know. Um, and then I did just check I can pull it up. I took a screenshot of the agendas. Um, because I voiced in the other meeting
that the agendas are not or I'm sorry, the minutes aren't posted. Um, and then you said, "No, wait, they're on." I just pulled them up and took screenshots for the second time today. Yes, you approved six uh minutes today from um April to
July, but there are um none before April. And there are I'll have to find out why. That's my deputy. I'll find out why. So maybe they can be posted as soon as the meeting happens and they are approved. Thank you. Okay, Dennis, you got beat again, Dennis.
Good evening. Thanks for hearing us. Sure. Um, thanks for your job. It's thankless. We appreciate it. Um, I live at one Siri Lane. My name is Harold Cassidy. Uh my wife and I and our family has lived in town for about well
48 years now almost half a century. We're at one Siri lane for 41 years. Mainly I'm coming for two reasons. One uh we had a referendum on the deer problem a few years back.
Has that been resolved? Has there been any determination of what we're going to do about the deer? Any other questions, Mr. Cassy? That's the qu that's that's it. No, that's not it. Okay. So, we have a fivem minute limit. So, we'll get all the questions out and then we'll be able to answer them.
I'm going to have one other question. Okay. But on this one, do you want to ask the other question so we don't run out of time? The other question is there was damage, water shooting up in front of our home for the last year. It hasn't been repaired. It's not on my property. I can't fix it. I've I've called the town
number of times. They're not doing anything. But let's put that aside for a minute. Let's talk about the deer for a minute. I'm holding in my hand our garden books. Okay. May I approach and let you see them?
Sure. You can come through. my last year of high school through college on weekends on Saturdays when I was in law school. I work with the landscape contractor. I loved it. I designed landscapes.
We've done this in there. There are some gardens I have that aren't even depicted. 10 years ago, we didn't have a problem with the deer. It gets getting worse and worse every year. I pay people to help re get them away. I spray all the time
in my job. I have to travel. I can't spray every day. This year, take a look at that. Not one flower exists. Not one. I went to the town. I asked, "What are we doing about this?" I said, "Can I
feed them across the street?" I said, "That they said that's illegal." Said, "What are you trying to do about it? Everybody knows there's a problem. You had a ballot because you knew it was a problem." And I was told that you're trying to get
permission to have a deer hunt with bows and arrows, but you don't have such permission. Then I was told the answer for me is I have a stone wall around the property at one Siri lane. Put the wall up 7 ft so they can't jump over it. But
I can't do that because the ordinances don't permit it. So, I'm going to ask the town, if you're not going to do anything about it, will the committee support my application for a variance so I can keep these animals out of our property? Let us enjoy our property. We
take pride in our property. Our neighbors take pride in their property. Why can't we live in peace? The other thing, it's your property. The water was shooting up in front of my
driveway. was about that high. No one did anything about it. They had worked on the water in front of us on Siri Lane. They had worked on the gas lines. Then finally along they came, they started to pave and the guy who was paving said he'll take care of the water
problem. He paved over it. Now it's shooting up right at the curb on your property, not mine. And in the last two weeks, there's now gas evidence. There's evidence there's gas in that water. I went down to the town hall and asked
if anybody can help. They said, "Call the gas. You call the gas to take care of what's on the town's property." Okay. And I can't get any response. That's all. Mr. Cassidy, is that uh the property you're talking about? Your is it next to
your property? One Siri lane, the the piece you're talking about, the water coming out and the gas. It was right in front of my driveway in the street on your property. Okay. And then after it was paved over, it shot up right on the curb on your It's not on my property. I can't do anything with it. I'd pay whatever it
took to fix it, but I can't. We'll uh we'll reach out to the director of public works on that one to have a look and then uh probably have the engineer take a look as well. You can tell them that they should look right at the mailbox, right near the mailbox. They're going to see it. Okay, got that. Okay, I'll take that.
And then the piece about the deer. Obviously, you know, it's a systemic problem throughout the entire state, probably the country. Uh, Councilman Asar and I both had a meeting with Fish Game and Wildlife about 2 months ago. It's our recommendation that we meet with the surrounding towns in order to
come up with a viable plan that everybody's on the same page with. The problem, the reason why Ocean Township hasn't made a move yet is because everybody around won't make a move. They were waiting for us to make a move. Now, we want to have a meeting with the surrounding towns and Fish Game and
Wildlife and go over the options that the municipalities that surround Ocean Township have along with us, including the county that has a rather large park in Ocean Township, Waltz Park. I would contribute
to the cost of moving them down to the Pineelands where no one lives. Okay. I will I would pay for instead of them feeding at my house to in the woods, I' I'd get the food and put them in there. My wife would be delighted to help me.
Whatever help you need, I will give you. Again, we'll uh once we have this meeting, this follow-up meeting, maybe we'll get some answers, but the fish game and wildlife is very difficult to get a plan through with them. And you we can't do anything without
their permission. Uh if you want to do a uh uh sterilization, non-lethal and lethal means. Yeah, it's very difficult. You mean other than killing them, we can't do anything? Pretty much.
Well, well, just to be clear, and keep me honest, mayor. Yeah. We need their permission to do any lethal program and any non-lethal program. While I appreciate your willingness to contribute, I don't think
the town has enough money to subsidize a non-lethal program. It's a non-lethal lethal. So trust I I I mean I don't I'm not advocating a lethal program. You understand that? No, I don't. You just told me that.
You didn't say that before. But regardless, we're looking at alternate. We're looking at all the options. Well, if I apply forbearance to build higher walls, okay, I'm hoping the town won't
oppose it. I'll take the books. Thank you, Mr. Cassy. Pardon me. Thank you, Mr. Cassy. Thank you. I appreciate the job you did. I wouldn't want Thank you. All you, Dennis,
you do all that work. Some nice work in that book. Going to my house. Dennis Howlet, 1638 Hullbrook Street. Is this on now? It sort of sounds like it see. Where's the green light? Where the light button is?
It sounds like you're on needs. Yeah, I ran this one actually. See that green mic? Okay, great. This is one of the things I'm going to bring up.
Shall I start? Oh, yeah. Go ahead. Okay. Uh, first, my first two comments are five minutes is too short and secondly that the recording sound is too soft. I've read a number of people that look at the town hall meeting say
you can't hear anything. Okay. Uh plastic file that uh film pickup program that I mentioned last meeting that they didn't pick up in my house. This month everything went through fine. I'm glad to see the program is still alive and I'd like to
know how the future of that program is looking because I know it was under a trial uh exercise to see whether it's going to go forward. That's the first thing. Kudos to uh Dr. Fiser for all his work on ebikes. I appreciate that. And I
wonder if there are is an update on the status of the signs in Popular Brook because I still see an awful lot of ebikes in Popular Brook, Popular Brook, Popular Park. Uh, and I wonder if there's a the ebike signs that we're going to mention last time are are
unscheduled to be put up. I have a question about some of the projects in Playa Park. Uh, one I guess the question is, are there any birds in the birdhouses that they put up all over Playa Park? And are there any bats in the batous they put up in Playa Park?
I've never seen any birds going into those houses or any bats going into the batous. Uh, the status of the abandon abandoned swallow houses in the northeast quadrant of Playa Park has completely fallen apart and has been sitting there just uh
looks pretty bad. I'd be happy to help uh take them out if they don't want to repair them, but I'd like to know if I were going to do that, I would have to be assured that they're just not going to mow all that land as well as all the land they do around it because right now
it's a nice un untended property where birds and insects and everything can live freely. Uh, couple kudos for the the park commission for the cleanups done after the Ocean Township United
Soccer Association tournament and the Fourth of July festivities and so far for the Italian fair. They've done a great job on the cleanup and because I go there every day and I I see that sort of stuff. Uh, I have a question about the status of the new town hall. This
would be uh in addition to what you talked about if the status falls through on Route 35. If that's not used, is there any chance that the meadow will come back in play as a site for the new town hall? And what's the rationale
behind leaving the meadow in state, which I happen to like. Is there another reason for not mowing that meadow? Uh you talked about the ponds, the dredging around town. I didn't I didn't hear whether you said whether Snow Pond was included in that list and I was
wondering if there's a status on the uh dredging of of Snow Pond and I'm curious as to whether the town has an arborist on staff or on call. Okay. Uh so let's start off with the sound system. Obviously,
uh we'll talk to Steve Aren who's our uh tech person in regard to the sound as well as uh uh Tommy. You know, they both work the sound. So, we'll figure out what's going on there. You're saying that it's too low. You can't hear well particularly you can't hear you can hear you guys usually,
but very often when somebody like me is speaking, you cannot hear what the question is. And a number of people have come to me and said, "We know you were there. We couldn't hear what you're saying." So, thank you, mayor. So, um, yes, I am a techie. I did complain about it probably 10 years ago, um, and have been
since. And because people like you have continue to tell us that the volume stinks when you're watching it on channel, uh, 77 or on YouTube, uh, we did put a proposal in front of the CFO and town manager probably two years
ago and it didn't get through. So, yes, we're aware that it needs to be improved. Uh, as for the plastic being picked up, we have no uh reason to think it's going to stop. So, right now, that will continue. That's a great program. Um, haven't heard anything other than
that. Uh, the meadow being mowed. I contacted I had gotten a call about it. I contacted our director of public works. Um, he advised me that uh they only reason why they had mowed it last time was because they had a Blackwalk land there. So, I'll find out from him
again if they can get in there and and get it mowed down. But that's why No, the reason it's been brought up to me is are they leaving the meadow unmode to make it look bad? No. For people, that's I I asked them that. Okay. Believe me, we got that accusation.
That's 100% false. Good. Um, as for Snell's Pond, we were advised by our attorney right now that that's private. So, we have to look in alternative means of getting it cleaned up. It's private. We have a couple of pieces of property on there. It would
have to almost be an assessment district. Okay. The couple of pieces of property you're talking about are the Blue Acres. The Blue Acres, seven lots that are there. Yep. Okay. Okay. Now, this has come up a number of times in the past and there had been a plan for doing the snail pond, right? But our attorney advised us that it's a
private pond, then we would be opening up a can of worms. We've got private ponds all throughout the town. Take Cedar Village for example. They have a private pond. Okay. Okay. Thank you. And is there an arborist on staff? Oh. Uh, no. We don't have an arborist,
but we have a uh what do you want to call Bill Brooks? Tree expert. Tree expert. That's a certified tree expert. Yeah, he's certified. Okay. And who who is that? Yeah. Yeah. Uh, his name is Bill Brooks. Bill Brooks. Yep. Okay. Great. Thank you very much. Thanks, Dennis.
Anyone else wishing to be heard? Yes, sir. Jake coming from behalf of the prevention coalition of M County. I just want Okay, you may want to raise that. I can just lean down. Uh I just want to express our organization's gratitude towards your proclamation tonight. I
would had you come up. Oh, it's okay. But yeah, just thank you for all the work. Thank you. The proclamation and uh we'll take a pick at the end. Sound good? Yeah. Appreciate it. Very good. Thank you for what you do. Anyone else wishing to be heard? Step up to the microphone. State your name and
address. Uh we'll talk after [Applause] What's that? Yeah. You mean over in Lollipop Pond? That's Yeah, that's uh that's considered lollipop pond. There's also a bridge over there that needs to be replaced. Uh
we received a half a million dollars from the legislature that will repair replace the bridge and do the dredging. That's not this year, next year. Yes.
Do I have a motion to adjurnn? I just realized that uh Dr. Fischer didn't get a chance to answer my question about the other ebike signs that are supposed to go up. Um I'm going to have to go to uh the town manager and find out what the status is. Okay. I don't I don't have the answer for that.
I can tell you they were ordered. Okay. That all I know after day after they take care of the deer population, they'll go away. Right. Okay. Good. Thank you. Motion to adjurnn. So moved. Second. Second. All in favor? I.
Any opposed?