Welcome to the September 9th, 2025 PA County Board of County Commissioners regular meeting. At this time, uh Lou, if we could do a roll call. Okay. County Commissioners Bartlett
>> here, >> Cruz >> here, >> D'Vor here, >> Duffy >> here, >> James, >> Deputy Director Lazar >> here, >> Director Leapour. >> Okay. Next, we need an announcement of the open public meeting law.
Ladies and gentlemen, the notice requirement of the open public meetings law has been satisfied with respect to this meeting specifying the time, date, and location, including an annual notice adopted the reorganization meeting and filed with the county clerk posted administration building and mailed to two newspapers in accordance with the
provisions of the law. >> Okay. Thank you, Lou. At this time, we're going to do the pledge of allegiance again. Please stand. Pledge >> 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. >> Uh >> we already had the invocation. >> Okay. At this time, we're going to take a moment of silence to remember all the
men and women who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. [Music] Thank you. Okay. Um, we need an approval of the minutes from August 12th, 2025.
>> So moved. >> Second. >> Roll call. >> County Commissioners Bartlett. >> Yes. >> Cruz, >> yes. >> D'Vor, >> yes. >> Duffy, >> yes. >> Deputy Director Lazar, >> yes. >> Okay. Uh, can I have u approval of the
proclamation? Take a motion. >> Second. >> County Commissioners Bartlett. >> Yes. >> Cruz. >> Yes. >> D'vor. >> Yes. >> Duffy. >> Yes. >> Deputy director Lazar. >> Yes. >> And the administrator's report.
>> Thank you. Uh, director. First, we have a welcome and update from, uh, P County Community College President, Dr. Steven Rose. Dr. Rose, thank you for having us this evening. Glad glad to have everyone here tonight. Uh well, we just just opened up our um
54th year as P County Community College and I'm glad to say we've had a a nice increase in enrollment and that's been tough after uh the pandemic, but uh we are getting there. Um just a a few quick updates. One of which you uh you
probably saw in our parking lot here, we have a little fence up. We're putting solar in on all of our campuses. I think we made the wise move. We wait we didn't jump on a solar bag wagon, you know, 10 years ago. We waited till now and it's it's uh it looks like it's going to pay
off very well for us. And uh our our Wiku campus is going to be 100% run on on solar. This campus should be solar. A good portion of of Patterson will probably will be able to save us about $500,000 a year in energy. So, it's it's
exciting that you're able to do those kind of things. Uh, this year we'll be getting construction on our new building in the city of Payic and we're going to add two important programs, dental hygiene and dental assisting. Um, big big need for it in Pay County. Um, we
kept we've we've heard for years that, you know, many dental practices are having a hard time uh being fully operational, especially in the urban areas because they can't get dental assistants and hygienists. So, we're we'll be starting a program doing that. We're also going to be starting a
program in medical ultrasound. >> Uh, another big thing that the hospitals are telling us that they need. Um, last year we started a surgical tech program and we already have students out in the hospitals and we're hearing it's it's really been been a a big plus for them.
But probably the biggest challenge we've got this year and it's a challenge that we're all we're all facing is how to integrate artificial intelligence into our curriculum. Um, it's become very clear what what we're hearing from employers now is they they need two
things for us to do. Number one, to work on the soft skills of our students to make sure that they know that they have to show up to work, show up on time, learn how to communicate. That's that's one thing that employers are telling us. The second thing they're telling us is that there's an expectation that
students are going to come out of college and be able to use artificial intelligence tools both responsibly but also know how to use it. Most jobs both entry level and a little higher than that are all going to need
artificial intelligence. And you know we went from probably 18 months ago where the biggest talk amongst faculty were okay how students are going to use artificial intelligence to cheat on their tests. Now they're talking about okay how are we going to ensure that every student who leaves the college has
the skills that they need for that first job that they get. And believe me nobody's figured it out yet. It's not easy. Um but it's something we have to do. You know, we we all talked years ago about the digital divide where some people had access to technology and the
internet and what it and how that was going to hold people back who didn't have access and we all saw it happening especially in urban areas and rural areas. Same is going to be true of artificial intelligence. That's going to be the new digital divide out there and you know our responsibility is to ensure
that that doesn't happen. So, we're that's what we're going to be working on this year and uh look forward to working with everyone in Pay County. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Rose. >> Yes. Thank you, Dr. Rose, for your partnership and the the great work you're doing at our uh community
college. Um, next we have a presentation from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on the Midtown bus terminal replacement project. Uh Chad Serpa, the senior external
relations client manager. Is that Chad? >> Thank you. Can you hear me? >> Great. Thank you, sir. >> My name is Zach McHugh. I'm the chief of uh intergovernmental and community affairs for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. And I first just want to thank the commissioners for having us here today for the opportunity
to address the commissioners and the residents of Pose County to talk about a very exciting new project that the Port Authority is undertaking to replace the Midtown bus terminal. The Midtown bus terminal in Manhattan is the busiest bus terminal in the world. Before the
pandemic, it was supporting 260,000 average passenger trips a day. In Paya County, uh the the county is the third highest number of commuters from New Jersey that commutes into the bus terminal monthly. Around 6,600 commuters
a month from Pose County are served by the terminal. And what we want to do is talk about what we all know is an outdated um in in need in need of replacement uh 75year-old facility. And so today we want to talk a little bit
about what the project to replace the terminal will look like. The new terminal will be made of a main facility which will replace the existing terminal. That's what you see in green on the right. It will also include a brand new storage and staging facility
to the west of the main terminal, which does not exist currently today, which will allow for buses to stage and wait before they get into the main facility. It'll also include a ramp structure that connects these two structures to the
Lincoln Tunnel. And it will also, as you see on the bottom in green, include decking over of Dyer Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, which will ultimately be turned over as uh new green open space in Manhattan.
And finally, after the completion of those, there will be two private development towers that you see all the way on the right. In the main terminal, we'll have five floors of bus gates, over 180 gates for buses. We'll provide we'll continue to
provide direct connection to subway and times square transit hubs hubs. We aim to create a best-inclass facility, including ADA standards and in all of our layout and design, expanding retail opportunities in the facility that will
serve not only the community around the facility, but the needs of the commuting th those commuters using the bus terminal. We'll allow for modern bus fleets incorporating state-of-the-art technology and integrated technology. and we'll link the north and south wings
with the closure of 41st Street, which is currently open to traffic, creating a larger central atrium and increasing operational efficiency and public access. As I mentioned, the storage and staging facility is not a building that exists
today, which will be brand new. This allows for the increase in efficiency and increase in reliability for commuters coming from New Jersey. The facility will help the port authority get rid of the scattered lots throughout the city where buses may
stage or park when they're not being used at the facility and enables the facility to be completely independent of the local street grid. This will minimize impacts during the construction of the new facility because when the main terminal is under
construction, the storage and staging facility will be used as a temporary facility. As you can see, approximately 300 to 350 storage spots will be included. New ramps will serve all bus movements
into and out of above grade bus levels of the replacement facility and from the Lincoln Tunnel. The ramps are going to create additional bypass opportunities. There are certain aspects of the ramps now as they exist where if a bus breaks down, it creates
delays and a bottleneck. The structure, the new ramp structure will be designed to allow efficiencies and extra opportunities to go around potentially disabled buses. This again allows for a significant reduction of the reliance on city
streets, impacting traffic not only at the Lincoln Tunnel, but also on the streets of Manhattan. The deckovers on Dyer Avenue are going to be used for temporary operations during the construction. The construction on the deck overs has
actually started um already. Um what we'll be doing is decking over those areas that you see in green. Um and eventually we'll be converted once the main terminal is completed to three and a half acres of new publicly accessible
open space. Phase one A, which is the deckover phase, has begun and will continue until 2027. Phase 1B includes both the ramps and the staging and storage and temporary terminal, which will begin later this
calendar year and go until 2029. The main terminal construction is a part of phase 2 which will go from 2029 until 2020 2032, excuse me. And so this essentially
lays out the construction timeline uh that the agency plans to undertake for the construction of the new facility. I now want to just provide some before and after photographs. We want to demonstrate I think you know for those
who use the terminal um there are a lot of inefficiencies both inside the terminal and it's imposing fortress-like features from the outside don't make it the most um you know picturesque facility in Midtown Manhattan and so we
want to just sort of show what we hope the future conditions of the facility to look like. This is currently the image of 41st Street. As I mentioned, that's a through street. [Music] This is going to be what we see as the the facade, a conceptual rendering as it
will look when the facility is done. You can see the remedying of the narrowness with greater setback and widening of the sidewalks creating a pedestrian-friendly environment and uh you know really allowing for a worldclass facility of a transportation hub in Midtown Manhattan
of the 21st century. Here's a photograph of the main terminal from 8th A and 40th Street today. This is a conceptual conceptual rendering of what we hope it to look like.
This is a subway level entrance today. Um, as you can see, there's low ceilings. It can be confusing for firsttime users. I think most commuters know their way around the ins and outs. It's it's a part of their normal routine, but for someone visiting the city for the first time, this is can be
imposing. This will be a brand new atrium. A skylight will bring natural light to the subway level, easier wayfinding, and more retail amenities. This is 40th Street looking west.
This was what we hope the future conditions to look like. Opening the facility to the public, activating space with treeline streets and street facing retail. This is the existing condition on DIA. If you're coming out of the Lincoln
Tunnel, you may sort of remember being able to see up to the street level. That's what's being decked over to be turned over to public space. >> This is limited pedestrian walking space on 39th Street looking west and again the side of the facility which will
activate these spaces and create more street facing retail. This is 11th Avenue between 39th and 40th Street. This will be another example of allowing an opportunity for buses to come off the street uh and back
into the facility. That is a very high level overview of a of a very exciting and large project. We know the significance and importance to Pay County commuters and residents. Again, we greatly appreciate the opportunity to come here and share about it. This is contact information for the
project. Again, we are under construction with the deck overs and expect to be under construction into 2032. Um, we will be working with all of the carriers, including New Jersey Transit, to communicate any changes in schedules as a result of the construction ahead and and provide ample
notice to residents and commuters. Um, but if anybody has any additional questions or would like to find out more, uh, see some of these renderings on our website, here is our information, an email, phone number, and our website. really appreciate the opportunity. Thank you. >> Thank you.
[Applause] >> Thank you, Zach. Uh commissioners, any any questions? >> No. So, that's all I have this evening, director. >> Thank you again. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Administrator. Uh we're
going to move on to the county commissioner reports. Uh, since the director is not here, it looks like I will be the one to start. Uh, just a few minutes ago, you saw that Vivby and
Jasmine bought these flyers around to everyone. This ties directly into the ceremony we had today, but we've been working on this for a couple of months. And as you can see when you look at it, February 19th to the 23rd, we're bringing a
traveling tribute here for those who served overseas uh in Iraqi freedom and enduring freedom operations. We invite you to come up to Rifle Camp Park. It will be open for those days.
Uh, Friday is not a great day because that's when they're setting up, but other than that, uh, we're having a ceremony on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. and we invite everyone who's here. And if you know anybody who would like to come see it, it's 7,000
dog tags representing the u those that we lost overseas in both those conflicts. And it's also a tribute to the gold star families. So, if you can stop up on one of those days, I know that it's going to
be very touching and poignant. Thank you. Uh, who's next? Uh, Commissioner Bartlett. Thank you, Sandy. Uh, I'm really looking forward to that. It's going to be something special and I know that you have been a leader on this board for years when it comes to working
with and looking out for our veterans and today was another great example of that. So, thank you. I just want to provide a report to my colleagues on my work with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority. I got to go down to Long Beach Island uh le yesterday morning for our meeting. Our
Ocean County Commissioner down there hosted uh the meeting uh in his county, which is a tradition uh that we did here uh in P County two years ago at the Great Falls. But what uh happened yesterday that was very important is that we adopted the 2026 through 2029
transportation investment program or TIP. Uh now the TIP covers four years as I mentioned 2026 through 2029 and accounts for more than $14 billion in federal transportation infrastructure funding that's going to come into our
region. The plan includes among that at least $260 million for projects right here in P County. Those are going to include designs for the main avenue in Payic to create a park plaza, pedestrian and ble bicycle safety improvements, and
a new New Jersey Transit bus station. That's a project that we were managed to grab about $25 million about a year ago in uh funds that were being reallocated from other states in other years. This is part of making that all a reality in the city of Payic in just the next
couple of years. The TIP also allocates design money for bridge replacement projects in Clifton, Patterson, Totoa, and West Milford, as well as NJ DOT projects to improve the route 23 and 46 interchange and alleviate flooding issues near Two Bridges Road in Wayne
and along Route 46 in the Willoughbrook area. I want to mention that Route 23 and Route 46 project for just a second because uh that's what's called the Missing Moves project. As you all know, you can't get straight from 23 to 80 or from I lose track sometimes, which it
is, and all of that spaghetti by Willoughbrook. But, uh, the effort to get those missing moves, those extra ramps included actually began with then freeholder Scott Romana uh, back when this is was a Republican
board in the 1990s and he sat in the seat I now sit in at NJTPA. um the effort to complete those missing moves began. And fast forward a quarter century and we got them paid for now. So that should be breaking ground in the years ahead, making the commute easier
for folks in Wayne uh and in the adjoining areas of Morris County. So I'm really proud of the bipartisan work that this board does and the impact of the bipartisan infrastructure act is going to continue to be felt in the years ahead as that additional federal funding
comes in. Uh but also it's a reminder that we need to prioritize that next round of infrastructure funding so that we can keep on doing what we've been doing. But good things ahead for P County and our neighboring counties as well. Thank you. >> Thank you. Uh Commissioner Cruz.
>> Uh I don't have any report today. >> Thank you. Commissioner D'vor, >> none at this time. Madam Director, >> thank you. Commissioner Duffy, >> I do have something. Um, I've been in contact with the mayor of West Milford about the fires up there
and um, she and I'll quote her, u, the fire has burned over 200 acres, 90% contained at this time, marks the second wildfire in the township in less than a year and the third in two years. And
it's been a clear reminder of the challenges that our communities face. Um, she and the rest of the board, I'm sure, wants to thank the New Jersey Forest uh, service for their outstanding leadership and tireless work on the
ground. Their swift response and coordination have kept residents safe and helped contain the fire under difficult conditions. Safe County stands ready to support West Milford and all affected areas as we continue to monitor it and respond.
Thank you so much. And uh I give them kudos what they do up there. It's not easy. The world is changing and uh and it's scary especially if you have a home close to to the fires as we've seen in the past. So I I give West Mford and the
fire service all my kudos. Absolutely. Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Duffy. Uh could I have a motion to open the oral portion of the meeting? >> So moved. >> Second. County Commissioners Bartlett. >> Yes.
>> Cruz, yes. D'Vor, >> yes. >> Duffy, >> yes. >> Deputy Director Lazar, >> yes. At this time, we open the meeting to the public. Just when you come down, please state your name and address. And it's a 3minut window to speak. So, if
you'd like to come up and speak, there's a microphone right there. Okay. Um, hi, my name is Jennifer Shu and I live at 205 Lake View Avenue in Ringwood. Um, I am the chairperson of sustainable
Ringwood/green Team and I'm here to speak on behalf of the green team and I have two green team members who have accompanied me. Uh there are two important roads in Ringwood which are county roads. Greenwood Lake Turnpike Route 511 and
Slozburg Road Route 697. Both roads run directly alongside the Wanukq reservoir. Route uh uh 697 uh which is also Sig Road runs alongside a
northern tributary of the main part of the Wanuku reservoir. For several years, we've noticed sprain alongside both of these roads in the springtime. And this this happened this year. Uh we've also noticed that after the spray, there's a large area
alongside both roads where the plants die. This swath of dead plants remain throughout the summer and into the following years. The chemicals clearly stay in the earth. Um and there is no doubt that powerful chemicals are being
used. These chemicals are being sprayed right next to the reservoir both along Greenwood Lake Turnpike and Slosburg work 697. Um, and the reservoir as you know provides drinking water for Newark and other New Jersey communities.
The chemicals are also being sprayed in an area adjacent to one of our local schools, the Huitt School. And even though they're not the the chemicals are not sprayed alongside the road where the school is located, they are sprayed directly across from the school on the
other side of the road. Um it is worth noting that 697 changes to Sterling Hill Road at the boundary of New York New York State and at this point the plants are alive and well because New York does
not spray along the road. Um we are here to ask the commissioners to to consider stop stopping the spraying alongside these two roads which directly abut the reservoir. Uh there are are alternatives
to spraying. There's mowing or you could simply leave the ve vegetation. Um we think this is an important matter and we hope you will consider it. Thank you. >> Thank you. [Music] Hello. How's everybody doing?
>> Good. >> Good. Good. You guys look great. Um, so my name is Lee Long and I'm a resident of Wayne, New Jersey, 15 Pilgrim Way and just wanted to bring to your attention some concerns of the residents around the um the Valley section of Wayne,
specifically those affected by um some of the ongoing dangers at the intersection of Valley and Ratzer Road. So we've lived there for years. Um now Pay County obviously maintains those roadways. Um you have jurisdiction over
the three busiest roads in Wayne. That's Valley Road, Radzer and um and the Hamburg turnpike. Yes, the big one, right? Um crashes and fatalities unfortunately are far too common. Um the
intersection of Valley and Ratzer, however, coming from the southbound section crossing uh Ratzer making the left. I'm sorry. Crossing. Yeah, crossing K Valley crossing and making a left. There's no turn signal there and there's just a lot of incidents that
happen. Um, unfortunately, many people are are injured um during those during those in incidents and a typical scenario I just described happens far too often and we're very used to living in that area hearing the sirens and the
accidents that happen. Um, so the situation is so notorious. the people that live there. We tell our our teen sons, you know, avoid that left at all possible um in any possibility and take the back rows on Henchman or Parish. But there's plenty of people maybe not
familiar with the area, especially the young students at William Patterson or visitors that are in the town just don't realize it by the time they get to the intersection. And I see people there all the time. I travel in the morning from my home going up Rats across Valley. They're stuck. It's making this left.
You can't even see over the hill. The cars come the other direction trying to make a left or blocking your visibility. It's a risk every time someone takes that left. The other concern is that valley is I feel like it's not very well patrolled. There's just a ton of cars
flying down valley like it's, you know, Route 23 or 46. They go entirely too fast. It just increases the possibility of accidents happening at that particular intersection. So, it's inconvenient. Um, it's just a
we feel like it's a um it's a serious safety concern and there is a need for a dedicated left turn signal at the intersection. Obvious and urgent um for the residents and the people traveling through there. Um, we do understand that a traffic study was completed recently
for Pose County and thankfully we were um granted a 15 or I guess a a substantial sum to help fix some of the issues. I guess what we're asking is um what's the current status of the project? Have you guys decided on improvements that you're going to make
along Valley Road? and could we possibly request maybe an urgent installation of a protected lefthand turn signal at that intersection? I think it would save a lot of incidences. There's just been too many bad things that have happened. Um, however, and I'm sure as you're aware,
it's not the only dangerous part of Valley Road. Uh we have unfortunately had in recent years fatalities along Valley, specifically at Birwood and Michael, South Court, um right across from Sienna Village and at Valley and
McDonald Drive. I mean, one fatality is just too much. And especially if there's small things that we can do to make these preventable. um you know, broader walkways, um just better visibility, more improved oversight, even having
some of our fine men and women just being aware of the conditions of the road with people traveling and just giving them a heads up. Hey, slow down. You know, there's things that happen. You may not be aware of it, but it happens. I think awareness and people's transparency about incidents that happen
would just allow people to maybe make better decisions when they're traveling down Valley Road. Um, so I guess our ask is hopefully the immediate prioritization of the installation of the protected lefthand turn signal, high visibility pedestrian walkways,
help from the sheriff's department, and then also if we could provide public access to crash and traffic data. I think that would just >> I'm sorry. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you for coming tonight. >> Thank you very much. Thank you. >> I appreciate you guys. All right. Bye.
Good evening, commissioners, and thank you for this opportunity to allow us to speak for a few minutes. Um, I echo everything that Mr. and Mrs. Long were saying about the um the streets in Wayne. I'm going to refer to them as the arteries of Wayne. And I'm going to add
some other streets. The corner of Valley Road and Ratzer like Mr. and Mrs. long were stating and also the corner of um Hamburg and Duncan and also the other artery that I'm going to bring attention to is the one that's on Hamburg turnpike
pmpton plains right by the uh rat >> quick and rat and quick check where the quick check is at the road at the top of the hill. Um, I know everybody here will agree with me. Every life is priceless with all the changes coming to Wayne. And this is just the t this not even the
tip of the iceberg of what awaits Wayne with all the housing that's going to be coming into Wayne. The amplified um amount of traffic that's going to be coming through there and the need is urgent and we're just hoping that something can be done sooner than later.
When I was a former council woman in Wayne, I had requested a um a traffic study to be done and it was conducted and I was focusing then on the corner of Ratzer Road and Hamburg Ratzer Road and Valley Road. Um in that intersection,
there's three left-hand turn lights signal there, but the one um light does not have the left-hand turn signal light, and that is desperately needed. As a matter of fact, this past Saturday, there was another accident there. um a car, a red car, um was facing the
oncoming traffic. So, I guess it was going to try was trying to make a left-hand turn and somehow it got hit and shoved over to the oncoming traffic and creating um a back track a backlog of of um traffic. There's been countless lives that have been lost there. Um
continuous accidents and we're just hoping that like Mr. Long had stated um with the with the lights and that something gets done because this can't keep on like this. It's, you know, we have a lot of lives at stake and Wayne is growing a lot and um it's just not going to get any better. It's just
going to get more scarier and worse. I want to say thank you again. >> Yeah. >> Hi, I'm Hillilary Caruso. Um I'm a a Facebook friend with some of you and I am really adamant that Hamper Turnpike
along with the other two roads needs to be looked at. It is very dangerous. Every winter there are potholes. You guys patch them, but you don't pave them. Um, going down there, people are flying. I live off Hamburg Turnpike, and it is extremely dangerous. I also would
like to see Ratzer Road, Valley Road, and Hamburg Turnpike looked at um to see if there's any way we can make it safer. There's no real sidewalks on Hamburg Turnpike. A lot of people use public transportation. You're building this beautiful complex. Um, a lot of people
take the buses. People have to walk a little bit with a sidewalk, then they're on the grass, then they have to go back onto a sidewalk. It's extremely dangerous. Some people walk in the road simply because there's no place to walk. Um, if you drive it as much as I do, you
would be able to see and and want to help that road be safer there. If you drive down right now past the sheriff's office, you'll see holes that haven't been fixed. So, what happens in the wintertime when the plows come by and make those holes bigger? Then you're
just patching and patching and patching. Infrastructure is huge. We have to work on it. I'd like to see my taxpaying money go to the safety of the roads that my girls drive on, that I drive on, that my husband drives on, that police drive on. Um, and I think now, especially with
ebikes and regular bikes going up and down that road as well, I think we need to do something. We need to be safer with that. And I love the fact that you're doing things for all of the other towns too as well. I I commend that. But I really would like to see Hamburg Turnpike, like to see someone from Hamburg Turnpike drive up and down and
just take a look. The other day there were big rocks in the middle of the street. So they had been sitting on the um divider in the middle of the road, then they fell onto the ground. So we have to have somebody periodically drive through just to get an idea. Ratzer Road
going down by Manhattan Bagels. The lefthand turn signal needs to be there. It's very bumpy. People can't stop. Well, they could slide into each other. Simple things that we could do is just drive it. Just drive it yourself and see. Thank you so much for listening. >> Thank you.
>> Seeing no one at the podium, I move to close public session. >> Second. >> I have a question. I thought we stopped using chemicals on the side. >> Oh yeah, go ahead. >> Thank you, sir. Comm County
Commissioners Bartlett, >> yes. >> Cruz, >> yes. >> D'Vor, >> yes. >> Duffy, >> yes. >> Deputy Director Lazar, >> yes. >> Years ago, we had a problem in West Mford. They stopped chemical. Then I don't know, we went to Ringwood as well.
I think that was the process we were using. We stopped or No. >> Um, >> I'm not putting on. >> Yeah. No, it's okay. >> Yep. >> Um, thank you for coming, uh, Mrs. Shu. Um, I I do believe there is some herbicide spraying on some county roads. I don't have all of the particulars
right now, but if I can get your contact information after, I'll have a I'll have a conversation with our supervisor of roads, then I'll get in touch with you and we can have a more informed discussion. Um, Mr. Long and the rest of the the Wayne crew. Um, thank you for coming. Um, we were aware of the
accidents. Um, our engineering department has gotten the last 5 years of uh, accident reports in most of the areas that that you brought up. Um, we are going to they are going to analyze them and we're going to try and come up with short-term solutions. As someone
mentioned, we um, we did secure and Commissioner Barley, help me here, a $15 million grant. >> Uh, $15 million. >> Yeah. Unfortunately, the federal process is very slow and very tedious. We're in conceptual design. There's like five different phases. Um it moves slower
than I would like. Um but we have been working with um with Mayor Verano and Wayne's engineering department to try and come up with some short short-term solutions as we develop the the long-term solutions to make the uh the roads you discussed safer. >> Yeah, I just want to add to that. Um
first of all, thank you all very much for coming. Um, Hillary, I'm one of your Facebook friends. So, I I see and and I I I appreciate the fact that when you reach out to me by email or or on Facebook Messenger, you know, I know we've gotten some striping repainted uh in areas that you pointed out, and I
appreciate that. Uh yeah, we do have $15 million in federal funding coming. Uh that is, as Matt mentioned, in design phase. Uh there's a lot of options, and what we need to do is choose the one that's going to, you know, create the greatest safety in the long term. In the
meantime, enforcement is a big part of it. That is the township's responsibility. Um, and I've asked our traffic engineer questions about dedicated left turn lanes at Ratzer and Valley and at Ratzer and, uh, Hamburg, which I know you and I talked about, Hillary, uh, which I drive through
practically every day. And I drive most of these roads as well. I live right near the Boys and Girls Club and Anthony Middle School on Garside Avenue. But, um, we're we're well aware of that. the the dilemma comes with a temporary uh solution like that. Do we end up
creating new rear end accidents because people don't realize the left lane is left turn only or sideswipes and u we do have a traffic engineer we are having those conversations. What's going to make sense temporarily will be one thing and then as I say with that $15 million
uh we're doing new design and we've got a you know plan we're going to prepare that plan for the full length of Valley Road. Uh, and I hope that's going to also include some uh, flashing light augmented crosswalks uh, in the condos between Rzzer and Hamburg because I know
that's an area with a lot of commuters crossing back and forth after getting off the bus at night or early in the morning. Uh, and that's where we've had, I think, two fatalities over the last four or five years. So, we we take it all very seriously. As Matt said, it moves slower than we would like. Uh but
you should always feel free to reach out uh you know via the county website or to me personally either via email or uh on social media. >> And just to add two more things, I I will call Sheriff Adam after this. They do patrol our county roads. He does have some traffic calming strategies that he
can put in that spot. And there we we did approve our 2025 road resurfacing which included the stretch of Hamburg turnpike that I think you're talking about. So that should be paved sometime in the next six months >> as well as rats are west of Hamburg. So
>> if you find out through the chair just you mentioned reaching out to the sheriff maybe >> some of the the more concerning areas for speed maybe have some of the flashy signs that
>> Yeah. speed speed signs >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. some of those slow down that you know blinking signs that tell people to slow down or whatever that those are good temporary fix. We've used them in other towns and I'm sure we can do that as well. >> Thank you.
>> Yeah, >> I think that's it. >> We're now going to move on to the consent agenda. it. If anyone has any um any resolutions to pull or change or anything, please do. If I may, I'd like
to remove item 61 from the consent agenda. Okay, >> we'll pull that one off. >> Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Um can I have a motion to vote on the
consent agenda? M director just um give the full that would be L1 through L60, >> right? >> L62 through L78. >> Correct. So we'll do one
to 60 and then we'll >> No, you can do it all again. >> Okay. All right. So I want to take a motion. So >> second >> county county commissioners. >> Yes. >> Cruz. >> Yes. >> D'vor. >> Yes. >> Duffy.
>> Yes. >> Deputy director. >> Yes. Okay. Um Okay. Can I have a motion for the personnel agenda? I'll move >> first. >> County Commissioners Bartlett.
>> Yes. >> Cruz. >> Yes. >> D'vor. >> Yes. >> Dumpy. >> Yes. >> Deputy Director Bill. >> Yes. I have a motion to move the bills. >> I'll move the bills. >> Second. >> County Commissioners Bartley. >> Yes. >> Cruz D'Voir.
>> Yes. >> Duffy. >> Deputy Director Lazair. >> Yes. And can I have a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. Second. >> Yeah. >> County Commissioners Bartlett. >> Yes. Cruz. >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Deputy director. >> Yes. >> Okay. Table down here, right?