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Good evening. Welcome to the March 24th, 2026 meeting of the Pquanic Township Council. Miss Marsh, in accordance with the requirements of New Jersey's open public meetings act, notice of this meeting was included in the annual meeting notice which was filed in the office of the town clerk,

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posted on the bulletin board in the municipal building, published as a legal notice in the suburban trends and daily record newspapers, and distributed to all persons requesting notice in accordance with township policy. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance followed by a prayer and a moment of thanks for individuals serving our

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nation. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God and indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Most gracious providence, we ask that you bless this governing body with an abundance of

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wisdom and understanding so that every deliberation will result in actions which promote the common good and general welfare for all the people of the Quanic Township. Amen. >> Amen. >> Will [clears throat] you please call the role? >> Mr. Drey, >> yeah, I'm here.

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>> Mrs. Lawrence Lynch, >> here. >> Mr. Cole, >> I'm here. >> Mr. Syracus, >> here. Mayor Russell, >> I'm here. The first presentation this evening is by Puquanic Township High School Safe Driving Club. Ladies, come on up.

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Even my shirts. >> I was going to say, did you bring us each shirt? No. Thinking >> that for next time. [laughter] >> How are you? >> Good. How are you? >> Great. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. They would have brought a shirt, but they saw some of our Thank you.

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>> New Jersey driver's license records. Cool. >> I can share. >> Yeah, we can share. >> You want to share, but thank you. >> You want to share? You want to share? We're good. Council has one. You're good. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. I'm Olivia. I'm the vice

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president of a quantitative driving. And my name is Amelia and I'm the president. We are proposing a pedestrian activated um installation at Sunset Road and South Sunset Lane by our high school. About our club, we are comprised about like 30 kids from sophomores to juniors,

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all dedicated to the safety of our students and about like driving and pedestrian awareness. Um a little bit about our executive board. Like we said, we're the president and vice president. And we have Natalie Vala who's our secretary. We have Anna Lee who's here.

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Oh my sorry. Who's [laughter] our um social media coordinator. We have Sophia who is our community outreach chair and Grayson Chang who is our event coordinator. Oh, and our adviserss are our great teachers um Susan Blanch and Samantha

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Santos. Continuing about our club, we are participating in the you got brains program from the brain [snorts] injury alliance of New Jersey. So it's a peer-led peer-led initiative that empowers high school students to educate their peers and communities about safe

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driving. So each year participating students attend a showcase where they present their safe driving campaign and activities to a panel of judges. The top three teams received $10,000 towards our district to be used the next year and on to promote safe driving within their

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community. So, it helps raise awareness about driving concerns, especially in teenagers, which we felt was very important since we have a lot of drivers, especially in our grade. We have one of the biggest grades in the district. So we promote advocacy and collaboration with local government to

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affect meaning meaningful change in our community. Our proposal is for a pedestrian sign on one of our like biggest crossing areas in the morning. If you've ever driven by the high school, um on the second crosswalk when

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you're coming towards the high school, right across from the gym, right across from the gym, and we don't have a junior parking lot. Um so a lot of our junior drivers park on Sanders, which is the road that curves and there needs to be crossing to get to the high school each

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morning. And a lot of our kids usually like to come in late. Our parents like to come in late. So it causes a lot of chaos of people wanting to get on time. And if you watch a lot of kids are like darting across the road and we've noticed that along with we we talked to police earlier this year and our own

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security and they've also noticed it as a issue. So we're looking for the town council's endorsement for the installation of a pedestrian activated solar p panled rectangular rapid flashing beacon at the sunset road and

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south sunset lane. um the substantially improve >> the visibility alert drivers and protect students and our community members from preventable accidents. Um one of our main things is obviously we don't want to have to deal with things after they happen. We want to make sure our kids

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are safe each morning and make sure that we don't have to deal with any incidents if they do happen. Um, so these signs are around our town already and when we talked the police, they thought that it would be one of our better options for trying to get awareness in this area to

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make safer. >> That's a relatively new crossing there as it is, right? >> It's a Yeah, it's a thinner. Um, when we did the flashing lights, did we have to reach out to the homeowners? Didn't we retail on Huffer >> when we did the stop sign? These are different people.

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>> Okay. Yeah. I think this is a great idea and I have to commend you for coming up in front of us. I know it's not easy. I was never a good public speaker, but you guys are really good. You are you also in the public speaking club because you do very well. Good job teachers. You did very well. I

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I don't know what anybody else thinks, but I would get behind this. >> Great idea. I like it. >> I like it. And just for the council's benefit and credit to the club and the adviserss, there was the groundwork laid before they even came here to meet with uh the police department, public works

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department engaged engineering. So, it's been reviewed by police, engineering, public works with no concerns or objections. And um it's it's a good initiative that will further the enhancements that have already been done in the area to try to make pedestrian traffic more safe. >> What do we got to do to get it done?

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say yes. >> We are given money as part of the organization and we've been doing fundraising. So we estimated the cost and it's approximately $5,000 for one set and we currently have about $2,000.

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So we would need either financial support or we would have to wait another year to see if we can make more money obviously. But we just want to know where the ground works are now to see what we can get started. We're still >> unless there was objection from the township council. I can find $3,000.

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>> I think we're good. >> I think you can find >> I think we can find it. Yeah. >> How how did you >> um so we've been doing like parking spot raffles since we had since the senior class right now is smaller than the junior class, we had um parking spots available on campus. So we've been

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raffling off parking spots every month. So a junior like if they won the raffle then they'll be able to park in that spot for a month so they can park on campus cuz we I mean if you go on standards right now during the school hours I mean it like wraps around the other side. >> So and I mean like people literally like

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sprint into school in the morning which [laughter] is a little later so you guys could sleep a little longer. That's definitely a great start but I think it's worth it if we have to kick in that. >> So let me ask you a question. What could

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you use the funds for? >> Um, pretty much anything. I mean, we've looked at other people's ideas. What's the town that's really good? >> Indian Hill. >> Indian Hill. They've changed a lot. >> So, a lot of people do stuff with

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[clears throat] government since it's one of the like more it's obviously like a harder thing to do, but it leads to a great and lasting outcome. So, one Indian Hills has done, they've um been to local and >> they went to Trenton. >> Yeah, they went to Trenton and they've

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tried to change the law to make um not being buckled in the back of first degree primary >> a primary offense. And they've been very successful, but our money can go towards really >> really anything that just like promotes. >> We obviously we wanted to make it's our first year and we wanted to go strong

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and we thought this was good idea. >> It's going to be blinking. I'm I'm all for supporting 3,000, but I mean, if we could find 4,000, I think we should do 4,000 and leave them something in the bank. >> Mhm. >> That they could use for >> Yeah. Well, they're still going to be

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doing their stuffing. >> So, I just have one question. So, you did this for this year? >> Yes. >> Think [laughter] about it. >> That's a great question. We got to go out with the bank. >> Are you juniors or seniors?

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>> We're juniors. Our board is mostly juniors except for Sophia. She's a sophomore. Yeah. Yeah. You better start thinking. All right. Next year we've already set things. Um we're trying to do stuff with our school with the police and we're thinking of focusing on the crossing for

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like the next few years and we're trying to do as part of our um >> Oh yeah. We're going to middle school for the biking and everything with the new um path in town. >> Yeah. And then we're trying to change as part of our um what's it called? I don't

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know sophomore year help cuz you learn about driving. We're trying to get we're trying to partner with the police and do like more examples of crossing and making sure that people understand the rules of crossing cuz like there's a certain like area you have to you can't cross if a car is in between a certain area. I feel like a lot of people don't

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know that. We're trying to just make driving safer. >> Keep up the keep up the great work. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you for helping and with respect to next steps, the advisors have my contact information, please. So, whatever we need to do, when we need to

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do it, reach out and we'll move forward. You're welcome. >> Ladies, you're welcome for the next 2026 municipal budget presentation. But if you want to leave, we will not be in fact in case you guys want to leave. Feel free.

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[laughter] >> Yes. >> It's a very thrilling and Yeah, I I must be getting old cuz I thought they were all students. >> I did too, actually. >> Say bye. Thanks again. >> Thanks again. Have a good night.

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>> Byebye. Thank you. >> Come on. >> This is my night. >> Can we Can we have Kevin NELSON DO IT? >> [laughter] >> ALL RIGHT, THIS IS GOING TO BE A ROAST. >> YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE to sit through. >> Okay, as I said before, next on the agenda is 6 municipal budget

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presentation. >> The floor is yours. >> Thank you, Madame Mayor, members of council. And and uh this is a big night for us. Um, the council may notice that Julie got tired of the old green that I had used

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for years. And we now have an updated refresh of a nice blue motif. So, that's that's the first change. Um, no comic sands font, though. We're sticking with regular fonts. Um, I say this is a big night because there's a lot of work that goes into this process and and the council's more than aware because the

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council's a big part of it. Um, so that everyone is aware with is included. The process starts in September and involves a lot of input from staff uh from every level of the organization, boards, committees, commissions, and everything has to be funneled into a

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process that ultimately gets delivered to the governing body and includes a required public hearing that is held in November. So, we disseminated the budget to the governing body in February. We have what we have our our long Saturday meeting grind over a lot of the details had a number of follow-up meetings and

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ultimately uh the process that began in September for us culminates in tonight which is why I think it's very exciting and there are others who disagree. Some highlights uh the total appropriations within the current fund budget are 24 just under $5 million. Uh

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the open space recreation farmland and historic preservation trust fund which is at 6 cents per 100 of assessed value uh will generate uh about 215,000 a little over that in 20126 and uh the total at the end of the year with no

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expenditures will be just over a million dollars. That is one of the reasons that the governing body directed we explore the potential to increase the uses of that trust fund. So it could be used not only for acquisition and some of the other uses that have been used for but uh greater improvements to benefit the

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community. One of the things that's important to note about it is with some of the elements that we sometimes have to engage in for acquisition purposes in order to get access to the county's grants you do have to have uh tax and you do have to have an open space committee. So it is it is in essence an

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insurance policy for flood issues as well as an opportunity to improve uh parks and lands in the township. Overall as directed by the governing body the budget has been prepared with a tax increase of 2% on the tax levy.

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Some significant changes by categories are identified on the slide that is next. Um the most significant of which is health insurance and I think everybody in the public, private and every other sector is recognizing the extraordinary increases in health insurance. Township Aquanic is a member

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of the North Jersey Municipal Employee Benefits Fund which is called the Hif. Uh we get our insurance through pooling with other towns that are similar and trying to uh spread the risk among all the towns. The the Hif budget went up uh over 18%.

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uh anyone who is in state bel benefits or reading the stories about state health benefits benefits for municipalities went up 36 12%. It is an unsustainable runaway freight train. Uh we're working on a number of different initiatives to try to mitigate the costs

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that are borne by the employees as well as the taxpayers. So there is buyin by the staff. Uh the collective negotiating units have engaged with conversations and meetings and we're going to work to see if there's ways that everyone can benefit to try to deal with the extraordinary increases that are caused

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in my opinion by some of the new medications that are out there by the uh fact that health insurance or health services are no longer for doctors that are independent. We now have these large groups to negotiate prices. Uh there's also a scarcity of workers and wages go

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up and costs go up. So there's a number of factors that are driving it. Uh revenues in 2025, our revenue collection was strong. Um reserve for insurance refunds, FEMA administrative expenses, and capital fund balance are two areas where we're using what I like

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to think of as coin collections or non-reoccurring revenues to support the budget. Uh they were in the the less than $500,000. So on a $24 million spending plan, it's nothing that couldn't be coped with if it was required to be dealt with.

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fund balance uh fund balance or if you're a GAP accountant owner equity is what is available at the end of the year. Uh if you look at the chart which goes all the way back to 2011 uh 2011 was right after the great recession and

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every piggy bank was broken or spent to try to not lose personnel or services. So there is a reason why everything was drawn down so far that that long ago. But we have steadily worked to stabilize and and manage the available fund balance. The auditors and the financial

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experts recommend 30% of your current fund appropriations be available in fund balance, which for us would be a little over 7 million. We're continuing to work in that direction. Uh, one of the benefits of having a stable and growing fund balance, as we'll get to in a

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little bit, is you're able to use it for onetime expenses or rare expenses like the purchase of a firetr. So, in this year's budget, there is a draw down of an additional $700,000 of of uh fund balance to purchase a 28-year-old or purchase a replacement for a 28-year-old

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firetruck. So, much better to do that with cash than it is to do that with credit. Uh and and having the fund balance and the financials in the strength that they are allow us to do those types of things. tax dollar in 2025.

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Everybody assumes because the township collects it, the township gets to keep it. Uh that is a breakdown of every tax dollar and where it goes or where it went rather in 2025. We don't have a complete rate for 26 yet. The township of aquatic kept 21 cents on the dollar.

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So while you know it's a priority to keep tax increases low, we want to do as much as we can with as little increase as possible. that 2% increase only represents a fifth of your tax dollar. So proportionally, if the other large uh

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which the school district is the is the biggest, if the other large areas go up, you know, 2 or 4% 3%, it makes our 1/5if of the tax dollar kind of get dwarfed a little bit. So it's important to remember uh where the money goes and how

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it's managed. As I noted before, capital improvements, uh you see significant efforts to maintain parks, streets, drainage improvements. Uh this year, again, $900,000 for a firet truck. Uh an

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additional $700,000 draw down and fund balance. Uh sidewalk improvements. The township of Aquanic is the only employer I've ever worked for, and I've been doing this for four different towns, that like a rolling street replacement pro program has a sidewalk replacement program. So the engineer comes up with a

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rating and the worst sidewalks are attempted to be addressed uh in an order from worst to best. So it's a much more beneficial way to manage liability as well as deal with sidewalks that comprehensively need to be replaced. It's not as simple as sending everybody

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a letter on the street saying you must do this, though some towns I've worked for did. Uh the capital plan also includes the remounting or the payment for the remounting of an ambulance. The first aid squad a couple years ago acquired a new ambulance. Ambulances

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used to be 100,000 200,000. I think it was just shy of four. So there's been a change in philosophy where the back of the ambulance can be remounted on a new chassis and utilized for years to come. Uh the cost for that is still $220,000. not inexpensive but just a little over

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half of the cost of the most recent ambulance. So trying again to do more with with less and keep things moving. And then we have the road resurfacing projects that includes the DOT uh funded RAM project. Township of Aquanic has a water utility,

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a sewer utility and solid waste utility. Water utility >> [clears throat] >> uh continues to move forward. The most significant activity within the water utility this year is the wells one and two POS mitigation project. That's a roughly $5 million project, $3 million

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of which is hopefully going to be funded through principal forgiveness by going through the NJI bank. Uh that will be completed sometime in 2027. Uh the word utility went up just under 2.5%. sewer utility uh overall increase of

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just about 3.3%. Largest driver of increased there is cost associated with the treatment of the sewage. Uh everybody we all flush. It's all got to go somewhere. We need it to be dealt with and uh and that's that's the cost of of dealing with the effluent.

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And then lastly, we have the solid waste utility which was the subject of a lot of discussion with the necessary rate increase that occurred uh in 2025. We described it as a limp year. The contracts came up at the end of October and a number of expenses had to be moved

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out of the utility that were appropriately to be charged appropriate to be charged to the utility. uh when the new contracts came up, recycling up 100%. Uh garbage up uh roughly 50%. And the vegetative waste up a significant

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percent but not as as significant as those. Uh there needed to be a rate study undertaken to ascertain what rates would be necessary to support the operation of the utility and that resulted in an overall increase of 32.17% for a huge sum of money. uh crediting the governing body. Again,

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there could have been a significant reduction in the level of service. There was a robust discussion over whether or not to have a $200 annual increase and limit services or have a $280 increase and keep the services as they were. So,

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it was a cost benefit and the decision was made to keep the level of service as it was and the contracts were awarded and unfortunately the rates had to be increased to support those contracts. As I mentioned at the outset of this, which I tried to keep as brief as

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possible, uh, many hands make light work and the staff does everybody does a little bit. So, the only person who does a lot is really Julie Township's chief financial officer. She's got the heaviest lift of everything. I have the opportunity to sit here and talk about this, but the the hundreds of hours that

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went into it, not only from the staff, but the volunteers, uh the governing body's input and direction through uh three and a half meetings this year resulted in the spending plan that again has a 2% increase uh projected on the tax levy and uh utilities that remain uh

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stable and moving forward without any challenges to them financially. Any questions from the governing body? That 2% is approximately how much on the average household? >> Uh $38 on the average assessed household of 567,000

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56 570. Julie got that 5895. >> 5891 195. >> Okay. >> Hence everybody does a little bit except she does. >> So $38 more per year for the average household that starts at 5.89.

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So again, thank you everyone very much. Uh it's always a big deal to get to this point. So it's like turning in the term paper in and college. Very good. Mr. Brew, >> it's now prepared for introduction which is scheduled for the council's consideration later [clears throat] resolution 202696.

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Last year the resolution introducing the budget was 202595. >> Kind of eerie. >> Fun fact. >> Thank you. So that's a trivia question from the Christmas party >> and everyone [laughter] >> any questions >> any comments. Great job. Thank you

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Julie. Thank you Adam. Thank you everybody who worked on this. I know all the department heads also did a great job on it's a long process and I want to thank everybody up here for all the work we all did getting it down

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to where we felt it was comfortable. Okay, next on the agenda is reports from volunteers. At this time, are there any reports or comments from any of the volunteers serving our community? Put your hands up so she can go ahead.

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>> Come on up. >> That's a tough action. You're right. [laughter] >> They didn't even seem nervous. They were Follow Adam. [laughter] >> Well, Adam didn't seem nervous. >> Well, I'm here to discuss mayor council.

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Um Bobby, Adam, Carol. I'm here to discuss the veterans banner program that's been proposed in town. Uh it's a banner program. Uh and that pays respect to those killed in action that were from Puquanic, not Puanic High School, but from Puquanic of which there are 16

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veterans. the um the home the the banners can be seen in nearby towns such as Kennalong, Butler, Bloomingdale, West Milford, Booten, you know, the banners that hang from the the street lights and and the lamps. Um and we'd like to do that for

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Quanic. And the uh the company that we proposed to use is the milit military tree banner company. It's veteranowned and operated and employs veterans. The out of the 16 banners, uh 12 will have to be paid for. four are um out of

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respect to those killed from 1957 on during the Vietnam era. So the the 12 banners um times $115 comes to uh 13 uh $1,380 for with the hardware for a total cost

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of just a little under $2,500. Um, the issue has been discussed with Melissa Florence, with Adam, and we'd like to move forward with our fundraising, and we just wanted to discuss this with the town council about this taking place in our town.

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That's it. Any questions? >> Any questions, comments? What would be the next step if every >> We have to with fundraising you have to be determined but the number of 23 under just under $2,500 I don't see as a great

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challenge. Um you know we can run a couple music bingos and a couple fundraisers and >> so the Legion is going to do fundraisers. >> We're going to do fundraisers to cover some of the cost. Yes. >> To cover. >> Um and what about getting them up, getting them down? That's

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>> Yeah, I did. Initially, I was ignorant >> and we had a good meeting and went over how it operates. I checked in with some of my colleagues and this is something that the public works department can do. Um, and that's how it's handled in other towns. It's put up usually a little before Memorial Day as I understand it and taken down a little shortly after

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Veterans Day. >> Um, and then housed in over the winter in an inside protected area. >> So, that's something that I've reviewed with public works leadership, you know, dedication of resources, but at 16, we're not talking 600. Yeah. No, we're not talking like it's it's proposed as a

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is a two-phase, but the second phase is obviously beyond the first phase and the second phase would be those that were, you know, died while in service, but that's a bridge to be crossed at a later date. The original is 16, you know, minus the four that are out of respect to those killed from 1957 on. Um, these

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the 16 date back to World War I, which include John Lukov, who's the the American Legion post named John Lukov, American Legion post. So that that was number one. >> And both legions are on board. >> Yes, I've had discussions with Russ. I spoke with Russ Weiss, the commander of

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450. You know, I represent 242 and um you know, they're on board and he's been informed. >> Question. Um he put, you know, these soldiers are marines

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um up on a banner on KIA. Um, do you think you could retraumatize soldiers, uh, officers, whatever, who have lost people in Iraq and Afghanistan, uh, who served there and every time they drive

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somewhere, they got to see it, or do you think, um, uh, maybe should be reserved for another place, excuse me, >> or do you think that maybe something like this should be reserved for another place? just something to consider.

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>> I'm not saying that that's a decision, but >> I'm just saying some people could potentially be retraumatized. >> It's it's it's very much if you've seen the b you've seen the banners in and I don't see them as a um a depressing

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banner. I see them as a banner that's it's uplifting and and you know, we had a sample banner and it says, you know, Quant Township is proud to honor. And [snorts] I I saw it more as a positive banner. I didn't see it as a negative like a negative banner. >> Can Do we have Do Can we see a sample

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banner? >> Well, Melissa has one at her office that we can >> Yeah. Um I meant to bring it today and I ran from another meeting and forgot it. I had it over here to bring to Adam one day, but that was before he knew that he could do it. I was going to run back again. If if you wish at next month at

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next month's council meeting, I can present >> that and respectfully, you know, then I understand your concern. >> Y >> I don't think waiting for the banner is going to delay. I mean, you guys, I think fundraising, right?

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>> Yeah. >> We need to do you want to see the banner before we deal with >> I guess that's the question. We're not sure like what is our role? Do we have to work? >> So, it's it's the township right away. So the township would have to authorize or approve them to be posted, you know, with respect to the dedication of

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resources. That's not going to be a problem. Workers can do that. But it's an area that the governing body exercises control over and businesses and that's why necessary to issue the approval. >> And there was a recommendation on the size. I don't know if you brought that up. We they did have three sample sizes.

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>> We picked the sizes. We picked the larger cuz it goes from from respectful size to a size that's just not very noticeable. >> I would really like to see them. I have no idea what I'm looking >> and and just to clarify because it's the county right away, but we would work

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with the county to make sure I could either bring it to the next council meeting or give it to you to bring or I could just drop it at Adams off. >> We just drop it at Adams off. So the sample that you have is the size that you >> and that's the size of it. >> Yes. Yes. And it's a durable material and it comes, you know, the hardware

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with mounting it and it's all included in price. So, >> and the other thing I might want to mention, I know um Ray has helped a lot of other towns >> raised on raised on you just if you'll um raised on K1, Bloomingdale, Butler, West Milford, Bootin. Um Bootin had over

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70 73 73 uh flags that were presented and pumps and he's done all he's been involved in all those towns. And Ray, is this hardware something that you leave up or do you take it down when you take the banners down or I know some towns

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left it up and it disappeared. >> People stealing from the metal, >> but somebody climbs up a pole and steals the metal. >> Oh, yeah. >> Oh, boy. >> All right. Well, >> Rich is shaking his head like, "Yeah, I know.

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It sounds unbelievable, but it's not." >> Wow. I'll bring the uh And Adam, if you want if you want to meet just to discuss, you can just reach out to me. I'll stop 24x 48. It's not gigantic.

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>> They didn't go with the biggest one. >> Yeah, the the 30x60 I have inale was too big. That was my mistake. >> Okay. And >> within the um >> And what town? What town do you have that size in? >> 30x60. I have that in Bloomingdale, but

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after that we switched to 24x 48. >> So, so the 24x48s are in Bloomingdale now. >> No. Yeah, they will be in my second phase. >> Oh, in your second phase. So, who has the size that we have up hanging now that I can take a drive? >> Bumper has it. Kong has it on. Are there

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any of them up right now or No, >> no, not yet. They go up right before we can't see it. >> Oh, so we can't even see what it looks like. Okay. Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.

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I have one thing to say. I thought we talked about this a couple months ago that we we don't want to do something like this because we had already established we had the uh the veterans walk high school and all do respect obviously because you were my brothers. But I hope I don't

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know why this came up again. >> I don't know if you want to. >> I didn't real I didn't realize that they were fundraising. We had a discussion. They didn't present. >> I I mean I can tell you from doing this for a lot of times there's no competition.

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>> Let the competition s I do the rest and I do the banners and they're night and day. Okay, they're separate. The school runs the monument. The town runs the banners. Are you are you questioning that? You already had the conversation.

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>> That's what we were the conversation. That's what question. Okay. I was asking for and I I guess Jim, are some of these people that the banner is going to be not on the veterans wall? >> You got one one that was killed from on

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the monument. All the other ones are bound to the veterans high school. Right. 12 of the people 12 to 15 high school didn't have a high school. Correct. Right. >> So 12 of the 16 when

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[clears throat and snorts] from before we even had a high school right you had one Vietnam veteran that went to high school went to Mississippi County Tech. One went to a high school in West Point New York before he moved here. And

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you have high school at the time and respectful >> AND >> OKAY. YEAH, I'm looking forward to seeing what they look like. >> Thank you.

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>> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> The next item on the agenda is public comments. This comment period will be limited to a total of 30 minutes. Additional time is reserved later in the meeting. We welcome comments, suggestions, and questions. However, the purpose of this time is to allow public

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comment, not to engage in dialogue. If you have a specific question, please feel free to pose it, then follow up with staff via telephone or email. Comments are limited to 3 minutes. If anyone wishes to address the council, please wait to be recognized to come to the microphone and provide your name for

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the record. Good evening. My name is Ken Ball, seven power place for quantity. I'm here tonight to propose and ask for your approval of naming the swim lanes at PV Park after the late Herb Bella. I gave to the fine council a copy of his

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obituary. I just like to add at the bottom of the obituary, it gives more information about his swimming. I just want to add a few points to that. After retired from coaching the piranhas, he continued his commitment to the youth of not only Vuquanic but the

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surrounding areas by serving as an officer in both leagues at the piranha swimmer. There were Lakeland and the Lakeland and Ramico swim conferences. He was a tremendous tremendous advocate of youth

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swimming and was always talking to other communities and lakes in the surrounding areas to join the leagues. As you can see in the comments for people that are sitting in the audience, he coached for 15 years the piranhas and he was noted

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to be a very tough cookie. Well, being a tough cookie gave him a record of only one loss in 15 years. So I guess being a tough cook cookie in this case worked very well for him. Uh he continued with again as an adviser and to the day till

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the day he died his phone was always ready to be answered any questions about running the league, running the me or swimming. He also was a big advocate of high school swimming being a signer where he assigned the referees and the um for the

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swim meetings. Uh, I'm a product of that. I worked with Piranhas for over 25 years as a volunteer and then turned into an official. But in my time as an official, I've done local high schools and colleges and I've also done state

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sectional meets. And I've been called to the side by many coaches from South Jersey that we swam against saying that the crew ran a real good meet and that we probably should be the people that train people. And this is all because the lateo uh coach her Bell was one of

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the instrumental in training us and doing the doing the right way all the time. So again, I'm going to ask and on the paperwork you'll see that there's two prices for this. There's one called carve and painted at $560.

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The other one is a 3M ACM with digital print at 250. I've been advised by the sign company that the 250 is probably the better way to go because it uh it's better weatherbearing and we know that having a carve and paint one would have

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to have volunteers every couple years to take it down, paint it, put it back up and we know what it's all about that uh 5% of the volunteers do 95% of the work. So they advised that probably the 250 would be the best way to go. It would be

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mounted on the score table at the lake. So, as the people walk in, the spectators walked in, they'd walk past it and they could see it right up there. It's very simple, just like Herb would like. Uh, it just says Coach Herbell swim lanes and we could put it up in the

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beginning of the season, take it down, store it in the shed, and it'll be a done deal. So, I did I did approach the advisory committee on two occasions about it, and they took it into consideration. I was never notified if they get was a thumbs up or a thumbs

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down. Um, so again, if this gets approved by you fine people and there's $250 to kick in to pay for it, that's fine. But if you approve it, the $250 will be made somewhere, guaranteed. I want to thank you for your time and I

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think this would be a great way to honor coach, the late coach her belt. Thank you. >> Can I ask a question? Sure. Have you What do the current piranhas think? >> Uh the parents organization are all for it. I went to recreation talked to D. She was she doesn't have a problem with

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it either. So they think it's good. A matter of fact, a lot of the parents that that are there today uh swam for her when he was the coach. So all I heard was good things when you know he was a tough cook. You don't get me wrong. >> I know. But um

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>> I think sometimes naming things is a slippery slope because then somebody else wants to name something else after somebody and and something else. I mean is there a precedent? >> We don't have an existing policy and in my experience at least this is the first time there's been a request that hasn't

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included you know there was some stuff with little league where there was a donation of something that coincides with that. But um as far as a municipal we don't have a municipal policy that governs how or when. So it would solely be up to the council unless the council wanted to establish one. >> Unless the council what

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>> wanted to establish one. If you wanted to create something, you could, but it's a request that simply goes to you and we don't have anything that provides guidance. >> No, I mean we have the the rock at little at Washington Park with names on it >> with a plaque. Yes. But it's names and I

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think that was a fundraising a global fundraising effort. >> Global fundraising. But that gets updated when a person gets inducted into that. >> Yes, but they do it. >> It's just the rock. >> We're not Nobody renamed a field.

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>> Similar but slightly different. >> It's not actually a rename. It's there's no name of it. [laughter] >> You know, so you wouldn't insult somebody by taking their name off anything. >> Correct. Yeah. >> Plus, I like the fact that it goes up and it goes down. [clears throat] You know, it goes up every spring

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season. comes down. >> Yeah. It doesn't stay up, right? >> No, it's not evasive. It's right there. It's up on the um on the sophet. So, it's But it is going to be hit by the sun. So, that was another reason why they recommended that the uh keeper

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model. >> How did the parks advisory feel? >> I don't think they even have been we had a conversation about it. >> They seemed okay with it. >> I would want to hear more from the public first before we make a decision. Yeah, I think we should cuz I I'm sure

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he was a great guy. I had no idea who he was. I wasn't invol involved in swimming. Um, but one, it'd be nice to see it like mocked up on whatever you're going to put it on. So, we can see that. And it might be nice to see people from the piranhas here to say yay or nay,

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right? Um, I'm not crazy about naming things myself, but I'm not saying it's a no. It just it seems like, you know, one person coming up and saying they want to do this, it's like, okay, where's the other 14,999 people in town? Again, just cuz I didn't know him, right? >> Mhm.

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>> Never had met the met the gentleman. >> So, moving forward, what what would be the steps that you'd want me to do? >> I mean, you have a picture to sign in front of you. Well, I think it should come through the parks and rank advisory thing first >> or or I'd like to hear from from people

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on the piranhas or or just like you said other people. And I don't know, we could ask people too, you know, how they how they feel about this, whether it's a a yay or a nay before we I think putting somebody's name on something is a

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slippery slope because then oh well this person did this there and this person everybody's going to love his name. Is that what you're worried about? >> Right. But he he is a legacy of him. You got to figure this well over 5 6 700

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kids that coached. >> You could probably get a group of people to come and be more convincing or >> I mean do we need them to come or can we just can he send out an email or reach out to somebody from the piranhas and just you know >> get input from whoever you want the

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input from. I mean >> and to John's statement I have been to the advisory board. So >> I did talk to him. I left I figured it was proper for me to leave after I do my presentation. So they would have the privacy to talk it out amongst themselves. So again, I don't know.

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Bring it forward. >> Yeah, I can follow up with staff and ask that it be addressed on their agenda to see what their position is as the council's requesting their >> if that's all right with the council. I don't speak for you, but >> yeah, here for the public, too.

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>> Okay. Okay. I'll do that. I'll get in touch with the piranha people and get some numbers together and and I'll come back and say hello. On the back of the paperwork is my phone number. If anybody needs any other questions or um

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you know that about it I didn't realize we were neighbors. >> Oh yeah, right around the corner. >> I see the wife and the dog every day. >> At least once Carol >> that's my son's dog but it's not even our dog. [laughter]

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Thank you very much. >> Any other public comments? Yep. Come on up. >> Hey everyone, my name is Ricky Mir. I appreciate you guys being here tonight. >> Just just say your name a little louder into the microphone. >> My name's uh my name is Ricky Mir. I

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appreciate you guys. >> Can you I'm sorry. Can you spell your last name if I do [laughter] that coming back? I try just like >> everyone's going to interrupt you at least four times. So, it makes it much easier to get uh M U R E K. >> M U R E K. Thank you. >> Yeah. So, uh, I'm a life scout here in

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Troop 144 in town. Um, working towards my Eagle Scout. And in becoming an Eagle Scout, you have to work on an Eagle Scout service project. And I came up with a project over by the DPW. Um, I spoke with Mr. Cycling, the head of the

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DPW, and uh, we came up with a project for the front entrance to the DPW to refresh everything. Um there's a plow up front and everything like that and there's a a generator area and all of it's kind of worn down over the years

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and um it kind of reminded me of that one saying the the shoe keeper children always go barefoot and um you know they they're busy doing everything else in the town and uh they don't have time to focus on their own stuff. So I think I thought the project would be a great

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idea and it's also a major gateway coming into town. I know a ton of people that drive in and out that way every single day. You have the walking path, the sidewalks, and everything like that right over there. So, um, people are coming in and out all the time. And so,

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for the project, there's going to be three parts to it. There's the the big plow up front, and so that's going to be sand blasted down, repainted, and then adding new lettering on it. Um, the lettering that's on there right now is peeling off. the paint is chipping,

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fading, and uh there's there's some rust spots coming through. Um and then the second part is going to be the generator [clears throat] area right off to the left of the front entrance. And it has a big open garden bed with a block wall that's kind of decaying and falling

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apart. So, we're going to replace the the block wall with some new blocks. That way, it looks visually appealing. um take out some of the mulch in the garden beds, remove some of the weeds, and then we're going to install a bunch of plants to kind of hide the generator a bit. And then um some ground cover

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plants as well and finish it off with some mulch. And then one thing that was brought to my attention when we were just walking around the front entrance was the flag has no light on it. And that's a big thing at night, you know, you always want to keep light on the flag just as a sign of respect. And I

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believe there's a a flag code as well for it. And um so we're going to install a lighting system so it is lit up at night. And this project matters to me because residents um drivers all these people are driving past it every single

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day. It's a hightraic road that people are coming in and out of and it is, you know, kind of like an entrance into town and people see that as the first thing coming into town. And I think that refreshing it and making it look great is kind of a a symbol of the the pride

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we take in our town and uh like the the values that we reflect. And so for the project date, we're going to be doing it on April 4th. All day we're going to be there. Um, and we're going to be working on it in phases. We're going to split up

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the volunteers. Um, I've been working with the troop. Um, I've been posting it on Facebook and everything like that to get as many volunteers as we possibly can. And so, we're going to start off with a lot of the landscaping to uh refresh all that. And then we have a

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second project date of April 12th just to finish up some loose ends, paint the the plow. Um add the add the final lettering to it and finish up the landscaping that front garden bed for the plow. And I think this this

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project's a great way to for me to showcase the skills that I've learned through scouting. And this is kind of I guess the end of the chapter in Boy Scouts for me. And I think it's a great way to, you know, show the skills that I've learned, teach others, and uh set a

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good example for all the younger scouts that are coming in and out. And um just put on a great project and um make make finance for the DPW and look great. And uh I I really appreciate you guys being here tonight with me and uh sounds like

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a great project. Yep. >> I think it's a great project. Thank you so much. And I heard I heard there's a local electrician that's working with you. >> Uh yeah. So there they're Yeah, we're going to work on that. So it's um all set up and then we'll get we're going to

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probably work with the landscaping stuff first and then kind of finish up some of the loose ends later on. But uh >> Have you already done all your fundraising or >> Yeah. Yeah. So uh we needed about $2,000 for everything and um we raised that. we

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hit the goal and then I'm going to be working with, you know, some of the local businesses like Dan Ko and Sons for Fulch and uh Rock and Yeah. So, we're pretty much all set and ready to go on it and uh I'm excited to get started on it. So, >> that's awesome. >> Yeah.

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>> Just come to us earlier for fundraising. We would >> Yeah. Really? >> I was like getting ready with my phone. Where's your QR code? >> Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. >> I'll give you more. It definitely needs some love that uh I'm looking at it right now on and it definitely Yeah, it's going to be a great project.

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>> And you're right because of the walking path there, people pass by and so definitely will see that. Yeah, >> great idea. >> And then whatever planting I'm sure you're talking to people already about just picking plants that don't >> Yeah. kind of low maintenance stuff just Yeah. So it looks good for a long time

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and uh they don't have to it's not one more thing. [laughter] >> Yeah. But um Great guys. Yeah. >> Thanks, Ricky. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Is there anyone else for public comment? Rich's

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already up. >> Thank you. >> Good evening, Council Sharon Taylor. How are you? >> Good. How are you? >> How you I'm just absorbing a lot tonight. We have a lot of great kids coming in and great presentation. Thank you, Mr. Brewer.

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So, I just have a comment within a few questions, but um you know, when it comes to serving our country, and I'm sorry they left, but thank you for anyone that serves our country, man or woman, Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force,

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whatever it may be. But um you know in in my opinion as a resident here and Mr. Sarakusa will tell you my father died 20 years ago John Taylor and actually Vinnie Mr. Sarakusa Councilman was one

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of the last people that saw him before he died and I was sitting out in that truck. He had a maroon truck that Frank's gas station would repair all the time. broken stick shift and he'd he'd sit under there with a cigarette in his mouth while gas was leaking out and like

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I don't think that's safe, Dad. [laughter] But I can tell you that he had said when he talked to Vinnie last, he said, Sharon, that's a good man. I'm proud of him. He served and he he really cared about Vinnie and a lot of people in this township. And I don't think any

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of you knew him, but if Vinnie would tell you that man walked through this door, you would feel his presence. and he helped a lot of people. He loved a lot of people. But if he were like you, you would certainly know it too, right, Vinnie?

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>> So, you know, his body um his body rests up at Our Lady of Magnificent in um Kennelan, which is a beautiful town, and my mother passed away, too. And before he died, all he said was, "Sharon, you and your brother take care of your mother." That's all he cared about. He

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said, "Through the worst of times in life, the best of times in life," he goes, "I wouldn't change a thing. Just take care of your mother." So now they're together. So I say their spirits are free. But when we talk about I know you put up a beautiful wall and I know

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that maybe sometimes psychologically it could hurt when you see someone's picture, but when we put up any type of flags or any type of memorial for someone serving our country, we're doing our due diligence because they gave us the right. We they all gave us our

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freedom. So I think the project that the gentleman was talking about is very good. I've seen it up in Kan cuz I pretty much go every week. And when I go to the cemetery, that's what I see. And I don't get sad, I get proud. And that's

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how we were brought up. That that's the Bquanic Township spirit. My father, he'd say, "I don't need my picture planted out anywhere." But you know what? He would say, "Honor those that served, whether they're here alive or they die." So, I support the

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project and I think that you should really strongly do so because it's a beautiful thing and uh I think he'd say if you want to put a name, put Taylor's way, he'd definitely go for that, but no, he wouldn't. So, um I just really

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would like the council to consider that because it is beautiful. The flags are beautiful. You have a beautiful memorial at our township high school. And I think it's just an added way to serve our community and give back. Okay. So, um,

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second point to that, this is where you're probably going to get upset with me, but when you were talking with those young girls, it's a great project they have. There was a comment, hey, give $4,000. We'll wiggle some money and we have our wonderful budget. Why can't we

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give $2,000 to fulfill those young girls dreams of putting up the stop sign, right, and meeting their goal and then donate $2,000 for those flags or more or less help this young gentleman donate $500 to him or whatever

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you need for it, but I'd say plant a tree cuz I'm a big tree lover. Everyone knows that. So my question then to the council is when we talk about that, where do we in our funds get that type of money? So if we're going to do that,

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let's try to support people, but let's keep an open mind as well. And my father would say, Vinnie, huh? Okay. Vinnie knows very strongly how my father would feel. So um that's my question for that. And then with the

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budget, I don't know if it if it's the right time, but when we were talking about different funds, um was there any way of any type of other co cost savings that was able to be worked out within your plan? Cuz I

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don't have the full budget sheet. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thanks, Sharon. Anyone else for public comment? Rich. Hi, Rich Walter, 50 Sunset Road. Um, I came here with one thing on my little

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agenda tonight and uh, seeing some of the stuff here made me feel good that I uh, I live in Bquanic. A lot of you guys know that I've been pretty cranky lately with what's going on in the neighborhood, but um the the thing I came to I guess just comment on or ask

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uh I think it was a wonderful thing that the Safe Driving Club uh wants to do across the street from the high school. And uh I encourage it. Um I wish and I have to say, you know, I do I wish that the council and the zoning board had

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considered safety as a major factor. um before you know the approval of one global school going in. But [snorts] that said, uh I guess I just would ask for a clarification from Adam because I saw your letter and their letter to you.

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These uh the flashing yellow signs, they're going to go where the existing crosswalks are right now. Do you know where that is or >> We're going to answer everything at the end after. >> Oh, okay. But that's what I just looking for clarification that they're not going

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to be moved up the street into the residential area or anything like that. I there is a need for them. Um and uh again, good for them. Uh as far as Ricky's project, I've known Ricky for a little while now. Uh he bailed [snorts] me out during the blizzard when my

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snowblower cable busted on the first pole. So, good luck to you, Rick. He does wonderful work, too, by the way. Um and good to see Ken here. Uh my daughter swam for the piranhas for almost 10 years and um whenever I saw Ken was

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officiating the meet I had to kind of try to duck because I knew I'd wind up being one of the timers which was fine to do but um to his point and I understand the apprehension with naming something after someone and everything

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that goes with it. Um Kyle great point. If depending on what whether you approve it or not, maybe an alternative um would be something like that little league monument that they have up there, you know, to the Tro and Tom O'Hara and all

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those people because when you come into the swim meet, um you know, maybe instead of looking back at the building and seeing a sign, there could be a monument there with not just um what was his name? Herb. I didn't know him, but

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you know, it's a great program and that's why we joined it and my daughter had a lot of fun. But seeing something like that and maybe with other names like Ken Gold on it, you know, might go a long way. Just uh you know, just my suggestion there. And um

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lastly, uh and it made me think with those the military [snorts] banners. I think that's a great idea, especially for those killed in action. You know, Vinnie, I understand your apprehension about it. My suggestion, I know Jim left. I'll probably talk to him at some

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point later this week, but I drive uh through three states for my job and I see these all over and I would just encourage if you put them up there to make them big enough, maybe not three by whatever, but I find myself cuz I'm I

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have great respect for the military in America and I find myself trying to read some of these signs and some of them are small and you're looking and you next thing you know you're in accident. >> That's why I wanted to call them. >> Yeah. Yeah, it's a good idea. Um, and I

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guess they would go on the turnpike, which is a busy road, so you got to be careful there. But anyway, like I said, I just wanted to bring up with the yellow signs. If that's where they're going, the crosswalks, that would be a great thing. Hoping they're not going to move into the other residential uh neighborhood. [clears throat]

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And then my other comments are just a result of seeing the good stuff that's going on. Thank you. Oh, and also I know a lot of work goes into that budget and that [snorts] um you see the people cry and complain and all that kind of stuff, but uh my appreciation for the work that

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you do in keeping the budget manageable. Um hopefully maybe someday we'll be able to use that surplus towards cutting back some of the cost for the residents. Thank you. >> Thanks, Rich. Anyone else?

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UH [laughter] HELLO, DANA WITSAC, 6B Corp Aquonic. I just want to comment as a former Piranha parent, I think that the name to go up during the swim season only is a great idea. I see no issue with that. And if you're concerned about naming things

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after people, um, two things come to mind. Um well, one just flipped out of pan, but the one is the library. That children's room, that addition is named after somebody. Um most likely because she donated quite a bit of money, but you know, this is a $250 sign that would

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only be up during the swim season. Um Coach Bell was, you know, that my daughter was a piranha for 13 years. She swam for the high school. She swam for private clubs. She made nationals and went to Georgia. you know, this is I I think the swim team in its glory was

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huge. It it has shrunk through the years. Um I don't see the issue with naming the swim lanes after a former coach that's only going to be up during a swim season. There was another name in the town. It'll come to me, but something else was named um for for

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something. But um I'm all for it. The girls, give them the money. Give them the money. I think that's a great idea to have them have a little extra to start off even for the next year. And um I like the banner idea. And um if you're worried about distractions, how many times are we driving trying to look at a

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a number on a store or a name on a store? I don't see how that's much more of a distraction than us looking for house numbers or store names while we're driving. It comes into the same thing. You just got to have both eyes on the road. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. I know

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you've been patiently waiting. Good evening everyone. Uh, Alex Barascus, Abram A. Uh, I just wanted to take a few moments again uh to talk about 60 sunset on uh on March 1st. uh uh Councilman Cole placed a uh a uh on

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Facebook, put a post on Facebook and he discussed the fact that five attorneys, one of them which is a former which was the mediator discussed and said that we would have a hard time winning. So my question is under the Arupa which

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is a religious discrimination, what did the zoning board do? what did the town do or what did the residents of the town do that was discriminatory that I you know I think we deserve some kind of information with regards to that

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so if somebody could tell us that would be great that's all I have any other public comment okay there being no additional public comment we will continue with the agenda But first, Mr. Brewer. >> Uh, I'll do my best to address the

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operational questions with respect to the where's the money come from for the signs within the roads division of the public works department. There's appropriation for signs. Um, that's part of something we do all the time anyway. So, there's existing appropriations for signage and and traffic calming. Um, with respect to the sign location, my

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understanding it's going to go where there's an existing fixed sign in proximity to the crosswalk. There's I'm not aware of any intention that that would migrate anywhere else. Um even I not as a resident of the township, I'm familiar with the 15 or 20 minutes. You don't want to be around

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sunset. Um sometimes I drive to work and I remember that too late. Uh so I can understand why they're doing it, but I don't believe because there's kind of a standard point, you know, you live there. There's a standard point where most of them come and go. That's where I think it's going to be dedicated, not across the street from the gym.

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>> Yeah. Yeah. I think in their letter to you guys it's in proximity of the crosswalk not >> in you know far up the road as as a as a beacon. >> Um and I think that's it operationally for me.

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>> Okay. >> Anything else I can >> and with regards to the library um she paid for that. That was a donation that she left quite a large amount of money to pay for that addition that was fully funded by her money. Much like the sign

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on the baseball field was same thing. It was all it was donated. Okay. The next item on our agenda is the manager report. Mr. >> Uh, thank you very much. Um, some quick items. Obviously, we had the safe driving presentation. I wanted to include that, give the council a heads

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up. We had the 26th budget presentation, so I'll get through this as expeditiously as possible. Uh the council has for its consideration tonight two agreements between the township and the burough of Lincoln Park, both of which are extensions. One is an existing agreement where we provide construction official and

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building subode services. And the second is for fire sub code services. Uh why are they two different agreements? because it's typical for a construction official to also have a fire sub or a uh building sub code license. They may not

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necessarily have fire. So, if we ever have a change in personnel, the two agreements make it easier to manage that situation. Um, it's worked well over the last several years. The bureau has already ratified the agreement, so I look forward to the council's potential approval of that. Um, we have for

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discussion the open space trust fund amendment process which was previously discussed and is now amplified by the inclusion of a draft ordinance that Mr. prepared for the council's discussion and potential direction to move forward with introduction. And then two quick items um not in my written report but

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just to bring to the council's attention. I had a conversation with staff about the zoning board of adjustment. There was a resignation from the zoning board and I understand there may have been some submissions of interest. uh but unless the council objected when the zoning board adjustment needs to have a set number of

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people in order to hear certain applications. So when there's a vacancy that can create a hardship if someone's away they can't necessarily seat seven to give an applicant the full opportunity to present a case where you need five votes to approve it. So I don't know what the council's position is but if if the council's all right

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based upon the request of the board chair and the staff maybe that can be scheduled for the next meeting and if Miss March has them if there's any interest can send it out. >> I will. Yes. >> Okay. Is that all right with everything? >> Yes, sounds. >> Do you want to discuss it at the you know who the appointment would be at the

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next meeting? >> However, the I think in the past the resolution's been prepared without a name and it's been sent out and the council selected. So, whatever the council's pleasure is >> and we discuss it using numbers instead of names >> and I also understand there may be some challenges with the shade tree commission too. There may be some some

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vacancies there. So, I just wanted to mention that. And then the last thing, um, I did follow up as the council requested with respect to the street fair with the president of the chamber of commerce. Um, she and I met the next day in my office. They have some homework to do and they're going to be getting back to the governing body uh,

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and the township with what their intentions may be moving forward. Any questions about my report? That's all I have in addition to the budget, which I would happily present again if everybody wants. >> Of course, you're well. >> Thank you. Are there any questions from

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council? Everybody good. Okay. There are no public hearings scheduled for this evening and there are no ordinances scheduled for introduction. Next on the agenda is resolution R 2026-96 approving introduction of the 2026

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municipal budget. Are there any comments on this resolution from council? [music] Okay. I first I just want to thank everybody um for meeting again and and going with it and um I know we had a lot of back and forth

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with it but I think we got a really good budget and um I'm very proud of the work that we all did and Adam did and Julie did and everybody on this desk except for you. [laughter] Is there a motion to adopt this resolution? I'll make a motion to adopt

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resolution 2026-96. >> May I have a second? >> Second. >> Roll call, please. >> Mr. Drei, >> yes. >> Mrs. Florence Lynch, >> yes. >> Mr. Cole, >> yes. >> Mr. Syracus, >> yes. Mayor Russell,

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>> yes. Next on the agenda is the remaining resolution. Miss Barge. >> Beginning, this is a long one. Um, beginning with resolution R202697 approving the designated special event permit for the October Fest. Um, 98

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authorizing the execution of a shared services agreement between the township of Aquinic and the Burough of Lincoln Park for construction official and building sub code official services. 99 authorizing the execution of a shared services agreement between Pquonic and Lincoln Park for fire subcode official

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services. 100. confirming the designated memberships in the Pquanic Township Fire Department. Um, and just a correction, it was sent out with Emily Fuentes should be in company 1. Um, R 2026 101 authorizing the

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acceptance of a hold harmless agreement from Carol and Anthony Wells um at 31 Hilton Street. 102 authorizing the acceptance of a whole harmless agreement from Antonio Ortiz and Olivia Lee to 31 Woodland Place. 103 authorizing the

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submission of an application to the 2026 Mars County Historic Preservation Trust Fund Program approving matching funds in the amount of $31,396 and authorizing the potential grant agreement with the County of Mars for construction documents for landscape

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restoration at the Martin Berry House. R2026104 authorizing the discretionary award of a contract for the paving of the Marvin Road parking area to Haskell Paving Incorporated in the amount of $24,795. 2026 105 authorizing utility office

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refunds, overpayments, or cancellations. 106 authorizing tax office refunds, overpayments, or cancellations. R2026 107 authorizing release of designated escrow deposits. and R2026108 approving payment of the itemized claims

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as set forth on the March 19th 2026 bill list and FEMA elevation escort list. Thank you. Um, with R 20226-97 approving the designated special event permit, um, would everybody be okay

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waving the PD cost of approximately $82320 for the first aid? >> I'm good with that. >> You're [laughter] consistent with the the last I think three years. >> Yeah, I think we've done I think we've always done that.

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>> Yeah. >> So, good. Um also um authorizing the potential grant for construction documents. So the historical society made a

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presentation several years ago asking for the council's support for a grant to be submitted to support landscaping at the Martin Berry House. The way that the county's process works, you have to have a plan. So the first grant application is is for a plan. So that's what's being

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completed. Now the second phase of that process is to submit for construction documents. Um and hopefully that's approved by the county. If it is, then you submit for the actual construction. So it's three different elements to every component of it. Um there was some

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discussion at the time uh with historical society candidly. I noted some concerns uh but the direction was given to proceed with the process and this is phase two. So matching funds is 31,000. So the

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total for the landscape restoration of just the documents is 160 odd,000 and the projected cost of the landscaping based upon the plan is over $600,000 which includes driveways and parking and

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other site. >> That's a that's a lot of money. It's >> a lot of money for a plan. >> That's a lot of money. >> It's an extraordinary amount of money. I got a cut. >> Yeah. >> Yeah, that's a cut and I know how to get what our DPW could do with that money right over there.

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>> 3/4 of a million dollars get a lot of landscaping. Um >> the benefit of the grant program is again it's 80% county money and 20% municipal money. So there's still a lot of money. >> It's an extraordinary. So there's something wrong with the county money is

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still our money. >> Do we want to pull that one out? How else can we get this done? Grant applications are due by the end of March. So if the council pulls the resolution, it eliminates our ability to submit a grant in a timely fashion, which is your prerogative. I just want

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>> Can we already put money towards the first phase? >> The plan has already been >> And how much did we pay already? >> I I don't recall exactly. I would estimate around $10,000 as a match to the plan, >> right? Okay. So we spent 10 or >> or under. And now if this is another 30

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and then at 600 a shar that would be >> if it were awarded by the county. I will also point out um I've had some contact with county staff that there are some questions around the application the county and the board the county board

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and the consultant are trying to ascertain a period of significance >> right >> um you know we don't have the the the gardens at Versailles we we don't have George Washington who's here and we're going to restore it to that >> I thought he was >> he wasn't there

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Roshambo is there here. >> Um I think >> so so the county has expressed some questions and some concern um and and that we would work to try to address that if the governing body wanted us to during the application process. I don't know if we could satisfy their their questions because there was not a period

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of significance to relate the landscaping to at the Martinbury house. >> And and this these these funds that we're spending where where are they coming from? Are they coming from open space? >> Yeah. So who's paying for the work when the work gets done? Do we get any money from

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the county for that? >> That would be if this phase is awarded, we would have to go through the construction documents preparation documents, then there would be an application submitted to the county to ask for 80% of the construction to be uh

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supported through grant as well. And if we're successful at this phase >> and and usually in the past if the county gets involved with a project, they want to see the project. >> They want to see it through. That's what I was going to say. What would happen if we didn't get it? >> However, I I I've never had this amount

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of questioning and um back and forth requesting additional information from the county and any other project. So, I guess so. I think their reaction is not dissimilar to what I'm observing on today. >> Can we personally ask, >> right? Can we get a reading from them if they're going to fund it or not before

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we move forward? >> No, you have to. >> We can make the application. The award of contract would be subject to the council's authority. >> Okay. So, we can make >> So, the council has the right to make the application for the council would be required to authorize. >> Good. Let's do it. >> Okay. Sounds different. Yeah.

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>> Okay. >> Thank you. And I and I'll make sure even if the resolution authorizes further authority to the township manager appropriate officials, I will make a note that any award of contract will be subject to discussion of the employable council. >> Okay. >> And and currently our construction

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official is also the fire >> uh sub code. >> Sub code. >> Yes. >> And you're doing that just in case something happens that we get a different money. If if the construction official ever decided to retire and move to deit our next construction official

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may not have fire section have space. >> Yeah, that's great. Thank you. Is there a motion to adopt these resolutions? >> I make a motion to adopt resolution 202697 through 2026 108. >> Is there a second?

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>> Roll call, please. Sorry. Who seconded? >> Roll call. Um Mr. Mr. Drei, >> yes. >> Mrs. Florence Lynch, >> yes. >> Mr. Cole, >> yes. >> Mr. Syracus, >> yes. >> Mayor Russell, >> yes. >> Next item on the agenda is the open

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space referendum. As I noted earlier uh in my report, the council previously gave direction to draft a question which has to be uh the subject of an ordinance which requires introduction, public notice, public

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hearing and adoption for said question to be placed on the ballots in November for the community to vote whether to expand the available uses for the open space trust. Um, right now we have those uses that were identified in the

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original referendum as well as those that are subject to the laws that changed after it. Mr. Osteike I thought did a magnificent job. >> Thank you. So chat creating

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>> the ordinance uh that you have before you which which would authorize the maximum uses of the funds uh per NJSA42-57. >> So here's a question. Why can't we just get the interpreter plus statement instead of the other statement too? I mean why do we need two? Is that for

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dumb people like me? I guess the way this process works. They put a question on the ballot and then they want you to give them an interpretive state. Why don't we just get >> That's what we did with the county. >> No, I know that and then we >> just because more words look better. >> That's the way they set it up. They

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always want >> so expansion. This one is not all that complicated. But I guess sometimes they got >> anybody anybody any other comments? >> That's all right. No, it's good. >> I'm good with that.

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>> I'm good with it, too. >> So, unless there's any objection or uh different direction, this will be scheduled for introduction at the meeting on April 14th. >> And then it goes on in November. >> Introduction on 14. >> Notice public hearing on the next meeting and once it's adopted, it goes

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to the court. Gotcha. Yes, sir. Cool. >> Yes, we have that. >> Next on the agenda is reports and notices. This is the one time a year that this item on the agenda gets to get used. >> The council >> take it out. [laughter]

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>> The council has within its packet a memorandum from the chief financial officer reporting the proceeds or the results of a recent note sale. Notes are uh bond anticipation notes or otherwise short-term debt instruments that the township uses to fund projects. Uh in

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this case, the note sale was for a total of $2,87,000 of general capital funds. These are the funds that the town utilizes for the home elevation project that ultimately we back uh when we get refunded by the federal government. Uh the Bank of New York uh Melon Commercial was the uh

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successful bidder with uh 3% and a roughly uh $8,000 uh premium. And it's based upon a net interest cost. That's what NIC stands for, which is a formula [clears throat] they use to determine what is the most beneficial uh rate for the township. So other than the

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statutory obligation the finance officer has to notify the governing body, this is an official memo. Uh unless there's any questions, that is the reason that that is on the agenda this afternoon. >> Good. Thank you. >> The next item on our agenda is council reports and announcements. Councilman

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Jerice. >> Thank you. You're welcome. >> As Mr. Brewer alluded to before, yeah, the Shade Treat Committee um the chairman retired retired or what? So, we have to get get that one fire fired up again and pick pick a new one. So, um

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I'll work on that this month and next month we'll we'll have a meeting. Um [clears throat] congrats to all that got the budget done. Yeah, that's good. Um it was nice to see the high school students here with the safe uh safe driving club. That was pretty cool. It's

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nice to see them reaching out and helping their fellow students trying to fig figure stuff out. So, I like that. Um, congrats to Adam and Emily on the joining our fire department. We got a very robust firefighter department in town and we keep getting members. So,

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that is awesome. Um, I just want to say thank you to all our crossing guards out there. Um, it's still cold, man. I see them out there in the morning and I wave hi, but it's chilly. So, thank you for them being out there. And then just uh last thing is just pray for our troops that are

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uh out there working hard. So, thank you. >> Thanks, John. Councilwoman Florence Lynch. Uh yes. I also wanted to say congratulations to Adam and Emily uh for uh becoming members of our fire department.

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Um economic development. The economic development committee will meet uh tomorrow evening in this room. Um what they'd like to do, I guess they're going to discuss it. I don't know if they have to go through you, Adam. They did ask about possibly having the new zoning

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officer uh at his convenience if he possibly they want to invite him to a economic development meeting just so they can meet them. I don't know if that's something that you're open to. I know they we've done that in the past. Um, and they're also talking about um

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the zoning application process. And I know Peter had been working a little bit with the people at Alexander App, but they they would just like to have him come in. I don't know if that's something he'd be open to. >> I I don't know either. I don't know. He doesn't typically work.

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>> I know. So, I'll let one of them um reach out. So, they're meeting tomorrow. Uh, also there was a grand opening and ribbon cutting last weekend. Congratulations to Kathleen Pennington of Pennington Mortgage. She held her uh,

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official grand opening at um the Century 21 building over there at 142 Route 23 in Pmpa Plains. Welcome, Kathleen. Uh the senior health fair. There will be a senior health fair at French hall um

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on April 28th from 11 to 2. It's hosted by our senior citizen advisory committee and it's open to all. You don't need to sign up. You can just come in. There'll be different tables and vendors and speakers there.

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Um, our Bquinonic Valley Rotary Club is hosting a senior lunchon as well across the street at Friendship Hall. That would be held on Wednesday, May 6th from 12 to 2. It's um it's just something they love to do for

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the community. Um, so they would like you you do kind of need to sign up because they need to make sure they don't go over the limit. So, there is a signup sheet at uh at the senior house and there's also a signup sheet at Curl

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Village and it's also posted on Facebook and online and has the number to call to uh confirm your attendance and just all they all they're doing is taking names to make sure they don't go over the limit. Um they're Rotary is also hosting a

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fundraiser on Saturday, April 18th. It's um a comedy show in Tricky Trey with a 50/50. That's at the Lincoln Park American Legion. Um I think they're almost sold out. There might be a couple of tickets left, $60, but Rotary does a

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lot and the fundraising is to help all their endeavors, scholarships and and and everything else that they do. Um, and the Chamber of Commerce is holding the shop the town. That's on June 3rd

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from 11 to 3. So, a lot of the businesses will be like kind of doing like out there on the sidewalk and you can stop into each uh store or along the sidewalk. Um, you know, cuz a lot of the

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shop owners, if they're not going to be if they don't have a shop, there's going to be spots where they can go on the sidewalk as well. So, that'll be open to the um public. So, what the shop the town? >> Yeah, that sounds like it's like

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>> Yeah. No, it's the shop the town is the business owners. >> Isn't it the 13th? >> Um, I wrote Why did I write April? Oh, you know what? I might have screwed that up with the Rotary >> because I asked about the carnival and the carnival is from the 2nd to the 6th

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and they said it was the weekend after. >> I I'll have to look at that date. I thought I had it right. Oh, you know why? Cuz I took it off the hair. Unless this is old. Unless they moved it. Um I had the shop to town on June 13th. Is that what I said? No,

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>> June 3rd. >> Oh, you know what? I'm sorry. I'm looking at the wrong thing. No, it's June 3rd. I apologize. I saw it on June 13th. >> So June 13th, I'm sorry, guys. Yes. >> So people are going to be out. The shops will be open and they're encouraging people to come into the shops. Okay.

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>> So they're going to be outside in front of their shops. >> There's I think there's going to be a trolley. >> And there's going to be a trolley. >> There was last year. >> Yeah. And there's going to be a trolley. So the trolley will arrive uh 11:00. It'll run till 3. It'll bring people up

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and down from aquatic to planes to visit different shops. and they kind of have like a scavenger hunt type of thing to encourage you to go to all the shops that are open. So, but what I'm saying is if you don't have a storefront, but you're a chamber member and you want to

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be a part of it, they can give you a spot. >> So, you can set up a tent and a spa. >> Yeah. Especially down by like uh >> Panther Park. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Um All right. You already mentioned the street festival, so I

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won't go into that. And then you might know that um the chambers also managed to get together. They're hosting a music in the park series at Green View Park. There's a series of four concert dates. Um it's free and open to the community.

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They have the band set up. They have the food trucks all booked. Um so uh and any chamber members can have a tent space during the event and there's still sponsorship opportunities available. Um

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those dates are May 28th, June 4th, June 18th, and August 20th. And the concerts are for 2 hours from 5 to 7. So they didn't want to make it too late or too early. So they thought that was a good time to

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do it. And uh that's my report. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman Cole. >> All right. Uh I attended Grains of Hope a couple weeks ago. That was a great event again. Uh they do a great tremendous job. Uh tons of volunteers.

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Uh I just like to especially thank the high school football team for going on Saturday and helped the uh setup with that. So uh again, thank you to everyone, all the volunteers that did that and all the people that came out and packed. And just congratulations to our two new fire department members,

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Adam and Emily. And that's all I have. Thank you, Mayor. >> Thank you, Councilman Sarah. >> Yep. So, we didn't have any um many meetings between the last meeting and and now. Um however, let's see. I want to uh thank the team for getting the budget together. I know that uh

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sometimes you go back and forth on where we should be at, right? Um [clears throat] considering today's costs and you know, trying to anticipate tomorrow's cost and kind of find u you know what what works for everybody, you know, so people aren't overburdened later on. So I think we did a great job

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adding the team you know getting you know doing a deeper dive and finding out um and just really you know tearing it apart and and seeing where we can just improve which is what we are tasked to do and we'll continue to do that. Um secondly, uh great job the high school

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to the high school high school students identifying a need uh for safety in that area. Uh the current traffic conditions and you know all the young drivers, right? So um any more awareness in that particular area will surely improve safety which is the primary objective

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there with the with the police in the town. Right. Uh third, so the banners I'm touch on this real quick. Yeah, I got a little sensitive about that because um well because it happened and you know um you know and it's not great.

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Okay. Um and there's a lot of people who look at that and you know not just what happened in the past but what's going to happen in the future, how many people from town what might be on those banners. All right. So that's just a consideration. I just want to see is there another option. All right.

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That's all. But otherwise, you know, great um great idea, great concept. Um excellent execution I've seen in other town. It's a beautiful thing. And Mr. Taylor, man, the man was tough as nails. I tell you what, when Mr. Taylor pulled in, you knew you better be dressed right dress. Otherwise, you know, you were not

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going to have a good day. Otherwise, that's all I have. Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much. Um April 11th is the uh river cleanup, mayor's river cleanup. and we usually meet at 9:00 a.m. in the senior house. If you have some extra time, come in.

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It's actually a fun afternoon. April 18th is the library fest from 11 to 3. It's their second annual. Um, if you haven't been over to see the new and improved library, it looks gorgeous. They did a great job. Pop in and see it. Um, we have new rooms, new ropes, new

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everything. Next on the agenda, hopefully will be new bathrooms. So, we'll get to hopefully to that end of this year, beginning of next year. Congrats to the new members of our fire department. Our volunteers, we always say this, they're the core of our township. They do so much. So, when we

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get some, you might be like, why is everybody saying that? Well, we do appreciate them. And every time we get a new member, whether it be a fire, first aid, or one of our committees, um, we're lucky to have them. We're lucky to anybody who stands up and comes in and

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and has an idea for us to do something or or signs up for one of our committees and and we do and and those girls were wonderful and it it was great to see them. Great that they're coming up with stuff and I just love it when the kids come in and talk whether they say stuff

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good, bad or indifferent or they have ideas. I think it's great when I see kids get involved. And that's it. Thank you. Next on the agenda is public comment. As a reminder, we welcome comments, suggestions, and questions rather than

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dialogue. Comments are limited to 3 minutes. If anyone wishes to address the council, please wait to be recognized to come to the microphone and provide your name for the record. Again, Alex, just a follow up to 60. I think the idea the girls have with the flashing lights

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for the crosswalks, excellent idea as the uh the parcel on 60 sunset when they redo the sidewalks is going to be actually narrower than it is currently at ADA requirements are 4T. The

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recommended is 5T wide. They they they're requesting 3T, just so you know. It's not it's certainly not helping that. And I was hoping that Mr. might respond to what was discriminatory because we don't know and that's that's

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that's what's behind our rupa. So I I guess we're not going to get an answer. Shameful. That's really any other public comment. >> [music] >> Uh, Mary K. Schwing. Um, I want to

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support Vinnie's um, aspect of the banners. Um, I have a picture in my mind of these banners if they are on the turnpike sort of being claustrophobic. Now, that's I have no idea what the banners look like. I've not seen them, but that's what I have in my mind. But

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more importantly, I think what Juny is talking about is post-traumatic syndrome. what people who have been in war and so forth might come away with having those banners there. So I'm I stand with Vinnie and I'm not sure that

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there might be other places and we do have quite a number of places where the military are honored and you know the parades are great and I'm not against military. I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that um whether Vander's [clears throat] Amberic is appropriate

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or not. And um the other thing, you know, we've been talking about the zoning laws and I've come to understand that the zoning laws is like a legal question and this might be a question

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for our lawyer and that is concerning whether or not the loan the zoning laws in case ICE might come to our town and say we want to buy a little warehouse or we want to buy some other land. Do the zoning laws

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here in Bquanic make sure that that would be rejected? And if those zoning laws are not tough enough, do those particular zoning laws

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need to be uh uh enforced? So, I mean uh uh made better. So that's um what I needed to ask uh again about what the zoning laws might say in aquanic whether we could keep ice out if they do

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approach us. And um to John's point I I'm really against this war in Iran and so I just wanted to make that statement again. Thank you. Do you want to revisit it or um yeah I know Mr. I spoke with you in

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depth on that, but do you have anything to add? >> We can just repeat our our zoning ordinance right now as says any use that is not specifically permitted is prohibited. So, we do not at this time permit detention centers. Having said that, you asked your question very

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carefully. You said, does that keep vice out? And the answer to that is no. The federal government doesn't have to pay attention to our zoning ordinance. We can't do anything to change our zoning ordinance. and our zoning ordinance does not allow it. But we do not have we it would be very difficult from a zoning

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perspective to tell the federal government they can't do whatever they decided to do. >> Yeah, I I I understand that. >> Yeah. [music] Okay. Any other for public comment? Rich.

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Sorry. Uh just two quick things and um not to be a head dead horse but I will. So um when Mr. Barovskus uh asked about um what did we do? I think the way he asked that was what did the res residents do?

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What did the council do? What did the zoning board do that was discriminatory? And Mr. like you said, well, it's a rhetorical question. Um, the residents, listen, it's done pretty much now, but

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we still need some answers. Like, if we did something wrong, and to this nice lady's point, so what if somebody wants to come in, put another warehouse up, yeah, the zoning laws, um, from what we've seen at 60 Sunset, they really don't mean anything. So, anything can

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happen. That's what I've learned from this. But if we did do something wrong and the litigation is over, shouldn't we know what we did? Was it comments made at the meeting? Um, was it a Facebook

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page? Can you That's not rhetorical. Mr. Can you answer that? >> I'm just going to wait till public comment. Shouldn't have asked. >> That's fine. Again, again, listen, it's it's it's probably water under the bridge now. But the other thing, Kyle, you mentioned the river cleanup on the

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11th and um I'm a fisherman and I fish mostly in northwest Jersey and Pennsylvania, but um where do they clean up the aquatic park? So, we >> ear. >> Oh, I'll I'll my comment is um there's a

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lot of uh regulation changes with the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife this year and they're going to stock portions of the Pmpton and and Ramco rivers that have never been stocked before with trout. So, you may have a crowd showing to clean up and there may be guys

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standing. I don't go out on opening day. I think it's amateur hour, but uh you know, you may there may be a bunch of fishermen there. That's just uh informative. That's all. >> Thank you. >> We can recruit them to help. >> Anyone else for public comment? Sharon.

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>> Hello again, council. Just another quick question. It came to my mind. We were talking a lot about uh driving safety. uh what's being implemented for the kids in the township on bike safety. I know that I've seen some signage up, but um you know over the weekend I saw 20 kids

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9:00 at night in the middle of the boulevard, no helmets, no nothing. They're having fun. You know, we have a quiet town, but on a legal standpoint, if something happens and then we're investing in all these signage for drivers, you know, is there something

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more that we can get out for the kids? And I know last year, Mr. you checked on that, but just a reminder because we like to advocate for safety in the township. And then speaking of fishing, when does Woodland Lake get stocked this year? Cuz usually you guys announce

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that. And um once again though, just a personal comment. Also, kudos to this young gentleman cuz I know it was brave of the young girls to come up and speak, but any boy scout that makes our township uh well, and if you need any

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support, you let me know. Okay. for the whole meeting. >> I know that's what I and that's what I say a lot of people, you know, they they want answers and I felt so bad cuz everybody left and it was a very good meeting tonight. It was I think more positive some things that happened over

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the past year, even with the 60s sunset. It's it's a shame what happened. I have personal opinions about it, but too bad there wasn't a compromise. But it's not always it's it's not the township fault. It's the buyer knows what they're doing and shame on them and that's not a way

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to integrate in our township. But on a personal note, any Eagle Scout, Girl Scout, young kids that come to our township meeting, very good for them. Okay. Okay. Okay. Let me Yeah. Well, first I'm going

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to respond short to the thing. Okay. So public comment is officially over. Um for the the river cleanup, they go we go all over the place. So, you know, we'll do a little bit of the jug handle. We go us three actually go behind stop and shop. And you wouldn't believe I mean,

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you wouldn't believe we were kids, but the amount of beer bottles and and mini bottles of Fireball and all that stuff. I mean, I'm talking five big trash bags we fill, you know? So, we're not in the river or trying to go close.

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>> And there always is fisher. There always are fishermanmen. >> Yeah, there's always fisherman there. Um, and they're they're, you know, they're nice. >> I'm just It's a new section, so you may have a rush on. >> Gotcha. Yeah. No, thank you. Thank you for letting us know. And, um, Bob, if you want to address.

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>> Well, first of all, note that we are still within the appeal period, so we're going to be very careful about how we how and what we address. So at this moment in time, I'm not going to say anybody did anything wrong, and I don't think I ever would. The word discrimination is in that law. So that's where what did we do to discriminate?

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The word comes the word comes in. But the law is really focused on the fact that they when when dealing with zoning issues, there is a federal policy which says as a general rule, these kind of institutions get a leg up in zoning. And

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if if other variances are approved routinely in a municipality, they that does give that bring that gives a advantage to people challenging it. And I don't think anyone had any intention of discriminating against any religious

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group. The the public response was based on some high emotion and that would have been used against us, but that wasn't really the that that I don't know that that would have made any difference anyway. So I'm not prepared to say anybody did anything wrong. And I'm not prepared to say and I don't think that

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the fact of the matter is that legislation really focuses as it should on really discriminatory intent. It focuses on results and it pretty much prevents municipalities from doing what they normally do in zoning when it comes to religious institutions. So I I I I

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wouldn't sit up here and say members of the public did anything wrong. >> Adam, >> thank you ma'am. Um, with respect to Miss Taylor's question about when we stop Woodland Lake, I don't know off the top of my head. Give me a call tomorrow and I'll check with uh the staff to find out what when that happens. And

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regarding bike safety, the police department and a lot of different arms of the municipality, especially with the legislative change locally with the ordinance and the state have done kind of comprehensive approach to educating through the schools, um, partnering with

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Dr. Poris and and his messaging. I was 13 once. I'll just pick a number. I did a lot of dumb stuff. [laughter] I made it here. Unfortunately, a lot of us did that. Um, you know, hopefully people act wisely and we remain vigilant to understand that sometimes

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13-year-olds don't make great choices as a careful. >> That's I think the girls said that they were going to Py school to talk about bike safety. >> That's part of the whole >> those motor scooter bikes. Well, that new law that the state passed, I think

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is definitely going to be effective summers. >> That's good. >> That's good. >> Okay, everybody good? >> Yep. >> Next on the agenda is minutes for approval. January 27th, 2026 regular meeting and the February 7th budget

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workshop meeting. Uh, Councilman Deresa, you're abstaining from January 26. >> Okay. >> Are there any comments on these minutes? Nope. >> Is there a motion to approve these minutes? >> I'll make a motion. Do I have been? I'll make a motion. >> Second. >> I'll second. >> All in favor? I

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>> Any opposed? >> I can't see I piece a maybe. >> I have any We don't have any executives. >> Yes, we do. Yes, we do. >> Oh, wait. Where are we? Sorry. Next on the agenda is a close session discussion. Is there a motion to approve

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a resolution authorizing the county of council to meet in executive session to discuss a personnel issue and matters of attorney client privilege? >> What do you second? >> All in favor? >> Opposed? At this time, the public

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portion of the meeting is recessed for close session. Thank you all for coming and staying staying staying