Welcome everyone to Piscatoaway Town Council meeting for January 20th, 2026. I'd like to thank you all for coming. Could we please silence our telephones and please respect others opinions this evening?
I'm going to call this meeting to order. Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided as required under chapter 231PL1975 specifying the time, date, location, login or dialin information and to the extent known the agenda by posting a
copy of the notice on the municipal building, municipal court and the two municipal library bulletin boards. municipal website, providing a copy to the official newspapers of the township, and by filing a copy in the office of the township clerk in accordance with
certification by the clerk, which will be entered in the minutes. There will be a public comment period for both remote and in-person attendees separately. Each member of the public shall only have one opportunity to speak during each public
portion. As the technology does not allow us to know if there are multiple callers on an individual phone line or logged in user account, we ask that if you wish to speak that you log in or dial in separately so that we can recognize you as a separate individual.
Should you have any further comments or questions, the town council is always available by email and phone, and you can always call the mayor's office during normal operating hours. Miss Cedar, can you please call the role?
Council member Cahill. >> Council member Carmichael. >> Council member Espinosa, >> here. >> Council member Liowitz >> here. >> Council member Rashid >> here. >> Council member Erin >> here. Council President Lombardi
>> here. And would everyone please join me in the flag salute? Five is a proclamation and it's for Muslim Heritage Month and the mayor will be reading that proclamation for us. >> Thank you, council president. Whereas Piscatoaway is enriched by a wide array
of cultures, traditions, and backgrounds. And whereas Muslim Americans are an integral part of Piscatoaway community, contributing to the social, educational, economic, and civic life. And whereas strong commitment to family, faith, hard work, and service has enriched and enhanced
our community. And whereas Piscatawi Township seeks to strengthen connections by promoting dialogue, understanding, and mutual respect amongst residents of all backgrounds. And whereas observing Muslim Heritage Month provides an opportunity to learn from one another, celebrate cultural traditions and
reaffirm township's commitment to inclusion and unity. Now therefore I Brian Wallard the mayor of Piscatoway Township County of Milk six and in the state of New Jersey along with the town governing body Dubai here recognize contributions and impact the Muslim community in the United States and to
proclaim proclaim the month of January as Muslim heritage month and encourage all residents to engage in an effort that promote cultural awareness and honor our differences and reinforce the sense of community we share. And if I may, can I have this come up?
Thank you mayor. I'll move to number seven which is a open well number six comments from administration or council regarding adjournment of matters on the agenda. I have something I would like to say.
In regards to upcoming issues that we will be discussing this evening, as we continue to do the important work of our township, I would like to point out my support for the success of our local business community, the protection and dignity of hotel guests that not only
provide revenue for our town, but can have the opportunity to visit and enjoy enjoy all that Piscataway has to offer as well as the overall safety and quality of life for all Piscataway residents. All discussions and votes are taken seriously and with attention to
detail. Thank you so much. You're welcome. Number seven is a portion open to the public, but this is a public portion only regarding the comments from the consent agenda items only. So, anyone
wishing to comment on the consent agenda items, we will now open it to the public. We'll open it to the public for the um remote people first. for each public comment portion. For remote attendees, if you wish to speak at this
time, please raise your hand either on Zoom app or if by phone by pressing star 9 when it is your turn to speak. You will receive or hear a request to unmute yourself. Please click the prompt or press star six on your phone to unmute yourself. At that time, please state your name and address and know that you
have three minutes in which to make your comments. The council or administration will respond if necessary if you have completed any comments or questions. We are now open to the public for our remote attendees only.
>> Council President, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. >> We'll now close the remote portion of the open to the public and we'll open it to anybody in the audience that wants to comment on the consent agenda items only.
If you wish, yes, if you wish to speak at this time, please come up for any items for number 15 A through let's see L.
Seeing none, we'll close the public portion for the consent agenda. Number eight is an ordinance second reading amending chapter 21 zoning section 6 general regulations. It's open to the public. It's a resolution and it's an adopting ordinance. Miss Cedar,
can you please read the ordinance? Be it resolved by the township council of Piscatoway Township, New Jersey, that an ordinance entitled Ordinance to amend the revised general ordinances of the township of Piscataway, County of Middle Sex, State of New Jersey, amending chapter 21, zoning section 6, general
regulations, was introduced on the second day of January, 2026, and had passed the first reading and was published on the 8th day of January, 2026. Now therefore be it resolved that the offer said ordinance having had a second reading on January 20th, 2026 be adopted
passed and after passage be published together with a notice of the date of pasture approval in the official newspaper. We have further resolved that this ordinance shall be assign number 2026-01. Thank you Miss Cedar. We'll now open this to the public for the any remote attendees. Do we have any remote
attendees? Council President, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. Now closed for the remote attendees. Do we have anyone in the audience that wishes to comment on number eight?
Seeing none, we'll close the public portion. I have an offer. Um Council President Lombardi, I'd like to make that offer, but also with the comment that I'm grateful to the staff um in our building
department for consistently looking through um some ordinances that are a little um uh I don't want to say outdated, but need revision and updated with times. And this will take care of that and and will then avoid the need
for many residents to have to come in for variances on a very minor fence issue. and I was on the planning board and I voted yes to um accept this and to have it to come here. So, I'm grateful because they did all the work looking through our the variances in what really
we need to address. So, this will be helpful to our residents and to our volunteer board. So, I will make that motion. >> Thank you for that explanation. Do we have a second? >> Second. Esposa. >> Miss Cedar, can you please call the role? >> Council member Cahill.
>> Yes. Council member Espinosa, >> yes. >> Council member Liowitz, >> yes. >> Council member Rasheed, >> yes. >> Council member Erin, >> yes. >> Council President Lombardi, >> yes. And the ordinance passes. We'll move to number nine, an ordinance,
second reading, amending chapter 7, traffic section 26. Turn prohibitions open to the public. And it's a resolution adopting ordinance. Miss Cedar, can you please read the ordinance? Be it resolved by the township council of Piscatoaway Township, New Jersey, that an ordinance
entitled Ordinance to amend and supplement the revised general ordinances of the township of Piscatoaway, County of Middle Sex State, New Jersey, amending chapter 7 traffic section 26 turn prohibitions, was introduced on the second day of January, 2026, and had passed the first reading
and was published on the 8th day of January 2026. Now therefore be it resolved that the officer said ordinance having had a second reading on January 20th, 2026 be adopted passed and after passage be published together with a notice of the date of pastor approval in
the official newspaper. We have further resolved that this ordinance shall be assigned number 2026-02. Thank you Miss Cedar. We'll now open this to remote attendees. Anyone wishing to speak on remote attendees, we're open to the public.
Regarding number nine, >> council president, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. >> Closed to the to the remote attendees and open to anyone in the public that wishes to comment on number nine. Please come up to the podium.
Seeing none, we'll close the public portion. Can I have an offer? Lee Bulitz, I have a second. >> Miss Cedar, can you please call the role? >> Council member Cahill. >> Yes. Council member Espinosa. >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Council [clears throat] member Liowitz. >> Yes. >> Council member Rashid. >> Yes. >> Council member Erin. >> Yes. >> Council President Lombardi. >> Yes. And the ordinance passes. Number 10, an ordinance second reading fully
funded 1,235,000 various sewer utility improvements. It's open to the public. It's a resolution adopting ordinance. Miss Cedar, can you please read the resolution? >> Be resolved by the Township Council of Piscato Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled ordinance
appropriating 1,235,000 from the capital improvement fund to provide for various sore utility improvements in and by the township of Piscataway in the county of Middle Sex, New Jersey, was introduced on the second day of January 2026 and had passed the first reading and was published on the
8th day of January 2026. Now therefore be it resolved that the offer said ordinance having had a second reading on January 20th, 2026 be adopted passed and after passage be published together with a notice of the date of passage or approval in the official newspaper. We have further resolved that this
ordinance shall be assigned number 2026-03. Thank you Miss Cedar. We now have to open this to the public. Any remote attendees that would like to um speak on this ordinance, please.
We are open to the remote attendees. >> Council President, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. >> We are closed for the remote attendees and open now to the public. Anyone wishing here to speak on number 10.
Seeing none, we'll close the public portion. If I may, council president, I just want to remind everybody this has to do with the upgrading of the sewer pumping station on Sunset and also slip lining our sewer lines throughout the town. Uh for the general public that's
here, we don't like paying for clear water and our sanitary sewers. That means there's inflow into the system and we're paying for clear water. We want to pay for dirty water. That's sewage. So that's why we're fixing that. >> Thank you for that clarification. Mayor,
can I have an offer? >> Council Cedar, can you please call the role? >> Council member Cahill, >> yes. >> Council member Espinosa, >> yes. >> Council member Liboitz, >> yes. >> Council member Rasheed, >> yes.
>> Council member Erin, >> yes. >> Council President Lombardi, >> yes. And number 10, ordinance passes. Number 11 is an ordinance second reading fully funded 3,915,374 to3 million from the capital surplus
fund and $915,374 from the capital improvement fund to the various capital improvements. It's open to the public. It's a resolution adopting ordinance. Miss Cedar, can you please quote read the ordinance? be resolved by the township council of Piscato Township, New Jersey that an
ordinance entitled Ordinance Appropriating 3,915,374 3 million of which is from the capital surplus fund and $915,374 of which is from the capital improvement fund to provide for various capital improvements in and by the township of
Piscataway and the county of Middle Sex, New Jersey was introduced on the second day of January 2026 and it passed the first reading and was published on the 8th day of January 2026. Now therefore, be it resolved that the opposite ordinance having had a second reading on January 20th, 2026, the be
adopted passed and after passage be published together with the notice of the date of pasture approval in the official newspaper. Be further resolved that this ordinance shall be sign number 2026-04. >> Thank you, Mrs. Cedar. We're now open to the remote attendees. Do we have any
remote attendees? Council President, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. We're now closed to the remote attendees and open to any attendees that are here this evening that would like to speak on ordinance
number 11. Seeing none, we're closed. Can I have an offer? >> Uh, if I may, council president, to remind the governing body, this is going to uh reconstruct Harold between West 7th and West 5th. Hamilton Boulevard between Brett and Montgomery. Murray
Avenue between Cass and the Culdeac. Richard's Avenue from Adams to Hart Lane. Hedge from Buttonwood to Buttonwood. Sturbridge Drive from Metler's Lane to Metler's Lane. And Palisades Avenue from Brookside Road to Garverson Drive. >> Thank you.
Do we have an offer? >> Offer Rashid. >> Second. Liowitz. >> Cedar, can you please call the role? >> Council member Cahill. >> Yes. >> Council member Espinosa. >> Yes. >> Council member Liowitz.
>> Yes. >> Council member Rasheed. >> Yes. >> Council member Erin. >> Yes. >> Council President Lombardi. >> Yes. And number 11 passes. 12 is an ordinance first reading amending chapter 7 traffic section 14
parking prohibited at all times on certain streets. It's a resolution adopting ordinance. Miss Cedar, can you please read the ordinance? Be it resolved by the township council of Piscatoway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Ordinance to amend and supplement the revised general ordinances of the township of
Piscataway, County of Middle Sex, State of New Jersey, amending chapter 7, traffic section 14, parking prohibited at all times on certain streets, be and is hereby adopted on the first reading, that it be published in the official newspaper, and that a second reading of public hearing be held at 7 p.m. time at
the Piscato Municipal Building, 455 Hose Lane, Piscatoway, New Jersey, on the 10th day of February, 2026. Be further resolved that a copy of this ordinance shall be posted in at least two public places within the township prior to the day of the second reading and final passage, and a copy of this ordinance
shall be made available at the office of the township clerk for any interested member of the public. >> Thank you, Mrs. Cedar. Do we have any questions or concerns from council? Can I have an offer? >> Offer. Council, >> I have a second.
>> Second. Esposa. >> Cedar, can you please call the role? Council member Cahill, >> yes. >> Council member Espinosa, >> yes. >> Council member Liowitz, >> yes. >> Council member Rashid, >> yes. >> Council member Erin, >> yes. >> Council President Lombardi,
>> yes. >> And it passes. First reading number 13 is an ordinance first reading vacating all of the right title and interest of the township of Piscataway in the entirety of Roth Place resolution
adopting ordinance. Miss Cedar, can you please read the ordinance? Be it resolved by the township council of Piscato Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Ordinance vacating all of the right title and interest of the township of Piscatoway in the entirety of Roth Place being I adopted
on the first reading that it be published in the official newspaper and that a second reading in public hearing be held at 7 p.m. prevailing time at the Pisc Municipal Building 455 Hose Lane Piscat, New Jersey on the 10th day of February, 2026. Be it further resolved that a copy of this ordinance shall be
posted in at least two public places within the township prior to the day of the second reading and final passage and a copy of this ordinance shall be made available at the office of the township clerk for any interested member of the public. Cert
public and on the council Roth Place is a paper street next to Turner Place office off of South Washington Avenue. It's right next to 287. >> Uh Mr. Mayor, isn't that whole area some I mean I remember some people coming before us. There's some
revitalization going on. >> No, this is part of the COA housing. >> Oh, it's Oh, it's part of the COA housing. Thank you for clarification. >> Want to have any other comments? Can I have an offer? >> Offer.
>> Second. >> Second. Espinosa. >> Miss Cedar. >> Council member Cahill. >> Yes. Council member Espinosa. >> Yes. >> Council member Liowitz. >> Yes. >> Council member Rashid. >> Yes. >> Council member Erin. >> Yes.
>> Council President Lombardi. >> Yes. and passes first reading. 14 is an ordinance first reading adding ch licensing and business regulations section 16 hotels and motel is a
resolution adopting ordinance. Miss Cedar, can you please read this ordinance? Be it resolved by the township council of Piscatoway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled an ordinance to amend the revised general ordinances of the township of Piscatoway County of Middle Sex State, New Jersey, adding chapter 4, licensing and business
regulations, section 16, hotels and motel. is hereby adopted on the first reading that it be published in the official newspaper and that a second reading of public hearing be held at 7 p.m. prevailing time at the Piscato Municipal Building 455 Hose Lane Piscato, New Jersey on the 10th day of
February, 2026. Be it further resolved that a copy of this ordinance shall be posted in at least two public places within the township prior to the day of the second reading and final passage, and a copy of this ordinance shall be made available at the office of the township clerk for any interested member
of the public. the theater. >> If I may, uh, council president, I have asked our public safety director to come here tonight uh to talk about why this ordinance needs to come in place before he has to head to another meeting. So, Keith, take it away.
>> Good evening, everyone. Um, I just want to u thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak tonight. Um, but I do come with some concerns. I'm concerned about >> Everyone hear him? Can you hear him? Oh. Can you hear me? >> Yes.
>> Okay. Um I do come with some concerns. Um I am concerned about Motel 6 and extended stay. Um so let's start with Motel 6. U in the police department. Uh we use our CAS system as a way to to
track data uh uh for the public. Uh this is a community uh excuse me uh um excuse me. We use our cast system to use our uh cast system to uh uh track data. Um at Motel 6, uh we received over 700 calls
in 2025. Um these calls vary. Um they could be mental health calls uh uh assault, simple assaults to aggravated assaults, uh to drug distribution. Uh within those 700 calls, 54 of those calls were
involve women. Um, I can tell you those calls were domestic violence and also sexual assaults. Um, now I need to be candy here. Um, I worked in two cities. Um, I never seen one property with over
700 calls. Never in my life. That's a lot of call for one property. So again, this is not being made up. Um, the cash system does not lie. Um, but this is the day-to-day reality of the
men and women that that serves this community. My other concern is extended stay. Um, early in my tenure here at Piscatoaway Police Department, um, there was a meth lab found in extended stay.
Think about that for a second. A meth lab, a fully operational meth lab found in extended stay. Um, I will argue that this meth lab was constructed um
without isol isolation, meaning that people knew that that meth lab was in that hotel. And uh that's a problem here. Um it's a public safety issue. Um so I come here tonight and and and I would say that it's very important that we uh move forward with the ordinance
that was set forth by the mayor. Um, I think it would it would help the police department out um tremendously. It would definitely address some of our public safety issues here that we have in town. Um, so thank you.
>> Thank you for that. >> Any other council people have any comments? >> My biggest concern is uh for the safety of our police department. My biggest fear is that one day something will happen and one of them will be harmed.
So I uh wholeheartedly feel that this is the right move and um in the favor of our safety of our police department, I believe this is necessary to implement fines so that we can start implementing
fines to these businesses so that once their pocketbook gets hit, things might start to change. So you have to implement these things so that you can start to implement change. So, uh, do I have an offer for this >> offer? Council
second. >> Esposa. >> Cedar, can you please call the role? >> Council member Cahill. >> Yes. >> Council member Espinosa. >> Yes. >> Council member Liboitz. >> Yes. >> Council member Rasheed.
>> Yes. >> Council member Erin, >> yes. >> Council President Lombardi, >> yes. And first reading passes on that ordinance. We're now going to move to number 15, which are the consent agenda items. For efficiency, items have been
consolidated into a consent agenda to be voted on together, and the materials for these items have been distributed to the council in advance of the meeting. Do I have a motion to accept the consent agenda items? >> Motion, Councilwoman Cahillo.
>> Do I have a second? Councilman Thank you. Miss Cedar, can you please call the role? >> Council member Cahill, >> yes. >> Council member Espinosa, >> yes. >> Council member Liowitz, >> yes.
>> Council member Rasheed, >> yes. >> Council member Arin, >> yes. >> Council President Lombardi, >> yes. And the consent agenda items pass. Number 16 is announcements and comments from officials. So, I will now ask for
the council members to give any announcements or comments they may have. Uh, Gabriel Cahill. Michelle, that's a first. Um, yeah. So, I want to thank all the folks for coming out here tonight to the council meeting. Um, it's a cold, frigid
night tonight. Um, I appreciate my council mates taking our ordinances seriously and also working behind the scenes for you, the residents of Pascatoaway. Um that said, I will make um my comments about uh the ordinance that we passed on first reading that
pertains to um changing our regulations regarding hotels and motel. Um I can I think I speak for most of the council members here is that our north star is um you the residents of Piscatoaway, also our small business owners who's
chosen to have their businesses here and our larger ones. Um, and then also too for people who come and visit our great town who might inadvertently stay at Motel 6 or potentially the extended stay. And we just heard from um our
public safety director um Keith Stiff that you know uh we would not want um people who inadvertently stay at a place uh come to any undue harm, nor would we want to anyone else who might be staying there for other reasons. and to no fault
of their own be subject to someone who is going to um that where that person might become a victim to an unlawful act. So our north star is public safety. That is the number one concern of all residents, right? And that includes our our residents who are business owners
here. Number two is to make sure that um our small businesses and large businesses find Piscataway a welcoming place where they want to do business, where they can continue to do business without um you know interruptions of
that business by um by people who um are are not doing um good things in the town. And of course number three to protect um anyone who does come into our town and stay. So I want to thank you for all for being here. I want to thank the council mates for reading through
the ordinance that I do know went through multiple changes was amended multiple times. voices were heard from everyone on this council. Um, our neighbors in East Brunswick actually
uh voted on uh a similar ordinance in their town, but believe me, their stay is for a lot less. We offer three times the amount of time for people to stay at one of these hotels, give them
reasonable ways to find alternate housing. Th this ordinance was changed. And I'm speaking now off the cuff. I didn't mean to go this long. Sorry, council. Um, but as I read it and reread it and and listened to some comments online and and read what other townships
did, I can tell you that this council took into a lot of consideration um voices from different um places including the council and elsewhere and made a very good revision of it. Now, that's not to say that somewhere down the line we won't make another change.
amendments come. But I do want to say to the Piscatoaway residents and to business owners who are here in the audience and would like to hear from you as well is [snorts] that I believe that the the obviously our police department first and foremost who
are on the front lines um the mayor administration and the board that votes on these has your best interest in mind that our north star is your public safety and for the well-being of everyone who is living in Piscataway and visiting away. And that is all I have to say. And it wasn't
>> that was very well said. >> I didn't mean to say all of that. Thank you so much from the heart. >> Dennis Espinosa. >> Thank you. Um, President, um, well, this past weekend we had the we had the MLK event which is great. It was attended by
many people. Had our mayor and council there. We had our police officials. Board of Ed was there. Uh, allowed our a lot of our residents were there. So the county was there as well. Uh state that's right there there was again talk
about unity in one place and and hearing these speeches. It was it was great. I want to give a special thanks to the Piscatawa Civil Rights Advisory Commission and also uh Miss Jasmine Carmichael who MCEd uh and also Sharon Carmichael a war three council woman that currently is not here but would
like to give a great thanks and thank you for coming out. Also, I would like to remind everyone that there is a clinic coming up which is January 31st uh at uh from 9 to 12 uh a uh 9 to 12
noon and it starts from 8 through K and then again February 7th at 9 through noon with uh last names beginning with L through Z. So again, this is a free rabies clinic. >> It's free and it's awesome and it's drive-thru so you get through fast. So,
for those who have not gone there, uh you just you stay in your car. It's it's a drive-thru. Um make sure that your pets are are um leashed and they'll come they'll come right to your car. Give them the shot and away you go. If you have a cat, have them leashed or in in a
in a crate, I believe, and they'll bring them in. Yeah, they have to be in the crate and then they'll bring them right in and then they'll have their vaccination and then that's it. So, it's just um it's again free. So, hope to see you there. Thank you, uh, Council President.
>> Before I make my remarks, I want to hand out some things to the people. >> Can we Can we just leave those? council woman. >> Well, thank you so much. >> Can we leave? >> Okay. >> Thank you.
Do I would like to let our residents and this council know that our first autism celebration and resource fair will be held on March 22nd at our community center at the Y. I look forward to the same level of engaged support that each
of my fellow council member initiatives have received. And my final point is to let you all know that our outreach for gifts and donations to our local DCPN was highly successful. The toy drive at the Y was so successful that we needed to make
several pickups of donations. This year the gifts went to Perth fanboy and I'm currently in discussion with our Piscataway DCP office to direct gifts towards them next year. So our town is very generous town. Um, and I know our Y
is very busy. So, thank you to those that participated and I look forward to seeing so many of you on March 22nd. Feel free to reach out with any questions. >> Thank you, Sarah Rashid.
>> Good evening, everyone. I came dressed today um in my traditional garb in honor of Muslim Heritage Month. Um, I know thank you to the mayor for the proclamation. a little early notice would have been nice to have some community members here. Um, this is
something that's very important to us. It's a time when we're honoring the diverse cultures and all the positive impact that we bring to the community and we would love to be part of it. Um, I also wanted to um reflect and honor
MLK that we celebrated yesterday. Um, and I just wanted to read a quote. Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that. And I hope
it's not only one day that we reflect on his words, but we live through it the whole year round. Thank you. >> Thank you, Frank Eron. >> Yes. I just want to say Gabrielle Ko. That was very well said what you said.
We appreciate it. Also, I want to wish our cheerleaders luck again. They're going to in February. Hope they bring home a trophy. >> Mayor Ryan Waller, >> very briefly, I just want to update the council assault.
Um, we're not the only town. Almost every town in the state of New Jersey and the county governments are out of salt. Um, so it's we have just a little bit left. um will not and it's not for lack of trying
to get it. We haven't received a salt shipment in three weeks. >> Well, are we going to get a salt? >> Well, see, and for those folks that know, it comes down from upstate New York via the Hudson and then goes to the port and we can't send our trucks up to the port because we don't have security
clearance and it's only private contractors that can go in on the port to get the salt. Um, but we're trying to work on it. We're trying to go to another distributor, but the problem is those distri dist distributors use the same truckers to to get to bring the
salt. So, we're hoping by by Saturday we'll have some salt deliveries. Uh anybody can see through our salt shed. I mean, this is the first time and you can see the back concrete walls. >> How are we on the brine? >> Uh that's another thing. The uh the
brine we're okay. Uh we will be brining heavily this weekend. Uh the liquid calcium chloride we're also running short on. That's another short product that every every town's going through right now. Um and >> Mr. Mayor, does it can have
>> No, they're out. They're totally out. >> Oh, wow. >> So, uh it's it's the pecking order, the way salt gets delivered, the state comes first, state DOT comes first, then the counties, and then municipalities. That's the pecking order for Salt.
So, we're hoping >> Can't we just order it on Amazon? [laughter] >> 2,000 tons worth. >> Um, Mr. Mayor, are we planning what what is the plan to let >> We have enough to do key intersections, but we're going to spraley. That's why
we're going to brine really heavy Friday and Saturday. >> And for those of you who don't know, the brine is beetroot juice. Correct. >> It's environmentally friendly. >> Yes. >> It works too. Beetroot juice. >> Let's just let's just keep our fingers crossed we get some deliveries between now and Saturday.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you, Mayor Business Administrator Paula Kazerelli. >> Thank you, Council President Lombardi. I just would like to tee off what the mayor was saying and one thing uh and I don't want to be a doom and gloomer or an ad, but I'm going to uh the
temperatures are supposed to be very cold. So, road salt is not effective below 18 degrees. So that is another challenge. So we are going to work our snow plow operations diligently to ensure that our roadways are safe for
passage. Uh you know during the event of the storm we're going to ask people please keep your cars. It is it is a township law. Cars should not be parked on snow covered roads. It's a danger to our staff. Um it also is a problem with
your property. uh you know plows are not uh immune to the slippery conditions either. So please keep your cars off the roadways for their safety. Um and we will be diligent about those operations. Uh I did speak to DPW and as the mayor said we are working diligently with
other towns to see I know they called the county today asking for salt. So, we are diligently looking for resources, but as I said, temperatures are supposed to be very, very cold and salt at that point is ineffective. So, we're going to really beef up our snow plow operations
there. Um, I also had mentioned uh and I've been mentioning throughout uh grants uh to clean up the ecological park. So, although we got good word, oh, we're going to put you through I finally got the letter for the remaining part of the grant for the $2.9 million dollars.
Now for uh this year, the reason why they parse it off in trenches is because um the EDA cannot give more than $3 million in one year. So we received 289,000 for last year and we're going to get the 2 uh9 for this year.
>> Yes. >> Um so that's good news. I did submit for reimbursement for the 289. So I'm waiting to hear about that and then we'll move forward with this. Um, I also just want to let you know that uh we're getting ready, council, to start making appointments with you to discuss the
2026 budget. Uh, we've been working diligent. We had a staff meeting, so all of our capital, and I had mentioned this before. I want to thank uh the mayor and the council for being so financially uh uh conservative with how we budget here. Uh because most of our capital is being
paid for uh by monies that uh we have saved. So that's great. So, we're going to start rolling out our capital budget uh items very soon and uh please be safe. Thank you. >> Thank you for that $2.9 million grant.
Thank you. >> Our attorney Raj Kumar. >> No comments. Thank you. >> Okay, that leaves it to me. Not much to say, but I do want to thank the Civil Rights Advisory Commission for the amazing MLK breakfast the other morning.
It's very very inspirational. I want to continue to thank our DPW for all of the hard work that they have been doing. And I would also like to thank all of our volunteer fire departments. This is the month that they all install all of their
new line officers and I would like to thank all of them and congratulate any of the new officers from our volunteer fire departments. Thank you. We'll now move to number 17, which is the agenda session for the February 10th
uh 2026 reorganization. It's not a reorganization. I'm not sure why it says that. >> Okay. I I was like questioning. Uh we have an ordinance second reading amending chapter 7 traffic section 14 parking prohibited at all times on
certain streets. It will be open to the public. It's a resolution adopting ordinance. Any questions from council members? >> An ordinance second reading vacating all the right title and interest of the township of scatteraway in the entirety of Roth Place. It will be open to the
public and it's a resolution adopting ordinance that will be on the next meeting. Any questions or concerns from council members? Ordinance, second reading, adding chapter 4, licensing and business regulations, section 16, hotels and motel. It will be a resolution adopting
ordinance that will be on for second reading at next the next meeting of February 10th. A resolution authorizing the change order number one 2025 26 sidewalk repair program to include curbs, driveways, and
handicap ramps. Measure uh excavating not to exceed $43,760 and a resolution authorizing purchases from various New Jersey state contract and approved cooperative vendors. Do we
have any questions or concerns? And now we will open to the public for our remote attendees for any item on this agenda. For our remote attendees only, >> council president, I'm asking the first individual with their hand raised to
unmute themselves. >> Go ahead. >> Hello, Brian Rack, 1247 Brookside Road. Um, I'm wondering how long has it been planned that this uh hotel agenda is going to be voted on at this meeting? Only the first reading was voted on. Is that your only question?
>> No, I had a couple more, but so >> please ask all of your questions. >> Okay. Uh, the open public meetings act as you read at the beginning requires advanced notice where let's see to the extent known the agenda. The town has been putting out videos about this ordinance being voted on for several
weeks now. But the agenda only started showing it about 400 pm today. So to me that seems pretty clearly that you knew it was going to be voted on today but didn't bother to put it on the agenda. Um I'd also like to say that while I don't have a year's worth of CAD
records, I have three months now and for Carlton Club Drive has 40 more calls per uh in that three-month period than the hotels. So, if the call volume is really an issue, it seems like that should be a concern, too. The number two by call volume is actually where you're sitting
right now, 555 Sydney Road. And I'm kind of disappointed that the police uh sorry, not captain or the public safety director left because I would have liked to ask him about the uh police officer that was arrested last year for following young girls around a
store in South Planefield who I don't think we've ever heard if he's still on duty or anything else. Or maybe the six uh lawsuits against the police department totaling over $1 million in settlements uh for misconduct by the previous police chief.
Uh, that was all I had. Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Don't bother asking. He's part of the defund the police crowd. >> And plus, he has a pending lawsuit against the town. >> Yeah, I was going to say council. Um, don't make any comments because he does
pending lawsuit against town. I can make comments to the public at least to correct some of the fact statements. Um, the reason why is my Hello. >> Hello. Anyway, um so one, the ordinance
was still being worked on till late this afternoon. So, um that was why we weren't sure it was going to be on a a feedback from the council, other attorneys, etc. So um the reason why this law states to the states to the
extent known is exactly for that reason. Um as for the police officer that uh that was um that had that incident he was immediately suspended and terminated within probably a few days. Um so that
you know unfortunately that occurred. Um, but we have a great great police department and that is not an example of our police department. >> Thank you very much. We have anyone else? >> Uh, council president, we don't have any
additional members of the public with their hand raised. Mr. Rack did raise his hand again. Um, he already spoke. Um, I'm sorry. I do have I scrolled down. There's two more. So, hold on one moment. I'm asking the next one to unmute.
Go ahead. Hello. >> Hi, this is Jessica Craville, 1247 Brookside Road. Can you hear me? >> Yes, we can. >> Excellent. Um, I just I had a couple of questions. I'm going to assume that the
the form of the ordinance has been changed. You all mentioned you were working on it a lot and I'm very hopeful that that means that it is no longer um unconstitutional. Right. You you guys took out the part where the police can turn up and um must
be presented the hotel register without a warrant, right? Is that your only question? >> Um, well, I I had some comments, but I was going to >> Please on that answer. >> Please list your questions and then
we'll have the attorney answer. >> Okay. So, um, well, I just wanted to say that, um, I think that the township has been making a lot of videos and even taking some other members of the public's uh,
comments out of context and including them in the video, which I think is really not a classy move. Um, and I think that I there's probably a a a good way to solve this. And the way that some of the
members of the council seem to be behaving and the the information that's being publicized is not not putting your best foot forward. And I just want to say I I look forward to reading it because it'd be wonderful if
it was published so that members of the public could read the ordinance in the intervening time, you know, when it comes up here and we could talk about it and then you could go back and work on it. But I see that that's not possible. And I would love an answer to my
question. My comments are concluded. >> Thank you. Just so you know that that will be available tomorrow to read. that will be open uh free to the public. >> And in regard to the constitutionality of the ordinance, I will tell you that at least four attorneys have thoroughly
looked at this ordinance, including attorneys that are actually currently in litigation in another municipality on a more restrictive ordinance. So, I am comfortable um with how the the ordinance is as written. Council President, I'm asking the next
individual with their hand raised to unmute themselves. Welcome to the council meeting. >> Yeah. Hello. Can you hear me? >> Yes, we can. >> Okay. I have a couple concerns about this. Is this the time for questions or
the three minute speech? >> Three minutes to ask your questions. >> When can I give my speech? Please ask all give your speech. You have three minutes. >> Well, my first question is why is there not >> can I have your name? >> Was there not a moment for a public
comment before the vote for the hotels and motel as you did for all the all the other ordinances is my first question. >> First reading that's a first reading. We have we open it to the public on second readings.
Please ask all your questions. >> Please state your name, address. My name is Reena. My second concern is that >> I'm sorry. First and last name and your address, please. >> Reena Patel and I'm from Middle Sex County. My second concern is that you've
been putting out there that it's social services that are sending people that have criminal backgrounds and causing all these issues for you and you've been labeling them as bad apples. How do we know that it's social services that's sending these individuals?
Is that your final question? >> For now, I have a lot more to say. >> Please re please say all that you want to say. >> You have one minute left. >> More than three minutes. One minute.
>> I'm going to wait till the end when I get three minutes to speak about it. >> This is your three minutes. You have one minute left. >> Well, first of all, I'm offended by the language that you all have been using. I have handouts to give. Unfortunately, I'm five minutes away, so I don't know if I'll make it to the end. But saying
that everyone's criminals and drug addicts, that's offensive. The language that you've been studying and putting out there to the public is offensive. You should be using person first language as people that are sitting on the council, thank you to the two women who have been pursuing that and advocating for that. Second of all,
you're blaming everybody and considering everyone as that they're bad apples when they're not. There's several people that are reintegrating into society and I know this because I work for New Jersey Re-entry Corp that are here that are actually trying to get back on their feet and you by saying that in 31 days
they have to be kicked out because they're bad apples is wrong is absolutely wrong because there are people that are now making over 100k a year as a project construction manager and someone that's hosting AA meetings as a woman who h who was formerly incarcerated. So there are people that
are doing good who are who have who are reintegrating back into society. So, I don't know why you're you're saying that everybody social services is sending are all these bad apples because that's absolutely not true. And the sick person's offenses that you have listed, those are people who have overdose.
Those individuals need substance use treatment. They don't need to be sent back to jail. And there were multiple of those offenses. There's a difference between there being a drug charge and a sick person's charge. That's an issue that you're having. And you need to help those people get treatment. not be sent
back to prison. And they're hotels and motel are obviously not meant to be permanent housing as you're describing in your video. Social services are trying to help assist these individuals find find permanent housing. And now you're just contributing to the already
the big mental health, substance use, and homeless crisis that we're having. And I can confidently say this because I'm working in that. And you're just making it worse by passing these ordinances. Ordinances like these are the reasons why these issues get worse. So yes, the people who are committing
the crimes or who are engaging those behaviors, yes, okay, send them to send them to prison. But those who are left out there, who are dealing with substance use or who are people who are coming back from prison trying to reintegrate into society don't deserve to be thrown back out on the streets and
struggling for their lives. >> Thank you, Reena. Thank you for your comments. And it is not a blanket ordinance for all people. We are only targeting those people that are bad people. Okay? It's not a blanket. It doesn't pertain to everyone. Thank you
for your comments. Council President, I'm asking the next individual with their hand raised to unmute themselves. Welcome to the meeting. >> Hello, my name is Ally Brockman. I live at 241 Vasser Drive in
I just would like to say that I am disappointed in the council's lack of transparency about these ordinances. There has been a lot of taxpayer money spent on these fear mongering propaganda tough on crime videos
um without ever actually saying how this ordinance would address the issues you say are such a problem. Um, I am tired of this tough on crime shtick because it's been we've been hearing it from
politicians since before I was even born and it does not work to prevent crime. Um, but my bigger concern really is how um not transparent um the council has been about this
ordinance specifically. Um because if it is not going to actually address the crime you say is such a problem. I wonder what the actual motives are for putting this ordinance in place. Um
because that is the part that's not clear and um I just wish that you would be more forthcoming with your residents. Thank you. >> I believe we've been very transparent.
Thank you for your comments, >> Council President. like to know uh some of the residents who called in haven't seen the updated one and I believe there was a section that one of the callers uh just before this caller mentioned um there's no targeting of of of people in
this ordinance in this current version. >> Thank you council president. I'm asking the next individual with their hand raised to unmute themselves. Welcome Hello. >> Yeah. Hi, Craig. Three Lake Park Drive.
Uh, how do we identify the bad people? >> Is that your only question? >> Well, it's one of my questions. Yeah. Well, we just mentioned that this ordinance is only for the bad people. Which which people are those exactly?
I know in the uh videos that the township uh promoted, we talked about sick people and the number of calls we have for sick people, which the mayor indicated in one of
those videos, that's code for overdose. But it's not code for overdose. It's code for sick people. How do I know that? I've been responding to Motel 6 for 30 years as an EMT. I know that. I've been there personally for diabetic people, people choking,
um people with mental illness episodes, overdoses, yes, part of it, but you know, you're kind of lumping everything together. Um so how exactly do identify the bad people? Is it people that are overdosing? Are they bad? Is it people
that have a diabetic foot ulcer that have been living in Motel 6 because that's where they're put by Middle Sex County Social Services? Are they bad? I I'm unclear about where we draw the bad people line. If maybe uh Council Person Lombardi could enlighten us, I I would
appreciate. Anything you could do to uh clear that up for me. Thanks. >> You're very welcome, >> Council President. There are no other individuals with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. We're now closing the remote portion of
the meeting. Now we will open it to the public for the people that are here this evening. For each public comment portion for the person that are the persons that are the in-person attendees, if you wish to speak at this time, please come to the
podium, state your name, address, and know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. You may take a seat after the completion of your comments or questions and the council and administration will then respond if necessary. So, anyone wishing to speak
now is the time. >> Wow. She she offered me to go first, so I will. Thank you so much. >> Hi, my name is Nancy Salgado. Do you need me to spell that? >> Yes or no? S. >> We don't. >> Name and address. That's all we need him. Please be advised, you have three
minutes. >> 124 Stanton Avenue, Piscatoaway, New Jersey. Um, first, I'm speaking as the school board president. I wanted to um thank Mayor Waller for the event on um Saturday, making um sure that he uh
acknowledged the school board persons that were there. I think that was definitely my first time that I was acknowledged by the mayor at a public event. So, thank you very much, Mayor Waller. Um, and uh I also wanted Mayor
Waller to know as well as all of the council to know that as the president of the school board, we do want to work on the relationship here with our um you know, town council um with our new um
superintendent as well. So what we have done is with our new um year in 2026, we have um selected one member of our board to sit here every meeting that the council has just to report back to um
the school board on whatever happenings is happening in the town. So that this way we can be well informed on any events, any situations that might be going on here in the town that might be affecting the school board. And that person is going to be Mr. Pashant Patel.
He's here going to be as our representative um officially as our schoolboard representative. We also um I also selected a person that will be attending your meetings for both zoning and planning and that person will be
Miss Loretta Rivers. So just so you know, we are really willing and able to work on our relationships as school board since we are all here as elected officials. I do appreciate that. I do appreciate when we are acknowledged because we always do acknowledge the
town council, the mayor, and all of you guys when you attend our events. Thank you so much. >> Thank you, Miss Salgado. >> Council President, if I may, while Miss the president of the board's here, can you ask the superintendent if he could work with us? And she guys are not going
to let us have three election districts at Fellowship Farms. So, we need to get that resolved. I know people know that that we're not they're not going to be able to vote over at Fellowship Farm School. So, that needs to get resolved. >> Thank you. Go ahead.
Please state your name and address. >> Um, my name is Dana Gabriel. Um, my business address is 1351 Centennial Lab. Um, I am one of the owners of Gabriel's Barn Grill, uh, for the past nine years, but I have been working on the property
for about 29 years. I first like to say thank you to everybody here listening and giving us the opportunity to um, hear our voices on this matter. I'm going to start with some dates and some situations just so um people know
um exactly what's going on. Um May 6th, 2023, a car that was visiting the motel, two individuals were in the car. They were not staying at the motel. They were just running into a room. Um they came back into the car 10 minutes later. They
crashed into a pole and hit my employees car. Um we went to the hotel for um the cameras or sending any information. They were unable to help us. Well, they they would not help us or the police. They wouldn't give any video. Um a week
later, the same car came back making model. We seen the dent in the front of it. Um two people in the car running into another room. I said, "I'm going to call the police." I called the police. It turns out the lady had a warrant for her arrest. Unfortunately, she had no car insurance. So, my employee had to
pay all of the expenses for her vehicle to be um fixed. July 25th, 2024, my employee called me from the employ where our employees park and said, "Hey, I'm going to be a little late. I'm scared to get out of the car. There's a shirtless young gentleman um
beating up on a car in the Burger King parking lot." It turns out the young gentleman was having um a mental breakdown. He was uh someone staying at the hotel. um that affected me because my employee was scared to get out of the car. Um December 6th, um it was a Saturday
night about 7 o'clock, I had about five to six tables eating on the um dining room floor. I had been in the back room decorating for um a brunch for my a Christmas brunch for my daughter. Um my manager on the floor was a a young lady that just started managing. Um, a young
woman in her 30s ran into the restaurant running for for shelter. She was held captive in one of the hotel rooms from her boyfriend that just got out of county jail that was being put up at the hotel. Her face was beaten in and we called 911. We gave her ice. We gave her
water. We put her at a table so she wasn't going to be embarrassed. Um, but this was Saturday night at 700 p.m. So that video that um, Mr. Caps was saying, that actually is a real story. Um, I would never put that video on Facebook because that's illegal. I would never want to embarrass the lady, but that
really happens. Um, December 12th, um, Friday, my manager called me and said, "A gentleman is walking through the restaurant looking for a man that just he just witnessed, um, allegedly raping another woman. He told us that he was looking for a guy in
a white sweatshirt. He witnessed a raping at the hotel." This was at like 11:30 in the afternoon. Um, Sorry, so nervous. December 16th, Tuesday, 7:0 7:05, um a text went out to
Piscataway residents and my family and um my employees parents started texting them. The the text that went out said, "Please avoid area Lowe's, Gabriel's, Barn Grill, Burger King, and Dunkin Donuts police activity." Um my employees parents were saying, "Are you safe at
work right now?" I had a Christmas party going on in the back room. you could see the um the lights from the police. I wasn't sure if we were getting shut down. It turns out that there was a hostage situation. I don't know the exact details. I wasn't I would never ask all those details. I just called to
find out if we were safe in the building. This is how this is affecting my business. Um in 2021, there was an ownership change of the motel. Um it was no longer Motel 6. It is now Piscatoaway Enterprise LLC. In 2022, when we started
to notice a change in the business model, we reached out to our lawyer, Mr. Smith's office, and he set up a meeting between the hotel, Gabriel's Barn Grill, which we are also the property owners of of the lands where Motel 6 is, and there
was a no-show from the new owner. So, we were just told from um who was the acting chief at the time, I I don't want to mess her name up, Michelle Channels, that they would send over police cars and you know the meeting was just to see what can we do to work together to make it a safer property. Nothing ever came
>> Can you wrap it up because you've exceeded the three minutes at this point. >> Uh December 9th, 2024 we it was a nuisance to the property. It's a public safety issue for our business, for our employees, for our valued customers and and for the police because the police
always ask us why is this going on here? How come no one's doing anything? It's not safe there. It would be crazy to think that you can put people unfortunately that are down on their luck with criminals that are now being dropped off from other counties and you
have children there. It's just not safe. >> Thank you so much. >> I also have the CAD reports if anybody needs copies of them. >> Sorry. >> Hi, good evening everyone. I'm from B. My name is Tina Purohit. I'm from Burger
King 1014 Stelton Road. >> Thank you. And I'm running the Burger King restaurant manager like 25 years in the same place. And from the model 6, the customer like um one of my employees, he parked the her car in the back of the
Burger King parking lot and suddenly the one boy came out from the uh Model 6 and he with the rock he just destroy whole the car. She has total car but he was so scared if she's inside the car what's going to be happen and it's no safety
for us. One time the guy came was drunk. We called the police and the officer the guy fight with the officer and he break his ankle. Officer break his ankle. So is not safe for the police officer either. And uh they have like lot of bed
bugs in their motel and the people sitting down all day in the restaurant. We have to sanitize all day. I need one person all the time to sanitize the restaurant. And people are now c customer is like a scared. They don't want to come with their kids because all
the time this kind of people sitting in the dining room and they're going in the bathroom. They throw the ceilings in the toilet and we have to repair the toilet is like $550 every time. It's like almost every month it's happening. And
the guy just broke the my door glass. We have to fix that $2,500 right away. My drive-thru window they broke. So basically from the model 6 is a big nuisance for our business. And we are day by day we losing our business
because this news is coming on the TV and everywhere. So people don't save to come in the Burger King and eat. So I think they have to take any step for the model 6 because they are getting money from the government $900 and that's why
the model 6 is getting money and they are just staying all the time over there and they are having lot of problem in our restaurant. Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. Thank you. >> Colleen, 48 Wagner Avenue. Good evening,
Mayor Wallala and Township Council members. >> Good evening. >> My family and I have resided in Piscataway for 45 years. It's been a safe, family, friendly community to live in, and that's why we purchased our home back in 1981.
However, I recently of these horrible criminal activities occurring in our town, committed by individuals staying in the Motel 6. Individuals that have been previously incarcerated, now released and accepted into our town.
Numerous crimes such as aggravated assault, drug dealing, rape, shoplifting, and handgun issues have been reported in the vicinity of Motel 6. And there has also been the report of a recent hostage situation and a man that
was splashing gasoline around the premises of Dunkin Donuts. And not to mention the meth lab that was found at the extended stay. Constant emergency and 911 calls for police assistance at Motel 6 places a
strain on our police department, our first responders, and can cause delays in responding time to other emergencies in our town should there be. My family patronizes many of the stores, including Gabriel's, Dunkin Donuts, Burger King.
We spend a lot of money in Piscataway, Lowe's, Walmart, and this all happens in the vicinity of Motel 6. Now, we even need to be more alert and aware of our surroundings when we shop and when we dine. The safety of our community, which
we dearly hold close to us, has been compromised. And it doesn't have to be this way. The situation places our neighbors, police officers, first responders, and our businesses in the area at serious risk. I request that the township
council maybe consider passing an amendment that prohibits the acceptance and housing of these incarcerated individuals and people causing problems in Piscataway. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Well said.
Anyone else? Michelle business address is 1351 app. So I've been working at Gabriel's for about a year and a half. I started off as a host and I worked my way up to manager. I'm currently in my second year of college a part of my school's nursing program. While working one night, we had
a woman into restaurant for rescue. She was running away from her exartner who recently got out of jail as she was being held hostage. That night, I was glad my owner Dana was there to help the situation. As she attended, the woman and I called 911, trying my best to give a description and
a glimpse as to what was happening. I was also very glad that our security that day arrived right on time to work as he stopped a man from entering our busy restaurant. There are multiple occasions as there are multiple occasions where we are walking into work and we have to hear taunts from people at the motel or
after a long day of work, we're getting into our cars and we turn to the side and see a man staring out the motel window. It is nothing new when we hear or see sirens heading towards the motel. After such frequency, our mind shift into thinking what happened now rather
than a shock and a worrisome feeling. On another occasion, I was as I was heading home after work, I saw a man standing in the middle in the middle of the street. It was late at night and the guy seemed to not be aware of his behavior. Another time, I was heading into work. As I passed the Burger King parking lot, I
saw someone on the phone and they were standing outside their car. The car the car sadly was completely ruined as all the windows were completely shattered. They were smashed with a rock from someone from the motel. I always thought to myself, is it safe here? But it
wasn't until that day that I began to think to myself, is my car even safe here? On multiple occasions, I had family members ask me if it's safe. And sadly, I can ne I never answer that question with full confidence. My mother always tells me to never walk out alone no matter what. And that's something I'm
always going to make sure I abide by. As closing weekend manager, I always make sure as I turn my back to chain up our gate, I'm still aware of my surroundings. As part of Gabriel's staff, we all come here to work and make a living and not to be scared for our safety or be scared that things we work
very hard for are going to get ruined. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hi. Uh my name is Nicole Salakara Barakawa. Um and I'm referring to the business address 1351 Centennial Gabriel's. Um okay. I do work there from
time to time to help out. Um, I am a family member of the owners. Um, and I did work there in the past. So, I'm speaking from personal experience when I say it's it's scary and it's unfortunate uh what we experience when we're leaving
late at night. Um, but I think what comes to my mind now more so, especially now that I'm a mother, is I can remember back in summer days seeing unsupervised toddlers in the middle of the Multel 6
parking lot that created swimming pools out of little plastic buckets and they were really enjoying themselves. And I think now about how those kids are still there and all of the other criminal activity going on at the same time. And that's the part that really scares me.
Um, is I think there's a lack of accountability for whose job it is to supervise the motel. Um, I think the lack of accountability comes from the business owner. Um, and I appreciate the fact that the council members are going
to look into an ordinance or a fine, something to potentially hold somebody accountable to bring safety um, for the members. In addition, um I am now a local real estate expert here. My husband grew up in Piscataway. Um and I
have to say that interested buyers who are typically looking to flock to Piscatoaway. They're seeing this. They're informed buyers. They're going on the internet. They're looking up the crime rates and seeing what is currently happening. And I promise you, this is at
the top of the list. And it used to not be that way. So, I just wanted to inform everybody that that is certainly something that we should be thinking about as well for the town. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. [applause]
>> Okay. Hi, I'm Lisa. My business address is 1351 Santano A Gabriel's. Um, I have been working at Gabriel's for close to 17 years. And in those 17 years, I have many stories, but however, I only get three minutes tonight. I
started off as a waitress, but have gradually w worked up to assistant GM. I should not feel scared, anxious, or uneasy just by walking into my place of work. However, that has not been the case, especially in the last four to five years because of the things that I
have seen and witnessed all at the hand of the individ individuals that reside at the Motel 6. I now have an uneasy feeling every time I begin a shift. In one case, on Sunday, January 5th, 2025, I had a holiday event in which the
customers were unloading gifts and decorations from their vehicle, which was parked by the low side of of the Motel 6, and they were unloaded into our event room when the primary guest informs me that the vehicle was robbed in the process. All of the envelopes,
all her laptop, her phone, her pocketbook were all taken out of her vehicle in the process of her unloading into Gabriel's. [snorts] The police were called and it turns out the individual residing at the Motel 6 and was watching her as she was unloading her vehicle. And
unfortunately, that event did not book again this year. Friday, December 12th, 2025. I was preparing for a large corporate event when I had just unlocked the front doors at 11:30 a.m. An individual burst through the front door looking for a man wearing a white
sweatshirt and jean jacket, claiming the man he just witnessed the man rape a woman in Motel 6. Fortunately, the perpetrator did not travel into our establishment. However, now my mind is at ease throughout the rest of the day thinking that this perpetrator could enter at any time. In another event on
Thursday, May 16th, 2024, I was working a lunch shift when an individual I noticed an individual running up to our side patio doors when two other males knock him to the ground and start kicking him right in front of our doors. The individual then gets up and runs
into our establishment when the other two men chase him in and then proceed to have our verbal confrontation right there in front of our customers. Later later, when I check back the security videos, you could clearly see all three individuals coming from Motel 6 running through our parking onto our patio. My
family and friends are constantly concerned for my well-being, knowing how bad Motel 6 has gotten over the years. My boyfriend, a retired Skyaway police officer, does not like me when I close the restaurant, knowing some of the things that have that have he has personally seen and witnessed over the
years. But it clearly does not matter what time of day it is. I hear and see the police responding there all hours of the day. This daily uneasy feeling is not necessary. Nor should any individual have to feel that by just going to their place of work on a daily basis.
Something needs to be done about the criminal residents that are residing at Motel 6 and are affecting all the local surrounding businesses. Thank you. >> Thank you. this thing on. >> Yeah. Name and address, please. >> Jose Medina, 321 Bryan Avenue, retired
police officer, supervisor in Piscato. I I am not the boyfriend. >> For that clarification. >> Okay. Um I just want to say first, uh thank you all for putting trying to put this ordinance in place. Okay. Very
important u for me. retiring in this department and then still living in the town, not moving to Florida. I still live here. I still love the town. Um, restaurants, Burger Kings, the Dunkin Donuts. I still go there. Um, I was the
supervisor at the extended state explosive explosion. I was the commander in that thing. Um, I could tell you I worked in narcotics undercover for about six years with the county, our department, uh, with the feds, and I can tell you honestly, this thing has been
going on way too long. So, I thank you all for trying to push something forward. Um, it's about the criminal element, and it's it's been there a while. I travel, I train police around the country. I asked the same questions since this whole thing started to other departments in different parts of the country. They're dealing with some of
the same things. Um, is uh our department before I left in 2020 uh they disbanded device narcotics unit. I was part of it and it was very um proactive. Um it really kind of helped reinforce a lot of things.
However, you're not going to stop it. But I I feel for the owners here. I feel for the uh the residents here because I love going to Gabrielle's for dinner after traveling and coming home with my wife and going there to eat. Um I don't fear the elements because, you know, I know my terrain, right? But I feel sorry
for those who have fear. So again, I thank you all for really trying to put this in play. Um I can tell you uh some people told stories. I can tell you from uh extended stay explosion. I was at Motel 6 a few years back when a former
blood member was just released um out of prison in there about 2 o'clock in the morning. Tried killing his girlfriend and newborn baby. Killed the baby by it by its neck. cut everywhere. Um, very violent scene and and it was one of
many, many, many, many calls we went on. So, again, I I've been there. So, again, I thank you all for pushing that through and I hope that it goes through on the second reading because uh we as Skyway residents, we deserve. So, thank you.
>> Thank you for coming out. >> Hi. My name is Jenna and I'm uh 1351 Centennial. I'm an employee of Gabriel's. Um I was lucky enough to be an employee of Gabriel's for almost 10 years. Um now I have a full-time job so I can't work there. But [laughter] um I just want to speak on what a
personal experience that I had. Um I believe it was a late night shift. Every single time that we walk out to our cars, it's in the back parking lot near the motel. Anthony or Dana or anyone of the management will make sure that we get into our cars safely. Um, this one day, unfortunately, I got to my car. Anthony made sure I was in my car
safely. And then I didn't lock my doors immediately, which is not something that I should have to be worried about immediately getting into my car after work, looking at my immediate surroundings. But knowing there, I usually lock my car that day. I was on my phone. I was doing something maybe on a phone call and I didn't. Next thing you know, I look out my back rear door
and there are two men opening my door attempting to get into my car. Um, I immediately backed up, screamed, was able to get them out of my car. Um, but obviously I left there completely traumatized and I had worked there for maybe five years before that and I've seen a lot of things and I've been
scared to walk in and I've been scared who's going to walk in the door, but I've never had a personal experience like that. Um, so that should just speak to the importance of speaking on this and making it come to light. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else?
I actually have, excuse me, [clears throat] I actually have a couple of um audio visual aids. So, Eric Metrics, I'm a resident six buckman, business owner, 474 South Washington Avenue. I own the um seasonal
ice cream store Petruchi um for the last 15 years and my fam our family has been a long-term resident of Piscatoaway over 65 years. Okay. So, I'm here today to address an ongoing issue.
I'm not going to talk about Motel 6, but it's I echo a lot of the issues that they're having. Um, I'm talking about ongoing several individuals congregate outside our business. Um, causing safety
concerns, negative impact to our business and and and ultimately a negative impact to our customers and and my staff. On a daily basis, the group of individual occupy the bench, a seating area from approximately 7 in the morning till late
in the evening, 8, nine, 10 o'clock after I'm closed up and and getting ready to leave. These benches were built by me. The intent is to pro provide an area for the customers to sit down, enjoy their ice cream. Yet, they're routinely taken over by these
individuals. Throughout the day, our customers, often with young children, for ice cream are approached and panhandled for money. These people are constantly drinking on the bench. They're intoxicated. We've had calls to
the police to fall down drunk um and disorderly creating an unsafe, uncomfortable environment for again customers and our staff. They've been observe observed passed out on the benches. Some of the pictures you got right there. Um, we've been approached
by customers where they've fallen off the bench and busted their lip open. Another one tripped and fell off the curb, couldn't stand up. And um the police, they respond, remove they've
been pretty successful in removing them, but that lasts no longer than a day. Sometimes only a couple hours. After the police go, they come back. Um, we've been told you can trespass him, but whatever is happening, it's not it's not
working. So, knowing that I've called the police on these individuals, they're they're not very friendly towards me. You know, they rude gestures, they flip me the finger, they grab their crotch and shake it at me, and, you know,
almost baiting and taunting me, and I just won't engage. Um, it's not an isolated or occasional um issue. It's ongoing. I feel it's a quality of life, a safety, an economic.
I've got customers who won't come and won't return after all this. And um I I just find it difficult. In the last couple of years, we've seen a couple of ice cream stores pop up in
Denellan, South Planefield, Middle Sex, and I'm not I'm not worried about the competition. We provide a good product. Our servers are friendly and pleasant, but having people begging for money, harassing our customers, being fall down
drunk, urinating, you got the picture, urinating on the side of the building, and passed out on the bench are obstacles I shouldn't have to deal with. So, I'm here asking the township to help address this matter, to identify a practical, enforcable solution. I don't
know what the best path forward is, whether it's through increased patrols, better better use of ordinances or a coordinated outreach. I just want to make it a safe, comfortable area that's welcome welcome to my
customers and supports our business. >> Thank you so much. Hi, Vincent Barawa. I just want to let you know that um I've been a realtor for about 20 years. And when I first started being a real estate agent, um most of
the times when I asked the buyers where they want where they want to live, uh they would say Piscataway most of the time. And one one that I know that they did not want to go to was Planefield. And the more I got to know why, and they said it's because the crime rate. So
now, unfortunately, I'm starting to hear that the Skyway is one of the towns they don't want to live in. And these are uh very qualified buyers who can afford the um the tax increase. So, just saying, [laughter]
letting you know. And I just want to let you guys know because I know you guys can do something about it. And I do I do love selling homes in Piscatoaway. It's easy for me to talk about the scatterway and for me to hear that I'm pretty saddened by it. That's all.
>> Thank you. Happy New Year. Good evening, Mr. Mayor and Council. Um my name is Upen Sha Party City 7,000 headl and as I hear all the issues that have
been uh at the Gabriel's and but we also facing the same challenge in our stores uh including staples like uh people coming from 6 still in the merchandise or they come in unhygienic and they're walking around the stores also they're
standing outside the store pan headering. So I think this is issue. I mean it's a I mean it's our playing field but I know Piscardway but it's coming from Mortal Six. So I appreciate that if uh Mr. Mayors and uh council can
take some you know actions to it and help support you know our local business. I mean that'd be great and I hope that 2026 can be make changes to the you know all the issues. Thank you very much. Have a good evening. >> Thank you. Good evening everyone. My name is Jabla
and we own this liquor store down the street. It's 1380 Centennial Avenue Piscar. So I don't want to take too much time but I would say like to say like everything they said I want to say same thing but I want to add on just one thing extra even if we like mandate is
like they can they are doing right now a year lease to all these people now they're going to make it shorter like to one month but the problem is they're going to send the same people same everything to for even for one one month it's going to be the same thing we are
already seeing it like the new People who coming into the store the same exact behavior they want to steal they want to ask money to our customers ladies like who are coming in late at night I have lost so many customers already because they don't want to come in and they only
one thing they said like if this continues outside your store we not coming back and everybody's afraid to come I have lost a lot of business because of all this new son's going on already so I don't want to take too much time but this is the basic concern we already have and we are already
suffering because of this. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. Anyone else? One shot at the apple. Thank you. Thank you. I just have to give you handouts. I already took my three minutes. I'm not
going to say anything further, but I just want you to be aware that Piscataway is part part of a county. So everything you do is going to affect the rest of the county. Just keep that in mind. Who can I give the handouts to?
>> Police officer, please. The police officer. Can you please take the paperwork from her? Thank you. Anyone else? Good evening. My name is Kimberly Nuber. I resided at 48 Wagner Avenue in
Piscatoaway for 25 years. I want to echo what many people said this evening. Unfortunately, safety has become a real issue. I visit Gabriel's Bar and Grill often. One evening, I left there and I
was followed to my vehicle. A man began banging on my window, demanding for me to put down my window, screaming that he wanted money. I immediately notified Dana and Anthony what happened in the parking lot. Anthony immediately came out to see what was going on, making
sure I was safe. We watch the individual go back to the hotel. This is terrible for our community. I go I now have children. We dine there often. I don't want to be scared walking with my 5-year-olds back to the car. It's an absolute shame that all these
people here tonight are all suffering in the same way. So, I hope you guys really put this forward and help the community. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. My name is Christine Theophenitis and I reside at 309 River Road. And just as I was listening to everybody today, I
think our main priority is safety. >> Absolutely. >> And when you think about the quality of life that we are don't have anymore. It's deteriorating. It's really really sad because I sentiment everything that everybody has said and I know that our real estate values are going down. I work in Floren Park and every time I go
to work, someone says, "Oh my god, your in the news again. Whether it's the murder which was family oriented or the safety of the neighborhood or the quality of life or the traffic congestion on 287, it's really getting bad and it's almost embarrassing. And I've been here almost 30 years. So, I
really am hoping that you guys take safety as a priority. And when we talk about county, right, someone was mentioning about the impact of county. How could you not impact if it's for safety reasons only? We're not discriminating. I wish that we would rehab the people that are in these
hotels, give them a good start, put them on a rehab program, get them out so that they can re-engineer and get their life back in order. So, I'm not discriminating against helping people, but I think when you're doing it at the cost of your citizens, we're paying high taxes for quality and peaceful quality of life. Something has to be done about
it. So, I just wanted to raise that. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Hi, my name is Marsha Silverstein. I live at 27 Seward Avenue. We've been here for at least 48 years and I love this place and I don't discriminate against anyone. I think everyone should
have a fair shot at life. I think if somebody is homeless and they need a place. They need a place to live. I get that. However, there seems to be some dichotomy between the people who actually need this shelter and the people who are put there who probably
shouldn't have been there in the first place. These people need other help. They don't need that type of shelter. And that's the problem. It's not that we're you're against people who really need assistance. you're against the people who don't need
that kind of assistance and that's all that's what I feel. >> Thank you else. See anyone else? And I do believe that we all agree that we love Piscatoaway and love living here and we want to live
here in a safe environment and no one wants to fear having to go to work. So this ordinance is the first step in moving forward to try to control what's happening over there. But we hear you
this evening. We will be moving forward to get that ordinance through and we will work on this together. And I want to thank all of you for coming out this evening and sharing your views and telling your views because we're
listening. So I want to thank you all for coming out. Do any of the other council members have any other questions or comments? I think our second reading is February 10th. I am going to close the public portion. >> Madam, madame council president, I just
want remind the governing body and for the residents out there, this is just the first step. There will be other ordinances to address security purposes uh that's happening out there. Um I am a firm believer, I don't care where you
live in this town, what neighborhood, everybody has a right for reasonable expectation of security. If you don't have security within your community, you don't have a community. That's the be all and all. And that is the fiduciary
responsibility. And these folks up on this table here, including myself, is called security. And they need to take it seriously. And I'm glad they all voted in firm. >> Thank you for everyone for being here this evening. I'm now going to close
this meeting. Can I have an offer? >> Offer. Can I have a second? >> Second. >> All those in favor, please say I. >> I. I. >> Thank you all for coming out. >> Thank you everyone. >> Thank you everyone.