We now call to order the township of Piscatoaway Council meeting of July 22nd, 2025. Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided as as required under chapter 231 PL1975 specifying the time, date,
location, login or dial in 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 of the official newspapers of the
township by filing a copy in the office of the township clerk in accordance with the with the certification. by the clerk which will be entered in the minutes. There will be a public comment periods for both remote and in-person attendees separately. Each member of the public shall only shall
only have one opportunity 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 way we can recognize you as a separate individual. Should you have any further comments or questions, the township council is always available by email and phone, and you can always call the mayor's office during normal operating hours.
Receive the roll call, please. Council member Cahill. Council member Carmichael >> here. >> Council member Liowitz. >> Hello. >> Council member Lombardi >> here. >> Council member Rasheed >> here. >> Council member Erin
>> here. >> Council President Espinosa >> here. Please join me in saluting the flag. Thank you. Item number five. Are there uh are there any comments from the administration and council regarding the adjournment of any
matters on this agenda today? >> None. >> Okay. Thank you. Open to the public comments regarding for comments regarding item number nine consent agenda items for each public I'm sorry for the remote
attendees. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on the Zoom app or by phone by pressing star9. When it's 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 comment. The council or administration will respond if necessary after you have completed any comments or questions. Missed, do we have anybody in queue for remote attendees? Council President, there are no remote attendees with their
hand raised regarding this agenda item. >> Thank you, Miss Cedar. Closing to the remote attendees, opening to the inerson attendees. If you wish to speak at this time, please come to the podium, state your name and address, and know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. You may take a seat after completion of your comments or
questions, and the council or administration will respond if necessary. I see no one at the podium. Closing to the inperson attendees. Item number seven, ordinance first reading, amending various chapters of
the revised general ordinance of the township of Piscatoaway resolution adopting ordinance ordinance. Miss >> be resolved by the township council of Piscatoaway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Ordinance to amend and supplement the revised journal ordinances of the township of Piscatoaway County of Middle Sex State,
New Jersey. Amending chapter 32, storm water management and control, articles 2, three, and four, storm water management, private storm drain inlet retrofitting, and privately owned salt storage. B, and is hereby adopted on the first reading that it be published in
the official newspaper and that a second reading and public hearing be held at 7 am prevailing time at the Piscato Municipal Building, 455 Hose Lane, Piscatoway, New Jersey, on the 12th day of August, 2025. We have 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, Miss Cedar. May I have a motion, please?
Have a second. >> Second. >> Thank you. Call. >> Council member Carmichael. >> Yes. >> Council member Liuititz. >> Yes. >> Council member Lombardi. >> Yes. Council member Rasheed.
>> Yes. >> Council member Erin. >> Yes. >> Council President Espinosa. >> Yes. >> Item number eight, ordinance first reading. Amended chapter 7 traffic sections 14 and 15 resolution adopting ordinance Cedar.
>> Be it resolved by the township council of Piscataway 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 and section 15 parking prohibited during certain hours on certain streets. Ban is hereby adopted on the first reading. that it be published in the official newspaper and that a second reading and public hearing be held at 700 p.m. prevailing time at the Piscatoway Municipal Building 455
Hos in Piscato, New Jersey on the 12th day of August, 2025. 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. >> Thank you, Miss Cedar. May I have a motion, please? Motion. Councilwoman Lombardi. >> Second. Liboitz. >> Thank you. Roll call.
>> Council member Carmichael. >> Yes. >> Council member Liowitz. >> Yes. >> Council member Lombardi. >> Yes. >> Council member Rasheed. >> Yes. >> Council member Arin. >> Yes. >> Council President Espinosa.
>> Yes. >> Thank you. Item number nine, consent agenda resolution. 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, please? >> Motion to accept the consent agenda. Councilwoman Lombardi. Second, Carmichael. >> Thank you. Roll call, please. >> Council member Carmichael. >> Yes. Council member Liowitz,
>> yes. >> Council member Lombardi, >> yes. Council member Rasheed, >> yes. >> Council member Erin, >> yes. >> Council President Espinosa, >> yes. Thank you. >> Item number 10, announcements and
comments from officials. Councilwoman Sharon Carmichael. Good evening. Thank you, President. Um, just a reminder that on Thursday, July 31st, we will have another concert at the Columbus Park. Um, inviting all to
come out and enjoy. It's the, uh, colorblind band. Thank you. Yes, we do have a a concert on the 31st, which is the color blind band in Columbus Park. This week is going to be Viva Selena, but that's going to be in
Riverside Park. So, but yeah, both locations are great for the these concerts. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you, Councilwoman Carmichael. Councilwoman Laura Leewoods. >> Good evening everybody. I just want to
um just take a moment to recognize and thank all of our public works people and all of our volunteers who've really been doing their very best to take care of our township during the impact of all of this crazy weather. as well as those in
our community who have just gone out of their way to help their neighbors both in town uh next door in Planefield. I really think it speaks to who we are and what we represent in the town of Piscatoaway.
>> Thank you very much, Councilwoman Laura Liowitz. Councilwoman Michelle Lombardi. >> Yes. On behalf of all of the council members, I would like to publicly thank all of our emergency services personnel for their outstanding efforts during our storm last Monday evening. Uh multiple
multiple water rescues of people that continue to drive into the water and put our emergency services people at risk while um rescuing them. So, thank you to them. Thank you to the Conrail workers
who um did CPR on the one person that was in the water and I believe he's alive today due to them finding him. So, thank you to the Conrail people and the concerts um are moving forward. We do have Selena tomorrow evening. Um but I
believe we're going to move forward with them at Riverside Park ongoing, not at Columbus Park. So, it's Thursday evening at Riverside Park, not Columbus Park. Thank you, Councilwoman uh Michelle
Lombardi. Councilwoman Sarah Rashid. >> Um no point repeating the same thing. >> Yeah. >> But everybody stay safe. The weather's not done yet. So let's enjoy what we have right now. >> Thank you, Counciloman S. She council
Frank. >> Yes. I just want to echo Michelle's words. So, want to thank Jim and Department of Public Works for the fabulous cleanup they did in Ward One. They did an excellent job. Job. >> Thank you, Frank. Um, thank you,
Councilman Frank. Mayor, >> Council One Wets Avenue. I spoke to Council earlier this afternoon. PSCG's finished running the the uh high gas man out
there. They're expected to be out there for another month doing the gas services for all the homes. And once that's finished, then uh engineering department will be able to finish up the uh construction of the roadway. Uh on Cedarwood Frank, u they're expected to be out there tomorrow or the next couple
days to do the gas services. Once that's finished, uh the contractor will be able to come in and finish the road. So, uh it's only been three years. So, um, but with that being said, uh, we do have a lot of robust, uh, other streets
underway, which, uh, Miss Kazerelli is going to mention out there. And, uh, as far as the storm damage from July 3rd, that's all picked up with the exception of some of these, uh, curbside appointments that have to happen. And the flood damage, same thing. Curbside
appointments are out there for the flood damage. Uh, public works is getting a lot of the houses already been taken care of. There's still some odds and ends out there, but as uh Councilwoman Lombardi said, um it just amazes me over the last couple years that people were
putting the BMS boards out there, the barricades, the cone, the caution tape, and cars are still going around maliciously. Uh >> someone's being rescued and then someone continues to go around.
>> It's just unbelievable. Terrible. Um so >> maybe we have to do a public announcement on our show on >> We'll try our try our best on that, but uh we still have a lot of storm damage to take care of. Uh um we do have some emergency contracts that we're going to have to that we're going to be
authorizing to take care of that damage with all the uplifted sidewalks and the street trees, the park damage in several of the parks where trees came down. Uh we we are have been uh creating buffer zones in our parks where it butts up to
houses so if trees fall that they will not hit the houses but you know when you have 27 municipal parks in town that's a lot of uh buffer zones that you have to create. So, uh, with that being said, we're going to continue to keep doing that. And, um, uh, as far as Columbus
Park, where we have the concerts always, um, we have, we still haven't been able to get out there yet, and we're hoping this week that we're going to get out there, start powerashing everything off. There's been some damage to the, uh, furniture out there, the very Victor Stanley furniture that we're going to
have to reorder out there. So, we're assuming that next week we'll be at Columbus Park. Um, but that judgment call will be made early next week. May have to do with back in Riverside. So, we're hoping to be back in Columbus.
>> Thank you, Mayor Administrator Paula Caserelli. >> Thank you. Thank you, Council President. I just wanted to also say um you know when residents are home and we're watching the storm uh to see municipal
personnel in action and our first responders is really remarkable. I am notified and you know I I am at home and I hear everything going on and it's just amazing. Just a quick statistic. I believe uh the dispatchers took over 124
calls in an hour and a half during that storm. And um they were definitely commended by the uh command staff for what they did in keeping calm and dispatching emergency services were needed. So it's just it's just amazing
what this municipality has done during that and everyone is engaged and ready and willing to come and perform their essential functions. So there is a truth to being an essential employee that means you have to come at any time day night whatever the emergency is. So
thank you again for all those efforts made. Uh so in keeping with uh our road so the township has a 2025 uh road improvement program including curb sidewalks and whatnot and the township has completed Desna Street. It's
important to note that Desna Street was funded through community development block grant funding. So the township makes every effort to use that funding to improve our roads, our storm drainage. Um any kind of uh handicap accessibility is covered under that. So
that's good. We have Pelmont Place, South View Court. Yep. Those are due to be paved. Uh DPW does the paving. So a shout out again because that's not very common. You don't find DPW crews. We have like literally our own construction staff on
site. They don't typically pave. So that's great savings for the township. Orchard Street in progress. um Hawthorne Road, Smoketree Close, and Thornton Lane all due for uh construction. And there's just utility
uh poles need to be relo relocated on Glenwood Drive and Miller Street, and then paving will commence. Um I just wanted to on a municipal operations side, we're going to be going out for RFP for insurance. Just a quick note, the state of New Jersey is increasing
its premiums by 37% uh because this township has been diligent uh for many many years and is fully insured. We are far under uh that. I think last year's increase was something like seven and a half%. So um
hopefully uh our RFP comes in pretty well this year. So that's uh what I have to say for tonight and thank you council president. >> Thank you. Business minister Paula Caserelli, Township Attorney Rajie Mumar. >> Yeah, I just uh wanted to notify the
council about update. Um, apparently uh an unidentified individual um uh falsely used or or faked um the chief of staff's email address in regard to a GoFundMe um
fundraiser. Um the chief of staff was actually on vacation and had limited access to internet. So it was, you know, she was able to contact the individual. I think it's been sorted out, but the police department will be doing an investigation to determine who attempted to falsify the identity of the chief of
staff. Um, looks like the the network and internet um was secure. So, it wasn't done from internally or hacked into the system. It was falsified from outside. Um, so, but we're working on that to to make sure that, you know,
people don't attempt to falsify our our township employees email addresses in the future. >> Thank you. Um, and of course I would like to echo thanking all the DPW crews and the emergency responders uh during the storm. But you know, I would also like
to thank uh Miss Paula Caserelli for being at the at the community center welcoming everyone who was actually going to the Y and seeking some refuge and and cool as a cooling center. So, thank you for being there. It's always, you know, nice to have a smiling face
there, you know, welcoming them. So, thank you so much for that. Um, and also just a reminder that again this Thursday, July 24th is the Viva Selena in Riverside in Riverside Park at 7 PM. Um, I know I'll be there. So with the family and I think some individuals here
as well. So Sure. And um and put him some comfortable dancing shoes. >> We also have National Night Out coming up uh before our next council meeting. Not this week, next
What date is that? That is >> August 5th. >> Got it. That's uh from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Stockton Street. >> Great. Thank you. Agenda session for August 12th, 2025.
Ordinance second reading amending various chapters of the of the revised general ordinances of the township of Scatteraway open to the public. Resolution adopting ordinance. Um any does the council have any questions on this particular item for next week for
next meeting. Okay, great. Next one. Ordinance second reading amending chapter 7 traffic sections 14 and 15 open to public resolution adopting ordinance. Do does the council have any questions regarding this item? Thank you.
We're opening to the public for remote attendees. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on the Zoom app or by phone by pressing star9. When it's 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 after you have completed any comments or questions. Miss Cita, do we have anybody in queue?
>> Council President, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. >> Thank you. Closing to the remote attendees. Opening to the inperson attendees. If you wish to speak at this time, please come to the podium, state your name and address, and know that you have three
minutes in which to make your comments. You may take a seat at the completion of your comments or questions, and the council or administration would then respond if necessary. >> I g I gave an extra minute for that one. Good evening. >> Good evening. Curtis Grove, 1750 West
Third Street. Um, sorry I missed the last meeting, but um, I wanted to thank you guys for addressing the issues I put before you in reference to my neighbors. Um, sanitary. I think it is the next day you guys were there taking care of it. And my
neighbors, some of them wants to come, some don't come, but they always give the message to me. So, I'm giving it to you guys. Thank you. Appreciate what you did when you did it as fast as you did. They love you guys. >> Well, Curtis, I'm going to give you the
credit because you're the deputy mayor out in the street. >> I need I need one of them church like you got there. Okay. Um, just want to echo what Frank and you guys were saying reference to the storm in city. Um,
my buddy, my pal, Mr. Jim down in public works above and beyond over anything. I can call him or I can call Frank if I see a problem. I think there's a problem between the two of them guys. They take care of this thing
without a doubt with this popup party that we had for the fourth that Franken everybody knew about. Um the police department was there before it even started and well taken care of. heard he had problems somewhere else. But um um
this was well taken care of. The police presence was there. They didn't get rowdy, a little noisy, you know. We said we get them till 11:00. It wasn't that bad, but um appreciate them guys. And like I tell Frank and I'll tell the mayor and
you whatever they need my police officer I call whatever they need to help them help me and my neighbors please tell us so we can help them help us please. Thank you very much. Oh mayor I got bit
down the park. Who do I turn my bill into? I got a mosquito bit when I was at the park. >> Thank you. I think Curtis, it's nice to have something nice said for a change.
>> Yes. Thank you. >> I see no one else. Closing to the in-person attendees. Motion to adjurnn. >> Motion. Councilwoman Lombardi. >> I have a second. >> Second. Sir, she >> All in favor?
>> I >> I thank you. Meeting adjourned. Thank you so much. >> Good night everybody. Have a great night. >> Good night.