The notice requirement provided for the open public meetings law has been satisfied. Notice properly given. Said notice has been transmitted to the Courier News on Tuesday, January 8th, 2026 as well as posted on the city's website. Roll call.
>> Council members Brooks Jones, >> present. >> Graham, >> present. >> McCrae, >> present. >> Wyatt, >> present. Cessums >> present. >> Vice President Hakaday >> present. >> Council President Cherry >> present. >> All members present in a quorum. >> All right. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance and remain standing for the
invocation. Tonight's pledge of allegiance is going to be led by Raina Wyatt for Women's History Month. >> Do I stand this way? Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. Ready? Salute. I pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United
States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. You may be seated. >> Please remain standing. Please remain
standing. Humbly we ask God, the giver of peace and lover of charity, to give the entire family of nations true agreement with his will, to grant the light of his spirit on all those who work for justice and peace. Amen. >> Amen. >> Thank you, Raina.
>> All right. May I have a motion to approve the minutes from the council meeting on February 9th? >> So moved. Second. >> All right. It's been properly moved and seconded. All right. I'm going to the discussion items. I want to first have a moment of silence for Connor Olio. Now, I know that a couple of my council
colleagues and I, we were out looking for Connor and and we kept Connor and his mother and his father and sister and grandmother and and family and friends in their in their prayers. Uh while it wasn't the outcome that we wanted, um we want to have a quick moment of silence
and keep their family in prayer. Thank you. Let's continue to keep that family in our prayers as they continue to struggle with us. So, in honor of Women's History Month, um we did have Miss Reena Wyatt, which is the son of our Councilman, Richard Wyatt. We're
going to now have daughter, excuse me, daughter, daughter of Richard White, Councilman Rich White, daughter. Um, now we're going to have Taylor Leverett. She's going to read a Women's History Month essay, which is
the daughter of Councilwoman Dr. Darcela Cessums. >> Good evening. Mayor map, council president Cherry, esteemed council members in Plainoot residents. My name is Taylor Nicole Le. I am a high school honor student
graduating this June who is eligible to vote in my first election this November. I was honored when Council President Cherry asked me to share about the origin of Women's History Month. Due to time limitations, I will provide a brief overview over overview, but you can
learn more about it at Planeoot Library. In 1978, Women's History Month began as a local celebration in California, but it was only Women's History Week. The organizers selected the week of March 8th to correspond with International
Women's Day. In 1978, several women's groups and historians successfully lobbyed for national recognization. In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation
declaring the week of March 8th as National Women's History Week. From 1980 to 1986, US presidents continued to proclaim a National Women's History Week in March. However, the greatest of what women bring to this world could not be
contained in mere week-long celebration. We needed an attire month. So, in 1987, Congress passed public law 100-9 designating March as Women's History Month. Since being signed into law, each
president has issued an annual proclamation designating the month of March as Women's History Month. I am privileged because I have been raised by great women. But I am also fortunate to live in a city where strong and intelligent women are not the
exception but the norm. Planefield has past, present, future of women who have helped our city thrive. Planefield women are trailblazers in everything they do. They serve our city, government, business, education, law enforcement,
nonprofits, and the toughest job of all, being moms. The city of Planefield should always support, protect, uplift, and respect women in everything they do. And as women, we should be real sisters to one another by having each other's back.
This month, as we recognize and honor how incredible all women are, I hope we will show our appreciation by honoring the spirit, legacy, and love that each woman brings and continue to inspire future generations to work towards making Planefield a loving community for
everyone. Happy Women's History Month and to everyone. And thank you, Council President Cherry, for giving me this opportunity to represent the young women of our city. Thank you, Taylor. Let's give it up for both these young
ladies again. All right. U moving on to the next discussion item, Seback. I want to thank my council colleagues for submitting your nominees for the 2026 SEBACK. Um I've asked the city clerk to submit the correspondence to the director of
finance. So they begin so the committee members could begin familiarizing themselves with the budget. Um hopefully we could begin that process within the next 30 days. Correct? >> All right. Thank you. The next discussion item, which is not
on the agenda, is I want to just um clarify a memo that came out on February 13th. And that memo um talked about remote public comment. And what it did is cited um that if someone wanted to make remote public
comment um they needed to now make comment in person. And I want to clarify that the only person that's authorized to make that decision is the council president. um when my council colleagues unanimously um voted me in, I had the
ethical integrity to protect that protect their ethical integrity of of the council. I think about the senior that's disabled at Richmond Towers, the resident that's at 1272 on Park Avenue. I think about
the mother that is currently feeding her child or doing homework that would like to call in. So, with that being said, within the next 30 days, I will do everything I can to reinstate um remote public comment. Um while I know that the city will not
be able to provide that assistance um to the council, um we're going to be looking for an intern to provide that level of assistance. Please know that at the next council meeting, remote public comment will be reinstated. All right,
moving on to the agenda. We have ordinances on MC 2022604 through MC 202605 which are scheduled for public hearing and final passage for regular meeting as advertised. We're going to move on to resol resolutions
legislative body R125 through 20, excuse me, resolutions R12526 through resolutions 131-26. Are there any questions? Do we have consens consensus to add these to the agenda?
>> Yes. >> Any items that we want to move um do we have consensus to take to excuse me. Are there are there any items that we wish to take off the consent agenda? No. All right. Mayor, administration, would you please present your items?
>> Yes. Um, so we have three items this evening for your consideration. They're all recognition items. Um, but the one that I did want to highlight is that on March 14th at 5:00 at city hall is we're going to be having the flag raising for autism acceptance and awareness month.
So, I wanted to make sure everyone was aware of that. Again, March 14th, 5:00 pm at city hall. Um, that's it. Thank you. All right. Any questions? >> Do we have consensus at this via voting meeting? >> Yes. >> Yes.
>> All right. Are there any items that we want to take off? All right. Seeing none, we're going to go to Corporation Council. Could you please present your items? >> Thank you, Council President. Uh, this evening are two items for consideration by council. Uh the first one is a uh
amendment to the resolution for qualified vendors. Uh the office of corporation council went out uh to seek a wider pool for legal services uh for the upcoming year. Um and this is a reflection of the responses that we got back. All of the additional uh law firms
are highlighted in your council packet. Uh the second item is a resolution for award of a professional services contract for bond counsel to Everett Johnson from the firm of uh Wentz Goldman and Spitzer. Uh Mr. Johnson has been our bond council uh well over a
decade and has provided excellent service and I ask that he be reappointed for this year. >> All right, any questions? Any questions? All right, do we have consensus to add this to the um voting meeting? >> Yes. All right, moving on.
The Department of Finance, could you please present your items? >> Good evening all. Um, I have four resolutions for your appro approval. Resolution authorizing the adoption of the current fund temporary emergency appropriations budget. This is updated
um every month for expenditures and for any grants that might be added. Resolution R1 138-26 is resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement between Mercury Public Affairs and this is for assistance with our grant writing
resolution R139-26 resolution authorizing the approval to cancel taxes in the amount of $6,114 and this is for one veteran who's 100% disabled and resolution R140-26
resolution authorizing the tax refund on properties per the tax schedule and those are for duplicate payments made by Core Logic. Are there any questions? Any questions? All right. Do we have
consensus to add these to the voting meeting? >> Yes. >> All right. Will the police department can you please um police director could you please present your items? >> Good evening, madame uh council president. I have one item for your uh for your
consideration tonight. That's R141-26. It's a resolution authorizing approval to apply accept the New Jersey Division of Highway and Safety's distracted driving distracted driving statewide crackdown grant. This grant is known as
Put the Phone Away or Pay and it's uh based around the month of April being the national distracted driving awareness month. All right. Any questions? All right. Do we have consensus to add these items to the voting meeting? >> Yes.
>> All right. Thank you. Department of Public Works. Um, could you please present your items? >> Okay. Uh, Director Dabney can't be with us, so I'll speak for him. He has three items this evening for your consideration. The first one is looking for approval to submit and accept a
grant. As you know, we have to do some remediation remediation work over at the Madison Avenue skate park in order to make that into the exercise park that we're trying to do. So, we're looking to apply for this grant um for $560,000,
which is about 75% of the cost of the mediation work. Uh so, if we get that, then we would be able to start. The second one is a resolution for a change order. This is the reason that we're having this change order is we added two other streets to this speed hump
project. We added Berkeley Terrace and Reeve Terrace. So, uh that cost another about 27,000 and then plus returning the performance bond gets us up to about 35,000. And then the third one is uh awarding a
contract to Portoino builders. This is for the third place roadway improvements. It's milling, paving, curbing, etc. and it's entirely CDBG grant funded. >> All right. Do we have any questions? Uh, Madam President,
>> yes, >> I have a question. Um, and I don't expect um an answer, but just something to consider. So, I've been following um as as probably most residents what's happening in Trenton with the $3 billion
almost deficit in the state budget, which for those of you who work in those of us who work in Trenton, we know that there are going to be some serious cuts. Um, have we thought about what would our contingency be if a lot of these grants got pulled back? Are we beginning to
think about, you know, some alternatives? and if we had to prioritize, you know, sometimes the state will say, you know, prioritize which ones you want us to cut and which ones you don't. So, are we at least beginning to think about that? Because that $3 billion deficit that
affects the entire state. Um, my concern is DCA is going to be one of the biggest agencies to take a hit and we know DCA has been a great supporter of the city of Planefield. The mayor and his administration has done a great job with fostering that relationship, but $3 billion deficit is still $3 billion
deficit. >> Yeah, it's a great question. It is something that we think about every year because when we budget, when we do our regular budget, we have to put in our down payment for capital. So, we always know ahead of time how much we can spend
in capital. And when we do the capital budget, we really think about, okay, what if this grant is cut? What if this grant is cut? And so we prioritize into the capital budget what the priority projects are. So capital is really the only other avenue we have besides the
grants and that's kind of the time where we list them out as priorities. >> Thank you for that. >> No problem. >> Any other questions? >> Yes, council president. >> Yes, >> there's two. Uh the first one, the outdoor fitness park. Uh do we have a
timetable estimate of when that will be completed? >> So hopefully Well, we have reason to believe we probably will get this grant, but then they could start the work this spring and then D has to come back out, re re-evaluate, make sure it's up to their standards. We already do have all the
funding though, so we would be ready to go once D gave us the okay about if the work we did was satisfactory. I don't know what their timeline is, but our ours is soon. >> Okay, one more question. R144-26.
Um, of course we had a brutal winter. It may not feel like it today because it's very nice outside. Uh, but the salt and the plows tore our streets up. So, do we have a plan in place to go and correct the big large potholes throughout the city? >> They were actually out today doing potholes. So, now that it's warmer,
you're going to see a a lot of the pothole repair. I mean, they always do it in the spring, but they they don't usually start this early, but since it was 75 degrees, they did go out today and start. >> Thank you. Any other questions?
The only thing I'm going to add is um maybe this is for public works. Can someone secure the skate park? Oftentimes when I'm driving by, I see youth that are in the park and I know that we have contaminants in there. I often see youth in that park. >> Okay. I'll I'll speak to him because
there's a certain way we're supposed to have it closed off with certain signage because the way D is. So, I'll make sure that we're >> doing it in compliance. >> Okay. Thank you. All right. Any other questions? All right. Thank
you. Um, Department of Economic Development, present there. >> That's also going to be me. >> Yep. >> Okay. So, the Department of Economic Development has four items on for you this evening for your consideration. The first is a resolution authorizing the
release of a performance bond for the project that's known as Pickle Rage because they have met some of their construction goals. The second one is authorizing the planning board to conduct an area in need of redevelopment investigation for a city-owned property.
The third is another planning board uh directing the planning board to review the Planefield A redevelopment plan and provide recommendations. We're looking for recommendations to increase revitalization of that area. There is a commercial
um there are commercial vacancies that have sat for a long time there. So, we're looking for revitalization ideas. And then the fourth one is the redevelopment agreement for 611 West Front, which is the project we reviewed in September when we signed the MOA um
with the developer who fronted us the community benefit. So, this um I mean I assume you all you guys know the details about this because we've been over it before, but just to remind you, it's 501 units. It's an 18,000 square foot grocery store, 35
13,500 square ft of office space. Um and it has been adopted before, but we're bringing it back. All right, I'll entertain any questions.
All right. See, go ahead. >> Um, >> yes. Um, R 148-26. >> That's for the 611 um that we were talking about. I I knew I I had u mentioned this before and I
believe it was September when we had our u meeting and I it was stated that the soil at 611 had underwent testing. However, were the results made publicly available or is there a designated channel for disseminating the findings
of the soil testing and how can we access that information? >> Okay. So, you're looking for the soil analysis >> because u I know Marino's been there as long as I've been here 50 something. I've been here 57 years. So, um
>> I'll find out from the director if she can release those results to council. >> Okay. All right. And the property the 930 Putnham Avenue. >> I know you don't go by unless you have facts. You have to have facts, but I don't know why the word is going around
that the place the uh for the veterans is supposed to not exist anymore. And I'm hoping that's not the case. And you were saying that it's uh city owned. Um but there's a concern, you know, about the veterans. Hopefully they won't be
displaced or they not there anymore. Can you just bring us up to speed and let the uh constituents know? >> Yes. So, that's the Dudley House location and the Dudley House was closed by the county um effective midFebruary. Everybody who was there has been
replaced into other locations. The county worked closely with them from I think early December through the the date of closure. And they weren't going to close until everyone was replaced. But even though it's city-owned, it wasn't city funded for operations. So,
we own the property, but we didn't pay to keep the Dudley House going. It's not one of our budget items. It's a county budget item, and also the operator was paying. So, when the county had to remove their funds, the operator couldn't absorb all of the, you know,
what the county was taking away, and so they had to make the decision to close. >> Okay. We are looking at that area though for potential other veteran housing. >> Okay. All right. For that particular property. >> For that particular property. >> All right. So there is the plans. Okay. I I just want to know because I would
like for especially for our veterans if there's some that live near um especially our veterans that have paved the way for us. Yeah. >> I would like for them to come back and future veterans that might need housing, you know, because um homeless is on the
rise with everybody. And then if you're homeless, then now you have people that have this mind thing going on where we have this mental illness and can it can become something else. So that's a definitely a concern for me.
>> BA Leon, could you elaborate on that? The Dudley Dudley House being um that you're looking at that for veterans. Is that look are you looking at that for being like what? City funded or state funded? No, it wouldn't it wouldn't be done through the city or through the state, but we're sending it to the uh
planning board to look at to decide if it is an area in need of and then potentially a a private developer who's interested in doing veterans housing there. >> Okay, thank you. Any other questions? >> All right, seeing none, do we have
consensus to add these items to the voting meeting? >> Yes. >> All right. Thank you. All right. Okay. Will the director of health and human services please present your items? >> Thank you, council president. The resolution before you authorizes the city of Planefield to enter into a shared service agreement with the
township of Gington for the provision of licensed health officer services for a one-year period. Under New Jersey law, municipalities are required to have a licensed health officer overseeing public health services. And the state shared service statute allows municipalities to enter into these types
of agreements. Uh because the number of licensed health officers is so limited statewide, these shared service uh arrangements are common throughout New Jersey's public health system. Um the health officer will provide statutory oversight of public health services which while the operational uh portion
of the work will be handled by the department director in Irvington. Um I will be happy to answer any questions that the council may have. >> All right. >> Any questions? >> Yes, council president. Yes. Um, director, with us entering into this
shared agreement, how much how much work uh time would this particular health officer um spend on Planefield related matters if if you can share at all? >> Okay. So, the health officer, our health
officer will be full-time for the city of Planefield will continue to be full-time. Um the services that he will do are all the statutory uh requirements such as regulatory oversight, issuing public health orders if they are needed,
um oversight of communable diseases and reporting um and supervision of the environmental health programs. So basically also he is a signator for any forms that have to be submitted or any records that have to be submitted to the state. um the
day-to-day operations, the monitoring of staff, all that stuff is handled by a their department director, their director of health and and senior services. >> So, he's regulatory, not operational. >> Yes, absolutely. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Any other questions?
All right, seeing none, do we have consensus to add these items to the voting meeting? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> All right. Thank you. So, we we now move on to ordinances on first reading. Um, will the business administrator please present the items the ordinances listed on first reading MC 2026-04
and MC2026-05? >> Yes. Thank you, Council President. We have two ordinances for your consideration this evening on first reading. The first is the financial agreement that goes with the redevelopment agreement that we just discussed for 611 front east front. And
what I do want to highlight about this financial agreement, I know we've seen it a bunch of times, but I do want to highlight that over the life of the agreement, the 30 years, the city will see 57.7 million in tax revenue. Whereas, if we did nothing with this
property and kept it the way it is, in 30 years, over 30 years, we'd see about $2 million. So, it's about a $55 million gain for the city. Um and the second ordinance is a adoption of the 14th amendment to the 197 scattered sites
redevelopment plan. This is putting in the bulk standards section where it says the feet and the stories. This is making the 35 ft three stories which is what 35 ft is. It had said 2.5. There isn't really a half a story. So it's three
stories uh for 35 ft. All right. Any questions, >> Madam President? >> Sure. Okay. Councilman Wyatt. >> Yes. MC 2026-04. Can you reiterate for the record the community benefit agreement? >> Yes. Great thing to bring up. So, the
community benefit is $3.75 million for this project. 1.5 was fronted to us in September to help save the neighborhood health center and the other 2.25 25 million is going to go for the shuttle that we plan to have going throughout downtown.
>> Thank you. >> Any other questions? All right. Seeing none, do I have consensus add these items to the voting meeting? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> All right. Great. All right. Can I have a motion for a fivem minute recess? >> Seconded.
>> All right. Thank you. Motion. All right, we now move on to ordinances on second reading and final passage. Madame Deputy, can you please read MC 202603 by title and further certify that the ordinance has complied with all
statutory publications and requirements? MC 202603 is an ordinance of the city of Planefield, County of Union, New Jersey, adopting an amended homeownership, small lots redevelopment plan dated February 5th, 2026. It is hereby certified that
notice of a public hearing on this ordinance was published in the Courier News on February 12th, 2026. All right. So, the floor is now open to any member of the public who would like to speak on this ordinance. Um, may I have a Yeah. Anybody? Yes. The floor is
now open. All right. May I have a motion to close public comment? >> Seconded. >> All right. May I have a motion to adopt this ordinance on second reading and final passes? And if this um is adopted, the ordinance shall be published and required by law.
>> So move seconded. >> Clerk, can I please have a roll call? >> Roll call. MC 202603. Council members Brick Jones, >> yes. >> Graham, >> yes. McCrae, >> yes. >> Wyatt, >> yes. >> Cessums, >> yes. >> Vice President Hakaday, >> yes. >> Council President Cherry,
>> yes. >> That is unanimous. This ordinance has been adopted on second reading and final passage. >> All right. We now move on to public comment limited to resolutions and motions. A total of 30 minutes has been allocated for all public comments. Each speaker will be given three minutes.
Please state your name and municipality and identify the resolution that you are going to speak about. The floor is now open. Uh Nancy Pimar uh Planefield uh ordinance or resolutions 148-26
Marinos. I appreciate council woman uh Briggs Jones for asking about um the contamination there um since I go down that street every day. Um, it hasn't been cleaned up, but the sign saying
that it's contaminated, it's not there. So, I would ask the city to uh check with D and see why the sign was taken down. Um, because it is a concern. Uh, we do have a high rate of uh asthma in this city and you know there's fryable
dirt there and everything and as far as I know it hasn't been cleaned up and I don't know why the sign is the contaminated sign is missing. Uh Stevens Oil Company at the other corner maintains a sign on their property at all times and I appreciate the fact that
they do that. Um 146-26 Dudley House. Does anybody know why the county pulled out on our veterans? Um we're currently in a new war and we're going to have veterans returning home damaged and hurt and probably going to need housing. So it, you know, it's a
surprise to me that the county pulled out and uh why did they pull out? Thank you. >> Thank you. We'll have your answer your questions answered at the end. Okay. Any other questions?
All right. We have a motion to close public comments. >> So move seconded. >> All right. Mr. Clerk, could you please announce the consent agenda? >> Yes, Madam President. Consent agenda items have been identified in resolutions 12526 through resolutions 14926.
May I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? So move. >> All right. Clerk, can I please have a roll call? >> Roll call on the consent agenda items. Council members Briggs Jones, >> yes. >> Graham, >> yes. >> McCrae, >> yes. >> Wyatt, >> yes. >> Cessums, >> yes. >> Vice President Hockaday,
>> yes. >> Council President Cherry, >> yes. >> Consent agenda items been approved. >> All right. >> We now come to ordinances on first reading. Madame Deputy, could you please read MC 2026-04 by title? MC 202604
is an ordinance of the city of Planefield, County of Union, New Jersey, granting a tax exemption pursuant to the long-term tax exemption law and the redevelopment area bond financing law with respect to certain property identified on the city's tax map as
block 233, lots 2, 611-9 West Front Street, 35-609 West Front Street, 71 118-20 Planefield Avenue and 12115-33
Waynewood Park, Planefield, New Jersey, and authorizing the execution of a financial agreement with BH611 Westfront Urban Renewal LLC and authorizing certain other actions in connection therewith. >> All right, I'll now entertain a motion
to adopt this ordinance on first reading. >> So move second. >> All right, clerk, can I please have a roll call? Roll call MC 202604. Council members Briggs Jones, >> no. >> Graham, >> yes. >> McCrae, >> yes. >> Wyatt, >> yes.
>> Cessins, >> yes. >> Vice President Hakaday, >> yes. >> Council President Cherry, >> yes. >> Six in favor, one opposed. Ordinance has been adopted on first reading. >> All right, we now come to ordinances on first reading. Madame Deputy, will you please read MC2026-05
by title? MC2026-05 is an ordinance of the city of Planefield, County of Union, New Jersey, adopting the 14th amendment to the 197 scattered sites redevelopment plan dated February 19th, 2026. >> All right. I'll now entertain a motion
to adopt this ordinance on first reading. >> So move second. >> All right, clerk. Can I please have a roll call? >> Roll call MC 20265. Council members Brig Jones, >> yes. >> Graham, >> yes. >> McCrae, >> yes. Wyatt, >> yes. >> Cessums, >> yes. >> Vice President Hakaday,
>> yes. >> Council President Cherry, >> yes. >> That is unanimous. This ordinance has been adopted on first reading. That concludes ordinances on first reading this evening. >> Excellent. A total of 30 minutes has been allocated for all public comments. Each speaker will be given three minutes. Please state your name and
municipality. The floor is now open. The floor is now open. >> Hi. >> Hi. How are we everybody? My name is Tanisha and Steven Brown. I live My name is Tanisha and Steven Brown. I live 537 Belvadier Avenue and I'm coming today to
get some type of rectification and clarity on signage that was posted across the street at 536 Belvadier Avenue. Um, a sign was put up with no parking from here to the corner. Then it was a no parking sign at the request of my
neighbor. And then it has a permit only all in the span of one block. My husband is now receiving tickets um from the um Planefield Police Department and he's a state um of New Jersey employee with his
truck. So now we're just trying to find out can someone I've reached out to economic development and what I was told is that the ordinance been in place for years but as I look through all these ordinances they contradict each other. So I'm just seeing if someone can assist me before we go to court to find out
what signage should be in this area um so we don't continue getting tickets. And I don't know if I should leave the pictures. I left them with economic development but I've got no response. >> Yes. What's your first name? >> Tanisha Brown. Tanisha, can you leave the pictures with the clerk
>> with Winston? Y >> and before you leave tonight, we'll have a try to have an answer. Do you Okay, we'll do our best to try to get an answer. >> Name and city. >> Hi, my name is Meg. from Planefield.
Um just have a couple points to bring up pretty quickly. Um one is regarding the resolution that was passed I believe in February. As I commented before, I do believe that kind of sets a dangerous precedent to start restricting uh things
in public comment. I feel like it's the job of the council to listen to the people regardless of how they choose to express their comments outside of direct threats or personal attacks. I also think limiting public comment to residents al excludes those who work here. Um, in terms of virtual comment, I
want to thank you uh, Council President Cherry for addressing this earlier and I appreciate your attention to this matter. Um, third, there's a community meeting that was uh that is set on March 23rd
um about immigrant rights and federal enforcement. Originally this date was changed from the 4th to the 23rd. The flyer on the website had incorrect information after calling. Uh they have amended that. I guess my question is has
outreach been done to the community outside of a notification on the app for schools and what has been done to inform local businesses? Additionally, uh how will you ensure the safety of those who want to attend but are at risk? Uh there
was an email that was sent out through Indivis Planefield area who reached out to the mayor. I'm not sure if that was shared with you, but if you could confirm receipt that would be excellent. Thank you. >> Thank you, Meg. >> Name of the city.
>> Sharon Vincent resident. Um, Madame President, members of the council, I want to again thank the city council and the mayor for scheduling a meeting on uh March 23rd uh to help inform and uh keep people
informed about uh their rights and what's going on with ICE and um the brutality and discrimination that's taking place. But I also again following up on the last speaker would request that um some additional outreach is done
to the churches, to mosque, to uh various community organizations and centers in the community. Um also if they could have know your rights training included. Um and then again some people might feel very scared uh to
come out. So whatever that additional outreach can be done to help inform people that this is a excellent forum to attend would be appreciated. Also on Saturday, March 28th, we will have the
third No Kings rallies across the country. Uh at No Kings 2, we had out over six million people. Our goal is to again increase that participation to up to 9 to 10 million people and I know we
will meet that goal. We are asking all people in the Planefield area and surrounding areas to please go to indivisible.com and to also participate in the rallies that we will have in this area. Uh we
say no kings. We say protect the people in this country. no illegal wars. Uh and uh we appreciate any help and assistance that members of the community, the
council people representing your um residents uh and the citizens, we appreciate all of the support and outreach that we could get. Thank you. >> Thank you, Sharon. Good evening. Good evening. My name is Tia McCoy, 1400 West Third Street,
Planefield, New Jersey. I just have a concern. I wanted to know if I was in the right type of meeting. Um, I called the other day concerning the parking tickets um around the corner. I just opened up a new business on North A and
um when I spoke to the lady here, she said that this was the type of meeting to come to address your concern. So, I just wanted to know um how would I be able to obtain parking um because I noticed around the corner at the
dispensary place, they have a whole um street for their parking. So, I was just interested to find out how would I be able to obtain that. Um, because I just opened a business and we pay to park and
sometimes they will give a ticket even if the ticket meter is not working. So, two things was just coming to see how can I obtain parking for my business, how the business around the corner has that street, you know, with their
parking. I just wanted to know, do you have to pay for it? Is something that you have to pay for the block, you know, to have parking for your business or like does the city offer, you know, passes for a business where we won't have to be so concerned with the parking
meter because, you know, it's right around the corner and it's busy and sometimes, you know, they they're doing their job, but it's been a time where the parking meter was broken and they still gave a ticket. So, those are my two concerns on tonight.
>> Thank you, Tia. >> Name the city. >> Salvatore Corano, 1284 East Front Street. First, I want to say thank you to some of the city council for reaching out.
Um, understanding the issues that are in front of my home, uh, my the concern of the health of my neighbor, the store that was permitted to open. Um first let me also say I don't
generally like the system in the sense that the public speaks you get to choose which question is going to be answered and the last meeting when this was brought up uh economic development
only answered one or two of my concerns. I have witnessed Mr. Abney say, "Here's my phone number. Call me." I have not gotten a response. I have attempted to have meetings. Many of you have voiced
your concerns, have seen over 50 pictures, witnessed multiple accidents, all caused by decisions from some of you in this room. I've just discussed this recently. The
legal manners will be taken care of, but there's also a public safety matter that the city could address. And I haven't, this isn't the platform of it at times. Yet, I haven't heard
any discussion on public safety in front of the home. Today I witnessed two two baby carriages, no walk lanes, no obstruction of driveways. We have to
live literally in front of orange cones in front of our driveway. No one in this city should be sub subjected to that. Nobody. But we are. And I don't see other areas subjected to
that. It was quoted in the 1950s. They got the mixed use use for next door. Well, the legal matters will take care of itself. But did anybody consider the fact that you gut a
building, a building is vacant, whether it be residential and/or commercial, and it's not 1950 regulations. It's 2025 2026 regulations. Now, some of you
frequent the store and you don't agree with me. That's okay. It will be care taken cared for that way. But when people are walking across the street, when people are blocking driveways time and time again, it's not fair and it's
not public safety that you're not addressing. >> Thank you, S. Name of city. >> Maline Corano, 1284 East Front Street. I can't shoot from the hip like him, so I read. I'm going to read. Okay. I'm here
to address a serious safety hazard and zoning concerns created by the recent approval of the operation of a storefront at the intersection of East Front Street and Raymond Avenue. This mi business was permitted to open in a residential sen district when commercial
uses are restricted and subject to special review standards under the planefield land use ordinance. The current conditions raised significant questions about whether the required zoning, parking, and safety criteria were properly evaluated before approval.
This location sits on a heavily trafficked county road with limited parking and narrow sight lines. Since the business open, daily conditions have become increasingly unsafe for residents who live next door or on the same block
or across the street. Because the storefront lacks adequate parking, customers routinely park off street in ways that obstruct visibility of oncoming traffic. Residents attempting to exit their driveways, including my own household, must do so without a
clear line of sight, creating a a direct risk of collisions. vehicles, vehicles, taxis, and ride share services frequently stop directly in front of our driveway to drop off or pick up customers and others idle while
waiting for a space to open in front of the store. This repeated obstruction interferes with our legal right of access to our property and violates basic safety expectations for residential zones. The store's private driveway is a narrow single lane space
that accommodates only three to four vehicles. When full, the last vehicle often blocks the sidewalk, forcing pedestrians, including children, seniors, and individuals with mobility dis disadvantages, into the roadway. This is inconsistent with playing field
sidewalk obstruction rules, which require sidewalks to remain clear for safe pedestrian usage. Traffic disruptions have also become routine. Vehicles stop in the travel lane, make U-turns and K turns, and at times obstruct public buses from passing
through. Cars parked too close to the corner of Raymond Avenue force drivers making a left turn to swerve into oncoming traffic. These behaviors create daily hazards that conflict with the intent of residential zoning which to
protect neighborhood safety, preserve traffic flow, and present in excuse me incompatible commercial impacts. It was if the property previously operated under a grandfathered non-conforming mixeduse designation. It is important to note that such rights
are not permanent under establishing under established zoning principles reflected in municipal codes throughout New Jersey. Non-conforming rights are lost through abandonment. >> Maline, thank you so much for your comment.
>> Good evening. >> Good evening. Name of city? >> Leona Mloud, 616 Pimton Avenue. Did you hear me? >> I didn't hear you. Say >> Leona Mloud, 616 Peton Avenue. My concerns are I've had three cars
totaled in front of my house. I've been in my property for 20 years. The city is familiar with me because I've had my sidewalk torn up about three times. I've had my property torn up a lot of
times. my sidewalk, my railings, all of this stuff had been replaced. As recent as Saturday passed, I had some guests over and one of my guests didn't get a chance to get out the car. They had a Tesla and that was hit due to the fact that there was a
concession that always come up Pimton Avenue and the driver went around that and hit his vehicle. So, I'm requesting speed bumps or some kind of something on Pimton Avenue. They have put stop signs,
but I can't afford to lose any more vehicles, my insurance going up, and my property being damaged. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Uh Nancy Pvar, uh Playfield, a couple
things. um the people that are stealed up about the community meeting, I would encourage the city consider doing immigrant rights um training at that community meeting. I have attended some of them and I have learned a lot of things and I have been able to pass that
knowledge on and uh hopefully um protect immigrants. My grandparents were immigrants, so it it's u an issue close to my heart. Um, I appreciate Councilwoman Sessions for discussing the
$3 billion deficit. Um, we're in some tumultuous times right now. Um, and next year is going to be tough for a lot of seniors and not just seniors, but people on fixed incomes because of what's going on in the Middle East. Uh, I talked
today to my fuel oil company and I will now have to pay over $140 a month more. That's what they're projecting. I probably got in uh on the lower end, but I'm sure it's going to go up. And there's a lot of people in this town that depend on fuel oil cuz our houses
are older. And um we're going to have a lot more people that are going to be in trouble next year. And I'm very concerned about the county pulling out for the veterans. Um my brother's a veteran. My uncles were veterans. My father worked at national um at Mac
Truck during World War II after working all day to help with the war effort. Um we need to take care of our veterans any way we can. Um tighten our belts because we're going to have more veterans coming back that are going to be injured and needing housing. Luckily, my family
didn't need housing, but I do know other people that will need housing and I hope that you do something about that. And my last concern is I don't know if people follow the young man that um takes care of Greenbrook Park, but there's a real issue of erosion of the Greenbrook and
it's going to impact the Clinton Avenue bridge. And if somebody doesn't take a look at that soon, whether it's the county, Somerset County, whoever, Army Corps of Engineers, uh it could um eventually um undermine the engineering of the Clinton Avenue Bridge. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Nancy. Joelle Planefield. Uh good evening, Madame President. Uh city council uh administration. Uh I came out to speak out against the removal of uh virtual comment, but uh Madame President stole
my thunder. Thankfully, uh thankfully we still have a ethical uh president. Um but uh yeah today uh I had to I don't personally drive for personal reasons so I had to Uber here and then I have to Uber back. Uh thankfully I have a
support system so and I'm a single parent but my mom is watching my child. Uh but if not I would have had to pay someone to watch my child and we shouldn't be having to pay to participate in civic life. That doesn't make sense. Um so I just want to thank
Madame President. Uh, and I also want to say, uh, Mayor Matt did respond to my long email saying that the administration is forced to do so. Um, he thinks we can't read and interpret things for our ourselves because if you
read it, it it doesn't force you to do anything. He is reading it and interpreting it to his benefit and at our expense and is very unbecoming of someone who's running for Congress. So, thank you, Madam President. Thank you for your comment.
>> Name and city for the record. >> Good evening. Ayanna Gilmore Planefield. Um if any of you have been down West Fred Street recently, you'll notice that there are many businesses and a few um individual residents that are absolutely filthy. Um there is a ton of litter
everywhere. I've reported constantly some of these businesses um and also residents, people um within the um Department of Public Works who answer the call. They're lovely. They're amazing. Their limitations to what they can do about the litter, which I totally understand, but what I want to see as a
resident here of Planefield is I want to see clean streets. Planefield is lovely. The people here are lovely. The litter is intolerable. And I know that this council, the members here, the mayor's office, you guys can put on initiatives
to help to promote cleanliness in the streets. Um, I'd love to see that. The mayor put on a hashtag love planefield, right? Right before his mural elections, we were out here. We were cleaning the streets. It was wonderful. Okay, we can continue to do those things and keep our
community clean. The litter in the fourth ward is so bad. It's really, really bad. Okay. There needs to be accountability. Businesses need to be responsible for helping to keep the um community clean. And then also landlords who I would say are slumlords. Um they
need to be responsible for helping to keep the city clean. And um also just for the people who are living in their homes, that's unfair to those people. Okay. Um we have MC 202603.
There's going to be more small lot redevelopment. That means that possibly people can be building like lots and, you know, putting a bunch of people on these small lots. That's going to cause a lot of litter, right? And a lot of that might be happening in the fourth word, which is a concern for me
because I live in the fourth word. So, I'd really love to see that. Um, I'd love to just see more promotion of like cleansiness in the city and especially in the fourth word. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Gilmore. Maine and city put Sebast good evening Sebastian Torres uh Planefield um I
admittedly missed um your comments regarding the online um situation right not being able to talk online and stuff like that or participate online. So I don't know what um you as president said about that. I guess it was something good cuz uh Joelle said it was good. So
I'll go with Joelle. Um my my daughter well I came today uh obviously to talk and my wife wanted to talk as well. My daughter's in the back. She's sneezing her head off. She got boogers all over Mr. Corano back there. Um I don't feel like I should have to come to the meetings if my daughter is sick and I
could participate from home. Okay. We have tools available that can help us be more democratic that can help us uh participate all of us right without having any issues. There's no reason for me to be sneezing on Mr. Carano for my daughter to get him sick. There there's no reason for it. So, let's, you know,
let's again, like Joel said excellently, let's not use these laws and these things to just hide and and and to shut people down. That's not what they're that's that's not what they're signed for. That's not what they're supposed to be for. Um, and um, in addition, no, no, forget it. My wife said it all. We're good. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mr. Torres. >> Anybody else for public comment? All right. Can I have a motion to close public comment? >> So, seconded. >> All right. All right. Can I have a motion to adjurnn? >> So move. >> No, we're going to have a motion to
Excuse me. >> Okay. Have a motion to adjourn. >> Wait, are we I'm sorry. >> I'm sorry. We're gonna answer the questions. Um let's go to lowhanging fruit. Um the litter
Well, um I've noticed a lot of litter as well. I guess most of it's from the recent storms. Um uh the solid waste end we're putting together uh actually an earlier cleanup. We usually start our our cleanups in April, but the weather
has been favorable. So, we're going to look to do something if not this Saturday, next Saturday. And we'll definitely look at the streets that you know were prioritized. I know that public works, they got their street sweepers out. They're weather sensitive, but the weather has been cooperating as well. So hopefully we'll see see an
improvement uh in the streets with the litter. >> And Tanisha, I know you asked the question about 526 Belvadier. If you could leave your contact information. >> Ma'am, I have it. >> Oh, you have it?
>> Yeah. In regards to uh the the even numbered side of the street on Belvadier Avenue. If you go to the city, if you go to the city's uh municipal code, uh in the schedule 16A, it addresses that on that side of the
street, which is the east side of the street of Belvadier Avenue, there's no parking from South Avenue all the way up to Park Terrace. So, if the car is parked on the even side of the road, it would it would receive a ticket.
>> So, I did get um The ordinance is that's a contradiction. It's three different ordinances for the east side of one says no parking from 8 to 10. One says no parking at all. So I'm just trying to get clarity on which
and it's one that just actually was passed October of 2025 for the twohour no parking. So that contradicts the no parking. >> Okay. I'll talk I'll talk to you more offline about it. All right. In terms of the ICE event, I know there was a comment in regards to that. The event,
the ice event that we had last year when when uh the current president took office, uh it was at the same location, right? Okay. At that event, we did at the Booker School, the other one's at the Pek. Okay. We didn't have any issues
uh uh at that event. In terms of I know if there's a concern I guess in terms of attending that event for undocumented persons, please come out. You won't you won't have any issues in regards to that. We didn't have any issues as last year. We don't expect any issues this
year. This is about uh regarding this is about putting out support to the community in regards to that event. So, if the concern is that, oh, maybe we shouldn't come out, uh, somebody will be sitting outside for us or something like that. That that's not going to happen. That didn't happen last year, you don't
have to worry about that. That doesn't generally happen at these types of events. And I see a young lady sitting back there looking confused after the meeting. We can talk about that. So, you can get some clarity from me. >> In regards to >> police director, will that be televised? >> I I'll take my go ahead.
>> Go ahead. Oh, so so I can talk to a piece of this. There there will be a virtual option uh because we recognize the fact that everyone should not be present. We also recognize that everyone can't be present. So there is a virtual option and I think uh I think that some
of the people who will be at that panel will be talking about immigrant rights. Uh we have an attorney who will be present. We have a regional activist who will be present. uh we do have someone who's uh community worker going out to
all the various houses of worship. Uh I will not say that that list is comprehensive. So if you have uh individuals or communities that should be contacted by all means let us know and we will reach out to them. We have no problem doing that. Uh we we don't make the assumption that we know
everyone. We do make the assumption that we reach out as as many times as we can. Uh I know that one of the contacts was the board of education because the youth that did appear uh we do think that it's important that youth appear at this meeting because they they are at the in
many ways the forefront of the activities that are going on across the nation. Um I think that I covered everything. If not I I'll stay a few minutes later uh to cover anything else. >> I think um director the question there was questions about the outreach efforts.
>> Yeah. So so I I think I think I said it. We we have a community worker who's reaching out to uh nonprofits who's reaching out to houses of worship and community partners. As I just said, we may not know everyone or uh because it there are different types of community partners, right? The official community
partners and there's are those who just do the work of the community. Uh they don't have a LLC, they don't have a nonprofit, but they do the work. We would just want everybody who can attend to attend. So, if we don't have that information or you think there's someone that we should reach out to, by all means, uh, get us that information as
well. >> All right. Is that it? >> Okay. >> I got one more thing. Um, in regards to the store on East Front Street, um, first things first, my my office is very responsive to the needs of the community and also to the needs of the council. in
regards to this this this this property that uh a storefront has opened and there's concerns with parking and public safety. I have been in constant contact with the council in regards to this. We are actually doing a traffic study in that area that has been initiated by the police department. We started that that
will be presented to the council at the next meeting. So, I don't want the public to feel that the police department is is either forsaking their duties or not doing what they're supposed to do. In the meantime, we will constantly with with working with um economic development. The parking
authority is constantly out in that area and so is the police department and we will continue to be out there until we can work towards a resolution to the problem regarding the store on East Front and Raymond. And that's all I have. >> Thank you, director. Council President,
if I may uh say a few words regarding to uh >> regarding the store and my constituent uh Salvatore mentioned uh there was an accident because of the store when in fact the accident happened 400 ft away from the store and had nothing to do
with the store. And I don't know if you have any information on that director um on the accident that uh my constituent had mentioned. Um, I am one of the council people that frequent that store. I am a patron. It is a legal business.
Uh, those parking spaces are legal parking spaces. Um, there's actually a backstory as to how this business uh, got there. And I wish that our economic development director were here. Maybe we can bring in the property owner so that
she can give her side of the whole equation as to how we all got here. Maybe we can tackle that next month when everyone's here and we can kind of open this whole thing up to to understand both sides so that the public is not just getting one side. Let's bring out
the facts in this story. >> Also, Council President, if I just may interject from a legal standpoint, um various >> claims were made by Mr. Corano with regard to legal action that he might take. In light of that, um I'd ask that um we coordinate any response through my office. Uh please don't feel like you're
compelled to have to respond to anything that's been said this evening. Um on behalf of the city of Planefield, uh we have to protect the the city as an entity and if claims are being filed, I'm going to ask that council refrain from engaging on those specific land use
claims that he raised this evening. >> Banking Corporation Council, >> um VA Leon, the veterans. >> Yes. So the county unfortunately like all of us had to make some decisions and they only
had five veterans in Dudley House. They had never actually been able to get it to capacity. And so because of other cuts that came down through, you know, through the federal government, grants, etc., they had to make, you know, they had to make funding decisions. And so
that's how that unfortunately came about. >> Thank you. So for two residents, uh, Miss McCloud, I asked Councilwoman Cessims to put the speed bump on the list and make a formal request to the director and Miss McCoy if you could
follow up with Dia Levenson after the meeting. And I think those are all the questions. All right. Can I entertain a motion to adjourn? >> So moved. Second. All right. It's improperly moved and second. Thank you everyone. Have a great
evening.