[Music] wherever you are. Good evening everyone. This is the city
council work meeting. Today is May the 19th, 2025. The time is 6:31 p.m. This meeting has been duly advertised in the city newspaper in conformance with the Open Public
Meetings Act, otherwise known as the Sunshine Law. Roll call, please. Pamela, here. Pimona here. Yes. Old present. Dennis present. Thomas present. For the record, Miss
Wson would not be here this evening. [Music] [Music] Everyone just make sure your phone is in mute or off or airplane mode. I have approval of previous minutes. All
right. First is ordinance number eight, second reading, public hearing will be held through regular session, exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits, and to establish a cafe. Any questions, council? I have a
question. Um, this is to raise the budget 3 and a half%. Right? because the limit is 2 and a2 and you're you're asking for an additional
more. My first question is how do we increase the budget when we don't have a budget? It's like hiring the public safety director without a job description. So where's the budget? When are we going to see the budget? letter CF. Sure. Want
to come to the poll? We're looking for introduction on the next council meeting. And what happens is we have the 2024 municipal budget that was approved and adopted. So based on the municipal
levy of 2024 is how you project into the 3 and 12% for 2025. But so what is the reasoning for increasing the 2024 budget to 2025
budget by 3 and a half%. We have as we're putting the budget together there's been increases in statutory payments such as the pensions for both the employees and police and
fire. We've had an increase in our overall coverage for insurance. We have increases well contractual salary obligations. We have um the increase in health benefit. So every time you also
increase salaries, you also have to increase social security because that's part of the um employer's expense to 7.6 7.65% 65%. Um, you're also um, let me see what else
that I can think of clearly in my mind. That's Well, I'll help you. I'll help you. Sure. Because the 1% extra that you need now is 200ome,000. And out of that $20ome,000 is 110 for a public safety
director that we have not seen any kind of paperwork on. and an additional seven to $9,000 in raises for city council. So that accounts for about $120,000. So the other hundred and
some,000 is contractual increases for you know employees and things like that. But we're raising you want you're asking the council to authorize this without even seeing what the budget is. You're
putting it. It's kind of in reverse. No, it's it's not. I I It's not in reverse. You have a municipal levy that was adopted in 2024. So based on that municipal levy and the budget law allows you to do that to
increase your budget, you have statutory obligations. In regards to the public safety director and the council raises, those are coming from folks that have retired where there is some room that
has occurred for that. So, it's not like a new found set of pot of money that's being added on to the budget because of those raises, but you're also looking at folks that have retired at a higher salary
that is able to afford those line items. You could have reduced the amount of the budget by that amount instead of increasing it. Correct. If people retired at a higher amount, we weren't we didn't replace them people at a
higher amount, then we could have saved money. But we just went ahead and found spots to give raises to this one and give create a new job position because what's going to happen is that $900 and some thousand
3.5% increase over the 2024 budget is going to add about 15 cents. um per hundred per $80,000. You're looking at an
increase in taxes with this $900,000 on a house that's assessed at 150 at $165 $165 per year. That's what you're asking the people of Pleasantville.
Basically, when you look at it that way, absolutely. That's what you do. you had there were two prior years in the past that there was no tax increase. So in those years that were there were no tax increase. This is where we're at. We didn't have a public safety director and
we didn't have raises for city council in here. Look comment. Madam Chair, this is a council of seven people. When when when six out of the seven vote on something, you're going to
come here every night and beat us up because you didn't agree with it. This that's what I'm going to come and bring it up all the time because the people out there that pay their property tax grandstanding. Okay. And I'll glance it all I can because this deals with dollars and
cents to the people who live in Pleasant Hill. You know ordinance number. Excuse me, Mr. Wait. You're going to tell me insulted me last week.
Yeah, we don't need a break. He wants to make accusations. Let's take a motion for having recess. All in favor? I.
All in favor? Uh, where did you all be? Question. I was going to There was a question. There was a question to ordinance. Uh, ordinance number nine, first reading, amending chapter 278, article 12 of the code entitled vehicles
and traffic. Any questions, council? I'd just like to add that it states here explanation where the stop signs are. Um, police in um, reviewing the pedestrian grant discovered that the stop signs for Franklin Avenue were
already done back in 2023. So, make a note for that. Even though you don't see it here, this is amending the ordinance to add the additional stops to that grant, but Franklin has already been adopted. I don't know my question, but thank you.
Yeah, that's already been done. So 2023 in 2023 um Lieutenant Brush discovered that that was done in 2023 for Franklin. So once you do these then you have all the location I think it's 16 locations that will be adopted into the code for
steps. Okay. You're quite welcome. And just to be sure that 20 the ones that you're talking about have been approved but not um we we don't have them in yet because everyone No, they've been adopted. They stop signs but not installed in make that clear because I
know a few people are saying they're still going to ask they're still going to ask put the signs up. So I guess they haven't arrived yet. So I don't know that process. I'm going to talk about the code as it relates. No problem. I'm glad they're all right now. Yeah, Kyrie saying they
have Ky here. Yes. Oh, we can't see you. Um um since we're talking about um stop signs and um I remember uh council woman, she had brought up the stop sign
um situation on Franklin Boulevard. That's what we're talking about. Mhm. Remember we was talking about four-way stop signs to slow the traffic. Yeah. We talked about Franklin Boulevard that was approved and everything. That's exactly what we're talking about. It's already
approved and everything. We decided to come in. Uh, can you ask the director to step forward so maybe they need to assist us? Right. Please because um to be I heard you wrong because you said that it was already done in 2020 for Franklin Avenue. Right. That's what I'm talking about. The top. No, no, they're
not up there. No, not they're not has been installed but first we're doing the ordinance. Correct. Correct. Yeah. So out of those 16 locations, the vast majority of them are already done in 2023 for Franklin. And now this is the
other remaining locations are grant, right? I mean, you're saying yes, but that's not what we discussed in a meeting. So, I'm just asking if you all can take it back to committee to talk about the fourway um stop signs to slow down the
traffic on Franklin Boulevard. That's what we're talking about. That's it. That's exactly what we're talking about. We've been adopted, but they just haven't come in yet. That's what I was trying to clarify. What I'm saying is the conversation happened in 2025, but Madame Clerk is saying that it
was already done for some reason. Already done in 2020. No, no, no, no, no. Not done. The ordinance was adopted. Yes. For for But the conversation to slow down the traffic um on Franklin Boulevard, that
conversation happened in 2025. But that was just conversation though. I we didn't we had already did that committee or now that a while ago it was it was in our committee and we we came up with the stop sign. The only thing difference is that at that time we didn't know it was already an ordinance
dominant. We were going to get an ordinance but we already have it. So what area do you know where it was wherever the 16 areas were in the grant? Correct. They were already adopted by
2023. So, I don't know what transpired in 2023 that made the city uh adopt the amend the ordinance to add stop signs. I don't know if something transpired at the end of 2023, but when police went to go look at the amendment of the code,
they saw that these stop signs needed for Franklin were already done in 2023. So, I don't know what conversation or what grant could have came about that would have made us take action. Um, we can double check back and make sure. So that's why I was going to ask the um BA
if you can just um go back and check. Sure. Um or have a committee meeting, Councilman Carmona, to you know to figure out the location. I think we're talking about two separate we are talking about two separate grants. So there there's the
one grant that allowed for us and this is the ones that we were waiting for the police to give us a um mapping of where those signs should go. But I think what happened was I'm sure what happened was and looking into it we realized that
what we were asking for had not been approved uh back in uh 23. So, we're kind of doubling back on on this on on the second grant. The second grant I mean the first grant um is still in play
cuz those signs are not there. We still waiting on those signs to turn. What's the total K? [Music] I did. What's the total amount? Hello, mayor. Madam chairman, distinguished members of
city council, good evening. Good evening. Uh the issue we have here is that for a long time we wanted to replace the stop signs on Fland Boulevard. They never actually got done. The issue at hand is that we had um this
we wanted to slow down the traffic on Figma Boulevard and that is what is at hand now and there are going to be solar blinking stop signs that we're waiting for funding through PD once that funding that grant is done then the funding will come to me I'll purge the signs but
that's where we at right now with the uh stop signs. Thank you. There's also like it says new road and there's a stop sign. So were these two-way stops or are these
powd sign? Yeah, from the committee we replacing the old stop sign for new ones. But remember that those only two-way stops for the counter. We only doing Park Avenue. You know, we're doing Arbor with the new stop. And the ones that are
coming on Franklin are going to be four-way stops. You're looking what does well from the committee and Yes, they're fourway stops. They're going to four-way stops with the lights around it with the LED.
Okay. Um, also there is a just as an FYI, there's also uh an initiative that's coming from um the uh DOT and GPI um and uh they did a safe uh
was it safe streets? Is that safe streets? Yeah, we just took a meeting with them last week on the city streets and they are earmarking Franklin for uh either speed bumps or uh some other um there's been studies done now but
they're talking about speed bumps maybe maybe those uh groove uh sides and okay so those are items that that they're looking at for the slow down. Yes. So if you have to say that I want to give advice that speed bone would be
good for freeway because they have regulars on the highway. I think it's the freeway is the highway and not so you have an option. Think about speed bump. Yeah they're like I said they have to do a study know what would work there. Um but speed bumps is one of the
issue one of the uh things that they're looking at. Like I said, speed bumps, the grooves, they talk about the lights and stuff like that, too. But and their recommendations is actually going to the county. Um, also thank you. Thanks for the update. You're
welcome, madam. Ordinance resolution 91 granting approval of a corn drop to the Pleasantville Jingle Joe football organization on the 28th and July the 5th. Any questions?
See resolution 92 awarding the contract for approved to Richmond Avenue to Rivio concrete company in the amount of 1,551,6335. Any questions council? Seeing none. Resolution 93 requesting permission for
the designation by Ryder for the Pleasantville Recreation Center. Any questions council? See none. Resolution 94 requesting permission for the designation by a rider for the uniform construction code enforcement. Any questions council? Seeing none.
Resolution 95 authorizing to establish trusted council pleaserville recreation center and uniform construction code enforcement. Any questions council? See resolution 96 authorizing a notice to proceed with the demolition of 23 old
turnpike to American Demolition Corporation in the amount of $70,000. Any questions, council? Resolution 97 authorizing advertisement requested proposals for emergency medical services. Any questions, council? Seeing
none. Resolution 98 authorizing an emergency temporary appropriations pursuant to NJ SA4A 4-20. Any questions? Council see resolution 99 add-on authorizing the
award of a contract for professional engineering services to the Ridgewood and NJ do and New Jersey I bank to CMB associates. Any questions council? See none. Next is review of the
buildings. Good evening. Good evening. Okay. So you have um a bill list uh by vendor ID and on page one I just wanted to point out
um the training that's offered to our firefighters um via the academy. It's a $2,23350. Then we also have from Home Depot
2,87.60. And on page two on the bottom we have um um power DMS. is the police digital record system and that's
$6,10059 $615920. We also have on page three Verizon. That's our May telephone and an and internet bill and fiber optice for
$3,78 and excuse me $3,7863. We also have one hall concepts and those are markouts and that's $1,164.37. Page four. What's phone call? Those are markouts. You call the company
where there's a utility line and they have to mark it out and be sure that we don't either a wire and gas line. Yeah. Uh we have on page four, Trinity inspectors. Those are home inspectors.
These are third parties that we pay since we do not have um housing inspection staff. And that's the service for three for two months for $14,54. Two months. Yes.
Yes, sir. Do they give you an itemized bill? Well, this comes over to us for payment from the code department and they break it down by electrical plumbing in. Yes. In relationship to the property
that's Well, no, we don't see that part. That's the very detailed end of it that stays with the department. So, what the department forwards to us is what they collect in the fees. Okay? And that's what they put on the
purchase order. Correct. To the earlier Yes. resolutions that we we we approved for setting up those accounts. Yes. Then we have checks that we have paid and um and it's only a one pager.
So, we have the Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. That's um employee benefits of um for for the prescription plan. Then we have the Pleasantville Board of
Education. That's two months in in that payment and that's [Music] 1,695,164. And then we have Cali Electric of work that was done in the prior year and they're just submitting
their bills now for payment. And that was and that is $2,969 18. What's this? Um 18. That was my question. That is I believe a cell phone bill. I
believe it's also another cell phone bill because we have T-Mobile. We have we have three we have three different cell phone bills and the BA is and I have to start working on the cell phone bills to see what we can
consolidate and save money through that. We did request that prior when we found out we had two or three different services prior to you. We did request the council did request for you as I want to look into this to see if we can get this combined, you know, one service
and board of homes instead of having two or three different services. We did request that. So, they're working. Okay. Thank you. So far, if I may, uh, so far we've, uh, gotten an audit from, um, Verizon um, and, uh, we have
neighborhood 33 cell phones, uh, 31 iPads, and, uh, 11. Oh, so Verizon has 33 cell phones and and so then you have some stuff from T-Mobile, too. But we, in other words,
we we researched it out as to what it is that we physically have and what those bills are. And now we're trying to figure out um what's the best company to go with and then we're going to consolidate it all. How many do we have on
AT&T? I don't know. I didn't even know about the AT. Yeah, the AT&T is Yeah. And that could be something that's in the police car. No, I don't know. But I think it's time for us to find out where all the services. Okay. Thank you, sir. Thank
you, ma'am. Yes, sir. While while you're doing Oh, I'm sorry. While you're doing that, can you or we can do it in the budget review process uh that we're trying to get done is you got to assess a need cuz everybody got
one don't need one. Absolutely. And I can tell you that. Well, I can tell you approach that that assumption of all the funds that we have, everybody don't have one. So, but everybody that do have one don't may not need it. That's what I'm
asking. Okay. Yeah. So, if you could just um the next uh committee finance committee we have absolutely that's been my intention to approach um you guys could as soon as I got the balance of the stuff from T-Mobile have everything for Verizon
just wait. Now I'll search AT&T next week. Thank you council. Any questions about the buildings? Thank you, madam. Thank you, mayor. Have any comments? No comment.
But I want to go back to resolution 80 resolution 96 number eight. The um once that's done, once this is finished tonight, when is it going to be that this is about the demolition? When did they say they would start? So
Kyrie, could you Okay. Kyrie, could you She wants to know when it's going to start. So, they are waiting for um they already submitted their demolition permits. They're just waiting to hear from the code department. Um and I think that's where
it's at right now. Our coding department, I don't know if it's I'm sorry. whoever does the inspections for demolition permits from from I don't know to call code or uh or housing or construction. They're waiting on on
that. Sorry, Mr. Chair. Yes. Yes. I just didn't want to mention name. Okay. Thank you. We need to check on that. This could be it. We don't want that delayed, right? Do not want that delayed. Absolutely. Thank you. Mhm.
Council, any comments? May I have a motion to come up with first? Second. Second. All in favor? [Music] Good evening everyone. This is the city
council meeting. Today is June the 19th, 2025 and the time is 7:01. This meeting has been duly advertised in the city newspapers in performance with the open public meetings act otherwise known as the
sunshine law. Please stand for invocation and a flag salute. Please, can we have a moment of solid silence for Mir Moore and his family 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 [Music] presson. May I have a motion to dispense
previous minutes? Motion second. All in favor? Mayor, any accommodation for our nation's presentation? Next, we have public portion. Would anyone like to speak? May I have a motion to close public?
Second. All in favor? I. Madam clerk, first is ordinance number eight, second reading, public hearing required uh exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and to establish a cap bank. May I have a motion? Public
hearing required. Oh, I'm sorry. Public hearing. Anyone from the public would like to speak on ordinance number eight? Seeing no one, may I have a motion to close the meeting? All in favor?
May I have a motion to approve board? Motion. May I have a second? Second. Roll call. Kimo, no. Kimona, yes. Barlay, yes. Ogusby, yes. Bettis, yes. Thomas, yes. Ordinance adopted.
Ordinance number nine, first reading, amended chapter 278, article 12 of the code entitled vehicles and traffic. I have a motion. May I have a second? Second. Roll call. Yes. Kimona, yes. Relay, yes. Yes.
Bettis, yes. Thomas, yes. Ordinance move the second reading scheduled for June the 9th. Resolution 91 grant approval of a form drop to the Pleasantville Junior Jokers Organization on June the 28th and July the 5th. May I have a motion?
Motion. May I have a second? Second. Roll call. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Bettis, yes. Thomas, yes. Resolution approved. Resolution 92 awarding the contract with improvements
to Ridgewood Avenue to El Verizo Verizo Concrete Company in the amount of 1,551,63325. May I have a motion? Motion. May I have a second? Second. Roll call. Beer. Yes. Kimona. Yes. Or Clay? Yes.
Ogusby? Yes. Bettis? Yes. Thomas? Yes. Resolution approved. Resolution 93 requesting permissions for the design designation by Roger for the Pleasantville Recreation Center. May I have a motion? Motion. May I have a second? Second. Roar?
Yes. Pomona? Yes. Clay? Yes. Oldersby? Yes. Dennis? Yes. Thomas? Yes. Resolution approved. Resolution 94 requesting permission for the designation by Roder for the uniform construction code enforcement. May I have a motion? Motion. May I have a
second? Second. Bro, yes. Kimona, yes. Clay, yes. Obispy, yes. Bettis, yes. Sweat Thomas, yes. Resolution approved. Resolution 95 require authorizing to establish trust accounts for the Pleas Recreation Center
and uniform construction code enforcement. May I have a motion? Move it. May I have a second? Second. Roll call. Pemalo? Yes. Colona? Yes. Clay? Yes. Yes. Bettis, yes. Thomas, yes.
Resolution approved. Resolution 96 authorizing a notice to proceed with the demolition of 83 old turnpike to American Demolition Corporation in the amount of $70,000. May I have a motion? Motion. May I have a second? Second. Roll call.
Yes. Pomona? Yes. Blay? Yes. Augustine? Yes. Davis? Yes. Thomas? Yes. Resolution approved. Resolution 97 authorizing an advertisement of requesting proposal for emergency medical services. May I have a motion? Motion. Second. May I have a
second? Second from Yes. Kimona. Yes. Barllay. Yes. Mattis, yes. Thomas, yes. Resolution approved. Resolution 98 authorizing emergency temporary appropriations
pursuant to NJ SA4A 44-20. May I have a motion? Motion. May I have a second? Second. Roll call. Famila. Yes. Barlay. Yes. August. Yes. Bettis.
Yes. Thomas, yes. Resolution approved. Resolution 99 add-on authorizing the award of a contract for professional service engineering services for the Ridgewood and Cleatis, New Jersey Department of Transportation and New Jersey Infrastructure Bank to CME
Associates. May I have a motion? Motion. May I have a second? Second. Roll call. Milo, yes. Pomona, yes. Rlay, yes. Ogresby, yes. Bettis, yes. Thomas, yes. Resolution approved. I need a motion to
approve the build list. So move second. Yes. Kimona. Yes. Barlay. Yes. Speak. Bettis. Yes. Thomas. Yes. Motion approved. Need a motion to approve and raffle licenses. I'll move.
Second. Roll call. Yes. Pona. Yes. Parkland, yes. Oski, yes. Bettis, yes. Thomas, yes. Motion approved. Next is comments from Mayor C.
Mayor. Thank everyone for coming out. And I just uh ask that everyone keeps um little Lair in their prayers. He lost his life on Friday evening and you'll just keep the Moore family in your prayers. They had a um I'm sure council
president will speak on it also. We were there yesterday. They had a brief counseling service forum yesterday at the recreation center. Uh our recreation director Trina opened up the recreation for everyone to come and it was so well attended. You know he was really
wellliked a very popular boy in school and just hold them in your prayers. It's nothing any parent ever wants to go through. Have a good evening. Thank you. Anyone else? council. Um, I just want to say to all out there,
just keep our our um our city in your prayers. Um, just like um the mayor said, you know, we just lost a young um man and um our our children in the school system and those who knew him and
and was friends with him, they're going through it and they're going through it hard. So they they do need extra um counselors or whatever, you know, um if you know anyone, you know, connecting to the school system to get extra
counseling for our youth. So with that being said, um good night everyone. May I have Oh, okay. I'm sorry. We have one other item. We have to go into executive session. Thank you, Madam Clerk. to be
true. So the meeting is over session. It's not over. No, it's not over motion. May I have a motion to go into executive session? Motion. May I have a second? Second. All in favor,
guys. We going out. We going into executive session now. We had the motion come out session. All in favor? Everyone's good. May I have a motion
to do the summary? We do the summary. We don't have to, right? What do you do? A summary. Okay. So, you came out of executive session which in which there were contract discussions. Um, and that that's essentially it was just a contract and stuff and that's what's on
the agenda. All right. Motion to all in favor.
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