WEBVTT METADATA Video-Count: 1 Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=crh9VKHblH8 NOTE MEETING SECTIONS: Part 1 (Video ID: crh9VKHblH8): - 00:00:00: Meeting Start, Roll Call, Pledge, and Minutes Approval - 00:02:52: Council Announcements and Police Chief's April Report - 00:05:17: Public Questions to Police Chief: Bicycle Incident - 00:06:57: Councilmember Praises Citizens Police Academy Experience - 00:09:43: Ordinance 2620 Introduction: Bus Stop Regulations - 00:10:00: Resolution 26152: Budget of Princeton Special Improvement District - 00:11:09: Resolution 26153: Bond Sale for Infrastructure Financing - 00:11:42: Resolution 26154: Public Sector Health Benefit Premium Reform - 00:12:32: Resolution 26155: Limiting Medical Benefits, State Health Plan - 00:13:20: Resolution 26156: Amending Personnel Manual, Juneteenth Holiday - 00:14:09: Resolutions 26157-26159: Affordable Housing and Escrow Reduction - 00:15:31: Consent Agenda: Bills, Refunds, and Banner Approval - 00:15:47: Public Comments and Meeting Adjournment Part: 1 1 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:18.560 mother's important. >> Okay, we are we're going to start the meeting and thank you for everyone that's in the room. I appreciate everybody being here tonight. So, today is May 26th, 2026. 2 00:00:18.560 --> 00:00:35.120 This is a meeting of the mayor and council of Princeton, New Jersey. And madame clerk, could we have the meeting statement, please? Notice of this meeting was provided in accordance with the requirements of the open public meetings act and state regulations governing public meetings, 3 00:00:35.120 --> 00:00:50.960 including the time, date, and location of the meeting and clear and concise instructions to the public for accessing the meeting and making comments. In addition, the agenda and all related materials were posted electronically and made available to the public on Princeton's meeting portal in advance of 4 00:00:50.960 --> 00:01:05.519 the meeting. >> Thank you. Michelle's do the land acknowledgement. We gathered today on the land of the Lenape. As members of the Princeton community, we aspire to show appreciation, respect, and concern for all peoples and our environment. We 5 00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:21.040 honor the Lape and other indigenous caretakers of these lands and waters, the elders who lived here before, the indigenous today and the generations to come. >> Thank you. We have roll call, please. >> Mr. McDonald >> here. >> Mr. Cohen >> here. 6 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:41.439 >> Miss Peron Lamrose here. Miss Saxs is absent. Miss Frogga >> here. >> Mr. Nulan >> Aki. >> Mayor Freda >> here. Thank you. All right. If you're able and want to join us in the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of 7 00:01:41.439 --> 00:02:02.479 America and to the stands for >> Thank you. All right. First up on the agenda, we have six sets of minutes from November through December of last year. Thank you, Leticia. Moving those in block. 8 00:02:02.479 --> 00:02:18.640 LeBrian's got the second. Any questions or comments on those, Michelle? >> Uh, just I'm abstaining from a couple of them when I was absent. >> Okay. Do you know which ones? >> Um, December 2nd and December 8th. 9 00:02:18.640 --> 00:02:35.200 I forgot to look back on November 24th. Not true. >> Just those two, >> I think. So, >> okay. Um, all in favor of approving them all, please say I. >> I. >> I. >> Any naysay? And Michelle's abstaining on 10 00:02:35.200 --> 00:02:52.400 December 2nd and December. >> Okay. Thank you. Announcements and reports. Council folks with Leighton. >> Yes. Just want to say >> Yes. Just want to say think, care, eat, and shop local. Thank you. 11 00:02:52.400 --> 00:03:07.680 >> Thanks, Leon. Any anybody else on council any kind of announcement or report they want to make? All right. Why don't we go to the uh Chief of Police April 2026 monthly report? >> Thank you, Mayor and Council. Tonight, I'm presenting the April 2026 Police 12 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:23.599 Department monthly report. I'd like to briefly highlight a few items of note. First, you'll see within the report that the Princeton Police Department has officially opened applications for the 2026 Youth Police Academy. Due to staffing challenges and a decline in participation interest, the program was 13 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:39.840 suspended last year. However, we felt it was important to once again provide this opportunity for the community's youth to gain an inside look into law enforcement and the work of the Princeton Police Department. The academy will run from July the 13th through July the 17th from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and is open to 14 00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:55.440 students entering sixth, seventh, and eighth grade this coming September. We are hopeful that this program will continue to strengthen relationships with our younger community members while providing them with a positive and educational summer experience. I'd also like to provide an update regarding another program hosted by the 15 00:03:55.440 --> 00:04:12.319 department, our citizens police academy. We have now completed six weeks of this program with two sessions remaining. The participants have been incredibly engaged and enthusiastic about learning not only about policing in general, but specifically about how policing is conducted here in Princeton. It has been 16 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:28.880 an outstanding group and we are very much looking forward to these final two weeks with them. Programs as this continue to provide valuable opportunities for transparency, dialogue, and relationship building with the community. Lastly, on May 16th, the Princeton Police Department successfully 17 00:04:28.880 --> 00:04:44.560 hosted a 2026 wheels rodeo, a long-standing community event centered on bicycle and roadway safety education for the children and families. Held in recognition with Bike Safety Month and coordinated in partnership with several community stakeholders, the event provided young riders with hands-on 18 00:04:44.560 --> 00:05:01.120 instruction related to safe riding practices, traffic laws, roadway features, helmet safety, and bicycle handling skills. Throughout the event, officers interacted extensively with families and community members, reinforcing the department's continued commitment to proactive traffic safety education and positive community 19 00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:17.199 engagement. The event featured bicycle safety inspections, helmet fittings, a mock roadway course, giveaways, and collaborative raffle effort with the Princeton Recreation Department. All of which helped generate significant community participation. So with that, I'd be happy to answer any 20 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:33.919 questions from mayor and council regarding this particular report or anything police related matters. >> Thank you, Chief. Anybody up here have any questions for the chief? David. >> Yeah. Um, Chief, I had heard through the um, 21 00:05:33.919 --> 00:05:51.919 group email for the bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee that there was a bicycle crash on Pretty Road and that there was an associated fatality. And I just was wondering whether you confirm and let us know what you know about that. >> Yeah, we did hear word about a a a death 22 00:05:51.919 --> 00:06:08.160 related to a bicycle incident um, earlier today, this morning. Um, I did have my staff look into it and I we were able to determine that on the 17th of May, uh, officers responded to Pretty Brook Road for a bike related incident, a medical call where an individual fell 23 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:23.600 from a bike. Our officers went out there, were able to take a statement, um, with the bicyclist at the scene. There was no vehicle or anything else involved. Um, and the bicyclist was transported to a local hospital. Um, and it wasn't until today that we found out 24 00:06:23.600 --> 00:06:39.039 that that vic succumbed to the injuries that were sustained in that related incident. Uh, we're still collecting information as regards to uh what happened. Um, but the preliminary investigation at the scene on the 17th was that the bicyclist fell from the 25 00:06:39.039 --> 00:06:57.120 vehicle and uh suffered injuries. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions for the chief? Yeah, wait. I would be remiss if I didn't comment as one of three uh people here on the day 26 00:06:57.120 --> 00:07:12.000 who have to me had the privilege really of participating in the citizens police academy over the past six weeks and I I was as as the chief was talking I leaned 27 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:29.759 over to my colleague Leticia and I I I and I still I couldn't stop laughing because of the experience erience we've had over the past six weeks, but in particular last week, and I really can't go into detail about what happened last week. I 28 00:07:29.759 --> 00:07:47.120 won't, but Chief, I just want to say and and I think I probably shared this with you, but I want to share it with my colleagues and the general public. And the funny thing is we only got like three people here, and I want to say hi to everybody. Trisha, Erlene, and our good friend Leah who's here. But um it's 29 00:07:47.120 --> 00:08:04.479 been such a pleasure to participate in this academy. And I know this is going to sound possibly like and how could it be the dumbest thing I've ever said here, but the one thing that I have learned 30 00:08:04.479 --> 00:08:20.879 over the past six weeks is that police are people, too. You know, it it's amazing to think every every time they stop to pull over a car, especially at night, 31 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:36.880 oh my god, what could they encounter? So I I and that's just a piece of it. But again, through this entire six weeks, from the hierarchy of the police department to the the patrol and the different specifications 32 00:08:36.880 --> 00:08:54.800 to the K9 unit to the drones to the reenactments to the virtual stuff that we're doing, everybody in Princeton needs to take time to really when you see these police officers and our first responders, really say thank you for the 33 00:08:54.800 --> 00:09:11.120 work that they do. because when people say they put their lives on the line every day, I can't tell you how demanding and how scary that can be. So, thank you for all you do and and I encourage everybody to participate in this academy. I can't wait for the next 34 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:27.200 two weeks. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman Nulan. We are incredibly lucky to have three members of council in this particular class and several other current and past council members who have joined us at the police academy. and it is uh an absolute 35 00:09:27.200 --> 00:09:43.760 pleasure to have them in class and to have them advocate for others to uh take the class in the future. So uh we're very uh we feel very supported by council. Anything else for the chief? Okay, we will move on to ordinance 36 00:09:43.760 --> 00:10:00.640 introduction. Ordinance 2620, an ordinance by the Municipality of Princeton regulating bus stops and amending chapter 19 of the Code of the Bureau of Princeton, New Jersey, 1974. The public hearing will be June 8th, 2026. Can we have a motion on that? Thank you, 37 00:10:00.640 --> 00:10:16.560 David. Michelle's got the second. And that'll be a roll call vote. >> Mr. McDonald, >> yes. >> Mr. Cohen, >> yes. >> Miss Pon Lamrose, >> yes. Miss Frogga, >> yes. >> Mr. Mr. Nulan. >> Yes. 38 00:10:16.560 --> 00:10:33.839 Okay. Thank you. We have a list of resolutions. First one is resolution 26152. Resolution of the mayor and council of Princeton introducing the 2026 2027 budget of the Princeton Special Improvement District. directing the municipal clerk to publicly advertise 39 00:10:33.839 --> 00:10:50.959 the budget and schedule a public hearing and directing the tax assessor to prepare an assessment role of properties within the district based upon the budget. The public hearing is scheduled for June 22nd, 2026. Thank you, Michelle, for the motion. Is 40 00:10:50.959 --> 00:11:09.600 there a second? Thank you, Brian. Any questions or comments? >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Do we take questions? Yeah, it's a resolution. Yeah. All right. Seeing none, all in favor, please say I. >> I. 41 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:25.120 >> Resolution 26153, resolution of the mayor and council of Princeton, determining the form and other details of not exceeding 6,934,000 bonds of Princeton in the county of Mercer, New Jersey, and providing for their sale to the New Jersey 42 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:42.720 Infrastructure Bank and further authorizing the execution of various agreements. All pursuant to the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank transportation infrastructure financing program. >> Thank you David for the motion. Michelle has the second. Questions or comments? 43 00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:58.399 >> All right. Seeing none, all in favor please say I. >> I. Resolution 26154, resolution of the mayor and council of Princeton, urging state leaders to implement fair and equitable reforms to mitigate the unsustainable increases in 44 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:15.200 health benefit premiums for public sector employees. Thank you, Leighton, for the motion. Leticia has the second. Any questions or comments? David? Yeah, I just wanted to say that I really appreciated that this resolution had concrete suggestions of what kinds of 45 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:32.000 reforms should be undertaken to get the costs under control. So, it's a really good resolution. >> Yeah, that was shared with us uh by the library staff. They had sent that over. Um okay, any other questions or comments on this one? >> All in favor, please say I. 46 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:47.519 >> I. Resolution 26155, resolution of the mayor and council of Princeton approving limiting the medical benefits offered under the state health benefits program SHPP slash local government. Is there a 47 00:12:47.519 --> 00:13:04.959 motion on that? Thank you, Brian. Is there a second? Thank you, David. Bernie, can you explain what we're doing there? >> Sure. The uh state is offering 10 new plans. Uh they are, I guess, less expensive plans, but they are not the answer to solve the state health benefit 48 00:13:04.959 --> 00:13:20.800 plan uh crisis. Uh if the town did not act by June, you couldn't opt into the 10 extra plans. We are opting into the 10 extra plans just to give employees that much more choice. I don't know if anyone will take them, but it does give more choice to the employees. 49 00:13:20.800 --> 00:13:36.560 >> Thank you. >> Any questions or comments? All in favor, please say I. >> I. I. Resolution 26-156, resolution of the mayor and council of Princeton authorizing amendments to the Princeton personnel manual. Leticia's got the motion. Leightton's 50 00:13:36.560 --> 00:13:52.160 got the second. Any questions or comments? Anything of grand significance there Bernie that we need to be >> of significance is that we are finally recognizing and celebrating historic uh moments of progress in social justice 51 00:13:52.160 --> 00:14:09.120 that being Junth and it will be a municipal holiday going forward and that's the only change in the uh ppm for that. Thank you very much. Any questions or comments? All in favor please say I. >> I. Resolution 26157, resolution of the 52 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:25.199 mayor and council of Princeton authorizing Princeton affordable housing program home rehabilitation loan 2026-1 not to exceed $20,000 to Shirley Court as number two Shirley Court not to okay I'm sorry uh David's got the motion 53 00:14:25.199 --> 00:14:41.360 Leighton's got the second questions or comments all right and seeing none all in favor please say I >> I >> resolution 26158 resolution of the mayor and council of Princeton authorizing Princeton Affordable Housing Program Home Rehabilitation Loan 2026-2 54 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:58.880 not to exceed $10,650 and that is for $427 Brick House Road. Thank you, Leighton. Is there a second? Thank you, Leticia. Questions or comments. >> All in favor, please say I. >> I. I. Resolution 26159, resolution of 55 00:14:58.880 --> 00:15:14.240 the mayor and council of Princeton authorizing a reduction in the inspection fees escrow in the amount of $60,789.19 to Trune Development Urban Renewal LLC for the Harrison/hune multifamily housing development block 56 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:31.519 7401 lots 1.102 and 1.02 zone Harrison Turhune Redevelopment. Thank you, David. Is there a second? Thank you, Michelle. Any questions or comments? All in favor, please say I. 57 00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:47.120 >> I. >> Consent agenda, we're paying bills, some refunds, and a banner. >> Thank you, Leticia, for moving those and block. Michelle, for seconding them, all in favor, please say I. >> I. I. >> I. >> Okay. And anyone from the public that 58 00:15:47.120 --> 00:16:04.480 wishes to speak to anything not on the agenda in the room? No. Hands are up. Anybody on Zoom? No hands are up. >> Hey Arlene, >> I move that we adjourn. 59 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:11.040 >> Is there a second? Thank you, Michelle. All in favor say I. I. >> We are done. Thank you all.