reports. Michelle, >> thank you. Um, I just want to thank everybody who came out for the loop launch on Friday. The new loop express bus uh launched. Uh, it's been branded both the local route uh that was
pre-existing and now our new route which is from the uh Dinky down Nassau Street, Harrison, and then the shopping center. It's a 20minut eachway loop. I just want to thank uh everyone who attended and I want to give a special shout out because he wasn't there on Friday but Jim
Purcell and Deanna Stockton for all your hard work. Really appreciate everything you've done and continue to do. So thank you all. >> Thanks Michelle. Any other >> this is from Sustainable Princeton. Uh
and Elana Burke says because coming together in community is now more important than ever. Sustainable Princeton in partnership with Morvin Museum and Garden is hosting its annual party like it's your Earth Day celebration this Sunday, April 19th from
12 to 4:00 p.m. on the front lawn of the Morvin Museum property. This is a fun familyfriendly event that is completely free and open to the public to see the full schedule and list of activities and participating organizations as well as the schedule
for the event shuttle bus. And you can also ride our loop bus. Please visit sustainableprinceton.org/events. Thank you. >> Thank you. Other council. >> Thank you, mayor. Yes. I'd like to announce uh that the Princeton Board of
Social Services is going to have a mobile SNAP food assistance program that will run for the um from the county board of social services at Monument Drive. will be held on April 21st, May 19th, and June 23rd. The services
offered will be New Jersey SNAP, food stamps, medical assistance, housing assistance, GA/Tanniff cash assistance, and connections to additional resources. Also, if there is uh anyone who has a
food need, uh you can find free meals and groceries near you at the Mercer County Free Food Finder. I'm going to leave this on the back table, but the link is bit. Mercer foodfinder
or you can scan this code which I'll leave on the back table. Thank you. >> Thank you. Other Brian? >> Uh yes, I'd like to um provide two reminders. One is on Saturday, Saturday,
uh, April 25th, the Arts Council will be holding Porchfest, always a highlight of the spring. and the hardworking shade tree commission will be at Hines Plaza from 12 to 4:00 p.m. handing out seedlings uh three different species
that are ready to be planted in people's yards uh so we can all do our part in uh working to uh sustain and restore the tree canopy. >> Thank you. Any other council announcements?
Anything staff announcements? Jim, >> just a couple of announcements. Uh, this Saturday is Treadfest. Uh, Saturday, April 18th from 10 to 2 at the Westminster Choir College parking lot entrance from Franklin Avenue. Um,
please bring your e-waste and white goods, your medical equipment, household goods, and dumpster discards. And, uh, it'll be rain or shine. And as I said, until 2 or until the trucks are all full.
Um, another announcement we just received from uh Princeton University that as of June 1st, ebikes will be banned from campus. All students who have ebikes on campus now are expected to remove them by June 1st. If they are
not removed by by June 1st, they will be considered abandoned. All students coming back to campus next year are being told not to come with ebikes. Um this is a safety uh and u uh safety policy. Uh they've experienced too much
uh uh dangerous interaction between pedestrians and ebikes. So that's all. >> Thank you. Nothing else. Okay. Next up, uh, CEO from Center for Modern Age in
Princeton, Drew Dyson. Welcome. >> All right. Excellent. Thank you very much. Uh, good evening, mayor, members of council, municipal staff that we have a pleasure to work with and members of the Princeton community. I want to thank you as always for continued partnership
and support for uh, Center for Modern Aging Princeton. It is a privilege always to be here uh each year to share a snapshot of the past year and to reflect on what it means for the older adults in our community uh because at the end of the day the mission of Center
for Modern Aging Princeton is uh simple and clear. We exist to help older adults thrive. So, from our earliest days in 1974 when we were born as tenant services at Spruce Circle, working with the uh residents of the Spruce Circle
housing complex until today, that mission has guided everything that we do. And I want to highlight just a few of the notable things from uh this past year. One of the things that we're most proud of in the last year is our continuing expansion of program programs
designed to reflect the full diversity of the older adults in Princeton. Uh this means for us meeting people where they are culturally, linguistically, socially, economically. Uh today we offer programming in uh Russian,
Mandarin, Spanish, French and Hindi all in the native languages with native facilitators of uh and native uh speakers of those languages with over 180 participants uh enrolled in those different uh groups and programs that we
offer. Uh we've continued to expand our ESL program. In the past two years, uh, we've had 27 participants, older adults, taking ESL courses. Uh, currently, we have a class of nine predominantly Mandarinpeaking uh, older adults who are taking an ESL
course. Uh, one of the programs that we're especially proud of is a program called Aging Gaye, which is a space for LGBTQ plus older adults, focus on friendship, learning, advocacy, and support. Uh when research indicates that
many LGBTQ plus older adults are forced to retreat to the safety of the closet, when they are faced with relocating to new communities or moving into senior housing, CAP helps to create a space for older adults to find connection and
support and open doors. That for us is what it means to be a true center for modern aging. not only serving older adults but doing our best to serve all older adults in our community. We continue to grow in this area and take
risks, learn from our m mistakes, and continue to expand access to more and more members of the Princeton community. uh at a time in our nation and locally uh where there's real uncertainty for many adults, many older adults in
particular, cuts to benefit programs that are well uh publicized, challenges with digital access, financial insecurity. Uh we've expanded our social service support to meet that need. We now have four uh social workers on our
social service team and two including uh two community social workers, one licensed clinical social worker and a dementia specialist along with a department head and four social work interns. Uh that group continues to
offer social services to the members of this community without charge. There are no charges for our uh social service work, including more than 200 Princeton residents who participate regularly in our support groups that cover everything from uh caregivers to bereavement
groups. Uh groups for folks with dementia and the people who care for them. Uh there's a group for earlystage memory loss. There's a group for parents with children with unique needs as they begin to think about what will their children do when they pass on. uh
parents who care for adult children in the community. Uh we've also had more than 400 people uh in our invit in in ourformational seminars with critical topics like Medicare changes, medical marijuana, emergency preparedness that
we've done with Pars like what is an emergency and how do you know when to call 911 or when to call a friend uh and to be able to discern that. And perhaps most importantly, uh, 380 Princeton residents in the past year received
individualized support from this social services team totaling over 1,300 hours of direct social service support, including counseling, resource navigation, benefit assistance, not just for themselves, uh, but also for their
aging spouses and parents and loved ones. Uh there are also 649 Princeton residents currently enrolled in the cross town uh transportation program and they offer uh in the past year they
offered more than 6,500 rides that are cross town rides. Uh and we know that the cross town program itself uh is imperfect and has its limitations. >> True. Just a second. Sorry, everybody
coming in, could you just We're in the middle of a presentation. If you could just kind of keep quiet. Thank you very much. >> So, while we know Cross Town has its limitations, the 649 residents who participate in Cross Town and the 6,500
plus rides in the last calendar year uh show the impact of this program, something that many other uh municipalities in the region simply don't offer. Uh but in the social service work behind every number is a person trying to navigate something
difficult either for themselves or for someone they love and our job is to make sure that they don't have to do it alone. We also see more clearly that the world is becoming more digital faster than many older adults can keep up. And
so we've uh made digital literacy and technology education a major priority over the course of the past year. We've partnered with a new Americanore member. These are three of our Americanore members here. We have 18 Americanore members offering digital literacy
education programs uh through uh CAP in partnership with Americanore and Parker Health. Uh 296 clients in the last 6 months uh who have received one-on-one coaching and tech assistance for more than three hours a piece. Uh that's
one-on-one support. We've had uh 17 seminars with more than 475 participants covering courses like scam pre prevention and using your medical portals safely and introductory courses on the iPhone and the iPad. Right now
we're at the very end of a program called iPad for beginners which is an 8-week uh iPad class. And at the end graduates of this class, there are 15 people enrolled in this fully subscribed class. graduates who are residents of our affordable housing communities
receive a free iPad as a gift uh in partnership with uh CAP and our grant partners. Uh and we've also expanded satellite tech labs on site in affordable housing buildings. One of the things that we found uh in some of our
affordable housing buildings is the uh transportation even sometimes to get to one of our locations isn't the easiest and to have somebody right downstairs. So, in Harry Bryan and Elm Court and this spring in Princeton Senior Living, we have on-site tech labs staffed by our
Americanore members where at least two different times a week uh they can participate and get that technology education. But this is more more than technology. It's also about access and independence and connection. At the same
time, we continue to expand all of our programmatic offerings, things that you've probably heard about before. Uh but this year more than 880 Princeton residents participated in at least two of our programs with nearly 4,500
registrations averaging about five uh programs per person. Our Evergreen Forum this spring there were 27 courses and more than 700 participants. Uh in the arts we have uh visual arts programs. We
have our onstage seniors program here that creates their own original performances about aging and identity. Uh and also in partnership with Americaore this year we've launched the third act volunteer core. This is an in an initiative to connect older adults
people who have skill, experience and time with meaningful volunteer opportunities both within CAP but also in the community at large. So to date, we've partnered with 20 nonprofits in the region uh to help to recruit
volunteers for our sister nonprofits for the work that they're doing to connect older adults because we know that aging isn't about stepping back. It's about stepping forward with purpose and many with a desire to serve uh their community. It would be uh impossible for
me to talk about the past year without talking about our greatest challenge of the last several years. On January 26th, a burst fire suppression pipe in one of our emergency exit stairs flooded our building at 850 gallons a minute for
over an hour. Even though we got to it relatively quickly to shut it down, you can imagine 850 gallons a minute what that can do uh in a space. This is a quick uh look at what I walked into that morning. And the pipe that burst was a story
above all the way at the other end of the building. So, this is what happened uh at the far end uh of the building. It was indeed our greatest challenge that has destroyed our recently renovated space. Uh but here's what matters. The
staff, the volunteers, and our community partners, including the municipality, rallied and not a single program was cancelled. Within one day, we had pivoted to online to monument hall to to
uh expanded programs in the Suzanne Patterson building because of extraordinary partnerships like with the municipality. Our staff was relocated temporarily into the basement of Monument Hall. Uh we worked with educational testing services to relocate
our Evergreen Forum on their uh campus that had uh several open buildings and we were able to continue serving the community without interruption. So now we're in a process of rebuilding, but not just rebuilding, we're expanding. In
early November, we acquired the adjacent building at 101 Poor Farm Road from Mason Griffin Pearson. Uh we've since renovated the third floor. They've moved upstairs to the third floor that they're leasing back from us. Uh, and this summer and fall, we plan to renovate the
first two floors and exterior spaces in the building with large indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, a commercial kitchen, an expanded fine arts studio, a performing arts room, expanded support group space, and a significantly
expanded digital literacy and technology education lab to meet the growing needs that we're seeing in that area. so that older adults aren't left behind the digital divide. What could have set us back has instead positioned us forward and this is only possible because of the
work of our partners. Uh we have an exceptional board of trustees, a deeply committed staff and most importantly I think a model public private partnership with the municipality uh that I truly believe can be a model for other communities around the region uh around
the state and beyond in that uh we have a a program through our contractual relationship to meet the needs of the older Americans act uh for older adults and we're able to do that and because of our partnership at a much reduced uh
cost basis to the municipality than other if you look across Mercer County. Uh the significantly more of the budget that goes to those programs and if you look at the websites of all the offerings significantly less offerings and I think that's because of the model
that you all have helped to establish of a public private uh partnership. Our vision remains clear uh to be an indispensable community asset for older adults and their families. To build a world where aging isn't feared but embraced. Where older adults are valued
for their wisdom, experience, their contributions. And where core values like inclusion, compassion, innovation, community, and joy are not just words, but are the lived experiences of the people in our community. I want to close my remarks this year with a brief story
that I think captures the essence of who we are and what it means what we mean to this community. It's not a story that took place in the walls of the senior center but in the classrooms of the Princeton Nursery School. Many of you likely know that Graham Pals has been a
CAP program, Center for Modern Aging Princeton program that's been around in Princeton since 1997, pairing older adults, grandparent compatriots, uh, and now after expanding this year into preK classrooms as well.
We are in every kindergarten classroom in the Princeton public schools across our four Princeton grammar schools. Uh, and now we're also at the Princeton Nursery School and the Princeton Charter School and expanding even further in the year ahead. But a few months ago, our
program director, Ella, was visiting one of our newest grandparent grandpa's uh, classrooms at the Princeton Nursery School, and she was talking with the grandps in the lobby before the session began, and a young woman walked by. she paused at and looked at the group and
looked at one of the volunteers specifically Jan Johnson who's been a grandpow for more than 20 years in uh CAP's program and she asked Jan, "Did you ever work at Little Brook School?" And Jan smiled and said, "No, but I was
a grandpa there many years ago." And the young woman's face lit up and she said, "You were my grandpa." And in that moment, Ella told the story, both past and present collided. And Jan asked
Brianna. Jan asked, "Briana, is that you?" And she said, "Yes, I work here now at the nursery school as a as a member of the nursery school staff." And they embraced and a connection that was planted years ago is still alive, still
meaningful, still shaping lives. And that's the work that we do. That's the impact that we have not only on the older adults of this community but all members of the community because I believe that that's the the the community that we meaning CAP meaning
the municipality the council the staff the community that we are all building together. Thank you. >> Thank you Drew. Any questions or comments from anybody on council Brian?
Yeah, I think the Center for Modern Aging is uh a model not just for this community but for for the state and um congratulate you on everything that you have accomplished there and thank you um for the remarkable support provided to
Princeton seniors and others uh who you serve. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. And I just wanted to um express my enthusiasm especially for the service that um the seniors through SEAP provide
in the community things like grandps and the third act which I don't remember having heard about before. You know it's fantastic for the older adults to feel like they're still contributing to the community and we all benefit uh as a
result. So, um, a lot of praise especially for those programs. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, >> and thank you for the wonderful presentation. It's always wonderful to see you here and hear about all the great programs. I just want to
congratulate you on uh making lemonade out of lemons. I mean, turning turning this around what could have been really well was a disaster. Uh it's really wonderful to hear about your expansion plans and I just wish you all the best and congratulations on doing that. Thank
you. >> Yeah, Drew, very good presentation and I just, you know, want to give you a shout out for all that you're doing and like my colleague said, making lemons uh out of lemonade or making lemonade out of lemons. Uh but in any event, thank you
for always looking out for our more vulnerable population as well and uh for making equity part of your programming. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Drew. Appreciate your time. >> All right, we're going to move on to
resolutions. And the first resolution is resolution 26119. Resolution of the mayor and council of Princeton authorizing the purchase of firefighter protective gear and equipment from MEES for 63,285.98 utilizing New Jersey state contracts
25-m1371 and 25-om31390. Thank you Michelle for moving that. It's Brian. Thank you for the second. Questions or comments? All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. Resolution 26120,
resolution of the mayor and council of Princeton authorizing an increase of $6,500 to the not to exceed amount for the professional services agreement with PSNS LLC for professional engineering services in connection with the Trune Road Pedestrian improvements project for
a new not to exceed amount of $185,000. Thank you. Amia Leighton's got the second. Questions or comments? All right. Seeing none, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. >> Resolution 26121, resolution of the mayor and council of
Princeton authorizing the award of her professional services agreement to One Water Consulting LLC for a watershed assessment report for an amount not to exceed $29,700. Thank you, David. And someone's going to second that. Thank you, Leighton.
Questions or comments? All in favor, please say, "I." >> I. >> I. Resolution 26122, resolution of the mayor and council of Princeton authorizing site license agreements with Crown Castle Fiber LLC for 288 Witherspoon Street, 1288 Stewart Road
and 1267 Great Road. Thank you, Leighton. Is there a second? Thank you, Brian. Questions or comments? All in favor, please say, "I." >> I. I. Resolution 26123, resolution of the mayor and council of Princeton authorizing change order number one with
Colinelli Brothers, Inc. in the amount of $314,670 for the rehabilitation/replacement of two pedestrian foot bridges in the Mountain Lakes Preserve for a new total amount of the construction agreement of
1,261,870. Thank you. Me Brian's got the second. Jim, anything you need to that's a lot of this is covered by state. >> I believe the memo covers everything. If you uh have read it any questions, I'm happy to answer.
>> Okay. Thanks. >> Uh I'm sorry. Any questions up here? All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. Uh resolution 26124 resolution authorizing the submitt of a preserve New Jersey Capital level 2
grant application for the project rehabilitation of historic stone arc bridge arch bridge at the Mountain Lakes Preserve committing to the dedication of $157,335 in matching funds and authorizing municipal representatives to sign the asurances documentation.
Thank you, Mayor. David's got the second. Questions or comments? All in favor, please say I. I. >> Resolution 26125, resolution of the mayor and council of municipality of Princeton authorizing the award of a contract to HG Media for 2026 Princeton
podcast sponsorship for an amount not to exceed $7,800. >> Brian, >> uh, I would like to move to table this resolution at this time. >> Okay. Is there a second? Thank you, Leon. All in favor say I. I.
>> I. >> Okay. Next up is the consent agenda. There are four items on the consent agenda. Paying bills, uh, health services agreement, BCC appointment, and uh, a banner approval. Somebody like
to move that block. >> Moves a block. >> Thank you. Brian Davis got the second. All in favor, please say I. >> I. I. >> Next up is public comments for items not on the agenda. We will open the meeting for public comment for items not on the agenda. The mayor and council will take
comments first from members of the public attending the meeting in person, then from members of the public attending the meeting via Zoom. Speakers will be limited to three minutes each. The governing body will use this public comment period as an opportunity to listen to resident concerns, but not to
debate issues or engage in a question and answer session. Issues raised by members of the public may require review and/or further investigation prior to responding. All comments will be considered and are always welcomed. And we do have one person that signed up ahead of time, so she gets to go first.
Joan Bird. >> Mark, could we um >> This is for public. Okay. Hi, I actually came in to get my name off the off the immediate first person, but I'll go ahead and speak anyway. >> I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Joan, if you can There we go.
>> Yeah. >> My name is Joan Eileen Bird. I live and have lived at 53 Moran Avenue, Princeton for about 35 years. And I want to say that I am happy to have had my taxes go
to pay partially the costs of protest, rallies, and public events. So, I'm here to speak um as regarding the uh proposed ordinance um about whether fees should be charged and how that should be
decided and so on. And I'm just going to speak to um one part of it, which is that um so um the proposed ordinance would allow the city to charge organizers a currently undetermined fee
based on a list of factors compiled by the city. And if after the event the city says the fee wasn't enough, the organizer has to pay whatever was build with no recourse as presented.
um the fees would be waved for uh any organization that partners with or um is associated with the city. So that means that uh some events might not have any fees charged whereas if you're a
organization not associated with the city um or not partnered with the city you would have to pay a fee and you might have to pay uh an undetermined fee after the event. And so to my mind that
means that um for some organizations that would uh keep them from even attempting to hold an event if they didn't know how much it would cost and if they weren't partnered with the city. So, um, to me, I'm worried about the
effect it would have on, uh, the ability of different organizations, um, not just the arts council, not just the farmers market, but other smaller organizations that may be new to the
community that have important um, uh, reasons to protest or to rally or to um, get to, you know, have a public assembly. So that's my big concern. So thank you very much.
>> Thank you, John. So Mia has a statement that the council had worked on. So maybe you should >> do that now. >> So first I want to say it's really nice to to have a full crowd. We're always happy when you all visit us. Um, but I I
do want to just place I my sense is that you all are here for something that happened at the last council meeting and I want to um place that in a context um and I'm going to read a statement which is a much shorter statement than what I
drafted um but what we've all agreed on and then I might have a few comments. Um, the municipality of Princeton is currently working to draft an updated ordinance governing special events and the use of public space. Recent commentary has suggested that this
initiative could restrict or burden free speech. That characterization is incorrect and reflects a misunderstanding of the discussion that took place during a recent council work session. That work session was focused specifically on cost
recovery and permitting for nonexpressive special events. I just want to emphasize that again. Nonexpressive special events. These events include for example festivals, fairs, markets, performances,
concerts, athletic competitions and similar organized activities that are recreational, entertainmentbased or commercial in nature nature where any expressive component is incidental to the primary purpose of the event.
Princeton's approach is rooted in wellestablished constitutional principles. The United States Supreme Court has long held that streets, sidewalks, and parks are traditional public forums where expressive activities is entitled to the highest
level of protection. At the same time, municipalities may adopt time, place, and manner regulations to ensure public safety and the orderly use of shared spaces. These regulations must be narrowly ter tailored content neutral
and may not impose financial or administrative burdens that chill speech or vest unbounded discretion in municipal decision makers. Let me read that again. These regulations must be
narrowly tailored, contentneutral, and may not impose financial or administrative burdens that chill speech or vest unbounded discretion in municipal decision makers. As some of you may know, New Jersey law
provides even stronger protections for expressive activity. Princeton remains firmly committed to ensuring that its public spaces remain open, accessible, and protected forums for free expression while ensuring responsible, equitable,
and legally sound stewardship of public resources. I want to just place into a context the work session that happened the previous week. Uh this reflected a number of years of activity that had
gone on with different departments uh in in our uh staff administration. Um for many of us on council, this work session was primarily um for example,
for me, I thought it was about uh food trucks and um wider distribution of good beverages. uh we all were on board with that. It sounded good. Um however, there was some
veering in that discussion into uh some things that touch on first expression uh first amendment speech such as uh spontaneous events and so on. Um we understand your concern. We are equally equally concerned. Um
this week I met at length with Linda Dodd who wrote the lend letter to tap into. I met with the ACLU of New Jersey. Um I think at present the municipality is very excited to work on an ordinance that
will be a model for the rest of the state. uh in evaluating what most municipalities have uh on the books, I think there is a wide gap between what uh the New Jersey Constitution
requires in terms of free free expression protection and what municipalities in the state have on the books. I think Princeton would like to provide a model. We have been a model in many respects with consolidation and and other regards. Um, this will take some
time, but I I just want to reiterate before I get cut off. Um, that the focus last week was on the fun things, the food, the drinking, the um the games.
Um, it was not at all a discussion of protest, vigils, um, first amendment expressive activity. um that didn't even come up from what I understand in uh the staff discussions. We do have a
lot of uh people who come and have various types of events. Um and you know I think we need to be evenhanded in in how we handle those and that was what the last work session was about. But I
think we have a exemplary track record in Princeton um when it comes to first amendment protections. We would like to strengthen that and enhance that. And I will just say that some of the letters I saw in which people expressed concerns. Um
I do not believe that um what we have in Princeton now is as strong as it could be. And I think the commitment of all of us here on council is that when we leave
office, we want to make sure that what is on the books in Princeton is not open to any sort of discretion, political discretion, administrative uh inconsistent judgments from administrators in the future. We are very committed to that. We're happy to
see all of you here tonight um because we know that you support us in wanting to create a model ordinance and wanting to protect free speech in Princeton and be a model for the rest of the state. So, we're happy to hear all that you have to say, but I just wanted to make
clear that there was definitely a misunderstanding based on the work session that happened last week. We hope that you will join us for the fun events with the food trucks and the drinking and the games and all that, but um we also look forward to joining you for the
protests and the vigils and all of those um serious events that we look forward to um protecting you and and making Princeton a model. So, thank you. >> Thank you. All right. So, anybody that wants to speak, you can just line up in the center, come up to the microphone. It's important that you speak into the
microphone because if you don't, the people on Zoom and then the recording for the YouTube channel won't pick you up and people won't be able to know what you said. So, if you just say your name and watch the threeminut timer, that'd be great. Go ahead. >> All right. Perfect. Thank you so much. Uh, my name is Richard. I work here in
Princeton. Um, so good evening members of the council. I wanted to begin by acknowledging that we recognize and appreciate the council stated um the willingness to hear from residents and community members who have raised concerns about these proposals. Um creating a space to listen to the public
is an important part of the process and we acknowledge that effort. Um at the same time, we do want to make it very clear about our position on the ordinance that was being discussed. Um, we do not support measures that create barriers to protest or freedom of expression. And we do not support
policies that create barriers to community events and public participation more broadly. Um, when barriers are introduced, whether they're financial, administrator, otherwise, they do not impact everyone equally. They often exclude lowincome residents,
immigrant families, young people, and communities who already face the most obstacles to participation. what may be framed as neutrality or procedure in practice becomes exclusion and that's not equity. Um we are speaking today as members of Resistencia Nakong an
immigrant rights organization rooted in Mercer County and in Princeton. Um our work exclu includes rapid response when ICE is present here in our communities. Um also ongoing support for families um after detention and deportation every day. And we are in direct uh
relationship with the communities most affected by policies that limit access, increase fear, or reduce participation in public life, especially for working-class families. Because of that, we could not support any approach that creates barriers not only to protests,
but also to events, civic spaces where community members should not be able to show up freely and fully. Access to public life should not depend on income, status, or availability to navigate. additional restrictions. We also want to extend an invitation. We would like the
council to sit with us directly to engage with resistencia and hear from the organization that's doing the work every day on the ground. We believe we believe meaningful solutions come from dialogue with those most impacted. We are ready to have that conversation
grounded in respect, accountability, and share a commitment to true equity. And I have 50 seconds left. Um, we have our biggest rally in Princeton in May, Mayday. It's on a Friday. I hope I I
heard you. Um, council member Mia Sax, you said you want to also join the events. You want us to join the events. I would love to also see you guys on our events. Come by. It's here. We do it every year. It's 17 years of resistencia. This is the community. We're living moments where every single
day we have families crying, kids being separated. You guys see it happening all over the country. This is the moment where we need to unite and this is the moment where we hold our community together and we stand with each other. Thank you. >> Thank you.
And and just to be clear, there's been no ordinance introduced on this yet. So, I just want to make people >> I'm just Thank you. Just making a statement. Please go ahead. >> Hello. Good evening, uh, council people, Mayor Freda. Um, I'm Jabari and I live
in Princeton. I I came to speak on this ordinance and I I do want to I do want to get to the bottom of what might be some misunderstandings. Um, and I'll be pretty blunt, honestly, because I think that we've talked about
expressive events and we've talked about non-expressive events, but the problem is that this ordinance as a whole, whether you might mean to or not, would be infringing on people's free expression rights. And the reason that
is is because I'm not sure, maybe you can give me some clarity or maybe the courts have more clarity than me what the difference between an expressive and a non-expressive event would be. Now, you all may not intend to be causing any any free speech, free expression
disruptions, but that doesn't say anything about the next mayor, the next council people. If I have a food truck at a rally, is that all of a sudden non-expressive? Right? If I have a sign out front of my food truck, is that now
an expressive event? Like these are these are some ambiguities I think that we would definitely benefit from uh being cleared up because let's be honest, there is already laws that prohibit littering and unlawful assembly and gatherings. So, I'd really be
interested to know more specifically, what are the events that inspired this ordinance to start to be discussed at all in the first place? Because when there's good weather out in the summer's, you know, nice evening, I'll
go to Palmer Square. Easily there's 100 people there. Over your special events minimum, right? I don't see anyone who's applied for a permit there. No one's holding a sign for anything. And you know, whether or not you call law
enforcement or not, that's on that's on you, right? Like me personally, I don't feel safer when law enforcement is called to special events. So, if it's about cost savings, if it's about streamlining, we can do each other a favor and reduce police presence, and that would be
helping both of us out, right? Um, so I guess I wouldn't just end with that question of what are the events that inspired the consideration of this ordinance. I understand it's not drafted. I appreciate you for hearing everyone out and I just want to
encourage you all to please express some understanding as people come up uh because it's still not clear to me what events this is specifically meant to target this ordinance. So, thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Can I just say
>> Hi, good evening. Um, my name is Yoshi. Um, I live in Princeton. I have been a Palestine solidarity activist for more than 15 years now. I'm here because I learned about the proposal for a new Princeton ordinance that would levy a monetary tax and impose arbitrary time
limits on our First Amendment right to free speech. These proposals are undemocratic and unconstitutional and should therefore be scrapped. There are many reasons why people feel compelled to assemble and to express their speech. to mark a jubilant
occasion, to grieve over loss, to express outrage over injustices, to worship, to alert others of emergencies, etc. But it doesn't matter who you are or what you believe. The first amendment prohibits Congress from making law
respecting religion or restricting speech, the press, the right to assemble and to petition the government. This is, you know, one of those things that have been like emulated many times because of um, you know, how, you know, how how
wonderful or right this is. Um uh but I feel that like towns and cities like all across New Jersey and we've seen these um you know go down in places like Teneck and also proposed in West Calwell
but then um uh I guess like re removed from the docket um due to like push back um because like I think towns and cities in some ways they kind of view certain unplanned public assemblies or the
amplification of sound as in unwanted nuisance that are let's employ some undiplomatic language bad for business. But if people's ability to worship to express speech to assemble to petition government depends on people's access to
resources then the narrow interests and agendas of those who have the means will carry the day and not of those who have lesser or with no means. So in closing, I I really implore Princeton Town
Council to really, you know, re rethink this like proposal and, you know, like just, you know, do do right by our constitutional rights and, you know, protect uh the right of all of us to um to be able to express ourselves um you
know, free of you know, restriction. Thank you. Yoshi, can I just ask where you got that information from because I I'm not aware of any any proposal along the lines of what you described. >> Um, well, I watched the uh one of the
meetings from um the previous town council meeting and there was there was considerable banter and discussions and stuff. You know, there was a idea that um you know, you would estimate like how much it would cost for the police
overtime or to clean up or um you know, if you shut down the street, oh hey, look like we have so many people assembled here like are you going to shut down the street and then say like the removal of these um um parking spots is going to cost people like $30 a
parking spot like no one can afford that. >> Okay. It was just from watch that was your your takeaway from watching. I just wanted to understand. >> Yeah, >> that's great. Yeah, we are not Wes Caldwell or Tene. I just want to make that clear. >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> Okay. Thank you. Thank you.
>> You can pull that mic. Yeah. >> Thank you. All right. Uh good evening, council. Um I do appreciate your time and attention. My name is Rachel Schner. For five years, I've been a Princeton resident and a PhD student in the department of history here, uh, where I specialize in early American local
governance and law. While people tonight are speaking about the freedom of assembly and the first amendment, I want to take my limited time to talk about where that amendment comes from. Our right to assemble, to protest the actions of our officials, does not come
from the government. Full stop. It doesn't even come from the Constitution. It is not something that people in power came up with in 1789 and then graciously bestowed upon us. Assembling and protest is something that disenfranchised people have done for
centuries even before the US and its constitution. It's meant to be uncomfortable. Left with little other course of action, the powerless and frustrated have collectively resisted abuses, claiming the legal right to assemble under the common law for themselves.
Bear with me here, but two or 30 hundred years ago, people with little to no voice in politics used to attend government sessions, especially trials, court events, things like this. Their presence and indeed the threat of the so-called mob, kept officials in check,
even if the people assembled had no wealth, no property, no right to vote, no power as individuals at all. In the years since, many in this country have swallowed the myth that our government is inherently for and by the people. On the contrary, most people have had to
fight for every right, every scrap of freedom, demanding that elites hear them crying from below. It makes sense then why those in power would want to limit this right even in seemingly small and harmless ways like the proposal that we are discussing tonight. People power
threatens to upend the social the status quo to make the impossible possible. The threat of an unruly assembly is unpleasant. But what do we call unthreatened power? And by power, I mean not only what those in power do, but also how. What courses of actions do
they say are legitimate? And what courses of action do they call unruly and illegal? A government that can curb our freedoms as they like in the name of fiscal responsibility in community order is an authoritarian government whether it is federal, state or municipal. No
government has the right to limit freedoms that we have collectively established through centuries of showing up. As a community member and a historian, I therefore ask you to consider the deeper meaning and fuller context of the discussion here tonight. Making our
cries for justice orderly and costefficient, um deciding whether they fit in one category or another, it's not for the government and it's something we cannot and will not allow. Thank you. Good evening, mayor, council members.
Thank you for um allowing us the space and the time to speak. My name is Gustavo de la Cruz. I am a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Jersey Shore immigrants justice coalition, and I want to give out a special thanks to shout to resent for organizing us
tonight. um they are always standing up for their community. So it's a honor to be with them. Our ask is simple. Stand up for our rights, our community, the community
that's attacked and put down, right? Um we're talking about freedom to speak and assemble. You know, not too long ago, we had Princeton students arrested for doing exactly that. So, what does that say
about us? You know, how are we supporting freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, especially when our young community, it's saying the right words, asking the right questions. You know, where are we when our police departments
go and brutalize our students, our communities? So when we hear, you know, a new ordinance that could hinder our rights and hurt our communities, well, you know, we're going to come and
we're going to speak to you. So, I understand that you want to have a, you know, exemplary um law, but it's it puts fear in me. You understand? It does and it puts fear in
so many of the community not just in Princeton but all over the state. Something happens here. If cancer is allowed to grow here, cancer will spread. So, you know, we look at this as a cancer. It's going to kill us. It's already
killing us. So, think about what we're doing. You are very smart people, smarter than I am. you know, you hold the position of power that was given to you. So,
we're asking do the right thing. Okay? And you know what that is. Don't succumb to capitalism, social u imperialism because bottom line that's what it is, right? It doesn't matter if we're black or white, brown.
We support as a nation capitalism, imperialism, and we're killing people in our communities, killing people abroad. All these wars, this little law that we're talking about
supports all of that. Okay? So, please just do what's right. No more fees. We don't need to pay more fees. We're already overt taxed. Thank you. Thank you. >> Hello. I'm Melanie Stein. I live on
Prospect Avenue for the past 20 years and I'm here to speak on an entirely different subject. So, I hope that's okay. Yeah. >> Um, I had read and heard through community members that the council is considering the budget of the Princeton
Public Library and I would like to the council uh to fully fund the library to the to, you know, to the extent of the ask and the budget. And um I would actually am concerned about uh the
decreasing library hours that they've had to cut some hours because they didn't have funding. I feel very strongly that the Princeton Public Library is one of the institutions in our community that is a resource for everybody, for all age groups, for all
community members. Lots of students go there after school. Um I actually had spent a lot of time in the library myself for many many years and uh the last two years for personal reasons I wasn't there very often but I actually went to get some books and to do some
work about two months ago and was astounded to see that so many seats were filled. I had to sort of go around to see where I could sit that I wouldn't be um interrupted. And I just want to make a comment to all of you because I I've
had a a discussion with some of you about how we're funding affordable housing and all the units we're bringing in and we're doing it by the 10% set aside. And of course, that increases substantially the pressure on all of our institutions, including the public
library. So, I see this as a a I see this as a as a need to actually increase the budget because we're going to have a lot more people and a lot more footstep. And um I see that we're going to need a need to do that. And and so rather than
having decreasing services with a decreased budget, we need to think about actually how we can expand and increase the budget, expand the hours because we're going to be having a lot more people in this community. and that is a resource that serves all. Thank you for your time and your consideration.
>> Thank you, >> Jorge Torres. And we work and here in Princeton, I'm really sad that we have to talk about this again. And I love how you guys always twist it
or think that we don't understand or think that we don't we don't get the point. We saw the video and the way that we the the way that you do ordinance is that you check with the public before from the bottom up, not from the top to
bottom. This cannot this could not happen if you guys do the right way to do it. But you guys just like to put something out there and think that we are not listening or we don't know what are you guys doing. I wanted just to say
two things that I was thinking when you were making the statement console woman a spontaneous events I don't think uh uh affair is going to be a spontaneous event. Spontaneous
events are marches are bils or rallies. That's how I take it. I want to know what's the difference between expressive events or non-expressive events activities. That's rallies right right there. Let's
not twist it around. I I can't believe it that that we even talking about this. I would love to talk about funding fully the public library instead of talking about this. It makes me so sad that
when we saying that we are a progressive town, we have to talk about this. Even if you mean whale, this is not progressive. This is oppressive. This is exclusive. and charging us the community
to pay for the overtime of the police or charging for us or charging us because we wanted to express ourselves. That's being oppressive instead of supporting the free speech. So we are not dumb. We know how to think and we know how to read and we know how to listen. Thank
you so much. Thank you. >> Good evening. We all know what our first amendment is, our right to free speech. So whether it's journalism, whether it's a shirt that I decide to wear or the words that I choose to speak, I am
allowed to free speech just as you are. Now, while I would like to acknowledge that this ordinance isn't being passed today, how can we ensure that it won't be passed tomorrow, next month, or 10 years from now? We are here today to show that when our
freedom is being attacked, we refuse to go down without a fight. Because bringing culture, education, and organization to Princeton shouldn't be seen as a threat, but instead valued because we are building community.
Resistencia isn't worried about paying the money. The organization isn't the only one upset about the current state of our world. And so, truth be told, many organizations, including us, would 100%
pay the fee. But we refuse to do so because we know that that jeopardizes our people and our community. We are here to represent the voices that have been silenced due to being afraid that their rights won't be taken as serious as serious as the person
standing beside them. because my parents and friends shouldn't be afraid to walk into a courtroom and speak their minds simply because they have been historically proven that. So, I would like for you to keep that in mind. You want your family to be respected just as much as I want mine to
be free. You mentioned that you wanted to join us for our fight and I want you to prove that by joining us on Mayday. And I want to hold you accountable to your word. So, I don't hope to see you there. I will see you there. And if you're not
there, that shows me the kind of leader that you are. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good evening, council members. My name is Allison and I am a proud member of Resistencia and Exion, headquartered here in Princeton, New Jersey. While the
desire to streamline procedures and protect public safety are understandable, they cannot come at the cost of free assembly and free speech. Despite the assertion that last session was only about the fun stuff, it wasn't.
Our concerns must be taken seriously as whether it was your intention or not, our constitutional rights were brought into the equation when it was suggested that public assemblies should be treated in the same manner as celebratory parades, charity 5ks, and block parties.
There were distinct discussions last session regarding allowing protests within 48 hours of a quote newsworthy event unquote, but requiring a permit for any protest occurring after that arbitrarily chosen time frame. Should this council decide to revisit this
ordinance in the future, please keep in mind the following. The Supreme Court's ruling in the city of Lakewood versus Plain Dealer Publishing Company 486US7501 1988 makes it clear that any ordinance requiring periodic licensing is
unconstitutional if it provides city officials quote unbounded discretion to grant or deny a permit application and to place unlimited terms and conditions on any permit issued unquote. We are ready and willing to work with you to ensure any proposed ordinance protects
the rights of the people. Are you willing to work with us? >> Thank you. >> Hi, my name is Van Kawaj. I live in Princeton. Now, given the dir of information we've gotten regarding this draft ordinance on public demonstrations, I too would like to put
this issue into a wider context. So in May 2024, the university shut down Gaza Solidarity Encampment, had some people arrested, and shut down Canon Green to organized activity for the first time in 250 years. It's been closed now for two
years, and there's no indication of when, if ever, it will open. In April 2025, I directly witnessed an event in which PSA threatened someone with arrest for using the word Nazi on campus. In November 2025, PSA threatened students
with arrest for distributing flyers on campus. Now, Christopher Eiser visited council a couple of weeks ago, but predictably none of you brought any of these things up with him. You might say it's not your business, except that violation of university rules is
chargeable as defiant trespass in your municipal court and has been. So, you can't claim that what happens at the university is somehow disconnected from the municipality. Now cross the street with much fanfare and expense. You've decided that the kiosks are ugly and
have to go. Now proforma, you've left some room for flyers somewhere. Nobody knows where, but message received. You are to control the messaging. Now walk down Witherspoon Street. Somebody graffitis a wall in a park with the
statement death to the IDF. The IDF is a foreign army engaged in a series of foreign wars. But your police department has construed this statement as chargeable under biased intimidation of whom it is not clear now by the legal
since this is this crime the graffiti is unlikely to be uh uh the criminal is unlikely to be found. The case is unlikely to be brought for a probable cause hearing. There's no one to bring. So by the legal equivalent of magic this statement has now become a de facto hate
crime. So all this to say these are all cases the common denominator of all these cases is the manipulation of facially neutral rules for restrictive ends. And so for that reason I am not inclined to regard this as an exemplary
track record just the reverse. It is a very tricky form of non-exemplary track record. And so my point is I am not inclined to take at face value any proclamations of commitment to the first
amendment. We need to see the text of the ordinance that you want to introduce and we need to scrutinize it in a spirit of frank adversariality because that is what we face and it's the only way we
can face what we face. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. mayor and council people for letting us express our views. The fact is the first amendment, not by you of course, but by the Trump
administration, is under severe assault. Um, immigration judges, a hundred of them have been fired, uh, including a recent round of immigration judges who ruled on behalf of pro Palestinian activists and blocked their deportations. The press is under attack.
I speak as a former New York Times reporter. Uh declared by the Trump administration as the enemy of the people. Uh due process is being shredded uh not just for those who lack documents
uh but those who attempt to document the abuses of uh entities such as ICE. Our own community has suffered uh ICE seizures of parents of students. I have two students in the high school and uh
this is a trauma that is not limited to those families but ripples through the school itself. I know because my children come home and have been quite shaken by it and I think what we are expressing today is really has nothing to do with you in many ways and I
appreciate councilwoman your clarification. Um, it has to do with the general tenor of what's happening in our country and the rapid erosion of the basic civil liberties uh and rights uh that are enshrined in our constitution.
I speak as I was a foreign correspondent for 20 years. I covered numerous despotic dictatorships from Austo Pinoa's Chile to Saddam Hussein's Iraq. I know what this looks like and I think what you are hearing today is a very
legitimate fear on the part of the people in this community. We're trying to protect the little piece of this precious community that we live in that we care about. I've lived here for almost 20 years. Um we're trying to make sure that the poison of the Trump
administration doesn't seep onto the streets of Princeton. And that's really what we are asking you to do, to stand with us. And I and I sense that many of you do stand with us. Um this is a battle that's bigger than all of us. And frankly, I'm very pessimistic. It's
probably a battle we may lose. Um but all resistance is local. All resistance begins here. Um and it grows. And I councilwoman, you talked about Princeton being a model. If you go back and look at dictatorships and how they work,
there are those models, those ironic points of light that flash out wherever the just exchange their messages. And that's what we're asking you to join us to be. And I want to thank you for your concerns. I want to thank you for
letting us speak. Uh, and I I sense that you understand everything that I'm saying. Thank you. >> Thank you. Hello everyone. Um, my name is Vara. I'm a current PhD student at Princeton University. Um, and I'm going to keep this short. Like many others here today,
I'm here to express concern about this potential ordinance that would issue fees and require permits on gatherings in the community. And my concern lands on two points. I understand that this would only supposedly affect non-expressive events. Yet, I have questions with wi with which this will
be adjudicated. In essence, under this ordinance, we have to trust that you will acknowledge protests as protests and not deem it as a non-expressive event. We have to trust that you acknowledge our first amendment rights. Knowing what we know about how the federal government has been handling
issues of assembly and free speech, I hope you can see how that might induce some anxieties. I also want to contest this notion that there's always a meaningful difference from what you call non-expressive and expressive events. Um, what you may deem as non-expressive, such as a community
day or a gathering, can be forms of protest for marginalized individuals. Events that are created to celebrate our diverse cultures and our communities are protests in of itself to remind our country that we are here and we are
proud of who we are. When you suggest issuing fees for these types of gatherings, you're allowing the further silencing of gatherings of already marginalized individuals. It's not just inequitable, but as I see it, it's a moral wrong. With that, I urge you to
reconsider what this ordinance could mean for our community and our ability to celebrate and support one another. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hello. Uh my name is Jeffrey Spear. Um, I was um served on the school board for a time. I just want to clarify just to
make sure I think I understand what uh Councilwoman Saxs was saying that spontaneous demonstrations and sponsored ones even with organizations with money
both are protected by the first amendment. I as I've understood what you were saying you this was a kind of correction to what the impression people had from the previous meeting they are both protected by the first amendment regardless of this of financing u I
think that just just to go back I think that's what we were the correction you were trying to make thank you >> thank you >> so I just I just want to say that um a number of you have asked questions about uh the distinction between expressive
and non-expressive And I um have had that back and forth with our attorney who's who's sitting here. And these are all complicated and good questions. Um but it's better that we have these in in the public. Um and I think to the the
question about an ordinance, there is no ordinance. Um there was a discussion. Um, I would just request of the people in our administration and our attorneys and my colleagues. There's often a pre an
interest in having so-called work sessions. Um, and I think work sessions can be very counterproductive if they are not teed up appropriately because they can cause a great deal of anxiety as this has happened. And for those of us who are on council, we can
feel blindsided by things that are brought to us um and we are not aware of what discussions are taking place. And so I hope in the future um there's always an interest in having public discussion but I think that um before we
bring a work session in the future um I hope that everyone involved in bringing that will um will make sure that it is um that those of us in council are briefed and that um it doesn't lead to causing we all have enough anxiety and fear about what's going on in the world.
We don't need to have that fear and anxiety in Princeton. And all of the questions that you raised are important ones. We don't have the answers. All we can say is that we look forward to working with you together um to find uh
the answers that um will protect all of us and our first amendment rights. So, >> okay. I just want to get to the people that are on Zoom and see if anybody there has comments. Hey, Adam, could you switch the screen so we could see who's on uh Oh, I'm sorry. You
>> It's okay. I think we have two more people. Sorry. Um I I'll just I um Well, first let me just say there's many of us in this room who watch the YouTube and clearly in the discussion whether intentionally or not protests were
brought into the room, time period, etc. So that did alarm us for sure. Um, but the reason why I'm coming up here, everything really was said that I wanted to say. So, there's no need to repeat it. But I came up here now to just offer
a simple invitation to please uh before you discuss, before you vote on anything, please consult the people in the community. I don't want to use the word stakeholders, but let's just say that are impacted by those laws. We
protest all the time for different reasons, for visibility, to educate people, to bring people into the movement so we get more power. And so we're constantly doing protests, you know, that we do immigration. That's our core thing. We are the main people that
fight ICE. We help families after they're deported, right? Um figuring out how to support them here, but even when they're deported. And so our ask to you is we've been disconnected. And that's let's just be honest. We don't want that
disconnection. We want to be connected because there is information we know you don't have. And I am sure there is information you know that we don't have. So it's vital that you're actually reaching out to people doing the work on
the ground with issues or ordinances or policies that impact them. And then I want to make it very clear in terms of resistencia. We don't like any of the ordinance because not just the rally part, but the events part. We work with
workingclass families. When we're putting in fees for people to get together when they're hundred or more, as the wonderful Princeton student who came up here said, it's impeding those who don't have to be able to share their expression of their culture and their
life um with others. And so we're actually totally against an ordinance that would put fees for not only rallies and protests, but also for events as well. So I just wanted to make sure you all understand we're extending an
invitation and at the same time we're going to do what we're going to do. We're not going to wait for you all. We're going to continue to be there for our communities and show up when we have to as well. Thank you. All right, Adam, could we Oh, I'm sure >> I have one more. Sorry. Um, good
evening. My name is Anna Paola. I work here in Princeton. I am the director of Resistencia Action. And thank you for taking the time to listen to each and every person who has the courage to come up and say what they feel. I don't want
to repeat as what we said already. I think it's echoing what the community needs. Um, and what I do want to mention is as a board member of a school board, I understand and I know that sometimes
we get to talk about things that we think the community needs and in perspective of what students may need on school board. But I do want to say that first it's very important that we ask and we monitor what the community is in
need of. Um I was speaking to various of you at different points and we've had contact with um I think each and every one of you. But if the idea of funding is why we're putting out this proposed
ordinance, then I invite us to see how we could fund raise, right? So that the city doesn't have a deficit or something. But I don't think that that's necessary. I think Princeton is very wealthy. I also know that the state of
New Jersey could also fund more things in the city of Princeton. So, I just don't see a need. And when we were speaking to um various people who have come to to tell us about this, I don't it's not about expressive or
non-expressive. It's about just throwing this in the garbage. This there's no need to talk about this. Princeton does not need it. The people don't want it as you could see here. And if you interact with us and you maybe ask what is the
community in need of, we would be here talking about better and more productive things. So thank you for listening to each and one of us. We um sit and not only organized workers, but I think now in the atmosphere of everything, we're
organizing for each other because it's not only for one group of people that they're looking after and that they're going after. They're going to go after everyone. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hello, my name is Amy and I'm a resident on Birch Avenue. I wanted to just say
that um this is a moment in our community where I think um a story that I can tell will kind of give some context to the feelings we have about the importance of events and coming together in this moment. I was driving
home from the hospital with my daughter who had burned herself at 11:00 p.m. on Friday. And I drive a black SUV mommobile with three rows and two car seats. And it was 11 p.m. And so the restaurants on Witherspoon had just
closed down. There were many men, mostly young men, walking home from working in those restaurants. And it was dark. There was a bicycle in front of me and because I was going to be making a left on Birch, I did not feel the need to
rush up in behind him and go around him. So, I kept my distance slowly and then I realized with horror that he thought I was following him. He turned left on Birch and then I turned left on Birch because that's my my home, my street.
and he bailed on his bike and ran away from me because he is so terrified that he is going to be kidnapped. My neighbor thinks that I am going to kidnap him when I'm just trying to get to my home, get my daughter home safely. And I think
we just need to reframe the context of community events being corporate versus expression. And I think that if that man is able to come and meet my family, you know, in Hines Plaza and we can maybe
have a taco truck and a a beer, I think that that would be something that is um not only beneficial for the community, but is really in this moment an obligation that we should be trying to make not just not just accessible, but
we should be doing everything in our power to make that happen. So, thank you for your time today. >> Thank you. >> Uh, good evening. I'm Katherine Millet and I reside at 258 John Street and I've lived in town for 22 years. Um, I am here to support the increase in the
library budget. Um, to me that is one of the most valuable resources not only in Princeton but in the state of New Jersey. Um, the programming that is made possible really does benefit every single citizen of Princeton from our
youngest people to our oldest people. And it's not just books. It's so much more than books. It's our community living room. We have programming that when I tell people who I go here in our library, they are amazed.
our technology room, our staff are incredible. And so I just ask you please to consider the request because it is something that truly benefits every single person in Princeton. Thank you
for your time. >> Thank you. >> All right, I just got to jump to the people on Zoom and see if there's anybody on Zoom that has a comment. Uh for those of you on Zoom, if you want to join the discussion or have any other topic that wasn't on the agenda, just raise your hand.
Oh, there we go. Hi, Michelle. >> Hi, good evening. My name is Michelle First and um I live at 82 Spruce Street and I am a member of Resident Estencia and also a member of Princeton Mutual Aid. And I just wanted to give my
support for everyone that spoke tonight in in response to um the topic of the ordinance. And I also wanted to just reiterate
the unbelievable feelings of vulnerability and anxiety that are present. And I am asking everyone on council to again as has been said already to work with and collaborate with especially
when create when creating such an ordinance with people that are actually on the ground and participate in these things. I'm a little less articulate than I want to be tonight because I'm feeling under the weather, but it is I
want to feel in solidarity and in community. I want to um be here with um uh uh I'm gonna let I'm gonna stop now, but I just wanted to speak my mind and be in
solidarity with everyone that spoke tonight and ask you to use your power and your influence to strengthen our First Amendment rights and again to work with the people and collaborate with people that know exactly that
connections with um our most vulnerable members of our community. Thank you for listening to me and please excuse my inarticulateness this evening. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Is there anybody else on Zoom that
uh wants to make a comment? Okay. All right. Well, thank you all for being here tonight. We appreciate it and uh we'll close the public hearing or and is there a motion to adjurnn? >> Thank you. M second by Michelle. All in
favor say I. I. >> Okay. The meeting's over. Thanks again. Have a good evening.