You all set? >> I just have to change the >> Okay. Yes. >> Okay. I'm recording. >> Okay. >> Please rise. I'd ask Madame Mayor Dylan to please lead us in the pledge of allegiance. I
pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you everyone and welcome to the Burough of Ramsey Mayor and Council work session.
This meeting is also being conducted telephonically. The dial in number is 4254366365. Access code 213563. This meeting may also be viewed on the Ramsay YouTube channel YouTube channel.
The YouTube channel. Uh >> the New Jersey >> roll call. >> Oh, roll call, please. >> Mayor Dylan >> here. >> Councilwoman Cusk >> here. >> Councilman Gerson >> here. Councilman Gutwer >> here. >> Councilman Kilman >> here. >> Councilman Popp
>> here. >> Councilwoman Poppy >> here. >> And thank you. And we've already done our flag salute. So the New Jersey open public meetings law was enacted to ensure the right of all citizens to have advanced notice of and to attend all meetings of public bodies at which any
business affecting the public is discussed or acted upon. In accordance with the provisions of this act, notice of this meeting of the mayor and council was published in the Bergen record and the suburban news on Wednesday, January 15, 2026 and is posted on our legal
notices page at www.rramsey jersey.com. May I please have an approval of the minutes? >> I make a motion to approve the minutes from the March 25th, 2026 meeting.
>> Thank you. Councilwoman and this is Councilwoman Cusk and I second >> any comments or additions >> hearing any hearing none and um let's move on to communications. Oh, roll call please. Thank you everybody. May I
please have a roll call? >> Councilwoman Cusk. >> Yes. >> Councilman Gerson, >> yes. >> Councilman Gutwer, >> yes. >> Councilman Kilman, >> yes. >> Councilman Papo, >> yes. Councilwoman Poppy. >> Yes. >> Thank you everyone. May I please have um the communications?
>> Yes, Council President. Um I make a motion to receive and file the communications on as listed on our agenda for April 8th, 2026. >> I'll second it. >> Thank you very much. May I have a roll call, please? >> Councilwoman Cus, >> yes.
>> Councilman Gerson, >> yes. >> Councilman Gweter, >> yes. >> Councilman Kilman, >> yes. >> Councilman Papo, >> yes. Councilwoman Poppy. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Public comment. Anyone wishing to address the governing body, please give your name, spelling, last
name, and address. Please speak in an audible tone and address your comments to the chair. There will be a five minute time limit per speaker unless reduced because of the volume of business on the agenda. Please note public comment is your time. out of
fairness out of respect and fairness to all. There'll be no interruptions or questions answered during your time. No time shall be seated to anyone else and no time shall be saved for later use. Any responses may be given during the governing body's comments later in the
meeting or as directed by the chair. The burough clerk is the official timekeeper. And I see two people in chambers tonight and um but wonder would you make a public comment? Nope. Thank you. Um, there's no one else in
chambers. Let me go to the telephone. Uh, is there anyone on the line that would like to make public comment? >> I'm sorry, Bruce. The monitors went off. >> Let me ask for a second time. Is there anyone on the line who would give like
to provide public comment? And a third and final time for public comment. Not hearing any. We will close public comment. I would like to make a motion now to go out of order in this evening's meeting
to review our special presentation. >> Yes, I will reinforce that motion to go on the board police department special presentation. >> Thank you. I guess that's the motion. You want me to second it?
>> Thank you. May I please have a roll call? >> Councilwoman Cusk. >> Yes. >> Councilman Gerson, >> yes. >> Councilman Gutwer, >> yes. >> Councilman Kilman, >> yes. >> Councilman Pablo, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Poppy, >> yes. >> Your attendance
officer, the floor is yours. Thank you. >> Well, thank you for having us tonight. I appreciate it. Thank you all attendance. I appreciate everyone coming here. So we are here to talk about Island Road uh traffic calming principles and techniques to help alleviate some
traffic issues that have come up. So a couple of the things that we've discussed in the last couple meetings here between plane board meetings and council meetings is that uh there's abundance of issues on the roadway with speeding traffic volume and how to uh
combat those issues. So, I'm going introduce myself as Officer Dan real quick. So, for all of you in attendance, my name is Lieutenant Mike. I was originally hired as a Midland Park Police Officer in 2010, transferred to the great burd of Ramsey in 2013, and
since then, I've been training for about 13 years, give or take. Uh, in 2017, I became an investigator for the Bernie County Prosecutor's Office federal accident investigation unit. It's quite a I've been there ever since. So, it's a little over nine years. I'm one of 20
officers in the county that investigates fatal crashes and serious motor vehicle crashes in the entire county. So, it's takes quite a skill. Um, again, one of 20 that are allowed to testify in superior court or any of these that occur within the county.
Over to officer Dilly Lieutenant, that's a tall, but good evening, mayor, council, residents, if you're watching. Um, my name is Patrolman Danny Gilly. I've been with the police department since 2013. Uh, more recently the
traffic division in 2023. Also, I served in your United States Coast Guard since 2004, beginning my 22nd year in May. Uh, in the Coast Guard, I do aids to navigation, waterways, uh,
emergency management. So a common theme here, roadway safety, waterway safety. So that's my experience here. Sounds like you're an expert. Well, thank you. So if you take this over for traffic data for island road Yes. So uh I was
tasked by lieutenant to collect data for the last >> for approximately a week on the island road regarding speeding. So I put the speed uh data collection signs for I believe in excess of six days uh to
collect as much data as we could. In doing so I had one on the facing northbound traffic and southbound traffic, one before Addison and one after Addison. Uh the southbound and I excuse me for using my job is pretty
technical for me. Uh the southbound laning uh collected 2519 uh vehicles during that six six and a half day period. Uh northbound collected almost 3,100 uh vehicles that detected
per per day per day. Make sure I made that clear. Total of 5,62 vehicles per day to travel without that roadway today. Um the 85th percentile speed southbound was about 33.44 miles per
hour and the northbound speed was 35.04 miles per hour. And before anyone asked the question, what is 85th percentile? What does that mean? Why do we use it? It's a very common uh data capturing for a better word. It's a mathematical equation which I don't have in my hand.
which tends to spend better hours than I am, but it basically says that uh by using the 85th percentile, we eliminate the drivers that are going 11 miles an hour and something way over 25 miles an hour. It gives us a more accurate
picture of what people normally drive on that roadway. So drivers are more comfort are comfortable driving and are driving 85% of them at 33 and 35 miles per hour. So just acknowledge percentile speeds that are in front of all you they
are above the posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour. So that usually shows that there is a speeding issue on island road. So nine times out of 10 when we pull data on a lot of these streets that we get complaints about whether it's myrtle bro you name it we've done it. Uh the speeds
are very close to the speed limit. So speed limits say 25 or 35 on woodland. I mean woodland usually is less than 35. It's usually closer to 30, but uh when we put on forest last year, speed limit is 25 miles an hour, the 20 bit is 22 to
24. So that's what we're working with here. So usually the 80 bit is at the speed limit or just a little bit below. So we're looking at something that's a little bit higher. So that's why we're here today to try to rectify this is >> northbound is towards 17.
>> Northbound is towards Route 17. So leaving Fitz Park and you're going towards the north. >> So this speeds are actually higher >> going to the rather than off. >> Correct. >> And the number of cars are more going towards
>> um just to to continue on the average speed southbound is 26.89 miles per hour and the northbound was 30.42 miles per hour average. During since 2022 to present, uh your officers have issued 466
notes on that road. just to make sure that we are maintaining a standard nearware quite a lot of enforcement for a smaller roadway. So again, you'd see more summones this year say bad north central Darlington the highway obviously is way
more but for 466 summones to be issued on a side that's a lot of enforcement. So, we're out there. I know a couple residents not here today, but they've come up to me after all the planning board meetings and they they know that we're out there. They obviously see us
out there. They're thanking us for it. Um, so people are aware that we are writing tickets, but a lot of this, as Officer Gaming can attest to, a lot of these people aren't coming out of town that are using this real quick. Whether it's going to Main Street, cut through
to Addison to go to the interstate shopping center on the back road, but a lot of these people that come and traversing Island Road are from out of town. So, we're going to go to the next slide, which is traffic data for road. Continue. So on your little picture
there is a highlighted map of Island Road. So we pulled the data between Church Street and Route 17. So out of the 20 crashes since 2022 that have occurred on that side road, which is about normal for a small local group,
zero of those 20 crashes uh can be attributed to speeding. Three of the 20 were DWIS. freedom or distracted drivers. One being uh as one resident said, it was the white vehicle that rolled over. The elderly lady that hit the car hard car,
rolled her car. She got nervous when the automatic braking system popped up on her dashboard, panicked and hit a car. She was only doing 20 miles an hour, but she hit perfectly and rolled her vehicle. So, that's one of the distracted drivers. There's five improper turns, and that also includes
the traffic light at Route 17 and Spring Street. So people making illegal left or right turn into a vehicle at the yield sign etc. So that's including that intersection. What medical emergency someone was having a seizure? That was the pickup truck that drove into the building at 450 island. So again that's not a
speeding thing. That was a medical emergency. So a lot of people like to use that um to say that there's an issue on island. Another one that had nothing to do with speeding and it just said it was a bad timing on a medical emergency. for failure to you. Again, that's the same thing with Route 17, Spring Street,
as well as Addison and Island. It's people not observing a stop sign or uh coming to a complete stop and rolling into somebody. Two are weather related, whether it's ice, rain, snow, etc. And two were following too closely, which were at Addison, where someone comes to
a stop sign, they're too close to the vehicle, they think the car in front of them, start rolling forward, make a right or left turn, and then they hit them. Again, not a catastrophic inj uh incident. Not contributed to speed whatsoever. It was just something uh followed too closely and couldn't stop.
So again, none of this crash data shows that there is a catastrophic speeding issue or something that's out of control with the amount of volume. To have nearly 6,000 cars a day and only have 20 crashes in four years, that's a pretty good
thing, right? Next one. Um, for the traffic companies, I think we've shown through the strict, you know, crew and fair enforcement on an island that it's it's not enough to get that that 85th percentile number down, right? So, we have to we have to move to the next
phase of how do we get where we it slows travel speeds and minimizes cut through traffic. The community impact increases access for all modes of travel and enhances the Wall Street environment and reduces enforcement needs. Self-
enforcing designs can lower the cost of the police mon. So some ideas which I know lieutenant um did a lot of digging on this but there's a lot of good ideas that at least they sound good but in practice they they
shown up likewise. Uh so these are these ideas have been implemented in the surrounding towns which had mentioned a couple Redwood Franklin. So uh speed bumps they they are hard to
maintain for DPWs especially with the snow conditions that we get up here in the uh the Rocky Mountains I like to call them. They only temporary slow down the only temporary slowdown vehicle and the vehicles are observed speeding in between those speed bumps. So, uh,
they're kind of, uh, the outbound. Um, rumble strips, those are the raised grooves in the roadway that are only effective due to the noise and vibrations of the driver. Needs to create more noise in the residential areas, especially at night. Uh, more signage. Drivers don't comply with
signage because we have plenty of signage, at least what we think so far. of them and we still just elaborate on speed bumps. Uh talk to the DPW superintendent lately
is adamant that DPW does not want the speed bumps mainly for plowing purposes. So a lot of times especially with the last two big storms that we got in New Jersey where it's a foot or two feet of snow, you're not seeing that speed bump and that's going to break the plow, it's going to damage the trucks. Uh it's a maintenance issue on a lot of the
trucks. So it that's one of the big reasons for DPW not doing it. Uh one of the big things also with speed bumps is Franklin Lakes. There's one notoriously on Woodside in front of one of their schools. Uh until recently they had a huge pub on the other side of the speed
bump which was damaging a lot of cars. They've got a lot of complaints, making a lot of noise. And as their traffic sergeant has mentioned many many times is that people speed up to the speed bump, slow down to 10 miles an hour to get over it, and then they take off and do 40 again on that side. So it's
everyone's hyperfocused on the speed bump and not the surroundings around it. So especially where there's kids walking by the park at Finch Park, you don't want people to hyperfocus on the speed bump and not focus on the residents walking along the road. Uh the rumble
strips wipe off. Uh Township PD has also received a bunch of complaints. They have them on Lafayette in white. Um the rumble strips make a lot of noise especially at night. So you all hear as long as you know the vibration of the cars don't go over the speed bumps kind
of takes away from the atmosphere of the residential neighborhood. And obviously the signs of high five there's there's more than enough signs. So going on to the next page, we have some traffic calming recommendations for Island Road. One pavement markings. So
there are some pavement markings currently on Island Road. There are two, one, the 5 inch park going northbound and one coming off of the highway going southbound. We'd like to have a couple more closer to the Addison. So people get numb to it as they come off the highway. They see the flashing speed
line, but they're not looking at the roadway. So if we have another one closer to Ireland where they speed back up, we maybe have a little bit more compliance on that. And it would be the same thing going northbound. Throw another one just north of Addison in that general victory. Kind of help a
little bit. The second one would be lane narrowing. Add white fog lines to make the driver believe the roadway is narrower than it really is. Currently southbound lane coming from the highway is 13 ft wide. So honestly feels tight
as it is, we can legally minimize that lane. There's no truck driving traffic allowed over four tons. So it's not like we're pushing tractor trailers on the long side of the road here. Um we can narrow it just I would say about a foot narrow it. It brings everyone's driver's
eyes to those narrow roadways. So if you're thinking they're squeezing through in their large SUVs, but really they're not. It's the same lane, but it's a uh driver focused thing where they also hyperfocus on those lines a little bit more and slow down. Clear
one. Um parking stalls. So, I know that there's parking stalls right in front of 450 Island Road, the apartment complex. That was a measure used. Not exactly sure when they had those, but maybe quite some time quite some time. That that was a measure of creating a a
narrow roadway uh to to reduce speeds. We could, our idea was to just add them right as it bends around. I have approximate address location at 454 to 492 island. That's just when that bend starts. Uh the residents there are
already parking on their front lawn. Uh this would provide them uh a better aesthetic. They could park in the actual roadway in a marked stall, but also would uh would narrow that roadway even further. And I think it'll give them a great street view. And so if you look at
that top picture is what it currently is. That general space that officer Gilly has mentioned. Below that is a good old artificial intelligence picture that added the parking styles. It's wide enough to add parking styles. So it's not like we have to re re-engineer the
street. It is. It should help with that northbound. That's well >> you do parking spells with essentially a fog line on them. >> Correct. >> As well. Yep. >> Yeah. So, it'll completely narrow that and change that that area, especially
the northbound area section. Um there again, it didn't widen up. And what we've noticed in our years of traffic enforcement on Island Road when people get past Addison 450 Island, we get around that bend and then just I'm getting 70 or I'm going Spring Street to Franklin Turnpike. So, if we just speed
back up and get to 40 miles an hour, you know, sitting there with our radar guns and, you know, had field day, but um I don't want to be there out out there as much and neither does he. We want to focus on other streets and then I think that this would help us to
continue at least in that section. So um last but not least it's a little bit of a reiteration but um after you know our combined experience and as your uh technical experts uh for this this
event uh we humble then respectfully this is our proposed changes uh which is extend those exist existing fog lines that for the entire length of the northbound side. Add the fog lines on the southbound side. Add the additional
parking stalls. Add the slow 25 mile hours that are already in place right around that bend that is right before I think it's right before the bend. Uh just add additional ones closer to Addison. Uh and then last but not least, we'll put that additional digital speed
sign on the northbound side just like the one that's on the southbound side. Where would the um the lines come down to towards the park? How far down would you are you going to?
>> We go down Church Street. >> So you're talking about five lines. >> What the f? Yeah, I would go in at Church Street. Keep that flow going. We can probably end it at the north parking lot with Fench Park because it's already that tighter bend with the
guardrails. So you don't need them going around there. >> So basically down to >> correct. Um all these proposed changes um are fiscally responsible compared to other changes that we've seen in other
jurisdictions in this area. So uh another big one that White Halt has done in the past which hasn't really worked out too well for them is Cedar Hill going down the hill is red pavement. It's a stickier, spongier pavement, but
it cost the tune of 250 grand to do that small section of seed to help slow people down. >> It didn't work. It failed. Now there's piles in it. They have to repaint it anyway because it can't be red according to the county now. So, they have to now
change it to black. So, now they've did it twice over the course of those many years and it's still not working to the way they thought it would. But that's another thing. Another raised intersections, you could do raised walkways, but again, you're looking at 50 to 100 grand to do a raised
crosswalk. Say whether it's bricks, cobblestone, etc., or even just more asphalt, it still cost a ton of money to add these things where the painted line should be more than enough to help slow everything down. >> And that's our anybody has questions here.
>> Yeah, please. Any questions, folks? You said you saw you see them after they pass Addison going out to the highway speed. >> Yes. >> But you're talking about putting the speed sign prior to Addison. >> Yes. >> There's an existing one.
>> So there's one existing going south coming off the highway. >> Right. >> So we want to put one on the straightaway before Addison. >> The pro the reasoning is if we put it beyond Addison, you have all the street parking at 450 island. It's not going to capture anything, which we've had issues
with our portable signs. So, you have all the street parking there. When you're on a bend, it won't capture very well. >> Yeah. >> And then when you're north of that, as officer Billy said, residents are already parking half on the road, half on the sidewalk. >> There's not going to be any room for that sign. It's going to be blocked by those cars, too. So, you're going to be
nice, >> right? >> Decent penny into one of these. You want to work. >> How far up will the parking stalls be going up north? It would go up to 492 I believe they had it written down right approximate 492
454 to 492 so just after that B so there's there's parking stalls in front of 450 you have that second 454 so you have the second entry parking lot that they have that auxiliary parking lot 450 park ones just past that is the beginning of the end so we would start
that again at that st there's no reason to put a car >> right park there anyway. But at least we have Mark's stalls. It'll look more appealing to the eyes as well versus people park it on half on the sidewalk, half on the wall. >> Does that essentially go to the end of that row of houses there?
>> It will go basically two >> Yeah. It's just that two houses shy of that street over because if you put them too close then they get slowed down over again to go onto that. >> Okay. You have two digital signs there now, correct? I think I saw >> we have portable ones.
>> Okay. The portable. >> Yes. Yeah, we have portable two portable digital signs, but we have one permanent one that's hardwired in. We can use one that's similar to the air mount signs that we have that are using solar. So, we have two signs on air mount that are permanent using solar power instead of
having to run wires and electricity below it and get approval. You can use solar panels. Those work just fine, especially if we're south of Addison. There's plenty of there. We don't have to worry about cutting trees or anything like that like we had do there. Any other questions?
So, I really want to thank the public safety committee lieutenant and patrol officer. And I I just like to to I think it's the recommendation of the public safety committee to go ahead with these five proposed changes that are in the
the presentation. I'm seeing some nods. Do I need to make a roll call on this? Adam >> council Mr. Gerson has a question. >> So So the >> the solar signs, do you actually get tickets? >> No, you can't be in New Jersey. We
cannot. So you can't do speeding enforcement or turn enforcement in the state of New Jersey anymore. >> They had a pilot program for uh stop lights and intersections for about five years. They deemed it unconstitutional in the state of New Jersey where other
states are still using it. uh our border state New York and PA both using speed cameras but New Jersey it's not a lot easier. We get we still think those cameras came. Yeah. They think the sensors on the camera on the traffic lights on cameras. They're not. But it
works on our cameras sometimes where people stop because um the speed signs do have the capability of taking pictures which we do get. Um if someone hits them by accident, you have the headscapers nudge them with the weed whackers by accident. Excessive speeds uh that we do get
pictures of vehicles. Again, we can't act one% but I can call you and be like council you were doing 92 on air. >> Maybe slow down. >> Um is there any need to check in with
our burrow engineer on these items? >> Uh we we certainly can u me yes bring I'll send him a copy of this. >> Thank you. Thank you. So, what what I'd like to do now, since there are no other questions, is to um make a motion,
please, to uh approve the the proposed changes as outlined in the Ramsey Police Department presentation, traffic calming, principles, and techniques for Island Road. Um on the second to last page of the presentation, please someone
make a motion. >> You just made a motion. >> I made the motion. Thank you. I make I making a motion. May I please have a second? >> A second. >> Thank you. Roll call, please. >> Councilwoman Cusk, >> yes. >> Councilman Gerson, >> yes. >> Councilman Gutwer, >> yes.
>> Councilman Kilman, >> yes. >> Councilman Papo, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Poppy, >> yes. >> Gentlemen, thank you. Thank you so much for the presentation of your time. Appreciate it. Thanks for the study. >> Thanks. Take care.
>> Mike, where were your traffic counts? >> Where were the traffic counts taken? northbound. >> Northbound was just south of that. >> So that's the speed limit. >> So it >> anybody who was just going to like
interstate would be in that count but not necessarily in the drag where you thought they were speeding. >> Yeah. Because we can't put the signs. We've done the past but >> it's still crazy that before Addison there's that much speed too, >> right? because >> which is probably why they're that's
higher too because you have all the people go around to the inter >> higher than southbound. >> Yeah, it's a it's a little hot but yeah. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I wish we could record better on the other end but this year >> understood. >> All right. Thank you so much. Appreciate
>> May I please make a motion uh get a motion? May I please get a motion from someone to go back into order? Yes. I make a motion to go back into regular order. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Going back to our agenda for all in favor, please.
>> I >> Okay. Um the advertised public hearing for final consideration of ordinances. Our f first ordinance is an ordinance amending the code of the Burough Ramsey, Burton County, New Jersey, and more specifically chapter 17 thereof so as to
establish section 17-6 entitled lead water service line replacement having been brought up for public hearing and all persons interested having been given an opportunity to be heard pass final reading by title and that said ordinance be adopted as an ordinance of the
Burough Ramsey and be it further resolved that the burough Clerk B, and she hereby is directed to cause a copy of the title of said ordinance to be published in an official newspaper of the burrow in the manner provided by law together with a notice of the date of
introduction and adoption of said ordinance. >> I'll second it. >> Thank you, Councilman Wedder. Um, I'd like to open this uh ordinance u for final um for public commentaring for a public hearing. Thank you.
Having seen no one approach the um podium, um would anybody on the phone like to comment on ordinance 08-2026? Having heard no one on the telephone, I will ask the burough clerk. >> Uh I would ask um
>> Thank you, Peter. Um I would ask if there's any comments or questions from the council on this particular ordinance. >> Do you want Mr. Ros to comment on it? >> I can actually comment on this one, Madam Mayor. Um, this one is an extension to our lead service line
replacement in incentive timing until December 31st, 2026 for property owners who have been noticed that they have either a galvanized or a lead service line. Um, this is intended to encourage a proactive lead service line
replacement. Um the um there would be a $750 rebate from the BPW for replacing the customerowned portion from the curb box to the house. Previously, the deadline to apply was the later of 180 days from the property owner receiving
notice of the lead service line or 270 days of the ordinance's adoption, which was September 10th in 2025 when we had this. So um the rebate opportunity would have expired in June of this year. This amendment extends the deadline to the
end of this calendar year or 80 days from when the property owner is first notified of the lead service line. All other section of the ordinance are as is questions. Thank you. Miss Bendy, may I please have a roll
call? >> Sure. Councilwoman Cusk. >> Yes. >> Councilman Gerson. >> Yes. Councilman Gutweather, >> yes. >> Councilman Kilman, >> yes. >> Councilman Papo, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Poppy, >> yes. >> Thank you. Um, ordinance 09-2026, please.
>> Yep. Final ordinance uh number 092026 an ordinance amending chapter 7 of the code of the burough Ramsey Bergen County New Jersey and more particularly section 7-32 thereof entitled midblock crosswalks have been brought up for
public hearing and all persons interested having been given an opportunity to be heard pass final reading by title and that said ordinance be adopted as an ordinance of the burrow of Ramsey and Be it further resolved
that the burrow clerk be and she hereby is directed to cause a copy of the title of said ordinance to be published in an official newspaper of the burrow in the manner provided by law together with the notice of the date of the introduction and adoption of said ordinance.
>> Thank you very much. Um I'd like to >> Oh yes, please. May I please have a second? >> I'll second. >> Thank you, councilwoman. Um, I'd like to open this ordinance up for public hearing. >> So, just a comment that I would bring up. So, ordinance 920. Oh, I'm sorry.
>> May I please open it up for public? >> Oh, public. >> Thank you very much, Councilman. >> Good evening. Uh, Chance Parker, Brandy, New Jersey. Uh, I was just looking for perhaps uh the councilman's, uh, summary of this
ordinance, please. >> Okay. Um, Councilman Papa, can you please provide the summary? >> So, the ordinance 092026 amends section 7-32 of the midblock crosswalk of Main Street. Ordinance 23-2025
created a new midblock crosswalk on Main Street across from the high school by Veterans Park. Main Street is a county road and in the county review of its ordinance, they asked that the burrow slightly modify the distances in the ordinances of where the crosswalk would
be located. This is the only change in this amendment ordinance and required to comply with the county. >> Great. Thank you for that. Yeah, I fully support this ordinance. Of course, uh my work on the uh environmental commission, the green team is orientated around a
lot of uh pedestrian safety, um crosswalks, uh bike trails, uh equitable access for all modes of transportation in around the burough. Um I'm in the process of developing a a map to identify different areas. Unfortunately,
I missed the the traffic presentation for Island Road. Um I'm not sure if it was brought up, but I would suggest or um propose that we actually go to a 25 mph burrowwide speed limit. Um that would, you know, kind of address a lot
of issues uh that the community has has raised legitimately about traffic speeds and uh pedestrian safety. Um if they can do it in New York City, we can certainly do it in Ramsey, um Boston, Washington DC, um major metropolitan areas as well
as uh smaller cities and and towns and burrows all across the country are moving in this direction. Um I think there's also uh just in addition to you know midblock crosswalks on this particular um application I think
there's uh areas that we should probably look at in in general right so fully support uh increasing pedestrian access uh to safely um you know trans transport uh across the bus busy busy
throw affairs busy roads uh from uh you know key key in points of interest, schools, uh, um, towns, uh, the the community center, right? There's a lot of signage issues that we're working with. So, um, in in general, I'm in support of this and, uh, thank you for
your your time and attention to it. >> Thank you, Mr. Parker. Appreciate it. Um, any other comments from the council, please? >> Thank you. I'd like to close this public hearing andbody on the phone. Um, thank
you, Madam Mayor. Is there anybody on the telephone that would like to comment on zero ordinance 09-2026? >> Not hearing any. I would like a roll call, please. And thank you very much, Miss Mag. >> Councilwoman Cusk, >> yes. >> Councilman Gerson, >> yes. >> Councilman Gutwer, >> yes.
>> Councilman Kilman, >> yes. >> Councilman Papoa, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Poppy, >> yes. >> Thank you very much. Final ordinance for this evening, ordinance 10-2026, please. >> Thank you, council president. An ordinance amending chapter 7 of the
revised general ordinances of the bureau of Ramsey, Bergen County, New Jersey, and more specifically section 7-14 thereof titled parking prohibited during certain hours on certain streets. Having been brought up for public hearing and all persons interested, having been
given an opportunity to be heard, pass final reading by title, and that said ordinance be adopted as an ordinance of the Burough of Branson. And be it further resolved that the burough clerk be and she hereby is directed to cause a copy of the title of said ordinance to
be published in an official newspaper of the bureau in the manner provided by law, together with a notice of the date of introduction and adoption of said ordinance. I second that. >> Thank you very much, gentlemen. Thank you. I'd like to open ordinance 10-2026,
please, to public hearing. Not seeing anybody approach the podium. I'd like to ask if there is anybody on the phone who would like to comment on ordinance 10-2026, please. Second call 10-2026. Third and final for the telephone. Thank
you very much. Uh any comments please regarding ordinance 10-2026 from the council? >> Yes, council president. This ordinance clarifies the current code that there is no overnight parking at all on the streets in the burough seven days a week
other than on federal holidays. The previous language in the code created some confusion in its interpretation and this amendment will clear that up and make it easier for residents to understand for compliance and police enforcement if needed.
>> Thank you very much. Any other comments please from members of the council on ordinance 10-206. I would say this is meant to address the issues parking issues on air march that um were commented on during February and
March. Yes, madam before send another. Thank you very much. Yes, I appreciate that, Madam Mayor. Okay, I would like to um close the public hearing for ordinance 10-2026. And Miss Bendy, may I please get a roll
call? >> Councilwoman Cusk. Yes. >> Councilman Gerson, >> yes. Councilman Gutweeter, >> yes. >> Councilman Kilman, >> yes. >> Councilman Papo, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Poppy, >> yes. >> Thank you very much. There are no appointments for tonight.
>> Consent resolutions, please. >> Uh, thank you, Council President. Uh, Kus, uh, be it resolved that resolution 086 2026 through and including 091 2026 having been considered by the governing body of the Burough of Ram DB and are
hereby passed and approved. There are no special permit request. The block party request is on uh the ticket for tonight. Popular street is requesting permission to hold a block party on April 3rd, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30.
>> Um noun what that means in the past. Somebody could tell me >> already. >> That was very in Spanish. That's all I know. My gosh. I'll second that. >> Thank you very much. May I please have a roll call? >> Councilwoman Cusk. Yes. And
>> Councilman Gerson, >> yes. >> Councilman Gutwer, >> yes. >> Councilman Kilman, >> yes. >> Councilman Papo, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Poppy, >> yes. >> Great. If you're following on the agenda, we've already had our special presentation for the traffic unit uh from our Ramsey Police traffic unit on
the Island Road traffic study. Um, can we please go to committee in liaison reports? Finance and administration Councilman Michael Gutw. Thank you. >> Shall I pass the phone down to you? >> You know, if you want have something for you.
>> Yeah. Unplug it. >> My report for this evening, the friends, this is on the library board. Uh the friends of the Ramsey Library spring use book and jewelry fair taking place next week from Wednesday 15th to Sunday the 19th. Uh the friends of the Ramsey
Library sponsor the library museum pass program, Sunday afternoon concert series and summer reading program. Uh the library will be running a glow-in-the-dark egg hunt. Interested families can register for a time slot on the library website. There are 200
participants expected for this event. Uh on April 24th, the library is hosting members of the Ramsey High School robotics team. They'll give an introduction to engineering at collectives and clubs or offet school provide a and provide a robotics demonstration. Residents can check the
library's website for spring programming. Uh recreation commission registration for spring sports available on the recreation website. Uh there are links for the various sports. Summer day camp at Finch Park registration for campers and employment is open and
spring men's and women's adult softball registration and play begins this month. The farmers market is open from 10 to 1 to the end of this month in May. The hours change from 9 to 2. The touch the trucks event uh will be scheduled for
April 26th sponsored by Ramsey Juniors. And on May 3rd, the Ramsey area garden club plant sale at the Masonic Lodge uh will take place sponsored by the Ramsey Women's Club. That's my report for this evening. >> Thank you, Councilman Weather. Will you pass the phone down to the station?
>> Thank you. Public safety Councilman Peter Kelman. >> Thank you, Council President. Um, first off, the board of health will be meeting tomorrow um at 8:00 p.m. So, once we have that meeting, I'll report on anything of interest to our community.
Also, tomorrow um at 11:00 a.m. the senior trustees uh the senior center trustees will be meeting and that's open to all seniors uh who would like to attend. There is an event that I want to point out on April 16th at 100 p.m. the
Ramsey Police Department will do a presentation on fraud and scams. I highly recommend that presentation to anyone who is interested because there's plenty of it going around. Um, and regarding our newest emergency
services complex in February, Neta Architects and the Ramsey Emergency Services Building Committee presented an overview of the project design. At this time, the design is nearing completion. Members of the burough's emergency services building committee have worked
hard to develop a highly functional state-of-the-art complex while keeping the costs within real realistic parameters. Our new emergency services complex is intended to serve our community for many years to come. Once completed, reviewed, and approved by the
mayor and council, we expect to go out for bid sometime in the second quarter of 2026. We will also showcase the new emergency services building drawings at a future mayor and council meeting to be determined. And that is my report for this evening. President,
>> thank you very much. Councilman, >> building planning and zoning. Councilman Chris Croone, please. >> Thank you, Council President. Um, I do not have anything to report on the design review board this month. Our
meeting is not until April 28th and I also do not have anything to report on the zoning board as our meeting is not until April 15th next week. So, um that concludes my report. >> Thank you very much. Thank you.
>> Utilities, buildings, and grounds. Councilwoman Judy Cusk. Uh, I thank our Ramsey Police Department and the public safety committee chaired by Council McKilman for their follow through the island road traffic safety um presentation this evening and also for
ordinance 1021 regarding the overnight parking. Thank you. My report will update regarding our planning board commission and the board of public works. The Ramsey planning board the next plan the planning board met on the 7th of April last night. The next
meeting is April 21st, 2026, but I believe that that has been cancelled. There's no April 21st. >> Thank you. So, that meeting has been cancelled. The next meeting will be the first Tuesday in May. At the meeting yesterday, there was one public hearing for the Openite Cable Company and the
project to build a laboratory building was approved. The no knock registry. The bureau maintains a no knockoff registry that allows residents to opt out of door-to-door commercial solicitation. Addresses on this list may not be approached by licensed commercial
solicitors. It covers commercial and door-to-door solicitation by licensed businesses. It does not cover nonprofit groups, charities, religious organizations, or political organizations. Enroll by visiting the Burough website and complete the online
application. You can search no knock list. Our Shay tree commission last met on the 19th of March. However, there was no forum, so the meeting was cancelled. The next meeting is confirmed to be now, the 23rd of April, which is a date change. Ramsey has been a tree city for
30 years now. Spring planting preparation and start of spring planting is ongoing. For the board of public works, it last met on the 16th of March. The next meeting is 20th of April. The BPW continues planning and implementing measures to comply with NJDP's lead
service line replacement mandate requiring all lead service lines in the water systems be replaced by 2031. The bureau will cover the cost of replacing the portion of the water service line it owns while property owners are responsible for the portion they own.
And we talked about ordinance 08 2026 this evening. And finally, hydrant flushing. The Ramsey Public Works is conducting fire hydrant flushing which started this week and will d have a duration through the end of this month. Please check the burough website for
details and dates. That's my report for this evening. Now I would like to ask Councilwoman Sarah Poppy for public and governmental relations. Wait till I pass the phone, please. >> Thank you, Council President Cus.
Okay. Um, the Ramsay Municipal Pool has opened their early bird registration. Residents are encouraged to register early. Early registration is open until May 1st, and
you will save $100 on your registration if you register by May 1st. Um they will be meeting again next Wednesday um April 15th at 7:30 p.m. at Burough Hall. Uh
we are currently planning America's 250th birthday celebration. We have a committee formed of local organizations and uh we have a great weekend of events in process. So stay tuned for
communications on um what those are and the timing of those as we get a little closer. Thank you. That concludes my report. Thank you very much, Councilwoman Poppy. Health, Education, and Social Services.
Councilman Glenn Pop. >> Thank you, Council President Cusk. Uh I will begin with Reich. Uh just two updates. Uh opening day softball will be April 18th, 3 p.m. Finch Park Field 1.
Uh and two, the spring fling dance is which is May 1st at 7 p.m. at St. Paul's Cafeteria. So exciting events for Wright that are coming up for those two events. Uh environmental commission. So Ramsey Cleanup Day 4:18, that's at 9:00 a.m. So
if you can volunteer and help uh keep the great town clean, that would be great. Uh the EV car show is the following day, Sunday 4:19. Uh and the plastic uh toy collection is also the 19th and that's at the farmers
market. The next meeting for environmental is April 14th. Uh for Ramsey Municipal Alliance, uh just a reminder, Ramfest uh event is on Friday, May 1st at Ramsey High School on the front lawn and the board of ed the next
meeting is on 428. So that concludes my report tonight. >> Thank you very much, Councilman. >> Madame Mayor Dylan, please. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. As uh council Poplo mentioned, the Ramfest, which start
means Ramsay agrees mental health matters festival is on May 1st and um a lot of people are working on it. So, we hope it's a successful event and that the weather cooperates because it's on the front lawn. So, there we go. Um, like to thank the public safety
committee and officer uh Lieutenant Konico and officer Gilly for the presentation regarding trafficcoming solutions for Island Road. Um, the ideas seem very doable and cost-effective, so I'm glad that they're going to move forward with them. Um, I also want to
say thank you to Councilwoman Poppy, Burough Clerk Vendian, and Deputy Burough Clerk Sylvester for the Ramsy Journal. Another successful issue. So, thank you. Appreciate it. I got Mike today. >> Thank you very much. Um, and regarding Okanite, I just, you know, their
headquarters is in Ramsey, right up off the hilltop. And Okanite is a employeeowned company that makes cables for the electric industry. And this is like Rockland Electric public service. You're not going to find them at Home Depot. >> Industrial. >> Yeah, they make real big industrial. And
it's really, I think, looks very well upon Ramsay that Okono Knight wants to move its lab and testing facility from Patterson into Ramsey and construct a multi multi-million dollar building to to house this new facility.
So last night, we were so thankful. It was a long hearing. You know, we didn't finish until 9:30 last night, but it was so worth it. And everybody I felt on the planning board was so happy that it passed unanimously and excited that Okanite is investing in Ramsey. >> So, and they're like, you know, they
look 50 years ahead and so they're really investing with us. So, very happy. >> Where will that be? >> Up on Hilltop. It's right. It's going to be right adjacent to their existing headquarters. >> Incredible. Yeah, you can find information on them on on the web, but it was fascinating. It's a fascinating
read and what a great it was a wonderful presentation. Thank you. >> Thank you. So anyway, and also thank you to Mike McMahon. Last night was his first night on the planning board, his first hearing. I'm like, okay, it was a good one. There was a lot of expert testimony last
night. Um so anyway, that's all I have to have a good night. >> Thank you, Madame Mayor. For administrator Jose Oh, sorry, Bruce. That's okay. >> Uh thank you, Council President. I'll just comment uh one of the resolutions
number 91 on the agenda. Uh we currently belong to the Burden County Utility Authorities Waste Cooperative Marketing Program. There was a two-year contract expires at the end of May. Uh Burton County Utility Authorities extended their contract with waste management for
one more year through May 31st of 2027. So we're extending our participation in the program for another year co- terminus with the expiration of their agreement with waste management and pricing for the one-year extension be a
couple dollars per ton more than the prior two-year agreement but under a about a 4% increase. Um an or we have an ordinance on for introduction tonight. Ordinance 11 of
2026. This bond ordinance addresses capital need capital improvements in four different areas. It provides supplemental funding for the resurfacing and new lighting for the pickle ball and basketball courts at Finch Park for
320,000. This ordinance provides supplemental funding for the project upgrades on the Finch Park pickle ball and basketball courts with the removal of the court surface and full resurfacing of all the courts. Subsequent to the original design and funding, the burrow has added
two additional pickle ball courts to the project uh which also extends the lighting aspect of the project. And in addition, after reviewing the options of asphalt courts versus post-tension concrete, the recommendations of the engineer and the contractors in this
field was to go with the post-tension concrete for better long-term value and durability of the playing surface, which and it includes a 50-year warranty on cracking, which is certainly a lot longer than asphalt would be. Over the last few years, uh, the burrow has
sought out and received three different grants for this project work, which cumulatively total 312,775, which will reduce the burrow's net cost of the project. Second aspect of this ordinance is resurfacing of Shadyside Road, uh,
allocated 515,000. The burrow will be resurfacing Shady Side Road later this year. The burrow had over the last two years applied for and received two different municipal aid grants from the state totaling $427,528. These grants are reimbursements to the
burrow after project completion will cover over 80% of the project cost for shady side. Uh the next aspect is safety improvements in the vicinity of Tisdale school around three estimated project 335,000.
This project will consist of sidewalk and curb replacements in the area of Tisdale School along with some pedestrian crossing signals. The burrow again on this project sought out, applied for and received grant funding in the amount of $250,000. The grant again will reimburse the
burrow upon project completion and again will cover about 75% of the project cost. Uh the fourth component is our annual 2026 road resurfacing. The ordinance provides 290,000 for that. That will be partial funding. Uh we have
some uh leftover funds in some of our road resurfacing ordinance previous. So our total uh will be more than the 290,000 for the streets this year probably in the 400 to 450
uh range. Um and that's for roads not in addition to Shady Side Road. Um the only other thing I would mention uh is the municipal budget timeline we had at the last meeting March 25th. Done the budget presentation and introduction
of the budget. Both of the the budget presentation document and the municipal budget are posted on the burough website. April 22nd is the uh is advertised. It will be the public hearing on the budget and the vote on the adoption of the 2026 budget. And I
would also mention the burrow is continuing also to do its annual budget brochure uh which has been completed is at the printers and will be mailed out in advance of the April 22nd meeting. And that would conclude my comments.
>> Thank you very much Mr. Bose. >> For our attorney >> Thank you for our clerk. >> Nothing. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Introduction of ordinances, please. >> Yes, sir. >> Thank you, uh, Council President Cusk.
This is the introduction of ordinance uh 11 2026. dispute resolved an ordinance entitled by an ordinance to authorize the making of various public improvements in and by and for the burough of Ramsey in the sum of in the county of Bergen State of New Jersey to
appropriate the sum of $1,460,000 to pay the cost thereof to make a down payment to authorize issuance of bonds and finance such appropriations and provide the issuance of bondicipation notes in anticipation of the issuance of such bonds pass the first reading by title and that third ordinance be
further considered for patent Final pass and adoption at a regular meeting of the mayor and council to be held on the 22nd day of April 2026 7 p.m. prevailing time or as soon after as the matter can be reached at the municipal building in said burrow and be further resolved that burdened
to publish an official newspaper of the burrow in the manner provided by law a copy of said ordinance together with notice of the introduction thereof and notice when the same will be considered for final passage and adoption. >> I'll second that.
Thank you very much. >> This is a roll call. Thank you, Mayor. >> I would just if I could just make one more I would just say that um >> I did in my comments about it I didn't >> total up the cumulative which I had done and I forgot to mention cumulatively we
have grants of approximately $990,000 for the projects that in this grant that um will offset the cost. So they pointed a pretty significant amount when you look through very significant. Thank you. >> Thank you very much for that. Thank you.
>> Um ordinance 11-2026. May I please have a roll call? >> Councilwoman Cusk, >> yes. >> Councilman Gerson, >> yes. >> Councilman Gutwer, >> yes. >> Councilman Kilman, >> yes. >> Councilman Papo, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Pap, >> yes. >> Thank you very much, council members. Is
there any unfinished business for this evening? Any new business? I'm not sure if Mr. Councilman Gutwer mentioned it, but April 18th is also the RBSA baseball softball parade um at 9:00
a.m. So, it will be a very busy day in Ramsey on Saturday the 18th. We hope for good weather. May I please have a motion to adjurnn? >> I'll make that motion. A second. >> Thank you very much, gentlemen. All in favor?
>> All in favor? >> I knocked a journ. Thank you very much. five out the whole meeting and then