Good evening. This meeting is being held in accordance with the open public meetings act. Adequate notice of this meeting has been published in the bureau's official newspapers and posted in the municipal building and on the bureau's website as permitted by the open public meetings act. This meeting is being held in person and broadcast online via Zoom
video meetings. The option to attend via Zoom is a courtesy. If Zoom becomes unavailable and cannot be fixed, the council meeting will continue in person only. For those joining us via Zoom, please raise your hand during designated times to be recognized for a comment. Whether you appearing in person or via Zoom, you must provide your name to be
recognized. Please rise for the pledge of >> allegiance. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Roll call, please. Mary. >> Council member Bonitakis, >> here. >> Council member Facy Blackwood,
>> here. >> Council member Forest, >> present. >> Council member Jano, >> here. Council member Euro >> here. >> Deputy Mayor Tuganiano >> here. >> And Mayor Portman >> I am here. We have a proclamation just one this week this month this
meeting and this is for disability pride month. Whereas the Burough of Redbank is committed to fostering a community where every resident is valued, respected and affords equal opportunities to participate fully in civic, social, educational, cultural and economic life. And whereas Disability Pride Month is
observed each July to commemorate the passage of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which affirm the civil rights of individuals with disabilities and establish protections against discrimination in and in employment, public services, transportation, telecommunications, and
public accommodations. And whereas the 2026 disability pride month theme, the world works better with us, recognizes that communities thrive when people with disabilities are included, respected, supported, and empowered to contribute their unique talents, experiences, and perspectives.
And whereas disability is a natural and valuable part of human diversity and disability pride month encourages all people to recognize the strength, resilience, leadership, and achievements of individuals with disabilities while promoting dignity, independence, accessibility, and equal opportunity.
And whereas innovations inspired by accessibility, including curb cuts, closed captioning, audiobooks, screen readers, voicetoext technology, and inclusive design, have improved the quality of life for people of all abilities, demonstrating that accessibility benefits everyone.
And whereas disability pride month also serves as an opportunity to challenge stereotypes, eliminate barriers, confront abbleism, and advance a culture of belonging where every individual is welcomed, heard, and respected regardless of ability. And whereas the Burough Redbank recognizes and
celebrates the many residents, families, caregivers, advocates, educators, health professionals, employers, and community organizations whose dedication helps create a more inclusive and accessible community for all. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that I, William Portman, mayor of the Burough Redbank, together
with the Redbank Burough Council, to hereby proclaim July 2026 as disability pride month in the Burrow of Redbank. We had further proclaimed that we encourage all residents to embrace this year's theme, the world works better with us by recognizing the invaluable contributions of people with disabilities, promoting
accessibility and inclusion throughout our community, and working together to ensure that Redbank remains a welcoming place where everybody has the opportunity to live, work, learn, and thrive. Barbara, you want to come accept this, Barb?
Yes. Barb is the um VP of acting VP of the Ark of Mammoth board of directors. >> Now she's acting as of I learned tonight. Thank you very much. Um, I knew that this would be a welcoming thing from you
because this is what you do. You welcome all people into this town and it has been that way my entire life. And as you know, we have lived here my entire life. Um but it is it is necessary it is it's necessary for all of us to
understand and right now if you dig deep into the annals of the newspapers and their TV shows you will see that the government is really doing a job on taking money away from these organizations like ARC and other
organizations not the federal government. Um, so if you have the time, you have the energy, look up something and write a letter. Just drop a note to U. Mr. Palone or Corey Booker or whoever
you want to write. It would be very helpful. And that goes for all the audience too. We need all your support. Thank you. >> Thank you, Barbara. >> Joanna, please. >> Okay. Hey, can I open the floor for public comment on agenda items only or can I have a
>> Thank the motion. >> Thank you. A motion. There we go. Can I have a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Anyone have any comments for agenda items only? Steve asked me some before the meeting, so I guess we're you're covered, Steve. All right. Good. Uh,
anyone online, Jim? Can I have a motion to close the public comment on agenda items only? >> So moved. >> Can I have a second? >> Second. All in favor? >> I >> um can I have a motion to approve the regular meeting minutes from June 25th, 2026? >> So move.
>> I have a second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. A couple of ordinances or maybe just one. >> Um this is the first reading of ordinance 202622-22 entitled an ordinance amending chapter 530 rent control of the bureau's revised
general ordinances to update and clarify the bureau's rent control regulations. Can I have a motion to approve this ordinance on introduction? >> So moved. >> I have a second. >> Second. >> All in fa Oh, a roll call, please. >> I was on a roll. >> Council member Bonitakis,
>> yes. >> Council member Facy Blackwood, >> yes. >> Council member Forest, >> yes. >> Council member Jon, >> yes. >> Council member Yuro, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Trianiano, >> yes. >> And Mayor Portman, >> yes. Uh, public hearing for this motion will be held on 72326.
Um res can we approve everyone any everyone okay with approving resolutions 26138 through 25149 under the consent agenda 2 26 149 I think yeah it says 149
oh 26 I think I said 26 but that's all right um everyone good >> no objections >> I have a motion to approve resolutions 26-138 through 26-149 under the consent agenda. >> So moved. >> Can I have a second? Roll call, please.
>> Council member Bonitakis, >> yes. >> Council member Facy Blackwood, >> yes. >> Council member Forest, >> yes. >> Council member Janome, >> yes. >> Council member Euro, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Trigiano, >> yes. >> And Mayor Portman, >> yes. >> Uh, just to let everyone know, we have a
summer solstice festival at Riverside Gardens Park on July 18th from 10 to 6:30. The rain date is July 25th and the annual community picnic softball event which is the the lunch break event. Correct. Yeah. That'll be at Camp Basy
Fields on Saturday, August 15th from 7 to 7:00 a.m. to 400 pm. Uh can I have a motion to open the floor for public comment? >> So moved. >> Have a second. Second. >> All right. All in favor? >> Anything on anyone's mind? Jim, anyone?
All right. Can I have a motion to close the public comment? I have a second. >> Second. >> All in favor? Christina, what do you got? >> Thank you, mayor. Um, I'll be I'll be brief this evening, but
I just wanted to thank the uh the council for introducing the uh rent control update ordinance. um the rent control in our town closer uh rent control in our town and what that gives our town is really near and
dear to my heart. So um making updates here I I take very seriously. Um and this ordinance came at the recommendation of the rent control board and their attorney from the experiences that they've had over many years uh actually uh enforcing this and as well
in other towns what we're seeing. Um so that's going to include uh modernizing the definitions here of the the tenants who are included in these protections uh as well as clarifying our relationship to some of the state ordinances like what's exempt, what's not, and what's
necessary to get an exemption. And uh also um the most recent update was an inclusion um of enforcability around harassment against tenants uh and giving our board uh explicit purview in those situations which are very commonly
comingled uh with the other rent control issues that they um they are forwarded. So I think this is going to really help strengthen overall our position here and our protection for tenants. So thank you. >> Thank you Ben. Thank you, mayor. Uh, not too much for
me tonight either. I feel like a ton has happened since our last meeting. Um, the Marine Park opening was surreal. Uh, I know everyone here was there obviously. It was amazing. Um, being new on the council and not really
part of the full process. I just want to thank the council me existing council members again and yourself for uh, pushing that forward. It's ultra important for our community in the future. um particularly deputy mayor and her vision and not straying from the
vision and then uh burough manager Gent for facilitating that vision. Um so great work all around. It's an amazing asset for the community and visitors alike. Um I've been down there basically daily with my kids since it opened. It's been packed every time. I think I've
noticed it's cleanliness has been up very well by the DPW guys. Um, so great work there. And it makes me increasingly embarrassed at the uh current public works facility. So I can't wait for that project to be the next one to uh
>> get knocked off the block. But um great stuff all around. Then we had the watch party on the first for the US game. That crowd was awesome on Broadwalk. Amazing night. And then the 250 celebration. We had a nice crowd for that too given the extreme heat. So, downtown continues to
uh rock and looking forward to the rest of the summer. Thank you. >> Thank you, Ben. Nancy, >> um I'm looking forward to working with Ben the Younger on the DPU project as it will as we go through our next phases.
So, um I think that that's awesome. Uh the environmental commission does not have much to report except that there are there's a survey for plastic free July which is this month and we're encouraging all our residents to take a pledge doesn't require much from you but
it creates consciousness about how you use plastics. uh that uh survey is located uh the pledge rather is located on the Redbank Environmental Commission Facebook page and um I know members of the EC are reaching out to all their
friends and family to get people to sign up. It doesn't take much and um we hope that we do get everyone sign up. It's also one of our challenges with sustainable Jersey and as you know um in past experiences with sustainable Jersey, the more actions we do and um we
reach our certification level, it helps um make Redbank look more favorably when we're coming for grants. I hope everybody had a good fourth and um thank you for everything you do here, the members of the council as well as our public for enjoying what our town has to
offer. Thank you. Ben. >> Um, let's see. I I think that um kind of building on what the other Ben was saying on our events, I'm also amazed by how hard our staff and volunteers work at these
events. I mean, there were a lot of volunteers out there at our at those events, staffing tables, being firefighters, doing safety stuff. doing education stuff, you know, it's
just amazing. It was I mean, I almost didn't go to the July 2nd event because it was just so hot and the doc doesn't want me to go out when it's over 90 degrees, but figured the as a Red Bank Councilman, I can't miss the 250th anniversary party. >> And you were dressed like an angel. >> Well, that's right. I was wearing I was wearing those what are those those
things from Amazon? Those cool >> linens. >> Linens. Yeah, they do work. Um, so that was fun. uh an amazing event to the congratulations to our whole staff and um I'm glad I did go. I I
thought it was also particularly impressive how that band performed and there was a bunch of young whippers snappers in that band. You may have noticed a lot of people like me and older and they were they were playing their hearts out over there, that big band. Um wow. You know, it was a wow
event. Uh all of them were really the watch party was. Um, but it is amazing our hardworking volunteers and staff pulling that off. I mean, the safe thing would have been for Mr. Gant to cancel it probably like a lot of places canceled a lot of events, but I think it
cooled off, became nicer. I wasn't there during the the pie eating contest and a few things that were early. It was a little too too ovenlike for me to get there then, but so um that was amazing. Um, let's see. Uh,
I just wanted to remark too that uh I did join on Drewbury Avenue this morning when we had uh uh some of our local youth organize a I guess protest in a march. I didn't participate in the march, but I was there on Trusbury Avenue with some other council members
um expressing concern about having ICE in our community, masked men mostly that I can see going around grabbing people. And I know there's fearmongering that, oh, they're going after criminals. As far as I can tell, they're going after dishwashers and
people on bikes. People who work in Redbank work hard to keep Red Bank going forward. I know there's some businesses have been impacted and families are being impacted and you know really is a question of conscience you know
this is happening in my neighborhood people are being traumatized and living in fear literally a place was I think it was Monday when it started was it Monday morning and it was like a ghost town on the west side businesses were closed it's really quite disturbing
um so I was proud to stand there today with I wish I could have stayed longer. Um, it was amazing to see, you know, our young citizens stand up, you know, publicly and do what
they need to do to fight for their parents, to fight for their loved ones. So, uh, Yahoo, some of them went to school with my kids. Let's see. Um, I think that covers it to me for me. I
did attend a funeral today of a Redneck resident, Lynn Aelina, who was a prominent uh local journalist and client of mine and she lived over on Wall Street and nice crowd there of Redbank residents. Anyway, thank you so much,
Mr. Mayor. >> Thank you, Laura. >> Hi. So, I'll start with Mayor's Wellness. Um you on the agenda you saw that lunch break is having their picnic. Um so we'll be there and that's really what we're working on. But today I met
with Nancy and Shauna and Asiana and Fatima because we're working on the s putting um the wellness into the sustainability New Jersey sustainability. So we had a big meeting on that today and we'll be working on those goals for sustainable New Jersey.
Um, we also, uh, the library. I talked to C. Oh, your, um, environmental survey that you talked about, Nancy. Not only did you bring flyers to the library, it'll be up online on the library um, for the
next goound on the updating on the library. Okay. So, just a few things like I'm always amazed by that library. By the way, the big things that I always have to bring up, the toilets are working and the elevators are working. So, that's a
big thing. Okay. So, um just a little sampling of what's going on. They have video games uh for teens tonight. Just tonight, this is one night. Hamilton the movie is tonight. Tomorrow there's ongoing dance fitness. There's something
like every single day at that library that's going on. Tuesday they have my new hobby maan at one o'clock in the afternoon. Um family fun nights, river reading series both at the river and down at Broadwalk besides just being in
the library. So it's we should all be very proud of that library and look at all the things they have to offer. Um earth crafts are coming up on the 13th. Just amazing activities all the time. Animal welfare. Um, just wanted to remind everybody that we're working on
dog days, which is going to happen September, and that will be down at Marine Park. So, our beautiful marine park on the green area. So, we'll get to see how that works out. And, um, they also will be having another, we do two rabies, free rabies clinics a year,
one on the east side, which was the first aid with the fire department, and we'll be having one back at the school again in December because we try to go to both sides. And last year we did over 300 rabies vaccines for free for our community. So they're working hard on
all those things. Um I think that's it. >> All right. Thank you, Laura. Deputy mayor. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um I want to thank um the governing body. Um the majority of the governing body was actually present
at some point today when possible um to support uh the community um the youthled activities uh today um to support um our residents that are under constant attack.
Um it's becoming a daily occurrence and it is really really really impacting everyday life in Redbank. So, um we are privileged um to have a governing body that fully supports our entire community
and understands um what it means to stand by this whole community. So, thank you. Um there was a serious fire on Chestnut Street last night. Um there's GoFundMes posted pretty publicly on the internet and you know, you can find
them. Please support the families. Um, I want to thank the governing body um for supporting the fire department through the resolutions today. Um, I remember a time when funding of the fire department was a little more
painful. So, thank you for understanding that supporting first responders is the right thing to do and that these budgets are necessary. Um, community engagement equity committee uh is doing the community spirit award. submissions are
still open. Um, please submit somebody you think deserves their flowers that maybe people don't know, um, who's doing great things for the burrow. Um, yeah, there's been a lot that's been going on. Everybody said, um, the marine
park opening, there were over 3,000 people in attendance. Um, and it was a wonderful day. And like everybody said, you you don't get a park like that without dozens of people working together and caring about a place very very much. So all the volunteers, all
the staff, and this governing body that's only had the opportunity to be a team for three years. Um so it's really wonderful and I also can't wait for public works committee to get you to get
rolling. So, um, and then lastly, I had the opportunity to spend, uh, my Fourth of July in Philadelphia at the largest veteransled protest since the Vietnam War. Um, and that did not get much media
coverage. Um, but I wanted to put that on record. Thank you. >> Mayor, could I say one more thing? I forgot. >> Of course. So, the senior center, we didn't give a shout out to the senior center, but parks and wreck has great program rooms there. Um, so Nancy and I
are doing our chair yoga again, which just started up and also they have mash on on Friday mornings, which I've been to a couple times, too. Just my new habit. So, I just wanted to say that there's some lots of stuff going on at the senior center. >> I I just got like 13 events put on my
calendar all at the senior center. I was like, "Wow, all right. Senior Center's killing it." >> Center. Yeah. Okay. >> There's holiday parties. There's New Year's parties. Yeah. Lots of stuff going on at the senior center. Check it out >> as well. Okay. One thing um I didn't get
to talk about was Marine Park, and I know it was primarily designed for kids, but I've gone there at various hours, and it's very interesting to see who is there in the morning. It's usually like a grandmother pushing her baby stroller or people taking walks around the loop
around, you know, around the pathways of the park. And then of course during the day it's kids and at the night it's the teenagers and some adults taking evening strolls as well. So it really is a park for everybody. And I can't wait till we
get the extra items that are on order to come in. Once they get the porch swings and the benches and the tables, I think it'll be even more inviting for all ages. >> I may or may not have been cuddling with my wife on one of those hammocks at dusk
the other night. Really beautiful spot. Really amazing. >> Did Nancy sneak up on you? >> Yes. Um I don't have anything. You guys, you guys covered everything. Actually, one thing I'm going to add. tomorrow on the Count Basy Walk of Fame. I get to uh
help introduce the B-52s to get their their star on the Count Basy Walk of Fame. Big fan of that first album. So, I'm excited for that. >> I can't wait to hear what you say at that. >> Me, too. >> Yeah. >> So excited to see what comes out of my mouth. >> It makes it makes Adam so nervous. He's
like, "Here, I wrote you some remarks." I said, "Okay, I'm gonna just I'll use some of them." He's like, "Uh oh." Anyway, Jim, what do you got? >> Thanks, Mayor. Uh yeah, just to actually piggyback off of the senior center uh events, um just tonight we executed the
agreement with the the state for the pilot program, which is a $250,000 grant for senior wellness. Um, so that's something that, you know, under the the direction of Adriana and the Department of U recreation and human services, they
applied for and, um, from my understanding, it's kind of the first grant of its kind that the the bureaus received. So, I'm happy to see that they're going to be expanding programming over there. So, more calendar invites will be coming your way. Uh so yeah, great work by by that team
and um we're looking forward to see um how they they build that out even more for this this upcoming year. Um also just wanted to to mention the the great work of the uh Redbank Volunteer Fire Department along with the mutual
aid agreements that we have in place with uh our surrounding fire agencies for responding to uh that call last night. um very fortunately that both families that were impacted were able to um evacuate the home and are safe and
that we didn't have any injuries from our firefighters as well. So, um, really appreciate their hard work and, uh, also tonight we accepted the audit from the auditors, the 2025 audit, which did not come back with any
recommendations and stated that we were in uh, full compliance as far as um, their review goes. So, great work to the uh, our CFO Tom Seaman and his team as well. And yeah, just to cap it off, right, the events um from the past month
were pretty spectacular throughout the burrow. I mean, from Pride to Junth to uh we even had in-house here. We had a uh wellness and safety event for our employees to the four watch parties to America 250 to Marine Park grand
opening. All this happened within the last month. I could probably go on even more with about six more events that we did. Um the team worked incredibly hard. Um we were kind of like in the situation room like all the time discussing every little nuance of the logistics and what
went into it. Most of this funded through grant funding and sponsorships to provide these events for the community. Um so it was really a tremendous effort by everybody. Um even the 250 event saw around,00 people come down on Broadwalk. Um, the watch party,
the USA game just the day before was around 1,800 people. So, we have people just flowing into the town, enjoying the town, um, and just, you know, spreading commerce around the town. So, it's it's been fantastic. Um, we're going to take a little reprieve the team, kind of
regroup a little bit. It's like when, you know, you're so busy at your house and everything's just upside down, you know? That's kind of what the fourth floor looks like right now. Um, but we're ready to go for the next round of things that we have coming up on our plate. >> Thank you, Jim. Um, I believe we have an
executive session, right? So, can I have a motion to adjourn to executive session? I have a second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> just going to ask the public to clear the room. Both of you, if you could
clear the room and we could uh get to our exact session. and Greg, do your little do your little speech. >> So, pursuant to the Open Public Meetings Act, we're going to enter executive session. We're going to discuss matters that fall within the attorney client privilege, specifically affordable
housing litigation compliance. Uh, this will take about 20 minutes and no action will be taken following executive session. We'll simply adjourn the meeting. Thank you. Well, right to it, but Ben just snuck out. So, we'll take a uh two-minute
recess maybe.