I aliance to the flag of America to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> Please read the open public meeting statement. Quick notice of this meeting
of the town council required by the open meeting. Notice the daily record of the north star the west reporter and published in the daily record. Notice also remain posted throughout the year.
>> Thank you. Roll call. >> Council may council dip. >> Councilman Council Riley >> here. >> Mayor Pat >> here. Item four, reports of council leazison representatives council
committees new and old business. Mr. Manager, you uh please do your budget presentation. >> Yes. Good evening uh members of the public and at council. I am uh pleased to be here tonight
to talk about the budget. Uh I think it's been a very collaborative multimonth process. I appreciate your patience as the department speech came to present. Um
there's there's more behind the numbers. So there was stories that they wanted to tell the impacts that they made and I appreciate the patience we had to sit to listen. I know it has been different than what has been done in the past, but I think
it's been transparent and I think it's encouraged debate amongst all of us and I think we're at a better place today. Um, knowing the uncertain moment we have obviously some of these slides are
reflective of the significant ICE fiscal impact that we have. Our MT dropped $62 million which resulted in a area loss of 8 million for the schools, the county specifically for uh the municipal is
400,000 plus the library 28,000 open space. Um so when we talk about $1.8 million the the impact is is significantly felt. What we don't know is the unknown personnel impact if this
facility comes from police, fire, EMS, communications. Um, we're going to have to see. Uh, but we are going to be um and I don't know why. Um
but we we did this budget purposely to make sure that um we're taking those into account and we will have serious conversations with uh DHS if the time
somebody's going to go get Rob. I don't know why this keeps members of the public. I'm sorry to keep bouncing. Let's talk about some of the highlights. Uh proud that some of the uh investments from staff resulted in a
$700,000 increase of our health insurance. Um, when the school district talked about a $4.1 million increase, that makes this number, I'm so proud that the staff worked so hard to make sure we were in a spot to actually have
our health insurance decreased. So, kudos to the staff who worked on that. Um, the library bill increased. Um, we add it uh with the support of this council. We added a grant team that's joining us and they've been uh very
active with all of our departments trying to go after grants that we hadn't sought before and uh as you know as part of that we also put in federal appropriations for the first time in multiple years. So I think that's a a highlight as well.
Everybody knows about our snow and ice that we had this year. I know Mr. Riley asked some questions last time. Hopefully they were answered about the trust. Uh this this budget includes an additional police officer and a labor
and police department. Um it also includes the uh 10 hours a month for the health director. >> Can ask a question? >> Absolutely. I thought he had an answer.
>> Uh I don't know why it keeps uh doing this. So let me try to I forward it then go back. Maybe I'll stay on I'll try to outsmart the technology uh which is tough to do.
>> So we added a director of planning very small uh impact. Obviously we had somebody who retired last year. Uh it was something that the council pushed me on when I first got hired to say, you know, you guys wanted a a new planner and uh we we hired a great individual
for that role. We added the director of fire, not going to have much impact that that person will report directly to me, but we'll also help our volunteer fire department make sure a lot of the administrative stuff is getting done, especially when we talk about cost recovery. Uh we added $100,000
for ICE impact to legal but also for public safety and engineering. We have additional costs. Um and if if we at some point have the conversations with DHS, we're going to expect a reimbursement for any of these costs that we're putting out there. Any
questions on this slide? >> Some other highlights. Uh this is We're excited the council. One of your key priorities that we heard loud and clear. Um Steve and Paul over there have have utilized the road
AI program and had identified a critical need. And this budget calls for $1.8 million plus another $300,000 to go to road improvements this year. uh sidewalks in partnership with our
um brick layers union. I don't know why. Sorry. Um let me see here. I'm trying to advance it and then bring it back, but
okay. Uh >> I don't know. on it. I'll blame the dog ate the homework. Bonnie, thanks for the nice note you gave me. I'm bl the right way. How do we uh how do we survive this one?
Okay, I think that was it. Roads uh sidewalks, as you know, we partnered. We're going to have anou at the next council meeting with the brick layers union. We're going to have a significant investment in our sidewalks across the township.
Does this sidewalk appropriations? >> On top of that, we have an additional >> we will see activity in the next few months on England Avenue. So, not paving and sidewalks. We have a grant for the public's
you may not know $700,000 grant for sidewalk improvements there. So, that's inclusive of what we're talking about adding in at least another additional 175,000. Uh some catch basin improvements. Um the
parks building is still moving forward. Uh we have you know ban open space but as you know that's part of the uh uh appropriations request as well. U we really believe and I know everybody here
supported uh significant improvements at Horseshoe Lake and that's what we're trying to competitive. These are some of the open space funded projects. The basketball court renovation at Delav Guanas back stop and uh the baseball dug dugouts in Berkshire
Valley. Uh vehicle equipment included in this budget includes the fire prevention vehicle, the engineering vehicle, and the park zero turn mower. Uh key here and that's why I told it, we have established a fleet committee so all decisions
all fleet will go through a fleet committee and all the departments understand uh that that's going to be the way forward the future construction we have the initial digital
data storage but I did talk to it what we're going to do is we're going to bring them in um and and Rob from an IT perspective we'll look at if this is a good solution uh moving forward for a whole township plans. It's growable and
scalable. So, we'll take a look at that. Under the fire department, we have the power chair, the Lucas machine, and the turnout here. It here's some initial investments in the infrastructure also based around growing in the future,
moving more things to the cloud, uh, store more compliance and engineering. Anything on this slide question? >> Okay. It all leads to the manager's uh recommendation to you guys. Um which is
below uh the tax increase of 3.95%. Uh we anticipate using $4.2 million of our surplus tax increase. 3.9 tax rate is increased by 3.95 with the usage of our surplus
uh the capital uh listed with the other capital uh improvements that we talked about in previous slides. Uh this leads to what the estimated useful tax increase for home assessment at the various levels. Uh so if you just go in
the middle there 500 home will see a $42 monthly increase. Uh there's a balance of this uh budget that talks about surplus and uh
reduction in capital without going out and borrowing money for some of the other improvements. So with that, I'll stand to answer any questions. >> Councilman Hall, >> I think it's important. Can you hear me out there? >> Yes, sir. I I think it's I think it's
important to note that these numbers that you're looking at are for the municipal tax rate. The the actual taxation that each uh resident receives is is broken down into several buckets. Bucket one is the school tax which
represents I guess 64 65%. Um they have their own rate and I think reading the paper um you know they mention what that rate is. Uh there's also the county tax associated with that that represents somewhere around 8% somewhere in that
vicinity and then we have a a small open space tax. So what you're seeing is that increase represents the tax from the municipality which I guess val 23 24% in that area. So just to make it clear that that's
what that represents. That's not what everybody's going to see. Okay? They're going to see something bigger than that. But From our point of view, that's what we're raising. >> Yeah. And it was brought up on one of the slides. You know, the projects that we're doing, you know, one of the
projects that we funded last year that's also coming due this year is Kanas Park, which we're putting in brand new pickle ball courts. So probably around July 1st you'll uh you'll see those in full flight and u you know we've also been
working and town manager has has mentioned us before about uh moving things out to the cloud. Um we have a computer committee that is going to be looking at that pretty heavily in the future. Um migrating some of the strategies we have
right now to the cloud and had a very significant conversation with the deputy mayor about that recently. So some other things that are happening. Thank you >> deputy mayor. >> Thank you mayor. A couple things. One I want to thank all the department heads.
This was kind of unique year that we heard from everybody and we got presentations I thought tell us not just going through the numbers which of course we love to go through the numbers but also that we got a better sense of things that are going on
that we're not doing this year maybe next year the following year so we have a change going through the other thing I like and we brought up council brought up a lot of work to be done we're doing back stop fencing um the sidewalks
So that children that are in the community right around there can walk which they able to do for years. Not very safe. We had a great neighborhood meeting of the people along that way talking about the sidewalks. What are we doing in the road? And the
complication was it's narrow. There's a lot of old there. I know a lot of people wanted to save. It just wasn't feasible to do that sidewalk and make the road. People know that area. right around Alcott way narrowed by
about six feet to go the rest of the way down all the way down the blinking light. So this year not only we see 175 on the sidewalk 700 last year as people look around the town awful lot but I do want to thank all the
people JJ put together JJ uh thank you I know you've been here just months not years and you have a lot of things to get caught up on not only with staff uh but with seven individuals up here as well which is not easy for
sure. Um I would like to point out a couple highlight a couple things in this budget. Uh I I usually try to get very involved in the budget process and that loss in net value is significant to our impact and our increase this particular
year. This council has not worked with an increase like this in 28 years. Um so to have an increase like this there has to have a large impact and one that's responsible at the same time and I'd really like to point out you know with
uh Steve's niece uh coming to us with that plan uh for paving while it's not the plan we went with initially there was discussion of 1.6 we maintain our roads inclusive
of grants 1.8 started improving our roads inclusive of grants and in this particular year with nearly $300,000 grant uh we're at 2.1 million which is significant. So that's a half a million dollars over just
maintaining our roadway. So while I'm not going not your thought on it, I'm sure it's a significant increase along with some other things coming along. And I think this particular year will have a little better
focus certainly with our manager JJ being here more than three or four months to get up to speed on some of these things. So there's a lot of discussion on a lot of open-ended items that we'd like to see and that's what we're already starting down that path.
committee and what have you. So, I think we're moving in a positive way. This is not a a slash and burn budget. Yes, some things out of capital were reduced um but it was responsible and led to where our biggest needs are with the dollars
that we needed to raise. So, I want to thank you, thank our staff, um, for for getting into this and, you know, the timing was very difficult, still is. I wish there were other things I could have taken a look at a little deeper in service, but I understand there's no
blame to assess here. It's just a matter of what happened here and and the process. So, thank you very much for doing what you did and thank our staff and back to you. Yeah, I only heard some of the things that
were, but I didn't thank you guys for all your your efforts. It's it's really helped me in a town management meeting as as Jim mentioned and and having listened to seven different people give me seven different answers to the same problem. So JJ,
thank you very much for all your time, your effort, and for pivoting back and forth on on so many things. You know, listen, we were here with this detention center this year also. You know what I mean? And we didn't want this and it came upon us and here we are
amongst other things looking at, you know, a significant loss in in revenue. So, thank you very much for taking a look at all the options JJ and staff. Thank you very much and also for addressing um to the best of your
ability the capital of the community. Thank you. >> And I basically want to say the same thing. Thank you to all the staff for all your hard work on the budget issue. >> I would be remiss if I didn't thank
Lenor uh making us all smart on the budget process in New Jersey and uh the process here. Uh, so and Rob for for I mean new technology and sometimes it blinks but
>> the dog the dog fixed it. So blame for the fix usually last word but everything that everybody already said is exactly what I want to say. Um and I truly appreciate
uh the leadership that you provided your value as well the whole department heads, all of our staff did an amazing job this year. It was not easy. Um there was lots to lose focus with. Uh but we maintained I believe that this is going to be um a
responsible budget again that continues to benefit the people of Roxberry Township and that's our goal here. Make sure people of Roxberry Township are in the best place possible. So truly appreciate all the time, energy, and effort from the the whole the whole town
of St. So thank you. So the only thing I would add uh the updated budget will be online before the end of the by first thing tomorrow morning. >> The most recent updated budget will be
online and if if I get a recommendation from council to support this budget and we will not have to have a budget meeting next. We we could we'll take this budget for introduction on the 14th.
>> So is the 14th too. >> I question as long as it's the first meeting after the March 31st deadline. So >> next week is a scheduled meeting, but it was scheduled for budget.
>> We're going to cancel that budget meeting. >> It's the first regular >> the first regular meeting. >> It's April 14th. we're going to introduce and then I believe we will adopt um we have to >> you're gonna notice that we got
to cancel >> people in on in the audience. Uh we have a notice meeting next Tuesday which is a budget meeting. We will be canceling that meeting next 100%.
>> Next on the table is a motion for >> upside. Okay. Any further discussion on any comments? >> Thank you once again. >> All right, moving on. This matter is requested, referred by council members,
managers, attorneys, and clerk. There are none. Brings us to our first public meeting, public portion. Does anybody in the public have any questions on township business and direct I think that >> can hear me
21. I do have a question on the budget. However, before I do, I just think we should correct the tense. >> I heard we didn't want this uh facility. We don't want this facility. Did not want is past tense. We do not want is
present tense. So sorry. >> Okay. Thank you. It hasn't mattered. Thank Thank you. Okay. So, I have a question specifically around the ICE uh legal budget 100K.
Last week, uh, resolution 20268, uh, 82 authorized an initial 50 grand for professional services contract with, uh, O tools, GREO. Um, we've also put in uh, 30 grand for both phone calls to the
AP. So, we're now 80% grand deep in this. Um, the public does deserve some transparency here. What is the responsibilities of Oul's GO as regards to the ICE Roxberry detention center? The budget line that we included is for
outside legal service and and our township attorney to help defend our position that we don't want this facility here. So, uh, those bills will be vetted. They'll be sent. I get to see
them. Why we put in 50,000. That's a worst case scenario, but I have to put a cap on a ceiling. So, I don't expect to get get there, but I I think you can appreciate if this goes to federal court
or goes to the Supreme Court, the legal bills will go much higher. >> Appreciate that. >> Trying to be responsible. Did I answer your question? I'm sorry. Yeah, as far as the budget goes. Yeah. Uh what is the arrangement between Oul GO and Murphy and M?
>> No, I'm fine answering this. Uh that law firm has uh experience fighting federal cases in federal court uh which we will benefit from. So they are going to work with our township attorney hand in hand
to protect our best interest. But they're not working with our township attorney. You said last week that he's off the case and somebody else from Murphy McKon is going to be on it. >> That's what they said. >> But who's that? >> You guys did. He said it himself and you're sitting right there. He said somebody from my office outside of me
will be handling the for the proceeding. >> Tony, >> he said that the took the lead, but Mr. Buo's firm is certainly >> Mr. Gl's firm, but he said he would be not handling it. He says somebody from his firm would be handling it.
I don't believe that's the case. >> Well, we need to clear that. >> We'll clarify that with Mr. Hugo >> because that's what we heard when he spoke last week. >> I think next next week or at our next council meeting in two weeks, we'll get >> he specifically said somebody from my
firm will be taking the reign. >> He did say that >> somebody might be taking the lead, but not necessarily. He'll be involved. So, I'd like to know who's taking the lead and what his involvement will be. >> Okay. >> And how will UL and Scriebo be updating
us with their um findings? >> They won't be updating us unless their services are utilized. >> Okay. When their services are utilized, because I'm assuming they will be. We have a big lawsuit coming. How will they update us? Will they be attending meetings? work with Tony and then update
the attorney general's office and the attorney general would decide whether >> okay who outside of Tony because I don't know who's at is going to be updating this room >> we will provide all public information when it becomes available
>> I would like to get clarification on who outside of Tony will be handling this case and I would like that at the next meeting because he specifically said that somebody from his firm term would be taking the lead. Therefore, that makes it obvious to us
that he's not in the lead. Therefore, I don't want to hear from Tony. I want to hear from whoseever is on the lead. Can we agree to that? >> We'll get clarification from Mr. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Guy. Citron Tubesberry Township. uh grew
up in Morris County coming to as a friend neighbor. Uh just on the budget, honorable mayor and council, there was a really interesting article in Jersey Vindicator uh March 30th written by Jeffrey Tiddle, who's the former New Jersey,
president of the Sierra Club. Um I I think he's responsible for writing the Highlands Act, which created the Highlands region. Very influential guy. And in the article, he pointed out that there might be again I'm not I'm choosing my words carefully. I don't want to report a fact that might not be
true, but it's the article. There might be $1.1 billion sitting in the New Jersey Green Acres Fund. So, when I see things like, you know, we need to fix a park or there's open space that needs to be preserved or what, whatever the case may be, there might be money in the
state funds for that under the Green Acres program. So, I just kindly advise you to look into that. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Sierra Wilson. I'm in Bud Lake. Last week I asked a question about the budget. It was that Anthony Bua was uh being it had a line in it about believe
it was uh 24 25 in that range that he was being paid 80K a year. But then on the very next page it said 18K per month. Um and I still did do the math but I think that's like 200 something K. What is
that? $50,000. Is that a cap? Is that >> So that was a that was a hold over from a previous budget that's going to be removed the 10 more days. So that's not
okay. >> So it won't So it'll just be 80k on the budget. Thank you. I appreciate it. >> See, I'm going to close moving on. Uh introduction of proposed ordinances are none. Hearing and adoption of ordinances. Second reading there are none. Introduction adoption of
resolution. None. First changes. None. Communications. None. This brings us to our second public. Is anybody in the public? >> Please come to the microphone. State your name and address for the record. Please maintain three minutes.
Before I do my three minutes, you guys all forgot to thank the >> Okay. Anyway, I >> Okay, Bonnie Rosenthal, she her pronouns round up. We recognize many days and months.
February Black History Month, March Women's History Month, October Mental Health Awareness Month. Only a few. As we recognize these dates, we thereby recognizing and honoring human lives. So today, on the exact date, March 31st, we
recognize transgender day of disability. We show honor and respect for our trans community, and I hope the council does as well. 21 King Road in Lake. After last week's uh meeting, Mayor Patillo asked Cath Roxberry, "How can they condemn us?"
This is ironic because I explained this to you all at the last meeting, but I guess you weren't listening, so I'm going to remind you again. We condemn you because you passed an empty resolution. An empty resolution is not a strategy. Let's be honest, there was no
plan until the AG stepped in. You signed a paper while this council hid behind the silent majority and openly supported ICE. Since it's Holy Week and we know how much Maggie loves their Jesus, I'm going to give a quote from James. It
sums it up as faith without works is dead. We have no faith in this council because we see no work. Secondly, you're accurate when it counts. While volunteers gave thousands of hours of work doing the lifting. You sat in silence. If you truly support the
resolution, why are you afraid to show it outside this room? I'll tell you why. It's because you're prioritizing your political favor with your mad Republican base over this community's future, fearing that a more public stance against IC detention
center will cause your voters to turn on you. You're worried about your political careers more than the city of Roberry. This council relies on political theater over professionalism. Your optics are a joke. Between retaining your buddy firm Murphy and McKon and Mr. Buo bringing
his private bodyguard to meetings already secured by our very competent Roxberry PD. It's a taxfunded amateur hour. A guy from the um where was he from? The Rotary Club made a joke about it. He didn't even realize that the guy was that it is an actual joke. It's so
ridiculous. This is a political comedy where you play the lead actors taking credit for work that you didn't do. Councilman Riley and D Philippo um they called the activist pressure ridiculous and our work imaginary. What is ridiculous is that we perform your work
and that your actions were actually what is imaginary. Our results highlight your lack of total action until you gauge in transparent birectional discourse. We will continue to hold you accountable and yes condemn you. This council is not
the victims. The real victims here are the thousands of human beings who will be abused and trafficked through the ICE detention center in Roxberry thanks to your lackluster performance. So there's your answer to why we condemn you. >> Thank you.
Happy day of visibility and I want to say rest in peace to Diamond Sanchez McCrae. Her life was taken last week in Virginia by gunshot. She was a black trans woman. She won titles in many pageantss. She was beautiful inside and out. She was only 22. The overwhelming
majority of trans people that are murdered every year are black trans women. And if anybody wants to get more involved in supporting the community, please let me know. Mutual aid is needed. Um it is my understanding that Roxberry PD officers removed and confiscated a Palestinian flag into evidence recently at a demonstration
outside the warehouse. I want to talk about why we fly the flag and why I was so deeply upset by this. The US and Israel continues to genocize the Palestinian people. Israel's been willing to agree to 70,000 deaths, but the more accurate number by the Lancet
would be hundreds of thousands of people murdered by our tax dollars in two and a half years. Since October 7th, 2023 alone, the US has given an additional 21.7 billion to Israel. Israel just approved of legislation to execute Palestinian prisoners held without
trial. The Minister of National Security and others were proudly videoed celebrating with champagne outside of the hearing wearing gold pins in the shape of a moose. This is why we fly the Palestinian flag. On January in January 2024, the ICJ ruled Israel must take all measures to prevent a genocide and in
the week following, they killed an estimated 874 Palestinians. In May 2024, the ICJ ordered Israel to immediately halt its Rafa offensive. Israel invaded the city of Rafa the next day. Fast forward to current time and rocket is completely flattened to rubble. It
doesn't exist anymore. Massive trigger warning, sexual assault and violence. Israeli soldiers were caught on video raping a Palestinian man being held without trial. They were applauded and protected by Israeli government and citizens and they were let off without charges. I've seen decapitated babies,
children with their intestines hanging out of their bodies, people burned alive, limbs laying around in rubble while parents cry looking for their child's remains to collect in plastic bags. Children having limbs amputated without the use of anesthesia. The children who are not bombed are starving and sick with no aid are left to suffer
in tense through the winter dodging bombs and gunfire fighting starvation and sickness. There are approximately 13,000 American citizens serving in the IDF right now. Hamas is not a terrorist group. Hamas is a resistance group formed in response to an illegal occupation by Israel for over 75 years.
Palestinians have tried to be protested and they get shot anyway. We fly that flag because we demand to be stopped. We want our tax dollars to stop being used to obliterate populations and start being used for us, the American people. The Palestinian flag represents resilience and strength. I see videos of
the remaining children laughing and playing, making the most of all that they know. And this is why we fly the Palestinian flag. If major news networks can morph the Israeli flag with the US flag and display it on national television, I don't understand why we can't fly the Palestinian flag in solidarity. And every time you see that
flag, I want you to think of the children in your life. And how the only difference between our children and the Palestinian children is cosmic luck. And as Trump looks to build waterfront properties for billionaires on a graveyard of innocent souls in Palestine, we start the same process in Lebanon, Iran, Yemen, Haiti, Cuba. The
list goes on. This is why we brought the Palestinian flag. Thank you. My name is Patrick. My name is Patrick Gallagher. I live in Long Valley, New Jersey. I'm here representing the uh branch of the Democratic Socialists of America. And I
just wanted to uh just bring up a couple of things. Uh some some of my friends in DSA have been digging into this website called usaspending.gov. if you're familiar with it. It's just a repository of all like publicly available contracts that the federal
government uh disperses, you know, through its various agencies to various contractors. I thought I'd like to bring to your attention that uh there has been, I believe, 100 I'm sorry, $1.9 million allocated to a firm out of
Tennessee called Golden Services. um that is supposed to start paying out July 1st of this year for protective security officer services throughout North New Jersey. As you're already aware, there's more than just the Roxberry site where DHS has a footprint. There's Delaney Hall. There's also a
facility in Elizabeth, but I thought I'd bring it to your attention that uh that this is going to be coming. I believe it's a 5-year contract with the potential to award up to $133 million to again Golden Services. And I'm sure they will subcontract it out uh to a bunch of
other companies in the local area because I assume you know they're in Tennessee, right? Uh but I just thought I'd talk about that. Um and speaking of money interests, I suppose I have a comment about what your role as the town council is and what the country of Roxbury has when it comes to contractors
that are working with ICE. And I am uh asking and endeavoring um that you that you refuse all construction permits that are being uh sent to you by these contractors to work on this facility to
convert it into a death camp. And I would also my whole branch and probably the general public would also really appreciate it if you alerted us as soon as possible when um a a a permit request has been filed. And the reason we're
asking this is because, you know, as local activists, I believe that we can play a large role in applying public pressure to these companies that are seeking to make money off of the suffering of untold numbers of human beings. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you.
>> So, as part of Mr. Murphy's budget presentation was $100,000 for um soon ICE public safety and and that's great that that's in there. And then it was also mentioned that if we speak with
DHS we'll expect reimbursement. So I just want to wish you all really good luck because for over half a century Donald Trump has made an art form out of filing people out of millions and millions of dollars. So, I think it's
delusional for us to think that an outlay by Roxbury Township, our tax dollars, is actually going to ever be reimbursed by the federal government under his leadership. Thank you, >> Matthew, New Jersey.
So, as you know, we've been talking about the lawsuit with DHS and I know you've been talking about some of the larger figures, you know, the numbers, the logistics, you know, all those important things. You know, one of the things I wanted to make sure that we not
forget which can sometimes happen when we are dealing with things as large as these lawsuits and dealing with federal things is the reason why we do this and it's for individuals, for the people. And so I wanted to introduce to someone
who could be affected by all of this so that when we are working towards addressing this, we can remember the people that we are fighting for. Right? So this is Joseline. She's 11 years old
and you know any typical 11year-old. She being on Tik Tok and doing religious trends. She swims, plays the French horn, does very well in school, is a part of her boys and girls club. uh she is, you know, enjoys doing movies on
Friday nights with her family, getting her nails painted with her grandmother. And so, you know, I'm sure that as I say these things, I'm sure we can all think of kids in our lives who share some of these aspects, especially since I know, as some of you have talked about before, having children and grandchildren,
things like that. And so, as we talk about these things, the one thing that I wanted to ask is for people like If she lives in your community, what would we tell her if she tells us that she is afraid of ICE and all the
things that are going to happen? Would you all protect someone like Joseph? And I see some nods. I see some faces on shore. And I unfortunately wanted to let you know that at least for Joselyn, it's already too late. Unfortunately,
Joseline took her own life after being bullied and threatened by kids at her school saying they were going to call ICE for her and her family, telling her that they were going to have ICE come and take her family away from her, that she would be left alone. And it's heartbreaking and especially
for someone, this hits very close to home for me. I work in the mental health field and I don't know if any of you have, but I've sat across the table from people who tell me how they want to their own lives and the despair and pain that I see in their face and their eyes
as they look forward to a future that they don't see hope in. And so I bring her up because the when we talk about the damage that I is going to do to this community, we tend to focus on numbers on a page, dollars in an
account, but the damage that's going to happen is more than can be calculated in those. We're talking about the safety and the mental health of people just like Joseph all over this community, the state, this country. And so as we
continue to fight this battle, I want you to please remember not just the large figures, but people like Joseph. >> I'm still Guy Citron from Tukes. second bite of the apple.
Um, thank you for all your time, honorable mayor and council and township manager, Mr. Murphy. Um, I cannot imagine how difficult putting a budget is together. Um, so thank you for your time and service. Um,
if the if the facility in question and I'm just asking I try to be, you know, cool. I'm not trying to gotcha anybody. Um, no permits have been fired uh filed yet. Is that correct?
>> So, um, if someone had bought that warehouse and wanted to convert it to like a bar or a a zoo or like a circus. I know it's funny, right? We can laugh. It's okay. I'm trying to be cool with you. Trying to make a point in a cool
way. Yep. Right. Yep. Um, maybe I don't know. cookie factory, you know, trying I'm just trying to be imaginative here. You you have the tools to say, "Well, you didn't apply for the permit uh uh cookie factory operator, so we're going
to we're going to shut off the water or we're going to we're going to deny you some kind of town resource that you would have had to be permitted to use." Is that is that is that train of thought correct at least? >> Yes. >> Okay. Okay.
So, um, oh, sorry. >> We wouldn't shut anything off. >> Oh, yeah. No, I want that clarity. So, >> question. Yes. >> I'm sorry. >> Permitting. Yes, you are correct. >> Oh, okay. All right. But you wouldn't shut anything off.
>> I don't have to go there. >> All right. Let's just let it be abstract for a minute. That's fine. Um, I I bring that up because, you know, the the people of Roxberry and uh and your neighbors like myself, you know, we recognize your authority uh as we do any
legitimate government in the state of New Jersey that's formed by the people. You have power to make ordinances and and to to enforce permits. And I am I'm truly struggling to understand
and and I'm trying to echo what was said. I'm struggling to understand how this one slips by that that kind of a permit process. Like how do we how do we how do we let a detention facility which is as you've stated in your resolution
and in other places so unfit um environmentally speaking in terms of utilities and this that with water and sewage. Why? Why can we not do more as if it were a cookie factory or a bar or a circus or whatever other kind of
commercial application? Because at the end of the day and and other people are pointing it out, this is a very serious for-profit incarceration industry and it's only expanding. And we together, as other members of the public have pointed
out, and I know we don't see eye to eye on everything all the time. I know the temperature gets hot in here. People make each other upset. I'm I'm aware of this. I'll wrap it up. Thank you. But why can't we stand together and do more? We will back you up. Please consider it. Thank you.
>> Thank you, sir. >> Sierra Wilson, Bud Lake, I want to give you some advice. We've given you this advice before, but uh nothing came out of it, so I will give it again. There are a few things you can do to stop an ice facility. One being a
moratorum. no construction on a property in in in Roxbury that has worked in other states, it will work here. The second would be to pass an ordinance. Again, banning any specific construction in Roxbury that's worked in other
states, it will work here. And then the final thing that I will recommend tonight is a temporary restraining order. That will work. The reason I have a job today, the reason I still have a job today is because the temporary restraining order against the US
government. It will work. And if that didn't convince you, I'm going to read you a quote. Um, and again, trigger warning just with every quote that I read. We are scared to ask for anything because the officers start threatening us that they'll put us in different
detention centers and put our children in foster care. It feels like we were in fascist fascist Germany and it feels like they're going to put gas into the room and just let us die. Do you want that here in Roxberry? We don't want that here in Roxberry. We don't want
that here in New Jersey. So take my advice. Take the advice of the people behind me and do something. Thank you. >> Hello. Uh my name is Aish Gupta. I live on 69 in uh Newton, New Jersey. I have some questions. Uh so so
you said that no construction permit has been filed for the warehouse. >> Um you have the you have the ability to see if one has been filed, >> right? Would you will you notify the public once it has been filed? Because I think the public can file for uh
information about that, but only once it's been approved. So, uh, to improve that >> all public information as soon as it's >> Okay, I appreciate that. Um, so, uh, let's see. I know some people in
Philadelphia who are involved in rapid response activities. Um, they recently had the an interesting situation in which ICE called the police on them. So the police came uh talked to them and uh you know basically interrogated them and
released them. So uh it seems like this this obviously stopped them from what they were trying to do uh as far as like responding to the ICE presence. Uh if a situation like that were to occur here, I'm I'm wondering u you know the immigrant trust directive prohibits
cooperation between local law enforcement and federal law enforcement in New Jersey. Um, but if if the uh Roxbury police are called in a situation in which ICE is violating the law, which they have done in many
cases, uh, what would be the police department's response to that? Would they apprehend the ICE officers? Uh, and if you don't know the answer to that, I believe your chief of police is here as well. >> I'm not going to spectate on hypotheticals at this point. >> Okay. What is your jurisdiction over the
police department? If you pass a a resolution, does that Can you uh control their behaviors? >> I would request our police department following the law maintain law for everybody. >> Wait, you're a lawmaker.
>> So, can you pass a law that would explicitly prohibit uh the police from interference with DHS or like uh collaborating with DHS? >> Question. At this point in time, I would hope to our police, but I know our police department will follow along, protect everybody who's involved, no
matter what side. >> Okay. Um, what? Okay. Yeah. Well, I'll probably uh touch base about this through other channels, but appreciate your records on this, your statements about this on the record. Thank you.
right on the border and I want to echo the restraining order that you heard last week and realizing that our news is so segregated that sometimes even if we're trying to stay up on so much we just don't hear it
if we're getting different algorithms. So it's big news when I look on my phone that Maryland has completely succeeded through a restraining order. has stopped, has it completely shut down, is really doing well with just a
restraining order. And every day that passes, so much is changing in our government. Who knows if an ice center will even get another day working. So restraining order is a very very
in the county council did vote to put a lot water. They just locked it up and that is something that's working there. They just said, "Nope, we're not going to allow this. You didn't put the right permit. You didn't put the right D. We're locking up and that's working
there." And then in Louisiana where they didn't do these things, they were out without water and sewer for five days. They just handed buckets out. Had everybody just go to the bathroom out in the public with two people in those cages in their buckets. And then you put
the bucket, they dumped it out, gave it back to you with some water in it to wash off. And that's how they handle their problem while the town was having to deal with all the overflow of all the sewer because the sewer cannot handle. And being a land owner that has multiple
properties that have not been allowed to develop because of sewer issues, I don't see how in the world our sewer can handle this. We will be in the news like we can is Not realistic. This is a warehouse.
This is not realistic in any way. Even cookie factory is not realist. So restraining orders are working. Great idea. >> See nobody else. Thank you everyone.