Thank you everybody and welcome to the regular monthly meeting of the mayor council Monday August 25th 2025 starting at 6:30 p.m. Missy, could you please read the role? >> Mayor Niato, >> I'm here. >> Council President McGowan,
>> present. >> Counciloman Debor, >> here. >> Council Guen >> here. >> Councilman Copley >> here. >> Councilman Ero >> here. >> Councilman Guzman >> here. Thank you. If you're willing and able, could you please stand for the salute to the flag? >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of
United States of America to the standice. >> Missy, could you please read the provisions? In compliance with the open public meetings law, chapter 231, public laws of 1975, notice of this meeting was transmitted to the record and Herald
News and filed with the burough clerk on December 23rd, 2024 as posted on the bulletin board outside of Burough Hall. >> Thank you, Brian. Engineers report, please. >> Thank you, mayor. Can you hear me? >> Uh, yes. So, um, as of, uh, Friday,
Silven Avenue was, uh, paved from Barrows to Highland Cross, and they're going to come back in and do the striping. There are some miscellaneous repairs to be made. Uh, one, um, leader pipe was pulled through the curb this afternoon, and there's one or two
sprinkler heads in the green belt that the contractor is going to take care of. uh and we're aware of them and they are scheduled to be repaired um for the next phase of memorial field improvements. Uh the NJ D has put them on the us on the
clock for permit approval. That'll be on or about October 6th and then we can start to entertain prices for the next phase uh which is the I call the Memorial North uh which is where the multicourt uh surfaces. Uh so that's on
track. And then uh we assisted the burrow with the um pouring the concrete pad for the uh new workout area on the river. And uh that was installed uh with um the administrator's coordination and worked out. Uh and I think that we just
got approval from the NJ DOT for the 2025 roadway improvements. It took a while, but we got it done. And that's Wood Street, Irving Place, uh parts of Fair View, uh Hobart, and Donaldson right out here to finish up. So, those are the major capital projects that
we've been working on. Uh and then Veterans Boulevard was wrapped up a couple weeks ago, and we're monitoring uh storms and tides. And so far uh with the new drainage system and uh the work that the DOT is doing to unclog the
Route 317 interchange for drainage, they've put a they've really invested a lot in that. And so that's helping out uh veterans by the bulb warehouse up and by the um the pump manufacturer as well. So so far so good.
>> Thank you, Brian. Uh anybody have any questions? Okay. Thank Thank you, Mayor. Missy changes. >> No changes. >> No changes by the burough clerk. Anybody else have anything they'd like to bring
up? >> Okay. Um, ordinances. First read. Councilman McDman. >> Thank you, Mayor. First ordinance I have is repealing a handicap space on Feronia Way. Missy,
would you please read the ordinance by title only? >> An ordinance to amend and revise chapter 126 vehicles and traffic of the burough code of the burrow of Rutherford to repeal a handicap parking space on 22 away. Actually 220, sorry. >> Thank you.
>> Motion that the ordinance be passed on first reading and advertised according to law. >> I have a motion by Councilman Guzman. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by council president. Any questions or comments? Seeing none member roll. >> Council President McGawan. >> Yes. >> Council Del Con? >> Yes.
>> Council, >> yes. >> Councilman Kley, >> yes. >> Councilman Ero, >> yes. >> Councilman Guzman, >> yes. >> Thank you. Uh, next ordinance. Council President. >> Thank you, mayor. Next would be uh approving the execution of the financial agreement with 51 Union A urban renewal
LLC. Uh, Missy, can you please read the ordinance by title only? An ordinance at the burough of Rutherford, County of Bergen, state of New Jersey, approving the execution of a financial agreement with 51 Union A urban renewal LLC in connection with property identified as block 76 lot 32
on a tax map of the burrow and more commonly known as 51 Union A. >> Thank you. I'd like to make a motion to move that the ordinance be passed on first reading and advertised according to law. >> I have a motion. May I have a second? >> Second.
Second by Councilman Guzman. Any questions or comments? >> Yes, mayor. I have a I have a comment. >> Okay. >> Um I believe that when it comes to large condo apartmentstyle development projects, especially those that involve pilots, there should be greater feedback
solicited from residents. I would like to have the developers provide a public presentation on the proposed project before we vote on moving forward with the financial agreements and give the public more notice and meaningful ways to weigh in on proposed projects. In
this case, I am in conflict about this particular pilot because I think this project may be worthy of one. It is a very run-down area at 51 Union. So I can see that it was an area in need of redevelopment and it may be something
where the incentive was necessary the incentive of the pilot. However, I am going to abstain because I am conflicted on the process. I think I would like a more wholesome process of citizen involvement with all redevelopment decisions involving pilots. So that is
my position. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anybody else wishing to speak? Council >> maybe I'm confused about the process. So, I just want to make sure I understand the professionals will make a presentation next week at in public at a public hearing and receive questions. Um, and I just, you know, it's
interesting because, um, the only, this is the only time I'll mention I'm running for re-election because everyone thinks that like business doesn't move forward when you're running for re-election. Um, I I I just want I feel like I need to respond to Councilwoman Quatron, and I respect that she's not comfortable, but I I don't want there to
be left a notion that we were not given a tremendous amount of information about this, and I I hope she has been, too. Um, and I think that the public should come and listen to the information we received, which will be presented next week, so that you are aware of any sort
of decision- making that we would be making about it. um because I know there are a lot of very interesting and important views about pilots and um this this will be the first one that I'm going to be voting on since I've been on
the council. Um and so I just think it's really important that everyone comes out next week when that information that Councilwoman Quatron mentioned will be uh presented. >> Anybody else? >> Next meeting, not next week. Anybody else from the council wishing to speak
on this? >> Thank you. I I just want to add that um in support of that we have received a a fairly large amount of information. And we were given a significant amount of time during the negotiation phase of this uh with our professionals. And just
as a a reminder that the professionals that are hired by the burrow are there uh purposefully to protect the residents, right? They work for us. And so um when they are presenting to the members of the mayor and council, it is
providing us their uh sage feedback and professional uh opinion about discussions and negotiations. Um, and just having been a part of these, uh, historically when there's negotiations going on, it is not appropriate for us
to be having those very open dialogues. Um, where um, we are not negotiating in good faith, where we're not sharing information in a safe way for us to be able to advocate as strongly as we can
for the residents. And so, um, I do just want to, uh, emphasize that this is not something that was taken lightly, nor, uh, just recently came up. This has been a a topic of conversation for many years. Um, and I'm I'm grateful that we
are at a place now where we're prepared to move forward. Thank you. >> Anybody else from the council? Seeing none, let me see. >> Council President McGowan. Yes. >> Council Dev Cohen. >> Yes.
>> Council Quo. >> Abstain. >> Councilman Kley. >> Yes. >> Councilman Ero. >> Yes. >> Councilman Guzman. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> We're going to move on to next ordinance. Councilman >> Quatron.
>> With this ordinance. Um, I would amend the body and tattoo ordinance to make the licensing fee schedule and inspection regime regime consistent with the processes that similarly situated businesses in town are subject to.
Missy, can you read the ordinance by title only? >> An ordinance to amend chapter 13 entitled body or establishments to include fees for license applications. I make a motion that the ordinance be passed on first reading and advertised according to law.
>> I have a motion by Councilman Quattro. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Councilman Kley. Any questions or comments? >> Seeing none, have a roll call. >> Council President McGowan. >> Yes. >> Council Done. >> Yes. >> Council, >> yes. >> Councilman Kley,
>> yes. >> Councilman Ero, >> yes. >> Council Guzman, >> yes. >> Next. Thank you. Uh, ordinance on first read again. Councilman Kley. >> Thank you, sir. Uh, this amendment is basically bringing our current uh language in line with other m municipalities uh in our surrounding
area. Uh, this is brought to us by several um employees of the zoning and building department. Um, we are in full support of it. So, Missy, could you please read the ordinance by title only? >> An ordinance to amend chapter 83A of the burough code entitled rent control and in particular section 83A-2 entitled
rent increases. >> I have a motion by Councilman Cook. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Councilwoman Quatron. I'm Del Ray Cohen, I'm sorry. Um, >> any questions or comments? >> Seeing none.
>> Sorry. >> Sorry. I I I I just have a brief comment. I I I completely agree and understand this uh change, but I I just wonder since we're revisiting this, I know we revisited this um last year. I wonder if it might be time or a fair use or effort in the future to revisit this
sort of entire ordinance just to make sure it's consistent with our our goals. Um I don't know if we've really substantively changed it in some time. So just as a a point for future reference, but with this particular change, I'm in support for sure. >> Thank you.
>> Anybody else? Seeing none, have a roll call. >> Council President McA. >> Yes. >> Council Deborah Con. >> Yes. >> Counciloman Cotrell. >> Yes. Councilman Kley. >> Yes. >> Councilman Erico. >> Yes. >> Councilman Guzman. >> Yes. >> Thank you. We're going to move to
ordinances on second read. Councilman Guzman. >> Thank you, Mayor. Ordinance on second read have uh have is repealing a handicap space on Summit Cross. Missy, would you please read the ordinance by title only? >> An ordinance to amend and revise chapter
126 vehicles and traffic of the burough code of the burrow of Rutherford to repeal a handicap parking space in front of 114 Summit Cross. Motion that the ordinance be passed on second reading and advertised according to law. >> I have a motion by Councilman Guzman. I have a second.
>> Second. >> Second by council president. Uh at this time we'll open up for any public comment on this subject and this subject matter only. Anybody from the public wishing to speak? Seeing none. Um, I'm opening up. I'll
close it and open it. I'm sorry. >> Handicap. >> Handicap space. >> I'm going to close it to the public now. That's all right. Frank, you okay? All right. Uh, any council comment?
Seeing none, I have a roll call. >> Council President McGowan. >> Yes. Counciloman Deborah Conn, >> yes. Council >> Quron, >> yes. >> Councilman Kley, >> yes. >> Councilman Eric Co, >> yes. Councilman Guzman, >> yes. >> Thank you. Next on second read, we have ordinance uh Council President McG.
>> Thank you, Mayor. Uh, next is the ordinance establishing restricted areas and municipal bu buildings. Missy, can you please read the ordinance by title only? >> An ordinance to establish a new chapter in the code of the Burough of Rutherford, chapter 84, entitled restricted areas in municipal buildings.
>> Thank you. I'd like to make a motion to move that the ordinance be passed on second reading and advertised according to law. >> Thank you. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Councilman Guzman. I'm going to now open this up to the public for any public comment on this subject and this subject matter only. Anybody from
the public wishing to speak? Seeing none, I'm going to close it to the public and open up for any council comment. >> Seeing none, may have a roll call. >> Council President McGowan, >> yes. >> Council Debor Con, >> yes. Yes. Councilman Cotrell, >> yes. >> Councilman Kley, >> yes. >> Councilman Erico, >> yes.
>> Councilman Guzman, >> yes. >> We're now going to move to the hearing of citizens. Anyone from the public, please step forward to the microphone, state your name and your address, and please keep your comments at five minutes or less. >> Hi, can you hear me? Okay. >> Yes, we
>> Denise Corini, one Walnut Street. Sorry. Um, sorry for rushing up here, but I'm in pain, so I want to get out. Um, regarding the ordinance, I sincerely appreciate what council person Petron had to say and I appreciate what council
persons and council president del McAllen said. Um, my feeling and you know that PRJ feels this way is that these ordinances should be handled the same way as other extraordinary ordinances. So, it's not
until two weeks from now that we are going to hear whether there's a 15-year pilot, a 30-year pilot, or what it entails. If you guys are still negotiating that, that's fine, but then it shouldn't be coming up for an ordinance. The public is supposed to
have two opportunities to comment on an ordinance, and we cannot properly comment on an ordinance if we don't know what it entails. Thanks. >> Thank you. Anybody else from the public
wishing to speak? >> Lois Masawa, 180 Mountain Way. >> Okay. Can you hear me now? >> Um, I haven't been here in about a year, I guess, but I'm here on the same subject. I know we have a new representative at at TANK. um he was at
the first meeting and then attended the second one by uh remote. But the reason I'm here is because the last time I spoke to you, you suggested that we wait for Teterboro to finish the work that it
was about to have done to eliminate the use of runway six and move the jets, arriving jets to runway one and stop the traffic over the southeast corner of the burrow. They had promised to have that work done
last November. It wasn't done last November. They have then promised to do it in February. It wasn't done in February. They promised to have it ready this November. At the last meeting they said, "Uh, oh no, we can't have it ready by November. It won't be until next
February." The reason that they gave was one word. This was the FAA speaking. One word. All she said was trees. trees. Those planes are coming over the Meadowlands. There aren't any trees there that I can that that I think would
interfere with GPS tracking going into a runway. Also, Rutherford is burrow of trees. They seem to have no trouble flying over Rutherford. So, the reason I'm back is because I I just would love it if you would please,
please, please get involved again. Just let them know that we're waiting here that this is an absurd excuse. Trees, you know how long and and if you have identified the problem in July, which is when the meeting was held, you know that
in July you have a problem with trees, it seems to me you should be able to address that problem by November and certainly before February. So, I don't I don't know what's going on there, but I I really am pleading with you to get
involved again, especially you because you were very active in it originally, Councilman Del Recon, and you made a huge impact and your green team could help so much. I talked to a uh Audrey Haggard who has a similar group in uh in
Pascak Valley about Teter Bro and even she sent me an email a couple weeks ago saying please ask her to get involved again. So I'm asking that you do that. And the other thing I wanted to mention for my time is up is that there is a new
charter airline um opening uh soon at Teter. I don't think it's open yet. It's called JSX. And what they do is they book individual flights by people like you and me. And we can go to Teterboroough airport and avoid Newark and get on a jet for $615
and fly directly to Palm Beach in Florida and we can book a flight coming back in and out of Tedboroough. To me, that's commercial jet travel. That's all it is. If I can do it and you can do it and nobody knows anybody else on the plane except the passengers who booked
the flight, that's commercial travel. And I really think that that's a violation of what Teter Bro is supposed to be. So they are moving in that direction. They've already started that and now they have a new commercial airline which is going to start service
there if it hasn't already begun. So again, I'm pleading for help, please. Okay, that's Thank you. >> Thank you, Masa. Anybody else from the public? Hello, my name is Rachel Mccastro. I live at 92 Wood Street. I've lived here
for two years with my husband. We bought our first home in Rutherford and I am here to talk about the burrow of trees, specifically the trees. Um, I have some very strong concerns uh specifically
regarding the beach tree beach street tree removal as well as the um tree ordinance that we need to adopt according to the state of New Jersey and then the shade tree commission itself.
On August 1st on the Burrow Facebook page, there was a notice that 14 trees were coming down on Beach Street for accessibility. When I went there on Monday, August 4th, work had already commenced. According to
the code of Rutherford, reasonable notice is supposed to be given by the city before any work takes place. When you put out notice on a Friday and start work on a Monday, to me, that does not constitute reasonable notice, especially
when it's 14 trees. Well, the other issue is that I'm having to come here to talk about it because the shade tree commission hasn't met since March. They're not scheduled to meet again
until September, which will amount to a sixmonth lapse in meetings. They're supposed to meet on a monthly basis. So, I'm having to come here to talk about these concerns. Um, my other serious concern is with the
shade tree ordinance that is supposed to be adopted by every township within a specific watershed area. According to the D, we were supposed to come into compliance on May 1st, 2024. We are now 15 months out of compliance.
The last time it was even discussed at a Shade Tree Commission meeting was in December 2020 or excuse me, November 24 and it was tabled and never discussed again in a public forum. So really what I'm asking is for us to commit to having
Shade Tree Commission meetings and adhering to giving reasonable notice before any work is done. Part of why we purchased our home here, actually a huge part of why we purchased our home here, is that we wanted there to be trees and Rutherford is the burrow of trees. So
I'm very concerned that some actions that have ramifications for decades are being taken and as a resident I don't feel like I have the opportunity to come and speak my piece. Thank you.
>> Thank you for your time. >> Hi. Uh my name is David Labruno, 423 Styverson Avenue. I just had a couple questions to start with. Uh ordinance 191 or resolution, excuse me, 191 talks about surplus property and says we're going to be
getting rid of the Humvees that the town owns. So I was just wondering what and why that was and what's the plan. We seem to use them for different street events to block streets. So I don't know what kind of vehicles we plan on using. Maybe the chief could answer that. Um,
authorization A talks about some infrastructure map. Could you please explain to the community what's that's about and what that entails? Um, a third, uh, comment, um, is there a way that the council could take some action or the burrow could take some action so
that Route Three from Riverside gets cleaned up by the state? Can we demand that they clean up that area? It's fairly disgusting and that's, you know, major artery of the town. So that would be great if you could handle that. Um, as far as the ordinance that was
introduced earlier today about the uh redevelopment agreement, we had a meeting or you had a meeting within this past four months, I believe in the quarter, and you said that I thought you adopted some ways that you
would run your meetings and present things to the public for extraordinary actions by the council. I think believe it was introduced by Mr. Erica in fact and then passed by this council and it doesn't seem that we're following that. So it it is uh it is
interesting that that was adopted with some fanfare and then we don't get that because I did notice in the agenda that came today there is no redevelopment agreement attached. We have received that sometimes in the past on certain
occasions, but we didn't on this one. And I find it curious that it wasn't included because, as uh was mentioned earlier, that doesn't give the public too much time to review it. Unfortunately, most people in this town work have to work for a
living. So not able to come here and get a copy of that to see because I will say the last time that one of these was uh adopted. A generous statement would be that the the numbers were cooked um it talked
about $10,000 cost per student when you calculated the numbers. Um the numbers were were fairly off and you could read back what I made in in those comments. So, I'm I'm interested to see what the numbers are this time. Um, other than that, you know, you've
heard me for years and years talk about pilots here and why I don't think they're a good idea. Um, you know, they starve the school system of the revenue. We've had people move in. We've had a lot of developments. We're taking a bath on millions of
dollars that we should be receiving for those. other communities have uh not given out pilots. Maybe you guys should look into East Rutherford is doing developments. Are they giving out pilots? What's the comparisons there?
Those are sort of things that I would hope that you'd present to the community instead of us having to do all the leg work. Right? We do have professionals that worked for us, but you know, people spoke last time about uh the way that the numbers worked out and
you know, it didn't didn't seem to be a tremendous agreements that were reached in the past. you know, we make more money than we did before and only because you have to you have to collect by law more money than
you did previously on those properties. So, um I I I hope we're getting a large benefit because I did notice one of the things that said there's going to be 21 units but only three affordable and my understanding was that state law requires
for four units that you have one affordable. So, Even then, the numbers don't seem to uh work out too well. So, you know, maybe we could have a whole presentation
about all of these things and maybe we could have that presentation prior to you voting on it, like prior more than 15 minutes later that you vote on it so that you can solicit community
input, so that you can hear from the community. I thought that was the things that were agreed to previously when you said >> you're at your five minutes, but I'll let you finish up real quick. >> 442. I put my numbers on. >> I said I'm You're coming up on your five minutes. I'll let you finish. >> Fine. I got 10 seconds. So, I would hope
that we have that meeting and I would hope that you follow the procedures that you spoke about when you introduce the way that you would run those meetings. Thank you very much. Anybody else from the public wishing to speak?
For full disclosure, my name is Frank Wilson, 171 Montro Sav. I am running for council. I say this because the last meeting it was mentioned that I do this because I am running for council. This is the farthest from the truth. I
do this because I am going along with all the citizens of Rutherford to be their voices. And it's not just this council that I do it to. In 2017, I was involved with going against the board of education and joining the citizens. We
want to save the pool. The referendum was $53 million. We all got together. We saved the pool. Reduced the referendum by $10 million. The pool saved. Referendum passed. Later on, Felician College wanted to
build the thousand seat arena on Montrose Avenue in the parking lot. Again, I join the citizens and lobbyed the planning board to be the voice along with the rest of the citizens to not have a thousand seat arena sitting in the middle of town. It's not there now
either. When I first came to town, I got involved with the endcap knowing what was coming and I joined the citizens to go against the old council, not to put in NCAAP. That was bad for
us. Well, guess what? We were right. Encap's gone. So, it's not just this council, this event that I do this to. It's the planning board. It's the board of education. And it's this council that I will challenge, which is my right. Not because I'm running for council, but
because I'm running along with every citizen in town. The new thing that I just kind of like discovered is I'm hopefully all you're aware is I call it NCAP light that Russo Development wants to put on use the land that's sitting on the other side of town
flanks Lynhurst and use 35 acres of land, 20% affordable housing. If we're unaware of that, please call up the planning board minutes. You will see all this stuff that's in there that that's coming back. Hopefully, we don't issue
them pilots, too, because this is a big thing that they're putting. They're talking about 35 acres. And upstairs, board of education knows nothing about this because it's so far out. They're going to have to get bust in if it happens. Um, my time's going to be running out. So, if not, I have to save
it. of this thing here with 51 union. I put an open request in on it. Nothing came back because it wasn't passed yet. But I remember saying after the first one passed, this one was coming up and it's a bad deal. It's a bad deal because you're going to have low impact housing
in there. Low impact housing means kids. If you look at the board of educations, they say each child costs us $20,000. That's what they base it on. So if the developer doesn't pay it, every citizen in Rutherford has to come up with the money to the board of education. While
you keep your budget down, theirs rises. We gain nothing. Look at the board of ed's numbers of cost per child. Take a look at the at the thing you're going to be looking at for um low impact housing. How many kids are coming in here? Take that, times it by 20,000. Take that
times the amount of the the note. 20 grand if you look on their website is $20,000 per child. He's on the board of vet, he could tell you. So, it's $20,000 per child the board of vet uses per kid on their budget. Take a look at that, gentlemen. And ladies, we have some
serious work ahead of us. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Wilson. Anybody else from the public wish to speak? Osman Khan 17. road. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak this evening. This year, New Jersey celebrated Ramadan with crescent
lightings all across the state, including the governor's mansion. It was a much needed celebration of inclusivity, especially in times like these. Now, more than ever, diverse communities across the state are facing tough challenges and are witnessing ICE
activity that are harming families. It is during these times where we get to see the importance of cultural holiday celebrations and uniting families. On behalf of the community of Rutherford, we are requesting the Crescent Lighting at Lincoln Park from
February 17th to March 23rd, 2026. Last year's lighting was a true success. Council members and town officials came out and more than a hundred people were in attendance. a large amount coming from our town with those that were accustomed to our culture and those that
did not know much about it. Every single one of them appreciated the atmosphere and spirit that was behind the lighting. Everybody had one thing in common to say. They loved the lighting and wanted it to happen again. Everybody looked forward to it. They loved the community aspect. It was a display of culture and
heritage that had never been showcased before in the center of Lincoln Park, the heart of our town. I received many comments and questions when the crescent lighting did not take place this year. I gave them all the same response. The boro had a new policy. People were not pleased to hear about this. As the year went on, more
and more events were held in the park contradicting the statements that were made earlier here in January. Yet the park needed to rest and the events would be selectively chosen. This year, Bergen County broke the record for crescent lightings held with neighboring counties
such as Essex, Pa and Hudson joining in. The celebration is a joyous occasion celebrating the start of the month of Ramadan, a month filled with community, forgiveness, and self-reflection. This year, I joined the governor at his
drum black mansion as he hosted anar dinner during Ramadan. He shared the same exact sentiments with the governor himself speaking about the sacred month and the awareness it should be given as well as it being a lovely occasion for the community to get together and
share, learn, and celebrate. A time where we can all figure out how to be one, a catalyst for unity. I believe Rutherford to be a town that celebrates its multicultural community and joins the growing number of towns and our governor in celebrating Ramadan
with the crescent lighting. To ensure a successful crescent lighting event, the Eid committee of NJ recommends playing early. I'll leave you with this. The crescent lighting did what it needed to. It lit up the hearts and minds of those in attendance and it made its way into the Rutherford community. We would love
to be able to partner with your team to initiate discussions and plan our for our next year. We would be truly grateful. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anybody else from the public wishes to speak? >> I'm Shannaz. I'm with the committee of New Jersey helping coordinate the
>> I need your uh name and your address as well, ma'am. Um, Shaaz Arjiman, T-neck, New Jersey. I'm coordinating the crescent lighting events across the state of New Jersey. And um, just wanted to say New Jersey's large and diverse
Muslim population is a vital part of the state's fabric. This year, the UN's International Day to Combat Insapophobia, March 15th, aligned with Ramadan, uh, poant reminder of the challenges faced by the community. Unfortunately, the hate is persistent
reality in New Jersey. Recent geopolitical events have exacerbated anti-Muslim sentiment leading to a surge in bias incidents. There has been an exception, this has been an exceptionally difficult year for Muslims, particularly um for the Muslims
in New Jersey. However, however, amid this hate, individuals, organizations, and some local governments are working tirelessly to promote understanding, tolerance, and respect. Increasingly, municipalities nationwide are
celebrating Ramadan events as a crucial strategy to combat Islamophobia and build inclusive, understanding, and connected communities. Many Muslim municipalities have embraced Christmas and Hanukkah by lighting trees and
manuras, signifying their commitment to diverse communities. It is time to extend that representation to the Muslim community and build stronger bridges. This year, the Eid committee led the way, empowering more than 60 New Jersey
municipalities to host Welcome Ramadan crescent lighting events, including a historic first crescent display at Pocket, the governor's mansion. As uh Usman said, he had the opportunity to be at the governor's mansion this year for
the crescent lighting and it was important to have that representation from Rutherford and I really do congratulate Rutherford for having student like Usuzman keep coming back and encouraging this council to be more inclusive and what a
I'm just so proud of him and I'm sure you all are. If Brotherford has students like this, you have a very good future. And he's really trying to get the council to be part of this inclusive environment that the rest of the New Jersey is. So, congratulations on having
a student like Wasman on your team. >> Thank you, ma'am. Anybody else from the public? Seeing now no one else, we're going to close it to the public and open up for any council comment. Anyone? Council.
>> Thank you, Mayor. Um, I wanted to speak specifically to Miss D. Tomaso. Um, so I am in touch with Jim Linselada, who is the new representative for Rutherford for the TANAC meeting. He did attend the last meeting as you said, and he and I are scheduled to meet hopefully this
week. We had very conflicting um travel schedules in in uh early part of August, but um I am in touch with him. I wanted to hear from him what happened at the TANAC meeting, although I suspected what you said, which is why we scheduled time to meet and then once I got the information I needed from him, I planned
to reach out to Audrey. So, you and I are very much on the same page. I just wanted to give uh Mr. Lince the opportunity to update me because I couldn't be there. He's also the voice on behalf of Rutherford, the sort of the anyone can speak and you know, I've spoken at those meetings before, but he
is the person that can really help us push things forward. So, I want to I want to achieve his partnership. Um, so hopefully I think based on our exchanges last week, I should be meeting with him either this week or next and I'm happy to circle back with you about that. Um,
I I I I also hear you on the on the trees issue. Um, I think part of what the feedback I've consistently gotten, and I think you and I may have spoken about this, if not, I apologize, is that the FAA and the Port Authority are constantly in conflict over who is more
who is slowing things down. There's a lot of fingerpointing. Um, I will look into that other airline. I know that it is becoming much more popular to have um what I guess used to be private jets or or non-comuter jets um being used
somewhat similar to Uber. There's um there's jets and helicopters that are now being used in that regard. I wasn't aware that there was going to be one placed in Teterboro. So, thank you for sharing that with me. But once I have a chance to speak with Mr. Linselada, I am more than happy to circle back with you
about what our plan is. >> Anybody else have any comments? Council President, >> thank you, Mayor. First of all, thank you everyone for your words this evening. Um I I want to address um some of the concerns and I just
affirmed with uh the burough administrator. So the um the terms of the ordinance of which we adopted in first read tonight were made available in the packet that was published the financial agreement because those terms are still until we actually do that
first vote. Um, and Bob, if I'm incorrect, please feel free to correct me, but until we um go through that first vote and affirm that we are moving forward with this, they're still in negotiating phases, right? So, now that vote has happened, and I did just affirm
with Bob, that that will be made available to the public immediately, right? Uh because I don't think that's an unreasonable request, and that um to your point, uh Mr. Lebruno. That should give ample time of a couple of weeks because of course I respect the fact
that people work and that they take their time out of their life to review this and and investigate it. And as with all ordinances, that time in between of introduction to second reading, the the purpose of that and many of you, I mean, I I I'm looking right at you, Denise,
there's been many times where something has been introduced and there is great follow-up conversation that happens between that first point and that second point. Um, and so I I would expect this not to be uh any different than the other opportunity. I also want to just
take a moment because I I want to uh comment on the statement about us being more transparent and and I believe you you called it fanf fair, Mr. Leerno. U it's it's not fanfare, right? What we did was uh deliberately as a uh council
and as a board acknowledge our commitment to that process. Um, I also want to in good faith because I appreciate the fact that you do come to these meetings and you do your homework and and so I I'm acknowledging that in the statement that I mean you have
several years worth of comments and public periods on this. I believe this started uh again the burough administrator could correct me. Is it 2016? I I I want to say this has been going on probably for the entire span of my time and tenure as
a council member. Um, and it's had multiple iterations, multiple times coming forward, it's been discussed so many times. And so I just I just want to say in the spirit of of what we're trying to do in transparency, I I I
don't think I would be true to myself if I sat here and said that I I felt we did this under a cloak. Quite the contrary. I think this has been something that has been revisited so often, so many times with so many questions because we wanted to get it right.
But I also want to make one more statement about this uh project in place. It is an area that needs something to happen. It is not fair in my opinion to the residents who live in that neighborhood to walk past something that is not as attractive as the homes
and the care that they put every day into the place that they live. Um, and I think that we have a a responsibility sitting here to weigh that in equal portion to many of the questions that you've raised and that's what makes this job challenging sometimes, right? Um,
but having said that, I feel good that there's three affordable housing units in this. I'm actually very proud of how far we have come as a as a government and and perhaps maybe others may not feel that way, but there was a time where conversations were we'll just take
the money and we'll talk about it at another day. And now we hold developers that want to work with us responsible for not only meeting uh the obligation that they should have and we most certainly have, but to do it in a way
that is um enabling what affordable housing was meant to be, which is upward mobility and the opportunity for people to move into this community in a way that they can afford to and to benefit for the long term. Right. and and so I'm I'm I'm actually very proud of of of how
far we still have plenty of room to grow. Um but I I just felt like that was a very important thing to say this this particular project. Um I know that because it's called is it agnu B or D? It it's got a letter and I know that
when it right it's a B. Um, and that and I know that like when you hear these things, it's it is jarring, but these this was always a much smaller project uh since it's been introduced several years ago. Um, and I'm grateful that we're finally moving something forward.
Um, and I and I actually want to compliment my council colleagues. We had an incredibly robust discussion about this with our professionals. We were able to a ask and and actually
challenge each other greatly. Um, and and where this got to was the culmination of an incredible amount of feedback and perspective. Um, and and again, I think that's actually the commitment to the process we talked
about. So, I apologize if perhaps we didn't do the fanfare that you were hoping for, which is to just do it for the sake of doing it. But I can say with with certainty that it took place and that I welcome as always the feedback that we're going to get over the next
few weeks um while we move to second read. Um I do want to acknowledge Usman for coming again. Um and and um forgive me for missing your name at the beginning of your comments. Um, but there is also something to be said about
the fact that members of our community, young members of our community, stand up and they share their perspective and they make these requests and it comes from a place of true passion. Um, and so um, thank you for actually pointing that out because we are very proud. We have
many members of our community that come and share their thoughts and and positions um, on decisions that are being made. So, thank you for making time for us this evening. Um, I don't know that, um, Nick, Miss
Niccastro, um, I'm not sure that I am the best person to comment on the issues regarding Shade Tree. Um, but I most certainly imagine that I have colleagues up here who are prepared to discuss it. And so, I just wanted to thank you for
bringing it uh, to our attention. And everybody else, it's it's the usual. And, and Denise will follow up with that. And Frank, thanks for coming. Okay, I'm done. Thank you, Mayor. >> Councilman Guzman.
>> Thank you, Mayor. I just have one quick uh comment. Uh Mr. Leuno, you had stated 21 units on 51 Union. That's actually 18 units of which three are affordable housing. Just wanted to correct that for you. Thank you, >> Mr. Gley.
>> Thank you, sir. Uh thank you everyone for commenting and attending tonight. I've always been a big proponent of, you know, voices in the galley. Uh, specifically, Miss Niccastro. Um, I will accept full responsibility for the Shade Tree Commission. Um, on a personal note, I started a new job in March. I worked
from home as a freelancer for eight years. Had a lot of freedom to kind of take care of my council responsibilities. In March, I started working back in the city as my wife and I kind of struggled to take care of our three kids and their schedules and things like that. Um, one of my responsibilities as council liaison to
the shaitri commission is an actual sitting voting seat. Um, so we struggled for a couple of months there to get a quorum as we rolled into the summer months. I apologize for that. Although I'll I'll accept full responsibility. Um, three of those meetings I could not attend with my new job and I'm in it's a publishing job deadline. It's long
story. I apologize. Um, I'm in a really good routine now. The meeting should take off and be consistent. Um to that end the ordinance that you're referring to I've spoken to many times up on this council deis. It is a work in progress on my side. Um I am liazing with councilman John Jerbasio out of saucus
who is currently in my opinion writing one of the most formidable ones. One of the bigger sticking points as I have to go in the future and ask for support here is the fact that we are asking uh this ordinance to govern private property. Right? So, if you have a a beautiful old growth tree on your
property and you want to take it down, one of the things that we're looking to implement based on the state requirements is the fact that you have to go and ask for a permit and then we present you with a list of uh foliage, so to speak, that would replace the water consumption that that tree would
consume, right? So, it's a really finite balance to be able to bring something forward that enforces regulation of private property, right? So, to some extent, so please bear with us. It is underway. It is in the works. I would love to see you at the September meeting to contribute more and perhaps if there
is an open seat in the the coming months if you would love to volunteer. We love having people and citizens on these types of commissions and committees who are willing to do the work. So again, accept full responsibility for for the last couple of months. Um Mr. Luno, Mr. Wilson, thank you as always for
contributing. Uh Misty Tomaso, pleasure to see you here again and you know my heart is there with you. Um, I will definitely jump on board again with Councilwoman Del Recon to ensure that we are, you know, getting your needs met as best we can or at least our voices heard. Um, and Miss Cordini, always a pleasure to see you here. We'd love to
have a conversation with you on the side after these meetings as we usually do. Thank you all. >> Council, >> thank you, Mayor. Um, I just want to say to Mr. Lebruno, I was actually the council member who introduced the
ordinance with with Councilwoman McGowan's great help and assistance and support that required that we put up for debate and discussion important non-rine ordinance ideas uh a session before we
actually move on them. So that it's not just about how much information we have. Well, that that's really important. We're hearing a lot about how much information we have, but it's also about how much information you have, the public has. And so I not surprisingly therefore agree with both of you and
Miss Square DNE that this should be treated though differently than that. This is an this is this is going to pilots financial agreements that involve pilots. These development projects are very large. they're going to affect our community and we should have as much
notice as possible and the public should weigh in as much as possible. So, thank you for your words in support of that idea. And I do want to say to Usman and um the lovely woman from TAC whose name I'm also forgetting. I'm so sorry. Um that I
thank you again for your passionate advocacy of this idea. It was a beautiful ceremony. Um, and I'm sad that it isn't happening again. So, anything I can do to I would I know you both
emailed me. I would love to talk to you further. Anything I can do to come up with a sol a solution that maybe is a compromise, I would love to do that. So, but thank you for your passionate advocacy. It's it's it is it is a a perilous time with a lot of anger and
hatred and racism and anti-religious and anti-immigrant sentiment. obviously going on in the country and even in our local communities and these these type of of ceremonies that show inclusivity and and togetherness and the support of
the go the governing body are really important to to quell that. So thank you >> councilman. >> Thank you mayor. Uh I'm going to withhold some of my comments on 51 union until uh the substantive presentation at our next meeting. But I think just to
the um point brought up about communication and um understanding um I I respect that this body has discussed safe uh has discussed pilot programs and and other forms of financial agreements for many years. um you know I think to
some extent these um the word pilot has become you know a loaded term here and and has become politicized and I I don't really think that that should be the case and I think perhaps that is the case because of a lack of um communication or understanding or you know perhaps even transparency over some processes in the past. So, uh, I know
we've discussed informally as a governing body ways to better inform, uh, the bureau and and citizens, uh, and each other about how pilots work and, uh, how specific projects might work. Uh, and for my part at least, I', I'd be welcome to have those conversations
informally, uh, with anybody. Um, and and I have have had these conversations with my council colleagues as well. So, I'm I'm very enthusiastic uh that we can to the extent that that we can as a as a governing body communicate better and have more transparency. I'm very enthusiastic that we can get there. But
I do appreciate all the comments and concerns about that. And again, with this specific project, I'm going to um uh uh comment at the next meeting. We have a more substantive presentation on it. Um with regards to Miss Niccastro, thank you so much for coming. Um, I I'm
familiar with the ordinance that you or the the law I suppose in New Jersey that you referenced um that uh Councilman Kley also referenced. Um I'm not sure I read it to say that we're mandated to pass that exactly, but I'd be happy to um assist Councilman Kley or or you
know, whoever else uh in the the work on that. I know also discuss with our burough administrator. But thank you for bringing that up. Um I do also want to touch on the crescent lighting. Um thank you Usuzman for coming and uh Miss Arjiman is it that uh for coming. Um I
really appreciate those comments and uh you know I this is a good reminder I think to us. We had said uh earlier this year that we would revisit this issue uh informally and I think it's a good reminder uh for us as a governing body to revisit it. So I appreciate both of you coming and I I certainly agree about
Usman. It takes a lot of courage to uh to speak uh in front of a a public forum and and repetitively as you have and I really appreciate that. So, thank you for coming. Uh and I do want to say one thing with regards to uh Mr. Lebruno, I do agree that Route 3 should be cleaned up by the state. So, I hope we can uh follow that up. I I live right in that
area and it it definitely uh needs some work. Thank you. >> Thank you. We're going to uh move on now to our consent item agendas. Council President. >> Thank you, mayor. All items are
authorized to be consent by the council and will be enacted by one motion. These items are routine in nature. Motion. >> I have a motion by the council president. May I have a second? >> Second. >> Second by Councilwoman Delray Con. Any questions or comments? Seeing none, I may have a roll call.
>> Council President McGowan. >> Yes. >> Counciloman Del. >> Yes. >> Counciloman Quill. >> Yes. >> Councilman Kley. >> Yes. >> Councilman Erico. >> Yes. except with regards to the minutes of July 31st which I abstain. >> And Council Guzman, >> yes, with regards uh with exception of
the regular minutes of July 14th, 2025, of which I abstain. >> Thank you. Uh we have no new business discussions. So, we'll move on to council reports. Council President, >> thank you, Mayor. Um it feels like we
have not been together in several weeks because we have not been together in several weeks. Um, and so much has happened in this community. Um, often I use this time to talk about amazing activities that are happening, of which
we have many. Um, but, uh, I'm I'm going to ask the community to bear with me to speak about two seinal things that happened in this burrow since we were last together. Um uh on August 1st uh the burrow uh
lost uh one of its its favorite sons. Um um Mark Toby Gentile um passed away. He was a 37year member of the Rutherford Fire Department.
>> He became a life member last year. He had been an engineer, a lieutenant, a captain, the chief of the Rutherford Fire Department. He was vice president of the South Bergen Fire Chiefs Association and the president of the Rutherford Fireman's Relief Association.
He was an employee of the Department of Public Works. He was uh an integral member of the First Presbyterian Church. Um, and anybody who's walked up and down Park Avenue at some point has either
heard him or had him speak directly to you, but no doubt you heard him at some point because he was quite a presence. Um, this was a devastating loss to our community, to our burrow family, to our
larger extended resident family, um, and certainly to our emergency services. Uh, his wife Lori was, uh, an employee of the burrow for many years and recently retired.
It is a enormous loss for us as a community and I know that his friends and family are still struggling to make sense of it as many of us up here are. And so I wanted to publicly acknowledge
the extraordinary person he was and thank him for his service to this burrow and personally thank him for being my friend. The second the second matter happened
merely days later. Um yet again our emergency services were called to task with uh the fire at Temple Bethl uh the congregation and um the heart-wrenching
site that many of us have come by to walk by and see. Um, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the extraordinary service of the Rutherford Volunteer Fire Department,
our police department, our EMS, all of the um surrounding communities that sent mutual aid. I am so grateful that Rabbi Lurman and his beautiful family escaped without
incident and that they are here to talk about rebuilding. Usman spoke tonight about the importance of being seen and inclusivity and and and acknowledgement and community. It's amazing how fortunate we are
really. Uh this burrow affords extraordinary opportunity to many and and not only is there a gaping hole from a fire, but there is just a gaping hole in the community as we now support
and encourage uh the rabbi and the congregation to rebuild. Um, I I wanted one to just really highlight how grateful we should be as a community
and how we should take a hot moment to acknowledge the people in this community that give themselves of themselves uh to to the for the benefit of all of us. um and just how fortunate we are for
their incredible training and their commitment. Um and so uh I I know many members up here, the mayor included, uh were uh very engaged in um following up with
Rabbi Lurman. Um and the community has absolutely rallied around them and I would expect nothing less for other. And so, uh, if you are listening to this, as many of you now, I guess, choose to listen to us or watch this, um, uh, and
you are a first responder, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. If you are someone who is always wondering how you've become more engaged in the community, uh, there are ample opportunities and I would encourage you to look into that.
And more importantly, I just want to thank this extraordinary burrow. Time and time again, when our heart is broken the most, when we are hurting so terribly, we rally together.
And as somebody so beautifully said it to me, Rutherford takes care of its own. So, thank you to all of you that continue to do that. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Councilwoman Dary. >> Thank you, Mayor. And um thank you, Council President. That was lovely and
and covered much of what I wanted to cover. So, I I'll just say um something slightly different. Um first, I I actually met Toby on Park Avenue with you when he screamed your name from down the block um as he was emptying the
meters. And that was my first experience with his larger than life um infectious magnetic personality. So I continue to think of the Gentiel family uh both by blood and by just being in his presence.
I know it was a tremendous loss and and with that loss I I it actually dovetales nicely with um what the loss the community experienced in connection with um Bethl because I had the opportunity to go to the site of the fire um the
morning it happened and I went there um really just to check on our firefighters because uh they were also going to have Toby's uh wake and funeral services that day And I think that a true testament to
any leaders and I don't think community leaders are are really just us or maybe not us at all when you look at those moments. Um the amount of grace that was exhibited by our uh firefighters that day is really hard to describe in words.
Um I was trying to think of something as silly, not even silly, but something that ended up feeling silly to do for them. So, I brought coffee and donuts. The the amount of gratitude that they expressed as they were covered in soot
and sweat and water as they were rolling up their hoses for something so simple is really such a signifier of leadership. And I think our best leaders are the ones that when they're feeling vulnerable or scared and instead of
acting out, they um express grace. And I think that that was really the best uh example of that recognizing that most many of our our fire crew are also on DPW. So they also were managing that um
incident from a DPW perspective. Um so I just wanted to acknowledge them. Our our EMS volunteer EMS I feel like I have to say volunteer every time they were on site. Of course the chief and his team were on site. But um it's not just that
these folks come and keep us safe. They do it with a tremendous amount of gratitude and grace which is pretty remarkable. So I just wanted to note that. Um and please um show them your support. Um so too with the DPW. Um I've
been the DPW liaison for quite a while now and um I keep saying it, I'll say it again. I do think they are our unsung heroes. their job is um so important and so overlooked um by many unless we have a problem and then they hear from us
plenty. Um which I I know that's how life works. We don't always remember to to say the good. So I feel like it's my responsibility to say the good recognizing that DPW did experience a tremendous amount of loss with Toby's passing um as did the fire department
and um they kept going. Um, I also want to just acknowledge Chris Sidler because um, he's led that team with Gusto for quite a while and um, even in those moments that none of you see where I text him and say, "Hey, maybe we can get
another table in the library courtyard that's flush with the ground so someone who's in a wheelchair could go up to it." Um, he responds instantly and quick and and and does what what we need. So, if you have a chance to see any of those folks, particularly DPW and our
firefighters, um please just think of them or acknowledge them or or thank them. Um on a a sort of more cheery uh note, uh the Rutherford Civil Rights Commission annual multicultural festival is on September 6th. It's a Saturday.
The rain date is Sunday. Um they have really a wonderful lineup of performers and food trucks and vendors covering a wide swath of um of cultures and ethnicities. Um it is the 21st year that they are doing it. I think the only year
that that was missed uh in the past 21 years was the year of COVID. So please do come out. I can't stress enough that this is an event that's planned usually by five people. Um, so not to at all disrespect our other events, but um, there's not a big team behind this and
they too are all volunteers. So if you have time, please come out and um, support the Civil Rights Commission's multicultural festival. And also, if you are a business in town interested in sponsoring the festival, um, they can always use extra resources towards this
event. Um, so if you're interested in being a sponsor, please let me know and I can direct you to the right folks. And then finally, on another cheery note, if you haven't checked out that outdoor gym that was put in um in in Memorial Field, it's pretty remarkable. Um I have an
overenergized 16-year-old son, and he and his friends literally ran there that day once I told him that it was open and um said it's pretty awesome. So, if you um want to get outside to uh perform some movement, which we all should try
to do, um it is it is a really great space. And I thank um our burough administrator because he really was the driver in getting the funding for that and making sure it happened. And I think he he told me about it in his office and showed me the picture and I think I squealled which I apologize for again
but it uh it was squealorthy and and really exciting. So thank you. >> Thank you Councilman. >> Thank you mayor. Um yes so back to the twin tragedies that happened in August. Um, unfortunately I was well I was in
California on vacation during this time and very sad in many ways that I couldn't be here. Um, but my council colleague Stephanie said it best and I can't say it more eloquently which is that you know both tragedies left a
gaping hole in our community. And you know, I didn't know to Toby, but I did know his brother Dennis. And I heard has heard both before the tragedy and since I've heard so many stories about Toby and
just what a committed and dedicated volunteer he was for the fire department, what a incredibly strong leader and also, you know, such a committed employee of DPW. So, and he just and more than that even he just
affected people's lives and had so many so many real friendships and so many people are very very just moved terribly about what happened. So, it's a it's a testament to what a wonderful life he lived. And then the the tragedy of the
fire, which even though I was in California, I heard about I mean, it got regional press. It got it got national press. It was such such a terrible event. Um, and you know, I'm glad that the rabbi, obviously, the rabbi's family
survived and escaped without harm. And now they are going to rebuild. And I just checked and there's a support um fundraiser going out and he's there the community the community and nearby communities have raised like hundreds of thousands of dollars for him to rebuild.
So I think that's just fantastic and and just to salute once again the fire department and all emergency services for the incredible incredibly heroic work. Um they are just very selfish. They don't they don't think of what what's in it for them or what the risk is to them. they just go out and
and fight to save to save people and to make people's lives better. And I think there were like Bob told me I think there were 14 or 13 other responding towns to that fire which is incredible. So just the support of surrounding
communities and just how quickly there was a response even though it could not be saved is is is amazing. So thank you once again to that terrific department. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. >> Thank you, sir. Um, first and foremost
to Rabbi Lurman and his family and his congregation. Um, my family's thoughts and prayers have been with you since that fateful evening. Um, you have my full support on anything and everything you need moving forward. Please do not hesitate to reach out. Um, I told this
story about Toby Gentiel once several years ago on on the deis in the old building as kind of a tribute to him and thanks for his service. And I just want to briefly mention it again because it's a testament to to who he was. This this loud, boisterous behemoth of a man um
had was one of the kindest people I've ever met. There was a fire on West Newell where it was a rather dangerous one as electrical wires were rubbing on the um gutters of the house and it electrified the circuitry within and set the the um main box on fire. So at the time I was the fire commissioner. My
responsibility was to be there um with the uh resident uh to keep them kind of out of harm's way and away from the fire department and police departments as they do their work. The elderly woman who was there had no family. She was all alone. Um I guess a bit of a hoarder by
what the fire department had reported and and thus the fire spread pretty dramatically. Uh we were there as we watched the fire department rip the roof off her house and tear through the walls to find what they called a ghost in the walls. Right. one of these more dangerous fires. From what I came to
understand, she was frantic about, of all things, her medicine case, right? She she had a very regimented um series of medications that she had to take on a daily basis and she was frantic. She kept asking if she could go back in. I called Toby over once the fire had kind
of been settled and I said, "M, would is it possible for you to go? She seems to think we're she knows where the medicine is." And he's like, "We really shouldn't, but can she describe it for me and tell me where she thinks she left it last?" And she did with clarity. And he marched right back into that still
smoldering structure and found the medicine case and brought it back out. And he enlightened me. He's like, "You cannot take these. You have to go to the pharmacy and have them replaced. The smoke infiltration will have destroyed them, made them worthless, and and um
dangerous to consume." And that was just Mark. That was Toby in a nutshell, right? The the biggest, loudest guy on the block driving a motorcycle just as big and loud. And I I just always respected him in that regard, right? He carried himself with such grace, even
for the small of us in this community. So Mark, wherever you are, God bless you. Thank you for your service. And uh that's it. Thank you. >> Thank you, Councilman Eric. >> Thank you, mayor. Um I like it sounds
like several of us met Toby for the first time on Park Avenue. Um and uh several years back and uh you know something that always stood out to me with regards to Toby was his tremendous sense of humor uh and how funny he was. Um and it occurred to me when he I
learned of his passing that he'd become a he started serving in the Rutherford Fire Department in 1987 and I was born in 1986. So uh and I don't I don't consider myself to be particularly young anymore. So he's he had served in the fire department for an entire generation of uh of other Fordians and um I think
that's a a tremendous life of service um that he he gave to us and my sincere and extreme condolences to his family um for for this tremendous unexpected loss um uh I I I think that his spirit of uh of service to our burough will be long
remembered and is exemplified I think in in what we saw happen after the the terrible fire that happened at Temple Bethl. Um, as Councilwoman Quatronone mentioned, I uh I'm aware that they've they've raised I think approaching $400,000 um in donations and I know for
a fact that a large or you know at least a significant portion of that has come from uh members of of Rutherford uh and the community here and I think that's obviously money isn't everything but I think it's a tremendous amount of money um to raise in a short period of time for for such a terrible tragedy. You know, I know I've spoken to Rabbi Lurman
um in the past and he's always invited me and and uh anyone to come to um their services which are on on Friday night and on Saturday. And I know uh you know if if you're not familiar with the the Jewish tradition, it might be intimidating to attend a service um that
you know is is perhaps a lot in Hebrew, but um uh I've been to many uh services. I haven't been to one um at Temple Bethl, but I would encourage um anyone who's interested to go as a as a show of support. Um they are still having services on Felician uh as they're
looking to rebuild and uh I think you know whether it's uh giving time or money or even just participating in their service. Um the community is extremely accepting and welcoming. And so I'd encourage all of us to to go and attend u to the extent that that we can. And if anyone wants to attend and is feeling awkward about it, please reach
out to me and I'd love to um to to help make it feel less awkward. I I think I this is a complete aside, but on a very personal and different level, but just also illustrative of how fantastic this community is. Um, I lost my cat about a week and a half ago and I posted on
Facebook and I I very rarely do post these sorts of things on Facebook, but the number of people who reached out to me from Rutherford volunteering help um and and advice and called me and texted me was um really unbelievable. I mean, it was it was just unbelievable to me. Um I I thought maybe one or two people
would sort of say, I'll keep my eye out for him. Um but but people tracked down cats. I mean, I I probably I I I saw every lost cat that's that's been lost in the in the surrounding 10 milei radius of Rutherford. Uh, luckily my my cat did make it home over the weekend.
Um, but I, you know, from from very small things like that to to very tremendous things like Toby service and uh the outpouring of support u that we've seen for Temple Bethl, I I I just can't overstate um how fantastic this community is and how special we are to
live here. Uh, and I thank everyone for for that support and and I hope that we can continue Toby's legacy in in public service. Thank you. >> Thank you, council. >> We'll move on to my mayor's report. >> I'm sorry, Ray. I'm sorry.
>> No problem, mayor. It's been a while. I understand that. Um, thank you, mayor. Um it's quite evident that this council along with all community members had a strong sense of
of uh incredible uh feeling and and and being able to know Mr. Gentiel and uh I am no exception as well. Um he was a beloved son as our council woman here has mentioned uh beloved son of Rutherford and to to really to get to
know him was to love him. He was really that type of guy. It was a little scary on the outside, but a big marshmallow on the inside. And my condolences to his family once again. Um, I' I'd like to uh congratulate our police department for a
wonderful packed house Lincoln Field National Night Out. Um, it was quite quite an event. Uh, it was great to see the support of the state as well as the uh the county. Um, it was a lot of activities. It was a really nice night,
nice evening out, a perfect evening out actually weatherwise. And uh once again uh Chief uh thank you and your team for putting out a really nice show there and really getting uh helping the public understand what goes on in police departments and with equipment and it
was uh pretty impressive to see. So thank you very much and congratulations on that. Um that's all I have tonight, mayor. Thank you. >> Thank you. Now I'll move on to my >> Thanks. Um,
I have nothing to report. Um, first I'd like to uh have an appointment of Gavin Oval to a school crossing guard permanent status effective August 26, 2025 in accordance with the rules and regulations of the New Jersey Civil
Service Commission. I'd ask for a motion. >> Motion. >> Motion by Councilman Guzman. May I have a second? >> Second. Second by council president. Any questions or comments? >> Seeing none, I have a roll call. >> Council President McGawan. >> Yes. >> Council Deone. >> Yes.
>> Council, >> yes. >> Councilman Kley, >> yes. >> Casco, >> yes. >> Gus, >> yes. >> Thank you. Um, I do want to comment on uh the events of the uh loss of Toby
as well as the uh synagogue fire. Um, Toby was a good friend to me and my wife, pain in my ass. Uh, somebody that was always there for you if you need him. And I do have to say the council president's um, words were nothing but
um, heartfelt and emotionally uh, comforting to everybody that attended that event. So, I want to thank you for that. So, what I'm going to ask is when we adjourn, when I ask for the motion, it'll be who cares
and all in favor will be who cares. Um, as regard to the synagogue fire, um, I've watched, you know, when the chief called me at three, we were down there in 10 minutes, the roof was already
gone. Um the fire department's credible response. Everybody was on scene. Um the surrounding houses were being protected. Um Mr. Wilson already had protected the family and we do appreciate you taking
care of them at that time. You know, it was just a um a very long 13 hours and um you know, we we had to get to the wake that night. So, we're trying to get everything wrapped up as quick as we could.
And then all of a sudden there's a garbage truck on fire on Silven which gets dumped into the street and we all look at each other and go blank Toby. So Toby, we're going to miss you. Um we're going to schedule something once
the rabbi gets his feet under him again. um you know as a show of support with the community we we'll have something put together that we could all attend and uh just show our support for his congregation.
So now we'll move on to um the hearings hearing of citizens on agenda and agenda items only to speak >> Denise Corini again Wal Street. Um my my question is so how will the information
about the execution be given to us or do we have to be looking? >> We we'll get to that. >> Okay. >> Anybody else from the public wishing to speak? >> Frank Wilson 171 Montros. Um, I want to talk about 51 Union, but before I do
that, um, I want to thank personally our fire department for coming there. This was right next door to my house. I want to thank the mayor and the chief because both of them made sure that the rabbi was with me. So, they both came to my house. They both made sure that he was
okay and then they went back to do their job. So, I could tell you from the rabbis's point of view, he was very appreciative for everybody. Um, again, our fire department, people couldn't believe that we have a volunteer fire department because the news crew kept interviewing all of us and I said, "Yeah, the volunteers are out here at
3:00 in the morning." They could not believe it. So, they did like unbelievable job and um I can't say enough about those guys um and the mayor and the chief also. Um 51 in the union. Um there's something inside of the um
planning board minutes and I don't know what this means but on the June 12th meeting it says 51 union was in the third round whatever the third round means. So obviously this thing's been hanging around a while it's on the on their minutes. So this has been in discussion and when the last one fell
through and it was had a pilot I brought it up to this council about please don't issue another pilot again and I was assured by you Bob that there was none at the time and obviously there was none but it looks like now that my request maybe others fell on deaf ears because
now we're going to issue another pilot and by what it seems is that people are building in Rutherford left and right so I don't know we need an enticement You look at that house that was right next to the synagogue that they split the lot. It was a 100 foot lot. They went to the building department, I mean
to the planning board and they got the lot split. So they're going to put two lots there. They same people bought I believe uh Sora's house and they also bought the one on Washington Avenue. So people have an interest of coming here. So I don't know why we need to entice
folks when it appears they're here. Um, and from what I know about a pilot is that money doesn't go to the school board. So the money that you don't raise the taxes on this side of the coin, we raise the taxes on that side of the coin
because those kids got to go somewhere. And looking at their last budget meeting, and I don't agree, but it's what's on paper. $20,000 per child. It's a big number, but that's what they base it on. So, if they went up 4% this
year and they've gone up over $10 million since 2017, it shows you that there is a correlation between giving stuff away. Um, prior to most of you being here, the Amazon's only on a vacant lot.
We don't get taxes on a building, only get taxes on the land. Um, please rethink this again. take a look at this to make sure you're not giving away the ranch and the ones that are coming after this, especially 51 Union because we went down this road and when they foreclosed and they gave it away, we got
to reset the clock again. We're right back to where we came from. So before we go too far down that road, please look into this. Thank you. And again, Mayor Chief, thanks for that night. >> Thank you. Anybody else from the public?
Seeing none, we're going to close it to the public. Um, I'll start with the burough engineer. I'm sorry, burrow administrator guy between you and Ray. I'm having a rough one here. >> Thank you, mayor. Uh, with regards to
the 51 union documents in question, uh, first of all, they will be up on the website tomorrow under our redevelopment section. Also, if you are already registered to receive our agendas automatically, we will transmit them that way tomorrow as well. So, you'll
get them automatically if you already have a login with us. Anything else? Is that it? Okay. I do want to answer one more thing. Uh Mr. Leona mentioned the MS4 neglia authorization earlier tonight. Uh that that that project is
required by New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. uh they are going to have to map out via GIS every sewer plate, catch basin, outflow, inlet, everything related to our storm
water system. Uh have it all mapped out and submit to uh to the state. So it's a it's a requirement every community is required to do. Um so Negley is now going to be doing it for us. >> Yes, ma'am. Um, is it okay to ask Bob to
just um can you just reference uh Mr. Wilson uh reference the third round? So, just to explain what that is, >> the the third round reference was uh an affordable housing uh reference. Um the bureau several years ago adopted the the
third round affordable housing obligation uh what our affordable housing uh requirements were. This currently we're doing the fourth round. You probably have heard that term recently, but third round. There's been a second round. It's been a first round. The 51 union project was included in our
affordable housing obligation several years ago where we had to provide three affordable housing units. Uh this project, if it's built, will satisfy that obligation. Anybody else have anything they want to add?
Seeing none, we're going to adjourn the meeting. I would take a motion. >> I'd like to motion that I do not care. >> All in favor? >> Who cares? >> Who cares?