technically this meeting is called to order in accordance with the open public meetings law in accordance with chapter 231 of the public public laws of 1975 adequate notice of this meeting has been provided this meeting of February 18 2025 was published in the Coran news and stall Ledger and placed on the
Burrow's website in Bolton board at Burrow Hall a copy of this notice is available to the public and a copy of the statement shall be included in the minutes of this meeting mayor Brian Gallagher here council members Teresa boner is excused this evening Andrew KY here Glenn Den
here Randy pittz here Gus tra here Roger V here all right please stand for the salute to the flag pled allegion to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and
justice for all okay can I have a motion for the approval of the minutes of February 3 2025 so moved second discussion roll call council members Andrew Cony yes Glenn Den yes Randy pittz yes Gina travic yes Roger ver yes all right uh
departmental reports and notices we have none to show committee reports uh let's start with Mr Ki uh nothing okay uh Gina uh the Somerville Rescue Squad is um looking for drivers if you're not sure if you want to be an EMT or do medical
care you might think about driving for the squad um also I wanted to point out that um I was in um Bridgewater this weekend and um the there was a medical emergency and the response time um just had me on the edge uh nothing like what
we experien in Somerville uh so I want to credit our squad for for all the good work they do and their quick response time um so uh let's think about helping out uh the Su Rescue Squad as well as the fire department and get get involved um there's a lot of TV you can watch but there's a lot better things to do um the
other thing uh the uh the Health commission has not met Board of Health did not meet this month so U I have no report on that okay thank you Glenn yes the environmental commission met last week um and there's a number of different things we reviewed a lot of different ordinances we're applying for
some grants to hopefully help with some habitat restoration along the brook and uh we want you to save the date not just for our next meeting at on March 11th at 7 o'clock here but also the green fair is coming up soon in April on the 26th so keep your eyes out for more details
about that great thank you all right thank thank you ready I have nothing at this time you okay Roger okay uh one of my responsibilities is liaison to the board of education so I wanted to let the community know that tomorrow at 7 pm in the high school
media center the Somerville Public Schools will be hosting an in-person forum and a uh tour in regards to the upcoming referendum uh the referendum will take place on March 11th uh so tomorrow at 7 p.m. is opportunity to go
in person again to the media center for a forum that's being hosted by the school on March 4th if you cannot make uh the uh sorry tomorrow the 19th on March 4th there will also be a virtual Forum at 7 pm and that'll be on zoom and
there'll be a link to that uh on the um on the board of education's website information about the proposed projects is also available on the uh Somerville school's website so if you're interested to read up on uh those referendums mean what the financial
impact will be to uh you the taxpayer that information is all available on Somerville schools.org page vote um and again the referendum will be a special election vote on March
11th at your normal polling places more information on that uh will be upcoming the the polling places are just the schools though yes yeah so so I didn't want you to get uh anybody to be confused with the other uh locations that we normally have so why don't we
why don't we just put something out specific to where those polling locations are just so this way we can avoid any of that confusion sure so yeah because if you don't vote at a school then where do you go so so the the voting at the the the voting for the
March 11th election is only at the schools it's only at vandervere and and the high school normally we have we have you know seven other locations so I I didn't want someone to be confused by the primary compared to the
March 11th election the March 11th is only voting at the schools either school no matter where you live in the municipality you could vote at either school hopefully I got that clear right yep okay yeah so let's let's make sure for clarity we can put that up on the
burrow website as well sure yeah I think if we put that on our socials just so everyone knows and and hope and a link as well so that people understand what they're going to vote for if you know and obviously as always um you know go
out and vote whether it's a yay or nay your voice needs to be heard so again March 11th go out and vote for or just go out and vote good excellent all right thank you um next up is a proclamation I'm going to come down here for that
so this uh this Proclamation is in honor of uh Black History Month and while it's always great to look to the Past for our leaders um we felt uh this year let's
let's look to the present uh and and let's highlight some of our uh leaders of our community um who are African-American and uh we thought it very important uh that that we do that and also to bring some folks in we we put it out there and and said you know
if you uh participate in the burrow if you work with the burrow uh we want you to come out and and be a part of this uh this celebration so there's a number of folks uh here who if you would like to come forward um because i' I'd like to introduce all of you to uh to our
community don't be shy because I know I know most of you and I know most of you are not shy yeah you got yours ready [Laughter] lar all right and I'm just going to ask I'm going to H hand this down and just
ask each of you to uh to introduce yourselves who you are how you're affiliated with the burrow yeah tell us a little bit about yourself okay um I'm n here Petty Jackson I'm from Somerville I grew up here pretty much my
whole life I played football graduated in 2017 um and now I work for somville DPW my name is Wade Hall um I've been with the burough for 37 years um I grew up here all my life in Sommerville my name is R aens I'm born
and raised in this town still live here and I am a member of the planning board hi Zena vaness um born and raised as well here and um 10 years at the borrow my name is Larry Cleveland I'm on
the planning board and the environmental commission and I've been involved with Boy Scouts for years I was a scout master for a while and I've helped coach SBI I've been around still love it thank
you my name is steuart Daniels uh I serve on the Zoning Board of adjustment and I've been in Summerville for 20 plus years I I know a lot of uh families here have worked at the barber shop in town for a number of years and you know I love it
here and she's also on the the clock my name is Tempest bu I've been working here for 3 years since 2022 hired with Somerville Police Department so you know this is this is
Somerville and you look at the folks here 3 years up to 37 years and everything in between and these are the folks that have an impact every single day on our burrow whether it's at the planning
board level um whether it's out on the streets with DPW whether it's in burrow hall or whether it's uh with with the zoning board or or on the streets um these are folks that are having a positive impact on our community every
single day and it's all a part of black history but this is this is living black history and you're creating history for our community and that's what's important so I want to thank you all for what you do Larry fellow Elizabeth guy
um the uh you have a profound impact on our burrow and I want to thank all of you uh for what you do every single day you know it goes unsung all the time you know a lot of times whether you're sitting behind a day or you're sitting behind the wheel or sitting behind a
desk um you get yelled at everybody complains about what you should be doing everybody's really good at telling everybody what they should be doing but you're out there doing it and that's what counts and on behalf of the burrow Council everybody up here on
behalf of everybody here in the audience and on behalf of all of our citizens thank you for what you do every single day so with that and we will we'll get a copy of this proclamation to to each one of you
so whereas the 2025 Black History Month theme African-Americans and labor sets out to highlight and celebrate the potent impact of this work and focuses on the various and profound ways that work and working of all kinds free and unfree skilled and unskilled vocational
and voluntary intersect with the collective experience experiences of black people and whereas throughout our nation's history black Americans have been among the country's most consequential leaders shaping the cultural and political Destiny of our nation and equally important locally our
black leaders have shaped and transformed Somerville burough and continue to play prominent roles throughout our community and whereas black Americans have played and continued to play significant roles in somerville's government from elected officials land use board members and government workers shaping and
implementing policies influencing change and contributing to the success of Somerville burrow and whereas during Black History Month celebration aims to recognize the diverse experiences of black individuals in the workforce both historically and in contemporary society
and whereas the bur of Somerville continues to work toward becoming a more inclusive community wherein all people are respected and recognized for their contributions and potential contributions to our community State country and world now therefore be it resolved that I Brian Gallagher mayor of
the burough of Somerville County of Summer Somerset state of New Jersey joined with the Somerville burough Council hereby Proclaim the month of February is Black History Month thank you and congratulations [Applause]
so and of course the guy who's typically not shy was shy and didn't come down Randy Randy pittz so again um
every one of you has had an impact on the lives of people in Somerville and and you may not think they're big but they are you know it's it's crafting policy at the board levels it's making
sure that people are safe every day it's making sure that we have a clean Community to live in that's well cared for and well-kept um thank you thank you for what you do every day appreciate it you're very much
[Applause] appreciated anybody want to say anything [Laughter] no yeah Larry's never at a lack for Words
yeah don't you have another meeting to go to Larry all right um at this point uh I will ask for a motion to open the meeting to the public so moved second discussion roll call council members Andrew KY yes lend
yes Randy pittz yes cus traic yes Roger ver yes all right meeting is open the public uh please state your name and address for the record and please address your comments to me hearing none I'll ask for a motion to close the public meeting so moved second discussion question roll call council
members Andrew KY yes Glendon Randy pittz jice traic Roger ver yes all right uh item number 10 ordinance for introduction this is ordinance number 2756 and an ordinance to exceed the uh 2025 Municipal budget appropriation
limits into establish a cap Bank Uh Kevin Financial housekeeping uh essentially fortunately it is so so the burrow is in good shape that we do have monies in our cat bank that allow us to do that okay okay uh again while uh not required to I always open up the
introduction of ordinances for public comment I'll open it up for public comment hearing none I'll close public comment and ask for a motion for introduction so moved second discussion roll call council members Andrew Cony
yes Glend Den yes Randy pittz yes Gina straic yes Roger ver yes okay ordinance for public hearing and adoption is 2754 is a bond ordinance amending Bond ordinance number uh 2715 finally adopted by the burough Council of the burough of Somerville on August 7th
2023 uh can I have a motion to open the public hearing so move second discussion roll call council members Andrew Cony yes lenden yes Randy pittz yes Gina traic Roger ver yes okay public hearing on 2754 is now
open hearing none we'll close 20 I'll ask for a motion to close 2754 so moved second discussion do you want to mention to the community what this is for I uh this is funding uh for the
emergency services facility um about two-thirds of it uh for committed funds for the um for the change orders that the buau has um moved forward on there and the remaining third is is for uh existing I shouldn't say existing new
expenses that would go into the building pretty much um amenities that are being put into the building great okay all right where did I leave off um you you discussion I'm at roll call roll call uh this is to close the public hearing uh
council member Andrew Cony yes Glen Den yes Randy pittz yes Jus traic yes Roger V yes all right motion for adoption so moved second discussion roll call council members Andrew Cony yes lendon e yes Randy pittz Tina straic Roger V yes
all right and uh consent resolutions any to be pulled off for further discussion I to pull 5'9 okay all right I'll pull 59 off can I have a motion on the balance other than five actually no let me run through them
first 060 is approving property lean to be attached to 24 Division Street blocks in Lots uh as noted for parking impact fees for $720 61 is authorizing a non-fair and open contract to penon Associates for Professional Services related to The petersbrook Phase 2 improvements
additional bank stabilization uh petersbrook at Grove Street 62 is authorizing change order number one in final payment in the amount of $ 13,918 190 for contract with doua burms LLC for 2022 cdbg curb ramps 63 is
cancelling uncollectible taxes homeowner Wayne and Bonita R chinsky address known as 498 East Main Street block and lot as noted 64 is appointing Kenneth K to an unexpired term to serve on the recreation committee 65 is approving life chain event for Sunday October 5th
2025 on Somerset Street and Mountain Avenue from 2 until 3:30 p.m. 66 is amending policy and procedure manual to update education and time reporting 67 is authorizing a refund to Ken ason address 125 Hamil Hamilton Street block and lot noted for public grounds opening
permit 68 is authorizing transfer of funds to fund certain line items in the 24 budget 69 is appointing Jason crasa as OEM coordinator with the term expiring on December 31 2027 070 is authorizing the CFO to open an affordable housing trust fund account at
Provident Bank and authorizing the CFO at administrator to execute all the required Bank documents do we have a motion so moves second roll call council members Andrew KY yes glennz yes Randy pittz yes tenus traic yes Roger ver yes
okay uh 59 is approving door-to-door solicitor license for 6 months to Andrew wrathman of Edward Jones financial adviser located at 68 East Main Street do we have a motion so moved second discussion uh so I just want to remind the public this is um this is the way in
which we approve solicitors uh in the burrow so if you signed up for the Do Not knock uh list that is for solicitors who make themselves known and get approval through the burrow as as uh this gentleman has done if someone comes to your door uh soliciting and they you
have it you're on that list or you're not sure you can ask them for their permit that's what we do we hand out permits uh to allow folks to solicit in the burrow if they are unable to uh produce a permit you are you are allowed to call the police and have them you
know ask them to leave the property um we you know I know that we have folks coming through and saying they just did a you know a house down the street and they did Paving over here and things along those lines those are not approved solicitors in the burough so if you've had folks come to your home and you say
I'm on the list and and it's you know it's a cause of grief for you you can ask to see their permit if they are unable to provide such permit you can call the police because they are soliciting illegally in the burrow uh so I don't I don't bring this up to uh I I bring this up since we are approving
again tonight in our proper process um and notifying the buau now uh the members of the buau the citizens of an of someone who now has a license to do so okay thank you uh roll call council members Andrew Cony yes Glenn Den yes
Randy pittz yes Tina straic yes Roger V yes all right bills and vouchers Roger uh it is the first quarter so tonight's bills and vouchers is a little bit larger than usual uh tonight I make a motion to pay bills and vouchers in the
amount of 8, 999,000 s1387 and again that is for uh taxes and payments to the school board payments to the county payments to the library and
open space as well as our own bills and vouchers second that all right uh discussion roll call council members Andrew Cony yes Glen Den yes Randy Pitts yes Gina straic yes Roger F yes all
right uh let's see Mr Pitts I would ask uh for entertainment for a motion to adjourn I make a motion to adjourn second discussion all in favor I I