WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=6nejyrZ8AOk

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: 6nejyrZ8AOk):
- 00:00:47: Meeting Call to Order, Pledge, and Announcements
- 00:04:43: DPW Reports: Caldwell Work, Dog Park, Escrow Accounts
- 00:07:14: DPW Reports: Recycling, Brochure, Roadwork, Tree Planting
- 00:10:08: DPW Reports: Paving, Grants, Flow Rights, Redevelopment
- 00:15:35: DPW Reports: Oakland Park Renovation, Vendor Selection
- 00:18:55: Discussion: Scottys Redevelopment, Flow Rights Improvement
- 00:21:51: Discussion: Environmental Commission, Tree Fund, Paving Moratorium
- 00:25:16: Discussion: Oakland Park Hardscape, Flood Rights, Garwood
- 00:30:15: Discussion: Vocational School, Starbucks at Bank of America
- 00:32:29: Recreation Report: Pool Opening, Henshaw Park, Summer Programs
- 00:35:30: Recreation Report: Rec Center Hires, Bus Service, Irwin Park
- 00:40:36: Tax Assessor Report: Property Maintenance and Exemptions
- 00:41:41: Minutes Approval, Ordinance for Capital Project Expenditures
- 00:44:25: Ordinance Regarding Snow Removal Penalties, Public Safety
- 00:46:31: Resolution Approvals and Fee Waivers Discussion
- 00:49:19: Approval of Payroll and Invoices for April, Public Comment Opens
- 00:50:55: Public Comment: Evelyn Chait - Senior Concerns
- 01:00:44: Public Comment: Gail Donner - Judaism in Springfield
- 01:05:50: Closing Remarks, Adjournment


Part: 1

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All right. Um, welcome to the April 28th uh, meeting of the Springfield Township Committee. Uh, notice of this meeting is being held in accordance with public law 1975 chapter 231. And adequate notice of this

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meeting has been provided by a notice sent to the Star Ledger, the local source, and posted in the main lobby of the municipal building and on the township website. I would like to welcome uh Vice Commander American Legion Post 228 Mark Krauss and his son

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Judah from Sons of the American Legion Post 228 for the pledge of allegiance. Please rise to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for

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all. Please remain standing for a moment of silence for our service members here and abroad. >> Thank you, >> Madame Clerk. >> Mayor Laer >> present. >> Deputy Mayor Kaiser is absent. Committeeman Capid >> here.

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>> Committeeman Yuber >> here. >> Committeeman Weber >> here. Uh before we start with proclamations and announcements, I will do our reminder to please speak into the microphones so we don't hear about it on

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social media. Um Springfield 55 plus residents calendar for May is available up on our website and packed with with events. Springfield community pool membership registration is open and

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online at www.thesay. the say.orgscp reconciliation building the bridge Jonathan Dayton High School uh is at April 29th tomorrow from 700 p.m. to 8:30 uh the 60th anniversary

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of the second time Dr. King spoke in Springfield. Pizza with the police. Wednesday, May 13th from 5:00 pm to 7 pm at TD Pizza. That event is always a great event. Um, and a good time is had

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by all. Overnight parking permission requests will now be accepted online. Please visit www.sprfieldj. us back slashdep departments back slashp police. Questions can be directed to

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traffic at springfieldj. us. The union county board of elections is seeking uh Republican and bilingual poll workers for the primary election on June 2nd. The compensation for the day

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is $300. If you are interested in serving, please apply online at UC www.ucnj.org back slashpoleworker. Poleworker is one word. Um,

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next is the diaper drive at the May 12th meeting to benefit Mom's Helping Moms Foundation, a New Jersey based nonprofit dedicated to providing essential baby supplies to families in need. Uh, next we're going to proceed to public comment

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on agenda items only. Seeing none, I'm going to close public comment on agenda items only. Um, and we will move to our reports. Uh, Mr. Basic followed by Mr. Leeb and Mr. Bcher. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

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>> And Miss Sherman, >> we want to forget you. Uh we had a meeting this past week uh on the Caldwell work that's being done by the county. Give you an update for the next two weeks. 8-in casing pipe for gas is to be installed. The rebar for the

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footings is being installed and they're going to pour the concrete for the footing walls. Uh we're about 30% done. There has been no issues and we're still on schedule or the county is to make June 26th finished date is what they are

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telling us presently. If anything changes, we will bring that to you immediately. Uh we did talk about the dog park uh that is scheduled for across the street. I wanted to let everyone know that we've contacted the water company. We've put

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in an application in order to get a line to the dog park. Not only that, there'll be water available for the community garden and uh that street has got to be paved. Also, we're going to be doing um I haven't gotten a date back yet from the water company. As soon as I do,

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there's a 5/8 meter, 15 gallons per minute they're putting in. Soon as I get that, I will let you know, but it should not be too far in the in the distance. I did want to mention also one thing for the future that we're going to bring to you. uh our escros account when we do

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things that requires one of the professionals. We've noticed that our escrow accounts aren't enough to cover sometimes the professionals. What happens is these bills come in after everything is done. So I've asked Craig, we're going to go through and we're going to bring you and understand this

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is not a fee. This is escrow. So if it's not used, the person gets it back. It's not a raise of the fees. is just to cover the bills that the township gets because if we don't get the escrow, we've got to take it out of township money to pay to professionals. So, we do

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want to try to fix that. Um, I did want to touch also on a couple of things with Mr. Ber while he's here. We started working on the um the salt dome. We've got GPI is going to be out there. They're going to do all of these survey in and put the pins in so we know

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where everything is. Then the next step is we'll start clearing the property. Um Diane is segregating any bill we get forward so that we keep track of what we're spending. Uh Milburn is in to split this with us 50/50. So I think that's going to be a a tremendous help

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for us in the wintertime. Robbie, I'm going to touch on some stuff. Just jump in. Uh recycling center. The new camera system has reduced illegal dumping tremendously up at the pool at the recycling center. Um, our detective Jim

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Marabel has been issuing summones left and right. Uh, we've taken them to court and hopefully it's sending a message. Don't dump things you shouldn't be dumping up there. You know, you get fined once. I think it's going to stop most people. You don't want to get in that situation. Uh, our tonnage injury

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report is due on April 30th. Mr. Veter's working on that currently. His service brochure is what are we doing with that Robbie? >> Well, the service brochure due to the >> microphone. >> Due due to the increasing cost for

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printing and postage, we decided to print the brochures in house and have them available in all the township buildings and on the website. And any resident that doesn't have access to a computer in our travels during the day, if they call up, we actually will

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deliver one to them. And to date, we've only had four requests for that. So the $6,000 we saved on the mailing, I think, was uh a good idea. And we've um I've also

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started a DPW DPW article in the Patriot. So every month in that article will have the services at that time in the month any special events and any other information pertinent that I feel for the residents. So uh I think the

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brochure is working out better. It was a good saving to $6,000. >> Yeah, definitely. Uh thank you to Committee Man Kaiser for helping us with the stumps on Mars Avenue. The state could come back and grind those out. Um, we've got some some road work being done

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after the harsh winter. We're out every day filling potholes. Um, the pool parking lot, we've got the food festival is May 17th. We're working up there also to get that ready. Tree planting. Robbie, why don't you touch on that because that was an issue that we had

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with tree planting and I know we've made a real effort. So it was a couple meetings back where there were some comments made that DPW was not fulfilling the quota of trees based on the amount that were being removed and I

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believe we supplied the committee with a chart showing that we were in fact planting way more. So I have my spring planning is coming up. It'll be done over the next week. I have 51

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trees going in. Uh, and we've removed five to date. So, it's almost 10 to one right now. And we also had the tree for Arbor Day. And the street that John was talking about, uh, Wino, that's a DOT

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project. It's going to be Wino and Lending are being paved. And I have 19 trees going in there. So, you're talking about 70 trees right off the bat. And we've only removed five. >> Okay. >> So, we're actually very aggressive with it. And this is only half of our

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greening Union County uh program and we'll have another round in the fall. And any road project that we do, we squeeze in as many trees as we can. And uh right now we're looking at about 18 roads doing this year. So, uh we haven't

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narrowed them down, but there'll be plenty of tree planting. >> Our capital plan for 26 for for paving. We've got some streets and these are potential. We've got to get everything approved first, but we've got in there, we've got Edgewood, Henshaw, Beverly

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Road, and then we're going to do with our roadside assistance program. We're looking at A Place, Black Lane, Q Drive, Center Street, and various sanitation and drainage projects are also included in that. Our CBGB for year 52, we got

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$93,000 we were awarded uh recently. So, that was a a plus again for us for a grant. Duffy's Corner. We're getting closer. They had some more questions which were answered. So, we're hoping to get the 90-day review period over and then we're hopefully going to

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be able to put some additional drainage in there so that that lot will no longer flood. Uh Diamond and Lawrence Road are being paved this week. Mill and paved this week. >> Diamond and Lawrence were mil uh yesterday and they're being paved Thursday night. >> Right. So, this week we'll be done with

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both. >> Yeah. Yeah. to accommodate some of the business over there that can't close. >> Uh we did get a New Jersey DOT grant. Uh the only what we recommended is for Brier Hill Circle. So that was put in. We'll get we'll find out what we're

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awarded for that. We're waiting on that one. Uh let me see if there's anything else we want to touch on there. We've done very well actually with our our flow rights. We were every year I think everybody knows we were getting penalized every year for excessive flow

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rates. Uh actually to year to date I don't think we've got any right now and last year we were down to nine for the entire year. So we've we've changed things dramatically and a lot of that is because we've sealed the man holes. We've gone in replaced the rings and

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that type of thing. Stopped the INI. So it's really helped us. Uh touching on our redevelopment projects, we were up to on Gomes this past week. Uh the mayor walked through with us, so he may have some comments. They're still a long ways off from getting a CO. We're trying to

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support them in any way we can, but again, we've got issues and I can promise you a lot of the issues are what's called their life hazards. So, you know, our construction official certainly is going to stick strictly to the rules until all those items are

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fixed. Patriot Way, I don't know if anybody's been passed. They actually started the outside of the building the brick is on and the siding on one side looks absolutely beautiful. We're thinking that that's going to start renting probably sometime in the summer. So, they're they're getting pretty

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close. Uh Scotty's, we still haven't gotten a redevelopment agreement yet with them. We're waiting on the owner. We're ready to go. He's just not. He's actually toying with the idea of either selling those units or renting them. He hasn't made a decision yet. So, until

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that's done, we can't have the redevelopment agreement finished. So, we'll keep you ab breast of that. I would like to show you, if I may, Tamar, can you pull up the little video we did? >> Yes. >> Okay. I'm just want to show you a little quick

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video we did. We had our engineer go out just to touch on how our sanitation system works. And Jay's going to post this tomorrow on our website. It's very eloquent. I was It kind of doesn't work when there's no sound.

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>> I think it's because we're showing it on TV. >> All right. So, anyhow, it's a kind of a twominute video on Township of Springfield just like every other municipality has two distinct source systems. A sanitary source system

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and a storm source system. People often confuse them but they are distinct systems. The sanitary system. So, I think you get the idea. >> Yeah, we're going to post it, but it explains to the residents exactly how it works, what you can put in it, what you shouldn't put in it. So, Robbie, you got

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anything you want to add? I know we're always wrestling with things going >> No, but I did put something online and it was up on uh the procedures, what goes in the system, what can't go in the system, what to do in the event of a backup, and uh so there was some good

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information out there. >> All right. So, we'll post the two videos tomorrow if anybody's interested. You're welcome certainly to watch it. Uh we had to we had to get Mr. Disco into hair and makeup before that. So take a look at it when you get a chance. The next thing

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I'd like to touch on is Oakland Park. Um Tamar, can you pull up the drawings? All right. So we went out, we went to three people on state contract to get bids on doing Oakland Park for us. And >> Mr.

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Okay. MRC was the was the lower lowest bidder. We're within budget. I just want you guys to take a look at what we're proposing. Um one one last thing we do want to add. Hopefully I want to show you. Can you

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pull up that one arch in number 10? Committeeman Weber and I love this arch. Unfortunately, it was so overpriced it was ridiculous. It blew the budget out. So Robbie's out right now actually looking at some of our vendors to see if somebody could build us something to

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mirror that. We lost a picture again. So So we can build something like that and we'll install it. So you can take a look. I mean if anybody's got any questions or comments on the design on the park, we're start to finish. We're going to have one

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person come in. They'll get it done. We have to have this done by September because that's when the grant is up and we don't want to lose the money. So, we got to get this going very soon in order to make the end date. John, can you can can you give some

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clarity please to um why we are using certain vendors and how that whole entire process goes around that they're not picked by us or or or >> you know >> let let me tell you why we actually

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settled on kind of the three that we looked at. If we were to do this piece by piece, we would have to write a very detailed spec up. We would have to send it out to three people for each item to bid on. We'd have to open up the bids

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and then award and let's just say for argument sake the the um the shelters for the shade. So then we would have to issue a PO for for just the shelters. We'd have to do that with every item. The other part of it is that that we really felt overwhelmed to be honest with you is then one of us would have to

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try to coordinate who comes in when so we're not tripping over each other to make sure that the right thing is installed at the right time. So what we did is we looked at the state contract. There were three vendors that are on the state contract. They can do everything from start to finish. So we went out to

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the three of them. The person that you you see here which is MRC was the lowest one. they're within the budget. So, that's kind of how we settled on them. We did, honestly, we did like their design the best also. I think they did a very nice job on the park. And again,

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it's small, so it's, you know, we were trying to get we were trying not to overwhelm it, but we wanted to make sure that there was something for everyone. There's shade. Hopefully, there's enough seating. We've got a little area there that if if somebody on a nice summer night wants to, I don't know, bring

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their guitar and sit there and and entertain people, we've got a little spot for that, too. So, that's that's kind of what led to MRC. Um, can we also post on social media for the DPW brochures? >> Sure. >> Um, I think because I know people look

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at them and like them. >> Yep. um for the Scotty's redevelopment property. Um I think in the planning board we gave them 90 days to come up with >> a redevelopment agreement with the town. Otherwise,

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>> um >> you know, we you know, >> we'll have to Yeah, we don't want to start over. We're trying to encourage him to get going. >> I mean, is there are have they made any headway? >> I've talked to our attorney. He's got the redevelopment agreement ready just minus

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>> the sale rent. But I mean on at on at some level >> I haven't talked to Wayne this past week. >> They really do need to decide. >> I totally agree. I will call him again. >> Um and that was all I had. >> Would you like to Mr. Mayor?

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>> I I will. I just want to open it up to >> I'm sorry. Anybody have any questions up here on on the park that I can answer for you >> or or anything on report? >> I got a few comments real quick. >> Sure. I'll take them. Uh, number one, uh, please never mention flow rights

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again. That was for three years. That was like the biggest thing in the world. >> Since I've been up here is it when I started here, it was way over. Way over. >> Yeah. >> Pay a fortune for the floor rights. >> I I think it was glossed over a little

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bit too much in terms of And the reason I'm mentioning it is because we were at a few hundred,000 at one point. Am I correct on that? >> Multiple times. >> Multiple times. Right. >> Yeah. All right. >> Yeah, but I Yeah, but you actually weren't paying the overage. >> But we had to invest that money in the

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system. >> So if we got if we got penalized 100 grand, we had to show we spent 100. >> We had to show the expenditures, >> right? >> Which we did. So it did offset the >> But it's much better to be in a position we're in now that we're not getting all those exceedences. And that's really

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comes from all the work we've done over the past five, six years. >> Yeah, we've made it. And don't forget we bought a bunch of extra flow rates also. >> Well, but there were there were questions years back on why we were buying sculping >> machines and flow rights and everything else. >> We had this whole town meter,

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>> right? >> And we did it in three sections and we could find when we had an extreme rain where we were getting a lot of infiltration in and we made the repairs. >> So, uh, at at its worst, we were at 93 exceedences, I believe. Yeah. >> In one year and it's down to

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>> I think we're six or something last year. It was real low. >> 90 93 to6. And the reason So the reason I wanted to bring that up was because um yeah, sure. Government works slow sometimes, right? I mean, sometimes it's not the fastest thing in the entire

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world, but when you have to cover 27 streets or something like that, I don't remember what is 200 plus streets and you have to monitor every single manhole and every single sanitary line. >> 50 miles of sewer line. >> 50 miles of sewer line. one section at a

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time. >> Yeah, >> it took a while, but we went from 93 exceedences down to six. >> I believe this year we're at zero, I think. >> I think so far. Yeah. >> So, >> yeah, we came a long way. >> Long way. I just want to bring that up. Number one. Number two, environmental

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commission. Um, you know, listen, 200 some odd streets also, you're not going to see every tree that's planted. We we've kind of been bickering, but I'm the liazison to the environmental commission. Right. And I've kind of been bickering with them back and forth on the amount of trees

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that have been planted versus what they what some people think they see as trees planted. The fact of the matter is we can show that the trees are planted >> in the location and the trees, >> right? Just because you don't drive down a specific main street. They're they're

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being put up. They're not being hidden. That's for sure. So that's that's that. Um Weber, before you leave that, if I may, >> please. You know, a couple years ago, we didn't have the tree fund that we have now. We've we've got money that we've taken out of that to put more trees in.

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And what do we still have left, Robbie? I think we had 37,000. >> We had 47, I believe. >> 47. I mean, that was we had zero only a couple years ago. >> And that's just from us establishing the the permits. >> Exactly. >> That's that's from the Yep. the tree.

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>> But again, understand that money gets pumped back into the community, right? >> Because we're replacing trees with it. Well, that's why another, you know, again, social media, money grab by the township. It's not a money grab by the township. It is something that if we we we didn't put a monetary assessment to

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it, people would just keep cutting these things down. We'd have no money to replenish them. >> And now we're sitting on money, and we've replenished all of them. Okay. Um the paving on these roads, we still have the the three-year agreement with them. if they dig up this

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road. I I >> we have well we have a moratorum on several of the roads that are out there and um >> we've been going over them with the water company. They just sent us uh we sent out what's called head of paving

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because they're coming in to do test pits. They're going to be doing valves again. So anything that's under moratorum they have to make uh they don't they they infrared it which is not like

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a pave you know brand new but it's much better than what what a patch is on a road that's outside the moratorum. >> So um and of course anything that's an emergency there's no way to get around it. water main break, uh gas leak, uh it

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is what it is, but if it is under moratorum, they're still required to do the infrared on it. >> So, so we're pretty safe then that whatever we're paving at this point, they're not going to be tearing up again. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yes. They're always they're always looking to do something. They're always

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upgrading their pipes and meters. So, it's a battle with them all the time, >> but they do notify us ahead of time what they're thinking of doing. >> Yes. I just got their list of them from the streets >> and our engineer goes over that list and tells them what roads are under

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moratorum. So we do we do work together with them on it >> and we also give them the list of streets that we're doing like this year, right? >> So they'll maybe switch off and come in and hit all those streets prior to us paving them. >> And the only final thing I have is on

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the Oakland Park thing is thank you for clarifying that no one no one's getting rich off this. We we we none of us own any stake in any contractors that are developing Oakland Park or whatever. We tried to find a proper balance between a hardcape and a

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a greenscape that that handled the water that kept a lot of shade in there that replaced all those scraggly looking things that were there that our forester went over and said it was okay to cut down. And unfortunately,

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some things come with a government price tag that we can't do anything about. And I I think the the best compromise was to put a hold on the solid roof structures. >> Yeah, >> we just couldn't swing it.

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>> We'll revisit them at another time, but right now I will tell you that I think MRC did a really nice job on this. And will these be posted online? We can certainly do that. Of course. >> Yes, please. >> Got it. >> Thank you. I'm done. >> I just have two comments and and and the

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first I just kind of want to repeat what Commman Weber said. I know that's not probably the sexiest topic in the world, but I I can't tell you how much um we're really doing well with the flood rights and how much this town for the last probably 10 years made a real effort to

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to to really try to solve this problem. uh whether it be the the in-house things that we did as as as the DPW would would look through the sewer systems, the um the shared services we have with Milbour for a camera system. Um fees that we

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raised for relative to um sewer uh relations as far as residents moving out of town. We've raised some fees for that and and and I do remember, you know, being in the car with I think you were mayor at the time and um Mr. Quick and

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and we do have to give a shout out to Garwood who was very generous >> uh in in in in not >> selling us. >> And in selling us Yes. Well, just coming to the table. >> They were very kind to take our money. Yes. >> Yes. Very kind of money and and they knew that we were in need and it was

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tons of women. and they were very very helpful and it was it was a good good conversation and and you know these are the things that again 10 years ago you're going to say oh what's what's the big deal this is this is a this is a not not a minimal amount of money but but

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you know 10 years later you you see you see what what we did this for and what what the advantage of doing something like this was for so I I appreciate everybody's efforts and and I love love the design um you know and just a thought um as many of you know my other

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my other job as an administrator for a vocational school but I know that the arch and I like it too uh is a nice touch but maybe we can get in touch with the Union County vocational school and see if their you know construction program or wood shop program building

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trades you know has uh has some time that they might be able to put something together for us you know in in in you know in in Bergen County we uh we do service projects for the county all the municipalities all the time and you know I I don't think it hurts to ask the question if they may help us out

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>> 100%. >> May I add one thing to the flow rights because you touched on something. >> If you remember we did not have a sewer our sewer connection fee was at the time was $25 >> and what what we saw was that let's take

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a let's take an apartment building like the Metropolitan or Gomes. >> We had one connection fee for $25. Well, we changed that. We put a new ordinance in place and those apartments brought us in $400,000 which paid for the flow rights that we needed because we changed

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the structure on the fees for it. So that that really helped us tremendously. >> Also, people don't realize that when I first came on here and we went for flow rights committees before that could have gotten them for like next to nothing.

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And Garwood is Chris said Garwood was one of the only towns that would even sell us some of theirs >> for whatever I don't even know what price I forget where price >> the history of that goes back cuz Springfield had a lot more farms at the time. So when flowites originally came out they were able to buy them but they

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bought so few because there weren't that many people here but as time went on the town grew they never got any more fluorites. So we were still operating like it was you know 75 100 years ago. We were fortunate that Garwood had them. We were able to purchase them. Do >> you ever think we'll be in the position

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where we will be able to sell flow rights or we we're using >> No, not with everything going on. How would the you know state? >> No, >> no, >> no, >> but if you if but just going back to the park, if you need um some help navigating that or reaching out to the

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school, I've been more than happy to help you with that to see if maybe again it doesn't hurt to ask the question if the if the classes >> might be interested in doing a service project for Springfield. >> Call me tomorrow. You know, >> let's do it. >> It doesn't really matter the timeliness and and we can have it as part of our

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>> Perfect. Call me tomorrow. Any other questions or anything? >> Good. >> Thank you. >> So, before we move on to Adam and Jen's report who've been waiting incredibly patiently, um, wanted to make an announcement to everybody, and I'll I'll follow it up with a social media post.

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Um, so we've been approached by a developer. Um, and John has been working really hard on this, uh, as well as as well as our our our bid. Um, and we've we've been in contact with developer about hoping to put a Starbucks in at

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the Bank of America property, um, which was slated for housing. Um, we're we're not there yet, but I mean, we're working very closely with the reps from Starbucks, with the uh property owner to try and make sure he has the flexibility

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to bring uh what is an what would be a great addition to the Mars Avenue corridor of the town. Um, and and and I've been plugged in uh on this project every step of the way. uh spoken with the property owner, spoken with uh several other people and you know

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hopefully uh we'll be able to get a Starbucks on Morris Avenue uh as the gateway to our uh as the gateway to our town and that would be huge and hopefully that will attract um you know tons of other businesses both small and

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large to the Morris Avenue corridor and hopefully you know this is within the next couple years and you know knock on wood Starbucks won't take as long as gomes to create. Um but but uh you know hopefully within the next year or two

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the downtown Morris Avenue corridor of Springfield will be a totally different looking place. Um and we're really excited about the prospect and working with the property owner. Um on that project uh Adam tough act to follow. Go

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>> you mean Starbucks or you? >> Yeah no Starbucks not me. Um, good evening everybody. Just a few highlights of my report. Um, the first is probably the most timely, which is the pool opening in one month. Um, every day between the public works department, recreation, and the YMCA, even the fire

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department was down there today doing their um, their final inspection. We're moving forward with getting the pool open. Uh, the baby pool is probably the most noticeable. It's been completely repainted and the tiles reset. It looks really nice. Um, the main pool held great over the off season. We just need

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some washing um and drainage of the water. We're going to do um the fill probably next week. And the YMCA just started um installing their mini golf course, which I think they've previously announced that they're going to be installing back

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where the botchi court used to be as a new amenity for the pool members and the campers this summer. I think it's going to be um um it's going to be shaded and um behind the um the old swim team starting blocks.

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Um over on the recreation side of things, I think since my last report here at the meeting, we opened up the Henshaw Park playground, which was funded partially by the county from the 2025 uh kids recreation trust fund grant and the township. So, if you haven't been down to Henshaw, I mean, the the

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purple and the green and the yellow, I think look tremendous. We also put all new wood carpet down. Um there's I think multiple slides, there's a bridge, it's shaded, there's climbing structures, there's ground play structures, so it's appropriate for um kids 5 to 12 of all

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different abilities. So, I think the park looks great. Um also, we are planning a Chisum Playground Camp, which is going to open in about 2 months. We already have about um eight weeks, a little over half filled um with two

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bonus weeks at the end of the summer. So we have 10 weeks of camp, not just through our program, but through four different private partners who take over afternoon camp and the end of the summer camp. So we have magic going on. We have um a science camp and Lego and Pokemon

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camp and then sports camps at the end of the summer. So, 10 full weeks. Um, on the senior citizen side of things, um, we're planning for a June event where I think some of the town officials in this room were invited to address the senior citizens. Uh, we also have four or five bus trips that are being planned, one of

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which is tomorrow. Just a full calendar which you have in front of you. >> You guys going to Wind Creek? You know, >> we just went to Wind Creek, I think about a month ago, and we had some lucky people come back. So, we go to Wind Creek like three or four times a year. So, um, any questions on my report? I'm

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happy to answer. >> No, I just want to compliment you on the on the park. Obviously, I I live on that street and I pass that park every day. And I love how the the the playground has always been kind of like set back into the park, but the the purple and the theme of the colors that were used

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really makes that space pop, and it's, you know, it's it's it's great to to to pull up and see. And nice job. Thank you. >> New hires who are still looking for people to work part-time, >> right? So, you have on the agenda tonight um one person um to be a

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recreation assistant with the priority hours being after school. Um so, starting as soon as FMG and Dayton get out. Um we try to have at least one person in the lobby every weekday. Um obviously in addition to weekends when we're open and special events, but that was our focus. So, in addition to that

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one person, if we have other qualified applicants who we interview and can present to you, I think I have the ability to present at least one more person to you. Unfortunately, that didn't happen at your last meeting. So, this is the next step and there will be, you know, hopefully an additional person. >> All right. So, if anybody's listening

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out there, uh if anybody's interested in a position at the the the rec center, get over to Adam and um have a talk with him. Pool leaks and the slide. This thing's absolutely working this year.

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>> It worked last summer and making sure if everything continues like that, it will work this summer. >> Baby pool leak leak leak free. >> So the the the baby pool, look, the pools are, you know, 60 70 years old. You know, the there there there will be water loss occasionally. We've had a

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contractor at the baby pool almost every summer to camera it, to excavate, to seal pipe joints, valves. Um, so there's a chance that that might happen. Again, we're not expecting it to, but when we open up, we take a look at the water um

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loss. Robert and um myself and John and Mike Disco met with the YMCA and we talked about um a way that we're going to be able to help them determine how much water is going in and out of the baby pool. So, we're going to put that new plan in place this summer that will help us. But look, there's no

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guarantees, but we're we're we had a great summer last year when it came to to leaks. So, >> also I want everybody to realize that for um the older people in town, which I'm one of them, but they have a bus service for

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everybody. If you have to go to a doctor in town or go to Shop, right, something like that, it's there. It's there for you. So, I mean, we pick up I don't know where they pick up. I guess they pick up at the house. I don't even you know pick up at the house and they drive you to

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the doctor any anything. So I I want the people to use it and we have bus drivers, right? So but it's every day, right? Five days a week usually. >> Yep. Any resident 55 years of age or

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older can use our bus Monday through Friday. Um like the committeeman said, um any appointment within Springfield, we go to three supermarkets. um doctor's offices, physical therapy, the community center, the pool, we can take you to the library, town hall to

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pay your taxes, the post office, beauty salons. Uh it's a free service. We have two drivers running from uh 8:45 until anywhere between 2:30 and 3:30 every day. Um all we ask is that you fill out an emergency contact sheet and call our

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office at least a day before your appointment. And >> wait, I'm 55. You can drive me around all of Springfield right now. We can I can get rid of my car. Like we can do this. >> You want us to >> with your price of gas? >> I got Yeah. With a price of gas, I'm going to You We're going to shop right tomorrow.

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>> We have people walk in our office the day after their 55th birthday to sign up for the exercise room to ask us about the bus. So, >> that is fantastic. >> And the lunches are nice. I've been to a few. >> Rich and I will be on there tomorrow. Okay.

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>> Uh Adam, we just recently applied for a state grant. Uh do you have any updates on that? >> Funny you should mention that. Um just just recently the state of New Jersey approved the community um affairs grants. Um I think it was about $10 million of total grants to municipality

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school districts and um we were uh fortunate to get just under $70,000 um just awarded which is earmarked for our proposed Irwin Park tennis court reconstruction project. >> Nice. So, we're really happy about that.

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We're just obviously announcing it tonight with you mentioning that and me touching on it. Um, hopefully with township funds and with Union County funds that we're expecting to get hopefully by the fall, we'll be able to reconstruct the four courts at Irwin

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Park, um, repaint them, stripe them for both tennis and pickle ball. If all goes well with um putting all of the money together and going out to bid and doing the work, um as most of our projects reopen in the spring, we would expect

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this to open um April or May of 2027. >> Okay, >> good news. >> Great. >> Really tough act to follow now, Jen. >> Thank you. All right. My name is Jennifer Sherman.

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I am the Springfield tax assessor. You can uh reach me. You can go on the website. You can reach me via email or I'm in the office from 8 to 4 Monday through Friday. You can give me a phone call 973-912-22207.

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It's all on the website. Um just a few highlights of the things I do monthly. I do process all the deeds and maintain ownership and local property tax deductions and all exemptions. I perform field inspections. I review

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and analyze and defend all tax assessments in the town of Springfield. Um, we have 5,26 taxable line items in Springfield. So, I maintain tax assessments. Any questions?

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>> What was the number? >> 52. >> Only taxable only taxable ones. I did not include exemptions or any other. What was the number? >> 5,26. That's commercial and residential. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Jen.

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>> All right, moving right along. We have uh minutes. Is there a motion to approve? >> Sir, I'll make a motion to approve the regular meeting minutes of March 10th, 2026 as emailed. >> Second.

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All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Ordinances. We're on uh we have we have one on second reading, one on first reading. Madame clerk, can you read the ordinance on second reading?

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>> 2026. ordinance is to establish 48-4.4. >> Make a motion to adopt uh ordinance 2026-06 as read by madame clerk publicized the township website as of April 30th, 2026.

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>> I second. Okay, >> we have to do this. Explain to them. >> Yeah. >> So, we we've now entered the public hearing um on the ordinance. So, just so everybody knows um we do this every year. This is uh this allows us to

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expend money on capital projects. No. Diane, >> no. Based on the 1979ish law, we are limited to a cap limit of 2%. This allows us to extend it up to

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3.5%. And if we don't use it, it gives us the ability to bank that money should we need it in the future. >> Okay. >> So, it's a budgeting tool. >> Yeah. So, I sit here corrected. Um, >> thank you. >> Anytime. >> Thanks, Diane. Um, and we do this every

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year. >> Okay. Are there any members of the public that would like to be heard on this ordinance? Okay. Seeing none, we're going to close public hearing. Uh, Madame Clerk. >> Committee Weber. >> Yes. >> Committeeman Cap?

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>> Yes. >> Yuber. >> Yes. >> Mayor, >> yes. >> Yes, we do. I make a motion to approve uh the first reading of ordinance 202607 as read by madame clerk for publication on the

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township website April 30th 2026 with a final hearing on May 12th 2026. >> Second. >> Is there any discussion on this ordinance up here? Um, not to take anything away from Mr. Dow, but uh, you know, obviously uh, over the snowstorm, not to go over the whole thing again,

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but we had talked about some of the issues that we were having in town, whether there were either residents or um, other entities doing not the right thing uh, with snow removal from their properties and whatnot. So, I had Mr.

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down, take a look at the ordinance and and and through his his guidance, we were able to uh make some changes to it that makes this a little bit more um advantageous for those people who break the rules to follow them. Uh some of the

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things that we've done is take away some warnings, make the penalties a little bit stiffer. Um and and this this speaks to, you know, public safety enforcement and and to make sure that we're not uh we're all doing the right thing in in in the faces of emergency. I think the only thing that we have to talk about and we

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obviously have some time to do it is the enforcement. Who would be the right person on the spot in the area while we have a storm going on if there's someone an entity or a resident that does some type of violation who would be doing the enforcement at that time. But we have some time to figure that out. But I want

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to thank uh Mr. Dow for his uh his work on this. And this is uh long time coming and and and we I think we were all in agreement at the time that a that a stiffer and more Uh a bigger deterrent was was more than appropriate at this time based on what we saw this past

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winter. >> Thousand%. Craig, anything to add? >> Uh no, mayor. Nothing nothing from here. Unless there are any specific questions, be happy to answer them. Okay. Do do we have any questions? >> No. >> All right, madam clerk, call the role.

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>> Committeeman Capes? >> Yes. >> Committeeman? >> Yes. >> Committeeman Weber? >> Yes. >> Mayor Wer? >> Yes. uh resolutions. Please let me know if you'd like any of them pulled. 2026 129

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2026 130 2026 131 2026 132 2026 133 2026 134 2026 135 2026 136

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>> Okay. 2026 137 2026 138 2026 139 2026 140 2026 141 204 20 2026

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142 Is there a motion? >> Mr. Mayor, I'd like to make a motion to uh adopt resolutions 2026 129 through 135 and 2026

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137- 142. >> Second, Madame Clerk. >> Committee man, >> yes. >> We reverber. >> Yes. >> Committee man, >> yes. >> Mayor, >> yes. >> Resolution 2026

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This resolution brethorizes the waiver of certain application fees. >> What do you got to do? Uh why I'll tell you why I pulled it. >> Okay. >> Oh, you know the reason I pulled it is because anytime we wave it, we talk

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about it up here anyway. So why do we have a resolution on it? I mean we we for the synagogue, you know, the church, anything we always, you know, >> well well this is a this is a particular project. >> What project?

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>> It is 212 South Springfield Avenue. Um within the determined subject qualifies for the exemption. Um so we're giving them the exemption that they qualify for um to pro

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>> Yeah. to promote disabled uh accessibility for persons exhausting for exiting an entering and exiting a private public or private structure. Do >> you know who it is for though? >> We don't always especially when it's an exemption of this type, we don't

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always put the name in um because it's a it's a it's a disability based waiver, which is >> when I read it, I just questioned it because I said, >> you know, why are we just it's a to me it's a general thing. >> Yeah. Who's it for?

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>> I don't think it should be general. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Same property, same project, but different. They came in for different fees. Only question I had about it. >> It is a residence. >> Okay. >> That >> Yeah. And I don't think we could just do a blank. I I I understand that you're

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making but I don't think we could do just a blanket >> because it depends on the circumstances. >> Yes. Right. >> Committeeman Huber. >> Yeah. >> Committeeman Weber. >> Yes. >> Committeeman Capid. >> Yes. >> Mayor. >> Yes.

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All right. Moving right along to >> finance. >> Oh, do I get to do his favorite part? Chris, >> I I would make a motion to adopt the payroll to approve the payroll and invoices for the period of April 15,

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2026 through April 28th, 2026 in the amount of 11,168,94.91. >> You want me to second that? >> Living on the edge. >> I I you know, it's I'm doing on behalf of Alex, so do whatever you want. >> Yeah. Uh, second it,

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>> Madame Clerk. Yes. >> Committee menu. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Mayor, >> yes. >> We have uh no correspondents. Uh and now I would like to open up the floor for public comment on any governmental issue. Any member of the public uh who

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would like to speak to the governing body on any governmental issue can do so at this time. >> Yes. >> Yes. If if you want to come up, now would be the time. When you come up, please give your uh name and address and and you have four

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minutes to speak. >> Favor, can you just >> My name is Evelyn Chait. I live at 47 Shelley Road. >> Thank you. >> I have lived there, moved here to Springfield in 1979.

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I raised my children here and I am a resident. I'm planning to stay. I have two concerns that I need to bring to your attention as a 91year-old senior citizen.

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The first reason why I am here is I have been wanting to attend the Reverend and Rabbi event only to find out that it has been rescheduled to tomorrow when the senior

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citizens are having this wonderful trip. So therefore, of course, those of us who have paid for the trip are going on the trip. >> Sure. Doesn't one agency contact another to find out if you are stepping on

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anybody's toes? I I don't get it. Okay, but I'll I'll let me finish. Also, in the Patriot Times, it lacks the place and the time. Not that I can attend because I'm going with to the

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show tomorrow, but it does lack place and the time. Now I understand that people go on Facebook but that's another thing if you if you go to the senior citizen meetings you will find that most

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of the people there have flip phones they don't know from all this modern stuff that you people have learned so quickly and they don't want to learn and to tell you the truth I'm 91 I don't want to learn half the stuff either

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Anyway, um, also this one thing that really bothers me is now we're being told in the Springfield paper that if we need to park our cars overnight in the street, we are we

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shouldn't call the police department anymore. Now, I value the first aid and the police and the fire department. My older son is a first responder. I know the kind of work they do and I I I

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treasure the time that they give to us. But how can we call the police if we don't have a computer? How? It's like you're zeroing in on seniors and and the seniors that are

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here are here to stay because most of us like me have been here almost our whole lives. >> So I would really like I mean I and the thought of it came to me because I'm getting ready to do a new driveway.

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I have a computer. I know how to use it, but I have friends that don't have computers and that don't do Facebook. I don't do Facebook because I'm not interested in that stuff. >> So, I would appreciate if in the future

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you took the time to come to a meeting once a month, >> meet some of the older folks like me and see what we do. We have a great time, but we don't do the modern stuff. >> So, thank you for hearing me out.

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>> Before you go, >> and I hope you will >> Yeah. take into consideration some of the points that I've just made. >> Please go first. >> Chief, can this woman or anybody else I mean a senior citizen, can they call the police

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department during the day and somebody's at the desk? Am I correct? currently until we switch over. I know whenever that switch over with the county is going to be >> for for right now, you can call up and a police officer will answer the phone and they'll take your information and we'll

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take care of it for I mean >> what do you Wait, I'm sorry. >> In other words, like if you're getting your driveway done, say next next week, two weeks. I'm just saying a police if you call the police department here, someone will pick up the phone, someone

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will write it down and they'll take care of it, >> okay, for you. >> I mean, you >> if not, you can yell at me at one of the meetings. >> I have a computer. I personally can email, but you know, I took care of my dad

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>> until he was almost 90. I had a fight for him every step of the way. And I guess the fight is still in me because I I know what people can and can't do. And you're you know, when you guys get together, you're thinking of the modern.

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>> I'm with you. I'm on your side. My daughter does all my computer stuff. >> You know, I I just would I just don't want the seniors to get pushed to the side. >> Yep. >> Okay. and and chief, I mean that that is something I I brought up in terms of

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overnight parking. >> Uh we need to have a solution for that. And one miss um I just want to you know, >> no problem. >> No, it's okay.

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>> You couldn't get away. >> No, not at all. We're actually I'm actually really happy people decided to come to the meeting. So, thank you for coming. Um, and uh, in terms of the Reverend and the Rabbi, um, we're on its fifth date. It was rescheduled four

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times. Um, so I I I apologize for the miscommunication. Um, it was a it was quite frankly a matter of scheduling with the two people that were, you know, doing the program. Um, and it it was scheduled for February and the two people just kind of said

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take it or leave it and we took it. But you are absolutely right and in terms of getting information in the Patriot because a ton of people read it. Um we'll do better on that. So thank you. >> Now just tell me I mean I don't know

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what time we will be back from the show tomorrow or if the senior is going will have the strength to do a second thing the day. But where is it and what time is it? >> It's at Dayton. >> At Dayton >> at it starts at 7 p.m.

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>> Okay. We'll have to see how it goes. >> Absolutely. >> What What are you going >> in the paper? >> Yeah. What are you going to see? >> What are you going to see tomorrow? >> Oh, you know what? We're going to some place. I've never done this before, but I plan on doing it more often. We're going to a theater in Pennsylvania. I

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Oh, Bucks County >> on 78. Right off >> Oh, Hunter. Okay, cool. >> Going to have all Hammerstein music. >> Very cool. >> Lunch. >> Yeah. And um >> see the paper can only print what

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they're the paper the patriot the the paper we get delivered to you >> the paper that you get delivered with with all information into it >> but they can they print what the people call in and tell them. They don't >> you know

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like you ask for more information. >> They get the information from the people whoever calls in and that's it. Well, maybe maybe you guys should, not me, have a senior citizen who who um can advise you of what the needs are of the

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seniors because you've got a lot of senior citizens in this town. >> I know >> you do. Really? >> You're right. If if I can add to that >> hearing me. >> I know we have our uh special services officers going to one of the senior meetings coming up um specifically to

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talk about the 2 to6 and other issues and listen to you know um issues that the seniors have as well. So they will be attending those meetings >> you know sometime you know they have a meeting the last Thursday of every month

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at the community center. >> Yes. >> And perhaps make a little lovely afternoon and all it costs the seniors if you can come on Thursday meet people

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and I think you would be very impressed with the level of the seniors mentally. Well, I've been to a few >> and I go around to the tables and they've said the president and I forget her name and but they she said if

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anybody's any questions I'm here. You know, Rich Huber's here and I go around and I've talked to a few tables that have seen me but I'm I won't be there this week. Oh,

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>> tell you Adam is so spectacular. Everybody there loves Adam. >> And I know Adam since he was a little kid that long. >> Well, thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much.

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>> Hi, I'm Gail Donner, 18 Richland Drive, Springfield. I've come back to discuss um my uh pros and cons for Judaism in Springfield.

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When I was here last time, the mayor was kind enough to ask me to call the board of education to ask them if they have a place for Habad when they're closed. After careful consideration, I do most

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of my thinking when I'm alone. I was wondering what about the community center? That's the name of it. Community Jewish people are part of the community. I would like to see and I don't think I

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should be working alone. I'll ask any one of you gentlemen on the panel to help me get across a place in the community center for Habad during the holidays.

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Habad's great, but it gets cold and it rains when we're outside. That was my first request. And then, mayor, I stood here and I was nervous last

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time, which I'm not tonight, thank God. And when I discussed parking on the Jewish holidays, you said, and I don't know, I'm not asking you, but you said the Jewish

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people like to walk to and from Shaw. As a member of 14 to 16 years of Congregation Israel, which I'm no longer a member, there's a lot of people that drive now.

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they park behind the police car. So on that substance and other substances with that happen in the city, I would like to see on the Jewish holidays maybe

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not so many do not. And I thank you each and every one of you for listening. But I would like the community center to be part of the community and welcome the Jewish people and also which being a senior just came

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to mind. Separate is not equal to I believe that strongly. I taught math. I would like to see if we can't hold the manora in the park and do something for more than eight days or if it can't be

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up for the month, why can't we put a manora at the community center? And anybody that wants to call me, I'm available. I'll discuss it with each and every one of you. But I feel strongly

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that every Jew in town has as much right as a Catholic or Christian member of this town to identify with their holiday. And thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Donner. >> I would

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Okay. Um, so want to address a couple things you said, Miss Donner. Um, so Chisum is used by Kabad. They do their annual Porum carn uh their annual porum celebration

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um all the time. They've worked with the recreation department for years. They don't use it for the high holidays um because it's not walkable from his house and they are restricted in terms of using and operating a car during the

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high holidays and that's how Habad celebrates, you know, the high holidays. I will personally call the superintendent and see if they're they're open um for the possibility of San Meer or Walton because those are really the only two schools that are

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walkable um from Kabad. But I I will make that call. That's not a problem. Um, in terms of the no parking, the parking during the high holidays that's done at Congregation Israel, they don't move the cars during the holidays. I mean,

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they're they're covered by Ballards. Um, so they don't the the driveway does not get use during the high holidays. There's there's a car there for security. Um, and I will closer to the high holidays, I will talk to Chief Cook um, and look at the the

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I will look for that. And in terms of the manora, like I said last meeting, we're going to try and scale up Hanukkah uh, from previous years. Um, and I wrote a note for a possible manora at Chisum. Really appreciate your feedback.

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>> Thank you. Anybody else for public comment? Okay, seeing none, we're going to close public comment. Um, would anybody on the deis like to say anything?

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>> Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> Second. >> All in favor? I. >> We're adjourned.