Thank you. Thank you for being here. Committee's last meeting of the year. That's why you're here, right? >> All right. A notice. This meeting is being held in accordance with the public law of 1975
chapter 231 and adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by a notice sent to the star ledger the local source and posted in the main lobby admissible building and on the township website. Pledge of Allegiance will be led by Carl
O a Oler Guard, Junior, Commander of American Legion. Post 228 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. >> We have a moment of silence. Please remain standing and take off your hats, please. Thank you. A moment of silence for our troops here and abroad. >> Thank you. >> Roll call. >> Mayor Yuber
>> here. >> Deputy Mayor Laugher >> here. >> Committeeman Capid >> here. >> Committeeman Kaiser >> here. >> And committeeman Weber is absent. >> All right. Um, you want to do the proclamation first? All right.
a proclamation. >> So, uh, since we have an extraordinarily large crowd, before I read the proclamation, we had a we had a really, um, massive event that happened on November
12th. Um, we have a uh, just to set the stage, we have a a Wreck league basketball uh, for adults. And, uh, there was an unfortunate incident that you'll hear about in a second. and we just wanted to recognize the people that stepped in to help during that incident.
So whereas on Wednesday, November 12th, 2025, at approximately 8:00 p.m. after a after sinking a stunning three-pointer, Lance Brown turned to head back down the court at Jonathan Dayton High School gym
and suddenly became weak and collapsed face down on the floor. Whereas the entire squad sprang into action as 911 was immediately called since it was clear that their down teammate was not doing well and whereas teammate Zack
Onel went into fight orflight mode and with 15 years of CPR training he immediately began resuscitation efforts. Whereas within minutes the Springfield Fire Department took over CPR while the Springfield first aid squad used a defibrillator on Lance. And whereas
thanks to the speed and coordination teamwork of everybody involved, Lance began to show signs of movements in the ambulance and transported to the hospital where he underwent a critical operation that night. There now therefore him uh Mayor Richard Huber of
the township of Springfield on behalf of the township committee do hereby proclaim thanks and appreciation to Zack Antel, firefighters Kevin Ruck, Andrew Sonnet, Lawrence Chan, and Robert. This is going to be a tough one. Scanny
yellow first aid squad members Matthew LaGuardia, Cheryl Vuzrath, Precious Kunas, and Emma Spectre for their quick thinking and heroic actions on Wednesday, November 12th, 2025, for
exemplifying the values of teamwork and bringing great credit unto themselves and the township of Springfield. you all come up here. >> If if you can all come up here and and collect your proclamation. >> Get a we got to get a picture of it. Um
you have anybody with a camera. One more time. Thank you. >> I just want to have one second of everyone's uh time. I just want to show uh explain how exceptionally proud I am of the Springfield Fire Department of First Aid Squad. You know, we do these kind of incidents all day long and it's
uh amazing. Uh Committee Laughler, thank you for setting this proclamation in motion. We really appreciate it. You know, we do this job and we do it selflessly and to show the appreciation like this, uh I'm just um speechless. So, thank you again, guys. I'm so proud of you. Keep up the great work. Thank
you. Now you want to go to swearing. All right. We have uh two people to swear in the fire department. One fire department and one got a promotion. Um I
don't I don't I don't know the names. >> We're going to start with Captain Timothy Haidok. Oh, Mr. Mayor, give you this. Next is firefighter Ryan Sikinger. Hey, congratulations. >> Thank you.
Congratul Did you break it? >> All right. Perfect. Yeah. >> Yep. All right, I'm going to make this as quick as possible. Um, first off, I want to thank everyone for coming out tonight and celebrating with us. This is a great
time for the fire department. This is a great day when we can uh have someone promoted and hire someone new at the same time. I want to extend my sincere appreciation to Mayor Hubert, the public safety committee, the entire town committee, the business administrator for their continued support of our fire department. Thank you guys. Without you,
I wouldn't be able to do this. This evening, it is my privilege to recognize Tim Haidok on his promotion to fire captain. Throughout this process, Captain Haidok demonstrated a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication, and I am truly pleased to officially welcome him into his new position. Captain
Haidok is an 11-year veteran of our department. He holds numerous fire service licenses and certification and over the course of his career he has received multiple awards which include special recognition awards as well as service awards for his exemplary service. Tim, as you assume your new
role as a shift commander, I am confident that you will continue to perform your duties at the highest level. You are now entrusted with leading the members of our department during some of the most challenging moments. And I ask you approach your responsibilities the same way you have with confidence, commitment, and the
drive you've done throughout your career. Congratulations. Right, I got one last one. You know, no one said I state your name, which I was really disappointed with. Um, I would also like to welcome firefighter Ryan Sickinger as a newest member of our department. Congratulations.
Over the past several weeks, I had the opportunity to speak with Ryan, and I've been genuinely impressed with his enthusiasm and commitment for the fire service. He clearly understands the importance of the work we do, and I am confident that he will be a strong and valued addition to our department.
Firefighter Sikinger is a long life resident of Springfield and most recently has graduated from Fail University. Ryan, as you begin your career, never lose sight how meaningful our job is in this profession. Commit yourself to learning and approach every assignment with the understanding that
your life and the lives of everyone depends on it because they really do. I ask you to seek guidance from your senior members and all of the above. Carry that pride and excitement that you have currently right now for the rest of your career. Once again, I want to thank everyone for coming out. Congratulations
to both Ryan and to Tim. Thank you. We journ for five It's for the next two weeks. Recycling will be collected on Fridays, December 26th
and January 2nd. Garbage will be collected on Saturday, December 27th and January 3rd. Rabies Clinic, Chisum Community Center. Saturday, January 10th, 10:00 a.m. to
noon. Use back parking lot and enter by the ramp. Close to the playground. Dogs must be leashed and cats and carriers. The township reorganization meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 1st,
2026 at 1 p.m. right here. New Jersey uh New York Blood Center and New Jersey Blood Service is hosting a blood drive Monday, December 29th, 10 to 8 at Chisum
Community Center proclamation for residents first day. Oh, we did that and Monarian that's done public comment on agenda items only. Okay, seeing none, close
session. Uh, reports, administration report, John. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I wanted to just touch on a few things. Leaf collection will resume today following a brief interruption by the snow. crews return to zone six to finish where they left
off on Friday before moving on to zone three and four later on in the week. I wanted to give a little kind of outline of how we handle snowstorms because it always comes up. So, it's just kind of a brief bullet point for for everyone. Uh Sunday's snowstorm produced
approximately 5 in of accumulation which involves salting and plowing the entire township followed by cleaning all the sidewalks. Little bit about the storm itself. Standard operating procedure on any weather event begins with pre-saltting the entire township,
prioritizing hills, sharp curb, intersections, bridges, and stop signs before moving on to all major through streets. Then all of our interior roads. After that, plowing usually begins when the accumulation reaches 2 in. We
dispatch two plows into every zone. Zone plowing begins with all major through streets first before the interior roads. Depending on the duration of the snowfall zones may need to be visited several times for plowing. Once the town
is completely open, some crews begin plowing all of our parking lots while other crews start shoveling, salting all township sidewalks, buildings, bus stops, school zones, and crossing posts. Lastly, salting operations are active throughout the entire duration of the
event. We typically focus more aggressive application immediately before and after each storm to ensure complete coverage of the township. Emergency response is handled based on the nature of the call, typically under direction of police or fire department.
So, that's kind of what goes on. And just understand when we get cold weather like we had, salt doesn't do anything because the the road is so cold, it doesn't melt. The salt just sits there. So it stays slippery. So my advice is if you can stay home, stay home. If you
have to drive, please slow down and just be careful. Going on to a few more items. We did a bid on our recycling and we received a bid and we'll have an award which is going to save us about $140,000
a year, 657,000 over a 5year period. Um I also wanted to touch on a couple of other things. Our dispatch, we're almost there with the county. We're looking at
mid January before we should be up and running. I did want to also mention that we have um had six fines handed out for illegal dumping at the pool. The cameras and the license plate readers have worked well.
So, we're hoping that it's either going to stop. If it doesn't, we're going to end up hopefully paying for those cameras. So, we are we are catching people and with the help of PD, they're receiving a summon. So, if there's any other questions I can answer, I'd be
happy to. Um, I forgot it at home, but I got a list of a couple of streets where the sidewalks are not shoveled. You know, our sidewalks are not I shouldn't say street. >> The resident sidewalks. >> Yes. >> Sure. Send it over. >> We'll get it to you by tomorrow.
>> What was the rationale about, not that I'm complaining at all because saving money is saving money, but what was the rationale with the with the saving of the money of recycling? Usually, we have a tough time. Usually that there's only a couple of companies or one company from each. What what is with the uh the the drop in the price?
>> Well, I think a couple things played into to the count here is that we had an option to go out a couple more years in the current contract we had. We saw that there were some companies now coming into some of the surrounding areas that were bidding. So, we felt that it was a
a time to possibly go out. Gas prices had dropped somewhat. Fuel was an issue the last time we went out. And I think they were also having some problems manning the trucks. So, I think everything kind of factored in. It just kind of felt, I think, in our favor a little bit this time and we saved a
bunch of money. It >> was great. I'm just curious about what changed because usually that's just we don't have any control over that, right? It goes up, right? >> Will there be a service interruption? >> No, it's actually the same company that Okay, good. >> So, nothing changes whatsoever.
>> Good. >> All the same specs as >> that's what I'm saying. So like so our our residents will not experience one iota of different >> notice a thing. >> Amen. >> Perfect. >> Um thank you for everybody. Anything
else? Nobody. All right. Um minutes regular meeting. >> Uh I'll make a motion to adopt the regular meeting minutes of November 12th, 2025 and November 25th, 2025 as
emailed. Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I >> new business. >> Okay. This is a second reading on ordinance 202521. This ordinance amends the land use
provisions at chapter 35 of the township code within 35-10.1 amendments to zoning map. >> Mr. Mayor, I move that ordinance 202521 be approved on uh second reading as read
by madame clerk. Publication and local source December 18th, 2025. >> Second. >> Um public open to the public. Anybody have anything to say about it? >> I second it.
>> Oh, you did? Okay. >> No. >> Seeing none, close to the public. Roll call. >> Committeeman Capid. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Laugher. >> Yes. >> Committeeman Kaiser. >> Yes. >> Mayor, >> yes. >> And we have another ordinance for
second. Ordinance 202522. This ordinance amends provisions of the township code to create the position operational support specialist police department. Madame Clerk, I move ordinance 202522
uh for publication local source on December 18th, 2025. >> Second. >> Public open to the public. Seeing none, close to the public. Roll call. >> Deputy Mayor Laugher.
>> Yes. >> Committeeman Kaiser. >> Yes. >> Committeeman Capid. >> Yes. >> Mayor Huber. >> Yes. Okay. Resolutions for one pole. Let me know. 20 25 295
296 297 298 299 300 301 302 3034
305 306 307 7 308. >> Uh, Mr. Mayor, I move resolutions 2025 295 through 2025308.
>> Second. >> Deputy Mayor Laer. >> Yes. >> Committee Min Capid. >> Yes. >> Committeeman Kaiser. >> Yes. >> Mayor Huber. >> Yes. >> Okay. discussion and action.
>> Um, yeah. No, no, no, no. I'm just making sure that I can read the uh I I'll make a motion for the the township to accept the resignation of Sharon Kessle from the planning board effective December 15, 2025. Miss Kessle has been a valued member and vice chair of the
planning board for over 22 years. At last night's meeting, we Rich and I were part of uh uh honoring honoring her for her years of service. So, thank you, Miss Kessle, and good luck on your next endeavor.
>> Second. Thank you, Sharon. >> All in favor? Hi. >> Hi. >> I just want to say that I think the first year Sharon was on I was on with her the planning board and it's been a pleasure Sharon all these years sharing
you know a seat next to you. Um all the luck in the world. Wish you luck. All right. Next >> uh uh the township accepts the resignation of Scott Wishna as an alternate one member of the planning board effective December 31st 2025.
Scott's not going anywhere but will be taking a different position on the room. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. >> Finance. >> Uh I will pay uh uh make a motion to ex to accept the payroll and invoices for
the period of November 26, 2025 through December 16, 2025 in the amount of $5,586,57166. Second. >> Committeeman Kaiser. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Laer. >> Yes. >> Committeeman Capid. >> Yes.
>> Mayor Yuber. >> Yes. >> All right. Correspondence. Springfield Zoning Board. Wednesday, December 17th, 6 p.m. Applications of the Shared Alliance. Uh, next is Mountainside Planning Board.
Thursday, December 18th, 7:30 variance for 11:40 route 22 and other mountain size planning board Thursday December 18th 7:30 variance for
two WTover court JCPNL vert um public hearing with respect to nonutility general generation
uh charge December 30. It's 4:30 and 5:30. For further information, email and we'll have the email on board outside. >> Yeah. >> There public comment on govern item
only >> issues. I'm sorry. Anybody coming up? public's closed. Before I read the next one, I just want to say a few things.
>> Do you want to go first or last? >> You go first. >> Okay. Um, I want to thank Mayor Huber um for his time as mayor. Um, I'm I've known Rich since I I had to have been
about five years old. um him being with his >> six him and his his sunny personality at Wreck basketball uh leagues. So, I'm I'm thrilled that I get to uh I got to run with Rich this year and I got to serve with Rich this year. Um I thought we
made a great team and uh uh I I thank you for, you know, I'm I'm also very happy to have been the one to bestow the name Tom Brady on you, but I'm thinking of changing it to Philip Rivers. Um, so, uh, so I just want to thank you and, uh,
uh, really appreciate, uh, everything you've done for this town and you will continue to do for this town because on January 1, we get a brand new lease on life up here. >> Yes, we do. >> So, thank you, Rich. >> All right. All right.
I want to take a moment to reflect. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Listen, I'll be short. I promise. I just wanted to uh you know again echo what uh Harris has said and um I've known you for very long time. I respect the hell out of you. I appreciate you being up
here. Your institutional knowledge of this town literally spans generations. Um the fact that your entire family still lives in town speaks a lot about you and your commitment to this town and the fabric of
the community in which you live. And um I respect the hell out of you. I'm very fond of you and your family and um I appreciate your leadership this year. Um it's not always the easiest job in the
world and um I uh had the pleasure of seeing you do it before I did it. And I think the best compliment that I could give is I got good at my job up here by watching you do yours. and I appreciate it.
>> Get to go now. Uh uh you know, hey, first off, I don't know if anybody recognized, but recck department put on a great uh Christmas tree lighting um and holiday display lighting. So, congratulations to the rec department uh
for all their work. Um uh uh it's an honor and a pleasure to serve with everyone up here uh for another year. It's been another great year as as as the team continues. Um I
believe this is my first time under Rich Huber as mayor, although he he did appoint me when I was running to serve as the rent leveling board. So always appreciated that. I've gotten to serve the last number of years uh uh on planning board with Rich, which I think
we even spend probably more hours together on planning board than we might do in in this room, which is is is remarkable. So getting to see him uh uh uh and his commitment to the township
and all the thought uh that he puts into every decision that affects this town going forward for years and years to come. I I get to see that firsthand and work with him to do that and and work with really all of us to do that. So looking forward to next
year everyone. Enjoy the holidays. Happy Hanukkah. Merry Christmas. And see you all in the new year. >> Now you can go. >> I hope I get >> Wait, wait, wait, wait. >> I want to take a moment to reflect on
what this year has meant for Springfield. 2025 has been a year of growth, determination, and community pride. And none of it would have been possible without the dedication of the people in this room.
to every department represented here, administration, police, fire, public works, recreation, finance, the clerk's office. I don't know about the assistant clerk, but the clerk's office,
um, engineering, OEM, and our library staff. If I forgot anybody, I apologize. building and codes enforcement also and all of our support teams. Thank you.
You are the backbone of this township. Each of you plays a critical role in making Springfield a safe, welcoming, and thriving place to live. Your work is often behind the scenes, often unnoticed by the public, but
deeply felt in the way our town functions every single day. This year, we tackled challenges head-on and celebrated meaningful accomplishments. Whether it was improving township services, supporting communities, events,
enhancing our parks and recreation programs, responding to emergencies, or helping residents navigate their everyday need. You showed professionalism, compassion, and pride in the work you do
for Springfield. I want to express my I want to express my heart heartfelt gratitude for your long hours, your teamwork, and your com commitment to doing things the right way. It's easy for people to see the results.
What they don't always see is the effort, the cooperation, and the dedication that makes those results possible. Thank you for your service. Thank you for your passion. And thank you for making Springfield a community. We are proud of We are proud
to call home. I wish all of you and your families a happy, healthy, and peaceful holiday season year ahead. Thank you, Springfield. Let's continue to move forward together. >> Okay. Um,
executive session. >> Okay. Resolution 121625. Whereas article six of the open public meetings act provides that a public body may hold a close session. Whereas the township committee will during this meeting enter into discussion of the
following matters. Attorney client privilege and personnel attorney client privilege potential acquisition of real property and contract negotiation. Whereas the matters to be discussed in close session are to remain in the
strictest confidence by all township committee members in furtherance of their fiduciary duties to the township. Now therefore be it resolved matters discussed at this meeting will be released to the public when reasons for discussing and acting upon them in close
session. May I have a motion? >> So moved. >> Second. All >> in favor. Uh we may take action after this meeting. Action. We might take action after this meeting. second
>> motion >> second. >> Okay. I >> thank you. Meeting over.