Good evening everyone. Thank you for being here. Thank you for watching at home. Let's call the meeting to order. Um madame clerk, would you please read the adequate notice of compliance statement? Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by the city clerk's office in preparation of the
council annual meeting notice dated December 17th, 2025, which was properly distributed and posted per statutory requirements. Please be advised that fire exits are to my right, your left, and at the back of the room. The city has a listening system to assist the
hearing impaired. If anyone needs hearing assistance, please obtain the system at the deis and return it thereafter. >> Okay. Uh, thank you. Would you please read the role? >> Mr. Ber >> present. >> Mr. Chrisoy >> here. >> Miss Camson >> here. >> Miss Landman >> here.
>> Miss Lucerosina >> here. >> Mr. Powski >> here. >> President To >> here. >> Um, thank you. Um, let's see. I didn't give you any notice, but um Mimi Zukov and George Drosenos, would you please lead us in the pledge of >> allegiance 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. Um, madame clerk, would you please read the notice regard regarding closed session and hearings and comments?
>> A close session meeting is authorized by state statute was announced and held prior to the start of this meeting and the known items for discussion were listed on the published close session agenda. Please be advised that council meetings are broadcast live on Comcast channel 34 and 36 and Verizon channel 30
and rebroadcast on Thursdays and Saturdays on HTTV on Comcast 36 and Verizon 33. When invited to speak, please come to the lectern. Clearly state your name and address, spell your last name, and speak into the podium microphone so that your comments can be
understood by all and properly recorded. Whenever an audience or council member reads from a prepared statement, please give or email a copy to the city clerk's office at city clerk@cityofsummit.org. to help facilitate an orderly meeting and to permit all to be heard. Please limit your comments to no more than
three minutes in length. Unless you are using an electronic device to follow the meeting agenda or need it for professional emergency contact purposes, please turn it off. Thank you. >> Thank you. I'm going to expand a bit on the city clerk's note about hearings and comments. This will facilitate a
smoother process, particularly for those watching remotely. If you're seated in one of the first two rows, please remain silent. Anything you say can be picked up by the recording microphones and it makes it difficult to hear the official proceedings. And the three minute limit
on public comments corresponds to a bit less than a single printed page. If you're leaving written remarks behind, please put your name on them and place them in the box near the lectern when you're done. And with that, let's move on to the city's business. Do I hear a
motion to approve the minutes of the regular and closed sessions on May 5th, 2026? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Um all in all all in favor? >> I >> Any opposed? Motion carries. On to
reports. Madame Mayor. >> Thank you. Good evening everyone. Thank you for being here. Um last night we had a wonderful swearing in ceremony at the firehouse for three members of our fire department. Firefighter Tom Penn was promoted to Lieutenant and then we swore
in Andrew Min and Alexandra Pereira as new Summit firefighters. So if you see them around town, give them a warm welcome and it was terrific to see many family members and friends and other firefighters come out to support them. Wanted to extend my sincere congratulations to all three. Um our
annual Memorial Day parade is next Monday. The parade leaves from 25 to Forest Avenue in the parking lot behind the building at 10:00 a.m. We'll start to gather there at about 9:30 and we will proceed through downtown to the Village Green where we'll hold a special ceremony featuring music, a rifle salute
and wreath laying and more. Residents are invited to line the streets in the downtown to watch the parade go by. This is one of my favorite days, so I hope you join us and I hope you come to the ceremony afterwards as well. This event is small, but it's powerful tribute to those who have lost their lives in
military service to our country. And I really do hope you join us. And then lastly, I'm excited to share that thanks to a partnership between the Westfield Regional Health Department and RWJ Barnabas Trinitas Medical Center, a new Women, Infants, and Children's Site is opening at the community center on June
1st. New Jersey residents who meet the income requirements will be able to make appointments to access services including nutrition, health, and breastfeeding education, referrals to other community resources, and electronic food benefits for income eligible pregnant women and postpartum women, infants, and children up to 5
years old. We have more more information on how to apply for that um or to schedule an appointment on the homepage of the city website. That's all. Thank you. >> Terrific. Thank you. And yes, the poppies growing in Flanders Field always tugs at my heart.
Unfortunately, Tammy Baldwin is under the weather, so I'm going to give her report as well as my own. Start starting with the city administrator report. Um, please be advised that city offices will be closed next week on Memorial Day. Monday is also a parking holiday in
Summit with no fees required for on street parking in municipal lots or garages. Um, also city the summer hours at city hall begin next week and continue through Labor Day. On Monday through Thursday, um, city hall will be
open from 8:00 to 4:30 and on Fridays from 8 to 1. This Friday, May 22nd, City Hall will open at 8:30 and close early at 1:00 p.m. Because of the holiday, we've also got modified recycling collection. There is
no recycling collection on Monday, Memorial Day. So, all the collections are going to be moved by one day, the Monday collection on Tuesday, Tuesday on Wednesday, and so forth. There is no change to trash collection. So, it'll be a two-step process. Um, the next Summit
free market is going to be this Friday from 12 to 1 at the transfer station. So, Summit residents with the parking disposal permit can attend and browse discarded items, take what they want for free. Um, the donation guidelines are on the city website at
cityofsummit.orgfreearket. Um, and we've probably all seen that PSEG milling and paving is going on throughout this week and next week all over town. Um the schedule of known work is posted on the news feed the homepage
of the city website. Um and there are a couple of other surprises throughout town I think as most of us have seen. Um so just remember that all work is weather dependent and subject to change. Now it's time for the council president's report. I just get to keep
talking. Um first I want a reminder keep saying this. Tuesday, June 2nd is election day. So, our next council meeting will be Wednesday, June 3rd. Please vote. Early voting begins on May 26th, and the nearest location to us is
the Dorso Senior Center in New Providence. Um, and the rest of my report is going to be a little bit different. All of the Summit City employees give at least 100% to the residents. However, I want to recognize Nicole Griffiths, the
police department's administrative manager. Nikki is the driving force behind the Gallow Senior Building's monthly game night. She has worked with residents to organize this. Since the beginning of the year, Nikki has solicited every month. Nikki has solicit
solicited prizes from local merchants. She arranges for the food. She pays out of pocket for what she can't otherwise source. And most of us on council have attended one or two of these monthly game nights. It's a lot of fun. But Nikki is there every month. She knows
everybody who attends. She calls the bingo games long after I've gone horse and can't talk anymore. And she just keeps that party going. This month, you're probably aware there was a bad car accident right outside of the old firehouse. Much of the Gallow building
lost power, so Nikki kept game night going for an extra hour just so the residents wouldn't have to go back to dark apartments with no power. At the same time, city hall lost power and Nikki arranged to to make sure that the pro that the premises were secure um and
that all of the electronic door locks didn't just fail. She was all over the place. Um we are really lucky to have Nikki and the next time you see her, please give her a big thanks. Um so with Yeah.
And let's move on to our historical minute. Council member Palowski, >> you can come up, chief. Tonight, uh we had hoped to have Chris Carter come in and do this report, right? Uh since he did it previously,
but you'll do it, chief. Uh he's gonna provide a uh awkward never extended the invite. Um but I do want to reiterate what council president had said about Nikki. She's not only the backbone of game night, she's the backbone of the police department. I'm fairly certain if I left tomorrow, business would continue. If
she left tomorrow, we'd all be in serious trouble. Um, so I echo those comments. Thank you for that. I'm excited to have a full house for this historical minute. Um, because I do think there's value in in understanding the history of the city of Summit. So, let's get started. So, the history of our patch, the first patch was actually
a metal badge. It was not a patch. At the founding of the police department in 1899 until about the 1950s, a uniform patch was not issued. Officers were identified by the metal badges worn on their covers, a military term for a duty hat, and over their hearts on their
blouse coats. You could see our first police chief, William Stewart, right there in the middle, and his trusty uh canine uh Duke. Um then we transitioned to a triangular patch which was very common in this uh era of our of history. As the area surrounding the city began to develop
and the population increased after World War II, the department began to utilize a standard style triangular patch in order to afford officers increased presence and to help the many new residents and New York City communities identify summit officers. Then in the
1970s, a city-wide contest was held in order to solicit proposals for a new patch design. The design selected reflected the rich history of the city and memorialized the important role Summit played in securing our country's freedom during the Revolutionary War.
The chain of signal beacons. During the Revolutionary War, General George Washington needed an effective early warning system to protect inland Continental Army positions, particularly Morristown, from British forces operating out of New York City. A chain of 23 numbered signal beacons was
established along prominent ridgeel lines across New Jersey, especially the Wong Mountains. Summit's beacon number 10 occupied an ideal position because of its elevation and direct visibility eastward toward British approaches through Elizabeth, then Elizabeth Town,
and westward towards the Continental Interior. Signal beacon number 10. The summit's beacon primary purpose was simple but critical. to detect British troop movement, alert local militia, provide Washington's forces time to mobilize,
coordinate defensive responses along the Wong line, and this was 18th century rapid communication. Fire as a military alarm system. What the beacon looked like, contrary to the common mental image of a small torch or a lamp, this was a substantial
structure. Washington's beacon specifications generally called for a pyramid-shaped log construction approximately 16 to 18 feet square at the base around 20 feet high with the interior packed with brush and combustibles. Um in reviewing doing some
research I saw on the Beacon Hill Club actually reports on their website that the summit's beacon also included a tree in the center with a tall barrel on top. >> When ignited the structure would create an intense blaze visible for miles. This was meant to be unmistakable, not symbolic.
The old So, we spoke about this a little bit. The old SA. >> So, SA the hoof. What do we got? The old SA. The old SA. >> The summit beacon was paired with a cannon locally as the old SA. The cannon served as an audible warning signal
while the beacon served as the visual signal. Combined, they created a dual alarm system. Fire beacon was visible across long distances and the cannon blast immediate local warning to minutemen and residents. The nickname old SA reportedly came from the cannon squat appearance and the way it sat in
the earth. Summit's local revolutionary history strongly ties the cannon and beacon together. The Summit Beacon stood where it is now, 226 Hobart Avenue, Summit, New Jersey. This location marked the crest near the Hobart Gap corridor, a strategically
vital pass through the Wong Mountains. Any British force attempting to move inland toward Morristown would likely use this route. A commemorative marker remains there today. The British are coming. On June 6th, 1780, a local farmer and militia man,
Richard Swain, fired the warning cannon known as the Old Sa. By the way, in reviewing a little bit more of the history of the police department, our second police chief from 1901 to 1901, um was actually William Swain. My assumption is they were related. We tried to pull his old personnel file,
but we don't hold background investigations that long. Um, the cannon blast was intended to alert both local militia forces and General George Washington's Continental Army at Jockey Hollow in Morristown that approximately 6,000 British and Hessian troops had
landed in Elizabeth Town, which is modern Elizabeth, and were advancing inland. The British objective was clear. Move through Continental Farms, which is now Union, and Springfield. Pass through the Hobart Gap and attack Washington's encampment in Morristown. The combined activation of the cannon and beacon
provided the necessary warning system that gave patriot forces critical time to mobilize. The battle of Continent uh Connecticut farms first invasion. The battle of Connecticut farms is June 7th, the day after 1780. The British advanced into Connecticut farms, burning much of the
settlement, including the Presbyterian Church. One of the most infamous acts was killing of Hannah Caldwell, wife of patriot preacher Reverend James Caldwell, whose death became a rallying point for the patriots cause. Although destruction was significant, the British were forced to retreat.
On the Battle of Springfield, approximately 3 weeks later on June 23rd, 1780, uh reinforced by another 2,000 troops, the British tried again. This time, they reached Springfield, burning nearly the entire town. American militia and continental forces successfully repelled the attack.
Following this defeat, British forces withdrew to New York. This marked the last major British offensive in the Northern Colonies during the Revolutionary War. As we reflect, it is easy to pass locations like um the plaque on Hobart. It is easy to pass those locations without fully
appreciating what occurred there centuries ago. But this site represents more than a local landmark. It reflects Summit's direct connection to the struggle for American independence. The significance of this beacon was not that a battle was fought here in Summit. Its important its importance was that Summit's geography allowed patriots to
see danger coming, communicate that danger quickly, and give defenders precious time to prepare. In warfare, particularly in the 18th century, those moments could change the outcomes. That is a uh rendition of painting from the early 1800s of a view of the summit beacon number 10 from the Carter House.
And that is our current patch today. I print it out and uh put in the box. >> Thank you, Chief. Um just one thing. So I um there's a legend that Hannah, who uh you just mentioned haunts the courthouse in Elizabeth.
>> Yes, it's true. Um, and I I will tell you I clerked there and um I had some late nights there and there's some funny stuff going on there, including inexplicable elevators just showing up and leaving. Um, but
>> her picture, her portrait stands in one of the I think the clerk of the board's office and they straighten it up all the time and when they come in in the morning it's crooked again. >> She's there. >> Damn. Spooky. >> Okay. Well, um I'm trying to figure out
how that segus into the first of our two presentations this evening. Um Chief Evers is from from our fire department is going to he recently um attended the National Firefighters Memorial Weekend and would like to give a presentation
based on that. Chief, >> thank you. Appreciate the time. Just can do a quick little uh background on the foundation. And I'm going to show a little video at the end. So the National Farm Fire Foundation was officially established by Congress in 1992 through a fire administration north act that
George W. Bush signed into legislation to law in October 26th, 1992. The foundation is created to honor firefighters who died in line of duty for supporting their families and work to reduce preventable firefighter deaths and injuries. It became the official organization response for the National
Foreign Firefighters Service which began in 1991 and take place every year since. The memorial service is held in Emersburg, Maryland in May, the home of the National Fawn Firefighters Foundation, Fire Academy, and US Fire Administration. It is also the site of the National Fallen Fighters Memorial. The foundation also provides a varied
assistant program to families of fallen firefighters and the fire service such as scholarship program for kids support camp for kids family here with networking for all the um spouses. The everybody everyone goes home program developed by the foundation is aimed at reducing firefighter death through 16 life-saving initiatives through safety,
health and culture change in the fire service. And also the taking care of program has helped fire departments prepare for the worst of land duty death and serious injury. In the past 20 years, the Summit Fire Department has proudly served a team has proudly sent the team down to the Memorial weekend to provide operational
and logistical support. Teams from all over the country arrive in Wednesday morning and start to transform the academy grounds for preparation for National Fall Firefighter Service, which takes place on Sunday. This year, we honored 97 firefighters who died in 2025 and 107 who died in illnesses and
injuries sustained in previous years. The weekend starts Friday evening with the welcoming reception for the families at the hotels that host the families. Saturday the family visit the memorial the academy and attend a canlay vigil um Saturday night at the memorial. Sunday morning the official memorial begins and
the plaque to the loved ones are names are added to the memorial. With that I'm going to show a quick video of that's about a three and a half minute video. >> Is it on there? There's a in our house.
And we know everyone did our job for the end. I hear bells in the distance. flags are folded
in our memory. I'm going home shed for the fall and the There is a lightness in the air as I float above the members of my
station in despair. smoke. We face our fears, the lives we save. I go without regret as I declare. I hear bells
in the distance. where flags are in our memory. I'm going home to Emamilies that we leave behind where I'll be enshrined
along with all the others and they'll see we're not alone. carved in the monument for it safely homes.
In the distance for messaging where tears are shed and pray for the fall and the tears are heard for the fall and the
Okay, thanks again. I appreciate um this been one of my great honors as um part of the fire service being part of the organization. Throughout the year, summit has got more and more involved in and working at the foundation. We do a lot of operational support, part of the command staff. The great honor and if you want to learn more about the foundation, you can visit them at www.f
fireheroes.org. Learn about the program, the ways you can actually support the foundation. So, I appreciate your time. Thank you. >> Thank you very much, Chief. And tonight we're we are blessed with presentations. Um, next we have Mimi Zukov and George Drosenos from the
recycling advisory committee to tell us safe how to recycle batteries safely. >> A little arrow that'll take you to the next. >> Perfect. Good evening. Thank you so much for having us. Last summer, um
first of all, the recycling advisory committee's the recycling advisory committee's responsibility is twofold. We um actively research programs that can help remove items from the waist stream to
help us be more sustainably um active in the city. And our other job is to help educate um residents about sustainability. Last summer, um the Department of Public Works asked to meet with me to see what
the recycling advisory committee could do to help spread information about the importance of proper battery recycling. So, we we did a lot of different things this year. We put together a great flyer which will be in the presentation
through the city communications office and it was distributed and we also re released a a video recently happens to be of me but we released a number of videos in our committee produced them to try to educate residents and the idea came up
in discussion that maybe we aren't reaching everyone in summit because um if you're following the recycling advisory committee page or the environmental committee page. You might already be very tapped in, but it's very hard to to reach everyone these days with so many variable ways of
communicating. It's actually much harder than back in the day when I first came to Summit and we had a printed um the independent press and it was very very easy. Everyone read it and everybody could keep up. So the idea was was floated that maybe I could do a presentation here at the council meeting
in the hopes that it's a different audience um that attends and listens from home and can learn something tonight about this very very important topic. And I also want to thank George Dosenos. He's a member of my committee. He helped me put together this presentation. This is actually the first PowerPoint
presentation I've ever done. >> So he's shows you you're never too old to learn something new. So last February in 2025, there was a very very bad fire at the transfer station.
It was sudden and it was extremely hot. And from my conversations with the members of the um transfer station staff and Department of Public Works, it was the hottest fire they'd ever seen in all their many combined years in the uh field of disposal.
and it um it destroyed part of the transfer station uh steel struct infrastructure and a very large tractor trailer which you can see burning and the only reason it didn't burn the entire upper structure down is a very quickthinking member of the um staff of
the transfer station somehow pulled that truck out of the bay but the truck was burned and thankfully no one was hurt but if you've been to the transfer station and you noticed that one of the pits has been out out of operation for a very long time. It's because of this
fire. It is our contention that it was a fire caused by someone throwing an electric uh a rechargeable battery into the pit and probably not even realizing it was a rechargeable battery and how dangerous it is. And they ignite very
very easily, especially when put under pressure. Um the net cost to the city for the loss of this trailer um after insurance is $163,000 and as I said loss of a whole pit for one and a half years because the new tractor trailer um won't be delivered
till the end of 2026. This happened in Camden in 2025. a lithium ion battery was improperly sent to a shredding facility and the fire burned for eight hours requiring evacuation of residents. We really don't want something like that to happen in
Summit or anywhere. But from my um understanding, every every recycling plant, every trash disposal facility has had fires like this in the past few years, and it's everyone's greatest fear. So, this is the flyer that uh we put
together. we put together with the help of the communications department is a lot of information on it because it's it's really a very complex topic. Um rechargeable batteries are considered hazardous waste and they must be carefully and properly disposed of. They
are extremely flammable and can start fires when placed in your household trash or in the pit at the transfer station. To dispose of rechargeable batteries, bring them to the upper level of the transfer station and place them on the electronics recycling shelf on
the upper levels to the right. The thing is, um, you may wonder, oh, why isn't there just a bin somewhere where it's easier for me to drop them off? The problem is, if you drop them in a bin, they can ignite. They are that flammable. the the transfer station
staff is extremely careful about how they even move them around and they they are fearful that something like that could easily happen. So there's a there's a picture of a number of different things that you might not even think about that have rechargeable batteries in them. We all know phones
and tablets do, but laptops, Bluetooth um headphones, smartwatches, but the real dangers are the larger things like the ebikes and the e scooters. um some power tools, cordless vacuums very very commonly get thrown into the pit and our
guys climb in to retrieve them. If you wonder why they're watching you when you're dumping in the pit, that is why they have to climb in and retrieve it and they have to pay very close attention because if it misses their their view, it could be very very very
tragic. Um so there's a number of things. They're all listed here. But basically, if you plug it in to recharge it, it cannot be disposed in the trash. It's really very very simple. They the different kinds of rechargeable batteries are lithium ion,
nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydide, and nickel zinc. And when they are recycled, these heavy metals, these very precious metals are stripped out and reused. So, it really truly is recycling. And if you're concerned about all the things we
read about the source of these metals and child labor in far away countries, this is a way to at least utilize these resources again and again until they can no longer be used. These are some commonly overlooked examples, especially children's things. You can't believe
every children's toy seems to have a battery in it. And personally, I would rather you put something on the recycling shelves that doesn't have the right kind of battery that requires that level of care than to miss it. The hoverboards are a big one. That's a very
big battery. The jeeps the kids ride around on, it's a very big battery. It's almost as big as a car battery. So, this is just to show you where exactly the disposal is. It's on the upper level. As you well, as you back in, it'll be on your left, but it's on
the right side of the building. It's these shelves, and that's where it all goes. Just place it on the shelves. Anywhere on the shelves, that's where recyclable uh batteries go. If you don't want to take it to the transfer station, you can take it to a
Union County hazardous waste collection. There are some retailers that also collect batteries. Um, last time we checked, Home Depot and Staples did. There are some others. This is a national campaign. Avoid the spark. Be battery safety smart. It is my
greatest fear that someone will throw one of these batteries in their trash, their household trash. It'll get picked up by our workers. It'll go into the truck. It'll get compressed and the truck will burst into flames and god forbid someone could be killed. We
really have to take care of our very, very hardworking city staff. The DPW workers are so dedicated to their work. I've gotten to know most of them through my position and I am in awe of how hard they work to try to keep our city safe
and sustainable. So, if there's any questions, I'd be happy to answer. Thank you. Are there any questions from members of the audience? Um, and then please come up and speak into the microphone so we can all hear your question. I was just wondering if there was any
education of kids in schools because I'm thinking about what happened with seat belts. Kids were really the catalyst for getting people to wear seat belts. >> Could you just state your name and address? >> Oh, Liz Skoler, 30 Essex Road, S K O L E R. Thanks.
>> It's a very good suggestion. Um, we can refer to our green schools committee. Um, I do know that that's that that that flyer did go out to all the students in the the uh in district of summit. So whether the parents read it or not, I don't know. I don't think there's a
particular part of the curriculum that goes over this. Um, it would be a worthwhile educational experience, I think. Thank you for this suggestion. >> Any other questions? >> Yes, Council Member Powski. >> What about regular run-of-the-mill batteries?
>> Regular alkaline batteries. So, they used to be considered hazardous waste. From my understanding, they have cut back on the amount of heavy metals in them to the point where it's no longer considered hazardous waste and they can go in your household trash. I don't particularly like that idea either, but
that is how it that's how it goes. There are some places that you can take alkaline batteries. We do have some information on the beyond the basics flyer that's on the city website under recycling advisory committee. Um, it's worth a try, but technically from all my
reading, it's not really a hazard to our health or safety. >> So, not at the dump. >> They they can go they can go in your regular household trash. >> Okay. But there's no place to recycle them at the dump. >> No, there's there's no there's no recycling facilities that take them
anymore from what I understand. >> Okay, that it. Um, thank you. And I I want beyond this very important message, I want to echo what Mimi said about the recycling advisory committee has issued
a whole series of videos. I hope they keep coming called recycling right. Um I thought I knew my recycling dos and don'ts. I have learned a lot. Um the most recent video on a much lighter note than than than these batteries. Um, but
the most recent video has been about how to opt out of that advertising circular we all get every week. And city clerk reports to me that since that video went out, upwards of 300 people have opted out. So, um,
>> you can thank Stacy Allen, too. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Thank you, Stacy Ellen. >> I know from all the emails. >> Um, I opted out several years ago. Best thing I ever did. Um but so please keep all this fabulous information coming.
It's really been a big help to us. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Ah I think you're off AV duty, chief. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So we can move on to ordinances for introduction. Um, madame clerk,
would you please read ordinance for introduction number one? Is that 550? My eyes are getting tired. Okay. Ordinance of the city of Summit County of Union, New Jersey, authorizing the subdivision of municipal property known as block
1702, lot 48, and authorizing the subsequent transfer of subdivided portion of municipal property no longer needed for public use by private sale to duly incorporated nonprofit organization. >> Thank you, Council Member Chrisouli.
>> Thank you, Council President. Ordinance ID 12550 would authorize a subdivision of city property for use by a nonprofit organization to construct and operate a group home for special needs individuals. Uh this home is proposed to be located at 701 Springfield Avenue
fulfilling a requirement under the terms of Summit's affordable housing agreement from December 23 uh 2025. Once again, we are under court scrutiny for implementation of that December agreement and changing the elements of that agreement would put Summit at risk
of overdevelopment. I move to introduce this ordinance for hearing on June 3rd. >> I'll be seconding the ordinance only so that it moves to public hearing, not because I support it. But with that, I second. >> Okay. Um, thank you. Um, do um may I
have a roll call, Madame Clerk? >> Mr. Ber, >> I. >> Mr. Mr. Chris Foley, >> yes. >> Miss Camson, >> I. >> Miss Landman, >> I. >> Miss Lucerina, >> I. >> Mr. Pilowski, >> I. >> President To >> I. >> Motion carries. Um, Madame Clerk, would
you please read um the ordinance for introduction number 12561? >> Ordinance of the city of Summit, County of Union, New Jersey, amending and supplementing chapter 35 of the city code entitled Development Regulations Subsection 35-9.2 two prohibited uses.
>> Okay. Thank you, Council Member Chrisouli. >> And thank you, Council President. Ordinance ID 12561 would add a prohibited use to the city code. Summit residents have raised concerns about what they see in the news in other municipalities in our area
facing infrastructure and environmental problems uh related to overdevelopment of commercial properties uh for the purposes of data centers and detention centers. Uh we have a couple of sites in Summit that could be large enough for
these types of developments. Um a risk uh that is emerging because of the sale of BMS's property on Upper Morris Avenue. And we have a very strong desire to prevent uh these unwanted developments here. Um so we're proposing
a few ordinances uh in coming weeks to clarify the city's development regulations. The first one, which we're introducing tonight, adds a prohibited use for carceral facilities to the city code, which currently lists other prohibited uses, including the trade in
marijuana and cannabis. I move to introduce this ordinance for hearing on June 16th. >> Second. >> Okay. Would you please read the the the role, Madam Clerk? >> Council President. >> Um, yeah, >> Council Member Boy, we do not comment on
>> the introduction of ordinance. like this is not a comment. >> I'd like to make a motion though. >> Okay. >> And uh our city solicitor, I can make a motion, correct? >> Yes. >> There there was already a motion and a second. >> Yes. >> Yes, you can make
>> Yes. Okay. Thank you. Uh I just wanted to explain my motion really quickly. Um, this ordinance that you have right here, I know that Councilman Christophley just said something about AI data centers.
Um, but I think that we should add them to this right now. Now, I don't I don't know if the public knows this, but you know, there's a company called Cororeweave, headquartered in Livingston, uh, just over in Essis County, and they have purchased a
280,000 square foot former Merc Laboratory building, 27 acres of parcel for $322 million. They are converting it into a 40 megawatt data center at a total project
cost of 1.8 8 billion. The property is part of a larger former Merc uh world headquarters campus and it was uh re repurchased by a developer called Onyx Equities. The pattern is
straightforward. Pharmaceuticals R&D campus no longer needed by its original tenant sold to a developer then to a data center. Uh, I think every council I think every member of this council and every resident in this room ought to
take a hard look at this pattern because it is about to become directly relevant to Summit. Bristol Meyer Squib has put its $1.2 million square foot life science campus at 5556 Morris Avenue on
the market. That's 88 acres, nine buildings. The listing materials drafted by JL expressly notes that the existing campus infrastructure already includes some data center space. BMS plans to lease back five of the nine buildings
for a short period while the new owner uh um while the new owner rests there. Uh, we do not yet know who that new owner will be and we do not yet know what they intend to do with the parts of
the property that they will be leasing to BMS. But we have a nearperfect comparable 15 minutes away sitting in front of us, a pharmaceutical campus that lost its original tenant and that
was repurchased by Onyx Equities and is now hosting one of the largest AI data center investments in the state. Summit does not need to wait until a buyer is announced and a plan is filled to know what could happen here. The market is
telling us in plain language what these properties are now being repurposed for. So I make a motion to amend this ordinance uh to add data centers to the list. >> Second.
Um then how do we >> we should vote on the first motion >> correct >> to introduce the ordinance >> and then the second motion to amend it.
>> No you you would just vote on this amendment. >> Okay. >> If the amendment passes >> then you take a vote as amended. If the amendment fails you take a vote on the original. >> Okay version. May I ask a clarify?
>> So, we're taking a vote on amend the amended ordinance >> just on the amend on whether to amend it >> whether to amend the ordinance. Okay. >> And and council council member Lazera Cena has a question. >> Uh Councilman Boy, this is the first
I've heard you raise this issue. So, I'm wondering do you have specific language that we can react to? Have you done research like or benchmarking? I think this is something that many of us would be open to considering, but >> yeah, >> I I mean I think we just we would want
to sit with the we would want to talk to our our land muse manager and consult with our city solicitor unless you've already done that work. >> Yeah, I I think it's clear that um you have marijuana shops there. Um you have
um uh the detention facilities there. I think it's as easy as putting data centers there. So um I think it's clear the work that I have done is the municipalities even right next door to us Kennorth and
Livingston they are going through uh the exact same thing that we will be going through soon. Uh and I don't think that there is any time to waste unless we want to data center here in summit. So,
um I personally don't want uh a um a detention facility, whether that's county, state, or federal in Summit. And I surely don't want a data center uh here in Summit as well. I mean, I live across the street from the Overlook
Hospital and once a week that generator turns on and it rocks my house. And I watched a bunch of videos and yeah, I did a lot of reading on this and the city of Summit can't afford to have
this. And I would I I really would would it would be a dreadful situation for this to be in our town and for the residents who would live next to it 24 hours a day vibration. It's horrible. Now, we could wait another two or three
months, but why not just do it right now? >> Um >> I agree. >> I I I I have a fast question for our solicitor. Um I mean so far everything has been posed in the form of a
question. Are we do we vote without debate? Can we ask questions of each other before we vote? That's I I think so because that's your
that's your own procedure city >> wanted to be sure because >> check with Ros President I recall the last time this happened that uh council members were allowed to explain their vote >> that that >> not discuss am I correct >> I think that's what we did with the
maple street um because I personally had a very procedural question which is I had not noticed until late in the game that the hearing for this
ordinance is scheduled for June 16th, not June 3rd. So, is it possible to draft an ordinance specific to data centers for introduction on June 3rd and a vote and
a hearing on June 16th? The reason why there was the delayed hearing is because the development ordinance has to be reviewed by the planning board. >> You're correct. Mr. Thank you. But that that's before June 3rd, is it not?
>> I'm not sure when the next planning board meeting is. >> It's the end of the month. >> Though the last >> the last Monday is >> it's it's being postponed. >> There's a change in date for the planning. planning board has 35 days to
review. >> If the planning board doesn't respond within 35 days, then the the city can make its own decision on the on the >> hearing >> through you, council president. I have a question for the city solicitor.
>> Okay. Thank you. Yes. And if we we don't put data centers in this particular ordinance um then we would then have to submit to the planning board once again if we drafted another ordinance and wait another 35 days.
>> Yes. And um I may recommend to do that because the changes proposed by this ordinance are specific to recommendations made in the master plan re-examination report from
2016. Um I I didn't know about the data center request or else I would have done some research into what was um stated in the 2016 re-examination report um to
support that that change. Um so it just be >> how do you define a data set >> that that's through me council member Chrisully. Yeah, I mean how any any lawyer would
need to define how many square footage there's already data center there, >> you know, it's not just all data centers, you know. Okay. >> We need a little definition here. >> Um Okay. I I I think we've asked our questions. >> Um so
>> shall we go? >> Yes. Shall we go with the vote? >> This is our vote whether or not to amend the ordinance. >> Is this a question? Council member Palowski, >> I'd like to comment on on >> um We don't have comments at this point. We can explain our votes, which is a
comment, which is as close to a comment. I mean, we were asking questions. >> Okay. I have a question then. >> Yes, Alex. >> Data centers for 200. >> Well, Alex only gave the answers, right? So, um
it's not without precedent that we pause a meeting to draft language, right? I mean, we did that last year when when uh Michelle proposed uh a resolution or an amendment to a resolution from the floor. And given the time constraints,
um would it be that hard? Do we need that much research? >> Um >> okay. >> I mean, we could we could look up uh we could look up uh one from another municipality that was done recently. I think there have been at least four in
the past month. Okay. Thank you for your question, madam clerk. >> Is there an answer? >> I mean that that's up to the council. I don't I'm >> What? Sorry. >> June 4th is next.
>> So I'm being told that the next planning board meeting is June 4th. We have a another council meeting on June 3rd. If we introduced another ordinance to ch to add this additional change, they could still they could review it at their June
4th meeting as well since they're already doing a mass they're going to be if you if the ordinance passes for introduction. They're going to be doing um a master plan consistency review of this ordinance and we could throw in another one. >> Fair enough. Thank you. >> Thank you. Does that does that preempt
your question, Council Member Lera Cena? I I get this is more of just a curiosity, but I'm wondering, Councilman Buer, this seems something that you're very passionate about, and I think this is something we're all interested in pursuing, but I'm curious as to why you would wait until the moment of the meeting. It sounds like you've done some research. Why would this not have been
something that you would have at least brought to our city sol let let's move to the vote. That's an interesting side conversation. Um, >> let him answer. >> We we can we can explain our votes. Can
I ask a question about timing just from a procedural perspective? >> There's no need to notice an ordinance in advance of the planning board. So in other words, if it >> happens on the third at the next meeting on the Rosie
>> on the agenda for the planning board, >> we'll we'll be in touch with them, but Rosie would forward the whatever was introduced to the planning board secretary >> that agenda now. However, >> but that's what I'm saying. So I think >> well we could give them a heads up that that's what we're anticipating
>> and and the agenda for June 3rd is going to be set this week. >> Yes. >> So so we can work in tandem with the planning. >> Yes. I can I can communicate that to the planning board um the the liaison Augusta at land use.
>> Okay. Make sure the rules. >> Okay. I think we finally get to vote on the amendment. Mr. Ber >> I >> Mr. Chris Fully >> I'm sorry. I'm not sure what we're voting on here. I'm a little confused.
>> We are voting on council members council member Ber's amendment to add data centers to the proposed ordinance. >> Literally the words. >> Yeah. To the ordinance. So >> where where
>> we're gonna include them in the list. >> So I raised in my introduction my interest in u regulating and prohibiting data centers but we need to understand you
know how do you define a data center uh and I think we need to have the definition based on standard practices u and square footage. there is already existing data centers on the site and we may be I mean doing something here. So
we want to I think what we want to what I want to exclude are the large ones that we see descending on our neighboring towns but we don't want to do unintended damage here to small uh data rooms if you will. So, u I I I vote
no on the amendment with the interest in having a robust ordinance for the next council meeting. >> Miss Calmanson, >> um I I agree. I don't want to see data centers here in Summit, but I want to make sure we get this right and I want
to make sure we let the city staff do their job and make sure that we get it that we that we get it right and we're not just add adding on and then missing something really important. So, for that reason, I will be voting no. >> Council member uh Lammond.
>> Uh for the reasons council members Chris Fully and Commonson have already articulated, I vote no on the amendment. Council member Lucerosina, >> I vote no on the amendment. I I don't not clear on what we're even responding to and when we rush in this way, this is
when mistakes get made. So I vote no. >> Council, >> yes. President Toad. >> Um I too am voting no specifically because we have time to introduce a data center specific ordinance
with a hearing and a passage date of June 16th so that we can get we can be sure we've got it right and with no time delay for what would happen if we amended it tonight. And I wouldn't want
to diagram that sentence. Okay. >> All right. >> Um, >> so that was >> that was um two in favor, five opposed. >> Correct. >> So I think now we move on to a roll call vote on the introduction of the
ordinance as originally proposed. >> Council member Ber. >> Uh I will vote to move this forward but again um I I think that it should be amended but yay. Council member Chris Foley
>> I. >> Council member Callison >> I. >> Council member Lman >> I. >> Council member Le Sarosina >> I. >> Council member Powski. >> No comments. Right.
>> I'm sorry. >> No comments on this. Claire. >> No. Unless your vote you want to explain your vote. >> I. President Toad >> I Okay, motion passes and I believe now
we are on to resolutions and I've just lost my place, but I I believe the first resolution is law labor. Thank you so much, Council Member Lera Cena. >> Thank you, Council President. Resolution
12571 relates to a tolling agreement that's been proposed between the city of Summit and FGM. This relates to litigation around who should bear certain costs associated with the construction of our
new firehouse. Uh the tolling agreement is a procedural agreement that allows us to pause certain claims that had been pursued amongst the city of summit and FGM so that these parties can work together to pursue certain other I
apologize it is it is indeed very confusing and it's kind of an esoteric procedural matter. Um but what this achieves if it passes is that we can work collaboratively with FGM but still preserve our ability to pursue claims against them in the future without
losing time during the statute of limitations. So this we say this tolls the statute of limitations um and again preserves those future claims. Um collaboration will be at FGM's uh cost and expense. I move to adopt this
resolution. second. >> Um, with that explanation, do we have any comments from members of the public on this resolution? Do we have any comments from members of council?
Okay. Um, then all in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion passes. Um, back to you, Council Member Lera. >> Thank you, Council President. This uh next resolution 12572
relates to the old firehouse site. Prior resolution related to the new firehouse site, but now we're back to the old site. The sale of the old firehouse site to the contract purchaser K&K or garden homes has failed to close. Last week,
the contract purchaser informed the city that they are withdrawing from the transaction. This site is obviously a very valuable community asset and this is a very disappointing outcome. The city staff, the council, and the mayor worked
together and did earnest work with K&K to try to get this deal done. We have not gotten official communication from K&K on their reasons for withdrawing. There is deposit money that was paid by KK that is in escrow and we will of
course pursue those funds. Because this is such a valuable community asset, we want to make sure that we move forward responsibly. When things are rushed, mistakes often get made. We are tableabling the resolution to rebid for this evening. We need time to, for
example, gather new comps and make sure that we set an appropriate minimum bid for the property. We will share more information in the weeks ahead. Um so I move that we table this resolution for this evening. >> Second.
>> Okay. Then um Madame Clerk, would you let's see. >> Are you requesting a >> um is this a roll or can we just do up and down? >> Unless you request it be a voice. >> Okay. >> Do we we don't get to comment on a motion to table? I think you should
invite everybody to come. >> That's right. Thank you. Thank you. Um, do we have comments from members of the public on this motion to table? >> Good evening. Uh, Norah Raidus, 18 Blackburn, please. And I once again
thank you for your service. So, where are you going guys? This been a long time coming and I am not unaware of what's going on here and I really, really, really encourage all of you to be very serious about providing
what needs to be done for this community. A lot of people in this room and some on this day were against the Broad Street West redevelopment. So, here we are. We got nothing.
I urge you to do what's best for this community because it's not happening yet. And I am in very aware of how things had happened. So please, I beg you to do what's best for our town.
Thank you. >> Anything else? Um Karen Venturella, 14 Lewis Avenue Summit. I don't know if I should ask this question, but I was at an earlier council meeting where they talked about there was a realtor for this sale and there was a commission for that realtor
did. So there was is there any cost incurred by the sale failing? I guess that's my question. >> Thank you. Hi, Mike McTurnan, Blackburn Road. Thank you all for your service and basically volunteering to be up here. Uh, just on
this, um, there have been, I know, questions about what's been going on with the this the closing, and every comment is, we're dealing with the lawyers. We can't tell. I think that the community deserves a
clear reckoning of why the sale never closed. What was the the issue? Nobody knows. No one has been forthcoming with any of this. This is a five odd million dollar piece of property and it's been cancelled and
crickets as to why. And I think the community uh should have answers on that. Thank you. Anything else? Um, may I go ahead and answer Miss the May I go ahead and answer the
resident's question? >> Yep. >> With guidance of the attorney. >> Um, the the the contract that the city entered into with the real estate broker um said that if the if there was no closing, there was no commission.
Um, >> okay. Um, I suspect that council member Palowski is going to want a voice vote. >> Yeah. Yes, please. >> Council President, are we giving comments from council members on this? >> We can explain our votes.
>> Okay. >> So, Madame Clerk, would you call the vote? >> Uh, >> voting to table. >> Did you Did you go already, Bob? I didn't hear >> alphabetical order. >> Okay. >> Um
yeah, so I I think that uh we should move forward and put this property on sale as soon as possible. Uh and this is what um uh this is what this is for. So uh I'd
like to see this move forward. I think if we keep delaying it uh there are some concerns uh about uh different regulations and things like that. Um so we should move forward. I you know
I know the former mayor came up and said uh she's aware of what's going on. Um I I wish you would elaborated on that because I I don't know. um you know it's part for the course these days
but I think that it's incumbent upon us to sell this property as soon as possible. So uh I would like to say nay for tableabling >> Mr. Chris Foley. So very briefly, I also support expediting the sale of the
property, but concerns with the current broker and other issues and also I'm not going to make any more specific questions, but I I believe things should move forward as practically possible. So
I am voting I to table. Miss Kelmanson >> I >> Miss Lman. >> Um, as a resident, I'm super frustrated because this property has been in limbo for years from Broad Street West to the
sale by last year's council. >> As a council member, uh, we spent months as a team working to get this supposed ASIS deal from December done. Last year's council members called it a gift, but it turned out to be anything but. All of us worked hard to get this deal
closed. So it is very disappointing to get this outcome and I agree uh Mr. McTurnon that we should share more information with the public. We have nothing to hide. On the bright side, now we have a clean slate. We have a tremendous city asset. We've balanced the budget without the sale. Council has
work to do, as we've said, to figure out the best and most efficient way to realize the full potential of this asset. And at this time, we will not celebrate until the deal is done and the check is cleared, so to speak. So in the meantime, um I vote to table
this resolution. >> Mr. Sarasina, >> again, this is a very valuable community asset. We need to move forward responsibly. We are the stewards who have been entrusted with the protection of this property in the, you know, we
found out that the contract purchaser was withdrawing late last week. uh we have not yet had an opportunity, for example, to see if we need to do a bringdown of the appraisal for the property. We've not had the opportunity to pull new comps for the property. I
think it would be wildly irresponsible to move forward on a move that sets a minimum bid when I could not tell you in good faith that I have confidence in in any number. This is not my area of expertise. We need to call in the experts, tap the brakes a little bit,
and move forward in a responsible matter. For those reasons, I vote I to table. >> Mr. Pilaski, >> I'd also like to know what Mayor Resus is very aware of. Um, I haven't talked to her about this, but um, we need to
get this back on the market as soon as possible. We've considered this measure for several council meeting cycles. The work is done. We have comps, right? We just got a bunch of bids on it. So unless you somebody thinks that we could
go and and get an appraisal and the amount would be way higher, I don't know why we have to wait. Councilwoman Lamman just complained that this has been taking too long, yet she wants to wait. I remember it was like pulling teeth trying to get that appraisal uh over the
past year. And you know, who knows how long it could take this time. I vote no on tableabling the motion because I think we should put it on the market as soon as possible. >> President Chuck.
>> Okay. Um I vote yes to table the motion based on the discussion in closed session. I believe that we can all support an an improved resolution by the
end of next month. Um, which has next to no effect on the timing and certainly no effect on next year's budget. Um, and let's again let's take a beat and do it right. So with that, I think the nos are five,
the yays are yes or two, excuse me. Um, so that motion is tabled and we move on to community programs and parking services. Council member Calmanson. Thank you, Council President. This is
resolution ID 12553 and this resolution authorizes co-op purchase for security cameras at upper and lower tatlock fields for $78,000400 I'm sorry $78,479.37. >> Did we vote on the on the No, I'm sorry. Go ahead.
>> I move to adopt this resolution. >> I'm sorry. >> Second. >> Second. >> Yeah. Okay. Do we have any comments from members of the public on this resolution? Do we have any comments from members of the of council?
>> Yes, council member Pelowski. >> Thank you. So, I am very happy that this resolution is on the agenda this week. you know, in in the community, there continues to be a lot of talk and questions regarding um when are we going to get the lights
up. Does council intend to uh revise the light usage ordinance? I hope not. Um, I think we should give the current or ordinance a chance and if this council does come to a consensus that they want to change something, I would hope that
we do it transparently like Councilman Smallwood and I did over the past couple years. Um, but I of course will be voting yes on security on this security camera purchase. It's one of several elements of Tatlock Lights that is
important to the residents in that neighborhood and former councilman Smallwood and I made sure to include it in the ordinance. As for when we'll start using the lights, I'm told that a fellow council member recently blamed me at a listening session uh when asked why
the lights aren't on yet because I was in charge of the aforementioned cameras and I'm the one that put that requirement in the ordinance. And I definitely did insist that we put this in the ordinance. Um along with other
carefully considered safeguards based on many hours of resident consultation and thoughtful consideration of all the issues. Um though I'm not aware that I was ever in charge of ordering cameras. I will say that I became frustrated with the lack of movement on the issue from other committees and I asked Chief
Peters to help out. Um which he did and I thank you for that. And in the end, we got an acceptable quote from a state approved vendor within our budget, and we're approving that contract tonight. So, I vote yes. >> Um, other comments
>> through you, Council President. >> Council member Ber. >> Yeah, you know, when I think of cameras, I thought it was in another committee, so I had to had a flashback. Um, so, uh, another hurdle we got through, uh, all to push to get these lights on. so that
the kids can play in the fall. Um, I think this was another example of how we all pulled together to get this done. Um, so this came up as a as a hurdle and
we jumped over it. So, I'm excited to move this forward and I vote uh yes. >> Okay. Uh I I will just note that um typically we when when we're spending this kind of
money, we have to go out and request bids from various vendors, but we belong to a state co-op purchasing organization that allows us to buy certain things without going through that process. It's speedier and we still get a really great
price. We were able to do it this time. Um and with that, all in favor? >> I I >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Back to you, Council Member Calmanson. >> Thank you, Council Pro Council
President. This is resolution ID 12567, and this resolution will reestablish a silver summit committee and allow council to appoint members. Thank you to Council Member Lera Cena for her thoughtfulness and re-imagination of this committee. Whereas the original
Silver Summit was made up of professionals that serve the senior community, Silver Summit 2.0 O, as we've been informally calling it, um, will be made up of senior citizens and establish a direct communication line to council to understand the challenges, needs, and
wants from our senior community. I move to adopt this resolution. >> Second. >> Do we have any comments from members of the public? >> Any comments from members of council? Okay. All in Oh, I am sorry. Yes,
Council Member Liss Arisina, it is your baby. >> Thank you. I'll try to be brief, but I'm I'm really excited and and appreciate the partnership of of Council Member Calmanson in reimagining this group. Um, so we did, as as Council Member Calmanson mentioned, have a prior
version of Silver Silver Summit that, as I understand it, was meant to um help ensure that we didn't have gaps in supportive services to our senior citizens. Um, so it included primarily representatives from nonprofit organizations and other organizations
that serve our senior citizens. Um, it was a very ambitious goal and uh, a prior council ultimately determined that it was in the interest of the city to wind that group down, but it did then lead to some interesting conversation and I'm really excited to to see this
new uh, iteration and the evolution of this group. It's really meant to be a formalized focus group, right? And to establish um hopefully with permanency a direct line of communication between members of our more mature uh neighbors
and council so that on a regular basis we're talking about the experience of our senior citizens and in what ways local government can better be serving them. Um, so again, I appreciate the partnership and and I'm hopeful that this will move forward and if so, then
please stay tuned for opportunities on how to apply and be a member of the group. >> Any other comments? >> Can I make one more? >> Can I make one? Um, so just a point of clarification, the prior silver summit I think was uh brought about to help
coordinate the various groups in town that help our seniors during COVID. Um, and that's why it was wound down. But I fully support um this new version of uh Silver Summit. >> Okay. All in favor?
>> I. >> Any opposed? >> Motion carries. Um let's move to capital projects and community services. Council member Chrisully. >> Thank you so much, Council President. Resolution ID12555
authorizes the placement of a victory town marker on the village green and the location we discussed at CAPS will be close to the train station uh in commemoration of our local contribution to America's war of independence. Uh on Revolutionary Trail Day in April, our
town hosted a very fun event complete with a Tory soldier and singing pirates. We learned that bread ovens were constructed of around the area where the municipal golf course is currently uh to feed the Continental Army as they moved toward final victory in Virginia. They
marched through our area. Um u I move to adopt this resolution. >> Second. >> Okay. Do we have any comments from members of the public? Any comments from members of council? Council member Chrisouli.
>> So, I was just going to say I do have an ancestor that was in the Continental Army, and I hesitate to say that because it can come off as arrogant, but it's something I'm very proud of. Thank you. >> Good for you. Okay. Okay. All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed?
>> No. Okay. Then we get to move on to the consent agenda. >> Council President, >> through you. >> Yes. Council me Council Member Landman. I'd like to pull resolution 12554 from the consent agenda to be voted on separately as council member Laserina
will be abstaining from a vote on that one resolution. >> Thank you. Okay. Um but that's that's to be voted on separately. We don't have to pull it from the general conversation. No. No. I I've learned that one. >> Do we have any comments from members of
the public on any portion of the consent agenda? No. >> Um, >> I think you need a motion to approve the consent agenda. >> Oh, thank you. I need a motion to approve the consent agenda. Thank you. >> So, moved >> in. >> Second.
>> Second. Okay. Now, do we have Thank you members of the public for knowing you had to wait for that. Um, does anybody have a comment? >> No. >> Do we do we have comments from members of council on anything in the consent
agenda? Council member Ber, >> Council President, um I know that uh Councilwoman Larosino was is involved in the in the playground. Um we had went there to check it out and everything,
but I'm I'm sorry. I'm not understanding why she has to recuse herself. >> Not a recusal. She's abstaining that one vote. >> Yeah. Mhm. >> Is that is I don't understand why like
>> um is Larena? >> I'm sorry. Nobody talks to me so that's why I'm like up here kind of like asking. >> I'm happy to speak over it. So you'll you'll note in the resolution 12554 there's reference to the Leanders
fund. Uh in the spirit of transparency that is our charitable family fund. uh it's a donor- advised fund, so we don't have direct control. We're able to make recommendations for donations and then there's a third party administrator who
makes the ultimate decision and then would distribute the funds. Um our our family has been very blessed um to to live here, to be here in Summit. Uh my life was saved here by our wonderful first responders. we have been looking for uh an opportunity to make enduring
an enduring gift to the community that has given us and continues to give us so much. Um so it's it's a kind of a weird combination of our last names and Sanders. That's how we came up with the Landers Fund. Um and so I do
want to make that clear again in the spirit of transparency. Um, it's at the the recommendation of our city solicitor that I abstain from the vote >> through you, council president. I I didn't want to put you on the spot. I had no I didn't know. So,
>> I I I thought it was in the memo. I'm so sorry. >> Yeah. And I couldn't figure out L Sanders. I get it now. Oh, okay. No, this is a this is a great thing. Anytime a resident donates money for a project, whatever. Um, yeah, I'm I'm supportive of that and thank you for your It's
going to be a nice playground. >> I I thought it was a French charity. >> Any other comments? I I I just before I was on council, I was on the zoning board for several
years and I know from my experience there that many of the lot sizes near the community center tend to be very small and some of the residents have been frustrated that they're unable to
put up so much as a swing set in the backyard without getting a variance. Um, so having a walkable playground for the children is is just an amazing addition to that part of town which has been underplaygrounded, if that's a word. Um,
but with all that for um almost all of the consent agenda, all in favor? >> I >> opposed none. um for ID number 12554.
All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Abstain. >> Abstain. >> Okay. Consent agenda is passed. Thank you so much. Wow. Almost a land speed record. Um
so we can turn um and thank you to our city staff who I think that's you, Chief Evers. Um, we appreciate your time with us. You're free to stay, free to leave. Um, but as we begin public comment, we ask that the resident step forward to
speak first. We value input from everyone and any member of the public is welcome to speak. We simply ask for your courtesy and allowing the local neighbors to lead the public discussion um if they're prepare prepared to speak
first. Again, I remind you that we um to limit your comments to three minutes or less and to leave any written comments with your name um on the table. And thank you, Mayor, former mayor Raidest.
>> You have the information? >> Yes. Um, so I understand that council voted to um open Maple Street um for outdoor dining and um my question is I have two questions and I don't need them
necessarily to be answered tonight, but I would hope because I know you don't want to answer the questions tonight. I get that having been there for eight years. Um but I would like an email response. Um, number one, Mayor Fagan, have you signed the
ordinance? That's my first question. Um, I know Mrs. Licates taught me or very early on that you you signed the ordin or ordinance quickly or not. Um I I first actually as a quick anecdote one
of the first times I disagreed my girl on council at the time I disagreed and it was a 52 and she said I said I'm not signing this jokingly and she goes what I said no of course I'm going to sign it because in fact if I did not sign it councel could I thought
at the time and I believe could override it. Um so my question is um that second question is does council under summit rules under the charter have the ability to override
a mayor's veto and I don't need the answer tonight. >> Okay. >> Um but please email me and I also understand there's the next other part of the statute which authorizes you to the to implement or not the closure and that's another whole statute. But look,
there's one step at a time. >> So that's what I want to say. And again, as I said before, thank you all very much for your service. >> Thank you. >> Any other comments? >> Hello. >> Yeah, >> Kim Leonard, 81 Beakman Road. Hi. Um,
I hope you'll give me a little bit of patience here, but I want to give a little Wilson Park minute for everyone. Um, I've done a lot of research around Wilson Park. I live very close to the park. Um, and when I went down to this historical
society, I found out that back in the day, the Wilson family had bought up all the parcels of land to now form what is Wilson Park. Her son has a letter at the historical
society that he gave a little bit of background and under threat of imminent domain, Adah Wilson deeded the property to the city of Summit. But in the deeds,
she did provide riders. She was a very big advocate of um green space. In fact, she had one of the biggest estates in Summit. She opened her home every year to the citizens of Summit. The public could come in and,
you know, walk around her property. So, um, when I heard, uh, rumblings of subdividing Wilson Park, I went down to the city. I went to the tax office um, asking for the deeds and they were not
able to provide them. So, I went to Elizabeth and I pulled the deeds. No ghost edit when I went down there, but I did pull two deeds. Um, there's nine parcels of land included in
these deeds, and two of them have writers on them. Now, unfortunately, we don't know what the writers say because they're not attached to the deeds. But from my understanding from the people down in Elizabeth, the rider actually is housed
in the title of the property. So what I'm asking the council is, are you and will you do a title search before you move this property to someone else and subdivide this property? We need to know what it says in these
deeds. I think that's due diligence. And I'm sorry if it wasn't done before, but it needs to be done now before the property is moved. >> Do we have an answer? >> To the extent we answer questions, we answer them all at the end.
>> Okay. >> Thank you for your time. >> Thank you. Thank you very much for your time. >> Amy Roth, Manley Court. Um we have um residents. >> Could you speak directly into the microphone? >> We have residents here today. Um and I really just wanted to introduce them to
the people who have been working on our resolution solution. Um Mr. Ber has been actively working on it and really pushing it ahead. Um Michelle Calmanson is um heads up the parking the parking
committee and Claire Toth has been actively working with us as well. So these are the people who um who um you can reach out to if needed. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> But for the record, Michelle is in
charge, so Hi, Kelly, 151 Colonial Road. Um, we've heard about the lights. We've heard about JCPNL working on the wiring. We've heard tonight about the cameras being ordered. I have confidence in those two
things being done. We have not heard anything about the lawsuit lawsuit that has been brought back brought about by the neighbors um in the area. The city council did a great job meeting with the neighbors, heard their concerns
and addressed many of them and then voted and agreed upon a lighting usage policy. In negotiations, you never get everything you want. The neighbors were heard and restrictions were put in place. Now council is contemplating even further restrictions with regards to a lawsuit the neighbors have filed. The
city moves forward with settling the lawsuit. They will be opening up Pandora's box from many other neighborhoods to file lawsuits. For example, why shouldn't the neighbors around the family aquatic center sue to or restrict pool hours to reduce noise from children and families playing? Why
not restrict allowing swim meets on the weekends mornings to reduce noise pollution? Why not restrict float night as it causes noise at night when families are putting their kids to bed? This was one of the complaints from the ta tatlock neighbors. Why shouldn't the neighbors around Memorial Field sue to restrict Fourth of July activities? This
causes traffic, closed streets, noise issues, crowd control, parking issues. Why shouldn't the neighbors say no to daytime activities and restricted only in the evening? Why should they be inconvenienced? What about the neighbors around the high school? It goes on and on and on.
Most residents know neighborhoods are not perfect, and you get the good with the bad. Neighborhoods work to minimize issues, not restrict our kids from playing sports in the evening. People choose to buy homes in a variety of neighborhoods in this town. Tatlock Park has had two sets of lights for many
years, those around the tennis courts and those around the upper field. And for many who live there, the lights were there before they purchased their homes. But on the flip side, what an amazing amenity for the neighbors who live right there. They have a school, a playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, and
fields to play on, an extension of their own backyard. I live right near the high school. We have had many parking issues on our street, and we dealt with them with our neighbors and had restrictions put in place. Is it perfect? No. But I knew I was buying a house across from
the high school, which meant lots of traffic, but also meant a short walk to school for my children. Again, there's pros and cons to living everywhere. Negotiations are just that. You get some, you don't get everything. The city needs to stand firm or they will be opening themselves up for the lawsuits
down the road. Just so residents want their money spent on more lawsuits. Please update the community on what is going on with the outstanding lawsuit. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um if you're going to if you got the
written Thank you. Okay. Good evening. >> Hi there. Um, my name is Penelopey Adams. I'm a resident at 287 Kent Place Boulevard and um, I'm here to talk to you about an upcoming infrastructure
project in front of our home. Uh, specifically a new sidewalk installation. Um, we have a gorgeous 100year-old Japanese maple in front of our house that several local tree services,
including Crest View, Honor Tree, and Coello's landscaping, have told us would likely be killed if this project moves forward as planned. Um, I've learned a lot about Japanese maples, and it turns out they have uh roots that are very,
very shallow to the ground. They're not low down. Um and they spread well well past the actual canopy of the tree. Um and they are uh very very sensitive. Experts advise that these trees are
unusually sensitive to disruption um and can even decline just from being pruned improperly. Uh that's not your problem. That's my problem. Um however uh a tree of this age uh is truly irreplaceable. And um I should note that
every neighbor on our block shares this concern. We I have been imploring the city engineers, the city arborist, uh anyone who will listen to do the sidewalk on the other side of the street. Um, which is actually what the
original proposal had been, which makes a lot more sense because my side of the street has all the telephone poles and the electrical wires and the communication wires. And so the project as it's envisioned now is going to be moving telephone poles and things. Um,
so I I don't see how that uh makes sense. Um, uh, I've been in, as I've said, I've been in contact, you know, with as many town officials as I can. I've written to the mayor. I've written to all of you individually. Um, I've written to the
Summit Shade Tree Council. I mean, the fact of the matter is that this tree, and this is all in your inbox, um, it it probably won't survive the sidewalk. Now, the town engineer said, "Well, we'll use like a special blade
that doesn't go too deep when we dig." It doesn't matter. The roots are right, you know, at the top. Um, and so we're going to be left with I mean, the community is going to be going to lose a beautiful, beautiful tree that I'm in
the process of trying to landmark. And um, yeah, it's a very sad scenario. And I don't understand why everyone is so um dead set on, you know, just going forward with the project even though I
know a number of my neighbors have written to you all um uh expressing uh you know uh unhappiness with the project and uh yeah, so I'd like to know.
>> Oh, oh my god, I hit the timer. I'm so sorry. Thank you for your comments. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Anybody else? >> At the beginning of the meeting, Mayor Fagan mentioned that >> um >> Oh, excuse me. Henry Bassman, 18 Hartley
Road. Beginning of the meeting, Mayor Fagan mentioned that um Monday is Memorial Day. Uh I'd like to encourage people who are watching um and anybody who's in the audience
um one of the traditions of the Memorial Day parade is that veterans lead the parade and that is open to all veterans of all generations
and all services. Um, if a veteran feels that he or she is not able to walk the route, there are going to be cars that that veteran can ride in. And I instituted something about 12 years ago
uh that veterans should bring their young children or young grandchildren so they can understand the credibility and the honor that's been given to their superiors, to their elders, uh for their
service. So the more veterans who show up, the better it'll be. Thank you. Thank you. >> Mike McTurnin again, 11 Blackburn Road. Henry, thank you for your service. Um, hey, I I just want to um I just want to
also comment like our former mayor uh did about the ordinance from last council meeting. Um, I was very impressed this evening uh with your guys discussion around amending an ordinance from the floor. Um, I agree that you
should think about it more. So, thank you for that thoughtful uh discussion. However, contrast that with two weeks ago and you couldn't see a more uh, you know, complete difference in what happened there. Um, I had questions when
I was reading the packet. You know, you guys didn't pass an ordinance for council to close the street. That's not what happened. You you basically just pass an ordinance to allow the mayor to close the street um despite
what the title said because the underlying statute doesn't say what the title said. And I guess I'm curious. I know there's attorney client privilege, so Miss Brown probably can't answer, but you guys are the clients. Did anyone talk to her about that? It was clearly
not ready for prime time. And if you did, did she give you an an answer that said, "Yeah, this is great. Go ahead." Because it clearly wasn't yet. It it just got discussed. Um, in fact, the statute says our mayor can
close the street already. So, you guys wasted You had this whole meeting with all the staff and such for nothing. She could do it already. That's what the statute says. Um, I super super though appreciate the mayor's thoughtful
comments on why it wasn't appropriate. Um, I thought they were very well laid out and we live in a town with two streets that go over the the train tracks and maybe, just maybe, because of that, uh, you know, Maple Street's not
the appropriate street to close. Um, one, two, you had every single person on the dis two weeks ago who said they supported outdoor dining. Every single one. Rosie, you didn't make a comment, but I'm uh but congratulations. You have
made something that everybody supports into a partisan issue. That's unbelievable because of the way it was framed and done. And I don't go on Facebook much, but I went on and and the and people on
the DAS said, "Well, we did it. Blame the mayor if it doesn't get done." That's no way to get things done. One, we live in a community where we have a strong council and a less strong mayor. Okay, that's how the thing works. If you
guys want to close the the city or the street, do it. They elected you to make those decisions. They didn't elect you to ask the mayor to do that. >> Thank you for your comments. >> Thanks. Hello, Stacy Allen, 17 Plymouth Road. I
spoke last week. I stood in this very same place and I spoke to you about my daughter's um emergency anaphylactic reaction at Ani Ramen in town. I asked her permission before speaking in front of you to share her private health information and her data because
it was a very traumatic event for us and I didn't know if she'd want it shared with the public. She said um she definitely did want me to share it because she thought that my point about Maple Street was very valid and she wasn't sure she would have survived if the road was closed or if I couldn't find her that night because the road was
closed. I assured her that all of our council members would take her safety and the rest of Summit safety very seriously. I'm very disappointed that you all voted. Many of you voted to close Maple Street for just good vibes and supposed
better um you know outdoor dining. I love outdoor dining. Of course everybody loves outdoor dining. It's like such a stupid conversation. Of course we love outdoor dining. It's such a great thing. We don't love outdoor dining when it means firet trucks and ambulances or me driving my daughter to the hospital
can't get through. Like let's just make some sense around here. I can't even believe we're talking about this. How could you how could you even vote to do this? Whatever Mike is saying, thank you Mike McTieran for explaining it. I don't know all the ordinances and all this stuff that went on. Um, but making it
whatever was going on with making the mayor do it and you guys can't actually do it and you're asking the mayor to do it. It just makes no sense at all. I would hate to see if any of you had an emergency and Maple Street being closed caused your loved one or yourself to
have any delay in getting services from the EMT. I have called our EMT. It takes a long time for them to get there. When you have a heart attack, an anaphylactic reaction, uh the police come for choking. I've had that experience, too. I I use all of our services way too much because three my three kids all have
food allergies. Um so I know what it's like when there's a delay. It is very serious and I am very disappointed that you voted to close Maple Street. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Any further comments? >> Good evening. My name is Deborah Ol. I
live at 15D Greenland Avenue. Um, I am one of the residents of Manley Court and I know you know of the requests for some parking considerations for the residents that live there. Years ago, we used to have a permit that allowed them um the
residents of Manley Court to park along New England Avenue. I'm not sure what ever happened with that, but I've lived there a long time and we did have that permit. I'd like to think that there might be some consideration to reinstate that. I also would like the people from
Manley Court who are here tonight to raise their hands so you can see who's come out and supported this. You guys who are here. Okay. So, you can see this is very important to these residents that we came to show our concern uh
tonight. So, thank you again for consideration. Um I think we all appreciate it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any further comments from Yes. >> Good evening. >> Keith Lynch, 15 New England Avenue. Uh
just to follow up uh Debbie, I just want to ask the question if we at the uh end of this session can get an update on any current status on the parking situation at Manley Court. I don't know if anyone posed that question, so you'll respond, but if we can get an update on the
status. I just want to thank everyone for your service. Um, my father-in-law passed away yesterday and he served 15 years on the planning board in Burnsville and I respect every one of you for everything you do. So, thank you.
>> Thank you. >> Anything else? Okay, then we can move on to council member comments and new business. Council member Landman. >> Thank you, council president. Um, I'd like to respond to a couple of the
comments and questions from tonight. So, first regarding Wilson Park, I too have been digging in regarding the possible deed restrictions. I've requested a title search and uh referred this to the Mount Laurel subcommittee to do some further diligence. specifically, did we
fully explore all other alternatives to this site? Do we pursue selling the Edgewood property and purchasing another? If so, why was that abandoned? Um, and and so on. So, um, I do think that, um, with the addition of over 500
housing units of one kind or another through the affordable housing plan, we very me very well may need to expand Wilson School at some point. And so therefore, I do think the space will be needed by the city to and preserve that park is very important to me. Um, on
Tatlock Lights, as it relates to the litigation questions, uh, we've been advised by our city solicitor not to discuss the details of pending litigation. I can say though that the city has received a settlement proposal that is under review and a case management conference is scheduled with
the court this month. Um, also on the lights, I'm happy with the progress as well that we've been making recently. Um, I was hoping we could turn on the lights for a little bit one night this week just so residents could come check it out. It might actually diffuse some of the anxiety for those who live in the neighborhood and and bring some
excitement for those who've been looking forward to them. But, um, I believe others on this day would prefer to keep them dark until later. So, um, if anything changes, I'll share that. on sidewalks. To the residents who've reached out over the past few weeks about sidewalks for their street, both those in support of
and those who are frustrated with them coming in, we hear you. Uh the city could do a much better job communicating about these plans, and I'm sorry that residents feel like they're in the dark or caught by surprise. That should never happen. Um we're going to work on that,
and we should take into account individual resident feedback where we can. Um, and so as I committed to you via email, we are going to work on this. I'm paying attention to it. Um, so thank you. And then I just want to close with a couple of quick shoutouts. Uh, first
to Chennai Green. Uh, last council meeting we moved this agenda item to the consent agenda, so I didn't get to highlight it. Um, but the city council works very closely with the city clerk and uh, her team. And so last uh, council, we promoted Chennai to deputy city clerk. and I didn't get a chance to
give her a shout out, so I wanted to just do that tonight. She has demonstrated outstanding performance and great potential, and we are super excited to work with her in this new capacity. Um, second, many of our Summit High School teams are on fire, closing out their seasons right now. Um, I don't
know if anybody has an update, the girls uh softball team is playing in the Union County Championship tonight. I don't know if their game is over yet and whether or not they won. Um, but just wanted to just give them a shout out and say well done, girls. And um you have a lot to be proud of. And then last but not least, I also want to give a shout
out to Kristen Scalia for hosting or Scalia, sorry, for hosting a round table discussion with retailers in summit last night. I joined to just listen and learn and hear more about the retail challenges and opportunities in summit particularly that our small businesses are facing. The group has some great
ideas uh for supporting small businesses in the city and as a resident and SDI board liaison and council member, I'm super excited to support them. So more to come on that front. Thank you. >> Thank you. Yes, Council Member Belowski. >> Okay. Um
>> Okay. Timer going. >> I don't care about the timer. Um council introduced an ordinance to tonight to forbid federal or other detention centers within our city limits. So, don't get me wrong, I have no interest
in hosting a detention center and summit and I'm adamantly opposed to it and that's why I voted in favor of the measure. But I do hope we didn't spend too much of our professionals time or taxpayers money to implement this measure. Given the constitution
supremacy clause, which all you lawyers in the room know well, I doubt we would ever be able to enforce this ordinance. Point we've discussed repeatedly in committee. I believe frankly that this is a political statement. It's not a reasonably a realistically enforcable
measure. Our residents don't elect us to signal virtue. They elect us to run summit and do what is right for the city. That's our sole purpose from this day. And on top of all that, Mayor Fagan and I have been have repeatedly warned that
given the demeanor of our current uh presidential administration, probably the best possible way to get a detention center uh in Summit is to enact an ordinance forbidding one. So, I hope we haven't attracted any unwanted attention
to ourselves or poked the bear. um on sidewalks uh on Kemp Place Boulevard. I've gotten a bunch of emails and telephone calls in the past couple weeks. It seems like all against putting sidewalks there.
Now, I know this was planned a long time ago uh before I was even on council. I'm not 100% sure why it was delayed for so long, but I'm sure there's been some turnover over the years and I wonder if we shouldn't
pump the brakes on this and speak to the neighbors and see if we really need and want uh to put those sidewalks in. So, I've seen some commentary by the public, including SMDC Chairman Greg
Vartan and certain council members regarding uh Mayor Fagan's BOE appointments being purely political over the past few years. And I'm offended by that. If you haven't been following along, and based on some of the
comments, I I know you haven't been. Elizabeth previously reappointed three of Mayor Mayor Raidist's appointments. Melanie Conn will lead a Justice and Eileen Kelly, two Democrats and a Republican.
Now, I think I I saw that back in 2015, the entire board of education um was were Democrats and Mayor Raidus brought back some balance to that. Um,
and I just wanted to congratulate Mayor Fagan on her uh recent most recent appointments. Uh, she appointed two summit moms with varied experience to bring new eyes to the board. Um, one has
worked in uh, uh, one who's an independent unaffiliated voter, has worked for municipalities and understands governance, served as president of the PTO for her local for her elementary school and um,
and and shown her dedication to our public schools. Another is a registered Democrat, a Summit lifelong resident who also has children in the schools. Both are champions of our public schools and bring new skills to the board of ed which will help with transparency,
budgeting, and overall educational excellence. Chairman Vartan said in a recent article that or an op-ed that he put out there that geography matters. Well, the suggestion was that Mayor Fagan has not
been thoughtful about her board of ed appointments, but seven of our board of me but of our seven board of ed members or among our seven board of ed members, each of our five elementary school districts are represented.
And in case you're interested in this kind of thing, there's three Democrats, three Republicans, and one independent. I'm not sure how much more balance she can get than that. And that's by Mayor Fagan's design. She carefully curated
this board of ed to have balance. So well done. Thank you. >> We are have been working to put together a a round four affordable housing common council task force and it came to my
attention that the SMDC promoted the round four common council task force in a partisan email newsletter that actually attacks the prior council uh majority on affordable housing. So, a question for my colleagues. You can answer it during these comments if you'd
like or you don't have to. Um, did each of you personalize personally authorize or approve this messaging? Did you intend this task force to be recruited through a partisan channel? And how does that recruitment process represent the interests of Summit
residents who are not on SMDC's mailing list? I think summit residents deserve to know whether their elected officials see city bodies as instruments of party messaging unlike Mayor Fagan or as bodies that
represent the full community. The answer matters for how we should expect the council the city to staff future task forces, advisory committees and resident bodies on Maple Street.
Pre uh former council president former two-time council president McTieran uh asked some questions and it was two council cycles ago, I think not two weeks ago but a month ago where the Maple Street ordinance first emerged.
And if you look back at the original council packet, you'll see that that ordinance quotes the relevant statute. It specifically says that the council can authorize the mayor to close the
road if she finds it necessary, etc. We amended, someone made a motion to amend that ordinance and replace it, essentially replacing the entire ordinance with one that I think was inaccurate and misstated
state law. There are two statutes that I know of that would allow a municipality to close a street for more than 48 hours and they're both rooted in safety. Council chose to rely upon NJSA 4067-16.9
if anybody out there wants to look it up for outdoor dining. That statute does not authorize the council to make the final decision. As our ordinance inexplicably recites, it allows the council to authorize the mayor to do so
and only if and and do so if and only if she finds that such closing is necessary for the preservation of public safety, health, or welfare. I have seen no evidence or even a colorable argument that this is
true. On the contrary, I've seen evidence, including the dynamic traffic memo, that the opposite's true. The Pedestrian Mall Act, on the other hand, gives council the authority to close Maple Street if it finds, among other things, that continued unlimited use of
the street by private vehicles may constitute a hazard to the health and safety of pedestrians. And abuing properties can reasonably and adequately be provided with emergency vehicular services and receive and deliver merchandise and materials from other
streets and alleys. I've seen no evidence or even a colorable argument that that is true. But for any street closure of more than 48 hours, both statutes require our engineer to recommend closing Maple Street and to certify that doing so is in the interest
of safety and the expedition of traffic on our city streets. I've seen no evidence or even a colorable argument that this is true. Before the hearing on May 5th, when council passed this ordinance, council president Toth informed me that a
consensus of council had decided to table the Maple Street ordinance, which would have given the mayor the ability to close Maple Street and replace it with a pedestrian mall ordinance, which would have given the council as opposed to the mayor the ability to close Maple
Street. That made sense to me. I figured that the count council majority realized that it had not convinced the mayor and decided to take another >> president. I'm sorry. I need to use the restroom. May I take a break? >> Absolutely. >> Thank you.
>> Hurry back. Dan. Right before that last meeting though, um, Council President Toth informed me that the council had changed its mind, intended to move forward with the hearing on the original ordinance, which again put the decision in Mayor Vagan's
hands. That puzzled me. Now, I learned later that our city engineer had informed the city that he would not be signing that required certification that closing Maple Street is in the interest of safety and the expedition of traffic. I don't know if that's why council went
forward with the hearing and then published a press release the very next day that there would be no outdoor dining on Maple Street this summer and that only the mayor is to blame. Yesterday, volunteer councilman
Christophi published an op-ed and tap purporting to share facts about Maple Street. He states that the ordinance council pass is based on the NJ dot model used in many other communities. What communities do? They have a city
form of government. Is it a burrow like Redbank or a town like Westfield that he's talking about? Is there a difference? There is a difference. In a city form of government, the mayor is the CEO and that is who has authority under that statute that's in the model
uh DOT form. All of council knows this as we've repeatedly discussed it as adnauseium and councilman Chrisfully did not volunteer this critical piece of information in his op-ed.
Councilman Chrisy went on to state that he expected the mayor to give her approval. To that I say, really? You and the other SMDC council members published an article last week stating the exact opposite? Um,
did did you even read it before it went to print? Um, where was I? Or was this one of those incident in instances where you got to trust the team and you forgot to capitalize mayor by the way. Um, Councilman Chrisfully then states,
"There's no comparable alternative to Maple Street for a summer pedestrian area." And to me, that point says it all. It's always been Maple Street or bust. The focus has never been on safety or the expedition of traffic or investigating if Summit even has a spot
that checks all the boxes. So when it became clear that short of a pandemic, a critical road like Maple Street simply is not a realistic, safe, or legal choice for an outdoor dining closure. Council went forward with that defective
ordinance and blamed the mayor. Now, I remember when uh former council president Vartan gave his opening speech as council president, he listed the virtues that are important for a public for public service. And I was disappointed that humility didn't make
the list. I think humility is the most important virtue a council member can possess because it embraces accountability. A little humility would have gone a long way in explaining why we won't be closing Maple Street this year. While I don't believe council did
adequate due diligence regarding the road closure, the truth is that no study or committee findings that we did do actually indicated a closing that closing Maple Street met the safetydriven statutory criteria. One would have expected our elected
officials to be straightforward, transparent, and just admit that regardless of any burning desire or campaign promises, council majority could simply have said, "We did our best." But the facts just don't support
a safe, legal closure of Maple Street this summer, or our due diligence to date does not support a Maple Street closure, but we'll keep working on it. Instead, having failed to make the case for that safe legal closure of Maple Street, the council majority deflected
accountability and projected its own failure on Mayor Fagan. From day one, Mayor Fagan has selflessly prioritized this city and the safety of our residents. This is not the first time she rectified a council failure. Mayor Fagan bailed us out again, and we
should be thanking her, not condemning her. >> Thanks, Thank you for keeping it under 15 minutes. Next, council members remarks. >> I have one >> looking at me. Council member Lera.
>> Sure. >> Thank you, Council President. Uh, with apologies at the outset, I'm not going to put myself on the timer because there was just a lot of hot nonsense to put it plainly that I think is worthy of responding to. First of all, we are not
SMDC council members. I take issue with that. We were elected. We took oaths to serve all of the community. And I know that I can speak for every member of the DEIS, regardless of their voter registration, that we take that responsibility very seriously. So, I
will say again, we are not SMDC council members. We are elected council members representing all of the city of Summit. On the issue of Maple Street, uh, Councilman Palowski, if I may refresh
refresh your recollection, uh, we discussed the I I discussed the ways in which a temporary pedestrian area on Maple Street may indeed serve the safety and welfare of the community.
We talked about the information that you kindly shared with me about the number of police recorded pedestrian incidents along Summit A. We discussed that it is widely accepted amongst city engineers that having a pedestrian area protected
from vehicular traffic is a way to enhance pedestrian safety. I also shared several citations to peer-reviewed studies that talk about the public health, the mental health, the welfare, community welfare benefits of temporary
pedestrian areas, outdoor dining, community gathering space, things of this nature. Neither you nor Mayor Fagan requested to see those studies. I trust that you access them independently. Um, if you take issue with them, I'm certainly happy to discuss them on the
merits, but there is indeed legitimate basis for the idea that a temporary pedestrian closure does indeed serve the expedition of traffic by drawing pedestrian traffic to the protected area and away from Summit A in this example
and also serves the welfare of the community. U Mayor Fagan is able to draw her own conclusions from that which which she has but there is a colorable argument as you'd like to said if if you had been paying attention on the issue of the board of ed uh I
have uh shared some views on the process uh not not the outcomes not not the people involved. I appreciate everyone who volunteers in the service of our public schools in particular. Our public schools are an amazing public asset. The board of ed is the protector and the
process I think the practice that we follow to select the board of ed members is really important right because it matters who serves on the board of ed summit is a bit unique right in most other communities in New Jersey the board of education is popularly elected
in Summit where what's called a type one district where the mayor is empowered to appoint the board of ed mayors the board of ed members um it is ultimately her decision it's in her discretion. Um, but there is a process in the district bylaws that says the initial evaluation
actually begins with the board of ed president. The board of ed president and the board they have an opportunity to evaluate candidates to interview either publicly or in private and then to make recommendations, pass those along to the mayor to support her analysis of of the
candidates. Um, and my understanding is that regrettably that process has not been followed for the last several years. I've reached out to Mayor Fagan on this. Um, she's not yet had an opportunity to respond. Um, I've reached out to her several times over a month. Um, still awaiting a response. Um, but
my understanding is that that process has not been followed. So, I think at the very least, we should make sure that the process that's in the district bylaws is followed. Again, we should we should respect that process. I think it's a good process from a governance perspective uh because again it just
matters a lot who serves on the board of ed uh bringing us back to a little bit a very different topic um for those grieving the loss and violence uh the loss of innocent life at the Islamic center of San Diego I'm very sorry um
there's far too much religious-based violence there have been many acts of anti-semitic violence over the last several months and years and decades and millennia Um there's obviously too much gun violence um in particular violence against minority groups. As someone who enjoys being a member of most
majorities, uh I am thinking about what I can do and as part of the series of work that we're doing building the communities that we wish to have both for today and for the future. Um I have started researching independently um what we may be able to do to restrict uh
gun retailers within our municipality. Um and that work will continue. uh on the detention center ordinance. Uh I get this is again in the spirit of transparency. This is initiative that I
have been pushing. Uh I feel strongly that it is in the interest of the community. Uh I take personal offense. This is not virtue signaling. I would not waste the city's resources or the community's time on that. The only waste of resources may have been that
Councilman Palowski keep on kept on raising the same questions and issues over and over again in meetings where our city solicitors were were present. Um that in my view is a waste of resources. We've talked about all the issues, but for the benefit of the community, I will say we are seeing this
rapidly evolving issue unfold in communities like Morristown and Roxberry, right? I think we we all agree, many of us agree at least, that we do not want a detention center or an additional incarcereral facility of any kind in Summit because of the strain on
infrastructure, um environmental impact, the strain on our first responders, the detriment that it can have to the character of a community and so on. It there there again this we should not put ourselves in the position of of judges. There are concerns related to federal
preeemption, but as with respect to a private operator of a carceral facility, and we know there are many private operators who work in this space uh separate and apart from government agencies, this may very well stand up on
challenge if it were challenged. I think it's an important clarification and I would much rather have some kind of defense, some shield than none. Uh in my personal view, I want to thank the organizers of the
mental wellness symposium. It this is our final meeting of um sorry to be tacking all over the place here. Um it's our final council meeting during mental health awareness month. There was a wonderful gathering um of resources including our fabulous new ACT officer.
Um it was a really great gathering of of mental health supports that was hosted at the high school. Um and I I was very lucky to to get to participate. Um I personally manage panic attacks and anxiety. Um I have worked with mental health professionals in various seasons
of my life since college. Um and I would just like to share that just as you would if you were sick physically. You know, sometimes it can be an event or sometimes it's just a heavy feeling that you feel when you wake up in the morning. Um but please ask for help. It is not a sign of weakness. It's just you
taking good care of yourself and you're important and we want you to be here. So, please do take good care. Finally, thank you for bearing with me. Thanks to our wonderful school administrators and our fantastic PTOs for coordinating teacher and staff
appreciation week last week at our schools. It was a really wonderful um set of events with things like lunches and dessert bars uh and just a great showing of gratitude for our teachers who do so much to make magic happen in our public schools. Um so thank you
again to our administrators and our PTOs. And with that I will close my comments. >> Thank you. >> Let's give everyone else a chance to speak once. Mr. Palowski. Yep. Miss Calvin, >> thank you, Council President. Um,
Manley Court neighbors, thank you for coming out. I recognize a lot of you from, um, our listening session, and I want you to know that we're talking about this again tomorrow at our meeting. Jamal and I, um, we spoke with, um, Nicole, our parking services
director. We we had a meeting with her for an hour and a half um last week and we just need to be so careful. This is an ordinance and we want to make sure that we're very careful and we don't create any new problems. So that's that's why it's taking that's why it's
taking so long. You know, we don't want to inadvertently make a new problem. So um please be patient with us. I promise we have not forgotten you and we are continuing to um I I hope to get in touch soon um soon with some um you know with some new news but but please know
that we continue to work on this. Um Miss Adams, thank you for coming and um speaking about the um your Japanese maple. Um, I received your email yesterday and I was at the firehouse for the swearing in for the new firefighters
and um I saw the email and I on my way home I drove by um I drove by your your house, your street um because I wanted to see that tree and I wanted to see the other trees and the picture that you sent does not do that tree justice. It
is beautiful and I understand why you love it so much and the neighbors love it so much and everyone wants to protect it. Um the sidewalks are not under my committee and I think that they've been in um discussion for a while. So they're in CAPS committee. So I've reached out
to um Council Member Christophy to get more information and he's he's looking into that. But I think this is also something that's new to him um too. Um couple more things. Okay. So about the the playground, I didn't realize we were giving comments at the time when we
pulled it. So I I did want to say something about um the new playground that's coming. Um, so I am really over the moon about this playground that's coming to the community center because it's really going to improve the quality of life for so many people. I remember when my kids were little, this was before we moved to Summit, and there
were a lot of playgrounds around, but none of them were walkable. So, it was such a chore, you know, you'd have to get the diaper bag, the snacks, the stroller, put all the kids in the car, put put them in their seats, and you go to the park and you find a parking spot and you have to unpack everything. And
it was just such a chore. And I just thought the entire trip would be so much more enjoyable if there was a playground that we could walk to. And um you know it just brings me a lot of joy to know that um more families in Summit are going to be able to have this experience thanks to this new playground. Um words
don't really seem adequate to express my appreciation, but I will try. Um thank you to the Sanders Fund for this very generous donation and investment in the community that we all love so much. I can't wait to see little ones laughing and playing in what will be a beautiful playground and gift to the city of
Summit. And last, this is a lot for me in one meeting. Um, something that I really regret that um it got bundled into the consent agenda uh last week and I realized after the fact was that we have this new
position of an act officer um and um it's Sergeant Majuli is our new ACT officer. And I I don't know if maybe Mayor Fagan would like to call Chief Peters up to talk a little bit about it or not. It was such an important thing. I don't
>> Thank you. Actually, it's funny. We left last week and I was like, we kind of whiffed on that. >> We did. We did. >> Would you mind, Chief? >> Thank you. >> Through you, Council President. So, um, the beginning of mental health awareness month, um, there was discussions
regarding, uh, what the police department can do additionally to address some of the increased calls for service we've seen regarding mental health, substance abuse, um, addiction, unfortunately, suicidal ideations, and suicides. Um, I've I've done a few quarterly statistical reports up here.
Um, luckily much of the criminal activity we've seen over the last 5 to six years has been declining locally and regionally, but I've continued to say we've seen a continued uptick. The mayor and I sit down every Monday and we go through our calls of service of mental health and substance abuse um, treatment
calls. So um understanding that trend and hoping to address it in a more proactive way um we developed a new assignment within the police department without increasing the table of organization was just a kind of restructuring of assignments and um it's
unprecedented. We don't know any other police department that has this type of officer, but it's an addiction coordination treatment officer uh act um as council woman camelson and laser scene had referenced and she's going to work closely with our new bridgeway uh friends who are working uh PDM under the
opioid fund um some of the funds that we've received in addition working with Summit Oaks Hospital, Overlook Hospital, serving on the mayor's homelessness task force. Sergeant Mulli is also a DARE certified officer. Uh in addition to that, she's worked closely with veterans. Um, so it's our hope that we
can kind of target each one of these calls for service uh specifically and provide families the resources and access um to treatment that they need as opposed to just taking a call for service, transporting somebody up to the hospital and never seeing them again.
So, she's hit the ground running. Uh, she was uh reassigned last week, has already had multiple meetings uh scheduled, has met with certain people, and has also um sat down with families. And if she is here and she is on duty, she's working u 10 to 8. Um the arrive
program which partners up a mental health specialist with a law enforcement officer. We Union County was the first county, state of New Jersey to have full uh compliance with all municipalities. So we do have access to that as well. Their research and data supports that most of these calls for service come in between the hours of noon and 8:00 p.m.
So that's going to be her hours. If she's working and there's a call for service that comes out, it was actually day one. She wasn't even an hour into her shift and she got deployed out into the field. Um so super excited about it. We will be reporting back. We'll be report a portion of her salary is going to be um um reimbured through the opioid
funds. A small portion. Um so we will be reporting regularly to the opioid committee as well as the mayor homelessness task force and then obviously to council as well. So appreciate you guys. >> Anybody have any questions while I'm up here? >> No. >> Cool. >> And I'm sure I'm stepping on the mayor's lines, but you know. Yes. Office
Sergeant Majuli now. Yes. >> Yes. Sergeant Julie. >> Yes. We've known her for a while. She's fabulous. And then in addition that that opened up a vacancy for another sergeant. So officer Michael Allesandro who's been serving as an officer in charge as well as a field training officer was promoted last week as well. >> Thank you. >> Thanks chief.
>> Thank you chief. Um and I just wanted I don't think you mentioned that um this was your idea. >> You haven't seen this. Um >> the mayor and I >> Okay. Sorry. The mayor. >> Okay. The mayor the mayor and chief this
was um their idea. no one else is um doing doing this that we're aware of right now. So, you know, thank you for your leadership. It's really exciting, you know, for Summit to be a leader and this I I know other people are going to copy this. This is amazing. So, thank you. >> That's all.
>> Thank you. And I saw your hand, Council Member Chris. >> Yes. Thank you, Council President. Uh just a quick reference, I did have received feedback from the city engineer about the sidewalks. Uh the history goes back probably 10
years well before 2019 when it was included in a master plan. Uh communications with residents more recently have been inadequate and the city has acknowledged that and so I I believe there's a meeting that took
place today or tomorrow. There are meetings in the works. um if you have if the meetings haven't taken place, they will be taking place to better understand the situation in the neighborhood. And so this is a new this is new information
for me. Uh the city engineer is uh working with the private company that was hired to do this last year. And so the firm was hired last fall to do the work. And so this is something that's been been going on for some time. And so
we want to get to the answers and figure out what's happening and how we can, you know, make changes as necessary. So that's that's what we're trying to work on here. And it >> one point >> uh please speaking. Um actually
>> let's take this offline. There's >> I I really appreciate you coming tonight. I I Well, I went to Dartmouth, but I also bleed green. I love trees. Dartmouth's color is green. Our team is big green. I love trees and um um I have
been known to hug trees. This is a public admission so I care and we want to try to find a solution there and I'd like to address that offline separately for more detail. >> Um presentations tonight, our town's role in the Revolutionary War and the
ultimate price too many of our firefighters have paid really makes me focus on the deep and rich history that binds us together. and I was proud to introduce the resolution to place a victory town marker on the village green
as a reminder of our own contribution. Uh we may have very different perspectives on issues that affect our country and our town, but I want to focus on how we come together. That's why I support initiatives that create spaces for neighbors to meet in person
and get to know one another. The new pop-up dog parks are a great example. This is a something supported across uh throughout the dis here as are the lights for kids sports at Tatlock that we're working to turn on and the three
new playgrounds currently being constructed and planned. I believe there is a value to public welfare in creating these shared spaces especially as we spend more time online. The Maple Street ordinance is based on
the New Jersey DOT model used in many other communities. Our police chief, Ryan Peters, and the fire chief, Eric Evers, publicly addressed safety concerns at the May 5th council meeting, and they stated that the closure was workable. Chief Peters explained that
emergency response impacts would be minimal and the traffic impacts were expected to be limited based on the traffic study and the time of year. Chief Edwards stated clearly that the fire department was prepared to respond safely in the area and had sufficient
access. The ordinance I introduced does require the mayor to sign off on the pedestrian era. And in the months that we discussed this in various committees and addressed all of the concerns and discussed many times and also shared our
shared fondness for these spaces. Um, I thought we could even get Bob to a yes, but we were not able to do that, unfortunately. Um, and that was probably my judgment. I thought we could get to a yes. Uh, based on three prior years of
Maple Street dining, council and city staff began work on this pedestrian area in January. The ordinance moved through the various committees. City professionals, engineers, police, fire officials were consulted throughout the process and their feedback was incorporated. The Maple Street
pedestrian area worked successfully for three summers. Summit embraced outdoor dining and many outdoor businesses benefited from the increased increased foot traffic and activity. The new ordinance would have expanded on that success.
Summit city engineer was actively engaged in the process and has forwarded the ordinance to New Jersey DOT for final approval. He upheld his duty to the city in a nonpartisan way and in no way acted to obstruct the ordinance. No
comparable alternative to Maple Street for a summer pedestrian area downtown has been identified. We explored other locations including the Bank Street lot, Union Place, Beachwood Road, and you could add to that Springfield Avenue and
Summit Avenue if you'd like, but found each of them impractical due to the greater loss of parking, lack of restaurant infrastructure. Restaurants can't just go out and create a completely different delivery model using food trucks. That is not a
realistic solution. And the res the restaurant owners have stated that very clearly. It's a different business. And frankly, the limited appeal of some of these locations, particularly the Bank Street lot, which has surrounded by dumpsters and the backs of buildings. Uh
the Bank Street lot was tried a few years ago and few residents came. In fact, nobody I've talked to even remembers the Bank Street lot was used for outdoor dining. We need to think creatively at a time when many downtown businesses face economic pressures and
declining foot traffic. Our downtown is at risk and we're working with a leading consulting firm to identify economic development opportunities going forward. I hope to see the draft of the report soon. In addition, I welcome all ideas
for the shared purpose of keeping Summit vibrant. Yes, Council Member Voyer >> through you, Council President. Uh, first let me address the data centers. Uh, the reason why I brought it up, um,
while in the minority, you here on council, um, you you you typically don't get all the information, you know, you you put stuff forward and, uh, it gets lost in the shuffle. and the data centers is something that I thought was
very important. So, um I accomplished my goal tonight. Uh so I was after really something different and I wanted this council on record and I wanted my colleagues in front of the residents who elected them to either say yes, they will take up the data centers as a
standalone ordinance, which they did, which is great, or uh or no. Um, and I got the answer that I was looking for, which was a commitment to the public that we will have an ordinance coming and a data center uh will will not be
here in Summit. Um, but I do want to say on the the outset once again, um, when it comes to detention centers, you know, no one wants that in their town. Uh but when I got a call about this, you know,
I have to be quite, you know, candid here. You know, I thought this was largely a piece of political theater. Um it was just a gesture, right? Something political. And we really just don't have
time for that. So, you know, a data center, spending time on that uh is is something that's greatly needed. and I hope this council pushes forward with that. Um, secondly, this is the second
time that I've seen on council where there where there's a member who uses this platform to pressure the mayor on a matter the council has no statutory role in. Um the Maple Street closure
ordinance attempted to work around the mayor's authority and there was you know a post on Facebook and Councilwoman Larosino just said it. Um, you know, it's the same type of attempt, but in a different form,
dressed up as a request to the BOE, but functionally as public pressure campaign against the mayor's lawful exercise of power, uh, which is granted to her by the state of New Jersey. And so, in
essence of Maple Street, we should stay in our lane. Um secondly, I want to give uh kudos to uh Chief Evers. I know that he is retiring. Chief Evers has been a pill a pillar of the Summit Fire
Department for decades. Uh serving as the chief and fire official since uh 2014. Under his leadership, the department has just responded to department hasn't just responded to emergencies. Uh, it has innovated from
securing critical grant funding for life-saving turnout gear year after year, as I said in those safety committee meetings, uh, to the digital collision prevention system uh, to protect our first responders on the road, which is pretty cool. That's that
thing when you drive and it says the police are here or the fire department. Yeah, that it's a pretty cool system. Uh but one of his lasting legacies is the new fire uh the new firehouse. Uh Chief Evers
worked tirelessly on that. I mean he put a lot of time and effort into it. Um and we had a lot of conversations about it. Um but beyond the technology and the building, Chief Evers, uh he just presented here has been a leader uh with
the heart for the community. Whether he was organizing tributes for the national fallen firefighters events or personally traveling like he said to Maryland to support the families of fallen heroes. He embodied the values of service and
sacrifice that define summit. So chief wherever you are uh thank you for your steady hand your professional excellence and your commitment to the residents of the city. you are leaving the department in excellent hands, having mentored the
next generation of leaders. Um, and I wish you nothing but the best in this next chapter. You earned every bit of it. Uh, thirdly, uh, to the residents of Manley
Court. Yeah, we we've been working diligently on this. Um, I have proposed a bunch of different things. Um, I've said before that, you know, we, this is 2026
and, you know, Summit needs to be more tech, uh, um, more advanced with technology. I mean, we have it, we need to use it. And, um, speaking of which, we spent an hour or hour or two uh, using some of
that technology. Didn't have all the data that I needed, but it, you know, it can be done. So right now our director is looking into um something that the LPRs
uh can be coded and you know different uh different things that they can do. So uh we can have more conversations about that. So waiting for her to get back to us so that we can continue these conversations and hopefully uh move
forward. You know, I I really am not a fan of delays uh and sitting around talking for weeks and weeks and weeks and nothing gets done. I'm just it that drives me completely crazy. Um
fourthly, uh this weekend went to a fish fry. the Hills City Masons. Um they they they used to their home base used to be uh the American Legion, which we
affectionately call the Blue Door um on Union Place. Uh it was actually a and you go in there and listen to some soul music, some R&B. I missed that place. So it gave gave the city of Summit so much color, literally. And uh you know, I I
really love that place. So, I had to go to Vox Hall because they had the fish fry because they no longer can have it in the Beacon Street parking lot, which I have no idea why. I mean, the residents love having fried fish on a on a Saturday. That was a really cool
thing. My father-in-law used to, you know, had the deep fryer and do all of that. So, I'm going to work hard to bring that back. I don't know what happened to that, you know, and I know Henry, yeah, me, we can talk. That's, you know,
So, uh that that's one thing. But it was good though. It was it was really good. I think the the residents of Summit would have uh really enjoyed that. Uh when it comes to the sidewalks, my my number one thing is
if residents don't want it really, there's so many other neighborhoods, this is no knock, like I I just want to be because they cost a lot of money. and we had uh a group of residents maybe 200 250 on Ash Avenue
that wanted it and they signed petitions and everything else. Um so to me it's a it's a no-brainer if uh if the residents in in your area have caused for concern. Um we have a whole list and I don't know
if there's grants involved or money already been allocated. I think we have to figure that out. But I'm a big proponent of, hey, if we don't have 100% um cooperation on on sidewalks, that's that's cool. We shouldn't do it.
Um because there's a need for that. Uh man, Mr. Lynch, um uh my condolences, sir. >> Uh let's see here. Just a couple more things. you know, I know it was on the
agenda, um, the our house and and Wilson school. Um, but, you know, I I really I really have to make it clear that, you know, fair share housing, the affordable housing,
uh, you know, it's it's never going to end. This is a mandate from the state that has been handed to this council uh to deal with and we've done the best job we possibly could. Uh every municipality
has to deal with this and it's not going away, right? So, and you know, you're thinking about your your green spaces right now. Well, in 10 years, if your kids haven't graduated and you've moved on to another state, right? Um, but in 10 years you're going to have another
500 and some odd, you know, units going in town, right? And where are you going to put those? We'll be back in the same space. There's no end to it. Um, I think the the Reverend Harielle came up and asked a great question. I didn't even think about it. He's like, "Well, well, is there an end date to this?" No, there
isn't. So, today it's Wilson School. Um, in 10 years, maybe Tadlock filled. I mean, So, we won't have to be talking about the lights anymore. But interesting enough, um you know, there is also an
executive order that was signed by the governor. Um and this executive order basically uh creates a state level housing governant council. Um and it puts NJ Transit at the table because we are a
hub. So it's NJ Transit here in Summit and Marstown. Um it direct it directs every state agency to inventory its developer land. Uh final recommendations are due in September. So I would keep an eye on that. What is going to be on the
list? Uh there's there's state property here in Summit. Um there is a parking lot I think on Broad Street, right? I would hope the state wouldn't take the parking lot, but I mean, let's keep an eye on it. I mean, they're really pushing this stuff. Uh, and state
developers, um, uh, and local zoning laws, uh, don't really, you know, don't really have the last word. So, uh, I'm telling you, a project is not imminent. I'm not saying
that, but I would keep an eye on what the state is doing. Uh so once again if you want to get angry about where housing is whether that's on Shung Pike or you know Ashwood and Mars or Ashwood
and Broad uh you know where the where the Wells Fargo building is. These are all mandates that have really came from the state for over the last 10 years and are going to keep coming. So the finger shouldn't be pointed here. uh at us. Uh
it really should be pointed at Trenton. If you're really upset about it, really um call your legislature uh district 21 we're in uh your assembly folks and you know, email the governor.
Uh their office is pretty responsive. They'll they'll get back to you. Um, again, you know, the Maple Street stuff, I I really didn't want to talk about it, but you know, I just heard some things that,
you know, I guess the plan is if you say something over and over again, right? People will believe it. It's just like etched in your brain, you know? So, I'll wake up in the morning and say, "I'm a millionaire. I'm a millionaire. I'm a millionaire. I'm" And it's okay if I
only think that I'm a millionaire. But I mean, I heard Dan say uh Councilman Christophoy say workable and minimal. That doesn't sound like necessary and safe at all. Uh so, and I also heard
that the engineer forward the ordinance to the DOT for final approval. That's news to me. Um geez, I hope not. Right. I without the without the mayor's signature. Um, that is what I talked about at the last council meeting that
would really put this city in jeopardy, right? Bypassing our own form of government to then open up Maple Street uh without the proper protocols. And we talk about doing our due diligence and everything with the data centers and and
whatnot. Um, so, you know, we we can't have it one way uh this council meeting and another way the next one. We really should be consistent uh and we really should focus
on summit issues um all the time. Uh let's see here. I think I am almost done here. Sometimes I I miss things uh that people say. So I just want to make sure that I have everything
Yep. I'm good. Thank you, Council President. >> Okay. Thank you. >> For how long? >> Not sure. Um, so I really don't think I spent too much of our city solicitor's time on
detention centers in committee. Um, it's not like I had them research and write a memo on whether the mayor and me are legally conflicted on Tatlock Lights without telling us or even raising it in
law and labor first. To me, that was a a waste of of money. But um I did look at the peer review studies and none of them really established that closing Maple Street is necessary or in the interest of the
expedition of traffic. They didn't even mention Maple Street. Um which is to say that every street's different. You got to look at specific situations. hypothetical benefits especially given the traffic reports that we have seen
from collars and dynamic traffic are irrelevant uh in in terms of the calculus about what we're going to do. So, um, the last thing I have to say tonight is, um, there's a rumor floating
around that one of us is going to resign from council tonight, and it's true, and it's me. Uh, with a heavy heart, I announce my resignation from council here tonight, effective at the close of business on Friday, May 22nd.
uh 2026 and 2027 will be two of the busiest career years of my career as a lawyer. And after careful consideration, I concluded that I can no longer that I no longer have the bandwidth to do that job and provide the level of service as
a council member our residents deserve. So, I will step aside from this position I love and make room for another Hill citizen with the ability to give this community community the time and attention it deserves.
Uh, council will choose my replacement from a list of three well well-qualified candidates submitted by the Summit Republican city committee. Rosie, you should receive that that list any minute now. And I encourage the council to
appoint my replacement with elacrity. There's no need to wait the full 30-day statutory a lotment to fill my seat. Summit needs a full counsel and council should not short change our residents unnecessarily.
While I regret not completing my term and not running for reelection for that matter, I have no regrets about the work this council has done since I had the good fortune to join the deis. We bolstered our police force and enacted the resident protection ordinance. Crime
is down as a result. Our residents are safer today than they were in 2023. We created a homelessness task force, enacted the camping ordinance, and reduced our unhoused population to net zero by giving our less fortunate
brothers and sisters a leg up instead of a handout. Lights are up at Tatlock Park and we have a sensible ordinance that balances the needs of our youth with the concerns of the community at large. We have a beautiful new playground opening shortly
at maybe Memorial, a new one coming to Tatlock Park and another coming soon near the community center. This is a welcome trend and I hope it continues. A new permanent dog park, I think, is on the horizon. Uh measures to reduce
demolition of our historic homes and protect the character and beauty of our city are in effect. And powerwashing is a thing again. We have a solid round four affordable housing plan that will position Summit well for the future. Going forward, as I
always have, I encourage my fellow elected officials to think for themselves and resist the urge to capitulate to whims or higher political aspirations of for themselves or for others. Just do what's best for Summit.
Council's job is to protect our residents and keep Summit the beacon it always has been at top this second Wong Mountain we all call home. >> Thank you. Thank you.
>> Um, >> council president. >> Oh, I was going to >> I was going to call point of privilege for just a moment. I was going to say, council member, um I will miss our
public sparring and private cooperation. Um you have pushed all of us to do our jobs better and I hope you will return on May 3rd so that early or June 3rd, excuse me. um so that earlier in the
evening when we have a full house um we can acknowledge you more wholesomely um and maybe you'll want to hold some of your remarks until then council member >> no I'm of course not
>> I I'll be there >> uh through you council president so you know I was a little flustered this meeting because I knew it was coming um uh Councilman Palowski is not just a colleague. Uh he is he's my friend. Um
and during co you know one of those things you know we we heard terms like you know advocacy be an advocate right and you know Bob was an advocate to the highest degree. Uh,
and the one thing is Bob is incapable of doing um a hat. I want to say the >> y'all know what I mean, right? He's incapable of that. And you know, we've
had conversations about this and you know, if he can't give something his 100% all because he he just can't do it. Like it's impossible. I think he said to me that he was going to dial it back like
two years ago and that just never happened. Um but there is a cost for this type of fidelity. Um, I respect his decision tonight, uh, precisely because I've seen what he has poured into this
office and I understand what such devotion demands of a man and of those who love him. Which brings me to the people I most wish to thank this evening, and that is Bob's wife.
>> I think she's watching somewhere. Thank you, Tmaine. Um, and his entire family. Uh, none of us occupies these chairs alone. Standing behind each of us is someone
who absorbs the absences, who carries more than their share at home, who lends their husband or their father or their wife to the public business of this city and who bears in quiet what this work
asks. Bob, your family did not merely support you in this. They are the reason you became the sort of man we wanted at this table to begin with us and they shaped your character and then with no small
generosity they shared you with the rest of us. We are in debt and I hope they hear me say so tonight. Now, uh, last but not least,
I didn't even know. I thought you changed your mind tonight. I was gonna delete the whole speech. Uh, I was like, when is this guy gonna say it? Like, and I'm like so anxious. We're talking about data centers. I'm like, when's Bob going to resign? Jesus. >> Couldn't wait.
>> Oh, man. Um, well, now, you know, in all good conscience, I I can't let Bob walk out of these chambers without one final observation. Couple of Halloweens ago, in our wisdom, Bob and I resolved to present ourselves to public as the Blues
Brothers. And by virtue, by virtue of my fame, I was casted as uh Lwood, you know, tall, lean one. Probably Dan's probably better for that one. Um uh and Bob with
appropriate gravitas. I know you like that that word. um took up the mantle as of Jake. So, permit me in his honor to borrow Lwood's line one last time. We are on a mission from God. And
brother, you discharged that mission with distinction. Thank you. >> Thank you. I promise not to go on. I will I will withhold my comments until June 3rd as long as you promise you're going to be here. >> He already did.
>> But I also have a prop because Bob, you are the goat. >> I wondered what I I wondered why you brought the goat. Thank you. >> And now you know. Now I know. Okay.
>> Oh my. Um. Oh. Oh, wait. And softball's up >> in the seventh inning. Softball is winning in the seventh inning. >> Good to know. Thank you. >> Okay. They were winning 16 to2 or something. So, >> so it's close. >> So, again,
>> okay. They probably don't do the mercy rule in high school, huh? No. Um anyway, >> I just want to preface this by I wrote this earlier in the day before any of us said anything on the dis. So it's not in
response to anything that happened here tonight, but it it's it's been getting to me for a while. Um because I did speak at the beginning of the meeting about city employees giving 100%. Now, every city employee and every elected
official in Summit works incredibly hard to do what is best for this community every single day. Some of us may differ on what we believe is best for Summit and that's fine. It's the marketplace of ideas and we can disagree respectfully.
But all too often what we're seeing instead is disparaging language and accusations of bad motives. That's unacceptable. If you have a question, better yet, if you have a positive suggestion, please reach out to any elected official
directly. You can email us. You can attend a listening session. You can swing by my Monday afternoon office hours, but not Memorial Day. Um, I have said this before and I will say it again. We are all neighbors and we are
in this together. Let's please all assume everyone is acting with goodwill and let's work together for a better summit. Thank you. And do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> Second.
>> All in favor? >> I opposed the redo. >> Thank you.