We have Councilwoman Goldberg >> here. >> Councilman Van, >> Councilwoman G >> here, >> Councilman Catz >> here, >> Deputy Mayor Belchure >> here, >> Deputy Mayor Oregon >> here,
>> and Mayor Schwarz. Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by resolution number 300-2024, sending a copy to the newspapers officially designated for 2025 by way of resolution number 2-2025, filing a copy in the township clerk's
office and posting it on the municipal building bulletin board and mayor hereby directs that the statement be included in the minutes. >> Thank you very much. Welcome to the October 21st, 2025 open session of the Tina Council meeting. Township
administration present at tonight's meeting are Jaclyn Hashman, our township manager, Doug Greion, our township clerk, Kristen Norier, our deputy township clerk, Scott Salman, our township attorney, Ron Goodman, our volunteer cable master. Upcoming events for the public's information, we are
currently holding a hybrid format meeting. We have people in person and on Zoom. If our Wi-Fi municipal building has an issue with the Zoom meeting drops, we will aim to retrieve the connection and continue the meeting. If you have not yet signed up for the our website and our township alerts, please do so. The next regular council meeting
will be on Monday, November 10th at 6:30 with public portion beginning at 8:00 p.m. The zoning subcommittee meeting will be on Friday, October 24th at 900 a.m. We our information is available on the website how to log in. Municipal offices will be closed on Tuesday,
November 11th in in observance of Veterans Day. Um that we're also having an 11 a.m. Veterans Day ceremony on the municipal green. Early voting will be open at the Roa Center starting Saturday, October 21st to Sunday, November 2nd. General elections will be Tuesday, November 4th. Um at this point
time in the meeting, I'd like to have a moment of silence for Miss Joyce Skiddens, a longtime TEK resident, advocate, and community member. Thank you. And also we always remember her soft way of speaking especially at the meetings. No matter how um stressful the meetings got, she would always come
up here and lower the temperatures a thousand lower the temperature a thousand degrees. The council met in close session to discuss the following: personnel, contracts, affordable housing, monuments, potential township property for sale, legal issues or opinions regarding anything any items on
the open session agenda, litigation updates, and OPRA. And with that, we'll start the regular part of the meeting. I believe we're going right into a presentation. Apologize. And with that, we will have a certificate of recognition for Yan
Meyer, our prior board of adjustment chair and current judge. I trust that. >> Okay. Um so of course the fact that there's no one in the audience tonight is nothing to do with your 29 years. Had you hit 30, it would have been a crowd.
Um so uh for those um people out there who know Yan Meyer Yan it was uh on the you were on the board for 29 years and you were board of adjustment and you were the chair for how many? Um I I think for me what especially since I've been on council for 13 years
what I liked most about Yan Meyer being the chair was the board of adjustment hears applications from the public for expansions for renovations that need v for zoning and variances and it's a very sensitive topic for residents because it's their bed it's their bathroom it's
their dining room and if the meetings don't go well we get the phone calls every single day. We still get the phone calls every single day, but now you're gone. And so you you you did a probably about 10 homes every single meeting, every single month for decades. Hundreds
upon hundreds of homes were changed because of you and for the most part, I think for the better. And with that, um, we'd like to, uh, I'll read this out loud, present this to you. in grateful recognition of Yan Meyer with heartfelt thanks your thoughtful leadership and
commitment to the community and your 29 years of dedicated service as chairperson of the board of adjustment for the township of Tene June 1996 to August 2025 township council Mark Schwarz Karen Oregon Danielle G Hillary Goldberg Ellie Katz
and Michael Pagan and um obviously you're not gone too far for those who don't um go know Yan is now our your honor is one of our judges in the township. So, um you please drive safely or you may see him further on top of
that and you may hear the noise and thank you at the TINK ambulance for coming out. Yan, you've been a member of the ambulance corp for how long there's a lot of unknowns. You're honored if we start in Bod then in Tene and I continue that too. So 10 years plus
>> beautiful. So, um, if you're interested in joining our Tina Ambulance Corp or a board of or or a board of adjustment, please put an application. >> The ambulance corp and some of the, uh, chief is here. >> Beautiful. And the rest of the ambulance core is out on five calls in the last hour. So, with that, I turn this over to
you. I thank you and turn over to the council. >> Um, I just want to say thank you so much for your many years of service to the community. Um, hearing that you've had impact on hundreds and hundreds of houses sounds fantastic and amazing and we look forward to continuing to see you
support the community in the future. Thank you. >> Um, so I only came to one or two of of your meetings and um, for anybody who's not used to coming up and speaking at meeting after meeting after meeting from the podium, when they come up they're actually very nervous and sometimes they
trip over their words and they're not quite sure what they want to say. And the one thing I remember you saying to everybody that came up was, "I'm going to help you here." And you would say for them or try to um bring them to what they were trying to say. And it it almost it was almost like you were
trying to bring them comfort um while helping the community. So my wish for you is that you continue to help us as our alternate judge the same way that you helped so many um with their biggest most important asset that they have here, their homes. Um and you should go
from strength to strength. So, I just also want to chime in. I I know I oftentimes I I go to meetings and I uh I read articles about um people serving on land use boards for 29 years and I say, "Wow." Um one thing I should say is that you made it easy. Uh and
great for our residents and thank you for the time that you uh provided on the um board of adjustment and um we look forward to all the wonderful work you'll do as a judge. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. Mr. Mayor,
>> Mr. Mayor. >> Yeah, he can't hear you. Sorry. Yeah, Ellie, you could you're you're up. >> I also want to give a special thank you to Yan. Um I mean, if you hear the amount of homes that he has touched, he really shaped or helped shape the the
current look of how Tene is. And uh we really appreciate um your hard work, your dedication, uh your thoughtfulness. I'm sure at times some people were not happy with you. I'm sure at times many people were happy with you. Um, but you always came into the meeting uh with a
fair approach and I know that that's how you're going to continue to treat um not just the Tene residents as a judge, but all people that come into your chambers in the future. So, congratulations on your new position and and thank you for all your dedication in the old one,
>> Mr. Mayor. >> Yes. Um, so Yan, I just want to thank you for your service to the town. I'm a little sad I'm not going to get to say anymore that you've been on the board of the board of adjustments since I was in middle school, but um, your devotion is amazing and it brings me a lot of joy to
see you promoted to this amazing seat. Uh, as a member of this council, I wish you the best of luck in your new role and I thank you so much for your service. And then as an individual, you're someone that I've considered a friend and I enjoy our talks and on behalf of myself and Jason, we wish you
a huge good luck in Masleto in your new position and I look forward to your your service and continued friendship. >> Thank you very much. Thank >> my kids. >> All right, which call up our board. Roll
call. Ros >> Yan Meyer was and always will be a wonderful person. He directed the board. He made them be in control and he let people know that it wasn't just about him being a member and the chair of the
board, but a member of the township. And I will miss him. I'm calling when I need him anyway. But thank you. Thank you. >> Roz, how long have you worked with Yan? I've been here since >> since 1994.
>> Thank you, Roz. Thank you, Yan. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you very much, Mayor. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Well, I welcome. >> Yes. Um, you'll notice that the mayor and council were all wearing t-shirts um
representing the next chapter of the Tene Public Library that is scheduled to reopen on November 2nd. Um, we hope everyone can join us. We will um it'll start at it's at 1 p.m. 1 p.m. it starts. Um, all families are welcome to join us. that we're all wearing these
t-shirts in honor of our next chapter at the library. We're looking forward to everyone joining us for the celebration and you will get t-shirts. >> Okay. Um, next presentation, New Jersey DOT Route 4 bridge over the Palisades Avenue
and the um the and the train bridge improvement project update. Um, this is going to be Is this given virtual? Who's doing that? >> Yeah. Yeah. We have a representative from DOT with us, Miss Jacqueline Lawson. >> Excellent. >> Give us a check. One, two, real quick, Miss Lawson. Want to make sure we can
hear you in here. >> Hello all. >> You sound perfect. >> Excellent. Hi, Miss Lawson. Thank you for joining us. Um, to the public, we're going to uh clip this and put this on the website and maybe on Facebook as well because this will be a very hot topic for years to come. Thank you.
>> Sounds good. I'm going to share my screen here. Make sure everyone can see. Let me know if you can see that. >> It looks great. >> Wonderful. Well, thank you all for having me tonight. Uh my name is Jacqueline Lawson
and I am here representing NJ DOT for the Route 4 Bridgeover Palisad ZAV and CSX. Um I am from WSP. I am a professional engineer who is um working on the civil
engineering the right-of-way um portion of this project. I am deputy project manager and here with me uh today also is Rishi Rashano who is um the PM of the project as well as the structures lead. Um, so I'm going to get started going
through the projects, taking you through different parts of the elements, as well as the construction schedule, um, just so you know what's about to come. So, I'm sure you are all aware of the location of the projects, but just to orient anyone who is not familiar, um,
our project is in the center of the screen right here. You can see it, uh, labeled as Route 4 over Palisad Zav and CS6. Um to the right you can see the route four over T-neck and the left is route four over the hack. If you travel
to the east you'll hit the I95 interchange and Fairley Dickinson University um is on the left side of the screen to the project west. So, just the components that I'm going to um walk you through tonight is um the
types of bridge improvements you're going to see and how that's going to affect you as um you're driving through the construction. Um the roadway improvements at the end of the day that you're going to be able to use and also the drainage improvements in the area. Those are the three main components of
this project. So to start off, the existing bridge was constructed in 1931. So we Oh, my slides are jumping on me. I think I had this problem last time. Sorry about that. So the um existing Yeah, I did have this
problem last time. I'm sorry about that. Let me just uh pull you over to Sorry, it's not as glamorous, but I don't know why my screen keeps. Uh so the existing bridge was constructed in 1931. So we're looking at
this bridge coming into about a 100redyear lifespan just under that. Um what we're proposing for the existing bridge will be a similar length um at 504. The current bridge is 495. And the construction will go from um an eight
span bridge will now be using a five span bridge. Not that that means much to the public in any way, but what this will do is improve the horizontal clearance and the vertical clearances. So, you'll have more space when you drive underneath the bridge, as well as a smoother transition over top of the
bridge. The reason this project has come about is that as DOT sends their inspectors out, um, this structure was determined to be structurally deficient and functionally obsolete. So once your bridge becomes of that category, it's time to bring in a designer and get a
new structure going. As I mentioned, the proposed structure is one five span continuous bridge. The other structures that we have on the project will be four retaining walls. Um one CCTV camera, um a cantal lever sign
structure for um exit notification, um one detention basin that will be located underneath the bridge and there will also be one underground detention basin which is something that you won't be able to see from the roadway or from anywhere. It is in fact underneath the
ground. So, what I'm going to walk you through now is the construction staging. And the reason I like to do that is so you can understand as you're moving throughout this construction project. This is what you're going to see as you approach the structure. And it sort of gives you a
little um background on why the lanes kind of shift where they do and what construction we're working on. So, we have three main stages that are going to um impact traffic and one minor one at the end that's going to be a sidewalk construction off to the side. So, I'm
going to zoom in here. And this first image up top is what you have currently today. So you can see the three westbound lanes over on the left hand side of the screen and the three and the excuse me two eastbound lanes and a variable shoulder on the right
hand side of the screen. 6ft sidewalk on either side and um a very small center island area. So, in the first stage of construction, what we're going to do is we're going to
shift the traffic over to the western side of the structure. So, you're going to go down to two lanes on the westbound side and two lanes on the eastbound. What we're going to do then is put up a barrier and demo the right hand side of the bridge. So, if you look up here,
that was the sidewalk, the shoulder, and a portion of one of the eastbound lanes. We're going to demo this portion. You can see it in lines here. and we're going to construct the right handmost
side of the bridge on this side. As we move on to the next second stage, we have this right hand side of the proposed structure built. So, we're going to switch the eastbound lane up onto the new structure. We're going to work on demolishing the center portion
and have the westbound traffic still traveling on the old section of the bridge on the left hand side. Once the center is demoed, we'll be able to pour and build that center portion of the structure. Have the eastbound will still be working on the outer right hand
side and the westbound lane will still be on the existing structure on the left side. In that third and final stage, as I'm sure you've predicted, the rest of the structure will come down. We're switching the traffic over onto the new
structure that we have built. So, two eastbound lanes, two westbound lanes. Pull down this last section and we'll be able to after demo build that final piece on the left hand side be
able to fill this. And as you can see, we'll be able to then at the end of stage three switch all of the lanes back to their proposed conditions. three on the westbound lane, three on two on the eastbound side with a new 11 foot
auxiliary lane to allow for entrance and exits of people on Bell A. We'll also in this fourth stage be working on um the sidewalk portion over here, putting in a railing, etc. And so that fourth uh
portion won't really affect the traffic too much in that area. The final condition will look something like this. You'll have a 10-ft wide shoulder, three westbound lanes, um a slightly larger center portion, three two eastbound
lanes, one eastbound auxiliary lane used for Excel and Del for exits, another 10-ft shoulder, and a 5 1/2 ft sidewalk. So just to get into a little bit of the history of the project, some of the challenges that we faced through design
was the overhead utilities along the south side of Route 4. Um we also worked a lot with the green belt and green acres uh parcels along Route 4, uh both of which are parallel to our structure. We also had the need for two detention
basins within the project limits and we were trying to work uh above the CSX tracks um under one span and we are not allowed to um have any outages of the tracks during construction. As I had said there's three main
constructions which we walk through. Each one will be approximately 9 months long. Uh two lanes of traffic will be maintained in each direction during construction and there will not be any detours for the route 4 traffic. Um for
a short duration there may be uh traffic detours necessary for Bell A, Palisades Aav and Windsor Road just while we are relocating the utilities. Um, and we will be, as I'll go into further, putting some of those utilities
underground, which may potentially cause some short um, detours. Pedestrian traffic will have to be diverted to Sagore A during stages three and four. So, a little bit about the roadway
construction and um, what will be out there at the end. Um, currently there's two 12T uh eastbound lanes with a 12T shoulder and three 10 ft westbound lanes with no shoulder at all. And you have hardly any complian
lanes um from Route 4 to Bell A. Um what we're looking to do with this new um design is provide three 11t lanes in each direction. Um and providing that acceleration lane from Belt A to Route 4 eastbound and improving the deceleration
lane um from Route 4 eastbound to Belt A. um improving the transition geometry from the three lanes to the two lanes at the Garrison A bridge and trying to alleviate some of that con congestion through the cyping striping and signage
in that area. I know this is going to be difficult to see but I will zoom in to try to illustrate uh what I just said. So here um on this side you can see is um on the top this is route four you're
looking at this is Bell A uh here Garrison Aav is to your left here and um Windsor Road is underneath the structure over here to the right of your screen. Um what you're going to be seeing now is um you will have a full and longer
deceleration lane onto Bell A. You'll also have a full acceleration lane here off from Bell A to Route 4. What this will provide is um less people breaking within the travel lanes and allow traffic to continue on these two
eastbound lanes through here across the structure. You can see here's the structure with Windsor A. Oh, sorry about that. Continuing across the screen down here, you have your three westbound lanes. You have the three eastbound lanes continuing. We
cross over Palisades A and you can see this is where we start to taper back in um to existing conditions at Queen Anne. Give you an idea of what we're looking um at construction wise. Uh the final
design phase is in process um and we are submitting PSN which is our plans our specifications um and estimate um very soon. We're looking to reward construction fall of 2026.
Um and the anticipated construction schedule will happen in um in two major uh stages I guess you can say. Well, you'll first see the utility relocation. So all so you'll see the um the poles going up um on the
streets below Route 4 on the southern side and then you'll see the utilities being taken down off of Route 4 and being put along the um side roads and then the bridge construction, those three main stages that we just spoke about where the traffic is moving. then
the actual structure construction will begin to take you through um just a little bit of the green acres since I know um this is a very important um topic to T- neck and it was important to us as well to minimize um the impacts that we were
having as you heard before I mentioned we have four retaining walls on this project um with the space that we have um that's a little unusual but the reason it was done is because protecting this green acres land and the green belt was um at the forefront of what we were
trying to do. Um looking in here, I'll just orient you a little bit. This is the structure right here. This is Garrison Bridge over on the left. Bell A in between the structure and Garrison and Tene High School. Queen Anne is over here on the right. Um in green are the
parcels that have been identified as Green Acres parcels. Um the colorful map here depicts the areas that are affected by our construction. That does not mean that we are taking that land. Um a lot of them are temporary
um easements in order to be able to construct such as these big swaths of land through here. We just need to get a crane in there, lift some of uh lift the structure into place uh the different components of the structure and then take the crane away and that land will
be given back um as soon as the construction's complete. So um that's what this map is depicting. So um and what we were working with throughout the project other So just to give you a little idea of the impacts, the right of way impacts
um there's three colors on here. There's this um darker brown color, a red color, and a blue. So, the darker brown color is those construction easements that I was talking about, the ones that will be returned to owner as soon as construction's complete. Um the blue is
utility easements. So, um maybe a guy wire or maybe aerial easement where wires have to cross over such as this corner right here at Bell Aven Route 4. um those are uh easements in order to have those utilities um put into place.
And the red are um feed takes. So um land that NJ dot will now own. Um they are small areas in order to maintain retaining walls or in order to widen slightly in order to get those extra lanes in to alleviate the stress through
this area. I won't bore you by walking you through every number of the right ofway takes, but it is basically what I just explained um as far as TX impacts itself. The township owned um six of the township owned parcels were to be
acquired by fee um not in completeness. Um it's only two uh 2.4 acres. Um and again the permanent easements that TX of TX properties were 28 acres and some of these parcels do belong to CSX owned. Um
and those properties will only be aerial easements. So we're able to span the bridge over top of CSX. Again the um green acres is different uh than the green belt. So what are we affecting in green belts and the parklands impacts? Um
as the map illustrated um we do have different permanent and temporary easements through there. Um again you can see the numbers listed out here. Um what happens when we do affect parkland is that we then are required to mitigate
um the land. So uh according to NJD um these do fall under a minor diversion and um that basically outlines um a certain criteria that we have to follow in order to mitigate this land. Um and
so NJ dot is mitigating um the loss of that land by acquiring a parcel um offsite still in T-neck. Um it's on Shepard A between Buffett Terrace and Oak Street. and we're going to protect and give that back to T-neck um as
protected land. Just to go into the utilities a little more since that's the first thing you're going to see when this construction starts. um all overhead utilities. There's 10 different companies out there on those poles uh on the Route 4 corridor except for an IT line which is
um going to be relocated along um back on the bridge. All of those are going to be relocated down to the local roads which I will pull up a map for you to see in a moment. the existing IT line um along the south side of the structure will be temporarily relocated and put
back um along the north side in stage one. Um there will also be a proposed closed circuit uh television camera in NJ do's right ofway um at the Queen Anne area. Just to give you an illustration of
those utilities that um I keep talking about uh structure here in blue to left garrison bridge and queen on the right. The red is the utility poles that were taking down and the lines the orange
dots indicate the new poles that are being brought up. Um the yellow and green are the overhead lines that are going to be strung around down here and up down Queen Anne. And the purple is the new um underground
um underground duct bank that where PSCNG will be putting some of their high voltage that is coming out of their um uh their station up here. The last point I just want to talk about on the project is our storm water
management. Um the project will add 1.2 acres of new imperous areas. So what we are required to do is detain the water from the widened portion and above ground and an underground basin. As I
said the under the um one will be underneath the structure in between Palisades AB and CSX own property. The other will be underground in NJ DOT right ofway along the eastbound side of Route 4. It's not something that you'll
be able to see. Um DOT owns and maintains it, cleans it, and empties it. And um it's not something that too much affects the public through there. Um the water basins will drain into the existing pipes and the the above ground basin underneath the structure will be
completely fenced in to deter anyone from going in. Um, with that, that is an overview of the project and the construction process. Um, I know I threw a lot of information. If anybody had any questions, I'm more than willing to answer them.
>> I have I have many. Doug, can we bring her center? Miss Lawson, >> you mind just uh dropping your screen there? >> Sure. >> Thank you, Miss So, thank you for this and thank you for explaining it so clearly to us. I do
have a few questions. We've heard of a project that's going to be starting on um Route 4 by River Road. Do you know if these two will be running contiguously? Will they um that it's it's basically one exit after the next? Do you know
what will be with that project? when they'll both start when that will start. >> We actually have been working at DOT with um with Route 4 over the Hackins Act and R and um all projects along that corridor are being timed so that um the
construction is not impacting the traffic through the area. Um as far as who's going to overlap when, it depends on when the projects start pushing through. Definitely a question for DOT specifically and I apologize that I don't have the answer to that
right now. But what I can tell you is that I have sat through many meetings to ensure that our um our maintenance and protection of traffic as well as our staging is all um being coordinated through DOT with all three uh project
managers on those projects. So um as far as when each project will hit, I'm not sure. There's not really a defined timeline yet. Um, but I can say that it is being um, watched closely and will be heavily coordinated.
>> Okay. Um, will work be done at night overnight? Bell Avenue is a residential neighborhood. So, will there be bright lights, construction vehicles, noise at night, or will all the work be done during the day? >> Uh, at this time we anticipate no night
work. Um, we are very cognizant of the residential area we'll be in. Um so um as far as those local streets um we will not be doing utility work in the evenings um at this time. >> Okay. And um you talked about the
utility relocation 2026 to 2028. Will there be shutdowns on the highway during that time or will you be working around it? >> We'll be working around it. Yeah. No shutdowns will be required for the highway. So that'll be 2028 to 2032 >> is when you'll start seeing the traffic
shifts. Um but again we do not anticipate any um detours on Route 4. You will always be able to get through. So >> great. And um Windsor Road underneath the bridge has been a flooding area. So the detention tanks are now going to
mitigate that. Um, as far as the areas under there, we that is not part of our project. Um, like the water that's coming through there. DOT doesn't own that roadway. Um, I do know that they're upgrading the
detention basin, uh, excuse me, the inlets underneath there, putting in new inlets, etc., but as far as the pipe capacity going through there and, um, the outlet structures, that's not owned by DOT, >> but the project itself won't contribute to the the flooding. that's there.
>> No, anything. We We are capturing all of our water that's coming off of that structure, including the new um including any new impervious is being collected and stored so that it hits your system at a very slow rate.
>> Okay. And then you had mentioned pedestrian traffic moving to Sagamore. Pedestrian traffic from where? On Windsor Road or on Route 4? >> On route four. um that we didn't uh when we went out there to um because we have
done pedestrian and traffic counts etc. there was not much um pedestrian movement on route 4 but since there are facilities out there we need to anticipate anyone who's looking to use them. So um you know on the actual structure may I say um there are bus
stops that are out there um etc. So those will be coordinated with temporary stops and certain locations. When that happens, advanced notice is given out to anyone um who uses those facilities as well as posted at the location. So um
those will all be coordinated. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Of course. >> Um I have one last I have one question. What's the closed circuit camera all about? >> Uh that's for maintaining that's for watching um for like traffic counts. Um sometimes they can feed back weather
information um watching traffic. It's like a traffic cam like um to monitor the traffic that's going through there. It's completely dot um again closed circuit so it's not like something that can be hacked into. >> Understood. Okay.
>> Yeah. >> I just had one quick question. U one of the benefits that your diagram indicates is that the um from Bell Avenue the um the uh the ramp or the the lane that enables cars to ramp up or to exit out
so we don't have the stop and start as we have now on on Bell Avenue. Would you say that's one of the um the net benefits of of this project? >> Yeah, I think you're really going to see an improvement um in that area with congestion due to that. Um there was a
lot of bottlenecks that were going on through here between buses stopping and not being able to fully get out of the lane to um you know you're losing a name lane right before Garrison A. Um you're also trying to excel and del um from all
these on-ramps all within two lanes and a small uh shoulder. All of that is going to be larger with more room and dedicated areas for people to be able to um you know pull over for the bus stop or to accelerate onto the highway and
join it at a proper speed. Um so it's really going to streamline that area. >> Thank you. >> Sure. >> Um I can't see if I'm Councilman Cats or Goldberg want to speak, but I'm assuming not. Okay. Thank you very much. So,
let's post this online. So, we'll see you in a few years, right? >> Yeah. Actually, we um we will be doing a public info center uh early next year. So, I will actually be coming out with um DOT and Rishi and we'll be coming out to um just engage the public before we
really get cracking. So, >> thank you very much. >> See you then. Thanks a lot. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Miss Lawson. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Next, going to work session items. We have number miscellaneous on the Hackinack River Greenway update.
>> Yeah. Um so I wanted to share an update on behalf of chairwoman um Marie Warkey. She's been working really hard on this. Um she uh recently shared that uh she received a $10,000 grant from the
Hackinac uh Rivereper to help improve the Hackinack River Greenway Trails. Um she's current currently working with them to pull together a budget that includes uh a variety of things. Um but for example, replacing some of the arrow trail markers that are over 25 plus
years old. They're weather beaten. They need some updating. She wants to improve some of the entrance sides with you are here marking so that people when they when they arrive know exactly where they are on the trails. Um they would also like to propose um at the uh propose the
introduction of crusted stone at the southern entrance behind the community pool which would prevent the trail from flooding which is similar to what the DPW did at the Cedar Lane end. Um she also wants to um create some printed brochures
and um perhaps introduce some native plants to the area. Uh she's also asked um and I'm not sure if this is a council decision or not, but wanted to share. She's asked for permission to include um on the brochure on the uh entrance maps and the brochures the land along the
shoreline at the enslaved African burial ground and the napper stock lots on the map. Currently, they're not. Um and then uh once they've pulled together the final budget, she would like to share with council and get approval to move forward with those items.
Um, I have a question on this. Um, I think it's more for Scott, but it's related. Um, do Scott, do any of those areas affect the super fund because it's right on the shoreline? >> I don't know the answer to that without looking at details of the super fund. I can find out and get and get back to you, but I don't know off the top of my
head. >> Okay. Um, I mean I I'm totally fine with it, but we should just make sure because because of the super fund >> and then maybe Scott, we'll share these revised maps with you and see if there's any issues with what can and can't be included. >> Okay. Thank you.
>> Okay. Old business, >> Mr. Mayor. >> Yes. >> Um, so for old business, I just had a question on the 2026 budget. So if I understood correctly, the um the state health benefits commission adopted um 36.5%
increase for local governments. Thank you. Unfunded mandates for 2026. Um and the worksheet that we got uh reflects only an 8% rise in increase for forecasted for this year for next year. So I just wanted to know what we're
expecting for the um 2026 health premiums now that the new rates are applied. Are we expecting the full 36% since I think it's a question for the manager? >> Was it where's the question to >> manager? I think >> what was the question?
>> Um the state health health commission's uh 36% 36 and a half% increase. Is that correct? So are we expecting that full hit our 2026 budget? >> I guess we'll get back to you. I I don't have that answer. So,
>> yes. >> Um, yes, I believe that is the rate and that will hit our 2026 budget, but I will definitely check with our CFO and our deputy CFO and I'll get back to you. >> Thanks. Cuz that's a lot and I thought that the governor had said that there was going to be um relief for the towns,
but I guess not. Um, thank you. as we had at the very beginning of our uh meeting had a moment of silence uh for Joyce uh Giddens. Uh I just wanted to um share with um the council and uh the community what uh would be given to
her her family. Uh it is um whereas uh Joyce Lorraine Giddens was born on January 13th, 1943 in Anglewood and graduated from St. Cecilia High School in 1960. She went on to earn a bachelor's of arts from education from uh Jersey City State College followed by
a master's of arts of teaching uh with disabilities from uh children with disabilities from Fairley Dickinson University here in in Tene. Whereas Joyce served her community in many ways and spent many of her days teaching children. She became the first African-American educator in uh uh
Nanta, North Carolina during the early 1960s. Joyce had only committed uh had not only committed herself to education um and uh educating youth in the community but also her faith and devotion to God. Throughout her life, Joyce served people for from all
backgrounds guided by her faith and the belief uh that service uh is worship. And whereas Joyce was involved in countless efforts of community building and advocacy, she was a longtime member of the Northeast Tene Block Association as well as instrumental force in the as
chairperson of the Tene Road Business Community Alliance. Joyce has spent time and energy advocating for her community and local merchants. She also injected her energy into the Tene Roads uh streetscape initiative, breathing new life into the main corridor of our
township. Therefore, be it resolved that the township council, the T township of Tene, give thanks and appreciation to Joyce for her lifetime of service to others in Tene and beyond and to her family for sharing her with us for all these years. So that's something that
will be given to her her family on behalf of um the township. >> Thank you very much. I always remember her speaking at the Christmas tree lightings. That was her that was her event. Okay. Anyone else on new business
communications? T International Film Festival. Who's got that? >> We had received a request from TK International Film Festival. So, you know, we help um give a monetary donation every year. This is a
significant anniversary for them. 30 10th. I don't know why I thought 30 years. Sorry. Um 10 year anniversary. And uh we were uh queried by them to potentially give some more as a donation. >> So, I believe normally we give $1,500
>> and Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, absolutely. I think they should get more. Is there was there a request or an ask? >> Yes. Um, well, not for a specific amount. I think the specific amount was 10,000. Doug, it was >> wanted a 7x. Yeah, we'd be bankrupt if everyone wanted 7x. So, I want 7x in
life, but no. >> All right. Do we hear another offer? >> Um, >> I mean, I'm happy. >> What were you thinking? >> I was going to say maybe to double it to 3,000 as a because it Yeah, I was going to say that an anniversary year of
>> for the one year and then go back to >> correct. That would that was my recommendation to the council but I don't know how you guys feel >> I I can see that and again concern I'm sure it's an important anniversary we have to keep in mind we have a lot of organizations like this so um if we're looking for nodding heads if it's that or is that a resolution of that
>> can I just do that >> oh I was just going to add that um you know the tag international film festival brings people to the community people come they have dinner they go to our restaurants And I I I think this is a
very special and unique organization that um we're you know obviously they just bring so much to the community um that we should $1,500 is not a lot of money. >> Oh, 100%. Which is why I think the recommendations are double that. >> Well, and and I'm going to counter with
maybe we can at least go to five, meet them in the middle. >> I would also agree that uh this is a a major milestone year for them. they have uh brought in some international names um talent and and uh and so forth. So I
I would agree with uh Councilwoman G that 5,000 seems to be a reasonable amount. >> The the council budget Oh, sorry. Go ahead. >> Um Hillary, you were talking before. I'm sorry.
>> Sorry. Um I love the Tina National Film Festival. I have formerly sponsored films, but I think given where we're at and to the mayor's point about, you know, the number of organizations, I think five is a little high, but I support the manager's number for this
year. >> The the council the council budget is all of $10,000, right? That's the money that we have to make decisions to spend. So I would be uncomfortable giving one organization half of what we have to contribute to different organizations. I like the idea
of doubling it for the year to say congratulations on 10 years but um I you know that would that would be saying that half of what we have to show our appreciation goes to only one organization and that I'm not okay with. >> Do we spend it every year?
>> Do you >> the 10 council? I wasn't even aware that we spent the 10,000 every single year. >> I'm not sure. Um >> council council has a budget. >> We have a line item in the budget for things that we spend money on. Goes to
the employee picnic some years. Um >> some some of those things. >> Yeah. >> The $10,000 mark I believe is that advisory board budget line. >> The ad that I think there's one for council. We can check with the CFO. But I I um also wanted to say this. the um
money that we do have and that we use to spend um is taxpayer money and the film festival does bring people to town, but it's also run by a board. Um and the movies that are chosen are chosen by the board and I don't want to get into a position with people in the town who
might not be happy with the choices. were a sponsor like many other people are sponsors, but I wouldn't want to take a large role in that because that to me would come with oversight over what's shown and I would never want council to to think of doing that or be able to do that. So, I I like the idea
of of um 3,000 this year. >> All right. So, I I think I have three at 3,000 and two at 5,000. Is there any other comments? >> I'm okay with 3,000. 3,000. Okay. So, I think that's
>> question. Um I just want to confirm because I agree with um what deputy mayor just said about just making sure that we're careful. We we can there's different sponsorships. So, we can sponsor like the overall not a specific film, right? Like that's how we can do it because I think she's she's
>> we don't sponsor. We just give the money to them. >> Okay. Okay. >> Okay. So, it looks like there's four for three and two for five. The four have it. Is there a roll call need or if the money's already in the budget then there's not? I don't believe we need a roll call. Oh, there is. Okay.
Um, committee reports by council zones. >> I'll I'll go first with the library. >> We're we're we're wearing the report. >> I know. Um, so I know the manager mentioned this, but uh the long-awaited reopening of the library will be on
November 2nd from 1 to 3. The library will be open on that day for circulation, but also there will be a ribbon cutting, um cake, music, um raffles, toys for children, t-shirts for people. Um so please come out and join
us. Also, the award of the um poetry contest will be that day. Um so it should be a really nice day for everybody. Please come out and join us. And I know we all look forward to seeing what happened inside the upgrades and
also to using our library once again. >> Yes. >> Okay. I just want to mention the historic um preservation uh commission has been meeting and diligently working on markers. We have some exciting markers that you'll see around town. Um so uh and also I just want to mention
that you know we're adding to uh the interactive map. There is a map that kind of identifies historic sites throughout town and um you know people are welcome to go to the website to to uh visit that. Thank you. >> Um uh the senior citizens advisory board
met this month. Um I already shared all these with the town manager but just wanted to share for transparency sake with the public some um recommendations that came out of that meeting. Um they did provide some feedback that they'd like to see the vote park pathway um
specifically this side the Queen Anne road side be repaved. Um I think a project was started a couple of years to repave the other side of of Vote and there they think there might be some benefit to repaving the Queen Anne side. Um they also pointed out a safety issue
as it relates to parking on Palisad Avenue specifically on the side closer to the rail right the rail tracks. Um there's a lot of overgrowth. Um and so when you have soccer games and people are parking and they're coming out on the driver's side because it's unsafe to come out on the other side. Um they also
reiterated their interest in a senior town hall um and shared that uh Wednesday's afternoon um at the Roa Center would be a great time of day if that's possible. Um and then finally um they mentioned that the street lights
are still not working on T-neck road from Salvage to Forest A and from Amsterdam to Tryan and they were curious if there's an update on on whether or not that's going to be addressed. That's it. Thank you. >> Senior town hall.
>> This is the thing that um Mayor Pagnan brought up last meeting that. >> Yeah. >> Anybody else? Zoom. No. Okay. >> Um, councilless items, Deputy Mayor
Belchure and the New Jersey Redevelopment Agency. Can you give a background on that? >> Okay. So, um, as many of you know, we're we have um been dealing or talking a lot about redevelopment throughout town. We, you know, produced a um a housing
element um that uh speaks to development and so forth. One of the uh areas that um the we thought would be helpful is to engage with uh the New Jersey redevelopment um authority which is a state um agency that helps
municipalities uh in their redevelopment efforts. So, what we're asking tonight is to enable the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority to um come in and present to the council
in the community. So, that's what this is about. Thank you. >> Any comments on that? >> I just to confirm this is presentation only. This is a this is that a council meeting or is this a separate meeting?
>> It could be either way. I don't think we went that deep in terms of it could be a council meeting or it could be a special meeting if you think it's necessary. >> Um you just what so what are they presenting on and should the planning board be involved in this?
>> Yes indeed. Um our planning board chair um Chris Brown uh would be involved and yes the planning board would be able to sit through this and to to listen to the presentation. I actually think Chris has has worked with the uh New Jersey redevelopment um authority. So, um yeah.
So, but I think it should be open to anyone who wants to attend just to get an understanding uh as to what they're presenting. They do this as for all municipalities. They have um been involved with providing assistance, training, under, you know, understanding
as to how to approach uh redevelopment. Is >> there there's no fee on this, right? Okay. >> If there is a fee, can we come back to the council if if there's a charge on that? >> Okay. Any other comments?
>> Um, Molly heads. Um, managers report. >> Thank you, mayor, and good evening, council and township residents. Uh, leaf collection season is upon us, so you will start to see our DPW working to
collect leaves as quickly as possible. This year we also are seeing the leaves are falling rather late. So we are currently um just picking up the piles as we're going along and when we start to see them um falling more steadily we will implement the new program. Uh we
will continue to collect the leaves in all four quadrants on a daily basis. Und designated collection days on street parking will not be permitted on streets scheduled for leaf pickup between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Emergency
no parking signs will be posted 48 hours in advance on all affected streets per quadrant. This new system is designed to provide faster, safer, and more efficient leaf removal throughout the township. The Tene Public Library is scheduled to reopen on November 2nd at 1 p.m. as
mentioned by Deputy Mayor Oregon. Regular hours will resume on this day. The event will include fun for your families. So, we hope you can join us. Our poet laurette, Scott Pleasants, is busy reviewing over 80 poems that were submitted as part of the two 2025 poetry
contest. Winners will be announced at 2 p.m. at the library reopening. Our flu vaccination program will be offered on October 22nd and 23rd from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon um at the ROA center and appointments are still available through our health
department. The compost pilot program is continuing and all of our weight listed residents will be notified to join as of November 1st. The project titled Route 4 East and and Deca, I'm sorry, Route 4 eastbound and Decatur Avenue ramp widening is delayed
and now scheduled to start around October 27th. The work will require a full closure of the Decar Avenue exit ramp and detours will be in place. The anticipated duration of construction is approximately 1 month and please expect
detours in the area. Our 2026 department budget hearings will take place on November 3rd, November 5th, and November 6th at the municipal building south entrance, second floor. The schedule for our departments will be posted online.
There is a zoning subcommittee meeting this Friday, October 24th at 9:00 a.m. The annual Larch Avenue Halloween event is scheduled for October 31st starting at 400 p.m. for all to enjoy trick-or-treating and food trucks and fun. On October 6th, I would like to
share that all of our department heads met with age friendly Tina to exchange contact information and to discuss ways our departments can assist with their efforts. We are currently looking into a grant opportunity to install devices for the hearing impaired for council
chambers. Please join us um for our Veterans Day ceremony on November 11th at 11:00 a.m. on the municipal green. All are welcome to attend. Holina Medical Center will have their mobile education lab at Township Hall
parking lot on Tuesday, October 28th from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to share information for breast cancer awareness. No registration is required. PSEG is scheduled to start trimming and removing a few trees for a delivery of a
large piece of equipment called a switch gear. This is going to be delivered to our sub to the substation on Palisade Avenue. This is scheduled to begin tomorrow and continue until around November 11th when the delivery will take place. This is intended to upgrade
the existing substations around the state for continuity. There are no street closures planned for this at this time. Congratulations to the Tene Recreation Department for being voted best youth program by the Chamber of Commerce. They will be honored on
November 20th at Temple Emmeth. American Red Cross met with our police department, fire department, and OEM this month to inform us of their new initiatives and offerings for the township of Tene. They have also met with our recreation superintendent to
schedule a senior citizens information session in the coming weeks. You will start to see them at our upcoming events to provide um tips and information to our residents as well. Please stay tuned. Um we I will there will be information on social media for
our upcoming turkey drive, toy drive, manora lighting, tree lighting, and Quanza event. For our project updates, um Argon Park tennis courts, the contractor is still addressing some punch list items. our Bell Avenue drainage project. The
contractor has successfully installed the detention tank and they are scheduled to mill and pave Bell Avenue from Beatatric to Sagamore Avenue by the end of next week. Our road resurfacing project continues townshipwide.
Brooks Park, the design phase is in progress for the prefab restrooms and the exercise station. Sagamore Park improvements, the concept plan is still is still pending. Maple Avenue improvements. Construction is set
to begin in November. Phelps Park Splash Pad. The bids were opened on October 15th and we plan to award the contract at our next council meeting. Griggs Avenue, Van Beurren Avenue, and Heric Avenue improvements. The design
phase is in progress. Pedestrian Bridge over Palisade Avenue, CX Railroad and Windsor Road. The plans are completed for the priority repair and the project is going out to bid in the coming weeks. Palisade Avenue, West
Trion, and Goway Place improvements. The pre preconstruction meeting was held on October 14th and construction is scheduled to begin in November. Some general updates I have for you. The pedestrian safety initiative where we installed the curb extensions at Heirs
Court and Queen Anne Road and Palisade Avenue. We continue to monitor the traffic patterns and concerns brought to our attention. While traffic observations are ongoing, the traffic bureau has reported no issues to the flow of traffic during peak school
hours. There is also a post survey now posted on social media that I encourage residents to participate in because this will be used as a tool to decide if the curb extensions remain in this area. Um, I know a lot of uh requests for
pedestrian stansions were requested um to the township. So, I'd like to update you that we have ordered additionals and we have successfully installed at the following locations. Palisade and West Anglewood, Garrison and Beverly, Garrison and Sagamore,
Garrison and Windham, Garrison and Standish, Sussex and Ree, Salvage and Queen Anne Road, Demerest and Tene Road. In addition, um I have installed I have um installed speed signs at the following
locations. Tene Road and Vorhees Street, Queen Anne Road at Griggs Avenue, Garrison Avenue at Sagamore at Sagamore Avenue. Lastly, I'd like to bring up a resolution to the council. Um it's a it's a um resolution to propose a no
cash a cash a cashless resolution um for tax payments and sewer billing. Um, this would be a resolution that would um require the the tax department to only accept checks, cashier's checks, money orders, and you can pay by credit card
online. Um, up to $50. Anything over the $50, you would pay under, I'm sorry, under $50, we would accept cash in the department. Over $50, we would not accept. Um, we it's for safety. It's for, you know, avoiding human error,
saving on bank trips. Um, so I would like to propose that resolution for the township um starting January 1st, 2026. >> Yep. >> Okay, >> I'll add it for next meeting if Doug can um >> add that on. Sure.
>> Terms of the cashless and I I understand the the purpose behind it. Um is there any options for say um a person that um you know had to pay by way of that? I
mean is there any other options like cash app or >> um I always say there's an exception if we do come across a situation for for a resident. I feel like we can make that exception if it's brought to my attention. But I think overall sometimes u situations like someone bringing in
$10,000 in cash, >> it's it's it's not necessary in this day and age. I think we have enough options. >> Okay. >> Um for everyone, but um I always say there always is an exception for the rule and I'd always be willing to make an exception. But I think overall for our department, for the safety and for
our operations, I think um this would be um this would be a safer option and um easily um attainable for our residents. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, Mr. Attorney. >> Yes. Uh, thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just very briefly, I just want to mention on the
subject of affordable housing, uh, Mr. Hashmat mentioned the zoning subcommittee meeting. Do want to give a quick update to the public about the, um, the affordable housing, uh, lawsuit that's that's ongoing that involves the fair share housing center as well as, uh, uh, a number of properties on our
housing element. Um, we've had two conferences so far with Judge Bookbinder. fair share fair share has been involved as well as the uh attorneys for the those developers. They've been fairly straightforward uh events where primarily fair share has
been asking for certain very specific information. For example, they're asking for information regarding our third round compliance as well as some information on how we did some of our calculations. So, we've providing that information. Um said mentioned the zoning subcommittee meeting which is
this Friday. fair share will be in attendance at at this meeting as well as the uh special adjudicator who will be advising Judge Bookbinder. Uh they will both be uh in attendance of this. It's open to the public, urge the public to come and provide us with your thoughts
on uh uh on what the um on how we can comply with our affordable housing obligations. Um that's all I have for tonight. >> Um Mr. to the public hearing adoption ordinance. Please read the titles of the ordinance. It is the record for the
hearing. >> All right. So, we have three ordinances up for adoption. We have ordinance 35-2025 amending the township code to revise parking laws on Decar Avenue. Ordinance 36-2025 amending the township code for the
township of Tene to modernize and clarify the township chart administrative code. respecting appointments to advis advisory boards to council. And then ordinance 37-2025 authorized the conveyance of property and easements to the New Jersey
Department of Transportation for the construction and maintenance of Route 4 bridge over Palisad Avenue and the CX Bridge improvement project. >> Okay. Um this uh hearing is now open to the public. Uh if anyone would like to come up and speak to just these three
ordinances only. Anyone in the audience seeing no hands here, Mr. Clerk, do you have anyone that like to speak on these three ordinances on Zoom? Who do you have? >> I have one hand. I have Miss Hildy Dylan here. Um, this is just the hearing for the ordinances.
Do you need to speak on these ordinances, Miss Hildy? While you find that unmute button, we have Chuck Powers raising his hand. Feel free to unmute. Yeah. Yes. Is um 372025
the conveyance of the properties that were um addressed so completely in the presentation made by DOT this evening. But is this simply for the conveyance of
those properties to do? I did not understand that this ordinance also included uh final decisions about which of the properties in Shephard
Woods, both the size of those properties and which I understand to be matters that are still unresolved with DP. Am I right
that the ordinance only covers the conveyance to do of what was what Miss Lawson described and I thank you. >> Thank you very much. Anyone else? Mr. Cler? No. Um, seeing no other hands.
This hearing is now closed. Mr. Attorney, anything you want to weigh on that? >> I think uh is Mike Ash still the on Doug? >> Yes. You want me to bring him in? >> Yeah. Red >> development attorney Michael Ash.
>> Can you give a brief answer to that question, please? >> Hello. >> You sound great. >> Thank you. You do, too. >> Thanks. >> How can I help? >> Sorry. Oh, sorry. I thought you heard
Mike. I'm so sorry. Um, there was a question from a resident regarding the specific intent of ordinance 37-2025. I believe the resident was inquiring >> is the the question is, is 372025
just relating to the Route 4 area properties or does it also incorporate the final designation of the Shepard Woods properties as well? Uh it only authorizes conveyance of certain uh portions of property and easements required for the project as presented
this evening. >> Thank you very much. There's the answer. R4 only. Okay. There were no other hands. So with that, I'll make a motion to approve 3536 37 of 2025. Do we have a second? >> Second. >> Second. >> Okay. Mr. Clerk, roll call, please.
>> Councilwoman Goldberg. >> Yes. on 35 and 37 and no on 136. [Music] >> Councilwoman G. >> Yes. All Councilman Catz, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Belchure, >> yes.
>> Deputy Mayor Oregon, >> yes. >> Mayor Schwarz, >> yes. All three pass. Okay, with that, we're going to turn to public um to the public for good and welfare. You have three minutes to discuss anything on your mind. We'll start over here. We'll go back and forth. Mr. Schwarz, please
go first. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. A couple things tonight. I want to as an individual uh support the uh having of the public forum with the New Jersey redevelopment authority. I think it's very important that Tenic residents be given the opportunity to discuss with the
redevelopment authority the possibility of creating a redevelopment agency for Tenic itself. uh wherein the issues of redevelopment and what's going to be redevelopment town will be taken out of the politics of the council and put into an independent agency with has significant uh citizen input into it. I
would urge the council not to make it part of a regular um council meeting but to make it a actual public forum where the public can come and answer numerous questions that I know I have and and other members of the public have as well. Um
the second thing is the issuance of summones uh under the u the new special events ordinance in September relating to the hands across New Jersey um demonstration that occurred uh as it
relates to those issues of summones. one town, one vote has uh created a subcommittee to review the uh amendments to the special events ordinance and we have found it defective and troublesome in many many ways. We will be submitting a memorandum to the council regarding
the problems uh of the ordinance relating to uh a lack of definition uh a lack of methods of enforcement uh communication issues that have uh come about as a result of the issuance of the of these summones. and we will be presenting that um to the council within
the next month and probably have a public statement on it at next council meeting. Lastly, I want to give a shout out to Loretta Weinberg, Libby Klene, and the um um arbitrarist advocates who
uh helped um prepare the demonstration that occurred on Saturday at the municipal green in Tene. It was a joyous uh uh exposition of the Tene residents uh um opposition to certain things going
on in the federal government. More than a thousand people attended a very peaceful rally. It was joyous. It was fun. It was creative. And I want to also give a shout out uh to the Tina Police Department who uh uh successfully um held kept us all safe during that time.
But it was a wonderful example of what Tina can do. Uh it was diverse, it was creative, it was fun and it was a significant impact and people came and exercised their right under the first amendment uh to freedom freedom of speech and to uh seek redress from their
government. It was a wonderful event. Again, shout out to uh Loretta Weinberg, Libby Klein and all the other individuals that had the impact uh to do that. Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Brander. >> Hi. Good evening. My name is Shaina Brander and I live on Country Club
Drive. I have with me nearly 30 signatures of my fellow neighbors on Country Club and East Lawn drives between Cedar Lane and Glen Court. We have grown increasingly concerned with the volume of traffic on our streets and formerly request the council take action to mitigate this issue before it turns
fatal. The traffic bureau has conducted numerous surveys over the years and has recorded a steady increase in vehicles using these blocks as a cutthrough between major highways like the I95 and Route 4. Currently, there's an average of 6,000 vehicles driving along this
route each day. And that's only projected to increase with the opening of the Mark and other developments in the area. Our streets were simply not designed to accommodate this level of traffic. The roads are not wide enough to accommodate a steady stream of vehicle flow in two directions alongside
residential necessities like parking and leaf pickup. And the homes are not set back far enough from the curb to feasibly allow for sidewalk. This results in a disastrous effect as commuters whiz by children waiting on the curb to be picked up by their school buses during the week and delivery
construction trucks and other large vehicles maneuver around dog walkers and synagogue goers on the weekends. The drivers are not local and their behavior reflects an ambivalence towards the people whose homes they pass by on their travels. Myself and other residents, including
from Redmond Road, have attended the Easy Ride pedestrian safety meeting a couple weeks back. The team was astonished to hear our consistent experience of being unable to enter or exit our own driveway safely and our fear of taking our kids out walking or biking around the neighborhood. Not on
our own blocks, of course, but simply leaving our front door to make our way to a quieter street is challenging. Enough is enough. This is not the level of safety and quality of life we expect from Tene. We urge you to allocate the proper resources to the traffic bureau
to adequately address this issue through the development of alternative routes for this traffic flow and ordinances that protect that protect the pedestrians and residents of the neighborhood. I am not overstating when I say that this is the single most egregious traffic issue in the township
and it keeps the traffic bureau up at night. But with the right improvements, it can be solved, allowing future generations of country club neighborhood residents to thrive. I'm joined here tonight by some of my fellow neighbors. Um, and we want to work together to make
this a reality. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Mr. Mr. Manager, you have that petition? >> I do. >> You have it? Thank you very much. Anybody else like to speak? Seeing no more hands in the chambers. Let me Zoom.
>> Hildy Dylan, let's try again. >> Hello. Good evening. Um, and I'm sorry about that before I I thought we had we were finished with the ordinance, but >> anyway, I wanted to um give a shout out
um and a thank you to our all of our residents that participated in the township cleanup on October 5th. Uh this is Hely Dylan and I chair the environmental commission. We do this in collaboration with our DPW who were
fantastic as usual in helping us uh with our cleanup at three locations this time. Um we had a beautiful day. We had about 40 residents. And the DPW also asked the volunteers if
they wanted to paint over graffiti under the Route 4 uh underpass uh across from Arthur Avenue. And um we had participants in painting and and picking up garbage from ages 4 to 80
plus. Um and it was a great success. So, I just wanted to thank the the uh council, our town manager, and the DPW for continuing to support these cleanup events. Great opportunities for our neighbors to work together and meet one
another. And I also wanted to for on behalf of the EC thank our town manager, our council liaison Hillary Goldberg um and um the DPW for their support of the neighborhood compost program uh for
continuing it for another year and for allowing us to extend it to the people on the wait list. you'll be getting an email from me probably tomorrow or Thursday morning latest with details uh if you're on that wait list. So, this is
a uh just a a shout out of thanks to our residents um and to our council and town manager that support these programs to help us uh keep a greener. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Clerk.
We have Chuck Powers. You do you hear me >> loud and clear, sir? You sound great. Three minutes. >> Okay. I want to uh thank the township attorney, Mr. salmon for
apparently organizing a way in which at least the public has an opportunity to enter into an understanding of everything that's going on with the suit that the township
is now facing from six separate challenges to its housing element and fair share plan which as a matter of fact will almost certainly dominate effectively govern everything that we do
in development in the next several years. But we are not yet at all clear on what it is that the state is going to say that we have done in meeting our fourth fourth round obligation with the
citation of the six of the six inclusary um inclusary affordable housing sites. And we have had the understanding that the township is not bound
in the future to those exact six sites. Five of which, as certainly people from the northeast have been saying very clearly recently, five of which are in in one quadrant. That isn't the way in which development
is supposed to happen in a town. Certainly as diverse as T-neck. We need we need to have clarity about what it is that we have to do to meet the Fair Housing uh act requirements going forward. And
apparently we are finally going to hear, at least I hope we hear at the zoning subcommittee meeting, clarification of what of what that current status of all those challenges to our recent
master plan amendment on housing involve. It is clear that we need much greater understanding among the public. Thank you for involving that. But though I point out that just because it appears
before the zoning subcommittee, zoning subcommittee has no other function but to gain an understanding so that the town knows how and where it should be recommending things to the council.
Nothing happens, no policy gets resolved in any subcommittee. But it is good to know that this important issue is going to get the attention it deserves on Friday at 9:00 in the morning either by Zoom or in attendance apparently in
council chambers. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> We have Sandy Silverberg >> sign on mute here. >> Hello. Three minutes. I'm trying to unmute but I don't see where I have an
opportunity to do that. >> We hear you perfect. We hear you perfect. >> Oh, you hear me? Okay, great. I uh just wanted I'm I wanted to thank everybody for wearing the uniform. Uh I see that you have it on already and I'm
particularly uh touched by the fact that our town manager is wearing the t-shirt. Now, we all know that um Madame Manager steps out of a band box every single day, and
I have to say that I think this is her most gorgeous outfit, although I have enjoyed seeing all the rest of them. Uh please do come to the library opening. There's going to be full service at the circulation desk. The uh the timeline is
1 to 4. There'll be giveaways for children and adults at the library from the library. Musical performances all afternoon, balloon art for children, tours and orientation very important because the whole library is not the way
it used to was. So we'll be conducting tours. There will be people stationed at various areas where the fiction used to be. Well, now it's in a different place. So, you might want to orient yourself. There'll be raffles,
no charge raffles. Three, one ticket for per person over the age of seven. And there'll be three drawings for adults, three drawings for children, and uh I think it's going to be a great time. Uh don't forget to get a piece of delicious
cake. There'll be a coffee cart outside the library that will be inducing you to come if especially if it's please don't rain but if it might be a little bit chilly uh free coffee and that'll be that'll be a lovely touch and I hope
that you will consider joining the friends of the library. Uh, I don't know if you've passed by the municipal parking lot lately, but if you have, you'll see a beautiful garden installation in front of the library, and that was an offering of the friends
of the library, and I hope you will consider joining those friends. I want to echo also what uh Ron Schwarz said about the peaceful rally on Saturday. I want to thank the police department for
being there and being there in a way to be protective and it was really a good ambiencece that rained and uh that's it. I wish you a pleasant evening. >> Thank you very much clerk. Anyone else?
Okay, with that being said, good and welfare is over. Councilman Goldberg. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So, um Shaina, I just want to thank you for um coming tonight and mentioning that. So, I just wanted to mention so uh Senator Gordon
Johnson sponsor is sponsoring a bill um and it did pass the assembly u May of this year um the swift access for emergency response actions preservation program which actually addresses um the program the problem of navigation apps like ways rerouting the highway traffic
through the residential streets which is exactly what your concern is. So, I think it's still in the Senate and it would let the municipalities request the state review through the I think it's the AG's office. Um, when they create a safety hazard or an
emergency access issue, um, and if the state agrees, then we then they could order the navigation companies to redirect the traffic away from the areas and if they're ignored, then they pay a fine of $5,000 per day. Um, so I know I
know um, Councilman Cass has been talking about this issue uh, for years. Uh, we just heard this and I know Shaina mentioned it to to me at the event. So I strongly, you know, do hope that this passes the Senate because this literally will address the issue um, that you're
raising. That's it. >> Thank you. Um, Deputy Mayor Bel. >> Okay. Yeah. Just a couple quick uh, things. I also want to uh thank Senator Weinberg, al also our police department and um our town manager for the
exceptional work that was done uh in light of the King's um protest on on Saturday. It was almost a festive environment uh for a thousand people to be on the municipal green. Uh I think it was uh very well done. Um and thank you
for because of the fact that it upholds our freedom of speech and freedom to assemble. Uh, I also want to just remind uh people that the anchor rebate program ends October 31st. So, that's an opportunity for homeowners and uh actually renters as well to get a
rebate. So, um our town clerk has placed the uh the app on the uh website. So, if you're uh if you haven't already done that, that's something to look at doing. And finally, I look forward to the library reopening. Um, I love the t-shirts and um, I also look forward to
the um, 10th anniversary of the T-neck International Film Festival. Thank you. >> Thank you very much, Deputy Morgan. Um so we had walked through country club one Saturday um Ellie Mark and I and we
continued down on one of our walks to Lindberg to Glenwood and every single resident along the way. We were watching the cars speed by and every resident was telling us the same thing. So it's not just country club area. It they come right off of 95 and they're absolutely being um pushed through your
neighborhood by ways. So, we had asked the attorney to reach out to Ways, Scott, and um can you just let us know where you are with that? >> Yeah, so we uh reached out to Ways uh who which has say not been particularly
helpful. um they they're they've insisted to me repeatedly that the only way that this can be addressed is to for individual users to um go on the on their app and report the uh the route as being I I'm blank on the wording.
>> Yeah, exactly. Uh as and so they they were saying that if there are you know enough users that do that then we'll we'll see some results from it. I've responded to them and said that we know that's not true. We know that there are ways that they can on their end change it. We know that other towns have done it. Uh I've since been in in a
neverending escalation uh of managers to managers to managers uh trying to go up up and up the line. Uh I've not been able to get them to uh all I've not been able to get a hold of yet of someone who's I guess has the authority to change it, but we know that there is someone there that can and so we're
going to obviously keep trying. So, can we speak to Leona or Leona's attorney in particular because they actually sued Ways. There was a lawsuit and if we have to go that route, then that should work. It's not there's nothing that we can do to take the traffic off of that street because it's going to put the traffic on
another street. It actually has to stop from the people getting off the highway so that they continue up Glennwood to Tene Road and take the main streets. So, um I don't I don't know um how aggressive we're able to be, but um >> I can look into that. That's not a problem. >> Okay. Um, can I just finish by
>> Okay. Um, so Sandy, thank you very much for your words. We always mention the library, but we don't mention the friends of the library, and you are the ones that are sponsoring the event on the second. So, thank you for everything that you do and for the friends for everything that they do. And Hild D, thank you for thanking everybody else,
but really thank you to you um for what you've done. you've really energized um the environmental commission and the townwide cleanups are such a nice way to get to know your neighbors while doing something really good. Um so thank you.
>> Okay. Um thank you very much. You also didn't mention the fact that there's no sidewalks on the country club part which is also becomes an issue Lindberg had when I had the sidewalks but there it was just right on the grass right to the cars. Um, and and if we could sue them, that would probably be helpful, just because I'm sure there's probably a
million towns in America that would love to sue them as well, so they can just maybe just make us go away. Um, and so any if you could continue putting on the pressure on them and let us know if there's anything we can do in that regard. Um, okay. With that, uh, we will
head over to the consent agenda and I'll turn it over to the clerk to review that and the bill list, please. So for the consent agenda, we have two sets of minutes. Resolutions number 286-2025 to 298-2025
and a bill listening a total of 8,47,73865. >> Thank you very much. >> I'd like to pull 296 uh 2025, please. >> You'd like to pull I'm sorry. 296. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Anybody else? With that, I'll make
a motion to approve the minutes, the raffles, all the resolutions with the exception of 296 in the bill list and the amount that was listed. >> Second. >> Seconded by Councilwoman G. Mr. Clerk. >> Councilwoman Goldberg. >> Yes to all.
>> Councilwoman J. >> Yes to all. Councilman Katz. >> He's gone. >> Sorry about that. Um, I'm abstaining on 293 and abstaining on the bills list.
>> Deputy Mayor Belchure, >> yes to all. >> Deputy Mayor Organ, >> yes to all. And Mayor Schwarz, >> yes to all. Council McGover 296. >> Yeah. So, this is um reappointing the bond council who we were just told I
guess a month ago that we had to terminate due to paytoplay violation. So, I'm very confused why we're giving him back and how many bids we got. Like I like more information given what we were just told. I mean, it's a month ago and we're giving it right back. It seems
strange to me. Um, Scott, I think I guess can you address that or answer? >> So, so we put out a uh public bid uh it was an RFQ for the um for the bond council position position. There were
two responses that we got. One of them was um Wentz who's our our bond council going back to to 2000 to 2020. Um the other response that we got was from from Parker McKay which is a um South Jersey
um firm. Um I believe I'm sorry. Hold on one second. I just pulled my notes here. Hold on. Sorry. Hold on one second. So, will was uh both u I'll say I'll say they have cheaper and cheaper hourly rates uh than Parker McKay. They are
obviously more familiar with the township. Um having served as bond council since 2020 and um uh we also I guess we also have a large note sale in November that W has handled to date. Um, and this would obviously allow them to
keep to keep doing that, but it's obviously up to the council, you know, council's decision as to who to uh who to hire. But as at least as at this point, we really only had the two options between them and Parker McKay >> and Scott, it's totally fine that you know,
you know, it's it was a payto-play violation, but now it's okay. Like, I'm just confused. I don't get how I'm really uncomfortable with it. Well, well, can't be cannot be appointed by a non-fair and open process, but through as long as it's done through a fair and open process uh that involve public bidding, then then they can be
reappointed. >> Okay, that's what it is. >> Make the motion. Is there a motion for 296? >> Make the motion cuz I pulled it. >> Okay, I'll second that. Roll call, please. >> Councilman Goldberg. No.
>> Councilwoman G. >> Yes. >> Councilman Katz. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Belchure. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Oregon. >> Um, what is the what is it? It's three to one. What is it? What does it need to pass? >> It needs a majority of the members that
are present. So, uh, four, five, um, five, right? >> Six. >> We have six. So, it needs at least four votes then. >> Four. >> So, then yes. and Mayor Schwarz. >> Yes. >> Um, no.
Okay. Um, on to the instruction of ordinances. >> So, we have two ordinances on for introduction. So, it's going to be ordinance 38-2025 authorizing a special emergency appropriation in the amount of 990,000
pursuant to NJSA4A 4-53H for the payment of contractually required severance liabilities of the township of Tene in the county of Bergen, state of New Jersey. And then we have ordinance number 39-2025
amending section 36-11.2 two of chapter 36 of the township code for the township of Tene adding a restricted on-site on-site parking space for a handicap parking at 999 9992 Allen Court.
>> Thank you very much. Any comments on that or we'll go to the roll call on that? >> Will you talk on 38 2025 for a minute? That's a special emergency. If you want, I'll move 39 and we can talk on that one. >> Welcome on both. We will talk on 38. >> All right. Right. So, it's the special
emergency. So, I guess my my question is so um I had sent some questions to the um CFO the other day and he responded to all of us. So, I don't know if everybody had a chance to look at it, but he pretty much confirmed that between this and the prior special emergencies um
which are about $3.9 million um that we're going to be looking at a million dollars per year in the special emergency principle starting next year. So, I'm just trying to get a sense of what, you know, and he also confirmed that he's aware potentially of four
retirements um for the first quarter of next year. Um and I think that we really need to start looking at this and and put those reserves back. Um and you know, I I think that this is this is funds that are coming out of our
operating expenses from the the budget. Um so, I think we just I just wanted to have a discussion. I don't really have a question. I wanted to just discuss for a minute amongst us that that's a million dollars that we're not being able to use for parks or police or something else. >> We're contractually discuss
>> okay we're contractually obligated to pay these employees over the last 30 40 years money was never set aside to pay these employees. So we can pay these employees now or we can pay these employees now. It's putting money from one to the other one or the other to the one is the same thing. You're not
getting your money for your park. You're not not paying at >> a four and a half% interest rate though for five years. >> Yes. So here's how the alternative is. You raise the money through incfront tax increases by adding to the budget without bonding for it. So if all of a sudden next year we need to raise $1.5
million. No, let's double it. Let's raise $3 million so we don't have to bond for this for something that has been an issue for 30 years and will continue to be as of course most importantly we phase out these employees. Once they retire, they're gone. So, what you're really asking to
do is do a tax, and it's the same answer every single year, and it's been this way for decades, is to raise the money on cash increases to the budget or by bonding it. >> I'm asking us to put the money back in the reserves. >> The money from where >> moneyies used to be there. There used to
be $750,000 reserves for this every single year and it came out. >> Yes. So again, if you want to add $750,000 to the budget this year, that will have to be added to the tax increase. Let's
ask, do we have four nodding heads to not bond and to raise an additional $750,000 in cash? Did I did I did I phrase that right, Mr. Manager? Is that the option? >> Um, yes. And I I did speak with Issa about this and um he is he is online if you want him to chime in. But we also
need to remember that even though we're expecting the retirements of different employees, what we are putting in the budget, a lot of times they don't actually push the button to retire and we don't know until 3 months prior. So as much as yes, there is a planning tool we can can put in place. You are explaining it correctly,
>> right? This is a problem that started day one of their employment 25 to 35 years ago. It's been that way. So yes, we no longer set aside this money because we don't know when they're going to retire. we haven't set aside in years. And if this if people would like to if council members would like to add
this to the tax bill for budget for next year, I believe that budget meetings are set for March this year and we can discuss it. Then >> we set aside money for for snow plowing. We don't know if it's going to snow. This is this was there. We took out the reserves and my I mean I'm just it's
clear that you guys don't agree with me which is fine but my my position is strongly that the responsible thing to do is to put the money in back in the reserves going forward. >> Okay. I appreciate that. I believe you voted against the budget this past meeting this past year. So please bring
that up that not only do you want to vote for the budget this year, you want to add $750,000 additional. We can discuss this at the next budget meeting and you can choose not to vote on it now. But right now the I'm going to make a motion to approve ordinance >> point of make a motion to approve ordinance
number 38 of 2025 and 39 of 2025. Is there a second on that? >> Second. >> Thank you. Roll call. M clerk. >> Councilwoman Goldberg. >> No. >> Councilwoman Jeep. >> Yes. >> Councilman Katz.
>> Yes. Deputy Mayor Belter. >> Yes. >> Deputy Mayor Oregon. >> Yes. Mayor Schwarz, >> yes. >> Hey, is there a motion to adjourn? Second. >> No roll call on that. Thank you very much. All in favor? Meeting adjourned at
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