WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=Ld8oT0Qt_nQ

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: Ld8oT0Qt_nQ):
- 00:00:07: Meeting Start, Roll Call, and Initial Budget Introduction
- 00:01:41: Detailed Municipal Budget Discussion, Tax Rate Overview
- 00:04:43: Budget Reserves, Health Insurance Costs, and Challenges
- 00:07:36: Switching to High Deductible Health Insurance Plan
- 00:09:56: Tax Rate Impact, School Budget, Inflation Comparison
- 00:12:10: Generating Additional Revenue and Reserve Levels
- 00:15:58: Terminal Leave Estimates and Town's AAA Rating
- 00:18:35: Surplus Levels, Homeowner Tax Bills, and 2026 Budget
- 00:19:53: Budget Hearing and Resolution Approval Process
- 00:22:34: Little League Snack Shack Project: Lease and Construction
- 00:26:21: Exploring Snack Shack Project Scope and Feedback
- 00:30:38: Public Comment: Clinton Inn Redevelopment Question
- 00:34:23: Clinton Inn: Clarifying Redevelopment and Zoning Rules
- 00:37:25: Maximum Housing Units Allowed on Clinton Inn Property
- 00:41:47: Close Public Comment and Back to Admin Report
- 00:42:06: Store Openings, Vacant Properties, and Ordinance Update
- 00:46:22: Capel Street Paving, 2026 Paving Program Costs
- 00:49:12: Accountability for PSE&G Road Damage and Repairs
- 00:51:33: Legislative Options for PSE&G Moratorium Enforcement
- 00:52:23: Pool Exceeding Expectations and Hometown Heroes Banner
- 00:55:23: Consent Agenda and Approving Resolutions
- 00:57:07: Committee Reports: Trashathon and Environmental Concerns
- 01:01:12: Nature Center Fundraiser and Pride Day Announcement
- 01:03:24: Planning Board Projects: Nickerbacher Drainage Concerns
- 01:07:08: Tree Permits and Storm Water System Discussion
- 01:11:28: Tenafly Night Market, Police Movie Night, and Events
- 01:13:35: Red, White, Blue Flowers and Historic Preservation
- 01:15:30: Executive Session and Meeting Adjournment


Part: 1

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requirements have been satisfied. The meeting dates for the year are confirmed at the annual meeting are posted on public bulletin board in the lobby of the municipal center and published in the record within the first 10 days of the new year. Salute to the flag, please.

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Oh my roll call, please. >> Council member Corsair >> here. >> Council member Dayton >> here. >> Council member Jackson >> here. >> Council member Michaels >> present. >> Council member Dr. Okconor >> here. >> Council member Roli. >> Mayor Zenna >> here. Okay. First item on the agenda is

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a 2026 budget overview. Susan is here tonight and along with our auditor Paul Lurch. Thank you both for making the trip. You'll make it more exciting than it ever could have possibly been. All right. Who's going to start the budget discussion? Susan, are you going

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to do it? Uh David. Susan, come to the microphone. Just give us your name. And you've done this enough times. The above tax collector for that

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as well as it did. always reduced health care plus a high deductible plan and uh if we had not done that the health insurance would have been about $300,000 more. We also

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uh the BCUA came in a little bit like $300,000 lower and we um told our department heads to try to spending at the same cost as last year. >> Okay. Thank you.

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>> Sorry. >> Yep. So, we're gonna we're gonna ask some questions. So, council members ask some questions of Susan and or Paul. Paul, why don't you step up to the mic? >> Just so um our public understands, how does our tax rate work with the school referendum?

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>> And the collection >> just give us your name, Paul, for the record. >> Yeah. Paul Lurch. >> Thank you. >> Fin. Um so, the question is, how does the tax rate work? Yeah. >> So, we're here to talk about the municipal side, right? >> Um, and that's what you're going to

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hopefully adopt at some point here tonight. >> But as far as the overall tax rate is concerned, >> they have a levy which it's approved. County has a levy gets approved. That total dollar value then is the amount that needs to be raised by taxes and that's the amount that then gets divided

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by the assessed value and we come up with a tax rate and then that tax rate um equates to a dollar value per home and we just split it up internally. What we're doing here is presentation purposes because you're only have under your control is simply the municipal

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side, right? But no control on what's happening at the county, no control on what's happening at the school, but obviously when a homeowner gets the bill, it's going to be all inclusive. So, we're here again to go through that process. Um, I don't know if I answered your question, but >> you did and it's, you know, I I know the answer, but it's for the public and if

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anyone's listening through passing us budget, they can understand. So, I know other communities were having a very hard time passing this budget this year. And first of all, I want to say thank you both for all the hard work. Thank you, council. Thank you, David. Um, and so, how are we in

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comparison to a Bergen County? How are we doing? >> Well, yeah, I think you are doing uh you're doing relatively good compared to a lot of the others. Um I've got a meeting tonight and it's going to probably double your increase after this

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um particular meeting. Um you know you we all know Hackinact five. I mean there's there's other communities that are >> that and again we're only talking and discussing on the municipal side you know once you start opening that >> indoors box of what is the total increase you start looking at the

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schools but yeah know I think your your increase your level here at the the 196 is less than last year um no I think it's say it it's probably somewhere in the middle there are some smaller some less as far as an increase but I think

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the real challenge for everyone is going to be as Susan um discussed earlier, it's going to be the health insurance >> and and when you know when we're looking at these communities and you're looking at how much money you have left and and what if you use

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when you think about some of the reserves that are out there when I talk about reserves, we have two caps. We have a tax levy cap and we have an appropriation le and if you don't use it, you get to keep it for two years. And so that money has

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always been available in most municipalities and especially you, let's just talk about you for a minute. Uh we have not really the bank and we haven't used the banks. Um but that's changing now. And really what's happening is is that you know when we were here last

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year your appropriation bank you had over $600,000 of untapped reserves so to speak. And really what that means is that means that you can spend $600,000 more than you are. Not that you want to, but you have from a from a legal perspective,

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you have the ability to do that. Now, this year, that balance going forward now is only 300,000. You can see that's good. That's starting to go in the uh in that, you know, obviously in a lesser position. Um, and then on a cap on the tax levy bank,

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which you have banks are much higher. So, last year we had almost $2 million that you didn't raise in taxes that you actually could have. Imagine that. We're we're sitting here looking at trying to keep it at $200 and the state's telling us that we can actually raise taxes by

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another2 billion dollars. U so but that last year was roughly two million. This year the bank going forward is$ 1.5 million. So we're just trending with less banks and I think it's inevitable and I think everyone understands if you look at health insurance and all the other costs when health insurance are

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going is going up at a at a consistent rate of 20 25 30% and I don't really see an end to this. I mean, if you do, great. I hope it happens. Um, but I just think that, you know, the pressure is going to be again next year. So, just keep that in mind. >> What's happening is is that we're going

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through the process and and communities are trying to do everything they can to keep rates and at a nominal amount, right? And this is a nominal amount. Really, it really is. um you know next year again when you when we face another 700 or 800 or a million dollar increase

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in health insurance you know we have to figure out how do we handle that because you know technically you're limited to 2% although are exceptions I just explained but those are going to be your challenges and I think it's a statewide challenge so it's not just going to be a

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10 issue but I wish I had answers on how to how to deal with it I don't know >> you said that we switched to a high um deductible plan. Does that just mean that the that the people who are covered by the plan have to pay higher

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deductibles? >> Yeah. So Julie, if I if I could answer it. So basically what we were doing before is paying purely premiums, so high premiums to the state. Um last year we we did a maneuver with the difference card and the 2035 program. So that

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basically lowered the premiums for both the employee and the employer and provided a better benefit with the difference card this year. Because the 2035 plan went up substantially, we were able to get the unions to agree to move to the high deductible plan, which was

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again a lower premium threshold that we're paying out to the state. We are covering through the difference card the deductible. Um, but the combination is still we're able to then have this $300,000 less cost than it would have

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been if we didn't move to the high deductible plan. So, what Paul is talking about is really just a sort of a sort of a whack-a-ole game, I would I would say to it. You know, you go from one plan to the other and then they raise the rates, you go to another. So

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with the state health benefits plan, the only plan they have left for us to look at is the low deductible plan if we need to migrate to that. >> But the premiums be high >> maybe. But the other thing that that we may need to do because we've already explored um health insurance fund as

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well as commercial insurer is to look at a self- insurance uh uh program uh that has some risk. You can also in insure yourself against those risks. But because of our utilization uh record, we won't be attractive to a

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typical health insurance plan. So if our only choice is state health benefits plan or something else, the something else will probably need to be to explore a self-funded plan uh with all the uh benchmarks of insurance and reinsurance

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to cap your exposure. But it's it's a uh it's a moving target. it's going to continue. Um, you know, it's it's somewhat surprising that the state hasn't dealt with it yet because what we were told this time last year was that the state health benefits plan would be insolvent by the end of the first

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quarter of 2026 and it's still going. So, >> plus with the lowered premiums, employees were paying less in contribution and then with a different score, they don't have any co >> and just so we're at roughly like a 38% increase. Is that

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>> 3.5 >> 3.5% sorry >> tax rating. >> So you know for me as I think of you know I'm a home homeowner right I think of I think three or four numbers. First one is and and as counciloman Dayton said these numbers combined comes up to

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what our residents see. So from a school perspective I think it's on the the website the school uh with the assessment is at 6.8%. So the school budget is up 6.8%. Next you'd have count

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>> it's 6.8%. If you do a weighted average it's 6.8% of the much higher balance. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. I'll get try to make it simple for everybody. We'll get to the weighted average in a minute but 6.8% for the school taxes are going county right that's another thing that

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we have to pay came out and 4.01%. >> So yep 4.01%. So to get in perspective, US inflation is expected to be 4.2%. As of yesterday, >> what Susan, I forgot what number did you

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tell me again? >> 3.5 >> 3.5%. the burrow is not only well below every other metric that the residents are going to see, but we're actually, and you could argue maybe we're not

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being fiscally responsible, we are actually below estimated US inflation, which is again a testament to David, Susan, the whole team here to manage below forecasted inflation in this. >> We're still doing great things. >> I'm sorry.

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>> We're still doing great things. and we're doing amazing things. We don't have enough time to talk about those, but it's just helpful to understand. And then as Councilman Rogaryi said, way more complicated. You have to actually weight it out, take a weighted average of those numbers to get to what you'll

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see. And and you know, Susan, I'd love for you to share with community since you own sending out that letter to all of our 15,500 residents, 5,000 plus homes. We should clarify and understand how that's all. But it's again huge

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testament to you guys just absolutely amazing. >> So thank you. >> So I had a followup and first of all like I said I think this budget was a hard budget in lie of this you know failure of the state to do this healthc care cost and insurance um and nobody

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knew where that would land and I think thank you David for you know he really jumped on that got our unions together. Um, I wanted to ask about reserves, the level of reserves that we're generating. And I know it's still healthy and I know it still exists, which in a lot of places it doesn't, which you know,

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again, thank you. But should we be looking to generate additional revenue uh for reserves here? >> Well, I think from from the reserve perspective, u you are healthy. Um, and before I talk about surplus, I'll just talk about some of the ancillary

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reserves that you do have. And so, um, you have a reserve for future tax appeals of $800,000 sitting on a balance sheet. >> Mhm. >> U, we also have $540,000, uh, sitting on a balance sheet for reserve for terminal leave. >> And we also have $36,000 on the balance

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sheet for storm trust reserves. So, we do have some rainy day funds for these type of expenditures. If you didn't have any of these, you would have to deal with it either in a budget process or you would have to deal with it through an operational charge, which just means you're going to wind up with less

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surplus at the end. So, from from a financial and a fiscal perspective, those are the things that you really want to do. Um, as far as surplus, I mean, surplus came down a little bit. Um, I'm I'm kind of seeing that everywhere, too. And really it's a result of what you know um a lot of

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times surpluses are starting to be reduced because of the effect of trying to produce these budgets which we're trying to hold the line right cost of living is 4% but we're less and we're doing it year after year after year right but eventually what happens is that one of the major components of

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operational surplus um generation is that the budget cycle after a two-year period it lapses whatever you don't spend goes back into surplus. It's two-year cycle. So, obviously, inevitably, as as we start to really shrink down the appropriation side of

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the budget because we're trying to get leaner and leaner means we're going to spend more of a percentage of the total budget, less of it's going to lapse. And then what's happening is that when we go through that cycle, we keep or we keep regenerating less and less

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money over the time period. >> And actually, it's it's interesting you bring it up. So obviously since you know I graduated second grade there's two ways to balance a budget right you could >> lower your spending which we don't want to do right we need to right we live in

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a platinum town we need platinum services I believe in that um or you raise more funds I do not I've said it public you know I'm very passionate about this I don't believe we should be getting our funds from property taxes that's already high enough what I am a

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huge proponent of is a value added tax. If you want to do other things, right, the permits, all this and that that you get to choose to do, the more money we raise from that, I don't know if we have, I don't know, hotels going up or anywhere anytime soon, but the more

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funds we raise from these types of things, the lower our property taxes get to be. Again, I'm just one of six, but that's how I I do not want to be cutting costs. I want us to be efficient with what we have, but I need more services.

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I want to pay our DPW and pay our police and our first, you know, everyone else, but that has to look at, and we're doing great things with, you know, a whole bunch of things we've done on parking and everything that raises funds, which lowers property taxes that we have to

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pay. >> Terminal leave. Um, when is it estimated that the terminal leave will basically go away finally? >> 2013, >> but no, 2013 is when we

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was 2013, right? So, what do we have an estimate like 2030 2035? Wasn't it like a 20-year program? >> 25 years. Yeah. >> From 2013. So we're talking 2033.

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Another seven years. Right. Right. Right. Right. >> You learned about ratings. >> Really? But again, you came here to a really bad

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school. >> Where'd you go to school? >> 10. >> 10. >> School. >> Third grade learned about rating. We maintain a AAA rating in this county. Is that your advice? >> Uh, sure. Why? Why wouldn't you want a AAA rating? >> There's a cost associated with that.

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>> Oh, there is. And it's also benefit associated with it. You know, the lower interest rates, lower >> triple double A. >> I mean, I'm not I don't want to get into debate of, you know, AAA or not. But I know that uh >> we are >> most communities are striving right now. So I all my anyone loves to be I asked

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them all. I'm sure almost everyone would say we we'd want to be a triple AAA if we're not. And those that got downgraded we're we're ecstatic when we get upgraded. We were just >> United States federal government is upgrading >> United States government. They get

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downrated. Well, this got >> so if we go to double A, can we get an aircraft carrier? >> All right. Who other who what what other questions? >> All right. Okay. Who else has questions for Susan or Paul? >> Congratulations.

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>> Okay. All right. >> So, we should be looking for next budget so we can start. >> I think the only thing is, you know, just so you know, from a global surplus perspective, where are you? So, we ended the year about $400,000 less than last year that we had last year with

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>> still last year was a 10 year old alltime high. Okay. Um so even you know even our $6 million is still um the second highest in in the past 10 years. Um we utilized surplus and and really the point is is that what we're doing is

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we're starting next year's operational balance same as we ended with. So we're in the same position going with the 26 as we were in the same position. >> So stability which is really and we use less. So it's stability. >> Okay.

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>> All right. Thank you both. Appreciate it. Thank you for all the work. >> Thank you Paul. Thank >> Okay. Um >> can I just ask when our homeowners get their bill? I just want to go through this. You know they don't see that we

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only raise four. They see We put a letter >> letter in there. A mailer. >> We're gonna hope they read it because >> Okay. Next on the agenda, Little League Snack Shack update. >> Oh, thank you, David, for this. >> Wait, hold on a second. What? >> We're going to do the budget hearing and the resolution.

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>> Yeah, let's >> You want to do the budget hearing first? Okay, that's fine. All right, we're going to do the budget hearing first while Paul is here. Paul didn't want to leave. >> I understand. We're going to We'll Okay. Okay. 26-188.

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Okay. 2026 local municipal budget R26-188. Um >> Omar, do you read this first? No. >> No. I just need um >> We need a motion first. >> Yeah. >> Councilwoman, would you like to make the

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motion for the budget? >> This is paper never fails me. I move to adopt R26-188 red read red read red budget by oh read budget by title >> guys this is the baby okay of the family

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okay second >> I get a second thank you okay it's public comment time is there anyone here in the audience who would like to make a public comment on the budget only R26-188 >> no all right anyone online Omar at I see no hands. Mayor,

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>> no hands. Okay, we're going to close close public comment. All right. Um, >> title, you go right to the roll call, right? >> Yes. >> Okay. Roll call, please. >> Council member Corsair, >> yes. >> Council member Dayton, >> yes. >> Council member Jackson, >> yes.

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>> Council member Michaels, >> yes. >> Council member Dr. Okconor, >> yes. >> Council member Roeri, >> yes. >> Okay. R 26-189. We're going to adopt the 2026 local municipal budget. Uh, Council President Michaels, would you like to make the

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motion, please? >> Adopt the 2025 local municipal budget. >> Should be 2026 municipal budget. >> Yeah. >> You don't have 2026 as well. >> Okay. Could I >> I just want to make very clear on the

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record. Could I have a second, please? Omar, please call the role. >> Council member Corsair. >> Council member Dayton. >> Yes. >> Council member Jackson. >> Yes. >> Council Michaels. >> Yes. >> Council member Dr. Okconor. >> Yes. >> Council member Roar. >> Yes.

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>> Okay. Thank you everyone. Now we'll go back to the administrator. Thank you. >> Okay. Little League Snack Shack update. >> Okay. So, I I gave you a memo and it's also a good portion of my report. Um, there are six steps that I've uh laid

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out that we should um uh follow in order to move forward the the uh desire to build a new building or to um determine what we want to do with what services are going to be um provided by that building. Um the first and foremost is

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that we're we're already uh investing about $700,000 um between construction and engineering into the Little League complex currently and our lease that we currently have is short-term uh and expires in the next two to three years. Uh we did speak with

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the school board during joint use committee. Uh they are open to a longer term uh lease arrangement. Uh, I've asked the burough attorney uh to uh look into her preliminary research further uh because it's in the best interest of the

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burrow if we can have that property deed to us uh so that the bureau in fact owns it um if it is possible and uh we ought to explore that uh thoroughly. If for some reason that that does not prove out, then then we really should be

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looking at a 99-year lease uh particularly with a building uh to be built could be anywhere from one to two and a half million dollars depending on the size and the type of construction and what we intend to put into the building. Um so that's I would suggest

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that we allow the burough attorney to >> I think that makes a lot of sense. >> Move forward with that. >> Open those conversations up. Yes, Lauren. So maybe I'm misremembering this um but I thought there was a restriction on that field that it was gifted in some way.

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>> So there is a restriction for the board of ed. However, the reverter should they not do what they're supposed to do with their deed property. The reverter is that it goes to the burrow. >> Okay, that's my question. >> It's about as it's about as complicated

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as it possibly could be. Actually, I would argue actually it's super simple, which is we want to invest, >> right? >> Billions of dollars. >> Does the town and school want us to invest millions of dollars? >> So, we open up the conversations with the board and we go from there. >> Yeah. >> Right.

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>> Sounds open. >> Say that again. >> Asking Susan depreciation the depreciation schedule on a building like this was a 40-year useful life. >> Oh, I did. >> Yeah. for from a finance perspective under the bond law >> but more >> for a structure you can finance it over

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40 years >> like revisit what they're planning to do in that area as well right >> make sure that this flows instead of doing double work you know and fighting against what they're doing we should kind >> yeah the schools

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had multiple meetings with the school board we asked to partner together on the the tennis the sports, they didn't want to do it. We asked the partner on just about everything. Unfortunately, every time we come forward, the answer is you just keep doing your own thing.

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>> We get it every single joint meeting. >> So, we should make sure it works. >> I'm all for that. I've been cleaning. >> So, this last discussion was what, two years ago >> on the little league field, right? >> No, we had join a couple. >> Was it more than two, three? No, no, no. I'm talking about specifically the Little League field discussion.

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>> So, Okay. Okay. All right. >> This was when I was coming 2023, I believe. >> How long ago already? >> I remember we finally got something up. >> I mean, I personally would like to invest in the little leafy field. I can invest. >> Of course, >> I don't own it.

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>> That makes sense. >> The super simple black and white thing. >> David, is there can I just ask in terms of this? Let's say we want to invest, Adam. Is there some way we bid out just this smaller project of a snack shack and bathrooms? >> Sure. So the second point in my memo is

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that we should, you know, send this concept to the recreation board and the little league organization and ask for their feedback um about what what the program needs are for the building. What is it that they want the building to do? >> Bathrooms definitely. >> If it's as simple as, you know, a snack

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shack and a place for the announcer to announce the games and bathrooms, >> fine. you know, you're pretty much raising what you have and building something in that footprint or or maybe even smaller. Um, you know, so those recommendations would then get reported

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back to council from the recreation board and the little league for us to then be able to say, "Okay, this is the next step would be then developing an RFP, RFQ for an architect or engineer to come up with concepts for the building." >> But to your point, doesn't make sense to

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do any of that until we find out if there's willingness Right. So >> most you could do is send this to the recreation board and ask them to start thinking about what their >> and it also has to be in conjunction to Adam's point is so we have a building there of a particular size, right? As someone here just mentioned, do we need

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that large of a building? And in light of what the board's doing with their other facilities, is there something there that makes sense that would allow us to build a smaller building if it made sense? But all all good questions. say right now though that building is

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locked you know a good portion of the time but it is connected with our tennis courts our playgrounds I would love to see sorry 24-hour bathroom or bathroom usage sink water fountains and go from there >> the council of course there's the rec

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board >> you please speak with at the next rec board meeting on >> and did TYB put in a plan of what they intend or what TL little league t >> yeah TL sorry I'm always embarrassed I'm always bad

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>> and speaking with the little league there and we've reported on this their first desire was to turf the field so it started with the obviously the current construction project of turfing the infield that will also deal with the backdrop and some of the fencing in that area they had a desire to turf the

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entire field but that has been proven that it can't happen >> within the footprint they have the cost of the drainage Um the only thing that uh they brought up next to me was they they want upgraded electric service so they can

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get new LED lights for the little league field. Um and then the issue uh that the burrow has because we have uh spent a lot of DPW resources in the past there is that the sewer main and lateral that feed that building needs to be

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completely um dug up and and reconstructed. >> Uh because the bathrooms just get clogged all the time. >> Um so that would have to be part of the overall construction project that you would do. >> Um >> talk about mission creep. >> Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Let's focus on land

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ownership. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Then go for now. >> Yes. But so is that Wendy? Do you have to speak with your counterpart at the school or what's the best way to do that? I >> think we might want to have a business conversation first while at the same time the recreation boards coming to

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terms with what they think they need there, >> right? Or we go right to a legal conversation. >> Super simple. What what I would suggest would be >> binary. >> It's right from the ownership issue. Okay. Got it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You're right.

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>> What I would suggest way you know I'm not authorized to just speak to everybody is for David to speak to his counterpart over there so that the they can authorize their attorney to speak to me as well. >> This way we can move forward. >> Yep. >> Is it realistic that uh so we have

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another council meeting on the 19th? >> Is it possible to have an initial meeting? Do you think with your >> Sure. >> As far as myself with Steven Frost certainly and then I don't know if he's going to need to go to the board to get their approval to uh engage their

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attorney. >> So let's just get an update at the 19th meeting. I would hope that in two weeks we could get two phone conversations. Be disappointed if not, but we'll see. >> That would be hopeful. >> Okay. Um >> next on the agenda is public comment. >> Uh yeah,

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>> coming back to it. We are >> Yeah, we were just covering the uh little league snack shack first and we're coming back to the rest of the admin report. All right, public comment. Audience members wishing to speak will have a threeminut time limit to address the governing body on items on or off the agenda. Large groups are asked to

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have a spokesperson represent them. Would anyone like to make a public comment on any topic whatsoever? Please come up to the microphone. Inbball, you have to give us your name but not your address. Go ahead. >> The board and do not represent any

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opinion or stance of the board. speak closer to the mic. >> Um, so it is my understanding that the council has voted to designate the um property uh of the Clinton Inn as area

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in need of redevelopment. and that's part of that designation. Um, there is a requirement to operate a hotel on that property. And I want to ask, if the land owner

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wanted to to demolish the hotel and build instead a commercial space with housing units on top, could they simply choose to ignore the area in need of redevelopment and get rid of the hotel or would the council need to vote to

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remove the requirement to operate a hotel? >> Yeah, you should answer that question. It's a legal question. >> Okay. So, first to clarify, the first thing that happened years ago was the designation of an area need of redevelopment. That has nothing to do

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with what they can build or not build. That is just the designation that starts the process to study what can create a um a vibrancy or bring back a vibrancy to the property. That is done through the redevelopment plan. That's what was

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adopted at the last meeting. that set a what we call an overlay zone. So there's two different zoning opportunities for that site right now. One is what you just referenced uh as of right in the B2 zone is uh first floor commercial um up

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to 40 ft in residential total. Um so two to three floors of residential above it. That can be done at any time as of right. Knock down whatever is there. that is the underlying zoning of the property to build under the redevelopment plan.

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There will be a requirement that a hotel has to be there. So, it's two different options. A developer could take either one, but it's if you're doing it through the redevelopment plan, they will have to enter into a redevelopment agreement with this council. Um, one of the

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benefits of redevelopment is the council has control over the construction, the development, the requirement that there be a hotel always at that property without conversion at least during, you know, the the time that the redevelopment plan is in place. Um, that

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is a one path or there's the fork in the road that they could go the other way. That does not require anything from the governing body. That would be a site plan application to the planning board. Okay, thank you for for the clarification.

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I appreciate it. I previously stated that the land owner could not stop operating hotel and and redevelopment of property for another use without council approval. That statement was incorrect and I apologize.

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>> That was correct. >> So it it depends, right? Because >> you >> two different things. Okay. >> So, in in the legal world, we say there's redevelopment with a capital R and redevelopment with a little R.

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>> Okay. >> Some people if they knock down their house and build a new house, say that they've redeveloped their property. That's what we call the little R. That's regular zoning. The capital R is through the redevelopment designation and plan, and that has to have a hotel. Otherwise,

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to be fair, it's the redevelopment agreement that this council will enter into is going to require a hotel, >> but I thought you said that the land owner can choose whether or not to go into the redevelopment plan. So, if they

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>> So, again, they can choose to little or redevelop outside of the designation and just as a regular development. It might be less confusing if you call that they can develop the property without a hotel versus redevelop the property. Um the

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redevelopment capital R redevelopment plan requ is going to require the hotel. >> Wait, so when can I just can I just ask a followup? Sorry. If the >> I feel like I need a chalkboard. >> I know. No, even I >> we let Can I ask my question?

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>> Go ahead. Ask a question. If the current hotel owner wants to knock down and in the footprint of the current hotel just put in four stories, he can. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. And if the hotel owner who also owns the adjacent land next to it wants to put on four stories, he can.

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>> Yes. >> But if he knocks down the hotel and says, "I'm going to go outside of that footprint," he needs to then put a hotel there. >> No, wait. No, wait. Outside of the foot. No. So they own all the >> So let me just put in >> if if anyone is going to the sixstory maximum that's allowed in the

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redevelopment plan, there will be a hotel, >> right? So but for clarity purposes, right, I got to put on my planning board hat for a second. If so, if the owners of the property come to the burrow tomorrow and make a submission to put

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stores and apartments above it, two or three stories, whatever it might be, as of right, they can do that. There's no vote from the council whatsoever. Am I correct? >> Correct. >> Okay. >> It's all good.

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>> Sorry. >> It's all good. >> Was it a little or bigger? >> Okay. Well, >> depends if you wrote it with a little or bigger. >> Okay. All right. So, um, if I may separately, is there a defined maximum

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um number of housing units that could be built on this property as of right. You >> want me to answer that or no? >> I mean I can or you can go >> ahead. You can go ahead. >> So the way that the zoning is in Tennifly, it doesn't give a density per

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acre. It gives you a maximum envelope that you can build in and whatever fits within that is what you can put. >> So >> right. So, inbal wait hold on a second. Hold on a second. Right. So, we can't

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get into theoretically how someone would design it because there's so many options, but David Novak, our planner, who's the planner for the burrow, all right? He estimates somewhere around 75 units. Don't quote me on that. Maybe it's just 70, maybe it's 80, but he says

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approximately 75 units. Now, whether that's one-bedroom apartment or to to John's point of view, the town homes, we don't that's all part of a not town homes, excuse me. The apartments, it would be about 75 units.

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>> No, not even close. >> It's just an approximation. >> Threebedroom apartments is >> it's in in space. >> Yeah. In No. in in the in the in the real world of what goes on, there's mixes of units. There's there very few

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studios, there's one bedrooms, two bedrooms, and typically maybe 10 to 15% of the of the of the project would be three bedrooms. Depend on what's going on. It would be a mix though. >> The density per square. >> Yeah. >> In each of our area of of area need of

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redevelopment in our in our ordinances, um you can see the density per project. So the biggest density we've had before this is actually going to be the Benjamin Brothers which is 20 >> about 110 >> yeah 110 units >> about 110 units

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>> but it's density per acre is how does it like how many people live per acre this will be 20 this is estimated again we'll see what they they come at the end at 23 um people per acre and again it you know Benjamin Brothers is actually I think

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maybe even 21 or 22 but it's spread it's bigger acreage So the density per acre is what you're looking at and in each of like the heights has a certain density um the uh brownstone um building a certain density. They're all different.

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>> Yeah. So to to we talked about as of right a second ago. So the Adoni the Adoni project on Grove Street is 40 units. That was as of right. They originally came to the planning board wanting about a four I think they wanted a a four or five story building there

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with significantly more units and we said no follow the zoning. Benjamin Brothers was as of right also we made a little exception for them so that they were able to design a building that was more attractive. Um, but I think they actually had less. The density went down

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at Benjamin Brothers, but they were both as of right projects. >> And the Adoni is under 20 per acre. That I know that density is low. >> Well, there's 40 units there, >> right? But but given the it's a low density. >> It's a good example though because it's a new project with the same type of zoning. Correct.

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>> Yes. But lower density than what we're putting in here. >> My my point of view, they've been throwing out lots of numbers. I'm a pretty simple guy. 100 units that I've been calling for is less than 2% of 10 of those about 5,000 homes today.

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Super simple. This thing that we have talking about a lot, which I'm glad we are as public. That's what I want, right? Decisions are made by those that show up. We're talking about less than 2% increase in 2%. >> But that's >> all right. It's inbballs time at the

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mic. More questions. Just to clarify another point, I also previously stated that 75 units could not be built without council approval. That statement was incorrect >> and I apologize for that as well. >> Well, good. Thank you and thank you for

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being here. Okay, >> Paul, just to clarify the 75 units, it's over it would be over the three lots that would include where the Clinton and that's over three lots. >> Yeah. All right. Any is there are there any

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other members of the public that would like to speak here in the chambers? No. Anyone online, Omar, who would like to speak? >> There's no hands, mayor. >> Okay. We're going to uh close public comment time. Thank you everyone. And we'll move back to the administrator's report. And who anyone have questions? I

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actually go ahead Lauren, please. >> Thank for coming. >> Ch. One of the things I actually would encourage us to do that since David generates this wonderful admin report. We also get a buildings report. We get a vacant property report. I would love to

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highlight new store openings. I would love to highlight new developments. If possible, can we also get a report that makes sense over to our PR people? Because, you know, now we're looking at like block and law and you're going to be like, what is this? But it would be wonderful if one of the things we do

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that we now have this great resource is when we discuss our business admin report also get a copy over and get any new store openings or any new um developments onto our PR. I think that the public is always ask Yeah, always

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asking. Um but in that vein, I wanted to talk about the vacant property. Um, and Wendy, I I still want to know what I want to generate here is vacant properties that have not been able to rent themselves for more than six months

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at a time, more than a year at a time. And that's when the ordinance kicks in, right? So, you're supposed to have rooms. I know you hate this ordinance, but I'm I'm trying to >> We need to update your vacant property ordinance because the state law has changed. >> So, I want to I haven't forgotten about

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And what is the state law saying >> that the registration program is for properties in foreclosure only >> but that's a state that's a state but I thought the municipality could also have their own listing. >> No. So what you need to do is separate

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it as a different listing than what is under the state's vacant property uh registration requirements. So, let's Can I ask that we work on this because I know >> I would love to be authorized to work. >> So, why don't you go ahead? Let's clean

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it up and update it. >> I'm pretty sure I have a draft for you already. >> Wonderful. >> Okay. Perfect. >> This ordinance originally, the purpose was that we had empty storefronts that were not taking their signs down, not clean. They weren't attractive for prospective um you know, lease you know, tenants. And this made the landlords

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actually get more involved. One of the purposes actually was to get our landlords involved with this burrow and it really hasn't come to fruition in which we've invited the landlords in or talked about the needs of our landlords so that our buildings and our stores fronts can be filled. So I really want

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to see maybe not only just the list of vacant properties but those that have really been outstanding for you know long periods of time. Maybe we are supposed to reach out to they're supposed to have an agent 247 for the landlord and those that have been sitting vacant. Let's start reaching out and engaging these landlords.

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>> Good news is I don't think we have many. >> They're filling over few. I know that the tea the old tea store is going to be something very exciting coming soon. >> Oh, can you announce or not? >> Yes. So, I don't think we have a lot, but for the future, we should do

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>> what what I would recommend is for Bob's report, why don't we just have another column of initial date of vacancy? So the nice thing is that the storage fronts that were sitting vacant a long time ago were fined and at some point the tax write off and the fine they sort

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of out you know outweigh each other and so they started filling them which is great. I want to make sure that this stays on our books and whatever way we have to amend it. I'd like to update it so that our downtown but also I do think again that part where we engage the landlords and get our down you know

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maybe we invite them to chamber of commerce maybe invite them here to the burrow and have a meeting of landlords something because it's not just these central downtown tea businesses we have businesses in all of the outskirts on on you know pimont on Franklin and George

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>> just a from another one of my towns they maintain um >> folks who are interested landlords that are interested can ask them to be placed on a listing on the website so that if there's people looking to come into >> That's a nice idea. That's a good idea. >> You know, it has to be voluntary.

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>> That's a good idea. >> But this way there's a place people can look. >> Yep. >> That's fine. But I would love to give notification for them. Hey, we're offering this service and our chamber might be able to promote or to have discussions too, you know. >> So that is the vacant thing. The other question I had, David, if you don't

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mind, um, I had asked, we were contacted by residents on Capel, which we paved and it looks beautiful. There's a cutthrough street that is gravel and I had asked maybe we look into that. Is that the change orders for tonight? No.

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>> No, there's not. >> No. So, tonight's resolution is for the 26 paving program. Um, Andy Hippa did get back to me and and indicate that we We can't just add that street to the road paving program because it hasn't been paved previously. >> Yeah. It's all rock. It's

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>> the road needs to be built there. >> Yeah. So, he's >> they've got to do some surveying and some under do engineering design work. >> Do the residents want the road built? >> They want it paved because the gravel you could hear it at night. Like if somebody drives through >> the residents are asking for it.

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>> They've been asking for years. >> Yes. >> Which which >> it's between Capel and Howard. >> Yeah. I know exactly what street you're talking. I don't remember the name, but Little Street. >> I'm sure they're going to hear it. So, >> but again, is it a public street or is it a private?

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>> I believe it's a public street. It's not a paper street. >> It's a paper street. >> A paper street. I mean, it's not it's not private. >> So, let let's look at it and figure out what it's going to be. >> Look at that. And then you know we would just have to authorize u Kers to uh give

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us some cost estimate from a design perspective on that charge to general engineering for the time. >> Okay. >> Going through the change orders tonight just so I can get clarification. What is being because I know there's additional costs >> for for the paving.

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>> So it's it's not a change order is it? >> It's uh it's a resolution authorizing the paving for the 2026 program. So, these are roads that would normally have not been done until July, but we've been able to get the contractor to um

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keep his crews in town to do the paving now so that there's not going to be a disruption in in July. Now, >> because we have two tonight and it's approve additional professional engineering services 2025. >> Oh, they so that's additional that. Yeah. So

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that's the contract administration and inspections for the road paving program. >> One for the added roads in the 25 program that we did at the end of March. And then the other uh uh resolution is for uh authorization for uh construction

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management and road inspections for the 26th. >> And we've let um PSCG know which roads we are we are spending money our taxpayer money paving so that they don't go and open them again. Right. >> Yeah. And That's a wholeation

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that they're done. >> Yes. Correct. >> Yeah. And and if they are to open a road that's been that's under moratorium, they have to pave the entire road. Correct. >> Correct. >> Let's talk about that. Just noted as a matter of public record that

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the PSG offer is entirely disingenuous, should be disregarded, and is insufficient and offensive and insulting to anybody with a calculator. $13 on $95 is a disgrace and I would like to hold them accountable with

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bi-weekly calls starting right now because we can do paving every single day. They've committed to us October 31st and I'd like to publicly make it all of our calls with them should be publicly stated that you've destroyed our town to a point that on a daily

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basis it's embarrassing to drive on our roads and you've defended us with a 15% of cost bid to go do it yourself. I'd like to them every other week if you can arrange that and I'd like people to know exactly what they say and I'd like to publicly hold them accountable for restoring

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this. >> I I also like trust with you. Thank you. Thank you on that. >> I would like to also publicize that uh number that they gave us, John, and I I know David, you were on that call in which residents can call in and report

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specific problems. I know a neighbor of mine called in and they receded her grass in like huge chunks because they had ripped it out and many many people would like to go in and call and they they gave us a specific number and they said if your tenplay residents want to come and complain about something in their property they would like to and I

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I'll be the first call because there was a sinkhole in my property that they created literally a sinkhole. They filled it with sand and I've never seen them since. >> I think we have all that information on the website and there's a button for it and we'll just make sure that that's still active. put on the mayor's message. I think we should make that

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known. >> Tell them that we'll be >> Let's do a special. >> Yes. I think they should start getting calls from our residents as well saying, you know, you ripped up my yard and where are you? >> So, curbs are gone. >> That'd be perfect. >> Completely ripped.

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>> And this this whole issue with your recommendation. Yes. >> About the legislative options to strengthen the moratorum. >> Yeah. >> Um where basically they have to write a check to us based on >> Yeah. I I think that's an idea. I think Wendy would need to look at it. >> I think let's look at that. >> Yeah. >> Um

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>> to see whether that makes sense or not >> money so you don't get into this >> correct >> issue of saving. >> All right. Any other questions for the administrator's report? >> Yeah. So I had a question David if you don't mind talking about your recommendation about

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did did you want us to take action at the next meeting about legislative options for the five years? >> That's what we just talked about. But so wait, is that gonna be on? Well, because I they knowendy's gonna draw up >> I think. >> Yeah, Wendy's gonna draw up options on that and look at it.

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>> Then we we have to talk. In other words, she'll put her and David will put together options. Okay. We'll put it on to be considered. The council have to discuss it and then if the council chooses to, they can vote to move forward with it or make changes. >> Okay. I wasn't sure. >> Yeah, we're going to we'll follow the regular process for that.

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>> Okay. >> All right. Just two things just because David's way too modest. Just two things I see that's worth I think calling out. First, since the coun since the burrow has taken over the pool, >> if my understanding is correctly that

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now it's exceeding 2025 level exceeded. >> Yeah, it's exceeding by I think about 20,000. >> Crazy. So, thank you to obviously Jamie to the DPW. It's amazing. >> Um, and then

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>> if you could uh the Hometown Heroes Banner, I think it's just worth you sharing what we're doing. I think it's just >> Sure. that is remember the Hometowns Heroes program discussion. So, that was launched about a couple weeks ago, three weeks ago with a letter uh from the

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committee to uh u folks in town or properties in town that get the veterans uh deduction. Um we we had um probably a few hundred hours of unsolicited donations uh from that and one of the resolutions you have tonight is creating

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yet another uh >> detailed trust loves to >> Susan loves to create >> but if we're for a good cause but we we in all seriousness we received 35 applications >> we originally anticipated 14

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>> so we had to find new locations >> or banners >> um but those 35 banners will be printed and installed prior to Memorial Day. >> Fantastic. >> And then Sam Bruno, who was here originally with this request, uh is uh

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offering to do some research and get some photos of the 50 or so folks that are our war dead uh and get banners for them around Higher Park. We won't have that certainly in time for Memorial Day, but if he gets that information to us in

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the next week or so, there's a possibility that we could have it before Fourth of July. >> Wow. >> He he also was doing research about Tennly High School alumni who were uh you know, >> killed in action. >> Killed in action. And and the same would go. I don't think that anybody would

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deny that ability to put their banners up, but we would just need to get the information from the family or head shot and the details of the service. >> Yeah, very >> I know there's some of this history in our library in the wooden shelves that

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hold our historical documents. There are um soldiers in uniform and pictures here in Tennifly. There's um really old soldiers walking through Yep. >> old downtown. There's some really interesting pictures, too, that would kind of be interesting to blow up on Memorial Day or some something if someone wants to

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>> make the time. >> And I I believe we have an intern starting uh the first week of June, >> correct? >> Right. For two months. So, this is probably the project. >> Is it the intern? >> Sure. Yeah, we we turn we can get certain.

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>> Okay. >> Ready? We launch the consent agenda. Can I get a motion to approve resolutions? >> Go ahead. >> What are you talking about? >> Yeah, we're not putting There's no irrigation because there's no bathrooms.

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>> Landscaping. >> No, the lands this landscaping is not being done by now. >> No, it's there's a deduction on the end. We're taking landscaping out from then and then having separate going is my sole question.

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>> Irrigation is >> do we have a sprinkler system though where where amphitheater is going now? >> Um >> we have I I would imagine we could probably do an offshoot of what's in Howard Park. I I'll talk to Chris Tommpkins who will be able to have that stuff off the top of his head for me.

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Um, and we can say certainly if we're going to put grass and planting is there, we want to get a water. So, >> brown stuff would not look great. >> Right. Right. Yes. >> Mr. Mayor, >> can I get a motion to appro I'm slowing you down.

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All right. Uh, can I get a motion to approve resolution R26-190 through R26-205, please? I have a second. Omar, please call the role. Council member Corsair, >> yes. Council member Dayton, >> yes. >> Council member Jackson,

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>> yes. >> Council member Michaels, >> yes. Council member Dr. Okconor, >> yes. >> Council member Larry, >> yes. >> I get a motion to approve the minutes from April 21st, 2026, the mayor and council meeting. >> Have a second. >> We just >> We do, but I have to ask for the motion

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in a second. Second. All in favor? Any opposed? >> Okay. Uh, committee reports. >> Councilwoman Dr. So, I'd like to first just talk about the trashathon that the environmental

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commission helped organize uh we got in the Northern Valley. Yes. >> Yeah. >> Above the pole. >> Above the poll and a nice big article about all the groups that joined us. Of course, Tennifly Nature Center. This is a fundraiser for them and they also

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really organized the infrastructure of it. Um and then the environmental commission but the participants included the Elks lodge Presbyterian church uh members of the green team but uh particularly I need to uh l our DPW

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because they're really integral on the day like that day. What happens is people go to different areas to collect the trash and then they come just constantly and pick up the bags. So we got about 45 bags of trash. Uh we had 75

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participants and um we did this year a prize for strangest trash found so the kids like that competition. Uh lots of socks and underwear uh don't want to know why. And um a microwave

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uh was found that was yours. Um, lots of songs. >> And, uh, I do just want to point out one one piece is, um, there's one lot that we have in downtown that we kind of refer to as the Christmas tree lot where

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the Boy Scouts sell the Christmas trees. And so, it's a buron lot and it's a kind of, I guess, across from uh, Wells Fargo, but on the Elks Lodge side. And that is an area that has so many cigarette butts. And we find this every

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trash and so there's I I you know we have commute well not commuters but like shoppers or whoever parks there and there's a lot of smoking in that parking lot and today um there was a little brush fire that was started that

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>> okay so the um my my husband was there and um the fire uh the fire department I want to again applaud them. They came very quickly. The little brush fire had been put out before they came, but that's because someone threw an unlit

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cigarette. I mean, I'm sorry, a lit cigarette uh on the ground. So, I would like to ask I'm going to send an email to David and and Mark, but that particular lot really does need a no smoking sign because that is an area,

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like I say, we've seen it with every Traathon. It's just so many cigarette butts there. there's a lot of uh cigarette smoking there. So, uh so just wanted to kind of end on like that piece. But the good news is we really beautified Roosevelt Commons downtown um

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the the school areas by high school, middle school, and uh nature center. So all these spots had team Oh, Churchill Preserve got super cleaned up. So we send out teams in different areas and because it was a nice day, people went out multiple times to clean up the

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trash. So, uh, I do just want to say that was very, uh, very good news for the town and just happy to get some good promotion for the town. >> Thank you. >> Can I just reiterate though, and I've been seeing this, and I said this at the last meeting, we have signs downstairs that say it's, you know, smokefree, you

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know, clean air, for asthma, for cancer, for those kind of things. They were put up and literally everyone's just standing in front of the sign smoking. So, like anything that we could do maybe in a in a PR campaign about, you know, that that we want our air clean and around our downtown eating and our and

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our stores where our children's are, you know, children are and our residents. Anyway, I would still like to push that. We did it years ago. We pushed it and love to see that again. >> Councilwoman Corsair, >> just want to remind everybody that the Tennifly Nature Center spring fundraiser

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is May 28th. Get your tickets. It's gonna be a fantastic evening. Um it's at Lee and there's a lot of great fun stuff in store and it's gonna be a really fun classic evening. So um get your tickets and that's about it. >> Thank you.

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>> Councilman Roari. Um I am very encouraged by the progress made by the police committee the replacement for our retirement chief that is well on the way

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disappointed we'll be losing him optimistic that we have number of candidates and continue the tradition of pride service Um, I want to announce Pride Day. So, we have both our flag raising and our pride

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event. And David, I know the flag raising is on the first. Do you know when the pride day is? >> Saturday the >> Saturday. Yeah. >> I hope everyone comes out. You know, it's always a a fun day. It's a community day. It's a day to be an upstander, a supporter of those in our community who are feeling bullied, not

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tolerated. >> It's not a day, is it? >> The flag raising is usually right after school because the pride clubs come and they raise >> No, that's when it normally is. I just I think I've saw it in other places, but so this is like three uh >> Yeah, you they usually do like 3:30 time

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>> the the teachers do most of them. >> It's a very difficult thing and you don't get the attendance that you might otherwise. >> So this actually was started by the GSA clubs and they asked to raise the flag. Um so the students ask so the teachers and the students come together which is

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why that time is and then that's during the week and then the real the larger celebration for pride is always on a weekend. That's the goal so that the students sort of do this as part of their school clubs and activities. >> What is the parade on Saturday the 6th?

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>> I think they're doing a parade this year. They're it's going to be in Oresco Park. I believe it's at >> later in the afternoon and at night. I I'll email out the the details. Correct. They're changing it a little bit. >> Yeah. >> Um and I do want to talk about planning board. Um obviously, you know, I

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encourage all of us to attend any planning board site review. Um some really interesting projects are up um before the planning board. And right now we have a continuation of Nickerbacher if anyone wants to continue to come. >> Um >> can you report on what happened the last

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time with the Nickerbacher country club? Heard about the 192 trees on the council meeting. >> Yes. It was a it was a very packed room of homeowners that live in in and around Nickerbacher. Um couple major concerns obviously drainage is the biggest one and what we have to understand is as

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much drainage as they need to capture on the property they also are not able to capture all of it and it must run somewhere. So their intention is we're talking planning board maybe you could jump in too. Their intention is to actually run the water off the property

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down Errolon and into our sewer systems and our drainage systems. Our and the mayor and I have reported back, you know, we have to do a health check on those systems. Can we um can we adequately take in that amount of water and runoff

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from another property of that size into our sewer systems? And that's something that the mayor has been working with >> DW system. Not not the sewer system, the storm water system. >> Right. >> Right. Right. They're separate systems.

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>> The drain, you know, the the water drain off, not anything else. Not the underground sewers. Um >> so you're exploring that component. >> If if our if our storm water drainage systems are are not do not have the capacity, you know, we sort of are at an

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impass because the country club would like to, you know, develop and expand. Um they can only retain so much water on property. >> You know, part of the reason why some of the trees are being cleared is to make drainage. >> Not I was 192.

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>> I am. And so we'll get to the trees next. But >> so that's the first issue that was brought up by the residents is will this drain into my backyards? Will this drain down my street? And what will that look like? Right? And these are homeowners now who've come with with drain with

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drainage issues existing now before any construction takes place. >> Right. So to that point they're collect right now there's no storm water system on the property. So they're collecting 0% water with this application they'll be

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collecting 60%. And as the council woman said, a fair amount of that's going to drain onto Earalden and go into the storm system and ultimately right to the um to the Tennill right over there. >> But just just you know just have to tell

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you because you're on the planning board, but of course you understand that trees of course take a lot of water from the ground. You know, we're talking about our drain draining system. when you when you remove 192 trees. I and all due respect, I know you said you you heard the largest concern, one of

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the largest concerns about the flooding, but I hear from those neighbors as well, and they're really concerned about the removal of the trees, you know, at large. So, you know, because of, you know, so many reason there's things that the planning board can do to be like, right, you don't have

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to think, yes, 192. Well, this application is is not a um it's an application. They're before the planning board because of soil movement. That's it. >> That's the only So, they're looking for a yes or no. Are they allowed to move soil? That's all the That's

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>> So, they So, they're allowed though to to remove all the trees because of their project. >> They're adding the drainage. They're adding They're not required to do any of it. >> So, >> that that tree permit actually comes to us. Yeah, >> that treatment permit will be decided

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separately by this council. So you will have an opportunity if it gets to that separate talk about it which you know we should have continue to talk about that means to have a landmark tree of 200 years versus nerfy and its root systems and everything else. So that's

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why you know this council >> it's not well it's not going to just >> tree permit here. >> No, it goes to the DPW. It follows a normal tree permitting process. It's not coming to the council for approval. Yeah, it's not part of the planning board approval process. >> So, they're coming to you for soil uh

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>> so soil movement >> and this and this uh component about the water as well the >> the water system. >> They're explaining how the drains how the um the drainings drainage system is going to work. >> But it could be at an impass as Lauren

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was saying if you're >> I know what I said. I said if if there's a if if we on our municipal side can't make a new retention system in our storm water drainage. I want to make sure I'm getting the right terminology, not saying sewer.

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>> Um if we can't do it, there's not much we could do at this moment. The system is as it exists. So we're not rebuilding our system. >> That's not going to solve the project. But it's knocking us off the ply. They don't >> they they have to show they have to demonstrate before the board where the

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water's going to go and then we the planning board has to decide a yes or no given that our system can only take x amount of water into it. Changing our system >> say no. You're saying that the planning board could say no. >> Since I'm on the board, I can't comment

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on on >> Yeah, we don't know how we got we're here. We're up that's a quasi judicial body. We we make a decision based on the evidence. kind of interesting because she's explaining something and I >> Yeah, speaking. They're concerned about storm

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water, >> right? They're rightfully concerned. They have a lot of questions about what's going on. >> Um, you know, >> yeah, if they if if if the if the if the Clinton decides not to do the project, >> then it'll remain that 100% of the rain water will

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>> nicker. Did I say I'm sorry. If Nickerbacher decides not to do the project, then 100% of the rainwater will continue to fall the way it's falling. >> That's the issue. >> What's important to realize is obviously the planning board is an independent board.

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>> The council's role is to pass ordinances that that set the rules in place. >> They are limited to what you guys have adopted and that's what they have to decide upon, yes or no, is based on what the rules are in place. Um, as Lauren said, she's reporting as the liaison,

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but we but this isn't the deliberative area. So, what I would recommend is if there's residents that are listening that are concerned that have these questions that they've asked of uh Councilman Dr. Okconor, they should come to the planning board. Yes, Doug. >> One of the things just to so everyone

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just to make a comment about the storm system about the storm water system. The storm water system is essentially designed for 25 year storms. Okay. Um so let's say we increase the size of the storm water system in a particular area.

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All right. And but the water will have that increased piping size will have nowhere to go because everywhere else I mean everywhere meaningwood Leonia all the way down to the overpek are all essentially 25 year systems. So the entire area needs to be managed

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regionally to really increase the volume of water that's capable of being carried off. >> So >> just to put it in perspective so it's not as easy as just put a bigger pipe in on Earl then because the water will have nowhere to go. it'll right

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>> go on to the streets of >> actually I learned something very interesting if you take a you know a big pipe and try to force the water into a smaller pipe okay the water energ the water and it's a quick one right but you look at you got me on this topic the water actually it energizes and then it

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will explode and destroy the streets >> that's a bad thing >> that's a bad thing >> okay >> please make sure >> let's let's go who's next who has Go ahead. Make your announcement. >> I have not heard that. So I don't have any answer to that question. I don't I

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don't >> be careful. >> Yeah. I I don't have any information about that. >> Go ahead, Councilwoman. >> Chair, as always, >> you doing anything uh Saturday? >> We have so many things that uh we have been working on in the various

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committees that I'm on. So, we've got in a week and a half the Tennly Night Market. >> So, I expected that to my birthday. >> Um, you are welcome to do so, but you just please give credit to the Tennly Night Market on your Instagram. Thank

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you. Um, the police, we're partnering with the police uh department as well to have a movie night in Aresco Park, which is very cool. >> Um, that will be at 8. And there's so many things happening like just plan to be there. food there. >> There's going to be so much food, >> entertainment.

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>> Can't we do summer movies? I want to talk movies. >> There's going to be lots of food, dancing, bars, shopping, play space. >> You can bring your birthday cake. All right, so you guys get the point. It's

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going to be fun. Um, there is Let's see. Can I ask a silly question? >> No silly questions. >> Sorry. How much like how much is our town doing that versus how much is the chamber doing that like in terms of costs?

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>> The chamber of commerce is paying the contract or but the town supports this event in our you know with all services. Do >> you know how much sponsorship we spend here? >> No, I know. And people have been amazingly generous. I'm curious just

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budget for it. >> Yeah, we didn't budget celebration of public events. That was like just for like >> we do it for multiple events but we don't budget >> events >> $50,000 $50,000 for the entire year. >> Yeah. >> Yeah.

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>> Okay. Thank you. And thank you to all the sponsors and and uh chamber. >> Yeah. Yeah. Chamber is integral to this process. And um we also have something really cool happening. I'm surprised Councilman Rogieri didn't mention we have some red, white, and blue flowers coming downtown.

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>> Excellent. restrictions will be lined by our um downtown committee member Michelle Rogieri. Um >> a very nice >> Yeah. So good >> when he gets home tonight. >> 200 what? >> Keep going. Ignore them and keep going. >> All right. All right. All right. All

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right. >> One thing I want to thank for the HPC. I want to thank David for a couple of things. Um sending out the uplighting of the um Elizabeth Katy Stanton train station. Looks amazing. >> Good. >> Um >> Yep. And also we're getting new signs

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for the uh the 1776 British and Hessian I don't even know if I'm saying it right. Uh thank Hessen um invasion signs. Um thank you. Can I say someone had a wonderful idea resident to add to the Elizabeth Katy Stanton a wayfinding

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sign so that it's like a cute little total here's the town here's the town here's this here's this is this like a full map >> Tennly of like our special you know this park and that field and stuff >> I thought that would be cute >> so we have amazing history here in Tenny

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you know and I think that it's it's worth noting that um that we should continue to highlight what's over the next few years. >> Um, it's a little HBCish, but the HBC and I years ago did a 125th scavenger hunt >> of like things to find in Tenfly and

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maybe that's a wayfinding sign we put. >> I have been given that scavenger hunt. I have lots of any lots of artifacts there. So, >> I have it. Um, also the pool, as you said, we're up like 20k um this year, year-over-year on the pool, which is

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super exciting. And we have a new contract in place for the um concession stand. Yeah. >> So that's really cool. And um what else? I mean, lots of things. Summer concert's going to come up before you know it. And they're even better than ever. >> So I don't think we've ever seen this

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much activity in our >> No, we never have. This is fabulous. >> Amazing. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um let's move on. Are you done, Councilwoman? >> Okay. Could you read the close session language, please? Resolution R26206

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at a meeting of the mayor and council of the bureau of Tennifly County of Bergen State of New Jersey held on May 5th, 2026. Be it resolved in compliance with NJSA 104-12. The mayor and council of the Bureau of Tennifly are going to closed executive session to discuss the following

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matters. Contract negotiations for redevelopment agreement. Minutes will be taken of the meeting and released to the public at the time that the matter is resolved. >> Can I get a motion to go into close, please? Second A second. >> All in favor? >> Any opposed? >> Thank you.

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>> Thank you. >> Today was for tomorrow. That's right. >> Oh, >> I wasn't sure. Capital improvements for Lorie. So, she could be like passed and now we're going to like a new Not too bad or I don't

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know what it's considered >> like you're spending a very large let's >> eat