[Music] the open public meetings act pl1 1975 chapter 231 the notice requirements have been satisfied the meeting dates for the year are confirmed at the annual meeting are posted on the public Bolton 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 flag United States Amica Omar could you please call the role council member Corsair council member Dayton yes counc member Michaels
pres council member Dr o Conor here council member Park here council member rary May here okay um to be considered first item is Health responder for police department and
Tac David yes um I I think it was Lauren sure of course Lauren did you want to say something before David Goes sure I would like to introduce this glad you're hi Chief um so what this is a mental health responder for either the police
department or for TC it can actually be in either department and in other burs they have this in either department so what this is is a qualified um either psychologist psychiatrist social health worker who
deals with mental health Cults right now if someone is having a mental health episode we either send our police or our Tac or both combination to try to deescalate but what sometimes what it really needs is a professional
intervention who has the medical knowledge whether it's depression uh suicide attempt manic depression bipolar whatever it is this is typically somebody who is not with a weapon there we're not talking about an extreme case of you know trying to harm um others
although in suicide obviously it's a harm to themselves and so I've been working with JP petto over at Tac he he's onine oh good JP you're here um to try to find options about how other Burrows respond to these emerging
situations um and so I have asked David to look into this to see what options we have to see what the cost would be so I already emailed Chief unrelated to this um there's a program in the state called
arrive today it's a if you want to speak on it arrive together arrive together sorry not arrive today um it's a joint it's a training for local officers to if there's a situation like this to have the resource to call a professional um
some towns use iPads for um FaceTiming with the the person who called and sometimes there's even a um person responding with with the officer and is that something that we join or is that just an emergency outline that it's a state program and you opt in and start
the training and you're part of the program who's our who's the provider in this area who's the provider in the area I forget care NJ NJ care one sorry plus [Music]
oh yeah sure sure and then there's a second parts of this but let's do this part first and I want to talk about um Chief if you don't mind when you come up whether we have a contract with Newbridge possible or whether we are allowed to choose a
different Behavioral Health Unit to put that person or resident to okay okay so how you doing how are you just give it your name so everyone knows Chief Robert chamen FL police uh so uh I had been in contact
with councilman Park about this or something about two months ago maybe and then even before that I fig El I was talking about something but this is something that has been on on my radar it's been on the radar something of a lot of police departments in the area the buzz word is it's a program called
arri together it is sponsored by the state of New Jersey and I'm going to have to look at the acronym it's out of the office of alternative and Community responses it's it's a new division that was uh office that was created something under the AG's office and it is uh
designed to it's kind of born out of the issues of of opioid issues and people just obviously distress kind that's where it kind of originated from the director uh of this new office name her name is Elizabeth Ravine she used to be with Bon County prc's Office
I've been on the phone with her um so uh this program basically arrived together so other towns have had it you've heard it is that maybe in the news I I I've been looking to to to actually to apply to it how do I get it here so I got an education in so it's not just something that I can just
willy-nilly just say we want it and have it in tomorrow have it in place tomorrow so basically because we're a small Department um and our our cases of dealing with mental health people is is few and far between uh we would not qualify to have to have a standalone um
so we have to get merged so actually was having a discussion at the last Chief's meeting and the crcll chief was to to my left the angle Cliff Chief was to my right and they said hey guys you wanna so I know I have those two towns that want to actually partner and I think I probably can go to Alpine and Demis and
and when I by by making a larger area with more residents obviously it increases the chances of actually having a mental health crisis not that we want to have them but so there are other towns bigger towns that like Fort Lee is is connected with Teek and Anglewood and uh some some of your
bigger communities have less talents in them so basically how it works is uh it's free to the uh municipality but it is there is fees but comes out of the state and comes I think out of the county and some grants so obviously would be no charge to us so ideally what it is is and again let me back up here
when when police officers are responding to mental health crisises crises excuse me um we would love obviously to have a mental health a professional actually something go ahead of us uh to to solve that problem something we don't have to even get involved
something so this is not like a tur War like you know something I i' I'm we are very open to this something this option not so easy so the way arrive together works with some of these larger organizations is that they have a mental health professional who actually is at
the department something for a a couple days at the week or for a couple hours out out of a a week or something and and they're there something that talk to people want to come in and and they'll respond if they're there but they're not on duty every single day so so the ideal
scenario is is that you have a mental health crisis the person's there you OB you travel to the to the crisis and you try something um obious qualities together the off ideally also too is that the officer that's going to go would also be trained in CIT which is
Crisis crisis intervention intervention tactic OR technician um we have a few of them and every time there's a class always throwing officers at that so I'm going to try and get everyone trained in it but they there only so much room in those classes so that is the ideal scenario what I talk to the Chiefs about
they say what's the most probable scenario is that the mental health person professional is not there to respond with you and if if they aren't there is there's two different things so there is the they responding with you it's a co-responder um and then the second the
part of it is a is a um a follow-up model and a close in time follow follow so the followup is is that they getting there at the end or they getting there after it happened and they're getting information and now they're basically going to trans and help this person up um I guess offline or behind the scenes
and then the the the close in time again is maybe that night or the next day so to make sure that make sure the person actually is basic is getting the the help they need and and and I guess confirming uh the plan because obviously it's been it's very easy to transport someone to a facility and then just go
about your business forget about them they really need to be basically something obviously in a in a in a a constructive plan and uh you know obviously something that that with followup so it's three different things that kind of come with it so I'm gonna
get more information on it now also too there there's assistant prosecutor out of the bur County Prosecutors office that's involved in it Mark uh Shola you know that name spell it s h i a z o l a newer for call back from them also so I
want to get our town involved in it and I'm going to uh I'm going to incorporate something but it doesn't look as though there's this I don't think is going to provide a mental health professional to respond to every Mental Health crisis and all the other Chief says that just it's not practical maybe in time you're
going to see more more professionals get get involved in this uh but right now this this is this is what what this program offers getting back to the question you had about um about uh what you get transport so if we go to mental health CR crisis and some something is obviously in distress and they want to
go something to their own uh uh doctor they want to go they want to go to the hospital their choice then by all means we can do that if they refuse to go the practice is for involuntary commitments they go to new bridge and that's just the the county practice but if they but
but if it's voluntary we can go wherever they want but the that name you said but that was basic what what what Care Care Plus is and they have the uh uh professional to to address those issues yes go ahead Lauren so um couple
things so in terms of somebody who is um suicidal on their property dementia you know they don't know where they are delusional they won't let somebody uh aaic bipolar uh these people aren't going to go somewhere you know they're
not going to get into a car willingly right um the involuntary from what I understand uh is essentially getting handcuffed against your will that's basically how we're transporting right now yeah um my goal
in raising this issue for mental health and mental health awareness and Mental Health Care is that we can get somebody on our resident's property to deescalate a situation and to deal with them in that environment does that exist at all
no it's a r together I think it's trying to achieve that and listen and we we are open to we would rather do that have a have a professional comy something and deescalate it and make it Go a different way obviously the involuntary is the last resort because then we have to know
obviously some be arresting you're taking them into protective custody then we got out of transport and the officer has to go to the hospital then we have to fill use of for use of force forms we would rather avoid that altogether so I'm we are we are I'm open to obviously having the professional responding now
again we could also have a lot of scenarios where professionals come and you know there's a timeline you're only going to negotiate for so long because some people that are in such distress that uh they need medication they uh someone talking to them is not is not going to accomplish that um if you don't
mind I'd like you to State JP is gonna also talk sure can you hear what he has to say I'm curious if anyone else yeah because I mean we'll be working in conjunction with them they're gonna be the ones that are going be responding transport correct J JP did you want to say something Dan uh you said the larger cities have someone on call sometime at
the department sometimes how big of a city do you have to be so like like what you just said I'm GNA find out something so like so how big of a region do you have to create to get to share someone in our that's why so when I talked this Elizabeth rabine and I said angle C and
CR she said that's that's good something but I believe I can go with a couple more towns right how do we Ian ideally so in the county of Bergen uh there mutal Aid so the mutual Aid regions in the county of bergenson were actually recently changed I think there's now there's five regions used to be
different so so I almost think it should be by region and that really go takes us from us to Northvale and I think Alpine to hallworth not that we want to deplete ourselves but if you had more residents and more chances of having you know
right professional just these people they want to deploy there's not a lot of work for them that's problematic too right right right yeah it's a balancing act what's that it's a balancing act yes so J gonna speak said JP do you want to
weigh in on this topic yeah sure can you all hear me y yeah we can hear you now JP thanks yeah of course so um unfortunately Chief I missed the beginning of what you said but um you know Tac um just kind of shedding some light like you know for us
it's really about ensuring you know our members and obviously the patient's safety um once that patient you know is a threat to themselves or to someone else that's when as the chief was saying we have that involuntary commitment um right now just the protocol is with an
involuntary to go to uh bridge in pramis um but I think something that could be beneficial is you know if you are looking to promote mental health especially within ten ofly is maybe even with the burrow website to have some
resources for um individuals I mean 262 it's not specific obviously to tenly but any Resident could call 262 um and a mental health screener will be on the phone um they will work with teny police if there is a need or if a situation
escalates um and oftentimes that's what happens is you know we're called after a 262 screener you know notifies the police and then obviously notifies us as well to uh to then transport that patient
JP how does it work you had you and I had discussed briefly about a position either on Tac or the police force of either social worker or mental health specialist can you talk about that for a
second yeah so I I think um like if you if you wanted so I mean I you know personally outside of the work that I do a Tac like I'm a licensed social worker and like obviously not that's not a prere to be on Tac or the police
department so if you wanted to have a member or an employee of the burrow that would be a social worker that is fine but I think comes down to what would you want that person doing um I know other towns have social workers on staff I
don't know directly if they relate to PD or the ambulance but at least in terms of like community outreach um you know if they have like a a health department or something like that um they might do work there um you just would have to make sure that if if if your goal is to
get this person to go out and respond to Residents they would have to be like trained in crisis work um and would have to work in conjunction and we would just have to work with our uh protocols and how they they work um because like right
now if there's abuse or any suspected sort of thing like that the police are responding so that's where you know I definitely um would defer to to the Chief and see like you know what are his protocols and where he thinks his officers need support
um with with that if if the role is even needed I we do have a social worker on staff right now reisa agen 11 does the seniors and does she does house calls for the seniors I know that but she's really um designated senior services so
for everyone else that has mental health crisis or issues uh are there options or that that's really what we're I am not opposed to a co- response I'm not opposed someone meeting us at the see something and trying to escalate something and uh you know something
coming up with with a better better resolution something than uh involuntary commitment something so I'm not opposed to it the arrive together is going to give us I think some resources I'm not opposed to a local model uh but I don't know how it would come if you're going to get like a professional that's going
to volunteer their time and do it with you know and again you said I think some maybe some some professionals would probably do it and but it's probably a timing thing like they'll do it maybe like three o'clock in the afternoon but calling them at 3 in the morning is a different story but I'm not opposed to to uh you know expanding our Horizons
because this is really where you obviously the the the say a national a global the global focus is going to because obviously there's so much mental health you something distress and obviously they shouldn't be arrested or incarcerated and again they're not arrested they're
they protective custom we would far rather not handcuff people and put them through further distress so what's the next so so we arve together is uh again I'm waiting for a call back something from the BCP prosecut office assistant prosecutor and
this Liz rine from that that office of the AG's office and so I'm going to look look to get us into the arriv together program for tenly Prill angu Cliffs and maybe a couple other T so we'll have that and then if we feel you know something we'll see how it evolves and maybe maybe the response is going to be
good and if not you know something maybe we'll look to grow it with a uh you know a professional from works there or lives in town I'm notos to that and is there is there um civilian CIT training yes I would say this probably
is yes must be can we host can we get the capability host classes here for that I can look into that sure I mean I am all for the training of any officer you want to send that sure sounds
good I Haven seen that okay so yeah you there's there's also a first um like a first aid Mental Health Training as well okay so you and David will kind of follow up on this whole issue yep for that information back hopefully the next
counc meeting David yes thank you Chief you're welcome to stay thanks thank you thank you JP thanks Chief okay next idea on the next uh next item on
the agenda inclusive playground at Walnut Park yes um I know Council asked to have this on the agenda but the council did discuss this at uh our budget meeting we review Capital so we we have slated at this point to have
50,000 Capital plan for inclusive equipment okay any questions from anyone I the reason I wanted it was whether we wanted to discuss it for the grant opportunity or whether we were considering another project is because I don't want to do a brush job on that Grant application it's too small on you
like I want to put so I do want to put the bathrooms I think that will not four walls four walls disqualify what did you say four walls disqualify open space they don't if it's a building they won't do it well I don't really want bathrooms
out in the open but yeah I guess you've never you've never been camping before but um and David David on that topic um just saw a flyer for Bergen County they're doing um an inclusive Park in Saddle River so they
might already have a cheaper vendor so we don't have to go out to whatever so just as a heads up typically this would be something coer exactly yeah so in terms of Walnut Park there's no reason why we can't put inclusive equipment in there as as part
one and part two is we're pursuing grants whatever it is open space for building a bathroom yes on the heels of that I I will say it's a community space I think that's underutilized because it does not have facilities we did put a water bottle filler over there for clean
water but you know it's a little kid playground like younger children they need a bathroom to make that usable for sports which then frees up our fields for other things okay so in the inter room would we be able to put ort poies out
you could but it's in it's not really it's very much neighborhoody so I don't know anyone wants to look at the window yeah yes all right so then we'll we'll we'll pursue this in two steps or you know step one with t step two overlap you know there's no reason we
can't put equipment in while we're investigating correct so all right next item on the agenda is public comment audience members wishing to speak we'll have a 3 minute time limit to address the governing governing body on any
items on or off the agenda large groups are asked to have a spokesperson represented is there anyone here in the chamber would like to make a public comment doesn't look like there's anyone here Omar is that correct no May is there anyone online who would like to make a on Zoom that would like to make a
public comment just raise your hand or begin speaking anyone there Omar see no hands mayor okay so we're going to close public comment and move on to administrator's report please David thank you mayor I'd like to to start with just um recognizing and thanking
our DPW uh director and the staff we've had a few uh uh snow and salt and sleep and freezing rain incidents and you know our our our streets are usually uh better taken care of than a lot of our neighbor our neighbors and uh it's with
their Dedication that we're able to do that and we're all able to sleep well at night knowing that Mike and his team are on on call dear car DPW does a great job all right um on my report uh the flood control the first item here uh this is
the $1.6 million Federal grant that we were able to obtain through Congressman gimer um as I reported back in October uh the HUD official said that be hearing something within four to six months so we're right around the four month Mark and we have a call set up with the local
Hut officials that are going to be um uh supervising our grant we'll have our program manager assigned us on uh the the last Wednesday of of uh February that's great so we have a we have a call there and and no fears feary 26 no fears
of losing that funding no what no fears of losing that funding federally uh hope not hasn't been told has been told us they're going alphabetical with the party um our Municipal field beautification project we am a walk
through tomorrow with the contractor they're planning to start on the uh 24th and uh the other highlight that I wanted to bring up is that I'm working on a plan to bring public Wi-Fi to our Parks that's great there's a need for us
to update and expand our private fiber um that gets communication from buildings to buildings and part of that project could be uh this public Wi-Fi so I hopefully we'll have a proposal and we can talk about uh funding part of that
or a a good chunk at at the open space or for other processes you'll have some Public Safety benefits as well so I hope to have that pricing in hand for our budget me on March 1 or our C on March Wii the
nost that we went to visit Park service will that budget has been exhaus beaten to death I don't know Street on this agenda I'm looking at the engineer report oh that's uh that's from uh
that's from Andy uh basically we haven't gotten that prices um but I think that we have another source to get the planters that would be not within the scope of the contractor's contract which then were not adding to the cost I'm
just more curious about the process we you we had we went out to bid they came back it was a complete project it was due December 31st it's February 17 as as we have talked uh it's cold no it's frozen but what I was gonna say
as we have talked this was not a usual bid process it was a negotiated process um so what it's not as clearcut as if the responded uh specifically to the bid so in the negotiated process there were items that were included and excluded and some things that were uh notably not
included because pricing wasn't available um but on the gr Street Park I can announce that uh the skate park equipment is due to arrive here in the first week of March sit somewhere well our engineer claims that
the uh the asphalt will be the asphalt will be ready for them but I don't know where that is coming from but that's that's the communication from our Bal Engineers mayor would just do the entire town I've been I've been I've been trying to do that but in the meantime
councilwoman Dayton has a question or a statement to make I do we've done a flood analysis in that area from the sorry is it Brook I always forget from the water T thank you the
T where that pavement going that's question pay for groc on grocery Park so far away all I know sometimes that water comes up and over so I'm asking um the the all the Geotech work
was done by poers and he designed Park so going where the pool the pool structure there's no new new construction impact on no more impervious area so only what was already touched is being touched again so I actually want to add to that actually
what was so impressive about the the design was I remember them K saying that when you remove the impervious that what the state really likes and we actually removed impervious spaces there
impious we we yeah we gained more green space gain more closer prvious right we gain closer to the water so was good thing okay thank you David all right we're going to go on um to the public hearings uh the first one is uh
ordinance 25-7 amend the elevator fees Omar could you please read the confirmation of publication of the ordinance and the title of the ordinance sure ordinance number 25-7 it was published in the Sunday February 9th
edition of the record is an ordinance to amend the fee schedule section 10-13 of the advis general ordinances of the bur tenly 2004 entitled construction C fees to amend elevator P I'm going to open the floor for any
public comment on this ordinance 2507 only would anyone like to make a public comment from the chambers I don't think there's anyone here Omar see no hands mayor okay would anyone on Zoom like to make a public comment it doesn't look like there's anyone there either so
Omar if anyone on Zoom would like to speak please raise your hand concerning his ordinance see no hands mayor okay we're going to close public comment uh councilwoman Dayton would you like to make a motion on this please I move to pass and adopt on second and final reading ordinance
25-7 and that notice of same shall be published according to law can I have a second please second Omar could you please uh conduct the roll call council member Dayton yesc Michaels yes council member Dr W
Conor yes council member Park yes council member rural area yes okay we're going to move on to U new business the first one is the introduction of ordinance 2508 outside Duty uh councilman uh rieri would you
like to make the motion to introduce I move to introduce on first reading ordinance 258 and set the hearing for March 4th 2025 at 7:30 pm for as soon thereafter have a second please second um homar could you please read the title of the ordinance and conduct the roll call
sorry ordinance number 25-8 an ordinance of the bur of tly County of Bergen state of New Jersey amending chapter 2 administration of government article three Police Department volunteer am Corp fire department section
2-45 Police Department of the Revis General ordinances of the B 105 2004 CC member Dayton yes council member Michaels yes council member Dr carer yes counc member Park yes C member R area
yes okay we're going to introduce ordinance 25-9 Washington Street Parking limits council president Michaels would you like to make a motion and introduce I move to introduce on first reading ordinance 25-9
09 I said the hearing for March 4th 2025 at 7:30 as soon thereafter have a second please second omark could you please read the title of the ordinance and conduct the roll call sure ordinance number 259 in ordinance
of the burough teni County of Bergen state of New Jersey amending chapter 7even parting of Reis ordinances of the burough 10y 2004 council member Dayton yes council member Michaels yes council
member Dr W Conor yes counc member Park yes council member where are we Omar hey we're moving on to the consent agenda oh no I thought you were waiting for okay okay can I get a motion to did he
vot vote that's what I thought happened you right did he vote or no he John yes is four SP we're good it's four spot no that's
that's that's what I'm struggling with over I'm looking at what this says right and measurements are the same in One Direction but not in the other so that's why there's three entries but it's four spots thank you okay can I get a motion to approve
um on the consent agenda resolution R 25-14 through r25 d129 still move I have a second second Omar please call the rooll counc member Dayton yes counc Michaels
yes council member Dr W Conor yes counc member Park yes council member roer yes I want to thank Susan for the work on the temporary budget okay thank you Susan all right let's move on to the minutes can I get a motion to approve the minutes of January
2nd 2025 the recess meeting and January 2nd 2025 the reorg meeting so moved can I get a second Omar can all in favor any opposed
John you sure okay let's move on to committee reports uh councilman Park would you like to start this week I have none uh councilwoman Dr Okana so I just want to say thank you to
David uh he prepared um memo in response to the environmental commission's endorsement of to skip the stuff ordinance so I believe that the businesses are that are the takeout businesses are being communicated to
that they should would is that correct yes so all the food establishment business received the letter as well as uh two signs one requested one we posted at their window and one at their coun great uh and so um the other thing that's come up with environmental
commission is that uh you know we are always concerned that the treat code uh you know is as strong as it can be so I'd like to be able to work with Wendy on a specific area of the tree code
regarding Landmark trees uh because uh the way that they're receiving the status is kind of a bit laxed compared to you know what was designed so like a lot of trees that might be Landmark trees aren't getting that status and
then unfortunately if they don't have the status and they're not protected so I'd like to be able to work with Wendy if that's okay with everybody and then we can come back future I did get a chance to talk with Mike casy about tree
ordinance and it's my understanding through him that the property owner still would to consent to the tree being designated um okay so maybe we'll take up so we could take a look at it that those might be things that we could right right now I would say maybe um
from a staffing perspective maybe Mike and and I and Wendy have a conversation about the tree ordinance that come back to C so the last time that the tree ordinance was revised I I worked a long time with the councilman men and myself
and Mike for the bulk of the work um because we are the ones who hear from the residents as well you know the most and he has you know he has one perspective he's the one who calls you know at a
different end of the discussion you know so I do think it's important that the voice of uh the people is also involved with that revising well yeah that that's we would bring everything back to I'm just
talking from the staff interaction Mike so Mike is on uh on the zoom if you wanted so maybe what we do is we take a look at the ordinance see what needs to see what our intentions
are because the goal of the landmark trees was that not only do we observe the tree but you know the entire root system the soil everything else we were worried about flooding into neighbors homes for some of these larger trees getting cut down we were getting nuisance calls from you know this person cut a tree and now my backyard's
flooding we were getting that a lot so the idea of the landmark tree is that they um they were supposed to get designated by the basis of their age and circumference and type that kind of thing and not necessarily neily an arbitrary decision by the homeowner saying I want or I don't want a land
Mark 3 on my property so I do think that the intention of your of the way the ordinance is written might be missed here so um so come back with recommendations so maybe the environmental committee can take a look and recommend and then Wendy can share
them or you could be part oh but yes I thank you for bringing that up because I do think it is not being um put into place as intended Dan did you want to say something um everyone
sign up for the pool we got a few weeks left for the early birth discount and we're almost there okay good thank you council president Michaels nothing tonight Mr Mayor councilman rooler just reiterating David's comments I have the
opportunity to traveling on Saturday and went through multiple towns and was very happy to get back to 10 on black roads not true in others y that's a compliment to the DPW like that every year every year gra
yes um and actually David I'm gonna involve you in this one the senior services is going to apply for the AARP Community challenge Grant so the grant that we didn't get to file in December we're going to essentially ask for very similar things here um the seniors are looking for a walking path they're
looking for more benching um so that it's walkability and they rest um we are still looking at things like the uh replacement of fire alarms within homes and um again a ride or service that's curb to curb and not door too which
makes a difference for differently abled people to be able to get to where they need to go so um it's due March 5th and I'm do we need our Council resolution to support uh there's no it's not a shared
um cost we do a mar okay our committee's been writing it but maybe I'll get it to you as soon as I can and you can get that through and then I just want to again thank um our social worker Rea a 11 who responds to crisises left and right for our senior
population and is just an unbelievable asset to this burrow okay good so for mayor's remarks I'm is going to ask council president Michaels what time is it right [Music] now not the hour and a
start that was a special meeting thank you um would you like to read the going into Clos language there counselor resolution r25 130 at a meeting of the mayor and Council of the bough of tenly County of Bergen state of
New Jersey h on on February 18th 2025 be it resolved in compliance with njsa 10 4-12 the mayor and Council the B of tenli going into closed executive session to discuss the following matters real property potential property acquisition may also potential leases
yes and potential lease of borrow property minutes will be taken at the meeting and released to the public at the time the matters result could I have a motion to thank you I have a motion to go in to close please so move I have a second second okay all in favor I any oos
okay let's go inside the committee room and go into [Music] [Applause]