Good evening. I call to order this regular meeting of the township council for Monday the 21st of April 2025. Would you please read the open public meetings act? The notice requirements of the open public meetings act have been satisfied with respect to this meeting of the
township council. The meeting time and date were included in the public meeting notice along with the public internet link and telephone call-in information. Said notice and meeting agenda was posted in the municipal building and sent to the official newspapers of the township, the Verona City Grove Times and the Star Ledger at least 48 hours
preceding the start time of this meeting. The agenda and handouts can be viewed online at vereronj.org/counsil meetings. A public comment period will be held in the order it's listed on the meeting agenda and instructions on how to comment will be provided at the appropriate time. Thank
you, Madam P. Call the Councilwoman Holland here. Councilwoman McGrath here. Councilman Roman here. Deputy Mayor Makavoy present. Mayor Tambbor here. Mayor also present tonight
is Township Manager Kevin O. Sullivan, township attorney Brian Aoya and deputy township manager uh Michael Krauss CFO Jennifer Mscara myself municipal clerk Jennifer Kieran. Thank you. Just a note, Council Roman. I just don't know if you
I saw his mouth move. Okay. Yeah, I saw his mouth. Oh, please stand. Oh, no. United States nation. Thank you. Uh just for the mayor's report, a couple quick items. Freddy had
a joyous Easter Passover. Uh before that week, the Veron Environmental Commission met discussed various items including upcoming cleanups, the highly successful native plant sale that is no longer accepting orders, but have been a huge
success. Uh and winners of the uh the poster contest that we'll be recognizing at next meeting. So, everybody is able to come to that meeting to see the amazing posters that were made by our students in the school district. The planning board is meeting this Thursday.
Um, and finally, happy birthday to Council Roman. Thank you. Say that again so I can say that again so I don't work. He said thank you. Alex, say something just so we could Is this
working? All right. So, and that's all I have. Mr. Culture ready. Evening. Happy birthday to you. Enjoy. Now it is. Uh on the agenda really is April 26. This Saturday is a
drug takeback day. And I just checked the senior boxes in the hallway of town hall and we went to a kickoff meeting last week and the DEA was there and they were talking about how many really
people you know young children go into medicine cabinets and you know the elderly leave their medicine around and children they don't know they are. So please make a good effort
to back on Saturday 26 hopefully get a very good response. That being said, uh, on Saturday, April 26th, also at Turtle Zoo, sensory family
morning, 8 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. And the zoo is going to be a little quiet. They're try to get interactive with their animals and hear what they have to say.
And hopes on April 27, 11 to 3 p.m. Earth Day at the Environmental Center, which is 6:21 EO Avenue in Roseland. Saturday, May 3rd from 8:30 to
4 p.m. is a household waste day 99 road. And then Saturday, May 17th from 9:00 a.m. to 3M again at 99 Bradford is a computer electronic day.
Hopefully I know I do. So hopefully comments questions for Thank you very much. Thank you. Have a great week. Mr. Svin, you're up. Thank you, Mayor.
Uh, mayor and council, as you may recall, the budget was introduced by the township's council on March 17th and subsequently advertised as required by law in the March 24th edition of the Star Ledger, the official newspaper of the township along with the notice of
the hearing time and location pursuant to NJSA4A 4-5 and six. Resolution E1A allows for the 2025 budget to be read by title. I request at this time the council pass this resolution. Do I
have a motion? Motion made by the deputy mayor. Is there a second? Second by council woman. Any discussion on procedure related to budget? Hearing none. Madam clerk.
Councilwoman Holland. Yes. Councilwoman McGrath, yes. Councilman Roman, yes. Deputy Mayor Mackoy, yes. Mayor Tambbor, yes. Mayor, uh, the 2025 municipal budget passes. Oh, that will be read by
title. It passes 50. The resolution will be number 2025-080. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Now is the time for the public hearing and adoption of this new budget. Madam cler, could you please follow the procedures together?
Anyone from the public wishing to speak on the 2025 municipal budget, please raise your hand by pressing the raise hand button on your monitor. If you're dialing in by phone, press star 9. If you're attending in person, please raise your hand and be acknowledged before approaching the lect turn. When you're
recognized, clear state uh only your name and township of residence for the record. You're not required to provide your street address. However, if you do, please note that these meetings will be posted on the township's YouTube channel and addresses will not be redacted for any purpose. You'll have four minutes to address the council. There could be no
cross dialogue during this public portion. After everyone wishing to speak has been heard, the council may address your comments and or questions. And it's open. At this time, you're open for discussion on the budget. No comments from members of the
public hearing. Do any of the council have any? Um yes. Um I just want to thank um the RCFO and our manager and the entire staff for a great budget process. I think um we're really starting to get
very um accurate in our planning and there's a lot of good things in this budget to address some longstanding items. Obviously, our capital plan will be essential that goes along with this and I look forward to those conversations in the upcoming weeks. Um
I do think we're doing a good job getting grants to help offset costs. Um I still will reiterate what I've said in the past that we need to continue to towards ways to increase our ratables um so that we can alleviate cost um tax
increases on residents. Um increasing ratables is essential and I look forward uh to really get into some of that as we conduct county development. Um but I'm happy to support this budget for this cycle. Just make a couple comments. Once
again, thank you to the entire municipal team, our central administration, but also every department head this process started in the entire calendar year and everybody really thought through on what they needed uh and what we're want to
have, need to have, and the budget is constructed in such a manner as to those items. Uh the council obviously is constrained on things that we can't operating budget. Uh and in recent years, inflation has
well exceeded that budget gap by sometimes five, four or five percentage points. Which being said, serious decisions have to be made by our administration, our council as far as what services can we offer, what can we offer better. Um, and we have made some wise decisions over
the years as far as um doing services agreements for things like course um moving to the health department with county health department. Um, and I'm hoping that those discussions continue
um as we and things like that. Um but once again, not everybody got everything they needed. Um and certainly not everybody got everything they wanted and that is one of those situations that um we have
to understand for pass the budget that is the tough decisions that have to be made for the public's knowledge. This the operating budget is the shest part. Uh we also have capital planning uh that we do every year not only for the current year but also the outs as well.
And all of the requests that come in whether it be for things like athletic fields which a lot of people are here for tonight or our emergency services or clean drinking water. We just had the um the ribbon cutting for our well on drive
which uh was a multi-million dollar project to provide the updated wells to filter out the FAS from the water. Um, all of these things play in and once again decision making process. That's perhaps one of the two most important
things that council does. The first being hiring budget manager and the second every year taking those manager recommendations and evaluating determining what we actually have toward and something that we have to share and move aside what we're going to spend
this year and future years. So I appreciate everyone's involvement of that. I appreciate the members of the public who have made comments on this as well. It all matters and it's all taken consideration by the council as we make these very serious decisions. Further comment
actually we need to move oh sorry one somebody please move the budget. So moved. Okay. Motion is made by councilwoman McGrath. Council Roman. Did you second
that motion? I I second it. Okay. Thank you. Um there's no further discussion on E1C. Councilwoman Holland, yes. Councilwoman McGrath, yes. Councilman Roman, yes.
Deputy Mayor Mackoy, yes. Mayor Tambbor, yes. Mayor, the 2025 municipal budget passes a vote 5 to zero. Resolution will be numbered 2025-081. Madam clerk, thank you Mr. Mr.
Sullivan Finance and Government. Next up, Mr. Thank you, mayor. Uh, there are two presentations scheduled for tonight's meeting. The first one on the agenda is the Lynen Avenue presentation. Uh just to give a little bit of background on the Lynon Avenue process, the township was awarded
a grant for technical assistance and temporary demonstration for traffic control measures and pedestrian safety measures for Lynen Avenue. This process started last year in which there were a number of recommendations. There were three different speed control measures
that were um suggested by a state planning agency. uh they were implemented in this in the field to demonstrate uh which how each of those um speed control measures would uh would
fare in real life. Uh there were pre and post speed data uh collections which were done. Uh there were recommendations and there was actual practical input and surveys which we collected input from the residents. Uh there was a great
feedback actually the state uh the NJTPA came back to um to to compliment the township on the amount of feedback that we received. Um in most towns they typically see about 40 to 50 responses. I think they they check in in excess of
700 responses in the township. So, a lot of feedback, a lot of comments from school age kids and pedestrians to families to senior citizens to all sorts of community members. So, there's a lot of feedback that we received from the public. Uh there was an actual
walkthrough audit with uh the neighborhood traffic safety committee and members of the public in which we were able to actually walk Lyndon Avenue, observe the speed control measures in place at the time and take uh real real time input from that
walking audit. Uh there was also then follow-up discussions with the uh neighborhood traffic safety committee. We have a few representatives tonight um that are are with us tonight for the the presentation. U at the end of all of that input and that public input uh the
uh the task that that Boswell was assigned was then to come up with speed control measures that would try to meld all the the the input that was received through the community. some good, some bad, uh some very positive, some looking for other suggestions, but the
recommendations that are proposed for the Lynon Avenue improvements are uh what Boswell will be presenting tonight. Having said that, Mr. Tenkate is here tonight to present the Lynon Avenue project. 10K, welcome. Good to see you.
Welcome to Back here. So yeah, this has been a process of back in the beginning uh we applied for a DOT local a grant for London Avenue and uh in 2023 at the end of 2023 we received a
grant of $318,712 for the construction and uh basically have two years to uh have a contract awarded. So that puts us through by October of this year, we have to have a contract awarded. So in the
meantime, the uh grant came through for this the study of traffic combination basically speak. So we kind of holding off on the design of the for the DOT on the street. we got through the process of uh the
studies with the TPA as well as the residents and uh we're at the point where we have to finalize the plans do have a bit so we're down to making some final decisions and we're going to
give you a a feel of what this it's probably uh 80 90% done what we're going to do there may be some changes that uh we all agree to but uh this This is basically the result of the study and the input and uh where we're at right
now. So coming off of far I'll start at the far view because that's where most of the study took place because it's nearest the school and that's where a lot of your concerns are. So as you come off of uh farview Avenue we have a uh we're
going to put strike parking on the uh south side of Lynen Avenue which when you have So basically take a whole lane out for strike parking which by itself will narrow the road and slow down traffic to certain extent. So we have a a line to
guide the uh right off the far a line to guide them past the park the parked cars uh striping on that side and you basically proceed down the symbols in the road are will be symbols painted on the road that says it's a shared lane.
It's an international symbol of shar lane between bikes and pedestrians and cars. We get down a little bit further. This is a uh you see feedback on this what's called a chicane where the road does jog
a little bit and it's a traffic calming measure. U there was a during a demonstration we did quite a a different type of chicane where we had she had parking in the middle of it and we we decided that was not um we didn't get so much good feedback on that so we decided
to make it smaller and again these uh where I show orange here where you see that those are um uh these are painted they're not it's not curved so if we somebody wants to change their mind on
or whatever paint's easier to take out curtain and whatever. So, as Kevin pointed out, we're going to run this whole process, we're going to walk crawl before we run. So, we're trying the first measures and we'll see how this
works and we'll proceed with other uh other measures as we go forward other streets. And it's it's all part of what the township adopted the complete streets policy. That's all important step. As we move further uh down the road, we come to Throw
Street signal. Now, it's our understanding the count uh county is going to eventually improve that signal. So, we we basically haven't done too much there, but just comp ADA compliant crosswalks. [Music]
Uh, we can further down. Um, we go to the uh where the uh bridge crosses uh Pekkman Creek and at the bridge we have quite a quite a wide uh area pavement area. So, we're going to
put a uh painted island in the middle. Uh we can decide if we want to put planter there. We have to decide on maintenance, what's the best way for maintenance and plowing. But it's it's an opportunity to again calm the traffic down, narrow the road a little bit and
and u keep the cars at a reasonable speed. Hopefully the speed limit. You said that's that's painted. That's not That's painted. Yes. Putting curving. Um the issue there becomes pinning the uh curbing into the bridge deck.
It's not impossible to be done, but again, we thought we'd uh try painting before we tried anything more elaborate. Um, and also there, I believe you were um doing a little bit of a painted or
and are you doing an actual curve extension on the sidewalks there? because I know there was some feedback um from the survey that people felt the cars were really close to the sidewalk and I was just looking at this picture. I think there's a little bit of a Yeah,
we did striping off the curb to keep the cars off the curb a foot or two. Well, we'll make sure those dimensions are properly. Thank you for reminding me of that. So, we come to the next couple intersections where we're going
to and again the uh TPA had recommended either curb or plastic ballards. The demonstration project had plastic ballards, but we found that uh some of the uh trucks were having difficulty making the turn when it got narrowed down. So, we're we're going to start
with painted uh curved bumpouts and uh narrow the crosswalk. So, again to try to slow the traffic down. uh show orange on just for presentation purposes where we can we can pick any color we want. It's only
pink. But again, as you can see, those those intersections are are narrow down. They're uh meant to slow the traffic down and provide a crosswalk for pedestrians. Now the rest of the rest of the street
going up uh going up to the end. We we basically the intersections stay the same with new crosswalks in that branch. There are a couple areas where we're going to look to see if we can have uh crosswalks across Lynon where there aren't now.
There's there's a reason they're not there now. To get it ADA compliant and in the right spot, there's either cash pricing in the way. There's telephone pole or bar. So, we have to refine that right now. But the rest of the
intersections are just improved intersection complete the 88 curve ramps and straight. Uh we did look at raced intersection platforms. Uh at this at this point our
first demonstration projects that we would have to do a complete survey to traffic survey in the intersection because involves drainage and involves getting the proper slopes. So at this point we decided we intersection that's
a possibility for another PL. Again once this is done we'll evaluate this to see how it's working, if we can improve it at all, and lessons learned for the next place that trees are marked for
removal. We are going to trees. Sure. the the final design of of what trees are being removed versus those that are scheduled for trimming. The intention is to try to protect and preserve as many of the trees as possible. We will be reviewing this further with Shade Tree
Commission and reviewing any tree that may potentially need to come down uh the sidewalk issues. We'll be reviewing that with Shade Tree Commission and um we'll be preserving as many as we can. Additionally, I know that they will have some tree trimming that they are
requesting on the mountain trees as well. Our concern marking these is what you do with the tree roots that up the sidewalk. We also push the curve out. So on that stretch right now
it's also safety. So we'll work with the sh Are most of these trees that are marked for removal are they because of for line of sight or is it No, it's mostly for uplift and where the tree roots are
relations. Again, we'll uh the shade tree commission has other ideas how to do it. I mean other towns who lifted the side slabs and cut the roots down. So we'll follow their lead.
One other question. Uh on your second page, uh the corner of Drove Avenue and Lindon, I know at the upper part you added the parking ring along the south
side, that corner there. Is it possible on the uh east side of Grove Avenue, is it possible to have three lanes there so that in the morning there's a left turn lane? I know it's very narrow obviously it grows wider but
because I know in the morning it's probably for like a half an hour maybe even 45 minutes that there's a hu sometimes it goes back to the pecking river because a lot of people are trying to go right to the ground drop off but is it possible to stream it and my
my concern is this if if you make the lane going eastbound coming down Lynon Crossing Grove is that too narrow cars to turn off a road and onto L. Well, since this is a county intersection, they would have to weigh
in on that third lane and uh as a town. Yeah, it's pretty And uh I would, you know, since we were trying to minimize any change at this point, we know planning on something in the future. So, um we can bring it to their attention
and see what we say. I I'll look at it first. Anyways, get down to 11 foot the stall parking there's no we don't have an ordinance as far as parking on the lavator or we need to
update an ordinance to that salt parking so that um well I mean the ordinance would be parking on one side of the street you're talking about within stripes
um to enforce it probably orance It's just unusual. Right. Any other questions? Yeah. I just wanted to express a question. May I mayor, please? Uh, so during the course of this survey, and I'm I'm sorry to be
the contrarian here, but I did see a lot of just profoundly negative feedback from the public about most of the traffic calming measures. The only one that seemed to really have any level of public acceptance was narrowing the lanes over the bridge. Other than that, um, the commentary I saw was that the
traffic calming measures actually made the road substantially more dangerous. It was described as an obstacle course. Um, and just a lot of the public feedback I saw really just implied that this was not a good idea. Um, and there was a lot of happiness when a lot of the
temporary measures came down. Um, I mean, do we have do we have anything to the contrary? Do do we have an argument that this actually worked or are we just sort of assuming that it's, you know, that it was a success? Uh, Councilman, thank you. I I think the
the answer to that is that the NJTPA, which is the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, who was the technical assistance guiding force on this project, they they were um they were involved in every step of the process from creating the survey to
making the recommendations on the improvements to uh collecting the survey data. And they do have a final recommendation. It's in its draft form. We haven't received the final version of it, but the recommendations that they've uh put forward are are what is um
reflected in Mr. Tenkate's presentation. Uh it did include uh the what was considered successful. All three traffic caling measures were considered successful. Um the uh popularity of the chicanees was certainly uh questionable,
but the recommendation that they did end up making was a lesser modified version which is reflective of Boswell's drawings. That's a instead of a full car width length of a chicane, it's only approximately four feet into the curve.
So it's it's it's a less uh aggressive version of the chicane. Uh similarly the general feedback that uh that NJTPA collected from the extended crossouts was um while it was effective, I think
they also uh they they recommended those because they felt that the general feedback supported that um in in a collective review of of all the feedback from public surveys uh observations,
technical observations uh traffic safety committee. So, I think the uh it's kind of a three-pronged answer that one was very successful and popular, one was successful, had somewhat mixed reviews, but they they did find it warranted and and recommended. And then that third one was
the chicanees, which were both um effective, but then also required some modifications to address the concerns that were raised from the public and uh the neighbor traffic safety committee. an obstacle course piece was from during
the dur the test run. They alternated parking on both sides of the street and you had to go back in that is not in this plan. Correct. Um and part of the problem was the residents also didn't follow that parking so it was even more difficult at that point. So I think as
far as the the piece between Grove and Lynon, the I think probably more dangerous piece was taken out or the more convenient piece and now the street. So I think I'm okay with that as
a as a happy medium between what we have and what we should really in order to slow that traffic down. What they offered was probably the optimal solution. But it's also not a user-friendly solution. Right. If I I mean I I do think that
there is kind of a disparity sometimes in the opinion of traffic engineers versus the opinion of drivers. I mean this is something in this country that when we have a problem with a road we add more traffic controls to it. And I look at a lot of international locations for example and they you know tend to
try and simplify down the road design and you know let sort of natural instincts to drive an appropriate speed for the roadway you know sort of take precedence. Um I just am not willing to set aside the very substantial amount of negative public feedback that I saw on
this project. Um I just I don't feel that it's just a full speed ahead. You know we're sure it'll be fine in the long run. The only traffic measure that I would support in this would be narrowing would be the paint to narrow at the bridge. Any of the other alterations to the roadway I think actually make the situation worse not
better. So it's my opinion, you know, agree or disagree, but that that I think is reflective of public opinion. Um, yes, I I just want to highlight I guess two things in response to that. There is a draft written report that the council received a few weeks ago. Maybe
the uh township manager can recirculate it to everyone because again the feedback that we read online is we received 700 uh pieces of feedback in the um actual survey which was again really tremendous. So I think that would
be helpful. But I did want to um the uh chairman of the neighborhood traffic and safety committee is here. I was wondering if we could allow him just to make a statement as we've done with other presentations in the past that Thank you very much. My name is Paul
Nicawitz and uh I just want to quickly get this in there because I sort of wanted to come here and just say my experience with uh moving to Verona and join traffic and safety committee and working with all the township employees been extremely positive been great
cooperation. Um and it's just very much appreciated. So the teamwork has been great and working on this project has been really really helpful. Um it rolled out really really well. The feedback that we got uh was from people riding but also uh driving but also
pedestrians. And really the traffic calming is really for the pedestrians not so much for the drivers. And ironically the feeling of uh maybe less safe um from a driver perspective slows them down and that's what makes pedestrians feel safer and that was the
whole point of traffic. So, uh, as a committee, we went over the, uh, proposals that was made and recommended from the, uh, traffic assistance, uh, technical assistance program, and a lot of those are not actually in this plan. Um, we're left
with a lot of lot of paint. Um, there's some other elements like to see and and hopefully there's still some flexibility uh, to get that in there. the idea of the chicanees uh was kind of uh doomed from the start because it didn't have a very good roll out. So I think we should
just throw that out there. I actually am pleased to see this one. I wouldn't even call it a chicane but it's really just an arrow. It's kind of a neck down uh we didn't have the room to do the chicanees and it was misunderstood. But the whole point of the um idea of uh
the median on the bridge which seem to be the most positively received element is that it narrows the lanes. So cars have to go slower and that is a kind of a universal approach with traffic coming and that's what that little chicane will do. That will create a a tighter space.
People will naturally have to slow down to make that little curve. If it's only paint, uh I don't know how much that's going to work. we might be better off with a couple cars there, but um I'm glad to see that in there. And I'd like to see if we could get some of the other elements in there like the plastic delineators for the curb extension. So,
the curb extensions again go a long way in making pedestrians feel safer when they're crossing the street. Uh they don't have to go quite as far and it forces drivers to make a more of a right angle turn and not make these sweeping turns. And sadly, there's just a lot of pedestrians that are hit actually in the
crosswalks because drivers aren't seeing I don't want to go too long, but thank you very much. I appreciate it. Have the opportunity to speak a little bit again. It's been a great experience. Um, and I I look forward to continuing this process because what we learn and implement here on Lynon Avenue now
that's going to get repaid, we can experiment and do around other streets in town to slow things down and help people feel more comfortable and safe. I would encourage any council members to have a individual
conversation. Sivan on these plans for the final and target here is to put the project out to bid. We certainly got it out by have to get it to the dot for final approval which
takes to six weeks. Thank you. Sullivan. Not sure. Thank you, Mayor. Uh the next uh the next presentation on the agenda for tonight is the Ever Field presentation. Uh Neglia Engineering is here tonight to present. Again, this is
a project that we've had a few uh versions of the concept plan discussed previously with the council. There's been a lot of public input. Uh there have been uh comments that have been circulated from uh different interest groups regarding the site plan designs
and the different concepts. Uh Neglia has gone back and forth with each of those interest groups and made revisions to the concept plans to the point that they are tonight. Uh this project is
also uh the benefit of uh a few grant uh grant receipt grants received for the project. There was $750,000 that was received through the NJPD Jake Law uh grant program for the
playground and the um the nearby um accessories to the playground. Uh, and then there is also an additional $100,000 grant from CDBG for the uh ADA compliant walking path around the perimeter of the field.
Um the uh BBSL has also been uh an active participant and they've uh they've committed to the donation and the construction of the fieldhouse behind home plate uh restroom snack bar
fieldhouse. Um but having said that I'll let Meglia present the current uh current version of the cycling. Apologize I don't have the colorized version up here. Also yes as
um as Kevin pointed out this this is what is pretty close to our final version of the Ed Park field based on compiling all the feedback we received from our initial presentation as well as followup meetings.
Um the plan um as you have it as you come in we've got a new decorative park entry sign. Uh we have a driveway entrance off of Elwood Avenue. U similar to the original design we're redoing that
existing uh gravel and grass parking area with a new forest pavement parking lot to provide a total of 52 striped parking stalls including for ADA parking spaces. Um part of the uh grant for the
playground. Um for the Jake Law playground, you have to be able to provide adequate parking as well as AVA parking uh and access. So on the east side of of the parking lot, we've got
that proposed u proposed playground. That playground is going to include um ADA inclusive equipment. Uh the main feature within the center of the playground uh has the ramping that could be used by someone in a wheelchair.
Also, uh you could also have parents with smaller children that could that can walk uh walk up that ramping. There's the three um three hexagonal shaped uh platforms. First one's about six
inches off the ground. Second one foot. The third one And there's ramps that interconnect those three features. There's also a climbing tower there for the older, more adventurous users. Um the features that
main feature is rated for 5 to 12 year olds, but it easily can accommodate um younger children provided they were supervised or accompanied by a parent. Um also part of the part of the grant you have to also
um include uh new playground surfacing. So it's it's new um board in place uh ADA accessible playground surfacing. There needs to be a quiet area. So that's in the the right hand corner. They call that a cozy spot. It's like a
a small playhouse type of equipment as well as a seessaw. Um contining Continuing into the park, we've got a new um new walkway to provide access both to the to the
field as well as to the playground. Uh the walkway continues to the to the seating areas. It loops loops the field. There's also to comply with that um playground grant, you have to have a uh bathroom facility on the property. So,
we're using that the proposed concession stand behind home plate that's going to have um concession stand as well as restroom facility. So, that path basically going to connect the parking lot to the playground to the seating
areas to the concession stand to the field and to the dugouts. Uh the field itself uh it's going to be reconstructed brass field. It's going to be um regraded so that the we pick up
more playable area in left fields. Um the increase in the field length will be an extra 20 ft. We go from 165 ft in left field to 185 ft. The original plan I think we were at 205. So, we struck a
balance to um enlarging that while still preserving as much of the existing uh steep slopes and vegetation as as we could. The field will be regraded with new drainage, new top soil, sod
irrigation system, as well as a new clay in field. Both the home and the away sides will have new covered uh roof over style dugouts. the open style dugouts um along with pitching batting cage
enclosures on both sides for both teams. The seating um we've got new new two new sets of five row bleachers on the Elwood side as well as additional three row bleachers on the
um on the left field side to provide ample seating for both home and away teams. On the right field side, we've got the uh picnic tables, trash receptacles, but then a concrete patio area to provide additional
seating. Um along that proposed walkway to and from the field and the concession stand will be some benches to provide additional seating uh adjacent to the playground as well as along the pathway. New drainage is proposed um for
the parking lot. We've got drainage consisting of the porest pavement with under drain system and a small scale infiltration basin which is made up of uh perforated piping below grade and stone in order to satisfy meet the
township's ordinance and D requirements for storm water management. Project will reduce runoff again and meet meet all ordinance and JD requirements. We completed soil testing uh to confirm elevation of groundwater and percolation
rates. Everything is in order with respect to the soil testing to allow for this design to to function properly. Grading and perimeter drainage is proposed for the new concrete walkway and the patio areas.
Um with respect to um tree removals, received comments back from the rural environmental commission as well as shade tree. Uh we've identified um on the plans which which trees need
to be removed. We've identified the sizes and the locations. Uh part of the plan and the bid spec is going to require the contractor hire a certified arborist as part of his work to evaluate the tree removals in an effort. uh
preserve whatever as as many trees as we can preserve in in cross evaluation with the township's arborist so that uh collectively we can keep as many as many trees on the property as as possible. Um
with respect to tree replacements um we you know we prepared a final or updated landscape plan. We've got um tree plantings on on both uh street sides of the both road and Westwood Road as well
as uh proposed trees to fill in the gaps within the remaining areas of the site. And again, we've got um notes within our plans and specs for the final location and the spacings of those tree plantings to be coordinated with with Shade Tree
and Township as well as with other landscape architect within the field as part of the specifications with respect to the uh sports lighting. Existing sports lighting is going to be uh completely
upgraded to Musco's new LED lighting system. Utilizing um the existing light poles on site. Uh we're able to reutilize two of the four footings. Uh the other two footings need to be um
reconstructed and basically next to the other ones in order to accommodate u the proposed additional site amenities and the and the proposed grading. But we we can reuse um some of the poles at least the
the um the majority of of the pole at the top is the top of the fixture is going to be the new LED LED fixture. New control panel is going to go within the concession building to be able to control the new lighting uh
system. As part of this contract or or the proposed bid, the U putting in the foundation for the close concession stand would be uh built by the park contractor and utilities utilities uh
constructed up to the up to the connection point so that uh that building could be um taken on by um a separate contractor by the EBSL to be able to to build that build that
concession All in all, this this is this is this is a complete project. New parking, new playground, uh to comply with the the grant that was received. Uh you've got the the pedestrian connectivity to the
uh concession stand and the restroom building and seating, new grass field, new irrigation system, upgraded sports lighting, um drainage, uh decorative sign
amenities. Um everything everything is included questions. Uh first I want to say I'm very happy I knew when I saw that last plan that we could get a greater distance in left field. So I'm very
happy that that you pushed it to 185 rather than 165. I got a couple calls on that. That I think is a major change. I'm very happy you moved the bullpen back and put the bleachers closer to home plate because I think uh viewing would have been an issue there trying to look
through the bullpen. Uh question of uh the fencing on top of the chain while it's going around. Uh it says it's 4t high. Are we using this the smaller because I know a lot of the playgrounds we're doing now up uh at Lind Drive have
the smaller holes so they can't climb. We can specify that. Okay. I think I think that would be important there because obviously uh people coming down Westview they get to the top of that wall you never obviously kids like to climb but uh I think we should have that
there and in any other areas. Uh it's kind of a unique one thing our director of public works has been putting in in all our projects. So, I'd like to keep things uniform. Uh, the the driveway area, you said it's uh is the are the parking areas the
pvious pavement or is it the entire driveway itself? Because I saw the the one uh note in the environmental commission's report about uh wear and tear on the drive. So, so the main driveway coming in the um like the the
call the throw coming into the parking lot that's going to be standard asphalt painting. Yeah. But the remainder of the parking lot, the spaces and the driveway is all going to be done with the uh forest paint which is open graded friction
course as we've used it on other use it on other sites. It's it's a cleaner install and you get you get better uh environmental benefit as far as percolation of the
paving into three separate sections. So, and is there like annual maintenance that you do on that? It's similar to street cleaning. Yeah. So, um there there is there is you know annual maintenance to sweep it and keep
that top course clean so that it continues to work. But in addition to the in addition to the percolation through we do have catch basins within the parking lot as a as a fail. So, for some reason,
maintain that will use it. Uh the uh the location now where the bathroom is going to go uh behind home plate. Have we checked the uh distance from there to where the main waste is? Do we have the
pitch? Are we installing mechanics on that or it's it's gravity? Okay. Gravity pitch is good. The elevation pumps. Uh and lastly, you mentioned lighting controls. Where would they be?
They're going to be in the in the concession building. So instead of instead of that silver cabinet, it's all going to be put within the building. And will we be able to control them remotely? Like someone leaves them on 11 o'clock at night and
they do that now, right? That's just an app installation. Okay. That's all. Thank you for your changes and your work mayor. But I want to thank you for taking all the comments from all the different
groups and people interested in the project. Mayor, if I could just interject again for the uh we touched a little bit on the timing of the Lynon Avenue project. the uh the timing for the Everfield project was set up in that uh this would
be uh included within the 2025 capital budgets which will be discussed at upcoming meetings. Uh the uh assuming that we introduce and adopt that in in May and June then it allows us to anticipate uh bids around that same time frame and
have an expected construction schedule of summer into fall. so we can align the construction of this project this year and uh hopefully if we can hit the ground running and we don't hit delays with delivery of materials the the
project would then be ready for opening day 2026. So I wanted to present that to the council that um it it allows us to to include this in capital with the with the grants and then also put it out to
bid in the next 30 to 45 days. I think I think we're just about complete design at this point. Um yeah, so I just have a question. So um the DBSL organization, they're going to build a concession stand or are we
building concession? So the concession stand and the bathrooms. You just explain how that's going to work. So within the contract, there would be utilities and concrete pad constructed by the general contractor for the field. Uh there are interimmstones that uh
Neglia has recommended within the proposed uh bid specs which would have delivery of that as an interim milestone by November 30th I believe November 30th to have the foundation the slab and the
utility this way that could be turned over to EPSL's building contract start construction of that they can do that some of that work, January, February, March, four months to get that
building while the site contract line that is being designed been constructed by others, not by potential. And I do want to thank the BBSL for that very generous donation to help, you know, bring down the cost for this project.
So, I do appreciate that. I just want to thank you for the work that's gone into this. I know that the recreation advisory committee is, you know, very interested in this development. There have been discussions about Everick Fields renovation for for
really decades, but I've been on the committee for four years and it has certainly occupied a lot of our time um during those meetings. And so I know that there was feedback um from different boards and committees. So I appreciate the efforts that were made to
incorporate that feedback um and really to make this needed renovation. I also want to thank the BDSL as well for for that contribution. I think it's really worthwhile and looking forward items on our agenda this evening as well.
Thank you very much. Yeah, thank you. Everything was good feedback when we get all all those comments and everything from the town comes together to be a really good project. All right.
Full of the update. Uh I'll try to go through the rest of this pretty quickly. Uh pool construction is still underway. Uh contractor should be complete early May. We have a number of sewer wastewater plant and sewer collection
projects underway. Our Fair View Avenue well is out to bid received May 22nd. Clarage Drive. We should be um we should be scheduling pre-construction meeting within the next hopefully the
next 30 days pending I bank approval. Uh, Lynon Avenue, we discussed earlier, Bloomfield Avenue, uh, the county has begun paving and, uh, they should be providing us an update within the next few
weeks. Pickle ball and tennis courts are still under construction. We should have them, uh, complete uh, in mid to late May. Um, Lakeside Avenue parking lot, the design is is nearly complete. We can schedule that for presentation at an
upcoming meeting. and uh the repoint thing and the town hall uh facility needs are underway and progressing. Other than that, I I'll I'll unless there's questions on any items in the report, I will conclude my
report. Won't leave. He won't leave. Any questions for So, um there's reference to the smoke testing that the report is still under review. Um and it will be circulated to
the council. Are we anticipating that in May or we've been talking about the smoke testing report for a little while? So, I did get the um the second version of the draft report last week. I haven't had a chance to to review it directly. I
did want to make sure that all the previous comments have been addressed, but once I do have that, I will distribute that to the council and we can discuss that in a little bit greater detail in May. I would I would expect unless there's additional revisions, I would expect that by the end of this week, I'll be distributed to the
council. That's really Kevin. Just a quick update on the waistline along a couple emails on it. a longer. Sure. The uh so the the needs that were
addressed over the I think it was the month of December were some um partial collapses of of the sanitary sewer trunk line in the easements in those backyards. Um that immediate need was
addressed. However, in doing that work, uh there was also uh identified need for an additional manhole that the actual design and uh layout of that manhole required a little bit of additional time. The materials have been
ordered. We are expecting the the additional manhole to be installed in within I think the next uh week and a half. It's expected to uh resume and they'll be installing that. that we will have uh public clerks knocking on doors
and providing update assistance to the residents that are in those immediate areas. Anything else? No, number reports mayor. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh be brief.
Sustainable Verona has tomorrow evening at 7 o'clock there is an energy efficiency presentation at the Verona library. Uh it's basically a uh presentation on what you can do in your home uh to make your home more
efficient. And starting June your energy rates are going up 17%. So you may want to attend. There could be minor revisions. Uh, and there is a company called Seal, CEL, for $49. They do an energy assessment on your home. You can go to
their website and sign up. They're booked, I think, starting uh end miday if you want to get on their uh their their schedule. Uh they are it is only $49 for Verona residents. So, make sure
if you go to their website, you click on uh the Verona link on there. the uh Chamber of Commerce uh on Wednesday evening at the library at six o'clock, we'll be doing a presentation by Evolve Wellness uh if you would like
to join their meeting at six o'clock. And uh lastly, on September 26th, since uh just bring this up, Verona Park Conservancy is doing a clean up at Verona Garden. It usually starts join the park and sign up near
the boat club and help clean. Thank you, sir. Councilman Roman, uh, no report this evening, Mayor. Thank you. Councilwoman, thank you, Mayor. Um, I want to thank and congratulate the
Verona Police Department and the Multicultural Inclusion Accessibility Advisory Committee and our and child um Verona Child for collaborating on the roll out of the blue envelope program. Uh the blue envelope program are for
individuals um on the autism spectrum so that they can put their um important motor vehicle documents in a blue envelope which helps to notify police officers if um they are ever pulled over that this is an an individual on the
autism spectrum. Um this was really fantastic that the Roman Police Department has rolled out this program which was advocated for by child and my act. So um this is really a a great step forward for our community. So I really
appreciate everyone's hard work. Uh the shade tree commission also met since our last meeting. Uh they are actively planning their new plantings in the civic center and working with the town administration on that. Um and they are looking forward uh towards strategic
initiatives um you know going forward especially once our capital budgets are passed um for tree plantings um and more safety prunings and removals um and I do they do appreciate they've been involved in many projects and I'm sure they will
look forward to reviewing the Lynen Avenue project next and that's report thank you um first First of all, I just want to comment on the ribbon cutting that we were at earlier this evening. Um, you know, it's really positive to
see that we're opening the L drive well. Um, and that we are treating our water um for our residents and that we've actually gone out to bid for our other well. Um this is really positive forward steps for our community um to get our
water uh back online and compliant with both envir with environmental standards. Um so I was very pleased to be a part of that and I really want to thank um township manager Kevin O Sullivan as well as for all of the work that has
gone into that. Um it was a tremendous effort over these last several years um to to make that progress. Also, I want to acknowledge that tomorrow night we have a VMAC meeting. There will be a discussion of our 2025 fiscal uh excuse
me, financial and program uh review as well as our letter of intent and funding for 2026 programming. So, lots of discussions about that. There will also be some appointment with new officers. If you have interest in some of the things that we do in VMAC, um you can
always zoom in. our meetings are virtual um and they are open to the public. Um so I'm looking forward to that. I think um we've definitely done some positive programming this year that I hope residents have had an opportunity to avail themselves of and certainly um the
children in our public schools have benefited from them. Next week we have a Verona Recreation Advisory Committee meeting um where we will be discussing among other things recreation program fees. So I I do think it's important um for residents to be aware of the
discussions that we have there. Um a lot of discussion as I just said moments ago has gone into uh our fields um the pool and others. Um this upcoming meeting are going to be discussing programming and programming piece. So um I want to thank
the residents that serve on that committee. Um and I'm looking forward to joining them for that discussion. Also I do just want to acknowledge um for residents uh who may be members of the Catholic faith, the recent passing of Pope Francis. Um it is very upsetting to
a number of folks. Um and I just want to offer my sincere condolences and sympathy. Um and that concludes my report. Thank you. Thank you, council. This time we'll open for comments on any item to bring forth to council. Madam
Cler, could you please read the followation? Anyone from the public wishing to speak on any matter to please raise your hand by pressing the raise hand button on your monitor. If you're dialing in by phone, please press star 9. If you're attending in person,
please approach um please raise your hand before approaching the lect turn. Once you recognize state only your name and township of residence for the record, you're not required to provide your street address. However, if you do, please note that these meetings will be posted on the township's YouTube channel and addresses will not be redacted for
any purpose. You'll have four minutes to address the council. There'll be no cross dialogue during this public portion. After everyone wishing to speak has been heard, the council may address your comments and or questions. My daughter's actually running. All right. Um I'll
be as we all know. All right. Um the wells, huge thing. I think that's awesome that happened. Uh that's really big for our town. Uh now, Everett Field, I think that is amazing that we finally pushed that through. I think it was two years ago. The same softball team I'm waiting to go play with sat right here
and told you guys how bad we needed this project. I think it's a long time coming. Um I think the new plan is awesome. I think everything looks good. Um but of course, you know, I'm going to have stuff to say. So, uh, on the field, we're doing a baseball/softball field.
So, on that type of field, it should be flat all the way across with the removable mound. They state with that removable mound. On line 53 is where we pay for that removable mound. Line 56, we're paying for three other pitching mounds, three other pitching covers, it says. So, I was just wondering about
that. But also, it should be debt flat. We have a 0 210 raise from home plate to the pitching mount to second base where on all other fields it's dead flat. So it goes from 45250 to 450270 at the mound that should be flattened. Um also
the uh the wall the stepped paper wall going around the site um it's you know 11 ft some places steps like one or two feet here or there but behind that wall we have contours that start at maybe uh I think it was 75 something like that
and they go down to 475 or 275. There's a 10-ft slope from the top of the street and the neighboring properties to the top of the wall at some places. So that water right now has nowhere to go. It's going to gather and that's what ruined Everett right now. That's our problem right now. That's why I put it in. So if
we could get like maybe yard drains behind that, some perforated pipe, run those drains down, connect it into the system. That would save Everett for as long as we can. We need to save this field. um a fence around the infield where uh the fence that runs around the
infield I believe should be on a curb maybe at least for the first 10 15t because you only have about 6 in difference from the bleachers and the walkway to the top of the pitcher mound to the top of the field. So you get a heavy rainstorm that's got to back up.
So I believe you have a curved wall there now or a curved wall which is there now that would stop the water from the walkways reaching the field because that is our biggest problem at Everett is water and water's getting to the fields. So the more things you can do to
stop that water reaching the walkways from behind the wall and then reaching the field from the walkways. Um the parking Elmwood is definitely going to overflow now with parking. So, I just believe we should add some signs. Parking one side of the street only, no
parking on the other side. Uh, there's a yard drain right behind second base. That yard drain is going to be buried around 6 in. Uh, that yard drain is now going to be buried under clay and the dirt and stuff like that. Would it be smarter to move that maybe 3, four feet back into the grass where the pitch is
lower? The grading you can see down is also eight inches lower in the grading. So then the water drains better. Um, yeah. Flatten. That's it. Look at that. 45 seconds. And have we looked into any school grants or anything like that? Because I know we talked about you guys getting grants and everything. I'm
not going to wait for any answers, but you know how I am for the schools. Let's try to get as many grants as we can and let's get the money to the schools and the police department. 30 seconds. I'm out of here. Three. I think she got a hit. Thank you. Anybody else?
Good evening from Kevin Ry in Verona, New Jersey. Uh, actually I'm here tonight as one of the coordinators for the uh Alliance Club of Verona's Spring White Cane Appeal. You should have all hopefully received a uh a letter in the mail. Uh, and one reason why I decided
to get up tonight and speak was because when we went to our uh, alkale vendor, they told us that we actually lost about 200 addresses in Verona. And I found that hard to believe. So uh, and we have a lot of new people in town. So I just wanted to give a brief uh, shout out to
the Lions Club. Many people associate Lions Club with uh uh projects to uh improve uh uh to help the blind and restore eyesight etc. And while the Lions Club is known for that uh in
Verona we've done much more uh than that we've awarded $6,000 every year to local high school seniors uh not for academic achievement but for their service to the community. And there's a it's currently accepting applications now. Um and the people who
are running that are coordinating it with the uh the folks at the high school. We also run a uh a hospital equipment uh uh closet with the cooperation of of the town generously giving us some space. This has been a
very popular uh uh service that the the club has provided. Wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds. Uh you can all of this on our website. Well, www.ionsclub verona
nj.org. Uh we've got a lot of great support in the past. We were hoping to uh to get that uh level of support again. Uh the other things that we've done here also is we have built two bus shelters. You're probably aware, one in
front of the park, one down a little further. uh and they've coordinated with the Girl Scout troops, I believe, in terms of there's been a couple of little free libraries put up next to them. So, all of the money u that you use is is
going for things in Verona and also uh it's taxdeductible and hopefully uh if you haven't gotten your uh your letter in the mail, you'll take a look at the website and and see if you can uh donate generously. Thanks for the time. And
just a quick comment on Lynon Avenue putting another hat on and also on the ball field. Some people still think I'm on the council. I mean, some people incredibly rust think I'm the mayor. So, and I do live not too far from Eversfield. And uh I've gotten some
comments and complaints about the light spillage. Uh I don't know whether hopefully in listening to the presentation the new lighting that uh Nely proposed will cut down on the this village particularly on Elmwood
obviously in in Westview. Uh I'm sure the deputy mayor may have heard some comments since he was postparted as well. No, we haven't heard but uh just just remember that. and also on Lynden. I know this wasn't the purpose of the the meeting tonight, but there are
serious water issues uh leakage issues on on Lyndon uh in certain areas and it popped up a lot this winter with icing conditions. So hopefully uh maybe it's a question that you could answer Mr. Ross
Sullivan if when we get to the final you know stages of this thing I realize Linds is going to be repaid etc that uh We make sure that we try to coordinate any repairs of the uh water issues with the repaving because sadly
Lynon was was resurfaced not that long ago and uh unfortunately uh it's it's all chewed up. So I just I just please keep that in mind when you develop your final. Thank you for the opportunity.
Very good. First time I've ever been 18 road. I just want to say thank you to you guys for the last couple of years when we've been working on a lot of changes that I think that we
worked very well in trying to as committee in the background commission environmental commission uh we all came together and sort of you know came to a conclusion a lot of a lot think
for you guys behind the scenes. I'm really excited to see this happen from a standpoint of baseball and softball. I'm excited to see more from somebody who's lived in the community for 20 years. I think this
is more about community than it is about. So, I'm just excited to see this way. We worked on this I I appreciate what I'm going to say. I
can't wait to see this happen. Can't wait to see you all next year. I appreciate you this year. Thank you. Sorry everyone. I'm Christa. First of all, you all thanks many
people, but thank you guys for doing what you do. Um, so I have not lived here for 23 years, but just two observations in terms of the support of Everett. Um, you know, one is just kind of from perspective. So go through Montlair,
right? That's kind of the first thing that you see when you enter into that, right? You go through downtown Montlair, you pass houses, these beautiful
spaces. So, it's a little bit probably and then second thing is past 10 years that I've been here, this is very much about community and connections and memories. Um, and I did not grow up here. I grew up in a
different town, but I played pretty my entire life and I just remember so much and I remember all the town right and a lot of that is just
that kind of camaraderie and I hope that you guys despite all these conflicting So no further comments further comments Sullivan I know said a lot but they're fine if you wouldn't mind following up with
them for Mayor Ryan to see you here. I did get my my appeal letter on the same day that I got the fire department and rescue squads. So, that was interesting. We may want to think about that in in upcoming years
as far as timing those out organizations. I did not get the library foundation letter at the same the same time, but um and was a different piece, but they all just happened to come in my mail the same day.
interesting thing. But thank you for your comments and for all of your work and I do hope everybody supports you and to um Christie and and Lisa uh I agree with you 100% that this is for the community.
I don't have kids and certainly don't obviously have kids in baseball and softball programs but the 15 years that I've lived in Verona I've walked by the Everfield with my dog um And I can tell you that that has been on
my list of things I've wanted to get done for 15 years. U it did not go obsolete in the last year. It went obsolete well prior to uh my town and that not only could we fix this uh for
the sports but also provide a social which is something as well and I do think that it will enhance I think I was on the campaign trail talking to people about the field I would say that's basically the first
item that you see that it was really not representing our recreational program as well when you look around for this and putting my shovel in the dirt and running
moving may have a shovel too, but I'll bring everything to just Mr. Heal about Elmwood parking. I want there's already parking on one side. They're looking for more signage. Got
it. And then uh the other thing I was thinking uh moving forward actually before maybe next year we finish Everett uh to reverse parking on Westfield. So it's on the westbound side
of Westview because then there's no driveways going up the whole length of Everfield and can strike that we can get probably quite a few more spots on that right side going down Westfield. And now that we have a walkway at the bottom, people can walk down and get onto the
field that way. So, we can look at look into that in the future. Uh to Mr. Ryan, former mayor. Uh I know when we redo ball fields, uh the lighting is so much better that you do not get that's what I was shaking my head for. You do not get
spillover. Uh it came up when we did the high school lights. People were complaining about the height. They were too high. We should lower them. I know if they're too low, that's when you get spill over. So, we'll look into that when we do this. They should be less uh
light pollutions to the neighbors. Uh and Lisa, thank you very much for all you do. Uh and all the time you put into uh the BBSL and everybody else and all the coaches. Uh this town owes you a lot for what you do and all the time you put
into it. Uh I do know and thank you for the invitation to open today. was fun and the two people you honored this year are just lovely women that gave a lot to this town and we that was a very good ceremony very
uh and all right we are going to move on to the introduction of ordinance the next item on the agenda or lab I one correctly the title of this ordinance an
ordinance to amend chapter A565-1 fees of the code of the township of Verona by amending plenary retail distribution license fees. Thank you, Madam Cler. Somebody moved by Council
McGrath second by Councilwoman Holland. Is there any council discussion? Hearing none, Madam Cler. Councilwoman Holland, yes. Councilwoman McGrath, yes. Councilman Roman, yes.
Deputy Mayor Mackoy, yes. Mayor Tambourro, yes. Mayor, I1 will be number 2025-09. It was introduced at a vote 5 to zero. It will be published according to law and a public hearing will be held on May 5th.
Next up is the consent agenda. Would somebody please move L1 throughuty mayor. Is there a second? Second by council. This time I'll open for public comment on the consent agenda only. Public
comment. See no public comment. Council discussion. Couple items. First I would like to So this does not get lost in the consent agenda, but um I would like to thank the friends of Kenny Brown for uh thinking
of the township for the memorial donation and from what I learned about Kenny the last couple weeks really quite a gentleman and uh the representation finest for able to recognize him. So,
Mr. As historian in the room, I am thrilled that we will be voting to support Revolution MJ, the 250th anniversary United States. When the clerk brought that to me, I was just really happy about that. Um, and I'm hoping that we can come up with some
really good programming and I'm of course happy to volunteer to assist with that. I will get my tricorn hat out. Yes, I have one. Um, and we will get working on that. Um, and I do want to draw the public's attention to our
hazards of the county hazard mitigation plan. This is a really important piece of our uh emergency planning and uh it's a great overview of not only the
uh how we we plan for disasters but also uh the concerns that we have in the township over some the hazards that are presented to us. So I encourage everybody to read the document. It's a
very interesting document to point out the challenges discussion. I want to also uh make a comment on L1 the donation from the Kenny Brown Memorial Fund. First uh a
couple of whereases at the bottom the memorial fund is the Kenny Brown Memorial Fund just for a legal purpose. Uh there's changes there if we can make them uh after graduated high school with Hy Brown. He he was a student that
everybody even class said this tells you a little bit about him when he resolution but it doesn't tell you really everything about him. He was a straight A student. Uh he was the leader of the class for five
years and then council president for one. Uh it was not a misprint. He was seventh and eighth grade and then freshman, sophomore, and junior year, uh, president of the class. And he he was just such an individual that was a
motivator and even after college, you you talk to him. He did so much. Uh, he was always someone who would sit and talk with you and really get into a conversation, get to know. Uh, he was someone that everybody looked up to. I
mean, in high school, he was he was lettered in three sports for all which I think is a pretty tough thing for for an average person to do his way about that. So I want to thank the town for doing this uh and
um I do just want to note and I'm working through this now uh that our numbering is in the packet. I know there is no number 10. I must have just hit it hard enter. Sorry. not something.
I understand. Yes. I also want to acknowledge um the donation from the Kenny Brown Memorial Fund. Um I think it's lovely that we would be having a bench at every field. Um um and I, you know, I mentioned it
earlier. I just I think it's a lovely addition um to the field and so I really just want to thank them for that. I also want to acknowledge item L1 which is the I bank um resolution for declarage pump station. This is really important. It is
something that we've been working on also for a number of years. It is um it helps to mitigate some risks for a lot of our residents. it contributes to improving water pressure for those two
large buildings. Um, and doing it through the I bank is just really makes a lot of sense for our community. So, I'm grateful again that the administration has leveraged the New Jersey I Bank. Um, it was something that we weren't doing before I got here, but
I'm glad that we've been able to make that change. Um, and this is another uh great project that we can be funding through that mechanism. Also, I I too want to acknowledge item L3. Um the
uh the Essex County hazardous mitigation plan. There's a lot of discussion in that about our flooding risk. It's something that we've been addressing for a number of years. Um, as many residents will recall, we did have a very
significant flash flooding event in 2018 and then that was followed um, very shortly thereafter um, in 2021 when we sustained massive flooding in the community uh, associated with Hurricane Ida. This does prevent a very
significant problem for our community. Sometimes you know even we have a river that kind of cuts our town in half. So, you know, it has inundated some of the bridges um and created significant hazards um and massive property damage
for our community. So, you know, looking at this hazard mitigation plan and some of the storm water infrastructure upgrades that we've done and that we have plans to do going forward, it's very important um for our community. Um, I do want to acknowledge that that
there's a lot of stuff in here that and we do not have an inexhaustible capital budget, but I do appreciate that that efforts are being made and I also look forward to seeing that capital improvement plan. Last but not least, I want to acknowledge um the resolution to
amend the pool rules um to extend the hours of family night and to clarify the dates during which there is family night. Um it was at a resident's request that we would extend family nights uh
from 4:00 pm to now starting at 3 pm. Um, so I appreciate the administration hearing that resident and making that correction uh for that hour. Thank you. Councilwoman Holland, yes. Councilwoman
McGrath, yes. Councilman Roman, yes. Deputy Mayor Mackoy, yes. Mayor Tambbero, yes. Mayor, resolutions L1 through L9 and L1 11 through 15 will be
numbered 082 through and including 095 and a pass at a vote 50. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Moving on to new and finished first move to a special ordinance to amend um the extensive code
to establish attendance station requirements for me. This is something we had discussed a while back and it got put on the back burner. on the agenda. Our attorney for bringing this
is an important component to have in order to provide not only expectations for our members of our communities service but also a procedure that in case people are not providing the
service that they signed up to do that can help fill those roles with people who are willing to step into those shoes and Um just for the uh public edification we are looking at a version that came out
today that didn't really change the substance of it a bit some recommendations from counciloman Holland and I appreciate I am fine with this being adoption.
at the next meeting. Thank you, Mayor. Um, and just for the public's edification, this was something that you're asked to put back on the agenda of our past meeting. I do have concerns. Um, I have a couple concerns.
Um, I I think that this threshold of 70% of the of the meetings will be too hard for some volunteers to meet. Um, just because life just gets in the way at times. People are working jobs. They
have commitments with their kids. And I do think that the overwhelming majority of our volunteers are very well-meaning. Um, and I am I'm a little unclear what problem we're actually trying to solve. So what I would like to
see for me to get comfortable moving forward is for us to survey our chairs of our boards and commissions and advisory commissions to ask them their input on an attendance policy and concerns current attendance concerns
they may have. Now in addition on some of my boards and committees um we do have some people who are facing some pretty significant medical challenges and again I do feel that this um puts a lot of um burden on those
individuals when they're really undergoing a trying time. So I want to understand how we're going to navigate some of those medical issues and in addition how we're going to track all of this. So I would like from the administration
uh a summary on how this is going to be tracked and enforced on their point of view. Um like the the detail but really kind of stepping back our issues with attendance I think are very rare. What's also rare are some very upsetting issues
that have happened with harassment and intimidation but they do happen from time to time. So what I would like to see is instead of just focusing on attendance thinking a little bit more broadly about a code of conduct for volunteers and again I don't want it to
be very ownorous but I think we do need to state very clearly for volunteers that they should treat everybody with respect and that they shouldn't discriminate against anyone due to race, religion, you know sexual orientation
etc etc and that we have you know certain expectations that be prepared that they're going to communicate with their chairs, whatever it may be. And in there, we can say, and we expect that you attend meetings. I would be comfortable with a 50% threshold or
three consecutive meetings. I think 70% is just too much for the average Verona and especially the average Verona parent and retirees who, you know, have very active lives as well. So, I'm not ready
to move forward on this. I think we need to do a little bit more talking with our chairs to make sure that we are not missing anything. I know I took the last draft of this ordinance and sent it to my committees. I have to tell you, I I didn't really get a lot of positive feedback. I think people feel that this
is a little, you know, they're giving to the town and the 70% threshold is is just something that I think most volunteers are going to be concerned they're not going to meet. Um, and again, if our
committees are fully staffed, um, or volunteered, um, we shouldn't have any issues being formed. So, that's my my feedback. I would like to see some more work done. Uh, yes, I had a couple other questions with this. Uh, just a
notification process here. If a member uh has not shown up, it says we're in writing to the 20 party council mayor manager. I also think that municipal outside of contacting that board member should also we should have in your
contact chair of the committee or board uh and also the secretary. Uh my one thing on here that I always thought of was I'm going to go back to meetings I was attending back in 2012 and 13. Uh any land use board could
have an application that could last three, four, five, six, 12 meetings. uh they're if someone on that board has a conflict and that's the only meeting for three or four meetings then they ought they're obviously recusing themsel we're
actually by doing this making them come to the meeting because just recuse himself and then leave when it's not just assume that at the first meeting. Uh so it's kind of I'm not going to say it's basically a waste of their time. Uh, I thought of that, but then it
actually says in here it's to the discretion of the council. So, if that came before us and that board member said, you know, I recuse myself. I think I'd have to come for the next board meetings and do it again. Uh, I would be I would be okay with that and not uh obviously remove him from the board. So,
I do think there's there's some wiggle room here as far as uh the decision that he makes it. Uh but you know, as long as we're reasonable people about, you know, their attendance and you know, an excuse for there was a one of the boards where a member got hit by a car and was out
for a year. So obviously that's someone you wouldn't kick off the board when they were ready to return. But the flip side of that is it does put especially on a land use board a burden on all the other members. It could be applicants might not have a quorum for a meeting.
So there's a balance there. So we we really have to put it through our process of where the deciding group or if it's the manager you know you're just the mayor then it's got to be a reasonable decision so I think there's it is written in here that I think it's it's
it's up to the decision uh the reason reasonable people that will that's Mr. As far as schools, this doesn't apply to schools, right? Because that's to the extent it's in conflict not kind of go through a very similar
process as well. I uh I think there's a there's a due process we want to do here and I think the alarmist suggests that we just beical issues you're going to give people due
process you're going to hear from people concern why they have meetings but we need people out and 50% is just not enough asking them the meetings that they signed on to is
simply not a good expectation. We only half of school attend our meetings and we don't say okay council members only half meetings it when people sign up to be on boards committees and we appoint them
we're offering to the entire public our trust in individuals that they will be there to provide one of the comments that I got back from several board chairs and committee members was a feeling that when people were missing then they had to be caught up at the next meeting. So
I remember a council meeting that we had in the fall where one of our council members was absent. We had a discussion and we spent probably 15 minutes going over things that we had already discussed in a past council meeting because of that and I know how frustrating that can be. So I think at
this point we do need to move forward and it does provide the discretion. um you can't account for every item that somebody you know had a medical problem that's fine obviously process would
be on but at the same point if somebody's medical conditions them from actively serving on a board there needs to be a reasonable decision between the appointing authority and that individual on whether it is right for them to continue knowing that they
may not be to serve especially for trying very active volunteers in Verona. It's really important that we have space that we have space for.
Yes. Um Thank you for recognizing me. Um, first of all, I I'm intrigued by some of the conversation that's been had this evening about this draft ordinance. Um, I'm going to say that I did introduce some changes and I had
actually circulated those changes back in September of last year and they weren't incorporated into the draft until this afternoon. They were more than just procedural or formatting changes. They were actually substantive and they were intended to insert some of
the due process into this draft ordinance um that was lacking previously in particular opportunities for when there was notification given for committee members to have that opportunity to be heard. Um I do still think that and again those those were
edits that I had circulated back in September. You know looking at the draft ordinance now I do still think that it even if you wanted to introduce it just as an attendance uh ordinance. It still requires additional clarity. There's
discussion about if the appointing authority determines that the factual circumstances excuse the absences is very squishy and it presents an opportunity for there to be either preferential or discriminatory
treatment. like is there actually a definition of what is an excused absence and how are you know how are our board and committee members going to be treated? Um it sounds like there are certain instances where people have understood and and have excused it and
that makes a lot of sense but you know is that going to be consistently done across councils across you know years especially if this is memorialized in an ordinance you know to the extent that there's a concern about attendance I actually think that the recommendation
to survey our current boards and committees now in the spring so second quarter of 2025 because we did adopt ordinances amending the forum requirements and expanding boards and committees. So, for example,
the recreation advisory committee did on occasion have challenges at least on one occasion with meeting quorum, actually a couple of occasions meeting quorum. Um, but we've now expanded that committee and we've changed the quorum requirements. So, it's actually no
longer an issue or I haven't seen it be an issue. So, I'd be really curious what that committee had to say about whether or not they still had the need for the attendance policy ordinance as currently structured um and as part of this discussion or whether we've actually
mitigated that risk um or address that concern. Um in addition, I am really curious about the amount of administration's time and hours that would go into tracking all of this. So, I think that's actually a really
worthwhile thing um to get feedback on from the administration like how much of your time would go into this notice requirement and and the tracking um and how you would get that data like would that require you chasing after like board chairs or the like. Um I don't I
don't I don't know how how that's currently done. And also, you know, the question about whether this should be part of a larger policy for decorum um on our boards and committees and the conduct of boards and committees, I
think, is also intriguing. Like, are we really missing the forest for the trees if we're hyperfocusing just on attendance, but we're not actually holding boards and committees to the same standards that we hold the general public to? I mean, we have ordinances
about decorum at meetings. Um, and we have expectations for the public associated with that and how people would conduct themselves. Um, and we have had instances where there have been shouting and obscinities at boarding committee meetings, but there weren't
any necessarily policies to hold those residents accountable for that bad behavior. Um, so if we are going to implement policies and we're going to memorialize them in, you know, codify them into our code, I I think, you know,
the idea that you would expand it to talk more generally about decorum and the conduct of our meetings makes a lot of sense. So, um, so I do appreciate that. I do think there's more work that needs to be done here. I don't think that my edits from September addressed
all of the concerns. Again, looking at it more this afternoon after Mr. Aloy incorporated my prior edits. You know, I do continue to have concerns. So, I'm not sure if I'm ready to move forward at the next meeting. I would absolutely love to hear from those committee chairs about whether or not we've already
addressed this concern. Thank you. Just a quick thought on this as far as how we track everything. All boards and committees submit minutes, do they not? And the attendance is at the beginning of of our
meeting. I think that would be a fairly simple thing to track. Okay. I just want to say two things in response. Yes, the attendance is in the minutes. I've served, you know, on a lot of board, different boards and committees. It's been great to rotate. The minutes don't always get passed at
the next meeting and again, they're volunteers and sometimes they forget to vote on them or sometimes they're not written up and so things do lag behind. So, I am definitely concerned about administration especially at the 70% level. I'm just going to say in response
um you know volunteer management I've managed a lot of groups for 14 years. I have the most experience of anyone on this council managing volunteers. I think the way this is written will it doesn't matter if the words are correct.
It is giving off the wrong sentiment and vibe. I think I I definitely agree with you mayor and everyone on this council. We want to have engaged volunteers. This is not how we get there. So I would love to have an offline conversation on kind of that
broader perspective on volunteer management. We have struggled with recruitment. I don't think this is going to help. That is my opinion. Um I think we've raised a lot of good you know interesting questions um and thoughts to consider and I am more than happy to
have offline conversations with you mayor directly with any uh chair person of any board and of board and committee that I'm not sitting on or that I'm sitting on um about you know talking about this further but also really
looking towards again a board of code of conduct and I'm sure there's lots of great examples from other communities already doing that. So, you know, those are my thoughts. So, um I hope we can continue the conversation and be productive and really listen to our
volunteers um and our volunteer leaders um as we move forward. Thank you. I uh I'm going to respond to the somebody's managed volunteers for over a quarter of the century um and thousands over the years um
especially in emergency services which I've been doing since I was 19. volunteer organizations prior to that. So I think the council woman's suggestion that she has experience managing volunteers is incorrect.
But secondly, I think the reason I bring up my EMS management is I've operated in four or five all volunteer organizations that have been trusted by the public to provide the necessary service. Every single organization I've been part of
that has done that despite being reliant on volunteer labor and only volunteer labor has had standards for attendance participation. In fact, having those standards for attendance participation actually increases morale and ensures
that the people who are doing work don't feel like other people in the organization are doing less and still getting the same benefit on that. Every organization I've been part of this volunteer and every organization I've managed this volunteer
has had standards for participation and standards for uh how to continue. We have a greater thing to look at. I I'm starting to feel concerned that some of my council colleagues are looking at board and
committee appointment. It's not it's a position that we hold uh appoint people to fulfill a need for potential. I mean somebody only comes to meet something not acceptable and any world if
something their job that's unacceptable most of the meetings that the board have on and they're accessible from anywhere. So I feel like some of the comments being brought up to walk that
is necessary I feel like we can address a good conduct we have tip policies that talk about that are complicated by the manager already. They talk about behavior for any township volunteer and staff member. They're already out there.
The manager puts forth. Um so we have those that would apply. Um as far as do we need to legislate that later? Absolutely. This is the first I've heard from any council member wanting to add that to this ordinance. I don't think
we're talking about uh I think that's a separate item larger conversation. Uh but I think a lot of the concerns brought up are things that are easy administrative fixes. Um and as far as you know
how you go through I think our our board and committee chairs would be happy to to do that if that's their responsibility. Um, obviously, you know, I'm happy to talk to our committee
chairs and stuff, but there's also been, you know, seven months between the first time that we discussed this and this recent time, and I haven't seen that suggestion before. I feel like now this is just
awesome message. I think it sends the message that we want people when they're going to participate on something that's vital for the township in making recommendations to the council that they are there all the time because frankly I want to know when I appoint these
committee that they are going to present and that the recommendation coming from that committee to the council which is what these organizations should be doing these groups is representative of the people that we've actually appointed that committee is a small
um At this point I feel everybody but I don't want this to go to the wayside or at the next meeting that
fine and any other ordinances anybody would like to suggest certainly you have the right ability to talk manager and attorney and request assistance in preparing
an frankly I would be happy to those ordinances well to the extent that we're talking about just minor fixes to things to the extent that this is identified as an ordinance to establish attendance and participation requirements could Mr.
add a section that discusses how participation must be in compliance with all of the Rona policies or I mean I mean this pretty large policy manual but it has been represented previously that notwithstanding some of those policies
referencing volunteers um that they are not in receipt of those policies and they are not bound by them um and that has presented itself as a problem and I think there's an opportunity to add that language to this before it's introduced.
I think it's a reasonable suggestion and I suspect the various volunteer organizations that you've been a part of did have codes of conduct as well. Yeah. So I think it's worthwhile to have a code of conduct incorporated into this if we're going to be focusing so much on
attendance and therefore it should not then be limited when we talk about notification and hearings and things to that effect to just attendance violations. It would also be code of conduct violations. Yeah, I think a
line I think that's it's probably more than a line because you'd have to do some other tweets where you're referencing attendance. I think that's that's always applied to the the members of the committees. Okay. Um, next up for new unfinished business is an appointment
for the municipal alliance committee for Marina Mccel for a term 12315. I am going to move this appointment. I'll second it. Thank you, Deputy Mayor. Any
discussion? Please. Councilwoman Holland, yes. Councilwoman McGrath, yes. Councilman Roman. Yes. Yes. Deputy Mayor Mackoy. Yes. Mayor Tambborro. Yes. Mayor, the appointment uh passes 5.
Thank you. And I thank Mel for volunteering as a student representative on our multicultural accessibility advisory committee. Um and particular her teacher teacher.
official role is absolutely working this time. Is there any other business? Just an update on something since someone who just walked in the room a light bulb went off my head. Uh
where are we and have we started to move forward with the update of our zoning? Can I defer to our town planner while she is Sam? Sorry to put you on the spot so quickly.
That's fine. Um have been in worse situations than this. Um so as you all know that we've uh uh worked on the TC ordinance and then that um got uh sort of stalled if you will because
we had affordable housing and the other uh things going on. Um a few weeks ago, two or three weeks ago, I got a call from our uh attorney. He wanted me to do some research into window um uh window
clarity which we did. Uh so from our end it's just the reason why we didn't go ahead with the TC uh zone ordinance to to have it at you know introduction stage uh or etc etc was mainly because
of the affordable housing so that there is no inconsistency but from our end the work substantial portion of the work has been done. Does that answer your question? And do we have a time frame? I mean, are we
moving Yeah. on this anytime soon? Juneish. Okay. All right. So, sorry, Council. Yes. So, if I may, so we're going to finish the housing plan and
then it's most appropriate just to make sure our eyes are dotted and te cross then introduce any sort of zoning. And we were working on the TC zone, but we may need to or consider we'll move to other zones after but the TV zone will be ready to go. Yes, it it
is. It was ready to go a few months ago. Uh but then uh DCA came up. So we all know what happened. Thank you. You're welcome. All right. At this time, I'll open for public comment about any item number
public wishes to council. Public comment. Kevin Ryan, New Jersey. I have only myself to blame for this because I should have commented about this when you talked about sentence. Uh L4, I just have a question about that. The
authorizing the professional services agreement uh for the uh issues related to the West Essex Highlands Development Application in West Orange. if u uh you could provide a little more
background on that uh as to the need for getting a special attorney uh and maybe an update on that project. I have a big familiarity with it. Uh that would be appreciated and just on a in listening to your discussion here uh I do have
some history uh related to this issue regarding uh committee appointments and so forth. Uh I think it And this is being said not to diminish the importance of any committee, but some of the committees in council can correct me if I'm wrong. I think are
statutoily required for the town to have basically the land use commissions, the uh you know the planning board, the two board of adjustment. Uh they also have secretaries. Okay. So you're going to get an accurate report of attendance,
you know, at least from those uh committees. uh having served uh as the Aison to other committees, I I do know they're not quite and maybe it's changed, but they're not quite formally constructed as the statutoily
required ones. So, you might just want to take that into account when uh uh when if you're trying to adopt a one-sizefitsall ordinance, uh you you may need to, you know, just look look at that at that particular issue. I in
terms of the late we've you know uh there are statutory requirements on when I know on the planning board when I sat there as a council representative and now that I'm on the board of adjustment there are statutory requirements which if people don't show up you then you get into delaying uh schedules you get
projects pushed back. So, you might want to be a little more stringent, if I can put it that way, uh when it comes down to the statutoily required uh committees as opposed to ones that are more of a uh volunteer nature while they are
important. I'm not trying to diminish I want to stress that the importance of any of the other uh commission committees or that we have here in the town which may be unique to the town, but just take that into consideration. Thank you. Thank you. Uh Mr.
L4 the township has entered into an agreement with that law firm to go ahead and file an appeal of the permits that were given because the permits were approved without following the updated
um storm water management rules and regulations. And this is joined in with Rosland and SS. Correct. Um so it's a group appeal meaning all three towns are splitting the costs and using the same attorney using
the same attorney. We're hoping that it's successful obviously and the attorney has usable and has a great chance of success. Um to your point Kevin the I think that's the easiest
thing to solve is that we just formalize the report procedures and legally every committee it's supposed to inate period of time and uh I think they are doing that but yeah we can certainly that's process
uh oh sorry Sean Yes. Hi, Sean Debaro, Verona, New Jersey. Can you guys hear me? Sean Darto, Verona, New Jersey. You guys hear me? Yes. Excellent. Um, getting back to the ever field um plans that
were presented tonight's meeting. Um, a couple things that I had um thought of when we were seeing this presentation. Um I I know the fieldhouse is a separate uh buy others type of deal, but again um iterating the fact that there is a PA
system, public announcement system in that um uh concession stand and fieldhouse and I think that's something that probably is not needed there just uh as for the neighborhood and um uh noise restrictions there. Um green
infrastructure considerations. Um there's a space between the parking lot and the field which could be a good place for it. And I'm just curious whether or not Neglia had actually considered green infrastructure as per um the stormwater uh ordinances uh to
consider it. I know that it's probably uh better use of um stormwater management to have it done as a by retention or um rain garden rather than just doing an underground infiltration chamber. So that's something that I
would have liked to hear from Neglia about a response on that. Um and then thirdly, the pvious pavement. I think Jack had mentioned it too during our the the presentation and the council's response about uh pvious pavement in both the driving lanes and the parking
stalls. Uh, and as I recall, uh, Jack and I had gone to the EPA environmental center in Edison, um, where they had a demonstration project where they demonstrated that the on andm of, uh, operation maintenance of these driving lanes, uh, they get degraded a lot
faster because there's more turning of wheels in the driving lane. Uh so they wanted to have a little bit more robust uh pavement sections which is why that it's usually that you see the pvious section pvious pavement sections designed in parking stalls. So yeah, I
know they they um Neglia just was preferring just to have piece paving everywhere and just I guess at the throat where it comes in, but um for regular pavement, but I uh I would ask that they consider it still uh that keep it away from the driving lanes. Anyway,
those are my comments. Thank you. Any other public comments? At this time, I'll close public comments. We have made a motion previously opened executive session official action
taken right we'll see everybody in a couple weeks Kevin