Thank you to everybody at home for >> bearing with that this time. Madam clerk, would you call the role, please? >> Councilwoman McGrath >> here. >> Councilman Roman >> here. >> Deputy Mayor Mackoy >> here. Present. >> Mayor Tambboro >> here. >> Mayor, also present is Township Attorney
Brian Aoya, Township Manager Kevin O. Sullivan, deputy township manager Michael Krauss, myself, municipal clerk Jennifer Kieran. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Would everybody please stand as you're able for the pledge of allegiance? >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. Good evening everyone. A very short report for me today. Um,
first of all, I just wanted to uh I hope everybody had a a happy Easter, is having a happy Passover. And for our Orthodox friends, I hope that you have a happy Easter uh this coming Sunday. And thank you especially to all of our first responders, our police, fire, EMS who
were available and responding to incidents uh on on Easter and uh throughout Holy Week. um it really does matter and make a difference and the rescue squad was very busy uh yesterday for sure. So, thank you to everybody for that. Um
I had the the opportunity to uh chaperone in the Verona High School band trip and I bring that up during this meeting because I always just want to compliment uh our students for always being great ambassadors for this town. um and they had the opportunity to perform in public and the uh they were
really uh received well um and really spoke very well about our town and and treated the folks of Boston with kindness and and respect. So that was wonderful. Um and I'm going to do my plug uh for the public library. If you
have not had the opportunity to go and look at the public library resources that are available to our members, please take a look. There are so many things that are available and we hope that everybody uses them. Um from streaming services to research services to ebooks and audiobooks. Uh this
weekend I had the opportunity to use one of the museum passes uh that the library has uh memberships to go to the uh the Frick Collection in New York which if you have not been is worth a visit for sure. Um so please uh familiarize
yourself with everything that our library offers. um and you will be better off as a result. At this point, I would like to invite the the Junior Women's I'm sorry, the Women's Club of Verona and the Junior Women's Club of Verona um to come forward and discuss uh
child abuse prevention month. We have a um a proclamation, but if you would like to talk about uh your efforts and the pinwheel gardens and all of that, that would be wonderful. >> Hi, I'm Lana Mathers, co-president of the Women's Club. The Women's Club of Verona along with the Junior Women's Club of Verona have been planting
pinwheel gardens in April for about 10 years for the observation of child abuse prevention month. The pinwheel is joyful and evokes childlike emotions symbolizing our desire for all children to have happy and healthy childhoods. We hope you can join our members on Friday,
April 10th, which is Wear Blue Day, to demonstrate our support for children's well-being. We thank the mayor and council for their support of our work to help prevent child abuse New Jersey build a brighter future for our children. >> Thank you so much. Do we have somebody
from Junior Women's Club also? There we go. >> Welcome. >> Hi, I'm Sarah Podby, co-president of the Junior Women's Club of Verona. Um, I wanted to thank you all for the opportunity to recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month. Um, I'm grateful to live in a town that takes this so
seriously. um the well-being of children and preventing child abuse. So, thank you. >> Thank you very much. Right. And I will read the proclamation and I invite everybody here from the uh the two clubs to come forth for nice photograph with everybody and I thank
you all for your efforts um and bringing light to a major societal issue uh in throughout our country. Proclamation reads, "Whereas we all have a responsibility as individuals, neighbors, community members, and citizens of the town of Perona to help create healthy, nurturing, and safe
experiences for children. And whereas healthy and safe childhoods help produce confident, successful adults, whereas child abuse and neglect often occur when people find themselves in stressful situations without community resources, and don't know how to cope. And whereas incidences of child abuse and neglect
can be reduced by making sure all families have the support they need and deserve to raise their children in a healthy environment. Whereas it is recognized that no person can do everything but that everyone can do something and together we can create change for the better. Whereas effective
prevention programs succeed because of partnerships among nonprofit organizations, government agencies, volunteer organizations, schools, service clubs, houses of worship, law enforcement agencies, and the business community. Whereas displaying a pinwheel or planting a
pinwheel garden in April will serve as a positive reminder that all children deserve great childhoods that are happy, healthy, and safe. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that I, Dr. Christopher Tambboro, mayor of the township of Verona, hereby I proclaim April of 2026
as child abuse prevention month and urge all citizens to engage in activities that strengthen families and communities, provide the optimal environment for children to learn, grow, and thrive so that all children have the benefit of happy, healthy, and safe childhoods. The witness whereof, I turn to set my hand and cause the official
seal of the township of Ron in New Jersey to be affixed on the sixth day of April in the year 2026. If everybody would like to come forward, >> there you go. balance out. Let me get behind you guys.
Go ahead and slide behind you guys. >> All right. Very good. >> Thank you show you guys to talk to. >> All right. Now on to our attached manager's report, Mr. O Sullivan. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um,
I will hit a couple of the highlights uh just from the uh from the pool utility. I'll just uh identify that the pool marketing committee uh met for our first meeting on March 31st. Uh there were good discussions. We're we will be
meeting again on May 8th. Uh and uh we'll continue to be meeting regularly throughout the season, not just for marketing efforts for this season, but for uh learning from any lessons uh this season so we can strengthen marketing for years to come. Uh on the wastewater
infrastructure, we have uh our Derwent sanitary sewer trunkline bid opening is scheduled for April 14th. Uh we will have an update at the next council meeting for the primary clarifier pump station. There is a change order on the
uh on the addendum for tonight. uh change order increase uh primarily covers additional um technology upgrades to the pump station and to the wastewater plant. There was a um relatively um there's a
relative increase in the need of the upgrades to the um to the SCADA system. Some of the equipment since the time of bidding has failed. Uh so there was an increase in the scope of the uh SCADA upgrades at that uh in that project.
Uh the Fairview Avenue well project is going to be mobilizing the week of April 20th. Uh we've coordinated outreach to the neighborhoods uh Hillwood and to the high school. Uh the Clara Drive pump station project
is also ongoing. We do have uh the pre pre-fabricated building uh expected to be delivered on or about April 14th. Again, communications with Clarage buildings are ongoing uh through that project as well. Uh the Peekman River uh
stabilization project is nearly complete. There's some final punch list items uh some uh native seed mixture and some shrubs that still need to be planted and then we'll be ready to close that project out as well. Uh Lynen Avenue construction is ongoing. Uh that
is uh the DPW has completed all the lead water service inspections and replacements and the sidewalk demolition, tree removals, sidewalk replacements remains underway. Uh tree removals are only occurring after on-site review with the township, the township's arborist, and the shade tree
commission. Uh there have been a number of trees that did need to be removed um largely as a result of uh either inspections from the arborist that identified the trees as failing, damaged or roots that were uh needing to be
pruned that would ultimately lead to um safety issues if the tree were to remain. So there were there have been a lot of trees that have been removed. Um but we are doing that through the uh and in conjunction with the township arborist and the shade tree commission.
Uh we had a pre-construction meeting with Dodd uh for our Dodd Terrace after Glowway and Summit Road project. Uh the contract uh will not begin on that uh the construction will not begin on that contract until approximately uh the first week of June.
Uh Ever Field is uh progressing. They've been uh working later hours now that we have uh better weather to cooperate on that project. They've been working through the weekends. Uh they've made significant progress on sidewalks, fencing, playground equipment installation, irrigation, bleachers,
dugout structures. There's a lot of work going on across all all elements of that project. Um uh let's see. We have uh a couple items on the agenda this evening for uh affordable housing matters. The the one
element is for um we have our affordable uh our development uh council here tonight. He'll speak at that point of the meeting uh regarding the financial agreement for 885 and our skyline. Uh and then uh the last item that I'll
report on tonight is the uh Bloomfield Avenue streetscape project. Our uh designer is working through uh they've worked through the initial progress meetings with all the stakeholders. Uh they're going to be scheduling if we haven't if they haven't already scheduled with the uh council uh to
provide a progress update uh on an um individual basis to make sure that uh the vision of Bloomfield Avenue aligns uh with what they're designing. Um, and I'll conclude my report unless there's any questions from the council. >> No, I I appreciate you going into the uh the tree piece in more depth. I was
going to ask on that end. So, thank you for doing that. I know it's been a concern of residents, but um I walked the the length of Lynon Avenue the other day and was happy to see that there were still remaining trees, which >> sure >> was more so than in some of our
neighborhoods where all of them had to to come down. I will say the uh the largest trees that were the most impacted were the ones at the top of the hill. Uh as we're moving further away from the top of the hill, some of the trees are smaller and are more likely to
be um remaining as construction progresses, but it was there was a significant impact and we have worked with shade trees to try to mitigate that. We will be reaching out to the neighborhoods uh at later date to coordinate tree replacements. uh and
it's something that uh we will be working with J tree commission in other neighborhoods to make sure that we can start uh systematically going through and planting different trees in different neighborhoods that we know are starting to approach the full maturity of the trees and we know that within the
next 10 to 15 years they may be facing similar situations. So the approach would be to try to start replacing trees now rather than having a clear cut at that point in the future. So we are coordinating those efforts with with Shri
>> Councilwoman McGrath. >> Um thank you. I have a bunch of questions tonight. Um but starting there, I know the shri commission though does want to talk about a longer term um alternative to the sidewalks so that we can save more trees in the future like
in terms of the depth. So, it's something that they are they may be discussing and hopefully that something that can be considered in the future cuz obviously, you know, while all of what you said makes logical sense, it's it's an emotional toll on the neighborhood.
It's, you know, pretty severe to have so many trees come down with these projects all at once. Um, but I recognize that everything was done in concert and every effort was made to save a tree and we have to put safety first. >> That's true. And and um to that point of
looking at alternative construction methods or other ways to either prolong the life of a tree, maybe a few additional years, we're looking at and we will be piloting a couple um different kinds of solutions this summer to see what their longevity is and if
they save the tree for an additional 12 months or if they are um or a longer term solution. But we are working with Shri on that as well. >> So a few additional questions. So, on the pool, I know there's been some emails back and forth on the furniture, and I just want to state in public that,
you know, I know that one or two tables were replaced with a different design last summer, and I personally did not feel that design jived really well with the aesthetic of the pool. So, I just want to stay in public. I do hope that the administration is really considering
um I know it's impossible to match pool furniture exactly. I'm sure the existing pool furniture was purchased many years ago, but we do want to keep the aesthetic and the color palette of the pool because great paints were made on that pallet, especially when we
renovated the baby pool area. So, we really want everything to kind of jive together. So, I do just want to state that. That's my opinion in public. Um, I know that there's members of the uh recreation advisory committee and there may be memos affirming that as well as
their position. Um um in terms of the PCMAN riverbank stabilization, I already had some residents reach out and say, "Great, this looks wonderful. When are you going to do the whole length of the PCMAN?" So, can you just state and set expectations in public now that we've
had this learning experience on the piece of property that was Verona's? Um what is your like what do we tell the other residents that have lost several feet of property um because they live along the Pacman about this effort and how it could apply to their properties?
>> Uh well I I know that the the history of this project predates my time. I think it it it dates back to uh damages that were uh resulting from >> I believe it's Hurricane Ida or the remnants of Hurricane Ida. Uh there were
FEMA dollars that were allocated to this particular project. Um that project evolved into a full design and to ensure that the project was constructed properly. It was a lengthy process to get the permits uh both federal and
state permits to make sure that the project uh accomplished and uh met the standards that were expected of the of the township. That was a a three-year process. I will say that um it was in direct response to a federal federally
declared disaster. So it was easier to move through the process. There are other uh locations where um some damages do occur and there are some locations that are within township owned property. Uh and there are some that where the pecan cuts through private property
which make it an additional challenge. Um, so that said, the there's no quick and easy answer to provide an answer to say how how do we go about addressing this moving forward. If there were federal dollars that were dedicated, uh, not that I'm looking for a disaster, but
if there were federal dollars or grant money that became available, it allows us to pursue those projects a little bit more aggressively um, and it allows us to start preparing for design of the uh, the key areas. I will say that um addressing waterways is usually a
difficult task within the the purview of the the state. A lot of times they view um the the erosion that occurs along streams as just natural process of nature and not to be uh modified. It's just it's it's not always an easy permit
to get. Um >> but we do have uh we did coordinate with um our flood advisory board uh and we partnered with NGIT with some additional flood cameras along the Pacman to help
monitor uh some key points on the Pacman to um to help us model what the Pacman is doing during these peak flood events and what that may mean for long-term solutions or these areas that might need
priorities over other areas. So, it's it is a long-term process. Um, and any outside dollars that can help certainly allow us to expedite the those kinds of projects. >> All right. Well, that's helpful to set expectations as we get questions from residents about, you know, whether or
not we're going to keep going down the PCM, which the answer short answer is no. Um, you know, >> we've applied for grants, right? We've the water resource act we've applied through uh I believe Monica Macyver's office to see if we can get some additional funding for the
>> Yes. to specifically dredge but not necessarily to rebuild you know if bank rebuilding banks is um this was very specific to IDA and the damage that was caused. >> Correct. >> Okay. Moving on to Everett. Is there an ETA on when it may be done? I guess we're missing opening day.
>> Uh we are missing missing opening day. uh VBSL and the the recreation office has been notified through the the duration of project that we were not expecting to hit opening day based on the significant winter that we had. Um that said, we are hoping that the
contractor will be able to begin cutting sod within the next couple weeks, laying sod, but once the sod goes down, that's one of the last steps of the project. And typically we will need about two to three weeks or a few cuts of the of the lawn before we can actually start
putting games on the field as well. So, uh I will just preface to say we should have grass within the next few weeks. Um but it'll be a few more weeks after that before we can actually play games on the field. >> Okay. Thank you for that and those are my questions. Thank you.
>> Thank you Council Roman. >> Sure. Uh just on the uh PCMAN project, I know one of the things we had discussed was uh there are other outfall structures within the uh PCMAN. Are those within the scope of this project or outside of the scope? >> Uh there were two outfalls right at the
Bloomfield Avenue Bridge um that were right at the limits of this project. So they were taken into consideration. There was also one a little bit on the downstream side of the limits of this project that was also modified during construction. Um there are several more down outfalls downstream of the the
project area. Um the state does require us to inspect those on a regular basis and and uh address repairs as necessary. Uh and that was one of the um comments from the state in their annual inspection back in December. So, it is something that we are working through
the process with our new uh storm water management plan to make sure we're inspecting all those outfalls and making repairs as necessary. There is one additional outfall um just downstream of uh about Franklin
Street is and that will be addressed in the in the spring. >> Okay, great. Then on uh Lynen Avenue, um I very much appreciate the work of the Shade Tree Commission as well as the township um in preserving trees and we've kind of talked about this as a goal for uh road construction projects
to minimize clear cutting and large scale removal. So we know that trees have to come down sometimes just due to age and it it is heartbreaking to see these older trees come down. But uh I would be very supportive of of what you talked about with you know periodic replacement of shade trees. I think that
that's a good strategy. We really do have to take very much the long-term view here and be planning for decades in the future and just planting as a continuous cycle to realize that these trees do have a useful life. So, I appreciate you bringing that up and I hope that that's, you know, part of our ongoing planning for maintaining the
shade tree canopy. So, >> they will be it's and it's called out in the community forest tree management plan. It's not finalized at this point, but the intention there is to look at a long-term approach for what the tree canopy in town should be. >> Okay. Thank you very much, Mr. Cross.
>> Thank you, mayor. Um, for town hall, the mason uh the second mason that was brought in has finished their work completing the wins um win replacement. The solutions architecture is currently working on the punch list
um which needs to be completed prior to closing out the project. buildings and grounds has also received three quotes to replace the steps of the civic center out front that are were severely damaged by all of the rock salt and calcium this
winter. Um the roof replacement is in a similar state. They are nearing completion. We have received three quotes to remediate
um and reconstruct a small area in the community center where there is the concern of mold. We are waiting on the vendor to get their New Jersey BRC before a purchase order can be generated. Um no work will be done without meeting with staff to let them
know of the scope of work and come up with a plan to limit the impact to their workday and residents. There is uh around the back of the community center by the gym doors about six, seven spots down there's a new pole
there. That is where the EV charger is going to go. Um we are just waiting on the electrician to come install that. Not much has changed in terms of our open positions. Uh we did hear back from
the police chief that after reviewing perdemium dispatcher hourly rates we are in line or slightly above the surrounding communities. Um he believes that or one of the beliefs
on attracting people to fill those roles being difficult is the 12-hour shift as opposed to an eight hour shift. um for dispatchers. Um the new construction official began
in his role on April 1st. In community services and pool, we continue to pick up pool memberships each week. in exploring um additional revenue opportunities. We met with a instructor who is looking to
provide scuba diving classes in the diving well at the pool. Um that was an initial conversation. More will be held in the next few weeks. Community services is purchasing an electric vehicle for senior
transportation. That is a a pay-to-play resolution on tonight's agenda. It'll be partially funded through the Board of Public Utilities Clean Fleet Grant Program. We've also submitted an extension request for that um to
hopefully expand the EV fleet or make ready spots and add EV charging stations on the community forestry management plan. Um, Gracie and Harrian has made the first set of edits from the shade
tree commission and it is the most recent draft is being reviewed. That will if that is approved by the shade tree commission, it will be presented to the council and then submitted to the state. The state will need to approve the plan before we can receive
reimbursement through the green communities grant program. Uh the trees for schools project um will be proceeding with the town contractor for the plantings. Um, a meeting is going to be held the
board of ed, the contractor, and the township within the next few weeks. And the, uh, NCS application will be discussed during a meeting on April 16th along with many other grants.
um in the pool in addition to picking up memberships each week. Um Director Prrisco has done a wonderful job with sponsorships. We're currently at $35,250
in sponsorships received. We do expect membership as we get closer to the summer um to pick up as uh we don't have great comparison data from prior years. This is the first
year we've opened um registration so early, but the historical data or at least the information from 2025 does show that the last week of April is when most people join the pool.
And that concludes my report. >> Thank you. I just have one comment. Uh going back to the dispatcher salary thing. I appreciate you looking at the um at the other rates. I still think that the we need to be more aggressive in increasing that rate in order to
lower the overtime that we're putting into that. So even if we're on target, we can still do better because we want to encourage those PDMs to take our jobs instead of taking the same thing at another place that they might you know
normally work or whatever. So might have some quality um uh you know some more quality applicants there if we kind of aggressively look at that and and save some money in the long run. So I don't want us just to think, oh well, we're in line when the point isn't to be in line.
The point is to be above so that we can reduce the reliance on on uh police overtime for that purpose, which is costing $125 an hour versus, you know, I'm sure we're paying our perium dispatchers like less than 30 or something like that, right? So there's a
big there's a big difference there that we can, you know, the delta there leaves us some room to come up with some of those items. So, uh, we should be taking a look at that. Any other questions or comments for Mr. Krauss? Okay. Hearing none, we'll move on to
council member reports. Deputy mayor Mel. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, some of what I was going to go over is touched on already. Uh, sustainable meeting this week. Uh, we did talk about Lynen and the trees, so I'm not going to go through it all again. the one suggestion
that was brought up uh actually I'm going to stop and and just say I want to thank the uh Sha Tree Commission for their letter uh they really went through and I think people should if we could maybe get some of this information out
understand that uh taking these trees down they really went and looked at it with the arborist and when they took up the sidewalks some of the roots were damaged so even several people on the shade tree commission were there and understood more because they were on
site that these trees had to come down. Uh so I want to thank them for that. Uh the one suggestion was, you know, perhaps if we do leave a tree and we get we can have the sidewalk run on an angle where the tree is, you know, like the arch like a U-shape because we do still
own the town still owns some of the property into people's fronts and lawns. It doesn't have to be a straight sidewalk. That was the only other outside of what was already discussed. Uh and then also just so people know when replanting uh it's now we've been doing
it for several years but we do markouts of gas, electric, sewer lines. Uh and with driveways it the front of someone's property is very limited to where you can put a tree. So not everybody can get another tree or you're limited to space.
Therefore, you're limited to the size or the kind of tree that goes in. So, just keep that in mind when replacements go in if you're talking about what tree you want to put in. Uh I will uh comment on Everett. Uh I drive by there pretty much
every day. They have been very very busy. The one thing with construction you can't control is the weather. Uh and obviously the winter showed us that. But they have really picked it up not just in the last couple weeks but during the time in the winter where they could. they were working till some nights nine
ten o'clock at night. So I thank all those workers for their their time they're putting into it. Uh and hope to get on that field and and see kids playing real soon. Uh the recck committee, we talked about a lot of things about the pool. So I'm going to go into a couple things that
were discussed over the last couple weeks and months. Uh at the wreck meetings, uh the tables were were discussed and the administration agreed with the recommendation by the rec committee on which tables to purchase and hopefully we'll be uh when we
approve our budget, we can start moving forward with that purchase. Uh and everybody looks forward to that because we do need more tables if we have uh more people coming in. Uh I will say uh I just noticed we redid the billboard in the community center here. Maybe we can
get a small banner up there with pool memberships available uh just to get it out there that you know to remind people like hey stop and get your pool memberships. Maybe that would increase uh you know another way to show people that we can have pool memberships. Uh I
also think we should make it clear to residents because there were a couple people that said something to me about uh uh we have non-residents you know that are members now. know, but the idea of what we did to bring in non-residents
of Verona are basically recommendations from current pool members. So there people that used to live in Verona that don't live in Verona anymore that wanted to join the pool. So it's not just like anybody could have joined. There were rules that we had put to that. Maybe we
can somehow get that out there. So just so people are clear on on who's uh attending the pool this year. Uh Uh, and lastly, I know we talked about uh a revenue generator for the pool is
the fee schedule that we were going to try to look up for the parking lot if people offse wanted to use the parking lot. I know that came up uh over the last couple months. Uh, and just wanted to know when we're moving forward with putting some type of fee schedule
together for anyone who wants to use the parking lot. And that's all I have for tonight. >> Thank you. >> Sure. Um I mean just to to your question about the pool parking lot. Um understanding that the process to uh put
together recommended fee schedule, introduce and then adopt brings us basically to the beginning of the pool season. We did realize that we probably had some time and the realistic opportunity to make the pool parking lot available would be more towards the fall. We were intending to bring uh a discussion back to the council at some
point in the next several months uh with a target of um implementing some fee schedule for the fall. Uh we're not ready to present or make any recommendations at this point yet, but it is on our radar. >> Cool. >> Um and I made notes of a number of your
other comments. I mean, as far as the the lobby, uh it's on a a rotating message board. Um the the pool message is one of the messages that rotates through, but I think to your point, maybe it can stay on the message board a little bit longer uh to catch more uh
more eyes. But I I um we'll we can coordinate and fine-tune that. >> The other one I was thinking like a banners that we put out right on the avenue, the big plywood board we put up for people who want to advertise just something put it up in springtime. Yeah. when they start open.
>> We will uh we'll certainly implement uh pool membership as well. And then I think well one of your last uh comments was about the the sidewalks on Lynon Avenue. Uh again, Lynon Avenue and and it's not unique to Lynen Avenue, but a lot of town a lot of the streets within the township
>> have uh topographic challenges where you have retaining walls on site. So, in some instances, those bumped out sidewalks uh can work and in many instances they they just don't either because of the location of a driveway or retaining walls. But again, it is
something that we um we did make an effort and we did try to provide some outreach to uh residents. Um, but I think moving forward, I think a greater effort to try to uh to identify locations where that might be a possibility is uh is duly noted and will
take place on future projects. >> Thank you. >> I would just be careful of accessibility um with those things. It's difficult if you're in a wheelchair or visually impaired to do those U-shaped things. So, we need to be careful and even if
and look at that if that might even um impact our ability to get consider federal funding for it if it falls out of ADA compliance as well. So, we should look into >> that was one of the concerns with Lynon Avenue because we did get state funding for that project. We had to make sure that we were fully compliant with our
ADA uh requirements and um using materials that were approved by uh the the NJ DOT. But that is also uh important to note. >> Councilman Roman, >> thank you. Uh just a couple things about the Environmental Commission. There's a
meeting this Wednesday. They have a couple of cleanup events and other events planned for this month. Um one on April the 18th at Verona Park, another on Earth Day, which is Saturday the 25th, uh at the Community Center Garden, and then they also have a program upcoming uh at the Verona Public Library
on Tuesday, April the 28th from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. on native gardening for beginners. So, they have a very uh busy uh spring program uh started up and uh look forward to uh their ongoing events. >> Thank you. Thank you to the environmental commission. Councilwoman McGrath,
>> thank you. Um I was so thrilled to attend our annual women of impact event which is um co-hosted by the Verona Public Library and our and our multicultural inclusion and
accessibility advisory committee. Um and this year's panel was really fantastic. Um the women who are honored had such wonderful stories and I have personally worked with so many of them. Um it was a it was really great to hear their
stories of impact and resilience pushing through barriers um and their hopeful views of the future. So, I want to congratulate once again uh Virginia Satrono, Kate Kelly, Lisa Lden, Mary Ellen McHugh, Stephanie Rogers
um for their um for their uh the focus that we put on them this month and being able to do such a positive and uplifting event. And I want to thank everyone who attended. Um today I attended uh the
county executives um Essex Care's press conference. The county executive uh Joseph D. Vanchenzo and his staff highlighted the multiple um events that are happening on county property that raised muchneeded funds and awareness
for several issues that matter to all of us. things like Alzheimer's, pedestrian safety, heart health safety, and breast cancer awareness. Two of these events um that are well known happen in Verona
Park. So, I just want to reiterate that the Valerie Fund uh which is celebrating its 50th year in existence um will have their annual Valerie Fund run and walk on Saturday, June the 6th in Verona
Park. And then um an event that's very personal uh to me, the miracle walk, which c which helps raise money for the um NICU um at St. Barnabas will be on
Sunday, October the 4th in Verona Park. Um my son spent three weeks in the NICU and we were um often frequent participants of the miracle walk, especially when he was younger. But over a dozen events were uh showcased today.
And so I encourage you to go on to the Essex County Executives social media and you can watch the live stream of that event. And for our township manager, um Bunny Flanders, the executive director of the Valerie Fund, may be reaching out um just so that we're fully coordinated
for that Sunday's event. Um, and I also attended last week the county ex the county gave out um some non-p perishable uh food and um some frozen chickens before the holiday weekend um in uh
Orange. And I volunteered to help with the event. I was really curious to see how that plays out and how uh residents in need are able to access the food. And of course, I was so impressed. the we publicize these free food events through
our newsletter and so if you're not on our newsletter I encourage you to go to uh veronj.org um and there's a sign up link right in the front and as we get notices from the county or from the health department on these opportunities uh they are
publicized uh through us um and through all of the health departments and that's my report. Thank you. >> Thank you. All right. At this time, I'll open for public comment on any matter any member of the public wishes to bring forth to the council. Madame clerk, would you please read the public
participation statement? >> Anyone from the public wishing I'm sorry. Anyone from the public wishing to speak on any matter? If you're attending via Zoom, please raise your hand by pressing the raise hand button on the bottom left of your monitor. If you're dialing in by phone, please step, please
press star 9. And if you are um attending in public, please raise your hand and be acknowledged before approaching the lecture. You're not obligated to give your street address. However, if you do, please note that these meetings will be posted on YouTube and not redacted for
any purposes. You'll have four minutes to address the council. After everyone wishing to be heard has been heard, the council may address your council your comments and or questions. Sorry, that was off top of my head. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk.
Any public participation? >> This beyond what was already talked about. >> You can discuss anything. >> Just state your name and your place of residence, please. >> Sure. My name is Kelly. >> The town. >> What was that? >> Don't give us your address. Just
>> Okay. Yep. My name is Kelly Drury and I'm a Verona resident. I'm also a local medical provider, dog walker. But many of you may know me as one of the people who launched the Verona Community Garden. A project that prior to my return to Verona in 2018 was a 10-year political argument with no solution. My
response then was that's simply unacceptable. By 2020, we broke ground and secured the initial funding that has become an annual gift through our partnership with the Lansberger Foundation. This has allowed us to expand the community community garden twice to meet the demands of our residents. I'm now here to introduce a
conversation this council needs to begin about the air our residents breathe, the health of our soil and our community, the survival of our local small businesses, and what kind of town we are choosing to be. I'm asking the council to take up the question of restricting gas-powered leaf blowers in Verona. Here
is where we stand legislatively. New Jersey state bill S623, which would phase out gas powered leaf blowers statewide, was reintroduced in January of this year. It is the same bill that moved as S217 in 2024 and died in committee. It will keep coming back. Our
neighboring towns of Maplewood, Montlair, Princeton, and West Orange have already acted on their own. In December 2024, the third circuit court of appeals upheld Maplewood's ban as legally sound. Verona does not have to wait for Trenton. We can lead. The
environmental and health case is clear. A single gas powered leaf blower running for 1 hour emits as much carbon monoxide as a car does over eight hours of driving. These machines disperse pesticides, fungal spores, heavy metals, and fine particulate matter into the air
we share. They destroy top soil and blast away the leaf litter that supports pollinators, earthworms, and the biological foundation of our local ecosystem. They are a scourge on the biodnamic health of our community. But I want to name something that rarely gets said in these conversations. The people
for whom this noise is not an inconvenience. It is a health crisis. Gas powered blowers operate 95 to 115 dB. OSHA requires hearing protection at 85. The World Health Organization recommends a residential outdoor maximum
of 65. We are routinely exposing our neighbors to nearly double the safe limit, and the people harmed most are least able to come to a meeting like this one and say so. In Verona right now, there are residents with autism and sensory processing disorders for whom
the low frequency drone of a gas blower is physically disregulating. It ends their ability to function. There are people recovering from cancer, surgery, and illness who have no way to escape the noise. There are new parents who have been awake all night, finally sleeping during the day, woken by a
machine outside their window. There are night shift nurses and first responders whose daytime sleep, the sleep your life and mine may one day depend on, is being destroyed. There are people in hospice spending their last days at home, who deserve peace. There are people with migraines for whom this noise can
trigger a 72-hour episode. And there are people with hearing loss whose devices are rendered useless by background noise at this these levels effectively isolated from conversation inside their own homes. These are not edge cases. These are our neighbors and many have
been my patients and they deserve to be named in this room. As a small business owner myself, I'm not here to harm our local landscapers. I'm here to propose that we help them. The transition to electric equipment is coming with or without us. I want Verona to help our landscaping businesses get ahead of it
through group purchasing transition timelines and training in the sustainable landscaping practices, rain gardens, pollinator corridors, native plantings, perennial and medical gardens that are the future of this injury and industry and the future of our town's ecological health. When we regulate
noise in residential areas, we are not restricting anyone's freedom. We are choosing who this town is for, though. I'm asking the council tonight to direct the Verona Environmental Commission to study this issue and bring back recommendations and to open a formal dialogue with our landscaping community
before this summer season begins. Thank you for your time and thank you for your service to our town. >> Thank you. Anybody else? >> Good evening. I'm Monica Vincent. I live here in Verona. The last time I was in the chamber, it was December 1st, and
one of our neighbors got up and he expressed concern about something very simple, walking across the street. And quite frankly, there's a lot going on. Um, in the two years that I've been
really paying attention to what you all are doing, I obviously you hear me loud and clear through multiple emails. I have expressed concern about just the direction of this community. There's a number of mixeduse projects
that you all are embarking on. And I wonder if I recognize that we need to um not only acquies to Trenton to what those are, but I also feel like
there needs to be a moment of pause because I don't really think that you all know what the long-term effect is. Walking across the street, parking, driving.
My car was involved in a fourc car accident. I wasn't even driving. I went to Dolce Marie to have coffee with a friend one day and my car got hit. There was three other cars. Gratefully, nobody was hurt.
Bloomfield Avenue right now in a number of the side streets. This is not just about Bloomfield Avenue. It is a really of a concern that we pause and really think about what will this town look like in the next 5, 10, 15, 20 years
with the amount of mixeduse pro uh projects that are on tonight along with everything else that you've been talking about. So, I wish and I hope that you all really take into consideration the impact that it has
currently on Bloomfield Avenue, but along also the side streets, the impact on pedestrians and the health. And I'm I appreciate what Kelly had shared about just the blowers, but I think just even encouraging walking. And the second thing is just what the impact
will have on parking because the parking right now the way what you all are proposing I wouldn't be surprised in two years from now you're asking about a parking garage behind in between you know HB and the old um
drugstore. And I also need to understand and I think other people in this town need to understand is what the impact will have on the schools because that's the one thing I haven't heard. Um thank you.
>> Thank you. Anybody else? Max. >> Good evening everyone. My name is Max Ngales. on behalf of what Kelly had spoken about earlier about the gas blowers. I'm a solo operator. I'm 17 years old of a landscaping company in
this town and a uh ban on gas blowers. You can even see it in Monontlair has been uh very damaging to businesses is very expensive. Those uh electric blowers cost thousands and thousands of dollars to operate for hours on end. The noise is almost the same. The wine of
the electric blowers is just as loud as the gas. um a concern for the health of us workers. You know, that is something we take into consideration every day when we work. Um we have to feed families. Um
we have we have to make money. Um I just don't think a ban on gas blowers in this town and surrounding towns is reasonable. Also, a ban on gas blowers would uh increase the rates, you know, and the economy right now that would
just be ridiculous. You know, it's already expensive for services and they would have to double or maybe even triple just to make up for the loss of um what we'd have to pay for these electric blowers. It would also cut efficiency in half. Things would take
longer and it would make more work for us. So, I just I think it's very um ridiculous to try to even propose a ban on the gas blowers because it hurts a lot of people. Um it could run people
out of business. It could run myself out of business because, you know, like I said, I'm 17 years old. trying to start a company and to have to afford all this new equipment, all this new electric stuff which would cost thousands and thousands of dollars. You
know, that's just not realistic for people like me and for many other people who would be in the same situation. It would it would be very damaging to them, their families, and it would just be a total mess. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anybody else
on Zoom? Okay, this time I'll close public comment. Um, I appreciate everybody speaking tonight and I think you had I I don't have to rehash the debate over the the blowers because I think our two speakers did a really good job u
identifying the key points on that. So, I thank you all for being there. I can tell you this is something that uh that has been brought up in on the leaf blower piece and and considered um you know on fire levels and formally. Um one of the issues when we look at Montlair,
the township of Montlair actually did do this but exempted themselves uh the actual township from the ban uh which I would never do uh as a municipality. I think that was that was a really poor act of government. Um, and so I've actually had conversations and we had
one during the budget um season actually just recently with the our public works department over um over potentially moving to electric and um our DPW superintendent advised that he's had conversations and that uh with the
amount of batteries and things like that that we have to buy it would be cost prohibitive like on a huge scale to do that. Um, and I've had conversations with folks municipalities about it to try and get an idea. Um, and you know, so I think one of the pieces is is that
I'm not going to I don't have necessarily an opinion on uh this legislation. So I'm not going to commit to anything. But what I will commit to is not legislating anything unless we're going to require the township to abide by that same regulation. um and uh any
entities uh within that uh that are there. So I think it would be helpful uh to hear more from uh both advocates for a ban and from the landscaping community and I know uh that there we have several landscapers operate within the township.
Um and many are also residents. Um and uh I know that would be it. But um as somebody who is has asthma um and uh is you know home in the uh often working when you know the landscapers are out. I
understand um the the points being made by the advocates for this and uh from somebody who understands from talking to landscapers of town their position I understand that as well. So, I appreciate you uh bringing that that up and um I know it will be something that
we'll continue to consider and look at. Um but I think until we um until we can get that technology in a place where the township can rely on it, um you know, we that would be step number one. Um on
going to uh Miss Vincent's comments, um as somebody who walks four to five miles every day in this town, I can tell you that um pedestrian safety is uh one of my uh concerns. Um I have generally felt
in that process safe as a pedestrian in Verona and we have been doing things to uh improve on that throughout my tenure on the council. Um, and so I I don't want to create a narrative that uh that it is unsafe for pedestrians to walk
this town. In fact, I I walk every day. I walk in the dark. I carry a flashlight. Um, and I know a lot of my neighborhood and folks are are out. Um, and I'll walk I walk in every sector of this town at least once a um once a a
week usually. So um I understand um what everybody is coming by. Unfortunately, a lot of that pedestrian safety isn't necessarily related to design of the roadways, but is related to driver behavior. Uh, and that's something that has to be addressed through enforcement. Um, because
unfortunately, no matter how much we we legislate or or whatever we do, people are um inconsiderate uh on the roads. So, that's problematic as well. Um, regarding the developments, um, I think
the the council did a very good job, um, allowing only development that was really necessary to meet its affordable housing obligations. Um, so I don't think that, you know, obviously I I disagree with the position and I've said this multiple times during meetings, but I'll reiterate since you're here with
the position we've been put in by the state um about uh having basically having to allow developers to be able to steer the the ship a little bit more um in order to avoid building lawsuits and the potential for even more development
to happen. Um it's tragic and it is happening all over the state. Um, and I encourage you to read commentary on that from all of the other towns uh, as well going through that. But I think that the point is we did a really good job not only um, limiting the number of
developments but also limiting the bedroom and unit counts in these developments so that the impact on traffic is less, the impact on the schools are less, and the impact on parking is less. Uh I will put on record that I will never vote to approve a parking garage um at municipal lot one.
So I'll just put it out there that uh that has never been discussed as an option. Um and uh and while I can't speak for the rest of the council, I know I would be a hard no on that at any time. So I look forward to if that comes forward um voting no on that as well.
Anybody else have any comments? Counciloman McGrath. >> Um thank you. Um, I have a couple comments. Um, you regarding uh Mrs. uh Drury's comments. I think you ended with saying asking if the council would direct the environmental commission to
kind of do an update on like where are where is the idea. >> I'm not advocating. >> Okay. Okay. Yeah. So, I just want to say I just want to reiterate what I heard, which is that you were um asking whether or not we could direct the environmental commission to kind of provide an update
analysis. I am in support of like an updated analysis of like where are things because it actually has been quite some time since we addressed this issue. Um and I do have concern with the word bands and things of that nature. I also agree that I don't think the
equipment is there. I was actually the one who raised this issue when we're talking about capital improvement with buying our own machines because I do agree with the mayor sentiment. If we can't walk the walk, then we can't require, you know, residents to do the same. I am curious on towns that have
approached this from a noise perspective to say that gas leaf blowers can't be used in the summer months. They're fine to use for spring cleanup and fine to use in the fall. But we actually just want to stop the practice of using these leaf blowers after every single lawn
cutting. Um, and I would be very curious to see who in the state is doing that. How did that work out? And is that a compromise or an area where landscapers may actually agree like, yeah, let's just like stop doing this piece of the lawn work. Um, I don't think we have to
direct the environmental commission. You can go to them directly and so can residents. they have open public meetings with Councilman Roman can tell us when the next one is, but um you know so that may be something they wish they're an independent body so they can
take that up on their own but I certainly would be interested in reading that analysis. Um in terms of Miss Vincent's comment on parking, um each one of the projects that was approved has the parking allocated on site. Um,
but of course, and that was something that was deeply negotiated by the council with the developers, but your point is well taken. I'm also concerned just in general with traffic and safety. Um, and it's whether or not, you know,
the accident data says one thing, but it's people's perception of safety. Um, and I agree with the mayor's sentiment that when I walk around town, I don't feel unsafe, but yet as a parent and, you know, as a person at times witnessing people speeding, it certainly
doesn't, you know, you want everyone to drive a lot slower and with much more attent attention. I know our town manager is working closely with Essex County specifically on that road, but it applies to other roads as well. Um, and
I would be nice if we could look at all of our developments and maybe this was part of your conversations with the superintendent to provide some sort of child outlook on each one of these developments. Well, what is the expected number of children with these developments? But what we learned from
our first affordable housing project is you can have a range of what you think how many kids will enter the school system and then it turns out to be generally lower than some of these estimates. So um but I think the public is asking a good question there to
understand you know using some of those the Ruckers model like what would be an estimate um because while we have many you many projects are only one-bedroom units there are town homes as part of some of these and they will generate likely more school children um and I
think those are my comments. Thank you. I just I want to just one thing uh just to correct the record. One of our developments that we approved did not have all the parking on site. >> That was uh the uh >> um
uh 186 200 Bloomfield Avenue 176 200 Bloomfield Avenue. There are a couple, >> but there was there was an agreement among the professionals that it was unlikely that >> even though we went under the required number of parking spots, there is on-site parking and because of its
proximity to mass transit, it was unlikely and there was an arrangement to allow for uh permits that the property owner would buy permits for a municipal lot. So the parking would only be allowed in a municipal lot rather than
on the streets. So just clarify, I don't u just just for the for openness with the public. >> Thank you, >> Deputy Mayor. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just a couple quick comments. First, Miss Drury, thank you for your your work on the community garden. I know that was a a feat and it
was uh you know, talked about many years ago in different locations, but it's it's just something that was a wonderful thing for this town. Uh, as far as it goes with leaf blowers, I was following. I know everybody was waiting for Maplewood's decision, the courts to
decide on Maplewood. Uh, I I think we should look into it. I definitely think there's different times, as my colleague talked about, different times of the year where they're could be used and not used on certain days. Uh, you see them all the time, they're just sometimes not
even necessary. So, I I don't disagree with any of that. Uh, and as far as just it comes down to development, questions on development in this town, uh, I I think you can go back to any meeting. The majority of this council, if not everyone on this council, is against a
lot of the overdevelopment, not just development. People have a right to build on their properties. Uh we just I think this council in the last four years did a great job on this round along with our professionals and our administration to keep the developments
as small as possible. Uh, and a lot of these we may not want to say yes to them, but we have to because if we don't what the property has as an in they can file as an intervenor, they can put twice as much as what they wanted on on
what they got approved for on their properties. So, I think we did a wonderful job. Uh, I think in this round it was under 250 units. Uh, and we're looking at a neighbor right next door that wants to put 500 units on one property. So, I think when we look at it that way, uh, this council and everyone
involved, I think, did a great job. And that's all I have. Thank you, >> Council Roman, to round it out. >> Thank you. Uh, the next meeting of the Ron Environmental Commission is this Wednesday at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Um, please feel free to participate. Uh, I pretty much stand with a lot of the rest of the
members of the council and looking at, uh, what to do with gas leaf blowers. I feel like if we are I would never exempt the township's own operations from it. This is something we've talked about a little bit is that we operate at the scale of a commercial landscaper. Um our own buildings and
grounds department actually probably at a much larger scale than a lot of landscape companies. The amount of uh the amount of grass that we have to cut the amount of yard you know yard space that we maintain. And we've looked at it. The capital expense and the operating expense to maintain an
electric fleet is very very high. And especially to be able to operate all day long. The number of batteries that you have to maintain an inventory um that you have to cycle out to be able to work a whole day. Our guys leave the public works yard as soon as the sun comes up and they're out working all day long.
Um, just think about how many how many batteries we'd have to own in order to be able to run that kind of an operation without being able to stop to charge them in the middle of the day because when you're out in the field, unless you have a generator with you that runs on gas, you can't charge the batteries that you're using. So, you just need to have
enough to power through the entire day. So, we've asked our DPW director and it's just very, very challenging to do that at scale. and I'm just not willing to to do something where we ban things for the public essentially and then just keep doing it ourselves. The concept of
using two sets of equipment, well, now landscapers would have to buy and maintain two sets of equipment. Um, if you have to run electric part of the year and gas the other part of the year, now their their capital expenses and their maintenance expenses also go up. Now, a lot of modern gas powered
equipment is simply better than what landscapers used to use back in the day. They do actually put some emission controls on these machines now. They are a little quieter. I'm not going to say that it's, you know, peaceful and pleasant, but it's, you know, I know that they do improve this equipment as they possibly can as it becomes an item
of concern. We've l looked at this a lot and that's the the challenge is ultimately if we put something like this through, it's going to cause a very large in increase in everybody's landscaping bills. We just know it. I mean, the cost of it is just going to come out of the average homeowner's pocket in terms of what they pay their
landscaper. Um, we've talked a lot about affordability up here and are very concerned about people's ability to deal with the costs of just living everyday life and we're, you know, a little cautious about uh imposing costs through regulation or through fee. So, I hear
you. Um, we are continuing to learn about this issue. It is very challenging and we'll watch, you know, what happens in other towns, but I just I'm a little concerned about, you know, imposing a ban. I'm happy to see more data all the time and see what uh what comes out of it. Um as far as uh housing and traffic
on Bloomfield, uh my colleagues have spoken about this a lot. Um we spend many many late hours here uh at this council uh dealing with development proposals with the aim of making them smaller and lower impact on the community. Um, we spend a lot of time on
parking related to these projects. And as we said, we try and force all of the parking to appear on site and to minimize parking waiverss to the greatest extent possible. Those are very very rarely granted when we uh like we talked about, we have only one project that would potentially require off-site
parking. Um, so we do we do work on this as much as we possibly can. We have to comply with state laws otherwise as my colleagues have said far worse things can happen and we can end up with far more development than we already are. So it's always this balancing act of how do we make sure that we comply with the
regulations with the minimal impact on the town. As far as traffic control um we continually advocate with the county and with other agencies uh to improve pedestrian safety and traffic control. The larger issues are on the larger roads which are county. Therefore, we um
we don't have 100% control over what happens on those roads. We certainly can advocate. We try and do that as effectively as we possibly can. Um we have had some winds. Um we have gotten uh you know improvements uh put in place. Uh so we continue to do that. So
I can just tell you it is top of mind for us in terms of just pedestrian and general safety and the general feeling of what our streets are like in this town. We do work really hard on it. Um I can't say that everything we do is always perfect all the time, but there's a ton of effort that goes into it. We try and get the best outcome that we
possibly can for the community every single time that uh we move through a development question. So, thank you for your concern. That's comments. >> Thank you. All right. Moving on to hearing adoption or amended amendment of ordinances. Madam clerk, the next item
on the agenda is ordinance 2026-13. On second reading, would you please read the title of this ordinance into the record? Amending chapter 150 zoning or article 7 regulations governing certain accessory uses specifically sections five and 13.
>> Thank you. Would somebody move this ordinance please? >> Thank you uh Councilwoman McGrath. I will second it at this time. Now it's time for the public hearing on ordinance number 2026-13. The same public comment statement
applies. or comments may only be limited to this particular ordinance. Nobody wants to talk about chapter 150 of the township ordinances. Okay, seeing none, I close public comment. Any council discussion?
Seeing none, Madam Clerk, would you call the role, please? >> Councilwoman McGrath, >> yes. >> Councilman Roman, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Mackoy, >> yes. Mayor Tambbor. >> Yes. >> Mayor. Um, ordinance 202613 will be posted according to law. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. The next item on
the agenda is ordinance number 2026-14. On second reading, Madame Clerk, would you please read the title of this ordinance into the record? >> An ordinance to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and to establish a cap bank pursuant to NJSA 4A4-45.14.
>> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Would somebody move the ordinance, please? >> So moved. Motion is made by Councilman Roman. Is there a second? Second. Second is made by Deputy Mayor Makavoy. This time we will have the public hearing onwards 2026-14. The same public comment statement
applies hearing. None. I close public comment. Any council discussion? Reserve all my discussion for the adoption of the budget. Madam clerk, could you call the role, please? >> Councilwoman McGrath, >> yes. Yes. Councilman Roman. >> Yes.
>> Deputy Mayor Makavoy. >> Yes. >> Mayor Tambboro. >> Yes. >> Mayor 202614 will be posted according to law. >> Thank you. At this time, we will have our ordinances for introduction. Madame Clerk, the next item on the agenda was
previously marked as ordinance 2026-12 because it is uh was introduced and is now being reintroduced. Would you please read the title of this ordinance into the record? Establishing a new chapter 382 of the township code entitled pest control
among demolition or moving of buildings. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Would somebody move the ordinance? So moved. Thank you, Deputy Mayor. Is there a second? I'll second it. Thank you, Councilman Roman. Any council comments? Councilman McGrath? >> Um, can we just go through exactly what
we changed from the last version? So >> I I would uh last in the 30 days. >> I would just thank my colleagues for hold 30day period. This is this is the
>> So would you like to answer if that's fine? If you're if you're answering the >> the requirement was uh to be 14 days before demolition and we changed it to 30 days prior. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And you couldn't have uh you couldn't show proof that you didn't have it. They have to do it no matter what.
>> Okay. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Okay. All right. Any other comments? We will be controlling pests. >> Madam clerk, would you call the role for introduction, please? >> Councilwoman McGrath, >> yes.
>> Councilman Roman, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Mackoy, >> yes. >> Mayor Tamuro, >> yes. >> Mayor, uh, ordinance 202612 will be p uh posted according to law. A public hearing will be held on April 20th. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. The next item of
the agenda is an ordinance labeled as I2. Would you please read the title of this ordinance into the record? approving an application for a long-term tax exemption and authorizing the execution of a financial agreement with ANR Skyline Properties Urban Renewal LLC
related to the redevelopment of block 2205 lot 6 commonly known by the street address of 885 Bloomfield Avenue. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Would somebody move this ordinance? >> So moved. >> Motion's made by Councilman Roman. Is there a second?
>> I'll second. Seconds made by the deputy mayor. Uh Mr. Bowman. Just want to give a brief overview of what this is and your role in it. For the record, Mr. uh Bowman is our attorney specializing in these financial
agreements. Mr. Bowman. >> Thank you, Mayor. Um so this involves a financial agreement commonly known as a payment in low of taxes or pilot. Um you will recall that uh when you were negotiating and settlement agreement with this
particular developer um you negotiated into the agreement which I'm sure there was I wasn't a part of that process but there was probably a lot of give and take on the number of units the parking and all the things that go into that project. As a result of that negotiation, the agreement provided that
upon confirmation by the township that the profit anticipated to be generated to owner by the project does not exceed the relevant limitations on such profit as is governed by the LTEA, which is the long-term tax exemption law, the T town
shall consider granting a tax abatement. So, um, what that sort of means in layman's terms is, um, there's a way to calculate based upon the projected income and the projected expenses of this project whether or not they'll have
an excess profit. Um, the fact is this is a for sale project and the selling of the units doesn't count towards profit under the long-term tax. There's really no possibility of this ever ex uh having an excess profit. Uh so so they made an
application as they're required to do under the long-term tax exemption law to you. And then this is sort of where our firm came in and we reviewed the draft application and we reviewed the draft agreement that they provide to you and then met with you in close session
described the le the current leverage is probably the right word where you stood in terms of negotiating ability with the developer. We had a conversation. we went back to the developer and had a negotiation. Um where that negotiation landed is um
while they were unwilling to change the percentage of the pilot. So let me back up for a second. Uh a pilot is generally calculated as a percentage of the annual gross revenues in a for sale project. That's a little complicated because there are no annual gross revenues,
right? You're selling your your your home. Um, so what the long-term tax exemption law does is they say that we will consider revenues in the future to be the principal and interest on a mortgage assuming no deposit. So 100% of the purchase price plus the condo fees.
Um, and that's how you will decide what the revenues are each year going forward for each individual homeowners. Um, that is set at 10%. So if for example my mortgage was $10,000 a year, the pilot would be $1,000, right? So 10% of
whatever that expected mortgage. It's not the actual mortgage. Um it is the actual interest rate, not the actual mortgage. Um so that is the criteria. Now over the course of 30 years, you compare that number to a percentage of
what the taxes would be on that project. So, in my example, say the taxes were going to be $20,000 and the pilot is $10,000, right? So, over the course of the year, it's 30 years. It's a 30-year pilot. You either considered as compared to 0% of the taxes all the way up to 80%
graduating over time. The developer had proposed that they would get the benefit of the pushing back the incremental increases as far into the future as this law would provide. So by way of example only year 30 in their proposal would be
at 80% of otherwise taxes which in my example of 20,000 would be 80% of 20,000 16,000 right so 10 versus 16 by that point you'll be paying percentage of annual gross of taxes as opposed to the the percentage of revenues
what we were able to negotiate was to significantly push those percentages earlier into the process. So you'll see in their application only year 30 is at 80%. And now in ours the last six years are at 80%. So by uh year 24 you will definitely be paying 80%. They will be
the pro the homeowners of full taxes versus the pilot because it will definitely cross over. It almost always does. Perhaps it havens happens at 60%. We won't know until it happens. But we also push that back another six years.
So we've significantly accelerated this uh graduating percentage as compared to full taxes. Um and we made the case to the developer that that would be for the benefit of the future prop property owners because at the end of the day
that is designed to not have rate shock. If I'm just paying this 10% number and all of a sudden year 31 my taxes double or go up at multiple of what they were that could be pretty devastating to a homeowner. And so we thought this is uh so they agreed. Um we also pushed for to
have the 10% higher and they resisted. Um and so this is sort of where we settled. So I'm I feel like I can prepare to recommend this to you uh based upon the MOA you that you have already agreed to. Again, if the if they're if we aren't able to do this
under the MOA, they can go back to court, right, and sue either to uh require you to give them the pilot, which may or may not be this one that we better one that we've negotiated, or they can sort of call off the the
settlement altogether. So, uh, I think this is a result that, um, in terms of where you were and again, there are so many things that went into this negotiation before I arrived that I'm sure resulted in this pilot and I, I know was thoughtfully done. I know the
team that you uh, worked with. So, no doubt the professionals got you and I think we made it slightly better through this process. So, I feel good about recommending it to you. Um the other thing that we did in here was um there was a lot of debate about how your assessor will decide what the prevailing
interest rate will be and so we tagged that to a a well-known indicy. Uh so for example today it would be like six and three/4ers or something is the indicy if it was today. I didn't want to have us be in a situation where um if it was
they had proposed 6% across the board but if interest rates go up to seven or eight or nine or even today they would they would be using a lower interest rate which would you know come out of our pocket the municipality. I also put a floor in there in case rates ever became crazy. So there's a floor 4% in there as well. So those were the two
significant changes. Accelerating the increases to earier earlier than uh originally proposed by them and then setting a objective criteria for the assessor to figure out what how to calculate this number over time. And importantly every time the the property
changes hands right that the new pro they'll reset to the new purchase price with the new mortgage that then that then uh interest rate. Um so this that's the proposal the developers have you know sign agreed to the revisions and um
you know with that I'm happy to answer questions but I do uh I do recommend that we consider it positively >> any questions Mr. about Councilwoman McGrath. >> Uh thank you. So on that last point, so
um if the value of these properties goes up, then the pilot payments go up >> uh at when the purchase >> when they're sold. Yes. >> I'm sorry. When they're sold. So if they change hands and they're these are the market rate, not the affordable units which have their own level of price
controls and Yeah. with resales in the future. So on the market rate units, so as they're sold, >> um if they're selling for higher purchase prices, then our pilot payments go up, >> correct, >> when they're sold. >> But also the reverse is true. So somehow the value of these property the market
collapses or we have another huge downturn and people are selling at a loss, then the our pilot payments will go down, but not below the minimum that is set in this contract. >> Correct. Which is roughly 6,000 bucks, I think. Okay. Yeah. All right. Thank you. Um Right. Deputy Mayor.
>> So, Mr. M, you keep talking about the what the mortgage is. >> Do we we go by assessed value, correct? Not >> so what if someone pays for their unit out, >> right? >> Uh, so if they it's the we go by the purchase price for the unit.
>> Got it. So if they pay cash or if they even have a 50% cash and 50% loan, it's assuming the purch full purchase price as if they did no deposit, 100% financing. >> Yep. >> Um is how you do the calculation. Thank you. That's what I
>> um the one thing I will just note for for the public is that u this resolution is to engage in this agreement as far as how these funds would be allocated or shared between uh Verona and any other entities like the school system. That
would be a separate discussion at a separate time. Uh but as of now the 95% of the funding would from this would come into the township and 5% would go to the county of Essex. And the only thing I would add I mean to
the to the purpose of this you do produce for sale three affordable housing units for an affordable housing family to own as opposed to rent which is not that common. Uh and then there's also a group living home for special needs. So, um there is, you know, some significant benefits to this project
that are not not not there aren't that many affordable for sale projects. So, >> Mr. Bowman, >> thank you. >> Madam Clerk, would you call the role, please? >> Councilwoman McGrath, >> no. >> Councilman Roman,
>> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Mackoy, >> yes. >> Mayor Tambbor, >> yes. Mayor. Um, I two is introduced by a vote of 3 to one. It will be posted according
to law. Public hearing will be set for April 20th. Oh, and it will be numbered, I'm sorry, 2026- 15. >> Thank you. Uh, would somebody like to move the consent agenda? So,
>> motion is made by Councilwoman McGrath. Second. >> Second. >> I heard Councilman Roman as I was motioning the deputy mayor to second it. Um at this time I'll call for public comment on the consent agenda only. Just
the consent agenda. The same public comment statement applies. Hearing none close public comment. Um just a one item. I would like to thank the planning board for their uh work on the um redevelopment study and our
planner son Shioban for 251 and a half Grove Avenue. Any other council comments? Deputy Mayor. >> One quick I was looking through uh L2. Uh wanted to make sure that in this two trees removed that uh one was not dead.
And as I was reading, I see that they are uh doing the proper replanting. And I believe a tree this size requires four. Yes, it's a uh over 36. So it requires four plantings. And
thank you for that. >> Councilman R. >> Just also wanted to express my appreciation for the uh report on 251 and a half Grove Avenue. This is incredibly comprehensive and a very thorough investigation of the state of the parcel and why it might qualify for that designation. Thank you to our
planner and everyone involved. >> Okay, madam cler call the role, please. >> Councilwoman McGrath, >> yes. >> Councilman Roman, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Mackoy, >> yes. >> Mayor Tambbor, >> yes. Mayor. Um, resolutions L1 through
and including L5 will be numbered 081 and 0 through and including 085. Okay. Thank you. We have two agenda this evening. Um, this time I'll just going to call
for public comment on both of these items. Now, same public comment statement applies. Hearing none. Close public comment. Would somebody like to move ordinance M1? >> Resolution M1. >> I'm sorry. Thank you. Uh, Council Roman.
Uh, resolution M1 has been moved by Councilwoman McGrath. Is there a second? >> I'll second it. >> I know how much you like the primary clarifier pump station. So, change order is my favorite thing. >> Uh, is there any council discussion?
I've reviewed the change order and uh that makes sense. Yeah. All right. Madam clerical to call the roll, please. >> Councilwoman McGrath, >> yes. >> Councilman Roman, >> yes. >> Deputy Mayor Mackoy, >> yes. >> Mayor Tambbor, >> yes.
>> M1 will be numbered uh 2026 086. >> Thank you, Madame Clerk. That uh was somebody move. >> So moved. >> Motion is made by the deputy mayor. Is there a second? I'll second it. >> The second is by Councilman Roman.
Council discussion. >> Hearing none. Madam Cler, could you call the role, please? >> Councilwoman McGrath, >> yes. >> Councilman Roman, yes. >> Deputy Mayor Mack, yes. Mayor Chambro, >> yes. >> Mayor M will be number 2026-087. Okay. Is there any new or unfinished
business from any council member, the town manager? No. >> The deputy manager? No. Okay. All right. Uh, this time we'll open for public comment on any item anybody would like to discuss. Same public comment
statement applies hearing. None. I close public comment and I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Motion is made by Councilman Roman. Is there a second? >> Second. >> I'll second it. >> Second is by Councilwoman. It's not hard to get a second on that one. Uh,
Councilwoman McGrath did that. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed. >> Motion carries. Say everybody in public.