And we're live. This meeting is being held in conformance with the Sunshine Law. Notice of date, time, and place has been furnished to the record in the Ridgewood News. Notice has also been posted on the the bulletin board of the administration building. Would the clerk kindly take the role? >> Mayor Giardano
>> here. >> Mr. Brennan >> here. >> Miss Sarah Colola Drake here. >> Mr. Martinell here. >> Mr. Richie >> here. >> Miss Smith >> here. >> Miss Winky >> here. Everyone kindly stand 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. >> Let us have a moment of silence for all our old veterans and all veterans across our country who have given the ultimate sacrifice to make us allow us to live in a land that
is free. So we would assemble the way we are tonight. and to all that that's happening in in Iraq that everyone comes home safe and no more war in our country. >> Amen. Clerk, please do the prayer. >> Dear Lord, we ask we start this meeting
asking for your guidance and wisdom. May we find unity and fairness. The outcome should reflect our wishes to assist the burrow in all their endeavors. Thank you in his name. Amen. Amen. What we have now is we're going to have a presentation from Girl Scout Troop 98163
who has to be doing a bronze award and they wanted to do a a fairy garden project. They sent me all the paperwork about it. I reviewed it. I think it's a great idea and I like them to come up to explain to the council on what you are going to do.
You might look we don't just talk to the microphone. Just tell everybody your name and then you just talk. My name is Lakshiden and we're going to make fairy houses so
like um to so that people can like look at it and then >> yeah, >> my name is Julia McGovern and I'm in fifth grade and I'm excited to make
fairy houses because I like craft. crafting and I think it's going to be a fun project and it'll help the fairies. My name is Nile Bailey and um I think I'm going to be excited to do this
project because um when like the little kids see it, they would probably be excited and happy and they would love it and it would really benefit because we all need happiness in our life. >> Hi, my name is Laya Anderson and I'm
excited to build Perry houses. Would you like to explain? >> Yeah. >> Um, so a part of the bronze award is that you have to identify an area in the community that needs like just a little bit of improvement. As as a group, they have to work together. Uh, a lot of the troops use the ambulance core. Um, we've
used it pretty much for the past four years that we've been able to go there. And something we decided is to give back is to do like a little fairy garden around the flag pole along with the walkway. Um, we were inspired by this because there's a couple of really cute paths where there's stories. Uh, the
story garden in Glenrock was one that we were inspired by and then there's one um in South Mountain that has all these little fairy houses. And so the girls did some research. They want to use uh like natural materials to create the houses, maybe kind of spray them so that they stay for a longer period of time.
Uh put some flowers up. uh do some like kindness rocks and then just put that all around the flag pole along with the walkway. Uh and the idea is that we would upkeep it as the Girl Scouts. Like I said, most of the troops go there and use the facility. So, it'd be a nice way
to not only tribute to the town, to the ambulance corps, but also represent the Girl Scouts. >> And they do have a uh a timeline of how they're raising money and how they're doing everything. And I already let them know that when they're going to start the project, they will let us know. We
will make sure that the area in that they want to work on is safe. There's no rocks or boulders. There's no uh uh electrical outlets on in the ground. No uh sprinklers or anything like that. We'll have the DBW go out there and mark everything like they always do and get the the area ready for you. I did reach
out to the ambulance court president and he thinks it's a great idea and our leazison, she's going to be going to the meeting Monday, I guess. She's going to explain what you just explained to the whole group so that they know that what's happening at their area there. But that is, you know, their ambulance
core. It's ours, but it's theirs. It's everybody's, but we want to make sure that they know what's going on. >> Understood. >> And I think it's great. >> Thank you. >> Anybody else have any >> Good question. >> Yeah.
>> I'm a boy mom, so what is a fairy house? >> Oh, so um by South Mountain Reservation, there's a like a really cool trail and there's these little fairy houses. They look like a house that a fairy would live in. Um, and they're made of like
natural bark or, you know, leaves or, um, they're kind of glued together with like a little door. Uh, and there's normally like little gnomes. It's very cute. So, um, it's a really nice hiking trail by South Mountain if anyone does want to go and check it out. It's really cute for kids to kind of look. The fairy
houses have been there forever. Um, and I don't know that what like what sparked it, Julia. Why did you want to make fairy? Because this was Julia's idea originally and then everybody kind of got on board >> because it looked fun to make and it looks like really cute >> and there it is really adorable. Like it
looks like a fairy would look there. >> I'm going to have to go check out the one at South Mountain because I work I work right by there. >> Yeah. >> How many girls are working on the project? >> We have 11. >> Good. >> Oh, um it's a goodiz troop and like I said, they have to work together to do it. So, some of them will work on the
bake sale to raise money. Um, some of them are working on getting like the materials together. Others are looking at what kinds of flowers or like ground cover we can put because we don't want to make it too high maintenance. So, ground cover um once like we get an idea of what sunlight looks like there and
the ground looks like, we'll know better what flowers to purchase. >> Perfect. Anybody else have any questions? Everybody >> I think it's a Oh, sorry. No, I think it's a great project, girls, and uh sounds like a lot of fun and it's great for you all to be involved in the community and giving back. Um, so it's a
great project. I can't wait to see it when you're done. Good luck with everything. I'm not very handy, but let me know if you need some help building something. Stay away. >> Thank you. >> I just want to say I'm excited to bring this to the ambulance core. I'll tell them all everything you told us and I
know my daughter is a daisy so she'll enjoy it as well. So, thank you for this idea. >> You guys, >> yeah, good luck with everything, guys. It's really exciting. I love those little fairy gardens. They're just like super adorable. So excited to see what you guys create. >> So, everybody's good with this?
>> Absolutely. >> Good. >> Good luck. >> Well, good luck with everything. Just let us know progress. Yeah. >> When when you're starting everything so we make sure everything is good for you. >> Awesome. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> And thank you girls for coming here.
OKAY. Under my report, um just a couple of items. Um on Saturday, I attended a ITAR ceremony at the um Marriott Glen Point in Tene. There was about 450 people there and they talked about unity. They talked about uh no more
division. They talked about everything that uh where I think we all stand for here in Waldick. It was a good good night. A lot of uh I made a lot of network from a lot of people and uh I think it it'll pay off for uh future generations that are going to uh try to
make everybody come together. Also, uh yesterday I attended um Godheimr had a um round May's roundt at Burham Community College. I was there with a couple of other mayors and a couple administrators and they talked about how we could get funding from from the state
from the government instead of the state. The government they claim has a lot of money and we have to tip into their pockets to get what we need. So there's a list of everything that we need. I'm going to be giving it to Tatiana. She'll probably forward it to the finance committee uh to see about
everything uh that's going on. I also was at that meeting because we did apply for a grant with Mr. Godheimer. Uh same type of a grant that Hocus got. They got over a million dollars for a firet truck. So what I did was they told me I
had to go and smooth everyone. So I I took my charm and I went there and I think it worked. They said that uh they'll keep an eye on us and uh they don't think there'll be a problem. So if anybody has any even the residents you you have anything that you think that we
could get money for just let us know and what we do is we send it to the to Mr. Godheim's office and he will be able to tell us if it could be done or not and then what he will do is he will forward it to the right channels and see what we we could get. There's a gentleman that
uh he work he works with and he's been helping us very very much. She's been here a couple of times and I think that, you know, we're going to get everything that we ask for because we're not asking for much and we've always been very gracious and kind to everybody that
comes into our burrow here. Uh, financial administrative committee, Mr. Martinelloo. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, work continues on the municipal budget. Um, last week we had another meeting with the finance committee with um, Councilman uh, Brennick and Councilman Richie along
with uh, CFO and um, administrator and clerk. We went through a lot of the information we got back from the auditor. There is um, a lot more discussion that needs to be had as a council. Unfortunately, some very difficult discussions and some difficult decisions that we're all going to have
to make um, as we come to this budget. Um there's really no additional space for us to cut things from this budget as we've talked about the last couple years. We've already uh cut as deep as we can without affecting services. So there are other things we'll have to
look at this year and we're going to have a meeting on Saturday um to discuss the full budget um in detail with all of you all the all the lines but the the team needed a little more time to put all the paperwork together. I did uh do some work on the water budget this week.
Um the only increase in the water budget that you'll see is on the um iPass loan that we have to pay. So that's the largest increase in the water budget, which will cause us to use a little bit more of the water surplus as we pay the
IP that I bank loan. Um as the mayor alluded to, we did have some paperwork, some filings due for the grants from the congressional money. So, uh, the team was working on that this week and is submitting, I think, for what 1.5 million, I believe, um, to the to the
government to get funding. So, we're we'll work hard on that and hopefully we'll get some additional funding from from the government. Uh, unfortunately, there's a lot from the the state under Governor Murphy and now under Governor Cheryl, which is uh causing a lot of towns like us to be impacted by the
rising healthcare cost. and there is not much that we can do about it in terms of pushing that cost any place else. Um, we're not alone in this. All towns all over Bergen County are in the same situation. You talk to any of the other administrators, other council members,
uh, other attorneys, and they'll all tell you the same thing that any other auditors all tell you the same thing. All the towns in this area are under the same pressures, um, due to the state costs that are being pushed down to us. So, um, that's it for now. I'll hold the rest of the comments and we'll have a
detailed session on Saturday on operating budget. >> And Saturday's meeting is open up to the public. It's been announced already. It starts at 11:00 here in the council chamber. >> Fire and police protection committee, Mr. Bren. >> Oh, thanks, Mr. Mayor. Just uh two quick
items that were rather important. Um we welcome back the tower ladder into uh into Waldick. It's been gone for almost a year. Um it's back and we put it to work right away both in town and out of town. Uh while it was out the ladder testing on
the apparatus was done and it was completed successfully as well as hydraulic testing uh on the apparatus was done. Um on Tuesday of last week, uh the Glenrock Fire Department brought their um their ladder truck up to
Waldwick, which is the same truck that we're going to get hopefully uh by the end of the year. Um that was so that we could take a look at where we wanted to place our items, our equipment, if we needed to change um cabinetry or
anything like that. uh and essentially to suit it for our needs. Uh so I thank the uh the Glenrock Fire Department for that and anything upcoming uh as far as developments as for the new ladder truck are concerned. I'll let you know as soon as I know. That's what I have. So
>> thank you very much. >> Yes, Mr. Mayor. >> Public safety committee, Miss Windgate. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh I just have an update from um the president of Wbeck. So, he's let me know that they continue to focus on recruitment and onboarding.
Um, but they do have two um WFD fully onboarded and two that are in progress. Um they also have um four new high school observers. Um they added them to the youth squad program from Waltwick and Rididgewood. Um they are however um
still in need of EMTs. Um, so he just wanted me to, you know, put out the word that you don't need any experience if you're interested and WVEC will cover all the costs for training. So, please reach out if you're interested or know someone that is. Um, and then for
February, there are nine total calls. And um there's Mr. Mayor had mentioned there's a um meeting on Monday that I will attend and give an update for the next meeting. And um there's also a a board of ed meeting last or two weeks
ago now. Would you like me to give my update now? >> Sure. Sure. >> Okay. So, um I guess it was right after the snowstorm because their meeting was postponed to Thursday. Um so, at that meeting there was a presentation on the
um 2026 2027 uh curriculum. So, they are expanding their AP courses. Um they um talked about how they're adding up personal finance uh credits um that you need to graduate which I thought was really interesting. Um some
other courses were architecture and then also they talked a lot about um how they're you can have dual enrollment for high school and then also in the community colleges. So it's like a really great program. Um, and if anyone knows a high school student interested,
they should reach out to their um, um, advisor at the high school. Um, so that's very exciting. Um, also very exciting, they introduced the new superintendent, uh, Dr. Kristen Trabona.
Um, it was a unanimous decision. It was a very long process. The president of the board of education went all through the process, very, very long. a lot of candidates, but um all unanimous. So, they were very very excited about the new superintendent. Um and um so we got
to meet her. Um trying to think what else. Oh um actually Councilman Smith and I went to see the high school production of Bye-Bye Birdie. Was very good. So I just want to congratulate all the cast and all the staff that helped to put that together. It's very
impressive. So um I think that's all. Thank you. >> Yeah. And the kids, the kids also were honored. There was a couple of kids who were honored for Annie >> at the meeting that we were at. >> Yes. >> It was really nice to uh to see all these young kids that performed in in a play. They never did it before. They did
it and they're doing it again. And they, from what I understand, they did a great job. So, which is good that our young residents are getting involved in uh public speaking and getting involved in uh the theater. You never know. >> Is that it? >> That's all you. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Recreation and health committee, Miss Smith. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. As everybody knows, the Lion's Playground has been completed, but the weather has been keeping us from doing anything to officially open it. So, um, the Health
and Recreation Committee has been charged with planning a ribbon cutting. Um, we are planning it for sometime in the spring when the snow is gone and when the kids are going to be down there playing baseball and things of that nature. I've also invited the access for all committee. We had our first meeting
for access for all last night as a reorganization meeting and they will be involved since it is a fully accessible um Americans with Disabilities Act compliant playground. So they will be involved in the planning for the ribbon cutting. So more news to come on that
front, but I thank them for their input last night at the meeting. They're really excited. >> Good. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. >> Public Works Committee, Mr. Rich. >> Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor, good evening everyone. Uh on public works, I don't have anything to report, but I do um
want to talk a little bit about a resolution. It is on Kelly. It is on our agenda tonight or >> it's not on the agenda. >> Not on the agenda, but we're going to >> we're going to discuss it and then you can vote on it. >> Okay. So, I wanted to talk a little bit about a resolution that we'll be discussing uh around the the sewer
authority in a meeting I had a a chance to have with the mayor this past this past past week. So, um, as liaison to the sewer authority, for those of you who don't know, we we Waldwick houses a sewage treatment plant in town. It's an
open air sewage treatment plant, kind of, uh, old school. So, uh, all of the the sewage from northwest Bergen County from towns as far as MWA, you know, all the way out west north, all of their sewage funnels into into Waldwick down by the the train tracks down there. So,
um, so if you smell, uh, raw sewage, that's what it's coming from. Uh, it's surprising how few people in town actually know that that's there. Uh, but I had an opportunity to meet with the executive director of the the sewer authority as well as the assistant executive director of the sewer authority, and the mayor uh, joined with
Tatiana. Um uh and I was able to convey to the executive director and assistant executive director um in no uncertain terms that we were a united council that something needs to be done about how they're processing the the sewage down
there. I want to thank them both for joining. It was a spirited discussion. I think we disagreed a lot but it was respectful. Um but but in no uncertain terms, we I raised a concern of the smell. Uh but also uh that we've educated ourselves about the processing
that happens at sewage treatment plants and the gases that are produced during that processing and and the harm that they can cause if they're released into the air. And if that were smelling hydrogen sulfide, what else are we breathing that we don't know? Uh and so
um for about an hour we debated the merits on uh whether proactive measures need to be taken rather than reactive measures. And I think that by the end of the meeting um I feel like we made some progress and that there was an acknowledgement from both parties uh
that something should be done and a willingness from the sewer authority to uh look into potential remedies. uh and they want to make sure that the remedies that they do put in place actually um curb the smell and and and any other
potential gas that's arising. So um so we'll have to stay on top of them. I had it was Friday afternoon. I had asked them if it was possible to have an update on what those measures would be by this afternoon just to give them a sense for how quickly we want to move on this. We really don't want to uh sit back and let them spend a year or two
years doing a study that doesn't really lead to anything. you know, it's government, so they're going to probably hire a group to tell them how to do a study, and then they'll hire a group to do the study, and then the study will be done, and then there'll be discussions about how to actually curb this. But I think we're making progress. We'll stay
on them. There will be a resolution that we're going to discuss this evening, which gives us an opportunity as a council to kind of unite and just say, "Hey, you know, we we respect that sewage needs to be treated. It's pretty terrible that it's happening in our community, but it is what it is." and
and in 2026 our expectations are that the the curb and any other potential gases are curbed. So, um yeah, so I think good good first step and Al make sure to keep everybody in the loop as as progress is made. Mayor, I don't know if you want to add anything to it, but I
appreciate you for for joining. >> It was a good meeting. Um we also um made some friends in the D. We made friends in the governor's office. Uh everybody's keeping an eye on on Waldick with this right now, which is good. And we're not going to stop. As as Mike said, we're going to, you know, push. We
have to push. We have to push for the residents. We have to push for ourselves. We have to push for everybody. So, you know, it it's not over. It's just beginning. And, you know, the more they hear from us, the more they have to act. So, we're going to play every day as it comes.
>> Okay. Thanks, Mike. Buildings and Grounds Committee, Miss Colola Drake. >> Thank you. Starting with the pistol range, the project is in its final phase and should be completed by the end of this month. Moving on to administration building, the DPW was able to make repairs to the kitchen ceiling tiles and the sheetrock that were damaged from all
the snow that we had. Additionally, the upstairs meeting room was painted on Friday and is now complete. The robotics club was contacted about starting to use the space this week, but they're still looking for a permanent home if anyone has any leads. Thank you, mayor. >> Thank you. >> Our administrator is not here. Is she
taking a class downstairs or should she be coming back? Is she coming in? >> I'm going to make her. >> Okay, >> good. >> And then mine. >> Okay. >> Um, as the as the mayor said, and I think Joe also added, um, we just wanted to make you aware that we did submit for
a $ 1.5 million fiscal year 2027 community project funding uh grant um through uh uh Congressman Gothimer's office. We also sent that same grant um to Senator Booker and Senator Kim through their um fiscal year 2027
congressionally directed spending appropriations. Um so it's on all of their radar. We don't uh we won't hear anything back until um July or August on on all of those, but um basically the
the grant is the same grant. Uh it's basically um we're requesting 1.2 two in federal funding to support the replacement improvement of targeted segments of the municipal water distribution system. The remaining 300 will be provided by the bureau through local funding sources including capital
improvement funds andor financing mechanisms available through the state infrastructure programs. So that's just a a quick synopsis of that but as I said I just wanted to Tatiana wanted to mention that for my report. Oh, the other thing I wanted to mention,
yeah, the water, sorry. Um, at our, uh, March 24th meeting at 7:30, we will have H2M here to give their, um, report on their hydraulic study. Uh, the the findings and determinations. Um, from that report, they will be here. Uh, they
will be they'll do their presentation, then it'll probably be a a Q&A first through the council and then, um, for the public. So, everyone should plan on attending that. they will be on right at 7:30. So, just so you know, uh we do have something in the newsletter and
it's also um on our website. Okay. And for me, uh resolutions 2026,89 and 80 are simply just renewals of the limo licenses. Um all their paperwork is in order and those are set to be approved tonight. Uh for elections,
April 8th is the deadline to uh f to change your party affiliation declaration forms. Uh we have them in in my office. You can also find them online through the county clerk's office. We've issued 723 dog licenses to date. And we just want to remind everyone that if you were called or emailed to please come
pick up your dog license. Uh rabies there are a bunch of free rabies clinics upcoming. Uh March 21st, uh New Milford is having their free rabies from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 at the New Milford garage, uh DBW garage, 850 Robert K. Chester
Way. And the same day at 1:00 from 1 to 3, Wyoff is having their free rabies clinic at the Wyoff DPW garage, 475 West Main Street. Again, we have all that information on our website. Uh, and then May 11th, if you want to come closer, Midland Park, uh, free rabies clinic,
6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at their municipal building, 280 Godwinav. Uh, just want to remind the council, um, if you haven't, because I'm not sure if Tatiana I told you this yet, um, elected officials training April 14th at 6:00 with PIA. Um and we'll have a resolution on the
agenda for uh the next meeting to approve the special meeting which is a close session meeting uh for risk management seminar employment practices liability and title 59. That's all I have. Great turn. Uh thank you Mr. Mayor. Just real quick, you have uh two
resolutions on tonight 2026-85 and 2026-86 which are the endorsement of the housing element fair share plan as well as the affirmative marketing plan. planning board had the public hearing on the housing element fair share plan which is the requirement of the um the state in
relation to your fourth round of COA. So they had their public hearing adopted the plan and now you endorse it and that will put that behind us. I'll get everything uploaded to the court system for compliance. The third thing with that is the ordinance that you'll have the public hearing tonight which amends
your zoning to make the small changes that are required as part of the agreement with Fairshair Housing Center. Once all that is done, we can get everything submitted to the courts and we should be good to go. And that's all, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. >> Can I help you?
>> Hello. >> Welcome. >> Are we going at the close tonight? >> We do. We do have one quick item for close. Yes. No action will be taken. Okay, great. Okay, she already reported very nicely about what you said. >> Thank you. Thank you, madam clerk, for
reporting on my behalf. >> You're welcome. >> Consent resolutions and resolutions of the governing body. >> Be it resolved that the following resolutions here with listed by consent having been considered by the governing body of the Burough Waldwick are hereby passed and approved with the addition of 202698,
a resolution demanding the NBCUA address the odor and public health issues uh from the facility. 202683 approval of consent. 202684 approval of minutes regular and budget meeting of January 27th regular and budget meeting and close session meeting
of February 24th. Policy vote A. Ashley Splint requests to hold a block party on May 30th from 1 to 8 on Grocery to and with Grocery to be closed between Nordom and Ridge. B. The Walder Community Alliance request to hold an annual car show event on Sunday, June 7th from 9:30
to 3. Rain date June 14th as described in their letter dated March 5th 2026. 202685 endorsement of the buroughs burough of Holdex's housing element and fair share plan and spending plan 202686 adoption of the Burough Holdex's affirmative
marketing plan 202687 authorizing execution of homeowner program agreement for Waldo home improvement program with Mark Vanburn and Michelle Vanurren for the property located at 83 Manhattan Avenue 202688 authorized waiver of permit fee to the local board of I'm sorry to the board of
education for a tree removal application 202689 authorized amendment to autoc cab license instyle car and limo um for the 2022 Lexus ending in 18330. 202690 authorized amendment to amendment to autoc cab license for instyle car and
limo for a 2022 Lexus ending in 20641. 202691 Appointment to the board of adjustment Bert Hartman. 202692 Appointment of Executive Director to the Environmental Advisory Committee Mark Rundo. 202693
release of escrow for Herig LLC. 202694 authorized refund of park and ride payment 20265 authorized refund of water overpayment 132 Bergen Avenue account number 116-0 and 202696 payment of vouchers. Do we
have a motion and a second? Motion by Mike, second by Joe. Anyone have a question? >> If not, clerk, please take the role. >> Mr. Brown, >> yes. >> Miss Sakri, >> yes. >> Mr. Martinelloo, >> yes. >> Mr. Richie, >> yes. >> Miss Smith,
>> yes. Miss Winky, >> yes. >> Okay, thank you very much. We have one item for public hearing. >> Included 98. Yeah, >> we have uh one public hearing. Could the clerk kindly read ordinance number 2026-02?
>> Ordinance number 2026-02, an ordinance amending chapter 97 zoning to amend uh the affordable housing overlay zone one, affordable housing two uh overlay zone and affordable housing controls and development fees. >> Anyone from the council would like to comment on this ordinance that was just
read, Mr. Attorney? Yeah, this is this is the comprehensive review to update your affordable housing zoning to comply with the fourth round in the recently amended legislation. The the the most significant change is that in your affordable housing zones, the
maximum permitted density has been increased from uh 10 units per acre to 15 units per acre and the rest is pretty much just uh proforma in relation to updating the regulations, updating the ordinances to comply with the most recent regulations.
Anybody else from the council? If not, I close the council's comments. Anybody from the public would like to comment on this ordinance that was just read? If not, I clo I close the public's uh comments and ask for a motion in a second to pass this order on second
reading and that the clerk be authorized to advertise in a local legal new newspaper that's required by law. Motion and second. Motion by Mike, second by Angela. Clerk, please take the role. >> Mr. Mr. Brennick, >> yes. >> Miss Sarak, >> yes.
>> Mr. Martinelloo, >> yes. >> Mr. Richie, >> yes. >> Miss Smith, >> yes. >> Miss Winky, >> yes. >> Okay. Unfinished business. 2026 initial municipal budget discussion. >> No. No one finished. >> No d. >> Okay.
>> We're going to do this on Saturday. Anybody else on the council have any unfinished business? Any new business from the council? >> Yes, sir. >> Just one item. Mr. Mayor, I'd like to congratulate the Waldo High School
varsity basketball team for winning the group one section one state championship this past week. >> Yay. >> They played tomorrow against Shabbaz in the group semi-finals. Slight commentary. I don't know how Shabbaz is a group one school but
>> give up to our boys. Hopefully they can uh pull the upset and shock the world. >> Any given day? >> Yeah, we reached out to them and congratulated them also. Good. Anyone else? >> New business. New business. Anybody? >> That's what we That was it.
>> Okay. Anybody else with new business? If not, public comments. Anybody for the public would like to comment? Come up. Just give me your name to the microphone, please. Uh Ted Szo, uh any word on the Hocus special
election that was happening today? Am I under the understanding it's concerning the school budget? >> Yeah. >> Uh are they in trouble because of their pilot program they did a year or two ago? >> That I don't know. All I know is that the president of the board of ed and I
were talking today because we talk once a week and he was saying that they're having an election there. I think it's about their budget. I don't know if it's about anything else, but we we'll you know, we have to see what happens. >> We don't we really don't know what's happening there.
>> Uh concerning the sewer remedies, I'd be also interested in the continued updates when that happens. >> Yep. Michael definitely do for everybody. Okay. Concerning uh the $1.5
million grant you're going for fiscal year 2027. Do you wind I guess our grant writer gets a cut of everything he gets a grant of. Am I correct in thinking that or is
it a set fee for the whole year? My just so you know the purpose of my question is if you're going for the grant >> why they >> do do you have to cut the grant writer in or do you lose? >> That's my question. >> So we have a professional service
contract with our grant writers. There's a set amount for the year and uh the 1.5 million that we're submitting is an appropriation. >> It's not a grant. It's an appropriation. >> Thank you. Uh other than that, have a great day and thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you. Anyone else? >> Good evening everyone. My name is Robert Corneri. I live on West Prospect Street. Regarding the sewage, I just have a question on it. Since it seems like we're handling the sewage for other towns coming into us, do we get any
financial compensation? >> Do you want? >> We we do not. Um the service charge is split over all of the municipalities that are serviced by the utility authority. >> But it sounds like we're doing the majority of the work when it comes here.
>> Stat statutoily there's no host community fee that's permitted. That's based on >> we can't charge them for bringing it down. Okay. Uh another question. Forget the sewage. Um I'm I'm noticing has there anything new been done to the
treatment of the water? Because now I'm starting to see that there's some odor coming into the house from the water. Is there any new treatment going on? >> No new treatment, but we are doing a flushing program, a directional flushing program that started in the beginning of January. And essentially what that's
doing is it starts on one side of town and it's making its way across town as you start to see potential uh color, you know, or odor uh differences that may be caused to the system being cleared out and flushed out. And so the um the idea
is that as it gets through your section that'll clear up and um the intention obviously is to get to a better place with the water quality. >> Okay. Thank you for that. >> You're welcome. >> And just one last question something else. I do live on West Prospect Street and what I'm noticing um it is a
two-lane street. However, once you start having parking on either side, it becomes a one lane. During, I should say, after school hours when many of the parents come to pick up their children going towards Crescent,
it's very difficult for any car to either go up or come down. So, has there ever been a traffic study to see if you want to make that a one-way street? I don't know how you can impose by saying to parents, you really shouldn't be coming because, god forbid, if there's an emergency, no one is going to get up
and down that street. >> Can't speak to whether or not a a study was done in that area. Chief, do you know? >> Not that I'm aware of. >> Okay. >> Never. >> Uh but I but I can confirm if we've ever done a study in that area on West Prospect specifically. >> I appreciate your time. Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> Thank you. Good evening. Uh John Revert Mike. Uh Mr. Richie, the question I have maybe you said I I don't know if I caught it or not. You gave the uh sewer authority you asked for response by this evening. Did they give it to you?
>> No, they did. They laughed at me. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. >> Anyone else? If not, uh, do I Yes. >> We could bring you to microphone. >> I know. I got short legs.
Mary Mulaney. Um, that grant slashappropriations of the one million whatever. Um, my question is, did they tell you who who was the provider of that? The state,
the county, or the feds? >> It's the congressional appropriations. >> Congressional. Okay. >> As well as the the senator. So, we've basically put it on all three of their radars and it, you know, would come through one of them. >> Okay. Potentially. >> But did they say it had to go to the
water to That was a town decision. Okay. Um, what I'm wondering is you, it sounded as if it could be for almost anything. I'm wondering if there isn't a piece of that or is this already a done deal been written up um that could go
towards the fixing of the overpass over the railroad for accessibility. We've been talking about that. I mean, we've made contacts with with New Jersey Transit. we've made. Um, and they just keep telling us, as the mayor said, we
have to keep pushing, pushing, pushing. But I don't see any more pushing happening. >> Right. Unfortunately, the burough does not own that overpass. It's owned by NJ Transit. >> I know, but NJ, we have to push, we were told at this meeting, we have to push NJ Transit.
We have to push NJ Transit so that they push and get their job. And that was very clearly stated at this meeting I attended. Um and a meeting after that where I ran in just happened to run into the gentleman from NJTa.
Um so anyway, that was the the uh other thing as far as the sewage situation. When was that sewage built? That sewage >> plant built 1950 or 60 we had in 50s.
Well, I think they've been laughing at us ever since. So, I don't expect them to have an answer. >> See, unfortunately, everybody that was involved with that >> I mean, I've been smelling it since I was a kid. >> Fortunately, everybody that was involved with that project and how it came to be, all they're all deceased,
>> so we got it. Well, I mean, governing body people. >> No, not you. >> Andy was here. >> I mean, the mayor's still here. >> He's still here. >> The mayor and the council at the time, they're all the same. Oh, I know. I know. But what I'm saying is though the
just my point is rather silly, but my point is that, you know, it's been we've been doing this since it was built and this is not the first time you've gone after them. They've been going after them for 3 million,000 years or at least
since 1960 something. So, um, again, I I I don't I I I I'm sure they didn't answer you today. They're not going to answer you to normal either unless you actually sue or do something,
you know, get the newspapers out, get somebody out there and um make an issue about it. But that's the time we have to start acting. >> Well, I think the um so Mary, thanks great comments. So I think the approach we're taking this time is is twofold.
So, first off, it's it's about the smell for sure, but it's also about the safety of the res. >> Absolutely. >> 100% about the safety of the residents. And we reviewed uh what potential gas if you know in these sewage treatment pl uh plants there are particular gases that
can be produced and we we reviewed kind of what the toxicities are over a long-term exposure and it's scary. >> Tell me about it. I mean, there's many of us that have lung conditions now. Yeah, >> I don't know if it's from that, nor could I ever prove it. But the point being is I don't want anybody else to.
>> Agreed. And I think, you know, >> they're making a lot of money now. $16 million is their budget this year, their potential revenue. So, it's um and it's a growing facility. And I think that yeah, >> I I was encouraged at least that they
were willing. I mean, and they didn't commit to anything, but they said if covering the primary tanks, if covering the sewage will will help stem the smell and the gases, >> we all think we all said we'll find the money to to make that happen. >> Sounds like it would explode.
>> Yeah. I mean, I don't know the I don't know the engineering of it, but I think that Listen, I I we will um you know, I think as many people up here on council have learned, I can be persistent, not annoying. So I I I'll just lay that on them.
>> All I say is God bless you because it's this is over 50 years. >> Well, Mary, I think one of the big things we need to do is educate the community that this place is there. I I I >> every how do they miss it? They know it's there. There's a lot new residents, a lot of young that have moved in and
they they still >> Well, if they go to Matthews, they'll know it. >> Especially in the summer time. People should and also people need to call >> people >> call and make your voice call the sewer authority >> that's on our website I believe um right
Tatiana um they say we all need to call they don't get that many calls from the residents so I'm going to make it a point now every time I drive over there to that side to go to food emporium or to go to >> Ma or to go to Beon or to go to Matthews or go to church if I spell it I'm going to call
>> well okay I just I would just wish you luck >> thank you Yes. >> Yeah. We just got to be proactive with this as we all say and just keep on handling. That's all. Anyone else? If not, do I have a motion to go in to close? Motion by Katie, second by Mike.
All those in favor?