it is. Okay. So, let's just move forward and see how much see how far we can get on this. Uh, thank you everybody for attending tonight or today, this afternoon. Uh, to those in the audience who may have noticed my absence at the September 30th
meeting, I was in Italy and at 6 hours ahead of you here, I was most certainly not available. So, I uh commend Councilwoman Castelino for stepping up to help prepare the agenda and run that meeting. Thank you. Uh today's special
meeting is to consider a proposed resolution for a contract for our affordable housing planner. After the council majority declined to approve the mayor's proposed contract for another affordable housing planner in midappril,
the mayor engaged another firm, hire in miday to develop the township's affordable housing plan for uh and of sum not to exceed $43,500. This amount was just under the state threshold requiring approval by the council. So now the mayor is back to ask
for more funding uh not to exceed an additional $23,000 for the contract which is proposed to run through the end of this year. Hire Groul has drafted a plan that was subject to a public hearing at the planning board recently. The board is revising the plan and may
or may not be discussing it the revision at its November 5th meeting depending on whether the revision is ready for consideration. But before the council addresses the request for the contract for higher rule, we need to consider a resolution to go into executive session to discuss
under an allowed exemption to the state open public meetings act. This authorization is required for any public body in the state to discuss business in private generally to protect the interests of the residents who are represented through that public body in
this case West Orange. The madame clerk will take uh minutes of the session and make them public once the situation requiring secrecy is passed. After our discussion in executive session, we will return here and resume our public
meeting. That's of course assuming that the resolution to go into executive session uh passes. Um so far so good. So, because this is a public meeting, we uh offer and are
required to offer public comment to any residents who would like to speak. So, I'm just looking out uh and there's nobody here who wants to speak at public comment. Now, that's good. Not because we don't want public comment, but because I have like this five or six
minute saliloquy talking about all the rules for public comment. So, we can just dispense with them. And I think uh madame clerk, we can move on to the uh agenda. >> Okay. >> Uh excuse me, council president. Everything has been straightened out with the zoom. Um and um just for the
record, Mr. Smaldo is in the meeting and should be able to uh communicate with you. >> Okay. >> Pardon the interruption. >> So, Mr. Smaldo, you know the rules that you raise your digital hand to u Mr. Fagan and Mr. Fagan will I don't know if he has a sign specifically for you. he
will raise the sign and I will usually point to him to know that to to confirm that uh we will get to you just as soon as we can. >> Yes sir, I do and I'm sure Mr. Fagen has an appropriate sign for me. Thank you. >> Okay, sounds good. >> Thank you. >> Sounds good.
Okay, I am uh ready to entertain a motion to approve the resolution to go into executive session. Okay, I'll make a motion. >> A second. >> Wonderful. Is there
>> That resolution is 218-25 for the record. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Is there any discussion? >> Seeing none, Madam Clerk. >> Councilwoman Castellino. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Ruden, >> yes. >> Council Scarpa, Council President Kokoviaak,
>> yes. >> The motion carries. So even though we have ironed out all the problems that caused us problems at the start of the meeting, we are now going to go into executive session in a different room and uh Mr. Pagan will take it from here in terms of explaining uh what does and
does not happen next until we come back. We shall return. >> This yours, Jeff? >> Yeah. Thank you, Council President. To the members in the Zoom audience, as council president has indicated, we will they will be going into executive session and
I therefore will be putting the microphones on mute and I will report back to you as warranted in terms of the status of executive session. So, if you don't hear any audio on your computer, there is nothing wrong. I have it on
mute. Thank you for your patience and we'll be back shortly. West Orange, thank you for your patience. As you can see, uh, council has returned from executive session and, uh, I now turn the floor over to council
president to resume the meeting. >> Thank you very much. We are now ready to uh consider resolution 216-25 awarding professional services contract for affordable housing planner to hire grl and associates.
Do I hear a motion to consider? >> So moved. Is there a second? >> A second. A second. >> What's the discussion? This is the contract for uh an additional $23,000. And just so you know, we have roughly
Four minutes before we lose professional uh services. >> Yes. Um because this was this >> Councilwoman Ren, you'd like to speak? >> So, sorry. Yes. Okay. >> Yes. Um be because this was approved without council consent because it was
under the QPA. We never saw a contract for what was included in in her services. So, we don't know what she was contracted for in the $43,000 that was paid. Now, I'm still not clear what is
she being contracted for. This amount seems to be only until um the end of December. What exactly? It doesn't spell out is she shephering us through the end of this because um the plan is due in March
and this doesn't and in the meeting right now she just said that if she would have to go out and do other site investigations she would charge differently. >> Excuse me council Ruden >> we should not be speaking about anything we discussed in executive edition. Please go ahead.
>> Okay. So, I just like to understand what what is included in this contract because it just allocates x amount of money for services up until December 31st, 2025. >> Do the chair. Is someone from the administration available to answer that question?
>> Is Mr. Saraldo back on? >> Please. Thank you. >> Okay. There any other questions? Well, I'll just point out that the the resolution says the township seeks to retain hire to complete the housing element and fair share plan in accordance with the proposed contract
annex there as exhibit B. So I think that's fairly clear of what we are what the contract wants uh higher rule to do >> but Mr. Smaldo if he's >> uh council president yes Mr. Smaldo is online able to communicate with us >> please Mr. Ronaldo, if you can provide
>> Sorry, Sarah. I was um bouncing between the two meetings. I I just caught the second half of your question. Could you repeat the whole thing, please? I'm sorry. >> Uh Councilwoman Ruden. >> Yes. I am not clear um first of all what the first contract that she was hired to
do was to include um and and what this contract is includes. Does it include up to completion of the affordable housing plan? So the first part of your question was that we when we hired her miss the
hired grow firm for 435 was to present the um the plan to the um the planning board which which she did um and since then the planning board has asked her to do um some other additional work which now was the reason that we went to this
this second contract to extend so that it could be um it could um present to the planning board exactly what was asked of them and I believe it was going to include some of the comments that was made um at a meeting just now the the
close session meeting um so that would be included with it so this is what the the fee is for um and but based on our conversation part of our conversation inside um was that if there's additional work now I you know this was based on getting getting requests to the planning
board um concluded that's really what it came down to >> Mr. Maldo, I I uh I um salute your uh goal of providing uh a full explanation, but I just caution you. We were in executive session. We really cannot
speak about anything spoken in executive session until >> I'm not going to speak about the particulars, sir. I'm just speaking about that this was this was based on the fact it was 23,000 that I believe was 23,000. I don't have the exact number in front of me right now. I apologize. But this was to complete the work that was requested by the planning
board to get it up into uh to have this uh ready for the next uh mo available planning board meeting once once um um we are able to complete it and get it advertised within 10 days of the next available planning board which we're
hoping to do for the November 5th meeting if if this is approved tonight. >> Thank you, Mr. Spaldo. Uh Councilman Castelino, I think you had your hand up. >> Yes. So with the monies approved now, so any additional tweaking after that
November meeting. So obviously she'll be available to the end of the year. Correct. >> That's what the contract says. >> Yes. >> And the resolution. >> Okay. So it's not just to the November meeting. It it will pass through to the rest to the end of the year.
>> Yes. And I'm sure if if they need more money, they will come back and and discuss that with us. It's it's just not something we can address today. It's a future and we will address it when when we get to it. >> Councilwoman Ruden. >> Yes. When we initially um declined on
the proposal for for um the other planner, it was supposed to be $50,000 to include the entire plan that would take over a year, which as we know, this process is going to go on past past um December.
So why is this so much more? We're now we're now over at 66. We had initially talked about only 50 for an entire year. >> That's first of all, it's two different vendors. What uh what Nishuain the other vendor uh uh proposed, we don't know if
whatever they proposed at that particular amount of $50,000 would have been rejected by the planning board. Um and then we would be in the same situation. I can't that's a what if question that I can't answer because I don't know if the if the plan they provided um would have been passed by
the planning board. The other thing is is that the nishuane uh the previous they also had other information um prior to where the higher rule had to actually go out and seek all this information because they weren't going to work off somebody else's interest um
somebody else's plan. So they were able to incorporate what we were looking for for the original 435 went to the planning board on I guess that was it August I believe was the meeting and um and they uh the planning board has asked them to or no I'm sorry September um
they asked them the revises and that was based on from my understanding um was based on the request of the of the board chair that he was listening to the members of the public and that and I think it was it was received very well by the the um the the president at the
time or the chairman at the time and uh and by I think also the council who was there was also happy to hear that the the board would would reconsider some of the public comment and that's what where we're at now. We're trying to incorporate public comment into this plan. >> Okay. I I have been look overlooked um
reviewing her her um invoices and um there was one one issue that she said that she met with the council which she did meet with us in executive session. She put down three hours. We met with her for one hour. I just wanted to point that out. Um number two, um most of this
just says worked on the fourth round housing element. Is that enough detail for the council to be able to oversee this? because almost everything just says worked on this, worked on this, uh, met with occasionally it met with
somebody, but most of it is just working on this without elaborating on on what she's working on. Um, and was I correct in understanding that this is only to take us through to the November um, meeting and then we're going to be
reauthorizing more money? No, this was supposed to take us through to the end what's anticipated to go through the end of the year provided that this particular um um adjustments were made um to the the plan based on what the planning board said. Um and I'm
not going to get into discussion about anything else that was said a little earlier. So um that's what we we have to um take into account. I'll try. >> So, so that is assuming that there are no further changes after November.
>> My understanding is that once she presents this plan and then it's also to help not just the November meeting but also for the filing and everything else that's required of the plan to get it submitted to the state. That's my understanding. >> So, it's not just the meeting itself. It's it's to get the project to the
point where it's submitted to the state. So if if in fact the planning board approves this um and I can't say whether they are or aren't um but they are the intent is to meet the request of the need of the planning board.
It gets approved. I'm making the assumption it's going to get approved because we're, you know, because we are going to listen or they're going to listen, I should say. And that um once that's done, she would then do the next steps and working with our legal and everybody else to help get this thing submitted to
get this plan submitted to the state and hopefully to the courts so that hopefully we can get this approved. That's the that's the purpose of what we're doing today. Will this plan be presented to the public 10 days prior to the public hearing?
>> This plan will this plan will be presented in accordance to the requirements of the affordable fair share housing plan which would be 10 days which is important. That's why we we mentioned it last week at the council meeting. That's why we're having this meeting today is so that if we can award
this, if this is if you agree to award this today, Miss Gr's going to work on it and and in order to uh get it to the um the planning board, it has to be advertised 10 days prior to the November 5th meeting, which leaves her a window of I I would say what 10 to 12 days. I I
don't know have the the the figures in front of me, but November 5th minus 5 10 days brings us what to November 25th. We have what two weeks? two two and a half weeks for her to prepare this. >> Yes. >> So, >> are you done, Councilwoman?
>> I I just wanted to know if if you were satisfied as as our interim BA with with the accounting on the invoices. >> Well, as I'm not the interim BA um right now, I'm the assistant BA. >> Assistant, I'm sorry. Um I would um you
know I I believe that the the accounting was correct. I I rely on Mr. Diniac to review the bills along with our QPA and um if we we work as a team and if they say it's fine then then was fine. I agree to it. Yes. >> You done Councilwoman?
Um, yeah. Well, I I just have a question on the 5:30 charge, which was meeting with with the council members and says for three hours. >> I I don't know what the charges are you're saying specifically. I don't know what that is. Um, you know, if that's a if that's a question you have for if you
want to send it to me, I can ask Miss Gr to elaborate more on those on those charges, but >> All right. Thank you so much, >> Councilwoman. >> Yeah. Know, I I just want to interject. She was here before we sat. She was in with Miss Gary Adams before she met with us.
>> That's not so again she should get a clarification, but I do recall that that evening. >> I just want to make sure too that the the contract I know the planning board just re uh just um hired her to cover them last Friday. You voted councilwoman
on Friday for her firm. So, does this contract here I know um those charges get paid out of escrow um but is there any money that's needed within this contract hourly for for that
or it's all escrow? >> I I just >> And I'm sorry, Councilwoman, who are you asking? Well, I'm I'm looking at Miss Missinger that she's here, our our council liaison, whoever would like to answer, but I'm just curious to see how I just want to make sure there's enough
money in here for now for her. I >> if you could, Mrs. McGover, could you just come up to the podium just so everybody >> and perhaps just to describe your title and why you're coming up to the podium. >> Diana McGovern and I'm the planning board attorney in charge. Uh what was
approved on Friday was to uh hire hire grl as the expert uh planner for the regular and special meetings that are are pending right now before the planning board to get us to the end of the year. It included getting up to
speed in West Sussex Highlands, reading all 20 transcripts um and being ready to go at our next meeting with respect to that application and other matters. That being said, 98 to 99% maybe even 100% of
any money that's spent related to that that rest resolution by the planning board would be from escrow. The only time that I can see it would invoke money from the township directly would be if the council passes an ordinance
that has to do with something that the planning board has to review. If it's a land uh land use ordinance that the council may entertain and want the planning board to review under the statute that would come from the town money. Right now I don't know of any
pending ordinance that would invoke that. So at this point 100% is coming from escrow and it's within your purview to determine whether something else would be sent to us. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> That's good. >> I'm good.
>> I'm good. Uh so I'm closing discussion and madame clerk uh would you take a roll call on the proposed uh resolution and contract to uh give hire an additional uh funding
up to $23,000 uh through the rest of this year? >> Yes. Councilwoman Castelino. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Ruden. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Scarpa. >> Yes. >> Council President Koviaak. >> Yes. >> The motion carries. >> Thank you, Madam Clerk. Is there anything else we need to discuss today?
>> No. Nothing else with noticed. >> I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> Make a motion to adjourn. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Any opposed? The meeting is adjourned. >> Thank you. And thank you, West Orange. >> Thank you, Walt.
>> Thank you.