Good evening, West Orange. This is Joe Fagan, your Zoom moderator. Welcome to the Township Council meeting for March 3rd, 2026. This meeting has been rescheduled from February 24th. We are coming to you live from council chambers. You're welcome to
join us. Uh there will be no uh public comment on Zoom, only in council chambers. At this time, I'd like to turn the meeting over to our council president. Good evening everyone and thank you for coming. >> Madame clerk,
>> this is to inform the general public that this meeting is being held in compliance with section 5 of the open public meetings act chapter 231 public law 1975. The notice for this meeting was emailed to the West Orange Chronicle and the
Star Ledger on October 30th, 2025. Councilwoman Castelino is on her way. Councilman Kroviaak >> present. Councilwoman Ruden here. >> Councilwoman Williams. >> Council President Scarpa present. Oh, Mayor McCartney. Sorry, I didn't see you
come in. Okay. U Mayor McCartney, would you like to introduce our guests? John you can view insurance. >> Uh good evening council. Um for our first presentation tonight, uh we have a
representative from Fairview Insurance Company. Um, and she's going to speak to you about uh a resolution that we have on tonight to approve a switch to a self-insured prescription plan um for
our active members and our retirees under 65. Lisa, want to come on up? Let the record show that Councilwoman Castelino has arrived to the meeting. >> We're a good shot.
Is the mic's on? >> Yes. >> Okay. Um, good evening everyone. I'm Lisa Narcissis. I'm with Fairview Insurance Agency. Um, we're the broker who handles both your medical and prescription coverage and um, the remainder of your health benefits for
your employees. The proposal before you, you should have a handout as well, is for moving the prescription coverage which is currently with Benard and what we consider a fully uh fully insured uh
product model which the proposal is to move to a similar platform to what we have on our uh medical plan which would be a self-insured policy through the vendor carrier. Many know it's called CVS Caremark. It's the prescription
benefit manager side of the house. So, this would be a um major savings um to the township is what we're looking to realize. Potential savings is listed before you. It's typically a 15 to 20%
savings that's a uh realized at the end of a plan year because we're looking for we pay claims out. We're looking for rebates and a reduction in what that um negotiated pricing for each prescription is. That's like the highlevel insurance
101 for you. Um, it would be for your active members and the under 65 population. Your current over 65 or in a Medicare Advantage product also happen to have CVS Caremark as their prescription vendor totally separate
from this platform. Um, and what we're looking we would keep the um the contributions to your employees flat at the time. We're looking to make the change for 41. Um members would receive new ID cards. Um they would also be able
to obtain their same co-pay. So we have our equal to or better than covered um in that aspect. And what happens is on a quarterly basis, the township would after a close out would receive rebates from the pres prescription carrier. Um
and that's one of the major ways that we realize savings as well as reduction in what we call the claims. Right now, Benard receives all of those savings and doesn't pass that along to the township. The township pays just a flat fee. Um, I know that many people would get confused
and one of the big questions we get from a lot of the members is it says CVS Caremark. Can we only go to CVS Caremark um standalone retail? No. The answer is you can continue going to your regular pharmacy. Um, we're looking to ensure as little disruption as possible and we
would be doing employee meetings to make sure that they're educated as to what the steps would be showing your new ID card, if they have mail order, how to reset that up as well. That's the the high level. Do we have questions?
>> Why haven't we done this before? >> We've actually pro um been exploring this for about two years. We looked at the potential of changing in the past. Um, but we looked at the timing and also the implementation leadway. We needed
about a six-month leadway with CVS Caremark in order to actually pull that trigger and make the change. >> So, when would this kick in if we agreed to this? >> This would be for 41. So behind the scenes um we've been working with uh CVS Carmark to build out the uh the proposal
and the savings and to make sure that this was um the correct setup. And the other part was Benart also was giving you a lot of um low reduced um renewals in order to keep your business. So that
kind of incentivized the township to not pull the trigger and make the the drastic change to a different carrier. But now that we're seeing prescription coverage keep increasing. I think you were at about almost a 6% increase last year. Um and anyone who watches the
state plan sees that it's going up double digits. So we do project that better would be going up again if we stayed in that model. Um and the goal here is to make sure that the township has the ability to um receive as much of
the savings as possible. And would this be any more expensive for the user? >> No. So, the members would keep the same co-pays. That's part of our equal to a better than um contracts with all of the unions as well well as the members. So, for them, if you have a $3 co-pay, it
would continue to be a $3 co-ay or a $10, whichever structure they have in place. >> And so, you indicated that this would be um equal or better than for the first student. >> No after year one. So equal to a better then is in terms of the benefits. So
that means whatever their contract says as their co-pay for generic let's say if it's a example a $3 co-pay it has to remain that co-pay on the user side of the house. If the prescription cost goes up that gets absorbed into the claim
cost but the user side their co-pays have to remain the same as whatever those in their contracts. >> How long was the term remain? You think for how long? >> For however long your CBAs are in place. So that member will always have a $3 co-pay if it's that's what's assigned to
the generic until you guys or you and the unions were to negotiate a different price point. >> Yes. >> And so can I ask um the administration when we will be renegotiating contracts, please? So, we just settled all of the contracts
um at the end of of 2024, beginning of 2025. So, we're not going to be negotiating new contracts until um most of the unions at the end of 2027, we might start the process looking
for it to be uh expiring in 2028. And with our ASMA union, they go out to 2029. So, we were a couple years off um before we start the the negotiation process again. >> Thank you. >> So, you say generic, but what about the
with the brands? I just want to make sure that say if you god forbid cancer medications or other type of medications, you don't need to have to get a coupon or some other >> No. So, there's actually a couple things in place. One, so when we talk about our co-pays, those will remain the same. So,
if the structure is a $3 to for a generic for a member, their generic co-pay will remain at the $3 generic. If they're um say their brand medication is a $10 co-pay, that co-pay will remain
the same. We're not looking for members to obtain co-pays or anything of that nature. There are savings for the township on the back side that we're putting programs in to afford more of those rebates and more of those specialty savings, but that's on the
claim side. So there's two pieces. There's one on the co-pay, that's what the member pays at the pharmacy, or if they have retail where it's a zero for some of them, they'll remain with that co-pay. So when I go to the pharmacy, that's my copay. Then we have the claim side and that's the side of the uh house
that the township will be paying claims. Instead of paying just a premium, they're going to actually be you'll actually be paying the the claims cost. And when we have a pharmacy vendor, so think Fizer or Johnson and Johnson, and you go to get um your member uses a
specific brand, there's rebates those um pharmacy vendors Yeah. >> are issuing. Right now, you're not receiving those rebates. So the big one I'll say is Ompic, right? Just as an example. That medication may cost $1,000 cash cost on market
to you. They'll bill $1,000 to the plan, right? That'll come out of the pot of money from the township. The member may only pay the $10 co-pay, right? Because it's it's a brand, but there's a rebate of $500 that that pharmacy um vendor or
PBM or manufacturer issues. So that 500's coming back to the township instead instead of going to the carrier. That's going to be the township's money realized at the end of each quarter. >> Is the rebate only for formulary?
>> So the medications have to be on Yes. what we call the formulary. It's one of the largest for formularies though. Um there's information about the formulary name in here. It's CVS's largest formulary. So if the medication Yes. is on formulary and it's one of the ones
that receives a rebate, then yes, there is more control here too where the township can say we need to make an exception because someone was already on this medication before, like cancer medication. We don't want to make it where members can't obtain their
medications. That's not what we're looking to do here. We're looking to make sure we have as much of a match and that members are able to get the services and the medications that they need to obtain, but we're also looking to make sure that we have cost controls
for the township to be able to receive all of the savings that are truly meant to come to the plan. >> You've estimated a1 to2 million. Is that based on on this township's actual usage and what the drugs are that
this town is using? Yes. So, what we did was we actually were able to obtain about a three-year look back of medications that the members here. Now, we're not looking at, you know, each individual person uses this. We're looking at what medications are being
utilized as a whole, the drug names, the categories, and then what we do with CVS Caremark or any one that we're marketing to because we did market at others is say, okay, what will it look like if the township took all of these medications
and the members remained on them because a lot of them are, you know, residual medications. What would that cost be? because we know what your premium is, which is about $3 million a year. So the savings based that number that is utilized there is based on an annual
basis. So we're going to have a little bit of a short contract this year. So then we take all of those drugs and we say, okay, what would they look like if they were under this formulary and this CBS Caremark plan? What would the cost be and what would those savings be? So,
yes, we did specifically look at the township's medications that are being utilized, not the general pie in the sky um average or looking at the state plan numbers. We looked at West Orange specifically, and we do did do the
three-year look back. So, it's not just last year. >> What will your uh setup and transition period look like? So right now everything actually because we had started this in a six-month time frame
in order to do the marketing. Once we marketed CVS actually has a shell built out already of your plan should you guys pull the trigger so that and approve it tonight so that the members then timely would receive ID cards and load into the system. And by timely I mean at least
two weeks prior to the effective date. Um then once it's is effective, members are able to be live using their prescription card under CVS day one on 41. >> But what does that registration process look like for our employees? >> So your employees don't have to do
anything actively. So what happens is you take the we take the file information of where they are enrolled right now. So what plan design with Benard that they're currently in. So if it's that $3 $10 plan or if it's a $720 I'm just throwing examples that plan is
in those co-pay structures will be exactly what gets moved over to CVS Care Mark. It's it's actually just a file feed. >> So the employees don't actually have to do anything. >> Yeah. So we call it passive. So they don't have to fill out any new
enrollment forms or anything of that nature. >> They'll just get their cards. >> Yes. unless they're making some kind of a life change, you know, adding a child or removing a spouse, something of that nature. But, um, no, so it would be they
would just receive the ID card with the co-pays on it with the dependents that are already enrolled. So, there's no paperwork for them at the moment. >> Do they have the ability to add or remove dependents if that's their desire during this transition period?
>> Yes, because it's a new plan, it's considered a life event. um open enrollment. So, if they chose to, they could. Um most members made any changes in January, but yes, because it's a new plan, legally, they are entitled to make
those that change if they chose to. >> What's that time period if they >> So, since we're waiting for you guys to approve tonight, we'll be meeting with them in the next week and giving that them that time. So, they'll have about a twoe time frame. Um, technically we actually can do it all the way up until
41, but we'd prefer the twoe buffer so we can make sure there any changes are in the system and that then they're receiving the ID card appropriately. >> I have a question over here. >> You have a question, Councilman? >> Yes. >> I had asked for the council to receive
uh the presentation ahead of time so that we'd have more time to take a look at it because of course this stuff is so inside baseball. So, if I ask uh an off point question, uh you'll you'll understand. >> That's okay. >> Uh your second page says we're spending
about $3 million on uh yes, >> medication claims and 25 is probably going to go up. Then at the bottom in the shaded, you're saying approximately 1 to2 million uh dollars uh in savings uh depending on the 2026 renewal rates.
>> Let's just say they go up 10%. Is it? >> So your renewal rates for 2026 went up about 6%. And there's a couple factors going into this. So this number 1 to2 million is that 15 to 20% of the pharmacy cost,
right? Then when we look at and that's those rebates. Then we look at your your claim to claim basis is about 600,000 and that also is a little bit reduced. I went a little bit more conservative
because we're doing what we would consider short contract 8 month and because we renew your plans on a January 1 basis. So it's not a true annualized. So that 600 is a little bit of a short contract. And then you do have a cost
because you already have stop-loss coverage under your medical plan. We're going to what we call stop loss is like that protection so that the plan doesn't have catastrophic claims come through. Um so there is an additional fee to your
current policy to make sure we have the prescription covered under that. So that's how we come to the and the reason why it's not a precise number is because claim prescriptions could fluctuate throughout the year of what
the utilization is but it is so we we put in a 1 to 2 million approximate savings from 2025 to 2026 and that's on an annualized basis. So that's really going to be shortened for
the eight-month contract. So what you're saying is that >> this program is going to save us roughly 1/3 to 2/3 of our costs. >> Yes. >> Yep.
>> So the question becomes why didn't we do this a lot sooner? I mean >> I mean that's a big number from what we're we're in addition to what you answered Councilwoman Ruden. So I I I I think we also >> you weren't here
with your >> here. Yes. >> We we have to look at and and this is industrywide. What is driving prescription drug expenses and a lot of it now is GLP1. >> Yes. >> Um so you know part of the thought
process of this is you know our our renewals are influenced by obviously our claims activity. So, it's only going to continue to drive up our renewal costs, but because of the rebate programs that are in place, a
benacard is benefiting from that. And now we're going to be able to take advantage of of the rebates because we're not going to be able to really stop the usage of GLP1, but at least now we can get some of that money back. Um,
so you know that the situation maybe a few years ago wasn't there. I don't know what the the major drug drivers were a few years ago for for West Orange and what the rebates available were. So, you know, we've just kind of ended up in
this this scenario where we can take advantage of that. Um, >> oh, is it something that we're going to >> If I could if I could just finish that question and and I'll yield the floor. Uh I note that the
page header says potential savings. >> Yeah. >> And that there's no page for risks or risk management. So could you talk a little bit about you know what the probability of these savings are and what are the potential risks against us uh not achieving those those goals.
>> So by by my my uh conversation just a few minutes ago about the fact that we looked at a three-year look back, right? So, we know the trend of what the township is utilizing. And reason why we put potential and the word approximate
is because your drugs could fluctuate of what your members are using, what they're being prescribed. If you have members, the other driver, not only are GLP1s, but a lot of the specialty medications coming onto the market. So, we're talking about rheumatoid arthritis
is one of the medications um that has a lot of high cost. So, we're talking high cost or infusion medications. Um, those while they come with a high sticker price, they also come with a large rebate um cost or reimbursement to the
township, right? So, cost upfront is high, then the rebates come in. Um, so we that's why we put potential. none of my clients. We've moved at least four groups in the last 3 months actually out of the Benard product over to either CVS
Caremark or Express Scripts which are both self-insured plans. Um actually one of our very large school districts just realized 25% reduction in their claim cost in I think it was two months we just looked at. So we have not seen anyone who has not
realized savings from day one. In prescription is a little different because it starts day one because members are using it live. Whereas medical you have this what we call a lag. Um, so I want to I could probably hang my hat on a 100% savings in year 1,
but I'm going to be more conservative because that's how I tend to be with my numbers and tell you I can promise you at least a 80% realization of savings um based upon those numbers. I know the words potential is more of a legal coverage for us.
>> Okay. 80 to 100% to me means we'd save all three million. That's not what you mean. Oh, no. I mean, the reality of saving the one to$2 million, you know, without having the plan actually cost more. >> So, that's more of your certainty level.
Okay. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Um, there is another page if you really wanted to get into the weeds in the back that explains to you >> what the percentage is off of every category of medication for the savings. And those are guaranteed savings by CVS
Caremark. So what we say is a brand discount right medication would be a 19 to a 19.25% discount. So that means what the cost of that medication is. So think of like a wholesale cost and we have a generic
discount and then you can see there's a dispensing fee. That's the pharmacy world of CVS Caremark is guaranteeing you savings based upon the cost. Are you done, Councilman? >> I'm I'm finished. >> Okay, council president.
>> Thank you. >> Go ahead. Go ahead. >> Are you sure? >> Um, so yeah, just quick question. So, I just want to just make sure because again, I mean, anyone that's worked for a different corporation that you get this all the time, but they change the the plans and I appreciate Mr. Diniac's
due diligence on this um savings. Um, I just just want to make sure that we're not going to have a situation because you do run those numbers with the benefit gap analysis and naturally that will change from year to year. Not going to hold you to that, but that you know just that one certain medication will be
covered but then it has to become a mail-in situation. >> So your plan actually doesn't mandate mail order which actually the state plan is moving towards that. And actually John I have an update to send you because that just came out live. Um the state is actually changing what their
requirements. You don't have a mandatory mail order on your your plan design at all which would okay and for everyone that means there's a medic and your members will get the annoying little notices saying hey you could save money if you went through mail order but if there's someone that needs to get or
wants to get their medication at retail they're absolutely entitled to do so. The only drugs that tend to not be mail order or option for retail would be infusion medications um or ones that are highle injectables.
The retail pharmacy don't even carry most of those medications. But if there's someone that's already getting them at retail, they will continue to have that option. >> Okay. But I just want to make sure the only way you get covered if you do a mailin on a certain medication.
>> It So your plan doesn't mandate mailin. Yep. All right, great. Thank you. And good. >> And so my other question was we would review this annually to make sure that the Care Mark CV has >> Well, we actually well, we actually review it on a quarterly basis because
there's rebates. The carrier actually will be meeting with John and Pete and team on a a quarterly basis to review those savings and trends. Um and actually we'll have access um our my office as well as um your administration
office to what we call a dashboard. So they make it all pretty to see you know where what's going on with your medications. Did anyone have denials? Um how many people are utilizing you know this highcost medication? We're not looking at penalizing individuals. We're
looking at overall trends for the township. And what recourse since you did say if there was a denial, what would be the recourse if there was a denial? >> So typically what happens is and and I feel bad for members when they go to the pharmacy, they you're talking to a tech
and they don't know what's going on on the other side. Sometimes there's things like it requires an authorization and that's something that's already in place now like a high-cost medication or maybe a brand medication where the provider has to send in to the carrier the
medical reasoning for that medication or if it's a medication that's not on the formulary that we need to have a override put in place which is available or an appeal process. Those are pretty much the most common scenarios for a
denial of a medication. >> This for administration. Um, Mr. Tatiniac has I assume you went over this with the unions already or you will be going over with them are union leaders. >> We we we brought the union representatives in. Um
>> yeah, >> we had Lisa in and she explained the plan and you know we were very upfront about that there would be no changes to the chapter 78 calculation for 2026 because that was established using uh the Benard rates um you know with that
5.95% increase for 2026 because obviously there is going to be the lag in the rebates coming in quarterly. So we want to realize savings first and then we can we can come up with a uh a
new chapter 78 premium for 2027. So um but we did explain again that it's in compliance with the collective bargaining agreements equal to or better co-pays are the same. Um we talked about the transition and um you know you can
speak a little bit more about the process of if something gets denied you know there's forms available to the members and um >> yeah so like if >> we before we go on so just answer finish your question um your question is that
the unions not one union objected. >> Yeah. >> So they they were all on board. They they agreed to it. They thought it was because they knew it was equal to or better. We asked them if they had anything any objections, please put it in writing. We met with them last week. We also assured the unions that we will
um make sure that um that Fairview will be available for three meetings to meet with our employees u for the day that we were concerned with especially emergency services working different shifts. We're going to have two in-person shifts, uh, you know, presentations, and then we're going to have one that's going to be via
a Zoom meeting or something that so that not only can we get the the employees that can't get here, but we can also reach our retirees. So, we're we're going to have that. And then after that, on a case-byase basis, Fairville will meet with the employees. So, this So, we we we got buy in from everybody.
>> Okay, I'm good. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Okay, great work. Are Fair View's fees for this plan the same as they would be at the old plan? >> Yes. So, that's actually part of our contract that's in place already. Our our fees are already locked in. So, they won't won't increase or change
>> even in the next renewal. >> So, yes, because I believe we had a three-year contract, so our fees are locked in um on a contract directly with the township. >> Is it a percentage basis of our of the business we do? Yes. Do
>> you know the number? >> Um, not off the top of my head, but I could promise you that John Gross had a full spreadsheet that we had went through previously to make sure not only was it a percentage, but it had to match a specific dollar amount at the end of it. >> So, is it is it based on the the gross
>> or the net? So it is actually based upon what the if you uh see all of the fees that are listed it's based upon what that utilization fee number is because the rest is based upon discounts. So when we do did the um analysis
there's a a fee that gets paid to the the carriers for um dispensing and for utilization of the CVS uh plan. That's where that percentage comes off of. It's not off of the claims amount. >> Thank you.
>> You're welcome. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Thank you very much. >> You're welcome. Now you all can do my job. >> Thank you. >> Great. Mayor McCartney, did you want to introduce our next guest?
>> So, good evening all. Um, yeah, we have GPI here and Zajbet, our town engineer. Uh this is exciting. Um I know I met Tom at uh on a Zoom meeting at a pedestrian safety meeting. So it's nice to see him in person. Uh he's still taking notes.
Uh they are going to discuss our safe routes to school. Um the work that has been done over the past two to three years I believe. Yes. Great. It's 2020. There we go. Welcome.
>> Good evening everyone. Again, Tom Lamato from GPI. I'm gonna hand these out if you could. Sure. Um, thank you for having me. I just wanted to get the uh body aware of this project is coming to the end of its preliminary engineering
phase. Um that means that we're going to have what's called a PIC meeting, which is a public information center. Uh that meeting will be held on March 30th. It's going to be noticed to the public within 200 feet of the improvements, which I
believe we sent out over 400 notices this week uh to property owners and obviously anybody else who wants to come is welcome. And at that point, we'll have a full-blown uh presentation on what the project is. Um, at this point we've already met with the
historic preservation commission. We've met with the public safety advisory board uh to let make them aware of the project. Uh, we had good discussions with those. And again, I wanted to let let the mayor and council be aware because once that notice starts showing up in people's mailboxes, sometimes
people get a little excited and called and what's this? And so I want to make sure that you all knew what's happening. The safe routes to school program is a uh a federal program administered to the NJ DOT. It covers design, construction, and construction
administration. Uh all those costs will be reimbursed to the to the township. Um with that, however, comes a little bit more administration. Um there's more uh paperwork, there's more intense design uh pro um processes. And in fact, at the
end of the preliminary engineering phase, after we do our pick meeting, we're going to be submitting a document uh called a categorical exclusion document, which is usually about 150 pages. So, this is not your municipal aid, your CDBG project where you're in
and out of a job in a year. Uh this takes some time, unfortunately. But the good part is that the town is 100% reimbursed. The original s the original project uh grant application requested advanced
warning signs for crosswalks. So uh depending on the speed limit on this project, it's generally 200 ft prior to the intersection. There will be a um a pedestrian head pedestrian crossing ahead sign which is on page two of your
handout. Uh they are solar powered. They are going to be programmable so that you can program them through the school calendar and you can override them with an app. So your crossing guards or your police officers or whoever, they'll have
each have their own signin code. They can override it for an early dismissal or uh a late uh or late arrival in case of snow. >> That's good. Nice. So that's it's it's flexible enough to have that um that
feature. Now when we do these signs, when we do the work for the DOT, they require us to look at all the handicap ramps and bring them in the area of our work and bring them up to code if needed. So that's also in there. Um which will save the town uh some some t
some money uh for doing that separately. Uh much to Miss Carbalo's credit, she asked us to request a a scope change to add some signs actually physically at the intersections. Um and the DOT denied
that request. Uh the township is more than able to put that into a future grant application to put upgrade the signs at the actual physical intersections. Um, so again, the handout shows the
locations of the schools and the intersections that we're working on. On the first sheet, it also lists all the intersections. And the second sheet shows what the signs will look like. And again, they will be on timers. And again, there'll be a schedule and there'll be a timer.
Uh, the signs communicate with each other up to a certain distance. I think I think that I think they said like five or six hundred feet. So there'll be one sign that has the controls in it and once someone uses their app to override that sign or when they go to program the
sign that sign will tell the other signs in the area what to do. So you'd have to you'd have to reprogram every sign. It's basically each intersection uh will operate uh independently. So you need to to up to um program each intersection. >> Yes,
>> I'm a little confused. So the sign So the crossing guard is there and they're crossing u a pedestrian. They press the sign for the flashing light. >> No, the school crossing sign. So the signs will go on and off by themselves.
You program them in the beginning of the school year for the dates and times you want you want them. >> And they just go about what they want to do unless somebody comes with an app and says, "No, I need you on now. We have an early dismissal." or don't go on now, you know, because we have a late uh >> so they'll just be blinking the whole
time that that school's after school or before school, for example, a 15, what is it, like a 20 minute window, >> whatever you want it to be. >> Oh, interesting. So, so as you're coming down, for example, we've been having an issue at Gregory Avenue and Mitchell Street, which I'm glad to see is on the
list. So when they're coming down Gregory that light so it's going to be flashing already because we have a flasher on top which is confusing and same thing on Forest Hill Road. How is it going to coordinate with those blinking flashing light that hangs down?
I don't know how that hanging one is is is is operated, but again, these will be pre pre-programmed the beginning of the school year to operate for the 15 or 20 minutes when the kids are coming in and the 15 or 20 minutes when the kids are going out. >> Okay. I guess the engineer could talk to
that a little bit. Um, all right, great. So, there's a lot of great intersections on this list. Do we have this list up on the screen for >> No, I don't. Again, I was just doing this for the for the benefit of the mayor and council. Again, on March 30th, there'll be a at 7 PE from 7 to 8, there'll be a pick meeting that's going
to be advertised to all the residents within 200 feet of each of these intersections. Again, over 400 notices went out this week. And at that point, we'll have these on large displays and and you know, have a full-blown uh representation. We'll actually also have each intersection
aerial photograph showing what we're doing to each individual intersection. But I didn't want to I understand we may under some time constraints here. I didn't want to bring everything with me. >> Is this one pick meeting or is this in all the pick meetings? >> One pick meeting for >> where will that be held? >> Here.
>> Okay. >> And again they got the notices went out today. Um maybe I can speak to administrator about putting it on the website. >> We can we can put on the website and and we can send it to social media so people >> I mean typically they're not that well
attended but again we we have it's part of the process. just forgot to do it. >> How about the schools sending it to the schools cuz the kids get take things home the flyers the parents will get it. I think that would >> send it to a copy to the the the superintendent and distribute
>> after after that meeting. How long would it take for this to go to >> Well, again, because of the process. >> Yeah. What exactly >> once we get done with this that the pick is the last major event for the preliminary engineering phase. >> Okay. Then we have to go to final engineering where there's a new
proposal, a new contract, a new agreement between the town and the DOT. And that whole process just getting that the final design phase started is probably four or five months. So then we go to the design phase. We do the final drawings, we do the specifications, bid specifications, all that. And then we go
to construction. So you're you're you this is probably going to be 27 >> 2027 >> 27. And again, it's >> God, >> for whatever reason, this process is just that. >> No, no, I I I'm not Yeah. No, it I I
asked you. I knew probably what the answer was, but for the parents at home watching this, I just wanted to let them hear because, you know, folks don't realize the lengthy process that all this takes to get the grants are great, but just the due diligence and all the,
you know, actions that have to be taken before the project's finalized. And so I appreciate you you ex you know >> and just as sharing that timeline >> just as an example I had another project where we had to do a scope change that the DOT asked us to do. They said we
need you to change the scope to include this. So we did that. It took them four months to respond. >> Gez. >> So unfortunately >> you don't get free stuff for free. >> It just takes forever.
>> Thank thank you for that. Any other questions? >> Can the um residents weigh in on this at after at >> Oh, yeah. That's the intent of the pick is to is to have residents. I'm going to give this pretty much the same talk and then the rest of the hour is going to be
asking answer questions, whatever. Um we usually start actually started a little later like if it's if it's if it's advertised 7 to 8, we might physically start talking at like quarter after 7 because we have we are going to have exhibits. People are going to be milling around. We're going to be talking to people and just kind of getting them
used to the idea what we're doing. Then we'll do the formal presentation and then we'll answer questions. >> Great. Sounds wonderful. >> Who handles this on the on the West Orange side >> as far as >> they said there will be more administrative work on >> we do we do >> you do all of it? >> Yeah. The only thing the only thing town
has to do is when we send them contracts or agreements that has to be processed. Obviously the town's got to sign things. there'll be uh is it there's our the resolution to authorize our our proposal for doing the design and again there's another agreement with the state and there's there's you know there's
administrative things but I don't think uh from the town standpoint it's not it's not a a big lift for for this project >> thank you so much >> okay you're welcome >> one last question >> go ahead >> uh this I guess this is for our director Pleasant Valley way and Alisa drives on
here but we have a a traffic light there I was Just did this start so long ago. No, that light's been up there for a while. >> It's It's on the list. So, I'm not sure if that's >> Which one was that? >> Pleasa Drive. The third the third intersection
down on the list off Pleasant Valley. >> You if if a if an intersection is signalized, you can't have the crosswalk flashing sign in addition to the signal. >> Yeah. >> But this is an advanced warning sign. So 200 feet before the intersection. That's
where these are going. These are all advanced warning signs. So these are going to be 200 feet prior to the intersection saying there's a crosswalk coming up. >> Okay. >> Oh, got it. Got it. Got it. Okay. So then that hanging light would could stay then. Okay.
>> Very good. Any other questions? >> I I just like to read these real quick. I could I could talk fast just because I know there's a lot of parents watching tonight because I have talked to a few of them. uh the intersections we're talking about here and again this started in 2022 uh Pleasant Valley Way and Curtis
Avenue, Pleasant Valley Way and Lake View Drive, Alyssa Drive, Pleasant Valley Way and Stanford Avenue, uh Pleasant Valley Way and Woodland Avenue, uh Woodland Avenue and Forest Avenue, Woodland Avenue and Redwood Avenue, Redwood Avenue and Canid Street, South
Valley Road and Tmont Avenue, Gregory Avenue and Lawrence Avenue, Gregory Avenue and Walker Road, Gregory and Forest Hill Road, Gregory and Mitchell Street, Gilbert Place and Club Boulevard, Mitchell Street and Glenn Road, Mitchell Street and Rollison Street, Hazel Avenue and Birch Street,
Hazel and Pine Street, Hazel and Rollinsson Street, Valley Road and Mitchell Street, Valley Road and Central Avenue, and Kingsley Street and Whittingham Place. So, this was, you know, monumental for the task for the
get this approved a few years back and I I appreciate the administration's all their hard work in getting this done and and and thank you for all your efforts, sir. >> Our Gregory neighborhood's going to be really >> long time long time coming. Long time coming. Go ahead, council. >> Thank you to the the mayor.
>> Thank you. And just confirming that there are existing crosswalks at each of these intersections that we just identified, right? >> Yeah. And again, if the handicap ramps are not compliant, we're going to rebuild them. >> Good. >> Do we know and and that's included in
the grant? >> Yes. >> Is there any opportunity to include any additional crosswalks? >> Well, again, we tried that and the DOT said no. >> Thank you. >> But again, you could ask you could put
next grant application round comes around, you could just add add more Okay. >> Okay. >> Good. Thank you very much. >> And if any questions come up in the meantime, uh if you would provide them to Miss Carbalo and she can forward them to us and we can blend them into the
>> PIC meeting. Thank you. >> Very good. Thank you very much. >> Thank you everyone. Have a good night. >> Thank you. Great work, director. >> Yeah. Great. Thank you. We haven't had council liaison announcements in a while. Does anyone have any council leop do them at the end? Okay. We'll include
it in our public comment. Okay. Okay. So, madam madam, >> this is to inform the general public that this meeting is being held in compliance with section 5 of the open public meetings act chapter 231 public law 1975. The notice for this meeting was emailed
to the West Orange Chronicle and the Star Ledger on October 30th, 2025. Councilwoman Castelino >> present. Councilman Kovia >> present. >> Councilwoman Ruden >> here. >> Councilwoman Williams. Council President Scorpa >> present. >> Mayor McCartney.
>> Will everyone please rise for the pledge of >> allegiance? United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> The council is now in their public
meeting. Okay, now's time for public comment. How many people in the audience are making public comment tonight? >> Okay, great. We'll start with Jackie. >> I'm sorry. >> Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. uh Mr. Fagen. I
didn't even see you there. >> She looks so anxious. And Mr. Plesi. >> Uh, thank you, Council President. Um, >> I'm sorry. >> No, >> no, no, no. >> I got it. I'm sorry, little technical
difficulty there. Um, this evening I'd like to start with something new on our website. If you log on to westdarms.org, over on the extreme left hand side, you'll see a uh current legal notices. And this is something new. Effective
March 1st uh of this year, uh public entities such as West Starring must publish their legal notices on the website rather than advertise in print newspapers or online publications and notices will be accessible for uh one year and they will be on our website.
So, if you go to the our uh this tab, click on current legal notices, it will take you to this landing page. And on this landing page, you'll be able to click on the link below and see all the uh public notices. Uh so, this is something new that's uh been added to
our website. You can please check it out. Um a sure sign of spring is uh this weekend, Sunday, March 8th, we are springing forward into daylight savings time. I'm sure that's a welcome change uh for for many of us, certainly for
myself. And uh another sure sign of spring is the uh Sunday, March 15th coming up, West Orange St. Patrick's Day parade. Um and it's always a much anticipated event in West Orange. And uh
this Sunday, March 8th, uh there's a call for volunteers to help Dan uh Dan Cunningham, Dan the Litterman. Uh he's also deputy grand marshall. Uh he's going to do a volunt uh a volunteer cleanup on Main Street. So you can meet
him at 8 80 Main Street West Orange from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. That's this Sunday. Um I also want to point out the uh now we don't have snow in the forecast, but we were hit with a blizzard as you know.
And um I want to point out that the county made available to us off streetet temporary parking at uh garage number three. Now, we we we kind of do have a problem in West Orange in that uh we we can't clear the streets if cars are in
the streets and it becomes a problem and I understand it's it causes a dilemma. So, the county graciously offered us uh parking garage number three. um it may not be a practical solution to get your car there and to have somebody pick you
up, but it is a solution and hopefully moving forward uh this will offer an option for some people to take advantage of. So, as a result, I certainly want to thank our Department of Public Works and certainly give a uh heartfelt thank you to Essex County, Mr.
is here tonight. And also to um Jersey Mike who uh stayed up uh stayed open late uh for our deep DPW crews so that they would be wellfed uh during their operations. Uh speaking of wellfed,
there's an annual breakfast coming up, the annual Chamber West Orange Chamber of Commerce breakfast. Uh that's March 12th, 7:15 at the Wilkshshire Grand Hotel. And of course, Mayor McCartney will deliver the state of the town address. Um, this is uh March is women's
I can't believe I'm saying it's March already, but it's West Star celebrates women's history month. Um, and uh in uh at the West Orange Art Center, her story art exhibit will be there on March 8th from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. as a
part of the celebration for Women's History Month. Um, we have open office hours for our tax assessor. Uh, only there's been a change in the schedule only the week of March 23rd. He'll be here Tuesday 3:24 and Wednesday 3:25.
These this change and these hours are posted on our website. Um, as you may have heard, New Jersey Transit is transferring to the Portal North Bridge and uh, as a result uh, there's many disruptions, but our
updated West Orange jitney schedules are in effect to March 13th and there are details of that posted on our website. The uh, West Orange Film Classic uh, continues March 8th. Of course, there were a couple cancellations. Uh, but it
continues uh March 8th and I believe Cinema Paradisio is up next. Uh, and you can get tickets at westarts.org. Uh, also for St. Patrick's Day, West Orange Mayor's program for the uniquely gifted is uh March 11th and that's 5:30
to 7:30 at the Toby Catz Community Center. And uh you can uh register online at register communitypass.netwest orange.org. Now uh I think I may have forgot to put a slide in here. Uh the mayor's open office hours are coming up
uh this Thursday uh from uh what are the hours, mayor? 6:00 to 8. I was just testing you. I knew that. Um and there's no appointment necessary. Please uh please come on down. I just want to go back to this. When I created this flyer, I needed a
leprechaun. So, I uh the leprechaun you see there is actually me from 1963. Uh so, uh you know, never throw anything away. You never know when it will come in handy. Um
I just put this information up on the uh website today. Uh H5N1 bird flu information. There's uh no general risk uh no general risk to the public remains or the risk to the public remains very low but there is additional information up here that you should familiarize
yourself with. We also have uh restaurant week coming up March 21st to the 29th uh and they have a dedicated website for that westweek.com. Just remember week and uh you'll be able to find the website easy.
Uh, also coming up uh in celebration of women's history month is Bloom and Belong uh celebrating remarkable woman woman. This is at the public library on uh March 23rd from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and uh
our mayor Susan McCartney will be one of the featured guest speakers. Uh charity hockey game took place February 28th at the Cody Arena. Uh it is the um combined team of the uh West Orange Fire Department, West Orange
Police Department versus the New Jersey Warriors. Uh we had a great turnout for the game. Of course, our officer Herby was in attendance. Um and uh Herby informed me, officer, Sergeant Grandos
uh informed me um before the meeting, tonight's meeting that uh he will uh will not be here and the duties will be turned over to Officer Alexander who is behind me. So, she will be our our our new security here at the council
meetings. >> We'll try not to keep you up too late. And finally for uh uh for Rev 250, we actually killing two birds with one stone here. For Rev 250, Revolution 250, the 250th commemoration of the uh
American Revolution. Uh and for women's history month, I will be doing a program uh at the West Orange uh public library on March 21st at 2:00. And it will focus on unique West Orange Revolutionary War
history. and it will feature um uh important women who uh uh whose story has long been uh untold or forgotten right here in West Orange. And I have flyers available up here and I'll be making another announcement uh at that. And mayor, I I do apologize. It looks
like I forgot to put your uh open office hours slide in here, but it is up on the website and it is on social media. And uh with that, I'd like to turn it over to my esteemed colleague Anthony Buglesi. Welcome, Mr. Plesi.
>> Uh, good evening, Anthony Plesi representing uh, County Executive Joe Definchenzo. Uh, ju just have two uh, quick items I want to share with you. Uh Saturday, March 7th is our third and final job fair for seasonal opportunities at the South Mountain Recreation Complex, which includes
Turtleback Zoo, uh the Treetop Adventure, um mini golf, and other um uh attractions that we have there. Cody Arena as well. Um and uh then, uh Joe said, "Spring is on its way." We all
hope that's true. Uh with spring comes the beginning of our cherry blossom festival. Uh it's the 50th anniversary of that festival. So we're very proud of that. Uh and that begins April 2nd. Uh and goes actually for three weeks this year because uh Easter is right in the middle of it. Um so that begins with our
bike races on the 2nd and then continues with a 10K run, children's fun run, uh family day, and then the Bloomfest at the the middle of the month. And of I'll bring back more information and uh uh postcards and other things uh at the next meeting.
>> Great. Uh and and all this is on the website now, essex countyj.org. >> Very good. Thank you very much. >> Thanks. >> Okay. Now, Jackie, good evening everybody. My name is Jaclyn Hendy, Beverly Road. Uh, I just
had one thing that I was hoping that the board would be able to clarify publicly. Um, I don't even think this is a controversial statement to make, but there is um a lack of public trust. I think everybody can agree um and given the bloated um budget that we have or
deficit rather. Um I think that would it be it'd go a long way to public trust if we could just kind of clarify. Um there we have several contracts on tonight's agenda that are um going to be approved and um several of these agencies have
made um campaign donations to some of the governing body. Some of these donations were rather significant and although the contributions of course are legal, vendors are permitted to participate in the political process. However, when firms donate to elected
official, it can raise questions about fairness and transparency. So, I am respectfully requesting that the council explain the procurement process for these contracts, including whether any potential conflicts were formally reviewed, whether recusals were
considered in accordance with state ethics guidance, and whether all applicable ethics and pay-to-play regulations were followed. Um, that's it. Thank you so much. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. Uh on this side, Mr. Debi,
did you want to did you want to come? >> Good evening. Uh few items that I wanted to address on >> your name and address Bernette Terrace. Um few of the uh agenda items I wanted to raise. Um
first some some of the numerous matters on the agenda contain little if any background or substance that would allow somebody reviewing the items to understand what the resolution is about. Um number of these are these contracts. Um,
for instance, 6526, 68-26, 83-26, and 86-26 all fail to identify what the purpose for the appointment is. Um, it may indicate an appraisal firm
just by example, but it doesn't indicate what project, what property, anything that would give any idea what that engagement is for. And if for there's going to be a proper and open review of things,
that information needs to be there or it shouldn't be on the agenda as our council president has requested in the past. Um, in addition 65-26 call for for an
appointment for planning services. Um, just want to ask the question, why are we hiring planning consultants when sometime last year we heard from the administration that they were finally going to agree to hire a full-time planner? Um,
shouldn't that be the priority here? uh um rather than continuing to hire consultants for one-off assignments that could potentially be handled by a full-time planning professional. In addition, I have to ask this
administration why items without proper background and document documentation were even put on the agenda. Um, frankly, what wastes more time uh at these meetings than anything is
the fact that items are put on the agenda with no proper background, no information, and people get up like myself and ask questions about these things and often times we don't even get an answer afterwards. So, um,
that's my thoughts on that. Second, I'd like to address the matrix downtown redeveloper agreement, which doesn't seem to be on the most recent agenda. Uh, I guess it was pulled. Um, but I'm going to comment anyway. Um,
we have Matrix who was appointed as redeveloper of a sound stage sound stage studio project in our downtown. They're appointed uh Matrix is appointed without Matrix providing who their studio partner is
going to be. They were given 18 months. That 18 months has passed. What have they done for 18 months? Uh who have they spoken to? Have they found anyone willing to commit to being a studio partner? A re a view of the proposed resolution seems to indicate
that the only modification to the existing agreement is to extend the expiration date to July 26th of this year. Why why should this extension be granted? What have they done? I'm sure they've done they've done something, but
none of that has been conveyed to taxpayers by this administration. Extensions to agreements are typically earned and often involve the party being granted with an exclusive right to develop property in return for their commitment of dollars to the
transaction. That that's in my experience in this business. The developer agreeing to make payments that are non-refundable and that are not credits against the future purchase price gives the developer a financial stake in the success of the project
and indicates their commitment. After 18 months, it's entirely reasonable that the developer begin putting its own money at risk to show their commitment to the project. Uh this town is out 18 months of real estate tax
revenue that um while we own the property obviously and we're not going to pay ourselves. the longer this property sits uh uncommitted, which is where it's at presently, even though we have a redeveloper,
um you know, that's the long that's how much more time we're going to not collect real estate tax revenue. Um third, at during the last council meeting or one prior,
uh Mr. Moraldo became agitated because he was being asked valid and relevant questions by a sitting council member that discussions on parking and uh related to discussions on parking and traffic in the valley. >> Your time is up.
I'll just say that decorum is important, but it needs to be shown on both sides of the the aisle. And um being insulted by questions that are valid, that doesn't really fly. Thank you.
>> Thank you, Mr. Toby. Okay. Um the woman in the back next, >> I'm sorry, I don't know your name. Oh, >> great. Well, welcome. >> Thank you very much. My name is Virginia Mayhew. I live on
Forest Hill Road. I've lived in West Orange since 2001. I had a very scary experience on Thursday right over there. Um and I filmed it. I was coming back from Montlair and I saw um Ice
kidnapping somebody and um I tried to print out some pictures but my printer isn't working very well. But but you want to pass those on. Um I felt that I needed it was my responsibility to record this because
I'm a white person and if I don't stand up, I don't know who is going to stand up. Um but it was terrifying and afterwards I was shaking. I put it up on the internet uh Facebook on a couple of places and got mostly positive response.
a few, you know, crazy people. Um, then I started thinking about our government and I just I I'm opposed to people wearing masks and not not having any identifying markers on them. Um, and I would like to ask the council to please
uh forward or whatever it is you need to do with the immigration trust bill act, whatever it is. Um, it was a really scary feeling. If you want to see the um video, I could show you on my computer. I've got it all queued up. >> Okay.
>> If you could just send it to us to west.org. Okay. >> It'll go to all of the elected officials and then some people in the administration as well and then we'll be able to view the video. >> Great. >> We don't have the capacity to allow you
to share it here on the spot. >> Okay. Is there a certain address? >> West Orange pound west.org. >> Great. And please send that. >> Okay. Council at West. Thank you very much and welcome.
>> Okay. Yes. Go ahead. >> Good evening. My name is Andy Sabowski. I'm with Sable Jewelry Buyers. I'm the owner. I manage all the daily operations and compliances for our store. We've been operating in town for the
past year and are proud to be a stable member of the West Orange community. I'm here tonight with my business associate and my father Irwin Sabowski to forward our business by clarifying the language of a town ordinance that will allow us to add an essential service to our business. This would not change the
footprint of our business. we would operate with the same compliance as the past year. And I'm going to pass it over to my dad and business associate. He's a long decades of jewelry experience in the industry and be able to answer all of your questions, but I'm
also here for anything that you need to ask me as well. >> Thank you, Andy. Uh, thank you, council. I'd like to first thank Councilwoman Williams for her keen interest in the success of our small business at 290 Main Street. Um, I've been in the the
jewelry business and the uh associated businesses. Now, my family has been in the business for over 70 years. We've actually at my peak I was running 13 stores in the state of New Jersey. Um, I retired but my daughter decided she
wanted it. She enjoyed the business, wanted to go back in the business, and she reluctantly dragged me back in to the business. So, here I am again, but enjoying being back actually. So, it's been a lot of fun. We've been, as Andy said, here for about a year and we are
doing well. We are do we are buying, we are selling, we are doing custom orders, we're doing everything that a jewelry store likes to do in a township. What's that? >> Oh, in repairs as well. So, I'll give you a litany. Yes.
>> Okay. So, um we've actually had been very successful. I mean, you can look up our website at Sable Jewelry Buyers, and we've have actually have 88 five-star reviews. So, we've really done a fine job, I think, of trying to build our
business in West Orange. But the we do buy in accordance with the ordinance that's on the books for West Orange as it appears now. And we follow that ordinance very closely. We have a significant computer system that allows us to take pictures of the customers
that sell to us, their identification. We take pictures of the items. We we document their address, their telephone number, their email addresses, do all of the things that and we send it to the police department and do all of these things that are required under the ordinance.
But the people are coming into us and they're asking us for a service that at this point we really can't provide. They come to us, for instance, a gentleman came in about a month ago and he said, "My daughter is a college senior. She's
in the final semester of her college career and the college called me up and they said, "Listen, if you don't pay the tuition by tomorrow, we're going to cancel all her classes and she's not going to be able to graduate." And unfortunately, the gentleman had lost
his job. And the only thing that he had to in his in his of his assets was his watch, his Rolex watch that he wanted to secure money for. and he wanted to actually sell it to us, but he asked us,
"Don't sell it to anyone else. Hold on to it and allow me to come back and purchase it back from you." And that's something that in the 13 stores that I've had throughout New Jersey, I was able to do.
So, that is what we call a conditional sale. But it relates back to a statutory item from the state of New Jersey which is pawn broking. And every time somebody hears the word pawn broking, they
cower. It starts to cause anxiety. So what I'm explaining to you is this. Each customer came in. Another woman came in. She said, "Really? I can't I I'm sorry. I can't pay the rent. I need to bring my ring or my bracelet to get money to help
to pay the rent. So, what I'm saying is the ordinance as it stands now allows us to buy. We obviously can sell the jewelry. It doesn't tell us and it shouldn't tell us who we can sell the jewelry to. So, what what we'd like to do is to further
further the ordinance because we have to get a state license. And the state and I've applied for 14 of these licenses before. The state is now asking us to get township approval. But the idea is all we would like to do
is to be able to offer this service and take the ordinance that's on the books right now as to buy it to someone. We want to sell it back to the people that sell it to us as opposed to people outside. >> Time is up. >> So I just like to entertain any
questions if people have if the council members have questions back and forth that the council will answer. But if you want to get in touch with the council, you can reach out to them individually online or you can call them or you can reach out at councilwwest orange.org.
>> Okay. >> We have our council connection at the end of the month where you can come in and meet with all of us here in your chambers. >> Okay. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Sylvester. >> Good evening, Claire Sylvestri, 20 Grand
Avenue. I'm back again to ask about the status of an issue that was discussed during the new matters pending matters portion of the two January council meetings relating to public comment. To recap, close to midnight at the January 6th meeting, without any notice on the
agenda, Council President Scarpa urged her colleagues to begin the process of amending our township ordinance to restrict public comment at the start of the meeting to agenda items only and hold public comment on any other issues until the end of the council's regular
business. A vote among the four council members present ended in a tie, so the motion failed. However, at the following council meeting on January 20th, the issue was again raised at the new matters pending matters portion of that
meeting, again without notice. A 25-minute discussion ended without a consensus, and council president asked her colleagues to quote sleep on it. At the February 10th meeting, there was still no notice of the pending matter on
that night's agenda. So, I asked Council President for an update. Council President's response to public comment did not a address my question. Later the council went into a 2 and a half hour executive session prior to the pending
matters portion of the meeting and when they returned the council voted on the affordable housing plan resolution and then immediately adjourned no matter pen no matters pending discussion. So, I'm again here asking if the council
president would please give residents an update on her proposal to move public comment on non-aggenda items to the end of the council meetings agenda. A number of people contacted me after the January 20th meeting, expressing their concern about the proposed changes
and a desire to get greater clarity on where the council goes from here. I note that the issue is not listed on the agenda tonight while there are two items under pending matters new business. On a separate issue, I'd like to express
my appreciation to our new township attorney, Mr. Simero, for his very detailed explanation at the last meeting of the challenges facing facing the township regarding its affordable housing obligations, as well as addressing the concerns expressed by
many residents that night. He made it clear that by not filing a fourth round plan by the June 30th, 2025 deadline, the administration put the township in an incredibly vulnerable position. While West Orange faces a rather high number of units mandated by
the state in this round, the really crushing problem is that by not having a plan certified by the state, the township opened itself to builders remedy lawsuits. Five by current count. This means the courts could potentially side with the
developers and support even larger projects. If West Orange is unable to get some relief from the courts and does not reach settlements with each of the developers, we could see dramatic changes in the complexion of our township and severe strains on our
schools and infrastructure. On February 10th, Mr. Smero said he would quickly take legal action if the council that night endorsed the fourth round plan, which it did by a 4 to1 vote. So, I'm hoping Mr. Seero can
provide an update on where things stand tonight. I also want to say thank you to the council and mayor for hiring Mr. Seerero. It's apparent he has extensive knowledge and experience with affordable housing and redevelopment, two very
pressing issues in our township. And in the short time he's been here, he has articulated a clear focus on doing what's in the best interest of West Orange residents. It's just unfortunate it took more than nine months for Mr. Samorero to come on
board after Mr. Frank, our previous township attorney, submitted his resignation at the start of last year. Maybe if the two parties had been able to reach a settlement on his and other contracts sooner, the township might have avoided or at least mitigated the
serious predicament with affordable housing it faces today. Thank you. Is there anyone else like like to make public comment? No. Seeing none. Okay, we'll close public comment and uh we'll respond.
Councilwoman Williams, would you like to lead off? >> I always go first. >> We're doing a reverse the reverse alphabet. We'll shake it up next time. >> Let's shake it up this time. I'm going to go second. I mean, I'm going to go last this time. So, let's go in reverse order.
>> Would you like to uh start counsel? >> I don't care. I can. Doesn't matter. >> Okay. Okay. So, thank you everybody for coming out this evening. Um, there were some I I Council President I I think if administration could start off with some
of the questions that M Deobi had. Um, I also think the chief is here to respond to um with the stop with uh with the ICE officers. >> Um, and so
>> I think that would be prudent. Go ahead. Yeah, I I I think so because I think a few of these need to be addressed by administrator because you clarified. >> So I guess if >> Chief, would you like to Yeah. >> Yeah. I don't mean to put you on the spot, Chief, but I did call you the
other day and you had a I appreciate the answer you gave me on this because I know people were concerned. >> It is important that everyone understand the Phil. So, the only information I could provide is that it was an ICE detainer that was uh originally supposed to take place in
the city of Orange during a motor vehicle stop. Unfortunately, that transcended into West Orange by the time they were able to complete the motor vehicle stop, which happened at Main Street and Park Place. Uh ICE notification was made. Uh I I was
contacted by Orange Police. They did make proper notification to them and then our central communications was also notified at the conclusion of the motor vehicle stop that there was no further incident and they were departing town. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you very much for clarifying
that. It's important that the public understand all of the issues surrounding this this issue. >> Absolutely. >> And uh maybe if I don't know Mr. Soraldor or Mr. Samara, if you want to respond. There were comments made about
the redevelopment. >> Uh, by Mr. Ves. >> No, by Mr. Deaui. >> So, some of those questions included whether or not there was any compensation to the township. We owned the property. There was a question about
what uh we have received and why we're extending the contract. Uh well, we are in the process of discussing this with the redeveloper. Um and uh there's not a resolution on this evening. Um
I don't uh we do have read on the council here this evening. Mr. Beck is more familiar with the intricacies of it. Uh but I can tell you that we we're looking at uh different timelines. This is a complicated redevelopment project.
uh there are certain obligations that both uh the township itself as well as the redeveloper uh need to accomplish in order for the project to move forward. Uh and uh from my my understanding of the project, it still seems like it's a
viable project and worth pursuing. Uh so I I I think that if you're going to direct a question for an explanation as to uh some of the reasons for delay, Mr. Beck's in a better position to answer that. So I talk I could say something but it's
not very specific. >> So some of some of the questions if I can just reiterate some of his concerns were has there ever been a partner identified if there is a partner who that partner was is a question you asked. Compensation to the township
because of the loss in revenue because we own the taxes um was another question that you asked. So uh Mr. Beckman, I I'm aware of the $400,000 payment to the township um to compensate for the loss revenue and taxes. If you could just
speak to that, that would be helpful. >> Councilman, I still have the floor though, but I appreciate >> reiterate the questions. >> Well, I I would didn't get a chance to, but thank you for jumping in and please go. Sorry. >> Which question would you like me to start with? >> Anyone you want. >> Start.
>> We'll start with the 400,000 that we did receive because that was payment towards the tax. >> Yeah, that that's correct. When the agreement was initially entered, there was the $200,000 payment followed by another $200,000 payment to extend the terms of the contract at that time. Um, then the the agreement was amended to
reflect the purchased terms for the purchase of the properties. So, it became an amended redevelopment agreement and purchase agreement. That's the agreement that we're under today. Um, what had been considered for the agenda was to extend the timelines for the due diligence and the time timeline
for closing on the property. And can you explain, you know, now where we're at? They're looking for an extension. >> Uh continue discussions about the project moving forward. Um the interest in the project moving forward. Um the commitment that each party would need to
the other in order for that to make sense viably and to be able to progress uh activities for the incentives that they have need to obtain and the environmental cleanup that we have to undertake. And we're also and again I again I ask attorneys to speak because I don't know what we should and should not
say in public at this point but it's no secret that we have challenging environmental issues that have stalled that project uh uh for the past couple years. Uh the mayor we have the BDA approval. So, we are rece going to be receiving BDA grants, but there's a lot
of it's a little complex. Uh timeline's complex and uh in regards to having to take tear down buildings and how to go about that and the assistance of the redeveloper and that's what the uh the attorneys are working on for us. So, I
don't know what else you want to say or not say about that, but I'll leave that to you. >> No, I'll just respond to any other questions. Okay. that that I can >> yeah with the understanding that there may be some things that are playing a
role in our decision-m process that we really can't assess publicly because it affects negotiations which are confident >> thank you >> and I appreciate that because I know it's frustrating from the public's point of view and I know from some of my
colleagues um you know I want to remind folks that when we first started with matrix um way back when they wanted to purchase all of the properties and that deal was broken up by the former council. Myself
and Councilwoman woman Williams were the only ones that voted for them to go move forward to take uh the entire acreage of properties offered to them. And um you know at that time I thought it was unfortunate because we could have really moved redevelopment along. Um, you know,
we talk about uh our debt and someone said our bloated debt. Well, our bloated debt, you know, we bought properties that we thought at the time we were going to flip back and and re uh resell to the developer and uh because just so
many uh complications at the time, it did not pan out that way. But now it's getting delayed further by us not making these decisions. So, we have an opportunity here. Um, we have environmentals that we have to deal with whether we like it or not, whether
you're involved in those original decisions. Um, you still, you know, tag it, you own it, you're here. So, uh, this council has to be responsible to move redevelopment so Main Street could move forward. And um, that's not going to happen if we don't get this uh,
settled. I was I'm disappointed it's not on the agenda tonight, but I want my colleagues to be comfortable, make sure they get all the information that they need so they could make a educated decision. Um, but we need to get this ball rolling so we can pay down the debt. Uh, that is outstanding. Uh, also
another big purchase was Rock Spring Golf Course that we have to deal with sometime before uh the end of the year because uh we need to renegotiate that contract. Um and um so again, these are all items that will deb will get paid
down. We have green acres money outstanding and uh we look forward to to handling that. Uh with that all being said, uh the Sablowskis, thank you for coming. I know you we visit you when you first opened up. Uh it was exciting to
have a jewelry store uh uh back on on Main Street. Um I know you you know there are complications there because of the nature of your business and um you know I'm reluctant to change the ordinance. We have it for a reason. Walter Bowmans have been applying uh by
these standards for many many years and there was never an issue there. Um but I I know it's tough when people come in and um I know you want to be able to help all your clients. Uh, but I know there has to be things need to be registered and they have to be accounted
for. I've been watching John Ham's Friends and Neighbors. I don't know if anybody's been watching that on Netflix and and so you talk about the Rolex, so I just had to laugh and and add that in there. Um, but the there has to be mandatory um uh accounting for everything. So, I'm not reluctant to to
change that ordinance. I'll just be upfront with you there. Um, and I think that's about it. But thank you everybody for coming down tonight and uh for you know just sharing with us. >> Council President, >> thank you very much. Would you like to go?
>> Sure. Um wanted to address Jackie's uh information about whether or not there's transparency and uh anyone should recuse themselves from decisions. Um, I I think
that we need to understand that the state has implemented laws as far as campaign contributions and donations are. Um, those limitations have been reduced um so that there is a little
more compliancy and less opportunity uh for anything uncompromising to occur. And it is to my knowledge that each of your sitting council persons are compliant um with those election campaign contribution laws. Um so as far
as um whether or not anyone should recuse themselves um we're we're all abiding by the law. Um I I don't know what else you would expect for us to be able to do. Um as far as some of the
contracts um certainly Mr. Debi um for many many many many years we have continued to ask that we update the um history of the ordinances and how those are changed so that when we are making
those decisions if there's any previous actions that have occurred um that we have those documented um in the end of the ordinances and resolutions that we vote upon. Um that is up to the administration to produce to us. Um so
you know we get what we get and we make the best decisions that we can based on the information that we have. We as elected officials have the capacity to go back to um the administration and ask questions and I would encourage you to do the same. Um if there are questions
that you have certainly come to the microphone as you do often um ask those questions and put it on the record um that if the information is not satisfactory to you hopefully they will take that and uh do better accordingly. When you know better you do better. Um
but obviously you continue to come asking those same questions. Um again these things are not produced by us sitting behind the deis. Um that's the best I can do as far as uh development is concerned. Again, just wanted to
clarify that we have been the beneficiary of some funding from Matrix to offset the taxes um during this time period that we are waiting. Um so unfortunately that that's the best that that that we can do. And if you have any
additional questions, I know that we can't go back and forth here. Um but please feel free to reach out um send us again council at West Orange reach out to us directly uh for any information that you feel that you need to have and certainly we appreciate and welcome uh
your input so that we can um listen to the public their concerns and respond accordingly. Um as far as um ICE is concerned um we we have been approached uh with some um residents
sending us uh information on some of the legislation um that is sitting on the House and Senate floor and uh it is my understanding that that will be presented at some point um for deliberation from the administration.
So, we're again just waiting to see how those things will unfold. Mr. Sublowski, I you know, I I come to the businesses on the downtown corridor quite often um checking in to see how our businesses are doing. West Orange is a community of
small businesses. And while um there is resistance to often change our ordinance, um it is my desire for all of our businesses to be successful. And I um encourage you to continue to advocate um so that we can do what is necessary.
Again, to your point, um we do have a jewelry business that does uh sell and um exchange loan jewelry. So, um I would hope that we can make that a standard um with whatever uh changes are necessary
so that we can continue to support the businesses in our community. Obviously, you've been doing this for many, many years. You do it successfully. Um, and we want your daughter and we appreciate the legacy of her taking on your small business so that it can continue. Um,
because often times the biggest complaint that we have with some of our small businesses is that that legacy ends. It dies with the original person. So, I want to say thank you to you um for picking up the mantle and um trying to continue your family legacy. Legacy
is important. um and and the fact that you're picking up that mantle and continuing the family tradition is commendable. So, I appreciate that. Um and you coming forward to ask um how can we help and continue to support you. Uh
Claire, again, you know, we appreciate the fact that you're continuing to come and inquire about um whether or not uh the change that was recommended and suggested um by council president, but we're in March and that has not been
something that we have uh agreed to change. So, continuing to ask the question certainly um I appreciate that, but we're continuing practice as usual. we have not um asked the public uh to not speak at the beginning of the
meeting on only agenda items. So I I will just say until it becomes a thing, it's not a thing. Um and so thank you. Um I will just add a little bit of information. As um council president said, we have not had council liaison
reports in a very long time. So, I'll just take a moment um to incorporate some of my council liaison updates. Um and as you heard from uh our uh historian and public information officer, the WOAC reception for the
power of her is on Sunday from 4:00 to 7:00. The public is invited. There will be a a small uh reception as well as with refreshments. All of the artists are invited to attend. Um, so please come out and continue to support the West Orange Arts Gallery. Um, I will
remind the public that it is uh defunded uh by the previous council. Um, we used to receive about $30,000 um that went towards the rental of the facility that we are currently in at 551 Valley Road and that funding was uh discontinued in
October of 2025. We are hoping um that the mayor will include that in the budget uh for 2026. But of course, until that budget is presented uh we will not know uh that uh confirmation. However, we are accepting uh small donations from
those who have the love and support and understand the significance of the arts uh in any community. Um so we appreciate their uh everyone's continued support. Uh the gallery is open on Sundays from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. um throughout the
year. We are there at least through uh June of 2026. And at that point, we will have to re-evaluate and understand whether or not uh we can continue with the funding that we have and are able to raise to make sure um that we can become and remain a viable institution. Um in
addition to that, we talked about the classic film festival um which happens every Sunday at 2:00. um through the uh middle of April uh with a couple of uh snowed out dates that'll hopefully be rescheduled. And in addition to that,
the Art Center Gallery is a uh supporter of the Junth Film Festival um which is scheduled for June. And so if anyone is interested in submissions for the Junth um film festival um please don't hesitate to reach out to um the art
center gallery or myself directly um for those submissions. And there is a submission fee this year um of $30 $25 um up until the end of March 31st and then from April 1 until April 15th um
that will increase to um $30. So, by any means, if anyone is interested in their submission, um please don't hesitate to um do so. Um also wanted to let everyone know that the West Orange Chamber of Commerce does host host its annual I'm
sorry, its monthly um meetings and that will be coming up on Tuesday, March 10th. Um that is held at 8:00 a.m. at the Zoo Health Facility on the third floor in their conference room. Um any business in West Orange is open and welcome to join the Chamber of Commerce.
Um in addition to that um not necessarily West Orange related, but the NAACP of the Oranges and Maplewood branch will be holding its annual um Freedom Fund Jazz lunchon on April 19th. I'm sorry, you have problems.
Okay, I didn't think so. April 19th, 2026 at 12 PM at Valley Regency in Clifton, New Jersey. Tickets are $150 and anyone who is interested in supporting the NAACP, please um reach out to me directly or the NAACP Orange
and Maplewood branch. I think that will complete uh my response to public comment as well as updates on my uh council liaison reports. Thank you so very much, Council President. >> Thank you very much, >> Councilwoman Ruden.
>> Sure. Um, first I want to respond to um what Jackie Jackie mentioned in terms of campaign contributions um and vendors. I can tell you upfront that I will never take any money from anybody seeking business or doing
business in West Orange. And I also feel that there should be full disclosure because even though the pay-to-play laws in in New Jersey have been weakened, I think that we also have an ethical
responsibility to state on every single resolution that comes before us whether anyone sitting on this deis has received a contribution big or small. I think there should be full
transparency on that issue and even if you can say that there is no it's not going to influence my vote that the appearance is to the public that it does influence your vote and we have ethical
standards to to uphold. So I would ask and I will be asking tonight at the end of our meeting under new matters that our township follow the same rules that that Verona and many other townships follow which is that at the end of every
vendor agreement there is a listing of whether or not anybody on this council or that council has taken any money and that is just good governance. We should know who is taking money and even if it does or does not influence your vote,
the public has a right to know that information. Um Todd, in in terms of your questions about um matrix, I just want to clarify something. Mr. Becklman said that we have been accepting $200,000 each year for the past two
years to offset the um the taxes that should be on that property had they own that property. But isn't it also correct that those tax payments would be credits against their eventual purchase price?
increase. >> So for the first two years of the agreement period, so it was 2023 and 2024, they made those payments and no, they're not getting credited against the purchase price. >> Okay. Um so some of those questions that you have, I guess we will be discussing in
executive session. Is there anything else that you realize? questions that was specifically asked is um about if there's a specific lease partner that's been identified. No. Um that's part of why they need to be under an agreement and to be able to move forward and advance that those efforts.
>> Okay. >> I know that the the public has questions about what has happened in the past 18 months and hopefully the public will be getting answers about what is happening because this is prime property in downtown West Orange. Um,
Virginia, thank you so much for coming out tonight. Um, I I want to thank you for doing your your civic duty just in terms of of being a reporter and um telling telling on Facebook and also us
tonight about what you witnessed and how terribly scary that was. People have been saying, "Oh, we don't have to worry about it." Um, my colleagues have been saying ICE isn't here. we don't have to worry about it. This is proof ICE is here. Even if it is
because ICE has followed a a vehicle across from Orange into West Orange, this happened in West Orange. And that is why I have been urging this council and I will put forward a resolution if we if we can get support on that to urge
the governor to sign the immigration trust act which has successfully passed both houses and is waiting for her support. And I think it's a very important message that we as as leaders
and we as rep as as West Orange stand with our immigrant community and say that you know we want to codify this law to make sure that the boundaries between our local police and ICE are enforced.
Um Claire um uh you spoke about why we are in this situation with the builder uh remedies with um seeking with with having five five lawsuits that we're facing.
And um yes, it's squarely on the shoulders of this mayor and this administration which did not hand in the affordable housing um plan in time. And we are now left with with this situation
and we're going to do the best we can to to push back um on on all of this development. Uh, I think that I've addressed everybody who spoke tonight and I thank everybody who came out tonight and
everybody who's on Zoom. Oh, I'm so sorry. I forgot to mention about your request to extend to a pawn shop. Frankly, I'm really not familiar with our ordinance in that area and I would have to look into that. Thank you.
>> Okay. Thank you very much, Councilman Kokovia. >> Thank you. Uh there was a mention of the bloated deficit and while I appreciate that there's an awareness that we face a significant financial hurdle, it's actually probably referring to the
crushing debt that we have and we have about $170 million in debt. Actually, this council last year actually reduced our debt after it went up by 50% in the previous four years. And we also have a resolution on the
agenda tonight uh memorializing the effort of the last year in putting in a debt management plan. And uh so please stay tuned for that. the uh I want to ask a question to the administration
about whether it uh researches information about contributions by potential vendors made to either the mayor or council members because if you do I think it I
agree it should be on it should be information that we as council members uh can uh consider. because I I think that's while it's certainly a first amendment right, it's also my first amendment right to decide
whether uh that is an indication of whether we want those people being or those entities being uh vendors for our community. So can you give us that information going forward? >> Yeah, go ahead.
Um the way uh that these contracts are being written, I'm not sure what was done previously. Uh but uh these contracts uh fall within two categories. One is uh nonfair non-open and the other is fair
and open. Uh fair and open is done through an RFP process. Uh and under the pay-to-play laws, uh the vendors are required if they earn more than $50,000 a year, uh through public employment
contracts, employment is the wrong term. Public contracts uh during the preceding calendar year uh that are required to dulge reportable contributions, which are contributions that are less uh that are $200
or more. Uh so uh the contracts are requiring them to divulge it. Um so that that's that's normal. In a non-fair nonopen, they're required to divulge their political contributions.
So, uh, while the contracts were not on the agenda this evening, uh, they will be on the agenda with the, uh, accompanying resolutions, uh, they will make that requirement as part of the the contract. Uh, so they will have to
release that information. Um, that's the way that it's generally done. Uh, I have not done contracts that required that information to be dulged uh prior to the award of the contract.
Um, I could certainly look into that. Yes, if it's if it's uh legal and allowed, I'd like to know any vendor who's applying for or work here, corporate or individual, if they've made contributions to, like I said, the mayor
or the council members. I I'd like us to know about that before we vote on on >> I'll have to look look into that. Um >> the way the law was last year, actually may
have been two years ago, uh every municipality had their own boarding uh and uh ineligibility requirements uh associated with campaign uh finance contributions.
and the state uh and there were law firms that actually just made a living off of navigating it because it became literally impossible uh for the public vendors to navigate a hodgepodge of different laws. Uh you know, Mike Burn
for example, you know, we represent a multitude of different public entities. Uh it it would be untenable for us to have complied with all the separate rules. Um so the states did step in and they they preempt they came up with uh
one set of uh rules um that uh put in uh regulations on this. So I suspect that there's strong uh preeemption here. I'll have to take a look at it and get
it back to you. Uh that was the intent behind the the change in the law about 12 or 18 months ago. >> Okay. Well, thank you. A couple other issues come up about redevelopment. We are uh downtown redevelopment. We are
what I consider to be in the fish or cut bait part of the project. Now we need to decide uh in the next few months about uh whether the where where things stand now is where we want to take them. Whether we want to try to uh negotiate
or clarify any parts of the redevelopment agreement and perhaps the financial agreement that still has to be drawn and we need to do that in the next few months so we can fish or cut bait. Um, we've been a little busy. The
council has in the last year. We uh worked on the debt management plan. We spent a lot of time on the budget. It was a very successful budget. The state we cut so much the state made us put it back. Uh we settled the mayor's litigation with the council uh on the
town attorney, the previous town attorney and other appointments. And uh redevelopment is something that I hope that the council continues to focus on this year. And uh Mr. Debove I I agree with you these uh in terms of the
contracts providing sufficient information because what I often do is I have to ask the questions about why this particular vendor and what are they going to do. So just very briefly uh
resolution 65 competitive contracting to solicit and review proposals for the contracts for professional planning and technical support services. That is Ms. Carbalo and that has to do with the safe streets program that we also got the briefing on uh tonight. Uh 68 is
professional services agreement with Baglia Associates. They apparently are super experts in taxation and the most recent uh invoices that they've given to the township uh have been about uh tax
issues that they have helped uh to fix. Uh resolution 83 uh it's professional property appraisals. That's a very good question. I'm going to ask I at least I was going to ask it tonight. It sounds like we're taking these contracts off the
agenda, but this company did the revaluation for the township uh that was most recently implemented last year, and I'm not sure exactly what they are doing still here.
It's certainly not going to be another revaluation, but uh uh we'll see what it did, what they have to do. It looks like they're going to be doing handling uh residential u assessments. It could be I I don't
know. And on 86 is Hendrick's Appraisal Company. They have been a long longtime uh appraiser for commercial properties and uh I'm assuming that that's why they're being brought back again. But I agree with you
in terms of transparency and uh more background on some of these um for example, if we have a municipal redevelopment attorney, we know what they're going to do. But some of these other things, we probably need to spend another few sentences
uh explaining to people, explaining to residents why we're looking to spend your money uh on these various services. And uh I I as a finality I I do agree with Miss Sylvestri and full of
disclosure I'm married to her for more than 30 years. >> Congratulations. >> But I I I agree. It was alarming to me when we started talking about earlier this year about uh uh potential changes to public comment and it just was sort
of left hanging. So, I I don't see any problem with just saying what the with the council president, with all due respect, what your plans are uh for this going forward. Thank you. >> Okay, great. Thank you, >> President. >> Yes. >> Can I just do something? >> Yes, of course. Go ahead.
>> Um, so I I think that uh the governing body will note that since I had assumed this position that the resolutions are more in depth than they had been previously. Absolutely. >> Um and and that was something that I you
know had taken uh control of. Uh the contracts uh were not made part of uh the backup information. There was a miscommunication between my office and purchasing. So, we suggested that they
be pulled off for tonight and that they be relisted the next council meeting at which time the contracts will be made available as backup. It's in those contracts where there's more descript of an explanation as to the services that
each of those vendors are looking at. Um otherwise you know I I I want to make the resolutions more transparent and explicative. Uh but I don't want it to be a book and reiterating things that are in the attachment.
>> Uh that just doesn't serve much purpose. I thought what did serve more purpose so far as the resolutions concerned and and this is also something that I had added uh in the event that the municipality
gets audited that at least if the DCA comes in and they look at the resolution they don't have to go sifting through other documents to understand that this contract was uh an exception to local public contracts law because of X Y and
you know whether it's a professional service and you'll see that on the other veteran contracts and in this particular case whether or not it was awarded by way of a fair and open process or a non-par and open process. I note that that information wasn't clearly delineated in uh the resolutions of
yesterday year. So um certainly I I I I hear uh you know what your concerns are. I think that I've begun to address them. uh if you want something differently certainly I could address it in the future. However, I think that at the
next council meeting you're going to see that there's a contract that's attached that addresses the the the concerns well maybe not to the extent that you raised it this evening but to the extent that it's consistent with the law concerns about political contributions and explanation
of services. >> Yeah. And I'd like to just thank you for helping me move everything along more efficiently. You know, you've been wonderful in giving me detail detailed support in and even in relation to how the what's come up with Mrs. Sylvestri
about the um any changes. Um it's clear that it was not my proposal but our discussions to move the council forward a little bit more efficiently that prompted the discussions in our very first meeting about if we want to
arrange public comment and and I appreciated your suggestions on how we might do that and as I mentioned to you I said we really do need to have a full discussion with my council colleagues because I did not think that that would fly. I know my audience.
>> That was my idea. They may have had a duck or things coming from the audience, >> right? >> Something that I saw the clowns do, >> right? In an effort to be collaborative and and give everyone a chance to weigh in, we did that. And um clearly we have
no intention to um change the public comment at this time. And I don't think there'll be a need because I think with your support, we are moving our meetings together so much more efficiently and all of the pieces of the legislation, the resolutions and ordinances that we're putting out are are really well
written and I want to thank you for that. Okay, Jackie, thank you for your very important question. Um, we all know that lobbyists in Washington are the ones who are writing legislation, right?
Anyone savvy knows that we all know that there are legal loopholes in the law that allow us to do many things but that are unethical. And that is why I have never taken any donations from anyone. Not from businesses that do business
with our township, not from residents or from my friends. because as I've found sitting up here sometimes I have to make difficult decisions that are not congruent with the needs of my friends and I've had to do that on a number of
issues. So, um, I just want to thank you for your discussion of this, bringing it to our attention, and I completely agree with Councilwoman Ruden and Councilman Koviaak, that it is important that anytime any contracts come up, we have
full disclosure on whether any of us have taken campaign contributions. So, um, Mr. Samaro, I'd like you to put something together as quickly as possible. It it'll it'll start with me researching exactly to what extent we could request something.
>> Excuse me. I'll have an answer. >> Excuse me. Uh Mr. Smear, would you please talk into the microphone? I'm getting complaints from the Zoom audience that they're >> Oh, they're even hearing it. >> Okay. It it'll start with me researching the issue and then I'll report back.
>> Yeah. But it's it's you know, it's very important not only to me, Councilwoman Ruden, and to Councilwoman Koviaak, but to the from the public. We have heard this over and over again and some of us believe that that's why sometimes we pay a little bit more than we should for
things. You know, >> I I understand. I'm just concerned about the preeemption with the law change. >> I don't know. I I know there's preeemption >> on a large uh array of issues that are related to that. >> I don't know if it extends that far.
I'll I'll have to look. >> Do whatever you can. Thank you so much. Um Todd uh Debaui um thank you for bringing up um all of the issues relating to having the detailed information that you need to be able to
digest um various resolutions. I think Councilwoman Koviaak did um did discuss that and I want you to know I told you earlier today I had had some discussions with um Mr. Morero and with the clerk um
and assuring them or us that they will be more detailed and also nothing will go on the agenda. We are going to adhere to our ordinance and nothing is going to go on the agenda while I'm council president that is past the due date or
the Wednesday unless it is absolutely urgent and I approve it. And um we have all been talking about this probably since we got on the council for years and for some reason things have been sloppy and it just has continued to
occur. But um it's going to stop and I think we're going to be able to work more efficiently with Mr. here and I think we'll all be able to to be able to work in a manner that is transparent to the public and to ourselves because we waste a lot of time
trying to research all of these resolutions when we get them, you know, on Thursday. They're delivered to us. Some of us work and I spend my weekend trying to figure out what's what. So, um, thank you for bringing that up as well. Um, in terms of the ordinance of
the jewelry, I really don't understand it, but I will look into it and get some feedback uh as appropriate. And um, I do want to talk about our older adults advisory board. We have a wonderful uh, event coming up. Our older adults
advisory board has worked very hard to develop business plans for with a for a variety of senior programs and we've been consulting with many of the seniors in our community. And I want to thank the mayor for supporting our older adults advisory board and moving forward
with our first repair cafe which will be on Sunday, March 22nd at the Toby Cat Center. After speaking with many seniors, this is exactly the kind of program they told us they need, something that brings our community
together. I've attended repair cafes for years in other townships and our shades, a local artist, has been encouraging me to bring them to West Orange. So, I'm thrilled we're going to do that. A repair cafe began in Denmark as a way to
push back against our throwaway culture. Uh we have volunteers that come and help neighbors repair small appliances, clothing, household items with the idea of reducing waste while strengthening community. Um when people share skills
and time, they build culture rooted in care and responsibility for one another. And it's that sense of community that is something I think we all need right now. And I'll share something a senior story to give you an idea of why. During our
devastating snowstorm, my 84 yearear-old neighbor lost heat and couldn't walk through the snow to get to my house. So, I urged her to call the fire department as they regularly assist seniors in distress. Our police and our fire department responded immediately,
shoveled a path across my lawn, and carried her safely into my home. Their compassion was real, and it mattered. She was cold, shaken, concerned about putting me out. She didn't want to she wanted to sleep on my couch rather than
in my bed. However, I insisted she take my room. And I was able to make her feel really comfortable and wanted in my home until the next morning when an anonymous social media post and video appeared on
her phone suggesting the police were there to shovel my driveway for me. This anonymous social media post twisted that rescue into something political. My neighbor cried when she saw the video of
strangers filming and mocking what was in truth an act of kindness. It was hurtful not just to me, but to the first responders who have served this town with professionalism long before I sat on the council. I've talked uh a number
of times up here about the three years that I was caregiver for my dad after his stroke. And they made many emergency trips to the hospital with me. And every time I rode with them, I felt I was with a family member. And I will always honor the work they do. And for anyone to
accuse our police or fire of providing favors for a council person is unconscionable. We owe each other better than anonymous accusations and online cruelty. We need to treat one another as neighbors with
honesty, integrity, and humanity. Social media should build community, not tear it down. And the repair cafe is a reminder of what we can be when we choose connection over cynicism. It's a chance for us to show up for one another
in real tangible ways. That's the West Orange I believe in and I hope we all choose to build it and I hope to see everyone there. And I'll just end my public comment. >> Council President, if I may just real quick to add to your sentiments about
our staff. Um I again I want to thank our staff, our DPW and our emergency services. We faced a blizzard of 26th last week and you know they all performed admirably. I think we had a better response than we did from the
previous storm only because of the lack of cold. >> Um it was still challenging. Uh our our staff was out there in blizzard conditions and and had to uh address a lot of treacherous situations. Um, what I'm happy to report is that while many
of the state had a lot of power outages and down trees and down wires and things of that nature, we were fortunate enough to probably only have 36 uh residents have loss of power. I would not be one of want to be one of the 36 and I'm not
trying to minimize that, but we were fortunate enough that it wasn't widespread. Um, same goes for those who um, we we received complaints on streets and I I do want to address for those who were inconvenienced. You know, we had a minimal amount of complaints and again
there were some streets that were not tended to as well as others and primarily because we had challenges with parking. I want to thank Mr. Puglesi here. Um, I made a phone call to him within 3 minutes he gave us the use of the uh, the parking garage. We came up with a solution. So, I want to thank him
and the county executive for um for allowing that to happen and it's a it's something that we're going to look to forward to using the in the future because um it's a great partnership we have with the county. Uh so, and I I do want to say to those who um you know I
those who felt that we didn't address, we were addressing as best we can. We had very minimal amount of complaints received and and u they were addressed by our staff one way or the other. some not to the satisfaction of of what the service they thought they were we should
get. But we have to remind everybody we have 135 miles of roads in this town and our obligation is to get the roads open. Um our obligation is to make the streets safe and passable so that the emergency services can do their job. So I just want to thank our staff again both the
um emergency service personnel and the what we consider what what the terms are essential and non-essential. Everybody's essential here. um it just happens to be some work in the emergency component and some don't. So I want to thank them all for a great job again. So thank you.
>> Okay. All right. Before we do the um consent agenda, um I do want to just review our action items and thank you Mr. uh Samro for um the dead statement that uh Councilman Koviaak has been looking for.
3026 has finally got on the agenda. Uh to your satisfaction, Councilman? >> Yes. >> Okay, great. Um I know that we had also asked some questions about um the salt, who pays the schools or Llewellyn Park.
And we had also asked about um charging stations uh the cost of um charging stations over at Stonehill. And I believe you've sent um both of those to us via email, right? >> Yep. Um, and do my council colleagues, are you comfortable with that or do we
have any follow-up questions on those items? >> On the Yeah. On this the storm, the items that were left over from the consent agenda from the um in from the last meeting, but they were emailed to us the answers to those
questions. >> The debt management. >> Yeah, the debt management was there and the other questions that we had had. Um, and I believe Mr. Moraldo sent us all the answers to those questions, >> the action items that we had.
>> I' I'd like to say something about the debt management plan. Um, I would in the debt management plan, is there anything in here that we can build in that says that if there that the council will have oversight over all of the debt
management, >> you can't have that oversight through the the administrative process administration >> that we are that we are notified and consulted before there are payments made before the debt is is refinanced. enhanced
>> that's all covered that's done anyway you correctly I don't already I don't think that you could add any additional >> requirement uh for the issuance of debt for bonds and >> Mr. Sorera, >> your
>> your your your your recourse is at the time to vote for a bond ordinance uh to introduce a bond ordinance uh or at the time of execution of a resolution. Uh the separation of powers, I I wouldn't feel comfortable putting in any
additional obligations. Uh also uh I think that something along those lines just increases the expense of administering government and also delays uh the administration of government. It would end up putting additional steps in
place uh that would uh potentially delay uh the payment of bills or the acquisition of debt that uh the administration feels is necessary. You always have the ability to say no. Um the stat the statutes are very clear. Uh
you always say no. So there isn't anything that's being done untransparently if that's such a word. Uh and I don't think that uh I would certainly do uh suggest that we go that route. Additionally, this resolution is
and I know that Councilman it's inspirational. This isn't a a uh an ordinance. This isn't requiring uh uh task obligations. What it is doing is
it's providing guidance as to factors that should be considered through the process. >> You want to consent agenda? >> Sure. >> Okay. Approval of minutes of previous meeting. Public meeting January 20th,
2026. And special meeting January 21st, 2026. >> Consent. >> Consent. >> Report of township officers. None. Reading of petitions and communications and bids. Um, there's an RFQ for professional services for the 2026
affordable housing council, a request for bid proposal for janitorial services, and a bid for the DGn Park community garden and outdoor fitness area improvements project. >> Thank you. >> No, I have a question before we
>> Oh, sorry. >> Thank you. Um so for the uh professional services um janitorial services for the bid proposal for janitorial services could someone clarify whether that was a 2year and a one added contract because
I'm curious as to why we weren't continuing with the company that was already in place. >> The the company in place their contract was expiring and they they did not want to enter into the extension. They they they have the option to enter an
extension. They they chose not to. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Uh bill list. Are there any questions on the bills? >> Yes. >> I would like to pull several bills. Um >> Councilwoman, um you can do that
verbally, but can you set >> Yes, I will also do that. I'm already starting to prepare that. Um, I'd like to I'd like to pull bill 190563. I have asked um the
uh administration why we are paying for legal representation for a a former employee and I'd like to pull that until we until I get an answer to that. >> Do you know what page
>> that is one not? No, cuz they're not it's not pageentionated. Um, but it's 1 190563202 screvio and it's 922.50. I'd also like to to pull all of the
bills having to do with the federal forfeite fund. Um, and there are quite a few of them because I would like I would like clarity on whether or not all of these
are proper forefeite fund expenditures. Um from my reading on forfeite um it should be the forfeite funds should only be used for expenditures to defay the costs of
protracted or complex investigations to educate the public in crimerevention techniques to provide additional technical assistance or expertise which may include the purchase of surveillance and undercover transportation and investigative equipment. Some of these
expenses that I am um calling out have to do with um subscriptions um and memberships and um designs for a door for the chief of
police um for uh $1,300 plus expenditure for offices to for um office furniture for lux hide faux leather guest chairs
um for an office and um an expenditure to have an active fold over a badge pocket badge and I would like to know whether all of these are appropriate forfeite expenditures. Um the other thing I would like to to um
pull and I don't do I'm going to need some help on this um from our um our CFO. There have been five payouts to retirees that have not been approved of by this
council. They are significant. And I would like to also ask whether or not these retirement payouts were done according to our code which says that terminal leave payments shall be paid from a departmental budget set aside for
this purpose. So for that reason, I know that these payouts have already been made. So that leaves us in a in a quandry as what to do if these payments are not legal. Um again, they deal with some of the
same issues that um were questioned on another large retirement payout. Those are that's the end of the bills that Oh. Um, yeah, that's that's the end of the bills that I want to pull out.
>> Mr. Tatinia to respond >> to what you can what you can >> do. We vote on whether or not the bills do we have to have a a consensus vote? >> Yeah, we do. We do, but she pulled the one. So, vote on rest, I guess.
But do we all have to agree or do we just pull them because one person >> you have to vote off whether or not you want to pull it? >> Right. That's what I thought. Thank you. >> Okay. >> So we got a number. >> But I I I deferred the CFO. They should
>> Yeah, I'm waiting on his response. >> We still have to vote. These would be expensive. So, I instructed Councilwoman Ruden when she asked about Oul Screo to consult the attorney. I still recommend consulting
the attorney about another attorney's bills. Um, as far as the federal forfeite expenditures, um, you know, I don't want to call our chief up right now and put him on the spot, but I I will say that forfeite
expenditures are usually pre-approved by the federal agency or if they're the county um, the county agency that gives us the funding. So my assumption is that any federal expenditures are are
preapproved by the the entity. Am I correct in stating that regarding the terminal leave uh payments that were made to to five employees that I provided um to
Councilwoman? Um, I mean, the payments are made. Um, I don't I guess it'd be symbolic in sort of pulling the gross payroll off of the bill list. As far as the legality of the payments,
we've made these payments in the past. Um, I know moving forward we are going to go ahead and do resolutions, but these payments have already been made. So, I I don't know if this is the forum
to discuss. Um, >> and I I welcome our attorney to talk about the new process that we've come up with to put it on the council to approve um all future accumulated sick vacation,
whatever the time payments are. >> Yes. So far as uh those final payouts are concerned, we have been in communication with each other and have agreed that the new policy moving forward will be that there will be a resolution
uh to uh make payment with respect to the same. Um I don't know ultimately if the payments uh I if the particular payments that
were already made are segregated and never authorized. How to fix that? I'd have to look at that. I don't have an answer at this point in time. Uh but what I would say
is that if there is an issue that one council person has a council woman Ruden that this not be done by way of consent agenda and then uh we would consider it independently
and she would make a motion to extract those particular bills that she does not want to pay. And if that motion is seconded, then they would be taken off the bill list. And then there would be a motion to pay the bill
list >> absent the ones that were extracted. If her motion is not seconded or if it's not supported by a majority of the council, then the bill list would be as it is and then there should be a motion to accept the bill list
unredacted. So that's how we ought to handle the bill list. >> Yes, council woman castle. >> Okay. So she brought up three topics. I'll call them one, two, and three in order. So So the first one, did did was an answer received or it wasn't
received. I didn't see it on the >> received. >> No, the first question was why are we paying attorney fees for former employee? >> I don't have an answer to that. post his >> this I can't give you an answer. >> Okay. So, so I would like to make sure that that is pulled until we have an
answer on that. >> Okay. Well, well, like I said, I if she wants it off the the policy of the governing body is if anyone wants something off the consent agenda, then it's removed. Correct. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, >> we have another meeting next, excuse me,
next week. Correct. Next Tuesday night. >> Yes, we do. >> Okay. Um, I think that uh if she wants the bill list off the consent agenda that it's got to be called separately and then when we call it separately which maybe at the end I don't know how
you want to do it council president maybe you go through the balance of the consent agenda this evening and when you do that then we end up voting we end up considering the items that were removed. I know that there are resolutions that are going to be removed from the consent
agenda and considered separately. >> That's how we would suggest that you handle the bill. >> Okay. >> The council woman asked for it to be removed. >> Okay. >> It one person could have a matter removed. >> Mhm. >> Can't have it tabled, but you could have it removed
>> and then the motion would be to table three separate bills >> and vote for the balance of the bills. Okay. >> When it's considered separate, so we'd have to table those one, two, and three individually or do we want to do it in one motion? It's her motion. She could
table all three in one shot. >> I just have a question number three. >> Go ahead. You have the floor. >> So on the third one, without again getting into detail because of personnel issues and whatnot. The payments that were made were partial, right? They
weren't the full full payments, right? Because they're still >> in some cases in some cases. talk. >> Yeah. In some in some cases they're they're partial payments, not all. >> Yeah. But there Okay.
>> And just just for the audience sake, uh you have the option when you take your terminal leave to take it out over a period of years. And that's what we're talking about. You can either take it all at once, which is a big hit on the townships, you know,
>> but some people take it uh overtime usually. I one of them is three years. So, so, uh, um, just wanted to let let you know that's what we're talking about. >> Uh, and I Okay, thank you. But I, again,
I wasn't done with my thought. >> Uh, that that's okay. Um, so again, to the point of the benefit of pulling this till next week, I is the clarity like so you don't have answers,
Mr. toak on on these tonight >> on what >> on >> the numbers the numbers were confirmed by your office to for the payments. >> I don't think that's the question. I I think the statement that was made is
that these are illegal payments which I would be very careful in saying that these are illegal payments. >> I'm not I'm not sure the council said that >> that illegal was the term used. >> No, no, I did not. I said it was they were done without the consent of the of
the of the council. And given the scrutiny on some of these same categories for another employee, it it beckons our our oversight on this. We're talking about a
lot a lot of money. I I I thought that your request was just to confirm that he verified the uh accuracy of these numbers in accordance with our code. >> Well, we have >> Is that what you asked?
>> No, that's not She wants She wants the ability to approve >> and and that's why I said moving forward, >> we we are going to put this forward to resolution and put it on the council to to vote uh yes or no. But why was this
not on this time? >> So to answer my question that I've had the floor the whole time is is did you the numbers that were on the bill list you confirm those numbers to the to the best of what your records are?
>> The amounts paid to the five retirees. We use our prime point human resources system that carries balances forward and the balances go back. So the system is set
up properly. I'm assuming that the balances are correct. If someone did something in 1999 uh and that affected a sick day balance, I don't know that. There's no way for me to know that.
Yeah, there's no way for >> the official township records. >> Yeah. Okay. Answer for me. >> And we're consistent with the policy of >> how much sick time we pay out based on hire date. Yeah. >> And we follow um I'll get you next.
>> You know, we don't pay out personal days. Um you know, we pay out comp time in compliance with the contracts. So, in that respect, yes. Okay, thank you. >> Are you finished? >> I am done now. Thank you.
>> Thank you. Um I I just have a concern. I want to understand the process, not necessarily what we're asking for in West Orange, but there has to be some type of state standard as far as payouts and retirements are concerned >> and we'll follow that. And so where I am
challenged right now is um why is it the ability or capacity of the council to determine or even feel that we should challenge the records of the administration when it comes to
employees and the time that um they have documented that's an administrative responsibility that is not a legislative responsibility. So I'm just concerned that you're giving the legislative branch an ability that isn't a standard
across the state. Is that a practice that is done in other municipalities and why now? >> So that I don't know if that's a practice. So we are following local finance notice from 2001 um that lays out a criteria for the
payment of of these accumulated sick vacation etc days and and there in that LFN there there is a process especially because we're dealing with I'm being
very public this limited time due that if it is not contained in a collective bargaining agreement, a salary ordinance, uh handbook, an employment contract, then the practice should be to go to the council,
the governing body, legislative body, and say, okay, you need to approve this time because it is not clearly defined in any of the documents that we follow. Like I said, collective baring agreement, salary ordinance. That's sort
of what limited time do has become. Um so that's why going forward we're going to go to the council and and I've discussed this with Mark um and ask the council to make this approval again
based on this local finance notice that lays out this procedure. So >> and and so to that end we're still depending on documentation from the administration. We only receive the documentation from
the administration. And if you have council persons in that capacity to say, "Oh, no. I don't want to give this person this much money, but it's justified." Then we're setting ourselves up for litigation,
>> and I'm not understanding why we would want to position ourselves in that capacity. This is people and and clearly you're looking at long-term employees and this is the payout. We don't have a
tremendous amount of long-term employees still here. We have a lot of retirees um that have retired and and now they are expecting to receive
the payout. This is reviewed annually by the administration. it is agreed upon by the finance department. I just think it's incredulous that this governing body would challenge the documentation that you all have approved year after
year after year and just, you know, carelessly say, "Oh, no, we don't want you to get that amount of money." I I just don't understand the logic. the the fact that it would be put on a resolution prospectively uh is something that is consistent with
one of the uh uh L >> the finance. Yeah. >> Yeah. Finance board. >> Not so much for the uh council to second guessess what the administration says is
due, but for the purpose of being transparent to the public. >> Exactly. Um, so that's why that process has been identified to move forward. Um,
the CFO has a license. He as as as you're indicating, Councilwoman Williams, he follows statutory law and he follows the statutory law indicates a hierarchy of documentation that he must verify and
check off uh that are based upon governmental business records that he bases his decision on. Um, so in essence there's no difference. I mean if if the CFO tells me that that's what
he did with respect to those bills that are on this evening, effectively is really no difference except public transparency with the way it would be done this evening versus in the future by way of resolution. My
advice would be if he did the verification, we should pay it. >> And right now we're under the you're basically stating to us that you've done the verification. >> So >> to the best of your ability
>> to the best of my ability >> that are available to you. >> Yes. the the the rate of pay is correct and the time that we got from Kronos, you know, appears to be correct. It's following um the two-year vacation
uh limitation. It's following the limitation on the payment of sick time based on uh your hire date. Um the the issue was the limited time due. That's that's really the only thing. And
I'm not I'm not saying that the the balance is wrong. I'm just saying that the limited time due is is sort of the one sticking point that's not clearly defined in our contracts, our ordinances, our handbook, or in an individual employment contract. That's
>> we're waiting for a bone. >> So, does that require that we define clearly uh limited time due our ordinances? what what is what would be the >> So, we we've been working with our labor attorney in doing that and we've been
doing research. We've been pulling, you know, records um going back to I think 2009. >> Um for for one of our departments, we've been able to pull records going back that far and and just trying to figure
out where limited time due truly originated from. I we know a lot of it or some of it came about from COVID and and we do have some internal memorandums to that effect of of why that time was put on the books because vacation time
couldn't be taken but we're trying to figure out where a lot of it came from let's say pre209. Um you know that's really all I can say about it. >> Okay. Go ahead. I would like to correct
a narrative that seems to be being made tonight. This is not about me trying to deny any particular employee his or her due. I am only about transparency. You've seen that theme tonight.
transparency in terms of who gets money from our vendors and transparency again about whether or not these payouts are being made in accordance with our own rules and regulations. As Mr. Diniac has
clearly stated, we do not have anything on the books about limited time due. We do not have anything on the books about payout to individuals for snow days. And that is the transparency that I am asking for. It is our job, all of us on
here, the job to have oversight over the people's money. We are the checks and balances. And that's all I'm asking for. It is not to go after any individual employee. It is just to follow our rules. And on that issue, I would like
to to note that or just get clarification. Mr. Dining act. You did not sign off on these payouts, did you? >> Um, no. But we confirmed the days and the rates. >> But you were not able to confirm the
limited time due. Is that correct? >> I can confirm the time, the amount of time. It's the question is, you know, what is limited time do exactly? Where did it come from? you know that we're still looking into beyond the CO we we
can confirm the the limited time due that was added for CO but anything pre uh Kronos I'm not really sure where >> but even this is out of compliance with the comprollers rules so so since this has already been
brought up as an issue I'm just wondering why these payouts were made since we're already undergoing such an extensive investigation for one employee why we were allowed to pay out on a questionable category, two questionable
categories once again, but not just once again, five times. And we're talking about thousands and thousands of dollars of taxpayers money. Uh I would suggest that
uh that you make the motion that I had had mentioned earlier uh and that if it is carried that we uh have a close session on this issue. Uh I
don't want to get more pointed. I don't know that those categories play a role in each and every one of these uh employees. >> Uh but I don't think that we should be discussing that public. >> Absolutely. >> I make a motion. >> What is the motion please?
>> I make a motion to >> to remove the pay five payments that have been made to retirees. Why don't we could we do it by bill number that it's hard to it's part of the payroll.
>> It's not like it's not like individual. >> Can can I remove something that's been paid? >> Yeah. You want to go ahead? I got a recommendation. >> You can't delay payroll. C can I make a recommendation? >> Yes. Go ahead. >> Obviously, these have been cut and and
paid. So, my recommendation is can't you just set up for we have we're meeting next Tuesday. So, can't we have the labor attorney uh give us a report on this for next Tuesday? Is that who's who's uh analyzing this for us?
>> Yeah, he's the one that's looking up. >> Yeah. Can Can he come next Tuesday and we go into close session? Because I you know I I again I'm very guarded what I say because I worry about us getting uh sued. Um, so I'm just going to put it
out there. I I know Mr. Datiniac kind of is in a hard spot here. Um, and I know he's confirmed what he uh needed to confirm on his end, but there is that one subject that really needs to be put to rest and we really need the
information on it. So this discussion doesn't need to be had over and over again on >> I agree our labor. I do agree just uh for expedience sake I mean we are >> we are looking at this issue you are
entitled to an update >> uh we aren't handling it like this prospectively without the resolution uh so since it was done it seems to be the most expedient way and and if it does turn out that
by some blue that something was done inappropriately um just because you authorized it retroactively, I don't think waves any right that we might have
>> to undo it. You know, it >> that's the important >> I don't know necessarily that that resolution would trigger any sort of waiver beyond that which would arguably already exist by making payment. >> That's really the key point. That's why I asked a question about about partial
payments because if you're given partial you still there's still money owed there. If an error was had it still it could be corrected. Exactly. So I I I think we should >> play it safe and and don't pull that and
go to close session next Tuesday. >> Vote if there's no second but I mean the motion has been made. Is there a second? >> Has the motion been made? >> Yes. I need a motion. >> The motion was made. Is there a second? Council President, >> where are the bills >> that you wanted to remove?
>> We'd have to tell We'd have to define what they are. Right. The >> We can't find them. >> Excuse me, Council President. I have the numbers. Do you want me to read them into the record? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> But is it the entire number or is it only is the payment
only constituting a partial balance of those? Uh, I was going to read the O2L screvo and the federal or >> that I have a problem. This has to do with the payout. >> Yeah, that's >> and and really just to clarify, all I'm
asking for is the backup to make sure that these are legitimate payouts. >> Yeah, but you're not entitled to that. >> Yes, I am. We are all entitled to the backup so that we understand what is being paid out. We are responsible for
the people's money. Can we just not go back and forth and just ask for a second? If there's no second, this is futile conversation and we can move on. >> Okay. You want to make the motion? >> If you made the motion now that it's up for Is there a second and this relates
only to those particular >> final payouts? If I could just ask what what is the motion so I know whether I want >> to remove them from the bill list. >> The bill list those five >> just to remove them from the bill list. >> Yeah. So they're not >> remove them from the bill list.
>> Wait, they are But aren't they already paid? The first >> This is >> okay. >> To make it to to >> So I second. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> To Okay. To remove I still don't know what the five bills are. So >> Okay. So then I
can I give that to you later or do you Oh, I have to do it individually. Okay. It's 1 1905 63 OUL Scroovio 1 1905. >> That is what your motion was. Your motion was only for questioning
for others. Okay. Just for the payouts. I don't have the numbers. >> Oh, because it's buried in the bill list. >> All right. You can get it later. You know which but uh Yeah. >> Okay. And um Councilman, you seconded,
>> correct? Councilwoman Castelino to remove. >> So, we're going to have a close section session next week. Yeah. So, I'm going to say no. You could pay it tonight. >> Okay. Well, it's already paid, so that's that's the whole >> Councilman Koviaak. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Ruden,
>> yes. >> Councilwoman Williams, >> no. >> Council President Scarpa, >> yes. >> So, the motion carries. So for point of clarity, the only bills that that motion authorized to remove were the bills for five of the employees
>> final payout. Yes. >> Partial final payout. Okay. Is there any other motion associated with seeking to redact bills off the bill? >> Yes. I make a motion to remove bill number 1905630
screvio for the amount of $922.50. 50 cents. >> Are we going to go through all the bills that you wanted to do? Like the other do one? >> Yeah, I think it was just two other ones. >> Yeah, there's only one. >> That's it. And then do I make a motion to remove that one.
>> Okay, I'll second that. >> And I would like an answer over that before the next meeting from from legal counsel. >> I would come from administration. That sounds something that was over my oversight. I don't know. Right. But we'll get an answer. >> Right. And and then I'd like to remove
>> Oh, we need a vote on that. Okay. Sorry. Well, are you are you you could do it in one motion if you wanted to? >> Well, I'm I'm going to I'm going My votes are different for each monitor. >> All right. Hold on a minute. >> Then there has to be a second to remove the O2 Scribble bill. >> I second it.
1905 63. >> That's the >> All right. That's the O2 screw. Let me take a a vote on that. >> What's the date that that was paid? >> 131. The date of the purchase order and that it hasn't been paid.
>> Yeah, that one hasn't been paid. >> So, I I I could hang out for a week on that one. Um Um Yes. >> Okay. Um Councilwoman Ruden, >> yes. >> Councilman Koviaak, >> yes. >> Councilwoman Williams, second.
>> Council President SC, >> yes. Motion carries. Okay. >> Finally, I'd like to make a motion to pull all of the um invoices from the forfeite federal forfeite um column and
I wish I could give you a page number. >> I have it here. >> Okay. >> Yeah, I found it. >> And and that is just to check to see whether this is in compliance with the forfeite laws. Okay. And you want to remove that? >> Yes. >> Okay.
>> And just Mr. Datiniac, excuse me, just uh you know that so that's approved by the county before you get the bills. >> It it depends on if it's federal um what agency is.
>> They're all federal. So >> Okay. >> Okay. Councilwoman Castle, >> we didn't get a second. Sorry. I'm so sorry. Is there a second? >> I'll second. >> Okay, hold on.
Okay, Councilwoman Castle, >> can we have discussion, please, before we take the vote? >> Sure. Go right ahead. >> Thank you. Um, can can someone answer the question about whether or not uh federal approval and what that process is before it actually hits the build
list? >> Want to come up, Chief? So the federal forfeite funds process is totally different than the county federal than the uh county forfeite process. The county requires a
form preapproval before you do the expenditure. The federal does not. It's a lot more lenient. As long as it's for a police uh function, you're allowed to use federal forfeite funds for the things that are listed on there such as memberships and subscriptions to IAPET,
etc. As long as it's a police expenditure, the federal forfeite fund is very lenient with what the expenditures are. Totally different process. There is no form that I'm required to submit on those expenditures. Would this permit the purchase of faux leather guest chairs
for your department? >> Yes, they were their their office it's office supplies that have been done in the past through federal federal forfeiture funds. So yes, that expenditure was for chairs for the the uh chief's office which uh replace the
chairs that have been there since the opening of that building which is in excess of 30 plus years. >> Seems reasonable to me. So they were not um I know they're called the luxury chairs. They were assembled by our Department of Public Works. Um so they
replace the ones that were in the office that were certainly outdated, uh dirty, broken. So I I requested through federal forfeite funds to replace them. >> M all of these were approved by for each
of these expenditures. you you got approval from >> I'm allowed to use the federal forfeite funds for those expenditures. As I'm trying to explain to you, there is no form that I need to submit to the federal agency to do that expenditure.
>> Thank you for clar Yeah, thank you for clarifying that. No problem. >> Uh the chief is our chief law enforcement. >> Exactly. I think it's >> if if he's indicating that he's making these requests,
>> I I I think that speaks for itself. Thank you. >> Can we move on? >> Well, we need to There was a second. >> Oh, okay. >> There was a second. Can I ask discussion for this very purpose? I mean, it's ludicrous to assume that our chief law
enforcement officer would break the law. Um, I would like to respond to that. Some forfeite money has been used inappropriately in the past and that is exactly why I am calling this to attention and not by not by you. Um, but
money has been inappropriately spent in the past. >> So, so Councilwoman, I've been on this. >> So, I will have not heard >> I will resend the motion. >> Resend the second. You can't just rescend your >> You have to resend the second. >> Yeah. You you you can't be make accusations. >> Exactly.
>> I'm not making accusations. I >> No, I am not. If you want the goods, I'll give you the goods. >> So, give me the goods. Ridiculous. >> Are you rescending the second, sir? >> You're going to resend. >> Is that Is that where we're going? >> Yeah, that is where we are. >> Sorry, I was trying not to listen to the
>> I think the chief gave a pretty good explanation. The money's >> for We didn't have that ahead of the >> Yeah. >> ahead of the uh motion. So, I'll do send my second. >> If you just ask or if you just go to the department and do a tour, you will know the status of of the equipment that they
have. Uh, it is in poor condition. Uh, same thing with our uh building department and the reason why I'm trying to get free furniture donated. >> Okay. >> So, we're good. Nice.
>> Consent on the bill agenda. the remaining items. >> I move to um >> yeah, >> approve the remaining items on the bill agenda. >> Second. >> All right, we don't need to do that. >> Yeah, you don't have to do that. >> Um sorry, I can't find the agenda. I was
working. Oh, here it is. Okay, resolutions. Okay, so we have a laundry list of resolutions that are being pulled this evening. So, somebody can just go through that with me. It's all the professional services. Uh yes.
>> All right. So >> that's going to be resolution 68 through 77 and resolution 82 through 90.
>> Okay. Thank you. Are being pulled by the administration. >> Yeah. and and and I had uh so so >> that should be a motion. >> I'll make I'll make a motion to pull 9226 pursuant to the township attorney's
request. >> And that that's actually discussion be pulled. Yeah. >> And no and table the next council. >> Okay. That's why it's motion. >> So we'll table I'll make a motion to table it then. >> You're making a motion to table all the professional services. >> Oh no. You do that separate.
>> You added 92, right? >> Yeah. Is that the ones I >> Yeah. >> And 922 >> 92 is part of it. >> Yes. It's going to be table >> 64 was not included in that. >> No, 92 is not part of the professional services. >> But but we do want to >> No, I understand. But I'm trying to do
one thing at a time. >> She wants the professional services. >> No. >> No. So 68 through 77 82 through 90. >> Okay. So the professional services, there's a motion to table those until
the >> next council meetings. >> Okay, >> I'll second that. >> Oh, one second. One second. We had talked about um including 64 in there. >> 64 is not a professional service. >> It is. It should also have
>> professional service. Okay, >> you could do that next. >> All right. So, it's been moved. >> Second it to non debatable. >> Wait a minute. Who Who moved it and who second? >> Second. >> I moved it. >> Thank you, ma'am. Council
>> second. >> All right. Fine. And let's take a >> I >> Okay. Councilwoman Castellino. >> Yes. >> Counciloman Krovia. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Ruden. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Williams. Yes. Council President Scarpa. >> Yes. >> And motion carries. Uh
so, Council President, if I may, >> um I I am aware that uh Councilwoman Ruden uh had uh some questions regarding uh resolution 64, which had dealt with a stipen, >> right,
>> uh for uh the OEM position. >> Now, the OEM position is a statutoily mandated position by way of statement. Uh I've never seen that being awarded by way of contract >> uh in any of my towns.
>> We have a contract. >> Um I just wanted to to make and I don't think that it's necessary. >> Uh so I just wanted to make that indication. >> Uh and certainly council with that information you're free to make whatever. >> Okay. >> Motion or request that you have >> is a stipen for that fixed.
>> Yeah. So, council president, what I asked the count while we had that discussion earlier in our previous meeting, I sent a revised >> version which you should have a copy of where it actually has the the stipen in in there. >> Where where is that?
>> Everybody received the council the clerk passed out. So, >> okay. So, then it was not it was not on the uh >> No, it wasn't as and you asked about it so we did. >> It wasn't. Okay. So, >> so I provided it. So, this way we moving that along. move that along because it
is statutory. We are currently without a OEM coordinator. It expired on February 28th at 11:5959. >> Um and and as the our attorney pointed out that um you know we need to fill this ASAP. So this is 38 and and quite
frankly with the last few storms and we've had declared emergencies, we need an OEM coordinator. >> Thank you. I appreciate you're moving that along so quickly. Yeah, as a point of I can tell you in my other towns the OEM coordinator actually came to council meeting to make reports. So that's not
really an exaggeration in any fashion they've been involved. >> Okay. >> So, >> okay. Are any other resolutions being pulled this this evening besides the professional? >> There is one resolution that I do ask be
taken off the consent agenda for separate consideration. >> Right. 92. >> And that would be resolution 92. Yes. >> All right. >> We don't make a motion for that bill. >> Uh as long as someone taken off the cons
took it off. >> Yes, I do. >> Okay. Said yeah, it's on. >> Okay. Hold on. 79. Yes, 79 was in there. >> Oh, yeah. No, no, no, no, no. >> Yeah, the ordinance 295326
has to be approved prior to this resolution. Thank you for that reminder. >> And you know, just keep in mind we want to get >> consideration as well. >> Yeah. >> And we want to get Mrs. Carbalo and Mrs. here as quickly as possible so we can
move up all the items that they have to >> we need to have 90. >> Yeah, >> that's the same one. Okay, that's the same one. Okay. >> Okay. Is that it? >> That's it. >> Okay. Is there a motion to approve the
consent? >> I make a motion to approve consc if I could. I have some questions about some of these. I'm not looking to pull them, but I I do want to ask a question. I'm not trying to do that before we take a vote. Yeah, go ahead, Councilman. >> Great. Thank you. Um
um on uh agenda item N which is 7126. It's a resolution authorizing execution of professor agreement with Winsk attorneys at law for municipal redevelopment attorney in the amount not to exceed $75,000. I just wanted to clarify perhaps that is not going to be
township funds that are spent. It's going to be >> that's that's off the agenda for this evening. >> Oh, it is off. Okay. >> Well, maybe I won't be >> 68 through 77 82 through 90
>> and 92. >> Correct. There is uh agenda item HH 91-26 resolution authorizing payment for tree planting services. I just wanted to ask the question because this has come up before. This is a resolution to make payment make full
payment for 2024 work. If I recall correctly, uh there was some discussion about whether the trees were planted correctly and whether the guarantee of livability came into uh play here. I
just wanted to ask if what's the status of that uh aspect of the the contract going forward. So, so this was actually the original um resolution was for 250 trees. It was
delivered upon uh an additional 37 trees. I said this was not part of actually the um what we were speaking about the maintenance and and referring to with them. They are part of that same contract. They still would be part of that same contract. This was actually
because there was an overpurchase and we determined that the overpurchase was there was an error um in our our um of accounting of the trees and we determined through through litig going
through our our our town and and with the uh the vendor we realized that there was an additional 37 trees planted. So we want trees. We added trees. We realized that the the vendor had had uh planted them for us and we realized that
we need to um make this this contract whole. It was it was an error. It was just a it was unfortunate an accounting error of trees that were delivered and we're just making making this purchase whole to the vendor in fairness to them.
>> Right? So I'm not questioning that. If we want to plant more trees, I'm all for it. Okay? That's not the issue. The issue was, if I recall correctly, that they were not uh necessarily being planted correctly and it increased the the chance that they were not going to live.
>> A forester went out and checked all the trees uh and he did a report on all the trees and any tree that did not survive, he was dealing with the the contractor to to replace them if they did did not make it or if they weren't installed
properly or wasn't considered installed properly. Some of the problem we had too is just so we understand there's a there's a a term which I'm learning more and more every day as we do these uh the the um tree planting and and the ordinance and stuff. There's a term called volcano uh volcanoing and it's
basically wherecul mulching gets gets put up on a on a on a bottom of a tree of a trunk. Not all of it was caused by our in our installer. There are landscapers who work for people on their private properties and people, believe
it or not, some people go out, put some volcanoes out there. It wasn't all it wasn't just all um it wasn't all just improper installation. Um and so anything that we addressed, anything that wasn't done properly for the installation, our forester went out and addressed. But even after they addressed
it, there were still times where people went out and put stuff out on there. We, you know, we have to just look at it. We can't we can't say for certainty that every single one was done by the the installation, but there was definitely some that were done completed by by independents.
>> Okay. Yeah. Again, I'm not looking to to uh aortion blame. I just want to make sure that we are making >> best efforts to make sure that these all survive. >> They are our our forester our division is out there and they're they're looking at what's out. >> So, is he is he asking them to do a
proper installation process working with that? That's all we need. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. >> Are you tracking this in any way with data that you can give to the >> council? They have they have a they have a a a program, a software program that they're they're utilizing. >> Super. Okay. Just want to get the data
to the council when you when you get a chance. The data >> I will ask them to send you a report. >> Yes, please. And then the last thing I got is uh if I have the council president's leave, I just want to talk a little bit about the the resolution 30-26. It's the debt management plan and
just want to explain to everybody sort of where we are and where we're going. Uh I if if I could take a couple minutes. Is that okay? >> Thank you. >> So starting in uh last year 2025 the new council term we re realized that we had
faced a crushing debt of $170.6 million. Debt service was swallowing nearly 13% of our annual budget of approximately hund00 million. So you're talking about we're just spending debt service 122 $13 million a year. The next closest debt of our neighbors was 119 million uh in
Livingston which was $50 million less than ours and then South Orange at 79.5 million and Montlair at 71.6 million. So you can see we are we were uh uh out of the mainstream between 2021 and 2024.
The council voted to in to increase our debt by $57 million by 50% amid some of the highest interest rates most of us had ever seen. And we're talking about drunken sailor territory. That's an
average of 14.25 million a year that we were borrowing. Under the plan, under this plan that we're talking about tonight, we're going to borrow no more than 5 a.5 million annually. And that is what we have to do
to get ourselves out of this mess. The council and the CFO and its financial adviser worked for most of 2025 to develop a plan to get control of this runaway train. Actually, council reduced our indebtedness, as I mentioned earlier, by $1.2 million last year,
which is the first time it's gone down in many years. Uh now we didn't stop borrowing. We just said no to proposed projects that we didn't think were high enough priority. And uh remember when I mentioned about the 14.25 million
average over four years plan calls to limit five uh to $5.5 million in borrowing annually. We're going to borrow for only the highest priority projects which is not going to please everyone who wants us to keep borrowing and spending. We're going to gradually
pay down this debt to the point where we don't borrow. Instead, we're going to build a reserve in the process to fund projects and capital purchases with cash. That way, the millions of your tax dollars that are paid annually in debt service can then be spent on actual
purchases of vehicles and street and facility improvements or maybe just maybe in uh reduced property taxes. But a mountain this high to climb down from is going to take time. approximately 12 years in fact uh give or take a number
of variables and it's going to require discipline and delayed gratification. You can look that up on uh on the internet because it's going to be very important when council is making these difficult decisions. You can look up resolution 30-26 to see how we got here
and how we're going to make things a lot better. And I want to just say thank you to Mr. Diniac uh to uh our adviserss and to the council for for sticking on this uh literally a year. So thank you Mr. SMaldo too.
>> That that's it council president. Thank you. Great. I'm done. >> Okay. >> Thank you council president for all your work with this. >> Yeah. >> I mean uh former council president Mr. Council Gro. >> Great job. >> Sorry about that. Council president.
>> No problem. >> That's all right. Okay. Okay. So, there was a motion to table the professional services. Oh, no. I already took a vote on that bar. I'm a little bit straight now. So, does anybody have anything else? >> I know. I'm trying.
>> I make I make a motion or did we do that? >> We did it. We motion to approve the >> Okay. >> Mhm. >> So, we consented. >> No, we didn't do the vote. That's what it was. >> Just have to do the vote because there was questions. >> Yes. Is there a motion to Yeah. No. Right. Yeah. Consent.
>> Consent. >> Consent. >> Consent. >> Got it. Perfect. >> Yeah. >> I just have one request. We have Miss Bril here. >> Yes. >> Um she scheduled our next meeting to do a presentation of her budget. >> Okay. >> And thank you all for reporting it on on
this first reading. Or not not what what meeting is it? >> The 24th. My question to you, Council President, is do you want her to come in uh at 6:30 for a presentation? That would be nice if we could do that in the conference agenda. I would prefer that.
>> I think that has to be during the council meeting. >> Can we start the council meeting at 6:30? >> I thought it was >> I think I appreciate that council woman, but I think that it needs to be within the council meeting. Okay. >> I don't think it can it can be a
conference agenda. >> Okay. >> It's 21 days. Is that enough time? >> Yeah, it is. Just enough time. >> Just enough time. >> Okay. If if it got tabled tonight, then we would be into April. Right. Great. Up there. Why don't we address any questions that anyone should have?
>> Well, I have questions. You've seen most of them, but uh I I'm not ready to extend tonight's council meeting further. >> Okay. >> And basically kill kill the same questions twice. They'll come up. >> I I appreciate that. >> Okay. Great. >> All right. Thank you so much. You're
welcome. yellow. >> Should we go through the resolution, sir? Is that what you want to do? >> Let's get Miss Carbalo. >> Yeah, >> absolutely. >> Okay. So, the only thing >> 79 >> Yeah. 7926 resolution authorizing a
contract for the structural improvements at OPAC. Um, >> city ordinance. >> You have to do the bottom ordinance first. Yeah. >> And we also have to still do 90 point. All right. Ordinances on second and
final reading. 2953-26 bond ordinance providing for various improvements to the Oscar Schindler Performing Arts Center appropriating $1,250,000. Therefore, including a grant received or
expected to be received from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Corona Virus State Fiscal Recovery Fund in the amount of $1 million and authorizing the in issuance of $238,000 bonds or notes of the township to
finance the part of the cost thereof. Is there a motion to introduce on second and final? >> Motion to introduce. >> Okay. Councilwoman Castelino. >> Uh yes. Councilwoman I'm sorry. Councilman Kovia. Yes. >> Councilwoman Ruden. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Williams. Council
President. >> Yes. >> Okay. The motion carries. >> Wait a second. Wait. >> That was to introduce on second and final. >> Um and then public hearing. >> Right. >> Okay. Is there anyone in the audience
who wants to talk about this ordinance? Who has any questions? No. Okay. Seeing none, close public hearing. >> Okay. Close public comment. >> We'll close >> I make a motion to close public comment. >> Well, you don't have to make a motion. >> I thought we did have to make
>> close public hearing. Right. >> Do you have to make a motion? >> We have a motion. No, we just say close public hearing. >> Yeah, that step. >> You could do it in one motion if you want. Close public com comment and move for adoption. >> But we have question. They might have question. >> They want to discuss and close public
comment then discuss. >> Yeah, we'll just close the public comment. >> All right. So, I made a motion. No, you don't have to make a motion. >> Right. I just closed it. >> I thought at another meeting we were make a motion for that. >> Do any of my colleagues want to discuss this at all? >> Yes. I was wondering why does this have
to be why does this have to be co-joined? Um why can't we separate the acceptance of the grant and then separate out the approval for a quarter of a million dollar bond?
I think she >> so we we've already accepted the grant. Um when I presented this to our bond council, uh they felt that it was it was wise to include the fact that funding
for the total project includes the grant. Um so we've already accepted the grant. We we we we took care of that through a chapter 159. Um, so you really are just approving the $250,000.
A portion of it is paid in cash essentially through the capital improvement fund and then a portion of it is authorizing debt. So you are just authorizing $250,000 in new funding. It's not a million250, >> right? And that is all bonded.
>> Uh the grant we don't bond. Um >> the grant the additional 238. >> Yeah. Uh that would be bonded. Yeah. I I did a down payment of 5% through the capital improvement fund. I felt even though it's a small amount of money
considering that we've come up with the debt plan, um you know, we still should follow the 5% down payment at least even though because it is a state grant, we could have uh foregone the the down payment and did the full 250 in
authorizing debt for it. But, um, again, I think, you know, as a community, we're showing that, uh, debt is a an important issue and and that we're doing our best to to limit it. So, I I did do the 5%.
Um, so what was your question? No, that was it. So, so I know that we discussed this last time, but um I I have grave concerns about issuing any further debt
at this point, especially since we're being given a million-doll grant. And I would like to see and when we when we applied for the grant specifically in the grant we spelled out improvements to the Oscar Schindler theater which had to
do with the the improving the stage improving the sound system and none of that was actually addressed in the million dollars. I understand that this would have to go out to be rebid to do that because now we've seem to have
appropriated the the funds for road improvements rather than dealing with the stage and Oscar Schindler. But I cannot approve bonding any money, especially when we're looking at a million-doll uh gift from from the
federal government. Council. >> Yeah, go ahead. Councilwoman Castle. >> I just want to make sure she was done with her statement. Councilwoman, are you done with your state? >> Yes, I am. >> So, and I I I get where you have your head wrapped around this in that way.
And but again, road work, we're you know, unless we're ready to pay cash for all the roads, which I know that's the direction they're trying to go in. Um that's how we bond our roads. And it's not like the road didn't need to be done. So I I understand why the director
had to add the road in cuz it's it's a roadway that needed to be done and so it kind of worked. It helped her to get the contractor and it also facilitate, you know, that's just one more road checked
off our list of roadways that we need to uh improve. So I again I just have trouble I I with you trying to wrap your head around this a little bit because I know you don't want to have any debt but it's impossible the way we've been it's
going to take a long time for us to get to the point where we pay cash for everything and God bless you if you're able to pay cash at home for everything but it's it's it's this is you know this is a way that the township has operated
for many many years. And so I, you know, I I in the spirit of working together and trying to get the debt down, um I I supported the resolution uh that we just approved, but I got to be honest with
you, you know, there's going to be a time where an event happens. I for example uh we all got a picture of uh the parking lot behind Edison Middle School or municipal lot in Colgate Park where because of the extreme weather a
manhole popped up and um and we need to be and that needs to be fixed again I get a timeline on how fast we could fix that. So that's like another perfect example of an expense that we have to go pay for. Um and the rest of the parking
lot didn't look too great either. And um you know, Miss B's going to tell you in her presentation when she comes back, you know, our business owners on Tory Corner have been suffering because we need to reconfigure that parking lot. That Lando lot needs to get
reconfigured. I've been asking and begging this body for uh funding for that project for years now. And so, um, you know, we all want to improve our downtown and other areas of town, but you know, so it's interesting how we
move forward and, uh, I'm going to leave it at that, but I again, I hope you could support this. >> Councilwoman, did you >> want to call the vote? >> No, no, I'm not I'm not looking to to eliminate all debt immediately. I'm just saying that I I cannot support adding
debt at this time, especially when we have a million dollars specifically allocated to what we are being asked to spend a quarter of a million dollars on. That I can't I cannot approve. >> I call the vote. Let's vote, please.
>> Well, I need a motion to approve on second. >> I'll make a motion to approve on second and final reading. >> Okay. >> Councilwoman Castelino, >> yes. >> Councilman Koviaak, >> yes. Councilwoman Ruden, >> no. >> Councilwoman Williams, >> yes. >> Council President Scarpa,
>> yes. >> Thank you. The motion carries. >> And thank you, director, for your help with this project. >> Now, could we go ahead? >> Okay. Um, >> can I read the title? So,
>> okay. 9226 Resolution of the Township of West Orange authorizing the execution of a first amendment to the redevelopment agreement between the Township of West Orange and 18 Central Avenue urban renewal LLC. >> Okay. Um I I had a conversation earlier
today with Councilwoman Gruden who had some questions regarding uh this uh agreement to amend uh the redevelopment agreement. Um, and uh, she raised some good points. Uh, I apologize for not
having the original redevelopment agreement as part of the backup. Uh, I subsequently circulated that to uh, you I I I trust received it. Uh, the the
question that was posited uh, to me had to deal with a bunch of other terms that were actually included in the earlier redevelopment agreement. uh I didn't include it because sometimes I look at things in a vacuum and at least from my perspective
uh the only thing that was at issue here was that they were seeking the ability to break ground to preserve their approval and I was placing safeguards into that agreement to allow them to do
so including identification agreement poss uh uh bonding as Well, >> uh, and, uh, I didn't think, uh, and in my mind a governing body previously approved the the pre the prior
redevelopment agreement and and felt that there were uh, terms that were mutually beneficial and and and and worthy of pursuing. So, I did secure that uh, and and I did circulate it to to the counciloman and and the rest of
you as well. Um, but she got me thinking >> and um there was a provision in the uh the amendment that I want to change. >> It's not changing substantially.
And as uh I'm sure the members of the governing body are aware that most of the resolutions that you have when we're talking about authorizing a contract, there's a provision in an error that says substantially in the form that's attached here too and subject to the
municipal attorney's approval. So in light of that, and I will tell you what I'm thinking of that what what I'm suggesting change and and strongly encourage the governing body to uh pursue and authorize. I am just uh
authorizing that in the first now therefore be resolved paragraph that where it reads the governing body hereby authorizes the mayor to execute the first of the proposed first amendment to the redevelopment agreement
by between the township of West Orange and 18 central uh Avenue urban renewal LLC and insert the language substantially in the form of the agreement attached
here too. That's the only change and and that'll enable me to modify language in the contract that I feel greater uh more accurately uh reflects the bonding provision at least the
intent of the bonding provision that was being proposed in paragraph six of the agreement. Mhm. >> So, we don't have to do anything about the agreement tonight. I'm just going to change it as long as you authorize the change to the
resolution. But just so that you all have an understanding as to where I'm going, um when you look at paragraph six of the uh amendment, uh it does uh indicate that the redeveloper shall restore the property to its pre-construction physical condition,
meaning the removal of any of the improvements that were authorizing through the agreement and restoration of the topography to the extent requested by the township at its sole cost and expense.
That should be a period there. And then it should indicate that the developer shall within 60 days of the execution of this agreement post the bond in the form and in the amount that's
mutually agreeable between the burrow of the township, sorry, and the redeveloper. So they'll be permitted to break around. They need to break around to pres to preserve their approval. They've done a lot of things to pay
things forward and and Councilwoman Ruden, I actually didn't explain this in our conversation, but they ended up developing the 100% affordable project already. Uh, and they've already done demolition already. So, they paid a lot
of things forward. They've proven that they are a reputable and wellunded organization. they get things done quickly. So, I don't think that there's any issue with waiting 60 days to work out the bond uh information and we will work out with them what that with with Z
what that bond amount will be and and what the contents of that bond is and then they'll be permitted to proceed with their construction uh to the extent that the agreement permits it. >> Great. I want to thank Yeah, thank you for that. Thank you for looking at everything in detail. Please scrutinize
all of our prior agreements because we haven't always been happy with what we >> No, no, I understand that and you know I >> Yeah, >> I I look at these things and you know I see them a lot more frequently than you do and I wasn't really thinking about it from your perspective, right? >> And and I made sure I circulated it once
I I I saw the issue. >> Right. Thank you so much, Councilwoman Castelino. >> So the Thank you, Council President. Um so the parking the 22 parking spots. So I see that's on number 10. Um, so I just wanted to see if that needed
any more detail in regards to, you know, with our uses a use of those spots for public parking. >> No, what what I had already done was we we've worked on the easement agreement. The easement agreement indicates uh all the things that would be attentive to an
easement agreement and it does also include the designation uh in the northwest corner which is the closest to the public roadway so the public could avail themselves to it. Um >> and and well the reason why I bring this up is because we had you know the
situation with the dog park up at um at uh Stone Hill. I just don't want this to become another situation where the township was getting 22 parking spots for public parking and then it it it's not utilized by the neighborhood. It's
more for the um the building itself. So is that is there I guess what we'll need is ordinance of or an ordinance to go along with those spots with the lot when it's completed.
>> I have a question. Um, >> okay. >> Again, I don't know how we would work. >> I understand what you're concerned. >> Yeah, but because it was supposed to benefit the neighborhood even though the the the uh
>> Bill, can you come up for a second? >> Yeah, I'm trying to remember that. You know, this so long ago, Mr. Sullivan, thank you. Do you have a problem that we ended up amending that ease of an agreement to indicate that those 22 spaces would be exclusively utilized by the public not residents of the
uh >> no Bill Sullivan Scrand Beck on behalf of the of the developer? No. Uh as as a matter of fact u there is to be attached to the easement agreement there there there is a plan that has a colored space
that shows where those spaces are to create those 22 new public parking spaces. And I think there's some language in the easement agreement that talks about rules and regulations that the township would adopt to make sure that those spaces are used for what they're supposed to be used for. Well,
that's not a problem. >> It's intended for public. Yeah, I think that's why that's why I brought it up because we've we've had an issue. >> Yeah, Councilwoman Williams has a question. >> Thank you. Um, are those 22 spaces for public or those 22 spaces for the
affordable building that's another 17 spaces that for for the resident are separate from these 22? >> Correct. Okay. >> It was a give me to the to the township. Yeah. Like it was a give back to the township. >> Yeah. the the 17 on the Mitchell Street side are going to be reserved and signed
for the tenants in the Tommpkins >> correct >> building which is now finished. The 22 are on the other side and we're on the Central Avenue side and those will be the public spaces >> and then there's all the other parking for the tenants that are actually in the building. >> And is is this going to be a free public
parking garage or >> That's up to you. It's a space, not a garage. >> Okay, >> that surface parking. Yeah. >> So, I want to make sure we have something a mechanism in place for when this is completed and a timeline so we're not, you know, all of a sudden the
spots are all filled up and >> it's >> I'll be able to work with Bill to get to that. >> Put on your radar. >> No, that was a good catch. I appreciate it. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Sure. >> Okay. >> So, are we moving for the adoption?
>> Yeah. Is there a motion to approve item 26? >> Second. >> As amended. >> As amended. >> As amended. >> As amended. >> As amended. I'll second >> and I can give you the language tomorrow. >> Okay. Thank you. All right. So, who did the motion? I'm sorry. >> Council Williams. >> Williams. Caselina.
>> Thank you. As amended. Okay. >> Now, we have to go back. >> Councilman Koviaak. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Ruden. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Williams. >> Yes. >> Council President Scar. >> Yes. The motion carries.
>> 79 >> 7926. >> We're talking about >> 79. >> 79-26 resolution authorizing a contract for the structural improvements of Oscar Schindler Performing Arts Center MT
Contractors LLC in the amount not to exceed $235,150. >> I'll make a motion to approve the resolution. Okay. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. >> Is there any discussion before we vote?
>> All talked out on them. >> All talked out. Okay. Good. >> Councilwoman Castellino. >> Yes. >> Councilman Koviaak. >> Yes. >> Councilwoman Ruden. No. >> Councilwoman Williams. >> Council President Scarpa. >> Yes. >> The motion carries. Thank you.
>> Councilwoman Ruden, did you have something you wanted to say? >> Are we going to executive session? >> Yes. >> Okay. So I I would like to say something. Um there have been a lot of changes in this agenda. Um there have been documents that were not previously
put up that should have been put up for instance in the um in the consent I'm sorry in the what's it called the beginning of our meeting the public >> the first half hour between 6:30
>> the conference >> conference sorry >> um there was a a plan for safe safe streets that would have been nice for the public to to have seen Um, I'm not sure if this was put up in
in the conference agenda. >> I didn't have that. I never had that. >> Can we in in our ordinance in agenda 3-5, it says that a conforming agenda shall be published to the township website on the day after
each council meeting to indicate those items which were not acted upon due to removal or postponement by the council at its meeting. So, I'd like to request that given the amount of changes um that are made on this agenda that that be um
that that part of our ordinance be enacted and going forward. >> Can I speak to that? >> Yes, of course. >> Okay. So, I was doing that for a while. Um, and I think you're all aware right now that I am alone in my office and I
sit and I've said this before all day every day at my desk reminding myself to get up to go to the bathroom or have lunch or whatever the case may be. I'm trying my very hardest to
um do my due diligence, my duties as efficiently as I can. There are going to be some things that fall through the cracks. Um, I will try to get to this, but between the OPER requests and what I
have to do on a the daily basis, I don't think any of you actually realize how much work is done in the clerk's office. So, um, I would like to ask that you show some grace because I need it right now. >> We will.
>> So, I will I will try to get to it. If I get to it, I do. And if I don't, it it might be a couple of days, but eventually it will be done. >> Thank you for all you do. And I do >> I appreciate that. >> You you How many Opra requests do do you get? Not >> It's not just that we get them. They
have to be processed. They have to sent to other departments. I'm constantly running after people to give me the information. They have to be reviewed. They have to be redacted. They have to be sent out. Then we get It's literally insane. Oprah is insane. the bottom
goers in this town that I s >> really >> and are they so if it's the same people asking for the information charge people >> oh my god >> for information >> no if it's emailed you don't get charged if you pick it up you get five cents a page it's like a ridiculous the law is
ridiculous but >> ridiculous taking all your time >> yeah sure u I I be able to address Sylvester's question about the legal action that was associated with the fourth round housing.
>> Okay, >> I know the governing body was aware of the fact that you know I was authorized to institute the declaratory judgment action. >> It has been filed. We did comply as best we can given the fact that
we were already deficient with respect to the programs. So >> once you pass the endorsement, >> it was filed within 48 hours had to would have otherwise been required to be done >> back in uh >> June July >> June 30th.
>> Okay. Uh but more importantly because I I I don't think that that is something that perfected anything that I I could rely upon. What that did do however is it shows the the court or multiple that the court will agree that it does show a
desire to apply that we're acting in good faith but we did file on actually seeking the immunity that I had indicated we were going to seek uh and we haven't heard from the court yet but was duly filed and I anticipate having a case of confidence uh probably within
the next 30 days. >> Oh great keep us a breast of the of what goes on. Thank you. Okay, we're ready for executive session. >> I move that we adjourn to executive session. Second. >> Okay. All in favor? I. >> Any opposed?
>> Okay. The meeting is recess. >> Recess. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> By the way, the quick 280 so far this year with 42 work days. We divided the numbers into 666. >> Okay. No.
>> And Oprah is evil, I will say. >> Oh my god. >> Okay. So, we'll leave this here. I'll bring this. I'll bring my folder. >> It's hard. Hello. >> Council has returned from executive
session as you can see. I'm turning the meeting back over to council president. >> Okay. Thank you for joining us tonight. Uh >> I'd like to move to uh end the executive session and adjourn the meeting.
I'll second All right. All in favor? >> Any opposed? All right. >> Good night, West Orange. >> Good night, West Orange. Thank you for hanging in there. >> Good night, everyone. >> Good night. Feel better. will pass here.