are live. >> We are live. Okay. Call to order the township council uh business session of February 2nd which was rescheduled from January 26. >> Roll conf. >> Charles
>> here. >> Gawas >> here. >> Gvers >> here. Mandel >> here. >> Weiss >> here. >> Are we adequately noticed? >> Yes. This rescheduled meeting was adequately noticed on January 23rd, 2026 to the Times in the Princeton packet filed with the municipal clerk and
posted at the municipal building and on the township website. Um, please stand for the to the flag of the United States of America to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and
justice for all. Okay. Um we don't have any ceremonial matters today. Um this would be the first round of public comments. Um which would be for 30 minutes. Um each um
resident gets about three minutes to speak. Um Alison, do we have a list? Yes, I do. I have one person on the list. Um, Jolan. >> Hi, I'm Jolan Maloney. I'm from the Watershed Institute. I'm just here tonight to thank West Windsor for its
consideration in participating in the ASM and Pink uh watershed regional approach. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Anyone else? I have no one else on the list. No one. Anybody else in the audience?
All right. Seeing none, public comment is closed. Administration comments. >> Um I um I'm going to give my comments and then quickly rush home. I forgot my hearing aid. So if you want to curse me, now is
the time. I won't hear anything. So uh one of the things that's on everybody's mind is the Clarksville road bridge. So um every day people ask me about the status of the Clarksville road bridge. I
have given updates when there was there has been specific news to report but unfortunately due to slow responses by Amtrak and NJ dot there has not been much progress. I've been actively at work with both NJOT and Amtrak as well
as the county to make everyone understand the urgency of moving this project forward. The bridge was taken out of service on November 2nd, 2025. Since then, we have had meetings with NJ
DOT and Amtrak on November 10th, January 7th, and January 28th. In addition, we had a meeting only with NJ dot on January 23rd. I'm very disappointed with the lack of progress on fixing the bridge. During
the meeting on January 7th, Amtrak first claimed that they will take 3 weeks to issue a permit to inspect the bridge. When I challenged them why, they agreed to expedite it and issue it in one week by January 14th.
I was very disappointed that the permit was not issued even on January 28th. Now I have I was told on Friday that the permit will be issued on Monday, February 2nd which is today almost 3 months after the bridge was taken out of
service and that is just the first step of inspecting the bridge. Even today I reached out to both NJOT and Amtrak. Amtrak didn't even bother to respond. NJ dot did tell me at around 2:30 that she
will check and get back to me if the permit was issued. I checked the email probably around 6:35 before coming to the meeting and I haven't heard back. So I just assume that they have still not issued the permit.
Amtrak and NJ dot do work on bridges or railroad track every week for the past 50 years. There is nothing unique or special about the Clarksville Road Bridge. I can't understand why it takes Amtrak over 3 months to simply issue a
permit. Something that they have done thousands of times over the past 50 years. No senior member of Amtrak operations attends our meeting. and the people pe and the PR people have refused to attend a council meeting today to explain why
it's taking 3 months to issue the permit. I did invite both NJOT and Amtrak to attend the meeting today to explain why it's taking so long. NJ DOT did reach out to me last Friday and she was very
honest. She said, "Look, I have nothing to report. So that's one reason I'm not coming cuz there's nothing I can tell you." Just like I feel frustrated that there's nothing I can tell you. Amtrak didn't even bother to respond or confirm whether they are coming or not.
Amtrak is funded by taxpayer and has shown complete disregard to them. On Friday, January 30th, NJ do informed me that they expected to get the permit by today, Monday. As I said, I haven't heard that they actually did get it, but
if they do get it, they promise me that they will finish inspection by this Friday, the February 6th. They will then let me know what our options are to get the bridge open, how long each option will take and what exactly is involved.
I have also been told that Amtrak will make it difficult to get necessary trick outages to fix the bridge in a timely fashion because the unfortunately the bridge is over Amtrak tracks. They have to deenergize the tracks uh sometime uh
before certain work can be done. Now during preliminary discussion I was told by people that at most you'll get two two hours or three hours at every night because it takes an hour to deenergize and an hour to energize. So even if they
give you 5 hours you lose 2 hours. So you will hardly get 3 hours to do work every night. I mean that's simply unacceptable for something that's an emergency. I'm very frustrated with the business as usual attitude displayed by Amtrak. I've
tried to work with them for over 3 months now and I have bit my tongue. I haven't said anything in public and I did tell them in every meeting that look I'm biting my tongue giving you every opportunity to deliver. But I'm very disappointed that they
don't treat this as an emergency that it is. I want to make sure that they give us the necessary outages to get the bridge fixed as fast as NJ do possibly can. I have already contacted the governor, both US senators and have sent
an email to chairman of Amtrak, all board members and its presidents. I'm going to post this information online with a contact for everybody. I would request as many people to contact
them as possibly can because something has to give. I mean this is this is simply mindboggling to me as somebody works in private business. A private business will go banker if they take 3 weeks 4 weeks to do or
probably 6 weeks to do something that they do every week for last 50 years. Uh so I have no idea nobody would be able to explain. I ask exactly the same question exactly how long it's taking you to do actual work. If somebody sits
down non-stop and is told he can't leave the desk, how long would it take him to issue the permit? Nobody wants to answer that question. I'm sure it's not a lot of time because they do this every day, every week for last 40, 50 years. They
do have an outage scheduled in Northern Jersey starting February 15th. NJ Transit did tell me that they have been asked to reduce the service substantially starting February 15th. I asked Amtrak whether that is on
northeast corridor line as well which will help us get a longer outage. They won't even answer that simple question. I don't even know why they are employing all these PR people. I mean it's just waste of taxpayer money. Nobody has been
able to answer that simple question when they have already going to have a longer outages starting February 15th. Why can't they just tell me whether that will help not help or it's immaterial to us? Because I do know that
there's going to be some work between New York and Sikakas, but unless the train gets to Sikkakas, it can't get to New uh Princeton Junction. So again, I'm really sorry for all the businesses that are suffering. Uh these two ladies here
are working heroically with the state trying to get as many grants as they possibly can for business. I'm trying to reach the governor that now she has signed she has been sworn in and settled. If she does declare uh this as
a state of emergency, then you do qualify for some other grants. uh has happened at other places in uh in New Jersey but at this point unfortunately um there's not much I can give concrete answers to saying that yeah this is true
and this is what's going to happen. So that's my update. >> Thank you mayor um Marina. >> Yes. I I just have one one announcement this evening. Um on
the uh township website. Um the application and essay for the Lewis Bay Second Future Municipal Leader Scholarship Competition is online and available. This program is
open to all high school juniors and seniors who are residents of New Jersey and plan to continue their education after high school. Um there are more details um on the on
the website under the link um under the Lewis Bay second future municipal leader scholarship competition. That's all I have for this evening. >> Um, the deadline is March 9th.
>> Uh, let's see. >> I think it's >> I will look it up and let you know right now. >> Okay. Thank you. >> It's on the website. >> I think Yeah, I think it's on the website. >> On the website? Yeah. >> Yeah. It's not on the Unfortunately, it's not on what the material I printed
out. Okay. So, >> all right. No worries. Um, council member comments. Let's start with um Joe. >> Sure. Uh several topics. Uh first, I want to thank our Department of uh public works for working long hours to get our roads
cleared both during and after the storm. I've heard that our crews were working an exhausting schedule around the clock out in the cold and dark for multiple days with only short breaks. Personally, I'm very appreciative of their efforts. Uh second, congratulations to all the volunteer firefighters who were
recognized for their achievements at the annual installation dinner on January 24th. Uh during the past year, each of our volunteer stations have responded to over 700 calls. Uh very impressive. We're lucky to have two volunteer stations here in town in addition to our paid department.
Uh similarly, I'd say congratulations to all our policemen who were promoted or sworn in at the recent ceremony on January 30th. We have an excellent police department and the officers do a great job in keeping our town very safe. I held my first open office hours uh
here at the municipal building on Saturday, January 24th, and had some nice conversations with a few folks uh who came to chat, including one of the owners uh of a local business in Village Square. I do plan to hold o open office hours on a regular basis going forward, and anyone is welcome and encouraged to
come speak with me. Uh, last but certainly not least, with respect to the Clarksville Road bridge closure, uh, as the mayor said, the lack of progress on the matter by Amtrak and NJOT is extremely disappointing. Uh, Mr. Mayor, it stated that he's escalated demand the matter to the
governor and our senators. If that doesn't cause a swift response by the end of this week, then I think it'll be time for us to launch a full PR campaign with newspapers and on social media to generate public attention to force both our state and federal officials to action. The way things are currently
progressing um at a glacial pace is u is just unacceptable. Thank you. >> Thanks, Joe. Um, Linda, >> would also like to say that lack of progress on uh the bridge on Clarksville Road is totally unacceptable. Uh, the
businesses are getting hurt by it every day and something has to happen. I know the mayor's trying as hard as he can. Um, Sonia and Andrea have been working with some of the businesses to help them get grants and fill out paperwork and try and get some money for them because
they are they are hurting very much. Uh so the next steps we'll we'll decide. I don't know if we need a formal letter resolution uh to be sent out to the governor Amtrak u you know US senators everybody everybody that that we can
because this this is like unbelievable that they they can't get those permits to get the process moving. Uh it's a long process probably anyway but that's not acceptable. Um, I' like to thank the Department of Public Works, all those employees. They were working around the
clock. We all know that we had a big snowstorm and there parts of it were like ice storm and it was that was very very tough, but they worked extremely hard and it's not only the roads, but they have to uh do the parking lots, the township uh buildings and the sidewalks
and also that was um an incredible effort and uh well below freezing temperatures too. and sometimes uh with the wind chill was was really really tough. And thanks to the police EMS uh stations 43, 44, and 45 for their
efforts, too. Um also, thank you to station 43 and 44 for a lovely dinner at the annual installation dinner uh on January 24th. Um, just to highlight a couple of people. Bob Redmond has served 55 years
with the Princeton Junction Volunteer Fire Company and Charlie Epigette has served 65 years for the West Windsor Volunteer Fire Company. Um, both firefighters were honored um along with so many other volunteers who work uh
constantly and courageously to put out uh fires and help people in emergencies. Uh last Friday afternoon we celebrated the retirement of our health officer Jill Swanson at the senior center and Jill um has done an an incredible job
and worked for us I'd say I think it's upwards of like 40 years um and what what an effort and um workload that she and and the other um officers in the health department did during the COVID years. I mean she really they really helped save us there. That was
incredible. So, we'll be um presenting Jill with a special plaque at an upcoming meeting. Uh I attended the police searing in ceremony at the Mercer Oaks Golf Course last Friday night. So, congratulations to all the officers who
were promoted and welcome all the new officers who have joined our police department. So, I'm proud as I believe we all are of um of our police department and uh the work that they do um for our community. Dan,
>> thank you. Um, at the risk of being repetitive, I I join with the mayor and my colleagues here regarding um the incredible frustration that we are having with the lack of responsiveness from Amtrak. Um, specifically over the
last week, I've chatted with um with the mayor about strategizing of other options or tools that we could use to help progress this. and with his support uh earlier today I reached out to Senator Andy Kim's office um
specifically his state director and uh his director of intergovernment agencies uh and I um have a commitment from their directors that they're going to now directly reach out to Amtrak's
northeast um northeast director for intergovernment affairs on the Amptrack side and uh I I provided obviously some context of what's going on. Um really just trying to to shake the tree a
little bit to get people to be responsive. Um I don't I don't think any of us really understand what's blocking them. Uh and that's sort of the the u the way I tried to frame it is like we need to understand what's preventing them from doing this and what needs to
be done to remove that block. So, uh, I have a commitment from, um, from his office to get back to me in the next couple of days to let me know what they find out and what they do. Hopefully, their commitment to get the the permit today,
not good, is um, is going to be uh, fulfilled and and if not, then that's just yet another reason for us to sort of raise the temperature u on them. Uh, I I agree with with Joe that we should start considering a um a communitybased
response to this through emails and outreach uh to our elected officials both at the state level and the federal level uh to to bring some attention to this because aside from the obvious things that it's impacting our own
community, uh one thing that we haven't talked about is the the danger to the passengers on trains that are going under that bridge. I mean, to me, this is mindboggling. You know, the bridge isn't safe to drive over, it shouldn't be safe to drive under either. Um, and
we're talking about potentially injury to tens of thousands of people who use that um train service every single day and the potential of really a catastrophic problem. Uh it's just dumbfounding to me the lack of urgency that our agencies are displaying here
which I believe is a pretty critical issue. Um so I will keep everybody obviously the mayor and updated to what I find out as well as the rest of the council. >> Thank you. >> Thank you Dan. Um yeah let me know. I can if you need any like you know
support from me I can I will be happy to do that. >> Um Andrea. >> Yeah. Um it's it's mindboggling to me what's possibly taking 3 months at this point. Um I know the mayor's uh part of what he's going to be putting on the
website's going to include a letterw writing campaign hoping for uh residents to help out with this. Uh we've already asked residents and we've all been involved in trying to get the residents who can get to the to the businesses on
Clarksville to um uh go to these businesses and and uh go to them and spend money in them as much as possible. And I know my fellow council uh members and I have been doing that. Um, this week, uh, Sonia and I are going to be
meeting with the, uh, New Jersey Economic Development Authority again, trying to come up with, uh, our plan to try to get us declared a disaster area to at least get some additional monies while this is all going on because no
matter how long it takes to um to make that bridge, even if we started tomorrow, that bridge is not going to be open tomorrow. Uh I know the county and every and the engineers are looking at different options, but it's impossible to go much further with these options
until the um until the uh permit and then the inspections actually occur. So we're doing everything at this point that we can. We're looking to expand. So everybody who is working on expanding, getting something done, um we'll be
doing something positive and we're hoping something happens. Uh, I also want to thank the Department of Public Works for doing the massive job of taking care of this recent snowstorm and the the record-breaking cold aftermath. Many employees went without sleep or
rest to get things done. It looks like at least another week of temperatures rarely rising above freezing, even during the day. So, please be careful out there. Tonight, we vote on resolution RO31 increasing our outside contract for snow removal. Thankfully,
we thankfully we've been fiscally responsible and put money away in the storm recovery trust fund during the milder years. Now, that responsibility is paying off. Tonight, we also vote on 2026 RO38 authorizing the town to participate in
the development of the Asen Pink Creek Crink Creek wershed management plan by the watershed institute and Princeton Hydro. This multi- municipality plan will determine projects to increase water quality and prevent flooding and is part of our MS4 sewer permit
requirement with the New Jersey D. The watershed institute has been awarded a grant by the New Jersey D to perform water quality monitoring and develop a watershed management plan for the Asup Pink wershed. They have contracted with the consulting firm Princeton Hydro to
monitor the water quality in the acupink wershed and use that data to develop the required watershed management plan for the acup. We can participate in the study at no cost due to the D grant and we started on this project well before
we knew that was going to happen. So um this is just a very pleasant uh pleasant uh ending to that. This important and groundbreaking multi-municipality approach is the result of years of meetings and work. I'm proud to be a part of it and I want to thank Francis
Gus of Engineering and Mayor Morathy for their support to help make this a reality. The watershed is planning on holding the obligatory hearing right here in the West Windsor town council room for all of the towns in March. So please stay tuned. Other
things that's happened this week is I think most my colleagues have been mentioning um the Martin Luther King Day event was held in our council chambers. So I want to thank everybody who uh worked on that and took part in it. Um the sustainable Jersey and PSEG energy
savings grant official kickoff meeting took part. I want to thank Sonia and Porna Gupta of the EC for attending and we're going to be putting a plan in place to have that work. Uh I was also at the fire uh volunteer annual awards dinner. It's always amazing to me the
number of calls that the fire um officers make uh both the fire police and also the um the uh firemen and um sometimes it goes into the hundreds of calls every year. Uh we I was at Jill's
u retirement party at the senior center and we all got to say a few words uh about Jill and we're going to miss her very much but we will be doing our official um proclamation for her at the next meeting. And I was also at the uh
West Windsor Police Swearing in on Friday night and got to see several new officers and uh several officers get their promotions. Thank you for listening and please stay safe out there.
>> Thank you. Um my turn. Going last uh means everything that I want this week has already been covered. So I don't want to repeat myself. I do want to just add today is February 2nd and the bridge was closed November 3rd. So or November
2nd. So it's exactly 3 months today that the bridge has been closed and Andrea and I have been working very closely with all the business owners and um we seeing how much they are hurting. Um as Andrea mentioned we have um we are
meeting um with the government affairs from um the New Jersey economic um development department later this week. Um so hopefully we can come up with a plan um of our next steps. As uh Joe
mentioned and Dan mentioned I think um we are at a place where we need to do a PR news media whatever um to bring attention to this so Amtrak can um move
um on it and not just uh go by their daily business. um you know um these uh businesses are losing not only like 50 60 70% business they have to let go of their employees um so if it continues
like this um they're really going to struggle to keep up with it so anything we can do I know everybody here on the days has been working really hard um to help them um hopefully after our meeting um later this week um we'll have a
better idea of what we could do um and which chain we can go through um to see if we can even um get the the area um declared as a um emergency or disaster area so we could help the businesses um
>> and and we have been already collecting a lot of data to as a proof to help us actually get that. So that's all been happening as this has been going along. >> Correct. Um so um I do want to just um thank our public works who have worked
gosh I think 40 plus hours um last weekend um during the snowstorm. Um I do want to remind our residents because I've driving through the town I've seen many many many fire hydrants still buried in snow. So if you have a fire
hydrant outside of your house please take care of that. um clear it um because if there is a call that the fire trucks need to get through and if they can't connect to the fire hydrant um time would be of essence. So please
please please take care of the fire hydrants. Um I know it's going to be all icy now but a week later but needs to that is something that needs to happen. I know my husband is a volunteer firefighter. He's been going between his work hours and trying to clear as many
as he can, but he's one person. And al the I know other volunteer firemen and women are doing the same thing, but they can't possibly cover all of the fire hydrants in the town. Um
Allison, do we do you have anything else to add? >> I do not I don't have any comments. Um, consent agenda. >> Okay. Minutes. November 10th, 2025 close session. November 10th, 2025 business
session. December 8th, 2025 business session. December 22nd, 2025 business session, bills and claims. >> Um, does anybody want to pull anything? Nope.
Um, roll call. Oh, motion to >> motion to approve. >> Motion to approve uh minutes and bills and claims. >> So move. >> Second. >> Roll call. >> Charles, >> abstain. >> Chavers, >> yes. >> Mandel,
>> yes. >> Weiss, >> yes. >> Gawas, yes. >> Recommendations from administration and council. >> 2026-R024. authorizing the appointment of Rashmi Mangal as an alternate one on the
affordable housing committee with a term to expire on January 14, 2027. 2026-R025 authorizing the refund of property tax overpayment 2026-R026 authorizing authorizing the request by
Joshua Greer for a 100% disabled veteran exemption and allowing the tax collector to refund the amount of $1,6957 and to cancel all subsequent taxes per state statute 54 col4-3 2026-R2
27 authorizing the request by Michael Hirs for a 100% disabled veteran exemption and allowing the tax collector to refund the amount of $3,35.91 and to cancel all subsequent taxes per state statute 54-3.30
30 2026-R028 authorizing the mayor and clerk to execute the reimbursement agreement with Windsor Woods Luxury Apartments West Windsor Developers LLC for solid waste collection costs for the calendar year 2024
2026-R029 authorizing the mayor and clerk to execute the reimbursement agreement with Windsor Woods Luxury Apartments West Windsor Developers LLC for solid waste collection costs for calendar year 2020 23 2026-R030
authorizing the full release of a performance bond for street opening permit number 2025-37 to Maria 2026-R031 authorizing the increase of contract amount with Shidler Excavating Company,
Inc. for snow removal services in the amount of $120,000 for a revised contract amount of $190,000. 2026-R032 authorizing the mayor and clerk to execute a professional services
agreement with Turk Consulting LLC for miscellaneous engineering services $500. 2026-R033 authorizing the mayor and clerk to execute a professional services agreement with Van Clee Engineering Associates for miscellaneous engineering
services $1,500 2026-R034 authorizing the mayor and clerk to execute a contract with Earl Asphalt Company for the Woodmir Way roadway resurfacing project $764,213.13
13 cents. 2026-R035 authorizing the mayor and clerk to execute professional services agreement with center state engineering for miscellaneous engineering services $500 2026-R036 authorizing the business administrator
to purchase one 2026 Ford F-150 4x4 pickup truck with options for the police division from Winter Ford under Bergen County co-op number C04 4-BC bid $49,161.3 2026-R037
authorizing the business administrator to purchase emergency equipment for a new pickup truck for the police division from emergency accessories and installation EAI under New Jersey state contract 17-fleet-761 $13,9843
2026-R R038 authorizing the mayor and clerk to participate in development of the Asen Punk Creek wershed management plan by the watershed institute in Princeton Hydro 2026-R039 approving the updates and changes to the
township's 2025-2026 employment practices risk control program in accordance with recommended changes by the township's municipal excess liability joint insurance fund Melchief 2026-R040
authorizing the mayor and clerk to execute a settlement agreement with Fair Share Housing Center regarding fourth round housing element and fair share plan. >> Um, does anybody want to pull anything?
>> I'd like to pull 2026- R39. R39. >> Okay. >> Um motion to approve uh 2026 RO 24 um through RO
38 and RO40. >> So move >> second. >> Okay. Welcome Charles. >> Yes. Jvers, >> yes. >> Mandel, >> yes. >> Weiss, >> yes. >> Dawas, >> yes.
>> All right. Um, going back to RO39, Linda. >> Yeah, I I um did read through the the policy manual. It's a lot of pages. Um, and I had some questions that I had sent uh to the clerk to send to to the
administration. So, I still had some some questions on that. uh and I don't know if I can get those answers now and some are very simple things that could be answered easily others are more a little more >> complicated your comments were taken
under advisement and my response is that the document has to be approved in the manner that it is in it has been reviewed by many attorneys and I do not
want to go into details as to um I don't want to go into details in public about coverage issues. We have a number of lawsuits as we speak and
I understand what you're what you want to do, Linda, but I don't recommend it. >> Well, I mean, Linda, if you don't want it, you just pull it and don't vote on it. and then I'll see which which way I can
handle it. We did get your comments uh some of the things we can do, some of the things we can't do for certain reasons. So, if you don't want to vote on it, just pull it and don't vote. >> Well, it's possible we after we could go into executive session for a few minutes. I mean, I don't think it's
going to be long. Let's um I know it gets approved by other attorneys, but but then we we get it and then we have you know that we get questions. This is our opportunity. We have to vote on it. >> No, no, that's >> I didn't have to vote on it, but when we give us something or maybe something to
vote on. >> No, but Linda, that's exactly why saying just pull it. I have no problem. You pull it. Don't vote on it. Um, >> well, we pull it. I mean, if you want to tape session, we could do that later, you know. >> Not today. I'm I'm not ready to discuss
it today. So we can we can move it to the next meeting and I'll look at your questions what I can discuss in public what I can discuss in close session. Um and then I will let you know what I can do what I can do. >> I'm trying to get you >> I'm trying to tell you that I don't want
a lapse in coverage and that's right >> all I'm gonna say. >> I'm suggesting to go into executive session. I don't think it's going to take too long, but >> Linda, if we go in executive session, >> we're halfway on that. >> I I the only thing I can tell you is I
don't know the answer. Right. >> So, why don't we do we want to um table it till the next >> uh meeting and then we can we can have a close session. >> Yeah. >> And then before we move move ahead with >> I just would like to understand if by
tableabling it if we introduce any risk. That's what I want to understand. If we table it now, will will we be >> getting into some risk? >> There is a dead. So >> that was no the deadline was November, >> right? >> And there was
>> so I'm not discussing this in open session at this point. >> So >> because >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, no, no. Pull it. Pull it. Pull it. No issue. >> Pull it. We will we will vote on it when when we all the motion motion to table
resolution 2026R 03 >> second. Okay. Um do we need to >> roll call Charles? >> Yes. >> Jivers. >> Mandel. >> Yes.
>> Weiss. >> Yes. >> Gwas. >> Yes. Um so we table it till um we are ready we are ready to have a closed session mayor with on this not today but maybe next meeting hopefully >> I will check and let you know.
>> Okay all right maybe we we'll talk about it and figure out when we can bring this back on um the agenda under close session. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. All right. Thank you. Okay. Okay. Um,
introduction of ordinance. Ordinance 2026-01, bond ordinance providing for the replacement of the fire sprinkler system at West Windsor Fire Station number 43 in and by the Township of West Windsor in the county of Mercer, New Jersey,
appropriating 231,000 therefore and authorizing the issuance of 220,000 bonds or notes of the township to finance part of the cost thereof. >> Motion to introduce. >> So move. Oh, can I get um just for the
record on the record um I'm a fire police officer member of the of um station 43. Um Sonia, you >> and due to Yeah. And this is a capital improvement for property. So we don't find a a conflict that is close enough
to cause you'd have to >> this was already approved in a previous budget and was bonded for. So >> yeah. So I think we are okay in this point. you are >> um and we did um >> we did we did have a discussion with um
our attorney in that so we are good >> um >> uh Andrea motioned it >> roll call please >> Charles >> yes >> Jvers >> yes >> Mando >> yes >> yes >> gawas >> yes >> okay public hearing will be February 9th
2020 oh I'm sorry nope it's not it's changed >> it's changed >> February 23rd >> 23rd >> 2026 Okay. Um, we move on to the second um, opportunity for public comment. Um, same roles as
before. 3 minutes per person. Will we have anybody on the list? >> Okay, I have a new person on the list. Tza Warman. >> Good evening. Um, my name is Terza Warman. I live at five Stonley Drive, West Windsor. Um, first I want to also
commend public works. I thought they did a fabulous job in a very, very difficult snow and ice storm, and I was very appreciative. Um, second, I did come in late, but I just wanted to throw out the name of our congresswoman, Bonnie Watson Coleman,
with regard to the closure of the Clarksville Road Bridge. And I'm just wondering out loud, you know, Senator Kim is in charge of the entire state and Bonnie Watson Coleman is just in our congressional district and has she been
contacted? So, I just throw that out to you. Um, third, I want to um raise a very uncomfortable issue uh for me. I almost can't believe I'm saying this, but I am wondering out
loud about the warehouse. And you know, I do have a sensitivity about warehouses, but the warehouse that's up on 571 and uh I know that the ones on Clarksville are in litigation. Um but my
wondering is what can the township do to make sure that um a warehouse facility is not repurposed um for the uh for the goal of of holding
um detainees, human detainees. >> Can you speak into the mic? It's very hard. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> It doesn't catch the Where do you want me to Should I take it from the top? Um my issue my issue the issue I'm concerned about is we have an we have an
empty warehouse on 571. Can you hear me now? >> Yeah. >> And the uh the litigation is on is is advancing I suppose or uh holding up the building of the seven warehouses on Clarksville Road. In other communities in New Jersey
uh ICE has been in contact with uh particular townships. I'm looking at Roxberry and Mars Township um for the purpose of holding detainees, human detainees. And there is a way for
townships to uh to amend their zoning regulations to say that human beings cannot be held in warehouses and I am positing that to you. I will send you uh you know some information which is um which has is
been on the internet within the last few weeks. I want to bring it uh to everyone's attention as something that I'm very concerned about. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Um let's finish. Um anybody
else? Good evening. Anne Clifton, 18 Gston Drive. Um over the weekend, a concerned parent contacted the West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance uh concerned about students difficulty walking to school along Pen Lile Road.
Um she couldn't be here tonight. She's working and apparently uh I guess works every Monday night. Can't make it to council meetings. First of all, I fully support and appreciate and recognize the heroic efforts that DPW did
dealing with this snowstorm, the likes of which the amount of which we have not seen in a while and temperatures as cold as they are that we haven't seen in a while. Um, today however, I did go to uh drive along Pen Lile stop to take
some photos from Cedar Court towards the high school. Cedar Court is one and a half miles from High School South. And my understanding from the district's website, that's what's in the that is within the distance that school buses are not provided where kids are walking to school. So, I have apologies. I just
have one print out. Um, what I did notice, uh, there's a few homes where the sidewalks aren't shoveled. Uh, there are several crosswalks that are blocked in by piles of snow. Uh, there is one fire hydrant. Um, Sonia mentioned that
before. Uh there's stretches of sidewalk in front of woods. I don't know whose responsibility that is. I read Mayor's Morate's uh email over the weekend and I fully appreciate the fact that we can't do any more plowing. It's not deep enough. And I fully appreciate the
judicious use of salt for environmental reasons and for maintenance of the of the uh of the roads. So my my own my concern is to get the kids safely to school. How do we encourage the homeowners to clear their sidewalks? Can we get other crews out at all to with
small equipment to clear to clear where the ADA ramps are all blocked by I'll give this to Allison when I'm done. Um to clear the ADA ramps where the kids have to you know cross which penile roads 40 miles an hour. So we're just trying to keep the kids safe, have them
be able to use the cross the crosswalks and the sidewalks to uh to get to school. Um, I did notice also the the bike lanes um are not necessarily plowed as well as the streets are. Obviously, we don't know which kids are, you know,
need to ride to school. Maybe they have jobs after school they need to get to. Just want to make sure that they're able to get to their destination safely. Thank you. So, if I if I could give this to >> Thank you. Anyone else in the audience?
All right. Seeing none, public uh comment period is now closed. Um Mike, you wanted to say something? >> Yes, Madam Chair, with regard to the warehouse, a zone and warehouse that's up on Princeton Heightstown Road, the
zoning for that warehouse is for that use. It's not for uh a uh detention facility for uh immigrants or anything like that. If the federal government was to come in and want to rent that space for that kind of purpose, they'd have to
come back in probably to the zoning board to get a use variance. >> Is that partially because it's private property? It's not like they don't own the land. They own the building. So, >> they just can't indiscriminately come in and change repurpose.
You said some kind of use variance because there's no >> no housing that is allowed on that property for >> have to be a use a use variance. >> Yeah. >> I don't know how you would get over the Meduche standards for such a use variance. I think you have to reszone the property. I know where it's been
done elsewhere. The town entered into agreement with the federal government and they resone the property for it. Uh but uh here they'd have to go ahead and uh I for the zoning board because I can't imagine the town wanting to reszone the property at that point.
>> No. >> You're saying under current zoning they could not do that even as the federal government. >> They could not. >> They could not. Okay. All right. Um m >> doesn't mean that they can't try. >> They can probably
>> right. Um, so but um if if that were to be the case, they will have to get a zoning variance. >> Yeah, I I I'll take a quick look. I know up in believe it's Roxberry, they were trying to do that to one of the warehouses up there. So, I'll take I'll take another look at that and uh you
make sure that I don't know how the federal government was coming in there with the zoning up there, but I know it's being contested by the township up there. >> Right. Yeah. If you could let let us know, that would be great. Thank you. while it's being contested, they can't do anything. Or can they?
>> I I I don't I'll have to look it up, but uh I I know that the town has come out against it. >> Okay. >> Uh Mayor, >> yeah, now I can hear. So, a couple of things um I just forgot to mention. I
was a little anxious not being without hearing is first taxes are due. Um, I know last week some people had difficulty paying taxes online. All the issues have been fixed. Whoever did contact us, we called them individually. I did pay my taxes online yesterday.
Works fine, I believe. Don't take my word for it, but the uh grace period is till next Monday, but it's better to pay otherwise you have to pay interest from day one. That's a state law, not township doing. Um, snow cleaning. I
mean, I did get a lot of complaints about snow cleaning, but this was unique. I tried to go on uh chat GPD and try to find out when was the last time it snowed more than uh 12 in in West Windsor and not for a while. But more
than that, uh somebody told me it's 65 years. Um that temperature hasn't been below freezing for 10 days straight. That was the bigger problem that the temperature was below freezing and it the temperature was so low that the salt
we use was not effective. So people were asking us to put more salt and more salt wouldn't have done some anything. They did go and buy sand and did put sand. Um whoever did tell us that their roads
were not good DPW did go and visit every road where we received a complaint. If they could fix it, they did fix it. If they couldn't do anything, they couldn't do anything. Um, even today, if there's some road you think is not um does need
some work, please let us know. We will send DPW out tomorrow morning. They start very early. They will come and check your road. If they can do something, they will do something. They did uh bring back and did break some ice somewhere but uh they can't uh they
can't plow now because the width is not enough and it's not snow. Um hopefully uh we won't get anything like this. I'm waiting for the temperature to go above freezing and um thankfully that will solve a lot of
problems. >> Okay. Um and as far as the sidewalk um an that you mentioned um homeowners are responsible to clear their sidewalks and I have personally seen a lot of sidewalks that are not cleared. Um I
would highly suggest I think um they should the um people who are having difficulty um should call the police department the non-emergency number and report it there. um police department by ordinance um um
enforces the sidewalk cleing. Um I think that would be helpful to do that. Um I think a DPW only clears um the public uh right of ways, the township properties. So if it's a private homeowners property, they really need to clean it.
Um so that would be my answer. I don't know if there's any we can do. I mean some homeowners association do their own cleaning and some homeowners association are responsible for cleaning the sidewalks in their homeowners association depending on what the
agreement they have with township or when the um HOA was established and whatever uh the requirements for HOA was put uh in agreement either by the planning board or between the township and the um homeowners association.
>> Right. and did mention um that there is a wooded lot area on penile road. I will check who >> we can check if that is a township responsibility maybe we can at least take care of that um portion that that was the question right thank you >> thank you
>> um >> yeah I mean if you have any questions easiest thing to do is go on the website now there's a link to contact just report it there it's a lot easier to just forward that email or send it directly to DPW then you telling me and then I'm saying oh I'm old I forget
right >> that's a citizen concern. >> I mean, we did get a lot we did get a lot through emails and we we resp you may not get an individual response from us, but we did take a look at everyone that we received.
>> Yeah, I did see uh public works um out with their plows even this morning. They were driving around. So, I I know they are going back at each and every um road that they have heard about. um council reports. Um Dan,
>> uh yes, the board of ed uh met last week. Uh the interesting part of that meeting was their semianual report on harassment, intimidation, and bullying. Uh while the numbers are relatively low in the grand scheme of things, they did
see a small uptick from um this is the first half of the year. So that's July 1 of 2025 through December. Um they saw a small uptick from about um 42 incidents to 52 incidents.
Um >> that's it. >> That's that's about it. >> Okay. All right. Um, Linda, >> the Sha Tree Commission met on January 28th. Uh, during the reorganization, Helen Rankin was reelected as chair and
Ellen Clancy was reelected as secretary. For 2025, there were 81 permit application counts under chapter 170. In January 2026, there were four such permits. members started working on a tenative schedule for discussions on the
community forestry management plan. This plan is to be adopted by the shade tree commission by the end of this year and sent to the department of environmental protection as it is a D requirement. Members went over the uh schedule and
task for Arbor Day and the theme is revolutionary roots celebration uh which will begin April I believe. The chair will coordinate a date with the council president for the annual shade tree commission presentation to council. The commission is eagerly awaiting to hear a
date on when the amended shade tree commission enabling ordinance or amended enabling ordinance and proposed new bamboo ordinance uh will be placed on council's meeting agenda. Uh the planning board held its reorganization
meeting on January 21st. Michael Corp was reelected as chair and Curtis Huberman was reelected as vice chair. Regular meetings uh of the board are the first and third Wednesdays of the month. This Wednesday, February 4th, at 6:30 p.m. in room A, there will be a master
plan public hearing on section 4, uh the draft on the housing element and fair share plan for 2025 to 2035. This is for the fourth round of affordable housing obligations. Following the hearing, there will be a
vote taken on resolution 2026-R4 to adopt the housing elements in fair share plan for 2025 to 2035, which is the fourth round. Uh the planning board will hold a special meeting on February 25th regarding an application for a
daycare center in the Avalon development uh which is at the train station. Um Joe, >> uh no commission meetings for me the last couple weeks, so nothing to report. >> Andrea, >> okay, the emergency management council
hasn't met, but I'm promised they were looking at meeting um soon, so we'll see how that goes. Um environmental commission didn't meet. The Mercer County EV readiness committee uh which is a county uh planning department
committee did meet. Uh they're ready to issue a um report, final report. We went over the draft report. Uh now the county is going to take a look at it and if the county likes it, they'll um they'll be issuing that. And uh part of what that's
doing is they're um leading the EV transition in the county. um uh hosting EV charging maps, increasing public education, preparing for long-term increase in EV adoption, looking for partnership opportunities, uh but their
primary EV transmission is for vehicles in the county fleet, and they're currently looking at the more light to uh light medium uh duty um duty vehicles in the next few years. February 12th
will be the next EC environmental commission meeting and uh we expect that one of the things that will be discussed will be the natural lawn ordinance. Thank you. >> Okay. Um human relation council meets tomorrow.
So I have nothing to report um on that. Um now we move on to our um discussion topics under new business. Um the first one is the discussion on 2026 council
procedural guidelines. Um I'm going to just um go down the row um line and ask if any of the council members have any um comments on it. Um let's start with Dan.
>> Sure. Since I guess I triggered a lot of this discussion, uh two different updates that I would like to see moving forward. One is to uh resolve an issue
where the current procedural guide drawings don't really have any process definition on the council's process to appoint positions to
boards where the council has the authority. Uh, and so I authored an update to section 2059.1 that outlines um a few steps uh to provide some
process to follow moving forward. And again, this is specific only to positions where the council as a body is the appointing authority. So, I don't I don't think there's a need for me to read through it all, but highlights um
public notice period highlights uh disclosure of all applicants to council, a review and evaluation period, the potential of considering evaluation criteria,
and uh waiver opportunities in the event of an emergency. So, Um, Linda, do you have anything? >> Um, I I could say that there's um a need to make some improvements uh to the
procedural guidelines in in terms of importance. Uh, we appoint zoning board members um and the and the parking authority members. So, that those are the >> those are the two that we do. Um, I
don't I wasn't looking for anything very very long and involved. I mean, but I think the communication when there's openings um should well immediately um we should be told that. I mean, sometimes we were told that right at a
at a meeting, >> right, >> that someone had resigned. Um so once the clerk gets it, that should be um transmitted uh to to all the council members immediately. Um
we should then have a place of prominence on the township website, I guess, to be decided where that would be. Um to say, "Hey, we got we got vacancies." And you could put all vacancies. It could be, you know, for for all the other boards, commissions,
even, you know, that the mayor does. um maybe have a little uh paragraph about what the responsibilities are or what the board or commission does and then um and then attach the uh application form to make it easy so they don't have to search in a different part
you know different area of the website you know so if someone's interested in an opening then maybe towards the bottom of the page they could just click on and you could you could get that um onto your application form Um
we we could just you know decide um I I I you know and timewise uh you know zoning board you may not want to wait 28 days or or longer to to figure that out because there's applications that come in. Um so I'm I'm thinking a much um
shorter timeline for for for you know for doing that. You want to get enough time, few weeks, couple of weeks, whatever, so people know that there's an opening and they can see all the other openings that haven't been filled. But for a new opening, you want to give them
a a chance there. So that's good. Um, in terms of I guess criteria, evaluating people, you know, you should be like 18, lived here a year, um, something along along those lines. >> Yeah. >> I don't want to get too specific. Um,
they can fill it out, >> right? And that's why when I drafted this I didn't include that level of operational detail. It's more >> Yeah. Yeah. So, um yeah, I mean those are some some thoughts there to work on. >> I think pretty much all of your comments
are covered here as far as a procedural perspective. >> Yeah. >> Um Joe, do you want to um do you have any thoughts on this? Uh my main thought was um you know I don't know 28 days seems seems like quite a long time to
potentially leave uh leave positions. You know you're talking about noticing 28 days and then you you would need time after that right whenever the meeting is. Um though my concern would be that would uh just be too much time to uh
slow down the process. Andre. >> Um I would say at this point I know the clerk we've been working trying to um make the for everybody not just for a couple of boards the volunteer book
updated make it easy to read and make it something easy to find. And we've been doing some work with that because um I think it's kind of fallen a little by the wayside and now we've got the new website and there's new opportunity there. Um so that's that's kind of being
done to make these um these positions for open. Um and as far as the public's concerned, it's not really um something to them as to who votes for it and who does this and that. I think we I think we need to be kind of equal in terms of
positions. Here are our open positions. Here are vacant positions. Here here who's here's who's on the board. So that can be done through uh various procedures that are on the website. Um when something particular opens up,
there can be an announcement that a certain vacancy if we wanted to do that is now available when we we hear the vacancy that the town the council should learn of the vacancy and the vacancy can be put uh on the website when it when
it's um I'd say one of the land use boards or or we can put the parking authority since that's one of ours. Um as far as the uh applications, applications are taken for various positions on an ongoing basis. Uh I
would suggest that as part of this we make and we have had these discussions make it easier to find these volunteer applications, make it easier to submit them. Uh also one thing I do want to do which has been a long thing of mine is
the volunteer applications are you know basically we ask for somebody's name and do you want to say something else for the most part we don't ask a lot of questions so I would like to look at uh I don't I don't want I don't want to restrict anything as far as who the
board picks you know I have my own ideas but other people may have theirs and they're going to have theirs feedback generally done for all the positions where we ask a little bit more about Donald Brown. We ask a little bit more about experience about why the person
wants the job. We'd of course have to run it by legal to make sure we're not asking something we shouldn't. But um I would like to see um say these forms be re reset up circulated around uh council
to see if there's anybody else. Let administration take a look at them. And I don't I don't even have a clue as to when the last time they were revamped. Um so that I think would be critical. The other thing I'd like to do because otherwise this becomes a hey if you
didn't put it in last week we don't know about you is put a two-year and I'm throwing a word I'm throwing a timeline out there >> yeah putting a two-year um that and people understand that when they fill the form out that this form will be considered an active
>> and it will expire because otherwise there's probably stuff from 20 years in there. So people should understand that when they put the form in, it's good for that and they don't have to necessarily reapply if there's an opening because if there's an opening uh for whatever
position, then if the council or the mayor would get all of the active forms to to make a choice from. So I I don't think we need to go through a whole lot of who's going to do this and who's going to do that. And I definitely
wouldn't want anything like 28 days because especially with a land use board that could that could be a really big big problem. Um I think there's a there's a natural progression that somebody um resigns there's a vacancy. Uh we would already
have a pool presumably of of applicants. uh that pool could be uh given out to the people who have to make the decision and at that point um there will be a meeting. The way it has to be done is by council resolution. So generally the
council president speaks to a number of you know people who are on the council says okay this is this is the one everybody kind of comes to a consensus. That doesn't mean everybody's happy. That doesn't mean everybody got who they want. It means there's a consensus and
then that goes on resolution. That's legally how it's done. Uh that there's not the only place where that's not done is if you're replacing a c a council member and that's a whole different process. Um but legally to put people on the boards it is done by by council
resolution. So, um, which is which is the process and I think it's it's worked pretty well because basically we've had a consensus and people can vote yes or no and we've gotten some reasonably good people. I think so that would I would I would think that between these different
things that we're doing um and if we want to put anything in the guidelines we can put something saying let's go every time we get something that is an application for our um us it should go to us. Now, one question would be should
we have a separate form because now we're getting applications for people on the administrations. Uh some of the some of the people check off five different things. So, how do we deal how do we deal with that? Do we say okay this this is the form for zoning or
and parking and the rest is another form for this so that people >> right now one one um residents can check off everything. Um I know uh like um clerk's office has been working on the citizens um directory. >> Yes.
>> Um which is on the website and the goal is to have all the vacant positions available on the website so everybody can see what is available. Um so like Linda was saying make it available on website. I think we are already working on that. >> We already have that but and we've had
that but we we've had that all along but we're working on updating it. I know Linda and I were working on that last year to make it more updated and now with the new website opportunity with the new website that we we upgrade everything and we are working on that.
>> Um I I have had several conversations with um council members um on different occasions about um the expiry of a said um application form. So it's if you know the person the resident may move um from
here they may decide that they don't want to continue anymore what may be the reason but I think it's a good idea to have a um expiry date of an application form from the date of the application >> I think we even
>> so it stays in the pool for a set amount a year two year two years probably >> and it'll be considered active >> um and then um we could reach out to that said person at the end of their 2 years period to see if they are um
interested to stay on the pool until and unless one of the um positions opens up or or not. Like maybe that might be an opportunity to um clean up some of the application forms that we have um would
be my thought. Um I know right now the application form has um all the boards and health commissions all >> that residents can check off on anything. Um so I don't know you were suggesting to have two separate forms.
>> Well one issue >> well the whole thing is that if we're going to get all the form I guess we get all the forms anyway. It doesn't matter but one thing is like we ask somebody why do you want this job and there's five different jobs on there. So, you know, I I wish people would be a little
bit more what do you want to do and and and hey, I'm really into this and I or I'm an expert in this and want to be on it. >> I I agree. Getting a little background information on the applicant would be helpful for especially at least for the council members that we have two uh
boards that we um appoint um volunteers members for. um that way like you know we can have at least a starting point when we talk to these applicants. I think even if we um we added the date even now on the form, there wasn't even a line to put the date. So, we put that
on there. Um and then even if we um with the questions that are on there, if they honed in on more specific, how could >> Yeah, we can we can ask and and we can if people don't want to fill it in, they don't have to fill it in, but we've asked and the re and if they don't fill
it in, then we kind of figure they're not interested in filling that particular piece of information in. So, we will want to make sure that we're not asking anything that could be, you know, prejuditial in some way before we set this out. But, um, if you look at
standard employment type applications, I mean, we, uh, things, some people put a whole resume, but a lot of people just put two lines on there or something like that. And the fact that there's only three lines to write on makes people think you don't we don't want a lot of
information. So having something with more on it I think would make us all able to make good decisions >> and I think that's for everything. If we if we revamp this form I think we should do it do it for every you know all the positions
>> forms are a PDF that um you fill in and email it to the >> fillable it's a fillable PDF. >> It's a fillable PDF which is new. It didn't used to It used to be a piece of >> had to scan a paper >> step >> going like you know is it possible to do
a form online like we have the um citizens concern form that somebody can fill in and you receive it as a PDF but >> okay >> I don't know if that's a post check with your website if you can do a little more
>> quicker um >> it really depends we don't get a lot of forms I We could make it a database if we wanted, but I doubt if we get that many >> like a Google form. >> Uh well, even a database, you know, um there are ways to to make that and then
get a you know, get a summary and it depends on how fancy we want to get. H >> yeah, I I would like to see if like you know uh once I think um Dan mentioned this and Linda mentioned this too. Um as
soon as a um position opens up on any board or um committee if we can >> put an announcement on our website that this position is open. >> Um obviously we can go back into our pool of applicants applications and see
if if there is any active applications available. Um but at least make an public announcement I think would be >> um >> so I think all these are great ideas um
>> but the recommendation here is not about updating the form or about the form or the details maintaining a pool of people it's the process that the council follows and I believe that I've documented
a process that takes into account exactly what everybody has been talking about. >> But it does go way beyond that. >> I said it's it goes way beyond that. >> How so? >> Well, things like having a 28 day waiting having
>> So 28 days, a couple of folks have said they thought that was too long. That's fair comment. 14 days sounds like a more >> appropriate time. Well, this isn't >> I pulled that I pulled that number as of like this is a good starting. So, but my
point being like if there's specific details here that I that are um concerning then please point them out. Um I went to great extent to make this as flexible as possible. So, it's not
locking us into um forms or people or pools. It gives us the flexibility of establishing criteria if we want to but doesn't require it. >> Um it gives us as you said the opportunity and ensure that we have an appropriate evaluation time to look at
the pool of candidates. Um >> okay but I was under the impression this was a general discussion. >> Attorney seen um the recommendation. >> Has the attorney um uh has have has Mike seen um what we are discussing >> today? he was provided with them but not
prior. So, >> well, it was I was under the impression this was more a general discussion and not that there was one proposal on the table or two proposals on the table or that people should be writing up alternate proposals to
>> Well, I I submitted a recommendation >> um as as a baseline for us to to discuss. >> We can. >> So, I would love for you to, you know, redline it and make adjustments to it. Well, I mean at this point it's more of a >> well at this moment. Yes.
>> Yeah. It's more of a general discussion like if we had a proposal what you would include and that's some of the stuff to include. So it's not not necessarily a starting point but a but a a set of suggestions for that different people
are making to go into a final proposal. >> Well I would like us to move this forward to a proposal and I would love everybody's input. Um, I think that's the whole goal of working as a council is to get everybody's input and ensure that we put the best possible work
forward. >> Um, >> well, there's some ideas. I think I think tonight for this we've got some ideas of where >> No, that's I'm I'm I'm wondering if we want to circulate and um each of us can
um do a red line >> um suggestions back to Allison and then we can take it from there >> and like you know I think I think like you know let's work on it and see >> where we land with it. um 28 calendar
days for something like Z zoning board might be a little difficult to hold. Um so we we we need to figure out what would be a right amount. So >> why don't we um each of us have this um maybe we all can take a look at it red
line um suggestions and then send it back to Allison. >> Yes. because I think if we all get answers from everybody, we'll wind up maybe being in conformity with some things and we can >> and that point we send it to council to
review after we've made our >> right uh one thing that I would like to add um in our procedural guidelines would be um this kind of discussion because um I know we wanted to have this discussion we talked about um >> which is really a separate
>> it is it's a separate separating section But um but moralize the fact that we want to have a discussion about council procedures in a time frame that doesn't um circumvent sort of the the reorg meeting and >> correct because we don't want to have
that and that's why um we did not have this discussion at the reorg meeting because the idea that was not the right time to do it. Yeah. >> Um but what I would suggest is um we could um memorize a um time frame
possibly November might be a good time to have a pro a discussion on this. If there are any changes then we still have time in December to do it and be ready for the reorg meeting in January. If you can if you can make that into um a
standard >> procedure >> is that would be my suggestion. So that would be a new clause after >> you're going to do that. You would want to do it after um elections were pretty much certified I would say at that point and then you
could include anybody that um that has been newly elected in it. >> You could do the uh possibly like the second meeting in November >> would be or we could just do it the first meeting after after the cert usually they certify elections late the
November I believe. So we could just say the first meeting after elections are certified >> something like that. So um yeah >> yeah yeah like I've been here a while and I have suggested that sometimes as president years years ago because we get
into you know some last minute issues and then it's like you have the reorg meeting you really want everything set before then. So, um I know I talked to some of you about that that um maybe as as council president you put it put it on each year.
>> Okay. If no if you have no changes fine that's a quick >> we don't necessarily we won't necessarily changes every year >> but if we have a quick discussion if there is any changes that would probably be the right time to do it and be ready
for the reorg meeting in January. So if you want to >> figure that out. Um anything else we want to discuss here? >> So that's um about council appointments procedures. I also made a recommendation
about um using the website for web pages which we've talked about in the past a little bit. Um, I know there's always concerns about sort of inappropriate use of of the
website. Um, and I understand that and I agree with that. And so I wrote a um a proposed framework for providing a little bit of flexibility for us to
provide information to the general public through the website which is considered government speech. Um a lot of that is already there like our name, our title, our terms.
>> Right now contact information >> we have discussed that like right now our council pages we don't have >> no guidelines or documentation anywhere that defines what we can or can't do. So, um, I think most of this is is
already being done, but it's not memorialized anymore. So, I think it's important for us to >> put that in our guidelines. >> Well, right now we have originally we didn't even have the uh titles and we didn't even have the um
our committees and stuff and so I think we upgraded a little because we got that added and stuff. So, now we've got the basics on there. I think everybody decided they didn't want their personal phone numbers on there, but we have the um we have the email addresses. Um I
think the question came up amongst everybody is now with this website, if you click on your name, it goes to a page and right now that page is empty and the page has your name on it essentially. So now we have the
opportunity to do a little bit more by putting a personal statement of some kind there. Um I know that these pages pretty much get updated by Allison. So if we had a page, we would want something that would be static. And I
think we've been discussing a static page. I would I would just put something like we want a static pages with changes limited to once a year unless there's a special circumstance like a change in assignment, a my major life change, get a divorce, maybe you don't want your
wife's or husband's name on there anymore or something like that. Uh so we always have to leave a little little out on it. Um then I would just suggest one or two personal pictures. I'm good with two. uh name and title again because this is now our page. Some kind of
personal bio statement and there would be some set word limit. We could kind of see what fits on a page and we'd all get the same set word limit. Um the township email address and our current assignments would also be on on that. So the main main difference would be that
we would get essentially a paragraph or two to um that to do like a short bio stating who you are if you want to do your family and any general philosophy that you'd want to share. Uh I'd say we do similar to what you were talking
about. No political commentary. Uh no political affiliation or party references because we're nonpartisan government. So that would that would keep with it. no attacks or are on or endorsements of others. We want the po the page is totally on you. It's about
you. It's not not there to to be a political statement. Uh it's about the council member. And then I wouldn't I wouldn't want any outside links or non-township email addresses because that could leak to all kinds of stuff. I think we just followed something like
that similar. >> I mean that's almost what I >> Yeah. Yours yours was kind of long. I mean, but >> but no, I looked at it. I think it >> works. That's great. >> Yeah. No, that >> one thing that you left out is something
that we all do is um we have um open office hours, right? We have listening, >> but that's not static. So, this then somebody would have to go in there and change the page >> and it would be much better. And plus of all, nobody's going to your page unless
there's a reason anyway. So, it's much better for all of us if we do the calendar and the announcements like we've been doing and then uh you know for the for the office hours that we're doing here. Um and then uh like we've
been doing in the last uh couple years or so. Um but we don't want to be changing that page because then that means that you'd have to go in and make it a dynamic page which changes. >> That's that's you know we're we're in 2026. It's not. >> Oh, no. It's No, it's
>> update a web page. >> You can uh >> I did look at a number of other towns uh pages in most of our surrounding towns, right? They the most I saw is where they had, you know, a bio and some sort of value statement or something like that,
right? Your your email, which we already have. Um I think all that is is fine. Uh the public engagement uh item I I think is a concern to me because there's probably a fine line between an event you're going to in capacity as a council
member and what could be construed as a campaign event. Right. So >> that's why there's language in there that >> Yeah. But but but the problem with that is then you're you're putting the onus on the township administration to make that determination which I think puts the clerk and the administration in a in
a bad position. So I I don't want Allison or frankly anyone else in the administration to be deciding all right well Joe or Dan can't we can't post this item or that item because that's could be more of a campaign event right I I think to me that's a problem and u I I
>> yeah I I can't support that if it's a if it's a office hours in the municipal building here right like I held recently that the township posted it then I think that's fine if it's say well look I'm going to have a coffee chat at somewhere or I'm going to this event then um I
think that that's not on township property. Uh that's not a municipal event. I think uh I think that the administration just uh doesn't doesn't have a part in that. >> So interesting perspective. My view is that as a public servant um if I
am in the community doing a uh listening session or open office hour. Um, what why does it matter whether it's physically in this building or at a coffee shop?
>> Um, and I'm going to say this. I do and I we've done hundreds of those. I go to a million events. People figure >> well for anything a holding event. I mean >> be able to say >> but I, you know, in this particular
case, I don't want people making, oh, was that a political event? Was I there for this reason? Was I there for that reason? Was I giving anyone a cup of coffee? I mean, if we just told it as off, if we just have using the website, I mean, we could use whatever else we want, but using our township website for
regular office hours where we sit and somebody comes in and says, "Hey, what's going on with the bridge?" Or, "Hey, I have a problem with my neighbor." Whatever it is that we've gotten when we've done these, that's that's doing our job that I don't think anyone can question that. But as soon as we start
going in and doing the coffee thing and even stuff like that even our intent is one thing but someone else can look at it another way. So that really can't be now if the entire council and here's where we'll talk later about
communication thing. If the entire council gets invited to something and who you know goes to a big goes to something as a council and that gets put into a news thing that we did that that's that's a whole different deal. Um but you know ribbon cutings whatever different things that we do as a council
but but just for this kind of thing I think the more we keep it to business the better off. So for the public's view, I mean mayor, >> you have something that I would like to add to that is that council me council
members may post notices of events or activities that they're attending in their official capacity that provides residents an opportunity to meet with and discuss township issues including but not limited to open office hours, listening sessions, community meetings,
and other public-f facing civic engagement opportunities. So it's not about elections. >> That's again that's the same thing. >> Primary purpose is discussion of township business public concerns. That's my role as a
>> and I I I get that and I think I hear that. Um but at the same time um for that we would need um somebody and which is Allison basically will have to work with us to update our pages on a on a
regular basis. Whereas if we have a static page and if we are have posting a office hours here we make an announcement on township um calendar um like I think Dan you have done that Joe you recently did that and we we we have
done that too. Um but that it's happening here as office hours and it just goes out as an announcement either through eblast or on the website on the calendar. I think I think that's fine. Mayor, you had to add >> and my comment is I I because it meant
count it said council guidelines. I haven't been paying attention has nothing to do with me. I have no say but lot of stuff you're talking about website stuff involves administration. So if you're going to talk about that, I need um time to look at what the
proposal is >> and talk about it. I thought this was just talking about document that you pass on first meeting every year >> January 15th. >> I think I think my suggestion would be I think we we all had a little discussion
here as the first point. Maybe we also take a look at this. Same thing with this. Take a look and >> send our suggestions to Allison. >> Um feel free to copy me on it. Um and then we can we can take it from there and move forward. And yes, I agree with
mayor um if it involves um putting things on website. Now we are um getting administration involved. So we need to get a buy in on that as well. >> Of course. Yep. I mean that's the goal of this bottom. supposed to be a deliberative thought. So that's deliberate.
>> So I think I think I think it's good. We have a good understanding of what we want to do. Um one thing that we did all agree today is that we would want to um put put it a standard procedure to have a discussion on um the procedural
guidelines in um like late November, beginning of December after >> with wording for that. Yeah, we can figure out a proper wording for that. >> There's a standard date for when the elections are certified. >> Usually November 20 something the first meeting after after the certification
that >> yeah or use the wording from the um >> yeah that from the chronological index that they give out. >> So is that does that sound about right? >> Yep. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Uh the next item is our
budget >> because um budget that's our big that's our one of our biggest roles. Um we are um getting into budget season. We are in February. Um so um last year late last year um Andrea had reached out to and I
think we have had this um this u procedure for the last few years where we council each council members have um given their priorities to the administration. um if you want to discuss that quickly before the budget gets finalized and comes to um in front
of the council which is going to be very soon in March. Hopefully, we'll get the binder books sooner than that. >> Before end of >> before end of February, I believe. >> Well, that's the law. But if we can get it two days ahead,
>> end of February. >> Yeah. The law says February 28th. >> Well, you have to give it to us by then. So, that's >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, we um if you want to discuss that um one of the looking for
>> Yeah. I did a summary sheet from all. >> Yes, I think everybody has um a copy of the summary sheet. Um each of us had put in our um our um ideas of what we would like to do. Um few main things that um
we all saw was road improvement programs as well as bicycle and pedestrian programs are are high priorities. I think um many of our few of our audience members would like that. Um um so I I I
think that we all agree on sidewalks. Um if uh we want to discuss about fixing of sidewalks. Um >> just want to break. >> Oh yeah. Okay. That's the one. >> Yeah. I miss I I'm going to come back to the first point. Um
>> um see uh council members want to take another look at the township fixing sidewalks that are legally residents responsibility. I think that's something that we want to discuss because by ordinance um sidewalk uh maintenance is um uh homeowners responsibility.
Um >> township has has a special program that we um we uh put in money every year to take care of sidewalks lifted because of um the trees. >> Yeah. So that program is very
specifically targeted to sidewalk problems that are attributed to tree damage either roots or any other >> which is a really high percentage >> township. So the trees in the uh >> in the little small strip right exactly.
Um, so we need to um take a look at that and see. Um, >> so are you suggesting um like a a fund that could be used for other sidewalk issues? >> No, >> no, my I would be complicated.
>> No, my part my part is by ordinance uh me as a homeowner is responsible for the sidewalks in front of my house. Now, if I don't have a tree in that strip mall, little strip, >> right? Yeah. >> Then >> you have no case. >> I have no case.
>> But if my neighbor has that tree, then she or he has a case, >> right? >> Right. So I would like to enforce the ordinance or put the ownership on homeowners and use that funds to improve
and add better and uh connect sidewalks and bike lanes or wherever other places where we could use the fun. >> So effectively remove the tree damage fund in the specific use case that it is
being used for today. That's the suggestion. >> Yeah. I'm just I'm just restating it so I understand it correctly and reallocate it for >> broader um sidewalk. >> Right. Right. Right. Now it's almost somebody knows about the plan, they get
it and they get it. Um more and more people know. So now it becomes where it's going to be super expensive and that's taking funds away from a lot of other things that are going on. And it really is an individual's responsibility. You sometimes get a
thing where somebody says, "I'm in a hurry." And they have to pay for it. And their neighbor says, "Well, I don't care." And they don't because they'll wait. What what I would suggest two is one thing is if we do this, we really have to um you know, not just say
tomorrow, hey, too bad you're you're on the list. We probably would have to say, okay, we're going to stop at a certain point. And what I would personally like to do, and I know the mayor's not thrilled with this, um, we one of the reasons we do did this plan is because
we get a lot better price than each individual homeowner gets. And what is and but we we do a plan that nobody else does. But another plan that I think is done in a few areas is we're going to have to do sidewalks anyway because some
of the sidewalks are um on township property. So, we're gonna have to at some point go out and bid for sidewalk. And if we get an if we could do a once a year thing, you have up to whatever the date it is. You sign up and then we will
let you in on our bid. >> Oh, wow. >> You know, and then and I mean that would be I think >> they got a crew rate. >> Yeah, we could offer that possibly. I mean I >> requires some administration. >> It requires some administration. Uh, we
could offer it. We could even offer it if there isn't trees possibly just to get sidewalks fixed. >> If you add that route, you're off, right? You're opening it up to a certain point. You know, you know how many people have committed to sign up. We
take it out of, you know, we put tax money. However we decide to do it, I'll let the finance people figure it. I would I would personally like to see something like that offered because I think it would I think it would really be a big impetus to people fixing their
sidewalks >> people because it is incredibly expensive to do it as a oneoff >> right it's a oneoff and then >> I'm willing to >> and we would have more >> we would have more control over the quality plus we would have control over
that people aren't going and chopping the roots off at the bottom of the trees and then we're stuck for $20,000 removing a huge tree instead of the money for the sidewalk. So, so I think offering something like that, it would probably be a popular program >> would be like a continuity to everything would
>> and it would be fair because if you have six sidewalks to fix, then you're paying for that and if you have one sidewalk to fix, you're paying for paying for that. So, >> um that's that's my thought on it. One one thing that concerns me is that would
somebody who has a damaged sidewalk because of a township owned tree be in a position to sue the township because they're because the township's tree caused damage to their >> property which says the homeowners are
clearly says respons the rest of the state the rest of the country from us we from what we find puts these street trees in. >> Correct. We have a very special program where we pro provide this service to the residents, but our ordinance clearly
states that homeowners are responsible to take care of. >> We did do a study on this once when we went over how to fix the sidewalks and everything. And we asked uh Dan Delmilsky at the time, can you find us anything similar? And there was really nothing. I'd be curious if if Michael
>> Michael >> right >> side books >> if our council would um do a little research to see if that's even a concern at all that that >> the concern's always been the other way. The concern's been if you offer to fix
it now is it >> but in our particular situation if now we switch to this new model are we subjecting ourselves to potential lawsuits of people >> could we could we >> and maybe it's maybe I'm just making >> no I'm just saying >> what's an option that's how I think you
know >> say it good >> well we maybe just as a safety we've been told we've been the other way. >> If we go go that route, we could um come
up with a um let's say a time frame open up open up um for the residents to put in their sidewalk in that list. >> I don't know. Um couple
>> and then whoever makes into that list, >> we'll be basically grandfathered in >> grandfathered go through it, but notice, >> right? It's I don't know. >> And eventually there's an end great idea. >> So, I don't think we want to we don't want to say, "Hey, we've told you to put
your name on the list, but too bad right now." At some point, at some point, the list stops at and that and you know, so you give whoever's on it, you you've extended a little bit so people want to jump. >> This is something that won't happen overnight.
>> We're helping a future council. >> It's mitigate against potential lawsuits. Not it's not just lawsuits. It's kind of we promise or people may look upon it like you know like a thing. >> But at the end of the day I'm still worried about are we going to get sued.
>> Yes. And but we've been told continuously that having this program and offering it >> actually >> without I don't want to get I don't want to get into this kind of conversation obviously but um so >> works both ways. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, >> I just want to cover all the bases,
>> but that's something that we could ask for the attorney with, you know, what's what's the pluses, what's the minus, and stuff like that. We're building up too much uh money here from Mike. I don't know. We're going to have to >> have the budget, please. >> We budget for this
>> to develop the program. You might need one year cycle. >> It's probably going to be worse than that from what's on there, but okay. Then you have to say this is the last year that that we are doing it. You know, >> we're developing new program where by
ordinance you still have are responsible for fixing the sidewalk. However, we we will have a new program and you can get into the the bid pool >> and that's and that's my my that's what I would like to do. I'm sure I'll
>> we we need have a brainstorm on that. I also think you have to consider the administrative >> management of this because if you offer it people will >> take it >> take it and I don't believe councel
wants to make put false expectations >> like I wasn't even talking about a new program I was talking about um >> a special assessment on a tax bill you Linda, our >> something like that.
>> Our hands are more than full now. >> Yeah. Well, I mean this office is just >> I can I can see how it would be a burden on the administration, right? Trying to bill and collect uh and track all this, you know. So,
>> my go one thing you can do is say that whoever gets on the list by X date, we will fix it. Not tomorrow, maybe next 10 years, but that's it. Once that's done, there are no bids. Then you are on your own to fix it whichever way you want.
>> That's exact that's what that's what I was saying like you know get >> whoever gets it um we decide the time frame. I don't know what that time frame is and whoever gets in that list gets grandfathered into that program and then once once that list is ends it ends.
>> Yeah. One of the values of that program is not just you know obviously providing financial relief to those folks but also it provides an opportunity to do these kind of this kind of work in bulk so we get these great you know better rates. >> Yeah. I mean you want to think about
administration. What about the administration of people not fixing their sidewalks and now getting the complaints and you have to go after them because their neighbors are complaining their kids are tripping. So there's administration could be either way. So we can talk about that
>> that kind of program even though it's not specific to tree roots and it requires a little bit of administration as everything will is I think provides value. >> Well that's what I'm saying that that there's there's administration either way >> benefits to the whole community because
we're predicting that it will likely result in people being more proactive in fixing their sidewalks because now it's you know they don't have to take a third mortgage out. I would I would I would like to see us do something. And I think if we don't do it, there will also be a
cost because people will not be fixing their sidewalks and we're going to be in a constant mode of having to go tell somebody go fix your sidewalk. Go. >> You can't get people to shovel sidewalks. >> Well, that's that's saying. Think it see look at how big big
a problem that is. So, uh anyway, all right. We're not gonna we're not gonna solve this now, >> but I think I think it's something we wanted to start discussing. >> Yeah, we're not going to solve it, but I wanted to start that conversation and um you know, start thinking and see um what
we want to do in that um area. Um several requests to see more in-depth analysis from different departments. Who was that? >> There's a bunch of different things on there. Um, one thing that was sort of
glossed over when you talked about the road improvement that it wasn't just the bicycle pedestrian. >> No, it's more road improvement programs, >> but road improvement >> sidewalks and bicycles, >> but roads also need resurfacing. >> Resurfacing and I do want to see a
different system where we go to one where we um do a special basis on it. Um >> when we had the league, uh Andrea and I had stopped by at um couple of vendors who do provide um these programs and I
think mayor you you you stopped by and spoke to a few of the those vendors too. Right. >> Right. the road road improvement program >> city logic had the one we kind of like >> we are we are in the process I mean the previous company that used to do that so
we are in the process of signing up with new one but they can't >> I mean during normal winter they can't do it till this winter it's who knows >> usually work between spring and um early early fall I think >> but we will sign I mean this they can
map uh they can map sewer holes and trees and other stuff too. So hopefully we'll we'll get everything mapped. >> But I do want to see something where >> you guys um >> we hit our we set our budget up where over a certain period of time we've
broke broken even on how the condition of the roads to one where it's an acceptable condition. So we have to put enough in the budget to do it a target base and the only way we can do that is once this gets measured we can see where we
are on the scale. I believe it's a one I believe they use the standard one to 100 scale and set a um set a minimum of what we consider acceptable for a road. then we can budget back and I believe some of the system here even figures out what
the approximate costs are and gives you uh some setups. you know that if we could see something like let's let's say over five years we get ourselves to a point where our roads are a certain standard of how good they are you know whatever our target is and
then whatever we need to spend to keep at that standard um that that would be the kind of system I would like >> yeah I I understand I mean I'm waiting for you to go through all your list and then >> then I'll talk >> tell us why we could everything say with the roads we are so far behind with the
amount of money that we budget in the capital budget for residential roads because many uh developments are 30 40 years old and you see the cracks and they each year the cracks are getting bigger in the potholes and everything and after this winter it's going to be
it's going to be a challenge. So that that needs to have a lot more money on that line item that'll make $50,000. You could double it. You could you could double it and and you'd have enough roads in town um to just put
>> Well, this is this is again if you move the sidewalk funds here, we could add more funds there. >> Sidewalks. I keep saying >> it's a drop in a bucket. >> I know. It is drop in a bucket, but it's drop in a bucket. >> It's a drop, but I'm talking like real real money. >> Problem is getting worse every year and
and we're in the 30 to 40 year old roads that are all crumbling all over. I I read all of this uh that Andrea whoever gave me Sonia I'm just waiting for you to finish everything then I'll >> you'll give his comments. Okay. >> Um >> permitting process
>> a comment sort of related to that I think it's really and I know a lot of our capital projects are you know multi-year based so we don't necessarily spend them all in that given year and we pull multiple years together and to get bigger rates. I think um if you could
provide a little bit more visibility especially in the road improvements and some of these capital projects that um that there are plans to sort of pull these numbers because um without that information it looks like we're just even though we're approving this money
in the budget it's not actually getting spent um which I don't think is really the case. I think you're you know working towards that but give give us a little bit more context of how that will work. Not this moment but I think during the budget process that would be really
helpful for us. >> Yeah, it would cash flow over it number of years and then how much is left. Yeah, >> the chief financial officer >> can pull that up. >> I asked I asked for it though. >> No, we asked for it. I want to know
what's left each count line by line because I have the total how much money is unencumbered, how much money is not spent, >> and where we are. >> Yeah. But but I know it's not hard to figure that out because it's just it's on the computer, right? You have to know that, right? Your chief alone. You have
to know that. >> Um permitting process. We do hear a lot of complaints um about long time for permitting um receiving any
permitting um permits for any projects in in township. So that is something that we keep hearing over and over and again that it's very difficult um to um get permits in West Spencer. I know our
I think our our um staff and everybody is very diligent and they they follow every code very closely. I think that's a good thing. Um but anything we can do to improve and um the time timing I
think that is that is the biggest complaint that we hear about process time it takes >> part of the timing is people's understanding of what has to be done and if there's a correction how long it takes that that I think that's something that needs to be looked at I mean we
hear certain stories other people may hear others maybe maybe the stories are all wrong because people only see the outcome come but some we there is some issue we've heard it from residential and we've heard it from businesses so it's worth looking at what we can do
>> um and I think I think you had mentioned the the whole thing about let's at least give people a window especially residents a window of when the inspections would come I think we've even brought that up and I think you said that's something we could probably do >> that would be helpful so they're not
waiting for for a whole day the 4hour window or what normally like you know BSG when they call >> is that really a budget issue? I don't know if that's a budgeting issue. It's >> that's not a it's more process process issue process >> but this is the time of year when we get
our special before us. So yeah >> um >> right several references to use of new information system technologies to improve communications management and information. I >> I just >> and then I I skipped the first point um
for this very reason because let me just read um this one and the other one. The one major area of agreement from the whole council is the need uh for a staff member to handle the job of communications to residents.
So that is something that we all I think agree on somebody who can um do >> PR for the township per se. >> Yeah. >> Um not PR necessarily information um
newsletters. Yeah, that's right. PRunication communication. >> Yeah, I'm making like we're selling stuff. >> Communication. Yeah, public communication would be a good way to describe. >> I think that is something that um each of the council member agree here um on
and we would want to hear from mayor his thoughts on that. We have had conversations in length I think individually each of us have uh mentioned it to you um something that we would like to see.
>> Yeah, I'm making notes so we looking all questions. I don't know. Flashing beacons, please. He wants a grand total. That's what he's looking for. He wants a grand total. >> Well, I think one of the values of having a communications person is it
also takes some of the work effort away from the individual departments that makes their life easier and efficient. So, I don't I mean I think there's I mean there's there's an incremental cost to it, but I think there's also a cost-saving component to it at the same time. So, >> cost cost and time.
>> Yeah. of each department too. >> We know that our you know our departments are all you know operating in at capacity. So any opportunity that we can give them to shift some of the workload away from them I think is is a good good move.
>> Yep. And I think the more like even if you're doing um doing road work, somebody coming out um ahead of time, letting people know if a road's closed, when it's not closed, things like that. Uh you wind up saving instead of having
a hundred people call up that morning and say, "Hey, why is this road closed?" If somebody knows ahead of time mo, you know, all the time and h and and and has a way of of seeing it, you're going to wind up saving in the long run.
>> Yeah, we we heard it last, you know, fall election. >> No, >> we heard that need for better communication, someone to handle all this, the handle part, the website, other things. Has to be someone who has that right skill set to do that.
>> Yeah. Any anyway, I think I think you've heard this probably from everybody. Uh >> if I'm missing anything, let me know. Um, one other thing that I would like to add here and it's not a big ask. This
being the 250th year, last couple of years we have talked about um getting these welcome to West Windsor sign niche because right now all we have is the small tin sheet um you know so if we can
get on that I think you know we are celebrating 250th year. I know historical society is planning a whole year of programs if we could get on. Um we did I think was it two years ago, three years ago we had put some money in the budget to design um
>> some actual mission um to sign. >> Yes, that was met with um member of the administration about the sign. So, we've been making progress and so now we got to make sure that there's some some money put in for that.
>> But if we tie it into the 250 year anniversary, is there grant opportunities related to that to pay? >> That's an interesting point. I'm not sure. Assuming that we use the >> new you want to defer the signs even
longer because if they're grant funds >> No, I mean it's not specifically for the celebration. It's not >> but new signs would include the logo for 250 as the celebratory. >> Oh, okay. >> Well, these are
>> I'm just these are permanent signs. It's not just because did a big celebration then then >> there was money >> logo there was money put in a capital budget years ago for the signs and we just this I think we're we're we're talking about
when we were meeting over in the senior center during COVID that was put in during that budget. So whether it was enough because it turned out the version of the signs they were thinking of were sort of similar to stop signs in terms of quality and we probably want
something a little nicer. But at least if we can start uh at least we can come up with something get there and then decide >> the money you know maybe there's >> off the top of my head how much business >> I don't know they well they're going up everything's gone up.
Yeah, there's there there somewhere is a there somewhere is a whole list of how many big signs. Yeah. No, there's a whole list. How many big signs we'd need, how many little, how many here, how many there. So, there actually was some work done. >> There's probably at least 20 signs.
>> It was like almost 30 I think by the time >> she could do that. >> So, it's not a rounding error after a while. >> At least two big ones now. Maybe I'm 571. Like >> anyway, yeah, we do want the signs at some point. >> Yeah. Am I missing anything? Did I miss
any any point that anybody else >> I'm not going to rehash anything anybody already said, but just one other thing is just thinking about how we use technology. Um, you know, how we can be efficient and use technology. I, you know, I work in the corporate world. I haven't been to a meeting in 10 years
where I've had, you know, this much paper. I think we're very, we're very >> manual and paper based, uh, from what I've seen. And so I think that's just something that um you know needs some needs some thought put into it. >> Well, this was all these were all done as as uh digital stuff and then it just
got printed and make it easier to work on the tape, >> right? But but that's takes people time you know I think there's a lot of time being spent on on things like that. So >> yeah. So I mean in the context of that one thing that I pointed out was potentially a capital program to
evaluate um where technology enabling capabilities would be of value to to the township operations. Um, I don't profess to know every single department and where they
can improve, but I'm sure if you ask them, they probably have lots of ideas and if you ask, you know, an independent auditor who understands about technology transformation programs, they would come up with a recommendation of sort of where to start. what are the most, you
know, high impact areas that could improve township operations. Um, there's probably some areas that don't need it at all. Maybe there are some areas that do, but >> and there are some areas that it may not be good this week, but in two months that'll suddenly >> not, you know, not something that
happens overnight. It's a, you know, a multi-year process. It's an iterative process. Um but having a capital project over multiple years to sort of keep the lights on in a modern way is a is a I think a an option to
>> also look at AI. I see all these articles about AI. It's here. It's not it's the future anymore. It's >> AI is just a tool. >> But it's it's a tool. But can we get efficiencies? Well, that goes back to me that goes back >> that's that's part of the whole >> technology management the modernization
plan >> this Joe you're talking about these many papers we we used to get printing everything all the attachments instead of receiving it in in an email and reading it on our computers we used to
get stack originally of everything that we don't necessarily need papers we have cut down on paper >> again if you want them to see the bills list you had to go went to a little office and there was a book where they printed out all of the bills and you had to flip through them.
>> But I'm not saying there's no there's room. >> No, there is. >> For sure. >> A lot of the stuff we scan really should be put in if we wanted to to get the information back. It should be put in a slightly different way because we bas basically turn it into JPEGs and stuff that really you can't get much out of
easily. >> So yeah. So there's all there are a bunch of of things that could be done. All right. >> So, so there's one other Yeah, there's an area that I pointed out. I think we've had some conversations about, you know, I know we struggle in some cases
of getting um recruiting and hiring. Um it's a very competitive market, not to place blame on anybody, but do we u make a concerted effort uh to figure out how do we fill the gaps in
our staffing? Um and is that through you know, a recruitment program. Is it hiring, you know, a third party to supplement our recruiting um efforts? In the context of a budget, do we allocate some funds to to help move that process
along? So, food for thought there. Um I just wanted to not not that but I was um that made me um I just remembered something. Um last year we did not get any bids on um the flashing beacon on um
>> I think was it colorbrook and and right we didn't was that because it was too small of a project do we need to come up with ideas of getting multiple uh projects together and bid it Marina maybe
>> let finish everything okay finish everything >> and that's all I That was one of the things that I just got. >> So I think that rolls back into the comment I made earlier about how you know we're pooling >> pooling pooling together >> visibility on the strategy of how that's
right >> so that when we're allocating money we know that we we don't set an unrealistic expectation that it's all going to be spent in that year that it's actually being used in this broader sense so that we can avoid those kind of problems.
>> Correct. I don't have anything else um that I wanted to discuss. If anybody else has anything going to go go down the line and make sure we are not missing anything, Dan. >> Well, yeah. I mean, I I put in a couple little items. Um I'd like to make sure
that I'd like to see funding to allow us to use allow the community to use the multi-purpose room in the senior center >> during off hours. That's probably a small amount for operational. >> Yeah, we used to do that. building use
policy type type of thing. School school district has something like that, but they charge because and they also charge janitor too to cover. >> Well, they don't do that anymore. They only do it for nonprofits. They don't open um >> right now there's no option. So, may maybe it is part of the budget is that
there's a a fee involved and that's fine, but I'd like to see an opportunity that um the community can use that space. >> Um anything else? And um I would like to see some funding for a food waste compost drop off program. >> Okay. Linda, you have anything else to
add? >> No, we we have Joe. >> No, nothing else. >> Andrea, >> no. I would like to see um a little bit more funding for some of the uh kind of
uh computer type programs where we could actually do a little bit more tracking on things and have a little bit better records of or even on or even uh real time tracking of certain things where it's a useful
>> track. What? Oh, like even like when they're doing the snow and stuff like that, can do they have an idea? Can they can they tell you when you ask how's it going and it's say 6:00 in the morning, is there some automatic system that can
say, "Hey, I've we've cleared 90% of the main roads or something like that or is it we have to wait for people to come back in?" There's there are some automatic type systems that we could look at for things that in real time may we may and
and other systems we might want to uh like for the permitting process. Maybe there's better ways of seeing where the problem is and and finding some way of of keeping better track of it. >> Okay. I I don't have anything else to add. >> Okay. >> All yours. Okay. Uh so thank you very
much. Um we do this every year. We I I appreciate it really. Last year you got almost everything you asked for. >> We did. >> Uh I'll talk about other things and then uh talk about this budget. I like the uh
non-monetary item permitting process. Perfect. We will do it. I I have already talked to Joe. I have I have some thinking in uh I've done some thinking. We will look at it. But at the same time, I mean, I've been I have
>> I must what? >> Permitting process. >> That's a nonmonetary item. It's not going to cost dollars and cents. >> Sure. >> Improving the permitting process. Yeah. Yeah. I mean,
I have followed permitting process for eight >> talking this so and I can hear. So, um I have followed permitting process for eight years. Um that's before COVID traffic was the number one complaint permit was number
two. During COVID the good thing was traffic complaint went away. Nobody complained about traffic. Now it's back. So um there are some things we can do better. We have improved the process a lot. uh lot of time it's not
understanding the process and I will figure out I have I have some thoughts about figuring out how we can improve it but the basic problem is expectations especially for commercial
properties because our township does it by the book it's much harder than any other townships in the surrounding area I mean that's just the fact and I tell I mean >> that's one of the biggest complaint we get that we are very difficult >> that's yeah but we are difficult but we
do by the book >> and I would have I'm from India I would have said jugarlo chalado right I mean she knows what I'm saying I mean make it work just do it whatever way but I do know two builders complained against us
saying we are very strict they had connections in governor's office so DCA came and sat down at um our permitting process for number of days trying to find mistakes we have made. Um they didn't find a single mistake. I mean
multiple times he eventually last time I had to threaten him that now if you come I'm going to videotape you and call a newspaper that a private company is using government to harass a township. It came to that extent that I had to threaten them. So I do know that
whatever they are doing is by the book because DCA came specifically to find fault and to punish us and they couldn't find anything and these are big builders. Um as a homeowner I would like them to cut
I mean not worry too much about whether it's 6 in here or there but when they say that's the code there's not much I can do. And um Jason always tells me when he started in the business the code would fit in his back pocket. Now there
are two volumes and um sometimes code in one book conflicts with code in another book. There have been instance >> just ask a question in that context. Are are we or are you seeing complaints about that kind of you know
>> people don't like see people like I I won't take any names somebody was building a deck the site saying that you don't have XYZ missing from the plans right he said why do I need it the deck will stand this that so on but when he
hired a architect the architect said look most townships won't ask you for it but this is they are within their rights to ask >> right right Now if that's the case then I can't tell them don't ask right morally I can't tell don't ask and again I mean
>> they want they want to get things done at a certain time because they want >> I mean I can >> but they're not complaining about the timeliness they're complaining about the they're complaining about the work that's being you know like that >> no no majority of complaints are majority of companies are they are
nitpicking they are very strict and majority of complaints are like that I mean we have had a argument with two builders about projects. I mean three builders about projects. Uh people claim I'm very builder friendly. Nobody has
sued West Windsor more than when I was a builder. I mean there's one builder who is I've lost jokingly say this week what's the lawsuit right? But we have won every lawsuit that has been filed against us. So I do know their book. But at the same time if you are an
individual and doing a project there's miscommunication in the sense that they talk technical language. I don't talk technical. I mean I've explained to him many times as a kid I had nothing in home to fix. All I needed was a screwdriver and a hammer. There was
nothing to fix in the house. Right? So if you're talking to me if you tell look at code section 28 that's Greek to me. I don't know what code section 28. So there's some that kind of issue I have to fix. Again by law they can only say something. They can't tell you how to
fix it. They can tell you this is a problem. Right? By law they can't tell you fix it like this. Um so I have followed lot of examples. I'm going to get two three people to sit down with permitting department find what the
issues were and try to come up with the solution. But essentially the problem is we are tougher than any other township. >> Yeah. And that that's not really a problem per se. >> I mean well I I think it goes I think it goes beyond I think there things beyond
that but we don't need to talk about it right now. >> I mean >> we can problem solve this for hours at this point but um but I mean >> well I think it's important to define what the problem is and then >> see >> people are complaining because we're being strict. >> See see we don't give
>> that's not a valid complaint. We don't give timeline for inspection. That's not acceptable. That will be fixed. That that I understand that's >> those are the areas that you want to focus on. >> That those are the areas that are easy to fix. But I mean the the plane I'll
get is of the nature of I gave them something. They said this had to be fixed. Then I went and I fixed that by 20 days and now they came back and they looked at the next thing and it's fixed something else. Why didn't they tell me two things? I mean, I get I don't keep
in mind when you're talking to somebody, they're talking they're getting nervous. They're this is the outcome. They're telling you the outcome. So, this isn't really the same as investigating what the real problem is because we're just talking to nervous people trying to figure out what happened. Maybe
something else happened. That's why we need somebody ex an expert to kind of go into the system and see what's actually going on. I mean again I don't know how much in the weeds you want to go but timing is an issue because for example
when a builder turns in the uh final product for approval it first goes to zoning then it goes to engineering then it goes to construction. The construction clock doesn't start till construction gets the document. So they say, "Oh, we gave you 10 days ago." But
the 10 days ago was with zoning first, then with engineering, then it goes to construction. So now when two builders were complaining too much, we said, "Okay, every time zoning finishes, you come pick up and give us back." So you have a time stamp that how many days we have had it.
>> So just to be clear, mo Avalon isn't coming and complaining to us. It it's those kinds of builders that I don't know who's in the room. It's usually it's the residents or the really small business guy >> again I mean one of the improvements we did was when I went early very early
somebody came and said hey I had given in February and they haven't responded back downstairs gave me the paper the builder had told him we gave him February the stamp said May >> and and I've told people go on >> so we startite website and they
>> we started we started emailing the homeowners and the contractor both right I said I want a woman owner >> we talked about that we've talked about that but there is something happening >> we can we can certainly improve >> but there is
and that's a non-monetary item so that that that's not a problem >> so from a budgeting perspective >> I think what from a budgeting perspective which is what we're really talking about is that if there are >> budget implications of making those improvements that's what we want and if
there's none then it's kind of there >> not a value for us to talk about. >> No, there are no budget implication. That's why it makes me happy and you will know why it makes me happy. >> Budgeting time is the time when we get to talk to professionals. >> So one one of the things I one of the
things one of the questions asked I would like to explain uh you asked about whether we pull the projects. We always pull the project that sometimes makes people unhappy. I mean ideal example is the flashing beacon outside village hasn't gone out yet the the mother keeps
complaining because if we just bid that project we won't get any bids right so we did we did we do pull the projects that are very similar in nature to make it at least a minimum bid that is um
that is worthwhile for somebody to bid. Now why you get bids sometimes and don't get bids other times that's a mystery. I mean ideal example we bid two uh sprinkler projects one for um 43 and one
for 45 right we got bids for 43 we got good bids for 43 zero bids for 45 >> sometimes contractors are booked and don't want to commit and it affects their ability to get a performance bond
>> so I mean I there's really no and we don't We don't publish a dollar amount that that's the right. So they can bid whatever they want and we may reject bid if it comes above the our threshold but we don't say that you have to bid under
x number of dollars. We have rejected bid number of times. So we we do do that. >> Now like the reason I had brought up um flashing beacon was again like you know we we put the money in the budget the project is approved we know where we
want the flashing beacon but now we have no contractors bids coming in so the flashing beacon does not go in place. Is there any alternative that we can look at? Can DPW work with us and can they get trained to put things like that? I
mean I don't know. I'm just throwing thinking out loud. >> No, this is not the first project that didn't get bid first time. We go out and bid again and we go out and bid again and or we combine it with other projects, make it
bigger and bid. If we don't get it bid two times, then we'll figure out what is going on, right? But that brings me also to the question somebody talked about, oh, we allocated money and we don't know where it went. One of the things is
flashing beacon ideal example that was in last year's budget right we bid it out nobody came right first thing is you can't bid it till July or something when you approve the bond order we bid it out nobody came so now we will bid it out now but that money is allocated but not
spent okay so you will see if you see the budget line for that year that money will still be there Right? You will think it's not spent, but it's not spent because the project is not complete. But if we allocate $2 million for roads
every year, we spend $2 million on road every year. We cannot we cannot spend it for something else. When you get the bond ordinance, there's a whole category of bond ordinance. We can move between one and second category but we can't completely if we have to take the money
out and spend on something else we have to come to the council and get that's why there's a bond ordinance introduced today about the sprinkler system right we have to come back to the council and do it so it may not be every dollar for all the big projects for the sidewalks
for the roads um what's the third category every dollar that is allocated over the last five years is spent It may take 3 years to spend. We don't pay until the project is complete and um just the sidewalks they did on our
street, right? They did those sidewalks and then we found out they were not compliant with uh the federal ADA rules, right? So, they had to come back and rip it up. Now, if winter had come, it would have gone to next spring. That money is already spent but not paid out. Okay? If
you ask John for a statement, he will show that money available in the budget, but it's not truly available. It's not spent. It's allocated but not paid out to the vendor because he didn't finish the project. >> But if we if you allocate $2 million to
the road, every last penny is spent on the road. I mean, some $500 2 million uh $200,000 may be left if the project comes under the budget, but every dollar amount is spent. Okay. Somebody asked about pooling. We don't do pooling like
that. We do pooling in the sense that for example, if you see senior center, we would allocate $25,000 every year. Arts council, we would allocate $25,000 every year. When a big project comes up, we use that money to do that big project. So >> you could pull it for multiple years.
>> Multiple years. Yes. But that is >> Yeah. Same thing for like >> Yeah. But again, I mean, I can't pull senior center money and do roads. >> Oh, absolutely. Yeah. It's all has to be lined up to the same >> right but that's that's only be that's only so that if suddenly three projects
come up one year you are not in a funk like uh I don't think any of you Linda was on the council the the sewer came on Washington road right that suddenly we had allocated money over the years so we
so we could do that um we have to use the state system to maintain accounts. Not ideal system. 3 years ago we they made us change it. It's still not an ideal system. It it looks like DOSS. If anybody knows what DOSs is.
>> Yep. >> Right. Okay. You know what DOSS is. Okay. So it looks like DOSs. So unfortunately we have to use that system because we have to submit the budget to state in that system. So it's not very user friendly. You won't get nice fancy
Apple type uh user interface to that. Um, I will ask John if there's anything we can do about it. But if you sit and look at John's computer, it literally looks like DOSs. The numbers go
and and Excel. Um, if I missed anything then ask me. Um, now the >> now the bad news for you. >> The information person. >> Huh? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That I'm coming. hiring, hiring, I I have hiring, hiring.
Now the bad until now in 8 years, I never have had a budget problem. This year, our health care costs are going up by 26.42% roughly $1.6 million.
Our penny of taxes is roughly 613 613,000. I think the assessment is close to 6.1 billion 6.12 billion. So a penny is roughly $613 uh,000. So the just to cover the health
care cost is going to be roughly 2.5 pennies. So the taxes are going up 2 and a half pennies. Very likely the state will take this out of 2% otherwise we can't do the budget. I mean it's impossible to do the budget.
So this is a problem for everybody. So they will take it out of the 2% but still that limits your ability to hire people do other projects or do $50 million more for roads. But once I give
you the project uh once I give you the budget if you don't like 2 million for road you can make it 3 million just means the tax goes up from 2.5 to 3 pennies right. roughly 600,000 is a uh 600,000 is a penny to look around.
People keep asking when I became mayor, we had a full-time secretary, right? I don't need a secretary. So when she retired, we had a part-time. When she retired, I said, I'll manage. And Cynthia has done wonderful. So we because I I didn't
think that was good use of taxpayer money. If you talk to the police chief, he will say he needs eight more people. If you talk to the fire chief, you'll say he needs eight more people. DPW needs eight more people. We need eight more EMTs to make it 24/7. So there's a
lot of demand for every position that you have. So when you start about talking about hiring people, you have to decide what your priorities are. And I do realize we have to communicate better. I've already started talking to our IT guy. I just met him this week
again. We will figure out a way. But I cannot promise that it will be a a body. It will be a new person. We will figure out a way. Communication will be lot better than it was last year. But you have to start thinking about what your
priorities are because the budget I'm going to give you is going to be already with roughly two at least two pennies increment. Our UCC went down by a million dollars and it will continue to go down. Now there's not too many construction projects coming up, right?
The last one probably is uh Princeton is building a baseball stadium, but other than that, there's no big uh projects left. So when there are no big projects left or no land gets converted to commercial use, we don't get roll back
taxes, we don't get UCCC fees. So the income is going to be tough at least for next two years. So when I give you the budget by end of February and I've already met John couple of times and trying to figure out what we want to do,
what we don't want to do but then you have to decide if you do increase X here then you have to do Y here. Maybe uh like you said you say okay we'll do sidewalks for this day but we won't do
anything this year because this year is tight but we committing to finishing any sidewalk that's reported by certain date say June June 30th whatever date you pick you will fix it but you won't fix it uh before that
oh senior center school see school district is also having a hard time renting. They don't rent. They don't rent anymore. I mean I and in India they they they they find it hard time to maintain the school. I mean they they increase the they increase the fees
tremendously. In spite of that they don't rent uh because they don't find it. So um senior center let me figure it out. But again it's a it's a manpower problem and and if you start charging people they say I pay taxes nobody wants
to pay right I pay taxes why why should I pay this so that's a that's a delicate subject >> yeah I mean >> I think it's worth looking into it >> I don't I think if you plan for like hey
let's budget for one event a month or one a week I don't think there's an expectation that it's going to be used every single Right. So, >> yeah. But my philosophy is if I said yes to you, I can't say yes to no to her. Right. >> Well, it's availability. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, that's a that's that's a
big challenge. So, I will try to see what we can do, what we can do there. But again, we we held um Martin Luther King in this room by me taking responsibility. And I always tell uh
>> Well, that's a challenge. That's a township >> organization. >> Yeah, that's a town. But I mean this is the first year we held it here, right? >> We held it in the senior center before. We've been holding on property >> once. Yeah. >> Yeah. Cuz I mean they that's a township event the same as this council meeting is. >> So
>> So um I don't make any guarantees but I will see what what I can do. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Anybody else has anything else? Do we have any update on the senior center bus? >> Yeah, we have made an offer to somebody
but last time also we had made an offer to somebody and then last minute the person backed out. So unless she or he or she starts driving I'm not going to commit anything. We have we had four candidates we have they the originally my thought was it's it's hard to get
somebody with CDL. You need a CDL to drive that bus. I had told John forget about it let's buy a van but looking at the budget I can't justify that. >> Is there any opportunity to uh partner with the district? >> We have asked the school district we
have asked a school district we have asked other organizations if they want to do it. Um not not much. >> What the school district >> what did the school district say? The school district nobody want I mean I'll ask exactly what the school district see
but this problem with the school district is the limited time right the person can start driving at 9:00 a.m. and the person has to be back by 2:15 or 2:30 at most >> because the 2:44 they do double two runs right on one's for high schools middle
school ones for elementary >> between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. probably is their window that they can >> Yeah. Yeah. And >> they can take care >> and that is not not enough window to make two or three trips. I mean we require at least two trips if not three trips. >> Okay.
>> Yeah. >> Otherwise a lot of unhappy people were >> I know I I I went to an event last week uh Saturday. I got my head chopped off. >> Oh I got my head chopped off at the senior center last week. >> Yeah. Yeah. I know. He told me she told
me that people were asking. I told him you already tried the schools and the whole >> I told him why do you think I didn't come? >> Oh, what one quick thing, not for tonight, but I'd like to get a on the trail trail issue an update at some point.
>> The trail issue I did meet with uh Bob uh last weekend. I told him that it's going over the budget. Originally, they had budgeted 50,000. So right now um he's going to go and back to um Green
Acres and ask if they can reduce the scope of the trail but right now we are uh we are not going to do it at this point not pursue it at this point >> change from what council had approved >> I did I did go yes I did go I did meet
with him in person and had long conversation so right now it's on status quo it's holding Okay. All right. Um, do we have any further administration updates? >> The only uh update is the deadline on
the essay and the application is March 9th. March. >> Okay. Um, we don't need to go into close session. Um, that's it, right? >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> So moved.
>> Second. >> All in favor? I. Hi >> 9:32. Thank you everyone.