Good evening. Welcome to Woodbridge, the best town around. My name is John McCormack. I'm the mayor of this great town. And we're here today for a uh first ever presentation of a mayor's public safety award to a a uh public safety telecommunications
employee. In other words, a dispatcher in our town who uh participated in an incident that showed that the training she got and the experience she has really impacted uh the job she did. Let me just read it and we can all talk
about it. Uh whereas on October 30th, 2025, public safety telecommunication specialist PST from now on, Darling Bonia answered a 911 call reporting a domestic dispute and quickly and calmly ascertained crucial information
regarding the nature of the call, the caller's name, address, call back number, and additional information that the caller had physically attacked, stabbed a female with a knife, and that the victim was unconscious. Further, PST Bonia managed to keep the mail caller on
the line, telling him that police and EMS were on route to provide medical assistance and to elicit additional details regarding the domestic dispute, including basically a confession. Upon learning that responding officers and EMS were on scene, PST Bonita continued
conversation with the male caller, convincing him to surrender unarmed, where he was taken into custody without incident and ultimately charged with murder of the female victim. And whereas PST Darling Bonia utilizing training and experience successfully and
professionally deescalated a violent and danger dangerous encounter and is hereby recognized for her dedication to public safety and honored before the Woodbridge Township Police Department, fellow public safety telecommunications communicators, I'm sorry, and the
Woodbridge Township community. Ladies and gentlemen, first time ever for the dispatcher to be honored in this way, but it just shows you once again the training that the people involved in the Woodbridge Police Department have and the way they do their job. And we can kind of call this a life-saving because
it could have been and who who knows what could have developed from that situation with some who just stabbed somebody on the line and and Darlene had the presence of mind to calmly and says calmly and professionally keep talking
to him making sure he didn't leave the house and do something to somebody else. Who knows what could have developed from that situation? If the guy can stab somebody that he's that he knows that easily, who knows what he could have done had she not done what she did and handled it the way she did. So, Colleen,
come on up. I know the answer is usually no, but I always ask people if they want to say a few words. Tell me a little bit about You don't have to talk about this scene. Tell me about your job, the training, the people you work with. You just happened to be the one that got that call. >> Yeah.
>> And you know, thank goodness it was you. So tell me a little bit if you want about it. >> I mean, it's never a call you want to answer, you know. Um, but I had, you know, years of experience to realize that something was going on and I had to just keep them on the line and, you
know, and not hang up. I had to just keep asking the questions, you know, use all the training provide us >> and that that couldn't be easy because this guy just did something horrific. >> Yeah, he was very calm. He was just like, you know, get two officers here and just kind of want to
keep him on the line and just ask my questions. But >> and you effectively on tape got him to admit to what he did. >> Yes. which is invaluable when this comes someday who knows what a court hearing and charges whatever you got them to
admit it. So Lisa you guys ever remember anything like this before and you probably this is like a one ina million kind of you know call that happened that you dealt with.
All right, CONGRATULATIONS. Some questions afterwards, I'd like to call up uh police director Joe Miski, say a few words if you could and about our community and the whole. >> So, uh first of all, I want to thank the mayor and and the council for always uh
recognizing our police department. Um I think sometimes our you don't mind dispatchers, right? So sometimes I uh I think our dispatchers go overlooked as being part of the first responder community, but uh they never go
unnoticed or underappreciated because we notice you every day and I think every day someone tells you that that we appreciate you. Um, unfortunately I don't think that we've recognized our dispatchers enough and this is the first step to acknowledging all the great work
that you did on this particular occasion and that all of your colleagues do every day. Um, you know, uh, it's it's a it's a very difficult job sitting there and communicating with something that's happening out on the road and not being
able to physically do anything. Um, it really is. Am I right? And um you know part of uh what they do or what she did in this instance, the first important part is to get as much information as
possible because we have police officers responding to the scene of a murder with a murderer who's armed with a knife. So getting all of that information and relaying it to the cars keeps our officers safe. And then like I said,
keeping him on the phone, keeping him in the house, and making sure he doesn't harm anyone else. And the kicker is, you know, she got a confession, which I'm sure they'll challenge in court, but we'll prevail like we already do. But congratulations.
Just quickly introduce the council here to your left, third ward councilman covering Avenue Port Ring, current council president for one more meeting tonight. Uh the rest of the year, Cory Spiller to his left, Debbie Megan, fifth ward covering Colonia. To her left, Brian Small, councilman at large, former
police officer. To his left, Howie Bower, second wing Caseby. To his left Beth Jesus, council woman at large. And to her left, Sharon Mcola, first ward, Woodbridge proper and Seaw War. as is usually the case uh when something's involving police officers and uh and
awards and honors. Uh Councilman Brian Small, former PD, would like to say a few words. Thank you, Mayor. I had an opportunity to work with Darlene for many years. She looks young. I got old. Um she always did a great job. Lisa was in a radio
room. You don't what the director said. Their job is pivotal. I mean, they are collecting the the information to get out there for the police officers to better prepare themselves for what they're walking into and, you know, recognizing them. It's it's a great day.
It's a start of a new beginning and a great JOB has been an unofficial liaison with the council and the police officers, uh, police department, I should say. Do you want to say a few words? Sure. Um, congratulations. I just want to say, like I always say, you know, I think the
men and women who are from the police department, including our dispatch team, they have the best training because we make sure that we back them up. Um, and there's no doubt that, you know, this was difficult and I'm sorry that you had to go through that. Um, I watched um,
call 911 on TV and I'm sure it's, you know, my heart races. this you've lifted and again I I'm sorry that you had to go through that traumatic experience but I appreciate the work that you and your colleagues do. Again, you know, we in council and I'm sorry that I'm speaking
for all of you, but it's something that I believe we believe in our police department. We believe in the work that they do and we always try to support them as best that we can by providing the training that they need. um deputy not director Neski does a fantastic job
in also supporting the men and women in our police department. So it goes from the top from the mayor all the way down to director Niski and all the supervisors and all the sergeants and everybody in charge um in our support of our men and women because you do a job
that we can't do. Um and I also I believe that everybody's fault you know for specific jobs and everybody has purpose. So, as far as I'm concerned, I truly appreciate the work that all of you guys do. God bless each and every one of you. I THINK
>> soul picture of uh of Darlene. Stand right back here. You reckon this? You step in the basement. >> Mayor Council Everybody ready? >> Your family get some shot. All
right. Congratulations. Good evening. Call the council meeting to order. Please rise and pledge the flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all. >> Please remain standing for a moment of silence for all our military personnel. Please keep in your thoughts and prayers officer Ten Penney who died tragically police department. Keep their family, his family in your thoughts, please. Thank you.
Requirements of the open public meeting will have been satisfied concerning this meeting. The home news traum published a notice along with the star ledger on January 10th, 2025. A copy of the schedule was posted on the municipal bulletin board and it should be so noted in the minutes of this meeting.
Councilman Anderson >> here. >> Councilman Bower here. >> Councilwoman Deus here. >> Councilwoman Mian here. >> Councilman Patel here. Councilman Small >> here, >> Councilman Harris, Vice President McAuliff >> here, >> and President Spiller >> here.
>> Can I get a motion to approve the minutes from December 2nd and December 11th? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Any questions or comments from council? All in favor? I >> opposed. Eyes have.
Beginning with second reading ordinances this evening, we're going to take letters A, B, and C by consent. All three are with regards to our traffic and parking. Chapter 7 are revised ordinance of the township of Woodbridge. The first is to add parking restrictions
on Ridgedale Avenue. The second is to add on Park Place and Matteline Drive. And the third is to uh re repeal and replace section 7-43 with regards to parking in spaces that are uh reserved for cars that are electric vehicles.
With that said, could I get a motion that the ordinances be taken up on second and third reading and the public hearing be opened? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Any questions or comments from council? All in favor? I >> opposed. Eyes have it. The public
hearing is now open on letters A, B, and C only. Second reading A, B, and C. Hear no comment from the public. Can I get a motion that the public hearing be closed the three ordinances be submitted to the mayor for approval as required by a law? >> Motion. >> Second.
>> Any questions or comments from councel? >> All in favor? I >> opposed. Eyes have it. Letter D is an ordinance authorizing the acquisition of property. This is with regards to property owned by the Department of Transportation in the vicinity of Smith and Newton Streets. I get a motion that this ordinance be taken up on second and
third reading and the public hearing be open. >> Motion >> second. >> Any questions or comments from councel? All in favor? I >> opposed. Eyes have it. The public hearing is now open on letter D. Letter D only. No comment from the public. Can I get a
motion that the public hearing be closed? The ordinance be adopted and submitted to the mayor for approval as required by law. >> Motion. >> Second. >> Questions or comments from councel? All in favor? I I >> opposed. Eyes have it. And letter E, last one, listed for second reading.
This is a ordinance establishing salary ranges for the employees of the township. Can I get a motion that this ordinance be taken up on second and third reading and the public hearing be open? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Any questions or comments from council? All in favor? I. >> I. Opposed. Eyes have it. The public
hearing is now open on letter E. Letter E only hear. No comment from the public. Can I get a motion that the public hearing be closed? The ordinance be adopted and sub amended to the mayor for approval as required by law. >> Motion second. >> Any questions or comments from councel?
All in favor? I >> opposed. Eyes have it. And finally, Mr. President, resolutions 1 through 93 inclusive. Can I get a motion to approve 1 through 93? >> Motion second. >> Any questions or comments from council?
>> 93. So noted >> I'm standing from 37 please. >> Any other comments or questions? >> All in favor I oppose. >> I have. Thank you Mr. President. >> Thank you Mr. Mitch. Now go to the public comment portion of the meeting
mic. Please state your name. What section of the township or state you live in? You know how one time opportunity to speak. Any comments or questions from the public this evening? There are no comments or questions. Could I get a motion that the public comment portion be closed?
>> Motion. >> Second. >> Any questions or comments from councel? >> All in favor? I >> opposed. Eyes have. We'll go to the agenda. >> Thank you, Mr. Mitch. We'll start with my agenda. Uh my agenda is in order. Um for anyone who knows me knows I don't
write speeches. Uh being that it's the last meeting of the year. I wrote a speech and it's sitting on the cop machine. my office as we speak. So, I apologize. Um, but I just want to thank uh my fellow council mates for their trust and their faith and their support
in me um for her putting me in this position as c as your council president for 2025. A council president is only as good as his or her fellow council mates with their support and guidance. Um, it's a title I truly respect and honor
and something I will take away with me forever. Um, I want to thank the mayor, Mr. Simaluca, Mr. Mitch, Mr. Hagerty, and Caroline. Um, for your unwavering support on a daily basis throughout the year. I want to thank all the directors and division heads. Um, please thank
your staff. Uh, we say in every meeting, you the line of staff are the ones that make us look good up here. um you've made it very easy for me to navigate um through our council meetings. Mr. Mitch, as always, I want to thank yourself uh and the wonderful ladies in
your office. Um nothing pretty much happens on a daily basis that doesn't go through your office. Uh we are always very well prepared. Um and I always joke around just think 32 years ago I was a pimpled face, snot-nosed little brat. Maybe I was still a little bit of a
brat. And you're my first chief of fire department. It's something I always bring up and it's something I truly admire and treasure. Thank you. Um >> I don't remember the pimples though. >> No, I do. Thank you. Um Council Vice President Mclliff, I want to thank you for your support as my vice president. Uh and I truly look truly look forward
to serving under you as council president next year. Um council president has to have the ability to be able to um communicate and be fair and speak with the residents. Uh I feel I've done that. Along those lines, it is also the
council president's responsibility to be able to navigate through misinformation that is purposely put out by residents in a manner to try to make it work to their advantage for whatever reason. Uh this year seem to be a lot of that um is something that's not going to happen on
my watch. I'm sure it's not not going to happen on council vice president Mcll's watch and it certainly hasn't happened with any council president I've served under and will serve under. Um, it's been fun and uh I look forward to going back to one of these seats. Uh, so once
again before I start, thank you very much. Uh, merry Christmas, happy new year, happy Hanukkah. Um, as I learned from the speaker, Speaker Coffa many years ago, as he said, whatever you celebrate, celebrate her well. Um, here's to the end of a great 2025 and
looking forward to 2026. Thank you, Council Vice President McAuliff. >> Thank you, Council President. Um, my agenda is in order. I just have one announcement this evening. Um, on this Friday, December 19th, uh, the Aano
Middle School girls and boys basketball teams as they face Ford's middle school for the championship game starting at 4:30 at Woodbridge High School. Uh, please come out and show your support. I'd like to uh just wish all the
residents uh a merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, happy new year, and enjoy the time with family, friends, and loved ones, and uh be safe throughout the holiday season. >> Thank you, Council President. >> Thank you, Council Vice President. Council,
>> thank you very much, Council President. Um my agenda is in order. I have two quick announcements. one for I would like to congratulate the Wbridge Broncos cheerleaders as they um returned to last week. Um both their Pee-Wee and JV cheerleaders took third place in the
national competition. I'd like to um thank all of the um local businesses and uh local organizations that donated to their to the trip and to their effort. Um, I also want to um thank all of the u organizations that participated in last
week's holiday parade. Um, I really enjoyed it. It was the first time I ever got a chance to announce it and uh it was a lot of fun and uh council president, I want to congratulate you on a um a very good year uh that you you had here. Um it went very quickly and um
you know what I really appreciated was the um regular communication that you had with us. Um whether it was uh a very small decision or something that was uh large in magnitude uh you included the council and uh you communicated and
we're a very good liaison between um the the council and our administration and mayor. So um you know I hope you you know get to sit on this side of the room. uh and and um you know we uh we enjoy next year as uh as as much as we
enjoyed this year. But thank you very much and uh wish everyone a merry Christmas, happy new year, happy Hanukkah, happy Quanza and all that you celebrate. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. Council member, >> thank you Council President. I think uh Council Vice President McCall would like to say something she forgot to say
earlier. >> I was given a little bit of incorrect information. I apologize. So, I wanted to take the time as vice president to com thank you for all of the service that you've done for us this year and I appreciate uh all the service that you've done for the council and
over the past year and your leadership and commitment and responsibility as a council president has great been greatly valued and have contributed positively to this entire council and I look forward to working with you in the upcoming years on the council and I
appreciate all the guidance that you've given me as vice president and we'll take that um when I take over that position in the coming year. Thank you so much vice president. >> Thank you council council. >> Thank you council president. My agenda is in order like the rest of my council mates will say uh thank you for your
leadership this year your ongoing commitment not only to uh here on the day but also many years to the fire service in Avenue. Congratulations and uh best of luck over here. I like to keep my seat though. >> All right we have one announcement. The Fords Fire Company will be escorting
Santa Claus uh through the Seventh Fire District on Sunday, December 21st, starting at 10:00 a.m. Listen for the sirens as they spread the Christmas joy throughout the 7th Fire District. Uh we could thank wish to wish everyone a merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, and happy holidays, whatever you celebrate.
Have a safe, happy, and healthy new year. Thank you, Council President. >> Thank you, Councilman Bower. Councilman Small, >> thank you, Council President. Thank you for your leadership, your guidance, but most of all, your friendship. appreciated and for your service in the in the Avenel community, not only as a
council person in Aanel Porting, but your work as a volunteer fireman. It's greatly appreciated. Um, I want to wish the residents, uh, our first responders, our township employees a merry Christmas, happy new year, happy
Hanukkah, and God watch over our men and women in blue. God bless America. Thank you, Mr. President. >> Thank you, Council Small. Councilwoman De Jesus. Thank you, council presidents. Um, thank you for your leadership and thank you for your support to each and
every one of us when it came to items on our agenda, but also when things came up in our personal lives. We really appreciate your friendship. I really appreciate your friendship. And this is a good seat. So, maybe you'll sit over here since this is prime realy right
now. Um, I just want to extend again my condolences to the Wbridgeidge Police Department. Um, please not only keep Officer Tenny's family in your prayers, but also remember to say a prayer for all the men and women in the department because it's a loss for all of them. Um,
I want to wish everybody a merry Christmas, a happy and prosperous and healthy new year. Happy Hanukkah, happy. Um, just wishing everybody a healthy, happy, um, prosperous new year. And that is all I have. Thank you. >> Thank you, Councilwoman Deus. Council
woman me. >> Uh, thank you, Council President. My agenda is in order. I'd also like to thank you for your guidance and your patience this year. You led us through some tough council meetings and you did it with grace and uh you listen to all of our residents. You did a really well job and took good care of our council
with your guidance. So, thank you for a good year. Um, and just merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah. Just like Elizabeth said, uh, Officer Tempen and his family and all of our officers in your prayer. It's been a really difficult week for all of them.
And that's all I have today. Happy holidays everybody. >> Thank you, Councilman. Counciloman M. Council. >> Yeah, my agenda is also audited. Uh, thank you council president for your leadership. I mean, uh, whole year we
had very challenges. you took them really nicely and wisely and I admire your leadership. So, thank you. Uh I have your announcement. It's with uh profound sadness that we acknowledge the passing of wouldbe police officer Michael Danny Stani. He
was a lifelong resident of eene, a dedicated public servant and a profound and a proud member of the budwick police department where he served with honor, courage and very high morale values. A graduate of JFK memory high school in
Islington and Montlair State University. He was respected not only for his service in uniform but also for the kind, disciplined and selfless person he was. On behalf of the community, we extend our heartfelt prayers for the
eternal peace to his soul and our deepest condolences to his parents, family, fellow officers, and all who were blessed to know him. His service and legacy will always be remembered. I also want to take a moment to share my
sympathy with the Isling family who lost their home in recent fire on Bender Avenue. This is a very hard situation and our thoughts are with them during this difficult time. If anyone in the community is able to help with donations
or support to help them stay warm and replace their belongings, that would be greatly appreciated. Isen and Melop terrace always come together in times like these and I thank everyone for their kindness and support. Also, I want
to sincerely thank to our public works employees for their hard work clearing the roads, spreading salt to keep everyone safe right after the storm past Sunday. They worked long hours and did an excellent job for our community. A
special thanks to you, public work director, Mr. Brew, for your leadership and dedication. In the end, I would like to wish all the residents of our township a merry Christmas, a happy new year. May this holiday season bring peace, joy, warmths to you and to your
beloved families as we welcome the new year. May it bring good health, happiness to all. Thank you and best wishes for a safe and wonderful holiday season. That's all for tonight. >> Thank you. Council Harrison excuse Mr. >> Thank you, Mr. President. My agenda is
in order. I too like to thank uh you for a great year working together. We do pretty much talk seven days a week. Uh so thank you for that. and then uh we are going to retire into executive session at the end of this meeting and bill on that. >> Thank you, Mr. Mitch. Mayor,
>> thank you, Council President. I first want to congratulate and thank the Woodbridge Police Department for their show of support for officer Tenpen and his family. Particularly today, the church was absolutely packed and there had to be threequarters of our police
department out there in uniform uh walking together and and lining up outside together uh escorting the casket. It was just an amazing show of strength and support for one of their own. and the the camaraderie and the partnership between the members of the
Woodbridge Police Department from the earliest rookie to the most veteran cop just was un unbelievable. Uh Director Niski just does a f fantastic job. Sergeant Augusta was this was the leader of the
procession, the ceremony, making sure everything worked. Uh, nobody gets a chance usually to see the whole procession, the funeral procession, but TV35 filmed it as they came in uh through town hall. If you haven't seen the video, please watch it. And they had the radio talking about his, you know,
last call, and it was just touching. It was just so well done. Uh, and it just shows you how great our our police department is. not only the job they do, but the way they care about each other and stand up for each other and help each other was just amazingly amazingly
heartwarming to see. On a business note, a lot of people may have noticed uh that we have not had a uh Friday call uh or code red call in the last four weeks. If you haven't noticed, thanks a lot. It means you really care about what I say every two weeks uh every week, I should
say. But, uh, the company that provides the service for those calls was hacked and they lost their database. They're working on slowly getting it back. Uh, but we're still recording the call on film. It's on TV35. It's on YouTube. We're spreading it around all the
different social media accounts. We still want people to know what's going on in town. Um, it's probably a little bit good because with everything happening in December, we never could have fit everything in two and a half minutes, which you get for the call. Uh, but we'll be back. hopefully as soon as
we can. Uh, and then the last thing I want to say is thank you to George Brew and the crews for the snow removal. It was unexpected. We got more than we thought, sooner than we thought, and we had to call more people in than we thought. But the bottom line is, as usual, they did a phenomenal job with
our snow removal snow removal efforts. So, thank you very much, >> Mr. Thank you, Council President. Uh, my agenda is in order this evening. I would like to say congratulations to you. It's been a pleasure working with you this year. And I just want to mention uh that my thoughts and prayers go out to the
Ten Penney family uh and his friends. Thank you, Council President. >> And if I could, Council President, I was so much to worry about, I forgot to say that um oddnumbered years are tougher than even numbered years because every first Tuesday of an odd number year,
crazy things happen. The many weeks and many months before that, these meetings get difficult. They get hard. They get controversial. They get people attacking people. We had a lot of big issues this year with sequest. We had a lot of big
issues this year with funeral cats. And we had people from all over the state coming to town council meetings. People that have no direct interest in what we do other than a passion for what the issue was, which is I respect, but it was a very, very difficult year. And this is coming from somebody who's been
coming to these meetings for a very long time. And I thought the job you did as council president uh quarterbacking and refereeing and and and basically running the meetings and keeping everybody respectful uh and knowing that you were in charge
and knowing that they had to have proper decorum and although it was tense and difficult, you handled it incredibly well. and I think you did a phenomenal job as council president and I want to say what a great honor it was to to to
work with you and to be a good friend of yours. I remember way back when there was an opening in the third ward and you and I started talking and and you were so uh anxious to get on the council to be a public servant and you've been phenomenal and this year was just the best I've ever seen you do and so
congratulations. >> Thank you very much mayor. I really appreciate that. Um, please direct. >> Thank you, Council President. Uh, my agenda is in order. Um, on behalf of the police department, mayor, council,
township administration, your words and presence mean more than words can say. Council President, congratulations on a great year. It's been a pleasure working for you. Um, I have a handicapped parking space I need to delete on Ellis Place. Other than that, my agenda is in
order. Thank you. >> Thank you, director. Planning and development director. >> Not taking this evening. Thank you, council president. >> Thank you, director. Uh, public works. >> Thank you, council president. I have one item on my agenda tonight and it's a resolution support of the NJ do route
440, Route 95 to Cra Street Improvements. Thank you. Um, legal. >> We have nothing this evening, council president, but on behalf of the legal department, I just want to take a second to commend you for the job that you've
done over uh the last year. Elections are trying, often trying times. People come trying to advance their candidacies and I think you handled it with great uh skill and uh fairness, which is the hallmark of this council. And so u to
you congratulations. Thank you. We look forward to uh future council president Mau next year and to everyone uh on behalf of all of us, merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, happy new year, happy Kwanza to everyone. Uh let's let's hope it's a great year next year.
>> Thank you sir. >> Whereas section 8 of the open public meetings act chapter 231 public of 1975 permits the exclusion of the public from a meeting in certain circumstances. Therefore, be it resolved that the municipal council is going to retire into executive session to discuss
personnel matters for approximately 10 minutes. At this time, I'll ask for a motion to approve the resolution. >> Motion second. >> Any questions or comments from council? All in favor? I oppose? Eyes have. At this time, I have to ask the public to please exit the room
>> as we're going to go into executive session. >> Okay, Mr. President, we're back in session. It is 6:37 p.m. >> You had just approved resolution 94 allowing you to go into executive session. Now we have a proposed settlement agreement before you which is
number 95. That said, can I get a motion to approve resolution 95? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Any questions or comments from council? >> All in favor? I >> oppose. Eyes have it. That's all I have. Thank you.
Thank you for uh motion to adjourn. >> Motion >> to second. >> Keeping journed. Have a good night. Thank you.