[Music] Good evening. We'll call the council meeting in order. Please rise for the pledge of 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 personal servant.
Thank you, Mr. Mitch. Public meeting has been satisfied concerning this meeting. The annual notice was published in the home district meeting in the star ledge on January 10th, 2025. A copy of the notice was posted on the municipal bulletin board and it should so noted be noted in
the minutes of this meeting. Councilman Anderson here. Councilman Bower here. Councilwoman Dei Suss here. Councilwoman man here. Councilman Patel. Councilman Small here. Councilman Harris here. Vice President McCulla here. And President Spiller
here. And again a motion to approve the minutes from August 12th, 2025. Motion second. No parked. Okay. Any questions or comments from council? No. All in favor? I opposed. I have. Beginning with second reading ordinances
this evening. We'll start by taking letters A uh A and B together by consent. Both are amendments to chapter 7, the traffic section of our township ordinance. wants to add parking restrictions at the Berkeley College municipal lot and the second under ch uh
chapter 7 also is the regulations of bicycles and ebikes. With that said, can I get a motion that these orders 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 oppose. Eyes out. Public hearing is now
open on letters A and B. A and B only. Good evening, Tom Maris for New Jersey. Evening. As I said at the last meeting, I was really very impressed with Sergeant uh Angelo making that presentation and seeing the uh the force of the Woodbridge Police Department behind this
ordinance and I'm sure the board is as well. But I do have several questions about it. Um, and I have spoken to the council president uh about it, but I'd like further clarification on public record. Bless you. Um,
one of my questions is what is the legal definition of a sidewalk as far as Woodbridge Township is concerned? Do you have one? And is that incorporated in these ordinances? Because it does discuss about children or anybody else riding these vehicle. I'm just to say
vehicles which will be all inclusive whether it's a bicycle or electric scooter or whatever it may be. Uh that is not a registered motor vehicle in the state of New Jersey. Uh on sidewalks which basically is by most definitions a
place for pedestrians. Mhm. Does this cover say making the person that is on the vehicle dismount the vehicle and walk it as a pedestrian if they're on pedestrian rideway or can they still ride the bicycle further?
Have you considered I'm sorry through director Nki Sergeant Angel question what is the actual question what is what is how is a sidewalk defined? But yeah, I don't know if the officer Maybe he can from a legal standpoint. So, can they put the bike down and walk
with the bike on a sidewalk or can they ride the bike on the sidewalk? That's the question. If they could actually walk the bike on the sidewalk, would they have to walk? Do they have to? On the orders on a sidewalk. Well, the ordinance is going to propose that anyone that's on a class 2, class 3 that is above the age of 17 or above
can't be on the sidewalk at all. If they're walking the actual bike itself, that could be up for discussion. Um, that's not the issues that we're running into that we're trying to enforce to begin with, though. The issues we're running into are the actual people
riding them and causing a hazard on the roadway. So, that's what we're trying to enforce. Okay. But the town has reached out and you see a lot of comments about the fact that they are putting them on the uh the pedestrian right away. And I'm asking and why the age differential too? That's
another question I was going to bring up. Why break it at 17? If the things are annoying, they're illegal, they're harmful, people can get hurt. Why an age break? What's the reason for 17 versus any other age? I believe you put 17 as the age as um once you hit 17, you've
gone through the schooling uh for your uh driver's license. A 14 or 15 year old has not. Um some people can say, well, that's that's parenting. Well, whatever it is, but that that's the age of uh consent in terms of when you get your license. and they're more in tune to
motor vehicle laws than say a 13-year-old would be busy. Okay. So, if it's somebody that's under 17 does it, there's no punishment. But if they're over 17 and they're on the riding the thing on the sidewalk, the property may be the vehicle could be
confiscated or they could be ticketed or both. I'm assuming that's how the ordinances are. You're combining a few different issues. For example, if you're under the age of 17 and you're on a regular bicycle, you're not violating the ordinance. However, now if you're on the ebikes, for example, class one, class 2, we are
allowing the ordinance, but they still have to follow the actual title 39 laws. For example, helmets, signals, um any vehicle requirement like that. Again, as the council president said, the reason we don't want to we don't want the children in the road without proper training. For example, the class 3s,
they have to have their class 3 moped license to begin with, which means they have to go through some sort of training to get that. So again, we don't want to put the children into the road. We want to give them the benefits out and put them on the sidewalk. Again, those aren't the ones that we're looking for. We're trying to get the ones that are
actually causing a safety hazard. Which brings me to another comment and I've reached out and discussed this with the mayor and also the superintendent of schools about how about um having the police go to the schools and give classes and bike safety start right there with the children. As you just
point out, council president, they're under the age, but you're assuming at 17 they've been through driving courses and everything else. They don't necessarily have a vehicle or a license, but you assume that they've had the training. Why not train these children in the importance of in the school level how to
handle a bicycle, where to ride it, where they can't ride it? And I still defer back. I don't care if the kid's 15 years old or he's 22 years old. If you hit somebody with one of those things moving at speed, they can do just as much damage. The age isn't going to make a difference. The same way if it was a
gun, they pull that trigger, devastating can happen. So, I would ask you to reconsider that. Take the 17 out of it. If you got to get the kids to do it, let them walk the bicycles or let them travel safely. And as far as I'm concerned, every bicycle, and I've lived
in different countries, should have either some type audible sound on it, a horn or a bell to let people know that you're there because a lot of time if you're allowing them to ride, even a child, they're coming around the corner. Nobody knows and can get hit. But those are my questions on the two ordinances. Thank you.
Thank you. Are there any other comments on letters A or B? Hear no other comment. I get a motion that the public hearing be closed. The orders be adopted and submitted to the mayor. Uh John on the letter B. Uh just follow
what Tom was supposed to say a couple of months ago. I said the director Hner ask what's this two yellow lines on Bon Avenue and he said that supposed to be to slow the traffic and I said I told the first bicycles but again uh when you talk about it I
happen to live on 35 and uh we see not just bicycles even today I was going to the bank in the corner when Senator Wella lives there's five kids over there in the bicycles and of course they're riding to lay two
double lane to use it for bicycle rides. Those bicycles, I mean, they go fast. They don't make noise. They don't have lights on them. They doing a lot of stuff on the thing. I see kids from maybe 10 years to 7, 8
years old at night, 10:00 at night, 11:00 at night. On 35, they riding those bicycles. They're not just riding a sidewalk. They run the road. They're zigzagging left to right, back and forth. Something has to be done.
Either they have to some kind of insurance or they have a schooling or anything else. But again, it's a danger. If you look at the other areas, they have a special on a road. They were a special bicycle lanes that got I'm sorry. What are you What are you
referring to? I'm referring I'm referring to to the ordinance that you're supposed to make it tough tougher to use those bicycles like age of the kids. You could have a 10 year old kid and 20 year old. I don't care. But
again, they should know the law. And second point that I'm trying to figure out to my knowledge a lot of those kids don't even speak or even write English. That has nothing to do with the ordinance. So stop it or has nothing to do with the ordinance. So stop. Listen, the problem is with you.
You don't know yourself. The problem is we know what the problem is. You don't maybe don't know. Ordinant is what you going to do with order that is not good enough to stop the problem what we got. Thank you. Are there any other comments or questions under letter A or B?
Hearing no other comments. Can I get a motion that the public hearing be closed the ordinances be adopted and submitted to the mayor for approval as required by law? Motion. Second. Any questions or comments from councel? All in favor? I I opposed. Eyes have it. Letter C is an
ordinance to the township of Woodbridge adopting the Route 1 area 26 redevelopment plan. 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 opposed. Eyes have it. The public
hearing is now open on letter C. Letter C only. Hello, Mr. President. Ken Gardner, 101 Scot Avenue, Woodbridge. Um, can uh we just get a a brief description on the ordinance exactly where are we talking about on route one and um what changes
are we looking to make uh in the housing? This is for PSNG to construct a substation. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Are there any other questions or comments under letter C? Hearing none, 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. Any questions or comments from councel? All in favor? I opposed. Eyes have it. Letter D is an ordinance adopting the amended Penal and Cuttertock Road redevelopment plan. 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 councel? All in favor? I oppose. I have it. The public hearing is now open on letter D. Ken Gardner. Again, Mr. President, uh I
appreciate uh that last meeting at the end you went uh through you gave a brief sentence on what this was, but I really couldn't understand what you were saying. Public portion was already gone. Can you just Sure. This is for for this area. It's adding uh the use of clean energy refueling.
Okay. So, um can you further explain what that means? That would be in relation to some type of development. No development proposed is nothing is proposed. We're adding the additional use. Uh it's not for public. It'd be for a private for business if they want to add uh clean energy refueling onto their
property. So we're just out of nowhere deciding to do this in this area, but there's no other project connected to it. I mean, there's there had to be some reason for us to want to do this just in this section. Uh mayor, unless I'm speaking uh this is
adding the use to that zone. Yeah. Yeah, there's a company there with a lot of trucks and they want those trucks to use hydrogen clean energy. So, they're adding that refueling station as you said and the company is there. Company's already there. Yep. I said thank you. Thank you. Any other comments on letter D?
Hear no other comments. Can I get a motion on the public hearing be closed? The orders be adopted and submitted 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. Finally, letter
C, second reading, and this is to adopt under our land use ordinance the code as it relates to payment in lie of construction. Again, 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 E. Letter E only. again Tom Maris for New Jersey. I'd like a little further explanation on proposed ordinance the second reading uh of E
exactly how is it affecting affordable housing requirements for the township as it relates to payment in lie of construction and what is that exactly mean? So I'm glad you asked that Mr. Mayor. So, uh, Wbridge Township is one of very few that have, uh, already met their
affordable housing requirements, uh, not determined by the state. Um, but we don't want to developers. We're not going to stop with affordable housing. So, um, this will allow, uh, developers to, uh, pay into the affordable housing
plan. um because everyone else has just because we've already met that right uh requirement, why shouldn't others have to pay into that uh that fund. So that's basically what that details. That sounds like it helps the public at large. So it sounds like a good idea. Thank you. Thank you, sir.
Are there any other comments or questions under letter E? Ken Gardner Woodbridge. Um Mr. President. I um when I was council president back in 1992, we did a vacant land survey and proved that the township
was already fully developed and we've met our affordable housing need. That was in 1992. So, I don't know uh what's been going on all this time where we keep claiming we have to do these buildings for affordable housing. That's from the state. Township was overdeveloped in 1992. It's certainly overdeveloped.
It changes, sir. That was from the state. So, I would suggest you contact the state. But as I'm sure you read uh the paper and online, you can see all these I'm getting a little bit off, but you can see all these other municipalities are scrambling and filing lawsuits saying that they can't figure out how they're going to come up with
800, 500, 400 plus because the formula has changed over so many years since 1992 since that was basically 33 years ago. Um and we've met our criteria as dictated detailed by the state. But there has to be property. I mean, if if the town is already fully developed,
you know, I mean, that's where could you put the affordable housing? It's already I can't speak on hypothes. Well, I mean, but that's what we demonstrated back then. So, I don't I'm not going to speak about something that happened 33 years ago. I just answered your question, sir. Okay. Thank you. Thank you.
Are there any other comments or questions under letter E? Hearing no others. Can I get a motion to public hear and be closed? The ordinance be adopted and submitted to the mayor for approval as required by law. Motion second. Questions or comments? All in favor? I
opposed. Eyes have it. You have two ordinances listed for first reading. Can I get a motion that both ordinance be passed on first reading published in the home district on August 29th, 2025 with notice of public hearing be held on September 9th, 2025 at 6 p.m. Motion? Second.
Any questions or comments from council? All in favor? I opposed. Eyes have it. And finally, before you resolutions, if I can get approval by consent for 1 through 23. Motion second. Any questions or comments from council?
Yes, Mr. Mitch. I do have a comment. I'd like to take the opportunity to thank uh for number seven to thank all the hard work in securing the grant to continue improving the waterfront in Seaworn. uh the team that worked on this, your dedication and commitment to enhancing
our community is uh very commendable and these efforts will make a lasting difference for the residents and visitors of Seaworn and we sincerely appreciate uh getting that grant for us. Thank you. Any other comments? All in favor? I
opposed. I have it. Thank you, Mr. Mitch. We'll now move the public comment portion of the meeting. When approaching the microphone, please state your name and what section of this township or state that you live in. You'll have a onetime opportunity to speak. All members of the audience shout adhere to the township's deor ordinance uh which is posted on the entrance door
to door chambers. The public session lasts for 5 minutes. This includes remarks by the speaker and any response by the council president or administration. Uh please make sure there are no signs. There will be no interruptions from the chair. The public session portion of the meeting is a comment and or Q&A interaction between the council president and the speaker.
The council president presides over the council meeting. Sir, good evening. Thank you. Paul London hope so I am clear now that the affordable housing requirements have been met in Woodbridge Township. I just want to ask a question pertaining to that. Uh let's assume that
there were 800 affordable housing units and you can correct the number and developers are not going to just come in and develop affordable housing units as a project. They'll probably put in market rate units as well. So let's say
10% of the units are affordable. That would mean 800 would generate 8,000 units developed. Uh assuming that half of them have children, maybe 12,000 new residents uh to add to our stress on an
existing infrastructure. I want to make sure I'm somewhat on base there that we've had to have 12,000 new residents, perhaps 8,000 new units to satisfy the demand of 800 affordable housing units. Well, thank you. I I don't know where you're getting your numbers from. First
of all, you're speaking hypothesis. Um, as we said, I'm not done with my questions. Are you going to answer them one at a time? I just need to know upfront. What's the question? I just answered you. We're not going to generalize. Excuse me, Mr. President. I have three questions. I'm sorry. Maybe I should have stated that at the outset. Can you hold off on answering the first
What's this? What's the question? I'm not going to say that there's 12,000 units. I mean, mayor, if you want to peep, I'm I'm asking, are you going to give me the time to ask my other two questions, or are we going to cover this one question in my five minutes? I'd rather cover one at a time. Go ahead,
okay, but this won't count against five minutes, I presume. Yes, you're all done. Okay. What's your question? The question is, am I off base in my assumption that if there were 800 affordable housing units required that there would be 8,000 units
built by developers because they want to have some market rate units to go in with the affordable housing units to make it worth their their financial wire for affordable housing units. That's an incredibly hypothetical question that we will not face for the next 10 years
according to the law. So, no, I'm not even going to I'm not going to answer a hypothetical question. It will never happen to the future. I'm saying how many new units had to go up to meet those affordable housing demands that you've already fulfilled. We had to put 15% of whatever was built.
There is no target. Our settlement with the fair share housing people in court said simply that anytime we build residential units, 15% had to be affordable. That's it. We didn't have a number that we had to get to. Okay. I would like to suggest the possibility
that if we get law and order back in the inner cities that we could have a inner city that's worth living in and we're not exporting affordable housing everywhere else upon demand of the state which is social engineering and it hasn't worked out so well and I can I
can cite statistics the next visit. I have a letter here from the mayor and from our our w uh uh councilman concerning another opportunity for me to save money in my energy bill which spiked in June by 20%. Not too long ago, probably precoid, I
was offered an opportunity to save money in my energy bill, which I took advantage of, but it ended up that in going to auction and getting the prevailing rate, I ended up with an $800 energy bill. I'm a little bit shy on
these these proposals to save me money on energy, but I want to just read some part of this and maybe you guys can help explain to me how it's going to save me money when I'm not involved in solar. Simply put, residents who own or rent their homes can get the benefit of solar
panels without ever installing them by subscribing to the program. It goes on to say, "The benefit will come in the form of 31% discount on solar credits." From that point on, I had to go to Chad GPT to figure out how that's really going to save anyone money.
I'm sorry, where I went to my my new buddy Chad GPT. Why don't you just go to the police teacher's new best friend? instead of going to me if I can't understand this and and I teach science in a high school, I'm thinking some vulnerable uh citizens like seniors perhaps may need a basic
understanding of it. Would you please explain how I can save money in my energy bill by investing in solar? So I can I can read you now or you can wait until my public agenda, but I got the same exact letter that makes it pretty self-explanatory that a resident
doesn't have to do anything. They don't want to join. Don't join. If you want to join, that's the last offer, Mr. President, sounded wonderful, too. And it cost me big time. That's not one. That's not that. That's That's not this what you're referring to. This is a separate program. And I got to tell you, out of your own ward
where you live, 140 houses have already joined since last week. If you don't want to be one of them, it makes us know, never mind. It does. But 140 houses in your own ward. How many joined without full understanding of what they were joining is no matter to me. Thank you, sir.
Are there any other comments or questions from the public this evening? John, we're talking again. Uh my question would be u now that we don't need no more affordable housing to be built. I believe any future developer
that's going to build and to quoting if you build 900 we probably build probably 10,000 units in last so many years but my question would be that any builder that builds a major development that does not have to build no more
affordable housing on the development are they going to be tax exempt to pilot programs or they have to pay tax like the rest of us do? So, nobody is tax exempt. So, that answers your question right there. As far as future developments, we're not going to speak on hypotheses. There's nothing in front of us right now.
I didn't I didn't get it. Sorry. I answer your question. Nobody is tax exempt. Oh, there are people in the aspect. They got You're asking they don't they don't pay much in front of us right now.
They can break all the taxes. I know people that do it. I mean, are they going to be excluded from that opportunity to have a tax exempt or pilot programs? There's nobody that's tax exempt in terms of a development because you pay minimum. They pay minimum. Well, that's different from what you're
saying, sir. You know that as well as I do. So, make sure you have the right terminology. You don't want to answer that question. I answered you. Nobody's tax exempt. There's nobody in front of us right now. I'm not going to speak in hypothesis. I don't understand. You should be applauding that we're ahead of the game instead of watching all these other
places that are 800 units in the hall. Listen, how come you don't applaud that? Before we only give a tax exemption to the brownfields that used to give it the people that uh what you call did the 900 units talking about a brownville opposed to you just said development. That's two different entities. You got to figure
out what you're trying to say here, sir. Mayor, could you answer the question? Does Mayor doesn't have to answer the question? I just did. You did not. I'm the council president. You know what? You know what? You know, I answered you. Do you have another question, sir? Listen, last week you told me last
council meeting the warehouse at Evanel is not rented. And two weeks later, it's not rented. It's not rented. Could you ask me what are the building the behind the warehouse now?
Which warehouse, sir? One never know. Behind them, the be behind the warehouse is New Jersey Transit train tracks. And what's to the left of it? What right now? Shamber. Okay. Are they building there ammonia
plant? Are they building a what? For gas to be used at warehouse. They put a refrigeration warehouse. I'm I'm sorry, sir. Are they building what where was that? Are they building what where? Right between the apartments and the warehouse.
Between the apartments and the warehouse is a road called Shamber Way. You lead that all the way up and you hit train tracks. I know. Are they building a build that stores ammonia for the refrigeration? Are they building stores? No.
No. Thank you. Any other comments or questions from the public, please? afterwards. I'll go. Yeah. Good evening. Tom Maros, Fors, New Jersey. Evening, sir. At the last council
meeting, I had brought up a question regarding a $6 million approval by the board for um resolution authorizing an expenditure of up to $6 million uh for support of housing initiative to
create deed restricted affordable units in in the township. And my question is, since there was no available information to anybody at that point in time, um, per the advice that I got from our good
town clerk, um, I asked how the board could go ahead and approve that kind of an expenditure. Um, and that question was still valid. Following up on president's advisement, I did reach out to every member of the board and asked if they could explain it. I got no
responses except from the council president um who we had a chat about it and I'd still like further explanation of exactly what that $6 million may entail and I understand it may have been a question in hypothetical to the board
but yet it doesn't say that in the ordinance itself. The ordinance says that they're approving up to $6 million. To me that would be the cap unless they're going over the $6 million and then might need further approval from the board. But that would indicate by I think most reasonable people's
determination that you have approved the expenditure. So I'd like to know what that expendure covers and does it have any correlation to what you just passed tonight with uh item E on the resolutions deed restrictions. That's one question.
Would you like to answer that because I've got two more but so thank you Mr. Maris u so that does not have any correlation um regarding the resolution as you asked for on June 24th. um that did not commit to any specific projects uh simply because there are none ready for such a commitment. Uh that is why there were no
responsive documents to the request um from your public information about the utilization of the $6 million. Mayor, I believe you wanted to say something. Yeah, basically we want the market to know that we have affordable housing trust fund monies. We have more coming in with further development. In fact,
the ordinance there is a sort of a connection to what ordinance is because that could create more money to go into the fund. But we want potential partners in developing anything to know that we are still interested in affordable housing even though we don't have to. So
we don't have to require it to be built in residential units, but we can contribute toward senior housing someplace or affordable housing someplace that's not ours. We can contribute to that from the money we have to spend on affordable housing. And it's just saying, hey, we have it. We're
we're ready to partner with people. Um, but right now there's nothing uh specific except some things we're thinking about in the future. Nothing concrete and that's why there's no responsive documents. Thank you. Thank you. And why would there be a deed restriction on it? There's always a deed restriction on affordable housing. Used to be 30 years,
now it's 40 years. That's just technical. All right. And dollars supportive housing initiative to create deed restricted affordable units in Woodbridge Township. I'm reading the resolutions. Right. That doesn't mean we're doing it. Just means we have the money that we can contribute toward it. If someone else
comes into it, if a nonprofit entity wants to build a project and it includes some affordable housing or senior housing, we are willing to contribute toward it. Well, I think you'd agree with me then the resolution is rather ambiguous. It certainly doesn't define the way you just did, sir. No, it is it is ambiguous because we
don't have any specific project that we're working on right now. Okay. Well, again, I was asking the board how they could approve on it if there was nothing specific. And why why $6 million? Where did that That's the amount of money either we have or we expect to get in the near future. Okay. And that would be from the general fund or is that
No, affordable housing trust funds. It's not tax dollars being spent on affordable housing. Never has been. Clarification. Thank you. One minute, sir. I'm sorry. Sorry. One minute. Okay. I'll try to be real quick then. Um let's get into the I'm sorry. The Woodbridge Township uh
ambulance. I said submitted an Oprah request asking all the information on that. Who's taking it over? What's it cost? What personnel are we getting? What lands are we getting? And it comes back to me, the operator says there is no documentation.
How can you not have documentation on it? And who's authorizing the takeover and how much is it costing us? I'm going to let you have that. M council president, there is are no documents because there is no plan. All we've done so far is a call from my off
from me to the president of the first aid squad saying, "Thanks for your cooperation and all your negotiations and all your meetings with us. Um, we understand, you know, what what happened here and we look forward to working with you in the future." Um, we also asked him for permission to get somebody into
the site to appraise it. We haven't done a thing about how much we're going to pay for it. We haven't done a thing about what equipment might be included. There is absolutely not one decision that we made related to that. So that's why there are no responsive documents.
We're not taking over employees. They're eligible to be hired and we are hiring. I think we had six approved the other day and one approved tonight. Uh so we are staffing up, but that's got nothing to do with them. Some people might have worked there and if they did, we got a good handle on whether they're
good or not. uh and whether we should hire them or not, but nothing has been decided at all regarding the building, the equipment. We can't do anything till we have an idea what the building is worth. But we do have interest in it. And we want to run the first aid squad out of that.
Thank you for the clarification. It does help because we a lot of people didn't understand it, myself included, and that's why I asked the questions that I did. Yeah, it's pre good good questions, but it's just premature. My time is up. Good. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. Uh, and I do I want to thank you. Um, and I said this last two
meetings ago that you reached out. Normally what happens when the council as a whole gets emailed the council president more times than not is the one that responds. So I tell all the council my fellow council mates. I'll respond to this person will be the same thing next year for vice president. So just let a
little background on how that works with the correspondents from. Thank you. Any other comments from the public this evening? Thank you, Mr. President. Ken Gardner Woodbridge. Good evening. Um, first, um, I I can't believe this is
the first time that the council or the mayor has heard this, but uh, several people have complained about music, loud music coming off of boats in the Arthur Kill along Cliff Road. Um, is anything being done about that? What can we do about it? How how do we address that
problem? I would recommend just like any other noise related matter. Um the resident call uh police headqu non-emergency 6347700 to report the noise ordinance in the middle of the Arthur Kill. I mean it's still noise related. Uh that would be state police depending on the
jurisdiction. But uh close to our home uh just like you mentioned last week somebody racing uh something up a bike. Anything noise ordinance related would be uh police headquarters and then we can uh move forward from there the uh respective department or agency. And so you're saying that first step we
take is to notify the state police and have their marine division. No, that's that's not what I said. First step would be is to contact the non-emergency number at the police headquarters and then they can handle jurisdictionally. If I if I'm speaking out of turn either mayor, director Niski, please jump in. But I mean the first step is to call police
headquarters and report it. Was that done? Um, I would assume that the residents did that. You know, I I I didn't go step by step with them, but So, what after they call, then we then the town would reach out to the the police department, reach out to the state police. Is that the next
We we would we would receive the call. We would investigate the call and we would take the appropriate action. You don't even know if they called. So, I don't know what they did on a call. I don't know. We received. So, if a boat's in the middle of the Arthur Kill, what would be the next step?
Call the police. We would receive a call. We would send a car to investigate and take it from there. Okay. And so if the police car arrives, we we have the resources to to to handle
our call volume. So you you're you're So do we have we have uh access to a vote? I know years ago, are we are we able to investigate the calls we receive? Yes. So, if if someone has a complaint about
loud noise or loud music, right, on or near the waterfront, call the complainant and we'll handle it. I'll I'll ask the residents to do that and I'd ask just that that be kept track of. Uh second, um I had talked about property uh to the left. If you're
looking at the home of 77 Vernon Street, I want to thank Mr. Wagner for getting back to me. Uh he did say that that is the property, the second piece of property is Blueac Acres property. Um, so I would ask our assemblymen. Um, the, uh, Blueacres Law, I believe from what I
read with Mr. Wagner's, uh, email to me said that the state wants the property to go back to its natural setting. Uh, I would ask that that be looked at. This is a residential neighborhood, not a forest. It's across from houses. So, um,
if the grass can be cut and the state would approve of that, uh, I think it would make it a nicer neighborhood. We're not talking about some type of red development area where we don't have any houses in the area. It's a a neighborhood. So, uh, Sly, I'd ask you to take a look. It's, if you're looking
at 77 Vernon to the left of that, uh, it's up against the turnpike wall. Um, if there's a way that we can get that property maintained and the grass cut to what would be a normal level in the, uh, in the town, I'd appreciate it. Um, with all these markers in front of you,
if you want to name a street after me, I'd appreciate that. Thank you very much. Uh, a few meetings ago, the mayor had come back and said he had made a mistake uh, in talking about a $24 million shortfall that occurred when I was the council president. And u, I
guess at the time he was a financial adviser to the mayor and sewer utility administrator. So, mayor, you're saying there's a $24 million shortfall. One minute. Then, excuse me, then you're saying there's a $24 million shortfall back then. You you said you
were very familiar with the situation because you lived through it. Yes. So there was a $24 million shortfall when we were preparing the budget for 1992. Now we're still 33 years ago. Again, like Mr. Spiller said before, we
were preparing the budget from 1991 to 1992. And yes, we projected a 24.6 million shortfall. It was largely due to tax appeals. It was largely due to an insurance shortfall. There was money stolen from the insurance fund. It was
largely due to an way overestimating of revenues and a gross underestimate. I'm talking Mr. Gardner and a gross underestimate of expenditures. And we did that whole thing. We presented that there was% tax increase. No, we did not, Mr. Gardner. You know this. What's wrong with you? You know
exactly what you're talking about. We did not. We explained everything and we switched to the fiscal year and you voted for the bonds and you voted for the budget that we prevent presented. You voted for everything. Not me, mayor. You voted for it after we presented it.
You yourself voted for it. You voted for it. You were the ninth and final vote on June 30th, 1992 for the budget which was done in response to that shortfall. You voted for the fiscal adjustment bonds. You voted for them. osed a 21% tax
increase in your We did not have a 21% tax increase. Of course you did. No, we did not. You were you were the financial advisor. No, we did not. Prove it. You're wrong. You're absolutely wrong. You're lying. I lived it. I was the chief financial officer. I know exactly what I'm talking
about. I remember every number. And you voted for the budget and you voted for the bonds and now you're running away from it. You're wrong. Thank you. I'm not wrong. Wrong again. I have it all right here. And if you want to do it, it's all right here. We can debate this all night. It's not a debate. Facts are facts. One
that proposed a tax debate tax increase. We did not ever propose a tax increase. There is no tax increase in a fiscal year budget. You're right. There was not. That's You just admitted it. You just contradicted yourself. You tried to claim a 21% tax increase. I
We did never did that. We never did that. I can assure you that. Thank you, mayor. Well, if the 21% tax time is up and your question was answered. Thank you very much, sir. Are there any other questions or comments from the public this evening? Hearing other, can I get a motion that
the public comment portion be closed? Motion second. Any questions or comments from council? All in favor? I opposed. I have going to the agenda. Thank you. Before we go to the agenda portion, I just want to thank the mayor for uh uh answering the resident's questions and Sergeant Angelo for your
expertise and knowledge on the uh ordinance. Uh mayor, two things I'd like to mention. First of all, Mr. Vitara keeps mentioning the empty warehouse. The warehouse pays us $1.6 million a year in taxes. I don't care if it stays empty forever. We're making $1.6 million a year in taxes on
an empty warehouse. If they rent it, they rent it. If they don't, they don't. It's not like empty hurts us because we're collecting the taxes. Now, the other thing I want to do is talk about when people have issues and they talk to people not in office or they talk to
people running for office, they should talk to people in office because we can do something about it. We are very responsive in this administration and you as council people are incredibly responsive when you get emails and texts and calls about an issue. You're
constantly emailing Mr. Mitch who goes through Mr. Simaluca who divides everything up to the departments whether it's Mr. Brew, Director Niski, whoever. We are responsive. Don't ask somebody who has to wait until the next council meeting before they bring something up
because they want to be on TV and because they want to show that they're doing all these things. A perfect example was two weeks ago. We got a request Monday morning from someone who lives on Old Road. I got it myself personally by somebody in person who said there's a problem with somebody
late at night, 2 o'clock in the morning, 3:00 in the morning, driving their motorcycle around Old Road, attempting to harass a resident. Turns out there was a relationship. I can't get more into that, but they were harassing the person. That person then went to talk to
Director Niski, who was he just said the call came in and they addressed it immediately and the person was in custody. The next night when Mr. Gardner brought up this issue, the person was in custody already. So why would somebody
wait to talk to somebody who's not able to to do anything except make a show of the of the complaint a couple of days later up to two weeks later because we meet every two weeks or maybe sometimes every 3 weeks. Why talk to somebody who can't do anything about it until they
can show off at a council meeting when you can call one of you who will respond because you always do or one of us who we will respond because we always do. The 77 Vernon was cut that Monday morning and Mr. Gardner came Tuesday
night to say it should be cut. It was cut because it's always cut. It's regularly cut. It's in our list. So you don't have the floor. So, all I'm saying is people should realize that this group at this table is incredibly good.
There's nobody better in the state of New Jersey running government than this group right here, a nationally recognized police force, a public works director that puts every other town to shame and an administration that cares about people and answers questions and
solves problems. We have a council who is underpaid compared to the work you guys do and girls do. When when you get questions from people, you're constantly out. You're at events, you're talking to people like we are, don't call somebody
who's not in office, who's only going to make a show and after November disappear. Call somebody who can help you right away. Right away. And that's what we do and that's what you do and that's what the public should understand. Thank you. Thank you very much, mayor. We'll now move to the council agenda portion of
the meeting starting with myself. Item number two, uh, Avenue Arts Village. I'm very excited to announce that Caroline's Tavern had their ribbon cutting and grand opening yesterday. Uh an exciting new menu and theme. Caroline's Tavern is located right next to Apac. Uh making the perfect spot for pre-show drinks and a night out. Uh their exceptional menu
features elevated new American Tavern food and creative cocktails. Come out for a lively happy hour, a cozy dinner, or hosting a private uh celebration. Uh discover your new favorite neighborhood hangout at Caroline's Tavern. Uh the rest of my agenda is in order. Just a few announcements. Uh, I want to thank the one resident for bringing it up
under um the public comment. Unfortunately, they left so they won't hear. Um, over the last several days, residents have or will be getting correspondents from the mayor and their war council person detailing community solar. Community solar is a model that allows multiple individuals, businesses, or
organizations to benefit from larger solar power installations on rooftops, uh, warehouses, etc. Uh, lo typically located offsite from their properties. Individuals or organizations can subscribe to a portion of the solar array energy output in order to essentially purchase a share of the
renewable energy generated by the system. Subscribers receive credits on their electricity bills based on their share of the power generated by the community solar project. Subscri subscribers will receive only one bill. In our case, it would be still be your PSG bill. The credits on the bill reduce
the monthly cost of energy consumption and the one bill system allows the utility to still charge for their distribution of the power. The cro the program we have going with solar landscape is solid and offers definitive cost savings. But if you're interested and you can cancel anytime without penalty, I'd recommend signing up now
because the solar projects that will be generating the energy for the weight list that is being created now are awaiting interconnection and final buildout. Meaning all projects right now are fully subscribed. The new ones that are open are expected to be in fall and winter. At that time you'll be enrolled
in those on a first come first- serve basis. In a time where BPU has authorized a substantial rate increase for PSEG, we are trying to do everything we can to assist the residents to offset their bills. Good luck to all the students, teachers, and faculty. Uh as
township schools will start again next Wednesday. Uh while we should all take our time while on the road, uh just please uh keep an eye out for all the students that will be walking. Uh rest that's the rest of my agenda. God bless America. Council Vice President McAuliff. Thank you, Council President. Um, I just
have a few announcements for my with my agenda here. So, the first thing I like to remind everybody is that due to the rain out last week, the Woodbridge Towns uh downtown cruise will be held um Wednesday uh which is tomorrow. So, I don't know if anyone's going to get that, but uh the cruise is going to be
held tomorrow. So, Main Street will be shut down for the cruise tomorrow due to the rain from last week. Other than that, my agenda is in order. Just reminding everybody that we still have concerts Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday uh uh at 7:30 all
throughout Woodbridge. I'd like to uh take a moment to thank the Department of Transportation for working with myself, the administration, and the council to get the new speed and so the speed limit signs for the school areas on Highway 35
for St. James and Ros Street School. These signs will be installed per the Department of Transportation prior to school starting next week. This is a very um important issue that we've been working on to try to get done and we truly appreciate all the support in making the community safer for the
parents and the students on a regular basis throughout the school year. Also, I just wanted to mention and thank the DPW team for um getting out there to replace the American flags at the Seawarm boat launch that needed to be replaced as well as the monument flags
in Seaworn. It's very important to make sure that the uh symbol of pride for our country is taken care of and it displays a um very good representation for our community. Other than that, I would just like to reiterate what uh council president said
to wish all of the students a very happy and successful new uh school year as school starts next week and uh it's to be have be safe, positive and rewarding school year for all the students, families, teachers, and the support staff. Thank you, Council President. Thank you, Council Vice President Paul.
Councilman N. Thank you, Council President. I would like to thank on behalf of uh Councilman Patel who's not here. All of those who came out to support the Indian Day parade two weeks ago. We had a wonderful time. It's always one of our uh most uh
enjoyable times as council people to walk in a parade, but that's always an exciting parade. Um, just want to thank everyone for coming out and all of the police and and uh Department of Public Works that came out to um help make that
uh day possible and safe. Um again, uh I will reiterate the um good luck to all the students, teachers, faculty, and families this year um for their school year. Um for yesterday was uh our convocation at Middle Sex College. I
happen to be a board member there. Just want to remind the community that uh Middle Sex College offers 80 degrees. Um all associate degree programs can be completed in two years. Most allow you to transfer to a 4-year college or
university to work toward a bachelor's degree. We offer alo we also offer short-term certificate programs that can prepare you for the workplace or advance your current career. Almost all of our students qualify for substantial financial aid
packages and scholarship awards. Students who come from families making less than 65,000 can even attend for free. We offer multiple admissions uh pathways depending on variety of factors such as your military service,
immigration status, program of study, prior college credits, and more. You can go to www.mmidd sexcc.edu to apply. Um I would also like to u wish uh our fall sports um good luck this
year for our high schools. This Thursday will be week zero for all three of our high school football teams. Woodbridge will be hosting Union at 6 PM on Thursday at Woodbridge High School. It will also be youth football and cheer
night. So, if you wear your cheer, if your your child wears their team jersey or a shirt or their cheer bows, they will enter for free. And there will be many of activities at the event for those kids um that are attending the game. Colonia host Saraveville at 6:00
p.m. also on Thursday. and and JFK, my alma mater, will be visiting Perth Amboy, our neighbor rival at 6 PM also. So, get out to all of the games. Uh support the young uh the football players, the band, and the cheerleaders.
Um and our dance teams as well. And I would like to thank the Colonia Patriots for hosting the Woodbridge Broncos Pop Warner football team for a joint practice uh where the the uh students led a lot of drills for the boys. It was a really really good night. And I just
want to um uh say that uh uh we were able to have a um a welcome barbecue where we had over um 400 people attend uh the Woodbridge Broncos welcome barbecue. And then uh this past week uh
uh Councilman Harris was able to attend. We had over a thousand attendees attend the Woodbridge uh Broncos pep rally. Uh and uh they had a DJ dances. It it was a really really good event. So just want to just um wish everyone a happy school
year and um and all our false fall sports um a lot of luck this year and a lot of safety. Thank you. Thanks, Councilman Henderson. Councilman Bower. Thank you, Council President. My agenda is in order. I have a few announcement. Uh, Boy Scout Pack 53 open house will be held on Thursday, September 18th between
6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. at the Fords Middle School. Uh, school opens next week. We're navigating our roadways. Be mindful of our children. Like to wish our teachers and uh, children an amazing fresh start to a new school year. That's all I have. Council President, thank you very much.
Thank you, Council B. Counc. Thank you, Council President. Number 15 on my agenda, the Woodward Township Light Parade will be held November 29th at 6 PM. More to follow. Number 17, American Irish, halfway to St. Patrick's Day. Woodbridge Community Appreciation
Day to be held Sunday, September 28th, uh at the Acacia Center, 95 Portlanding Avenue. Good luck to students and staff. I wasn't here last meeting uh but I want to thank Mr. Hagerty and staff for a wonderful presentation to the dedication
of Vincent Martino Park. Great job as always. So, thank you. Uh, God bless America. And I have to excuse myself, Mr. President. Thank you. Thank you, Council Small. Councilwoman Deesus. Thank you, Council President. Item number item number eight, Hispanic Heritage
Month. We will be celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month on SE Saturday, September 20th from 12:00 to 5:00 here on Main Street. We have live music. So everybody is welcome to attend. I just want to I have no 15 community backpacks. My heart
is full of gratitude because we were able to hold Oakron and Caseby backpack drives. Um I want to thank all of our departments, recreation parks, police department, our health department, our library, our youth services, Evangel
church, Pastor Lesie, they provided all of that. Again, it's a community day where we bring all of our services and a ton of information to anyone that comes through and we also equip children in our township with new backpacks and school supplies so that they can start
their year um the right way. So again, thank you to everyone that made it possible. 10 years Dan and I have co- um chaired this event. So thank you to our administration and everybody involved. Without you guys, we wouldn't be able to do it. So again, just a heart full of
gratitude. Like everyone else, I want to wish everyone that works in our school, all the administrations, our teachers, and our kids a successful, healthy, and safe school year. Again, be careful when you drive. Um there's a lot of walkers,
a lot of kids on bikes now, and just be conscious of that that school starts on September 3rd. Thank you. That's all that I have. Thank you, Councilwoman Jesus. Councilwoman M. Thank you, Council President. Just to add on to um Miss Bett's comment about the school and safety. I just want to thank administration for um installing
the crossing lights, the pedestrian crossing lights on Lake Avenue. We've had so many complaints about the children crossing there. The cars really go so fast there and this is going to be able to help them cross safely. We did it last year by Iman Avenue uh on Iman Avenue by the library and it really
helps. When I go down, I see the kids hit the light and they're able to cross safely. So, thank you for getting that done for the school year. And just last um meeting I mentioned that the Colon BFW is having a spaghetti dinner. It is on September 21st. We really would
encourage people to come out and support them. Since I announced that last time, they had a small fire in um the BFW. So, more than ever, they need the help and the support from the community. They do so, so much for our community. They help everybody. They cook all my spaghetti dinners. um they really are such a
valuable part of our community. So if you can please just come out, grab if they do takeout, come come out and support them on September 21st at the Clooney Firehouse and it'll be 1 to six. And just wishing all the teachers and students and parents a good and successful school.
Thank you, Councilwoman H. Uh Councilwoman Dus. I forgot we also had the first time, no second time, Jacob's Landing right on Bucks Lane had community day and we were able to give the kids backpacks. So again, all of our
departments are fantastic because whenever we have an idea or anyone has an idea or needs help, we all come together as a community to support and I think supplying kids with backpacks is a worthy cause. So Jacob's Landing had a fantastic day, a community day that day.
Thank you. I'm sorry, Council Hson. Yans, and I'm sorry, but I was out of town last week, but I do want to mention the Pakistani Day parade was also held in Islan on Oak Tree Road, and I heard it was a very good event as well, but uh Councilman Patel um had texted me to
make sure I mentioned that as well. So, just wanted to uh commend everyone for for coming out with that, the Indian Business Association, and um all of the people coming to attend that event. Thank you, Councilman Anderson. Council, as you said, Councilwoman Patel is
excused. Councilman Harris, thank you, Council President, and congratulations again on two successful events, Councilwoman. Uh, a couple agenda items this evening. Item number two is the property tax relief I have on my agenda. Township is organizing a
property tax relief filing event. That's that blue booklet that seniors, um, senior homeowners, senior renters, and disabled residents received by mail, uh, dating back to March. Uh the deadline to apply for that program or the three combined programs is October 31st, but
the township along with state treasury officials will be assisting residents who have not yet completed their application. Uh and that's scheduled for Wednesday, September the 10th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Acacia Youth Center located at 95 Reading Avenue. No
appointment is necessary. Just show up. Be sure to bring your photo ID, your income tax uh information from 2023 and 2024 along with any township tax records. If you've already completed your blue booklet, you know, back in March, April, May, uh whatever the case
may be, and you've already received your check, you do not need to fill this out again. You've already completed it for the year. This is this event is for people who have not yet uh completed that application, whether they didn't receive it, they forgot about it, whatever the case may be. And again, it's senior homeowners and senior
renters all combined under that one application. Again, the blue booklet. Nextly, item number three, uh our youth our youth centers. We have three of them. They're open from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. during the school year. The township has organized three, excuse me,
uh open houses. Uh one was today. Uh did a great job today. I popped by uh Highland Grove and Fords. And there's one more occurring on Thursday, August the 28th. Uh regardless of whether you make the open house or not, be sure to check out the youth centers. They are
open to middle school students uh whether public or private school students in Woodbridge Township uh Monday to Friday during the school year and with uh some availability for elementary school days on select dates. Uh again, check that out at the mayor's Facebook page or the youth services
website or Instagram page. Nextly, item number four on my agenda, New Jersey Senior Olympics. The applications are closed for seniors. Uh the events are are all ready to go for September 5, six, and seventh. However, volunteers are needed. Uh they're looking for high
school stu uh high school school age uh uh young adults or above, college students included. Uh see the mayor's Facebook page for the web link. You can sign up by this web link. Uh again, there's 21 sports uh for both men and women. So, lots of opportunities for our
high school and college age students to volunteer. Nextly, item number five uh is the annual crossroads 5K that is postponed uh as indicated uh to those who did sign up and uh on the township and social media channels. That race
will be uh runners who did sign up and pay will be refunded and that race will be rescheduled uh for a future date. Uh, also item number five, uh, once again, the 18th annual tour to Woodbridge bicycle tour is coming up on Saturday,
excuse me, Sunday, September 21. It's a 15 or 30 mile bike ride beginning at 8 a.m. from the club at Woodbridge. Uh, you can register for the bike race at racester.com and the event uh, benefits the Girl Scouts. And last but not least, as uh
suggested, I think it's timely to to mention uh in the absence of uh Councilman Mattel, is the Oak Tree Road is being resurfaced through the township's resurfacing uh project uh program that you do annually. That uh that stretch of roadway is from the
Garden State Parkway bridge to Route 27. The work there is scheduled to start on or about Monday, September the 8th. That'll be overnight work. uh not to disrupt uh the you know the traffic flow. Uh so be on the lookout for that.
The town will be communicating that with area residents and businesses uh so no one is surprised by it. There will also be uh electron electronic signage as well as social media uh you know publication. So just want to put those things out there. Thank you council
president. Sorry I'm the new guy already taking up all the time but I appreciate you. Thank you Councilman Harris. Mr. Mitch. Uh thank you. My agenda is over. Thank you Mr. Mitch. Uh, mayor. Mayor, uh, before you, you see, council president, the new street signs. Uh, we haven't ordered anything yet, but we
looked into this company. We liked what we were ordering and we got these in, uh, yesterday and we're displaying them today. We got one for each section of town. We're going to put it out um, at the appropriate corner and then just wait for people to give us their feedback. But I think they look pretty
good so far. They will be attached at the bottom somehow. And I don't know how they're going to do it. Bolt, screws, I don't know. George knows, I don't know. Uh, but they will be attached to the existing concrete um, signs, street signs, which are appropriate. They're concrete. Some of them look like they go
back to the stone age. They've been there a long, long time. They take a lot of maintenance, a lot of painting. Um, so this will be something that we just slip on uh that and it's going to be much uh much less expensive and almost maintenancefree. So, let us know what you think. Let us know what people
think. Um, we always had white, so we're staying with white and black. Um, couple comments we already have here about different things. We'll fix those, but um, you know, we like them so far. Please let us know what you and your constituents think about. Thank you, thank you, Deputy Business Business
Administrator. Thank you, Council President. We'll have our regular tax and see over famous next meeting. Thank you. Please, Director Niski. Thank you, Council President. I have two handicap apartments. one street and the other on street.
Thank you, sir. Planning development director Dor. Thank you, council president. Nothing this evening. Thank you, director. Public works director Bruce. Thank you, Council President. My agenda is in order tonight. Nothing. Thank gentlemen. Look for a motion. Motion. Second. Committee
journed. Have a good night.