Municipal Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. The Lawrence Council will come to order now. Um after the pledge of allegiance, I'm going to ask for a moment of s everyone to stay standing and have a moment of silence um for Elizabeth Betty Leven.

Le um Betty was a longtime resident of Lawrenceville. She was a retiree of Lawrence Township Recreation Department where she served as an administrator for many years. Betty was a devoted parishioner of the Church of St. Anne and an active member of numerous community organizations including the Girl Scouts, Deborah Hart and Long Hospital and the Lawrence Township Arts Council and the Lawrence Township PTO as well as the Lawrence High School Band Parents Association. Betty was involved in nearly every Lawrence Township event and was a true career of the community. She was instrumental in starting girls softball at Lawrence Township and in recognition of her dedication, Betty Leam Field at Village Park was is named in her honor. In 2022, Betty was inducted into the Lawrence Township Hall of Fame. Above all, Betty was a loving and devoted grandmother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend who dearly miss with that statement of proper notice. Adequate notice of this meeting with Lawrence Township Council being held on Tuesday, May 5th, 2026 has been provided through the posting of the annual meeting schedule of said council in accordance with section 13 of the public meetings act. Said notice was forwarded to the tranonium the times at the Princeton packet on December 12th, 2025. Mr. Carter, may we have the inspiration? May we carry out our work at this meeting in a just, honorable and sincere manner, always bearing in mind our duties and continuing to keep Lawrence a wonderful community in which to live.

I aliance 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. And then if we could stay standing just for

Miss Farmer here. Mr. Pierre here. Mr. Kaki here.

Miss Jose cannot be with us this evening. Mayor B here. Uh seeing no special commissions recognition, we move on to public participation sheet. Just as a reminder, purpose of public comment period is for members of the public to inform the governing body of their views. This time is an opportunity for town council to listen with care to the public and to consider what we hear in our deliberations. It's not a time for back and forth dialogue as it can be difficult for us to give accurate responses on critical and complex issues on the spot. rather one can call you email members council manager clerk seeking additional information or response to an issue also like to read two excerpts from the Lawrence Township administrative code section 1022 manner of addressing council a person may address the council upon recognition by the chair the person addressing council shall write down their name and address on the signin sheet step up to the microphone shall give their name in an audible tone with a voice for the record and shall have the right to address the council for the amount of time noted by the chair no person having the floor shall be permitted to enter into any discussion either directly or through a member of the council without the permission of the chair. No question shall be asked of the council person except you're the chair. 102010-23 decor on council meetings. Any person making imperfect or slanderous remarks who shall become boisterous while addressing the council shall forth with be barred from further audience council by the presiding officer unless permission to continue or again address the council be granted by the majority vote council. With that welcome, anyone wish to speak? that I'll move on review and revision the agenda. Mr. Cycer, Mr. Ninsky, do we have any changes to it? The U the one involving you negotiations in the bargaining agreement, the memorandum

of understanding I sent to all of you I think last week for your review. If if you don't have any need for discussion, then we would not need that item for an executive session. But we would we still need executive session for other items on that. Okay.

So that would just be a part of the resolutions approving and authorizing the sign. Does anyone council have any questions or concerns about that? We'll move on to eight adoption of minutes of previous meetings. Motion for 8. Second. M. Yes. Yes. Mr. May yes motion for move second miss farmer

yes Mr. Clear yes Mr. Kaki yes mayor yes a motion for 8 seat so move second barmer yes yes Mr. Seems like there are no objective. I will move on to item number 10, introduction of ordinances. Do I have a motion for 10 A? Motion. Motion for 10 A.

Yes, please. Ordinance number 2515- 26. Ordinance appropriating that's a million a,930,325 from the capital improvement fund for various capital improvements in by the township of lines in the county of Mercer New Jersey. Second.

Yeah. This is an ordinance that allows the township to use um the 1,930, 325 from our capital improvement fund, essentially our savings for major projects to pay for various infrastructure and equipment improvements. It does not involve new debt or additional taxes. Rather, it uses funds that have already been set aside as previously authorized by the governing body for these purposes. Any questions from council before question? Miss Farmer. Yes. Mr. J. Yes. Mr. Kaki. Yes. Mayor P.

Yes. A motion for 10B. Ordinance number 2516-26. Ordinance providing for various road improvements, mill and overlay including all working materials in and by the township of Lawrence in the county of Mercer, New Jersey, appropriating 2,430,000 in capital improvement funds. Second, Mr. This is a part of our road improvement program. It does not involve new debt or additional taxes. rather uses the funds that have already been set aside as previously authorized by the governing body for this purposes. Any questions for council?

Question. Mr. Farmer. Yes. Mr. Jia. Yes. Mr. Kaki. Yes. Mayor B. Yes. On to 11. Adoption of ordinance. Motion to make.

Yeah. Motion. Ordinance number 259-26. An ordinance amending ordinance number 253-26 salary ordinance of the township of Lawrence unclassified and/or exempt z season seasonal emergency non-union employees for 2026 through 2029 annual increase the leaving site for the fire department leaison and adding the title assistant superintendent of public works to grade 12. Second second. Thank you, Mr. Winsky.

Uh, this is basically housekeeping items and, uh, amending the ordinance to provide for 2026 2021 cost of living. Thank you. Any questions from council about this ordinance? I'll open it up for public conversation. Any discussion from the public about this ordinance? Seeing none, Miss Farmer. Yes. Yes. Mr. Kaki. Yes. Mayor Bobby. Yes. Manager's report. Mayor, I have nothing to report at this time. I have nothing to report this time.

I will go on from attorney's report to clerk's report. So, I have something to say.

Okay. So, we had the uh financial disclosure uh deadline that was April 30th. Um the notices were sent out, just reminder notices, funny notices. Um but you have to do it before June um 10th otherwise um you may be fined and it's $100 to $500. So, we don't know. All right. The next thing that I have on here is forward. I think I gave you two new applications. Um, one for um the health advisory board and the application for the zoning board. Okay. So, just to let you know, we want to do the zoning board um appointment because I did have one. Okay. Uh let's see what else I have here. Um may um we're going to be on Thursday um the county is having the election meeting. Um there is a few election dates that I would like to just go over. May 12th is the deadline to register to vote. Um May 26 through the 31st is the um early voting period. Um that will start opening up. The drop off box is open now for vote by mail votes. Um and then on May 29th is the deadline uh for vote by mail ballots for the primary. May 31st um is the extended hours I think they're going to have at the county uh for um to apply for vote by mail. June 2nd is election day. And then for those who want to um file nominating petitions have for independent candidates have to be filed by 4:00 with the county clerk

if there's any and the require if they need any um the requirement the signature requirement I can give them that and then we have um our lovely uh council woman uh Jia she would like to present uh two acclamations. Uh one is for they both wonderful. One is for the national gun violence awareness um for 2026 to prepare that and also um to present in June and then um congratulating Jamie Dean on his 31 time championship. Yes. Yes. Yes. Um so if everybody is and doing a plaque as well um if everyone is in agreement we will prepare that for the next meeting.

Okay that would be great. Okay. And that's it. Mayor, do we need a vote to uh support both of those proclamations? No, but I I think is Jigo's in agreement. Yes. Can I be? Yes. I think I think that's just I heard all right. Anything else? That's it. That's my report. Thank you. Uh unfinished business. New business, old business.

I do have something on new business, old business. I know we've been talking about boards and committees. um sort of restructuring them, add possibly adding to them. I know um Councilman Santos has sort of she's already changed the name of growth and redevelopment to the business improvement something I forget. I'm still getting used to the new title, but um I think there's there's also been talk about other committees as well. So I think over this June um I would love to work with all of you as well as Mr. Scythec and Mr. Winsky and sort of revisiting our existing committees and understanding what how we can streamline them whether they need more people or less people.

Um because I know the business group I think has 19

if it's full which it hasn't reached in I want to say 10 20 years at this point. So I think there's things like that and then I would turn to Mr. Cipe as well as Mr. Ninsky to make sure that we don't fall foul of the law and state statute fighting removing any any boards and committees. So, um I think that would be probably an appropriate thing for us to do over the summer. So, thank you. I know reach out to anyone beforehand. This is kind of Thank you. Um,

to that point, I think to that point, I think we still have some appointments to make, right? Yeah. And I think that's the other piece, you know, realizing that we have zoning and we've sort of collected a few applications that we should probably start to go I I would love for everyone who committees are impacted by these applications to to look through and then reach out to various members and take that lead. Would you like for us uh via email the clerk the communication in

with that? Anything else? We move on to 17 public participation. Three minutes I'll close public participation on resolutions. Yeah, I don't think as long as no one has any comments or anything discuss resolutions being moved in a block for 18 through H6. No, I 3 H5. Do I have a second?

Second. Yeah, we're going to move 18 18 B1 through H5. Yeah, she's doing one at a time. She did. She backed up when she realized. Okay, we don't need to close. All right. And we have a second. Yeah. Second, Miss Farmer. Yes. Mia. Yes. Mr. Kaki. Yes. Mayor B. Yes.

Move on to council initiatives and reports. I um don't have um necessarily a report, but if I could make a comment. Okay. Um just one I wanted to wish a happy early mother's day to all the mothers in the room and especially to my fellow uh council women and madam clerk. Thank you.

And also uh we wanted to talk about uh it is mental health command. Um and just as a reminder uh this is something that's very close uh an issue to my heart. Uh and I just wanted to um share once again with the public and members here about the number 988 which is um a suicide and crisis lifeline that is 24 hours 7 days a week free confidential mental health hotline that connects individuals in need of support with counselors across the United States and its territories. So if ever there is someone that is in need that they can know that there's a place that they can go to in 988. Thank you. Thank you.

Um, I will remind everyone that the Memorial Day parade is May 23rd, 10:00 a.m. Um, and that's all I don't forget your Mr. Kaki, do you have anything? Nothing at this time.

All right. And I'll just share that the shade tree committee is still working on the community forest management plan and the environmental committee is working on storm water uh issues as well as um taking a look at um turf fields. They're they're working on white paper that they're going to share with us. also um is anyway um I was I think I received the email about storm water um if there were additional questions about that are you familiar with that um I I don't know which email you're in general apologize

no but I I know Annette loveless who's the chair and woman of that committee is a big that's one of her main focuses committee is storm water imagine so do you Any questions, email to me or or email to direct copy me. Thank you. Um written communications. Um some interesting ones have executive session. So motion to adjourn.