Council - Regular Meeting

ladies and gentlemen, the agenda meeting of the Monroe Township Council is officially called to order. Would you please rise to salute our flag? I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which status, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. You may be seated. Will the clerk please call the role? Councilman Charles Diro here. Councilman Michael Markel. Councilman Rupa P. Seagull here. Let the record show that Council Vice President Terrence Vanzora is absent this evening. Council President Miriam Cohen present. Would you please read the Sunshine Law into the record? In accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, it is hereby announced and shall be entered into the minutes of this meeting that adequate notice has been provided by the following. One, posted on the bulletin board within the municipal building on December 27th, 2024 and remains posted at that location for public inspection. two printed in the Home News Tribune and the Cranberry Press on December 27, 2024. Three, posted on the Monroe Township website. And four, sent to those individuals who have requested personal notice. In accordance with chapter 3, section 17 of the Monroe Township Code, public comment shall be limited to 5 minutes unless further time is granted by the council president. Would you please read ordinance for second reading 0920225-022 followed by 023 energy savings obligation refunding bond ordinance of the township of Monroe in the county of Middle Sex New Jersey providing for the acquisition construction and installation of energy conservation improvements in connection

with an energy savings improvement program of the township appropriating 11 million 500,000 therefore and authorizing the issuance of not to exceed 11,500,000 energy saving obligation refunding bonds to provide for a portion of the cost of such improvements. Ordinance [snorts] 092025023 bond ordinance providing for the acquisition, construction, and installation of energy conservation improvements in connection with an energy savings improvement program in and by the township of Monroe in the county of Middle Sex, New Jersey, appropriating 4,600,000 therefore, and authorizing the issuance of 4,380,000 bonds or notes of the township to finance part of the cost thereof. We will be introducing three ordinances at the council meeting. They are our title only at this point. No. No. And you gave me the wrong Sorry. My apologies. Want me to read them? Sure. Ordinance 0. 111 2022. Ordinance repealing chapter 3, article 18 of the code of the township of Monroe entitled employment policies 011 202525 bond ordinance providing for various capital improvements in and by the township of Monroe in the county of Middle Sex, New Jersey appropriating 2,772,200. Therefore, and authorizing the issuance of 2,638,500 bonds or notes of the township to finance part of the cost thereof. Ordinance 011 2022 026 bond ordinance providing for various improvements to the water sewer utility in and by the township of Buff Monroe in the county of Middle Sex New Jersey appropriating 8,520,000

therefore and authorizing the issuance of 8,520,000 bonds or notes of the township to finance the cost thereof. Ordinance 0112025027, an ordinance amending chapter 108, zoning of the code of the township of Monroe to reduce the number of market rate units required pursuant to the township's third round affordable housing obligation and to provide for affordable units to be applied to the township's fourth round obligation. Thank you. Item seven on the agenda, the resolutions for consideration under the consent agenda at the November 5th, 2025 meeting. That's R12025-210 through R11 2025-233. Any members of the council have anything that they want held at this point? No. We will open for the public comment section. It is limited to agenda items only. Every speaker has five minutes. May I have a motion to open the public portion, please? Thank you. Have a sec. Second. Thank you. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Nay. May come to the microphone. Remember, as I said, this is the only items on this agenda. If anyone wishing to address the council, please come forward now. I see you moving right away. Good evening, Council President. Good evening. Um, George Conman, 5Kart Monroe. Um on page six, item 025, an ordinance

um issuance of 2,638 uh in bonds um what are we financing? Sure. Please, council president. So these items are listed on the ordinance itself. Um there are uh sort of seven or eight different categories. Um this is very typical um of our general capital ordinance. Every year uh we are uh setting aside some money for the acquisition of furniture and other computer related equipment that our IT department has asked for. Um uh the acquisition of a particular mower for our parks department. Um, our EMS had requested um improvements to uh their storage shed and um and work and materials necessary for that and the acquisition of um of certain equip other EMS equipment. Um the acquisition of a sport utility vehicle for the police department. Uh a cab and chassis uh for the department of public works. A floor scrubbing machine for the department of public works. Um and then as we do every year, uh we set aside some money for drainage work and municipal facilities that we um anticipate may arise in the coming year. Number of items, correct? 90% of what was just mentioned will not last as long as the bond that the community is going to pay off. So we have buying we're we're taking out what 20-year bonds. Uh, so the average useful life on this bond, this is the 025, is 8.5 years. And and you think that equipment that you just outlined is going to last longer than the bond period. Some of it will last longer than the bond period. Some of it won't last as long. This is the average uh average useful life. That's how these things are

financed. Okay. The next item 26 uh is water and sewer which you mentioned was already included in the previous one is it? Water and sewer is not included in the previous one. You said drainage. Uh drainage is not not our water and sewer utility. Drainage is our storm water storm water improvements. Looks like water but it's different water. the water sewer capital ordin uh this bond ordinance for water and sewer improvements has to do specifically with our utility department and their separate self-liquidating budget which has to do with treatment facilities, pump stations, you know, everything that that that Joe can speak to much better than I can. But no, they're not the same. Yeah, I just have trouble with bonding all sorts of stuff that is uh that's going to have a life that's shorter than the period of the bond. It's just increasing the indebtedness to the future taxpayers uh for for things, you know, as opposed to financing them with existing funds. But [clears throat] if that's the only way we can do it, so be it. in the consent agenda to item 215. I don't understand um cancellation of of certification of fund balancing connection. Uh this is all stuff with police headquarters. Um what's what particularly is going on in this in this one item here? Sure, council president. Yes, please. So um we recently served a notice of forfeite on the general contractor at the police department for failure to complete um uh the construction. Um I'm not going to get into all the details as

there is uh you know legal components to it. Uh but this cancels the remaining balance that's been not spent but appropriated to that general contractor to free up that money so that we can um utilize it in finishing the project in [snorts] using other means and other contractors. Will someone be able to speak to where we stand with this confusion of uh of contractors failing to perform? And would that be part of anybody's report this evening? I don't think it was prepared to be done this evening. Only simply what we're doing by this ordinance to get the money out so we can begin to make other arrangements. when other arrangements are made, I'm quite sure we will be able to address them in this body and in public so that you are aware. Thank you. You're most welcome. Thanks, John. Anyone else wishing to address us, please come forward now. Good evening, Michelle Armin Street. I want to congratulate all those who ran successfully on their uh victories. I thank you for your service and um I hope that going forward we'll hear more deliberation in this body and we will hear more facts and everything uh from our elected officials. I would love to have that change since we're all interested in transparency. Uh but the question I have is on the ordinance. um 22 for second reading. So the I still feel that this this energy and I know we're going to have

the the public hearing next, but my question is um this particular ordinance the bond is going to be specifically for the energy savings plan. Correct. So, it's specifically for the energy savings plan, Council President. Correct. Correct. That's where the funds are are going to go. Correct. And to pay for the third party that will be uh taking care of that and working on that plan. Correct. Um and we have a representative of Schneider Electric here tonight. They are uh but I can answer the question. Yeah, they are our general contractor. They'll be hiring subcontractors and uh and and and these costs will pay for the cost of materials and construction of that project. And the and I and I forgive me, I haven't read the full plan, which I should have, but it is only for solar panels, correct? No, there are a there are a few other uh envelope uh building envelope improvements, heating improvements, uh sports field lighting at the softball complex. There's a few other they're all required under the statute to be energy savings related. They can't be sort of uh anything in addition to that. The bulk of the project though is uh five significantly sized uh uh solar panel installations uh car ports and rooftop solar. Um so yes and in this 11,500,000 uh are we going to be paying soft cost uh fees to our um own like engineering company and all that? No. So the two bonds together 022 and 023 all fund this project. So it's almost $15 million. And uh no the the general contractor this is a design build type of model which is a little different. So all of those costs soft and hard are included in that in those funds. Okay, that was going to be my

next question on 023 and that is going to be a general obligation bond, correct? Which is different from the bond for 0022. It is different from the refunding bond. It is a general obligation bond, but it's all going toward the same project. These two pieces of financing will fund the same project. Um, the NJ board of uh excuse me, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, not to use the acronym. You're welcome. um they have in their regulations that uh we couldn't fund the entirety of the project on a refunding bond. We had to split it up a little bit with mostly refunding and then a general obligation. However, as the BPU has reviewed our plan, the local finance board in Trenton has reviewed our plan, we had a third party engineering firm review our plan and the savings uh that is generated outweighs the cost of this project. So, it's a budget neutral project even though it's under it'll be funded under two different bond ordinances. That's what I was concerned about. And since you mentioned it, sir, what well um council president, could we have the um amount of the savings since it's been calculated? I believe that you have done some calculations and some promo from the company can answer that. Sure. So, as we had that presentation back in August, I have a couple copies of it here, but but not not enough for everybody, but we was all handed out in August and they provided a presentation here. So, there's there's $20 million in savings. Um when I say savings that's between electrical s uh cost of electric bills, cost of gas bill plus the federal incentive that will expire at the end of this year which is one which is the main reason why we uh are doing this uh process right now that started in September uh so that we could go to the local finance board in October so that we could be here in November have the financing in

place by December to access that $3.5 million that's going away. I understand that argument. Um the $20 million in savings is over how many years? Over 20 years. 20 years. Okay. So, we're spending uh $15 million now for uh a recuperation of over over 20 million years. Um as a lay person who doesn't know numbers, that doesn't sound like um it's a benefit. Okay. But may I ask one more question on that? Your time is up, so do it very quickly. Well, the uh the $3 million, my contention the last time when we had the presentation was, do we trust that the federal government will come through with that $3 million? And if they don't, what is our response and what is our cost to that? Because, as we know, the federal government hasn't been very kind to things, especially like the Gateway project, which is far more uh important to New Jersey. That's it. That's the question. That is the question. And I don't know if we have an answer for you for that question tonight to do the best we can. Sure. So, we have a provision in our contract under this that if something like that happens beyond our control that doesn't allow us to achieve the savings, then we'd be able to back out of this. But the whole thing? The whole thing. Okay. Good to know. Thank you. You're welcome. Anyone else have a question for us or comment regarding an agenda item? Please come forward now. Seeing and hearing none, I'd have to entertain a motion to close the public comment section. Motion. Thank you. May I have a second? Second. All thank you. All in favor? I. Anyone opposed? Agenda meeting is journed. Turning the agenda meeting, we will move to our regular meeting. Motion. Motion to adjurnn. Please. May I have a second on that? Second. May I have a roll call, please? Councilman Dapiro? Yes. Councilman Markeel? Yes. Councilwoman Seagull.

Yes. Council President Cohen, yes. Meeting is adjourned. What is the time on that? 6:49. Very good. Therefore, I'm calling our regular meeting to order. May I have a motion, please? Motion. Second. Second. Thank you both. May I have a roll call? Councilman Deapiro? Yes. Councilman Markell? Yes. Councilwoman Seagull? Yes. Council President Cohen? Yes. Motion is we are in order. May I have a motion to approve the payment of claims per the run date of October 30th, 2025? Motion, please. Motion. Thank you. Strange voice. Second. Second. Roll call. Councilman Zapiro. Yes. Councilman Markell. Yes. Councilwoman Seagull? Yes. Council President Cohen. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. May I have a motion to approve the minutes of the October 6, 2025 agenda and regular combined meeting? Motion, please. Motion. Thank you. [clears throat] Second. Second. Thank you. Roll call. Councilman Diapro. Yes. Councilman Markell. Yes. Councilwoman Seagull. Yes. Council President Cohen. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you very much. May the ordinance to second reading 092025-022. Would the clerk please read that energy savings obligation refunding bond ordinance of the township of Monroe in the county of Middle Sex, New Jersey, providing for the acquisition, construction, and installation of energy conservation improvements in connection with an energy savings improvement program of the township appropriating 11,500,000 therefore and authorizing the issuance of not to exceed 11,500,000 [snorts] energy savings oblig obligation refunding bonds to provide for a portion of the cost of such improvements. May I have a motion to p open a public hearing on this motion?

Thank you so much. May I have a second? Second. All right. The public hearing is open. Anyone wishing to address us on this ordinance only is welcome to come forward. Please stating your name and address for our records. Michelle Armano 9aniel Street. Um since the cost is on this bond is 11 thou 11,500,000 um and we are going to reap the benefits over 20 years. What would be the um the debt on this bond over that 20 years? The actual number I'm I'm not sure I understand. Do we have an idea of the rate first of all? Uh so we won't know the rate until the bond goes out for sale. We recently had a bond sale where we did very well at three I think less than 3.2%. So, but we won't go out for several weeks. So, until the estoppel period on the ordinance ends. So, I can't guarantee that today. Okay. So, based on something between what we've already done on a bond and um maybe 5% if the rates go up, do we have I mean, well, it's important to know if we're going to if we're going to bond out 11 million plus money, the the debt and the the debt and the payment on a monthly basis. We put that into a fund. The debt payment. Correct. So there's it adds to our overall debt. Correct. But the but the debt payment on a yearly basis is what what what will that be? Council President, I think and I I'm looking at Lori. I think on a refunding bond maybe it doesn't count against our overall debt statement. Am I Can you use that? Can Can it go on the record? Can you speak that by the microphone so you can be heard, please? It's actually a deduction, so it doesn't count toward toward our total debt. Okay. So, but we still have to pay the interest,

correct? On that debt. So, what would that what is that approximately going to be? Even if you want to use the old rate, the bond rate. Um, I don't believe I have that at the moment, but the idea is that the savings that we achieve and we still we you're right, we do have to pay the debt. We do have to pay the principal um and the interest both on the refunding bond and the general obligation fund uh bond. And then the after that the $400 or $500,000 that's left over is pumped back into the program to pay for upgraded heating systems, LED lighting, and sports fields. So that money is then being utilized to do some projects we would otherwise have to pay out of pocket for. Okay. But with all due respect, that doesn't answer the question. There's a cost to bonding for this. What is our debt cost on a yearly basis? Do we have that answer yet? Because if we're saying that we are going He's going to answer it. Yes, I know he is. But my comment during the hearing is that if we're saying we're going to pay this out over 20 years, it's going to be a cost to the community over 20 years. I'd like to know what the debt is on a regular basis. Even if it doesn't go into our but I I well I don't get that financing that we still we still have the cost of the principal, but it's not going to be charged against the debt we have. Yes, Mr. Chair, because it's a refunding bond. Just to answer that last question, because the savings that's achieved is greater than the overall debt, it doesn't count against us in terms of So my simple question is we keep hearing about the savings we're going to overall rechieve. I'm just wanting to know what that is. Yeah, I'll just be candid. I don't have a monthly I don't have a monthly payment and I apologize and we can talk about it tomorrow. Yearly payment, madam, we don't have it tonight. We can see if we can when that information is available, you will get it as will everyone else who's in by that time. the bond will have been approved. So my we will approve the bond tonight.

Right. So correct the information that my government representatives don't have the full information in my opinion nor does the public for the entire for the ordinance and the cost of the ordinance overall. I'm not trying to be difficult. them trying to be a a a citizen who who at at $11 million, we should know if you're going to say we're going to we're going to reap the benefits and it's going to cost the cost to us, what what is it? What cost will we be? Tempting to get more information for you. And again, my point is if we're going to vote on an ordinance of this size, we should have all the all the numbers. I mean, don't you think no one's would you have something to add? So, so the this debt the maturity rates the principal maturity changes a little bit every year and so we do have a we do have a breakdown of of of township costs. Um, sorry give him the mic. So some years it, you know, it's projected to be, you know, 922,000 up to up to a million. So let's say between 750,000 to a million dollar a year in paying the debt down. Correct. Okay. And so our projection benefit to gain is what? What is the what is the big number in after 20 years that we're going to save? I mean, we're saying we're saving on all this stuff. What's the savings? Correct. Again, the savings is is is doing two things. It's paying for the debt service and it's going toward, like

I said, $300 or $400,000 in other projects such as sports field lighting, heating improvements at various facilities, um, envelope, building envelope improvements, all of which contributes to that savings. It is my understanding that this is not an unusual process with this. You addressed it when you addressed the group. Not all. It's a very common very common very common with doing solar funding to have this kind of applying the savings back into the cost so it reduced it. So at this point I'm going to say that we have the information we can give you. We don't have anything we can't give you and we will pro I would assume during the time that the community will get updates and discussions as it is a comment if anybody I'll get up if anybody else does anyone else have next anyone else have a would like to address us regarding this issue please sir happy to move Council President. Yes, please. Yeah. Something we've all done is is take out a mortgage or 90ome percent of us have taken out a mortgage by law. They have to tell you what the total cost of that is at that point. How do we get here tonight? And we don't know what the total cost of borrowing this money is. You can't finance a house legally. The bank must tell you that. And we're sitting here and we're told we don't have it. And yet council is going to vote tonight. Doesn't seem right to me. Thank you. You're welcome. Anyone else wishing to address this regarding this issue? Please come forward now. Seeing and hearing none, I'm going to close the public a motion to close the public hearing. Motion. Thank you. May I have a second on that?

Second. Thank you. No objection. The public hearing is closed. I would like a motion to council. Council president. Yes, sir. May I um interject uh please? So I didn't want I didn't want to uh make a comment when a a resident comes up to the public to the it's a public portion. I will not interfere with public but um I just like to do a little clarification if I could um understand and help everybody understand um as the two residents talked about uh what is our cost. So, it's a 20-year bond that we are going to obtain. Um, the rates are when we've always received bonds the eight years that I've sat here uh and other um bonds that in in another, you know, fire fire uh company that I'm involved with. Um sometimes the bonds increase each year to different to different um interest. But is this going to be the 20-year proposed bond that we're where the the numbers were, you know, the going rate as as uh the second resident spoke about a mortgage and sometimes you get adjustable rate mortgage, sometimes you get a fixed mortgage uh and then sometimes you refinance because the rates go down and that's the beauty of of you know having having that option and I've seen our I've seen it in the past where we've done that the council has done that where they refinanced all of the debt because the rates went down uh and saved the taxpayers money and it's a smart thing to do. So, um I just want clarification so everybody understands what we're up here and we're doing. It looks like it, you know, it doesn't look like we're we're shooting a number from the sky and saying, "Oh, yeah, we're going to save money." There was a there was a presentation in August that was proposed

to us and to the public that said we're going to save $20 million. That's what I remember. Okay. Over a 20-year plan. And what that savings that all incorporates what the cost is going to be on an annual basis. whatever the principle and the interest is going to be for that bond, it was all included in that savings of the $20 million is the way I understand it. Um, and I hope that we can explain uh we explain that to the public and and to the people to the council. Um, and if I'm saying something wrong, by all means, tell me I'm wrong. But I just wanted to I want to understand that the 20-year note is still going to we're still going to save estimated projection of $20 million. Now things change from the next 20 years as we all felt are paying this year in electric bills. We don't know what's going to happen in 20 years. None of us have a crystal ball. But if the rates go lower and if we have a higher interest bond, whoever is on this council, I'm sure it'll do the right thing for the community to say, "Hey, we have debt that we could lower." And our professionals that we use in a bond council will make a recommendation to us to do that. And that's what they've done in the past. That's what we were going to I like to see in the future. And I just wanted clarification on that. And and um I can do it. The last thing that the last thing I wanted to say was um the presentation. The biggest concern I had was going to MTUD and putting panels in a lake. That was my concern. Now, I don't know if there's any other facilities. I would like to go visit them and see where they are because that to me um is like

putting water and electric in the same in the same kind of bowl we'll call it is is dangerous. So I don't understand it enough but that's the only question we have the gentleman here tonight that did the presentation but I just wanted the clarification of the financing. I'm more concerned about that. Council president I'll answer the finance question. I'll ask Scott Perie from from Schneider to answer the question about the panels at our uh at our MTUD pond. So, and and I I apologize earlier. I do I do have the information. They are projections based on a conservative 3.85% interest rate. We may end up with a better interest rate than that. And this bond, the the funds within the refunding bond become mature at different points throughout the 20 years. So, you've got a slightly different projected annual cost. That's why I said before in some years in the early years you might be looking at more like $900,000 per year and in some of the later years more like 600,000 6 uh 55 667 669. So again these are projections. All bond ordinances function that way because until you authorize us to go out to sale to actually achieve the financing, we don't know what the interest rate is going to be. That's so I hope that's talk about the panels on the lake. Please, sir. Thank you. I think it's on. Yeah. Uh yes. So, so for putting uh solar panels on the pond at MTUD, uh it has been done before. There's there's actually a number of them that have been done in New Jersey as well. And we did leverage uh that design engineer that did those uh that designed those in this uh design as well in the the electricity carrying wires don't go underwater. They actually sit on top of the water. So they're like on on floats if you will. Could you give the uh council president

the locations? I'd like to go visit them. The nearest one's in Saraveville and it's been operating for a while. We should go. We should take a look. Yeah, I would love to go see it. We we can provide some locations uh that are nearby that have those. Yep. Thank you very much. Thank you. Anyone else? Are we prepared to have a motion now? Yes. Yes. Please make a motion to adopt ordinance 09202522. May I have a second on that motion, please? Thank you very much, gentlemen. May I have a roll call, please? Councilman Dapiro, yes. Councilman Markell, yes. Councilwoman Seagull, yes. Council President Cohen, yes. Motion carries. Thank you all. We move to 092025-023. Would you please Scott? Bond ordinance providing for the acquisition, construction, and installation of energy conservation improvements in connection with an energy savings improvement program in and by the township of Monroe in the county of Middle Sex, New Jersey, appropriating 4,600,000 therefore and authorizing the issuance of 4,380,000 bonds or notes of the township to finance part of the cost thereof. Thank you. This is the companion to the motion to the ordinance we just adopted. If I would like to have a motion motion, please. Thank you. May I have a second on that? Second. Thank you. All in favor? I. Any opposed? No. Anyone wishing to address us on this companion ordinance, please come forward now. I wish you'd sit in the front of the room, you know. Some Jesus Sorry for the delay. I'm moving. You know, it's uh

um I'd like to add on what what Council Pero was talking about with the pond, right? Um we have in in Monroe a lot of um wetlands that we uh have. They're some of some of them are fenced and protected. Um, is there some re is there a prohibition from using them? It would appear to me that it would be a lot less expensive to put it on wetlands than on water and it just something that could be looked into. It may not be relevant to this particular discussion, but you would like it on the record. Yeah. You know, vote, right? But while we're investigating locations, I I think it would be useful to find out if we're allowed uh under the management of wetlands that are township property uh to put such a facility there just might be cheaper. Thank you. Anyone else wishing to comment on this please? Tell Armen9 Street. Um, uh, Council President, let me first, uh, thank, um, Representative, um, and Councilman, uh, Depiro for actually, uh, bringing information to it. I am I I'm still a little skeptical about this based on I think we have we're getting limited benefit from it. I don't know how much we're actually going to get in terms of improvement. I'm all for conservation. I'm all for um uh the solar energy. It's all it's all about that. I just don't know if the cost versus uh the benefit on this particular uh pro uh program is is worth it. However, uh I'd like to ask the same

question of this ordinance as I did of the previous one about what would be the approximate cost on a yearly basis. Council President, the two ordinances are um they're aggregated. So the cost that the cost analysis that I have is is for both of them together. So So it it in those numbers that I gave before included both bonds, correct? Okay. I don't have it broken out, you know, one versus the other. Okay. Please understand that when when you're asking the the the public to support these things, it's our taxpayer dollars that that are are doing that. And while again um energy and conservation issues are utmost in my mind and I've been doing this for 25 years asking for consideration for good conservation programs um just based on my experience with the board of education and the amount of actual physical construction things that are happening in that bond and that energy saving program. I was I was a little skeptical that this is is going to give us the same kind of benefit versus the cost. So I hope that you will actually shepherd this through. I hope you all have good happy lives for the next 20 years and watch these things for us. Planning on I beg your pardon? Planning on the next one. Okay, good. So please um watch out for our taxpayer dollars and make sure this is an efficient use of them. And um thank you. Anyone else wishing to address the council at this moment, please come forward now? Seeing and hearing none, may I have a motion to close the public hearing on motion. Thank you. You're all moving quickly. We've done. May I have a second on that? Second. Thank you. And a motion to adopt, please. Motion. May I have a second on that motion? That's 092025-023. Thank you. Second. May we have a roll call? Councilman Dapiro. Yes. Councilman Markell.

Yes. Councilwoman Seagull. Yes. Council President Cohen. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Item five is ordinance 012025-024. It's it for reading of this ordinance and we are the ordinance requests for repealing chapter 3 article 18 of the code of the township of Monroe entitled employment policies. May I have a motion please? Motion. Thank you. May I have a second? Second. Thank you. Roll call. Councilman Dapiro. Yes. Councilman Markell. Yes. Councilwoman Seagull? Yes. Council President Cohen? Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. 012025-025 land ordinance providing for various capital improvements in and by the township of Monroe in the county of Middle Sex, New Jersey, appropriating $2,772,200. Therefore, in authorizing the issuance of bonds of $2,638,500 bonds or notes of the township to finance part of the cost thereof. May I have a motion, please? Motion. Thank you. A second on that. Second. Thank you. Roll call. Councilman Depiro. Yes. Councilman Markell. Yes. Councilwoman Seagull? Yes. Council President Cohen? Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Would the clerk please read 012025-026 and 27 bond ordinance providing for various improvements to the water sewer utility in and by the township of Monroe in the county of Middle Sex, New Jersey. appropriating 8,520,000 therefore and authorizing the issuance of 8,520,000 bonds or notes of the township to finance the cost thereof. May I have a motion on that, please? Motion. Second. Second. Good. Roll call. Councilman Depiro,

yes. Councilman Markell, yes. Councilwoman Seagull, yes. Council President Cohen, yes. Motion carries. West. Ordinance 0112025027, an ordinance amending chapter 108 zoning of the code of the township of Monroe to reduce the number of market rate units required pursuant to the township's third round affordable housing obligation and to provide for affordable units to be applied to the township's fourth round obligation. May I have a motion on that, please? Motion. Second. Hello. Second. Thank you so much. Roll call, please. C. Council President, I just I just wanted to ask a question. Uh, last week, last Thursday, I sent a request to our township attorney for a copy of an agreement, which I never got a response from anybody. Um, I also copied Kevin um and the clerk's office as well. Council President. Yes, please. I I remember you asking for an agreement between for for the North Disb Butcher Road uh property. Yeah. So, that property hasn't closed yet, so we don't have the contract yet. All right. So, is this affecting that property? This zoning ordinance? Yeah. No, this this change of the third round um the units is this affecting it does not. Okay. Because um All right. So, can I get that agreement? There was a draft. We received a draft. Oh. Oh, we might be talking about two different things. Are you talking about the actual contract to purchase the property? I'm talking about the agreement between federal business, um, JSM, East, South, Northwest, whatever he is on 33. Um, and also the Township of Monroe. And I and and I'll tell you why my what my concern is. My concern is

when I read the draft that the township does not receive the property until they get a COO on 1,900 square ft of warehouse. That's the way I read the draft. And I just wanted to see if that's going to be the case um you know on on the the final agreement and I asked Lou but he never responded. So there's the council president, there's two agreements here that we're talking about. One is, and I apologize if we didn't provide it to you. I'll get it to you tonight or tomorrow morning. Is was an a memorandum of understanding between um Edward Properties, the township, and Federal Business Center having to do specifically with the property at um Disb Hill and Butcher Road. The 1.9 million warehouse $ 1.9 million square foot warehouse project was a separate agreement that this council passed unanimously in September. Um I can give you a copy of that again but it was it was something that was passed and and was in all your council materials in September. Same as the final agreement. No, you again the council passed the final agreement at its September meeting. Okay. So the draft was the same as the final. There was a final that the council passed at the September meeting and I can get you another copy but there I like that. Of course. Thank you. Okay. You okay now? I'm fine. Thank you, council president. Thank you. Thank you. So, can we move forward now? Yes. Good. Do we have a motion? We have a motion and a second on the table for this ordinance. May we have a roll call, please? Councilman Diapro? Yes. Councilman Markell? Yes. Councilwoman Seagull? Yes. Council President Cohen? Yes. Motion carries. Okay. Thank you. We now move to resolutions for consideration under the consent agenda. Repeating again R112025-210

through R11 2025-233. There have been no and nothing has beened from this. May I have a motion, please? Motion. Thank you. A second on that. Second. Roll call. Councilman Diapro. Yes. Councilman Markell. Yes. Councilwoman Seagull. Yes. Council President Cohen. Yes. Motion carries. We have moved to administration reports. Thanks, Council President. I'll be brief tonight. Um, I just want to thank the council for and I know we had a great discussion and a lot of discussion on the energy savings uh program. I appreciate the council uh uh approving the both bond ordinances and all the necessary resolutions that come with it. Um, I think as even some residents uh acknowledged, there's some there there's different components to this. There's fi a financial benefit, there's an environmental benefit, there's a a benefit to residents who um, you know, have been asking for covered parking at places like the library. Um, our DBW's been asking for covered parking for their vehicles to keep them u safer from the elements. And uh and and what's really sort of exciting about this project is that at places like DPW and and um and MTUD will actually produce uh more energy than is needed to to service those actual buildings and we'll get a credit toward other facilities that were not eligible for solar. This building included, right? this building, the community center, the senior center were considered by JCPNL and BPU to be not uh conducive based on an analysis that they do of energy that can enter the grid, etc. But through remote net metering, we actually get to utilize the excess energy credits at at the DPW facility and other facilities to offset costs at

at multiple township facilities, this this included. And so, um, we we recognize this is a a complicated program and, um, but but it's it really is, uh, it really is beneficial on many levels in my opinion and I'm, uh, very, uh, happy on behalf of the mayor, uh, that, uh, that we've approved it tonight, that the council's approved it tonight. So, thank you, M. Welcome, Mr. Mo. Thank you, council president. Uh work continues at the James Monroe Park on the concession stand and park improvements as well as uh our pickleball courts and parking lot at the senior center. That work continues there. And you know, we're into November, so as the weather uh continues to hold out for us, those projects uh should move forward to uh towards completion. That's my report. Council reports, I'll begin on my Councilman Dupure, your scribbling. You might as well start. Okay. Thank you very much. You're welcome. So, um I'll start with um the paving out in front of the um municipal complex uh schoolhouse road. It's we um MTUD did a uh emergency service out there. Stayed there till like 3 4:00 in the morning. Did a great job. Looks like the water is not leaking, but it's only base paved. Uh winter's common. There's some areas uh in the township that I like to see if we could get top coat paving on these facilities on these uh streets rather because when you snow plow it's a lot easier with a smooth surface and a finish uh pavement than when you have um base pavement down. And while I'm on that note, um I received a lot of complaints and I passed it along to MTUD and also to Kevin. Uh Pagola Avenue,

American Water. Could we get an update on what exactly is going on at at that street? They're working beyond the 10:00 uh curfew of uh of the time that our ordinance says for for noise. But I'm I'm concerned about the neighbors are complaining. Um the the traffic pattern is a disaster. I they go right past my house every night. Um there's nothing lit at all other than a sign that says, you know, uh work ahead road will be closed. So there's there's a traffic pattern problem. There's there's not proper um I don't think there's proper traffic. Uh I had a conversation with our uh engineer and he said he was going to address it. It did get better, but there's some improvements that still need uh to be done, but I don't know what the time frame is, completion date, are they going to pave curb to curb? So, if someone can give us some updates on that, I'd appreciate it. Mark, I think I think you were talking to that contractor recently. Yeah, I I don't have all the details as far as completion date. Um, we'll we'll take another [clears throat] look at the uh the detour route. Um, whether um I know they did add signage out there. Um, there's a couple of detour plans set up based on the phasing of that project when they're at certain sections of that. Um, the detour does change. Um, I I I'll follow up with them on that detour plan again uh and try to get you completion dates. Um the night work has been overnight work is um based on the approved detours that we did with the police and and Jamesburg as well as Monroe. The um to try to do that project during the day and shut down that road would be a disaster as far as traffic

from uh um you know both in Monroe and and Jamesburg. So So that's why it's getting done overnight. They're doing the closures at night, but um I'll follow up with them on the detours and ensure that all that signage is put back in place if it's not up. I have a question, Mark. Is it possible that we could notify the I'm sorry. Is it possible for the residents in that area to be notified why they're working at night? That may help dim down the complaints when they're aware they're doing it so that they can survive during the day and go about their business. They may not. And if any of you live in that area here tonight, take that message back. it's working at night to make it reasonable to use the road during the day and go about daily business. Certainly, I'll follow up on that. There there was supposed to be notices that went out to those residents, but that was at the early stages of the project probably. So, now that they're in the later stages, there probably should have been a renotice. Again, it's not a a Monroe Township project or or our utility department. It it's with the uh the American Water. Um, and it it's mostly in Jamesburg, but does certainly there are some residents in Monroe who are on that system and um, you know, I I'll look into that road a lot, which is not usual for me and I Thank you, Council President, and thank you, Mark. Um, so I was on a road yesterday on Metroponics making a left and someone was in the right lane and cut right in front of me to make the turn onto spots of gravel hill be because they didn't realize that that road was closed and they got into that lane. So when the lane's open, if you can make a right going into the pines, you have to leave the lane open. But if someone's stuck in that lane that wanted to go straight, they're kind of they kind of like have no choice but to cut off the person in the left lane, which happened to be me. But at the time, I'm just, if you look at the detour, the way

the pattern goes, it takes them all the way from from that intersection all the way to Buckoo and SP and Schoolhouse. So, I'm just you really got to look at the the plan because it doesn't work. It just doesn't work. And if somebody's driving that doesn't know the area, then you're really going to be confused and nothing's lit up at night and it's dark out there. Council President, the other the other challenge to this, it is uh Middle Sex Countyy's roadola. It's not a township road. Um so that that's another challenge to this project. But I I'll follow up with both uh the contractor as well as the county. Thank you. Because if you we just paved lower Machoponics and they cut into the to the street already and they went into um Cherella's property and if you look at the um the pavement restoration that they did I mean doesn't look acceptable to me. I mean you guys have to look at it. We just p paved the road brand new road and they just chopped it up. And I just like to see restoration go curb to curb in Monroe. I don't care who's doing the project. Our engineers, our engineer, he looks out for us. It's a heavy traffic road. A lot of school buses drive on that road and um there's a school bus depot right there. Uh a matter of fact. So, I just like to see the the curb to curb restoration uh for the future once it's complete. So, um the rec center, we do we ever do these safety lights because I don't see them on at night uh when I go down there. Let's see. Council President, are you talking about the the the crosswalk between the two? It was my understanding that that was operational. Mark, sure. The flashing crosswalk is has been installed. But have you been down there at night to see if it works? I have not been down there at night. Um, but it it was uh inspected and uh and

and approved and uh authorized payment. Okay. But no one does anybody see it work? I haven't seen it on my my office. I checked it. I'll follow up personally. If you could follow up on it, I'd appreciate it. Um, Prospect Planes and Applegart uh intersection. Um, there was I thought that it was going to start on September 20th was the date that I heard. Can we get an update on that intersection? I know it's county, but I just like to have an update. Apple and Prospect Lane. Yeah. Do we have a start date? So it the the project has already started as uh so they are on the clock so to speak uh for uh the number of calendar days. I think it was about 12 months. Um right now utility work is going on. So there's a lot of behind the scenes happening with Jersey Central and and the utility polls. I know there was an issue near the railroads with some utility poles. They had a meeting out there about two weeks ago. the county and the utility companies. Um, so right now you're not going to see construction other than utility work happening with regard to utility poles, gas mans, and possibly water as well. There's uh, I believe a hydrant that has to be moved, but but you're not going to see actual curb installations or paving happening until spring. Spring. All right. the contractor um four seasons development. Is the all the off-site complete on their obligations for their uh for their approval for prospect planes? All all the off-site work for Four Seasons is complete. I'm not aware of any water and soar that they may have to do, but I believe all that's complete as well. Everything's complete. Okay. Thank you. Um Federal Road, I sent a couple emails, sent some pictures. Federal Road spots to Englishtown um intersection. If you go down there, um you'll see the

guardrail that you need a guardrail in front of the guardrail uh down there because the guardrail is just it's it's p it's being destroyed every day. And uh I was there the other day and I watched a um a local paving contractor who just got an approval have a low boy um take a a turn to to to turn and onto Federal Road with a low boy and there was a woman coming uh the other way and he went right into the lane and um there's there's so much activity going on at that intersection, heavy traffic. I don't can we put cameras at that intersection cuz who's paying for all of this damaged guardrail if if the the vehicle just damages the guardrail and leaves? Who's paying for all this stuff? Please, council president, I know we're discussing uh, you know, placement of the guardrail in in a slightly slightly different location and position to try to make that better. I I'd have to get back to you on c I'm not familiar with us providing cameras at various intersections, but Mark, I don't know if you have any, you know, anything else to add. Yeah, as far as the guardrail, we're looking at an alternative out there to as far as the location, but frankly, you know, you're quite aware of the application and the contractor down the street who had an approval that prohibited his truck from coming into this intersection. So, if you do happen to see his trucks in there, um, please notify, you know, our zoning office so that our zoning officer can do his job. see the residents that called me in that area and complained. This contractor is leaving 3:30 in the morning. And if we called the police officer 3:30 in the morning, um, and and or you call them anytime by the time someone gets to the scene, uh, other than if we had camera at that location or if I needed to sit there, uh, 3:30 in the morning

and take pictures, you know, I'll do it. I have no problem doing it. But the obligation, I mean, the zoning officer is not there. I get it. And we don't expect the zoning officer 724, but that contractor, just look at look at the improvements that he did not do on the driveway. And just look at all where the tracks are coming out of his his complex. They're all making left turns and the stone that he has down, not the black top that he was supposed to put black top. And he's destroying our road. We just paved that section of the road. And now he's destroying all the guardrail. And And then when I was down there the other day, he took a woman coming um with a with a van. He she had to stop and make back up and make room for him to make the the turn. And I appreciate you guys like relocate in the guardrail cuz if you put it in the same spot, we're only going to be redoing it within a month cuz just go down there and look at it. It's It's unbelievable. So, and I did send some pictures, but if if you can get back to me, if we get some cameras at the intersection, I think we need it. I really do. So, somebody if somebody gets hurt, it's going to be a bigger problem. Uh, clerk's office did a great job election and and you know, you guys you guys, I mean, the the complaints, they're getting less and less, you know, over the years that I've been doing this and all of us been doing it. Uh, I gotta say you guys did a great job. The pole workers did a great job. Uh, the schools were closed, which was easier. Um, unfortunately because we all heard what happened to other towns. Thank God it didn't happen to our town. Um, I think going through the election process, everybody's, you know, the nailbiters and you work hard and you, everybody works hard. I want to congratulate all the winners and I want to say thank you to everyone that participated. It's not

easy. Um, and it's it's also nerve-wracking to families that all involved, friends, neighbors, and all of us. So, everybody, I just want to say thank you uh to the clerk's office and everybody involved. And good luck to all of our candidates that won. So, board of ed, board of ed, and council and and governor and all the way all the way up and all the way down. So, I want to say good luck. Uh, Veterans Day, we're gonna be on Avenue K. Yes, we will. At 9 at nine o'clock. Yes, we will. We're never late. We want to make sure that we have our veterans like to make I'm sorry. Make sure our residents join us. Yes, that's what I just wanted to point out. Um, so we had a um we had a situation in our town where um Paramont Pictures made a complaint to a local business owner about a logo um that he had been using for over 10 years and it brought a lot of attention, a lot of traction to Monroe Township and in a good way that in a good way that um you know he partic participated the business owner uh the husband and wife that owned the um pizzeria and and restaurant. It it was just something that [clears throat] you know it's unfortunate that uh they they said that it was their logo and they have the rights to it and we totally understand how that works. And he was they were gentlemen and she was looking at like oh we'll just change it. Well Channel 12 News grabbed the story. ABC News grabbed the story and you know Doe Followers is the is the business and they help the residents and they help our community. But I just wanted to say a shout out, you know, to um our business owner that I mean he was it's all over it was all

over the globe and it was it was something because a lot of people you know a lot of people said I heard about do files I heard about it and uh you know as my son says no press if you have no press then it's not good you know you have to have you got to be in the press when you're in business. So he says however you're in the press that's good. So, uh, I just thought that I wanted to say to do followers and them, thank you for everything you do for our community and, uh, just to make everybody aware and just say happy Thanksgiving to to everybody this year. Uh, this will be a good a good Thanksgiving for this month. Thank you, Councilman Markeel. Okay, I'm gonna make this. Um, I just uh, Councilman Dapiro touched on Veterans Day. I just want to say that um one of the most important days in our country is Veterans Day. I know we celebrate a lot of holidays, but it seems to me, I don't know, it just seems to me that Veterans Day does not get the accolades that is due. Um if it wasn't for our veterans, we wouldn't have the other holidays. We wouldn't celebrate in peace the other holidays that we do with confidence. Um so just on as uh Councilman said um on Veterans Day on Avenue K, we're going to celebrate Veterans Day uh this Sunday from uh 12 to 2 at the senior center. There's going to be a celebration for V Veterans Day Sunday. What's the date on that? 9th. The 9th from 12 to 2. Um the tree lighting is December 3rd as you uh at the community center. Um, and the only thing I I want to say, um, the clerk's office, um, uh, yesterday, when was veteran, do we have an election yesterday? I think we, yeah, I think we did. Um, we had an election yesterday. I want to congratulate, uh, Councilman uh,

Seagull and Councilman Dapiro for their win. Um, they were there at 5:00. PE, people don't understand. They they were there at 5:00 in the morning and they were there till what you guys got out of there what 11:12 at night. What time? 1 10:30. 10:30 that's a short day then. I thought it was that was short. So they work a day from 5:00 a.m. to 10:30 on on election day. And um it's part of our process in this country of democracy and people take it for granted. Some people don't even have 10 minutes to go vote while these people are working for how many hours? I can't do the math. They're out there all day and all night. Um, needless to say, the candidates were I want to tell you something good that happened here. Um, the Democratic Party and the Republican party here in Monroe actually got together and we bought pizza for every uh pole worker. And when we delivered them, uh, I said, "This is a bar bipartisan pizza." Um, we finally did something bipartisan positive in this country that hasn't gone on for a while. And some of them asked, I I said I tried to make half of them blue and half of them red, but the pizzeras wouldn't do it. But anyway, um, I just want to touch on something light-hearted, something good that happened, a great election. It was peaceful here in Monroe. He had some little bit of quirks here and there that uh I'm sure Charlie heard about, I heard about. Um and but I definitely want to shout out to the clerk's department. Um I can't emphasize enough the hard work that they do and what they put up on and some of the stories they tell me that goes on. They're great. Anyway, I just the Veterans Day is my most important message today. Please, please remember the veterans and and um as I say, it's more important than some of these other

holidays we have. Thanks very much. You're most welcome, Councilwoman Seagull. Good evening. Thank you, Council President. So, I want to start by echoing my council colleagues, uh thanking the clerk's office. Thank you to my council colleagues that won the re-election, but I really do I thank you the clerk's office because I know how much you work hard to get the numbers. Everybody's waiting. So we appreciate everything that you do. Thank you. Uh just a couple updates from our cultural arts commission. Last month we had our Dvali event and it was sponsored by the culture arts commission and it was a wonderful event. We had a great turnout despite the weather. It was a rainy Sunday. But I do want to thank the committee um for a year's worth of working on the event. And also to Greg Slavichek and our entire DPW team. They are amazing making our event so smooth. plus our OEM and police department and any other departments that help us. I know parks and wreck also help out and our committee each year we collect donations in gift cards to give to the Betty Schneider food pantry and this year from our vendors and restaurants that participated we have $750 that we will be donating to the food pantry before Thanksgiving. And another event I want to share as leazison to the culture arts commission that's coming up is Mr. Ray on Saturday, November 15th at 3 p.m. at the rec center. This is a program that the Cultural Arts Commission is bringing geared to our families age students aged 3 to 8. It's a program bringing positive and inspiring messages about kindness, having good manners, and staying healthy. So, please do check out this event and please check out the Monroe Township of Arts page. There's a lot of wonderful concerts and events coming up as we close out the year. Thank you. You're most welcome. I understand you need to address us, sir. Sorry. Yes. There's one thing I neglected to uh to mention before. Uh just want to update the council that we've submitted our best practices inventory to the state of New Jersey.

It's that time of year. Want to thank so much uh L'Oreola and her whole team for for putting that together and we pass with flying colors as we always do. But uh just just wanted to make that make that clear. Thank you. You are most welcome. We will now open for public comments. section. Uh, again, five minutes per speaker, please. May I have a motion to open the public comment section? Motion. May I have a second on that? Hello. Second. Thank you. Good. All in favor? No oppos. Mr. Gunglman, it started early. Oh, good. Because you didn't I understand getting, you know, [snorts] George Gunglman, five Kelly court. Um, quickly, uh, there there are a number of old cemeteries in the town and DPW has done a good job of mowing, but there is some need for restoration, uh, where there are tombstones that are tipped over, and I don't know if that would fall under the Bailey wick of the historic com commission or if we have an entity in the township that could look into this. And you know, even if we have to do a fundraiser for it, you know, it's it's it's worthy of some respect. Um, so I I I don't know. Cranberry had a grant to do that. You know, DPW does mow in in these they're not connected any longer to any church or any other thing. And DPW's kept them uh somewhat civilized. But even the people that work for D2B have indicated that there there's need of some additional um help there. Um in the consent resolution,

there's an item on 224 um regarding a uh additional 25,000 to the architect for expansion of the parking lot. In the world that I worked in, parking lots were part of the engineers work, not the architects. Sure, I can. Sorry, council president. I can explain. Oh, goody. Yes. So, um, the Alimo firm was handling our architecture, our our design, engineering of the police expansion and our construction management of the police department construction. The the title that they were originally given was for the police expansion and parking lot. It was just the title of the of the larger project. Now that that is um in a phase where we um need to uh seek various remedies and utilize the bond company because we don't have the general contractor anymore. Uh we do need to utilize their expertise and over the last two years on the job uh to help us through that process. So the council uh a little while ago authorized that uh extension 25,000. It it's not it's not that they're doing parking lot work. It's that the title of the entire project was police expansion in parking lot. Okay. Confusing. Um understood. Thank you. Um item 231. Um yes. What what is this? What what's happening under this uh item? Sure. Please. Sir. So, Council President, we had previously purchased the Garveys property at 405 Spotswood uh Gravel Hill Road. Uh now that the demolition is complete and uh and the remediation is

complete out there, we are simply uh applying officially um executing the grant agreement that would give us the $1 million reimbursement from the county uh toward that purchase. And uh and we had to do that at the end of our activities. uh the the county uh you know pledged that to us uh during the purchase but this is the grant agreement that executes that. Thank you. You're welcome. That's all I have. Wow. Good. Anyone else wishing to address us please come forward sir. Welcome. It's not on that subject on something else. That's fine. Any subject sir? Any Yeah. Any subject subject to the five minute limitation on your time, your name and address for our records, please. Yes. Peter Econom, 110 Diamond Spring Drive, Stonebridge. Thank you. Good evening, everybody. Good evening. Okay. Let's see with my glasses on. I'm here to speak about the Immigrant Trust Act that is in committee in our state legislature. There are a couple of us tonight. Actually, there would have been more. Uh but you're saved. Uh they're actually attending a town council meeting in New Brunswick where the ITA is on the agenda. Uh, at last month's meeting, I and about 10 other Monroe residents spoke in front of the council requesting that you issue a resolution in expressing support for the Immigrant Trust Act. We're disappointed that the matter was not put on the agenda for tonight's meeting and urged that it be re uh scheduled for the discussion at the December meeting. Let's face the facts. Non-whites in our country are being

targeted by the Trump administration. They have halted or weakened policies and ignored laws that disproportionately harm racial and ethnic minorities, particularly dark-skinned people. The original premise for rounding up immigrants has been proven to be the sham that we already we all knew that it was. And while we cannot stop ICE and DHS from conducting these raids, it is within our power to provide some protection to safeguard some of the personal information of our immigrants that'll make it more difficult for them to be rounded up. With Steven Miller calling the shots on immigration enforcement, there is reason to believe that this crackdown is not going to stop with Latinos, who by the way make up about 6% of the Monroe residents, which comes to about 3,000. But also potentially at risk are about 25% of Monroe's residents who are of Indian heritage. Trump has already signed executive orders that are likely to impact this population the most. He has ended the automatic extension of employment authorizations. He has increased the fees for the H1B visas and he has imposed stricter scrutiny on green card holders who are applying for citizenship. Keep in mind that US citizenship is no guarantee of immunity. We have sadly found out that American citizens have been caught up in these drag nets and

deprived of due process. Yesterday's election was in part a referendum on the policies of Trump and his administration. Most of the citizens of this country are appalled at the way that our immigrant population is being mistreated. Three New Jersey counties and more than 20 municipalities have already issued such a resolution supporting the ITA with more to come. It's our goal to build momentum on this issue so that it is moved out of committee in the legislature and up for a vote. Uh, if the council needs justification for passing such a resolution, well, here it is. Let's protect our own citizens in Monroe. We ask that the question be added to the December agenda so that it gets the attention that it deserves. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. I'm here to actually follow up. Address, please. Yes. On Peter's words. I'm Gabriella Sedote. I live at 7 Halifax Drive in Greenbryer. And I want to thank you for the opportunity uh to address the ITA issue yet again. And I'm going to start by thanking uh you uh for the bipartisan pizza, which I think sounds maybe not so delicious, but it's a wonderful metaphor. In any case, unfortunately, uh the sentiment does not translate into reality.

And with everything that's been said and done in the last uh months, I harbor a great deal of trepidation about our security. We currently face severe federal policy and funding cuts that incur human suffering and exclusion as well as federal incursions into our states and individuals rights which all told imperil our common safety and security. No one is exempt. So, while the ITA has been brought up last month and the month before, here we are in the same place we were since we last met. This only underscores that the ITA remains a realistic need. ICE has a job to do. Agreed. It is about the methodology which we are in severe contention. That we take action about ISIS abuse of authority remains imperative. That we take action to protect innocents remains imperative. ISIS behavior is only escalating. That is undeniable. And today we see it all over the media regardless of right, left, middle, flouting legalities, ignoring justified demands to present IDs and judicial warrants, still manhandling and disappearing people, and now sometimes shooting some with no accountability. So I ask everyone here, how safe is this for us, Monroe, and our extended geography? Not to mention our human environment. Now, ISIS's indiscriminating sweeps are

capturing American citizens who are getting caught in their web. All this flies in the face of constitutional protections of indivisible civil rights and our liberties. We need recourse. We need protection. We need our local elected officials to take responsibility along with caretakers of social cohesiveness and to take action on our behalf. As a community, we must stand up for mutual safety and co community welfare and for the best of our values and morals. This is not only a matter of security, it's a matter of morality and fulfilling our constitutional responsibilities. Because in the end, as history proves time and again, no one, and I mean no one, who's ever taken a couple of history courses knows that no one is immune to illegal, aggressive actions and motivations taken by those in power. It could be me tomorrow. I'm naturalized citizen. My daughters are naturalized citizens. I now am in the worry zone. When I move from state to state, I take a copy of my passport. That's where we have gone. So it could be me, it could be my daughters, god forbid, or it could be you or someone close to you the day after tomorrow. I urge all of you, please stake a position, stake a position that's respectful of the law, protective of community needs, and our local law enforcement as well. Which means I am asking you along with hundreds and thousands of others in the

state to take the moral high ground, the legal high ground and pass the IT ITA supportive resolution. It should not be difficult. Let's start by putting the ITA resolution on the December agenda. You'll be surprised how much support you will receive for that, how much respect and admiration you will receive for that. And let's demonstrate community cohesion and strength and pass it. Thank you very much. Amen. I'm asking you. I can do it. No, you you're coming to speak. It's fine. If you're going to say something, I'll wait. I'm always going to say something. You can make your statement. Your name and address for our record, please. Me, too. It's why I'm here. Okay. Michelle Armeno, 9th annual Street. Resolution 027, please. Talks about the reduction in the market rate units. is can I hear what the I think I know the answer but I'd like to hear it on the record. What for uh the fourth round of affordable housing? Sorry, you said resolution. You mean the ordinance? The ordinance. Oh, I'm sorry. It is an ordinance, isn't it? I'm just making sure we're on the same page. Um because otherwise we will go nowhere. Let me make sure it is. Yeah, it's ordinance 027. Okay. Yeah. Yes. I apologize. Yeah, it actually um Sorry, Council President. Go ahead. Sorry. It actually reduces the third round uh it renegotiates the our third round obligation to reduce market rate units um from uh 1479 to a,000. So it reduces 479 total market rate units and then it takes another 350 what were um market rate family units and makes turns them into market rate

senior units. All 350 in the fourth. Oh no, no. This is all third round. This is all third round. Yeah. Okay. I thought we were reducing it. From what it says, I thought it it meant we were reducing. Okay. The market rate is actually going to be reduced uh for 479 units. Correct. Right. And then the other one is going from 350 to what? I'm sorry. No. Of th of those,000 units. Right. We went from 1479 to a,000. And then of those thousand, 350 will be uh age restricted 55 and older. Okay. Um for the fourth round, has it been cod codified that it's going to be a uh 30% uh affordable housing units to market rate, council president? So, so it's not codified. Um but it's that's what our plan is. I can't speak to other municipalities, but No, no. For us in Monroe, correct? Have we codified that in our plan in our approvals of the new round fourth round? We have. Okay. I want to make sure I gathered that. I was just clarifying. I didn't know if you meant codified in the law. Well, in our ordinance in in our in our plan process for planning. Okay. Because you're changing the zoning and all that kind of stuff. So, we can we can put that in there. All right. Thank you. Um that's more more than important. and going to the as part of this on the second and third round affordable housing units. Uh my question would be how much is of the affordable units are completed and occupied for those in need. I don't know if you have the data with you this evening. Uh council president, I don't have exact numbers, but it's about 40 to 45%. Okay. I hope we can really increase that because everything we hear in in the candidates's race for governor was about

affordable housing. I think we have a responsibility to put this on the fast track. Let's get it done for the people. The market rate housings are going like hotcakes. The builders are making a fortune. The people in need that this whole premise was for are only 40% fulfilled. So, let's let's put it on the fast track. And I mean the the whole the everything we hear is about affordable housing. Well, for goodness sakes, let's get it up to 100%. Council. Yes, sir. Sorry, I don't want to interrupt Miss Armenino's time. I had a comment which I can save till later, but just uh Okay. When Yeah. When I'm done, please. Um I also the sort of the same question about the what is it the VA uh 20 2 I think this is a resolution 226. the VA housing. How many veterans are in that and or like almost ready to get in? I know they might not all be occupied. We were very proud of that work on Oh. Uh so, uh the last count was 45 veterans, 35 nonveterans. Not bad. Hard work. So, that's already the that's 80. And what do we have? 86 80. They're all occupied. They're all occupied. So, we really couldn't get a better I mean 45 is great, but our minimum was 36. You will you are aware because you attend both affordable housing board meetings and because you attend council meetings and I can't see out of these glasses, but the reality is is you are aware that the entire township workforce was asked by our mayor to get on the phone and find veterans. that in addition to that, you made outreach to folks outside of Monroeware aware of the fact that everyone involved in this project worked

very hard to get as many veterans as we could. And what we learned was that this was a heck of a lot of very hard work. And so perhaps if we do this again, we will have a better instruction manual going forward. But everyone put forth their best effort. There was no one who did not go to the nth degree to get veterans in there. Did we review all of the applications? All of the veterans that were eligible got reviewed. Yes. You're aware of the Yes, they were. Absolutely. And not everyone who applied qualified, right? You know that there are tight income requirements. You also know that the mayor sent a letter to the state requesting that for veterans that tight income requirement be relaxed. So, we really went as far as we were able to go to meet the needs of veterans who need housing. And we were very we wished it had all been every every apartment, every unit occupied by a veteran. Was not to be at this round. Make sure you invite them to Veterans Day. Oh, no question about it. And last but not least, the green bill. This this young lady pointed out the green bill hasn't been put on our agenda either. I know we had a couple months ago someone did. Is it all? No, it has not been put on the agenda. Could we [clears throat] consider it? It's a plastic issue and Yes. And you told me how many straws I was swallowing because I insist on plastic strips. So, I took that. I wouldn't admit that in public, you know, and I continue to admit that. Can we put Can we put that on the agenda? I I'm sorry. I'm going to take a moment. You know, I'll be very brief if I could just before the next uh member of the public. So um just to clarify so you know about 40 or 45% of the affordables from round three are currently constructed. It's about the same percentage on the market rate. Obviously that number is going to be higher because there's higher number

of market rate but about the same percentage. Um the municipality uh uh would love to see more you know affordable housing at a greater rate. We only have control over the municipally sponsored affordable housing right. So those 80 units in veterans housing which we utilized funds from our affordable housing trust fund um that that was more in our control. In our fourth round, we're doing another similar project um of of municipally sponsored affordable housing units uh which we will have, you know, like I said, more control over. But the township's responsibility, and our lawyer, correct me if I'm using the wrong terminology, is to put the zoning in place and create the opportunity for affordable housing. the actual construction um is comes at comes at the pace of the market and the uh the um direction of of whoever the property owner is. So just just wanted to clarify. Okay. Anyone else wishing to address us can please come forward now. If not um before I I will close the public comment section with a motion, please and a second. Second. And all in favor? I. No opposition. I wanted to make I'm sorry that the folks who spoke about the previous resolution left because I wanted to point out to everyone who was here that our representatives at the state level, both our assembly people and our senator are are enrolled in that bill. They are current supporters of that bill. They are there because they believe it's important. We would normally not comment on it. It's already done. The only letter we would send would be to say, "Please support this bill." They already support the bill. Their names are on it as

supporting of the bill. So those of you who remain, I at least can tell you that. The bill on human immigration Trust act. Am I immigrant trust act? Their names are already on as supporters of the bill. Right? So it is not that we have chosen to ignore and say but we know that they are supporting that bill and as citizens it would not be who it is within your power to call their offices and say I know you are supporters of the bill. Move it. Get it out. Right. So I we have anything else that we need to do now as most important thing what I'm going to adjourn the meeting. May I have a motion to to adjourn the meeting please? Motion. May I have a second on that? Second. Thank you. And the time is the time is 8:03. We're adjourned.