Township Council - Regular Meeting

Thank you. Good evening everyone.

Welcome to the township council regular meeting of April 21st, 2026. It's a regular meeting of the council of Montlair and it's being broadcast live on TV34. It's streaming live on Montclair TV34 YouTube channel. It's available on demand and can and will be rebroadcast. The meeting is called pursuant to the provisions of the open public meeting act. The meeting was included in the revised annual notice of the meeting schedule as set forth in resolution R-26-064. It was adopted by the council, the township council at the regular meeting of February 10th, 2026, advertised in the official newspaper on February 26, 26, and posted on the township website and on the bulletin boards outside in of the municipal building. It's remained there continuously posted. In addition, a copy of the revised annual notice is and has been available to the public and is on file in the office of our township clerk. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance 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.

Madame clerk, will you please do a roll call when you're ready? Thank you, Mayor. Deputy Mayor Anderson, here. Councelor Birmingham absent. Councelor Damato here. Councelor Harrison here. Councelor Toller absent. Councelor Williams absent. Mayor Baskerville

present. Thank you. Um at this time I'd like to make a motion that the uh council um leave the public portion of the meeting and go into the executive session. The executive session resolution authorizing the executive session of the mayor and the council of the township of Montclair without the public permitted to attend in accordance with NJSA 10 col4-12B. I so move second comments or discussion from the council members. All in favor? I.

Any opposed? Okay. I'm going to ask the public please um if you would um you have a choice. You can either sit here until we return or um you can go and and come back and I will um guess that the best time to try to get back here is close to 7:30. Thank you. Okay.

All right, you're good. Thank you. Okay, I'd like to make a motion, please, uh that we um adjourn from the executive session and move into the public comment. Second. All in favor?

Any opposed? And so we will now join the regular portion of our meeting. Good evening and welcome to everyone. Thank you all for being here and thank you for your understanding that we are a little bit behind schedule, but we're going to do everything um in an amazing way and so I hope you will um stay with us. The first part of this meeting is going to be a promotion ceremony for our four firefighters that I'm really excited about and I'm going to call Chief Robert Duncan forward for that. Um, I had the opportunity of swearing him in u when he became our chief. And um, in moments of celebration, even in moments of disappointment, I found that Chief Duncan um, shows professionalism and he shows integrity. He uplifts his firefighters daily. He supports his team and he reassures our community that their safety and the integrity of the fire department will never be compromised. That kind of leadership matters. It builds trusts. It builds morale and it strengthens the bond between the department and the residents. Under your leadership, Chief, I know and we all know that Montlair is in capable hands. No matter the challenge, the department will rise to meet the challenges and our community will be protected from fire and other hazards and excellence will be on an

everyday occurrence. It is my honor to invite you to the podium and it's also my honor to be here to participate in this promotional ceremony. Chief Robert Duncan Good evening everyone. My name is Rob Duncan. I'm the fire chief of the Monontlair Fire Department. Welcome to the department swearing in ceremony and thank you all for attending. If everyone will please stand for the presentation of the colors by the fire department's honor guard. March lift face on a guard post. Everyone please remain standing for a moment of silence for our fallen brother and sisters.

Thank you. You may be seated. Again, thank you for attending our department swearing in ceremony. I'd like to thank our manager, our mayor, the council for having us here tonight for this momentous occasion. I know you guys have a long night ahead of you, so we'll try to keep this uh short. Today's ceremony is not just a recognition of the individuals being promoted, but also a celebration of what it means to be a part of this fire department. It's a reflection of the years of training, countless hours of dedication, and the sacrifices made by all members. Your success is a testament to the strength of our team, and I'm incredibly proud to serve alongside all of you. At this time, I'd like to invite the manager up. What are you doing now? To the conducting swearing ins. We begin swearing in of Kevin Stout to the rank of deputy chief. Kevin, please come up with your family. Raise your hand.

go over there because I to speak after them anything. How long? Okay.

Ready. Yes, sir. I state your name. I, Kevin Stout, do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution that I will support the Constitution of the United States of the United States and the Constitution in the Constitution of the State of New Jersey of the state of New Jersey. And that I will bear true faith and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. and allegiance to the same. and to the governments established and to the governments established in the in the United States in the United States and in this state and in this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the people I do further solemnly swear I do further solemnly swear that I will faithfully that I will faithfully impartially and partially and justly perform and justly perform all the duties of

all the duties of deputy chief deputy chief of the township of Montlair of the township of Montlair fire department fire department according according to the best of my ability. according to the best of my ability. So help me God. So help me God. Congratulations.

Congratulations. Good job. We will now in swear in Thomas Hargreaves to the rank of captain. Thomas, please come up with your family. Can you hold this for me? Just like that. Okay. Okay.

I state your name. I, Thomas Hargraves, do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution that I will support the Constitution of the United States of the United States and the Constitution and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey of the State of New Jersey and that I will bear true faith and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and allegiance to the same and to the governments established and to the governments established in the United States in the United States and in this state and in this state under the authority of the people under the authority party of the people. I do further solemnly swear I do further solemnly swear that I will faithfully that I will faithfully impartially impartially and justly perform and justly perform all the duties of all the duties of captain

captain of the township of Montlair of the township of Montlair fire department fire department according to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability. So help me God. So help me God. Congratulations.

Thank you. Thank you. We will now swear in Peter Albanesey's to the rank of captain. Pete, please come up with your family. Yeah. Oh, you got it.

Ready? Yes. Okay. I state your name. I, Peter Albanese, do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution that I will support the Constitution of the of the United States of the United States and the Constitution and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey of the State of New Jersey and that I will bear true faith and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and allegiance to the same and to the governments established and to the governments established in the United States in the United States and in this state and in this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the people. I do further solemnly swear I do further solemnly swear that I will faithfully that I will faithfully impartially impartially and justly perform and justly perform all the duties of

all the duties of captain captain of the township of Montlair of the township of Montlair fire department fire department according to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability. So help me God. So help me God.

Congratulations Okay, THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW SWEAR IN NATASHA Richardson to the rank of supervising fire inspector. Natasha, please come over to

Come on, fam. Come on. Speed back. Come over here. Hold the B. Glory to God. Yes. Yes. I state your name. I, Natasha Richardson, do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution I will support the Constitution of the United States of the United States and the Constitution and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey of the state of New Jersey

and that I will bear true faith and I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and allegiance to the same and to the governments established in the governments established in the United States in the United States and in this state and in this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the I do further solemnly swear I do further solely swear that I will faithfully faithfully impartially partially and justly perform and justly perform all the duties of all the duties of supervising fire inspector supervisory fire inspector of the township of Montlair of the township of Montlair fire department fire department according to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability so help me God so help me God

congratulations

in Jesus name AMEN THERE YOU GO. THERE YOU GO. LOOK, there's our baby. Okay. Though to those stepping into new roles this evening, this is more than a promotion. It is a call to lead, to mentor, and to set a standard for those who will follow. The fire service is built on tradition, but it moves forward because of leaders like you. Continue to push yourselves, support one another, and serve this community with pride. At this time, our mayor has a few words for you.

Thank you so much. This is such a proud proud moment in Mont Clair. A day where we pause not just to celebrate promotions, but to recognize the weight and responsibility and the depth of commitment and courage that it takes all of you all to step forward and lead in these positions. Peter Albanese and Thomas Hargraves, your promotion to captain is more than a new title. It's a call to lead from the front and from within. A captain is not only responsible for strategy and command on the fire ground, but for well-being training, for the trust of the other firefighters in your care, and for a steady voice in moments of chaos, and certainly you see that moments of chaos may arise. I applaud you for stepping up. Your leadership will shape not only outcomes, but people, people's lives. and that is a profound responsibility. We are proud of you and confident in the strength you bring to this role. Natasha Richardson, baby Tasha, as I always call you. I used to be her pediatrician, so she's always going to be my baby Tasha. Today we mark a milestone as Mont Cla's first female supervising fire inspector. You are not only stepping into leadership, you're expanding the leadership and you're expanding what leadership looks like. as all of the young girls and young women looked to you for leadership and how you progressed through the ranks and were

able to break that glass ceiling. You are setting an example for them and I am so so proud of you. Your promotion reflects expertise, diligent and a commitment to service that elevates the entire department. Let me say clearly that your presence in the role sends a clear message to everyone here and far beyond. I wish you well in the in the position and I am just as proud as your mom and I didn't get to hug your mom and the rest of the family there but yeah, congratulations on this moment. So to Kevin Stout, your promotion to deputy chief represents one of the highest levels, one of the highest levels of trust this department can place in any individual's hand. This role demands vision, discipline, and the ability to make decisions that carry enormous consequences. You will help to guide the entire force. You will help to guide the direction of the department. You will help to support our chief and ensure that Montlair continues to meet every moment. No matter how complex, no matter how challenging, your leadership will influence not only operations but culture. And that is where your expertise will come in and shine. That is where your legacy will be built. To all of the honores today, today is not the finish line. It's the next chapter. With each new rank comes greatness, responsibility, deeper accountability, and a wider circle of impact. But it

also comes with the opportunity to inspire, to mentor, and to level this department and to make the department even stronger than it was when you founded. and to the families that came here today and colleagues and loved ones. Thank you for being here. Behind every great fire person is a network of support and that's you all. We are so grateful for you. Montlair is safer, stronger, and more resilient because of each and every one of you in this room and we celebrate you all today and blessings abundantly to all of you. Congratulations. Will everyone please stand for the retirement of the department colors?

Honor guard fall in. I'm sorry for Watch. Thank you to everyone for attending. This concludes the Montlair Fire Department swearing in ceremony. Thank you to our honor guard and to those that worked on this event. Thank you again to the manager, the mayor, and the council. We really appreciate it. Good night.

Okay, council members, we're going to move on to proclamation. So, if we all want to gather at the podium, we're going to have what do we do? Oh, approval of minutes. Okay. Okay. Um, council, there have been presented to us the minutes for December 2nd, 2025, December 16, 25, December 29th, 25, and December 30th, 25. So moved. Second. Are there any corrections or additions? No. Okay. There's been a movement to and a second. Madame clerk, if you would please do the roll call.

Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, yes. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller, absent. Councelor Williams, yes. Mayor Baskerville, yes. Thank you. Who has the proclamations? Did everybody sign them? I believe so. Okay. Bill Harrison is doing this one and I'm doing the one that I've been the liaison to forever. The recreation here. Thanks. Here, Bill. We're going. Huh? Oh, well that's a good question.

I think so. Maybe not. Okay. Well, come on. Let's go with the one we have for the library then. And we'll see. I hope so. But if not, we'll just celebrate her anyway with just less words.

You want to come in? Okay. Okay, she was here.

Thank you. library. Thank you. Please, will all of the people that are here to receive the proclamation from the library for the National Library Week join us, please? Even if you didn't know you were coming to receive the proclamation and you're a friend of the library and you want to just stand here, come on down.

Hi, how are you? Good to see you.

Folks all set. Wait, why are you doing

Okay. Proclamation for National Library Week. Whereas the Montlair Public Library has served the residents of Monontlair since 1893, providing free and equitable access to books, digital tools, and innovative programs that ensure all community members, regardless of background, have resources they need to learn, connect, and thrive. And whereas the Monontlair Public Library operates in two locations, the main library at 50 South Fullerton Avenue and the Belleview Avenue branch at 185 Belleview Avenue, serving tens of thousands of residents each year through in-person and digital services. And whereas libraries serve as vibrant community hubs connecting people to knowledge, technology, and civic life while fostering critical thinking and lifelong learning. And whereas the Monontlair Public Library partners with schools, nonprofits, and local organizations to strengthen community well-being, support workforce development, and expand access to essential services. And whereas library staff and programs, nurture young minds through story time, steam initiatives, literacy programming, and new services that build curiosity and love of learning. Whereas the Monontlair Public Library champions intellectual freedom, protecting every resident's right to read, explore, and think without censorship. And whereas dedicated dedicated librarians and library workers provide welcoming, inclusive spaces that inspire discovery, creativity, and connection for people of all ages. And whereas the township of Monontlair is committed to maintaining a vibrant, well-resourced public library is a cornerstone of this community's civic and cultural life. And whereas libraries, librarians, library workers, library volunteers, and advocates across the country celebrate National Library Week each year under a theme chosen by the American Library Association. And the 2026 theme, find your joy, reflects

that tr transformative power libraries hold to uplift individuals and strengthen communities. Now therefore, the mayor and council of the township of Monontlair do hereby proclaim the week of April 19th through April 25th, 2026 as National Library Week. All residents are encouraged to visit the Monontlair Public Library, explore its resources, and celebrate the joy that libraries bring to our community. Yes. Woo! WOOHOO!

YEAH, SURE. ABSOLUTELY.

YIKES. OKAY. Hi everybody. Uh, I'm Rada Ali. I'm the director of the library here in Montlair. And um, I'll just say this that uh, now more than ever, public libraries have to be protected. They have to be defended. They have to be nourished. and they have to be celebrated because what a wonderful thing that we all have um here in Montlair and throughout the country. The public library is a miracle. Um I know I'm biased, but I truly believe it's a miracle and we're all so happy to serve you. Um we have trustees here, we have staff here, we have foundation members here, and we have volunteers here and we are here for you. This is, you know, we say this is our our public library, but this is actually your public library. You are the residents of Montlair, and this library belongs to you. So, thank you for uh patronizing it. Thank you for supporting it. Thank you for Thank you for reading.

Thank you.

Anyone else need to say something? Absolutely.

Thank you very much. Um, hi. My name is Adam Grace and on behalf of the friends of the Monontlair Library, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank the mayor and council and all of the town for the continued support you give to the library. Um if you were to just look at the events scheduled at the library just for today, um you would find wellness screenings, social work office hours, tech help, song and story time for infants, reading to a therapy dog, chess club and book club meetings, numerous adult ed classes ranging from woodworking to foreign language to cooking. So beyond the storehouse of knowledge that the library provides to the members of the community, it's a place where community itself is built and that's a testament to the hardworking, talented, creative, and dedicated staff led by Roda. And it's a testament to the continued council support that enables the town to be blessed with such a great resource. So thank you.

Thank you. Um, and so we now do we call you the president of the board? Yes, I call you that. Um, I'm now calling the uh president of the board forward, Joanne McCulla. Um, and it's also an opportunity to um, invite any of you that are here and others that may be at home to um, put in a volunteer interest finder if you're interested in becoming a part of this amazing team, the board under the leadership of Joanne McCulla.

Thank you so much, Mayor. Um, I just want to say on behalf of the entire board, and I can speak for the library and the friends and everyone else here, we we just want to thank you um, and the township council for all that you do to make certain that we remain functioning as a library. We do have many many activities and programs that we bring to the community, but we could not do that without the support of the township. So, thank you so much for believing in us and for supporting us and all the things that we do. And we just want to say to you there is much much more to come. So, please stay tuned and keep a close eye on what the library is doing. We appreciate that.

Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you all. Okay. Um and we're going to move on now to the next proclamation. If if u Michelle Camarada is still here,

is she is she not here any longer? I know we took a long time. Okay. So, Michelle had to leave. Unfortunately, and I'm just going to um very very briefly say so not briefly because she doesn't deserve the proclamation and the recognition um that we had planned for her because she certainly does. Michelle Camarada is an amazing person if you don't know her and she has been the uh been in in our department of recreation for 19 years and she's been doing an amazing job. I have been working with her even before she became the director um under the leadership of Pat Brashka and with our park and recreation advisory committee and she's just doing amazing things. Um we're gathered here. We came to to demonstrate for her our gratitude and also with a bit of sadness because uh Michelle is retiring and we wanted to say farewell to her and let her know how extremely extremely important she is today and has been to all of us. And I'd also like to give her a shout out. I think yesterday was her birthday. If you watch this, Michelle, happy birthday and and cheers to many more. Michelle's journey in our recreation department has been one defined by dedication, adaptability, and heart. From her early years working under Pat Brea to leading the department as director, she has shaped not only programs, but she has shaped experiences for families, memories, and community connections that will last for generations. The Department of Recreation touches nearly every corner and every life in Montlair. From our parks and pools to summer camps, ski trips and programs for residents of all ages from the youngest ones up to our our senior activities. And this work is no small task. It requires organization, patience, creativity, and a deep

understanding what community truly means. Michelle has brought all of this and more to her job. She brought this to her role every single day. She listened. She truly listened to all of the stakeholders and she adjusted when necessary. She collaborated with care and navigated the balance of working with the manager, working with our counselor, the mayor, and professionalism every day and respect. Even when perspectives often differed than hers, she showed respect and integrity. That's not always easy, but Michelle made it look easy. On a personal note, Michelle will be extremely missed. She'll be missed by her staff. She'll be missed by the colleagues. She'll be missed across the entire township. And I certainly know she'll be missed by our park and recreation advisory group who I see many in the back and they've worked with Michelle for the 19 years that she's been here. So they have an extremely deep bond. Her legacy is one of service, one of grace and one of genuine caring for the community. Michelle, we thank you. We celebrate you and we wish you nothing but joy, rest, and new advant adventures in your next chapter. Congratulations on your retirement. You will be missed. Okay. So, get ready. Now, we're going to have the public comment. So, I hope everyone has signed uh their name on the the list that we have here and we're going to get to everybody. So, thank you. Whoever has a number one can come on forward.

Oh, thank you. It's nice. Thank you. Thank you. This pronounce it or is it Shay? Shay Shay. Okay. First guest, please step up. John Sha followed by Carol Castellio.

Uh, hi, my name is John Sheay. I am here with my neighbors. We all live on Tisher Place and we've been dealing with a parking issue for the last two years that we just wanted to bring to light, try to see what the what possible solutions there are. Uh, I want to start with, uh, we've all been living on our street for the last six years or more, and we have had no issues up until Ricardo has uh, gotten a ticket. We have short driveways that our cars protrude into the sidewalk a little bit. And

since November 2024, so November 2024, you got a ticket for that. And I think that was waved. It was not waved. So I'm I'm sorry. It might be it might be more helpful if you're going to speak, then you go to the mic and so forth. That way we can hear, but the people at home will be able to hear it as well. That's just a suggestion.

Okay. So, I'll I'll just be brief in the summary, but we just wanted to show our support in person and to let you know that this is an issue affect affecting us all. Uh because our driveways are very similar. They're very short. This sidewalk issue, uh we've been issued tickets. I personally have been issued a summons um from code enforcement. And this is something that just we weren't expecting. There's nothing we can do personally except park our cars in the streets. Um, I see tonight on the agenda there is Warman Street has gained overnight parking. Maybe something like that could be a solution for us. But again, we've been dealing with this for the last two years and we still don't have a solution. We have tickets and summones looming over our heads and we just want to live in relative peace on our streets.

Thank you. Um, next guest, please.

Yes. add. Um, I've been here before. I've stood in front of you guys before. I'm You guys are competent individuals. We need to find a resolution. Giving us summones and tickets is not okay. I met with the parking council. There was something that was supposed to be resolved the last time. Nothing has been resolved. Nothing. There's no followup. There has to be something that's done. They did a lax on the parking for some time, then they removed it. They said that they were supposed to give us a warning before they stopped the lax. They didn't give us any warning. it just issued us tickets. Um, we know that it's a I know we're aware that there's a state law that said you can't block the sidewalk. We understand we don't want to break any state laws, but there's municipal changes that could be done to help to um mediate this issue. We shouldn't be giving tickets for parking in a place where we're paying the mortgage and paying taxes and everything else. Um, and the resolution needs to be done. We should not have to come in front of you again. This is almost two years. November is going to be two years. There's been multiple emails, been multiple suggestions. Other streets within the community have had resolutions. So, what I'm I need to be clear on why we're not getting one because it's not appropriate. It's financially causing difficulties. This gentleman has to go to has a summons and we've brought this up to you many times. What are we going to do? There's like nothing else we can say but what what are we going to do as the city council to resolve this matter?

Sir, what street is it? I'm sorry. Tishner. Tishner. Okay. Thank you. And did you want to also speak? This is our um are they both? I'm just here as support. I we all live in the um all of these houses are um identical in construction and um we're not speaking tonight. Sorry.

All of our houses are identical. with the with the length of the driveway. Our our um cars reach out into the sidewalk a little bit and they've been issued summons as a result of it. Um there's no um way to change the length of the driveway. There's just there's no fe feasible physical way to change the driveway length because the house goes right to it. So there's obviously there are four houses in a row that were built in n or 1908 um that are all the same. the cookie cutter houses on Titer Place. If you drive down that street, you'll know what those street those houses

and it would be good because we have elderly parents that we care for and also young children. So, and there's no parking availability in our ward. So, that's another thing and we mentioned this before. So, I have um elderly parents, very young children. So, saying that we need to go park and a distance is not appropriate. What we're seeking is parking on the street where we live and we can accommodate. Many of the neighbors would agree. If we need to bring a petition in, that's fine. Whatever the case may be, we're a very close-knit community. We can get that part done, but we need you guys to act. Yes. Thank you very much. Uh, next guest is Noah Gail.

Excuse me. Uh, I think actually I am Carol Costello. I was Uhhuh. You are. I'm sorry. I got confused because there was one name and three people and now I'm counting three. That's what happens when people come up with their own design. I apologize to you.

No problem. Good thing I I'll I'll be short. So, good evening. My name is Carol Costello. I live in Bloomfield, but previously I was a long-term resident of Montlair and I'm still deeply inshed in the community. I'm here on behalf of Montlair Indivisible. Along with other groups and citizens, we've been advocating for the adoption of the Montclair Trust Act to support our immigrant residents, neighbors, and workers. Our views have already been passionately expressed at prior meetings, so no need to repeat them now. We applaud the council for demonstrating the leadership and courage to move forward with the adoption of the Montlair Trust Act. This is an act that truly reflects the values of Montlair and ensures that the town will be on the right side of history on this issue. I urge you to finalize and adopt the Bodont Trust Act tonight with no delays. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. Now, Noah, it's your turn now. I'm sorry um for the confusion, but welcome. Good evening, everyone. My name is Noah Gail, and I have been a Monontlair resident for over two decades. Thank you for all you do, Mayor Dr. Baskerville, and members of the township council for all the service you do in this town. We love you and we apprec we really appreciate you. Thank you.

Of course. Anyway, I am glad to see you are doing something about climate change finally, which you've been doing for the past few years now by having an Earth Day fest on Turt Street. Please come out this Sunday, y'all. Y'all, and come to this um Earth Day Fest on Church Street. You're going to love it. It's going to be lots of fun from 12 to 4 on Sunday. Thank you. Also, I highly suggest you sign the Immigrant Trust Act now. Thank you. We are in We have been through frightening times over the last decade. We've been seeing democracy being overthrown. We have been seeing people putting party over country, politics over

things that need to get done. And I and when you were elected, you said you were going to be the politicians who kept their campaign promises and you would be get it done mayor and township council, which you are, and I'm so proud of that. But I think part of that is signing the immigrant trust act so that way we can keep democracy in action. Keep it here. Thank you. So thank you.

Of course. So sign just keep an eye on time. Sorry. So I'm going to suggest you that you sign the immigrant trust act. Also, I am I feel like we've been seeing a lot of improvement this past year despite the challenges in our school district, but town's doing really well. How I I just got to say my street, Arsley Road. I'm not so sure if I'm supposed to get my address here, so I'll just say Arsley Road. Anyway, um Arsley Road, they have been um they've been wanting to do construction on that whole thing for years and now for the past few days, the road has been closed and I am proud to say that construction on my streets finally getting done. So, thank you for that as well. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Okay. Um the next guest is the next guest is Adam Adam McGovern. I'm going to ask please that if you are coming to speak about any of the pending ordinances um the on second uh reading the one for either the cannabis or the one for the Montclair Trust Act that you hold off until we get to those pending ordinances because you will have an opportunity during the time of the pending ordinances on second reading to come forward for that and I thank you for that. Adam McGovern or Connie. Um, Alex, Alex Donna.

I'm Adam McGovern, but I'm on Okay. Thank you. I appreciate you for that. Um, I'm not pronouncing the last name correctly because I can't read it. I think the last name is Alex. It's um, Connie. Alexis. Alexis. Connie. Alexis. No. Okay. If someone comes in, you know, just put a hand up. Um, Adam Grace, uh, Lily Benvides. Yeah. Okay. Thank you, Colleen Canela.

I'm not sure if I'm pronouncing it right. It's either Canela or Canelia. It's I believe Colleen or Ken Kaen Canella. Okay. I wrote it in all caps this time so you can read it. But no, I can read it, but I just don't know how you pronounce it and I'm sorry if that's a problem for you. I do my best in this position. I understand. Absolutely.

Okay. Hi. Um there is a displacement of local residents at an alarming rate and a housing crisis in Monontlair. This shouldn't be news to the council or to the people in this room. This however isn't a problem for ultra wealthy residents as they fight for suburbia against affordable housing for locals creating a deadlock that pushes people who want to live here away. And people want to live here. They want to stay. And honestly, can you blame them? I mean, with an abundance of local businesses, an exceptionally rigorous public school system, and many areas filled with trees, it is sincerely a uniquely beautiful town. But locals move on or pass away and their apartments or houses become vacant. And studies show that higher income residents tend to migrate from surrounding areas into that housing which leads to an increase in the overall cost of rent. Rather than new housing developments which have been heavily blamed for local displacement, it is a short supply of housing that is the driving force behind this. Over the last decade, the average household income in Monontlair, New Jersey has risen by about 25% due to this wealth ccentric demographic shift, and locals have to make sacrifices if they want to stay. So, what should you do? I would like to see more upzoning in transit dense areas in accordance with the planning board's master plan. I would like to see a mix of affordable housing and market rate housing developments. These should have systems incorporated to protect against locals being driven out, such as rental assistance when needed and preserve income diversity policies. This way, low to middle inome residents or prospective residents can have housing that's affordable and stays affordable. Now, I understand that I'm privileged to live in a house here, and I understand that money doesn't grow on trees. I think we wish more and more these days that it did. But I believe that housing should be a higher priority

than shown on the current budget. Even with the strides we've made in recent times, I believe that a redistribution of funds with a focus towards developments of affordable and accessible housing would overall strengthen the monetary situation within Monontlair and help locals afford to stay here. Thank you. Thank you very much. Um, next guest is Victoria Luna. Um, Nola Kim, thank you.

Jeffrey Grayson. Good evening, Mayor Bask and council members. Good evening. I'm Jeffrey Robertson and I'm a 67y old.

Yes. Yes. I've come here tonight because I'm tired. Let me clarify. It doesn't sound like it's on now. Push it again and let's see. Is it light greens? Okay. Thank you. Can I start over? Yes, sure.

Good evening, Mayor Baskville and council members. I'm Jeffrey Robert Grayson and I'm a 67 year old lifelong Mounty. I've come here tonight because I'm tired. Let me clarify that statement. I'm not tired from my 5:00 a.m. gym workout this morning. No, the type of fatigue I'm feeling is the kind you experience when people have gotten on your last nerve. I'm tired of people that have just moved here that are trying to transform Monontlair into a remnant of what they've left behind. If you already had it, why didn't you stay where it was? Did somebody's master plan run you out of your town? And how did that make you feel? That may help you understand how a large segment of Monontlair's African-American community feels today. I'm tired of hearing people talk about Monontlair's diversity when virtually every ruling passed down by the zoning and planning boards and approved by the council is having undeniable repercussions on diversity. So much so that in 2026 a new term was added to Monontlair's diversity lexicon income diver diversity. I can't wait to see how the realtors market that one. I'm tired of new neighbors that act like they are too good to speak. An aura of pretentiousness has spread across town and the community spirit of African-American villages has been dissipated. I'm tired of hearing residents that live on quiet side street culdeacs on the northern end of Grove Street advocating for zoning changes that have absolutely no effect on their neighborhood but have a radical effect on mine. I'm tired of the way residents of Union Gardens continue to receive less than priority treatment. A wise man once told me that compassion without action is nothing more than superficial pity. I'm tired of certain counselors constantly trying to undermine the efforts of fourth ward counselor Amina Toller.

I'm tired of Janice Tally treating the fourth ward like a habitation in need of gentrification in order to attract a non-black generation. The very first breath I took when my mother gave birth to me was provided by the by the air of Montlair. If the good Lord is willing and the creek doesn't rise, when I breathe my last, it will be in my hometown. Through all of my trials, tribulations, tragedies, and triumphs, Monontlair has kept me grounded. I didn't didn't try to transform Monontlair. Monontlair transformed me. That's the spirit that dwells within someone that is truly from Monontlair. Now the air inclair is filled with molecules of privilege, entitlement, status, and greed. The policy makers seem determined to ignore the boundaries of geography, infrastructure, and interracial solidarity. I don't know what the good Lord has in store for me, but when it comes to my hometown, I would rather be remembered as a as a soldier, not a sellout. My only regret is that I didn't plant this flag 50 years ago. Thank you.

Thank you. Next guest, please. I I believe it's Levi Seagull. You got one right, huh? Welcome. Good evening. Good evening.

Levi Seagull, senior at Montlair High School, War 2. Let's talk about housing. I think we can all agree that Montlair is a nice place to live. We are a lovely walkable suburb with a thriving arts and restaurant scene, beautiful architecture, and great transit to uh access to New York City. And that's why people want to live in Montlair because of these great amenities. The problem is we have not built enough housing to keep up with this demand. Thus, many who want to live in Montlair find themselves out of luck. Most existing homes here are all already occupied by homeowners who do not intend on moving anytime soon. And this is across all of Montlair. Um and of the few available homes, it is too expensive for prospective residents to afford. So in short, this is a supply issue. We need to build more housing. And this supply issue originates from the the resist the restrictive zoning regulations that make building housing in Montlair to be very difficult. Um last week I attended a planning board meeting on our master plan. I thought that the planning board had a very good understanding of what Montlair needs to do housing wise. I agree that we need to build more missing middle housing and we need to increase trans or we need to increase housing density around all train stations. Um yet the planning board's recommendations have not been properly translated into policy and this is this council's responsibility. Uh and I urge this council do not to not continue any more downzoning especially near transit. This should not be a matter of debating which ward has the responsibility of building dense housing because this is not we should not make this about ward warfare. This is about sustainability and affordability. People need options about where and how to

live. Building housing near transit reduces the burden from the homes that exist today and allows people to get around without a car which is a major financial burden. Um, I also urge this council to promote missing middle housing everywhere in Montlair by changing the zoning code. Much of WS 1, 2, and four are zoned R1, single family homes only. This is a major burden on our housing supply. We should allow duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes everywhere, and reduce other uh regulations like parking requirements that place a huge strain on increasing housing supply. I think we should make Montlair affordable and sustainable for everyone. Everyone deserves the right to live here and I don't think any all the efforts that we have done to reduce housing supply in all wards and especially near transit are gatekeeping this town for the comfort of existing residents rather than opening up for everyone. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Um, next guest, please last name Walker. Um, I I'm not sure if this is Ruardo. The last name is Walker. He spoke already.

Oh, good. Okay, good. So, um, now that that ends the, um, names that I have on my clipboard. Are there people here that want to speak for the public comment who failed to sign the paper? If so, please come forward. Good evening, Mayor and Council. Everyone watching because I was going to sit and listen tonight.

Please state your name first for the record.

Ahava Felicid for the record. Montlair native 1974 and beyond much further back families in this town many generations. Um I'm the president and the first founder of the tenants organization of Montlair. It's important for everyone to know and acknowledge that we are the group with the community that brought rent control to Montlair. And I'm up here right now because I couldn't stay in the seat as I listen to our younger generation, I believe maybe Gen Z, um, speak about a lot of things that I think need to be researched more in depth and consider joining us at the tenants organization of Montlair as a volunteer and intern as other Monontlair High School students um, who are now in graduate school graduating um, have done because um, we have rent control in Montlair. So, for those who are just tuning in, um, a lot of these comments that I just had to sit and hear, I'm just allowing that to be because I understand that they're still learning and there's a process. But, we do have rent control. We have helped thousands and thousands of people stay in Monontlair. We have lost a lot of families. We did lose a lot of kids that were also in the school system. Um, those things are kept fairly private and confidential actually. Um, but we have lost families, but we have kept a lot more families than we've lost. And we have had rent control since May 9 of 2022. So, we obviously have a lot more work to do. We know that there is um the radio show is being recorded still. Segments are being recorded on the second Sundays at our beautiful library. I'm a total library kid. I'm geeky like that. I love being in the library as well, but we are

recording uh there and we are connected with people at the high school. Um but I want everyone to just do a little bit more research when you're talking about housing and about what we don't have and what needs to be in the town, especially um our Gen Z and our alphas coming up. uh connect more in with those of us who are on the ground daily um living this and have brought rent control to the township. So, please remember Montlair has rent control. We have a rent board. We have a rent office because of it. There's a full-time staff member. There are um owners who have to register their properties. We're not at a lack of housing in this township. There are actually plenty of places available for people to live. The affordability part that is definitely an issue. Everyone have a good night. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

Anyone else please? Final call. Okay. Um, now we're going to uh move on to we have um two items that are on the agenda for discussion this evening. Um I'd like to h No. Okay. I was just going to say should we do the People are waiting for ordinances. Should we let No, you're running behind. Yeah, we're we're running behind, but I gave my word to uh councelor Damato at the end of last meeting that

if we want to do the pending ordinances first and then we can discuss items. Let's see. Okay. If anybody is waiting, I'd like to um make a motion or to withdraw the EDC appointment and I'd like to ask just move it till move it to after the pending ordinance. No, I I'd like to in case anybody is is is here for this, I'd like to make a motion to withdraw the EDC appointment from this meeting and ask um councelor Harrison to second that. Second. Okay. No, I don't understand. This is all for discussion only discussion item. But he doesn't wish to do that. I don't care.

I don't even understand that there are two people who asked for this to be for discussion only. Okay. All right. So then let's let's let's do that then. Um so then the item for discussion for the EDC is on um the agenda and whichever one of you guys wants to go ahead and lead off and then we'll each take um some time to do that. So who wants to lead that off first?

No, we're going to do exactly what's on my um agenda. Okay. So, I'll lead off. Um, so this is I add I had wanted this to be on for discussion only. No action today. Um, as we know um the economic development committee is one of the council committees that was established um at the near the beginning of our tenure since October of last year. um we have been missing a third member and um I think that um I wanted to bring this up because I think that this is a it's very important that we be able to appoint a third member to this committee. Um uh for those of you who do not know um this is a committee of uh three people who um you know vet you know not not just development and planning um issues um for discussion for the before the full council but also um matters of uh you know we're we've been trying to work through some ordinances and other actions um to promote the economic vitality and um and uh attract investment in our communities. So, um I would like to just ask that um prior to the next meeting, whoever would like to on this council who would like to um serve on this committee and be um considered be considered for appointment um nominate themselves um they can nominate themselves or somebody can nominate um another member of the council and that we be prepared to discuss it um uh on May 5th during executive session.

Thank you. I'd just like to um say that um yes, the um economic development committee is an incredible committee with a lot of responsibilities and earlier on um when I was trying to um get caught up with the uh year time to appoint the deputy mayor. It was decided then that we would do the deputy mayor, economic development, facilities and infrastructure and one other at that time as a group at the end of um at the end of the year. And so it's my understanding that they will be done at the same time. And so if we're going to do it next week and the group wants to now change, that's fine. Facilities and infrastructure is another major um one of our committees and they do a lot of work and it's extremely important and the deputy mayor job if the mayor is not here does have have a role as well. So some of the other council members may want to be considered for all of them. So the only reason that I was saying that we should take it off is because everybody should have an opportunity. When we first came on, we we didn't really go by any set procedure about how people were going to serve on these or some of them not even the length of time. And I wanted to make sure that we had an opportunity this time to get it right, to get the positions, to review all of those major positions, the committees and commissions that council members may wish to be on at one time and have the the limit of those um appointments and so we can serve on them. Councelor Harrison,

when I first joined the council and saw an economic de development committee agenda, my immediate thought, which I have expressed to a number of council members, is that committee is doing too much and it should be split to two committees. And before we have discussions who's going on it, I think there just isn't enough time. There are many items on the agenda. There are items that the first agenda I saw last October, nothing has happened on. And I think for that committee to be effective, it should be split into a one committee dealing with what I will call land use and redevelopment and another dealing with economic development issues. And that's why I was supporting the mayor to put this off because I think the first step in this is make a decision as to what that committee should be doing and should be broken into two committees. Mhm. Eileen, I'm I'm sorry. Councelor Birmingham, Councelor Demato,

that's not an unreasonable suggestion to to do that. But in the in the interim, that committee is understaffed. So, and is doing things. So, there's no And you are attending those meetings. So, why do we not just have you as an official member? I have not been attending the meetings since I am not a member. Okay.

And he's he's also not the only person that wishes to um to to be on that committee. In fact, um when when we first started and um councelor Lachman was on there, you know, I sort of stepped back because I had served for 12 years and I wanted other committee members um you know, council members to have an opportunity to to figure out what they are and have some time to service. So, I didn't push, you know, and try to get on those things. But I think it's really important that you have the mayor serve on if not that committee the the finance and infrastructure. The difficulty is that as soon as councelor Lachman uh stepped away, I mentioned that and for whatever reason, you know, some people are just like unilaterally deciding that I can't go on there and there were only two council people there then and and when I went there, it was a it was a very bad experience for for me and I just decided it wasn't worth the negativity to go through there. But anyway, we need to work these things out before we bring them, you know, to to the table for agenda. I get it. We can talk about whatever whatever you all want to talk about here, but sometimes it's better that we work things out as um councelor Harrison said, but you know,

yes, I'm sorry, councelor Toller. Thank you. Um so, thank you for this opportunity for discussion. I am one of the EDC members along with uh Deputy Mayor Shin Anderson. So I was a little taken back that councelor Damato was your second when we had conversations but no it's okay to be you as well. No it's fine. This is your time councelor Toller.

It's fine. Thank you. Um what I wanted to say is um council Harrison I think he attended two meetings and that was it. He actually openly stated in one of our meetings that he would not be participating until he was appointed or um we've had conversations over the past few weeks. Uh, Council Harrison and I, um, we both agreed that we probably need to find a way to split this committee. I've had that conversation with Deputy uh, Mayor Shin Anderson. Um, I do have a document. It's not finalized and I'm supposed to share with her so we can take a look at it and see if we want to make it ed and EC, if you will. Um, so I just wanted to put some clarity on what's happening here because this discussion, in my opinion, it just didn't need to happen because we had already had discussions and I just spoke to councelor Harrison immediately after our last facilities and infrastructure meeting and I literally begged him to join the committee. So, um, he was going to think about it and I haven't followed back up with him. So, I'm not trying to put him on the spot tonight. Uh, but we're probably 75% there maybe. I don't know. I can't speak for him, but I just wanted to put all of this on the record because in my opinion, this discussion could have happened between the two EDC committee members if if she reached out or if I reached out. So, we really didn't need to do this in public, but I'm glad we did and just get it all out in the open. So, I just wanted to share that.

So, what is Can I ask? Okay. So, we're not going to go No, we're not going to go back and forth. I think Councelor Williams is the only person that has not had an opportunity. Councelor Williams. If Councilman Harris Harrison doesn't join, then I would self-nominate myself to the EDC. Okay. So, we still have a lot of um work to do. So, we've had the discussion on the EDC. You still want to wait till the end of the meeting to do your your No, we can do it now. All right. So, um, I'd like to call please on councelor Damato to talk about the proposed sidewalk.

I'm sorry, mayor. Yes. Can I just ask so for the next meeting May 5th, I hear one it but can we have a proposal for what it would look like to split into two? Sure. Yes. And we've discussed that. I just want to make clear that we did discuss it. But councelor Damato, that's why we added it to as discuss. We need movement. Councelor Damato.

Okay. So, um at the end of the meeting last time around, I said that we could pause on this until this meeting and you know, so it has already been deferred. This is a topic that has been deferred for a very long time. There are a lot of residents who would like to have us taking action, if not taking action, at least owning up to previous action and discussing this. So, it's pretty straightforward. This has not been circulated. It's not in the package. So, just so people know, it is two uh previously three. Last week, there were three proposed amendments. The one that is not there was one that had to do with uh they all have to do with street trees. and and and the township's responsibility for when things go wrong with said street trees. The third one that was there was about if street trees uh infiltrate people's sewer laterals which is not a particularly common thing but is also not totally rare. Um, and I did some discuss had discussions with with people. I consulted with our arborist who instead suggested that when we're marking out for for planting street trees that we be that we also include sewer laterals to the extent that we can. So that is not something that that would be a an administrative change. Just so in case anybody was looking at the previous ones at the previous three, there are now two. Um the other big change if anybody read this two year two weeks ago or two years ago um is that the is that the language at the end of each has been modified to be more I

won't say aspirational but to be less um less automatic. So I will read out uh the key the two key lines. Um the first one is just very technical but when a complaint has been filed by the owner of a residential property that their sidewalk on a public street has been damaged by street by trees or shrubs or their roots which are owned or were planted or caused to be planted by the township. The township engineer or designate shall inspect said sidewalk or sidewalk area to determine the validity of said complaint. If it is determined that the complaint is valid, the township may in its sole discretion make the necessary repairs or reimburse the property owner for all or a portion of necessary repairs. And the second one which would be chapter 297. Also in 297, um the township may in its sole discretion again reimburse residential property owners for all or a portion of repairs made due to summones of violations. This is also somewhat aspirational, but I think everybody here and at home should understand the point. This gives us a tool but not the obligation to help homeowners in a case where the township's uh control of the right of way has led to in some cases repeated obligations on the part of homeowners to fix part of the public right away. And I would just finally say that part of this flows from

my belief that over the long run an aspiration of the town just like an aspiration should be giving shelter to anybody who would like to live in the town. An aspiration would be that the complete public right of way be a public responsibility is not possible right now but as a long-term as you know aspiration and this is part of that. So I think it sort of speaks for itself. And then the other parts of this so people can see is a list with a description of similar uh ordinances to the first one, not the second one in uh about a dozen other municipalities in New Jersey. I'm not trying to grandstand here. This not some great idea that I came up with. Other towns do it. I know it's difficult for anybody and and if if people up here are are not going along with this that is because they are worried about the consequences the the financial consequences and they're being cautious. So keep that in mind and I will just let anybody say what else they want to say. Mayor, you I know you have an interest in this from a long time ago.

Um any of the council members have any conversation on this? Council Harrison,

just a technical one and then I'll do a bigger response of the language caused to be planted. You could argue that when someone has to replace a tree on their property due to the tree ordinance that the township is causing that to be planted and I don't think that's what I think this is street trees. I think we might be able to define that, but we're talking about trees the township is responsible for. And okay, my bigger issue is I understand the cost issues and our budget, but if someone is being fined because a street tree makes their sidewalk uneven, I think the township has a responsibility. And

I think you know there are a couple of the examples you gave where the township was doing that provides 50% of the costs which because the property owner does benefit if they're getting a new sidewalks I think it's fair they contribute but I think you know and if what what I suggest and we're approving an ordinance a resolution tonight. We've approved resolutions at past meetings that say we're hiring a contractor under some public contract and I'm sure there's one for sidewalks that paying up to, you know, for the water meter tonight. I think it's like $500,000 to do that. We did one for removal of trees up to $300,000. I think we should do something very similar for the sidewalks and then if the money is not available, you know, we exhaust it. um that that person that the fine be the summons be withdrawn uh provide you know this is only if the problem the tripping hazard is caused by a street tree not if your sidewalk's uneven anyway and you know I like your language of you know the township arborist come in and make a determination I think but I I think to leave you know I'm concerned the discretionary part is it's going to lead to people coming here and saying, "Joe got his sidewalk reimbured.

Why am I not doing it?" And people are going to say, "You're favoring this word over this or this section of town or this person contributed to someone's campaign." And I I don't want to be part of that. Thank you. Um, anyone else? Um, so are I mean I think it makes sense. It's just Yeah. like the the logistics of both administering it and then paying for it. Um, are you So are we is it just the slab itself like where the tree is? You're not going to pay to repair their whole sidewalk. It's just like the slab or what what is

So there would have there could be administrative guidelines that went along with it. And again, I would say that in researching it, I was struck by how all these other towns that do something do it differently. Almost all there there's a not very much overlap, which then makes it difficult to figure out what the best is. Um, you know, Madison offers a 50/50 cost share program for sidewalks that meet a priority one or two hazard level, which I assume they define in their own in their own administrative rules. Um, other towns will do a thing where they um they have a program that you can apply to to replace those the sidewalk at a certain with a certain um a certain cost share. Um most of them say uh subject to available funds. Some people who are a resident who's very helpful resident with a legal background said that they thought that was problematic language. So, it's all very difficult. I don't have I'm not saying I have the answer to this. I'm saying the this is some of the information and I would like to see us have a tool to be able to do it. That's all.

Yes. Um, Councelor Williams. So I I think it in the spirit of being aspirational, I think we should aspire to when we put resolutions and ordinances up for a vote that we know what the potential cost of these are. I I think they might do that at the state level where they do some sort of accounting for what piece of legislation might cost the taxpayer because that's ultimately who's on the on the hook here. The the other thing about it is I I'll I'll just be completely honest. I'm not in favor of doing something like this. And I I think and you were really thorough and I and I appreciate you doing the research here, but one thing that we don't know is how many of these towns that were cited here, do they actually have as much sidewalk as Monontlair does? I think Montlair has maybe 70 miles of sidewalk, right? Do we really want to potentially deal with that? And then also, if I have historic blue stone, do I does should the town be on the hook to replace that or repair that historic blue stone? I I mean, there's a lot of different questions here and I totally get the, you know, the thought process behind, hey, you planted that tree in front of my house. I didn't ask you to do it and now it's uprooting um the sidewalk. I I like the tree planting. I but I I do think that, you know, folks, if you want to treat planted in front of your house, you should have the option, and I said this before and I I I know I'm get some emails about it, but you should have the option to opt into having a tree planted in front of your house. If you're So, if you're concerned about that tree eventually uprooting the sidewalk, which it will eventually,

right? It it's going to go 30 40 feet and it's going to disrupt the sidewalk. So, I I'm I appreciate everything that you you're trying to do here, but um I I I think that we're we're just not not there yet. But that's just my opinion. Okay. Thank you.

Yeah. Um I thank you for doing this additional research. Um and I um I do think I am in favor of continuing to work on this. Um, you know, and I I just want to echo what counselor Williams just said because it just struck me that I think a lot of the the language came from Wayne's um program, right? Um, and you know, I haven't spent a lot of time in Wayne to be honest, but um, it does make me wonder, you know, it says that it apparently your notes say that um, you know, their code uh, does apparently not result in a large volume of publicly financed repairs. And I'd just be kind of curious. I would want to know more like why is it is it because they don't have as many sidewalks? Is it because people don't know that this is available to them? Um so um in any case, I'm in support of continuing to um develop this uh and and um come up with something that's fair and and doable from the cost perspective and um operations.

Councelor Toller. Thank you, Mayor. I don't have anything. Did you speak? I did. Okay. I I would just say I think we do need to look at what the cost of this would be, how many we could replace in one year, etc. We should I mean, if we're serious about it, we should

I think that most places are budgeting something. And you know, if we are so lucky as to have the the a midyear um reallocation of some money from one line to another and and we were to do that that that could work. I mean, if we were so lucky. I would also say again as you know just to be fair here that we have an obligation under the complete streets ordinance to have complete streets and that would mean that we might prioritize over this creating sidewalks or pedestrian areas in the parts of the township that don't have them. In other words, like you

you do want to look at the list of priorities, but I would just ask everybody to take another look if and think about what you would like to see in it. Is it is it important that we f I will try to do more research. Is it important that we find a way to cap it budget-wise? um you know uh just just look at the things and hit me with some questions and I will refine it and we can have an open session again and keep it modest and and tight in a couple and in a couple of meetings. Bill,

I'd just like to um thank you councelor uh Damato because as you will all remember very early on I was very interested in trying to do a cost share for the township and the resident. In fact, I did quite a bit of research. I passed out information about what they're doing in West Orange. And then because we have so many differences and whatever, it just sort of didn't go anywhere. So, I appreciate you for continuing to move forward and we we keep saying that we're going to get together and iron out some of those things. So, I'm looking forward to that because we do have to have a wellthoughtout plan, but I am very much in favor of taking on some of that responsibility. um as um councelor Harrison described well and and as the um West Orange plan if you guys want to look it up um takes into account.

Okay, so everyone has had a chance to speak. One one very quick Okay, one very quick then we're going to move on. And that was the manager look into whether there is a cooperative purchase program for sidewalks and what what it provides and so we can have some way of measuring the cost.

Okay. Now we're going to move on to pending ordinances on second reading. I'd like to make a motion to um open the public hearing without objection. Is there anyone present who wishes to be heard in relation to the proposed ordinance um ordinance to amend chapter 347 zoning of the code of the township of Montclair in Essex County, New Jersey cannabis definitions. If anyone is here, I make a motion that we open this public the discussion on this. Second.

In favor? I opposed. Okay. Anyone here for this? No. I'd like to make a motion that we close the hearing on this. Second. All in favor? I

second. Okay. Discussion by council members, please. Can I can I just ask because I and this is not um this is a rather rhetorical question that I because some of my constituents were just asking me but like I I'm looking at a headline from three years ago May 2023 and it says from the Bergen record with four new weed licenses Monontlair on its way to becoming state's marijuana capital. That was three years ago and we have zero um we have zero cannabis and the licenses have been given away several years ago. Um and we talk about things that we need sidewalk repair. We are going to be we are really one of the most taxed towns in the country. We need non-t tax levy revenue. Uh we are doing that today with some parking. We are looking at doing some of that. I I guess and this is rhetorical but like you know I look at Bloomfield. Bloomfield has almost a million dollars in cannabis revenue and we started considerably before them.

It seems to me that we keep passing cannabis things. Do do we have a sense of what's going on with our cannabis industry? And that's rhetorical because I know we really can't answer that question, but I I don't I think we should be able to answer it, which is what is it, Council Damato?

I think it's one of the same reasons why housing is so expensive is because it's a torturous process to open a store. So the land use uh torque mmada to use an old word is exceptional here and that's one of them. It's also just uh it's it was a long process to issue the licenses. So this round of amendments uh streamlined that which is very good and and the people who are in the cannabis business here are happy with us now in terms of they're saying you're making it easier for us to try to do this. There have also been unrelated um or slightly related issues of them getting just their own businesses together

and they have to deal with red tape on the state level. The other thing that we're doing is we're helping to harmonize the issuing and the reissuing of licenses. So they would be caught in catch 22s. You need to get a license from the state, but the state needs the local one and vice versa. So we're trying to make that easier, but it's very very difficult and and I would say just getting anything a store or building built here is much more difficult. So it's a lesson that everybody should know. We've missed out. So, so more and I guess this is the question. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you. But like I think Bloomfield has eight licenses and they've opened I don't know like six or something. is if there really is why Monontlair is at zero and if it is our code I mean or because again Bloomfield is a m it's it's it's on our we border Bloomfield Maplewood similar like it it is is there something in that of our code that we have yet to fix or do

I I believe the code is now pretty good. So, another thing that was changed in the previous round in the fall of 2025 was we had a uh a regulation that tied the license to the physical premises, tied the license to the the premises and then we had one of our operators, one of our retail operators. And by the way, we do have a functioning cannabis business in town. You just don't see it. It's a grower and it's a wonderful little operation by a Mounty and like it is and it's working and I believe we've gotten a check from them

uh so far. So, it's not all it's not all bleak but this one of the operators um had to was tied to a landlord who wasn't motivated to help them open up and they kind of lost a year and so we helped them. I mean we you know so we're we're responding but it's very difficult. Okay. Um um councelor Williams and then councelor Toller

just very briefly I I think that this is something that I know you're our unofficial vice zar but this is something that maybe EDC should look into or if not EDC then you you know in an ad hoc or or something like that just get we don't have that many folks in town that hold licenses just get them all together in a room see what the hurdles are to open up their businesses and you know just kind of they're ready to go that. So, we have two that are past all of uh Kush Connection, which is next to the police station.

Um will is is is almost ready to go. Um and and then the other one uh one of them or the other is through the planning board and and they've done everything. So, they're just building it out and and then the third one had some other issues, but but we're not standing in the way of anybody right now. Thank you, Council Toller.

Yes, I just wanted to just clarify uh what Council Birmingham was saying. Yes, Bloomfield is far ahead. I think they did have eight uh but they're all not open. So, sometimes having too many in one place knocks out another business. So, just wanted to put that on the record that yeah, they did have them a lot, but they're not all open now. Some of them have closed their doors and perhaps maybe this is a discussion to put something into the master plan for the future. You know, some zoning things need to be changed, open up some other dispensaries and other places in town. Perhaps that's a discussion for that.

Yeah. And I just want to be clear, I know that the small businesses are working very hard and it's not it really is just wanting to make sure that we are not standing in the way and you know of anything. But I Okay. Um, would you like to make a motion? Uh, yes. I'll make a motion. Second, Madame Clerk, please. Roll call. Deputy Deputy Mayor Anderson. Yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, yes. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller, yes. Councelor Williams, yes. Mayor Baskerville,

yes. Okay, moving moving on to the next um ordinance on second reading. Um, anybody want to do that and move it?

Okay. I'd like to um make a motion, please, that we open the public hearing on the um ordinance 0-26-09, ordinance to amend chapter 110 cannabis code of the township of Montlair, Essex County of New Jersey. And um I'm going to open the hearing without bias. Is there a second? Are there people here that would like to be heard on this from the township? Seeing none, I'd like to make a motion to close the hearing. Second. All in favor? Any opposed? Discussion by the council.

Um, yes. Deputy mayor.

I'm just going to read the ordinance. Um, I I don't know if we did that. It's this is the ordinance to amend chapter 110 cannabis of the code of the township of Montlair, Essex County, New Jersey. Um and as councelor Damato um indicated during the first ordinance discussion, um the changes were uh that were proposed are to streamline um the license application process. Uh we uh you know sort of um uh changed some of the overly restrictive criteria and combined some into um in um one paragraph and also streamlined um the license renewal process um if you know somebody's uh applying for the same type of l um type of license um and issuance of mun um um a municipal license of the same type. So hopefully this will um help with the process.

Did we move it in a second? No. And I so move. Second. Roll call, please. Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, yes. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller, yes. Councelor Williams, yes. Mayor Baskerville, yes. Um, I'd like to open the public hearing on the pending ordinance 0-26-11. I know we have quite a few people who have patiently been waiting to hear on this, and I thank you. the ordinance to establish a new chapter 212 Montlair Trust Act of the Code of the Township of Montlair, Essex County, New Jersey, and IO move.

All in favor?

Any opposed? At this time, I'd like to please offer all of you all who have been here waiting patiently to come forward. We'd like to hear from you. And thank you very much. I guess I'm first. Um, Greg Pac, 97 Pine Street with ICE out of Montlair, Ice Out of New Jersey. Um, I'm just really happy to hear I think we got progress here. Um, I work on a I follow a rapid response uh hotline type um number and uh there's more and more calls. of ICE in the area uh including Montlair and uh it's frightening and I think it's important that this township tells ICE we understand the federal laws that they're not if they're not welcome they're not going to be comfortable here and we're telling them we really don't need them. Um I celebrated a birthday recently and uh got my ID uh updated at Motor Vehicles and didn't realize that you don't get it when you pick when you get your ID you got to wait two weeks for it to come in the mail. So officially my ID is expired. Uh I've got a passport. I've got I was born in this country. But for other people this might be a situation they are not ready for and I didn't know. So I hope we have progress. Please pass the Monontlair Trust Act as an ordinance tonight. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Next guest please. Do I do name and address for this part too or? Yes, please. Thank you. Dorothia Cook. Nine Laurel Place. There is nothing left to say. I've stood here, as have most of the people in this line, and explained how much we need this. Montlair is listed as a sanctuary city. It we're already there, and this is the last motion we need to truly become protective of our neighbors. We need this. There's there's nothing else to say about it. Thank you.

Thank you. Next guest, please. Um, I am not extremely prepared and I'm sure people behind me are much more prepared than me, but I would just like to remind the council that um, when immigrants feel more safe in communities, our overall public safety becomes much stronger. When you have immigrant communities that are afraid to speak or cooperate with police, it becomes dangerous. If people see crimes, if immigrants see crimes, they may not report them. they may go unreported. And overall, if you bridge that gap, if you restore local trust between immigrant communities and the Monontlair community, the police here, then you will have strengthened public safety, and I think we should all be for the safety of our town. Thank you.

Thank you. Next guest, please.

Hello, I'm Sil Demac. I I live on William Street. Uh last night uh as some of you may know we had a panel here on this very floor about immigration and the issue of ICE in New Jersey and the United States as a whole. Uh we had representation from all people. We had some of the council members who are here today present uh for which I thank you and um we had representation from organizations such as the NAACP, the people's organization for progress and uh myself I was there to represent the student body and this really reflects the diversity of opinions that have come together in support of this act that this action has to come to fruition. you know, over these multiple weeks that we've been working towards this since the walk out many weeks ago, which seems like an eternity ago, frankly, but is really not that long ago to now and this panel yesterday. We've been continuing to work. We've been, you know, continuing to, you know, tap and push that needle just a little bit further every time and we're right there. It's time for action. I know that you all see it. I think that the general body here can sense that and I frankly would be very disappointed if this did not come to fruition anytime sooner than now.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Next guest, please. Thank you.

Good evening. My name is Victoria Luna. Tonight is an important night. Finally, the Monontlair Immigration Trust Act has been brought to the council. Tonight will be a memorable night. I'm hoping for a good reason. I'm hoping that you will all decide to pass this ordinance to protect the people of this town, to act on principle. I'm hoping you won't act on cowardice. I'm hoping you won't dilute this problem by pushing it off any further. I'm hoping you won't delay. And there's no time to delay. I considered putting a statistic here, but to emphasize my point, I won't. This issue isn't about the numbers. It's about the people. There are families living in fear, in hiding. If you think it doesn't happen in our community, if you'd like to ignore the fact that it's happening in a detention center 30 minutes away, ignore the fact ISIS has been spotted in our town, then fine. Sure. But let's do something to keep it that way. For a moment, I'll speak about myself. I was part of the group of high schoolers who organized a walk out bringing awareness and to speak out against ICE. We received a few comments on the Monller local article about the event as well as many more on Facebook and Instagram. People seem to have the belief that since we are young, we are uneducated, underressearched, and unprepared to discuss these matters. The biggest critique is that we were just looking for an excuse to skip class and wouldn't be willing to give up our personal time for this cause. I've been coming to the town council meetings for over a month. I've given my Tuesday evenings to talk about what matters to me. My friends and classmates have come as well to show that we do care about this and you should too. Do not take an ignorant standpoint and do not let cowardice control you. passed the Monler Trust Act tonight. No more delays. I'm not going to stand here and tell you the facts. If you don't know them by now, that's another problem entirely. But I will tell you that this matters to the people of this town. This matters to me. You want to know something funny? I can't properly imagine myself growing old anymore. I physically cannot picture a world in which I have grandkids. A world where I live to retirement. A world where I'm wrinkly and gray-haired and have a lifetime of memories. I've tried and I

just can't. I wish I felt safe. I wish I felt seen. And I wish I felt supported, but I don't. And now my view of my future only extends to college. I want a future though. That is why I'm here. So tonight, on this important night, I ask you to please act with urgency and with empathy. Pass the ordinance. Thank you. Thank you very much. Next guest, please.

Good evening. My name is Nola Kim. I would like to start with a quote from Michelle Clay. Where there is power, there is resistance. That idea is not just about polit politics or government. It is how a system works in every level of society. It shows the the very important thing that nothing ever goes unquestioned forever. I'll be honest, I just came from track. I didn't have time to change or shower or fully write this out. I've been called a lot of things. Hispanic, Hawaiian, Middle Eastern, and everything in between. I've had people ask me, "Do you speak English? Where's your accent from?" No, I mean, where are you really from? And I mean, I would rather have people ask that. I'd rather have people ask the awkward question, be uncomfortable for a second, get over your whiteness, and ask me. Because it's when we stop asking questions, when we start making assumptions that problems start happening. And right now, those assumptions aren't just social, they're built into systems. Currently, our government is using a system, a system of racial profiling. And right now, y'all have the option to say that we will not help or work with this racist system. Because one in front of us, it's not just policy or decision. Is a question about how power is used in our community, who protects who and who will not. We often talk about Monontlair using in terms like identity, inclusive, welcoming and diverse. But who are we if we can cannot live up to those words? Decisions are where values stop becoming abstract. It is where they become real because we are saying that we don't just support an idea and theory. We are saying that we are ready to make them an actuality. Otherwise, value become symbolic and symbolic values are fragile. They exist in language and not lived experience. But people do not live in language. They live in reality. How can you trust a system that isn't going to ask who I am or what I am? They're just going to assume, do you want to be in a town that helps the system that will profile people or do you want to be in a town that says no and draws a line and protects all of its residents? So when we are talking about the Monontlair Trust Act, we are not just discussing policy details. We're discussing the values we associate with our this town. We are actually reflecting on how it operates. And if Ruko is right that powers always produces a response, which means the question is not whether the system affects pe the system affects people. The question is whether we are

willing to respond to that with reality, with clarity and attention. I have said it before and I will say it again. Silence is also a response. Delay is a choice and an action is communicating something. So tonight truly isn't about whether tonight truly is about whether we are willing to align those values with action when it counts. At this point, it is not a complicated choice or question. It is simply a choice between acting now or letting silence and fear continue to define our community.

Yes. Thank you so much. Next guest, please. Hello members of the council. My name is Jules de Benadetto and I live in the third war third ward. I stand here tonight on my father's birthday to again remind you that we as a township believe that Montlair should be a place where trust isn't just a word we use but a promise we keep. The Montlair Trust Act is about something simple, dignity. It is about whether people in this town feel safe walking down the street, calling for help, or speaking up when something is wrong. Right now, too many people live with a quiet, constant fear. Fear that reaching out could tear their lives apart. Fear that the place they call home might turn against them. And that fear doesn't just harm them. It harms all of us. Because a community without trust is a community that crumbles. People stop reporting crimes, families go into hiding, and silence replaces cooperation. That is not safety. That is isolation. Passing the Montlair Trust Act is a choice. a choice to say that Montlair stands for humanity over indifference, that we value people of our community, and that we refuse to let fear define who belongs here. If we truly care, if the words we say about injustice and inclusion mean anything at all, then this should not be difficult. Caring is not issuing statements. Caring is not waiting for the perfect moment. Caring is action.

Yes. If you care about this community, prove it. If you care about safety, prove it. If you care about the people who make Montlair what it is, prove it and stand up for them now, not later. Because history doesn't remember the meetings where we hesitated. It remembers the moments where we chose courage over comfort. Tonight is one of those moments. Tonight, I stand in front of you tonight to ask one thing, for you to pass the Monontlair Trust Act. Thank you. Thank you very much. Next guest, please.

Good evening. I'm Adam McGovern. I'm at uh 87 St. John's Avenue in Paripony. Um and speaking in behalf of the Montlair Trust Act. I don't live in town, but that doesn't stop me from looking to you as an example. Tonight, you can do something that will make your residents proud and make and give me encouragement because all our neighborhoods are at risk and every resistance we raise connects us. One thing we have now in both our towns is a daughter of immigrants as our new congresswoman. And I thought it very significant that she chose Montlair as the site of her victory party. There's a wave rising and a tide turning. I think we can all feel it. We can't see the end of it yet or where it's going to reach. So, we just have to stand tall enough to see that opposite shore where we all live in a country that's more humane and thoughtful, whose people care about each other and realize that we the people are the country. That's the America that my grandparents crossed an ocean to get to and that neighbors of mine today cross jungles and deserts on foot to live the dream of. The people standing in the way cannot long stand up to the people who stand for something. ISIS director is stepping down next month. They say they're putting a hold on the warehouse concentration camps, though we're keeping an eye on that. And they have been trying to sound like a kinder, gentler secret police. And while they are not to be trusted or believed, we can run with that advantage and confirm what this country is really about and make sure that what has been allowed to happen starts to end now and cannot happen again. In taking this vote tonight, there is a lot on your shoulders. But your neighbor, your sister, your brother is not heavy and the decision is clear. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Next guest, please.

Hello, my name is Lily Benaves. I live in Lehayawata and um I just took the time to come here and speak on this issue. Thank you for allowing me to do that. Um I uh I am an immigrant and I've been here for almost 40 years. And um I I am an activist. I help uh different organizations um regarding um human rights and immigrant rights and I am I volunteer for all these organizations. I do all kinds of stuff for families of detain detaininees. Okay. So, uh, lately I've been visiting, um, people that are detained that don't have any family here, and I have a couple of, uh, people that really call my attention because of their situation. Um, one is, um, this guy, um, Nicholas, which, uh, he's from Guatemala. He's indigenous. He was here for about 20 years. He worked for the same family for 15 years and he was just walking on the street one day and he just got caught by these guys that jump out of the car and took him. um he was in um the Lannihole for about four months and even though he signed a volunteer voluntary departure, uh they took a long time to let him go and the week that he was leaving they moved him to four different places

in five days. By the time he got home, he has lost a lot of weight. He was exhausted and he's 57 years old. He was working here for 20 years really hard to his purpose was to pay for the university for his kids. That's what he was doing. He wasn't committing any crime. He didn't have any records of anything. He deserve an opportunity. But we know that we don't have that. We haven't had that in decades. We don't have any immigration reform, any anything, nothing. So, um the people that been here for that long don't have any chance. The second person is also an indigenous. By saying this, I'm saying that uh 7% of the people that come from Latin America are indigenous. They are descendants of the original people of Las Americas. Because is America is not just this piece here, right? There's a continent and all of those all of us that are descendants of the original people are also natives. And this guy is a young guy. He's still in the Lanni Hall. He's been there for seven months fighting his case. He he asked for asylum. He's been ignored. He's been denied the asylum. he has reasons to to get an asylum because he um he uh he's scared to go back because of his uh indigenous community is in danger. So that's why I'm coming here to talk to you about this and please ask to uh approve to pass the uh trust act.

Yes. Thank you so very much. Next guest please.

Good evening. I'm Jenny Pasaki. I am a resident of Cranbury, not Montlair. But I do appreciate the opportunity to be able to speak here this evening on just two issues, both pertaining to the Montlair Trust Act. Number one is that Cranberry, Jamesburg, Monroe, and several of the towns that I do live in and near and work. I am a community social worker. They are looking to towns like Montlair for some guidance and direction. There we've been told repeatedly that there's concern that there will be retaliation from the federal government if we take any action about standing up to ICE or federal law enforcement practices that are unlawful and inhumane. However, my town of Cranberry happens to be surrounded by warehouses. We have warehouses in our town because quite honestly being a member of our town council we voted to put them there and that would help us with our taxes. We never imagined that the warehouses are also now targets. We are looking to towns like Montlair for guidance and direction so that we too can set up ordinances that can protect our folks. We too have ice running walking uh driving through our town. We too have refugees who are afraid to go out. And then the other piece of this that I wanted to speak to is aside from being a community social worker, I'm also an American Sign Language interpreter. There are quite a few individuals in Delaney Hall and the Elizabeth Detention Center who are deaf or heart of hearing. You're entitled to have a phone call once every two weeks. Unfortunately, the phone calls that people are permitted are phone calls, not phone calls that are going to work for someone who is

deaf. So, consequently, they are afforded iPads. Unfortunately, the iPads are circulated among the centers. So, there are four iPads that get circulated among the two centers.

In addition to them, the the background when you're using them is blurred. So if you are signing to someone, your hands can't even be seen. And quite a few folks who are deaf also get bumped and moved to other centers. Please, these centers are inhumane. Please stand up to these practices. Please do not allow federal immigration practices to be taken over or forced upon by communities like Montlair or communities like mine in Cranberry. Thank you for your bravery. Thank you very much. Next guest please.

Good evening everybody. My name is S deak. I'm from Monontlair. Um I'm here to thank you first uh for putting up uh this uh ordinance. It has a higher level of uh in legislative uh structure of Monontlair. And uh I also want to tell you that I work for American Friend Service Committee. Uh we are one of the largest if not the largest legal service provider for immigrants in New Jersey. And uh we've seen how horrible it is to start fighting when people are already in detention. And what Monontlair is doing is preventing that it happens in the first place. And of course, we've been doing it for many years. and American Friend Service Committee has been fighting to represent people not just in in in the county jails here in in the at at Delaney Hall but also in jails that are outside of New Jersey for residents of New Jersey. And I remember a few years ago I was uh you know raising funds in Monontlair to pay for the burn of a woman who was arrested by the police of Monontlair and we end up doing that. It happened. It was a successful operation with the help of some community members in neighboring towns. So I I hope that with this uh ordinance, Monontlair will never be involved, will never let its information either knowingly or by inadvertence to any federal agency that will lead to the detention and deportation of uh uh immigrants. And as an immigrant, I'm very privileged to see this happen in Monontlair. And I want to also say that uh for with we have a lot of organizer who are coming from neighboring towns and from very far and I've been in some of those towns as well

to push as they are pushing here in Monontlair and congratulate Monontlair for what they are doing. Um we don't have a county prisons who county jails who detain immigrants anymore in in you know in New Jersey. That's a good sign is because the fact that we've done American friends and some of the folks behind me and people are watching from home. They see that Monontlair is leading the way. We're hearing folks from other town talk great about the work of Monontlair. But we must make sure that these policy that represent our values are actually really follow up through because the creating our legislation is that nobody works hard to make sure that they are respected that our police officers understand exactly what it means for them because they have been mistakes in the past. They need to understand in other towns I've seen towns with sanctuary policies who have let their police officers go out there arrest people because they look like immigrant because they speak like me and finally the only thing we hear is that ICE has stopped by the police station and picked them up now they in detention. So things like that should not happen and I really appreciate all your effort all your work in passing this ordinance. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. Okay. Um, I'd like to make a motion without objection to close the hearing. Second. Um, all those in favor? Any opposed? Okay. Is there um council discussion? I'd like to I'd like to say just a few things if you don't mind. Yeah. Thank you. Okay. So, um, first of all, put is your mic on?

Oh, yeah. Just a few things. Um, number one, I just I think um I'd like to first of all thank all of my council colleagues for um voting for this affirmatively um the last time and also all the advocates that have been coming out. Um, I especially want to thank the students. Um, and I, you know, you should all with all that horrible, like all the horrible comments that you, um, that people posted on the articles, I would just say I would venture to guess that there are at least a few of you who are probably going to be running for office one day. In fact, I hope it will. So, consider this a a test run um for just ignoring um, you know, the haters. Um the second thing is uh I would like to ask um if the township Matt Mr. remarks and um Miss uh Kamar um Thompson if um we could just make sure that um after this is passed that uh you know the um that you work together to make sure that the employees and everyone who needs to be aware of this ordinance um that it's incorporated into you know the employee handbooks and volunteer handbooks whatever we have um and uh you know make sure that that happens um so that the training is there um and I would also like encourage everybody to make sure you go to our website which has um resources um for people who might need help um and um know your rights um information. Um and then lastly, I just wanted to acknowledge um the young lady who um Miss Kim um I I I hope that we can all vote for this for anyone who's um I I mean I myself have as an adult have been told to go back to my country, you know, you don't belong here. Um a lot of that language um sticks with you. um so that when you hear it, you know, when you when somebody tells you you don't belong, um it does stay with you. And so I'd like to um think that we're we're passing um a law that um is is

something that was is within our control for anyone who feels like they don't belong. Um this this um this act is for everyone who lives in Montlair. Thank you. There's been a movement and a second. Madame Clerk, mayor, I don't have a movement in a second. Oh, I thought I did that when Yes, ma'am. Second. Deputy Mayor Anderson. Yes. Councelor Birmingham. Yes. Councelor Damato. Yes. Councelor Harrison. Yes. Councelor Toller.

Yes. But one thing that wasn't mentioned is this ordinance, if it successfully goes, which it looks like it will, it goes into effect 20 days after tonight. So that'll be May 12th, just for the record. So yes. Thank you, councelor. Councelor Williams. Yes. Mayor Baskerville. Yes. Thank you. Okay, we're going to move on to new business ordinances. Councelor Toller, will you please do um new business ordinance D, please? Councelor Toller, we're going this way. Okay. I'm sorry. Yes. I I I made a mistake. counselor. Once again, there are little candies in the council. Anybody wants a candy, please?

Have a candy. My main buddy that encourages me to move things along. I'm going to move it along. Thank you. I appreciate you. I know you've done so much work. Go ahead. I'm listening. So this agenda agenda item D resolution to amend ordinance section 327 vehic vehicles and traffics of the code of township of Montlair, New Jersey. So moved. second uh just discussion

just uh just a little background on this and we have another complimentary ordinance that we'll talk about uh a little bit later which is agenda item number uh excuse me letter F. This particular ordinance is to put stop signs in a problematic area in town which borders the third and the fourth wards is by the old uh firehouse on Harrison Avenue. Excuse me. Meeting still going on.

Sorry. So this is the area. This is to put stop signs in the area of Cedar and Harrison. And that particular area is uh problematic just because of the speeding that occurs on Harrison Avenue. And there's been plenty of outreach to to the folks in that area. You know, flyers have gone to people's houses and we had our first town hall on this in November 5th. Uh we had our second town hall right on site on March 23rd and I think councelor Harrison was at the first town hall. But in any event, uh there's low low visibility on the corner of Cedar and Southerntherland because there's a retaining wall. So if you're going eastbound on Southerntherland is very difficult to see the oncoming traffic. So uh this is to put stop signs to kind of alleviate some of the speeding and uh some of the complications in that area. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Um, I'd like to h I'd like to have something. Oh, I'm sorry. Usually you're more aggressive. I just wanted to clarify because it seems like, you know, council Williams started the reading of item D, but was referring to item F and actually item D is actually making Southerntherland Road a one-way street. This isn't about stop sign. I just wanted to one clarify that. Thank you. Huge clarification.

So, if you'd like to start all over, sir. Yes, I I jumped the gun to F. Um, letter letter D is actually turning Southerntherland to a oneway street. Um, same everything that I said before is still uh still is the same. Two town halls, outreach, flyers on doors, meeting with people about this and this is overall going to make that area a lot safer. Thanks. Do you want to have a discussion? Is there any? Yeah, absolutely. Discussion.

I thank you, Council Williams, for setting the record straight. Um, I did speak to council Williams regarding this uh ordinance and in my opinion, it's not needed. There hasn't been enough in my opinion uh data provided that we need to one-way Southerntherland. um seven accidents over I think the police department

had seven accidents listed between 2020 in 2023. Um I'd like to go back 10 years. You know, I would I would prefer that we do a deeper dive. Um I've also talked to Council Williams about a resident um at the top of Southerntherland who has a disability situation. Um it to me it's just not needed. We don't need to one way the street. What we need to do is have our engineers and our um DCS uh director look at uh trying to calm traffic from Harrison where it meets West Orange. If you start slowing traffic down before they actually get into Montlair, we possibly just this street is so quiet. There's really and you know I just can't visually understand or process why we need to make Southerntherland Road a oneway. It just it seems like a little street that just doesn't need any um attention like this. If there's traffic concerns coming down Harrison, I understand that we need to look at some additional traffic calming measures to slow the traffic coming into Montlair from West Orange as well as going out of Montlair through West Orange. Um I just don't really agree with this, but this is his board if you will.

No. Um councelor Toller, I I appreciate that. Doesn't make good sense. I appreciate that. May I? And I know that our complete streets director, I may have had some input with this as well as Neglia. Um, and with all due respect to Neglia, you know, I' I've said this before openly and I'm going to say it again, because they're hired help, they're not designed to tell us no ever. That's just the facts. Um, I know that trying to one way a street here and one way a street there might be the mission of some of the complete streets board agenda, but it's just not needed for this area in my opinion. And that's just my opinion. I just wanted to put that on there.

Okay. So, I I appreciate you sharing just your opinion, but in um further and the when we brought this before the complete street board, there was no agreement that this was something that should be done there. In fact, there was quite a bit of conversation from the people that were present at the board meeting that this was not necessary. those of us that went, you know, to do a lot of doortodoor work in those areas, the um feeling was pretty much no and the surrounding streets. And so I think that

if it if it is if it does turn out that this is a popular demand thing that we should have, you know, something in writing and that we should let the complete street board fully go through the process and get a uh an opinion from that board and then, you know, bring it back. I get it. All we have to do is have, you know, somebody second your um to to get whatever you want on our agenda. But this is to me like a wakeup call because if we're going to have boards and even some of our committees and things like that doing things, then we either have to respect the process and fully ride that out until they come back with a unanimous, you know, decision or or whatever. We we spoke about that, but they didn't do anything. Now, whatever they did, if they did something with you after the hours, they didn't come back to the complete street board and get um you know, an opinion from that.

So, so what I'm hearing, and you you raised very valid concerns, one, there's been a lot of community outreach. So, you know, if you spoke to a couple of folks, I don't I don't think anybody has done more outreach on this particular issue than I have, but that's just my opinion

because you don't know Like I said, I don't think anyone has. Um, the other thing here is if we have a process in place for something like this, um, you know, this isn't a small undertaking changing a street from two ways to one way and you're suggesting that the process be go through the complete streets board. I do remember that there was a street changed to one way, Lyndon. I do not recall that. I don't recall any outreach going to to the folks that live on Lyndon. I don't recall the complete streets board and I I don't know a pining on it or anything and it was just that was their recommendation.

It was it was done and and so did that. No, it was before it was not it was before the board got up and going. That was the engineer that was very astute and and responded the same it's the same engineer the same engineer that recommended the complete streets. I'm I'm I'm sorry. This is the same engineer that recommended uh the one way on Lyndon, but that was valid and this is invalid.

That's not what I'm saying. And and I and whatever even if if you did more and I'm not trying to disrespect the couple of minutes that you did versus the 70 years that some of us have lived in the neighborhood and gone past there and never had an accident. And I'm and and I'm not trying to challenge whether the engineer was the same. It doesn't matter to me. Quite frankly, if we're going to just let the engineer make the decisions, we can dissolve the complete street person, save $200,000 from the money that we can save for that department, and move on and let the engineer do the job if that's what we want to do. But if we're going to retain a department and we're going to have a complete street board that that some of our council people work tirelessly on, it's just my opinion that we should respect it. I don't there's nothing in this for me Rahome and I'm not trying to deminimize whatever what what you're saying. I just it has to be something else and we did not have the complete street board up and running for that the street that you're referencing. Yes, councelor Damato. So the complete streets oversight board, it exists for a a a more focused function in general, which is to approve to make sure that streets are complete in terms of being able to service drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists. And it's it's it it exists and I may be wrong basically to adjudicate a check a checklist during every modification of a street. So that's why it's there. It's not there to approve every suggestion that is made about changing street order. That's our job

with the advice of the engineer. I would say the complete streets director, the DCS director and also the residents and people who we trust. So it's not I I I I look to that board for guidance but that is not the mechanism by which these are done. And

yeah, I agree with that and I I received that. But the the the the board the um chair um the uh Mr. Neman said at that meeting, yes, perhaps there are some other things that we can do since it is not popular by that area to have that one way. He was offering some complete street suggestions. Again, I my understanding is what yours is. I'm not saying that for everything, but if there's a process that's going moving forward, then and if someone is saying the chairman is saying he has some other suggestions and ideas that may work better in this area, then either we're going to respect him and let him do his job or let's don't use him at all. And again, I wasn't that in favor of of of bringing on, you know, a whole another department for us to fund. And then you know and I said why don't we just let the engineer and the people that have been doing this for decades continue to do this and I don't think that this is

the engineer is the one suggesting it right so I'm fine with that but then the question goes if we're not going to use the people that we're retaining that are offering suggestions because it went to them and we're going to ignore them when he says I have some suggestions on some things that may work better for the complete street in this area and we didn't even hear what those suggestions questions are and we're being asked to vote. That's the only problem.

But we don't Okay, we don't want to be in a position of putting people on the spot to contradict staff members contradicting staff members, right? They may have different opinions on things and we're still working out what this is about. But like fundamentally the process through which this was brought is not flawed because this is the way it's done. somebody requests, the engineer writes a report and if somebody else thinks that there are other things that can be done to trafficcom that that doesn't really void this. I don't know. Okay. Can I ask the manager just as the person who is the supervisor? No, I thought I thought he was Yeah, we can just vote to introduce this.

This is just to introduce it. Madam Clerk, please call the role. May I just No. Uhuh. I have to. I'm sorry. Madam clerk, please call the role. I'll when I speak, take make my role. Yeah, when you Yeah, you can do it then. Madam clerk, Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, yes. Councelor Harrison, no. And I would have liked to have given a long explanation. Go right ahead. You might as well. Everybody else. Well, this is important, Meritt, you know. Yeah. No, go ahead. Go ahead. We would love to hear it. the and please refrain from calling out. Thank you.

The intersection there there two separate issues here. One the intersection one there's speed on Harrison and they're put in a couple of stops on four four-way stops as it is. I think one here is highly desirable. coming up Cedar and making the left onto Harrison is a treacherous maneuver most times of the day and having the stops. My my question on making Southerntherland one way is is that necessary if you make it a four-way stop the problem and my sister's seven years younger and so for many years I was chauffeering her around town. one of her best friends lived on Southerntherland and we always picked her up on Harrison at the corner because of the retaining wall. So, you know, but if it's a four-way stop, a lot of that issue of coming out Southerntherland is gone away because the cars are going to stop. You're going to have to pull out a little, but coming out my street, I have to pull out a little because of the shrubs on the neighbor's property to the right. And so I have to pull into the inter, you know, into the crosswalk before I can see Cars on Grove, which, you know, similar, even greater traffic. So, I'm not sure. I'm not saying we shouldn't do it, but I think let's get the four-way stop installed. See what happens. If it's still necessary to make southern oneway at that point, I'll be all for it. But I'm I'm not sure it's going to be necessary with a four-way stop. So, so I'm I'm voting no on this ordinance. I will fully support the four-way the stop the four-way stop.

Madame clerk, thank you. Councelor Toller. Sure. Um no, but I would also like to make a statement that um Lynen Avenue as councelor Williams and I think mayor cleared it up already. Um that was something that was recommended through Neglia. Uh it had nothing to do with councelor Toller, an ordinance or anything. It's something that was presented to us. Um, in regards to your Orange Street comm community meeting, you had about 15 people there and the majority of the residents didn't even want this. Now, perhaps later they went back and you may have talked to a handful of people, but my understanding from the residents that were there, 15 people is not a town hall.

They weren't really in favor of making this a oneway. So, I'm not trying to I don't understand why it's being done. And I also have concerns with the residents that are up on Stonebridge, if you will, you know, how that's going to affect them with Southerntherland being a oneway, if they've been accustomed to coming and going a different way. You go past Stonebridge, you're up in Eagle Rock now. So, that's going to back up somewhere. I'm no engineer, but I'm not sure if this was vetted enough. And when I spoke to you on the phone, I did tell you I recommended that you should table this, that you should go back and have a little more conversation with some other neighbors, some more people and see what can be done to slow traffic down in other places. And as well as the family that I mentioned to you that has um a disabled person, you really need to understand how this may affect them with medical service or appointments that this spouse may need to get her husband in and out of a house if one street is just one way. So, you know, those are my thoughts. My vote is no.

Councelor Williams.

I'll make it very brief before I I vote yes. Um, so this went through a more robust process than Lyndon did. The this was recommended by the same person that recommended Lynon one way. And you know, I I think some of the comments have been reductive as to the amount of effort that was put into for outreach, but that's fine. You know, it I think it's a mischaracterization that most of the people that were there did not want this. That was not the case. It was a mixed bag. As with any piece of ordinate legislation that comes up, you're not going to get 100% most of the time. Well, we had a couple of 100% tonight, but you it's going to be a mixed bag and it's up to us to digest the facts and then, you know, put forward the best thing in our opinion. So, that's what was done here. There's always going to be oneoffs. You know, it doesn't work for one person, but we have to do the greater good here, and that's why I'm voting yes.

And before the mayor takes her vote, um again, 15 people is not a town hall meeting. Um, additionally, if Neglia was the one that recommended Lynen Avenue, that's that's turned into a problem. Can I just ask though, can because Neglia recommended Lynon and that turned into a problem. That has to be fixed. Yeah. No.

Okay. Excuse me. I I would like my turn and I'd also like not to have, you know, the council members up here telling me how to run the meeting. I'd like the opportunity to do that. And there's been other things. After we after I cast my vote for no, we're going to take a 10-minute break. Often times when it gets late at night, people start doing things that are very strange, like making up like they know how many people I spoke to, how many they and I think that that's like, let's play nice in in the in the sandbox, kitties. And I think we need to take a 10-minute break. So, I vote no. And we're going to take a 10-minute break. Yeah.

All right. Thank you. Okay. Let's go to new business ordinance uh letter E. Please, deputy mayor. This is an ordinance to amend. This is an ordinance to amend chapter 341 water article 22 all services to be metered. Exception. I so move. Second. Discussion please. Roll call, please. Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, yes. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller, yes. Councelor Williams, yes. Mayor Baskerville, yes. Thank you. Councelor Williams, will you please do F?

Certainly, Madame Mayor. Uh, ordinance to amend chapter 327-9.1 multi-way stop intersections. And this was uh so moved. Second. So this was the ordinance that I was referring to before with the stop signs in the intersection of Cedar, Harrison, and Southerntherland. Um, okay. Um, please would you read it? Oh, what am I? Okay. Thank you. Uh, an ordinance to amend section 327 vehicles and traffic of the code of the township of Monontlair, New Jersey. You want me to read the whole thing?

But yeah. Oh, okay. Be it ordained by the council of the township of Monontlair in the county of Essex that the code Montlair code section 327-9.1 multi-way stop intersections hereby be amended to read as follows. Multiway uh multi-way stop intersections. The following described locations are hereby designated as multi-way stop intersections and stop sh signs shall be installed on both major and minor streets as follows. Harrison Avenue, Cedar Avenue. This ordinance shall take effect in accordance with the provisions of NJSA title 39 motor vehicles and traffic regulations as amended. Okay. Anybody have any discussion?

Yes. Councelor Toller. Um just for my colleagues here, it appears that Neglia submitted the same backup um for this ordinance not ident. So hopefully Neglia will do a better job going forward. I'm in support of this. I believe that this is needed and it will help that particular area. Okay. Just my comment is councelor Harrison

if we don't do the one way on Southerntherland it should be a four-way stop. So can we amend it to say um unless Southerntherland becomes one way westbound there shall be a stop sign at Southerntherland as well. in the middle of the motion. Thank you.

Oh, that's not part of the discussion. Well, the report says the report says that if you're going to have so you can't have one without Why? That's what the report says. But but it's it's our decision, not Neglia's decision as to what we're doing. Correct. It's the engineering recommendation that you be going against. I understand that. That's not okay. I mean, but you're in the middle of a motion and a second, so that has to be discussed first. Okay. Thank you very much. I appreciate the point of order. Any um further discussion? Madam clerk, please. Oh, wait. Oh, yes.

So, I mean on this one, it in discussion with director Neman that this is really what they all agree on. So, there wasn't any daylight between our complete streets director and the engineer that if you are going to have a four-way, you need to have the oneway. So, that's they they should have been placed in order better order. Um but but to butress what you were saying before it's not just about the process. This is a technical question that I mean we have say on it but they are saying that you need to have both if you're going to have the four-way. So

that's my question though. We don't I'm sorry councelor Toller. No and I I guess when you when doing a roll call you can add some different stuff or whatever. I don't know if councelor Damato was finished yet. I thought he was. My apolog I'm fine. I'm just pointing out that in the last conversation that wasn't brought up. It was suggested that there was some daylight between the experts and the experts are in agreement, you know, that if we're going to do one, we should really do both. Okay. Thank you. Anyone else want to discussion? Yes.

Yeah, sure. I mean, you know, um I I just I can't process that if these are experts that they're submitting stuff with wrong backup for us to even review it. So, that's the first thing. Um I just think we should pull this and make sure that they're submitting this backup for this particular ordinance has to do with Southerntherland as a oneway. If you read it, how am I supposed to thoroughly understand what work or research they did to verify that? And I'm not saying we don't need the stop signs at Harrison and Cedar, but this backup is the same backup from the other one.

I'm I'm gonna wait. Were you finished? Councelor Toller. Okay. Now, Council Damato, you have more conversation. Anyone else? Council members, Deputy Mayor. So the way I read the memorandum was that it addressed both um it's the subject the subject matter is both this ordinance and the one prior because they are interrelated um as um the motto said right correct that's why it says the same thing and I don't have an issue oh okay um anyone else do you have any further things that you'd like to share with us before we vote vote on this please councelor Williams

no ju just the it's the same memo because it's it's addressing kind of the same situation and saying that it should that's what that's but anyway the memo is um if you turn to the last page of the memo it it talks about the stop control but anyway and madame mayor may I so uh madam attorney you're stating that what councelor Harrison is offering to add is not something we can add now or right here. You have to take the vote and then it fails and you can make a motion to I actually don't want to make that.

Councelor Harrison, it's your turn now. But why why can't we move to amend the ordinance that's introduced? I do not want to do it to this one. I'm happy with this one at this point. I've misspoke before. But the next ordinance I do want to amend what was presented to us. And are you saying but we're not at the next or I know but I want to understand cuz she's how I go about or to talk about this one before there's a motion on the thing before there's a motion because councelor had already moved it and there was a second.

So when I call you for the next one I'm going to call you first right and you would put the um amendment in before we have a movement in a second. Well, that's why I'm trying to I'm helping you and so it's being introduced as you want to amend it before the second or amend it. Right. Well, why can't I amend it tonight? Why you can the one that you want to? Because we haven't gotten to that one. I don't know what amendment you're talking about. The next one. Can we Can we move on? I got you covered for the next one. Um, did anybody else want to talk about the new business ordinance F, please, before we do a roll call? No. Madam clerk, please. Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, yes. Councelor Harrison,

yes. Councelor Toller, yes. Councelor Williams, yes. Mayor Baskerville, no. And um just for the record, I'm not going against anyone. I think we have, you know, two very competent individuals that are in positions to help us. I just have to get a better understanding about how we arrive at some of the things when I know that there were some other great suggestions about what we could do the traffic calming in that intersection.

Next, um Okay, we have an ordinance.

Ordinance. I'm going to um call on councelor Harrison, please. an ordinance amending section 8 of chapter 230 parking lots of the code of the township of Montlair New Jersey to revise the parking permit fees and related regulations. This is for the public to know this is to raise the fees in all of the parking decks and parking lots in town. There's a subsequent ordinance dealing with the street meters. Um, I move the ordinance that was presented to us with the exception of the sentence that is being added in a that would allow the fees to be increased by resolution by ordinance be removed from the ordinance. So, we would have to make any changes by ordinance. I am philosophically opposed to doing changes like this by resolution and two it will create confusion even though there'll be a schedule there'll be an ordinance that'll say one thing and then if we change it by resolution and that is going to confuse people who look at the ordinance. So I would I am moving this ordinance with the exception of the first sentence the change to the added first sentence in D be removed.

I second the both both of the motions on on the amendment. Right. I second the motion and the amendment. Yeah. Okay. Um discussion. No I just really want to know you know when this gets implemented how does the parking authority determine they're going to get this information out to residents? Um, just curious if there's a plan of action. Um, or we just gonna let people find out the way they find out because the permits are going up. Correct. Is is there a plan of action that notify permit holders that this is going to be an increase in the near future? Uh, good evening everyone.

Hi, good evening. Yes. So that would be our plan would be to make sure that uh we let it out have a Matt put send some messages some messaging out on social media. We also plan on we have the capability right now of emailing every single permit holder. So every permit holder will be notified about this. Um and as far as the meters go the that that cost is associated with each meter and pay station and it's displayed on the meter and the pay station so people will know about that as well.

All right. As long as something's going out via email, um I don't really trust the township uh social media. There's not enough people following it or on it to catch the information. I mean, it can go out that way, but if you have access to email every holder, please make sure that happens. Understood. Understood, council. Yes, that that's our plan is to be able to do both to make sure we have both covered. Okay. I just ask a quick Yes. Councelor Birmingham. Manny, do you happen to remember the day that you were here, the council meeting where you and Jake explained the rationale for a lot of these changes? Do you remember that date? Cuz I Anybody who's watching who may want some background on this? Does I'll look it up if anyone remembers. I do not. I'm sorry. I do not. February 24th.

Oh, February 24th. Okay. Thank you. If for those who may want background, there there was a presentation I think it was an excellent presentation on February 24th. That is correct. Thank you. Thank you. All right. I I do have a question, Council Damato. Or if you could explain

why why do we have different rates at our decks? Like why, in other words, why wouldn't this be a good opportunity to just harmonize them? And why why is the Bay Street deck permit lower than the Midtown deck when the Bay Street deck is a transit point deck? Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for you as far as that goes. Uh the Bay Street deck has always been lower since I started here in 2018. Our goal is to actually get them to harmonize and to all be the same by hopefully by 2027 2028 is what we were thinking. Oh, okay. Can you just discuss you would like to harmonize it?

Those are the discussions I had with the finance committee and those were that's that was the conclusion we came up with. Well, some and he's exactly right. Uh you didn't want I think we're you're going from 100 to 125 which so that was a 25 increase and if you didn't want to go well beyond that, right? at a certain point through in incremental increases over time, you're it's going to be harmonized. So the rules will all be the same. Correct. That's fine. That's the future for simplicity sake, but we don't want to unduly correct shock people. Okay, good. So, deputy.

Yes. Just and just to be clear, these are just for the monthly permits for these just for the monthly permit. That is correct. We are the hourly rates. We are not touch we're not messing with the hourly rates this year. Okay. Um, and I do actually, um, I would like to make a I have some non-substantive um, edits that I'd like to suggest. May I make a motion to a motion on the floor and there's a second? So, why don't you vote on that motion? Yeah. First, then we can do that. Okay. Yeah. So, let's do that one first. Or do we want anybody else want to just um discuss this as is or can we move on? Madame Clerk,

roll call, please. The amendment that councelor Harrison offered. Yes. Councelor Birmingham. Yes. Councelor Damato. Yes. Councelor Harrison. Yes. Councelor Toller. Yes. Councelor Williams. Yes. Mayor Baskerville. Yes. Now, Deputy Mayor, yes. Um, so I would like to make a motion um to make the following amendments in the second. Oops. Wait. I haven't said what the amendments are yet. I see them on your paper, the nonsubstances one. You want me to read it off of your paper for me?

So, thank I appreciate you um sharing. So, um in the whereas uh um delete the semicolon after demographics and delete the word and um and add a period after demographics. Okay. Um, in paragraph B, surface lots. Um, I would in A, B, and C, I would remove the word two before the dollar amounts for A, B, and C. Um, as well as under the Bay Street deck, remove the word two in A and B. And then, um, uh, under early bird, um, I think it should be, it currently reads the rate you will be charged. I would just um delete the word the words um you will and be and then under crescent deck also remove the word to prior to the um dollar amounts and that's it.

A second Anybody care one one way or the other about this? Because it's really nonsubstantive. Anybody? Anybody discussion on that? Okay. Madam Clerk, Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, yes. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller, yes. Councelor Williams, yes. Mayor Baskerville, yes. Moving on to the next one, please. Hello, Madam Clerk.

Who's the movement in the second? I'm the move. Okay. Second. Okay. Deputy Mayor Anderson. Yes. Councelor Birmingham. Yes. Councelor Damato. Yes. Councelor Harrison. Yes. Councelor Toller. Yes. Councelor Williams. Yes. Mayor Baskerville. Yes. Um, who wants to take the next one, please? Councelor Damato.

This agenda item number H, an ordinance amending section 36 of chapter 327, vehicles and traffic of the code of the township of Montlair, New Jersey to revise parking meter and pay station rates, operating hours for surface lots, street parking, and the special parking zone. And I so move second discussion. Madame clerk. Deputy Mayor Anderson. Yes. Council Birmingham. Yes. Councelor Damato. Yes. Councelor Harrison. Yes. Councelor Toller. Yes. Councelor Williams. Yes. Mayor Baskerville. Yes. Uh I Council Birmingham, please.

Okay. I'm sorry. I need to be skipped. Oh, okay. I'm sorry. Um then um Deputy Mayor. Oh, okay. This is I right. No, I'm sorry. Yes. New business ordinance. An ordinance amending section 327-22 loading zones of the code of the township of Montlair, New Jersey to update the loading zone operation operating times and days. I move um I'd like second, but I'd like to ask for an amendment. Um I wasn't aware this was coming out. I just have a question. It may not be an amendment to it, but I do have a question.

Yes, Councelor Toller, please. Um, I'm just curious. Um, you know, we need to add Maple Avenue. We have two businesses there that have asked for it, at least to me. Um, we have a laundry mat and we have Jefferson's restaurant. They do get supplies in. So, I'm just wondering if is there any way to incorporate uh a small portion of Maple Avenue for loading for maybe Mondays between 7 a.m. to 900 a.m. Uh cuz parking's tight over there. So, when those two owners come in to unload their vehicles to take supplies to their store, they don't have a loading zone. Uh if the council wants to amend that, I mean, you can I guess they can amend. There's a motion. There's a motion or Okay.

So, um so I I can work on that ordinance if you like though. I can I can work on I can do a quick study to see make sure that that's you know feasible. I understand but where he has it is not where it needs to be in my opinion. Um it needs to be further down the block cuz this area that you've designated on here for west from a point 471 ft south from Bloomfield Avenue. Who is that serving? Well counselor we didn't adjust any of the locations of the loading zones. All we did was change the the times and days.

Okay. No, that's fine. If you wish to change the times, if you wish to change the locations, we can definitely look into it is what I guess what I'm trying to say. Th this this ordinance is strictly for the uh the time that the loading zones are being used and also for the days that loading zones are being used. That's all this this ordinance does. Maybe that's for the daycare center. This area that you're referring that the ordinance refers to. You don't know where it's located because I don't really see a loading zone sign. It might be the daycare center. Maybe. There may be. Well, we can make a new one. Okay. If we have to, we'll look into it. Yes. And we'll try a new one for further down Maple where we do have two businesses and there is no loading zone for them to park to unload their vehicle looking into it. Council,

thank you. Anyone else, Madam Clerk? Deputy Mayor Anderson. Yes. Councelor Birmingham. Yes. Councelor Damato, here. Yes. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller, yes. Councelor Williams, yes. Mayor Baskerville. Yes. Councelor Williams. Agenda item

J. I don't know why it says number. Uh J. An ordinance amending 327-15 overnight parking of the code of the township of Monontlair, New Jersey to update the overnight parking permitted streets. This is to allow overnight parking on Warman Street. It was in compliance with the rubric and so moved. Second

discussion. Mhm. Okay. Madame clerk, please. Yes. Councelor Birmingham. Yes. Councelor Damato. Yes. Councelor Harrison. Yes. Councelor Toller. Yes. Councelor Williams. Yes. Mayor Baskerville.

Yes. Thank you. Councelor Toller. Letter K, please. Agenda item K, new business ordinance. An ordinance amending article 2, rent and fees, chapter 234, parks and playground of the code of the township of Montclair, New Jersey to revise the swimming pool permit fees and regula and related regulations. I so move. Second.

Discussion. Um, I just think that, um, some of this needs to probably be read out loud for anyone who's still up and joining us that these fees, you know, what they're going up to. I don't know you feel like doing that or just make sure people are aware. Okay. So, so did you want to um I'm not trying to end anything. Just I think we need to actually say how much everything's going to cost. No, this is for Mayor. Yeah. Okay. So, just explain.

No, I just want to know what it is that she's trying to um accomplish. What is it that you want to know?

Okay. Because on here um we we met with the um director of parks and the PRCA and and and others and the um new um the director of parks now, Mr. Thornton. and we discussed these and the the noteworthy thing is the fact that now um we're going to be including non-residents as well as residents. And so if you look on the um column there that says non-residents, that's giving us these fees for the non-residents. And this is the first year that we've actually done that. Thank you.

Yeah. And that that's because we needed to because of the expenditure of green acres funds. Mayor. Yes. Um I'd also like to I think this also is is allowing for the um purchase of daily passes for both residents and non-residents, which I think is a very good thing. We had that before, but this is good, too. Yeah.

Yep. Yes. Councelor Birmingham. Um, I just have a question because this, as you said, this is the first time that we're opening to non-residents. I think there has been a discussion that the non-resident fee is lower than like other towns. If it I'm just curious if it makes sense to cap it. Again, knowing kind of this is a little bit unknown how many people will be taking advantage of it. the idea and manager I'm not sure if you know like if it were to come that like we were thinking we were approaching a capacity that we know is too much. Is that an administrative move like you can just say we're going to cap it at x number of non-resident families or is that something that we would have to do by ordinance? Do you know?

It would probably be be excuse me it would probably be based on the the capacity for the day. So if a pool had a capacity of 100 patrons and and we were approaching that, you know, limit for the day, then then we wouldn't let anybody else in. In terms of like total for the season, I don't know how you would do that.

Yeah. I guess that's cuz let's say I'm I'm just going to say like let's say 2,000 non-resident families were like, well, I'm going to come to Montlair's pool because it's $500. just just is it that then like we don't want a situation where then every time somebody tries to show up every time a resident shows up at a Montlair pool it's like sorry we're capped for the day cuz I'm not saying this is going to happen but like if we get a sense that there are lots and lots of non-resident families registering like way more than our normal capacity. Can we cap it? And maybe this is a question that we need to take probably needs some legal research. Yeah.

I don't know. There there's been um for this season um it's my understanding that because the batch sales are going to be imminent and that this ordinance wouldn't have been is not going to be effective until after those sales occur. Um there will only be badges sold under the present ordinance which only which limits it to residents. Then after this ordinance passes which will be I think the May 24th somewhere around that time period um the non-residents can then start purchasing badges for application or seasonal passes um and that itself so we're discussing that for this year and and then for next year we can look into

okay reducing the fees seeing how it works if if it becomes a problem this year we could always revisit the ordinance because I think Some other other towns do have we limit it to x number of out of town families. I I I don't think green acres allows allows that. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Our municipal pools, but we can do what I suggested like an early bird special

and and I thank you for that because um during the discussion with the PRCA and the director of the recreation that's what was mentioned and I did not have a chance to go back and fact check but if it is u what we discussed at the meeting it was discussed that we couldn't like say you know no more out oftowners and then you you know, save like spaces for people that live in the residence, but they did talk about the early bird special. Yes, mayor. Yes. Um, council, that's deputy mayor. I'm sorry.

That's a really good question. Um, because I was wondering, I mean, I do know that other towns like Verona, I believe it's Verona is one of them, but maybe they don't use um Green Acres funds. I guess I think my question had more to do with the um the possib was there a discussion about whether or not um uh there would need to be like an increase more lifeguards on duty um or that's not impacted. Yeah. No, they didn't discuss additional lifeguards, but that's an interesting thing. Yeah, we didn't discuss that at all. You can only put so many people in there. I don't think, but I'm not.

Anyone else? Roll call, please. Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, yes. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller, yes. Councelor Williams, yes. Mayor Baskerville, yes. Thank you. So, now we're going to move on to H the bill list. Oh, we didn't do H H. I have to pull up on the other page. What happened to H?

What did you want to go back to? There's something else that I missed because I thought we were at the bill list. We're going to go on to the bill list, please. We did it on consent agenda. It's on consent. Everything's on consent. I know, but I I said since we the bill list is never consent. And so that's why I deliberately didn't say consent agenda. I said now we're going to go on to the bill list because unless I'm going to be totally surprised tonight. This is not going to make the cut for the consent agenda. So we can put it under consent agenda and then ask councelor Toller if there's anything she wants to pull. Yeah. off of the

I mean I have a question. I didn't I didn't Right. Okay. Okay. Pull it if you just have a question. Question. Okay. Well, no. I I do cuz I I I don't want to vote yes for it. Okay. So, other than the bill list, are there things that people want to, you know, just move out of the um consent agenda for further discussion? Yes, please. Okay. Councelor Toller. Of course. Number one. Mhm. I have a question. Number two. Number two. Um, number four. Number four. Um, anyone else have anything that they'd like to take out? There's one more. Okay. Okay. I don't know if anybody else.

Okay. I said number four. We have number one, number two, and number four. I have one other. I'm sorry. I'm just trying to get the number for you, please. Take your time. number is um number 10. A number that's in the new business. That's not under the consent agenda. I think then that's it then. Okay. All right. Going up to number six. Approval of items three, five, and six. Second. Roll call, please. Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham,

yes. Councelor Damato, yes. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller, yes. Councelor Williams, yes. Mayor Baskerville, yes. Thank you. Councelor Tol, will you lead us through the um discussion um for the bills list, please?

Um yes, I did receive Manager Mark's email. Um I did reply back. I didn't hear back from the staff member you assigned, I guess, to answer my questions. So, uh, I'm going to table Angels, Landscaping, and Shoger. Um, I will get those numbers for you. Um, I thought there was supposed to be some conversation with Shoger, uh, regarding this last invoice that they submitted and, uh, the park. But the first one is angels 25501 because I'd like to see the invoices since I have the old invoices. I just want to make sure they're not sending more duplicates. And the shoger purchase order uh vendor number, I'm sorry, is 8107.

So just for the record, if I may, um a couple of meetings ago, there was a concern expressed about uh possible duplicates in the bills list. We we did have a follow-up meeting. uh councelor Toller uh with Austin Ashley and Michael Lynch. We went through all of the invoices from both Shawer and Angel's Landscaping and there were no um duplicate invoices. Um

that's not true. There were duplicates. There were duplicates actually submitted from the vendor to the township and we asked I asked about the tallying of it and you explained that the system would not allow for the same invoice number to be inputed. So, we still don't really know if that amount is true, but the actual vendor did submit duplicate invoices.

And the reason I'm tableabling angels is because this is a new bill for a new amount of money. And I'd like to see what they've submitted. Okay. Sher's on again for a new bill payment after the half a million dollars we gave them. Now, they're asking for $63,000 and they tore up our part. I thought the last discussion we had was that someone was going to reach out to them to verify. Did we get any money back for them, you know, just dumping snow and salt anywhere? I don't know. But I'd like to see what invoices they're submitting for this 63,000 now cuz we we've mailed the check for a half a million dollars. We did that. I want to see what they're submitting for 63,000 at this point. Same thing with Angels. That money was sent to them at the last. This is a new bill for a new amount. I'd like to see the invoices.

Just for the record, there were no duplicate payments. Um, that's better. As far as we will comply with with all of councelor Toller's uh requests. So in terms of documenting um as far as um I think councelor Toller had asked for either a credit or um some remuneration from um sugar for the snow that they had dumped in the um in the parks that was done at the behest of the department of community services. So

I didn't ask for credit sir and I don't mean to interrupt you. I thought that you or someone was going to have a conversation when we had our last meeting to find out what if anything. I know that we can't ask for credit because this is a state contract and it's a purchase. So, I understand completely how they work. Okay. Because we were in executive session if I'm not mistaken when we were talking about this issue with the part and I thought someone from your staff was going to reach out to them to find out if we even need to pay this bill because of the damages they did to the part. I didn't ask for a credit. We can't ask for a credit. We can't ask for a credit, but we need to find out what it is they are what what we should pay for the damages. They they they are charging us $63,000 for dumping snow. It is virtually impossible to determine

and we also asked what snow was dumped where by whom. You know the the snow that there were a variety of contractors as well as um Department of Community Services vehicles and equipment and drivers who were all dumping snow um into Essex and Eerie parks. Um, and it it's literally impossible deter to determine, you know, what snow was dumped by Shoger, what snow was dumped by Angel's Landscaping, and what snow is was dumped by um DCS personnel.

But in addition to that, and and I guess this is a sort of a question, but maybe not really, they wouldn't just pull up on our property and start dumping snow without us giving them a sense that they are this is where they're supposed to dump it. Right. Correct. Okay. So, I I'm and I I respect what you're saying, councelor Toller, in terms of something needing to be done, but if our if we as a township are thinking that that was the right thing to do at that time, then now we find out it's not. I I don't understand why we're going to charge them because they they they thought they were doing Well, what I'm saying is, you know, we've as I've asked at least, and I know Council Damato wanted it. I asked for uh a report of which vendor does what part of town.

Okay, that would narrow down who did what. But if we don't have that, then we could just keep throwing money out. But it still in my mind doesn't matter if we as a township are letting them do that and think it's okay. They didn't just cruise on to Monontlair and say, "I'm going here." No, that's correct. Somebody led them to believe that this was a plan in the spur of a moment when we had that horrific snowstorm. Somebody led them to think it was okay and it was done. Yeah. Okay. Any further discussion? No. No. Okay. And so what what what what is your ask here, council?

Again, I'm asking for the invoices because Shawer and Angel's Landscaping are on our bill list again for two different amounts of money. As I stated previously, we've already paid Shoger the half a million dollars that I tabled once before. After the meeting, I told the manager to call the finance office, take the check out of the safe, and send it out in the mail. Angel submitted something. I think it was for $77,000. I don't have my notes in front of me. That's been paid. These are two new bills added on here. And all I'm asking for is to see the invoices. I mean, if nobody's checking to ensure that they're not duplicates or what have you, I'm just trying to see the work. And perhaps this might pin down who dumped the snow at Erie because their invoices should be detailed with what locations in town they worked.

All the snow was dumped in Erie and as the we I we also I thought you and I agreed Birmingham and I forgot where the meeting was held. I feel like it was an executive session that we wanted Sher off the vendor list. We don't need to do business with them anymore. We had pinpointed that it was them somehow. Managers to know who it was. It could have been anybody. What did dump the snow at Erie and Essex? So that but that's that's where I I get what you're saying but that's where I fall. Okay. Oh, that's right. My apologies. I'm just saying like And so you're asking us to do that now before we take action on this?

Correct. I just want the invoices. If you know guys want to vote on it, go right ahead. Can I um and and I'm not not opposed to, you know, if if other council people want to pull that. I'm I'm again I'm still I don't think that at this point in time to me if vendors are coming Let me just finish what I was going to say. No, I didn't finish what I was going to say. Council Toller, I just wanted to say that at this point in time,

if we allow someone to come in and say you're going to dump here and you're going to dump here and they follow our directive to dump here and there, that's not that doesn't make it their part. But the other thing I'm just like is if we have these things in advance, is there a way that we can have them pulled so that we can see them before the meeting? I did what was of me. You as you asked them to pull it. I asked the manager a question. He referred the question to the DCS director and I have not heard back. So,

all right. And the only reason I'm asking that is because if it's some things that we'd like to see. I'm just trying to figure out how we can get that before the meeting and then pay the bill because I don't know what the repercussions are if we don't pay bills on time and they shouldn't be paid if they're not supposed to be paid. Well, most purchase orders you have uh 90 days to pay. Depends on what the back of the purchase says. So, see, yeah, you got all that acknowledge. I don't know. But I'm just hoping that we can think that you want the manager's request that I'm sure I don't know if everybody else got the same email. They wanted to go over bills list and I had a question. He sent my question to the DCS director and I haven't heard back. Okay. So, I don't have the invoices to review. I don't have the invoices to review.

Thank you. Anyone else? Any discussion, conversation? Madame clerk? Mayor, may I have a move in? Did you move that? So move. Okay. May I have a second that we take out the um you want both the shoger and the um angels the numbers down. Yes, ma'am.

Mayor, it can't just be pulled anymore according to finance. Okay. They did a memo. Um according to the payment law, you have to actually vote to stop payment because the checks are ready to go out because of the process. with the and I'm not sure that it's 90. I believe it's 60 or Okay. It's not Yeah. 60 or 90 days. I know it's not 30 days.

So, I'm not sure when when and that starts the clock from when the PO is certified because remember when you certify the PO, you certify that the goods and services have been delivered um and that the time sheets or whatever the invoices are accurate and so that's the time and so it goes through a process. Um so, you actually You have to you can't just pull things off bill's list. That's why it's on the consent agenda. You have to actually stop payment. Okay. And can you just let let us know? So, say we stop payment tonight. Then what is the process, attorney, please, after that? And how long does it take and what does that do? Um, in terms of people we may want to do business with again, maybe we don't. I don't know yet.

Oh, and interest starts at 30 days. So, yeah. So, you have to pay them interest on top. It's 60 days. Let's do this. Just move it the way it is and if people vote, go for it. That's it. No, because she's saying we have to stop the check. So it what what council is saying is just move the bills list without anything coming off. That's it. For a vote. No one else seems to want to see the invoices, so it's fine. I'm just trying to get understanding, councelor Toller. Um, if there's a problem here, I'm just trying to understand it. And I thank you for helping me understand somewhat. And although it seems like she's saying 60 days, you're staying 90 days.

She said 90 days for school districts. 60 days. 60 days for that. Correct. Okay. So, we're at at 60 days. And I was trying to find out what happens after that. And how long does that procate? Could process the next meeting. Can we put it back on? Attorney, did you answer that? The next meeting, can we put it back on? In what? Once we stop payment, like you're saying, we have to stop payment now if we wanted to do this. So then at the next meeting, can we put it back on and start payment up again? Of course. Okay. Because this is this is the first time I've appreciate it.

But if I've never heard this before, I have no idea about how long these things take. It was brought to my attention by your temporary or interim CFO and also given a local finance notice to indicate that there's issues with just pulling the bill. So what has to happen is that stop payment stop. Okay. Thank you. Um anyone else? Deputy mayor. Is this the same company? This is the same company that where it was determined that no duplicate bills were found. Correct. Yep. So, you're saying we would be paying interest? You we'll be paying interest on $79,000 or $60,000 if it's after 30 days.

Okay. Okay. When does that start? I'm sorry. Um, councelor Birmingham. I was just trying to find out. No, I mean I I do think that stop payment because it literally you have to like stop payment on a check. You have to It's incur a fee and we get a fee, right? Not to make the Yeah. It's not an actual stop payment like you think. It sits it sits in the safe. It's not actually canceling it out. So, can we pass it and then if you you can look into it and then if there's some I mean once it's passed and the check goes out, there's not much else we can do. So, it's fine if this is what the majority of the council would like to do, vote for it. Yeah. I mean, I'm assuming you it's been checked

because this is a regular and ongoing concern. I think it would be helpful to have Mr. Ashley actually come to the next meeting and explain the process. There's there's multiple um checks and balances of reviewing invoices by um himself uh the people within DCS uh the people within um purchasing and finance here. So there's multiple eyes, multiple checks and balances to make sure that um vendors are not getting paid twice for the same you know invoices and work. Councelor Harrison, I was trying to behave and not say anything. Councelor Harrison,

I guess I'm a little confused as to what's the point of the bills list and are approving it if we can't not approve it. I mean, I've gone to many municipal councils and watched them invariably vote on bills lists, and I always understood the point of it was so they could go through and say, "What the hell is this?" And

um I I think and you know, and and I I guess my question is if it's discovered that there's an error in the invoices. What is our recourse if we approve the payment to them? I mean, if we discover an error, we could we could always, as we just discussed right now, we could either cancel the check or or hold the check. And and if

Okay. So if we if we approve this as is now and in the next week, you don't send out the check. You you go through with counselor toller the invoices and it's all fine. You send the check out, right? If there's an error in their favor against us, you can come back with an amended amount for the next bill's list and say it should be $5,000 less because of an error. Yep. That's what we did. We sent the check out that day after I met with them.

And and that's what we did a couple meetings ago where we had a follow-up meeting and we went over the invoices and there there were no errors and the the checks were went out. I'm not going to say it was no errors after we had the meeting because they were held. Thank you. I kind of disagree. Anyone else? Councelor Toller. Nope. That's it. And Mr. Harris. Councelor Harrison. Yes, attorney. A legitimate business concern. You absolutely. That's the reason why the bills list comes to you all to see if there's a legitimate business concern to raise and you can absolutely vote as as my understanding is councelor Toller is raising a legitimate business concern. She can make a motion to stop the payment based on that. Absolutely.

Okay. So, is that what you did? You you made a motion to stop the payment, right? So, I said pull and I guess I'm supposed to say stop stop the payment. That's what it sounds like, right? Okay. But but just to be clear, we can't you can't do what you did last time where you're like, "Okay, this is fine. Let's send the checks out." Because we've the council has voted to stop the payment. No, that's not what we did the last time. But what what we're being told right now being told that but I find it quite interesting that we're now being told that because I'm going through these invoices with a fine tooth comb. I don't want to hear checks and balances are happening here because it's not. It's just not okay. So

and a check was released. So I I understand that when these when this bill list gets in front of us, the checks are already printed and ready to go the very next day here at 205. But I'm just saying this they cannot be paid for what it's two weeks until our next right because the back of a purchase order which is a contract says that this municipality has about 60 days to pay any invoice. Of course we're trying to pay them in 30 days after receiving. Yeah. I just want to be clear that what you just said where you said and then I checked it out and it went out cannot happen is what we're being told. Right. Not like because we're we're issuing we're saying it's stop

the payment accured more than 30 days you're going to the local financing says you're obligated to claim interest but then we wouldn't be in 30 days if and then we wouldn't be in this particular case. I understand what she's saying but we have another meeting coming up that check would be not issued and it would go on for the the end of the month the end of May right that's still not within 30 days. That's a request from finance from your finance. The process of pulling checks from the bill list because there are checks that are not going out. Yeah. The big pulling and you're not specifically stop

right. But now that we if we stop it tonight then we can expect it'll be done within 30 days and we won't have to pay 30 days information. I don't know when the PO was signed and what this check is from. So it goes from the date the PO was signed and not from tonight. It has to go with the date that the invoice comes in and it's signed off by whatever director, right? Okay. And then they attach it to whatever and it gets circulated and put on our bills list. So,

you know, if they submitted an invoice for January, now that's not our fault. They were supposed to submit that back in January. If this invoice that they're submitting for this particular bill is is for March, then we're good. Okay. Okay. But vendors have to be held responsible too for submitting their invoices in on time if they want to be paid on time. Anyone else? I I just don't really understand what we're trying to do here. I mean, we have a good a good finance department that is going through the work. It at least to my satisfaction, it's been established that a the most recent secondg guessing of it and claims of duplicate invoices.

It wasn't a claim, sir. They were actual duplicate invoices. Okay. So there was never was a duplicate. We still don't know if it was the total amount that was correct. I just let it go. Okay. When you say claims that there was duplicates. No, that was actually Okay. I said to my satisfaction to my satisfaction. To my satisfaction. I don't believe you. You don't have to believe. I'm not I'm saying I don't believe that I and you said I want this vendor off the list. I don't even know what the Why do you want them off the list? I know you don't know. And you don't have to believe. I'm gonna ask Madame Clerk, please. Um, if you would call

No, I'm sorry. I can't ask Madame Clerk. Who was the um second? Councelor Toler made a motion to What do we have to do? Believe me, stop the payment. What is it? Stop the payment. Is there a second? Did you want to second the motion to stop the payment? No. So there's no motion. There's no motion. So we're going to vote on it. Uh may I mayor? Yes.

So that I can have a clear understanding for the record. To councelor Birmingham's point based off of what the attorney advised and what the manager reported. I looked at the record from the last meeting on that bill's list. This governing body pulled purchase order number 2601518 to Shoger Group in the amount of 63,420. Now, it's being reported tonight, if I understood correctly, that that was investigated and now this governing body is going to add that to this bill's list authorizing that payment. Is that correct? I'm not certain. I had referred to councelor.

I had never received the invoice. Mr. Mark sent out the bill list asking if I had any questions. I replied back to him with the two vendors that I had a question. He referred it to the DCS director and I haven't seen it back. I haven't seen the invoices yet. Yes, councelor Toller. I understand that point. That's about the bill list that's presented to you for approval tonight. What I just put on the record is from the last bill's list. So, what I'm understanding is that payment of $63,420 which was pulled from the April 7 bill list. You want to add that to this bill list and authorize it. Yes, that's point one that I needed clarified. That's good. I Okay,

it's on this bill list. It's on here. It's here, right? Okay. And point Thank you for that clarity. Then point two, I understand that councelor Toller made a motion to pull Angel's Landscaping and Shroger Group, two invoices that don't have identified the amounts in the POS yet, but you want to pull that because I haven't seen the invoices. Yes, ma'am. And I didn't hear a second. Then later on, Councelor Williams had a motion, which I didn't hear a second for, to approve this bill's list as is. Second. That's fine. Don't. Okay, that's fine. You know, would you like to call the RO?

This is a motion to approve the bills list as is. There's a motion and there's a second. And who who motioned? I know Councelor Williams moved to approve the bills list and councelor Damato second the motion. Okay. Roll call. Okay. I'm sorry because what you just said is right. No, I appreciate you because essentially what you are potentially saying is you we pulled y pulled it. Mhm. Then you said I reviewed it and the checks went out for 63. Okay. But but you said that the checks went out.

I the first check that went out was for a half a million dollars. I did not send out a check for 63 for Shaw at all. I pulled it and I have not seen the invoices since the last meeting when I asked for it. Okay. Okay. The check that did go out was for a half a million dollars to Shocker, not 63. That was on the new bill. Okay. Bill list prior to April 7th.

Okay. And same thing with Angels. When I pulled Shoger for a half a million dollars, Angels, I believe, was about 77 or $78,000. Those two were released already. This 63 that I tabled, if you will, were stopped in uh April 7th. I haven't seen the invoices for them and I'm still waiting to see the invoices, but if you guys are comfortable and feel good about it. Well, my understanding from my prior discussion with the manager is

I'm sorry. I'd like to um council Harrison. My understanding from the prior discussion with the manager is he will go over we if we approve this as is prior to sending the checks out to Schwer and Angel you will go over the invoices to verify there are no errors and is that a correct understanding and if there are no errors you will send the checks out and if there are errors I think we tell them they're errors and there's this little thing in here, we only pay for services rendered and if there's dos or whatever, we're not obligated to pay them.

Correct. But is it also accurate that if we vote yes for this tonight, the check goes out tomorrow before? No, the manager saying he's not going to send it out tomorrow until he confirms are accurate for those two items. Okay. So if we vote yes for this now it just like the last time you'll confirm and in the interest of full transparency I will make sure that everybody has a copy of the invoices so everybody has eyes on it and can see that there were there were no duplicates. Can I just clarify one last thing and I'm sorry to beat it.

No, we are all just discussing. Go right ahead. I just want to clarify the review that was done with councelor Toller where no duplicate bills were found. Which bill was that for? Like there were there were probably four or five different invoices involving invoices with the same invoice number for the same amount of money. So those are called duplicates. That's the bottom line. How it's tallied up. You explained that if you put in the invoice number into the MIS system that it won't accept the same invoice number. Correct. Now, did we really sit down and tally it up and go through each one? Absolutely not.

But once you told me that MIS does not allow you to put one, two, three invoice, one two three invoice, one two three invoice five, six, nine times that it can only go in there once. I left it alone and said, "Okay, then the tally must be right." Okay, but stop let's stop saying that there were not duplicate invoices because they were actual duplicate invoices that your DCS director stated three or four sets of eyes received these invoices before they're brought in for payment. So my question was who's actually checking these off to see if one two three invoice for $10,80 is not given to you more than one time? Shouldn't it be 124 and then 125 and then 126 for different amounts of money? That's not what happened. They were duplicate invoices. Period. I accepted what you said regarding your system here that if you put in one, two, three once, that's the only time you can put it in. So one, two, three could not be put in three or four times. Correct? That's why I left it alone.

Okay. So I just want to put on the record again, there were duplicate invoices handed to your department and three different sets of eyes as your director explained. saw these invoices and still sent them. When you're saying duplicate invoices, are you you are you referring to like the same amount of money? Same amount of money, but it was different invoice numbers, right? Some of them weren't, some of them weren't. That is correct. Shoger had a couple. Angels did only had two

because we went over I mean we we had a meeting with Austin Ashley and Michael Lynch, councelor Toller and myself. We went over each individual invoice. I was satisfied. I believed that you were satisfied after let go out and absolutely there may be the same um total amounts for for each invoice, but each invoice had a separate invoice number. So, sir, some of them had the same I'll bring them to you. I'll scan them in and email them to you. Some of them had the same invoice number

and the same amount of money. I I would invite Austin I mean this is a serious matter and

uh I I don't take it lightly so I would invite Austin Ashley to actually present at the next meeting. So, um, just for my clarification now tonight, if we vote no for the for what's on the paper, right? What happens then since we did we're not pulling it. So, nothing would really happen one way or the other whether we vote yes or no. If I'm understanding um you correct, attorney, there's there wasn't a motion,

right? It wasn't. But I'm just saying the the motion is to vote on this as it is, right? And so I'm just saying if you know four people vote no to accept this as it is, then what happens? Well, you said we couldn't. It wasn't going to change it then because we didn't pull the check. So, they're going to get paid either way. it seems like.

Okay, thank you. Anyone else, Madame Clerk? Okay, this is a motion to adopt the bill list resolution. Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, yes. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller, no. Councelor Williams, yes. Mayor Baskerville abstain.

Um, so we had quite a few pulled. Um, so we did the bills list. Now we're up to number two. Yes. Councelor Toller, please. A resolution authorizing the provisions of Rio Supply, Inc. through the Mars County Cooperative. Um yeah, I just had a question on um this is for $650,000 to be spent by July 1st of this year. Um is that correct?

So the plan is to essentially make the purchase within the week of you guys passing the resolution. Um, that's why we put it on because the contract changes as of July 1st and the meters increase in price. If I can get the order in into him prior to July 1st, he will honor this current contract pricing. Okay. Um, because I think it says somewhere in here 6 months and should it is it 6 months or three months for I mean I see what I understand what you're saying. You're trying to get the price in before the new fiscal year starts, if you will, for this vendor. Um, I think it's in your resolution where I saw 6 months. Maybe I'm wrong.

Oh, okay. So, you're just going to get the stuff in at a cheaper price cuz come July one the prices go up, correct? Okay. And this will be a blanket purchase order or will this be? Uh, this is a not to exceed contract. So, essentially what we did was we ran a report and found that 52% of our water meters within the system are 16 plus years old. So before they start failing, we want to do a multi-year attack on them to try and do around 2,000 meters a year. Okay. So is there going to be a blanket purchase order or a standard purchase order?

Uh so it's going to be essentially based on how many we order based on funding. Um this year it's going to be probably be around $640,000 purchase order I'm going to give them and that'll give us right around 2,000 meters. So when you go to peel it off to pay it is what I'm asking. So Okay. Yes. because some people up here don't understand and might want No. So, essentially, yeah. So, we're, like I said, we're just trying to lock in the cheaper price and then once we lock in the cheaper price, we will cut them the purchase order for the $640,000. Okay. And they they have the meters ready for us. So, it's just a matter of getting them the purchase order and we'll go from there. Thank you. No problem. Anyone else? I just Deputy Mayor, I just have a quick question,

Mr. Pervera. Yes. Um, how long how how many years do the newer batteries? Uh, the newer ones unfortunately last less time. They are 10 year battery lives where the older ones were more 20-year battery life.

Um, so what we are trying to do once we really get these older meters out is start a rotation of may say 500 a year to just to ensure that we are up on it. We're also looking into other ordinances to like Dville has an ordinance where anything 3 inch and above is actually the property owner's responsibility. They have to get tested every 5 years and every 10 years it has to be replaced just to relieve the utility of constantly doing these larger meters. Um it's something we're kicking around. We're not sure if we're going to do it yet, but 95% of our system anyway is 58 3/4 or 1 inch meter. So it would still fall under our purview. It's just those larger meters can become timeconuming and difficult to replace. Thank you. Anyone else?

Yeah, they're a residential customer with 3 in. No, no, those are your larger buildings. Uh mixed use or apartment buildings are 3 in and up. Let's do it. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Roll call, please. May I have a movement in a second? So move. Second. Deputy Mayor Anderson? Yes. Councelor Birmingham? Yes. Councelor Damato. Yes. Councelor Harrison. Yes. Councelor Toller. Councelor Williams. Yes. Mayor Baskerville. Yes. Um we have um number four. Councelor Toller, please.

Sorry, I'm just pulling it because I didn't want it. I wanted to be able to vote on this without it being a consent agenda item. Can you read the um number four please? What it is? Uh sure. Resolution ratifying and reaffirming the award of a non-fair and open professional service agreement to Park and Mccay PC for legal representation and special counsel affordable housing litigation matters. I so move. Second. Any discussion? Madam clerk. Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, abstain. Councelor Harrison,

yes. Councelor Toller, no. Councelor Williams, yes. Mayor Baskerville, yes. Number seven, five, six. Okay. Number seven. Number four. Seven, please. Okay. Oh, so we both of those were good. We voted on them. Okay, so now we're going to move on to new business resolutions. Who wants to do number seven? Thank you, deputy mayor.

Agenda item seven. This is a resolution endorsing the amended um this is a resolution endorsing the amended fourth round housing element and fair share plan and adopting the amended spending plan for Montlair Township. And I so move. Second discussion. Um, councelor Toller. Yeah. I just thought, did we get a new number seven tonight or We did. We did, right? So, Oh, okay. Hold on. Well, I mean, the resolution language is different. Um, not the whole packet. I think we were handed um a new number seven resolution language. And at this point, it's a verified paragraph. So, what changed? But I guess

so it looks like here. It looks like um in the fourth whereas clause there's um reference to the um the court order um issued by Judge Plet Sap Peterson on February 23rd and that it was submitted to the um affordable housing dispute resolution program on March 16th. So it appears that is the new language. I believe um councelor Harrison had asked for that to be added. Um this was reviewed um the uh the the plan the amended plan was reviewed and discussed at um the EDC meeting um on uh April 16th um and um the EDC members provided comment and uh requested some changes and um these changes are basically um uh being made because of the the court order to addition uh we provided additional information about the affordable units and the status that was included in the third round of the housing element and fair share plan.

Okay. Councelor Toller. No, I just wanted to make sure that we you know cuz what's at home and what's online is the first resolution. We were handed a new number seven tonight in that paragraph that um council councelor Harrison uh one that councelor deputy mayor Anderson read needed to just kind of be put out there if you will. Okay. Anyone else? Madame clerk, please. Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, yes. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller, no. Councelor Williams, absent. Mayor Baskerville,

yes. Number eight, please. Council Damato. a resolution adopting the operating manuals for administering affordable rental and for sale units and I so move second discussion

no no dis well yes small discussion um EDC did go through this we were able to provide input feedback if you will make some changes um we went through it again with the representatives that are handling um this program I feel comfortable with the changes that were made and I believe it was shared with the housing commission already. Has it been shared with them? They've had some feedback into it. Um again, just putting all this on the record. Yep. As an FYI. Okay. Madam Clerk, Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, abstain. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller, yes. Councelor Williams. Yes.

Mayor Baskerville. Yes. Number nine, please. That would be councelor Harrison. Resolution of the mayor and council of the township of Monontlair adopting an affirmative marketing plan. I so move. Second. Discussion. There was an amended resolution. same change as the prior one adding the reference to court order. Madam clerk, I'm sorry, deputy mayor.

Sorry. I just want um just one comment. Um these were this was also discussed in EDC and I just want to make sure that um it was uh suggested that the um the um announcements also be made available in um Spanish and Creole. Oh, great. That's that's my only comment that's Mayor. Oh, Council Damato.

When I read this earlier, maybe I'm wrong, but there is no description of our local preference in here. Planner Tally, will you please join us and help us with this? Thank you very much.

All right. Um, the local preference is already in our ordinance. So, why would an affirmative why would a marketing plan that's supposed to have local preference as its keystone not mention the local preference? Essentially, what this says is how the or how the uh units will be advertised and the costs and how it will be managed the local preference. Um, and I think I put it in here if you give me a moment to find out exact. Uh, it's number nine on the last page. It's what is it? Number nine on the last page. Last page. Twothirds of the way down page four.

That's right. May also be exercised. Yeah. Yes. This affirmative marketing plan provides a local preference for very low, low, and moderate income households that live or work in Montlair Township. So we do mention it in paragraph 9. Thank you, councelor Harrison. But why is it why is it just buried at the end and also couched in May and given it's very tentative.

I don't see a may. It says a the affirmative marketing plan provides a local preference. So if you want to say we could say the affirmative marketing plan establishes a local preference or we could say requires a local preference by the way um that deputy mayor yeah that I believe the sentence that you're referring to has to do with low-inccome moderate low and moderate income veterans. That's true. Specifically,

it's just that it's an it's a total afterthought in a plan where I believe that that if if in fact it is our objective and one of the reasons that we do this is to provide opportunities for residents, long-term residents, why it would be not prominent. Okay, we can I can move it up to uh item number two. No, actually item number I can move it up. Right now it's paragraph nine. Uh we can number paragraph one is an introductory paragraph that this is a marketing strategy. Paragraph two references the fourth round housing plan. Paragraph three identifies who is um implementing it and paragraph four is the costs. Paragraph five is the timing. Maybe we could put this you you tell me which number you want to put it on. I can move.

How about you put it in the first parag just that that sentence that says provides local you know preference. Why can you just put it in the first paragraph somewhere like where it says the affirmative marketing plan is also intended to target those potentially eligible persons who are least likely to apply for affordable units and then just have another sentence that says so I'll just take the the affirmative marketing plan provides the local preference I'll just take that sentence and put it um

make it the second sentence or the first paragraph Okay, we can make that change. Madame clerk. Deputy Mayor Anderson. This is for the amendment. Yes. Councelor Birmingham. Yes. Councelor Damato. Yes. Councelor Harrison. Yes. Councelor Toller. Yes. Councelor Williams. Yes. Mayor Baskerville. Yes. Number 10, please. Yeah. Go ahead. Councelor Harrison, go ahead.

I'm not looking at you calling you Harrison. I know it's late. Council, he's a lot more a lot more. Uh, agenda item number 10. Yeah. New business resolution. Resolution authorizing adoption of the uh affordable affordability assistance program manual pursuant to the fourth round affordable housing compliance. So moved. Second discussion. Um yes, again this was vetted through EDC. Councelor Cole, are you sure a mic is on?

Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, this was vetted through EDC along with um the I'm going to call them experts, the people I'm saying the people from the state and deputy mayor um Anderson. We were able to provide some uh ask questions. We were able to get answers and we were able to I guess massage if you will and add some other more similar simpler language to this. And this did go through the housing commission as well. Is that correct? Yep. Um, we talked about this. Well, I talked about it with the affordab this this particular manual did not I did not have a chance to send this to the housing commission.

Should it go to them before we vote on this just to make sure that we've 112% vetted everything because there's some different experts on that commission, if you will. Um

I think what we can I have a housing commission meeting tomorrow night and I could get their input. I don't think we need to delay the council's um adoption because if you look under it paragraph um after note now therefore be it resolved the mayor and council does hereby adopt the affordability assistance manual which basically references what's in our code already attached here too or in a form substantially consistent with the attached. So I can meet with the housing commission if they have any questions. This is largely essentially it takes what we already have in our in our ordinance and puts it in a manual form. There's no changes as to how we function.

Madam clerk, Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, yes. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller, yes. Councelor Williams, yes. Mayor Baskerville, thank you, Council Williams. Agenda item number 11, the business resolution resolution adopting rehabilitation. Sorry, my mic wasn't on. Uh resolution adopting the rehabilitation manual pursuant to fourth round affordable housing compliance. So moved. Second. Madame clerk, please. Excuse me, councelor Toller. I'll let Deputy Mayor Anderson go first. Deputy.

Yes. So this is another uh one that was reviewed. um uh feedback was provided um by the EDC members and incorporated into um this uh rehabilitation man housing um home improvement rehabilitation manual. Um and uh we had a chance to discuss it with uh the person from Elite Realy um who is manage overseeing or managing this um this program. Um uh some of the changes included um you know including a reference to our rent control laws and um the other changes are to um make this uh um yeah that's it

I'm sorry madame mayor I just I didn't know if they heard what council uh deputy mayor Anderson said. We were really trying to hone in on any resident that comes in to get an application that this language is as simple as possible and doesn't leave any questions where a resident may lose the opportunity to get funding. And I think we also increased the amount of money. Yes, we did through this. So, it used to be 25,000 and now eligible approved applicants can get 35,000 for home repairs. I wanted to put that on the record. Thank you. Excellent. Thank you, madam clerk.

I'm sorry. You just reminded me that we also had asked that um the website um our our website be uh updated to provide this information in very simple terms and all the resources will be there and there will be community outreach. Correct. Yes. Planner tally. I have no comments. Okay. I just you know stand like you're ready. So okay. Um anyone else? Madame Clerk. Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, abstain. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller, yes. Councelor Williams, yes. Mayor Baskerville, yes. Thank you,

Council Williams. Agenda item number 12. Yes, please. Okay. New business resolution. Resolution authorizing the award of the nonfair and open professional services agreement to Marazetti Balone LLP for legal representation as special counsel real estate negotiation matters. So moved. Second. Any discussion? Everyone is clear about what these attorneys are going to do? Okay. Madam clerk, Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, yes. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller,

yes. Councelor Williams, yes. Mayor Baskerville, yes. Thank you. Um, agend. Um, um, no. I'm going to call on Council Damato. Oh, it is my pleasure. I know to introduce to move a resolution awarding a contract to urban SDK for traffic and vehicular data and analysis pursuant to NJSA4A151D. I move it quickly. Second discussion council to anyone

we should just quickly explain what this is which is right in money. Yeah. um to I mean this is a resolution to have a contract with a firm that gives us anonymized anonymized data about traffic that is drawn from from mobile phones. No, that's wrong. He's waited all night. Director Director Neman, will you please join us?

Yeah. Hi everyone. Um so it doesn't draw from mobile phones. It draws from the vehicles themselves. So, it's anonymized data from vehicles themselves. Newer vehicles have it. Older vehicles are not necessarily going to have it, but um it's vehicles themselves. It's the vehicles via the like OnStar. Yeah. There's anonymized data within the car itself that it's pulling from. Yeah. So, it's just from squares with people who have cars with OnStart.

I'm kidding. I don't even Okay. and and they're, you know, they're able to extrapolate from that information that this portion of vehicles have this equipment. Therefore, you extrapolate out, you can have an understanding of the total number, right? They're not counting every vehicle, but they're able to make um extrapolations based on. The idea is that this gives us a window that you can open a screen and you can see the rivers of traffic that are going through at the speed that they're doing and that when we make changes to our grid that we will see the second order effects of those changes and so forth and so on. So, it's very exciting.

Traffic counts, speed data, and it helps um it helps engineering with their traffic planning. It helps uh the police department, their enforcement because they can get a report that says this is where we have folks who are averaging over the speed limit and so it's used all over the place. However, it cannot yet be used for a formal traffic study. No, it's not yet used in those circumstances. And we've had it for a year. Yeah, we've had it for a year. So, this is a and just so everyone is very clear, this is not at all any kind of surveillance tool. It is all anonymized. all anonymized and and doesn't have any individual vehicles. It's just telling me the average speed over any given point in time or the average daily traffic on a roadway.

Okay. I only drive 50 miles. When you get this data, I'm sorry. Were you done, Council Birmingham? When you get this data in, how are we going to share this with the community?

So, it's it's it's not information we don't want the community to have, but it's not primarily used in public facing applications, right? So, so I'll use it when discussing a a corridor that we have concerns about, right? So, say we have a community meeting about a street, right? I can bring that data and I can say to the community like, look, we were working on Maple Street. I took a look at the data and it showed the average speed was X, right? So, it's not something we're sending out on Township social media platforms. It's used primarily internally, but I'm happy to share it when it when it comes up and when it's necessary. And so, you know, in circumstances where we're doing projects, I'll incorporate it. I talked about it at an oversight board meeting, the relationship between the snow and how that impacted travel speeds, for example. So, I I hope that answers your question.

Um, yes, sort of. The other question I have is, you know, is this is going to cover the entire township, not a very specific area. Is that Oh, yeah. This is the entire township. Okay.

Yeah. and you're going to be able to keep up with all this data and when you turn it into real time whatever how will you share it with the governing body because if we're not on the complete streets board how will we know it it it's really a question of what information would you like and I'm happy to be the interlocutor to provide that information right and so if you have concerns about a particular street let me know and I'm happy to provide um the backup data and and you know we can get it down to the point where so long as there was enough traffic on the roadway, right, that we can tell you the average speed during a 3-hour window on any given day. Um, so we can tell you the difference between the morning commute and the evening commute. It it gets really fine grained assuming there's enough traffic on that roadway, right? Some roads overnight you're not going to have enough cars to to get information. But yeah,

so I mean just it's it's really a tool that that the township uses. Like let's say for example we get emails from residents who say like you know on X street we feel like cars are going like 45 miles an hour we need something you know like a specific type of traffic calming or whatever and then you would go to this data that's provided through this um company and confirm whether or not that's true and you know all of that. So it's a tool. Exactly.

And it it helps us have a starting point. So if there's say more serious concerns, right, we look at the data, we see there are some problems, more serious concerns, it can help us inform our next steps. Or if we need to do even more than that, we can go the formal traffic study route like councelor Damato said. Thank you very much, Madam Clerk. Deputy Mayor Anderson, yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, yes. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller, yes. Councelor Williams, yes. Mayor Baskerville, yes. Thank you. Councelor Birmingham, thank you all. Have a good night.

Um, this is a new agenda item 14, new business resolution resolution of the township council of Montlair adopting the snow removal and disposal policy of the state of New Jersey, Department of Environmental Protection and Restoration and establishing a township snow disposal policy. And I so move second discussion. Did you wanna um council Birmingham did you want to just share a little bit with Sure.

Yeah. I mean this was we worked on this um al together because um we acknowledge that um we had a very difficult winter. Um and that we also have to acknowledge that Monontlair is a town with limited um open space. We are not the sprawling suburb, you know. Um, so we're kind of putting together difficult winter. This will be an ongoing concern. So what this really does is just establish um the idea that we will, you know, have a plan. The manager and others in the staff will develop a plan for where snow will go um in accordance with New Jersey has guidelines. Um, so it'll be in accordance with that and that the council will be aware of the plan for snow disposal. Um, and we're, you know, we'll know where it will go with the idea that we don't want to impact one park or one, you know, we we want to be able to sort of mitigate impacts in one particular one or two locations. So, um, that is the idea behind this resolution. I don't know if anyone else has anything else. I'd just like to to thank the entire council for you know the um for working together adding different components of this and discussing it and understanding the gravity of a situation when you have something like this happen and responding rapidly and um it's it's a good feeling when we can work together like that. Um we've accomplished something here. Um, I know councelor Harrison did a little sidebar at at one meeting. It was helpful. I know councelor um Anderson was a part of the core group with councelor Birmingham and

some others. So, I just like to thank you. Yeah. And I will just say the hard part does come with loca finding the locations because it is very difficult in this town. So, I know where the spots are. We'll Yeah. So, it'll be a community effort. Councelor Oh, I'm sorry. Councelor Williams, just very quickly, just in the last paragraph, we're so we're not mandating soil sampling and testing that. This is left up to the town manager's discretion. Yes. So, my understanding is

soil sampling soil testing has already been done. I know for now it's they're doing that. The soil testing's been done already. We have the results in. I haven't seen them. Trees. If someone could share that with me, I'd appreciate. We got that. Thank you. Yep. That was Yeah, they have the soil sample has to be done. So, it's interesting. Okay, Madam Clerk. Deputy Mayor Anderson. Yes. Councelor Birmingham, yes. Councelor Damato, yes. Councelor Harrison, yes. Councelor Toller, yes. Councelor Williams. Yes. Mayor Baskerville. Yes. I'd like to make a motion to adjurnn. All in favor?

Any opposed? Oh, I'm I'm sorry. Just don't don't turn off your TV yet. Deputy mayor has something. That's okay. You were asked to share announcements about um the Earth Day festivities. Yes. Yeah. Um so number one um I want to share that Montre has been recognized by the Arbor Day foundation as a true city and so we're part of the city USA program. Um the um and then there are some really exciting events this weekend uh April 25th Saturday. Your mic's not on. Oh, did you get on any of that? Yeah. Yeah, they did.

Arbor Day. Um the second thing is um Saturday, April 25th, there's the um we have our annual annual paper shredding event

at the Montlair High School George in Ann Annex parking lot from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or until the truck is full. So you take your sensitive documents and then the very next day on Sunday um April 26 from 12 to 4 on South Park Street is the third annual EarthFest. Um, also if we're going to sit here and do roll call of activities, the National Trails Day is the 25th and that's going to take place in the Sherman Street parking lot from noon until come out, get your food off of the food truck, some music, and some very valuable information. Also, tomorrow we have coffee with the cop at from 10 to 12 at Lacawana Plaza. Um, councelor Toller, what else? I know you have a whole roster of things.

I just wanted to shout out the Alpha Calpa Alpha sorority who will be working in Canterbury Park this weekend. Um, so anybody's welcome to come and help them plant trees. And I don't know if I heard it, but maybe I did. Um, the Office of Sustainability has a free tree pickup on the 24th and the the 25th and the 26th. So, you can visit the township website for that. Um, there's going to be an ice cream social this Friday at the Montlair Neighborhood Child and Infant Care Center on Maple Avenue from 3 to 5:00 p.m. Is that for the entire public or is that for I'm not certain, you know,

families. Yeah, Miss V sent that. It's for the families. Scratch that one, y'all. Scratch that. That's really all I have. Okay. Okay. Don't forget about the um the township park cleanups. Correct. On the 25th and um AAPI New Jersey is having its annual color run at Brookdale Park. I think there's still room available um if you want to register that's on Sunday morning.

We have a in the first ward. So I know that uh first thing Carlile Woods which is if people live up in the very north end of town uh more hands can obviously make that go quicker. And then Yanekawa Brook has its cleanup at 10:00. Um, and that's always a fun one because of the geese. Okay,

manager, I'd like to ask you a question before you leave, please. Regarding people planting trees in our parks, I I would hope that the appropriate staff members will go over and identify where people should be planting trees and have them very visible so people don't just go and start planting trees in our parks in places perhaps where we have another vision. And I think it would be good for the friends of Canterbury Park to also participate in that. Have we sent the appropriate staff over to identify?

Yes. Um the sorority president has been in conversations with Lisa Johnson and Austin Ashley. Um the emails that I was following, Austin Ashley asked the sorority to identify areas with some kind of chalk or ribbon and he would get back to them, which he did. So everything's been vetted through this township. Um last year they pl plant plant planted the trees in this. Yeah, I was there. So um this year they're doing Canterbury Park. Um

so I'm going to ask the friends of Canterbury Park have um an opportunity to identify this with the groups too who don't frequent the um the park to that to that degree. And I just think it's good, you know, if we're going to be doing a collaborative thing that we all understand, you know, where things are going. And how many trees is it? I'm not a 100% certain to be honest with you. I believe Mr. Austin Ashley could answer that question since he went to check the markings or the ribbons that were left where the group were going to plant the trees. How many did they plant last year at Nishuin? It would be about the same. I don't know. It was less than 10. Huh. It was less than 10, right? Oh, I they did it around the I was there in the morning. Okay. Yeah. So,

well, it should be less than 10. I'm just trying to figure out and then I think maybe we have to get a policy manager moving forward about you know who what when we're planting in our parks and you know so that we know what the policy is. Okay. We have an arborist. Huh? We have an arborist check. Well the arborist arborist would not be the person that I'm talking about. I'm talking about the users. So for example if we have a sledding hill here and the kids are going here and there and somebody plops a tree there. That won't be a good idea. that we don't need an arborist for. No, the arborist was involved in this one, too. I apologize. It was the arborist, Lisa Johnson, Austin Ashley.

Yeah, I'm not I'm not worried about the arborist, you know. I'm worried about the users so that they know where the things are. All right. Anyone else? Did we call a roll or we just started talking and the attorney wasn't was kind enough not to tell me point of order because I know there was I moved and then there was a second and Okay, you just gave up on us. But everybody agreed and we're done, right? So that he could have cut the mic off on us. All right. Thank you. We already um agreed to leave. And thank you for staying for the messages.