Council - Regular Meeting

our meeting to order for our combined agenda regular meeting of the Monroe Township Council, April 6, 2026. Can we all please salute to the flag and rise to the flagis

I'm going to ask everyone to please remain standing as we have a moment of silence for Lewis Bonar our construction official in Thank you.

Thank you. Can I see clerk? Can we please do a roll call? Councilman Miriam Cohen, Councilman Charles Diro, Councilman Terren Vanzora, Council Vice President Michael Markel, Council President Rupa P Seagull here. Can you please read item five?

In accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, it is hereby announced and shall be entered into the minutes of this meeting that adequate notice has been provided by the following. One, posted on the bulletin board within the municipal building on December 26th, 2025 and remains posted at that location for public inspection. Two, printed in the Home News Tribune and the Cranberry Press on December 26, 2025. Three, posted on the Monrose Township website. And four, sent to those individuals who have requested personal notice. In accordance with chapter 3, section 17 of the Monroe Township Code, public comment shall be limited to five minutes unless further time is granted by the council president.

Thank you. We have a few proclamations on tonight's agenda. First is our Parkinson's awareness month celebrating Frank Le Piccolo's 100th birthday, April 13, 2026. National Public Safety Telecommunications Week, April 12th through 18th. Monroe Township Library Week, April 19th to the 25th, and Arbor Day, April 24th. Moving on to item seven. Clerk, can you please read the ordinances for second reading?

Ordinances for second reading at the April 6, 2026 regular meeting. Ordinance 0320260006 bond ordinance providing for various capital improvements in and by the township of Monroe in the county of Middle Sex, New Jersey appropriating 2,556,000 therefore and authorizing the issuance of 2,433,800 bonds or notes of the township to finance part of the cost thereof. Thank you. In item eight, clerk, if you could please read.

Ordinances for first reading at the April 6, 2026 regular meeting. Ordinance 0420 20260007. Ordinance amending chapter 108 of the Monroe Township Code amending BC2 overlay for parcel included in Monunroe Township's round four affordable housing plan. Ordinance 0420260008. Ordinance to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and to establish a cap bank. Ordinance 042026009. Ordinance amending chapter 39 of the code of the township of Monroe entitled fees. Thank you. And clerk, can you please read item nine?

Resolutions for consideration under the consent agenda at the April 6, 2026 regular meeting. resolutions R4 20226076 through R42026103. Thank you. Council members, can you please review? Does anyone have any resolutions that need to be removed?

Council President, I just have I just have one. It's R4206-092. Thank you. Well, okay. We'll move on to item 10, our 2026 budget presentation. At this time, I'll turn the floor over to Mayor Delina.

Thank you, Madame Council President. Um, it is my privilege to present to you the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2026 developed during a time of significant financial challenges and rising costs across nearly every sector. This budget was crafted under partic particularly difficult conditions, including unprecedented increases in healthcare insurance expenses, rising utility and fuel costs, higher pension and liability insurance contributions. In addition, the township continues to face growing costs associated with materials, professional services, technology, and ever evolving regulatory requirements. Despite these pressures, our administration remained committed to a thoughtful and disciplined approach. Working closely with our department heads and our finance team, we conducted a comprehensive line by line review of the entire budget. Together, we identified efficiencies and made strategic reductions where possible, always with the goal of preserving the high level of services our residents expect and deserve. This year's budget reflects a 4.3 ccent increase in the municipal property tax rate. We understand that any tax increase is a burden and that is why we have worked diligently to keep these uh to keep this increase as low as possible. For the average homeowner in Monroe Township, this increase equates to about $12 per month. Looking at tax increases collectively over the last six years, including this year's, the municipal rate increase in equates to about 1.2 each year or less than $3.50 per month for the average assessed home. We recognize the importance of affordability and this budget continues

my commitment to tightening our belts and being mindful of your hard-earned dollars. I also want to acknowledge something that is in the top of my mind uh for many in our community. Any tax increase, no matter how small, places a burden on our residents. We understand that and it is truly guided every decision we have made throughout this process. This budget reflects our core values, fiscal responsibility and strong stewardship of taxpayer resources. At the same time, it ensures we continue to meet the needs of our residents, maintain critical services, and position our township for continued stability and success. Despite fiscal challenges, Monroe residents are still getting all of the great services that they need and deserve, many of which are not offered in many other communities. I truly want to thank our staff and department leaders for their hard work and dedication through this process. I want to thank the council for your thoughts and suggestions and your consideration of this budget over this next month. Most importantly, I do want to thank the residents for your continued trust and support. I work hard to engage with the community, gather feedback, and ensure that this budget reflects the values and needs of our residents. I appreciate the time and effort that so many of you have taken to share your thoughts and I am truly grateful for your continued support as we navigate the difficult times. Together we will continue to move our community forward responsibly, thoughtfully, and with a clear focus on the future. Thank you. At this point, I'd like to turn it over to our professional staff, um, our BA, Kevin McGawan.

Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Council President. I'm just going to go through um some of the uh particulars of this year's budget with some examples of the challenges that the mayor just talked about and uh and then we'll we'll give it back to the mayor in in a bit to wrap up. Um we're essentially going to go through the the budget overview. Uh we're going to go through some of the programs that are continuing um and some of the advocacy efforts that we continue to make uh to try and keep Monroe as affordable as possible. So on on the overview side, right, our proposed budget this year is $79,527,373 for the township budget. As the mayor just mentioned, that equates to an increase in our tax rate of 4.3 cents on the municipal portion only of of your tax bill as a resident for a rate of.566 per $100 of assessed value. So what that means for the average assessed home in Monroe, which is our average assessment is $338,100, this equates to an additional $14868 per year uh in the municipal portion of the tax rate only. Our our municipal tax makes up uh approximately 18% of your total uh tax bill. And as the mayor said, any tax increase is something that we try to avoid. So, I just kind of want to go through for a few minutes the the challenges that we faced that that got us here. Um, you this shows that, you know, your county, your school tax, um, uh, your fire and library make up the other portion. We don't have all of those portions in place just yet. Uh, but we will provide those explanations when the tax bills go out. So, some of the challenges. So, we're seeing rising annual costs that are affecting local governments across the state, not just not just in Monroe. Um we have um as we've talked about at these meetings at the toward the end of last year and the beginning of this year, we had a very

significant health insurance increase of 29%. Uh this is something that many municipalities, school districts, and other public entities have seen throughout the insurance industry uh across the board this year. Uh we had to therefore find an additional $2.4 million in appropriations that we didn't have to find last year just on the healthcare side. Our liability insurance also saw an increase of 800,000. Um our tipping fees and landfill fees also saw um a significant increase. And while this is something that happened to us very recently, so we all remember, we had two or three significant back-to backto back winter storms that uh that were followed by very very cold days and created um an extended period of time in storm cleanup costs. Uh, and that was for just for this year that was over $520,000. And that's those are costs that we haven't seen not just in Monroe, but in any of our kind of surrounding neighbor communities in in a very long period of time. Um, as as all of our residents are seeing utility increases, the township is also seeing the energy costs and utility prices go up. Uh, raw materials uh increase, and I'll go into a little bit more detail on that. and as well the conclusion of um some COVID era federal and state funding that was available to us and every town um over the last several years um which has dried up, right? And that that helped to create uh several years in the in the uh you know pre postcoid of flat taxes and and very little increase. Um but those funds are no longer coming from the federal government and the state government. just to get into just and these are just a couple of examples, not not an exhaustive list, but we're seeing the annual cost uh increase in in a few different ways. Um I mentioned the winter storm uh before and we're seeing

rock salt and usage up 51% in the last couple of years. We're seeing fuel prices uh on gasoline increase just 11% and on diesel fuel increase 49%. That's really significant for our for our budget for our uh DBW and for our other services. repair parts, just repairing our equipment, repairing our vehicles, between the cost of parts and the cost of specific repairs. Um, from MTUD to DPW, police, EMS, we've seen all those increase about 34% over the last couple of years. Um, equipment repairs, same thing. And and energy costs um across the board at all facilities, looking at about a 17% increase. So, it's it's sort of all of these challenges sort of compounding one another that are making it uh you know very challenging to to develop a budget um that that stays flat or has minimal increases in taxes. But we're we're trying to mitigate that impact. And as the mayor said, we've gone line by line through this year's budget to try to mitigate that impact wherever possible. We've identified over a million and a half dollars in strategic budget reductions that don't take away valuable, honored, and cherished resident services. Um, a big part of this is leaving select department uh vacancies unfilled and pausing all new uh full-time positions. So, in several departments throughout throughout the township, we have seen a retirement where we didn't necessarily fill that vacancy or other vacancies that didn't that didn't need to be filled. Um, those salaries and healthc care costs are significant and trying to save money from our budget. We also went through operating expenses line by line without cutting senior programs, w programs, and and uh and resources that our police and EMS rely on because we don't want to cut those valued programs for our citizens. and we don't want to sacrifice on public safety. We're trying

um additional methods like participating in additional purchasing uh co-ops to try and prioritize cost effectiveness. And over the next uh couple of council meetings, you'll see resolutions uh that um that allow us to participate in additional cooperative uh purchasing agreements in order to try to find the best price for most of our goods. And we've also aggressively identified over the last several years, we're going to continue to do that, grant funding that would have otherwise gone to to other townships for really important projects that we've made commitments to our residents for like um increasing um uh James Monroe Park, expanding James Monroe Park, expanding our community garden, um our Disbel Park project, we've which we've just applied to for Green Acres for a significant grant, our paving projects, many of which are tied to uh DOT grant funding. Uh, and then our ESIP program, which was tied to a significant federal tax incentive for $3 million that allowed us to um to to gain some some needed projects and uh and and finance it through that project in a budget neutral way. So again, just just reiterating that commitment to township services. We have existing construction projects that are going on right now. We don't want to take those away from our residents and they're they're all tied to state grants or county grants or federal tax incentives that again that's money that we'd be leaving on the table that other townships would would be able to pick up. So our community garden as I mentioned our James Monroe Park um indoor recreation center, our senior center pickle ball which is coming to conclusion and completion over the next uh month or two. Um and some of these other projects I'd mentioned specifically before. So again, we're trying to stick to the commitment that we've made to residents to uh to give them the quality of life that they deserve. Um but also tighten our belt in areas that we that we can in order to

mitigate the impact on this year's budget. And uh for for a moment, Council President, if you can indulge me, I just want to ask um our auditor uh Gary Higgins, who's here with us, to maybe just provide a little bit of uh statewide perspective on sort of the challenges that we're facing. Great. Thank you.

Uh good evening everyone. Gary Higgins from PKF Okconor Davies. I'm your registered municipal accountant. I just want to let everybody know that uh I did a thorough technical review of your budget. Uh, and it's a a very satisfying budget based upon the challenges that were just uh covered. Uh, to only have a 4.3% 4.3 cent tax increase. Uh, I handle about 15 budgets personally and our firm does 135 municipalities and you're seeing the same increases throughout. And not only that, you're seeing surpluses decrease as people are having to pledge more surplus for tax relief now uh because you just can't handle the increases. Uh, one positive thing to note that both your tax levy cap and your appropriation cap, you had $2.4 million more, you could have raised your budget and administration did not do that. All right. So, this cumulative rolling cap bank that's permitted, uh, you were able to stay away from utilizing that. Um, so they held the line, uh, with the 4.3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. Uh but if they didn't find these other reductions, they did have the ability to go higher. Uh but luckily it hasn't been done. Um the technical review, you're within all the appropriation uh exclusions that you could take under the law. Uh this budget will now be submitted to the Division of Local Government Services who will then do a review uh get back to administration with any comments and what you'll look to do is hopefully then uh adopt after the public hearing next month. Uh but I think it's a great budget for the residents under the the monumental increases in the insurance areas uh that nobody can get away from. Um and everybody's faced with dealing with. Um so at this point um if there's questions I'd be more than happy to but I'm not leaving so if there's questions I can answer them but if not if anybody

else has them later on um I can address them also. Thank you. Thanks very much, Gary. Um, ju just a couple of quick points to make. So, um, I, uh, seem to have lost my screen here for the moment. Uh, jumped. Oh, jumped. Okay. Sorry. Sorry about that. Okay, we're good now. Um,

okay. Okay, our folks downstairs are uh are are watching the screens for me, so they're helping me out. So, just want everyone to understand um you know, as as Gary just alluded to, um while this is a challenging budget year, we we have also um held the line on on additional spending as much as we could. Um and that's that's been our, you know, that's been our history here for for a long period of time. Last year, we were the uh this on based on last year's data, we were the second lowest overall tax rate in the county. um even with an increase this year uh and the situation that that all other towns are dealing with, we're we're confident that we're also going to to still be the second lowest uh tax rate, overall tax rate in the county. Um, we do also have to uh increase our water and sewer fees a bit. And this chart shows that even after those increases, should they be adopted by the council, uh, we're still for the average um, homeowner who's using less than 25,000 gallons per quarter, uh, we are still the lowest in the county and and the general region. Um, which is an important point uh, that we always that we always want to make. and I'm going to hand it back over to our mayor uh to talk about some of our services that we're still continuing to provide to our residents.

Thank you so much, Kevin. Appreciate it. Um just to briefly um do a um review of of what we do offer. um obviously highlighting some of the more uh critical um services departments within the township starting with our Monroe Township emergency services and obviously some of the highlights with that are the five geographic locations to try to get help to you as quickly as possible. Um but the stunning I think statistic is the number of the over 11,000 calls in 2025. That's it's a thousand calls a month that our emergency services go out uh to provide um service to our residents here in the township. Um we always have high accolades in regards to safety here in Monroe Township. Um designated as one of the safest communities not only in the county, the state, but the United States of America. Um we have 72 sworn police officers. um New Jersey State Associate of Chiefs of Police accreditation. Um and over the last couple years, we've enhanced our technology to ensure that the residents are safe by having our flock license plate reading cameras strategically placed throughout the township as well as on our police officers. Again, one of the other highlights uh that we have here uh right next door is our prescription dropbox as well as a uh safe uh designated area for your eBay and and and transactions. Um again, just kind of highlighting our not only our emergency services, but to touch upon our senior center, senior services, our library, and our rec center.

um starting with um the the senior center and the services that they provide um to our residents and again with every number that you see there is a story is an experience is a service provided to the citizens of Monroe Township. Um just recently of note uh membership hit 10,000 members which is extraordinary and again it's not just a concert or a yoga which is ideally you know critical for the um well-being of our senior residents but it's the social services as well. Uh when seniors are in trouble, um we have people on staff to to help them. um, Department of Public Works. I got a a a story that I that the the last couple events that I've gone out to, I've talked about a couple of our highlights and and I talked about, first of all, recreation with with the folks and I asked about has anyone ever been to um, one of the mayor's wellness um, presentations. We did one for chair yoga and I maybe got one or two people raised their hand that they went to chair yoga and then later on in the conversation and presentation I said has anyone been to the you know DPW yard and everyone raised their hand uh that were in attendance and and quite frankly I didn't need to talk about the accolades of our of our DPW people in attendance were all saying how beautiful it is especially you know now that we redid the pavement and have all the stations for uh recycling. Um so then I mentioned that well maybe I should have a chair yoga session at the DPW. I might get better attendance.

That's sorry my very weak attempt at humor. So we'll keep going. How's that? Uh speaking of another service here, I just like to highlight our uh our recreation uh services, the the tournaments, the recreational programs for seniors, for uh active adults, and especially for our children of our town. Um the the many parks that we have here within the town. um um you know, pickle ball, uh volleyball, uh I mean, you name it. And it's it's going on here in our township as opposed to some of the other um communities in in the region. And our library, uh which has I know I've heard the moniker of the crown jewel of of of our township. Uh and again it's just it's just the active uh use of it by every single cross-section member of our town from our youth to our seniors. Um second lang English as a second language tutoring programs. It is such an active active uh facility and again what we do here as our representatives, your elected representatives is to ensure that we always try to find that balance and that balance is um services as well as trying to help you and protect the money that you have. One of the tools that we all have here is our advocacy uh for the the myriad of programs that are out there from the state um whether it's stay anchor your senior freeze most recently uh you know a uh leaning toward perhaps uh implementing impact fees. Um, so these are all things that we do to

advocate uh for you uh to try to get some more money back from from from Trenton. Again, with that being said, um you know, it's we all are dedicated to finding that balance between taxation and services. We all work very very hard. Um this budget was indeed a very difficult time to be uh traversing through to ensure that we try to provide that lowest tax to you. Um for me what I look at is this last six years. Um and again this is something that I had mentioned that I do want to re-emphasize. As I had mentioned it in my earlier comments that looking at the tax increases collectively over the last six years, including this year's budget, the increase increases to about 1.2 cents each year or less than $3.50 per month for the average assessed home. So, that's something that we will try to continue. We will try to move forward. Um, and I recognize that the greater good truly appreciates that balance that we try to provide and together we work to continue to be responsive and thoughtful. Thank you so much, Madame Council President.

Thank you, Mayor Delina. Okay, we'll move on to item 11, our public comments. May I have a motion to open? May I have a second? Second. All in favor? I.

Any opposed? This public comments is open. It's open to agenda items only. Five minutes per speaker. If you could please state your name and address when you come up to the microphone. Thank you. Dear Mayor, council president and members of the council. First of all, I would like to apologize for my

sir, can you please state your name and address? My name is Greg Pisarvski and I live here in Monroe for 14 years and in the state of New Jersey for 32 years. I would like to apologize for my accent. I can see some of you are trying to harder to understand what I'm

saying and I am grateful for it. uh not sure about relevance of my very short comment uh to the uh agenda but it's something which is of a concern for quite a few people I know here in Monroe. I am here today to urge the council to follow the lead of 18 townships here in New Jersey including Harl, Englishtown, West Milford, Toms River, Butler, Vernon, and others.

With this public comment section is only for items that are on the agenda tonight. So I would just ask if this is not on the agenda that you come back. When can I present my suggestion? At the next public comment section later. Later on. Later on. I see. Okay. I'm very sorry. No, no worries. Thank you.

Any others wishing to speak? want to speak on the right.

I'm Carol Singer. I live at 15 Doorchester Drive. Uh good evening, council and mayor. Um, thank you for the opportunity to present this important environmental ordinance for your consideration. Ma'am, it's not it's not on our agenda, so you'd have to do it later in the meeting. Later. Okay. Thank you. Thanks. We were sure.

Give it a few minutes. Shell Armin09 Nathaniel Street. Going to the budget. Um talk bit talking about impact fees. What are your plans to address impact fees with our legislators because this has been a you and cry for gener well decades at least in this town. We've seen the kind of development that's gone on. Oh by the way Michelle Armin Nathaniel Street. Uh so I I would like to hear your actual action plan for that kind of thing. It's long overdue. Uh people used to say that, oh well, it's illegal to ask for impact fees. Well, it's only illegal because our legislators have not legislated that we can accept and put into practice impact fees. So, as a council to protect our services, to protect uh the way this h town is being built out, I would like to know from my elected officials uh the plan going forward to uh engage our um uh state officials and really come up with some kind of uh presentation for impact fees. That's one. I'd like to also know the debt service per month cost for all of our current um bonds and all all the other debt services that we have. Since it's a budget,

we have it per year. You want us to wait till the end? Do you have more questions? I didn't want to interrupt you. Well, this is specifically on the budget. So, um Okay. And then while while you're doing that, a total for um you know, how much debt? We actually have a total number for that as well that you have. Okay. I I think they're ready. We'll give them to you yet. I I think they can answer now. I think that's all I have right now. They're working the calculated issue. Okay. Can we stop the the block? I can I can answer the question about impact fees while um while we we have annual debt numbers. We'll calculate them for you monthly. That's that's what we're doing right now. Okay. Do you want to do it now? Yeah. And total

the monthly the monthly fees that we need to be on on the mic. The monthly the monthly debt service pursuant to the 26 budget is $677,000. That's principal and interest on both bond anticipation notes and permanent financings that have been done in the past. So that's 677,000 uh per month. Correct. And that's just to pay our loans, correct? Loans and permanent serial bonds. Okay, good. Thank you. And the total of our debt in the township, the fine debt,

how much do we owe, sir? Uh outside, and I'm not talking about um uh contracts, you know, salaries, things like that. I'm talking about our copy lease is a debt, so we I think that he's trying to figure out. I'm sorry. Our copier lease is a debt technically on our on our bank on our statement. You want to know what how many bonds are outstanding, right? Well, yeah. I mean, what what amounts to the 677,000 monthly fee? The total the total outstand outstanding serial bonds as of 123125 is $62,920,000. Principal. Principal.

Correct. That doesn't, in other words, that's not counting the interest that That's correct. Incurred. That's correct. Which we which we would of course have to pay during the of course. Yeah. All right. I also just want to mention that our debt service payments are less than 10% of our total budget, which from the DCA's perspective, um, you know, that's that's a healthy balance, right? they they start to uh inquire uh about our debt service payments when it reaches 25% of the total budget which we're well under.

Okay. And I have heard in the past and forgive me if I'm not explaining it correctly that we do have uh when you talk about debt service how high we can go up before we change our our credit debt service. I'm sorry, not debt service. The the amount borrowed 25% of our rainable base stands and it and it's we'll get you that number and you'll be astonished, but I bet you it's over 300 million. Okay, but I didn't really understand that. So, someone I know we don't want to go there. Want me to explain it? Well, you're not my rep. You're not my elected official, but go ahead. Do you want an answer or do you want Well, I would like my elected officials to have that answer, but really technical question. So if you want, council president, if that's acceptable to you, go ahead.

Well, the answer is is that we're allowed to our total amount that's outstanding debt can exceed 3.5% and he's going to calculate it, right? I'm sorry. Oh, sorry. Three can exceed 3.5% of our ratable base. So when when um the auditor said he thinks that's something like $300 million, that sounds about right. So we're at 60. So we're at 52100s of a percent. So we can go to 3 and a2. Right? So we're at 0.52 right now. Right. So we can go to three and a half. We're at 0.52. Okay. So that of the ratable base, correct? How and since we waited a little bit, if you if you'll just answer one more question.

How what is the percentage of our current budget? Does that 10%. They I think they just said that that our debt service is 10%. less than 10%. Less than 10%. That's what he said. Correct. Okay. Thank you. Can I ask you while you're sitting here before you leave, can I answer your question with regards to um impact fees? Sure. First, we already charge impact fees to the extent we're allowed to do it by law, right? We have currently have ordinances in our utility department

where people pay contributions towards um off offtrack improvements for water and sewer that we that we have. So, and we also to the extent that we we can by law, we we do do that. So, it's not that we don't do it. and the mayor does literally every year write to the legislature and ask them about that. But that's that's where we are mo and a lot of mayors have. So that's and that's for infrastructure generally. But I mean we certainly need a little help in the education department and if we had impact fees we need Yeah. And since 1966 that's been basically unconstitutional in New Jersey. So because the legislature chooses to keep it that way, right?

No. No. Because the Supreme Court deemed it to be unconstitutional. So that's a that's a problem. So okay, we had that to figure out it might need a constitutional fix. In other words, not just a legislative fix. Thank you. You're welcome.

If I could just follow up what we said about the debt, we're at 17th of the debt capacity of the town and on roughly $15 billion of equalized valuation. Um we can go up to Did you come up with the number? It's in there. I I believe I'm way short on the 300 million. I think it may be 500 million. So, you don't want to go anywhere near that number. I don't think. Uh but we're nowhere in the realm of being in excess debt capacity based on what the counselors defined as what we can go up to based upon the local bond law.

Okay. Any other members of the public wishing to speak on agenda items? Seeing none, may I have a motion to close the public comments? Motion. Second, please. Second. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Okay, public comments is closed. We're moving to adjourn our meeting. May I have a motion, please? Motion. Second, please. Second. All in favor? I Oh, I'm sorry. It was roll call. Clerk. Councilwoman Councilwoman Cohen. Yes. Councilman Dapiro. Yes. Councilman Vanzora. Council Vice President Markell. Yes.

Council President Seagull. Yes. The time is 7:11. Great. Thank you. Moving on to our regular meeting. Calling our meeting to order. May I have a motion, please, to open? May I have a second? Second. Clerk, roll call, please. Councilwoman Cohen. Councilman Dapiro? Yes. Councilman Vanzora. Yes. Council Vice President Markell. Yes. Council President Seagull. Yes. Time. The time is 7-Eleven. Thank you. Moving on to item two. Motion to approve the payment of claims per run date March 31st, 2026. Thank you. May I have a second? Second. Thank you. Roll call, please. Councilwoman Cohen,

Councilman Dapiro, abstain. Councilman Vanzora. Yes. Council Vice President Markell. Yes. Council President Seagull. Yes. Motion carries. Moving on to item three. May I have a motion to approve the minutes of the following meetings as written and presented. March 2nd, 2026. Agenda and regular combined meeting. May I have a second? Second. All roll call, please. Councilwoman Cohen, Councilman Diapro, yes. Councilman Vanzora, yes. Council Vice President Markell, yes. Council President Seagull. Yes. Motion carries. Clerk, can you please read item four?

Ordinances for second reading. Ordinance 03 20260006 bond ordinance providing for various capital improvements in and by the township of Monroe in the county of Middle Sex, New Jersey. appropriating 2,556,000 therefore and authorizing the issuance of 2,433,800 bonds or notes of the township to finance part of the cost thereof. Great. May I have a motion to open the public hearing? May I have a second? Second. All in favor? I. Thank you.

So, the public hearing is open for this ordinance. Any members of the public wishing to speak, please state your name and address for the record. This is on this ordinance only. Okay. No, no, just a few. There's a port I'm sorry. There's a portion later in the meeting where you can speak on any item that's not on the agenda. So that we have we just haven't gotten to that point yet. This is just on a specific ordinance. Okay. Michelle Armin Nathaniel Street. Um, can you give me some of the larger aspects of the improvements that are held in this bond, please, Mr. McGowan?

Sure, Council President. Uh, the largest improvement is our 2026 road paving project. Um, we also have a street sweeper that's included in this bond ordinance. Um we have some soft cost for design of our 2026 road program and our heritage chase um paving project which has a DOT grant toward it for the hard costs. Um and there's some equipment here for uh a plow truck that was previously purchased uh but some additional equipment that hydraulics brine machine salting machine that have to be purchased and installed on that truck.

Could I have the number for the soft design please? Sure. Um there are two items for soft design. Uh 245,000 for the Heritage Chase and 245,000 for the 2026 roads. And has that been bid out or is that going to go to the should the council adopt this ordinance tonight? We have those on our resolution uh for the design contract for Mr. Razimoitz. He will then put them out to bid for the full project. So, both of those will go out to bid if this is h if this is approved. Correct.

Okay. And um let's see. Appropriate. I guess that might be it for tonight. All right. Thank you very much. Oh, I'm sorry. How long is this bond for? 10.19 years is the average. So, that's what it'll be bonded at. And do we have an approximate of um the rate? Uh I have an estimate um but I I have to give my disclaimer that we haven't sold the bond yet. So I don't have an interest rate yet. Um but based on our recent experience, our estimate is 285,000 per year. Two for 10 years. For 10 years 285,000 payment. Correct.

Okay. The interest Oh, it would be somewhere between 3.2 and 3.6. Sorry. Yeah. Can you answer the question? Yeah, we need to have that on the record, please. The township's uh anticipating having a bond anticipation note sale in the upcoming two months. One to roll over the notes that are currently outstanding and then add what we call new money for any ordinances passed over the past 12 months. the current market rates. Um, recently Woodbridge had 2.3% on an atom and that's kind of the going rate, but things do get volatile when

things happen on the globe, but the last latest and greatest rates are around the 2.3. Uh, and that's a one-year rate. If they intend on permanently financing it down the road, uh, nobody has that, you know, in their pocket yet. uh current long-term rates for 10 to 15 years are running what uh your BA said roughly uh three to three and a half% but they're not intending on permanently financing this ordinance at the current time. Okay. All right. So that really brings me to some other different questions. So the rate for one year we're hoping to um to get is 2.3%. Or close to Well, we're not hoping. That's what the market is, right?

We hope we get the market. That's a That's a fair rate. We You're right. We hope the market doesn't get worse. If it gets better, meaning the rates lower, we'll take that, too. I'm I'm just looking for potential. We're not going to turn away a 1.1. I gota gotcha. I gota um And so now I wrote down 10.19. I'm Oh, that's the years. Okay. And it we think that the cost would be 285,000 per year. Uh yeah, for 10 years. Sorry, that was my estimate when we were doing permanent financing for 10 years, but we're as Mr. Higgins corrected me, uh the um the one-year note is a little different than that.

Okay. So, this So, on the ordinance, because I didn't I didn't take it down yet. Um does it say for one year or 10 years? Like, how are we

The the ordinance sets forth the authorization to authorize and issue bonds or notes. Under the local bond law, you can issue bond anticipation notes for one-year intervals up to 10 years and five months. After that, you must permanently bond it. After year three, if you're in one-year notes, you have to make minimum ban payowns, which pays off a portion of the notes, and then ultimately you'd have to bond it by year 10. Okay? But if they permanently finance under the local bond law, they establish what they call an average use for life. And that's what the business administrator is referring to as the 10.19 average use for life. They could not exceed that with the permanent financing. Um, so the highest they could go would be 10 years.

Okay. Well, thank you very much. That's very clear. Mr. McGowan, you're going to have to give me a tutorial, I think, on this. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Any other members of the public wishing to speak on this ordinance? Seeing none, may I have a motion to close? May I have a second? Second. All in favor? Any opposed? May I have a motion to adopt this ordinance? May I have a second? Second. Roll call, please. Councilwoman Cohen, yes. Councilman Diro, yes. Councilman Vanzora, yes. Council Vice President Markell. Yes. Council President Seagull. Yes. Motion carries.

Thank you. Clerk, can you please read item five?

Ordinance for first reading. Ordinance 04 2026007. Ordinance amending chapter 108 of the Monroe Township Code amending VC2 overlay for parcel included in Monunroe Township's round four affordable housing plan. Thank you. May I have a motion, please? May I have a second? Second. Roll call, please. Councilwoman Cohen, yes. Councilman Diapro, yes. Councilman Vanzora, yes. Council Vice President Markell, yes. Council President Seagull, yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Clerk, can you please read the next ordinance?

Ordinance 042026008. Ordinance to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and to establish a cap bank. May I have a motion, please? May I have a second? Second. Roll call, please. Councilwoman Cohen, Councilman Diro, yes. Councilman Vanzora, yes. Council Vice President Markell, yes. Council President Seagull, yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Moving on to the next ordinance. Clerk, can you please read? Ordinance 04 2026009. Ordinance amending chapter 39 of the code of the township of Monroe entitled fees. May I have a motion, please? May I have a second? Second. Roll call, please.

Councilwoman Cohen, Councilman Piro, yes. Councilman Vanzora, yes. Council Vice President Markell, yes. Council President Seagull, yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Clerk, can you please read item six, resolutions for consideration under the consent agenda, R4 2026 076 through R4 2026103 with the exception of resolution R4 2026 092 which will be considered separately. Thank you. May I have a motion, please? Second. Second. Roll call, please. Councilwoman Cohen, Councilman Dapiro, yes. Councilman Vanzora. Yes. Council Vice President Markell. Yes.

Council President Seagull. Yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Item seven, please. Clerk, if you can read. Resolutions removed from the consent agenda for consideration. Resolution R4 2026 092. May I have a motion, please? A second. Second. Roll call, please. Councilwoman Cohen. Councilman Depiro, abstain. Councilman Vanzora, yes. Council Vice President Markell, yes. Council President Seagull, yes. Motion carries. Thank you. Moving on to our administrator's report. Mr. McGowan.

Thank you, Council President. I'll be very brief. Uh just first of all want to thank the council for your support of the of the 2026 roads uh bond ordinance tonight. It's really important uh to continue to maintain our roads for our residents. It's a it's a big step forward. Um, and I just want to thank um, L'Oreola and the finance team for a lot of late nights uh, putting this budget together um, and and a lot of a lot of hard work and diligence and analysis um, to to get us where we are. It's it's really very appreciated as well, Mr. Higgins and Mr. Gardner from our auditors firm who provide great assistance and uh, and I will leave it at that. Thank you. Great. Thank you. Moving on to our engineers report. Mr. Razimoitz.

Thank you, Council President. Um, quick update on a couple of the projects we're looking to wrap up. James Monroe Park, the concession stand and park improvements. We hope to have that wrapped up by the end of the month. Our senior center pickle ball courts and the expansion of their parking lot. Um, again, that's uh we're looking to get w that wrapped up in the next four to six weeks. Uh, the pavilion is already constructed out there. They were out there today grading and doing some top soil work. um projects to start. Lynx Drive, um we have a $552,000 NJ dot grant for that project. Uh construction should be starting there by the end of April. Uh essentially, it's a milling paving of Lynx Drive as well as uh concrete sidewalk and uh curbing is going to be added to the road on both sides of that road. Um so again, that should start uh at the end of April and uh that's approximately a 90-day project. Uh next, Middle Sex County is around town doing several roads. They're milling and paving. Um you know, I believe they're out on Pinville today. Uh milling a section there. It'll be on Butcher Road. Uh then I believe they're moving Applegarth Road, a portion of Applegarth. Um also Union Valley Road, I believe, is already mil um and a portion of Englishtown Road. So, uh, look for the nixels from the the township each day for, uh, for where they're working that day. And lastly, as, uh, as, uh, Kevin had mentioned, the 2026 Monroe Township Road Paving Project. I anticipate the, uh, wrapping up the plans later this month and being out to bid and uh, hopefully award at the uh, at the May council meeting. And that's my report.

Great. Thank you. We'll move on to council reports. Councilman Depiro, we'll have you go first. Oh, thank you, Council President. While we're uh talking about projects, I just wanted to get an update on Prospect Planes and Applegarth. It looks like there's not too much construction going on. I just want to see if we can get an update from our engineer on that. Mr. Mows.

Thank you, Council President. As as you know, that's a uh Middle Sex County project. uh they are uh the design engineer as well as the project engineer. What I do know is that they're having uh utility pole relocation issues and uh they're working with Jersey Central Power and Light as well as Verizon to uh to relocate the utility poles. Um the original plan had it located over uh the Township Sanitary Force main. Um that that's as far as I know. They're still working on a revised layout plan for the poles. Once the poles are relocated, then then you'll see that project really accelerate, but there's limited work that they can do until the poles get relocated.

Okay. Thank you. Also, um, as our engineer mentioned about the paving, I just wanted to, um, talk about Pola Avenue. The, uh, paving was complete. The road was closed last week so that they can, uh, mill and pave. American Water did the project from uh Buckaloo uh all the way to um past lower Moponics and and it looks like they did a fine job. Um American Water had their subs do the paving and looks looks like it's fine. I I just would ask that our utility companies just double check everything. Make sure that our our manholes aren't covered or valves for all our hydrants and everything else that um that they're still uh accessible and that the guys can get the keys on on the valves. No asphalt fell in in between. So when they do have a break or they have this shut off that they don't run into a problem. So, I would ask that our water company just double check uh with all all the paving, whatever paving is done. I always like to see our our water company go behind them to make sure that it's done properly. Um on Schoolhouse Road, the railroad tracks always seem to be a bad um when you hit the the railroad tracks, especially in between, the asphalt is deteriorating pretty well. So, I I would ask our engineer if he could reach out to uh Conrail and get the u the the railroad tracks improvements um maintained cuz I know last time we asked it took a it took a few uh few months, few years or whatever. It just seems like it takes forever to get the the railroad tracks done. Along with Rue Road and Machoponics, the bridge um is a border between Monroe and Old Bridge. the resurfacing of that bridge uh looks like

they just patch it instead of completely resurfacing that bridge uh is in need of some repairs. Um I want to um also bring up uh the was a real hard time when uh Kevin called me to tell me about um Lou Bonoor. Um, I mean anybody um, you know, when they say Lou, I would think as Lou as when you think about the Yankees when they said sweet Lou and everything and and he was the type of gentleman that if you met Lou and he helped you um, he helped everyone and and to have someone as a construction uh, he came into the construction department as a plumbing inspector and he worked his way all the way up as our director And you never hear any complaints. You always hear compliments from our building department. And the building department uh as as a business owner, I know that you need to put a team together in order to to make a project work. and the department of the construction uh as the whole team that's there. They're going to there it's a gentleman that's going to be well missed by the by our residents by our our our council and our mayor and our administration and along with their department and he just was a a a huge asset when I did the construction oversight of our our fire company District 1. I called that construction department. They always opened the door. They always helped us. And and they always do that to to all our residents. And you you can't get that in other departments in other towns. What we have here in Monroe Township. So when I when I went to the viewing, you you knew that

it took you an hour to get into to to the to the church and to get to his his loved ones and his family members. and you knew that everybody there felt the same thing. So, it's just a big um loss uh for his family and also for Monroe. So, I just wanted to uh give that appreciation to a fine uh man that I don't think he had one enemy. I mean, he smiled. He he he helped every single person that I've ever ever talked to about our construction. And I know that uh going forward that they will continue that um and continue that drive because I've been here all my life and I I did a lot of construction over the years and I could tell you I've worked in other towns and you get the door in your face. You get oh you know this that and the other. You get nothing but excuses but here we get we get service and we get respect and they do an amazing job. And I just wanted to to uh take a couple minutes and thank you council president for that. Um on 4:19 uh Sunday we have um the Henry Rickless uh at the senior center at 2:00. It's um something that I've attended for many years and I just wanted to point that out. It's on at the senior center 2:00 along with opening day for baseball as our engineer said about the uh James Monroe. We the our mayor will throw our pitches out hopefully on the 10th at 10:00 at uh Saturday at the James Monroe and then 12:00 at the softball. So, I just wanted to point that that out to everybody. um and our parks department that makes the uh fields um you know for our children to play. And I also

attended the Pine Derby races for the uh Cub Scouts pack three at the high school. And it's it's amazing to watch for two or three hours these kids do an amazing job and to watch watch the families and grandparents and everybody watch the u the cars go down the tracks. It's it's pretty interesting. So, uh, just wanted to say, oh, and the last thing was I guess we'll we got to talk about this watershed. Our c our, um, engineer and I was on a Zoom. I don't know if anybody's going to talk about it later on, but it was an it was a meeting that asked for a change order before we even started the project. So I did have a discussion with with our engineer about it after and I did also with the business administrator and it was a like a 21% increase before the project even started because other towns uh bailed out of the uh the regional uh engineering for the uh for the job. But I just wanted to point that out. I'm sure we did get a revised email later today that it went down a couple couple thousand. So, if someone's wants to touch on that, either our engineer or I see there's a representative here, maybe he'll come up to the microphone later. I just want to point it out. Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, Council President. There is a representative here who will speak about that at the public portion. Okay, great. Thank you. Councilman Vanzora, would you like to go next, please?

Thank you, Madam President. Um, first thing I want to I want to compliment our administration on their hard work in uh putting this budget together. I this is sort of a uh unprecedented times in terms of uh increased cost and sort of a perfect storm. We were getting money from CO for you know a few years that ran out insurance costs going up 30%. It just blows my mind. I don't know who makes money on that or where it all goes to, but that's an outrageous cost. But not just Monroe, but all the other towns around that we have you have to deal with it. So, it's it's got to come from somewhere. So, and and then I look at what was probably one of to me one of the worst winters that I can remember in recent history. I I don't you know I've been around a long time and uh I remember way when I was younger there was there were times like this but not for the last 5 10 years or whatever and uh we had you know we had a snowstorm and then we had a cold spell where like that snow was on the ground for like a month straight and you couldn't get rid of it. So, it's not just a little inconvenience or it's not, you know, it's not just a bad thing, but what it does, it creates potholes. It create, you know, we had water main breaks and and DPW and our utility department was out there. These guys are out there in the freezing cold addressing all that type of stuff that had to get done. They did a great job. And then on top of the snow and the cold and everything else, the wind like all of a sudden like since when are we in like the windy city, you know, branches are down all over the place on our streets and everything. And I I actually mentioned this to Kevin that uh what a great job they did because so many pe in my development. Every time I turned around, there was like big branches that were just coming down and the DP, they came out, they cleared out all the branches from the

streets. people could get up and down and and it wound up it wasn't as big of an issue as it could have been. But, you know, when you have that situation, you got branches and you got things that are in the streets. If they don't get to it promptly, that causes the cars to have to move over. You don't have as much room to get by and creates potential dangerous things. So, um between the uh the potholes and and between the, you know, taking care of the tree stuff and the water mane breaks are the town's really been doing a lot this year. And the one other thing um I I had mentioned and Kevin and Kevin reminded me because I said when you have a bad winter like this where you have snow and ice and everything, it creates more potholes than you usually have. And Kevin pointed out to me, and you could correct me if I'm wrong, that our our township website, if you go to the DPW, if you see any potholes out there, you can report it and they have a spot where you can report it. And this way, the town can get to it quicker. So, uh, just in case, not that they're not out already trying to search for them, but it never hurts to have an extra extra sets of eyes. So overall, I think the town did a really really good job under under tough circumstances. Um uh the other thing I just want to mention briefly um I was with an older uh client of mine uh doing a a thing for my office and uh while there she had a medical episode and um I'm not particularly well trained with things and uh I called EMT and they were out there in about 5 minutes flat and just did a wonderful job and uh it was such a relief to know that when I dialed that number. I knew that it wasn't going to be like 20 minutes or whatever it and they were literally it was almost 5 minutes to the uh 5 minutes on the button and they made it out there and handled everything in a totally

professional manner. So, um all those things were were good things. Um Charlie already mentioned I was going to say about opening day. Uh you know I don't know today it's still kind of cold. I think tomorrow I saw it. It's going to be down in the 30s at night. But hopefully this weekend it's going to be about 70 and nice and always nice to see the kids out there cuz that's always the the heart and soul of the town is when kids are out there and parents and grandparents get to watch and uh I think that's always one of the nicest things. So if you get a chance, go out there, check out the baseball, check out the softball. That's all I have right now. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilwoman Cohen. H quiet.

I hate Thank you. Appreciate that. I need microphone assistance regularly. Um it's been a quiet month for many things, but it hasn't been a quiet month for all of you. Been putting in all those hours getting that budget together. I echo the thanks of my colleague for the work that you did on the budget to bring it in at this number and we are grateful for the for the all of the work that you did. When I was discussing it with someone, however, I made the point that I was in a local bagel store, and the owner's wife was talking about the cost of making their product, and she said that the flour that they buy to make the bagels had gone up $300 when they went to buy this next purchase. And that they didn't think that would be their last increase. So, everyone is facing higher costs. the people we do business with are as well. So, it brings me to another point. We have a food bank in town. There are people in need of the services of a food bank now that may not have been a few moments ago. We have Betty's food bank in memory of our colleague Betty Schneider. They accept donations. We have a food pantry at a local church in Jamesburg that I noticed. We have a food. You can donate food at the senior center. People are always happy to take checks because then they can buy what they know they need. But we need to remember that there are people that are in real need. I remember it very clearly when every time I go into the supermarket and my fill up my car with gas. Um, and the last thing I wanted to comment about, the supermarket, our local Stop and Shop is looking significantly better. If you haven't been in there recently, the manager said they were doing a complete

upgrading of the store. And while all the shelving is not finished, the store is bigger and cleaner, and it has a fresh look to it. So, the next time you go in, you will notice it without someone having said it. I hope to see you all at Holocaust. Remembrance Day, the Rickless Committee program on Sun Death Sunday at the senior center. Thank you. Great. Thank you, Council Vice President Markeel.

Can everybody hear me? Okay. Um, I'd like to just uh give a shout out to Lou's family and say my condolences. Um, I was honored to sit next to Lou on the U ADA commi committee and get to know him and get to know what a fine gentleman he was um over the last few years. Um, so I just wanted to mention how I miss Lou and uh the township does. Um, I want to thank Lori and all the finance people and Kevin on their hard work that they did. I don't want to repeat everything everybody else said, but had to mention it. Um I'm on the Henry Rickless committee which is um running the Holocaust Remembrance Day on April 19th. And um I just want to tell everybody it's a great event. Um and we try to get um survivors of the Holocaust um to the meeting and it's getting less and less as you know every year. um get there early cuz we have 400 and some odd 450 people show up every year. So, it's going to be hard to park and uh that's what I wanted to get that out there. Uh the only other thing is on May 7th um is National Prayer Day. It's I know it's a little bit away, but that's also it's done by human relations. Um, one of my one of just one more thing. Uh, one of the things that I'm honored to do is it seems to me the boy scouts or as I it's not the Boy Scouts anymore. It's the scouts um give out a lot of eagle eagle awards in this town. Um, and I've been honored to ask to come and read proclamations there. So, I go there and um the last few years it's been young ladies that's going their Eagle Scouts, which is kind of interesting. as a boy scout years ago um to see all the young

women now that are in scouting. Um while I go there, I'm one of the oldest people at these events. But on the other hand, I get to go and I've been giving out proclamations to people over a hundred in Monroe the last couple of weeks um where I'm the kid. So that kind of balances out my Eagle Scouts, 17 year olds, 16 years olds when I get to give out proclamations to people in Monroe that have lived 100, 103, 102. Um, which is an honor to meet these people. Most of them are fantastic. They're all fantastic. I shouldn't say most. Uh, that uh, one other thing is people got their PS PAS1 applications. Get it in early if you can. It's not due till November. Don't wait till the last minute. I get calls every day, where's my check? And I say, where's your application? Um, so just a shout out there to seniors. Get in your P1 application as soon as you can. That way you'll get your money quicker. Okay. Thank you.

Great. Thank you. So, I have a couple updates. Um, at last month's council meeting, we had some residents express the need for service to Jersey City, bus service to Jersey City. So, the township did send letters to a few bus companies to advocate on behalf of our residents and we will continue to follow up on that. Um, also as mentioned earlier, Mayor Delina has sent out two letters to our state legislators. They actually came out today via our e newsletter for increased one was for increased state funding for our schools and the second one was advocating for impact fees. So, we're happy to see the advocacy moving forward and please do take a look at those letters when you see them. Um, also I wanted to share last month um actually a few months ago I had a conversation with county commissioner McCullum um which led me to a connection with the Middle Sex County Economic Development Department last month alongside the township administration. We had the opportunity to learn about some of the support services and we discussed some of the possible ways to leverage some of those resources for our local businesses, boards, and commissions. So, it was a very insightful meeting. We're looking forward to work with them. And then I just wanted to give a shout out to our Concordia. Congratulations to the board of trustees at our Concordia HOA. They were recognized as the CAI community associations institute community of the year for 2025. And the CI is an organization that represents homeowners, condominiums, and other community associations around the world. So a big congratulations to them. And I want to remind the community tomorrow our police department will pre be presenting community safety tips, public safety presentation discussing current crime trends, scams, and ways to keep yourself safe. This event is tomorrow, April 7th, at the senior center at 6:30

p.m. Please come join us. It's a very informative session. So bring some friends along, too. And that is my update. I will turn it over to Mayor Delina for your report.

Thank you, Madame Council President. Um, I'll be very brief in my report. Just want to talk about one um, particular uh, family member. So, I've been an elected official here in Monroe for 16 years. 10 years on the council now, six years as your mayor. Um, and I have always felt that the people who work here are were family. and we lost a family member recently, Louisis Bonacor, our director of um construction. And we've experienced loss like any other family, you experience loss. Um and sometimes there's a family member in particular where it it hits you a little bit harder. Um, thinking back again those 16 years, one was Joe Harvey who you see the Joe Harvey uh plaque in the back. Joe used to record the uh uh on video at the time of the um council meetings. That was that was a tough one. Lou was a tough one too. um my time knowing Lou, you get to see somebody work and there's certain attributes that that you you see that just stay with you and and Lou was the epitome of of a professional, somebody that you know, somebody that if you needed to go talk to somebody regarding something you saw lose attributes. That's the type of person that you would want to work with. I was, you know, it's do unto do unto others as others have done unto you. And that's how that's how Lou was. He was the epitome

of a professional. Um, and you know, I I I can't take credit for for this next attribute. I have to give credit to um Patty Reid, our our former township clerk, where you know, she said that Lou was just one of the classiest individuals you'd like to know. And I'm like, yeah, that he was just class. But for me, one of the attributes that I'll always take with me, right, when people leave this earth, right, and they leave certain legacies and Lou's legacy to me will be the peace that he had in his heart. That's that's just an attribute that you just kind of wish Lou has left peace in my heart. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor Delina. So, we'll move on to public comments. Five minutes per speaker. May I have a motion to open, please?

Motion. May I have a second? Second. Thank you. All in favor?

Any opposed? Public comments is open. Five minutes per speaker. Can you please state your name and address for the record? Hello everybody. Excuse me. Hello everybody. Uh, Mayor Delina, council president, council men and women, men and women. Uh, Eric Betion, 213B Daris Drive, Monroe Township. Uh, I moved here in 2017. I'm a stop and shopper, by the way. Um, my wife and I, my wife of 43 years and I moved here back in 2017. four kids, 10 grandkids. Anyway, came here tonight. Timing is really bad, okay? Because I come in here, first I do read the newsletter and I'm like, I'm reading the newsletter and I'm thinking, "Oh, great. I'm going to come in here talking to these people about giving money back." Um, after reading Mayor Dillian's two letters that were sent out, then then listening to the budget, um, I was trying to find the right words and, uh, well, I don't necessarily always, well, I'm not here to argue or negotiate really, but I always don't try to stay on a fair or unfair side of something. Life isn't fair. Um, but I'm here for something that's on the wrong side of of something. and and and that's something that I I really believe in. Um I took up target shooting uh a little less than a year ago. Um in my journey of this new hobby, um I'm finding out a whole lot about our constitution that know there's a lot of things going on that I feel are wrong. Um and there's a lot of townships now starting to make things right. Um, and

our neighbor Englishtown was the first one that started. Um, a real brief history. Back in 2022, the Supreme Court decided that it was unconstitutional to stop private citizens from owning and carrying a firearm. um 2025 I believe it was when mayor of Englishtown uh started to to um actually he agreed with it, but he also decided to no longer charge the $150 municipal fee um in order to get your concealed carry permit. Um, and through not necessarily through dollars, but through some some way he actually refunded people going back to January 1st of 2025. Um, he was the first of what's now what Greg said was 18 is now 19. uh this past March, um I think Milford um also joined that list of of towns that that have agreed that aside from waving the $150 fee, um they're also refunding at least a portion of the fee that people were charged prior. Um I feel that's right. It's a constitutional right um to keep and bear arms. um you don't tax a right and if if you would just I know I only have five minutes so I think I could do this in five minutes I could read pretty quick but before chapter 131 which is what um Governor Murphy I sometimes used to call him the other things um he called it he dubbed it the brewin response bill um back in 2022 after Breuan

um got the victory in in superior in in in in court um that they were able to use that the the citizens, private citizens were able to uh keep and bear arms. Uh his his method of of keeping people from actually keeping and bearing arms was increasing cost. Um, like the $300 for flower, what used to be a $2 fee to for a purchase permit for a handgun is now $25. Okay. I think that's 125 200%. It's a huge increase. Um, myself personally, I don't have a I don't have a permit to carry. I I I don't carry. I'm a grandfather. I got 10 grandkids. Um, I do love shooting with them with some of them and we do and it's it's in a controlled in a controlled space like like a range, but that does it doesn't make it okay. Um, it does someday I might decide, you know, maybe I do want to I I do want to get my my carry license. I don't want to have to pay for it. Not that not not that kind of money. Um, concealed carry permits applications are processed through portal maintained by the state police. The cost of maintaining the system is paid through a separate transaction fee by the applicant directly to the state police in addition to the statutory fees. With the electronic submission, the applicant pays the $50 state portion of the application fee directly to the state the New Jersey State Police. After submitting all required paperwork through

Excuse me, Mr. Veun, your time is up. The five minutes is up. I am sorry. It's okay. Um, thank you. I would just ask you to consider on your next agenda, I'm not sure what right terms are, that you consider um at least refunding or waving future fees.

Great. Thank you for your comments. Okay, once again my name is Gregski. I am here in America since 1988. I came from former USSR. I'm a resident of uh Monroe since 2011. I am in the state of New Jersey since 1993. Here is my wife out here. And I would like to second I don't want to take any more of your time because this gentleman before me already expressed a request to refund a substantial local portion of carry permit fee. Because you have to understand all of us on a fixed income as retirement people have to pay $200 every two years to exercise our constitutional right. And I don't think and I hope you will join me in uh opinion that it's not fair. So he and uh self-defense is not a privilege only to the wealthy. I hope you would agree with me on that. So I would appreciate if township council will consider this measure of refunding this fee in the near future. Thank you.

Okay, instant replay. Uh, good evening, Mayor Delina and council. Uh, thank you for the opportunity to present this important environmental ordinance. Excuse me. Good evening. Name and address, please. Name and address, please.

Carol Singer, 15 Dorchester Drive. Uh, as a retired environmental scientist, I admire the emphasis on environmental issues that Monroe Township has undertaken, but there were a few issues that remain unresolved. One of them is light pollution, which is often overlooked. That is the subject of this proposed ordinance that affects our health, our environment, and even our sense of wonder. Light pollution includes glare, light trespass, and sky glow. All caused by lighting that is too bright, poorly directed, or left on when not needed. While it may seem like a minor issue, its impacts are significant. For residents, excessive lighting can disrupt sleep and reduce quality of life, especially when light spills into homes from nearby properties. For drivers and pedestrians, glare from unshielded lights can actually reduce viability, visibility, and safety, not improve it. From an environmental standpoint, artificial light at night disrupts wildlife and ecosystems. Birds, pollinators, and nocturnal animals depend on natural darkness for navigation and survival. Increasingly, research shows that light pollution is contributing to declines in these populations. There is also a clear cost and energy compact impact. Light that spills upward or outward is wasted energy. Energy that the township and residents ultimately pay for. Reducing this waste aligns with both fiscal responsibility and sustainability goals. The good news is that this is a problem with practical proven solutions. The ordinance adopted

by Hopewell Township provides a strong model and focus on simple effective principles. Use full cutoff fixtures to direct lightwood downward. Limit light trespass and glare across property lines. Use warmer color temperatures that are less harsh and less disruptive. Implement timers. motion desens motion sensors and shut off times to reduce unnecessary lighting. These are not restrictive measures. They are smart design standards. They ensure we have the lighting we need for safety and functionality while eliminating waste and harm. Importantly, in ordinances like this create consistency and clarity for developers, businesses, and residents. Without clear standards, lighting becomes excessive and inconsistent over time. Adopting thoughtful lighting regulations is a relatively lowc cost step that delivers multiple benefits. Improve quality of life, energy savings, environmental protection, and alignment with broader sustainability initiatives. 19 townships in New Jersey, including Princeton and Hopewell, have light pollution ordinances. And finally, it sends a message that our township values both responsible development and the well-being of its community. Good lighting isn't about more light. It's about the right light in the right place at the right time. Thank you for your time and consideration. I have an a copy of an proposed ordinance with me uh along with we have 200 signatures. Great. Thank you.

Did you want to Did you want to give us a copy? Just give it to the clerk. We can give it to um Christine here to our clerk. Thank you.

You want to tell us after we'll come after the meeting? Good evening. My name is Mike Pisaro. I'm the policy director for the Watershed Institute. Council President, council members, mayor. Thank you very much for this uh minutes. Uh and I want to thank Councilman Tapiro and your engineer for their time in the various watershed meetings we've had over the last nine months or so. Um as you heard earlier, the estimated cost to develop the watershed plan has increased. I do apologize for that. Um, and just to give you a little bit of background, so all municipalities have to develop a plan how to improve water quality and reduce uh the TMDL, total maximum daily load uh pollution, how to reduce flooding. Those reports are due at the end of this year in draft form. And you know you all sorry you all were very very uh you know forthright and um uh helpful in passing the resolution earlier and we had set out the schedule based upon an assumption of how many towns were going to participate. Over the last 3 months my staff and I have been meeting with all of the towns sometimes repeatedly to explain the process and to get buy in. Unfortunately, as I sit here today, just over 30% of the the watershed is not participating and that resulted in reallocating the costs. So studying the watershed itself doesn't get reduced if some towns aren't participating. We were able to identify some savings because not only do we have to study the wershed but then we develop where do we think projects will make sense in the most costeffective way. Well obviously if

towns aren't going to participate we are not going to identify projects in those towns. So we were able to reduce some savings. Uh the watershed institute would have been hire is hiring the contractor to do it overseeing that and doing other things. We've reduced our cost. We believe so strongly that by doing this on a watershed basis, we will develop a better product, we will save towns money in the long run. Uh but you know the the bottom line and I realize we are in the budgets arena that we are in. Uh it is an increased cost from what the township budgeted and passed the resolution not too long ago. uh we were able to reduce it uh from what we had a conversation last week. Um but it is now uh let make sure I get the right numbers $48,980. No, I apologize. That's what you had budgeted and it's about $53,000 now. So um it is an increase um but based upon all the towns that are participating um we've you know reallocated and try to reduce as much as we could. Uh so I am here to ask that the town address that bring up the resolution to cover the cost so we can get forward. Unfortunately, time is somewhat of the essence uh so that we have enough time for the consultants to pull together the plan, present it to the municipalities so you all understand it. We have a public hearing on the ultimate plan uh and we can uh meet our regulatory deadlines. I'm here to answer any questions on that um and see what I can

do to address concerns. Mr. McGowan. All right, council president. I just want to make sure that um that the council understands what's what's being asked for. Um so we did uh we had a commitment last month's meeting. We did a resolution of not to exceed 48,000 and change. I forget what the change is. I apologize. Uh what you're asking for now is that a couple of towns have since dropped out. the money needed needs to be reallocated and you're asking the township for to increase that not to exceed by about $5,000 up to 53,000 and change. Yes.

Okay. So, um and I know Councilman Dapiro and Mr. Resimo have have been more involved in in this than I have. I guess one question that's I don't mean to speak for the council, but what I imagine is on their minds is what happens next month? I mean, you know, like are we are we are we continuing to fund the project because other towns are dropping out and why would our taxpayers bear that burden?

Yeah. So, very good question and you know we tried our best and I know the towns did too. You know the the thing I've heard over the last 6 months how much is it going to cost? I can only tell you how much it costs by knowing who's in and you know we went back and forth. We are at a point where if we do not move forward, we cannot move forward as a group. You know, I have a week or two here and there, but if for example, South Brunswick were to jump out next week, I I don't see a path forward going forward in this this approach. As of the meeting we had last week where we brought the towns who have said yes and explained the situation and the change in costs. I think everyone is still in uh everyone conceptually thinks this will save money in the long run and you know this is money. I'm not going to downplay that. But I think when we develop the costs and every every town is doing this when they develop the cost for the projects that is where the real money is. I will say also conversations with the department of environmental protection when we go to seek money to actually implement these projects whether it is building rain gardens flood plane restoration etc. they will weigh better projects that are based upon regional approaches than towns that went on their own. There's some other places where potentially there are cost savings, but that I think is the big big

Great. Mayor Delina, you kind of just touched upon my angle, right? So water doesn't know municipal be boundaries, right? So,

what if we're in but the town next to us has major problems that there could be spillover because we we paid but they didn't. I I don't want to ever I I don't want to move I wouldn't want to move forward knowing that could potentially happen. So, so part of this process is in the end of the day the final report that the municipalities will develop is okay what is our responsibility what is our contribution to the issue what is outside of our jurisdiction so for example what is you know Monroe contributing to cranberry what cranberry is getting in is you know a contribution from Monroe Milstone if So we we will identify through the watershed study what everyone's contribution is even those towns that aren't participating. And again I can't guarantee but the conversations I've had with D is if seven towns all said this is what it is and three towns have a different plan and they don't even agree with each other D is going to ask those towns to re-evaluate not the seven or six towns that agree. The other part of this process is as these projects are built, we re-evaluate. So again, if these towns that are participating are moving forward, towns aren't, they are the ones,

as I'm sitting here today and understand the process, they will be the ones that have to do more. Um, but sir, sir, you're way past your time. Can I suggest that this is probably something that's better a conversation with you and Mr. McGawan and then he can bring back whatever the recommendations are. It's probably the appropriate way to do it. Simplest way to do it. Thank you. Thank you, C.

Council President, can I could I just make a couple comments um only because Mark and I were on a couple Zooms. One of the um as our mayor asked the question and it was brought up and our engineer asked the engineers that were on that Zoom if they could sharpen their pencil and cut their cut their costs and they did cuz we were looking at a $10,000 increase which we received an email just recently today a couple hours ago of about a $5,000 increase. But one of the other things that I just wanted to uh point out was they brought it up to our attention that if we do a regional uh uh plan that the D has a better a better chance of giving us a grant of going down the road. So um I don't know what they asked us what the cost would be if Monroe just pulled out of this and Monroe just did our own plan for the end of the end of the year. They asked Mark that and and they asked me and we really don't h we didn't have that answer. But we did last month go like 5,000 over what we anticipated with everybody being allin and losing 30% is the reason why the cost went up. So that that's that was it.

Thank you. Thank you. Can I give you a copy of this resolution? You can give it to us at the end of the meeting to our or at the end of the meeting. Oh, they're leaving. Good evening. Good evening.

It's good to see you all again. My name is Mark Steele. I live on Karen Court. Uh I appeared before this council, I think about six months ago back in August. Um and I spoke with you then about this municipal portion of the permit carry fees. And I'm encouraged to see my fellow patriots here bringing this up to you as well, but I'm wondering, I haven't seen it on the agenda. I haven't seen anything go forward. I haven't seen any action whatsoever. So, I'm here to encourage you, please. I am a licensed permit to carry holder. My son's a police officer in Monroe Township. I've been a resident here for over 25 years. I have to go and renew in June again. is going to be another $400 that I outlay for training and permitting to carry my firearm, which is a constitutionally protected right of mine. So, please, we're serious. You've got three people here tonight. I'm going to start rallying more people. We're going to just keep coming. I don't care if you say no, but I want you to say something. Yes or no. So, please get it on the agenda. Vote. make your voices heard. We'll honor what you say, but your residents are asking for this. So, please take us seriously and do it. And I know you will. I'm not here to berate anybody. I respect all of you. So, please, we're serious about it. Thank you very much for your time.

Thank you. Shell Armin09 Nathaniel Street. Okay, I'm going to start and my last question, but I'm going to start first. We're talking about the the gentleman in the watershed and before anybody says, "Oh, it's too much money." the cost of not taking care of our health and taking care of our water and taking care of our environment is far greater than the change uh that they're asking us to provide. So I think uh that is there's really no question that we should support and continue uh to financial to to participate still in the watershed program and to participate in the financing uh because the safety of our health. I've been coming here for years talking about potable water um and it's a shame that other communities think uh they don't have to participate. I mean we are our environment is being uh pressured uh every day from the federal government uh from people who don't believe in climate change or or or changes in our environment. We're losing species. I mean all of this really does impact something as simple as a watershed. So I would I would recommend there should be I mean I don't see you guys deliberate anyway on here. So there should be no deliberation on um continuing to participate and and financial um support for that. So let me go to the other things going to R420263 uh sorry 083 and 084.

Sort of this is going to be a good point to bring out. Uh we talked about it in the budget uh that the 240,000 twice for 083 and 084 is for soft costs, but that looks like it's going directly to um the uh center state uh center state uh engineering. So those soft costs are going directly that's not for going out to bid that's going for the soft costs. Mr. McGowan, I actually thought that when Kevin answered a question that it didn't answer your question. Correct. So, the project goes out to bid. Correct.

The the town now the town engineer is going to do the the software part. Remember, we go out for RFPs every year. I know that I don't have to take my time on that. I hear that. I mean, that's what we do. But what what I want to make clear on the record that that $240,000 twice is going to center state for their cost.

Yes. Fund is that coming from between as a b all of the detention base and escrow accounts by the square footage and then the township ones. I don't have the breakout in front of me um to tell you how much is out of each and which is out of the budget but um we charged the basins first.

Okay. And is is that the similar for R42026087 which is 188,6 7423 cents. That's the same the same thing for the basin only part of that contract. So that that that is also um township properties and everything. So anytime that there's any landscaping done on a basin or any kind of work at all like if there's a wet basin and there's a pump I use those. Is that coming from the detention basin escro? Some of it is and the balance is coming from the budget general budget. Yes.

Okay. Because um over the years we've been assured that the again maybe an impact fee, you want to call this an impact fee of the developers that the township would not have to be contributing to the maintenance and care of these basins because they're coming from developers. So why are we now taking money out of our regular budget? I I believe some of the basins are are owned and operated by Monroe Township, not because we've taken them as from the developers. We've ab absorbed them from the developers with the

required to under the residential site improvement standards issued by the state because they connect to our public water system. Ultimately, the responsibility for maintaining them comes to us. But what we've done is we've passed an ordinance to the extent that we can we can um shift that burden to the individual communities. We've done that. But the residential site improvement standards that are uh that are um adopted by the state require us to maintain anything that connects into our public storm sewer system. So that's we should be charging more because that was the promise of all this development years ago.

Well, we can get escros when they build. So impact fees when they build. But we what there isn't a mechanism for is for us to go back to Concordia and say, "Hey, you have a detention base and we need you to pony up more money because they pay taxes like everybody else to maintain the system that that's connected to. Okay. Well, then we shouldn't be told that or the developers are going to be paying for it on infinite. I never told you that. You never told me that, but it's been said in this in this room for many years.

Thank you. Any other members of the public wishing to speak? Seeing none, may I have a motion to close? May I have a second? All in favor? May I have a motion to adjurnn? May I have a second? All in favor? Any any opposed? Thank you. Meeting is adjourned.