Township Council - Regular Meeting

I'd like to call the March 10th regular meeting to order. Start with the flag. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. Moment of silence. remember the service and sacrifices of the armed service members who protect our nation and the first responders who protect our neighborhoods. Council President, may I add somebody please? Yeah, sure.

We had uh the passing of uh Pat Matarazzo who was a chairman of our environmental commission for a very very long time um before uh it was uh removed. Um he's also worked for the state of New Jersey. Uh he also had his own uh business in water uh equality and had a very big passion to protecting the water of Rockway Township. So, I just wanted to mention his name.

Clerk, please take the role. Council member Salberg, here. Council member Voytovich here. Council member Freelander here. Council member Royek here. Council member Freed here. Council member Quinn here. Council member Kelly here. Council Vice President Sacket here. Council President Morrison here. Adequate notice of this meeting was provided to the daily record in the official newspapers for the township of Rockaway. Notice was posted on the official bulletin boards of Rockaway Township, the township website, and notice was filed in the office of the township clerk. Approval of the minutes for the February 24th township council.

Uh Mr. Morris, just one quick question on that. Yeah. uh on the minutes um just a small uh typo that was on there. Um it was dealing with uh Toron Road and Whipperwill with regards to um [snorts] the stop signs that were there and also uh it didn't name the individual that brought up the um ideas about the uh moving wall over at Park Lake, which was me. I mean, I watched the video, it was pretty apparent that it was me was on there. The minutes don't reflect that. Um, is that is that it? Yeah, there was just the the whipppper will that was on there. Um, and some of the other residents made some comments too that seem to be very vague. All right.

But in any event, um, just those items that were on there. So, just for future reference, if there's any changes to be made to the meeting minutes, um, we would ask that those changes be submitted in advance to the clerk um, so we could properly vet them, watch the video. We will not be making adjustments on the fly like we like tonight if it deals with anything um anything of substance such as that. For example, um in a minute I'll be making a motion um to amend the minutes from the uh 224 meeting to reflect the correct date of the minutes which was 120. So like that's not a change of substance. It's really just a technicality. So in the future again everybody gets these notes ahead of time. If you see something like that and you wish to have it changed, please send it to the clerk so the council could be made aware and then at the next meeting we'll do a proper motion um to change it. You're well within your rights to ask for that, but we just want to do it um so everybody has a chance to look at the same thing you are.

Appreciate it. Thank you. Okay. So again, approval of the minutes February 24th, Township Council. So moved. Awesome. Clerk, please take the role. Council member Sberg, yes. Council member Voytovich, yes. Council member Freellander, yes. Council member Royek, yes. Council member Freed, yes. Council member Quinn, yes. Council member Kelly, as I stand now. Council Vice President Zackett, yes. Council President Marson,

yes. That's eight yeses, one no. Motion carries. Uh, I'm now going to make a motion to amend the minutes from the 224 meeting to reflect the correct date of the minutes, which was 120. I second it. Cler, please take the role. Council member Salberg, yes. Council member Voytovich, yes. Council member Freelander, yes. Council member Royek, yes. Council member Freed, yes. Council member Quinn, yes. Council member Kelly, yes. Council Vice President Sacket, yes. Council President Marson, yes. It's nine yeses. Motion carries. At this point, I'm going to turn the meeting over to our mayor.

Tom, come on up. If there's anybody here from George's family, come on up. [laughter] That was a good woo. So, um, yeah.

So, I'm up here, uh, tonight with our DPW director, Al Noth, and our water superintendent, Brian Shatzel. And uh we wanted to honor the um Ryell and Stalter families, Stalter and Ryell families for the dedication of George and Tom to the community over the years, not only as water superintendents, but also as volunteer firefighters and the rest of the things you've done for our community, which are many. Um, so tomorrow at 11:00 we will officially be putting a plaque on our water building um and renaming it the um Stalter Ryell Water Building. Um so this says this facility is dedicated to Thomas Stalter and George Ryell, former water utility supervisors who served their communities for over 35 years. Um Thomas and George were also volunteer firefighters and lifelong residents of Rockway Township. dedicated this we originally read the um uh resolution on uh 10th day of February 2026 um by Mayor Joe Jackson the township council. So if the council can come down let's get a picture and let's take a picture and you're all welcome to come um tomorrow at 11 at our water building in White Metal Lake.

[laughter]

Yeah, you know the deal. Short people in the front. [laughter]

Come on. Here we go. You get everybody. Peter. Here we go. Thank you. [applause] Sorry up here. [clears throat]

Congratulations. Well deserved.

Okay. Um I'm going to be reading through a couple of ordinances now. um they um they're all uh dealing with uh fair share housing. Just to let everybody know of the uh process, I will be calling for any public comments on each ordinance specifically. There is another open to the public portion later in the meeting or you can speak about anything else. But when I ask if there's any comment from the public, it needs to deal with this ordinance alone. First ordinance 02603 an ordinance amending chapter chapter 54 entitled land use and development of the code of the township of Rockhoy amending section 54-30.52 entitled RBM MFO regional business multifamily overlay district. Can I have a motion?

So move second. Is there any um council discussion on this? You know, council president, I think I would just make one comment that would cover all of these ordinances dealing with fair share. Yeah, go ahead.

Um, and first of all, Mr. Novak, uh, unbelievable, amazing job that you did, uh, you and your firm. Uh, you've always been, uh, phenomenal at your craft when it comes to zoning and planning. Going through all these ordinances, this is something that we have to do. It's it's a requirement that's set forth from the state and we had a deadline as the 15th. So we had some crunch going on and we've been very fortunate compared to some other municipalities of what we were able to achieve which was success from even the amount that we had reduced from some of their mistakes that they were making. So that would be accurate in saying that. Okay. And again I just wanted to say thank you for the hard work and it's it's apparent for everything that you've done. Thank you.

That's all council president. Any other council discussion? Is there anybody from the public that wishes to speak on this ordinance alone? Clerk, please take the role. Council member Salberg, yes. Council member Voytovich, yes. Council member Freelander, yes. Council member Roy, yes. Council member Freed, yes. Council member Quinn, yes. Council member Kelly, yes. Council Vice President Sackett, yes. Council President Marson,

yes. It's nine yeses. Motion carries. Ordinance 02604, an ordinance amending chapter chapter 54 entitled land use and development of the code of the township of Rockway creating a new section 54-30.34 entitled RMF-14 multifamily residential district. Can I have a motion? Motion. Second.

Is there any council discussion on this ordinance? Any public comment on this ordinance alone? Please step up to the microphone. uh come up here, but I'm I'm just going to read this now. This deals for all public sessions, including later. Um before opening the public portion, I want to remind everyone of the rules that apply to anyone who wants to address the council. Any member of the public wishing to address the council will have three minutes to do so. While an extension of time may be requested, it should not be assumed that an extension of time will be granted. While addressing the council, members of the public may not address or question any individual council member. If anyone addressing the council violates these rules or conducts themselves inappropriately, their speaking opportunity will be terminated and they will be instructed to return to their seat. A refusal to comply will result in removal from the room. Members of the public in attendance may not make comments from the audience without recognition by the chair. Persons doing so will be subject to removal from the room. As council president, I have tremendous respect for my fellow council members and the public who take time and effort to attend council meetings. These rules are necessary to protect and respect, but also to permit the council to do its business in an orderly and professional manner. Um, in addition to the three minutes, for those who are not in the know, when you do come up, please state your name and address for the record.

Go ahead. Sharon Sanders 19 Omaha app. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Go ahead. So, um I just got this letter and I don't really understand everything that's going on, but I know it's affecting me by um [clears throat] 15 Green Pond Road and then the I guess acreage next to like behind the barn and behind the Hiburnia Diner area. Okay.

Um I did look at the plans that came out of the um housing element and fair share plan of six 1725 and I wanted to know if that is the way that things are going to go. Is that already been approved? Is that the plan going forward? There won't be changes to it. It will be on that one [clears throat] area and then that one building stories on that second area behind my house. That's exactly why we have Mr. Novak here. He can he can answer those question.

Oh, can I get a microphone? Uh to answer your question, the plan that you saw in the housing plan is just a concept plan. So there's been no site plan application that's been submitted. No developer has expressed interest in developing that site. We were simply changing the zoning from industrial to residential and showing that with the zoning criteria we put into that draft ordinance with the setbacks and the coverages and the height that it could be developed with multif family. But there is no site plan application that's pending. There's been no site plan that's been proposed for that site. No developer has been expressing interest in developing that site for multif family. That's just to show that whatever we wrote in that ordinance isn't just make believe. Um if and when a developer does come and wants to develop that site for multif family, they would have to submit a site plan application that would have to go in front of the township planning board and you as well as all property owners within 200 feet would be noticed and you would see what the actual site plan would look like. But in terms of the setbacks, in terms of the building height, that's all right now established in that ordinance, what the actual layout would look like. Uh somebody a lot more creative than me would be able to make it look better. That's showing that something could be built there. Uh but nothing is proposed at this po moment. If a developer does come in, you would actually have an opportunity to go to the planning board, voice questions, voice concerns, comments. Oh yeah, this is this is

See, that's my question is I didn't know if this was already rolling forward [clears throat] and is that 50 foot setback set in stone through the ordinances? Right now it would be set in stone. However, when a site plan application is filed, um the planning board could request additional space there. They could request additional buffering. Um we did have a little bit of back and forth. So, as Mr. Councilman Kelly had indicated, part of this was part of a settlement agreement as well with Fair Share. Yes. And we had a lot of back and forth and fighting. So, we actually had a fight for a 50-ft set back from that residential property line. Um, they were pushing for something smaller than that.

Well, I appreciate 50. Yeah, I I wish I could have gotten more. Um, what we were able to do is at least lower the height as well because right now that district would last for 50 feet. So, we were able to get I believe it was 30 feet. I put in the ordinance. I'll double check out. Um, so the height would be 30 ft as a maximum. Let me double check that actually. I'm sorry. This side 35. Obviously, we're granting more than three minutes, but I think this is um No, I'm sorry. It would actually be four swords and 50 feet. I apologize for that. That was something that Yes, they did fight on. Um,

if if that happens, would us as homeowners be able to come and discuss if we can erect fences on the back of our property? Absolutely 100%. This all this does, and correct me if I'm wrong, is this changes the zoning. So, in the future, should a builder express interest, we don't have to go through this. This helps us meet our obligation for the fair share. We are not even in discussions right now to build anything there. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. And if part of any site plan application, we always look for landscaping, robust landscaping as well. Um, so yeah, nothing is proposed right now. So And you'll get notice. They'll get notice and surrounding and you'll know about it.

Participation. I know. Yeah. The whole the whole notice process I know is pretty it seems like something imminent is about to happen. Really, what this ordinance does, it changes the zoning from industrial to residential. So instead of building like a warehouse or a commercial building, it would be residential instead. You're not gonna drive by and see shovels in the ground. Okay. All right. I just want a chance to know my property is very important to me. Of course. A lot of taxes there and this is concerning a little I think a lot of us on the street 100%. I I appreciate you. Yeah, no problem. Absolutely. And if you do see shovels out there, please call them. Nothing is supposed to be happening right now. So, are you good? I'm I'm good. I'm good. Okay. Thank you.

Yeah, you can. No, you have to stand there the [laughter] rest of the meeting. Please stand to the side. Mr. President, can I just follow up one thing quick thing on that just so that Dave ju and she had some great valid points and her rights as well as any other property owner in within 200 feet or any interested party they're protected under the MLUL under 4055D that they can participate object and do what they want and make recommendations but also just because we have these ordinance in place does not guarantee that something may happen. There may be no interest in this whatsoever and nothing would actually take place at all. Just protecting the town because of the settlement that we have. Both are absolutely true. Legally at this point, we have met our obligations. Yes. Yes.

Okay. Thank you. I can't uh you feel free to come up for another one of the ordinances. Yes. Uh okay. There's a motion in a second. Um clerk, please take the role. Council member Sberg. Yes. Council member Votovich? Yes. Council member Freellander? Yes. Council member Royek. Yes. Council member Freed. Yes. Council member Quinn. Yes. Council member Kelly. Yes. Council Vice President Sacket. Yes. Council President Morrison.

Yes. Nine yeses. Motion carries. O. 2605. An ordinance amending chapter 54 entitled land use and development of the code of the township of Rockway creating a new section 54-30.71 entitled RMFO-15B multifamily residential overlay district. Motion second. Is there any council discussion on this ordinance? Anyone from the public wish to speak on this? Yes, please. You should just stay up front. [laughter] [cough] You're doing great though. I just I just have one more question.

Right this place either. Okay. Um one more question. When if this I guess this will pass the ordinance will pass so that it becomes then do you guys like tell publicly everybody that they can come and put a bid on it to build on it? Oh no. There's no advertising. No. No. That's a that's a strong no for that's a strong no. That was a drawn out no. The only situations I've ever seen where municipality needs to do something like that is if we're working with a 100% affordable housing provider. uh which we're not doing in this plan just because we didn't have enough time to figure that out quite frankly. So, no, we're not going out to bid on this property. We're not looking to acquire the property. We're not looking to condemn the property. We're just changing the zoning classification.

Okay. So, 15 builders aren't going to like call you guys up a week from now when this passes and want to start digging. No, I I don't believe so now. Okay. I I promise this is it. You don't have to No, you're good. You're great. Thank you. you sit in the front row. Make sure you [laughter] just uh name and address for the record, please.

Lisa Ginder, 136 Birch Street. Um because I'm thinking the same along her lines because I hate what's happening in our state right now with all the development. It's like overdevelopment. So my question is, has there been any consideration that if a developer does come in and says like, "Oh, look at that pretty space behind their residences that somebody could kind of redirect them and say, "Hey, like why don't we redevelop something like Party City that's just sitting there?" Funny. Funny you mentioned that. That's awesome.

One of the ordinances we have here is uh reszoning, correct me if I'm wrong, reszoning the mall area for exactly that type of thing. So, the largest area that we're reszoning is the entirety of the mall area. There's also a building uh between the mall and Walmart. Yes.

That is also being reszoned. Should they wish to redo that office building? Um, so I guess a little bit more specifically like if they came if somebody did come forward, would there be [clears throat] somebody I don't know if that's like somebody like you or if that's like you guys as like a council who could say like you know I see you're looking at these beautiful trees like how about you look at this first. Is there a way that the town could like prioritize that if a developer did come in like you kind of got to do this space first?

No, I would think that it would really depend on the capabilities and budget of the builder, right? So, if they're going to put in some are maybe more suited to putting in 30 units behind the barn as opposed to a whole complex near the mall. Uh, I would also assume that, and correct me if I'm wrong, that any builder who is aware of that property is aware of all of them. But I like the thought. Yo, sign. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Anybody else from the public on this one? All right. There's a motion in a second. Clerk, please take the role. Council member Salberg, yes. Council member Votovich, yes. Council member Freelander, yes. Council member Roy, yes. Council member Freed, yes.

Council member Quinn, yes. Council member Kelly, yes. Council Vice President Sacket, yes. Council President Marson, yes. Nine yeses. Motion carries. Council President, who second that? Uh, was Jack. I have Jack a second. Yeah. Thank you. uh 02606 an ordinance amending chapter 54 entitled land use and development of the code of the tachaway creating section 54-30.72 entitled RMFO-15C multifamily residential overlay district can move let's give it to Jack and yeah I heard two motions there Mandy came in third next time Manny sorry that's okay um

so that that motion is going to He made the motion. Mr. Kelly second. No, I think Mr. Freelander got me on not gentlemen. Let's not Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Please. Okay. So, I have procedurally. Council member Sber. No, no, no. We're not voting on it yet. Sorry. Is there anybody from the council that wishes to discuss this ordinance? Anybody from the public? Clerk, please take the role. Council member Sberg. Yes. Council member Voytovich? Yes. Council [clears throat] member Freelander, yes. Council member Roy, yes. Council member Freed, yes. Council member Quinn, yes. Council member Kelly, yes.

Council Vice President Sack, yes. Council President Marson, yes. It's nine yeses. Motion carries. 0.2607, 2607 an ordinance of the township of Rockaway deleting section 54-45 entitled fair share housing requirements deleting section 54-46 entitled affirmative marketing of affordable units deleting section 54-47 entitled municipal housing liaison deleting section 54-48 entitled mandatory affordable housing set aside deleting chapter 53 entitled mandatory development fee and creating chapter 8 entitled affordable housing requirements. Can I have a motion? So move. Second.

I can let him. Is there anybody from the council that wishes to discuss this ordinance? Anybody from the public for this ordinance only? Clerk, please take the role. Council member Salberg, yes. Council member Votovich, yes. Council member Freelander, yes. Council member Roy, yes. Council member Freed, yes. Council member Quinn, yes. Council member Kelly, yes. Council Vice President Sakip. Yes. Council President Marson. Yes. That's nine yeses. Motion passes. R 2656. Resolution endorsing the amended housing element and fair share plan. Can I have a motion? So move. Second.

Clerk, please take the role. Council member Sberg. Yes. Council member Boyovich. Yes. Yes. Council member Freelander, yes. Council member Roy, yes. Council member Freed, yes. Council member Quinn, yes. Council member Kelly, yes. Council Vice President Sacket, yes. Council President Marson, yes. It's nine yeses. Motion carries. R 2657, a resolution adopting fourth round affordable housing spending plan. Can I have a motion? So move. Go ahead, Manny. I'll second it. No, too late. I got Adam. A second. All right. Clerk, please take the role. Council member Salberg, yes.

Council member Voytovich, [clears throat] yes. Council member Freelander, yes. Council member Roy, yes. Council member Freed, yes. Council member Quinn, yes. Council member Kelly, yes. Council Vice President Sack, yes. Council President Morrison, yes. It's nine yeses. Motion carries. R2660, a resolution adopting an affirmative marketing plan for the township of Rockaway. Motion. Second. Clerk, please take the role. Council member Salberg, yes. Council member Votovich, yes. Council member Freelander, yes. Council member Royek, yes. Council member Freed, yes. Council member Quinn, yes. Council member Kelly, yes.

Council Vice President Sackett, yes. Council President Marson. Yes. Nine yeses. Motion passes. Mr. Novak, thank you so much for your time and effort on this. I appreciate you coming in tonight on short notice. Thank you very much. Good luck in your next meeting in half an hour. Thank you. Thanks again, Dave. Thank you.

Okay. Um, we are now going to do the open to the public portion of the meeting. Please reference what I said before. Three minute time limit. um name and address for the record. I am going to go through the sign-in sheet. Don't worry if you did not fill out the signup sheet. When we're done, I'll ask if there's anybody else so everybody will get a a chance to speak. Karen, nope, not I [clears throat] not be I'm sorry to everybody in advance for butchering some names. Good evening. Karen Nappy, 3210 Cleveland. [clears throat]

I live in Rockaway for 10 years. I am a 70-year-old psychotherapist, which means that I have sat across from people in their darkest moments, heard things that break most people and learn to choose my words with great care. So when I tell you that a comment spoken by a member of this council is the single most ignorant and offensive remark I have ever heard from a public official, understand that I am not speaking with momentary outrage. I am speaking from a lifetime of knowing the difference between someone who understands human suffering and someone who merely thinks they do. A member of this council said at the last meeting that he visited Ashvitz and that he was Polish and somehow concluded that this gave him the standing to dismiss our community's fears about the proposed Roxberry detention facility and worse to invoke that visit as a credential. It is not a credential. It is a tourist's memory. If I walk through the dinosaur hall at the Museum of Natural History, I do not become a paleontologist. I do not understand what it means to have lived in historic time. I've simply walked through a room. The same is true of Avitz. When you visit a preserved memorial, as it must be, no afternoon visit can teach you what happened inside those walls. No visit ever could. Do you know how many pounds of human hair it takes to stuff a mattress? Do you know what it means to eat rotten spoiled food not by choice but because the pain of dysentery is still preferable to dying of starvation? Do you know what it is to watch your family separated from you on a train platform and understand in that moment that you will never see them again? These are not things you learn by walking through a memorial. They are things that were carried home by the few who survived, whispered to children, wept over at dinner tables, passed down

to us as both wound and warning. Whether or not you are Jewish, this is not your history to reinterpret. And it is not a councilman's place to tell this community what should or should not evoke the memory of those horrors. As a psychotherapist, I can tell you this. What was demonstrated at the last meeting was not confidence. It was a specific danger of a person who does not know what they do not know. And in someone with the power to make decisions affecting other people's lives, that's not just an embarrassment. It's disqualifying. The people of Rockaway Township deserve better than that. They deserve someone who listens, someone who learns, someone who understands that public office is a responsibility, not a platform for uninformed opinions dressed up as a guard. This community is owed an apology. You owe it especially to those of us who were raised with a single sacred obligation passed down from the people we lost. Never forget. I would als I would ask that all of you read the poem first day came and truly sit with what it means.

So copies. So you're at three minutes, but I'll let you finish up your I'm finished. Thank you. I just made copies tonight. I give it to the clerk and she'll distribute. Thank you.

Thank you, Jessie. CAN WE THANKS, BOB. UH, ERIN, the court. I think I kind of messed the mic up. Sorry. Erin Decor, 16 Al Gangquin um Avenue. Um first, thank you for uh passing resolution 26-51. In the first 50 days after it opened, the Camp East Montana detention facility near El Paso, Texas, racked up more than 60 violations of federal detention standards during an internal inspection. Nearly one 911 emergency call has come out of that facility every single day since. And in just the the past few months, three people have died there. One ruled a homicide, one a suspected suicide, and a third from unknown causes. Security guards at this facility wager money on which detainee would be the next to die by suicide.

I think it has to clip in.

Yeah. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor Jackson. This is not unique to this detention center. Since January 2025, at least 43 people have died that we know of while in ICE custody. No accountability, no consequences. And that brings us here because a similar proposal is now unfolding much closer to home. The proposed ICE detention center in Roxberry, New Jersey is scheduled to hold 1500 detainees, but once converted, the warehouse would hold closer to 4,000 people. There is a saying when it comes to detention centers. If you build it, ice will fill it. Facilities like this don't exist in isolation. They reshape the communities around them, including Rockaway Township and Morris County as a whole. Local governments will face increased costs for policing, emergency response, traffic management, and legal challenges. Even though the facility itself is federally run, infrastructure limitations. Roxbury officials noted the site is a warehouse not equipped to house people, raising severe concerns about water and sewage capacity. In fact, there's already a shortage of both for Roxberry and surrounding communities, and the Musk connect sewer authority is basically at mass capacity and processing. Does this mean they will be trucking and trucking in and trucking out tens of thousands of gallons of water and sewage a day? Where will the water come from? Where will the waste go? Not to mention the trucks and traffic on the road. Another environmental concern includes improper waste management and storm water runoff from the facility that will negatively impact local water sources including the aquifer that supplies drinking water, the Muskan Kong River, L Lake Muskong and the Morris Canal Historic District where people hike, fish, and swim. Local economy and safety security concerns include a detention center processing thousands of detainees means constant transportation of buses, federal vehicles, contractors, and staff placing additional pressures on Interstate 80, Route 46, nearby roads. Emergency services will be also affected. Roxberry, Rockaway, and neighboring

towns will rely on countywide mutual aid systems for fire, EMS, and law enforcement responses. This means that when one town's experiences a surge in demand, neighboring towns absorb part of the load. When emergency calls increase in Roxberry, Rockaway firefighters, EMTs, and police officers will be part of the mutual aid response. When large protests or federal operations require additional law enforcement presence, regional departments will be pulled in. When infrastructure systems like water, sewer, and emergency communications are strained, those pressures move across multiple municipal lines. Mr. report. I'm sorry you're at time, but please you can finish up your thought.

Thank you. Rockaway residents will experience the traffic, the emergency response demands, the infrastructure strain, and reput and reputational impacts, as well as sharing the financial burden of having one of the large nation's largest detention centers minutes away. This is not just a Roxberry issue. It's a Rockaway issue. It's a Morris County issue. And it's our community's future. Because once something like this is built, it does not just change one town. It changes the entire region and Rockaway Township and residents deserve a voice in that future. Thank you. Thank you.

Michael Ardi Michael 19 North Brookside Drive. Um one I'd like to let everyone know that White Men Lake is having their next blood drive on Tuesday, March 17th. So, donate a pint of blood and you can save some money on the alcohol because you'll have one less pine of blood to [laughter] dilute it. Um, I'm pleased to see the quick response um for the resolution that's on the agenda tonight. Um, my hope is the council will support this resolution to support law enforcement and the safety of our community and work with federal law enforcement if necessary to keep criminals out of our community. Um, you know, I I hear the the concerns about the burden of having a detention center nearby. Um, we're not going to stop that, but how to prevent it from being burden on the community is to work with law enforcement and get the people off the street so they don't have to come in the way they did in Minnesota and work against law enforcement. So, I hope there's support for this so it could be a smooth operation if it does come to the area. Thank you.

You Neil Weiss.

Okay. Barbetta, [clears throat] did I say it right? Yes. I'm sorry. Just name it.

I am 40 years at 27 McLill Drive. far. So in December, on the 3rd of December, um at about midnight, there was a water mane break on Mount Hope and it decimated my neighbor's yard and flowed down into my yard, filling my yard like a swimming pool, ruining most of my backyard. Um I nobody's reached out. I've made claims. I have not heard from insurance. And I just think that's poorly run and we should be somehow contacted on how who's going to help us clean up. My neighbors estimates are like $50,000 in damage from the water maint. That's a lot of money. So, I'm just here to for the record to say that it's I think that we should have been contacted and [cough] followed [clears throat] up on what the process is once that happens because it's nothing I did. I just happened to be in the wrong house at the wrong time.

Um, afterwards, Miss Palmary, can we put the correct people in? Thank you. Thank you. [laughter] Uh, Francesca Nordon,

Francesca Nordan, 53 Kauga Avenue. And um, I would just like to thank the mayor and the police chief and the town council for sending policemen to the um, New Jersey coalition against human trafficking law enforcement conference, which I also attended. And I can't explain the whole thing because I don't have time. But uh the survivors, the lived experience experts, national, state, local, county people that spoke, the young adults who spoke about their teenage experience of how they were trafficked just heartbreaking. And um we need to have a lot of awareness about human trafficking. Chris Smith spoke with us, the Attorney General Davenport, Senator Mcnite. Um, some what both the people that I want to shout out the most, police officers that retired but cared so much about this in Baltimore and Westchester spoke about how they developed so much collaboration and cooperation amongst all agencies, all levels, national, state, county to help traffic victims. So, I'm I'm going to give um this is a public uh event that people can attend to for the council. And I just like to thank the mayor and um sheriff and town council again. Thank you. Thank you,

Bob Thornton.

Thank you, Council President. Uh my name is Bob Nordon. I live at 53 Kaou Avenue with my lovely wife. Uh I know that there's a lot of passion about uh the Roxberry situation with the ice facility. As Mike had said, it's going to happen. Uh what is missed a lot of times is that the global elite are moving illegals in many many countries around the world. Why are they doing this? Well, there's a color revolution against America. It's actually been designated as purple and part of the enemy's weapons is the migration and Italy has declared to get rid of their migrants as well as Japan and we must do the same. So, I support what the ICE is doing there. Thank you. Dina Tabadella [clears throat] [laughter]

Dana Tabidella 31 Omaha Avenue. I was just wondering why um the resolution R2662 was put on after the open um to the public comments. It's just how we laid it out.

Oh, I I was just wondering if it was put there to try to prevent us from speaking about it. Um uh first off, I want to say that I support R2662. Um, I am concerned that this council has tried to prevent the public, our councilmen, and even our mayor from speaking at the meetings. I appreciate that we want to have timely meetings and get out of here on time, but at the last council meeting, you give one of our council members one minute to speak. That's completely unreasonable. Even the public gets three minutes. Why are we telling council members they can only speak for one minute on important issues? Also, the mayor was cut off. He said he had six more things to speak about and we had to end the meeting. Is there a reason why we have to end the meeting so promptly? I mean, I I appreciate getting out of here on time, but that we can't discuss things that we're supposed to be discussing in these meetings. Why Why is this being cut off? Why is everyone being cut off?

I I don't want to take your three minutes. No, go ahead. I I would just want to know why you're giving people one minute and cutting [clears throat] off the mayor. Okay. Couple things. You made a comment that we're doing it so the public can't express themselves, but everybody's doing that right now. The second point you brought up is everybody had one minute. For the record, council members normally get there's no discussion, right? So, we don't discuss resolutions at all. I object council president. I'm you do not have the floor right now. Well, I'm making an objection. You do not have the floor right now.

Okay. Um, generally again the council does not have any speaking time during resolutions. So we made an exception to give them some speaking time during the last one. Keeping it to one minute I think was fair. Um, as far as cutting off the mayor with all due respect to the mayor, everybody everybody here is aware of time limits. It's not about getting out of here on time. It's about sticking to the business and to the decorum of the meetings and the mayor's business just gets cut off. Then

technically again with apologies to the mayor, it's a council meeting, not a mayor meeting. So generally we don't have to give him any time. It's a courtesy. We're more than happy to give him the time. Um but just like the council, he can fill that time within three minutes. Okay. So you say it's not a mayor's meeting, but it's also not your meeting because you you have referred in this uh in the council meetings that this is my meeting my meeting. It's not your meeting either. Thank you. You're welcome. Council President, can I just follow up to what you said? No, I'm sorry.

Dearra, I'm sorry. I don't want to. Dear Frretz, thank you. I'm sorry. I didn't want to. Um, I I just want to say my concerns have been very elegantly expressed by the first two women who spoke here tonight about the plan. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. S. [clears throat] Sanders, you're good.

Okay. J. Cordis. Okay. Justin Strickland. Howdy guys. Uh my name is Justice Strickland, 44 Mitten Avenue, Chattam Burough. I'm actually a councilman in Chattam. Had a council meeting last night. Um I'm here tonight to speak against your resolution 2662. Uh because it rescends in its entirety the resolution you guys passed on February 24th, which is 26-51. And you also might wonder why am I coming to speak about this? is because Chadam Burough actually passed the resolution just like you guys did in support of the Roxberry Council's resolution. And I think it's very important to remember that the Roxberry Council is made up of entirely Republicans. It elected Republicans who said, you know what, the federal government is not respecting home rule in the state of New Jersey. the federal government did not come and talk to to the elected leaders, did not show the respect to the the communities, did not show respect to elected officials and just going to come and do what they want to do. And my memory of the Republican party, even though I am a Democrat is that the Republicans should be outraged by that because that's the federal government coming and telling local governments what they should and should not do. Okay? So, um I think it's hypocritical for people who claim to be Republicans to be like, "Yeah, I'm okay with the federal government coming in and telling us what to do because Republicans are supposed to be standing for limited government." So, um [clears throat] that's neither here nor there and why I personally as a member of Chattam Council supported uh the resolution that we passed to support the Roxberry Council. Uh I supported it for many reasons. one being it's a nonpartisan issue. Um because if the

federal government did something that um I didn't like in my town, I would want other towns to come support me as well. And that's what we did in Shadowboro and that's what you guys did in Rockaway Township. And I applaud you for that. And any effort to rescend that is just political theater because as you guys know, you guys pass things all the time. And if you if you go and entertain a resolution like that, what's to say you don't do that for every resolution moving forward every single council meeting? Okay, you voted on it. It's a done deal. Okay? And you had a right as an elected member to vote and you guys voted the way you did and I supported 100%. Lastly, I just want to make a point that we got to also remember um what the intent of ICE is. Okay? ICE was originally created post September 11th to protect American citizens from terrorism. Terrorism that would come into our country like after September like September 11th. What's happening today is ISIS is being deployed all around this country. Detention facilities are being built all over this country not to protect this country from terrorism but to terrorize our own people. So, I applaud you guys for standing up for our for the American people and and the people in Roxberry and the people in Morris County, and I will gladly stand with you guys in the future from here on out. Thank you so Shake it. COUNCIL, [applause]

Donna Suzinski. Good evening. My name is Donna Riceinski. I'm at one Lakeshore Drive. I support R 2662, a resolution supporting public safety, legal immigration, and federal cooperation. I, like many of you, had ancestors who came from different and several different countries. They all came here legally. None of them had criminal records. I'm dumbfounded on why an anti-ICE resolution was voted in last month. I thank Mr. Kelly for creating this resolution. Our law enforcement and officers deserve to be supported. Any council person who votes no on this resolution is choosing to protect criminal illegal aliens over our own citizens and immigrants here legally. Thank you. [applause]

Christina Jameson. No. Is there anybody from the public that did not fill out the sheet that wishes to speak? Well, uh, let's start in, we're going to work our way around. Sir, you come first. Again, name and address for the record.

Justin Norman, 60 Valley Road. Um, I was an OEF, OAF veteran. Uh, I was lucky enough to survive a 10-year career. Um, and I've seen these uh info human information gathering sites, I guess, is the polite way of calling the torture chambers. We housed people in uh in cages very similar to the cages that ICE is building warehouses into. Um, and I just wanted to echo that this is the federal government, like an invading federal force. Like I feel like we got the National Guard called on us for a problem that's non-existent and expensive, extremely expensive and extremely cruel. So I can't really fathom why would he we would go back on decorum and protocol and try to resend something that I mean the in the council voted for passed and forced and [clears throat] I don't have much to say but having a federal invading force in my state feels very very wrong having been a federal eneral invading force in Iraq and Afghanistan. Thank you.

Thank you. [applause] Okay, we'll do it this way. Anybody from the third row? You guys want right. Fourth row, fifth row. No, we're doing this side. I'm sorry. We're going to go around. [clears throat] I'm not used to this. [laughter] Yes, ma'am. You're next with the uh whoever. That's fine. Hi, how are you? Uh Rock, I'm sorry. Could you just pull it down? There we go.

Rock, um West Lakesure Drive. Walk away. Um I'm curious that within this um new uh proposal and you're saying that you're maintaining a safe environment for all residents, does that mean you will protect those residents who have been illegally detained by ICE? What provisions are you building in when you say something like that? a safe environment, a safe place where we live. And we know from what we've seen how ICE has operated across the country that they are detaining legal or residents that are in the process of becoming legal. So therefore, providing a safe environment, you're saying that you will support those residents and I hope that that that is what you're going to do. like you to speak to that.

Thank you. You were next. Okay. Uh, anybody else on this side? Show of hands. Okay. We're going to go over this. Show of hands on this side. Uh, ma'am, first sir, you're going to be next.

Good evening. My name is Mary Pollson and I'm at 53 Cherokee Avenue. I'm a retired registered nurse and educator. I would like to begin by thanking Councilman Jonathan Sack and the town council for uh passing resolution 2651 opposing the location of the ICE detention center [cough and clears throat] in our neighboring township of Roxberry. This detention center will have an impact on water, sewer, and other municipal resources not only in Roxbury but in surrounding towns in the county. and this can include the potential for runoff in the Rock Rockway River. The detention center will also place a strain on our public safety resources, including our police department, EMS, firefighters, and local hospitals. of regular visitors, my friends and I have witnessed the aborant inhumane conditions at Delaney Hall, the Roxberry Detention Center, and the resulting influx of ICE activity proposes to bring similar conditions upon our neighbors. I invite you to enjoin us at the Laney Hall. Bear witness to the sadness, suffering, and the object treatment of our neighbors. We witness cruelty for cruelties sake. I am asking you to continue to oppose the ICE detention center. We cannot support resolution 2652. It requires our police force to engage in the same lawless behaviors we regularly witness from ICE. Resolution 2652 violates the New Jersey immigrate immigrant trust directive and diverts Rockaway Township police away from local law enforcement. We cannot demand that our police force support the lawless behavior of ICE. There is no community in this country

where it is acceptable for masked agents to pull off our people off our streets or to kill humans with impunity. There is no place in this country where a detention center is acceptable. Definitely not in our backyards. This land does not belong to us. No human being is inherently illegal. [applause]

Good evening. Um, my name is Hayden. I'm from Jefferson. And the reason I'm bringing that up is to express that uh 2662 is not just an issue that is carried about by the surrounding burrows of this region of New Jersey. Um I'm out here because I'm I'm pissed off like everyone else is here. It's Mr. Alert. Um Tucker Kelly, I've seen the resolution you made. Um, Kelly, I'm sorry. I just We should I don't want to just I get it. We're addressing the council as a whole. We don't want to do oneonone. Fine.

I don't have a problem communicating with them. No, no, no. It's It's a standard rule. We're just going to follow the court. What? Yeah. I mean, I would I would speak with you in a second on Mr. Kelly, you're not recognized. Please, whatever. Um, only thing I I really have to say to you all is uh to whether it's Kelly or anyone else who supports this or any [clears throat] of the the the pigs who are letting this happen because I know you were letting this happen. I'm going to thoroughly enjoy seeing you all at our future Nuremberg trials. OKAY.

Show of hands on this side. Ma'am, sitting next to the gentleman.

Hello, council. My name is Bridget Frank. I'm also from Jefferson, New Jersey. I'm here because I'm also distraught that you are going to resend your resolution from last month. I didn't know I was going to speak tonight. I thought I would just come here and support, but I've been so moved by so many of the people who spoke earlier today. And as a Jewish person, I've extremely resonated with the first commenter. Thank you so much. And one of the things that just come to mind as I see what's going on in our country right now is to ask, since most of you are probably Christian, what would Jesus do? Is this what your faith is telling you to do? To put people in cages to support putting people in cages? Taking legal people or it doesn't matter what their status is. Taking people and putting them in detention centers for an indefinite amount of time with no due process. Except we've talked a lot about the environmental impacts which yes are important but what's more important is the value of human life and that this is not something we can support. I'm from Jefferson supporting Rockaway's resolution to support uh Roxberry's resolution. There are no borders that say like when I walk if I'm in Jefferson if I'm in Rockway those borders don't exist. We're one people and we all have to come together to support each other. We're not there's no violence on the streets. We're not in violent towns. We're not in scary towns. We're in very safe neighborhoods. And we by adding a facility like this and supporting a facility like this is going to create a dangerous environment. I'm one of those people that's going to be going to protests and I question if I'm going to come home at night because I see Alex Freddy and other people like him who expected to go home to his

family. Not just because he was using his first amendment right to speak and his second amendment right to hold a gun. Not that I have that, [laughter] but [clears throat] we can't support this. It's morally wrong. In my faith, it is wrong. In your faith, it is probably wrong. And if you don't have a faith, you need to look at these human beings in the eye. They are humans. Doesn't matter what the color of their skin is. Doesn't matter where they're born. Doesn't matter what their statuses are. They're humans just like you. They're your children. there are future children. What is this going to create for the next generations, have grown up down the street from this? I make jokes to my friends that I grew up across from a cow farm in Jefferson that, you know, people were walking around and thinking they were so cool, but we're just from this tiny little town and your kids are going to grow up with an ICE detention facility in their backyard. What futures are you building? What present are you creating? You did the right thing last time. Your first resolution was pretty good.

I'm sorry, you're at time, but please finish your thought. I don't know where I'm going. Essentially, [laughter] I want to [clears throat] thank you for your past resolution and please do not resend it. Do not pass this new document because it's going to go against everything that you fought for last time. Thank you. Thank you. [applause] Hi, my name is Beth Jarrett. Um, I came here in address, I'm sorry, 17 Fox tribe. Thank you.

Rockway, New Jersey. So, I came here in 1960 from Brooklyn, New York, Coney Island. Um, and I [laughter] think um I'd like to uh speak about history. I think a lot of people are not thinking about what happened in World War II uh with the Japanese Americans that were stripped of their land and were put into camps. And I think what we start should start thinking about is why aren't we helping people that have a lot less than us? The people that don't know how to speak English. the people that take jobs that are under the table. Um, the landscaping companies that make a lot of money here in Rockway Township and they should be called upon by OSHA to pay fines because they have illegal people working for them. And I think that we need to step back and look at history and look at what good came out of history. And I don't think that people are stopping to think about what's going on here. Um, I know I have a lot of friends that are Latino and uh their kids don't want to go to school because they're afraid when they come home they're not going to have their family there. And I think we should start helping people that come to this country and not stereotype and think that everybody is a criminal. Um, I think that's just a lot of things that people are listening to. Like I said, I came here in 1960. Uh do New Jersey had a lot of Puerto Ricans and the socioeconomic circles that existed back then. They they strived to make their lives better and to make a living. And I think what's happening here is that these people are being put into a bucket. So I hope you reconsider and pass what you had before than what you have now and not to build the camp. Thank you very much.

THANK YOU. ALL [applause]

RIGHT. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? YES. In the back there. [clears throat] Hello, Kurt Colada 99 Hope Road. So tonight, everybody here that opposes ICE is because they are a lawless organization who brings violence and chaos to our streets. They disregard warrants. They kidnap innocent people and they execute citizens in the street all without facing any type of recourse. This resolution must have some strange usage of the word rule of law that I was not previously aware of because it is wildly ignorant of the type of reality that we live in. Thank you.

[applause] IS there anybody else?

Hello, April Petero, 14 Dodac Road. I have nothing prepared. I just came in late, but I want to say I support R2652. Thank you. IT'S 2662. YEAH. UM, is there anybody else that wishes to speak? Yes.

My name is Valerie Smith. I live at 43 Drake Lane in Ledgewood, New Jersey. I'm from Roxberry. So, the original um declaration, we were so happy to have that support from your community and I do hope that you will rethink resending it. It felt good to have our neighbors support us. I think it's important to remember that every people do that may break the law is not a death sentence. And that is exactly what this detention center will be. a place where just because you're afraid of people that come from another country and whether they came here from what you call illegal or they came here because they were afraid of something or because they came here for a better life, it does not mean they deserve a death sentence. So I implore [clears throat] you to keep this and enact it and support us in Roxberry in keeping this out of our homes and help us be the communities that we want to be. We want to be good neighbors with you and we hope that you will allow everyone to be a good neighbor no matter what language they speak. [applause] Anybody else? Okay. Um now with that I'm going to introduce R2662, a resolution supporting public safety, legal, immigration, and federal cooperation. Um, I'm going to hand it over much like I did for Mr. Sacket. I'm going to hand it over to Mr. Kelly. He is the sponsor of the resolution. What I'm going to ask the council is again, we will open up for discussion.

Yeah. What I'm going to ask is after Mr. Kelly speaks, um, I didn't make a motion. I said I'm going to. Um, after Mr. Kelly speaks, everybody's going to get a chance. What I am asking the council is to let everybody have their say and don't interrupt them when they go. Okay. There's no time limit then you're saying uh no I I think I'll let I think one minute last time maybe was a little short so I think I'll let people go a little bit longer. I'm just asking everybody to just keep it relevant and you know keep it I don't want to say short keep it reasonable.

Okay. And I'm going to read it in its entirety and then I can state my reasons for the sponsoring of that. You can read it, whatever you want to do. Um, and I'll let obviously I'll let you make the motion to Yeah. I just again I just wanted to uh listen, he did it. You can do the same. Nope. No, no problem. Go ahead.

Uh, so tonight is a resolution R2662, a resolution supporting public safety, legal immigration, and federal cooperation. Whereas a township council is committed to the safety, security, and well-being of all residents, including citizens and legal immigrants. And whereas a functioning orderly immigration system is essential for national security and the rule of law. And whereas immigration and custom enforcement, ICE, is the federal agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws with the interior of the United States, including the apprehension and removal of individuals who have violated federal immigration law. And whereas Rockway Township Council supports the orderly and legal immigration process, encouraing individuals to come to our nation through established legal channels. And whereas cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities is essential for the identification and removal of criminal aliens, thereby improving public safety for all community members. And whereas Rockway Township wishes to uphold the integrity of the law and ensure that federal immigration authorities can effectively carry out their duties. Now therefore, be it resolved by the Township Council of Rockway Township as follows. One, Rockway Township Council supports legal immigration and welcome those who follow federal legal immigration processes. Two, the Rockway Township Council expresses its support for federal immigration agencies, including ICE, and their duties to enforce immigration laws. Three, the town the Rockway Township Police Department is hereby encouraged to cooperate with federal immigration officials within the bounds of federal and state law and to identify and facilitate the removal of individuals who committed criminal offenses. Four, the Rockway Township Council reaffirms its commitment to the rule of law and maintaining a safe environment for all residents by supporting orderly application of federal law. The township

council hereby rescends resolution 2651 in its entirety. All members of this administration, police department, and professionals are hereby authorized and directed to take all steps necessary to fulfill the purpose of this resolution. And of course, this resolution shall take effective immediately if it's passed. Now, I've listened to everybody tonight, which everybody has the right for the First Amendment, and I appreciate everybody exercising their right, but the one thing I didn't hear from anybody that came up that opposes this resolution is one comment about the victims, not one comment about the victim's families, not mentioning anything about any of this. I had I had a I had I had a council member come up here.

One second. If anybody interrupts, all right, the time is his. If anybody interrupts, I am going to ask the officer to remove you. Please let everybody have the same chance to speak that you did. Thank you. I have a a council member that made a comment in regards to Roxberry. Roxberry actually supported ICE. We have the uh town attorney who's also a senator that is supporting the state of New Jersey Lakeland Riley Act to actually duplicate the federal Lakeland Riley Act. Look, one individual made a comment about kidnapping uh innocent people. What about the migrants that are illegal that kidnap innocent victims and women and kill them

and then we deal with that and where individuals are let go because of these policies. the original ordinance, I'm sorry, the original resolution that came before us that was showing about its support for Roxberry of not having an ice facility in their backyard also had something about endorsing an executive order 12 opposing ICE. Roxberry didn't oppose ICE. We shouldn't oppose ICE of legal immigration and getting out those criminals. There's a lot of hypotheticals that everybody's saying. We don't know anything right now as far as what Roxbury is doing in the ICE detention centers. Everybody seems to be a specialist on this, but none of you are. Alls I know is that I I don't want an ice facility in Rockaway. I don't want to bring attention where we have a 15 square mile federal section of Rockaway Township that accumulates a third of Rockaway. Nothing can bar federal government to go in there and do the same. So all of this that's going on is all speculatory of what you have. But I'm speaking for the victims that we have. That's the concern. And I'm just so surprised, Mr. Kelly,

of those individuals that aren't being identified tonight to support this res. Mr. Kelly, do me a favor. And and I hate to do it again. Everybody has their right to speak. Give him his right to speak. We haven't voted on it yet. This is the second warning. And and I please don't make me do it. Okay. Mr. Kelly, go ahead. Sorry. Again, this isn't to attack any type of ethnicity of an individual that is here.

There is legal immigration. We support legal immigration. I support all levels of law enforcement. I want families to be safe and secure within our communities, whether it's Rockway Township or our neighboring communities. But Rockaway is my first priority. Friends, family. I am a native of here 55 years. I have a 14-year-old daughter and I want every form of protection and cooperation with every level of enforcement. We have a wonderful township enforcement run by Chief Shear. We have a sheriff in Mars County, which we have a jail, by the way, in Mars County, which nobody complains about. We have all levels of that that we need to respect and not go against some of these policies that are party driven. This ordinance is not party driven. Safety is not party driven when it comes to residents, especially some of the heinous acts. Drug trafficking, kidnapping, murder, rape. How can we not have that type of conversation? It can't be one way. So, that's my thoughts and that's my feelings why I wanted the sponsor because the previous one went against public safety. It was ignoring ICE. It was ignoring the criminals and letting them stay on there. We've all listened to the stories where people are released and what do they do after the 13th release? They've killed people. They've raped people. The poor woman on the subway, illegal immigrant. And I can't go into graphic detail, but all of you can't be blind to what's going on,

Mr. Kelly. So, that's the concern and that's why I want this bill and this council should support this or or this resolution moving forward. Okay. [laughter] Folks, please. Okay. Um, Mr. Second,

thank you, Council President. First of all, um, I'm Jewish, so someone that said that we have actually a lot of Jewish council members, so just want to point that out. I won't I won't uh I won't say them, but that's up to them. Um what I kind of figured this was going to happen tonight and uh this is actually something I was trying to avoid and I didn't want this uh big big rah. Um this was just merely a resolution to support Roxberry and our town to keep a detention facility out of our neighborhood. I just wanted to read a couple things from the Roxberry Town Council. The Department of Homeland Security and ICE officials offered inconsistent information about whether their property had been purchased even as documents and subsequent statements indicated the sale had gone through. Roxberry's all Republican town council, the mayor have opposed the project, citing concerns about residential impacts, infrastructure strain, and the loss of local tax revenue. The dispute has also exposed riffs among the Republican party. Roxberry's GOP leadership publicly criticized US Rep. Tom Kaine Jr., the seventh district representative saying he failed to meaningfully assist the township as it sought federal help to block the facility. I also want to mention Jonathan Sacket is not opposed to security and safety. Earlier before some of these council members were on the council, I was the one who brought the class three officers to our schools. My son is has a future in law enforcement and he interned for

the Rockway Township Police Department. Thank you, Councilman Sober. Thank you, Council [clears throat] President. And so, I'd like to um bring up a few points and hope for some uh clarification on it. Uh specifically uh bullet three, Rockway Township Police Department is hereby encouraged to cooperate with federal immigration officials. I find the term cooperate extremely vague uh with no real specifics behind that. So what I wanted to do was just research through and see what type of hindrances there currently are to cooperation uh and anything that might be limiting that. Um which took me to the immigrant trust directive which is currently um there is legislation try to codify this into law. Um, and what I came across was probably the closest thing which would come to this hindrance, which is section 2B, limitations on assisting federal immigration authorities in enforcing federal civil immigration law. Pretty much what we're talking about today. And when we go to section five, we see providing notice of a detained individual's upcoming release from custody, which I believe is what we're talking about here, is getting ICE involved in which they've been released from custody from our local law enforcement to be then detained by ICE and presumably deported. But if you do read the entire section providing notice of a detained individual's upcoming release from custody unless the date the detainee is currently charged with, has ever been convicted of, has ever been adjudicated delinquent for, or has ever been found not guilty by reason of insanity, violent or serious offense, as that term is defined in appendix A, B, in the last 5 years has been convicted of an indictable crime other than a violent or serious offense, or C is subject to a final order of removal that has been signed by a federal judge and lodged within a county jail or state prison where the detainee is being held.

And this has been paraphrased by the New Jersey Attorney General. With respect to detainees charged with violent or serious offenses such as murder, rape, arson, assault, bias crimes, or domestic violence offenses, New Jersey law enforcement and correction officials may notify ICE of the detainees upcoming release. So why I say that cooperation is is vague is just simply it seems that the fears of many of our residences, the fears of Councilman Kelly and many others have already been covered where our violent criminals can be held, can be notified to ICE that they're properly taken care of. But this vague cooperation doesn't seem to take that into consideration. So I would like some clarification on the the v the vagueness of cooperate. And now knowing that we do have the ability to contact ICE for violent criminals. Um

let's go to Councilman Wovich.

Thank you. So last last meeting I I did support the uh I'm sorry I didn't support the resolution 25 2651 and I explained it. Let me just go into the resolution here that we're going to be voting on today. Uh I agree with everything that Councilman Kelly read in the resolution. The only thing that I have an issue with is the last portion about rescending the previous resolution. I think that starts a bad president of this seessaw back and forth where another resolution could be rescended and it could go back and forth. That's the only thing I have an issue with. The overall resolution that that uh Councilman Kelly read, I 100% support it. I mean, there is nothing in there that that screams uh uh anything where where people that are here legally, legal immigrants are hurt or or it it it hurts them in any way. And just to comment on on something that was said earlier about me, you know, walking through a museum and not understanding the history, uh it's not, like I said, I grew up in Poland and I came when I was 12 years old. uh it took my family 10 years to come here legally. Year after year would apply to come here and came here the right way. So I have family, my grandmother, other par other uh family members that grew up preWorld War II and I've heard stories of what happened during time of Nazi uh control. And what I simply said last meeting is that comparison comparing ICE agents to Nazis is disingenuous. And I still stand by that because that's wrong. And that's how it hurts law enforcement officers on the street and it hurts uh ICE agents on the street too because of rhetoric like that. Now, I I also would like to add that what you know what Councilman Kelly said, what I'm saying here, I've heard

some people speak. I heard some of the council members speak and speak about party affiliation, mention whether a Democrat, Republican, but did this. None of us ever spoke about party. This is not political. This is common sense. This is this is something that in 2007 Ngrim an attorney general of New Jersey. Uh she was the attorney general under Governor Cororsine. They had the same directive and it said that if anybody comes into custody and the office has reason to believe they're illegal and they they if they came to custody for a DUI, domestic violence, any other offense and if they were if the officer believed they were illegal, they were to notify they were mandated to notify ICE and it wasn't a problem then. I don't understand why there's there's an issue now. Like I said earlier, I am a uh legal immigrant. I became naturalized citizen when I was 19 or 18. So I am an immigrant, right? I've never had a problem by being accosted by ICE agent or anything like that. ICE agents go out there and they target people that are criminals, illegal criminals, and I they do a good job. That's all I have.

Councilwoman Freddy. [sighs]

Ah, okay. I voted in support of our previous uh resolution and I still support it today. The people of Roxberry have made their feelings very clear like, "Hey, we don't want this. We don't want this. We don't want this. We see it as poison." And the government that was supposed to be by the people, for the people, ignored the will of the people and that should make everyone scared. And I thank you. And you know this whole thing about criminals, I trust our local police force. I trust them because they went through over was it like 960 hours of training. They have proved them proved themselves time and time again to have the best interest of community at heart. I don't know these agents. They don't know us. And they have proven people speak about reality. Well, I don't know what reality you're seeing, but I'm seeing one very different. I am SEEING someone spoke about victims. I thought about the victims so much it has made me sick. So yeah, I think about the victims all the time. That's one of the reasons why I'm sitting here right now. But the point of history, some fruits of history are just poison. They mentioned Oshwitch which is one of the most poisonous fruits that humanity has ever borne. And the point of history is to recognize that seeds those seeds when poisonous people and poisonous actions and poisonous thoughts try to plant them. And I still think the Laney Hall and the things that are happening now are poisonous seeds that we will take generations trying to rid our soil of. I was always going to vote down council Councilman Tucker's um resolution. I still am.

Councilwoman Right.

Yes. I'm I'm also voting down the resolution. Um and look, I support local law enforcement. They're they've been very helpful to me as a council person. I appreciate them, especially Rockway Township Police because you guys are the really the only ones I really know know and I I thank them for everything they do to protect us and keep us safe. But at the same time, this resolution is is is a sham. It's not about the police. It's about supporting our Roxberry, our local our neighbor. They voted down the facility for many reasons and we have to support them. And you know, I'm a granddaughter of immigrants. I Yeah, they came legally, but maybe they were lucky. I don't know. But good God almighty, they wouldn't be supporting this stuff. You don't round people up in little 5-year-olds and put them in uh detention centers. There's just a better way to do this. It's just a better way. I I I would trust the police to do it because they go through training. They're not wearing masks. Uh they [clears throat] make our se our streets safe. I trust them. And hell, I'm a Catholic. I remember Catholics. Not Jewish. I support you. You know, it doesn't matter what you are, but I remember we cared about the poor and the and the downtrodden. And you you just have to help people and be kind and help people. And this just isn't the way to do it. Councilman Freedellander.

Thank you. Thank you, Council uh President. Uh I'll tell you, I'm it's it's going to be hard for me to speak. Uh as a Jewish person, I had relatives that went through what you talked about during World War II. My uncle was killed, was a fighter pilot, while my father was in the Navy, and that's who I was named after. My ancestors came from White Russia, Lithuania, and came came to the United States. Uh, this resolution that says a couple different words, legal immigration, federal cooperation, supporting public safety. I've always supported public safety. I go back with in the town 40 some odd years. Always worked with the police, the chiefs, uh the past chiefs. Uh it's it's a tough tough world we live in. I had a relative, my my uncle was a lieutenant detective in New York City and my father I think I he has stories today and they were he was written up in the the book if anybody looks about police books the chief I won't mention his name but uh he's in Facebook uh going back uh I'm for public safety always will be uh this is not about public safety it's about ICE and to support another town in this area against that facility, it's the wrong way to go. So, I will not support this new resolution. I will maintain my support for Roxbury and what they feel is right for the area.

Councilman Quinn,

thank you. Um my uh question is for our town attorney. Um this resolution uh my question is does this change the ability of our police department to interact with the uh federal government ICE agents as it is uh pertaining to illegal aliens with criminal records? uh do they have to follow the attorney general's guidelines? Um that is my big concern and you know I understand everybody has a problem with the ICE facility. So do I. But my concern is Rockaway Township. I support our police department and our police department. All right. If they arrest somebody who's shoplifting and they bring them here, they run their fingerprints, they find out that they are an illegal alien and they have a criminal history. Are they allowed to get in touch with ICE to get them out of here? And that's where the problem lies. We're, you know, classified as a sanctuary state, which is where the problem lies. The police department should be able to get these criminals out of here and out of our district, out of our harm's way. I got girls, I got granddaughters. I don't need them here. So, John, it's up to you. Tell me what the story is, my friend.

Councilman, um I think as to the current directives, the chief would be able to speak clearly to them. I can tell you that basically the situation we have in New Jersey is that all police departments must take their direction from the attorney general's office. The attorney general has the authority to pronounce rules and regulations governing all local police departments above the attorney general. Uh basically you have two entities that could control law enforcement operations in any sense. One would be by by the governor uh issuing an executive order which the governor did I believe it's executive order 11 it might be 12

12 uh about a week ago

uh and uh that did address uh law enforcement cooperation with ISIS on stateowned properties. Uh it's also my understanding that currently pending in Trenton are three separate bills. Uh I don't know anything about the current status of the bills. Uh but they're all uh I believe the last time I looked two of them were out of committee. One of them was still in committee that being the stage before they go to the legislature as a whole. uh and they were [clears throat] all basically codifying, I understand, in one frame of reference or another uh things like the governor's uh executive order was speaking to. But chief, I don't know if the chief wants anything.

I don't want to put the chief on the spot. I I don't know if he was prepared to speak tonight. I certainly didn't expect the council to question anybody administration. So again, I don't want to put the chief on the spot unless you absolutely feel strongly. I know.

Well, the only comment, council president, I would make is we must and shall follow the laws of the state of New Jersey. Uh, also what I will say is the Rockway Township Police Department is in support of everyone within our community and will always do the best to protect and serve everyone that calls us for help. Thank you. [applause]

Okay. Um, everybody. All right. So be before I give my opinion, first I want to say that it it's very heartening to see a big crowd here. So no matter which side of the argument you're on, I am very pleased to see people show up and and express um their first amendment rights um to speak. So whenever generally we have a crowd this big, it generally has to do with some kind of uh human rights or or something like that. And I'm really really glad to see the passion of everybody. So thank you for coming. Um, if you remember last week, um, before Mr. Sackett introduced his, I I made a comment, um, to try to specifically avoid the dissension that's going on here between residents. I I I said that the last resolution was uh merely a symbolic statement aligning with our neighbors in Roxbury in the desire not to have a detention facility. I specifically use the words, "This is not a referendum on ICE." It took about 30 seconds after the meeting for it to become exactly that, right? Um, everybody is entitled to their opinion and again I respect that. Um, I agree with parts of what Mr. Kelly put in the resolution especially about you know supporting legal immigration and things of that concern. The part of the resolution that really bothers me um in addition to most of it, what really bothers me is the last stipulation that we resend the last resolution. Right? So for me it's you're kind of putting the council in an impossible situation, which quite frankly I think

was the goal. Okay? You're trying to put the council in a position where generally those who voted for it last meeting. If they vote yes now, then they're going against what they voted the last meeting. So they seem to be flip-flopping. However, if they vote no, they may come across as not supporting law enforcement, right? So again, it's an impossible situation. I think the fact that that last piece uh that that was put in there, I I think it's it's petty and it was not necessary. The point could have been made without that. Um the fact that um it's trying to be inferred that the council does not support the police is reprehensible. Okay. This is the council. Seven of us at one point or another when you know Mr. Kelly was on the council before the the the two council women will have the uh chance to do it uh this weekend. Every council member here voted to approve the police department budget. We support the police department. Councilman Sacket was on the the council when the class 3 officers were brought in and approved. It's this is exactly what I hoped it would not be. Right. We are here to support our neighbor in their endeavor to keep a detention facility out of their town. Okay? They want to keep a warehouse out because quite frankly, you don't warehouse people. [applause] Thank you to the council for respecting everybody's opinions and giving the

time. With that, Mr. Kelly, if you would like to make the motion. I I make a motion to uh support resolution R2662 to have it approved so that we show support for uh Please just read the resolution. We all said our just read the resolution the uh main bullet. This is a resolution to support public safety, legal immigration, and federal cooperation. Okay. Is there a second? Second. Clerk, please take the role. Council member Salberg, no. Council member Voyovich, yes. Council member Freellander, no. Council member Royek, no. Council member Freighey,

no. Council member Quinn, no. Council member Kelly, yes. Council Vice President Sackett, no. Council President Morrison,

no. Seven nos, two yeses. Motion does not pass. Okay, moving on to the consent agenda. R 2652 are I I'm going to ask if anybody is leaving, just please do it quietly. We are almost done with the meeting. Uh consent agenda R 2652, R2653, R2654, R2655, R2658, R2659, R2661. Can I have a motion?

So move second. Cler, please take the role. Council member Salberg, yes. Council member Boyovich, yes. Council member Freelander, yes. Council member Roy, yes. Council member Freed, yes. Council member Quinn, yes. Council member Kelly, yes. Council Vice President Sack, yes. Council President Marson,

yes. That is nine yeses. Motion passes. Okay. Um, moving on to reports. Um, before we start reports and and we're going to keep it to a three minute time limit today. I I just want to council vice president and I had a discussion today and reports are meant to the purpose of reports is so council can inform the public and other council members of um their actions uh outside of meetings as specifically as far as committees um and things that you know directly affect the town. Um we are really starting to get away with from that. Um what we are going to do after this meeting and again we're going to keep it to the threeminut time limit. In the future uh council members should they have any report um are going to submit that report any in writing to the clerk no later than the close of business business the Thursday before a meeting. Those reports will be made part of the agenda packet and made available to every citizen.

You agree [clears throat] with that? I agree. I'd like to make a motion to approve this. I'll second that. Uh discussion. No. Sorry. And I object to what you're doing that it would be in violation. Mr. Kelly, I just said, Mr. [clears throat and snorts] Kelly, you are you are not recognized. You just asked for time and I said I made an objection though. So we have for the objection. You are not recognized. There is a motion on the table and there is a second. Clerk, please take the role. Council member Sberg, yes. Council member Votovich, yes. Council member Freelander, yes. Council member Roy, yes. Council member Freed, yes. Council member Quinn, [clears throat] yes. Council member Kelly, no. Council Vice President Sacket,

yes. Council President Morrison, yes. It's eight yeses, one no. Motion carries. Okay. Um we are going to start uh for the uh for council reports again. Three minute time limit. Let's start with Councilman Quinn. Thank you. I'm sorry. Get it out now with your kids uh your grandkid support.

No, no, no. I want to thank everybody for passing the planning board's uh ordinances because we put a lot of time and effort into this trying to limit down the co requirements and looking for locations that were needed to fulfill that requirement. Um, you know, this is the fourth round of COA and uh I've been through all four on the planning board and you know it gets tougher and tougher and I'm glad that we're good now till 2023 uh 2030 I'm sorry 2030 and I won't be here for that one. So that'll be somebody else's headache. I'm done. All right.

All right. So then

thanks. [laughter] All right. Um so thank you guys for that. Uh see Oh. All right. So, I got a notice that the Boy Scouts are going to uh administration is putting together a thing for the seniors and Boy Scouts to play board games over at the senior center. We had done that a couple years ago with uh Dennis B. O'Brien PTA and Dwire PTA and the kids loved it. The seniors loved it. I was there teaching chess and checkers and uh we're going to do it again and I'm glad that we finally got this back in line. It's something good. It's a great experience for both kids and the seniors. All right, let's see. So, I'm all signed up. All right. So, I sent my questions in to Lisa for the budget meeting that we're going to have. I got answers. She still owes me one thing which she knows I talked to her about. And once I get that, we'll be ready for Saturday. Thank you,

Councilman Freelander. Yeah, this is this is going to be a quick one. And I just want to mention uh keep uh look at all the [clears throat] websites uh for the library.

Uh they're they're starting to do the spring festival. They're plan planning that the historical society had a a tavern game night. Uh check out uh their website for canal day which our Ford Face House will be part of it. Uh substance abuse uh planning a bingo uh fundraiser in April. I'll mention that uh celebrity day is going great with Copelan. Uh all the the kids uh we have all the famous people coming down

celebrities, right? Uh I also attended uh the town perm uh from the Kabad at the White Metal 8 Clubhouse which had a very big turnout and I need your help with HCMA. There you go. What's a hydro hypertrophic cardiomyopathic. Okay, there you go. We went to the open house uh unbelievable organization uh that uh saves lives to believe uh there was just a heart transplant successful and beautiful. That's and that's how I'll end it. Right, Councilman Tber.

Thank you. Um all right so first uh board of commissioners report um just a small mention resolution 2026203 uh commission was authorized to sign regrant uh agreements for several agencies for 2026 historical society of Rockway Township was on the list for 798 big dollars don't spend it all in one place you got till uh you got till December 6th to submit for that good good next meeting will be March 11th uh regional board of ed report Again, last meeting was snowed out. Next meeting will be March 23rd. I'll have a report on that. Open space trust fund. Next meeting is March 28th. I hope to have a report back. And again, as Manny mentioned, um again, Manny and uh Mayor Jackson and uh wife Suzanne, thank you so much for coming by the open house uh for the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy association during heart aware heart awareness month. Um a lot of really really good being done in our town. Uh and again, thank you administration for the very prompt responses on my questions to be just fully informed, ready to go for our budget sessions. So, thank you,

Councilman Kelly. Uh thank you. Um first of all, uh Mr. Nath, I just want to thank you and the water department for the speedy um uh work that's being performed over on Lake Telmark uh between Whipperwill and Toron with the storm drain that had collapsed over there. So, I do appreciate that. And the catch basins over in the Megan's Road area as well. Um, today is the year anniversary of the closure of Telmark Park. Any clue when we're going to have that completely open for all members of the public to participate in? Mrs. Fonte?

Nothing. No. Um, also, uh, Chief, uh, there was numerous complaints on Decker Road regarding speeding, uh, coming down from Lionsville, uh, on Decker going towards Meridan Road. We had a um a uh uh speed counter that was on a Deca Road, Chief, if I'm correct. And was that that shows the mile per hour? And is that the only was that the only device that was on there for for uh regulating speed or

Okay. Do those speed trailers have counters on them to give data? and I could get that information from you.

Okay, thank you. Um, I also attended the uh state finals with Morris Nolles versus Mount Olive. It was a great uh hockey game over at Menon Arena. Um, unfortunately Nolles was not successful. three to one uh was the game, but all the kids and the coaches did a phenomenal job. One of our finest here uh Lieutenant Kepler is one of the coaches. Um and they're very proud of the of the uh young men that participated in that game. Um the other thing, Council President, was uh just new business to bring up uh as well on top of discussion uh since two council members had made some comments in regards to the budget. Um excuse me one second, please. [snorts]

Sorry, council president.

I closed the time. That's okay. on on March 6th uh 2026 I had supplied uh our administration with a request in regarding the budget and my concern was we're all getting copy based on your policy um regarding budget questions amongst all council members and making inquiries about certain areas of the budget talking about town business obviously and there's also potential uh discussions about employee performances because some of the salary provisions and adjustments uh with that there is a potential of having a problem with OPMA because there's a more of a majority of council members on that thread of email communication, then it could be a violation under uh NJSA 104-8 uh with meetings under B. Um the other concern I have if we're talking about individuals and the performance and salary adjustments, which is not speculated in the budget, who's receiving it, um we can't get that information and it and it's strongly suggested to Rice individuals that are coming up in conversation and there were some names that were mentioned before or some areas on those lines. So, I did make a request as a a way of caution so that we could have deliberations during the budget session on on March 14th to talk about where some of these areas of salary adjustments are going to and why. um we're talking tens of thousands of dollars in addition to some other areas that maybe there's some reduction that we can do. So uh I have spoken again to the administration which hasn't respond to my uh inquiry uh in writing. Um I know that the labor attorney a past labor attorney that was appointed a current labor attorney and Mr. Trafano are reviewing this rather than just issue the nine requested rice notices to those individuals which would give the

administration the ability to discuss why these individuals are getting potentially these increases and also allowing the public, you know, that information. And we Kelly, I I you're way over three minutes. I did give you some extra time. appreciate that your thought, but I we I want to know what is the status of the rice notices so we can discuss those areas for those salary provisions coming to the budget meeting. Um giving all of the council the ability to ask those questions.

Okay, just for for everybody's knowledge, what the councilman is referring to is we have our budget meeting this Saturday. I I hope it's open to the public. I hope we do see some people there. Um, in order to in order to not put administration or department heads on the spot, it is it is requested that the council members go through the budget book, which they got two, three weeks ago, um, come up with their questions and email those questions to our business administrator so she could properly properly research them and provide a uh an eloquent answer. We then take those answers and distribute them to the rest of the council for their own edification and so we don't duplicate efforts. Right? There are certainly a lot of questions. So in those conversations some of the personnel did come up. Mr. Kelly uh had a thought um that it might be in violation of OPMA. Um I think it was a valid thought. Um so I handed it over to our town attorney. Um Mr. Trafano, I don't know if you want to take the floor there,

but but but real quick, Mr. Morrison, the the the the crux of it wasn't so much just the OMA end of it. It was still having the ability because Mrs. Paul Mary could not answer questions about performance of employees whether through No, no, I agree with you. Like I'm saying, no, no, I'm with you and I, again, I thought it was valid. These are these are good questions. Kelly, I'm agreeing with you. I know it's weird, but No, it's not. It's not. No, no, no. I agree with you and so I presented it to our township attorney and I'm going to ask him to speak to it now.

Thank you, Council President. Um, I'm not going to speak to the OPMA concerns Mr. Kelly has. Uh though I will tell the council um an opinion uh will be uh in everybody's email boxes sometime tomorrow that will address that issue. I will talk it'll also address the rice notice issue. But I'll I'll comment in on that uh briefly now and get it uh I will be getting it into more depth in the memo that's coming out. We have a particular form of government known as mayor council under state law and I cite NJSA469A-37.1. The council has no authority whatsoever over individual employees of the township. It doesn't have the authority to do performance reviews. It doesn't have the authority to hire. It doesn't have the authority to fire, to give tenure except in certain defined situations by separate statutes. under the law and our form of government. All of those issues are exclusively the province of the mayor or his delegation. It's as simple as that. So very simply, the issue of [clears throat] sending rice notices to named employees who I won't mention because they're in Mr. Kelly's email. Uh is a mood issue from the start. The council has no ability and should not under any circumstances attempt to discuss in the budget meeting individual individuals in relation to their

salaries, earnings, performances or their effect on the budget. Uh Miss Palmary can say this far more eloquently than I do because uh as Lisa knows, the minute we talk numbers, I go into a deep sleep. But the simple fact of the matter is that the council's authority under the budget or with respect to the budget is a matter of appropriations in the designated categories. Period. So let me ask you a question. For example, there's I I don't mean to pick on you, but let's say the health department, right? I don't know. I just saw you.

So let's say the health department and Mr. Kelly has a concern with salaries in in the health department for example, he has the right to express his his views by either voting yes or no to approve that portion of the budget. Right? So he's not nobody here is without any means to express their view, but it would be and to whether approve or deny portions of the budget that include employee salaries. That's correct. Okay. Well, I just to comment on that though real brief because you made something on that. But council president, if I hear you correctly,

you're okay that we don't have the full information as to why one is getting a salary increase, who is getting the salary increase, and how much. Right.

What Mr. Trafana doesn't explain whether it's 4069A717.71.1 or 4069A36. We have the right to make an inquiry about anything we go through the mayor. We just can't talk about normal operations, daily operations, and that's what 37.1 addresses. The one thing that you're forgetting is that we're the legislative branch of government and we're the purse strings. So, we have every right to know how much money is being spent in every department. Whether it's how much salt and why do we need salt or why are we giving this person that much more money? Whether it's because of a certification, because we like them more, because they say hello to me more, I carpool with them. The public would like to know why are we giving certain increases whether it's something for materials, equipment, salaries, bonuses, whatever it may be.

Okay, Mr. Kelly, we we've had enough. Right. So I I should you know I understand you provide no basis lawful basis wait stop because I understand but I don't want this to go because I'm sure this is going to come up against the second part of 30 seconds. Please you're not recognized any longer. I gave you more than it council president.

Um the bottom line is is salaries are not the purview of the council. They're they're the purview of administration. We can either approve it or not approve it um in totality for that department. But whether the mayor or the business administrator want how they want to handle the salaries is their business as far as the public wanting to know. This is my sixth budget. I've never had a member of the public attend a budget meeting ever. All right. Nor did they ask me a question. If the public has a question, you may attend a meeting and ask and if we can answer it, we will. Okay. Did you go, Mr. Wovich, for report? No. I'm sorry. Your turn. I I have no report. Okay. Councilman uh Councilwoman Freddy. [clears throat]

Okay. I just wanted to say uh we did a food drive last Friday for the Nourish um food uh uh food drive uh food pantry uh in conjunction with Elite Karate right here on Route 46. It went very well. They said we gave over over 15 pounds of food. It felt much heavier trying to carry that into the into the building. And we're having another one this Friday. Uh and um uh Elite Karate from 46 is hosting a fit and fierce on Friday and the food um and the collection box will be there. I encourage everyone to attend the fit and fierce. They're actually a lot of fun. If you don't, you can just walk in, drop the food, and run away before you're forced to do a setup. Okay.

What's the name of it again? Uh Elite Karate. Elite. Is that you, Jonathan? No. Well, thank you. Oh, yeah. So give what you can. Oh, and also Mount Hope Road is a very dangerous road. It's also a bus stop, so please watch your speed. Councilwoman Wright. Yeah. So, um, again, I'd like to thank the police for helping me with the speeding issues and, um, the mayor for helping me with the residence issues. Greatly appreciated. Um, am I allowed to say?

Yeah. Okay. Um, okay. And um again, Al Noth for that daily weather emails. I told you I'm a weather nerd. I love it. I [snorts] love reading it. So, thank you for that. I don't have a board ed um update because it's next week and I can't wait for that budget meeting on Saturday, but I do think residents should come and ask questions if if they right. It's completely open to the public and they should come. Thank you. Uh, it'll be right here at nine o'clock in the morning. They have question. Did she come?

What' you say? You got a what? Oh, that's Saturday. People are going to be camping out at night. Okay. Uh, are you done? I'm sorry, Councilwoman. Oh, yeah. Okay. Council Vice President,

thank you. Um, I know Councilman Kelly was talking about the hockey. I attended the uh the Morris Hills boys basketball state um state game on February 26th um against Wayne Valley um down in Wayne Hills. I don't know if that's is that's high school mayor the mayor went. I know he's Yeah. Okay. We did lose. Um but it was a great game. Um yeah, it was a great game. Um congratulations to the uh basketball team on a great season. Uh like Councilman Freedeller mentioned, I attended the um Whim Lake Clubhouse event on for Porum Monday. Uh was that Monday? March 2nd. March 2nd. Um big crowd. Uh uh Sheriff Ganon was there. Uh State Senator Buco. There was a good crowd. Good to see a lot of support from everyone. The weather wasn't the greatest that night, but uh they had a really good crowd. If you're looking for something, I don't know if uh the rec director had set this up, but we do have a tomorrow uh 7:30 Dover Middle School. I don't know if it was because of you, the seventh and eighth grade girls basketball. We are playing the Dover seventh and eighth grade girls basketball team Wreck. So, it's nice to They don't have a lot of teams in Dover. They just restarted their WCK program for basketball and uh my team got chosen to play. So, I'm looking forward to that tomorrow night, 7:30. Looking for something to do. Do Middle School. Thank you.

Okay. I just have a couple of things. One, we spoke about the budget already. I I implore the public to come. I know that, you know, taxes are always an issue. People always asking, um, now's, you know, now's the time to come. Um, we will talk about multiple times how the municipal taxes is what percentage of your bill? 22% of the budget. The rest of the budget is mostly the board of ed. So much like I would implore you to come here, I would also implore you to go to the board of ed as they make up the lion share of your taxes. Um, but the way that the budget meeting is run is we all got a very hefty budget book. It breaks the town up into different sections. Uh, we will then much like we do with ordinances, we will go through a section. We will have council discussion and then we'll open up for public comment and then we'll vote to to pass or not pass that section of the budget. Um, again, it it's it's more interesting than it sounds. [laughter] Um, I I did want to give a shout out to uh uh Lisa Salberg. She uh she did dip out. Um, I I have a very dear friend uh who lives in uh Rhode Island. Uh her husband had a heart transplant many years ago. We were talking. He actually uh lived uh in the hospital for over the a year with an artificial heart. He holds the national record for longest living. Anyway, so we were talking about it and he said he goes he he follows this uh he follows this organization called HCMA and and I told him, you know, obviously how I know them and I just thought that it was interesting that the reach goes pretty far. So, great job there. Um

yeah, congrats on that. Um Mr. Nath, again, not to put you on the spot and and I appreciate the weather reports. Um, can you or cannot you not guarantee that the weather will continue in this fashion? I need you to come better prepared next time then, Mr. [laughter] Okay. Uh, that's all I have. Uh, Mr. Mayor, do you have a report?

Yes. Thank you, Council President. Uh, first I'd like to recognize a letter I got from a resident uh regarding um uh or uh Sound the Alarm smoke detector program. Um they uh wanted to share their measurable gratitude. Um life-saving initiative conducted by the fire department, Red Cross and Rockaway. Um the department came to my house, enlightened me about the program, uh installed a free fire alarm. Um, specifically wanted to thank um, Ed Nun and uh, Jeff Heitelman and Shannon McCarti who all went out and shared their time to install the uh, smoke detector. Um, she had a lot to say, so it was very nice um, feedback and thank you uh, Mr. Heightsman, Mr. Nun. Um, I wanted to congratulate the fifth grade travel basketball uh, boys basketball. They played very well. They uh, lost their playoff game on Saturday. I went to got to watch a little bit of it. They played really hard. They lost, but they had a great season. Um, and they they play really well together. So, I wanted to congratulate them. They're all great group of players. Um, wanted to talk about the HCM open house real quick. I think the thing that's amazing besides the work that Lisa does, being a small business owner, she got Alexis Bakes a cookie to bring some cookies and gave her some business. So, it was nice to see two local business owners um you know, giving each other business. So, I thought that was really good and just what an incredible job they do at HCMA. Um it is our second year being elected as a healthy town for the mayor's wellness campaign, which is a major accomplishment. Um Britney Bernstein, the health department under Peter Tabet, just does a phenomenal job. Um if you look at some of the programs we're putting out there um for residents to attend um it's amazing around you know mental well-being, physical well-being

and financial well-being. The town is offering things we've never offered before and it's all a testament to the work that they are um they are doing. So um I think I'll I'll leave it there. We've had a lot tonight. So

thank you. And I know Mr. Nath you had stated that you have a report from tonight. Yes. Uh this is just a reminder to residents. Uh next week is bulk collection week. Um bulk collection is for large items, dressers, um beds, you know, bedding, uh etc. Um there's been an enormous volume of uh what people are thinking is bulk. It's in black garbage bags. The uh vendor will not be collecting curbside. the black garbage bag. So, it fits in a garbage bag. It belongs in your in your normal weekly garbage. That's all I got.

Real quick, Mr. Nth, is Blue Diamond getting antiquated to the bulk pickup and everything else? Yeah. Yeah, this is their third month. Uh, they're doing very well. Okay. Thank you. Okay, Lisa, that's it for administration. Okay. Make a motion to adjourn by consensus. All in favor? I. Meeting is journal. [clears throat] Does the mayor have the ability to allow members to speak to administration? Rest.