Borough Council - Regular Meeting

This meeting is called to order in accordance with the open public meetings law. In accordance with Chapter 231 of Public Laws of 1975, adequate notice of this meeting has been provided. This meeting of June 1st, 2026, was provided to the Courier News and Star-Ledger and placed on the borough's website and also placed on the bulletin board at Borough Hall. A copy of this notice is available to the public and a copy of this statement shall be included in the minutes of this meeting. Mayor Brian Gallagher. Hear it. Councilmembers Teresa Bonner.

Here.

Andrew Conte. Here. Glenn Denae. Here. Randy Pitts. Here. Gina Stravick. Here. Roger Verm.

Here. Please stand for the salute to the flag.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with

Okay. Can I have a motion for approval of the minutes of may four and may 18. So moved second discussion roll call council members, Teresa Bonner abstain for may 4th.

Yes.

For may 18th, Andrew Conti. Yes. Glendon a yes. For me for abstain for may 18. Randy pits.

Yes. For may 4th abstain from may 18th.

Gina Stravik. Yes. Roger for him. Yes. Thank you.

Okay, departmental reports and notices. Tomorrow is primary election day. The polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m., so get out there and do your civic duty if you can. Next, committee reports. Andrew.

historic advisory committee met at the end of last month. We heard a presentation on a potential Somerville museum. I think some of you have heard about this. It sounds like a great idea to fill an interesting space over by the fire museum. It would be its neighbor. It would be an interesting place for history about the bike race and about the town and borough and how we all got here and what it was like. they did talk a little bit about funding potentially and maybe we'll have to talk about that at some point but uh no clear ask as of yet uh as what that's about otherwise um you know our semi-sequentennial passport program or is is up so you can navigate the map we have in town for different landmarks or historic areas and mark down on your passport if you're so interested um Otherwise, there was a lot of discussion around the steel house and a few other things in town, but that was mainly what we talked about at Historic Advisory.

Okay, great. Gina. So we'd like to thank the Somerville Rescue Squad for all their work with the Memorial Day Parade. If you attended, you may know that it was a very active day for the squad, but I think, thank goodness, everyone was okay overall. And the Board of Health met last week. I was absent there, and I did not get the minutes yet, so I have no report on that. Okay, Glenn.

Thank you, Mayor. First off, we have the fire department has been very busy. We're at 266 total calls for the year. April was 37 calls, including five fires, and May was a busy almost double that, 61 calls, also five fires. They've been busy drilling and just responding to all those calls. As far as the tour of Somerville, I would like to echo Councilwoman Stravick in thanking the rescue squad, but also thanking all the emergency personnel, DPW, the police, the council, the committee thanks all of them. Despite the rain, we were able to have a ceremony prior to the races, which was great, and then the weather did clear out, and we did have a very successful tour of Somerville with an improved community zone, improved viewing areas, and there were approximately 200 riders in that final race, so one of the biggest fields we've had so far, so we're going to continue to meet, and we'll take suggestions and advice to make the event even better for the 82nd next year. And then the Environmental Commission is also busy. On May the 12th, we had lots of discussions. One of them, and I'll throw it over, I just throw it out there, there was a discussion that since we've removed the tree pits downtown, that's great, but now there really aren't many places to lock bicycles. So just one thing on the radar to start thinking about as we improve downtown, where to safely put our bikes. Also on May 17th, the Petersbrook Greenway Ferry Trail opened up. Hopefully some of you have already walked by and seen some of these ferry houses. There were numerous houses built and they were placed for discovery by a number of community members and groups, including some scout troops. Some are easier to find than others, so definitely take a walk between, it starts at a bridge and William Street, and then winds its way all the way to Cliff Street there along the Greenway. So some are hidden, some aren't. We would like to give a special thanks to Rebecca Reitman for all her hard work and dedication for overseeing this project. If you visit and explore, please make sure to just use your eyes, leave the fairies in their houses alone for others to enjoy. Also on May 22nd, volunteers helped come weed and mulch the wildflower section for the Petersburg Restoration Project. And also in May, 20 street trees were planted thanks to DPW and the monies for various people. We still have a number of people waiting residents, so we'll do another planting in the fall if monies allow. And our next meeting will be held right here at the Civic Center on June 9th at 7 p.m. So hopefully we'll see some of you out there. You can offer some of your own ideas and help us with a lot of these projects. So thank you.

Great. Excellent. Teresa.

Thank you. So the International Street Fair is going to be coming up on... Sunday, June 7th, from 12 to 6 p.m., there'll be over 130 vendors, seven cultural performances on Division Street, and a kid's zone, including an obstacle course, a bounce house, face painting, and story time. Somerville Day at the Patriots Stadium is on June 14th at 1 0 5 p.m. The game starts our mayor Gallagher will be throwing out the first ceremonial pitch That's Somerville Day and the concourse will be taken over by local Somerville businesses and there will be discounted tickets for Somerville residents and And to speak a little bit to what Glenn mentioned, there's going to be some enhancements to Division Street coming up mid-June, where they will be installing new cube seating with planters, additional umbrellas, and bicycle racks. That doesn't help all of Main Street, but it's a start. That's all I have. Thank you.

Great. Thank you. And when I threw out the first pitch, the advice given was don't bounce it. Ready.

Thank you, Mayor. I'd like to take a moment to remind everyone about New Jersey's updated regulations regarding electric bikes and electric scooters. As these modes of transportation become more popular throughout our community, it's important that riders understand and follow the rules designed to keep everyone safe. This includes age requirements, license and registration requirements for certain e-bikes, helmet use, and operating responsibly on our streets and shared spaces. With the school year coming to an end and more children and teenagers expected to be outdoors, riding through our neighborhoods, parks, and downtown, I ask everyone to exercise extra caution, whether you're a rider, a motorist, a cyclist, or a pedestrian. Please remain aware of your surroundings, follow our rules of the road, and help us in our community stay safe throughout the summer months ahead. And remember, the speed limit throughout the entire borough is 25 miles an hour. Let's slow down. That's all I have. Thank you.

Good. Roger. Wait. Sorry.

I have nothing this evening.

Okay. We have a number of proclamations. I'm going to come down and I'll call folks up one by one. And I'll be there in a minute.

You're fine.

Is that on? Okay. Uh, first up, I know we have a number of representatives from the, uh, the Tourette, uh, syndrome organization here with us tonight. I'd ask if you'd come on up and I, oh, Chris chap, Mr. Charlie. Yes. Ms. Leho? Yes. And Ms. Reichenbach?

Yes.

All right, I got it. Good. All right, not too bad. All right. Well, it gives me great pleasure to present this proclamation. Claudia had reached out to me a while back, and we were fortunate enough, I think it was last year, to be at your re-grand opening. For those that don't know, the organization is actually centered here in Somerville, just a block away. And I think that's wonderful. So it gives us great pleasure on behalf of the council to present this. So we are recognizing June 4th as Tourette's Syndrome Awareness Day. Whereas Tourette's Syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary motor and vocal tics that affect individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and communities, and whereas its purpose is to raise public awareness of TS and improve the quality of life for individuals and families affected by this often misunderstood and under-recognized neurological disorder. And whereas Tourette's syndrome and other tic disorders affect approximately 1 in 50 individuals, while TS alone affects more than 1 in 100 children, including more than 20,000 school-aged children in the state of New Jersey. I think that's a statistic that most people don't know. And whereas despite its prevalence, public understanding of Tourette syndrome remains limited and individuals living with TS often face misunderstanding, stigma, and barriers to acceptance and inclusion. And whereas there remains a significant need for increased awareness, education, and access to qualified professionals with the expertise to identify, counsel, and treat individuals with TS as the average time between symptom onset and proper diagnosis can exceed seven years. And whereas New Jersey Center for Tourette's Syndrome is the first and only center of its kind in the nation, providing service to families, educating healthcare professionals, teachers, and social workers, and supporting research to better understand the signs, symptoms, and treatment of Tourette's Syndrome and related disorders. Now, therefore, be it resolved that I, Brian Gallagher, Mayor of the Borough of Somerville, join with the Borough Council to hereby proclaim Thursday, June 4th, 2026 as Tourette Syndrome Awareness Day in Somerville. On this day, we encourage all residents to educate themselves about Tourette Syndrome and other tick disorders, support individuals affected by them, and work together to build a community where everyone is respected, valued, and included. Thank you. Absolutely.

Congratulations, so could you just clarify the national headquarters is here in Somerville?

Okay Okay, and next we are recognizing June 2026 as LGBT Pride Month in the borough of Somerville and I believe somebody from Maeve the social organization in Somerville is here to accept and How are you?

Good, thank you.

And your name, just for?

Christina Edelman.

Good to see you. Thank you. Hello there, young man. How are you? Well, again, June is Pride Month, and I think it's very important for all to understand that Somerville welcomes everybody, and it gives us great pleasure. This is something we've been doing for a number of years now. We've got a Pride Month celebration coming up. at the end of the month as well, which has become somewhat of a tradition, which is wonderful. So, whereas our nation was founded on the principle of equal rights for all people, but the fulfillment of this promise has been long forthcoming for many Americans, and some of the most inspiring moments in our history have arisen for the various civil rights movements that have brought one group after another from the margins to the mainstream of American society. And whereas in the movement toward equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, a historic turning point occurred on June 28, 1969 in New York City with the onset of the Stonewall Riots. And during these riots, LGBT citizens rose up and fought against the discriminatory criminal laws that have since been declared unconstitutional. and whereas LGBT Pride celebrations have taken place around the country every June to commemorate the beginning of the Stonewall Riots, and whereas Somerville Borough is a diverse community that includes people of all ethnicities, religious backgrounds, social classes, and sexual affection, and whereas everyone should be able to live without fear of prejudice, discrimination, violence, and hatred-based race, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that I, Brian Gallagher, Mayor of the Borough of Somerville, in conjunction with the Borough Council, do hereby proclaim June 2026 as LGBT Pride Month in the Borough of Somerville, encourage all residents to recognize and celebrate the diversity of our community, to promote understanding and mutual respect, and to continue building a culture of inclusion and acceptance for all. And on behalf of the Borough, I'm proud to be here. So I don't think Phil Decker is here for the 35th annual Ride to Work Day. So we have a proclamation for the annual Ride to Work Day, which raises awareness for those that ride motorcycles or scooters in and around their communities. So if you would make sure that Phil gets that. We also recognize June as the month of the Sacred Heart. And your name, sir? I know you've been here before.

Yeah, Mark Hanson.

Mark, very nice to meet you. So this is a proclamation recognizing June as the month of the Sacred Heart, whereas the month of June has been traditionally dedicated by the Catholic Church to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a practice rooted in centuries of devotion and spiritual reflection, drawing the faithful to prayer, charity, and acts of love. and whereas the Sacred Heart devotion emphasizes compassion, mercy, and love for one's neighbor values that strengthen community bonds and reflect the shared aspirations of the residents of Somerville, and whereas communities throughout New Jersey and across the nation recognize June as a time to honor these spiritual values and to encourage acts of kindness, service, and devotion among neighbors and families, And whereas the Borough of Somerville takes pride in acknowledging the diverse faith traditions of its residents and in recognizing occasions of spiritual and cultural significance to the community. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Mayor and Borough Council of the Borough of Somerville do hereby proclaim the month of June as the month of the Sacred Heart in the Borough of Somerville. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Sure, absolutely. No problem. All right.

And now, because I'm sure everybody was wondering what this handsome young man is doing in the audience with his karate, what do you call it? Gi? So, Mr. Kamisa, come on up. Come here. All right. So Mr. Camisa, come on over here. So this young man, uh, is proof that you're never too young or too old to try something new. Um, I first met Mr. Camisa probably about five or six years ago at one of our senior rec functions over at Lincoln Hose. And what an inspiration. This gentleman, there's nothing he can't do. So I'm going to read this resolution because it gives you a great background on this gentleman. So this is a resolution honoring the extraordinary journey of Joe Camisa, living life to the fullest. Whereas at the remarkable age of 78, Joe Camisa began his martial arts journey under the instruction of Sensei David Lugini, embracing the principles of Kenpo Karate with determination and perseverance. And whereas Joe exemplifies the spirit of living life to the fullest, demonstrating that age is no barrier to growth, achievement, service, and inspiring others through action, dedication, and heart. And whereas Joe continues his martial arts studies at the young age of 93 in Isshin-Ru Karate Lakeland Dojo in Denville under the guidance of Ninth Dan Sensei Tony Polito and Sensei David Lugini, specializing in student creed instruction, Kali Sticks, Eskrima, cane self-defense, and children's martial arts programs. And whereas his personal philosophy of discipline, perseverance, and self-improvement has inspired countless students and community members through his words and example, don't give me any breaks. I want full discipline. I'll give 110% of my upper body. That's a quote. And whereas in recognition of his exceptional dedication and accomplishments, Joe was honored in the 2025 World Karate Union Hall of Fame Black Belt of the Year and made cover of the May 2026 World Martial Arts Media Magazine. And whereas Joe honorably served in the United States Marine Corps from 1951 through 1955, achieving the rank of sergeant and exemplifying the values and traditions embodied in the Marine Corps motto Semper Fidelis. And whereas Joe has devoted substantial time and effort to volunteerism and mentorship through organizations including Easter Seals, Somerville Elks, Middle Earth Youth Programs, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, 4-H Fairs, and the Adult Day Center of Somerset County, positively impacting veterans, children, seniors, individuals with special needs, and the broader community. Now therefore, be it resolved that I, Brian Gallagher, Mayor of the Borough of Somerville, along with the Borough Council, do hereby recognize and honor Joe Camisa, for his outstanding military service, extraordinary perseverance, lifelong dedication to the martial arts, and unwavering commitment to community service. And be it further resolved that Joe Camisa is commended as a role model whose life of discipline, resilience, service, and leadership continues to inspire future generations to live with purpose, strength, and determination, truly living life to the fullest. Awesome. Absolutely awesome.

Tony Pulido, he's a ninth-degree black belt. No, wait, can you take that back?

Can you take that back? He tries. Okay, we are his teachers, and we train him in martial art of karate.

Congratulations.

Now, you're welcome to stay, but you don't have to. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Kamisa, awesome. Okay. Um, at this point I will ask for a motion to open the meeting to the public. So moved discussion.

Roll call council members. Teresa Bonner. Yes.

Andrew Conti.

Yes. Randy pits. Yes. Gina's traffic. Yes. Roger.

Yes. All right. Public portion is now open. Hearing no public comment, I will ask for a motion to close. So moved. Second. Discussion? Roll call.

Council members, Teresa Bonner. Yes. Andrew Conte. Yes. Glenn Denis. Yes. Randy Pitts. Yes. Gina Stravik. Yes. Roger Verm.

Yes.

Public is now closed. Um, ordinances for introduction, uh, Oh six Oh, no, sorry. 28 Oh five bond ordinance providing an appropriation of $300,000 for acquisition of pay stations and parking equipment for the parking utility for, and by the borough of Somerville and the County of Somerset, New Jersey, uh, and authorizing the issuance of $200,000 in bonds or notes for the borough for financing part of the appropriation. Kevin, can you just give us a brief overview?

Yes, this is part of a large capital project that we're doing in Main Street where our goal is to remove the individual meters. This is phase one. We're working with a consultant now. We hope to, actually next week we're interviewing two firms to possibly replace all the meters with pay stations. We've looked at strategically some locations, but this is kind of the finance portion of that project.

Okay, public comment on 2805. Hearing none, I'll close public comment. And motion for introduction, please. So moved. Discussion? Roll call.

Council members, Teresa Bonner. Yes. Andrew Conti. Yes. Glenn Denis. Yes. Randy Pitts. Yes. Gina Stravick. Yes. Roger Verone. Yes.

All right. 2802 is amending Chapter 119 of the Borough Code entitled Park and Playgrounds. This is an overview. I'll call it a housekeeping for the park and playground ordinance, cleaning up a number of sections of it. to bring it more in compliance with today's standards um i will ask for a motion to open the public hearing so moved second discussion roll call council members theresa bonner yes andrew conti yes linda nee yes randy pitts yes genus traffic yes roger verne yes all right public hearing is now open on 2802. hearing none i'll ask for a motion to close so can we give council comment Yeah, after we have to get it up on the table. Yes, so moved second discussion Council members Teresa Bonner.

Yes, Andrew Conti. Yes, when Denis. Yes, Randy Pitts. Yes, Gina Stravick. Yes, Roger.

Yes.

Okay motion for adoption, please so moved Second discussion So when I read this It talked about dusk, right? So we're closing the park at dusk, but our parks aren't closed at dusk. I Our parks remain open. I mean, when I walked home from town Friday night, there were kids playing basketball at 11.30. The pickleball courts are open way past dusk. So I'm not sure this is the right language. I know it said that unless it was an organized program, but pick up basketball and pick up pickleball is not an organized program.

Well, we can certainly add a phrase in there that says something to this effect. unless otherwise posted and we could post the hours. I mean, it's difficult when you list hours because the different seasons change. So this is more standard uniform language, but I do understand your concern.

I think when we say dawn to dusk, I also believe that there's a lot of discretion allowed by our police departments to pick up basketball games, pick up kids playing in the park. They're not out there kicking them out. But I will also say that sometimes basketball at 1130 at night is a problem for neighbors in the area. So I'm not uncomfortable with the word dusk. I think it allows our police department a little bit of discretion, which is sometimes wise. Further discussion? Roll call.

Council members, Teresa Bonner? Yes. Andrew Conti? Yes. Glenn Denae? Yes. Randy Pitts? Yes. Gina Stravick? No. Roger Verm?

Yes. Okay, 2803 is accepting the dedication of Block 124, Lot 19.01 on the official tax map of the Borough of Somerville from Somerset Station Urban Renewal, LLC. Colin, can you give us a very brief overview on that? Yeah, up there. You may as well give an overview of 2804 at the same time. Okay.

2803 is the dedication of a sliver of land in the wetlands owned by Somerset Development to the borough. That's done under the redevelopers agreement and ultimately will form part of the rehabilitated wetlands of the borough. The other one 2804 is accepting the dedication of the major roads within this development.

Okay, thank you. Uh, 28 Oh three. Can I have a motion to open the public hearing? So moved. Second discussion.

Roll call council members. Teresa Bonner. Yeah. Andrew Conti. Yes. Yes. Gina Strava. Yes. Roger firm.

Yes. All right. Public hearing on 23, 28 Oh three is now open. Hearing none, motion to close the public hearing. So moved.

Second.

Discussion? Roll call.

Council members, Teresa Bonner. Yes. Andrew Conte. Yes. Glenn Denis. Yes. Randy Pitts. Yes. Gina Stravick. Yes. Roger Verne.

Yes. Motion for adoption on 2803. So moved. Second. Discussion?

Second.

Roll call council members. Teresa Bonner. Yes. Andrew Conti. Yes. Glenn's in a yes. Randy pits. Yes. Gina's traffic. Yes. Roger firm.

Yes. Okay. 28. Oh four. Can I have a motion for public hearing? So moved. Second discussion roll call council members.

Teresa Bonner. Yes. Andrew Conti. Yes. Yes. Randy pits. Yes. Gina's traffic. Yes. Roger firm.

Yes. Uh, public hearing is now open. Very non motion to close.

So moved.

Second discussion. Roll call.

Council members, Teresa Bonner. Yes. Andrew Conte. Yes. Glenn Denis. Yes. Randy Pitts. Yes. Gina Stravick. Yes. Roger Verne.

Yes. All right, motion for adoption, please. So moved. Second. Discussion. Roll call.

Council members, Teresa Bonner. Yes. Andrew Conti. Yes. Glenn Denae. Yes. Randy Pitts. Yes. Gina Stravik. Yes. Roger Verne. Yes. Okay.

Consent resolutions. We have one being pulled off, which is 179. That's for further discussion and review. Any others to be pulled for further discussion?

184.

Okay. Any others? All right. 175 is amending resolution as noted for body-worn camera equipment software from Axon Enterprise. 176 is rescinding resolution as noted authorizing a contract for extraordinary unspecifiable services to National Fitness Campaign for the purchase and delivery of a National Fitness Campaign fitness court and rescinding resolution as noted approving Chapter 159 budget amendment for the Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield National Fitness Campaign grant and canceling purchase order as noted. 177 is authorizing the transfer of escrow funds from one Board of Adjustment file to another Board of Adjustment file, as noted for 4 East Cliff Street. 178 is awarding a contract to store tractor for two Groundmaster mowers under the ESC Cooperative Purchasing Program in the amount of $196,726.24. 180 is appointing Matthew Natelski and William Snow as summer 26 interns. 181 is approving Chapter 159 from the HDSRF to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for the remediation of certain sections of the Somerville landfill. 182 is approving the central jersey volkswagen society to utilize parking spaces in front of the historic courthouse july 31st from 5 to 9 pm 183 is approving chapter 159 for the hazardous discharge site remediation fund to the nj eda for the remediation of certain sections of the former color technology site on cornell boulevard do we have a motion so moved

Second roll call council members Teresa Bonner. Yes, Andrew Conti. Yes, Clinton II. Yes, Randy Pitts.

Yes, Gina Stravick Yes, Roger from yes, just a quick note on 181, which is for about 1.7 1.3 1.1 so Is about $900,000. So we just received about $2 million in grants for environmental cleanup. Thank you. Uh, one 79 is awarding a contract to Sintas corporate. Oh, sorry. We pulled that one. My bad. One 84 is authorizing the mayor and business administrator to execute all necessary documents associated with the safe routes to school along veterans Memorial drive East road diet and pedestrian improvements project, federal project as noted and NJ D O T job as noted. Uh, motion please. Second discussion.

I just wanted to say that I know it's been a long time coming, and I know there's been a lot of people working behind the scenes on this one, and I look forward to this project getting underway and to make veterans a lot safer and smoother for everybody. So I just wanted to note that because I know how long and hard people have worked on this, so we appreciate that.

Glenn, can you comment for the public what it's going to be like?

Well, we've been working long and hard at trying. This grant will be improving Veterans Memorial. It will be repaving as well as adding some bike lanes and making it more pedestrian friendly. And it'll just make that corridor that much safer and better to get around and give people a real viable alternative to Main Street as well, too. So it'll kind of do what Veterans Memorial is supposed to do, but not just for cars, which is great.

So people are aware, this is a grant that was received in 2017. And you know what? Things move slowly at the Vatican, and the Vatican being the federal government. But it is here, and it is moving forward. So that's a good thing. Roll call.

Council members, Teresa Bonner.

Yes.

Andrew Conti. Yes. Glenn Denis. Yes. Randy Pitts. Yes. Gina Stravick. Yes. Roger Vroom.

Yes. All right, bills and vouchers. Roger. Coming off of last meeting where we appropriated quite a significant amount of money, we're back down to, again, I feel as though the spending in the borough has been been down this year, I make the motion to pay bills and vouchers in the amount of $589,417.66. Second.

Discussion?

Roll call.

Council members, Teresa Bonner?

Yes.

Andrew Conte? Yes. Glenn Denis? Yes. Randy Pitts? Yes. Tina Stravik?

Yes.

Roger Verum? Yes.

All right. Mr. Pitts, may I have a motion for adjournment?

No, I really don't want to go home. A motion to adjourn.

Second. All in favor? Aye. Opposed? This meeting is adjourned.