Town Council Notifications - Regular Meeting

Okay.

Yeah. Adequate notice of this meeting as required by the open public meetings act was provided through the posting mailing and filing of the annual notice of regularly scheduled meetings of the town council on December 10th, 2025. This notice was on that date posted at the bulletin board of the municipal building provided to the Westfield leader and the star ledger and filed with the clerk of the town of Westfield. Miss Lousie, may I have a roll call, please? Mayor Bman here. Council member Gilman here. Mala Pecker here. Keeper Saunders here. Ador here, Armeno here. Ramen here. Please rise for the invocation which will be given by Councilwoman Gilman and then remain standing for the salute to the flag.

We come together today to serve our community with dedication and care. Let us be mindful of the needs of all and approach our duties with compassion and fairness. May we find unity in our diversity and strengthen our collaboration. Help us to be good stewards of the trust placed in us. Thank you for the opportunity to serve. I

pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Good evening and thanks to everyone who is joining us in person and via the live stream on the town's YouTube channel. As always, the replay of this meeting will be available on Facebook, YouTube, and TV36. Public comment will be accepted in person only. I'll make a few brief remarks before we begin tonight's agenda. With the weather improving, it's a good time to remind everyone about the importance of complying with leash laws for all dogs in our community. Yesterday, I was contacted by a resident who was understandably very upset about an off leash dog at Tamakas Park that attacked and injured her leashed dog. This resident did the right thing by calling our police department, who responded quickly and thoroughly in an attempt to identify and locate the resident with the unleashed dog. Unfortunately, without the identity of the other owner, the police are not able to issue a violation for the leash law, which requires all dogs to be on a leash when not on a resident's property. In the interest of public safety, we expect all residents to comply with the leash law, and we are evaluating additional measures that can be implemented to prevent these incidents from happening in the future. These considerations include the possibility of increasing the viol violation fine from the current $50, placing additional signage in the park to remind residents of the leash laws and penalties, utilizing cameras in Tamakqua's park, and establishing an intermittent police presence in the area as our resources allow. If you do encounter an unleashed dog, please call the police department who will take a report and if warranted, forward the information to the board of health as

well. and if you can safely do so, please take a photo of the dog and its owner as that documentation helps the police enforce the law. So, for tonight's agenda, thanks to the residents who have provided feedback following the introduction of the 2026 municipal and capital budgets at our last meeting. As a reminder, the public hearing and final vote on the budget adoption will take place on April 21st. Tonight we have several ordinances on second reading, including establishing a cap bank, approving the bond ordinance for the capital budget that will fund a range of improvements for our town, and approving the lease agreement with the Van Go Westfield LLC for the Mills Ferris Pierall House. In addition, we'll hear a public safety ordinance on first reading to add two on street handicap parking spaces on Cakiola Place and at Wilson School and also extend a no parking from here to the corner on Barchester Way to provide a better line of sight onto Lawrence Avenue. We'll also vote on resolutions to enter another cooperative purchasing group, award the contract for the Westfield Memorial Pool concessionire, and to authorize the annual payment for our 25 license plate readers. Lastly, we have a resolution authorizing a new one-year agreement for the temporary ice rink at Gumper Park with the option to renew for two additional years. While we are moving this agreement forward, we are actively pursuing a permanent solution for the Westfield Rink and are in discussions with our current partner. While the idea of Tmacus Park has been posed in the past, there are a number of related challenges supported by the feedback we saw in the Tomacus Park community report that will make this location unlikely. We have strong options on the table and we will continue to update the community as discussions progress. we will ultimately pursue a solution that best serves all of our stakeholders. Let's begin. And before we get to our legislative

session, we have a um uh proclamation for Parkinson's awareness month, which I'm going to read now and then we will uh take some pictures afterwards. uh whereas Parkinson's disease is a chronic progressive neurological disease and is the second most common neuro degenerative disease in the United States and nearly 1 million Americans are living with Parkinson's disease with close to 90,000 new diagnoses occurring each year and Parkinson's disease is the 14th leading cause of death in the United States according to the CDC and um and it is estimated that the economic burden of Parkinson's is at least $52 billion annually, including direct and indirect costs, including treatment, social security payments, and lost income to patients and family members. And research suggests the cause of Parkinson's disease is a combination of genetic and environmental factors. But the exact cause and progression of the disease is still unknown. And volunteers, researchers, caregivers, and medical professionals are working to improve the quality of life of persons living with Parkinson's disease and their families. and increased research, education, and community support services such as those provided by the Parkinson's Foundation and other organizations are needed to find more effective treatments and to provide access to quality care to those living with the disease today. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that I, Mayor Jeremy Berman, in recognition of the need to bring awareness to the plight of Parkinson's patients and their families, do hereby designate the month of April of 2026 as Parkinson's awareness month in the town of Westfield. So, we're going to come take some pictures, but I do also want to note that uh in addition to Parkinson's uh awareness month, it is also autism awareness month, and we will be lighting the uh the colors outside in blue in honor of both of those months. So please come forward.

Okay, Miss Lowshi, are there any advertised hearings? Yes, mayor. We have three advertised hearings tonight. Starting with General Orange 202611, an ordinance for calendar year 2026 to establish a cap bank. Anyone wishing to be heard on general ordinance 202611, please come to the microphone, state your name and address for the record. Seeing no one, mayor, you may close the hearing. This hearing is closed.

Next is special ordinance 202601, bond ordinance to authorize the making of various improvements and the acquisition of new additional or replacement equipment and machinery, new information technology equipment, new communication and signal systems equipment, and new automotive vehicles, including original apparatus and equipment. by for the town of Westfield and the county of Union, state of New Jersey to appropriate the sum of 5,415,000 to pay the cost thereof to make a down payment to authorize the issuance of bonds to finance such appropriation and to provide for the issuance of bond anticipation notes in anticipation of the issuance of such bonds. Anyone wishing to be heard on special ordinance 20261, please come to the microphone, state your name and address for the record. Seeing no one, mayor, you may close.

This hearing is closed. Glass is general ordinance 202612, an ordinance authorizing the execution of a lease agreement with Van Go Westfield LLC for the Mills Ferris Parish House. Anyone wishing to be heard on general ordinance 2026 122, please come to the microphone to state your name and address for the record. Seeing no one may close the hearing. This hearing is closed. Councilman Venator Roman, please move for the adoption of the finance policy committee ordinances. Thank you, mayor. I would like to move general ordinance 2026 11, an ordinance for calendar year 2026 to establish a cap bank. May I have a second? Second. Second by Councilwoman Gilman. Any discussion? Please call the role. Council members Gilman. Yes. Becker, yes. Saunders, yes.

Adar, yes. Armentoto, yes. Yes. Mayor B, yes. This motion is carried. Next, I would like to move special ordinance 20261 bond ordinance to authorize the making of various public improvements in the acquisition of new additional replacement equipment and machinery, new information technology equipment, new communication and signal systems equipment and new automotive vehicles, including original apparatus and equipment in, by, and for the town of Westfield in the county of Union state of New Jersey to appropriate the sum of 5,415,000 to pay the cost thereof to make a down payment to authorize the issuance of bonds to finance such appropriation and to provide for the issuance of bond anticipation notes in anticipation of the issuance of such bonds. May I have a second?

Second. Second one by Councilwoman Adoir. Any discussion? Please call the role. Council members Gilman. Yes. Yes. Saunders. Yes. Adore. Yes. Yes. Ramen. Yes. Mayor Burton. Yes. This motion is carried. Councilman Pcker, please move for the adoption of general ordinance 2026-12. Thank you, mayor. I would like to move general ordinance number 2026-12, an ordinance authorizing the execution of a lease agreement with Van Go Westfield LLC for the Mills Ferris PCIL House. May I have a second? Second. Second by Councilman Saunders. Any discussion? Please call the role. Council members Gilman. Yes. Becker, yes. Saunders, yes. Yes.

Armentoto, yes. Yes. Mayor Burton, yes. This motion is carried. May I have a motion to approve the minutes from the town council conference regular meetings of March 24th, 2026? Second. Motion by Councilman Pcker. Do I have a second? Sorry. Second by Councilman Gilman. Any discussion? All in favor? Yes. Opposed? The motion is carried. Now it is time for open discussion by citizens. Anyone may come up to the microphone and speak to the council on any subject on which the council has jurisdiction. Please state your name and address for the record and limit your comments to five minutes.

Yep.

There we is that better? Sorry. Um, Mayor Burman, council members, my name is Dana Downer. I live at 16 Tomakqua's Way. I have been a resident um of Westfield my entire life. Uh more years than I will admit to on a microphone. Um growing up I played 13 seasons of lacrosse for Westfield setting my own records. Um and I am currently a member of the Westfield lacrosse board. Um I am currently also in my fourth season of coaching. All of this um however compare pales to compare in comparison to the mark that other members of my family member of my family have left on this town. I am here to follow up on a formal request I submitted on April 1st to all of the um council members regarding a proclamation to honor my father Michael Downer. For 25 for the last 25 years my father has dedicated himself to the Westfield and New Jersey athletic communities as an official for lacrosse football and volleyball. For 40 years, he has been a staple of our local youth coaching and booster programs um since the 1980s. Unfortunately, due to a sudden and rapid health battle with ALS um since August, the recognition date could not be moved um any sooner. This is why I requested our request reached your office with shorter notice than I would have liked. This Saturday, April 18th, at 11:00 a.m., he is being honored during halftime at the Westfield Shaunie Boys varsity lacrosse game at Keller Stadium. We requesting that the town consider formally uh proclaim that date as Michael Downer Day in recognition of his integrity and impact on the multiple generations of West Westfield athletes. I understand that the timeline is very tight. If a formal proclamation cannot be finalized by Saturday, I understand. Um, and I would respectfully ask if a letter of recognition could be signed instead. We would be honored to read that. We honored to read that from the town during the halftime ceremony to

ensure that my father's father's 40 years of service are acknowledged. I have a uh a draft language with me tonight. Um and would be happy to coordinate with the town clerk if possible to make this as seamless as seamless as possible for your office. Um if not, is there someone that I can speak with tonight to ensure that we have a response before Saturday? Uh thank you, Dana. We're actually going to have uh our administrator, Jim Gay, answer. I have a copy of the email I sent and Oh, perfect. Nice meeting you.

Thank you, mayor. I just wanted to make let uh Mrs. Der know, but also the the council know we got the request. I've already been in touch with the schools uh the athletic director. Uh and actually you're you're selling yourself short. It's Saturday 18th. We have a whole other week, right? So, right, this 18th is the game. Yes. So, it's a week from this this coming Saturday. So, we have time. uh we've been coordinating when we do things like this uh when we have these uh you know very unfortunate circumstances we do coordinate with the schools when you have uh uh sports functions or council meetings or board of education meetings. So I've talked to him we have this uh draft information and I fully expect that we'll be uh doing something uh that you'll have on the 18th uh from the from the mayor and council. So thank you thank you so much. Yep.

Any others?

Hello everyone. Andrew Stilliffson, 620 South Chestnut Street. Uh, first just a quick thank you to all of you. I know you're all basically volunteers. Making the municipal sausage is not pretty or easy. So, thank you for your service. I appreciate that. Um, I'm here to talk about the uh the Westfield Rink. Uh, first of all, thank you to Councilman Armentoto for letting um his constituents know this is being addressed tonight. I appreciate the information you sent over. Thank you for that. I wouldn't have known about it otherwise. So, thank you. Um, so I live right by Gumper Park. Um, the concerns we have today, the neighbors, are the same we have seven or eight years ago when this first um came to the front and when it was first proposed. Um, unfortunately, the impacts have not lessened. They've only gotten worse over the years. So, I was a little concerned and alarmed when I learned that this might not just be approved for one year, but three more years potentially, which could bring us to 10 or 11 years. I've honestly lost track of the of the rink and the impacts to the neighborhood. So, the same concerns that we had then are true now. Cars, traffic, trash, noise, the park being used until 9 or 10 o'clock at night, which happens really no other park in town. um especially in the winter time when no other parks are really being used that late. The prior administration didn't really take the concerns that seriously um and uh you know typically would just push them to the side as not a big deal. So I just want to bring to your attention those concerns we had then are still present now um and approving this for one year with a two-year option really opposed to that. I understand it's probably going to go forward anyway. I'm a realist. I understand that. I would just ask you please to keep in mind the concerns and the impact to the neighborhood, the overwhelming impact, negative impact to the neighborhood that the rink has had over the last seven to eight years. There's no positive for us. It's just negative. Um, and that includes the neighbors who live in Garwood, the Garwood Muse, directly across the street from it. Many of them former Westfield

residents. Um, I think it's also important just to quickly talk about safety. Uh we all know that there was the uh the collapse of the rink uh roof back in February. Um I got the information from Councilman Armento like I just mentioned, but really there's been no public airing of what happened, why did it happen, root cause analysis, what type of measures are going to be taken going forward to mitigate those instances. Thank god no one was hurt. Thank god there was no one in there when that happened. Um I ran into two kids um who were about to go in for practice and they said they're about to go in for practice. Um, I understand that everything was cancelled. Maybe they didn't hear, but at least they weren't inside. They could have been. So, I would like to hear more about the safety. What measures are going to be taken going forward to address safety concerns at a minimum root cause? How did it happen? Why? What steps were um were avoided or should be taken going forward to really address this? And and in conclusion, um I just would like all of you to ask yourselves, do we really need a rank in Westfield? Do we need a full-size NHL hockey rink under a tent on a basketball court in a small park in a neighborhood in Westfield? There's a second rank going up at Warreno. That was one of the justifications seven, eight years ago is that we need more more um more rinks, more um hockey time. Um and first of all, let me just say I'm a big supporter of Westfield athletics. Go Blue Devils. If there's been any positive to this for the hockey program, that's great. I'm really happy for the kids. But do we really need it now that there's a second rink at Warreno? Do we really need this here in Westfield? It's only 15 minutes away. It's really not that big of a burden. Um, Mayor Burman, I heard you say there might be a permanent solution. I hope that isn't Gumper Park. I really hope that isn't. Hope it's someplace else in town. Um, you know, if this is a benefit for the town, everyone gets to um benefit from it, enjoy it, let it be a burden to everyone in town and well as well. let

it go to other places in town. We've had it for seven, eight years now. Now you're talking three more years. So please, before you vote, just ask yourself, do we really need this in town? Considering the impact to the neighborhood, the safety concerns, the availability of other ice. Thank you. Thank you for your comments. Appreciate it. Do we have any others? Seeing no further comments, I close this portion of the meeting and move to bills and claims. Councilman Vinker Roman. Thank you, mayor. I'd like to move bills and claims in the amount of $390,586.67. May I have a second? Second.

Second by Councilwoman Adoir. Any discussion? All in favor? Yes. Yes. Opposed? The motion is carried. Uh, next on the agenda is reports of standing committees, beginning with the finance policy committee. Councilman Venet.

Thank you, mayor. I have nine resolutions which I would like to move as a package. One, resolution authorizing the chief financial officer to refund recreation department fees. Two, resolution authorizing the chief financial officer to draw warrants for overpay taxes. Three, resolution authorizing the chief financial officer to draw warrant uh to refund street opening cash bond. Four, resolution authorizing the chief financial officer to refund dumpster security payment. Five, resolution authorizing the chief financial officer to draw a warrant for dog licenses for March 2026. Six, resolution authorizing the chief financial officer to draw a warrant for board of adjustment escrow monies. Seven, resolution authorizing the chief financial officer to draw a warrant for planning board escrow monies. Eight, resolution authorizing execution of an agreement to enter the Educational Services Commission of Morris County Cooperative Pricing System. Nine, resolution authorizing an award of contract for Westfield Memorial Pool Concession Air.

May I have a second? Second. Second by Councilman Armento. Any discussion? All in favor? Yes. Opposed? The motion is carried. Councilwoman Gilman, please move the item for public safety, transportation, and parking committee. Thank you, Mayor. I would like to move a resolution authorizing payment to flock safety for the LPR cameras for the Westfield Police Department. May I have a second? Second by Councilman Saunders. Any discussion? Please call the role. Members, yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. This motion is carried. I would also like to move on first reading general ordinance number 2026-13 an ordinance to amend the code of the town of Westfield chapter 13. May I have a second? Second. Second by councilman. Any discussion? Please call the role. Council member Gilman. Yes. Pecker. Yes. Saunders. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Mayor B. Yes. This motion is carried. Councilman Pcker, please move the code review and town property committee resolution. Thank you, mayor. I would like to move a resolution authorizing the mayor to execute a lease agreement with Arena Realy Partners. May I have a second? Second.

Second by Councilwoman Gilman. Any discussion? Yes, Councilman.

Um, thank you for your comments, Mr. Stiflesen. as a war I councilman certainly torn a little bit um seven or eight years ago when the previous administration had promised the war I two residents who live near the rink that this would be temporary that didn't come to fruition because it's ongoing um unfortunately the previous leadership didn't do anything to pursue other options um but I think I feel confident under Mayor Burman here that we are going to look at other options I think due diligence needs to be done to look at the ice rink I do think it is. I think there's a lot of people in town that find it very valuable. Um it's unfortunate that people in that area it's it's it's very inconvenient because as you agree, the traffic, kids crossing the street late at night, it's not an ideal spot. Um but I I think that I'm voting yes for it because I think it to say no right now without having done any due diligence, which didn't occur previously, is is inappropriate. But I think starting now, we need to look at permanent options as Mayor Burman said. Um, if if next year we're in the same situation, nothing has occurred, I will vote no. But for now, I will vote yes because I do think it's it's a valuable asset to the town. Uh, and I think we need to look at the right options. I'm hoping a bipartisan committee can be put forth to look at um future options. In regards to uh in the safety concerns, I actually reached out to Mr. Gild day and I actually was in contact with um Ken Anderson from Arena and um basically they had uh they evaluate the safety of the uh the ice rink every day and they noticed that it was sagging and that's when they opted to cancel all um you know activities for that day. So uh the public wasn't at risk. Um m Mr. Anderson had indicated that um he's having engineers look at the structure and also in our new agreement we're seeking greater uh security uh precautions and safety uh precautions for the the ring.

So I feel confident going forward that safety should not be an issue and I feel confident that this town council as in unison will look at something that is fruitful for the town and hopefully meets everyone's needs. Thank you Councilman. Any other comments? Council?

Yeah, I just want to echo what Councilman Armentoto said. Um I'm I want to echo essentially everything. I think it was a good temporary solution. I think at this point given um the timeliness um we have to vote yes for this one year. I just want to be clear. It's an we have the option for the next for the second and third year. So that doesn't I know you said that means we have three years. It really is just one. And I do believe we are all looking for a more permanent solution that isn't right in the middle of a neighborhood. But um given the year is coming up and the winter will be here sooner than we know it, I'm going to vote yes on this. But I I want you to know that I hear everything you're saying. I hear what the neighbors are saying and um let's not let the past rewrite the future. So um we hear you. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman. Any other comments? I I do have a comment, mayor. That's

um I do appreciate your your feedback, Mr. Silson, and do wholeheartedly want to work with the neighborhood. I know in recent years, um at least to the recreation commission concerns have been brought up in in recent years in terms of mitigating the concerns, which I know uh the commission would be happy to work with uh Ken Anderson and the neighbors. Um that's that's one thing. Um, in addition, I think the rink has been an extreme benefit to the town, to the public as a whole, as well as particularly to the girls ice hockey programs in town. So, I'll be voting yes as well, but agree. I'm looking forward to how we can make a permanent solution for the rank here in town.

Thank you, Councilwoman. Any other comments? Okay, let's vote. All in favor? Yes. Yes. Opposed? The motion is carried. May I have a motion to adjurnn? So moved. Motion by Councilman Pecker. Second. Second. Councilman Saunders. All in favor? Yes. Yes. Opposed? The motion is carried. This meeting is adjourned. Thank you all for being here.