Transcript for Piscataway Council meeting on April 9 2019
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Apr 9 2019 · Council
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Speaker 0And this is open to the Public Resolution Ordinance.
Speaker 1Be the Township Council of Pisca Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled calendar year 2019 Ordinance to exceed the municipal budget appropriation rights, and to establish a cap bank NJSA 40 A 40 A four dash 45 4 was introduced on the fifth day of March, 2019 and passed the first reading and was published on the 14th day of March, 2019. Neither therefore be resolved that the opposite ordinance having had a second reading on April 9th, 2019, the adopted past and after passage be published together with the notice of the date of passage or approval in English's. Be a further resolved that this ordinance shall be assigned number 19 dash zero nine.
Speaker 0Any a motion? Second. Second. You please take roll.
Speaker 1Councilman Bullard. Yes. Councilman Cahill. Yes. Councilman Cahn. Yes. Councilwoman Lombardi. Yes. Councilman McCollum. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President.
Speaker 0Yes. I Justice. Item number eight on the first reading, acquisition of Easement and Land in three Simple for improvement of Hayward Avenue and Woodward Avenue is a resolution ordinance excuse. Please read the ordinance
Speaker 1Be resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey. Then an ordinance entitled Ordinance for the Acquisition of an Easement and Land in Fee Simple for the improvement of Hayward Avenue and Woodward Avenue. In Piscataway. Township County of Mills State, New Jersey being is hereby adopted on the first reading that it be published in the official newspaper. And that a second reading in public hearing be held at 7:30 PM for bailing time. The Sway Municipal Building 4 55 Post link, the sway New Jersey on the seventh day of May, 2019. Be a further result that a copy of this ordinance shall be posted in at least two public places within the Township prior to the day of the second reading and final passage. And a copy of this ordinance shall be made available at the office of the Township Clerk for any interested member of the public.
Speaker 0Do we have a motion? Second. Second
Speaker 1Councilman.
Speaker 0Yes.
Speaker 1Council? Yes. Council? Yes. Councilman mcc. Yes. Councilman McComb. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President Uhrin?
Speaker 0Yes. Item item number nine. Item agenda. Voting materials of these items have been distributed to the council in advance of this meeting at this time. Are there any items that the council would like to to discuss? Motion. Second. Second.
Speaker 1Council er. Yes. Councilman Cahill. Yes. Councilman Cahn. Yes. Councilwoman mb? Yes. Councilwoman McCall. Yes. Councilman Shaw?
Speaker 2Yes.
Speaker 1Council President
Speaker 2Harvey?
Speaker 0Yes. Item number 10, we have a population thousand 19 new drive ED driving track down April one 20.
Speaker 2Sure, sure.
Speaker 1Proclamation 2019 to drive text a distracted driving crackdown. This is from April 1st to April 21st, 2019. Whereas distracted driving is a serious life-threatening practice that's preventable And whereas distracted driving can result in injuries and death to all brew users, practices, motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. And we as distracted driving occurs and drivers divert their attention away from the task of driving to focus on another activity instead. And we are as in 2015 alone, distracted driving related crashes results in 3,477 deaths and 391,000 injuries on our nation's roads. And whereas in New Jersey, distracted driving was listed as a contributing circumstance in nearly 750,000 crashes between 2011 and two 15. And whereas the state of New Jersey will participate in a nationwide distracted driving 2018 crackdown from April 1st to April 21st, 2018. Actually that should probably say 2019 in an effort to raise awareness and decrease driver distraction through a combination of enforcement and education. And whereas the national slogan for the campaign is you drive, you text, you pay. And whereas a reduction in distracted driving in New Jersey will save lives on our roads. And now therefore it being resolved that Brian Wahler, our Mayor and the Council of the Council of Piscataway do hereby declare for the distracted driving. 2019 crackdown was locally and nationally from April 1st through April 21st, 2019 and pledged to help increase awareness of the dangers of distracted driver.
Speaker 2Thank you.
Speaker 0Item number 11, announcements and comments from officials.
Speaker 2Nothing at this time. Thank you.
Speaker 3Just as a reminder to support Councilwoman Lombardi's effort this Saturday with the cleanup, the Skyway Day. I think we talked at length last week to residents who might be interested. You can register that day. Please go out and support clean up the town and the Easter egg hunt is that very same day as well at the little league field.
Speaker 2Sorry,
Speaker 4I was late Councilman. There was a, there was a 45 minute range of delay at the little league field and I had to stay because my kid was up and the base was loaded and he got a single,
Speaker 2I
Speaker 4Couldn't miss that.
Speaker 2Very good. That's, I was,
Speaker 4Even though it thunder soy wouldn't call it. So we
Speaker 2There's and I'm here.
Speaker 3Yes, we're just getting ready for the cleanup this Saturday, the 13th of April 9:00 AM at the little league field. We're probably almost about 600 volunteers at this point and the T are are bad and we're ready to draw. Signs are up. Let's wait until we get to that date. Yes. Mr. Gloves, I have you on the registration list. I'll be looking for you in the morning.
Speaker 2I already told coffee. I want bagels. I want a sandwich so he'll be there.
Speaker 1I just wanna acknowledge the trustee of an icon, a teacher, a mentor, a track coach in our town, Mr. Larry Lester Will who passed away on this past Tuesday, April 2nd. He was a neighbor. He was my son's track coach. He was my teacher in high school. My kid's teacher. He meant a lot to a lot of us here in the Township of So I just want to just mention him and you say that he will never be forgotten as I'm sure many of us here know, know him. I also wanna acknowledge a passing of one of our teachers here in the Township by the name of Lila McDermot who passed away also this week. So just want to acknowledge her passing.
Speaker 2Well thanks
Speaker 5Very briefly. Council president, just want to acknowledge the what MLK dare graduates and also Harvard School of Dare graduates.
Speaker 2No, no. Object item member
Speaker 5To the public. Please state your name, your address, and know you have free
Speaker 2To speak.
Speaker 6Yes, my name is Marshall Butler, 89 School Street.
Speaker 2Good. Good evening Mr. Good evening.
Speaker 6I have a lot of issues on School Street. Right. By the time, first and foremost, I have a question. The road is a 25 miles hour speed, but we have broken lines in the road to give people authorization to pass. Why is that? I would, I would just like to know that, how do you pass a 25 miles hour?
Speaker 5Road's not even finished.
Speaker 6No. Well one side of the road is this and that happened before the road
Speaker 2Obstructed.
Speaker 5If, if I may counsel president, everything discovered by the Jersey State Department of Transportation on rules and ranks on what you can strike.
Speaker 4In other words, the town just can't go in and strike whatever they want. Everything has to be everything,
Speaker 5For lack of a better word. Everything is regulated by department
Speaker 4Transportation
Speaker 6On the 25 mile road.
Speaker 4The answer is you can, and you can't put a double strike line up without certainly put a stop sign. The answer is you can pass on a 25 mile. You can't pass on the curb, but you can pass on a 25
Speaker 6Mile so you can pass that 50 miles. In other words, that's what I'm getting at.
Speaker 4You know, the road you can't see dispute. You can pass the vehicle, say this vehicle double parked or or whatever. You can pass the vehicle on.
Speaker 6Well, but my, my my problem sir is that speed is too fast here and nothing being regulated to stop that and somebody gonna get hurt and killed on that road. I guess that's what's going to have to take That's, that's the question I have. Why is it, I mean going people going down there, in other words like a bad idea. You understand what I'm saying? Yeah.
Speaker 1Just want mention one thing Mr. Butler. Council president, if I, so what we've done in other neighborhoods, when you mention that there are people that are speeding on in the neighborhood that might be doing, I don't know, maybe 30 or maybe 35. Don't
Speaker 4Ask
Speaker 650,
Speaker 160. Okay. And I'll say, let's just say 60 quite often what we find sometimes is it's actually your neighbors sometimes. And I'm not gonna say that that's the case on your street. 'cause I go down School Street quite a bit and I know that people sometimes use it as a
Speaker 6Cut through. Yeah.
Speaker 1Cut from one section to the other. But we have put up those monitors out there so the people can actually see and then we also send the lease through and then what happens is the people start to complain that the neighbor, that they got tickets. But it's not something that we can't do. We can actually put one of those monitors up there.
Speaker 6Well the thing about it, ma'am, I live on that street, I don't see police out there too often and I see a lot of speed in there
Speaker 4By the park all the time.
Speaker 6All the time.
Speaker 4Roads on construction.
Speaker 6That's, that's prior too. And it probably will be a faster afterwards because the road going be improved. But we're gonna look through a lot more speeders there. What are we gonna do? Just let somebody be killed before we do something about it.
Speaker 4Okay.
Speaker 1And we can do that. I mean, I'm gonna tell you I drive down School Street quite a bit and I tend not to, one of the reasons why we're working on the road because I know that the road is pretty dead. But it's the, it is if you wanted to break your axle or blow a tire, if you're doing 50 on that street, that's exactly what's gonna happen because there's so many bumps.
Speaker 6But people don't care, man. That's what I'm saying. They don't care. And then the road got bumps and then now they don't care. Imagine when it's nice and smooth.
Speaker 1So what we'll do is, we'll, we'll when, when this happens we can always have, you know, police actually take a look at it,
Speaker 4Okay?
Speaker 6Okay. And my next issue is my house 89 scooters. You the Township come in, they put sidewalks in and they leave my house. I mean my yard three feet high where they done dug into the yard because that's the only house that's high on the hill on that street. I've not to put a retaining wall and they want to make my yard three to one slow, take the rest of my yard. That belongs to me. So I decided to know, you know what we gonna do better.
Speaker 7So there's been a lot of conversations between Mr. Butler and Township officials. We have acquired an easement from him and have paid him for the easement. And the, the town attorney, Mr. Clark has this case right now. We've told Mr well what our plan is and we look at it and watch it during the construction period. And he has sent some letters last week that are are concerned that have been referred to the legal department. So that's what this right now
Speaker 6Anthony, while 2250 Penfield Avenue North, I've been here in a bit. I was gone for a month, came back, I was hoping that the visual buffer that is supposed to be maintained by the town would've actually, it was getting to be spring. They might have done some planting, which I have been told for the last three years would be done. Nothing has been done. Still full of garbage. And I did speak to Henry Hinterstein after calling him maybe six times after the Mayor has suggested I call him and him not calling me back multiple times.
Speaker 6And basically what he said is, we're doing our best. But I pointed out that I had a visual buffer and my neighbors had a visual buffer from the facilities across the street on Knights Bridge when I moved in 25 years ago. It has been degrading for that 25 year period. I have been promised multiple times that action would be taken, planning would be done occasionally some things get planted, it never gets followed up on, they die, the trees have died off. So there's not a bunch of old growth trees left. And there is virtually no visual buffer left. Now as a resolution that was put in place in the seventies when this was built and has not been maintained. I've spoken to the general manager at Reba who promises me multiple times that things will be taken care of. They aren't. And you're degrading the value of my home, my neighbor's home. It's not a particularly appetizing view. And I I I have been told that the town would take care of it three years ago or two and a half years ago when Reba wanted to put up a nitrogen tank, there was some agreements of what they would do. What they did was inadequate. And if you, I've sent pictures to Henry, he told me there was planting last spring. There wasn't, there's nothing, no new planning has been done. Tony
Speaker 4Aren't aren't those evergreens? They, there's a I went by there answer you and I
Speaker 6Spoke. Yeah. And if you look in front of several dive in front of my front,
Speaker 4My house, but lemme finish my sentence. Yeah, it looks like there's a whole string of evergreens they put in, but they're not directly in front of your house. They're everywhere but
Speaker 6Your house. Well they were exactly an interesting situation. I'd say I'm the one who makes the most noise.
Speaker 4Let I, let me just, let me just finish what I'm saying. I'm trying to review again and
Speaker 6Let finish. Yeah, okay.
Speaker 4It looks like they planted them and, and they died. I know you, I know once before you told me that vegetation that was planted in front of her house died. So. Yep. My question is that evergreen row, were they originally planted in front of your house and they died? Yes. Yep. Okay, cool. And I just wonder because it wasn't like they didn't plant 'em there. They planted 'em for some reason or something happened to the ones like looks, it looks like there's like four or five that are missing right in front of your house. Indeed. I mean either somebody cut 'em down or,
Speaker 6And they planted some and the town twice has planted some deciduous bushes that also died because it didn't rain for a month or a month and a half. The first or second year they were there, the other ones took that implant previously. So it, as I have said, it's half, you know what actions that really are wasting the town's money because you keep trying to do something but never follow through on it and never do it effectively. So you'd make me aggravated. Those
Speaker 4Aren't our evergreens.
Speaker 7So I'll
Speaker 4I'll, aren't those the, aren't those the commercial property owners evergreens that they were planted in there?
Speaker 7So Henry, I'll paraphrase at least what Henry told me. He had a conversation on a Friday afternoon and he explained that he spoke to Riva about cleaning it up. The Mayor has also added it to this Saturday's cleanup for Earth Day to clean up the property. But as har as Henry explained to me and he says, he explained to the resident is that the problem that you have out there is that the trees have now grown through a hike that anything you plant below that will not get the proper sight and ultimately dies. And he said that there's been numerous plantings over the years and due to lack of rain or wish, because the big trees are sucking up and sunlight, whatever we're putting in there as requested by Mr. Wild is dying.
Speaker 4So the greens though Tim are on the other side by their parking lot. And I think they, I don't think we put it in because I don't think we,
Speaker 6They were put in with the nitrogen tank when, when they got the waiver for that
Speaker 4Refill in that one section. Right. Because they, because they, they run the length of the, of the property on the road there. They just was a gap through front of Tony's house. 'cause they, this, he's indicating they died.
Speaker 6But again, remember he
Speaker 4Told me down about two years
Speaker 6The trees have not grown to section the, there are less trees now than there were five years ago than there were 10 years ago, 15, 20 years ago. All the older trees have died. There may be one left within view of my house. So we are talking about doing something, do it following through and I'm, when it doesn't rain watering them, what a concept and, you know, doing something that would honor what the town had committed to the people of my neighborhood 30, 40 years ago and has not been maintained. I just, I don't think it is unreasonable to ask that the town honor its commitments. I've been told it would multiple times. It has not happened. You know, so
Speaker 7Tony and Henry are speaking and we'll see if we
Speaker 6Get a reach. And I will say one last thing. Henry also told me I would never be satisfied. I I, which is, we had a nice conversation. Is that a a reasonably nice guy but to think I'll never be satisfied. All I want is what I, you know, it doesn't have to be what it was 25 years ago. But it can't just keep degrading and I'm sorry cut you up with you a few minutes way over. I understand. I heard my Mike Wright. Thank you.
Speaker 8Good evening. Jim Brennan 2200 Custer Street. So Mr. Wheel's problem is exactly what I hit. But on a grander scale I drive by Tony's house, I know exactly what he's talking about. It's a mess over there. And Bright is probably four or five times more wooded and a covered when I moved in 20 years ago. So I'm looking for an update on 800 Centennial if anybody has one as far as a tenant or as far as some of the work on that burns.
Speaker 4I know they're an a tenant, which is the reason why they have their advertising for a tenant. They, I don't know what ever happened with the pharmaceutical company, but they obviously haven't taken the space, at least as of now. As of now they don't have a tenant and as of now I think the Fairwell stops working on the building 'cause they don't know what to do with the inside.
Speaker 8Well I'm on record telling you exactly the story of the pharmaceutical company.
Speaker 4Well you could, you could be on record for all you want, but you and I
Speaker 8Have had, I'm on record saying that was just to put the residence off so that we'd stop complainant so
Speaker 4You can be on record.
Speaker 8We know, I know this is gonna be a full bore, you know, 500 truck a day warehouse that you're putting in a residential neighborhood.
Speaker 4You could be on record while you want, but I know who the company was. Okay. And
Speaker 8I know that so so because I only have three minutes you guys have come, you're talking. So in attempting to get some information, I've made no less than two dozen calls to Ms. Cahill. Every call goes to voicemail. That voicemail never gets listened to because the box is always phone yourself. Mr. Cahn, dozens of phone calls I've gotten one returned. Henry Hinterstein, apparently his phone is broken and his email doesn't work. 'cause Mr. Hinterstein never ever responds to anything. I did stop by town hall and basically I was just looking for a couple of simple answers. Ms. Cahill, you promised me an answer on how someone could unsworn statement say that they burned to Mr to the town attorney, Mr. Clarkin, that it was gonna be flat 30 feet on top and planted. And that is certainly not the case. That's six feet across on top.
Speaker 8I'm, I'm still looking for an answer on that. And that was simply looking for an answer on the initial plans. It's called for an eight foot fence running across the top of the berm. I'm not a landscape engineer, but looking at the top of that berm, I do not see any way that they can plant a fence. And in the most recent plans I've seen, I, and again, I'm not a landscape engineer, but I do not see that fence in the landscaping plans. So I've been looking for information on that, but I I think as a resident we deserve at least a courtesy of a response from at least one person that represents us.
Speaker 4Jim, I I responded to you a lot of times and, and I, and you just emailed me a week ago and I wrote you back. So to answer some of your questions. Henry was out there, I wanna say a week to 10 days ago, maybe a day or two more than that. I was supposed to go with him, but I could not. 'cause he wanted to go out and, and then and visually see some of these things. I have not spoken to him since he's been out there
Speaker 8And I've numerous times if he would do that with me and no one would,
Speaker 4I don't have a problem doing it with you, but I can't speak for
Speaker 8Henry. Right. But no one will actually do it. So
Speaker 4The plan does call for a fence on the top fence. I don't know that the fence is practically gonna be constructed until the landscaping is done because you put a fence up and you have to do the full time landscaping on either side of the fence. So the fence may be the last thing that goes up there. They're not done with it. What Henry told me prior to going out there was that he had numerous issues with the landscaping, the state of the landscaping. He and I discussed various different options. So it's still, it not, it's not exactly spring yet.
Speaker 8If you would ate well it is, but if you would communicate that right then I would be less angry and hostile about these things. But he doesn't respond. If he had just said, Hey look, I've been out there, here's what I've seen, here's the things I'm gonna ask them for. I I would probably just say thank you and go away. But no one, no one will respond. So I'm still looking for response on how the developer and their representatives can under, under oath make a statement that with the plans two feet to their right, totally different than what the plans say and how that gets through our playing board.
Speaker 3So if I could, if I could just Councilman, so when we did speak I said I I I said I would get that information. I have, I have not read through the entire testimony and that's, you know, on time, but you didn't really need read the whole thing. But when we spoke, what I think I communicated probably, you know, wanted to get a more definitive answer, was that I am sure that at the, the meetings that they do were like workshops that, that, that error was found and when we voted on it, it had been correct.
Speaker 8You weren't even there to vote on it.
Speaker 3Like mean we meaning the plan.
Speaker 8Well, a few of those meetings
Speaker 3No, I'm at every,
Speaker 8Not the attendance for the meetings,
Speaker 3I'm at every planning board meeting. You were
Speaker 8Not. So you you were not at the meeting when they
Speaker 3Voted. I was not at that one. Okay, okay.
Speaker 8Okay. Matter but hold on. They had a gentleman come up from your s one testimony and say this is what it's going to be. Right. If it wasn't going to be that way that he did in front of a room full of people of Mr. Clarkin, then there should have been another planning board meeting.
Speaker 3Right? I sure that
Speaker 4I need to cut you off but you way over the three months. Just let me just explain. Let me just, this is what I wasn't there and I did read the transcript that you sent me and the transcript reads exactly as she says. It reads, I'll say this, having read thousands of transcripts, they're not always completely right. So I don't know if it's right or not.
Speaker 8It's on video tape as well.
Speaker 4Let, let me say, I just, the transcript
Speaker 8Says just let me know as well. Same thing.
Speaker 4Let, let me just say from a practical perspective, if you made a flat top of 30 feet or so, you'd have about a hundred foot width
Speaker 8Base. I I get it. I'm not looking for engineer.
Speaker 4If somebody said that, it, it's an obvious error. And I don't know why they would say
Speaker 8Or or again, just meant to tell people what they want to hear. So they would go, what?
Speaker 4Well, if you, if, if you wanna look at everything, you wanna look at everything that went on,
Speaker 8Something to hold them accountable,
Speaker 4I'm not gonna speak 'cause she's this guy and keep talking. You want me to answer you? You want
Speaker 9Yes, please move
Speaker 4On. I'm saying if you wanna look at everything in a, in the most negative light, then you're right. I don't know what went on. I just know that you couldn't possibly have a berm with a 30 foot flat top fit on that spot. And anybody, anybody don't
Speaker 8Have a 300,000 square foot, hundred 44th bay warehouse on that piece of property. And
Speaker 9You have the same concern.
Speaker 4Well, you and I know that. I've always thought that's
Speaker 844
Speaker 9Loaning days. Mr.
Speaker 7Bre, I'd to cut you off with you.
Speaker 4I'll talk to you about it. Off the record.
Speaker 9Good evening everyone. My name is Bruce. I reside at 1 0 5 Normandy Drive. I've been there for 71 years and my grandfather bought that property 102 years ago. And I want make things very clear, I'm not here to complain. The reason why I'm here is to make everyone in this council aware of a very, very serious problem. I don't think the Mayor needs to listen before,
Speaker 7Excuse me, before Mr. Brown goes ahead. We just need to let him know that we've been dealing with Mr. Brady. He has an attorney and has referred the attorney to us, threatening a lawsuit against us and people play recreation. And that a complaint has been referred to to, to my office. So, so I just ask the council to go ahead and Mr. Listen to the resident's comments. But I ask you refrain I thought resolved. He did not. We thought we could too.
Speaker 4Go ahead judge.
Speaker 9May I speak? Yeah, absolutely, please. And again, I'm not here to complain please. And I, I believe there's many members on this council that I'm not aware of my problem. And that's why it came tonight. This problem started when the cricket field was originally designed. Initially there were no problems. But five years ago my property suffered approximately $5,000 in damages. And most recently, a year ago, I was threatened by cricket players by a bat and trying to threaten an assault. And that happened because the balls continued to hit my house and land on the property and a, a verbal discussion accelerated into an argument. And then two of them approached me with their back and I was standing on my property. If it wasn't for my wife screaming, call the police something very serious would've happened. I attempted last year to attend one of these meetings and I was intervened by the Mayor at the door who made a suggestion and was fully aware of this.
Speaker 9And he said, I want you to contact my secretary Dana and have a meeting with the chief of police who at that time was Mr. Carmel, director of Parks and Recreation. Mr. Tina Hersey is here tonight. His secretary Dana. And the Meine went very well. But one important question that I asked Mr. Danny was who was responsible for designing this? And I believe he said he was involved in that. And I said, well how could you possibly design something that would jeopardize my wellbeing and my family and my property? And his answer was including I didn't have enough experience in cricket and I had no idea that this could cause so much damage. We resolved the meeting on a more or less a temporary agreement that one cricket pitch had to be removed 'cause it is entirely too close to my property. If you Google it and look at official specifications of the cricket field, my house is in the outfield. Well I thought one would be removed and I'm willing to negotiate and the other one in front of the house could possibly remove further away. Here I am today and nothing has been resolved. And two weeks ago I saw cricket players playing and I asked you to have a commit the plane. They said yes.
Speaker 9So it prompted me to visit the Mayor and right away he referred me to Mr. Tierney and I sat down with Mr. Tierney and I asked him, what is going on? Because I thought you were going to resolve a problem. And we had a temporary agreement. And he said, look Mr. Broad, until we resolve this, I will not issue any more permits to play cricket. I said, thank you, let's try and resolve this the following weekend. Here we go, people playing cricket with permits. And he was kind enough to talk to me at my address and I said, what happened? He said, well, what we spoke about the next day I told the Mayor and the Mayor told me, disregard anything that I promised you issue permits. And I quote Mr. Chairman, may I show you something? I didn't buy these at Dick's 20 books. That's only two months of cricket balls that I took off my property from last year. Only a week and a half or two weeks of games. I've already got eight. So again, I wanna make something very clear. I'm not here to complain. For those of you who are not aware of the problem, you are aware. Now one thing that Ell chief police said to me, he said, no one has the right to deny a citizen a peaceful life. And I think that made a lot of sense. I only have one question and I'll leave. And this is addressed to the Mayor. You are fully aware of the problem numerous times my lawyers have contacted you and you refuse to answer.
Speaker 9In my professional career, Annie and everybody I did business with would always respond. So my question to the Mayor is, and you don't have to answer by the way, because this is not a court of law and you're not under oath and I happen to be a lawyer, so you don't have to answer. But I still have to ask you, why do you refuse to address a very serious problem and refuse to speak to me or my attorneys because I'm very flexible. This is a very simple problem to resolve. I'm not asking for the town to remove all the cricket fields, but I'm only asking for some cooperation so that we can both live a Mr. Lee. You say,
Speaker 4Sir, did you say you were a lawyer or were not A lawyer
Speaker 9Was a lawyer. I left it when
Speaker 4But you should be one. That's what I was gonna say. Pretty good.
Speaker 9I used to work with Bruce Cutler in Brooklyn. I don't know if you know who he was. Yeah, yes. Do you?
Speaker 4Yeah,
Speaker 9John Gotti. But I saw the corruption and the way things work and I told him, Bruce, I I have to leave this profession. I I can't handle it. And I went into the private sector. I did much better.
Speaker 4Let me, let me just say one thing and I don't want take any more time on this. We, we are aware of it and I, you know, you know how lawyers are when you get a lawyer involved, everybody else gotta get a lawyer. I'm a lawyer so your lawyers can screw everything up. But I I my understanding was that the town desires to resolve the issue and I'm gonna have a conversation with the Mayor of my colleagues at some point later. And I believe there's a way to resolve.
Speaker 9Yes sir. Every problem has a solution. The only problem that doesn't have a solution is death theft.
Speaker 4This guy's, if I get arrested, I'm hiring this guy, but I all sincerity. I I think we have a handle on the problem. I'm gonna talk to the Mayor and
Speaker 9Let's see where it goes. I'm very easy to negotiate. I'm gonna work something out between you, the Indian culture, right? And my property and every problem does have a solution. Thank you much giving the opportunity to speak
Speaker 4And I should sell those walls back to them on the weekend.
Speaker 9Right?
Speaker 4Thank you.
Speaker 9Thank you.
Speaker 10Good evening.
Speaker 2Good evening,
Speaker 10Brian. 47 31 River Road. Mr. Cahn, as you promised they did take the trucks off River Road. Very good job the first week. Now they run up down River Road around the clock.
Speaker 4Numerous.
Speaker 3That's not true. I live
Speaker 9Not
Speaker 10River. Yeah, that's I do too. And I'm, I live 1003 and they said, and I was told by my neighbor, I was told by my neighbor that they'll deal with the guys, the local guys get tickets and the guys out of town wouldn't get tickets. They're not familiar to territory. UPS is running Puffs down the road at night. I'm watching them. Yeah.
Speaker 2So
Speaker 3There are trucks that are still, I mean we're talking not
Speaker 7Under 10,000
Speaker 4Cloud.
Speaker 10They're tractor trailers. They're not under 10 tons.
Speaker 7Anything under 10 tons or that is making, I'm not trying to be argumentative, I'm trying to answer your question.
Speaker 10Okay.
Speaker 7We cannot ban anything under 10 tons and we cannot ban anything doing local deliverance. So there's a UPS truck making delivery to Colgate Hollow.
Speaker 10We can't 10 tons to 10,000 pounds,
Speaker 710 tons,
Speaker 4Tons,
Speaker 10Tons. 20,000 pounds.
Speaker 4Right? So let me answer your question. 'cause I'm there and I'm, I've been keeping a careful eye and every now and then there's trucks, but I'm gonna tell you there's probably 95% or more of the trucks of an off road. And Tim can tell you a couple times, I, I was in traffic and saw a tractor trailer. I took a picture and sent it to him where I've talked to the chief about it. We only have so much in the way of resources, but I, here's part of the problem. You may see a truck by your house and my house, they may get down to by the stadium 'cause that's where we've been hanging out and ticketing 'em. They may get a ticket, right? I mean I saw, I saw a truck this morning and I ended up having to go further that was going to New Brunswick and I went down further down and by the time I got down there he was pulled over right in front of the stadium. So,
Speaker 10Okay, but run down the road, live on River, right? There's,
Speaker 4There's like
Speaker 3Three spots that they put.
Speaker 4Some of it's gonna be learned behavior, you know, we just upped the fine $250 to make it more of a pay
Speaker 10The Township get all the money
Speaker 4We're getting all we're getting all the money.
Speaker 10Yes, that's right.
Speaker 4So we're, we're doing the best. We're doing the best we can, you know, there would occasionally be a truck, but I can tell you I live off the road not on it. But the folks that live right on the road and you're one of them, you, you gotta, you gotta tell me it is a heck of a lot better than it was.
Speaker 10Oh that, yeah, they're still running but it's much, much better
Speaker 4And it's going to get better because the trucks that are there continue to get tickets. The work will get out. The GPS will you do GPS and Wave and all that other stuff. That'll change sooner. It'll be don't go on River Road and you'll see it's gonna continue to get better and better.
Speaker 10Okay, next issue, I'm just looking at item number A and nine with the a Belgium block sidewalk doing the sidewalks and the block blocks for, you know, 88 block when you run the sidewalks down River Road. At what time is, is that, is that within this time frame of 2019? 2021
Speaker 3Did you say A and B what?
Speaker 10No, A number nine on agenda
Speaker 5A A under
Speaker 3The consent. Yes. The curb sidewalk. The driveway and the aada. A ramps. Yes.
Speaker 5So what's your question again? Sorry.
Speaker 10Alright, when they run down river, according to the May, they're gonna run sidewalk straight down River Road. Eventually. Eventually. So this not within this time. No, this no this is, I was just concerned about that's all.
Speaker 5That would be the count, the answer may someday
Speaker 10Maybe so. Okay, well it's not why be notified when it's done or you just gonna,
Speaker 3I don't know the count. That's the county project I'm waiting
Speaker 5To by his house. You doesn't, maybe at eight, nine years.
Speaker 10Okay, perfect. I'll probably going by, but thank you.
Speaker 5Mine's clear. Good evening.
Speaker 9Jonathan Towers 360 1 Stone Road. Unfortunately I can't really make it to planning of zoning, you know, meetings given my schedule on my way here and traveling to 2 87 new app, the the new apartments on Old New Brunswick Road, Vallon Apartments. I see some stuff getting torn down next to it. Is there anyone can gimme an up update on what's gonna happen over there on Old Bruswick
Speaker 5If I may. That's part of the suit from housing advocates than you know.
Speaker 9Yeah I know. You
Speaker 5Know, you know where issue
Speaker 9But no. Is it more apartments going up?
Speaker 5Yes, it's sued by housing advocates. And this is,
Speaker 9I know you're trying to blame my my friend, but
Speaker 5You know what
Speaker 9It's about. But I don't, I didn't know if it was gonna be housing apartments. I honestly didn't know that apartment. But now three weeks or maybe a month ago you told me to, is there more apartments going on around town also in other
Speaker 5Areas. This is all part of the housing advocate for the state of New Jersey. You know what very clearly town thousand where 300 plus towns were sued. And this is a culmination of the judge with a settlement with most communities. That's a do. And I'm saying the person's name but you know that person
Speaker 9Did you got, did we sue to try to, did you fight it at all or you were more than happy to take a thousand on
Speaker 5Let's Wick has done its fair share of a housing obligation.
Speaker 9I know that's
Speaker 4Not, but I think
Speaker 9It's disingenuous. I'm trying to give you credit for it.
Speaker 5I know, but you, some of the folks that you've been dealing with are coming out and criticizing the town about the motor, moderate income housing going up when that was, individuals from that group are actually part of the parties that suit
Speaker 9Now trying I I I spoke with her, I with her all
Speaker 5Record, legal record.
Speaker 9I spoke, I'm trying, you know, I know, I'm
Speaker 5Just asking
Speaker 9The question. I, I spoke with our mutual friend and she filled me in on her side of it. So I'm just trying to find out. I actually, I was just asking what was going up there. Yeah and you went off on a tangent into the affordable housing. So did not know what was going on in there. And that's, yeah, that's the purpose. It's
Speaker 3How many though you understand in order to meet that obligation that the housing has to be built and we have to create a master plan.
Speaker 9I'm not here fighting that.
Speaker 3We have a master plan that will allocate affordable housing in many different areas so that we can abide by that with ruling.
Speaker 9That's fine. I've told you countless times that I'm fine with it. Yeah, I was just asking what was going up there and about how many units, do you know how many units? I
Speaker 5Don't exactly. Not the affordable
Speaker 9Housing units, but the total units I'm asking that's
Speaker 5A very small,
Speaker 3It's, it's much smaller than Avalon.
Speaker 9Okay. Because I don't, I don't have any children and I'm concerned about the schools and everything and taxes and stuff they
Speaker 3Are made aware of. They are made aware of the master matter. Right.
Speaker 5By the way, just so the general public knows, the school district does a demography study every couple of years in regards to that. And they, they're fully aware of what's going on planning wise in the town. As a matter of fact, they did sign off on all the studies that were taking place with the construction currently going on.
Speaker 9Okay, cool. So you look good for the projections are good.
Speaker 5Yes. And by their own, signed off by their own
Speaker 4Superintendent.
Speaker 9Okay, so these, these companies, the owners are gonna be paying regular taxes like everyone else or are they getting tax breaks, pilots or anything like that?
Speaker 3They have to.
Speaker 9Okay. Yeah, because I was hoping to sign a pilot right now. Like if I could just start, keep paying my same amount now. That's not,
Speaker 3No.
Speaker 9Alright, thank you. You're welcome.
Speaker 4Just
Speaker 3Sar
Speaker 4I can explain a little bit about the legal process that we were in. So the requirement came down as a result of, you know, litigation, you know, from COA and other and other affordable housing advocates. And what happened is, is the Supreme Court directed each county to handle the issue within their county. And in our county, the, the matter was assigned to Judge Wilson that was now retired, but Judge Doug Wilson had it and he entered, entered an order that every town in, in the county had a, had to have in their master plan an affordable housing plan consistent with the numbers that the Supreme Court and, and had dictated. And there's a formula and each and every town had Cahn series of conferences with the judge and there were lawyers for COA that were at these conferences and there was negotiation. So the town would come in and say, we, here's what we want to put in our master plan.
Speaker 4And the affordable housing advocates would argue for more. And the judge would kind of negotiated a compromise with every single town in the county, with the exception of South Brunswick, who refused to, to cooperate with what the court had tried to negotiate. And they litigated it out and lost. I can't tell you whether they had to build more or they had to build more than they, than they wanted. And they had to build it in the, the key is that South Brunswick ended up, and I was very good friends with the Mayor at the time who were, fortunately it was all our friend who passed away, he was a leader that the court ordered them not only to Bill Moore but build it where he thought it should be, as opposed to where Sal Brunswick thought it should be. And so they lost control of that.
Speaker 4They took that issue all the way to the appellate division and lost, I assume it's now a resolved issue. So, you know, we, you know, affordable housing has its pluses and minuses. It's got its social benefits and it's got its social, you know, it creates other social issues that aren't so beneficial for each community. And these things have to balanced out carefully. So we hired experts and lawyers to do that. We negotiated out a resolution with coa and as a result of that, that site and some others are, are in our master plan to be developed to provide for our affordable housing quota That's required by law. That's why these sites are developed. We're not building 'em, but we had to designate certain areas and if we, we refused to do so and we were non-compliance, the court would've told us what we had to build and where. And so there's been three rounds, right. Of coa. And I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, somebody who knows more than me. I think that we have in our master plan and have planned out, we're we're good for more than 25 years or so down out into the future. Am I correct? And that's the law. So in the state of New Jersey, we've always followed him. You have a choice.
Speaker 11Not the truth. That's the truth. That's the truth. I did just ask what going up. Lemme say, lemme say one thing didn't didn't go there. I was just asking what was going up there. Let
Speaker 4Say one more thing. I know a guy who lived in lives in this town, I say who he is who his his, his father and grandfather lived in this town and they, and they, and he, he cannot find an affordable place to live in this getaway. I I don't wanna name who it is and he's somebody who's important to our community and he's, he ended up moving out of town 'cause he couldn't find an appropriate place to live that was affordable. So, you know, affordable housing has, its, its benefits and it has, its, its drags on each community and there has to be a proper balance in looking at these things. And that's the way we've always tried to look at it. So, you know, people don't want, you know, an apartment here or a condo here and they say they don't want it and so on and so forth. It also provides the opportunity for young people to move into the community that don't have the amount of money to buy an expensive house. So these things have to be looked at and they have to be balanced out between the pros and the cons. And it's a complicated process quite frankly. And we do the best we can with it. Thank you. Thank
Speaker 2You.
Speaker 9Anything both Valet lane. Good evening council. Good evening on Item number S
Speaker 9Won't have that afternoon. Okay. Last month in March, some of my comments, it wasn't on the agenda and I was asking about a lot of overrides as far as cost. Good example is, and I understand public works did a lot of work for public works. You didn't know how pipes and so forth was until you got into the walls and you had to do change doors. Matter of fact, quite a few change doors from that experience. I asked as I stated last month, this canopy that's out there now. I said there's, everything's open. I said there therefore there will be no increase, there'll be no change orders. I see tonight that there is, my question is what kind of changes are they making? Right?
Speaker 7So you've got your projects
Speaker 9Confused.
Speaker 7Okay this is on the police canopy that's being built out of the police parking lot and the total project was about $2,520,000 or something. And what this, this is for, this is $19,800 addition for putting ice guards along the sides. What we found is the company made terrific progress in getting this thing built throughout the winter and we had the last snowstorms. They found that when the temperature rises the next day after it snows, the metal of the canopy warms quicker than the the ground and everything else. And the snow was falling off of it. And our concern was we don't want to have anybody hit by snow ice falling off of it. So they were installing ice guards around it for 19,000 bucks, which we thought was a very good deal.
Speaker 9How many police canopies you point out because I know the initial cost was the $2 million that we're you are referring to. We're talking about the same thing, correct?
Speaker 7Yeah, it's one canopy bill being built. It's almost done. I'm just gonna finish topping the, the PA and hooking up the electricity. We'll be done.
Speaker 9Are we talking about two different canopies?
Speaker 7No, there's one. Okay. You go past
Speaker 9No
Speaker 7Police station. Okay. Right in front of the police station where the parking lot was and put the canopy for police cars. Please go at the park under with an entranceway right into the building.
Speaker 9Is there any way to identify when you, when I'm making reference and you bring up point What canopy are we we're referring to?
Speaker 7Yeah, resolution actually says that the, the contractor we a contract is the tr we getter to New Jersey for Piscataway Police vehicle Canopy project. Very bad resolution
Speaker 2Department
Speaker 9Item number you Utah. I know they've done a lot of work over at the senior building. What type of change order? I know it's pertaining to the sprinkler system but what kind of change order? What's happened over the mountain for the additional cost?
Speaker 7Yeah, this was back in December. There was a break I think we remember talked about there was a break on a weekend in the leak in the sprinkler system. So we did an emergency at the time to get it fixed. Guessing $30,000 was to be enough when we finished out the project that came out to be five 35,007 14. This is just approved the extra $5,700 and most of this would be recruited through our shorts.
Speaker 9Alright, thank you.
Speaker 0The best for luck.
Speaker 2How you doing Curtis? I'm
Speaker 0Alright today Curtis you have 1750 West. I just want to comment to Mr. Palm about the newsletter. Appreciate that little tidbit. I had to take it back to my neighbors because like I told Mr. Frank those letters, we look at what we want to read out of it. Lemme toss it. So appreciate that little information which I took back to my seniors. My wife don't like it 'cause it doesn't fit the kitchen.
Speaker 2And this this is a document I have for you right here. Thank you. Sure. Thank you Mr. Thank you. Thank you. Motion. Motion. Second
Speaker 9Cost 58. Curtis Sway. I am so sad
Speaker 2We hear all these.
Speaker 9This man right here has a right to say you have a contract to plant these trees here. Put a stipple in our contract to make sure those trees take root and maintain until air planted. A whole bunch of cherry trees on Curtis Avenue. Snow plow came in and to off all the support. I cleaned them. I cleaned those trees and sprayed them from we need to put AIF in the contract and maintain the trees. Other things the police officers in this Township, they should go around and put out fires between neighbors. Do not go over there and yell at an individual over someone, some over something someone said and threatened to take him to jail. Go ahead, take me to jail. I will sue this down. I will sue the police and I'll sue every one of my neighbors that is hurting me. There's something wrong going on. What is happening on stealthing and flaking? Why we need to put out all these eyesore and the police officers should make these reports noticeable not only to these council but to everyone here.
Speaker 2Thank you. Anyone else have a motion? Motion. Motion. Second. Second. All in favor? Aye. Aye.
Speaker 0Meeting is, I'd like to pull the agenda meeting for April 23rd. The order Adequate notice of this meeting as provided as required. 2 31 po 9 7 5. Specifying time, date, and location. The the agenda by a copy of a notice of Aithal building in support. Two municipal library going forward. Providing a copy to the official newspaper filing copy in the office with the certification purpose. Take
Speaker 1Councilman Bullard. Here. Councilman Cahill. Here. Councilman Cahn. Here. Councilman Lombardi. Here. Councilman MCC Colum. Here. Councilman Shaw Here. Council president
Speaker 0Here
Speaker 12States Mayor to the Republic. Republic. For which which it stands One nation under God. Liberty Justice Parole
Speaker 0Item number five. Second reading, moving second. Third, amendment to financial room and Township and two turner. Renewal LLC will be open to the public. Questions number six, warn us on the second meeting amending chapter seven traffic section 25, vehicle over dedicated weight excluded from certain streets. And this will be open to the public commerce questions Item number seven, ordinance on the second reading amended chapter 19, fire prevention and protection Section three, agency Ignation. And this is also the public. Any comments or questions? Item number eight. First reading amending chapter 20, land subdivision section 5 0 9. Performance guaranteed. Mr. Resident adopt more understanding. Comments or questions? Item number nine, resolution authorizing reading of fiscal thousand 19. Budget title. Any comments or questions? Item number 10, hearing fiscal 2019 municipal budget questions Item number 11, adopting the fiscal 2019 municipals budget. Questions item number 12, author item refund of overpayment of taxes due to tax court judgment meeting King Kingsbridge Road block 67 0 2 lot 8 0 180 Kingsburg Road. Any comments or questions? Item number 13, resolution authorizing release of cash performance upon low lows Home Center Incorporated, Centennial Square Plaza Block 6 5 0 1 block, 1202 Centennial Avenue. Item number 14, resolution authorizing license. Shirley Lopez and Amir. Item number 15, resolution authorizing affordable assistance Grant, 4,000 Valon Way Unit 44 3. And also resolution number 16 authorizing affordable is a grant. 7,000 Valon Way Unit 72 30 at any comments or questions?
Speaker 0Number 17 res and authorizing water of public Safety Building and accountable and electrical systems renovation did opening April 4th, 2019. Any comments or questions? Item number 18, resolution authorizing order bid 2019 Sanitary civil rehabilitation project. Phase three, national Water Main Cleaning company not to exceed 108,007 $30 if
Speaker 1I may, counsel president that's in the no
Speaker 2View. Current section.
Speaker 0Item number 19, izing, return of engineering and inspection fees. Those Home Center Incorporated approximately 5 0 1 1 Ang New South Washington and Avenue. Any question? Item number 20, resolution of shop spotter gunshot detection location, alter analysis solutions, shop spotter Incorporated not to exceed 35,000 miles. Any comments? Request item number 21, localizing raffle license RA 1394 and 1395 St. Math Church RA 1396 Ling Village Society. Any comments or questions? I number 22. Motion to accept for the report of the clerk's account, March, 2019. And item number three, accept the report of division of revenue March, 2019. Any comments and questions? Item number 24, motion receive and enter into this disbursements for the month of March, 2019. Any comments? Question
Speaker 2Item
Speaker 0Number 25. Announcement comments from officials?
Speaker 2No, not at this time. Thank you very much.
Speaker 1No, thank you. Thank President.
Speaker 2Okay, no thank you. None at this time. Thank you.
Speaker 1So I have one announcement on Saturday, May 25th. We're going this Gather annual Walk for your Health. This is a pre walk in Johnsons Park. If you can register@thisawaynj.org forward slash recreation, it requires four items in order for you to register your first name, your last name, your email address, and your telephone number. Checkin is at seven 30. The walk starts eight 30, it's at 5K. So hopefully we'll, we'll see you out. If you have any questions, by all means please here give us, okay, thanks.
Speaker 7Just
Speaker 7Briefly, what set the record straight about the, the cricket, what the resident came and said it was not necessarily true. We reached an agreement with him last fall and we attempted to implement this spring, which was the removal of the pitch closest to his house and the suspension of all hard wall printed out, which is what we all agreed to. We were issuing permits only for softball, cricket on the other pitch, not on the pitch closest to his house. Once he did receive that, they were playing out there. He did come in, he did contact the fair, he did directly sue us and anybody involved with playing cricket out there at recreation and essentially said that he wants snow cricket out there. So that's why we referred him to the living department. We have attempted to reach settlement, but then we did reach one and implemented it and he changed his mind as to what the, the discussion is what we agreed to. So that's why we turn it over to, so the department handled,
Speaker 2He did or a lawyer didn't
Speaker 7He? He came here. He came here. We immediately sent them down to John. John talked to him. He didn't get the job that those parameters were no longer adequate and he didn't want any pricked that it's not proper place. So you can't deny, we can't deny people right to play Prickett in the public market. What we gonna put a debt out He did not want to. So we will handle it through the attorneys and hopefully we'll reach some kind of agreement with him, but it wasn't quite as clear as he claims. It's,
Speaker 2He's a good, he was a good lawyer though. Good advocate. The only question I have is, is he still having balls hit his house change?
Speaker 7Yeah. I, I believe everything he brought in, I believe is from last year. So we, but we, we've implemented the change
Speaker 4Of moving the field though,
Speaker 7Right? We we're not using the creek. We're moving the pitch by his head and we're not using hard ball. So the soft balls go a lot less the distance of the hard ball.
Speaker 4This issue is not from the pick team, from the Piscataway. Once in a while, other team come in, they don't have a permit. We don't have a permit, nothing. And they play. And as soon as we know that, they call the police and they just throw 'em out there. So his issue, not from cricket team, from the Piscataway, they aware of the issue. Only these people who's coming from out of the town and we follow up, just throw him out there. So there is no issue permit without any to get from. Get him from Mr.
Speaker 2There, no issue from Mr. Thank you.
Speaker 7No conversation thinking.
Speaker 2I, I have number 26 open to the public. Please state your name, your address. You have three minutes and weeks to speak. Jim Brennan, 2200 Custer Street. So I've heard from three people, myself included, and, and
Speaker 8Those three people pointed out the fact that they don't get responses or return phone calls from Township employees, Township elected officials. So again, I'm going to ask that you consider better means of contacting the council and the mayor's office. There is one group, email address council@pwa.org or something like that, just going out on a limb here. But it's pretty clear that no one reads those or response that I've never gotten a response to an email to the pwa.org counselor pwa.org email.
Speaker 2I write you back on my personal email that you
Speaker 8Have un understood. I'm right, but, but these things should go through the pwa.org email if you want me to say that. I think that we're directed to personal emails so things are not on record. Yes. I think that well, well, I, not to bring Jared or I'm talking about you, I just, I just think that's by design and I think it's wrong. And as far as reaching out to our council members, I, I don't think it's right that we should have to call 12 14 15 times and just get dumped into a voicemail that's always full or not be responded to. I, I, I don't think what I'm asking for is wrong. I don't think anybody here would disagree. If you were to call Sears, you would expect somebody to pick up the phone. All we're looking for is common courtesy and response.
Speaker 2Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? Mr. Speak? Do have a motion? Motion? Second. Second. All in favor? Aye. Meeting adjourned.