Transcript for Piscataway Council meeting on January 2 2018
Note: Transcripts are generated by rev.ai and may not be fully accurate. Please listen to the recording (below) if you feel any text is inaccurate.
Speaker 1 00:00:04 Okay, we'll move on to the consent agenda for efficiency. Items have been consolidated into a consent agenda to be voted on together. The materials for these items have been distributed to the council in advance of the meeting. At this time, are there any items that the council would like removed from the consent agenda to be discussed or voted on? Secondly, ms. Can you please read the appointments? Michelle Hardy is the Deputy Municipal Clerk Virginia. Avi is the Deputy Registrar. Michelle Hardy is the alternate Deputy Registrar Vital Statistics, Uhrin Alman and Michelle Lombardi to the Bikeways and Pedestrian Advisory Commission. Reverend Lynn Wood D Rouse to the Board of Ethics, Josepha Lombardi, Esquire as a Municipal Conflict Emergency Judge Carmen Braxton. Barbara Bridgers, Barbara Pollitz, and Ruth Southland to the Cultural Arts Advisory Commission. John Tierney as the Director of Recreation Franklin Leroy Gibson. Crystal Andersons d sla, and Shaleena Williams to the Health Advisory Commission. Chaill McCollum, Edward Jackson to the Housing and Community Development Advisory Committee. Speaker 1 00:01:11 Chaill McCollum to the Middlesex County Housing and Community Development Committee. Ann Gordon as the Mayor's representative to the Library Board of Trustees, Paul Carlton and Steven d Kahn to the Open Space Advisory Committee. Gabrielle Cahill to the planning board. Patricia Lynn Karp as a certified animal control officer and animal cruelty investigator. Paul Snyder as Emergency Management Coordinator. Mark Hardenberg and Edward Jackson to the Property Maintenance Board of Appeals. Helen Perillo, Laverne Parchman, Marie Kleeman, and Michelle Lombardi to the Public Relations Advisory Commission. Ellen BPA and Jim Bullard to the Recreation Advisory Commission. Walter Horner, Mon Louie, Herman Jackson, chore Lee Dolores Blair, Lois Boson, Antonio Ivanya, Barbara Rieger, and Jim Bullard to the Senior Citizen Advisory Commission. Joyce Coles, Edward Jackson, Tom Kku, and Chanel McCollum to the Senior Citizen Housing Board of Trustees Thomas ER and Judy Sunhat to the Traffic Advisory Commission. Sean ett, Aina Pearson. Reverend Linwood, Rouse Guap, Patti Striker, Reverend Marlin Wilson and Mercedes Walker to the Return on Youth Coalition, ROA Reggio, Jean Clarkin, Cal Patel, and Steven Weisman to the zoning board of Adjustment. Speaker 1 00:02:31 James F. Clark I ii Esquire. Supervising prosecutor Thomas Lanza, John Kozinski and Francis Womack as Township prosecutors. Timothy Gacy as Public Agency Compliance Officer James Harding and James Ick as public defenders. Vanessa Colon as Municipal court Administrator. Angela Dos Santos as Deputy Municipal Court. Administrator. Dennis Duvall, Christopher Yogis, Robert Gore, William Griffith, Rex Hush. Thomas Leon, Christopher Murray, Paul T. Thomas Kolsky, Brad Stover, Scott Ulrich and Joseph Quigley as special police officers. Deborah Abar and Donna IA as police nations. Karen Light as treasurer. Acceptance of qualifications and rates and appointments and awards of contracts for the Township professionals from 2018. Appointment of Guy Gaspar's Recycling coordinator and authorizing him to apply for the 2017 recycling tonnage grant appointment of Guy Gaspar's Clean Communities Coordinator and Authorization to apply for the Clean Communities Grant Melissa Cedar designated a certified official for municipal lien searches. Dawn Corcoran, a certifying agent for subdivision approvals. Timothy Dacy or Joe Herrera as agent of the Township for filing applications with the DEP for flood hazard area permit authorizations. Speaker 1 00:03:47 Timothy Dacy or Joe Herrera as agent of the Township for filing with Freehold Soil Conservation District, Timothy Dacy or Joseph Herrera as agent of the town for filing applications with the CDEP for extension of sanitary source designation of town official Township depositories. Approval of cash maintenance plan, sorry. Management plan for 2018, designation of the store ledger and Courier News as official newspaper for the Township designation of the Star Ledger Co to receive notifications of meetings, designation of signatures for signing of checks, designation of interest, charges for delinquent taxes, so service charges and assessments and designation of the Township Council meeting days for 2018. Thank you. Receive. Do I have a motion? Speaker 0 00:04:31 Motion Second Speaker 1 00:04:34 Ms. Cedar, can you please hold the roll? Mr. Bullock? Yes. Mrs. Han? Yes. Mr. Ha. Yes. Mrs. Lombardi? Yes. Mr. Shaw? Yes. Mr. rn? Yes. Mrs. McCall? Yes. At this time, every anyone who is actually given an appointment, if you could please come forward and Speaker 0 00:04:50 Take a How are you? If we can have everybody just face the audience. Speaker 2 00:05:21 Is that group hugs Speaker 0 00:05:22 There for you? Your Everybody please raise your right hand. Put your left hand. You all set. Speaker 2 00:05:32 Repeat have to be I. I And state your name. Do solemnly swear Do Speaker 0 00:05:38 Solemnly Speaker 2 00:05:39 Swear that I will support the constitution. That I Speaker 0 00:05:41 Support the Constitution of Speaker 2 00:05:43 The United States. Of Speaker 0 00:05:44 The United States Speaker 2 00:05:45 And the Constitution. And Speaker 0 00:05:47 The Constitution Speaker 2 00:05:48 Of the state of New Jersey. Speaker 0 00:05:49 Of the state of New Jersey, Speaker 2 00:05:50 Jersey. That I will bear our true faith. That Speaker 0 00:05:52 I will obey our true faith Speaker 2 00:05:53 And allegiance to the same and Speaker 0 00:05:55 Allegiance to the Speaker 2 00:05:56 Same. Same. And to the the government's established. The Speaker 0 00:05:58 Government's Speaker 2 00:05:59 Established in the United States, in United States and in the state of New Jersey, in the state of New New Jersey. On the authority of the people, on Speaker 0 00:06:06 The authority of Speaker 2 00:06:07 The people that I will faithfully, that Speaker 0 00:06:09 I'll faithfully, Speaker 2 00:06:10 Impartially, impartially and justly and justly. Perform all the duties. Perform all duties of the office of, of the office of and state your board of commission. State your board of commission. Okay. There you go. According to the best of my ability. Speaker 0 00:06:28 Best, Speaker 2 00:06:29 So, holy God, congratulations. Congratulations. I guess whoever just did the wrong memory, you have to go to the clerk's office and sign your affidavits and it'll have Shell Hardy's gonna go there now to have your affidavits. Speaker 0 00:07:03 Thank you. Speaker 1 00:07:04 We'll move on to item number 12. Speaker 0 00:07:10 Appointment Speaker 1 00:07:11 Of Council Committees for public safety. We have Michelle Lombardi as the Chair, chief Frank RN and Gabriel Cahill For Public Works we have Councilman Councilman, Jim Bullard as the chair. Steve Conn Council. Bill Shaw Finance. We have the Chair Councilman. Steve Kahn, Councilman, Gabrielle Cahill and Council named Jim Bullard. Personnel. We have Councilwoman, Gabrielle Cahill Shaw. And at this time, are there any announcements and comments from officials? Mr. Buller? Speaker 0 00:07:56 Nothing I did so thank you. Speaker 1 00:07:59 I'd just like to wish everyone a very happy and healthy New Year and council privilege. May wanna note that our attorney Yes, for the record. And that's about it. Thank you very much. Thank you. For the record, our attorney Raj is here. Happy New Year. Rash happy? Speaker 0 00:08:13 Yes. Speaker 1 00:08:14 Councilman Cahn. Speaker 3 00:08:16 I, I just want to wish, say everybody a happy New Year and I wanna thank in advance those folks who were sworn into the different boards and commissions. We have, I don't know how many people, dozens and dozens of people that serve on these different commissions and they do a lot of important work without any compensation. One of the things that makes Piscataway a great town is that our sense of volunteerism from fire firemen to these different folks that get involved in different stuff. So those of you that are still here, I wanna thank you very much for your anticipated service to the table. No Speaker 0 00:08:47 Problem. Speaker 1 00:08:47 You're here. Thank you. Councilman, Cahn, Councilman, Lombardi. Again, I would like to thank all of our volunteers. It truly is what the fabric of our town is, Piscataway, all our volunteers, the various organizations that people give of their time. So I would definitely like to say thank you to all of our volunteers. I wanna wish everybody a very happy and healthy 2018 and I always like to start out the year with a quote that I might like. So this year's quote, it states, although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending. Happy New Year. Brand new Councilman Kail Shaw. I think everybody thank you Councilman Frank Uhrin. Just wanna wish everybody a happy and healthy New Year. Mayor further ado. I agree with everything was just said. Okay, great. Good. Our Business, Administrator, Tim counsel, nothing. Speaker 1 00:09:48 No, I would just like to first wish everyone again a happy New Year and I just want to remind everyone, just in case you're not aware, that the Township of Piscataway Civil Rights Advisory Commission and North Dublin a ME Church Women's Ministry presents an annual event. This is the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Junior commemorative breakfast and will be held on Saturday, January 13th at 8:30 AM at the Piscataway Senior Center. So hopefully if you have the opportunity in your schedules, you'll have the opportunity to come out. Okay. Item number 14, which is open to the public. Are there any comments or questions from the public at this time? If so, please come to podium. Please state your name, your address, and you have three minutes in which to speak. Speaker 4 00:10:35 Good evening counsel. My name is Tess Gordon. I'm an attorney of the American Civil Liberty Union of New Jersey. My address for tonight's purposes is 89 Market Street, Newark, New Jersey 0 7 1 0 2. And I Hello. Hi. I would like to echo the comments of the council members and say Happy New Year as well. I'm joined tonight by colleagues from the A CLU and I wanna take this opportunity to thank the council and to commend your opening statement, recognizing and acknowledging that the current code is out of date and undertaking a revision of your code section. With respect to recording public meetings, the A CLU of New Jersey is on record both before this council and in many other local governments. Acknowledging and encouraging the council to recognize that the right to record public meetings is just that it's a right of the public to do so as members of the public are tonight, it's not a permission that is granted by the government. Speaker 4 00:11:35 And so I'm quite glad to hear that in the new year you will be undertaking that revision. I'd also like to take this opportunity to say we believe it's a real opportunity for Piscataway in its revision of the ordinance to become a model for other or for other townships and boroughs. Just last week we also sent a letter to the borough of about its problematic ordinance. So I'd repeat again that this is an issue that we are on record about and one that is not a unique problem here. And so we encourage you to be a model to commit to open government and transparency as our Supreme Court has as thank you for this op opportunity to speak. Speaker 5 00:12:11 Thank you, thank you, Speaker 1 00:12:12 Thank you. Any comments from the public? If so, please state your name and your address and have your seat. Speaker 5 00:12:24 Hi, I'm Staci Berger. I live at 2 33 Ellis Parkway and I'm a member of the Central Jersey Progressive Democrats. I too wanna wish everyone a happy, healthy New Year. Both folks who are here and people who are watching live on Facebook. At the last meeting of the council, I was threatened with removal and arrest for my exercising my legal right to record these proceedings. I was told to get a lawyer if I didn't like it, which turned out to be super advice. I'd like to thank the terrific team at the A CLU and all of the folks who are here for helping the council see that this ordinance is unlawful. We are thrilled that you are choosing not to enforce it, and we look forward to you repealing it as soon as possible and replacing it with rules that do not overstep your authority or attempt to hide your business from your looking Public Meetings Act. Speaker 5 00:13:05 Many people are making New Year's resolutions today, and I hope that council members here can resolve to make the Skyways operations and government more open, transparent, and accountable to all of us who live here. There's no reason why council meetings, planning board and zoning board meetings, meeting meetings they've been when you have them, couldn't be public publicly recorded and broadcast. And why meeting agendas and minutes and Township budgets and audits and the master plan aren't readily available online like they are in those communities. We're asking you to do those things, but frankly we shouldn't have to. You should have done them already, just as the council should have been fighting for the folks in Ward three. Instead of taking the decide side of developers who want to build a 78 Bay Tractor trailer warehouse that'll operate seven days a week in our backyard, just as the council should be representing the residents of Ward One who want the police substation there reopened and improved community safety in their neighborhood. Speaker 5 00:14:00 Just like any of you could be standing up for residents across Piscataway who don't want property reevaluations every couple of years, and many of us who very much would like to know what happened to the money that they donated to buy paver and other fundraising opportunities for the Y that you've never built time after time people have come to these meetings or reached out to you individually and asked for your leadership only to be ignored or worse maligned, you ask for our vote and our support each June and November, but why should we give you our vo, our vote if you won't be our voice? You're personally insulted and affronted when people exercise their right to run for office or campaign for others who do as though you're somehow entitled to run unposed. We expect and deserve respect and justice from our elected representatives. Even if you disagree with us, everyone has the right to run for office to come to a town council meeting and to videotape it as it happens if they care to do so. Speaker 5 00:14:53 It's called democracy and it's all of our responsibility to protect it and nurture it. We want leaders who stand up for, for us, it's one reason we came here two weeks ago about that development in the heights. It was disappointing to see all of you wr your hands and say that you couldn't do anything while putting the prophets of Penford Group and their plans that 800 Centennial have above the welfare and wellbeing of children and families in this in the height of section. And it was shocking to see your total disregard for the basic fundamental rights of the people you're elected to represent. It is not acceptable. Our council is made up entirely of Democrats and you should be on the front lines of transparency, openness, and community engagement. You should be seeking out opportunities to fight for our interests and our rights instead of attacking them. And you should be putting the interest in the needs of our residents first. We think those would be good resolutions for you all in 2018 and for our part we're resolved to make sure that you do so. Speaker 3 00:15:51 Just wanted to clarify two things on the record. One was that you weren't threatened with arrest, you were removal, notified that if you didn't stop you would be removed from the room from the meeting that that's, Speaker 5 00:16:02 And it would escalate. I'm not sure what else you mean by that. Yes, Speaker 3 00:16:05 And and Speaker 1 00:16:05 Excuse me, if you, if you wanna Speaker 3 00:16:07 Comment, if you wanna respond, you can. Speaker 5 00:16:09 That's okay. Speaker 3 00:16:10 I'm good. And, and the other, the other thing I I think we had a clear understanding was that, you know, you provided me with the case law. We were look, gonna look into it. At no time were we saying no, this is the law we're not going to comply with, with your case law. We said we would do the due diligence that we have and we continue to do so as we prepare to amend our ordinance. Thank you. Speaker 1 00:16:33 Anyone else from the public at this time? Do you have any? Oh sure. Please state your name and your address. Do you have three minutes in which to speak? Speaker 7 00:16:42 My name is Jen Coombs and I can never give up my address. That's a given fact. You don't have to. That's within the rights of a citizen's rights. So my name is Jen Coombs, part of the media, I, last week I came into the Township Buil buildings and I didn't know like what to expect because of what I heard, what happened at the last meeting that you guys don't respect citizens' rights for filming and stuff. I'm the First Amendment advocate as well too. But I gonna be honest, you're Township employees was very professional and, and everything else, including your law enforcement department as well too. Actually I met Captain McLaughlin, he was very nice in in everything else. Actually put those videos up on YouTube as well too to demonstrate that you guys are not, your head is not within, within the seeing on this stuff on all of it. So it's good that you recognized that you rec I'm glad that you guys recognize your, your mistake because it could have had legal ations with lawsuits being filed against you and it saved the taxpayer's money from fighting a, a, a lawsuit that should not be, that should have been ever been caught in the first place. And I've seen that in, in, in cases. I've seen cases like that. So I commend all, I commend all you guys. Speaker 1 00:18:18 Thank you Ms. M for your comments. Appreciate it. Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you. Thank you very much. Any other comments or questions from the public at this time? If so, please come. State your name and address and your three minutes in which to speak. I'd like to close the public portion. Do I have a motion? Motion. Motion? Have a second. Second. All in favor of adjourning the meeting. A aye, adjourn. Thank you. So we'll move on to the agenda portion of the meeting. This is for our January 9th, our council council. At this time I'd like to call the meeting to order. Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided as required in the chapter 2 31 PL 1975, specifying the time, date, location, and to the extent known the agenda by posting a copy of the notice of the Aithal Building municipal court and the two municipal library bulletin boards, providing a copy to the official newspapers of the Township and by filing copy of the office of the Township clerk in accordance with the certification by the clerk, which will be entered into the minutes. Ms, can you please call the roll? Mr. Buller? Here. Mrs. Cahill? Here. Mr. Cahn? Here. Mrs. Lombardi? Here. Mr. Shaw? Here. Mr. Uhrin? Here. Mr. Here please stand for Ible Liberty and justice for all. Speaker 1 00:19:52 Item number five is an ordinance on first meeting. This is a bond ordinance court. Who to circle Avenue Ms. Council comments or questions regarding the witness? If I may counsel Speaker 8 00:20:06 This is scheduled to go out to bid in March, the conjunction of the county renovating culvert bridge on Circle Avenue. Speaker 1 00:20:16 Thank you. Any other comments or questions? Item number six, which is a resolution authorizing award of bid for 2018 2019. Geese Patrol Services. The bid opening is January 4th, 2018. Are there any comments or questions? You know, it's one meeting I will see Dave Bacons at. This is, he's Township Speaker 8 00:20:39 Go expert. I haven't seen him in the Speaker 1 00:20:42 Audio. We'll be here next week. Council, I Speaker 0 00:20:47 Just wondering, what do we do in, in the case of, we're still gonna use some of the wooden dogs out there too. Or we gonna use some dogs. The colleagues, the board of colleagues. Thank any other Speaker 1 00:21:03 Comments? Speaker 0 00:21:04 Question Speaker 1 00:21:06 Item number seven, a resolution authorizing award of bid for 2018 2019. Screen printed from Board of Clothing, promotional products, commercial printing and signage. Any comments or questions? Speaker 0 00:21:18 This is recreation department. Yes, it all varies. Departments? Yes. Anyone who borders any, Speaker 1 00:21:29 Any other comments? Speaker 0 00:21:31 Any questions? Speaker 1 00:21:34 Item number eight as a resolution authorizing municipal lie for abatement of public nuisances for various blocks and locks. Any comments or questions? Item number nine, a resolution authorizing return of escrow. Are there any comments or questions regarding the items that are listed? Speaker 0 00:22:01 Item Speaker 1 00:22:02 Number 10, a resolution authorizing return and release of Sterling Village Security deposits for Coral Waddell and Janice Jones. Any comments or questions? Item number 11, a resolution authorizing release of maintenance bond for Canterbury Community Association. Block 32 0 1 lot 1.01 Kensington Drive. Any comments or questions? Item number 12, a resolution authorized impartial release of bonds FW Web Company at block 67 0 3 Live 6.08, which is at 180 Centennial Avenue. Are there any comments or questions regarding this item? Item number 13, a resolution authorizing return of engineering and inspection fees. Well adventurous LLC at 1 0 1, pasta Town Road and Star Plaza at 1412. Settle. Any comments or questions? Item number 14 is ion authorizing tax appeal settlements for a D eight Centennial Realty, LLC and Kaplan. Joe Frank T Trust. Any comments or questions? Item number 15 is a resolution authorizing R of license RA 1349 RA 1350 and RA 1351 Rutgers University Foundation, INC. Any comments or questions? Item number 16 is a resolution authorizing professional engineering services for the establishment of a, a commercial motor vehicle restriction along River Road CR 6 22. Any comments or Speaker 3 00:23:52 Questions? Yeah, I'd like to talk about that for just a minute if I can. This is an old item that, you know, actually long to dates my time on the council. And you may even date the mayor's time that the Mayor and I have worked on since I first. And that is to achieve the ultimate objective of removing the heavy truck traffic from River Road. That River Road Carter's a residential carter and it's, it's, it's become worse and worse. So the holdup has always been, many years ago it was at a meeting with the Mayor and the DOT and the DOT had committed that when Route 18 was finally done, completed, accepted that they would address this issue. We had somewhat of a handshake deal with them on that. This is now the first step in trying to get this accomplished. Route 18 is done. Speaker 3 00:24:40 It needs to be formally accepted by the state, but that will happen shortly. And so what we're doing now is the first steps along the way of being able to pass an ordinance to remove the truck traffic from River Road and return it to its residential character. This is gonna be a comprehensive study of traffic, of speed, of accidents. We've had a lot of, we've had several terrible accidents in the last couple of months of River Road and an alternative route and way folks can get on and off. 2 87, the proposal should take about 60 days to complete. It's going to include getting the county to sign off on it once the county signs off and we have the county's agreement 'cause this is a county road that they're willing to support our ordinance. We will, we need to get the DOT's permission. That's generally a 90 day period of time. My understanding is to get the DOT's permission and then we will be introducing an ordinance to restrict truck traffic on, on Neeva Road, which will have a dramatic effect on the quality of the lives of residents that lived in that car. Speaker 3 00:25:52 I'm glad I'm, I'm still around to see it done. It was an objective of Mark Levis, right? Mayor, long time ago. The late Councilman who passed away. Milli Scott worked on this when she was a Councilwoman in Piscataway many years ago. And, you know, river Road, the River Road folks, the residents have been waiting a long time for us to do this. So I'm happy to say this is the, I'm not sure what the right beginning of the end of trucks, I'm hopeful, hopeful that it is. So that's, that's what this is about. I think it's something that I've been proud to have had a small role in and I'm hope hopefully we'll be able to see it through. Speaker 1 00:26:29 Thank you Mr. Cahn. Any other comments or questions? Council? I just wanna say Councilman Cahn education now because Speaker 3 00:26:37 Shoulda mentioned you too. There should've been a Speaker 1 00:26:39 Champion. I like to mention when we bought our house in 2000, the plans Speaker 9 00:26:43 For Route 18 and to take the trucks off, we're laying so nicely on the dining room table and the people who are selling the house saying, don't worry, the trucks are coming off. So it'll be going on 18 years living there and not having that done. And I, for one, remember the days again before I was on council, when the Mayor was coming out with the neighbors down the street on River Road, who were concerned with some of the improvements that were going river on River Road. And the Mayor came out with the plans and I think he had allayed a lot of their concern with what was going on out there. And I do know at least one neighbor was very, very pleased with what happened out there. But I'm, I'm very certain that the neighbor is at the corner there and the next neighbor's house will be so happy not to have the truck blasting their horn going through that red light. Speaker 3 00:27:30 I forgot to that you've been really involved in that. And I do wanna say here, and you could carry on this, you know, this would've been done 18 months earlier. Am I right? Except for the fact that the governor decided for reasons that he, he only he could explain to reallocate resources away from Piscataway. Didn't get the headlines that some of the other reallocation of funds and things that the governor had done, but many of you remember for a long period of time that thing sat with no one working on it. The, the overpasses were rusting and it, it took a, a lot of doing to get the project finished. And the Mayor, the Mayor did an awful lot of work lobbying in, in a circular manner to get the governor to finish the road if we'd finished the road. 18 months. 18 months was the hold up. Am I right? Mayor? We, we would've achieved this objectively. Speaker 1 00:28:26 Thank you Councilman, Cahn. Any other comments or questions? Next item is the motion to accept the minutes from the regular and agenda meetings of November 9th, 2017. Any comments or questions? Item number 18, any announcements and comments from officials? Mr. Bullard? Speaker 10 00:28:47 Yes, I would like to not only will issue a good 2018, but I want you to also have good help and dad to keep on keeping on this way as normally normal living on them and because of all the good things you do. Speaker 1 00:29:05 Council mc? Speaker 9 00:29:07 Yeah, well, I would like to also thank the volunteers, but I did not think, I'm very remiss that I didn't do that at the earlier meeting. I do know that moving into this town was a big decision for us and I have friends in many other towns. We do not have the volunteerism that we have here. And certainly our recreation division has afforded to a lot of children the opportunity to play in different sports without cost to them at all, if any, but minor costs. And I think I'm very proud and happy to be in such a diverse town and I'm very thankful that we were influenced heavily to move into this town by very good friend. Speaker 1 00:29:54 Take credit council. Speaker 1 00:29:57 I have no other thank you. Councilman. Michelle Lombardi? No, I would just like to end by again saying have a very happy and healthy New Year and I have lived here my entire life and I do care what happens in this town. I, I just want that noted. I do care what happens in this town and I work very hard to make the right decisions for this count. So I think that we are a very eclectic group of people here today, on this day as everyone brings a different piece and a different portion and a different expertise to this council. And I do believe that we do for the good of the people. Thank you. Thank you. No, thanks. Okay. Councilman, Hern, Mayor Tim Counsel. Speaker 8 00:30:48 Thank you. Speaker 1 00:30:50 Thank I too. Want to echo some of Michelle Lombardi's Commons. I had the opportunity to grow up in this great town. My parents moved here, I believe in 1972 when I was five years old. At that point in time, I had an opportunity to grow up in the school system here in attend St. Franciscan meeting and then the high school as well. And so I grew up as a child and went to the high school as a young adult. And then my husband and I, we, we moved back here into Piscataway. So we had an opportunity to raise our children here. I I think it's a great, a great, great town and I consider it an honor to serve and give back to a town that has given so much to me growing up here. So thanks to the volunteers and I wanna thank the public for, for considering me important. I have to, to vote for me and the other members on this council. So, so thank you for that. Okay, item number 19, which is open to the public. If there are any comments or questions from the public, please come to the podium. Please state your name or address and I'll apologize for my voice bit. So please state your name. Speaker 8 00:32:04 Good evening. Rob Johnson, 39 East Burgess Drive. Evening. How are you? First and foremost, Madam President. Congratulations on the appointment. Thank you. Awesome job. I just want to, the sentiments I've been hearing a lot tonight is about volunteerism. So I'm really hoping that it doesn't come across as just being adversarial that through volunteerism and through open discussion we can address issues and bring 'em to light and address 'em. So I do thank you for addressing the Open Public Meetings Act and the video reporting great. But one of the concerns that I've always had is with volunteerism and the commissions and committees, how open we are to, to the public and having those expressed and how does someone get on a committee and be heard and listened because this is a great time. It, it truly is. I wouldn't raise my children here if it wasn't. So I'm hoping in 2018 that we can't actually work together. And people see that the optics of it is, is that there's adversary and that it's, it's combative and I don't want to create that dissension amongst the people. So I'm hoping that we are open to those things. But if anyone can that, you know, in the future to show how do you get on a commission for Youth Coalition or Recreation, that would be helpful. And again, thank you Speaker 3 00:33:21 Mr. Johnson. I could just Speaker 8 00:33:22 Say Speaker 3 00:33:22 Yes sir, as a Board of Education member, you I will welcome you. Call me on any issues at any time. Oh, thank you sir. And I'm sure the rest of the council people will say the same. Know if everybody, the audience knows, but I, we know that you're an elected board member, you're always welcome to call us and I'm always welcome to hear what you have to Speaker 8 00:33:39 Say. I'm glad to see I'm gonna hold you to that Mr. Cahn. No, no, thank you again. Again, it just open dialogue sitting there for their children, for the community again. So this is a new year, new fresh start. It's being recorded that we're gonna have open dialogue and we may disagree. That's that's great. And, and as elected Fisher do know there are some inherent obstacles that you have the ities that hurt to facilitate something, but that should be expressed as well. All right. Okay. Congratulations. Good luck Mr. Earn. I'm hoping to to see you soon. Alright everyone have a great evening. Thanks Ms. Johnson. You, Fred White, 6 0 7 Ellis Parkway. Is it Ms. White? White. W-H-I-T-E to the absence of color. Got it. Yes. Were you had just mentioned that trucks were not gonna be on River Road. When you said River Road, did you mean throughout the Township? Because I'm curious when I drive out, say if I take Centennial heading West and then heading north on River Road, will there be no trucks there going onto 2 87 North making that over lead? Correct? Correct. Speaker 3 00:34:52 Where you live, you came out your street sir and made a left and it will not be. Well we have our say, which we will, there'll be no trucks on that section of River Road between Ellis Parkway and, and, and 2 87. Well they may be, there may be an allowance for trucks between Centennial Avenue and 2 87 as you know. So they will slow us down. Well as you know, the intersection has been remodeled by the state, so you no longer need to even go on River Road if you come off of 2 87 in that particular direction. I, I don't know what this traffic study's gonna say exactly for what the limitations are of where they would go or not go. But certainly we will not be able to prohibit trucks from coming out of the commercial area of Centennial and onto 2 87. There's more than one way for them to go. There's a variety of ways for them to go. It's possible that engineering study will say that little stretch can be eliminated from truck use or not. I don't know the answer to that. I'm not an engineer 'cause you can't go in a variety of ways. But generally speaking River Road as you know it from Highland Park till Centennial, if not to 2 87 will will be a truck van. Correct. Speaker 8 00:36:19 Okay. And then forgive my ignorance, but I'm curious. When the decision was made to allow Penford group to have their seventh Gate Bay warehouse there, was there an environmental impact statement done? Speaker 1 00:36:38 I'm gonna turn this over to one of our council colleagues, Mr. Jim Clark. Speaker 8 00:36:44 First of all, an environmental impact statement is different than an environmental impact study, right? Okay. Were either of them done? The answer is no. The history of the property did not call out for work. It was an office point, Speaker 3 00:37:06 But surely is an understanding from the public what that is. Other was, I mean you're talking apples and oranges. Maybe you should explain what that study is. It's a study of the particular site. Whether the site's been environmentally damage, it needs remediation. I think that's the question he's answering is a different question than you're asking. Speaker 8 00:37:23 Correct. You have to first of all understand what are the impacts that are being studied. Some of them, or whether they're permanent impacts some of them or whether they're temporary. There's always temporary impacts, noise and dust and things when you have construction. Alright. But in terms of permanent impacts, the clinic staff did not see the need to study anything because there was no indications of any environmental, any rent lands, any contamination. We also were aware that the contract purchase of the property had performed due diligence and had done some environmental due diligence. And there was nothing to indicate any need for any further review. Okay. Would it be correct to assume that if at some point in the future that high levels of benzene, nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide were found in the air and that the decibel level was like 70 to 84, that we can assume that before they took over that it was zero? Let's start with the decibel level. First thing you have to be, be concerned with is what is the ambient level of noise? Are you familiar with that concept? Yeah, that's what I'm trying to establish really at. Okay. Alright. The bottom line is this, every property owner, including this one, has an obligation to meet the limits of our noise ordinance. And they shall, what are those limits? 65 during the day and 60 a night. Thank you. And what about air pollution? Speaker 8 00:39:01 What do you want me to tell you? I want you live my question. Okay. Can I, can I assume that the zone light industrial, that the air ion levels meet or were zero? The fact that we zone a particular area has no correlation with well contaminants. That property, like all of Centennial has been zoned light industrial from more than 50 years. I can't tell you what the levels were back then, but one has nothing to do with the other. I can tell you don't live in our neighborhood. Thank you for your time. 50 year almost my whole life, sir. Not for my neighborhood. Yes. As a matter of fact, I did. I'm avenue. Speaker 1 00:39:51 Any other comments or questions at this time from the public? Speaker 3 00:40:00 I just say briefly, Mr. Drugs is welcome up there. You know, we have ordinance in place. I can't cite chapter verse point out the book, but we have ordinances in place that if an industry even zoned by industrial creates a a nuisance with respect to air pollution and other things, the Township has a, has an the ability to get them to cease doing that or to pay for the whatever cleanup we've had that issue around town in other industrial zones. And if that becomes an issue at this site, the town has the ability to test. DEP has the ability to come in and test and prohibit activity that is creating a nuisance that's already existing. We already have an existing ordinance. Speaker 1 00:40:41 Mr. Speaker 8 00:40:43 Evening. Well, 1750 with Speaker 1 00:40:47 Mr. Speaker 8 00:40:48 Of course. I need some clarification on number eight. Speaker 1 00:40:56 So this is the one you wanna know which blocks and blocks Speaker 8 00:41:02 Ready? Speaker 1 00:41:04 Did you wanna know the locks and blocks or just actually just general. Okay, so actually I think there were three off the top of my head. But what could possibly happen if there was a property that was left a abandoned and no one came to mow the lawn for instance, and the Township had to come in and mow the lawn, we would then go back and look to recuperate that particular line. Speaker 8 00:41:34 I guess that last week I received a letter from the account that I guess it was something to do with ordinance. Like this one I spoke to said Frank on it. Hass been that week for Frank can tell you maybe over a year. Frank been with why all of a sudden did I get a letter to him? What? So I said okay, maybe I'm asking and talking too much when I come here, I ruffled some, now all of a sudden I get a letter to a bait. So lemme see where that is wrong. So Mr, you're saying this is for your property? Yes. Yeah. I might have maybe $20 worth of scrap milk sitting on the ground and I have maybe three wheel barrel. Do you think one of your neighbors, I'm just wondering if I don't, excuse me. Did we sent a notice to Yes. Speaker 8 00:42:28 Yes. So I said well maybe it's the rock and IR out my grass. Okay. But I said no, I said lemme talk to Frank. If I make council president, I'll have Mr. Walker. 'cause obviously he's out Mr. Walter's office, right? Yeah. Okay. Courtesy. He might have received a complaint from one of your neighbors. So I'm, I don't know the answer. We'll disrespect you off. I'll find, I'll find, okay. But Frank, me, I had this contact with Frank. I I thought the same thing. I said maybe one of my behaviors I do too much for my neighbors. I don't think it was one of them. I think it's Walker too many of the Keith feathers. So when I asked about the property on Second and Hazelwood and I said it needs to be fixed, but I live near it. All of a sudden you in my backyard why I called Mr. Walker. Speaker 8 00:43:23 I said, I got a letter. Yeah, okay. I'm like, man, well this, that, and the third. I'm like, no, tell me why. Well you already, you see I cleaned it up. I said, oh, okay. Now do I get a letter saying it's clean 'cause I moved $10 worth of scrap mail outta my yard? Well, yeah, I try to state if, if if whatever the issue was has been resolved, then I'll, no, no, but I need, I need clarification for you is to walk. Yeah. What is the problem? Where that I will, I will have them contact you tomorrow. Okay. Excuse me. I said we'll contact you tomorrow. Mr. Walker will Yeah, that Frank, there's a couple of people that would like to see you in the time we have time, like stick to us that want to get together. But nothing is wrong. We have an issue. Few issues. Okay. Okay. Thanks Mr. Grs. Any other comments or questions between the public at this time? Good evening, new Goodwin, Speaker 3 00:44:30 2 33 El Parkway. Just wanted to take a moment to echo the sentiment raised about volunteerism in Seattle this evening. I agree that it's really part of the lifeblood of our town and it's great when people get out and volunteer their time and their talent. So I wanted to bring to the council's attention. I don't know if you are aware, but we had a very welllike and popular and dedicated popcorn football coach that was told that his volunteer services were no longer required. So it seems Speaker 8 00:45:00 Contrary Speaker 3 00:45:01 To the spirit of volunteerism and the willingness to give of time and talent that such a person should be denied the opportunity to serve. That person's name was Ralph Johnson. He used to like to bring it up himself, but I'm not. So I'd encourage the council to read this exhibit. Speaker 0 00:45:19 Thank you Mr. Irwin. Any other comments or questions from the public at this time? Speaker 8 00:45:30 Jim Brennan, 2200 Custer Street. Speaker 0 00:45:32 Good evening Ms. Brennan. Speaker 8 00:45:34 Happy New Year. Happy New Speaker 0 00:45:35 Year. Speaker 8 00:45:36 Just want to go back and revisit the other gentleman's question or statement regarding the environmental impact study. I'm just gonna make a ballpark guess and say we've approved or already built three plus million square feet of warehouse space. And so first of all, we consider the cumulative effect of all this warehouse space with an environmental impact study, the trucks, the diesel fumes, and then in particular the particular penford project where apparently the penford people who wise enough to come in and have their initial plans to have the loading base along Centennial Avenue, knowing the concerns that residents would have about putting 78 bays within a hundred feet of residential properties and the diesel fumes and the emissions and the dangers of those. So not understanding why just that alone would not want an environmental impact study within 1500 feet of children's corner daycare. So those parents are very happy about that. Mr. Clark? No, nobody. About the reason why the planning board was allowed to instruct the developer to turn this around. Still talk about caring about the residence. Speaker 3 00:47:08 Mr. Bennett. I'll, I'll, I have no problem saying it publicly. I've said to you in our several phone conversations, I, I was opposed to the proposal in the first place. I had concerns about the size and scope of it and I had conversations about how that occurred. And I, I understand what the decision making was when we playing board. I disagree with it. Like I'll say again in public. What I've said to you is that I have undertaken conversations with a variety of people, including the developer in an effort to see what modifications we make. I talked to my council colleagues and Mayor and you know, it, it's not as simple as, you know, I can just have what I want. But I agreed with your position. I agreed with your position from the for many months. And I can only tell you that I'm attempting to make modifications and will resolve many of these issues. I can't promise you I'll achieve. It's what I told you when I spoke to you. I can promise you that I'll do my best to do. So Speaker 8 00:48:15 Taking interest to me, I showing lot people how many council members do approve of the plan pages along the residential property. I'm gonna request that the council people not answer that question. I'll just assume anyone that doesn't answer is saying yes, I would approve on it. Mr. Brennan, if you allow me to finish please. Township has a redevelopment agreement with the redeveloper that obligates the Township to respect and support the decision and approval made by the planning board. And it is for that reason alone that I am counseling our council people not to respond, but, but for everyone's, the planning board did instruct them to realign the project this way. Speaker 8 00:49:06 I've said this before, the planning staff looked at this issue on a number of occasions over and over again and made the decision that based upon the extensive buffering, which is greater than anything I have seen in 40 years, that we felt was gonna adequately protect the neighborhood that we wanted the truck base facing another avenue and not facing Centennial Avenue so that we could continue to have a commercial corridor that we can continue to redevelop and continue to increase the tax rateables that this town needs. Well you could have a commercial corridor with the base on Centennial Avenue. Could you not? The answer is it wouldn't look as attractive for future redevelopment. So, so those trucks traveling 50 miles an hour against September have a poor view as opposed to the residence that live over the next 20 minutes. Is that correct Mr. Parker? That's the extent of my comments. Speaker 8 00:50:07 Mr. Bre. Mr. Brenner, thanks. Thanks for your comments. As, as Mr and the fact and the fact that the question was asked to the planning board during the approval process for redevelopment, that the Yoda, Mr. Clark actually represented the developer or the redevelopment application not be represented. The Township, sir. Okay. Make the money off. The question was asked by a resident, were there plans for the property, was there, was there a potential buyer? Were the potential plans? And answer was there were no plans. So how do we explain that answer when we know that the board had already seen plans, several sets of plans for that property. Why would that answer be given to a resident? I don't know the timeline in which you're speaking so I can't comment you. Were there, are there any, Speaker 1 00:51:05 Are there any other comments or questions from the public at this time? Speaker 11 00:51:13 It's Anthony Wild 2250 Plainfield Avenue North. And just to Speaker 8 00:51:17 Reiterate, good evening sir. Speaker 11 00:51:18 How are you guys that I don't feel that my neighbors and myself have been well served by the planning board, which is unappointed, that we were given no notice until nine days, mailed 10 days before, nine days before of a final approval of this project that had already been flipped around. Had no opportunity for the community to provide input and, and we think that's a fair process and that really took into account my neighbors and my own concerns regarding this project. And I don't believe it did. So I don't think a planning board of unelected folks that, you know, how are they best serving the residents of the community? They really, you know, they think they know what's better for me than I know. And I don't think that's correct. Thank, Speaker 8 00:52:17 Thank Speaker 1 00:52:18 You. Thank you Mr. Any other comments or questions from the public at this time? Speaker 8 00:52:28 Right. I just wanna prove that I can still bend down and get gloves off the floor. Speaker 8 00:52:35 I write that down and make sure I got it. I moved into Piscataway in 1967. Your name for the record? I live at 21 Wines Avenue, but I've lived in Piscataway for 50 years and since that time I've seen an awful lot of change. In fact, when I opened in here, none of these buildings were here and none of any of them, in fact, of all of the township's operations were in a very small building, which is now on Market Road, which is a private building. And it's grown so far into a community that has been respected and has been valid by Sports Illustrated and other areas of the things that have been accomplished in this gallery. It's is a community that is working together. There are some problems. I know you never have almost 60,000 people and not have some problems, but I wanted to thank the council for the work that they do. It's not an easy job. I know because I've been there, done that. And the Mayor, Mayor and Council, they care about Piscataway. You listen to them, you respond to the people who ask the questions. I think that's the important thing. I wish you a happy new year, good health and maybe 50 years from now I'll still come and say hi to you. Speaker 1 00:53:59 Happy year. Speaker 8 00:54:00 Happy. Speaker 1 00:54:02 Are there any other comments or questions from the public at this time? I just Speaker 3 00:54:06 Think you should say, 'cause there may be some residents that don't know that Mr. Light didn't give this full resume. He was Mayor of his town for an excess of 20 years. I'm not sure how many years exactly. For many, many years. Speaker 1 00:54:19 I do have a motion to adjourn. No sir. A second. Second. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Adjourn. Have a good evening. Thank you.