Transcript for Piscataway Council meeting on September 10 2019
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 0 00:00:00 Administration, section nine, municipal Clerk in chapter 14, building section one connection fee service charges in the Township of Piscataway County of Middlesex, state of New Jersey being hereby adopted on the first reading that if be published in the official newspaper. And that a second reading of public hearing be held at 7:30 PM for bailing time at the municipal building 4 55 Lewis Lane, Pisca, New Jersey on the 24th day of September, 2019. They have further resolved 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 of Final Passage. And a copy of this ordinance shall be made available of the Office of the Hampshire Clerk for any interested in member public. Speaker 1 00:00:41 Do have motion? Second. Speaker 0 00:00:45 Second, Speaker 1 00:00:46 Please take the roll. Speaker 0 00:00:48 Councilman Bullard. Yes. Councilman Cahill. Yes. Councilman Cahn. Yes. Councilman Lombardi. Yes. Councilman MCC Collum. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President Uhrin? Speaker 1 00:00:58 Yes. Item number eight, ordinance on the first reading purchase of Block 1 25 0 2, 10 0.05. And this is a re Lewis Mr. Please review ordinance Speaker 0 00:01:09 Be resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey That an ordinance entitled Ordinance for the Purchase of Block 1 2 5 0 2 block one 0.05 in the town of Piscataway. It 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 Prevailing time at the Piscataway Municipal Open 4 55 News Lane, Piscataway, New Jersey on the 24th day of September, 2019. Be further resolved 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 men by the public Speaker 1 00:01:52 Motion. Speaker 0 00:01:54 Motion. Speaker 1 00:01:55 I Second. Second Wall. Speaker 0 00:01:58 Councilman Bullard. Yes. Councilwoman Cahill. Yes. Councilman Cahn. Yes. Councilwoman Marty? Yes. Councilwoman McCaughlin. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President? Speaker 1 00:02:10 Yes. Item number nine. First reading, established on government private energy aggregation program is a resolution of law Speaker 0 00:02:20 Dear Resolved by the Township Council, Piscataway Township of New Jersey, and an ordinance of title, ordinance of the Township Piscataway County, Middlesex State of New Jersey, to establish a government private energy aggregation program in account with Piscataway in order to, in order to provide electric generation service and supply service for residential customers pursuant to the government energy aggregation Act of 2003, public laws 2003, chapter 24, New Jersey statutes annotated 48 3 dash 92. EC being appeared by adopted on the first reading that it be published in the official newspaper. And that a second reading of public hearing be held at 7:30 PM prevailing time at the Piscataway Municipal Building. 4 55 Lewis Lane, Piscataway, New Jersey on the 24th day of September, 2019. Be further resolved 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 showing made available at the office of the town Clerk for any interested member of the public. Speaker 1 00:03:21 You have a motion? I Second. Speaker 0 00:03:24 Second Speaker 1 00:03:26 To Speaker 0 00:03:27 Councilman Bullard. Yes. Councilman Caho. Yes. Councilman Cahn. Yes. Councilwoman Lombardi. Yes. Councilwoman McCollum. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President Uhrin? Speaker 1 00:03:38 Yes. I I don't over consent. Agenda for efficiency items have been consolidated to the consent agenda to be voted on together. Material of these items distributed to the council in advance of the meeting at this time. Whether any items that the council would like to remove from the consent agenda to be discussed on second. Amen. A motion? Motion. Second. Second. Second. Speaker 0 00:04:04 Councilman Bold. Yes. Councilman Cahill. Yes. Councilman Cahn. Yes. Councilwoman Lombardi. Yes. Councilwoman McCall. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President. Dun. Speaker 1 00:04:17 Yes. Item justice. Item number 11. Analysis in common. Got it. Thank you. Speaker 0 00:04:24 None at this time. Council president. Thank you. Speaker 1 00:04:27 Thank you Speaker 0 00:04:29 Honor. Thank you none at this. Speaker 1 00:04:34 If, if I may, council president as a minor, many, you know that one of our volunteer farm and Mike O'Donnell, who's love with North Salt Fire Company for 60 plus years passed away and was buried today. So we gave a good send off to Mike and our condolences goes out to the North Delta family. Also, I want thank again publicly the, our emergency services folks for that. Great. Stop that. They did all six fire companies in our emergency services stoke out there in emergency management, up down Berkshire apartments, worked in tandem out there, working with the residents out there to make sure everybody understood what was going on. So they did very professionally out there. And last but not least, we all know tomorrow is nine 11 services where we had five of our own Township residents that were killed actually Speaker 0 00:05:29 Councilman. So Mr. Miranda doesn't, is it the alphabet? Yes, we do a presentation. Yep. Okay. Speaker 1 00:05:44 Your Honor, I number 12, open for the public. Please state your name, your address, and know you have three minutes to, Speaker 3 00:06:04 My name is, I live on street Inca, I think my second, third time I in, in the back of my property, the last time I was here, I think it was two months ago, was told that to the, they came and they did not do anything. So I called Middlesex County mosquito permission to come. They gave me a report. Nothing, nothing. But it's a bad or mosquitoes back here and I cannot sit in my backyard. So I would like to know, do I keep coming here fighting for 13 years for them to look at that ditch back there. Speaker 1 00:06:48 Council president, if I may Speaker 3 00:06:50 Pump Speaker 1 00:06:51 Apart skin a year, a half ago. Part of the problem is what we back there that some of the homeowners, and I'm not saying are putting their beads in the back, in the drainage s Well, so what happens is it Cahn up the, the water instead of floating, we're gonna be out there in the next week or so then 'cause we're getting ready to do a preconstruction for the reconstruction Your street. That's gonna commence with I think the next two weeks out there. I know. So at that time when we're out there, they're going be doing new storm drain, might everything. Speaker 3 00:07:26 Right. I understand what you said because I had put a fence up to stop the, from throwing this stuff back there, but I was told I couldn't do it. So somebody stabbed Speaker 1 00:07:36 Somebody from your immediate neighborhood. It's not anybody coming in from out of the neighborhood because they have to go talk through the woods there and get it and they're, they're throwing all the debris, sweat. And we clean that out on a couple occasions, but whoever's doing, it's continuing to do it. And that creates So we're, we're going and clear it out again. So if you see anybody or neighbors putting anything that they shouldn't be in there, just please contact us so we can get in touch. Speaker 3 00:08:03 Yeah, but it, it comes down like from, you know, above me. It comes through that road and it comes down and then it starts Speaker 1 00:08:12 The whole area's all interconnected and ultimately in south the building road. Speaker 3 00:08:16 Right. Right. Okay. Speaker 1 00:08:19 What number on what, what would she be on what number? Speaker 3 00:08:22 11 Water Street. Speaker 1 00:08:24 You, Speaker 3 00:08:38 Curtis, GR 1750 West third. I guess I have to go back to last year. This is my last year. Pre again Speaker 3 00:08:55 How you helped Mayor, how you talked. They put the get in there. I called and I told them the mo the road more mo we'll get to it. Somebody's going to trip. The MO is over two and a half inches from the concrete. We, we get it, we are gonna send a truck up and we're gonna go get some. Then we're gonna stoping four. The holler day that I think I talked to the Mayor since then. Talked to the guy since then. We're going to get it. We're going to go get it. We're gonna go pick it up ourselves today. We still don't have it. What is the problem? Speaker 1 00:09:47 You know, I just, you know, Curtis, come on. I, Speaker 3 00:09:49 You know, come on. Mayor, Kinneally, Speaker 1 00:09:53 Department of Public Works work. You know that we've gonna have a problem getting the material. I mean that you, you talk on a regular basis down the public works department. They've been meticulously trying to keep We're that park out there. Right. We can't help that. The contract, it's a state contract for safety service. That certified surface material that has to go in the park. You just can't put any mulch down. You have to have that. It's regulated mulch that goes down there for safety that's firing depart. Okay. So we just can't throw anything down. Speaker 3 00:10:27 No, this is what, this is what's been told. You're going to go pick that mocho. Speaker 1 00:10:31 Yes, we are it, we're hoping to do that. Every time we turn around there's something popping up that is a little bit more serious that we gotta Speaker 3 00:10:38 Deal. Okay. Would that be, Speaker 1 00:10:40 And as far as why you got the mic there, we're playing on striking the parking lot this Saturday. If the weather's the striking Park Avenue and Speaker 3 00:10:49 Well, the conversation I had with you or the guy was we're not gonna strike it until we get the motion because that's backwards. Speaker 1 00:10:58 Well at this point we're having a problem with getting the striking company. Speaker 3 00:11:02 Okay. Speaker 1 00:11:03 I mean that's also under state contract. You know, don't, there's probably 500 towns that are under the state contract with these, these vendors and you know, it's when you get the queue. Speaker 3 00:11:14 Okay. Since we are discussing the mulch, I think this is a problem. Like I said, we had last year, last year, if I remember correctly, I bought a sample of the fungus that I think I, Speaker 1 00:11:24 That was already checked out there. So, Speaker 3 00:11:26 Okay, you two, when was it checked out? When was it checked out? I'm just asking a questions. Jim. Speaker 1 00:11:34 Jim told Speaker 3 00:11:34 You that Jim said he was going to have it checked, tested, been tested. No, I didn't talked to him. I'm asking you, has it been checked? No, I need to go on, I work on record. That Speaker 1 00:11:46 Checked there is, there is nothing going with Pagewood Park. Speaker 3 00:11:49 Okay. What, what was the fungus do? Speaker 1 00:11:52 There's something wrong with the park. Speaker 3 00:11:53 What is the fungi then? Can Speaker 1 00:11:55 I, can I make a recommendation that maybe we call Mr. Grubbs back in Councilman. Mr. Grubbs is on speed dial with the director and the deputy director and talks to him on a very regular basis. And you know what I it is at this point that if it super picky over stuff, there is more pressing matters. Speaker 3 00:12:16 Explain something. The same picky stuff is the same picky stuff I go over every year in how is the fungus, how is the fungus growing? I asked you to put a barrier under you think you don't need them? Speaker 1 00:12:29 Curtis, we, we follow all GEP regulations out there. I mean it's Speaker 3 00:12:34 What it is. Okay. So, okay, quick question. How is the fungus growing if it is certified mulch Speaker 1 00:12:40 Part of the problem for all the council members. I know earn that, that part should have never been built there. There was a part back 40 plus years ago. Speaker 3 00:12:49 You don't say what you getting ready to say. Please don't get to say what you're going to Speaker 1 00:12:53 Say. No, I'm just telling you Curtis, what it is, is that Speaker 3 00:12:56 Take that park away today would be Speaker 1 00:12:57 A bad day park in a, in a drainage area right there. But it was done 40 years ago. Regs have has changed now. That would not be permitted. Now you put there Okay. Speaker 3 00:13:07 It's a park now. It's a park now. It's a park now. Okay. It is a park now. Okay. Fix the park. Okay. Speaker 1 00:13:16 Curtis. There is nothing wrong with the park. Speaker 3 00:13:20 Does it look like your park, Columbus park Speaker 1 00:13:21 There? There's nothing wrong with the park. We, we fundamentally disagree on that issue. Nothing wrong. Speaker 3 00:13:28 Okay. You said hay. Is it hay or the third haywood? You said getting Speaker 1 00:13:34 Redone. Do you have any idea when Speaker 3 00:13:36 You were redo the street? Speaker 1 00:13:38 We haven't signed an engineering firm yet. We're planning to do that in this upcoming capital budget. Hey Curtis, I don't need to cut your, you three minutes a row. Speaker 3 00:13:51 Two. Speaker 1 00:13:51 Thank you. Speaker 4 00:13:58 First my age. Good evening. I'm Staci Berger, 2 33 Ellis Parkway. I have a couple of questions minutes from any of the previous meetings. We still, I asked this question last time. This little, Speaker 1 00:14:16 They're, they're working on the minutes. So we just have another staff that that was just hired on. Speaker 4 00:14:22 Okay. So next meeting. Okay. If Speaker 1 00:14:27 You, if you ever need a recording of the Township council meetings, the, the audio is available by open request if you ever need to until the minutes are done. Thanks Rob. It's available. Yeah, it's Speaker 4 00:14:37 More a opening transparency thing for people to be able to read them and mindful listen to. I'm curious about the energy, electricity aggregation program ordinance that you're all are considering. 'cause there was a lot of discussion last time. Is this in response to that? Can you elaborate? Can anybody elaborate on what is actually in the ordinance as opposed to, it's sort of frustrating because you like read the name and number but you don't actually discuss the ordinance and whether you for it or against it or what you do for people. So I'm just think people have a right to know about what you're considering on the 24th of the second meeting. Speaker 1 00:15:14 So we received your petition. Petition that was very specific and the laws to the council have no choice, but they had on that petition exactly as it was written. And that's who we, the vote by being so restrictive, you do not allow the town to look at other opportunities that are out there in the ion. So what we're doing tonight is allowing us to go into a joint venture with the School Education Services Commission that does energy aggregation as a company. Speaker 4 00:15:56 Yeah, I'm familiar with my work on energy. So Speaker 1 00:15:58 What we're gonna do is, in order for us, Speaker 4 00:16:01 You're ordinance Speaker 1 00:16:03 I will, I'll answer a question if I can. Please don't interrupt me so I can answer it so everybody can hear it. So what we're gonna do tonight is we're allow, we're going into council, we're gonna go into an agreement with End Education Services Commission. We will bring the consultant, then we need to then get the information on our usage on a number of residential leaders that P-S-C-H-E has. They will not give the information out until the council takes action on this. So before the council will determine whether it makes any sense at all to do we need to know what the profile, the use profile is of Piscataway and Piscataway residence. Speaker 4 00:16:45 So, so if I can ask the council members, I appreciate the answer. If I can ask the council members Speaker 1 00:16:50 Answer, so, Speaker 4 00:16:50 Oh, okay. Well I just wanted the talk to not be on because that's not allowed. That's, Speaker 1 00:16:54 You want, you want question answers. So we'll answer the question. So this will allow us now to do and look into whether it's a feasible and what our options could possibly be other than the option of what was specifically on the petition, which had, which didn't allow any opportunity to change any of the parameters. So that's gonna be doing the beginning of tomorrow. Speaker 4 00:17:19 Well, as, as an attorney, I'm sure you are aware how the Faul Act works. You have to submit a petition that's very specific. You can't submit a petition that says, Hey, we're gonna in in doing this to voters vote on this. So you, you seem sort of overly fixated on the fact that it's a specific petition, but you can't just put like a generic question on the ballot. So I guess my question you should, you could, no I didn't, I didn't draft it. I wasn't part of the drafting committee. I just think it's a good idea for us to be, are you done? Speaker 1 00:17:46 You want, so it was very specific there. It could have been drafted to allow little bit more flexibility with Speaker 4 00:17:55 Think council could have waited in at any point and reached out to Food and Water Watch folks and made suggestions in a very long period of time when they did or didn't do any due diligence. So I'm just sort of curious from the council members. Did anybody near a looking at your notes, council president, this Speaker 1 00:18:08 Is not a q and a and the Speaker 4 00:18:10 Councils, okay, so it's okay for Mr for, for you guys to answer questions. It's, it's my three minutes. If they don't want to answer it, I'm sure Raj will advise them not to answer if it's not appropriate and if they don't want to, they certainly don't have to. But last time I checked they were all elected without you, you telling 'em what to say. So my question to the counsel is whether or not this is something that you're interested in pursuing in, in exchange for or in opposition to the ordinance that is going to be voted on on November 5th, because you all didn't have a chance to do your due diligence or chose not to or Speaker 1 00:18:43 Consider We all just voted yes on an ordinance on first reading. Okay. I should answer that question. Speaker 4 00:18:48 Sorry, I can't hear. Speaker 1 00:18:51 Since it was on for an ordinance on first reading and I believe everybody voted for it, that ought to answer the question that, that people are for. Speaker 4 00:19:00 So did anybody do any due diligence on that ordinance before you voted on it? 'cause you spent a lot of time telling us last time about how you couldn't vote on the other Speaker 1 00:19:07 Ordinance. The answer is, the answer is that you Speaker 4 00:19:09 Wanna check with Brian first before you answer. So Speaker 1 00:19:12 It would, it would be a lot easier if you, if you wanted to ask a question, you ask the question without being sarcastic, then we can give you answers and the public can hear the answers. I know you like to hear yourself talk and, and, and all that. But if you want an answer to the question, then let us answer the question. If you want to talk and make a speech, then we'll just sit back and let you do that. Okay. Would you like an answer to the question? Sure. Okay. The answer is yes. Everybody did a lot of research put into it. And this is not exactly a, a new concept in, in the sense that it's been, it's been discussed in general terms since at least last November amongst the Mayor and a number of different council people. But in the last, I wasn't at the, that particular meeting. Speaker 1 00:19:58 I know I I was actually away, but I mean, I had, I had done research on the issue and was generally pretty familiar with it. I read the statute and I, I had, I don't know, half a dozen conversations with Raj over the last two months or so on the issue and shared information with other council members. I know that Chanel did a, a tremendous amount of research and shared that information with us. So I I believe we all in the last, well, starting, starting six to nine months ago, but in the last several months we learned a lot about what we can do and cannot do in the way to do this correctly and, and the way not to do it correctly. And the objective of this ordinance is to, if we can, because some of it is, is cost based. And if you put an ordinance in place that's gonna be too expensive. Speaker 1 00:20:54 People will be, will be part of it and they don't accomplish anything. So the yes, in a simple answer to your question, we did a lot of research on it. We've had, we had different discussions between ourselves, Chanel and I did lots of individual research. The Mayor, the Mayor was, is the one who initially brought this idea to our attention, I don't know, six more months ago because it was something that was discussed at, at a mayor's conference. So the answer is it's a complex program and we're gonna hire a consultant and we're gonna attempt to do it correctly. We're gonna look into doing it in, in, in connection with, in collaboration with some other communities around here. 'cause that's probably the best way to do it. Speaker 4 00:21:39 It's been on the books since 2003 and was part of the energy deregulation and electricity competition Speaker 1 00:21:45 Originally, that was Speaker 4 00:21:47 Chris Whitten Speaker 1 00:21:48 Signed. But originally, originally the concept was correct, but originally the concept, the legal concept of the statute in relates to history. The statute was not to, was not necessarily renewable energy was simply to create competition within in energy consumption. So it's only, it's only in more recent years that renewable energy is available at, at a, at a cost That makes sense to, to go ahead and push the program on this. So the statute's original intention was somewhat being used creatively and correctly differently than its original intention. So the answer to your question is, we're gonna hire a consultant and we're going to hopefully go about doing this the correct way, what's Speaker 4 00:22:35 Right for our community or I guess the voters will get to decide whether they think that's right for the community or not. Since all I Well, okay, lemme also say, and for, for people who accuse me of having a lot to say it's, but nice to finally hear you guys say, but I also say for those people that keep saying they want fair and open government who jam an ordinance down people's throats that no one knew anything about in this town is very odd to me. 1500 people signed the ordinance we were standing across from, we stood across from you had an and you, I know why you I'm not aware of be an ordinance on people's throat. You have, you have every right we here, they need to be educated about what we're gonna do here and make sure that it's right for our community. Not just that we have to go to what everybody else is doing. You okay? You okay? Speaker 2 00:23:43 Ms. David Speaker 3 00:23:48 Akins Valley Lane. Nice to see on your smiling faces to see Speaker 1 00:23:54 This afternoon, that Speaker 3 00:23:56 Meeting, I'm, I'm busy. Item number K for kilo is additional $7,500 is, Speaker 1 00:24:18 So they were, they are un plumber and the original contract was for 20, the original contract was for $22,000. And we need some more services out than we're anticipating for the end of the year for adding $7,500 to bring total contract. 29,005. Speaker 5 00:24:42 That, that's for all the, that's for all the plumbing that we do for Township building parks and stuff Speaker 1 00:24:48 Like that. Park Speaker 5 00:24:51 For the emergency. For one park, right? Speaker 2 00:24:53 Yeah, Speaker 3 00:24:54 It's for the administration public court. Speaker 5 00:24:57 It's for all our public, all the municipal building. Speaker 3 00:25:01 What did you say about parks park? Speaker 5 00:25:04 Parks two, right? The bathroom, Speaker 3 00:25:08 The bathrooms I guess in the park. Yes. Lock. Okay. That's all. Speaker 5 00:25:14 Thank you. Did Speaker 3 00:25:27 My name is cost females and I'm at 58 curb with cattle. Am I to understand that our prosecutor is going to restrict me from picking up trust in my neighborhood? Am I to understand that I cannot trim rape the lease or do anything beyond my residence? What is this? We have a prosecuted accusing me of cutting down a stroke finding me 300. The judge find me $300 for cutting. Is this right? Speaker 5 00:26:21 So Mr. If Speaker 3 00:26:22 If I can we, can we agree. You are asking for volunteers for trash removal. I am doing this for my neighborhood. I may Council president, this has been involved in the courts. I Speaker 1 00:26:42 Have a complaint. Cut down a tree on somebody else's property, not a tree. A judge agreed that it was a shrub. Mr. Gustav that's involved with the courts. We're not gonna get into it here. This is not the venue. Right? A judge and the prosecutor in probably have been dealing with this is what you did. I need it is what it is. If you still wanna volunteer and help pick up trash around the community, but you do have cleanups periodically, we'd more than likely like you to have it involved. I have this complaint. May I give it to you? Speaker 0 00:27:11 Gu I I would just, if if I could just, if you can just give it to the general right? If you, if I could just advise you to kind of listen to what it is that they told you. The court. 'cause we don't want to misguide you. You know, I know I came out to, to your house and, and I know you, Speaker 1 00:27:24 You saw the mess. It is worse. I thank you. Speaker 2 00:27:32 You're welcome. Speaker 1 00:27:39 Anyone else to speak? Mr. Have a motion. Second. Second in favor. Aye. Adjourned The agenda meeting September 24th of order. Adam, this meeting has been provided as chapter 2 31 1 9 7 5. Specifying the time and date location and the extent the agenda by closing a copy of the notice on the municipal building municipal court. Two municipal library board. A copy newspaper that the Township by filing a copy in the office of the council clerk with the certification by clerk. Should be entered the minutes. Please take a oath. Speaker 0 00:28:22 Councilman Bullard. Here. Councilman. Here. Councilman. Cahn. Speaker 1 00:28:26 Here. Speaker 0 00:28:26 Councilman. Here. Councilman Cola. Here. Councilman Shaw. Here. Council president Speaker 1 00:28:32 Here. Speaker 2 00:28:38 United States America. Public Liberty. Speaker 1 00:28:52 Number five. One on a second reading amended Chapter 21 zoning section 21 dash oh two. General parking schedule. And this is the ultimately called Speaker 2 00:29:02 Question Speaker 1 00:29:04 Item number six. Ordinance Second reading. Lending Chapter 14, building section 1.3 fees, construction permit fees. Chapter two, administration Section two dash 9.9. Municipal clerk. Additional duties. This is open to public resolution. Any comments? Collections. Speaker 1 00:29:24 Seven. One on a second reading purchase of block 1 25 0 2 1 0 0.05. Resolution ordinance, second aggregation program. This will be open for the public resolution on topic one. Is there any comments or questions? Question, Mayor Question on on this, the, the energy aggregate. I think there's a, I think when we talked about it, we have a couple of other supporting resolutions. We have to do we gonna do that after it's adopted? Yes. We, we need to find out what our energy profile is in the town. Another way you can do that is basis that we have to have a copy of all the PSEG bills of all the residents right there way we can get all authorization. Allow somebody to third party to take a look at that and said it has to be warrant for second read. But you know, there's no guarantee this is gonna save the residents money. Speaker 1 00:30:26 City of Brunswick, when they did theirs, there's a difference. They have a flat line profile, meaning where there would be a spike warm in the summer of energy. It wasn't because they have a lot of rental properties with college students which have to be out. So they're not the atypical right there. And there wasn't an average savings of $100 that was portrayed here. It was only average savings of $60 because they had a union profile. I don't know what our profile is gonna determine because we're not the city of New Brunswick or so of the other communities. But you know, I can't look somebody in the face here, the residence and tell 'em that they're gonna save money because we don't know. And you ultimately aren't gonna know unless you go out to bid when bids come in. 'cause more parameters you put on energy aggregation, the potential it has for higher cost. That's the reality. So, you know, I just, I think we just continue to go along and see what the energy profile's gonna come up with, with from PSEG. I understand is my question is I thought we needed to hire. Yeah, we have the interlocal with the energy education services. That that is, they're they're, they're on their hiring agent on our behalf. Speaker 1 00:31:43 We do the inter local with educational services. They have a company that does the aggregation for the clean energy. So they hire 'em on our behalf. Yeah, they'll work for, they'll work for educational services and our behalf. So we met with them. Process. Right. Process right now. And based upon Speaker 0 00:32:09 Our profile, that would determine whether or not we're gonna save money Speaker 1 00:32:11 Or, that's correct. And like when Edison went out to do the energy aggregation, there was, there was no savings whatsoever. So they ended up canceling the thing with the ps. Speaker 0 00:32:24 And if I could add that, you know, in terms of the residence that I spoke with, that's their biggest concern. They don't, they wanna make sure that they're saving money and that they're not increasing their bills. Speaker 1 00:32:32 Well we can't, we we can't basically until it actually goes out. I can't say whether they're gonna save Speaker 0 00:32:40 Or not. I understand. And also by partnering up with some of these companies, thus they will also do the education of our residents to educate them as to what we are gonna correct. Right. That's a new charge. Right. So at the ordinance, which is really good, I think that's important that we start looking at all the ways that we can communicate that to the residents. I do know somebody from another county said that when their bill changed, they had no idea what was going on. Okay. Speaker 1 00:33:14 Item number nine. Orders on first reading supplement chapter 10, 10 point 12. Open burning fires, which is resolution. Any comments or questions? Speaker 0 00:33:25 I have a question regarding this one. It does say open burning in fires and then permit permitted and prohibited fires in any way. Does this prohibit people to have a fire pit in your, Speaker 1 00:33:38 I'm not sure this is Speaker 0 00:33:39 Through the fire, but this is through the Speaker 1 00:33:42 From Yeah, this is the, there was some change in the code, code fireworks. So this is, this is matching our ordinance sustain code of our, Speaker 0 00:33:52 That we're saying this is pertain to fireworks. Yeah, Speaker 1 00:33:55 This is fireworks. 'cause there was a question. 'cause now that the state changed the rule on what type of fireworks you can have legally we're now indicating the state. Speaker 0 00:34:04 The state Speaker 1 00:34:09 We number 10. First reading amended Chapter 21, zoning. 10 14.3 solar panel with the resolution. Adoptable SE Item 11, resolution virtual recycling garbage cans for the community center. Commercial furniture interiors, that $18. Number 12, resolution authorizing return of fillings showing village security deposit. Ronald Smith department two 10 comments requested I number 13, resolution authorizing return of arrestable fees. Block 52 0 1 8 13 dash 4 20 21 15 18 South Washington Avenue tv. Brown, LLC Block 93 0 1. 1 52. Oh one. 51. So Lane, LLC Block 57 0 1 lot. 7 0 3. 1260 Centennial Avenue. Jonathan LLC Block 85 0 1 block. 45 0 1 55. New Dorm Road. Paramount Real Realty Services Incorporated in block 85 0 1 lot. 45 0 1 55. New dorm road. I Ms. Park time. Question on that. Speaker 0 00:35:25 Council, council president, I don't have a question on that one, but can I just go back to item number 10? This is, is that okay? This is, this is regarding the first reading Speaker 2 00:35:37 Regarding the zoning and the solar panels. Sure. Speaker 1 00:35:40 In a nutshell, this is being recommended by the planning department. What it is, is it's requiring that if you install solar panels on your roof of your home in the residential district, you can't be more than 12 inches off the roof. And that some systems will be seen over time that the piping comes down and some p folks are putting the piping in the middle of the front yard. So this would mean that it would've to go in the backyard and it would have to be screened. Meaning, you know, the pipings from the solar Speaker 2 00:36:09 It Speaker 1 00:36:10 Yeah, we have an, we have an ordinance now on that several years ago. We're just tweaking what we have. Speaker 2 00:36:19 Thank Speaker 1 00:36:19 You. Seven 14 resolution turn street opening on block 1 1 3 0 6, block 7 0 5, 53 0 2 Orchard Street breakfast Patel. Question number 15, resolution, return of irrevocable standby letter of credit and cash bond block 49 0 1 block. 1 0 3 2 C corporation. Question number 16, resolution tax appeal estate settlement, 100 New England Associates all block 46 0 1 block, 2 0 1 100 New England Avenue. Item number 17, local grant application submission and execution of grant contract with the DOT for Centennial Avenue Road improvements. Any comments or questions? Speaker 2 00:37:14 It doesn't happen. Speaker 1 00:37:19 This is for the grant application. I mean, and generally plans are finished. We just have some more easements we have to acquire out there in front of the corporations and we'll see. I'm hoping 2021 18 resolution section four seven deferred compensation plan. Any comments or question? I have another 19. Motion to accept August 19 revenue. August, 1921. Motion in two minutes Announcements. I have no, Speaker 2 00:38:32 I just wanna do again, say tomorrow Speaker 3 00:38:35 11th Speaker 4 00:38:35 And may we never forget. Speaker 3 00:38:39 No additional comments. No thanks. No. State your name. Three minutes from Speaker 2 00:38:53 Mr. Curtis Speaker 3 00:39:05 17th 53rd. Trying to think Mr. Mayor, Speaker 3 00:39:17 She's going get done whatever you, I need someone to come out there and look at the street because it's cracking. So maybe for or tar, maybe we do that. Council president. We'll try to think. Showing aware the condition of the, when did Hazelwood Park scheduled for the next do over? That ain't happened. Oh, I'm asking after 15 years. Okay. Now when the question I asked earlier, you said that that toil not the toil the mulch was tested by, did you know it's mulch? It it de degrades. Can I a question, you know, naturally degrades over time, all the parts do that. Sometimes it, you get some heavy rain, you'll get some fun in there. But it it's natural right there. So, but I'm asking, you said it was tested. That's what I'm asking, right? Yes, it, it, it mulch heard. Great. I know it's mulch, you know its mulch. But I'm asking you what you stated that 10 minutes ago. I was told by the public parts, they checked it out and there was no problem about that. Is there any way possible that we, the public can get that copy of that saying there's nothing wrong with it. I'm asking I'm we're not gonna let anybody use the park if there's a problem. That's why we're spending a lot of capital dollars throughout the town to make all of our parks. Thank you. Safe to to, as you know Curtis, I know Speaker 2 00:41:02 I such a big hit person Speaker 4 00:41:08 2 33 Park. Five couple of things. Today is actually National Suicide Awareness, the Prevention Day. And I wanna thank everybody from the community who came out on Saturday to the library. The Progress Democrats held a fundraiser. We raised a thousand dollars, little over a thousand dollars for the National Suicide Prevention Organization. The library staff were really fantastic as where the students and the teachers and community members who came to talk about ways to help our neighbors. So if anybody, I didn't see anything on the website, but if anybody wants to put some resources on the website, the capture website, you can certainly, I can share them with anyone who would like to do that or who might want them to for themselves or if they've been friends. We also have a event planned for of September 21st to do a fundraiser to raise money to support victims of Hurricane Dorian in The Bahamas in particular. Speaker 4 00:42:01 I believe it's gonna be a yard sale. So anything that people are gonna donate and then anything that people, you know, for to purchase is gonna be either print. I think it's gift cards are a direct cash contribution to the payment fund. So hopefully we'll see some Are all of you there? This Saturday will be K Tillman and from Lake three will be at the dumping donuts in under the road to talk to neighbors about issues in our neighborhood. And one thing that has come up from knocking on some of the doors in our community, in our part of Skyway is the concern about the DPW passes. There's been a lot of chat online and around the neighborhood about what folks who work eight to five are gonna do to pick those passes up since they're not gonna be available to be mailed. We seems a little that we wouldn't have a Saturday pickup or a one night month pickup or be able to send a self-addressed stand envelope the way that, you know, the clerk's office is great about knowing out the pet licenses for folks who can't get to the DPW from between eight 30 and 1230 or one 40 to four 30. Speaker 4 00:43:07 So I was wondering if there was any consideration that law could get to making sure that people who either can't drive or can't get there during those hours are able to get those passes. That's a question you don't have to answer it in. They are pointed out. You're not obligated to answer. But there are a lot of you, you Speaker 1 00:43:24 Don't have to be snotty about this. Speaker 4 00:43:27 I'm not being snotty. You are you. This isn't this, this is, I'm, I'm not here to pick a fight. I'm here because I represent my neighbors. And that's come up and every time I ask a question, you tell people they don't have to answer it. So I'm just reiterating what you said before. So my question is to the counsel is, and certainly Mr. Mayor, you're welcome to answer it. Mr. Dacy looks ready to, to answer it if there's another way besides people appearing in person. There's also some concern from tenants who evidently passes will get mailed or at some passes now get mailed to their landlords and they never get them. So is there another opportunity for folks to get that DW card? Speaker 1 00:44:08 So we've got approximately 60,000 residents, just sure. So approximately 15,000 homes or so to, to mail to we an analysis of our active users of the dump of leaf bags and all other services. And we found roughly 3000 homes. So instead of spending the money to send out 15,000 cards, print 15,000 cards mail, 14,000 cards, we decided to do it this way. And if people can't get there, they don't take effect until 2020. So that everything's the same for the fall of this year we're trying to do is we spent a lot of money. They killed a lot of trees. Mailing out. Mailing out the coupons. Coupons, the coupons. And people would come here and they'd be upset because they went to public works and they had to go up here to the tax office to buy more coupons. So we're trying to streamline it and make it easier for the resident to sit. Speaker 4 00:45:10 Sure. I underst I understand that whatever the specific question that I have is whether people trying to, Speaker 1 00:45:17 I'm trying to answer your question. So whatever, whatever concerns that people have, we have to amend our hours or something. We'll certainly do that. The first, first stab that something that we're trying to do that's environmentally friendly, it's easier for the taxpayers to do and is using technology, which is something that, that we haven't, we use more. Speaker 4 00:45:39 That's, that's commendable. Mr. Da Mike Speaker 1 00:45:42 Be a very good system. We believe we have to tweak it. We'll the goal is to make sure everybody can use it regarding the homeowners. Homeowners. The passes do go to the homeowner, which is the same as every mail today. So if you live in an apartment in a house, the owner lives in Red Bank for Speaker 4 00:46:00 Example. Oh, California is, oh, Speaker 1 00:46:01 California. That's where, that's where everything can, so, right. Speaker 4 00:46:05 I Speaker 1 00:46:05 Think if landlord, it's up to that landlord to be available to their tenant. We don't, we don't know who lives each house. We know who owns each house. We don't know who, Speaker 4 00:46:14 We don't have the landlord, but we don't have the tenant registration ordinance like any other. Speaker 1 00:46:18 We have no way to determine who's living in each house moving in. And we have registration, we don't have know who's living in the house at the moment. Speaker 4 00:46:27 Okay, so I, so two, two suggestions. One would be to have a weekend and a night once a month for people to pick that stuff up. The second would be that be to do what we do with the dog cat licenses. That you can mail a self address Sam to the office and have it mail back to you if you can. There's just some folks who don't have transportation to get here during those hours. And the third would be if people can produce, you know, a proof of residency, a utility bill in their name, a driver's license in their name, something other than I own that property, but I live there. Maybe two or three pieces of utility bill usually doesn't. Utility bill and a driver's license with that address on it. Voter registration and some something that shows that they actually, you know, occupy that that property would be one alternate way that you could provide that resource to people without having to then, you know, for them to track down potentially the absentee landlord and maybe get that packet. Speaker 4 00:47:21 And those were some of the issues that have come up in our neighborhood. And one other thing that we, we did really hear from folks about is, is on River Road, the, the proposal to change the speed limit. I'm not sure if there's gonna be a hearing about that or how that's going to move forward, but there's, there's concern both about the, the actual increase in car traffic on River Road because all the trucks are off and you know that, that people actually can't think of right. Or left side of the, the street that they live on. That's just what we've heard at the door. So I don't know what, I don't have an answer to that. People have asked me. I don't, I don't know what the proposal is and how it's gonna move forward. So I didn't know if anybody had details. I know Mr. S working on River Road for a long time, so Speaker 5 00:48:10 I on river, Speaker 1 00:48:12 But I, but I'll tell you in an unscientific way that there's less traffic, but vehicles go faster than they did before we, we moved the trucks. The objective of lowering the speed limit would be obviously speed limit. Speaker 4 00:48:32 Is that, is there gonna be a hearing or is it gonna be a conversation about that? Or is that gonna be Speaker 1 00:48:38 Be done by? It'll be, I think we, Speaker 4 00:48:40 Is there a schedule? I guess Speaker 1 00:48:43 We gotta go to the county but then once the county approved it, what they do an ordinance, it'll be public hearing. It'll be a Speaker 5 00:48:48 Public hearing. Okay. Speaker 4 00:48:49 Thanks Speaker 1 00:48:50 Again. Once very unofficially. We could ask Chris Murray over there who is actually a long time president of On River Road. I think, I think most people want to with state. Speaker 5 00:49:02 I, and I would say this, there is, I live on Rivera, there is less traffic, but it's at the times like, you know, I don't hear the trucks anymore. You know, so weekends like Saturdays all of a sudden are nicer. But Carter brings up a good point. My husband talked about this too, is that because you don't have the trust, so lag on it is harder to make a left out of there Speaker 4 00:49:26 Or right people. I, I specifically had two people on Hillside in the lower block Hillside say that they actually have now, instead of making, coming out and making a right, they now come up baby and baby, I don't know if you've taken that road time, but it is like the, the Indy 500 people come, they have to accelerate to get over that, that first hump. And then they have to, it's kind of leak. So it's more stop signs are, you know what the, Speaker 5 00:49:53 It's usually our own residents that are the ones Speaker 1 00:49:56 Are Speaker 5 00:49:57 Speeding and doing this. So we have to, you know, it's always a thing where we have to come to terms with, we're criticizing our own resident. I remember School Street, right? The people at School Street, they don't want the, the speed bump out there, but yet the students zip through there. So it is, it's troubling. I I think probably in my, I mean I live there so I'm biased. I would like to have that speed reduced. I think it'll help some, but the car traffic is not going to stop because now without the trucks there, it's a more, there's more, there's more car traffic is what I, I think during the day there's Speaker 1 00:50:36 More car traffic. I, I bet it down. Car traffic is probably exactly the same. The cars go faster because the trucks slow the truck. Oh, maybe Speaker 5 00:50:43 That's it. Maybe that's it because you can't get out because can't get out. There is no lag time. It feels like more traffic. Anyway, I just, people have asked me and I wanted to know what the process was. So thank you for answering that question. Thank you. Speaker 3 00:51:09 David Akins Valley Lane, item number eight. I know this is in the early stages and we've spoken about the debris, but there, is there any literature anywhere, regardless of which way it, it goes up or down that people can read opposed to having someone come and explain? Because when you have literature and you can read, you'll bring up thoughts that thought about if someone's here answering questions off the cuff, is there anywhere so you can obtain literature. So you can read it. David, there's Speaker 1 00:51:52 Plenty of literature available on, on the web. You just have to, you just have to Google energy aggregation New Jersey and be there. These stories and inform, Speaker 5 00:52:01 And David, part of the ordinance too, and I think a couple of council members mentioned it, is that part of the ordinance that we just voted on tonight talks about education, educational component. That's not gonna cost the Township a dollar, right? Right. So these people are gonna come in, we're gonna have open forms so that residents can come and learn exactly what that is and what would mean to them. Speaker 3 00:52:27 The information that's on the internet is that different when you compare to towns to towns or, or the, all the things. Speaker 1 00:52:38 There's a whole variety of information, but different towns have done things differently. And the statute and the, and the department and the state department that oversees it actually encourages creativity and flexibility. Each municipality creating their ordinance so that they can adjust to accomplish two things as much energy efficiency as possible. The highest buy it. In other words, you can create a great ordinance that's gonna, and if we reduce energy, you know, emissions and all this great stuff, the town doesn't buy into it, it achieves nothing. So Speaker 5 00:53:18 It's like a volume discount. The more residents opt in versus opting out, the better a sort of volume discount if you want. I mean, and that's not to say that every year when the Township goes out to bid that the price isn't going change yet. The price is going to change. Right. Because the price of energy changes bids like the wind. So every year the Township will go out to bid and just like every contract, it, it'll be the lowest bidder. Speaker 1 00:53:45 I mean there's different, Edison tried to do it and was unsuccessful. Woodbridge has been doing it and is gonna walk away from it because they, they, it's been a bad experience and I've spoken to the whip county attorney about it. New Brunswick, the Mayor loves the program and thinks it's great for New Brunswick Highland Park. We've spoken to Highland Park's interested in the, in the, in the, in the program. Am I right about 50 pounds in New Jersey? Maybe have, have, have done an energy aggregate. They've done 'em all differently. That that's what, that's the, that's the point that Tim was making before when he said the ordinance that was proposed in the referendum has artificial numbers. Numbers that were created by somebody who didn't study the town and know what would be the best cost analysis, where you'd get the most buy-in how much it would cost to do a particular percentage. They're just numbers that somebody, it's a wishlist of numbers. It's gotta be studied correctly. 'cause when Edison tried to do that, Edison Edison went percentage forward we are gonna say, here's the percentage that we're going to achieve. The numbers made no sense and the town couldn't do it. So would you be obligated to buy into it for the individual? You can always get out. Speaker 5 00:55:00 You can always get out. Speaker 1 00:55:02 No, I understand that, Speaker 0 00:55:03 But you're automatically in Mr. Speaker 1 00:55:04 Initially everybody. But that, and that's another thing. Why do you have to automatically be in Speaker 0 00:55:09 As a tech person? So to be honest with you, these are some of the questions that I will tell. I want to, the residents here in the s and I ask them, and that's one of the things that they do not like, which is one of the reasons why we did not move forward with that ordinance that was put forth because they said, one, they didn't, they wanted us to guarantee that the price would not go up. They wanted to be able to have a voice. And I told them that, you know, there were quite a few people, 1500 people in the Township and they said, well that's 1500. It's not 60,000 or 59,000. Okay. But I just want to answer your question, right? So you can go out to New Jersey, clean New Jersey, clean Energy Program, you can get emails constantly. You can participate in various forms to learn about things. But as Steve stated, it's pretty complicated. I myself have signed up and he'll get emails almost every day so I can give you the information after the meeting. Speaker 5 00:55:58 And Councilman, I just so everybody knows here, David has been asking ever since he listened to the group that was here, and I would have to say he probably, if you had gone and knocked on his door, he, his concerns, 'cause he, you know, probably one of the planning board meeting maybe after, had talked about the very thing about, you know, I want the information before I'm forced to do anything. Speaker 0 00:56:23 And I think that's what the goal is. When, when Speaker 1 00:56:26 Carl answer your question, first of all, the Board of Public Utilities is who oversees all of this. So the best place to start for like the highest view down, if you will, would be to go to the Board of Public Utilities and, and look for an energy aggregator. You'll find a lot of information that's official information that the state of New Jersey has out there. You'll get to the ordinance. There's a, there's a section that's gonna show you all the different towns and so on. So that's the best place to start. But to specifically answer your question, and this gets back to what the Mayor said before, is you need to have an energy profile done of the town, right? Understand what you can achieve. Saying you're gonna achieve 15% in year one and 25 in year two and 50 in year three or whatever the numbers are. Speaker 1 00:57:13 All sounds terrific and if it would work, but the reality of it is that the experts at this, and there's limited people that are experts at it, but the experts at this may say, well, instead of 15% scattering break even numbers 13.5 or maybe 17.5, we don't know the answer to that question. The answer to your question though, everybody is in, because you, you, you gotta assume everybody's gonna be in for a proper analysis and everybody can opt out and you can opt out at any time. So let's just say for example, you're in this energy aggregate for six months and you hate it. You have 30 days notice. So you would give anybody else to change your cable or utilities and you could opt out. So it's very new. And again, I'll say I agree, an informal survey of people that you just talked to, A lot of people have a lot of reservations about it because they're uneducated about it and it's new and it's new to them. Speaker 1 00:58:10 Yeah, I mean if you tell, you can get, you can get 25,000 people to sign a petition if you say to them, you're gonna get cheaper energy and it's gonna save the environment at where I saw it. But I mean, getting it done, the devil is into details and I'm all for it. I think everybody here on the council's all for it. I've been all for it since I first learned about it at the league. Municipalities spoke to Brian about it almost a year ago. But in fairness, Brian know, Brian knows more about it than I do. The Mayor knows more about it than I do. And the Mayor is ultimately the guy who has to run it and he understands the details. He doesn't do it right. You fail and it, it fails. Everybody opts out or cost you too much money and you don't, you don't get cheaper energy. You don't get greener energy. You just create bureaucracy. We're trying to do it correctly. It's not easy. It's very difficult. Speaker 0 00:59:01 And Mrs, if I could add to what Steve said, our goal here is to educate the people, right? So that they can make an informed decision that that's critical for us. Right? We also don't want to increase the amount of money that people have to come out of their pocket. Speaker 1 00:59:15 They won't Speaker 0 00:59:15 Do it right, because they won't do it. Now, I don't think I would do it. Some people will, right? They're, they're looking, looking, they're stating, you know, we have to be concerned about, you know, the world here. So they're willing to pay that price, but a person on a fixed income may not even have the money to spend that extra 10 or $20 a month, right? They're already cutting their prescriptions in cash so they don't have that extra hundred, excuse me, a hundred dollars a year that maybe other people have. So these are some of our, our concerns. I can tell you that people right now you can still use p, SE and G as your delivery, but you can opt out now if you want to. Right? Right. And, and so it's not something that you have to wait for the Township to do. Speaker 0 00:59:53 It's not something that you have to wait for these, the people who put forth this ordinance to do. I can tell you that there are people who have done it. This one lady in town, her mother lives in Jersey City. She opted into it because, you know, she thought it was in the best interest and right after that the cross went up. So, and her mom's on a fixed income. So she thought it was the right thing to do to save her mom money, but only in the long run to wind up paying more money. So these are some of the things that we're hoping to do, is to educate the people so that they can make an informed decision and we can ultimately do what's right for the residents. As Steve stated in other towns, they, you know, like Edison, they didn't feel like they could, you know, say the Township residents money. So they said, well we won't do it. That still doesn't stop the individual resident from opt in if they choose to. Speaker 1 01:00:35 Right? Right. It's Speaker 0 01:00:37 A very delicate balance between doing what's right for everyone and doing what's also right for our environment. Speaker 1 01:00:43 Just to throw one statistic out at you, PSEG right now, I'm trying to remember the numbers correct me, about 3% of their energy is renewable and shockingly I think 24%, if I remember the number correctly, of PSGs energy comes from coal. Great. Hard to believe. That's great. Okay. Thank you counsel. Thank you. Kind Speaker 0 01:01:06 Of like using a metal straw, but still drinking out of a plastic water bottle. Right? Well, Speaker 1 01:01:11 I say this when we tried to get people, when we, when we tried to mandate people wellwood in areas of town, this goes back 15 years ago where the water has had a history of contamination. There was a Superfund site across the border in, in, in, in Middlesex. We, people didn't want to do it. So this won't work if you don't have a significant percentage of people buying. It won't, it won't work. Costs do. We won't. Speaker 0 01:01:40 Well it was very good conversation Speaker 1 01:01:48 President, if I may, I I think the numbers came from the petition from a Las Vegas car dealer right there. Car, car, yeah. Car. I mean, when they came up with the numbers, but more importantly is I'm glad Mrs. Burger's having a meeting down at Dunking Donuts there because They after all, for those folks that live in the Heights area, remember that was an abandoned old people's national bank down there, which is run down for years. Right. It Speaker 0 01:02:16 Was a nail salon for a little bit. That's right. Speaker 5 01:02:18 It was a Speaker 1 01:02:18 Nail salon. And so, you know, at least that's been, it's been reinvented that area to working with the, the businesses locally and then also the delicate testing too now, which is a, a home improvement area down there. So the, that little business niche section of this uc. But maybe we Speaker 5 01:02:38 Should do some like street scaping right on the corner. You know, that'd be Speaker 1 01:02:41 Nice. But either way. But I remember that there were some folks that were against the dumping donuts. Speaker 5 01:02:45 Well, I can't, not me, I love dunk donut. What? Still doing pretty good over there. Our quick check friends. They're still doing well. You hope dunk donuts. It's usually pretty busy. Speaker 1 01:02:58 Well, that dunk donuts need, I have a motion to adjourn. Second in favor.