Transcript for Piscataway Council meeting on September 24 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 00:00:01 Item number six, open to the public comments regarding item number 13, consent agenda items. We're gonna move right to number 13. First consent agenda items for French items have been consolidated into Concentra Agenda to be voted on together. Appears that these items have been distributed to the council. The 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 voting on a second? Motion? Speaker 2 00:00:32 Motion. Speaker 0 00:00:33 Second. Second. Second. The roll. Why delay Time. Speaker 1 00:00:38 Time delay is climate denial. Climate delay is climate denial. Climate delay is climate denial. Climate delay is climate denial. Climate delay is climate denial. Climate delay is climate denial. Yes. Climate delay down climate delay is delay. And climate Denial Delay. Seat. Speaker 3 00:01:06 You are outta order. Please do not interrupt this meeting. Speaker 0 00:01:10 Yes, please. Amen. Number seven On the second meeting, amending chapter 14 building section 1.3 Cs construction permit fees. Chapter two administration, section two dash 9.9, municipal clerk, additional duties to the public resolution ordinance Speaker 2 00:01:27 Be resolved by the Township counsel, Piscataway Township, New Jersey. Then an ordinance entitled Ordinance to amend and supplement the revised general ordinances of the Township of Piscataway, county of Middle Sac, state of New Jersey. Amending Chapter two administration. Section nine, municipal clerk. Chapter 14, building section one. Conviction fee service charges was introduced on the 10th of September, 2019 and passed the first reading and was close to the 13th day of September, 2019. Now therefore be it resolved that the opposite ordinance having had a second reading on September 24th, 2019 be adopted, passed. And after passage be published together with a notice of the date of pass to approval in the official newspaper. Be it further resolved that this ordinance shall be assigned number 19 dash 22. Speaker 0 00:02:13 This is open to the public. Any comments? Do I have a motion? Second. Speaker 2 00:02:20 Second. Speaker 0 00:02:21 Please take a hold. Speaker 2 00:02:23 Councilman do. Yes. Councilman. Yes. Councilman? Yes. Councilwoman McCullum. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President Herman? Speaker 0 00:02:32 Yes. Item P. Item number eight, ordinance on a second reading purchase of block 1 25 0 2. Block 10.05 is also open to the Public resolution ordinance, Speaker 2 00:02:44 Be it resolved by the Township counsel c Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled an Ordinance for the Purchase of Block 1 2 5 0 2 Block one 0.05 in the Piscataway was introduced on the 10th day of September, 2019, and it passed the first reading and was published on the 13th day of September, 2019. Now therefore be it resolved that the after said ordinance, having had a second reading on September 24th, 2019 be adopted, passed. And after passage be published together with the notice of the date of passenger approval in the attorney review. You further resolved that this ordinance shall be assigned number 19 dash two three, Speaker 0 00:03:21 The public or any comments? A motion. Motion. Second. Second, please state the roll. Speaker 2 00:03:30 Councilman Bullard. Yes. Councilman Cahn. Yes. Councilman Lombardi. Yes. Councilwoman McCollum. Yes. Councilman Haw. Yes. Council President Speaker 0 00:03:40 Erwin? Yes. Item passes. Item number nine, ordinance on a second reading, establish a governmental private energy aggregation program is open to the public resolution adopting audience. Mr. Cedar, please. Your audience Speaker 2 00:03:53 Here resolved and the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Ordinance of the Township, Piscataway County of Sac State New Jersey, to establish a government private energy aggregation program in the Township of Piscataway 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 NJSA 48 3 dash 92 adec was introduced on the 10th day of September, 2019 and had passed the first reading and was published on the 13th day of September, 2019. Now therefore be it resolved that the Office of Ordinance, having had a second reading on September 24th, 2019 be adopted past and after passage be published together with the notice of the date of passage or approval in the official newspaper, be it further resolved that this ordinance shall be assigned number 19 dash two. Speaker 0 00:04:50 This the public and comments? Speaker 4 00:04:52 Yes, Speaker 0 00:04:56 This the ordinance right. Speaker 0 00:04:59 Herb tar. Please state your name and your address and you have three minutes in which you speak. Herb Tartans. Four letter, new Market Road, the Stateway. I was under the impression that this council was comprised of public service, but that does not seem clear to me anymore. It seems to me that you're serving political bosses whose wishes are your, it seems like your, your whole attitude and desire is to stay on this council by getting to county line in the primary election. You're not serving the people of Piscataway. You are serving political bosses with this, with this ordinance. And it's time to do the right thing and show some backbone and stand up to the political bosses in town and do the right thing for the people of Piscataway Speaker 5 00:05:48 Ambassador one 13 Fountain Avenue. I know you're all feeling very self-congratulatory that you are in Speaker 2 00:05:56 The 68th rank of the top 100 place. Nice places to live in Money Magazine. Noted Money Magazine. Right. But actually I looked at the methodology for how we got that ranking and it does not include any environmental factors. It includes healthcare factors. Healthcare factors are what happens after you get sick from a bad environment. They're not. What helps you stay well? So I looked at some other rankings of how towns are ranked according to their environmental standards. We're not even close. We're not only not in the top 100, we're not even like as good as Baton Rouge, Louisiana. If you've been there, you know what I'm talking about. So what would make us have a high environmental ranking? I mean, considered a green place to live. It would be passing the ordinance that's gonna be on the referendum. Speaker 4 00:06:53 Thank you. Hold on one second. Yeah, yeah. Speaker 2 00:07:01 To get that kind of ranking, the ranking that you're gonna need in the future, the ranking that young people in this room deserve. You've gotta have the kind of ordinance that we put on the ballot, not the one that you've just passed or are going to pass. You don't have a commitment to renewable energy. You don't have any timelines, you don't have any goals, you don't have any imperatives. You have absolutely nothing that says your aggregation program is gonna reach a hundred percent renewables by any date. You have no commitment to the future of this town. Who's gonna come and live here? And how are housing values going to be maintained when this becomes one of the filthiest places in a filthy place? A place that already gets Middlesex County an F rating from the American Lung Association. You are not moving forward. And once again, I, I don't know who you serve, but you serve the past and it's really time for you to think about the future of this town. Speaker 4 00:08:16 Hello, Speaker 2 00:08:16 Leitz 1 0 2 Stratton Street South. I'm here because I'm very proud of living in Piscataway and I think this is an absolutely amazing opportunity if we pass a hundred percent renewable and a hundred percent clean energy. As a leader in Middlesex County, we have been a leader in democracy. The banks of the ratan began with us in the 17 hundreds. We are beautiful parks. We are beautiful trees. We are bounded by the beautiful ton river. We have beautiful diversity in this town. We have amazing education in this town, amazing public schools, an amazing university right next door. Those children and those students represent the future. And this council represents the heart of democracy. Where we live in Piscataway, let's lead, let's show the townships in Middlesex County what it's like to pass an ordinance that brings in a hundred percent of the future clean energy, a hundred percent renewable. We can be the beacon Middlesex County and this state can look to Piscataway and we can continue to be the proud Piscataway residents that we are when this council does the right thing and pass the ordinance, not the dirty ordinance. A clean ordinance, a hundred percent renewable and a hundred percent clean energy. Thank you. Speaker 0 00:09:48 Patel 29 Drug Road. So I've listened to the guys and in some cases I do support, but I just have general question. How many of you guys actually drive electric car here? Speaker 4 00:10:01 This is actually directed at the council. That's not directed at the public. Speaker 0 00:10:04 Okay. You need council, Speaker 4 00:10:05 I mean to council. Speaker 0 00:10:06 So Speaker 0 00:10:08 There are two things when, when issues like this come in, I don't believe in singular form of energy, just, it's just bad science. Energy independent comes with energy choices and it should be all form of energy rather than one form of energy. And just in a general trend, when they just talk about public private partnerships, I think that line is getting very blurry because the private institutions are becoming as big as public. So we have to be very mindful about that. And and in terms of when accountability is structured, when they're saying that the residents should be put in line and if they get the rebates back with the promises that is this energy is giving, then I can understand. But if there is no feasibility study done, then oftentimes those promises actually turn into taxpayers liabilities. I Speaker 2 00:10:59 Thank you very much for that statement. I really appreciate it. Thank you. Speaker 0 00:11:02 Thank you so much Speaker 4 00:11:09 Else. Speaker 0 00:11:23 Good evening Junior O I'm at 100 Bayard Street in New Brunswick. I'm also with an organization called Food and Water Watch for an environmental group. Only a couple days after hundreds of students, Rutgers. Many of them live here in Piscataway, but Bush campuses almost nearly a thousand. Actually many of them are here today. A lot of our allies that live in Piscataway also joined them at the march and they were calling for, they had clear policy goals, transition to a hundred percent renewable energy ASAP and reduce our fossil fuel carbon footprint. Today's ordinance that this council is gonna be voting on is based off of anarchic energy, fossil fuels, oil, gas, nuclear. It makes no mention of renewable energy. The ordinance that this council had the opportunity to vote on that will not be put to the voters in November, clearly outlines what's in line with climate science. Speaker 0 00:12:22 What's in line with the IPCC in voting, in transitioning our country, our world. But here in Piscataway we could have transitioned to a hundred percent renewable energy. ASAP Ordinance did not meet that. We urge this council to table the ordinance that you have. If you're not gonna table it, add in the demands that are in Theum in the 1500 your constituents signed a petition for transitioning Piscataway to a hundred percent renew energy. You heard us say it earlier, but climate delay is climate denial. The science is clear. We need to do everything we can to rapidly transition off across police. And this council is not doing that. I don't know if this council has been informed, but Faulkner referendum, if it passes, we'll supersede anything that this council passes. I wanna make sure that's clear to this council. I don't know if you've been informed, so I don't know why only a couple weeks before the election, this council is even considering an energy aggregation ordinance when we are certain that the voters will pass an energy aggregation ordinance with a hundred percent renewable energy standards in it. So again, I urge you to, to table your ordinance or pass the ordinance that looks exactly like the referendum because climate delay is climate denial. Thank you Speaker 0 00:13:46 Anthony. Wild 2250 Plainfield Avenue North. I support what these folks have been saying and just this week data came out about particulates from diesel fuel from diesel burning that crosses the blood placenta barrier. So it's actually getting two embryos. And we in July, virtually every day in July was a climate, you know, was a hot a climate alert, an air alert, air quality alert. So I really can't imagine why you wouldn't do something to help the children and future generations of people who will live in Thisaway. It just boggles my mind. Thank you very much. Motion. Speaker 4 00:14:39 We're not Speaker 0 00:14:42 Motion, Speaker 4 00:14:44 Are we closing time? Speaker 0 00:14:48 Vote. Have a second. Speaker 4 00:14:51 Second. So you're taking closing for climate delay is climate denial. Climate delay, denial. Why are you denying the director speak? You wanna speak? Let Stacey speak. Do you wanna speak? Does anybody, I mean, I don't, if people wanna speak, maybe they should line up so that people, so that the council speak. Caleb wants to speak. Come on Caleb. You guys do I, is that really how you want to go? Do I take the poster? Poster? Go ahead. You go together while they work it out. Yeah, there you go. Give you three minutes. Okay, well I'm gonna let, I'm gonna give my, we'll give you three minutes this program. Okay. I'm gonna give these children a little bit more time. Say your name. Speaker 2 00:15:44 My name is Brianna. What? I live in Lincoln Ave. 44 Lincoln Avenue. Speaker 4 00:15:56 You wanna show up? Do you wanna read it? Alright. Speaker 2 00:16:14 Hey Wahler, take a side Speaker 4 00:16:16 I think has to be Earth. Speaker 2 00:16:19 So thank you for giving me three minutes. Big round of applause for the young people. Speaker 4 00:16:23 Came outta say something. Speaker 2 00:16:31 Hello, my name is Caleb and I, I live in 74 now. Speaker 4 00:16:38 Read it to us. Speaker 2 00:16:40 You die of old age outside of climate change. Those are future voters. Speaker 2 00:16:59 We owe it to them. I'm Staci Berger. I live in 2 3, 3 Elvis Parkway. We owe to them to make sure that they have clean air to breathe. And it's unconscionable to me that this council made up of Democrats would sit here and delay and obste and muddy the waters on an ordinance. When you have the opportunity to leave. I don't really think I can say it better than Ms. Lie had said it. We could set a, a great example for other communities and instead of passing a clean air ordinance and protecting kids like Brianna and Caleb and my kids and the kids of your children and the children of other people who live here with a 60,000 residents, you're choosing to pass a dirty or air ordinance. I don't, I don't really know how you come to that given two weeks ago or three weeks ago, we sat here and you said you had to do all kinds of due diligence and you were on the same page with everyone, but you just hadn't, you needed more time. Speaker 2 00:17:56 But instead of doing the due diligence that you said you were gonna do, you came up really very quickly with a proposal to do exactly the opposite of what 1500 residents asked you to do, which is to make sure that getaway has clean air. We get an F in our air quality. We have no renewable energy committed in the proposal that you all are putting forward and you are doing it intentionally to confuse voters about the November 5th ballot question. So it's up to us, I guess, as residents and organizers and connected people to make sure that people know what the truth is. It's really shameful and I'm disappointed in you all. Speaker 4 00:18:41 Is there a motion for team of the ordinance? Is there a motion? Motion to table second. All the ordinance. The ordinance. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Okay, I'm closing the public portion. Declare. Motion. Motion. I have a second. How can you do that? Please take Where's your Councilman? McCollum? Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President Arm. Yes. I don't think Mr. Speaker 0 00:19:14 President Ordinance on the first Mr. President there. Obviously we need between Raj and I, we need to I think clarify because obviously there's been misinformation distributed amongst the community. Speaker 4 00:19:33 Yes. By you. Speaker 0 00:19:33 I thought, I thought we were very clear at the last meeting when, when Ms. Berger asked what the ordinance is for. So what we're doing is we're following what the law is in the state of New Jersey in order to do energy aggregation. This ordinance, all it does is allow us to begin the process, the processes you need to pass in ordinance on it. The ordinance necess take effect. We have to pick a company to do it, which is good energy, which is under contract with the Middlesex County Education Services Commission, or I think it's now New Jersey Education Services Commission. They're the person company that does the bidding, that does the aggregation, that sets the, the standards for what we're looking for. This has nothing to do with what we're looking for in whatever program we put out. And if we did nothing and the ordinance passed on election day at a subsequent meeting, we would be adopting the exact same ordinance. 'cause this is what the law requires. This is merely a step to hire a company to help you. Speaker 4 00:20:45 The ballot Speaker 0 00:20:46 Then works. We need, the first thing we get is to go to PS, C and G and we get the energy profile of Piscataway for all of our residential users. They provide that to, to good energy. Then good energy would take a look at what we have the profile. We would tell them what we want to set like we do every year. We, we currently buy 25% of our energy. We set that not resident as plea energy for the, for the municipality. So all this is just a legal step in moving towards aggregation. Now, I'm not sure what junior I was. I would, I'm surprised that Junior doesn't understand the law because Junior does this for a living. But this is what we're required to do. This sets nothing to refer to as a dirty ordinance is is somebody completely missed a boat on what the purpose is. Speaker 0 00:21:38 And I imagine there's probably been a lot of misinformation out there in the community. It's a very simple thing. Ms. Burner or anybody else could have picked the phone and we could have explained what the purpose of this is. I'm here to meet, I was right here and we would've been very clear, very open, no commitment to renewable. We're being open to renewable, we're being open and we're being transparent. Which is what Ms. Berger away says. You should be open and transparent. That's exactly what we're doing. So the next step with this is it's approved by the council, make renewable. The next step is we'll submit this to good energy. They'll submit it to PSC and G on our behalf vendors to get the, to get the energy profile of our town. Once you'll get the energy profile, then you can determine on if we do a hundred percent, if we do 50%, if we do 75% Speaker 1 00:22:30 Exactly, we want a hundred percent. Speaker 0 00:22:31 Now what the cost is going to be, there was a letter, there was a letter in in one of the newspapers this week by Reverend in Essex County talking about a community that was pushing a hundred percent. And he talked, they, they did estimates in their community and the estimate that would cost each homeowner approximately $1,000 more. The report, Speaker 1 00:22:51 The report, the report. They relied on the report. The report they relied on was bonus. Speaker 0 00:22:57 It is regressive on some members of the community. So we're doing our due diligence. The ordinance is still, Speaker 1 00:23:03 That was a fossil fuel backed ordinance court that they relied on. Speaker 0 00:23:06 Talk over me. I'm still gonna answer the question. Speaker 1 00:23:08 I'm telling you what the up said are just not true. You're saying things are just not true. Taxes. Speaker 0 00:23:15 If the ordinance passes on election day, this information that we're gonna collect is gonna be directly used in support of that ordinance. So Raj, I dunno if there's anything else that that you want to add. Well, you have to support, you've got on the head, I mean the, I think that this council is always green energy forward and has been working with that. Like I think we've said in the past that I think we're about 35% already Green energy. The Township actually not municipality. That's inaccurate. No, that's the Township. The Township, the Township Township only. Not Township government, not the specifically I said the Township contract, I said the Township contract. The lawyers don't know better. So you know the, like the Business Administrator said that this is just the first step to determine what, what type of level of green energy would be would be a good basis. A hundred percent to not raise rates on the residents hundred percent, but also hundred percent renewable energy Speaker 6 00:24:10 Won't raise rates. And if it does, we need to do that because we have save a plan need, we need clean. Speaker 0 00:24:17 I also just want to, I think the, the ordinance that that is on for the election isn't a hundred percent. Now if you look at that, that's a hundred percent by 2035 to 45 due diligence. I just wanna clarify that as the audience keeps indicating a hundred percent now, that's not what their initial commitment to commitment to. You want 30 here on the first reading supplement Chapter 10, health regulations 10 point 12 holding burning fires against the resolution adopting one proceeded to please read the ordinance, Speaker 2 00:24:49 Be it resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Ordinance of Supplementing Chapter 10, health Regulations of the revised General Ordinances of the Township of Piscataway County, of Middlesex, state of New Jersey. He 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 Building 4 55 Hose Lane Piscataway, New Jersey on the 15th day of October, 2019. We 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 and final passage. And a copy of this ordinance shall be made available at the office of the Township clerk for any interested member of the public. Speaker 0 00:25:31 Do I have a motion? Motion? Second. Second. Speaker 2 00:25:38 Councilman Buller. Yes. Councilman Clay? Yes. Councilman Lombardi. Yes. Councilwoman mcc. Yes. Councilman Haw. Yes. Council President? Speaker 0 00:25:47 Yes. I Number 11 runs on the first reading amending chapter 21, zoning 10 14 23 Solar panels. And this is also resolution about the figure ordinance Speaker 2 00:25:59 We're resolved by the Township Council, the Township, New Jersey, then ordinance entitled Ordinance to Amen advise the zoning ordinances of the Township of Piscataway County of Middlesex, state of New Jersey. Amending chapter 21 zoning section 1 0 1 4 3 A solar panels being is hereby adopted on the first reading that it be published in the official newspaper. And that a second reading and public hearing be held at 7:30 PM Prevailing time at the Piscataway Municipal Building 4 55 was in Piscataway, New Jersey on the seventh day of November, 2019. Be a further result, a copy of this ordinance shall be posted in at least two public places within the Township prior to the day of the second reading and final passage. And a copy of this ordinance shall be made available at the office of the Township Clerk for any interested member of the public. Speaker 0 00:26:45 Do I have a motion? Motion I Second. Second please. Speaker 2 00:26:51 Councilman Bullard. Yes. Councilwoman Cahill. Yes. Councilwoman Lombardi. Yes. Councilwoman McCollum. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President Uhrin. Speaker 0 00:26:59 Yes. Item don't have the 12 on the first reading. Amen. Chapter 31, section 1.5. Insurance required is a resolution of adopting violence case Speaker 2 00:27:10 Be it resolved by the Township counsel of Piscataway Township, New Jersey. And an ordinance entitled Ordinance to amend the revised general ordinances of the Township of Piscataway County of Middlesex, state of New Jersey. Amending chapter 31, section 1.5 Insurance required Bean is hereby adopted on the first reading that it be published in the official newspaper. And that a second reading, public hearing be held at 7:30 PM for prevailing time at the Piscataway Municipal Building 4 55 Hose Lane, Piscataway, New Jersey on the 15th day of October, 2019. We 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 and final passage. And a copy of this ordinance shall be made available at the office of the Township Clerk for any interest of matter of the public. Speaker 0 00:27:55 We have a motion. Speaker 2 00:27:56 Motion. Speaker 0 00:27:57 Have a second. Speaker 2 00:27:58 Second Speaker 0 00:27:59 City please take poll. Speaker 2 00:28:00 Councilman Bullard. Yes. Councilwoman Cahill. Yes. Councilman Councilwoman McCone. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President er. Speaker 0 00:28:09 Yes. Item number 14, announcement and comments from official. Yes. As many of you know that in Piscataway have the municipal alliance and that is we, we get involved in quite a number of things and one of the things we are involved in is the Governor's Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. What that basically means, it's alliance to prevent alcoholism and drug abuse, creating healthy and safe communities. Now just last week there were what they will call the two 19 volunteers of the year. And we were quite lucky, Ms. Amy, she is our director of in the senior center. She was the one who actually got the, the alliance mean, the, the volunteer of the, the year for the county. All right. So I just thought I'd let you know that. Now Amy has been with us for 10 years and in addition to the 10 years she has been with us, she also had two years in another, another organization and she was part of their, their alliance as well. So I must say that that young lady does a lot of work for this community. Alright, thank you. Speaker 2 00:29:39 I just would like to say that I'm very proud that we're listed as one of two towns in New Jersey to be listed on money magazines, great places to move for in the whole country. So I'm very proud of that. So kudos be nice breed a deep breath. So those same comments. And I also want to state that today is National Voter registration day. So if you have not registered to vote, which I can't imagine that anybody here in this room has not done that, but please feel free to reach out and I encourage people to reach out to others who may not be registered to vote. We have this upcoming November election and all, we all know that 2020 is a huge election. So just I I'm asking people to go out and, you know, recruit people and take the opportunity to ask them to register to vote. Mayor Trump. Speaker 0 00:30:36 No, no. Item number 15 to public, please state your name, your address, and you have three minutes from minutes to speak. Speaker 2 00:30:45 Maybe we should make a line please. Speaker 0 00:30:49 Anthony. Wild. 2250 Plainfield Avenue North. Actually, I have a question on the $3 million Chaill three and a half million dollar change order for the Community and Cultural Arts Center. I'm wondering, that seems like a very large change order. What's what's involved in that? So it's, it's actually the phase two of the program. The program was originally, the phase one was the interior component and the phase two was the exterior component. And right now this is the first change order on the, on the property. And there are about four months ahead of schedule and under budget. So in talking with the construction manager and a contractor and the CFO, we're able to accelerate phase two from two years from now into the current budget that we have. So amending the current contract to do the, the outdoor budget, which will be better for spring. Thank you. Speaker 0 00:31:57 Fred White, 6 0 7 Alice Parkway. I expect that when you talk with the people that good energy, that they will probably ask you what your intentions are or what, what you think the residents of scatter way want. And of course they want low energy costs, you know, nobody has money to say they're flush away down the toilet. That's, that's a given. And they're rotors and I understand that. But maybe you've heard the expression that money isn't everything. And what I'm trying to mention here is that you are gonna look at figures and they don't, they're, they don't, they're not the whole economics. I'm the father of a daughter who almost died of asthma when she was two years old. And air quality matters for people who have emphysema, COPD, asthma and others. So there are social costs to poor air quality and I would like you to take those into account when you do your deliberations. Speaker 0 00:33:09 Also, there's some very simple things that could be done to improve life in Piscataway, one of which would be on the last several weeks I bicycled over here for one matter or another and there's no bicycle rack up that I could find. I don't like tying my bicycle up to a staircase because in case people had to get out in a hurry that couldn't, my bicycle would be obstructing the way. The other thing is, I, I understand or I think that certificate of occupancy for the warehouse at 800 Cental Avenue hasn't been given. I would ask that you have signs put up or ask the, the landlord or the tenant that truck should not be allowed to idle. That's all. Thank you. Speaker 0 00:33:58 So we've met with good energy and because we're also part of the, the sim, so we buy our, we buy our electricity through the c and in general, what, what has been proposed is easily achievable for the next bunch of years in the ordinance. We're actually looking to go beyond that. If we were to be doing it, we would look at about, probably starting at, at about 50% you can set and when you're bidding it, you can set whatever goals you want and then they price per, per goal. The important thing when you're bidding electricity is the average bid is usually for about 18 or 19 months. So your goal may be the next 30 years you can't bid energy for 30 years. So we're going out, for instance, for our street lighting again, we're going out in October, we're finishing right now a 19 month contract. Speaker 0 00:34:55 We probably will get, probably, depending on where oil prices are in, in the middle of October, we're gonna probably get somewhere between a 16 and and 20 month contract. So for instance, new Brunswick, new Brunswick is doing their, their goal towards 100% renewable. The important thing to remember is they're gonna be bidding at every 18, 19, 16 months. You're not bidding it for two or three or four or five years. So of you could say our goal is 35% and when you're bidding it some, you know, sometimes the bids are gonna come in higher, sometimes they're gonna come in lower because the energy markets fluctuate. But we do take that, we do take that into account with all, all of our bidding. When we bid our electricity, we will in the future and if the ordinance passes, we're still gonna be doing these bids. The ordinance doesn't set a thing for the next 40 years. Speaker 0 00:35:49 It sets a goal and we're still responsible for bidding this stuff every 18 months, 16 months, 15 months, whatever, whatever it is out there. So we do take that into consideration. James Boyle, I'm a Rutgers University student. I would just like to correct the record you mentioned the new brun ordinance just now. There was an assertion made that these types of ordinance may increase the cost for residents. That New Brunswick ordinance is now saving each individual house $100 a month. So I would just want to correct that and make sure that its, council knows that this is a cost saver for residents and is also protecting this community from any future public health crises, from air quality. That it's not, it's not saving as much as, as you said, it's saving approximately 60, 60 to $70 per year. And the reason we talked with good energy, who's involved with that operation too, why it's important that we get our profile is Brunswick has a unique profile because you've got so many apartments and so many dormitories that are empty in the summertime. Speaker 0 00:36:58 The load that the energy companies look at is they look at a, your prior 12 month load. So your normal load for electricity is lowering January, February, March starts rising in April, may peaks in June, July in August. And it starts falling into September, October, November, December, new Brunswick because of the number of students that are there and because the number of vacant apartments and vacant dorms, their load is flatter that most loads and that's what they attribute that they're able to do the, get the savings that they're getting. There's no telling well that that savings is going to carry on to the future because of, of energy prices. But because the load may shift as, as Rutgers has more activities and more people living there during the summer. And as more people moving into New Brunswick, that load potentially may shift. And that's why it's support that we pass ordinance tonight so that good energy could get our profile for PSEG and see what our load is. Speaker 0 00:37:57 I would anticipate our load is more towards the bell curve, which is the average residential load in in New Jersey. What about Livington and Bush campus? Yeah, I I I don't understand that at all. The fact that there aren't many student residents in Piscataway. I I, I don't, there are many more rental homes in New Brunswick though still. So Rus Rutgers University here has their own power facility. They're not on our grid. So the Rutgers dorms in the rec on Rutgers property will not be counted into our profile. Our profile is separate in, we're gonna have our residential profile and our commercial profile. When you're bidding energy, you don't bid commercial because the commercial uses buy enough energy that they're allowed to negotiate on their own. So the guy that owns the data that one of the data farmers for instance, they negotiate with whoever they want to buy their own power. Speaker 0 00:38:58 See the only thing and we're gonna be able to bid out regardless, either under, under the ordinance or not, is going through the residential and the Rutgers component in Piscataway is not gonna be included in it. And why, why it is in New Brunswick is in the summertime the dorms are empty. They don't have air conditioning. They're not, they're not empty. I can tell you that as someone who has lived in those dorms in the summer, they're not empty majority of dorms. And I think it's concerning. I don't wanna argue with you, the majority of city, majority of student dorms and apartments in the Brunswick are empty during the summertime. Get that information right from Brunswick. Well I'll ask that. But I think it's concerning that we are even having a debate whether we're going be 50% or 65% the faucet, like I am from down near the shore. Speaker 0 00:39:50 I lived through Hurricane Sandy and the nightmarish after aftermath that was caused by a disaster that was anything but natural but was the direct results of the fossil fuel industry and industry that knew the science 30 years ago actively misled and soaked out for gen for decades after that and will stop at nothing to suck out every last drop of carbon out of the ground regardless of what impact that has on on the rest of us. But I would say that there is a movement now that is growing and is escalating. I helped organize the global climate strike in New Brunswick Justice Friday and it was an action that brought out thousands of residents and students and they are demanding accountability and action from people like you. And they will continue to escalate and raise their voices. And I would be very concerned if you continue to not listen to all of these people who are standing here right now. And I urge you strongly, you know, I want you to think about the children and people like me, the ones who will make up the future generations and also the ones who are living right now whose futures are at least partially in your hands. And this is about them. Climate change is not about how we're gonna fill a balance sheet or what or what this council, it's about them. It's about us coming together and making sure that we have a livable future for all of us. Thank you. Speaker 0 00:41:30 I wanna amplify what was just said because when Speaker 2 00:41:32 I mentioned that I thought you were living in the past, what I meant by that was we are moving to a period of very rapid, dramatic and drastic change. And your projections of energy rates based on the number of coal units or the number of apartments that were rented or the price of renewables is going to be that chart that you've been tracking over all those years is gonna be blown out of water. We have no assurance in the last, in the next decade another hurricane. Sandy, tell me how the refineries in New Jersey are going to be doing. You can't make base your entire commitment in this case on a bunch of small figures as the student just said. You have to look at the big picture here and what's happening in the future and you have to be part of making what happens in the future turn out as best as we possibly can after we have screwed up for decades. Speaker 2 00:42:35 And I don't see any commitment to that. You've refused to make a public commitment to renewables. You have refused to make a public commitment to a hundred percent goals. You have refused to look at a timetable that the rest of us can hold you accountable to. All you've talked about is having the flexibility to negotiate your rates every 18 months with no guarantees to the public. And let me add, many of us don't really trust you and we don't trust you because you've had the opportunity to act and you don't. So all we can see in this is another political pointy on your part and I'd like to leave with this message. We've heard that all you think we're about is raising problems and aggravations for you, making your work harder. Because we want power. And I'll tell you this, I am a retiree. I don't want your power. I want you to lead. I want you to use the power you have in the right way. I met after your job. I want you to do your job. Thank you. Speaker 2 00:43:42 What Ann said, we want you to do your job. I'm still Staci Berger still at Ellis Parkway. I, I don't know if any of you saw the comments yesterday at the UN by Greta Thornberg, the young woman who started the global climate change. Global climate strike happened at this point. But she was pretty clear that, you know, she, she doesn't think people should be caring about money and the fairy tale of economic growth. And I thought maybe she was talking to you all. 'cause that's all I ever hear here is how much and how much and how much. I think it's really important that people understand whether it's your ordinance or it's the people's ordinance. Everyone who wants to can opt out. So when you go out and you tell untruths to people and I know that you will because we've heard it, we heard from people over the weekend that you were all were out telling people that we were gonna make them put solar panels on their house, which is not true. Speaker 2 00:44:34 So we know you're gonna tell people things that are not true about the clean air program and tell them things that are also not true about your dirty air program. And that's what it is because it has zero renewables and the good, good energy folks are happy to sell you emission free energy. That's nuclear power people. That's not renewable energy, that's nuclear power. And so you really wanna do something. You need to make sure that you're doing the right thing and telling people the truth about what the program is. And the first truth is that people who don't want to be in it can opt out. So last time Uni McCollum talked about the neighbor she talked to whose mom was in Jersey City and she didn't let she, her energy go was too high. That's because she signed up with a third party supplier. Speaker 2 00:45:15 Not because she was part of a municipal aggregation program. So it's really important. Well you can opt out. You can opt out with after 30 ms what happens if 70% of the people opt out? What happens then? I don't think that's happened on any aggregation. I think that's what's happening. But you don't know that. Well do you know that it's happened? No, that's know why you even come down with that number. That's because energy aggregation has been around. That's what we do. Just pause my time. No, it's fine. Thanks. You're welcome. That's the reason we're doing this study and I can appreciate wanting clean energy. I want it too. So then get it. It's not go get it. You have the power to do that. But there is a process, right? What we're trying to do is slow and delay and, and I understand what you're saying, cost is not a factor. Someone I just say that wasn't a factor. I said it isn't the only factor. Stop, finish stating. So let me just say this. How many people in here have an electric car? Speaker 9 00:46:09 How about solar panels? Okay and Speaker 2 00:46:11 Solar panels. How many do have, how many people have solar panels? Some people can't afford solar panels. Some people can't afford a new car, some people can't afford. That's exactly why we Speaker 9 00:46:23 Want It's what about Speaker 2 00:46:25 Own power? Not everybody can afford that. I agree with you Staci. They do something about it instead of just talking. That's exactly why we're doing this study. No, the reason you're doing this study is to be able to go and tell voters they don't have to worry about it. 'cause you guys are already taking care of it. We have seen this play before. We know exactly the kind of mistruth and misinformation that you all, I've spoken to people that you've spoken to and they have told me that the the right information has not been communicated. So I'm gonna tell you, I don't know. I don't, okay, well I've spoken to people who you told they solar panels, I was gonna make them put solar panels on their house. So I don't know who's telling the truth. I wasn't even in this country this past week. Speaker 2 00:47:02 I wasn't It wasn't this week. It was over. You were, you were around during the primary. I hope you had a nice time. And in Budapest I'm sure they do energy differently. But that's not the issue. The issue is that we have the opportunity to do something and we are looking to you to do the right thing. If people feel that their energy bill goes up by $5 a month and that's too much for them, then they can opt out. I just want the public who's watching to know that information that they're gonna get from you. And I suspect from the, and we just wanna be honest with people. We wanna, right. So do we like that we're honest about, is that delay delaying pun? That's good. Okay. We wanna be honest too. And what all honesty is absolutely the best policy. That's right. So you're not gonna tell people that we're gonna make them put solar panels on their house like you did during the primary. Speaker 2 00:47:42 When did I say that Ms. I'm somebody did. We had people, we've had multiple people tell us that people on this council did that. Okay, well maybe it wasn't you, but it was certainly one of your colleagues. And secondly, we wanna make sure that people know that they can opt out if they don't wanna be part of it. And that businesses need to opt in. And third, that if you are delaying climate change opportunities, if you are delaying a chance to fix climate change right now, you are the same as a climate change denier. You are denying people the right to be part of the process that can save their planet and save their future. People get opt out. People can go right now and choose their own form of energy. They do not need to wait for November. Nor do they need to wait for us to pass. Speaker 2 00:48:19 And we didn't need to wait 16 years for you guys to develop a municipal aggregation program. But all of a sudden this is on ballot. I'm telling you people can do it right now. Sure they can. But that's not the issue before you. The issue before you is whether or not this council and this community is gonna have leadership to do the right thing in a and when we know what the science is and we know what people want, 1500 people put a petition on the ballot. You could have listened to them and let at any point you could. People in this Township leadership is taking care and taking everyone in this town into consideration. That's leadership. I would love to see some of it. When when will it start? That's when will it start? I'd love to see it any day. Michelle, like you did for tif na yeah. Speaker 0 00:49:01 Member Junior Romero 103rd Street, new Brunswick. I just wanted to clarify what's gonna be voted on in November is basically creating not only a community energy aggregation program, but it's also ensuring that renewable portfolio standards are in that the state and past renewable portfolio standards. Unfortunately the state has not taken bold action on renewable energy. Certainly are not getting that from the national level. So what will be voted on in November's election will be creating renewable portfolio standards for Piscataway as well as a great community energetic education program. I would, I would actually not advise anyone to go out and get energy on third party on their own because you have the power in numbers with this energy aggregation program. The cost is just, the numbers speak for themselves. The cost is always cheaper when a community is both purchasing together. Just like when you go to Costco, you buy money. Speaker 0 00:49:55 So, so you know, I urge everyone to, to vote. Yes. I I hope this council will vote yes on the ordinance in November because you know, the Faulker Act and this ordinance survives politics, the Faulkner Act, if you wanted to change the Faulkner Act, you would have to go to the ballot to change that in a couple years. So, you know, we urge everyone to vote yes. So we can create a renewable energy standard here in Piscataway. So we could always have a hundred percent renewable energy if the town finds that they want to do 50% renewable, a hundred percent renewable. That's great. The ordinance says at least 30% by 2020, at least a hundred percent renewables by 2035. If the council wants to be more aggressive, they could be. That's what New Brunswick did. So, you know, and I wanna reiterate, I know there are some people on this council that probably did want to vote yes on the petition ordinances a couple weeks ago. And we had this the vote and I appreciate those. I I know maybe your vote is secret. Your vote is secret in November and I heard you to vote yes. So we can create this renewable energy standard that will survive different mayors, different councils, and so we have greater Statway and so we can fight climate change locally. So thank you again. Speaker 0 00:51:17 Good evening, members of the council. My name is Charles Kratovil. I'm a resident in New Brunswick, but I, I love it here in Piscataway and I do have family here and here on a different issue than, than everybody else. But I do want to commend everybody who spoke, especially Junior, who I know helped New Brunswick make that program a reality. And I just encourage anybody who wants more information to go to renewable mb.com and you can see what the end result is of that, that program being put into action. And, and, and I encourage you to reach out to the New Brunswick officials and it's, it's something that so far has been a good thing for our community and I hope you'll bring it to your community and, and to actually take a stand and support the yes vote in, in your town here. But I'm here 'cause I, I went to the Township website and I saw on the front page still a announcement about, it's titled Piscataway Mayor Blasts Rutgers Alcohol Sale Proposal. Speaker 0 00:52:14 And of course, you know, this is a Mayor Wahler ta taking objection to the, the, the policy that Rutgers started of, of having expanded beer and wine sales. And of course that policy did go into effect. He had some strong words back in February saying he was quote, strongly challenging the proposal by Rutgers University. And he said things like there'd been no prior notice to, you know, the Township officials no communication with the police department. So I'd just like to ask him to, to clarify if this is still his position and, and you know, how he feels about the, the, the, the new policies in place for this football season. Speaker 0 00:52:57 So we raised the issue because we read about it in the, and we've been very successful, we've had meetings with the athletic director or director staff with the head of alcoholic beverage control for the state of New Jersey. And we were able to iron out some concrete rules that everybody agreed to, including Rutgers and the vendor and us. And it was a little dicey at the end because they actually had a, a contract clause that, you know what, what they do is that they allow volunteers to sell at the concession stands and the volunteers get 15% of the sale. So they actually had wanted the volunteers to sell the beer, not get a 15% cut out of beer sales and indemnify Rutgers and the vendor for doing that. So you're asking the Girl Scouts, for instance, to take on a responsibility for beer sales at Rutgers. Speaker 0 00:53:55 So the event that somebody gets over served that has an accident or slips on something. So actually we fought up until the Wednesday of opening day and at the last, the last day there, we had a meeting actually on that Monday with the athletic director, whether Mayor pointed out concern about that and its effect on volunteers. And by Wednesday they capitulate it and they have taken that out of the contract. They now identify the volunteers, which is good. They are doing a hundred percent carding. They've limited sales to, to end with their quarter, which we asked them to do. They're doing stepped up enforcement so that people over 21 can't hand off beers to people under 21, which was one of our concerns. So while we were kept out of the dark in the beginning, they finally brought us into the tent and we were able to work constructively. Speaker 0 00:54:52 I think Raj would agree, work constructively with them to make sure that it's done in a safe manner. And we are monitoring the, the sales right now to make sure that the, the first season goes well. And we agreed at the end of the first season to meet again and take a look at the, you know, the positives and the negatives and make some changes if necessary for next year. So we're, we're satisfied. Okay. Well thank you. I am a, you know, a proud alum of Rutgers and I I do have some concerns about the township's relationship with the university. Is it true that there's currently litigation where, where the Township, I believe brought suit against Rutgers? Can I get an update on that, that case and what, what, what brought this about? Yeah, there is currently litigation. You can get the documentation on the online three courts. Speaker 0 00:55:41 It's available to anybody currently it's pending right now it's in the preliminary stages. So there's really not much of a status update at this time. Okay. And it's the Township that brought the claim, correct? Yes. Okay. What is the claim? It's, it's in regard to sewer usage and sewer connection fees. Okay. So I will follow up about that. I, I would like to see Rutgers be more cooperative with my city and your Township and, and for there to be stronger connections between those. And, you know, to that end, I think you might want to actually remove this statement from the Township website. The part that bothers me the most here is Mayor Wahler gives special powers to our governor that he does not have. It says quote Mayor Wahler is calling on Governor Phil Murphy to veto the university's Board of Governor's minutes, which would have the effect of nullifying the measure. Speaker 0 00:56:33 And I, correct me if I'm wrong, council or the Mayor, but the governor doesn't have that power. He doesn't have the power to veto the, the actions of the Rutgers Board of Governors. Just like the Mayor doesn't have the power to veto the minutes of, of your meetings and the votes that you take. And gosh, IIII don't think that Phil Murphy needs any more power right now. I think, you know, we have a situation where we don't have a county prosecutor right now, which should be of concern to every citizen in the, in the county and Governor Murphy, whose job it is to, to replace that individual, you know, has not said word one about what he's going to do or when, and has not even reassured the public about the person who is the acting county prosecutor yet. So I think that, you know, that statement should be removed from your website. If, if for no other reason, then it includes that inaccuracy. And I hope that you'll take that action. Thank you. Speaker 2 00:57:42 Well, woods 1 0 2 Stratton Street South. I just wanna do a little touch back to the relationship of good energy with PSE and G. You say that they have a relationship, just a really quick Google search tells me that on the front page of corporate pse g.com, it states PSEG power possesses sizable generation assets, which are exceptionally diverse with a balance of fuel sources, nuclear, gas, coal, and oil. Those are the primary sources that PSEG are quoting as their places where they are getting energy. So as we move forward, casting an ability to aggregate, I again encourage you do not work with vendors that are supporting PSEG where they are clearly stating their first fuel sources in 2019 are nuclear, gas, coal, and oil. Please do not pass any proposition or ordinance that does not look to the future. Look for vendors that are green, that are clean, and that are going to do the best for the citizens of Piscataway, New Jersey and our planet. Thank you. Speaker 0 00:58:58 So what you do when you have an walk, you, you have an auction for the power. You say what standards you're looking at and it's open up to a nationwide auction. We are on the power grid up in the northeast. Generally all the companies that are on that power grid will bid ps and g has not bid on any of our, our bids that we've put out because of our requirement for clean energy. I'm explaining to you. Yeah, I listen, I just, so what happens is that, right, so what happens is that we, like for instance, we buy energy from Constellation Energy and other energy companies. Once you put it out to bid, everybody's entitled to bid on it because it's a free market. Speaker 2 00:59:41 I appreciate that. And as the consumer, we then have the right to determine who we're going to purchase from. Right? I can choose to shop anywhere I want. You are gonna make decisions about where you're going to shop with our money. And so I would again continue as you are shopping and choosing vendors to choose those vendors that are moving in the right direction. Speaker 0 01:00:10 Irv Tarus four 11 New Market Road. Mr. Dacy, I appreciate the, the explanation. It's been clear to me that the ordinance that was passed tonight was exactly what you had spoken about. I appreciate your confidence in, in explaining it. Unfortunately, as Anne said before, to a person, we simply do not trust the elected officials in this line. We simply do not trust them. And that is because they are part of a corrupt political organization headed by Ted Light. And we have, we have, we have, we have ample evidence to show how corrupt this organization is with the lies that have been, have been put forth during primary elections. My wife and I ran for county committee and we had neighbors telling us that we wanted to build a football stadium. Blatant lie. Blatant lie. We had this past year we had, I was running as an incumbent. Speaker 0 01:01:11 My opponent put out literature saying that they were the incumbents. I spoke to Ted Wright about it. He basically told me tough. Right? This is the organization you're part of. This is the, the, the Piscataway Democratic Organization is a corrupt organization. It makes a perversion of democracy. You are all guilty of being part of that organization. The use of the county line has been condemned by good government council of New Jersey. It is a corrupt way to go about business. Any of you that run on the on the county line for election are showing a tremendous amount of corruption and calories. By not engaging in democracy, we simply do not trust them. Mr.. Dacey, we do not trust 'em. This is a political ploy in our, in our eyes, in order to muddy the waters and is strictly being done to stand in opposition to the progressives in our town. Thank you. Speaker 0 01:02:18 Sid Madison, 1 7 6 Blackford Avenue Piscataway. I'm here to ask the council to act on a resolution that has Governor Murphy declaring a moratorium on fossil fuel projects in New Jersey. A draft resolution of that purpose was submitted via email to the council in July, and I stopped by here in August and asked about it. The following explains why you should act after explaining that climate change is already impacting the world that needs action taken to stop and reverse it. Al Gore asked in this Sunday's New York Times, Op-Ed and I quote, is it really too much to ask Now that politicians summon the courage to do what most all of them already know is necessary? The answer is no. We should ask government to take action, but we must ask for significant action in New Jersey. This is stopping new fossil fuel projects. Why more from the op-ed in 10 years? Speaker 0 01:03:27 Solar and wind electricity will be cheaper nearly everywhere than the electricity that exists from fossil fuel plants will be able to produce later. He indicates that this year several American utilities have announced plans to close existing natural gas and coal generating plants, some with de decades of useful life remaining to replace their output with cheaper electricity from wind and solar. In other words, forward working decisions are planning to close fossil fuel plants in New Jersey, ground zero for the fossil fuel industry to build more infrastructure. There are 15 projects that should be stopped, that are making fossil fuel pipelines. Basically. If not, we will pay more for those projects in our utility bills. And this is a thing that you're interested in, which is cost to consumers. What that is the rationale for having Governor Murphy declare a moratorium, which is the re which is what the resolution asks him to do. Speaker 0 01:04:46 Basically what I'm talking about is stopping the fossil fuel infrastructure that's going on in New Jersey. It's gonna cost us money in the short run because we're gonna pay for that in our utility bills. And in the long run they're gonna have cheaper fossil fuels and that's going to compete with clean energy and that's gonna be a problem. We need to deal with this issue now. And cost actually shouldn't be the, the, the criteria for making these decisions. We have a climate crisis and any action that you're taking that does not take into account that we have a climate crisis is not, it is just gotta include. And if it includes more cost for people that are out there that may or may not vote for you, you should still be leading if it costs more for them because the generate the cost that you actually pay don't really show the cost of the future to the rest of the world and to our climate. Speaker 0 01:06:01 That cost doesn't show up in the price of the utility bills. What needs to happen is you gotta get the clean energy. If you don't get the clean energy, not gonna make a difference what the prices are now anyways, back to the resolution. The resolution. Ask Governor Murphy to have a moratorium on fossil fuel projects. It will reduce costs in New Jersey. It will provide for cleaner air. Both of those things are things that you want to do. Also, all these people out here want to do and that's why I asked you to look at that resolution. Any questions? No. I got a question for you then. Excuse me, sir, your time two, three minutes are up. Alright. What am I gonna get Some feedback on my question. Don't Speaker 4 01:06:51 Hold your breath. Speaker 0 01:06:55 Two minutes rough, sir. Speaker 4 01:06:58 Okay. Speaker 0 01:07:02 Close a public portion. Second. All in favor? Aye. Meeting. Adjourn. I like to call the agenda meeting for October 8th. Adam, notice of this meeting has been provided as required under chapter 2 31 PO 1 9 75.