Transcript for Piscataway Council meeting on December 6 2022
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 00:00:02 Recorder. Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided as required under chapter 2 31, 19 75, specifying the time, date, location, login, or dial in information, and to the extent known the agenda by posting a copy of the notice on the municipal building, the municipal court, and the two municipal library bulletin boards municipal website, providing a copy to the official newspapers of the Township, and by filing a copy in the office of the Township clerk in accordance with certification by the clerk, which will be entered in the minutes. The Township continues to use a remote meeting format in an effort to mitigate the chance of exposure to Covid 19 as a part of the township's ongoing effort to slow the rate of transmission and avoid overwhelming our treatment centers. In order to make sure a clear record of the meeting can be made and that all parties are heard in an organized fashion, all members of the public will be muted during the meeting. Speaker 0 00:01:00 If a member of the public wishes to speak during any public comment portion, please raise your hand. This can be done either through the Zoom app or by pressing star nine on your phone. When it is your turn to speak, you will receive a prompt or request to unmute. Please click the prompt or press star six on your phone to unmute. Upon being unmuted, you should begin to ask any and all questions you may have. You will have three minutes to speak at the conclusion of which you will be muted again, and the council or administration will respond as necessary. Should you have any further comments or questions. The Township Council is always available by email and phone, and you can always call the mayor's office during normal operating hours. Each member of the public shall have only one opportunity to speak during each public portion. Speaker 0 00:01:48 As the technology does not allow us to know if there is a multiple caller on the individual phone line or logged in user account. We ask that if you wish to speak, that you log in or dial in separately so that we can recognize you as a separate individual. Individuals may also submit written comments to the Township clerk up to 48 hours prior to the meeting to be read by the Township clerk during the public comment portion of the meeting. Said, comment shall be limited to three minutes of reading. Thank you in advance for your patience as we continue to move the Township forward during this health emergency. Ms. Cedar, can you please call the roll? Speaker 1 00:02:24 Councilman? Bullard. Councilwoman. Cahill. Chair. Councilman Cahn. Here. Councilman Rouse. Here. Councilman Shaw. Here. Councilman Uhrin. Here. Council President Lombardi. Here. Mayor. Brian Wahler. Present. Business Administrator. Timothy Dacey Here. Council of Attorney Goomer Goomer. Here. Deputy Township. Clerk Kelly. Mitch here, and I'm here. Melissa Cedar with Township Clerk. Speaker 0 00:02:58 Everyone join us in the flag salute. I think we're getting how to get that in sync. Number five, comments from administration and counsel regarding adjournment of any matters on this agenda. Speaker 0 00:03:39 Seeing none, I'll move to number six, which is open to the public for comments regarding consent. Agenda items only. Again, remember these are consent agenda items only and we will open to the public. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on the Zoom app or if by phone, by pressing star nine. When it is your turn to speak, you'll receive or hear a request To unmute yourself, please click the prompt or press star six on your phone to unmute yourself at that time, please state your name and address and know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. The council or administration will respond if necessary. After you have completed any comments or questions, we're now open to the public for the consent agenda items. Speaker 1 00:04:31 Council president, there are no individuals with their hand raised. The Speaker 0 00:04:35 Public portion is now closed. Number seven is a fully funded ordinance, second reading 1,080,000 for various capital improvements. It will be open to the public. It's a resolution. Adopted ordinance. Mrs. Cedar, can you please read this ordinance? Speaker 1 00:04:59 It resolved by the Township Council of Fiat Township of New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Ordinance appropriating $1,080,000 $900,000 of which is from the Capital Improvement Fund, $125,000 of which is from a 2022 current budget appropriation and $55,000 of which is from a developer's contribution for various capital improvements in and by the Township of Piscataway County of Middlesex State of New Jersey was introduced on the 22nd day of November, 2022 and had passed the first reading and was published on the 25th day of November, 2022. Now therefore be it resolved at the ordinance having had a second reading on December 6th, 2022, the adopted pass and after passage be published together with a notice of the date of passenger approval in the official newspaper. You further resolved that this ordinance shall be assigned number 20 22 25. Speaker 0 00:05:53 Thank you Ms. Cedar. Since this is a second reading for the fully funded ordinance, we will be opening to the public at this time. If you wish to speak, please raise your hand either on the Zoom app or if by pressing star nine on your phone. When it is your turn to speak, you'll receive or hear a request. To unmute yourself, please click the prompt or press star six on the phone to unmute yourself at that time, please state your name and address and know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. The council or administration will respond if necessary. After you have completed any comments or questions, we're now open to the public. For the second reading of number seven, Speaker 1 00:06:34 Council President, I'm asking the first individual with her hand raised to unmute himself. Speaker 4 00:06:48 Good evening, Staci Berger, 2 33 Ellis Parkway. Could someone just identify what the capital improvements that are fully funded in this resolution or fully funded in the ordinance are? Speaker 0 00:07:02 Yes. We can. Give us one second now. Speaker 1 00:07:04 Sure. Speaker 4 00:07:05 Take long. You need Speaker 5 00:07:09 For the acquisition of a stump grinder, improvements to our salt barn. Preliminary planning and engineering expenses for road improvements. Acquisition of a Ford Escape Toro wide area mower, a Toro Sand Pro for all fields. A w a DW 30 power wheelbarrow, and an ruling cat. That's it. Speaker 0 00:07:38 Thank you for that clarification. Tim. Speaker 1 00:07:46 Council president, there are no other individuals with their hand raised. Speaker 0 00:07:50 The public portion is now closed on number seven. Can I have an offer please? Speaker 1 00:07:57 I'd like to make an offer. Councilwoman Cahill. Speaker 0 00:08:01 Thank you. Can I have a second? Speaker 6 00:08:02 I'll, I'll second that. Councilman Cahn. Speaker 0 00:08:06 Ms. Cedar, can you please call the roll Speaker 1 00:08:08 Councilwoman Cahill? Yes. Councilman Cahn. Speaker 6 00:08:14 Yes. Speaker 1 00:08:15 Councilman Rouse. Yes. Councilman Shah. Yes. Councilman Uhrin? Yes. Council President Lombardi? Speaker 0 00:08:26 Yes. And the ordinance passes. Second reading. Number eight is a bond ordinance. It is also a second reading 9,700,000 slash 9,215,000 for various capital improvements. It will be open to the public. It's a resolution and it's an adopting ordinance. We will now, Mrs. Cedar, can you please read the bond ordinance? Please Speaker 1 00:08:49 Be resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Bond Ordinance Speaker 0 00:08:54 Providing for various capital improvements in and by the Township of Piscataway and the county of Middlesex, New Jersey, appropriating $9,700,000. Therefore, and authorizing the issuance of $9,215,000 bonds or notes of the Township to finance. Part of the cost thereof was introduced on the 22nd day of November, 2022 and had passed the first reading and was published on the 25th day of November, 2022. Now therefore be resolved that the officer said ordinance, having had a second reading on December 6th, 2022, the adopted passed and after passage be published together with a notice of the date of passage or approval in the official newspaper. We have further resolved that this ordinance shall be assigned. Number 20 22 26. Thank you, Mrs. Cedar. We'll now open to the public for number eight. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on the Zoom app or if by p phone by pressing star nine. When it is your turn to speak, you'll receive or hear a request. Unmute yourself. Please click the prompt or press six on your phone to unmute yourself at that time, please state your name and address and know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. The council or administration will respond if necessary. After you have completed any comments for questions, we're now open to the public for number eight, which is a bond ordinance for various capital improvements. Speaker 0 00:10:27 Council president, I'm asking the first individual with their hand raised, unmute themselves Speaker 4 00:10:36 Filming Staci, wondering what the capital improvements would be. It would be really helpful if these were actually articulated in the ordinance themselves so that when Mr. Dacey reads them, people know what they are or we could at least on first reading, Speaker 0 00:10:53 They, they are posted on the website after the first reading. So that's how we have been doing it. But we ha we can have somebody clarify that for you. Are you done with your questions? Speaker 4 00:11:04 I am. Thank you. Speaker 0 00:11:05 Thank you. Speaker 5 00:11:08 Okay. For this one, it's various road improvements. It's 2 million towards sidewalk reconstruction. Oh, Speaker 7 00:11:16 Owen, I need some help here. I'm on of a meeting. I need all 15, Speaker 5 00:11:24 As I was saying, 2 million. 2 million for replacement of curb sidewalks and ADA compliant ramps. That's continuing our sidewalk and curb the improvement projects, 1.7 million for the E P W to mill and repave, the roads that are planned for 2023. 1.55 million from improvements to Ethel Road West. From Suttons Lane to Stelton Road, $775,000 for Leslie Avenue Phase two project, which includes Belgium WA curbing sidewalks, a D eight compliant pedestrian curb, ramps and reconstruction, PAV improvements surrounding streets, maple Street and Ann Street of $475,000 for acquisition of a tandem dump truck. $700,000 for improvements to snow drift drive, road improvement project, installation of full debt pavement and further including all works necessary and 1.5 million for various park improvements. And thank Speaker 0 00:12:36 You. Speaker 5 00:12:37 1 million for the various improvements in the Maple Avenue for the old Public Works garage, which is down on Maple Avenue and we're doing improvements for ventilation, air conditioning, and making exterior look a better than it looks down. Speaker 0 00:12:53 Thank you so much for that clarification. Speaker 1 00:12:59 Council President, there are no other individuals with their hand raise. Speaker 0 00:13:03 The public abortion is now closed. Can I have an offer please? Speaker 6 00:13:13 I'll second. Councilman Cahn. Speaker 0 00:13:15 Thank you. Cedar, can you please call the roll Speaker 1 00:13:18 Councilwoman Cahill. Yes. Councilman. Cahn. Speaker 6 00:13:26 Sorry. Yes. Speaker 1 00:13:29 Councilman Rouse. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Councilman Uhrin. Yes. Council President Lombardi? Speaker 0 00:13:39 Yes. And number eight, the bond ordinance passes. Second reading. Number nine are the consent agenda. Resolutions for efficiency items have been consolidated into a consent agenda to be voted on together. The materials for these items have been distributed to the council in advance of the meeting at this time, are there any items that the council would like removed from the consent agenda or to be discussed or voted on separately? Seeing none. Can I have an offer to accept the consent agenda, Speaker 1 00:14:14 Councilman or an offer? Speaker 0 00:14:16 Thank you. Can I have a second? Speaker 1 00:14:18 Councilman Rouse. Second. Speaker 0 00:14:20 Thank you. Could you please call the roll Mr. Cedar Speaker 1 00:14:23 Councilwoman Cahill? Yes. Councilman Cahn. Speaker 6 00:14:29 Yes. Speaker 1 00:14:30 Councilman Rouse. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Councilman Uhrin. Yes. Council President Lombardi? Speaker 0 00:14:40 Yes. And the consent agenda passes. Number 10 is announcements and comments from officials. Councilwoman, Cahill, do you have any announcements? Speaker 8 00:14:52 Yes. I would just like to remind our residents that Santa plans to make an appearance at the Christmas lighting this Friday, December 9th. We invite all the public to come out and enjoy the festivities at the tree lighting. Oh, and also Santa will be on the, on the Mayor show on Monday. So look forward to that. And children are welcome to call in for that. Speaker 0 00:15:25 Thank you. Councilwoman Cahill. And I believe that's at seven o'clock on Friday. Councilman Councilman Cahn. Speaker 6 00:15:33 Thank you. I I have no comments. Council President Speaker 0 00:15:37 Councilman Rouse? Speaker 8 00:15:39 No, I have no comments. Speaker 0 00:15:41 Councilman Shaw? No thanks Councilman. Uhrin. Speaker 8 00:15:46 No comments. Speaker 0 00:15:47 Mayor. Brian Wahler. Speaker 8 00:15:49 None. None. Council president Speaker 0 00:15:52 Our Business, Administrator, Tim, Dacy. Speaker 8 00:15:55 Nothing tonight. Thank you. Speaker 0 00:15:56 Township attorney Raj Kumar, no comment. Thank you. And I also don't have anything at this time. Number 11 is the agenda session for the December 13th, 2022 meeting. We have an ordinance second reading, amending the supplement, supplementing various chapters of the municipal code. It will be open to the public, a resolution adopting ordinance. Do we have any questions or concerns? Next will be an ordinance. Second reading ordinance adopting amended redevelopment plan for block 1 19 0 1 lot, 22.1 15 and that's 8 57 hose lane West. That will be open to the public and then it will be a resolution adopting ordinance. Do you have any questions or concerns regarding that? Speaker 0 00:16:49 We'll have a resolution designation of Township Council meeting dates for 2023. That's pretty self-explanatory. A resolution authorizing award of contract for P R C Power Pad software license three years B R T Technologies, llc, not to extend not to exceed $6,828. A resolution in support of dimension renewable Ener Energy Community Solar projects. A resolution authorizing budget transfers a resolution authorizing 2023 temporary budget, which we do every year. A resolution authorizing refund of overpayment of taxes due to 100% disabled. Veteran status block 23 0 4 lot 5 0 1 A resolution authorizing cancellation of taxes due to 100% disabled Veteran status block 23 0 4 5 0.01. A resolution authorizing award of contract through the Middlesex County co-op 2022 Rock Salt Supply, Morton Salt Incorporated not to exceed $164,925. Hopefully we don't need that much of that. And a motion to accept report of the clerk's account for November 20 and 22. Do we have any questions regarding any of these items on the upcoming December 13th meeting? Speaker 0 00:18:22 Seeing none will open to the public at this time. For any questions. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on the Zoom app or if by phone, by pressing star nine. When it is your turn to speak, you'll receive or hear a request to unmute yourself, please click the prompt or press six on your phone to unmute yourself at that time, please state your name and address and know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. The council or administration will respond if necessary. After you have completed any comments or questions, we're now open to the public council president. I'm asking the first individual with their hand raised unmute themself. Speaker 9 00:19:05 Yes. Hi, my name is Virginia Whit. I live at 15 Stafford Drive. I'm and my neighbors have been discussing a problem here. I've been a resident for about eight years, and for the first six and a half to seven years, this has been a relatively peaceful neighborhood. But over the last year to year and a half, the noise from the stadium has gone from being an occasional home game and graduation ceremony and from time to time things during reasonable hours on weekends until, until recently, over the last year and a half or so, it has accelerated and become absolutely unbearable to the point that it's, the noise coming from the stadium is daily. It goes past 11 and a 12 o'clock at night. It starts at eight o'clock in the morning. It's hip hop music that's blasted so loud, it's making our walls shake. We call the Piscataway police. Speaker 9 00:20:06 They tell us to call Rutgers police. Rutgers police basically laugh at our faces. So we have absolutely no redress to this, this nuisance. And as a physician, I can tell you that if the noise is that loud in my neighborhood, which is a block and a half from the stadium, the people inside the stadium are having their, the nerve cells and their ears damage and they're getting permanent hearing damage from what's going on inside that stadium. I would like for our, our Township council to please do something about this. It has become absolutely, absolutely unbearable. Speaker 0 00:20:45 Thank you Mrs. Wet for your concern. Speaker 9 00:20:48 It's Dr. Whit, Speaker 0 00:20:49 Please. Sorry about that, Dr. Whit. I was gonna say Virginia Whit and thank you for that concern. Is that going on only during game days or It's going on all during the week. Speaker 10 00:21:06 Co council president, if I might jump in here, I did get a email from one of the residents on Stafford and I forwarded it on to Mr. Clark and to contact the athletic director Hobbs at the university to get more clarification on the use of the stadium when they can expect to have events there. And then asking for a sit down with the director Hobbs, in regards to, Speaker 9 00:21:29 They've, they've gotta lower the volume and they have to stop doing it at seven o'clock in the morning. They have to stop it before 11 o'clock at night. I mean, it's, they're, we were our working people and, and this is disruptive to our lives and I know I'm not alone Speaker 6 00:21:47 Council president, if I could comment. I don't, I don't live too far from there. And I, and I, and I have heard it every now and then, but more relevantly, my daughter's soccer club practices on campus. So I'm on campus one or two nights a week right over by the Werblin Center and the doctor's not wrong. And it, and they haven't done this in the past. I mean, this weekend there were some like high school games there. But I think what she's complaining about is that they, this year they did an awful lot of fiddling with and testing and experimenting with the sound system and what they were gonna produce at games during the week. And it was loud, and I don't remember it ever that occurring before. For example, they had a very elaborate drone show choreographed with music. And they practiced it and practiced it and practiced it. Speaker 6 00:22:57 And I think that was a lot of what the residents heard. And I think we probably could rel I understand why they're doing it, but I think we could relatively easily address that by limiting the, the hours. I mean, I remember being there, I was on campus, it was nine o'clock at night and it was, you know, blaring all over the campus and there were lights and they kept doing the same thing over and over and over again. And I, I, I, I recognize that's what they were doing. So just to give a little insight to folks, but I, I think it's probably something Mayor that we can't have a sit down conversation with the university about and see if we can't come to some common ground on. Speaker 0 00:23:43 Thank you. Councilman Cahn. Hi Speaker 8 00:23:45 Council president. If I could just ask one question. I don't know if our attorney Raj Gamar, I mean, don't we have like sound ordinances here in town for the resident on certain hours, something on the books? Does that not pertain to a state university? Speaker 11 00:24:07 And, and yes. Councilman that, that's the big issue is that Rutgers University has some in independence in, in those aspects. And we will look into and see if we can implement our ordinances on Rutgers land, but I don't think we do as a state agency, have the authority to, to implement our ordinances on, on their property. Speaker 8 00:24:30 But they should be good neighbors. Speaker 0 00:24:32 Okay. We'll definitely have to look farther into this concern from Dr. Whiz. Thank you everyone. Speaker 1 00:24:40 Council president. I'm asking the next individual with their hand raised to unmute themselves. Speaker 12 00:24:49 Can they hear me now? Hi, this is Mary, Mary Ruth Mercurio. I live next door to Dr. Whit and I have been complaining, I have documentation going back from 2019 as to the, the effects of the music. Our block has been shaking since 2019 on and off, and it stopped during Covid and around 2021, I have emails to my, you know, family saying, I, I've been awakened by the Rutgers blazing music. I have videos. It's so disturbing that I can't even focus on what I have to do inside my house. I pushed something on Facebook just as an outreach and was told, and it responded by other people that said they live over a mile away and their windows are shaking. I can't imagine it, but the decibels are so loud and it goes on for 14 hours. It has been going on since 2019. Speaker 12 00:25:46 And I've reached out to Matthew College, Ivanni, I think his last name is at Rutgers, the Rutgers president Matthew had called me and said he's gonna try to lower the music a tad. And that's all we ask. We live here, we support Rutgers and the game, the football games, the college games. But when they have high school games blazing, I mean, I've got, I could play it for you once on my phone. No one in, in the right mind can believe it. It is so upsetting and, and I, my sons are taking their finals. I can't focus on what I'm doing and it's an outraging at, you know, making me so upset that we, we never wanna call the police. We, I have family and law enforcement. We don't wanna bother the police and say, look, Rutgers is making noise. We never wanna do that. Speaker 12 00:26:28 But we didn't know what else to do because they weren't responding to our, our police. We were pleading with them, please, please just lower it a tad, have your music, have your fun. But when someone a half a mile away can hear the score of a high school football game at Rutgers, it is absolutely uncalled for it. And, and I don't know if the Township has any authority and can enforce any ordinance, but it, when I, I've been here 25 years and on and off, you know, maybe two or three games a year, the big, you know, what was it? Michigan Games. And we go, oh, you know, we have to deal with it. But it didn't go on for 14 hours. This goes on from April through November, almost every single weekend. Sometimes Mondays and Wednesdays, but then it's Mondays and Wednesdays is not really too late. And he starts Friday nights often my stepfather is, is bas I hate to say, but he's basically deaf. And he came here in April to help me in my yard. And he said, holy crow, Mayor, how are you? How can you handle this? This is ridiculous. So the Township has to help us because we don't know what else we could possibly do. It is not right. And all we ask is that they just lower it so our, so our block doesn't shake. That's all we ask. And I think that's reasonable. Speaker 0 00:27:41 Thank you, Mrs. Macurio. And we are, we were not aware as much that you have told us this evening, but we will clearly look into this concern that multiple of your neighbors have. Thank you. Council President. There are no other individuals with their hand raises at this time. The public portion is now closed. May I have a motion to adjourn the meeting? Motion second. A second. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Have a good evening everyone. Good evening everyone. Can I, good evening everyone.