Transcript for Piscataway Council meeting on June 27 2023
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 00:00:15 PO recording Speaker 1 00:00:16 In progress Speaker 0 00:00:17 Specifying the time, date, location, login or dial information and to the extent known the agenda by posting a copy of the notice on the municipal building municipal court and two municipal library bulletin boards municipal website providing a copy to the official newspapers at a Township by filing a copy in office of the Township clerk in accordance with certification by the clerk, which would be entered into the minutes. In order to ensure a clear record of the meeting can be made and that all parties are heard in an organized fashion. All members of the public that are participating remotely will be remu, will be muted during the meeting. The town will provide for public common periods for both remote and in-person attendees separately. If a member of the public wishes to speak during any public comment portion of the remote attendees, please raise your hand. This can be done either through Zoom app or by pressing star nine on your phone. Speaker 0 00:01:12 When it's your turn to speak, you will have, you'll receive a prompt or request. Unmute. Please click on the prompt or press six on your phone to unmute and begin making your comments. All members of the public will have three minutes to speak and should ask any and all questions they may have during that period. At the conclusion of your three minutes remote attend, attendees will be muted again in person. Attendees will also receive three minutes to ask any and all questions and may then take a seat, at which times the council or administration will respond as necessary. Should you have any further comments or questions, that Township is always available by email and phone. You can. You can always call the mayor's office during normal operating hours. Each member of the public, so only have one opportunity to speak during each public portion. As a technology does not allow us to know if there are multiple callers on an individual phone line or login user account. We ask that you wish to speak, that you log in or dial in separately so that we can recognize you as a separate individual. Ms. Cedar, you please state the role. Speaker 1 00:02:20 Councilwoman Cahill Councilwoman Carmichael Councilman Espinoza. Present Councilwoman Lombardi. Here. Councilman Rouse. Here. Councilman Shaw Here. Council President I Speaker 0 00:02:35 Here please stand for the flag. Speaker 1 00:02:41 I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which stands? One Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Speaker 0 00:03:05 Okay. Number five. Comments from administration or counsel regarding a German of any matters on the agenda? Speaker 1 00:03:11 None at this time. Speaker 0 00:03:14 Okay. Moving to number six, open to the public consent comments regarding the items fif. Item number 15, consent agenda items for remote attendees. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on Zoom app or 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. Council administration will respond if necessary. After you have completed any comments or questions. Speaker 1 00:03:59 Council President, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised. Regarding this agenda item, Speaker 0 00:04:05 I'm gonna close the remote portion for the public for for in-person attendees, if you need to speak at this time, please come to the podium, state your name and address and know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. You may take a seat after completion of your comments or questions and the council administration will respond if necessary. I see none. I'm gonna close the public portion. Item number seven, second reading amending chapter 10, health and Regulation at in section 10 dash 13 Portable toilets open to the public resolution. See you. Please read the ordinance Speaker 1 00:05:04 Be resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Ordinance to amend and supplement the revised general ordinances of the Township of Piscataway, county of Middlesex, state of New Jersey. Amending Chapter 10, health Regulations to add Section 10 dash 13 portable toilets was introduced on the eighth day of June, 2023 and had passed the first reading and was published on the 13th day of June, 2023. Now therefore be resolved that the office had ordinance having had a second reading on June 27th, 2023 be adopted, passed, and after passage be published together with a notice of the date of passage or approval in the official newspaper. Be further resolved that this ordinance shall be sign number 20 23 6. Speaker 0 00:05:44 Okay. This is open to the public for remote attendees. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on Zoom app or by your phone by pressing star nine. When it's your turn to speak, you receive or hear or request to unmute yourself. Please click the prompt or six, 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 administration will respond if necessary. After you have completed any comments or questions. Speaker 1 00:06:19 Council President, there are no remote attendees with our hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 0 00:06:25 I'm gonna close that portion for for person attendees, if you wish to speak at this time, please come to the podium, state your name and address and know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. You may take a seat after the completion of your comments or questions and the council administration will then respond if necessary. See none. I'm gonna close the public portion. Do I have a vote? Do I have a motion? Go ahead. Motion Councilman Espino. Speaker 1 00:06:55 Go Speaker 0 00:06:55 Ahead sir. You please take the roll. Speaker 1 00:06:58 Councilman Esposa. Yes. Councilwoman Lombardi? Yes. Councilman Rouse. Yes. Councilman S Shah? Yes. Council President Uhrin? Speaker 0 00:07:08 Yes. Item passes on a second reading item number eight, ordinance on a second reading approving redevelopment plan for block 53 0 1 lot 14.04 1551 South Washington Avenue and this is open to the public resolution adopting ordinance. Mr. Cedar, would you please read the ordinance Speaker 1 00:07:26 Be resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Ordinance Approving a redevelopment plan for block 5 3 0 1 Lot 14.04 was introduced on the eighth day of June, 2023 and had passed the first reading I was published on the 13th day of June, 2023. Now therefore be it resolved that the office had ordinance having had a second reading on June 27th, 2023 the adopted passed and after passage be published together with a notice of the date of passage approval in the official newspaper be it further resolved that this ordinance shall be assigned number 2023 dash one seven. Speaker 0 00:08:00 Okay. This is open to the public for remote attendees. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on Zoom app or by by phone by pressing star nine. When it is your turn to speak, you 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 administration will respond if necessary after you have completed any comments or questions, Speaker 1 00:08:32 So President, there are no remote attendees with her hand raised regarding this agenda item, Speaker 0 00:08:37 I'm gonna close the remote portion for in-person. Attendees, if you wish to speak at this time, please come to the podium, state your name and address and know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. You may take a seat after completion of your comments or questions and the council administration will respond if necessary. Seat none. I'm gonna close the in-person portion. Ms seat, do I have a motion? Do I have a motion for number eight? Listen, I have a second, second, second seat. Would you please take the role? Speaker 1 00:09:15 Councilman Espinoza? Speaker 0 00:09:17 Yes. Speaker 1 00:09:17 Councilwoman Lombardi? Yes. Councilman Rouse. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President I? Speaker 0 00:09:26 Yes. Item passes on a second Reading Item number nine, ordinance on a second reading amended Chapter 19, A land use procedures section six B five. Mrs. Open to the public. Mr. City, would you please read the resolution Speaker 1 00:09:40 Mayor be it resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Ordinance to amend the revised general ordinances of the Township of Piscataway, county of Middlesex, state of New Jersey amending Chapter 19 a land use procedures section 19 a dash six. Fees for Board of Adjustment Planning board and administrative determinations was introduced on the eighth day of June, 2023 and had passed the first reading. It was published on the 13th day of June, 2023. Now therefore be it resolved at the Aset ordinance having had a second reading on June 27th, 2023 be adopted past an after passage be published together with a notice of the date of passenger approval in the official newspaper. We have further resolved that this ordinance shall be assigned number 2023 dash 18 Speaker 0 00:10:28 If for remote attendees, if you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on Zoom app or by press pressing phone by pressing star nine. When it is your turn to speak, you'll receive or hear or 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 administration will respond if necessary. If you have completed any comments or questions. Speaker 1 00:10:59 Council President, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised. Regarding this agenda item, Speaker 0 00:11:04 I'm gonna close the remote portion for in-person. Attendees, if you wish to speak at this time, please come to the podium, state your name and address and know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. You may take a seat after completion of your comments or questions and the council administration will then respond if necessary. See none. I'm gonna close the public portion. Do I have a motion? Speaker 1 00:11:29 Motion? Speaker 0 00:11:30 Second State, would you please state the role? Speaker 1 00:11:33 Councilman Esposa? Yes. Councilwoman Lombardi. Yes. Councilman Rouse. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President Earn? Speaker 0 00:11:44 Yes. Item passes it on a second reading Item number 10, ordinance on a second reading amending Chapter two, municipal Alliance Committee, ubstance Abuse Task Force. This is open to the Public resolution adopting ordinance. Mr. Cedar, would you please read to your audience Speaker 1 00:11:58 Be resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey That an ordinance entitled Ordinance to amend the revised general ordinances of the Township of Piscataway, county of Middlesex, state of New Jersey. Replacing chapter two administration, section 50 Municipal Alliance Committee, substance Abuse Task Force with chapter two administration Section 50. Community Outreach advisory board was introduced on the eighth day of June, 2023 and had passed the first reading. It was published on the 13th day of June, 2023. Now therefore be resolved that the office had ordinance having had a second reading on June 27th, 2023 be adopted past an after passage, be published together with a notice of the date of passage or approval in the official official newspaper. Be a further resolved that this ordinance shall be assigned number 2023 dash 19 Speaker 0 00:12:45 And this is open to the public for remote attendees. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on Zoom app or on your phone by pressing star nine. When it is your turn to speak, you 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 note that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. The council administration will respond if necessary. After you have completed any comments or questions. Speaker 1 00:13:18 Council president, there are no remote individuals with their hand raised regarding this agenda item, Speaker 0 00:13:24 Close the remote portion for in-person attendees if you wish to speak at this time, please come to the podium, state your name and address and know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. You may take a seat after completion of your comments or questions and the council or administration will respond if necessary. See none. I'm gonna close the in-person portion. Ms, do I have a motion? Speaker 1 00:13:50 Motion? Speaker 0 00:13:51 Second. Second. Did you please your role? Speaker 1 00:13:57 Councilman Espinoza? Speaker 0 00:13:59 Yes. Speaker 1 00:14:00 Councilwoman Lombardi? Yes. Councilman Rouse. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President Uhrin? Speaker 0 00:14:08 Yes. Item passes on a second reading item number 11, ordinance on a second reading appro redevelopment plan for block 37 0 2 lot 1.02 10 Normandy Drive. This is open to the public resolution adopting ordinance. Miss Seated, you please read the ordinance Speaker 1 00:14:24 Here. Resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Ordinance Approving a redevelopment plan for block 3 7 0 2 lot 1.02 was introduced on the eighth day of June, 2023 and had passed the first reading. It was published on the 13th day of June, 2023. Now therefore be it resolved that the office had ordinance having had a second reading on June 27th, 2023 be adopted, passed, and after passage be published together with a notice of the date of of passage or approval in the official newspaper. Be further resolved that this ordinance shall be assigned number 2023 dash 20 Speaker 0 00:15:00 For remote attendees. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on Zoom app or if by phone by pressing star nine. When it is your turn to speak, you receive or hear or 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. Speaker 1 00:15:31 Council president, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item Speaker 0 00:15:37 I close the remote portion for in-person attendees, if you wish to speak at this time, please come to the podium, state your name and address and know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. You may take a seat after completion of your comments or questions and the council administration will respond if necessary. See none. I'm gonna close the in-person portion. Do I have a motion? Motion? Do I have a second? Second, Mr. Seat, did you please take the role? Speaker 1 00:16:06 Councilman Esposa? Yes. Councilwoman Lombardi. Yes. Councilman Rouse. Yes. Councilman S Shah? Yes. Council President Earn? Speaker 0 00:16:17 Yes. Item passes on a second meeting. Item item number 12, ordinance on a second meeting Acqui acquisition of the rights of way easements and land and simple free for improvements to Ness Avenue. This is open to the public resolution adopted ordinance C. You please read the ordinance Speaker 1 00:16:33 Be resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Ordinance for the Acquisition of Rights of Way easements and Land and Fee Simple for the improvement of Winans Avenue in Piscataway. Township County of Middlesex State of New Jersey was introduced on the eighth day of June, 2023 and it passed. The first reading was published on the 13th day of June, 2023. Now therefore be it resolved that the offers had ordinance having had a second reading on June 27th, 2023 be adopted, passed, and after passage be published together with a notice of the date of passenger approval in the official newspaper, be it further resolved that this ordinance shall be assigned number 2023 dash 21 Speaker 0 00:17:12 And for remote attendees, if you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on Zoom app or by phone by pressing star nine. When it's your turn to speak, you'll receive or hear or 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. Council administration will respond if necessary if they have completed any comments or questions. Speaker 1 00:17:45 Council President, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised. Regarding this agenda item, Speaker 0 00:17:50 I'm gonna close the remark portion for in-person. Attendees if you wish to speak at this time, please come to the podium, state your name and address and know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. You may take a seat after completion of your comments or questions and the counsel administration will respond if necessary. I see none. I'm gonna close the in-person portion. Do I have a motion? Speaker 1 00:18:12 Motion? Speaker 0 00:18:14 I have a second. Proceed. Please state the law. Speaker 1 00:18:17 Councilman Esposa. Yes. Councilwoman Lombardi. Yes. Councilman Rouse. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President Ern? Speaker 0 00:18:30 Yes. Item passes on a second reading Item number 13, ordinance on a second reading acquisition of the rights of way easements and land in free simple for improvements of Lagar Street is open to the public resolution adopting ordinance. Miss Cedar, would you please read the ordinance Speaker 1 00:18:45 Be resolved by the Township Council of Scouting Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Ordinance for the Acquisition of Rights of Way easements and Land in Fee Simple for the improvement of Lev Gar Street in the town up. Piscataway County of Middlesex State of New Jersey was introduced on the eighth day of June, 2023 and had passed the first reading and was published on the 14th day of June, 2023. Now therefore be it resolved that the effort said ordinance having had a second reading on June 27th, 2023 be adopted past and after Passage be published together with a notice of the date of passenger approval in the official newspaper, be it further resolved that this ordinance shall be signed number 2023 dash 22 Speaker 0 00:19:24 For remote attendees. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on Zoom app or if you're by phone by pressing star nine. When it is your turn to speak, you receive or hear or 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. Speaker 1 00:19:51 Counsel President, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 0 00:19:56 I'm gonna close the remote portion for in-person attendees, if you wish to speak at this three time, please come to the podium, state your name and address and know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. You may take a seat after completion of your comments or questions and the council administration will then respond if necessary. I'm gonna I seat on, I'm gonna close the in-person portion. Do I have a motion? Motion? Do I have a second? Speaker 1 00:20:22 Second. Speaker 0 00:20:24 Mr, did you please take the role? Speaker 1 00:20:25 Councilman Esposa? Yes. Councilwoman Lombardi. Yes. Councilman Rouse. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President Earn? Speaker 0 00:20:36 Yes. Item passes on a second reading item number 14. First reading amending the salary, compensation and classification plan for officials and employees of the Township and amending Chapter two administration amending Chapter two Administration. Section 18 Division of Police is a resolution adopting ordinances. Please read the ordinance Speaker 1 00:20:59 Be resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Ordinance to amend and supplement the revised general ordinances of the Township of Piscataway County of Middlesex, state of New Jersey amending the salary, compensation and classification plan for the officials and employees of the Township and amending Chapter two administration. Section two dash 18 Division of Police being is hereby adopted on the first reading that it be published in the official newspaper and that a seconding of public hearing be held at 7:30 PM prevailing time at the Piscataway Municipal Building 4 55 Hose Lane, Piscataway, New Jersey, as well as by remote meeting format on the 18th day of July, 2023. 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 member of the public. Speaker 0 00:21:51 Do I have a motion? Motion? Second, should you please take the role. Speaker 1 00:22:00 Councilman Espinoza? Yes. Councilwoman Lombardi. Yes. Councilman Rouse. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President I? Speaker 0 00:22:09 Yes. Item passes on the first reading item number 15. Consent agenda for efficiency items have been consolidated into Cahn consent agenda to be voted on together. The materials of these items have been distributed to the council in advance of the meeting at this time, are there any items that the council will like removed from the consent agenda item to be discussed or voted on separately? I see none. Do I have a motion? Speaker 1 00:22:35 Motion? Speaker 0 00:22:36 Do I have a second? Second seat. Did you please state the wall? Speaker 1 00:22:40 Councilman Espinoza? Yes. Councilwoman Lombardi. Yes. Councilman Rouse. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Speaker 0 00:22:48 Yes. Speaker 1 00:22:48 Council President I? Speaker 0 00:22:50 Yes. Item number 16, public hearing announcing adopting project and approving prequalification resolution of Metler Bo Dean House Restoration for remote attendees. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on Zoom app or by phone by stressing star nine. When it's your turn to speak, you receive or hear or 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. Know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. The council administration will respond if necessary. After you have completed any comments or questions. Speaker 1 00:23:40 Council president, there are no remote attendees with our hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 0 00:23:45 Closing more portion for in-person attendees, if you're miss to speak at this time, please come to the podium, state your name and address and know that you have three minutes to in which to make your comments. You may take a seat after completion of your comments or question and the council administration will respond if necessary. I'm gonna close the in-person solution. Item number 17, resolution adopt and pre pre qualification regulations. Medler House Restoration. So you please read the ordinance. Do I have a motion on number 17? Speaker 1 00:24:44 Motion. Speaker 0 00:24:46 Do I have a second? Speaker 1 00:24:52 Second. Speaker 0 00:24:54 Mr. Please state the role. Speaker 1 00:24:55 Councilman Espinoza. Yes. Councilwoman Lombardi. Yes. Councilman Rouse. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President Uhrin? Speaker 0 00:25:07 Yes. The next item on the agenda is a request for ALT to have its cable franchise renewed. Our franchise will expire on December 2nd, 2023. The renewal of such franchise is governed by the federal and state law and it should come as no surprise to anyone here to know that the community and lts have been engaged in negotiations for some time. For the record, the Township received a request for renewal from Alts on January 4th, 2021. The notice was timely received as federal law and New Jersey statutes require that ALT made such request no sooner than 36 months before the expiration and no later than 30 months from the expiration. The scatter has conducted a series of meetings with targeted consumers and impact parties as well as conducted a survey of the Township residents to identify what is important to them. This is called the ascertainment process or the identification of the community's needs. Speaker 0 00:26:08 We have shared that information with alts and we have been actively pursuing needs in negotiations. We have looked into preserve all of the benefits we have in our current franchise and improve its whole significant ways. First, we seek to have Scattery PEG channel, the first alt HD PEG channel in New Jersey. Altice has informed and agreed with the share goal. Secondly, we have, we would like to be able to do remote programming on the PEG channel. Altis has agreed with the goal and we are currently exploring how to accomplish that goal in the most cost efficient manner. Altis has pledged to continue to provide courtesy services to Township Buildings and schools. Our current franchise has to be written to address how these services can provide constant with change in the federal law. Both parties are in agreement of this change. Finally, alts has offered to provide broadband services to anchor institutions in the city and guaranteed investments in the broadband infrastructure and services. Speaker 0 00:27:13 The Township. We are exploring how best to capture these commons on March 31st. Alts filed a formal proposal for renewal with the city proposal. Does not have everything listed above in that renewal, but then again we do do not expect that it would be ALT has required a schedule under New Jersey law and then needed to file their proposal, which they did. The Township negotiation team will continue to meet with Al these and we expect that this broad meetings in September will move adoption of the franchise renewal and forward that the proposal to New Jersey Broad of public util utilities for formal adoption. Speaker 3 00:28:01 If I may, council president, excuse me, Ms. Just for the record, this is not the public portion for the residents to chime in even though months ago we did have a public form and and respect of having people send comments in, but there will eventually be a public hearing at some point as far as the process goes along. All this as the council members know this, as is regulated by the office of through the state B P U, through the Technological committee of the B P U, so Speaker 0 00:28:37 Thank you Mayor. Item number 19, announcements and comments from officials Councilman Espinoza. Speaker 4 00:28:47 Yes. Thank you Mr. President. So I would like to congratulate the class of 2023 and all those students who celebrated moving up ceremony. Congratulations to all and keep on moving forward and be your best self Speaker 0 00:29:02 Council. William Lombardi. Speaker 2 00:29:05 I'd like to wish our council president a happy birthday and also our former Councilman. Steve Conn's birthday is also today, so happy birthday goes out to him. Look forward to seeing everybody at the 4th of July Festivities for the fireworks. Begin at nine and our summer concert series starts on July 13th over at Columbus Park, so look forward to seeing everybody out at all of our free events for the community. Speaker 0 00:29:37 Thank you Councilman. Councilman Rouse Speaker 3 00:29:43 Comment, Speaker 0 00:29:44 Councilman fall Speaker 5 00:29:50 In the bike rodeo at Community Center Speaker 0 00:30:01 Mayor. Speaker 3 00:30:03 Very briefly, we did get some questions about the traffic pattern where the state flipped the roadway over on River Road by 2 87 Bridge. The Piscataway police department's doing their survey and will be is in contact with the project engineer for the state to make some recommended changes because given the fact that this project's gonna be going on for about 16 months, we wanna make sure there's always gonna be some pain, but we wanna make sure if there's gonna be pain, we wanna make sure it's done safely. Speaker 0 00:30:37 Ms. Ms say JC nothing Speaker 3 00:30:39 Tonight. Thank you. Speaker 0 00:30:43 Just have Speaker 6 00:30:43 A birthday, Frank and Steve and no other comments. Thank you Speaker 0 00:30:47 And I have no comments. Item number 20, agenda session for July 18th, 2023. Ation Police and Citizen Heroes Ordinance on a second reading amending the salary, compensation and classification plan for officials and employees of the Township and amending Chapter two administration amending Chapter two administration, section 18 Division of police. This will be open to the public resolution adopting ordinance resolution, authorizing refund of raffle one day temporary food license fees event canceled lead festive resolution, authorized refund of picnic fees, it man free resolution or authorizing a water professional services engineering services for Hancock Road Covert. I group not to exceed $390,000 and the last one, resolution 2023 2024 liquor license renewable GSM investments L L C 1 2 1 7 through 3 0 0 5 0 0 3 90. Comments of questions on them? Speaker 0 00:31:51 I see none. I'm gonna open up the public portion to the remote employee. Remote attendees. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on Zoom app or by phone by pressing nine. When it's 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 administration will respond if necessary. After you have completed any comments or questions. Speaker 1 00:32:25 Council president, I'm asking the first remote attendee to unmute themselves. Speaker 0 00:32:34 Please state your name and address. Speaker 7 00:32:37 Hi there. First, is this for the general public comment or am I too early? Speaker 0 00:32:44 This is, this is general. This is open to the public for the Speaker 7 00:32:48 Oh, very good. Okay. My name is Holly Cox. I'm a 25 year Montville New Jersey resident and I'm very worried about the quality of our air here in New Jersey. So I'm asking you to please oppose the new Woodbridge Power Plant because polluted air, which is exacerbated by the climate crisis, affects us all. It's a scientific fact that fossil fuels are causing this climate chaos, which is already affecting every aspect of our life here in New Jersey. It's causing US health problems from pollution, destroying our property with stronger storms, killing our landscapes and wildlife with hotter days and less rain, and damaging our overall wellbeing By seeing all these things we love slipping away. There's several reasons for you to please adopt a resolution against the proposed power plant. One. This C P V plant will be powered through fracking, which wastes tons of water, contaminates it causes earthquakes and allows methane to escape, which is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in our atmosphere. Speaker 7 00:33:40 Two C p V does not live up to its commitments. When they got approval to build the first Woodbridge power plant, they promised to build a waterfront park along the ton. However, the park was never cleaned up and never built, and the area continues to be radioactive. Three. This new Woodbridge gas plant will be the third in Woodbridge and the seventh in Middlesex County. These Woodbridge plants will be one of the largest climate polluters in New Jersey, spewing 4.6 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions into our air every year. Included in these emissions are particulate matter VOCs led Forde Hyde and other cancer causing pollutants. In fact, governor Murphy's own d e p says that climate change is going to bring mo more cardiovascular disease, respiratory illness, and cancers to NJ residents with the Woodbridge Power plant less than six miles from Piscataway. You and your residents will be on the front lines for these health effects. Speaker 7 00:34:27 According to the bpu, this energy is not even needed in New Jersey now. So the current plan is for the frat gas to come from Pennsylvania, be processed in pollute or air here in New Jersey, and then for the energy to be sent to a grid for out-of-state use five. There are 223 NJ public schools located within a 10 mile radius from the proposed plant. And the entire Piscataway school system is less than approximately 15 miles from the proposed plant. Six on its website. C B V touts itself as a leader in clean energy. So why are they building an outdated, dirty fossil fuel plant in Woodbridge seven. By passing the resolution, you'll be joining 15 other elected bodies who have already passed it. To conclude, as more and more climate disasters occur, and just look at the Canadian wildfires a few weeks ago, which caused our air quality here to reach dangerously high levels and, and my home cast an eerie yellow glow in the air outside. The need to transition to clean renewable energy is obvious at this point. Building any fossil fuel plant does not make financial sense or common sense. In light of all this, I ask you to please protect your residents and pass the resolution to state your opposition to the C P V Power plant. Thank you. And I forgot to mention that I did email a copy of the resolution to each of the board members yesterday morning. Thank you for the opportunity to speak. Speaker 0 00:35:42 You're welcome. Speaker 1 00:35:49 Council president. I'm asking the next individual with their hand raised to unmute themselves. Speaker 8 00:35:58 Hello, I am Ster Canto. I'm from Colonial Woodbridge Township and I would like to just say I'm in agreement with Holly concerning the C P V expansion. So I'm just gonna very, I'm not gonna repeat the same, you know, very important facts that she gave, but just as a Woodbridge residence, you can get a viewpoint from someone living right there. First of all, I believe that majority of Woodbridge Township residents were like me initially not aware of this proposed deadly methane gas plant expansion in Ks B, which is where it would be the part of Woodbridge Township. We do receive of quarterly a newsletter, Woodbridge News. And as far as I can recall, I do not remember this ever being mentioned in any of the newsletters. And even if it was mentioned, there certainly was not a transparent disclosure that if approved the expanded KSB plant along with the existing CPV one plant would be spewing out a total of 4.6 million tons of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, especially particulate matter. Speaker 8 00:37:04 And as we know, that travels hundreds of miles. We saw that with the wildfires. So that's very upsetting. And also I think there's always, you know, there's always the situation where you, when I talk to people that say, oh well, you know, natural gas that's clean. Well, I think we need to work on that terminology cuz obviously it's not correct. There's no such thing as, as, as clean gas plants, which is what they're being touted as. They're methane. And just to very quickly quote Cassie Siegel, she's the director of Climate Law Institute and Center for Biological Diversity. Methane is a super pollutant. If carbon dioxide is the fossil fuel broiler of our heating planet, methane is a blow torch and methane's earth warming power will be destroying climate for decades. So we'll have more heat waves, we'll have more wildfires, hurricanes, and obviously sea level will be rising. Speaker 8 00:37:54 And we know this from the I P C C report that we are literally at a climate crisis. And in addition, I major homeowners insurance companies are deciding not even to sell new homeowners policies because of all these catastrophic risks caused by the climate change and the primarily a result of the greenhouse gas emissions from the fossil fuel plants. Also, I know there was mention about this park, supposedly there was, that was a promise that was made from C P V. We're being told that now the park is gonna be opening, which is, first of all, we also know that this is probably not gonna be so true because they're trying unsuccessfully to plant, I believe they call them the, the, the water plants, the along the, the this area and the r and they're not taking, which ironically because of climate change, the plants that they're trying to do are not even taking. And even if they could clean up this very highly radioactive, contaminated site, it was a brownfield area. Even if they could, the, the pollutants that we're going to get from this plant, the air pollution is going to continue for forever. So, Speaker 0 00:39:04 Excuse me, you're three minutes are off. Thank you Speaker 8 00:39:07 So much. I'm sorry. Yeah, thank you for, sorry, took that long. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Speaker 1 00:39:16 Council president, there are no other remote individuals with their hand raised. Speaker 0 00:39:20 Okay, I'm gonna close the remote portion for in-person attendees, if you were to speak at this time, please come to the podium, state your name and address and know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. You may take a seat after completion of your comments or questions and the council or administration will, will then respond if necessary. You have to press the button on the microphone. You have to press the button on the microphone, the little button Speaker 9 00:39:55 And hold it. Speaker 10 00:39:55 Hold it. Yeah. Speaker 9 00:40:00 Oh, I gotta keep it down. Oh, is 58 Curtiss? My complaint still stands. It goes back to when the Mayor was in grammar school and it got worse. Do any of your district leaders ever walk your community and look around for ordinance violations? No. I have two things to mention. One is at Mansfield Road and seventh, you know where you put your reelect me sign. That little corner is very dangerous. In order to make a right turn, you have to cross the white media. That corner needs to be landscaped and vacate so that we can see the oncoming traffic. You vacate that corner and that one of the homeowners take, they'll take care of it. The other thing is Speaker 9 00:41:14 Stelton and Washington Avenue, just before the railroad track, just getting into the gas station, that yield sign has to be eliminated. You have a red light there. That's all he needs. People do not understand the yield. They think it's their lane. Dangerous. I seen a couple accidents. There's a tree out there on Washington Avenue with an ex on it. Why? Why is the ex on that? Is it supposed to be taken down? Doesn't it bother you that you put your reelecting sign on that corner and you see the danger? Do any of your district leaders again, I say ever walk your community? No, I don't think so. I walk all the time. Is there a police officer here? No. You're a guard police officer. Plain closed. Speaker 0 00:42:26 You have to address us, sir. Thank you. Move number 23. Motion for adjourn. Speaker 9 00:42:40 Motion. Speaker 0 00:42:41 I close the public portion. In person portion. Shall I have a motion for adjournment? Speaker 9 00:42:46 Motion? Speaker 0 00:42:47 Do I have a second? Second. Second. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Meeting adjourned. Thank you. Speaker 9 00:42:53 Thank everyone. Thank you. Have a good night.