Transcript for Piscataway Council meeting on July 18 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     00:00:08    Recording in progress.  
Speaker 1     00:00:14    Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided as required under chapter 2 31 PL 1975, specifying the time, date, location, login, or dial in information, and to the extent known the agenda by posting a copy of the notice of Themi Building municipal court to municipal library bulletin boards municipal website, providing a copy to the official newspapers at the Township, and by filing a copy in the office of the Township clerk in accordance with the certification by the clerk, which will 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 muted during the meeting. The Township will provide for public comment periods for both remote and in-person attendees separately. If a member of the public wishes wishes to speak during any public comment portion for remote attendees, please raise your hand. This can be done either start 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 attendees will be muted in-person. Attendees will receive three minutes to  
Speaker 1     00:02:18    Seated to please take the roll.  
Speaker 2     00:02:20    Councilwoman Cahill. Councilwoman Carmichael. Councilman Espinoza. Councilwoman Lombardi. Here. Councilman Rouse. Here. Councilman Here. Council, president I  
Speaker 1     00:02:35    Here please stand for the flags, though  
Speaker 2     00:02:41    I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it  
Speaker 1     00:02:46    Stands,  
Speaker 2     00:02:47    One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.  
Speaker 1     00:02:59    Okay, number five, comments from administration and counsel regarding term of any matters on the agenda.  
Speaker 3     00:03:04    None at this time.  
Speaker 1     00:03:06    Okay. Okay. We're gonna, I'm gonna move the proclamation up to item number six. So proclamation, police and citizen heroes. Michelle.  
Speaker 3     00:03:16    Good evening everyone, and thank you for coming out for this very well-deserved commendation.  
Speaker 3     00:03:29    So the proclamation, proclamation states, whereas Piscataway, Township, police Department, patrol officers, Lance Lebr, Michael Vee, and Kyle Snyder and Lake Nelson area resident Dennis Gilbert jumped into action on the night of May 13th, 2023 when a vehicle broke, threw a guardrail on Mettler's Lane and crashed into the waters of Ambrose Brook adjacent to Lake Nelson, and recognizing the severity of the emergency as the vehicle was almost entirely submerged, the officers, Mr. Gilbert, immediately entered the murky water, located the driver, and began lifesaving efforts. And whereas Le Bru, ve and Snyder embody the dedication, courage, and professionalism, reflective of high values of the Piscataway Township Police Department, and Mr. Gilbert Gilbert embodies the true essence of citizen hero, a dedicated member of the community whose first and foremost thoughts are to come to the aid of those in need, and whereas their commitment to serving our community is truly inspiring. Now therefore, be it resolved that I, Brian c Wahler Mayor of the Township of Piscataway County, of Middlesex, state of New Jersey, acknowledge my sim sincere appreciation to these individuals for their remarkable bravery and commend them for their exemplary actions and except exceptional character on July 18th, 2023. And so would all of those men and our, the policemen and our resident please come up.  
Speaker 1     00:05:21    Okay. We're gonna move on to the meeting now. If you don't wanna stay, it's okay. All right. Open to the public comments regarding item number 10. Consent you to the items. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand on Zoom app or by phone by pressing star nine. When it is your turn to speak, you'll receive or hear or request to unmute yourself. Please correct 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. This is remote first  
Speaker 2     00:06:03    Council president. There are no remote employees with their hand raised at this time.  
Speaker 1     00:06:08    Okay. I'm gonna close the remote portion for the public portion for in-person attendees, if you wish to speak at this time, please come up 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. This is for the consent agenda. Item number 10, you  
Speaker 5     00:06:34    Press item number 10, resolution eight H. Why is it just the person, why is it just the veterans who receive the a hundred percent disability? I entitled for any kind of tax debate. Why can a person who has 80% disability have some kind of percentage in that disability as a tax rebate?  
Speaker 6     00:07:04    So that's, that's  
Speaker 5     00:07:05    The way item h  
Speaker 6     00:07:06    Yep. That's the way state law is written. We don't, we don't determine it. You, it's subject to state law and subject to a hundred percent disability from the Veterans Administration. There are other programs available that you can talk to the tax collector about. There's the New Jersey Savers Program and a few other ones for senior citizens that you can talk to the tax collector about  
Speaker 5     00:07:27    It. Is it possible you can inform us of that condition that we, there's a 80% disability person right here.  
Speaker 6     00:07:33    Yeah, it's You're not,  
Speaker 5     00:07:35    Doesn't, he's not entitled to anything.  
Speaker 6     00:07:37    No, no, no. There are some senior citizen programs with the New Jersey freeze, New Jersey Savers that you can contact. You can contact their tax officer. They'll be,  
Speaker 5     00:07:47    I wish very much that you have that kind of information for us. Thank you.  
Speaker 4     00:08:02    Okay.  
Speaker 1     00:08:06    Item number eight, open. I'm gonna close the public portion for the consent agenda Item, item number eight. Second reading, amending the salary comp, compensation and classification plan for officials and employees of the Township and amending Chapter two administration, section 18, division of Police op. This is open to the public resolution seat. Would you please read the ordinance,  
Speaker 2     00:08:28    Be it 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 salary, compensation and classification plan for the officials and employees of the Township of Piscataway and amending Chapter two administration. Section two dash 18 Division of Police was introduced on the 27th day of June, 2023 and had passed the first reading I was published on the second day of July, 2023. Now therefore be it resolved that the offer said ordinance having had a second reading on July 18th, 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 it further resolved that this ordinance shall be assigned number 2023 dash 23.  
Speaker 1     00:09:13    This is, this is open to the public for remote attendees. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on Zoom map or by phone by pressing star nine when it is your turn to speak, you receive it here. 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, your 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 2     00:09:45    Council president, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised at this time.  
Speaker 1     00:09:49    I'm gonna close the remote portion for in-person. Attendees, if you 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.  
Speaker 7     00:10:11    Yes.  
Speaker 1     00:10:12    It's item number eight.  
Speaker 8     00:10:17    It's on a particular ordinance. Item number eight on the agenda.  
Speaker 1     00:10:23    Okay, I see none. I'm gonna close the in-person Attendees, do I have a motion?  
Speaker 3     00:10:27    Motion?  
Speaker 1     00:10:29    Do I have a second seat? Did you please take the roll?  
Speaker 2     00:10:35    Councilwoman Lombardi. Yes. Councilman Rouse. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President Earn?  
Speaker 1     00:10:44    Yes. Item passes. Item number nine, ordinance on the first reading amended Chapter 20, land subdivision and chapter 24. Site plan review is a resolution adopting ordinance. Mr. Cedar, would you please read the ordinance,  
Speaker 2     00:10:56    Be it 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 20, land Subdivision and Chapter 24, site Plan review B and is hereby adopted on the first reading that it be published in the official newspaper and that a second reading of public hearing be held at 7:30 PM prevailing time at the Piscataway Municipal Building 4 55 Hose Lane, Piscataway, New Jersey, as well as by remote meeting format on the 15th day of August, 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 1     00:11:43    Okay. Do I have a motion?  
Speaker 7     00:11:45    Motion?  
Speaker 1     00:11:47    Do I have a second? Second seat. Did you please state your oath?  
Speaker 2     00:11:50    Councilwoman Lombardi? Yes. Councilman Rouse.  
Speaker 10    00:11:54    Yes.  
Speaker 2     00:11:55    Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President Earn?  
Speaker 1     00:11:58    Yes. Item passes on the first reading item number 10, Concentra general resolutions for efficiency items have been consolidated into Concentra 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 would like removed from the consent agenda to be discussed or voted on separately? I see none. Do I have a motion?  
Speaker 3     00:12:21    Motion?  
Speaker 1     00:12:22    I have a second.  
Speaker 7     00:12:23    Second,  
Speaker 1     00:12:24    Sir, you please take the role.  
Speaker 2     00:12:26    Councilwoman Lombardi? Yes. Councilman Rouse? Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Council President Ern?  
Speaker 1     00:12:34    Yes.  
Speaker 3     00:12:35    I would just like to thank everyone for putting through the Ethel Road West. That's been needed for quite some time, and that's in my ward, so thank you.  
Speaker 1     00:12:47    I Number 11. Announcements and comments from officials?  
Speaker 3     00:12:54    No, just that we had our first concert last Thursday evening. It was a very good success. And we have the next one coming up this Thursday over at the Columbus Park and National Night Out is also coming up on August 1st.  
Speaker 1     00:13:13    Thank you. Michelle Councilman. Rouse.  
Speaker 7     00:13:18    No comments.  
Speaker 1     00:13:20    Councilman Shaw,  
Speaker 10    00:13:22    We have on passport processing senior center at July 19th and September. So anybody, residents interested for new passport or renewal, US passport, they can contact the senior center. Thank you.  
Speaker 1     00:13:39    Thank you to Daci.  
Speaker 10    00:13:41    Nothing tonight.  
Speaker 1     00:13:43    Mr. Baker.  
Speaker 7     00:13:44    Nothing. Council president  
Speaker 1     00:13:46    And I have no comment. Item number 10 12. Agenda session for August 15th, 2023. Ordinance on a second reading at chapter 20, land subdivision and chapter 24, site plan review. This will be open to the public resolution.  
Speaker 1     00:14:08    Okay. Item number 13, 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 pressing star nine. When it is your turn to speak, you'll receive or hear or request to unmute yourself. Please click 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 com comments. The council or administration will respond if necessary. After you've completed any comments or questions.  
Speaker 2     00:14:38    Council president, I'm asking the first individual with their hand raised to unmute themself.  
Speaker 11    00:14:47    Hello? Hello. Hi, my name is Holly Cox. I'm a 25 year Montville, New Jersey resident. I'm here again to ask you about the resolution. Opposing power plant has polluted air, which is exacerbated by the climate crisis affects us all. At the last meeting, I gave a lot of details regarding the amount of pollution this C P V plant will produce and the dangers of building a new fossil fuel plant in an overburdened community during a climate crisis. As a reminder, this new C P V plant in Woodbridge will pollute our air with 2.3 million tons of carcinogenic pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions every year. This will have devastating effects for years to come on our health and lacus into decades more of climate killing emissions. This is exactly the right time to pass a resolution against a new fossil fuel plant. I'm sure you noticed that since our last meeting, we've had dangerously high air quality alerts where our air ranked as some of the worst in the world and where at my home, the air outside had an eerie yellow glow and was so thick with the smell of burning trees that even my young adult sons didn't hesitate to wear a mask whenever they went outdoors.  
Speaker 11    00:15:50    I'm sure you noticed too, that in just the last couple weeks, dangerous amounts of torrential rains caused major towns to be flooded and major roads to be washed away in New Jersey, New York, Vermont, and other northeastern states. Also, did you know the world just experienced the seven hottest days on Earth? In all of recorded history, extreme climate events are happening here and now. Extreme weather events are what climate change looks like, and they're caused by burning fossil fuels. It's caused by frat gas power plants exactly like the kind C P V wants to build practically in your backyard. I want to emphasize too the urgency regarding the N J D E P permitting process. It's fair to say the D e P is close to ruling on CPV S application asking for permission to pollute our air. It's been a six plus year long application process that is finally nearing its end.  
Speaker 11    00:16:36    Although New Jersey's environmental justice rules took effect, this project has grandfathered in. So it's up to local leaders like yourselves who try to protect your residents by adopting the resolution and sending a message just like 16 other elected bodies have done. It's obvious we can no longer ignore the dangers that climate change and air quality posts to all of us at this point. Building any fossil fuel plant does not make financial sense or common sense. It is urgent that we all do our part to take the actions necessary to say no to fossil fuels and hasten the transition to clean energy. We need you as elected leaders to protect us. I thus, respectfully, ask if you will please put the Woodbridge Power Plant resolution on your agenda soon. Thank you very much.  
Speaker 1     00:17:19    Thank you Ms. Cox.  
Speaker 2     00:17:27    Council president. There are no other remote attendees with their hand raised. For this agenda item,  
Speaker 1     00:17:32    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, please push the button on the and hold it and hold it. You have to hold it down.  
Speaker 5     00:17:54    58, Curtis, my complaint still stands not too long ago. You send us a flyer, a beautiful laminated, she telling us how great Piscataway is. You should have sent that to people in Alaska or even Hawaii. They would've believed you. I didn't. Anyone here can come and walk down Curtis Avenue to Mansfield Road. Tell me what you see. Why is in seventh curb yet? Why is in Washington curb yet? Why do you steal plant trees between the walkway and the curb and not maintain them? Thank you.  
Speaker 1     00:18:56    Thank you. Are you press pressing the button on the microphone, sir. Excuse me. You have to press the button. Press the button. The little button on the  
Speaker 5     00:19:12    Hold. The button.  
Speaker 12    00:19:13    Yeah. There you go. You have to hold it.  
Speaker 1     00:19:14    Hold. Yes. Sorry. Thank you.  
Speaker 13    00:19:17    Yes. My name is Gordon Driscoll, 55 International Avenue in Piscataway. As you know, they're doing construction on our street and it's both ends are closed and there's police guarding both ends as a resident there in order to get in and out, I have even out, I mean, I'm coming out and I have to explain myself to the officers that are there coming back in. I have to do it every day. There's a new officer there. I have to explain that I'm there and they tell me that while we're doing construction here, which I know because I got the letter. I live there, I see it. But I get stopped every day and I have to explain that I live there. I'm just curious as to whether, because it's, there's like 50 some houses on our street. If you could issue some kind of identifier for our, our mirror or our dashboard that would identify us as a resident rather than I, I've already spoken to the traffic safety officer who told me to make my own sign and see if that works.  
Speaker 13    00:20:19    I didn't find that satisfactory. Last Tuesday I left, I was gone a half an hour. I came back, the officer that was on duty was very young. He got out of his car and went stop and had his other hand on his holster. This is for me to go home now. I told Mike Smith about this and he told me that I must have pulled up in some threatening manner. I didn't. He was overzealous with authority. I really need to just, it's great that you're doing this road, but I need to get in and outta my street without having to go through that. Especially when someone, I could see how things escalate today with people with his hand on his gun because I'm trying to pull up my street. It was really uncalled for. But all I'm asking for is maybe some consideration that you could issue some kind of identifier.  
Speaker 3     00:21:20    Thank you. First off, how long do we anticipate that project to be? Until  
Speaker 13    00:21:26    September.  
Speaker 3     00:21:28    Okay.  
Speaker 6     00:21:29    We've done a lot of, lot of reconstruction over there, right? We did. We're doing international now. We did brotherhood. You got, so we've done a lot of construction over there and they're very long streets and they're very, they're very  
Speaker 3     00:21:40    Work. So, so we can look into doing something that makes it a little easier for the residents to get, get into their street.  
Speaker 6     00:21:47    We'll talk to Captain Piltch tomorrow and we'll see what we can do.  
Speaker 3     00:21:51    We will definitely look into something.  
Speaker 1     00:21:54    You put tag on your car. We could put tags on their car or something or on the dashboard.  
Speaker 6     00:22:00    We're doing about 20 streets right now throughout town,  
Speaker 13    00:22:03    So it's just a suggestion and just to make our lives easier while it's going on. I think it's great that you're upgrading the road even though you're coming in 10 feet of my property and I could probably put a drive through window and smell smoothies out of it now. But  
Speaker 3     00:22:18    Let's, let's see what the traffic division has to say if we can come up with some sort of a, a, a resolution.  
Speaker 13    00:22:23    I did speak to Mike Smith, traffic safety officer, who really gave me no satisfaction. I called Waller's office. She referred me to the engineer who told me I was in the wrong place. Referred me to Mike. Then I spoke with him and, and it's still going on. And you know, there's two of us. There's only 50 some houses on our street. It's not really that long of a street. It's not like brotherhood, you know, which took over a year to complete. You know, so it, it's really a simple request that you give us some kind of identifier. It's not that hard. It's  
Speaker 3     00:22:58    Okay. Thank you. Thank you.  
Speaker 14    00:23:26    I have to hold this down for the full, full  
Speaker 1     00:23:27    Time. Yes. Hold that button down when you speak.  
Speaker 14    00:23:29    Okay. I'm Sid Madison. I live in Piscataway on Blackford Avenue. I'm gonna speak on the same thing that Holly Cox, who was the only virtual person that spoke. It's about the CPV PV gas plant in Woodbridge. I'm here to support the same position that she gave for the same reasons. I'll just read what I have. My last appearance at this building was supported by the position of in to support the position of Empower New Jersey, which would also stop the Woodbridge Power plant That's proposed. It would stop all of them, which is a much better idea, but you should at least stop the one that's closest to us.  
Speaker 14    00:24:20    For background, governor Murphy has set the following goals, a 50% reduction in, in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and a hundred percent renewable energy grid. By 2035, not having another fossil fuel plant would, would be in agreement with those goals. Allowing a fossil fuel plant is, is, is opposed to those goals. Climate science is absolutely clear. We should not be building more fossil fuel infrastructure. The health implications of another polluting GA gas plant is absolutely clear. It will make our already poor air quality worse. The economics are fo as follows. If the plant is built first, there will be an increase to rate payers for the proposed plant. Second, as time goes on, there will be more increases to rate payers because fossil fuels are gonna cost more in the future maintenance. Third, yeah. And the plants will require maintenance. Third, to satisfy the governor's goals will again, see an increase to remove the plant in order to achieve the 2035 goal.  
Speaker 14    00:25:48    By the time this plant is built, it'll be in in action less than 10 years before it has to be taken away. And then we're gonna pay for that too. It's crazy. All these increases could be avoided by not allowing the proposed plan. Your job is to make things better for your constituents. Pass the resolution because it is morally right to do, to do it. It will keep our air quality from getting worse. And lastly, it will save rate payers additional costs and, and very lastly, I have a shirt on from 2012 July of 2012. It's against fracking. If this plant goes in, there'll be more fracking. Now that's not a direct cost to us. It's mostly in Pennsylvania, but it's bad. It's bad. So you ought to consider getting this resolution passed. Thank you.  
Speaker 1     00:26:43    Thank you for your comment. Comment. No, you already had your three minutes, sir. I'm gonna close the public portion. Do I have a motion for adjournment? Motion? I have a second. Second. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Meeting adjourned.