Transcript for Piscataway Council meeting on November 12 2024
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 1 00:00:05 I had like to call this meeting of the Piscataway Township Council to order. 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 on the municipal Building 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. There will be public comment periods for both remote and in-person. Attendees separately. Each member of the public shall have only one opportunity to speak during each public portion. As the technology does not allow us to know if there are multiple callers on an 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. 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. Ms, would you please take the roll call. Speaker 2 00:01:24 Councilwoman Carmichael. Councilman Espinosa. Here. Councilwoman Lombardi? Here. Councilman Uhrin Rouse. Here. Councilman Shaw. Councilman. Cahn Shaw, we can't hear you. Can you unmute yourself? Speaker 1 00:01:54 Maybe he has to hit six Speaker 2 00:01:59 Councilman Shaw, can you unmute yourself please? Okay. Hello. There we are. Okay, you're here. Thank you. Thank you. Councilman Uhrin here. Council President Cahill Speaker 1 00:02:12 Here. Would you please join me in a slew to our flag Speaker 3 00:02:17 To the flag of the United States of America to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice Pearl. Speaker 1 00:02:33 Okay. Are there any comments from administration and counsel regarding adjournment of any matters on this agenda? Scene? None. We'll go on to number six. This will be open to the public. This is comments regarding item number eight. These are the consent agenda items. Anyone in the public wishing to speak may do so at this time. We'll open it up to the remote attendees First, 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've completed any comments or questions. Speaker 2 00:03:27 Council president, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 1 00:03:31 Thank you. Thank you. We'll close the remote attendee portion. We'll open it up to the public. For anyone here in person 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 then respond if necessary. Scene none. We're gonna close the public portion on this item. That'll bring us to number seven, which is an ordinance on first reading. This is amending and supplementing various chapters of the municipal code. It is a resolution adopting Ordinance Cedar. Would you please read the resolution? Speaker 2 00:04:12 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 two administration. Chapter four, licensing and Business Regulations. Chapter 14, sorry. Yes. Chapter 14, building Chapter 16, housing and Rent Control. Chapter 19, fire Prevention and Protection Chapter 31, streets and Sidewalks and the Salary and Wage Schedule, excuse me. B 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 Hose Lane, Piscataway, New Jersey on the 26th day of November, 2024. 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 00:05:13 Thank you. Ms. Cedar. Do I have an offer? Speaker 4 00:05:16 Offer Shah? Speaker 1 00:05:18 Do I have a second? Second. Second. Ms. Cedar, would you please take the roll call vote. Speaker 2 00:05:24 Councilman Espinosa. Yes. Councilwoman Lombardi. Yes. Councilman. Uhrin Rouse. Yes. Councilman. Cahn Shaw? Speaker 4 00:05:32 Yes. Speaker 2 00:05:33 Councilman. Cahn. Rin? Yes. Council President Caho? Speaker 1 00:05:37 Yes. And the ordinance passes on first reading. That'll bring us to number eight, which are the consent agenda. Resolution items 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 to be discussed or voted on separately? See, none. Do I have an offer? Speaker 2 00:06:04 Offer? Councilwoman? Speaker 1 00:06:05 Lombardi? Do I have a second? Second. Speaker 5 00:06:07 Councilman Espinosa. Speaker 1 00:06:09 Ms seat, would you please take the roll call vote. Speaker 2 00:06:10 Councilman. Cahn Espinosa? Yes. Councilwoman Lombardi. Yes. Councilman. Uhrin Rouse. Yes. Councilman Shaw? Yes. Councilman. Rin. Yes. Council President Cahill? Speaker 1 00:06:24 Yes. And the consent agenda. Items pass. That'll bring us to number nine, which were announcements. And comments from officials. Councilman, Cahn, Espinoza. Speaker 5 00:06:32 None for me. Council President. Thank you. Speaker 1 00:06:35 Thank you. Councilwoman. Lombardi. Speaker 2 00:06:37 None. Thank you. Speaker 1 00:06:39 Councilman. Cahn, Rouse. Speaker 2 00:06:41 No comment. Speaker 1 00:06:42 Councilman Shaw? Speaker 2 00:06:44 No thanks Speaker 1 00:06:46 Councilman rn. Speaker 5 00:06:47 No comment. Speaker 1 00:06:48 Mr. Mayor. Ms. Corbin. Councilor, Speaker 2 00:06:54 No comments. Thank you. Alright. Speaker 1 00:06:55 And the only comment I'd like to make is first today to wish a very happy birthday to Ward three councilwoman Sharon Carmichael, who is not with us tonight. And then a very happy 35 years to councilwoman Michelle Lombardi and her husband Nick, who'll be celebrating on the 18th of this month. And then I think it's the 20th. Councilman. Rouse. And First Lady Shirley will be celebrating 48 years married. Congratulations. In this day and age, that's no small feat. So wonderful job. And 35 years. Wow. Congratulations to all of you. And that is all I have. So that'll bring us to number 10, which are the agenda session items for November 26th, 2024. The first will be an ordinance on second reading. This is amending and supplementing various chapters of the municipal code. It'll also be open to the public in a resolution adopting ordinance. Are there any comments or questions on this item? Speaker 1 00:07:53 Seeing none that'll be on. The next item will be an ordinance on second reading. This is the bond ordinance and it'll also be open to the public. Are there in a resolution adopting ordinance? Are there any comments or questions on this item? Seeing none that will be on. The next item will be a resolution authorizing return of escrow. Any comments or questions on this item? Seeing none that will be on. Next item would be a resolution authorizing release of cash performance bond. Are there any comments or questions regarding this item? Seeing none that will be on. And the last will be a resolution authorizing award of bid. 20 25, 20 26. Janitorial services. Any comments or questions on this item? Seeing none that will be on, that'll bring us to number 11, which is open to the public for a remote. Attendees, 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. 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've completed any comments or questions. Speaker 2 00:09:12 Council president, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 1 00:09:16 Thank you. We'll close the remote attendee portion and open it up to the folks who are here in person. 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 then respond if necessary. Speaker 6 00:09:39 All set. Sid Madison, 1 7 6 Blackford Avenue. At the end, I'd like a, like a summary of what happened to my proposal that is supposed to go to the Planning Planning Board and see what the status of that is. But first I'd like to speak to our neighbors do not understand that we are in a climate crisis. I'll explain that. But first, some facts. Kyoto, that was the protocol in the late nineties that was intended to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. They are higher today than they were in 1990 IE. No reductions have been made. That is the reason I said last week that our white hat is gray and the black hat of the fossil fuel industry is shiny. Item number two, the 24 20 24 projection. The projection for 2024 is that global temperatures will be over 1.5 degrees. 1.5 degrees as a reminder was the aspirational goal of the Paris Agreement. Speaker 6 00:10:49 Number three, future projection Based on current policies worldwide, the projections are that global temperatures could reach over three degrees. Remember I just mentioned the aspirational goal of 1.53 would be twice that the other goal was supposed to be. The red line was two degrees. Three is way over the thing. Those are the reason I use the, the climate crisis now about our neighbors Pew. According to the Pew Research Center, 74% consider climate change to be a serious problem. And pew in the latest ratings of issues. Climate came in at 11 of 16, which is, which is low, but it's as high as I've ever seen it, which sounds like good news except climate change should be priority number one, much higher than any other one. Why? Because even if future generations take the expensive step or process of removal of atmospheric carbon dioxide, atmospheric temperatures do not drop significantly for at least 1000 years, which will continue the climate impacts that we have at the time that we've quit putting carbon dioxide into the air. So the point here is to educate your neighbors that we have to do it as fast as we can. Speaker 6 00:12:32 So I'm, I'm done, but I would like an answer to the question I ask at the beginning. Speaker 1 00:12:37 Thank you Mr. Madison. We're gonna continue with the public portion and then when after the meeting we can come and talk to you. Okay. Thank you so much. Anyone else in the public wishing to speak may do so at this time, please come to the podium. State your name and address and note that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. Speaker 8 00:12:58 Good evening counsel. David Akins, Androse Valley Lane. Are we on the consent agenda right now? Speaker 1 00:13:06 You already had the, well, Speaker 8 00:13:07 I mean, comment on, Speaker 1 00:13:09 This is just public so you can comment on anything. To be honest, we voted already on the consent agenda. Okay. Speaker 8 00:13:16 On item on the consent agenda, item eight alpha, you're talking about a smell and the public works. How long has the smell been going on? And this 178,000, is that to mediate the smell or is that the final cost? Or is there more costs associated with that? Speaker 7 00:13:40 It may. We're hoping that this will be it. These are the reports that are being filed to DP and we're continuing to monitor that. David was where we had the old underground storage tanks for fuel, diesel, and gasoline out there. The, there was a, I guess, for lack of a better word, a small crack. Not in the double hole, but the top where it gets filled into the tank. And that's why we closed down that facility and we built everything above ground of all of our diesel and gas now is above ground. Speaker 8 00:14:17 So the 178,000 represent Speaker 7 00:14:20 Being required by the DEP. 'cause once you notify of a spill that happened like eight, nine years ago, you, you have to monitor the area. You know, we have areas in town where companies are the monitoring 20, 25 years. Speaker 8 00:14:38 Okay. Item number zero, IT advertising. Is that something that's done? Is it being done or is there a cost associated with that? Speaker 7 00:14:53 David, this is just help supplement our IT department. We're in the process of revamping everything. We're looking to upgrade our server. And also our memory, we're, we're still working with 20-year-old applications out there. So we're, look, we want to come into the 21st century. This is in our budget, like everybody else. Speaker 1 00:15:13 This Mr. Mayor, this is in our budget though. Yes. Speaker 7 00:15:15 These money is, this is the budget. This is part of our budget. There will be a much larger outlay next year. Once the consultant is what we have to have, you know, we, our servers are due. The last time we, we actually changed everything out, I think was in 2007. Speaker 8 00:15:31 Okay. But the cost, let's just Speaker 7 00:15:33 Put it this way. We got our money's worth. Speaker 1 00:15:35 This is already in this year's budget though. Speaker 8 00:15:39 Okay. On the agenda for November the 26th, the resolution authorizing a award of bid for 2025 and 2026 janitorial services. Have that been finalized? And if so, what's that cost Speaker 7 00:16:03 That, that, that is been they, the bids came in. Dana, hold on. You want have it right here? This is for both our all, all the government complexes. Speaker 10 00:16:20 Oh, Speaker 2 00:16:26 That's the right one Speaker 10 00:16:27 90. Yeah. So the amount is 97,000, approximately $97,000 for 2025 for janitorial service for the all township buildings. Speaker 8 00:16:37 And 2026. Speaker 10 00:16:38 2026, and 99,000. Speaker 8 00:16:42 All right. Thank you. Speaker 1 00:16:43 Thank you. Mr. Akins, there's anyone else in the public wishing to speak at this time. And we may do so by coming to the podium. State your name and address and note that you have three minutes in which to make your comments. Scene none. We're gonna close the public portion. For those who are here in person, that'll bring us to number 13, which is an adjournment. Do I have an offer? Offer? Do I have a second? Speaker 2 00:17:08 I'll do one and two of them. Speaker 1 00:17:09 Okay. Very good. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. We are adjourned. Speaker 2 00:17:15 Thank you. Have a good night.