Transcript for Piscataway Council meeting on February 11 2025
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 00:00:00 Recording in progress. Speaker 1 00:00:03 Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided as required under chapter 2 31 PL 1975, specifying the time, date, location, login and dial 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 a certification by the clerk, which will be entered in the minutes. There will be a public common periods for both remote and in-person attendees separately. Each member of the public public shall only have 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 a user account. We ask that if you wish to speak that you log in or dial in separately, so that way we've 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. Speaker 1 00:01:14 Ms. Cedar, can I have a roll call please? Speaker 2 00:01:16 Council Member Caho Here. Council Member Carmichael Here. Council Member Lebowitz. Here. Council Member Lombardi. Here. Council Member Rashid. Speaker 0 00:01:28 Here. Speaker 2 00:01:28 Council Member Uhrin. Here. Council President Espinosa Speaker 1 00:01:33 Here. You join me. Saud the flag. Speaker 0 00:01:39 I pledge. Pledge to the flag of the United States of America to Republic for one Nation under God in the visible with liberty and justice for Speaker 1 00:01:59 Thank you. Are there any comments from the administration and council regard regarding adjournment of any matters of this agenda? Speaker 2 00:02:06 None. Thank you. Speaker 1 00:02:08 Okay, I see none. The following is open to the public comments regarding item number 10, consent agenda items If you wi 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 a request. To unmute yourself, please click the prompt or press star nine on your phone to unmute yourself at the, 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 2 00:02:58 Council president, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 1 00:03:03 Thank you, Ms. Cedar. Close to the remote portion, open to the 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 had three minutes in which to make your comments. You may take a seat at the completion of your comments or questions and the council or administration will then respond if necessary. Please state your name and address please. Speaker 3 00:03:26 Pik Patel, 29 Red Bed Road. I just a question on M, what is that that we are procuring and also the need for emergency temporary budget? Like what, what, what caused this emergency? And then obviously a few comments after that. Speaker 2 00:03:48 This is for the it. Speaker 4 00:03:50 Yeah, so M is, we're continuing the contract with the United Atlantic. IT for a little bit longer. We thought we've identified a IT director, but he is not starting until early March, so they'll continue to help us. And emergency budget, that's the state required, since we don't have a budget yet, we're planning, introducing, introducing the budget on March 4th. So this will get us until the time that the budget is adopted in April. Speaker 3 00:04:19 So we don't have budget because the state is fumbling or it's because we are fumbling, Speaker 4 00:04:24 We're not allowed to introduce a budget until after the governor's budget message, which is traditionally at the end of February each year. Speaker 3 00:04:32 Okay. And this IT director, is that the same as IT manager rec that was posted on the website or it's a different role? Speaker 4 00:04:38 Yeah, same Speaker 3 00:04:38 Thing. It's the same thing? Yep. For the role. Okay. I'll, I'll come back and come back. Is there a difference between the director or manager, like title means something? Speaker 4 00:04:51 No, we filled the job that we advertised. Speaker 0 00:04:53 Okay. Speaker 1 00:04:56 Thank you. Anyone else? Okay, this is at the public portion. Speaker 0 00:05:29 I have to hold it. Speaker 1 00:05:31 Ordinance second. Reading, amending chapter seven, traffic Section eight, open to the public resolution. Adopt an ordinance, Ms. Cedar Speaker 2 00:05:39 Be resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey. That an ordinance entitled Ordinance to amend the supplement, the revised general ordinances of the township of Piscataway, county of Middlesex, state of New Jersey, amending and supplementing. Chapter seven, traffic. Section eight was introduced on the 23rd day of January, 2025 and had passed the first reading and was published on the 30th day of January, 2025. Now therefore be it resolved that the offer said ordinance having had a second reading on February 11th, 2025 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 2025 dash zero two. Speaker 1 00:06:19 Thank you Ms. Cedar. We're gonna open this to the public 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 will 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. Mrs. Cedar Speaker 2 00:06:50 Council President, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 1 00:06:55 Thank you. Close to the remote attendees opening for the 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 at completion of your comments or questions and the council, council or administration will then respond if necessary. I see no one closing to the in-person attendee. Can I have a motion please? Speaker 5 00:07:28 Motion Councilwoman Lombardi. Speaker 1 00:07:33 A second please. Speaker 0 00:07:34 Councilman. And second Speaker 1 00:07:36 Roll call Speaker 2 00:07:37 Council member Cahill. Yes. Council member Carmichael. Yes. Council member Liebowitz. Speaker 1 00:07:44 Yes. Speaker 2 00:07:45 Council member Lombardi? Yes. Council member Rashid? Speaker 0 00:07:50 Yes. Speaker 2 00:07:51 Council member Rin. Yes. Council President Espinoso? Yes. Speaker 0 00:07:58 Ordinance Speaker 1 00:07:58 Passes Next ordinance. First reading Patton Avenue, phase two, road Improvement, acquisitions, resolution and adopt an ordinance Smith Cedar Speaker 2 00:08:07 Bay. 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 Patent Avenue Phase two in the township of Piscataway, county of Middlesex, state of New Jersey B and is hereby adopted on the first reading that it be published in the official newspaper. And that a second reading in public hearing be held at 7:00 PM prevailing time at the Pisca Municipal Building 4 55 Hose Lane Piscataway, New Jersey on the fourth day of March, 2025. 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 in 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 00:08:51 Thank you Ms. Cedar, can I have a motion please? Speaker 6 00:08:54 Motion Councilwoman Cahill. Speaker 7 00:08:59 Second Carmichael. Speaker 1 00:09:02 Thank you. Roll call Speaker 2 00:09:04 Council member Cahill. Yes. Council member Carmichael. Yes. Council member Liebowitz. Yes. Council member Lombardi. Yes. Council member Rashid? Yes. Council member Rin. Yes. Counsel President Espinosa? Speaker 1 00:09:21 Yes. Next ordinance. First reading, amending the supplementing Chapter seven traffic Section 15, resolution adopted ordinance Ms. Cedar, Speaker 2 00:09:34 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 seven traffic Section 15, parking prohibited during certain hours on certain streets be 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 7:00 PM prevailing time at the Piscataway Municipal Building 4 55 Hose Lane Piscataway, New Jersey on the fourth day of March, 2025. Be it 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 00:10:19 Thank you Ms. Cedar. Can I a motion please. Motion Councilman Uhrin. Speaker 6 00:10:29 Second Councilwoman Cahill. Speaker 1 00:10:32 Thank you. Roll call Speaker 2 00:10:35 Council member Cahill. Yes. Council member Carmichael. Yes. Council member Liebowitz. Yes. Council member Lombardi? Yes. Council member Rashid? Yes. Council member Rin? Yes. Council President Espinoso? Speaker 1 00:10:52 Yes. Okay. Consent agenda for efficiency items have been consolidated into a 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 would like removed from the consent agenda to be discussed or voted on separately? Speaker 6 00:11:21 None. Council president. Speaker 1 00:11:23 Thank you. There a motion please. Speaker 6 00:11:27 Councilwoman Lombardi. Ask for a second. Speaker 7 00:11:33 Second Carmichael Speaker 1 00:11:39 Roll call please. Speaker 2 00:11:40 Council member Cahill? Yes. Council member Carmichael? Yes. Council member Liebowitz? Yes. Council member Lombardi? Yes. Council member Rashid? Speaker 8 00:11:52 Yes. Speaker 2 00:11:53 Council Speaker 9 00:11:53 Member Uhrin? Speaker 1 00:11:54 Yes. Speaker 9 00:11:55 Council President Espinosa? Speaker 1 00:11:58 Yes. Thank you. Announcement and comments from the, from officials. Speaker 6 00:12:08 I'd just like to wish everybody who's celebrating Valentine's Day, a very happy Valentine's Day to folks out there. Also too, I thought it was very interesting that we were talking about our IT and extending it because my Gmail was hacked and I was gonna tell all you folks there, if you get an email from me, do not answer it from my Gmail account. So working on that. Thank you. That's all for me. Speaker 1 00:12:39 Council member Sharon Carmichael. Speaker 7 00:12:42 I just echo the happy Valentine's Day and let's show a little extra love on Friday to someone. Speaker 1 00:12:51 Council member Laura Leitz. Speaker 9 00:12:53 Hello. First of all, I want to thank the township staff who provided Sarah and I with an excellent tour of the municipal buildings, the salt, the asphalt, the cameras that go in our pipes, the snowplows. It was a definite parks and recs moment. Loved it. I have a photo of it if anybody would like to see it, and it was really great and I have to say it, you truly saw their expertise and their pride in their job and so it was, it was really a wonderful experience. Secondly, I'd like us to consider a resolution in light of what is happening across this country with ice and fear of non-documented Americans, and especially with an emphasis on folks in our town and across the county. I would love us to consider some type of resolution that demonstrates our commitment to equal, respectful and dignified treatment of all people regardless of their immigration status. I do have a sample that I am happy to share with all of us as we move forward and try and really provide security and comfort to those who are very, very worried and nervous in our area. Speaker 1 00:14:17 Thank you. Council Member Leitz. Council member Michelle Lombardi. Speaker 5 00:14:21 I'd like to wish everybody a happy Valentine's Day. Also, also this Saturday our, our Fire District Elections Saturday the 15th from two to nine at your local fire departments to vote on your fire commissioners within each fire department. So get out and vote for your fire commissioners this Saturday. Speaker 1 00:14:45 Thank you. Council member Sarah Rashid. Speaker 8 00:14:48 Hello everyone. Again. I have to echo the public works a big shout out to the whole team. I know all the roads are all getting ready for tomorrow. My kids are hoping for a snow day, so don't clean the roads too much. Okay. It's like, but they do an excellent job, so thanks to that and I do hope that we can work on some resolution. It is time to uphold the constitution and I think we all have to work and make it work. Okay. Okay. Speaker 1 00:15:16 Thank you Councilman. Council member Franker. Speaker 10 00:15:20 Yeah, I just wanna wish everybody a happy Valentine's Day and I'm happy to report that we opened up our T-Ball baseball program four days ago. We already have 140 signups, so if anybody's looking to coach, come and see me. Speaker 1 00:15:33 Ralph Johnson Mayor. Speaker 11 00:15:37 Yeah, actually some good news. We fi got a final sign off by the Department of Transportation. We can go out to bid for Centennial Avenue. So we're expecting to go out to bid this month. Let's sit out and hopefully award in the April 15th meeting if the bids are okay. And then I wanna thank the folks over at the Piscataway Senior Citizen Club for sponsoring a lot of the Black History Month events over at the senior center. Speaker 1 00:16:06 Thank you Mayor, Business Administrator, Timothy Dacy. Nothing tonight. Thank Assistant Business Administrator Paula Ali. Speaker 12 00:16:16 I, you know what? Nothing tonight, but thank you so much for thinking of me everyone. A safe ride home and safe during the inclement weather, which is also predicted, I believe for the weekend as well on the shout out again to our public works. Yes. Folks are up all through the night while we're sleeping. Speaker 1 00:16:35 Yep. Definitely a shout out to them for DPW. Speaker 5 00:16:40 May I, may I just say the brine is working very well then b, brining the streets prior Very well. Speaker 6 00:16:48 Everyone loves that. As a matter of fact, I can say that my husband, when he doesn't see them, it's like, where's the brine Speaker 1 00:16:54 Stripes? Speaker 6 00:16:54 Where's the stripes? Right. Speaker 1 00:16:56 A lot of people are asking, what are the stripes? Like, what are they, what do they do? So I, they try to explain to as many people that I can, but don't get it. Tasha attorney, Rajkumar. No, thank you. Okay. And I would just like to say that, you know, it's, it's pretty scary what's going out there, what's, what's going on with with ice and, and I know a lot of families are, are afraid and, and very, you know, vigilant in where they're going. You know, we're seeing, you know, in surrounding townships we're seeing, you know, actions that are being taken by parents not sending their kids to school. A lot of, a lot of uncertainty, even in places that I would go to that normally would be, you know, packed is not as packed. A lot of rumors are also going around. So I would like to see that we work with our police department ensuring that we are in the same page with our police department and the township and seeing what we can do to actually, you know, make our residents feel safe, of course. And, and making sure that, that we are protecting our residents as much as we can. Thank you. Speaker 9 00:18:18 If I can just add to that, I totally echo what you're saying. Perhaps we could look at a one sheet or some type of, you know, just fact-based information that people can be aware of what their rights are. I've seen a lot of, you know, these things kind of out there might be something for us to add to the police website or to our website to provide, you know, for our residents, of course vetting it and making sure it's, you know, the best source possible. Speaker 1 00:18:46 Yeah. There are definitely laws that, that protect everyone. And I've seen surrounding townships. I think Elizabeth had one, Newark had one, I forgot, which was the other township, and, and they definitely have communicated what to do and what not to do and what, what's the right to do. So I agree that we should definitely put something out there informational for people to follow Speaker 9 00:19:12 Maybe in our next yellow in our newsletter. Speaker 1 00:19:18 Thank you. That's all. Okay, agenda session for March 4th, 2025. Proclamation. June. June Stalowski, hopefully. Yep. You got it. Great, thanks. Ordinance. Second reading Patent Avenue, road improvement acquisitions open to, to public resolution, adopt an ordinance. Any questions on that one? No sir. Ordinance second. Reading, amending and supplementing Chapter seven, traffic section 15 open to the public resolution adopting ordinance. Any questions on that one? Speaker 9 00:20:00 I'm sorry, can I just ask a question? So that's in my neighborhood. Do we send a letter out to the residents on that street and block? Speaker 11 00:20:08 Yes. Everybody gets a letter right there. Speaker 9 00:20:11 And I get that too, so I know what, what happened Speaker 11 00:20:14 Is, so what happens is when, when the council does this, and I know you two are the first time here, this is either for actual, if we're straightening the roadway out, if we have to acquire property, temporary construction easements, they will, they will get a letter. But we have to hire an appraiser for that. A lot of times these construction easements are only worth like about $200. It costs more in legal, no offense, Raj, and with the appraisers than, than the actual what it's worth. So they, they, the residents get that. So by doing this, we're getting, we're getting close to the point now that we're doing this. So, Speaker 6 00:20:57 So, but I think Laura's just wanting to make sure she gets like copied on that since it's in her. Yeah, Speaker 11 00:21:01 It'll be just a generic letter going out. Right, Speaker 6 00:21:04 Right there. Speaker 9 00:21:05 So we can just put it in like my mailbox here. Speaker 13 00:21:08 It's a generic letter that we Speaker 11 00:21:10 Would do for any acquisition in any part of the town. Get it Speaker 9 00:21:13 In. Okay, thank you. You okay, Speaker 1 00:21:17 Thank you. Next resolution in authorizing contract appraisals for Patent Avenue road improvement acquisitions. Any questions on that one? All right, next resolution approving amendment to redevelopment agreement. 10 Normally Normand D Drive. Any questions on that? Okay. Speaker 1 00:21:40 Okay, next we're gonna be opening to the public for remote attendees. If you wish to speak at this time, please raise your hand either on the Zoom app or by phone by pressing star nine. When it's 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. Mr. Cedar, do we have anybody in queue? Speaker 2 00:22:11 Council president, I'm asking the first individual with their hand raised to unmute themself. Go ahead please. Speaker 14 00:22:19 Hi, this is Jessica Kratovil at 1247 Brookside Road. Can you hear me? Speaker 2 00:22:25 Yes. Speaker 14 00:22:26 Hi. Thank you. I just wanted to chime in. I really appreciate what Counselor Liebowitz and Rashid mentioned about publishing something for our immigrant members of the community who are afraid with all of the ice enforcement and the very negative and threatening tone of our federal government against people who are our neighbors and our friends. And I think it's very important that as a township we show that we are not supportive of that kind of activity and that we wanna protect our community. That's all. Thank you. Speaker 1 00:23:19 Thank you. Is there anybody else? Speaker 2 00:23:27 Council president. There are no other individuals with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 1 00:23:33 Thank you. Closing to the remote attendees, opening into the in-person attendees. If you wish. 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 at the completion of your comments or questions and the council or administration would then respond if necessary. Please state your name and address. Speaker 15 00:23:56 Good evening. I'm Stacy Berger, 2 33 Ellis Parkway. Happy early Valentine's Day to you all. Couple of questions I got, and I don't know if you can answer them or not, but I've gotten a bunch of inquiries about the sewer bill increase. Is there any explanation that anyone, I didn't hear it on the, it's kind of been all over the social media pages and I've gotten two emails today about it. So, Speaker 4 00:24:21 So we're, so we do a, we do an analysis, we have an outside order. Speaker 15 00:24:27 This isn't counting against my time though, right, Tim? I'm kidding. I'm just kidding. Kidding. I'm kidding. No, that's my only, that's, that's the first que that's just, that's the Stewart question. So if you I was just, I was just making a joke. Go ahead. Speaker 1 00:24:41 Okay, go ahead and go ahead and ask your second question so that way we Speaker 15 00:24:43 Can, well, second question is a comment about the discussion that you all were having about the, it's not a que I don't have another question. That's the only question I was really Speaker 4 00:24:52 Just, so what we do is we have an outside auditor come in and look at our expenses of what we paid and our operations costs for the sewers, and they look at the fees and they make a recommendation to change the fee. We're required to do it by the state. We're currently in litigation at Rutgers over what they believe is we're charging them too much and we're not charging the residents who had to make sure everything was accurate. So we had to, the study done as related to us, and it was recommended that the slight increase that went in be implemented township wide. Speaker 6 00:25:25 So Tim, can I just ask a question not to take away from Ms. Barker's time. So we're still in litigation then with the university? Yes, Speaker 15 00:25:32 But the sewer rate went up anyway Speaker 4 00:25:36 Because Speaker 15 00:25:36 Our, that doesn't make sense to me. Like those two things are Speaker 4 00:25:39 Our costs, our costs are going up. We buil we're, Speaker 15 00:25:42 I'm just asking because people are asking me and I couldn't find any public information. Speaker 4 00:25:45 So our costs are going up, the costs of equipment is going up, the costs of rebuilding the pump stations are going up. We're making a lot of improvements and, and fixing a lot of problems in the sewers. We're trying to stay ahead of any, any problems like we've seen in the surround some surrounding towns. So it's, it's a fair number based on an audit done by an outside auditor. Speaker 15 00:26:07 Oh yeah. I don't have an opinion about whether it's fair or unfair. I just was asked why it went up and I didn't, didn't know. So thank you very much Mr. Jacy. I mean, I, I thought that the president was gonna make everything less expensive right away on day one and that that doesn't seem to have happened. Not gonna happen here either on our sewer bill, I'm guessing. So I just did wanna thank council members, Rashid and Liebowitz and Council President Espinoza for your, sounds like what you'd be supportive of in terms of adopting some kind of resolution to make sure that our neighbors and residents of our community are not afraid and that they can actually interact with the police without having to be afraid for themselves or their families. I've seen a lot of what Council President Espinoza referred to as well, where people used to go to events and they were, they were packed. Speaker 15 00:26:50 And now those places and those opportunities, you know, those events are not, I did wanna offer two ideas. One is to use the A, either the A CLU or the Alliance for Immigrant Justice has a really great website about how folks can interact with the police and not with the police and what municipalities can do sub you know, secondarily besides the police to protect our residents. I know that in 2017 when we came and asked for support on these issues, we talked about a municipal ID program and there seemed like there was support for that, but then it didn't actually happen. So that's something to go back to. And then the second thing would be a Know your Rights workshop, other municipalities, Congressman Menendez, Congresswoman Poe, I believe, I haven't seen it on Congressman Palone's page yet, but maybe it'll be there, have have hosted events where people can come and learn about what their rights are. Speaker 15 00:27:41 So that's something that, you know, we would encourage all of you to think about hosting as a municipal event, as not as a, something at the library or something at the senior center or something at the community center, but something that the actual township office, you know, the township government hosts for folks. And in addition to that, our progressive democratic organization invites all of you to join us on Monday out front. We're gonna use our public space to make sure that people know that Piscataway is a very blue town. We are a very democratic town, we are proud of that. We do not support what the president and his minions are trying to do, which is as far as I can tell an action. And I'm not, certainly not a legal scholar by any stretch of the imagination, but it does seem pretty obvious that they're trying to overtake the government and make it very difficult for all of you to do your jobs because you're not going to have the resources that you would otherwise have. Speaker 15 00:28:28 CDBG block grants, meals on Wheels, all of the things that we've come to the Rental Assistance Department of Education on and on and on. And so we're gonna host a rally, rally's probably a strong term. We're gonna, we're gonna get together and, and support each other and show the rest of our community that we stand up for each other and that we believe in the rule of law and not the rule of some elected person. So you're all welcome to join us. We encourage you to, to share the, you know, share that and spend a little time with us on Monday, 12 to one Speaker 6 00:28:58 Thank 12 to Speaker 15 00:28:59 12 to one Councilman. Speaker 6 00:29:00 Thank you Ms. Berger. I do wanna make a comment just quickly is with regard to something Ms. Berger said about withholding money. I know mayor, you're working with mayors across the country on how actually to address this issue in a way because we are in fact concerned that our money will be withhold and we have a fiduciary responsibility to make sure we get money that was promised to us and we fight for that. So I, I don't know if you, you, you've had your meetings yet, but I do know that our, our mayor who's part of the US Conference of Mayors, there is a coalition of mayors on trying to come up with like a resolution or a plan of action for municipalities to take with regard to this and probably anything else that's gonna come down the pike, right? So I do wanna put that out there as well. Oh, and one other thing is that there are advocacy groups. So if, or whatever we do decide upon to do as a town, there are adv, adver advocacy groups that can be used as a resource for anybody in the state of New Jersey. Speaker 1 00:30:08 Thank you. Councilman McCahill. State your name and address. Speaker 3 00:30:14 29 Redford Road. I got luck to cover, but I'll try to do it in three minutes. First good things, Ms. Lombardi, I think you're taking wonderful initiative to improve the park. What I would suggest is if there is an opportunity to create a hill so that way when there is a snow, kids can use this as a slider. I dunno if that was part of the plan, but that would be nice. The other thing is, while I'm driving over there, they have erected this big cell phone tower. So just from an aesthetic perspective, if they can create something like a tree, and I don't want that to become like a whatever, they just put all things, all like T-Mobile towers that I've seen in many town or radio towers. Those Speaker 5 00:30:48 Are for our new radio system. Those are for the police, the safety of the police and our emergency people. So it's not just any tower. Speaker 3 00:30:55 Okay. As long as if, if, if they can talk with the architecture and aesthetic committee so that way, because that's the main area of the town that would be nice. As it relates to, I think there was talk about ICE and other things. How many people do we have in a town of 50,000 that, that we call it illegals and whatnot. Do we have a account from the government? All people are legals. How many people are Speaker 1 00:31:18 Not illegal? Sorry? It's, it's You mean undocumented? Speaker 3 00:31:22 Undocumented, thank you. When you say undocumented, like what's the difference? They, they don't have green card, they don't have passports or they just dropping or popping. What does that mean? I don't know. Like, what, what does that mean? Speaker 1 00:31:34 What other questions Speaker 3 00:31:35 Do you have then? I have the hard ones, but let's try the easy ones. Speaker 1 00:31:39 You answer everything. Speaker 3 00:31:41 Okay. So, all right, so let me just go one. So that was the one. Then I have the other things with respect to the taxes, which obviously me and mayor, we don't look I to i the housing prices in this, in this township, whether good, bad or indifferent, it's crossing 500 k, the interest rate is 7%. The taxes are grow up between seven to 12,000. With that said, and I know many, many people in government and all that like to talk about minimum wage. I would like to remove that conversation completely and start having narratives about family wage. Because what it takes to leave a good standard of living when somebody's putting eight hours of their work effort when they get out of the bed to do something good for themselves and for their family and for somebody out there. So when, when people talk about 15 minimum wage or something like that, I think that whole wage system needs to be looked at in 2025. Speaker 3 00:32:29 With the advancement in technology productivity and the machines that we have today. I think that minimum wage was built when we were building uber dams. We were building cars when we are building manufacturing machines. That's not the case today. So I would like a complete overhaul on that. With respect to taxes, one of the things that I think mere kind of takes the credit that we have lowered the taxes. It's a total bullshit. The first part of it is basically what has happened is I have looked at few houses and the higher square footage houses have gone up by a hundred dollars. The lower square footage houses have gone up by $200, which is a hundred percent increment, by the way. And, and the person who is sitting in the assessment department, when you question them, and I don't know Mr. Gomer, now do you represent the people or do you represent the private mayor? Like are you lawyer of people or you're lawyer of mayor Speaker 1 00:33:19 The township. Thank you. Okay. Your time is up. Speaker 3 00:33:23 So I have a few other things that I have to comment. I'll come back next time. Speaker 1 00:33:27 Mayor, I wanna Speaker 11 00:33:27 Let the record reflect. Speaker 1 00:33:28 I'm sorry, mayor. One, one thing, we, we, we try to make this obviously public for all ages, so I please refrain from cursing at the podium so that way it can be friendly for everyone. Agreed. Thank you. Speaker 11 00:33:47 You should get his emails that he sends to town every day. The proud boy rhetoric that he espouses out there. I don't subscribe to. And I know there's some people out in the audience that accepted his support. I didn't even know he's an ultra nationalist. Speaker 1 00:34:04 Sorry. Oh yeah. Let's do, do we have any questions to be answered here or Speaker 3 00:34:11 Nationalist? Speaker 1 00:34:12 No passing. We're good. Thank you. Speaker 3 00:34:15 Talking democracy. Speaker 1 00:34:21 Anyone else? Okay, closing to the public. Motion to adjourn. Speaker 9 00:34:31 Motion. Second Lebowitz. Speaker 1 00:34:36 Thank you. Adjourned. Thank you everyone. Goodnight. Speaker 9 00:34:41 Goodnight.