Transcript for Piscataway Council meeting on September 9 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 1 00:00:05 We're now called to order the, the Township of Piscataway Council meeting of September 9th, 2025. Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided as required under chapter 2 31 P 1975, specifying the time, date, location, login, and 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 of the official 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, there will be public common periods for both remote and in-person attendees separately. Each member of the public shall only have one opportunity to speak during each public portion, as if, 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 way we can, so that we can recognize you as a separate individual should you have any further comments or questions. As township council is always available by email and phone, and you can always call the mayor's office during normal operating hours. Speaker 1 00:01:25 Ms. Cedar, can I please have a roll call? Speaker 2 00:01:27 Council member Cahill. Council Member Carmichael Here. Council Member Lebowitz. Here. Council Member Lombardi. Here. Council Member Rashid. Here. Council member Rin. Here. Council President Espinosa Speaker 1 00:01:44 Here. Please turn me the Saud, the flag. Good evening Council, are there any comments from the administration and council regarding adur of any matters on this agenda? Okay. Speaker 1 00:02:23 Opening to the public for the comments regarding item number 10, consent agenda items if you wish to speak at this time for the remote attendees, I apologize for if you wish to speak now 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 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. Ms. Cedar, do we have anyone in queue regarding item number 10 on the consent agenda items? Speaker 2 00:03:06 Council president, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 1 00:03:11 Thank you Ms. Cedar. Closing for 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 had 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 that will then respond if necessary. Speaker 4 00:03:31 Good evening, council President. I'm Stacey Berger. 2 33 Ellis Parkway. I was just wondering on item B, what the dollar amount for the CDBG grant is and whether the council or administration has plans if things go sideways or not as planned in Washington that we would actually, Speaker 1 00:03:49 I'm sorry, can you repeat Speaker 4 00:03:50 The last part? Sure. How much is the, how much is the grant? How much is the CDBG resolution for 10 B? And then what is the backup plan if we don't actually get that? Is this money that's been allocated and received or is it money that is that we are expecting to get and if, if the, if it's the latter, is there any backup plan if we don't get it, like the federal government may or may not actually be operational at the end of September. So I was just curious. Speaker 3 00:04:22 The amount, the, the amount is $278,453 and this money will be used for the low to mod targeted areas for road improvements. You Speaker 4 00:04:33 Mean low moderate income residents or Speaker 3 00:04:36 Tracks? No, there is a census track that Speaker 4 00:04:38 Load Speaker 3 00:04:39 By the federal government. Speaker 4 00:04:40 I'm Speaker 3 00:04:40 Familiar or a load od census track. It's so we can do roadway improvements within that census track and that's, we are planning to do, this has been an a grant award letter, so you can't accept it as a chapter 1 59 unless you receive a grant award letter. And, and that's, that's where we're at with, with Speaker 4 00:05:00 That. Okay. Great. Thanks. Speaker 1 00:05:04 Thank you. Good evening. Speaker 5 00:05:18 Good evening. Curtis Grubbs. 1750 West third. Which one is it? I need to talk to the mayor committee on letter E. I need to be a, a little more detail and I'm trying to figure out why, Speaker 6 00:05:37 If, if I may, council president, this is taking care of the third street that backs up to south second. 'cause in the past we had Jersey barriers out blocking off the streets. Last year we installed two of the streets that we have now that pop up barriers. They stay up during the normal, normal time and if we have a, a snow event or an emergency event, they'll be, they can be lowered down manually. So that's why we're doing it. Speaker 5 00:06:03 Okay. The purpose I'm asking you is the situation. I think that's why they were put there was because of the problem we had a couple years ago. I understand. And the neighbors respect that popular and those, that one street. We, I, and I think I'll have to get the rest of the neighbors to see if we can stop this one. Oak Street does not need a barrier Speaker 6 00:06:28 Cote all three of those streets to make it uniform or receiving it. So this is the last, okay. Speaker 5 00:06:33 Do you ever think about taking 'em down Sometime you they they stay up permanently unless it's, well, Speaker 6 00:06:38 Let's just put it this way. We're hedging our bets so hopefully no trouble starts out there again. So we're keeping 'em up. Speaker 5 00:06:43 Okay. Well I think you need to put a hold on it. I have to have the rest of people figure this one out. I don't think this one's a good one. Okay. Thank you sir. Speaker 1 00:06:54 Thank you. I see no one else for in-person. Attendees closing. In-person attendees item number seven, ordinance second reading. Amending various chapters of the revised general ordinance of the township of Piscataway open to the public resolution and adopting Ordinance Cedar Speaker 2 00:07:19 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 32, storm water management and control articles two, three, and four. Storm water management, private storm drain inlet retrofitting and privately owned salt storage was introduced on the 22nd day of July, 2025 and had passed the first reading. It was published on the 20th day of August, 2025. Now therefore be it resolved that the offer said ordinance having had a second reading on September 9th, 2025 be adopted, passed, and after passage be published together with the notice of the date of passenger approval in the official newspaper. Be further resolved that this ordinance shall be assigned number 2025 dash 19. Speaker 1 00:08:09 Thank you Ms. Cedar. Opening to the public. Opening to the 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. Ms. Cedar, do we have anybody for remote attendees? Speaker 2 00:08:42 Council president, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 1 00:08:46 Thank you. Closing to the remote attendees opening for the in-person attendees, if you wish to speak at this time, please count 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. I see no one in the in-person attendees closing to the in-person attendees. May I have a motion please? Speaker 2 00:09:15 Motion Councilwoman Lombardi. Speaker 8 00:09:18 Second. Councilman Uhrin. Speaker 1 00:09:20 Thank you. Roll call Speaker 2 00:09:22 Council member Carmichael. Council member Lebowitz. Yes. Council member Lombardi. Yes. Council member Rashid? Yes. Council member Rin. Yes. Council President Espinosa? Yes. Speaker 1 00:09:39 Thank you. Item number eight, ordinance second reading amending Chapter four, section 12, rotating vehicle rotating vehicle towing record services up for township police open to the public resolution adopting ordinance Ms. Cedar. Speaker 2 00:09:53 Be Rizza 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 four, licensing and Business Regulations Section 12 Rotating Vehicle Towing Wrecker services for township police was introduced on the 12th day of August, 2025 and had passed the first reading and was published on the 20th day of August, 2025. Now therefore be it resolved that the offer said ordinance having had a second reading on September 9th, 2025 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 assigned. Number 2025 dash two zero. Speaker 1 00:10:37 Thank you Ms. Cedar opening for the 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 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. Ms. Cedar, do we have anybody in queue? Speaker 2 00:11:07 Council president. There are no remote attendees with our hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 1 00:11:11 Thank you Ms. Cedar. Closing for 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 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 would then respond if necessary. I see no in-person attendees stepping up. Closing. May I have a motion please? Speaker 8 00:11:42 Motion Councilman Uhrin. Speaker 2 00:11:44 Second. Speaker 1 00:11:47 A roll call Speaker 2 00:11:49 Council member Carmichael. Council member Liebowitz. Yes. Council member Lombardi. Yes. Council member Rashid? Yes. Council member rn. Yes. Council President Espinosa? Yes. Speaker 1 00:12:06 Item number nine, ordinance First reading rescinding ordinance number 20 24 42. Resolution adopting Ordinance Miss Theater, Speaker 2 00:12:16 Be it resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey. That an ordinance entitled Ordinance of the Township of Piscataway in the county of Middlesex, New Jersey. Rescinding Ordinance number 2024 dash 42. In its entirety, bean 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 Piscataway Municipal Building 4 55 Hose Lane, Piscataway, New Jersey on the seventh day of October, 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 00:12:57 Thank you. Ms. Heater. May I have motion? Speaker 9 00:13:00 Motion Councilwoman Lombardi? Speaker 1 00:13:05 Second. Second. Councilman Owen. Roll call. Speaker 2 00:13:10 Council member Carmichael. Yes. Council member Leitz. Yes. Council member Lombardi. Yes. Council member Rashid. Yes. Council member Iran? Yes. Council President Espinosa? Yes. Speaker 1 00:13:26 Item number 10, consent Agenda Resolution for efficiency. I for efficiency. Items have been consolidated into a consent agenda to be voted on together and the materials for these items have been distributed to the council. And in advance of the meeting, have a motion please. Speaker 10 00:13:44 Motion Carmichael. Speaker 9 00:13:47 Second. Councilwoman Lombardi Speaker 1 00:13:51 Broco. Speaker 2 00:13:52 Council member Carmichael. Yes. Council member Liebowitz. Yes. Council member Lombardi. Yes. Council member Rashid? Yes. Council member Rin. Yes. Council President Espinosa? Yes. Speaker 1 00:14:09 Item number 11, announcements and comments from officials. Council. Council member Shannon Carmichael. Speaker 10 00:14:18 Thank you Mr. President. I just wanted to say I enjoyed the concerts on Thursdays that I was able to attend at Columbus Park. I'm sorry, not Columbus Park. Riverside Park. Riverside Park. But the ones I I attended were at Riverside and the last one was especially nice. It seemed like we had a lot of participation, not just from us but from the many of the folks in the community who came out and it was great. So the committee itself I think has done a great job with organizing those, those concerts. So looking forward to 'em next year and good way to set start off the fall. Thanks everyone. Speaker 1 00:15:01 Thank you. Good evening council member Laura Lebo. Speaker 2 00:15:04 Hello. I know that we approved the extension down at Hancock and Normandy. I have heard from my neighbors who live back in that area that any things that we have to just maintain as best quality of life back there as possible. The idling ordinances, the littering oil ordinances, the dumping ordinances, the noise ordinances, that it should really, you know, as much as we can preserve the quality of life, the back of that neighborhood. Speaker 6 00:15:41 I agree. But I also wanna let the council know a fair share of housing has a lawsuit against this. They wanna build 80 units across the street from there. Just so you know, Laura, 80, 80 units. They wanna build a hundred units on this township property right here, right where we're sitting right here. Speaker 2 00:15:58 Well, I'd rather have people than trucks. Speaker 1 00:16:08 Thank you Councilwoman. Ms. Sean Lombardi? Speaker 9 00:16:12 Yes, thank you President. A couple of items. First and foremost, this Thursday is nine 11. May we never forget and anyone wishing to join us in a ceremony. We will be over at the Piscataway Elks Club at six o'clock in the evening for the nine 11 yearly memorial service that the Elks holds. This Saturday we have a shredding event and I'd like to also congratulate the traffic division on their Safe Streets award. That was a very, very big award that they received and kudos to all of the hard work that all of them over at the traffic division have put into that program. Safe Streets and our town wide yard sale is plugging away. We have between 150 and 200 residents signed up at this point. That is in October and it's on the fourth and the fifth, Saturday and Sunday. So if you're looking to get rid of some of your wares, those that is the weekend sign up. Speaker 1 00:17:24 Thank you. Councilman Councilwoman. Tara Rashid. Speaker 11 00:17:29 I wanted to Speaker 11 00:17:33 Make a shout out to our neighbors who are celebrating Mladen Nabi on and Neri, you know, over the last one week and going into the next few days. So I wish them well. I also wanted to, to remind people, please, if you haven't registered to vote, please do. October 14th is the last day to register to vote. So please, every vote counts and your voice matters. So do remember to vote and putting on my proud band parent hat here. The Super Chiefs are having band festival on October 4th. 16 bands from across the county are coming and they will be a lot of fun performances at the high school. So please, you know, I feel enjoy music like Cheryl, make sure you, you know, buy a ticket and come. Or if you want to sponsor or donate, please reach out. You know, the kids need all the encouragement so hope to see you there. Speaker 1 00:18:41 Thank you so much. Councilman Frank. Er no comment at this time. Process president. Thank you Mayor Brian. Speaker 6 00:18:51 Centennial Avenue's underway. Be prepared for 16 months of construction out there. We have a lot of other streets. Summer shade and mimosa are gonna be under construction hopefully within the next two weeks. Love guard two. Frank over your neck of the Woods wine. Its should be wrapping up hopefully soon after two years. Yeah, thank you. And Cedarwood was finished up last week after three years, so, which is good. Speaker 1 00:19:18 Thank you Mayor. This administrator, Paula Castelli Speaker 11 00:19:25 Q Speaker 3 00:19:25 Council president. I just wanted to inform the public so there was a resolution on there for bond ordinance for $20 million for the EIP program. So that is for our solar project, but please know the township is expecting somewhere around $5.5 million in tax credits as a result of our solar project. And as of today, JFK library in our senior center is fully solar operated and we anticipate the rest of the sites being up and running by the end of October. Once they're up and running, then the township can submit for that federal reimbursement as well as receiving what's called SRE X. It's an estimation of how much we produce. So that's additional funding to offset that cost. They're callable bonds so we could pay those off as we are able to. The 9 1 1 communication dispatch center is about 90% done. We are just waiting for a final connection of our generators and we'll start getting the radio equipment and testing that out. So that's very exciting. So any potential carriers we're interested in bidding on our bid, which will be going out probably next month for a lease to locate on our tower. You're welcome to bid on that project. And the contract paperwork is in for the ecological park. So we're gonna be soon setting up the pre-con meeting and get that remediation going. And that's what I have for tonight. Thank you. Speaker 1 00:21:10 Thank you Ms. Castelli. Attorney Raj Gamar. Yeah, no comments. Thank you. Thank you. Well, as everyone knows, school is back, so please drive carefully out there as our days are getting darker quite earlier. So yeah, be aware. And also just to remind everyone that the Piscataway bike tour is going to be on Saturday the 20 September 27th. So far we have 175 registers, which is pretty cool. And, and again, you know, just go to our website register, just read the guidelines and we should have the route posted by later this week or early next week so everybody would know exactly what the route is. It's gonna be a nice ride. It's gonna be roughly eight to nine miles very, you know, to cruiser. It's a nice cruise. So anyway, hope to see everyone there. Speaker 1 00:22:16 Okay, number item number 12, agenda session for October 7th, 2025. Ordinance second reading rescinding ordinance number 2 24 dash 42 to the public resolution adopting ordinance. Any questions on that item? Motion Accept council meeting minutes for August 12th, 2025. Item number 13, opening 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'll receive or hear a request. To unmute yourself, please click the prompt or press star six on your 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. Cedar, do we have anyone in queue for the remote attendees? Speaker 2 00:23:18 Council president, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 1 00:23:24 Thank you. Closing for 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 the completion of your comments or questions and the council or administration would then respond if necessary. Speaker 12 00:23:46 58. Curtis, I really like your sign of man's pill in seventh. Don't speed in out town. Shit. You know how many of those signs I picked up from the middle of the street so far? Five of them. Five of them. Dangerous, isn't it? Yeah. Three limbs. They fall down, I stop, I pull over and pick 'em up. That beautiful sign that says Don't speed me. A man's failing some. And seven, it's a dangerous intersection. You telling us to be aware of Danger, don't speed in our township. Are you concerned with the danger in that intersection where you put your reelect me sign on there? Are you concerned about that blind spot? Very dangerous intersection. You're not. 'cause it's been there and I said it over and over again and not man that mud hole a seventh. And Clinton, you don't care about that either. Negligence, don't put it on us. Put it on you. Negligence is all in your head. Speaker 1 00:25:33 Thank you. Any comments from the council? Okay, thank you. Speaker 14 00:25:47 Good evening, mayor Wallers, council members, esteemed residents. My name is Rob Johnson, 39 East Bridges Drive, Piscataway, New Jersey. And tonight I stand before you, not as a lifelong member of this vibrant community, but as a passionate advocate for its growth, unity, and healing. Many of you have seen my dedication through mentorship, outreach, coaching, strategic collaboration, all efforts aimed at uplifting our township and bringing and bridging those divides that kind of keep us apart. I came here tonight with a heartfelt and urgent plea to let us build together. Piscataway is brimming with possibilities, not just its infrastructure, its institutions, but fundamentally its people. Speaker 14 00:26:36 I've had the privilege to work alongside youth educators, law enforcement families, driven by that conviction that when we align our values and listen with genuine empathy, we can create transformative change. I'm not here to criticize or create divisions. Rather I invite you to engage with me how we can, as community leaders, dedicated leaders, caring neighbors, that we come together to foster the spirit of unity, equity, and pride in our township. How can we ensure that every initiative that we undertake embodies the very heart of our community, not just as policy, but as purposeful mission? I believe wholeheartedly in the power of collaboration and extending grace and the strength of working together. Not in isolation, but under shared vision of success. Together we make Piscataway a beacon of partnership. So with humility, excuse me, with humility and hope, I ask you, let us all join forces. Speaker 14 00:27:47 Let's explore avenues that align our efforts, magnify our strengths, and serve as our residents with compassion and clarity. So I'm here and I'm ready and I'm wholeheartedly committed to this journey alongside of all of you, not for accolades, but for profound impact that we can make together. So I just wanted to thank you for your time, for all of your service. 'cause these are thankless jobs. Lets just be honest there. And you're willing to, to engage in really vital conversations. So I think I've made enough noise to tell you that I'm serious about this. I don't want any political alignments, I just want us to come together. 'cause Piscataway is the greatest town that I've ever lived in. I've come from concrete jungle to tree line streets to see where families come together, where our community rec program and our division, our senior centers all collaborate together. So I implore you to please reach out. I'm doing all this for free of service. I've, everything I've done in this town has been volunteer service. I've never asked for a dime. I'm just asking guys to come together so we can make this great, especially with the bike institution getting ready to come up for 150, although that's great, but for residents over 20,000, it's, it's really like less 0.0% participation. Baby Speaker 1 00:29:12 Steps. Speaker 14 00:29:13 Yes. Agreed. Again, Speaker 1 00:29:16 Everyone could do eight miles. Yeah, I mean, compared to last year's numbers, this is good. Speaker 14 00:29:21 Oh, definitely. Great improvement. And I just want to help you all get there. Again, you know who I am. You know how to contact me. I've emailed all of you. You've seen it. I've been to the mayor's office quite often and I just want to collaborate with all of you. All right, have a great day and good job. Speaker 4 00:29:44 Stacy Berger, 2 33 Ellis Parkway. I actually wanted to ask about some things that have happened at this particular building. I wasn't, I was, I was here on September 1st, along with other people, some of whom were also in this room. And when we came to a public event at our municipal building, which is technically a free speech zone under the First Amendment and the con, the first amendment, there were 2D PW trucks over here blocking access for people with disabilities. There were, there were 2D PW trucks on the side. There were a number of DPW trucks in the front of the building. So much so that people who came to pay their sewer bill and had a disability and needed to be able to use the ramp, were unable to do that. So not only did somebody violate folks' First Amendment rights, but you also may have violated the Americans with Disability Act. Speaker 4 00:30:37 And the way that you know, Ralph, you also know me and you know that I think we're at eight and one in terms of lawsuits. I would really like to not pursue that avenue if we don't have to. So I'm asking publicly that whoever is being respon, whoever is responsible for deciding to put massive trucks out and around our building, which is paid for by taxpayers in which taxpayers have the right to access both if you're asking them to pay their sewer bill in person and giving them an opportunity to do that by foot. And for people who want to be able to enjoy an afternoon together standing up for their civil rights, which I would think everybody on this council would want to support. Because as last time I checked, you're all registered Democrats, or at least you say you are. And we have had quite an attack on democracy in the last eight months. Speaker 4 00:31:27 And I haven't seen, with the exception of two people who are here present and Councilwoman Lombardi has come to a few events. We have not, we've not really seen a lot of support from the town leadership here to fight Donald Trump. And for the last eight years, we have been coming to you and saying, this is a crisis. There is an authoritarian attack on our rights and our residents. And for a while y'all were putting up signs that said, fight Trump. I don't know what you're doing now to fight Trump, but, but preventing your residents tax, paying residents from being able to, to walk safely on the lawn of the building they pay for, seems like both an insult to them. And also a gross use of ta, gross waste of taxpayer dollars and an affront to the people that you're supposed to represent. I've been to events at this building prior to those that have happened this year, including one sponsored by Planned Parenthood, which not only were there no barriers, but the mayor and other people were running around and giving out water and being supportive, which was great. Speaker 4 00:32:31 But there was no indication that there was any attempt to keep people from participating, which is very clearly the message that having a huge number of trucks, which, I mean, I guess we don't need to do anything with them and, but we're paying people to bring them and we're paying people to bring them back to wherever they belong. So I'd like to know from the council president if that's possible, and if not someone else, why are you doing this? And what are you doing to protect our residents from the lunatic in the White House? Thank Speaker 1 00:32:59 You, Ms. Berger. Speaker 15 00:33:03 So just to clarify to the council, in terms of your argument for free speech First Amendment rights, you are allowed to access the, the only thing is government resources and government buildings cannot be used for political events. Your, your gathering was a political event. I'm not talking about the trucks, but you, you still, you listen, the, the the all, I'm not gonna bother you. You're gonna, Speaker 13 00:33:36 If Speaker 15 00:33:38 No, Ms. Berger's not gonna let me speak, she's gonna continue to drop me. Speaker 6 00:33:42 I think the energy should be focused over on Stelton Road with her buddies that had the largest tax increase in the history of town. I don't see her protesting over there. Speaker 16 00:33:50 Council, Speaker 6 00:33:52 I you wanna know I'm protest. I think she should be protesting that. Speaker 9 00:33:58 Let me let, can I just say, can I just say, can I just say something? Speaker 6 00:34:02 Chief executive officer of this town, I lead this town every day. Hey, I lead this town. All you do is sit back, criticize for the last eight years and not produce anything except for losses. Speaker 16 00:34:18 Excuse me. I'm sorry that I was not speaking to you. I was Speaker 4 00:34:26 Directing my comments to the council president asking a very specific question. I'm sorry, Brian, but you don't like it that other people run for office Speaker 1 00:34:33 All just by all the rules equally. Three minutes are up. So we're trying to, we're trying to respond to you. So if you can, le please let Raj respond. 'cause you did ask for a response. I asked, Speaker 4 00:34:45 I asked for a response from you. Speaker 1 00:34:48 This is so please if you can respond, Speaker 15 00:34:53 I mean to, to the extent that you were allowed access to public, public lands, there's also reasonable restrictions that in place for the safety of the, the municipal building, et cetera. We, there is private information here, including health information, personnel, information, et cetera, that, that needs to be protected. That just because public lands or public lands doesn't mean that there can be reasonable, can't be reasonable restrictions for their safety and, and protection of personal, of of municipal property. Speaker 9 00:35:27 One, one thing. All right. So everyone has free will to protest to rally. I've done it. You everybody's done it. We can do that. But the bottom line here is when I step here into the municipal building, I'm an elected official. Okay? I can't bring my politics into here. Okay. Politics and my elected position are two complete separate entities. When I enter this building, I am voted upon by the entire township of Piscataway. It not Republicans, not Democrats, not progressives. Everyone. I'm an elected official for everyone here in Piscataway. I make decisions based on everyone here in Piscataway. But I cannot bring my politics into this municipal building. Okay? It is, it is not fair to have my politics in here, okay. Into the municipal building. All right. I'm an elected official for everyone. Not only Democrats. Speaker 2 00:36:44 Can I just ask a question? I understand. No, I wanna ask separate entities. No, I'm not questioning what you're saying. I understand. I understand that when I took this position, and I, I understand what you're saying. My question is, I think to Stacey's point, if there is a, a discriminatory practice where sometimes trucks are being placed and other times trucks are not being placed, I don't wanna call it discriminatory, but I'm just saying some yes, some no. If there's a protocol, then there's a protocol and it should be across the board. And if there is a differentiation, then I do think that that needs to be explained. Speaker 9 00:37:29 And the other, the other, the other piece, excuse Speaker 6 00:37:32 Me, that we want, there's a work zone going on out here too. Thank you. We're installing all, there's Speaker 2 00:37:36 No work zone on a Saturday. Speaker 6 00:37:37 Alright, we just poured last week the stamp concrete right out here. Speaker 15 00:37:43 So Laura, I'll just give you a clarification. Raj. Stacy had brought up Planned Parenthood. That's a five one C3. It's not a political entity. So, so there is a differentiation between political events and, and 5 0 1 C3 nonprofit non-political events. Speaker 6 00:38:04 Ra, so, you know, Speaker 15 00:38:04 Oh yeah, I'm not sure Speaker 6 00:38:06 Her time is up. Speaker 15 00:38:07 I, I don't know the details. All I know is planned Parenthoods of five one C3. The o Speaker 2 00:38:11 The other. Thank you. Speaker 9 00:38:13 The other piece that I would like to mention is, is that we do have five point something million dollars out there in federal monies. I would hate for something to happen to that money because someone, as we know who he is up in the, in the government would pull money, would pull money from our township that will go to things for our residents. Speaker 16 00:38:35 I pick people up. Speaker 6 00:38:36 S president, I plead she's out of order. Speaker 1 00:38:44 All right. Thank you. Well, Speaker 6 00:38:46 Ms. Berger, if you can't be compliant, we're gonna have to ask the officer to please just leave the room. Speaker 16 00:38:51 You can have the officer leave the room. I guess weird, but, okay. Speaker 1 00:38:56 Any additional people in, in person, attendees that would like to approach the podium? Speaker 5 00:39:11 Curtis Grubb. 1750 West third. I just wanna get an update from the mayor and the council with Hazelwood. Where Speaker 6 00:39:21 Are they gonna ha Hazelwood Avenue. Curtis. Well, Speaker 5 00:39:24 Yeah, the street. Speaker 6 00:39:25 It's still under engineering design. When the, when the residents get the letters for the, yeah, because I heard construction easements out there. They're probably, I think the parcel maps are gonna be ready soon. So Speaker 15 00:39:38 We actually got draft appraisal reports. We're looking through them to review them. Once we finalize the appraisal, appraisal reports, that's when those first letters go out. So first letters gimme two weeks or so. Okay, you'll start, everybody will start receiving their first letters. Speaker 5 00:39:54 Just wanna keep 'em informed. Thank you. Speaker 1 00:40:04 Anyone else? In person? Attendees? All right. Closing for the in-person attendees. Motion to adjourn. Speaker 6 00:40:14 Motion Councilwoman Lombardi. Speaker 1 00:40:18 Second. Second, LIBO. Thank you. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Council close. I.