Transcript for Piscataway Council meeting on December 2 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 00:00:06 We're now called to order the Township of Piscataway Council meeting of December 2nd, 2025. Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided as required under chapter 2 31 PL 1975, specifying the time, date, location, login and dialing 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 office of the township clerk in accordance with the 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 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 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 recognize you as a separate individual should you have any further comments or questions. This township council is always available by email and phone, and you can always call the mayor's office during normal operating hours. Speaker 0 00:01:27 Cedar Roco please. Speaker 1 00:01:29 Council Member Caho Here. Council Member Carmichael Here. Council Member Liebowitz. Here. Council Member Lombardi. Here. Council Member Rashid. Here. Council member Rin Here. Council President Espinosa. Here. Speaker 0 00:01:45 Chairman Salu the flag. Good evening Council, are there any comments or from the administration and council regarding adjournment of any matters on this agenda? Okay, thank you. Open to the public comments regarding item number 11. Consent agenda items if you wish to speak at this time concerning agenda. The agenda items if you wish to speak. I'm sorry 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 had 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. Seater, do we have anyone in queue? Speaker 1 00:03:08 Council president, there are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda. Item Speaker 0 00:03:13 Queue closing to the remote attendees, opening 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 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. Consent. Agenda only questions. I see no one at the podium. Closing the in-person attendees Item number seven, ordinance Second reading bond ordinance, various road improvements for 6,724,000 7 747 slash 5,990,000 open to the public resolution adopting ordinance Ms. Cedar, Speaker 1 00:04:07 Be it resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Bond Ordinance providing for various road improvements in and by the township of Piscataway in the county of Middlesex, New Jersey, appropriating $6,724,747. Therefore, and authorizing the issuance of $5,990,000 bonds or notes of the township to finance. Part of the cost thereof was introduced on the 13th day of November, 2025 and had passed the first reading and was published on the 19th day of November, 2025. Now therefore be it resolved that the office had ordinance having had a second reading on December 2nd, 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 22 Speaker 0 00:04:58 President. Speaker 3 00:04:58 If I may, this is to remind the council members this is for the next phase of Patton Avenue, also Old New Brunswick Road from the 2 87 bridge down to the old New Brunswick Road Bridge at where Luke Oil is, as well as about another eight or nine streets, various streets, Murray Avenue, I believe Richards and also Evans and several other streets that were not finished out during 2025. Speaker 0 00:05:28 Thank you Mayor. Road improvements are always welcome opening to the public opening for the Ramon 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, 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. Heater, do we have anyone in queue? Speaker 1 00:06:05 Council president. There are no remote attendees with our hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 0 00:06:09 Thank you Ms. Heater. Closing to the 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 after completion of your comments or questions and the council or administration will then respond if necessary. I see no one at the podium Closing for the in-person attendees, may I have a motion please? Speaker 1 00:06:38 Motion Councilwoman Lombardi. Speaker 0 00:06:42 I. Second. Speaker 1 00:06:44 Second Leitz. Speaker 0 00:06:46 Thank you. Roll call please. Speaker 1 00:06:48 Council member Cahill. Yes. Council member Carmichael. Yes. Council member Lebowitz. Yes. Council. Council member Lombardi? Yes. Council member Rashid? Yes. Council member Rin. Yes. Council President Espinosa? Yes. Speaker 0 00:07:07 Item number eight, ordinance Second reading, adopting redevelopment plan for 10 28 Delton Road block 54 0 1 Lot 1.02. Resolution adopting ordinance Ms. Beard, Speaker 1 00:07:20 Resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled an ordinance adopting a redevelopment plan for block 5 4 0 1 Lot 1.02 as shown on the tax map of the township of Piscataway, commonly known as 1 0 2 8. Stelton Road was introduced on the 13th day of November, 2025 and had passed the first reading I was published on the 19th day of November, 2025. Now therefore be it resolved that the offer said ordinance having had a second reading on December 2nd, 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 23. Speaker 0 00:08:01 Thank you Ms. Cedar, opening to the public opening for 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 any? Anyone in queue? Speaker 1 00:08:34 Council President. There are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 0 00:08:39 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 after completion of your comments or questions and the council or administration will then respond if necessary. I see one at the podium closing for the in in-person attendees, may I have a motion please? Motion Speaker 4 00:09:05 Councilman Uhrin. Speaker 5 00:09:08 Second Cahill. Speaker 0 00:09:12 Can I have a roll call? Speaker 1 00:09:13 Council member Cahill? Yes. Council member Carmichael? Yes. Council member Liebowitz. Yes. Council member Lombardi? Yes. Council member Rashid? Yes. Council member Iin. Yes. Council President Espinosa? Speaker 0 00:09:28 Yes. Thank you. Item number nine, second reading, amending salary and wage ordinance open to the public resolution adopted ordinance Ms. Cedar Speaker 1 00:09:38 Be resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled Ordinance to amend and supplement the revised general ordinances of the township of Piscataway, county of Middlesex, state of New Jersey, amending the salary and wage schedule was introduced on the 13th day of November, 2025 and had passed the first reading and was published on the 19th day of November, 2025. Now therefore be it resolved that the offer set ordinance having had a second reading on December 2nd, 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 24. Speaker 0 00:10:18 Thank you. Opening to the remote attendees, 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 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 would respond if necessary after you have completed any comments or questions. Ms. Cedar, do we have anyone in queue? Speaker 1 00:10:50 Council president. There are no remote attendees with our hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 0 00:10:55 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 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 would then respond if necessary. I see no one at the podium Closing for the in-person attendees. May I have a motion please? Motion Speaker 1 00:11:21 Councilwoman Lombardi. Speaker 5 00:11:25 Second Cahill. Speaker 0 00:11:27 Thank you. Roll call please. Speaker 1 00:11:28 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 Espinosa? Speaker 0 00:11:42 Yes. Item number 10, ordinance second reading, adopting redevelopment plan block 6 62 0 1 1 lot 6.02 and block 7 4 0 1 lots, 2.02 and 2.03 Open to the public resolution adopting ordinance Peter, Speaker 1 00:12:06 Be resolved by the Township Council of Piscataway Township, New Jersey that an ordinance entitled an ordinance adopting redevelopment plan for block 6 2 0 1 lot 6.02 and block 7 4 0 1 lots. 2.02 and 2.03 as shown on the tax map of the township of Piscataway, commonly known as Ericsson site was introduced on the 13th day of November, 2025 and had passed the first reading and was published on the 19th day of November, 2025. Now therefore be it resolved that the offer said ordinance having had a second reading on December, 2025, the adopted past and after passage be published together with a notice of the date of passenger approval in the official newspaper. Be further resolved that this ordinance shall be signed. Number 2025 dash two five. Speaker 0 00:12:48 Thank you Ms. Cedar, opening to the public opening for 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 completed your Any comments or questions. Ms. Cedar, do we have anyone in queue? Speaker 1 00:13:21 Council president. There are no remote attendees with their hand raised regarding this agenda item. Speaker 0 00:13:26 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, 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 will then respond if necessary. Seeing no one at the podium. Closing for the in-person attendees, may I have a motion please? Motion Councilman Uhrin. Add a second. Speaker 1 00:13:58 Second. Cahill. Speaker 0 00:14:00 Thank you. Roll call please. Speaker 1 00:14:03 Council member Cahill. Yes. Council member Carmichael. Yes. Council member Liebowitz. Yes. Council member Lombardi. Yes. Council member Rashid. Yes. Council member Ern. Yes. Council President Espinosa? Yes. Speaker 0 00:14:19 Thank you. Item number 11, consent agenda. Resolution for efficiency. Items have been consolidated into consent agenda to be voted on together and the materials for the these items have been distributed to the council in advance of the meeting. May I have a motion please? Speaker 1 00:14:42 Motion Councilwoman Lombardi. Speaker 0 00:14:47 I have a second. Speaker 1 00:14:48 Leitz. Speaker 0 00:14:50 Thank you. Roll call Speaker 1 00:14:52 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 Espinosa? Yes. Speaker 0 00:15:07 Thank you. And number 12. Announcements and comments from our officials. Council member Keho. Speaker 5 00:15:18 I'd just like to remind everyone that Santa is coming this Friday to town hall. Everyone is welcome to come. We celebrate all the holidays there. There'll be some caroling. I think there's hot cocoa. Oh, and donut donuts. Speaker 6 00:15:37 Mini donuts from the food truck. Speaker 5 00:15:39 Oh, that's right. I forgot. So just reminding to bring your kids out. Six 30. Thank you. Thank you. Councilman Lombardi. And that is it. Speaker 0 00:15:52 Thank Speaker 5 00:15:53 Seven o'clock. Speaker 0 00:15:56 Thank Council Member Keho. Council member Carmichael. Speaker 7 00:16:01 Don't forget about Monday, December 8th. All the children call in to talk to Santa at seven o'clock Speaker 0 00:16:08 17. It's a very popular event. Yes. Thank you. Council Member Carmichael. Council member Lebowitz. Speaker 8 00:16:16 Good evening everybody. I would just like everybody to save the date thinking past the dark of winter into March. On March 22nd, we will be hosting our first autism celebration and showcase. The theme is through the looking glass. See me for who I am. It will be held at the community center, so please save the date. And that's all I have for tonight. Thank you. Speaker 0 00:16:47 Thank you. Council Member Leitz. Council member Lombardi. Speaker 6 00:16:50 Good evening. Just a few things. If you do decorate your home, please sign up for the Piscataway Home Decorating Contest so that people can come around and you could possibly be one of the winners in one of our categories. So the applications are being taken now. The police department is also having a winter coat drive from November 11th to December 5th. So that is almost over. And continue to, if you can donate to your local food banks, fish being one of them here in Piscataway. They are really, really in need of food this year. There are many people struggling and if you can get some food or clothing over to the food pantry and clothing pantry, that would be wonderful. So remember to give to your local food banks. Speaker 0 00:17:47 Thank you. Council Member Lombardi. Council member Rashid. Speaker 9 00:17:51 Good evening. Just wanted to echo. Same thing as Michelle Lombardi, please give back. This is a wonderful time to be grateful and also give back to the community. The police department has a wonderful program. If you're planning to travel during winter, you can give them a call, let them know the dates and they'll keep an eye on your home, which is a great program. So please do make, make take advantage of it. Thank you. Speaker 0 00:18:19 Thank you. Council member. Council member rn. Speaker 4 00:18:22 Yes. I wanna wish our pop board cheerleaders, they're going to competition this weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina. Speaker 0 00:18:28 Nice. Very nice. Speaker 5 00:18:30 Good luck to them. Speaker 0 00:18:32 I know. Worked very hard for that as well. Thank you. Cons Council member Ern. Mayor Wahler. Speaker 3 00:18:48 We finished the last of the two streets this year for paving over on Summer Shade, the balance of that and mimosa and the capping will be in when the weather turns warm in April. And then also reminding residents that December 31st is the cutoff for leaf bags. We're on round four right now. Our Department of public works has gone around, so I don't want to hear come January that they were missed. Just so the general public knows on the 31st, we have several individuals that ride the entire town and make a note of every house that has to be picked up. But if it ain't out there on the 31st, it's not getting picked up. You need to bring it into the DPW yard that includes Councilwoman Cahill. Speaker 5 00:19:38 I, I laughing because you said something Mr. Mayor, that made me have a question. So come in class. Can I raise my hand? Chairman or president? You know, you mentioned about the last street to, you know, project for paving, but since that bottom part of Centennial, did they finish that last piece last Speaker 3 00:19:57 Night? No, the, the status on that is that they're gonna try to finish the base work on the westerly side, both lanes there. And that'll be it for the season. And then the recontinue March of next year. Speaker 5 00:20:13 Okay. 'cause I have a technic. So does that mean that when you come across now, 'cause the Wawa's opening up, you'll still be going down some? Yes. Okay. Thank you Speaker 0 00:20:27 Mayor. Business Administrator, Paula Castelli. Speaker 10 00:20:31 Thank you Council president. I don't have any additional comments for this evening except to say today marks my one year anniversary with the township, so Speaker 5 00:20:40 Congratulations. Thank you so much. Wow. That went by fast. Go fast for you. Speaker 0 00:20:52 Thank you. Ship attorney, Mr. Mike Baker. Speaker 11 00:20:58 No comment this week. Thank you. Speaker 0 00:21:01 Thank you. Of course. Everyone just announced everything that I wanted to say and that happens when you're at the end of the line, right? So I get, I get so, but I do wanna echo, you know, please provide as much donations as you can for our food banks, which is very important. The code drives I, not only the, our police department is running a code drive up to December 5th, but there's other code drives that. A few right around the town, you'll see other, other code drives happening. So give as much as you can. I know I'm gonna be giving away two coats on my side. So what, again, whatever you can, everything counts. Also, needless to say, the the days are getting colder, so please dress warm out there. And, but also very important, please stay safe on the streets. Drive carefully. Give yourself two cars distance before braking. That's what I tell my kids. Three, two cars. It doesn't hurt. And you know when the, when the the temperatures drop, the, the streets starts getting a little bit more slipperier. So please be careful out there. Okay, agenda sessions for December 9th, 2025, ordinance second reading, amending chapter 21, zoning Section six, general regulations open to the public resolution adopting ordinance. May council member have any questions on that one? Speaker 0 00:22:27 Okay, ordinance second. Reading, amending and supplementing various chapters including chapter seven, traffic 10 10 Health regulations Chapter 19, fire prevention and township code open to the Public Resolution Adapting ordinance. Any questions on that one? Speaker 8 00:22:43 I do have a question. I'm sorry. The chapter 21, is that the paving over on Possum Town on that we talked about at the last meeting? Mayor? No. Okay. Thank you. Speaker 0 00:23:02 Thank you. Speaker 0 00:23:05 Okay, item number 14, opening to the public opening for 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. Er do we have anyone in queue? Speaker 8 00:23:42 Council president, there are no remote Speaker 1 00:23:44 Attendees with their hand rates regarding this agenda Speaker 0 00:23:46 Item. 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 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. Good evening. Speaker 12 00:24:06 Hi, good evening. My name is Noel Maar and I live at 46 Ley Avenue in Piscataway here. And the reason that I wish to speak to you is that first I want to thank everyone who was involved in the renovations of Zir Avenue. Okay. And they did take into account the issue of not being able to see cars coming towards Ley Avenue towards the intersection of Ley Avenue. But as council person Sharon knows that there was recently a nice big giant accident right across the street from her right at the intersection of Ley Avenue. And I have noticed, and I have noticed often that even though rumble strips and 25 mile per hour notice has been placed on the street, that has not stopped cars flying down circle on their way to Mettler's Lane, to the point where twice I have almost been hit by a gray minivan coming, traveling, I guess it's, it's south on circle towards Mettler's Lane. Speaker 12 00:25:40 And the reason besides the speed of the minivan, the reason that I had almost been hit is that after stopping at Ley Avenue at the stop sign and looking all different ways, I could not see up Z due to the fact of three cars parked on the side of Zir Avenue. And it is dangerous. It is dangerous and I'm hoping that the administration can do something about the cars that are parked there. They're right above or right next to the culvert that was replaced a few years ago and they just persistently park. And when you're pulling up to the stop sign and you're looking up circle, it's impossible Speaker 12 00:26:45 To see if there's a car coming in the dip of that street. And if they're moving at any speed, no, they, they typically do 40, 45 miles an hour coming down that road. Know often no cars know, do the speed limit, but there are a lot of cars that just fly down Zir Avenue and you know, it wouldn't be so bad. Well, it still would be bad, but it wouldn't be so bad if those cars weren't parked there because the site triangle is non-existent. You can't see cars coming to on Circle Avenue, towards Mettler's Lane. Thank you very much. Speaker 0 00:27:35 Thank you sir. Speaker 3 00:27:38 Just, just so everybody knows, and Councilwoman Carmichael knows, we've asked the police department take a look at that. One of the drawbacks, if we say no parking out there, that means no parking the entire length, which means nobody, nobody would be able to park 365 days a year out there. And that means if parents go to wait for their kids at the school bus there, where there's a school bus stop, they wouldn't be able to do that. So there, there we can, we can do an ordinance on first reading police department. I'm gonna just let you know there's probably gonna be some blow back from the residents there. I mean, I, I don't, I have a problem doing that. But the other, the other issue is most of that speeding that's happening probably 95% of our folks that live in the immediate neighborhood. Speaker 5 00:28:24 Well yeah, that's, that's right. Speaker 3 00:28:28 It's not a through through street area. So it's the homeowners that lived immediately right there that are doing the speeding once Speaker 5 00:28:33 Mayor, that's an empty lot there on the right, like Speaker 3 00:28:37 Held, Speaker 5 00:28:38 Privately held. But there's not a house right at the corner, right? No, Speaker 0 00:28:42 No, that's like a barn, isn't it like a barn garage? Is that what Speaker 3 00:28:45 I'm No. Privately held. Yeah, just the, one of the concerns from the police department is, is that parents go be able to school bus or this, that and the other thing. Speaker 6 00:29:06 So the question I have is, is the, is there any way to create a where you can, there would be no parking so many hundred feet off the intersection only Speaker 3 00:29:21 Engineering department. Where Speaker 6 00:29:22 Why, why not? Speaker 3 00:29:27 They don't want parking at all out there. Speaker 5 00:29:30 Well, could, could we just yellow stripe that corner? Well, right, but like at the top of Mitchell, we did that from one section. It's not the whole side. Maybe they could look at that Speaker 3 00:29:47 Signage out there. No. Or Speaker 5 00:29:49 Sign. Yeah. I mean no doubt you have to, right. But you could Yellow stripe. I, I mean I hate the yellow stripe on the thing, but a Oh, they have the Belgium block. They don't have the Yeah, you can't do it on Belgium block. Speaker 13 00:30:04 Well, let's, let's have the Speaker 3 00:30:05 Police take a look at it and see Speaker 13 00:30:07 Is Speaker 5 00:30:08 There also a way to at the, Speaker 14 00:30:13 Well it's mostly, Speaker 15 00:30:17 That's not my issue. That's not my issue. My issue is that Ley and circle. Speaker 5 00:30:23 Yeah, weekly Speaker 0 00:30:24 And circle is the area that's the triangle, right? We're talking about That's right at the tip of the triangle. Speaker 3 00:30:29 They're slowing down right now since they're, some of the jobs are going on hold for the winter. This is when they do a lot of the survey work. Now, just so Mr. Mayer known that we're still, we finished the engineering design for Morris Lane. We've been held up for almost three years with land acquisition out there for easements. And that we're midway through the design on Ley Avenue right there. So don't complain when we fix the road if they're speeding on Ley. Alright, Speaker 0 00:31:02 Thank you Mr. Mazer. We'll look into this. Speaker 13 00:31:05 I would just like to have you maybe think about a stop sign on Zu at Ley then where people would have to stop that way. They won't be, Speaker 0 00:31:15 I'm, I'm sorry. Do you wanna make this your official three minutes? Just state your name and address and then you can just, Speaker 13 00:31:21 Okay. I'm Sheila Lar. I live at 46th Wiley Avenue in Piscataway. Speaker 0 00:31:26 Thank you. Speaker 13 00:31:28 And I, it was just part of the, an idea that came when you were discussing. Speaker 5 00:31:34 Thank Speaker 0 00:31:34 You. Thank you. Okay, I see no one else for the in-person attendees closing for the in-person attendees, may I have a motion to adjourn? Motion? Speaker 5 00:31:50 Okay. Speaker 0 00:31:51 Any opposed meeting adjourned. Thank you so much. Have a good evening. Thank Speaker 5 00:31:58 You. Good night. Have a good night.