Transcript for Piscataway Council meeting on November 5 2020
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 00:08:14 Hello, everybody. Hello, Councilman Belarus. How are you? Very good. Just as a friendly reminder to mute your phone when we're not talking, I say new well, I'll have it all muted. I know. How's life treating you these days. Very good. Thank you so much. Yeah, well, it looks as though we had, as far as the voting is concerned, we were pretty good down here. Why do we? Yeah. Hey Jim, just as a reminder, just part of the meeting is still being recorded. Okay. Okay. No problem, man. Speaker 2 00:13:07 Good evening. Councilman R Just as a reminder, this part of the meeting is being recorded and also another reminder to mute yourself when you're not speaking. So as to avoid any background noise. Speaker 0 00:13:27 Okay. Speaker 2 00:13:29 Thank you. Speaker 2 00:14:22 Councilman Bellard. We just, as a note, I know you've been in the room. You were put on mute for a little bit, so we just un-muted you, but just as a reminder to mute from your handset when you're not speaking during the meeting, thank you to avoid the, just the background noise. Thank you. No problem. Speaker 3 00:16:54 2300. Who is that? Mr. Dacey, do you have the 2300 line open for the mayor? Speaker 2 00:23:20 I'd like to call the meeting of the Piscataway township council to order. I would like to read something before we read our open, complete our open public compliance meeting. And that is that the township is using the telephone meeting format in an effort to mitigate the chance of exposure to COVID-19 as a part of the township ongoing effort, slow the rate of transmission and avoid overwhelming our treatment centers. The dial in information and final agenda have been posted on the township website for members of the public in order to make sure a clear record of the meeting can be made and that all parties are heard in an organized fashion. All members of the public will be muted during the meeting. If a member of the public wishes to speak during any public comment portion, please press star nine. In order to raise your hand to speak, we will unmute members of the public individually. Speaker 2 00:24:20 If they have their hand raised, when it is your turn to speak, you will hear a notification that you have been un-muted. It is at that time that you should begin to ask any questions you may have. You will have three minutes to speak at the conclusion of which you will be muted again, and the council or administration will respond as necessary. Should you have any further comments or questions? The township council is always available to email and phone and you can always call the mayor's office during normal operating hours. Each member of the public shall have only one opportunity to speak during each public portion. As the technology does not allow us to know if there are multiple callers on an individual line, we ask that if you wish to speak that you dial in on a separate line so that we can recognize you as a separate individual. Speaker 2 00:25:10 Thank you in advance for your patience. As we implement this new technology to continue to move the township board during this health emergency, adequate notice of this meeting has been provided as required under chapter 2 31, PL 1975, specifying the time date location, 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, 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 the certification by the clerk, which will be entered in minutes. Ms. City, would you please take the roll call Speaker 3 00:25:57 And Bullard here? Councilman con Councilman Lombardi. Here comes a woman McCollum here. Councilman Shaw. Can you press star six to unmute yourself please? Thank you. Councilman Uhrin council, president Cahill Speaker 2 00:26:39 Here, Speaker 3 00:26:41 Mayor Brian Waller, Administrator Timothy Dacy township attorney Rajveer Gomer, and I'm here most seated the township clerk. Speaker 2 00:26:59 Thanks. Thank you, Ms. Cedar, would you all, please join me in a salute to our flag, Speaker 3 00:27:06 AllegedlyGod indivisible with Liberty and justice. Speaker 2 00:27:26 Thank you. And that'll bring us to number five with your comments from administration and council. This is regarding a German of any matters on this agenda. Do I hear any comments from the council or administration regarding this? Okay. Seeing none, we'll go to number six and this is open to the public. This is comments regarding item number nine, which are the consent agenda items. So again, anyone in the public wishing to speak at this time, it is only with regard to the items on the consent agenda, which are, is item number nine on this agenda. Okay. Seeing no hands raised, that'll close number six and that'll bring us to number seven. And this is an ordinance on second reading. This is amending chapter seven, traffic it's seven dash 17.8. It is a schedule of residential permit parking areas. It is an Oak. It is open to the public and it is a restaurant where solution adopting ordinance. This data. Would you please read the resolution? Speaker 3 00:29:23 It resolved by the township council, Piscataway township, New Jersey, that an ordinance and titled ordinance to amend and supplement the revised general ordinances of the tantrum about this getaway county of Middlesex state in New Jersey, amending chapter seven, traffic section 17.8 schedule of residential parking areas was introduced on the 13th, 13th day of October, 2020. And I'd passed the first reading and it was published on the 16th day of October, 2020. Now therefore be it resolved that they ever said ordinance. Having had a second reading on November 5th, 2020, the adopted passed and after passage be published together with a notice of the data passenger approval in the official newspaper. The brothers out that this ordinance shall be assigned number 2020 dash two eight. Speaker 2 00:30:12 Thank you, Ms. Cedar, and now open it up to the public. Anyone in the public wishing to comment or may have a question on this item may do so at this nine at this time, just remember if you wish to speak, press star nine, to raise your hands. When it is your turn to speak, you will hear an announcement that you have been unmuted 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. Okay. Seeing no hands raised, I will now put this out to the council for a vote. Do I have an offer? My offer? Speaker 3 00:31:46 Second council. Speaker 2 00:31:49 Thank you very much, Ms. Cedar, would you please take the role Speaker 3 00:31:53 Councilman Bullard? Yes. Councilman Lombardi. Yes. Councilman column. Yes. Councilman Shaw. Yes. Councilman RN, council. President Cahill. Speaker 2 00:32:12 Yes. And the ordinance passes on second reading and that'll bring us to number eight, which is an ordinance on first reading. This is fully funded. It is appropriating $1,625,000 of which is from the 2020 sewer utility budget. It is for capital outlay for various sewer utility improvements here in town. It is a resolution adopting ordinance to see to, would you please read the resolution? Speaker 3 00:32:41 The resolved by the township council, Piscataway township, New Jersey got an ordinance and titled ordinance appropriating $1,625,000 from the store utility budget, capital outlay for various or utility improvements in and by the township of Piscataway and the county of Middlesex New Jersey being is hereby adopted on the first reading, that'd be published in the official newspaper. And then a second reading and public hearing be held at 7:30 PM. Prevailing time at the Piscataway municipal building 4 55 hose lane, Piscataway New Jersey, as well as by telephonic conference on the 24th day of November, 2020. The 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 2 00:33:36 Thank you, Ms. Cedar, do I have an offer for a couple of shots? Do I have a second? Second? Thank you, Ms. SITA, would you please take the roll call? Vote Speaker 3 00:33:51 Council member? Yes. Councilman Lombardi. Yes. Councilman McCollom. Yes. Councilman Shah. Speaker 2 00:34:02 Yes. Speaker 3 00:34:04 Councilman Uhrin. Yes. Council president Kao. Speaker 2 00:34:11 Yes. And the ordinance passes on first reading and that'll bring us to number nine, which are the consent agenda items for efficiency items have been consolidated into a consent agenda to be voted on together. The materials for these items have been distributed to the council in advance of the meeting at this time. Are there any items that the council would like removed from the consent agenda to be discussed or voted on separately? Okay. Seeing none. Do I have an offer? Speaker 3 00:34:50 Motion offer Chanel Speaker 2 00:34:51 Column second. Councilman Lombardi. Thank you, council. Ms. Cedar, would you please take the roll call? Vote. Speaker 3 00:35:00 Councilman bullet. Yes. Councilman Lombardi. Yes. Sounds woman. McCollom yes. Councilman Shaw. Yes. Councilman Uhrin council. President Cahill. Speaker 2 00:35:19 Yes. And the consent agenda items pass. That'll bring us to number 10, which are announcements and comments from officials. Council member Lara. Thank you. Council woman Lombardi. Speaker 5 00:35:36 Yeah, sir. Would just like to congratulate both the mayor and the at-large council space, Gabrielle KPL and she now all on being reelected to the council. And I look forward to continuing working with this great team. Thank you. Speaker 2 00:35:57 Thank you. Council woman, council, woman McCollum. Speaker 6 00:36:01 Yeah. I want to thank you. I'm Councilman Michelle Lombardi for that. Thank you very much. And I, to echo her comments, want to congratulate the mirror as well as Councilman Gabrielle Cahill and Councilman appeal Shaw on your reelection. I'm glad we're all together. And part of the council for another term. I also want to wish the residents of this getaway and my fellow colleagues on the call all the best during these challenging times. Just want you to know that we're thinking about you. Speaker 2 00:36:31 Thank you very much. Councilman McCollum, Councilman Shaw. Speaker 7 00:36:36 Yeah. It's the same thing to everybody. Thank you very much in support and good luck to everybody. And I want to add one more thing. Last week is one lady south Asian lady was missing at night, eight o'clock and I want to set you to first responder fire department and the police department did their job. I was, their whole nightmare is like a couple of hours there. They run around and check out everything and thank God next day morning, we found her. So thank you very much for all of this or first responder police department and fire department. Thank you. Speaker 2 00:37:14 Thank you, Councilman Shaw. Absolutely. Councilman urn. I think Mr. Mayor. Thank you. Business administrator. Mr. Dacey comment. Okay, counselor tomorrow, rush. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. My comments I'm I'm also going to congratulate the mayor, my running mate appeal, Shaw Chanel, Scott McCollum for a race well run for serving this community with the utmost integrity and compassion and heart for this town. I, I am so appreciative to have colleagues not only to feel and Chanel and Brian Waller, but Jim Bellard, Michelle Lombardi, Steve Kahn, and Frank urn. These are some of the finest people that you will meet in this town. Most of which were born and raised here or have lived here 20 plus years. The investment in his town is evidence. The investment. I mean by this group is evident by the work that is put in to help sustain this town, to be a double, a plus stable rated town, a town in which it found itself in a pandemic where surrounding municipalities had to do layoffs or furloughs. Speaker 2 00:38:53 And we did not a town in which the, we found ourselves keeping all of our services going during this pandemic, which is not over yet. And a town that is going to work very, very hard. This administration is going to work very, very hard to do everything in our power to serve the people of Piscataway in the upcoming year, in which we anticipate being one of the towns, as stated in the wall street journal, that would be facing a historic cash crisis. There's no doubt that this pandemic has affected us on an emotional level. Folks who have died. Folks who are just terribly sick. We know that the administration, the president does not care about that, but we do. And we also do care about our businesses in town and trying to keep them afloat while managing and keeping the people of Piscataway safe. So those are my words for tonight. Speaker 2 00:40:03 I usually don't speak that much, but in light of things that I've seen come across from residents talking about not having the money to pay some of their bills, you know, issues of course, with the cable concerns about layoffs that are happening at Rutgers university. This administration is going to be on high watch and high alert and be working very hard to make sure that our town remains running and that as, as much as we can do that, we keep people employed. But you know, obviously more to come, but I do want to thank the residents because your investment in this town shows in the quality. If we look around our town and just see how beautiful it is and that's it, that's what I have to say. So with that, we'll go to the agenda agenda session. This is going to be the agenda session for the November 10th, 2020 meeting. The first item is an ordinance on first reading, which is acceptance of traffic signal at river road and Ridge road. If folks don't know where that is, that is down by where the best buy is and, and that distribution center on them sorta Middlesex border of river road. The next one is an ordinance on first reading, it's fully funded the equipment and vehicles. It is a resolution adopting ordinance, any comments or questions on that item? Speaker 2 00:41:44 Okay. Seeing none that will be on the next one. It will be a resolution authorizing award of bid for the 20 21, 20 22 janitorial services, pure productive services. It is not to exceed $86,092. Do I have any comments or questions from the council on that one scene on that will be on the next item will be a resolution authorizing return of maintenance bond. 18 T block 46 0 1 lot 12, which is 2 75 old new Brunswick road. Are there any comments or questions regarding that item seen on that will be on the next item is a resolution authorizing chapter 1 59. Us department of justice, Patrick Leahy, Bulletproof vest partnership, 2020 $9,316 and 12 cents. Any comments or questions regarding that item? Speaker 2 00:42:41 And just as a reminder for folks listening in chapter 1 59 is monies received from sort of grants that can come into the town. The next item is a resolution also chapter 1 59, alcoholism and drug abuse prevention education, $14,384. Any comments or questions regarding that item that will be on the next item is a resolution authorizing change in title or text for budget appropriation. Is, are there any comments or questions regarding that item? Okay. Scene on that will be on the next side is a resolution authorizing return of maintenance bond, Chester crews, CMC construction group, LLC block 84 0 5 lot 14, which is 12 water street. Any comments or questions regarding that item seen on that? We'll be on the next item is a resolution authorizing return of street opening bond block 15, 15 lot 1.01, which is 1 23 summer street. Any comments or questions on that item seen on that will be on the next item is the resolution authorizing award has bid HVAC maintenance services unit attempt, Inc not to exceed $125,500. Any comments or questions on that item that will be on the next item is a resolution authorizing change order. Number one, which is public safety built building mechanical and electrical systems renovation, E a C M Corp not to exceed $53,595. Any comments or questions with regard to that item? Speaker 2 00:44:31 I see none that will be on the next item is a resolution renewal of contracts for prescription health and dental insurance horizon blue cross blue shield of New Jersey, January 1st, 2022, December 31st, 2020 per rate schedule. Any comments or questions regarding that item being on that will be on the next item is the resolution authorizing award of contract 2020 bird netting installation, bell environmental services, not to exceed $35,320. Any comments or questions on that item? Oh, you know, I was just going to ask the mayor or Tim whereabouts are we needing that, that burden? And he just out of curiosity, I didn't get, Speaker 8 00:45:21 If I may council president that is located in the department of public, works it underneath the canopy town towards the a little league field. Speaker 2 00:45:31 Yeah. Makes sense. Got it. Okay. That makes perfect sense. Thank you. The next item is a resolution authorizing participation in the Woodbridge cooperative pricing system. Any comments or questions with regard to that item seen on that will be on the next item. Is the resolution authorizing budget transfers, any comments or questions with regard to that item? Seeing none that will be on the next item is the resolution authorizing the township to apply for and accept calendar year 2021, $10,000 grant for prevention and diversion program, municipal program, municipal Alliance, any comments or questions with regard to that item? Okay. Seeing none that will be on the next item is a resolution authorizing return of Sterling village security deposit, Frances. Sure. Not tornado or apartment 5, 5, 3, any comments or questions with regard to that item C numb that will be on the last item is a resolution authorizing chapter 1 59 cares act $157,000, three hundred and six, one hundred fifty $7,362 and 6 cents. Speaker 2 00:46:49 Any comments or questions with regards to that? Okay. None that will be on. And now this will bring us to the open public portion, just as a reminder for the public. Anyone in the public wishing to speak may do so at this time, press star nine to raise your hand when it is your turn to speak, you'll hear an announcement that you've been un-muted at that time. Please state your name and address. I know that you have three minutes in which to make your comments, the council or administration will respond if necessary after you've completed any comments or questions. Okay. Someone with the phone number ending in 1690, I've asked you to unmute your line. I'm going to do it one more time. We see your hand is raised. Oh, hit star six to unmute yourself. Oh, there you go. I certainly can please go ahead and state your name and address. Speaker 9 00:48:01 Hi, Maxine novela 1, 2, 3, 2 8 street. Speaker 2 00:48:05 Hi. How are you Mr. Natto? Speaker 9 00:48:07 I'm doing well. So I'm sorry. So I would like to address the council about a topic that has not come up tonight, but it's something that I've recently become aware of. And I would just like to make my position and I think the position of a lot of Piscataway residents, no, regarding that issue Speaker 2 00:48:31 Go right ahead. Speaker 9 00:48:33 Sure. So I recently became aware that 1690 Washington avenue is proposed to be developed into two warehouses. Now that parcel is currently zoned as our, our one, which is residential, rural, which the town origins is provided that that's, that Legion can't be developed in more than one dwelling per acre. So, you know, in order for this development to proceed, you know, there needs to be a variance to grant this development, the ability to continue with the project. Now, I think I, I, I really like to, you know, demonstrate to the council and to the, the powers that be that the zoning board, if they perceive it, this, this is the last parcel into Skyway that's zones like this. That's not already public land. The only other one is the, the portion of Johnson park between river road and the Raritan river. This is the last section of uninterrupted Woodlands into Statway with the exception of that Johnson park parcel and the Rutgers ecological preserves. Speaker 9 00:49:42 I think it's imperative that, that the, the council and the zoning board, when it, when it comes to a vote in the hearing in a week or two, you know, rejects this variance application because this town fundamental to its character, having open space intermeshed with the other uses in this town that make it as diverse and as vibrant as it is. I understand that the town needs to develop it, to sustain that the tax burden on the taxpayers and that's perfectly appropriate in the mobile hill area where they've developed the, or would have been the process of developing a large warehouse and facility. I understand the need for that. I truly do, but this unique parcel, it should not change use. It should continue to be known as, as rural residential R one, I think anything to change that has a lot of consequences in terms of wildlife habitat in, in terms of increasing storm water runoff by him are permeable surfaces in terms of increasing, you know, the capacity of carbon sinks, which is the diversity of trees that are currently there. Having this parcel remain in a state that you know, is historically appropriate for that area has innumerable benefits that I think this council and, and the zoning board should not ignore. Speaker 2 00:51:12 I thank you so much for your comments. Of course, all the applicants do go through zoning. Your, your three minutes are, are UPSer, but what I'm good recommend is that, you know, residents too do feel strongly, you know, the zoning board does have a public meeting. I do know it is also going to be virtual sorta like this it'll, you know, but, but all residents are invited to those meetings too, who are interested in, you will have an opportunity to speak at that time. And I appreciate your comments. You're quite welcome. I am going to mute you now, but we do appreciate, Speaker 9 00:51:57 I would like to, I would also just like to say the town council and sent the body and thank the mayor for providing this opportunity during COVID to let residents speak at a, at a distance for him. I really do appreciate it. Thank you so much. Speaker 2 00:52:12 Absolutely. And believe me, we in the council would very much like to have our meetings in person at this time. Unfortunately, we're not able to accommodate with the sort of rules and regs that have been set up by the state. So we do appreciate the fact that you can get on the call and can speak your mind. That is what we hope our residents do is take a vital, vital interest in this town. It's what makes us great. So again, anyone else in the public wishing to speak may do so at this time you would hit star nine to raise your hand when it is your turn to speak, you'll hear an announcement that you've been un-muted 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. Okay. Seeing no other further hands raised, we are going to close the public portion. I do know that the mayor had wanted to say a few words. And so Mr. Mayor, the floor is yours. Speaker 8 00:54:06 Thank you. Council president just is, is everybody well knows. There was a letter to an editor on one of the media platforms about a week and a half ago in regards to the aggregation program here at the scat away. I guess in a short nutshell, I probably I'm going to turn it over to the administrator Daisey. And this is regardless that it was a letter criticizing, blaming the town for not being allegedly, not being transparent or being helpful during the process of the aggregation. So if I could have the administrator, Mr. Dacey can explain the process that we had to go through. There is some obviously disinformation going on out there and I'll get to that after he's finished. So Mr. Dacey, if you can explain, please explain the process that the Ms Palley had to go through. Speaker 10 00:55:05 So we, when we got word that this was in the process of getting signatures collected to get onto the ballot, we want to be as cooperative as we could. And we began working with the new Brunswick, finding out exactly what they had done, because that's who the proponents were saying, have a successful program. So we actually started talking to the consultant that they used to have on that approved list, through the New Jersey educational services commission. We had several meetings with, with the consultant, and as soon as it passed, we began moving as quickly as we can with the consultant. And the consultant got us, all of our electrical use our, our from PSE and G what our energy consumption looks like throughout the town, which is quite different than new Brunswick, but we did everything we had to do there. And we put the, put the program out to bid. Speaker 10 00:56:10 Everything that we did with consultant was done with the approval of the BPU we're public utilities, which is very strict on the energy aggregation programs. They're, they're so strict to the point that notices that have to go out into the mail, the notices that go on a website, you're not even allowed to deviate from what they require. So it's a very, a pretty straight program run by the BPU. We engage the consultant, we've awarded the bid. We took the bids as quickly as we can. And, and then we started the process of informing the people. And I believe every resident got four mailings from us. It was an, the letter was from the consultant and then from the energy provider, but it did have a Skagway envelope so that it was looked like it was official. So the people that open it and we put up a website and we informed our staff, we had training for our staff so that if anybody got calls, limits, that they would know how to refer the calls. And we moved as quickly within the law that we could. And we did everything that were required to do by the, by, as a BTU and recommended to us by the consultant. And we began the process right after the election and the billing changes over for the June bill. So that was a little awful lot of work to be done in about five months. Speaker 8 00:57:48 Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Yes. Thank you, council president. And I want to add in there, it's almost like there's a bunch of Russian disinformation going on out there by, and I'm going to name it because the letter was from the folks at food and water watch and tied in with some of the local progressive groups. And, you know, at the end of the day is they're complaining that we weren't helping out on this. All I can say is the council members know we were not the cooks or the chef food and water watch and the local progressive group, or that we did not order the menu. They put the ingredients together. They submitted to the residents. It was voted upon. We were just the serving staff here once that was approved. And the bottom line is it's apparent. Now that the meal that has been cooked is not being liked by the residents. Speaker 8 00:58:40 You know, there's over 50% of the residents now have opted out. We are getting a lot of agricoles here at the office. I know the folks council members are getting the same thing about the rising energy costs that people are having to pay. You. You have a lot of seniors that are on fixed income, single house, single earning households. You know, people are concerned. You have had people that lost their jobs store in this pandemic that it's getting harder to afford some of the energy bills and the laws, a fair of some of the supporters of this and one of them and I'll name her name's Stacy Berger, and a bill Erwin came to the meeting and basically said, who cares how much it costs, but, you know, at the end, they don't, I don't believe in that. I think the residents now are voting, doing a Yelp review of this. Speaker 8 00:59:38 And I think this, I know Mr. Data, I think this is one of the highest opt-out rates in the entire state of New Jersey and this program. And I think the residents are going to get an even angrier next year when they find out there has to be a second. Opt-out when we rebid this out. And I don't think a lot of people realize that PSE and G has different rates for every day. This was a fixed rate thing. And so sometimes your bill was up sometimes and was way up or me on any given day. It may be down, but you know, this is something that we did not order on the menu. It was put together by another outside group, which by the way, is a political group who's tied in with the local Progressive's who ran candidates in the June primary, or I should say the July primary on who've been very supportive them. Speaker 8 01:00:31 And by the way, we're getting calls and complaints from some of the residents about how did their emails and their phone numbers end up in their hands. I suspect, I don't know for sure, but I suspect that when folks were putting their emails and cell phone numbers down for this referendum, that it was shared with the local progressive vice versa, because they're both political organizations and they use it for political purposes. But the unfortunate part is now residents are paying the penalty of this, and they're trying to put the blame off on the local officials. We had nothing to do with it. And I suspect that the energy costs are going to continue to rise. And all I can say to the residents, they can either stay in or opt out or opt up it's it's their prerogative. But however, you know, when it goes back out to bid next year, folks are going to have to understand that they're going to have to re opt out again. Speaker 8 01:01:32 And those folks that pushed this referendum also knew that there was going to be a double opt-out because they were, they were, they didn't tell people that. And they kept saying, well, people in new Brunswick saved money on average, a hundred dollars or whatever. And, you know, that's simply not the case because you know, Piscataway is, has a different energy profile than the city of new Brunswick. And they knew that. So it's kind of unfortunate that a lot of folks in the town are very upset in this respect. They, they, they recognize now it had nothing to do with the town and it had to do with a couple of two special interest groups. So that's pretty much all I have to say, council, president, I'm sure I'm going to probably get skewed on Facebook or whatever about the comments. But, you know, at the end, the day is, as most of the council members know, we all have thick skin out there. When you become an elected official, you have to have thick skin when you're working on behalf of the local residents. So with that, I hopefully everybody's safe. And by the comments from when they actually, the results become official within 10 days, thank you, council present. Speaker 2 01:02:40 You're quite welcome to summit. And with that, I will ask to adjourn the meeting. Do I here everyone in favor, say aye. Aye. Okay. Any those I'm not in favor of closing the meeting. Okay. We are adjourned. Thank you so much, everyone.