[0:00] benefit of public notice as required by the open public meetings act. Madame

[0:04] clerk, please call the role. >> Mr. Parabelli

[0:06] » here. >> Here

[0:10] » please rise for the salute to the flag. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

[0:15] United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation

[0:20] under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[0:25] » Please remain standing for the invocation.

[0:30] Dear God, as we gather to conduct the business of Hamilton, we humbly ask for

[0:34] your guidance, wisdom, and discernment, we give thanks for the residents of the

[0:38] township, for our family, seniors, veterans, business owners, first

[0:41] responders, healthcare workers, educators, public employees, and many

[0:45] other volunteers who dedicate and service stren and strengthen our

[0:49] township each day. May our work this evening reflect respect for one another

[0:54] and a commitment to the common good. We ask all these things in your name. Amen.

[0:59] » Amen. [laughter]

[1:03] » Madame clerk, please proceed with the agenda.

[1:06] » If you want to read changes, >> I will do that right now. Uh there has

[1:10] been an amendment to the agenda since it was posted to our website. Uh there have

[1:14] been additions to the website. Um I'm sorry, to the agenda. CA1526-334

[1:21] is a resolution approving uh first change order number one to contract

[1:26] 24-327 awarded to Edward H Craig Incorporated

[1:32] for annual traffic signal maintenance emergency repairs installation of rapid

[1:37] flashing beacons and driver feedback signs for on behalf of the department of

[1:43] community and economic development uh increase of 47,41 $31.56.

[1:50] CA1626-335

[1:55] is a resolution approving the first change order number one to contract

[1:59] 26-251 awarded to WJ Gross Incorporated for the

[2:05] purchase and installation of door access control systems for the new municipal

[2:09] building located at 1750 White Horse Mercerville Road utilizing the Camden

[2:16] County Educational Services Commission co-op purchasing program

[2:21] number 66 CCPS contract number FY23-01.

[2:29] This is an increase of $187,355.

[2:35] CA1726-336

[2:38] is a resolution authorizing the settlement of a tax appeal Harris

[2:42] Hamilton Holdings LLC versus Township of Hamilton docket number 007734-2021

[2:51] 005826-2022

[2:55] and 005900-2023

[3:01] 004323-2024 4 010095-2024

[3:09] 005788-2025.

[3:13] That's for block 1520 lot 11.02 O2 CA1826337

[3:21] is a resolution authorizing the execution of a memorandum of

[3:25] understanding with unity to improve services and outcomes for victims and

[3:30] survivors of do domestic violence and sexual violence and their companion

[3:34] animals. CA19 is 26-338

[3:40] is a resolution authorizing the execution of a representation agreement

[3:44] for professional legal services with the firm of Gustiffson

[3:50] Gluick PLLC as part of a class action litigation

[3:56] arising from injuries and damages related to and caused by firetruck

[4:00] manufacturers and other defendants unfair and anti-competitive

[4:05] business practices in violation of antitrust laws. Can I please have a

[4:10] motion to the amendment of the agenda? Uh, Council President, I move that we

[4:13] adopt the um changes to the agenda. I'll second that, Madam Clerk.

[4:19] » On the motion, Mr. Carol, >> yes.

[4:21] » I Yes.

[4:25] » For your consideration, we have the June 16th regular council meeting.

[4:30] » Council President, I'll make a motion to approve the June 16th uh 2026 council

[4:34] minutes. I'll second that. >> Mr. Caribelli.

[4:37] » Yes. Mr. >> Tai, yes.

[4:38] » Mr. Pero, >> yes.

[4:40] » Next, we have communications uh for proclamations for the month of August.

[4:44] We have overdose awareness day, which is August 31st, and Women's Equality Day,

[4:50] which is August 26th. >> Thank you, Council President. I move uh

[4:54] communications C1. >> I'll second that.

[4:58] » Mr. Caravelli. >> Yes. Mr.

[4:59] » Ty. Yes. >> Mr. Pera.

[5:01] » Yes. is Miss Margarita Lehey of the Mercer Council on Alcoholism and Drug

[5:06] Addiction. Is she here today? Hi, ma'am. >> Hi.

[5:09] » I know you would like to speak. Can you please come to the microphone?

[5:12] » Don't worry. I signed it under three minutes.

[5:14] » The floor is yours. >> Good evening, Council President.

[5:20] » Should be red. >> Should be red.

[5:23] » Good. Four talking. We'll see if we get picked up.

[5:25] » Good evening, Council President, members of Hamilton Township Town Council, and

[5:29] community members. Thank you for giving me Council on Alcoholism and Drug

[5:33] Addiction the opportunity to be here tonight for recognition of this

[5:36] proclamation. I'm Elgarita Ley, the executive director, and I'm here tonight

[5:40] with two of my staff, Victoria McCain. She's the regional coalition coordinator

[5:44] here in Mercer County, and Caitlyn Allen. We are grateful for this

[5:48] proclamation recognizing International Overdose Awareness Month and for

[5:52] Hamilton Township's continued partnership and commitment to our

[5:56] community. Tonight's proclamation is an important opportunity to recognize why

[6:01] this day matters and to invite our community and municipal leaders to join

[6:05] us. Your support is a powerful reminder that no one should face the impact of

[6:10] overdose alone. Whether you come to remember a loved one, support someone in

[6:14] recovery, serve our community, or simply stand in

[6:18] solidarity, you are an important part of this movement. This year's global theme

[6:24] is still needed. It reminds us that while progress has been made for

[6:28] overdose deaths and they are declining, the work is not finished. We are still

[6:34] needed to educate our community members. We are still needed to reduce stigma. We

[6:39] are still needed to support individuals and their family members affected by

[6:43] substance misuse. And we are still needed to make sure that people know

[6:48] there's hope, recovery, and support available. For more than a decade,

[6:53] Mercer County has proudly observed International Overdose Awareness Day

[6:56] because every life matters. Every loss leaves a lasting impact and every act of

[7:01] compassion makes a difference. We are especially thankful to Hamilton Township

[7:05] for continuing to partner with us as the host of this event at Veterans Park. We

[7:10] truly appreciate the township's support and dedication. A special note of

[7:14] gratitude goes to the grounds crew, police officers, first responders, and

[7:19] township staff who helped make this gathering possible through their

[7:23] assistance and hard work. This partnership is a wonderful example of

[7:26] how municipal government and community organizations can come together to serve

[7:31] our residents. So tonight, we'd like to extend an invitation not only to the

[7:35] council, but to all the town township residents to join us on August 27th at

[7:41] 5:30 p.m. uh to at Veterans Park for this event. Come to remember those we

[7:47] have lost. Come and support those in recovery. Come and stand beside families

[7:52] who have been impacted. Come learn, connect, and be part of a community that

[7:56] believes every person deserves dignity, compassion, and an opportunity for

[8:01] recovery. Thank you again to the council for this proclamation, for your

[8:06] continued partnership, and for recognizing that this issue affects all

[8:09] of us as a community on August 27th. We hope you will join us because we are

[8:14] still needed and together we can make a difference. Thank you so much on our

[8:18] behalf. >> Thank you. We thank you for all the good

[8:21] work that you DO AS WELL.

[8:33] I MAKE A QUICK COMMENT. OKAY. >> UH, Margarita and your team, thank you

[8:37] so much for coming tonight. Thank you for your support. Um, I know most of us

[8:41] in the room can attest that unfortunately, you know, including my

[8:45] family, we've been impacted with individuals in in in our um in our

[8:49] family that have been, you know, that have uh gone down the path of um drugs

[8:54] or alcoholism and and um it's not a final final uh say. There's there's a

[9:01] there's definitely a tomorrow. uh and through your support and your team

[9:05] support and individuals like you that give of your time and uh effort um you

[9:09] make a difference. So, thank you.

[9:15] » Madam Cler, please proceed with the agenda.

[9:17] » Yes. Next for your consideration is consent agenda items CA1 through CA19.

[9:24] » Just to run through um we do have a couple uh reappointments uh to uh

[9:31] positions. We have uh line item that was added for an opioid settlement uh in the

[9:38] amount of $46,000. Um pedestrian safety improvements around

[9:43] Clockner. Um large item uh that was awarded to us for $869,000.

[9:50] Uh grant application for $14,000 as well. Uh shared services agreement

[9:57] with Robinsville for the ecological center. uh pond restoration project. Uh

[10:03] if you remember that's at Saiyan. Uh that money was already approved. Half uh

[10:08] is from the grant and half comes from us.

[10:11] Uh one-year extension for emergency repairs for WPC.

[10:17] Um prof service professional service

[10:22] agreement uh transferred from uh one person to another one company to another

[10:26] rather. uh our various uh rental and cancellation uh refunds of events and uh

[10:33] tax overp payments. Um an exciting one is the uh municipal building furniture.

[10:39] Uh the deis uh that's just one gets us one step closer. And um I'll leave it

[10:45] there and if my council colleagues uh I know Ricky you were in the agenda

[10:50] meeting. If you have any thing to add to uh our consent agenda items and then

[10:55] Councilman Caribella can follow up. >> I'm just u glad to be partnering with

[10:59] Unity uh to improve the services and outcomes for the uh victims and

[11:07] survivors of domestic violence.

[11:13] I'll just mention briefly um on the on the consent agenda the council president

[11:17] um and you mentioned that you know uh establishing the ongoing shared

[11:21] agreement shared services agreement with Robinsville that you know our

[11:25] cooperative relationship with our neighboring um municipality. I'd love to

[11:28] see that. Um and then also

[11:33] I I had one question for Kathy. Kathy, regarding the um the uh CA7 the contract

[11:41] with Kevin Downs Tree Service, this is this is all part of the work that we're

[11:47] doing. I know that part of it's funded by a grant. Council President mentioned

[11:50] that part of it funded by capital dollars, but this is just not only are

[11:54] we fixing the pond, but we're also taking down I guess removing trees and

[11:58] putting in trees. How what can you give me? part of a whole plan that they've

[12:02] done to for restoration, but most of it is the restoration of the pond itself,

[12:06] which is a very specific type of work. Um, and so we've gone out to bid for

[12:13] this to get the best that we can for that, but it also needs to be uniquely

[12:18] qualified companies and individuals that we end up choosing. And this one is. And

[12:24] so we're really looking forward to we've been waiting to kind of kick off this

[12:28] project because it's a big one >> and uh but it'll be beautiful when it's

[12:32] all done. >> Excellent. Okay, that was all

[12:41] » any other questions or comments from council on the consent agenda items. So

[12:46] at this time uh we will take people from the audience that wish to speak and

[12:50] remember this is only on the consent agenda items uh on the agenda. Uh if you

[12:55] would like to speak please raise your hand. We'll call you up. You'll have

[12:58] four minutes to speak and um please remember this is at this time it's not

[13:02] public comment. This is only on consent agenda items.

[13:06] [snorts] Yes sir. When you come up, please state

[13:10] your name uh and uh what town you live in for the record. And you have four

[13:16] minutes. >> Sure. Kevin, Hamilton Township.

[13:18] » Um I have a question regarding CA142633. The $102,000

[13:24] $12,6121 we're spending on a podium and deas

[13:29] furniture for the new council chambers. What are we getting for $102,000?

[13:36] » That's a maximum that we're allowing to be spent. And that's for the furniture

[13:39] for the new council chambers. >> I mean, $102,000 worth of furniture

[13:45] sounds like an awful lot of furniture for a day. I

[13:47] » it >> I I know we're excited about the new

[13:49] building and the new chambers and everything, but that just seems I mean,

[13:52] I've never bought Deis furniture or podium.

[13:55] » I haven't I haven't either, so I can't say whether it's a lot or not a lot.

[13:58] » Uh CA14 uh 333. It ju it just seems like a a a really really significantly high

[14:06] number for for deis furniture in a podium. Um I know we're excited about

[14:11] the new building. Um but this kind of feels like you know we're we're just

[14:16] spending a lot of money and we feel like you know we we want some nice new stuff.

[14:20] So we're we're maybe just approving some some really big numbers for some maybe

[14:26] not so necessary things. And uh I think the council should probably take a

[14:31] closer look at that because that seems very excessive.

[14:34] » Thank you.

[14:38] » Understood. >> Anyone else? Sir, come on up.

[14:43] [laughter]

[14:45] » Just your name and what town you live in for the record, please.

[14:48] » Uh Andy Casmer Hamilton. >> Thank you.

[14:50] » I would just like to follow up with this gentleman. What are we doing with the

[14:54] furniture we already have here? I mean, that's going to get transferred over to

[14:58] the new building, I would assume. >> Yeah, that and the wallpaper we're going

[15:00] to take to the Smithsonian. [laughter] >> Well, all the chairs you're sitting in,

[15:04] and that was a very smart answer that you just gave. I hate to say that to

[15:08] you, but all the things that are here aren't going to just get thrown out. I

[15:12] would assume. I would think you're taking some of this. I just wanted to

[15:17] know what's happening with everything that's here. We talk every meeting about

[15:21] the furniture in here and the wallpaper. That's why it's it's a joke to everybody

[15:25] that comes to every meeting because we talk about the wallpaper that's been up

[15:28] for so long. Wasn't taking a shot or being a wise guy.

[15:31] » It sounded like it. >> Okay. Well, I wasn't.

[15:33] » Thank you. >> Welcome.

[15:37] [laughter] >> Hello. Um, I'm kind of new to Hamilton,

[15:41] so I just want to introduce myself. My name is Ma Honey. I live on Sundance.

[15:46] » Yeah, somebody recording the meeting. Did we get permission to do so?

[15:50] » I'm sorry. >> Yeah, you're not. We have there's uh

[15:52] rules. You're not just allowed to record any meeting. You have to put a written

[15:56] re response in. >> You have to put a written request in for

[16:00] that prior to the meeting. Thank you. >> I'm sorry. Your name again?

[16:05] » Esma Elhouni. Yes. So, I wanted to introduce myself. I'm sorry. I have not

[16:09] been in meetings in the past. Um I've been pulled by a lot of ICE activity.

[16:14] So, it's been keeping me away from actually coming to the meetings. Um but

[16:17] I also have a question in related to the same topic. Uh I just wanted to know how

[16:21] you came up with this number 102,000. So if you could please answer that for the

[16:26] public as well. >> Okay.

[16:28] » So there's so there's going to be a dis built uh similar to this. It's custom

[16:34] for the room. Uh so there it's it's a relatively high expense item because

[16:40] it's being built custom for that room. Um and then the entire room needs to be

[16:46] filled with furniture. Uh it's going to cover all the furniture in that room.

[16:50] It's going to be a larger room uh than this room to provide more comfort to the

[16:55] members of the public in the future uh who will hopefully continue to uh join

[17:00] us at our meetings. Uh there is a a breakdown. It's um there are flip top

[17:06] council dis tables. Each one of those units is a little bit

[17:11] under $8,000. There are 12 of those. Um there's uh council podiums, two of those

[17:19] like that. Um about 35 3,800 each. So right there, that gets you to $102,000.

[17:29] » And it's important to remember too that this is also shared with another

[17:34] governing body. So the board of ed is also you utilizing this room. So the

[17:39] room is going to be utilized almost all the time when the new building is open.

[17:44] So it's really outfitting that and it's it's the sound system that's within the

[17:49] deis as well. So that adds uh money to it as well. So you know it's uh

[17:55] construction prices have gone up in the last time I looked at them. But this is

[18:01] bid like everything else that we're required to do. So, this was the lowest

[18:05] responsive bid that we got for the outfitting of the day room.

[18:10] » Thank you. And Kathy, just uh in answering that uh gentleman's question

[18:15] um regarding the property that we have here,

[18:18] » some of it it will go over to the new building, but some of it will also be

[18:22] auctioned, I'm assuming. Right. for all of the files. Um, and in all of the

[18:27] offices here, we're taking all of the file cabinets um to move them to the new

[18:33] building. Other furniture is not being taken. It's old enough. We haven't

[18:38] replaced furniture in many years here knowing that we were going to have uh a

[18:45] new building at some point. And so we did not spend money on things like

[18:50] building upkeep and and um the furniture within. However, because we're a public

[18:56] entity, we're required to auction off anything that we don't use in the new

[19:02] building. So nothing will just be left here. We'll have to inventory it and um

[19:08] and then auction it off sometime after we vacate this building.

[19:12] » Thank you. >> Anybody else? Lisa, come on up.

[19:21] We're just going to take a timeout while they sign.

[19:31] » H. >> Yeah, they're just signing their names

[19:34] for the next part. Yeah, >> I have Lisa first.

[19:41] » Well, we're I called Lisa up. We're just waiting, giving everybody an opportunity

[19:45] to sign in and then we'll do the consent agenda.

[19:52] » It's okay. Yeah, we'll just give him a minute.

[20:06] [laughter] >> What is the sign in for?

[20:09] » The sign in is to to speak uh over here. The sign in is to speak during uh public

[20:14] comment which would be the open part of the meeting. This is about the consent

[20:18] agenda right now.

[20:22] [snorts]

[20:29] [laughter]

[20:32] » Are you there?

[21:06] All right, we're going to reconvene the meeting, Please.

[21:09] » Good evening. Williams Hamilton. >> It's okay. It's the same topic. They're

[21:14] probably bored by it by now. So, how many bids did we get on the the

[21:19] » Please give the speaker the attention. >> How many bids did we get for the Das

[21:23] furniture?

[21:27] » Do you know there was there was only one bid submitted.

[21:30] » So, we got the lowest of one. >> 15 prospective bid biders viewed the

[21:34] bid, but only one submitted a bid. actually submitted a bid.

[21:38] » So, we got the only bid. We don't know if there's a better deal because nobody

[21:41] else >> Well, there was 15 people viewed it, but

[21:43] only Sorry, Rick. Go ahead. >> Right. You only got one bid package. So,

[21:47] we said we got the lowest bidder. We got the only bidder. So, there might have

[21:52] been a cheaper person if somebody wanted to get involved and maybe if they could

[21:55] fix it. I just think there's been a lot of public unhappiness on social media

[22:00] about our tax bills. So, I think that we need to be very careful about every

[22:05] dollar we spend. And while this is being shared with the school district when

[22:09] there was that meeting at um the senior center in the beginning of the process,

[22:15] even the mayor said that the reason that we were building, the town was doing the

[22:20] building with the school district because the school district couldn't as

[22:24] easily do it. And it's all the same taxpayers. So all the same taxpayers, no

[22:28] matter how you slice this, are paying for every single thing and people are

[22:34] struggling. Our tax increases, whether you want to call it the municipal side,

[22:38] school district, or the county side, were high. The school district would not

[22:42] have gotten the authority to build the would not have passed a referendum to

[22:45] build the buildings primarily administration. Are we taking the TVs

[22:48] and electronics with us or are we auctioning all of that off too? I know

[22:53] this is just for this the furniture, but people need to be careful. There are

[22:56] people in this town struggling and they don't qualify for senior freeze because

[23:00] they're not 65 and they make significantly less than $172,000 cut off

[23:05] of a senior freeze applicant right now. >> So So the answer is yes. We are taking

[23:12] things like that, right? We have cameras and things that are are part of our our

[23:18] video systems and all of that. Those are coming with us. We're not replacing

[23:22] those and we're not auctioning those off. And in fact, some of the say the

[23:26] camera systems, some of those have been purchased recently, but we make sure

[23:30] they're portable so that we can just take them and bring them with us.

[23:33] Nothing here is done permanent anymore because we want to be able to bring it

[23:37] with us. >> Okay. Thank you.

[23:39] » So, there's only one bit. >> Yes,

[23:41] » there was one responsive bidder. That's correct.

[23:47] » Yes.

[23:51] [clears throat] >> Juliana Carella, Hamilton resident. same

[23:54] topic. Um, only because you mentioned the speakers. Is this also going to

[23:57] include potentially the live streaming, you know, capacity, whatever we were

[24:01] talking about last meeting? >> I don't know that I don't know the

[24:03] answer to that. That's an idea, but we can find out.

[24:06] » Okay, perfect. >> Right.

[24:11] » Were you raising your hands? Yeah. Oh, I'm sorry. Anybody else that would like

[24:16] to speak on the consent agenda items?

[24:22] Okay, seeing none, >> council president, seeing,

[24:27] sorry about that. Second, >> uh, seeing no members of no additional

[24:30] members of the public wishing to comment, I move that we close the public

[24:33] comment portion and move consent agenda items CA1 through CA18

[24:40] » through CA19, excuse me. >> I'll second that.

[24:43] » I have a motion, Mr. Carelli. >> Yes. Mr.

[24:45] » Yes. Mr. >> Yes.

[24:50] Ordinance 126-026 is an ordinance adding and amending

[24:54] supplementing the code of the county part three land use legislation chapter

[24:59] 550 land development article one section 550-8 detention centers caral facilities

[25:06] correctional facilities jails and prisons is the second reading of public

[25:10] hearing >> questions or comments from council

[25:14] » no uh we're expressly prohibiting uh these types of facilities with disorders

[25:18] ordinance >> agreed.

[25:21] Uh, you have anything to borrow? >> No. Questions or comments from the

[25:25] public on ordinance 126-026?

[25:30] [laughter]

[25:34] » Yep. Ordinance number one.

[25:38] Seeing none, can I Okay.

[25:45] » Hi. I want to say thank you so much for actually having an ordinance that would

[25:49] ban detention centers. >> Ma'am,

[25:51] » can you just state your name and what time?

[25:52] » Walk Charlene Walker. Thank you. >> And um I serve the city of Hamilton

[25:58] among other locations. Thank you. >> I'm the executive director of Faith in

[26:01] New Jersey. >> Thank you.

[26:03] » Um I want to applaud you for actually having an ordinance to ban detention

[26:08] centers, but I do would I would like you to strengthen it just a little bit.

[26:13] Okay. >> Can you please add in administrative

[26:15] offices um that support those detention centers because there is a widpread

[26:21] um thing that's happening where people are like well we can't build a detention

[26:26] center here but we can put an office here or or checkin and that is also part

[26:32] of the detention center pipeline. So repeat repeat your request

[26:35] » to add in any administrative offices >> that support

[26:39] » that support detention jail and deportation.

[26:44] » Uh would that be would that already be covered in the the uh legal terms

[26:50] » included in carc carceral activities? >> Not technically.

[26:56] » We're not interested in having those places.

[26:58] » To add again >> any offices that support those systems.

[27:03] So like Geog Group will open an office in this township and it would be for

[27:07] check-ins, it will be for processing, it will be for paperwork, it will be for a

[27:11] whole host of things and that also contributes to

[27:15] » relating to prisoners and check-ins and that type of thing. I would I would feel

[27:19] pretty confident that that would fall under uh carceral activities.

[27:27] » I'm going to have to look at that as a lawyer.

[27:31] not opposed to >> Yeah, I just I need to look more into it

[27:35] and see, you know, now that we have this,

[27:37] » we'll see where we go because, you know, if it just

[27:41] » I need to look into it more. >> Okay.

[27:43] » Please reach reach out. >> Yeah. All right.

[27:45] » Thank you.

[27:49] » Hi again. It's me. Um I also wanted to state uh we bought our first house here,

[27:54] so I'm actually going to stay here. I'm super super happy about that. So, I

[27:59] definitely want to make Hamilton as safe and great. And I also wanted to say I'm

[28:03] so happy to see this. This is makes me feel really like my heart is still warm

[28:07] by this. And I wanted to know as people who make sure that our immigrant

[28:12] community feel welcome here. If you'll also also add something in there to

[28:17] ensure that our police department aren't handing people over to ICE through our

[28:21] jail systems through detainers. So, if you don't know, I'll just explain this

[28:25] really quickly. I know that we see some confused faces. Um so basically in the

[28:29] constitution it says um innocent until proven guilty, right? There's something

[28:34] called due process that everyone is afforded. Correct? Everyone understands

[28:37] that part so far? >> So if you accuse me of a crime, so say

[28:41] you say I um assaulted someone and I get arrested simply by this accusation and I

[28:48] get arrested. I didn't see a judge yet. If you are an immigrant in the

[28:52] department in the municipality of Hamilton, the police department can hand

[28:57] you over to ICE. And so what I'm asking is just to make sure the constitution

[29:02] applies to everyone. And can you just ban detainers without judicial warrants?

[29:07] So judicial warrant says you have ICE, we're not going to hand you over like

[29:12] ICE has to have that person with a judicial warrant. But most of the

[29:16] detainers is just like I said, people get arrested. They're not they never see

[29:19] a judge. They're never found guilty and they're handed over to ICE. So, I would

[29:23] like to add um banning detainers without judicial warrants. So, if there's a

[29:28] judicial warrant, no problem. Hand them over to Ice. But if there isn't a

[29:31] judicial warrant for the safety of everyone, for equity, we um we hope that

[29:35] we can add that. So, I'd love to speak more with you all about that if that's

[29:39] okay as well. >> We could talk offline about that.

[29:42] » All right. Thank you. Is it okay if I just like hear any like

[29:45] opinions you guys have? And >> I have questions for our attorneys on

[29:49] that same topic. >> Wonderful. And may I hear um everyone's

[29:52] opinion just on the fact that immigrants are being handed over to um ICE uh

[29:58] without ever seeing a judge? Do you have an opinion on that? And without ever

[30:02] actually having been um found guilty of anything, just being accused.

[30:07] » So, we're going to stick to what we're doing here. Um, yes. So, this is a

[30:11] zoning law that we're and and part of our protocol is to stay on topic. So,

[30:17] we're we're talking about a zoning law. At the end of the meeting, if you want

[30:20] to come back up and and readress this issue, okay,

[30:24] » and we can talk about it more at that time.

[30:26] » Yeah. I was actually connecting it to the deta detention centers that you have

[30:30] here. >> Yeah.

[30:31] » So, yeah. >> Yeah. What what I think my question is,

[30:34] which will help you understand where I'm coming from, does that apply to this or

[30:40] would it need to be passed with something else, right? Is that because

[30:43] we are I know law enforcement in New Jersey already has orders from the

[30:48] governor's office on how this is going to happen and not happen. So would that

[30:54] would what is being requested apply to this ordinance or would it be

[31:00] something separately because I understand your purpose.

[31:04] » Totally understood. Totally respect that.

[31:06] » Yeah. >> However, does it go right? Are we trying

[31:09] to just shove it in with something else or does it have to be done separately or

[31:12] is that even our body of law? And I'll let you answer that.

[31:16] » So two things. It is governed by attorney general state. Am I on? Yes. It

[31:22] is governed by the attorney general of the state. So we can't we can't overstep

[31:27] what are the directives from from >> You can't hear me? Yeah.

[31:31] » I'm sorry. >> I mean that's really unusual that people

[31:34] can't hear me. [laughter] That's >> um so what I was saying is that it is

[31:40] it's governed by the state of New Jersey and the attorney general's office. There

[31:44] are directives coming straight down from that. So that's one question. Number

[31:48] two, it is not attached to this ordinance. Um, and it can't be part of

[31:52] this ordinance. We would have to do something. We would have to figure out

[31:57] » if we wanted to if if we could if there was a way to to to do something more.

[32:02] But I think it's actually uh it's

[32:08] » really controlled by the right at this time by the state government and and the

[32:12] directors of the attorney general's office.

[32:13] » Okay. >> If I may, thank you. So now I'll

[32:15] introduce myself as my actual position. My name is Esini and I'm uh a community

[32:20] organizer with Resistencia and Axion. So we do immigration work. We actually

[32:24] advocated for this law to pass. So we actually sat with people who passed it.

[32:28] And just wanting you which >> law this recent law that says that um

[32:33] police can't um you know work with ICE, right? And and other things like shared

[32:38] data, etc., etc., right? And so um actually the law states that the state

[32:43] law is the floor. In fact, if you look at the video where it passed, we have

[32:47] legislators who stood up on the floor and said, "This is the floor. We expect

[32:51] local municipalities to go above that to protect their community." So, we're

[32:54] asking you to do that. So, it's absolutely in your discretion to decide

[32:59] not to hand people over to ICE just because they're accused of something.

[33:03] So, basically, just for you to know, it's it's an administrative request. So,

[33:07] it's not a judicial warrant. So, that's why

[33:10] » No, I understand the difference between the administrative warrants and and the

[33:13] judicial warrants. Yes. So yeah, I I advise you to just watch the the video.

[33:16] I know a lot of lawyers aren't like haven't really looked into the law, but

[33:19] because this is what we do, our executive director is here. She can talk

[33:22] a little bit more about that. Uh but this is literally what we do. So that's

[33:26] why we studied this law. Faith and action with was with was with us as well

[33:30] to pass this law. We're happy about the law, but it's it's not strong enough.

[33:35] And as the legislator said, it's the floor because immigrants are still not

[33:39] being protected and they're still being Yeah.

[33:42] I I apologize, but what was your name? >> Asma Elhuni.

[33:45] » It's very nice to meet you. We'll be happy to talk to you. Uh right now,

[33:49] we're going to focus on this uh on this uh ordinance, which is about the actual

[33:55] facility. >> That process we can talk to you about,

[33:58] no problem. But let's focus on this getting this passed to ban the

[34:02] facilities or if it passes, I can't say which way everybody's going to vote, but

[34:07] um let's get this going and then let's have a conversation. um more than happy

[34:10] to sit and talk with you and hear what you have to say.

[34:13] » Thank you so much. >> Um but let's get this passed and and

[34:15] then move on to the next fight. >> I appreciate it. Thank you.

[34:17] » You're welcome. Thank you. >> Yes, it is.

[34:22] » Okay. >> Yes, ma'am. You are correct.

[34:29] Council

[34:32] President, seeing no further comments from the public on ordinance number

[34:35] 126-026, uh, which is on second reading, um, I

[34:40] look to move, uh, this ordinance, um, and bring it before our council body.

[34:45] » I'll second that. >> On the motion, Mr. Harvelli,

[34:49] » yes. >> I Mr. Pero,

[34:52] » yes. >> I must answer for you. [laughter]

[34:55] » 30 or 26 027. Sorry. Recommending the code of New Jersey

[35:02] legislation chapter 273 jewelry precious gems secondhand goods dealer section

[35:09] 273-6 dealer's responsibilities requirements and record keeping

[35:13] establishing a 10-day waiting period before we second reading of public

[35:16] hearing >> and madame uh attorney if you could just

[35:20] uh refresh my recollection this is uh establishing a waiting period to uh

[35:24] coincide with law uh to update our local ordinances correct

[35:27] » that's correct so what we were just this is just more of a cleanup than anything

[35:31] because our ordinance didn't actually state how many days you had to um hold

[35:37] the items. So this is just making it very clear in our state in our

[35:41] ordinances to match what is said in the state.

[35:46] » Perfect. Thank you. Any questions or comments from council?

[35:52] » Okay. Anybody that would like to comment on this ordinance only, 26028 number

[35:57] three, I'm sorry. Uh I apologize. 26027 number two. Uh if you would like to

[36:03] comment, please raise your hand. We'll call you up and you have your minute.

[36:07] Four minutes.

[36:12] President uh seeing no members of the public wishing to comment, I move that

[36:15] we close the public comment portion and move ordinance 226 26-027

[36:22] on second reading. >> I'll second.

[36:25] » Yes. >> Yes. Mr.

[36:27] » Yes. Order 326-28. An ordinance amending and supplementing

[36:32] the code of the town of town jury sector 485 traffic article 2 parking section

[36:38] 485-9 handicap is establishing a handicator

[36:50] questions or comments from the public on ordinance 3 uh 26028

[37:01] Council President, seeing no further comments from the public on this, I'd

[37:04] look to close the public close the public comment portion and move on

[37:08] ordinance 326-028. >> I'll second that.

[37:12] » Mr. Farell, >> yes.

[37:14] » Yes. Mr. >> Yes. 3 ordinance 42-029

[37:24] chapter 485 traffic 2 parking section 485-9

[37:29] parking prohibited at all times on certain streets establishing no parking

[37:33] zones on Randle Avenue and the Avenue. So, ordinance 3 was uh establishing a

[37:40] handicap parking spot and the difference here is ordinance 4 26029

[37:45] is establishing no parking zones on two specific areas. Um, questions or

[37:50] comments from council on ordinance port. >> Oh, do you know why we need no parking

[37:57] zones on these streets?

[38:02] » This where the school is. Yeah. Oh, this is where we were talking about doing a

[38:06] oneway. >> No, no, no, no,

[38:08] » no. That's Kickstart. This this is this is a school. It's creating problems

[38:12] where people are parking. >> Okay, got it.

[38:17] » Questions or comments from the public on ordinance 4 uh 26029.

[38:26] [snorts] Seeing none,

[38:27] » council president. See no members of the public wishing to comment, I'll move uh

[38:32] ordinance 426-029

[38:36] on second reading. >> I'll second that.

[38:39] » Mr. Carav. >> Yes.

[38:40] » Yes. Mr. >> Yes.

[38:43] Ordinance 526 ordinance authorizing

[38:47] property designated as 21102 located in the town of Fountain County

[38:54] and Mercer state of New Jersey. >> Alless do you want to go ahead? You have

[39:00] anything on this? Well, the the one thing that I would say is uh the

[39:04] township owns dozens of very small parcels of property uh throughout uh the

[39:11] township. It creates a an added burden on public works to have to maintain

[39:16] these properties. We have an opportunity uh to sell this particular parcel very

[39:22] small uh less than a tenth of an acre uh to the neighboring property owner. uh

[39:29] that'll get it off of our books so they'll put it back on the tax rolls and

[39:34] um and be less work for >> and it'll be au it's going to be

[39:37] auctioned so it won't just be given to one person they'll have the opportunity

[39:41] uh equal opportunity to purchase it >> anyone else and we according to the

[39:46] statute we have to get the fair basically what it's worth the fair

[39:49] market value so the lowest bid is that number so we're not giving away the

[39:53] property for less than what it's worth 26,000 assumed

[39:59] what's the number? >> Yeah.

[40:00] » Yeah. So much uh much like it was brought up uh with the excess uh

[40:04] furniture or material we just did uh the excess mulch those things those items go

[40:09] up for auction. This is done with a similar way. So similar to how stuff

[40:12] will be done here uh that property is going to be auctioned off the same way.

[40:17] Alyssa, um, is there, and I should know this, but I I forget, is do the

[40:23] neighbors, uh, get notified? Is it something where they'll get a specific

[40:28] notification that goes out to them? And, um, but it's an auction for anyone who

[40:33] is wishes >> this spec there's different statutes

[40:37] depending on the type of property that's being sold.

[40:40] » Okay. >> In this situation, the property is not a

[40:44] buildable buildable lot, right? we have no public use for it. And so there's a

[40:48] specific subsection in the statute that pro that dictates how this how we can do

[40:53] the auction and to whom we can auction the property to. In this specific type

[40:56] of situation, since it's less than a buildable lot, um there are neighbors on

[41:01] either side. It only can be auctioned and we have no public use for it. We can

[41:06] only be auctioned to the two neighbors on either side. It turns out we actually

[41:10] own a piece of property behind, but we're not going to bid on our own

[41:13] property, obviously. >> Okay. Um, so it's there's three

[41:16] contiguous property owners, two neighbors that are separate entities

[41:21] plus us. So we're not bidding. So those those two and they have a choice whether

[41:27] » they're the only two that can bid on this.

[41:28] » Correct. And and and they're not forced to bid on it if they don't want to

[41:31] » want to. Okay. Makes sense. Rick, you have anything? Okay. Uh,

[41:38] anyone wishing to comment on ordinance 526030?

[41:45] Second reading and public hearing. >> Council President, seeing no further

[41:49] comments from the public, I'd look to close the public comment portion and

[41:52] move on ordinance 526-030 on second reading.

[41:56] » I'll second that. >> On motion, Mr. Parelli,

[41:59] » yes. >> I

[42:05] Okay. So, just to give an explanation, I know we have a lot of um newer people to

[42:09] the meeting. Uh at this time, this is uh public comment. So, you're more than

[42:14] welcome to talk about something on the agenda or you can come here with an

[42:18] issue that you had if whatever it may be. Um, during this time, uh, we ask to

[42:26] everybody be respectful to one another, right? Whoever has the floor has the

[42:31] floor. Don't shout, don't belittle them, show them the same respect we give

[42:36] everybody else, including that we want for ourselves. Um, they get four

[42:41] minutes. Everybody here is going to get four minutes. If you don't want your

[42:44] four minutes, then you don't have to take a full four minutes. You can say,

[42:47] "I'm done." Uh, after we go through the whole list the first time, if you want

[42:51] to come back up a second time, you can come back up for additional 2 minutes to

[42:54] talk about the same thing or you can bring up something new, whatever it is

[42:58] you want to talk about. Everybody good? So, we're going to go through the list.

[43:03] We have a lot of people signed up. I apologize if I screw up names. Some of

[43:09] the handwriting is not as clear as I would like it to be.

[43:16] So, uh I mean I am going to do my best. I will get everybody up here and uh we

[43:21] try to keep the same order the second time, but if we go out of order, we just

[43:26] try to make sure, like I said, give your neighbor the same respect that you asked

[43:30] for and everything works out okay. We're not always going to get alone. We're not

[43:35] always going to agree, but we need you to come here because we don't hear

[43:38] things unless you tell us. >> Fair.

[43:42] » All right. Now, my eyes are not 20 years old anymore. They're almost 50. So, I'm

[43:47] going to try and read some of this. >> You're a baby.

[43:50] » I'm going to try and read some of uh Reverend looks like um Eric.

[43:54] » Yes, sir. >> Sir, you are up first. You are first on

[43:57] the list. I apologize. I cannot read um your last name. If you could state your

[44:01] name. >> Absolutely, sir. And you don't have to

[44:02] state your address for the record. We don't ask that. We allow that privacy.

[44:06] But your town, if you from here, >> where I'm at,

[44:08] » that's okay. >> Uh my name is Reverend Eric Cusman. I

[44:11] serve as lead pastor of St. Bartholomew Lutheran Church on South Clinton Avenue.

[44:16] » Um I'm here to uh I'm representing a

[44:19] coalition of folks in a family right now over uh the failure of the Arrive

[44:24] Together program. Uh on July 27th there was a call of a crisis uh suicidal son

[44:33] which was met with police violence. >> Can you pause this time for one second?

[44:39] » If you see us Yeah. pause this time not the recording.

[44:41] » Sorry. >> If you see us looking down and not we're

[44:44] not being disrespectful. We're not not listening.

[44:47] » And take notes because there's a lot of speakers and it's very difficult to

[44:51] remember everybody what they say. So take notes. If you see us looking down,

[44:54] I promise we're not being >> No, that's that's fine. That's cool.

[44:56] » Just want to, like I said, we have a lot of new new faces and I don't want people

[45:00] thinking that we're not >> a lot of folks in this room are a part

[45:02] of that coalition also. So concerned community.

[45:04] » That's why I'm trying to be upfront and clear. I swear we're not playing games.

[45:08] We're literally thinking about >> I got you.

[45:09] » Thank you, sir. >> So you see me looking down. I have some

[45:11] notes and I'm going to read tomato tomato. You know, [laughter]

[45:15] » you can pull a chair up. >> You can continue, sir.

[45:19] » Yeah. So, I I I would assume that you all are familiar with the Arrive

[45:23] Together Act. Uh, if I'm correct, Hamilton Township was the pilot program

[45:28] which pairs a a police officer with a mental health professional in times of

[45:31] crisis. I'm highlighting the failure of this program in the township of

[45:36] Hamilton. Um, as we know, there's been a lot of issues

[45:42] with the failure of this just all around the state right now between Sebrooks

[45:46] and Patterson. And there was a grandmother in New Brunswick that was

[45:48] shot by police officers mental health crisis. Thank God this wasn't that.

[45:54] But um

[45:57] these incidents are highlighting the widespread failing of a system that

[46:02] relies on its militarized police force. Police have come in with aggression

[46:06] looking for perpetrators without having the proper training and care to help

[46:10] those in need. Uh, I'm going to highlight putting handcuffs on a

[46:15] 17-year-old that slit his wrist is not okay. That's technically illegal.

[46:21] They're supposed to treat the wound in a mental health crisis.

[46:25] Um, instead of deescalation, officers met a

[46:30] family on July 27th with aggression, left a five and 11year-old unattended

[46:35] while they arrested the rest of the family in the house, and charged them

[46:38] with an exuberant amount of charges. is that is ridiculous.

[46:42] I've seen house footage. I've seen cameras. The way your township's

[46:47] officers behaved was borderline racist because it was a Spanish family. There's

[46:51] comments and videos that I've heard. This is not okay. This is not who we

[46:56] are. I have a lot of respect for the township of Hamilton and the community

[46:59] here. A lot of my members in my in my my congregation are from the township of

[47:03] Hamilton and this family are members of my

[47:07] congregation. So, I'm not going anywhere. Okay. But

[47:15] let me just highlight the family called for help during a

[47:19] mental health crisis. And that's the main point, right? They deserved care,

[47:23] safety, and support. And ex and and instead they experienced force, arrest,

[47:29] separation, and further trauma. We are asking the council to use the

[47:34] authority it has now to stand with the family, pursue accountability, and

[47:39] change the systems that failed them. So, number one, we're requesting an

[47:43] independent investigation. We demand the council pass a resolution

[47:48] formally requesting an independent investigation by the Mercer County

[47:51] Prosecutor and where appropriate, the New Jersey attorney general and to the

[47:55] police response to this family. The investigation should examine the use of

[48:00] force, arrest, deescalation, treatment of family members, disability

[48:04] consideration, supervision, and compliance with law and policy. And we

[48:08] ask that findings be made public to the fullest extent allowed by the law.

[48:12] Number two, investigate what failed inside Hamilton. We demand that council

[48:18] examine Hamilton's systems and decisions surrounding that in this incident. How

[48:22] the family's calls for help were received and dispatched, what officers

[48:26] were told, what why police were sent, why deescalation was not attempted, what

[48:32] role supervisors played, and what happened after the family was arrested

[48:35] and separated from their son. I also want to remind you when they took

[48:39] the son finally to a hospital, they did not notify what hospital the child went

[48:44] to. >> That's not acceptable and I hope that's

[48:47] not acceptable with anybody here. Um,

[48:52] we demand the council pass a resolution supporting the family's call. Is that my

[48:58] time up? >> You finish finish the thought there?

[49:01] » Yes, >> please.

[49:02] » Um, we demand public reporting of at least three years of Hamilton mental

[49:06] health and disability related police encounters, including calls for

[49:09] assistance, arrest, use of force, injuries, complaints, crisis service

[49:13] referrals, repeat calls, and outcomes. >> You can come up for your additional two

[49:19] minutes. I want to get through everybody on the list.

[49:21] » Yeah. Yep. Absolutely. You're more than welcome.

[49:24] » Thank you.

[49:33] [applause]

[49:37] Next up is a minister and I do not want to uh butcher your name.

[49:42] » It's okay. >> Say say for the record and say it for my

[49:45] own knowledge. >> Hello everybody. My name is Minister

[49:47] Arane Janto. I come with the St. Balonian church in Trenton in solidarity

[49:54] with the Arkal family who were beat, mishandled,

[49:58] and had their constitutional rights violated by the Hamilton Police

[50:03] Department. Officer Atbury, Officer Hammond, Officer

[50:08] McCullen, Officer Kenna are all cowards for choosing to mishandle a family and

[50:18] for being unable to handle a mental health crisis when a

[50:24] son tries to kill himself. And all the officers in this police

[50:29] department who have not checked and who have not confronted their fellow

[50:33] officers are also cowards, too. More than likely, this behavior that we

[50:41] saw at Hamilton Police Department, it's been happening longer than this video

[50:45] came out.

[50:49] And we're not surprised that more than likely some of these officers are aiding

[50:53] and abetting ICE or violating other people's

[50:58] constitutional rights in town, especially in the border towns because

[51:02] in 2020 in 2016 when they released the use of force case, Hamilton Township

[51:08] Police Department was ranked higher than over 364 police departments in the state

[51:13] of New Jersey. That's excessive. And this video today is nothing new.

[51:19] Members of the council and mayor, it's a shame that you did not suspend

[51:24] the officers without pay. We don't know why somebody violates

[51:31] people's constitutional rights, handcuffs somebody trying to kill

[51:34] themselves and your response is absolutely nothing. Burying behind an

[51:39] attorney. Are you afraid of the police unions? Are they your friends? Remember,

[51:44] you are elected to represent the community and the community needs to

[51:48] know that their elected officials stands with them and not side with the police

[51:54] and those in power.

[51:59] To the members of the community, you do not have to tolerate any of this. If you

[52:03] feel that your rights and are vi being violated, you have a right to file a

[52:09] report. And I stand with the family in the community today to demand that all

[52:14] charges be dropped against a family that had their rights violated. That there be

[52:20] an independent investigation that you fire these officers. They do

[52:26] not need to be in this police department. We've seen it time after

[52:30] time and people have lost their lives in this same situation.

[52:35] and Officer Atbury, Officer Hammond, Officer Mullen, and Officer Kenna. They

[52:42] need to be fired. Thank you.

[52:46] [applause]

[52:54] » I'm going to call up next uh on the list number three, Chris and Anna Janello.

[52:59] [cough and clears throat]

[53:02] » As as stated, my name is Chris Janello. this and my wife Anna, we're the

[53:06] homeowners on uh 199 Applegate Drive. Since October 2025, my wife and I have

[53:12] endured an ongoing pattern of harassment, trespassing, stalking,

[53:16] vandalism, and intimidation from a group of juvenile individuals. Over the past

[53:20] 10 months, these individuals have come onto our property at least 18 times,

[53:25] often late at night, repeatedly banging on our door, stalking us, verbally

[53:30] harassing us, and damaging property. The incidents have continued to escalate,

[53:34] including one particular alarming event in which a large mortar firework was

[53:38] shot intentionally at our house. All right. Off a huge drive.

[53:44] Throughout this process, there has been little measurable progress made by the

[53:48] police department beyond the evidence that my wife and I have provided and

[53:51] gathered. We have personally provided 30 videos

[53:56] and pictures across eight police reports.

[54:02] » [snorts] >> In addition, we have what we believe is

[54:04] indisputable evidence um of a juvenile linked to events on

[54:10] January, March, and this past Sunday. We have p you would think it's the same

[54:15] exact picture. There three different incidents. We are informed by juvenile

[54:19] detectives that following that March incident, confessions had been obtained

[54:23] from several individuals. That same juvenile who continues to be involved

[54:27] today was connected to those events and should be identifiable either through

[54:32] those confessions or by the individuals who provided their confessions. This

[54:37] individual has also been linked to the a black pickup truck involved in the

[54:40] firework incident along with the eggings that happened all over George this past

[54:45] weekend. We were further told by the juvenile

[54:50] detectives, the juveniles who confessed in March were advised that if additional

[54:54] incidents occurred, they would be questioned again. Since the latest

[54:57] events this weekend, we have repeatedly asked that detectives follow through on

[55:01] that commitment. However, despite our request, we have only been informed that

[55:05] no meaningful progress has been made. I'd like to understand why this matter

[55:09] does not appear to be receiving the level of attention that it severity

[55:13] warrants. Why, after 10 months of documented incidents, identified

[55:17] suspects, video evidence, witness statements, and prior confessions, has

[55:21] there been so little progress made? Why is a family that has been repeatedly

[55:25] target left feeling as though we must investigate these matters on our own? My

[55:30] wife is currently 7 months pregnant and has been subjected to a tremendous

[55:33] amount of stress throughout this. We have invested thousands of dollars in

[55:38] security cameras and other protective measures, taken multiple days off from

[55:42] work to meet with law enforcement, provide evidence, and we spent count

[55:46] countless hours documenting and putting this all together.

[55:50] At this point, we're simply asking for accountability, followthrough, and

[55:53] protection. We deserve to feel safe in our own home. I'd appreciate an

[55:57] explanation of what actions have been done, what obstacles are in the way, and

[56:03] what are we going to do to resolve this. Thank you for your time. Any comment or

[56:07] we can talk offline is fine. >> Uh we will talk. However,

[56:11] » um we need to do some homework on that especially if

[56:16] the individuals are known and they're not

[56:22] 10 months police reports. >> Chris, is it is it just your home or

[56:26] it's multiple homes along? >> We are being targeted. They walk past

[56:30] every other house and come right to our door in mask. multiple kids banging on

[56:35] her door. She walks outside. She has four kids in mass with aggression on it.

[56:40] They're trying to take down our door. They're shooting fireworks at us.

[56:44] They're harassing us. We have videos of them driving by yelling at us. They're

[56:48] hiding in Sand Garden Parks telling me to come get them, going outside, and

[56:52] just seeing if there was any damage. >> For the record, we don't work in the

[56:56] school system. We have no relation to any of the high schools here. Um, we

[56:59] don't have kids yet and we would have no relation for why it would be targeted.

[57:03] » We have absolutely no idea why.

[57:07] » But I'll be talking with the chief tomorrow.

[57:12] » Do we They have your contact information obviously.

[57:14] » Oh, yeah. >> Okay.

[57:20] [laughter]

[57:25] » Next on the list looks like Charlene. Is Charlene, am I saying it wrong?

[57:32] » Did I finish writing that?

[57:39] » Um, once again, good afternoon. My name is Charlene Walker. I serve as executive

[57:43] director of Faith in New Jersey, the largest powerbuilding vehicle that is

[57:47] statewide for people of faith and share values. To build a beloved community, we

[57:52] have leaders that live right here in this beautiful community. one of our

[57:56] most powerful leaders you probably walk past in the grocery store that has four

[58:01] beautiful children and you don't realize how she shows up in the world as a

[58:07] powerful woman of God. Outside of being a mom, she organizes to end gun

[58:11] violence, serves as a coordinator to the food pantry, serving hundreds of

[58:16] families, and shows up for those that are being kidnapped in our streets.

[58:24] She may be the person that we that you walk past, but I want you to know my

[58:29] grandmother always told me that angels walk amongst us. And if Kristen isn't an

[58:34] angel, she's a reminder that divine dwells within all of us. So, you can

[58:39] imagine how our hearts across the state broke when we learned she had called for

[58:44] help when her baby was bleeding from the wrist. and her family

[58:50] and her scared child with developmental disabilities was met with force, with

[58:55] handcuffs, with arrest. And then her child was actually disappeared,

[59:01] not to be found. I can't imagine the terror that she

[59:05] felt. I can't imagine the terror that he felt or that he's feeling right now.

[59:10] He's been shoved into a juvenile detention center, an act of

[59:17] further harm by the state. I have a background in mental health and

[59:23] crisis response for people with intellectual and developmental

[59:25] disabilities. There's never a reason to meet crisis with force. There isn't.

[59:34] I've taken knives from 300 pound men that are 600 six foot something. There's

[59:40] no reason. I speak to a lot of councils

[59:45] that quickly will say, you know what, this might not be our responsibility.

[59:48] I'm not quite sure what we can do. We have the police chief. We have the mayor

[59:52] that has this position. But I want to remind you that you actually have a

[59:55] responsibility and there's some things you can actually do. So our demands

[59:58] actually are actionable steps that you can do as your in your body. One, the

[1:00:04] independent investigation. You can actually set one up. You can have a

[1:00:08] committee. It can look into actually what happened. That independent

[1:00:13] investigation by the Mercer County Prosecutor or the AG can be done. We can

[1:00:18] talk about deescalation, all the things that Reverend Eric and I will give you

[1:00:21] the list of demands that are thorough. You can investigate yourself what

[1:00:25] happened and what failed in Hamilton. I would like you to actually hold hearings

[1:00:31] to ask those officers what happened. Figure out look at that police cameras

[1:00:35] and everything and find out why deescalation was not there. You can

[1:00:40] stand with the family. You can say through a resolution that you support

[1:00:45] their call for actual charges to be dropped and for that son to be returned

[1:00:50] home. to be returned home with the behavioral care that he actually

[1:00:55] deserves, the educational needs being met, and any form of community- based

[1:00:59] supports. You I know you can't dismiss the charges

[1:01:03] personally, but you you can give this level of support.

[1:01:09] Also, I'd like for you to show us the data. We demand public recording

[1:01:14] reporting of at least the last three years of Hamilton mental health and

[1:01:19] disability related police encounters including calls for assistance, arrest,

[1:01:24] uses of force, injuries, complaints, crisis service, referrals, repeat calls,

[1:01:29] and outcomes. I asked for this because our last thing

[1:01:34] is that we believe that you need to build a nonp police path to care because

[1:01:39] according to the attorney general's use of force reporting for Hamilton Township

[1:01:44] this year of the 49 people that force has been used on 19 of them had mental

[1:01:50] health concerns. And of those 19 10 of them were arrested.

[1:01:56] » Wow. We passed the law to have a nonp police response in this state. It's

[1:02:04] possible and I know you can do it. >> So, please stand with Kristen and the

[1:02:09] rest of your community. Will you

[1:02:13] actually put together a motion to make these actions possible?

[1:02:19] » Thank you. Was there

[1:02:24] [applause]

[1:02:29] I'm not familiar with the case. Was there a complaint filed with the PDA?

[1:02:34] » I don't know about >> internal

[1:02:38] » I don't I don't know about but I believe something is within internal affairs.

[1:02:42] Yes. So I believe somebody did file a complaint with them. So that would still

[1:02:46] be under investigation I'm sure. But I think there was, you know, again, it

[1:02:52] hasn't been communicated to all of us um really very well at all. So, and maybe

[1:02:57] they're waiting for the investigation. I don't know. But

[1:03:00] » um I can ask questions. >> Okay. Thank you,

[1:03:05] [gasps] >> Jules.

[1:03:13] Feel like I should wait. [laughter] >> If you want to wait till the end, we can

[1:03:16] go out of order. >> Yeah, let's go out of order.

[1:03:19] » [laughter] >> I'm just here to talk about the shelter.

[1:03:26] [laughter]

[1:03:29] » Okay. I have a name that I apologize. Uh I cannot I cannot pronounce and I cannot

[1:03:34] understand the writing. Uh last name looks like P A D U

[1:03:40] M A R T H Y Parthy. Sir, if you can uh just give us the

[1:03:46] correct pronunciation so we can address you properly.

[1:03:49] » Absolutely, sir. Uh I'm Kyash. My first name is Kyash. My last name it is a

[1:03:55] little bit hard to pronounce it. >> Kyash. That's okay. Thank you.

[1:04:00] » Kash. [clears throat] Kash.

[1:04:02] » Kash. Yep. Thank you. >> Uh pleasures.

[1:04:06] » Yeah. Um we live in the new community here. The new community is called as a

[1:04:11] chapel bridge community here. >> Okay. and um uh it's a new community and

[1:04:15] they have elected me over there and I'm an elected so-called member on that on

[1:04:20] that committee. Can >> you uh I just want to interrupt if you

[1:04:23] just move the microphone right now so >> sure hear you a little better.

[1:04:26] » So here are some of the concerns what we would like to address. Bring it to your

[1:04:30] the notice of the council here sir. I'll read them.

[1:04:32] » Uh please excuse me for my language. Uh >> it's okay just just take your time and

[1:04:37] if you have questions it's okay. >> Sure. Um the Chapel Bridge community

[1:04:42] concerns the property taxes the property taxes are too high. All the residents

[1:04:47] are complaining that we are not receiving Hamilton city services

[1:04:51] proportionately to the taxes that we are paying as a community. We need reduction

[1:04:56] of a property taxes. Regarding the property taxes, the tax

[1:05:00] assessment is too high as we are in a new construction. That's the first

[1:05:06] concern what we are having. The second concern is a little bit more

[1:05:10] serious that is a speed breakers. We are having children, toddlers,

[1:05:15] elderly citizen walking on the streets. The traffic from Hamilton Avenue and the

[1:05:21] W Avenue, they are bypassing because there are three traffic signals and

[1:05:25] they're very very sluggish. >> We need speed breakers installed on the

[1:05:30] roads of Misty Meadow Lane. We are just >> What What road are you asking for the

[1:05:35] speed bump? Misty Meadow Lane. >> What? Which one?

[1:05:40] » The Chapel Bridge Community. >> Right. I know.

[1:05:42] » Misty Meadow Lane >> off word.

[1:05:45] » Okay. [clears throat] >> I know. Sure, sir. Thank you. Um the

[1:05:48] speed breakers installed on the roads of the Mystery Me lane. We are just one

[1:05:53] step closer to a mishap and a very serious accident. I have seen and I

[1:05:58] warned the traffic coming in there and then they're showing very obnoxious

[1:06:01] symbols there. And when I'm asking to slow down and they're showing very very

[1:06:05] bad, >> children are playing all around there.

[1:06:07] Sir, just wanted to let you >> I just want to make sure I understand

[1:06:10] the street ward. You said ward >> the ward Ward Avenue and Hamilton

[1:06:16] » they are just a cross-section and it is a bypass over there just like Hamilton

[1:06:20] Avenue is the new one.

[1:06:24] » Um uh the third one is a road and winter

[1:06:28] services. We as a chapel bridge community did not

[1:06:32] receive proper winter services during the hard winter what we had there are

[1:06:38] pregnant women there are toddlers out there and they did not receive proper um

[1:06:43] treatment of the winter services so there was no plow over there on the

[1:06:46] culdeac and that's a bigger problem what we had

[1:06:51] » no that's a secondary street >> the road wasn't plowed

[1:06:55] » uh not the road but the the the snow was not been plowed

[1:06:59] » right >> the Snow was not plowed.

[1:07:00] » Plowed and there was there was a a thick ice over there and there are some

[1:07:04] pregnant women toddlers on that. Did notice a proper services on that.

[1:07:08] » So I know that at least missing meadow that's a secondary road. So especially

[1:07:14] we had a pretty rough winter as well. So um we do all of our work first on the

[1:07:21] main arteries. Then we do roads around the schools and other public buildings

[1:07:26] to get them open as quickly as possible. and then they start on the secondary

[1:07:31] road. So, they may never have gotten to that in a timely manner or whatever or

[1:07:36] even been able to get to some of them, especially if it's a culde-sac and all

[1:07:40] of that. But, I'm sure that the main road ward and even at the other end on

[1:07:45] Hamilton Avenue when that comes through over there, those get cleared. But, you

[1:07:49] know, it's it's really tough, especially with the backtoback snowstorms that we

[1:07:53] ended up having and it was some significant snow. So

[1:07:57] » sure. Thank you very much. Z and the zero degree weather those that string at

[1:08:01] zero degree days it made it hard >> kept it all

[1:08:05] » and the next thing is that regarding the sweepers if there are any sweepers

[1:08:09] coming around just once in a while >> I am warning and I'm taking my

[1:08:14] responsibility to to tell uh and to remind every resident that as a as a as

[1:08:20] a responsible citizens that we should not throw the plastic debris etc even

[1:08:25] after the cleaning and try to do our due diligence and putting it into the bins

[1:08:29] though I do not want all this debris to clog our waterways and that's a very big

[1:08:34] serious issue as an engineer I know that one how hard it is and the fourth last

[1:08:40] one is there what I'm having right now consensus regarding the schools

[1:08:44] we are no less than in the New Jersey is the top rated school district in the

[1:08:48] world in in in the US as well uh next to Princeton uh the residents are expecting

[1:08:55] the house the school ratings to go higher Yeah, for that um we are we are

[1:09:01] requesting uh the schools and also the teachers there are a little bit of

[1:09:05] concerns like a high zine etc. Uh and uh we wanted to have uh the schools to be

[1:09:11] at a higher rating as well. That is one of the concerns what they bringing it up

[1:09:15] here. >> Thank you. Thank you

[1:09:19] » so kind of you sir. Thank you very much and for entertaining.

[1:09:28] » Uh, looks like Cristiano Lewis.

[1:09:40] » Hello, my name is Cristiana. She they pronouns. I'm here for the community in

[1:09:44] Trenton. In 2020, I lived in North Trenton for the better part of the year.

[1:09:48] During that time, my house was raided by police due to a false claim placed to my

[1:09:52] roommate. First, I noted that they asked for identification for everyone in the

[1:09:56] household besides myself being the only white person there. Then, I witnessed

[1:10:00] Trenton police officers arrest my roommate unjustly, use excessive force

[1:10:04] against her by pulling her hair, sorry, using excessive force against her sister

[1:10:09] by pulling her hair, and then arresting her. Almost a month later, a detective

[1:10:14] with Torrenton police reached out to me for an interview. What I didn't know was

[1:10:17] that until I gave my statement, my roommate was being held in jail for over

[1:10:21] a month. Until a white woman gave her testimony, she would not be released.

[1:10:28] Sorry. >> Okay, take your time.

[1:10:31] » That is that is just one example of corruption Mercer County and police

[1:10:35] departments as a whole perpetuate across this country. We need deep

[1:10:39] investigations gone into the police force. We need excessive deescalation

[1:10:43] training. And if that doesn't work, we need to fire the violent and incompetent

[1:10:47] officers. Our community shouldn't fear beatings and deaths due to police bias.

[1:10:53] If you are actively trying to protect your township and serve the serve the

[1:10:57] public as a public servant, the people will remember that. I would also like to

[1:11:02] say if you fear being recorded in public in a public funded building by the

[1:11:07] public I sorry [laughter] if you I'll say that again. I'd also like to say if

[1:11:12] you fear being recorded in the public building by the public funded, you

[1:11:16] cannot claim to serve the public. Do better for our people. Thank you.

[1:11:21] [applause]

[1:11:29] » Next up, Kia Henderson.

[1:11:33] [clears throat]

[1:11:41] Hello. Uh, my name is Kia Henderson. Um, I am two years now in this community. I

[1:11:48] just wanted to come up and kind of clarify some of the things that my

[1:11:50] neighbor said. A few of us are here. We found out about the council meeting. So,

[1:11:54] we said, "Let's come out and see." Um, we are a brand new community. Some of us

[1:11:58] have been here longer, but there are 44 homes there. And being 44 homes now,

[1:12:04] everybody is starting to gather and have community and talk to each other, which

[1:12:09] is great. But we're also experiencing some other issues, too, that we'd like

[1:12:13] to address. One of them being the taxes there. You know, as we look, it seems

[1:12:18] that our community may be paying the highest taxes in Hamilton. We know we're

[1:12:22] a brand new community. We know it's new construction and how that goes, but we

[1:12:25] really like someone to take a look, a hard look at what we're paying for our

[1:12:29] taxes there and how that's allocated. Um, second, the highest allocation on

[1:12:34] most of the taxes is for the schools, right? Which we agree with, right? We

[1:12:37] want our schools, we want schools for kids. However, the zoning for uh Misty

[1:12:42] Meadow Lane. So, there's Misty Meadow Lane, there's Ward, and there's

[1:12:45] Fletcher. And we're in between. There's a few houses on Ward and Fletcher on

[1:12:49] Fletcher. The main houses are all on Misty Meadow. It's not a culde-sac. It

[1:12:53] does go through. So when he was asking about the speed bumps and things like

[1:12:57] that is because they come right off a ward and they swing right around on

[1:13:00] Fletcher and they go out, right? But more importantly, our kids, the schools

[1:13:05] that our kids attend and the hard times we're having um originally, uh I was one

[1:13:10] of the newer residents, so my daughter was put in school and then they said

[1:13:16] when I went they said everyone goes to anybody can go to any school. And I

[1:13:19] said, "Well, how is that? because you want your kids to kind of have a

[1:13:21] community and be in the schools and um I think it was Dr. Adabello at the time,

[1:13:26] he's not here anymore. Is there someone new said they could go anywhere? And we

[1:13:30] just want to understand what that is like. Why do they go anywhere? Why are

[1:13:33] they pushed anywhere? Why do some kids go to Greenwood, some kids go to Kruzer,

[1:13:37] some kids go to uh Mercerville? They're they're all over the place. And we just

[1:13:42] kind of want to understand that and be able to zone them, especially because

[1:13:45] the majority of our taxes are going for the schools, right? And then lastly,

[1:13:49] when he was speaking about um we just felt like we were kind of forgotten

[1:13:54] because we were new as far as the weather and stuff because even after and

[1:13:58] we're talking about weeks after everything else was clear, we still

[1:14:01] weren't. You know, there was ice. We couldn't get through. It was really

[1:14:04] hard. The kids were having a hard time. Um and if the kids do go to Greenwood,

[1:14:09] there's no bus because of where we are. They have to walk through that. There's

[1:14:12] no sidewalk on board for them to walk to. So, it's kind of dangerous for them.

[1:14:17] So, those are I just wanted to kind of clarify. I was going to pass once he

[1:14:20] came up, but I just wanted to give a bigger picture of the large community

[1:14:24] that we have, what we're facing, and kind of what we're asking for.

[1:14:27] » Okay. Don't don't go anywhere. Um, so her um request for

[1:14:34] um can that go to public works, please, to make sure uh with the sne Look,

[1:14:39] nobody wants summer to be over, but it's coming. So, uh, let's get make sure that

[1:14:44] that's an area that is not forgotten. Number one, uh, her other comment, um,

[1:14:50] Miss Henderson, you brought up, uh, taxes.

[1:14:54] » Yes. >> Um,

[1:14:56] if she would like to file a tax appeal or anybody else in the audience, uh, is

[1:14:59] that process online or who does she speak to? Can you put that out?

[1:15:04] » You can find something online from the tax assessor's office.

[1:15:08] » Okay. However, for 26, right, the tax rate is done, right?

[1:15:14] » So, my suggestion would be you wait in January, you get a um a postcard

[1:15:21] » from the tax assessor's office that indicates what your assessed value is

[1:15:25] and what your taxes at the current rate would end up being. And then you have a

[1:15:32] time period of uh until April 1st, right, to file an appeal if

[1:15:37] [clears throat] you'd like to file an appeal for to get that assessment

[1:15:40] reduced. >> Okay. So, I think the big surprise for

[1:15:43] us is that we moved in with one thing and now those taxes have exponentially

[1:15:47] increased about $6 to $8,000 for some of us

[1:15:50] » and and that's why I brought up the possibility of an appeal. So, uh you can

[1:15:54] maybe check online for that. >> Get some information. This way in

[1:15:57] January when you get that card, you're prepared to move forward on that.

[1:16:00] Perfect. >> And I would really encourage too talking

[1:16:02] with our tax assessor even before the card, the the postcard and all of that

[1:16:07] because he can be really good at looking at it, you know, seeing if there's

[1:16:12] anything that's a miss or that doesn't look right and and very often being able

[1:16:16] to explain why things were done a certain way and that type of thing.

[1:16:20] » So, they have to be a a one-on-one because we have a a group. We have a a

[1:16:24] community chat that all of the residents are in and it seems to be the most

[1:16:28] common thing that all of us are complaining about. So, is that a can

[1:16:32] that be a group thing? It's not just me. >> Absolutely. Can be a group thing. Okay.

[1:16:35] » Fine. Yes. >> Perfect.

[1:16:37] » And finally, uh you brought up about the schools. That's something you would have

[1:16:40] to address directly with the school system. We we stay in our lane when it

[1:16:44] comes to that. That is uh a school district question and I'm not going to

[1:16:48] attempt to even come up with how they came up with that formula. Are there

[1:16:52] schoolboard meetings that's posted? Mainly we came today for like

[1:16:55] information because we don't know all of us are brand new. So are there school

[1:16:58] board meetings? >> They they are on their website.

[1:17:01] » Okay. >> Uh I know we've been talking about the

[1:17:03] new furniture and the big move to the new building. We'll be sharing the

[1:17:06] building. So those will be posted all there and all the meetings will be held

[1:17:09] there, right? >> But for the time being, uh they are

[1:17:12] posted on their website. You can check their website out and uh feel free to

[1:17:16] attend those meetings. You also could call their office and maybe set up an

[1:17:20] appointment for a one-on-one conversation, maybe they can give you an

[1:17:23] explanation or if some of your neighbors wanted to join you, maybe you could do

[1:17:26] that, too. >> Great. All right, perfect. Thank you.

[1:17:28] » Any other questions? Just come back. >> No, that's it. Thank you.

[1:17:30] » You're welcome. [applause]

[1:17:34] » Is it Victoria McCann? >> Victoria McCann.

[1:17:42] » It's definitely Victoria. Maybe I'm saying the last name wrong. Victoria.

[1:17:47] Okay. >> Yeah,

[1:17:49] » we'll circle her if she comes back. Uh, Margarita was also here. Uh, Ellen,

[1:17:54] Ellen Coyote, come on up.

[1:18:01] » You know the drill. Uh, you have your four minutes and please state your name

[1:18:05] and the town you live in for the record. >> Ellen Coyote Hamilton.

[1:18:09] » Yes, ma'am. I just have one question, but I'd like to preface it with thanking

[1:18:12] you for the work done to do the major cleanup and putting up the four no

[1:18:16] dumping signs. Um, but after the last meeting I attended on April 21st and

[1:18:21] their gas gas lighting present day present presenting after about two

[1:18:26] weeks, number seven hit me with her water hose over the fence separating our

[1:18:30] properties. And I know it wasn't an accident. She knew I was there and I

[1:18:33] just said two can play at that game and she's like, "Sorry," and they both left

[1:18:36] the back area. Um, there's just other things I'm done tolerating. All I've

[1:18:42] asked them to do was not allow hunters back there with rifles, which they

[1:18:46] allowed over a decade ago, and no dumping. And I put up with them letting

[1:18:52] their dogs run at large, pooping and defecating all over the place. Going

[1:18:56] through when I my recently tred driveway, um hanging plants on my fence,

[1:19:02] all mowing down my pack of sandra, tearing up my ivy with with throwing the

[1:19:07] ball from their yard to my yard with the other with the these dogs they had. And

[1:19:11] I put up with all of it because I try to be friends with everybody and get along.

[1:19:15] But it's gotten to So my question is, uh, so yeah, they they let people back

[1:19:21] there with rifles and I regularly walk walk those with with other people, too.

[1:19:24] And I said, "No." And I I disabled the the deer stand and messed around some of

[1:19:29] the the the cornbait. So, as I wrote an email to um Katherine and the CC, the

[1:19:38] president and Fred from zoning and the public works director, um since I

[1:19:43] haven't got any response, I was just wondering why haven't the Hamilton

[1:19:47] residents who have continued to illegally dump be held accountable and

[1:19:51] made to stop. The woods are continuing to be damaged as they continually every

[1:19:56] week for years, like decades. And even this is a sign web. They keep illegally

[1:20:01] dumping these grass clippings and the two trees. I did more research and

[1:20:05] according to like the department of environmental protection throwing these

[1:20:09] and I sent you photos around 6:00 dumping these grass clippings around the

[1:20:13] base of these trees. That's why one of those two trees fell down. And it it's

[1:20:18] it's uh what's the word? Endangering other

[1:20:22] trees in the area. Plus, they went back there and dug up some dirt for their

[1:20:25] crop through their garden and exposed tree roots of trees in endangering them.

[1:20:30] And I asked if I could fix that. So, I just want to know what's going on and

[1:20:34] how we make these people stop.

[1:20:40] » Ma'am, it's my understanding that the um everything was cleaned up. Is that not

[1:20:43] the case? >> So, we have been out there a number of

[1:20:46] times and thank you for recognizing that they did go out and and do a cleanup.

[1:20:51] And so, look, I I'm sure that it continues to happen as you say, right?

[1:20:56] They're they may be dumping things back there, the grass clippings. That seems

[1:21:00] to be most of what they they continue to dump. Um, it's hard to figure out

[1:21:05] exactly who's doing it. I know that you may know, but, you know, it's hard for

[1:21:09] us to know that, but when I got your photos tonight, we didn't get them till

[1:21:13] about 6:00 tonight. So, I've already spoken to Director Dumont. He's going to

[1:21:18] direct uh his crew to go out tomorrow to check it out and see what's there and

[1:21:24] even to talk to a few folks out there just to find out if they're dumping and

[1:21:29] they continue to dump and if so then we'll we'll take care of it. We'll deal

[1:21:34] with it then. >> Thank you. I I I I think the

[1:21:37] circumstantial evidence is overwhelming. I've he dumps I have a video of him

[1:21:41] dumping his bag of grass into the recycling bucket, but but he waits hours

[1:21:45] to dump it in the back so he won't be caught. Nobody else is dumping there.

[1:21:49] There's just them. And um something I'm sorry,

[1:21:54] » but I do think that right the the property as a whole out there is in much

[1:21:59] much better shape than when we started talking, you at least a year and a half,

[1:22:03] maybe longer ago. So, you know, it's working that we're going out and trying

[1:22:07] to keeping it clean. We don't want to have to do that on a regular basis. Some

[1:22:11] of them do help us, right, by keeping the perimeters, which is township

[1:22:16] property, not theirs, keeping that >> shouldn't give them a license to

[1:22:21] illegally dump in the back, >> but there it seems like that they may be

[1:22:24] taking some liberties with some of their other things, too. So, we're trying to

[1:22:28] get a hold of that. It's very difficult because we can't be there 247. But

[1:22:32] again, you you know that we respond when when you reach out to us the best that

[1:22:37] we can and have folks go out and and clean it up if it warrants it. And you

[1:22:42] know, I'm hoping that this time if we go out and we kind of have some chats with

[1:22:46] some of the neighbors that that stops and gets them to stop or we get them to

[1:22:52] say that they've done it and then we can take some action there, too. Okay.

[1:23:03] I'm sorry. >> Does that answer your question or do you

[1:23:07] have more questions?

[1:23:11] » I'm I'm just trying to think [clears throat]

[1:23:16] straight. Um,

[1:23:22] oh, one at one one of the meetings, past meetings, a former worker from public

[1:23:27] works said they had cameras. What? Can you could you just put a camera up and

[1:23:31] do it if they don't admit to it? The other two dumpers admitted they dumped.

[1:23:35] » Yeah, I don't know. I don't have any knowledge of anyone that admitted to it,

[1:23:39] but I I take your word for it. This has been going on for a while.

[1:23:42] » I have body cam police body cam video. Well, that's that's good that you can

[1:23:46] have that. But again, let us go out again tomorrow. Let's see what happens.

[1:23:50] I'll touch base with you again after they go out there tomorrow and I get a

[1:23:54] report back. >> Oh, yeah. And the parks guy who went out

[1:23:57] said there was no eagle dumping. He didn't go into the woods and he passed

[1:24:00] mounds. They calling me big mounds or small hills of decades of dumping. So,

[1:24:05] it's just being looked. I think they have connections somewhere or something

[1:24:09] and I just I don't have not at least with the folks that I've been dealing

[1:24:13] with. So, and again, this has happened a lot a long for a long time and we've had

[1:24:18] we've had different pe folks out there many different times. So, you know, I

[1:24:23] can't say that that hasn't happened, but recently I know that we've been keeping

[1:24:27] on top of it as best we can. So, let's see what happens tomorrow and I will

[1:24:32] reach out to you again tomorrow afternoon. Okay. And if you want to

[1:24:34] still talk after this meeting, I'm fine with that.

[1:24:36] » Okay. Thank you very much. >> All right, Alan.

[1:24:38] » Thanks, Alan.

[1:24:49] Aserna. Is that Am I pronouncing that correctly? Last name is El Huni.

[1:24:56] » Oh, I apologize. >> Did I say it? Was I close?

[1:24:59] » Uh, it's Asma. >> Asma. Yeah.

[1:25:02] » Oh, okay. It look like an R. I apologize.

[1:25:04] » No problem. It's my handwriting as well. >> That's okay. I'm fixing it on mine so I

[1:25:08] know how to direct it. >> Okay. Thank you so much. I I also want

[1:25:11] to start off with you guys have quite a lot on your hands. Like I would not want

[1:25:17] to be in your seats right now, but that's why you're

[1:25:19] » You haven't gotten to the animal shelter yet.

[1:25:22] [laughter] >> Okay.

[1:25:27] » Oh boy. Um

[1:25:30] » we're we're here. Look, we we took the job to help and that's what we're here

[1:25:34] to listen. So you can go ahead and >> Yeah. I was going to say you're you're

[1:25:39] leaders and um it takes a leader to really listen to the community and

[1:25:44] really hear our concerns. And so um there's a lot of emotion today. There's

[1:25:48] a lot of um anger. So I thank you for being patient with us as we're sharing

[1:25:53] our grievances uh with you. And so I want to start off with um we believe

[1:25:59] that the action taken by the Hamilton Police Department on July 27th brought

[1:26:05] violence into our community in Hamilton.

[1:26:10] I cried watching the video. And before I go further, I just actually want to

[1:26:14] speak to the family, the Aros family and her mom and the mom and the family. And

[1:26:20] I just want to say I am sorry. I don't want to look at you to expose you, but I

[1:26:25] know you're in this room and I just want to say I am sorry for what you and your

[1:26:29] family experienced that day, not only on that day, but what you continue to face

[1:26:35] today as a consequence of that particular day, July 27th. So, um, as a

[1:26:41] Hamilton resident, I want you to know this is not what we as Hamilton will

[1:26:46] accept from law enforcement and we will demand accountability on your behalf.

[1:26:54] Um, I implore every single one of you today as city council to do everything

[1:26:59] in your power to hold our police department accountable, including

[1:27:03] ensuring that any calls that are related to mental health be addressed by mental

[1:27:08] health professionals and that our police department should make it absolutely

[1:27:13] clear that this kind of behavior is not acceptable from fellow law enforcement

[1:27:18] officers. And every law enforcement officer officer should try to distance

[1:27:23] themselves from accepting such behavior. As a responsible resident of Hamilton's,

[1:27:31] I try to do my homework about this topic and this is what I don't understand. Um,

[1:27:37] the New Jersey Attorney General's use of force policy so that the police

[1:27:42] department has to follow. It literally says section 2.6 6 says, "Officers

[1:27:48] should generally not use force immediately when encountering

[1:27:53] non-compliance with verbal directions." End quote. It further goes on, "Before

[1:27:58] using force, whenever feasible, officers are supposed to provide clear

[1:28:02] instructions and warnings and attempt to determine whether the person has a

[1:28:07] special need, mental condition, physical limitations, developmental disabilities,

[1:28:13] or language barrier. And then section 2.7 spec specifically addresses people

[1:28:21] in behavioral or mental health crisis. Um it says officers should consider

[1:28:26] conditions including mental health, developmental disabilities and age that

[1:28:30] affect a person's ability to communicate or comply. Um so now I'm asking Hamilton

[1:28:37] where was 2.6 that day? Where was 2.7? Where was the deescalation?

[1:28:44] Hamilton also participates in arrive program. It was one of the first two in

[1:28:49] Mercer County along with Euing. Um so we ask for an alternative response to

[1:28:57] reduce the instances of violence and escalation. We uh are asking for

[1:29:02] accountability on the um for the police department and

[1:29:08] we ask that we just be better and by actually making what the family is

[1:29:13] currently going through, they are still the son is currently in jail now because

[1:29:17] of this last incident. So we have yet to make the wrongs right. So not only did

[1:29:22] we make a mistake that day, but we continue to make a mistake by not

[1:29:27] correcting our wrongs. So, I ask that we be better. Hold the police department

[1:29:31] accountable. Look at the uh video cameras. I know there's probably going

[1:29:34] to be some court around this, but look at the body cameras so you could see

[1:29:38] what happened. And we don't want this to happen to any other resident.

[1:29:41] » We're not going to have access to that stuff while the investigation is open.

[1:29:44] So, we have to let that take its course. We can't see that until the

[1:29:48] investigation is done. >> Okay.

[1:29:49] » Also, just for the record, you don't have to record the meetings. If you want

[1:29:53] to record the meeting, you just could submit uh a request and then you are

[1:29:57] allowed to. But all our meetings are recorded and posted online. So you don't

[1:30:01] have to have the camera in between chairs where we can't see it or can see

[1:30:04] it. It's okay. All the meetings are recorded. We're not worried about being

[1:30:09] recorded. You just submit the request and then you can record any meeting you

[1:30:12] want, but you can keep the cameras down. Everything is recorded. It's all audio

[1:30:17] and video recorded. Just for the record, ma'am.

[1:30:23] Thank you. I would just like to um address the one concern about the

[1:30:28] independent investigation that was mentioned several times. When incidents

[1:30:32] like this happen, IA takes over. IIA starts their investigation. Part of what

[1:30:38] they have to do is submit to the prosecutor's office of Mercer County. I

[1:30:42] have confirmed that it has been submitted to the prosecutor's office.

[1:30:46] Um, that is all the information that I will know because I am a civilian, but I

[1:30:52] can state for the record and I did get permission to state that um that that

[1:30:56] that this incident has been both reported both from uh Hamilton Township

[1:31:01] IIIA and it has been also uh been submitted to the Mercer County

[1:31:06] Prosecutor's Office. >> And what about those police officers

[1:31:09] during this time? Are they still out on duties?

[1:31:12] » Ma'am, I I don't know the influence. I don't even know which officers that they

[1:31:16] are. So, I can't >> They were named earlier.

[1:31:18] » I heard that they were named earlier, but without me having had that to go to

[1:31:22] see what their status is. I can't answer that for you right now. Um, all I can I

[1:31:28] can't only thing I know that I can address at this actual moment is the

[1:31:32] fact that that this incident that happened July 27th has been submitted to

[1:31:38] the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office. So I did want to make sure that that was

[1:31:42] clear um so that everyone was aware that things have happened even it's on the

[1:31:46] back end u things have been moving um and that that aspect has been taken care

[1:31:51] of. So I did just want to make that clear.

[1:31:52] » And is there any way uh is it in your purview or powers to also figure out um

[1:31:58] her son is still uh arrested because of this last incident. Is there a way to

[1:32:03] look into that and to drop all charges that the family is facing instead of

[1:32:06] getting help? They're being attacked. Unfortunately, that that's not something

[1:32:10] that we can do from this end. Um, that would be something that would happen

[1:32:14] because I'm assuming that there would have been crim that they were criminal

[1:32:17] charges. And so, that would be something between I don't know what charges they

[1:32:22] were. I don't know if they're municipal charges or if they're um indictable

[1:32:25] charges. So, a superior court. That would be between his attorneys and

[1:32:29] either the prosecutor's office either at the municipal court or the Mercy County

[1:32:33] prosecutor's office and the judge involved. We as the attorneys for the uh

[1:32:38] municipality have no jurisdiction, we have no standing to enter into um that

[1:32:45] type of of uh of a case to be heard on that matter. So we are not allowed to be

[1:32:50] heard by a judge to have any type of any anything to do with that.

[1:32:54] » I see. So my understanding is that when a municipality puts charges on someone,

[1:32:59] » it's not it's not to interrupt you, it's not the municipality. So the officers do

[1:33:03] it, but it's on behalf of the state. So and so even though so there's different

[1:33:08] aspects, there's different people. And then the way that these court

[1:33:11] proceedings work, yes, we represent the municipality as a whole. We represent um

[1:33:17] the the township, we represent those that work within the township. And so if

[1:33:22] something comes out of the IIA investigation, then the township does

[1:33:25] what we need to do on that as far as administratively. But when it comes to

[1:33:29] these types of criminal charges, we are not involved in that. That is between

[1:33:33] the state of New Jersey and the individual that has been charged. So

[1:33:37] that is something that has to be taken care of in a criminal court which would

[1:33:41] be in the superior court or a quasi criminal court which would be the

[1:33:44] municipal court. But we as the civilian municip uh municipal township attorneys

[1:33:50] have nothing to do with that nor can we inter get be involved in that case.

[1:33:54] » Okay. But with all due respect, um I I I don't understand how you just told me

[1:34:00] within the sentences that you just said that you have power over those agencies

[1:34:05] like you are basically their supervisors, right? No. And so it

[1:34:09] » No, no, I never said I was anyone's supervisor. I said we represent them. So

[1:34:13] we represent Okay. >> in court. We

[1:34:15] » You represent us. Is there any way for you to tell the people that put charges

[1:34:20] on this family that they shouldn't your your police department should not be

[1:34:24] putting charges on family members who have a mental ill health?

[1:34:27] » We are over the four minutes. We will bring you back up for obviously for your

[1:34:32] for your two minutes. >> Um but the I I do know that some of the

[1:34:36] words right powerful words that people said tonight was they wanted it

[1:34:40] investigated. >> It's being investigated

[1:34:42] » and accountability and the prosecutor is doing it right. So let the process that

[1:34:48] was asked for is happening. I understand um that the family's loved one is

[1:34:54] incarcerated and that's a separate issue that again the at their attorney should

[1:34:58] be working on right. I would assume that their attorney is working on that. Um

[1:35:03] but the process is in place. Let's let that process work. We can't interfere

[1:35:08] with that process. We can look at it afterwards, but while that process is

[1:35:13] happening, this body cannot interfere with that investigation.

[1:35:19] » Okay. Thank you. [clears throat] >> Um, next up on the list, David Nicholas.

[1:35:38] Good afternoon, council members. My name is David Nicholas. Hi, sir.

[1:35:42] » Can uh quick question. Is my attorney allowed to speak on uh before me?

[1:35:48] » Well, you get four minutes and he gets four minutes. So, you can both speak

[1:35:52] » our order. So, I I can >> Yeah, I want to give him my go for him.

[1:35:57] » Okay. >> The batting order is up to you.

[1:35:59] [laughter] >> Thank you guys. Um, so Kenneth Laauo

[1:36:03] from War, New Jersey, you know, about an hour and a half north of here

[1:36:07] representing uh David Nicholas and Prolific Growhouse. So, long story

[1:36:12] short, we just want to, you know, bring a little bit of attention to the council

[1:36:17] regarding uh my client and his company's multi-year efforts to try to move

[1:36:24] forward with uh opening a cannabis dispensary.

[1:36:27] » I'm sorry, what company? >> Prolific Growhouse. Okay. Um, I mean,

[1:36:32] PIC has been in contact with the town since 2021 and, uh, you know, at this

[1:36:37] point has invested well over $150,000 into this project. Uh but you know we've

[1:36:45] come to a point where essentially we're not sure what our next step can be

[1:36:51] because um effectively you know and we'll present a

[1:36:57] list of dozens and dozens of contact points we've had over the last two or

[1:37:00] three years. But the current situation is that we are locked into a long-term

[1:37:05] lease for opening a dispensary by the Wawwa. And

[1:37:10] » excuse me. Which >> Wawa?

[1:37:12] » Uh, >> is that that's a That was a trick

[1:37:14] question, right? >> I don't look down here. So, I don't know

[1:37:17] where all the >> You can answer.

[1:37:20] » It's on uh 691 Route 130. Thank you. >> Yeah.

[1:37:24] » Yeah. So, uh, dear B caviian, but the the issue

[1:37:30] here is that we've been working with Fred and the town to try to understand

[1:37:36] what the objections are because we only entered into this. We basically we

[1:37:42] entered into the lease and signed it and grabbed it from uh the previous landlord

[1:37:47] um under you know some strict ulti ultimatum and with you know a $40,000

[1:37:52] deposit at risk on the premise that we got a zoning letter in 2024 that said

[1:37:57] that the the location was zoned for cannabis and had some preliminary

[1:38:01] meetings that were promising. Uh, and you know, given the fact that David is

[1:38:07] from Hamilton and has built one of the more successful cannabis businesses in

[1:38:11] New Jersey, um, he's been, you know, looking to bring his business to

[1:38:16] Hamilton and hire local workers and, you know, uh, has a successful track record

[1:38:22] in the state already. So the what we're looking for here is basically

[1:38:29] you know a way to understand what we can do to work with the town

[1:38:34] more to try to realize some return on this investment or alternatively to at

[1:38:40] least have something to give the landlord for why his uh location is not

[1:38:45] being permitted to move forward for a use because the only

[1:38:50] rejection if reason for rejection we've gotten so far is [clears throat] that,

[1:38:55] you know, um the town has told us that they don't

[1:39:00] believe there's enough parking spots in that center, but we've gotten a traffic

[1:39:05] study and presented it to the town to show that there should be enough spot

[1:39:10] parking spots in the shopping center. and you know raised the question of if a

[1:39:18] dispensary where you know you have three workers there and people going in there

[1:39:23] for 10 minutes at a time and coming out is a use that can't be permitted based

[1:39:29] on the parking in the center. What would be permitted? Right? Because the

[1:39:32] landlord's question is now like if this is being rejected for parking and we're

[1:39:36] not even going to be given the opportunity to go before the planning

[1:39:39] board to uh work out whether or not there's something we can do, what's

[1:39:44] possible for that for that center and that empty storefront that's been

[1:39:49] sitting empty for over a year now. So I'm I am not we're going to let you come

[1:39:53] up. I'm not familiar with uh the reasons uh why it has not been approved. You

[1:39:58] have to allow us the opportunity to ask those questions and we will um I would

[1:40:04] definitely like to hear your client. I like to hear uh we like local success

[1:40:09] stories so we like Hamilton residents doing good things. So I want to hear

[1:40:13] what he has to say and uh we'll gather as much information as we can go back to

[1:40:17] our professionals and try to get some answers. But this is the first we're

[1:40:21] hearing about it. So if uh Mr. Nichols could come up that would be great.

[1:40:24] » Thank you very much. Yeah, because we were told that you would go to your own

[1:40:27] professionals on the on the parking issue, but then we've, you know,

[1:40:31] followed up over the last six months and never got an official

[1:40:34] » under understood this is just the first we're hearing of it. So, just allow us

[1:40:37] to gather some information and get some answers.

[1:40:40] » Okay. And uh you know, if I can uh provide

[1:40:44] » bring them up. Yeah, bring them up. You can give them to the clerk. She'll give

[1:40:46] them to us. This is uh just a write up that we prepared in terms of uh you know

[1:40:51] the efforts that we made to contact the town as well as some letters of support

[1:40:56] that uh and a petition online does support giving David a chance.

[1:41:01] » Okay. Uh did you want to take one? I know you're interested in that. So

[1:41:07] » sir, the floor is yours. >> What high school did you go to?

[1:41:10] » Pleasure everybody. Um >> sir, what high school did you go to in

[1:41:13] Hamilton? >> I went to Notre Dame High School

[1:41:15] actually. I went to OS um in on East State um but I'm a Notre Dame graduate.

[1:41:21] » Okay, congratulations. [laughter] >> You would have said West.

[1:41:26] » No, we used to meet them in football. >> Yeah, we know [laughter]

[1:41:30] winners around here. Um but yeah, pleasure to meet everyone. Uh my name is

[1:41:35] David Nicholas. Um I'm 28 years old. Um I'm a local. Uh as I mentioned, I

[1:41:42] graduated from uh Notre Dame High School. Um, I've been holding on to this

[1:41:46] property for about two years now. Uh, if you guys haven't heard about my company,

[1:41:52] um, Governor Murphy actually came by our facility uh, about a year and a half

[1:41:56] ago. Um, I am a success story of this area. Um, I was granted the first social

[1:42:02] equity license in New Jersey to cultivate. I actually came to Hamilton

[1:42:07] first in 2021 trying to bring my business here to bring my story to light

[1:42:12] in Hamilton, but I was shut down um then in 2021.

[1:42:17] 2024 uh came around. I found this new

[1:42:20] property and on located on 691 um US30. Um, I spoke to uh the landlord, had to

[1:42:28] put down a hefty uh deposit which came out of um some funding that I got and

[1:42:34] I'm still 100% owner of my company. Um you know, with the funding that we had

[1:42:40] um you know, I started off with nothing. Uh I had to build that from ground zero.

[1:42:45] Um we've turned around success and with our business that we have right now

[1:42:50] located um in Hamilton, I've been draining money. Um, you know,

[1:42:55] I'm feeding over 20 families now that also live in Hamilton currently that

[1:43:00] work for my cultivation in Mount Holly. Um, I want to bring more economic

[1:43:05] opportunity to to the fellows uh residents that that are from this town.

[1:43:11] I've heard uh plenty of cases back here of those that are dealing with ICE.

[1:43:15] That's another issue that I had to deal within my company with some of the

[1:43:19] Hamilton residents that work for me. this has affected like my business as a

[1:43:25] whole. Um, you know, from the ICE situation to now me dealing with being

[1:43:30] in a hole um in Hamilton from me not being able to operate. I haven't brought

[1:43:35] any trouble to the state. I don't plan on bringing any trouble. Actually plan

[1:43:39] on bringing the Haitian community together, which is where I'm from. Um, I

[1:43:44] think everyone does deserve a chance to at least voice themselves. Um, you know,

[1:43:49] you guys can see the stories online about me, about my company, about all

[1:43:53] the good that we've done in New Jersey. I just want you guys to please just put

[1:44:00] yourselves in my shoes. You know, a young black man coming from this this

[1:44:06] township doing something successful with himself, being able to be the first

[1:44:10] person in his family to graduate college,

[1:44:14] do something bigger than anybody has ever thought. I'm the first millionaire

[1:44:18] in my family. I want to keep this going. I don't want

[1:44:22] this to be a one-stop road. I want to be able to keep providing these jobs and

[1:44:28] opportunities, like I said, to those that look like me that have been through

[1:44:33] my struggle. I've also been arrested for this plant. And, you know, I'm trying to

[1:44:38] do something positive and something that's actually, you know, beneficial

[1:44:42] that's going to help everyone in in this township. Um, I'm going to end it with

[1:44:48] this. I just want a fair opportunity. Um, I

[1:44:53] gave you guys the um petition that was signed off by 52 different um people

[1:44:59] from all across that are shoppers in Hamilton that come to the Hamilton

[1:45:04] marketplace to shop. Once again, I'm just asking for a fair

[1:45:09] opportunity. >> Thank you. Are you sticking around, sir?

[1:45:14] Mr. Nichols, are you sticking around after the meeting?

[1:45:18] » Yes. >> All right. Talk to you then. Thank you.

[1:45:22] [applause]

[1:45:28] » I also have Davidson Pierre uh from Prolific Dispensary.

[1:45:33] » You're floor sir.

[1:45:43] » [clears throat] >> Pleasure, sir.

[1:45:44] » Okay. Um, good evening, council members. My name is Davidson Pierre. I'm also a,

[1:45:49] you know, member of Hamilton Township. Um, pretty hard act to follow after what

[1:45:54] he just said. But, uh, I second that, but I'm also, you know, I see what

[1:46:00] happens in a lot of the townships and certain people and certain business

[1:46:04] demographics get treated a little bit different. And I feel like, you know, we

[1:46:08] have an opportunity here to uh do something a little different, make

[1:46:12] history probably or just in a sense of opening doors for different

[1:46:18] opportunities within our own communities. So, um like I said, I'm

[1:46:23] here on behalf of Prolific Grow House and I also second what he said and I

[1:46:28] believe that um this is an opportunity for us to make a change and as we can

[1:46:33] see, it's happening all over. It's not just here in Hamilton, New Jersey. It's

[1:46:38] not just here in our community. Whether we like it or not, it's something that's

[1:46:42] going to be around. So, I think that it's something that can, if done

[1:46:46] correctly, could move forward hand with the community and the businesses to move

[1:46:51] forward. That's all I have to say. Have a good night.

[1:46:53] » Thank you. >> Thank you.

[1:46:55] [applause]

[1:46:57] » Is it Carsonir Paul?

[1:47:03] Okay. that >> we're going to circle we're going to

[1:47:06] circle him in case he comes back. We'll get to go at the end.

[1:47:11] » Sorry, my eyes are going. Uh Natalie Perez.

[1:47:19] » Are you also with Prolific? >> Yes.

[1:47:21] » Okay, thank you. >> Good evening. My name is Natalie Perez.

[1:47:25] » Um I'm here as a Hamilton community member and I'm here to express my

[1:47:29] support for Prolific House. Um, I worked closely with David for the last three

[1:47:34] years. He's an exceptional person. His whole mission is to empower his

[1:47:40] community and make it better. Um, I've seen him go through unreasonable like

[1:47:46] too many delays with your township. And I want you guys to really listen to him

[1:47:50] and give him the opportunity because he's bringing something very powerful

[1:47:53] and it's also going to empower your community that's made of immigrants.

[1:47:56] It's a lot of immigrants in here and they don't feel heard. They don't feel

[1:47:59] cared for. They don't feel protected. So bringing someone like him to set the

[1:48:03] example for your community is what you really need to do.

[1:48:06] » Thank you. Thank you. Thanks for coming.

[1:48:12] » All right, we're through the front page of the list.

[1:48:14] » Alicia, is Alicia still here? Also from Misty

[1:48:19] Meadow, >> come on up, please.

[1:48:22] » Good evening, everyone. Good evening, council. I guess this is just more so an

[1:48:26] introduction. My name is Elisia Kalist. um joined with by my neighbors who spoke

[1:48:31] prior, so I won't take up too much of your time, but just wanted to get on the

[1:48:35] record that we're here. We're a community and we we want to continue to

[1:48:38] voice our concerns until they're heard and and addressed and you'll be seeing

[1:48:42] more of us. >> We appreciate you coming. Thank you.

[1:48:49] » All right, we're through the list of people that signed up to speak for the

[1:48:52] first time. Before we go into the second time for everybody to come up,

[1:48:59] What? >> No, she forfeited her thumb. [laughter]

[1:49:05] » Is there anyone else that would like to be heard for the first time?

[1:49:09] [laughter] >> Anybody?

[1:49:13] » You'll go next. >> I mean, can go first.

[1:49:18] » Wait.

[1:49:21] » Thank you.

[1:49:25] » Okay. I'm here to talk about the shelter. Um, so first I want to talk

[1:49:29] about my volunteer application because I still do not have a clear answer about

[1:49:34] why it's being held or when it will be reconsidered. Uh, Chris, the public

[1:49:38] health officer, told me via email that per the mayor's conversation with me, it

[1:49:42] would not be considered at this time. Sorry. But in my one-on-one meeting with

[1:49:48] the mayor, he gave me a much more specific explanation and he told me that

[1:49:52] the issue was my social media. So, and that the shelter employees didn't like

[1:49:57] me or my social media posts and there was distrust around having me volunteer

[1:50:01] there because of my social media. Um, I did not record that meeting, which you

[1:50:07] know, I told him I wouldn't, but like things like this are what makes me

[1:50:10] regret not doing that because I hear one thing in person and then when I ask for

[1:50:13] written explanations, I hear something completely different. Um, so I really

[1:50:17] like clarification on that. Is it denied? Is it being hel or held? Who's

[1:50:23] making that decision? And are there actual written criteria for rejecting or

[1:50:27] holding a volunteers's application? Um because if it is just my social media

[1:50:32] and my public criticism and commentary, like I think that's concerning. Um and

[1:50:38] if it is just being held, when will it be reconsidered? So if there is a

[1:50:43] legitimate qualification or safety or conduct based reason that I do not meet

[1:50:48] the standards for volunteering, I want to know what that is.

[1:50:51] I also want to return to Merlin. He's clearly no longer at the shelter. He's

[1:50:56] thriving in his foster home, but that does not make the underlying questions

[1:51:00] irrelevant. This entire situation raised serious questions about how dogs are

[1:51:04] evaluated, coded, and ultimately handled. In my meeting with the mayor,

[1:51:09] he told me that Laura, the current trainer, will likely change Merlin's

[1:51:12] color code to blue or yellow, but the facility that actually evaluated him

[1:51:17] coded him as green. And this was by Laura's standards. And I can't find

[1:51:22] anything in that report that objectively supports him being blue or yellow. I

[1:51:26] even put it into AI trying to get it to like prove me wrong and it couldn't. So

[1:51:30] if Merlin did stay, what would Laura and the shelter have colorcoded him and why

[1:51:36] and what would support that classification?

[1:51:39] I think this matters because this entire situation began with decisions made

[1:51:43] under Laura. And if the township would override an outside evaluator's green

[1:51:48] classification that was following Laura's written criteria, I think us

[1:51:52] residents deserve to understand the objective basis as we're doing that. And

[1:51:57] my last thing I wanted to bring up was at the last meeting we asked, do you

[1:52:01] believe that the neutral third party assessment was independent? And I know

[1:52:04] you were instructed not to answer that during the last meeting.

[1:52:08] And a lot of you hadn't seen it at the time, but I'm hoping you did and could

[1:52:13] give an answer now.

[1:52:17] » So, I have questions in Victoria answer our question.

[1:52:21] Um my question is um as far as the application process for

[1:52:27] volunteers um

[1:52:31] we had met with um the health department uh Councilman Whan and I with the mayor

[1:52:39] um for transparency to everybody so everybody understands how it works. Uh

[1:52:42] we as a council um we are not allowed to meet more than two of us at a time. that

[1:52:48] would be deemed a violation of Open Public Meetings Act. So, we can't go and

[1:52:53] sit together and talk about things as a group because that's not fair, right?

[1:52:58] It's not legal. It's not transparent. So, uh myself and Councilman Wellan uh

[1:53:03] did go meet with the health department to start working on some of these

[1:53:07] issues, start getting some answers because we had questions about how

[1:53:10] things worked. uh during that meeting. Um one thing and um I see somebody else

[1:53:17] who put an application in uh that I would like to speak to you uh after the

[1:53:20] meeting also. >> Um

[1:53:24] we had asked how do people know that you got their application?

[1:53:29] » Mhm. >> If there's no bounceback message, right?

[1:53:32] How do we know it was received? So, uh has that process began that they're now

[1:53:38] getting a bounceback message if they submit an application? first question. I

[1:53:42] have more questions. So, >> yes. So, the the short answer is is yes.

[1:53:46] » Okay. >> So,

[1:53:48] » okay. Uh next have uh I know that we were getting a uh volunteer and these

[1:53:53] are all easy questions. I just I want to put it on the record.

[1:53:57] » Um

[1:54:00] » the coordinator. Thank you. Appreciate that. Yes,

[1:54:02] » that's why we're a team. Um the coordinator was hired. the coordinator

[1:54:08] uh all the applications were told we were told that it was put on hold

[1:54:13] because we didn't have a val a volunteer coordinator. We have a volunteer

[1:54:17] coordinator. >> We got our choice of who we wanted.

[1:54:22] » Has that process began? >> Yes, it has begun. And she did as we

[1:54:27] expected. She hit the ground running. Um I believe at current count there were 72

[1:54:34] open applications that she faced and all 72 have been addressed and are in some

[1:54:42] type of process whether they aren't interested anymore or they are

[1:54:46] interested. Um she's set up I have to get this right because I wrote it down

[1:54:51] just to make sure. Sorry. >> That's okay. So all while you're looking

[1:54:55] for I'll ask another question. Um, so we save time. Uh, the people that didn't

[1:55:01] get a response when they first submitted their application before this new

[1:55:04] system, right, tells you that you got the that was received. Have those people

[1:55:08] all those people at least been contacted? So that we now know we don't

[1:55:12] have people sitting waiting in the abyss.

[1:55:14] » Yes, they've all been contacted. Those are part of the of the 72. And so of the

[1:55:20] 72 applications that were addressed um that she's uh conducted three

[1:55:26] orientation sessions, three different ones where she signs up various um

[1:55:31] volunteers that want to come and from that from the 72 so far that have gone

[1:55:38] through um not all of them have gone through the orientation. We've gotten 13

[1:55:44] solid volunteers from the orientation session and then six additional

[1:55:49] volunteers went through the dog handling skills

[1:55:52] training and she's going to conduct three more orientation sessions

[1:55:59] and two more dog handling skills sessions by the end of this month. So,

[1:56:04] it's a very aggressive schedule, I think, to get the those that are

[1:56:09] interested, you know, trained and in the door and ready to start on on their

[1:56:15] volunteer efforts. >> Okay.

[1:56:17] » So, and the the automated system is just a like an email kickback first when you

[1:56:22] first do it. >> Um recognizing that and um but then that

[1:56:28] it's all addressed after that. They're keeping track and doing a tracking

[1:56:32] system on the on the application to make sure.

[1:56:34] » That sounds great because this is what we asked for. So, um, now to answer her

[1:56:39] questions. Um, >> why is it on hold?

[1:56:42] » Yeah, her application is currently on hold.

[1:56:45] » So, I and again, I wasn't privy to your conversation with the mayor, but from

[1:56:49] what I understand, the mayor's directive went to uh Chris Hellwig, and that's how

[1:56:55] he responded to you. It is on hold. It will be reconsidered at some point and I

[1:57:01] think uh from your meeting with the mayor and from what I understood I

[1:57:05] thought you also agreed that >> no I did not agree

[1:57:10] » that there's a trust issue there may be a trust issue and so this might not be

[1:57:15] the good timing yet for you to start volunteering and I think that's how it

[1:57:20] was put but again I wasn't there so if I'm saying something that's not accurate

[1:57:24] you can please >> I mean yeah he said it was distrust

[1:57:27] because of my social media and because of my social media posts which I'm sure

[1:57:31] many of us have seen are criticizing you know the management of the shelter but

[1:57:36] every dog that I've posted except one has been adopted. Every cat I've posted

[1:57:41] except one has been adopted. I've had new all I I would like honestly take

[1:57:45] credit for most of those volunteer applications and I think a lot of the

[1:57:50] attention that they're getting is because of me. So although management

[1:57:52] doesn't like my social media is having a positive impact and I am a credential

[1:57:57] dog trainer so I don't understand what qualifications I don't have

[1:58:01] » Jules uh the original reason that I had remembered

[1:58:05] » from the conversations in the beginning was about um

[1:58:09] sticking your arms in the cage of the dog

[1:58:12] » when I asked the mayor that I said is that the reason he said no that's not

[1:58:15] the reason >> that was the that was the original

[1:58:18] conversation cuz I do remember the dog that said do that you tried to hug

[1:58:22] through the >> cage. Yeah.

[1:58:23] » Okay. >> No, I I asked him cuz I said, "Is it

[1:58:26] because of that letter?" And he said, "No, [laughter]

[1:58:30] » she is a dog. She's a dog whisperer." But

[1:58:33] » that that was the original conversation. >> Not that dog.

[1:58:35] » Yep. That was the original conversation. So, anything after that, uh, I don't

[1:58:40] have that answer to. >> Um, we will work on that. Uh to get to

[1:58:45] the next one, you asked about what code Merlin would be if he was in.

[1:58:50] » Um I'm not going to speculate on where

[1:58:53] something would be. Let's hope he never comes back to the shelter and finds out,

[1:58:58] right? >> Yeah.

[1:58:59] » But to speculate and try to say where somebody would be, we would have to take

[1:59:04] the recommendations of whatever that report was.

[1:59:06] » Yeah. >> Because that's where it is. However,

[1:59:09] we're not going to speculate and say where will it be if it comes back or

[1:59:12] where would it be if it wasn't adopted. The fact that you got you helped get the

[1:59:16] dog where it is. We should just be celebrating that and not looking

[1:59:19] backwards and saying what if or try to look into a crystal ball we don't have.

[1:59:23] » I got to just disagree a little bit because I mean the mayor said, "Oh, Lara

[1:59:27] is probably going to change him to blue or yellow." And at that point, we didn't

[1:59:30] know that he was going to the rescue and >> that conversation didn't happen here.

[1:59:35] So, we are >> Yeah. I just I think it's important for

[1:59:39] you know judging Laura's like criteria. I want her to read that report and tell

[1:59:44] us is Merlin green by her standards. >> Okay, your time is up. You can come back

[1:59:48] up for your two minutes and we will continue.

[1:59:50] » Got it. >> Thank you.

[1:59:52] » Sorry we not answering the third party thing.

[1:59:54] » Your third third party question. Do we believe it was

[1:59:56] » independent as >> so my own personal opinion. Am I allowed

[2:00:01] to answer this question? >> Yes.

[2:00:04] » Okay. My my own personal opinion is you do not have to handle a dog to train a

[2:00:10] dog to judge a dog. >> If you are handling a dog, I can take

[2:00:13] observations and make a judgment based on that. Right.

[2:00:16] » Yeah. >> When if I if if it's baseball practice

[2:00:18] and I'm pitching to you, other people can evaluate when you're hitting, right?

[2:00:22] » Yeah. >> So, yes, I do believe it was

[2:00:24] independent. Yes, I do believe a third person can evaluate a dog without

[2:00:29] actually handling the dog. >> Yeah.

[2:00:30] » Sometimes the dog needs to be handled. Sometimes it needs to be observed.

[2:00:34] Sometimes you can see behaviors watching the dog by not handling it because

[2:00:39] you're not watching the dog come at you. You're actually watching what's

[2:00:42] happening. >> Yeah.

[2:00:43] » Is it the perfect Is it the perfect watch and handling? Is it the perfect

[2:00:48] scenario? Is it the end all be all? Is every situation the same? No. Because

[2:00:52] every dog is different. Every dog's mentality is different. So, they're all

[2:00:56] different. >> Yeah.

[2:00:57] » So, I don't know because I wasn't in that room watching. But my answer is

[2:01:02] could it be independent? Yes, it could. But to say yes to something that I

[2:01:07] wasn't there or my colleagues weren't there, it's very difficult for me to

[2:01:11] just agree or disagree. We weren't there. I didn't watch that assessment. I

[2:01:15] didn't >> I never even met the person doing the

[2:01:18] assessment. It's very difficult for me to judge somebody. I never saw, talk to,

[2:01:22] or heard from. >> Yeah. I just I just feel like what we

[2:01:25] thought was going to happen was that Laura was not going to be part of it.

[2:01:28] and even if it was handled by another person, maybe an animal attendant or

[2:01:32] something that the current trainer wouldn't be there.

[2:01:35] » So, so moving forward, maybe things change, but Merlin saved and Merlin is

[2:01:39] not in the shelter. Correct. And I think that's the part we need to celebrate.

[2:01:43] » You're right. We want to make sure things like that don't happen. We want

[2:01:46] to try to get all the dogs out. >> I did pay for a new evaluator to come

[2:01:50] in. So, >> and yeah, I want to thank you for the

[2:01:52] donations that you've made. Uh, I want to point out that Merlin was saved

[2:01:57] because of donations made by um anonymous donors who don't want to be

[2:02:02] named, but members of the public making donations uh make a big difference. It

[2:02:07] allows uh for the shelter to provide training that the shelter cannot provide

[2:02:13] without donations. In Merlin's case, he was categorized a red dog. after 6 weeks

[2:02:20] of intensive one-on-one training, he was classified by that trainer as green.

[2:02:27] » Uh so it did take some work to get that dog there. It's work that our shelter

[2:02:32] staff wouldn't have been able to do. >> So uh it is uh a testament to the

[2:02:38] dedication um and generosity of folks who have made

[2:02:42] donations like you. So thank you. Thank you to all the donors. uh and you know

[2:02:47] thank you to all the folks who are interested in volunteering there as

[2:02:50] well. >> Thank you.

[2:02:52] » Good perspective.

[2:02:59] » Um Janice is next and then you're up. She had her hand up. I apologize. You

[2:03:03] can come up next. >> You can come up to the on deck circle if

[2:03:07] you want to move up. [laughter]

[2:03:12] » Okay. Jin Sonic Cornell Heights. Hold hold on one second everybody just please

[2:03:17] give uh the respect to the speaker. Okay. Thank you ma'am.

[2:03:22] » Uh is Route 33 trying to make a record for

[2:03:26] how many car washes are on one road?

[2:03:32] » There are three within 3/10en of a mile. And then of course capital the high

[2:03:37] society was a little bit down the road but four of them on one road. and the

[2:03:42] three of them you could walk to each other, you know. I said, "That's nuts.

[2:03:48] » There must be a lot of dirty cars in Hamilton. [laughter]

[2:03:50] » It's gonna be interesting to see if they all stay in business once they get

[2:03:54] rolling." >> Competition is good for the consumer.

[2:03:56] » Okay, >> we're looking forward to that.

[2:03:58] » And then what is being built in the farm place in Mercerville Shopping Center?

[2:04:04] You said the farmers market at the end. >> Is that Sprouts?

[2:04:07] » Sprouts. >> Sprouts.

[2:04:09] » What's which is what? >> Market.

[2:04:11] » Yeah. grocery store. >> It's supposed to be all natur all

[2:04:13] natural organic type supermarket. >> Oh, okay. Cuz I was just wondering. I

[2:04:18] hope it wasn't another fancy car wash. Okay.

[2:04:21] » It's indoor car wash this time. >> Indoor car wash.

[2:04:24] » Thanks, Janice. Yep.

[2:04:31] For anybody that doesn't know, uh Janice rarely misses meetings. Uh I believe she

[2:04:36] went 16 years without missing a meeting. Um, that's why when the comment came up,

[2:04:42] we routinely joke, uh, we're going to give Janice a piece of the wallpaper in

[2:04:46] a frame as they did it with the FIFA World Cup. Um, because it means so much.

[2:04:52] She's been a part of, uh, who we are as a town and a part of these meetings for

[2:04:56] a very long time and we appreciate her being here.

[2:04:59] » I got a question, a wallpaper,

[2:05:03] [laughter] >> a wallpaper.

[2:05:06] Good answer. Uh, good evening, Amanda Elely,

[2:05:11] Hamilton, resident. Um, so I'm excited to report that I am Kathy, based on your

[2:05:18] statistics, one of the 13 volunteers and one of the six people who went to the

[2:05:24] dog handling class. >> Congratulations.

[2:05:27] » Yeah. Um, so first I I I felt kind of silly

[2:05:32] and now I'm like this is completely appropriate hearing all the things that

[2:05:36] are going to be coming which is really great news to hear. So at first I want

[2:05:40] to be clear that anything that I'm saying tonight, any of my comments, none

[2:05:44] is criticism of any shelter staff at all. Every person I've interacted with

[2:05:48] has been kind, professional, very welcoming to me. All lovely

[2:05:53] interactions. So, I want to talk about some concerns

[2:05:57] with the training structure and procedures for volunteers. Things that I

[2:06:00] think could be really helpful in these upcoming um orientations and the dog

[2:06:04] handling class. >> Can I make a request?

[2:06:06] » Sure. >> When you give us those Can you just slow

[2:06:09] down because we do write these things down and you're talking fast.

[2:06:12] » Yes, I'll slow down. Sorry. >> That's all right.

[2:06:16] » There's a bigger crowd tonight. I was a little nervous. [laughter] Okay. Ah,

[2:06:21] hold on. My phone's messing up now. Okay.

[2:06:26] So, first I want to say I have more experience with from having animals of

[2:06:31] my own. So, I recognize that I can feel more comfortable with handling a dog

[2:06:35] than somebody with very little experience. And I think that is where

[2:06:38] some of the questions and concerns I'm bringing tonight are coming from. So

[2:06:42] during the dog handling class, uh Laura taught us some leash handling

[2:06:47] techniques, including how to hold two leashes, which is the um the only way

[2:06:53] that you would handle a dog being a volunteer is to have two leashes, how to

[2:06:57] shorten a leash, and how to different handle different situations that might

[2:07:00] arise. She demonstrated these techniques, and we were told as

[2:07:04] volunteers, too, that like certain things we would never use. For example,

[2:07:10] using a loop leash to put a dog back inside its kennels. So certain things we

[2:07:14] were shown is not something that we would ever do. There were techniques

[2:07:18] that I found myself wanting more specific guidance. For example, we were

[2:07:22] shown where if a dog um had a leash looped around its paw, how we might use

[2:07:29] a treat to get the leash unwrapped from the paw. And we practiced doing that.

[2:07:33] And one of my questions to Laura was what was the preferred way that we

[2:07:37] should offer a treat to the dog because she did say that lots of the dogs had

[2:07:42] different behaviors and different things that they were or were not okay with. So

[2:07:46] I was the answer to that was it depends on the dog. We were also shown a leap a

[2:07:51] leash wrap I apologize that's a tongue twister for me technique for a dog that

[2:07:56] might pull her on the leash. And the demonstration involved Laura uh like

[2:08:01] straddling the the fake dog in the lobby. And I asked, "How is a volunteer

[2:08:06] supposed to recognize whether the particular dog that they are walking is

[2:08:10] comfortable with somebody doing that positioning on them?" Um, so I don't

[2:08:16] bring up these examples to criticize the techniques that she showed us, but I do

[2:08:20] think it illustrates that sometimes a technique that is being shown is not the

[2:08:25] same as being given enough information to confidently know when and how to use

[2:08:30] something. There were six of us in the dog handling

[2:08:33] class. There were no green dogs available that day and I was aware of

[2:08:38] that going to the training. So I was curious what we were going to do. And so

[2:08:43] we practiced with Marley who is a bluele dog. Everybody should know who Marley is

[2:08:48] because he's been there to my knowledge for 6 years. And we did the training

[2:08:53] with him outside despite there being two lower level dogs sent him. There are two

[2:08:59] light blue dogs currently in the shelter. When we took the group walk

[2:09:02] with the six of us and Laura the trainer, we each took a brief turn

[2:09:07] walking him. Earlier in the training, Laura had explained to us that the leash

[2:09:12] wrap technique should only be used on a dog. So, the technique where you

[2:09:16] straddle the dog and put the leash around him, that that should only be

[2:09:20] used, she said, when the volunteer has previously walked

[2:09:25] that dog before, when you have like a rapport and relationship built with the

[2:09:29] dog. And I was left wondering because when she brought Marley out, he was in

[2:09:34] fact um we walked him with the leash wrap method. So I was curious how this

[2:09:41] guidance applies when the only dog that we were available for the hands-on

[2:09:45] demonstration was already being walked with that technique. And I'm not

[2:09:49] suggesting that he should not have been used for the demonstration, but I'm just

[2:09:53] saying it does raise a question as to how volunteers can be given enough

[2:09:57] opportunity to practice. >> Your four minutes is up.

[2:10:01] » Okay. >> Great. [laughter] You can come back for

[2:10:04] up for you too.

[2:10:11] [laughter]

[2:10:14] » Come on up. >> Yeah.

[2:10:20] » [laughter]

[2:10:24] » Is there a party out there? >> Sounds like it.

[2:10:32] » Hello. >> Hey.

[2:10:33] » How are we doing tonight? >> Okay. Good evening, Lorie. Hamilton

[2:10:37] Township President. >> All right. I want to first off by saying

[2:10:41] that after 74 days, I am officially a volunteer at the Hamilton Township

[2:10:46] Animal Shelter. Congratulations. >> Thank you very much. I completed my

[2:10:50] volunteer orientation with Faith on August 6th

[2:10:53] » and yes, sorry, the dog handling the class with Laura on August 13th. Uh just

[2:10:59] like Amanda said, both Faith and Laura and the rest of the shelter staff have

[2:11:01] been very kind, friendly where I've been there. So, I do appreciate that much and

[2:11:05] I know how much hard work that the whole staff goes into taking care of the

[2:11:08] shelter. I have had the honor throughout the walk Bodie, Achilles, Gordon,

[2:11:12] Marley, and I'm excited to walk more dogs and get to know them. What I am

[2:11:16] bringing you tonight is a continued concern about the social media regarding

[2:11:19] the shelter. Every time I ask who specifically runs the shelter, whether

[2:11:23] it be a town council or actually did ask in my orientation meeting, it's always

[2:11:27] the same answer. The answer is some girl who works for the mayor's office. My

[2:11:30] questions are, what is her name, her title, her responsibility? What other

[2:11:35] job responsibilities does she currently have or is her only responsibility to

[2:11:39] update the social media? Who oversees that she's doing her job? You want me to

[2:11:43] wait till the end to answer those or? >> Yeah. Answer all the questions and then

[2:11:47] or ask all the questions and then we'll answer.

[2:11:49] » All right. Last town council meeting, Lisa spoke about the bios and missing

[2:11:53] bios and how the township needs to run like a business. I would like to double

[2:11:56] down on that. Okay.

[2:12:01] [snorts] When we think about the purpose of the

[2:12:03] shelter, it's not only to house, walk, feed, love, take care of the animals.

[2:12:07] It's to sell the animals to good people. At the end of the day, it is a business

[2:12:11] that's being ran. If you ran a business in today's world, the virtual world,

[2:12:15] Howie spoke about last meeting, do we think we'd benefit from clear,

[2:12:20] userfriendly social media techniques, or old, boring, worn out standard posts? If

[2:12:25] you were selling your home, would you have someone come take pictures while

[2:12:27] it's raining, a car in the driveway, a tree that fell over? You don't focus on

[2:12:32] the negatives, you focus on the positives. I would assume we want a

[2:12:34] picture of a house on a beautiful sunny day. The first thing that catches a

[2:12:38] user's eye on social media is what they see, not what they read. When you take a

[2:12:42] look at the website, and I encourage the people in the audience to do so,

[2:12:46] pictures of Lockwood, Elwood, Blaze, or Chopper, I think we could all agree that

[2:12:50] we could get better pictures to advertise and represent these dogs

[2:12:53] better. On the Instagram and Facebook, posts are put up that say adoption

[2:12:58] spotlight. And there are many, many of these posts in the same font, format,

[2:13:02] etc. Most people who I speak to who read this think the wording is odd and I tend

[2:13:07] to agree. When you put adoption spotlight to the viewer, it makes it

[2:13:11] seem like this animal got adopted. Here's the spotlight.

[2:13:16] I [laughter] think this is a small but viable change that can be that can make

[2:13:19] a big difference. I think using more than the same repetitive pictures will

[2:13:23] help and their videos could do wonders. Suzanne, who's a volunteer, who I've

[2:13:27] gotten to know slightly, is a single is single-handedly providing better content

[2:13:32] when she takes these dogs on walks as a volunteer than a township is providing.

[2:13:36] Another example, so if you guys all want to put on Instagram, on August 10th,

[2:13:40] there was a post made that says, "Thank you to our adopters for providing a

[2:13:43] loving home to Tucker, Karen, Adella, G, Lydia, and Eddie with a picture of all

[2:13:48] them with their new owners." To me as a viewer, something that would have meant

[2:13:52] a lot is each animal and owner getting their own post. Throw some music on

[2:13:56] there, tell the story, and make the person who adopted them feel validated

[2:14:00] in what an amazing moment this really is. This completes the buyer experience

[2:14:04] and gives the animal their well-deserving love of a true adoption

[2:14:08] spotlight. Also, Jules using her platform has been instrumental in

[2:14:14] getting multiple animals adopted, as she said before, because of the engagement

[2:14:17] she creates. I would also like to say just as a side note that her not being

[2:14:21] allowed to be a volunteer does not sit right with me and I'm sure many people

[2:14:25] because all she's been doing is advocating for animals wanting to see

[2:14:29] them get adopted and just help the way Chris spoke to her through email

[2:14:34] completely disrespectful and he should be ashamed that he speaks to residents

[2:14:38] in Hamilton like that and represent represents this township as a so-called

[2:14:42] leader. The other component I'd like to speak about is a small but big change

[2:14:48] that can make a difference. If you were to walk into a store to purchase

[2:14:51] something, how do you know who to ask questions to? Usually they have some

[2:14:55] identifying item on them that would let you know. I suggested at my orientation

[2:14:59] that volunteers be given t-shirts or badges to clearly indicate who works

[2:15:03] there and who volunteers. When I go in, let's say, to the cat room, for example,

[2:15:08] I have no idea who's there to look at the cats, help the cats, feed the cats.

[2:15:12] It's confusing. rather than walking the dogs. It'd be great to know when I see a

[2:15:16] dog ahead that the person has a clear identifying shirt that they're part of

[2:15:20] the shelter walking a sheltered dog, especially when we deal with the dog,

[2:15:23] reactive dogs. >> Lori, you're at your four minutes. You

[2:15:26] can come back up. >> Okay,

[2:15:28] » I know you're honorable. >> Okay,

[2:15:35] » any other first- timers that would like to speak? Mr. Kle, come on up.

[2:15:41] [laughter] HIS

[2:15:43] hand goes up first. >> Lori, uh, Lisa, you're going to be next.

[2:15:50] » Uh, Steve Craig, Hamilton Township. So, nobody's happier than I am that

[2:15:55] Merlin's out of that shelter and he's been saved from our health officer and

[2:15:59] shelter manager. I disagree though that we should just celebrate that and not

[2:16:04] look backwards because he should have never been in that position. He should

[2:16:10] have never been labeled as red. He should have never been sitting in his

[2:16:14] kennel for months at a time. He never needed to go on those medications. And

[2:16:20] his evaluation happened just before we killed Hercules.

[2:16:28] And if you remember, Hercules was labeled red after growling. The

[2:16:32] emaciated dog growled when they gave him food and took him away. That was his

[2:16:36] evaluation. and he sat in his kennel for two years and I stood at this council

[2:16:42] and I asked to walk this dog. Two years until we finally killed that dog to save

[2:16:48] him from his poor quality of life. So no, we don't get to just skip by again.

[2:16:54] Blue who was killed after an employee went into his kennel to provoke this dog

[2:17:03] who then bit his shoe. we were going to get an answer to that and we didn't

[2:17:07] because we looked forward and not backwards. We keep coming to this same

[2:17:12] point. Merlin should never have been in that position.

[2:17:17] So, I'm going to ask we did ask for some other things. One of them starting with

[2:17:22] Merlin last June was in these evaluations a plain language statement

[2:17:29] that says this dog is this color because of these behaviors because we've all sat

[2:17:36] here and looked at Merlin's and nobody could figure out what the hell that

[2:17:39] evaluation meant and we still don't. We also asked for video recordings. Has

[2:17:46] that been addressed so that we know for a fact what happens during these

[2:17:52] assessments. We can't just skip by this again. I'm

[2:17:56] not going to >> Can I answer this?

[2:18:00] » Yes, please. >> I'm going to answer with a question.

[2:18:03] Are uh when a dog is labeled a certain >> When a dog is labeled a certain color,

[2:18:08] is it stated that the dog is labeled this for certain reasons? The dog is

[2:18:13] labeled red because A, B, or C? Is that stated? So I I I don't know what you

[2:18:19] mean by clear language because two people reading the same evaluation

[2:18:24] might answer that question differently. Right. I've seen the notes on different

[2:18:29] evaluations and I could, you know, see why they might have made it that. But

[2:18:34] again, I wasn't present for the evaluations. I'm not anywhere close to a

[2:18:39] professional. I have a pet. That's the point of asking for this statement so

[2:18:43] that we all don't have to guess what the >> assessor was thinking. If if there's a

[2:18:50] scale that says these are the definitions for the colors and somebody

[2:18:54] does an assessment and comes up with these behaviors, then they map those

[2:18:58] behaviors to those definitions and that's not being done. It's just they do

[2:19:03] something. There's no standard process for these assessments and somebody picks

[2:19:08] a color and then everybody else is left to debate why is it that color and we've

[2:19:13] gone through this for many many many many dogs and we've asked different

[2:19:17] trainers directly and could never even get an answer from them why the dog was

[2:19:22] this color. So it's a simple ask. >> Can I have it back? Whoever is doing the

[2:19:26] assessment and assigning the color should be able to articulate why they

[2:19:31] assign that color based on those color definitions and the behavior they

[2:19:34] observe. This can't be that complicated.

[2:19:39] » Yeah, I don't know what to tell you other than to discuss with, you know,

[2:19:42] Laura her method of doing the evaluation.

[2:19:46] » I don't think we're asking for a change. I know uh Councilman Tai wants a

[2:19:50] comment. I don't think we're asking for a change. I think we're asking for a

[2:19:53] summary. the dog is read because A, B, and C. And if the facts of A, B, and C

[2:19:58] are listed in the report, then it should just be easy to read. It may be that um

[2:20:03] in the every industry has its jargon, and I'm sure that's true for uh dog

[2:20:09] assessors and dog trainers. Um I wasn't 100% clear on what I was reading with

[2:20:16] that. It would be good if laymen like us who need to provide oversight on on what

[2:20:22] this report means could understand it or that it's made a little more clear.

[2:20:30] » Could I So I don't think I still have it in my folder. So the the definition for

[2:20:35] a red dog I know it's changed now and there's like four different shades of

[2:20:38] red. The definition for a red dog is he had an extreme issue or multiple serious

[2:20:45] issues. That was the definition to assign that color. But for Merlin, we

[2:20:49] could never get what matched that definition. For a year, I asked that. We

[2:20:53] couldn't get an answer until a year later.

[2:20:57] We started here and there's more to the story. He needed to be drugged. He tried

[2:21:01] to bite people. None of those things were actually supported by the trainer's

[2:21:05] own notes. We were left with he bites the leash.

[2:21:10] Those were the things we were told originally. He bites the leash. He's

[2:21:13] jumpy and bouncy. a clear statement in there.

[2:21:17] » We're gonna have we're going to have to have discussions uh with um the shelter

[2:21:21] staff with the at the board of health uh prior to the board of health to get

[2:21:25] answers to that to for ask for more descriptive terms on there.

[2:21:28] » Okay. And the video recording >> video recordings

[2:21:33] » I have it down so I'll I'll talk >> Yeah, that's going to be part of the

[2:21:36] same conversation because I also agree that it's easier to go back and

[2:21:40] watch something. >> Thank you.

[2:21:47] ALL RIGHT, WE'RE BACK UP. ANY other first time? Oh, Lisa, sorry.

[2:21:57] » Lisa Williams Hamilton, I actually wasn't going to speak tonight. I know

[2:22:01] that's shocking to you guys. Um, I've been asking for the website to be

[2:22:06] updated. I've commented on multiple of the township social media posts, whether

[2:22:11] it is the township or the shelter. Can you please update the website? Can you

[2:22:16] please put all found dogs as found strays? Not everybody has social media.

[2:22:21] I get some that can't be posted. Whatever. There's 32 dogs currently on

[2:22:25] the website. As I'm sitting in the back of the room, we have 36 kennels. One of

[2:22:28] those dogs is a red dog currently at a foster home. So, I'm not really sure how

[2:22:32] red he is if he's in a foster home. And I've recently been told where he is.

[2:22:36] foster home with children. Okay, that's a red dog. So, that gets us down to

[2:22:40] possibly 31. One of the dogs is in a boarding kennel, so that gets us down to

[2:22:45] 32 sitting in kennels. We have two in cages, so we're down to 28 sitting in

[2:22:50] kennels. We have 36 kennels. So, I guess we are really in a good place. We're not

[2:22:53] overcrowded because we have so many empty kennels. Or are we not really

[2:22:57] updated? I don't know. Does anybody know how many dogs are at the shelter? As a

[2:23:00] week ago, it was 49, but we only had 32 on the website. Then they put Lockwood

[2:23:05] back. Sorry, I'm rambling. Anybody know how many dogs are in the

[2:23:10] shelter? We have 47 dogs in the shelter. Nine are

[2:23:16] red rescue only. >> Okay, so we have four 33 are available

[2:23:20] for adoption or rescue. Zero need evaluations. Nine are in

[2:23:25] safekeep. One is in a 7-day stray hold. One is pending adoption.

[2:23:30] Four in foster. One is available as a foster and three

[2:23:37] are foster to adopt. Um we have one empty kennel.

[2:23:43] » We have nine safeke keeps. That's the difference.

[2:23:45] » Eight crates. Um we have eight in crates. Uh that's the mom and pups in

[2:23:51] one, right? Does that make sense? >> Yeah, there's six. Mom and pups are six.

[2:23:55] » Okay. >> All right.

[2:23:58] » Okay. The big difference is the safe keeps that no one knows. Nobody

[2:24:01] commented. We have we have nine safekeeps. It's just some not available.

[2:24:05] We'll check. So, we really can't answer. >> I've commented in the past.

[2:24:09] » Can I interrupt you? >> We just need to give the the respect to

[2:24:13] the speaker. There's a lot of different conversations going on. Just I know it's

[2:24:16] a long meeting. We're getting back to the top of the list. Please give Lisa

[2:24:20] the respect. >> I'll be quick. I've commented a couple

[2:24:23] of times similar to I'm sorry I don't remember the new volunteers name that

[2:24:25] commented about adoption spotlight. I've commented about that on social media as

[2:24:29] well and we still are using it. It makes people think that dog has been adopted.

[2:24:34] I've suggested that we use adoptable pet whatever meat whatever and those are

[2:24:39] not. They're just pictures. And while it was great that there was a volunteer who

[2:24:44] was sharing videos, she also for some reason has blocked me. And I don't know

[2:24:48] how many other people are blocked. So I can no longer look at them. I don't even

[2:24:52] speak to this person. I was randomly blocked a week or two ago. So, I'm

[2:24:57] asking that the township as a public entity post these videos yourself so

[2:25:03] everyone can see and everyone can share. >> You were not blocked by the township?

[2:25:07] » No, I was blocked by the volunteer, but that's like the big thing. And she can

[2:25:11] do whatever she wants. It's her page, but that's like the big thing. Oh,

[2:25:15] they're great ways to get information out. and she's sharing it, but not

[2:25:18] everyone's allowed to see it because I'm not I've been recently blocked just as I

[2:25:22] mean she's in the Boston Found Pets group that I run. So I can see what she

[2:25:26] posts. I can't even com like I can see what she says in there because I'm the

[2:25:30] administrator. I can't even comment on what she says in there. So you have a

[2:25:35] volunteer who has blocked a member of the public from being able to see these

[2:25:39] videos. They're her personal page. That is fine. But the shelter should not be

[2:25:43] relying on that scenario to get the word out because I can't see them. Who else

[2:25:48] can't see them? >> Thank you.

[2:25:50] » I'll go sit down now. Thank you very much.

[2:25:57] » All right, we're back. Everybody spoke one time, right?

[2:26:00] » Oh, come on up. >> No, come on up. You have your four

[2:26:03] minutes. >> I just want to make sure we get to the

[2:26:06] second. >> Hi, I'm Kelsey. I'm a resident of

[2:26:08] Hamilton and also a local business owner. I'm the one that adopted the

[2:26:12] kittens from Burlington after having the awful experience at the Hamilton Animal

[2:26:16] Shelter. >> So, I just wanted to say I'm happy to

[2:26:18] hear that a coordinator was hired and I respect you guys and appreciate all that

[2:26:21] you do. >> Thank you.

[2:26:22] » Thank you. I'm sorry you had your experience.

[2:26:26] » Yeah, we apologize for the bad experience, but we're happy you were

[2:26:29] able to help somewhere else. So, thank you.

[2:26:32] All right, we're back. Everybody first time.

[2:26:36] Anybody? Anybody come on up. [laughter]

[2:26:42] » She's she's easily influencable.

[2:26:47] » Andy Kasmmer Hamilton. I have a couple of issues. I'm going to completely

[2:26:51] change the direction of the meeting for a few minutes. Anyway, it's okay.

[2:26:55] » Um the fact about the warehouses, we have so many of them. the one on Kuzzer

[2:27:01] Road that's being built. There are some of them um I don't even know the name of

[2:27:05] the street that comes out of near Locust Hill and you connects back to

[2:27:10] » cab. There's a couple empty ones there and

[2:27:13] yet we're still building more warehouses and it just seems like it's a waste of

[2:27:19] really good space that we could be using for other things. Second issue, the

[2:27:24] warehouse on Sloan Avenue has grass that is at least 2 ft high. If they can get

[2:27:30] public works out there to take care of the grounds by that warehouse, that

[2:27:34] would be appreciated. Thank you. >> Yep.

[2:27:40] Okay, last call. Any other first- timers?

[2:27:48] All right. If if you haven't spoken a first time and we start going with the

[2:27:51] second timers, you can still come up and speak for a first time. We're just going

[2:27:54] to try and go in the same order just to uh be respectful. Um Reverend, you like

[2:28:00] to speak for a second time? >> You both can go. Whoever wants to go

[2:28:05] first, it's it's batting order is on you guys. All right.

[2:28:09] Well, I might want to adopt a dog now. Yep.

[2:28:13] Just everybody is advised, don't start his clock yet because that's not fair.

[2:28:17] Uh, everybody does get two minutes on the second time that they do come up.

[2:28:21] Please be uh advised of that. Maybe speak a little faster. [laughter]

[2:28:26] » So, sir, you you heard of a lot of community members and faith leaders and

[2:28:30] our concerns? Um, just based on just a lot of responses and concerns. So,

[2:28:35] you're telling me that the Hamilton Council has no control over the police

[2:28:39] department because that's the message I got. So if you there's known four

[2:28:44] officers that were named that could have some shady conduct to them. They're not

[2:28:48] sat down for review like other townships and municipalities in the state of New

[2:28:51] Jersey or does the family have to fear

[2:28:54] retaliation from these four officers? And if they have another mental health

[2:28:59] crisis, who can they call if 911's doing the drivebys and Jay-Z would say? Who

[2:29:04] are they going to call? That's my question is to you.

[2:29:09] My belief from what you told me tonight is the process is underway. Internal

[2:29:14] affairs is investigating them. Correct. That is the process that is followed.

[2:29:21] It's directed to the prosecutor's office. If it goes up from there, I

[2:29:26] guess it would go. Is it going to go to not to cut you off? Yeah. I understand

[2:29:30] that the clock's running here. >> There's a process. How long has this

[2:29:32] process take when these officers are on the streets that can potentially do

[2:29:35] something else to the family to intimidate them, which is known to

[2:29:38] happen? That's my concern. What what what if we don't know if they have a

[2:29:42] squad car parked outside the house or they're outside their their their street

[2:29:46] watching and observing? Cops do this. This is documented fact in the state of

[2:29:49] New Jersey. My concern is the safety of the family. My concern is if they're

[2:29:54] calling for help, who can they call for help if they can't trust the Hamilton

[2:29:57] Police Department? That's the concern. I would like that

[2:30:01] addressed before I leave.

[2:30:06] » It's again the IIA uh investigation. >> We're going back to the IA again. No,

[2:30:10] no, I understand. You keep saying IA. You keep saying prosecutor's office. I

[2:30:14] understand what you're saying. That's a process. But you know, you have four

[2:30:17] officers on the streets right now. >> I am.

[2:30:22] » So you can do nothing. >> Is our is our division. Okay. They just

[2:30:27] provide the report to the prosecution officers in the police station too and

[2:30:31] their buddy buddy and they say I saw them joking around the IIA.

[2:30:34] » That's not fair. It's an IIA and and that's the process that we go through.

[2:30:38] If we got anything from IIA that indicated that we had an immediate

[2:30:42] concern with any employee, then that would be addressed by the chief's office

[2:30:48] » with our public safety director >> on the streets. I understand.

[2:30:52] But you know, did you also know this that they

[2:30:54] » Sorry, you have to come up to the microphone because it's the only way

[2:30:56] it's recorded. >> Common knowledge. Did you know Hamilton

[2:30:59] Township is the national uh the state headquarters for the Proud Boys? And I

[2:31:02] know where their address is if you did not know that. And we do know we do know

[2:31:06] some of your officers could be affiliated with that. Thank you. Have a

[2:31:08] nice day.

[2:31:20] » Minister, you're up next.

[2:31:23] We've heard time after time that uh it was sent over to the county prosecutors.

[2:31:29] The state of New Jersey literally passed an independent prosecutor bill because

[2:31:35] officers were not being held accountable by the county prosecutors. And this is

[2:31:40] why when an officer is involved in a police shooting, it doesn't go to the

[2:31:45] county prosecutors because the relationships were too tight between the

[2:31:49] unions and family members and friends and people they grew up with. So that's

[2:31:53] why they had an independent process where it goes to the state and the state

[2:31:57] would then dish it out to another county to do those investigations. So when we

[2:32:02] hear you say it's going to the county, you're literally describing a process

[2:32:07] that does not work in New Jersey. And so for me, I just have a problem

[2:32:14] when we talk about holding officers accountable

[2:32:19] and we continue talking about the process that exists when you have the

[2:32:24] power. The whole point of all of this is how are you showing the community that

[2:32:29] you have their back? And right now, zip zero, we don't see it at all. You

[2:32:35] haven't even done the basic which is release a soft statement that says we

[2:32:40] stand against any injustice and we're praying for the families of anywhere.

[2:32:46] You could have did the basic statement. You didn't even do a basic statement.

[2:32:49] And then on third thing is you have the power to suspend an officer.

[2:32:57] You didn't use that power. You could have suspended them with pay without

[2:33:02] pay. You could have spent this per pending investigation, appending the

[2:33:05] attorney general, appending the county prosecutor. You didn't even do that. And

[2:33:09] my point is saying, you're trying to ensure people that they can live in

[2:33:14] Hamilton, that we can get justice. And for this case, when a kid slits his arm

[2:33:21] and is about to die, the officers who were told to call 911 are the ones that

[2:33:27] are the purveyors of injustice. And for me again, I know this is tough because

[2:33:33] in politics you worry about unions, you worry about re-elections, you worry

[2:33:36] about family members, the community people think, but there has to be a

[2:33:39] moral stance, especially today in 2026. And that's the leadership that we're all

[2:33:44] looking for all of y'all.

[2:33:50] You want to comment

[2:33:55] if you want to. You going to give a comment?

[2:33:59] » Listen, I I appreciate the comments that have been made. I appreciate the folks

[2:34:02] that have come out. This is the first time that I ever heard of this incident.

[2:34:08] So I I So I never heard of this incident at all.

[2:34:13] » Never heard of it. Never heard of it. I I I've never heard of the incident. How

[2:34:17] am I going to make a judgment on on against our police officers, our

[2:34:22] Hamilton Township police officers, when I haven't even heard this case before?

[2:34:27] So, you made an assumption. You came up here and made an assumption. I'm telling

[2:34:32] you that I've never heard the case before.

[2:34:34] » And sir, I'm with you. You're you're paying a salary based on tax.

[2:34:39] » Sit down, >> sir. You have to make sir. So, your two

[2:34:43] minutes is up. You made you made your comments. you have to allow us to at

[2:34:47] least to respond. >> I I you know I don't know when this this

[2:34:52] press conference took place or when this I was away for vacation over the last

[2:34:57] week and a half, >> but

[2:34:59] » was that was not knowing in your own city?

[2:35:01] » I I never heard of this incident before. So So So you're bringing it to the table

[2:35:06] tonight. The first time I ever heard of it.

[2:35:09] » So what do you expect me when when when allegations are made? There's a process

[2:35:13] that's being followed. It is being followed. The allegations are taken very

[2:35:17] seriously. The officers are being investigated. It's out of the

[2:35:21] department's hands and in the county prosecutors, which is done through the

[2:35:25] attorney general's process. This is the direct way it's supposed to be done.

[2:35:29] When it is done, if it needs to be raised up to the attorney general's

[2:35:33] office, then they will take it. We have to at least trust the process and allow

[2:35:39] them to investigate.

[2:35:43] And even if you don't trust the process, we still have to follow the process,

[2:35:47] right? So we we have to give the pro Hold on. Hold on. We have to give the

[2:35:53] process a chance to work. We haven't even had enough time to uh get it get

[2:36:01] full information about this. We're hearing from you today. We are taking

[2:36:05] what you have to say about this seriously. Uh there's nothing that

[2:36:10] anyone up here has said that indicates otherwise. We're taking it seriously. I

[2:36:16] am concerned by what I've heard from the public today and I can tell you I'm

[2:36:22] going to be, you know, having further discussions and looking into it further.

[2:36:26] I don't have enough information to come to a conclusion.

[2:36:31] So I am concerned. We hear you. we take you seriously and you know let's let's

[2:36:39] follow the process. Let's get more information and let's see.

[2:36:46] » Next speaker is going to be Chris and Anna Janello if you wish to comment

[2:36:49] again. >> Okay,

[2:36:50] » you're finished.

[2:36:56] » Next up, uh Charlene, if you'd like to comment again. [laughter]

[2:37:03] » Hey y'all. So, I'm going to help you out a little bit. There are some things that

[2:37:06] you can actually do, right, that are actually happening concurrently while

[2:37:10] there's an attorney investigation that's happening. You can

[2:37:17] um actually apply actually request that the attorney general actually assign an

[2:37:21] independent county prosecutor. You have that right. As a council, you can launch

[2:37:27] a concurrent legislative investigation into Hamilton's systems, policies,

[2:37:32] supervision, and decisions surrounding this incident. How the family calls

[2:37:36] when, all of that you can do as the council, and it happens concurrently.

[2:37:40] And I have the town codes for it. Hamilton Township Code uh 512 section A,

[2:37:47] NJSA 4069. I will email the whole thing. Um, you can stand with the family by

[2:37:53] sending out a resolution that supports the family's call for a just resolution

[2:37:59] of the charges for their son and for their son to return home with

[2:38:03] appropriate disability, educational, behavioral health, and community based

[2:38:07] supports. You can do that as the council. Also, we all know that the

[2:38:12] mayor is the person that the police chief is supposed to report to. You can

[2:38:17] actually call the mayor here, question him, have hearings as to what is the

[2:38:22] process that is occurring within the police department. You can call for all

[2:38:26] the data from Hamilton to look and see what are the trends that are actually

[2:38:31] occurring within the police department to make sure this does not happen again.

[2:38:35] You can also work to build the non-p police path and start um hearings and

[2:38:41] meetings with people. These are all things the council can do concurrently

[2:38:45] while there is a IIA investigation. Thank you.

[2:38:49] » Thank you. [laughter]

[2:38:56] » Jules, you were Jules, you were next up, but you deferred till the end. Do you

[2:38:59] want to speak now or do you want to wait?

[2:39:03] » Okay. Mr. uh Ky Lash, I believe he I saw him

[2:39:08] leave.

[2:39:13] Um, Cristiana Lewis, did she also believe she left also?

[2:39:18] » Oh, you're here. [laughter] >> Sorry, I didn't say

[2:39:26] » I would just like to say, right, you guys sitting here have so much more

[2:39:30] power than anybody back here. So if you want to sit here and say that you don't

[2:39:35] have control over the police department or you don't know what's going on within

[2:39:39] your police police department that you have control over, that's the problem

[2:39:43] clearly, right? You need to address that. You need to address what has been

[2:39:47] going on and why people continuously get abused by your police department. And

[2:39:52] like Charlene said, you can call a hearing. So at this point, the ball is

[2:39:58] in your court. Call this hearing. We need it and we need it now. So, I just

[2:40:02] want to take exception to one thing you said about uh people continuously being

[2:40:06] abused by our police department. I've heard of one instance where there are

[2:40:11] serious allegations and I'm concerned about what I've heard about it. There's

[2:40:15] one instance. I haven't heard of instances of continu

[2:40:18] » I just came up here and told you about an instance in 2020.

[2:40:21] » That was in Trenton. You lived in North Trenton at the time of that incident.

[2:40:24] » Mercer County covers Trenton. You have to use force or

[2:40:29] » we're not gonna we can't take comments from the public.

[2:40:32] » Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome.

[2:40:40] » Kia Henderson. >> She left.

[2:40:49] Uh Mercer Council both left. Uh, Ellen Coyote,

[2:40:56] you have two more minutes. Come on up.

[2:41:02] » Hi. I just wanted to add that um the Mercer County Mosquito Control was

[2:41:08] called out by number seven again in the last 3 weeks or so and number 24 Shaunie

[2:41:13] was told to remove all his personal property from township property. He

[2:41:16] removed it from the woods but not in on the grass area that's cut there. So, and

[2:41:21] so they had to go down to him and for the dozen tenth time or so tell him to

[2:41:26] not have containers where water accumulates that mosquitoes breed. And

[2:41:31] he supposedly drilled holes and some handles that were doing that. But

[2:41:35] there's I don't understand why too he's still allowed to store his personal

[2:41:39] property on his personal property on township property. Okay.

[2:41:42] » Okay. And I just like on another matter, if ever comes to a proposal to the

[2:41:47] township to have a data center, please deny it. No data setters in Hamilton.

[2:41:52] » Thank you.

[2:42:02] » Ask me.

[2:42:08] » Okay. So, I do want to give you the benefit of the doubt. I do believe you

[2:42:12] when you say you didn't know what happened. Um, but now you know. You're

[2:42:16] informed. You heard the story. You heard the the pain that families are holding.

[2:42:21] You heard that there are still consequences that families are facing

[2:42:24] now because of what our police department did in July. Um, but also,

[2:42:30] um, I think you said, uh, this was the only use of force that you're aware of.

[2:42:35] I just want to give you statistics. Um, >> that wasn't what I

[2:42:39] » Oh, that's not what you not exactly. I apologize.

[2:42:41] » But that's okay. Go ahead. Continue. >> Oh, okay. So, uh, basically this is, uh,

[2:42:45] the latest report between 2012 and 2016. Hamilton police reported, so total use

[2:42:52] of force, 742. Use of force incidents per 10,000

[2:42:57] arrests, 42.3. Um, so, and then it says Hamilton's use

[2:43:02] of force at a higher rate than 364 New Jersey police departments. So like I

[2:43:08] just want to share like this is not the only one. Um so now that you heard from

[2:43:12] us and like I said we want to give you the benefit of the doubt. We're bringing

[2:43:15] this to you for the first time. Will you take on some of the suggestions that we

[2:43:20] have said including um meeting with groups to discuss what can be done so

[2:43:25] that we can ensure that our police department is not going to ever do this

[2:43:31] again because when people call and there's mental health crisis they

[2:43:34] shouldn't be going out right. we should have um specific people who can deal

[2:43:39] with that particular case and also about what we can do to assure our community

[2:43:44] that we're not okay with what just happened because that's I'm hearing from

[2:43:48] everyone you're hearing from everyone that we don't feel that we we hear you

[2:43:52] listening to us but you're not doing anything about it. So what can you do so

[2:43:57] you can reassure us that one this is unacceptable and will you take steps

[2:44:02] further uh moving forward to ensure that this doesn't happen again?

[2:44:05] » To answer your question yes um since this mayor and council have taken over

[2:44:10] uh we've made it uh a purpose to meet with um groups anybody that would like

[2:44:16] to talk to us. We've had faith-based groups. Uh we've had community groups.

[2:44:20] Um when George Floyd uh the George Floyd incident happened, uh the first thing we

[2:44:26] did was bring in some community groups. We brought the then prosecutor in to

[2:44:30] come in and explain how the process worked, what happened um how our our

[2:44:36] process is different from that that happened

[2:44:40] um in Minnesota. We do listen. We will listen. If you want to have uh

[2:44:46] conversations, then you should email us and the mayor and have conversations.

[2:44:50] » We we are definitely open to listening and and hearing concerns because

[2:44:54] » love to sit and talk with you. >> The only way we hear of things

[2:44:57] happening. >> I mean, look, you heard a lot of

[2:45:00] different things in tonight's meetings, right? Ring ranging from uh this

[2:45:04] incident to a wide variety of things. >> Yeah.

[2:45:07] » And the only way we know about some of those things is if people come to us and

[2:45:11] tell us. So hearing the problems, hearing it's definitely uh deserving of

[2:45:16] a conversation, right, to listen and exchange ideas and figure out where to

[2:45:22] go forward. And I just want to >> So yes, the answer is yes. I I just want

[2:45:26] to >> uh express my agreement with uh what our

[2:45:30] council president just just said. Uh yes, I want to get more information. And

[2:45:35] yes, I want to have conversations um and um figure out what the best

[2:45:41] course of action is um and let's there is action being taken and to be fair uh

[2:45:48] I want to see uh but I also need to learn more. So yes, I'm I'm looking

[2:45:54] forward to having those conversations. >> Okay, thank you so much.

[2:45:57] » I like what we said. >> Great. And uh any comments from Jennifer

[2:46:03] or Katherine? >> Well, we're your we're your elected

[2:46:06] we're your elected >> Okay, good. Just three.

[2:46:09] » There are five two >> just happens to be two that are absent

[2:46:13] tonight, but uh these the three of us are elected officials. Okay.

[2:46:17] » Um our business administrator, our township attorney, our deputy township

[2:46:22] attorney. >> Great.

[2:46:23] » So, I just also want to say um just like you, we love our community. So, this is

[2:46:28] an important issue for us. So um I'm coming today and we're coming today

[2:46:32] kindly because it's our first meeting. Um and we hope the next meeting we would

[2:46:36] have something substantial from you all. Um and and so that we can yeah continue

[2:46:41] to be in community together. So thank you so much.

[2:46:45] » Thank you.

[2:46:50] » Is David still here? Come on up. Sorry. Did you want to speak again?

[2:46:55] » Okay.

[2:46:58] Ken, are you in the same or did you want to speak?

[2:47:00] » I was gonna say uh >> come to the microphone, state your name

[2:47:04] just for so we have everything on the record.

[2:47:07] » Kenneth Leo representing Philip Crow House from War New Jersey. So, you know,

[2:47:13] just as a parting comment, appreciate the opportunity to that you agreed to

[2:47:17] speak with us later and uh look forward to, you know, working with the town

[2:47:22] because uh we're very invested in the town, David, back to the community and

[2:47:27] uh you know, looking forward to uh bring some jobs to the town.

[2:47:33] » Thank you. Thank you,

[2:47:40] » David S. Pierre. Did he leave? Did all your all your colleagues leave?

[2:47:45] » Yeah. >> Oh, no.

[2:47:47] » No. Natalie, do you want to be heard? You're next.

[2:47:50] » No. >> All right. [laughter]

[2:47:56] Just gone down the list so I don't forget anybody.

[2:48:00] Uh Alicia, she left also. She was um from the neighborhood

[2:48:07] community. Uh Amanda, you're next.

[2:48:14] Uh, you want to go? I thought I thought you said you wanted to go last. Sorry.

[2:48:20] » Okay. Juliana Carella, Hamilton resident. Um, I want to follow up

[2:48:24] something else I talked about in my meeting with the mayor, which is what

[2:48:27] are the repercussions when a township employee violates the township trademark

[2:48:31] policy? He told me he would have to check with legal and Kathy, but I never

[2:48:35] heard an answer back on that. Um, I raised this because the shelter manager

[2:48:39] appears to be using township logo, seals, and uniforms to promote her

[2:48:43] independent photography business. I specifically opra requested the forms or

[2:48:47] records that would show that she had permission to use it and it came back as

[2:48:51] no responses. So, I took that as she didn't have the permission to do it. So,

[2:48:56] the question is just what are the consequences for that? Um, my other

[2:49:00] question is, is there an update on the third-p partyy evaluator that I paid

[2:49:05] for? Cuz that was like a week and a half ago and I just want to know where we're

[2:49:08] at in that process. And then we bypassed Justine speech, but I just wanted to

[2:49:12] summarize it a little bit. Um, we now have over 2,000 signatures. The majority

[2:49:18] are Hamilton residents who are asking for answers to that list of questions we

[2:49:22] submitted. And just like what do we have to do to get any of those answers?

[2:49:25] because now this is the third meeting that we're bringing it up. And we also

[2:49:29] went through some of the past meetings um where you guys on council asked

[2:49:34] questions like at the last one you wanted a written explanation for why the

[2:49:37] bios weren't done. Um in the 519 meeting we or council president asked why

[2:49:44] Merlin's evaluation got pushed back 5 months. Um, at the 55 meeting, Lisa

[2:49:49] brought up the food budget and what the budget was for the animals ordering food

[2:49:53] and why it wasn't being ordered timely. And we said, you guys said that we would

[2:49:56] find out answers. And even if you can't give me the answers, did you guys ever

[2:50:00] get the answers that you requested? >> I got the answers I requested.

[2:50:04] » We did meet with um uh the director, the health officer. Uh,

[2:50:11] as I had stated, um, I did get the answers why those weren't done. um some

[2:50:17] of them um and I don't recall which which were which I got all my answers

[2:50:23] those I was satisfied with my answers uh also uh the big part of that meeting was

[2:50:28] about the uh application process the adoption process those things uh all of

[2:50:34] my questions that day were answered um the other questions you asked were

[2:50:40] » um what was the first question >> the trademark policy

[2:50:43] » trademark policy I don't have informationational.

[2:50:47] » Could you expand on that at all? >> Yes. So, as we know, the shelter manager

[2:50:51] runs her own photography business and if you go to her website on her homepage,

[2:50:56] she has pictures of the ACOs in uniforms promoting that she does head shot. And

[2:51:01] then if you click onto that page, there's a subpage with multiple more

[2:51:04] photos with them in uniform where you can clearly see the township seal and

[2:51:09] logos and stuff like that. And it was my understanding that that is not allowed.

[2:51:13] » All right. Thank you. >> You're welcome. And then just how do we

[2:51:16] get answers to the questions we submitted for?

[2:51:19] » Did you submit an actual list of questions?

[2:51:22] » Yeah, I handed it to Chris and it's also in the petition online which he's also

[2:51:26] seen. >> Okay.

[2:51:28] » I I can send them again. >> Could you send them to me so that I make

[2:51:31] sure that we have them because I thought you meant you submitted them to the

[2:51:34] perks office and when I checked with the perks office.

[2:51:36] » No, I gave them direct I hand them directly to Chris.

[2:51:39] » It was the night of the um >> the board of health meeting.

[2:51:41] » Board of health meeting. Okay. >> Thank you.

[2:51:42] » You get them to me. I'm sorry you had to do it again, but yeah.

[2:51:49] [applause]

[2:51:54] [clears throat] >> Amanda, you're up.

[2:52:03] » Amanda Erie, Hamilton resident. Okay, so I was talking about Marley. We went to

[2:52:08] the training and okay, so I was less wondering how the guidance for how to

[2:52:14] appropriately walk a dog would apply when the demo that we were given on

[2:52:18] Marley was used with the leash wrap method. So there was no actual time for

[2:52:23] us to practice using a non leash wrap method. Okay.

[2:52:29] So after I passed the class, I'm allowed to walk green level dogs. When I came

[2:52:32] for my first dog walk though, there were no green dogs available. So with staff

[2:52:36] approval, I was allowed to walk a light blue color dog, which I felt comfortable

[2:52:41] and I appreciated them allowing me to do. Since then, they have allowed me to

[2:52:46] walk specific bluele dogs. So not light blue, the step up when the lower level

[2:52:51] dogs are not available. I think the progression and the

[2:52:55] opportunities to develop these skills could be more clearly explained in the

[2:52:58] training and how to get from level to level and what qualifications we kind of

[2:53:02] need to achieve that. When I left the training, I felt like some practical

[2:53:06] questions were left unanswered. Like where should we walk the dogs? How long

[2:53:10] should the walk be? Are there preferred roots or areas in the neighbor of the

[2:53:14] neighborhood to avoid especially if uh there's a pet in the neighborhood and we

[2:53:19] have are walking a reactive dog and what's the best way to even like manage

[2:53:23] the two leash method? Because we're told to use our two hands. So when the dog

[2:53:28] goes to the bathroom, what is the guidance on what to do with the leashes?

[2:53:32] So little things like that I think could be really helpful for people who have a

[2:53:37] lot less experience with an animal. After we walked Marley, we went to the

[2:53:41] fencing yard behind gate one where she said the volunteers can bring dogs to

[2:53:45] spend additional time outside of their kennel. Um

[2:53:51] she gave us directions for not putting our face in the dog's face and things

[2:53:54] like that. I appreciated her guidance, but I wonder how can we make the time

[2:53:58] outside of the kennel more meaningful. So I the last part I want to talk about

[2:54:02] is just social socialization of the dogs. Um Laura referenced that this was

[2:54:08] like a super important experience for the dogs to have outside of the kennel

[2:54:11] and sometimes part of the routine is that the dogs aren't receiving

[2:54:15] socialization and love and affection that they really need to become

[2:54:18] adoptable. So I have a question like how can volunteers be able to provide more

[2:54:23] human interaction for the dogs who may not be eligible for regular walks? I'm

[2:54:27] thinking like a red dog who might not get out of their kennel except for once

[2:54:30] a month or multiple months not outside of a kennel. So if they are a redle dog

[2:54:36] for a specific walking behavior, let's say, but they're affectionate and they

[2:54:39] like people, how can we have appropriately trained volunteers spend

[2:54:43] time with the dog without just taking it for a walk? How can we make these

[2:54:47] animals more adoptable and social? Because in the couple experiences I've

[2:54:53] had, I am noticing that the lower level dogs, even down to the light blue dogs,

[2:54:58] are not interested in socializing with humans that they are with. And that was

[2:55:02] something that she noted about Marley, who's a level blue, that they're not

[2:55:06] really interested in interacting with humans. And part of what makes them

[2:55:09] adoptable is being able to interact with human people. Um, so part of the

[2:55:16] socialization goal is that I'm I'm at time. Okay, no problem. Thank you,

[2:55:26] » Lori.

[2:55:32] [laughter] Oh my god, it's so late.

[2:55:35] » Okay. >> All right. Just Lori Sarnney Hamilton

[2:55:40] Township. Uh just to be clear, I went over who runs the social media and all

[2:55:44] that. I was talking about how just simple things like getting t-shirts. So,

[2:55:47] if I'm walking a dog and Amanda's walking the dog, I could see her. And if

[2:55:50] I have a dog reactive, I can move. I I don't think the township has to pay for

[2:55:54] it. The people gladly spend $10 to $20 on a shirt if it meant it helps get

[2:55:58] animals adopted. I know it sounds silly, but it's true. I know someone's a

[2:56:00] t-shirt business. I'm sure they would be happy. Um, this may seem silly, but

[2:56:05] think of someone brand new walking into the shelter and to going to look at the

[2:56:08] animals. People would feel more comfortable asking questions if they

[2:56:10] knew who to actually ask the questions to. It makes for a better experience for

[2:56:14] the buyer which can lead to more successful results. The last thing I

[2:56:18] want to speak about is the playyard for the dogs. I think asking the public for

[2:56:22] help whether that be donations or volunteering to put I don't know

[2:56:25] artificial grass more enrichment for the dogs to be able to play and exercise

[2:56:29] could be better pictures we can taken and so on. The people in the town want

[2:56:34] to help. So why are we so afraid to accept it as a town? And I I Amanda was

[2:56:39] speaking. And it just kind of like came in my mind for the people in the

[2:56:42] audience. Like when we think about these colored dogs when I go to walk dogs,

[2:56:46] it's like I always use the teacher as an example. It's like I'm only teaching the

[2:56:51] smart kids, the kids who need help, you just ignore them and let them suffer.

[2:56:54] And I feel like we just have to figure out a better way to give these dogs a

[2:56:58] chance. And the whole thing with the social media, we we have to do better.

[2:57:02] Like anyone looking on Instagram or Facebook, it's just like it's subpar. We

[2:57:06] could do better. And the goal is to sell these animals to loving people. And

[2:57:10] ultimately the goal is to clear the shelter. So I I feel like that's all we

[2:57:14] want and that's all I would just like to if you have the answers to the questions

[2:57:19] about who runs the social media. I would love to know that. Does anybody know

[2:57:24] like a name?

[2:57:28] I mean we'll get all your comments and it's okay

[2:57:33] to come work very hard to make it much better

[2:57:37] than it was and that it has >> I agree. I think we can also just be

[2:57:40] honest that um sometimes if you're not doing your job well enough there's

[2:57:45] someone else who could do better. And I think that we need to take a pause and

[2:57:49] look at oursel as if stop being complacent. I don't know how much money

[2:57:53] she's getting paid, but like I said about Jules, she got a lot of engagement

[2:57:59] by just speaking about the shelter and constantly posting, posting, posting. I

[2:58:03] don't see that happening. And it's we're here to help. And again, I need to say

[2:58:07] one more thing about Jules not being accepted as a volunteer. My dad always

[2:58:10] told me, Mark Twain quote, "You're never wrong doing the right thing." So, if the

[2:58:13] shelter is not doing anything wrong, I don't know what they're worried about

[2:58:15] Jules coming to volunteer and walk some dogs at. Thank you very much.

[2:58:25] So, I know Steve, Lisa, Janice, uh, Andy all did not, uh, sign up. The

[2:58:32] last name I have is Kelsey. Did you want to speak again?

[2:58:36] » Okay. Um, anybody else that spoke the first time

[2:58:40] that wants to speak again a second time? If you spoke, if you didn't speak yet

[2:58:43] and you want to speak, you're more than welcome to speak also.

[2:58:47] » Um, I'm I would like her to speak. You didn't have your first chance yet.

[2:58:52] You're more than welcome to come up. >> Okay.

[2:58:55] » Yeah. >> Good evening. I'm Anna Pao. I'm with the

[2:58:59] Resistencia and Aion. We serve Hamilton uh Mercer County in general. I'm also uh

[2:59:06] I lived in Mercer County for a long time. I live really close to Mercer

[2:59:09] County now. And I wanted to come up to talk about a couple of things just

[2:59:15] sitting here observing as a human, right? I wanted to give the chance to

[2:59:19] the people who are living in Hamilton and who have seen what is happening to

[2:59:25] the family and to the situation in in general. Um I want to mention that

[2:59:33] law enforcement like ICE right now and police collaboration with ICE is

[2:59:39] happening and it's becoming violent and what is happening is that the community

[2:59:44] is no longer trusting police. We have many women who have come to our

[2:59:51] organization saying that they cannot call police because they're scared of

[2:59:56] going to be given to ICE because they have maybe an abusive partner or that

[3:00:04] they have something happening uh with a neighbor or a landlord that is like

[3:00:09] threatening them to to hit them to abuse them. And so what what are we doing now

[3:00:16] here is not listening and not protecting a family, let alone the ICE connection

[3:00:22] that I'm making just because of our work. So it is crucial that we don't

[3:00:28] just sit here and listen. Think about this as if you were

[3:00:34] part of the family or you knew them or it was a family member for your from

[3:00:40] your family circle that was going through this that called for help and

[3:00:45] then they were arrested, put charges, abused physically,

[3:00:51] and then not given any help. It's been a month now. I personally had to make

[3:00:57] calls to have a a therapist and therapy for the family. Why do we as

[3:01:05] organizations or individuals have to pick up the pieces of what the

[3:01:10] government and city councils can do? Why is this just looked at noninately and

[3:01:17] said, "Oh, I never knew about this." Or, "Oh, uh, we we need to investigate." I

[3:01:23] urge you, I urge you just as a human to make this a priority tomorrow morning,

[3:01:29] like all the other priorities that we have, please investigate. And we need to

[3:01:34] put protection for the family. Not calling them out in here, but it could

[3:01:39] be any family who the police is going to maybe well, we already know the son is

[3:01:44] in detention right now, but what what can happen if they're investigating the

[3:01:49] family? This is why there's a lack of trust with police and community and we

[3:01:55] don't want to foster that. We want to make sure that people are being heard

[3:02:00] and that our tax dollars are being used. So please take into consideration what

[3:02:05] everyone has said and make this a priority tomorrow. Thank you.

[3:02:09] » Thank you.

[3:02:18] » Janice, come on up.

[3:02:27] Oh, the mic's at the right size. Wow. All right. A short person before me.

[3:02:31] Fantastic. Okay. Janice Lana Cornell Heights. You guys definitely have a lot

[3:02:36] of homework to do from listening to all these people and I must say you did an

[3:02:43] outstanding job, Mr. President. >> Thank you. giving people the leniency

[3:02:47] and the timing, how you called everybody, made sure everybody had their

[3:02:50] second chance. Very well done. You should be proud of yourself and I didn't

[3:02:55] know we had the gap still in existence. Okay. [laughter]

[3:02:59] » Thank you. >> So, but you did a very good job and

[3:03:01] giving everybody their fair shot and giving them the extra time even you kind

[3:03:05] of let the time run a bit and you gave them their extra time to finish and

[3:03:08] everything. That was very good of you and you did a very nice meeting.

[3:03:12] » Thank you. Appreciate it. [laughter]

[3:03:17] Lisa

[3:03:26] » Lisa Williams Hamilton. I'm going to start with I too like Councilman

[3:03:30] Carabelli did not know about this situation that the family experienced in

[3:03:35] July with our police department. So I want to start with that. I am sorry to

[3:03:39] hear that this is going on in our town. No person, no resident, no visitor of

[3:03:43] our town should be afraid to call the police or call 911 in a mental health

[3:03:47] emergency. So, I didn't know either. And I think I'm sort of aware, but I I guess

[3:03:54] I'm not. So, I just want to say that I don't think anyone should be afraid and

[3:03:59] I feel for this family. I mean, I sometimes live in fear with stuff that I

[3:04:03] have spoken out about and my property has been vandalized and I have had

[3:04:07] terrible things said to me and I have gone to the police department and

[3:04:11] sometimes not gotten help either in situations in the past, say, six years.

[3:04:15] So, nothing like these people have dealt with. So, I don't want to run out of

[3:04:19] time. I just want to say I feel for them. I feel for you guys. I have

[3:04:22] cameras on my house as well because of stuff that has happened on my property

[3:04:26] and I don't live far from you. I've walked past your house a million times.

[3:04:29] I am sorry for what you are going through. Um I also never got an answer

[3:04:32] on how much money is in the budget for sorry shifting to the shelter for food

[3:04:35] at the shelter. The list of questions I believe Jules is referring to was a

[3:04:39] meeting Kathy that you weren't here. Um your assistant attended that meeting

[3:04:44] that members of council saying giving questions. We want answers. That's what

[3:04:48] I think she's referring to. I'm going to try to be fast. I know social media is

[3:04:52] better than it was for people who are new to the shelter situation. They don't

[3:04:55] know that there was never anything and I've brought it up for years. But again,

[3:04:58] it wasn't until Jules got involved that we got movement on that. The fact that

[3:05:03] it took Juliana on social media to get help for the shelter really makes me

[3:05:07] question like seriously, if there's anybody that should be able to volunteer

[3:05:09] at the shelter, it's Juliana Carella. Because without her, the movement would

[3:05:13] not have happened. And now she's not because people don't trust her because

[3:05:16] she speaks up and isn't afraid to. I know I spoke up for years. You sit there

[3:05:20] and shake your head, Mr. Ty, but I've raised the same issues for for years.

[3:05:24] Same three issues. not allowed to stick your hand inside the cage. That's that's

[3:05:29] my understanding of what the issue was. >> She's been told she can't.

[3:05:32] » Let's not pretend she's being persecuted for having an effective social media

[3:05:36] » and other people stick hands in cages. So my point is there would be no

[3:05:40] movement forward on that shelter if it were not for Juliana Carella in the past

[3:05:44] couple of months. Thank you Juliana. I have raised the exact same three issues

[3:05:49] every board of health meeting, every council meeting for years. I rewatch the

[3:05:53] meetings. I'm tired of watching myself say the same thing. So, thank you to you

[3:05:58] people who have spoken up. I'm going to sit down now.

[3:06:05] » You're up next.

[3:06:14] » Steve Clay, Hamilton Township. I'm gonna um echo Lisa's statement about the uh

[3:06:20] whatever this incident was that happened in July. I had no clue and I'm kind of

[3:06:24] shocked. But as I'm sitting here listening to it,

[3:06:28] I know there's a lot that is a a criminal prosecution process that you

[3:06:33] guys cannot interfere in. But I believe some of the things they asked for was

[3:06:37] some information um from our use of force or whatever

[3:06:43] they had asked for that may show if there is or is not a pattern of this

[3:06:47] type of thing happening. And I think that of all they asked for is something

[3:06:51] that we should be able to provide >> quickly. Um

[3:06:57] or andor have the police chief here at the next meeting to give some

[3:07:01] explanation of of those patterns if they exist or do not exist. Um

[3:07:07] and I will also echo Lisa's statement on Juliana's application for uh

[3:07:13] volunteering. Sorry, nobody at that shelter has any

[3:07:17] basis to deny a volunteer based on trust. [laughter]

[3:07:24] Um, and I could spend about the next 45 minutes here going into that and I

[3:07:28] won't, but that is nonsense. If she made a mistake or broke a rule as a member of

[3:07:33] the public, she would just like every other volunteer sign her agreement as a

[3:07:38] volunteer that that would not happen. So none of that adds up. Whether it be

[3:07:44] trust for her social media or her sticking a hand in the cage just doesn't

[3:07:48] wash. Thanks. >> Thank you. [applause]

[3:07:56] » Andy, did you want wish to speak again?

[3:08:02] » All right. So, we made it through the list twice. Um, we'll close the public

[3:08:06] comment portion with that said and move the council comments. Uh you either one

[3:08:11] of you want wish to start. I >> I'll kick it off. Yeah. Um

[3:08:16] so I appreciate everyone coming out. Um we,

[3:08:22] you know, tonight we've heard a lot of really

[3:08:27] concerning uh information uh from members of the

[3:08:31] public. I'm disgusted by the behavior uh that we learned about uh that this

[3:08:36] family's being put through. Um, I want to get more information about that,

[3:08:41] Kathy. Uh, about what response, what's being done. Um, anything that we can

[3:08:48] learn about any investigation that's being conducted. Um, I'd like I'd like

[3:08:54] more information about that. Um, no family should have to go through that.

[3:08:59] Um, same thing with the um, you know, I'm disturbed by

[3:09:06] this notion that someone committed suicide, 911 was called, and now that

[3:09:10] person's in jail behind that. That's that doesn't add up. I need more

[3:09:16] information about how that happened. I need to know what the justification was

[3:09:21] for that. So, um, perhaps we can have a conversation tomorrow. Well, I don't

[3:09:27] think we're frivy to any of the details of anything with regards to that case

[3:09:32] until it's through its investigation. We cannot interfere with the investigation,

[3:09:36] meaning we can't even know the details. >> So, um

[3:09:40] » there there's apparently video that members of the public have access to.

[3:09:44] » Again, it's if it's video, it's a public video that I mean or from somebody from

[3:09:49] the public that we don't have privy to. If they want to provide it to us, I'd be

[3:09:52] happy to to take a look at it. And of course there's a process. The process

[3:09:57] has to play out. Um but I'm I'm concerned and um I am willing to meet

[3:10:04] with members of the public uh leaders of any community groups that want to sit

[3:10:09] down. Um Councilman Pero talked about uh we can't have a quorum when we have

[3:10:14] these meetings outside of our regular schedule. So, one or two of us uh could

[3:10:20] attend a meeting um along with, you know, any concerned citizens who want to

[3:10:26] uh sit down and and talk about this further. Um so, I appreciate everyone's

[3:10:31] input. Um the shelter, uh we continue to talk about

[3:10:38] the shelter a lot. Um, you know, we're we're talking about the

[3:10:45] color coding system, uh, and there are valid criticisms of that. I just want to

[3:10:50] remind everyone that system didn't exist before, uh, we got on to council. That's

[3:10:56] something that was put into place to provide more transparency and more

[3:11:01] accountability around, um, decisions that are being made about the animals

[3:11:07] that come into the shelter. And so a part of that accountability is

[3:11:11] discussions like this. This is a result of a better process being put in place

[3:11:16] where now we have a level of transparency where questions can be

[3:11:20] asked. Prior to the color-coded system uh being put in place, prior to there

[3:11:26] being a committee uh making decisions around the animals, uh there was no

[3:11:30] accountability to that. That didn't happen until this council uh came into

[3:11:36] office. Um, you know, we we've talked about how we can improve uh the social

[3:11:43] media strategy. Um, that is something that

[3:11:49] has improved and can stand improvement. I'm hopeful that perhaps we can utilize

[3:11:54] some of the volunteers who may be >> happy to,

[3:11:58] » you know, better positioned to do that um in order to more effectively get

[3:12:03] these animals out of our shelter. Uh which I think, you know, needs to be a

[3:12:10] focus at that facility. Uh and we've talked about that, right? Like delays in

[3:12:16] responding to folks who want to adopt animals. Um,

[3:12:21] you know, the Burlington shelter can adopt a cat same day. Why can't we? You

[3:12:28] know, so these are questions and I know we've made improvements and we're making

[3:12:32] improvements. I know we are. Um, but why is that that another shelter can do

[3:12:40] something same day and we can't? I I'd like to understand that. So,

[3:12:47] um, people raised valid questions. Um, Jules, I didn't mean to single you out

[3:12:54] for any, uh, criticism. I I think the work that you're doing is good. You

[3:13:00] know, I think that everybody has to follow the rules when you go into a

[3:13:03] shelter. There's a public safety issue in a facility like that. We have had

[3:13:08] people get injured by some of these animals. That's why we have a coding

[3:13:12] system. uh the effort is to keep the public safe. So,

[3:13:18] I appreciate everyone's concerns on all the issues that have been raised. Uh

[3:13:22] some really serious issues uh that we've talked about today. Um and we do, uh

[3:13:30] Janice is right, we do have our homework, uh to do after this meeting.

[3:13:33] So, thank you everyone and good night.

[3:13:39] » Thank you, Councilman Thai. Um, I'll just since you ended with the uh animal

[3:13:43] shelter, I'll just continue with that theme and just say um that um you know I

[3:13:49] was happy to hear that the volunteer coordinators uh on staff right now and

[3:13:54] that you know process the processes uh processes are in place to uh and and

[3:13:59] some of our volunteers happen to be here uh tonight. So that's some some really

[3:14:03] good news. I think there still could be improvements regarding the social media

[3:14:06] if we can. And I I I do agree with uh some of Lor's comments uh about the

[3:14:11] volunteer t-shirts and things like that. I think that's I mean they're easy ones.

[3:14:15] We should have that in place. Um just from the public safety issues that have

[3:14:20] been brought up tonight. Um I definitely very concerning uh what we've heard this

[3:14:27] evening. Um like I said, it was the first time I've ever heard of this

[3:14:31] situation. Um, and I guess I got a little bit heated there because of the

[3:14:36] idea of like jumping jumping to a conclusion tonight on having a separate

[3:14:40] investigation when I I don't even have any information on this uh other than

[3:14:45] what was brought up this evening. Um, so I do echo what Janice has said and what

[3:14:50] Councilman Tai said. We got to do some uh uh homework on this. I I'm more than

[3:14:55] willing to meet with individuals um and different organizations that are

[3:14:58] involved in this process. Um, I'm sorry that you're dealing with uh this

[3:15:04] incident. Um um it's actually not too far from where I live, so I I I'm very

[3:15:09] familiar with that area. Um and you know, hopefully we can come to uh some

[3:15:14] um some viable solutions that make sense uh and are appropriate for all. Uh so I

[3:15:21] appreciate you coming out. That's why it's important that you come out to the

[3:15:24] meetings, bring up these issues, voice these concerns, and we'll um we'll go

[3:15:28] from there. We have two meetings in September or one

[3:15:30] » one >> one meeting in September. So uh stay

[3:15:33] tuned for that for that date. Thank you. >> Thank you uh to both my colleagues.

[3:15:39] Thank you to my team. Uh to the people that have been here for the first time.

[3:15:44] Uh you can see that we deal with a wide variety

[3:15:48] uh broad range of um issues, topics uh across the whole spectrum. Um it was uh

[3:15:58] very uneasy listening to some of the things that uh have happened, some of

[3:16:03] the things that were said. And um our uh retired teacher back there was

[3:16:10] right. We there's some homework to be done. There's some uh facts to be dug

[3:16:13] up. And um [laughter] I look forward to uncovering uh some of this because

[3:16:20] um it's not acceptable in the community and uh we have some work to do. So uh

[3:16:25] our next meeting uh I believe is the second week in September. Um

[3:16:31] » 22 >> 22nd of September. Um

[3:16:36] let's see what uh uh facts we uncover uh by that point. And um I hope everybody

[3:16:42] has a good night and um yes we will uh be adjourned for the night.

8-18-26 TOWNSHIP OF HAMILTON MERCER COUNCIL MEETING

Agenda

Transcript