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Good evening, everybody.

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Good evening. Good evening, everyone. How are we doing today? All right, how are you?

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Good evening. This is a meeting of the Township Committee, March 16th, 2026. The notice requirements provided for a new open public meetings act have been satisfied. Notice of this meeting was properly given by transmission to the Raspberry Park press and the two over time. So by posting at the middle town Township Municipal Building and filing with the Township Clerk on January 9th, 2026.

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Committeeman Clark, committeewoman Clare, committeeman celebration, committeeman Sett and

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Brienne O.

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Deputy Mayor Hybel, Mayor Perry, please rise from the pledge of allegiance.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for

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which it stands, one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

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At this time I'd like to ask for a moment of silence to honor the troop serving worldwide

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defending our constitutions, freedoms, and way of life.

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Thank you. Our first item on tonight's agenda, we have a presentation recognizing

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Thorne Middle School cheerleaders for winning the 2026 short conference of middle schools

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cheer competition. At this time, I'd like to invite Coach Lori Ward and the team to join Mayor

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canary at the front of the room.

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Thank you for your information.

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Thank you.

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Let's give it up to the 2026.

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First of all, good evening, everybody.

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And thank you all for being here tonight.

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We are, look at these t-shirts.

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I shouldn't have said 2026.

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I shouldn't have said the five times in a row,

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shade of the edge.

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T-shirts don't come in my size.

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So, I haven't had any thoughts there.

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But ladies, congratulations.

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Congratulations, won't be half the entire time,

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so committee, I first went,

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like I do for all the champions that come through here.

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I want to get a number one.

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Let's give a big thank you around the club for both.

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I want to make them.

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Then I want you to look at your parents,

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guardians, loved ones.

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We aim to your siblings and say thank you for all that they do

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to help you get to this moment right here.

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Maurice.

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Ladies, they said, say thank you.

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And a little l equal.hammer

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OK?

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I told

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them. I said,

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you're all going to have to do a cheer, Animalsolog spiciness.

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And now, I'm

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going to make that cheer up. Thank you, Chairman.

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Let me, Steve.

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Thank you, New Year

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Merrin. See Dave. So ladies,

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I just want

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to say, how much you

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are

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effort. Every single one of you, your teamwork, your dedication and the day to day that you put in

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to be five time champions. That is what it means to be a collaborative effort because none of you

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were able to do this on your own. It is a group effort between all of you, your coach, your parents,

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this doesn't happen just because it happens because of your determination, your drive, your effort,

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but it is a group effort and a collective effort.

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And I just want to say this in no pressure,

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but six times in a row is going to have a really nice one in the evening.

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So I just want to say, it'll be half the time.

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She's committing a problem.

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We are a whole new problem that you represent middle town,

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born, day in, and day out, and in a whole that you do.

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and keep up this great work, keep being proud, keep going for that next step that next drive

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that next mile, because you will be six time in the road division champions. So, coach work.

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Sure. Hi, my name is Gordon Ward. I've been coaching Thorne Sheer for about eight years now.

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And about five years ago, they realized that they do an all-star game for every sport,

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and that surely didn't really have anything to celebrate them at the end of the season.

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So they started the competition.

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That being said, every single year, five or three years,

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born and stepped up, and they won first place at the competition.

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So, you know, cheerleading doesn't always get a knowledge as a sport.

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I'm a firm advocate that it is a sport.

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Like middle town in its community,

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into its entirety, it has so much talent in our dance programs,

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in our cheerbook programs.

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So we just really appreciate that you have us here,

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and we're honored to be here and be here.

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But within all, let's give it out a little bit of time.

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Within my constitutional authority I hear by that's a major leading sport.

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With a daughter that is this firing cheerleader and shows me all of her dance moves in the middle of my living room floor.

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It's definitely a sport because between her and my son who just wants to play baseball football day,

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I definitely can take my five-year-old daughter over him in this respect in the start of the effort that she's putting out in my liquor before or so.

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But ladies on behalf of the Township Committee, we want to congratulate the Thorne Middle School cheerleaders for winning first place at the 2026 short conference of middle schools cheer competition.

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because your dedication, teamwork and countless hours of practice throughout the season has made

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this a very impressive victory possible. Your outstanding performance truly gives middle

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town something to cheer about. And we are so proud of the way that you are representing your

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school, your community with enthusiasm, sportsmanship and spirit, congratulations to all of

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more

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in this world than to see Deputy Mayor get tossed in the near.

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It's called a flyer.

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I don't know how to do that.

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But every championship team, I asked to do a huddle of something.

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But if all of you have a cheer that you'd like to do in front of all your friends,

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a family, a greater middle-town community, please.

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Coach.

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All right, from all the money you just end in like your lives like they put on the stage just like or survive and then windows.

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That was 20 years.

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What you're

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not gonna stay next to them.

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I'm gonna wash them back.

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That's your long two of those.

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Congratulations again.

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Let's give it a big round.

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You

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see, see, you want to come down here.

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Um, they're gonna do a group picture.

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Maybe it's a shorter girl.

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We're deep breaths, so you're done, get in.

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And have a day-to-day, at the last hour.

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All right,

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all right, there we go.

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1, 2, 3, Congratulations.

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I'm going to say thank you to you, Harris, now they're entitled to this picture too, all right, so

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question, bye, stay tight.

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We're just going to

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do a five minute recess to let the girls exit

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just to continue on for with

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I just like that was such a prompt five minute recess. Excellent. Excellent. Yeah. Yeah.

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Bell head ID. Okay. We have two proclamations for the record. A proclamation recognizing April 2026 is volunteer month in the town of a middle town.

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And a proclamation recognizing April 26 as autism awareness month in the town of middle town.

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At this time, we have approval of minutes for March 2nd, 2026. So workshop meeting.

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Motion to approve the minutes.

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Okay.

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Commitment Clark.

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Yes.

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Commitment Crats.

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Yes.

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Commitment Senate.

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Yes.

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Deputy Mayor.

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Yes.

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Motion carries to approve the minutes.

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At this time, we have public hearing on proposed ordinances.

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Our first ordinance 2026-3500.

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An ordinance authorizing acceptance of deed of road dedication upon block 491.

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and lots 56.01 and 56.02, 835 and 837 Main Street.

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Any member of the public,

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which is speaking public ordinance number,

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2026-3500.

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Okay, see, no member of the public stepping forward,

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move the closed public portion to prove.

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Second.

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Commitment clerk.

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Commitment woman crats.

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Yes.

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Commitment set in Brino.

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Yes.

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Deputy Mayor Hybel.

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Yes.

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Mayor Perry.

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Yes.

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Motion carries the passes to ordinance on second and final reading.

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Our next ordinance for public.

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Okay. Our next ordinance for public hearing, 2026-3501,

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a bond ordinance providing an appropriation of $3,000,000,

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for various parks improvements by and for the touch of a middle town

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in the county of Momma.

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New Jersey and authorizing the issuance of $2,859,500,

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in bonds or notes of the township for financing part of the appropriation.

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Any member of the public wishes be going public ordinance,

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number 2026-3501.

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2026-3501. Seeing no member of the public stepping forward, move the

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closed public portion, and approve.

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Second.

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Commitment Clark.

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Yes.

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Commitment Crats.

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Yes. Commitment set in Brino.

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Yes.

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Deputy Mayor Hybel.

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Yes.

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Mayor Perry.

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Yes.

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Motion carries the passes horn and sound second and final reading.

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Our next item on tonight's agenda, we have ordinances for introduction.

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Our first ordinance 2026-3502, an ordinance

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amending chapter 540-825 of the code of the

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Tantra of a middle town governing billboards.

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Motion introduced.

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Second.

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Commitment clerk.

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Yes.

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Commitment credits.

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Yes.

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Commitment set in Brena.

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Deputy Mayor Highbell.

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Mayor Perry.

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Yes.

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Motion carries the passes ordinance on first reading

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with a public hearing to be scheduled for April 8th, 2026.

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Our

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next ordinance for introduction, we have 2026-3503, a bond ordinance providing an appropriation

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of $4,226,000 for various capital improvements by and for the township of Middletown,

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and the county of Momuth, New Jersey, and authorizing the issuance of $2,886,315 in bonds

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or notes of the township for financing part of the appropriation.

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Motion introduced.

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Minimum and Clark.

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Committee will.

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Yes.

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Motion carries a pass this ordinance on first reading with a public hearing to be held April 8th, 2026.

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At this time, I'd like to ask a touch of committee to adopt a consent agenda, which would include resolutions 26-98 through 26-113 removing 26-112.

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Motion to approve a consent agenda.

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Second.

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Committeeman Clark.

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Yes.

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Committeewoman Crats.

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Yes.

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Committeeman Setembrino.

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Deputy Mayor Hibel.

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Mayor Perry.

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Yes.

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Motion carries to adopt consent agenda.

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At this time, we have Township Committee comments.

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All right.

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Committeeman Clark.

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First is a chair dad myself.

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I'd like to congratulate.

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The thorn team on a great season of success, it's not easy and it's interesting that the coach was talking about how sometimes cheers not looked at as a sport. Those girls bus their butts to end voice, I should say, bus their butts to make that happen. So it's awesome for them. That's all I got for today.

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All right, Commitment Center, Bruno.

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Thank you Mayor, I'll echo a Commitment Clark's comments

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and we'll say that as a father of a 14-year-old daughter

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who doesn't listen to me at all,

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to get all of these girls to listen and to represent

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Middletown in the way they did is a great asset for the town.

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So, congratulations again to them, Mayor.

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Thank you.

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Thank you, Committeewoman Crits.

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Thank you, Mayor.

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Also, congratulations to the girls.

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I will share that they are probably the loudest group that we've had up here.

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So yeah, I'm very super loud.

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It was great.

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So congratulations to the girls.

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And also thank you to all of our volunteers out there to our residents and all who volunteer in our community.

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I think that's what sets us apart as a town.

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And we're very blessed and fortunate to have such dedicated volunteers who help and serve in our community all around.

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Also, I had the privilege to attend some elementary schools for read across America, which was fabulous.

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So, he's my favorite part of the week of being able to get into the schools and read with the kids.

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So, it was great.

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I got to go to Linkroften and Bayview in some of the fourth grade classes, which was great to hit the older grades, and it was really a sweet experience.

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So, thanks for that.

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Thanks, Mayor.

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All right.

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Thank you DM briefly the girl's amazing job, but that was by far the best

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Presentation we had up here by anyone I think for all the years. I'm sitting up here

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I am a sure dad as well. There's nothing

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crazier than sitting there for six hours and the whole hair experience before

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So thank you parents much appreciate it for what he does do the whole hair experience

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It's a big deal. I look forward to the mayor. I have to deal with this

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Whatever it is, it's difficult, and I can't do it.

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Volunteer committee.

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Boy, I would pay to see him have to do here.

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I just, everyone in this room, since we got a nice crowd tonight,

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I would definitely encourage you to please, if you see a volunteer,

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thank you volunteer, because we do have truly the best volunteers around.

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Our fire department first aid, OEM, we just have an amazing group of people

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that are out there every day, our Department Answers

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over 15-hour calls, the service annually,

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so it's a big deal.

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Please take a second if you see one, somebody,

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or no somebody, just say thank you.

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That's all I have, Mayor.

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All right, thank you.

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We couldn't agree with you more

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all in terms of our volunteers.

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I know at the last meeting,

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I want to say our fire department

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had already responded to 200 calls,

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we're well over that.

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to all them, to our OEM, to our EMS service, and to all the volunteers that serve on in any capacity.

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To all the individuals that I know, day in and day out, committeewoman Crats has been very involved in our alliance,

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and that's a great group of volunteers that do that so thank you to all of them.

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With that, I'll open up for public comment.

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Any member of the public wish and make a public comment may do so.

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We ask that you state your name for the record and that you keep your comments to five minutes

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at four minutes.

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How do you let you know that you have one minute remaining?

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Kristen, come on down.

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Hi there, Kristen Runeve from Middletown.

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I also wanted to congratulate those cheerleaders because I was at that competition and they're incredible.

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We're doing the hair.

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I wasn't. My daughter actually just was a manager.

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We just got to go and watch and it was my first to your experience and it was eye-opening.

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So I don't know if I could do the hair.

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And also, yeah, thank you to the volunteers because we really do appreciate our firemen and our AMS.

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I have written comments just so I don't lose track of myself in the time.

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Good evening Mayor Perry, Deputy Mayor Hybal, and members of the Township Committee.

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As you're all aware, there's an ongoing action by the Middletown Board of Education

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that threatens the existence of several district schools.

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I'm here tonight not as a parent, but as a resident and a property owner.

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Because decisions about schools are not just education decisions.

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They directly affect the economic stability and fairness of our entire community.

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Research consistently shows a strong connection between local schools and property values.

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National surveys of home buyers show that more than half of buyers with children

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choose their neighborhoods specifically because of the quality of the local schools.

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And the vast majority consider school district boundaries when deciding where to live.

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Research from the National Bureau of Economic Research confirms this connection.

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When school quality improves, home values rise.

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Because families are willing to pay a premium to live near strong schools.

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When neighborhood schools are thriving, communities grow.

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Young families move in, housing demanding creases, and local businesses benefit from a stable customer base.

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But when communities lose their neighborhood schools, the opposite can happen.

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Families looking to put down routes, often choose other neighborhoods, or even other towns.

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And that can mean declining housing demand, ultimately less support for local businesses and our local economy.

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This is why neighborhood schools are not just an education issue.

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There are community stability issue.

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Middle town has long benefited from strong neighborhood schools

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and a reputation of stability.

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Something that took generations to build,

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and that attracts home buyers.

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Right now, those living in the Bayshore neighborhoods,

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including Navy sink and Leonardo,

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face the possibility of losing their local elementary and middle school.

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Residents in these neighborhoods contribute a significant share of the Township's property tax base.

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00:44:25,420 --> 00:44:30,420
Those tax dollars support the entire town and school district and rightly so,

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because community services and public education are shared investments.

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But if one part of town loses access to nearby schools while other areas retain them,

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it raises a serious question of fairness.

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Even if students still attend schools elsewhere in the district, the community experience is not the same.

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When families no longer have schools embedded in their neighborhoods.

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Over time, that can cause...

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Area's of town in two education deserts. Places where young families are less likely to move, invest, and build their future.

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That will depress home prices and result in the closure of local businesses, harming our tax base and putting pressure on the other part of town to make up for the shortfall.

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This is a real risk our town is now facing, and it should not be one that we are willing to accept.

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This township committee needs to take action to prevent this outcome.

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Mayor Perry, if I may address you directly, you serve the community for very, very many years,

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and I know that you care deeply about middle town.

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00:45:42,440 --> 00:45:43,080
Okay, thanks.

329
00:45:43,080 --> 00:45:43,920
I look that old.

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00:45:45,640 --> 00:45:46,540
It's been a few years.

331
00:45:46,580 --> 00:45:48,280
Okay, all right.

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As you approach the end of your time as mayor,

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moments like this help define the legacy of leadership.

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00:45:54,680 --> 00:45:59,520
Ensuring that every part of Middletown is protected and represented equally.

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00:46:00,160 --> 00:46:07,800
While the Board of Education will make the final decision on school closures that decisions being made today will shape our town and our neighborhoods for decades.

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You and the Township Committee can and should use your voice and influence.

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To encourage solutions that preserve neighborhood schools and protect the long-term health of our town and our communities.

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because strong schools don't just educate children, they anchor neighborhoods,

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protect property values, and sustain local businesses,

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and every part of Middletown deserves that stability.

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Thank you so much for your time.

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00:46:45,500 --> 00:46:46,340
Thank you.

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00:46:47,460 --> 00:46:48,020
Thank you.

344
00:46:48,820 --> 00:46:49,420
Good evening.

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00:46:49,740 --> 00:46:51,980
I'm Amanda Farrier, a parent in Middletown.

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I've lived in many places in New Jersey,

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and since we're talking about cheerleading,

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I shared for eight years in old bridge throughout my life but I've never experienced the

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00:47:01,980 --> 00:47:06,880
affection that this town feels for its community. I see it in the firehouse or my husband is

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firstly tenant and through the daily interactions I have with my neighbors and fellow parents

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because of the way our school district which quietly and powerfully nourishes the sense of community.

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My neighbor once said to me when I was anticipating my oldest entering elementary school that

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And NABASync is very special.

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I didn't know what she meant until I'd experienced it myself.

355
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That little school has a lot of heart,

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and is likely a large reason why it was ranked number 13

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in the state's top elementary schools

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and number one in our district.

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NABASync Elementary was also the only school

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selected in middle town

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to be part of Rutgers State Policy Labs,

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promising practices project,

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which studied what high-performing schools are doing right.

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Schools like Navy Sing should be protected, studied and learned from, not closed, closing high-performing schools should be of the very last resort.

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I'm far from the only family who chose our home, knowing that we were buying into an excellent school district.

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People move here, stay here, and invest here because of our schools.

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Yes, we're emotional.

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These schools are more than building their homes.

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When you have a school where the principal is literally outside at the drop-off line, helping students out of their cars and addressing each one by their name.

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And where our students come home happy, safe, and learning, that matters.

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00:48:32,380 --> 00:48:35,680
But we're not only emotional, we're also practical and logical.

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We're asking for transparency, for consistent information, for facts and clear plans, and we're offering to help.

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We're not just simply saying no to a proposal, we're bringing forward alternatives.

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The parents and residents here have demonstrated how organized, thoughtful, and solutions oriented the community can be.

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We want to work with the township to find an answer that works for everybody.

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And we care deeply about the financial health of the middle town.

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Since the Board of Election vote, the projected deficit has already been reduced,

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00:49:11,260 --> 00:49:13,240
following the state funding announcement last week.

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The gap is now just over 2 million, and for a township of our size, a 2 million shortfall is roughly 1% of the total budget, and it can be addressed in ways that are far less drastic than amputating thriving schools and suffering irreversible consequences, which include the overcrowding of thorn and feeding all of Title 1 schools and special education classes into middle town north.

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Children cannot advocate for themselves that responsibility falls to us and to you and is our shared

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obligation to do what is best for them.

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00:49:48,760 --> 00:49:51,420
We believe that the current plan is severe and unnecessary.

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00:49:52,460 --> 00:49:57,100
We're asking for what should be simple transparency, honesty, and collaboration.

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Strong schools and strong community are the reason families come to Middletown and the reason

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why they stay for generations.

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We're asking you to hear us when we say we have feasible alternatives and we're ready to partner and there is a path to move forward.

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00:50:14,340 --> 00:50:18,000
Our schools are thriving and they're the cornerstone of what makes middle town great.

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They have done the hard work to become exceptional and we're asking the township to do the hard work to keep them that way.

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Please slow this process down and please work with us.

390
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Please do not close the schools close the schools that are doing exactly what we ask the schools to do

391
00:50:36,160 --> 00:50:39,940
Which is to serve our children and strengthen our community. Thank you.

392
00:50:48,930 --> 00:50:51,270
Thank you, and I just went and

393
00:50:51,870 --> 00:50:54,910
Do was want to just say one one thing so the

394
00:50:55,770 --> 00:51:00,530
So thank you. Thank you very much for your comments. I did have a lengthy

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00:51:01,630 --> 00:51:02,150
conversation

396
00:51:03,870 --> 00:51:08,730
Last week. I'm not sure when that was yeah, what's that?

397
00:51:08,730 --> 00:51:36,830
Thursday. Okay. And on on some of those very measures. So things that I wasn't aware of, Tony and Colleen who's not here tonight did have a good conversation as well with the district. So, you know, the conversation that I had certainly on certain things educated me on things that I wasn't aware of.

398
00:51:36,830 --> 00:51:46,090
And I'm sure Tony got out of his conversations things that he might not have been aware of but Tony's been here a long time so he might have been aware of them.

399
00:51:46,870 --> 00:51:50,850
So, but thank you very much for your comments. Yes, ma'am. How are you today?

400
00:51:51,030 --> 00:51:51,870
Good. Thank you.

401
00:51:52,230 --> 00:51:53,970
Hi. My name is Kerry Christianson.

402
00:51:54,290 --> 00:51:57,550
I also am a parent to two children at Navy Stink Elementary.

403
00:51:58,470 --> 00:52:02,510
I actually, I didn't grow up here like many people did. I moved here in 2017.

404
00:52:02,510 --> 00:52:07,470
My husband and I were looking at a number of towns that offered a easy commute into New

405
00:52:07,470 --> 00:52:13,210
York City for us and ultimately what led us to choose middle town for our family were

406
00:52:13,210 --> 00:52:20,370
the schools and as you all know last year the schools unfortunately came under potential closure.

407
00:52:21,250 --> 00:52:26,910
Parents rallied together and honestly as disheartening as it was for it to happen it really

408
00:52:26,910 --> 00:52:29,970
solidify the decision that I made to move here.

409
00:52:30,000 --> 00:52:39,900
Because I was so proud of the town. I was so proud of all of my neighbors who stood up to fight together for not just their own children, but for all of the children.

410
00:52:40,940 --> 00:52:48,860
You know, in the whole district, I was especially proud to have a mayor like you mayor Perry who joined us in that fight last year to really try and find a solution.

411
00:52:49,360 --> 00:52:55,000
And it seems also having some conversations this year as well. So, you know, we really thank you for that.

412
00:52:55,880 --> 00:53:18,340
You know, and sadly here we are again, and what's extra frustrating this time is it seems to be we have this dysfunctional board of education who's refusing to meet, refusing to discuss any other plan, then the plan we all fought so hard over the past year to not to happen.

413
00:53:19,200 --> 00:53:24,840
And, you know, in fact, they voted to close the schools prior to ever even seeing a budget.

414
00:53:25,320 --> 00:53:32,760
They voted to close these schools with no actual plan for the transition for the students.

415
00:53:33,940 --> 00:53:43,700
Zero consideration of the academic impacts, the student outcomes, and what was most concerning to me as a parent and taxpayer was,

416
00:53:43,700 --> 00:54:01,460
You know, the five who voted, yes, to close these schools, did so after sitting through a four-hour meeting, hearing directly from students, faculty and parents, all unified in their, you know, plea to not move forward with this, consider alternate options.

417
00:54:01,460 --> 00:54:21,200
There was not one person in that meeting who could actually stand up, including those five board members who voted yes, to explain why this was a good plan, why it was being considered, and why no alternate budget was ever even being presented, not to adopt, but for consideration.

418
00:54:21,200 --> 00:54:48,840
And that really is what was tremendously concerning to me, you know, we have a superintendent who has one foot out the door and is just passing all the blame to the Board of Education refusing to answer parents questions that we all have, you know, I don't even have a fifth grader and, you know, to know that if this plan does go through, doesn't go through what school will they go to.

419
00:54:48,840 --> 00:54:50,680
I mean, these are plans that parents are making,

420
00:54:51,240 --> 00:54:54,760
and the superintendent is refusing to even answer these.

421
00:54:55,400 --> 00:54:57,800
We have a business administrator who

422
00:54:57,800 --> 00:55:02,360
seems to just be doing status quo and not looking at any revenue

423
00:55:02,360 --> 00:55:07,600
generating ideas, cost saving options, which we all know are there.

424
00:55:08,780 --> 00:55:10,580
But what we do have is, you've heard,

425
00:55:10,620 --> 00:55:13,300
as a parent community, who are really committed to this cause.

426
00:55:14,020 --> 00:55:16,780
And we didn't just show up last year,

427
00:55:16,780 --> 00:55:22,320
and, you know, cry that our schools shouldn't be closed and when the schools weren't closed all

428
00:55:22,320 --> 00:55:28,640
went away. We've all kept engaged this entire year. You know, I myself have been to every single

429
00:55:28,640 --> 00:55:35,860
strategic planning meeting, offering creative revenue-generating ideas. We'd be naive not to

430
00:55:35,860 --> 00:55:41,480
realize the fact that school funding is a problem. Look at every single district in New Jersey.

431
00:55:41,480 --> 00:55:50,440
You know, we've been meeting as parents when the Board has shut us out with elected officials on both sides of the aisle to try and address the S2 funding formula.

432
00:55:51,100 --> 00:55:54,560
We don't think there's not a problem. We understand there is.

433
00:55:55,140 --> 00:56:01,700
But when there's a budget deficit of 1 percent, you don't shut down your third minute.

434
00:56:02,020 --> 00:56:05,240
Okay, your 13th top rated school out of 200.

435
00:56:05,240 --> 00:56:10,600
and the been sorry, 2006 elementary schools and overcat all of your middle schools.

436
00:56:10,660 --> 00:56:16,020
It's just, I understand schools are in business but any business would not be

437
00:56:17,040 --> 00:56:22,980
decimating their entire population for a 1% increase or I'm sorry, deficit in the budgets.

438
00:56:24,120 --> 00:56:29,560
So I'm here today to ask for your help. I know that you all care about our kids. I know you care

439
00:56:29,560 --> 00:56:35,000
about this town, and, you know, while I know that this is ultimately a board of education

440
00:56:35,000 --> 00:56:39,960
decision, it's unfortunately going to be a township problem to deal with.

441
00:56:40,080 --> 00:56:45,960
Because at the end of the day, you all have every single resident in middle town that you're

442
00:56:45,960 --> 00:56:47,260
looking out for in the safety.

443
00:56:47,880 --> 00:56:54,500
So, you know, I just ask that you force these conversations with the board of education, you

444
00:56:54,500 --> 00:56:58,080
know, I understand there have been some alternate ideas and plans that have been circulated

445
00:56:58,080 --> 00:57:04,720
even amongst you all. So you know it can be done, right? And, you know, to move forward with this plan,

446
00:57:05,040 --> 00:57:09,760
it's just we ask for for your help again, Mayor Perry. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your

447
00:57:09,760 --> 00:57:10,080
comment.

448
00:57:14,910 --> 00:57:21,050
How are you today? Okay, how are you? Good. Thanks. So I know Mayor Perry has Mayor

449
00:57:21,050 --> 00:57:26,510
Tonyks and my kids talk about him a lot. Sorry. We don't have sense. I know we know each other

450
00:57:26,510 --> 00:57:29,930
you got a, you got a, you got a savior name.

451
00:57:29,950 --> 00:57:30,630
I'm fine.

452
00:57:30,710 --> 00:57:32,370
I may, I may know you first see, yeah.

453
00:57:32,710 --> 00:57:33,710
I'm Christy Montgomery.

454
00:57:34,030 --> 00:57:35,190
I'm a middle town resident.

455
00:57:35,810 --> 00:57:38,750
I was raised in Navesink.

456
00:57:39,590 --> 00:57:42,390
My parents put five children through Navesink Elementary,

457
00:57:42,710 --> 00:57:45,070
Basher Middle School, and Middle Town High School South.

458
00:57:46,070 --> 00:57:48,350
We were five kids separated by 10 years,

459
00:57:48,390 --> 00:57:50,410
even in the offiers in my house,

460
00:57:50,450 --> 00:57:53,170
which was on the walk from the school to the jackpot,

461
00:57:53,230 --> 00:57:55,390
was the kindergarten class trip every year.

462
00:57:55,390 --> 00:57:57,710
so they would stop by on the way back from the duck pond

463
00:57:57,710 --> 00:58:00,390
and have a picnic in my backyard, my parents backyard,

464
00:58:00,770 --> 00:58:02,990
my sister now bought my childhood home.

465
00:58:02,990 --> 00:58:04,030
It's still in the family.

466
00:58:04,690 --> 00:58:07,930
I went to school in Ithaca, New York.

467
00:58:08,310 --> 00:58:10,510
I then went directly to Manhattan and Brooklyn,

468
00:58:10,690 --> 00:58:12,910
lived and worked there for over 10 years,

469
00:58:13,210 --> 00:58:16,010
and decided against anything I would have thought

470
00:58:16,010 --> 00:58:17,890
that I returned to my hometown.

471
00:58:18,310 --> 00:58:20,370
I channeled that Dixie Tricks song

472
00:58:20,370 --> 00:58:22,410
that I never thought that I would move back to my hometown.

473
00:58:22,710 --> 00:58:24,310
And I did for the sole purpose

474
00:58:24,310 --> 00:58:31,030
of giving my three children an excellent quality public school education like I received here

475
00:58:31,030 --> 00:58:36,490
in middle town. When I moved back here I purchased a home in the hillside neighborhood of

476
00:58:36,490 --> 00:58:42,850
Atlantic Islands, which when I was growing up was an area that we were not allowed to go to. It

477
00:58:42,850 --> 00:58:47,830
was not a very good area. The houses were very run down. There were drugs and other things going

478
00:58:47,830 --> 00:58:53,990
going on there. I purchased my home, got renovated my home and sold it for three times

479
00:58:53,990 --> 00:59:01,550
what I purchased it for. That neighborhood, we have to think about this. Why did people start to come

480
00:59:01,550 --> 00:59:07,990
here and invest? The ferry came in. Like Harry just said, it became more accessible for people

481
00:59:07,990 --> 00:59:13,370
from the city from other areas to move here. It's like Montclair and other areas. It's now considered

482
00:59:13,370 --> 00:59:18,610
a commuting town. People that I work with in the city who I would never know if anyone knew

483
00:59:18,610 --> 00:59:24,050
the Atlantic Highlands or middle town, know our area because of our schools, it's now on the

484
00:59:24,050 --> 00:59:29,270
map of realtors and people that want to move out of the city and give their kids a good

485
00:59:29,270 --> 00:59:35,830
good education. That is what is increasing property values. That is the things that make people want

486
00:59:35,830 --> 00:59:41,710
to move here, make this a desirable area. A lot of pairs are already jumping ship, moving their children

487
00:59:41,710 --> 00:59:43,010
to private schools.

488
00:59:43,330 --> 00:59:46,050
Okay, like how to me, public schools,

489
00:59:46,450 --> 00:59:48,410
paying tuition for Henry Hudson.

490
00:59:48,690 --> 00:59:49,650
Tell us, we're middle town.

491
00:59:49,670 --> 00:59:51,630
Can you imagine, I mean, when I was growing up,

492
00:59:51,650 --> 00:59:54,070
I couldn't imagine going to Henry Hudson,

493
00:59:54,150 --> 00:59:56,970
let alone paying tuition, we are middle town.

494
00:59:57,150 --> 00:59:59,970
We are residents, should want to say,

495
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:07,160
And there are children, two middle-town schools. It's it's it's it's crazy making as someone said it was it's very emotional.

496
01:00:09,100 --> 01:00:22,680
So I know you mayor Tony as a solutions oriented, like mover and shaker when my daughter, my youngest was actually my oldest daughter was learning to ride her bike, there was a giant pot hole in our street.

497
01:00:22,680 --> 01:00:29,460
Residents have been complaining about it for a long time. I sent Mayor Mayor Tony a video of my three-year-olds

498
01:00:29,460 --> 01:00:36,360
otter learning to write her bike falling in this pot hole. I think it was within a month. The entire road was was repaved, okay?

499
01:00:36,760 --> 01:00:44,860
You can do things. I believe in you. I need you and your colleagues to please put pressure on these people

500
01:00:45,820 --> 01:00:49,080
Superintendent Alphon is hiding behind this

501
01:00:49,080 --> 01:00:55,520
lawsuit, which is very narrow in scope. And listen, I don't want to be here. This is the first time.

502
01:00:55,620 --> 01:01:00,320
Listen, I hope this is the last time you see me at one of your meetings. This is not how I want to

503
01:01:00,320 --> 01:01:07,100
spend my time. I don't want to be a thorn in your size, but I will be. I'm dressed like this because I was

504
01:01:07,100 --> 01:01:13,820
out in the rain for since pick up at Beishore Middle School. Since 240, I've been out in the rain

505
01:01:13,820 --> 01:01:21,220
talking to people, getting people to sign postcards, to implore you to please, please, please.

506
01:01:21,340 --> 01:01:30,860
Please help find solutions for these easy problems. We're all smart people announcing within months that three schools are closing.

507
01:01:31,480 --> 01:01:37,540
My children are young. They were young at critical ages in their development when during the COVID pandemic.

508
01:01:37,540 --> 01:01:44,420
Okay, my daughter is in second grade. She's still behind in reading because she went to preschool with masks

509
01:01:44,420 --> 01:01:52,180
She couldn't even see the lips of the people learn like teaching her phonics. Okay, my three kids struggle in different

510
01:01:52,180 --> 01:01:54,520
educational ways in different social

511
01:01:55,840 --> 01:01:56,520
social

512
01:01:56,520 --> 01:02:06,140
emotional ways my son is in sixth grade all of his friends his entire core group of friends that he's had since he was in preschool

513
01:02:06,140 --> 01:02:09,240
He's not very great at meeting new friends.

514
01:02:09,740 --> 01:02:10,900
They're all going to other schools.

515
01:02:11,360 --> 01:02:14,420
He will now be a seventh grader at thorn

516
01:02:15,000 --> 01:02:18,440
and have a very hard time fitting in.

517
01:02:18,800 --> 01:02:20,440
My daughter is in fourth grade.

518
01:02:21,040 --> 01:02:23,880
She will have to go to three schools in three years.

519
01:02:24,060 --> 01:02:24,620
Three schools.

520
01:02:25,300 --> 01:02:27,320
My second grader, I'm still waiting.

521
01:02:27,620 --> 01:02:28,520
How is that?

522
01:02:28,920 --> 01:02:29,540
Okay, thank you.

523
01:02:29,640 --> 01:02:30,660
You can rise up, Chrissy.

524
01:02:31,140 --> 01:02:31,420
What was that?

525
01:02:31,440 --> 01:02:32,380
You can rise up real quick.

526
01:02:32,460 --> 01:02:33,500
Oh, thank you.

527
01:02:33,640 --> 01:02:34,640
My mouth's so dry.

528
01:02:35,360 --> 01:02:38,780
My second grader is still struggles reading.

529
01:02:39,380 --> 01:02:41,900
She's seven years old, seven and a half years old.

530
01:02:42,320 --> 01:02:43,500
She should be an excellent reader.

531
01:02:43,820 --> 01:02:44,460
And she's struggling.

532
01:02:44,620 --> 01:02:48,220
And I fear if she walks into B-short,

533
01:02:48,360 --> 01:02:49,680
which I was a B-short.

534
01:02:49,740 --> 01:02:50,540
It was cold then.

535
01:02:50,700 --> 01:02:51,440
It's still pretty cold.

536
01:02:51,540 --> 01:02:52,280
It's a middle school.

537
01:02:52,440 --> 01:02:53,660
It's not meant for little kids.

538
01:02:53,840 --> 01:02:59,640
It's just I don't, I cannot afford public school.

539
01:02:59,840 --> 01:03:00,740
I'm private schools.

540
01:03:01,180 --> 01:03:02,880
I need you guys to fix this.

541
01:03:02,880 --> 01:03:09,200
if the schools have to close in 5, 10 years, let that happen. Let that happen and we will support it

542
01:03:09,200 --> 01:03:14,040
if we're part of it and it makes sense and we have like enough times to react to it.

543
01:03:14,180 --> 01:03:18,940
To giving us free one notice that schools are closing, it's completely unacceptable,

544
01:03:20,160 --> 01:03:24,280
it's irresponsible and it's a moral. Thanks.

545
01:03:32,360 --> 01:03:34,420
Hello. How are you today?

546
01:03:34,720 --> 01:03:39,340
Well, how are you? Good. Good evening, everybody. Good evening. My name is Katie Little Page.

547
01:03:39,340 --> 01:03:44,500
I live here in Middletown. I have a son in kindergarten and I have a three-year-old son as well.

548
01:03:45,480 --> 01:03:50,260
I like thousands of Middletown residents was in shock two weeks ago when I watched our Board of

549
01:03:50,260 --> 01:03:56,680
Education vote five to four in favor of closing three neighborhood schools. I have been very

550
01:03:56,680 --> 01:04:02,200
attentive at Board of Education meetings for the last year and it was my understanding that

551
01:04:02,200 --> 01:04:08,860
the tax increase was meant to buy our Board of Education time to formulate a long-term

552
01:04:08,860 --> 01:04:10,900
strategic plan for our district.

553
01:04:11,600 --> 01:04:13,480
And when I heard our board president,

554
01:04:13,740 --> 01:04:17,120
Chris Aveta proposed this triple school closure plan

555
01:04:17,120 --> 01:04:20,020
as an answer to a 1% budget deficit,

556
01:04:20,360 --> 01:04:23,380
I thought about how that proposal could be analogous

557
01:04:23,380 --> 01:04:26,620
in my line of work, which also involves making decisions

558
01:04:26,620 --> 01:04:27,260
for children.

559
01:04:28,200 --> 01:04:29,180
I am a NICU nurse.

560
01:04:29,740 --> 01:04:34,060
It is my job to speak up and protect children from harm.

561
01:04:34,840 --> 01:04:37,700
Sometimes a baby in my care has to undergo

562
01:04:37,700 --> 01:04:44,740
an extreme procedure like intubation. This is a painful process of a two being inserted

563
01:04:44,740 --> 01:04:50,780
into the baby's trachea to allow him to breathe. As the nurse, I am typically the first person

564
01:04:50,780 --> 01:04:56,260
to notice that my baby has decompensated so critically that he requires an extreme procedure.

565
01:04:57,180 --> 01:05:04,120
At the same time, it would be reckless and unethical of me to urge a doctor to intubate my baby

566
01:05:04,120 --> 01:05:08,200
if my baby's condition did not warrant such an extreme intervention.

567
01:05:09,240 --> 01:05:15,100
Maybe my baby only needed nasal cannula or a seat-pat mask to help his breathing problem.

568
01:05:15,800 --> 01:05:21,640
I would always choose the least invasive and the least painful intervention for a child in my care.

569
01:05:22,480 --> 01:05:26,900
Another example that I see with premature babies in the NICU is a condition called

570
01:05:26,900 --> 01:05:33,780
advertising androclitis or neck for short. I have taken care of a baby who had such severe

571
01:05:33,780 --> 01:05:39,220
neck that she needed to be rushed to the OR to have a large section of her bowel surgically

572
01:05:39,220 --> 01:05:45,890
removed in order to save her life. However, I have also cared for a baby who has been lucky enough,

573
01:05:46,580 --> 01:05:53,280
been lucky enough to have a more mild case of neck. Fortunately, that baby did not require surgery

574
01:05:53,280 --> 01:05:56,980
as she was able to be healed with medication alone.

575
01:05:57,760 --> 01:05:59,820
Both babies had the same disease,

576
01:06:00,420 --> 01:06:02,540
but the doctor was discerning enough to know

577
01:06:02,540 --> 01:06:05,300
which baby required non-invasive medications

578
01:06:05,300 --> 01:06:09,300
and which one sadly required irreversible surgery.

579
01:06:10,520 --> 01:06:13,500
Mr. Mayor, I fear our board of ed

580
01:06:13,500 --> 01:06:16,620
is sending our town in for irreversible surgery

581
01:06:16,820 --> 01:06:19,280
when all we need is a little medication

582
01:06:19,280 --> 01:06:21,280
and some thoughtful planning.

583
01:06:22,140 --> 01:06:25,440
I know that you are a proud father to three children.

584
01:06:26,500 --> 01:06:32,980
I know that you would not tolerate them having to endure unnecessary extreme interventions.

585
01:06:33,960 --> 01:06:41,100
I know that if you were in my position, you would be standing here where I am advocating for your children.

586
01:06:41,760 --> 01:06:48,920
I also know how proud you are of Middle Town. I'm proud of it too. I love it here. I love

587
01:06:48,920 --> 01:06:54,760
serving our community as a nurse. That's why I'm here speaking to you tonight because I don't

588
01:06:54,760 --> 01:07:02,200
want our Middle Town children to endure unnecessary extreme irreversible interventions. When I was

589
01:07:02,200 --> 01:07:09,760
growing up a teacher told me, don't listen to what I say. Watch what I do. Thousands of children in

590
01:07:09,760 --> 01:07:15,540
town are hurting right now, traumatized by this surprise school closure proposal.

591
01:07:16,600 --> 01:07:21,040
Families and teachers are losing sleep, and we are wrought with anxiety.

592
01:07:22,100 --> 01:07:26,200
We are all watching to see what our leaders will do in this moment.

593
01:07:27,140 --> 01:07:29,980
We know you love middle town and we hope

594
01:07:30,000 --> 01:07:40,940
You will use your leadership to propose a plan to our Board of Education that closes their 1% budget gap, not our 3 neighbourhood schools.

595
01:07:42,220 --> 01:07:42,860
Thank you.

596
01:07:47,110 --> 01:07:48,090
All right.

597
01:07:48,390 --> 01:07:54,050
Some parents, Christian, myself and some others, we were at different schools today at pickup.

598
01:07:54,910 --> 01:08:03,250
And we just asked parents and students if they had any messages asking you for help if they wanted to write you a message on a postcard.

599
01:08:04,730 --> 01:08:14,090
100% enthusiasm. Yes, I would love that. So we gave them the postcards. Is it all right if I gave them to you? Sure. Okay. Amy, can you grab those postcards?

600
01:08:17,630 --> 01:08:25,810
Thank you so much. Yeah. Thank you. And thank you for your services and nurse, especially in the NICU. Thanks Amy. Thank you very much.

601
01:08:26,870 --> 01:08:29,810
Any other member of the public? We should make a public comment. Yes, sir.

602
01:08:36,190 --> 01:08:38,810
Good evening. Good evening. It's going to be hard to follow then.

603
01:08:40,610 --> 01:08:45,870
My name is Nicaro. I live in middle town. I'm going to be short and sweet. I don't want to take up too much of your time.

604
01:08:47,570 --> 01:08:52,950
I'm here as a resident taxpayer and a parent. I personally did not choose to move the middle town.

605
01:08:53,050 --> 01:08:55,350
My wife told me we were going to move the middle town and raise my kids.

606
01:08:55,830 --> 01:08:56,250
Smart guy.

607
01:08:57,670 --> 01:08:59,110
And I'm glad she did.

608
01:09:00,770 --> 01:09:04,370
The community schools in this town are by far the best in the state.

609
01:09:04,790 --> 01:09:09,590
I know you've heard from a lot of us tonight, and I'm not going to repeat or any of the facts and the stories.

610
01:09:10,310 --> 01:09:12,770
I'm just really going to ask two things from the board.

611
01:09:13,890 --> 01:09:17,870
The first thing I'm asked is that you call a precipita, and you tell them that this plan is unacceptable,

612
01:09:19,150 --> 01:09:24,330
and that not only will it hurt our children, but it will hurt every single resident and taxpayer in this town.

613
01:09:25,010 --> 01:09:30,070
The second thing I'm going to ask you is getting involved discuss the share services with a board of

614
01:09:30,070 --> 01:09:33,330
bed for SROs, like some of the other towns I've done.

615
01:09:35,670 --> 01:09:37,150
I'm going to leave you with those two requests.

616
01:09:38,290 --> 01:09:40,990
I'm going to let you listen to all these other parents and people that are talking.

617
01:09:41,930 --> 01:09:42,650
And thank you for your time.

618
01:09:42,730 --> 01:09:44,210
Thank you very much, sir.

619
01:09:54,600 --> 01:09:55,420
How are you?

620
01:09:55,580 --> 01:09:56,260
Good, sir.

621
01:09:57,020 --> 01:09:58,060
My name is Entio Trich.

622
01:09:58,340 --> 01:10:02,360
I live down the road of a sort so you've heard from a number of never-sync parents.

623
01:10:02,360 --> 01:10:09,260
or parents from that cell of the road, that town, my daughter, is a baby. So we're not currently

624
01:10:09,260 --> 01:10:15,420
immediately impacted, but I'd like to, I have some current concerns about the middle school situation

625
01:10:15,420 --> 01:10:22,460
and has the time to have considered the traffic impact have you considered that there's going

626
01:10:22,460 --> 01:10:29,320
to be up to a thousand kids in each school and how that will impact the overall health of the students

627
01:10:29,320 --> 01:10:34,060
as well as the neighbourhoods and everyone that's trying to get to those school and the traffic.

628
01:10:34,820 --> 01:10:36,320
So I've driven along Cherry Tree.

629
01:10:36,560 --> 01:10:40,200
It's not easy to get from outside of town to where,

630
01:10:40,840 --> 01:10:43,180
I don't know what the school's called to be honest.

631
01:10:44,560 --> 01:10:45,760
I was planning to go to Bay Short.

632
01:10:46,640 --> 01:10:48,240
So I don't know what that middle school's called.

633
01:10:48,800 --> 01:10:48,960
Thorn.

634
01:10:49,440 --> 01:10:50,000
Which is Catherine.

635
01:10:51,020 --> 01:10:51,060
Yes.

636
01:10:51,120 --> 01:10:52,480
Just Thompson's the other side.

637
01:10:53,280 --> 01:10:56,260
They just did a big cheer for Thorn in that school, right in the middle here.

638
01:10:56,260 --> 01:11:01,280
But the point is that you've heard from now to think, you've heard from the people immediately impacted.

639
01:11:02,040 --> 01:11:07,920
We are united. We are here as a unit for all the schools, not just those that are immediately impacted.

640
01:11:08,980 --> 01:11:14,520
And please, I haven't seen any impact on how traffic will be impacted either. And lastly,

641
01:11:14,880 --> 01:11:18,600
the first thing that happened when I moved to the U.S., I turned up in New York and they said,

642
01:11:18,700 --> 01:11:23,620
what are you doing here? And I said, well, I'm immigrating. Where are you going? I said, middle town,

643
01:11:23,620 --> 01:11:32,000
really good schools great decision. So I am not a local and even you're even you're

644
01:11:32,000 --> 01:11:37,800
know a Border Patrol know that Middletown is a good school district, so let's

645
01:11:38,940 --> 01:11:43,040
not screw that up. Most of that excuse me. It's not the worst word ever said

646
01:11:43,040 --> 01:11:47,220
out there. Anyway, thank you so thank you everyone here. Thank you very much.

647
01:11:50,730 --> 01:11:51,090
Any other

648
01:11:51,090 --> 01:11:54,130
member of the public wish to make a public comment? Bernie,

649
01:12:00,610 --> 01:12:01,350
good evening everyone

650
01:12:01,350 --> 01:12:03,030
and a Bernie Dawson middle town resident.

651
01:12:03,190 --> 01:12:05,170
I didn't prepare any specific comments tonight,

652
01:12:05,250 --> 01:12:06,810
but after hearing some of the other folks speak,

653
01:12:06,930 --> 01:12:10,330
I just wanted to touch on one thing that didn't come up,

654
01:12:10,430 --> 01:12:12,110
or maybe needs to be underlined, highlighted,

655
01:12:12,130 --> 01:12:14,130
and an explanation point put after it,

656
01:12:14,290 --> 01:12:19,150
which is the $3.2 million budget deficit,

657
01:12:20,170 --> 01:12:25,290
is now down to $2.3 with the $900,000 I came in from the state.

658
01:12:25,390 --> 01:12:26,850
So we got the maximum state aid.

659
01:12:26,850 --> 01:12:28,070
It's capped at six percent.

660
01:12:28,070 --> 01:12:35,550
We've gotten a bump of 6% in the max two years in a row and I believe the business administrator

661
01:12:35,550 --> 01:12:39,950
can go up to 2.78 this year for health insurance reasons.

662
01:12:40,470 --> 01:12:41,870
So that would be another 1.4.

663
01:12:42,550 --> 01:12:43,530
So what are we talking about?

664
01:12:43,530 --> 01:12:45,010
We're talking about less than a million dollars.

665
01:12:46,150 --> 01:12:50,970
So the emergency that we're experiencing where we've got three schools on the chopping

666
01:12:50,970 --> 01:12:53,350
block is like 1.5 of 1%.

667
01:12:53,350 --> 01:13:00,050
So let's just get our act together and come up with that 1.5% of 1% and, you know, let's

668
01:13:00,050 --> 01:13:03,930
regroup and, you know, do some good strategic planning this summer.

669
01:13:04,390 --> 01:13:04,810
Thank you.

670
01:13:04,970 --> 01:13:05,210
Thanks.

671
01:13:12,090 --> 01:13:13,330
Any other member of the public?

672
01:13:13,390 --> 01:13:15,210
Which is to make a public comment.

673
01:13:15,610 --> 01:13:16,210
Yes, me.

674
01:13:18,360 --> 01:13:19,420
You don't have to run.

675
01:13:20,240 --> 01:13:20,600
It's okay.

676
01:13:21,580 --> 01:13:21,980
I guess.

677
01:13:22,760 --> 01:13:23,220
Oh, hi.

678
01:13:23,600 --> 01:13:24,480
I spoke last time.

679
01:13:24,660 --> 01:13:24,680
Hi.

680
01:13:25,100 --> 01:13:25,400
Yes.

681
01:13:26,200 --> 01:13:27,180
I just wanted to address.

682
01:13:27,760 --> 01:13:28,400
Oh, Kristen.

683
01:13:28,400 --> 01:13:34,320
Kristen Kunz, middle town. I wanted to represent all those families that moved here from New

684
01:13:34,320 --> 01:13:42,000
York during the pandemic. As I said last time, we fell in love with this town and moved here,

685
01:13:42,220 --> 01:13:47,240
specifically for the schools and the history you've been able to preserve. So it's a charming

686
01:13:47,240 --> 01:13:54,160
town and I hope you keep fostering that history and legacy that we preserve. And I just wanted

687
01:13:54,160 --> 01:13:58,460
touch base. I don't have anything repair. I just want to touch base on the middle school kids.

688
01:13:59,420 --> 01:14:01,760
The kids in middle school right now are the kids that

689
01:14:02,720 --> 01:14:07,960
tried to learn to read during the pandemic that tried to make friends during the pandemic. All these

690
01:14:07,960 --> 01:14:14,120
kids were in kindergarten first and second grade. And for middle school in the town, especially

691
01:14:14,120 --> 01:14:20,360
Bayshore, it's a really special place. The programs that are offered at Bayshore are incredible.

692
01:14:20,360 --> 01:14:27,540
And I would hate to see them diluted into a larger school.

693
01:14:30,280 --> 01:14:37,580
And I guess I'm feeling a little emotional because of I was always a little bit reluctant to move back to my home state.

694
01:14:38,220 --> 01:14:46,300
And I moved here sort of thinking I don't know where I grew up in New Jersey wasn't a place like this.

695
01:14:46,300 --> 01:14:53,480
it was very bland. It had no character. All the history was bulldozed. Like every single farm

696
01:14:53,480 --> 01:14:58,840
that I grew up next to now just has condos on it. It's sad, but I came from a really great

697
01:14:58,840 --> 01:14:59,960
district so I

698
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:11,720
Really appreciate the education that New Jersey has to offer. And I just want you guys to remember those middle school kids that, like, didn't learn to read, so second, third grade. And what we're doing with them now.

699
01:15:13,440 --> 01:15:22,720
The difference in size of classes, if you go from a class size, what we have right now, 21, about 21 kids are average class size and be sure.

700
01:15:22,720 --> 01:15:25,040
If we crowd them into Thorn and Thompson,

701
01:15:25,520 --> 01:15:28,180
those classes are going to go up to like 27, 28.

702
01:15:28,720 --> 01:15:30,960
And when you're taking a test or who trying to do notes,

703
01:15:31,380 --> 01:15:35,700
and you're in middle school, like that, like three other distractions,

704
01:15:35,960 --> 01:15:37,880
like say someone starts talking in this crowd,

705
01:15:38,240 --> 01:15:39,980
like that throws everything off.

706
01:15:40,060 --> 01:15:42,020
And it's at that, this age.

707
01:15:42,060 --> 01:15:44,220
That's when that's all the time when we're kind of...

708
01:15:44,920 --> 01:15:46,820
He's a class clown, I guess.

709
01:15:46,820 --> 01:15:47,320
Yeah.

710
01:15:49,900 --> 01:15:50,420
Oh.

711
01:15:52,180 --> 01:16:00,100
No, but it's at this juncture in a kids life when you can really see them shine or go off the tracks.

712
01:16:00,440 --> 01:16:02,720
And I just want these kids to shine.

713
01:16:02,880 --> 01:16:03,880
I don't want to see them.

714
01:16:03,920 --> 01:16:07,220
You know, with the Alliance leaders, it's been like a really great support.

715
01:16:07,400 --> 01:16:10,560
It's going to learn how to deal with this, this age group.

716
01:16:10,780 --> 01:16:11,420
So thank you.

717
01:16:11,980 --> 01:16:13,680
And just the quality of our opportunities.

718
01:16:14,780 --> 01:16:26,300
So, just think of our middle school kids and how awful, how it could be a really awful experience for them, but thank you, keep up the good work.

719
01:16:26,380 --> 01:16:38,580
Thank you. The one thing I just wanted to say for any parent that's going through that, you know, where their child is in need of additional resources, I don't know what year it was.

720
01:16:38,580 --> 01:16:43,700
like we created the program, probably three years ago, four years ago now?

721
01:16:45,080 --> 01:16:49,620
But we do all the the township in an effort to try and help with that.

722
01:16:49,660 --> 01:16:54,720
Does offer no cost tutoring for income eligible families?

723
01:16:55,100 --> 01:16:59,060
It was the program that we created called the next generation support program,

724
01:16:59,060 --> 01:17:04,840
but it was specifically for kids that were impacted by learning loss

725
01:17:04,840 --> 01:17:12,360
that I announced probably three years ago at this point, four years ago, but we hired a private tutor

726
01:17:12,360 --> 01:17:18,480
and to utilize the ARP funding is what it was called from the federal government that was our ability

727
01:17:18,480 --> 01:17:25,740
to try to eliminate as much learning loss as we could. We can't cope with it. Yeah, just to see

728
01:17:25,740 --> 01:17:31,900
that like in my own son, to see where he started and where he is now, it's I can only credit

729
01:17:31,900 --> 01:17:37,440
this, this schools for that, and to know there's even more available is fantastic. Like

730
01:17:37,440 --> 01:17:42,620
that's what makes this place great. I want to know why my daughter still spells my name with

731
01:17:42,620 --> 01:17:49,480
an eye at the end of it rather than why. It's hard on it. Yeah. Yeah. So thank you very much. Thank you.

732
01:17:49,560 --> 01:17:50,380
Thank you.

733
01:17:54,120 --> 01:17:56,520
Any other member of the public, which is to make a public comment?

734
01:17:58,560 --> 01:18:02,940
All right, so you know how to remember the public's, yes sir. Sorry about that.

735
01:18:05,360 --> 01:18:06,060
How are you today?

736
01:18:06,060 --> 01:18:35,940
Good, thank you. My name is Logan Bess. My family actually just moved down here from Hoboken six months ago. We moved here. You're welcome. Thank you. Thank you. We move here for the schools. So just put a face with, you know, the people that are moving down here because of the schools. That's what we came here for. And then we found out there's actually so many other reasons to love middle town. And we've really enjoyed it. It's been phenomenal for our family. You know, I just want to say real quick that,

737
01:18:35,940 --> 01:18:40,400
We moved here because the schools are in the upper quartile for the state, right?

738
01:18:40,740 --> 01:18:46,140
That's a phenomenal achievement, and one of the things that we should be proud of in

739
01:18:46,140 --> 01:18:50,180
Middlesown is we're actually in the 39th percentile for cost.

740
01:18:50,580 --> 01:18:56,620
So we're doing a really good job of performing at a very high level academically with our kids.

741
01:18:57,000 --> 01:19:01,900
While at the same time, doing it cheaper than two thirds of the rest of the state.

742
01:19:02,180 --> 01:19:04,420
That's a phenomenal achievement for our school district.

743
01:19:04,420 --> 01:19:13,040
And so when we have this relatively small budget shortfall of half a percent, it seems insane

744
01:19:13,960 --> 01:19:19,160
to potentially remove three schools, one of which is one of the highest performing in the state,

745
01:19:19,780 --> 01:19:22,400
like this school is a phenomenal school.

746
01:19:23,680 --> 01:19:32,020
And so, you know, I really would encourage the leadership team here to question what's going on at the board of ed,

747
01:19:32,020 --> 01:19:34,140
because this doesn't make economic sense.

748
01:19:34,720 --> 01:19:41,260
When you look at the data, it doesn't make actual sense in regards to the data that, you know,

749
01:19:41,420 --> 01:19:47,000
the New Jersey State puts out there. So, you know, I think this is something that we as a community

750
01:19:47,000 --> 01:19:53,180
should be able to solve, and I hope under your leadership we can. So, thank you very much.

751
01:19:59,140 --> 01:20:01,580
Any other member of the public? John?

752
01:20:01,580 --> 01:20:01,720
How

753
01:20:11,120 --> 01:20:12,440
are you doing, John?

754
01:20:12,640 --> 01:20:13,260
Good, how are you?

755
01:20:13,320 --> 01:20:13,640
Good.

756
01:20:14,180 --> 01:20:15,580
John's family, 91, Burlington.

757
01:20:16,820 --> 01:20:20,020
I just, just two unrelated projects.

758
01:20:20,740 --> 01:20:24,380
They're two about open space at a couple comments on.

759
01:20:25,540 --> 01:20:26,440
So I didn't idea.

760
01:20:26,720 --> 01:20:28,980
I want to ask the temperature committee about.

761
01:20:29,880 --> 01:20:32,100
I didn't idea for modern day park.

762
01:20:32,460 --> 01:20:34,520
I know there's a lot of modern day alumni.

763
01:20:34,880 --> 01:20:36,780
That's still live in town, former teachers.

764
01:20:37,840 --> 01:20:41,440
the chairman. I know the chairman and I think he's believe he's still

765
01:20:41,440 --> 01:20:45,260
random McDonald's still in middle town, but I want to ask the township

766
01:20:45,260 --> 01:20:50,840
committee if there's a possibility when the park is, you know, years in

767
01:20:50,840 --> 01:20:58,440
advance when, but I just said I just had a idea of maybe putting up a couple of

768
01:20:58,440 --> 01:21:03,000
signs or maybe like a perico walk if people want to buy stones to put their

769
01:21:03,000 --> 01:21:13,360
down, like, and turn the park. Yeah, we actually have our, we got the sign for the park. So that's in.

770
01:21:14,520 --> 01:21:21,940
We, I don't know the mechanism I would have to ask Colleen with regard to stones and, and if that even

771
01:21:21,940 --> 01:21:27,400
impacts green acres in any way, shape or form. So, but it's a good idea. It's because they're

772
01:21:27,400 --> 01:21:32,980
restriction with, like, public property, putting people's names down, like, no, I just,

773
01:21:32,980 --> 01:21:37,920
I don't know if, you know, with green acres, one day something's okay, the next day, it's not.

774
01:21:38,240 --> 01:21:41,540
So you just got to catch the right person at the right time.

775
01:21:42,600 --> 01:21:46,240
Since we did use open space funding for that.

776
01:21:47,920 --> 01:21:52,180
And the other open space project, I think I mentioned a couple of times.

777
01:21:53,420 --> 01:21:58,240
So I did some reading with the highway, the New Jersey DOT.

778
01:21:59,000 --> 01:22:03,120
it's to the township's authority, if the township wanted to add plants or

779
01:22:03,940 --> 01:22:08,960
plants or trees to the child candles and I just wanted to bring it.

780
01:22:08,960 --> 01:22:14,880
I love to say that, they love to say that. That is the township's decision

781
01:22:14,880 --> 01:22:17,940
whether or not they want to do it and then they give it all. Then they give you

782
01:22:17,940 --> 01:22:22,900
the list of plants that you can put on there and it's like three total plants

783
01:22:22,900 --> 01:22:25,980
that you're allowed to put on there because you have to worry about line of

784
01:22:25,980 --> 01:22:28,000
and a lot of them are legitimate things.

785
01:22:28,960 --> 01:22:29,920
Yeah, I'll see if you can.

786
01:22:30,000 --> 01:22:39,840
So, safety and so, but yeah, understand that they like to say that it is, but you got to, you got to really fall within their parameters.

787
01:22:40,460 --> 01:22:59,000
Gotcha. Yeah, I want to mention the Taylor Lane in Route 35, Joe Candle. I just noticed it. When it expanded, it was just all grass. So I thought it looked a little bit nice to put a couple plants in which, Taylor Lane in the Joe Candle, Taylor Lane in 35, right by the target.

788
01:22:59,000 --> 01:23:07,260
Like if you're if if you're drive. I know where it is. Yeah, I'll take a look at it. I've been I haven't really peered into the joke handle that

789
01:23:07,940 --> 01:23:10,540
Unless I'm trying to catch the light

790
01:23:11,420 --> 01:23:15,300
But I'll take a look at it. So thank you. All right. Thanks, John

791
01:23:17,800 --> 01:23:21,200
Any other member of the public wish to make a public comment. Yes, sir.

792
01:23:25,930 --> 01:23:28,490
I can promise you planting on whatever drug handle you want

793
01:23:28,490 --> 01:23:30,470
Oh, let's do it

794
01:23:30,470 --> 01:23:36,090
Committee I'm Mike Armstrong. I'm from the Eversink. So little background for me

795
01:23:36,550 --> 01:23:38,870
Most of you guys don't know who I am, but I want you to.

796
01:23:39,930 --> 01:23:41,710
So I born and raised in Highlands.

797
01:23:42,050 --> 01:23:42,730
Highlands is home.

798
01:23:42,970 --> 01:23:44,650
Fitch generation lobster fisherman.

799
01:23:44,710 --> 01:23:46,210
That's what I would have been, right?

800
01:23:46,370 --> 01:23:50,110
But I'm one of two to ever make it through college.

801
01:23:50,710 --> 01:23:51,830
My brother being the first.

802
01:23:52,090 --> 01:23:52,870
I was the second.

803
01:23:53,230 --> 01:23:54,410
We're both mechanical engineers.

804
01:23:54,790 --> 01:23:55,670
You let them do that.

805
01:23:55,810 --> 01:23:57,150
We let it happen, right?

806
01:23:57,410 --> 01:23:58,530
He's six years older than me.

807
01:23:58,570 --> 01:23:59,810
So I'll have it happen anyway.

808
01:24:01,370 --> 01:24:04,870
So a grown-up in Highlands didn't think I'd grow up

809
01:24:04,870 --> 01:24:10,110
be anywhere else but then I looked to my neighbors in middle town and I'm like man there's there's

810
01:24:10,110 --> 01:24:16,850
a lot to be had there. I love everything about middle town right and having gone too

811
01:24:16,850 --> 01:24:23,290
Hudson and graduated from there. It was very difficult. It was very difficult but what made it

812
01:24:24,050 --> 01:24:32,290
very fun was that the class sizes were right. I graduated 10th at a 42 42 what's up 10

813
01:24:32,290 --> 01:24:39,430
So I got to sit right there on like the side with that special row of, you know, oh, it's number 10 of 40 too.

814
01:24:39,870 --> 01:24:40,510
Watch out people.

815
01:24:41,590 --> 01:24:45,850
But, you know, look, we, this committee has done a lot of great things.

816
01:24:45,970 --> 01:24:48,490
And these are the days that I feel for you, okay?

817
01:24:48,930 --> 01:24:51,550
Because I do a lot of volunteer myself, right?

818
01:24:51,950 --> 01:24:53,710
I'm an ex-chief at a highlands.

819
01:24:53,990 --> 01:24:56,230
I'm a current member at Breve on Park.

820
01:24:56,770 --> 01:25:01,690
I hold many positions within my fire company currently that help out this fine township.

821
01:25:01,690 --> 01:25:06,910
And I also hold volunteer positions within my, within my community.

822
01:25:07,050 --> 01:25:09,590
I'm the Cubmaster of Davis Inc.

823
01:25:11,130 --> 01:25:12,750
So I'm here to like help.

824
01:25:12,990 --> 01:25:16,730
I'm not here to argue, I'm here to like plan things, right?

825
01:25:16,990 --> 01:25:19,410
And unfortunately, you folks are kind of getting to

826
01:25:19,410 --> 01:25:22,250
run from us of how can we make this happen,

827
01:25:22,250 --> 01:25:23,470
how can we make things better?

828
01:25:23,810 --> 01:25:27,730
And you know, you all don't really dictate these things

829
01:25:27,730 --> 01:25:29,070
that we're talking about tonight.

830
01:25:29,170 --> 01:25:30,270
And I feel for it, right?

831
01:25:30,270 --> 01:25:34,250
this is this is not the long meeting that you're anticipating on that rating day.

832
01:25:34,450 --> 01:25:37,630
Somehow we still have power. We got a big old generator out in the back. We'll be okay.

833
01:25:38,770 --> 01:25:41,390
But you just got a brace for about three seconds and then you're fine.

834
01:25:41,650 --> 01:25:43,530
You're gonna have to turn back on.

835
01:25:43,990 --> 01:25:49,250
But we're dealing with something that we want to make sure that you guys are very aware of

836
01:25:49,250 --> 01:25:53,550
and that we think you guys could probably have some hand-in-fixing and helping.

837
01:25:54,390 --> 01:25:59,230
And hopefully plans like that had come out last year where different things could mechanisms

838
01:25:59,230 --> 01:26:05,250
could help make this work again, would hopefully make it work and continue to make it work.

839
01:26:06,330 --> 01:26:11,150
You know, I know there's a lot of people at home that are looking and looking at these meetings

840
01:26:11,150 --> 01:26:19,890
and in the end, I would say everybody knows that home that your costs of living went up, right?

841
01:26:20,310 --> 01:26:25,050
Milk and eggs. Everybody just goes milk and eggs. We can look at the stock price so we'd see it.

842
01:26:25,050 --> 01:26:29,930
The prices went up, yet the Board of Education did not charge us more.

843
01:26:30,430 --> 01:26:31,670
We know that's not right.

844
01:26:32,510 --> 01:26:33,930
So what's the line?

845
01:26:34,190 --> 01:26:34,770
What's the line?

846
01:26:35,210 --> 01:26:38,650
We're just trying to stay flat to make sure we keep our position.

847
01:26:40,030 --> 01:26:43,470
Or was it we had a bigger agenda to go on afterwards?

848
01:26:43,750 --> 01:26:44,310
I don't know.

849
01:26:44,730 --> 01:26:51,330
But what I don't want to see is I don't want to see my three kids go to a school that could become overcrowded

850
01:26:51,330 --> 01:26:56,150
And lose that community field that I was so used to, even for being at

851
01:26:56,150 --> 01:26:58,190
Astrox and somehow becoming an engineer.

852
01:26:58,550 --> 01:27:00,130
I don't know how I did believe it, right?

853
01:27:00,510 --> 01:27:05,810
But it was that community field. I was able to connect to my teachers and directly be influenced

854
01:27:05,810 --> 01:27:12,470
by what they could teach me. And I'm afraid that when we get into for now this stage one of

855
01:27:12,470 --> 01:27:16,150
consolidating that it's going to be just a continued consolidation.

856
01:27:16,150 --> 01:27:19,150
And I could tell you this, seven and eighth grade,

857
01:27:19,830 --> 01:27:21,530
haven't been in Hudson, seven and eighth grade.

858
01:27:21,950 --> 01:27:24,650
In 1912, absolutely does not work.

859
01:27:25,210 --> 01:27:25,810
It does not work.

860
01:27:26,230 --> 01:27:28,430
I've been there, I've done that, I've lived it.

861
01:27:28,690 --> 01:27:31,450
I will put a lot of caution to the parents

862
01:27:31,450 --> 01:27:33,410
that is not what you want to do.

863
01:27:33,690 --> 01:27:36,090
And I'm afraid that this may be a solution

864
01:27:36,090 --> 01:27:38,150
to overcrowding in the future.

865
01:27:38,830 --> 01:27:40,090
So just something to consider.

866
01:27:40,550 --> 01:27:41,030
I appreciate it.

867
01:27:41,030 --> 01:27:41,630
Thank you.

868
01:27:46,400 --> 01:27:47,720
Any other member of the public?

869
01:27:49,830 --> 01:27:55,030
See, no other member of the public stepping forward, move the closed public portion and adjourn.

870
01:27:56,830 --> 01:27:57,510
Miniman Clark.

871
01:27:57,970 --> 01:27:58,050
Yes.

872
01:27:58,050 --> 01:27:58,930
Miniman Crats.

873
01:27:59,490 --> 01:27:59,650
Yes.

874
01:28:02,090 --> 01:28:03,050
Mayor Perry.

875
01:28:03,550 --> 01:28:04,230
Motion carries to it.

876
01:28:04,230 --> 01:28:05,330
Thank you all very much.

877
01:28:05,350 --> 01:28:06,450
Have a great night, all right.

878
01:28:06,630 --> 01:28:07,230
Thank you.