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Thanks,

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Scotch Plains, and welcome to our- Hi, everybody. Hello, Scotch Plains, and welcome

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to our August 8, 2023 business meeting. I wish to make the following announcement to show

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compliance with the Open Public Media's Act, known as Chapter 231 of the public laws

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in New Jersey, 1975. Notice of this meeting was given by publishing a notice of location

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time and date, sending copies to the store ledger, boys in the back, to the store ledger, and

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the Union County Hawk posting said notice on the Township website and bulletin board

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in the municipal building and filing same with our Township clerk.

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Tonight, we're honored to be led in the pledge of allegiance by this winning Scotch Plains

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Raiders baseball team, the 11-U baseball future, 11-U baseball team, boys, if you'll please

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lead us in the pledge.

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Everyone please rise.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

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Thank you boys. Good job boys. Good job.

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Miss Lassina, may we have the roll call please?

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Mr. Adams?

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Mr. Danler?

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Here.

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Mr. White?

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Here.

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Miss Zimmerman?

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Here.

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Mayor, let's start out.

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Here, thank you, Ms. LaCena.

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I'll start out by saying tonight we're summer casual,

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not wearing ties, so if anything's out of the ordinary,

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that explains that.

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I want to share, if you're watching at home

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or better if you're unable to tune in,

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because you're on the wrong channel,

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Verizon has channel 22 off the air.

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But if you're watching on Verizon,

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and you can watch us on channel 21-22.

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If you know someone at home that may be watching

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and on that channel, I appreciate if you'd reach out.

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Of course, we're on Facebook Live as well

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and the meeting has been recorded

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so you can watch it at a later date

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if you're unable to tune in.

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I understand Verizon will be making their repairs shortly.

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Tonight we're going to start presentations of recognition

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by swearing in, by delivering the oath of office

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to three of our finest here in Scotch Plains,

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Chief Reel?

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Was that because the water didn't fall?

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Yeah, round the applause. Thank you so much.

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Thank you for having us here today, Mayor Counsel. This is Mayor Bala Masazi.

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Bonnie, thank you so much.

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Here to swear in, this is also a reminder graduated from the police academy back in June.

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He's been on the road for a couple of months. This is his recognition ceremony.

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and we're also here to swear in newly sergeant Mike Balthazar and Lieutenant

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Stan Pearson. So we're going to start off with Officer Ramondi. Officer Ramondi

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grew up in South Plain Field, New Jersey. Upon graduation of high school he held

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a few different jobs from auto body work to dialysis until in 2016 he decided

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to join the military. He left for the Army's basic training combat course in

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in early 2017 and was stationed in Fort Riley, Kansas.

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After deploying in 2019 as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve,

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he had the opportunity to take the civil service test

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while on leave.

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When he completed active duty service in 2021,

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he moved back to New Jersey into Scotch Plains

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where he worked for his father

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until he received their call to join our police force.

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He now serves our community while still serving,

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in our country in the New Jersey National Guard.

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Grounded family and Scotch claims in Ramondis.

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Business owner, ATA, Taqwondo, right here in Scotch claims,

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as well as a very long one in Rosalp Park,

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and also one in, what's the other one?

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Bayon.

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His brother-in-law is one of our lieutenants.

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Okay. Did very well on our civil service test. We were lucky enough to be able to get

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to him and he was an outstanding cadet in the police academy. Okay. We were very, very

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lucky to be able to get to him. Well, sir Vinny Ramondi.

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Sir,

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if you serve the city center, welcome to the PDA. If you will, please repeat after me.

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I Vincent Ramondi. I Vincent Ramondi. Do solemnly swear. Do solemnly swear that I was

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I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey that I will bear true faith in allegiance to the same and to the governments and to the governments established in the United States and in this state and in this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the people

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And then I will faithfully, and then I will faithfully, impartially, impartially, and justly perform, and justly perform all the duties of, all the duties of, police officer of the township of Scotch planes, police officer of the township of Scotch planes.

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According to the best of my ability, so help me God.

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Graduates, next

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up, Mike Boltzazard.

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Sergeant Boltzazard began his career in public services

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in 9-1-1 dispatcher in 2006 with Old Bridge Township

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while volunteering on one of the town's rescue

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squads as an emergency medical technician.

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Sergeant Boltzazard, the oldest of two

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and as a father of two, Riley, 12 years old, and Andrew 11.

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His parents are immigrants from Portugal.

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He grew up in a Elizabeth and graduated

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with a former high school in 2005.

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He successfully completed his associate's degree

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in criminal justice for Burkdale Community College.

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Sergeant Boltz is our beginner's police service in 2012

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as a special law enforcement officer,

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class one and two with the city of Long Branch.

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In 2014, he was employed by the borough of Hummetta

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as a class two officer and shortly after

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appointed as a full-time police officer.

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Sergeant Boltz is our became employed

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by the town of Scotch Plains in 2018.

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prior to his promotion, he served in the Patrol Division, mainly on the Midnight

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Ship. Through his experience, Sergeant Bulter Zor was involved in numerous

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criminal and narcotics investigations. He was involved in numerous aspects of

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community policing and has always eager to be involved in our community. He is the

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ten-time recipient of the Mullers Against Front Driving Award. In 2020, he was

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recognized as Union County's top cop for his efforts in DIY enforcement. He was

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currently employed as a drug recognition expert for the township. Again, we were very

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lucky to get Mike from home that was a smaller department that luckily for us one of the

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basically close-in up shop and back in the day there was a thing called the rice list

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where out-of-work police officers went on to a list and department such as ours can draw

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from that list and we were able to get him. It was such a small police department back

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then that Michael Joe, he was like the captain lieutenant, the traffic sergeant and the dispatcher,

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all wrapped into one which seems funny. But what it did for us when Mike came here is he was

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involved in things, he brought experience to this police department that traditionally only

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supervisors in this police department would have. Whether it was the attack officer which is responsible

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for the entering of stolen property and removing stuff and you need different qualifications to

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the state police to have to obviously his efforts in combating driving while intoxicated, a 10

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time recipient. He's led this department every year since he's here and he hasn't been here for 10

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years so it tells you what he was doing in his previous police department. Again, very lucky to get

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he brought over a wealth of experience and we're already seeing that you know in his new rule is sergeant.

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Michael Balthazar.

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Please raise your right hand and repeat it. I Michael Balthazar.

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I'm Michael Balthazar. You're all these where?

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You're all these where?

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I was the support of the Constitution of the United States.

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I was the support of the Constitution of the United States.

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And the Constitution of the state of New Jersey?

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And the Constitution of the state of New Jersey?

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And then I will bear true faith.

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And I will bear true faith.

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And allegiance to the same.

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the agents of the same and to the governments and to the governments established in the United States and in the state and in the state under the authority of the people and then I will faithfully and that I will faithfully impartially and partially and justly perform and justly perform all the duties of all the duties of

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Sergeant of the Township of Scotch Plains. Sergeant of the Township of Scotch Plains, according

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to the best mind ability, so I hope you got it.

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Congratulations.

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Alright,

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next up, Lieutenant Stan Pearson. Lieutenant Stan Pearson, Stan grew up in Scotch Plains

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and graduated high school in 2000. He joined United States Marine Corps in January of 2002

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and deployed to Iraq in 2003 and again in 2005. When he got back from his last appointment,

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and he attended the Morris County Police Academy in January of 2006, it was initially

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employed by Port Sippening. In 2007, we pulled some fast ones and we were able to steal

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them from Port Sippening and he came to us in July of 2007. He was assigned to the Union

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County Emergency Response Team after only being here a year in 2008 and in 2009, he was selected

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to the Union County SWAT team.

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He worked in patrol as a patrol officer

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until 2013 where he was assigned to the Detective Bureau

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where he remained until December of 2016

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when he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

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Upon that promotion, he reported back

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to the Patrol Division where he was

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until we assigned them back into the Detective Bureau

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in December of 19 as a Detective Sergeant.

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He was assigned as a provisional lieutenant, we were kind of had some internal stuff going

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on right now and we usually operate a civil service list but in lieu of an active list

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and if we need to make promotions there'll be a provisional status.

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So that's where he worked as a provisional lieutenant assigned to the detective bureau

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from February of 2021 until May of 2022.

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to.

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Unfortunately, at that time, we made some promotions, and the provisional rent that he held

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was removed, and he went back to a detective sergeant in the Bureau, where he actually

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spent a lot of time alone in there.

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We had a couple of lieutenants in there kind of short-lived, but he did that job as a sergeant

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without a lieutenant in there for quite some time.

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He's a firearms instructor and a range master for our department, getting everybody qualified

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from handgun, shotguns, MP5s, and now Caribbean rifles.

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He's assisted in developing, instituting the Scotch claims police act of shooter team

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as well as the protocol that follows that.

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He's been a member of the SWAT team, like I said, going back to 2009, and in March of 2023

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23 he was promoted again inside the SWAT team as to a SWAT leader, which is actually part

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of the command staff of that SWAT team.

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Very well-rounded officer, humble, humble guy, doesn't ask for much even when he should,

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when he needs help, he won't, and a valued part of my inner circle and inner team.

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I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of

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that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and to the governments established

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in the United States and in this state under the authority of the people and then I will

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faithfully and partially and justly perform all the duties of detective lieutenant of the

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the township of Scotch Plains.

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Effectively township of Scotch Plains,

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important for the best of my abilities,

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so I'll be there.

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I'll be there.

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I'll be there.

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I'll be there.

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I'll be there.

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I'll be there.

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I'll be there.

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Okay, good, good, guys, good afternoon. Yes, right here.

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I've been looking forward to that.

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Sure.

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Yes.

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Oh, stay right here.

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You must hang out.

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Okay, that's all right.

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Okay,

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thank you all for this.

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That's always special when we get to do that and we're honored to be partners with

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you in working and serving this town chief especially when you were reading

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Not reading and sharing your own personal thoughts of these three officers.

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I was very touching and it's clear we're department ever on the rise.

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Congratulations everyone, hope you celebrate tonight and have a great party.

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I see some officers from other towns here as well to join in celebration.

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Have a lot of fun.

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Thank you.

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Anyone have any?

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Moving on to resolutions and proclamations.

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August is, oh my God, I forgot that all the people

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don't come to see us.

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Thank you.

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Congratulations, everybody.

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It's also always a nice showing.

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Seeing so many friends and family come out to support their friends.

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We'll

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just give it a little time to clear the room.

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Moving on to resolutions and proclamations.

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August is, I'm sorry, chief,

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August is Appendix Awareness Month.

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This is a time where we increase awareness of this rare cancer, and the need to do more research so that we hopefully one day find a cure.

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Town Hall you may have noticed is lit amber in recognition of appendix awareness month.

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And some additional information will be shared by my colleague, Deputy Mayor Zimmerman.

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Thank you, Mayor.

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and thank you to Ms. Harris for joining us to receive this

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proclamation and once I've read it please join us and if you have any comments

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because this is so important and important to raise awareness. Whereas Appendix

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Cancer is a highly complex disease with numerous specific pathologies and

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associated outcomes. It is a rare and poorly understood cancer that is estimated

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affected to affect approximately fewer than 10 persons per million in the United States.

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Yet there has been significant increase in appendix cancer in recent years.

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And whereas the diagnosis of appendix cancer is often missed in the early stages, when

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still confined to the appendix and is only detected when it has progressed to stage four with

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limited treatment options.

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And whereas, women with appendix cancer are often misdiagnosed with and treated for

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ovarian cancer, thus further adversely affected, affecting their chances of survival once

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properly diagnosed with appendix cancer.

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Where misdiagnosis and the delayed diagnosis of appendix cancer increases, not only the burden

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on patients and their families, but also increases the economic burden across the healthcare system.

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And whereas the causes of appendix cancer remain largely unknown and an area in which

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awareness and research are in critical need, increased awareness by physicians of appendix

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00:19:49,230 --> 00:19:55,330
cancer and appropriate screening could increase the chances of favorable outcomes and significantly

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reduce the overall economic burden to the healthcare system.

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And whereas there are often no noticeable symptoms of appendix cancer in the early stages, making

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making physician awareness and appropriate screening critical.

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Ongoing research promises further improvements in appendix cancer prevention, early detection

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and treatment, and whereas educating people in the United States including health care providers

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about appendix cancer and timely detection strategies is critical to saving the lives of men and

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women with appendix cancer and preserving and protecting families.

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Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Mayor and Township Council of the Township of

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Scotch Plains designates August 2023 as a National Appendix Cancer Awareness Month.

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We will be lighting the Municipal Building Amber on August 1st in recognition of the

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Pendix Cancer Awareness Month to support patients, increase awareness, and ultimately find cure

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for all.

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The Mayor and Township Council of the Township of Scotch Plains promotes awareness and

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and encourage research for ways to improve access to

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and the quality of healthcare services

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for detecting and treating appendants' cancer.

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Thank you.

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00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:20,760
Please have a seat.

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You have to freeze a chair while you're here.

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00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:26,760
We'll have this personal to you and then our Debbie May

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will deliver it to you.

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Whatever you like.

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00:21:28,420 --> 00:21:29,380
Yeah, that's easy.

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00:21:30,180 --> 00:21:31,320
Thank you for having me.

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00:21:31,420 --> 00:21:32,460
My name is Carla Harris.

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I was diagnosed with appendix cancer on,

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actually I was kayaking with RWA at Veterans Group.

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I would have been in the military 25 years.

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I was a commission officer in 1998.

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I was actually attached to an engineering battalion in Iowa.

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We were supposed to be at home working because of COVID.

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I went kayaking for my physical fitness and thought I had

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pulled a muscle in my back.

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So I went to the hospital and was told I had a 3.5 centimeter

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mass on my appendix, which I thought was a kidney stone.

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And I was told that I had had no carcinoma of my appendix, and so I had that removed,

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and had a right hemiccollectomy, which is just removing part of my colon.

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And it was a low grade muousinous appendix neoplasm.

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I had several opinions, but I wound up finding a very good specialist.

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I will shout out his name Timothy Kennedy.

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He's an appendix cancer specialist at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

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I happened to work for Barnabas Health, and that's how I got his name.

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So July 29th, I call that my anniversary, because July 29th is what I had my appendectomy.

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In 2020, I started cycling October of 2023, month's post-op, and I will say July 29th, 2023.

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I rode my first metric's century, which is bike speak for 65 miles.

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So basically that was my birthday ride plus five.

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And I'm getting stronger.

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Yes, appendix cancer is very rare.

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I was initially ignored by two specialists.

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Luckily I am a surgical position assistant and

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I took some matters into my own hands.

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And basically been fighting on my own.

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My husband Kevin Armstrong's been at my side like I said it was during COVID, so I basically had no visitors

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Unfortunately, but I struggled through I kept the dumbbell by my bedside

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Because I was a collegiate all-American power lifter, so I had to do something and

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To this day, I wear a dumbbell around my neck every day to remind me of the strength. I've had to

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Continue to have during this struggle. I will say I continue to be very fatigued, but I still work out

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I swear on the belt. I swim. I'm doing a triathlon in New York.

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I just completed a women's triathlon in Philadelphia, and I'm just going to keep going.

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00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:08,060
It's not about blending. It's about finishing So I'm finished.ping

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impact

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from

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international

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personal story that I hope you're doing exactly what this is about raising awareness

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people here watching your own reading may go to the same thing and inspiring the

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00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:42,540
story that you're still amazing. I like that dumbbell.

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23

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Thank

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00:25:14,750 --> 00:25:16,730
you very much.

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Very

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touching story.

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We're also very grateful you're doing so well.

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Finally tonight we have a good fortune of honoring our Scotchlands fanwit futures, 11 new

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Baseball team, I call upon my colleague Councilman Adams to share some information about their success

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And then if the coaches and and team will come up when when the Councilman Adams calls your name

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We look forward to honoring you to know

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00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:05,060
Thank you mayor and that's a tough act to follow

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So for those of you like myself would have a ball player or two in the house

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You know that the season is finally winding down for the spring and summer, but

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We have another group of exceptional young athletes

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that's before us tonight.

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And as I was brushing up on their successes,

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I was struck by the fact that they

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are a group representing our Scotch Planes

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Fanwood baseball club.

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00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:33,540
It's a town baseball club comprised

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of residents of Scotch Planes in Fanwood.

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But when they went to the finals in their league,

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they beat a club that really draws from all over.

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00:26:41,760 --> 00:26:44,940
So that was really a compelling piece of the narrative.

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00:26:44,940 --> 00:26:49,060
So we have a resolution to present, if you'll indulge, I'll read it.

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Whereas the SPF Futures 11U team won their third U.S.A.V.L. Springley Championship on Sunday,

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July 9, 2023 against full count, which is that private quo.

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00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:11,980
Whereas the SPF Futures 11U team has previously won the U.S.A.V.L. Springley Championship two

334
00:27:11,980 --> 00:27:18,940
years ago, and the New Providence Green League championship two years ago, and the USAVL tournament

335
00:27:18,940 --> 00:27:26,600
one year ago, whereas during this year's spring playoff run, the SPF Futures 11 U team battled

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00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:34,400
and defeated Kramford 2-1 in the first round, followed by an 8-0 win in the second round against

337
00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:41,200
North Hunternand, and whereas the stage was set for the ultimate showdown, a town team playing

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00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:47,920
a club team for the championship. Led by great pitching by three rater arms, timely hitting,

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00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:54,200
great fielding and bass running, the SPF Futures 11U team was able to hold the full count

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00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:59,880
baseball team at arms length throughout the afternoon, whereas when the dust settled,

341
00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:08,000
SPF Futures 11U earned the victory and the championship. The celebration and the pitch at the pitcher's

342
00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:09,820
and other players explained it all.

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00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:12,640
Whereas the SPF Futures 11U team

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was led by head coaches, Todd Simo, Chris Bates,

345
00:28:17,380 --> 00:28:20,120
and assistant coaches, Guy Veretta, Rod Klotz,

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00:28:20,780 --> 00:28:22,280
and Max vonheimer.

347
00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:26,920
And whereas the championship winning SPF Futures 11U

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00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:31,180
roster consisted of, Marko Veretta, Declan Bastable,

349
00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:35,400
Braden Bates, Lucas Blake, Austin Brea Monty,

350
00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:45,480
Colin Craig, Brendan Klotz, Joey Lano, Anthony Mignetti, Will Siketti, Ash K-Shaw, and Cooper Simo.

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00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:51,060
Now, therefore, be it resolved for the reason set forth above that the Township Council,

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00:28:51,460 --> 00:28:57,780
the Township Scotch Plains, congratulates the SPF Futures 11U baseball team on their USADL

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00:28:57,780 --> 00:29:03,180
Spring League Championship victory. We look forward to watching this team grow their skills on the

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baseball field over the years to come. Congratulations, boys.

355
00:29:34,780 --> 00:29:36,500
Congratulations, team and coaches.

356
00:30:10,140 --> 00:30:29,740
And colleagues, I've said it before, and I'll say it again. It's successes like this is why we have to keep our foot on the gas when it comes to remaking our parks and recreation facilities in Scotia Point. Thank you, ma'am. Well, thank you, Councilman. Congratulations to the team and their families. Thank you all for coming. We always love supporting everybody.

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00:30:35,050 --> 00:30:36,490
Now we're up to the public.

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00:30:36,490 --> 00:30:44,150
public comment portion of our meeting, if you can make any comment on any matter that you wish.

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00:30:44,510 --> 00:30:50,170
However, I'd like to point out that if you're here regarding the redevelopment plan for

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00:30:50,170 --> 00:30:57,310
Plainfield Avenue, there will be separately a public hearing, where everyone will have an opportunity to be heard during that public hearing.

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00:30:57,890 --> 00:31:02,670
And it may be easier to address comments and questions that are posed related to that building.

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00:31:02,670 --> 00:31:09,310
in following during the public hearing on that plan and let me take a step back.

363
00:31:09,830 --> 00:31:14,550
What we plan to do tonight is have a presentation, spelling out what this is all about.

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00:31:15,170 --> 00:31:18,570
It's likely that questions will be answered in that presentation.

365
00:31:19,330 --> 00:31:23,750
Following the presentation, we will have, we will open public hearing and open up to anyone

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00:31:23,750 --> 00:31:29,230
in which is to participate and ask questions or comments and we're going to do our best to address them.

367
00:31:29,230 --> 00:31:38,130
But even so, you can make any comments that you wish at this time, which is remind everyone we have up to three minutes to speak.

368
00:31:38,650 --> 00:31:50,590
And unfortunately, yesterday our timer broke in the storm, so our clerk is using a stopwatch instead, so you won't see the timer.

369
00:31:50,590 --> 00:31:58,690
After we've finished public comment in Chambers, no one else wishes to speak, we're going to open the telephone line.

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00:31:59,190 --> 00:32:04,530
You may call in in a few minutes at 908-322-2076.

371
00:32:05,390 --> 00:32:10,210
Finally, I'll share if your comments will be about the Plainfield Avenue plan at this time.

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00:32:10,590 --> 00:32:16,630
I would urge my colleagues to join me in not responding and instead waiting until the presentation is completed.

373
00:32:17,190 --> 00:32:17,830
Thank you.

374
00:32:18,130 --> 00:32:20,350
If you'll please start with your name and address for the record.

375
00:32:20,750 --> 00:32:25,230
David Burrush, 2333, Evergreen Avenue, here for the redevelopment plan.

376
00:32:25,810 --> 00:32:26,830
You probably recognize me.

377
00:32:26,850 --> 00:32:29,050
You've been here for less three years, saying the same thing.

378
00:32:29,510 --> 00:32:34,070
Not sure if I can make the next meeting, so I'd like to make my comments now.

379
00:32:34,550 --> 00:32:35,730
I wasn't aware of the next meeting here.

380
00:32:35,970 --> 00:32:36,550
It's the night.

381
00:32:36,930 --> 00:32:37,070
Sorry.

382
00:32:38,070 --> 00:32:38,930
It's the scene if you please.

383
00:32:39,090 --> 00:32:40,030
I'll start over.

384
00:32:40,170 --> 00:32:45,530
If I wasn't clear, this is a public comment portion of our meeting, and when public comment is

385
00:32:45,530 --> 00:32:49,710
finished. We'll be moving on to public hearing and final adoption of three ordinances.

386
00:32:50,030 --> 00:32:54,410
The final ordinance is related to the redevelopment plan and there will be a public hearing.

387
00:32:54,530 --> 00:32:58,730
My best guess, depending on public comment and how long it goes, we're talking 5-10 minutes

388
00:32:58,730 --> 00:32:59,090
from now.

389
00:32:59,970 --> 00:33:00,070
Yes.

390
00:33:00,290 --> 00:33:01,410
Sorry, I was in clear.

391
00:33:01,850 --> 00:33:03,630
I was trying to be clear, but I apologize.

392
00:33:04,050 --> 00:33:05,630
And the presentation is also tonight.

393
00:33:05,770 --> 00:33:06,850
The presentation is tonight.

394
00:33:06,850 --> 00:33:08,170
The presentation is also tonight.

395
00:33:08,910 --> 00:33:09,770
No, just a few minutes.

396
00:33:09,770 --> 00:33:10,930
No, it'll be next.

397
00:33:11,010 --> 00:33:11,110
No, it'll be next.

398
00:33:12,650 --> 00:33:14,590
Thank you for understanding, I'm sorry if I wasn't clear.

399
00:33:15,430 --> 00:33:16,570
Name and address for the record.

400
00:33:16,890 --> 00:33:19,070
Frank, Relosa, 17, Marion Lane.

401
00:33:20,690 --> 00:33:23,550
Okay, sorry, 45 in the lead reading classes.

402
00:33:26,270 --> 00:33:32,830
So mayor, council members, manager and neighbors, sorry, I'm reading, but it is a great pleasure.

403
00:33:32,930 --> 00:33:37,850
We present this second payment from the Scotch Plains Fan with Soccer Club to the town as part of a success.

404
00:33:37,850 --> 00:33:42,710
partnering on the returfing of Southside Soccer Field. We take great honor

405
00:33:42,710 --> 00:33:46,830
exemplifying the public-private partnership that is possible to achieve our

406
00:33:46,830 --> 00:33:50,830
common goals and we even take more delight when visiting teams come to play at

407
00:33:50,830 --> 00:33:55,810
Southside Soccer Field and are in awe of the beautiful facilities we provide. This

408
00:33:55,810 --> 00:34:00,030
is only outmatched when we see the smiles on the faces of our younger, youngest

409
00:34:00,030 --> 00:34:04,570
players about their excitement the first time they get to play on the turf field.

410
00:34:06,450 --> 00:34:10,630
SPSC still struggles to meet the growing demands of our blossoming community, access to

411
00:34:10,630 --> 00:34:15,290
county fields like Ponderosa are limited at best, and some of the grass fields we have

412
00:34:15,290 --> 00:34:20,170
access to from all entities we partner with are often less an ideal for proper play, but

413
00:34:20,170 --> 00:34:24,390
we appreciate all of you in the effort that you undertake to ensure not just all our children,

414
00:34:24,850 --> 00:34:30,810
but anyone from 2 to 99 with an interest in playing soccer has the facilities to achieve that.

415
00:34:30,810 --> 00:34:38,770
But on behalf of the SPF's SC Executive Committee, I can tell you that we are extremely proud of our beautiful facilities.

416
00:34:38,770 --> 00:34:41,950
We have its outside soccer field, and our ability to call that home.

417
00:34:42,490 --> 00:34:52,250
It is not loss of us, the thousands of families we represent, or the vast majority of the members of the committee that our other sports organizations and our community are not as fortunate.

418
00:34:53,070 --> 00:34:53,710
Thank you.

419
00:34:54,150 --> 00:34:57,410
Matt Rosenthal would be here, but he's on vacation, but thank you for your human speech.

420
00:34:57,410 --> 00:35:07,090
Thank you very much for representing the check and if you've delivered to Miss Lassina or clerk and sharing those comments, thank you very much.

421
00:35:07,210 --> 00:35:08,090
Thank you.

422
00:35:09,490 --> 00:35:10,290
Thank you.

423
00:35:11,550 --> 00:35:13,490
Please start with your name and address for the record.

424
00:35:14,510 --> 00:35:17,090
John Boyle, 1490 Terror Road.

425
00:35:17,310 --> 00:35:24,850
So today, Mr. Adams asked me to talk about the park at Brookside Park.

426
00:35:24,850 --> 00:35:30,290
So I'm an athlete at Scotch Plainsford High School. I've played baseball in the

427
00:35:30,290 --> 00:35:35,770
little leagues. I've done the soccer here. I've done football here. So I've always

428
00:35:35,770 --> 00:35:40,010
believed in keeping kids active. So one of the best ways to keep kids active is

429
00:35:40,010 --> 00:35:44,410
obviously through sports. Baseball and soccer, two of the biggest sports that we

430
00:35:44,410 --> 00:35:50,030
play here. So I've looked at the Brookside field and I played there. I didn't, I

431
00:35:50,030 --> 00:35:54,750
just wouldn't really want to play there. So in my personal preference, I've

432
00:35:54,750 --> 00:35:56,030
always preferred playing on turf.

433
00:35:56,470 --> 00:35:57,730
Mainly, it's more consistent.

434
00:35:58,590 --> 00:36:01,090
It's not, it's usually not wet to play on,

435
00:36:01,250 --> 00:36:02,230
even after it rains.

436
00:36:03,070 --> 00:36:05,490
It's, I think it's easier to play on.

437
00:36:05,670 --> 00:36:07,010
It's easier to fall on.

438
00:36:09,350 --> 00:36:11,890
So one of the best ways that I think

439
00:36:11,890 --> 00:36:13,490
keeping players safe is consistency.

440
00:36:13,850 --> 00:36:16,590
Most feel, most towns now do use turf fields.

441
00:36:17,050 --> 00:36:20,970
So if it involves switching from one field to another,

442
00:36:21,090 --> 00:36:22,750
it could often cause more injuries

443
00:36:22,750 --> 00:36:39,690
that not having it switched. Most of our soccer fields here like Southside Field, which I do believe is a great field to play on, is Turf, both the high school fields that are used for soccer or Turf. If we can keep it consistent through the town, I think it'll make heap injuries down. Thank you.

444
00:36:40,090 --> 00:36:41,270
Thank you for sharing your comments.

445
00:36:44,240 --> 00:36:47,560
My name is Sue Boygan, and I'm a 24-18-part police.

446
00:36:48,060 --> 00:36:49,940
A couple of things I want to touch on, number one.

447
00:36:50,460 --> 00:36:55,240
In regards to the noise, the trucks, the 18-wheelers,

448
00:36:55,320 --> 00:36:59,500
it's rolling down, playing Phil Avenue, doing 45-50 miles an hour,

449
00:36:59,940 --> 00:37:02,500
on the 25-minute mile zone.

450
00:37:03,420 --> 00:37:07,360
Just last week, last Wednesday, in fact, there was an accident.

451
00:37:07,840 --> 00:37:10,180
You had a tow truck that was carrying a truck

452
00:37:10,180 --> 00:37:13,580
that literally the truck fell off the toll truck

453
00:37:13,580 --> 00:37:17,360
and dug a deep gravel hole in the middle of the street.

454
00:37:18,410 --> 00:37:23,120
We hear noise from 5.30 in the morning to 9 o'clock,

455
00:37:23,560 --> 00:37:25,080
almost seven days a week.

456
00:37:25,760 --> 00:37:29,640
Now this is addressed to you, Mr. Alexander Maribel.

457
00:37:29,980 --> 00:37:34,240
How could you sign off on these 18 willers

458
00:37:34,240 --> 00:37:35,920
that's going around in that area?

459
00:37:36,460 --> 00:37:38,700
You talking pollution and noise.

460
00:37:38,700 --> 00:37:46,220
And this is infecting causes people to have cancer from the pollution, respiratory problems,

461
00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:54,300
and also it has things to do with the air quality that we in the community has to endure.

462
00:37:54,880 --> 00:37:57,540
I also want to address the noise.

463
00:37:57,700 --> 00:38:02,600
I'm talking about the speakers that some of these houses literally put loud speakers in

464
00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:05,740
the backyard as if they had an aligisco club.

465
00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:08,280
Why should we have to endure that noise?

466
00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:16,380
We shouldn't. That need to be banned in regarding putting those big speakers in your backyard where the whole neighborhood has to hear that.

467
00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:19,840
There's people that work seven days a week and work in different hours.

468
00:38:20,360 --> 00:38:31,360
Okay, lastly, what I want to touch on is that I think in regards to the recognition awards that you have on during the council meeting, it need to be assigned to another day.

469
00:38:31,800 --> 00:38:34,320
Our country is in trouble.

470
00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:41,040
our country is really in trouble. In regards to council meeting, it should be assigned strictly,

471
00:38:41,420 --> 00:38:45,240
we should be handling our business in the council meeting. And instead of three minutes,

472
00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:53,460
each speaker should have at least seven. Thank you. Thank you for sharing your comments.

473
00:38:58,110 --> 00:39:06,930
Hi, Camille Gassicki, Westfield Road, here with the Alliance for Scotch Plains.

474
00:39:09,270 --> 00:39:16,580
With the Alliance for Scotch Plains family and I wanted to bring up the speed limit on

475
00:39:17,420 --> 00:39:22,020
Westfield Road that we've talked about many times.

476
00:39:22,870 --> 00:39:25,100
It's supposed to be 25 miles an hour.

477
00:39:25,100 --> 00:39:31,840
it's been 25 miles forever and they're still speeding especially after like between four and

478
00:39:32,420 --> 00:39:39,460
eight at night they're like zooming down the street and we have only two 25 mile an hour

479
00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:49,620
signs one right up north they have in here and one before west field roads and nothing between it or

480
00:39:49,620 --> 00:39:56,740
after it. Also, I had mentioned to you about perhaps putting up one of those signs we could

481
00:39:56,740 --> 00:40:05,120
push the button to force where the evergreen where the park is because there's constantly

482
00:40:05,120 --> 00:40:11,740
people coursing in the cause don't pay attention. There is one of those yield signs. It's never

483
00:40:11,740 --> 00:40:17,460
working. It doesn't flash and those flashing signs aren't any good unless, you know, if

484
00:40:17,460 --> 00:40:21,720
constantly spread it to have the ones that you push the button and you need to

485
00:40:21,720 --> 00:40:26,600
cross. They might pay more attention. I think I spoke to you at same thoughts about

486
00:40:26,600 --> 00:40:32,500
that. You're going to pass it along. But this has been like the years that we're

487
00:40:32,500 --> 00:40:37,860
asking for more science and for something to do with the speeding. Thank you.

488
00:40:38,080 --> 00:40:39,740
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

489
00:40:57,270 --> 00:41:02,410
Carolyn Perkins, 861 Westfield Road. First of all, it was great to hear the

490
00:41:02,410 --> 00:41:09,450
lady's story about appendix cancer is very, very touching and it's something that most

491
00:41:09,450 --> 00:41:12,230
of us are not aware of, including myself as a nurse.

492
00:41:13,870 --> 00:41:18,570
So many people have contacted me that Verizon hasn't worked for a month.

493
00:41:18,790 --> 00:41:20,790
They could not watch channel 22.

494
00:41:21,430 --> 00:41:27,210
I talked to the man when he was at one of the concerts and he said, oh, they were just

495
00:41:27,210 --> 00:41:27,850
here today.

496
00:41:28,070 --> 00:41:29,930
They left at 4.30 and it's fixed.

497
00:41:29,930 --> 00:41:36,730
know it's not been fixed and if your channel is not working it should be an

498
00:41:36,730 --> 00:41:42,730
alert to the people to that because in an emergency federal law requires that

499
00:41:42,730 --> 00:41:45,490
that channel should be working it should be working.

500
00:41:48,010 --> 00:41:50,610
As I said before 25% of the

501
00:41:50,610 --> 00:41:56,770
students in our school district have an IEP they are special needs and we need to

502
00:41:56,770 --> 00:42:00,250
to do more about people who are on special needs.

503
00:42:00,830 --> 00:42:04,090
Westfield has just developed a blue envelope.

504
00:42:04,950 --> 00:42:06,790
And it's for the police department.

505
00:42:07,270 --> 00:42:10,330
This blue envelope tells the police officer,

506
00:42:10,570 --> 00:42:12,430
and I have several, I've gotten them.

507
00:42:12,930 --> 00:42:15,310
You hand it to the police officer so he knows

508
00:42:15,710 --> 00:42:18,010
that you may not look at him.

509
00:42:18,530 --> 00:42:22,030
You may get anxious and it tells them

510
00:42:22,030 --> 00:42:25,710
where your registration is, your driver's license

511
00:42:25,710 --> 00:42:32,630
and who to contact. This is very important for people who are autistic, who are driving because

512
00:42:32,630 --> 00:42:41,890
most police officers are really not aware on how to handle these people. And I have to say that

513
00:42:42,550 --> 00:42:48,010
the town flowers throughout the town are just beautiful. I think it's the prettiest town that I've

514
00:42:48,010 --> 00:42:58,950
through. Now my last two questions are on Resolution 2023 143. You're

515
00:42:58,950 --> 00:43:03,890
authorizing a contract for a construction manager for municipal and

516
00:43:03,890 --> 00:43:11,390
emergency services. Is this a new position with a new salary? My other question

517
00:43:11,390 --> 00:43:25,210
is a resolution on 2023-145 authorizing the award of contract for conflict, redevelopment, counsel to McMinion, Scotland, and

518
00:43:25,210 --> 00:43:29,870
Bowman. Could you please explain that to me? Thank you very much for your time.

519
00:43:30,530 --> 00:43:38,990
Thank you. Is there anyone else here in the gallery that wishes to participate in public comment?

520
00:43:47,380 --> 00:43:51,640
Susan Dazza, 1202 Woodside Road Scotch Plains.

521
00:43:52,900 --> 00:44:04,660
I just want to say how much I appreciate the Recreation Department holding the yoga sessions on Saturday mornings at Brookside Park.

522
00:44:04,660 --> 00:44:06,880
I've been enjoying them when I've been in town.

523
00:44:07,480 --> 00:44:16,200
It's a beautiful thing to do on a Saturday morning, out in nature, lying in the grass, lying on the asphalt.

524
00:44:16,200 --> 00:44:21,080
looking up at the trees, hearing the birds, hearing the frogs, hearing the

525
00:44:21,080 --> 00:44:25,600
pickleball players looking out over the grass field. It's a beautiful thing

526
00:44:25,600 --> 00:44:34,180
surrounded by nature. I look forward to continuing to do that at Brookside Park. I

527
00:44:34,180 --> 00:44:40,980
also want to say that the presentation about Pendex Cancer Awareness was admirable.

528
00:44:40,980 --> 00:44:48,400
As a community, we should do everything in our power to prevent causes of cancer.

529
00:44:48,900 --> 00:44:52,500
Cause of appendix cancer is unknown.

530
00:44:53,160 --> 00:44:57,380
There are a lot of unknowns in the various products we use.

531
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:08,980
In our lives and we should do what we can to prevent introducing more into the environment. Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Dazzle.

532
00:45:11,300 --> 00:45:29,620
Is there anyone else here? Otherwise we'll close public comment in chambers and open up the phone line. Three, two, one. All right. We'll open up the phone if you would call. If you wish to call in and share public comments 908-322-2076. And we'll just give the

533
00:45:29,620 --> 00:45:37,680
the phone at moment, see if it rings, while because there's a little delay, I'll just

534
00:45:37,680 --> 00:45:39,960
address some of the comments that I heard.

535
00:45:41,480 --> 00:45:49,560
I think it's Mrs. Boykin, it's my understanding that our manager has no discretion on what

536
00:45:49,560 --> 00:45:56,200
types of trucks drive on that road, and I don't think that was a correct accusation

537
00:45:56,200 --> 00:45:59,600
And to make, of course, the cars shouldn't be speeding.

538
00:46:00,080 --> 00:46:04,840
Our deputy chief and our chief of police are here, and I know that they're regularly

539
00:46:04,840 --> 00:46:08,760
patrolling the areas and we'll continue to do so.

540
00:46:08,920 --> 00:46:13,680
And with regards to noise, I think I know I've spoken with you before and perhaps my colleagues

541
00:46:13,680 --> 00:46:20,540
as well, if there's a resident's playing music too loud, and you should call the non-emergency

542
00:46:20,540 --> 00:46:22,200
number, and the police will respond.

543
00:46:22,200 --> 00:46:29,480
We have noise ordinances that prohibit noise I think it's after 10 p.m., but before that

544
00:46:29,480 --> 00:46:31,620
people are entitled to play music in their backyard.

545
00:46:32,020 --> 00:46:35,600
It shouldn't interfere with you, and you're enjoying men of your backyard though, and

546
00:46:35,600 --> 00:46:36,640
call the non-emergency number.

547
00:46:36,780 --> 00:46:38,800
And I would encourage every resident to do so.

548
00:46:42,440 --> 00:46:48,540
And Mrs. Rosigui with the speed limits the same with the police are here and they're patrolling.

549
00:46:48,540 --> 00:46:58,720
I know previously signs were delayed in being provided to the town, but as the signs are

550
00:46:58,720 --> 00:47:05,900
procured, they'll be posted and with regards to the button, the idea that's been thought of,

551
00:47:06,340 --> 00:47:08,980
the chief and the deputy chief work every year on budget recommendations.

552
00:47:09,540 --> 00:47:12,020
That's not an inexpensive item.

553
00:47:12,240 --> 00:47:18,280
If the police department deems it appropriate, they'll make a recommendation to have that funded.

554
00:47:18,280 --> 00:47:20,680
and next year, that would be the time.

555
00:47:22,580 --> 00:47:23,780
Oh, it's already been purgated.

556
00:47:23,900 --> 00:47:24,660
This is part of this.

557
00:47:24,960 --> 00:47:25,360
This budget.

558
00:47:25,880 --> 00:47:28,180
I forgive me, I didn't know this forever, Green.

559
00:47:29,120 --> 00:47:29,560
Thank you, Chief.

560
00:47:30,560 --> 00:47:31,440
Thank you, Chief.

561
00:47:31,640 --> 00:47:34,660
And there were you brought up, but also the exit

562
00:47:35,160 --> 00:47:38,040
from the ice hole at the mantra for when there were also.

563
00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:40,120
And what just went up on both of them

564
00:47:40,120 --> 00:47:41,420
in any second, you know.

565
00:47:41,880 --> 00:47:44,000
And I'm just double checking that the phones were working.

566
00:47:44,200 --> 00:47:46,080
And there's a flashing sign now

567
00:47:52,540 --> 00:48:06,620
We can't give a take, I'm sorry, but if you weren't able to hear the chief because the microphone was too far and you're watching, the chief was reminding me that what was asked for was actually just written purchase a couple weeks ago and when it's obtained will be installed.

568
00:48:09,040 --> 00:48:17,520
And finally, Ms. Perkins asking some questions about the recommendation for police.

569
00:48:17,820 --> 00:48:26,400
A few meetings ago, we had a presentation where the police officers were given bags with a lot of the materials that exactly what you proposed.

570
00:48:26,840 --> 00:48:34,600
And we'll continue to do what we can to educate our police, make sure they have the tools available to help residents in need.

571
00:48:34,600 --> 00:48:42,460
I think the bags just not to interrupt the bags went to all of the armors and see responders so at that meeting so they were put together by

572
00:48:43,460 --> 00:48:45,300
Adrian and her committee and

573
00:48:51,100 --> 00:48:52,100
We'll look at

574
00:48:53,420 --> 00:48:59,360
Sorry no back and forth if we can help it, but we all wrote it down. Thank you. We'll look at it

575
00:48:59,360 --> 00:49:03,980
Regarding Verizon. I said at the outset of the meeting that the channel the the

576
00:49:04,600 --> 00:49:07,880
High definition channel is working on channel 21-22.

577
00:49:08,400 --> 00:49:13,340
I don't know why Verizon has been unable to fix the other channel, but

578
00:49:13,340 --> 00:49:15,200
I'm told I saw an email today where they were coming.

579
00:49:15,500 --> 00:49:18,860
I think tomorrow to continue working on that endeavor.

580
00:49:19,540 --> 00:49:30,260
Resolution 143 is a, it should be 143, is regarding the retaining of the hiring of a construction

581
00:49:30,260 --> 00:49:40,160
action manager to assist the township as we look to develop the emergency services building on Plainfield Avenue and in downtown our library and town hall.

582
00:49:40,520 --> 00:49:49,240
It's someone with the expertise to help navigate all of the steps for us and I anticipate the adoption of that resolution tonight.

583
00:49:49,720 --> 00:49:56,260
And finally, our redevelopment attorney, Michael Baker, whom we have been working with for a very long time.

584
00:49:56,260 --> 00:50:02,820
Unfortunately, his firm has a conflict with Woodmont Properties, the redeveloper that we

585
00:50:02,820 --> 00:50:07,820
recently, that we named in June as the conditional developer, tonight there's a resolution

586
00:50:07,820 --> 00:50:10,860
appointing a new attorney in his place.

587
00:50:11,880 --> 00:50:16,420
And seeing the phone ringing, we're going to close public comment.

588
00:50:20,030 --> 00:50:24,990
Moving on to public hearing and final adoption.

589
00:50:24,990 --> 00:50:29,350
The first is Ordinance 2023-11, Ms. Lucina.

590
00:50:29,990 --> 00:50:43,690
An ordinance amending to revise general ordinances of the Township of Scotch Plains, Chapter 7, entitled to traffic, Section 7-6.2, Stop Intersections, and Chapter 7-A, Traffic Schedules, Schedule 8.

591
00:50:44,450 --> 00:50:47,130
I move that the public hearing on this ordinance be opened.

592
00:50:47,950 --> 00:50:48,530
May I have a second?

593
00:50:48,810 --> 00:50:49,150
Second.

594
00:50:49,150 --> 00:50:49,690
All in favour?

595
00:50:50,290 --> 00:50:50,450
Aye.

596
00:50:50,730 --> 00:50:51,050
Aye.

597
00:50:51,550 --> 00:50:54,470
Would anyone like to address the council with reference to this ordinance?

598
00:50:54,790 --> 00:51:00,310
It relates to placing stop signs on Parkwood Drive and at Brookside Drive and in that area

599
00:51:00,310 --> 00:51:02,810
of town seeing done.

600
00:51:04,190 --> 00:51:06,370
I move that the public hearing be closed.

601
00:51:06,790 --> 00:51:07,310
May the second.

602
00:51:07,630 --> 00:51:07,910
Second.

603
00:51:08,190 --> 00:51:08,550
All in favour?

604
00:51:08,950 --> 00:51:09,090
Aye.

605
00:51:09,890 --> 00:51:14,270
I move that this ordinance be adopted on second and final reading and advertised according

606
00:51:14,270 --> 00:51:14,770
to law.

607
00:51:15,610 --> 00:51:16,110
May the second.

608
00:51:16,890 --> 00:51:17,230
Second.

609
00:51:17,550 --> 00:51:18,010
Miss LaCena.

610
00:51:18,010 --> 00:51:23,030
Mr. Adams? Yes. Mr. Tamler? Yes. Mr. White? Yes. Mr. Zimmerman? Yes. Mayor

611
00:51:23,030 --> 00:51:27,950
Lissardo? Yes. Thank you, Mr. Lissina. Ordinance 2023-12. I'm Mr. Lissina.

612
00:51:28,330 --> 00:51:33,830
In ordinance to repeal section 7-3.10 permit parking for residents and

613
00:51:33,830 --> 00:51:40,050
replacing with a new section 7-3.10 permit parking to designate permit parking

614
00:51:40,050 --> 00:51:44,210
in chapter 7 traffic of the revised general ordinances of the township of

615
00:51:44,210 --> 00:51:48,310
I move that the public hearing on this ordinance be opened.

616
00:51:48,770 --> 00:51:49,630
May I have a second?

617
00:51:49,630 --> 00:51:49,910
Second.

618
00:51:50,190 --> 00:51:50,590
Hold on favor.

619
00:51:50,890 --> 00:51:51,170
Hi.

620
00:51:51,770 --> 00:51:54,730
Would anyone like to address the council with reference to this ordinance?

621
00:51:54,910 --> 00:51:58,450
If so, please state your name and address for the record at the mic.

622
00:51:58,870 --> 00:52:04,250
This is an ordinance that will modify parking at the memorial field.

623
00:52:05,030 --> 00:52:06,730
Oh, sorry.

624
00:52:06,850 --> 00:52:07,110
Wait, was that?

625
00:52:07,430 --> 00:52:07,790
Oh, okay.

626
00:52:09,150 --> 00:52:09,990
Anyone else?

627
00:52:10,390 --> 00:52:10,890
Seeing no one?

628
00:52:11,550 --> 00:52:13,190
I move that the public hearing be closed.

629
00:52:16,710 --> 00:52:22,070
I move that this ordinance be adopted on second and final reading and advertised according to law.

630
00:52:22,530 --> 00:52:32,290
I have a second. Mr. Adams? Yes. Mr. White? Yes. Mr. Zimmerman? Yes. Mayor Lissardo. Yes, thank you, Miss Lissina.

631
00:52:33,070 --> 00:52:39,750
Moving on to ordinance 2023-13, this is the ordinance related to the redevelopment plan for Plainfield Avenue. Miss Lissina?

632
00:52:39,750 --> 00:52:47,230
An ordinance authorizing redevelopment plan for 2406 and 2416 Plainfield Avenue, consisting

633
00:52:47,230 --> 00:52:55,650
of Block 30401, Lot 1.01, and Block 30401, Lot 1.02, as shown on the tax map of the

634
00:52:55,650 --> 00:53:09,730
township of Scotch Plains, in accordance with NJSA 48 colon 12A-7, and supplementing and

635
00:53:09,730 --> 00:53:13,870
And by the addition of a new subsection entitled redevelopment plan for

636
00:53:13,870 --> 00:53:24,230
2406 and 2416 Plainfield Avenue, block 3401, lot 1.01, and block 3401, lot 1.02.

637
00:53:25,250 --> 00:53:26,550
Thank you, Ms. Lucina.

638
00:53:28,050 --> 00:53:32,590
I want to say at the outset, we were hopeful to start this presentation a little earlier,

639
00:53:32,930 --> 00:53:37,230
especially to accommodate Dan Sullivan and Enfielder from the Rescue Squad,

640
00:53:37,230 --> 00:53:43,490
who I know wanted to be here for the presentation and answer questions or make comments if necessary.

641
00:53:43,990 --> 00:53:47,890
They both told me they have a rescue squad meeting this evening and may need to leave in

642
00:53:47,890 --> 00:53:48,310
a few minutes.

643
00:53:48,850 --> 00:53:53,110
So I thank you for being here today and I apologize that we started a little, I got to this

644
00:53:53,110 --> 00:53:53,450
little late.

645
00:53:54,110 --> 00:53:59,390
Before we open public comment, our director of redevelopment, Tom Stroh, is going to run

646
00:53:59,390 --> 00:54:05,390
a presentation and thereafter the deputy mayor will open public comment and anyone that wishes

647
00:54:05,390 --> 00:54:07,810
just to ask questions or make comments,

648
00:54:08,510 --> 00:54:09,710
we'll can do so.

649
00:54:10,330 --> 00:54:11,130
Director Strobe.

650
00:54:12,110 --> 00:54:13,190
Thank you, Mayor, appreciate it.

651
00:54:13,530 --> 00:54:15,510
Yes, for the Council and the benefit of the public,

652
00:54:15,510 --> 00:54:17,290
I wanted to run through a couple slides tonight

653
00:54:17,290 --> 00:54:20,690
on the 24th, 6th, 24th, 16th, Plainfield Avenue

654
00:54:20,690 --> 00:54:21,570
redevelopment plan.

655
00:54:22,430 --> 00:54:24,150
I'm gonna say it a few times in this presentation,

656
00:54:24,150 --> 00:54:25,610
but what this plan is doing,

657
00:54:25,790 --> 00:54:27,790
and it's on the website, there's nothing in these slides,

658
00:54:27,930 --> 00:54:29,450
I'm gonna talk about that isn't already there,

659
00:54:29,610 --> 00:54:31,590
but what we're doing tonight is,

660
00:54:32,150 --> 00:54:34,170
if this plan is adopted, it's gonna put the zoning

661
00:54:34,170 --> 00:54:39,230
in place for this project. This is not a site plan meeting. These are not construction

662
00:54:39,230 --> 00:54:43,890
drawings. The adoption of this plan does not mean that this project is going to be built

663
00:54:43,890 --> 00:54:47,430
tomorrow. There's a process that we still have to go through. I'm going to touch on some

664
00:54:47,430 --> 00:54:52,950
of that process here tonight, and more details can be found on the plan. But before I get into

665
00:54:52,950 --> 00:54:56,990
that, and I'm not going to read all this, but this is just the history of this redevelopment

666
00:54:56,990 --> 00:55:01,890
plan. We've been talking about at least the concept of this, moving the emergency services

667
00:55:01,890 --> 00:55:06,410
to this location all the way back since 2018, which predates every member of this governing

668
00:55:06,410 --> 00:55:12,990
body. And since 2018, these are just the highlights of the official actions we've

669
00:55:12,990 --> 00:55:16,410
taken, but this doesn't even consider all the downtown redevelopment meetings that we've

670
00:55:16,410 --> 00:55:21,130
had in between all of this. But since 2018, what we've done is we've done a preliminary investigation

671
00:55:21,130 --> 00:55:25,310
report, we've done a redevelopment study, which is a redevelopment study of the properties,

672
00:55:25,490 --> 00:55:30,250
which we determined to meet the redevelopment criteria, which we eventually got a confirmation.

673
00:55:30,250 --> 00:55:35,210
When we declare these areas need a redevelopment, we sent that to the Department of Community Affairs

674
00:55:35,210 --> 00:55:40,570
who reviews that and we received a letter in August of, August 16, 2022 where the Department

675
00:55:40,570 --> 00:55:45,050
of Community Affairs reviewed that and said that this redevelopment area situated where

676
00:55:45,050 --> 00:55:48,510
development and redevelopment are encouraged pursuant to state law and regulation.

677
00:55:49,150 --> 00:55:55,130
So once we did all that background, what the council did in July was introduce this redevelopment

678
00:55:55,130 --> 00:55:59,630
plan, which like all redevelopment plans was then sent to our planning board, which we

679
00:55:59,630 --> 00:56:04,470
We had a master plan consistency review here on July 24th, where this plan was determined

680
00:56:04,470 --> 00:56:06,330
to be consistent with our master plan.

681
00:56:06,410 --> 00:56:10,390
I know that you've all received a copy of that resolution and a memo indicating that.

682
00:56:10,590 --> 00:56:14,870
And so then what happens after that is that ordinance then gets it back to the council for

683
00:56:14,870 --> 00:56:17,910
a public hearing and final adoption and that's where we are today.

684
00:56:19,790 --> 00:56:23,690
Again, not going to read all this, it's all in there, but the goals and objectives of this

685
00:56:23,690 --> 00:56:25,690
plan, there's a lot going on here.

686
00:56:25,690 --> 00:56:31,630
But as we know, this is, again, putting the zoning in place to relocation of the town's emergency services.

687
00:56:31,830 --> 00:56:39,170
Police fire, OEM, Office of Emergency Management, and Rescue Squad EMS to 24-6 and 24-16

688
00:56:39,170 --> 00:56:39,950
in Plainfield Avenue.

689
00:56:40,590 --> 00:56:44,130
What we're doing is, look, we've talked about this since 2018.

690
00:56:45,030 --> 00:56:50,810
Our emergency services are a need of an updated, modern facility that will provide better efficiency

691
00:56:50,810 --> 00:56:52,870
and communication and service to our residents.

692
00:56:53,630 --> 00:56:56,950
Through all the needs, studies, and all the analysis that we've conducted with the architects

693
00:56:56,950 --> 00:57:02,250
over the years, our first responders, the buildings they're operating in now are not

694
00:57:02,250 --> 00:57:05,370
meeting what they should be for our community, going in the future.

695
00:57:05,550 --> 00:57:09,110
And what we're designing here is a building that's not just going to address scotch claims

696
00:57:09,110 --> 00:57:13,790
today, but for the next century, this building is going to be designed to service our residents

697
00:57:14,670 --> 00:57:16,230
for the foreseeable future.

698
00:57:16,390 --> 00:57:17,610
And so that's what we're doing here.

699
00:57:17,610 --> 00:57:25,490
where it's also allowing is by relocating the services out of the downtown where from

700
00:57:25,490 --> 00:57:31,570
older buildings that have our act capacity and relocating to a more centrally located

701
00:57:31,570 --> 00:57:36,170
area in a centralized building is allowing us to address our affordable housing obligations

702
00:57:36,570 --> 00:57:41,310
in the downtown where the density belongs so that we can protect our residential areas from

703
00:57:41,310 --> 00:57:46,330
over development and focus on bringing the density and the foot traffic and everything

704
00:57:46,330 --> 00:57:50,550
in our downtown. I'll talk about this again later. Obviously, we want to protect the

705
00:57:50,550 --> 00:57:54,430
conservation zone as much as possible. That's a requirement of this redevelopment plan.

706
00:57:54,510 --> 00:57:57,810
I'll touch on that a little bit more. We want to make sure that was also a goal that was

707
00:57:57,810 --> 00:58:02,950
highlighted from the beginning. Here's a development summary. We worked, you know, over the years

708
00:58:02,950 --> 00:58:08,770
since 2018 with police fire and rescue on the need studies, meeting with them multiple times,

709
00:58:08,770 --> 00:58:13,790
having conversations about the space needs and requirements for this building. And this is

710
00:58:13,790 --> 00:58:16,210
the farthest that we've gotten to this point,

711
00:58:16,810 --> 00:58:19,650
it's about a 70,000 square foot building

712
00:58:19,650 --> 00:58:21,810
that kind of gives you a breakdown of the needs

713
00:58:21,810 --> 00:58:23,790
of each of the various user's groups.

714
00:58:24,430 --> 00:58:25,910
This is all subject to change.

715
00:58:26,050 --> 00:58:28,170
This is just conceptual at this stage.

716
00:58:28,650 --> 00:58:30,690
There's gonna be further refinement and discussion

717
00:58:30,690 --> 00:58:32,490
as the construction drawings are prepared.

718
00:58:32,990 --> 00:58:35,990
So if there's still efficiencies and space

719
00:58:35,990 --> 00:58:38,390
that can be shared, we will try and do that.

720
00:58:38,550 --> 00:58:41,770
But this provides information now as a preliminary program

721
00:58:41,770 --> 00:58:44,830
for the benefit of the council and the public to have an idea of what the

722
00:58:44,830 --> 00:58:47,630
spatial needs are for these departments.

723
00:58:49,230 --> 00:58:50,550
The parking requirements.

724
00:58:50,970 --> 00:58:53,370
Again, there's going to be some flexibility in that because

725
00:58:54,190 --> 00:58:57,050
these are, this is a conceptual plan at this stage.

726
00:58:57,430 --> 00:59:00,710
You notice I have a maximum that we put there of 130 parking spaces.

727
00:59:01,010 --> 00:59:02,530
I don't think we're going to need 130.

728
00:59:03,170 --> 00:59:04,630
I'm hoping that it's a lot less than that.

729
00:59:05,830 --> 00:59:09,970
But we have to have flexibility in this plan because we have to account for

730
00:59:09,970 --> 00:59:13,230
all of our emergency vehicles, personal vehicles, et cetera,

731
00:59:13,330 --> 00:59:16,390
that we're keeping tabs on for this new building.

732
00:59:16,670 --> 00:59:18,850
If we put a maximum, you'll see there,

733
00:59:18,870 --> 00:59:20,650
we're talking about Memorial Field earlier,

734
00:59:21,050 --> 00:59:23,030
we're gonna try and share parking across the street

735
00:59:23,030 --> 00:59:25,290
as much as possible to reduce the amount of parking

736
00:59:25,290 --> 00:59:27,210
that needs to be constructed on the site.

737
00:59:27,550 --> 00:59:29,510
So hopefully that 130 number goes down.

738
00:59:29,670 --> 00:59:31,890
That's the goal, but again, at this stage,

739
00:59:32,050 --> 00:59:33,390
we need the flexibility to make sure

740
00:59:33,390 --> 00:59:34,810
that we capture the parking correctly.

741
00:59:35,150 --> 00:59:36,670
But we're gonna take a deeper dive in that

742
00:59:36,670 --> 00:59:38,050
in the amount of spaces that we need

743
00:59:38,050 --> 00:59:44,290
as we go into the next stages. Traffic study, okay. I know a lot of people have asked about this.

744
00:59:44,330 --> 00:59:49,570
This redevelopment plan requires a traffic report, traffic study, as part of this process

745
00:59:49,570 --> 00:59:54,370
before anything is constructed. What we, you know, we talked a little bit before about some

746
00:59:54,370 --> 00:59:59,570
resolutions. We're allocating existing dollars, not adding to the budget, but taking money

747
00:59:59,570 --> 00:59:59,970
that we've all done.

748
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:29,100
We've already appropriated and now appropriating it to various professionals to now support the next steps of this process, which includes a traffic study. I've already talked to our engineer this morning. I know some people have got hung up on it. It's a plainfield avenue and people have talked about Westfield Avenue. Westfield Avenue and plainfield Avenue are the same road. It just says that because this property is mainly on plainfield avenue, but we're going to look at the surrounding area. We're going to do it during peak time. We're going to do it during the school year. We're not going to do it now.

749
01:00:29,100 --> 01:00:34,820
And we're going to have us further sit down in conversation with our engineers to get the traffic

750
01:00:34,820 --> 01:00:35,680
study right.

751
01:00:36,020 --> 01:00:38,400
But there will be a traffic study that is part of this plan.

752
01:00:38,580 --> 01:00:40,620
It's going to look at the turning radius of all the vehicles.

753
01:00:41,260 --> 01:00:42,720
And we're going to gather all that data.

754
01:00:42,880 --> 01:00:45,760
And depending on what we get, that may shift some of these plans a bit.

755
01:00:45,880 --> 01:00:47,300
That's why they're conceptual at this time.

756
01:00:47,420 --> 01:00:51,100
But there is a traffic report that will be required before we move forward.

757
01:00:52,280 --> 01:00:55,060
The open space, the landscape buffer and amenities.

758
01:00:55,480 --> 01:00:57,620
Obviously, we're going to get further into that.

759
01:00:57,620 --> 01:00:58,480
There's a lot more of this.

760
01:00:58,480 --> 01:01:04,380
I just wanted to highlight now the conservation zone, which is very important, what we've been hearing about since 2018.

761
01:01:05,440 --> 01:01:11,760
I'm going to show some drawings and kind of give you an idea of how much of the conservation zone we think is being used at this time,

762
01:01:12,180 --> 01:01:17,080
but we've talked about, this council's talked about numerous times, that what we don't use, we're going to look to further protect.

763
01:01:17,360 --> 01:01:20,980
So we're not, we can't say that tonight for sure how much it's going to be.

764
01:01:21,660 --> 01:01:26,300
I want to give you an illustration based upon the information we have today, but as I've been saying,

765
01:01:26,300 --> 01:01:30,140
it's concepts we have to go through the next steps of the process before we have full

766
01:01:30,140 --> 01:01:33,880
construction drawings where we can make that determination. But we're making the commitment tonight

767
01:01:33,880 --> 01:01:38,440
that we either green acres or deed restriction or some combination that we're going to protect the

768
01:01:38,440 --> 01:01:41,420
rest of that land that we don't use that's part of this redevelopment point.

769
01:01:43,620 --> 01:01:44,580
Environmental analysis

770
01:01:44,580 --> 01:01:49,960
reports obviously there's environmental work that needs to be done we have phase one we have geo-technical

771
01:01:49,960 --> 01:01:54,980
work that's got to be done again using that money that we're allocating now we're going to begin that

772
01:01:54,980 --> 01:01:58,780
process that is also going to influence the direction these drawings go in.

773
01:01:59,520 --> 01:02:04,640
With regard to utilities and stormwater management, all of that is going to, again, there's

774
01:02:04,640 --> 01:02:07,280
going to be a plan for that that's going to be developed by our professionals.

775
01:02:07,280 --> 01:02:11,140
That's going to meet all the DEP new rules and best practices.

776
01:02:11,220 --> 01:02:13,760
It's going to comply with our stormwater control ordinances.

777
01:02:14,300 --> 01:02:15,520
Flood management system.

778
01:02:15,520 --> 01:02:20,520
We're going to talk about flood storage, detention basins, retaining walls, all of that.

779
01:02:20,680 --> 01:02:24,340
We need to have a very deep conversation about all that and it's a requirement in this plan.

780
01:02:24,340 --> 01:02:26,180
We're going to do it. We don't have it now

781
01:02:26,980 --> 01:02:28,940
That's part of the process after tonight

782
01:02:28,940 --> 01:02:33,740
But that will be required and that will be discussed and that will influence the these drawings

783
01:02:34,880 --> 01:02:37,720
Here's a here's a conceptual site plan exhibit

784
01:02:38,600 --> 01:02:40,120
That's in the redevelopment plan

785
01:02:41,400 --> 01:02:44,840
Showing the layout of the building and the parking on the site now you can see

786
01:02:45,340 --> 01:02:52,720
It's primarily predominantly on the existing DPW are there's some parking that's going into the conservation zone a bit

787
01:02:52,720 --> 01:02:57,820
again as I said earlier we're going to still take a look at this we're going to try and if we can reduce that

788
01:02:57,820 --> 01:03:03,080
parking even more so hopefully we won't have to do that but to be transparent for the benefit of

789
01:03:03,080 --> 01:03:08,080
the public I wanted to show where we are right now and what that possibly could be we would try the best

790
01:03:08,080 --> 01:03:14,600
we can to to address that but that's likely as it stands today where what the impact would be and

791
01:03:14,600 --> 01:03:19,100
then we did is actually harbor consultants put this together they showed us at the planning where

792
01:03:19,100 --> 01:03:25,340
There's a red line there, might be hard to see how pointed out here, which is based on

793
01:03:25,340 --> 01:03:29,780
the partner that showed that we added about 20-25 feet just to be an extra conservative

794
01:03:30,380 --> 01:03:33,080
as to where that line may be as it stands today.

795
01:03:33,420 --> 01:03:39,040
But that's what we're expecting to be, the maximum impact up there at the top with the vast

796
01:03:39,040 --> 01:03:44,400
majority of it still protected, but again, that line may shift depending on the next part

797
01:03:44,400 --> 01:03:47,420
of this process and how the construction drawings are shaped.

798
01:03:48,980 --> 01:03:52,780
There's this is a can contemplate to be a two story building I'm not going to walk

799
01:03:52,780 --> 01:03:57,840
through all this people can download and look at it but this is just an exercise that

800
01:03:57,840 --> 01:04:02,580
we went through with our first responders to make sure that we captured the needs requirements

801
01:04:02,580 --> 01:04:04,980
and the spatial requirements for each of the departments.

802
01:04:05,600 --> 01:04:09,840
Again this is going to be looked at we didn't identify each room yet you know we might tweak

803
01:04:09,840 --> 01:04:15,400
some of the walls and stuff like that but what we were able to determine is that the needs

804
01:04:15,400 --> 01:04:18,540
studies, the needs of our departments are met with the size of this building.

805
01:04:18,740 --> 01:04:22,620
So, we may tweak this internally as we go into the construction drawings, but this should

806
01:04:22,620 --> 01:04:26,800
be, this should be the amount of space that we have, and we went through as I said before,

807
01:04:27,140 --> 01:04:31,620
very rigorous discussions, not everybody got everything that they wanted, there was hard

808
01:04:31,620 --> 01:04:35,940
decisions that had to be made, but we know that our first responders are going to be covered

809
01:04:35,940 --> 01:04:39,800
in terms of what they need to service us for the future in this building.

810
01:04:39,920 --> 01:04:44,120
So, we've got a first floor, you've got a second floor where you can see there's a legend

811
01:04:44,120 --> 01:04:47,640
here that people can take a closer look at but there's a lot of shared space in this building,

812
01:04:47,900 --> 01:04:52,080
there's a lot of common space in this building, we're looking to share space that's the benefit

813
01:04:52,080 --> 01:04:56,320
of putting it all in one building is we'd have to build all these multiple rooms for each department,

814
01:04:56,460 --> 01:05:00,840
we can share these services, so that's helped us reduce this footprint, so if we can increase

815
01:05:00,840 --> 01:05:05,640
the amount of common space, we can incorporate more of that we will and we'll have that conversation.

816
01:05:06,360 --> 01:05:11,900
We have some conceptual elevations that our architects worked on and I have some more detailed

817
01:05:11,900 --> 01:05:17,280
renderings I'll show as an illustration but what we tried to do with this is try to soften the

818
01:05:17,280 --> 01:05:20,820
look of this building make it look a little more residential we didn't want it to look industrial

819
01:05:20,820 --> 01:05:26,640
we didn't want it to look you know we wanted to have a softer residential feel within the neighborhood

820
01:05:26,640 --> 01:05:32,260
by incorporating brick and a lot of design elements that you kind of see in the neighborhood so

821
01:05:32,260 --> 01:05:37,360
again this is just a concept these drawings will be further defined but it gives you it's a starting

822
01:05:37,360 --> 01:05:41,960
point for where we're going to take this. And I think that our professional did a good job

823
01:05:41,960 --> 01:05:46,460
taking into consideration, kind of look and feel this building and making sure that it's something

824
01:05:46,460 --> 01:05:52,160
that fits in. Obviously, class is a big part of ultimately the materials that are going to be used,

825
01:05:52,340 --> 01:05:58,840
but having a softer residential look is what we're trying to do here. I have some existing photos here

826
01:05:58,840 --> 01:06:02,360
like if you were driving down, because if you were coming down playing field avenue kind of around

827
01:06:02,360 --> 01:06:08,020
the bend of what it looks like there today is you know the fence the DPW yard and then an

828
01:06:08,020 --> 01:06:12,440
illustration of what the building could look like with with the brick and all the design elements

829
01:06:12,440 --> 01:06:18,160
like I talked about you can see the fire department there over on the left side here for me the the

830
01:06:18,160 --> 01:06:23,340
bays in the begin in the middle and the rescue squad over there at the end on the bend. Here's

831
01:06:23,340 --> 01:06:28,530
Plainfield Avenue from the other way where it looks like now and an illustration of what you can see

832
01:06:28,530 --> 01:06:33,510
fire department now, you can see architecturally kind of the look and feel that we've tried

833
01:06:33,510 --> 01:06:37,250
to create for this building. And you know, we'll have a licensed landscape architect take

834
01:06:37,250 --> 01:06:40,810
a look further at the plant things and the trees and all that. I thought it was important

835
01:06:40,810 --> 01:06:46,970
to show the buildings so you can see what it would look like for tonight. And again, this

836
01:06:46,970 --> 01:06:51,810
is conceptual. It's an illustration. It starts the process. And you know, we'll sit down and

837
01:06:51,810 --> 01:06:55,450
we'll have further conversations about this building. But I wanted to show, we wanted to show

838
01:06:55,450 --> 01:06:59,590
something tonight to give you an idea of what the building may look like in the area.

839
01:06:59,910 --> 01:07:03,450
We do have a rear shot of the building from behind.

840
01:07:04,550 --> 01:07:06,230
Obviously, we're going to try to plough for that.

841
01:07:07,190 --> 01:07:10,410
Shield that as much as possible, but again, I want you to see the building, I want to see

842
01:07:10,410 --> 01:07:14,810
what it looks like, what's behind it, for the purposes of tonight to give you an idea of

843
01:07:14,810 --> 01:07:14,950
it.

844
01:07:15,070 --> 01:07:18,530
There's going to be more conversation about that as we get through the process.

845
01:07:18,890 --> 01:07:24,450
So, what the next steps are, so what we're doing tonight is we're pointing an architect,

846
01:07:24,450 --> 01:07:29,610
plan we already have engineer and construction manager with dollars within the

847
01:07:29,610 --> 01:07:33,350
budget that we already have that we're allocating to them to begin some of the

848
01:07:33,350 --> 01:07:38,890
steps that I just discussed now. There's many more steps than that those are

849
01:07:38,890 --> 01:07:41,890
to highlight those are the most common questions we've heard but if you read that

850
01:07:41,890 --> 01:07:45,290
redevelopment plan you'll read all the steps that have to be done so our

851
01:07:45,290 --> 01:07:49,270
professionals now we have to sit down come up with a roadmap of how we're going

852
01:07:49,270 --> 01:07:53,070
to address all these and then we're going to prepare construction drawings,

853
01:07:53,070 --> 01:07:57,090
construction documents that we will eventually go out to bid for and there will be a planning

854
01:07:57,090 --> 01:08:01,630
board hearing at some time after the professionals do this review but we'll have a public hearing

855
01:08:01,630 --> 01:08:07,270
and we'll specifically have discussed traffic study school just like any other redevelopment

856
01:08:07,270 --> 01:08:11,090
plan that we've had. Any planning board meeting you've been to, the process that we go through,

857
01:08:11,210 --> 01:08:14,730
we're going through the same process here, it's the same thing. So at a future date, we'll

858
01:08:14,730 --> 01:08:20,390
have a lot more detail to share on all of those, on all of those points that I've made

859
01:08:20,390 --> 01:08:22,450
we'll have even more information to share with the public.

860
01:08:22,930 --> 01:08:26,410
Now, we're putting the zoning in place and tasking our professionals

861
01:08:26,830 --> 01:08:28,330
to review the redevelopment plan,

862
01:08:29,210 --> 01:08:30,410
go through all the requirements,

863
01:08:30,830 --> 01:08:33,090
and come back to us with more refined plans

864
01:08:33,090 --> 01:08:37,550
and any questions, concerns, comments that we need to report with.

865
01:08:37,910 --> 01:08:39,350
In the meantime, if people have questions,

866
01:08:39,610 --> 01:08:42,070
you could call me or email me at any time, absolutely.

867
01:08:42,770 --> 01:08:45,590
The redevelopment plan, I'll put the PowerPoint on the website too.

868
01:08:46,070 --> 01:08:47,330
The redevelopment plan is on the website.

869
01:08:47,530 --> 01:08:48,850
You can download it and go through it.

870
01:08:48,850 --> 01:08:51,150
This is all the information that we have right now.

871
01:08:51,410 --> 01:08:54,470
This is as far as we've gotten, which is a big step forward,

872
01:08:54,650 --> 01:08:56,770
but there's a lot more that has to be done.

873
01:08:56,910 --> 01:08:58,830
I want people to understand and counsel the public

874
01:08:58,830 --> 01:09:01,010
that there's a lot more analysis that has to be done here.

875
01:09:01,130 --> 01:09:03,570
This is a step forward, but it's not the end of this.

876
01:09:04,210 --> 01:09:06,110
So that redevelopment plan, these exhibits,

877
01:09:06,250 --> 01:09:07,270
everything I've talked about tonight

878
01:09:07,270 --> 01:09:09,830
is all the information we have at this stage.

879
01:09:10,210 --> 01:09:11,410
As we go through the process,

880
01:09:11,410 --> 01:09:13,590
we'll be able to share more with the public more details.

881
01:09:14,110 --> 01:09:15,710
This is just conceptual at the stage

882
01:09:15,710 --> 01:09:18,010
and putting the zoning in to begin these discussions.

883
01:09:18,010 --> 01:09:20,290
And we have a lot more discussions to have, so.

884
01:09:20,950 --> 01:09:22,250
Thank you, director Strill.

885
01:09:23,170 --> 01:09:27,570
Any of my colleagues, any questions for our director before we open the public comment?

886
01:09:28,850 --> 01:09:36,350
And just a second, I neglected to say that we're also joined tonight by the leadership of our police department and fire department.

887
01:09:37,110 --> 01:09:47,150
And we had asked Chief Lostard check, Chief Brio, Deputy Chief Selinger, to be here to address any questions related to.

888
01:09:47,150 --> 01:09:53,870
their relocation to this site in the DPW, the art of Plainfield Avenue.

889
01:09:54,310 --> 01:09:58,530
If you've been following along, as Director Stroke said, this has been a plan that's

890
01:09:58,530 --> 01:09:59,650
been in place since before.

891
01:10:00,010 --> 01:10:05,070
We got here and has always had the support of our emergency responders.

892
01:10:06,330 --> 01:10:07,110
Deputy Mayor.

893
01:10:07,710 --> 01:10:11,290
With that, I move that the public hearing on this ordinance be opened.

894
01:10:14,050 --> 01:10:40,090
I know there are people here in the chambers that wish to participate so I'm glad to appreciate you waiting before and so I wasn't clear if you please start with your name and address for our record as always you have up to three minutes to ask any questions or comments and if we're going to try to do it this way if you would please.

895
01:10:41,290 --> 01:10:44,570
Make any comments, ask any questions that you wish, up to three minutes.

896
01:10:45,290 --> 01:10:51,370
And most respectfully, if you then go and take a seat back back in here in Chambers,

897
01:10:52,350 --> 01:10:58,830
either some of my colleagues or manager of myself or director will try our best to address those questions and

898
01:10:58,830 --> 01:11:00,470
comments one at a time.

899
01:11:00,470 --> 01:11:01,810
We're going to try to do it that way.

900
01:11:02,330 --> 01:11:06,930
If questions become repetitive, we'll point that out, you know, already answered.

901
01:11:06,930 --> 01:11:17,250
And if this process seems to cause some confusion, then we'll go back and listen to everyone and try to hit everyone on the end.

902
01:11:17,470 --> 01:11:29,150
But what our goal is, is to be as transparent as possible and address the questions as each person participating public comment concludes their comments.

903
01:11:29,970 --> 01:11:30,770
All right, thank you.

904
01:11:30,830 --> 01:11:32,170
Please start with the name and address for the record.

905
01:11:36,190 --> 01:11:48,030
I'm glad I waited Mr. Mayor because they'd answer a lot of my questions in particular about the green acres trying to keep some of the conservation zone as much as possible green acres.

906
01:11:48,590 --> 01:11:50,890
My other concern was the environmental study.

907
01:11:51,850 --> 01:11:59,150
I don't know if you come across contamination, do you have a plan to remediate and that could be pretty expensive.

908
01:11:59,150 --> 01:12:05,770
But I'm glad to see that the plan has developed over the years a lot better than initial plan

909
01:12:05,770 --> 01:12:06,370
seemed to be.

910
01:12:06,910 --> 01:12:10,910
But that being the case, I still have to say it's a bad location.

911
01:12:11,510 --> 01:12:16,810
I still think it's a dangerous location and I know you can have a traffic study done

912
01:12:16,810 --> 01:12:23,290
and my question is after the traffic study is done will be available to the public that

913
01:12:23,290 --> 01:12:28,070
we could respond with any inconsistencies that we as residents know.

914
01:12:28,070 --> 01:12:33,650
without having to make an Oprah request that could probably be posted or readily available.

915
01:12:34,850 --> 01:12:42,310
And my other concern is, I still say, it's the egress for these emergency vehicles,

916
01:12:43,130 --> 01:12:48,230
especially during school hours and school events, creates a dangerous situation.

917
01:12:48,950 --> 01:12:55,570
And it also makes it a longer time for emergency vehicles to get to that destination.

918
01:12:57,230 --> 01:12:59,570
Every road there is 25 miles an hour.

919
01:13:00,310 --> 01:13:05,450
So emergency vehicles obviously have to go faster than 25 miles an hour.

920
01:13:05,690 --> 01:13:12,010
And you're doing so in school zones where this evergreen does the high school, this

921
01:13:12,010 --> 01:13:13,490
brown or this same bars.

922
01:13:14,770 --> 01:13:20,950
And when those schools are getting out, and if there's an emergency, that could be dangerous

923
01:13:20,950 --> 01:13:27,590
to our children and to anybody who is on the other end of the emergency, trying to get there on time.

924
01:13:28,630 --> 01:13:37,150
So, I still have concerns about that, and my last question is, well we have a time to respond to,

925
01:13:37,590 --> 01:13:46,330
after we review the traffic study, will we be able to respond to it before it's rubber stamped?

926
01:13:46,910 --> 01:13:49,350
Not that you would rubber stamp it, but before it gets approved.

927
01:13:52,020 --> 01:13:52,900
Thank you.

928
01:13:52,900 --> 01:13:53,360
Thank you.

929
01:13:53,500 --> 01:13:55,600
If you've concluded public comment, thank you.

930
01:13:56,040 --> 01:13:57,520
Director Strodo, do you want to address,

931
01:13:58,580 --> 01:13:59,460
Mr. Baruch?

932
01:13:59,920 --> 01:14:00,020
Yeah.

933
01:14:00,480 --> 01:14:02,500
So with regards to the traffic study, like any,

934
01:14:03,420 --> 01:14:06,540
again, like any application that, you know, like for example,

935
01:14:06,540 --> 01:14:07,720
we just did a traffic study.

936
01:14:07,800 --> 01:14:08,860
Leo had to do a traffic study.

937
01:14:09,020 --> 01:14:10,180
Quick check had to do a traffic study.

938
01:14:10,640 --> 01:14:14,080
That traffic study becomes a public document that gets uploaded

939
01:14:14,600 --> 01:14:17,740
with all the application documents with that are part

940
01:14:17,740 --> 01:14:18,880
of a site plan application.

941
01:14:19,560 --> 01:14:23,120
And notice goes out to the public with at least within 200 feet.

942
01:14:23,380 --> 01:14:23,780
They get it.

943
01:14:23,860 --> 01:14:27,120
They find out when the date of the meeting is, and you have a chance to look at all that.

944
01:14:27,240 --> 01:14:31,520
And then you can come to that site plan here and you can speak based upon what's in the traffic

945
01:14:31,520 --> 01:14:31,800
study.

946
01:14:31,900 --> 01:14:32,680
And our board does it too.

947
01:14:32,740 --> 01:14:33,920
Our board members have questions.

948
01:14:34,320 --> 01:14:36,080
We tweak right there on the spot.

949
01:14:37,080 --> 01:14:41,340
We've given comments to legal, for example, about turning and different things like that that

950
01:14:41,340 --> 01:14:42,820
resulted from that traffic study.

951
01:14:42,820 --> 01:14:49,420
So, you know, we can discuss maybe, maybe we make things available sooner or that sort of thing.

952
01:14:49,880 --> 01:14:55,560
In this case, because it's a unique situation, but those traffic reports all become part of the application

953
01:14:55,560 --> 01:14:59,260
and become a public document that gets uploaded to our website in an app.

954
01:15:10,700 --> 01:15:29,560
So, there will definitely be opportunities for you to look at that and for comments during the process. So, we can talk more about that, but at least initially, we can say that, you know, that becomes part of the application that becomes publicly available. And then with the environmental look, I agree. There can be things that could come up that could, as I'm saying, these are concepts.

955
01:15:29,560 --> 01:15:34,760
they could shift. So that's part of the work that our engineers have to do. If you look at our

956
01:15:34,760 --> 01:15:38,680
preliminary investigation report and the documents that we've, you know, the reports we've already

957
01:15:38,680 --> 01:15:44,200
pulled, we've searched DEP records, we've looked at things, we haven't found any records of any sort

958
01:15:44,200 --> 01:15:50,580
of contamination that have been documented to this point. But with that, there's still phase one

959
01:15:50,580 --> 01:15:55,140
environmental and geotechnicals that have to be done that will get reported back to us that we will

960
01:15:55,140 --> 01:15:59,580
have to look at. So I agree that this is part of the process that's

961
01:15:59,580 --> 01:16:03,300
be done. We haven't found any records of anything to this point, searching

962
01:16:03,300 --> 01:16:06,560
our own records and state records. But we're going to take a much deeper

963
01:16:06,560 --> 01:16:10,960
dive in that after this process as that is a requirement of the redevelopment

964
01:16:10,960 --> 01:16:18,360
plan. But thank you, Director Stroh. I saw the manager was not in early when

965
01:16:18,360 --> 01:16:21,900
the question was posed. I would think at a minimum when the application is

966
01:16:21,900 --> 01:16:24,720
complete and ready to be served on the planning board members.

967
01:16:26,100 --> 01:16:34,220
We can make the entire application, we can upload it to our website and make everything available to the public at that time.

968
01:16:35,040 --> 01:16:41,380
And it gave me a reason to remind everyone.

969
01:16:42,080 --> 01:16:47,960
Originally, the proposal was to relocate Town Hall and our court to this site.

970
01:16:47,960 --> 01:17:03,580
And we're at this moment, the manager, and I just this morning had a good meeting with Mayor Mar discussing, and we already have a handshake deal on it, to chair court services with van Wood.

971
01:17:03,980 --> 01:17:08,860
So we will no longer need to have an actual courtroom in the structure.

972
01:17:09,440 --> 01:17:15,920
And if you're following along, a redevelopment plan for District B, where we're sitting now,

973
01:17:16,740 --> 01:17:21,740
Well, actually, it's not a done deal where we'll go, but our library in town hall will stay in the downtown.

974
01:17:22,940 --> 01:17:30,260
Most likely in districts, in district A or B, which is where the library is now, and where town hall is now.

975
01:17:30,620 --> 01:17:33,160
It's still a little bit of an open dialogue.

976
01:17:34,660 --> 01:17:43,980
And with regards to emergency responders and how they respond, the police are already patrolling the town and the cars are out.

977
01:17:43,980 --> 01:18:02,860
The fire department has repeatedly explained that this location is more centrally located to most of the town than the existing building is, and that their response time will be an improvement over where we are now, and I'll leave it there.

978
01:18:04,180 --> 01:18:10,940
Before we continue, we want to be a productive, efficient, respectful meeting.

979
01:18:11,600 --> 01:18:18,300
We are working on these issues every day since we got here.

980
01:18:18,660 --> 01:18:25,520
Director Stroh, our managers and us with our professionals are working tirelessly to make

981
01:18:25,520 --> 01:18:32,640
this project work for Scotch Plains, and we know that everyone will be happy with the outcome.

982
01:18:32,640 --> 01:18:40,500
But we want to get this as right as we can be, and I think we're always respectful and I just hope we'll get the same.

983
01:18:41,520 --> 01:18:41,940
Thank you.

984
01:18:45,260 --> 01:18:50,080
Connie Baruch, also 2333 Evergreen Avenue, Scotch Plains.

985
01:18:51,420 --> 01:19:01,060
As my husband stated, safety is number one, and all of this being on the corner of Evergreen and high school and the high school puts our children in danger.

986
01:19:01,060 --> 01:19:06,080
I've personally seen cars trying to go around my stopped car while children were walking

987
01:19:06,080 --> 01:19:10,720
their bikes across Westfield Avenue and we showed the last council because I've been

988
01:19:10,720 --> 01:19:16,900
here since the 2018-19 and the 18 beginning of 19 footage of a car going around the

989
01:19:16,900 --> 01:19:22,420
crossing guard who had their hands up to beat the kids that were going through the crossing

990
01:19:22,920 --> 01:19:23,660
the street.

991
01:19:23,660 --> 01:19:32,640
We showed this film to the former council, and this is just not a good place to add fuel to the fire.

992
01:19:33,740 --> 01:19:40,100
The people living behind the redevelopment area, now we're going to have all those parking lots in their backyards.

993
01:19:40,500 --> 01:19:46,500
I'm glad that you're looking at having flood studies done and maybe retaining walls and things like that.

994
01:19:47,780 --> 01:19:52,120
And as for the egress, I know you've just addressed that, but Jerusalem,

995
01:19:52,120 --> 01:19:54,200
I mean, I've said this 9,000 times,

996
01:19:54,200 --> 01:19:56,360
but Jerusalem is a winding, bumpy road,

997
01:19:56,720 --> 01:19:58,560
not great for quick emergency.

998
01:19:59,540 --> 01:20:02,100
Egress, Henry has the much needed speed bumps

999
01:20:02,100 --> 01:20:05,120
that the residents spent much time getting

1000
01:20:05,120 --> 01:20:06,980
because of various accidents on that block.

1001
01:20:07,500 --> 01:20:09,200
Belvedere leads right back to Henry.

1002
01:20:09,500 --> 01:20:11,600
The next block, I believe, is a cul-de-sac.

1003
01:20:12,460 --> 01:20:14,640
You might need to go all the way up to Westville Road

1004
01:20:15,060 --> 01:20:20,060
to that light, to Egress, to get into certain parts

1005
01:20:20,060 --> 01:20:20,800
of the town.

1006
01:20:20,800 --> 01:20:24,440
the other way that you're going, you're right on the border of Westfield.

1007
01:20:24,440 --> 01:20:28,280
I can't see how that would be central, more central than where you are now.

1008
01:20:29,240 --> 01:20:30,600
How about getting to the other side of town?

1009
01:20:30,780 --> 01:20:32,080
How many schools are you going to pass?

1010
01:20:32,220 --> 01:20:33,400
And how long is that going to take?

1011
01:20:34,480 --> 01:20:38,580
Clearly placing all of this on the border of Westfield does not seem right to me.

1012
01:20:39,220 --> 01:20:41,560
I know Representative Tom Keane was here.

1013
01:20:41,680 --> 01:20:42,300
That's wonderful.

1014
01:20:43,160 --> 01:20:50,140
Did you tell him that before COVID, the Township Meeting Room was overflowed,

1015
01:20:50,140 --> 01:20:53,080
Overflowing people outside the emergency exits,

1016
01:20:53,480 --> 01:20:56,480
over 200 people here, concerned citizens

1017
01:20:56,480 --> 01:20:59,720
who were vehemently opposed to this move.

1018
01:21:00,840 --> 01:21:04,300
Did you share the reality of the congestion of foot

1019
01:21:04,300 --> 01:21:06,600
and car traffic going to and from the schools

1020
01:21:06,600 --> 01:21:08,820
and school events, like the Halloween party?

1021
01:21:09,160 --> 01:21:11,120
You got to come and see that sometime.

1022
01:21:11,740 --> 01:21:13,540
And if there's an emergency at that time.

1023
01:21:14,440 --> 01:21:17,460
Although the council told him as per the statement

1024
01:21:17,460 --> 01:21:23,260
that we got in our email that you were 100% behind these plans. Obviously, you did not have

1025
01:21:23,260 --> 01:21:29,120
anyone there to represent the people who live here and love that neighborhood and love their

1026
01:21:29,120 --> 01:21:37,000
children. Oh, but wait a minute. We elected you to represent us who live there. You know,

1027
01:21:37,240 --> 01:21:42,280
and we've been coming for years and years and COVID did a job on us that we couldn't get people to

1028
01:21:42,280 --> 01:21:43,540
come into the courts anymore.

1029
01:21:44,080 --> 01:21:45,500
And now people are on vacations.

1030
01:21:46,100 --> 01:21:48,620
David and I are both on the neighborhood alliance.

1031
01:21:49,160 --> 01:21:52,400
It was one actually of our members who suggested

1032
01:21:52,400 --> 01:21:54,760
the town hall go on top of the library.

1033
01:21:55,340 --> 01:21:57,180
And so I just wanted to get all that in.

1034
01:21:57,400 --> 01:21:58,280
Thank you for your comments.

1035
01:22:03,060 --> 01:22:05,960
And before we move on, I'll share the manager

1036
01:22:05,960 --> 01:22:07,920
and I met with Congressman Kane last week.

1037
01:22:07,920 --> 01:22:09,460
It was a terrific meeting.

1038
01:22:09,780 --> 01:22:10,680
We did share.

1039
01:22:10,680 --> 01:22:15,680
I don't think it needed to even be shared that not everybody is supportive of a plan.

1040
01:22:16,260 --> 01:22:25,840
Congressman Kane pointed that out, that sometimes when you're doing the town's business,

1041
01:22:27,000 --> 01:22:29,960
you're doing work that serves the town.

1042
01:22:30,200 --> 01:22:33,140
And by doing that there are individuals that may not be agreed.

1043
01:22:33,480 --> 01:22:38,180
Usually those are the individuals most directly affected by what you're doing.

1044
01:22:39,000 --> 01:22:48,140
But the congressman remains supportive and is doing what he can to that we hope federal

1045
01:22:48,140 --> 01:22:54,500
grant money towards the construction of the building and I'll remind everyone the fire

1046
01:22:54,500 --> 01:23:00,480
department is behind this building in or downtown close to schools and needs to navigate

1047
01:23:00,480 --> 01:23:04,580
Park Avenue in order to respond to an emergency in this part of town.

1048
01:23:04,580 --> 01:23:18,460
Their leadership has consistently said, again and again, and again, that those trucks are driven very carefully and that they are confident that they'll be able to appropriately and responsibly respond to emergencies.

1049
01:23:19,000 --> 01:23:23,320
And finally, you gave me a reason to remind me of this.

1050
01:23:23,760 --> 01:23:32,880
Since day one, we've looked at, we've been open to alternative sites for emergency services building, but

1051
01:23:32,880 --> 01:23:39,900
But the DPW yard is property that the township owns and as Director Strobe pointed out,

1052
01:23:40,080 --> 01:23:41,780
it fits what we're trying to do.

1053
01:23:42,280 --> 01:23:47,700
So it makes all the sense in the world to the governing body to relocate our emergency

1054
01:23:47,700 --> 01:23:51,020
responders there as we redevelop our downtown.

1055
01:23:52,340 --> 01:23:52,480
Hi.

1056
01:23:52,720 --> 01:23:53,720
Thank you.

1057
01:23:53,920 --> 01:23:54,600
Please.

1058
01:23:55,000 --> 01:23:55,340
Hi.

1059
01:23:55,580 --> 01:24:00,560
My name is Alexis Rosenberg, 432 Pine Grove Circle off of Westfield Avenue.

1060
01:24:00,560 --> 01:24:02,480
First and foremost, I'm a mom.

1061
01:24:02,800 --> 01:24:04,960
I have a seven-year-old that goes to Evergreen Elementary

1062
01:24:04,960 --> 01:24:08,080
and I have a 10-year-old that just finished Evergreen

1063
01:24:08,080 --> 01:24:10,860
and we'll be starting at Nettingham Middle next month.

1064
01:24:11,740 --> 01:24:13,340
I think that this plan is dangerous.

1065
01:24:13,900 --> 01:24:15,620
I think moving the emergency services,

1066
01:24:15,780 --> 01:24:19,280
one block from Evergreen Elementary School in a town

1067
01:24:19,280 --> 01:24:21,220
in a district that has no busing,

1068
01:24:21,480 --> 01:24:23,740
that is all walking is dangerous.

1069
01:24:24,280 --> 01:24:29,000
You have hundreds of people starting brand new babies

1070
01:24:29,000 --> 01:24:33,960
in strollers with their parents taking their siblings to the elementary school.

1071
01:24:34,280 --> 01:24:38,100
There are hundreds of kids in the elementary school plus their parents, often both parents,

1072
01:24:38,440 --> 01:24:42,120
plus their younger siblings a lot of times in strollers.

1073
01:24:43,000 --> 01:24:50,520
I challenge you to please watch from 7.15 in the morning until 7.35 in the morning on a school

1074
01:24:50,520 --> 01:24:58,420
day and see up to 500 people from age two months old to age 100 years old as the grandparents

1075
01:24:58,420 --> 01:25:02,980
are also taking these elementary school kids to like everyone is walking.

1076
01:25:04,020 --> 01:25:07,960
I personally for the last five years have done drop-off in front of the

1077
01:25:07,960 --> 01:25:13,780
elementary school and then continued to drive up to Westfield and made a

1078
01:25:13,780 --> 01:25:17,140
right where where the redevelopment is so I can go to work right after I do

1079
01:25:17,140 --> 01:25:23,060
school drop-off it takes over ten minutes because there are so many people they

1080
01:25:23,060 --> 01:25:27,740
let the bell out and it's just kids running like you have to go so slow I know

1081
01:25:27,740 --> 01:25:33,180
that there are crossing guards and I think that's great but every parent is doing drop-off

1082
01:25:33,180 --> 01:25:38,480
as well as walking and it's just hundreds of people it takes so long and there's also

1083
01:25:38,480 --> 01:25:43,980
people rushing for trains, rushing for work to add emergency services where they have

1084
01:25:43,980 --> 01:25:50,140
to get to an emergency in a timely manner does not make sense a block from an elementary school

1085
01:25:50,140 --> 01:25:57,440
that is all working. We have world class, world class emergency services here. I have used the police,

1086
01:25:57,440 --> 01:26:05,500
the fire and the emergency services and they are unbelievable and to put children in harm's

1087
01:26:05,500 --> 01:26:11,000
way and also to slow down them being able to get to an emergency. I have called them because

1088
01:26:11,000 --> 01:26:14,880
I smelled gas. I have called them because I thought someone was breaking into my house. They have

1089
01:26:14,880 --> 01:26:21,880
been there in a minute from Park Avenue. I am worried that people will not get the level of service

1090
01:26:21,880 --> 01:26:26,440
that they need in this town and it's not fair to the emergency services. You say it's closer,

1091
01:26:26,980 --> 01:26:32,640
I have so many friends that are on the south side, you'd have to pass right by the old building to get to their house.

1092
01:26:33,000 --> 01:26:35,560
And if not, you're going right past the elementary school.

1093
01:26:36,300 --> 01:26:40,600
I don't understand why we can't move something safer like the library to that field and

1094
01:26:40,600 --> 01:26:44,360
then keep the emergency services in a new building to this area.

1095
01:26:45,040 --> 01:26:45,520
Thank you.

1096
01:26:49,200 --> 01:26:55,540
Thank you for your comments, Dr. Stro, anything, I think most of that we addressed already.

1097
01:26:56,340 --> 01:27:21,680
The idea of putting the library there in the fire, keeping the fire woman here, I don't think it's feasible with our plan, but our planner is in the audience and heard that and as we negotiate downtown redevelopment, if there's an option that will work it, and I'll just ask the leadership of our emergency services or in the back if at any time you want to participate, please come on up, but I won't put you on the spot.

1098
01:27:22,380 --> 01:27:23,100
Thank you for your comments.

1099
01:27:24,460 --> 01:27:29,860
Hi, my name is Lauren L. Perez. I own the property on 23, 20 A. Evergreen Avenue

1100
01:27:29,860 --> 01:27:35,660
Scotchplain. And so my husband and I purchased the house in Evergreen about two

1101
01:27:35,660 --> 01:27:39,860
months ago, and one of sort of the big attractions that we have was because

1102
01:27:39,860 --> 01:27:45,140
it was next to this sort of like gluel forest that we see. We are planning on

1103
01:27:45,140 --> 01:27:49,100
having children, we're planning to stay in Scotchplain for hopefully a very

1104
01:27:49,100 --> 01:27:55,020
a long time, however, had I knew that there was going to be sort of a police department

1105
01:27:55,020 --> 01:28:01,020
and emergency vehicles and a fire department right, essentially next to where I lived, I would

1106
01:28:01,020 --> 01:28:06,240
absolutely choose another house or another town altogether. I've shared concerns and comments

1107
01:28:06,240 --> 01:28:11,980
with my friends and relatives and sort of they all know they would never move to a place

1108
01:28:11,980 --> 01:28:17,560
where it's right next to sort of all of these services that you're mentioning. I don't see

1109
01:28:17,560 --> 01:28:22,420
how I would have sort of a one-year-old that potentially could run out industry where

1110
01:28:22,420 --> 01:28:27,540
there will be police cars or fire trucks sort of running around town to get to where they

1111
01:28:27,540 --> 01:28:27,920
need to.

1112
01:28:28,220 --> 01:28:29,040
It seems dangerous.

1113
01:28:29,220 --> 01:28:32,620
It doesn't seem like it's the right place to put these submersion services.

1114
01:28:33,460 --> 01:28:39,220
Not only that, that sort of throughout the country, the president and different states and

1115
01:28:39,220 --> 01:28:43,680
organizations always talk about the importance of the environment and the importance of keeping

1116
01:28:43,680 --> 01:28:49,960
been trees and forests and all of these development that you go through different towns where you

1117
01:28:49,960 --> 01:28:54,460
barely see any parks and if you see parks it's grass there's barely any trees. So we're talking

1118
01:28:54,460 --> 01:29:01,960
about sort of removing a number of trees and big sort of forests that I don't know where else in

1119
01:29:01,960 --> 01:29:08,320
scotch plains that exist. There are parks but not as many trees as they are right next to where I live.

1120
01:29:08,320 --> 01:29:15,100
And considering sort of just quoting them all down, just to make a far-the-paramony seems

1121
01:29:15,100 --> 01:29:16,660
insensitive to the environment.

1122
01:29:17,520 --> 01:29:23,140
And I think this initiative from sort of the entire country has been going on for a

1123
01:29:23,140 --> 01:29:23,560
long time.

1124
01:29:24,180 --> 01:29:32,800
I think that whatever decision is, I think first we should try to put this emergency services

1125
01:29:32,800 --> 01:29:37,740
where there isn't like a forest, where there is just another building there and sort of

1126
01:29:37,740 --> 01:29:39,200
but some put it there somehow.

1127
01:29:40,140 --> 01:29:43,140
And two, if the decision is to move forward with this plan,

1128
01:29:43,460 --> 01:29:47,060
whatever forest is left, I think that it should be sort of

1129
01:29:47,560 --> 01:29:49,680
some mandate so that it can ever be touched

1130
01:29:49,680 --> 01:29:52,480
because I can see how right now your plans are

1131
01:29:52,480 --> 01:29:55,300
to only take part of it, but how that could lead to

1132
01:29:55,300 --> 01:29:57,540
more and more of the forest being taken down.

1133
01:29:58,060 --> 01:29:58,600
Thank you.

1134
01:30:00,000 --> 01:30:00,900
Thank you very much for your comments.

1135
01:30:03,040 --> 01:30:29,660
Mr. Stroke, the idea of a deed restriction for green acres for the remainder of the conservation zone is part of the plan. Right. It comes part of the zoning, correct. It's just like any other green acres facing in town that we have today. It becomes part of your green acres. You go through the state, you designated, you can't touch it unless you went through a various rigorous process to change that which really doesn't happen.

1136
01:30:29,660 --> 01:30:35,480
For example, you know, as we've been developing our downtown plan, some people talk about what's happening in the village green.

1137
01:30:36,000 --> 01:30:41,220
Well, the village green state, number one, we're keeping the village green because it's a great asset to our town, and we're going to enhance it.

1138
01:30:41,300 --> 01:30:45,440
But I can't touch it if I wanted to. It's green acres. It's protected. You can't build on it.

1139
01:30:45,800 --> 01:30:52,820
So I think we addressed that in the comments. It's in the plan you're voting on that tonight that what's left over is going to get that protection.

1140
01:30:52,820 --> 01:30:55,400
It's right now, there's no protection of this concert.

1141
01:30:55,640 --> 01:30:59,540
It's called the Conservation Zone, but there's no sort of deed restriction that's on it.

1142
01:30:59,660 --> 01:31:06,520
What we're going to do is after we go through this process, change that and actually go take that step on what land is left.

1143
01:31:06,940 --> 01:31:10,920
So I think I agree with the comments we're going to try and protect as much we can.

1144
01:31:10,960 --> 01:31:17,220
We said that and add that extra layer of protection that we don't have now and add it to that so that it protects us going forward.

1145
01:31:18,300 --> 01:31:19,340
Thank you.

1146
01:31:20,540 --> 01:31:21,060
Yes.

1147
01:31:21,520 --> 01:31:21,960
Thank you.

1148
01:31:25,560 --> 01:31:31,500
I sympathize if a home was purchased without knowing that this has been the town's plan for

1149
01:31:31,500 --> 01:31:32,100
many years.

1150
01:31:33,180 --> 01:31:41,260
At the same time, I know many residents have shared with me how they wish they lived closer to

1151
01:31:41,260 --> 01:31:46,140
an emergency to the police and or fire, so it's like every way you can look at it.

1152
01:31:46,140 --> 01:31:48,160
I'll share this.

1153
01:31:48,840 --> 01:31:52,360
The comment was about trees and the environment and finding another location.

1154
01:31:53,440 --> 01:32:05,920
If anyone in the public can find space in Scotch Plains that will fit the emergency services building and cost nothing to procure will consider it.

1155
01:32:06,800 --> 01:32:12,700
But the fact is the DPW yard is a perfect location for many reasons.

1156
01:32:12,700 --> 01:32:16,380
and I just summed them up right there.

1157
01:32:17,260 --> 01:32:21,760
It's a suitable location for the emergency services and

1158
01:32:22,460 --> 01:32:27,160
has the support of our emergency responders who will do as they do right now.

1159
01:32:27,560 --> 01:32:31,020
Drive very carefully when they respond to emergencies.

1160
01:32:31,960 --> 01:32:33,820
We don't want to do anything that's unsafe.

1161
01:32:34,640 --> 01:32:34,900
Thank you.

1162
01:32:35,040 --> 01:32:37,900
With that being said, I have another question.

1163
01:32:37,900 --> 01:32:47,020
If you said we're getting so much money to sell this place, couldn't you purchase something

1164
01:32:47,020 --> 01:32:52,520
else you haven't given us a course for rebuilding everything that's got to probably be a fortune

1165
01:32:52,520 --> 01:32:55,680
too, even though we have the land as you say.

1166
01:32:56,540 --> 01:33:04,720
So what's the cost of it to us to read, to redo all this and the fact of the schools that

1167
01:33:04,720 --> 01:33:11,200
That will be needing where there's no land to build the schools for the children that will be moving into this area.

1168
01:33:12,100 --> 01:33:19,740
But my question originally was, have you notified the people that live right where that's being built?

1169
01:33:20,260 --> 01:33:25,560
Publicly notified them, not just on the internet, have they received letters?

1170
01:33:26,080 --> 01:33:31,440
Because there's not that many people here and there's a lot of houses that that building would affect,

1171
01:33:31,440 --> 01:33:39,720
which would, when they built Taylor's way, we weren't notified until it was

1172
01:33:39,720 --> 01:33:44,580
already planned, and there was nothing to do with it about it, and we ended up

1173
01:33:44,580 --> 01:33:51,200
flooded because of it. So isn't that going to create a flood area, which I believe

1174
01:33:51,200 --> 01:33:56,660
that area is already a flood zone, and what's going to happen with the leaves and

1175
01:33:56,660 --> 01:34:04,460
And all public works if you're taking over that, where are you putting them and what money is that in the course?

1176
01:34:06,320 --> 01:34:07,420
Thank you for your comments.

1177
01:34:08,380 --> 01:34:10,700
That's some new questions, Director Strohwed.

1178
01:34:11,120 --> 01:34:11,700
We want to address that.

1179
01:34:11,700 --> 01:34:17,240
So, with regard to the notice, as I said before, when the site plan and application is put together, like I said, we're not at that stage.

1180
01:34:17,780 --> 01:34:20,960
But there is a notice that is mandated that has to be sent.

1181
01:34:20,960 --> 01:34:23,980
that within 200 feet, if you're outside of the 200 foot,

1182
01:34:24,140 --> 01:34:26,220
I mean, that's the state law doesn't require a notice,

1183
01:34:26,420 --> 01:34:28,360
but we can, you know, we can have a conversation about

1184
01:34:29,100 --> 01:34:31,920
if we adjust that, but there's a 200 foot requirement

1185
01:34:31,920 --> 01:34:34,560
that will, people will be noticed of a meeting,

1186
01:34:34,740 --> 01:34:36,900
of a site plan application where all these details

1187
01:34:36,900 --> 01:34:39,840
are going to be discussed and people will get that notice.

1188
01:34:41,020 --> 01:34:44,240
With regards to, you know, the economics of the plan,

1189
01:34:44,480 --> 01:34:47,300
this is a zoning, this is a redevelopment plan,

1190
01:34:47,460 --> 01:34:49,120
it's a zoning document, it's not a financial plan.

1191
01:34:49,120 --> 01:35:18,020
That's also part of the next step, so what we have to discuss, but we've touched on some of it in the meetings, yes, there's the sale of the land that we're on, there's financial agreements, ones that we have existing with developments now, and ones that we will have on top of what will go here, so between the grants, between the sale of the land, between the financial agreements and the revenue that we're going to bring in, we're going to develop an economic plan that will go into detail on all these various aspects.

1192
01:35:18,020 --> 01:35:23,600
So as we continue on negotiations with Woodmont and all the other developers that all gets folded into a plan

1193
01:35:23,600 --> 01:35:28,260
I know at some point we're going to walk through all that entire that entire plan and process

1194
01:35:29,620 --> 01:35:35,980
But look the land that you know the money that we derive from here is going to most likely go to building and making this as

1195
01:35:35,980 --> 01:35:42,160
Cost effective as possible to add a purchase price of land on top of the cost that we're already going to have

1196
01:35:42,920 --> 01:35:45,600
You know we can talk about it, but I just you know

1197
01:35:45,600 --> 01:35:50,040
I don't see it right now, but there has to be a much more in-depth broader conversation

1198
01:35:50,040 --> 01:35:53,100
that we'll have to be discussed with the council on all the economics.

1199
01:35:53,360 --> 01:35:58,180
But we're putting all of the various resources together, having our financial analysts

1200
01:35:58,860 --> 01:36:01,780
and W already take a look at this stuff and then come out.

1201
01:36:01,860 --> 01:36:04,420
But again, I understand the financials are a question.

1202
01:36:04,560 --> 01:36:06,560
This is a zoning document, it's not a financial plan.

1203
01:36:07,500 --> 01:36:11,280
That's going to be a financial agreement, that's going to master financial agreement, that's

1204
01:36:11,280 --> 01:36:17,060
going to govern this whole thing that we will walk through and discuss, and that's, I

1205
01:36:17,060 --> 01:36:21,300
mean, I think that's where we are right now with that, but we have various funding and

1206
01:36:21,300 --> 01:36:25,280
sale and grants and other things that we're getting to offset this as much as possible.

1207
01:36:25,420 --> 01:36:25,680
Right, right.

1208
01:36:25,880 --> 01:36:26,880
Thank you, Director Schroess.

1209
01:36:28,220 --> 01:36:34,400
As you heard, what we're building, this is what is proposed to be built on Plainfield

1210
01:36:34,400 --> 01:36:37,160
Avenue at the DPW site, but it's changing.

1211
01:36:37,400 --> 01:36:37,840
It's evolving.

1212
01:36:37,840 --> 01:36:44,920
And there's no cost associated right now with this project, because we don't know what the finished project was going to be.

1213
01:36:45,420 --> 01:36:54,060
But I certainly won't support the acquisition of land to increase the cost of this structure when the DPW yard is available.

1214
01:36:54,880 --> 01:37:00,200
A manager, Mirabella, could address the question about leaves and

1215
01:37:00,200 --> 01:37:07,080
and explain that we're talking about one side of plane, so that we're not the other, so the DW building will say that say there.

1216
01:37:07,080 --> 01:37:08,200
Yeah, thanks, Mayor.

1217
01:37:08,380 --> 01:37:13,260
So you and I had a chance, actually, to tour the DPW front yard

1218
01:37:13,260 --> 01:37:17,640
and there can certainly be some reconfiguration of that land

1219
01:37:17,640 --> 01:37:19,900
and repurposing some of that area.

1220
01:37:20,320 --> 01:37:24,060
We also have, and work very well with the attachment of Westfield

1221
01:37:24,060 --> 01:37:28,020
and have in play, we already have a shared service agreement

1222
01:37:28,020 --> 01:37:31,340
to put yards and leaves in their yard.

1223
01:37:31,780 --> 01:37:34,780
And we've opened up that conversation and have met

1224
01:37:34,780 --> 01:37:40,380
that with a very receptive ear about putting more leaves there if that is what it turns out to be.

1225
01:37:40,920 --> 01:37:49,800
So I feel very comfortable that we have a plan to replace the equipment and find a place for it and also with the leave disposed of.

1226
01:37:50,140 --> 01:37:51,660
Thank you very much.

1227
01:37:54,020 --> 01:37:55,540
My name is Cindy Newman.

1228
01:37:56,140 --> 01:37:57,300
I'm a 40 year resident.

1229
01:37:57,600 --> 01:37:58,760
I live on Westfield Ave.

1230
01:37:58,840 --> 01:38:01,980
I'm also the co-chair of the Scotch Plains neighborhood Alliance.

1231
01:38:01,980 --> 01:38:09,440
We have approximately a hundred households and the first I want to thank Tom. He's entertained many calls for me with my

1232
01:38:09,980 --> 01:38:14,100
ongoing questions and I appreciate that although I don't agree with plan

1233
01:38:14,100 --> 01:38:21,660
One of the main things I'm concerned about that's already been raised is the last safe routes to school

1234
01:38:22,380 --> 01:38:25,100
Plan was done from 2015

1235
01:38:25,880 --> 01:38:28,620
We have multiple children has been said

1236
01:38:28,620 --> 01:38:31,420
walking to schools, evergreen,

1237
01:38:31,960 --> 01:38:36,200
runner, same parts, the middle school,

1238
01:38:36,540 --> 01:38:37,140
and the high school.

1239
01:38:37,520 --> 01:38:38,340
That's a lot of kids.

1240
01:38:38,600 --> 01:38:42,060
We have 35 crosswalks that I've counted several times.

1241
01:38:42,620 --> 01:38:46,180
The kids are crossing are all times of the day for school.

1242
01:38:46,720 --> 01:38:48,280
They're our crossing guards, that's great.

1243
01:38:48,620 --> 01:38:51,100
But they're not there at other times when kids

1244
01:38:51,100 --> 01:38:53,620
are going to playgrounds to visit friends

1245
01:38:53,920 --> 01:38:55,260
for a bike ride to jog.

1246
01:38:56,040 --> 01:38:57,520
One of the other things is,

1247
01:38:57,520 --> 01:38:59,340
is you all live on the other side of town.

1248
01:38:59,860 --> 01:39:00,740
That's not the way.

1249
01:39:01,180 --> 01:39:03,960
Please, if you'll stop the timer, that is not true.

1250
01:39:04,500 --> 01:39:05,740
Well, who lives by us?

1251
01:39:05,940 --> 01:39:07,940
Councilman White, do you live on the south side of town?

1252
01:39:08,060 --> 01:39:08,520
No, I do not.

1253
01:39:09,280 --> 01:39:11,340
Councilman Samard, do you live on the south side of town?

1254
01:39:11,520 --> 01:39:11,600
No.

1255
01:39:12,660 --> 01:39:14,720
And I have said many times that I don't consider there

1256
01:39:14,720 --> 01:39:16,740
to be a north side and south side of town.

1257
01:39:17,140 --> 01:39:18,600
I think of the town of Scott's Plank.

1258
01:39:18,880 --> 01:39:20,900
I just wanted to address that because you've said

1259
01:39:20,900 --> 01:39:22,100
that several times.

1260
01:39:22,420 --> 01:39:24,260
And we have directly used several times.

1261
01:39:24,620 --> 01:39:26,100
And you continue to say it.

1262
01:39:26,100 --> 01:39:28,140
All right. All right. Well, check out where they live.

1263
01:39:28,160 --> 01:39:29,400
Thank you. We'll see if you please resume the clock.

1264
01:39:30,000 --> 01:39:35,400
All right. So anyway, our concern is that relocating all these services

1265
01:39:36,480 --> 01:39:40,400
will be gentle metal because they will be traveling on high rates of speed.

1266
01:39:40,560 --> 01:39:44,120
There are also two curves. As you come around, playing field

1267
01:39:44,120 --> 01:39:47,560
app on to west field app, there's one curve and there's one later.

1268
01:39:47,980 --> 01:39:51,500
In years past, of course have gone on people's properties.

1269
01:39:51,500 --> 01:39:53,420
Maybe not recently, but that's happened.

1270
01:39:54,460 --> 01:40:00,220
We're requesting a safe route to school study now to look at all this before we move forward.

1271
01:40:00,700 --> 01:40:03,160
We want to ensure the safety and health of our children.

1272
01:40:03,700 --> 01:40:04,840
This is really important.

1273
01:40:05,600 --> 01:40:07,020
It's not just a little thing.

1274
01:40:07,200 --> 01:40:12,140
I mean, I was a week or two ago coming by the golf course,

1275
01:40:12,140 --> 01:40:13,920
and there was a police car in front of me.

1276
01:40:14,120 --> 01:40:17,920
He was going fast, and he had his lights on, but he didn't have his siren.

1277
01:40:17,920 --> 01:40:21,740
There were two little girls coming across by Westfield Boulevard.

1278
01:40:22,020 --> 01:40:23,340
They didn't know which way to go.

1279
01:40:23,900 --> 01:40:26,960
And I was like, oh, go back on the Westfield side.

1280
01:40:27,100 --> 01:40:29,140
No, they ran the other, luckily they didn't get hit.

1281
01:40:29,480 --> 01:40:31,400
But you could see the panic on their faces.

1282
01:40:31,980 --> 01:40:34,620
The police have to respond to things in a timely manner.

1283
01:40:35,000 --> 01:40:37,940
They can't do that when you have kids riding bikes and whatever.

1284
01:40:38,140 --> 01:40:38,620
It doesn't.

1285
01:40:39,040 --> 01:40:43,520
If there's no common sense to it, we're concerned about the health and safety of our children.

1286
01:40:43,520 --> 01:40:48,040
the 35 crosswalks, the cost of taxpayers to build this

1287
01:40:48,040 --> 01:40:51,100
vast of thing is that all going to be covered with selling the

1288
01:40:51,100 --> 01:40:55,020
downtown area. I don't know that. The quality of life for those of us that

1289
01:40:55,020 --> 01:41:00,900
live in the neighborhood, the traffic, the noise, the lighting, the pollution, all

1290
01:41:00,900 --> 01:41:05,620
those houses that back up on there have very nice trees and back. That's all going

1291
01:41:05,620 --> 01:41:09,120
to be taken away. It's not going to be, you know, 30, 40-foot trees anymore.

1292
01:41:12,800 --> 01:41:13,280
Their

1293
01:41:13,280 --> 01:41:26,960
So my understanding is that it is partially a flood zone and that area does already flood the concern about the conservation areas and the wildlife we have, the wildlife isn't going to want to stay there with all of this noise and whatever. It's just not going to happen.

1294
01:41:27,340 --> 01:41:33,500
I feel that there's been a lack of transparency at some level and a lack of taxpayer involvement as well.

1295
01:41:33,560 --> 01:41:34,260
Thank you, Mrs. Newman.

1296
01:41:35,720 --> 01:41:42,500
Mr. Newman and the prior person in the participated public comment asked a question about the flood zone.

1297
01:41:42,660 --> 01:41:50,940
I think there's some falsehood out there about where we're locating, where we're proposing to locate the emergency services.

1298
01:41:51,080 --> 01:41:55,440
Could you shed some light on that please?

1299
01:41:55,860 --> 01:42:01,020
I think everything else we've addressed already except for the safe routes to school, which I'll address.

1300
01:42:01,640 --> 01:42:10,880
Thank you for the suggestion, I know our managers will keep it under consideration and if they think it's worthwhile they'll make a proposal to the council, but just regarding the flood zones.

1301
01:42:11,500 --> 01:42:22,160
Yeah, no, I mean, if you look at the FEMA maps, I mean, the areas within the 500-year flood zone, it's not in a flood zone that you can't build in.

1302
01:42:22,520 --> 01:42:27,200
As I said before, we have a letter from the DCA that says this is situated where redevelopment should occur.

1303
01:42:28,240 --> 01:42:31,540
So it's not in a prohibited flood zone that you can't build.

1304
01:42:31,980 --> 01:42:34,720
By the way, all the whole neighborhoods in the 500 year,

1305
01:42:34,740 --> 01:42:37,660
which is the lowest regulated flood plane that there is.

1306
01:42:38,840 --> 01:42:41,720
So look, I know that we've identified within the studies,

1307
01:42:41,720 --> 01:42:44,820
two isolated pockets of wetlands that have to be addressed

1308
01:42:44,820 --> 01:42:45,480
with the DEP.

1309
01:42:46,080 --> 01:42:47,840
But other than that, there's not, you know,

1310
01:42:47,940 --> 01:42:50,320
if people think that there's, you know,

1311
01:42:50,340 --> 01:42:51,760
our engineers are going to take a look at this.

1312
01:42:51,820 --> 01:42:53,540
As I said, we're going to talk about storm water management,

1313
01:42:53,740 --> 01:42:55,920
retaining walls, and that's all part of this.

1314
01:42:57,200 --> 01:43:03,480
But we're going to go by the FEMA maps and the DEP and what the regulations are that they're requiring and so we've already looked at all that

1315
01:43:03,480 --> 01:43:09,420
This is not a flood zone that you can't build in. This is you know, there's there's a there's a process here like anywhere

1316
01:43:09,420 --> 01:43:11,980
But but the regulations here are different than say the downtown

1317
01:43:12,940 --> 01:43:13,380
so

1318
01:43:14,340 --> 01:43:15,340
It's not you know

1319
01:43:15,920 --> 01:43:19,800
We're going to work through the the process on stormwater management flooding but

1320
01:43:20,420 --> 01:43:25,400
You know, and that's why look if you look if you look at the concept plans we talk about the parking is the permeable pavement

1321
01:43:25,400 --> 01:43:32,220
We're trying to incorporate green, green standards as much as possible into this plan to reduce any of that.

1322
01:43:32,560 --> 01:43:34,940
We're trying to reduce the impervious coverage right now.

1323
01:43:35,020 --> 01:43:37,980
I mean, it's all disturbed land that's operating right now today.

1324
01:43:38,540 --> 01:43:44,660
We're not going into anybody's yards where we've actually done this by even reducing the parking to this stage.

1325
01:43:45,080 --> 01:43:51,020
Back that up further from the property lines that we had at one point, we looked at it and we said, wow, this looks pretty close.

1326
01:43:51,300 --> 01:43:53,580
And then through conversations, we moved that back further.

1327
01:43:53,580 --> 01:43:57,880
Maybe we'll get to move it further than I agree it's look tight spot and there's a lot going on here

1328
01:43:57,880 --> 01:44:05,020
I understand but this is all part of the additional conversations and based upon what the stormwater management reports say and the

1329
01:44:05,020 --> 01:44:14,460
Environmental Zona that can change this thing could still go 15 different ways. So it's premature to comment all that now we have a process that we have to follow. So

1330
01:44:14,460 --> 01:44:22,720
I understand I agree that we need to have a lot of these answers and we're going to get it that's required. We're stating that tonight we're doing this.

1331
01:44:23,880 --> 01:44:28,860
So we'll be able to work that, and we'll have, you know, I'm going to trust our professionals to guide us on this.

1332
01:44:29,140 --> 01:44:30,340
Thank you, Director Stroke.

1333
01:44:31,580 --> 01:44:32,000
Thank you.

1334
01:44:33,740 --> 01:44:36,120
Waze Wong, 23-28 evergreen out.

1335
01:44:37,340 --> 01:44:40,820
Definitely want to express my discontent about the redevelopment plan.

1336
01:44:41,100 --> 01:44:43,660
Obviously, you know, I didn't know about it, but that's fair.

1337
01:44:43,880 --> 01:44:48,540
Like, I think towns need to be redeveloped, but I think just, again,

1338
01:44:48,540 --> 01:44:54,500
stress in the fact that the EML service is placed right in between you know

1339
01:44:54,500 --> 01:44:59,540
downtown and in the school I think it doesn't really make sense overall

1340
01:45:00,840 --> 01:45:29,820
I plan to have family here. I wouldn't want my children to be, you know, kind of in the middle of all that noise. And, you know, we're even thinking about moving out due to this plan. And I think it's a really terrible decision overall. I think, secondly, I want to address that I give putting a library in downtown versus not putting it into the actual area where the kids are. I don't know what adult year 20 to 40 will

1341
01:45:29,820 --> 01:45:35,520
actually go to a library, mostly you're on Zoom or you're in some sort of, you know, website

1342
01:45:36,500 --> 01:45:40,900
reading material. I think there's a need to have a library in downtown.

1343
01:45:42,800 --> 01:45:49,740
Secondly, I think having lived in cities where there's a lot of EMS services around,

1344
01:45:50,300 --> 01:45:55,720
I've lived in right next to actually Port Authority, which is probably the worst. And I'm not saying

1345
01:45:55,720 --> 01:45:57,020
and that this is going to be the case here,

1346
01:45:57,560 --> 01:45:58,640
but it is loud.

1347
01:45:59,040 --> 01:46:00,980
I don't want to be woken up at 3 a.m.

1348
01:46:01,440 --> 01:46:05,020
with the fire truck going through Westville Ave.

1349
01:46:05,660 --> 01:46:07,840
That is not something that is conducive to anyone

1350
01:46:07,840 --> 01:46:09,080
in that residential neighborhood.

1351
01:46:09,760 --> 01:46:12,260
And I don't think this is a great idea.

1352
01:46:12,860 --> 01:46:14,800
And I think this is going to trap people

1353
01:46:14,800 --> 01:46:16,480
from coming into Wisconsin.

1354
01:46:18,320 --> 01:46:21,980
And secondarily, I know that, you know,

1355
01:46:22,320 --> 01:46:24,040
if this plan were to go through,

1356
01:46:24,040 --> 01:46:30,860
I would like to see if there's any opportunities in terms of building up sound barriers so that you can at least

1357
01:46:30,860 --> 01:46:35,760
You know kind of shelter people around that area so that it's not as noisy

1358
01:46:36,300 --> 01:46:44,120
I would like to see a plan in place for the M.S. Although I don't think it makes sense to tell the M.S.

1359
01:46:44,280 --> 01:46:47,780
To you know take it slow when you're coming out to a burning house, right?

1360
01:46:53,580 --> 01:46:54,020
So

1361
01:46:54,020 --> 01:46:59,660
and place that doesn't just really pollute the native of it with noise.

1362
01:47:00,200 --> 01:47:02,320
So, thank you Mr. Wong.

1363
01:47:02,680 --> 01:47:04,580
I appreciate your comments.

1364
01:47:08,540 --> 01:47:14,400
I appreciate your comments and this is a good opportunity to remind everyone our fire

1365
01:47:14,400 --> 01:47:18,320
department to serve five volunteers who live in Scotch Plains, they live all over Scotch Plains.

1366
01:47:18,320 --> 01:47:28,340
That means when they're responding to a fire and they're leaving home to respond at this time,

1367
01:47:28,560 --> 01:47:31,340
they only use the sirens when it's necessary.

1368
01:47:31,740 --> 01:47:34,240
They don't exit the firehouse with the sirens blaring.

1369
01:47:34,540 --> 01:47:39,100
They certainly don't exit the firehouse at full speed, because they watch where they're going,

1370
01:47:39,260 --> 01:47:41,180
and they need to travel safely.

1371
01:47:42,120 --> 01:47:46,800
But the sound barrier's idea, I think, with buffering and so forth,

1372
01:47:46,800 --> 01:47:49,700
if wherever possible, that will be done through it.

1373
01:47:51,100 --> 01:47:53,400
And otherwise, I appreciate your comments.

1374
01:47:53,600 --> 01:47:57,180
Mayor, if I can just, yeah, because I've been listening

1375
01:47:57,180 --> 01:47:59,600
and I understand where everybody is coming from,

1376
01:48:00,020 --> 01:48:03,040
and when I was first elected, we had been talking about this

1377
01:48:03,040 --> 01:48:06,100
because I remember shortly after being elected,

1378
01:48:06,320 --> 01:48:10,980
meeting with many of the leaders of our emergency responders,

1379
01:48:10,980 --> 01:48:13,180
many of who are in this room tonight,

1380
01:48:13,660 --> 01:48:16,320
to understand this project because it was being talked

1381
01:48:16,320 --> 01:48:20,660
about and I know the mayor and I had heard a lot about it when we were meeting with community

1382
01:48:20,660 --> 01:48:26,020
members throughout the town. So I have heard a lot about it and I understand the reservations.

1383
01:48:27,060 --> 01:48:31,020
But it does, I do have to say, it doesn't matter what part of town you live on. There is

1384
01:48:31,020 --> 01:48:35,680
traffic on every street now in Scotch Plains. You can go down Martin. You can go down Tarrell.

1385
01:48:35,800 --> 01:48:43,920
You can go down West Broad and sometimes you sit. I also think I just keep hearing that we're

1386
01:48:43,920 --> 01:48:45,620
we're putting it within a block of a school,

1387
01:48:45,720 --> 01:48:49,140
but it already is within a block of a school.

1388
01:48:49,760 --> 01:48:56,060
Right now, it is St. Farts, Nettingham and School One.

1389
01:48:56,600 --> 01:49:00,620
So right now, it already is near within a block

1390
01:49:00,620 --> 01:49:01,940
of three schools.

1391
01:49:02,680 --> 01:49:06,720
And right now, all of our emergency responders

1392
01:49:06,720 --> 01:49:09,080
take the precautions that they need to take,

1393
01:49:09,300 --> 01:49:10,760
that they've been trained to make,

1394
01:49:12,320 --> 01:49:20,220
to ensure the safety of our community, but also exit their facilities in a timely way

1395
01:49:20,220 --> 01:49:23,080
that they have been trained to do. And I don't know what that is because I haven't been trained

1396
01:49:23,080 --> 01:49:28,760
to do that. But they have all been trained to do this in the middle of areas that there

1397
01:49:28,760 --> 01:49:35,120
are children walking and schools and just regular everybody going about their business.

1398
01:49:35,120 --> 01:49:37,380
it is what they're trained to do.

1399
01:49:38,260 --> 01:49:42,420
So I understand that, but I think we've already been doing it.

1400
01:49:43,020 --> 01:49:45,480
And as far, I mean, as the fire too, I keep hearing about,

1401
01:49:45,840 --> 01:49:48,300
there is a fire department on the South Side.

1402
01:49:48,520 --> 01:49:51,800
So the fire department is not going to necessarily,

1403
01:49:52,180 --> 01:49:53,860
from my understanding and the conversations

1404
01:49:53,860 --> 01:49:56,460
I have with the chief when I first started,

1405
01:49:56,880 --> 01:49:59,960
was they're not going to be going through the center of town

1406
01:49:59,960 --> 01:50:01,680
to get over to the other side of town,

1407
01:50:01,800 --> 01:50:03,560
because the South Side Fire Department

1408
01:50:03,560 --> 01:50:09,720
is going to be over there. The police are already on our streets. So they might

1409
01:50:09,720 --> 01:50:13,560
not be pulling out of the police station because they're already out

1410
01:50:13,560 --> 01:50:19,320
patrolling our streets. So all these things that we're talking about, I know they

1411
01:50:19,320 --> 01:50:24,760
are so important, we are all parents or most of us are half families and go to

1412
01:50:24,760 --> 01:50:30,400
school, we walk in the neighborhoods, we want the safest thing for our

1413
01:50:30,400 --> 01:50:36,540
our communities. All of these things we're talking about are already currently happening in the current location.

1414
01:50:37,060 --> 01:50:37,600
Thank you.

1415
01:50:38,080 --> 01:50:39,460
Thank you.

1416
01:50:39,840 --> 01:50:41,160
Okay. I'd like to speak.

1417
01:50:42,500 --> 01:50:48,020
Ms. Zimmerman, this is nothing in your backyard. It's in arts. That's number one.

1418
01:50:48,700 --> 01:50:55,500
Number two, in regards to, you know, doing some investigation in regards to seeing,

1419
01:50:56,660 --> 01:51:03,480
If you know about the traffic, environment, I don't trust you guys because if you take

1420
01:51:03,480 --> 01:51:08,440
a look at part, if you take a look at plain philanthropy, whoever approved for those

1421
01:51:08,440 --> 01:51:14,560
18-wills chemical trucks, when they get to plain philanthropy and Jerusalem, they blow

1422
01:51:14,560 --> 01:51:22,380
going forward as if they want to, as if they want to need Jersey term by this is supposed

1423
01:51:22,380 --> 01:51:29,300
to be a community. It was very quiet around it. Who approved that? Somebody had to approve.

1424
01:51:30,000 --> 01:51:34,860
There's so many in our town. The New Jersey Department. You know what? I'll be honest with you.

1425
01:51:35,400 --> 01:51:41,320
Everyone gets on this panel. It had to be some type of agreement for that to take place.

1426
01:51:42,100 --> 01:51:45,120
Never once did you think about the people that lived in that community?

1427
01:51:45,600 --> 01:51:48,700
In my community? You don't think about the quietness I can tell you?

1428
01:51:48,860 --> 01:51:50,880
Those trucks, it's going to be a disaster.

1429
01:51:51,520 --> 01:51:55,440
They allow chemical trucks throwing up and down on a plain fill out of you.

1430
01:51:55,560 --> 01:51:57,220
Like I said, it was an accident Wednesday.

1431
01:51:57,820 --> 01:52:02,000
They were going so fast the man tried to put on brakes in the whole street.

1432
01:52:02,880 --> 01:52:08,240
He couldn't even put on brakes because this is a tow truck that was going so fast.

1433
01:52:08,740 --> 01:52:11,220
He literally, the vehicle could not stop.

1434
01:52:11,800 --> 01:52:14,320
It almost hit a building in one of those houses.

1435
01:52:14,540 --> 01:52:19,060
People would take children, walking, they'd be jogging.

1436
01:52:19,360 --> 01:52:20,420
This is a horrible idea.

1437
01:52:20,960 --> 01:52:23,800
Next, I think the library should be combined it with family.

1438
01:52:24,500 --> 01:52:26,560
The courthouse should be combined it with family.

1439
01:52:26,800 --> 01:52:27,920
That's the action in that idea.

1440
01:52:28,460 --> 01:52:30,440
We need to combine some of these services.

1441
01:52:31,020 --> 01:52:34,100
But in regards to other things, it need to be made down

1442
01:52:34,100 --> 01:52:34,420
of stats.

1443
01:52:34,420 --> 01:52:36,640
I think we need to get this one more.

1444
01:52:37,160 --> 01:52:40,820
We need to scrap this plane and start it all over again.

1445
01:52:41,180 --> 01:52:43,760
Maybe bring up some houses up here, okay?

1446
01:52:44,060 --> 01:52:47,760
Leave the emergency downtown, okay?

1447
01:52:48,200 --> 01:52:52,560
And had Mr. King come back up here and listen at the community.

1448
01:52:53,780 --> 01:52:59,020
All this Mr. King, I'm sorry, Mr. King Wednesday.

1449
01:52:59,200 --> 01:53:01,300
No, he should be up here listening at the community.

1450
01:53:02,240 --> 01:53:03,840
Because this is a horrible idea.

1451
01:53:03,840 --> 01:53:07,760
our kids' life is at stake. Thank you.

1452
01:53:08,740 --> 01:53:09,560
Thank you for your comments.

1453
01:53:12,100 --> 01:53:13,400
Just may I have just this question?

1454
01:53:14,200 --> 01:53:15,340
The speaker's out of order.

1455
01:53:15,520 --> 01:53:16,780
Yeah, I've just already been allocated

1456
01:53:16,780 --> 01:53:17,720
her three minutes a time.

1457
01:53:17,800 --> 01:53:18,780
Yeah, I'm sorry, just once.

1458
01:53:19,360 --> 01:53:21,820
But if, as always, please reach out.

1459
01:53:22,520 --> 01:53:23,980
But it's just a procedure.

1460
01:53:24,740 --> 01:53:26,900
Because those streets, those streets, you can go on.

1461
01:53:26,900 --> 01:53:28,160
Yeah, we've heard the comments.

1462
01:53:28,400 --> 01:53:30,200
And the attorney Mr. Trillese is here.

1463
01:53:30,420 --> 01:53:30,880
Thank you.

1464
01:53:31,220 --> 01:53:31,860
Thank you for your comments.

1465
01:53:31,860 --> 01:53:35,860
Good evening,

1466
01:53:40,030 --> 01:53:40,330
everybody.

1467
01:53:41,830 --> 01:53:48,230
So I'm John Lestaricic, I live at 2520 Birchwood Court in Scotch Plains, which is in the neighborhoods that you're talking about.

1468
01:53:48,530 --> 01:53:51,430
I'm right off of Jerusalem Road, a little dead in there.

1469
01:53:52,110 --> 01:53:55,590
I've a third generation in Scotch Plains, I'll live here my whole life.

1470
01:53:55,990 --> 01:53:57,530
You might recognize the name from that.

1471
01:53:58,510 --> 01:54:01,330
I have 38 years service on the fire department.

1472
01:54:02,330 --> 01:54:09,790
I have a good fortune to work for Mr. Maribel in this council and this leadership team.

1473
01:54:10,090 --> 01:54:11,010
I couldn't be prouder.

1474
01:54:12,710 --> 01:54:16,590
I'm very passionate about this township and about my job and about these people.

1475
01:54:17,350 --> 01:54:24,650
And I'm very passionate and I'm very happy to serve because the towns people are passionate.

1476
01:54:25,350 --> 01:54:26,490
You all love this town.

1477
01:54:26,610 --> 01:54:29,850
I've been to so many of these redevelopment meetings where you all spoke so

1478
01:54:29,850 --> 01:54:34,710
wonderfully and you're so concerned about the well-being of your neighbor, which is phenomenal.

1479
01:54:35,290 --> 01:54:40,710
I volunteered here, like I said, for 38 years, and that's all part of that culture and

1480
01:54:40,710 --> 01:54:41,210
that heritage.

1481
01:54:41,630 --> 01:54:49,030
So what I wanted to say was we built a leadership team here that is phenomenal.

1482
01:54:49,850 --> 01:54:56,930
These people work time, they put in so many hours worrying about exactly what you're telling

1483
01:54:56,930 --> 01:54:57,110
them.

1484
01:54:57,190 --> 01:54:58,610
This is not going on deaf ears.

1485
01:54:58,610 --> 01:55:05,310
They worked tirelessly on this, this morning it was a frenzy here knowing we were coming into this meaning we wanted to come in prepared.

1486
01:55:05,810 --> 01:55:13,770
We wanted to make sure that we can relay all the information to everyone to explain what we're trying to do here.

1487
01:55:14,470 --> 01:55:24,670
I don't have the answers, I can assure you that this leadership team is doing to the best of their ability what needs to be done with the professionals.

1488
01:55:25,290 --> 01:55:27,030
Tom Strow's the best in the business.

1489
01:55:27,490 --> 01:55:33,590
There's nobody in Union County that I know of that has a plan like Scotch Plains where it has teeth.

1490
01:55:34,530 --> 01:55:40,310
We are telling the developers, we want this style brick and we want this style construction.

1491
01:55:40,570 --> 01:55:42,170
We're not going over this height.

1492
01:55:42,650 --> 01:55:48,210
We tried to limit all of the units to as minimal as possible.

1493
01:55:48,210 --> 01:55:57,530
But a lot of this stuff is state mandated, and our hands are tied with this property usage and affordable housing and all of that, which is dictating this.

1494
01:55:58,150 --> 01:56:02,250
This isn't something we drop up and said, we want to make all these changes.

1495
01:56:02,450 --> 01:56:09,570
This has kind of been brought to us through legislator and we're doing the best we can with it.

1496
01:56:12,230 --> 01:56:17,790
Myself, the police chief, 32 year service, the chief of the rescue squad who had to leave early.

1497
01:56:17,790 --> 01:56:20,270
It probably has 40 some odd year service.

1498
01:56:20,790 --> 01:56:29,710
We've never had a better rapport amongst our chief officers of our emergency response services.

1499
01:56:30,790 --> 01:56:35,690
It just makes everything flow easier when there's no conflict there.

1500
01:56:36,030 --> 01:56:38,410
So we're in a good place.

1501
01:56:38,770 --> 01:56:43,570
I assure you everyone is working for the best of their ability to do the job that needs to get done here.

1502
01:56:43,570 --> 01:56:49,530
where our council sits here and they take the brunt of this.

1503
01:56:50,210 --> 01:56:54,690
They know that's what they signed up for but I got to give them kudos, they've always

1504
01:56:54,690 --> 01:56:59,410
supplied us with everything that we needed as far as equipment and training and whatever

1505
01:56:59,410 --> 01:57:02,310
we ask for, we figure it out and we get it done.

1506
01:57:03,050 --> 01:57:10,190
And I work around the county, I'm a union county fire mutual aid coordinator so I work

1507
01:57:10,190 --> 01:57:17,950
with all the chiefs and all the fire chiefs in Union County, and I can tell you, when I hear all the complaints from my peers, we don't have that here.

1508
01:57:18,490 --> 01:57:19,390
So we're very fortunate.

1509
01:57:20,050 --> 01:57:22,710
I want to thank them at this time for all your support.

1510
01:57:24,110 --> 01:57:27,690
If anybody ever has any questions, you can reach out to us at the fire department.

1511
01:57:27,710 --> 01:57:37,930
It would be more than happy to answer any of your questions, but when I tell you we're on it, and we're on it on the fire side through fire prevention, and we have big asks for

1512
01:57:37,930 --> 01:57:44,430
the contractors that are building to make these buildings as safe as possible, and to make sure we can protect them properly.

1513
01:57:44,790 --> 01:57:48,530
So be assured, this is a good group, this is a good team.

1514
01:57:49,210 --> 01:57:54,890
I understand that everyone has a lot of questions, and there's a lot of insecurities around this, but they are trying their best.

1515
01:57:55,630 --> 01:57:56,790
So thank you for your time.

1516
01:57:57,210 --> 01:57:57,650
Thank you, Chief.

1517
01:58:01,750 --> 01:58:05,070
Is there anyone else who wishes to participate in this public hearing?

1518
01:58:09,610 --> 01:58:13,130
I just want to, I'm not sure if I said this earlier.

1519
01:58:13,930 --> 01:58:18,690
Tonight with us is our architect and our town planner.

1520
01:58:19,650 --> 01:58:22,890
And they were here to address questions if necessary.

1521
01:58:23,310 --> 01:58:29,010
But I know it's significant that they were here because they're listening to everything that's being said.

1522
01:58:29,670 --> 01:58:34,070
Much of it, things that have already been brought up over the years and

1523
01:58:34,070 --> 01:58:36,390
we're doing what we can to address these concerns.

1524
01:58:37,030 --> 01:58:45,530
But they're here to help us get this project as good as it can be, and I look forward to supporting it.

1525
01:58:45,830 --> 01:58:50,390
And as the last slide says, what we're doing tonight is putting the zoning in place.

1526
01:58:50,690 --> 01:58:56,190
It will allow this plan to move forward to find a developer to build this plan.

1527
01:58:57,130 --> 01:59:00,810
We're going to pivot along the way as needs arise.

1528
01:59:00,810 --> 01:59:12,210
When we have a finished product, there will be another public hearing that will have all of the studies completed by then and so forth.

1529
01:59:13,490 --> 01:59:22,330
I don't want to say this is the beginning because we were doing this since 2018, but it's a new beginning towards the construction of this project.

1530
01:59:23,510 --> 01:59:24,370
Thank you, Deputy Mayor.

1531
01:59:24,370 --> 01:59:48,630
Before I do close, can I just clarify one thing, Director Strobe, with this putting this zoning in place, as the mayor just described, allows us, and I'm not asking it as a question, it is kind of a question, though, this is what allows us to move to the next step and do all these steps so that we can learn if this is and the right way to do this.

1532
01:59:48,630 --> 01:59:49,010
Right.

1533
01:59:49,130 --> 01:59:50,630
Just sort of think of it as like a-

1534
01:59:50,630 --> 01:59:52,250
Following us to get this traffic, so these-

1535
01:59:52,250 --> 01:59:55,310
It's kind of like a mini master plan for the property of what needs to be done.

1536
01:59:55,410 --> 01:59:55,490
Okay.

1537
01:59:55,590 --> 01:59:59,970
It's focused on these properties as to what we want to see and at the steps you want to-

1538
02:00:00,000 --> 02:00:29,620
Okay, that's exactly right. Thank you. If you've already participated in public comment, I'm afraid you can't, but you can email me, or if you want to stay, happy to discuss, excuse me, Director Stroke. Thank you. Then I moved that the public hearing be closed. All in favor? All right. I moved that this ordinance be adopted on second and final reading and advertised according to law. Do you have a second? Second.

1539
02:00:30,340 --> 02:00:31,140
Ms. LaCena.

1540
02:00:31,440 --> 02:00:31,940
Mr. Adams?

1541
02:00:32,300 --> 02:00:32,480
Yes.

1542
02:00:32,680 --> 02:00:33,300
Ms. Danler?

1543
02:00:33,400 --> 02:00:33,540
Yes.

1544
02:00:33,800 --> 02:00:34,280
Mr. White?

1545
02:00:34,380 --> 02:00:34,560
Yes.

1546
02:00:34,840 --> 02:00:35,380
Ms. Zimmerman?

1547
02:00:35,720 --> 02:00:35,860
Yes.

1548
02:00:36,140 --> 02:00:36,960
Mayor LaSardom?

1549
02:00:37,200 --> 02:00:37,320
Yes.

1550
02:00:37,500 --> 02:00:38,300
Thank you, Ms. LaCena.

1551
02:00:39,380 --> 02:00:39,840
Deputy Mayor.

1552
02:00:39,960 --> 02:00:41,240
I move to approve the conference.

1553
02:00:41,440 --> 02:00:44,080
Business meeting minutes of July 11, 2023.

1554
02:00:45,140 --> 02:00:45,580
Second.

1555
02:00:46,040 --> 02:00:46,520
All in favor?

1556
02:00:46,760 --> 02:00:47,120
All right.

1557
02:00:48,060 --> 02:00:48,660
Thank you.

1558
02:00:48,720 --> 02:00:49,980
Moving on to our manager's report.

1559
02:00:50,200 --> 02:00:50,560
Mr. Mayor.

1560
02:00:50,880 --> 02:00:52,220
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

1561
02:00:53,340 --> 02:00:59,040
Quick shout out to the Recreation Department for a very successful summer camp program.

1562
02:00:59,040 --> 02:01:13,780
Hundreds of kids participating in camp, whether it's at Brookside or small fry camp, and I want to congratulate, thank you Tom, for their good work this summer keep our kids safe and enjoying great programming.

1563
02:01:14,620 --> 02:01:27,860
Street paving continues to be ongoing throughout the community, getting a lot of streets done, and the public works department is working very hard towards that in preparation for end of summer and school system.

1564
02:01:28,500 --> 02:01:32,260
I owed Mrs. Perkins an update on the covered bridge.

1565
02:01:32,640 --> 02:01:35,380
So I wanted to make sure I gave her that update.

1566
02:01:35,520 --> 02:01:38,140
We've been in touch with our engineering department.

1567
02:01:38,680 --> 02:01:42,860
They are involved right now with an environmental assessment,

1568
02:01:42,860 --> 02:01:46,300
which should take about another four weeks or so.

1569
02:01:46,560 --> 02:01:48,260
Then a survey then permitting.

1570
02:01:48,460 --> 02:01:50,420
But that project is on track.

1571
02:01:51,200 --> 02:01:54,440
We have actually the mayor and I spoke with Congress

1572
02:01:56,320 --> 02:02:11,240
to talk about the funding that Congressman Malan asking before Congressman came actually put in place, but that is moving forward, it's not stagnant, just unfortunately takes time when you deal with bridges and replacing bridges.

1573
02:02:11,940 --> 02:02:15,080
It's not an easy thing but I can assure you progress is being made.

1574
02:02:15,720 --> 02:02:21,720
The concerts with a great concert season here with no rain outs for a change, it was a one

1575
02:02:21,720 --> 02:02:25,160
summer when every, every concert was rained out.

1576
02:02:25,780 --> 02:02:32,640
And just to leave with one last Don't Mr. Mayor and Council, another commercial to lock

1577
02:02:32,640 --> 02:02:40,140
your cars, lock your house, click your car, we just make sure you are taking that extra two

1578
02:02:40,140 --> 02:02:54,780
Two minutes when you park to make sure things lock, there's still a rash of break-ins and burglaries in the whole area and want to make sure people are doing, at least what they can do to lock their car and their homes to protect their property.

1579
02:02:55,440 --> 02:02:57,380
All right, without a conclude my comments, Mr. Chair.

1580
02:02:57,380 --> 02:02:58,180
Thank you, Mr. Mayor Valla.

1581
02:02:58,620 --> 02:02:58,720
Thank you.

1582
02:02:58,920 --> 02:03:00,400
Any questions for Magger?

1583
02:03:00,860 --> 02:03:01,520
No, no, sure.

1584
02:03:01,980 --> 02:03:02,900
Thank you, Mr. Mayor Valla.

1585
02:03:03,300 --> 02:03:06,300
Moving on to the report of special committees, Councilwoman, those are the same.

1586
02:03:06,300 --> 02:03:11,680
I don't have anything from green team or the Veterans Advisory Board.

1587
02:03:12,140 --> 02:03:15,020
I'm sure someone also mentioned August, right?

1588
02:03:15,600 --> 02:03:16,360
You mentioned it.

1589
02:03:16,380 --> 02:03:16,920
Oh, okay.

1590
02:03:17,060 --> 02:03:24,480
Well our universal dog birthday celebration is this Saturday at 10 a.m. at Jersey

1591
02:03:24,480 --> 02:03:24,920
Land Park.

1592
02:03:24,920 --> 02:03:30,640
You do have to register online just so we know that you that your animals got your

1593
02:03:30,640 --> 02:03:31,940
rabies vaccine, not you.

1594
02:03:33,180 --> 02:03:34,260
In addition,

1595
02:03:36,840 --> 02:03:42,480
we are starting to offer our CPR certification class every month because

1596
02:03:42,480 --> 02:03:44,460
there has been such great interest in it.

1597
02:03:44,620 --> 02:03:49,520
So our next one is August 30th, 6.30 to 9 p.m. at Shady Rest.

1598
02:03:50,080 --> 02:03:53,840
This is geared towards lay rescuers and not healthcare providers.

1599
02:03:54,100 --> 02:04:00,120
You can register on community pass through our website or of course call the Department

1600
02:04:00,120 --> 02:04:00,840
of Portion Rec.

1601
02:04:00,840 --> 02:04:11,700
And also save the date for our, this will be our third free cycle market, which has been successful thus far.

1602
02:04:12,120 --> 02:04:19,100
You can bring items that you no longer use that are still usable, but instead of throwing them in the trash,

1603
02:04:19,320 --> 02:04:23,340
you bring them to Brookside Park on September 9th.

1604
02:04:23,340 --> 02:04:29,560
You do have to register and it is only for Scotch Plains residents to drop off and then anyone is welcome to shop.

1605
02:04:29,560 --> 02:04:36,800
We have categories such as books, children's toys, holiday decor, small appliances, sports equipment.

1606
02:04:37,440 --> 02:04:40,760
So of course you can check out the website for more information on that too.

1607
02:04:41,740 --> 02:04:42,880
Thank you, Councilman.

1608
02:04:43,320 --> 02:04:44,080
That Councilman Mike?

1609
02:04:44,380 --> 02:04:45,860
Yes, I got something from the Fire Department.

1610
02:04:46,540 --> 02:04:49,520
We have two members starting the Fire Academy in September.

1611
02:04:50,460 --> 02:04:55,180
And some outstanding news is the new ambulance is expected to be delivered at the end of this month.

1612
02:04:55,780 --> 02:04:56,140
Yes, sir.

1613
02:04:56,400 --> 02:04:57,340
We cited about that.

1614
02:04:57,780 --> 02:04:57,960
Great.

1615
02:04:58,900 --> 02:05:01,220
Thank you, Councilor, that's good news.

1616
02:05:01,600 --> 02:05:02,220
Councilor Madden.

1617
02:05:02,740 --> 02:05:04,800
From the police department, we had some great promotions

1618
02:05:05,320 --> 02:05:07,160
here this evening and just a reminder

1619
02:05:07,160 --> 02:05:09,800
of the speaking that you've read all about some

1620
02:05:09,800 --> 02:05:12,960
of the break-ins with respect to cars and things like that,

1621
02:05:13,180 --> 02:05:15,980
just bears repeating, make a party, your routine,

1622
02:05:16,640 --> 02:05:18,380
lock-in-car, lock-in-house.

1623
02:05:19,420 --> 02:05:21,580
We don't want to make ourselves attractive

1624
02:05:21,580 --> 02:05:23,440
to that type of behavior.

1625
02:05:24,600 --> 02:05:27,820
Our police are doing a fabulous job with increased patrols,

1626
02:05:27,820 --> 02:05:33,940
making us feel safe and we really appreciate their work from the recreation department there's

1627
02:05:33,940 --> 02:05:38,840
just so many things going on from the recreation department that we'd be here all night but please

1628
02:05:38,840 --> 02:05:45,820
do me a favor go to the website check it out there's everything from hip hop to field hockey to yoga

1629
02:05:45,820 --> 02:05:51,300
the line dancing whatever you're into there's something for you the programming coming out of the

1630
02:05:51,300 --> 02:05:56,960
recreation department is just fantastic including but not limited to the stars program which is going

1631
02:05:56,960 --> 02:06:00,400
and be putting on their second performance

1632
02:06:00,400 --> 02:06:03,260
of the year of the summer, this weekend,

1633
02:06:03,580 --> 02:06:06,080
the 11th, 12th, and 13th, that's next weekend.

1634
02:06:06,980 --> 02:06:11,380
This weekend, this weekend, the 11th, 12th, and 13th,

1635
02:06:11,680 --> 02:06:14,580
if you saw coming in tonight, some of our young people

1636
02:06:14,580 --> 02:06:16,300
are out there practicing right now.

1637
02:06:16,520 --> 02:06:17,980
They do such great performances.

1638
02:06:18,540 --> 02:06:20,200
They're doing legally blonde and musical.

1639
02:06:20,380 --> 02:06:22,040
I'm gonna try to get out there and check it out.

1640
02:06:22,500 --> 02:06:24,360
It's free of mission, just bring a chair.

1641
02:06:24,860 --> 02:06:29,060
And then finally, a couple of park project updates.

1642
02:06:29,280 --> 02:06:31,800
I know we talked last time about green side.

1643
02:06:32,000 --> 02:06:32,740
We're back on track.

1644
02:06:33,260 --> 02:06:35,020
Construction's back going on there now.

1645
02:06:35,540 --> 02:06:37,120
There was a little hiccup along the way.

1646
02:06:37,380 --> 02:06:38,220
We overcame it.

1647
02:06:38,420 --> 02:06:40,900
And now things are back on track.

1648
02:06:41,320 --> 02:06:44,080
I'm not going to give a date by when that's completed

1649
02:06:44,080 --> 02:06:45,700
because it's going to be wrong.

1650
02:06:46,200 --> 02:06:47,940
Because it always is when construction happens.

1651
02:06:48,360 --> 02:06:50,220
But it's going to be gorgeous and it's going to be awesome.

1652
02:06:50,500 --> 02:06:51,820
So stay tuned.

1653
02:06:51,820 --> 02:06:58,280
And good news on Green Forest Park is construction actually began ahead of schedule in connection

1654
02:06:58,280 --> 02:06:58,800
with that.

1655
02:06:59,240 --> 02:07:02,020
Those old tennis courts have been dismantled.

1656
02:07:02,780 --> 02:07:07,800
And those things are ancient, the Smithsonian might want some of them out there.

1657
02:07:08,400 --> 02:07:15,020
But they've been dismantled and that project is actually ahead of schedule and began late

1658
02:07:15,020 --> 02:07:15,660
last month.

1659
02:07:15,660 --> 02:07:20,720
Also, you're going to start seeing a lot more pet waste stations popping up all over

1660
02:07:20,720 --> 02:07:26,000
the community and in our public spaces and that's a byproduct of this year's budgeting

1661
02:07:26,000 --> 02:07:32,520
process and desire to make our township a pet-friendly community.

1662
02:07:33,040 --> 02:07:33,780
It's all there.

1663
02:07:34,000 --> 02:07:34,260
Thank you.

1664
02:07:34,300 --> 02:07:34,480
Excellent.

1665
02:07:34,660 --> 02:07:35,060
Thank you, Council.

1666
02:07:35,520 --> 02:07:36,040
Happy Mayor.

1667
02:07:36,380 --> 02:07:36,480
Yes.

1668
02:07:36,860 --> 02:07:43,500
So, continuing while you're on the website, looking at the many offerings for the fall that

1669
02:07:43,500 --> 02:07:45,900
are many senior program offerings as well,

1670
02:07:46,400 --> 02:07:48,200
so be sure to check those out.

1671
02:07:48,360 --> 02:07:52,340
There's yoga, zumba, mini golf Mondays is returning.

1672
02:07:52,520 --> 02:07:55,020
That was very popular, so check that out.

1673
02:07:55,800 --> 02:07:59,640
And our annual Senior Appreciation Day

1674
02:07:59,640 --> 02:08:04,200
will be on Wednesday, September 27th at Shady Rest.

1675
02:08:04,500 --> 02:08:07,300
It will include lunch with a variety of other activities.

1676
02:08:07,780 --> 02:08:11,580
It's free to all seniors ages 55 and over,

1677
02:08:11,580 --> 02:08:15,800
But registration is required on our website, so thank you, Mayor.

1678
02:08:16,360 --> 02:08:21,640
Thank you, and for thank you, especially for reminding me that I'll qualify in just a few brief years.

1679
02:08:22,340 --> 02:08:23,100
Thank you, I'm before you.

1680
02:08:24,700 --> 02:08:32,340
Just one, the red department is very busy and providing events for the town over and over again.

1681
02:08:32,700 --> 02:08:36,580
One that we missed is our eSecond Street Block Party will be held on September 9th,

1682
02:08:36,580 --> 02:08:44,780
9th, rain date, September 10th, and we're looking forward to celebrating the businesses along the Secondary in September.

1683
02:08:46,140 --> 02:08:49,260
And I don't have any other report special committees tonight.

1684
02:08:49,760 --> 02:08:52,000
So moving on to the new business and our consent agenda.

1685
02:08:52,260 --> 02:09:06,500
I make a motion to adopt the bill list in the amount of $8,705,857 of which $7,491,138 will be transferred to the Board of Education.

1686
02:09:07,160 --> 02:09:19,220
And they consent the consent agenda, including resolutions number 2023-140 through 2023-147.

1687
02:09:19,880 --> 02:09:20,720
May I have a second?

1688
02:09:21,020 --> 02:09:21,120
Sorry.

1689
02:09:21,740 --> 02:09:22,400
Ms. Lucina.

1690
02:09:22,720 --> 02:09:23,280
Mr. Adams?

1691
02:09:23,680 --> 02:09:23,860
Yes.

1692
02:09:24,100 --> 02:09:24,640
Ms. Tamler?

1693
02:09:24,840 --> 02:09:24,960
Yes.

1694
02:09:25,240 --> 02:09:25,640
Mr. White?

1695
02:09:26,020 --> 02:09:26,220
Yes.

1696
02:09:26,440 --> 02:09:26,900
Ms. Zimmerman?

1697
02:09:27,260 --> 02:09:27,420
Yes.

1698
02:09:27,700 --> 02:09:28,280
Mayor Lissardo?

1699
02:09:28,580 --> 02:09:28,700
Yes.

1700
02:09:28,900 --> 02:09:29,600
Thank you, Ms. Lucina.

1701
02:09:30,420 --> 02:09:31,620
Moving on to other new business.

1702
02:09:33,200 --> 02:09:36,280
Ordinance 2023-14, Ms. LaCena.

1703
02:09:36,960 --> 02:09:40,880
An ordinance supplementing and amending the revised general ordinances of the Township

1704
02:09:40,880 --> 02:09:47,900
of Scotch Plains, Chapter 7, entitled to traffic section 7-6.2, stop intersections,

1705
02:09:48,440 --> 02:09:53,700
and Chapter 7-8, traffic schedules, schedule 8, Highlander, Drive, and Heather Lane.

1706
02:09:54,500 --> 02:09:59,220
I move this ordinance be passed on first reading, published according to law for

1707
02:09:59,220 --> 02:10:06,760
further consideration and public hearing set down for September 12th, 2023 at 7pm at 430 park avenue scotch

1708
02:10:06,760 --> 02:10:12,060
police. This is an introduction of an ordinance that will allow the

1709
02:10:13,480 --> 02:10:17,980
installment of a stop sign on Highlander and Heather Lane. May I have a second?

1710
02:10:19,040 --> 02:10:24,360
Second. Miss Lissina. Mr. Adams? Yes. Miss Damler? Yes. Mr. White? Yes.

1711
02:10:26,720 --> 02:10:27,280
Miss

1712
02:10:27,280 --> 02:10:32,280
Ms. Lissina, ordinance 2020-23-15, Ms. Lissina.

1713
02:10:32,760 --> 02:10:36,980
In order to supplementing and amending the revised general ordinances of the Township of

1714
02:10:36,980 --> 02:10:45,660
Scotch Planes, Chapter 7a, entitled Traffic Schedules, Subsection 7a-1, Schedule 1, Prohibited

1715
02:10:45,660 --> 02:10:46,340
Parking.

1716
02:10:47,360 --> 02:10:52,300
I move this ordinance be passed on first reading, published according to law for further consideration,

1717
02:10:52,300 --> 02:10:58,500
and public hearings set down for September 12th, 2023 at 7 p.m. at 4.30 park avenue's

1718
02:10:58,500 --> 02:10:58,980
touch place.

1719
02:11:00,140 --> 02:11:06,760
And this is also an introduction of an ordinance that will modify parking on E Second Street

1720
02:11:06,760 --> 02:11:10,680
and a portion of E Second Street and a portion of Front Street.

1721
02:11:11,260 --> 02:11:12,060
May I have a second?

1722
02:11:12,420 --> 02:11:12,880
Second.

1723
02:11:13,280 --> 02:11:13,860
Ms. LaCena.

1724
02:11:14,380 --> 02:11:15,020
Mr. Adams?

1725
02:11:15,320 --> 02:11:15,500
Yes.

1726
02:11:15,700 --> 02:11:16,240
Ms. Tamler?

1727
02:11:16,400 --> 02:11:17,200
Yes, Mr. White?

1728
02:11:17,600 --> 02:11:17,780
Yes.

1729
02:11:18,040 --> 02:11:18,540
Ms. Zimmerman?

1730
02:11:18,820 --> 02:11:18,980
Yes.

1731
02:11:19,760 --> 02:11:21,400
Thank you, Ms. Lucina.

1732
02:11:21,920 --> 02:11:25,380
Finally, ordinance 23-16, Ms. Lucina.

1733
02:11:25,920 --> 02:11:37,060
An ordinance amending section 2-25 fees for service at subsection 2-25.5 fees for police service of the code of the township of Scotch Plains.

1734
02:11:37,820 --> 02:11:47,380
I move this ordinance we passed on first reading, published according to law for further consideration, and public hearing set down for September 12, 2023 at 7 p.m.

1735
02:11:47,380 --> 02:11:49,880
at 430 Park Avenue Scotch Blains.

1736
02:11:50,800 --> 02:11:55,040
This is an introduction of an ordinance that will modify the rates for extra duty, police

1737
02:11:55,040 --> 02:11:57,920
assignments and administrative ordinance.

1738
02:11:58,440 --> 02:11:59,020
May I have a second?

1739
02:11:59,260 --> 02:11:59,360
Sorry.

1740
02:11:59,940 --> 02:12:00,580
Ms. LaCena.

1741
02:12:01,160 --> 02:12:01,720
Mr. Adams?

1742
02:12:02,000 --> 02:12:02,160
Yes.

1743
02:12:02,400 --> 02:12:02,960
Mr. Stamler?

1744
02:12:03,080 --> 02:12:03,200
Yes.

1745
02:12:03,480 --> 02:12:03,940
Mr. White?

1746
02:12:04,180 --> 02:12:04,360
Yes.

1747
02:12:04,600 --> 02:12:05,120
Mr. Zimmerman?

1748
02:12:05,360 --> 02:12:05,500
Yes.

1749
02:12:05,760 --> 02:12:06,440
Mayor Lissardo?

1750
02:12:06,660 --> 02:12:06,800
Yes.

1751
02:12:06,960 --> 02:12:07,780
Thank you, Ms. LaCena.

1752
02:12:09,180 --> 02:12:10,060
Finally, thank you.

1753
02:12:10,120 --> 02:12:10,700
Council comments?

1754
02:12:12,000 --> 02:12:12,820
Councilman Stamler?

1755
02:12:18,540 --> 02:12:19,140
Okay,

1756
02:12:22,770 --> 02:12:28,470
I just want to say that I do support the movement of emergency services to Plain

1757
02:12:28,470 --> 02:12:29,050
Field Ave.

1758
02:12:29,550 --> 02:12:35,730
I live on the north side, off of Mountain Ave, closer to Mountainside, but I personally

1759
02:12:35,730 --> 02:12:39,390
feel better that they would be located closer to me.

1760
02:12:39,390 --> 02:12:45,990
I do understand all the residents' concerns, but I just feel like I should put that on the record too.

1761
02:12:46,550 --> 02:12:48,570
All right, thank you, Councilwoman Stanley.

1762
02:12:49,130 --> 02:12:50,030
I've got a Councilman White.

1763
02:12:50,870 --> 02:12:51,210
I have nothing.

1764
02:12:51,830 --> 02:12:53,350
I think Councilman Adams?

1765
02:12:53,930 --> 02:13:00,650
I'm just happy that we've taken another set of incremental steps along the road to much needed progress

1766
02:13:00,650 --> 02:13:04,250
in some of these really important issues that we've been working on for a long time.

1767
02:13:05,070 --> 02:13:07,270
And so I'm really happy.

1768
02:13:10,530 --> 02:13:18,750
I'll close with some brief comments, expressing the condolences of the township to the family of Lieutenant

1769
02:13:18,750 --> 02:13:22,250
Governor Sheila Oliver, who passed away last week.

1770
02:13:22,830 --> 02:13:31,910
I read several obituaries about the Lieutenant Governor, and the one struck me, which read this,

1771
02:13:31,910 --> 02:13:40,930
The writer knew the lieutenant governor and said she was not bombastic, and that surprised

1772
02:13:40,930 --> 02:13:47,550
the author given how high a level in politics she reached, and that she overall was a kind

1773
02:13:47,550 --> 02:13:51,290
and decent person who never forgot she was a public servant.

1774
02:13:52,230 --> 02:13:58,650
That touched me, and I wanted to express the township's condolences to her family at this

1775
02:13:58,650 --> 02:13:58,930
time.

1776
02:13:59,770 --> 02:14:00,990
with that Deputy Mayor.

1777
02:14:01,650 --> 02:14:03,310
I make a motion to adjourn.

1778
02:14:03,310 --> 02:14:03,750
I say it.

1779
02:14:04,050 --> 02:14:04,570
All in favor?

1780
02:14:04,850 --> 02:14:05,090
All right.

1781
02:14:05,270 --> 02:14:05,950
Meeting adjourned.

1782
02:14:06,190 --> 02:14:06,530
Thank you.