Aug 17, 2026 Township Council

[COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT]

[00:00:12]

EVENING. THIS IS A REGULARLY SCHEDULED COMBINED WORK SESSION AND PUBLIC MEETING OF THE TOWNSHIP COUNCIL. THE TOWNSHIP OF MAHWAH, IN ACCORDANCE TO THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.

ADEQUATE NOTICE OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY POSTING NOTICE ON THE TOWNSHIP WEBSITE AND POSTING NOTICE ON THE BULLETIN BOARD, THE HONORABLE RICHARD J. MARTEL MUNICIPAL CENTER, LOCATED AT 475 CORPORATE DRIVE, MAHWAH, NEW JERSEY. THIS MEETING IS BEING VIDEOTAPED. PUBLIC COMMENTS DURING THIS REMOTE MEETING MAY BE MADE DURING THE DESIGNATED PUBLIC COMMENT PORTIONS OF THE MEETING. THE PUBLIC WILL BE KEPT ON MUTE DURING THE MEETING.

TO SPEAK DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND ON ZOOM AND WAIT TO BE RECOGNIZED BY THE COUNCIL PRESIDENT, WHO WILL THEN UNMUTE YOU. AFTER YOU SPEAK, YOU WILL BE MUTED AGAIN. MAY BE MUTED BY THE FORMAL ACTION. MAY BE MAY BE TAKEN. THE MEETING SHALL BE AVAILABLE TO THE TOWNSHIP CLERK. PLEASE RISE FOR THE SALUTE TO THE FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD. AND ALL VETERANS, BOTH LIVING AND PAST. THANK YOU. I HAVE A ROLL CALL, PLEASE. MISS ZAREMA HERE. MR. PRESENT, MR. IRVIN HERE. MR. FERGUSON PRESENT. MR. MAY HERE, MRS. PAWS HERE, MR. WONG HERE. FULL HOUSE SUBMISSION OF BILLS AND CLAIMS. HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

[SUBMISSION OF BILLS AND CLAIMS ]

[ENGINEERING ]

SO YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF OUR AUGUST 12TH, 2026 REPORT. I'LL JUST GO OVER A FEW ITEMS AND THEN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR MA 3037. THAT'S THE CULVERT. AS I REPORTED LAST AT THE LAST MEETING, THE CONTRACTOR CONTRACTORS EXPECTED TO MOBILIZE ON SEPTEMBER 28TH. AND THAT'S WHEN WE'LL HAVE THE FULL CLOSURE. AND THEN WE'LL THAT IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY DECEMBER 4TH FOR MA 3073. THAT'S THE IMPROVEMENTS TO CORPORATE DRIVE. I DID RECEIVE DOT COMMENTS LAST THURSDAY. THEY HAD TWO MINOR MINOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. THOSE ARE GOING TO BE ADDRESSED AND RESUBMITTED TO THEM. AND I EXPECT TO BE OUT TO BID SHORTLY ON THAT. FOR THE HILLSIDE AVE DRAINAGE PROJECT. THAT'S MA 3082. WE EXPECT TO BE OUT TO BID IN OCTOBER, AND WE'VE HAD A BUSY SUMMER. BUSY SUMMER, BUSY FEW WEEKS FOR MA 3103. THAT'S LAWRENCE ROAD WATER MAIN PROJECT. THAT CONTRACT IS MOVING ALONG. WE DID HAVE TO DO SOME NIGHT WORK LAST WEEK TO CROSS FRANKLIN TURNPIKE. THAT WAS TO MINIMIZE ANY INCONVENIENCES AND TO MINIMIZE DELAYING TRAFFIC AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE HAD TO CROSS OVER FRANKLIN TURNPIKE. THAT WORK WAS COMPLETED WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THEY EXPECT THE LINES TO BE TESTED THIS WEEK, AND HOPEFULLY THEY'LL GET THE SERVICES INSTALLED IN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. AND THEN FOR MA 3120, THAT'S THE TOWN'S ROAD PROGRAM. WE COMPLETED THE WORK AT THE BOARD OF ED, AND WE COMPLETED THE PAVING OF A SECTION OF RIDGE ROAD LAST WEEK, AND THEN WE MILLED AND PAVED MACARTHUR BOULEVARD. YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED WE DID THAT WORK AT NIGHT AS WELL, JUST TO WITH ALL THE TRAFFIC THERE, THAT WAS THE BEST WAY TO DO IT. SO THAT WORK WAS DONE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY NIGHT. AND MR. PRESIDENT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. I WAS MUTED. THANK YOU, MR. KELLY. WE WILL START QUESTIONS, MISS PAZ. HI, MIKE. JUST A QUICK QUESTION. WITH REGARD TO MA 3073 MACARTHUR BOULEVARD. YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE TWO COMMENTS SENT TO YOUR OFFICE AND THAT YOU EXPECT TO ADDRESS THEM AT A LATER DATE.

CORRECT. WE'RE ADDRESSING THEM NOW. SO THEY THERE WERE MINOR COMMENTS. ONE WAS WE HAD SOME QUANTITIES IN THERE THAT WERE IF AND WHERE DIRECTED. THEY WANT THEY DON'T WANT THEM

[00:05:02]

OKAY, SO THAT YOU WON'T REQUIRE SHUTTING DOWN MACARTHUR TO ADDRESS THESE COMMENTS, THEN? NO, WE'RE GOING TO WE GOT TO GET OUT TO BID ON THIS PROJECT. AND WHAT I EXPECT TO DO IS INCLUDE THAT THE MACARTHUR BOWL. I'M SORRY, THAT CORPORATE DRIVE, CORPORATE DRIVE BE PAVED AT EITHER OFF HOURS OR ON A SATURDAY. OKAY. IF THAT WAS MY MAIN QUESTION. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, WITH ALL THE WEATHER WE'VE BEEN HAVING, THERE DON'T SEEM TO HAVE BEEN ANY ISSUES AT SOUTH RAILROAD. NO, NO, EVERYTHING'S BEEN FINE THERE. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY. IAN? YES, MIKE, A COUPLE QUESTIONS TO ROLL BACK TO MA. 1798 WELL. 18 A YES. SO WE'RE WE HAD, WE, WE HAD A SUBMITTAL TO THE GREEN ACRES IN MAY AND WHERE WE, WHERE WE AT.

YEAH. WE'RE WAITING ON THE TWA APPLICATION AND THE SEWER CONNECTION PERMIT. AND THEN WE'RE WAITING ON GETTING THOSE APPROVALS. AND THEN ALSO I NEED TO REACH OUT TO A HISTORIC CONSULTANT TO THEY NEED TO DO AN EVALUATION OF THE PROPERTY SO THAT THAT'S IN MY LAP THAT I HAVE TO GET THAT DONE. SO THAT'S WAITING ON ME. WELL, WHY DO WE HAVE TO GET A THE CONNECTION PERMIT WITH THE NORTHWESTERN SEWER AUTHORITY? BECAUSE WE HAVE A OVERFLOW THAT DISCHARGES INTO THE SANITARY SEWER. OH, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. MAKES SENSE. AND THEN IS WHAT'S WHAT'S THE HOLD UP WITH THAT? THEY MEET LIKE ONCE A MONTH. IS IT SOMETHING WE KEEP MISSING THE AGENDA? NO, I I'M NOT SURE. I'LL REACH OUT TO HIM AND FIND OUT. ALL RIGHT. SOON WE'RE GOING TO RENAME THIS, WELL, THE WISHING WELL. I DO KNOW THEY CANCELED THEIR LAST MEETING.

THEY SKIPPED THEIR LAST MEETING. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN CORPORATE DRIVE. I NOTICED THAT I GUESS SOME OF THE CAVE IN AREAS HAVE RIPRAP IN THEM. NOW, HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING THAT? OH, ON CORPORATE DRIVE. YEAH. THAT ALL THAT ALL THAT STORM. SEE WHAT WHAT'S HAPPENING IS ALL THROUGHOUT TOWN, WE HAVE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE CORRUGATED METAL PIPE. AND THE USEFUL LIFE OF CORRUGATED METAL PIPE IS ABOUT 40 OR 50 YEARS. ALL THAT PIPE WAS PUT IN ABOUT 50 YEARS AGO.

SO IT'S ALL GETTING FULLY DETERIORATED. AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE ON CORPORATE DRIVE. AS PART OF THAT PROJECT, WE'RE GOING TO REPLACE ALL THAT PIPE WITH EITHER HDPE PIPE OR CONCRETE PIPE. ALL RIGHT. AND OBVIOUSLY THOSE ARE THE REASON WHY THOSE CAVE INS HAPPENED WAS BECAUSE. YEP. AND THEN THE NEXT DOOR TO THE TOWN HALL IS, WAS THE HILTON. I GUESS THE APRON IS TOTALLY FALLING APART. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE FIXED OR THEY FIXED AT THE SAME TIME? THE, THE CURB AVIAN, I SHOULD SAY THE CURBING, IF IT'S IF IT'S GOING TO BE REPLACED, WE'LL DO IT AS PART OF OUR PROJECT. THE APRON. NO, NO, NOT THE APRON. IT'S JUST THE CURB.

JUST THE CURB. THEN IF IT'S IF IT'S IN POOR SHAPE WE WOULD REPLACE IT. YEAH. IT'S TOTALLY CRUSHED NOW. SO THE WHOLE LENGTH OF THE WAY ANY CURBING NEEDS TO BE TOUCHED. WE WOULD TAKE CARE OF. YES, I'LL EVALUATE IT. AND IF IT'S IN BAD SHAPE, WE'LL REPLACE IT. IF IT'S IN A CONDITION WHERE WE FEEL THAT IT'S STILL ADEQUATE, THEN I WOULD NOT BE REPLACED.

OKAY. AND LET'S SEE. NEXT QUESTION. WELL, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CURBING. HOW'S THE CURBING COMING ALONG ON ISLAND ROAD. REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TWO MEETINGS AGO I BELIEVE.

YEAH. SO I'VE ADDED IT TO THE ROAD PROGRAM AND IT'LL BE TAKEN CARE OF PROBABLY IN THE NEXT PROBABLY THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. THE CONTRACTOR HAD TO CALL IN, I SHOULD SAY TWO WEEKS. THE CONTRACTOR CALLED IN FOR A MARK OUT. WE HAVE ANOTHER SECTION OF CURB THAT WE HAVE TO DO FURTHER DOWN ON ISLAND ROAD, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING SOME CURB AND SIDEWALK UP AT MEMORIAL PARK, UP, UP ACROSS FROM SEACOR. WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDING A CROSSWALK THERE. SO THE CONTRACTOR WILL DO ALL THAT CONCRETE WORK AT ONE TIME. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN WHILE WE'RE ON ROAD CURB AND SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AND BILLS AND CLAIMS TONIGHT, THERE'S A BILL FOR ALMOST A LITTLE MORE THAN A HALF $1 MILLION FROM THE CONTRACTOR DID ALL THE PAVING HAS BECAUSE THERE'S GRANT MONEY INVOLVED. DO WE DO THE BORINGS OF THE ASPHALT TO MAKE SURE IT MEETS THE PASSION? TEST THESE FOR FOR OUR ROAD PROGRAM, THERE'S NO GRANT MONEY INVOLVED.

WE WE BID OUT ANY WORK THAT INVOLVES GRANTS SEPARATELY. SO CORPORATE DRIVE HAS GRANTS.

FARDALE AVE HAS GRANTS, BUT OUR ROAD PROGRAM DOES NOT. SO WE DO NOT COURT YOU KNOW, COURT. BUT BUT WHAT HE DID MACARTHUR. WE DID WE'RE GOING TO SEND SOMEBODY OUT TO COURT. COURT? NO, THAT WAS TOWN FUNDED. NOT NOT ANY GRANTS. I THOUGHT YOU SAID MACARTHUR HAD A GRANT. NO,

[00:10:04]

MIKE. YEP. JANET. HI, MIKE. I JUST I WANT I HAVE ONE QUESTION, BUT I WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT TOO. I LIVE NEAR DARLINGTON. AND REMEMBER ALL THAT TALK WE HAD WITH THE COUNTY TO TRY TO MAKE A LEFT OUT OF THE PARK AND OUT OF THE POOL. RIGHT. LAST WEEKEND THEY HAD THE CONE SO PEOPLE COULD MAKE A LEFT OUT OF THE PARK. YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT. SO BECAUSE THEY KEPT SAYING NO LEFT AND LAST WEEKEND THEY WERE LETTING PEOPLE MAKE A LEFT OUT OF THE POOL. OKAY, SO THAT WAS MY COMMENT. AND, AND THANK YOU FOR THE, THE DIAGRAM OF THE HILLSIDE DRAINAGE PROGRAM. YOU'RE WELCOME. YEAH, BUT I HAD A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING ALL OF IT BECAUSE IT WAS TINY AND I COULDN'T TELL WHERE THINGS WERE. EXACTLY. SO COULD YOU. I KNOW YOU'VE DONE THIS, BUT COULD YOU? I DON'T WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT'S GOING, BUT COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT MAIN ROADS WERE GOING? I KNOW WE'RE TAKING THE THE THE DITCHES OUT OF PEOPLE'S BACKYARDS, BUT CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT MAIN ROADS ARE INVOLVED IN THIS PART OF THE PROJECT? LIKE YES. YEAH, YEAH. IT'S A SECTION OF A ROAD WHERE THE PIPE CURRENTLY GOES INTO. THERE'S A FLOW THAT GOES INTO A DETENTION BASIN AT THE BACK END OF THE BOARD OF ED PROPERTY, RIGHT ALONG. WE KNOW. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO RIGHT NOW THAT IS CURRENTLY GOING ACROSS SOMEBODY'S PROPERTY. WE'RE GOING TO CROSS THE ROAD AND THEN GO IN BETWEEN TWO PROPERTIES, AND THEN THAT'LL BRING US DOWN TO HILLSIDE AVE, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO DO THE SAME THING. AND INSTEAD OF IT GOING ACROSS SOMEBODY'S PROPERTY, BRING IT TO THE SHARED PROPERTY LINE, GO ACROSS, DOWN THE SHARED PROPERTY LINE, AND THEN IT'LL BE IN KING STREET, AND THEN IT'LL TIE BACK IN TO TO THE EXISTING SYSTEM. OKAY. SO ARE WE EVER GOING TO REMEMBER WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT BRINGING IT DOWN MILLER ROAD? WHAT WILL WE WILL, WILL THERE BE ANOTHER PHASE WHERE WE'RE COMING DOWN MILLER ROAD AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ALL THAT WATER AND GO DOWN MILLER ROAD OR NOT, POTENTIALLY. WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS RESOLVES THE MAJORITY OF THE OF THE ISSUES HERE, BECAUSE THE WORK IN MILLER ROAD IS A BIG, BIG, EXPENSIVE PROJECT AND WE'D RATHER NOT HAVE TO DO THAT PROJECT IF THIS WILL RESOLVE OUR ISSUES. RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE EVALUATING THE EXISTING UTILITIES IN MILLER ROAD TO SEE WHAT SIZE PIPE CAN GO IN THERE, AND THAT WORKS CURRENTLY ONGOING. SO WE ARE DOING THAT EVALUATION IN ANTICIPATION OR POTENTIALLY GOING FORWARD WITH THAT PROJECT.

BUT WE DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW. SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING THE SURVEY TO DETERMINE WHAT COULD GO THERE. WE'RE DOING THIS OTHER PROJECT AND WE'RE HOPING THAT RESOLVES ALL THE ISSUES.

AND THAT WOULD BE A ANOTHER PHASE IF WE WANT TO DO THAT GOING DOWN THE ROAD. BUT BUT THIS THIS IS GOING TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING UP THE HILL. IT'S NOT GOING TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES OF GOING DOWN SOUTH RAILROAD, IS IT? WELL, THAT'S SEPARATE.

SOUTH RAILROAD IS A MATTER THAT NEW JERSEY TRANSIT IS GOING TO BE REDESIGNING THEIR DRAINAGE SYSTEM. AND THAT'S SEPARATE FROM OUR PROJECT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANYBODY ELSE? HEY, MIKE, A COUPLE I MISSED THE LAST MEETING, BUT THE MEETING BEFORE WE SENT A NOTICE OUT FOR THE THE THE SIDEWALK REPAIRS. HAS THERE ANY FEEDBACK ON THOSE? WE WE SO WE GOT APPROVAL TO SEND OUT THOSE LETTERS. WE'VE JUST, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN THE NIGHT WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, IT'S JUST BEEN THE LAST THREE WEEKS HAVE BEEN OUR BUSIEST WEEKS. SO SO I EXPECT THAT IN THE FALL WE'LL SEND THOSE OUT. NO WORRIES. I WAS CURIOUS IF ANYTHING HAPPENS. YEP. THANK YOU SIR. YEP. ANYBODY ELSE? MR. KELLY YOU ARE FREE TO GO. ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, HAVE A GREAT NIGHT AND I WILL SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER IN PERSON. YES. THAT'S RIGHT. TAKE CARE. GOOD NIGHT. TAKE CARE. ADMINISTRATION. SURE. HI,

[ADMINISTRATION ]

[00:15:03]

THANK YOU BOB. THE THE ACCESS FOR GRANT IS THAT WITH THIS WOULD THAT BE FOR THIS CALENDAR YEAR OR NEXT CALENDAR YEAR OR AS THEY AWARD IT? JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY? WELL, IT'S FOR FISCAL YEAR 27, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE IN NOW. SO MY ASSUMPTION IS BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF JUNE OF 27, WE WOULD HEAR ABOUT THAT. YEAH. OKAY. AND THEN ALSO JUST I HAVE HAVE RESIDENTS. ITS RESIDENTS SEEM TO BE A LITTLE THIS IS MORE OF MAYBE AN OBSERVATION, A LITTLE BIT MORE POSITIVE TOWARDS THE BREEZE BANNER SITUATION ON MACARTHUR. I THINK I LIKE IT, I LIKE THE ADS THAT ARE THERE. AND I THINK THAT HOW HE'S DOING A GREAT JOB. YEAH, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN ADMINISTRATION WITH HIM WITH REGARDS TO THE DESIGN AND THE DIFFERENT DESIGNS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SO WE'VE KIND OF SPRUCED IT UP A LITTLE MORE. AND HE'S I THINK HE'S DONE A GOOD JOB, BUT WE I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING REGARDLESS GOOD OR BAD. SO BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK LOOK, HE'S HAD SOME ISSUES WITH REGARDS TO SEVERAL STORMS WE'VE HAD AND THE WIND THAT'S COME DOWN MACARTHUR THAT I. I THINK THEY'VE ADDRESSED. BUT OVERALL IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN POSITIVE FROM A REVENUE STANDPOINT. YOU KNOW WE DON'T GET A LOT. WE'VE PROBABLY GOTTEN A FEW GRANT. OKAY. OVER FOUR YEARS, MAYBE BETWEEN 5 AND 10 TOTAL, BUT I CAN GET A BREAKDOWN FOR THE COUNCIL. THE PERSON WHO HAS ACTUALLY KEEPS A SPREADSHEET OF THAT WAS MOVING THEIR SON BACK INTO SCHOOL THIS WEEK. SO I DIDN'T DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO GET THAT ACCESS, ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION, BUT I'LL GET THAT TO THE COUNCIL. BUT IT'S NOT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY. BUT IT'S SOMETHING. YEAH. AND IT'S ALSO GOOD FOR OUR BUSINESSES. SO YEAH, I LIKE THE UNIFORMITY OF SOME OF THE BANNERS. SO TO ME IT'S IT LOOKS GOOD. SO THANK YOU. YEAH. BEN, I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BANNER PROGRAM. THAT'S JUST THE BANNERS ON MACARTHUR. CORRECT. THAT WE'RE VOTING ON. YES, YES. SO HE IS THE SAME COMPANY THAT DOES THE VETERANS BANNERS, RIGHT. DOES GIVE A SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNT FOR THAT. BUT THIS IS JUST FOR THE CONTRACT FOR MACARTHUR. OKAY. AND THEN I WAS GOING TO ASK HOW MUCH AND SINCE, MICHELLE, YOU GAVE YOUR OPINION, I THINK THERE'S TOO MANY BANNERS. I DON'T LIKE THEM. I JUST THINK THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE A BUNCH OF BILLBOARDS AND IT IT MAKES IT IT DOESN'T HELP THE ESTHETICS OF MACARTHUR. AND I DON'T I DON'T LIKE THEM. SO DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS. ALL GOOD. SO IT'S MY $0.02. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? NOPE. SORRY, DAVE. NO. WARREN. YEAH. YOU'RE MUTED. WARD BOARD. YOU'RE MUTED. STILL MUTED. YEAH THAT'S BETTER. YEAH. I HAD A QUESTION ON TWO WAY. SURE. EXCELLENT. EXCELLENT CHOICE. I MEAN HE'S THE DEPUTY RIGHT NOW. PERFECT FIT IN. I TALKED TO RAY ROWE. PERFECT PERSON TO FILL HIS SHOES. YOU KNOW AS THE INTERIM. I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE WORDING BECAUSE YOU HAVE HIM AS DIRECTOR. BUT RAY WAS ALSO THE MAHWAH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR. ALSO, DO WE ADD THE WORDS COORDINATOR TO IT TOO, BECAUSE HE GETS A I LOOKED AT MY BUDGET THING. HE GETS A SPLIT SALARY. HE DOES. YOU ARE CORRECT IN THAT. SO WE CAN CERTAINLY. AND I THINK THESE ARE THAT ADD THAT STATUTORY RIGHT. WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE THE. THE OEM DIRECTOR.

YES. YEAH, YEAH. BUT WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET IT RIGHT. YEAH WE CAN, WE CAN IF

[00:20:05]

ANYBODY ELSE? DAVE, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? SORRY. NO, NO. OKAY. JONATHAN. GEORGE MOVING

[TOWNSHIP COUNCIL]

[PUBLIC PORTION]

COUNCIL SAID THAT ALREADY THIS PUBLIC PORTION IS A MAXIMUM OF 30 MINUTES. SPEAKERS MAY SPEAK ONLY ONCE DURING EACH PUBLIC PORTION. WE ARE NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK, USE THE HAND RAISING FUNCTION ON ZOOM PLEASE. AND. YOU JUST UNMUTE AND YOU'RE FREE TO GO.

HI EVERYBODY. JUST AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. NAME AND ADDRESS. SORRY, ANNE. YES.

ANNE PAOLI, 86 WEST CRESCENT AVENUE, MAHWAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

AND THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER TO DO WHAT YOU DO. I WAS JUST COMING TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY PROGRESS ON THE POSSIBLE ORDINANCE AGAINST DATA CENTERS, AND I DID WANT TO ASK ONE OTHER QUESTION. IT SEEMS LIKE THE MUNICIPALITIES WHERE THESE HAVE BECOME PRETTY BIG ISSUES WERE WHERE ELECTED OFFICIALS WERE ABLE TO ENTER INTO NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS WITH THE FIRMS CONTRACTING TO BUILD THE DATA CENTERS. AND I'M NOT REALLY FAMILIAR WITH ALL THE LEGALITIES. I DID WANT TO ASK, ARE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS OR OUR PROFESSIONALS, OUR TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES, ABLE TO ENTER INTO NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS WITH PRIVATE COMPANIES ABOUT CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS? THAT WAS JUST THE ONLY OTHER THING. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT COULD BE ADDRESSED IN THE SAME ORDINANCE, OR IF MAYBE IT'S ALREADY COVERED BY SOMETHING ELSE. AND AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS THROUGH THE SUMMER. THANK YOU MISS. ANYBODY ELSE? SEEING NONE. A MOTION TO CLOSE. MOTION TO CLOSE. ALL IN FAVOR, I. MISS PALI'S QUESTION. I'M GOING TO START WITH THE SECOND PART FIRST. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO LEGAL. MAYBE, FRED, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, KEN, ELECTED OFFICIALS ENTER INTO NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS WITH PRIVATE ENTITIES ON THINGS THAT WERE INVOLVED IN. NO. THE ANSWER WOULD BE NO. I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY SITUATION WHERE THAT THAT COULD HAPPEN OR, OR WHERE WE WOULD BE THAT WOULD BE PERMITTED UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES IF THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS LIKE IN TAX APPEAL, LITIGATION AND THINGS, BECAUSE THEY'RE DISCLOSING CERTAIN INFORMATION, BUT THAT'S ALREADY BUILT AND CONSTRUCTED. BUT OTHERWISE, FOR A DEVELOPER, I DON'T I DON'T SEE THAT BEING LEGAL. AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT. I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE TYPE OF AGREEMENTS THAT EXIST WITHIN THE TOWNSHIP. AND JUST CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I THINK THE SUNSHINE LAWS AND STUFF PROBABLY FORBID US FROM KIND OF DOING THAT AT A CERTAIN LEVEL. IT DOES. THERE'S REALLY NOT A LOT OF EXEMPTIONS, RIGHT. AS WELL AS THE OPEN PUBLIC RECORDS ACT AS WELL. THAT WOULD BE A PUBLIC DOCUMENT. IF THERE WAS ANY TYPE OF AN ATTEMPT TO HAVE AN AGREEMENT TO THAT EXTENT. OKAY. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT. AS FAR AS THE ORDINANCE, WE DID HAVE SOMETHING WE'RE PROBABLY ABOUT 75% OF THE WAY THERE IN TERMS OF DRAFTING IT, LEGALLY REVIEWED IT. OUR PLANNER IS REVIEWING IT. WE WERE HOPING TO INTRODUCE IT TONIGHT, BUT THE PLANNER JUST WANTED TO GIVE IT ANOTHER. ANOTHER PASS THROUGH.

THE EXPECTATIONS WILL BE INTRODUCING AT THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING. SO THAT'S TO THAT.

[PUBLIC MEETING]

[APPROVAL OF BILLS AND CLAIMS ]

[00:25:08]

[APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES]

[REPORTS OF TOWNSHIP COUNCIL and MUNICIPAL CLERK TOWNSHIP COUNCIL; COMMENTS, COMMUNICATIONS AND REPORTS OF SUBCOMMITTEES]

AND I THINK THERE WAS A LOT OF GOOD A LOT OF GOOD COMMUNICATION, A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK FROM FROM ALL SIDES. SO I THINK THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE ALSO WILL BE CHIMING IN ON THE DATA CENTER AS WE MOVE FORWARD AS WELL. SO THAT'S MY REPORT. THANK YOU. MISS PAZ.

OKAY. THANK YOU TO OUR POLICE, FIRE, EMS, DPW, MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES AND COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS. EVERYTHING YOU DO FOR THE COMMUNITY AND TOWNSHIP IS TRULY, TRULY APPRECIATED. SO THURSDAY, AUGUST 6TH, ACCESS FOR ALL ATTENDED AT ROCKLAND BOULDERS GAME, WHICH COINCIDED WITH THE TOWN OF RAMAPO NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, AN ANNUAL COMMUNITY BUILDING CAMPAIGN THAT PROMOTES PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN NEIGHBORS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. MONDAY, AUGUST 10TH, I ATTENDED THE PLANNING BOARD MEETING WHERE THE DISCUSSION WAS. CARMAX.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12TH. ACCESS FOR ALL HOSTED ITS ANNUAL POOL PARTY. THANK YOU TO THE TEAM AT

[00:30:03]

WE ARE SORRY OF THE PASSING OF YOUR MOM, AND WE ALSO WELCOME BACK MAHWAH FARM COMMITTEE VOLUNTEER DAVE KAYE TO THE STAGE AS HE RECOVERS FROM A HEALTH SITUATION AND GETS BACK OUT PERFORMING LOCALLY. OUR NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, AUGUST 31ST, AND THE COMMITTEE LOOKS FORWARD TO PLANNING EXCITING FALL AND WINTER EVENTS. AND THAT IS MY REPORT. THANK YOU, MR. WONG. THANK YOU. JUST WANTED TO WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY END OF SUMMER. HOPE EVERYONE IS, YOU KNOW, TAKING SOME MORE TIME TO ENJOY, YOU KNOW, THE REMAINING DAYS THAT WE HAVE LEFT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FALL. THAT IS MY REPORT, MR. FERGUSON. I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY THANK ALL EMPLOYEES, EMERGENCY SERVICES AND VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS FOR ALL THAT THEY DO FOR THE TOWNSHIP. I TO ATTEND A MOVIE NIGHT AND TOUCH A TRUCK WAS A GREAT EVENT. THANK YOU TO THE VOLUNTEERS FOR PUTTING TOGETHER AND MARYBETH DUFFY AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT EMS FOR ALL SHOWING UP. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO THAT IS MY REPORT. MAYOR. THANK YOU TO ALL OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES, OUR DPW,

[REPORTS OF MAYOR and BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR]

AND LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE WHAT MARY BETH AND GLENN DAWSON PULL OFF THIS YEAR. SO. AND THAT'S MY REPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MADAM CLERK. ALL RIGHT. WE GO TO OUR NEXT PUBLIC. HAVE A

[PUBLIC PORTION]

[CONSENT AGENDA]

284-26. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE? I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE. FOR 283-26285-26 AND 286-26, SO MOVED. COUNCIL PRESIDENT JUST REAL QUICK ON THAT. IF WE COULD UPDATE THE RESOLUTION 283-26 TO INCLUDE BOTH. DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES AND COORDINATOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SERVICES. OKAY. MOTION AS AMENDED. JUST REAL QUICK. WE'LL DO THAT AGAIN.

SECOND. OKAY. ROLL CALL PLEASE, MISS ZAREMA. YES. MR. YES. MR. IRVING. YES. MR. MAY. YES. MRS. PAWS. YES. MR. WONG. YES. MR. FERGUSON YES. 24-26 CAN HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE. MOTION FOR 284-26 SECOND. ROLL CALL. MISS RIMA, I DON'T LIKE THE BANNERS. NO, MR. REGAN. YES, I KIND OF LIKE THEM. MR. IRVING. YES. MR. MAY YES. MRS. PAWS. YES. MR. WONG. YES. MR. FERGUSON. YES, I

[OLD BUSINESS]

[00:35:06]

[NEW BUSINESS]

SORRY. MEETING. WOW. OKAY. SO. OKAY, AS YOU HEARD, I WENT TO THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT AND IT SEEMS TO ME, I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO I JUST WANT TO SAY IT OUT LOUD AND NOT DO IT FORMALLY. OKAY. IT JUST SEEMED TO ME THAT THEY WERE STRUGGLING WITH THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD MANUFACTURING IN ONE OF OUR ORDINANCES, AND THEY WERE STRUGGLING WITH. AND SO MY QUESTION IS, CAN WE. MAKE AN ORDINANCE THAT'S CLEARER SO WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN TO DEFINE EXACTLY WHAT MANUFACTURING IS IN A MORE CLEAR MANNER, THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE HOURS DISCUSSION ON WHAT'S MANUFACTURING AND WHAT'S NOT. CAN WE RELOOK AT THE ORDINANCE ALL RIGHT FOR THIS MANUFACTURING? AND CAN WE ALSO LOOK AT THE ORDINANCE THAT DEFINES LIGHT INDUSTRIAL BECAUSE THERE WAS EXCEPTIONS THERE FOR I THINK IT WAS CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND RADIOACTIVE. AND THERE WAS STRUGGLING THERE WITH WHAT BIOLOGICAL MEANT. NOW, TO ME, BIOLOGICAL MEANS ANYTHING LIKE WITH A PLANT OR ANYTHING. BUT CAN WE MAKE THESE ORDINANCES CLEARER? SO FROM NOW ON, THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT DOESN'T HAVE TO TRY TO INTERPRET ANYTHING LIKE MAKE IT CLEAR AS DAY WHAT WHAT THESE DEFINITIONS ARE. I MEAN, I'LL GIVE YOU MY OPINION OF IT. LIGHT INDUSTRIAL INCLUDES MANUFACTURING IN MY MIND NOW. YES, IT INCLUDES LIGHT MANUFACTURING, RIGHT. SO THAT BY ITS DEFINITION IS MANUFACTURING. MANUFACTURING IS THERE'S DIFFERENT LEVELS OF MANUFACTURING AND LIGHT INDUSTRIAL IS ONE PART OF MANUFACTURING. BE THAT AS IT MAY, I DO AGREE THAT IF WE COULD BE CLEAR, I THINK THAT'D BE SOMETHING THAT COMES FROM THE PLANNING BOARD, NOT SO MUCH FROM THE COUNCIL. YEAH. AND WE CAN ASK THEM TO DO THAT AND KIND OF DEFINE THAT. AND THAT WOULD BE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR PLANNER. YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF THOSE KINDS OF DEFINITION TERMS COME FROM THE PLANNING BOARD, NOT FROM US. THAT'S WHAT THEY EXIST FOR. SO IF YOU WANT TO ASK THEM TO DO THAT, I HAVE NO PROBLEM. YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK IT'S AS A AS A BODY OF A PROBLEM DOING THAT, BUT IT'S PART OF THEIR PLANNING BOARD, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR MASTER PLAN EVALUATION. SO THAT VERY EXTENT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS, THIS ORDINANCE FOR DATA CENTERS, YOU KNOW, WE NEED THE PLANNING BOARD TO GIVE US A DEFINITION OF WHAT A DATA CENTER IS. WE NEED THEM TO KIND OF OWN THAT PROCESS AND PUT IT IN THE MASTER PLAN. AND THAT'S WHAT THE ORDINANCE IS GOING TO BE ASKING THEM TO DO WHEN IT GETS INTRODUCED. BUT IT'S TO THAT, RIGHT? I MEAN, THAT'S THEIR PLANNING BOARD'S JOB TO KIND OF GIVE US AND WORKING WITH OUR PROFESSIONALS, WHETHER IT'S A CONSTRUCTION OFFICE OR, OR A PLANNER TO COME UP WITH THAT ANSWER. SO YES, JANET, I THINK WE CAN WE CAN ASK THEM TO DO THAT. WELL, I THINK IT SOUNDED LIKE AT THE MEETING, THE ZONING BOARD WAS GOING TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER AND SEND IT TO THE COUNCIL TO USE IT. I THINK THEY SHOULD SEND IT TO US AND THEN WE SHOULD SEND IT TO PLANNING BOARD. I MEAN, OUR PLANNER SHOULD LOOK AT IT. IT'S NOT REALLY I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T WANT TO GUESS WHAT LIGHT AND MANUAL MANUFACTURING IS AND LIGHT INDUSTRIAL VERSUS MEDIUM AND HEAVY. RIGHT. I HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT IT IS, BUT I'M SURE THERE'S DEFINITIONS IN THE PLANNING WORLD. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, CITY PLANNING AND, AND, YOU KNOW, URBAN PLANNING AND WHAT THAT STUFF LOOKS LIKE. THE ZONING BOARD IS SOMETHING THAT, SOMETHING THAT THE PLANNING BOARD DOES IN THEIR PERIODIC REEXAMINATION, AS WELL AS THEIR COMPREHENSIVE REEXAMINATION, WHICH IS COMING UP. SO IT IS NOTED AND I WILL BRING THAT TO THEM. SURE. WELL, WELL, THERE ARE THE SUGGESTIONS TOO, THAT THE ZONING BOARD IS A, I THINK IT'S USUALLY AN ANNUAL REPORT FROM THEM. SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING ADDITIONAL TO WHAT JANET IS SAYING. CORRECT. WE WOULD TAKE THAT. PLUS, YOU KNOW, THEIR OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS. YEP. ABSOLUTELY. OR DO ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE. I'M SORRY. YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS IS WAS KIND OF VERY UNIQUE SITUATION. YEAH. IT'S KIND OF LIKE GETTING A DONUT AND PUTTING A, A CHERRY ON IT. IS THAT MANUFACTURING? I MEAN, THIS IS BREAD CRUMBS. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. BREADCRUMBS. YEAH. IT'S YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT MAKING THE PIZZA. THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT MAKING THE BREADED CHICKEN OR WHATEVER. IT'S BREAD COMES WITH SEASONING. I THINK, I THINK IT'S JUST, I DON'T KNOW, I, I, I THINK THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT. CORRECT? IF YOU LOOK AT EVERY FREAKING LAW, THERE'S A LAWYER OUT THERE THAT WILL FIND SOMETHING, A LOOPHOLE AND EVERYTHING. SO IF YOU'RE ASKING JANET FOR THE ILLUSTRIOUS PLANNING BOARD OR, OR EXPERTS TO COME UP WITH A BULLETPROOF TERMINOLOGY AND DEFINITION, IT AIN'T HAPPENING. YEAH. AND I DON'T THINK I WANT TO BE CLEAR. I DON'T THINK I WAS SUGGESTING THAT, BUT I THINK IF THERE'S A WAY TO UPDATE, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD BE CONTINUOUSLY LOOKING TO UPDATE IT, RIGHT? IF THINGS THAT COME

[00:40:02]

AND THAT WAS ONLY ONE THING. ONE THING. ANYTHING ELSE? MICHELLE. MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. EVERYBODY. BYE, EVERYBODY. HEY, JONATHAN. HI, EVERYBODY. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT, EVERYBODY. YOU TOO.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.