Oct 12, 2026 Township Council

[00:00:02]

YEAH, IT'S ACTUALLY COOL. MY FRIENDS DO IT. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. THIS IS A

[ COUNCIL PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT]

[ SUBMISSION OF BILLS AND CLAIMS]

[ ENGINEERING]

I'VE REVIEWED THE PLANS AND SPECS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED, AND THEY'RE IN ACCORDANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE DESIGN STANDARDS. AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE APPLIED TO THE EYE BANK FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL. THEY DID HAVE ONE COMMENT, WHICH WE GOT LAST THURSDAY. THEY'RE GOING TO ASK THAT THE OR THE REQUIRING THAT THE AGREEMENT TO HAVE THE PROJECT INSPECTED BY AN ENGINEER, WHICH WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO DO. THEY WANT THAT AGREEMENT APPROVED BEFORE WE GO OUT TO BID. OKAY. SO I JUST FOUND THAT OUT REALLY FRIDAY MORNING, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO JAM IT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT. SO THAT'LL BE ON THE NEXT MEETING'S AGENDA. DOES THAT HAVE TO BE A THIRD PARTY ENGINEER OR CAN YOU BE THE ENGINEER? I COULD, BUT IT NEEDS A FULL TIME GUY. OKAY. UNDERSTOOD. THANKS. SO WE'LL HAVE THAT ON FOR THE NEXT MEETING. AND BUT THIS HAS NO EFFECT ON THIS FOR TONIGHT. PERFECT. AND WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE INITIALLY HAD PLANNED TO ADVERTISE NEXT MONDAY TO GO OUT TO, YOU KNOW, FOR FOR BIDS.

THAT'LL PUSH THIS BACK ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF OR TWO WEEKS ONCE WE GET ON THE NEXT AGENDA.

OKAY. THE LAST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS OUR WRITTEN STATUS REPORT. YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF OUR OCTOBER 8TH REPORT. I'LL JUST GO THROUGH A FEW OF THE PROJECTS FOR MA 3037. THAT'S THE CULVERT REPLACEMENT. THAT PROJECT IS FULLY UNDERWAY. THE DETOURS ARE IN PLACE. WE HAD A CAP AND CUT. A CUT AND CAP OF WATER. MAIN PUT IN VALVES. THAT WORK'S BEEN COMPLETED. THE DEMO HAS BEEN COMPLETED. THE STREAM BYPASS IS IN, AND THE SHEETING AND THE COFFERDAM IS IN PLACE.

IT FARED OKAY DURING THE STORM. I WENT OUT THERE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. THE TRENCHES WERE FULL OF WATER. THEY PUMPED THEM OUT TODAY. THEY'VE THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH MASS EXCAVATION, WHICH THEY'RE WORKING ON NOW. WE HAVE A TENTATIVE CULVERT DELIVERY DATE OF OCTOBER 23RD. THAT'S THAT'LL BE PLUS OR MINUS A FEW DAYS. BUT THE CULVERT WILL GET DELIVERED. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE PROJECT'S OVER. IT JUST MEANS THAT WE'RE ON SCHEDULE.

AND SO WE'RE MOVING ALONG ON THAT FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO CORPORATE DRIVE. THAT'S MA 3073.

WE GOT DOT APPROVAL ON OCTOBER 8TH. I'M SORRY, OCTOBER 2ND WE ADVERTISED FOR BIDS. I KNOW MY REPORT SAYS OCTOBER 9TH. WE ACTUALLY HAD IN ON THE TOWN'S WEBSITE ON OCTOBER 8TH. OKAY.

AND WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE BIDS ON NOVEMBER 5TH. AND THEN WE'D RECOMMEND THAT IT BE AWARDED AT THE MEETING AFTER THAT. THAT'LL BE A PROJECT WHERE THEY CAN DO SOME DRAINAGE WORK DURING THE WINTER, DO SOME PREP WORK, AND THEN WE WOULD PAVE IT NEXT YEAR. YEP. FOR LAWRENCE ROAD, I SPOKE WITH THEM. SO THAT'S MA 3103. THAT'S THE WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT JOB.

AS WE KNOW, THE CONTRACTOR HAD PASSED AWAY, SO WE'RE WORKING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT JOB.

I'VE REACHED I'VE SENT NOTICES TO ALL THE RESIDENTS IN THE AREA TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT

[00:05:01]

WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE ALSO GOING TO REPLACE THE DROP CURBS FOR APPLE MONTESSORI.

THEY'RE IN PRETTY BAD SHAPE. I THINK WE'D BE WE'D LOOK A LITTLE SILLY IF WE REPLACED THE CURB AND INTO THEIR DROP CURBS. THAT'S RIGHT THERE. THE ISSUE WITH THAT IS THEIR THEIR WORK HOURS. APPLE MONTESSORI IS OPEN FROM, I THINK 630 IN THE MORNING TO SEVEN AT NIGHT. SO IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO ON A SATURDAY. IT'S A DRIVEWAY, A DRIVEWAY CURVE WHERE THE CURB GOES FROM FULL HEIGHT AND THEN DOWN. OKAY. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT ON A SATURDAY. AND THE CONTRACTOR I SPOKE TO IS THE ONE THAT DID THE ROAD PROGRAM. HE'S GOING TO HOLD HIS PRICE FOR THAT WORK AS WELL. THIS WAY THERE'S NO INTERRUPTIONS TO APPLE MONTESSORI. IT WAS GOING TO BE KIND OF DIFFICULT TO TRY AND DO HALF AND AND THEN OR COME IN THE IT WAS JUST IT WOULDN'T WORK. SO WE SAID, WE'LL DO IT. AND THEY WORK. I ASKED THEM IF THEY HAVE ANY DAYS OFF AND THEY SAID, NO, I THINK THANKSGIVING THEY'RE OFF AND THAT'S IT. SO AND WE'RE NOT DOING IT ON THANKSGIVING. NO. IS THERE ANY WHEN THEY DO THAT, IS THERE ANY IMPACT TO COMMODORE PERRY FIELD AT ALL OR. NO. IS IT? NO. THE ROAD WILL BE OPEN. YEP. OKAY.

WE'LL HAVE POLICE TRAFFIC DIRECTORS. WE'LL GET THEM THROUGH BECAUSE SATURDAYS ARE BUSY DAYS FOR SOCCER. YEAH. YEAH. THANKS. AND THEN FOR. WE HAD THE RECENT STORMS THIS WEEKEND. EVERYTHING FARED WELL. I DIDN'T GET ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT SOUTH RAILROAD AVE. I CHECKED OUT SOME OF THE NORMAL OR USUAL SUSPECTS, AND EVERYTHING WAS IN OKAY SHAPE.

SO, YOU KNOW, JUST AS A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT, YOU KNOW, IF RESIDENTS COULD KEEP INLETS CLEAR IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE, IF THEY, YOU KNOW, DON'T LET THE LEAVES COVER THEM. YOU KNOW, IF IT'S DRAMATIC, THEN, YOU KNOW, LET THE DPW KNOW AND THEY'LL GO OUT THERE AND CLEAR THEM OUT. SO, YOU KNOW, DO WHATEVER YOU CAN JUST TO KEEP INLETS AND SWALES CLEAR OF DEBRIS AND LEAVES. AND MR. PRESIDENT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. PERFECT. THANK YOU. ANYONE DOWN HERE FOR QUESTIONS FOR MIKE? NO QUESTIONS. NO. THANK YOU. YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION. I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION. I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE ARLINGTON RIDGE ROAD LIGHT. I THINK THE COUNTY SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO TRY IT OUT. OR IS IT GOING TO BE PERMANENT OR NOT? DO YOU KNOW? I HAVEN'T HEARD OTHERWISE. SO I WOULD EXPECT IT TO REMAIN LIKE THAT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. DAVE. ANYTHING? NOPE. I'M GOOD. MR. KELLY, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. GOOD NIGHT. CAN YOU HANG AROUND FOR A LITTLE BIT? I CAN, ALL RIGHT.

THANKS. THANK YOU. HOW LONG TO. TO. TILL WHEN? TILL KICKOFF. KICKOFF? JUST WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO STAY FOR? 10:00? JUST AFTER THE FIRST PUBLIC HEARING. THERE MIGHT BE QUESTIONS PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT ORDINANCE INTRODUCTION. AND IF YOU CAN. YEAH. NO, I DON'T STAY ALL NIGHT. BUT WE WILL. I'LL JUST. PUBLIC FIRST PUBLIC IF YOU WANT TO MIND. THANK YOU SIR. NEXT UP

[ ADMINISTRATION]

THANKFULLY, THE OFFICER WAS OKAY. THE CAR WAS NOT. OBVIOUSLY IT'S BEING HANDLED THROUGH INSURANCE WITH THE GIF, BUT THEY REQUIRE US TO DO AN AUTHORIZATION TO ALLOW THEM TO SEND IT OFF FOR SALVAGE. SO TWO B IS REGARDING THE. IT'S A GRANT FROM THE. IT'S AN NRA FRIENDS OF THE NRA GRANT, AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE, AS WE DO THE THE FIRING RANGE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WE'RE GOING TO BE FINDING AS MANY GRANTS AS WE CAN TO OFFSET THE COST. IT'S ONLY $5,000, BUT EVERY $5,000 COUNTS TO SEE IS OUR ANNUAL APPOINTMENT OF MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES TO THE REGIONAL COMMITTEE FOR BERGEN COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS. TRADITIONALLY, I'M THE MAYOR'S APPOINTMENT, AND THEN I BELIEVE THERE ARE, AND I BELIEVE THERE'S AT LEAST ONE, IF NOT TWO, COUNCIL PEOPLE. YEP, TWO.

SO THAT'S UP TO THE COUNCIL, OBVIOUSLY, TO FILL IN THE NAMES. IN THE PAST IT'S BEEN MY NAME IS OH, IT'S ALREADY IN THERE. AND WARD, I BELIEVE. HEY. ALL RIGHT. NEVER MIND. AHEAD OF THE

[00:10:03]

I MEAN GARDEN STATE PACE WAS WITHIN THE THE PERIMETER OR THE I GUESS THE TIME OR MILEAGE PERIMETER THAT WE PUT OUT THERE IN THE BID. AND THEY WERE THE LOWEST BIDDER. 2F2F IS AN INTERESTING ONE. C K ELECTRONICS LLC HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK FOR US IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS. THEY INSTALLED NEW UPGRADED ENTRY SYSTEM AT NORFOLK. THEY REDID THE SOUND AND AT COMMODORE PERRY AS WELL AS CONTINENTAL, AND THEY'RE ABOUT TO DO LIGHTING UPGRADES AT THE POOL THAT HAVE BEEN NEEDED FOR A WHILE. NORMALLY, THE BID THRESHOLD FOR ALL WORK DONE BY A VENDOR IS $53,000, BUT IN THIS CASE, THESE PROJECTS AREN'T BEING AGGREGATED. SO MORE THIS IS MORE OF A SOMEWHAT OF A REQUIREMENT, BUT ALSO TRANSPARENCY THING. THAT'S JUST SAYING, LOOK, HE'S GOING TO BE OVER THE 53,000, BUT NONE OF THE JOBS ARE AGGREGATE. WELL, SEVERAL OF THE JOBS AREN'T AGGREGATED BECAUSE THEY'RE SO VERY DIFFERENT. SO YOU HAD A SECURITY SYSTEM, YOU HAD SOUND AND THEN YOU HAD LIGHTS. SO WHILE IT'S THE SAME COMPANY AND ELECTRONICS, THEY'RE VERY DIFFERENT. SO WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT. AND TO G SOMETHING, WE GET TO TAKE OFF OF OLD BUSINESS. THE AGREEMENT SHARED SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWNSHIP OF RIDGEWOOD, WHERE THE VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD, EXCUSE ME WITH I WOULD NOT WANT TO. I HATE WHEN PEOPLE DO THAT TO US WITH RESPECT TO RECYCLING OF STYROFOAM. YAY! SO WE'LL BE SETTING UP A PROBABLY A DUMPSTER DOWN AT THE DPW, AND WE'LL SPEND THE $1,000 A YEAR TO TAKE OVER 96 GALLON BAGS WHENEVER THEY'RE FULL DROPPED OFF BY MEMBERS OF THE DPW AS NEEDED. PERFECT. BE HAPPY TO HAVE THAT FINALLY SIGNED UP AND OFF THE LIST. AND THAT'S IT FOR ADMINISTRATION. QUESTIONS FOR BEN. JUST A QUICK ONE, MR. KAZMIERSKI. YEAH, YEAH. THE WHAT KIND OF THINGS WOULD BE USED WITH THE FRIENDS OF THE NRA GRANT? LIKE JUST SUPPLIES AND OTHER STUFF. I HAVE TO CHECK ON THE EXACT BUT THE EXACT SPECIFICATIONS. BUT REALLY IT WAS JUST MONEY WITH REGARDS TO BECAUSE WE'RE DOING A GUN RANGE. AND OBVIOUSLY, OBVIOUSLY THE FRIENDS OF THE NRA ARE. SO THERE IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT. SO LIKE I SAID, WE WILL WE WILL BE LOOKING FAR AND WIDE FOR ANY MONIES WE CAN GET TO OFFSET THIS PROJECT, AND WE'LL GLADLY ACCEPT THEIRS. AWESOME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. MR. MAY BEN, FOR THAT POLICE VEHICLE. YEP. SO WAS THAT OFFICER'S FAULT? WAS SOMEBODY HIT THEM OR OH, WHAT'S THE SCENARIO? I DON'T HAVE ALL THE I DON'T HAVE ALL THE DETAILS IN FRONT OF ME. AND I DON'T WANT TO JUST SHOOT FROM THE HIP, BUT I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU. WELL, HE WAS HE WAS LITERALLY ON THE WAY TO A SCENE THAT WAS AN ACTIVE SCENE. THAT WAS ACTUALLY KIND OF A WILD STORY I COULD TELL YOU OFFLINE, BUT THE. YEAH, HE HIT ANOTHER CAR. LIGHTS WERE ON, OBVIOUSLY, BUT I DON'T KNOW THE FULL REPORT ON THAT. OKAY. AS I SAID, I'M JUST WONDERING BECAUSE I THINK THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE. AND THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, ARE WE GOING AFTER THE, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER PERSON'S INSURANCE? I WILL LET YOU KNOW.

YEAH. ANYBODY ELSE MOVING ON TO TOWNSHIP COUNCIL? I'M GOING TO SKIP THROUGH A AT FIRST WE HAVE

[ TOWNSHIP COUNCIL]

EVENING EVERYONE. VERY BRIEFLY. I'M GOING TO COME UP TO THE MIC REAL QUICK. AS MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE, THERE WAS A CONFIDENTIAL REPORT THAT WAS PREPARED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, AS WELL AS MAHWAH POLICE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDING A SIX FOOT FENCE AROUND THE TEMPLE BASED UPON INCIDENTS THAT HAVE UNFORTUNATELY OCCURRED OVER THE A NUMBER OF YEARS. AND ON THE BASIS OF THAT, WE HAVE TO DO THREE THINGS. WE HAD TO GET VARIANCE APPROVAL FROM THE ZONING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT, BECAUSE A SIX FOOT FENCE IS NOT PERMITTED IN A FRONT YARD. WE GOT THAT THIS PAST WEDNESDAY. WE GOT AN APPROVAL FROM THE ZONING BOARD. SECOND, WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT AND THEY'VE CONSENTED TO IT. THE COUNTY OF BERGEN, BECAUSE THIS FENCE WOULD BE ON THE EASEMENT AREA WHERE THE COUNTY OF BERGEN HAS AN EASEMENT. AND HERE WE'RE

[00:15:02]

IT'S SIX FOOT, IT'S A IT'S AN ESTATE FENCE. SO IT'S AN OPEN FENCE. IT'S NOT A BARRICADE FENCE WITH GATES, KNOX BOX OR COORDINATING WITH THE POLICE, FIRE AND EMS. OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MR. WHITAKER. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE, 22 WATCH HILL ROAD IS SIMPLY FOUR FOOT AND SIX FOOT FENCES, ONE OF WHICH IS REPLACING AN OLD FENCE. MIKE AND GLENN HAVE LOOKED EVERYTHING OVER, OF COURSE, AND APPROVED EVERYTHING FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE. OKAY, PERFECT. SO WE ARE ALL GOOD. THANK YOU. GOOD. COUNCIL MEETING DATES DISCUSSION. SO FOR NEXT YEAR, I THINK THE CLERK HAS RECOMMENDED WE JUST KIND OF START PENCILING THESE IN MY UNDERSTANDING IS PROBABLY WANT TO DO MONDAYS CONTINUE THAT. I THINK THAT'S BEEN WORKING. WHEN THERE'S A HOLIDAY, WE'LL MOVE IT TO A THURSDAY. IF THERE'S A JEWISH HOLIDAY, WE'LL MOVE IT TO A THURSDAY OR TRY TO SKIP IT AND MOVE IT AROUND THAT WAY. BUT TILL WE TO A MONTH ON MONDAYS. ANYONE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH MONDAYS? NO, SHE STARTS THAT USED TO IT NOW. YEAH I LOVE IT. PERFECT. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY COUNCIL PRESIDENT, AS WE GET CLOSER TO BUDGET HEARINGS WE'LL HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS. YEAH THOSE WILL BE SATURDAYS. YEAH.

THIS IS MORE THE MAIN MEETINGS. COUNCILMAN DUNNIGAN AND WONG PREFER SATURDAY, SATURDAY, SATURDAY MORNING. YOUR SUGGESTION IS NOTED FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK, GENTLEMEN. WE HAVE A SIGNED PERMISSION AS WELL. AND THAT'S FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. SOME CANDIDATES AND THEN THREE A SO THIS WAS A RESOLUTION THAT I SAW IN MIDLAND PARK PAST. IT'S NOT A BINDING RESOLUTION, BUT IT BASICALLY IS ASKING IS FOR IS FOR STATE AID FOR DISABLED VETERAN TAX RELIEF. WE'RE HAVING MORE AND MORE OF THESE, WHICH IS 100% ALLOWABLE. AND I'M 100% IN FAVOR OF. BUT WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE STATE JUST IF THEY CAN HELP US WITH THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE HAVING. MIDLAND PARK DID THIS AND SENT IT TO THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES. THAT GOES TO THE GOVERNOR, THE SENATOR AND ASSEMBLY PEOPLE. ABSOLUTELY. DID THEY GET ANY MONEY? NO, NO. I MEAN, I THINK THE STATE HAS TO PASS SOMETHING, BUT IT'S ASKING OUR PEOPLE TO ARE ASKING OUR LEGISLATORS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND SEE THE IMPACT THAT'S HAPPENING TO MUNICIPALITIES ACROSS THE STATE, NOT JUST US. ALL RIGHT. YEAH, JUST VERY MINOR. SURE. THE THE LAST RESOLVED PARAGRAPH, WE'LL HAVE TO CHANGE THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S NAME. OKAY. THAT'S THAT'S YEAH, YEAH. GOOD CATCH.

MAYBE NOT. I THINK IT'S AN ACTING. YEAH. OH IT'S ACTING. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. JONATHAN.

GOOD TO CATCH. WITH THAT, WE'RE UP TO OUR FIRST PUBLIC PORTION. I HAVE A MOTION TO OPEN TO THE

[ PUBLIC PORTION]

[00:20:07]

NEW JERSEY UTILITY RATES ARE 20% HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. HIGH WATER USAGE, STRAINING DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES. CROSSROADS IS NEXT TO AN AQUIFER. 60% OF OUR DRINKING WATER COMES FROM THAT AQUIFER. I WANT TO TELL YOU, WHEN WE MOVED HERE 38 YEARS AGO, IT WAS ALL THE AQUIFER WATER. IT TASTED LIKE POLAND SPRING. IT WAS VERY GOOD. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT YEAR, BUT MAYBE 15 YEARS AGO, WE COMBINED WITH AT THAT TIME WAS HACKENSACK WATER. NOW IT'S WHATEVER IT'S CALLED NOW. VIOLA. AND SO I GUESS WE GET 32% WATER FROM THEM AND WE CAN TASTE THE DIFFERENCE WHERE WE LIVE ON OUR SIDE OF TOWN. IT'S YOU COULD TASTE THE THE CHLORINE IN IT. SO THAT THAT'S MY COMMENTS ON THE WATER. AND I DON'T KNOW, IT JUST SEEMS ABSURD TO ME THAT WE WOULD BE TAKING OUR FRESH AQUIFER WATER AND FEEDING IT TO A MACHINE SO THAT WE COULD DRINK TREATED WATER FROM THE RESERVOIR. I REALIZE OUR WATER IS ALSO TREATED, BUT AS I SAID, IT'S GOT A LOT MORE CHLORINE IN IT. ONCE THAT AQUIFER IS GONE, THAT'S IT. AND ESPECIALLY THAT THESE DATA CENTERS CAN RELEASE FOREVER CHEMICALS. SO GETTING TO THE SIZE, THE MAHWAH STOCK EXCHANGE IS 28MW POWER CAPACITY. MY UNDERSTANDING OF THIS ORDINANCE TWO 105 IS THAT 50 THEY CAN BUILD ANYTHING UNDER 50MW. SO IF THAT'S TRUE, THEY COULD BUILD 49. THEY COULD BUILD 45. THAT'S THAT'S WAY TOO BIG. IT'S THAT CAN DO A LOT OF DAMAGE. AND THIS IS JUST IN MY. OBVIOUSLY, I'M NO EXPERT. I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM AN EXPERT. IT SAYS A 50. I MEAN, YOU CAN GOOGLE ALL THIS STUFF. 50 MEGAWATT DATA CENTER USES ENOUGH ELECTRICITY TO POWER ROUGHLY 30,000 TO 50,000 HOMES CONTINUOUSLY. AND AS IT WAS MENTIONED, THESE THINGS CAN GROW. THIS WOULD BE AN ALLOWED USE ON THAT PROPERTY. AND WHAT WOULD STOP SOMEONE IN THE FUTURE FROM SAYING, WELL, I WANT ANOTHER ONE, OR WE WANT TO

[00:25:02]

SO. I GUESS I FEEL WE WE ALL LIKE, YOU KNOW, TO USE AI, BUT WE DON'T WE'RE ALREADY USING IT.

WE DON'T NEED A DATA CENTER AT THIS LOCATION TO LOSE IT, TO USE IT. AND. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD JUST BAN IT UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. YOU, YOU MIGHT MAKE TAX REVENUE, BUT WE WE COULD LOSE MONEY AND ENERGY AND WATER COSTS. AND WE DON'T KNOW THE CALCULATION. IF THEY GET A TAX BREAK FROM PILOT. BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, I'M WORRIED ABOUT CONTAMINATING OUR AQUIFER BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN'T REPLACE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING JOHN PHEASANT, 20 FALCON COURT, MAHWAH, NEW JERSEY. LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN OUR TOWN, I RECENTLY RECEIVED MY PROPERTY TAX BILL FOR THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR AND THE FIRST HALF OF NEXT YEAR. WHEN I COMPARED THE 2026 TOTAL TAX TO THE 2025 TOTAL TAX, I DISCOVERED THAT THE TAX INCREASE FOR 2026 WAS MORE THAN $800, WHICH TRANSLATES INTO AN INCREASE OF 5.5%. THE $800 INCREASE IN THE 5.5 PERCENTAGE IS THE LARGEST INCREASE IN THE LAST 15 YEARS, AND QUITE POSSIBLY IN THE LAST 50 YEARS. OF THAT $800 INCREASE, MORE THAN HALF WAS ATTRIBUTABLE TO AN INCREASE IN THE SCHOOL TAX. NOW THE MUNICIPAL TAX INCREASE WAS ONLY $133 FOR ME. BUT THE MUNICIPAL PORTION OF THE TOTAL OF THE TOWN'S TOTAL BUDGET IS 25% OF THE TOTAL TOWNSHIP BUDGET. SINCE THERE WAS NO LETTER INCLUDED WITH THE TAX BILL. MY QUESTION TONIGHT IS WHAT CAUSED THE LARGE INCREASE IN THE SCHOOL TAX FOR 2026? I'M GUESSING IT MAY HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE APPROVAL OF QUESTION NUMBER ONE ON THE SCHOOL REFERENDUM THAT WAS DONE BACK IN MARCH. BUT I DON'T KNOW. SO I BELIEVE THAT SOME TRANSPARENCY WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY APPROPRIATE WHEN THE TAX BILLS WERE ISSUED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION. GOOD EVENING. DAVID WARSHAW, 167 VAN WINKLE LANE. I WANT TO COMPLIMENT THE COUNCIL ON THEIR JUDICIOUS INVESTIGATION OF THE DATA CENTER PROBLEM. THIS IS A THORNY ONE FOR YOU, THORNY ONE FOR THE TOWN. I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE LISTENED AND WILL CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO THE TOWN ON THIS ISSUE. AND PAULIE, WHO IS A GOOD FRIEND OF OURS, HAS MADE SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS TO THE COUNCIL. SHE COULDN'T BE HERE THIS EVENING, BUT ON HER BEHALF, I WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL. AND I THINK THAT AS THE TESTIMONY HERE TONIGHT, THERE ARE STILL QUESTIONS. THERE ARE QUESTIONS YOU CAN'T ANSWER TONIGHT, BECAUSE THE PROPOSAL TONIGHT SAYS THAT THERE WILL BE A STUDY. AND I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THIS COUNCIL WILL TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO INVESTIGATE FAIRLY, HONESTLY AND FULLY, SO THAT THE DECISIONS THAT ARE ULTIMATELY MADE WILL BE IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN.

RECOGNIZING THE FINANCIAL BENEFIT TO THE TOWN OF ADDITIONAL RATABLES. I UNDERSTAND FROM ROB'S POST THIS EVENING THAT THE DATA CENTER FROM THE STOCK EXCHANGE IS THE HIGHEST RATABLE IN MAHWAH AT THIS POINT, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS. SO I THINK THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE BALANCED BEST INTEREST OF THE TOWN FINANCIALLY, AND OBVIOUSLY TO PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT FOR FOR THE CITIZENS TODAY AND FOR THE FUTURE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ULTIMATE DIRECTION WILL BE. SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. AND I THINK ALL OF US LOOK FORWARD TO THE INVESTIGATION THAT WILL TAKE PLACE AND AN UNDERSTANDING WHERE THIS WILL GO IN THE FUTURE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. THANKS. JAMES PORTER, 250 ORCHARD DRIVE. I'M ALSO SPEAKING ABOUT THE DATA CENTERS.

[00:30:11]

[00:35:01]

SO NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BRING THEM UP TO. IF THAT'S GOING TO TAKE THEM OVER TO 28, ARE WE GOING TO CLOSE IN? IS THAT NOT QUITE DOUBLE OR ARE WE GOING TO GET TO 40 WITH THAT NOW. SO I'D BE A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. IT'S QUITE EASY TO ADD ON TO THESE.

IT'S NOT VERY HARD. IT'S LIKE A LEGO SYSTEM. IT'S NOT EASY, BUT IT IS DOABLE. ALL RIGHT. I'VE BEEN IN BEING INVOLVED WITH IT. YOU CAN KEEP EXPANDING ALL YOU WANT. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THE SIZE AND WHAT YOU CAN DRAW, WHETHER IT BE WATER. AND THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS, AS FAR AS THE WATER GOES, IS THERE ANY WAY, IF THIS DOES COME TO FRUITION, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT THEY COULD BE TOLD, ALL RIGHT, YOU CAN ONLY USE THE NOT THE THE WATER FROM THE AQUIFER OR FROM OUR WELLS AND JUST BE TIED DIRECTLY INTO THE WATER FROM THE PUBLIC UTILITIES AND NOT AND NOT USE OURS. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S POSSIBLE OR NOT TO SAY, HEY, LISTEN, THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. AND ALSO THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMEHOW OR OTHER, COMING UP WITH FINDING YOUR OWN ELECTRICITY IN A WAY, YOU KNOW. AND I DON'T MEAN AND I KNOW THAT'S THE PROPERTY'S NOT BIG ENOUGH TO REALLY DO THAT. SO BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S JUST MY CONCERN ABOUT IT. THEY ARE EXPANDABLE QUITE EASILY. YEP. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE SEEING NO ONE ELSE AT THIS TIME. COUNCIL PRESIDENT I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CLOSE. HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR. AYE. WE'RE NOT CLOSE. SO ALL OF THEM ARE ABOUT THE SAME. SO I'M GOING TO START WITH MR. FRIESEN'S QUESTIONS FIRST. MY UNDERSTANDING IS YES, THAT'S RELATED TO THE REFERENDUM, BEN. I ASSUME THAT'S CORRECT. I WOULD IN TERMS OF THE TAX INCREASE FOR THE SCHOOLS, THAT GOES IN EFFECT 2027, PER THE PASSING OF QUESTION ONE OF THE VOTE. CORRECT. I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW BECAUSE THE BONDS WEREN'T FLOATED TILL AFTER THE BUDGET WAS PASSED. SO DEBT SERVICE WOULDN'T BE A THING FOR THE. SO THEN IT'S JUST THEIR THEIR AVERAGE INCREASE WAS. WELL, THE INCREASE IN. OBVIOUSLY, AS YOU ALL AS EVERYONE'S AWARE, HEALTH CARE COSTS HAVE SKYROCKETED. AND THEY'RE NO DIFFERENT THAN MUNICIPAL SIDE WITH THE INSIDE OUTSIDE CAP, WE'VE GOT A LITTLE MORE WIGGLE ROOM TO TO PUSH THE ENVELOPE TO HELP. THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET IS PUBLISHED. CORRECT. THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET IS PUBLISHED. CORRECT.

IT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION. SO IT'S PRETTY TRANSPARENT. RIGHT. OKAY. SO WE WE TEND NOT TO AGAIN, IT'S IT'S THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS ITS OWN BUDGET. IT'S NOT THE BUDGET WE SIMPLY COLLECT ON THEIR BEHALF. RIGHT. OKAY. SO FOR THE, FOR, FOR THE TAX QUESTION, THE INFORMATION IS OUT THERE THAT IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET, IT'S PUBLIC INFORMATION.

IT'S POSTED ON THEIR WEBSITE. I ALSO SUGGEST ATTENDING A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING IN TERMS OF THE TOWNSHIP'S BUDGETING TAX INCREASE WAS, I BELIEVE, AROUND TWO AND A CHANGE RIGHT THEN THIS PAST YEAR. AND YOU'LL BE SEEING THAT IN IN THE 2027 FOR WHAT THE SCHOOL BOARD KNOW FOR FOR THE TOWNSHIP. YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH. JANET, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION NOW. YOU GOT ME CONFUSED. I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS A SET PERCENTAGE TO THE TOWN AND TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. ARE YOU SAYING THAT PERCENTAGE CHANGES CHANGES EVERY YEAR? IT DEPENDS ON THE BUDGETS. DEPENDS ON THE SCHOOL BOARD REQUIREMENTS. OKAY. I ALWAYS THOUGHT I ALWAYS THOUGHT WE GOT LIKE, WHATEVER IT WAS, 20 SOMETHING PERCENT. SO SO OUR IT CHANGES THREE INDEPENDENT BUDGETS. YEAH. THEY GET ADDED TOGETHER AND THEN DIVIDE IT UP. OKAY. SO IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A SET AMOUNT. GREAT DISCUSSION EVERYONE ABOUT THE, THE DATA CENTER. JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS.

I'LL I'LL TALK FOR WHAT THE WAY THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE KIND OF CAME UP WITH 50. THE STATE OF NEW YORK IS PASSING A 50 MEGAWATT BY BY ORDER OF THE GOVERNOR MORATORIUM. THE MORATORIUM IN MAHWAH IS IS INDEFINITE UNTIL WE GET INFORMATION FROM THE PLANNING BOARD, AS WE'VE REQUESTED. THEY HAVE. THEY HAVE UNTIL, I THINK, IN THE ORDINANCE WE PUT UNTIL THE END OF JUNE TO GIVE US THAT REPORT, AT WHICH POINT THE COUNCIL WILL MAKE A DECISION WHATEVER WHOEVER THE MEMBERS OF THAT COUNCIL ARE, IF THEY WANT TO LIFT THE MORATORIUM, CHANGE THE MORATORIUM, MAKE IT A DIFFERENT NUMBER, WHATEVER. 50 WAS A NUMBER THAT, BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE TOWNSHIP CURRENTLY, EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT THE STOCK

[00:40:01]

SO YOU WANT A QUICK ANSWER. THEY MAY PUT A COUPLE 50 OR LESS DATA CENTERS AROUND, BUT THEY'RE MASSIVE AI DATA CENTERS TYPICALLY ARE 75. THERE'S ONE IN INDIANA THAT'S LIKE 300, RIGHT? OUR PLAN IS WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO PUT INTO PLACE HERE IS PUT A LINE IN THE SAND, LET THE EXPERTS WEIGH IN IT, ASK OUR PLANNING BOARD TO LOOK AT OUR OUR MASTER PLAN AND SAY, WHAT WORKS FOR MAHWAH, WHAT RULES PEOPLE TALK ABOUT WHAT KIND OF CIRCULATION AND COOLING AGREE 100%. WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE PLANNING BOARD TO GIVE US ALL THAT INFORMATION AND AND REPORT WHAT THEY THINK IS BEST FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF MAHWAH. THIS MORATORIUM WILL GO INTO EFFECT WITHIN 40 DAYS OF PASSING. THERE ARE NO. TO BE VERY CLEAR, THERE'S NO THERE ARE NO PLANS FOR DATA CENTER. NOW, I MEAN, THIS IS PURELY HYPOTHETICAL. THIS IS JUST GETTING AHEAD OF THE GETTING AHEAD OF WHAT MAY HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. SOMEBODY ASKED ABOUT THE DATA CENTER BEING ALLOWED UNDER THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WHEN THAT PASSED ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, THE THE HYPER DATA CENTER WASN'T THE ISSUE THAT IT IS NOW. IT REALLY WASN'T. WE WERE THINKING A DATA CENTER, LIKE I THINK A NEW YORK STOCK STYLE DATA CENTER AT. IN MY MIND, THAT CROSSROADS WOULD BE FANTASTIC. I INVITE NASDAQ TO PUT THEIR DATA CENTER HERE.

IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL. THERE'S NO TRAFFIC. THERE'S NO IMPACT TO THE ENVIRONMENT OTHER THAN WHAT THEY'RE DOING ALREADY. MR. MAY AND THE MAYOR TOURED THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE DATA CENTER. THEY CAN ANSWER QUESTIONS IN THE FUTURE. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW IT WORKS. THEY HAVE A CLOSED LOOP COOLING SYSTEM. IT'S A RELATIVELY QUIET UNIT. I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER HEARD A SINGLE COMPLAINT ABOUT THAT BUILDING IN MY TIME ON COUNCIL. I TOURED IT TOO. YEAH, OKAY. JANET WAS THERE TOO, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYBODY HAS EVER COMPLAINED FROM THE FROM A RESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE. SO WE WE REALLY WANT TO DO IS ALLOW SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AGAIN, SOMEONE ALSO MENTIONED ABOUT THEY CAN KEEP GROWING. THE 50 MEGAWATT LIMIT IS FOR THE SITE FOR ANY PROPERTY. SO YOU CAN'T. YOU MIGHT HAVE YOU START WITH 20 AND GO TO 50, BUT YOU CAN'T GO ABOVE 50. THE ORDINANCE IS VERY CLEAR IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, OWNERSHIP RIGHTS AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IN OTHER LLC, WE REALLY THINK WE WE NAILED THAT WITH THE LEGAL TEAM AND MAKING SURE THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE ALLOWED. THIS IS JUST FOR INTRODUCTION.

WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT ADOPTING IT TONIGHT. ONCE WE INTRODUCE, WE HOPE TO HAVE AN ADOPTION MEETING IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS, AND THERE'LL BE PLENTY OF TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR MORE QUESTIONS. BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THE DATA CENTER LIES AT THIS POINT AND THE RATIONALE BEHIND IT. GEORGE WAS ON THE ON THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE, MR. WONG, AS WELL. IF I MISS ANYTHING, YOU GUYS WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? NO. I THINK EVERYONE HAS TO REALIZE, TOO, THAT ALONG WITH THESE LIMITS, THAT THEY DO HAVE TO MEET OTHER CURRENT ZONING AND BULK REQUIREMENTS.

SO TO EXPAND TO A CERTAIN LIMIT IS GOING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE. RIGHT. JONATHAN, DO YOU WANT TO ADD AS AN ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEMBER? NO, NOTHING FROM ME. I MEAN, THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK PUT INTO THIS. AND ACTUALLY, I WANT TO THANK OUR PROFESSIONALS COUNCIL PRESIDENT GEORGE, REALLY, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THE TIME AND EFFORT INTO THIS. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR TOWNSHIP. ONE THING I DID WANT, IF WE CAN DISCUSS IT, THE PLANNING BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS, AS IT IS CURRENTLY SAYS MARCH 31ST. DID WE CHANGE THAT? WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THAT IN THE ORDINANCE, BECAUSE WHEN WE STARTED THE ORDINANCE BACK IN JUNE, WE THOUGHT THAT'D BE ENOUGH TIME. SO NOW THAT WE'RE ADOPTING NOW, WE WOULD BE ASKING, YOU KNOW, THE REST OF THIS YEAR IN SIX MONTHS. AND IF THEY NEED MORE TIME, THAT'S FINE. YEAH. THEY JUST THEY WOULD JUST LET US KNOW. EXACTLY. YEAH. BUT YOU KNOW, THANK YOU TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THIS. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR TOWNSHIP. AND I WANTED TO ADD ONE POINT TO KIND OF EASE PEOPLE'S MINDS. THIS IS NOT A PERMITTED USE. NOW, REGARDLESS OF WHEN THIS IS ADOPTED, EVEN THOUGH YOUR CODE DOES NOT LIST IT CURRENTLY AS A PROHIBITED USE, THERE'S WELL ESTABLISHED CASE LAW BY OUR COURTS THAT IF A USE IS NOT LISTED AS A PERMITTED USE, IT IS INFERRED TO BE A PROHIBITED USE, SO IT IS CURRENTLY NOT ALLOWED. YOUR CODE IS SORT OF INTERESTING BECAUSE IT REFERS TO, I BELIEVE, COMPUTATIONAL CENTERS, WHICH IS SUPER OUTDATED. SO A BIG PART OF THIS IS ADDING THOSE DEFINITIONS WHICH ARE GOING TO HELP THE TOWNSHIP IN THE FUTURE, IN WHATEVER FORM THIS ENDS UP TAKING. SO THANK YOU. CLARIFY. SURE. WE'LL SEE. WE'LL SEE IF

[00:45:07]

[ PUBLIC MEETING]

[ APPROVAL OF BILLS AND CLAIMS]

[ APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES]

MRS. YES. MR. WONG. MR. FERGUSON. ABSTAIN. REPORTS OF TOWNSHIP COUNCIL. MUNICIPAL

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

CONGRATULATIONS TO MARY BETH DUFFY AND ANDREA D'ALESSIO, OUR REC DIRECTOR AND ASSISTANT FOR SPEARHEADING THIS AND CHANGING THINGS UP A LITTLE BIT. AND I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY THE BEST DAY EVER. AND THAT'S THE END OF MY REPORT. THANK YOU, MR. ERVIN. YES, I ALSO ATTENDED THE MEET THE CANDIDATES NIGHT AT THE LIBRARY. IT WAS QUITE INTERESTING DAY. FANTASTIC AS ALWAYS. BEST DAY OF THE YEAR. WE ALREADY STARTED THE COUNTDOWN, RIGHT? ALREADY? RIGHT, BEN? YES, WE HAVE OKAY PLANNING BOARD MEETING. THIS LAST ONE WAS CANCELED DUE TO NO APPLICATIONS BEING IN FRONT OF US. AND TOMORROW IN THE SENIOR CENTER, THERE IS GOING TO BE COFFEE WITH THE CANDIDATES AT 2 P.M. SO IF YOU'RE A SENIOR AND YOU REMEMBER THE SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER, I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU GO GET TO MEET THE CANDIDATES WHO ARE GOING TO BE RUNNING FOR OFFICE THIS YEAR. AND THAT IS MY REPORT. MR. MAY, THANK YOU. I ALSO ATTENDED THE LIBRARY'S MEET THE CANDIDATES EVENT ON OCTOBER 1ST. LET'S SEE. I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO MY DAY, OCTOBER 7TH, MYSELF AND ADMINISTRATOR KUCZMARSKI WERE ABLE TO GET A TOUR OF THE UPS BUILDING AND THEIR AND THEIR DATA CENTER GOT A LOT OF LOT GOT A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION THAT I THINK CAN BE USEFUL AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS PROCESS. THANK YOU TO THEM FOR THE FOR THE TOUR ON FRIDAY THE NINTH, I ATTENDED THE CLAP OUT FOR OFFICER ZITO POLICE DEPARTMENT. BEST OF LUCK TO HIM ON HIS RETIREMENT. AND THEN ON SATURDAY THE 10TH, I ATTENDED ACCESS FOR ALL SOCCER. OH, IN THE NINTH. ALSO, I VOLUNTEERED IN THE HIGH SCHOOL SNACK BAR FOR THE FOOTBALL GAME. SO MY DAY LAST WEEK STARTED OUT ACTUALLY FRIDAY NIGHT. GOOD VIBES WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL TEAM BEATING RAMSEY. GO BIRDS, GO BIRDS T T BIRDS, THAT IS. AND THEN TO TO ECHO COUNCILMAN DENNIGAN. CONGRATULATIONS TO MARYBETH DUFFY AND ANDREA D'ALESSIO. I AGREE, I THINK THAT WAS THAT WAS THE GREATEST DAY I, I, I TOLD MARY BETH WHEN I SAW HER AFTER AFTER THE EVENT THAT I THOUGHT THE THE THE FEW TWEAKS THAT WERE MADE WERE PHENOMENAL. AND WE SHOULD WE SHOULD CONTINUE THEM. YOU KNOW, I WAS THERE FROM 630 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 830 AT NIGHT, AND I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT AND GLAD TO SEE ALL THE PEOPLE THAT

[00:50:02]

THANK YOU DPW FOR BEING THERE. AND LATER THAT DAY I DID SOME RECON ON BEHALF OF THE FAM COMMITTEE AND ATTENDED ART IN THE PARK AT VAN SAUN COUNTY PARK. THE COUNTY SUPPLIES THE SIX BY SIX WOODEN MEDAL AND RACKS FOR THE ARTISTS, AND THE CREATIVES ARE TASKED WITH BRINGING THEIR ART. AND THAT IS MY REPORT. THANK YOU, MR. WONG. THANK YOU. TUESDAY TO WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH TO 30TH, I ATTENDED THE GOVERNOR'S CONFERENCE OF HOUSING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. GOOD TO HEAR FROM THE GOVERNOR ON THEIR ON HER UPCOMING HOUSING POLICY AS WELL AS THE VARIOUS STATE AGENCIES ON AVAILABLE PROGRAMS, SEMINARS, RESOURCES TO SMALL BUSINESSES, MUNICIPALITIES. HOPEFULLY I OR I WILL FOLLOW UP WITH THE COUNCIL ON OTHER THINGS THAT I'VE LEARNED AND OTHER RESOURCES THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE TOWNSHIP ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1ST. I ATTENDED MEET THE CANDIDATES NIGHT. GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF THE CANDIDATES. WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST. AND THEN OCTOBER 3RD. SATURDAY I ATTENDED MAHWAH DAY.

IT WAS A FANTASTIC DAY. I WAS LATE, BUT I WAS THERE FOR THE END AND I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE MARY BETH, THE REC DIRECTOR, REC COMMITTEE, ALL THE VOLUNTEERS, EMS, POLICE, FIRE, EVERY SINGLE PERSON INVOLVED IN IT WHO MADE IT SUCH A FANTASTIC DAY FOR OUR TOWNSHIP. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I KNOW IT WAS ENJOYED BY EVERYONE AND THAT IS MY REPORT, MR. FERGUSON. YES. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO START BY THANKING ALL TOWNSHIP EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS. I MISSED THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING. IT WAS BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT AT RAMAPO RIDGE, WHICH I ATTENDED. SINCE THE LAST MEETING, I'VE ATTENDED AN ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, BUSY ORDINANCE COMMITTEE AGENDA MEETING. I ATTENDED THE MEET THE CANDIDATES NIGHT AT THE LIBRARY WITH MR. MAY. I SERVED AT THE HIGH SCHOOL SNACK BAR LAST WEEKEND AND THEN. YOU REALLY CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT IT. I THINK IT WAS FANTASTIC. I THINK EVERYONE INVOLVED DID A FANTASTIC JOB. I THINK ONE OF THE BEST THINGS WE'VE DONE AS A COUNCIL OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IS ACTUALLY BRING IN A FULL TIME PERSON TO RUN RECREATION, AND THEN CHOOSING MARY BETH BY ADMINISTRATION WAS THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE ROLE. SHE'S JUST DONE A FANTASTIC JOB, NOT WITH JUST ME, BUT EVERYTHING SHE'S PUT HER FINGERS ON HAS JUST GONE AMAZINGLY BETTER THAN IT HAS BEFORE, AND IT KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER. JUST A TON OF THANKS TO HER STAFF.

IT MAKES THE TOWN LOOK GREAT TO HAVE EVENTS LIKE THAT. THE RESIDENTS LOVE IT. SO JUST JUST A LOT OF KUDOS TO THEM AND EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED IN VOLUNTEERING THE POLICE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, EVERYONE WHO SHOWED UP, EMS, CERT, EVERYONE DID A GREAT JOB TO MAKE IT A FANTASTIC DAY AND JUST I CAN'T THANK EVERYONE ENOUGH. AND THAT IS MY REPORT. MAYOR. THANK YOU.

[ REPORTS OF MAYOR and BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR]

[00:55:02]

I JUST WANT TO ENSURE THE TOWNSHIP THAT THIS IS NOT GOING TO GO SOMETHING THAT'S GO HAYWARD. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK INTO THIS. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE IT'S DONE RIGHT, AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE INPUT OF THE TOWN PEOPLE. YOU PEOPLE RUN THE TOWN AND IT'S OUR JOB TO LISTEN TO YOU JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, ENSURE THAT WHAT WE DO IS GOING TO BE FOR THE TOWNSHIP AND WE'LL DO THE RIGHT THING. THAT'S MY REPORT. THANK YOU, MR. KUCZMARSKI. WELL, EVERYONE SAID IT, SO I'LL TALK ABOUT MAHWAH DAY AS WELL TO START THE WEEKEND OFF, BEATING RAMSEY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SIX YEARS BRINGS SUCH GREAT JOY TO MY HEART, ESPECIALLY THAT IT WAS THEIR ALUMNI DAY OR ALUMNI NIGHT, AND THEN THEIR RAMSEY DAY WAS THE FOLLOWING DAY, SO THEIR WHOLE WEEKEND WAS RUINED. AND WE HAD PERFECT, BEAUTIFUL WEATHER. WE HAD ALL THE PEOPLE, ALL THE VENDORS. I THINK IT WAS LIKE 40 DEGREES AND RAINY OVER THERE. BUT WE HAD A PERFECT DAY.

AND MARY BETH AND ANDREA AND THE REC COMMITTEE REALLY JUST DID AN AMAZING JOB. THE LEVEL OF ORGANIZATION AT THIS POINT IS THE POINT WHERE THE DAY BEFORE MAHWAH DAY AT NOON, WE'RE READY TO GO. AND THAT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE, BUT IT'S AMAZING TO WATCH OUR DPW GETTING EVERYTHING DONE, OUR EMERGENCY SERVICES, CERT, AMBULANCE, THE POLICE THAT WERE THERE ALL DAY KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE. THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE AND ALL EVERY VENDOR. I WALKED UP AND DOWN FOR A FEW HOURS, AND EVERY VENDOR WAS EXCITED TO SEE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE, THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC THEY WERE GETTING, THE AMOUNT OF BUSINESS THEY WERE GETTING, AND THEN INTO THE BANDS. I MEAN, WE HAD BON JOVI, BON JOVI OR BILLY JOEL, BUT IT MIGHT AS WELL HAVE BEEN. AND AGAIN, BACK TO TO KJ ELECTRONICS. I MEAN, THAT SOUND SYSTEM WAS WAS SET UP THREE DAYS BEFORE, IF THAT. SO HE CAME IN JUST IN TIME. IT'S THE BEST IT SOUNDED. IT'S THE BEST IT'S LOOKED. AND WHAT WAS AMAZING AND THANKS TO OUR DPW MONDAY AFTERNOON THE FIELD WAS LINED. IT LOOKED BEAUTIFUL. SOCCER WAS HAPPENING. SOCCER WAS HAPPENING FULLY LIKE EVERY FIELD WAS FULL AND WAS ALL LINED AND LOOKED LIKE NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. SO JUST KUDOS TO ALL, EVERY TOWNSHIP PERSON THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THIS. BUT IT WAS A GREAT TIME. BUT SOMEHOW WE'LL MAKE IT BIGGER AND BETTER NEXT YEAR, I PROMISE. THANK YOU,

[ PUBLIC PORTION]

MOVING FORWARD IS THE DEVELOPER, EVEN WHILE YOU'RE DOING THE RESEARCH, IS THE DEVELOPER ALLOWED TO BUILD UNDER 50MW AT THIS TIME? IS THAT OR WHEN YOU PASS THE ORDINANCE TONIGHT, WILL THAT BE APPROVED? OH THAT'S RIGHT. YOU ANSWER LATER. YEAH. SORRY. THANK YOU. ANYBODY

[01:00:12]

IT'S TRANSPARENT FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SEE IT. IF SOMEONE HAS AN INDIVIDUAL SPECIFIC QUESTION, THEY CAN EMAIL ANY ONE OF US AND WE WILL TRY TO FIND AN ANSWER FOR THEM. BUT I'M NOT GOING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS OFF THE CUFF IN A COUNCIL MEETING WITH QUESTIONS LIKE THAT, BECAUSE I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN ANSWER CORRECTLY. SO I'M NOT BEING DISMISSIVE. BUT IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION, ASK THE RIGHT PEOPLE THE RIGHT WAY. THIS ISN'T THE VENUE TO ANSWER YOUR TAX. QUESTION OF WHY THE SCHOOL TAX IS UP 5%. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER AND THAT'S 100% TRUE. NOW, IF YOU WANT ME TO FIND AN ANSWER FOR YOU, I CAN EMAIL YOU. I'LL LOOK IT UP AND FIGURE OUT WHY. BUT I'M NOT GOING TO. I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN ANSWER TONIGHT. NO ONE UP HERE.

MAYBE BEN CAN, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO PUT BEN ON THE SPOT AS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER BECAUSE HE'S SERVING AS AN ADMINISTRATOR TONIGHT. BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THERE ARE AT LEAST FIVE PUBLIC MEETINGS WITH PRESENTATIONS DETAILING EVERY LINE OF THE BUDGET. THE REASON FOR THE INCREASES, THE INCREASES, AND THEY'RE ALL ONLINE, SO YOU CAN STILL GO LOOK AT THEM. YEAH, IT'S ALL VIDEOED. EVERYTHING. EVERY MEETING WE HAVE IS VIDEOTAPED.

THE MINUTES ARE OUT THERE. SO TO COME TO A COUNCIL MEETING AND SAY WE'RE NOT BEING TRANSPARENT IS 100% INCORRECT. AND I WILL NOT, I WON'T, I WON'T LET IT SLIDE. I WON'T LET IT SLIDE. THE INFORMATION IS THERE FOR THE PUBLIC IF THEY WANT TO GO GET IT. YOU KNOW, WE CAN HOLD HANDS ONLY SO MUCH. IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC QUESTION, YOU CAN EMAIL ME DIRECTLY. I WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. I THINK I DO IT FOR ANYBODY THAT ASKS A QUESTION. I'LL GIVE YOU AN ANSWER IN 48 HOURS, BUT I CAN'T ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IN A COUNCIL MEETING ABOUT A SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET OR WHY YOUR TAXES FOR SCHOOL ARE HIGHER. I CAN'T ASK ME ABOUT THE TOWN BUDGET. I CAN TALK ABOUT THAT ALL DAY LONG. I CAN PULL THAT INFORMATION UP RIGHT NOW. BUT

[ ORDINANCE INTRODUCTION]

I'LL SECOND THAT. ANY DISCUSSION BEFORE INTRODUCTION? SURE. I HAVE NUMEROUS QUESTIONS.

GO FOR IT. JUST REMEMBER THIS IS INTRODUCTION. I MEAN, I STILL HAVE NUMEROUS QUESTIONS.

I'M SORRY. OF COURSE. OKAY. ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS THAT I'M LOOKING AT, I BELIEVE IT'S ORDINANCE 236 FOR THE CROSSROADS. AND I'M LOOKING AT SECTION. I JUST LOOKED THIS UP.

[01:05:03]

WOULD HE HAVE GROUNDS TO SUE US FOR THIS IF HE DECIDED THAT SUE'S NOT THEIR ATTORNEY? YEAH.

RIGHT. I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THE AGREEMENT. I CAN'T JUST GIVE YOU AN OFF THE CUFF ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, THAT'S MY FIRST QUESTION. AND, YOU KNOW, I DO AGREE THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING, AND THIS IS BETTER THAN NOT DOING ANYTHING. MY NEXT QUESTION IS I WAS READING TONIGHT, AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF SOMEBODY COULD CLARIFY THIS FOR ME. ABOUT A NEW FEDERAL. I THINK IT'S A LAW ABOUT STARTING IN MARCH 2017, ABOUT 27 PROBABLY. RIGHT. I MEANT 27. I'M SORRY. YEAH, I DID. I SAID IT WRONG. I MEANT 27. WHAT? SORRY. OKAY. I MADE A MISTAKE. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES. I KNOW. I AGREE. ALL RIGHT. SO ANYWAY, SO STARTING IN MARCH 2027 THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS REQUIRING DATA CENTERS OF 50MW OR GREATER TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEIR OWN ENERGY IN CASE, BECAUSE, BECAUSE AND AND I'VE ALSO READ THAT IF YOU GET OVER 50MW, THAT'S USUALLY NUCLEAR ENERGY.

AND THAT TO ME IS A SCARY THING. AND I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING A LOT OF ENERGY HERE. I KNOW I DON'T WANT TO SEE NUCLEAR IN IOWA. NO, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY. BUT I THINK IT'S A 50 TO BE VERY FRANK. YES. THIS LIMITS OF 50/50 OVER. YEAH. BUT BUT WE'RE RIGHT ON THE BORDERLINE THERE. WE'RE RIGHT. I DON'T KNOW IF I SAID OVER 50. YEAH I KNOW BUT YEAH. SO IT'S 50. BUT 51 IS NUCLEAR ENERGY BECAUSE THEY DO 51. I KNOW, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS COULD WE THINK ABOUT MAYBE LOWERING THIS JUST A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE'RE RIGHT ON THE THRESHOLD THERE OF WHEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO START SWITCHING OVER TO NUCLEAR. WHEN WE GET TO THE ADOPTION, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT. ALL RIGHT. FOR SURE, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY KIND OF. YEAH. TO BE VERY FRANK, I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY POWER GENERATION AT ALL AT THIS SITE. I THINK, YEAH, I DON'T EITHER. THAT'S WHY 50 IS. SO IT'S RIGHT. IT'S RIGHT ON. YOU AND I ARE ON THE SAME PAGE.

ALL RIGHT. WELL, I'D LIKE TO SEE IT LOWERED. I AGREE WITH SOME OF THE SPEAKERS OUT HERE THAT I THINK THAT 50MW IS TOO HIGH. AND AND I'D LIKE TO SEE IT LOWERED MY. DO YOU UNDERSTAND OUR CONCERN, THOUGH, AS A TOWN THAT HAS A RATHER LARGE DATA CENTER ALREADY. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR THAT OUR CURRENT CORPORATE RESIDENTS AREN'T IMPACTED BY A, A ORDINANCE THAT WOULD PUT THEM OUT OF BEING IN TOWN. I LOOKED IT UP AND IT SAYS THAT OUR CURRENT DATA CENTER IS. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT OPERATIONAL CAPACITY IS, BUT IT'S 2.2MW OPERATIONAL CAPACITY, BUT IT SAYS IT HAS UP TO A 32 MEGAWATT DRAW FROM THE GRID. SO I'M ASSUMING IS THAT 32MW CORRECT. OKAY. SO WE HAVE 32MW RIGHT NOW AT THE AT AT THE DATA CENTER THAT WE HAVE ON. OR IS IT MACARTHUR? SO I MEAN, COULD WE THINK ABOUT LOWERING IT TO MAYBE THE SAME LEVEL AS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW? SO WE'RE NOT OUTLAWING THEM, BUT NOT GOING, YOU KNOW, SO I'LL TELL YOU WHAT WE THIS IS ALL FOR, FOR ADOPTION. WE CAN DISCUSS THIS AND PUT AMENDMENTS ON IT AS MUCH AS YOU WANT. THE REASON WHY THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE SETTLED ON 50 IS THAT THE DATA CENTER THAT'S THERE CURRENTLY, IF THEY EVER WANT TO EXPAND, WE

[01:10:02]

ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. WELL, I'D STILL LIKE TO SEE IT LOWERED A LITTLE BIT. AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE COULD ADDRESS WATER IN THIS? BECAUSE THE DATA CENTER, WHICH I HAD A TOUR OF, HAS A CLOSED SYSTEM THERE. WE DON'T THEY REUSE THE WATER AND IT LOOPS AROUND. IS THERE ANY WAY THAT YOU COULD MAKE THAT PART OF THIS ORDINANCE THAT, I MEAN, SINCE YOU'RE LIMITING IT FOR MEGAWATTS, CAN YOU ALSO LIMIT IT THAT THEY CAN'T? THEY HAVE TO HAVE A CLOSED SYSTEM. ANY DATA CENTERS COMING INTO MAHWAH HAVE TO HAVE A CLOSED SYSTEM FOR WATER USE THAT THEY CAN'T JUST KEEP DRAWING WATER. THEY HAVE TO RECIRCULATE. CAN WE SO CAN YOU LOOK INTO THAT FOR US? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S I MEAN, THIS ORDINANCE ONLY APPLIES TO GREATER. SORRY. SORRY ABOUT THAT. THIS ORDINANCE ONLY ADDRESSES 5050 OR OVER. SO IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE YOUR. IF YOU WANT TO GET INTO DIFFERENT AMOUNTS, YOU KNOW THAT'S MORE FOR THE FUTURE. WELL, 50 OR MORE. I MEAN, YOU DEFINITELY WANT A CLOSED SYSTEM. I MEAN, YOU'RE TALKING GIGANTO DATA CENTER THERE. WAIT OH, WAIT, YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE BANNING THEM. SO. CORRECT. OKAY. SO YOU DON'T YOU'RE NOT YOU'RE NOT PUTTING RESTRICTIONS UNDER 50, RIGHT. YEAH. THEY'RE ALREADY NOT PERMITTED. BUT THIS IS JUST SORT OF I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE A PLANNING BOARD FUNCTION. THEY COULD REQUIRE A CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM. WHY DO YOU KEEP SAYING THEY'RE NOT PERMITTED. THEY'RE PERMITTED AT THE AT THE CROSSROADS THEY ARE PERMITTED BECAUSE WHAT I SAID BEFORE WAS GENERALLY IN YOUR CODE, BECAUSE DATA CENTERS GREATER THAN 50MW ARE NOT LISTED AS A PERMITTED USE. THEY ARE INFERRED TO BE NOT PERMITTED GENERALLY, EXCEPT AT THE CROSSROADS WHERE THEY ARE PERMITTED. WELL, YEAH, BUT THAT'S A REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. YEAH. AND IT'S NOT SPECIFIED. SO WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO GET LOOK, WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DO IS BE SPECIFIC OF WHAT WE'RE ALLOWING OR NOT ALLOWING. THAT'S THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR HERE. AND I THINK THIS IS A FIRST STEP IN DOING THAT AND GIVING THE PLANNING BOARD THE, THE LATITUDE TO COME BACK AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE SHOULD DO. AND LOOK, EVEN AS WE'RE DOING THIS, THE STATE MIGHT COME IN, SUPERSEDE US ANYWAY, AND SAY, THESE ARE THE LIMITS FROM THE STATE. THE HIGHLANDS COMMISSION MAY SUPERSEDE US AND SAY, THESE ARE THE LIMITS FOR THE HIGHLANDS. AND WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM. AND HONESTLY, THE HIGHLANDS SAID 50 WAS THE NUMBER. WE ALREADY TALKED TO THE HIGHLANDS OF WHAT THEY WERE THINKING. SO I'M NOT SAYING THEY WILL DO THE 50, BUT THE NUMBER. WE GOT BACK WHEN OUR PLANNER TALKED TO THE HIGHLANDS PLANNING COMMISSION WAS THEY WERE LOOKING AROUND THE 50 MEGAWATT LIMIT FOR THEM AS WELL. BUT AGAIN, THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING YET. SO UNTIL THEY DO SOMETHING THAT'S HEARSAY, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? ALL RIGHT. WELL, AGAIN, I, I DON'T WANT TO SEE NUCLEAR POWER IN MAUI EITHER. SO I JUST HAVE TO I DON'T THINK ANYONE ON THIS DAIS WANTS NUCLEAR POWER. WELL, 50MW, THAT'S WHEN YOU START SWITCHING OVER. SO YOU'RE RIGHT AT THE RIGHT AT THE BORDERLINE THERE. OKAY. SO I GUESS THAT'S ALL MY QUESTIONS FOR NOW. I'D LIKE TO SEE IT LOWERED. I MEAN, I IF YOU'RE GOING TO JUST A LITTLE BIT, EVEN JUST LOWER IT A LITTLE. I MEAN, 50 IS THE MAX BEFORE YOU START USING LIKE YOUR OWN ENERGY BEFORE THEY'RE REQUIRED TO PRODUCE THEIR OWN ENERGY. AND TO BE FRANK, I THINK A LOT OF A LOT OF DATA CENTERS MAKE THEIR OWN ENERGY NOW ARE ACTUALLY USING DIESEL GENERATORS, AND THEY'RE USING NATURAL GAS GENERATORS. THEY'RE ACTUALLY VERY HIGH POLLUTANTS. WE DON'T WANT THAT AT ALL. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ADDRESSING IT AT THIS NUMBER AS WELL. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. I. NOW DO YOU WANT TO WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. DO YOU WANT TO ADD THOSE NOW? YES, YES. COUNCIL PRESIDENT THANK YOU. I JUST NEED TO MAKE TWO SMALL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE ORDINANCE. ONE IS TO CHANGE THE PLANNING BOARD DATE. I BELIEVE THE COPY I HAVE IS MARCH 31ST. YES, WE'RE CHANGING THAT TO JUNE 30TH. THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH. AND THEN ON PAGE FIVE UNDER THE DEFINITION FOR AGGREGATION,

[01:15:01]

ANY OTHER COMMENTS. QUESTIONS, MR. DONEGAN? YEAH. I WANT TO SAY THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE DID A GOOD JOB WITH WITH THIS ORDINANCE PROPOSED ORDINANCE. YOU KNOW, AND I LIKE SECTION TWO FOR THE STUDY. IT BRINGS YOU TO REALITY BECAUSE IN MY OPINION, THIS IS MY OPINION. I THINK IT'S LIKE A ME TOO ORDINANCE, LIKE EVERYBODY'S AGAINST IT. AND WHY ARE THEY REALLY AGAINST IT? NOBODY REALLY KNOWS BECAUSE IT EVEN SAYS IN THIS ORDINANCE, THERE'S NO ENGINEERING DATA AVAILABLE. SURVEY SAYS WE USE TOO MUCH WATER, USE TOO MUCH ELECTRICITY.

YOU HAVE TO THINK WHEN WHEN RUSSO CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF BUYING IN THE KEY PROPERTY TO BUILD THAT DATA CENTER, THEY PICKED MAHWAH FOR ONE REASON. THERE WERE TWO REASONS. WE HAD ABUNDANCE OF WATER AND WE HAD ABUNDANCE OF ELECTRICITY. THAT'S WHY THEY PICKED THE LOCATION. SO LIKE EVERYBODY SAYS, OH, WE USE IT TOO MUCH WATER. THE TECHNOLOGY NOW FOR THE COOLING SYSTEM, CLOSED LOOP SYSTEMS, THEY DON'T USE AS MUCH WATER AS EVERYBODY SAYS. AND THE SCENARIO THAT OUR ELECTRIC BILLS ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE ROOF. WHOEVER INCORPORATED THAT OR DESIGNED THAT AND PUT IT ON THE INTERNET HAS EVERYBODY THINKING THAT WE'RE GOING TO PAY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR ELECTRICITY BECAUSE THE DATA CENTER, THE DATA CENTER, DOESN'T WANT TO PAY A LOT OF MONEY FOR ELECTRICITY. SO THEY'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS, MORE EFFICIENCY LEVELS, STUFF LIKE THAT. JUST LIKE THEY DON'T WANT TO USE WATER, THEY REALLY DON'T WANT TO USE ANYTHING. THEY COULD GET IT FREE, YOU KNOW, THROUGH SOLAR POWER OR WHATEVER. AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NUCLEAR, JANET, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE PLACES IN MONTANA, IN THE DESERT SOMEWHERE THERE'S A HIGH POPULATION AREA. YOU CAN NEVER GET A PACKAGE. NUCLEAR POWER PLANT BUILT. THEY'RE NOT PLANTS. THEY'RE THEY'RE LIKE NUCLEAR, NUCLEAR GENERATORS. THEY'RE NOT WHOLE PLANTS. WE HAVE A HIGH POPULATION AREA. IT JUST WOULDN'T HAPPEN. THESE ARE THESE ARE GREAT GUARDRAILS. WE COULD CALL THEM. ALL RIGHT. BUT BUT THE STUDY IS REALLY GOING TO BE THE AS I SAY, WHAT'S WHAT'S INSIDE THE JAR. CORRECT.

AND THAT'S THAT'S GOING TO GIVE US THE ANSWER. BUT YOU KNOW, BARKING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE ALL OUR WATER AND WE'RE GOING TO ELECTRICITY IS GOING THROUGH THE ROOF. YOU KNOW, THE INTERNET, YOU JUST CAN'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ. BUT, BUT BECAUSE YOU GOTTA REMEMBER, THESE ARE BUSINESS PEOPLE. THEY'RE BUILDING SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO PROVIDE DATA AT A HIGH EFFICIENCY. THEY DON'T WANT TO BURN ONE MORE KILOWATT THAN THEY HAVE TO AND PAY FOR IT, OR A GALLON OF WATER. SO, BUT, BUT I THINK THIS IS A GREAT START.

AND SECTION TWO IS REALLY THE KEY. YEP. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE SEEING LIKE A ROLL CALL PLEASE? MR. EMMA? YES. MR. DUNNIGAN YES. MR. ERVIN. YES. MR. MAY. YES. MRS. POTTS. YES.

MR. WONG. YES. MR. FERGUSON. YES. AND WE'LL HAVE THAT ON THE 26TH. YES, PLEASE. FOR PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCE 2106 BOND ORDINANCE. THE TOWNSHIP AND COUNTY OF BERGEN PROVIDING FOR THE CANCELLATION OF BOND ORDINANCE 2069, FINALLY ADOPTED OCTOBER 20TH, 2025. HAVE A MOTION TO INTRODUCE THIS ORDINANCE SO MOVED. SECOND ROLL CALL, MR. EMMA. YES. MR. DUNNIGAN YES. MR. ERVIN. YES. MR. MAY. YES. MRS. PAZ. YES. MR. WONG. YES. MR. FERGUSON YES.

ORDINANCE 2107 ORDINANCE THE TOWNSHIP AND THE COUNTY OF BERGEN, NEW JERSEY, AMENDING ITS ENTIRETY. ORDINANCE 2062, FINALLY ADOPTED JULY 7TH, 2025 TO CHANGE THE SOURCE OF FUNDING FROM THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND TO THE CAPITAL FUND BALANCE. I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE TO INTRODUCE. SO MOVED. SECOND. DO YOU WANT TO DISCUSSION? DISCUSSION. YOU HAVE TO SAY THAT I'M GONNA DO A ROLL CALL. DISCUSSION. DISCUSSION, PLEASE. YES. BEN. YES. COULD YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND AND THE CAPITAL FUND BALANCE? SURE. THE HIGH LEVEL OF IT IS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND IS WHERE THE 5% DOWN PAYMENT COMES FROM FOR THE DEBT. WHEN WE ISSUE DEBT, WE'RE REQUIRED TO PUT OUT 5% OF THE AMOUNT. WE'RE TAKING OUT. THE CAPITAL FUND BALANCE IS JUST MONIES THAT ARE LEFT OVER FROM ORDINANCES AND WHATNOT THAT ARE JUST, IT'S JUST JUST, IT'S A FUND OF UNUSED DEBT THAT SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, WE CANCEL AND WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE A, WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE A RESOLUTION ON NEXT MEETING TO CANCEL SOME OF IT. BUT IT'S JUST REALLY JUST TAKING THE MONEY, TAKING THE MONEY OUT OF A DIFFERENT ACCOUNT AND IMPROVING THE SITUATION FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL. ANY DISCUSSION? ROLL CALL PLEASE. MISS. YES.

[01:20:03]

SAME. SAME DAY. YES, PLEASE. ORDINANCE 2108, AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWNSHIP OF MLAWA COUNTY OF BERGEN CITY, NEW JERSEY, REPEALING SUBSECTION 3-2 DOT TEN, BLOCKING FIRE ZONE LANES, FIRE HYDRANTS AND OR FIRE DEPARTMENT CONNECTIONS AND POLICE REGULATIONS, THE TOWNSHIP CODE AND REPLACING IT WITH UNIFORM FIRE LANE AND ZONE REGULATIONS UNDER SUBSECTION 7-3. PARKING. I HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE. MOTION SECOND. JUST REAL QUICK DISCUSSION, BEN.

THIS IS COMING FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THIS ACTUALLY ACTUALLY CAME UP THROUGH THE THROUGH COURT ADMINISTRATION, THE CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING BECAUSE FOR WHATEVER REASON, IN OUR CODE GOING WAY BACK, LIKE PARKING IN A FIRE ZONE OR FIRE LANES, ACTUALLY A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. SO GOOD. SO IF YOU GET A TICKET FOR THAT, IT'S ON YOUR CRIMINAL RECORD. OH, WOW. AND SO GOOD. I THINK WE GOT TO A POINT WHERE WE WEREN'T REALLY WRITING THESE TICKETS BECAUSE JAM SOMEONE UP, GOT TO GET, YOU KNOW, EXPUNGE ALL THIS STUFF BECAUSE YOU PARKED IN A FIRE LANE, YOU KNOW, NEXT TO DUNKIN DONUTS OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW? SO WHAT WAS INTERESTING IS GOING BACK AND READING THE, THE CODE. I MEAN, THE AD, IT LISTED INDIVIDUAL ADDRESSES FROM WAY BACK IN THE DAY. YEAH. SO IT WAS LIKE A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE OF LIKE 70S AND 80S MAHWAH.

SO WE'VE TAKEN THAT OUT AND JUST MADE IT A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF OUR OVERALL FIRE ZONES MARKED WHERE MARKED. AND IT ALSO GIVES THE FIRE OFFICIAL MIKEY ROWE THE ABILITY TO WRITE TICKETS AS WELL. YEAH. COOL. SO PERFECT. WE DID THAT FOR HANDICAPPED, I THINK, RIGHT.

YEAH. A COUPLE YEARS AGO. YEAH. ANYBODY ELSE? ROLL CALL PLEASE MISS. YES. MR. DONIGAN YES. MR. IRVIN. YES. MR. MAY. YES. MRS. YES. MR. WONG. YES. MR. FERGUSON. YES. ORDINANCE.

[ ORDINANCE PUBLIC HEARING]

[ CONSENT AGENDA]

LET'S MOVE THAT BODY AS A WHOLE. PLEASE. ROLL CALL, PLEASE, MR. YES. MR. YES. MR. IRVIN. YES.

MR. MAY. YES. MRS. PAZ. YES. MR. WONG. YES. MR. FERGUSON. YES. OLD BUSINESS. CAN WE

[ OLD BUSINESS]

I MEAN, I'LL HELP YOU IF YOU WANT. OKAY, THEN I HAVE ANOTHER ONE. BUT IT'S IT'S OLD BUSINESS, BUT IT'S NOT ON HERE, BUT IT'S OLD BUSINESS. AND THE OTHER ONE IS, WHAT ABOUT THE PARKING SPACES AT THE SENIOR CENTER? THE HANDICAPPED, THE HANDICAPPED ONES. I HAD MIKE KELLY START LOOKING INTO THAT. HE SHOULD GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO ME THIS WEEK. THERE'S PROBABLY A COUPLE MORE WE CAN ADD. GOOD. BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE WHOLE NO, NO, I THINK I THINK I THINK A COUPLE IS GOOD ENOUGH. THERE'S A COUPLE, FEW WE CAN ADD. OKAY. THANK YOU. WE'RE LOOKING INTO THAT IN THE WHERE PEOPLE NEED TO PARK TO ANY NEW

[ NEW BUSINESS]

[01:25:05]

THAT PLUS IT WAS A THREE DAY WEEKEND. YEAH. PLUS IT'S APPLE PICKING TIME. FALL FOLIAGE TIME.

I WOULD I WOULD ASK THOUGH, I WOULD ASK I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT TO REALIZE THAT THE STREETS AREN'T A PLAYGROUND FOR THEIR KIDS. YEAH. WELL I MEAN I WOULD, I WOULDN'T GO THAT FAR BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PLAY IN THE STREETS. BUT NO, BUT BUT BUT WHEN THINGS ARE GOING ON, BUT WHEN THINGS ARE GOING ON, YOU HAVE TO JUST BE COGNIZANT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING, RIGHT? THAT'S ALL I AGREE. BUT ALSO, I MEAN, I SAW SOME OF THE VIDEOS PEOPLE WERE FLYING DOWN THE STREETS. YEAH. I MEAN, I WOULD ASK IF THE POLICE, WHEN THEY WHEN THAT HAPPENS, PUT SOMETHING. WAIT, WAIT, THAT VIDEO THAT YOU SAW ON MEADOW LOOK LOOK LOOK LOOK LOOK AT THE PEOPLE IN THE BACKGROUND. THEY'RE WALKING ABOUT A THOUSAND MILES. ALL RIGHT. WELL SPED UP, BUT STILL, I'M NOT SAYING THERE WASN'T VOLUME, BUT STILL, WHEN THERE'S SIGNIFICANT CUT THROUGH LIKE THAT. YES, WE SHOULD SEND SOMEONE OVER. WE SHOULD. WE SHOULD PATROL THE CUTS OR SOMETHING CRAZY GOING ON, THAT'S ALL. BUT COUNCIL PRESIDENT, TO EVERYONE'S POINT, IF WE COULD JUST GET BACK TO BASICS AND IF THE FOLKS ARE UPSET, LET'S NOT HASH IT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. LET'S COME TO A COUNCIL MEETING, EMAIL ME, GET IT ON RECORD OR A PHONE CALL. I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I KNOW ALL THESE PEOPLE AND WHY THEY'RE NO ONE CALLED ME, I DON'T KNOW. ABOUT TRAFFIC, BEN. ARE WE PUTTING IN THE BUDGET? I MEAN, MIKE, I MEANT TO ASK MICHAEL. I WAS HERE THE, THE, THE TRAFFIC SITUATION OVER BY AIRMONT THAT'S COME UP A COUPLE TIMES THE CAN WE JUST MAKE SURE THE SIDEWALKS, THE SIDEWALKS, THE FLASHING LIGHTS, JUST THE GENERAL TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENT. LET'S JUST MAKE SURE WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR THAT IN BUDGET AND MAKE SURE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE THAT GRANT AGAIN, THAT INFORMATION IN GRANTS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. BUT JUST KNOW IT'S ON PEOPLE'S MINDS.

AGREED. I HAVE A NEW BUSINESS. I NEED ONE MORE MOTION, PLEASE. MOTION TO ADJOURN. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? A

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.