Council Meeting 9-4-2025

Can you kick us off with the flag
of the republic?
>> Welcome everybody to the city of Epicin
September 4th, 2025 council meeting.
Roll call, please.
>> Clark
>> here. Evans here
>> light
>> here.
>> Parker
>> here.
>> Sykes
>> here.
>> Dros
>> here.
>> This is to advise that certain advanced
notice has been given to the date, time,
location to the extent known the agenda
of this meeting in accordance with the
provisions of the open public meeting
act. The and notice of this meeting has
been posted prominently at the bulletin
board in the municipal complex lobby on
the city's website and communicated
through the newspaper designated by the
governing body. This is to further
advise that this meeting is being
recorded electronically and can be
viewed on the city's website at
obseenj.go.
>> All right. Well, clearly everyone's here
not to listen to our normal business.
So, Chief, you want to kick off the
presentation? Sure.
I want to thank everybody for coming. We
got so many great people here.
First off, I have to apologize to
the men and women of the FC Police
Department
as well. You know, we've had these
incidents in the past,
several different kinds of incidents and
administrative staff says, "Oh, we're
gonna have we're gonna have a night
where we're going to have a dinner where
we're going to have one special meeting
where we're going to announce these
things and unfortunately gets away from
us and it never gets done. So moving
forward so that the governing
everyone tonight come together not only
as a community but as witnesses to an
incredible power of courage, compassion,
and teamwork. We gather to honor real
life moments when people took action.
moment that made all the difference
in
the first pictures
that
talk about
July 25th officers responded to a call
on roof court inside the homeless and
Owen had just heard their father and
father-in-law Mr. Gregory fall. They
rushed to him and found him unconscious
in the living room. Without hesitation,
Douglas and Kristen began CPR.
A brave and selfless act. In a moment of
crisis, shortly after police officers
and members of the Galloway Township
Ambulance Squad arrived and continued
lifeaving
efforts
together, they worked as one team and
they succeeded in regaining the pulse.
Mr. Sep was transported to the hospital
where his life was extended for a few
more weeks. Though he ultimately passed
away, the actions taken that day gave
his family something truly meaningful.
Time to say goodbye to hold his hand and
begin the journey of healing with peace
in their hearts. Douglas and Kristen
Owen could not be with us tonight, but
they asked us to share their sincere
gratitude
to all who responded that day.
In their words, the efforts of our
police and EMS personnel gave them the
space to process their father and
father-in-law's passing with dignity and
grace.
It is our great honor to now recognize
these individuals who responded with
urgency, skill, and heart. Please join
us in honoring the following recipients
of the life saving award. The Gay
Township EMS personnel, Christina Caruso
and Adam Dean,
I've seen police officers Sergeant Levin
and Officer Daniel H.
Thank you for your bravery and for
giving the family a chance to say
goodbye.
[Applause]
All these pictures always get my bald
spot.
>> Just a day earlier on July 24th, the Abs
Police Department received a called to
respond to the Home Depot for an
unconscious individual.
Upon arrival, our officers and an
incredible team from the Ge Township
ambulance squad discovered a man in
medical distress inside his vehicle. But
before the first responders could even
begin their work, help had already
arrived. Retired Bender firefighter Phil
Bole, who happened to be at the scene,
did notesitate. He removed the man from
the vehicle, immediately assessed the
situation, and began without
a reminder that spirit of service never
retires.
Police officers quickly took over
initiating CPR and deploying AED,
working seamless coordination with Ge
Township EMS personnel. Together, they
administered lifeaving measures and
against the odds were able to regain a
pulse.
Thanks to the swift and skilled response
of everyone involved, the patient was
stabilized and transported to hospital
for further treatment.
And today we're incredibly proud to say
that that man, Mr. Richard Ever, is here
with us tonight, alive and well and
surrounded by his loving family.
[Applause]
This is more than just a success story.
It's a testament to the value of
training, to the readiness of our
emergency responders, and to the
importance of community where even an
offduty or retired professionals step up
without hesitation when someone is in
need. To Mr. Everett, we're so happy to
see you here. To Mr. Phil Bole, thank
you for being a hero when it matter
most.
To our officers and EMS personnel, your
commitment, courage, and professionalism
continue to make our community safer and
stronger every day. Let this moment
remind us all when we work together,
when we act with compassion and urgency,
we can make miracles happen. At this
time, we would like to recognize the
personnel who took part in this great
story.
Township EMS personnel
Anise de Janeiro,
Evan Foli,
Evan Hendrickson, and Tom Bailey.
Retired vendor fire officer, firefighter
Phil Bole, and police officers, Officer
Desan Bea,
Officer Michael Barbo, Officer Joyce
Lee, and Officer M.
Thank you all for your outstanding
service and your life saving that day.
[Applause]
These two incidents, just one day apart,
speak volumes about the dedication of
our first responders, the courage of
bystanders, and the strength of our
community. To the SEPA family,
we are thinking of you, Mr. Ever. We are
so grateful to see you here tonight. And
to all tonight's honores, your actions
save lives. comfort and reminded us of
the incredible people who serve our
community every single day. This is what
true service looks like. And thank you
all.
[Applause]
Thank you. everything and we've come a
long way in few short years. This is
culmination of a lot of work and we
really appreciate the partnership.
[Applause]
You guys
started.
Jump up there
in the back.
Is it good?
[Applause]
of course.
Thank you all for coming out. Um, we're
very proud of everyone that was
involved.
And, uh, if you would like to get out of
here before we start all the other
stuff, we'll take a quick, uh, break and
allow you to sneak out. Thank you.
meeting
agenda. All matters listed under item
consent agenda are considered to be
routine by the city council and will be
enacted by one motion in the form
listed. There will be no separate
discussion of these items. If discussion
is desired, that item may be removed
from the consent agenda and will be
discussed separately.
159 accepting the 2024 municipal audit.
160 accepting the 2024 audit corrective
action plan. 161 authorizing to
participate in the Bergen County
Cooperative System to purchase one 2025
Ford F550 cab and chassis crew cab
162 certifying the qualified
participants in the length of service
award program for these volunteer fire
department for the calendar year 2024.
63 authorizing to prorate, cancel, and
refund taxes for 2025 and prelim
preliminary of 2026 on the property
located at 704 had an app.
I hear a motion to open the meeting to
the public for agenda items only.
>> Second.
>> All in favor? Opposed? Would anybody
from the public like to speak specific
to these agenda items?
Do I hear a motion to close this meeting
to the public?
>> All in favor?
>> I opposed.
>> May I hear a motion to move the consent
agenda?
>> Second.
>> Roll call, please.
>> Clark,
>> yes.
>> Evans,
>> yes.
>> Light,
>> yes.
>> Parker,
>> yes.
>> Sykes,
>> yes. Approval of the bill list
2,787,98063.
May I hear a motion to accept the bill
list?
Roll call, please.
>> Clark,
>> yes.
>> Evans,
>> yes.
>> Yes.
>> Parker,
>> yes.
>> Sykes,
>> yes.
>> Yes. Approval of the minutes. Regular
meeting minutes 87 2025 and special
meeting minutes 822 2025. May I hear a
motion to accept the minutes?
>> Roll call, please.
>> Clark,
>> yes.
>> Evans,
>> yes.
>> White,
>> yes.
>> Parker,
>> yes.
>> Sykes,
>> yes.
>> Yes. Reports. Council committee reports.
I will start with Councilman
>> S.
Thank you, President.
So, we finished up the concerts in the
park this past month. Uh, another
successful summer of concerts.
Everything went really smooth.
Unfortunately, had a couple cancels due
to weather. I just want to give a shout
out to Pete Hickey. He did a really
great job organizing everything, being
there for all the Sundays, so I want to
make sure he's recognized as well as
public works making that um park is
cleaned up, you know, the debris,
anything like that from prior storms.
They do a great job making sure
everybody has a place to sit. Um, we had
a little issue with a bench in the park
uh underneath one of the pine trees that
was
forunately getting sap over it all over
the chair and making it unable. Uh,
working with public works and
Lloyd, we did a great job. We were able
to get that moved about 15 feet over
under an oak tree benches cleaned up. We
were able to do it in one bench, slab,
all the all the above. Um the five
ladies that were in on that bench were
extremely pleased, happy, uh beyond
recognition, made sure that you know
they gave their thanks to public works
and council for doing that for them. Um
just a reminder, this goes along with
public safety as well and chief, I know
he may chime in on this, but we have
school starting today. We have a school
year coming up. We have a lot of kids
riding their bikes through the park um
through recreational areas. We just
traffic. Make sure you guys keep an eye
out, please, for the kids, especially
with some of them coming off the bike
path, crossing the streets. We have the
guards everywhere. But, uh, with the
electric scooters and things and
unfortunately the accidents that we've
had and heard in our surrounding area,
we just want to make sure that
everybody's kind of keeping a blind eye
out for all that. Um, as we move forward
for the school year, wish all the
teachers and see school students a great
school year as well. Um,
and we have
>> public safety did not meet this month as
it fell on Labor Day. Um, I think a lot
of our public safety sufferings recently
has um been pretty evident in the awards
we did tonight. Um, the community
outreach they did with the homeless task
force at Church by the Bay a couple
weeks ago. Um, they're having the police
department's having a movie in the park
in a couple weeks. Um,
elaborate more.
>> Yeah. So, first and foremost, I want to
address the public and let everybody
know um I've been working here for over
25 years and um this has provided my
family and I a great life and I am all
in on this city. And we had to make some
decisions this year on some crossing
guard posts.
And it really upset some people that we
decided to eliminate the crossing post
at.
Now I want I want you to understand is
is when we have these posts and and the
folks that are are assigned to these
posts do not make it to work then we
have to cover them by police officers.
So last year we had to cover that post
over 40 times and I don't remember the
exact amount of times but it was over 40
and our officers reported that we didn't
cross one child there.
We took it a step further and we
evaluated that that particular post as
as an intersection that even police
officers, let alone our crossing guards
while crossing children there is not
really a safe place. So we decided
and and I'll be frank with everybody,
you know, we don't have anybody beating
down the door to to take these jobs.
It's an hour and a half in the morning.
It's an hour and
30 years ago, uh, you know, when I was a
kid, longer than that, all our crossing
guards were moms and dads in the town.
And our children walked to their parents
uh, traffic post and got driven home by
their parents. And today, it takes two
two people to run a household. Both the
husband, the wife, or your significant
other, it takes two people to run a
household. And we, frankly, have a hard
time filling these positions.
So with looking at this, it's not a
really a safe place to cross kids. And
we decided that if we move this this
down to Lisbon Avenue where there is
also a crossing guard, it would be much
safer to cross the children at a traffic
light, a controlled light on such a busy
road.
Now, some people were Some people other
people were upset thinking that this was
going to be such a further journey for
your child
and that's not the case. It's one tenth
of a mile. So the average child might
have to work walk an extra three or four
minutes. Okay.
Lastly, you know, today this morning was
the first day of school and I understand
most parents want to take their kids to
school the first day, but we had um
three administrative staff on Shore Road
and at Bay Drive to direct the how to
navigate their way to school so that
there was no confusion in case the
parents themselves didn't weren't clear
with their children. So, there was
people out there and there'll be people
out there. We'll have people from the
administration out there tomorrow.
Police officers will be out there to to
help navigate that area.
So, you know, I say this all the time.
You know, it was said earlier, it's
school's back in session, right? And so,
everybody needs get ready to go to work
and get ready to go to school a little
earlier because often times tragedies
are avoided if we have extra time to get
to and from where we have to go. It's
when we're hurrying and we're speeding
and we're not paying attention is when a
tragedy happens.
And I think that, you know, I see so
many children through town, you know, we
don't have crossing guards in the
summertime and we don't have them in the
evening when kids go to sporting events
or they stay for after school programs.
And I challenge the parents to take
parental control of their households and
make sure that they take the time with
their children to show them how to get
to school and most importantly make sure
they're wearing helmets and teach them
how to cross the road and and make sure
that their safety starts at home. Um,
we're here and we're not taking any
service away from any family or any
child in this town. And we have come up
with more and more programs every year
that the police are involved in. And you
know, our next one is going to be
September 27th at the Field of Dreams.
It's going to be a movie. The Field of
Dreams and the movie is featuring is The
Field of Dreams. I challenge family here
to come down and spend time with the men
and women of this police department
because I guarantee you each and every
person in this police department that
works here, they love each and every one
of you. So, please take the time and
come down when we have these community
events. We're going to go from that.
We're going to go into October where we
do the haunted hallways and so many
other things that we do throughout the
year.
Please interact with them because they
really care about you.
We did the homeless coalition. The mayor
uh started the homeless coalition and we
uh we also had Galloway come in. We had
a few meetings thus far. And um last
week uh Pastor Lucala
at church by the bay hosted
a day for uh providing services to
people.
Um it was very very moving.
I don't think we realize how many people
are uh in a situation that that are
homeless or they're living out of a car
or you know they're doing a little bit
of both even living in the woods. We had
people with kids and families
and one woman
just strikes me as uh just one of the
biggest people there. We were offering
them more food and and more clothing and
she said, "No, I can't take any more
than what I need because somebody else
might need it."
Um, we also were able to provide
services and getting help with with
housing and, uh, several other things.
And lastly, you know, for the people
that hadn't showered or had a chance to
clean themselves up in a while at that
time,
we also had that we had a grown man when
he was done his showering and and
cleaning up actually cried and thanked
Pastor Lou for allowing him to be human.
These are things that we take for
granted in our everyday lives,
but You know, I want to point out one
thing. There was over 125 people that
showed up for it. Not one of them was
the people that we see around town that
everybody calls and complains about
because those folks probably really most
of the time don't want our help. So,
when you're thinking about giving and
and doing something for uh people that
need help, please reach out to some of
our local food banks and some of our
local churches. I know Beacon Church,
and I don't want to leave anybody out,
but Church by the Bay, they have uh, you
know, food pantries and areas where they
keep clothes and they actually do a real
good job of making it so that the people
feel human. And what I mean by that is
is like Church by the Bay, if a family
comes in and needs something or somebody
comes in and needs something, they
actually get a shop in Clark and they're
allowed to pick from each area and make
it
So it kind of brings a little humanity
back to the people that are
experiencing hard times.
I say it all the time. I sound like a
broken record. Again, school's in
session. We need to give ourselves extra
time in the morning and look out for our
children.
I believe the last thing is I can't be
more proud of the folks that were
involved in those two incidents
recently. Um, you know, this town is
very lucky to have the police department
that it has and the ambulance personnel
and the fire, your first responders, um,
really are all engaged and are all in on
the town and I think we're very lucky to
have,
you know, on a daily basis. We're out
here. Your six new officers are doing
fantastic.
Majority of them up in the town and by
the end of the year they'll be out on
their own and you'll be seeing them if
you haven't seen them already with their
field training officers
serving you just like
so I want to thank everybody if anybody
has any questions
>> we will meet again on
October 6th
Mr.
We also did not meet
the works because of the holiday.
We will meet on the 6th of October
5:00
as always and thank our public works
and just being redundant
ambulance especially our staff here.
They do a phenomenal job.
They don't get recognized enough for all
that they do, especially our staff. So,
thank everybody for
police and fire
busy holiday that we had and keeping
everyone safe. I know being a short
community, we see a lot large influx of
people. So, thank you
Clark
and I'll meet in August meeting again
5:30.
community.
had a great meeting. Great
event.
Uh the only thing I have is the 911
committee asked if I could announce that
on 911 the city of MC will be hosting
two uh ceremonies at the memorial at
9:30 in the morning.
The cere
are welcome.
But then at 6:30 p.m. is the community
event. And this year we have keynote
speaker
as the keynote speaker. We're excited to
have him speak.
So 6:30 p.m. for the community to come
and
come
phenomenal ceremony in the city of the
911.
I tough
time
everything
does
He's a huge asset.
Task
I will say
the situation fixer
housing.
This was another
good
response.
in our city lives. I want to thank
heroic
officers.
Another
really
clear
little
Uh, please report.
>> Uh, these are the monthly reports for
July. We only have one meeting in August
for the clerk. It's $4,836.
tax office 2,310,415.78
$13,388.91
and the construction office 10,9
>> right I'll be pretty quick uh short road
project we're still in the final review
phase with the county going back and
forth with them um have so far held up
their end of the deal where they're not
adding anything to the list we're just
working listum I know we had the road
flooding recently which reminds us of
the importance of this project and I
really think um hopefully um the next
couple meetings we'll have a definitive
update get this project so that'll be
>> breaking ground Monday on the Ohio
Avenue project which is being done by
the county no so so I kept so I I did
get a note from the county today that
the road work on Ohio Avenue will be
starting soon I think council
president's sign up there. Um, and that
is a a road repaving project on Ohio
Avenue from Mil Road to the bridge. So,
once our our project actually will go up
to the other side of the bridge. So,
once that's all done, everything will be
new and elevated and uh dry. Um, couple
other quick updates. The new crosswalk,
flashing crosswalk sign at New Jersey
and Highland be up within the next
month, which great. Um the only thing
that will um the only thing that might
hold that up was county permit. Um but
hopefully we can get that uh expedited
uh road permit and then the next two
projects that will go out to bid will be
our road program. It's pretty much ready
to go. Just got to get the DOT to sign
off on our bid advertisement and then
the RA crosswalk project. Uh just
working out the final details on that.
Same thing once DOT gives us the green
light we can go out to. So those
projects you'll see uh ready to go.
question.
I received two calls today. That's maybe
reach out to you. Typically during a
paving
project
on Ohio has been
normally the contractors
required to do door hangers. Um county
Um, I can reach out to the county just
to make sure that is going to happen.
>> Yeah, I was just curious because ever
since the flashing sign came up, people
have been reaching out saying,
>> "What is this?"
>> I'll follow but the three that have
reached out to me already.
>> May I hear a motion to open the meeting
to the public?
>> All in favor?
Would anybody from the public like to
come up and speak?
Do I hear a motion to close the meeting
to the public?
>> Second.
>> All in favor?
>> All right. Um, we're going to be
breaking off into close session at this
time. Uh, councelor, if you'd like to
make the announcement.
>> Yeah, sure. So pursuant to section 12B
of the open public meetings act, city
council will now move into close session
to discuss the following items. Uh
contract negotiations or litigation
respecting firehouse complaint 10th
Avenue city owned lands alley vacation
sale of city owned lands and then a
personnel matter.
All right. May I hear a motion to enter
into close session?
All in favor?
Opposed?
All right, at this point we're going to
go into close session.