The Supplement to the Workshop Meeting of the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Freehold was held on Monday, April 16, 2012 at 7:30 PM in the Municipal Building. Mayor Higgins stated that the notice of the time, date and location of the meeting had been provided pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 231 of the Laws of 1975 (Open Public Meetings Act). Councilman DiBenedetto opened the meeting with the Salute to the Flag, followed by a moment of silence. Roll Call ABSENT MAYOR J. NOLAN HIGGINS COUNCILMAN MICHAEL DI BENEDETTO COUNCILMAN KEVIN KANE COUNCILMAN JOHN NEWMAN COUNCILMAN GEORGE SCHNURR COUNCILWOMAN SHARON SHUTZER COUNCILMAN JAYE SIMS Councilwoman Shutzer offered a motion to accept the minutes from the Supplement to Workshop Meeting March 19, 2012 and the Regular Meeting April 2, 2012, seconded by Councilman Kane. its adoption; opposed none; Councilman DiBenedetto abstained from the Regular Meeting of April 2, 2012; Councilman Sims absent. Mayor Higgins declared the Mayor Higgins read Item No. 2 on the Agenda as follows: Resolution of New Jersey League of Municipalities for Municipal Enlistment in the Military Initiative. Councilman Kane offered the following Resolution and moved its adoption, seconded by Councilwoman Shutzer: RESOLUTION OF NEW JERSEY LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES FOR MUNICIPAL ENLISTMENT IN THE MILITARY INITIATIVE. Mayor Higgins stated Item No. 3 on the Agenda will be held. Resolution Authorizing Payment of Length of Service Award Program Benefits. (Freehold Fire Department) Councilwoman Shutzer offered the following Resolution and moved its adoption, seconded by Councilman Kane:
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF LENGTH OF SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM BENEFITS. (FREEHOLD FIRE DEPARTMENT) On roll call Council Members Kane, Newman, Schnurr and Shutzer voted its adoption; opposed none; Councilman DiBenedetto abstained; Councilman Sims absent. Mayor Higgins declared the Mayor Higgins read Item No. 4 on the Agenda as follows: Resolution of the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Freehold Approving Postponement of Mortgage Given to Borough of Freehold Housing Rehabilitation Program Concerning RCA Case Number 25. Councilwoman Shutzer offered the following Resolution and moved its adoption, seconded by Councilman DiBenedetto: RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE BOROUGH OF FREEHOLD APPROVING POSTPONEMENT OF MORTGAGE GIVEN TO BOROUGH OF FREEHOLD HOUSING REHABILITATION PROGRAM CONCERNING RCA CASE NUMBER 25. Mayor Higgins read Item No. 5 on the Agenda as follows: Resolution Authorizing the Monmouth County Mosquito Commission to Apply Pesticides from Aircraft to Control Mosquitoes Over Portions of the Borough of Freehold. Councilman DiBenedetto offered the following Resolution and moved its adoption, seconded by Councilwoman Shutzer: RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MONMOUTH COUNTY MOSQUITO COMMISSION TO APPLY PESTICIDES FROM AIRCRAFT TO CONTROL MOSQUITOES OVER PORTIONS OF THE BOROUGH OF FREEHOLD. Mayor Higgins read Item No. 6 on the Agenda as follows: Resolution Approving the Following Applications: a. Sidewalk Café License, Ibby s Falafel, 4 West Main Street. b. Sidewalk Café License, Texas Mexican Restaurant, 3 West Main Street. c. Freehold Beautiful, Selling flags at the Memorial Day Parade, May 28, 2012, 10:00 AM 1:00 PM. d. Junkyard License, Beacon Metal Co., 215 Throckmorton Street. e. Block Party, 34 Vought Avenue, between Ward Avenue and Stokes Street, 6/10/12, 1:00 PM 9:00 PM. c/o Soledad Manzano
f. Vendor License, Weaser s Ices, Operating an ice cream truck, 4/16/12-10/31/12 Sunday through Saturday, 10:00 AM 8:00 PM. g. Solicitation License, Freehold First Aid & Emergency Squad, Selling T-shirts at the Memorial Day Parade on 5/28/12, 10:00 AM 12:00 PM. h. Temporary Taxi Drivers License, Robert Renaud, Sayreville. Councilman Schnurr offered the following Resolution and moved its adoption, seconded by Councilwoman Shutzer: RESOLUTION APPROVING APPLICATIONS NO. 6A-6H. Mayor Higgins read Item No. 7 on the Agenda as follows: Approval of Bills. Councilman Kane offered the following Resolution and moved its adoption, seconded by Councilman DiBenedetto: BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Freehold that the bills on the attached list in the amount of $492,757.60 be paid as presented. its adoption; oppose none; abstain none; Councilman Sims absent. Mayor Higgins declared the Mayor Higgins opened the meeting for public comments. Bob Taylor, 13 Kiawah Avenue, questioned if all sections of Freehold Borough would be sprayed for mosquitoes. Mr. Bellina stated the County dictates where the hot spots are in the mosquito population. As it gets closer to the spraying, we will be informed which areas will get treated. Judi Guy, Spooktacular Committee, stated the Spooktacular Committee is responsible for coordinating the window painting downtown by the local high school students. Spooktacular also hosts a haunted hayride, costume parade and a jack-o-lantern carving night and everything is free to the public. This year one of the fundraisers will be a flap-jack breakfast costing $10.00 at Applebee s Restaurant on May 5, 2012. The Spooktacular Committee will be the wait staff. Mel O Neal, YMCA, stated he is hosting a Peanut Hollaway YMCA Walkathon on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at Freehold High School from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Councilman DiBenedetto stated he spoke with Mr. O Neal from the YMCA and since donations have not been going well he is going to donate $50.00 if Ms. Daesener will walk a mile.
Samantha Daesener, Yard Avenue, stated if anyone would like to be a sponsor, or if anyone wants to join a team, or just walk please let her know. All of the money donated will go to the Freehold Borough YMCA children s programs. Councilman Kane stated the governing body will put together a team and challenge any organization to beat them in fundraising money. Mr. O Neal stated Mr. Hollaway was a longtime member of the Freehold Borough Recreation Commission and the reason they are having the walk-a-thon is because Peanut Holloway suffered a stroke and has since changed his way of life and he is really conscious of his health and he walks everyday. Councilman DiBenedetto stated Peanut Hollaway was a longtime member of the Recreation Commission and this stroke was a reality check for him and he now walks by his shop everyday and taps on his window. Ms. Daesener stated the reason she is so dedicated to this is because she went to the YMCA as a kid. Reggie Sims, Fire Department, stated he will participate in the walk if necessary. Christine Gregory, 42 West George Street, stated the Arbor Day Celebration will be held on Friday, April 27, 2012 at the Freehold Learning Center at 4:00 PM rain or shine. There will be a program in the gym. Tom Baldwin, 3 Vought Avenue, asked if there would be an Olde Freehold Day again this year. Mayor Higgins replied yes. Mr. Baldwin read a prepared speech that was written last year: This year I have been rather silent. I have come here and sat down and listened to the council members and residents and for the most part have not said nothing. Well, you have forced me to voice my opinion once again. I kept quiet because I like what the mayor and council have done up to this point. But to celebrate Olde Freehold Day really rubs me the wrong way. You may not realize it but for many people, even though they remain silent for reasons I do not understand, this is an insult. To me it is like asking a large minority of the population to celebrate a time when we were discriminated against, segregated and treated as we were some sort of a deadly disease. - How would you like it if you were told you could not eat in a restaurant even though you prepared the food, washed the dishes after and cleaned up the floors? - How would you like it if you could not be a guest in the American Hotel even though you made the beds, cleaned the rooms and maintained the building? - How would you like it if you could not become a police officer or a fireman even though you had a good character and you were qualified? - How would you like it if you could not attend the same elementary schools that your friends went to because of your race? - How would you feel if you were a female and had to take a special exam to enter high school and if you failed your education was over?
- How would you like it if you could not buy a house in certain areas of town even though you could afford it? My friends this is what happened here in Freehold not that long ago. It is the sorry history of our town. Thank God that it is over with. Please don t celebrate Olde Freehold. I ve been told many times that I am living in the past; I m not because I m not celebrating Olde Freehold. I want to move forward, but as long as the majority of people in this city think to celebrate Olde Freehold Day is okay then I am forced to speak up. I am told that this is not what we are celebrating. If it s not then what are we celebrating? What is wrong with just celebrating Freehold Day, instead of Olde Freehold Day? Just a few years ago we almost reverted back to old Freehold, but instead of the blacks this time it was our Latino residents. Wake-up Freehold, leave the past in the past, we have a new mayor and new chief of police who I believe are trying to do the right thing for all us. Let s celebrate the future and make Freehold a good place for all of us. I am hoping that all people with goodwill and tolerance will understand where I am coming from. Olde Freehold is dead and buried, let s leave it there. I would like to hear any comments from the residents and town council. Thank you very much. Alice McCobb, Chairperson Freehold Memorial Day Parade Committee, stated on April 17, 2012 San Marzano Restaurant will be hosting an all day fundraiser and on May 7, 2012 through May 9, 2012 there will be another fundraiser called Downtown Dining which includes Federici s Restaurant, Metropolitan Café and Court Jester. Day. Dorothy Wright, 89 Barkalow Avenue, stated she has no problem with Olde Freehold Ms. Guy stated she respects Mr. Baldwin s opinion and she was involved in the original Olde Freehold Day back in the early 1970 s and the reason Olde Freehold Day was established was to reunite people to get together and have a good time, see old friends and meet some new people and it was also to showcase Lake Topanemus. Mr. Baldwin stated he respected what Ms. Wright said but when you celebrate you should celebrate something that was good. It would be like asking the people down South to celebrate and we all know what happened down there. He asked why the name couldn t be changed to Freehold Day. Barbara Oliver, 71 Center Street, stated she agrees with Mr. Baldwin that there has been a lot of things that have happened since she moved to Freehold in 1959. But it is time to move on; the people who did this are not the same people that are here now. She doesn t hold grudges and she will say what is on her mind. She suggested to Mr. Baldwin to get over it and move on. Mr. Baldwin stated he respected Ms. Oliver and that he is trying to get over it and he is trying to forget what happened. But what this holiday is doing is going back in time in his opinion. Reggie Sims, Fire Department, stated Olde Freehold Day is not celebrated that way. He stated the intention is not what was in the past and he understands what Mr. Baldwin feels, and he would be happy to attend the celebration with Mr. Baldwin. Councilman Kane offered the following Resolution and moved its adoption, seconded by Councilman DiBenedetto:
RESOLUTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC PORTION. Mayor Higgins called upon the council for their comments. Councilman DiBenedetto thanked everyone for coming to the meeting. He thanked Judi Guy for all of her fundraising efforts for the first aid squad. Councilman DiBenedetto stated that Mr. Baldwin should come out and see Olde Freehold Day; it is not about race or color. Councilman Kane thanked everyone for attending the meeting. The Freehold Little League had their parade this past Saturday and he thanked Rich Matteo for all of his efforts. He thanked Judi Guy and Lisa Tiedemann who are on many committees in town and their next project is Spooktacular. He urged everyone to go to Applebee s Restaurant on May 5, 2012 and support the Spooktacular fundraiser. He also urged everyone to participate in the Peanut Holloway walk-a-thon. Councilman Kane stated that Mayor Higgins had a great idea and we will be launching the Mayor s annual Spring clean-up. This is a three phase program with the first phase which is already in progress by cleaning and fixing up Borough owned properties. The second phase is a residential clean up through town. Mayor Higgins and Joseph Bellina have talked with DeLisa Carting and the town will be divided into three sections and we will have dumpsters located in town on Saturday, May 19, 2012 for residents to bring their stuff. We are also trying to pair up volunteer organizations that are looking for help projects with residents who need the help. It will be a huge bulk pick-up day. Mayor Higgins is working with Rich Gatto and the FCP on phase three for the downtown clean-up. The idea is that when everyone comes to see the Memorial Day Parade they will see a noticeable difference in the town. Councilman Kane urged Mr. Baldwin to come and participate in Olde Freehold Day. We go out of our way to try and bring the entire community together on this day. If you were down there you would see the camaraderie between the church groups and the organizations. This year due to budget cuts and everything else we will be fundraising and any extra money will go back into Lake Topanemus. Councilman DiBenedetto stated the Recreation Commission put on a wonderful Easter Egg Hunt, even though they were rained out the week before. Councilman Schnurr stated he understood where Mr. Baldwin was coming from. He did not live in Freehold when these things happened, but last year when he went to Olde Freehold Day everyone had a great time. He encouraged Mr. Baldwin to attend this year. Councilman Schnurr stated that the little league had their opening day parade and there was a great turnout. Councilwoman Shutzer thanked Dr. Jewell and Ellen Kane for their help in the rabies clinic that was held on Saturday, April 14, 2012. The Freehold Boro Little League Parade is one of her favorite things to do during this time of year because it leads to the beginning of Spring. Councilwoman Shutzer addressed Mr. Baldwin and stated she grew up in the old South in a home that was not full of prejudice and she can remember the day that what Mr. Baldwin was talking about hit her smack in the face. Two of the most important ladies in her life who helped care for her when her mother went back to work refused to get in the front seat of the car
with her. She honestly thought they would not get in the front seat because they were afraid of her driving and later when she told her mother, her mother told her she could not believe that she was that ignorant. That she didn t realize that they thought they were not good enough to ride up in the front seat with her. My mother spoke with them and from that day on they rode in the front seat. She stated Olde Freehold Day is one of the most wonderful, inter-generational, multigenerational, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic days that she has every experienced. She urged Mr. Baldwin to attend. Councilman Newman stated last weekend was the Freehold Boro Little League parade and the rabies clinic. He acknowledged members of the Board of Health, as well as, Mr. Richard Berger, Samantha Daesener and Jeff Friedman. Councilman Newman stated the library is having an auction fundraiser on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at 7:00 PM and that same night the Freehold Borough Arts Council is having a free lecture called Art you must see before you die. On April 29, 2012 the local Hibernian organization is honoring Mr. Roger Kane and at the May 7, 2012 Regular Meeting the budget will go for public hearing and on May 17, 2012 the Freehold Borough Arts Council is having a Blues Night at Park 33. Councilman Newman thanked everyone for coming to the meeting. Mayor Higgins stated the Board of Health which services Freehold Borough, Freehold Township and Upper Freehold held their annual dinner and he attended along with Councilman Kane and their wives. He recognized Samantha Daesener for all of her efforts in organizing it. On May 5, 2012 at St. Peter s Church The Parker Quartet will be performing. Mayor Higgins stated that Councilman Sims could not attend this evening but he wanted to announce the Martin Luther King reading will be held on Sunday, April 22, 2012 at 4:00 PM in front of Borough Hall. Mayor Higgins reminded all the residents that he holds office hours every Thursday from 4:00 PM 5:00 PM at Borough Hall. He attended the Freehold Little League Parade and it was so nice to watch the children walk down Main Street. At the last meeting one of our residents voiced her concern about the noise from ice cream trucks and he referred to Chief Roberts. Chief Roberts explained under the ordinance for noise it prohibits any vendor including frozen dessert trucks from playing music, bells, whistles or calling out to attract business. He told the residents if anyone sees a truck abusing this to call the police department. Mayor Higgins also introduced former mayor of Red Bank, Ed McKenna, who was here this evening covering for Kerry Higgins, Borough Attorney. Councilwoman Shutzer offered the following Resolution and moved its adoption, seconded by Councilman Kane: RESOLUTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC PORTION. The supplemental portion of the agenda was adjourned at 8:10 PM. Respectfully Submitted,
TLD:aj TRACI L. DIBENEDETTO, RMC BOROUGH CLERK