Monroe Township council approves consent agenda; staff clarifies fourth‑round fair‑housing compliance

Monroe Township — The Council approved its consent agenda on Dec. 22, including resolutions covering municipal business and elements of the town’s fair‑housing compliance plan. During public comment, resident Shal Arminio questioned Resolution R12‑2025‑305 and asked what, if anything, had changed in the settlement process.

Town staff responded that the resolution concerns the compliance mechanism for the fourth round of Mount Laurel‑related obligations, not a change in the settlement amount. Staff said the fourth round requires 354 affordable units and 110 credits, and that meeting that obligation will correspond to roughly 689 total units built in that round. The town official added that the earlier, second‑ and third‑round obligations remain unchanged and that the settlement agreement with the Fair Share Housing Center is posted on the township website.

The council voted on the consent agenda (resolutions R12‑2025‑261 through R12‑2025‑305, with R12‑2025‑279 voted separately) by roll call; Councilmen Charles DePiro, Michael Markell, Rupa Siegel, Vice President Terrence Van Zora and Council President Miriam Cohen each voted yes and the motions carried.

Also discussed during the public comment period were tax refund resolutions and tax‑appeal legal services. Staff said roughly $24,000 in refunds on the agenda were tied to newly granted disabled‑veteran exemptions and that tax‑appeal cases typically settle for less than the taxpayer’s initial demand; staff said trials are rare but did not provide an overall success percentage.

The council closed public comment, adjourned the agenda meeting at 6:41 p.m., then opened and carried the regular meeting. The meeting record notes the settlement agreement materials are available online and residents were urged to consult those documents for full terms.