January 16, 2026 REGULAR MEETING

STILLWATER TOWNSHIP
CERT
January 16, 2026

The meeting was called to order at 6:42 p.m.

Present: Dawn Mutschler, John Tsadilas, Connie O’Grady, Tristan Askew, Neil Hubbard, Douglas McIntyre, Barbara Kimmich, Roland Kimmich, Vince Troiano, Ilene Schwartz, Maureen Tsadilas, Carol Kouba, and Lisa Chammings

Old Business: 
Due to expected bad weather the JCP&L presentation on January 28, 2026 at the Stillwater Community Center at 7 p.m. has been moved to February 10, 2026 at 7 p.m. Please wear your CERT apparel. Be there at 6:30 p.m. to help set up.

CERT IDs: If you didn’t get one yet, use your drivers license. Maureen is using copies to make an accountability board to use at disaster scenes so that she or whoever is in charge knows what CERT members are present.

OEM Report: 
Lisa explained the steps for getting a CERT ID.

1. The town requires anyone joining CERT to undergo a background check.
2. The background checks are sent to the county.
3. The county will issue the IDs.

New Business:
Stillwater CERT has a new meeting place for 2026. We will meet at the Stillwater Collective, which is at 901 Main Street.

We have a new wood rack for pamphlet display on our CERT table at events.

Stillwater is budgeting for radios. Caltopo, which can be loaded onto a cell phone, can pinpoint where individuals are at a scene.

CERT is sponsoring the 2026 Community Education Programs. Besides presentations by the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office, Ilene and Maureen have been looking at other possibilities for Community Safety Programs. Here are some current ideas:
* Inviting Bergen County High School Archery Club to talk about how learning archery benefits people with Alzheimers Disease
* Garden club – growing food
* Division of Senior Services – caregiver care

Scheduled trainings and community programs this year include:
February 1, 2026: Ice rescue with instructor Paul Hawkins. CERT will assist on land. Neil and Doug will be in charge as Maureen is not available that day.
March 10, 2026: Community Center presentation by Lisa on winter prep for seniors
April 12, 2026: Community Center presentation called ‘Avenues in Motion.’ They will provide bike helmets and teach proper fit

Lisa applied for a $2,000 in town funds to pay for training.

We will have a first aid training on February 25th at our regularly scheduled meeting.

We received lanyards for CERT IDs.

The remainder of this meeting was devoted to what items should be in everyone’s “Go Bag.”

Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 8:10 pm.

Respectfully submitted,
Carol Kouba