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THIS IS B S COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY.
COMMISSIONERS IS HEREBY CALLED TO COURT.
THIS MEETING HAS BEEN LIVE STREAM IN ADDITION TO TAKING PLACE IN PERSON, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL IT UP.
COMMISSIONER COOPER, COMMISSIONER GIL COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
COMMISSIONER MERCARDO COMMISSIONER SIEBEL HERE.
COMMISSIONER VICE-PRESIDENT ALMAREZ COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT RICHARDSON HERE.
WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE STAND FOR THE SUIT TO THE FLAG? I MIGHT WANT TO ASK COMMISSIONER LUCIANO TO LEAD US IN THIS.
I PUNCH THE LEAD OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR WHICH TO SENSE ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL, PLEASE REMAIN STANDING.
WELL, A MOMENT OF SILENCE, SILENCE.
WALDO'S WHO HAD THE I HAVE BEFORE ME CERTIFICATION FROM THE CLERK THAT IS READING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS THAT MADAM CLERK RUNNING THE TRANSCRIPTS TO BE APPROVED.
UM, MR. PRESIDENT, THERE ARE NONE TOPIC DISCUSSION, MR. PRESIDENT.
THERE ARE NONE PUBLIC COMMENTS, SESSION,
I HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
ANY OTHER ITEMS, PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS.
THIS DOESN'T COME OFF MY TIME WITH THEM.
UH, I'M DEBBIE WEINER, PRESIDENT LOCAL 10 81 REPRESENTING THE NON-SUPERVISORY EMPLOYEES AT SS COUNTY DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE OF BENEFITS IN THE DIVISION OF WELFARE.
OUR UNION HAS SUBMITTED SCORES OF GRIEVANCES ON BEHALF OF OUR MEMBERS.
MANY OF WHICH WE'VE SHARED WITH THIS AUGUST BODY I'LL REITERATE SOME OF OUR CONCERNS RELATED TO RESOLUTION.
RIGHT? NUMBER ONE, THE CHRONIC LACK OF SUFFICIENT STAFFING AS WITNESSED BY OUR MANAGEMENT ANNUALLY, CANCELING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS APPROVED BY THIS BODY AND TENDED TO HIRE EMPLOYEES, DECELERATED FEET, D FAB, INTERNET CONNECTIONS, WHERE WE CAN'T GET TO OUR CLIENTS.
PRITCHARD FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEANING STAFF AT UNIVERSITY AVENUE SITE, THE PRIVATE CLEANING STAFF IS DOWN TO ONE OR TWO PERSONS FOR TWO BUILDINGS
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AND LEAVING THE STRUCTURES, ESPECIALLY THE RESTROOM'S FILTHY EVERY SINGLE DAY.WHY IS THIS COMPANY STILL BEING REMUNERATED FOR THEIR EFFORTS? THE SCHEME BY THE ADMINISTRATION TO BUILD AN EIGHT STORY BUILDING ON OUR PARKING LOT AT UNIVERSITY AVENUE AFTER WE'VE MOVED IN.
SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PARK.
ONCE YOU BUILD THAT FOR YOUR 22 COURTROOMS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WALK ACROSS MARKET STREET IN THE MORNING AND AT NIGHT AND INCLUDING THE DISABLED AND WHEELCHAIRS AND WALKERS AND SCOOTERS, BECAUSE YOU'RE PUTTING AN EIGHT STORY BUILDING ON OUR PARKING LOT.
AFTER WE MOVED IN THERE, D FAB PAID $15 MILLION FOR THAT BUILDING, THEY'LL STRIKE THAT $22 MILLION AND $15 MILLION TO FIX IT UP.
UH, THE NEPOTISM AND FAVORITISM PRACTICE BY OUR MANAGEMENT TO REWARD PERSONAL AND POLITICAL FRIENDS AT THE FISCAL COST OF THE COUNTY BY PROMOTING EMPLOYEES IN VIOLATION OF OUR CONTRACT AND CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS TO PERNICIOUS PRESENCE OF MICE AND OTHER VERMIN WITHIN THE BUILDINGS, INCLUDING MOUSE DROPPINGS LEFT TO LINGER WITHIN THE PRIVATE LONG RUN CAFETERIA UPON WHICH NOT ENOUGH RESOURCES HAVE BEEN DEDICATED FROM UNIT FOR REMEDIATION, RECYCLABLES, AND GARBAGE MAINTAINED WITHIN THE BUILDINGS INSTEAD OF OUTSIDE, THUS ATTRACTING MICE AND VERMIN, AND WERE CONCERNED ABOUT LEGISLATIVE INTERFERENCE INTO THE WORKS OF THE EXECUTIVE BODY OF THIS GOVERNMENT.
WE HAVE SEEN IT, WE'VE DISCUSSED IT, AND WE'RE STILL NOT SATISFIED THAT IT'S GOING ON.
THERE SHOULD BE A SEPARATION OF POWER.
THAT'S WHAT IT DOES IN THIS COUNTRY.
FEDERAL STATE LOCAL LEVEL, YOU'VE GOT THE LEGISLATIVE EXECUTIVE AND THE JUDICIAL BRANCH.
THIS BRANCH SHOULD NOT BE INJECTING ITSELF INTO THE WORKINGS EVERYDAY WORKINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE.
SO AS A FOLLOW-UP TO OUR MEETING WITH MR. RICHARD PRESIDENT RICHARDSON ON MARCH 2ND, WE WROTE THEM ON MARCH 9TH, ASKING FOR A MEETING WITH THE WORKFORCE IN NEW JERSEY COMMITTEE AND THE LABOR OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WE'VE YET TO GET A RESPONSE.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING IT BECAUSE I NOTED THAT IN MY OPERA REQUEST THAT FISCAL 20 19 20 AND 21 6 OF THE COMMITTEES I ASKED FOR REPORTS FROM NONE HAD MET IN ANY OF THOSE YEARS.
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE OVERSIGHT OVER THE LEGISLATIVE BODY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. WEINER.
AND AS ALWAYS, YOU WILL BE ANSWERED IN GOOD EVENING.
I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE SUPERVISORS UNION, WHICH REPRESENTS SUPERVISORY AND MANAGERIAL TITLES WITHIN A DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS FORMERLY KNOWN AS WELFARE.
WHEN YOU AUTHORIZE THE BUDGET, I ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER MONIES FOR OVERTIME TO ADDRESS THE SEVEN TO 10,000 CASES, WHICH WERE NOT RE-CERTIFIED FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL, 2022.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DIDN'T HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT SOCIAL MEDIA IS BLASTED ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA.
THE CLIENTS WERE LINED UP AND WRAPPED AROUND THE CORNER.
WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER THE SEVEN TO 10,000 CONSTITUENTS OF THE COUNTY OF ESSEX WHO MAY HAVE LOST THEIR JOB AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC OR FOR WHATEVER OTHER REASON, BUT WHATEVER IT IS, THEY ARE CERTAINLY FOOD INSECURE AND WILL NOT EAT FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL.
PLEASE RECALL THE MULTIPLE GRIEVANCES THAT WE FILED ON BEHALF OF OUR MEMBERS, BOTH CWA, LOCAL, 10 81 AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, SUPERVISORS UNION.
AND WE DID COPY THE COMMISSIONERS BOARD.
WE ASKED THAT THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION WITHIN D FAB, THAT THEY AUTHORIZE OVERTIME TO PROCESS THESE CASES IMMEDIATELY IMPLEMENT OVERTIME, ESPECIALLY SINCE DE FAB KNEW ABOUT THIS WELL OVER A MONTH AGO.
SO WHAT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS SOMETHING NEW.
WE DID NOT HAVE THE HUMAN CAPACITY TO PROCESS THE CASES, NOR DID WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGICAL CAPACITY TO PROCESS THESE CASES.
SO WE ALSO ASKED THAT YOU CONSIDER THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES ALSO ALLOTTED THE COUNTY OF ESSEX MONIES CARES, ACT MONIES TO PROCESS CASES FOR OVER TIME THAT DID NOT HAPPEN.
MY HOPE IS THAT WE DO MAKE SURE THAT THESE CASES ARE PROCESSED TIMELY, GIVE OUR EMPLOYEES OVERTIME TO DO SO.
WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU ASK R D FAB ADMINISTRATION AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
WE HOPE THAT THESE STATEMENTS THAT MR WEINER AND MYSELF WILL NOT LEAD TO THE MENDACIOUS MENACING THAT USUALLY OCCURS WHEN WE COMPLAIN, WE DON'T WANT OUR EMPLOYEES TO BE HARASSED OR SCAPEGOATED FOR ALL THAT IS GOING ON IN ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, BECAUSE THERE IS LACK OF LEADERSHIP AND THE DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS
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WERE VERY, VERY CONCERNED.SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A COLLABORATIVE LIEBER'S LEADERSHIP STYLE, WHICH IS VERY MUCH NEEDED.
WE NEED COLLABORATIVE LEADERSHIP, AS YOU ARE AWARE, LIKE I STAYED AT THE LINES WERE WRAPPED AROUND THE BUILDING.
THE STAFF WAS INUNDATED AS A RESULT OF THIS SITUATION, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED PROACTIVELY, AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN MITIGATED, BUT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IF D FAB MINISTRY ADMINISTRATION HAD A VIABLE PLAN, WE WOULD NOT BE IN THE POSITION THAT WE'RE IN.
PLEASE HELP OUR MEMBERS HELP OUR COMMUNITY, YOUR CONSTITUENTS, YOUR CONSTITUENTS, AND OUR CLIENTS.
AND AS ALWAYS STATED, YOUR QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED IN WRITING.
SO LET'S MOVE TO ORDINANCE INTRODUCTION ORDINANCES.
MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE TWO ORDINANCES AND ONE RESOLUTION, WHICH IS AN ADDED STARTER.
NUMBER ONE, MR. JACKSON, PLEASE EXPLAIN.
GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, OUR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE, UH, MR. MOHAMMED WILL ADDRESS THESE ITEMS, UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, HAVE SOME MOHAMMED'S COUNTY TREASURE, UH, ORDINANCE NUMBER ONE IS THE FOUR PROVIDE RENOVATION TO THREE BRIDGES, UH, UH, IN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX FOR, UH, 5 MILLION, 1 72, 5 37.
AND THIS IS THE ISSUE, UM, UH, LOANS FROM THE NEW JERSEY, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE BANK.
AND WE DO NOT HAVE TO PUT DOWN PAYMENT BECAUSE IT'S FINANCED BY THE LOAN AND THIS IS MUCH NEEDED, UH, EMERGENCY REPAIRS TO THAT, UH, BRIDGES, THESE BRIDGES THREE BRIDGES, UH, ORDINANCE NUMBER TWO IS FOR PROVIDE, UH, IMPROVEMENT TO THE COUNTY, UH, COLLEGE.
UM, AND THIS WAS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF SCHOOL ESTIMATE.
UH, AND, UH, THE AMOUNT IS 3 MILLION, 5 37, A 1 MILLION 7 68, 500 IS FINANCED BY THE COUNTY AND THE REST WILL BE SHOPPED UP 12, WHICH IS FINANCED BY THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
UM, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON ONE OR TWO, NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADD A SECOND TO INTRODUCE ORDINANCE NUMBER ONE? MOST COMMISSIONER COOPER.
COMMISSIONER POMAR SAYS PRESIDENT COMMISSIONER CBO.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
SO
COMMISSIONER MERCARDO COMMISSIONER LUCIANA.
COMMISSIONER GRAHAM COMMISSIONER GIL.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
AND WE'LL HAVE A MOVER IN A SECOND REVOLUTION.
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SEND THE US, UM, THE REQUIRED US TO AMEND THE BUDGET TO CHANGE.ONE OF THE GRANTS HAS TO BE REDUCED, AND THIS, THIS HAS TO BE ADVERTISED BECAUSE IT'S MORE THAN 50% OF ONE, UH, ONE 10% OF THE ITEM.
SO THE, THIS RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE 20, 22 BUDGET, AND IT WILL BE, UM, THE BUDGET SHOULD BE ADOPTED AND FOLLOW MEETING, WHICH IS APRIL 20TH.
UH, MR. MUHAMMAD, JUST FROM PROCEDURALLY, UH, WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE THE COUNTY BUDGET ADOPTION OF THE COUNTY BUDGET LISTED LATER IN THE MEETING.
UM, SO WE SHOULD MOVE TO ADJOURN THAT, OPEN IT AND MOVE TO ADJOURN THAT TO THE MEETING OF THE 20TH.
IT SHOULD BE HELD THE PUBLIC HEARING AND, UH, AND, UH, AND NOT TO VOTE ON IT.
UH, JUST, I, I FORGOT TO MENTION, UM, THIS AMENDMENT DID NOT CHANGE THE TAX LEVY OR, UH, THE TAX RATE OR THE AMOUNT OF SURPLUS ANTICIPATED.
UH, JUST THE, IT'S A, IT'S AN AMOUNT IN AND OUT FROM THE REVENUES AND APPROPRIATION DOES NOT AFFECT ANY, ANY PIECE, ANY OTHER ISSUES IN THE BUDGET.
THIS, THIS IS, THIS AMOUNT WAS RECOGNIZED IN THE REVENUE SECTION OF THE, OF, OF THE BUDGET.
UM, IT WAS RECOGNIZED AS A APPROPRIATION IN THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENTS.
THE STATE IS MERELY ASKING US TO TAKE IT OUT OF THE DEPARTMENTS, THOSE AMOUNTS THAT EQUAL THE REVENUE AMOUNT AND PUT THEM IN A SEPARATE SECTION ON CLASSIFIED BY DEPARTMENT.
SO IT'S NOTHING MORE THAN JUST RECLASSIFYING, UH, APPROPRIATIONS THAT WERE IN THE INDIVIDUAL DEPARTMENT INTO A SEPARATE LINE ITEM.
SO IT'S EASY TO TRACK THE MONEY THAT'S BEING CHARGED THERE FOR THE PURPOSES, FOR WHICH THE GRANT WAS GIVEN ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENT REVOLUTION.
NUMBER THREE, WAS THAT DELIBERATE? IT WAS FAIRLY NEW.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, THIS HAS HAPPENED THE COMMISSIONER AS A RESULT OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT FROM THE STATE, TELL US IT WAS ON AS A LATE STARTER.
I HAVE A MOTION TO, TO DEUCE RESOLUTION COMMISSIONER POOLE PER SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.
COMMISSIONER GROUND COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
SO MOVED, UM, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN THROUGH THE REVOLUTIONS ON SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING.
MR. PRESIDENT, UH, WE HAVE THREE ORDINANCE.
OH DASH 2022 DASH 0 0 0 0 FOR RESOLUTION, OUR DASH 2022 DASH 0 0 2 4 8.
AND RESOLUTION OUR DASH 2022 DASH 0 0 2 4 9.
MADAM CLERK BLESSED MOVED TO ORDINANCE NUMBER OH DASH 20 22 0 0 0 0 4.
AND IT WILL BE READY TO THE RECORD EVERY TIME MR. PRESIDENT.
I'M SORRY TO DROP A, I, I FEAR THAT WE MAY BE HAVING A TACTICAL ISSUE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AUDIO.
I'M SORRY TO TRY, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE OKAY.
IF I CAN JUST SPEAK A LITTLE BIT LOUDER, PLEASE.
I'M HEARING YOU SPEAKING INTO THE MIC.
WE HAVE TROUBLE HERE, RESIDENT.
HOW'S THAT BETTER? I'M NOT SITTING LIKE THAT.
I HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE OH DASH 2022.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THIS RESOLUTION, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
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TO SPEED.THERE'S NO ONE APPEARING MR. MCINERNEY AND THE QUESTIONS I HAVE NONE.
MR. PAUL VECCHIO, NO QUESTIONS.
MISSIONERS COMMISSIONED A CBO.
I'M DELIGHTED THAT WE ARE NAMING THE ANIMAL HOSPITAL AFTER BEARING A STRESS CASE.
I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR SUCH A LONG TIME, AND HE'S DONE SUCH WONDERFUL WORK, ESPECIALLY AT ST.
BORN AT THIS, WHICH IS NOW CALLED COOPERMAN BARNABAS, AND HE'S HEAD OF THE SAME OF BARNABAS HEALTH SYSTEM.
AND HE SPENT SO MUCH TIME HELPING US RIGHT HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
SO I'M DELIGHTED THAT THE ANIMAL HOSPITAL WILL BE NAMED IN HIS HONOR.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CBO, COMMERCIALLY.
HERE WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE.
I HAVE A MOVER AND COMMISSIONED A SIEBEL AND A SECOND.
AND COMMISSIONER WE'LL CALL THEM THE SAME, SAME TO IMPROVE.
COMMISSIONER VICE-PRESIDENT TAMARA'S COMMISSIONER MERCADO.
SO MOVED, LET'S MOVE THE RESOLUTION.
AND IT WE'LL BE READY TO THE RECORD.
I BELIEVE AT THE TIME I HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE RESOLUTION R DASH 20 22 0 0 2 4 8.
IF THERE WAS ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THAT WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THIS RESOLUTION, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MR. MCINERNEY, NO QUESTIONS, MR. PAUL, NO QUESTIONS.
AND A SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING OR RESOLUTIONS ARE DASH 2022 DASH 0 0 2 48.
MR. PRESIDENT, ELMO'S MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT OF TOMORROW.
DO I HAVE TO SAY, MOVE IN A SECOND TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION? YES.
COMMISSIONER GRAHAM, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
THE RESOLUTIONS ARE DASH 2022 DASH 0 2 4 9, WHICH IS THE ADOPTION OF THE 2022 ESSEX COUNTY BUDGET.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, HAVING HEARD FROM, UH, MR. MUHAMMAD AND MR. MCINERNEY ABOUT THE AMENDMENTS REQUIRED TO THE BUDGET THAT CAME WERE RECOMMENDED BY THE STATE.
I WOULD RECOMMEND AT THIS TIME THAT YOU OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS RESOLUTION AND THEN ADJOURN IT TO THE MEETING OF APRIL 20TH, BY THAT POINT, UM, THE OTHER RESOLUTION WILL BE IN PLACE THE AMENDMENTS, AND THEN WE CAN MOVE TO ADOPT THE BUDGET AT THAT TIME AT THE NEXT MEETING.
SO IT WOULD BE AT THIS POINT, A MOTION TO OPEN THE PUBLIC OR OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN WE'D HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN TO THE 20TH.
I HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON RESOLUTIONS ARE DASH 20 22 0 DASH 0 0 2 49.
NOW I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS RESOLUTION TO APRIL 29TH.
THAT MOTION MOVED BY COMMISSIONER CBO.
SECOND BY PERMISSION TO GRANT ROLL CALL COMMISSIONER SIEBEL.
COMMISSIONER VICE-PRESIDENT PMRS COMMISSIONER MERCADO.
COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, COMMISSIONER GRAHAM AND COMMISSIONER GIL.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
MR. PRESIDENT, IF I CAN JUST TO PUT A PUNCTUATION ON THAT.
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THERE'S ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO ARE LISTENING OR WATCHING, OR HERE ON THIS, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS STILL OPEN AND WILL BE HELD AT THE MEETING OF APRIL 20TH, WHICH WILL BE IN THIS ROOM AT FIVE O'CLOCK.SO THERE WILL STILL BE TIME TO SPEAK ON THIS.
THANK YOU, MR. PAUL VECCHIO HAWK, MADAM CLERK, LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTIONS.
ONE FROM FIVE HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND WE WILL READ IT INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON, UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
THIS IS A 24 MONTH EXTENSION OPTION OR TRY AND A, UH, INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES FOR THE COUNTY ADJUSTER'S OFFICE.
UH, FOR THOSE WHO ARE ADMITTED TO OUR HOSPITAL CENTER, THERE IS A PROCESS THAT THE INVESTIGATION IS CONDUCTED TO, UM, PROVIDE THAT EACH OF THOSE FEEDS THOSE RESIDENTS OR THOSE VERSUS ADMITTED ARE SS COUNTY RESIDENTS.
THIS FIRM PROVIDES THAT SERVICE AND WE ARE EXTENDING A REQUEST TO EXTEND THAT CONTRACT FOR ANOTHER 24 MONTHS AND THEN MOUNT NOT $80,000.
THANK YOU, MR. JACKSON, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
IS THIS THE SAME FRONT OF A YOUTH OF A NUMBER OF YEARS? LIKE A CONSISTENT YES.
MR. PRESIDENT, THIS WAS THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS THREE YEARS, UH, FOR $120,000.
AND WE'VE EXPENDED ABOUT $92,000 OF THAT.
THIS WILL BE A 24 MONTH EXTENSION OF A DIVISIONAL.
THANK YOU, MR. JACKSON, RICHARD, HIS QUESTIONS WILL COME HERE AND DO I HAVE A MOVE IN A SECOND? SO MOVE SECOND, MOVE BY COMMISSIONER.
MECADO SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.
ROLL CALL MEDICAL COMMISSIONER COOPER, COMMISSIONER GIL.
COMMISSIONER GRAHAM, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.
COMMISSIONER LUCIANO'S COMMISSIONER MERCADO, COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT.
PMRS COMMISSIONER CBO COMMISSIONER.
MA'AM LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTION NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND IT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UH, DIRECTOR ORTIZ WILL HANDLE THIS ITEM, UH, FAIR ORTIZ DIRECTOR AS THIS COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
I'M HERE THIS EVENING TO ADVANCE THE FOLLOWING DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AMENDMENT TO THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT MOA BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AND THE COUNTY OF UNION FOR THE PROVISION OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES BY ASSETS.
THESE, THIS PARTICULAR AMENDMENT INCLUDES ORIGINAL MOA APPROVED ON 5 12 21 FOR A FIVE YEAR PERIOD FROM 7 1 21 TO 6 30, 26.
UM, THIS IS LIKE YOU SAID, A RELATIVELY NEW CONTRACT AT 2021.
IS THIS, UH, AS A RESULT OF AN INCREASED NUMBER OF UNION COUNTY INMATES INCREASED NUMBER PER INMATE OR FOR THE DAILY CHARGE OR COMBINATION OF THOSE THINGS OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT CAUSED THIS INCREASE ALFARO OR TEASED DIRECTOR? YES.
THERE IS AN INCREASE AMOUNT OF INMATES.
SO THEY'RE PROJECTING OUT THE NUMBERS HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT YOU ARE CORRECT.
AND DOES THAT, IS, IS THAT NUMBER THERE IS, IF I RECALL THERE'S A, UH, THERE'S A DAILY COST PER INMATE, CORRECT? CORRECT.
DOES THAT, DID THAT INCREASE OR IS IT JUST BASED ON THE OVERALL? NO, IT'S BEEN 1 0 4 SINCE THE INCEPTION.
AND NOT 1 0 4 WAS BASED ON THE CALCULATION OF COST AND OVERHEAD, CORRECT.
GOING UP THAT MUCH OR NOT AT THIS TIME, BUT WE'LL ALWAYS NEGOTIATE COMMISSION.
ANY QUESTIONS ACCOUNT? I NEED A MOVER IN A SECOND.
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COMMISSIONER CBO? YES.COMMISSIONER MERCARDO COMMISSIONER LUCIANO'S COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO RESOLUTION NUMBER NINE BECAUSE EIGHT MINUTES HAVE BEEN DRAWN DURATION.
UH, DIRECTOR MICHAEL VR WERE HANDLED.
COMMISSIONERS MICHAEL VEER, DIRECTOR OF THE SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR THE COUNTY OF ESSEX TODAY, I'M REPRESENTING THE DIVISION OF SENIOR SERVICES.
THIS RESOLUTION IS A INTER DEPARTMENTAL, UH, INTER GOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR AND THE COUNTY OF ESSEX FOR TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, THE WAY PILOT PROJECT, UM, WHICH WE'RE USING TNC SERVICES, TRANSPORTATION, NETWORKING COMPANIES, WHICH WE WILL REFER TO AS UBER'S AND LYFT'S, UM, DURING COVID THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR ENDED UP SWITCHING THEIR SHUTTLE BUSES TO UBER, AND LYFT'S VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT SS COUNTY ENDED UP USING, UH, BECAUSE WE WERE DOING ONE-ON-ONE TRANSPORTATION.
THE SENIORS IN MONTCLAIR LOVED THE SERVICE AND, UH, MONTCLAIR HAD ASKED, UM, IF, UM, THE COUNTY OF ESSEX WOULD TAKE OVER THEIR TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM AND CONTINUE THE TNC PROGRAM.
UM, THE STATE IS WATCHING THIS IT'S, UH, MONTCLAIR WILL BECOME THE FIRST, UH, FULL TOWN OPERATING WITH UBER'S AND LYFT'S FOR THEIR SENIOR CITIZENS, UM, VERY SUCCESSFUL, UM, WITHIN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
WE'RE LOOKING FOR IT TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN MONTCLAIR.
ALSO, NO QUESTIONS, MR. BAGLEY.
AND IS THIS, HOW DOES THIS WORK? SO SOMEBODY WOULD JUST CALL UP OR DOES IT GO THROUGH A DISPATCH? THIS, SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN, THAN, UH, THE SS COUNTY'S, UM, PROGRAM FOR US.
THIS COUNTY, A SENIOR CITIZEN WOULD CALL OUR TRANS UH, TRANSPORTATION COMPANY.
OUR THIRD-PARTY CONTRACTOR, HOW WE SET THIS CONTRACT UP IS, UH, A COMPANY CALLED EASY RIDE ACTUALLY PREVENT, UH, PROVIDES OUR, UM, OUR TNC SERVICE.
WE'LL ALSO BE PROVIDING THE TNC SERVICE FOR MONTCLAIR.
THE SENIORS WILL ACTUALLY DIRECTLY CALL, UH, MONTCLAIR AND THEY WILL GET, UH, TRANSPORTATION WITHIN MINUTES.
SO IT'S NOT, IT'S ACTUALLY NOT EVEN GOING THROUGH OUR SYSTEM.
WE'RE JUST ACTUALLY RECONCILING THE NUMBERS AT THE END OF THE MONTH, PAYING THE BILL AND THEN BILLING MONTCLAIR, AND, AND, UH, AS FAR AS, UM, LIABILITY INSURANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHAT THIS IS, IS THIS HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THE COUNTY OR ABSOLUTELY NOT.
AND OTHER RATES THE SAME AS UBER OR DISCOUNT RATE OR NO? WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT'S CHEAPER THAN THE PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT THE COUNTY OF ESSEX PROVIDES WITH OUR THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR.
UM, AVERAGE TRIP IN MONTCLAIR WILL COST ABOUT $16 A TRIP.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING NEW THAT GOOD TO FEED.
THE STATE IS ACTUALLY WATCHING TO SEE HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO A MONTCLAIR.
WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR A, THIS WILL BE THE THIRD YEAR THAT THE COUNTY OF ESSEX IS DOING IT.
UH, NEW JERSEY TRANSIT ACTUALLY, UH, GAVE US MONEY FOR THE PILOT PROJECT THREE YEARS AGO.
UH, ACTUALLY OFFERED IT TO THE ENTIRE STATE ONLY ESSEX AND SUSSEX ENDED UP TAKING HIM UP ON IT SUSSEX BECAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD UBER'S AND LYFT'S, UM, WASN'T VERY SUCCESSFUL, UH, AS HIS COUNTY WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
SO IT DOES DEPEND ON THE VOLUME OF DRIVERS AROUND THAT.
AND THE PROBLEM IS ALSO, UH, GETTING DRIVERS ARE SHUTTLE BUSES.
THERE IS A SHORTAGE OF CDL DRIVERS NATIONWIDE.
SO THIS IS A PERFECT ANSWER TO THAT PROBLEM ALSO.
THIS, THIS SERVICE, IF A SENIOR WAS GOING TO GO SHOPPING FOOD SHOPPING, WOULD THAT DRIVE A WEIGHT FOR HER? NO.
HAS SHE HAVE TO, AFTER SHE DONE GOT ALL HER GROCERIES, STILL HAVE TO CALL IN AGAIN, THEY HAVE TO CALL IN AGAIN.
UH, AND THE INTERESTING PART OF THIS, UNLIKE A REGULAR UBER AND LYFT, LIKE WE TAKE, YOU DON'T NEED IT.
THE SENIOR DOES NOT NEED A SMARTPHONE.
UM, THE COMPANY THAT THEY WILL CALL IS EASY RIDE DIRECTLY AND EASY RIDE.
WE'LL MAKE THAT PHONE CALL FOR THAT SENIOR, UH, STANDARD PHONE UNTIL ACTUALLY THE VEHICLE EVEN ARRIVES.
UH, TELL THAT SENIOR THAT THE COLOR OF THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S NAME AND EVEN THE LICENSE PLATE.
AND THEN AFTER THAT PERSON HAS DONE SHOPPING, THEY WOULD ACTUALLY MAKE THE CALL AGAIN.
AND THE SAME PROCESS WOULD HAPPEN.
I SUPPOSE, SOME OF THEM DON'T HAVE A CELL PHONE AND THEY CALLED FROM THEIR HOUSE TO GET THIS RIDE.
HOW WOULD THEY GET THAT RETURN RIDE?
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THEY PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE.AND AT THAT POINT, THOSE WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE OR IF THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO CAN'T TAKE, UH UBER'S AND LYFT'S SUCH AS THOSE IN WHEELCHAIRS, THE COUNTY OF ESSEX WOULD SUB UH, SUPPLEMENT THAT SERVICE.
AND, UH, WE WOULD TAKE THOSE PEOPLE.
SO DO THE SENIOR HAVE TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE AT ALL, OR IS THE CITY PAYING FOR IT? AND THEN GETTING REIMBURSED? THE TOWNSHIP HAS $123,200 THAT THEY'VE BUDGETED FOR THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
SO TO SENIORS DO NOT HAVE TO, UH, TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE AT ALL.
AND DO THE SENIORS HAVE AN, I GUESS THEY NEED TO HAVE A SMARTPHONE TO TRACK THAT THE DRIVER IS TAKING THEM TO THE CORRECT DESTINATION THAT THEY'RE REQUESTED TO GO OR COME FROM? NO, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO NEED FOR THE SENIOR TO HAVE A SMARTPHONE.
EVERYTHING IS GOING THROUGH THE COMPANY, EASY RIDE AND EASY RIDE.
WE'LL MAKE THE APPOINTMENT FOR THAT SENIOR.
AND ON THE, UH, ON THE RETURN TRIP, THE SENIOR CALLS, EASY RIDE AND EASY RIDE WE'LL CALL THE, UM, THE UBER OR LYFT COMPANY.
SO IT'S EASY RIDE, STILL WILL TRACK TRACK THE SENIORS THEY'RE IN THE VEHICLE GOING TO THEIR DESTINATION.
THEY HAVE THE COMPUTER COMPUTERIZATION TO DO ALL OF THAT.
AND WE HAVE ALREADY CONTRACTED WITH EASY RIDE.
THE COUNTY WE'VE CONTRACTED EASY RIDE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
THE EASY RIDE DOES OUR JOB ACCESS, REVERSE COMMUTE SERVICE.
THEY ALSO, AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING THAT PROBABLY SINCE 2002.
UM, AND, UH, THEY ALSO NOW HAVE A CONTRACT WITH OUR THIRD-PARTY CONTRACTOR TO DO THE IT'S CALLED RIDE FOR LIFE.
THAT'S THE UBER AND LYFT TERMINOLOGY.
THAT'S A PROGRAM, UH, WE'VE BEEN USING THEM FOR THREE YEARS IN OUR SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM.
MR. VIEIRA IS $16 THAT'S ROUND TRIP.
WHERE THE AVERAGE, IF YOU USE THE S COUNTY TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, UH, YOU'RE TALKING 25 TO $30 A TRIP.
THANK YOU, MS. PRESIDENT, UM, JUST TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THIS.
SO THE, THE, THE SERVICE CURRENTLY HELP THIS, THIS SERVICE TO SENIORS IS CURRENTLY PROVIDED BY THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR BY THE COUNTY OF ESSEX IT'S PROVIDED BY.
IT WAS PROVIDED BY THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR.
THEY USED, UH, TWO AND THREE SHUTTLE BUSES PRIOR TO COVID AFTER COVID.
I'M SORRY, ARE THOSE ON DEMAND? SO ARE THOSE WITH, ARE THOSE SETS THAT HAVE STOPPED OR THOSE ARE ON DEMAND SHUTTLES THAT THEY'RE CALLING INTO THE TOWNSHIP? NO, THEY, THEY WERE, THEY WERE PRETTY MUCH SHUTTLE.
THEY HAD A, THE EASY RIDE ACTUALLY HAD A ROUTE THAT THEY, THEY DID, UH, IN THE TOWN THAT HE WOULD TAKE HALF OF THE TOWN ONE DAY, HALF OF THE TOWN THE NEXT DAY.
AND THEY WOULD JUST PRETTY MUCH DO A CIRCLE OF TRIPS WHERE IF A PERSON NEEDED TO GO TO A GO, THEY WOULD MOSTLY GO TO FOOD, SHOPPING, FOOD, SHOPPING.
AND IF A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT WAS ON THE ROUTE, THEY WOULD TAKE A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT.
IF THE DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT WAS NOT ON THE ROUTE, THEY WOULD PROBABLY CALL THE COUNTY OF ESSEX TO, UH, TO TAKE THAT PERSON FOR THEM.
SO, SO, AND CURRENTLY THEN THAT, SO THAT WAS, UH, A DRIVER THAT THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR IS PAYING THAT'S A MONTCLAIR SHUTTLE.
NOW THEY CONTRACT THAT THEY WERE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT ESSEX COUNTY WAS DOING.
THEY WERE PAYING A THIRD-PARTY CONTRACTOR, THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR TO DO THAT.
SO, SO THAT MONEY THAT THEY WERE PAYING THE THIRD-PARTY CONTRACTOR, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PAY, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PAY THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
THEY'RE GIVEN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AT HUNDRED AND $23,200, AND WE WILL BE PROVIDING THIS PILOT PROJECT WOULD UBER'S AND LYFT'S SO THAT, AND THE PILOT PROGRAM IS, IS BEING PROVIDED THROUGH THE NEW JERSEY TRANSIT.
I GUESS THE QUESTION I'M TRYING TO GET TO IS WHY WOULDN'T WE JUST, WHY DO WE NEED THE THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR TO DO THIS? WHY WOULDN'T WE JUST CONTACT THEM? BECAUSE WE WOULD MAKE, CAN MAKE THIS OWN ARRANGEMENT OURSELVES AND SAVE SOME MONEY.
WHY WOULDN'T WE JUST GO TO UBER AND LYFT DIRECTLY? WHY W WHAT IS, WHY DO WE HAVE A THIRD PARTY? BECAUSE THERE'S,
WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE MANPOWER TO DO THAT FOR, UH, COMMISSIONER.
UH, SO I GET NOW, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS DIFFERENT.
WOULDN'T WE DON'T, WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH UBER AND LYFT, THE REP THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, WE'RE DEALING WITH THE THIRD PARTY WE'RE DEALING WITH EASY RIDE.
AND ACTUALLY WE'RE NOT DEALING IN THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM WHERE THIS, THE SENIOR IS NOT CALLING US, AND NOW WE'RE NOT CALLING EASY RIDE.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY CALLING EASY RIGHT.
DIRECTLY A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE'RE DOING IN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
SO LET'S SEE HERE IS ACTUALLY CALLING, UH, UH, ESSENTIALLY YEAH.
SAVING OUR, UM, SO THERE'S NO TELEPHONE BACKLOG.
SO IT'S, IT'S KIND OF BYPASSING THE COUNTY SYSTEM GOING RIGHT TO EASY RIDE.
BUT UNDER THE, UNDER THE FUND OF THE OTHER SYSTEM THAT WE HAD IN THE TOWNSHIP, WE HAD ESSENTIALLY A SHUTTLE SYSTEM, WHICH WAS PEOPLE CALL GROUP OF PEOPLE GET PICKED
[00:40:01]
UP AT A CERTAIN TIME TO GET DRIVEN TO A CERTAIN PLACE.THEY'RE THERE FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
THEY KNOW THAT THE RIDE WILL BE THERE WHEN THEY'RE DONE, AND IT WILL BE DRIVEN BACK TO, SO THIS IS, THIS IS YOU KEEP SAYING A RIDE SHARE RIDE.
I THINK WE UNDERSTAND CONCEPT OF A RIDE SHARE IS ONE PERSON CALLS AND THE RIDE SHARE SHOWS UP, AND IT TAKES YOU WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.
AND THEN YOU GOT TO CALL SOMEBODY ELSE WITH A RIDE SHARE TO COME BACK, PICK YOU UP AND THEN BRING IT UP.
IT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN MONTCLAIR.
THE PROBLEM WITH THE, UH, THE SHUTTLE, WHEN THEY HAD THE SHUTTLE BUS PRE COVID WAS, UH, THE APARTMENT BUILDINGS TO SENIOR APARTMENT BUILDINGS GOT SERVICED.
IT WAS THOSE, THOSE INDIVIDUAL HOMES THAT REALLY WERE NOT ON THE ROUTE.
AND THOSE WERE THE PEOPLE WHO WERE KIND OF MISSING.
THEY'RE NOT MISSING A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, BUT THE COUNTY WAS SUBSIDIZING THOSE SERVICES.
SO WITH THIS TNC, UBER AND LYFT SERVICE, NOW THE ENTIRE SENIOR POPULATION IS PRETTY MUCH EQUAL, BUT THE, THE RETURN TRIP I'M STILL TRYING TO, I MEAN, HOW, HOW DO THEY GET BACK? OH, THEY JUST MAKE THE PHONE CALL AGAIN TO, UH, TO EASY RIDE AND SAY, HI, I'M MRS. JONES.
UH, I'M READY TO BE PICKED UP.
THEY ALREADY HAVE HER IN THE COMPUTER.
I'M ASSUMING AS COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, ASSUMING MS. JONES HAS A WELL, MS. IF MS. JONES DIDN'T HAVE A TELEPHONE, UH, SHE WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN TO THE DESTINATION IN THE FIRST PLACE.
DID YOU CALL THE SWITCHBOARD THROUGH YOUR HOME PHONE? YEAH, BUT, UH, NO, THEY, THEY WILL BE, THEY WILL, THEY WILL BE GIVEN THE DIRECTIONS.
DO YOU HAVE A CELL PHONE? YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A SMARTPHONE, YOU TO HAVE A CELL PHONE.
SO WHEN A SENIOR CALLS THEY'RE ASKED YOU DO HAVE A CELL PHONE, AND IF A PERSON DOESN'T HAVE A CELL PHONE, UM, THEN IT WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AND THEN WE'LL TAKE THAT PERSON.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER COOPER.
ARE THERE LIMITS ON WHERE THE DESTINATIONS THAT THE SENIORS CAN GO TO OR IS IT OPEN? IT'S NOT OPENED, UH, FOR MONTCLAIR.
UM, WE, WE, IN THE, UH, INTER UH, UH, GOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT, WE HAVE A 10 MILE RADIUS.
SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE BORDERING COMMUNITIES OF MONTCLAIR, UM, IN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX, WE, WE KIND OF DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN TAKE SOMEBODY UP TO BERGEN COUNTY OR NOT.
SO, UM, WITH OUR SYSTEM, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A, WE HAVE THE DISCRETION TO GO INTO BERGEN COUNTY OR UP FURTHER MONTCLAIR.
WE'RE JUST KIND OF DOING THE, UH, CONTINUOUS COUNTIES AROUND THEM AND THAT'S, AND WE DIDN'T SEE THAT THAT'S HOW IT WAS WITH MONTCLAIR.
WE DIDN'T, UH, WE DIDN'T TELL MONTCLAIR THAT MONTCLAIR TOLD US THAT THEY LIMITED IT TO A 10 MILE RADIUS, 10 MILE RADIUS.
UM, WHAT IS THE NORMAL NUMBER THAT RESIDENTS CAN CALL TO USE YOUR SERVICES? I GET ASKED THAT QUESTION ALL THE TIME AND ALWAYS HAVE TO LOOK IT UP.
MY, UH, THE SS COUNTY COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM IS 9 7 3 7 3 7 7200.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS MR. VIEIRA BEFORE THIS RIDESHARE THAT WE'RE DOING NOW? HOW MANY, APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY SENIORS USE THE SHOVEL AND IF YOU WOULD ESTIMATE OR GUESSTIMATE, HOW MANY, UM, WE'RE MISSING OUT IN TERMS OF THE HOMEOWNERS WHO WERE NOT AT THE SYDNEY BUILDINGS, WHAT NUMBERS ARE WE TALKING? ARE YOU TALKING PRE COVID OR, OR DURING COVID BECAUSE DURING COVID, WE ENDED UP GOING TO A ONE-ON-ONE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO PUT, AND I'M TALKING, I'M TALKING THE COUNTY SYSTEM.
WE DID NOT WANT TO PUT A MULTIPLE SENIORS ON OUR VEHICLES.
UM, BE EXACT I'M A COVID, UH, CONTAGIOUS PERSON IN, IN BERGEN COUNTY ENDED UP CONTAMINATING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM IN BERGEN COUNTY.
EVERY SINGLE DRIVER ALMOST GOT, UH, GOT COVID AND SHUT THAT DOWN.
ONCE I LEARNED THAT WHAT WE ENDED UP DOING WAS WE WENT TO A ONE-ON-ONE SYSTEM AND I'M HAPPY TO SAY IN THE TWO YEARS, NOT ONE OF OUR DRIVERS ENDED UP WITH COVID.
SO, UM, WHAT WE ENDED UP DOING WAS WE NEEDED THE, UH, THE RIDE FOR LIFE SERVICE TO SUPPLEMENT OUR VEHICLES BECAUSE WE WERE GOING ONE-ON-ONE.
UM, YES, WE DID LOSE, UH, PASSENGERS, UH, DURING COVID, BECAUSE WE WERE NOT TRANSPORTING, UH, NUTRITION SITES OR DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED, UH, WORKSHOPS, HOWEVER, ANYBODY WHO NEEDED TO GO TO A DOCTOR OR A DIALYSIS CHEMOTHERAPY, WE ENDED UP TAKING THEM THROUGHOUT THE TWO YEARS.
AND WE'RE STILL DOING THAT TODAY.
UH, NUTRITION IS STARTING TO PICK UP, SO WE ARE GOING TO START SEEING OUR NUMBERS GROW AGAIN.
UM, PRIOR TO US HAVING THE RIDE FOR LIFE PROGRAM, YES, WE WERE THERE SOME WAITING LISTS.
UH, THERE WAS SOME SERVICES THAT WE COULD NOT DO ON SATURDAYS WITH OUR TNC, WHICH WILL BE HOPEFULLY APPROVED AT THE NEXT MEETING, UH, THROUGH NEW JERSEY TRANSIT.
UM, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY NO TO SOMEBODY BECAUSE WE HAVE ACCESS TO A RIDE FOR THOSE PEOPLE.
SO WHAT WOULD A PRE COVID? THE PRE COVID NUMBERS WE WERE, UH, COUNTY OF ESSEX WAS PROBABLY DOING ABOUT 125,000 TRIPS A YEAR.
[00:45:01]
INTO ACCOUNT EVERYTHING.UH, WE, WE DON'T SAY NO TO ANYBODY.
UH, IF A PERSON HAS TO TAKE THEIR, THEIR, THEIR PET TO THE VET AND WE CAN FIT THEM ON OUR VEHICLE, WE WILL DO THAT.
WE, WE DON'T, WE WE'RE OPEN TO ANYTHING.
SO WHAT'S THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IN THIS PROGRAM.
SO IT'S, IT'S, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE OUR CONTRACT WITH OUR THIRD-PARTY CONTRACTOR IS $63 AND 67 CENTS AN HOUR, BUT THAT THAT'S $63 AND 67 CENTS AN HOUR.
THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THE SALARIES FOR THE DRIVERS, THE SALARIES FOR THE DISPATCHERS, THE SALARIES FOR THE MAINTENANCE MECHANIC, AND IT'S INCLUSIVE OF EVERYTHING, UM, MAINTENANCE OF THE VEHICLE INSURANCE OF THE VEHICLE.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO BREAK DOWN OF HOW MUCH EACH PERSON IS GETTING.
IT'S A WHOLE, THE ONLY THING THAT THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR DOES NOT PROVIDE IS, UH, THE VEHICLES CAUSE THE COUNTY OF ESSEX PROVIDES THE VEHICLES AND FUEL THE THIRD-PARTY CONTRACTOR PROVIDES EVERYTHING ELSE, INCLUDING TRAINING FOR THE DRIVERS.
SO, SO HOW MUCH IS OUR ANNUAL CONTRACT WITH THIS THIRD PARTY VENDOR? I BELIEVE IT'S CLOSE TO $4 MILLION EACH YEAR, EACH YEAR.
AND WE PROVIDED BUSES AND WE PROVIDE THE FUEL.
AND THEY PROVIDE 40 DRIVERS AND MAINTENANCE MECHANICS.
THEY, THEY PROVIDE THE MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLES.
THEY PROVIDE THE INSURANCE FOR THE 45 VEHICLES.
SO THEY UPKEEP AND MAINTAIN THE VEHICLES AND DO EVERYTHING.
WE GIVE THEM THE FUEL AND THEY HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING ELSE TO RUN THE OPERATIONS.
THEY ALSO MAINTAIN THE DISPATCH SYSTEM WHEN FOLKS CALL IN FOR RIDES.
HEARING THE EMOTION AND THE SECOND I'LL LOVE IT.
COMMISSIONER GALE PRESENT NOVEL COMMISSIONER.
COMMISSIONER MERCARDO COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT PRIMARK SAYS YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
MADAM CLERK WILL MOVE TO RESOLUTION IS TEAR THE FLU 17, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS.
WE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR.
UH, MR. XAVIER, BEFORE YOU GET STARTED, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN WOULD THE COMMISSIONERS SEE, SEE THEIR PICTURES UP ON HIS BILLBOARDS AND UPON I, UH, I REACHED OUT TO THE PARKS DIRECTOR AFTER OUR CONVERSATION, UH, PREVIOUSLY, AND, UH, HE SAID HE WILL CHECK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ONCE AGAIN.
HOPEFULLY YOU HAVE A MORE CLEAR ANSWER ON THE 20TH, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING ON.
UH, NUMBER 10 IS A CONTRACT AWARD WITH AMERICAN WOODCARVING, UH, TO PROVIDE THE DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF CUSTOM ILLUMINATED SIGNS 24 MONTH CONTRACT, NOT TO EXCEED $350,000.
THESE ARE FOR LIGHT UP SIGNS THAT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO PUT UP IN FRONT OF NEW BUILDINGS, OR WHEN BUILDINGS ARE, UH, REHABBED.
UH, WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE ANY IN THE PARK SYSTEM, BUT THERE IS ONE, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE OEM BUILDING OVER BY THE, UH, CODY ARENA.
UH, AND THEY'LL LOOK JUST LIKE THOSE.
NUMBER 11 IS A CONTRACT AWARD WITH GSP PROPERTIES, THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER TO PROVIDE MASONRY WORK AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $672,615.
THIS IS FOR A SIDEWALK, REPAIRS, PAVERS, FOUNDATIONS, BENSON INSTALLATIONS, STORM DREAMS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PARK SYSTEM AND GOLF COURSES.
NUMBER 12 IS A CONTRACT AWARD WITH STORE TRACTOR COMPANY FOR THE PURCHASE OF TORO GROUND, MASTER TRIFECTA MOWERS, AND ACCESSORIES UNDER THE MIDDLESEX REGIONAL COOPERATIVE PURCHASING AGREEMENT AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $696,328 AND 56 CENTS.
SPECIFICALLY, THIS IS FOR A TOTAL OF 12 OF THESE, UH, MOWERS.
UH, THERE'S GOING TO BE FOUR OVER EACH OF OUR GOLF COURSES.
UH, THE CURRENT MOTORS HAVE OUTLIVED THEIR, UH, THEIR USEFUL LIFE.
UH, THESE MOWERS CUT GREENS, TEES APRONS, AND AGAIN, EACH COURSE HAS FOUR THAT WILL BE REPLACED.
UH, THE MOWERS THAT THEY WERE REPLACING HER EIGHT YEARS OLD AND ARE USED ON A DAILY BASIS FOR THE GROWING SEASON.
UH, NUMBER 13 IS A CONTRACT AWARD WITH BUSINESS TECH PARTNERS TO PROVIDE A POINT OF SALE SYSTEM FOR THE RICHARD J CODY ARENA, A 36 MONTH CONTRACT, NOT TO EXCEED $307,420.
THIS IS FOR THE POINT OF SALE SYSTEM OVER AT THE ARENA.
[00:50:01]
ONLINE RESERVATIONS FOR COACHES AND STUDENTS, AS WELL AS, UH, UH, PATRONS COULD PURCHASE ICE TIME, UH, DURING THE FREE SKATE, AS WELL AS, UH, THEY CAN RESERVE THEIR SKATES.UH, THIS IS A SYSTEM WE HAVEN'T HAD SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CODY ARENA IN THE PAST.
UH, IN THE PAST, WE'VE HAD ALL OF OUR REVENUE GENERATING SYSTEMS, UH, ALL OF OUR REVENUE GENERATING FACILITIES TOGETHER ON ONE SYSTEM, BUT, UH, CARDI ARENA PRESENTS SOME UNIQUE CHALLENGES WITH THEIR ICE TIME.
SO, UH, WE, UH, ARE NOW HAVING THEM HAVE A SEPARATE POS SYSTEM NUMBERS 14 THROUGH 17, ALL DEAL WITH, UH, VEHICLES THAT THE, UH, PARTS DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING TO PURCHASE.
UH, 14 IS, UH, TO PROVIDE FIVE NEW 2022 FORD F FOUR 20 TRUCKS WITH WESTERN PLOW EQUIPMENT, NOT TO EXCEED $356,055.
NUMBER 15 CONTRACT AWARD TO D F F L M TO PROVIDE THREE NEW 2020 FORD F TWO 50 SUPERCAB TRUCKS WITH PLOW EQUIPMENT, NOT TO EXCEED $135,825 NUMBER 16 CONTRACT AWARD, UH, WITH, UH, DFF LM TO PROVIDE TO NEW 20, 20, 40, 50 TRANSIT LOW CARGO VANS AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $65,983.
AND FINALLY, NUMBER 17 IS A CONTRACT AWARD WITH WINTER FORD TO PROVIDE ONE NEW 2022 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT BAND WITH REAR SYMMETRICAL DOORS MOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $31,786.
UH, JUST TO SPECIFICALLY, UH, INFORMING THE BOARD AS TO WHERE THESE VEHICLES ARE GOING.
UH, THE, THE FORD NUMBER 14, THE FORD F FOUR 50 PLOWS ONES GO INTO HENDRIX.
ONE TO BURN, WENT TO THE ZOO TO THE BRANCH BROOK PARK, NUMBER 15, THE 40 TO 50 TRUCKS WITH PLOWS.
ONE'S GOING TO INDEPENDENCE PARK WHEN THE SOUTH MOUNTAIN RESERVATION AND WHEN THE BRANCH BROOK PARK NUMBER 16, THE FORD TRANSIT VANS, BOTH OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BRANCH BROOK PARK, AND FINALLY, NUMBER 17, THE F THE FORD TRANSIT CONNECT IS GOING TO THE ZOO.
UH, THESE TOTALLY WILL BE A THREE REPLACEMENT VEHICLES AND, UH, EIGHT NEW ONES THAT WILL BE ADDED TO OUR FLEET.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
HELLO, MR.
NUMBER 10, WITH THE SIGNS, THE ILLUMINATED SIGNS, UH, DO YOU HAVE BUILDINGS OR LOCATIONS WHERE THESE WILL BE GOING, UH, YOU HAVE DESIGNATED SPOTS FOR THEM, AND ARE THEY REPLACING EXISTING SIGNS THAT ARE ALREADY IN PLACE? UH, THREE, MR. PRESIDENT JOSHUA IS HSE COUNTY PARKS.
UH, WE'RE STILL DETERMINING WHERE TO, UH, WHERE TO PLACE THEM, OR WE ENVISIONED THEM GOING, UH, IN SPOTS WHERE WE, WHERE THEY, THE WOODEN SIGNS THAT YOU SEE AROUND THE PARK SYSTEM JUST AREN'T FEASIBLE AS WELL AS PUTTING THEM, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE A NEW BUILDING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE WOODEN SIDE MIGHT NOT LOOK AS NICE AS AN ILLUMINATING SIDE.
I THINK YOU HIT THE POINT OF MY QUESTION.
THEY'RE NOT REPLACING THOSE NICE KIND OF BLUE GOLD, CERTAINLY THAT'S OKAY.
UH, OTHER QUESTION ON THE VEHICLES, THE 14 THROUGH 17, YOU SAID THREE WERE REPLACEMENTS AND EIGHT WERE, UH, NEW ADDITIONS TO THE FLEET.
UH, WAS THERE, UH, WHAT'S THE REASON FOR THE ADDITIONS? UH, IT'S REALLY JUST, UM, THE, THE DAY-TO-DAY USE OF THE, OF THE PARK SYSTEM AND THE CLEANUP, AND THEN THE PLOWING.
UM, WE NEED NEW NEW VEHICLES IN ORDER TO MEET THE DEMAND TO THE PUBLIC.
ARE WE OKAY? I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WAS THERE A, AN OUTSIDE VENDOR OR SOME OTHER, SOME OUTSIDE VENDOR PROVIDING THESE VEHICLES THROUGH OTHER SERVICES, OR WE JUST HAVE AN INCREASED DEMAND? NO, IT'S, IT'S REALLY, IT'S REALLY JUST AN INCREASED DEMAND.
UM, WITH REGARD TO YOU ILLUMINATED BESIDES THIS IS A CONTRACT NOT TO EXCEED, SO THESE ARE CUSTOM SIGNS.
THE SIGN IS SITTING HAS BEEN PRICED OUT.
AND THEN IS THERE A QUOTE GIVEN AS TO HOW MUCH THAT SIGN, OF COURSE, IS THERE A BUDGET AS TO HOW MUCH YOU SPEND ON A SITE? UH, SURE.
UH, THREE OF MR. PRESIDENT, UH, GESTURES, H COUNTY PARKS.
UH, WE DO HAVE A SPECIFIC LINE ITEMS. SO, UH, THE DESIGN OF THE SIGN WOULD BE $60 AN HOUR.
THE FABRICATION WOULD BE $95 AN HOUR, AND THEN THE INSTALLATION WOULD BE $110 AN HOUR.
UM, AND WE WOULD BE PROVIDED WITH A QUOTE TO SEE WHAT THE TOTAL PRICE WOULD BE BEFORE.
UM, AND THEN ALL THESE OTHER CONTRACTS THAT I'M LOOKING AT HERE FOR THE MOST PART ON THE EQUIPMENT, ARE THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SOLE RESPONSIBLE, THE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES.
[00:55:01]
10 ARE THE SIGNS YOU ENVISIONED THAT THE SIGNS WILL LOOK LIKE THE, UM, THE SIGNAGE THIS OUTSIDE OF 50 SOUTH CLINTON IN EAST ORANGE, UH, THREE 30 MR. PRESIDENT GESTURES.I'M NOT, I CAN'T SAY I'M NOT REALLY FAMILIAR WITH THE SIGN.
THE ONLY, THE ONLY SIGN I COULD THINK OF, UM, THAT I'VE PERSONALLY DRIVEN PAST RECENTLY WOULD BE THE OEM SIGN OVER AT CODY ARENA.
I DON'T KNOW HOW FAMILIAR YOU WOULD, YOU WOULD BE WITH THAT ONE.
SO IT'S LIKE, UH, ILLUMINATED SILENCE WITH WORDS, AND SOMETIMES THE COUNTY THAT FACES UP THERE AND OTHER PICTURES SOMETIMES.
SO, UH, BASICALLY, WELL, I, I BELIEVE YOU'RE THINKING OF, UM, OUR ELECTRONIC SIGN, UH, THAT WE WOULD HAVE OUTSIDE OF THE ARENA OR OUTSIDE OF THE HALL RECORDS.
ACTUALLY WE HAVE AN ELECTRONIC SITE.
THIS IS A, A MORE DECORATIVE SIGN.
YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T FLASH MESSAGES.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, TINA'S BIRTHDAY PARTIES ON TUESDAY.
IT'S MORE OF A PERMANENT FIXTURE THAT WOULD SAY, FOR INSTANCE, THE NAME OF THE BUILDING OR THE NAME OF THE EXHIBIT, IT'D BE POORLY.
MY SECOND WAS GOING TO BE LIKE ADVERTISEMENT, BUT YOU JUST ANSWERED.
I HAVE ANOTHER RESOLUTION BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A PITCHES UP ON ANY BILLBOARDS, SOME KIND OF A BUTTON THAT MAKES IT SOUND LIKE THAT.
I, UH, FOR ITEM NUMBER 13, RESOLUTION, UM, COOPER'S PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MIC.
SO I THOUGHT YOU WERE PICKING IT UP, UM, FOR ITEM NUMBER 13, IT REFERENCED THAT YOU GOT RESPONSES FROM SIX VENDORS, BUT ONLY THREE WERE LISTED.
DID YOU REJECT THE OTHER THREE OR AM I MISREADING? UH, MR. PRESIDENT JOSHUA IS H S COUNTY PARKS.
IT WAS EVALUATED SINCE IT WAS A COMPETITIVE CONTRACT.
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DEFAULT TO, UH, MR.
I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO MR. PRESIDENT.
YOU COMMISSION A CORPORATE, UM, THAT'S IT RE UM, AFTER WE'RE DONE, CAN WE KEEP MR. JAKES THERE? I HAD TWO QUESTIONS ABOUT SOMETHING NOT RELATED TO THE REVOLUTION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? HERE WE GO.
MY COMMISSIONER SECRETS GRANT ROLL CALL.
MADAM CLERK, COMMISSIONER SIEBEL TAKE RESOLUTION IS 10 TO 17, WHATEVER COMMISSIONER VICE-PRESIDENT FOR MORRIS COMMISSIONER MERCADO.
COMMISSIONER GRAHAM COMMISSIONER GIL.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
MADAM CLERK, LET'S MOVE TO 18 THROUGH 22.
THE ONLY COMMISSIONER WANTS TO SPEAK WITH, UH, MR. AND MRS. JACKSON.
UH, GOOD EVENING, DAVID ANTONIO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS ITEM.
NUMBER 18 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO, UM, SOME ENGINEERING TO PERFORM THE CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND INSPECTION SERVICES REQUIRE YOU UNDERTAKE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE URBAN CAN AVE STREETSCAPE FACE TO ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, SUN'S PROPOSAL WAS RATED AS THE HIGHEST SCORING OF THE 11 RESPONSES TO THIS PROJECT.
THIS CONTRACT WILL NOT EXCEED $158,800, NOR WILL IT EXCEED 12 MONTHS IN DURATION.
NUMBER 19 IS A CHANGE ORDER, ADDING AN AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $17,364 TO COVER THE COST OF FUND FORESEEN ADDITIONAL
[01:00:01]
ENGINEERING SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE LAKESIDE AVENUE COVERT OVER THE WICK RAM, BROOKE AND WEST STORAGE.THIS CHANGE ORDER WILL YIELD A 7.93% CHANGE TO THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT AWARDED TO MCDONALD'S AND ITEM.
NUMBER 21 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO A BERMS. THE LOWEST OF THE TWO BIDS RECEIVED TO CONSTRUCT THE URBAN CAN AVE STREETSCAPE PHASE TWO IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS PROJECT WILL EXTEND THE ALREADY CONSTRUCTED STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS ALONG IRVINGTON AVENUE FROM HILLCREST ROAD IN MAPLEWOOD TO FLORENCE AVENUE IN IRVINGTON.
THIS CONTRACT WILL NOT EXCEED $878,718, AND IT WILL NOT EXCEED 210 CALENDAR DAYS.
MR. JUAN ALVARADO OF AA BERMS HAS JOINED US AND HE WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS TO BOARD ME HALF.
I'M THE OWNER OF A BERMS WHERE A SMALL FIRM HEADQUARTERED IN BELLVILLE ESSEX COUNTY.
AND, UH, WE HAVE, UH, A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, SEVEN YEARS EXPERIENCE NOW IN SIDEWALK WORK, DECORATIVE CONCRETE, A LOT OF PARKS AND STREETSCAPE PROJECTS.
AND, UM, WE WERE, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRST PHASE WHERE WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HIRE OTHER ESSEX COUNTY, UM, SUBCONTRACTORS TO PERFORM VARIOUS WORK ALONG ARRINGTON AVENUE.
AND, UM, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER NO QUESTIONS, NO QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS.
SO HOW MANY DO YOU EMPLOY ANY ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS? UH, YES.
UH, I WOULD SAY 80% OF OUR FORCES FROM ESSEX COUNTY, PARTICULARLY NEWARK.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS HAVE COME HERE? EMOTION IS SICK, MOVED BY COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.
SECOND BY PERMISSION TO COOP ROLL CALL MOM.
AND WE'RE TAKING THIS ONE INDEPENDENTLY.
THIS IS FOR RESOLUTIONS 18 THROUGH 22, EXCEPT WE DID 20 TO 22 SEPARATE 21.
I'M SORRY, 21 AND 21 WITH JOHNSON.
AND I, MR. PERSON, IT WAS JOHNSON AND COOPER, CORRECT? UH, COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER MERCADO, COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON, COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
SOME OF THEM MR. PRESIDENT JULIUS, CALL TREE A PURCHASING AGENT.
THE ANSWER TO A COMPETITIVE CONTRACT, 21 DASH 2 96.
THAT WAS A TYPE OF IT BASED ON TECHNOLOGY.
I'M LOOKING AT THE BID TABULATIONS.
THERE WERE ONLY THREE VENDORS.
SO THE NEXT ITEM IS A 20 TO 100 AND MR. POSTMAN.
THIS IS AN ITEM THAT COMES UP AROUND BUDGET TIME EVERY YEAR, AND I'VE SENT OUT A MEMO TO, UH, TO BRIEF YOU ON IT.
BUT ESSENTIALLY THE, UH, THIS IS TO CERTIFY COMPLIANCE WITH THE UNITED STATES.
EOC IS ENFORCEMENT GUIDANCE ON, UH, AND THERE THEY HAVE GUIDANCE.
IT'S NOT A LAW, BUT GUIDANCE ON THE CONSIDERATION OF ARREST AND CONVENTION CONVICTION RECORDS IN THE COUNTIES, EMPLOYMENT DECISIONS.
AND ACTUALLY THERE'S NO CHANGES LASHED SINCE LAST YEAR.
[01:05:01]
WE'RE PROBABLY THE YEAR BEFORE, BUT WHAT IT DOES, WHAT THE MEMO WAS DO, IF YOU WANT TO READ THAT, IS IT GIVES YOU, UM, THE RELEVANT COUNTY HIRING PRACTICES PERTAINING TO AN INDIVIDUAL'S CRIMINAL HISTORY.AND, UM, ALL THE THINGS THAT THE COUNTY DOES REGARDING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND, UH, IT IS MY OPINION THAT, UH, THE COUNTY'S PRACTICES DO COMPLY WITH THAT EEOC GUIDANCE.
SO I JUST WANTED YOU TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH THIS BEFORE YOU DO CERTIFY, UH, THROUGH THE RESOLUTION THAT, UH, THE COUNTY IS IN COMPLIANCE.
THANK YOU, MR. PAUL, BACK TO YOU, MR.
I NEED TO MOVE HER IN A SECOND.
SECOND BIND INITIATIVE, GRANT ROLL CALL.
UM, MR. PRESIDENT, I WAS TALKING, I DIDN'T GET ONE MOVED BY VICE-PRESIDENT FROM OUR SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRANT.
COMMISSIONER SIEBEL, COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT FEMARA.
COMMISSIONER GRAHAM COMMISSIONER GIL.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
THIS MOVE TO RESOLUTION IS 23 THROUGH 38, WHICH ARE ALL COMMENDATIONS IN MEMORIAM PROCLAMATION RESOLUTION.
THEN WE READ IT TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
COMMISSIONING ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS HEARING? NONE.
I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND MOVE BY COMMISSIONER MERCADO.
CAN I SHOW COOPER? COMMISSIONER GIL? YES.
COMMISSIONER GRAHAM, COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.
COMMISSIONER VICE-PRESIDENT PMRS COMMISSIONER CBO COMMISSIONER.
MADAM CLERK, LET'S MOVE THE RESOLUTION 39, WHICH WOULD BE READY TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
THANK YOU, DIRECTOR BORDEAUX WILL ADDRESS.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONER, MY LORD OR HEALTH OFFICER FOR US.
IT'S COUNTY ITEM 39 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OR REHABILITATION DIVISION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AND THE TOWNSHIP OF NUTLEY SHARING AN AMBULANCE FOR HAZMAT.
UM, I COME BEFORE YOU, AS THE LINKS AGENCY YEAR FOR THE COUNTY, WE ARE THE, ALSO THE HAZMAT ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR THE COUNTY.
UH, AND HAZMAT IS MORE NATIVE THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AT, IN, THROUGH NUTLEY, THROUGH A CONTRACT AGREEMENT.
SO THEREFORE, UH, DUE TO THAT, THERE WAS AN AMBULANCE THAT WAS PURCHASED THAT IS EQUIPPED TO HANDLE HAZMAT RESPONSE, AND ALSO IS ABLE TO BE USED FOR OTHER CLINICS AND ALSO TO BE USED FOR VACCINATION OR TESTING FOR COVID.
SO IT WAS DUAL USES, NO QUESTIONS, MR. MCENROE.
SO IT IS PURSUANT TO THE CONTRACT, THE AMBULANCE CHARGES TO THE CONTRACTOR ONLY WHEN THE AMBULANCE IS USED FOR HAZMAT.
SO I, UH, SO WHEN IT COMES TO THE AMBULANCE USE, UH, THE VEHICLE WOULD BE GIVEN OVER TO NOTLEY HAZMAT, AND WHEN THE COUNTY NEEDS TO USE IT, WE CAN AT ANY TIME, BUT IT IS BEING USED FOR HAZMAT, UH, RESPONSES WHEN THEY'RE CALLED.
AND THAT IS THROUGHOUT EVERY MUNICIPALITY OF THE COUNTY USES THAT AMBULANCE AND HAZMAT THROUGH NUTLEY.
SO, SO IT IS, SO THERE IS A SPECIFIC CHARGE I WOULD THINK, RIGHT? I MEAN, A NOT TO EXCEED, I BELIEVE, UH, I'M GOING TO REFER TO A PURCHASING DIRECTOR, JULIE, UH, MR. PRESIDENT JULIA'S CALLED TREE.
UH, THIS VEHICLES PURCHASED THROUGH CARES FOR $265,000.
AND THE NEED FOR THE IT'S A COMBINATION NEEDS ALSO THAT IT WILL RESPOND TO HEALTH EMERGENCIES THAT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS ALONG WITH HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, BUT IT'S USED FOR MULTIPLE PURPOSES, BUT THIS CONTRACT ONLY DEALS WITH ONE SPECIFIC USE, CORRECT? MULTIPLE USES.
THIS ECHO ONE IS THE NEED FOR THE COUNTY HEALTH, THE PARTS.
SO THAT'S WITHIN THIS CONTRACT, CORRECT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON CONGRESS? YES.
I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, PUT IN A COMMENT BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE ALL OF OUR, MY COLLEAGUES TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS YOUNG LADY HERE WAS THE ONE WHO RAN THE COVID 19 TESTING AND ALL OF THOSE FOR ALL OF THE FACILITIES.
[01:10:01]
AND I THINK THAT WITH HER BEING HERE, I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE HER AROUND.I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU WERE GOING TO BE LAST.
HAD I REALIZED THAT I WOULD HAVE MOVED YOU TO THE TOP OF THE LIST.
SHE WASN'T LAST SHE'S NEXT TO LAST, BUT YOU STILL
UH, UH, JOHNSON TOOK THE WORDS RIGHT OUT OF MY MOUTH BECAUSE I WAS PREPARED TO SAY ALMOST THE SAME THING, BECAUSE FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS, YOU HAVE EXTENDED SO MUCH OF YOUR TIME AND ENERGY TO HELP ESSEX COUNTY.
AND YOU TRULY HELPED US GET THROUGH THIS HORRIBLE SITUATION WITH THE PANDEMIC.
SO WE ALL APPLAUDED YOU, BUT I THINK YOU DID A FANTASTIC JOB GIVING YOUR TIME AND ENERGY.
WHAT WILL WE DO WITHOUT YOU? WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT YOU CAME TO WORK FOR ESSEX COUNTY.
THANK YOU TO ALL AS WELL VICE-PRESIDENT PER MONTH.
AND I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF MINING MY FELLOW COLLEAGUES, THAT SHE CAME BY WAY OF BLOOMFIELD.
AND, UH, I REALLY WANTED TO COMMENT, UH, OF COURSE I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH, WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID, AND I'VE SEEN IT FIRSTHAND, BUT I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE AMBULANCE.
AND I AM A BIT OF A GEAR HEAD AND I DID, OF COURSE, WAS GRAVITATED TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS A VERY WELL EQUIPPED VEHICLE, BUT IT WAS VERY CLEAR TO ME THAT THE WAY THAT IT WAS EQUIPPED REALLY DID, UH, MEET THE VARIETY OF DIVERSE NEEDS THAT YOU ARTICULATED EARLIER.
SO I WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON THE SELECTION OF THE VEHICLE HOUSE, HOW IT CAN BE USED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.
AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE GREAT FOR ALL OF US.
AND NOW THAT NONE IN PARTICULAR HAS HAD A LONG HISTORY OF WORKING IN THAT CAPACITY.
AND SO I'VE SEEN A DRIVE TWO YEARS, YOU KNOW, SEEING THEM IN ACTION IN OUR PARADES TOO.
SO THERE THERE'S CERTAINLY BEEN VERY WELL KNOWN.
SO I WANT TO COMMEND THEM FOR THE SELECTION OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH IS GOING TO MEET A NEW AND SPECIAL NEEDS.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, I TOO WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK.
YOU ALLOW THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT FRONT IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS, WHO GOT A LOT OF THE CREDIT AND PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE REALLY THE ENGINE BEHIND THE WHOLE THING.
SO REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, MR. PRESIDENT JULIA'S CULTURING PURCHASING AGENT.
UH, ALSO THIS VEHICLE WILL BE TITLED TO THE TOWNSHIP OF NUTLEY BECAUSE OF THE RESPONSE FOR AMBULANCES WITHIN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT HAS TO BE DONE.
SO THIS VEHICLE WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO THEM VIA THEIR DOCK.
I HAVE A MOVER IN A SECOND MOVED BY COMMISSIONER CBO.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COOPER.
COMMISSIONER VICE-PRESIDENT PMRS COMMISSIONER.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
MADAM CLERK, LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTION.
40 WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
TREASURER MUHAMMAD, WHEN HE HANDLED THESE, UH, GOOD EVENING SUMMER HAMAD COUNTY TREASURE, THIS RESOLUTION TO EXTEND THE TEMPORARY BUDGET FOR, UH, FOR TWO MONTHS.
UM, THAT IS OF THIS, THE ORIGINAL TEMPORARY BUDGET WAS FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
AND BECAUSE THE BUDGET WAS NOT ADOPTED, UH, THIS MEETING, UH, SO THIS RESOLUTION IS REQUIRED TO KEEP THE COUNTY FUNDED FOR THE NEXT, UH, UNTIL THE BUDGET GET ADOPTED.
AND THEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS, THANK YOU, MS.
SO MORE THAN LIKELY WE MAY HAVE A BUDGET ADOPTED BIT THAT, YEAH, BUT JUST IN CASE, YES.
COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS PERRY.
NOW I NEED TO MOVE IN A SECOND MOTION.
PMRS COMMISSIONER MERCARDO COMMISSIONER LUCIANA.
COMMISSIONER GRAHAM COMMISSIONER GIL.
MADAM CLERK, LET'S MOVE TO REPORT A BOARD COMMITTEES.
[01:15:02]
WE'LL GET MR. ZEITZ BACK UP HERE.DID YOU GET THAT INFORMATION? I ASKED YOU FOR, UH, JOSHUA'S HSE COUNTY PARKS.
UM, I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT MY PICTURE WILL NOT BE ON THE BILLBOARDS, UH, MR. GATES.
UM, OKAY, SO I'LL START WITH MY EASIEST QUESTION FIRST.
DO WE GO OUT TO BID FOR CONCESSIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY PARKS? UH, THREE OF MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, DO YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC PARK IN MIND? YES.
SO I'VE BEEN CONTACTED BY A COUPLE OF FOLKS FROM SOUTH ORANGE AND OTHER TOWNS WITHIN THIS COUNTY THAT GOES TO THE, UM, UH, READING THE SPECIFIC PART, THE SOUTH MOUNTAIN DOG PARK.
AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, CAN YOU ADD CONCESSIONS, UM, THERE FOR THEM? I GUESS THEY'RE LOOKING THAT IF WE COULD ALLOW FOR A VENDOR DURING THE WINTER MONTHS TO, TO SELL COFFEE OR HOT BEVERAGES, AND MAYBE DURING THE SUMMER WATER, YOU KNOW, SMALL DRINKS, BECAUSE APPARENTLY THEY'D GO THERE FOR HOURS AT A TIME WITH THEIR DOGS AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF WE COULD TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
UH, JOSHUA THREE, MR. PRESIDENT JOSHUA'S EIGHTS S COUNTY PARKS.
UM, THOSE ARE BIDDABLE ITEMS. UM, SO I CAN CERTAINLY, UH, TAKE IT BACK TO THE PARKS DIRECTOR AND WE WOULD HAVE TO PUT OUT IF, IF, IF HE SEES THAT AS A VIABLE OPTION, WE WOULD HAVE TO BID THAT OUT, UH, HISTORICALLY, UH, WITH OUR ICE CREAM TRUCKS THAT GO THROUGH BRANCH BROKER BROOKDALE.
SO I WOULD ENVISION THIS WOULD BE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT.
I WILL TAKE THAT BACK TO CONSTITUENTS THAT IT NEEDS TO GO OUT TO BID, BUT YOU'RE TAKING IT UNDER ADVISEMENT.
WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE REPAIRS FOR THE MISSING FENCE IN ORANGE PARK? ABOUT TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO, WE DISCUSSED, UM, THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAD GONE OUT TO BID FOR CONTRACT TO BE PLACED FENCING AT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PARTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY SYSTEM.
THE FENCING AT ORANGE PARK HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED YET.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR WHEN THAT FENCE WILL FINALLY BE REPAIRED? AND THEN THE SAME QUESTION UNRELATED TO ORANGE PARK.
ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO, WE TOLD CONSTITUENTS THAT WE WERE GOING TO DO A SURVEY TO DETERMINE THE CONDITION AND HEALTH OF VARIOUS TREES WITH AN ORANGE PARKLAND, BECAUSE WHENEVER THERE'S STORMS HIGH WINDS, ORANGE PARK ALWAYS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF TREES THAT BREAK OFF THAT FALL DOWN.
I'M JUST TWO WEEKS AGO WITH HIGH WIND, SAME THING.
AND BECAUSE OF THE HEALTH OF SOME OF THOSE TREES, A LOT OF THE FENCING THERE, THE SECTIONS IS GETTING DAMAGED AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN OLD FENCING.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW TO BE ABLE TO REPORT BACK TO, UM, CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE ASKING FOR A STATUS UPDATE OF THOSE TWO THINGS.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT JOSHUA WAS H UM, I DO NOT HAVE THE ANSWER TO EITHER OF THOSE OFF HAND, BUT I WILL, I WILL CERTAINLY, UM, CHECK WITH THE PARKS DIRECTOR AND HIS STAFF.
AND, UH, WE'LL GET BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION WITH AN ANSWER.
UM, LAST TWO THINGS FOR ORANGE PARK.
THE COMPLAINT HAS BEEN, CAN YOU GUYS ADJUST THE TIME THAT THOSE LIGHTS THAT ARE OUT ON THE PARK THAT DAY, YOU KNOW, GO ON, COME OFF BECAUSE THEY ARE SUPER BRIGHT.
I'VE GONE PAST THROUGH AT NIGHT TO OBSERVE THEM.
AND THEN, UM, I KNOW THAT WE WERE MAKING A LOT OF UPGRADES TO THAT PART.
UM, MAYBE SOMEONE'S STOLEN, BUT THERE USED TO BE SIGNAGE UP THAT TALKED ABOUT THE HOURS THAT THE BATHROOM FACILITIES WERE OPEN AND THAT SIGNAGE IS NO LONGER THERE.
UH, JOSHUA AGAIN, UM, I WILL CERTAINLY REPORT BACK TO THE PARKS DIRECTOR AND WE'LL, WE'LL GET YOU SOME ANSWERS.
SEE IF YOU HAD THE COMMISSIONERS PICTURE UP THERE, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN THE SIGN.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, YOU'RE SAYING YOU WANT YOUR PICTURE BY THE BATHROOMS, IS THAT IT? YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.
YOU TOO GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT JULIUS CULTURE CHOOSE AN AGENT.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE OUR VENDORS, UH, WE HAVE AT A BID FOR ICE CREAM TRUCKS THAT WENT OUT.
WE RECEIVED NO BIDS FROM ANYONE COUNTY BLOT.
WE THEN NOW IT'S OUT AGAIN FOR VENDORS TO BE AT THE BLUE WITH YOUR BRANCH FOR PARKING A WEEK, WAKE PARK AND BROOKDALE PARK.
AGAIN, HOPEFULLY WE GET A VENDOR WHO WOULD LIKE TO PARTICIPATE.
SO WE DO HAVE BIDS OUT THERE FOR VARIOUS CONCESSIONS AND VERY DIFFICULT LIGHTNING VENDORS.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, DO WE HAVE ANY REPORTS TO THE BOARD COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONER LOCARNO, MR. PRESIDENT, A MEETING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY WAS HELD ON TUESDAY, MARCH 29TH.
[01:20:01]
THIS FIRST THE DEFENSEAND THEY ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE, AND THANK MY COMMITTEE COLLEAGUES, COMMISSIONER LASH, PRESIDENT PAUL MARIS, AND COMMISSIONER JOHNSON FOR THEIR CONTINUOUS SUPPORT ON THAT COMMITTEE.
SO THE TOPICS THAT WE DISCUSSED, A BRIEF RECAP OF THE EVENTS REGARDING A COUNTY'S DECISION TO PROVIDE FOR THE LEGAL FUNDING OF THE ICE DETAINEES AS WELL AT THE SUBSEQUENT DECISION, 2021 TO DISCONTINUE HOLDING CLOSE, ALSO DISCUSS THE AMOUNTS.
THE COUNTY FUNDS EACH OF THE LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS AND THE TIMELINES, OR THE PROVISIONS RUTGERS SCHOOL OF LAW AND LEGAL SERVICES OF THE JERSEY, WHERE EACH RECEIVED $625,000 BETWEEN 2000 AND 2020, THAT WE AUTHORIZED A MODIFIED MODIFICATION OF THAT SO THAT THEY CAN SPEND DOWN THAT MONEY TO SERVICE LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH OF THE PROVIDERS CASE SPECIFIC, UH, ON THE CLIENTS THAT THEY REPRESENTED.
AND THE CURRENT STATUS IS, UH, REGARDING IMMIGRATION CASES.
IN FACT, THE UNIFORM WALKERS DID MENTION SOME POSITIVE EIGHT CLIENTS BEING RELEASED AS A RESULT OF THEIR INTERVENTION.
AND SEVERAL, TWICE BEING DIVERTED, HE PROVIDED, GAVE AN UPDATE, UM, TO THE COUNTY ON THE FRONT THEY RECEIVED.
AND, UH, SO FAR SEEING HIM ALMOST A 51,522 AS OF FEBRUARY, 2022 RUTGERS RULE OF LAW WAS AWAITING THE COUNTY 75,000 FUND EXTENSIONS, WHICH THEY WILL, YOU SEE LEGAL SERVICE HAS SPENT DOWN ALL OF THEIR FUNDS BY DECEMBER, 2021 LEGAL SERVICES.
ALSO, UH, HE ALSO PROVIDED A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACE WHILE CLIENTS DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME, INCLUDING REACHING THEIR CLIENTS OUT OF STATE AND ATTENDING VIRTUAL LEGAL HEARINGS AT THIS TIME, DUE TO THE COUNTY'S DECISION TO DISCONTINUE HOLDING ICE DETAINEES AT THE COUNTY CORRECTION FACILITY, THERE'S NO TIMETABLE OF FOLLOW UP ON THE FOLLOWING ISSUES.
I WOULDN'T LIKE, UM, ONCE ALL THE, EACH OF THE AGENCIES HAVE COMPLETED THE PROGRAM THAT THEY PROVIDE A WRITTEN CONFIDENTIAL REPORT WITH SOME DEMOGRAPHIC DATA AND JUST SOME INFORMATION ABOUT HOW THAT PROGRAM WENT, WHAT WELL, WHAT DIDN'T AND WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS THEY MAY HAVE THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.
I WANT TO GIVE A REPORT ON THE TNR COMMITTEE.
WE HELD A MEETING ON MARCH 22ND TO GO OVER THE ACTIVITIES THAT TOOK PLACE LAST YEAR IN 2021, UM, WE ALLOCATED THE BOARD APPROVED $50,000 FOR THAT ACTIVITY.
WE SPENT ROUGHLY ABOUT $22,000 FROM THE VARIOUS ENTITIES THAT BROUGHT IN, UH, FAREWELL CATS DOWN TO THE NEWARK HUMANE SOCIETY.
UM, OUR TAKEAWAYS FROM THAT MEETING WAS THAT, UM, MY NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD JUNE OF THIS YEAR AND WE LOOKING TO, UM, HOST A TRAIN THE TRAINER FOR SOME TIME IN THE MONTH OF JULY OR AUGUST.
AND, UM, MR. JACKSON, I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF FOR ATTENDING THAT MEETING.
AND FOR COMING UP WITH A GREAT RECOMMENDATION TO PERHAPS COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE OTHER PEOPLE TO COME IN, TO BRING STRAY CATS IN SO THAT WE CAN IMPACT THAT POPULATION MORE.
MY GOAL IS TO HAVE US SPEND 100% OF THE $50,000 THAT WE ALLOCATED THIS YEAR, SO THAT WE'RE NOT LEAVING ANYBODY ON THE TABLE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER COOPER.
DO WE HAVE ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORT COMMISSIONER JUST TO COME BACK TO THE COMMITTEE REPORT? SO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, COMMISSION, THANKS FOR THAT UPDATE AND FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS, ON THAT, UM, ON THAT ISSUE FOR SURE.
AND THANK YOU ADMINISTRATION JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER AND THANK YOU FOR THAT UPDATE THAT THE, UM, THE, THE PROGRAM, UM, THAT, UM, THE COUNTY AGREED TO CREATE, UH, OR, UH, PRO BONO, UM, REPRESENTATION FOR OUR ICE DETAINEES, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT, UM,
[01:25:01]
I'M PARTICULARLY PROUD TO HAVE SEEN HAD STARTED HERE, UM, WAS PARTICULARLY PROUD OF DURING THE TIME THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY AND SUPPORTED THIS BOARD TO SERVE IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION THAT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU SUPPORTED ME ON THAT INITIATIVE.THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER BRANCATO FOR CONTINUING THAT AND THANK TO THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, FOR DOING THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE REQUEST WAS FIRST MADE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WERE GOING TO FUND IT AT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND WE WERE, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT NUMBER UP, WHICH I, WHICH I APPRECIATE TO A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYWHERE ELSE THAT EXISTED, UH, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU, WHERE YOU, UM, FELL ON, WHETHER WE SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS CONTRACT OR NOT.
UM, WE ARE, I THINK THE ONLY COUNTY THAT, UM, INITIATED A PROGRAM WITH THOSE PROVIDERS.
SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THAT THE ACTUAL AND I APOLOGIZE, I WAS NOT ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE, IN THE MEETING, BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THE ACTUAL I'LL REPORT BACK FROM RUTGERS AND SETON HALL AND THE PROVIDER THAT, THAT DID THAT WORK.
AND ALSO TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AROUND, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY SIMILAR PROGRAMS, NOT JUST FOR OUR POTENTIALLY FOR OUR ICE DETAINEES, BUT FOR THOSE WHO WE CURRENTLY HAVE WITHIN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM HERE AT THE COUNTY, LIKE US PRESENT AGREE, ARE THERE ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS UNFINISHED, BUT ANY NEW BUSINESS IN THAT CASE, MADAM CLERK WAS GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE, STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
AGAIN, MY NAME IS LISA MADDOX DOUGLAS.
I AM THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEES TO PROVISORS YOU AND YOUR PRESIDENT.
UH, WE REPRESENT SUPERVISORY AND MANAGERIAL EMPLOYEES WITHIN A DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS.
IT WAS SO GREAT TO HEAR, UM, THE COUNTY AND HOW THEY PLAN TO COMPLY WITH THE UNITED STATES EQUAL OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION REGARDING THE ENFORCEMENT GUIDANCE ON THE CONSIDERATION OF ARREST AND CONVICTION RECORDS, UM, AND EMPLOYMENT DECISION UNDER THE TITLE SEVEN OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964.
I STAND BEFORE YOU, BECAUSE DEE FAB ADMINISTRATION WAS NOT ADEQUATELY PREPARED TO ADDRESS THE INFLUX OF CLIENTS, WHICH HIT OUR DOORS ON APRIL 1ST, 2022, AS A RESULT OF NOT HAVING A PLAN TO NOT ONLY ADDRESS THE 7,000 RECERTIFICATIONS, BUT WE ALSO HAD ONLINE APPLICATIONS WHICH MAY HAVE INCLUDED SENIOR CITIZENS.
AND THOSE WHO ARE APPLYING FOR BENEFITS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THEY'RE RELEASED FROM PRISON, AS YOU ARE AWARE, THE CITY OF NEW YORK HAS THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA NUMBER NUMBERS OF PAROLEES THAN ANY OTHER CITY WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY AND EARLY MARCH, 2022, ANOTHER 852 INMATES WERE RELEASED AND NO DOUBT A LARGE PERCENTAGE HAVE, OR PLAN TO LAND AT THREE 20 DASH 3 21 UNIVERSITY AVENUE D FAB COMMISSIONERS.
WE ASK THAT YOU INQUIRE ABOUT THE MONIES THAT WAS REQUESTED BY DE FAB AND RECEIVED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR OVERTIME TO PROCESS CASES.
WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU INQUIRE ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGICAL DEVICES, WHICH WERE PURCHASED, IS SUPPOSED TO ASSIST EMPLOYEES WHO WORKED FROM HOME DURING THE PANDEMIC.
FINALLY, WE ASK THAT YOU ENCOURAGE D FAB ADMINISTRATION TO NOT SIMPLY CHERRY PICK THOSE WHO WILL PROCESS CASES DURING OVERTIME, BUT ALSO ENSURE THAT ALL HANDS ON DECK TO ENSURE THAT THESE CASES ARE PROCESSED.
WE ALSO YOU TO IMPLORE THEM TO IMPLEMENT A PLAN, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE OVERTIME AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE SERVICES FOR NOT ONLY THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE, DID NOT RECEIVE THE BENEFITS SORT OF FIRST OF THE MONTH, BUT ALSO THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN RELEASED FROM PRISON, WHO DO NOT WANT TO GO BACK TO A LIFE OF CRIME AND DESIRE TO BE REINTEGRATED INTO SOCIETY AND REQUIRE OUR SERVICES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
AND AS, AS OUR PRACTICE, IT WILL BE, UM, YOUR QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED IN WRITING.
DAVID WEINER ALSO KNOWN AS DAVID DOWNER, FRANK HOW'S THE BAG.
SEE, UH, ON BOTH MONDAY AND TUESDAY, THERE WERE LINES OF CLIENTS ON UNIVERSITY AVENUE AND UNIVERSITY OF BRANFORD ALL THE WAY UP TO MLK BOULEVARD OUT NICOLE AND
[01:30:01]
THE DAM, THE ELDERLY CHILDREN WERE STANDING IN LINE BECAUSE 7,000 FOOD STAMP CASES, RECERTIFICATIONS.THESE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE ON FOOD STAMPS.
THEY HAD TO DO A RECERTIFICATION.
THEY GOT A MESSED UP LETTER FROM THE STATE AND OUR TELEPHONE SYSTEM.
WHEN WE CALL THEM SHOWS UP AS SPAM.
SO THEY DON'T ANSWER THEIR PHONES.
SO 7,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CUT OFF AND ALL WE'RE HANDING THEM IS FLYERS TO GO TO FOOD BANKS FOR THIS FURTHER SATISFACTION WERE NOT FOR THE ACTIVIST.
DONNA JACKSON, WHO I'VE KNOWN FOR YEARS, FATE LIVESTREAMING IT.
WE WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN THOSE PEOPLE INTO THE BUILDING AND SAFELY AND WARM.
IN ADDITION, OUR AGENCY HAS BEEN PROCLAIMED BY THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY AS THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF OVERDUE CLIENTS' APPLICATIONS.
I JUST TALK ABOUT CLIENTS THAT WERE ON THE SYSTEM.
THESE ARE APPLICATIONS IN JANUARY OF 2021.
WHEN WE HAD 78,631 OVERDUE APPLICATIONS, 67,000 FAMILY CARE CASES, 9,000 MEDICAID CASES, 7,000 FOOD STAMP CASES.
THESE 7 8, 8, 7, 8, 8,000 APPLICATIONS.
WHEN UNFULFILLED AS A RESULT OF RESIDENTS BEING DENIED SERVICES, THEY THOUGHT DIRELY NEED.
WE REITERATE OUR REQUEST THAT WE MEET WITH THE ABOVE CITED COMMITTEES.
BUT OUTSIDE OF THAT, WE HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, UH, ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT EXIST WITHIN THE DIVISIONAL WELFARE I'LL USE THAT TERM.
SO IT CAUSED THE NEEDIEST RESIDENTS THAT OUR COUNTY ARE NOT GETTING THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.
IF WE WONDER WHY THIS DESTRUCTION'S IN THE COMMUNITY, IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S NO RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF MALFEASANCE AND MISFEASANCE.
WE WOULD SAY TO YOU THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF DOODLE, HUNDREDS OF YEARS OF DISCRIMINATION.
ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE FALLING MOSTLY IN THIS COUNTY UPON PEOPLE OF COLOR BLACK AND BROWN.
I AGAIN, I ASKED THAT THE WELFARE TO WORK COMMITTEE AND THE LABOR COMMITTEE MEET WITH US AND GO OVER AND THE MANAGEMENT AND GO OVER THESE ISSUES SO THEY CAN MAKE THINGS RIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN SO ADVERSELY AFFECTED THROUGH THIS COVID AND BEYOND.
AND AGAIN, YOUR QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED IN WRITING ANY COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL, MR. PRESIDENT, I, THIS IS THE FIRST IN-PERSON MEETING THAT WE HAD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
FOR THESE PAST TWO YEARS, IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE.
I JUST WANT TO PUBLICLY THANK THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
THEY JUST SCORED THAT THINGS ARE THAT REMARK THE HOME PAGE, KATHY AND PUBLIC INFORMATION, OFFICER SHOTGUN, AND THE REST OF THE STAFF COUNCIL WITH MICROPHONE, A BACKFILL, AND AS FRANK FOR THEIR COMMITMENT AND, UH, ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE TO HELP US DO WHAT WE DO.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE STAFF AS WELL FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION BACK TO OUR VERY FIRST MEETING.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND THANK THE ADMINISTRATION.
IT WAS A REALLY NICE MEETING, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS.
NO, WE HADN'T DONE THIS IN A LONG TIME.
UM, BUT I THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT.
AND WORKING OUT THE KINKS, IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK.
JUST WANT TO GET A SHOUT OUT TO OUR DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION FOR THOSE THAT ARE HERE.
AND THOSE THAT ARE VIEWING THE CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
I'M GOING TO KICK OFF LAST TUESDAY AND IT CONTINUES THIS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY BLOSSOMING FAST ON SUNDAY.
SO PLEASE COME OUT AND JOIN THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS. UM, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT DIRECTOR DAN, SO VONTAY AND, AND KATE AND ALL THE STAFF, WELL PUT A LOT OF WORK AND YOU CAN PUNCH THE WAY THEY ARE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS HEARING NONE.
I NEED A MOTION TOWARD GERMANY HAVING