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THIS MEETING OF ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION IS HEREBY CALLED THE ORDER.
THIS MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAMED IN ADDITION TO TAKING PLACE IN PERSON ROAD CALL MADAM CLERK.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
HERE, PLEASE STAND FOR THE SALUTE TO THE FLAG AND A MOMENT IN SILENCE.
AFTER THAT, I'M GONNA ASK COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT S TO LEAD US IN THE SALUTE I PLEDGE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC FOR ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
I HAVE BEFORE ME CERTIFICATION FROM THE CLERK THAT THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.
MADAME CLERK ON ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO BE APPROVED.
UM, AND MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE NONE.
MADAME CLERK, ARE THERE ANY TOPICS OF DISCUSSION? MR. PRESIDENT? THERE ARE NONE.
IN THIS, IN THAT CASE, WE'RE GONNA, LET'S MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS SESSION.
TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A COMBINED CONFERENCE SLASH BOARD MEETING, AND WE WILL, WE WILL VOTE ON EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
SO IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THERE WILL BE TIME LATER IN THE EVENING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OTHER ITEMS. SO I ASK YOU TO PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THIS AT THIS TIME, TO AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.
ALL RIGHT, MADAME CLERK, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THERE ARE NO MEMBERS, UH, WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
MADAME CLERK, LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCES ON INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING.
MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCES OR RESOLUTIONS FOR INTRODUCTION IN FIRST READING? UH, YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE THREE.
MADAM CLERK, LET'S MOVE TO ORDINANCE NUMBER ONE, WHICH WILL BE WRITTEN TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
ORDINANCE NUMBER ONE, MR. JACKSON? UH, GOOD EVENING, MISS PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, THIS IS A BAD ORDINANCES, REAPPROPRIATING, $6 MILLION OF PROCEEDS FROM THE ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE, UM, UH, CAPITAL, UH, BUDGET FROM PREVIOUS YEARS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION AND, AND, AND, UH, CONTRIBUTING THAT, I SHOULD SAY, TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW PARKING DECK ON THE WEST ESSEX CAMPUS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUILDING A NEW FACILITY THERE, AND THIS FACILITY WILL, THE NEW DECK WILL SUPPORT THE NEW, UH, CAMPUS, AND THE AMOUNT IS, UH, $6 MILLION OF, UH, PROCEEDS AND OBLIGATIONS TO BE, UH, REED FOR THIS PURPOSE.
MR. ECK, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I DON'T.
MR. MCINERNEY, UM, MR. PRESIDENT, THESE, THESE FUNDS WERE ORIGINALLY ALLOCATED FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS.
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COMPLETED AND THESE MONIES WERE LEFT OVER, OR FOR SOME REASON, THOSE PROJECTS MAY, MAY NOT HAVE, UM, EVEN COMMENCED.SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THESE FUNDS CAN BE REAUTHORIZED TO ANOTHER SPECIFIC USE VIA THIS ORDINANCE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? RECOGNIZE THE COMMISSIONER.
LUCIANO, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HEARING, DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO INTRODUCE THE ORDINANCE? I'LL GO.
MR. PRESENT, MOVE BY VICE PRESIDENT PALMARA.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COOPER.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT PALMARA? YES.
OKAY, MADAME CLARK, LET'S MOVE TO ORDINANCE NUMBER TWO, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LENGTH OF TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, SIR.
UH, THIS IS AN ORDINANCE COMING FROM THE ES COUNTY BOARD OF TAXATION TO IMPOSE A $5 FLAT FEE TO HELP WITH THE COST OF ELECTRONIC, UH, RECEIPT TRANSACTIONS.
UH, DUE TO ALL THE TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES AND THE ABILITY TO, UH, ESTABLISH THIS FEE IS, IS THROUGH, UH, NGSA 40 A FIVE DASH 45, UH, AND N G A FIVE 30 DASH OH NINE.
UH, AND THIS IS A REQUEST FROM THE BOARD OF TAXATION.
ANY QUESTION? I I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, MR. JACKSON, THIS $5 SURCHARGE WILL BE, UH, PAID BY THE USER OF THE WHOEVER'S FILING OR SUBMITTING THINGS ONLINE TO THE, UH, THROUGH US.
AND WILL THAT $5 GO DIRECTLY BACK TO THE BOARD OF TAXATION OR SOME OTHER FUND? UH, BACK TO THE BOARD.
IT ACTUALLY GOES INTO A DEDICATED ACCOUNT SPECIFICALLY TO BE USED BY THE BOARD.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO INTRODUCE THE ORDINANCE MOTION.
SECOND MOVE BY COMMISSIONER COOPER.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT PO.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
MADAME CLARK, LET'S MOVE THE ORDINANCE NUMBER THREE, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS AN ORDINANCE NAME, THE ATHLETIC COMPLEX COMPLEX AT BABO PARK AS THE ESSES COUNTY, RONALD L. RICE SPORTS COMPLEX.
UH, IN HONOR OF, UH, OF OUR STATE SENATOR RONALD L. RICE, UH, AS YOU KNOW, HE WAS ELECTED TO THE SENATE IN 1986, SERVING 35 YEARS, AND HE RETIRED, UH, AT THE END OF AUGUST.
UH, HE'S WAS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS FOR 18 YEARS AND HELD NUMEROUS POSITIONS, UH, IN THE SENATE, AND, UH, WE'RE HONORED, UH, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, RECOMMEND TO THE BOARD THAT WE NAMED THIS FACILITY AFTER SENATOR RICE.
NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MR. MCNARY? NO QUESTIONS, NO COMMENTS, COMMISSIONS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? WELL, FOR ME, I THINK IT IS COMMISSIONER COOPER.
UM, JUST WANTED TO, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE SENATORS RICE EXTINGUISHED, UM, SERVICE RECORD HERE FOR THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
AND PLEASE, UM, TO SEE THAT WE'RE NAMING A FACILITY AFTER HIM WHILE HE'S STILL ALIVE.
YOU KNOW, OFTEN TIME MY MOTHER WOULD ALWAYS TELL, TELL ME GROWING UP, GIVE A PERSON THEIR FLOWERS WHILE THEY'RE ALIVE SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT WE RECOGNIZE THEM.
AND I'M JUST HAPPY AND VERY PLEASED TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE.
AND I JUST WANT TO ECHO THOSE SENTIMENTS, AND I THINK IT'S WELL DESERVED.
UH, YOU KNOW, HE WAS A CHAMPION FOR THE LITTLE GUY FOR A LONG TIME.
SIBO FOR THE RECORD, UH, PERMISSION IS CBO HAS JOINED US.
SO DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO INTRODUCE THE ORDINANCE.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT PO MORRIS? YES.
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COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCES OR RESOLUTIONS FOR LISTING PURPOSES ONLY? UM, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE NONE.
DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCES OR RESOLUTIONS ON SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT, MR. PRESIDENT? WE HAVE NONE.
BOTTOM CLERK, LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS AN ADVISING AND CONSENT NOMINATION FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF JEROME ST.
UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
IN FACT, ALL OF US ARE, ARE VERY HONORED AND HAPPY TO PRESENT TO THE BOARD, UH, FOR NOMINATION CONSIDERATION, THE APPOINTMENT OF JEROME M ST.
JOHN TO BE, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL.
UM, AS YOU WELL KNOW, HE IS EXTREMELY WELL QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED, AND HE'LL BE ABLE TO SPEAK ELOQUENTLY ABOUT HIS OWN QUALIFICATIONS, BUT, UM, IT'S REALLY, UM, WE'RE LUCKY AND, UH, HONORED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE HIM, UH, ASSUME THIS POSITION, ASSUMING THE BOARD, UH, APPROVES HIS NOMINATION.
JOHN, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE AN OPENING STATEMENT? THANK YOU, PRESIDENT.
I, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, COULD YOU, COULD YOU FIND A MICROPHONE? IS THAT WORKING NOW? IT IS.
I, I, I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE CONSIDERED TO FURTHER SERVE THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
UH, I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR MANY, MANY YEARS IN MANY DIFFERENT CAPACITIES.
AS YOU CAN ALL TELL FROM THE INFORMATION THAT I SENT TO YOU IN TERMS OF MY BACKGROUND.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S REALLY JUST THAT SIMPLE.
I, I, I BELIEVE IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND I'M, UH, I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO, TO CONTINUE PUBLIC SERVICE AND TO SERVE YOU, TO SERVE THE, THE EXECUTIVE, AND TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF NEW JERSEY.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
JOHN IS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE.
I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR OVER 30 YEARS, AND HE'S REALLY A FANTASTIC INDIVIDUAL, AND I AM DELIGHTED, REALLY DELIGHTED THAT HE IS GOING TO BE THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
I REALLY AM HAPPY YOU'RE HERE, MR. PRESIDENT, CAN I JUST MAKE ONE PERSONAL POINT? SURE.
COMMISSIONER SEABOLD IS WHY I AM SITTING HERE TODAY.
UH, I WAS, I PRACTICED LAW IN NEW YORK, I, UH, FOR MANY YEARS, AND I GOT A CALL FROM A YOUNG MAN BY THE NAME OF JODI VINCENZO SAYING, GEE, YOU'VE BEEN RECOMMENDED TO HELP ME WITH BUDGET ISSUES AND FINANCIAL MATTERS.
I HAD NO IDEA HOW HE GOT MY NAME.
I HAD NO IDEA HE WAS A FREEHOLDER.
IT WAS A CALL COMPLETELY OUT OF THE BLUE, RIGHT PAT? YES.
I REMEMBER RIGHT OUT OF THE BLUE, AND HE SOUNDED LIKE A NICE MAN.
I TOLD HIM I'D BE HAPPY TO VOLUNTEER MY TIME, WHICH I DID.
AND CERTAIN PARTY KEPT THEIR MOUTH SHUT, AND FOR YEARS DIDN'T SAY HOW JOE GOT MY NAME, BUT IT WAS YEARS LATER THAT I FOUND OUT THAT, THAT PAT SEABOLD WAS THE ONE WHO TOLD, JOE, THIS IS THE PERSON THAT YOU SHOULD GET IN TOUCH WITH.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE REASON THAT I'M SITTING HERE TODAY.
YOU DIDN'T NEED TO SAY THAT, BUT THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENT? COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
UM, I JUST WANT TO PUT ON THE RECORD THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE KNOWN JUDGE ST.
JOHN SINCE I WAS A YOUNG BOY, UH, ELEMENTARY AND, AND, AND OLDER.
UM, HE'S AN AMAZING, UH, RESUME AND, AND MAN, UH, HE SERVED AS A, AS A PRISTINE JUDGE, YOU KNOW, HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY AND, AND, AND JUST ABOUT, IN EVERY CAPACITY YOU CAN THINK OF.
UM, MORE IMPORTANTLY, I WANT TO PUT ON RECORD.
I CALL HIM A FRIEND, AND IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A FRIEND IN THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S OFFICE, AND I KNOW HE IS GONNA DO AN EXCELLENT JOB.
I KNOW HE IS, GOT SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL OVER SOME OF THE FOLKS THAT CAME BEFORE HIM, BUT DEFINITELY, UH, NOTHING THAT HE CAN'T BITE OFF AND CHEW.
SO THAT'S THE LUCK TO YOU, JUDGE.
AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR OFFICE IN WHATEVER YOU NEED.
COMMISSION AND MR. PRESIDENT AND ANOTHER PERSONAL ISSUE.
LYNN WAS A HELL OF A HOCKEY PLAYER AS A YOUNG KID, THAT'S HOW I KNOW HIM.
UH, TOUGH AS NAILS AND NEVER TOOK STUPID PENALTIES, AND I REALLY RESPECTED THAT.
YEAH, YOU DIDN'T WANNA MESS AROUND WITH HIM, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW THAT HE WOULD NEVER TAKE A DUMB PENALTY, STAY OUT ON THE ICE, BUT YOU BETTER NOT CROSS HIM.
SO I'M SURE IT'S CARRIED FORWARD INTO YOUR CAREER AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
SO I ALSO WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT SO WE CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET YOU.
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW YOU, WE LOOK FORWARD
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TO OUR WORKING RELATIONSHIP AND YOUR ROLE AS ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL.DO I HAVE A MOTION IN A SEC? SECOND MOVE BY COMMISSIONER SIBO.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
I JUST WANTED TO, I THINK I SHOULD PUT ON THE RECORD THAT IT'S EFFECTIVE, UH, OCTOBER 1ST.
THE APPOINTMENT'S EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST.
SO HE SHOULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT, SO HE HAS TO LEAVE AFTER THIS? THAT IS CORRECT.
AND I UNDERSTAND I WAS NOT HERE FOR ORDINANCE ONE AND TWO.
PLEASE HAVE ME VOTE YES ON BOTH OF THOSE ALSO.
SO NEWLY COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT PI MARS? YES.
ABSENT COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. PRESIDENT.
MY TELEPHONE LINE IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE.
I SERVE THE PEOPLE OF ESSEX COUNTY, SO DO NOT HESITATE ANYTHING AT ALL THAT COMES UP.
YOU, YOU'RE EXTREMELY WELL RECOMMENDED.
HE'S A VERY, VERY GOOD LAWYER.
BUT ANYTHING THAT MAY, THAT YOU THINK MAY AFFECT THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S OFFICE THAT YOU'D LIKE TO TALK TO ME ABOUT, YOU'D LIKE TO MEET WITH ME ABOUT? I'M A, I'M A VERY HARD WORKER, SO DO NOT, DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL.
LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTIONS TWO THROUGH 17, WHICH ARE BUDGET, BUDGET INSERTIONS.
UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, AS YOU SAID, WE HAVE A BUNCH OF THESE WE'LL GO THROUGH.
UM, NUMBER TWO, UH, IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
THIS IS FOR THE RE, UM, THE BRIDGE OVER THE PERSA RIVER, UH, IN THE CITY OF NEWARK AND THE TOWN OF HARRISON.
THIS IS FUNDING FOR PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING AND DESIGN OF THE, UH, BRIDGE STREET BRIDGE, $2,229,779 AND 54 CENTS.
AND THERE'S, UH, NO COUNTY MATCH.
DO, DO YOU WANT ME TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE? UH, AND WE'LL TAKE 'EM ALL AS ONE? YEAH.
UM, ITEM THREE, UH, IS REVENUE FROM NEW JERSEY, NORTH JERSEY TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AUTHORITY FOR THE 2023 YEAR, UH, UH, PROGRAM YEAR IN THE AMOUNT OF $132,966.
UM, THIS WILL RUN THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 23.
UH, AND THERE IS, UH, AS I SAID, ONE 32,966, AND THERE'S A COUNTY MATCH, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF 33,000 THOUSAND $241 AND 50 CENTS THAT WE ARE DOING AN EMPLOYEE TIME OFFICE SPACE, SUPPLIES, AND, AND TRAVEL.
UM, ITEM FOUR, UH, IS, UH, WITH THE NEW JERSEY DIVISION OF FAMILY DEVELOPMENT FOR, FOR SNAP THROUGH THE, UH, A R P PLAN, UH, RESCUE PLAN.
UH, THAT'S FOR DFA AND THE AMOUNT OF $857,738.
THIS IS FOR, UH, FUNDING FOR OVERTIME SALARIES TO PROCESS SNAP APPLICATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND RECERTIFICATIONS, UM, DUE TO THE BACKLOG CREATED, UH, DURING THE PANDEMIC, UH, NO COUNTY MATCH FOR THIS ONE.
UH, ITEM FIVE, DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, UH, COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT, THE AMOUNT OF, UH, 600 AND, UH, 88,000, UH, $688,059.
UH, OF THAT, UH, $550,500 ARE GONNA GO TO THREE AGENCIES, AND $137,559 WILL GO TO THE COUNTY FOR OUR, OUR ADMINISTRATIVE FEES.
AND THESE, THESE AGENCIES THAT WE'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE AGENDA, UM, UH, PROVIDE, UH, SERVICES FOR IMPOVERISHED IN LOW INCOME RESIDENTS OF BLOOMFIELD, EAST ORANGE, ORANGE, IRVINGTON, MONTCLAIR, AND BELLEVILLE.
NEWARK, AS YOU RECALL, RECEIVES ITS OWN, UH, FUNDING.
ITEM SIX, UM, UH, HUD FUNDING FOR THE, THE CONTINUUM OF CARE COORDINATOR ENTRY PROGRAM, DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ACTION.
UH, THE AMOUNT OF $640,000 THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES FOR, UH, ELIGIBLE FAMILIES, UH, FOR HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION SERVICES, CASE MANAGEMENT, RAPID REHOUSING, AND PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
THIS FUNDS FIVE STAFF POSITIONS IN THE PROGRAM FOR AND TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT AND NO, UH, COUNTY MATCH.
ITEM SEVEN, UH, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES SUPPORT, ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS PROGRAM.
UH, THIS IS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT OF, UH, OUR D E D T E PROGRAM, UH, THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 2023.
THIS PROVIDES ADDITIONAL INTENSIVE CASE CARE MANAGEMENT, OUTREACH AND OVERSIGHT TO CLIENTS WHO POSSESS SEVERE BARRIERS
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TO EMPLOYMENT AND HAVE RECEIVED BENEFITS FOR OVER 60 MONTHS.AND THE AMOUNT OF $656,607, UH, NO COUNTY MATCH.
UH, ITEM EIGHT, UM, NEW JERSEY GOVERNANCE COUNSEL AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE FOR, AGAIN, FOR, FOR THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR 2023.
THIS IS THE MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE, UH, GRANT, UH, IN AMOUNT OF $343,414, UH, OF THAT AMOUNT, UH, $273,414 GOES DIRECTLY TO THE 20 MUNICIPALITIES WHO ARE, UH, PARTICIPATING AND, UH, $70,000 FOR ADMINISTRATIVE FEES TO THE COUNTY.
AND THIS IS TO ENABLE THESE LOCAL PROGRAMS, UH, ON DRUG AND ALCOHOL PREVENTION AND EDUCATION.
UM, THERE'S A, UH, FOR, FOR THE TOWNS, THERE'S A 25% CASH AND A 75% IN KIND MATCH FOR ANY FUNDING THAT THE THEY RECEIVE.
UH, ITEM NINE, UH, AGAIN, NEW JERSEY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COUNCIL AND ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE.
UM, THIS IS A YOUTH LEADERSHIP GRANT, UH, THAT'S AVAILABLE TO THOSE, UH, UH, TOWNS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE PROGRAM.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, OPTED OUT OF THE PROGRAM.
CITY GROVE IRVINGTON, MONTCLAIR ORANGE, AND VERONA OPTED OUT.
THE AMOUNT IS 108,000, UH, $201, UH, FOR THIS PROGRAM.
AND IT PROVIDES, UM, A YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM ON THE PREVENTION AND EDUCATION OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE FOR, UH, YOUTH CARE, YOUTH AND CAREGIVERS AND PROFESSIONALS WHO WORK WITH THE YOUTH.
ITEM 10, NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SENIOR SERVICES FOR SPECIAL CHILDCARE HEALTH SERVICES CASE MANAGEMENT, AN AMOUNT OF $275,000.
UH, THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE COORDINATION OF SERVICES TO FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WHO HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS FROM BIRTH TO 21, UH, YEARS.
UM, HOME VISITS FOR ASSESSMENT.
UM, AND THERE'S AN INKIND MATCH.
AND THIS, THIS, AGAIN, THIS IS FOR $275,000, AND THERE'S A IN KIND MATCH THAT WE MEET WITH FRINGE BENEFITS AND OFFICE SPACE AND THE AMOUNT OF $120,017.
NUMBER 11, UH, UH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, UH, NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, UH, EPIDEMIOLOGY, UH, GRANT FOR THE RIGHT TO KNOW GRANT FOR, UM, $20,419.
ESSES COUNTY IS A LEAD AGENCY FOR RIGHT TO NO ACTIVITIES IN ESSES COUNTY.
AND THIS GRANT GOES TO SUPPORT THAT.
UH, AND THERE IS NO, UH, MATCH.
UH, ITEM 12, UH, NEW JERSEY DIVISION OF TRAFFIC SAFETY, UH, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF, $5,040, UH, TO HELP WITH PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ENFORCEMENT.
UH, ITEM 13, UH, NEW JERSEY DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION SERVICES FOR THE ESSES COUNTY, UM, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
AND, UH, MR. UH, RON CHARLES, UH, WILL, WILL HERE TO, UH, ACTUALLY PRESENT MORE FULLY THAT, UH, THAT PROGRAM.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, UH, RON CHARLES, ACTING DIRECTOR OF CORRECTIONS.
UM, THE ONE AGENDA ITEM TODAY, UH, WE HAVE, AS FAR AS A GRAND INSERTION IS FOR WHAT IS CALLED THE MEDICATION ASSISTANT TREATMENT PROGRAM.
IT'S, IT'S ADMINISTERED TO THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH.
AND WHAT, WHAT THE PROGRAM IS, IS IT PROVIDES MEDICATION ASSISTANCE TO THOSE, UH, WHO ARE, UM, HAVE SUBSTANCE ABUSES.
UM, WE PROVIDE A COUNSELING SERVICE AND BEHAVIOR ADDICTION THERAPIES AS WELL, THE MEDICATION, UM, WHICH ARE SUBOXONE, UH, VIVITROL AND METHADONE, OUR ADMINISTERED TO HELP, UH, THE PATIENTS, UM, GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM AS WE, AS THEY PROVIDE COUNSELING SERVICES, UM, AND FIGHT THEIR ADDICTION.
WE ALSO THEN HAVE WRAPAROUND SERVICES WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY ARE RELEASED.
UM, WE PROVIDE, UM, LICENSE, REST RESTORATION.
UM, WE PROVIDE, UM, UM, HOUSING IF NEEDED.
UM, WE PROVIDE, UM, JOB SKILLS.
UM, SO IT'S A WHOLE WRAPAROUND PROGRAM, UM, THAT, UM, WE'VE SEEN AS SHOWN GREAT POSITIVE THINGS, UH, IN, IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND TO THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
CURRENTLY, THERE'S 151 PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM AT THE ESSES COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
MR. PAUL VEO? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER SIVA, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD WELCOME BACK TO ESSEX COUNTY.
I'M HAPPY TO SEE YOU AGAIN, AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR JOB.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
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I HAVE A COUPLE.WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE, WHAT'S THE CRITERIA TO BE IN THE PROGRAM? ONE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A WILLINGNESS TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE PROGRAM.
UM, TWO, YOU HAVE TO BE ACCEPTING THAT YOU'RE GONNA TAKE THE MEDICATION AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE WILLINGNESS TO, UH, PARTICIPATE IN THE COUNSELING SESSIONS, UM, AT THE FACILITY, AND THEN AFTERWARDS, ONCE BEING RELEASED AT, AT THE, THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE COUNTY JAIL? YES.
SO THIS IS FOR INCOMING INMATES OR THESE FOR OUTGOING INMATES? SHORT TIMERS.
THESE FOR ESPECIALLY COUNTY, UH, UH, FOLKS WHO ARE, ARE SENTENCED TO THE COUNTY.
IT, IT'S FOR ALL ESSEX COUNTY, UH, INMATES IN, IN, IN THE COUNTY JAIL, WHETHER THEY'RE COMING IN THE FACILITY.
CAUSE IN THE FACILITIES WHERE WE DO THE TREATMENT, RIGHT, WE DO THE COUNSELING IN, IN THE FACILITY.
AND THEN THERE'S ARE THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES, WHICH ARE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE RELEASE.
SO DO THEY, SO WHAT ABOUT THE, THE ONES WHO ARE NOT BEING RELEASED WHO GO TO STATE PENITENTIARY? OKAY.
SO THE GUYS WHO, UH, AND WOMEN WHO ARE GOING DOWN TO THE STATE PRISON, THEY WOULD FOLLOW THE PROGRAM IN, IN, IN THE STATE.
THE STATE D C ALSO HAS THE PROGRAM AS WELL AS EVERY COUNTY JAIL, UH, IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
HAS, DO THEY STILL HAVE THE RETURNING, UM, INMATES WHO COME FROM PRISON AND YOU STILL HAVE THAT PROGRAM AND THEY COME TO THE COUNTY JAIL, CORRECT? THAT'S CALLED THE REENTRY PROGRAM.
WE DO HAVE THAT AS WELL STILL.
AND SO THEY'RE ALL QUALIFIED FOR THAT.
SO, S HOW, HOW MANY FOLKS DO YOU ACTUALLY, UM, TREAT? DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER? YEAH, WE HAVE 151 PEOPLE, PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM.
AS OF THIS MORNING, HOW LONG HAS THE PROGRAM BEEN IN EFFECT? UM, THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR.
HOW MANY, MANY DID YOU TREAT LAST YEAR? UH, I WASN'T HERE LAST YEAR.
I CAN TELL YOU IF I WAS THE DIRECTOR THERE, WE HAD ABOUT 42 ON THE PROGRAM.
UM, I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THE NUMBERS FOR ESSEX COUNTY.
JUST QUICK QUESTION, IS THIS PROGRAM OPEN TO THE, UM, PEOPLE THAT'S AT DELANEY HALL TOO, OR JUST THE FOLKS THAT'S IN THE COUNTY JAIL SIDE? PRIMARILY ON THE, ON THE COUNTY JAIL SIDE.
CAUSE DELANEY HALL HAS THEIR OWN PARALLEL PROGRAM TO THIS, THOUGH WE'RE NOT USING THE MONEY, UH, FROM THIS PARTICULAR GRANT.
UM, FOR, FOR THOSE, THOSE PEOPLE ARE COVERED ON A SEPARATE, UM, GRANT ON WHICH WE RECEIVE, AND THEIR PROGRAM IS PARALLEL TO THIS, BUT WE HAVE A FOLLOW UP, WHICH IS THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES ONCE THEY'RE RELEASED, WHICH DELANEY HALL DOES NOT HAVE.
HOW LONG DOES WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOLLOW INMATES AND WHAT EXACTLY IS WRAPAROUND? IS IT HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT, MEDICAL? WHAT IS IT EXACTLY? IT, IT'S, IT'S, UH, LICENSED RESTORATION, WHICH IS SEEMS TO BE LIKE, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT THING.
UM, GETTING A SOCIAL SECURITY CARD, UM, HOUSING, IF WE CAN, UM, HELP THEM OUT WITH, WITH THE HOUSING, BUT MORE SO IT'S THE BEHAVIORAL, UH, THERAPY THAT HAPPENS AFTERWARDS, THE CONTINUING.
CAUSE WE DON'T WANNA JUST HAVE THEM RELEASED FROM THE JAIL ON THE PROGRAM FOR 30, 60 DAYS, AND THEN THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SUPPORT SERVICES, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
SO IF WE HAVE TO SPEND THREE OR FOUR MONTHS WITH THEM, WE'RE DOING THAT AS WELL.
AND THEN YOU CONNECT THEM TO OTHER PROGRAMS? YES.
THERE, THERE IS OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS, UM, THAT, UM, BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE JAIL HAVE, WHICH WE, UH, SORT OF LIKE CO CO ORCHESTRATE THE, UH, THE PROGRAM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY, CONTINUE.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, THIS ITEM 14 IS A BUDGET INSERTION THROUGH THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR AND THE AMOUNT OF $123,809 AND 50 CENTS THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 2023.
THESE FUNDS ARE USED TO OPERATE A SERVICE PROGRAM THAT IDENTIFIES INDIVIDUALS, EXCUSE ME, WHO ARE OPIOID DEPENDENT AND SUBJECT TO CRIMINAL ARREST AND ARRANGE FOR TREATMENT IN LIEU OF INCARCERATION FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS.
UH, THERE'S NO, UH, COUNTY MATCH FOR THIS.
ITEM 15, UH, IS, UH, FUNDING THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF, UH, THROUGH THE DEP GREEN ACRES PROGRAM THROUGH THE ES COUNTY PARK FOUNDATION FOR THE AMAZING, UH, ASIA EXHIBIT IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000.
ITEM 16 IS A SIMILAR AMOUNT, AND, UM, BUT THROUGH THE EP, BUT THIS IS COMING THROUGH THE ZOOLOGICAL, UH, SOCIETY OF NEW JERSEY.
UH, ITEM 17, UM, IS FOR, UM, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
THIS IS FOR, AND THIS MONEY IS COMING FROM THE, UM, UH, ES COUNTY SCHOOLS OF TECHNOLOGY FOR THE REHABILITATION AND SYNTHETIC SOFTBALL FIELD THAT THE BLASE FIELD IN, UH, CEDAR GROVE IN THE AMOUNT OF 1.1 MILLION.
AND I THINK THAT CONCLUDES OUR ASSERTIONS.
[00:30:01]
YES.ITEMS, UH, 15 AND 16 ARE THE FUNDING SOURCES, I BELIEVE MR. JACKSON FOR, UM, RESOLUTIONS LATER IN THE, IN THE AGENDA, 15, I THINK GOES WITH NUMBER 35 AND 16 TO 36, UM, HAVING TO DO WITH THE AMAZING ASIA EXHIBIT.
MR. MCAR ON NUMBER 17, WHERE, WHAT IS THE SOURCE AGAIN OF THE MONEY? 1.1 MILLION.
UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
THE MONEY'S COMING FROM THE ESTES COUNTY SCHOOLS OF TECHNOLOGY.
UH, THE SCHOOL WILL BE, UH, OUR WEST TEXAS CAMPUS SOFTBALL TEAM WILL BE USING THIS FIELD FOR, AS THEIR HOME FIELD.
SO THEY'RE MAKING CONTRIBUTION TOWARD THE PROJECT AND THE AMOUNT AND THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY.
WHERE, WHERE, WHERE ARE THEY GETTING THE MONEY? DO THEY HAVE THEY'RE NORMAL FUNDING SOURCE.
I REALLY, THAT'S A GOOD, I CAN'T I GO BACK TO ON SPECIFICALLY.
WHERE'S, WAS THAT IT, MR. MCDON? YEAH.
I, I MEAN, DO THEY HAVE A CAPITAL ACCOUNT? I, I ASSUME YES.
BUT I'LL GIVE YOU THE SPECIFIC FUNDING SOURCE.
ANY QUESTIONS OF COMMENTS RESOLUTIONS TWO THROUGH 17.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE TWO THROUGH 17 AS ONE? SO, MOVE.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT FOR MARS.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT FOR OURS? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTION 18 THROUGH 20, WHICH ARE FROM THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ACTION, AND WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCCOY WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
I AM TERRENCE MCCOY, THE DIVISION DIRECTOR FOR THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ACTION.
WE'RE HERE BEFORE YOU TO, UH, AMEND THE CONTRACTS THAT WE, THAT YOU CURRENTLY HAVE ON RECORD THAT WAS PASSED IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR TO AMEND THOSE GRANTS FOR ITEM 18, 19, AND 20, WHICH ARE THE THREE SUBCONTRACTED AGENCIES THAT RECEIVED THE GRANT AND APPROVED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
THE FIRST CONTRACT WAS WITH EAST ORANGE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THEY RECEIVED, THEY ARE RECEIVING AN AMENDMENT AMOUNT OF, SORRY, THEY'RE RECEIVING AN ADDITIONAL $113,750.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 19, IRVINGTON NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION IS RECEIVING AN ADDITIONAL $175,250 ITEM NUMBER 20 IS CLAIR NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
THEY'RE RECEIVING AN ADDITIONAL 165,000, AND THIS IS TO CONTINUE SERVICES FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE 2022 GRANT PERIOD.
NO QUESTIONS, MR. MACER? YEAH.
ALL, ALL THESE, ALL THESE ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS WERE, ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE BLOCK GRANT.
THROUGH, THROUGH MR. PRESIDENTS THAT WE'RE STILL AWARE.
DO YOU THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS ADDITIONAL FUNDINGS THAT WERE ADDED ONTO THIS YEAR'S GRANT? AND THIS IS KIND OF, UH, USE IT OR LOSE IT, SO YES, SIR.
THANK YOU, MR. MCC MCCOY COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BETWEEN 18 AND 20? HEARING? HONOR? DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND? MOTION? SECOND.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER COOPER, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT PI? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTION 21, WHICH IS FROM THE DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS, AND WE'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? MR. PRESIDENT, THE, UH, D A HAS A VEHICLE THAT HAS, UH, OUT OUTLIVED ITS, UH, USEFUL LIFE, UH, AND THEY'RE, UH, REPLACING IT AND FOR A NEW ONE IN THE AMOUNT OF $89,975 THROUGH, UH, ONE THROUGH A BIDDING PROCESS, UH, THE VAN WILL BE UTILIZED TO MAKE DELIVERIES OF SUPPLIES TO VARIOUS LOCATIONS, OUTREACH DELIVERIES OF MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT FOR EVENTS, AND, UM, UH, IT'S AGAIN, AS I SAID, REPLACING AN EXISTING VAN AND PAID THROUGH OPERATING FUNDS.
[00:35:01]
HAPPENS TO THE OLD VAN THAT'S PUT OUT OF SERVICE? DOES HE GET AUCTIONED OFF? MR. COL TRAY, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THROUGH YOU, JULIUS COLLY, PURCHASING DIRECTOR.UM, ANNUALLY WE GO THROUGH MAYBE THREE OR FOUR AUCTIONS FOR OLD VEHICLES.
THIS WILL PROBABLY GO INTO THAT PARTICULAR AUCTION, ONE OF IN THE NEXT YEAR, OR DEPENDING ON THE USEFUL LIFE, LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.
NO QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HEARING ON, DO I HAVE A MOVER? IN A SECOND.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT PO.
CLERK COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT PO.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTION 22, WHICH IS FROM THE DIVISION OF SENIOR SERVICES AND WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MICHAEL VEERA, UH, DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TODAY REPRESENTING THE DIVISION OF SENIOR SERVICES RESOLUTION 22 IS FOR THE PURCHASE OF NINE SMALLER MINIVAN TYPE, UH, VEHICLES, WHICH ARE NON CDL, WHICH WILL BE ADDED, UM, TO OUR EXISTING ESS COUNTY, UH, COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM FLEET.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS, UH, PURCHASE PURCHASES THAT THE DRIVERS WILL NOT NEED CDL LICENSES TO OPERATE THESE VEHICLES.
THERE IS A NATIONAL SHORTAGE OF CDL DRIVERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
DO I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE IT.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MIKADO.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT PO.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER SIBEL, YOU GOTTA AT LEAST LET ME GET THIS STATEMENT OUT.
I KNEW WHAT YOU WERE GONNA SAY.
LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTIONS 23 AND 24, WHICH ARE FROM THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES, AND WE'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON, MR. PRESIDENT, UM, UH, MS. FISHER WILL HANDLE THESE TWO ITEMS. GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT AND COMMISSIONERS.
I'M EILEEN FISHMAN, UH, DIVISION DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES.
UM, THESE ARE TWO, UH, CON SETS OF CONTRACTS FOR THE USE TO CREATE PREVENTION AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS, UM, IN EACH TOWN OF THE COUNTY EXCEPT FOR, UH, NEWARK AND SIX SPELLS.
WE HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE, SO, SO YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT.
UM, AND THE NEW PART OF THIS IS, UM, THE PART FOR YOUTH LEADERSHIP.
DMAS HAD, UM, MONIES AVAILABLE AND SO THEY GAVE IT TO JAKARTA, WHICH CREATED A YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM.
SO EACH TOWN WILL GET ADDITIONAL MONIES, UM, THROUGH THEIR MUNICIPAL ALLIANCES TO CREATE YOUTH LEADERSHIP PREVENTION AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS. UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THIS IS SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
OPIOID USE DISORDER IS DISCOURAGE OF THE WORLD AT THIS POINT.
UM, PROBABLY THE BIGGEST PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS WE REALLY HAVE.
UM, AND ONE THAT IS HARD TO, UH, CORRECT.
RECOVERY IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE AND ALTHOUGH WE BRING MANY INTO RECOVERY, RELAPSE IS A BIG PART OF RECOVERY.
AND SO WE HAVE TO, IT'S A CONTINUOUS BATTLE FOR US TO BRING PEOPLE INTO RECOVERY, BUT MORE SO FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN RECOVERY BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND NOW THAT IT'S A BRAIN DISEASE, IT'S NOT A MORAL FAILING.
THOSE ARE THE SETS OF CONTRACTS, UH, FOR, FOR THESE TWO SOLUTION.
I'M, I'M GLAD YOU STATED THAT CUZ I CAN REMEMBER WHEN, UH, WHEN THE REAGANS WERE IN THE WHITE HOUSE, IT WOULD JUST SAY, NO, LOCK 'EM UP.
IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS BECAUSE IT'S CROSSED CERTAIN LINES AND THEY'RE ALL GOOD PEOPLE.
BUT I REMEMBER THE DIFFERENCE.
BUT I'M GLAD THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, SCIENTIFICALLY, IT'S
[00:40:01]
BEEN PROVEN TO BE A BRAIN DISEASE, AND SO THAT REALLY IS A BIG ISSUE.I THINK THEY'VE KNOWN LONG BEFORE.
YEAH, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
MR. PARVE, NO QUESTIONS, MR. NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YOU'LL HAVE A MOVER IN A SECOND.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT PI MORRIS? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSONS.
LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTION 25 AND 26 OF WHICH ARE FROM THE OFFICE OF COUNTY COUNCIL AND WILL BE READY TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UH, MS. GOLO IS GONNA HANDLE THESE TWO ITEMS. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
JEAN MARIE, SOLO, ASSISTANT COUNTY COUNCIL.
THESE ARE BOTH PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENTS.
UH, NUMBER 26, THE BOARD SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH YOU MIGHT WANNA START WITH 25.
JOHN IS HAPPY TO SPEAK WITH THE BOARD IN EXECUTIVE SESSION IF THAT IS REQUESTED.
I, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT 26, I SUPPOSE THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED AS WELL.
UM, I THINK I CAN TALK, UH, BRIEFLY.
JUST, UH, QUICK ON 25 IS A, IS A RELATIVELY NEW LAWSUIT.
I DID, UM, WE DID HAVE A SHORT DISCUSSION IN LEADERSHIP MEETING WITH MR. ST.
UM, ESSENTIALLY IT'S A MINOR WAS INJURED, UM, AND IT INVOLVED A, UH, SHERIFF'S, UH, UH, SHERIFF'S VEHICLE.
SO THERE'S AN INJURY AND THIS IS A BRAND NEW LAWSUIT AND IT'S BEING ASSIGNED TO, UH, THE FIRM OF PYROS, INNOCENT HARRISON, JANET TEMPO, UH, ON 26TH.
UM, THIS IS A, UH, AN AMEND AMENDMENT TO A CONTRACT.
THIS IS A, UH, A LAWSUIT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR PROBABLY A YEAR AND A HALF OR SO, MAYBE TWO YEARS.
UM, I THINK ALSO, UH, EMANATING FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, BUT NOT AN INJURY.
IT'S, IT WAS, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, A PERSONNEL RELATED ISSUE.
UM, THIS IS STAYING WITH THE SAME, UH, KE SHAHE AND, AND JAN TAMASI LAW FIRM.
AND THIS WILL TAKE IT THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR.
UM, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT PHASE OF LITIGATION IT'S AT, BUT, UH, MY BEST GUESSTIMATE IS, UH, IF THERE'S INCREASED MONEY GOING INTO THIS, IT'S PROBABLY SOMEWHERE HEAVY INTO, UH, DISCOVERY OR ADVANCED MOTION PRACTICE.
A ONE THING, JUST A TYPOGRAPHICAL ERROR ON THAT, ON NUMBER 26 ON THE, UH, RESOLUTION.
I THINK IT HAS THE WRONG FIRM NAME IN THERE.
I CAN CHECK ON THAT IF YOU'D LIKE.
AS MR. PAR SAID, THIS IS AN AMENDMENT, SO THE CONTRACT, I DON'T BELIEVE FOR 150, I THINK IT'S AN INCREASE OF 50,000 FROM 100.
SO NOW IT'S NOT TO EXCEED A 50,000, BUT IT'S, I CAN CHECK ON THAT AS WELL.
I'LL MAKE A NOTE FOR THAT ONE.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? JAY, YOU GOT YOUR HAND ON THE MIC? YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING YOU WANT TO ADD TO THIS? YES, MR. PRESIDENT T THROUGH YOU.
UH, THE FIRST CONTRACT IS FOR $30,000.
THE SECOND CONTRACT IS AN ADDITIONAL $50,000, UH, ADDED TO THE ORIGINAL A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS, AND IT WOULD WENT OUT THROUGH AN RFQ, UH, EARLY IN LAST NOVEMBER.
AND THAT'S HOW BOTH OF THESE ARE BEING REWARDED THROUGH THAT SYSTEM.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HEARING NOW, YOU'LL HAVE A MOVER IN A SECOND.
MOVE BY COMMISSIONER COOPER, SECOND BY VP VICE PRESIDENT MORRISS.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT PI MORRIS? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON? YES.
[00:45:01]
RESOLUTION OF 27, WHICH IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.MR. JACKSON, UH, MR. PRESIDENT DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS IS, UH, ENGAGING A FIRM TO LOOK AT OVERTIME COSTS AND TRYING TO, TO BRING THOSE DOWN, THE YAKAMOTO GROUP AND THE AMOUNT OF $38,975.
COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS HEARING NOW NEED, I'M SORRY.
SO THIS IS PURELY JUST TO LOOK AT OVERTIME.
ARE WE, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT LIKE STARTING SALARY, SALARY REGISTER, ANYTHING LIKE THAT, PURELY OVERTIME NEXT WEEK.
DO YOU EXPRESS? THAT'S CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS I NEED TO MOVER IN A SECOND? MOTION.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MARS? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTIONS 28 THROUGH 39 BECAUSE 40 HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
THEY'RE ALL FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
AND WE'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
AND IT'S NONE OTHER THAN MR. ZAES
THESE DON'T INTRODUCTION BY ME, RIGHT?
UM, NEXT TIME MAYBE WE COULD PLAY A LITTLE MUSIC WHEN I STEP UP.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 28 IS A, UH, A SHARE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE AND PARKS.
IT'S A CONTRACT AWARD TO THREE LOWEST BIDDERS ON A PER ITEM BASIS TO PROVIDE BANNERS AND SIGNS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THESE ARE SPECIFICALLY FOR TOBO EVENTS, UH, UPCOMING, UH, PROGRAMS TO THE COUNTY AND THE PARK SYSTEM.
NUMBER 29 CONTRACT AWARD TO SUNNY ELECTRIC TO PROVIDE A GENERAL ELECTRIC IMPROVEMENTS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM.
24 MONTH CONTRACT NOT TO EXCEED $821,083.
THIS IS FOR, UH, ANY ELECTRICAL WORK THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PARK SYSTEM.
WE DO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM SUNNY ELECTRIC TO, UH, EXPLAIN, UH, A LITTLE MORE.
I'M BOBBY FROM SUNNY ELECTRIC.
UM, WE, IF YOU WANNA KNOW A LITTLE BIT SOMETHING ABOUT THE COMPANY.
WE ARE A FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS ESTABLISHED IN 2000, UH, OPENED BY MY FATHER, UH, OPERATED BY MYSELF AND MY BROTHER.
AND YEAH, WE'RE LOCATED IN KEARNEY.
SO IT'S JUST, I'M SORRY, MR. ICK.
SO YOU, YOUR FAMILY SHOP, SO IT WAS JUST THE TWO OF YOU AND YOUR FATHER? YES.
ARE THE ONLY EMPLOYEES? OH NO, WE HAVE, UH, SEVEN EMPLOYEES TOTAL.
HOW MANY FROM ESSEX COUNTY? UH, TWO INCLUDING MYSELF.
IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS HEARING? NO, I NEED A MOTION.
NO, LET'S JUST, LET'S JUST GO THROUGH, WE'LL GO THROUGH THE REST.
UH, NUMBER 30 IS A CONTRACT AWARD WITH MCCLUSKY MECHANICAL CONTRACTORS TO PROVIDE, UH, MISCELLANEOUS HVAC SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM.
24 MONTH CONTRACT NOT TO EXCEED $324,800.
THIS IS FOR ANY HVAC REPAIRS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PARK SYSTEM, EXCLUDING THE ZOO, WHICH HAS, UH, UH, SEPARATE HVAC CONTRACT.
WE DO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM MCCLUSKEY HERE.
MY NAME'S DANIEL THOMAS WALSH FROM MCCLUSKEY MECHANICAL.
I'M A SERVICES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
SO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CONTRACT AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMPANY, WHERE YOU LOCATED, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES, HOW MANY FROM ESSEX COUNTY.
CAN YOU TALK INTO THE MIC AND SPEAKING TO THE MIC, PLEASE? YOU GOT, SIR, WE HAVE 40 EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE NONE IN ESSEX COUNTY, BUT WE DO DRAW FROM THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
WE DO DRAW FROM THE SURROUNDING AREAS AND HAVE TECHNICIANS LOCALLY.
UM, WE HAVE 40 EMPLOYEES UP IN NORTH JERSEY.
UM, WE'RE FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS.
UM, WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS, I BELIEVE SINCE 1986.
UM, MECHANICAL CONTRACTOR, PLUMBING, H V A C.
[00:50:01]
UH, ANY KIND OF MECHANICAL NEEDS YOU NEED WOULD BE A PLEASURE TO TAKE CARE OF ANYTHING THAT MAY COME ABOVE AND GET YOU BEYOND THAT POINT.DID YOU, DID YOU, UH, FILL OUT THE ASPIRATIONAL GOAL FORM THAT I DO NOT KNOW, SIR.
I'M ACTUALLY HERE FOR THE GENTLEMAN WHO FILLED OUT THE FORMS SO HE COULD MAKE IT THIS EVENING.
AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD THIS CONTRACT? I BELIEVE THIS WILL BE THE START OF OUR THIRD YEAR.
YOU HAVE NO ESSEX COUNTY EMPLOYEES? NO, SIR, WE DO NOT, BUT WE DO HAVE DRAW FROM THE UNION HALLS AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
SO YOU'RE A UNION SHOP? YES, SIR.
UH, JOSHUA EIGHT COUNTY PARKS NUMBER 31 IS A CONTRACT AWARD WITH DAVID FRED DEVELOPMENT CORP TO PURCHASE AND DELIVER SET UP AND STORE 2 22 22 22 FOOT ELECTRIC TREES, UH, NOT TO EXCEED 62,500.
THIS IS TO PURCHASE TWO, UH, ELECTRONIC TREES THAT SYNTHESIZE WITH MUSIC.
THEY'LL BE USED AT THE, UH, ZOO'S, HOLIDAY LIGHT FESTIVITIES.
UH, SPECIFICALLY WE WILL BE PURCHASING THESE TREES AND THEN THE COMPANY WILL BE DELIVERING 'EM, SETTING 'EM UP, AND THEN ONCE THE PROGRAM CONCLUDES, THEY WILL BE, UH, DISASSEMBLING THEM AND STORING THEM.
NUMBER 32 IS A CHANGE ORDER WITH BRITAIN ELECTRIC FOR OUTDOOR ATHLETIC LIGHTING, ADDING AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 48,000.
SO THE, UH, THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT WAS $241,602.
UH, THIS IS ADDING ADDITIONAL $48,320 AND 40 CENTS, MAKING THE NEW CONTRACT, $289,922 AND 40 CENTS.
SPECIFICALLY, THIS IS GONNA BE USED FOR LIGHTING OVER IN RIVERBANK, UH, WESTSIDE WESTSIDE PARK FIELD LIGHTS, AND THEN WEEK WAKE PARK FIELD LIGHTING NUMBER 33 IS A CONTRACT AWARD WITH GREAT SAVES GOLD TENDING TO PROVIDE ONSITE HOCKEY GOALIE TRAINING OVER AT THE ARENA 36 MONTH AGREEMENT REVENUE INTO THE COUNTY AT, UH, $1,200 PER MONTH.
SO DURING THE 36 MONTHS, IT'LL BE A TOTAL OF 43,200.
THIS IS FOR A HOCKEY TRAINING, UH, WORKSHOP THAT THEY OFFER OVER AT THE ZOO.
UH, WE'VE, THIS IS I BELIEVE THE SIXTH YEAR WE'LL BE ENTERING INTO THIS CONTRACT WITH THIS ORGANIZATION.
NUMBER 34, OUR RENEWALS OF A LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH SEATON HALL UNIVERSITY FOR USE OF IVY HILL PARK.
UH, THIS CONTRACT RENEWS EVERY FIVE YEARS.
THIS IS THE THIRD FIVE YEAR OPTION.
IT GOES FOR A, A TOTAL OF, UH, 25 YEARS.
SO AFTER THIS, UH, CONCLUDES, UH, WE'LL STILL HAVE, UH, ANOTHER TERM TO RENEW.
THIS IS TO RENT, UH, 250 UNITS OF, UH, FIELD TIME.
THE, UH, GIRL SEAT HALL, GIRLS SOFTBALL TEAM USES IVY HILL AS THEIR HOME FIELD.
UH, NUMBER 35 AGREEMENT WITH THE S COUNTY PARKS FOUNDATION TO FUND THE AMAZING ASIAN EXHIBIT.
AND IF I COULD ALSO INCLUDE NUMBER 36, IT'S A VERY SIMILAR AGREEMENT WITH THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY GREEN ACRES GRANT TO FUND THE AMAZING ASIAN EXHIBIT.
UH, BACK AT THE OCTOBER 6TH, 2021 COMMISSIONERS MEETING, THERE WAS A CONTRACT AWARD WITH APS CONTRACTING FOR THE, UH, TUR, UH, TURTLEBACK ZOO ASIAN EXHIBIT IN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $3,735,725.
UH, OF THAT AT THE TIME, 713 90 $5 WAS USED, UH, FROM OPEN SPACE.
SO THIS MILLION DOLLARS WILL REFUND THE OPEN SPACE, UH, TRUST FUND.
THE 713 95 AND THEN THE BALANCE OF TWO 86,905 WILL GO BACK INTO CAPITAL NUMBER 37.
UH, IS THE AUTHORIZATION TO USE S COUNTY RECREATION OPEN TRACE FU OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND FOR TREE WORK AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 1 93, UH, TWO 50.
THIS IS TO FUND AN EXISTING CONTRACT.
UH, IT'S STRICTLY THE FUNDING SOURCE.
UH, IT WAS BIT NUMBER 21 DASH ONE 90.
AND THESE FUNDS WILL USE SPECIFICALLY TO REMOVE APPROXIMATELY, UH, 30 DEAD AND DECLINING TREES IN BEBERG AS WELL AS GRINDING STUMPS, CLEARING DEADWOOD, ALL IN BEBERG.
AND THEN WE QUA REMOVE, UH, VEGETATION BREAST BINDS, SAMPLINGS WITHIN THE TRACK PATH AND, UH, ALSO WOOD SHIPPING.
UH, NUMBER 38 AUTHORIZATION USED RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND FOR RUG RUBBERIZED PLAYGROUND SERVICES AT WATTS, ACCESSING PARK.
AGAIN, THIS IS ALSO AN EXISTING CONTRACT AND THIS IS JUST THE FUNDING SOURCE.
UH, THE EXISTING CONTRACT IS BID NUMBER 22 DASH SEVEN OH WITH RURAL CORPORATION, AND THIS WILL BE FOR SERVICE REPLACEMENT OF APPROXIMATELY 20,000 SQUARE FEET MATERIALS, LABOR,
[00:55:01]
FREIGHT, AND SO ON.NUMBER 39 IS AUTHORIZATION TO USE THE S COUNTY RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND TO FUND THE IVY HILL PARK ATHLETIC FIELD IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, THIS IS A PARTIAL FUNDING SOURCE FOR ITEM NUMBER 43, WHICH, UM, WHEN THAT APPEARS BEFORE THE BOARD SHORTLY, THEY WILL GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT WHAT THAT CONTRACT ENTAILS.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
MR. PAEK? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, SIR.
MCAR ON, UH, RESOLUTION 31, THAT ALSO IS A LOWEST RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE BID, CORRECT? IT DOESN'T SAY IT'S ON THE REO HERE, UH, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT JOSHUA COUNTY PARK.
UM, AND, UM, IN 35, 36, THOSE, THOSE MONIES FROM GREEN ACRES, UH, CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN THAT AGAIN? THEY'RE GOING FROM GREEN ACRES.
500 GOES FROM GREEN ACRES TO THE S COUNTY PARK FOUNDATION.
500 GOES FROM GREEN ACRES TO ZOOLOGICAL SIDE.
AND WHAT IS THAT MONEY BEING? UH, SURE.
JOSHUA ASEX COUNTY PARK CITY PRESIDENT, UH, SIMPLY PUT, IT WAS A, UH, A TIMING ISSUE.
UH, WHILE WE WERE AWARDING THE CONTRACT.
UH, GREEN ACRES WAS IN THE PROCESS OF, UH, ISSUING GRANTS.
UH, WE HAD APPLIED THROUGH THE FOUNDATION AND THE ZOOLOGICAL SPECIFICALLY FOR THE ASIAN EXHIBIT.
UM, ONCE ALL THE PAPERWORK, YOU KNOW, I ARE DOTTED, TS ARE CROSSED, THAT KIND OF THING.
UH, WE'RE FINALLY NOW, UM, ABLE TO BRING THE ACTUAL AGREEMENTS TO THE BOARD AND, UH, WE WILL, UM, REIMBURSE THE, UH, OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND ABOUT SEVEN 13.
AND THEN THE, UH, THE BALANCE OF THAT MILLION WOULD GO BACK INTO CAPITAL.
IS THERE ANY REASON WHY GREAT ACRES WOULDN'T JUST GIVE THAT MONEY DIRECTLY TO THE COUNTY? UH, JOSHUA, UH, THE REASON THEY CAN'T GIVE IT DIRECTLY TO THE COUNTY IS THERE'S, UM, TWO POOLS OF MONEY.
ONE SPECIFICALLY FOR GOVERNMENT AND THEN ONE SPECIFICALLY FOR, UH, NON-PROFITS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, I'M USING MY HANDS TO SPECIFY WHICH IS WHICH, UH, THE, THIS SPECIFIC POOL OF FUNDING WAS EARMARKED ONLY FOR NON-PROFITS.
THEREFORE, WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE NON-PROFIT PARTNERS.
SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT, UH, JOSH OUTLINED CAME BEFORE THE OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND ADVISORY BOARD ON SEPTEMBER 13TH, AND WE DISCUSSED ALL OF THEM AND WE WERE IN FAVOR OF THEM BEING INCLUDED ON THE AGENDA.
COMMISSIONS COMMISSIONER PALMARA BY PRESIDENT POS, UH, JOSH IN 38, WHICH, UH, PLAYGROUND IS IT ON? WATCH US.
IS THAT THE ONE BY THE SPRING PARK OR THE ONE CLOSER TO THE, UH, HOUSE? UH, THREE MR. PRESIDENT.
IT'S THE ONE, UH, CLOSES TO BLOOMFIELD AVENUE.
THE, UH, ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND.
YEAH, THAT, UH, DIDN'T LAST VERY LONG.
IS THAT, IS THAT JUST AN ABPA ON THE, THAT THAT PARK ISN'T, NOT ALL, UH, WE'RE HAVING SOME ISSUES WITH THE, THE RUBBER, UH, OBVIOUSLY.
UM, AND, UH, NOW IS THE OPTIMAL TIME TO DO RUBBER REPAIRS SO THAT IT'S READY FOR THE SPRING SEASON.
IT'S THE REASON, UH, WE, WE ARE IN TALKS WITH THE, UH, INSTALLER ABOUT GETTING SOME, UH, I DUNNO WHAT WORD I'M LOOKING FOR HERE, BUT, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE TALKING TO THE, UH, THE CONTRACTOR ABOUT GETTING REIMBURSED FOR SOME OF THE REPAIRS, BUT, UM, WE WANTED TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THIS PROJECT NOW SO THAT WE GET IT READY FOR THE, THE SPRING SEASON.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S LIFE EXPECTANCY WAS CUT A LITTLE BIT SHORT AND WE WANT TO A LITTLE CREDIT OUT THAT IS THAT, UH, THREE OF YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? THAT'S ULTIMATELY THE GOAL.
UM, MR. I HAVE A QUESTION ON ITEM NUMBER 29.
WAS THIS SONNY'S FIRST CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY? I'M CURIOUS.
UH, JOSHUA A S COUNTY PARKS STUDIO, MR. PRESENT? YES.
THIS IS THE, UH, THE FIRST TIME, UH, AT LEAST FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE S COUNTY PARKS DEPARTMENT IS, UH, IS USING SI.
UM, ANOTHER QUESTION ON ITEM NUMBER 37 WITH THE TREE WORK.
UM, CAN YOU PLEASE GIVE ME A REPORT ABOUT THE, UM, SCREENING THAT YOU GUYS DID FOR THE DEAD TREES AND THE TREES THAT YOU REMOVED FOR ORANGE PARK? UH, THREE.
YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? YEAH, WE WILL CERTAINLY GET BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION WITH THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SO YOU SAID THIS IS THE OPTIMUM TIME TO REPLACE THE RUBBER? UH, YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
I WANT YOU TO TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK AT WEEK GRADE PARK AND ALL OF THE RUBBERIZED TRACKS, AT LEAST GOING AROUND THE LAKE AND SOME OF THE STATIONS WHERE PEOPLE WORK OUT, THE RUBBER IS, UM, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
SO YEAH, WE, WE SEE THAT LIST.
YEAH, WE'RE, WE'RE VERY AWARE THAT THE, UM, THAT WOULD BE, UH, A PRETTY LARGE SCALE PROJECT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD HAVE TO GO
[01:00:01]
OUT TO, TO BID FOR.BUT IT'S THE OPTIMUM TIME, SO CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS HERE? AND NOW I'M IN TO MOVER.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MECADO.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT PALMARA? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTIONS 41 THROUGH 50, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF RESOLUTION 45, WHICH HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
THEY'RE ALL FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, AND WE'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON, UH, MR. ANTONIO, I DON'T KNOW IF HE HAS THEME MUSIC, BUT
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER, UH, 41 WILL ALLOW FOR THE EXECUTION OF A COST REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AND THE NEW JERSEY DEPART DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO FUND THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING OF THE BRIDGE STREET BRIDGE OVER THE VASQUE RIVER IN NEWARK, UM, IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,229,000.
UH, THIS BRIDGE IS A RECENT GRADUATE OF THE FEDERAL LOCAL CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT STUDY AND HAS NOT BEEN ADVANCED TO PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING.
AND WITH THAT SAID, ITEM NUMBER 42 IS THE AWARD CONTRACT TO MAJESKI AND MASTERS TO PERFORM THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING OF THE BRIDGE STREET BRIDGE IN NEWARK.
UM, MAJESKI AND MASTERS WAS THE SUBMITTER OF THE HIGHEST SCORING PROPOSAL OF THE TWO RECEIVED.
THIS WILL BE A 12 MONTH CONTRACT.
IT WILL NOT EXCEED $2,229,779.
AND WE HAVE MR. RICHARD JACKSON HERE OF MAJESKY AND MASTERS.
I BELIEVE HE WILL, UH, GO INTO SOME DETAIL ABOUT THE DESIGN OF THE NEW BRIDGE STREET BRIDGE OVER AT THEE RIVER AND, UH, INTRODUCE HIS FIRM.
GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT AND COMMISSIONERS.
I AM, UH, THE, UH, DIRECTOR OF THE DELAWARE VALLEY REGION FOR OUR FIRM JET AND MASTERS.
UH, WE ARE A BRIDGE DESIGN FIRM.
UH, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE, UH, 1893.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, YOU DON'T LOOK THAT OLD
UM, WE'VE ASSEMBLED A, UH, HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEAM.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, SEVEN TEAM MEMBERS, MEMBERS, UH, SEVEN FIRMS, UH, THREE OF WHICH ARE IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.
UH, MAJESKI MASTERS HAS A COUPLE, UH, STAFF THAT DO LIVE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
UM, WE ARE, UM, EXCITED TO HELP DELIVER THIS PROJECT.
IT'S A CONCEPT STUDY, WHICH WAS ALREADY DONE.
UH, THIS WILL BE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING, WHICH WE WILL BE DOING.
UH, THE NEXT PHASE WILL BE FINAL DESIGN AND THEN CONSTRUCTION.
UM, SO WHAT WE DO, DESIGN MOVABLE BRIDGES ALL OVER THE WORLD.
UH, WE BRING THIS, UH, HIGH LEVEL EXPERTISE HERE TO, UH, TO ESSEX COUNTY.
INTERESTED IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS, MR. PARLOVE? UH, NO, I DO NOT.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 44 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO, UH, ATHLETIC FIELDS OF AMERICA, UH, WHO SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE FIVE BITS WE SEE FOR THIS PROJECT.
THIS WILL INCUR, UH, THE PROJECT ITSELF ENTAILS, UH, PLACING A NEW SYNTHETIC TURF FIELD AT A CURRENT GRASS FIELD LOCATION.
UM, A BLASTY FIELD IN CEDAR GROVE.
UH, THIS AMOUNT OF THE PROJECT WILL NOT EXCEED $2,000,112, I'M SORRY, 2 MILLION $112,403.
UM, ATHLETIC FIELDS OF AMERICA.
UH, WE'LL HAVE UNION PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROJECT.
IT WILL COME FROM LABORERS 4 72 AS WELL AS OPERATORS 8 24, AND THEY WILL HAVE FOUR OPERATORS.
YOU MEAN IAND CORRECTED THEN, IF YOU SAY SO, SIR? YES.
UH, AND THEY WILL HAVE FOUR SS COUNTY EMPLOYEES ON THIS JOB.
[01:05:02]
IS, UH, NOW WATER CONTRACT TO PAULS.SO KLOWSKI AND SADDER ENGINEERING, THE LOWEST BETTER TO PERFORM THE, UH, ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES FOR THE NEW BUILDING AT INDEPENDENCE PARK IN NEWARK.
THIS WILL BE A 12 MONTH CONTRACT.
UH, PSN S'S PROPOSAL WAS THE HIGHEST SCORING OF THE NINE RESPONSES TO THIS PROJECT'S RFP.
AND MR. MICHAEL COHEN OF PSN S UH, HAS JOINED US THIS EVENING AND HE WILL DESCRIBE THE PROJECT AND, UH, INTRODUCE HIS FIRM AND PERHAPS ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, MY NAME, MY NAME IS MICHAEL COHEN.
I'M A SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT WITH BSNS.
WE ARE A, UH, 300 PLUS PERSON, UH, ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING FIRM.
WE HAVE, UH, SEVEN OFFICES IN THE NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY AREA.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN THIS AREA IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA FOR A LARGE NUMBER OF YEARS.
WE'RE CELEBRATING OUR 60TH YEAR THIS YEAR.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN ESSEX COUNTY FOR 50 OF THOSE 60 YEARS.
UM, WE HAVE DONE WORK, MUCH WORK IN NEWARK.
WE'VE WORKED ON RIVERBANK AND RIVERFRONT PARK.
WE JUST FINISHED THE PLAYGROUND DESIGN IN GAILSBURG PARK.
SO WE'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA.
PERSONALLY, I'M A, I'M AN ESSEX RESIDENT, HAVE BEEN FOR 40 YEARS.
AND, UH, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UH, IT'S GOT A MARVELOUS HISTORY.
WE'VE, UH, MET WITH SOME FOLKS THERE AND TALKED.
WE, WE VISITED THE PARK A NUMBER OF TIMES IN PREPARING OUR PROPOSAL AND WE'VE GOT A THINK.
WE'VE GOT A GOOD HANDLE ON THE PLUSES AND THE MINUSES OF THE PARK AND WHAT IT NEEDS, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HELP ACHIEVE ITS GOALS.
SO I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
MR. PAULO? NO QUESTIONS MR. MCENERY? NO, NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONED VICE PRESIDENT MARS, YOU HAVE SEVEN OFFICES, IS THAT CORRECT, SIR? I'M SORRY? HOW MANY OFFICES DID YOU SAY YOU HAD? SEVEN IN THE REGION.
HOW MANY IN ESSEX COUNTY? RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY.
WE'VE HAD AN OFFICE IN NEWARK FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS, BUT, UH, POST COVID, WE, WE CLOSED THE NEWARK OFFICE, BUT WE RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE YOU'VE BEEN DOING WORK FOR 50 YEARS IN ESSEX COUNTY? YES.
DID YOU PLAN TO OPEN UP AN OFFICE IN ESSEX COUNTY? AGAIN, WE'RE KIND OF ANXIOUS TO GET BACK IN NEWARK.
WHAT WERE THE OTHER PARKS THAT YOU SAID YOU GUYS? RIVERBANK AND RIVERFRONT PARK ON THE RIVER IN NEWARK.
THAT'S PROBABLY 10 YEARS AGO, EIGHT YEARS AGO.
I I JUST DIDN'T CATCH THE NAME OF THE, IT WASN'T IN ORANGE.
I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOU KEEP UP.
SO YOU'VE BEEN WORKING IN ESSEX COUNTY FOR 50 YEARS.
YOU'RE AN ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENT FOR 40 YEARS.
I DIDN'T WORK HERE, BUT, OKAY.
COMPANY HAS, SO HOW, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE FROM ESSEX COUNTY? FROM ESSEX? YEAH.
I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT AT LEAST, AT LEAST 15 OR 20.
WE, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE FROM ES ACCOUNT OUT OF THE THREE OUT OF THE 300? YES.
DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
A NUMBER 47 IS IN A WATER CONTRACT TO CM E ASSOCIATE, UH, TO UNDERTAKE THE ENGINEERING AND INSPECTION SERVICES REQUIRED DURING THE REPLACEMENT OF THREE PIPE CULVERTS.
UH, ONE OF THEM CARRIES THE KANE BROOK ACROSS AN ROAD IN WEST CALWELL.
AND THE OTHER TWO, CARRIE FULLERTON'S BROOK AS A TRAVERSES BOTH LAN AND CONDUCT COURT IN ROSELAND.
UH, CME PROPOSAL WAS THE HIGHEST SCORING OF THE SIX.
RECEIVE THIS CONTRACT WILL NOT EXCEED $140,389.
AND MR. MICHAEL MCLELLAN FROM CME, WE'LL INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY, PERHAPS THIS CORRECTO SCOPE OF WORK AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT AND COMMISSIONERS.
I'M A PARTNER AND A FIRM OF CME ASSOCIATES FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS.
CAN'T POINT TO THE 150 YEARS WITH MR. MCCLUSKEY FIRM, BUT, UH, WHAT WE'RE GETTING THERE, UH, WE HAVE, UH, BASICALLY PROPOSED ON A PROJECT TO REPLACE THREE CART METAL COVERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UH, BASICALLY IT'S A METAL CULVERT THAT, UH, OVER TIME HAS DETERIORATED AND THE PLAN IS TO PUT IN ALUMINUM PIPINGS SO THAT THE DETERIORATION DOESN'T OCCUR.
UH, IT'S BEEN DESIGNED BY OTHERS AND WE'RE BASICALLY GONNA DO THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE SERVICES FOR THE PROJECT.
IN TERMS OF OUR NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, WE
[01:10:01]
HAVE APPROXIMATELY 275 EMPLOYEES.WE DO NOT HAVE AN OFFICE IN ESSEX COUNTY YET.
WE'RE ALSO THINKING OF IT OBVIOUSLY, IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES FROM ESSEX COUNTY.
I DIDN'T COME PREPARED TO TELL YOU EXACTLY, BUT I KNOW FOR SURE TOO.
I WON'T TELL YOU MORE THAN THAT.
BUT, UH, NEXT TIME I COME TO YOUR MEETING, I WILL BE SURE TO KNOW.
IN TERMS OF THE DIVERSITY PROGRAM, WE HAVE A DIVERSITY PERCENTAGE, ABOUT 20 TO 30% RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT MEANS YOU, YOU, YOU'RE GONNA COME BACK.
THAT MEANS THAT YOU ARE, UH, CONFIDENT THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET ANOTHER CONTRACT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE IN BUSINESS FOR.
I DID GO TO SCHOOL AT N G I T AND GRADUATED FROM NEWARK COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING FOR THE DEGREE.
WE HIRE AS MANY STAFF FROM CE AS WE CAN, OR ACTUALLY N G I T NOW.
WHEN I WAS THERE, IT WAS STILL CALLED NORTH COLLEGE ENGINEERING, BUT, UH, UM, WE DO, UH, RETAIN AND RECRUIT THERE AND, UH, AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, ONE OF MY PARTNERS ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
THE GUY DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC ARTS, THE GUY RIGHT BEFORE ITEM NUMBER, UH, 48, IS A WATER CONTRACT TO IRIS COMMUNICATIONS TO PROVIDE VARIOUS GRAPHIC ART SERVICES.
IRIS COMMUNICATIONS PROPOSAL WAS THE HIGHEST SCORING OF THE THREE PROPOSALS RECEIVED.
THIS WILL BE A ONE YEAR CONTRACT AND IT WILL NOT EXCEED $85,000.
ITEM NUMBER 49 IS AN AWARD CONTRACT TO RE SYSTEMS TO FURNISH AND DELIVER SODIUM CHLORIDE OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $50,000.
THIS PRODUCT IS USED DURING ISIS SNOW OPERATIONS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 50 IS AUTHORIZATION FOR EMERGENCY PAYMENT TO BOTH SURF PRO AND DIA CONSTRUCTION FOR REPAIRS PERFORMED DUE TO FLOODING THAT OCCURRED ON THE 13TH FLOOR OF THE WILDLANDS BUILDING IN NEWARK ON JULY 17TH, 2022.
THE FLOODING CREATED DAMAGES TO COURTROOMS AND CLEANING AND RESTORATION SERVICES WERE REQUIRED.
THIS EVENT WAS CLEARED AN EMERGENCY, AND AT THIS POINT, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I WILL GLAD TO TAKE THEM.
DAVID, JUST, UH, OPERATIONS QUESTION, DID YOU DO NUMBER 43? IT WAS, UH, THERE WERE TWO TURF FIELD CONTRACTS.
YOU DID THE ONE FOR CEDAR OF GRO.
I JUST REALIZED THAT RIGHT NOW WE DON'T WANNA LEAVE IVY HILL OUT.
NUMBER 43 IS A CONTRACT AWARD.
TWO ATHLETIC FIELDS OF AMERICA, UM, TO INSTALL SYNTHETIC TURF ATHLETIC FIELDS AT IVY HILL PARK IN NEWARK.
ATHLETIC FIELDS FROM ATHLETIC FIELDS OF AMERICA'S BID WAS THE LOWEST OF THE THREE RECEIVED.
AND, AND THE CONTRACT WILL NOT EXCEED $3,361,834.
UM, THIS PROJECT WILL HAVE UNION PARTICIPATION.
IT WILL COME FROM LABORERS 4 72 AND OPERATORS 8 25.
UM, AND ONCE AGAIN, THEY WILL HAVE AT LEAST FOUR S COUNTY EMPLOYEES WORKING ON THE JOB.
SO THEY ARE, THEY NOT WITH US.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, MR. PERRO HAD A LAST MINUTE FAMILY EMERGENCY, UH, AT THIS PICK WITH HIM ON THE PHONE.
THAT'S LIKE, OH MY GOT SOME OF THIS INFORMATION.
HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE THEN.
HE SHOULD HAVE SENT THE REPRESENTATIVE.
IF WE HOLD THIS UP UNTIL HE CAN, HE CAN GET HERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA TAKE 43 OUT HERE AND WE'LL GET TO 'EM ON THE NEXT MEETING.
THAT'S 44, MR. PRESIDENT, IF I'M, IF I MAY, SURE.
NO, I I, I APPRECIATE, UH, WHAT YOUR SEDIMENT ON THAT RESPONSE.
AND I, I APOLOGIZE FOR, UM, IT, IT MAY HAVE SOUNDED FLIPPED AND I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU INTERPRETED IT THAT WAY.
AND I APOLOGIZE IN A PART OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
UH, IF, IF, BUT YOU DIDN'T SAY, I KNOW I DIDN'T.
BUT MR. MR. ANTONIO, AS YOU WELL KNOW, ONE OF I, I KNOW HIM VERY WELL.
I, THAT HIS CHARACTER HAS NEVER COME INTO QUESTION.
I NEVER QUESTIONED HIS CHARACTER.
I JUST DIDN'T LIKE HIS STATEMENT.
I DON'T THINK, AND THEN THESE FOLKS
[01:15:01]
SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE.IT'S A, A $3 MILLION CONTRACT AND THEY, AND THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE.
AND IF YOU MAY RECALL, MS. PRESIDENT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ALWAYS HERE.
UM, NO, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THEY, YEAH, THEY'VE BEEN, THEY'VE DONE A LOT OF STUFF FOR US.
AND, UM, I I, AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR, YOUR SENTIMENT AND I, I WOULD JUST, UM, HOW CAN I SAY, I WOULD IMPLORE OR, OR JUST VAGUE, IF THAT'S EVEN BETTER
AND 30 DAYS REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE ON THESE PROJECTS THAT YOU WELL KNOW.
SO IF WE, IF, IF I COULD BEG UPON YOU, MR. PRESIDENT TO, UM, US GIVE US A PASS ON THIS ONE.
YOU, YOU, YOU NEVER HAVE TO BEG OR GRO ABOUT SOMETHING THAT YOU HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH.
BUT, UH,
AND I DON'T WANT TO MISS THE 30 DAYS IF, AND AGAIN, I UNDERSTOOD.
DULY KNOW THAT TAKING MR. DANTON, WE GOOD MAN.
IF I MADE MR. PRESIDENT DO WANNA APOLOGIZE, UH, THOSE OF WORDS FOR NOT PROPER, UH, BUT I WOULD'VE HAD WANTED MR. P TO BE HERE AND UNFORTUNATELY HE CAN'T MAKE IT.
AND I MEAN, SOME OF MY FRUSTRATION UNDERSTAND IT IS WHAT IT IS.
COMMENT, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS NOT, IT WAS NOT INTENDED TO COME OUT LIKE THAT.
ITS MY FRUSTRATION WITH MR. P AND I BEING HERE AS WELL.
AND, UH, I DO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTA THIS PROJECT.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ABOUT 28.
41 TO 50 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 45.
MR. PRESIDENT, DO I HAVE A MOVER? IN A SECOND I'LL VOTE.
MR. AND, AND, AND WE'LL LEAVE EVERYTHING IN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. PRESIDENT.
MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT FORMAR.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT PALMARA? YES.
AND COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON? YES.
SOME OF THANK YOU, MADAME CLERK.
LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTIONS 51 THROUGH 53, WHICH ARE FROM THE DIVISION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT, AND WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, UH, MS. PRESIDENT, AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, UM, UNDERSTANDING ON THAT OTHER ISSUE.
I GOT, UM, JOSE'S GONNA PRESENT THESE TWO ITEMS. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT 51, 52 AND 53.
EVERYBODY CAN'T HEAR ME? HOLD, HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
I THINK YOU GETTING READY TO GET SOME ASSISTANCE RIGHT NOW, MR. PRESIDENT, WHILE WE'RE DOING SOME TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, MIGHT WE, UH, RECOMMEND A LITTLE BIT OF GREASE FOR THE VERY SQUEAKY HINGE OVER THERE? IT'S A WD 40 DISTRACT PUBLIC WORKS TO REPAIR THAT.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE START OVER.
I'M SORRY I DON'T HAVE ON MY HEELS TODAY.
JOETTE VANDY, DIVISION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT I'M REPRESENTING FOR THE COUNTY.
WE'RE DOING 51, 52 AND 53, 51 AND 53 ARE FOR WELFARE TO WORK.
THEIR EDUCATIONAL JOB, SEARCH AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING.
51 IS FOR THE EXTENSION, A TWO MONTH EXTENSION.
ALL WE DID WAS MOVE THE FUNDING OVER INTO TWO MONTHS FOR THE VENDORS TO HAVE ADDITIONAL TIME TO SPEND OUT FOR THE COUNTY FUNDING.
I'M SORRY, FOR THE STATE FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED.
53 IS FOR THE NEW STATE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED.
SO WE RENEWED ON THE RFP BASED ON THAT.
AND I'M SORRY, I DON'T HAVE MY GLASSES.
SO DID YOU WANT THE AMOUNTS IF YOU HAVE THEM? OKAY.
UH, 51 WAS JUST A MOVE OVER BASICALLY THEM USING THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY, WHICH WAS THE
[01:20:01]
ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS FOR 90, UH, 90 945,000.THE EXTENSION FOR THE NEW ONE WILL BE $805,000.
WE HAD THREE SCHOOLS DROP OUT OF DOING A CONTRACT WITH US THIS TIME.
FOR 52, THAT'S WEO FUNDING FOR OUT OF SCHOOL YOUTH.
AND THAT IS FOR THEM TO DO, LET ME DOUBLE CHECK.
THAT WAS ALSO AN EXTENSION FOR THEM TO DO OVER THE SUMMER WITH A FOUR WEEK ORIENTATION.
AND ALSO FOR BASIC SKILLS FOR THE KIDS WHO WEREN'T IN OUR SUMMER, UH, YOUTH WORK, UH, PROGRAM.
I ALSO HAVE SOME OF THE VENDORS HERE, IF YOU WANNA TALK TO THEM, UH, SINCE YOU GOT HIM HERE, GET 'EM UP.
TELL US WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BE DOING.
HI, GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT AND THE COMMISSIONERS.
I'M REPRESE REPRESENTING ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE.
UM, AS YOU HAVE HEARD FROM, UM, JOETTE, THESE ARE EXTENSION OF CONTRACTS THAT WE HAD.
UM, AND, UH, FOR THE OUTTA SCHOOL YOUTH, WE DID, UM, A JOB SEARCH AND WORK READINESS PROGRAM AND ALSO PROVIDED BASIC SKILLS IN, UH, HSC PREP.
UH, FORMERLY KNOWN AS G D FOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING.
WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDING, UM, ALLIED HEALTH PROGRAMS SUCH AS CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANTS, PATIENT YEAR TECH, MEDICAL ASSISTANT, UM, AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
WHERE, WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED? I DIDN'T HEAR.
SO OUT OF THE PARTICIPANTS, SORRY.
THE PARTICIPANTS, THE PERSONS WHO YOU'RE TRAINING, DO YOU ALSO HAVE JOB PLACEMENT? YES, THAT'S PART OF THE, UM, PROPOSAL THAT WE SUBMIT.
AND SO WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE YOU ACTUALLY PLACE? UM, IT'S ACTUALLY VERY GOOD BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, WITH THE, UH, PANDEMIC, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A, UM, LIKE A NEED FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS.
SO WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY ISSUES PLACING PEOPLE.
SO SOME PEOPLE, UH, COULD NOT BE PLACED CUZ THEY HAD OTHER ISSUES THAT THEY HAD TO TAKE CARE OF.
BUT THOSE WHO FINISHED THE, UH, PROGRAM AND, UM, WENT AHEAD AND GOT THEIR CERTIFICATIONS, WE HAVE ABOUT RIGHT NOW, I WOULD SAY BETWEEN 70 TO 75% PLACEMEN.
COMMISSION OF COOPER, HOLD ON.
WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE AVERAGE HOURLY RATE THAT PARTICIPANTS MAKE? I'M SORRY? WHAT'S THE AVERAGE HOURLY RATE THAT THE PARTICIPANTS MAKE ONCE THEY GET PLACED IN A JOB? UM, UH, RIGHT NOW WITH, UM, CERTIFIED THE HEALTHCARE CAREERS, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYWHERE BETWEEN THEY HAVE GONE UP, THE RATES HAVE GONE UP BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY CANNOT FIND PEOPLE TO WORK IN THOSE FIELDS.
SO BETWEEN 16 TO $21 AN HOUR, SOMETIMES $25 AN HOUR TO START.
SO THAT'S A GOOD CAREER FOR THEM.
AND ALSO, I JUST WANNA MENTION, IF THEY GO THROUGH OUR PROGRAM AND IF THEY ENROLL AT ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE, THEY GET, UM, CREDITS.
SO IF THEY'RE CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT, THEY GET THREE CREDITS.
AND IF THEIR PATIENT CARE TECH AND MEDICAL ASSISTANTS, THEY GET SIX CREDITS EACH TOWARDS THEIR GENERAL SCIENCE DEGREES.
WE HAVE A COMPUTER REPAIR TECHNOLOGY SCHOOL LOCATED AT TWO, TWO, EXCUSE ME, 2 24 SUSSEX AVENUE IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.
UM, WHAT WE DO IS WE BASICALLY TRAIN, UM, THE PEOPLE THAT COME IN AND GET THEM READY FOR THEIR A PLUS CERTIFICATION, WHICH IS THE BASIC CERTIFICATION FOR, UM, OR BASELINE CERTIFICATION.
SO WE SAY FOR ANY SORT OF, UH, COMPUTER REPAIR TECHNOLOGY, NETWORK ENGINEERING TYPE JOBS, UM, I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT ELSE TO EXPLAIN.
UM, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
[01:25:01]
SO YOU HAVE A PLACEMENT POLICY AS WELL? YES.AND SO WHAT'S THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE YOU PLACE? WHERE DO YOU PLACE THEM AND WHAT DO THEY MAKE ONCE THEY'RE PLACED? UM, PLACEMENT FOR US IS ABOUT 60%.
UM, TO BE HONEST, UH, ANY JOB STARTING WITH A, UM, COMPUTER REPAIR TECHNOLOGY? USUALLY YOU, YOU CAN BE, THERE'S BASELINE BECAUSE WE USE COMPUTERS FOR EVERYTHING.
SO IT'D BE AS SIMPLE AS WORKING A CASH REGISTER OR, UM, ANY SORT OF, UH, WAREHOUSING OR ANYTHING.
AND EXCUSE ME, IT COULD BE UP AS MUCH AS $30 AN HOUR.
UM, WORKING FOR AN IT COMPANY, WE HAVE, UH, LOCAL CONTRACTS THAT WE USE FOR OUR TELECOMMUNICATIONS, UM, IT SUPPORT THAT WE ACTUALLY USE IN HOUSE, UM, WITH OUR COMPANY.
AND THEY'RE WILLING TO, EXCUSE ME, TO TAKE PEOPLE ON, UM, THAT GO THROUGH OUR PROGRAM.
UM, AND I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THE OTHER QUESTION WITH THAT TOO? SO IT WAS HOW MUCH THEY MAKE, HOW, WHAT YOUR PLACEMENT IS.
AND LET ME ASK YOU ANOTHER QUESTION.
SO YOU'RE LOCATED IN NEWARK, SO HOW MANY ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS DO YOU EMPLOY? UM, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MYSELF AND THE OWNER OF THE COMPANY, EVERYONE IS ESSEX COUNTY.
AND I HAVE, UM, JUST TO ADD TO THAT, THERE ARE 37 EMPLOYEES.
UH, IS THE TRAINING, UH, HELD AT YOUR LOCATION ON SUSSEX? YES.
AND SO WHILE THE TRAINING, THEY'RE, THEY'RE COMPENSATED, IS THERE A STIPEND OR? THERE IS A, UH, MENTORSHIP PROGRAM, UM, WHICH IS A STIPEND PROGRAM.
UM, AND THAT GOES, IT COINCIDES WITH THE JOB PLACEMENT.
SO THEY'RE ABLE TO USE OUR LABS TO, UH, LOOK FOR JOBS, RESUME SUPPORT, UM, AND IN THE MEANTIME, THEY BASICALLY ACT AS A, UH, A TEACHER'S AID SO THEY CAN STAY ON WITH US, UH, PAST THE CONTRACT.
AND WE DO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE STIPEND.
IT'S $30 A DAY, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME? ANY OTHER VENDORS? THAT'S IT.
I MEAN, MS. PAULO? YES, I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON THE TWO EXTENSION, UH, EXTENSION OF CONTRACT RESOLUTIONS.
IS THE DOLLAR AMOUNT UNCHANGED ON BOTH OF THOSE? ON THE EXTENSION? YEAH.
THE, NO, THEY'RE THE SAME MONEY.
WE JUST GAVE THEM ADDITIONAL TIME TO OKAY.
SPEND THE SAME, SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. MCINERNEY.
SECOND BY VP PALMARA ROLL CALL BAN CLERK.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT FROM RAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
MOVE TO RESOLUTIONS 54 THROUGH 62.
UH, CRAIG LOMBARDI WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. UH, GOOD EVENING.
CRAIG LOMBARDI, HOUSING COORDINATOR, UH, DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
WE ARE REQUESTING THAT THE BOARD AUTHORIZE THE EXTENSION OF EIGHT CDBG PROJECTS, UH, FROM AUGUST 31ST, 2022 TO MARCH 31ST, 2023.
WE EXPECT THAT ALL THESE PROJECTS WILL BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE PROJECT YEAR.
UH, THE EXTENSIONS ARE BASICALLY REQUIRED TO PROCESS THE VOUCHERS AND REIMBURSE, UH, THE VENDORS FOR THEIR WORK.
WE ARE, UH, REQUESTING THAT THE BOARD AUTHORIZE THE EXTENSION OF OUR CDBG CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH THE TOWNSHIP, THE WEST ORANGE FOR WORK ON MITCHELL STREET.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT PROJECT'S BEEN DELAYED BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN SOME WORK BEING DONE BY PSE AND G AND ALSO THE COUNTY IS DOING SOME WORK AT ONE END OF THE STREET.
AND, UH, THE TOWNSHIP IS REQUESTING THAT WE EXTEND THAT CONTRACT UNTIL THE END OF DECEMBER, 2023.
WE ARE, UH, LOOKING THROUGH FOR AUTHORIZATION TO EXTEND, UH, SEVERAL EMERGENCY SHELTER GRANT RECIPIENTS.
UH, MOST OF THE, I THINK THREE OF THE SIX PROJECTS ARE, ARE BASICALLY FULLY EXPENDED.
WE JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO PROCESS THE VOUCHER, UH, BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF THE CONTRACT.
SO WE JUST NEED TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT TO PROCESS THE VOUCHERS.
THE OTHER THREE PROJECTS, UH, ARE PROVIDING MONEY FOR HOMELESS PREVENTION AND TO EXPEND THOSE FUNDS IS, HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO COINCIDE WITH HOW THE, UH, THE COURTS ARE WORKING IN, IN FAR AS FAR AS GIVING PEOPLE
[01:30:01]
EVICTION NOTICES.THAT'S ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS TO EXPEND THAT MONEY.
FOR HOMELESS PREVENTION FUNDS THROUGH THE ESG PROGRAM, ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS IS THAT YOU HAVE TO PROVE THAT SOMEONE IS AT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.
AND USUALLY THAT IS A, A CONVICTION NOTICE, AT WHICH TIME WE CAN, THE AGENCIES THAT WE FUND CAN THEN EXPEND THE FUNDS AND WE CAN REIMBURSE THEM, UH, BECAUSE OF EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON WITH COVID.
AND THEN THE RECENT, THE MORATORIUM ENDING, UH, UH, IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
BUT THE COURTS ARE STILL TAKE, THEY'RE STILL TAKING A LONG TIME FOR THESE EVICTION NOTICES TO BE PROCESSED.
SO IT'S HARD FOR US TO GET THE MONEY OUT FOR THE HOMELESS PREVENTION, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE KNOW THAT THAT'S COMING AND THAT MONEY WILL BE EXPENDED VERY SHORTLY BECAUSE THINGS ARE OPENING UP IN THAT REGARD.
WHERE AM I? UH, ITEM NUMBER 57.
UH, THE BOARD HAD PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED THE PROGRAM YEAR 2021, $8,000 FOR A PROJECT FROM THE MONTCLAIR SHARED HOUSING ASSOCIATION, UH, TO DO SOME REHAB WORK AT THEIR SENIOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDING.
WHEN THEY WENT OUT TO BID, THE COST CAME IN MUCH HIGHER THAN EXPECTED, AND THEY ARE REQUESTING THAT WE INCREASED THE AMOUNT OF THEIR AWARD TO, UH, 24,000.
I THINK 24,000 7 88, UH, I'M SORRY, $24,288.
AND, UH, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, IF IT'S APPROVED, WE CAN PROVIDE THOSE ADDITIONAL FUNDS BECAUSE OTHER PROJECTS HAVE EITHER BEEN CANCELED OR HAVE RETURNED FUNDS BECAUSE THEIR COSTS WERE LESS THAN THE AWARD AMOUNT.
SO WE HAVE THE MONEY THAT'S AVAILABLE AND WE'RE REQUESTING THAT YOU AUTHORIZE, UH, THE ADDITION OF, OF FUNDS FOR THAT PROJECT.
ITEM NUMBER 58, THE TOWNSHIP OF SOUTH ORANGE WAS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED FOR A PROJECT TO, UH, INSTALL AN ADA COMPLIANT ELEVATOR AT THEIR PUBLIC LIBRARY.
WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON LATELY, INFLATIONARY COSTS AND ALSO SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.
BUT, UH, THEIR COSTS HAVE COMING MUCH HIGHER THAN EXPECTED.
SO THEY'RE REQUESTING THAT WE INCREASE THEIR ALLOCATION BY APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED, $2,000.
UH, THE FUNDS FOR THAT PROJECT WOULD COME FROM A DIFFERENT PROJECT THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN APPROVED FOR SOUTH ORANGE, WHERE THEY ARE WILLING TO FOREGO THAT ACTIVITY IN ORDER THAT WE CAN THEN PROVIDE THESE FUNDS FOR THE ELEVATOR PROJECT.
UH, AS YOU MAY RECALL, IN MAY, UH, THE BOARD HAD PREVIOUSLY APPROVED, UH, FUNDING OF 1.225 MILLION FOR A HOME PROJECT BY, UH, UH, PEARL DEVELOPERS FOR THE, A PROJECT IN VERONA.
UH, IN, IN, AFTER WE APPROVED THAT, THEY INCURRED SEVERE, SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER COST FOR THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION, BUT ALSO INTEREST RATES INCREASED.
AND SO THEY NOW HAVE A BUDGET GAP OF 3.4 MILLION.
THEY ARE APPLYING FOR PART OF THAT FROM THE STATE, AND THEY ARE REQUESTING THAT WE INCREASE OUR ALLOCATION BY $700,000 TO HELP SUBSIDIZE PART OF THAT INCREASE IN COST SO THAT THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF, OF THE HOME LOAN WOULD BE 1,925,000.
AND, AND IF I RECALL THAT IS FOR, UM, UH, AFFORD, IT'S AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
THE ONE THING TO MENTION HERE IS THAT, AND IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE.
YEAH, IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE.
NOW, THE ORIGINAL PRESENTATION, WE WERE ONLY GOING TO HAVE SEVEN UNITS DESIGNATED AS OUR HOME UNITS THAT WE COULD CONTROL.
BUT BECAUSE OF, UH, IF WE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDS, WE WOULD THEN, UH, INCREASE OUR NUMBER OF UNITS UP TO 11.
UH, AND I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE WE COME BACK IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.
WE DO HAVE THE DEV REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DEVELOPER HERE.
DO YOU HAVE A, A RENDERING OF WHAT THIS IS GONNA LOOK LIKE? ANYTHING? I DON'T HAVE IT ON ME, BUT YEAH, WE, I MEAN, THAT'S ALL PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
I, WE, WE'D LOVE, WE'D LOVE TO SEE THAT.
I CAN CERTAINLY GET, I GET THAT TO YOU GUYS TOMORROW.
BUT YOU HAVE SOMEBODY FROM THE COMPANY HERE.
SHIPMAN AND KATE COFFEE, JUST PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF, YOUR NAME FOR AND YOUR AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
HI, I'M DEANNA SHIPMAN FROM PEARL DEVELOPERS, THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT MANAGER.
YOU GOTTA SPEAKING TO THE MIC, PLEASE.
I'M DEANNA SHIPMAN FROM PEARL DEVELOPERS.
I'M THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT MANAGER ON THIS PROJECT.
HI, I'M KATE COFFEE FROM DAY PITNEY, AND WE'RE ATTORNEYS FOR, UH, THE APPLICANT.
SO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROJECT AND AFFORDABILITY AND
[01:35:01]
YEP.SO IT'S A 95 UNIT, UM, 100% AFFORDABLE PROJECT LOCATED IN VERONA.
UM, IT'S LOCATED, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH VERONA, IT'S ON PINE, UH, BLOOMFIELD AND LYNN AVENUE.
UM, THE AFFORDABILITY IS, IT'S ABOUT, UM, 38% OF THE UNITS WILL BE, UH, UH, SORRY, 13% WILL BE VERY LOW INCOME.
UM, 38% ARE BETWEEN THAT 31% AND 50%.
AND THEN, UM, 50% UNITS, RIGHT? 60% AMI, THERE'S NO UNITS HIGHER THAN A, UM, 60% AMI IN OUR PROJECT.
UM, OUR PROJECT IS, UH, A FAMILY PROJECT.
SO WE HAVE THREE BEDROOMS, TWO BEDROOMS, AND ONE BEDROOM UNITS.
WE ALSO WILL HAVE, UH, A CENTRAL PLAYGROUND FOR CHILDREN.
UM, IT'S CONVENIENTLY LOCATED RIGHT ACROSS FROM THE PARKS OF THE MUNICIPAL BUILDING.
UM, THERE'S A BUS STOP RIGHT OUTSIDE, UH, THE SITE.
UM, AND IT'S LOCATED AGAIN RIGHT ON BLOOMFIELD WITH TONS OF RESTAURANTS AND SHOPS.
UM, SO IT'S, UH, WELL SITUATED.
SO IS IT GONNA LOOK LIKE OTHER DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE IN THE, IN THE, IN AREA ON BLOOMFIELD AVENUE? WELL, WHAT'S IT GONNA LOOK LIKE? IS IT GONNA FIT INTO THE, UM, THE NEIGHBORHOODS? WHAT, WHAT IS THIS PROJECT GONNA LOOK LIKE? THANK THE RECORD.
AS CHAIRMAN, WE DON'T HAVE A RENDERING.
I NEED YOU TO PLEASE PUT YOUR NAME ON THE RECORD.
MR. CHAIRMAN, WE DON'T HAVE A RENDERING WITH US TONIGHT, AND I APOLOGIZE.
HOWEVER, I WILL SAY THAT THE BUILDING DESIGNED, PARTICULARLY THE FACADE AND THE ARCHITECTURAL STYLE, HAVE BEEN DESIGNED VERY CLOSELY WITH BOTH THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL AND THEIR PLANNING BOARD.
UM, SO MUCH SO THAT WE ACTUALLY WENT THROUGH QUITE A FEW ITERATIONS, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD AN ARCHITECTURAL STYLE THAT THE COMMUNITY FELT WAS HARMONIOUS, UM, WITH THE OTHER, UH, ARCHITECTURE IN THE AREA.
HOW FAST CAN YOU GET THIS BOARD A COPY OF THAT RENDERING? WE SEND IT TOMORROW.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE, WE CAN GET ONE FOR YOU THIS EVENING THOUGH.
MR. PRES COMMISSION, I MEAN, MR. VEO.
WHAT'S CONSTRUCTED, UH, WILL YOUR COMPANY CONTINUE TO MANAGE THE PROJECT OR WILL IT BE SOLD? UM, SO WE ARE LONG-TERM HOLDERS, I'M SORRY, DEAN SHIPMENT FROM PEARL.
WE ARE LONG TERM HOLDERS OF OUR PROPERTIES.
UM, WE HAVE A THIRD, THIRD PARTY PROPERTY MANAGEMENT TEAM THAT WE USE FOR ALL OF OUR PROJECTS, UM, IN NEW JERSEY.
SO THEY WILL MANAGE THE PROJECT, UM, AND YOU'LL MAINTAIN, BUT WE WILL STILL BE THE OWNER AND WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE PROPERTY MANAGER THROUGHOUT THAT LIFE OF THE PROJECT.
AND YOU'RE ALSO THE GC? THAT'S CORRECT.
WE HAVE AN IN-HOUSE GC, IN-HOUSE GC.
SO WHAT ABOUT LOCAL EMPLOYMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR FOLKS WHO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO LIVE IN ESSEX COUNTY? YEAH, SO WE ARE ACTUALLY, UM, AS YOU KNOW, UH, THIS PROJECT IS A LITTLE DELAYED.
UM, IN TERMS OF CONSTRUCTION START.
UM, WE'RE NOW ANTICIPATING A CONSTRUCTION START OF MARCH 1ST.
SO IT'S VERY EARLY IN OUR BIDDING PROCESS.
UM, UH, BUT I WILL SAY THAT ONE OF THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM C WAS TO, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HIRE LOCALLY.
UM, IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE EXPERIENCING WITH SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.
UM, AND WORKERS CALLING OUT BECAUSE OF COVID.
UH, IN ORDER TO KEEP OUR CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULES, UH, HIRING LOCAL IS, UH, A KEY ASPECT.
SO WE KEEP THAT IN MIND FOR OUR BIDDING PROCESS.
JUST PLEASE, Y MAKE SURE YOU GET HER CONTACT INFORMATION.
UM, I RECALL WHEN THIS GROUP WAS BEFORE US IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, WE HAD REQUESTED FOR THEM TO SEND US THE, UM, THE HOW TO SO THAT WE COULD SHARE YOUR BIDDING UPCOMING THINGS WITH LOCAL, UM, DEVELOPERS AND PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT.
LOCAL CONTRACTORS, LOCAL CONTRACTORS.
I DON'T RECALL GETTING THAT INFORMATION VIA EMAIL THE WAY THAT WE HAD REQUESTED IN MAY.
THE OTHER QUESTION IS, WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THE 2.7 MILLION, UM, GAP THAT YOU REFER TO THAT YOU'RE WAITING TO COME FROM? HM.
MFA DO YOU HAVE THAT COMMITTED ALREADY? SO, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S PART OF THE REASON FOR OUR ADDITIONAL ASK HERE TONIGHT.
UM, SO WHEN WE PRESENTED IN MAY, WE, WE SPOKE ABOUT HOW WE WERE FACING RISING CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND RISING INTEREST RATES, RIGHT? UM, AND WE SPOKE ABOUT HOW WE THAT 2.4 MILLION FUNDING REQUEST INTO THE STATE, UM, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER OUR, OUR PRESENTATION WITH YOU, UM, DUE TO INTEREST RATE INCREASES, WE ACTUALLY HAD TO GO BACK TO THE STATE AND INCREASE OUR ASK FROM THE 2.4 MILLION TO THE 3.4 MILLION.
UM, 3.4 MILLION IS A VERY LARGE ASK FROM THE STATE.
UM, SO WE ARE BASICALLY TRYING TO SEEK EVERY KIND OF ALTERNATIVE, UH, TO BRING IN ADDITIONAL FUNDINGS SO WE CAN LOWER RELIANCE ON THE STATE, UM, FOR THAT GAP, WHICH IS WHY WE, WE CAME BACK TO THE COUNTY TO SEE, UM, WHAT ADDITIONAL HELP WE CAN HAVE.
UM, IN ADDITION, WE ALSO WENT THROUGH THE KIND OF LARGE UNDERTAKING OF RESUBMITTING
[01:40:01]
A TAX CREDIT APPLICATION TO THE STATE, UM, SO THAT WE COULD GET ADDITIONAL TAX CREDITS, WHICH WOULD COVER THAT GAP IN THE INSTANCE THAT WE DON'T RECEIVE THE FUNDING FROM THE STATE THAT WE NEED.UM, WE FOLLOW UP WITH THE STATE REGULARLY IN TERMS OF THE FUNDING REQUEST.
UM, WE, WE ARE TOLD THAT WE SHOULD HEAR BACK, UM, ANY WEEK NOW IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH MONEY, UM, IF ANY OF THAT FUNDING REQUEST THAT WE'LL RECEIVE.
BUT AS, SO THE 700,000 THAT YOU'RE SEEKING FROM US WOULD REDUCE THE 3.4 MILLION.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T KNOW OUT OF THE 3.4 WHAT THE STATE WILL GIVE US, IF ANY.
UM, SO WE ARE TRYING TO FIND ANY ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF FUNDING THAT WE CAN TO HELP CLOSE THAT GAP.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I'M COMPREHENDING THE SUMMARY CORRECT.
YOUR CURRENT GAP IS 3.4 MILLION OF WHICH YOU'RE SEEKING AN ADDITIONAL 700,000 FROM THE COUNTY.
AND YOU'VE ALREADY ASKED FOR THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO NUMBERS FROM THE STATE.
BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A FIRM COMMITMENT FROM THE STATE YET? WE DON'T HAVE A FIRM COMMITMENT.
UM, IF WE ARE ABLE TO BRING AN ADDITIONAL MONEY AND LOWER OUR ASK TO THE STATE, UM, WE WILL DO SO.
UH, I THINK THAT WOULD MAKE OUR APPLICATION TO THE STATE MORE COMPETITIVE.
UM, I ALSO THINK 3.4 IS A VERY LARGE ASK FROM THE STATE.
SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW LIKELY IT IS THAT WE WOULD ACTUALLY RECEIVE THAT FULL FUNDING AMOUNT.
WHAT'S THE STATUS OF REDOING YOUR TAX CREDIT APPLICATION? SO WE SUBMITTED THAT, UM, A FEW WEEKS AGO AND WE WILL HEAR BACK AT THE END OF DECEMBER, UM, IF WE'VE BEEN AWARDED THAT THE END OF DECEMBER.
I REMEMBER REALLY BEING EXCITED ABOUT YOUR PROJECT CUZ IT WAS A 100% AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT.
AND GIVEN THE RISING COST OF HOUSING IN GENERAL ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND SOME RECENT, UM, ARTICLES TALKING ABOUT THESE INCREASED COSTS HERE IN ESSES COUNTY, I REMEMBER BEING REALLY PASSIONATE AND INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING YOUR PROJECT.
UM, SO, BUT DECEMBER IS A LONG WAY OFF.
SO IF, IF OUR COSTS STILL GOING UP, THAT EVEN IF WE GAVE YOU THE $700,000, WOULD IT BE REALISTIC KNOWING THAT DECEMBER IS STILL LIKE TWO MONTHS AWAY? RIGHT.
SO, UM, OUR GOAL IS TO REALLY, UM, LOCK IN PRICING AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE AS WE'VE EXPERIENCED EVERY KIND OF DELAY, JUST COSTS FORTUNATELY, ARE ONLY INCREASING.
UM, SO IF WE ARE ABLE TO HEAR ALL THE FINANCING, OUR, OUR INTENT NOW IS TO HOPEFULLY GO TO THE NJ HFA BOARD AT THEIR NOVEMBER BOARD HEARING, HEARING, WHICH IS THEIR NEXT HEARING, UM, TO SEEK APPROVAL TO HAVE A DECEMBER CLOSING SO THAT WE COULD START CONSTRUCTION IN MARCH.
SO AT THAT TIME WE COULD KIND OF LOCK IN ALL PRICING.
WE WOULD LOCK IN OUR, OUR MORTGAGE RATE, WHICH WOULD SAVE US FROM THIS INTEREST RATE RISK THAT WE, UM, KEEP ENCOUNTERING.
SO ARE YOU SEEKING 4% OR 9% TAX CREDITS? 9%.
UM, SO LET ME GET, I JUST WANNA GET SOMETHING STRAIGHT.
YOU HAVE A MANAGEMENT COMPANY, A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, I ASSUME? UH, A DEVELOPMENT COMPANY PARTY? YEAH.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THE PROPERTY MANAGER IS A THIRD PARTY.
SO I THOUGHT YOU WERE, I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU KEEP INTERESTED IN IT, BUT WOULD YOU, THE MANAGEMENT AFTER OH, OH NO.
SO WELL, WE'RE LONG TERM HOLDERS, SO I'M, WE ARE THE OWNERS.
UH, WE HIRE OUT THE THIRD, THE THIRD PARTY PROPERTY MANAGERS TO MANAGE THE, THE PROJECTS ON THE DEVELOPMENT SIDE.
DID YOU, DID YOU HAVE A DEVELOPMENT FEE? YES.
WAS THAT, WAS THAT FEE PAID? UH, NO, NOT YET.
AND THAT AS PART OF THIS, UM, THAT'S THE LAST THING THAT RIGHT.
IT UH, UH, MINIMUM OF OR MAXIMUM, NO, SORRY, MINIMUM OF 50% NEEDS TO BE DEFERRED.
WHAT WAS THE DEVELOPMENT FEE ON THAT? UM, AND THAT WOULD GO TO PEARL DEVELOPMENT, CORRECT? RIGHT.
BUT AGAIN, UH, WE HAVE TO DEFER, PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE STEP BY STEP.
SO, SO COULD YOU YES, YES I DO.
AND THEN YOU'RE DEFERRING 50% OF HOPE YOU CAN GET OUTTA CASH FLOW.
FOR THE RENTALS MANAGEMENT COMPANY.
UM, ON THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE, UM, UM, WAS THERE, WAS THE PAYROLL PAID BY THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY? JUST THE COST OF LABOR.
UM, SOMETIMES I SEE WHERE THEY SET UP A ANOTHER ENTITY THAT HANDLES ALL THE PAYROLL FOR ALL THE PROJECTS THAT PEARL MIGHT DO OR OTHER CONSTRUCTION, YOU KNOW, COMPANIES DO.
IN OTHER WORDS, DID YOU PAY THE PAYROLL THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY OR THROUGH ANOTHER LEASING, YOU KNOW, LEASING COMPANY?
[01:45:01]
UH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION PAYROLL TO THE SUBCONTRACTORS, RIGHT? RIGHT.THAT THAT'S ALL FLOWS THROUGH PRO CONTRACTORS.
SO THERE REALLY ISN'T ANY PAYROLL.
THERE'S VERY LITTLE PAYROLL, RIGHT? WE EVERYTHING'S SUBBED OUT, CORRECT? YES.
AND THEN ON THE GC FEE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY? YES.
ARE YOU FOLLOWING NJ, FMA, I THINK I'VE GOT THIS RIGHT.
SO THEY CLOSELY MONITOR KIND OF ALL OF OUR FEES, BOTH OUR DEVELOPER FEE AND THE GCS OVERHEAD PROFIT AND GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.
UM, AT THE END OF THE PROJECT, WE ALSO HAVE A COST CERTIFICATION PROCESS WITH THE THIRD PARTY AUDITOR.
SO ALL OF OUR COSTS ARE WHAT WAS THE, WHAT WAS THE CONSTRUCTION FEE? WHAT WAS THE GC FEEL? THIS JOB? UM, SO IT'S, WE ALWAYS DO SIX, UH, SIX, 6%, 6% PROFIT, UM, ON TOP OF WHATEVER THEIR CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT IS.
SO, WELL WAS THE CONSTRUCTION FEE PAID? NO.
NONE OF THIS HAS BEEN PAID YET.
SO I GUESS, I GUESS SOMETIMES YOU KIND OF RUN THE SITUATION WAS, WAS SOME OF THE OVER BUDGET THROUGH INEFFICIENCIES OR WAS SOME OF IT THROUGH ADDITIONAL COSTS BECAUSE OF INTEREST OR MM-HMM.
BUT YOU'RE SAYING, UM, THAT THAT BASICALLY IS A HIGH INTEREST COST? YEAH, SO IN THE TIME THAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU AND, UM, WELL ACTUALLY PUT OUR APPLICATION TO PRESENT TO YOU, THAT WAS AROUND MARCH OF THIS YEAR TILL, UM, RIGHT AFTER WE PRESENTED TO YOU, UM, OUR INTEREST RATE HAD ACTUALLY LOWERED OUR MORTGAGE BECAUSE OF THE INTEREST RATE INCREASE.
IT LOWERED OUR MORTGAGE BY 1.6 MILLION.
SO IT WAS A 1.6 MILLION HIT TO THE COMPANY JUST IN INTEREST RATE ALONE IN THE COURSE OF A FEW MONTHS.
BUT YOU DIDN'T PAY THE DEVELOPMENT FEE YOURSELF? NO, NOTHING IS BEEN PAID.
SO THIS IS REALLY YOUR HOPES OF GETTING PAID THOSE FEES.
AND KATE COFFEE, JUST TO CLARIFY, THE PROJECT HASN'T STARTED CONSTRUCTION YET.
SO, SO WE'RE, WE'RE THAT'S STILL COME, I'M NOT CONFUSED.
HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BE OVER BUDGET? I, WELL, SHIPMAN CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M MISTAKEN, BUT I THINK IT'S NOW THAT WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO BIDDING OUT THE PROJECT AND WE'RE HAVING, UM, WE'RE SEEING WHAT PROPOSALS ARE LOOKING LIKE FOR MATERIALS AND LABOR AS WELL AS SPEAKING WITH OUR LENDER ABOUT INTEREST RATES THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING, WE ALREADY KNOW THAT WE'LL BE EXCEEDING THE BUDGET THAT WE ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED.
I THOUGHT THIS WAS WELL UNDERWAY.
THAT'S WHY OBVIOUSLY THAT'S WHY YOU DIDN'T PAY THE DEVELOPMENT FOR YOUR GC FEE.
CAUSE YOU HAVEN'T INCURRED ANY COST.
SO, SO THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WAS, HAD A MISCONCEPTION ABOUT.
UM, SO YOU'RE ONLY PROJECTING THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE OVER BY DEANSHIP AND FROM PEARL? UM, YES.
WE HAVE AN, UM, UH, A TEAM THAT'S, UH, SOLE JOB IS, UM, ESTIMATING COSTS ON THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE.
UM, SO THEY CLOSELY MONITOR ALL OF OUR CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
SO THEY ARE PRETTY ACCURATE IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR COSTS ARE GOING TO BE.
SO WE CAN KIND OF KNOW GOING INTO IT.
UM, AND UH, BETWEEN THAT AND THEN LOCKING IN OUR INTEREST RATE ON THE FINANCING SIDE, WE HAVE A GOOD IDEA AS TO WHAT THE COSTS ARE GOING TO BE FOR THIS PROJECT.
SO IF YOU DIDN'T GET THIS FUNDING, WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN FOR THE PROJECT? UM, WE CONTINUE TO FIND ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES.
UM, AS I, AS I MENTIONED, THAT TAX CREDIT APPLICATION THAT WE DID, THAT WAS KIND OF OUR CONTINGENCY PLAN.
UM, AGAIN, WE WOULDN'T HEAR BACK ABOUT THAT UNTIL DECEMBER.
BUT, UM, IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO GET THE, THE, THE PROJECT TO CLOSE AND TO GET US TO BE ABLE TO START CONSTRUCTION, THEN THAT'S USUALLY ON THE LOW INCOME, UH, TAX CREDIT.
I'VE SEEN IT DONE AFTER THE FACT AS OPPOSED TO BEFORE THE FACT.
UM, BUT I HAVE SEEN ONCE IT'S COMPLETED IN A NUMBER OF CASES WHERE THERE HAS BEEN APPLICATION FOR ADDITIONAL FILES MM-HMM.
IF I MAY, MR. CHAIR, I THINK THAT THE, THE, OKAY.
UM, I THINK THE GOAL IS TO NOT, NOT GET STARTED AND THEN DISCOVER THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO FINISH THE JOB.
SO THE, THE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE START THE PROJECT, WE ARE BEING RESPONSIBLE AND WE ARE ABLE TO COMMIT TO GETTING IN COMPLETED IN A TIMELY AND QUALITY FASHION VICE PRESIDENT OF MARS.
YOU HAD MENTIONED IF, UH, FUNDING DOESN'T COME THROUGH HERE OR IT FALLS SHORT THROUGH THE STATE, WHICH YOU THINK IS A LOFTY ASK ANYWAY, AS OF RIGHT NOW, WHAT IS THE OTHER PLAN? YOU HAVE MENTIONED OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, BUT WHAT SPECIFIC OTHER FUNDING SOURCES ARE YOU LOOKING AT? SAYING OTHER FUNDING SOURCES DOES NOT INSPIRE A WHOLE LOT OF CONFIDENCE FOR THE DEANNA SHIPMAN FROM PEARL? UM, AGAIN, I THINK AS I MENTIONED, THE ADDITIONAL TAX CREDITS IS REALLY OUR CONTINGENCY PLAN AT THIS, AT THIS STAGE.
[01:50:01]
DECEMBER, IF WE GET THAT, THEN, THEN THAT WOULD COVER OUR, OUR FUNDING GAP.SO IF YOU KNOW, AND IF IT DOESN'T, AND IF IT DOESN'T, THEN, THEN WE, YES, WE HAVE TO REACH OUT TO ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES.
SO WE'VE DONE WELL SUCH AS, UM, UH, WE'LL TAKE SOME RESEARCH TO KIND OF SEE WHAT, WHAT, UM, OTHER OPPORTUNITIES ARE OUT THERE.
FRANKLY, IT BE, IT BECOMES A BIT OF A CHALLENGE FOR THE FEASIBILITY OF THE PROJECT.
UM, SO WHICH IS IS WHY WE'RE BEFORE YOU, UM, AS THE, YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE FUNDING, UM, THAT'S BEEN ALLOCATED TO THE PROJECT THUS FAR IS REALLY SHOWING A PARTNERSHIP FROM A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT, UM, SOURCES, INCLUDING THE MUNICIPALITY, WHICH IS GIVING THE LAND TO THE PROJECT, AS WELL AS, UM, A FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION.
THE STATE AND THE COUNTY, UM, HAVE ALL BEEN PARTNERS FOR TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THIS PROCESS, BUT THE STATE SEEMS TO BE THE BIGGEST PARTNER FINANCIALLY.
THE STATE IS THE BIGGEST PARTNER FINANCIALLY.
AND YOU FEEL THEY'RE, YOU'RE ASKED, CAUSE NOW IS A LOFTY ASK.
IT'S, IT, IT'S A COMPETITIVE, UM, ANALYSIS OF THE REQUESTS THAT THE STATE RECEIVES.
AND SO THE CONCERN IS THAT THEY MAY CONSIDER IT THAT, UM, THEY'RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH UNITS FOR LESS SO, UH, SUPPORTING AN ADDITIONAL MONEY.
DO YOU FEEL THAT ADDS CONFIDENCE INSPIRES MORE CONFIDENCE TO YOUR APPLICATION? YES, SIR.
COMMISSIONER COOPER? UH, THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT'S THE TOTAL PROJECT COST TO BUILD IT? UH, IT'S JUST UNDER, UM, NAME FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE.
UM, ARE YOU GUYS PREPARED TO ADJUST, LET'S SAY HYPOTHETICALLY YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU DON'T THINK YOU'RE GONNA GET THE WHOLE 2.7 MILLION IN TAX CREDIT IF WE GAVE YOU THE 700,000, UM, AND, AND THEY GIVE YOU LESS THAN 2 MILLION, WHAT, WHAT IS A REASONABLE, UM, REQUEST HAVE BEEN BASED UPON THE AVERAGE THAT THEY'VE AWARDED THE STATE PROGRAM? UM, HM, MFA SO IT'S ACTUALLY, IT'S ACTUALLY VERY HARD TO TO GAUGE WHAT THEY WILL BE WILLING TO AWARD AT THIS STAGE.
UM, THIS IS, UH, THEY'RE ONLY GOING THROUGH THIS ROUND OF FUNDING FOR THIS SPECIFIC FUNDING SOURCE RIGHT NOW, BUT I'M SURE YOU LOOKED AT OTHER PROJECTS BEFORE YOU APPLIED.
RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
THIS IS A NEW PROGRAM, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING GAP SUBSIDY PROGRAM.
THEY WENT THROUGH ONE, UM, ROUND FOR PROJECTS THAT WERE ALREADY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WHICH IS KIND OF A SEPARATE BUCKET.
AND THEY'RE ONLY NOW LOOKING AT APPLICATIONS FOR PROJECTS THAT HAVE NOT YET STARTED CONSTRUCTION.
SO THERE'S NO REAL PRECEDENT REALLY TO LOOK AT FOR, UM, HOW MUCH THEIR, THEIR AWARDING PROJECTS.
SO IF WE GAVE YOU THE 700,000 AND LET'S SAY, HM, M F A KICKED IN 200002.1, YOU'LL STILL BE SHORT, RIGHT? YOU COULDN'T START.
AND SO AT THAT POINT WE TRY TO SEE IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN FIND ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES OR IF WE HAVE TO RELY ON THAT ADDITIONAL TAX CREDIT APPLICATION.
DO YOU GUYS EVER ADJUST DOWN YOUR DEVELOPER'S FEE? YES.
WE ARE THE LAST ONES TO GET PAID, UM, IN MOST CASES.
AND IN A CASE WHERE WE ARE SHORT ON FUNDING, WE WOULD BE THE LAST.
AND YOU SAID CONSTRUCTION'S INSIDE, YOU'RE NOT GETTING A CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT FEE TOO, RIGHT? FROM THAT SIDE? SO CONS, PRO, PRO CONTRACTORS, THEY DO GET, UM, A FEE.
UM, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A CON WHILE THEY'RE IN HOUSE, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM.
SO THEY DO GET, UM, A FEE FOR THEIR WORK AS WELL AS A PART OF GIVING US THE DESIGN.
COULD YOU GIVE US THE TOTAL BROAD BUDGET OVERALL THAT ALMOST SHY OF 30 MILLION, CHUCK.
JUST A A POINT TO FEED THE GC FEE ON CONSTRUCTION IS A SET AMOUNT, RIGHT? IT'S A SET AMOUNT AT A FIRST LEVEL OF COST, A SECOND LEVEL.
IT'S ACTUALLY A DIMINISHING PERCENTAGE AS THE COST INCREASED.
I BELIEVE IT'S, YEAH, I BELIEVE THAT'S THE WAY IT GOES.
SO YEAH, SO IT'S, IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST THE PROFIT OF THE JOB.
YOU COULD ONLY TAKE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF A GC FEE OUT OUT OF A, A LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT JOB.
NOW THERE'S OTHER WAYS PEOPLE DEAL WITH CHARGING OFF CONSTRUCTION TO A, LET'S SAY A LEASING COMPANY THAT THEY, THAT THEY MAY OWN FOR THE, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE.
THE COURT HAS, HAS PEARL, UM, RECEIVED TAX CREDITS PREVIOUSLY FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY FROM HM M A I HAVE YOU APPLIED AND HAVE YOU BEEN AWARDED NAMED FOR THE RECORD DEAN SHIPMAN FROM PEARL? UM, YES.
WE HAVE A FEW PROJECTS UNDERWAY
[01:55:01]
IN NEW JERSEY, ALL FUNDED, UM, THROUGH N J H M F A'S TAX CREDITS.UM, SO WE HAVE, UH, ONE THAT WE JUST STABILIZED IN MONTGOMERY.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A PROJECT UNDERWAY IN WARREN AND IN PRINCETON AND IN CLINTON, NEW JERSEY.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE A STABILIZED PROJECT IN FREEHOLD, NEW JERSEY.
UM, AND THEN A FEW MORE IN THE PIPELINE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. PRESIDENT.
I MEAN, JUST FOR THIS ON BEHALF OF THE PUBLIC TO FULLY, FULLY UNDERSTAND, MAYBE THIS IS A QUESTION FROM MR. MCINERNEY AND MR. PARVA OR MR. JACKSON, BUT IN THE EVENT THAT WE DO COMMIT THIS FUNDING, ADDITIONAL FUNDING ON TOP OF WHAT WE'VE ALREADY COMMITTED AND THE PROJECT DOES NOT GO THROUGH, UH, THE FUNDING DOES COME BACK TO ESSEX COUNTY, THERE'S NO LOSS TO ESSEX COUNTY IN THIS.
CAN, CAN WE JUST CLARIFY CAUSE I THINK THERE MAY BE A LITTLE BIT OF CONFUSION, THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY ON THE TABLE.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THAT FUNDING THAT WE COMMITTED IN THE EVENT THIS DOES NOT GO THROUGH FOR WHATEVER REASON? CAUSE IT SOUNDS THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS.
I JUST THINK IT'S A QUESTION THAT THE PUBLIC SHOULD, YOU KNOW, WOULD PROBABLY BE ASKING.
CRAIG LOMBARDI HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, IF I MAY RESPOND TO THAT TONIGHT.
IF, IF FUNDS ARE AUTHORIZED TONIGHT, WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE'RE SETTING ASIDE THOSE FUNDS, BUT WE DO NOT COMMIT THOSE FUNDS VIA, THERE'S IN THE HOME PROGRAM, THERE'S A WRITTEN AGREEMENT, WHICH IS A, A FULL COMMITMENT, AND THEN THERE'S A LOAN AGREEMENT WHERE YOU, YOU ACTUALLY CLOSE ON THE LOAN.
WE DO NOT DO THE WRITTEN AGREEMENT UNTIL ALL THE OTHER FUNDS ARE IN PLACE.
THAT IS A POLICY OF THE HOME PROGRAM.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT IS JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE NOT COMMITTING THE FUNDS, BUT WE ARE SETTING ASIDE THE FUNDS SO THAT WHEN WE DO HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE, WE WOULD BE ABLE TO COMMIT THOSE FUNDS.
AND CERTAINLY IF THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN, IN THIS PROJECT AS FAR AS THE FINANCING GOES, OR MAYBE THEY CUT BACK A NUMBER OF UNITS OR WHATEVER, WE WOULD COME AGAIN IN FRONT OF THE BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF THE CHANGES THAT YOU AUTHORIZE THOSE CHANGES.
WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING THAT, THAT GOES BEYOND WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING HERE TONIGHT.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAR THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS, THESE FUNDS ARE NOT BEING FULLY COMMITTED TONIGHT, BUT THEY, WE DO NEED TO SET ASIDE THE FUNDS SO THAT WE KNOW THAT IF AND WHEN ALL THESE SOURCES OF FUNDING ARE IN PLACE, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND EXECUTE THE LOAN AGREEMENT.
IF FOR WHATEVER REASON, FOR ANY PROJECT THAT MAY HAVE GET GETS CANCELED, THOSE FUNDS ARE RETURNED BACK TO THE COUNTY.
AND WE CAN USE FOR, WE, WE REALLOCATE THEM FOR OTHER PROJECTS.
SO, UH, AGAIN, THE HOME PROGRAMS PRETTY TIGHT IN THAT REGARD AS FAR AS, UH, ANYTHING THAT MAY GO AW, RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD, THE FUNDS WE RECAPTURE VERY IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY THAT ON BEHALF OF THE PUBLIC.
ABSOLUTELY, I WOULD, IT'S NOT LIKE I, HEY, HERE WE GO.
IT DOEST AND I'M TELLING YOU HUD IS VERY DILIGENT ON THIS.
UH, PLUS WE GO THROUGH, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE ALL THE LOAN DOCUMENTS ARE CORRECT AND WE'RE PROTECTED.
SO THERE'S NO SIGNIFICANT RISK HERE TO THE COUNTY.
IT ONLY HELPS OUR APPLICATION, UH, HAVING THESE FUNDS FOR THE FUNDS COMMIT.
THE KIND OF THE POINT THAT I REALLY WANTED, UM, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE THE LIBRARY RIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE PUBLIC.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? JUST SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO PUT ON THE RECORD, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, UM, AGAIN, BEING THE COMMISSIONER DISTRICT, UM, THAT REPRESENTS VERONA, YOU KNOW, I, I COMMEND THE PROJECT AND I LOVE THE IDEA OF IT.
UM, THE ONLY THING THAT I REALLY WOULD BRING INTO QUESTION I WANT TO PUT ON THE RECORD FOR THE RESIDENTS AND FOR YOU GUYS AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS ROOM IS, YOU KNOW, 95 UNITS ADDED ONTO THE COMMUNITY OF VERONA.
UM, DO WE KNOW IF THEY'VE DONE, OR YOU GUYS HAVE MET WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD, DONE, UH, AN IMPACT STUDY ON WHAT THAT WOULD DO? YOU KNOW, VERONA IS A VERY SMALL GROUP SCHOOL.
THEY ALREADY HAVE A TIGHT HIGH SCHOOL AS IT IS.
AND I'M JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, WE HEAR IT TIME AND TIME AGAIN, DEVELOPMENT DOESN'T ALWAYS BRING FAMILIES WITH KIDS, BUT THEN THE DEVELOPMENT GOES UP AND YES, THERE'S FAMILIES WITH KIDS, YOU KNOW, AND IF YOU ADD AN EXTRA, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT IS, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED STUDENTS TO A SMALL GROUP, COMMUNITY SCHOOL, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TRICKLE EFFECT DOWN THE ROAD BECOMES QUITE DIFFICULT.
SO I JUST, THAT'S THE ONE THING THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD HERE SITTING HERE TONIGHT IS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, VERONA AS A COMMUNITY HAS ALREADY SORT OF VETTED THIS AND PUSHED IT OUT, BUT WE STILL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AS COUNTY LEGISLATORS TO REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO NO MATTER WHAT THE MUNICIPAL OFFICIALS DID TO APPROVE, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS GOING FORWARD, I STILL FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO SIT HERE AND FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH ALL THIS MONEY KNOWING THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, DOWN THE ROAD, I MIGHT GET A CALL FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT, NOW WE HAVE TO BUILD ADDITIONAL FACILITIES WHERE WE HAVE TRAILERS ON OUR PARKING LOTS FOR STUDENTS TO GO TO SCHOOL.
SO WHO'S GONNA PICK UP THOSE COSTS? AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON RECORD.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD OR IF THERE ARE ANY OF THOSE STUDIES THAT YOU COULD PROVIDE US.
[02:00:01]
KNOW, AGAIN, THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT.UM, SO THIS, THIS PROJECT IN PARTICULAR IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY MEANS BY WHICH VERONA IS ADDRESSING ITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING OBLIGATION.
UM, AND SO AS PART OF THAT, ON THE ONE HAND, THE MUNICIPALITY HAD THIS OBLIGATION TO CREATE THESE UNITS.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL WAS VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THAT COMMITMENT AND WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO THE SCHOOLS.
AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY DID LOOK AT.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER A FORMAL STUDY WAS DONE.
I WOULD HAVE TO MAKE INQUIRIES TO FIND OUT.
HOWEVER, WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT THERE WAS A DETERMINATION THAT BY HAVING A 100% AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENT UTILIZED TO ADDRESS THEIR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OBLIGATION, THEY WERE MINIMIZING THE IMPACT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT RATHER THAN HAVING, FOR EXAMPLE, A 20% AFFORDABLE COMMUNITY, UM, TO ADDRESS THE 95 UNITS AND THEN HAVE AN 80% MARKET RATE COMPONENT OF ADDITIONAL UNITS TO SUPPORT THAT 20%.
SO THAT THE, IN AN EFFORT TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE COMMUNITY IMPACTS NOT ONLY TO THE SCHOOLS, BUT OTHER IMPACTS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES.
UM, THE TOWN IS QUITE INTENTIONAL IN, UM, SEEKING OUT A 100% DEVELOPMENT, A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE DEVELOPMENT.
I MEAN, THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT AGAIN.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE PUT ON RECORD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, DOWN THE ROAD AT SOME POINT, I JUST THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, AND OF COURSE WE ALL KNOW HOW GOVERNMENT WORKS.
THE TOWN OFFICIALS ARE ONE GROUP, SCHOOL BOARD'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT BASKET.
AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST, AND AGAIN, MAYBE THAT'S GONNA BE MY DUE DILIGENCE, IS I'M GONNA STOP BY ONE OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS AND I'M GONNA ASK THEM HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND WHAT THEIR OPINION IS ON THINGS.
UM, AND I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE RATIOS AND WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANTED TO PUT IT ON RECORD AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST SOME SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE ALL SHOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SEVERAL COMMUNITIES ALREADY IN ESSEX COUNTY, AND I THINK IT'S CRIMINAL THAT KIDS GO TO SCHOOL IN TRAILERS AND THAT THERE'S SCHOOLS THAT ARE LITERALLY FALLING APART.
AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY MORE STATE FUNDING TO, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST AT THIS POINT, TO START GOING AROUND LIKE WE DID AT ONE POINT TO BUILDING NEW SCHOOLS.
I MEAN, WE HAVE SO MANY SCHOOLS IN OUR COUNTY THAT ARE OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
AND THEN YOU HAVE LITTLE COMMUNITIES LIKE VERONA, AND IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY JUST CAN'T SLAP UP A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE LAND FOR IT AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE PROPERTY.
UM, AND WE ALL KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU INCREASE CLASS SIZE, IT, UH, IT DOES A, A DETRIMENT TO THE STUDENTS THAT ARE ALREADY ENROLLED, UM, AS, AS YOU INCREASE IT.
SO JUST PUTTING THAT ON THE RECORD.
IS THIS STRICTLY A RESIDENTIAL? IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT RESIDENTIAL.
NO COMMERCIAL AT ALL? YES, SIR.
IT'S 100% RESIDENTIAL, NO COMMERCIAL, A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE, NO MARKET RATE UNITS.
IT SEEMS LIKE THE COMMISSIONER COOPER.
UM, JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR MR. LOMBARDI.
IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECTLY.
THIS, THESE FUNDS WERE REPROGRAM FUNDS.
LIKE WHAT'S THE TIMELINE? DO WE HAVE, DO WE HAVE A TIMELINE OF WHEN WE NEED TO USE THOSE MONEY? THAT MONEY BUY.
CRAIG LOMBARDI HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
WHEN WE USE THE WORD REPROGRAMMING FOR THE HOME PROGRAM, IT'S A SUBTLE DIFFERENCE THAN FOR OTHER PROGRAMS. WHEN WE SUBMIT OUR ANNUAL PLAN EACH YEAR, USUALLY A HOME PROJECT IS NOT FULLY COMPLETE.
THERE'S SO MUCH THAT GOES INTO A DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
SO WE CAN'T ASSIGN FUNDS TO A SPECIFIC PROJECT.
SO WHEN WE SUBMIT OUR ANNUAL PLAN, WE WILL SAY WE RECEIVE, LET'S SAY ONE, $1 MILLION THIS YEAR FOR HOME PROJECTS.
AND WE TEND TO USE THEM FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
SO WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SPECIFIC PROJECT, TECHNICALLY WE'RE REPROGRAMMING THOSE FUNDS OKAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE IS, WHEN YOU INITIALLY RECEIVE HOME FUNDS, THERE IS VARIOUS RULES ABOUT WHEN YOU NEED TO SPEND THE FUNDS, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE WELL WITHIN THAT TIMEFRAME.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S A, IT'S A SUBTLE DIFF WE'RE CALLING A REPROGRAM, BUT REALLY IT'S ALLOCATING THOSE FUNDS TO A SPECIFIC PROJECT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS MENTIONED IS HOW VERONA WAS VERY DELIBERATE IN THEIR NEGOTIATIONS AND, UH, PUTTING THIS PROJECT TOGETHER.
AND, AND I, AND I I GET YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
UH, SO THEY WERE ALSO DELIBERATE IN PUTTING ALL OF THESE, UM, AFFORDABLE UNITS ALL TOGETHER IN ONE PARTICULAR AREA.
UH, SO I JUST HOPE THERE'S NOT A STIGMA ATTACHED TO IT, UH, FROM TOWNSHIP FOLKS WHEN THE KIDS DO GO TO SCHOOL AND THEY POINT OUT TO THAT, THAT PARTICULAR BUILDING OR HOWEVER IT'S GOING TO LOOK, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE, THE POOR KIDS IN SCHOOL.
AND I HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT OSTRACIZED.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT PEOPLE IN VERONAS GOING TO DO IT, BUT THAT'S ALSO A DANGER, UH, STICKING
[02:05:01]
EVERYBODY IN ONE PLACE WITH, UH, FOLKS WHO ARE, UM, ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.WE'VE SEEN THIS SO MANY TIMES AND THEY CALLED THEM THE PROJECTS, RIGHT, WHERE YOU PUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WERE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, DIDN'T HAVE THE JOBS, UH, AND YOU WAREHOUSE 'EM, YOU PUT 'EM ALL TOGETHER, AND OVER TIMES THINGS HAPPEN.
SO I HOPE THERE'S NO STIGMA ATTACHED TO THEM BEING IN VERONA, UH, THIS SMALL TOWN, BUT A VERY AFFLUENT TOWN.
MR. MCAR, LET ME, UH, LET ME JUST GET GIVE YOU MY READ ON THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I AM FAM FAMILIAR WITH THE LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDIT PROJECTS.
UM, IN THIS CASE, THE CONSTRUCTION FEE FOR PEARL IS FIXED.
THEY CAN'T TAKE ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT OUT THE DEVELOPMENT FEE, WHICH APPEARS REASONABLE, GIVEN WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE PROJECT IN THIS CASE, THEY CAN'T PAY THE WHOLE DEVELOPMENT FEE PROBABLY.
SO I'VE SEEN MANY CASES WHERE DEVELOPMENT FEES ARE PAID IN PART AND THEN DEFERRED.
AND IT, WHEN I SAY DEFERRED, IT MEANS THEY DON'T GET PAID UNTIL THERE'S A POSITIVE CASH FLOW COMING OUT OF THE PROJECT RENTALS.
AND THAT MAY NOT BE FOR SOME TIME.
IN ADDITION, THEY'D HAVE TO WAIT TILL THEY COULD REMORTGAGE THE PROPERTY AND GET THE DEVELOPMENT FEE.
UM, SO I THINK IT'S RESPONSIBLE THAT ONCE YOU REALIZE YOUR NUMBERS ARE NOT WHAT YOU THOUGHT THEY ARE, TO GO OUT AND SEEK ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES, WHETHER IT'S THE HOME PROGRAM OR ADDITIONAL CREDITS.
SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
AND IF YOU CAN KIND OF UNDERSTAND, THIS DOESN'T PUT ANY ADDITIONAL MONIES INTO DEVELOPER'S POCKET.
THOSE, THOSE FEES AND THOSE REVENUES ARE FIXED BY SCHEDULES, UM, THAT ARE, UM, MANDATED BY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.
SO, UM, I GUESS THAT'S MY READ ON IT IS ALL I'M SAYING.
SO THERE'S A FINANCIAL SIDE AND THERE'S ALSO A HUMAN SIDE, SO THERE'S TWO SIDES TO IT.
GOLO, ASSISTANT COUNTY COUNCIL.
WITH REGARD TO THE COUNTY'S CONCERN REGARDING THE ALLOCATION OF THE UNITS, THE HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABILITY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, WOULD IT BE WORTHWHILE FOR THE COUNTY TO OBTAIN A COPY OF THE FAIR SHARE PLAN, THE COURT ORDER TO DETERMINE HOW IT'S ACTUALLY LAID OUT? UM, HOW MANY UNITS ARE ACTUALLY REQUIRED? HOW MANY, SEE IF IT'S BROKEN DOWN AS TO, UM, THE THREE BEDROOM, THE TWO BEDROOM, SO THAT WE HAVE A CLEARER PICTURE AS TO WHAT THE COURT IS IMPOSING ON VERONA? SO I DON'T LIKE THAT TERM OPPOSING, UH, ON VERONA.
THIS IS BECAUSE VERONA NEVER TOOK THEIR FAIR SHARE AND THEY NEVER BUILT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR, FOR BUILDING.
AND SO NOW THEY HAVE TO DO IT.
THIS, IT GOES BACK TO THE MOUNT LAUREL DECISION.
THIS IS WHERE, SO DON'T SAY THAT IT IS, THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT OPPOSING ON VERONA.
IT'S BECAUSE VERONA NEVER TOOK THEIR FAIR SHARE WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY COULD HAVE PREVIOUSLY.
I DON'T MEAN IT IN A NEGATIVE CONTEXT.
I MEAN THAT, I SUPPOSE ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES HAVE THIS IMPOSITION NOW BECAUSE IT'S ALLOCATED EVENLY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY, A LOT OF THESE COMMUNITIES DID IS DEFERRED AND THEY HAD OTHER, UH, MUNICIPALITIES TAKE THEIR THEIR EXACTLY.
AND SO NOW THEY CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE.
SO NOW THEY HAVE TO EXACTLY STEP UP.
SO I'M WONDERING, WOULD IT BE WORTH OR WHILE TO LOOK AT WHAT THE ACTUAL NUMBERS ARE, TO SEE WHAT THE REQUIREMENT IS AND COMPARE THAT TO WHAT ACTUALLY IS BEING PROPOSED, TO SEE IF THAT BURDEN MATCHES UP WITH WHAT THE BURDEN WILL BE ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND SEE IF I, IF I JUST, IF I, THE, FOR ALL INTENSIVE PURPOSES, THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SCHOOLS IS IRRELEVANT.
THE, THE, THE, THE COMMUNITY HAS APPROVED THE PROJECT SCHOOL CHILDREN, THE IMPACT OF SCHOOLS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPMENT IS A ISSUE THAT THE TOWN HAS TO DEAL WITH.
THE PROJECT HAS BEEN APPROVED, THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS
[02:10:01]
HAVE BEEN APPROVED.UM, AND THIS PROJECT IS SIMPLY LOOKING FOR MONEY TO MAKE THE PROJECT HAPPEN.
SO IF THERE WERE A MILLION SCHOOL KIDS THAT WERE COMING OUT THE PROJECT, QUITE FRANKLY, FROM A, AN APPROVAL STANDPOINT, IRRELEVANT, THE COMMUNITY HAS TO DEAL WITH IT, PARTICULARLY IN A CONTEXT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
IT IS, IT IS A, I HATE TO COME BACK TO THAT, BUT IT'S WHAT, IT'S, IT'S SO, SO, SO, I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WITH ALL THE RESPECT OF COMPARISON NUMBERS, IT'S IRRELEVANT.
AND IT'S REALLY THE POINT, THE POINT OF THE BOARD RIGHT NOW WITH MS. LOMBARDI AND, UH, FRIENDS FROM PEARL, I GET ALL, ALL WE HAD TO IS TO GIVE HIM THE ALLOCATION OR NOT.
BUT I'M GONNA PUT ON RECORD THOUGH, MR. PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER LUCIANO, THE POINT IS, IT, IT CHANGES THE WAY THAT I'LL VOTE ON GIVING MONEY.
THE POINT IS, OF COURSE, IT IMPACTS THE COMMUNITY.
AND MY JOB AS A COUNTY LEGISLATOR IS TO SIT HERE AND SAY, HEY, YOU WANT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS OR A MILLION DOLLARS TO A PROJECT? EXCUSE ME.
CAN WE HAVE ONE MEETING? I MEAN, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I'M TOTALLY WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATOR ROBERT JACKSON.
WE CAN'T CONTROL WHAT HAPPENED IN VERONA, BUT WE CAN CONTROL WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GONNA GIVE MONEY TOWARDS THIS, OR AT LEAST MY VOTE CAN GO YES OR NO.
AND SO WHEN I SAY I NEED TO KNOW THESE THINGS BEFORE I REALLY FEEL COMFORTABLE, LIKE I WANT TO HEAR THEM ON RECORD BEFORE I GO ON THE, ON THE RECORD VOTING, BECAUSE TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I MAY NOT WANT TO GIVE ANY MONEY TOWARDS THIS PROJECT IF IT'S GONNA IMPACT THE SCHOOLS.
I CARE ABOUT THAT AS A COUNTY LEGISLATOR, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THAT'S NOT OUR PURVIEW.
UM, AND, AND I JUST KNOW THAT HOW, HOW THIS STUFF SNEAKS UP ON COMMUNITIES IS NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOL BOARD COMES AND SAYS TO THE TOWN, YOU DID THIS TO US.
AND THEN THEY POINTED THE COUNTY AND SAID, WELL, YOU ADDED TO IT BECAUSE YOU GAVE THEM MONEY.
AND WHY DIDN'T YOU LOOK INTO THIS? I, I, I HEAR YOU COMMISSIONER, BUT I'M GOING TO EVENLY DISAGREE WITH YOUR ASSESSMENT.
MR. PRESIDENT, I'M ALSO COMMISSIONER COOPER.
I'M SORRY, I, I I RESPECT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
COMMISSIONER LUCIANO, AND I AGREE WITH YOU AND FEEL WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT THAT KIND OF QUESTION SHOULD BE DEBATED IN ANALYZED AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
AND AGAIN, IF MY MEMORY SERVES ME CORRECT, I THINK THE TOWNSHIP HAD KICKED IN SOME MONEY TOWARDS THIS PROJECT.
IT WAS LIKE UNPRECEDENTED WHAT THE TOWNSHIP HAD DONE.
MOST TOWNS DON'T PUT THAT KIND OF SKIN IN THE GAME FOR A PROJECT.
AND THEY, AND THEY GAVE THE LINK.
WE'RE ALL RIGHT ABOUT THE SCHOOL ISSUE.
YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUES.
BUT WE COLLECTIVELY CAN'T HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE TWO ISSUES INDIVIDUALLY HERE AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
WE'VE GOT TO BRING THE MUNICIPALITIES TO THE, TO THE TABLE.
AND, BUT THE ISSUE BEFORE US TODAY, CUZ I'M WILLING TO FIGHT FOR THOSE TWO ISSUES, IS PURELY ABOUT GIVING US $700,000.
DO WE WANT TO DO IT? TO COMMIT IT TO, I THINK A WORTHY PROJECT.
BUT I'M ALSO CONCERNED THAT THERE, THEY HAVEN'T GOT THE COMMITMENT OF THE OTHER YET.
AND I REALLY DON'T WANNA SEE THE MONEY SITTING ON THE SHELF BECAUSE IF THERE'S OTHER PROJECTS THAT'S GONNA COME TO MR. LOMBARDI'S OFFICE THAT HE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO APPROVE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HE QUASI GOT A COMMITMENT TO THIS WHILE WE'RE WAITING, CAN'T WE AFFORD THAT KIND OF TIME? ESPECIALLY WHEN HOUSING PRICES HAVE JUMPED HERE.
I MEAN, THE REPORT FOR ONE BEDROOM NOW ES COUNTY WAS LIKE 13, $1,400.
THAT'S NOT AFFORDABLE FOR MOST RESIDENTS.
SO THESE ARE ALL GREAT ISSUES, BUT THIS RESOLUTION NUMBER 60 61 IS JUST ABOUT $700,000.
BUT I SUPPORT YOU ISSUES COMMISSIONER SIBO, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A LAW THAT ALL THE TOWNS IN ESSEX COUNTY MUST ABIDE BY.
AND WE AS A GROUP CANNOT DECIDE FOR THE TOWN WHAT THEY SHOULD DO.
I LIVE IN A TOWN RIGHT NOW THAT IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WHERE IT SHOULD BE LOCATED.
THIS IS A PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, BUT WE AS A GROUP CAN'T DETERMINE WHAT A TOWN SHOULD DO.
VERONA HAS MADE A DECISION, IT'S NOT OUR DECISION.
AND THEY MUST DEAL WITH WHAT WILL HAPPEN FROM THAT, FROM THAT DECISION, NOT US.
AND THIS IS A PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, NOT JUST WITH VERONA, BUT WITH EVERY TOWN.
AND IT IS A LAW TO HAVE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND THERE ISN'T ANYTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
ALL RIGHT, NEXT, MR. PRESIDENT, IF I MAKE CRAIG LOMBARDI HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, IF I MAKE, MAY MAKE ONE MORE POINT.
[02:15:01]
TO THE NEXT, NEXT ITEM.WE DEBATED THIS LONG ENOUGH, WE CAN'T DECIDE.
ITEM CRAIG KABAR HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ITEM NUMBER 60.
WE ARE REQUESTING THAT THE BOARD AUTHORIZE THE ALLOCATION OF HOME FUNDS, THE AMOUNT OF 1.3 MILLION, UH, FOR THE, UH, WEST ORANGE SENIOR HOUSING PROJECT DEVELOPERS, JOE APER.
UH, THE PROJECT IS LOCATED AT 46 MILE PLEASANT AVENUE IN WEST ORANGE.
UH, MR. ALPER IS AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW? JOE ALPER PRESENT OF THE AL GROUP.
MR. PAUL, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT WHAT THIS PROJECT IS? THIS IS SENIOR HOUSING, ABSOLUTELY A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE.
BEEN WORKING WITH THE MUNICIPALITY OF WEST ORANGE FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
SO THE MUNICIPALITY HAD AN, HAS AN OLD LIBRARY THAT WENT IN FOR A GRANT FUNDING.
THEY SECURED ANOTHER PROPERTY IN TOWN AT, UH, EVERYONE PROBABLY KNOWS ESSEX GREEN.
UM, THEY GOT THE GRANT FUNDING FROM THE DCA IN ABOUT, I THINK THREE AND A HALF MILLION WITH MATCHING FUNDS.
THE IDEA IS THE LIBRARY'S GONNA RELOCATE FROM ITS EXISTING IN THE MUNICIPAL PLAZA THAT EVERYBODY PROBABLY KNOWS ON MOUNT PLEASANT.
IT'S GONNA RELOCATE THE LIBRARY, UH, TO ESSEX GREEN.
THEY LOOK LIKE THEY'RE GONNA BE DONE.
AND BY THE END OF FEBRUARY TO RELOCATE.
UM, WE WENT IN FOR TAX CREDITS, UH, IN 2019 TO DO 65 UNITS OF SENIOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
A HUNDRED PERCENT SENIOR, A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE.
AND YOU'VE REPEATED A LOT OF THIS, UH, THEIR FAIR, UH, COA SPENDING PLAN, THIS MEETS THEIR OBLIGATION.
THAT WAS THEIR REQUEST THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO WITH THE N J H M F A.
UM, IT, IT'S A REALLY SPECIAL PROJECT IN THAT NOT ONLY WE'RE GONNA DEMOLISH PART OF THE BUILDING BRAND, BRAND NEW 65 UNITS.
AND I KNOW YOU ASKED THE OTHER APPLICANT, UH, IF YOU WANT, I COULD CIRCULATE, I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT MORE.
UM, BUT THERE'S AT LEAST ONE VISUAL OF BOTH THE RENDERING AND THE PLANS.
YEAH, PLEASE PASS THAT AROUND.
AND THIS WILL BE ON THE SITE OF THE OLD LIBRARY.
YEAH, SO THE OLD LIBRARY IS PRETTY INTERESTING.
UM, WAS BUILT IN TWO SECTIONS.
THERE'S A 1959 SECTION, A 1979 SECTION.
THE 59 SECTION IS READY TO FALL DOWN.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TAKING DOWN.
79 SECTION IS ACTUALLY IN VERY GOOD SHAPE.
SO WHAT WE DECIDED TO DO WAS WE WERE DEMOING PART BUILDING BRAND NEW STATE OF THE ART, 65, UH, 61 1 BEDROOMS, FOUR, TWO BEDROOMS. UH, THERE'LL BE, WILL BE A LIVE-IN SUPERINTENDENT ON SITE, UH, IN ONE OF THE TWO BEDROOMS. ONLY THREE OF THE TWO BEDROOMS WILL BE AFFORDABLE TENANTS.
BUT WE'RE KEEPING ABOUT A 15,000 SQUARE FOOT.
IT'S THE ONE WITH THE MARBLE WITH NO WINDOWS THAT'S GONNA BE GIVEN BACK TO THE TOWN, 7,500 SQUARE FEET OF IT TO, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY WERE THINKING THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF SENIORS STILL IN THAT CAMPUS.
THAT'S WHERE THE POLICE STATION IS IN CITY HALL.
SO THEY'RE GONNA USE IT FROM OTHER MUNICIPAL SERVICES THEY HAVEN'T COMMITTED.
THEY GET THAT SPACE FOR $0 IN PERPETUITY FOREVER.
SO THEY'RE, THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT PUTTING IN A SATELLITE LIBRARY BECAUSE SOME OF THE SENIORS, YOU KNOW, MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN USED TO THERE, MIGHT NOT WANNA GO OVER TO, YOU KNOW, ROONEY CIRCLE.
UM, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT OTHER MUNICIPAL SERVICES.
WE'RE PROVIDING HEALTH SCREENINGS, UH, MEDICAL, UM, A LOT OF THE, WHAT'S CALLED SI, UH, SENIOR INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES TO THE SITE.
AND WE'VE DONE THAT IN, IN ESSEX COUNTY.
SO WE APPLIED FOR TAX CREDITS.
UM, BUT AGAIN, JUST LIKE EVERYONE'S FACING, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GAP.
UM, AND THE COUNTY, UM, WE'VE WORKED WITH THE COUNTY FOR, WE'VE BUILT OVER A THOUSAND UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ESSEX COUNTY.
UH, ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE UNDER THIS TAX CREDIT PROGRAM.
OUR FIRST ONE WAS ON, UH, 5 25 ELIZABETH AVENUE IN NEWARK.
UM, WHEN THE TAXPAYER PROGRAM WAS YOUNG IN 1991.
WE STILL MANAGE IT AND STILL AFFORDABLE.
AND WE DID THAT WITH ALL OF OUR PROJECTS IN ESSEX COUNTY.
UM, SO WE'RE VERY PROUD TO, TO BUILD ON THAT.
UM, WE DID, UH, TWO OTHER PROJECTS WITH, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HOME FUNDS.
SOMETHING CALLED, UH, HARVARD PRINTING IN ORANGE, FIVE 50 CENTRAL AVENUE.
UH, I THINK WE GOT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, CRAIG, TELL ME IF I'M WRONG.
AND THEN ON IN WEST ORANGE, WE DID SOMETHING ON 22 CENTRAL AVENUE CALLED VALLEY ROAD.
I AM PLEASED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I HEARD ABOUT IT.
WE, IN EVERY JOB WE'VE DONE IN ESSEX COUNTY, WE'VE EXCEEDED OUR MBE REQUIREMENT.
THERE'S A 15% OF THE TOTAL CONTRACT COST WILL BE MBE OR WBE.
WE'VE ALWAYS EXCEEDED IN ESSEX COUNTY.
[02:20:01]
EXCEEDED OUR SECTION THREE LABOR, UM, COMMITMENTS ON EVERY SINGLE JOB.SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING ONE MORE.
UH, LIKE I SAID, WE WERE WITH THE TOWN THIS MORNING.
THEY HAVE THE, THE SALE CONTRACT IS COMPLETED WITH THE TOWN.
AND WE ARE LOOKING TO START NO LATER THAN, UH, APRIL 1ST.
I HOPE I TOUCHED ON VE NO, THANK YOU MR. MCIN.
OH, WHAT IS THE TOTAL PROJECT COST? GREAT QUESTION.
19.2 MILLION AND IT'S RIGHT NEXT.
IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO THE SENIOR.
NEXT, I THINK IT'S CALLED RICHMOND TOWER.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU'RE TALKING TO THE MIKE.
IT'S RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO ANOTHER SENIOR BUILDING.
SO THEY WANTED TO KEEP ALL THE SENIORS THERE AND OBVIOUSLY NO IMPACT TO SCHOOLS.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S TRANSPORTATION RIGHT THERE.
IT MADE PERFECT SENSE TO HAVE SENIORS IN THE COMPLEX.
SO, MCAR, ARE YOU DONE? YES, MS. SIBA.
I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROJECT.
I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE LIBRARY AND I KNOW ABOUT THE LIBRARY BEING MOVED OVER NEAR, UH, ESSEX GREEN AND YOU GAVE A DATE WHEN YOU'RE GONE AND START THE CONSTRUCTION ON THIS NEW PROCEDURE, RIGHT? WILL THE LIBRARY BE READY BY THAT TIME? GREAT QUESTION.
SO AS OF THIS MORNING, THEY ON TARGET TO BE FULLY COMPLETED BY, UH, MARCH 9TH.
THEY HAD 240 DAYS FROM UH, UH, JUNE 30TH.
I WAS AT THE CONSTRUCTION MEETING OF THE NEW SITE THIS MORNING.
DOES THAT MEAN ON MARCH 9TH, THE NEW LIBRARY, THE NEW LIBRARY WILL OPEN THAT.
THE CONSTRUCTION WILL BE COMPLETE.
I'M NOT GOING TO, I'M NOT, I DON'T NEED THE OLD BUILDING UNTIL APRIL 1ST.
THEY WANT TO AT LEAST THE CUSHION OF THREE WEEKS TO MOVE ALL THE STUFF OVER, VET OUT EVERYTHING, MAKE SURE THE PARKING, SO IT, IT WORKS PERFECTLY TIMING WISE.
UM, AND LIKE I SAID, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WELL INTO THE PROJECT.
SO MARCH 9TH, THE LIBRARY WILL BE OPEN AND THEN YOU'LL START THE CONSTRUCTION.
AND I SEE FROM THE, UH, RENDERING THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH PARKING, CUZ I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT PARKING BECAUSE THE LIBRARY RIGHT NOW DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH PARKING.
SO WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH PARKING FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WILL LIVE THERE.
AND THERE WILL BE NO, IT WILL BE STRICTLY, UH, UM, APARTMENTS.
WHAT I'M BUILDING IS A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS.
THE SPACE I'M GIVING BACK TO THE TOWN, I WOULD, I WOULDN'T CALL THAT COMMERCIAL.
THEY WANNA PUT AN AN ANNEX LI NO COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL MEANING NO TENANTS MOVING IN AND PAYING RENT OR NO RETAIL ACTIVITIES.
IT'S ALL GIVEN BACK TO THE TOWN AND IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO OR RIGHT NEAR THE OTHER SENIOR BUILDING.
WE'LL, WE'LL SHARE A PARKING A, A DRIVE OUT.
WILL THERE BE COMMUNICATION OR, OR FACILITIES BETWEEN USED BY THE TWO BUILDINGS OR? OH, ABSOLUTELY.
WE'VE ALREADY BEEN TALKED, UH, IN CONTACT WITH WEST ORANGE'S SENIOR, UH, UH, PEOPLE AROUND THE SENIOR CENTER OUT OF CITY HALL.
AND WE, WE HAVE TRANSPORTATION ALREADY SET UP BECAUSE IT STOPS AT RICHMOND.
IT, LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE MEDICAL THERE.
IT, IT'S GREAT CUZ IT'S GONNA PIGGYBACK ON ALL THE SENIOR SERVICES THAT ARE ALREADY IN THAT AREA.
I THINK IT'S A GREAT UNDERTAKING BECAUSE THE LIBRARY BEING IN THAT PLACE IS NOT A GOOD, UH, UH, SITUATION FOR THE LIBRARY.
I WAS WITH THE LIBRARY DIRECTOR DAVE COBY THIS MORNING.
WE WERE, EVERYONE'S EXCITED BECAUSE OF THAT.
AGAIN, SO GEOGRAPHICALLY CENTERING THE LIBRARY, BUT THIS LITTLE ADDED BONUS OF HAVING THIS SATELLITE CENTER FOR WHATEVER THE TOWN USES IT FOR IS A FEELING LIKE THEY'RE NOT LEAVING.
AND THAT'S A VERY LARGE STRUCTURE.
IF YOU COULD PICTURE THE, THE 1979 PORTION, IT'S 15,000 SQUARE FEET THAT'S STAYING AND BEING OWNED BY THE TOWN, YOU KNOW, FOREVER.
SO I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT AND IT'S A GREAT PROJECT FOR WEST ORANGE.
UM, I THINK IT'S A GREAT PROJECT TOO.
UH, THE 1.3 IS THAT YOUR GAP, IF WE AWARD THIS, YOU'RE READY TO GO IN APRIL? UH, WE'RE READY TO GO IN APRIL.
WE ARE IN THE SAME FUNDING ROUND, BUT LIKE I SAID, WE ALREADY, UM, APPLIED FOR CREDITS.
WE'RE A MAX SCORING JOB THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DETERMINED.
SO WE FEEL THAT THIS WILL BE THE FINAL PIECE OF THE FINANCIAL PUZZLE.
SO WE'RE WAITING ON ONE MORE AWARD FROM THE N J H M F A FOR THE TAX CREDITS.
YOU, WHAT DO YOU, BOOM, YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT SAME THING? THEY, WELL THEY SAID DECEMBER, I, I HAD HEARD THERE ARE ONLY 11 APPLICATION, UH, 11 PROJECTS THAT THEY HAVEN'T GIVEN OUT THE APPLICATION LIST, UNFORTUNATELY.
BUT THIS ONE, BECAUSE OF ALL COVID AND INTEREST RATES, THERE ARE VERY FEW APPLICATIONS GOING IN.
SO THEY SEEM TO HAVE MORE ALLOTMENT THIS YEAR THAN WE NEED.
IS THIS A LOAN OR GRANT THAT WE'RE GIVING THEM? CRAIG LOMBARDI HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT? NO, IT IS A LOAN AND UH, IN THIS CASE IT'S TO A FOR-PROFIT DEVELOPER.
SO WE DO CHARGE AN INTEREST RATE.
[02:25:01]
UH, IT IS A LOAN THAT WILL BE REPAID BACK AT SOME POINT IN TIME.WHAT'S THE TIME? LIKE 20, 30 YEARS? UH, I BELIEVE, YEAH, I BELIEVE IS THE TERM, THE TERM FOR, IS IT 20 YEARS OR 30 YEARS? UH, THIS HOME I THINK IS 12.
THERE'S ALSO SOMETHING CALLED AN AFFORDABILITY PERIOD THAT WE ATTACH TO EVERY PROJECT THAT WE ACTUALLY FILE.
IT'S CALLED A DEED RESTRICTION THAT WE FILE.
AND THAT RESTRICTION LETS EVERYONE KNOW THAT THIS PROJECT IS A HOME ASSISTED PROJECT.
THAT, UH, THE UNITS HAVE TO BE CHARGED AT CERTAIN RATES, AFFORDABLE RATES AND WHATNOT.
AND THAT'S THE KEY POINT THAT WE HAVE THE AFFORDABILITY PERIOD.
THAT MEANS FOR 20 YEARS WE KNOW THAT THIS PROJECT IS GONNA BE PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
CAN YOU SEND US THE RENDERING AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS ONE IS TWO, PLEASE.
NAME FOR THE RECORD AND SPEAKING TO THE MIC PLEASE.
UH, WE CIRCULATE ONE RENDERING.
I'LL GIVE AS MANY COPIES AS I CAN.
AND ACTUALLY BECAUSE OF THE, UM, COA COMMITMENT HERE, IT'S ACTUALLY THE AFFORDABILITY RESTRICTIONS ARE A MINIMUM OF 45 YEARS.
AND THEN AT THE TOWN'S OPTION COULD GO TO FOREVER IN PERPETUITY.
SO NOBODY'S LISTING LIFTING THIS AND GOING TO MARKET RATE WITHIN A MINIMUM OF 45 YEARS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE.
SO WHAT IS THE AMI? GREAT QUESTION.
UH, WE ARE UNDER THE SAME CO RESTRICTIONS.
SO HALF OF THE UNITS ARE AT 60% OF MEDIAN, THE OTHER HALF ARE BROKEN DOWN BETWEEN 50% AND THAT 13% ARE VERY LOW, ARE 20% SAME PERCENTAGES BECAUSE WE'RE FOLLOWING THE SAME STATEWIDE COA MANDATE.
AND HOW DOES SOMEONE APPLY? THIS WILL BE STRICTLY FOR RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN WEST ORANGE NOW? NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT WITH THE FUNDING SOURCE, UNFORTUNATELY.
UM, A LOT OF THE TOWNS, BECAUSE THEY'RE GIVING YOU, YOU SAY UNFORTUNATELY, WELL, FROM A MUNICIPALITY STANDPOINT, YOU, BUT YOU ARE NOT THE MUNICIPALITY.
OH, I'M A BUILDER AND I WOULD LIKE IT AVAILABLE TO.
SO WHY ARE YOU TAKING THAT STANCE? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I I APOLOGIZE FOR TAKING THAT VIEWPOINT CUZ I'VE HEARD IT FROM A LOT OF THE MUNICIPALITIES IN THE THING.
NO, IT'S, IT'S A THREE COUNTY SURROUNDING, UM, COA MARKETABILITY.
IT'LL BE PLACED IN AT LEAST THE STAR LEDGER AND TWO OTHER, UH, PAPERS, UH, WILL OPEN A PERIOD.
IT'S A RANDOM LOTTERY SYSTEM, WHICH WE DO PUBLICLY.
WE'LL TRY TO DO IT AT MUNICIPAL HALL SO EVERYONE SEES IT OPEN.
AND THEN THEY HAVE THESE GREAT COMPUTER PROGRAMS WHERE AFTER YOU LOG 'EM IN, PUSH A BUTTON AND IT'S RANDOMLY SCRAMBLED.
THERE IS NO WAY TO SECURE ANYONE AN APARTMENT IN THESE COMPLEXES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. PRESIDENT CRAIG LAVATI HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
IF I CAN ADD ON TO YOUR POINT, I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT, UH, AT, WHEN WE'RE GETTING ALL THE COMMITMENTS ARE IN PLACE AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO DO CONSTRUCTION, WE WILL ALSO HAVE EVERY DEVELOPER FOR ANY PROJECT INTERACT WITH THE COUNTY DCA OFFICE AND THE, THE COC OFFICE BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN INVENTORY OF PEOPLE THAT MAY BE ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR THESE, THESE PROPERTIES.
SO WE ALL, WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S FAIR ACCESS TO THESE AFFORDABLE UNITS AND CERTAINLY ANYONE WHO'S INCOME ELIGIBLE HAS ACCESS TO THOSE UNITS.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY IT'S NOT JUST FOR THE TOWN.
OKAY, ITEMS NUMBER 61 AND 62 ARE RELATED.
ITEM NUMBER 61, WE'RE REQUESTING THAT THE BOARD AUTHORIZE THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS, UH, TOTALING, UH, UH, I CAN'T REMEMBER, 562,000 HUNDRED OR 590 2001 $47, UH, FOR, UH, CDBG CV FUNDS THAT WE USE BY NOT-FOR-PROFIT AGENCIES THAT ARE OCCURRING COST RELATED TO COVID EXPENSES.
THE REASON WE'RE ASKING THAT THOSE FUNDS BE ALLOCATED FOR THAT PART PARTICULAR ACTIVITY IS THAT WILL ENABLE US TO THEN HAVE A TOTAL AVAILABLE OF 1.1 MILLION $211,672 FOR VARIOUS SUBRECIPIENTS THAT HAVE SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS RECENTLY TO UTILIZE THESE CDBG CV FUNDS.
AND I BELIEVE WE, WE SUBMITTED A MATRIX OF THOSE ACTIVITIES TO YOUR OFFICE.
SO, UH, 61 62 ARE BASICALLY, UH, REQUESTING THAT YOU AUTHORIZE THE, UH, ALLOCATION OF FUNDS TO VARIOUS SUBRECIPIENTS AND SO THAT WE CAN ENTER IN THOSE CONTRACTS AND BEGIN TO EXPEND THOSE CDBG CVS, UH, FUNDS, WHICH, UH, BASICALLY REPRESENTS ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT THE GOVERNMENT, UH, GAVE TO US DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC.
COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS OF COMMENTS HERE? COMMISSIONER COOPER, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT 1661 ONLY FROM ME? 54 TO 62.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ONE, PLEASE.
UM, THE ONE RELATED TO, UM, THE SOUTH ORANGE, UM,
[02:30:01]
ELEVATOR.WE DID, UM, CRAIG LOBAR HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
UH, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION FOR THAT PROJECT? I DO.
UH, JUST QUICKLY, WHY DID THE PRICES INCREASE SO MUCH? IT'S LIKE DOUBLE.
WE, UH, CRAIG LOBAR HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE SEEN PRICES INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR SEVERAL PROJECTS, ESPECIALLY FOR HEAVY MATERIAL PROJECTS.
ELEVATORS, VEHICLES, BUSES ARE GOING CRAZY.
WE HAVE A PROJECT IN NUTLEY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THEY'RE JUST WAITING ON THE ELEVATOR.
UH, AND WE ALSO SEE IT IN THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
THIS, THESE ARE NOT ISOLATED INCIDENTS.
WE ARE SEEING PRICE INCREASES, INFLATIONARY PRICES ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, HOPEFULLY THOSE GO DOWN SOON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HEARING NOW I NEED TO MOVE IN A SECOND.
MOTION TO TAKE 54 THROUGH 62 AS ONE.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT MORRISS.
CLERK COMMISSIONER SIBEL? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT PALMARA? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTION 63, WHICH IS FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION AND WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON, UH, MR. COL TRAY WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. MR. PRESIDENT, MR. FIRST
THIS WAS AFA FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD FOR THE YOUTH IN THE SUMMER.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CONTINUE? 64 PRESENT, UH, DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE OFFICE OF PURCHASING.
THIS WAS A, UH, BID THAT WENT OUT FOR BEAUTY SUPPLIES FOR 24 MONTH AGREEMENT EXCEED 175,000.
UH, WE WENT OUT FOR THE SAME BID, UH, TWO YEARS AGO AND WE SPENT THAT AT THE BID 52,000.
IT'S BEING AWARDED THREE SEPARATE VENDORS, CARE SUPPLY, AMERICAN CARE PRODUCTS, AND BOB BARKER.
UM, CARE SUPPLY, UH, NO AMERICAN AMER CARE PRODUCTS IS A NEW VENDOR.
NUMBER 65 IS A CONTRACT TO ATLANTIC TACTICAL FOR TO PURCHASE WEAPON ACCESSORY AND ARMOR, UH, TOOLS, UH, FOR $726 AND 39 CENTS.
AND THE LAST ONE, NUMBER 66, OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR.
RESOLUTION, PRUDENT PARTICIPATION WITH THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY GRANT PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.
AND THIS IS FOR A PERIOD OF, UH, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2022 TO AUGUST 31ST, 2023.
AND IT'S UNDER THE GOVERNOR PHIL MURPHY'S BUDGET.
AND IT IS FOR FUNDING USED TO OPERATE A SERVICE PROGRAM THAT IDENTIFIES INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE OPIOID DEPENDENT AND SUBJECT TO CRIMINAL ARREST AND ARRAIGNMENT TREATMENTS IN LIEU OF INCARCERATION.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE'S NO FUNDS AVAILABLE WITH THE MR. VECO.
WHAT IS THAT PROGRAM? AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS SPELLED WRONG.
THERE WAS A SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM AND THE FUNDING IS FOR CHILDREN TO BE FED DURING THAT SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM.
AND THEY WERE FROM URBAN CENTERS.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT 63, 64, 65 OR 66? HEARING NOW I NEED A MOTION.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT MORRIS.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MORRIS? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
MADAME CLERKS, MOVE THE RESOLUTION 67 THROUGH 96.
[02:35:01]
TO BE INCLUDED IN NUMBER 82.ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO I HAVE A MOTION OR MOVE IN A SECOND? I WILL.
UM, SECOND MOVE BY COMMISSIONER COOPER.
AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MACONDO.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT PALMARA? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY ADDED STARTERS? MADAM CLERK? UM, MR. PRESIDENT? WE HAVE NONE.
OKAY, CLERK, LET'S MOVE TO A REPORT OF BOARD COMMITTEES.
DO WE HAVE ANY REPORTS OF BOARD COMMITTEES? ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS, ANY WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS, ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS, ANY NEW BUSINESS HEARING? NOW LET'S MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE IS ANY MEMBER 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.
UM, NOW I CAME BEFORE YOU GUYS, UH, MAYBE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND I TOLD YOU THAT IT APPEARS THAT OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE JOE D IS, UH, RACIST AND HE DISCRIMINATES AGAINST, UH, PARTICULARLY, UH, SPORTS THAT ARE DOMINATED BY BLACK CHILDREN.
AND I SAID THAT BECAUSE THE FIELDS WHERE, UM, OTHER GROUPS PLAY SPORTS AT HAVE A SCOREBOARD AND THE FIELDS WHERE, UM, FOOTBALL IS BEING PLAYED AND SOCCER'S BEING PLAYED, PARTICULARLY AT GRADE PARK, THERE IS NO SCORING BOARD.
SO I CAME BACK THIS EVENING BEFORE MISS AND I WAS GONNA ADDRESS THE FACT ABOUT THE LIGHTS NOT BEING ON.
AND I WAS GOING TO AGAIN SAY IT'S WHERE THE BLACKS THAT ARE PLACED, WHERE THEY PLAY SPORTS AT THE LIGHTS ARE NOT ON, UM, AT A CERTAIN TIME UNTIL MS. JACKSON POINTED OUT TO ME THAT, UH, THERE WAS AN AGENDA ITEM, PARTICULARLY NUMBER 12, THAT MAY SPEAK TO, UH, THE LIGHTS BEING FIXED.
MY ONLY QUESTION NOW IS WE GAVE SONY THE CONTRACT.
SO IS SONY GOING TO FIX THOSE LIGHTS? ARE YOU GONNA GIVE THEM, THEY'RE GONNA FIX THE LIGHTS BEFORE THEY GET THEIR MONEY FROM YOU GUYS? OR THEY'RE GONNA FIX THE LIGHTS AFTER THEY GET THEIR MONEY FROM YOU GUYS? OR ARE WE UM, THE BLACKS WHO PLAY SPORTS, PARTICULARLY AGAIN, FOOTBALL AND SOCCER OR WE GONNA CONTINUE TO NOT TO HAVE LIGHTS BECAUSE UH, I'M GOING TO TAKE A RIDE, UM, AT BRANCH BOOK PARK.
PROBABLY MAY COME UP TO VERONA, MAYBE COME UP TO LIVINGTON, MISS SIBO, JUST TO SEE IF THE LIGHTS ARE ON IN THOSE PARKS WHEN THOSE KIDS ARE OUT THERE PLAYING SPORTS.
THAT'S, LET'S NOT GO BACK AND FORTH.
LET ME'S I KNOW IT'S YOUR TIME, PLEASE.
SO, UM, WELL IN ANOTHER PART BECAUSE IT'S AGGRAVATING.
AND THEN I ALSO, UH, WANTED AGAIN SOMEBODY, UM, SEND THAT TO ME TO LET ME KNOW IF THOSE LIGHTS ARE GONNA BE FIXED AND THEN ALSO ONE TO SPEAK TO.
AND I DON'T, AND I WISH HE WAS STILL HERE.
IS THAT HOW YOU SAY HIS NAME? I WISH HE WAS STILL HERE BECAUSE I WASN'T SURE.
AND MAYBE YOU GUYS CAN HELP ME OUT HERE.
DID HE SAY 30 SECONDS? THE EVICTION MONEY.
THANKS MS. CARTER, AROUND THE EVICTION MONEY.
DID HE SAY THAT HE'S WAITING FOR UM, I GUESS ANSWERS FROM OUR COURTS IN TERMS OF EVICTION BEFORE HE'D SEND OUT MONEY TO HELP THE EVICTION? I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I GOT IT CORRECT AND I WISH HE WAS HERE SO HE CAN SPEAK TO THAT FOR ME.
AND THEN LASTLY, I WANNA SAY NOT LASTLY, BUT I DON'T HAVE NO TIME.
UM, LUCIANO, I'M SO YOU ARE EDUCATOR SO YOU HAVE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT GOES ON IN A TOWN AS IT RELATES TO KIDS IN THE SCHOOL.
[02:40:01]
THAT OUR OTHER LEGISLATORS DON'T TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.CUZ YOU GOTTA BE CONCERNED ABOUT EVERYTHING.
SO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT PROJECT CUZ IT'S UNFORTUNATE AGAIN, WHEN DEVELOPERS DEVELOP IN OUR AREAS, URBAN AREAS.
I, YOU KNOW, UNTIL YOU SAID IT KIND OF, I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT.
AND AS IS OUR, UM, PROCESS, YOU WILL GET A WRITTEN, UM, ANSWER TO ALL YOUR QUESTIONS.
THEY WILL COME TO YOU IN WRITING.
ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK? PUT YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION ON THE RECORD PLEASE.
MY NAME, MY NAME'S IAN MILLER.
I'M THE OWNER OF I MILLER INTERNATIONAL.
MY ADDRESS IS 1 0 6 MILTON PLACE IN SOUTH ORANGE.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT COMMISSIONERS, UM, MADAME CLERK, I HATE TO NOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU AS WELL.
UH, I HAVE BEEN A VENDOR FOR THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE FREEHOLDERS FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, UH, DATING BACK TO PRESIDENT TIMBERLAKE'S TIME.
UM, AND DURING THAT TIME, I'VE DONE ALL KINDS OF THINGS FOR YOU PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE PINS THAT YOU'RE CURRENTLY WEARING.
THE DRYER ERASE BOARD THAT YOU GIVE OUT WITH YOUR PICTURES ON IT.
SOME HAND SANITIZERS WITH YOUR PICTURES ON IT AND MANY, MANY OTHER PROJECTS.
I'M A TAXPAYER IN ESSEX COUNTY.
I'M ON THE MENTAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD.
UM, I SOMETIMES WORK WITH, UM, THE CLERK ON THE SOUTH ORANGE INVITATIONAL EVENT.
I'VE BEEN A VOLUNTEER IN SOMETHING OR OTHER SINCE MOVING TO ESSEX COUNTY.
UM, I'VE ALWAYS WAS TOLD THAT THE COMMISSIONERS WERE PERMITTED TO GIVE CERTAIN AMOUNT OF BUSINESS OUT WITHOUT FILING CONTRACTS AND UNDER SUCH, WE'VE BEEN DOING QUITE A BIT OF BUSINESS, YOU KNOW, QUITE A BIT.
NOT BY THE NUMBERS THAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS BEEN SPEAKING OF, BUT 10, $12,000 A YEAR, WHICH IS MEANINGFUL TO A VERY LITTLE BUSINESS.
UM, WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING A PROJECT, AN EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PROJECT FOR THE CLERK'S OFFICE AND HAD DONE FOUR OR FIVE HOURS WORTH OF WORK.
AND WHEN THEY WENT TO PLACE IT, I WAS TOLD THAT THEY CAN NO LONGER ORDER FROM US BECAUSE A CONTRACT WAS GIVEN OUT TO A COMPANY CALLED, UM, I'M NOT SURE, BUT TO A, TO ANOTHER COMPANY.
NOT A LITTLE COMPANY, NOT A TAXPAYER, BUT A COMPANY WHO, UH, HAS NO REAL TIES OTHER THAN THEY PUT IN A BID BECAUSE THEY HAVE A STAFF THAT CAN SIT THERE AND FILL OUT THE PAPER, WORK 30 SECONDS AND FILL OUT ALL THE TIME THINGS.
UM, WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THAT STAFF.
UM, WE USE LOCAL BUSINESSES WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
WE'D LIKE YOU TO RECONSIDER THAT, CHANGE IT SO THAT ESSEX COUNTY SMALL BUSINESSES CAN BE ALLOTTED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF BUSINESS WITHOUT A CONTRACT.
AND I HAVE FOUR SECONDS LEFT, SO I RELINQUISHED MY TIME.
I I I I, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE WITH YOU AND WE WILL DEFINITELY FIND OUT WHY YOU, WHY WE CAN NO LONGER DO BUSINESS WITH YOU.
SOMEONE WHO WE'VE BEEN DOING BUSINESS WITH FOR YOU SAY EIGHT YEARS AND WE'VE NEVER HAD A ISSUE WITH ANY OF YOUR WORK.
WE'VE ALWAYS GOTTEN IT IN A TIMELY FASHION.
SO WHY THINGS CHANGE, I HAVE NO IDEA.
OR WE WILL FIND OUT AND I THINK WE CAN, IF I'M, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MR. MCINERNEY, THERE IS A CERTAIN AMOUNT, A DOLLAR AMOUNT WHERE THE COMMISSIONERS CAN USE A VENDOR IF IT'S UNDER A CERTAIN THRESHOLD.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO WHY WAS THIS GENTLEMAN TOLD? I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHY WAS HE TOLD THAT? UH, WHATEVER, THAT WE COULD NO LONGER DO BUSINESS WITH HIM.
UM, I WILL DISCUSS IT WITH YOU MR. PRESIDENT AFTER THE MEETING PLEASE.
I'D LIKE TO GET SOMETHING IN THE WRITING, UH, AS TO WHO TOLD HIM THAT WE CAN DO BUSINESS WITH HIM AND WHY.
TOTALLY UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS WAS PRESIDENT.
MR. PRESIDENT, I'LL BE GLAD TO DISCUSS IT, UH, OFFLINE WITH YOU.
[02:45:01]
RIGHT AFTER THIS MEETING.ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK? GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR SWAY PARK.
UM, THE ISSUE THAT I'M HAVING NOW WITH SWAY PARK, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE COUNTY AND THE CITY, IT'S NOT COLLABORATING TOGETHER.
WE GET IN THE STATE OF THE ART PARK BUT THERE'S NO TYPE OF SPEED MAG THERE.
WHICH DEVON? NORTH ARLINGTON, ORTON PARKWAY AND SOUTH DIVINE IS CITY SOUTH ORANGE AVENUES COUNTY.
BUT THE PERIMETER OF THE PARK, WHICH I WAS TOLD THAT JOE D SAID THAT HE WOULD TRY TO SPEAK WITH THE CITY BECAUSE SOME TYPE OF SPEED MEASURE HAVE TO BE THERE BECAUSE ONCE THAT PARK IS UP AND RUNNING, IT GONNA BE A LOT OF, A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING HERE.
BUT YOU GOT THE PARKWAY NORTH AND YOU HAVE PARKWAY SOUTH.
I WAS TOLD BY THE LAST DIRECTOR WITH THE CITY OF NEWARK, MR. PHILLIP SCOTT, WHO'S NO LONGER THE DIRECTOR, HE HAD SAID HE HAD TO MEET WITH THE DLT IRVINGTON AND THE UH, THE COUNTY, WHICH I EXPLAINED THIS TO JOE D ALSO.
NOW JOE D IS RUSHING THE CONTRACTORS TO MAKE SURE THEY FINISH BY THE END OF THE YEAR OR BY OCTOBER.
BUT IF YOU ALL NEED TO COME DOWN AND SEE CUZ SOME THINGS IS JUST, TO ME, I WOULD SAY COMMON SENSE.
YOU HAVE, THERE WAS A PIPE ISSUES, OKAY? ANYTIME YOU GOT THE SEWER LINES AROUND THE PARK, BUT GRASS GROWING OUT, IT IS GONNA BE A PROBLEM BECAUSE SOME OF THEM PIPES HOOKS UP, COME ACROSS THE CITY LINE, COME FROM OUT THE COUNTY PARK TOWARDS THE CITY LINE.
SO THERE'S GOING TO BE A PROBLEM.
AND IF YOU DON'T CATCH IT NOW WHILE THEY DOING IT, THEN YOU'RE GONNA WAIT UNTIL THE PROJECT, THEY GONNA SAY IT'S DONE.
THEN YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MORE ISSUES.
SO SOMEONE NEED TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROJECT.
I MEAN, JUST BECAUSE YOU BUILT THAT'S TAXPAYERS MONEY ANYWAY.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE HAD DID MANY YEARS AGO.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING SINCE IT'S BEING DONE, LET'S DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP COMING BACK AND DOING THAT JOB.
UH, ANOTHER THING, THE CONSERVANCY, I HAVE ASKED RUFUS OR SOMEBODY FROM THE COUNTY, I HAVE THE PAPERWORK, 30 SECONDS CAN SIT DOWN AND EXPLAIN AND GO OVER THIS CONTRACT, THIS APPLICATION FOR THE CONSERVATIVE SO WE CAN PARTNERSHIP OR WHATEVER'S NEEDED TO BE DONE FOR THE PARK.
CAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT IS MORE WORK IS COMING THERE TO THE PARK.
A LOT MORE IS COMING THERE TO THE PARK.
BUT THERE'S SPEED MEASURES BECAUSE YOU HAVE TRAFFIC AND YOU HAVE SCHOOLS.
OKAY, SPEEDWAY AVENUE SCHOOL, TIME UP.
AS IS THE POLICY WE WILL GIVE BACK TO YOU, UH, IN WRITING.
ANYONE ELSE WISHING FROM THE PUBLIC? WISHING TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS BISHOP ELIJAH WILLIAMS JR.
I'M PASTOR OF THE WELCOME BAPTIST CHURCH HERE IN THE CITY OF NEWARK, 2 34 12TH AVENUE FOR THE PAST 36 YEARS.
SOME YEARS BACK, THE FIRST BLACK PROSECUTOR WE HAD IN THIS CITY WAS CLIFF MINOR.
AND AT THAT TIME WE WERE PART OF THAT ORGANIZATION THAT HELPED FACILITATE HIM COMING TO BE IN THAT POSITION.
UH, I REPRESENT THE WEST WARD CLERGY AS WELL.
WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO GO ON RECORD TO ASK THIS BODY OR TO FACILITATE IF I'M IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
THE REASON, AND TO ALSO ADVOCATE FOR A PERMANENT PROSECUTOR, NOT JUST AN ACTING PROSECUTOR.
UH, THIS HAS BEEN WHEN YOU PUT A PERSON IN AN ACTING POSITION, IT'S HARD TO HOLD THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE CONCERNING THEIR JOBS BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO ACT LIKE A POLITICIAN AND CHAMELEON TO KEEP YOUR OWN PLACE.
WE UNDERSTAND POLITICS, AT LEAST I DO.
BUT I WOULD HOPE THAT THIS BODY WILL GO, I'M GOING ON RECORD TO SOLICIT YOUR SUPPORT OR TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO ANCHOR DOWN
[02:50:01]
THE PROSECUTOR THAT WE HAVE HERE.WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT IN OUR CITY IT IS WE HAVE CRIME HERE AND WE ALSO NEED SOMEONE THAT WE CAN HOLD ACCOUNTABLE TO HOLD OUR CITY AND AND, AND NOT HOLD OUR CITY IN HOSTAGE.
AND SO WE COME BEFORE THIS BODY TONIGHT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WESTWOOD CLERGY.
UH, I AM THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY PERSON AND I ALSO, UH, SIT WITH THE NEWARK CLERGY ALLIANCE AS THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY REPRESENTATIVE.
BUT TONIGHT WE COME TO GO ON RECORD.
WE NEED TO, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME AND SINCE I THINK AFTER CLIFF MINOR WAS ONE OTHER PERSON WHO HAD THE POSITION AS BEING APPOINTED PERMANENT.
AND SINCE THAT TIME IT'S JUST BEEN ACTING.
AND I THINK THAT WE DON'T NEED TO BE ACTING IN ESSES COUNTY.
AND WE WANT TO ASK THIS BODY GO ON RECORD OR EITHER GIVE US SOME SUPPORT IN SECURING THAT.
WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE SOME POLITICAL HACKS IN THE MATTER.
AND YEAH, THANK YOU FOR COMING IN FRONT OF THIS BODY, BUT IT'S NOT THIS BODY WHO MAKES THAT DECISION.
YES, IT'S ACTUALLY THE STATE SENATORS.
WE RECOGNIZE THAT PARTICULAR SENATOR WHO HAS THE SENATE HOLDING IT UP.
YES, I SPOKE WITH RICE BEFORE HE LEFT OFFICE AND UH, HE ASSURE ASSURED THAT, BUT I ALSO SPOKE WITH SOME OF THE, UH, FREEHOLDERS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT I WAS COMING BECAUSE I THINK THAT YOU ALL NEED TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS, IN THIS IS WHAT I, I'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THAT SAME THING SINCE.
ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC LISTEN TO SPEAK.
HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING? I SEE YOU GUYS HAVE TAKEN ABSOLUTELY.
PLEASE, PLEASE STATE DONNA JACKSON, 1 28 SMITH STREET, SS COUNTY RESIDENT NORTH.
ALL MY LIFE UNFORTUNATELY I SEE YOU GUYS HAVE TAKEN ABSOLUTELY NO ACTION AT THE FAMILY CENTER IN REGARDS TO THESE FOOD STAMPS AND PEOPLE GETTING THEY MONEY.
SO RIGHT NOW YOU GUYS ARE UP TO ABOUT 55,000 CLIENTS WITH NO BENEFITS AND UNFORTUNATELY THIS BOARD HAS NOT MOVED.
I CAME HERE LAST MONTH, I'VE MET WITH THE DIRECTOR SEVERAL TIMES.
WE'VE COME UP WITH OPTIONS FOR SOLUTIONS BECAUSE WHATEVER YOUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH WORKERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, THEY'RE NOT DOING IT.
I NEED THIS BODY TO FIND OUT PER CASE WORKER, HOW MANY CASES ARE THEY DOING PER DAY PER PERSON? SOME OF THEM MAY BE DIFFICULT, BUT PEOPLE SHOULD BE PROCESSING STUFF.
YOU HAD TO AUDACITY TONIGHT TO APPROVE OVERTIME.
HOW YOU APPROVING OVERTIME BEFORE YOU SEE THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.
YOU GUYS MONITOR NOTHING WHEN IT COMES OUTSIDE OF THIS THING.
YOU JUST YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES.
WHATEVER JOKE DETAIL YOU, YOU'RE NOT WATCHING ANYTHING.
HOW ARE YOU ALLOWING 60,000 RESIDENTS IN THIS COUNTY TO NOT HAVE BENEFITS? WHY ARE SENIOR CITIZENS STANDING IN THE LINE AT 3 0 2 UNIVERSITY AVENUE? WHY YOU'VE SEEN THE LIVES? I AIN'T THE ONLY ONE DID ONE.
SO NOW SINCE YOU GUYS DON'T WANNA MOVE, I'VE NOW GOT THE STATE INVOLVED AND I'VE TOLD EVERY CLIENT TO FILE A FAIR HEARING IN ADMINISTRATIVE LAW COURT.
THEY DON'T WANT MEDIATION, NONE OF THAT.
NOW THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF FOOD STAMP AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT THEY NAME OR AGRICULTURE NOW NEEDS TO STEP IN AND MAKE YOU GUYS DO YOUR JOB.
YOU NEED TO FIND OUT WHY ISN'T ANYBODY BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE? WHAT INVESTIGATION HAVE YOU GUYS DID? BECAUSE I DIDN'T GET ANYTHING IN THE MAIL.
SO THAT MEANS THE LAST TIME I CAME HERE YOU DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING CAUSE I GOT NO RESPONSE.
A MILLION DOLLARS FOR OVERTIME.
ARE Y'ALL SERIOUS? HOW MUCH OVERTIME YOU DONE ALREADY SPENT? HOW MANY CASES DID THEY PROCESS DURING THE PANDEMIC? WHY THEY HAD THE COMPUTERS AND THE PHONES ON YOU GUYS.
FIASCO IS WORSE THAN THE UNEMPLOYMENT FIASCO.
YOU GOT KIDS NOT EATING RIGHT NOW WE DO FULL PANTRY EVERY WEDNESDAY.
A HUNDRED SOME BAGS GOING IN 10 MINUTES.
THE LIGHTING SEAT HALL, GETTING A LEASE.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LEASE AND A PERMIT? WHY DO THE YOUNG TEAMS IN THIS CITY CONTINUE TO HAVE TO BE ON THE BACK BURNER? WHETHER IT'S SOCCER, BASEBALL, YOU GUYS GOT BLOOMFIELD COLLEGE AND I KNOW THAT'S S COUNTY, BUT YOU GUYS COME ON, YOU GOTTA BE PASSED TO THE LITTLE GUYS TOO.
AND IT BETTER BE ROOM FOR THE HAWKS.
WHEN YOU BRING THE LITTLE DONALD PAY TECH, THAT'S MY SCHOOL TOO.
BUT WHEN YOU BRING THEM OVER THERE, IT BETTER BE REG ROOM FOR THE LITTLE PEOPLE.
AND I DON'T SEE THE ROOM FOR THE LITTLE PEOPLE.
ALL THESE UM, ALL THIS MONEY TONIGHT.
HOW MANY CLIENTS? YOU TALKED ABOUT JOB PLACEMENT.
Y'ALL DIDN'T ASK NOBODY FOR NO NUMBERS.
SO WHAT ARE WE PAYING PEOPLE FOR? IT'S BEEN THE PANDEMIC.
YOU GIVING THEM THE SAME MONEY LAST YEAR, YEAR BEFORE, LAST TIME WHEN THERE WAS NO CLASSES.
I NEED YOU GUYS TO PLEASE DO SOME WORK BECAUSE Y'ALL PAYING PEOPLE FOR DOING NOTHING AND YOU NOT ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.
AND LASTLY, PLEASE CHECK ON THE DEATHS AT
[02:55:01]
ESSES COUNTY JAIL.YOU PAYING FOR DRUG PROGRAM? HOW MANY OVERDOSES? Y'ALL DON'T ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH Y'ALL? HOW MANY OVERDOSE AND HOW MANY OVERDOSE DEATHS? AND WHY DO PEOPLE NEED CONTINU? AND I'M GONNA END WITH THIS.
WHY DO PEOPLE NEED CONTINUED DRUG ADDICTION PROGRAM WHEN THEY IN THE JAIL? WHY ARE THE DRUGS BEING BROUGHT IN THERE FOR PEOPLE TO KEEP GETTING HIGH? ASK THE QUESTION THAT, THAT, THAT S**T THOMAS, WHAT Y'ALL DO TOMORROW? CAUSE I'LL BE BACK.
AND AS IS THE POLICY, WE GET BACK TO YOU IN WRITING FOR ALL YOUR QUESTIONS.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK? OKAY, LET THE RECORD REFLECT AS NO ONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HEARING, UH, MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO ALL OF FAITH.