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THIS MEETING OF THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS HEREBY CALLED ORDER.
THIS MEETING IS BEING LIVESTREAMED, AND IN ADDITION TO BEING, UH, TAKEN PLACE HERE IN PERSON, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COMMISSIONER COOPER COMMISSION.
COOPER COMMISSIONER JOHNSON? YEAH.
UH, COMMISSIONER COOPER IS ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER LUCIANO IS ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER LUCIANO IS ABSENT.
PRESIDENT RICHARDSON IS ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT POMAR HERE.
PLEASE RE UH, PLEASE STAND FOR THE STUDENT FLAG.
I'M GOING TO ASK COMMISSIONER ROMA TO LEAD US IN THE SL I PLEDGE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC FOR STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU, PLEASE, UH, REMAIN STANDING OR MOMENT OF SILENCE.
IN PARTICULAR, WE WANNA WISH OUR DEAR COLLEAGUE WAYNE RICHARDSON, WHO LOST HIS SISTER BARBARA CARTER.
I HAVE FORMING CERTIFICATION FROM THE CLERK THAT THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.
MADAM CLERK, ARE THERE ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO BE APPROVED? UH, MR. VICE PRESIDENT? THERE ARE NONE, MAN.
ARE THERE ANY TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION? MR. VICE PRESIDENT? THERE ARE NONE.
LET'S MOVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A COMBINED TOPIC BOARD MEETING, AND WE'LL BE, WE WILL VOTE ON EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
SO IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AN AGENDA ITEM ONLY AT THIS TIME, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONES THAT YOU MADE 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 THAT I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
MADAM CLERK THE RIGHT TO REFLECT THAT THERE ARE NO, THERE'S NO ONE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCES AND INTRODUCTION AND, UH, ON PERSON.
MADAM CLERK, DO YOU HAVE ANY ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTIONS, UH, FOR INTRODUCTION OF FIRST READING? NO.
MR. VICE PRESIDENT, DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTIONS FOR LISTENING PURPOSES ONLY? NO.
MR. VICE PRESIDENT IN CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCES RESOLUTIONS ON SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT? UH, YES.
MR. VICE PRESIDENT? WE HAVE ONE ORDINANCE, MR. OH.
MS. FATHER, UM, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
UH, THAT ORDINANCE REQUIRES A, A VOTE OF, UH, MINIMUM OF TWO THIRDS OF THE BOARD.
SO IF WE COULD JUST HOLD THAT, UM, UNTIL WE GET SOME MORE COMMISSIONERS HERE.
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BACK TO THAT.SO LET'S, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS.
WE'LL GO THROUGH RESOLUTIONS ONE TO FIVE.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MR. VICE PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, WE HAVE SOME, UH, OUTSTANDING NOMINEES FOR YOUR ADVISING CONSENT THIS EVENING.
I BELIEVE SOME ARE, NOT EVERYONE IS HERE AT THE, AT THE MOMENT, BUT, UH, WE HAVE TWO THAT I KNOW OF.
AND, UH, MR. DOOLEY WILL LET, LET ME KNOW WHEN OTHERS ARRIVE.
UH, IF, IF WITH YOUR PERMISSION, MR. UM, MR. MR. I'LL CALL YOU MR. PRESIDENT THIS EVENING, CUZ YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE RUNNING THE MEETING.
UM, MAYBE GO OUT OF ORDER ON THESE BASED ON WHO'S HERE SO FAR.
UM, THE FIRST NOMINEE WILL BE, UH, MS. KHADIJA WALKER, WHO'S BEING, UM, ASKED TO JOIN THE VETERAN'S ADVISORY BOARD.
UH, MS. WALKER, IF YOU COULD COME UP AND JUST TELL A BOARD, BOARD ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR INTEREST IN SERVING ON THE, UH, BOARD.
I AM CURRENTLY A FAMILY SERVICE WORKER, THE DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS.
I'VE BEEN WITH THE AGENCY APPROXIMATELY 11 YEARS.
SANDRA, I WAS, UM, IN THE AC IN, IN THE AIR FORCE FROM APRIL OF 1987 UNTIL OCTOBER OF 19, 9 19, I'M SORRY, 1995.
UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING, TRYING TO HELP.
LIKE I WAS, I REACHED OUT TO MR. JACKSON AND ASKED TO BE PART OF THE VETERAN BOARD CAUSE OF THE SERVICE THAT I HAVE WITH THE COUNTY THAT I SEE HOW THEY CAN COME TO THE, YOU KNOW, TO OUR DEPARTMENT TO GET SERVICES.
AND WE ARE NOT ABLE TO GIVE THEM THE PROPER INFORMATION SO THAT THEY CAN, THE ASSISTANCE REQUIRED.
SO I FEEL THAT WITH MY CONNECTIONS AT THE AGENCY, WITH THE DIVISION, I WILL BE ABLE TO BETTER ASSIST THOSE VETERANS AND THE SENIORS THAT COME AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH SERVICES THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED.
WELL, THANK YOU FIRST FOR YOUR SERVICE, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO VOLUNTEER TO SERVE AGAIN.
OUR, OUR SECOND, UH, NOMINEE, UM, MR. VICE PRESIDENT IS, UH, PROVIDENCIA A ACETO ALSO TO THE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD.
MY NAME IS VALENCIA ACEVEDO AND I WORK FOR WELFARE FOR 18 YEARS NOW.
AND I USED TO SERVE IN THE NATIONAL GUARD FOR TWO YEARS.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE, AGAIN, WITH THE NATIONAL GARDEN, ALSO FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.
UM, OUR NEXT NOMINEE, UH, ALSO TO THE VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD IS, UH, UH, JULIO APONTE II.
HEY, GOOD EVENING, VICE PRESIDENT.
UH, MY NAME IS JULIO AON II, I HAIL FROM EAST ORANGE.
I AM A NAVY VETERAN, 12 YEARS.
I'M ALSO A PRESIDENTIAL SERVICE BADGE RECIPIENT.
I SERVED, I CAME THERE WITH THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION.
I'M CURRENTLY NOW THE VICE CHAIR FOR THE NEW JERSEY STATE DAMS, UH, VETERAN CAUCUS.
SO I'M EXCITED AND HONORED TO BE PART OF THE SS COUNTY VETERAN ADVISORY BOARD.
SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO EACH AND ONE OF YOU, MR. JACKSON AND MR. TITTA FOR BRINGING ME ON BOARD, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO WORK WITH YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO JOIN ON THIS BOARD AND START AGAIN.
OUR NEXT NOE TO THE ES COUNTY VOCATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD IS A STEPHANIE, UH, GALEZ, UH, TO THE, AGAIN, TO ESTES COUNTY VOCATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD.
HI, MY NAME IS STEPHANIE GALS AND I ACTUALLY JUST GRADUATED FROM N G I T, THIS MAY RIGHT HERE IN NEW YORK.
AND FOR HIGH SCHOOL, I ACTUALLY WENT TO WHAT'S CALLED WEB TECH, WHICH IS ONE OF THE LOW TECH.
SO IT WOULD BE AN HONOR TO SERVE ON THE, UM, BOT TECH SCHOOL BOARD.
AND, UH, I DO NOT KNOW, UH, MATT, MAYBE YOU LET ME KNOW.
IS, UM, MR. D DEEP BEAL HERE? YEAH, PLEASE.
AND OUR, UH, UH, THE FINAL NOMINEE FOR THE EVENING IS MR. DEEP BEAL, WHO'S THE, TO BE THE DEPUTY COORDINATOR OF THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF,
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SIR.IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK INTO THAT MIC, MICROPHONE NEXT TO YOU SO IT GETS RECORDED.
UH, MY NAME'S STEVE DIP PASQUA.
I, I, UH, UH, PREVIOUSLY WORKED, UH, WITH THE UNITED STATES MARSHALS FOR APPROXIMATELY 29 YEARS.
I WAS AN INSPECTOR, AND I, UM, WORKED WITH, UH, APPREHENDING FUGITIVES IN, UH, THE NEW IN NEW JERSEY, AND WE ASSISTED, UH, MANY FEDERAL AGENCIES IN MY TIME WITH THE MARSHALLS.
SO FOR YOUR WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND NOW FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO WORK ON THIS BOARD.
THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR NO NOMINATIONS, UH, FOR APPOINTMENTS.
UH, WHY DON'T WE, UH, TAKE, WHY DON'T WE, WE'RE GONNA DO THE FIRST FIVE, THEN WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO, UH, NEARLY, AND THEN WE MOVE FORWARD.
SO, DO I HAVE, UH, A MOTION TO MOVE ONE THROUGH IT? SECOND COMMISSIONER, MOVE.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER COOPER SECOND.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
ABSENT, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT PALMARA? YES.
AND FOR THE RECORD, UM, AS OBVIOUS BY THE AFFIRMATIVE VOTE, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, GILL IS HERE.
OKAY, LET'S GO BACK TO THE, UH, ORDINANCE OF RESOLUTION ON A SECOND.
NOW THAT WE HAVE SU BOARD MEMBERS HERE AND IN PUBLIC HEARING, MADAM CLERK, UM, CAN YOU REPEAT THE RESOLUTION OF TODAY? YES.
IT'S ORDINANCE NUMBER O UH, 20 22 0 1 0.
SO LET'S MOVE TO ORDINANCE 20 22 10, WHICH WILL BE RUN INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
HEREBY DECLARE THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE 0 20 22 1 0 OPEN.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MR. MCIN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? OKAY.
COMMISSIONERS WILL HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE ZERO, I'M SORRY, O DASH 2022 DASH 0 0 0 1 0.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
YOU NEED, UH, DO I HAVE THE SAME MOVER AND SECOND TO, UH, MOVE? YES.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
OKAY, LET'S GO BACK TO RESOLUTION, UH, NUMBER SIX THROUGH 40.
UM, MR. VICE PRESIDENT, UM, I, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU WANNA HANDLE THESE.
WE HAVE BEEN NUMBER OF APPOINTMENTS THROUGH, UH, VARIOUS, UM, ADVISORY BOARDS.
UH, DO YOU WANT ME TO GO THROUGH EACH ONE OR JUST, I THINK WE COULD TAKE 'EM ALL THROUGH EVERY APPOINTMENTS.
SINCE EVERY APPOINTMENTS THAT YOU'VE HAD BY THE BOARD, I THINK WE COULD JUST GO MOVE THEM AS ONE.
WE'LL READ THEM INTO THE RECORD AT LIVE TIME.
UM, MR. PARVA, YOU, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
I'M REALLY SO PLEASED TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE BEING REAPPOINTED.
SOME OF THEM I, I SERVE ON THE OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND ADVISORY BOARD, SO I KNOW SOME OF THEM SO WELL.
I'M ALSO ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION, SO I KNOW SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE WELL.
AND THERE ARE ALSO OTHERS BEING APPOINTED THAT I'VE KNOWN FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO GIVE THEIR TIME AND THEIR ENERGY TOWARDS MAKING
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ESSEX COUNTY EVEN BETTER.AND UNLESS SOMEONE ELSE HAS SOMETHING TO SAY, I'LL MOVE IT.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? I CONCUR.
THERE ARE A LOT OF WONDERFUL PEOPLE IN HERE.
WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THEY'RE GIVING UP THEIR TIME AGAIN TO SERVE ANOTHER TERM.
WE HAVE, UH, COMMISSIONER BOL.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT PALMARA? YES.
LET'S, UH, DO 41 THROUGH 50 15.
UH, THESE ARE A NUMBER OF, UH, BUDGET INSERTIONS.
UM, THE FIRST BEING WITH DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND DIVISION OF FAMILY HEALTH SERVICES, UH, FOR THE, UH, YEAR 2023.
THIS IS SPECIAL CHILD EARLY INTERVENTION HEALTH SERVICES AND THE AMOUNT OF, UH, $2,325,206.
UM, IT REQUIRES A MATCH FROM US OF A MILLION, UH, 1.1 MILLION APPROXIMATELY.
UH, MOST OF THAT COMES FROM, UH, CHARGING HEALTH FRINGE BENEFITS, UH, OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO, UM, THAT WE'RE ABLE TO CHARGE AS WELL IN ADDITION, AS WELL AS THE, UH, THE CASH GRANT.
UM, ITEM 42, UH, DEPARTMENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
THIS IS FOR COUNTY WITNESS, UH, VICTIM ADVOCACY FOR THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE $974,086.
AND THIS CONTINUES THEIR SERVICES FOR CRIME VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
UH, THERE IS A MATCH HERE OF $243,522, WHICH IS, UH, SALARY WAGES, UH, ITEM 43, ALSO, UH, DEPARTMENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY FOR THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
THIS IS FOR THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN GRANT.
UH, IT'S ALSO HAS A MATCH OF $35,841, WHICH IS, AGAIN, MET THROUGH SALARY AND BENEFITS.
ITEM FOUR, AS OF THE LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UH, GRANT, OUR NEW JERSEY ALLOTMENT, UH, THIS IS FOR D E T T, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF 8,097,518, UH, DOLLARS.
UH, THERE IS NO, UH, COUNTY MATCH FOR THIS.
UH, AND I SHOULD SAY 6 MILLION APPROXIMATELY IS FOR TANF.
AND, UH, ANOTHER 2000002.1 MILLION IS FOR, UH, SNAP.
UM, ITEM 45, UM, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS THE, WE HAD GRANT, UM, IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,126,423.
UH, THIS IS FOR JOB TRAINING, VOCATIONAL SKILLS, AND, UH, CORE SKILLS.
UH, THIS IS FOR, THIS IS THE YOUTH ALLOTMENT I SHOULD ADD.
ITEM 46 IS THE ADULT ALLOTMENT OF THE SAME GRANT AND THE AMOUNT OF $2,344,605.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS THE SAME, PROVIDING JOB TRAINING, IMPLICATIONAL SKILLS, CORE SKILLS, UH, AND THIS IS THE ADULT ALLOTMENT.
UH, ITEM 47, UH, LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS FOR OUR LINK PROGRAM AND THE AMOUNT OF 46, UH, THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THIS PROVIDES ADULT LIT LITERARY SERVICES, ESL, WORKPLACE LITERACY.
AND THIS IS FOR WITH OUR, UM, UH, LEARNING LINK, UH, PROGRAM AT 50 SOUTH CLINTON.
UH, ITEM 48 IN THE AMOUNT OF $12,971.
DEPARTMENT OF LAW, UH, OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
UH, THIS IS FOR THE, WE ARE DATA REPORTING AND ANALYSIS PORTION.
THIS GRANT COVERS THE COST OF THE SYSTEM THAT WE USE TO COLLECT DATA AND MANAGE THE PROGRAM.
AND AGAIN, UH, FOR THIS ONE, NO COUNTY MATCH.
ITEM 49, UM, DEPARTMENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY.
THIS IS A BODY ARMOR REPLACEMENT PROGRAM.
THE AMOUNT OF, OF $5,874 AND 34 CENTS.
THIS IS FOR OUR JUVENILE DETENTION, UH, CENTER OFFICERS.
UM, ITEM 50, UH, IS FOR OUR, WITHIN OUR, OUR 2022 BUDGET.
AND THIS IS INSERTING $5 MILLION INTO THE BUDGET TO COST PARTIALLY COVER THE COST OF THE CHERRY BLOSSOM WELCOME CENTER, UH, AT BRANCH BROOK PARK.
AND THAT CONCLUDES THE BUDGET INSERTIONS.
MR. PARVA, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
MR. PRESIDENT? COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
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COMMISSIONER COOPER? THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.UM, MR. QUICK QUESTION, PLEASE SPEAK INTO MIKE.
UM, A QUICK QUESTION FOR ITEM 50.
IS THAT FOR A NEW BUILDING, NEW CONSTRUCTION OR RENOVATIONS? UH, THAT, THAT'S A NEW BUILDING DEMOLISHING THE EXISTING BUILDING AND A NEW BRAND NEW BUILDING.
DOES ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? SO, MOVE SECOND.
AND COMMISSIONER JOHNSON TO SECOND WILL CALL MADAM CLERK.
CLERK COMMISSIONER SIBEL? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT PALMARA? YES.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
UH, THIS IS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT, UM, UH, WITH THE, UH, OUTLAW OUTSIDE LAW FIRM, UH, WALSH PZI O'REILLY, UH, ALGA ON A MOUNTAIN NOT TO EXCEED $75,000.
THIS IS, UH, REGARDING A LAWSUIT THAT WAS, UH, FILED AGAINST THE, THE COUNTY.
UH, AND, AND, AND ALSO SOME OF OUR INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES REGARDING, UM, THE, THE, THE CASE OF MR. BOYD.
UH, JAY, SEAN BOYD, WHO WAS, UM, UH, INJURED, UH, AT, AT THE FACILITY AND HAS FILED A LAWSUIT.
AND THIS IS FOR THE, UH, TO REPRESENT THE COUNTY AND THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED.
UH, I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL ABOUT THIS.
THIS IS A FAIRLY NEWLY FILED, UH, LAWSUIT HAVING TO DO WITH, UH, THE MATTER THAT, UM, SEPARATELY THAT MR. JACKSON DISCUSSED, UH, EMANATING FROM THE JAIL AND, UH, FILED BY A, UH, FORMER, UH, UM, INMATE THERE.
UM, I WOULD JUST CAUTION THAT WE CAN'T PROBABLY GET INTO TOO MUCH, UM, ON THE RECORD, BUT I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO ANYBODY, UH, OFFLINE ABOUT THIS IF YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS.
AGAIN, IT IS FAIRLY NEW, UM, BUT I DO HAVE SOME OF THE INFORMATION.
MR. MCINERNEY, UH, I HAVE NO QUESTIONS ON THIS OTHER THAN THE COMMENTS MR. PARLOVE MADE.
ALL RIGHT, I'LL HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT MORRIS? YES.
UM, ITEM 52 IS WITH OUR, UH, WITH THE JDC.
THIS IS THE SOFTWARE PROGRAM, UH, THAT MAINTAINS THE, THE DATA OF THE, UH, RESIDENTS WHO ARE THERE.
UH, BOOKING INFORMATION, MEDICAL EDUCATION, UH, UH, DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, ET CETERA, UH, IS FOR A 24 MONTH AGREEMENT AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $36,616.
AND IT WAS A RESULT OF A PUBLICLY ADVERTISED FAIR AND OPEN, UH, RFP.
MR. PARVA, YOU, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, NO QUESTIONS.
DO I HAVE, UH, MOVER IN A SECOND? SO, MOVE.
UH, COMMISSIONER MECADO TO MOVE.
AND COMMISSIONER COOPER SECONDING? YES.
CLERK COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
MR. JACKSON? UH, MR. MR. RICE PRESIDENT.
THIS IS A CONTRACT WITH PANORAMA TOURS, UH, IN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $50,000.
UH, UH, DEDICATED TO OUR DIVISION OF SENIOR SERVICES.
AND THIS IS PRIMARILY USED FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR SENIOR WELLNESS DAY.
AND AGAIN, UH, CONTRACT NOT TO, FOR ONE, A ONE YEAR AGREEMENT NOT TO EXCEED $50,000.
MR. PARO? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
MOTION? ANYONE? MOTION? UH, LET'S GIVE IT TO GRAHAM.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT FROM OURS.
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JACKSON.UH, MR. VICE PRESIDENT, UH, MR. WOODS WILL HANDLE, UH, THIS ITEM.
UH, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT AND COMMISSIONERS.
UM, I'M HERE FOR ITEM 54, WHICH IS A TRANSFER OF, UH, CONTINUUM OF CARE GRANT RESPONSIBILITIES TO A NONPROFIT AGENCY, WHICH WOULD BE COVENANT HOUSE, UH, FOR THE 2021 PROGRAM, YEAR FUNDS AND BEYOND.
UM, SO, UH, DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ACTION, WHICH I WORK, UM, MAINTAINS THE CONTINUUM OF CARE, UM, PLANNING PORTION OF OUR HOMELESS MANAGEMENT STRATEGY.
AND THROUGH THAT, WE APPLIED TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR FUNDS EACH YEAR THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS.
UM, YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AGO, WE ADMINISTERED UP UNTIL THIS DAY, WE ALSO, UH, ADMINISTERED THIS PROGRAM, UM, WHICH HOUSES FORMALLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WITH, UM, VARIOUS DIFFERENT NEEDS.
COULD BE MENTAL HEALTH, COULD BE SUBSTANCE ABUSE, UH, WHATEVER THEIR DISABILITY MAY BE.
UM, HOWEVER, THOUGH IN THE, UH, RECENT YEARS, UH, WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE ANY OF THE CASE MANAGEMENT DOESN'T COME THROUGH OUR OFFICE.
IT'S PROVIDED BY THIS NONPROFIT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING TO SEVER THAT RESPONSIBILITY SINCE WE ARE THE COLLABORATIVE APPLICANT.
ALSO, MAINTAINING THE PROGRAM PUTS US IN AN AWKWARD POSITION WHERE WE HAVE TO ALSO PUT TOGETHER ALL THE APPLICATIONS AND ALSO DO THE GRANT RESPONSIBILITIES FOR AN APPLICATION THAT HONESTLY, IS NOT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ADMINISTRATIVE DOLLARS COMING INTO OUR OFFICE.
UM, WITH ALL THE OTHER PROGRAMS, THE COVID RELATED PROGRAMS AND ALL THE OTHER HOMELESS PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, IT'S BEEN HARDER AND HARDER TO ADMINISTER THAT PROGRAM.
AND SINCE WE ACTUALLY DON'T PROVIDE THE CASE MANAGEMENT NOR THE HOUSING, WE'RE LOOKING TO SEVER THE CONTRACT AND ALLOW FOR THAT NONPROFIT TO TAKE IT ON ON OUR BEHALF.
MR. PARVA, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I DID HAVE SOME, UM, QUESTIONS ON THAT FROM THE LEADERSHIP MEETING, BUT THOSE WERE RESOLVED WITH SUBSEQUENT CORRESPONDENCE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION.
COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER COOPER? UH, THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT FROM THIS POINT FORWARD, THIS GRANT, THE COUNTY WILL HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER FOR IT, AND THESE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS GONNA COMPLETELY TAKE OVER EVERYTHING.
WE WON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO DO.
LEFT WITH IT THROUGH YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT? UM, THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THIS IS A, IT'S A COMPETITIVE APPLICATION WITH THE RENEWAL EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
SO THE GRANT IS NOT EVEN GUARANTEED TO BE FUNDED.
IF THEY DO DECIDE TO GO FOR THE RENEWAL PROCESS, THEN YES, ALL THE RESPONSIBILITIES WILL BE ON THAT NON-PROFIT.
THE COUNTY WILL HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY TO THAT GRANT.
AND TO THE GRANT THAT WAS RECENTLY AWARDED, A FULL TRANSFER OF RESPONSIBILITIES WILL BE DONE AS SOON AS THIS IS APPROVED.
ANY COUNTY OF ESSEX NAME WON'T BE ON IT ANYMORE, GOING FURTHER? THAT'S CORRECT.
WHAT'S THE AMOUNT OF THE GRANT? I APOLOGIZE.
I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT AMOUNT OF THE GRANT.
I CAN GET THAT TO YOU IN WRITING, BUT THE AMOUNT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDS THAT'S COMING TO THE COUNTY WAS 16,594.
BUT I CAN GET THE OVERALL GRANT AMOUNT FOR YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS COOPER? I DO.
UM, WITHIN YOUR FISCAL IMPACT SECTION, IT REFERS TO ANOTHER EMPLOYEE, UH, THAT SOUNDS LIKE THEY SOMEWHAT WORK ON THIS GRANT.
WILL THAT PERSON BE IMPACTED WITH US TRANSFERRING THIS GRANT FULLY TO THE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION? UH, THROUGH YOU AGAIN, UH, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT? UM, NO.
THERE, THERE WON'T BE ANY IMPACT BECAUSE OF, UM, OTHER HOMELESS GRANTS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED AN INCREASE IN THE ADMIN THAT WE GET IN EVERY SINGLE YEAR THROUGH THIS EXACT PROCESS.
IT'S COMPLETELY ABSORBED THROUGH OTHER SOURCES.
SO THERE WILL BE NO IMPACT TO THAT INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEE.
AND JUST TO, SO WE COULD JUST BE CLEAR, SO THE SERVICES CONTINUE JUST NOT UNDER THIS GRANT? IS THAT? YEAH.
SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS THAT, AGAIN, THE COMPETITIVE PROCESS IS ACTUALLY JUST STARTED.
THEY WILL APPLY FOR A RENEWAL AND THEN THEY WILL APPLY INDIVIDUALLY.
THE CONSUMERS WILL NOT LOSE THEIR HOUSING.
THEY STILL HAVE LIKE YEARS WORTH OF FUNDING FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR THAT WILL BE RUNNING.
THIS WILL BE FOR THE, THEY CALL IT 2022, BUT IT'S ESSENTIALLY 2023 WHEN IT WOULD BE INSERTED INTO THE FEDERAL BUDGET.
SO FOR A YEAR, WE WOULD JUST TRANSFER OVER THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND IF THEY'RE FUNDED ONGOING, IT WOULD BE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY FROM THAT ON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? UH, SO I'M GONNA MOVE MOTION.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT PALMARA? YES.
CERTAINLY MR. VICE PRESIDENT, MR. ATE WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. THANK YOU.
HOW ARE YOU? JOSHUAS COUNTY PARKS? UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, COMMISSIONER BOARD.
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I'M DOING WELL.UH, NUMBER 55 IS THE APPROVAL OF OUR COMMUNITY BASED DEER MANAGEMENT PLAN PERMIT APPLICATION.
UH, WE DO HAVE OUR DEAR MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT, DAN BERNER, AS WELL AS OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER DIRECTOR, TARA ELA HERE TO, UH, GIVE THE BOARD, UH, SOME DETAILS AND SPECIFICS.
MR. VICE PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M GONNA APPEAR BEFORE YOU AGAIN TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE ESSEX COUNTY DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM.
SO JUST PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
DANIEL BEIER, WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT.
UH, THE ESSEX COUNTY DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BE, UH, PERHAPS THE PREMIER DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
THERE ARE NOT MANY GOVERNMENT AGENCIES OPERATING A PROGRAM.
YOURS IS VERY FOCUSED AND EFFECTIVE.
UM, HUNTING WAS NOT CONDUCTED IN 2021 OR 2022 DUE TO CONFLICTS AND CONCERNS RELATED TO THE COVID PANDEMIC.
HOWEVER, UH, IN THAT TIME, WE WERE GIVEN THE ADVANTAGE OF SOME NEW TECHNOLOGY.
RA INVALID COMMUNITY COLLEGE NOW IS ABLE TO PROVIDE A SERVICE TO USE, UM, DRONES WITH, UH, AN INFRARED CAMERA MOUNT THAT UNDERNEATH TO COUNT DEER.
UH, WE FIND IT TO BE VERY MUCH MORE, UH, EFFECTIVE AND ACCURATE THAN THE SPOTLIGHT COUNTS THAT WE WERE DOING IN THE PAST FROM VEHICLES.
WE HAVE CONTINUED FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS TO DO IT BOTH WAYS, JUST TO GET A GOOD COMPARISON.
BUT IN THE FUTURE, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, GET A, A VERY ACCURATE NUMBER USING JUST THE, THE, UH, DRONE SURVEYS.
WE ALSO HAD THE ADDED BENEFIT THAT R AND VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE RECEIVED A GRANT TO FUND THEIR PROGRAM.
SO WE GOT THEIR SERVICES AT HALF OF THEIR NORMAL COST.
THE, UH, DRONE MOUNTED SURVEYS DID SHOW, AS WE WOULD EXPECT, THAT, UM, THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DEER WE DID NOT HUNT, UH, FOR THOSE TWO YEARS.
BUT THE INCREASE WAS NOT AS DRAMATIC AS I WOULD'VE THOUGHT.
UM, THE, THE COUNTS ARE VERY RELIABLE IN THAT THE DRONE IS ABLE TO SEE 100% OF THE SURFACE AREA FROM ABOVE, AND IT, UH, IS ABLE TO ZERO IN AND AND PRODUCE RESULTS THAT, UM, CAN, INSTEAD OF GIVING US A NUMBER, UH, PARK WIDE, IT CAN, UH, PRODUCE WHAT THEY CALL, UH, COLONEL ANALYSIS AND, AND SHOW SPECIFIC AREAS OF PARKLAND OR OF RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE HIGHER OR LOWER CONCENTRATIONS OF DEER.
UM, THE, UH, RESULTS SHOW THAT THE OVERWINTERING DENSITY OF DEER, MEANING THE NUMBERS THAT WE EXPECT TO SEE AS WE HEAD INTO THIS COMING WINTER, WOULD BE AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN RESERVATION, 37 DEER PER SQUARE MILE.
THE, UH, THE RECOMMENDED DENSITY IN A HEALTHY FOREST IS 20 PER SQUARE MILE.
SO SOUTH MOUNTAIN'S ALMOST AT DOUBLE FOR A HEALTHY FOREST.
BUT OF COURSE, SOUTH MOUNTAIN IS NOT A HEALTHY FOREST BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN SO BADLY IMPACTED.
UH, THE GENERAL FEELING NOW AMONG FOREST ECOLOGISTS IS THAT THE TARGET SHOULD BE 10 PER SQUARE MILE AT EAGLE ROCK RESERVATION, WHERE WE HAVE NOT HUNTED IN SEVERAL YEARS, BUT ARE STILL MONITORING THE POPULATION.
THE, UH, THE NUMBERS, UH, FROM A SPOTLIGHT COUNT SUGGEST A DENSITY OF 63 PER SQUARE MILE.
BUT I THINK THAT NUMBER IS RATHER SUSPECT BECAUSE THE SAMPLE SIZE THERE IS VERY SMALL.
BUT AT THE HILLTOP PROPERTY WHERE THE NUMBER OF DEER HAS ALWAYS BEEN SIGNIFICANT, THE, UH, DENSITY GOING INTO THIS YEAR IS 209 PER SQUARE MILE, AS OPPOSED TO THE 10 THAT IT SHOULD BE.
SO OUR PROPOSED PROGRAM FOR THE COMING YEAR PROPOSES TO, AGAIN, RUN A PROGRAM AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN RESERVATION AND AT, UH, AT THE HILLTOP RESERVATION.
UH, THE, UH, NUMBERS, AS I RUN THEM OUT, CALL FOR REMOVING 80, 60 OR OVER THE COURSE OF 11 DAYS FROM SOUTH MOUNTAIN.
BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE NUMBERS THAT BIOLOGY WOULD SU WOULD SUGGEST SHOULD BE REMOVED, DON'T ALWAYS MATCH UP WITH WHAT THE PARK CAN SUSTAIN, WHAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC WILL ACCEPT, AND WHAT THE BUDGET WILL ALLOW FOR.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO SET A GOAL OF REMOVING 50 DEER FROM SOUTH MOUNTAIN.
AND TO DO THAT IN SIX AFTERNOONS OF HUNTING, USING 14 HUNTERS AT THE HILLTOP PROPERTY.
UH, WE WOULD ATTEMPT TO REMOVE 50 DEER, UH, AGAIN OVER THE COURSE OF SIX AFTERNOONS, USING EIGHT BASE BAIT STATIONS, EIGHT HUNTERS AT A TIME.
UH, BUT THEY WOULD BE PART OF THE SAME 14 HUNTERS WHO ARE HUNTING AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN JUST ON DIFFERENT DAYS.
UH, I RECOMMEND, AGAIN, NOT CONDUCTING ANY HUNT THERE THIS YEAR, BECAUSE
[00:35:01]
FOR THE SMALL NUMBER OF DEER THAT ARE THERE, IT IS NOT WORTH THE EXCESSIVE SECURITY COSTS AND MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS THAT IT WOULD TAKE TO REMOVE THEM.UM, THE, UH, PROGRAM WOULD CALL FOR CERTIFYING, UH, AND AFTER TESTING 14 AGENTS, 14 HUNTERS SERVING AS AGENTS OF THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
UM, AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN, THERE WOULD BE ONE HUNTER PER BAIT STATION AT HILLTOP, THEY WOULD BE SHARING STATIONS THAT HELPS TO INCREASE THE HUNTER PARTICIPATION.
AGAIN, THE HUNTING WOULD OCCUR ONLY IN THE AFTERNOONS, WHICH KEEPS THE, UH, SECURITY, UH, COSTS AND THE MAN HOURS DOWN.
IT REDUCES THE COST PER GEAR, AND IT INCREASES THE HUNTER PARTICIPATION.
THE CALENDAR ROUGHLY CALLS FOR HUNTING AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN RESERVATION ON TUESDAYS FROM JANUARY 10TH TO FEBRUARY 14TH WITH RAIN DATES ON FEBRUARY 21ST OR 28TH, AND HUNTING AT HILLTOP ON THURSDAY AFTERNOONS FROM JANUARY 12TH TO FEBRUARY 16TH WITH RAIN DATES ON FEBRUARY 23RD AND MARCH 2ND.
AND OF COURSE, I'M RECOMMENDING THAT THE AERIAL DRONE COUNTS BE CONDUCTED AGAIN IN THE SPRING SOON AFTER THE HUNT, TO DETERMINE WHAT THE, UH, RESULTS OF THE HUNT ARE IN TERMS OF ITS IMPACT ON THE TOTAL POPULATION DENSITY.
THAT'S THE, THE PROGRAM IN A NUTSHELL.
I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ANYONE MIGHT HAVE.
WHY DON'T WE, UH, MR. JACKSON, WHY DON'T WE CONTINUE WITH THE OTHER ONES AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK WITH QUESTIONS FOR THE SIX THAT WE MOVE TOGETHER.
CERTAINLY, MR. VICE PRESIDENT, UH, MR. ATE JOSHUA ATE S COUNTY PARKS NUMBER 56 IS A, UH, 24 MONTH CONTRACT EXTENSION OPTION WITH, UH, ANTECH DIAGNOSTICS TO PROVIDE LABORATORY SERVICES FOR THE TURTLEBACK ZOO ANIMAL HOSPITAL.
UH, SPECIFICALLY THIS IS, UH, FOR BLOOD SAMPLES.
UH, THE TURTLEBACK ZOO VETERINARY STAFF WILL, WOULD, UH, DRAW THE BLOOD.
UH, IT IS THEN, UH, SHIPPED OUT TO THIS LAB WHO THEN TESTS IT.
IT'S, UH, FOR ROUTINE, UH, ROUTINE BLOOD TESTS, UH, AS WELL AS, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY ALSO TAKE, UH, TESTS FOR URINE AS WELL AS BIOPSIES.
UH, IT'S ROUTINE HEALTH TESTS THAT WE, UH, PROVIDE TODAY.
ALS NUMBER 57 IS A CONTRACT AWARD EXTENSION WITH NORTH WARD CENTER TO PROVIDE RECREATIONAL SERVICES AT BRANCH BROOK PARK AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $92,444 AND 48 CENTS.
THIS IS THE TWO YEAR OPTION FOR THE NORTH WARD CENTER TO CONTINUE ITS RECREATIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT OVER AT BRANCH BROOK PARK.
UH, SPECIFICALLY, THE PROGRAM RUNS FROM MARCH 1ST, 2023 TILL OCTOBER 31ST, 2023, AND THEN AGAIN MARCH 1ST, 2024 TO OCTOBER 31ST, 2024.
NUMBER 58 CONTRACT AWARD TO GPC INC.
THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE RESPONSIBLE BIDDER FOR PAINTING SERVICES.
20 MORE 24 MONTH CONTRACT NOT TO EXCEED $283,200.
UH, THIS IS, UH, SIMPLY A PAINTING CONTRACT, UH, TO PAINT ANY OF THE PROPERTY THROUGHOUT THE ESSA COUNTY PARK SYSTEM.
UH, THIS IS THE, UH, SAME VENDOR WE HAD PREVIOUSLY FOR A TWO YEAR CONTRACT WITHIN A TWO YEAR OPTION.
AND FINALLY, NUMBER 60 IS A CONTRACT CHANGE ORDER TO THE SIX LOWEST BIDDERS TO FURNISH AND DELIVER GOLF COURSE MATERIALS.
ADDING AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $40,000.
WE, UH, WE DID NOT PUT ENOUGH INTO THIS CONTRACT, UH, TO, TO FUND, UH, ALL THE NECESSARY MATERIALS THAT WE'RE USING.
UH, AS THE BOARD'S REMINDED, WE DO HAVE TWO, UH, GOLF COURSES THAT WERE RECENTLY IMPROVED IN WEWA AND, UH, HENDRIX.
UH, AND SO, UH, SIMPLY, UH, THERE'S ABOUT, USED TO HAVE AROUND 42 ITEMS ON THIS CONTRACT.
NOW IT'S AROUND 80 SINCE WE ROLLED SEPARATE CONTRACTS INTO THIS ONE.
AND, UH, THE COST OF MATERIAL SUPPLIES HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY THE LAST TWO YEARS.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
MR. PARVA, ANY QUESTIONS ON 55 THROUGH 60? I DO.
UM, THIS IS THE, UH, DEER MANAGEMENT PLAN PERMIT APPLICATION.
JUST FOR CLARITY, UM, WHAT THE BOARD'S BEING ASKED TO DO HERE IS REALLY APPROVE AND SUPPORT THE FILING OF THE APPLICATION TO THE STATE TO CONDUCT THE PROGRAM IN THE FASHION THAT, UH, MR. BEIER JUST, UH, OUTLINED FOR US IN THE PAST.
WE'VE HAD, UH, COPIES OF THE APPLICATION.
CAN WE, BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IT HASN'T BEEN BEEN DRAFTED YET.
CAN WE GET A COPY OF THAT? CAN THE BOARD GET A COPY OF THAT, UH, BEFORE ITS SUBMITTED? UH, YEAH.
COUNTY PARKS, UH, SIMPLY PUT, UM, HISTORICALLY, WE, WE NEVER INCLUDED THE, THE APPLICATION, THE ACTUAL PACKET THAT WENT TO THE BOARD, UH, LAST YEAR WE DID.
UM, BUT JUST REMIND THE BOARD LAST YEAR, UH, THE AUGUST MEETINGS USUALLY A LITTLE LATER MM-HMM.
UM, SO THIS BEING THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH, WE SIMPLY JUST DON'T HAVE IT READY.
BUT CERTAINLY WE WILL FORWARD IT TO THE BOARD WHEN, WHEN THAT IS, UH, COMPLETE.
ONE OTHER QUESTION ON THERE, UM, ALSO IN THE PAST, UM,
[00:40:01]
I BELIEVE THAT, UH, DEER MEAT WAS, WAS PROVIDED AS FOOD TO, I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS EITHER THE HUNTERS OR TO A, UH, FOOD PANTRY.IS THAT BEING DONE THIS YEAR? UH, JUST WAS HS.
UH, IT GOES TO A, A FOOD PANTRY, AND THEN THE ACTUAL HUNTERS ARE ENTITLED TO A, A CERTAIN PORTION.
I HAVE NO QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THEM.
COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER GILL.
AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU UP THERE,
RIGHT? UH, GONNA ASK IF YOU HAVE QUITE A FEW QUESTIONS ON, UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER 55.
SO I'M GONNA ASK YOUR INDULGENCE, UH, PLEASE TO BEAR WITH ME.
UM, AND EVEN STARTING JUST WITH THE, THE, UM, WHICH I'M JUST CONFUSED ABOUT WITH WHAT THE COUNCIL JUST SAID, BECAUSE WE JUST HEARD TESTIMONY THAT SAID, WE DON'T HISTORICALLY GET THE APPLICATION, BUT WE DID GET THE APPLICATION LAST YEAR, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE GOTTEN THAT APPLICATION IN THE PAST, AND NOW WE'RE BEING ASKED TO VOTE ON THIS WITH, AGAIN, MISINFORMATION.
AND I, I JUST, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO, TO ASCERTAIN SOMETHING WHEN WE DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE BEING ASKED TO, UH, VOTE ON.
SO, JUST FOR THE RECORD, SO YOU CAN'T SAY WE DIDN'T HISTORICALLY HAVE IT WHEN WE DID HAVE IT LAST YEAR.
SO HISTORICALLY WE HAVE HAD IT, UM, NUMBER ONE.
UM, SO THESE, THESE ARE THROUGH THE YOUTH, THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION.
UM, AND WHOEVER'S THE APPROPRIATE PERSON, UH, TO ANSWER, UM, THESE QUESTIONS, UM, UH, CAN, CAN YOU POINT TO, IN, IN, IN THE INFORMATION THAT WAS, UM, PROVIDED, WHAT ACTUAL, UM, DATA AND EVIDENCE THERE IS, UM, TO SUPPORT, UH, CULLING AND THE HUNT? CAN, CAN YOU POINT TO THE SPECIFIC DATA THAT'S IN THIS, UM, AND WITH THE, AND THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED TO US THAT SUPPORTS THE HUNT AS A, AS A METHOD? MR. VICE PRESIDENT, UH, COMMISSIONER GILDE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME.
UH, UH, DANIEL BERNER, WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT.
UH, UM, I, I HAVE NOT SEEN WHAT WAS PROVIDED TO YOU, BUT, UM, I PROVIDED TO THE ADMINISTRATION RESULTS OF THE SPOTLIGHT COUNTS AND THE, UH, AERIAL, UH, DRONE SURVEYS MM-HMM.
UM, AND THEN WE USE DATA FROM PREVIOUS HUNTS TO, UH, DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF EFFORT IT TAKES TO REMOVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF DEER.
AND THAT LEADS US TO THE, THE NUMBERS OF HOW MANY DAYS WE SHOULD HUNT AND HOW MANY HUNTERS WE SHOULD PUT OUT THERE.
SO, SO THROUGH YOU, UH, MR. PRESIDENT, UM, THE, THE, UM, SO THE, THE DRONES RIGHT.
THAT WERE USED TO COLLECT THAT INFORMATION.
SO IS THAT, IS THAT DATA, SO WHEN WAS THAT DATA ACQUIRED? THAT THAT FLIGHT WAS, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS LATE APRIL.
SO THAT, SO THAT DATA IS RELATIVELY FRESH.
AND, AND THE REPORT, IF YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ IT, IS, UM, VERY CONCISE IN EXPLAINING.
UM, AND, AND THIS AGAIN, IS BY STAFF AT RAAN VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, INCLUDING, UH, THE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE PROJECT THERE, DR.
J KELLY, WHO WAS ONE OF THE LEADING FORESTY COLLEGES IN NEW JERSEY.
AND HE GIVES A VERY GOOD EXPLANATION OF, OF, UH, DENSITIES AND, AND WHAT FOREST CAN SUSTAIN.
AND MAKES A VERY CLEAR STATEMENT THAT THE POPULATION AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN AND HILLTOP, UH, IS, WELL, IN, IN THIS CASE, THIS YEAR, HE WAS ONLY ABLE TO DO SOUTH MOUNTAIN, BUT LAST YEAR, HILLTOP AS WELL.
THAT THE POPULATION IS VERY HIGH.
SO, SO THROUGH YOU AS PRESIDENT, THIS, SO THE, THE ACTUAL, AND SO JUST SO I, I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE AN, WE HAVE THE APPLICATION, WHICH WE HAVEN'T SEEN, WHICH WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE MEETING THAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN ON THE 15TH, IS THAT MR. PRESIDENT, UH, MR. VICE PRESIDENT, IF I COULD EXPLAIN.
AND THEN WE HAVE THIS DOCUMENT, WHICH, WHICH CAME TO US AT ABOUT THREE O'CLOCK THIS AFTERNOON.
SO I HA SO TO BE FAIR, I HAVEN'T, I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO, TO DIGEST ALL THIS BECAUSE WE GOT IT TWO HOURS AGO.
SO IN THE PAST YOU HAD THAT DOCUMENT, THIS DOCUMENT VERSION OF THAT DOCUMENT FOR THIS
[00:45:01]
MEETING.IT WAS ONLY LAST YEAR THAT YOU HAD THE ACTUAL APPLICATION.
THAT APPLICATION TAKES SEVERAL HOURS TO PREPARE.
THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN UNTIL AFTER I AM PUT UNDER CONTRACT, WHICH I HAVE NOT BEEN FOR THIS YEAR.
SO LAST YEAR WE DIDN'T REMEMBER THAT WE WERE CONDUCTING SOME SPECIAL MEETINGS WITH SOME RESIDENTS.
WE, WE GOT AHEAD OF IT BECAUSE OF THAT.
BUT TYPICALLY THE APPLICATION IS NOT PREPARED UNTIL AFTER YOUR VOTE, BECAUSE YOU ARE AUTHORIZING THAT OF, UH, PARK RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS TO ALLOW ME TO PREPARE THAT APPLICATION.
UM, CAN I ASK YOU A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, JUST ON, ON SOME OF THE DATA WE WE'RE HERE TO ASK QUESTIONS,
UM, THE, THE, UM, WE HAD MENTIONED, UM, CAR COLLISIONS, UM, AS ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THE, FOR, FOR THE HUNT AND FOR THE CUING OF THESE DEER.
DO WE HAVE ANY DATA ON THAT POINTS TO HOW MANY SPECIFIC YES.
THE, UM, THE PERMIT APPLICATION FORM REQUIRES DATA IN, IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT AREAS.
AND ONE VERY SPECIFICALLY IS RELATED TO, TO MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS.
THE SUBMISSIONS THAT WE MAKE FOR THAT PORTION ARE RATHER EXTENSIVE.
IT INCLUDES, UM, A, UH, SPREADSHEET THAT WE GET FROM YOUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING.
I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE THAT CORRECT, BUT, UM, YOUR COUNTY ENGINEER EACH YEAR PROVIDES ME WITH A DOCUMENT THAT SHOWS THE NUMBER OF DEER CARCASSES PICKED UP ALONG COUNTY ROADWAYS BY, BY ROADWAY.
IT'S VERY SPECIFIC, AND IT'S DIVIDED BY MONTH.
AND, AND IT'S THOSE NUMBERS THAT WE SUPPLY TO THE STATE, UM, THAT'S PART OF THEIR DECISION, UH, MAKING AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TO GRANT THE APPLICATION.
SO THAT, AGAIN, SO THAT, SO THAT DATA THEN GETS INSERTED INTO THE, AGAIN, THE APPLICATION, THAT PART OF THE APPLICATION.
SO, SO WE WILL GET, AGAIN, THROUGH MR. REDDEN AND THROUGH OUR COUNCIL, WE WILL GET THIS APPLICATION FOR REVIEW.
ASSUMING THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS PASS IS, I, I'M SURE YOU'RE GONNA FIND THE SHOCKING.
I WILL NOT BE VOTING FOR THIS
CAN WE, CAN WE ENSURE THAT WE GET THIS INFORMATION THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER GILL IS, AND THAT EVERYONE GETS IT? UH, YES.
MR. VICE PRESIDENT, AND I JUST WANT TO, UH, JUST REITERATE WHAT MR. RAINIER IS SAYING IS THAT THIS IS A, THIS IS A REQUEST FOR, FOR HIM TO PREPARE THE APPLICATION.
SO FOR HIM TO HAVE THE APPLICATION PRIOR TO YOUR APPROVAL WOULD, WOULD, WOULD, WOULD BE DISINGENUOUS IN OUR PART.
SO WE WE'RE ASKING FOR, FOR THE ABILITY WHEN HE GETS THE CONTRACT, THEN HE'LL BE ABLE TO, TO GO AHEAD.
AND I THINK YOU GOT A LOT CLARITY ON, ON THE PROCESS NOW.
SO I THINK WE'RE JUST THAT CLEAR.
AND THREE, I THINK THE, UM, THE, I GUESS THE, SINCE WE HAD IT LAST YEAR WHEN WE VOTED ON, THERE WAS A LOT OF DATA IN IT.
THE KIND OF DATA THAT I'M GOING TO TONIGHT THAT WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE, BECAUSE I'M NOT, I'M NOT, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST MAYBE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.
I'M JUST NOT SOLD THAT THE, THAT, THAT KILLING THESE ANIMALS AND THE WAY THAT WE DO AND THE HUNT IS, IS THE MOST HUMANE WAY TO HANDLE THIS SITUATION.
AND, AND, UM, PARTICULARLY BETWEEN THE TRAPS THEMSELVES, UM, AND, AND IN THE FACT THAT WE'RE STILL DOING THIS IN THE SAME MANNER OVER A 20 YEAR PERIOD THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR SOME TIME.
SO IT JUST, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO BRING TO THE ADMINISTRATION ON OTHER WAYS TO DO THIS AND NEW WAYS TO DO IT, UM, THAT I THINK CAN BE, UM, UH, AS EFFECTIVE.
BUT SPECIFIC TO THAT QUESTION, I THINK I KIND OF UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, BUT WAS CONFUSED BECAUSE WE DID HAVE ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION LAST YEAR, UM, WHEN MAKING, WHEN MAKING THIS, UM, UH, DECISION.
AND, AND I ALSO AM STRUGGLING WITH EVEN THE WAY THAT THE DATA'S COLLECTED.
I'M NOT, AGAIN, TRYING TO DISPARAGE ANY OF THE ACADEMICS WHO YOU WORKED ON TO GET THE DATA FROM, BUT HOW THAT DATA'S COLLECTED AND THE RELIABILITY OF THAT DATA IS, I STILL HAVE SOME SERIOUS QUESTIONS, UM, ABOUT, SO I'LL, I'LL, I, I'M, THOSE QUESTIONS ARE, HAVE BEEN ANSWERED AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
AND, UM, AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, IT IS NOT MEANT TO BE CRITICAL OF ANYBODY WHO HAS WORKED ON THIS, BUT I JUST THINK WE NEED TO, TO MOVE IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND HOW WE, UH, HOW WE EXECUTE THIS, THIS PROGRAM.
COMMISSIONER, SEE, BALD AND VANCOUVER.
FIRST OF ALL, I DID READ THE INFORMATION WHEN I RECEIVED IT BY EMAIL TODAY, AND I ALSO READ IT TONIGHT BEFORE YOU GAVE YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT ONE THING.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS JUST ABOUT VERY, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'VE DONE SUCCESSFULLY IN THE PAST.
[00:50:01]
QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S A, A GOOD PROCEDURE IN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN DO.I MEAN THERE, YEAH, WE ALL WISH THERE WEREN'T SO MANY DEER, BUT WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM AND, AND IT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED.
UM, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO, IT'S GOING TO BE THE SOUTH MOUNTAIN RESERVATION AND HILLTOP, BUT NOT EAGLE ROCK, AND THAT HASN'T BEEN DONE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
WHY IS EAGLE ROCK NOT INCLUDED? I MEAN, I KNOW YOU DON'T HAVE THE COUNT THERE, BUT WHY, HOW COME THERE IS AN ACCOUNT THERE? OKAY.
UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT, WE, WE DID DO A COUNT AT EAGLE ROCK.
SO EVEN THOUGH IT WAS AN INCREASE FROM LASTER OF ONE DEER TO FIVE DEER, THAT WOULD SEEM LIKE AN ENORMOUS INCREASE, BUT IT WAS FIVE DEER.
THE RESOURCES THAT IT TAKES TO MOUNT THE PROGRAM BETWEEN, UH, THE MAINTENANCE STAFF AND THE SHERIFF STAFF, AND THE COST OF ALL OF THAT, PLUS THE VOLUNTEERS, THE HUNTERS WHO HAVE TO GO OUT AND ESTABLISH BAIT STATIONS, MAINTAIN THEM, THEY'RE, ALL OF THAT EFFORT IS FAR EXCEEDING THE VALUE OF REMOVING WHAT MIGHT ONLY BE.
I UNDERSTAND ALL THAT, AND I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE NOT DOING IT, BUT I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW HOW COME EAGLE ROCK RESERVATION HAS SO FOOD DEAR, I'M, WE ARE PUZZLED BY THAT AS WELL.
UM, APPARENTLY THERE ARE NO COMPLAINTS COMING FROM THE NEIGHBORS THAT HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BY THE PARTS DEPARTMENT.
IT WOULD SEEM TO BE AS GOOD A HABITAT AS SOUTH MOUNTAIN OR HILLTOP FOR DEER.
THEY, THEY JUST DON'T SEEM TO BE THERE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT, YEAH, PERHAPS THERE IS A PREDATOR IN THERE THAT WE'RE NOT AWARE OF.
THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, FIRST QUESTION, MR. JACKSON, WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE CONSULTANT'S CONTRACT? IS IT APPROVED? DO WE NEED TO APPROVE IT AGAIN? WELL, TONIGHT YOU WOULD BE APPROVING, ALLOWING US TO MAKE THE APPLICATION.
SO THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE ALLOWING US TO MAKE THE APPLICATION.
THEN WE WOULD COME BACK TO THE BOARD WITH, UH, MR WITH THE, WITH THE CONTRACT FOR MR. JOSHUA EIGHTS COUNTY PARKS, UH, THROUGH YOU.
IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY UNSPECIFIED SERVICE CONTRACT.
THAT'S THE WAY WE'VE, UH, AWARDED IT.
SO IT WOULD, IT WOULD NOT BE, UH, APPEARING BEFORE THE BOARD.
IT'S AT THE, UH, DISCRETION AND APPROVAL OF THE PURCHASING DIRECTOR.
SO WE, SO WE HAVEN'T AWARDED IT.
SO THE CONSULTANT GAVE ME THE IMPRESSION A MINUTE AGO THAT HE NEEDS TO PREPARE THE APPLICATION, BUT HE HASN'T DONE IT BECAUSE HE DOESN'T HAVE A CONTRACT.
UH, THREE OF YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
IT'S IN THE DOES I JUST UNDERSTAND HIM.
IT'S, IT'S IN THE PROCESS OF, OF BEING AWARDED.
SO IT'S IN THE PROCESS OF BEING AWARDED.
THE CONSULTANT, DO YOU CONSULT FOR OTHER COUNTIES? CAN YOU COME BACK TO THE MIC PLEASE? YOU SAID THAT SS COUNTY HAS THE BEST DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT YOU'VE SEEN SO FAR.
WHAT MAKES OUR PROGRAM SO GREAT? OKAY.
DANIEL BERNER, WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT THROUGH YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, ESSEX COUNTY IS MY ONLY CLIENT.
UM, I ONLY BECAME A CONSULTANT TO THE COUNTY OF ESSEX BECAUSE THE COUNTY OF ESSEX WANTED TO CONDUCT A PROGRAM IN 2008.
AND AT THAT TIME, THE MOST EFFECTIVE PROGRAM IN NEW JERSEY WAS BEING CONDUCTED RIGHT NEXT DOOR IN THE COUNTY OF UNION.
I AM A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE OF THE UNION COUNTY PARKS DEPARTMENT.
IN, IN MY JOB THERE AS DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES, I DESIGNED, ADMINISTERED, AND DIRECTED THAT PROGRAM FOR 25 YEARS, UM, THROUGH MY PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION WITH, WITH, UM, OTHER COUNTY PARK LEADERS, WITH, UH, STATE OFFICIALS, WITH ACADEMICS, WITH FOREST BIOLOGISTS, WITH WILDLIFE BIOLOGISTS.
I AM AWARE OF MANY PROGRAMS THAT ARE CONDUCTED IN NEW JERSEY.
MOST OF THEM ARE CONDUCTED, UH, AS A RECREATIONAL HUNT WITH THE HOPE OF REMOVING DEER.
YOUR PROGRAM IS CONDUCTED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEER MANAGEMENT TO REMOVE AS MANY DEER FROM THE FOREST IN AS SHORT A PERIOD AS POSSIBLE WITH AS LITTLE IMPACT ON PARK USERS, PARK NEIGHBORS, AND YOUR BUDGET AS POSSIBLE.
SO YOUR PROFESSIONAL OPINION WOULD BE THE WAY THAT WE'RE DOING IT IS THE WAY THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO IT? ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE IF WE DON'T DO THIS? THE ALTERNATIVE IS THAT THE NUMBER OF DEER WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE, AND THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS YOU GET FROM
[00:55:02]
NEIGHBORS WILL INCREASE AS THEIR, THEIR HOME LANDSCAPING IS IMPACTED.YOU WILL HAVE, UH, AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF DEER CAR ACCIDENTS AND, AND POSSIBLE INJURY AND HOPEFULLY NOT, BUT POSSIBLY LOSS OF LIFE.
AND IT WILL HAVE A, UH, A CONTINUED AND PERHAPS MORE PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE ECOLOGY, EXCUSE ME, THE ECOLOGY OF YOUR FOREST, WHERE THE, UH, AS THEY INCREASE THE NUMBER, THEY EAT OUT ALL OF THE NATIVE PLANTS THAT THEY CAN REACH IN THE FOREST LEAVING JUST BEHIND THE, THE INVASIVE PLANTS.
SO THERE REALLY AREN'T ANY ALTERNATIVES, IS WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY, TO REDUCE THIS POPULATION AND MANAGE IT.
I AM NOT AWARE OF A, OF AN ALTERNATIVE THAT IS PRACTICAL OR EFFECTIVE.
THERE ARE OTHER PROCEDURES FOR REMOVING DEER THROUGH THINGS LIKE, UH, FERTILITY CONTROL, BUT THEY'RE NOT PRACTICAL IN A FREE RANGING POPULATION IN A, IN A WIDE OPEN PUBLIC SPACE.
MR. JACKSON, COULD YOU PLEASE A PART OF THE MEMO THAT'S ATTACHED TO RESOLUTION 55 REFERS TO A COST THAT THE COUNTY INCURRED FOR THIS DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AS A PART OF THE APPLICATION.
CAN YOU JUST GIVE US A ROUGH IDEA OF WHAT THOSE COSTS ARE, UM, AND IF THE COUNTY, DO WE BEAR ANY RESPONSIBILITY IN ANY OF THESE INCIDENTS THAT'S REFERENCED WITHIN YOUR RECOMMENDATION AS TO WHY WE SHOULD SUPPORT THIS KIND OF PROGRAM? CERTAINLY COMMISSION.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, UM, JUST LIKE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT, THAT WE DEAL WITH ON OUR AGENDA THAT OUR CONSTITUENTS ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT, THIS IS A ISSUE THAT WE GET A LOT OF PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS ABOUT AS WELL.
SO I REALLY WANNA BE INFORMED, UM, ABOUT WHATEVER DECISION IT IS THAT I MAKE REFERENCE TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 5 55.
SO MY OTHER QUESTION IS, MR. PARVE, DO YOU HAVE TO VOTE ON THIS ISSUE TONIGHT? LIKE WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT? I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE APPLICATION, IF WE COULD FIND OUT WHEN THE, UH, APPLICATION PROCESS IS.
THAT'S THE ANSWER I CAN GIVE, IS THE NEXT MEETING IS SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER.
SO THREE OF MR. VICE PRESIDENT, THE APPLICATION NEEDS TO BE SUBMITTED BY SEPTEMBER THE 10TH, 120 DAYS BEFORE THE PROGRAM WOULD BEGIN, AND OUR NEXT MEETING IS SEPTEMBER THE 14TH.
SO THAT, THAT'S THE IMPACT YOU, IT WOULD, WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HAVE A PROGRAM IN THE TIMEFRAME THAT MR. BEIER TALKED ABOUT.
JUST, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER COOPER'S QUESTION ALSO JUST, UM, TEASED OUT AT INTERESTING POINT THAT, UM, ABOUT THE NUMBERS OF TARGETS.
SO DO WE, IN DOING THIS, THE OBJECTIVE IS TO REMOVE AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.
SO WE JUST KILL AS MANY AS WE CAN DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
JUST KILL AS MANY OF THOSE DEER AS WE CAN GET OUR HANDS ON DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
THERE'S NO NUMBER, TARGET NUMBER BASED ON THE DATA THAT IS PRESENTED IN THE APPLICATION.
THREE OF MR. VICE PRESIDENT? YES, THERE ARE GOALS.
THE GOAL IS TO REMOVE 50 DEER FROM SOUTH MOUNTAIN AND 50 DEER FROM HILLTOP.
IT, IT IS IMPRACTICAL TO, TO BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD EVER REACH A LIMIT BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF DEER AND BECAUSE OF THE ELUSIVENESS OF, OF THAT SPECIES, OF THIS SPECIES.
DO HAVE WE EVER THROUGH MR. VICE PRESIDENT, DO WE EVER, SO HAVE WE EXCEEDED THAT OUR TARGET NUMBERS IN YEARS PAST FOR THE RARELY.
AND THE GOAL IS ALWAYS LESS THAN THE NUMBERS THAT, THAT WE SHOULD BE AIMING FOR IN TERMS OF BIOLOGICAL, UM, CARRYING CAPACITY OF THE, THE LAND.
SO, SO YOU MENTIONED BY, SO THAT NUMBER'S DRIVEN BY THE SCIENCE THAT'S YES.
LAID OUT OF HOW MANY DEER AND WHAT THE IMPACT.
UM, AND IS, IS THERE DATA AROUND THEN, UM, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE CONSTITUENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS ISSUE, BUT IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT, UM, ON THE, UM, UH, IMPACT ON HOMEOWNER'S, IMPACT ON, YOU KNOW, LOSS OF, UH, OTHER VEGETATION, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, I GUESS WHAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED TO BE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF HAVING OVER, YOU KNOW, OVERPOPULATION OF DEER? IS THERE DATA THAT IS ALSO PART OF, UM, WHAT'S BEEN PRESENTED HERE, OR PART OF THE APPLICATION THAT IS SHOWING THE PROGRESS IN THOSE CATEGORIES BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE DO, WE'VE DONE THE HUNT,
[01:00:01]
I GUESS, MINUS THE TWO.WE TOOK A TWO YEAR BREAK FOR COVID.
SO, UM, SO THOSE, THOSE METRICS ARE ALSO A BIG, ARE USED AS A JUSTIFICATION IN THAT APPLICATION PROCESS, OR DO WE HAVE TO SHOW ANYTHING AS A COUNTY IN ORDER TO BE APPROVED TO DO THIS AS PART OF THAT APPLICATION PROCESS THROUGH MR. VICE PRESIDENT? THE, THE COUNTY DOES NOT SURVEY HOMEOWNERS, UH, FOR DAMAGE.
IT, IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO DO, AND IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO GET ANY REAL MEANINGFUL RESULTS FROM.
BUT WE DO, UM, ON ABOUT A FIVE YEAR BASIS, UM, CONTRACT WITH, UM, A COMPANY THAT, UH, DOES ASSESSMENT OF FOREST HEALTH.
THEY, THEY CONDUCT A, UH, WHAT'S CALLED A RAPID FOREST HEALTH ASSESSMENT.
IT INVOLVES SETTING OUT CERTAIN STUDY PLOTS AND COUNTING THE NUMBER OF SEEDLINGS OR SAPLINGS THAT ARE PRESENT WITHIN THAT STUDY AREA.
AND, AND, UM, LOOKING AT NATIVE VERSUS INVASIVE, AND THERE'S A LOT OF FACTORS INVOLVED.
ALL OF THOSE REPORTS FROM EACH OF THOSE YEARS RIGHT BACK TO THE BEGINNING ARE ALL INCLUDED IN THE APPLICATION.
THEY'RE VERY INVOLVED, BUT, BUT THOSE RAPID FOREST HEALTH ASSESSMENTS DO SHOW, UM, WHERE SOME AREAS OF THE PARK MIGHT SEE IMPROVEMENT.
BUT THAT IN GENERAL, THAT THE, THE IMPACT IS STILL PRETTY WIDE IN UNION COUNTY.
WE WERE DRIVING THE NUMBERS DOWN VERY WELL.
THERE WAS QUITE A PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE WE STARTED TO SEE THE REGROWTH OF THE FOREST.
IT, IT'S NOT INSTANTANEOUS, BUT, UM, BUT IT, IT DID BECOME EVIDENT AFTER A WHILE, PARTICULARLY IN, IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT, UM, THE FOREST HAS FILLED BACK IN WITH A LOT OF SMALL SEEDLINGS THAT WOULD PREVIOUSLY HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY CONSUMED BY THE DEER.
UM, CONSIDERING THAT WE NEED TO VOTE ON THIS TONIGHT, BASED UPON THE DATES THAT YOU JUST GAVE US, WHAT DOES THE 50 AT EACH SITE REPRESENT? WHAT, WHAT, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL NUMBER DOES THAT 50 REPRESENT? IS IT 10%, 20% AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN? UH, THE NUMBERS SUGGEST THAT THERE ARE 118 DEER, THAT THERE WILL BE 118 DEER THIS WINTER.
AND AT HILLTOP THERE WILL BE 92 HILL, UH, SOUTHBOUND.
WE THINK WE'LL HAVE 118, BUT IT SHOULD HAVE, UH, 32 HILLTOP, WE BELIEVE WILL HAVE 92, IT SHOULD HAVE FOUR.
HILLTOP IS A MUCH SMALLER PIECE OF PROPERTY THAN SOUTH MOUNTAIN.
DID I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY THAT THE DATA WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD BE TARGETING MORE THAN 50, BUT YOU CAME IN MORE CONSERVATIVELY? YES, BECAUSE THE, THE CALENDAR IS ONLY GONNA ALLOW SO MANY WEEKS OF HUNTING BEFORE YOU GET INTO MARCH.
WHEN THE PARKS, YOU KNOW, THE WEATHER WARMS UP, THE PARKS GET BUSY, YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE HUNTERS OUT THERE AND CREATING CONFLICTS WITH AN INCREASED NUMBER OF PARK USERS.
UM, PREGNANT FEMALES ARE FURTHER ALONG IN THEIR GESTATION PERIOD.
YOU DON'T WANT TO BE REMOVING THEM FROM THE POPULATION AT THAT TIME.
UH, JUST FROM A HUMANE POINT OF VIEW.
UM, SO THE, THE, THE GOAL OF 50 IS BASED ON HOW MANY, BASED ON PAST EXPERIENCE, HOW MANY HUNTERS WE KNOW WE CAN FIT IN THE FOREST SAFELY, SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER.
AND THAT, UH, THAT THE AMOUNT OF TIME, KEEP IN MIND, THESE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS, HOW MUCH TIME WE CAN GET THEM TO COMMIT TO DOING IT.
AND THE HUNTERS WE'VE HAD HAVE BEEN FABULOUS IN TERMS OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE PROGRAM.
BUT THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE JOBS, THEY HAVE FAMILIES THAT CAN ONLY AFFORD TO TAKE OFF SO MANY DAYS FROM WORK.
UM, ALL OF THOSE FACTORS ARE, ARE PUT INTO THAT.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MOTION, ANYONE? I'LL MOVE IT.
LET'S MOVE ONLY, UH, 55 AT THIS TIME.
WE'RE GONNA DO ONLY 55 AND THEN WE'LL MOVE THE OTHER FIVE SEPARATELY.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, UH, CBOL TO MOVE IT.
ANY SECOND? SECOND, UH, COMMISSIONER GRAHAM SECONDS.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POS? YES.
[01:05:01]
UH, COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.LET'S NOW MOVE, UH, 56 THROUGH 60.
DO I HAVE A MOVER MOTION? THANK YOU.
ANY SECOND? COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, ROLL CALL.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT PO.
ALL RIGHT, MR. JACKSON, LET'S TAKE, UH, I SEE 61 THROUGH 70 ARE ALL THROUGH, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
WHY DON'T WE TAKE THEM IN THE GROUP? CERTAINLY.
MR. VICE PRESIDENT, UM, MR. ANTONIO WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. MR. ANTONIO, THE VOICE OF OS COUNTY, IS THAT THE DAVID ANTONIO? RIGHT.
UH, GOOD EVENING, DAVID ANTONIO.
ITEM NUMBER 61 IS A CONSENT RESOLUTION TO THE TOWNSHIP OF WEST ORANGE ORDINANCE AMENDING, UH, CHAPTER SEVEN OF THE TRAFFIC SECTION, WHICH WILL REDUCE THE SPEED LIMIT ON MOUNT PLEASANT AVENUE BETWEEN PROSPECT AND JONES IN WEST ORANGE TO 25 MILES AN HOUR.
ITEM NUMBER 62 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO SEUS ENTERPRISES TO CONSTRUCT THE NEW CHERRY BLOSSOM WELCOME CENTER AT BRANCH BROOK PARK IN THE CITY OF NEWARK.
SEUS ENTERPRISES BID WAS THE LOWEST OF THE SIXTH RECEIVED.
THIS WILL BE A 300 DAY CONTRACT.
IT WILL NOT EXCEED $9,890,000.
AND MR. HARRY SEUS IS HERE TO QUICKLY RUN DOWN, UM, THE SCOPE OF WORK AND INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY AND PERHAPS ANSWER QUESTIONS, SUPPORT MAY HAVE.
I'M THE CEO OF CIVIC COAST ENTERPRISES INCORPORATED.
UH, WE HAVE BEEN DOING BUSINESS WITH THE COUNTY FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS NOW.
WE'RE CURRENTLY CONTRACTED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE, UH, RENOVATION IN ADDITION TO THE WESTSIDE PARK, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER.
UH, WE ARE A PARTIALLY UNION COMPANY IN ALL OF OUR WORK ON WESTSIDE PARK AND ON CHERRY BLOSSOM PARK, UH, WILL BE UNION.
UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE COMPLETING THIS PROJECT.
THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT IS GONNA INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW 10,000 SQUARE FOOT COMMUNITY BUILDING, UH, SOME BACHI COURTS, SOME SITE WORK, AND SOME RENOVATIONS OF THE PARKING LOT.
I DO UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S MUCH NEEDED.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK.
DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AVENUE NUMBER 63 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO TURCO GOLF TO PROVIDE THE FRANCIS BURN GOLF COURTS IMPROVEMENTS IN WEST ORANGE.
TORCO BID WAS THE LOWEST OF THE TWO RECEIVED.
THIS, UH, PROJECT WILL LAST 270 DAYS.
IT WILL NOT EXCEED $6,837,631.
THIS CONTRACT HAS A, UH, PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT THAT HAS BEEN EXECUTED AND WILL BE, UH, UTILIZING BONAFIDE UNION LABOR, UH, OUT OF NUMBER 64.
IS THAT, I'M SORRY, MS. SAN ANTONIO IS THE VENDOR HERE FOR THAT? YES, HE IS.
UM, DENNIS, YOU WANT TO COME UP? HE'S BEEN SITTING PATIENTLY AT THE LEAST WE COULD DO IS GIVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF.
WE CAN MAKE 'EM FAMOUS ON THE CAMERAS.
UH, UH, DENNIS, INTRODUCE THE COMPANY AND PREVIOUS WORK AND THANK YOU.
HI, MY NAME IS DENNIS TURCO FROM TURCO GOLF.
UH, I JUST RECENTLY COMPLETED HENDRICKS FIELD GOLF COURSE, WHICH WAS A $6 MILLION PROJECT IN THE COUNTY.
I'M A GOLF COURSE, MY CONSTRUCTION COMPANY.
WE ARE GOLF COURSE BUILDERS THAT TRAVEL.
ARE YOU BASED HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY? WE ARE BASED IN POMPTON LAKES, NEW JERSEY.
AND, UH, WERE ANY, UH, COUNTY RESIDENCE EMPLOYED BY YOUR FIRM DURING THE BUILDING OF THE LOSS PROJECT THAT ANTICIPATE ANY IN THIS ONE? YES.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF I'LL BRING HIM BACK.
MR. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, DO YOU HAVE GOT YES.
THROUGH YOU? UH, CAN YOU AT LEAST GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS YOU'RE GONNA BE DOING TO FRANCIS BUREAU? YES.
WE'RE GONNA BE, AND WE'RE GONNA BE BUILDING TWO NEW HOLES.
UH, WE'RE GONNA BE RENOVATING ALL THE, UH, THE BUNKERS.
WE'RE RENOVATING ALL 18 GREENS PLUS THE PUTTING GREEN.
UH, WE'RE RENT, WE'RE INSTALLING NEW
[01:10:01]
IRRIGATION ALL AROUND THE, ALL AROUND THE GREENS.ALL GREENS GET NEW IRRIGATION.
THERE'S GONNA BE NEW CAR BARNS.
THERE'S AN UPGRADE TO THE PUMP HOUSE FOR THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM, AND, UH, IT'S GONNA BE A TOTAL RENOVATION.
YOU DID MENTION THERE, IT'S GONNA BE TWO NEW HOLES OR SOMETHING.
HOLE NUMBER FOUR AND SEVEN RIGHT NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU EVER PLAYED THE COURSE.
YOU, YOU KNOW, NUMBER, NUMBER TWO, THAT'S ON THE HILL WITH ALL THE BLOCKS AROUND IT.
AND WE'RE GONNA CLEAR ON THE LEFT OF ONE ALL THAT BRUSH IN THERE.
WE'RE GONNA CLEAR IT AND WE'RE GONNA, THE GREEN'S GONNA SIT RIGHT IN THAT AREA.
COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, WE EXPECT YOU TO PLAY THE COURSE AND GIVE US THE FULL REPORT.
DAVID ANTONIO, THE PROBLEM OF PUBLIC WORKS OUT NUMBER 64 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO PRACTICAL TO PROVIDE ROOF REPLACEMENT AT THE ES COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
IT WILL NOT EXCEED $10,238,257.
UH, PROF GOES BID WAS THE LOWEST OF THE THREE RECEIVED, AND THIS PROJECT WILL, UH, ALLOW FOR THE REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF OVER 252,000 SQUARE FEET OF ROOF AT THE JAIL.
UH, MR. UH, SHARMA IS HERE TO, UH, PERHAPS ELABORATE FURTHER ON THE PROJECT.
UM, ANTONIO SUGGESTED THIS PROJECT YOU, MR. VICE, CAN YOU SPEAK IN TO THE MIC A LITTLE THING? THANK YOU.
THIS PROJECT INVOLVES REPLACEMENT OF 257,000 SQUARE FEET OF, UH, ROOF AND COMPLETELY DOWN TO THE DAGON INSTALLATION OF NEW WITH AN EXTENDED WARRANTY.
UM, AS FOR OUR COMPANY, WE HAVE DONE SEVERAL PROJECTS IN THIS AREA, INCLUDING THE FEDERAL BUILDING FROM RAYMOND BOULEVARD AND ROUTE 21 IN THE WORK AIRPORT.
WE HAVE DONE TERMINAL A AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING TERMINAL C AT THIS TIME.
UH, MR. ANTONIO, DOES THIS AFFECT THE OPERATIONS OF THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY? HAS THIS DONE COMPLETELY FROM THE OUTSIDE? THE WORK? YES.
IT'S ALL GOING TO BE FROM OUTSIDE, BUT OF COURSE THERE WILL BE LOGISTICAL ISSUES.
SOME INMATES MIGHT HAVE TO BE MOVED, THAT, THAT WILL BE WORKED OUT WITH THE FACILITY.
SO THERE'S A FULL PLAN FOR HOW TO DO THIS BECAUSE OF OBVIOUSLY A SENSITIVITY OF MOVING FOLKS AROUND.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE DONE TWO PROJECTS AT, UH, RAILWAY STATE PRISON, AND WE ARE ALSO CURRENTLY DOING PHILADELPHIA CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 65 CONTRACT AWARD TO SEE AND CONSTRUCTION TO PROVIDE FOR THE NEW BANDSTAND AT BROOKDALE PARK IN THE TOWNSHIP OF BLOOMFIELD.
UH, THE BID SUBMITTED BY CN CONSTRUCTION WAS THE LOWEST OF THE TWO RECEIVED.
THIS WILL BE A 90 DAY CONTRACT.
IT WILL NOT EXCEED $1,245,000.
SANKO HAS JOINED US AND WE'LL GLADLY ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE ME HAVE.
MY NAME IS JOHN NICOLES WITH ZEN CONSTRUCTION.
UH, PREVIOUSLY WE HAVE, UH, DONE COUPLE PROJECTS FOR SX COUNT, UM, IN BLUE PARK.
I'M SORRY A LITTLE LOT CUZ WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME HEARING UP HERE.
WELCOME CENTER IN BROOKDALE PARK TENNIS CENTER IN BROOKDALE PARK.
UM, VALENTINE'S GATES IN, UH, FRENCH BOOK PARK, UH, ZOO EAGLE, EAGLE EXHIBITED TURTLE BIG ZOO.
AND THIS PROJECT IS NEW
I'M FAMILIAR WITH IT AS A BLOOMFIELD RESIDENT.
TELL ME, ARE YOU AN ESSEX COUNTY? ARE YOU BASED IN ESSEX COUNTY OR DO YOU EMPLOY AND OR DO YOU EMPLOY ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS? WE BASED IN BERGEN COUNTY, BUT WE HAVE SOME EMPLOYEES FROM ESSEX.
SOMEONE PULLS PHILES AND ALSO SUBCONTRACTORS FROM
DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 66 IS TO PROVIDE, PROVIDE FOR THE ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES FOR THE NEW BUILDING, ANY IMPROVEMENT AT IRVINGTON PARK.
THE CARA RUBINOS UM, PROPOSAL WAS THE HIGHEST RATED OF THE SEVEN RESPONSES THAT WERE RECEIVED TO THIS PROJECT'S RFP.
[01:15:01]
CONTRACT.ALLISON SHROCK UP, UM, IS HERE FROM THE CARA RUBINO.
SHE WILL, UH, QUICKLY RUN DOWN THE LIST OF THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS, INTRODUCE OUR COMPANY AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ALLISON STROKA, PRINCIPAL DE CARINO ARCHITECTS.
UH, DE CARINO ARCHITECTS IS LOCATED IN WAYNE, NEW JERSEY.
WE DO EMPLOY ESSEX COUNTY, UM, PEOPLE FROM ESSEX COUNTY.
THE, UM, FIRM IS ABOUT 25 PEOPLE.
WE HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY ALREADY.
OUR PREVIOUS PROJECT, UH, THE LAST PROJECT WAS THE TERRY BLOSSOM COMMUNITY CENTER.
UH, THE COMMUNITY CENTER AT IRVINGTON PARK IS GONNA BE LOCATED ON THE SOUTHWEST QUADRANT.
IT'S GONNA BE APPROXIMATELY 10,000 SQUARE FEET.
IT'S GOING TO HAVE A DROP OFF OF LYONS AVENUE.
UH, THE BUILDING WILL CONSIST OF SOME, A CLASSROOM, SOME OFFICES, A COMMUNITY SPACE, AND, UH, SUPPORT SPACES FOR THAT.
THERE WILL BE A LOT OF STORAGE, PARK STORAGE, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR TOILETS FOR THE PARK.
UH, THERE IMPROVEMENTS FOR THE SITE WILL BE SOME LIGHTING FOR THE TURF FIELD, UH, SITE PATHWAYS, FENCING, UM, AND, UM, I BELIEVE THAT'S ABOUT IT.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS OUT OF NUMBER 67 IS TO PROVIDE DESIGN SERVICES FOR THE ATHLETIC AND BULL FIELDS AT IVY HILL IN BRUNWICK PARK IN THE CITY OF NEWARK, FRENCH AND PELLA'S PROPOSAL WAS THE HIGHEST RATE RATED OF THE 11 THAT WERE RECEIVED.
THE AMOUNT FOR THIS CONTRACT WILL NOT EXCEED $264,000, NOR WILL IT EXCEED 12 MONTHS IN DURATION.
MICHAEL PGA OF FRENCH PAROLE IS HERE.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A FEW WORDS ABOUT HIS COMPANY BEST EXPERIENCE.
SO PERHAPS ADD SOME MORE, ADD SOME MORE ABOUT THE, UH, SCOPE OF WORK.
I'M WITH FRENCH AND PAR ASSOCIATES.
I'VE BEEN THERE FOR ABOUT 24 YEARS.
UH, THE COMPANY'S BEEN AROUND FOR 45 YEARS.
WE'VE WORKED IN ESUS COUNTY ON OTHER PROJECTS SUCH AS THE TURTLEBACK ZOO, UH, AND SOME OTHER PARKS WITHIN THE AREA.
UM, WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING AT, UH, IVY HILL IN PARTICULAR IS A FOOTBALL, SOCCER, SYNTHETIC TURF FIELD.
UH, THERE WILL BE LIGHTS ON, ON THE FIELD, ATHLETIC LIGHTS, UM, THE EXISTING BALL FIELD THAT'S THERE, THE LITTLE LEAGUE FIELD WILL BE REDONE AND THE BASKETBALL COURTS WILL BE, UH, RESURFACED.
AND AT BRANCH BROOK PARK, THERE IS THE EXISTING SOFTBALL FIELDS BEHIND THE WELCOME CENTER.
WE'RE GONNA BE ADDING SYNTHETIC TURF TO THE INFIELD, UPGRADING THE BACKSTOP AND THE DUGOUTS, AND, UH, ADDING SOME LANDSCAPING THROUGHOUT.
CAN YOU TELL US WHERE YOUR COMPANY IS LOCATED AND DO YOU EMPLOY ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENCE? UH, WE'RE LOCATED IN WALL, NEW JERSEY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE AN OFFICE IN NEWARK.
WE HOPE TO KEEP EMPLOYING RESIDENTS.
COMMISSIONER RICARDO, I OVERLOOKED.
ON THE BRANCHWOOD PARK, UH, BEHIND THE WELCOME CENTER, IT, THERE ARE, UH, THREE FIELDS THERE.
IT'S GONNA REMAIN THREE FIELDS.
IT'S GONNA REMAIN THREE FIELDS.
ACTUALLY IT'S TWO SOFTBALL FIELDS IN A BASEBALL FIELD.
SO YES, IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA REMAIN THAT.
AND THEY'RE ALL DIRT FIELDS, SO THEY'RE GONNA SURFACE THEM.
YOU JUST, THE IN, UH, THE INFIELD ITSELF.
THAT'S WHERE THE MOST WEAR AND TEAR IS.
A LOT OF FLOODING AND RAIN AND, RIGHT.
COMMISSIONER RICARDO HAS EXTENSIVE LITTLE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE, SO HE'S GONNA REPORT BACK TO US ON THE CONDITIONS
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO COMMISSIONER RICARDO.
UH, DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 68 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO AIR SYSTEMS MAINTENANCE INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF AIR CONDITIONING UNITS AT VARIOUS COUNTY FACILITIES.
THOSE FACILITIES INCLUDE THE HALL OF RECORDS, LE SMITH PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING, AND 50 SOUTH CLINTON, UH, IN EAST ORANGE.
THIS AIR SYSTEMS, UH, WAS THE LOWEST OF THE TWO BIDS RECEIVED.
THIS WILL BE A 150 DAY CONTRACT AND WILL NOT EXCEED $987,885.
UH, PERHAPS HE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY AND, UH,
[01:20:01]
VASCO.GOOD EVENING TO ALL MY NAME'S VASCO CORDERO WITH THEIR SYSTEMS MAINTENANCE.
UH, WE'RE A UNION SHOP LOCATED OUT OF KENWORTH, NEW JERSEY.
WE EMPLOY MANY WORKERS FROM ESSEX COUNTY LOCAL 4 75 UNION SHEET METAL, LOCAL 24.
UH, WE DO VARIOUS WORK WITH ESSEX COUNTY HALL OF RECORDS, TURTLE BACK ZOO, A LOT OF PROJECTS WITH YOU GUYS.
ALWAYS A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP.
AND, UH, HOPE TO KEEPING YOU GUYS COOL THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER WITH THE REPLACEMENTS THAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
NOW, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? GOOD.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
IT'S A CONTRACT AWARD TO DIA GENERAL CONSTRUCTION TO PROVIDE GENERAL CONSTRUCTION SERVICES AT VARIOUS COUNTY FACILITIES.
THIS IS A, UH, ON AS NEEDED BASIS FOR ASBESTOS AND LET PAINT ABATEMENT.
UM, THIS IS A CONTRACT THAT WILL NOT EXCEED 700 AND, UH, I'M SORRY, $578,100.
UNFORTUNATELY, MR. CREW CANNOT MAKE IT TONIGHT.
HE TESTED COVID POSITIVE, UM, OTHERWISE HE WOULD'VE BEEN HERE.
ITEM NUMBER 70, IT'S A CONTRACT AWARD TO OFFICE PENNY TO FURNISH AND DELIVER FLAGS AND ACCESSORIES FOR THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
UM, OFFICE PENNY'S, UH, BID WAS THE SOLE RECEIVED.
UH, IT WILL BE IN EFFECT FROM SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2022 THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 2024.
AND IT WILL NOT EXCEED $75,000.
MR. ANTONIO, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE NUMBER 70 OR MR. COL, PERHAPS, CAUSE I KNOW YOU AND I'VE WORKED IN THIS, ARE THESE THE FLAGS THAT WE SEE FOR CEMETERY FOR MEMORIAL DAY OR IS THIS A DIFFERENT JEWELS COLLY PURCHASING? UH, THEY'LL BE FOR ANY USE THAT THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND ADMINISTRATION SEES THE NEED FOR IT.
MR. ANTONIO GLENDALE CEMETERY.
THERE'S THAT MONUMENT, UH, THAT THE COUNTY ERECTED FOR VETERANS.
AND IN ADDITION TO EVERY MEMORIAL DAY, THEY PUT THE FLAGS ON THE TRADE, BUT THERE'S, THE MONUMENT HAVE FLAGS AND IT'S ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF, UH, THAT'S TRUE FLAGS REPRESENTING THE ARMED FORCES.
UH, WE MAY WANT TO CHECK INTO THOSE AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THOSE.
DEFINITELY WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT.
UH, JULIUS COL PURCHASING ENGINE.
THAT IS ALL, THAT'S ANOTHER BIT THAT WE GO OUT FOR THAT WE DO THE SMALLER FLAGS.
UM, A LOT OF THE FLAGS THAT WE'RE USING FOR THIS PARTICULAR BID OR FOR THE FLAGS THAT ARE ON FLAG POLES, ET CETERA, AND THE BUILDINGS AND MONUMENTS AND THINGS OF THAT.
BUT THERE IS ALSO, I THINK, AND I THINK YOU'RE AWARE OF IT, UH, BOY SCOUTS THAT, OR A ORGANIZATION THAT GO OUT AND PUT THE FLAGS YES.
SO THAT COMES THROUGH DIFFERENT D DIFFERENT BID.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
MR. PARIO, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NO QUESTIONS.
MANY OF THE CONTRACTORS WHO CAME BEFORE US TONIGHT HAVE DONE EXCELLENT WORK FOR ESSEX COUNTY IN THE PAST.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO COMMEND THEM FOR THE WORK THEY'VE DONE FOR ESSEX COUNTY AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO FOR THE FUTURE.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? GREAT.
SO CAN I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE 61 THROUGH 70? I'LL MOVE IT.
SO I CAN INVITE COOPER COOPER ROLL CALL.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT KA.
MR. JACKSON, HOW ABOUT 71 AND 72? THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
UH, MR. BALECI WILL ADDRESS THESE ITEMS. GOOD EVENING, MR. PAI.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 71, UM, IS A, UH, CONTRACT WITH LAST EXIT TO, UH, MAINTAIN AND HOST THE COUNTY WEBSITE.
UH, IT'S A TWO YEAR CONTRACT, UH, NOT TO EXCEED $367,000.
UH, THAT CONTRACT IS $132,000 FOR YEAR ONE, $135,000 FOR YEAR TWO.
AND THEN THERE'S, UH, $50,000 EACH YEAR ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS.
[01:25:01]
REDESIGN, UH, TO THAT WEBSITE, WE HAVE, UH, MR. MIKE FR, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF LAST EXIT.UM, THEY'VE HAD THE CONTRACT FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS OR SO.
UH, HE'S HERE IF YOU TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
MICHAEL FR JOEL LAST EXIT ASSOCIATES.
UM, VERY PROUD TO CONTINUE TO DO THE SITE, UH, FOR ALL OF YOU.
AND, UM, WE'RE BASED OUT OF RO, NEW JERSEY.
ANY QUESTIONS? HE'S A LOT TALLER THAN ME.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 72 IS A, UH, CONTRACT WITH NEW FRONTIER.
UH, THEY WERE THE HIGHEST RATED, UH, PROPOSAL OF FOUR PROPOSALS THAT WERE RECEIVED.
UH, THE CONTRACT IS A ONE YEAR CONTRACT FOR $250,000.
UH, OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE HAD A COUPLE CAMPAIGNS THAT WE'VE CONDUCTED, UH, ONE BEING THE US CENSUS IN 2020, AND THEN IN 2020 AND 2021.
AND THROUGH THIS YEAR AS WELL IS THE PANDEMIC.
UH, WE'VE TRIED TO, UH, REACH OUT TO, UH, RESIDENTS IN MORE UNIQUE WAYS THAN JUST TRADITIONAL NEWSPAPER ADVERTISING.
THAT'S, UH, MEANT WE'VE GOT, HAD TO GO THROUGH, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, UH, VARIOUS WEBSITES.
UM, AND IT'S, UH, EASIER TO DO THAT WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A COMPANY LIKE NEW FRONTIER.
UM, REPRESENTING THEM TONIGHT IS THEIR PRESIDENT, DAVID, UH, SORKIN.
UM, AND HE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
MR. VICE PRESIDENT DAVID SORKIN, NEW FRONTIER, AN AD AGENCY BASED IN DOWNTOWN MILBURN, NEW JERSEY.
WE EMPLOY FOUR ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS OUT OF OUR SEVEN EMPLOYEES, AND WE, UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO WORK WITH THE COUNTY.
UM, WE'VE GOT EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE IN MEDIA PLANNING.
WE'VE GOT GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL THE LOCAL MEDIA AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU.
COMMISSION DOES ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SORKIN? I THINK COMMISSIONER COOPER, WAS IT FOR THIS OR FOR THE PREVIOUS ONE? I HAVE QUESTIONS FOR BOTH.
MR. VICE PRESIDENT, WHAT IS THE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN FOR, FOR THIS YEAR? WHAT WILL WE BE DOING EXACTLY? UH, AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE'S, THERE'S NO, UM, SPECIFIC CAMPAIGN SUCH AS, UM, THE CENSUS OR, UH, PANDEMIC, ALTHOUGH THE PANDEMIC IS CONTINUING.
HOWEVER, WE FOUND THAT REACHING OUT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS IS, UH, MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE AND COST EFFICIENT THAN DOING TRADITIONAL NEWSPAPERS.
SO WE SEE THAT, UH, MOVING FORWARD WE WOULD USE THAT, UH, THOSE MEDIA MORE THAN THE, UH, TRADITIONAL NEWSPAPER ADVERTISE.
SO WHAT EXACTLY IS THIS PERSON GOING TO DO? UH, WHEN YOU DO, UH, EITHER, UH, SOCIAL MEDIA OR, UH, IF YOU GET INTO TV, YOU'RE GONNA DO, UH, BUYS FOR TIME.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE IT'S, UH, VERY CUMBERSOME FOR A COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
WE CAN'T GO OUT TO BID FOR THOSE ITEMS, UH, BECAUSE IT'S A SET COST, UH, WITH THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM OR THE THE STATION.
UM, SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO, UH, USE, UH, NEW FRONTIER TO HELP US IN THAT ENDEAVOR.
SO THE FACEBOOK ADS AND, UM, OTHER THINGS THAT I SEE COMING FROM THE COUNTY, THIS FIRM'S GOING TO BE DOING THAT.
SO DAVID SORKIN, NEW FRONTIER.
SO THE WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA BE SUPPORTING ACCESS COUNTY IS THREEFOLD.
NUMBER ONE, AS AN AGENCY WE GET NEGOTIATED RATES, SO WE'RE ABLE TO DO COST SAVINGS THROUGH MEDIA BUYS.
NUMBER TWO IS WE'RE ABLE TO CONSOLIDATE THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS SO YOU'RE NOT GETTING MULTIPLE INVOICES FROM MULTIPLE PLATFORMS, ESPECIALLY WITH SOCIAL MEDIA WHERE IT'S DIFFICULT TO PASS THROUGH PROCUREMENT.
AND NUMBER THREE, WE HAVE EXTENSIVE MEDIA PLANNING EXPERIENCE.
SO BASED ON THE CAMPAIGN AND THE TARGET, WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE DEPARTMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE DOING THE MOST EFFICIENT MOST, YOU KNOW, MOST TARGETED BUY TO, TO MAKE YOUR, YOUR BUDGET WORK AS HARD FOR YOU AS IT CAN.
SO, BUT RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING SPECIFIC.
OR IS IT JUST GONNA BE LIKE THE GENERAL OUTREACH PUSH FOR THE COUNTY? UH, ANTHONY GLISI PUBLIC INFORMATION.
I WOULD BE A GENERAL OUTREACH FOR THE COUNTY AT THIS POINT.
UM, MR. PLI, THE OTHER THING I WANNA POINT OUT IS THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING.
UM, UM, THAT WAS JUST UP HERE.
DO I HAVE THE DEPARTMENT RIGHT? NO PUBLIC WORKS.
AND MR. JACKSON, I WANT TO COMMEND THEM.
THEY ALWAYS PROVIDE EVERYTHING TO THE RESOLUTION, ALL THE BIDS THAT CAME IN, THE PRICES, THE SCORES AND EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS ATTACHED TO THEIR RESOLUTIONS.
UM, SO WITH YOUR RESOLUTIONS, YOU REFERENCE THAT YOU GOT BIDS FROM OTHER PEOPLE, BUT THE PRICES FOR THOSE OTHER PEOPLE
[01:30:01]
ARE NOT WITHIN, UM, RESOLUTION NUMBER 71 OR RESOLUTION NUMBER 72.CAN YOU AMEND THAT IN THE FUTURE GOING FORWARD? THAT IS LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS RESOLUTIONS.
SO THAT IS CONSISTENT, PLEASE.
UH, ABOUT TO COMMISSIONER, I THINK I HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT CUZ THIS QUESTION HAS COME UP BEFORE PUBLIC WORKS IS DEALING WITH BIDS, RIGHT? SO THEY GET, THEY HAVE TO DO IT ON PRICE.
THESE SOUND LIKE THEY'D BE MORE LIKE RFPS.
SO YOU PROBABLY DON'T EVEN GET TO THE PRICE IF THEY SCORE.
AND, UH, I'M GONNA LOOK AT MR. QURY IF THEY OPEN THE, NOT THAT YOU'RE NOT ENTITLED TO IT, BUT I'M JUST GIVING WHAT I THINK IS THE REASON, UH, IF THEY SCORE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT, UH, PROPOSALS, THEY'RE ONLY GONNA LOOK AT THE, YOU'RE NOT, YOU MAY NOT LOOK AT ALL THE PRICES, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S MY EDUCATED GUESS.
JU IS CALLED PURCHASING, UH, THROUGH MR. PRESIDENT.
WHEN THEY GO OUT FOR AN R F P, THERE IS MANAGERIAL, TECHNICAL AND PRICE.
THE PRICE IS WEIGHED THE LOWEST.
SO IF YOU HAVE A PERSON WHO IS VERY LOW ON THEIR PRICE, BUT THEY'VE NEVER DONE ANY TECHNICAL INFORMATION OR MANAGERIAL, THEY WILL BERATED LOWER THAN SOMEONE WHO HAS A HIGHER PRICE, WHO HAS DONE SIGNIFICANTLY WORK IN AREAS.
AREAS THAT WE'RE GOING OUT FOR AN RFP.
I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT.
BUT WHAT I AM REQUESTING IS THAT WHEN WE ARE DOING A RFP, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD PUT THAT COMMUNICATION TOGETHER IN HERE? BECAUSE WE JUST VOTED ON.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I GET FROM CONSTITUENTS IS THAT WE ARE AWARDING AND HANDING OUT A LOT OF CONTRACTS, RIGHT? TO A LOT OF VENDORS THAT DO TREMENDOUS MAGNIFICENT WORK.
AND, UM, I ALWAYS LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DEFEND AND SUPPORT THAT THIS PERSON WAS AWARDED THIS CONTRACT BASED UPON THE EXPERIENCE, THE THINGS THAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED, THAT PAST EXPERIENCE WORKING WITHIN THAT AREA.
SO ALTHOUGH THEIR CONTRACT MAY HAVE BEEN, UM, HIGHER VERSUS SOMEONE THAT'S LOWER, THE LOWER PERSON MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE.
SO FOR ME, THAT, THAT, THAT'S HELPFUL, MR. PRESIDENT, THROUGH REVIEW JULIUS CULTURE, IF YOU SEE ON, UH, MY DECISION MEMO, BUT IN THE FUTURE, I WILL GIVE YOU A PRICE FOR EACH ONE OF THESE.
AND IF YOU NOTICED HERE, THE RATING WAS 162 FOR FRONTIER PUBLICIST WAS 1 49 AND IT GIVES THE DIFFERENT RATINGS.
HOWEVER, IN THE FUTURE, WE WILL BE GLAD TO, UH, GIVE YOU A PRICE FOR EACH OF THEM.
THANK, UH, THANK, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER COOPER.
UM, JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON THE, THE, UH, LISTED ON THE DOCUMENTATION.
SO THE CONTRACT PER THE CONTRACT PERCENTAGE, IS THAT THE PERCENTAGE FEE FOR THE, FOR THE FIRM THAT'S LISTED ON THE, IN THE, UM, SUPPORTING DOCUMENT WHERE IT SAYS THE SCORING GIVES US NEW FRONTIER 1 62, PUBLICS 1 49 NEXT TO IT SAYS CONTRACT PERCENTAGE.
IS THAT THE, IS THAT THE FEE FOR THE FIRM BASED ON THE BUYS OR, OR THE ISSUE TO TAKE A STEP BACK? THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS.
OR IS THAT JUST A CONTRACT? WHAT IS THAT
SO THIS IS, UM, $250,000 FOR A YET ON, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CAMPAIGN, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CAMPAIGN'S GONNA BE.
NEW FRONTIER IS JUST GONNA, IS JUST GONNA DO THE PLACEMENTS.
IS ARE THEY ALSO DOING THE CONTENT DEVELOPMENT FOR WHATEVER THIS, UH, ANTHONY GLISI PUBLIC INFORMATION? UH, NO, THEY WOULDN'T BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTENT.
THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PLACEMENT AND THEN ALSO OFFERING THEIR EXPERTISE, UH, IN RECOMMENDING PLACEMENT TO US.
AND, UH, THROUGH MS. VICE PRESIDENT, WOULD, WOULD, UH, THEY ALSO BE SUBMITTING BACK TO THE, UH, TO THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, METRICS ON THOSE? ON THOSE PLACEMENTS? YES.
FINALLY, UH, MS. VICE PRESIDENT, ASSUMING THERE ISN'T ANY REASON THAT WE COULDN'T DO THAT, COULD WE, UH, REQUEST, UH, THAT THE ADMINISTRATION SHARE THOSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DO THOSE TYPES OF BUYS, THE, THE METRICS FROM THOSE BUYS WITH THE, WITH THE COMMISSIONER BOARD? I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT.
DO I HAVE A MOVER FOR NUMBER 71 AND 72? MOTION? THANK YOU.
MADAME CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
[01:35:01]
PALMARA? YES.OKAY, MR. JACKSON, LET'S DO THE NUMBER 73.
MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH 4 84 82 SCOTLAND ROAD, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,000, UH, FOR ONE YEAR WITH A ONE YEAR EXTENSION.
AND THIS IS FOR STORING 21,000 SQUARE FEET FOR STORING PPES THAT HAVE COME FROM THE STATE.
AND WE NOW HAVE NOWHERE TO PUT OUR EXTRA SUPPLIES.
ALSO DOING GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE MR. PARVA? NO QUESTIONS.
AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ME CARLO.
MADAME CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT PO.
MR. JACKSON, LET'S TAKE 74 THROUGH 77.
I BELIEVE THIS IS OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR.
MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR, PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT, CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION, PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING.
IT'S A 12 MONTH CONTRACT, UH, NOT TO EXCEED $70,000 FOR HILLARY AND BURNEL.
UH, SHE IS THE CURRENT, UH, PERSON TEACHING UP THERE.
WE'VE ONLY HAD ONE RESPONDENT.
SHE'S FROM COLDWELL, NEW JERSEY.
UH, AND THIS IS NOT TO EXCEED $70,000.
UH, NUMBER 75 IS FROM THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
AGAIN, CONTRACT AWARD TO PREVENTION, KEYS TO, TO PROVIDE CERTIFIED PEER RECOVERY SERVICES FOR THE OPERATION OF HELPING HAND PROGRAM MOUNT OUT TO EXCEED $75,000.
NUMBER 76 IS WITH THE PROSECUTORS, A RESOLUTION, APPROVING PARTICIPATION WITH THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, UH, ACCEPTING SUB-AWARD V OH SEVEN FOR, UH, YEAR 21 FOR A PERIOD OF JULY 1ST, 2022 FOR UNTIL JU JUNE 30TH, 2023.
NUMBER 76 IS, UM, I JUST READ THAT 1 37.
NUMBER 77 IS WITH THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
AGAIN, IT'S A GRANT PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND FOR A PERIOD OF JUNE ONE 20, UH, JULY 1ST, 2022 TO JUNE 30TH, 2022 FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, UH, AND THEIR FAMILIES TO PREVENT THE PROGRAM TO PREVENT PARTICIPATION AGAINST FAMILIES.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS EITHER.
COMMISSIONERS MOVER THERE TOO MANY OF YOU, YOU TOGETHER? WE GONNA TAKE 74 TO 77.
LET'S GIVE IT TO COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
AND, UH, AND THE SECOND WOULD BE COMMISSIONER MELO.
MME. CLARK, PLEASE, UH, CALL ROLL COMMISSIONER SIBEL.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POMAR? YES.
LET'S GO WITH 78 AND 79 DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE, MR. KRE.
NUMBER SEVEN EIGHT IS SOMETHING, UH, EASY.
IT'S A VENDOR CHANGE NAME FROM AMERICAN RAMP SYSTEMS TO NEW JERSEY MOBILITY LLC, WHICH ACQUIRED, UH, AMERICAN RAMP SYSTEM.
UH, NUMBER 79 IS A CONTRACT AWARDED TO THREE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE, UH, BIDDERS FOR VARIOUS ITEMS, UH, WHICH WERE PROMOTIONAL ITEMS SIMILAR TO THE PERSON ON MY LEFT WITH DECALS, ET CETERA, FOR ALL, UH, OF THE COUNTY DEPARTMENT AND AGENCIES TO USE NOT TO EXCEED $200,000.
SO A QUICK QUESTION FOR MR. COLTRAN.
THERE'S NO OTHER CHANGE IN THE, UH, SERVICES, THE COSTS ON THAT NAME CHANGE.
EVERYTHING ELSE WILL REMAIN THE SAME.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE DO THE ROLE.
[01:40:01]
THIS IS FOR 78 79 80, RIGHT? 78 AND 79.COMMISSIONER, VICE COMMISSIONER.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT PALMARA.
LET'S, UH, MR. JACKSON DO 80 AND 81 DEPARTMENT OF I'M SORRY.
IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
UH, DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE.
UH, THANK YOU MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE TRANSITIONED INTO, UH, STATE HEALTH BENEFITS BACK IN UH, 17, WE OFFERED OUR EMPLOYEES A FREE DENTAL, UH, DMO PLAN.
UM, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
UH, THE PROPOSAL HERE THAT REQUESTS IS TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT IN THE AMOUNT OF, UH, 1 MILLION, UH, $370,000, WHICH IS THE SAME COST AS LAST YEAR.
THIS IS FOR EMPLOYEES WHO WERE, OR, AND RETIREES WHO WERE WITH US AS OF 12 31 20 16.
AND AGAIN, THE COUNTY COVERS THE PREMIUM.
UH, WHAT WE'VE ALSO DONE THIS YEAR IS TO ADD, UM, A PPO OPTION, A VOLUNTARY PPO OPTION, WHICH PROVIDES FOR A LARGER NETWORK AND, AND OUT OF NETWORK COVERAGE FOR EMPLOYEES, BUT AGAIN, WOULD BE AN EMPLOYEE COST.
HOWEVER, UM, FOR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE, WHO WOULD SELECT THAT PLAN, WE WOULD GIVE THEM A CREDIT FOR THE AMOUNT THAT WE WOULD PAY FOR THE, UH, DMO PLAN.
SO IT PROVIDES, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A LITTLE BIT BROADER COVERAGE, UH, FOR THE EMPLOYEE, UH, WITH THE BENEFIT OF GETTING THE CREDIT FOR THE, UH, DMO THAT WE ALREADY PAY.
UM, AND MR. SO IS GOING TO HANDLE ITEM 81.
UH, MR. VICE PRESIDENT JOHN SOS DIVISION OF HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
UM, DURING OUR AUDIT, THERE WERE TWO ITEMS THAT OUR DIVISION WAS DEFICIENT IN.
UH, AND OUR CORRECTIVE ACTION IS TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, THAT FOR THE FOLLOWING, FOR NEXT YEAR AND YEARS FOLLOWING THAT, WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE AUDITORS.
WE'RE ACTUALLY MEETING WITH TREASURY ACCOUNTS AND CONTROL AND THE AUDITORS TOMORROW MORNING TO ENSURE THAT WE KNOW THE DETAILS THAT THEY NEED AND WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE.
IS WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS THE CDBG GRANTS OR THROUGH YOU MR. VICE PRESIDENT, UH, JOHN SERVICES, DIVISION OF HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOP, UH, DEVELOPMENT? CORRECT.
SO, YEAH, SO, SO THERE WERE A COUPLE ISSUES WITH THOSE WHICH ARE ADDRESSED IN THE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN, WHICH IS BEFORE US NOW.
UH, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, AND I SPOKE TO SAM ABOUT THIS, UH, AND IHAB THAT, UM, THIS, THIS WILL BE CORRECTED BY NEXT YEAR'S AUDIT.
IS THERE ANY IMPACT, MR. MCINERNEY TO US? I'M SORRY.
ANY, ANY IMPACT? NO, IT'S, IT'S A MATTER OF RECEIPTS COMING IN AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, OR IT'S JUST A MATTER OF CLASSIFICATION OR THE LACK OF, ON A TIMELY BASIS.
IT'S NOT MONEY MISSING OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
UH, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF RECORD KEEPING TRYING TO BE IMPROVED.
WOULD YOU SAY THAT'S A CORRECT ASSESSMENT THROUGH YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT JOHN, SIR, AS DIVISION OF HOUSING COR, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT? YES.
WE'RE GOOD CLASSIFICATION ISSUES.
I THINK THAT'S, IT'S A CLASSIFICATION ISSUE.
ANY QUESTIONS? DO I HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE 80 AND 81 TOGETHER? MOTION.
I THINK COMMISSIONER GRAHAM GOT THAT ONE.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POMAR? YES.
HE'S, I BELIEVE 82 THROUGH, UH, OUR NEXT ONE WILL BE 1 0 2.
OH, ONE OF YOURS THROUGH ONE OF OURS.
IT'S OUR, I COULD SPEAK 82 2 2 OR TAXATION.
AND THEN THERE'S ONE OH TWOS AN ADDED STARTER, LET'S SAY.
THERE'S AN ADDED STARTER TO THIS ONE, SO LET'S GO THERE.
[01:45:01]
MR. COL.THIS IS THE, UH, FOR THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF TAXATION WITH A NON THERE AND OPEN TO B R T TECHNOLOGIES.
PREVIOUSLY THE AWARD WAS FOR 196,000.
THIS IS FOR MAPPING, FOR TAXING, FOR REEVALUATION FOR VARIOUS, UH, MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
IT'S A CRITICAL PIECE OF, UH, CLOUD BASED AND OTHER DATA PROCESSING FOR THE BOARD OF THE TAXATION.
MR. PARVA, UM, MR. QURY, WAS THIS, WAS THIS SOME KIND OF PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE OR IS THAT, IS THAT THE REASON FOR BEING BIT EXEMPT? UH, WHEN I SPOKE TO, UH, MRS. DIRKEN, SHE HAD, UH, SAID THAT IT'S PROPRIETARY.
AND I SPOKE TO SOME OTHER PEOPLE WHO DEAL WITH THIS PARTICULAR MAPPING AND THEY WERE CALLING BLOCKING, WHICH I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT IS.
CUZ I SAW IT WAS BIT EXEMPT AND I JUST WASN'T SURE WHY.
SAY WHAT YOU JUST SAID AGAIN, PLEASE.
IT WAS, IT, THE DECISION MEMO SHOWED IT WAS A BIT EXEMPT, UH, PURCHASE.
AND IT WAS BECAUSE THE SOFTWARE THAT'S BEING USED FOR THIS BLOCKING OR WHATEVER THE PROCESS IS, IS SOME TYPE OF PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE, I I DON'T 25 30 EXCEPTIONS TO BIDDING.
IN FACT, IT'S SAID IN THERE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ELECTIONS.
BUT I ASSUME THAT WAS A MISPRINT AND THAT'S WHY I ASKED YOU.
BUT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ELECTIONS.
NO, IT HAS TO DO WITH MORE TAXATION.
SO IT'S BID EXEMPT UNDER ONE OF THE RULES OF LOCAL PUBLIC CONTRACTS.
IS THIS NEW? DO WE, DO WE CURRENTLY HAVE A SOFTWARE NOW WE'RE DOING AN UPDATE.
LIKE WHAT, WHAT ARE WE DO? EXAM? I DIDN'T GET THIS.
THE FIRST TIME THE CURRENT B RT IS THE CURRENT VENDOR.
UH, WHAT HAPPENED WAS, THE REASON THIS IS A LATE STARTER IS THE BID HAD THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT EXPIRED AT THE END OF JUNE AND WE HAD TO GET IT ONTO THE BOARD BECAUSE BOARD OF TAXATION NEEDS IT IMMEDIATELY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS MOVER? I'LL MOVE THEN.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROOM.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT PER MORRIS? YES.
82 IS UNDER THE FREEHOLDER'S BUDGET.
I'M SORRY, THE COMMISSIONER'S BUDGET.
AND, UM, THE AUDIT WAS COMPLETED AS WE JUST HEARD.
THERE WERE SOME COMMENTS, AUDIT COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS MADE.
UM, THE ONES CONSIDERED MORE, UM, SPECIFIC ARE THOSE THAT ARE GONNA BE ADDRESSED TOMORROW MORNING, BUT ALL OUR AUDIT COMMENTS ARE REQUIRED TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN.
THE AUDITING OF ITSELF ALSO, UM, SHOWS THE FINANCIAL POSITION AND THE RESULTS OF OPERATION FOR 2021 CALENDAR YEAR.
UM, THAT INCLUDES THE, UM, CURRENT FUND, UM, WHICH INCLUDES OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
IT INCLUDES THE GENERAL CAPITAL FUND, THE TRUST FUNDS.
UM, AND, UH, WHAT, WHAT WE SAW IN, IN TERMS OF THE RESULTS OF OPERATIONS WAS A VERY POSITIVE RESULTS OF OPERATIONS FOR, UH, THE COUNT YEAR 2021.
WE'RE IN A STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION.
OUR CASH BALANCES ARE, UH, HIGH AND UM, OUR FUND BALANCE IS, UH, VERY HEALTHY.
UM, SO THAT IS ALL INDICATIVE OF WHAT YOU CAN READ IN THE AUDIT AS WELL AS THE FOOTNOTES OR WHAT'S COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS DISCLOSURES.
AND IT GIVE YOU A LOT OF VARIOUS INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORKINGS, UM, OF THE COUNTY ON A FINANCIAL BASIS.
IT ALSO INCLUDES ALL OUR DEBT AND OUR PROJECTED DEBT SERVICES FOR THE COMING YEARS.
COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER SIBEL? I WOULD JUST SAY THAT SAMUEL KLEIN AND COMPANY ALWAYS DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB FOR US.
[01:50:01]
SIR.AND I'M GLAD THEY'RE CONTINUING TO DO SO.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT KAMAR.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO 83 TO 1 0 1.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MOTION COOPER.
LET'S CALL THE WRONG COMMISSIONER.
BUT COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POS? YES.
OKAY, MOUNTAIN CLARK, LET'S MOVE ON TO REPORT OF BOARD COMMITTEES.
DO WE HAVE ANY REPORTS? LEGISLA REPORTS.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS COMMISSIONERS.
ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NEW BUSINESS.
OKAY MAN OF CLARK, LET'S GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AFFILIATION.
FOR THE RECORD, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
HUH? THIS IS FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE JOE.
SO SOME OF YOU GUYS DON'T KNOW ME BUT SOME OF THE ONES, THE OLDER ONES THAT'S HERE, THEY KNOW ME.
COUNTY EXECUTIVE JOE D AKA JOEY D COMMISSIONER.
YOU KNOW WHY YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH NEW FRONTIER? BECAUSE THEY CANNOT JUSTIFY THAT $250,000.
AND I HATE THAT I GOT HERE LATE BECAUSE IF I'D HAVE GOT HERE A LITTLE EARLIER, I COULD HAVE LOOKED AT IT AND UNDERSTOOD IT A LITTLE BETTER.
THIS IS WHAT JOE, THIS IS WHAT HE DOES THOUGH.
THIS IS WHY YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE ASKING YOU ABOUT IT.
250, $50,000 AND HE'S STILL GOTTA GO OUT AND ASK ANOTHER COMPANY TO DO ANOTHER PART OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
ALSO, I WANNA TALK IT ABOUT THE AUDIT.
REALLY? I WISH HE WAS STILL HERE.
REALLY? YOU MEAN TO TELL ME AND WHEN THOSE AUDITORS COME AND I KNOW YOU SAID SIR, MY DEAR FRIEND HERE CUZ YOU USED TO ME BEING HERE.
I KNOW YOU SAID IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MONEY, BUT I DEFINITELY DON'T BELIEVE THAT.
I KNOW WE DID SOMETHING WITH THAT MONEY THAT WE AIN'T HAVE NO BUSINESS DOING AND I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT THE AUDITOR SAID.
AND LASTLY, I GUESS WE GOTTA GET BACK UP HERE.
I GUESS WE GOTTA GET BACK UP HERE AT THIS FREEHOLDER MEETING CUZ IT'S STILL, AGAIN, IT'S STILL GOING ON.
LASTLY, THIS IS WHAT I REALLY CAME FOR CUZ WE SPENT AN HOUR AND A HALF THINKING YOU GUYS WERE ON REMOTE ONLY TO REALIZE YOU GUYS WERE IN PERSON.
SO WE HAD TO RUSH DOWN HERE CUZ THIS IS REALLY WHAT I CAME FOR.
JOE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ARE, BUT IT APPEARS THAT YOU ARE RACIST AND YOU ARE DISCRIMINATING AGAINST THE BLACK KIDS THAT PLAY FOOTBALL BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A SCORING BOARD LIKE THE LATINO KIDS WHO PLAY SOFTBALL AND SOCCER FOR EVERY ONE FOOTBALL FIELD.
THEY HAVE ABOUT 10, MAYBE 20 SOFTBALL FIELDS IN SOCCER FIELDS.
IN FACT, I CAME HERE JUST IN TIME TO HEAR ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS TALK ABOUT WHAT HE GOING DO TO IMPROVE THE SOCCER FIELD OVER AT BRANCH BROOK IN IVY.
SO YOU UP AT IVY NOW HON? YOU UP AT IVY NOW? HUH? SO I GOTTA GET UP THERE AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO TO ALL GOALS, BLACK, AFRICAN AMERICAN, HOWEVER WE IDENTIFY OURSELVES, COMMISSIONERS ASK JOE WHY WE DON'T HAVE SCOREBOARD FOR THE FOOTBALL TEAM, PARTICULARLY IN WEEK PARK WHERE BRICK CITY PLAY.
[01:55:04]
PROBABLY COMING.I I UH, EXCUSE ME, ME BACK, I'M SORRY.
JUST PUT YOUR, UH, NAME YOUR UH, MY NAME IS HUM GORDON AND I'M HERE FOR MY GRANDSON.
I'M JUST WANT TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE WEAK WAVE PARK ASSOCIATION.
UM, TAKING PICTURES AND NOT LETTING THEM INTO THE COOL ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY HAVE IN THERE.
LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW AT THE KIDS IN THE PARK CUZ UH, MR. FREEMAN'S, UH, CAMP IS IN THERE.
AND, UM, I'M A LITTLE OFFENDED BECAUSE, UH, THEY DON'T WANT THE KIDS TO DO ANYTHING IN THAT PARK.
AND I, I'M JUST WANT KNOW WHY, WHY IS IT GOING DOWN? WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? I MEAN, MR. FREEMAN LETS THE KIDS PLAY FOOTBALL.
I MEAN, HE TAKE HIM TO ALL THE THINGS INSTEAD OF THEM BEING IN THIS.
UM, INSTEAD OF THEM BEING IN FRONT OF THE TV WATCHING TV ALL DAY, HE GIVES THEM THE, HE GIVES THEM THE, UH, ALTERNATIVE.
BUT HOWEVER, THIS QUA PARK ASSOCIATION IS OUT THERE TAKING PICTURES OF THESE KIDS AND THEY GOT 'EM STANDING OUT IN THE HOT SUN AND STANDS IN A WINDOW LOOKING AT THESE KIDS STANDING OUT IN THE HOT SUN.
I'M, I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, HUH? WELL YOU COULD DO SO AS YOU, WE COULD ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IN WRITING AS IT'S CUSTOMARY OF THIS BOARD CHILD.
MAUM IS OUR INFORMATION OFFICER HERE WHO CAN TAKE YOUR INFORMATION AND TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS AND WE'LL RESPOND TO IN WRITING.
YEAH, BECAUSE I CUZ I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS, THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE PARK FOR EVERYBODY.
I'M, IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO HURT THE KIDS, LET ME KNOW.
I MEAN, CAUSE I COULD TAKE MY GRANDSON RIGHT OUTTA THERE REAL FAST.
I'M JUST SAYING WHAT'S SHE USED TO HAVING A PARK? YOU, YOU BEEN BE TRYING TO KILL THE ENJOYMENT OF IT.
HOW YOU GUYS DOING? LONG TIME NOW.
MR. MAC AND MR. PEACH? NO PERSONAL.
YOU KNOW I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR 20 YEARS.
YOU KNOW I HAVE AND MISS HIM MR. JOHNSON.
SO AS ALWAYS WHEN I COME, NOTHING GOOD.
WHY Y'ALL THINK THESE, PLEASE REMEMBER TO PUT YOUR NAME ON THE RECORD.
1 28 SMITH STREET, NORTH NEW JERSEY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'VE BEEN FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS, BUT THAT COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICE ON UNIVERSITY AVENUE, AIN'T NONE OF Y'ALL BEEN THERE? THE LINE IS AROUND THE CORNER EVERY DAY.
DO YOU REALIZE THAT RIGHT NOW IN ESTES COUNTY, 60,000 FAMILIES HAVE NOT RECEIVED THEY FOOD STAMPS SOME APRIL.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT, YOU BETTER GET ON IT.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ELECTED FOR.
15,000 PEOPLE DID NOT RECEIVE THEIR FOOD STAMP AUGUST 1ST.
WHAT YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT? I'VE MET WITH A NE ALREADY AND I MET WITH MS. RICHARDSON.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO? DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE VIOLENCE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND EAT NOR URBAN AND EAST ORANGE WHERE PEOPLE CAN'T EAT? CAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T EATING.
THEY DEFEND ON THOSE FOOD STAMPS.
AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT, Y'ALL SHOULD RESIGN THIS MESSING HERE, IT'S MAX.
HOW WE SIX YEARS WITHOUT A CONTRACT FOR THAT OFFICER BACK THERE.
HOW MANY OFFICERS WE GIVING? HOW MUCH? I'M SORRY.
I KNOW YOU CAN'T EVEN BE INVOLVED.
HOW MUCH DOES A VEST COST? 5,000 UH, DOLLARS.
WHAT YOU BUYING TWO OR WE GONNA BUY THE CHEAPEST ONES? YOU GOT THEM IN THE LINE OF FIRE DOWN THERE AT UNIVERSITY AVENUE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE COMING WITH THEIR CHILDREN, THEIR FAMILY AND THEY ANGRY.
I HAD TO GO DOWN THERE AND DO A LIVE AND EMBARRASS Y'ALL AS YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOR HAVING THOSE FAMILIES STAND OUT THERE WHEN YOU GOT A BEAUTIFUL BUILDING WITH SIX WAITING ROOMS AND YOU AIN'T PEOPLE AND IT'S GOING THE DEALING WITH RATS IN THAT BETTER YOU AT ME LIKE DEAD WITH HEADLIGHTS.
YOU KNOW WHY? CAUSE YOU'RE NOT INVOLVED.
STOP BEING WORRIED ABOUT WHAT JOE'S AGENDA IS AND WORRY ABOUT THE PEOPLE.
IT'S TOO MUCH MONEY COMING IN THIS COUNTY.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT THE DEC CRIB? WHAT YOU DOING? ABOUT 10 MILLION FOR A NEW ROOF ON THE JAIL.
THE JAIL AIN'T THAT? OH, Y'ALL NEED TO START HOLDING THESE CONTRACTORS AVAILABLE, UH, ACCOUNTABLE.
WHERE DID Y'ALL GET ALL THIS MONEY TO GIVE TO NORTH STAR TEAM TO GIVE THEM NORTH 13TH STREET SCHOOL.
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL KIDS NEED STUFF TOO.
SO NOW Y'ALL IN HOUSING BUSINESS IN THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS.
AND WE JUST GIVING MONEY AWAY.
YOU HAD FIVE MAJOR VACCINE SITES.
THAT'S WHY I SHOULDN'T BE NOBODY STANDING OUTSIDE AT UNIVERSITY AVENUE CUZ YOU HAVE TO TAKE THESE RAGGEDY COUNTY BUSES AND YOU SHOULD BE DRIVING THE PEOPLE UP THERE.
YOU'RE PAYING RENT AT THE KMART AT THE SEAS.
YOU DIDN'T ASK ME IF I AGREED.
AND LASTLY, WE GONNA HAVE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY ABOUT THESE ILLEGAL VOTING MACHINES THAT Y'ALL PURCHASE.
CAUSE I RAN FOR OFFICE AND YOU CHEATED ME OUT
[02:00:01]
MY SEAT.SO I'M FOLLOWING THE LAWSUIT TIME'S UP.
ANYBODY ELSE FROM PUBLIC COMMENT? OKAY, MADAM CLERK, WE'LL LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THERE'S NO ONE ELSE HERE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME, BUT LET'S MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER COMMENT SESSION COMMISSIONERS.
I WANT TO COMMEND THE ADMINISTRATION, MR. JACKSON AND MR. WALKER FOR THAT WONDERFUL PROGRAM THAT YOU HOSTED FOR SMALL BUSINESS AND VENDORS THAT WAS INTERESTED IN DOING BUSINESS WITH THE COUNTY IN BRINGING, UM, RESOURCES.
SO I HOPE TO SEE THAT THE NEXT TIME MR. WALKER PUT THAT PROGRAM TOGETHER, ONE OF THE CONTRACTS THAT WE JUST, UM, AWARDED TONIGHT WILL BE ABLE TO DO A BIGGER AND BETTER OUTREACH.
I WAS INUNDATED WITH MY INBOX, UM, ABOUT THAT PROGRAM FOR SO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAD MISSED IT BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, FROM ATTENDING THAT PROGRAM, IT WAS STANDING ROOM ONLY, YOU COULD BARELY GET IN THE DOOR.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU THAT THE NEXT TIME WE DO WHAT WE NEED TO GIVE MORE OF A LEAD TIME, UM, MORE OUTLETS TO ADVERTISE THE PROGRAM AND USE A BIGGER VENUE.
AND, UM, I KNOW MY ASK FOR MR. WALKER IS SOME ACTUAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
WE DO A GREAT JOB IN JOE AND THE ADMINISTRATION.
YOU GUYS DO A FANTASTIC JOB WITH MAN COUNTY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BREAKS MY HEART THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US WORK ON IS HOW CAN WE GET MORE SS COUNTY BASED BUSINESSES INVOLVED WITH THE CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE HERE.
YOU KNOW, TONIGHT ALONE, JUST WITH PUBLIC WORKS, WE GAVE OUT, AWARDED NINE CONTRACTS.
ONLY ONE OF THOSE ENTITIES WAS BASED HERE IN S COUNTY.
AND AGAIN, A LOT OF THOSE, THE THE CONTRACTORS TONIGHT HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH US FOR A LOT OF YEARS.
THEY DO FANTASTIC WORK, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF WOMEN AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES BASED HERE IN SS COUNTY THAT WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, EMBRACE THEM, UM, WORK WITH THEM SO THAT THEY CAN STEP IT UP AND DO BETTER AT SCORING BETTER ON SOME OF THESE THINGS.
I KNOW THE WORKSHOP THAT YOU HOSTED, ONE OF THE TWO RESOUNDING COMMENTS THAT I HEARD THE MOST WAS THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS AWARE OF THE RFPS.
SO MR. CORI, I DIRECTED A LOT OF PEOPLE TO YOUR OFFICE TO GO TO YOUR WEBSITE TO REACH OUT TO YOU, TO WALK THEM THROUGH HOW TO SIGN UP TO GET THOSE RFP AND BIDS.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS UNDERSTANDING THE BID DOCUMENTS.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THAT HUNDRED PAGE DOCUMENT IS SCARY TO A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.
AND SO I'M, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO TIM AND HIS OFFICE GETTING OUT DOING MORE OF WHAT WE SAW A MONTH AGO.
IF I COULD JUST ADD TO THAT, UM, THE LIVINGSTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WANTED SOMEONE TO COME AND TALK ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS IN ESSEX COUNTY, AND I MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH ANTHONY GLISI AND TIM WALKER CAME AND HE GAVE A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
AND YOU MENTIONED HIM, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL KNEW THAT HE WAS REALLY TERRIFIC.
ANYBODY ELSE? IF 102 AGENDA ITEMS WAS BAPTISM BY FIRE, I WANNA, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS, BUT I WANNA THANK YOU FOR INDULGING ME HERE.
THANK YOU FOR DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB, JOB AND GOING FOR THAT JOB.
I WANT TO CLOSE THE COMMISSIONER.
THANK YOU, MR. UH, VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, I JUST, IT NOT, NOT THAT WE HAVE TO GO TO 103
UM, BUT, UM, IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, UM, I WANTED JUST, JUST TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY DURING, UH, COMMISSIONER COMMENTS SESSION, UH, TO AGAIN, UM, UH, ADDRESS AND, UH, TALK ABOUT, UM, UH, THE CONTINUED ISSUE OF, OF GUN VIOLENCE THAT'S PLAGUING OUR COUNTRY, OUR NATION, OUR OUR COUNTY, AND OUR, UH, COMMUNITIES.
UM, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR, UH, OUR PRESIDENT WHO I KNOW WE'RE ALL KEEPING IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS DUE TO THE DEATH IN HIS, UH, UH, FAMILY, UM, HE HAS, UH, SUPPORTED AN INITIATIVE TO CREATE A NEW COMMITTEE ON THE WHOLE, UM, UH, TO DEAL, UH, WITH THIS, UH, ISSUE.
SO WE WILL HAVE A, UM, A NEW, UH, A NEW COMMITTEE, UH, THAT WILL BE CONVENED, UM, UH, ON THE WHOLE IN SEPTEMBER.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE THE RESOLUTION BEFORE THE BOARD.
UM, OF COURSE ENCOURAGE, UH, ALL MY COLLEAGUES TO HOPEFULLY PARTICIPATE IN THAT, UH, THAT WILL SPEND TIME, UH, DOING, UH, WHATEVER WE CAN AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, UH, TO FILL THE GAP THAT THE, YOU KNOW, AS, AS OUR FEDERAL LEADERS, UM, CONTINUE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT MEET THE MARK, UH, ON THIS ISSUE.
UM, SO, UH, THE, YOU KNOW, THE CHARGE MORE TO COME ON THAT THE CHARGE OF THE COMMITTEE, UH, WILL BE, UH, YOU KNOW, TO HOLD, UH, SOME HEARINGS TO ENGAGE WITH OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY AND ANTI-GUN VIOLENCE GROUPS, OUR FELLOW LEGISLATORS, OUR COMMUNITY LEADERS, UH, TO TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING,
[02:05:01]
PURCHASING, UM, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE, WHATEVER WE CAN DO AT THE, UM, AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, UH, TO CONTRIBUTE AND TO, UM, AND TRY TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE.UM, AGAIN, JUST, YOU KNOW, AS OF JUST TO AGAIN, TELL YOU, UH, SOME QUICK, YOU KNOW, STATES, UH, STA STATISTICS, YOU KNOW, NATIONALLY, YOU KNOW, 845 PEOPLE WEEKLY, 121 DAILY, YOU KNOW, ALREADY 27,000 PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY.
JUST THIS, YOU KNOW, FROM THAT, FROM JANUARY TO AUGUST, KILLED BY, UH, GUN VIOLENCE, UM, GUN GUN DEATHS IN NEW JERSEY, AVERAGE ABOUT 600 A YEAR.
SO, UM, WE, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, HAD SO MANY, UM, TRAGEDIES AND, AND THAT JUST, WE JUST, YOU KNOW, I FEEL COMPELLED THAT WE GOTTA TRY TO DO MORE.
SO THANK YOU MR. VICE PRESIDENT, THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOU, FOR YOUR SUPPORT, UH, FOR UH, COM, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT RICHARDSON'S SUPPORT, AND THE CREATION OF THIS COMMITTEE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MORE TO FOLLOW, UM, HOPEFULLY WITH A SUPPORTING RESOLUTION AT OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT WORK AND I'M GLAD THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU BROUGHT IT UP TODAY AND THAT THE BOARD WILL BE DOING SOMETHING VERY SOON AND HOLDING HEARINGS ABOUT IT FOR IMPORTANT.
AND BEFORE WE CLOSE, I JUST, UH, WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR SUPPORT TODAY.
SO, UH, HOPE YOU, YOU ENDURED.
OKAY? AND ALSO, I KNOW I SPEAK FOR ALL OF US IN THIS ROOM WHEN WE SEND A SINCERE CONDOLENCES TO OUR FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE, WAYNE RICHARDSON.