[00:00:02]
HOW ARE YOU? WHAT'S UP? HOW ARE YOU? CAN'T WAIT.
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HEY, HEY, HEY.HEY, HOW YOU DOING? HUH? GET DINNER.
YOU KNOW WHAT I, I WEAR THE, WHEN IT'S KIND OF CRAPPY.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO ADD.
THAT'S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE NEWER ONES.
SHE'S THE NEW, UH, INFORMATION.
HE DIDN'T PUT IN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.
JERRY, HOW YOU DOING SOMETIMES? MAYOR, YOU'RE ROBERT.
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YES.JEFF HAVE ANY WATER? WATER FOR WATER.
THAT'S WHAT MEETING ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION IS HEREBY CALL BOARD MEETING IS COMMISSION.
I'M GONNA ASK COMMISSIONER SIP THE LEAD US IN THE SOLUTION PLEDGE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION, GOD INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY.
PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT.
SILENCE SINCE WAS KILLING, UH, KILLING OF TYRES AND ALL THE OTHER, UH, FOLKS KILLED IN THIS COUNTRY UNNECESSARILY RIGHT BY GUN VIOLENCE.
COMMISSIONER WANTED TO ADD TO IT THAT THERE WAS A FOUR YEAR OLD KILL AND NORTH AND HER FATHER WITHIN CRITICAL CONDITION, A FOUR YEAR OLD WHO WAS KILLED.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, TOPICS OF DISCUSSION.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE, UH, A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION IF
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YOU WISH TO DISCUSS.PLEASE BEAR WITH ME THIS REAL CLEAR MR IS NOT AN INDICTMENT OF EVERY POLICE OFFICER.
A LOT OF GOOD POLICE OFFICERS OUT THERE.
THIS IS FOCUSED ON THE MAP AND THE BACK, LIKE IN ANY OTHER QUESTION.
SO, THE FINAL STATEMENT WAS ISSUED ON A RELEASE, SOME VIDEO FOR THE DOCUMENTED THE JANUARY 7TH MEETING OF TIME.
BEFORE I GO TODAY, I WANT START THE BEGINNING.
I'M GOING HIGHLIGHT TWO PARTICULAR DURING THE LAST WEEK THAT SHOOK JUSTICE LOVING PEOPLE.
ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 29TH, THE ATTEMPTED MONO COCKTAIL ATTACK, OILFIELD TEMPER NARRATIVE TO MID RIGHT HERE IN ES COUNTY HIT YOU WELL.
OUR PRESS RELEASE, WE STAND BY THE MEMBERS OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND REMAIN COMMITTED.
AND OUR RESOLVE, RESOLVE FORCE COMMUNITY LEADERS TO DETER ACTS OF VIOLENCE, ENSURING JUSTICE PREVAILS, HATE OF ANY KIND, WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
AND I ADD, IF WE ARE SILENT ABOUT MOLO COCKTAIL TODAY, WHAT WILL TOMORROW BRING TODAY? TWO DAYS PRIOR, ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 27TH, HE SHOWING A MURDER OF TYREE NICHOLS AT THE HANDS OF FIVE BLACK POLICE OFFICERS.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THESE OFFICERS CAUSE WE CANNOT LIMIT THIS CONVERSATION TO OBVIOUS RACIAL PROFILING THAT WE ARE ALSO FAMILIAR WITH, WITH THE APPROPRIATE CONVERSATION IS ABOUT THE, THAT ALLOWS BLACK OFFICERS TO SEE THE PEOPLE THEY ARE OBLIGATED TO PROTECT AND SERVE AS SOMEHOW OR LESS THAN THEMSELVES.
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IS THE FACT THAT POLICE OFFICERS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ONLY A MINIMUM AMOUNT OF EDUCATION AND RECEIVE MINIMAL TRAINING AS COMPARED WITH OTHER COUNTRIES.
I E ENGLAND, WHERE IT TAKES THREE YEARS TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER.
YOU WANT TO BE A HAIRDRESSER HERE IN THE UNITED STATES IS TWO YEARS.
THIS PART OF THE PROBLEM IS FIXABLE POLICE OFFICER SHOULD HAVE A DEGREE AND TRAINING SHOULD BE EXTENSIVE BEFORE THEY BECOME POLICE OFFICERS.
THOSE WHO CANNOT MEET SET STANDARDS OF ACADEMIC TRAINING AND EMOTIONAL STABILITY SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO SERVE IN A LAW ENFORCEMENT CAPACITY.
LICENSING POLICE OFFICERS CAN'T COME FAST ENOUGH.
I'M NOT GOING TO BELIEVE IN THIS POINT.
I AM GOING TO READ INTO THE RECORD THE PRESS RELEASE THAT WENT OUT ON THE TYREE NIPPLES VIDEO RELEASE.
AND JUST TO NOTE IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
WHERE WAS TY TYREE LIPS KILLED MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.
WHO ELSE FROM HISTORY WAS KILLED IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE? DR.
KING WAS ALSO KILLED IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE OPENING DOORS SO THAT THOSE BLACK POLICE OFFICERS WHO COULD BE SO THEY COULD BECOME POLICE OFFICER PEOPLE MARCH PEOPLE DIED.
AND HOW DARE THEY'RE ACT THAT MATTER.
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT WAS ISSUED ON A RECENT RELEASE OF THE VIDEO, FULLY DOCUMENTED THE JANUARY OF, AGAIN, THE HEART RICH VIDEO OF A GROWN BLACK MAN USING LAST OUNCE OF STRIP TO CALL OUT A DESPERATION TO HIS MOTHER.
WE HEARD THIS BEFORE, WHEN SOMEONE HAD THEIR KNEE ON THE NECK OF SOMEONE ELSE WITH GEORGE FLOYD, NONE.
BUT THE DAMAGE AMONG US COMPARED TO WATCH OR LISTEN TO
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THE VIDEO TAPE OF TY NICHOLS MURDER THE DEPRAVITY OF THOSE MEMBERS OF THE MEMPHIS POLICE DEPARTMENT.SCORPION UNIT SCORPIOS ARE DAILY, AREN'T THEY? SO THEY REALLY PROVED THEIR NAME TO BE TRUE.
IT'S BEYOND COMPREHENSION, BEYOND THE LIMITS OF OUR IMAGINATION.
AND YET IT'S HAPPENED AGAIN IN THE WORST COMBINATION OF CONDITIONS DRIVING.
WHILE BLACK CONTINUES TO BE A DEFICIT IN AMERICA.
IT IS A RESULT OF THE DE BOXED CORRUPTION OF IGNORANCE, THE MOST CONTORTED MANIFESTATION OF POWER.
THE OUTCOME OF CENTURIES OF AMERICAN WHITE SUPREMACY AND BRUTALITY SO OFTEN EMBEDDED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT CULTURE.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS NOT AN INDICTMENT OF ALL POLICE OFFICERS, BUT THESE ARE FACTS.
THE FIREARM OF THE FIRE OFFICERS INVOLVED AND THE SUSPENSION OF A SIX EXEMPLIFIED BEST PRACTICES FOR RESPONDING TO ABUSE COMMITTED BY POLICE.
BUT TRAINING MUST TESTIFY TO ADJUST THE SENSITIVITY OF OFFERS SO THEY EMPLOY RESHAPED WHEN REQUIRED AND GIVE CONSTANT EVIDENCE OF THEIR PLEDGE TO SERVE AND PROTECT THE ESSENCE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS EXPRESSES ITS CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF TYRE NICHOLS, AND PARTICULARLY TO HIS MOTHER FOR WHOM HE CALLED OUR LORD DEAR ATTACK EACH OF US, NO MATTER OUR PROFESSION OR OUR POWER.
US DO WHAT WE CAN TO UPHOLD THE DIGNITY OUR FELLOWS.
AND CLOSING, LET US BE CLEAR THAT OUR GRAVE OBLIGATION IS TO ENSURE THE HISTORY OF RACISM, BIGOTRY THAT CONTINUES TO STAY AMERICA IS NOT TO CONTINUE.
AND THAT WE WILL NOT CONDONE IT WITHOUT SILENCE.
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SESSION.MEETINGED CONFERENCE, BOARD MEETING, AND VOTE ON EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
SO IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA, I ONLY PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME, AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD, AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES WILL BE EVENING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OTHER.
SO I ASK SOUND, JACKSON COMMUNITY ADVOCATE.
UH, AGENDA ITEM RECEIVING 5 MILLION, UH, FROM THE UNITED STATES, UM, WITH THE POPULATION.
UM, WONDERING HOW MUCH WE SEE THE REGULAR INMATES.
I JUST DON'T THINK IT SHOULD BE A SEPARATION.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE IMPROVE FOR ONE GROUP.
WE SHOULD IMPROVE FOR THE OTHER, UM, DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICES SERVICE RESOLUTION.
UM, I HAVE A VERY SERIOUS CONCERN.
HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR PROGRAMS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN IN THE JUVENILE, UH, JUSTICE SYSTEM.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE PAID OUT MILLIONS ALREADY.
I WOULD LIKE US TO DO AN OVERALL COMPONENT IF YOU REACH OUT TO THOSE FAMILIES WHO USE THEM.
CAUSE I'M GONNA TELL YOU, THE PROGRAMS AT THIS POINT ARE NOT WORKING.
THEY'RE NOT DETERMIN ANYTHING.
THEY'RE NOT HELPING CHILDREN TURN AROUND.
UM, I MAY DO NOT, UNFORTUNATELY.
OFFER, AND WHAT WE ARE DOING IS NOT WORKING.
WE ARE BRINGING ON A NEW VENDOR, I BELIEVE, UH, A PILOT PROGRAM.
YOU START DOING SOME STUFF THAT'S SUBSTANCES.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT THE CHILDREN ARE COMING IN FOR AND DESIGN THOSE PROGRAMS AROUND THEM.
MAYBE YOU NEED TO START BRINGING SOME PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO DEAL WITH THESE CHILDREN, NOT NECESSARILY CONNECTED TO A ORGANIZATION, BUT ON THE GROUND WHO REALLY KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
BRING SOME OF THESE PARENTS IN WHO CHILDREN ARE MULTIPLE REPEAT OFFENDERS AND THEY CAN TELL YOU WHAT THE BACKLOG IS.
WHY WE HAVE TO SEND CHILDREN OUTTA STATE TO GET SERVICES.
UM, WE HAVE A CONTRACT NOW WITH THE ANKLE BRACELETS IN THE JUVENILE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND THEN TAKING 80 WITH 60 TO 160 DAYS.
TAKE, GET THE ANKLE BRACELET ON AFTER THIS COURT MANDATE.
SOMETHING'S NOT WORKING EITHER.
WE, WE WE'RE WATCHING A KID THAT'S ON THE ANGLE BRACELET MONITOR, NOT SUPPOSED TO LEAVE HIS PORCH.
THIS IS IN ESSEX COUNTY, NORTH NEW JERSEY.
WE WATCH 'EM GO ON HIS PORCH ON PLEASANT STREET.
AND 20 MINUTES LATER, THIS KID IS IN CARNEY, STEALING IN THE CAR OUTTA SOMEBODY'S DRIVEWAY AND NOBODY MOVES.
NOT THE PROGRAM, NOT THE PERSON WATCHING THE VIDEO.
THEY ALLOWED THIS CHILD TO STEAL ANOTHER CAR.
AND I'M TALKING ON A 13 YEAR OLD.
SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I, YES, 30 SECONDS.
POWER PROGRAMS ARE MEDIA, ET CETERA, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO WATCH THOSE DOLLARS.
UM, I SEE WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, OUTSIDE BUSINESS COMING IN, THE LEGAL COUNSEL.
I THINK WE NEED TO WATCH WHAT WE ARE DOING AND I'LL COME BACK UP.
AND AS OUR POLICY QUESTION AND ANSWERED IN RECORD, ANYONE ELSE? ADAM KRAMER, 20 MORAN ROAD, WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.
I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT, UH, A WHOLE BUNCH OF ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
COLLECT TO AS, UH, LEGAL ACTIONS AND, AND LITIGATION AND TALK ABOUT ALL THOSE AGENDAS UNDER ONE UMBRELLA.
WE'RE NEVER GONNA STOP ALL LAWSUITS AND ALL LEGAL FEES THAT THE COUNTY NEEDS TO PAY.
HOWEVER, I SUBMIT THAT EVEN THOUGH THE COUNTY HAS DONE A GOOD JOB DEALING WITH ITS LEGAL ISSUES, THERE IS SOME ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
AND I'M GONNA MAKE SOME SUGGESTIONS.
UM, LOOKING AT THIS AGENDA AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THE TAXPAYERS HAVE TO PAY FOR LITIGATION, UH, AS A TAXPAYER, IT'S SOMEWHAT DISCONCERTING.
UM, I THINK THAT THE COUNTY NEEDS TO DOUBLE DOWN ON SOME OF THE PROACTIVE MEMBER MEASURES SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE LAWSUITS PENDING AGAINST US IN THE FIRST PLACE.
IF YOU LOOK AT CERTAIN, UH, ITEMS ON THIS AGENDA, THERE ARE RESULTS OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE MADE, UH, ILL-ADVISED DECISIONS AS EMPLOYEES, AND IT'S COSTING THE COUNTY AND ITS TAXPAYERS MONEY.
UM, I ALSO THINK THAT YOU HAVE TO RETHINK THE MIX OF WHAT'S HANDLED BY OUR COUNTY COUNCIL, WHAT'S HANDLED BY OUTSIDE LAW FIRMS SO THAT WE CAN, UH, REDUCE THE COST OF LITIGATION.
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THAT.I'M NOT SAYING YOU'RE HORRIBLE, AND I'M NOT SAYING EVERYTHING'S WRONG, BUT I THINK THERE'S NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT IN THIS REGARD.
UH, ALSO I SEE OFTEN THE SAME, UH, LAWYERS BEING USED THE SAME TIME BOTH TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
I THINK PERHAPS A DIFFERENT MIX OF LAWYERS BEING BROUGHT IN, UH, WHO ARE NOT MAYBE TRADITIONALLY THOUGHT OF AS, AS, UH, PROFESSIONALS, UH, FOR THE COUNTY MIGHT HELP AND GIVE US A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE ON HOW TO, UH, BETTER HANDLE OUR LITIGATION.
I AS A TAXPAYER UNDERSTAND THAT I HAVE TO PAY FOR ROADS, THE COUNTY COLLEGE PARKS, SOCIAL SERVICE, ET CETERA.
I JUST DON'T WANT MY MONEY WASTED UNDER LITIGATION.
THERE IS A PUBLIC HEARING BEING HELD AT
MR. JACKSON, DID YOU HEAR THAT? NO.
WOULD YOU REPEAT THAT? I APOLOGIZE, SIR.
THERE IS A PUBLIC HEARING TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW AT WE WAKE PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, UH, OUTLINING WHAT THE PROGRAM IS ABOUT AND WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN HOW IT'S GOING GOING TO ACT AND IT'S OWN FOR THE CITY OF NEWARK AND OTHER MAJOR CITIES WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
THE AGENDA ITEMS NUMBER COUNT 11, 10, AND 11.
UH, COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL, IF I COULD JUST COMMENT ON THAT.
ON THIS SAME, UM, UH, UH, MR. FORRY JUST, UH, STATED THAT THE YOUTH SERVICES COMMISSION HERE, ESSEX COUNTY, IS SPONSORING A FORUM.
IT'S AN OPEN PUBLIC FORUM FOR A NEW INITIATIVE THAT IS BEING FUNDED BY THE STATE.
AND THEY WERE FOUR MS. PAESE THAT WERE, UH, SELECTED.
NEWARK PATTERSON AND CAN, AND TODAY THEY ARE, UH, IT'S A PUBLIC FORUM.
IT'S CALLED THE, THE RESTORATIVE AND TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE FOR YOUTH IN COMMUNITIES PILOT PROGRAM.
I WORK FOR J J FOR THE JUVENILE JUSTICE COMMISSION.
I INVOLVED IN THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE.
I AM HERE, BUT I WISH SUPPORTING OUR, OUR OUR YOUTH SERVICES COMMISSION.
THIS PROGRAM IS 1.9 MILLION, DESIGNED TO CREATE A HUB THAT WILL PROVIDE VENDORS TO PROVIDE VARIOUS SERVICES.
THERE'S A LAUNDRY LIST OF SERVICES THAT ARE GONNA BE PROVIDED UNDER THIS INITIATIVE, INCLUDING HOUSING, UH, LIFE SKILLS, COUNSELING, TREATMENT.
THERE'S A LAUNDRY LIST OF, UH, OF SERVICES THAT WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE UPCOMING ONCE THIS PRODUCT PROJECT IS, UH, INITIATIVE.
SO WE ARE AT THE PUBLIC, UH, FORM STAGE, AND THEY WILL ASSUME, SELECT THIS, UH, VENDOR WHO WILL THEN SUBCONTRACT WITH OTHER VENDORS TO PROVIDE, UH, VARIOUS OF SERVICES, UM, FOR NEWARK RESIDENTS OWNING.
THE IDEA IS TO PREVENT KIDS FROM COMING IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
SO IT IS FOR SCHOOLS CAN REFER, POLICE CAN REFER THE JUVENILE JUSTICE KIDS COMING OUT OF OUR, UH, SECURE AND, UH, UH, COMMUNITY PROGRAMS RETURNING TO THE COMMUNITIES CAN ALSO BE A PART TO BE RECEIVED SERVICES.
SO THIS INITIATIVE, IT'S A GREAT AWARD.
IT'S A GREAT INITIATIVE, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING, UM, THIS INITIATIVE MOVING FORWARD.
SO I WANTED TO ADD THANK YOU COMMISSION.
LET'S MOVE TO ANYONE ELSE PUBLIC REFLECT TO AND ON INTRODUCTION, FIRST MEETING.
UH, THIS ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING, AS PRESIDENT SAYS, FROM THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, IT IS, UH, ADJUSTING THE SALARY RANGE FOR THE CLERK BOARD.
THE LAST, UH, AMENDMENT TO THAT SALARY RANGE WAS ALMOST 10 YEARS AGO.
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RANGE.UM, SO IT JUST BRINGS, UH, THE CLERK, UH, KIND, KIND OF, I SAID COMMENSURATE WITH SOME DIVISION DIRECTORS SALARIES ON ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE, BUT AGAIN, JUST FOR 2023.
AND IT'S NOT A PARTICULAR SALARY, IT JUST UHS THE OKAY.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENT? HEARING NUMBER? I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO INTRODUCE THE ORDERS.
SECOND RULE BY COMMISSIONER, BY COMMISSION.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT TOMORROW? YES.
UH, PRESIDENT RICHARDSON? YES.
UM, AND FOR THE RECORD, MR. PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER COOPER HAS JOINED US.
DO WE HAVE ANY IMPORTANCE FOR THIS, UH, MR. PRESIDENT? HAVE YOUR HONOR.
MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCE TO THE REVOLUTION ON SECOND READING THE PUBLIC? UH, YES.
UH, UH, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE THREE.
AND WE HAVE ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2023 DASH 0 0 1.
WE HAVE ORDINANCE O DASH 20 23 2.
AND WILL BE READY TO THE RECORD.
I DO HEREBY DECLARE PUBLIC HEARING ON, ON ORDINANCE.
IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE STATE.
YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
THAT WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
YOU LET THE RECORD REFLECT MR. NORMAN WISHING TO SPEAK WITH MR AT THE TIME.
MRK, UH, MR. PRESIDENT, AS THE TITLE SUGGESTS THIS, AND SCHEDULED FEES, UH, FOR 2023 FOR THE VARIOUS COUNTY PARTS AND RECREATION FACILITIES SUCH AS, UH, FEES THAT ZOO AT THE, UH, CODY ARENA, ET CETERA.
IT WAS GONE INTO, UH, IN SOME DETAIL PRIOR, UM, COMMISSION QUESTIONS, OR I HAVE MOTION.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER, SECOND.
COMMISSIONER TO PUBLIC HEARING.
SO, CLERK, CLERK, LET'S MOVE THE ORDINANCE TWO AND REGISTER.
RECOGNIZE TIME HEREBY DECLARE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER 20 23 2 OPEN IF THERE ARE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATEMENT OF AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
AND YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK THE RECORD.
REFLECTORS YOU TO SPEAK AT TIME.
THIS ORDINANCE, UH, CREATES A NEW DIVISION DEPARTMENT, THE COUNTY'S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION, UM, DEDICATED SPECIFICALLY TO THE EVER-GROWING, UH, AREA OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND, UM, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HAD, BUT IT'S BEEN WITHIN THE UP, UH, DEPARTMENT ITSELF.
IT'S NOW STANDALONE DIVISION WILL BE STANDALONE.
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HERE? SECOND.COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT TAMARA? YES.
COMMISSIONER JOHNSON, YOUR HONOR.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
MOVE THE ORDINANCE 2023 INTO THE RECORD.
I HEREBY DECLARE A PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE POLL 2023.
ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE? PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
AND YOU WILL HAVE TO READ JACKSON.
WE HAVE COUNT A OF MONEY CHARTER BY CHARTER.
I'M OUR OLD GIRLS' HOME ON SUSSEX AVENUE.
UM, AND WE'RE DOING SOME NICE INNOVATIONS TO OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, WE KEEP BONDING ALL THIS MONEY.
I DON'T NEED MY GREAT, GREAT GRANDCHILDREN TO BE PAYING FOR THIS.
UM, SO AT THIS POINT, WHAT IS 14 MILLION BOND NEEDED FOR? NO, DON'T YOU KNOW, DON'T KNOW THAT NOW, BUT MORE SPECIFICALLY, UM, WHAT AREAS? WE JUST DID THE COURT BUILDING, THIS INDIVIDUAL BUILDING, THE FAMILY BUILDING WE HAVE UNIVERSITY, WHAT OTHER IMPROVEMENT WE GIVE US.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING NOT FOR WHAT NOW ARE WE DOING? UM, AND WHY DO WE KEEP BONDING ALL THIS MONEY AS WE ARE GIVING MONEY OUT TO OUR ECONOMIC AUTHORITY? I JUST THINK WE NEED TO SLOW DOWN.
CAUSE I NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH DEBT WE ARE IN THIS YEAR.
WE WON LAST YEAR, SO LAST YEAR, FOUR, FIVE, AND ON.
SO I'D JUST LIKE TO HAVE ONE MORE SPECIFICS IF YOU CAN SEND IT TO ME OR EXPAND.
THIS IS A, THIS IS AN OPEN HEARING.
UM, MR. FRAN, I CAN, I CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES.
UM, ACTUALLY AS YOU WELL KNOW, OUR, OUR, THE BOARD KNOWS OUR, OUR DEBT SERVICE IS, UH, ON, ON ITS WAY DOWN DRAMATICALLY.
WE ANTICIPATE, UM, THE NEXT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, THAT NUMBER'S GONNA GO FROM HUNDRED 30 MILLION A YEAR DOWN TO, TO 60 OR 70 MILLION A YEAR.
SO THE DEBT SERVICE ITSELF COME DOWN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THIS YEAR, OUR DEBT SERVICE, JUST THE TOTAL DEBT NUMBER ITSELF IS DROPPING.
AND THAT NUMBER, AGAIN, AS, AS THE DEBT SERVICE GOES DOWN, OUR TOTAL DEBT IS ACTUALLY DECREASING SUBSTANTIALLY OVER THE NEXT, UH, UH, 10 YEARS.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, LONGER PERIOD OF TIME IT KEEPS DROPPING UNLESS WE HAVE ANOTHER, UH, WE HAVE A MAJOR EXPENDITURE OF ANY TIME.
SO OUR, OUR DEBT SERVICE, OUR TOTAL DEBT IS ALL GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THE DOLLARS THAT, UM, THAT MS. JACKSON'S REFERRING TO WITH RESPECT TO THE SCHOOLS IS A, IS A DIFFERENT, UH, COLLECTION WHETHER, AND 90% OF THAT MONEY IS BEING PAID FOR BY THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
SO IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A MINIMAL AMOUNT THAT WE, THAT THE TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING.
UM, AND WITH RESPECT TO SOME OF THE FINANCING THAT THE E C I IS DOING, THAT'S NOT COMING FROM, THAT'S BONDS, BUT IT'S NOT COMING FROM THE PUBLIC TILL THAT'S COMING FROM INVESTORS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THEY PUT OUT BONDS AND THE END OF THE, THAT THE E C I IS PAYING BACK TO BONDS, NOT THE, THE RESIDENCE OF ES COUNTY.
SO FROM A A FISCAL STANDPOINT, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND AGAIN, I ANTICIPATE THAT OUR, I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION OVER SO MANY QUESTIONS MS. JACKSON? YES.
WE GOING THE RIGHT DIRECTION? MR. PAULK? UH, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.
COMMISSION IS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENT? HEARING THAT DRIVER MOVE.
MOVE BY COMMISSIONER MCC SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES.
UH, DO I HAVE THE SAME MOVEMENT? A SECOND TO APPROVE? YES.
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COMMISSIONER SIEGEL? YES.COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON? YES.
SO, MR. MOVE TO, UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE, MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT BEFORE US, I JUST WANT TO SAY, UM, YOUR COMMENTS, SIR, WERE RIGHT ON TARGET.
UM, AND I FELT YOUR PASSION, AND I THINK WE ALL DO EXPRESS WHAT WE WERE ALL FEELING SO WELL.
I JUST WANTED TO FOR DOING IT.
UM, THE, THE, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION IS, UH, PLEASED TO NOMINATE MAUREEN RICHIE TO THE ESSEX COUNTY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
UM, SHE'S HERE, UH, THIS EVENING TO PRESENT HERSELF FOR YOUR CONFIRMATION, I HOPE.
AND, UH, PLEASE, PLEASE COME UP IN, INTRODUCE YOURSELF, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU.
UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE, UM, BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR INVITING ME HERE TODAY AND APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD OF ESSEX COUNTY.
UM, I'M A NEW MANAGER IN THE ESSEX COUNTY D V R S OFFICE.
UM, I'VE BEEN WITH ESSEX COUNTY DVR THE LAST FOUR YEARS AS A SUPERVISOR.
UM, BUT I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN ADVOCATING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES FOR MANY YEARS, SINCE ACTUALLY 1984.
UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS PRIOR TO COMING TO DVR.
I'VE WORKED AT MALCOLM ARC FOR 11 YEARS, VARIOUS CAPACITIES AT THIS POINT.
UM, AS I SAID, I'M GONNA BE, UH, PROMOTED MANAGERS.
I'M GONNA BE WORKING WITH THE RESIDENTS OF ESSEX COUNTY TO HELP ALL THOSE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES TO HELP THEM, YOU KNOW, FORWARD THEIR EMPLOYMENT GOALS AND BECOME SELF SUFFICIENT AND INDEPENDENT, JUST LIKE ALL OF US WHO APPRECIATE AND WE GET A PAYCHECK ON WHAT WE DO.
I WANT THE SAME FOR THE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES STRESS ACADEMY.
JUST WANNA WELCOME YOU TO THE BOARD.
THERE ARE, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING BE A WELCOME ADDITION TO, SO THANK YOU FOR COMING.
UH, COMMISSIONER MOVER IN A SECOND MOTION.
SECOND BY VP ROYAL COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT KAMAR? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
MADAM CLERK'S, MOVE THE RESOLUTION 2 9 54, WHICH I WENT INTO THE RECORD ON A LATER TIME.
UM, ITEM TWO, WITH YOUR PERMISSION.
I COULDN'T DO A BETTER JOB THAN THE COMMISSIONER DESCRIBING THAT PROGRAM.
YEAH, I MEAN, I, I COULDN'T BE DONE.
UM, THE ITEM THREE IS, UH, TEMPORARY, EXCUSE ME, DIVISION OF, UH, MILLION NINE, WHICH IS THE, UH, SO THE SAME THING, UM, WITH THE, UH, JUVENILE, UH, JUSTICE COMMISSION.
UH, THEY CAN, THE NINE 70, THE VENDORS FOR THIS PROGRAM WILL BE COMING BACK WHEN WE, UH, WILL BE COMING BACK FOR YOUR APPROVAL AS WELL.
UH, ITEM FOUR, UH, IS A, UH, APPROPRIATE TEMPORARY EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION FOR BODY ARMOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND THE AMOUNT OF $43,000, UH, TO REFLECT, REPLACE THE CURRENT, UH, INVENTORY.
UH, FIVE, UH, IS THAT WITH THE BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE FOR THE STATE FOR WHAT WE CALL THE SCAP GRANT, WHICH IS AN AMOUNT OF $5,573,544.
THIS IS A GRANT THAT WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING FOR AT LEAST 30 YEARS, UH, NOW FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF THE HOMELAND SECURITY.
UH, AND IT'S, UH, A GRANT THAT, THAT VARIES DEPENDENT UPON THE NATURE OF WHO'S IN OUR FACILITY.
UH, BUT THAT AMOUNT, WHICH IS GOING BACK NOW FOR TWO YEARS, IT TOOK KIND OF A TWO YEAR LAG OF THE FUNDING.
AGAIN, THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF 5 5 73.
UH, ITEM SIX, UH, IS FOR OUR GRANT FOR DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REHABILITATION OF $721,009.
UH, THE COUNTY, UH, A FEW YEARS AGO BECAME THE LINKS AGENCY FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
[00:50:01]
AND INCLUSIVE PLANS FOR HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS AND DISEASES SUPPORTS, NOTIFIES AND MONITORS OF SERVICES FOR THE RESIDENTS COUNTY TO COMBAT AS WELL.UM, ITEM SEVEN, UH, WITH THE VACCINATION SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $450,000.
UM, THIS WILL CARRY US TO JUNE OF 2023.
UH, THIS WILL CONTINUE HELP WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WITH EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE NUMEROUS, UH, VA VACCINATION EFFORTS THAT WE HAVE.
GOING AGAIN, NO, NO COUNTY MATCH.
ITEM EIGHT, UH, DEPARTMENT OF LAW, PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, WHAT WE CALL, UH, JACK PROGRAM TO THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR, THE AMOUNT OF TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY EIGHT THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED NINETY EIGHT THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED SIX DOLLARS.
THIS SUPPORTS THE NARCOTICS TASK FORCE SALARIES.
THE AMOUNT OF 180 84, 4 46 FRINGE 1 14, 2 95, UM, FOR DETECTIVES ASSIGNED.
THIS IS, WILL COVER 54% OF THE DETECTIVE SALARY, UH, AND TIME AND 62% OF THE FRINGE COSTS.
UH, ITEM NINE, UH, IS FOR A BODY ARMOR AS WELL.
AND THIS IS FOR THE OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF.
THE AMOUNT, $22,007 AND 52 CENTS.
UH, ITEM 54, UM, WE RECEIVED A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT TO DO, UM, UH, QUICKLY REDO, UH, UH, SANFORD AVENUE FROM CENTRAL AVENUE SPRINGFIELD AVENUE, THE AMOUNT OF 1 MILLION 8 56, UH, OH NINE, UH, $90.
UM, AGAIN, THIS IS FOR, UH, UH, CDB GRANT FOR THAT, THAT LENGTH OF ROAD.
UH, MR. JACKSON, THE QUESTION ON NUMBER EIGHT ON THE JACK, THAT'S THE, UM, SO THIS FUNDS, UM, THE COUNTY'S NARCOTIC ACTS FORCE, WHICH I THINK IN MY MEMORY IS COM, IS COMPRISED NOT JUST OF, UH, PROSECUTORS, DETECTIVES, BUT MAY BE, UH, DETECTIVES UNKNOWN FROM SOME OF YOUR MUNICIPALITIES.
DOES THIS FUND SOME OF THOSE DETECTIVES OR JUST THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES? UH, THREE PRESENT.
JUST THE COUNTY PROSECUTORS OFFICE COMMISSION.
AND CONFERENCE COMMISSIONER, VP FOR THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
AND JUST CLARK, ALTHOUGH WE DISCUSSED THIS AT THE BUDGET HEARINGS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE, IN ESSENCE, THIS IS THE US ALS OFFICE TO FUND, UH, FOLKS THAT THEY ARREST AND HAVE, ARE IN THE PROCESS OF HOLDING.
IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, IT'S, IT BASICALLY, WE GIVE A REPORT, UH, QUARTERLY, I BELIEVE IT IS FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO COME TO OUR FACILITY WHO HAVE, WHO HAVE NOT BEEN, UM, UH, DON'T HAVE PROPER CREDENTIALS AND SO FORTH.
SO WE GIVE A REPORT THAT SAYS, THESE ARE THE FOLKS WHO CAME TO OUR FACILITY.
AND BASED ON THAT, WE GET FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, UH, TO, TO SUPPORT OUR, OUR TOTAL, UH, OUR, OUR TOTAL PRISON.
SO, UM, IT'S BASICALLY, IT'S A, IT A REALLY KIND OF ALMOST CRAZY FORMULA.
WHEN THEY GO THROUGH A PROCESS, THEY GO, WE SEND THEM THE INFORMATION ON THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE FACILITY.
UM, UH, AND THEN THEY MAKE, BASED ON THAT, THEY MAKE, THEY MAKE ALLEGATIONS, SOME OF THESE FUNDS.
UM, IT'S BEEN, UH, I THINK TWO POINT THIS YEAR'S MORE BASED ON THE FORM.
AND ALSO TOO, IF THEY PUT MORE MONEY INTO THE PROGRAM, WE GET MORE.
SO, AND, AND I THINK IT CAME OUT THE BUDGET AREA.
THIS IS BASED ON, UH, WHAT WE HAD TWO YEARS AGO.
BECAUSE, BECAUSE IT TURNED ALIEN ASSISTANCE IS, UH, USED.
THIS IS IN NO WAY SHOULD FORM IP TENSION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, LIKE WE DONE IN THE PAST.
I MEAN, I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS, BUT I THINK ASK THE QUESTION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE, AND, AND THANK YOU MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
THAT'S, HAVE TO CLARIFY WITH THAT.
AGAIN, WE WERE, THIS IS A GRANT THAT'S GONE BACK PROBABLY 30 YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING.
AND IT'S ALL BASED ON WHO COMES THROUGH FACILITY AND, AND, AND, AND HOW MUCH IS IN THE PROGRAM AND SO FORTH.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT LAMAR.
[00:55:01]
MACARRO.COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
THE LAST, AND, AND I DID NOTHING.
YOU DID A GREAT JOB HANDING THEM.
LAWYER SERVICE IS THE GRANT THAT FOR 1.1 MILLION $932,000.
THIS IS AN ACCEPTANCE, UH, ACCEPTING THIS RESOLUTION IS TO ACCEPTED GRANT, THE NUMBER 11 IN THIS DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICE.
UH, THIS IS GRANTED FOR $1,000,900 IS FOR THE STATE C PARTNERSHIP FOR FAMILY COURT CORPORATION.
AND THIS IS AN ACCEPTANCE RESOLUTION ALSO.
MR. UH, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS AND CONDUCT HEARING.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT FOR YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
SPOKE TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 12, MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
THIS IS, UH, AN APPROVAL OF GRAND AWARD APPLICATION FOR STATEWIDE RESPITE CARE PROGRAM IN AMOUNT OF $594,515.
UM, THIS WILL GO THROUGH, UM, TO SUPPORT AND PROVIDE PERIOD OR CAREGIVERS OF FREE ELDERLY OR IMPERIAL ADULTS AS WELL AS EMERGENCY SERVICE WHEN A CAREGIVER, UH, IS INCAPACITATED.
AND I, I DID, I SAID I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST PROGRAMS WE, WE OFFER.
CAUSE THERE'S SUCH A NEED IN THE COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE.
WE'RE IN THAT POSITION TO HAVE A, HAVE A RESPITE RECHARGE BATTER.
SO IT, IT'S ONE OF THE BEST PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER, WE OFFER HERE IN THE COUNTY.
MR. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL ROLL.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT FROM MORRIS.
MR. THANK PRESIDENT, MR. JOHN.
THESE ARE MATTERS WHERE THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S OFFICE RETAINING OUTSIDE COUNCIL TO ASSIST THE COUNTY AND, AND, UH, LITIGATION DISCRIMINATION MATTERS.
UH, WE DISCUSSED LAST NIGHT, UH, WHERE THEY HAVE, THOSE ARE THE T SHIFTING STATUTES THAT WE DISCUSSED LAST NIGHT WHERE THERE'S SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURE FOR LEGAL FEES AND, AND, UH, WE BOTH IMPORTANT TO HAVE LAW FIRMS THAT ARE VERY COMPETENT IN THIS AREA TO, TO REPRESENT THE COUNTY CAUSE OF THE EXPOSURE.
BELIEVE, UH, ALMOST ALL OF THESE MATTERS ARE L A MATTERS.
UH, THERE ARE A COUPLE ONE THREE MATTERS.
UM, UH, THERE IS, UH, A TITLE MATTER.
UH, AND THEN THERE IS A, UH, ASSAULT, A HORRENDOUS ASSAULT AT THE, UH, CORRECTION FACILITY, WHICH I THINK A LOT OF US ARE AWARE OF, WAS A VIDEO OF THAT, WHICH I, IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, PLEASE DON'T.
SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE NATURE OF THE OUTSIDE COUNCIL WORK.
UH, MOST OF THESE MATTERS ARE THE OUTSIDE COUNSEL, MY TIME HERE WITH YOU.
UH, AND I WILL REVIEW ALL THE FILES.
I'M HAPPY WITH THE WORK THAT THE PEOPLE ARE DOING, UH, FROM THAT STANDPOINT.
MR. PAUL? YEAH, I THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
WE SPOKE EARLIER TODAY AND, UM, I CAN JUST SHARE THIS WITH THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
UM, AS THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S OFFICE DID LAST YEAR, MR. ST.
JOHN IS GOING TO PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF SOME OF THE HIGH PRIORITY, UM, LITIGATION MATTERS AND WHERE THEY ARE.
PUT THAT IN A, IN A REPORT FOR US, WHICH I'LL DISTRIBUTE TO YOU.
[01:00:01]
AND, UH, THEN WE'LL HAVE A FOLLOW UP MEETING WHERE WE CAN GO INTO A LITTLE MORE DEPTH, UH, TO WHAT THE NATURE OF SOME OF THESE LITIGATIONS ARE.UH, WE HAVE, UH, YES, 12, UH, 15 OR SO DIFFERENT OUTSIDE COUNCIL CASES HERE.
BY COMPARISON, HOW MANY MATTERS CAN YOU SAY ARE HANDLED INTERNALLY BY EMPLOYEES AND STAFF IN YOUR OFFICE? UH, LET'S SEE.
I HAVE ALL THOSE NUMBERS FOR YOU LAST NIGHT, AND I CAN SEE IF I HAVE 'EM WITH THESE STILL.
UH, WE HAVE 119 MATTERS ADDED 73.
SO, UH, MOST OF THE MATTERS ARE HANDLED.
THAT WOULD BE CIVIL LITIGATION.
UH, AS WE DISCUSSED LAST NIGHT, WE HAVE 2,600 CIVIL COMMITMENT MATTERS FROM THE COURT.
THAT'S ALL HANDLED INTERNALLY.
UH, SO THE VAST MAJORITY OF MATTERS ARE HANDLED INTERNALLY, LIKE, UH, TORT CLAIMS ACT CASES.
SO, WHICH WOULD BE, UH, PROMOTER, LEGAL SLIP FALLS, THOSE KIND THINGS.
INTERNALLY WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN DOING THE, THE, THE RIGHT CASES, WK HT MATTERS, UH, INTERNALLY.
AND JUST QUICKLY, UH, THERE'S A SAFETY RIGHT CASE, WHICH SAYS THAT, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT, SHERIFF'S OFFICER, COUNTY, PROSECUTORS, INVESTIGATORS, OTHER PEOPLE, THE PROCESS OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT FUND, THE STATE HAS TO PICK UP AN DEFENSE AND PAY FOR IT.
SO I'M TRYING TO KEEP THOSE IN HOUSE TO CO COERCES.
WRONG WORD TO CONVINCE THE STATE TO, TO, TO PICK, PICK CIVIL.
I'M APPROACHING THE SAME THING NOW WITH THE, UH, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TALKED TO MR. WE HAVE FEDERAL MATTERS WHERE WE HAVE, UH, EMPLOYEES.
UH, AND AS A RESULT OF THE, THE, UH, COUNTY HAS SUED, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PICKS UP THAT DEFENSE.
BUT, UH, AS YOU KNOW, MOST SUE EVERYONE, THE COUNTY AS WELL.
AND, UH, I HAVE MEETING SET UP, I THINK THE 27TH, WHATEVER THE DATE IS WITH THE, UH, ATTORNEY HIMSELF TO TRY TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT GETTING THE, THE FEDERAL TO PICK UP OUR DEFENSE AS WELL, TO SAVE US, SAVE US SOME MONEY.
SO, UM, I'VE TALKED TO MR. WE'LL TRY TO DO EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO BRING DOWN CROSS OF THANK YOU MR. Z CHAIRMAN COMMISSION.
UM, ALL THESE LAWYERS COME FROM THE RFQ LIST THAT WE PUT OUT, OR NO? YES.
UM, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 31.
IS IT SAYING THAT THIS IS ONLY ENGAGED WHEN THERE'S A CONFLICT? THESE ARE, UH, THIS IS THE, THESE CASES, THIS IS A PART-TIME, UH, LAWYER THAT WE USE TO HELP US WITH PART-TIME MATTERS.
WE ALSO USE A PART-TIME LAWYER FOR CHILDREN IN COURT.
CAUSE THE COURT WILL SHUT DOWN.
HE HASN'T HAD ME WORK FOR THREE OR FOUR MONTHS.
I'M TRYING TO SHIFT HIM OVER TO, UH, COMMITMENT THAT I SPOKE TO YESTERDAY ABOUT SIXTEENS.
SO WE HAVE SOME PART-TIME LAWYERS AS WELL.
IS, I WAS CURIOUS, LOOKING AT THE AMOUNT THAT I WOULD'VE EXPECTED THAT AMOUNT TO BE HIGHER, CAN YOU GET BACK TO US AND TELL US HOW MUCH WE ACTUALLY SPENT ON THIS SERVICE? LOOKING AT THE KIND OF CASELOADS I WOULD EXPECT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
WELL, SHE, WE USE HER AND THE PART-TIME LAWYER ON THE CHILDREN COURT MATTERS ON A FIXED AMOUNT TO HANDLE MATTERS.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU GONNA HAVE TO TAKE $300 ON, UH, OTHER TYPES OF MATTERS.
YOU OPEN A CASE, YOU GET $500, AND THEN WHEN, WHEN YOU CLOSE THE CASE, YOU GET ANOTHER $500.
SO YOU'LL SEE, SO SHE GETS A FLAT FEE.
SHE'S NOT ANYWHERE NEAR IT'S $17,000.
SO IT'S A FOR THE SERVICES THAT SHE PROVIDES? CORRECT.
I'M TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING.
I'M TRYING, I'M TRYING TO DO THE SAME THING.
UH, AND IT'S A MAJOR, MAJOR, MAJOR PROBLEM.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT LEGALLY WE, WE HAVE TO DO.
IT'S VERY IMPORTANT OVER 2000.
SO I'M TRYING TO GET SOMEONE ON A
[01:05:01]
NUMBERS ARE, ARE KIND OF ALL OVER THE PLACE.AND I KNOW I WAS DELIGHTED TO SEE THIS PARTICULAR 1 31 BECAUSE IT CREATES SOME DIVERSITY.
IT LOOKS LIKE A WOMAN, UM, LED FIRM, WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
UM, FOR ITEM NUMBER 29 THERE, I DON'T KNOW, DON'T KNOW IF I MISREAD IT.
IS THERE A, A, A CONTRACT AMOUNT FIXED FOR NU NUMBER 29? AND THEN HOW DO THEY GET PAID? DO THEY GET PAID FOR JUST LIKE THE FINES AND FEES THAT WE COLLECT? THE, THE, LET ME GO TO 29 NOW.
UM, THE NOW, NO, THEY'RE AN HOUR, HOUR TIME CHARGE.
UH, WE DO HAVE SOME MATTERS WHERE WE PAY.
WE PAID PEOPLE ON A CONTINGENT BASIS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, OPIOID SETTLEMENT, UH, WE HAD A CONTINGENT FEE WITH THE FIRM THAT REPRESENTED US ON THAT MATTER.
ELLIS, THE MATTER SETTLED RIGHT AFTER I GOT HERE, SO I'M TAKING COMPLETE CREDIT FOR IT, BY THE WAY.
SO, UH, BUT WE PAID, WE PAID THAT FOR A CONTINGENT BASIS.
UH, SO THAT KIND OF, THAT KIND OF STUFF WE WERE DOING CONTINGENT BASIS.
BUT WE'RE, WE'RE NEVER REALLY PLAINTIFF, WE'RE ALWAYS THE DEFENDANT, SO, OH, SO WHO ENDS UP PAYING FOR THAT? US OR THE OTHER FOLKS THAT MATTER? THE OPIOID MATTER, FOR EXAMPLE? YES.
UH, WE TAKE IT OUT OF WHAT WE GET ON THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT.
SO THEN NUMBER 29 WOULD BE THE SAME WAY? CORRECT.
QUESTIONS? DO I ANSWER QUESTION? ABSOLUTELY.
MOST OF THE MATTERS ARE OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
NUMBERS YOU SEE HERE ARE CAP BEFORE WE COME BACK TO YOU AS APPROVAL FOR AN THAT'S, THAT'S THE WAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR HEARING? SECOND MOTION.
1332 BY COMMISSION SECOND BY COMMISSIONER.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT? YES.
UH, PRESENT, NOT VOTING ON 13 PRESENT, NOT VOTING ON 14.
ON 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE WENT THROUGH, RIGHT? 30.
UM, MR. PRESIDENT, I'M GONNA START THE ALL OVER AGAIN.
DID WE RECORD? WE RECORD COOPER.
DID WE RECORD THOSE INDIVIDUALLY? YES.
CHECK AFTERWARDS IF YOU CAN, BUT I WROTE IT DOWN.
OR ALL? COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT RICHARD? YES.
33 IS, UH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
[01:10:01]
REHAB.THIS IS, UM, UH, AN INTENT LETTER, ACCEPTANCE LETTER, UM, TO ALLOW US TO APPLY FOR THE, UH, MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE GRANT.
AND THIS IS IN THE AMOUNT OF $343,414.
UM, AGAIN, THIS WILL ALLOW SUPPLY FOR THE, UH, GRANT.
ITEM 34 IS RELATED TO THE SAME THING.
COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE.
UH, THIS IS FOR THE MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE GRANT, AND THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL FUNDING AT ABOUT 108,000, UH, $200.
AND, UH, THIS, THIS, UH, PROGRAM ON COUNCIL COUNCIL, CANNABIS EDUCATION, PEER LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS, YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH, FIRST AID, AND, UH, VAPING PROGRAMS. AND THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCH.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS COMMISSION.
QUESTIONS ON 33? COURT COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES.
MR. JACKSON? UH, MR. OH, I, NO.
MR. PRESIDENT, I APPRECIATE YOU TRYING TO ME OUTTA HERE A LITTLE EARLIER, BUT, UM, MR. JACKSON, UH, STOP THAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, UH, NUMBER LANDSCAPING, UH, NOW TO EXCEED $97,000 FOR LANDSCAPE PLANNING ALONG THE ORANGE RESERV BAR RESERVATION.
SPECIFICALLY, THIS IS TO REPLACES THAT WERE DAMAGED OR STORMED IN DROUGHT CONDITIONS, UH, LANDSCAPE AREAS WHERE DISEASE TREES ARE REMOVED, AND, UH, ADDING ADDITIONAL LOWING AND LANDSCAPE MATERIAL FOR THE HIGHEST SALT.
NUMBER 36 IS RESOLUTION, UH, TO RELEASE ACCEPTANCE OF THE OUT CASE OF FUNDS FROM THE ES COUNTY RECREATIONAL SPACE TRUST FUND FOR ADDITIONAL PARK MAINTENANCE STAFFING FOR 2023 AND NOW NOT TO EXCEED $1,053,830.
UH, IF THE BOARD CAN REMEMBER BACK TO THE DECEMBER MEETING, UH, THE COMMISSIONER APPROVED 47 POSITIONS TO COME OUT.
47 MAINTENANCE POSITIONS TO COME OUT OF OPEN SPACE.
THIS IS FOR AN ADDITIONAL EIGHT POSITIONS, WHICH WILL BRING US TO A TOTAL OF 55 POSITIONS, WHICH IS, UM, THE MAXIMUM WE CAN, UH, A MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE.
NUMBER 30, USE THE RECREATIONAL OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND FUND LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS, AND I NOT TO EXCEED 500,000 EXISTING CONTRACTS.
UM, THIS IS FOR, UH, EXISTING CONTRACTS THAT ARE, UH, OUT THERE.
UM, UH, WE'RE GONNA SPECIFICALLY USE IT FOR, UH, CLARK BOHAM AND, UH, GREEN VALLEY LANDSCAPE DESIGN, WHICH ARE DIRECTORS, UH, LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE CONTRACTORS, SPECIFICALLY BRIDGE BROOK CASTLE, UH, GRASS PARK.
AND, UH, BRADBROOK PARK SALES WAS THE S COUNTY PARKS ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.
AND BY NUMBER 38 IS, UH, AUTHORIZATION TO USE THE S COUNTY RECREATIONAL OPEN TRUST FUND TO FUND PLAYGROUND REPAIRS, AND NOW ACTUALLY RECEIVED TWO HUNDRED TEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED THIRTY SEVEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED THIRTY SEVEN DOLLARS.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS FOR AN EXISTING CONTRACT WITH WORLD CONSTRUCTION.
SPECIFICALLY, IT'S GONNA BE FOR, UH, PLAYGROUND REPAIRS OVER CALL, UH, AS WELL AS WEST SIDE.
AND DALE, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. PAUL? THANK YOU.
I, UH, JOSH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON 38, UM, PLAYGROUND REPAIRS, IS THIS $210,000 COVERED THE ENTIRE CONTRACT OR IS IT A PORTION? UH, JOSH, MR. UH, THIS IS A CONTRACT CONTRACT WHERE IT'S, UH, SPECIFIC TO THOSE RISK OF THOSE PLAYGROUNDS.
THE, UH, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACT IS, UH, 2.9 MILLION.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS, UH, CERTAINLY NOT FUNDING A FULL CONTRACT, BUT, UH, IT'S AN AS NEEDED CONTRACT.
AND, UH, WE PAY FOR IT AS, AS WE GO.
SO, SCRUTINY, BUT THIS COVERS THE ENTIRE PLAYGROUND REPAIRS.
IT, YES, IT WOULD COVER THE PLAYGROUND AND IMPAIR SPECIFIC TO CALL MY SIDE.
COMMISSION COMMISSIONER SIEGAL? UH, YES.
I JUST WANT TO ADD THAT THE OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND ADVISORY COURT MET AND REVIEWED.
AND IN FAVOR, UH, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.
I WAS ASKED BY A COMMUNITY GROUP RECENTLY HOW, WHO'S TRYING TO FORM A CONSERVANCY FOR ONE OF THE COUNTY
[01:15:01]
PARKS ONCE THEY GET THEIR DOCUMENTATION ALTOGETHER TO APPLY FOR FUNDS FOR THE PARK.IS IT AN ANNUAL ANNOUNCEMENT THAT THEY HAVE OUT FOR? HOW DOES, HOW DOES IT WORK? UH, JOSHUA, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, IT'S, UH, ARE THEY LOOKING FOR FUNDS THROUGH THE COUNTY OR FUNDS THROUGH THE STATE? CAUSE THE STATE DOES ALL THE COUNTY OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND.
SO THE COUNTY OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND, UM, DOES WHAT WE CALL LOCAL AID PROGRAM.
UM, AND THE LAST ONE WAS IN 2020, BUT IT, IT'S ONLY OPEN TO MUNICIPALITIES WITH THIS AND WITHIN ESSEX COUNTY.
AND THOSE WOULD FIND, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS PARK IMPROVEMENTS FOR THOSE MUNICIPALITIES.
IF A NONPROFITS LOOKING TO APPLY FOR FUNDS, UM, THEIR BEST BET WOULD PROBABLY BE ONE OF THE STATE GRANT APPLICATIONS SINCE IT'S GREEN ACRES.
SO WE DON'T GIVE ANY SUPPORT TO THE CONSERVANCY GROUP.
THAT'S LIKE THE FRIENDS OF BRANCHFORD PARK OR PARK.
WE DON'T DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO WHAT WE WOULD DO IS IF WE PARTNER WITH, UM, I'LL JUST USE, UH, THE BRANCHFORD PARK ALLIANCE, FOR INSTANCE.
SO WE PARTNER WITH THE BRANCHFORD PARK ALLIANCE WHO FOR GREEN ACRES GRANT.
AND THEN WHEN THE GREEN ACRES GRANT IS, UH, AWARDED, SAY IT'S AGAIN, JUST HYPOTHETICALLY $500,000.
HISTORICALLY WE WOULD USE 500,000 FOR OPEN SPACE TO MATCH THAT.
SO THAT IS HOW WE WOULD PROVIDE FUNDS TO THE NON-PROFIT.
SO OUR OPEN SPACE FUNDS, WE USE ONLY OURSELVES TO ENHANCE OUR PARKS, UH, UNLESS WE DO A MATCH LIKE YOU JUST DESCRIBED.
SOMETHING LIKE, WE DO ALSO OPEN OFFER THAT LOCAL AID PROGRAM, UH, TWO MUNICIPALITIES TO APPLY THROUGH THE OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND FOR GRANTS FOR THEIR PARKS AND RECREATIONS.
WHEN IS THAT? IS THAT ANNUAL? SO THE, NOW THE LAST ONE WAS IN, UH, 2020.
UM, AS OF NOW, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT ONCOMING ONE, BUT WE, WE DO MAIL, UH, UH, LETTERS, UH, APPLICATIONS ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO EACH MUNICIPALITIES, UH, ADMINISTRATOR AND MAYOR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSION.
SIBO? YOU WANNA MOVE THIS? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT CAMARA? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON? YES.
MR. JACKSON, UH, ANTONIO WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. GOOD EVENING.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 39 APPROVES A SUBMITTAL OF AN APPLICATION AND AUTHORIZE EXECUTION OF GRANT CONTRACT WITH THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO RECEIVE 2,114,400 HOURS OF TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND MONIES TO UNDERTAKE TO REPLACEMENT OF THE JFK PARKWAY.
CULVER OVER THE CAN CANOE BROOK IN MELBOURNE, THE BEAUFORT AVENUE BRIDGE OVER TO THE STATE RIVER TRIBUTARY IN LIVINGSTON, AND THE BLOOM BRIDGE OVER THE TRIBUTARY OF THE PINEBROOK IN WEST
ITEM NUMBER 40, AUTHOR CHANGE ORDER TO FRENCH AND HERRERO'S CONTRACT TO PERFORM THE DESIGN ENGINEERING OF THE BUFORT AND BLOOMFIELD AVENUES THE ADDITIONAL $16,367 WITH THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT AMOUNT, THIS WILL INCREASE THE CONTRACT AMOUNT FROM $399,408 TO $415,775, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF 4.1%.
THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE CONSULTANT TO UNDERTAKE ADDITIONAL WORK TO SATISFY THE NJ PPPS.
HISTORIC FIRST OFFICES
AND ITEM NUMBER 55 AWARDS CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF 2,318,040 $91 TO UNDERTAKE THE RESURFACING OF SANFORD AVENUE BETWEEN CENTRAL AVENUE AND SPRINGFIELD AVENUE IN THE CITIES OF EAST ORANGE, NEWARK, AND IRVINGTON.
THIS CONTRACT WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH 2002 C DBG WORLD RESURFACING PROGRAM IN AND WILL NOT EXCEED 90 DAYS.
MI SMITH AND MR. MICHAEL OF SMITH
[01:20:01]
IS HERE TO INTRODUCE HIS FIRM AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE COURT MAY HAVE.I'M HERE REPRESENTING SMITH SUNDAY.
ASPHALT CONSTRUCTION, UH, WAS STARTED 46 2 MAN OPERATION, UH, LAST YEAR.
OUR FULL CONSTRUCTION FORCES CONSISTED OF 90 EMPLOYEES, OF WHICH 18% ARE ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS.
OUR LABORERS ARE, UH, LOCAL 4 72.
OUR OPERATOR, OUR 8 25, AND OUR TRUCKERS ARE TENUOUS FIVE 60.
UH, OUR CLIENTELE BASE IS RANGES FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR SUCH AS THE STATE, VARIOUS COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES, AS WELL AS A LARGE PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.
I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, UH, WE HAVE DONE 16.
WE'VE BEEN IN MANY TIMES APPRECIATE YOU EMPLOYING THIS COUNTY.
COMMISSION ATTORNEY, VICE PRESIDENT.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM, YOU'RE A LITTLE TOO SLOW.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON? YES.
SO I BROKE THE BOTTOM SO HE WON'T BE PARED.
CONTINUATION FROM YESTERDAY, THE DAY BEFORE.
THIS IS THE STATE RECORD PARTICIPATION, UH, RESOLUTION FOR THE OFFICE OF PROSECUTOR.
UH, THIS IS THE NEW JERSEY MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT, UH, WHICH IS SUB ONE DASH F FOR THE GRANT FOR THE NARCOTICS TASK FORCE.
UH, MR. COULTER, IS THIS RELATED TO THE, UH, BUDGET INSERTION WE HAD EARLIER? YES, IT IS, SIR.
COMMISSION QUESTIONS OR COMMENT? I NEED TO MOVE A SECOND AND TAKE FOUR MINUTES BY COMMISSIONER SIBO.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MCCONNELL.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT AMARA? YES.
MADAM CLERK'S, MOVE THE RESOLUTION FORM TWO.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THIS RESOLUTION IS TO PROVIDE, UM, PER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND RECORDING OF TRANSCRIPTION, UH, FOR THE BOARD, FOR THE BOARD MEETINGS, UM, THAT WE HOLD THE BOARD MEETINGS OR ANY OTHER COMMITTEE MEETINGS, UM, THAT WE DESIRE.
UH, THE AMOUNT IS NOT TO EXCEED 40,000.
AND, UH, THE PERSON WHO'S AWARDED THIS, UH, AGREEMENT,
AND, UM, SO WE HAD TO REPLACE, UH, THAT SERVICE.
[01:25:03]
AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHO WE, UH, HAD LAST NIGHT.UH, SHE WAS SITTING, UM, AT OUR BUDGET.
SHE WAS SITTING NEXT TO, SHE WAS A LOVELY PERSON.
VERY, SHE'S VERY PROFESSIONAL, VERY, UH, SET MOTION.
I WAS GONNA ASK IS, IS IS THIS THE REPLACEMENT, UM, OF, UH, UH, JURY AND, AND, UM, NO, THIS IS JUST TRANSCRIPTION.
SECOND MOVE BY COMMISSIONER COOPER.
SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT MA? YES.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT RICHARD? YES.
SUB THANK YOU CLERKS, MOVE THE RESOLUTION 43 THROUGH 52 COMMISSION.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENT? MR. COOPER? CAN WE DO NUMBER 48 BY ACC AFFIRMATION? 48 BY AFFIRMATION.
I HAVE A MOVE FOR THE SECOND, SECOND MOVE BY COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, THIS IS AN AGREEMENT, UH, AMONG THE CITY'S OF EAST ORANGE
UH, YOU MEMBER OF THE BOARD AUTHORIZED THE REGISTER TO COLLECT $2 DOCUMENT IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER $2 THAT HE NORMALLY COLLECTS TO PROVIDE FOR CODE BLUE, UH, SERVICES.
SO THERE ARE THREE POUNDS OF THOSE THREE TOWN WERE INELIGIBLE FOR THE, TO APPLY TO THE STATE FOR THE CODE BLUE SHELTER PROGRAM.
SO, UM, MONEY'S A DEPARTMENT IS USING MONEY FROM, UH, THE REGISTER'S OFFICE TO, UH, PROVIDE $40,000 EACH COMMUNITY TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY HOUSING WHEN COLD BLUE IS DECLARED, UH, FOR YOUR CHURCHES.
THERE'S SOME CHURCHES THAT ARE INVOLVED COMMUNITY CENTERS, UM, AND THEY PROVIDE AGAIN, SHELTER, UH, WHEN COLD PROVIDE FOOD IS NEEDED.
UM, AND, UM, I THINK THEY'RE, THEY'RE ABOUT, UM, YEAH, ABOUT THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THAT THIS IS GOING TO OCCUR.
BUT AGAIN, THIS IS 40,000 EACH THROUGH THESE COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND IT'S MONEY WELL SPENT.
THERE'S ABOUT $128,000 THAT THE REGISTER IS COLLECTED.
DATE THAT, AND THIS ALLOCATE 120,000 OF THAT 1 28.
UM, UH, COUNTY, WHAT, UH, THE COUNTY'S REQUIRED TO DECLARE A COLD BLUE 24 TO 48 HOURS BEFORE WEATHER TEMPERATURES ARE PREDICTED TO REACH TWO DEGREES OR LOWER OR WINDSHIELD TEMPERATURES, ZERO DEGREES OR LESS FOR A PERIOD OF TWO HOURS OR MORE.
UM, AND, UM, WE, MR. MCCOY JUST DECLARED A COLD BLUE NOW.
IT STARTED, STARTED NOW I THINK THROUGH SUNDAY.
SUNDAY, UH, TO, FOR THAT PURPOSE.
SO, MR. JACKSON, THIS IS WHERE THE OTHER WEEK I ASKED YOU ABOUT THE TWO 11, RIGHT? SO THAT WE SEE FOLKS GATHER TWO 11 TO CONNECT THEM TO A SHELTER.
[01:30:01]
ANY OTHER QUESTION? COMMISSION? YES.MR. JACKSON? IS THERE ANY OTHER MUNICIPALITY, UM, UH, INVOLVED IN IN IN THE COLD BLUE? YES.
BUT THEY, THESE THREE, THEY THE OTHERS WERE APPLIED TO THE GRANT PROGRAM.
THESE THREE WERE, BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T, ENTITIES WEREN'T ABLE TO APPLY.
SO THIS IS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
UH, COMMISSION MCC DO OWN OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HAVE THEIR OWN.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.
RICHARD, ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS? DO WE HAVE ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS, ANY WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS IN UNFINISHED BUSINESS? ANY NEW BUSINESS? IN THAT CASE, LET'S MOVE THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
IS THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT OR ANY MANNER? PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
TAKE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
UH, JUST A COUPLE OF ITEMS. YOU KNOW, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU GUYS THE LAUNDRY LIST.
WE LOOK GOOD OUT THERE, BUT IN TERMS OF SOCIAL SERVICES, WE ARE FOR WORST.
AND I'M GONNA TAKE IT, I NEED A UPDATE FROM YOU GUYS.
WHEN I CAME HERE MONTHS AGO TALKING ABOUT A FOOD STAMPS AND HOW FAR BEHIND, I KNEW YOU HAD A COUPLE EMPLOYEES COME.
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
I AM STILL GOING TO HELP YOU GUYS HAVE THE ABILITY TO HIRE NAVIGATORS.
YOU NEED TO HIRE THE RIGHT NAVIGATORS.
YOU NEED TO HIRE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
I'M ALREADY A NAVIGATOR FOR FREE.
I DO THE LANDFILL, ATTEND COURT, I DO FOOD STAMPS, I DO MEDICARE, MEDICAID, ALL OF THAT.
YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIRE PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA GO INTO THESE COMMUNITIES.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE GONNA DO IT.
STOP LETTING EVERYTHING BE POLITICAL.
GET PEOPLE WHO ARE GONNA REALLY DO THE WORK.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE STILL 60,000 CASES BEHIND.
I BET YOU NONE OF HAVE BEEN TO UNIVERSITY AVENUE TO SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ON THE INSIDE.
YOUNG LADY CALLED ME FROM THERE LAST WEEK.
OVER 200 PEOPLE ON THAT FIRST FLOOR IN THE WAITING ROOM.
THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A SUBURBAN SERVICES UP AT 50 SOUTH FOOT SO THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO WAIT.
AND YOU GOT TWO WINDOW BAGELS.
THAT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT EAST ARM AND IRVINGTON NORTH ARM DOWN THIS END.
BUT WE HAVE SUBURBAN SERVICES FOR EVERYBODY ELSE.
THE COUNTY OF ESSENCE IS TAKING OVER A YEAR.
THE LAW SAYS 69 DAYS AND YOU CAN GET TEXT STEVENS IN HERE AND TEAM AND ASK WHAT'S A ROBBER? BUT IT'S A ROBBER.
PEOPLE HAVE STUFF ON THEIR RECORD THAT'S 15, 20, 25 YEARS OLD AND THEY'RE APPLYING WITH THINGS NOW AND THEY NEED IT OFF ESSEX COUNTY.
I HELP PEOPLE DOING, TRUST ME, WE THE WORST.
YOU UNION COUNTY, WHO I HAD AT THE TIME THAT'S NOW MOVED OVER THE LIST BECAUSE THEY GOT THE MESSAGE, THEIR PROCESSING EXPUNGEMENT 30 TO 45 DAYS.
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTY? UM, EMPLOYEE CONTRACT STATUS.
I CLOSED WITH THAT AS AN UNOFFICIAL EMPLOYEE OF THE COUNTY.
YOU GUYS SIT IN HERE TONIGHT, LIKE EVERYTHING IS GOOD.
IT IS A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THE EMPLOYEES THAT YOU ARE NOW ASKING FOR A BUDGET INCREASE TO NOT HAVE A CONTRACT COMPLETED WITH EVERY EMPLOYEE AT THE COUNTY.
THE COUNTY LOOKS GOOD AND THOSE EMPLOYEES MAKE IT LOOK GOOD.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHY WE DON'T FILL THE NEED WHILE THE ADMINISTRATION SITS GOOD AND GOT A RAISE TO LET THESE EMPLOYEES BE OUT.
THE SHERIFF'S OFFICERS, I WOULDN'T WALK.
WE GOT PEOPLE LEAVING ES COUNTY GOING OTHER COUNTIES.
CAUSE YOU GUYS WON'T RATIFY THE TIME.
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? THE DEBT IS GOING DOWN.
SO HE, I KNOW IT'S NOT, BUT IT'S EASY TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.
[01:35:01]
I'LL JUST MAKE ONE COMMENT.AND OUR PRACTICE IS TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IN WRITING, UM, CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, THAT'S ONE THING.
THIS LEGISLATIVE BODY HAS NO SAY IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.
CAUSE IF WE DID, I WOULD BE SITTING AT THAT TABLE.
I'M BELIEVE IN UNIONS A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND BUILDING IS MIDDLE CLASS IN THIS COUNTRY, AND I SUPPORT UNION.
SO IF I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASSIST IN CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, I WOULD, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY, LUXURY, JUST SO YOU CAN, SO IT IS NOT THIS MR. UH, ADAM KRAMER, UM, TONY MORAN ROAD, WEST ORANGE JERSEY.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, UM, ON A TOTAL AGREEMENT WITH WHAT OUR, UH, UH, BOARD PRESIDENT SAID WITH REGARD TO THE EVENTS, UH, IN SHELBY COUNTY, TENNESSEE, MEMPHIS, AND, UH, WHAT HE SAID ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AT THE TEMPLE NEAR MEAD IN BLOOMFIELD.
WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, I AGREE THAT MOST POLICE OFFICERS ARE GOOD, AND I URGE THE ADMINISTRATION AND I URGE THIS BODY TO PRESSURE THE ADMINISTRATION TO PUT A CONTRACT IN PLACE WITH OUR SHERIFFS AND CORRECTIONS OFFICERS.
IT HAS BEEN SINCE DECEMBER 31ST, 2017.
MY MATH IS 61 AND A HALF, 61 MONTHS AT THIS TIME, FIVE YEARS IN A MONTH.
UH, WE NEED TO HAVE A CONTRACT SO WE CAN KEEP AND RETAIN, UM, GOOD OFFICERS.
AND SO THAT, UH, UM, WE DON'T HAVE THE SCRAPE, UH, LOWER OUR STANDARDS AND HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF SOMETHING WITH WHAT HAPPENED IN MEMPHIS HAPPENED HERE.
UM, SO I REALLY URGE THIS BODY TO PUSH THE ADMINISTRATION TO DO THE RIGHT THING ON IT.
YES, I KNOW YOU CAN'T SIT THE NEGOTIATION TABLE, BUT YOU CAN PUT PRESSURE ON THE ADMINISTRATION TO NEGOTIATING.
UM, I ALSO WANNA SAY THAT, YES, ONCE AGAIN, I AM GOING TO BE RUNNING FOR THIS BOARD.
I WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT IT IS NOT AS I DISRESPECT ANY OF YOU.
I THINK YOU ARE ALL GOOD PEOPLE, BUT I COME FROM A DIFFERENT POLICY PERSPECTIVE AND A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OF HOW THINGS WORK.
AND I JUST HOPE THAT ALL OF YOU CAN HAVE AN ELECTION PROCESS WHERE WE RESPECT EACH OTHER, WE SHOW IT'S A CIVIL DEBATE, NO MUDSLINGING, AND EVEN ITS COUNTY CAN BE THE EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY ON HOW TO HAVE ELECTIONS, WHICH ARE ENGAGED IN DEBATE IDEAS.
THANK AS OUR, ANY OF YOUR, YOUR QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED IN, UH, PRESIDENT COMMISSION, MR. JACKSON.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THE COUNTY HAS 26, UH, BARGAINING UNITS.
UH, 21 OF THOSE BARGAINING UNITS HAVE, UH, SETTLED CONTRACT WITH US, AND WE'VE HAD THEM IN PLACE FOR, WHAT, THREE YEARS NOW.
UM, THE, THERE ARE FIVE UNIONS THAT HAVE NOT, UH, ACCEPTED THE SAME TERMS THAT THE 21 OTHER, UH, UNIONS HAVE ACCEPTED.
UM, THE ISSUE IS RE REVOLVES AROUND OUR ENTERING INTO THE STATE HEALTH BENEFIT PROGRAM BACK IN 2017.
UM, THE, ALL ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING THE FIVE UNIONS, UM, HAVE, HAVE SAVED TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY.
OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE SAVED TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY BY US BEING IN THAT PROGRAM VERSUS STAYING PRIVATE WHERE WE WERE WITH, UH, UH, THE PRIVATE CARRIER THAT WE HAD, UH, BEFORE, SO THAT WE HAVE OFFERED EXACTLY THE SAME, UH, TERMS TO THE, THOSE FIVE UNION AS WE'VE OFFERED TO THE OTHER 21 WHO HAVE ACCEPTED.
UM, AND, UH, FOR REASONS, UH, THAT WE'RE NOT CLEAR ABOUT THE, THOSE FIVE UNIONS WHO STILL WANT TO, UM, UH, HOLD ONTO OUR MOVEMENT INTO THE STATE HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN.
UM, SO WHILE I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, UH, I I HEAR THE ARGUMENT ABOUT THE, THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, MOVING AND OR DOING SOMETHING.
UM, I THINK THE QUESTION THAT, THE REAL QUESTION IS WHY HAVING THE OTHER, THOSE FIVE UNIONS ACCEPTED THE SAME TERMS THAT THE 21 HAVE ACCEPTED AND, AND FELT THAT THEY WERE, UM, UH, GLADLY ACCEPTED BY, I COULD EVEN SAY.
SO, UM, THERE'S TWO SIDES TO EVERY OF ALL THESE DISCUSSIONS.
UM, UH, THE SAME OFFER THAT WE WALK INTO THE OTHER 21, AGAIN, IT IS ON THE TABLE FOR THOSE FIVE MEETINGS.
UM, AND THEN THEY CONTINUE TO WANT TO, UM, PURSUE THE, THE ISSUE WITH THE STATE HEALTH BENEFITS
[01:40:01]
PLAN.CERTAINLY THAT'S THEIR OPTION.
BUT IF THAT WERE TO BE, UH, NOT RESOLVED OR THEM TO BE JUST, UM, I CAN'T THINK OF RIGHT.
LEGAL WORD, MICHAEL, BUT FORFEITED OR WHATEVER THAT THAT TERM IS, UM, WE WOULD, WE CONDUCT A CONTRACT TODAY.
MR. JACKSON, WHAT ARE THE FIVE UNIONS? I KNOW IT'S SHERIFF AND WHO ELSE? TWO, TWO MEETINGS OF THE SUPERIORS AND THE OFFICER, THE SHERIFFS, SUPERIORS AND OFFICERS OF AT THE CORRECTIONS AND THE PROSECUTORS.
UH, THE PROSECUTOR'S, INVESTIGATORS, I THINK IS GOOD.
IT'S, IT'S ALL, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT.
IN LIGHT OF THE INCREASE IN HEALTH BENEFITS FOR THOSE WHO ARE IN THE STATE PROGRAM, IS THERE ANY MOVEMENT OR ANY CONSIDERATION FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE STATE NOW AND MAYBE GO BACK PRIVATE? UM, WE, WE'VE LOOKED AT IT, MR. PRESIDENT, UNFORTUNATELY, THE CLAIMS EXPERIENCE OF OUR, OF OUR, UH, EMPLOYEES IS NOT A GOOD ONE.
UM, SO RIGHT NOW IT LOOKS LIKE IF WE WERE TO GO BACK PRIVATE, WE WOULD ACTUALLY BE PAYING MORE MONEY THAN WE ARE BY STAYING IN THE, IN THE STATE HEALTH BENEFIT PROGRAM.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A LOOK AT IT NEXT YEAR, THIS YEAR, BUT RIGHT NOW, UM, WE'LL COST US MORE TO BE PRIVATE THAN IT WOULD, UM, NOT.
AND, AND IF YOU ALSO MAY RECALL, IF WE HAD STAYED WITH OUR PRIVATE CARRIER IN 2017, I, I, I, I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE WHAT OUR NUMBER WOULD BE TODAY.
SO WE DID BENEFIT, UM, OVER THE YEARS FROM 2017 UP TO NOW TO BE INDUSTRY HEALTH BENEFIT PROGRAM.
WE CAN'T, CAN'T DISCOUNT THAT, BUT THE, UH, STILL THE 20% INCREASE THAT WE'RE SEEING THIS YEAR, YOU KNOW, TO, TO EVERYBODY, IT JUST SEEMS UNCOMFORTABLE.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION? UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES IS CAUSE A COUPLE OF BIGGER TOWNS PULLED OUT OF THE STATE OF BENEFITS PLAN.
SO IF THEY PULLED OUT OF THAT STATE HOPE BENEFITS PLAN, WHAT DID THOSE TOWNS DO? DID THEY GO TO PRIVATE CONTRACT OR
UH, THE, THE INCREASE WAS BEFORE THAT.
BUT THOSE COMMUNITIES HAVE, UH, A GOOD CLAIMS EXPERIENCE.
SO THEY'RE ABLE TO GO OUT AND SAY TO THE, TO A PRIVATE COMPANY, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU CAN, YOU CAN MAKE MONEY BY ENSURING US, UM, GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE INSURANCE COMPANY, THE COMPANIES WANT TO BE, UH, THAT WHATEVER YOU PAY IN PREMIUMS, THEY PAY 85% OF THAT OUT IN CLAIMS. THAT'S THEIR, THEIR MODEL.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, IT CAN, YOU KNOW, VARY UP OR DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
BUT IN SOME CASES, UM, AND UNFORTUNATELY IT'S OUT IN OURS, WE ACTUALLY, THE, THE COMPANIES ACTUALLY PLAY MORE IN CLAIMS THAT WE PAY IN PREMIUMS. SO WE'RE, WE'RE SORT OF, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT MOST, WE'RE NOT AN ATTRACTIVE, UH, UH, UH, CUSTOMER.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, WE'RE USING THE DOCTORS MORE.
IS THAT WHAT THAT MEANS? YEAH, WE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE NOT, UM, AS HEALTHY AS PEOPLE WE COULD BE.
WE ALSO HAVE THE OTHER THING ABOUT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN OLDER, UH, POPULATION AS WELL.
WE TEND TO, WE TEND OLDER, BUT IT'S, IT'S A CYCLE AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, FIVE YEARS FROM NOW, WE MIGHT BE THE OTHER WAY.
SO IT'S, IT IS A CYCLE, BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT A POINT WHERE, UM, WE, WE JUST JUST DON'T HAVE A GOOD CLAIMS EXPERIENCE TO TELL WHEN YOU BUY IT TO INSURANCE US.
WHEREAS NEWARK, UM, UH, AND TRENTON AND, AND, AND CAMDEN HAVE A BETTER STORY TO TELL TO A PRIVATE, UH, INSURANCE COMPANY.
UH, MR. SUGGESTION, DO, WHAT DO YOU FORESEE IN TERMS OF, UM, SETTLING THIS LITIGATION, UM, FOR THE, FOR, FOR THE VARIOUS UNIONS, THEY'RE ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, UNIONS, AND IT'S BEEN IN LITIGATION FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
DO WE FORESEE, ARE THERE, ARE WE IN AN NEGOTIATION WITH THEM OR JUST STRICTLY, YOU KNOW, THE COURTS HAVE THEN WAITING FOR A DECISION BY, I KNOW IT'S MR. ST.
YEAH, NO, I, I THINK THERE, THERE, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF CONVERSATION GOING ON.
UM, AND I THINK MORE FRANKLY, UM, I THINK IT'LL RIGHT NOW ANTICIPATE AS WE'VE DONE IT IN SOME OTHER CASES, WE'VE DONE IT FOR WIN, AND THEN WE'RE KINDA LIKE RIGHT BACK, WHAT, YOU KNOW, I, I BELIEVE OUR, OUR MOVEMENT TO STATE HEALTH BENEFITS WAS COMPLETELY THE
[01:45:01]
RIGHT THING TO DO, CERTAINLY RIGHT.FOR TAXPAYERS, AND AGAIN, FOR 21 OF OUR 26 UNIONS, IT WAS RIGHT.
UM, AND I, I CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY THE, THE, THE OTHERS AREN'T MOVING INTO I OR WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S A NET WIN FOR EVERYONE.
AND I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T, I CAN'T SPEAK WITH THEM.
SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? WHERE WE AT, AT THIS POINT? THE, THE MATTER IS BEFORE THE COURT.
THERE'S A, THEY'RE PURSUING IT IN A COUPLE OF VENUES.
I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO MUCH OUTTA MY WAY.
RIGHT? THEY'RE PURSUING IT A COUPLE OF VENUES AS I UNDERSTAND IT.
AND EVENTUALLY WE'LL GET A RULING, UM, WHICH I THINK WILL BE IN OUR FAVOR.
AND THEN WE'RE SORT OF AGAIN, RIGHT BACK.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GET UNDERSTANDING.
AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO, DON'T WANNA BELABOR THIS PRESIDENT, BUT I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IF WE COULD SIGN, WE'D BE HAPPY TO SIGN THE SAME DEAL THAT WE SIGNED WITH THE OTHER 21 TOMORROW.
UH, I KNOW WE ALL WANNA MOVE ON, BUT JUST FOR THE RECORD, MAYBE FOR SOME OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, BECAUSE I DEALT WITH THIS STUFF YEARS AGO WHEN I FIRST STARTED AS A COMMISSIONER.
SO WHEN WE WERE IN A PRIVATE COMPANY, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CHALLENGED OUR BROKER, AND I'LL PUT THAT ON RECORD.
SO BY GOING TO THE STATE HEALTH BENEFITS PLAN, COUNTY TAXPAYERS DON'T HAVE TO PAY THE BROKER THAT WE USED.
THERE WAS A BROKER FEE TO GET PRIVATE INSURANCE.
BUT WHEN I USED TO SPEAK TO THE BROKER THAT WAS HERE, UM, ONE OF THE BIGGEST TROUBLING ISSUES WE HAD FROM OUR SICK POPULATION IS BECAUSE OF THE HIPAA LAWS.
WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
WE JUST KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE FILE CLAIMS, BUT WE DON'T KNOW FOR WHAT.
RIGHT? UM, SO IT'S A VERY GRAY AREA THERE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT ON RECORD, YOU KNOW, EVEN FOR THE UNIONS, WHAT A LOT OF FOLKS DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IS BY GOING TO THE STATE HEALTH BENEFITS PLAN, NOT ONLY DID WE EITHER PAY THE SAME OR MAYBE WE PAY LESS, WE'VE ALSO ELIMINATED A LARGE BROKER FEE THAT HE HAD TO PAY, WHICH SAVED A LOT OF MONEY IN OUR BUDGET.
AM I NOT MISTAKEN THERE, MR. JACKSON? YES.
THE BROKER FEE WAS, UH, I WANT TO SAY FROM, UH, 400,000 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, DOWN 400, RIGHT? WHATEVER IT WAS.
SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, JUST, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, BRING EVERYBODY UP TO SPEED.
PEOPLE WEREN'T LOOK, YOU KNOW, WATCHING THE HOME IN THE AUDIENCE, THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS, UM, IT REALLY IS A TRICKY SITUATION.
BUT WHAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATION DID, I BELIEVE HAL HARLEY WAS THE BEST DECISION, UM, STILL IS THE BEST DECISION.
AND EVEN WHEN WE WERE WITH, UH, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS AETNA AT THE TIME, THEY WERE READY TO JUMP US THROUGH THE ROOF WITH OUR, WITH OUR PRIVATE, UH, COSTS.
SO WE PROBABLY, LIKE MR. JACKSON SAID, WOULD BE IN A WORSE SITUATION AND WE'D BE BANNED A BROKER FEE.
SO IT WAS DEFINITELY THE RIGHT MOVE.
UM, BUT I WILL PUT ON RECORD, AND AGAIN, NOT TO BELABOR THIS MR. PRESIDENT SOMEWHERE AT SOME POINT IN THIS STATE, WE NEED TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
UM, AND WHEN I SAY WE, LIKE, WE'RE COUNTY LEGISLATORS.
WE ALL KNOW STATE LEGISLATORS, WE ALL KNOW MUNICIPAL LEGISLATORS.
SO FOLKS DON'T GET TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT THIS HEALTHCARE CRISIS.
WE'RE GONNA BE IN DEEP, DEEP, YOU KNOW WHAT, VERY SOON.
UM, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE FOR YEARS WE LIVED UNDER A CAP WHEN IT CAME TO TAXES, RIGHT? WHERE THEY WERE LIKE, LOOK, YOU HAVE TO STAY WITHIN, WITHIN YOUR MEANS.
WELL, HOW DO YOU STAY WITHIN YOUR MEANS IF THE, THE INSURED, YOUR, YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE DUE HEALTH COVERAGE, THANKS TO THEIR UNIONS, THAT FAULT FOR THEM FOR THE HEALTH COVERAGE, BUT THEN THE HEALTHCARE COMPANIES, OR EVEN THE STATE HEALTHCARE PLAN GOES THROUGH THE ROOF PERCENTAGE WISE.
SO I PUT THAT ON RECORD, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE REALLY NEED OUR LEGISLATORS AT THE STATE, YOU KNOW, UH, OR, OR THE DEPARTMENT OF OF BANKING AND INSURANCE TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.
LIKE, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? YOU KNOW? AND THEN MAYBE EVEN OUR FEDERAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, BECAUSE AT SOME POINT, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE, SCALE'S GONNA BREAK, AND GOVERNMENT'S GOING TO BREAK, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO WITH IT.
SO I JUST WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE ON RECORD.
SO LET'S GO TO COMMISSION VICE PRESIDENT.
I DON'T HAVE ANY HEALTHCARE RELATED.
UM, BUT I DO WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLAUD YOU AND COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR STATEMENT AND, AND WITH THE SINCERE MOTION THAT YOU SHOULD.
[01:50:01]
THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE AS LEADERS DEMONSTRATE THAT BECAUSE THERE IS NO TIME WHERE ANY OF THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR IS ACCEPTABLE, ANY GOOD AND DECENT HUMAN BEING, UH, ANYWHERE COULD AGREE TO THAT, IRRESPECTIVE OF BE PARTISANS, YOUR ECONOMIC STATUS OR WHERE YOU CAME FROM.AND, AND THE OTHER PART OF WHAT YOU TOUCHED ON EARLIER, I THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING MY COMMENTS TODAY, AND I HAVE, UH, IN GOOD NEWS IN THAT I JUST LEARNED FROM A GOOD FRIEND, MAYOR, UH, BLOOMFIELD MAYOR MIKE BENIZIO, THAT A SUSPECT HAS BEEN APPREHENDED BY THE FBI AND BLOOMFIELD POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I WANT TO QUALIFY BY SAYING IT AS A SUSPECT, THE NO RUSH JUDGMENT, BECAUSE AFTER ALL, WE DO ADVOCATE FOR WEDNESDAY IN COURT HERE.
AND THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WHEN THEY GET OMITTED, LEAD TO THE ATROCITIES THAT WE ARE COMMENTING ON TIME.
BUT HOPEFULLY, UH, IF THAT IS, IF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY IS ACCURATE, AND THIS DOES COME TO FRUITION, IT MIGHT, I DON'T WANNA SAY BRING CLOSURE BECAUSE ACTS LIKE THESE SHOULDN'T HAPPEN IN THE FIRST PLACE, BUT AT LEAST KNOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY JUSTICE WILL.
AND THAT'S, AND I THINK THAT'S, UH, A GOOD WAY TO CLOSE.
BUT I THINK PERSONALLY, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOR PRESIDENT AND ALL OF US HERE HAS BEEN A BIT OF A DIFFICULT NIGHT.
THIS SHOULD COULD'VE BEEN A FAIRLY MUNDANE RUN IN THE MILL MEETING.
AND WE TRY TO REFLECT A LITTLE LEVITY TO THE MUNDANE, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, UH, WE ALL HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER HERE.
UH, WE, YOU KNOW, THOSE WHO COME FROM PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HATE YOU FOR COMING AND SPEAKING A LINE.
THAT'S GREAT TO BE APPLAUD THAT YOU DO THAT.
EVEN IF WE DON'T AGREE, THAT'S, THAT'S FINE.
UM, BUT AT LEAST HOPEFULLY TODAY, WE CAN CLOSE THIS MEETING AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS WITH JUST MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OVER JUSTICE AND NOT ONE INSTANCE.
AND HOPE THAT MAYBE AT THE NEXT MEETING WHEN WE COME BACK AND CONVENE MAYBE LITTLE BIT MORE JUSTICE THAT WE HAVE TAKEN PLACE FROM ONE MEETING, PLEASE.
COMMISSION COOPER, UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I TOO AGREE WITH YOUR STATEMENT.
AND YOU'RE SAYING THIS, I FEEL EXACTLY THE WAY THAT YOU DO, UM, AS DO A LOT OF US.
SO I CAN MENTION YOU FOR SPEAKING UP.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY TO TALK ABOUT A TOPIC THAT'S SO SENSITIVE TO SO MANY OF US.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO ASK MR. JACKSON OR MR. KORI, MAYBE MR. KORI, SINCE YOU'RE TALKING MORE TODAY, TALK ABOUT, UM, THE DOING BUSINESS WITH THE COUNTY WORKSHOP THAT'S COMING UP.
AND ASK IF YOU GUYS CAN EMAIL THAT OUT TO US, BECAUSE, UM, I KNOW SO MANY OF US ARE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN HOW WE CAN CONNECT OUR CONSTITUENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS WITH HOW TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE COUNTY.
SO IF YOU GUYS CAN CONNECT, SEND THAT FLYER BACK TO US AGAIN.
AND JUST FOR THE FOLKS THAT'S WATCHING AT HOME, WE REVIEW MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THERE IS A MEETING NEXT WEDNESDAY IN THE SHARE ORDER.
KAYLA OLIVER, UH, OFFICE, THE 14TH FLOOR ON SMALL BUSINESSES RUNNING THAT, UH, I AM UNDER THE SPEAKERS.
SO THEY'LL LET ME SPEAK THAT THAT EVENING.
AND, UH, THEY'RE GOING TO, I SAW THEIR POWERPOINT THIS MORNING, AND, UH, VERY, VERY AVAILABLE.
I'LL FELL OUT A SMALL BUSINESS TO SEND IT TO THE CLERK, SENATOR CLERK COMMISSION.
I JUST WANT TO CLOSE, MIKE, THANKING YOU, PRESIDENT, FOR ALL YOUR HEARTFELT REMARKS.
YOU SPOKE BEAUTIFULLY, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
FIRST AND IN CLOSING AS WELL, I, I ALL THE SENTIMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HEARTFELT STATEMENT, UM, UH, TODAY HERE AT THIS MEETING, AS WELL AS THE STATEMENT THAT YOU PUT OUT ON BEHALF OF THE COMMISSIONERS THAT WENT NOW TO THE PUBLIC.
YOU KNOW, UH, THIS IS A VERY, VERY, UH, SERIOUS, UH, MATTER THAT IS SO IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US.
AND, UM, YOU AS OUR LEADER HAS DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB, UM, REPRESENTING US, UM, TO THE PUBLIC.
AND, AND WE ALL, ALL YOUR, YOUR EFFORTS AND, AND YOUR VERY, VERY KIND WORDS, THANK YOU, COMMISSION.
I HAVE TO CONCUR WITH MY, ALL MY COLLEAGUES.
I THOUGHT I HAD TO BRING SOME TISSUE UP THERE FOR A MINUTE.
BUT, UM, I WANT EVERYONE IN HERE.
ALSO, PRINCIPAL, FATHER, AND THE OTHER CHILD
[01:55:01]
OF THE FOUR YEAR OLD WHO WAS KILLED LAST NIGHT.CAUSE RIGHT NOW, I KNOW THAT FATHER, EVEN THOUGH HE'S IN, I KNOW, FOUR YEAR.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, UM, UH, YOUR WORDS WERE WELL SAID, WELL SPOKEN, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, UH, ON THIS.
IT'S NOT REALLY AN ISSUE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, IT'S A BIG PROBLEM.
AND, UH, ONE THAT WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH EACH AND EVERY DAY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT EMOTION IS REAL.
I THINK IT WAS FOR ALL OF US ALL TRYING TO PROCESS THIS.
UM, BUT YOUR STATEMENT WAS, UH, WELL SAID.
AND, UH, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR, UM, VICE PRESIDENT, YOUR, YOUR REMARKS AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, UM, WELL SAID, WELL SPOKEN OBVIOUSLY.
UM, AND I, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR POINT ABOUT DUE PROCESS.
GLAD TO HEAR THAT THERE'S A PERSON, UH, MAYBE IDENTIFIED, BUT THAT PERSON IS GUARANTEED DUE PROCESS.
THAT'S WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO SEPARATE US.
AT LEAST WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT THAT.
UM, BUT, UH, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, MR. PRESENT, I'D LIKE TO TAKE IT EVEN A, YOU KNOW, EVEN A STEP FURTHER AND SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SAD, UM, UH, THE SAD REALITY AND, AND HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH SOME OF THE REMARKS, UM, UH, TODAY, UH, FROM THE FUNERAL MM-HMM.
THE FAMILY OF, UH, RENA TAYLOR WAS IN ATTENDANCE.
AND, UH, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON OF, OF WHO WAS, WHO WAS THERE, UH, TODAY.
UM, UH, AND, UM, UH, THE REVEREND NOW SHARPTON GAVE, GAVE THE, GAVE EULOGY, UH, OR WAS ONE OF THE T SPEAKERS, THE VICE PRESIDENT SPOKE, UH, REVEREND SHARPTON SPOKE, UM, AND TRUMP SPOKE.
UH, BUT, UM, UH, REVEREND SHARPTON MADE, I THOUGHT A, UM, UH, ABSOLUTELY ON POINT STATEMENT THAT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST REPEAT ALMOST A PARAPHRASE, YOU KNOW, AND PUT ON, UH, THE RECORD.
UM, AND I, AND I PULLED IT UP AND I JUST WANTED TO PUT IT ON THE RECORD, BECAUSE I THINK FOR ME, I THINK IT, IT SUMS UP AT LEAST, UM, PERSONALLY, HOW I'M FEELING ABOUT SOME OF THIS.
AND THIS IS, I QUOTE, UH, FROM TODAY'S, UM, FROM TODAY'S FUNERAL.
THE SAD REALITY IS POLICE BRUTALITY WILL BE AN EVER-PRESENT THREAT FOR BLACK AND BROWN AMERICANS.
UNLESS POLICE OFFICERS CONTINUALLY SEE THAT THOSE WHO USE BLUNT FORCE WILL GO TO JAIL UNLESS POLICE OFFICER AND, AND COPS CONTINUALLY SEE THAT THOSE WHO USE BLUNT FORCE WILL GO TO JAIL.
WE AND MAY NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT A BADGE ISN'T A SHIELD THAT LETS THEM KILL SOMEONE DURING A TRAFFIC STOP.
AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT IS THROUGH CONVICTIONS AND LEGISLATION.
HE THANKED THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FOR OPENING A CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATION INVESTIGATION AND URGED ITS LAWYERS TO BE SWIFT AND TRANSPARENT.
OUR ENTIRE NATION MUST COME TOGETHER TO CONTEND THIS GROUP, TO CONDEMN THIS PROTEST VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
I JUST, YOU KNOW, THE STATEMENTS, AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE FEELING TO USE THESE PLATFORMS. BUT THE ACTION TOO, WE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE LEGISLATION RIGHT NOW IN THIS STATE AROUND SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
THEY ARE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE THAT COULD AFFECT THE OUTCOMES OF THESE CASES.
CAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ALL DAY.
WE TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE FEELING ALL DAY.
BUT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE THE UNITY, TRANSPARENCY, SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE LAWS ARE PUT ON THE BOOKS AROUND BODY CAMERAS AND THINGS OF THAT.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS.
SOME OF THOSE REFORMS. MM-HMM.
SO, YOU KNOW, UM, I APPRECIATE EVERYONE GIVING YOU PAT ON THE BACK FOR THOSE WORDS TONIGHT.
BUT I'M ALSO, WE ALSO SEE EVERYBODY WHEN THAT NEXT
[02:00:01]
BILL COMES UP DOWN TRENT OR DOWN IN WASHINGTON, THAT'S GONNA PUT SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE.CAUSE THAT'S WHERE I'M AT RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S WHAT'S THAT, THAT'S WHAT'S SEPARATING TO ME, WHETHER YOU'RE WITH US ON THIS OR YOU ARE, THAT'S THE CHANGE.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR A FEW MINUTES.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THOSE WORDS AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE WELL SPOKEN AS OUR LEADER AND, AND I DEEPLY APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, JUST BRIEFLY, JUST, JUST BRIEFLY, I WANT TO TOUCH ON, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD OUR BUDGET HEARINGS.
UH, I THINK THEY WENT RELATIVELY SMOOTHLY.
ALL PROFESSIONAL MEN AND WOMEN, THE DIRECTORS AND MANAGERS AND SUPERVISORS WHO, UH, CAME BEFORE US AND PRESENTED THEIR BUDGET.
AND A LOT OF 'EM, SOME OF THE, THE, UM, UH, DEPARTMENT'S, UH, BUDGETS MARKET WERE FLAT.
UH, SOME OF THEM WERE ACTUALLY LESSENED, LET'S SAY LAST YEAR.
SO I THINK EVERYBODY MADE A, UM, BUY EFFORT IN ORDER TO, UM, BRING IN SOME SPENDING, CUT WHERE THEY COULD AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, UH, CONTINUE.
UH, AND I'LL STEAL THE, UH, COUNTY'S EX WORDS, UH, MOVE THE COUNTY FORWARD.
AND, AND I THINK IT'S, IT IS CONCERTED EFFORT.
EVERYBODY GOT THE MESSAGE ON THE DEPARTMENTS GOT THE MESSAGE THAT THEY HAD TO TIGHTEN THEIR BELTS AND, UM, REALLY DRILLED DOWN AND, AND CUT SOME SPINING.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY, UH, WAS PROACTIVE WHEN THEY ACTUALLY, UH, DID THAT.
SO I JUST WANT TO COMMEND THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, FOR ARM TWISTING,
WE'LL KEEP MOVING FORWARD TO THAT.
NO MORE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
YOU NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN ALL.