[00:01:20]
SO, FRAN, WHERE'D YOU GO TO DINNER? WHERE'D YOU GO TO DINNER? I GOT SO MANY OF THESE.
THIS MEETING OF THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS IS HEREBY CALL INTO ORDER.
THIS MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAMED IN ADDITION TO TAKING PLACE IN PERSON.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POMAR.
I'M GONNA ASK COMMISSIONER GRAHAM, UH, TO LEAD US IN THE CIVIL PLEDGE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I'M GONNA ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THOSE WE HAVE LOST SINCE OUR LAST MEETING.
I HAVE BEFORE WE CERTIFICATION FROM THE CLERK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH THAT THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.
AND CLERK, LET'S MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF TRANSCRIPT.
DO WE HAVE ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO BE APPROVED TODAY? UH, NO.
MR. VICE PRESIDENT, WE HAVE NOT.
DO WE HAVE ANY TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION? UH, MR. PRES, MR. VICE PRESIDENT, WE HAVE CONNECT ONE BANK WHO WILL PRESENT THEIR COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT REPORT.
MR. PARLO, CAN YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE OUR GUEST IN THE PURPOSE OF, UH, THE PRESIDENCY TEST? SURE.
AS, UH, THE CLERK STATED, WE HAVE CONNECT ONE BANK HERE TODAY TO GIVE THEIR COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT REPORT.
I BELIEVE HERE ON BEHALF OF THE BANK IS KIRSTEN MICKO, WHO'S THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND HEAD OF RETAIL ADMINISTRATION.
IF YOU ARE HERE, COME ON UP TO THE MICROPHONE.
AND CAN I ASK YOU JUST PUT YOUR NAME AND, UH, AFFILIATION ON THE, ON THE, UH, RECORD, PLEASE.
I AM THE HEAD OF RETAIL BANKING FOR CONNECT
[00:05:01]
ONE BANK.AND I HAVE WITH ME OUR, UH, BANKS COMPLIANCE OFFICER, JERRY LANDO, WHO WILL MAKE THE PRESENTATION.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'M SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT COMPLIANCE OFFICER OF CONNECT ONE BANK.
UM, SO I'M JUST GONNA PRESENT A FEW THINGS, UH, ABOUT CONNECT ONE BANK, UM, OUR CRA INITIATIVES AND THE BANK'S PERFORMANCE, UH, TO DATE WITH, UH, COMMUNITY RE AS IT PERTAINS TO THE COMMUNITY RE REINVESTMENT ACT.
UM, WE DO HAVE A FULL SERVICE, UH, OFFICE LOCATED AT TWO 17 CHESTNUT STREET HERE IN NEWARK.
UM, FROM A CRA PERSPECTIVE, THE BANK HAS PARTNERED WITH, UH, ALLPOINT NETWORKS.
SO WE PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR CLIENTS TO BE ABLE TO USE FREE OF CHARGE ATMS, UH, ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
OUR CURRENT, UH, ASSESSMENT AREA CONSISTS OF THE NORTHERN CENTRAL NEW JERSEY AREA, UM, AND PARTS OF THE HUDSON VALLEY REGION, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, UH, PALM BEACH COUNTY, WHICH WE ADDED, UH, AN OFFICE, UM, LA 2022.
UM, SO AS FAR AS, UM, OUR LOAN APPLICATION, APPLICATION REGISTER, WHERE WE REPORT, UM, ALL OF OUR CRA LOANS, UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY LENDING 82 AND 81% OF OUR, OUR, UM, SMALL BUSINESS AND, UM, UH, CONSUMER RESIDENTIAL LOANS, UM, WITHIN OUR ASSESSMENT AREA, WHICH MEANS THAT, UH, THE BANK IS LENDING WHERE WE SAY WE'RE LENDING.
UM, AND, UM, AS OF 2022, UM, ABOUT 48% OF OUR TOTAL LOANS WERE TO LOW AND, UH, MIDDLE INCOME INDIVIDUALS, UM, WHICH IS WHAT CRA UM, UM, IS, IS MEANT FOR.
UM, AS I SAID, WE LAND, WE'RE AT CURRENTLY AT ABOUT 83% LENDING WITHIN OUR ASSESSMENT AREA WITH, UH, UH, WITHIN OUR TARGET AREA.
UM, AS FAR AS, UH, DONATIONS AND SERVICES FOR, UH, 2022, UM, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 283 DONATIONS FOR, UH, TOTAL AMOUNT OF $491,192 AND 50 CENTS.
UM, WE HAD, UH, 74 OF THOSE RECEIVED CRA CREDIT, UM, FOR A TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT OF $118,078 AND 68 CENTS.
UM, WHICH GIVES US ABOUT A 27% OF ALL OUR DONATIONS BEING, UH, COUNTERED TOWARDS CRA CREDIT.
UM, WE, WITHIN OUR ORGANIZATION AT THE MOMENT, WE HAVE, UM, A TOTAL OF 14 ORGANIZATIONS, UM, WHERE OUR C O B CONNECT ONE BANK EMPLOYEES ARE, ARE MEMBERS.
UM, FOR 2022, WE HAD A TOTAL OF ABOUT 250 HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE, UH, FROM THESE EMPLOYEES.
UM, AND ABOUT SIX OF THOSE WERE, WERE ALL ORGANIZATIONS.
OUR CRA UM, UH, CRA, CREDIT WORTHY, UM, SERVICES.
UH, WE ALSO HAD OF, OF THOSE HOURS, UM, ABOUT 35 OF THOSE HOURS WERE HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
UM, AND WE DO HAVE A MEMBER, UH, WE DO HAVE, UH, SOMEBODY ON, ON STAFF WHO IS, UM, A MEMBER OF AN ORGAN, A CRA ORGANIZATION HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
UM, AS FAR AS OUR CRA INVESTMENTS FOR 2022, UH, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF $44,662,628 AND 97 CENTS OF INVESTMENTS THAT COUNT TO OUR CRA CREDIT.
UM, OF THESE INVESTMENTS, ABOUT $2 MILLION OF THAT IS HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY, UH, FOR OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT LOANS FOR LAST YEAR.
WE, WE DON'T HAVE OUR FINAL NUMBERS YET FOR, UH, FOURTH QUARTER OF 2022.
UH, BUT AS OF THIRD QUARTER OF 2022, UM, IN ESSEX COUNTY, WE HAD A CLOSE TO 10 MILLION IN, IN LOANS THAT WERE MADE, UM, FOR CRA R PURPOSES FOR, UM, COMMUNITY, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
AND, UM, WE LOOKED AT A TOTAL OF 82 LOANS.
UM, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF LOANS THAT WE LOOKED AT WAS ABOUT 280 MILLION IN LOANS.
UM, 60 OF THOSE COUNTED FOR, FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CREDIT IN CRA.
UM, AS I, AS I SAID, UM, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE LOANS WAS ABOUT 163 MILLION, UH, WHICH SHOWS US THAT ABOUT, UH, 70, CLOSE TO 75% OF THE LOANS THAT WE ANALYZE ARE QUALIFYING FOR, FOR CRA CREDIT.
UM, IN YEARS PAST, WE'VE, WE'VE RECEIVED A TON OF RECOGNITION FROM THE FEDERAL, UH, FROM THE F D C, UM, IN ALL OF OUR EXAMS WERE FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES.
UM, I CAN DO IT, OUR DISTRIBUTION OF LOANS, UH, TO SMALL BUSINESSES, UH, BUSINESSES WITHOUT WITHIN OUR ASSESSMENT AREA.
UM, ABOUT 7.9% OF THE BUSINESSES IN THE AREA WERE CONNECT ONE BANK DOES BUSINESS WITH ARE CONSIDERED, UM, LOW INCOME TRACKS.
[00:10:01]
OF OUR LOANS ARE TO BUSINESSES WITH LOW INCOME TRACKS, WHICH SHOWS THAT WE'RE OVER 50% LENDING TO, UM, TO BUSINESSES IN LOW INCOME TRACKS AND IN MODERATE INCOME TRACKS.UH, ABOUT 16.9% OF THOSE, UM, BUSINESSES IN MODERN MODERATE INCOME TRACKS, UM, ARE WITHIN OUR ASSESSMENT AREA.
AND WE'RE LENDING TO ABOUT 16.7% OF THOSE, WHICH, UM, SHOWS THAT IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, WE'RE, WE'RE MAKING OUR BEST EFFORT TO LEND TO, TO BUSINESSES IN LOW AND MODERATE INCOME TRACKS WITHIN OUR ASSESSMENT AREA.
UM, AS OF OUR PREVIOUS EXAM IN 2019, WE RECEIVED A CRA RATING OF SATISFACTORY.
UM, OUR LENDING TEST WAS A HIGH SATISFACTORY.
UM, WE'VE NEVER TO DATE, KNOCK ON WOOD, HAVE RECEIVED ANY CRA RELATED COMPLAINTS FROM ANY ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, UH, AS OF OUR, OUR LAST EXAM IN, IN 2022, UM, THE, THE FINDINGS, EVERYTHING'S STILL PRELIMINARY.
UM, NOTHING'S FINALIZED YET, BUT AS OF NOW, WE HAVE SEVERAL CATEGORIES THAT HAVE BEEN RATED OUTSTANDING, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST RATING THAT THE F D I C GIVES IN ANY ONE OF THE THREE PRONGS THAT THEY TEST FOR CRA.
UM, SO JUST A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS OF EVERYTHING I SAID.
I KNOW I SAID A LOT ABOUT 45 MILLION.
UH, THE BANK HAS ABOUT 45 MILLION IN CRA INVESTMENTS.
UM, MORE THAN 50% OF OUR LOANS THAT WE ANALYZE ARE QUALIFYING FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CREDIT.
UM, WE'VE MADE SEVERAL UPDATES TO OUR ASSESSMENT AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CAPTURING ALL THE AREAS WHERE WE DO BUSINESS AND, UH, WE'RE SERVICING ALL OF THESE AREAS.
UM, AND AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, WE HAVE ABOUT $120,000 DONATED, UH, TOWARDS CRA UM, CRA DONATIONS.
UM, BASED ON ALL THIS I CAN SAY THAT SHOWS THAT C O B IS IS DOING CONNECT HOME BANK IS DOING A GREAT JOB AND WE'RE WELL POSITIONED FROM A CRA PERSPECTIVE.
UM, WE CONTINUE, WE HAVE INVESTED AND CONTINUE TO INVEST IN, UM, NUMEROUS DIFFERENT, UM, SOFTWARE TO HELP US TRACK, MONITOR AND MAINTAIN OUR CRA R A PROGRAM.
UH, WE ALSO, UH, WE'VE ALSO OPENED SEVERAL LOAN PRODUCTION OFFICES, UH, WITHIN OUR ASSESSMENT AREA TO BETTER SERVE, UM, OUR CLIENT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR THOROUGH REPORT.
IS ANYONE WHO WANTS TO RECAP FROM THE BANK OR ARE WE GOOD? THANKS.
BEFORE WE MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE HEAR A LITTLE BIT OF STATIC GOING ON HERE, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE NEED TO RECTIFY ANY TECHNICAL ISSUE.
JUST BEAR WITH US FOR ONE MOMENT.
WE DON'T WANNA MISS A SINGLE WORD TONIGHT.
I, I HAVEN'T AN UNDERSTANDING THAT MR. COLTER WILL BE DOING A LOT OF SPEAKING LATER ON THIS EVENING, AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE DON'T MISS A SINGLE WORK.
MR. VICE PRESIDENT, I ALSO BROUGHT, UH, ENOUGH WATER FOR ALL OF US THIS EVENING.
ARE WE GOOD? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A COMBINED CONFERENCE BOARD MEETING AND WE'LL VOTE ON EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
SO IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISHES TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME, YOUR 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 ITEM.
SO I ASKED YOU TO PLEASE LIMIT ME YOUR COMMENTS TO AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.
UH, ADAM KRAMER, WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.
UM, HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT FINANCE TWO, UM, THE BUDGET.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DOCUMENT, AND YOU MAY HAVE TO FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE IS THE GUY WHO LOST TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND IS RUN FOR THE COMMISSION SLASH FREE ODOR.
MANY TIMES THE BUDGET ON ITS FACE, IF YOU LOOK AT IT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RULES THAT YOU ARE CONSTRAINED BY, IS ACTUALLY A PRETTY DECENT BUDGET.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE DOCUMENT IN ONE BUDGET, IN ONE CONTEXT, SO THAT WE COULD SAY THAT AND YOU COULD PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK FOR A GOOD BUDGET.
YOU WOULDN'T BE AMISS, YOU WOULDN'T BE WRONG.
BUT YOU GO OUT TO ANYBODY IN ESSEX COUNTY WHO HAS A TAX BILL AND THEY SAY, WAIT A SECOND, WHAT'S GOING ON? WE HAVE ABOUT THE HIGHEST TAX BILL EVERYWHERE.
UM, WHEN YOU ADD IN THE CONTEXT OF
[00:15:01]
ABOUT SEVEN TENTHS OF A PERCENT OF YOUR VALUE OF YOUR HOME, PLUS WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO GIVE TO THE SCHOOL BOARD OR THE TOWNSHIP, DEPENDING WHERE IN ESSEX COUNTY YOU ARE.SO WE HAVE TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY'S BEEN HERE SINCE THE 18 HUNDREDS AND I LOVE THIS COUNTY AND I, YOU KNOW, WANNA LIVE HERE AS LONG AS I CAN.
BUT I KEEP SEEING ALL MY FRIENDS LEAVE FOR FLORIDA, SOUTH JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, NORTH CAROLINA, FRIEND AFTER FRIEND.
I JUST CAN'T TAKE THE TAXES ANYMORE, COSTS TOO MUCH, AND WE HAVE TO COME UP AND FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO IT.
SO I WANT THIS BODY TO GET OUT OF ITS QUOTE UNQUOTE COMFORT ZONE AND LANE AND START WORKING WITH THE OTHER BODIES TO DO UNUSUAL THINGS OUT AT A BOX.
DO WE REALLY NEED 22 POLICE FORCES AND THE SHERIFF IN THIS COUNTY? DO WE REALLY NEED 22, 20 SOME ODD FIREFIGHTERS? DO WE REALLY NEED 20 PLUS BOARDS OF EDUCATION? UM, DO WE REALLY NEED THREE, THREE COUNTY GOLF COURSES AND TWO MUNICIPAL CON GOLF COURSES? COULD WE CONSIDER THINGS THAT ARE CONTROVERSIAL, LIKE GOING TO OUR LEGISLATURE AND LOOKING AT THE PREVAILING WAGE AND PUBLIC CONSTRUCTION ACT, WHICH MAKES DOING ANYTHING IN TERMS OF PUBLIC WORKS MORE EXPENSIVE HERE THAN PRETTY MUCH ANY OTHER STATE.
SO I'M ASKING YOU, AND I DO RESPECT YOU AND I DO THINK YOU DID A GOOD JOB TO GET OUTTA YOUR COMFORT ZONE.
USE YOUR INFLUENCE BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH YOU WON'T CONTROL THE COUNTY, THE NINE OF YOU HAVE A LOT OF INFLUENCE ALL THE WAY FROM CONGRESS TO MUNICIPALITIES AND SCHOOL BOARDS.
COME UP WITH SOME WAY OF GETTING TOGETHER AS A TEAM AND SOLVING THIS, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GET UP A WEEK FROM NOW.
GET A CALL FROM 30 SECONDS FRIEND SAYING, ADAM, I'M LEAVING FOR FLORIDA.
ADAM, I'M LEAVING FOR NORTH CAROLINA.
DOUGLAS FREEMAN, REPRESENTING WEEK WAKE PARK SPORTS AUTHORITY, UH, CONSERVANCY.
I'M TALKING ABOUT ITEM SEVEN AND 17.
UM, IN WEEK WAY PARK SINCE 2012, WE HAVE LOST OVER 300 TREES.
I SEE THAT THERE'S A FORESTRY PROGRAM AND THERE'S TREE TRIMMING.
UH, THERE'S A LOT OF TREES THAT'S JUST FALLING AT WILL AND WEEK WAY PARK AND THERE'S A DANGER TO THE PEOPLE THAT'S COMING INTO THE PARK ON ITEM 21ST, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR RESTORING AND LOOKING TO RESTORE THE RUBBERIZED, UH, TRAIL THAT'S AROUND THE PARK.
UM, AND THE EXERCISE EQUIPMENT.
UH, WE TALK TO THE EXERCISE GROUP AND THEY'RE PRETTY LARGE NOW BECAUSE THE PARK IS VERY POPULAR.
UM, WE DO ABOUT 400,000 PEOPLE A YEAR AT WEEKLY PARK, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT BECAUSE AT ONE TIME IT WAS, UH, IDENTIFIED AS A NEGATIVE PARK, WHICH IS NOT THERE ANYMORE.
UM, WE ARE ASKING, WELL, THEY ARE ASKING FOR A MEETING WITH THE COUNTY TO DISCUSS CAN THEY RELOCATE THE EXERCISE EQUIPMENT AND MOVE IT TO A DIFFERENT AREA OF THE PARK WITH A CANOPY AND DIFFERENT TYPE OF STATE OF THE ART EQUIPMENT.
SO I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP THAT'S IN THE PARK.
UM, SOME OF 'EM, UH, SHOWED UP, THEY MAY WANNA SPEAK, UM, BUT WE JUST WANNA KNOW HOW CAN WE WORK THIS OUT? HOW CAN WE HAVE A MEETING DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, BETTER IN THE PARK AS A COMMUNITY AND ALSO WITH THE COUNTY.
SO THROUGH YOU PRESIDENT, WE ASK FOR A MEETING THAT THEY CAN DISCUSS THE EQUIPMENT CUZ THEY WERE OVER THERE EVERY DAY.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF RUNNERS NOW, SO WE DO ABOUT 400 TO 500 FROM SIX O'CLOCK TO 12:00 PM AND IT'S A CONFLICT BETWEEN WHERE THEY'RE AT IN THE PARK FROM WORKING OUT IN THE RUBBER WATCH TRACK.
SO THANKS AGAIN FOR FIXING THE RUBBER WATCH TRACK ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND AS, UH, OUR CUSTOM, WE WILL RESPOND TO YOUR REQUEST FOR THE MEETING IN WRITING.
PERHAPS WE CAN CAPTURE MR. FREEMAN'S CONTACT INFORMATION.
UH, HE'S NO STRANGER TO THE BOARD.
AND THEN WE CAN FORWARD THAT TO THE PROPER CONTACT FOR A MEETING REQUEST.
ALSO WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE OUR COLLEAGUE, COMMISSIONER COOPER, WHO HAS JOINED US FOR THE MEETING.
ANYBODY ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS? GOOD EVENING.
UH, MY NAME IS CHARLES MITCHELL.
I'M THE FOUNDER OF COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY EXPLORERS, WHICH I DO EXPLORER PROGRAM TO TEACH KIDS CPR, FIRST AID AND FIRE.
WE STARTED OUR HOME BASES AT WEEK WAY PARK, UH, JUST RECENTLY.
I'M GOING TO JUST, UH, JUST READ, JUST RECENTLY HAPPENED A HEARTBROKEN FAMILY AND THE COMMUNITY ARE SEEKING ANSWERS.
AFTER A 12 YEAR OLD BOY COLLAPSED AND DIED DURING THE PRE-SEASON FOOTBALL WORKOUT IN SOUTH COUNTY PARK
[00:20:01]
ON THE EVENING OF FRIDAY, FEBRUARY THE 10TH, THE SIXTH GRADE RISE ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENT IDENTIFIES AS A ELIJAH JORDAN BROWN GARCIA PARTICIPATED IN LIGHT FOOTBALL PRACTICE AND CONDITIONING DRILLS MOMENTS BEFORE HE COLLAPSED ON THE WEST SIDE PARK FOOTBALL FIELD AT FIVE 5:40 PM HIS MOTHER, RAVEN BROWN, TOLD R LS MEDIA HE WASN'T TACKLED OR STRUCK DURING THE PRACTICE, BUT HE WAS SUPERVISED BY SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS WHO DID NOT KNOW CPR.SO ELIJAH LAID ON THE GROUND FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES WITHOUT RE RECEIVING ANY LIFESAVING MEDICAL PROCEDURES AND TO RESUSCITATE HIM, BROWN SAID, ACCORDING TO RAVEN BROWN, HER OTHER SON MACKAY ALSO ATTENDED THE PRACTICE SESSION AT EX COUNTY PREDATORS 18 OWNED BY BIG 21 ON, ON BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY.
WHILE THE YOUNGER SON COULD FULLY RECALL THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO ELIJAH'S COLLAPSE, HE SAID HE CLEARLY NOT SPEAKING TO HIS BROTHER JUST BEFORE HE COLLAPSED.
ELIJAH HAD JUST RUN ABOUT 20 YARDS ON THE FIELD DURING ONE OF THE DRILLS.
AND HE TOLD AND AND THEN TOLD ME THAT HE WILL TAKE A BREAK.
HE SON LOST CONSCIOUSNESS AND FELL TO THE GROUND.
MACKAY SAID, HOWEVER, QUICKLY THINKING MACKAY CONTACTED HIS MOTHER, RAY BROWN AND TOLD HER THAT HIS BROTHER WASN'T MOVING.
ONE OF THE TEAMMATE'S MOTHER DIALED 9 1 1 AND ADVISED HIM THAT WHAT ADVISED HIM WHAT OCCURRED.
BROWN SAID THAT THE HEAD COACH WAS OUT ON THE FIELD AND HE STEPPED AWAY LEAVING ABOUT 12 PLAYERS WITH A COUPLE OF PARENTS.
BROWN REPORTEDLY MADE THAT MADE IT TO THE FIELD.
AND SO HE LODGES UNCONSCIOUS AND, UM, UNCONSCIOUS AND UNRESPONSIVE, WHICH PROMPTED HER TO CALL 9 1 1 AND ATTEMPT TO GET AIR INVEST IN THE FOOTBALL FIELD FASTER.
BROWN SAID THE MEDICAL UNIT ARRIVED ABOUT 25 MINUTES LATER AFTER SHE CALLED WESTSIDE PARK IS A COMMUNITY PARK PATROL BY COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICERS.
BUT BROWN SAID NO ONE THOUGHT TO GET HELP FROM THE NEARBY NORTH POLICE STAGE PRECINCT ON 60 AVENUE WESTSIDE PARK, AIR WEST, RUSH ELIJAH TO UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL WITH DOCTORS PERFORMING CPR, BUT DIED SHORTLY AFTER SIX P 6:30 PM THIS, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW, BUT, UH, I HAVE BEEN RUNNING A PROGRAM WITH WEEK WAY PARK SPORTS AUTHORITY ALL LAST YEAR.
AND WE, LIKE I SAID, WE TEACH THE KIDS CPR FIRST AID.
I DON'T KNOW HOW Y'ALL COULD DO THIS, BUT I'M WILLING TO HELP Y'ALL HELP WHOEVER, IF ANYBODY GOT SPORTS TEAM OR ANYTHING ELSE LIKE THAT, I WILL COME AND I WILL TEACH THE KIDS AND THE, AND THE STAFF CPR AND FIRST AID.
AGAIN, MY ORGANIZATION, 30 SECONDS ORGANIZATION IS EXCESS COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY EXPLORERS WHERE WE TEACH EVERYTHING, EVERY ALL THE KIDS, EVERYTHING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY.
BUT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE KIDS DYING ON THE FIELD AND EVERYBODY SHOULD BE TRAINED.
AND AS OUR POLICY, WE WILL RESPOND TO YOU.
IF YOU COULD LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION WITH OUR MEMBER, UH, FROM OUR STAFF, UH, SHE CAN GATHER THAT INFORMATION AND WE CAN GET BACK TO YOU, HONOR.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS FROM PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS? GOOD EVENING.
I'M THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR FOR WEEKLY PARKS SPORTS AUTHORITY CONSERVANCY.
I'M SPEAKING ON THE SAME BEHALF OF, UM, CHARLES.
UM, I HAD THE UNFORTUNATE TASK OF, UM, PERFORMING CPR THREE TIMES IN MY LIFETIME.
I RECENTLY LOST ONE NOVEMBER 26TH OF LAST YEAR AT A FLAG FOOTBALL GAME THAT WE WERE ATTENDING IN PHILADELPHIA.
UM, AS CHARLES SAID, ALL OF MY FOOTBALL PLAYERS ARE CERTIFIED, ALL 12 YEAR OLDS, ALL CERTIFIED IN C P R.
A MONTH AGO I HAD A DISCUSSION WITH MR. FREEMAN ABOUT OUR DEFIBRILLATOR MACHINES AND ALL OUR BUILDINGS AT ESSEX COUNTY PARKS.
AND I JUST RECENTLY COME FROM A BEHAVIOR GROUP MEETING BECAUSE I LOST THAT GENTLEMAN AND I FELT RESPONSIBLE THAT I COULD SAVE HIS LIFE.
AND I HAVE NIGHTMARES EVERY NIGHT WITH HIM TO A POINT WHERE I CAME CLOSE TO COMMITTING SUICIDE.
SO I SEEKING HELP TO KEEP MYSELF ALIVE SO THAT I CAN CONTINUE TO COACH THESE YOUNG KIDS THAT I COACH BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME.
I LOVE WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING WITH THESE KIDS.
AND, UM, I REMEMBER MR. FREEMAN TOLD ME THAT, UH, ANSWER THAT HE GOT BACK WAS THAT THERE WAS A CLOSE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE DIDN'T NEED THESE MACHINES AT THE PARK.
AND NOW TODAY I GET THE NEWS THAT WE LOST A 12 YEAR OLD KID.
WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO LOSE A KID AND THEN SAY, OKAY, NOW WE COULD GET THE MACHINES.
WE NEED THOSE MACHINES AND WE NEED WHATEVER IT IS THAT WE NEED TO PROTECT THESE KIDS WHEN WE NEED THEM, NOT AT THIS COST.
[00:25:01]
AND THE NEED TO COME HERE AND ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AND, UM, IT'S JUST NOT FAIR.THIS KID SHOULD NOT BE GOING INTO THE GROUND LIKE THIS.
AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND I'M GLAD TORE HEAR THAT YOU'RE GETTING, UH, SOME ASSISTANCE CUZ IT CERTAINLY IS A DIFFICULT, UH, DIFFICULT SCENARIO FOR SHORT.
I KNOW I, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL PARENTS HERE AT SOME FORM AND TO SEE THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN, UH, CERTAINLY, UH, DOES SHAKE EVERYONE TO THE CORE.
I'M GONNA ASK THAT OUR STAFF GATHERS INFORMATION.
SO WHAT WE CAN DO IS GET BACK TO WITH INFORMATION THAT WE'RE PERTAINING TO, UH, THE EQUIPMENT THAT YOU, YOU'RE REFERRING TO AND WHAT THE AVAILABILITY AND THE STATUS IS.
I COULDN'T, AND I DON'T THINK ANYONE HERE COULD TELL YOU PRECISELY WHAT THE STATUS IS OF ALL THAT, RIGHT.
BUT AS OUR POLICY, WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU IN, IN WRITING IN THAT WAY.
ANYONE ELSE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS? OKAY.
SCENE NON MADAM CLERK, UH, CLERK, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THERE'S NO ONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
SO LET'S MOVE, UH, TO ORDINANCES ON INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READINGS.
UH, MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTIONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING? YES, MR. VICE PRESIDENT, WE HAVE THREE, TWO RESOLUTIONS AND ONE ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING.
OKAY, MADAM, LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTION ONE, WHICH IS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION OF FINANCE.
AND WE'LL READ IT INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
I SEE MR. JACKSON, I WAS HERE.
SO REPRESENTING WILL BE, UH, MR. TK.
GOOD EVENING, MR. VICE PRESIDENT, UH, HASSAM MOHAMED, OUR TREASURER WILL EXPLAIN THESE, THIS RESOLUTION.
HASSAM MOHAMED, UH, COUNTY TREASURER.
IT'S FROM THE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION FINANCE, UH, FOR, UH, RESOLUTION TO EXCEED THE COUNTY, UH, TAX LEVY AND ESTABLISH, UH, A CAB BANK.
UH, THIS IS A STANDARD RESOLUTION WE USUALLY, UH, PASS EVERY YEAR TO, UH, TO INCREASE OUR TAXATION POWER, UH, TO CREATE A CAB BANK.
WE USUALLY DON'T USE IT, BUT WE HAVE IT, UH, FOR RAINY DAY FUND IF WE HAVE TO, IF WE NEED IT IN THE FUTURE, IT'S GOOD FOR THREE YEARS, BUT WE WILL NOT USING IT THIS YEAR.
OKAY, MR. PARLO, YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? UH, I'M GOING TO PREPARE MR. MCINERNEY.
THIS, AS IT SAID, UH, AS WAS SAID BY MR. MOHAMED, THIS IS A STANDARD PROCEDURE.
IT IT MEANS THAT WE'RE NOT FULLY, UH, TAXING TO THE LEVEL THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO STATUTORILY.
AND THAT DIFFERENTIAL IS, UH, WE'RE GIVEN THE ABILITY WITH THAT DIFFERENTIAL TO CARRY IT FORWARD FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
AND, UH, NOT THAT WE MAY USE IT, UH, BUT IT'S THERE IF WE NEED IT.
UH, IT'S NOT ACTUALLY A CASH AMOUNT, IT'S JUST AN AUTHORIZATION TO INCREASE TAXES MORE IN A, IN A SUBSEQUENT YEAR, AS LONG AS THAT STILL HAS A, A SHOP LIFE.
AND HOW MANY HAVE WE USED IT? IT'S JUST, UH, THE CAP AUTHORIZATION EXISTS IN, GIVEN WE'VE USED IT IN THE PAST YEARS.
UH, I DON'T, UM, I DON'T REMEMBER COUNTY.
I DON'T, I DON'T REMEMBER WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE USED IT.
SO IT'S NOT A TYPICAL, YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, WE, THE, THIS YEAR, THE TAX INCREASES ONE AND A HALF PERCENT PRIOR YEARS.
IT WAS PRIOR YEAR, I BELIEVE IT WAS ZERO.
AND THEN, AND THEN, UH, A COUPLE YEARS BEFORE THAT WAS LIKE A HALF A PERCENT, HALF A PERCENT.
SO WE ARE WELL ONTO THE STATUTORY PERCENTAGE.
AND SO OBVIOUSLY THAT'S GONNA BREED IN ACCUMULATE, UM, THIS CALCULATION TO ALLOW US TO BANK THAT, THAT EXCESS.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, MR. MOHAMED, THERE IS NO EXPECTATION TO ACTUALLY HAVE TO USE IT.
WE'RE JUST SEEKING THE AUTHORIZATION IN.
WE WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT PLANNING TO USE IT.
COMMISSIONERS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO I HAVE A MOVER AND A SECOND? I'LL MOVE IT.
MOVE BY COOPER SECOND BY SEABOLD.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POMAR? YES.
OKAY, MADAM CLERK, WE'RE GONNA MOVE OUT OF ORDER TO RESOLUTIONS 1 3 11 AND THEN INCLUDE THE ADDED STARTER OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 43 IN SECTION K, WHICH ARE FROM THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET AND TEMPORARY EMERGENCY APPROPRIATIONS.
AND THERE WILL BE REC READ INTO THE RECORD AT OUR LATER TIME.
[00:30:01]
MR. TK, MR. VICE PRESIDENT? MR. MUHAMMAD HERE.OUR COUNTY TREASURER IS HERE AGAIN.
OKAY, MR. MUHAMMAD? UM, GOOD EVENING.
UM, I HAVE RESOLUTION, UH, BETWEEN RESOLUTION NUMBER THREE TO RESOLUTION NUMBER FIVE.
AND THIS IS, UH, THIS RESOLUTIONS TO, UH, UH, TO AUTHORIZE US TO EXCEED THE, THE CAB FOR CONSTITUTION OFFICES.
UH, WE HAVE THE, FOR THE BOARD OF ELECTION AND BOARD OF TAXATION AND THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT AND, UM, SUPERINTENDENT OF OF ELECTION AND THE CIRCUIT, UH, OFFICE, UM, THE, THE, THEY HAVE THE, BESIDE THE REGULAR COUNTY CAP, THE, THE CONSTITUTION OFFICES, UH, THEY HAVE ANOTHER CAP, WHICH IS 2%, AND BASED ON THE CALCULATION PROVIDED BY THE STATE, AND THEY HAVE AN, UH, THE REFLECT, UH, HOW MUCH REVENUE THE THEY COLLECT.
AND WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO PASS THIS RESOLUTION TO, TO EXCEED THAT CAP.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I DON'T.
MR. MCINERNEY? YES, THIS AGAIN, IS A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT THAT THESE BUDGETS CAN'T EXCEED OVER 2% OF PRIOR YEARS.
AND WHAT THAT IS, IT'S LIKE YOU TAKE ONE OF THE CONSTITUTIONS THAT WILL, THERE'S THEIR EXPENSES, THIS IS WHAT THEY GENERATE IN REVENUES.
THE DIFFERENTIAL IS, IS THE BASE.
UM, AND, AND SO IT IS PRETTY TYPICAL THAT WE ARE GONNA EXCEED THE 2%, ALTHOUGH WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET AT THESE DEPARTMENTS ON THE APPROPRIATION SIDE, THERE IS VERY LITTLE INCREASE IN, IN, IN THOSE LINE ITEMS FOR BOTH SALARIES AND WAGES AND OTHER EXPENSES FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL.
SO, UM, AND SOME OF THESE AMOUNTS ARE VERY, VERY SMALL IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNTS THAT WERE WAIVING.
THE ONLY LARGER ONE, I BELIEVE IS IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
UH, IS IT THE SHERIFF'S OR THE PROSECUTORS SHERIFF? UH, THIS WAS IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, YES.
THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, MR. MCINERNEY, UM, THE REASON THAT WE'RE EXCEEDING THE CAP IS FOR GENERAL OPERATING COST.
THERE'S, THERE'S A CALCULATION THAT I CAN PROVIDE TO YOU, UH, THAT'S DONE BY THE ADMINISTRATION, UM, THAT COMES UP WITH A BASE NUMBER THAT TAKES INTO CON CONSIDERATION THE APPROPRIATIONS IN EACH ONE OF THESE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES AND REDUCES THAT BY THE AMOUNT OF REVENUES THAT THAT SPECIFIC OFFICE GENERATES TO COME UP WITH A BASE AMOUNT.
THE, THE STATE REQUIRED IN 2015 THAT WE ONLY, THAT THE CONSTITUTIONALS CAN ONLY BE INCREASED BY 2%.
SO WE, WE EXCEED THAT EVEN THOUGH, AND IN SOME CASES IT'S $3,000 IN THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT'S 1,000,004, BUT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET REALLY DIDN'T GO UP THAT MUCH.
SO THIS IS JUST A SEPARATE CALCULATION NOT TO GO OVER 2% OF THAT BASE.
AND, AND FOR PURPOSES OF, UH, KEEPING OUR, OUR SERVICES IN THESE CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES CONSISTENT, UM, THE 2% JUST ISN'T ENOUGH.
AND IT REQUIRES THE COMMISSIONER'S APPROVAL, UH, TO BE ABLE TO EXCEED THAT MUCH LIKE WE JUST TALKED ABOUT WITH THE CAP BANK.
THAT, THAT, IN FACT, YOU KNOW, IT'S 2% THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO RAISE THE TAXES BY, BUT SINCE WE'RE NOT RAISING TAXES BY THAT MUCH, WE GET TO BANK THAT AMOUNT FOR.
SO I THINK YOU ANSWERED, MY SECOND QUESTION WAS GONNA BE THE NUMBER THAT WE SAW ON THE BUDGET ISN'T INCREASING BY THIS NUMBER.
THE, FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, IT'S A PART OF THIS NUMBER'S A PART OF THAT NUMBER ALREADY.
IT, IT, IT, IT IS, BUT IT'S A SEPARATE CALCULATION.
IT'SS NOT CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU SEE IN, IN THE BUDGET.
THANK BECAUSE WE DON'T NET REVENUES WITH SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS IN OUR BUDGET.
WE CONSIDER THE REVENUES SEPARATE FROM THE APPROPRIATIONS IN THIS CALCULATION.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE CONSTITUTIONALS, UH, SELF GENERATING SO THAT THEY GENERATE AS MUCH OF THE INCOME TO SUPPLY THEIR OWN APPROPRIATIONS, TO FUND THEIR OWN APPROPRIATIONS.
AND I THINK, I THINK IT'S KIND OF LIKE AN EXTRA UNNECESSARY, UH, CALCULATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THAT'S ON ONE THROUGH FIVE.
ALL RIGHT, MR. BOBBA, WHY DON'T YOU CONTINUE PAST FIVE AND LET'S, YOU WANNA GO THROUGH 11 AND THEN 43 OR DO ANY THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN DO? NUMBER FIVE.
YEAH, LET'S GO, LET'S GO THROUGH THOSE ONE THROUGH 11 AND THEN
[00:35:01]
43.IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD TO THAT, MR. MOHAMED? UH, NUMBER FIVE.
NUMBER SIX, MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
UH, THIS IS A TEMPORARY EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION FROM THE CITY OF NEWARK, UH, OFFICE OF THE HOMELESS SERVICES FOR HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WITH AIDS, AND IT'S FOR A $500,000.
THIS GRANT IS GOING TO PROVIDE TENANT BASE RENTAL ASSISTANCE, PREVENTION, SUPPORTING OF HOUSING SERVICES TO PERSONS LIVING WITH HIV AND AIDS.
ALSO CASE MANAGEMENT REFERRALS, FAIR HANGARS, HOUSING INSPECTIONS, AND COUNSELING FOR FAIR HOUSING.
NUMBER SEVEN, UH, TEMPORARY EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FOR NEW JERSEY URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY PROGRAM, DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIR FOR $20,000.
FUNDING USED TO IMPLEMENT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR COMMUNITY FORESTRY MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR ESSEX COUNTY.
THIS IS A 20% COUNTY MASTER FOR VOLUNTEER SERVICES AND EMPLOYEE SALARIES.
THIS IS A TEMPORARY APPROPRIATION FROM THE NEW JERSEY OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR 20 2023 TO 2024.
OPT FOR HELP IN HOPE GRANT PROGRAM.
UH, THIS IS A NEW GRANT SIMILAR TO THE OPERATING HELPING HAND PROGRAM TO DEVELOP, IMPLEMENT, AND STANDARDIZATION FOR PROSECUTORS LED DIVISION PROGRAM IN THE MUNICIPAL COURTS IN EAST ORANGE FOR LOW LEVEL NON-VIOLENT OFFENDERS.
NUMBER NINE, TEMPORARY APPROPRIATION FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,732,567 AND 48 CENTS.
THIS IS ADDITIONAL FUND FUNDING.
ELIGIBLE RE RESIDENTS CAN RECEIVE UP TO 12 MONTHS OF IN THE RAR PLUS ADDITIONAL THREE MONTHS OF HOUSING.
ELIGIBLE HOUSING CONSISTS OF ONE OR MORE INDIVIDUAL INDIVIDUALS OCCUPYING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES WHO ARE OBLIGATED TO PAY RENT AND SATISFY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
ONE INDIVIDUAL QUALIFIES FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS OR, OR THE EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS HAVE EXPIRED.
ONE INDIVIDUAL DEMONSTRATES A RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.
HOUSEHOLD INCOME DOES NOT EXCEED 80% OF THE MINIMUM.
MINIMUM HOUSEHOLD REQUIREMENTS.
NUMBER 10, TEMPORARY EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION WITH THE NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES AND CITY HEALTH OFFICERS FOR ENHANCING LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURES.
THIS IS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN THE AMOUNT OF A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
FUNDING IS TO ENHANCE HEALTH, HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE OF ESSEX COUNTY IN PREPAREDNESS FOR FUTURE HEALTH EMERGENCIES.
IT RUNS FROM OCTOBER, 2022 THROUGH NOVEMBER 30TH, 2023.
NUMBER 11, TEMPORARY EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS.
COVID STATE FISCAL RECOVERY FUND FOR IRVINGTON PARK COMMUNITY CENTER.
IT'S FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIR IN $7,500,000.
COMMUNITY CENTER IN IRVINGTON.
43 TEMPORARY EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY DIVISION DIVISION, DIVISION OF AGING SERVICES AND THE CASH MATCH FOR THE AREA PLAN DIVISION OF SENIOR SERVICES IN $5,099,475.
FUNDING WILL PROVIDE WIDE RANGE OF SERVICE TO THE ELDER ELDERLY, SUCH AS IN-HOME SUPPORT, ACCESS, COMMUNITY SUPPORT, AND NUTRITION SERVICES.
UH, COUNTY CASH MATCH IS 154,000 FOUR FOUR FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY $8,000.
AND LAST INITIATED ALLOCATION WAS $5,236,670, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED FORTY ONE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS OF 6 3 11 AND 43? NO QUESTIONS.
DO I HAVE A MOVER FOR, UH, 1 3 11 AND NUMBER 43? I'LL MOVE THAT SECOND.
COMMISSIONER SEABOLD, MOVE SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM, WE'LL CALL MADAM CLERK.
[00:40:01]
COMMISSIONER GRAHAM? YES.COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POMAR? YES.
I WANNA RECOGNIZE MR. JACKSON WHO JUST JOINED THE MEETING.
MR. BISHOP, APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE.
MR. COLT WAS DOING AN ADEQUATE JOB.
THAT'S THE BEST WE CAN EXPECT, RIGHT? ADEQUATE.
HE DID TRY TO DRIVE US WITH WATER.
UH, SO ALL RIGHT, SO WE'VE ALREADY, UH, COVERED ONE THROUGH 11 AND NUMBER 43, MR. JACKSON.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO EXCUSE, WE'RE A LITTLE OUT OF ORDER.
WE DO HAVE A HEARING COMING UP THAT HAS TO WAIT TILL, UH, 6:00 PM SO WE ARE, WE MOVED JUST A LITTLE BIT.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO NUMBER 12.
I'M SORRY, WHAT? WE'RE GOING BACK TO RESOLUTION NUMBER TWO.
WE DID RESOLUTION, UH, RESOLUTION ON FIRST READING THE RESOLUTION ON FIRST READING.
THERE'S A LOT OF PAPERWORK GOING ON AND WE'RE SKIPPING A LITTLE BIT AND CAUSE WE HAVE TO, UH, MODIFY OUR SCHEDULE TODAY, UH, FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, THAT HAS TO WAIT TILL 6:00 PM THE BUDGET, BUDGET EXCUSE, AND THE BUDGET AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT, MADAM CLERK, UH, WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE, UH, RESOLUTION ON FIRST READING NUMBER TWO.
AND WOULD YOU LIKE THIS READ INTO THE RECORD? YEAH, LET'S READ THIS INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
AND MR. JACKSON, ARE YOU READY TO GO? YES, MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, MR. MOHAMED WILL HANDLE THIS ITEM.
UH, GOOD EVENING, JOSE MOHAMED COUNTY TREASURE, UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER, UH, TWO IS THE, FOR THE INTRODUCING THE 23, UH, BUDGET.
THIS IS THE FIRST READ THE INTRODUCTION, AND, UM, IT INCLUDE THE TAX INCREASE OF 1.5% THIS YEAR.
UH, THE, THE BUDGET WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY FOR REVIEW, AND IT'LL BE SCHEDULED FOR PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPTION FOR THE MARCH 15TH MEETING.
UPON, UH, APPROVAL FROM THE STATE.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, JUST BEFORE MR. MCINERNEY GOES INTO IT, I WOULD JUST, UH, REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE BOARD HELD TWO, UH, LENGTHY DAYS OF PUBLIC BUDGET HEARINGS TO GO THROUGH THIS, UH, DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT, UH, IN SOME GREAT DETAIL.
SO THIS IS THE PRODUCT, UH, AND PART OF THOSE HEARINGS.
UH, THAT'S ABOUT ALL THERE IS TO REALLY SAY, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT WE, WE, WE, WE DID LOOK OVER AND BASICALLY MADE, UH, NO CHANGES TO, TO WHAT WE DID EXAMINE.
UM, THERE IS, UH, THE BUDGET ITSELF CONTAINS VERY LITTLE, UM, INCREASES IN A LOT OF THE, UH, A LOT OF THE OFFICES, A LOT OF THE COST CENTERS.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THIS YEAR WAS A CHALLENGE BECAUSE WE DID GET HIT WITH A 21% INCREASE IN OUR GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE APPROPRIATION LINE ITEM, AS WELL AS A LARGE INCREASE IN THE PENSION EXPENSE FOR OUR COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
BUT GIVEN THAT, UH, WITH CUTS IN OTHER AREAS, WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN A AND SOME ENHANCEMENTS OF SOME REVENUES, INCLUDING REVENUES FROM THE STATE, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, MAINTAIN A ONE AND A HALF PERCENT TAX INCREASE.
QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER SEBEL, I, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN NO LAYOFFS SINCE, I BELIEVE IT'S 2004, NOT ONE.
AND CONSIDERING WHAT THE ECONOMY HAS GONE THROUGH, WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD TO PROVIDE ANY LAYOFFS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER, OR QUESTIONS? I WANNA, UH, TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I KNOW PRESIDENT RICHARDSON WOULD, UH, WANNA SAY PROBABLY A FEW THINGS ABOUT IT.
ALSO, JUST TO COMMEND THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THE BUDGET HEARINGS AND THE PRESENTATION THAT WERE MADE.
THEY WERE VERY CLEAR, VERY EFFECTIVE, AND, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO ASK A GOOD NUMBER OF QUESTIONS AND HAVE THEM ANSWERED.
AND RESPONSES WERE DONE IN A VERY, IF NOT IMMEDIATE, VERY QUICK AND TIMELY MANNER.
SO WE WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND HARD WORK TO MAKE THOSE HEARINGS AS SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE.
BUDGET HEARINGS ARE TEND TO BE LONG AND BORING.
AND, UH, I'M NOT SAYING IT WAS THE MOST EXCITING THING WE DID IN JANUARY, BUT CERTAINLY
[00:45:01]
IT WAS A LOT MORE PALATABLE BECAUSE OF THE HARD WORK.DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE IN SECOND? I'LL MOVE IT.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER COOPER.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POMAR? YES.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER THREE.
MR. VICE PRESIDENT, IF I MAY HAVE PLEASE.
I'M SORRY, MR. UM, I JUST WANTED TO CO I THINK AT OUR, AT OUR LAST MEETING, UH, A COMMENT WAS MADE ABOUT DEBT AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH OUR DEBT AS A RESULT OF THIS, UM, BUDGET, OUR TOTAL DEBT'S GONNA DROP BY A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, LIKE FROM 8 45, 8 46 TO 7 45 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO IT'S A BIG DIP IN OUR TOTAL, UH, DEAD OUTSTANDING, UH, NO MINOR ACHIEVEMENT, THAT'S FOR SURE.
THAT'S, UH, TAKES YEARS IN THE MAKING SENSE.
SO THANK YOU MR. JACKSON FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER THREE, WHICH WE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? MR. MOHAMED, UM, GOOD EVENING.
OSA, MOHAMED COUNTY TREASURER, UM, ORDINANCE, UM, NU ITEM NUMBER THREE OR BOND ORDINANCE FOR PROVIDING, UH, ACQUISITION AND INSTALLATION OF NETWORK CYBERSECURITY HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE FOR THE OFFICE OF IT FOR COUNTYWIDE, UH, APPROPRIATE IN 1,000,005.
UH, OF THAT, UH, 1,000,425 WILL BE AUTHORIZED FOR BONDS AND NOTES, AND 75, UH, THOUSAND WILL BE PROVIDED FROM OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND.
THIS IS DOWN PAYMENT AND ORDINANCE.
MR. PARLOVE, YOU, ANY QUESTIONS? YES.
UH, MR. MOHAMED, OR, OR ANYBODY ELSE? IS THIS FOR, UH, THE COUNTYWIDE PROJECT OR ANYTHING? ANY SPECIFIC, UH, HASAM MOHAMED COUNTY TREASURER? YES.
THIS, THIS WOULD BE THROUGH OUR IT DEPARTMENT.
YOU WILL DO THE ACQUISITION OF THE HARDWARE, AND THIS IS TO, TO HELP US WITH CYBERSECURITY.
AND, AND IS THIS FOR ONE PARTICULAR PURCHASE, OR IS IT FOR, UH, I GUESS AN ONGOING CYBERSECURITY PROGRAM OR, OR, UM, I DON'T KNOW, CONSULTANTS OR THIS, THIS IS PART OF OUR, UM, UH, APPROACH TO CYBERSECURITY.
THIS IS PART OF THE EQUIP THE HARDWARE NEEDED FOR, FOR CYBER CYBERSECURITY.
I BELIEVE THEY HAVE OTHER SOFTWARES AND FIREWALLS AND, AND OTHER STUFF.
UH, BUT THIS IS JUST HARDWARE.
THAT'S WHY WE CAN CAPITALIZE IT.
UM, SINCE WE'RE IN THE SUBJECT OF IT SOFTWARE UPGRADES THAT WE'RE MAKING, LISTENING TO, UM, THE WEAK WAY PARK ALLIANCE FOLKS WHO WAS UP HERE A MINUTE AGO, MR. JACKSON, DO WE HAVE THOSE NINE ONE ONE CALL BOXES, EMERGENCY BOXES IN, IN OUR PARKS? UM, THE BLUE, LIKE THE BLUE, THE BLUE, SOMETIMES THEY'RE BLUE OR SOMETIMES THEY'RE WHITE THAT YOU PRESS THE BUTTON.
AND I THINK THEY'RE POLICE DISPATCHED OR AMBULANCE.
THERE ARE SOME, I, I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHAT PARKS, BUT I CAN GET THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU, COMMISSIONER.
AND IF THERE ISN'T, CAN WE LOOK AT INSTALLING SOMETHING LIKE THAT? I'M JUST LISTENING TO, UM, THE PRESENTATION BY THE WEEK WAY PARK ASSOCIATION, MORE AND MORE OF OUR PARKS AS WE'RE STARTING TO OVERHAUL THEM, RIGHT? THEY'VE BECOME DESTINATIONS, COMMUNITY CENTERS THAT WE ARE REALLY UTILIZING AND JUST THINKING ABOUT ALL THE WONDERFUL DOLLARS THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN, UM, IRVINGTON, UM, THE PARK WHERE THE, THE KIDS ARE GONNA GO ON A DAILY BASIS AND IT, AND IT'S GONNA BECOME LIKE THEIR SCHOOL, EXTENSION OF THEIR SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT, AND I KNOW WE HAVE SHERIFF'S OFFICES, BUT LIKE ALL OF US, WE CAN'T BE EVERYWHERE EVERY TIME.
SO IF WE CAN GET CALL BOXES LIKE THAT, JUST LISTENING TO HOW LONG IT TOOK THE AMBULANCE SERVICE TO GET TO THAT PARK, THAT CALL BUTTON KIND OF, YOU KNOW, WOULD'VE BEEN HELPFUL AND MAYBE DISPATCHING THE POLICE OR AN AMBULANCE TO THAT PARTICULAR SCENE A LITTLE BIT FASTER.
SO IF WE'RE MAKING UPGRADES, MAKING THESE INVESTMENTS, AND UPGRADING OUR IT INFRASTRUCTURE AT ALL OUR BUILDINGS, LET'S LOOK AT IF WE CAN INCLUDE SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THOSE CALL BUTTONS INSIDE OUR PARKS.
SO I ASK SOMEONE TO MOVE IN SECOND MOTION.
SECOND MOVE BY COMMISSIONER COOPER.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL AT ALL.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POMAR? YES.
OKAY, MADAM CLERK, LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR LISTINGS ONLY.
DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, MR. VICE PRESIDENT? WE HAVE NONE.
BEING THAT IT'S NOT SIX O'CLOCK YET.
[00:50:01]
GONNA GO TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 12.DO JUGGLE THE THINGS QUITE A BIT TODAY.
DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTION? LOOKS LIKE WE'RE READING THE PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT.
UH, WE HAVE ORDINANCE O UH, DASH 2023 DASH 0 0 0 4.
AND WE HAVE THE GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR THE URBAN PARKS AND GREEN ACRES.
UM, HOWEVER, THAT THE PUBLIC HEARING CAN'T BE HELD TO 6:00 PM SO MR. PRESENT, WE'LL PROBABLY JUST DO THE FIRST ONE.
SO LET'S GO WITH, UH, ORDINANCE NUMBER OH, 20 23 4.
AND READ IT INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UM, SO, SO THIS IS, UH, SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING, SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ONE.
SO, I HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE O DASH 20 2304 OPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WILL WISH 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.
SAYING NO ONE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
UH, THIS IS A SALARY ORDINANCE THAT MERELY SETS THE SALARY RANGE FOR THE CLERK TO BOARD OF, UH, COMMISSIONERS FOR THE YEAR OF 2023 ONLY.
COMMISSIONERS, DO I HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE O DASH 2023 DASH 0 0 0 4.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
DO I HAVE THE SAME MOVER AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE? YES.
MADAM CLERK, ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
ALL RIGHT, IT'S STILL NOT SIX O'CLOCK.
I HAVE MY EYE ON THAT SIX O'CLOCK, UH, TIME LIMIT FOR THE HEARING.
SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 12.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
THIS IS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR.
UH, THE INSERTION THAT WAS DONE, UM, BY NUMBER EIGHT, UM, EARLIER.
UH, THIS IS A RESOLUTION, APPROVING PARTICIPATION IN THAT PROGRAM.
AND AGAIN, THAT I AMOUNT WAS, UH, $333,333 FOR THE, UH, HELP AND HOPE, UH, UH, UH, GRANT PROGRAM.
AND THIS IS JUST A, UH, RESOLUTION OF APPROVING PARTICIPATION.
MR. MCINERNEY? I HAVE NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS, DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION MOVE.
IT MOVED BY COOPER SECOND BY MERCARDO NINE O CLERK ROYAL CALL PLEASE.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POMAR? YES.
I DOUBT THAT, BUT THAT'S BESIDES THE POINT.
IT'S A 24 MONTH EXTENSION FOR AAA FACILITY SOLUTIONS TO PROVIDE JANITORIAL SERVICES AT, UH, PATROL HEADQUARTERS.
AND THE OEM BUILDING IN WEST ORANGE PATROL HEADQUARTERS IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM, UH, DONALD PAY TECHNICAL SCHOOL AND IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $74,000.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POMAR? YES.
UH, LET'S TAKE 14 AND 15 TOGETHER, MR. JACKSON.
THIS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THE SIGN OF TIMES
DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF
[00:55:01]
PUBLIC WORKS.SECURITY AT TWO YEAR CONTRACT TO PROVIDE SECURITY SERVICES FOR THREE 20 AND 3 21 UNIVERSITY AVENUE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $385,441.
UH, AGE OF SECURITY SUBMITTED THE LOWEST BID OF THE NINE.
RECEIVED AGE OF SECURITY WILL PROVIDE BUILDING SECURITY 24 HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.
UH, MR. TIMOTHY BASANTI, PRESIDENT OF HS SECURITY IS HERE THIS EVENING AND HE WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE HIS FIRM AND, UH, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE, TIMOTHY.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
UH, TIMOTHY BEANTE, PRESIDENT OF AGES, SECURITY.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY, WHERE YOU'RE LOCATED, WHO YOU EMPLOY, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO.
OKAY, SO WE'RE, UM, WE STARTED IN 2010.
UH, WE ARE, OUR MAIN OFFICE IS IN, IS IN RANDOLPH, NEW JERSEY.
WE DO HAVE TWO OFFICES HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY, ONE IN, IN, UM, UH, MONTCLAIR AND ONE RIGHT HERE IN NEWARK.
UH, WE PROVIDE, UH, UH, UNIFORM SECURITY OFFICERS.
UH, WE PROVIDE SEVERAL LOCATIONS HERE WITHIN ESSEX COUNTY, AND WE EMPLOY LOTS OF ESSEX, ESSEX COUNTY, UM, RESIDENTS.
WOULD YOU GIVE US AN IDEA ROUGHLY HOW MANY ESSEX COUNTY EMPLOYEES YOU HAVE? UH, ROUGHLY ESSEX COUNTY IS ABOUT, UH, I WOULD MAYBE ABOUT 40, 40 PEOPLE.
WHAT DOES THAT RE REPRESENT IN TERMS OF YOUR TOTAL WORKFORCE? WHAT PERCENTAGE? SO, UH, SO OH, THE PERCENTAGE, UH, ROUGHLY ESSEX COUNTY PERCENTAGE.
IT'S ROUGHLY, I WOULD SAY ABOUT MAYBE 25, 30% OF YOUR OKAY.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER, UH, 45 APPROVES A CHANGE ORDER TO A TRENCH TECHNOLOGIES CONTRACT TO CONSTRUCT THE 12 TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT ALONG BLOOMFIELD AVENUE IN MONTCLAIR.
UH, THIS ACTION WILL INCREASE THE PROJECT'S CONTRACT AMOUNT FROM 6,000,619 $9,829 TO $7,383,881, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF $684,051 OR 10.21%.
UH, THE COST ARE DUE TO THE INCREASE IN MATERIAL COST AND FUEL PRICE ADJUSTMENTS, WHICH WERE ENCOUNTERED DURING THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT.
UH, THE ADDITIONAL COST WILL BE PAID BY THE N G D O T, WHICH HAS ALREADY APPROVED, UH, THIS CONTRACT MODIFICATION WITH NO ADDITIONAL COST TO THE COUNTY.
NO QUESTIONS ON THAT, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS.
I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR MY COLLEAGUE, COMMISSIONER GILL, BUT I THINK THE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS HAVE MADE, UH, QUITE A SIGNIFICANT, UH, IMPROVEMENT IN THE FACILITATING TRAFFIC SINCE I DRIVE IT EVERY DAY ON MY WAY TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL.
SO I'VE EXPERIENCED IT QUITE A BIT, AND, UH, I HOPE COMMISSIONER GILL WILL AGREE IT'S MADE SOME IMPROVEMENT.
SO, FOR THE RECORD, HE'S GIVING A THUMBS UP.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE IN SECOND? I'LL MOVE IT.
I'LL SECOND MR. GRAHAM STILL REMINDING ME THAT I FORGOT HER NAME LAST WEEK.
UH, COMMISSIONER GIL MOVED SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ME 14 AND FOR 14 AND 45.
CLERK COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POMAR? YES.
SO LET'S MOVE TO, SO WE DON'T WASTE A SINGLE MINUTE 6 0 2.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, IT'S SIX O'CLOCK NOW.
UH, MR. Z WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. PERFECT TIMING THE FACE OF THE PUBLIC, UH, JOSHUA'S H COUNTY PARKS.
UH, JUST A A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, UH, MR. VICE PRESIDENT, I COULD DO 15 THROUGH 17, BUT 18, 19 AND 20, UM, WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING.
LET'S DO, UH, LET'S DO THAT 15
[01:00:01]
THROUGH 18 RIGHT NOW, AND THEN WE'LL DO THE HEARING, UH, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO THOSE.UH, NUMBER 18 IS A CONTRACT, UH, AWARD EXERCISING THE 24 MONTH OPTION WITH CLARK MOHAM.
15, NO, 15, I'M SORRY, 15, 24 MONTH OPTION WITH, UH, CLARK MOHAM LANDSCAPING FOR THE, UH, NORTHERN SOUTHERN MIDDLE DIVISIONS OF BRANCH BROOK PARK, UH, CONTRACT EXTENSION NOT TO EXCEED $417,799 AND 92 CENTS.
UH, THIS IS FOR THE MAINTENANCE LANDSCAPE WORK OVER IN BRANCH BROOK PARK.
UH, AS STATED, IT'S UH, THREE OF THE DIVISIONS, UH, GRASS CUTTING, UH, MOWING, OBVIOUSLY.
AND, UH, LEAF COLLECTION NUMBER 16 IS A REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF EMERGENCY DECLARATION PAYMENTS, UH, TO SERVE A SERVPRO OF MONTCLAIR WEST ORANGE DUE TO WATER RESTORATION FROM FLOODING AT HENDRICKS FIELD GOLF COURSE AT MOUNT I TWO EXCEED $68,922 AND 95 CENTS.
UH, BACK OVER THE CHRISTMAS WEEKEND, UH, THE, UH, PIPES HAD FROZEN IN HENDRIX, AND, UH, IT CAUSED A FLOOD, UH, WHICH, UH, RESULTED IN, UH, SOME DAMAGE TO CARPETS AND, UH, SOME OTHER THINGS OVER IN THE CLUBHOUSE, AS WELL AS THE BUILDING WHERE WE STORE OUR ELECTRIC CARTS SO THAT THESE ARE THE FUNDS TO MAKE THOSE REPAIRS.
NUMBER 17, A CONTRACT CHANGE ORDER WITH TWO JETS, TREE EXPERTS AND DOWN TREE SERVICE COMPANY FOR TREE REMOVAL, TRIMMING AND STUMP GRINDINGS, ADDING AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $180,000.
UH, THIS INCREASE IN THE CONTRACT AMOUNT IS DUE TO JUST, UH, AN AGING TREE INVENTORY THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM.
UH, AND ALSO WE'VE EXPERIENCED SOME, UH, S BOARD TREE DISEASE, SO THIS WILL BE FURTHER THE REMOVAL OF SOME OF THOSE, THOSE DEAD TREES, AS WELL AS JUST OVERALL MAINTENANCE.
HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE ITEMS BOARD MAY HAVE.
UH, MR. MCIN ON ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
MR. PARLOVE? NO, NO QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, I NOTICED HEAVY WINDS, UM, LATELY.
ORANGE PARK ALWAYS HAD BIG TREE LIMBS DOWN.
A BIG TREE WAS DOWN THE OTHER DAY.
I SENT MR. JACKSON A PICTURE, YOU GUYS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WAS GOING TO DO AN, AN ASSESSMENT OF ALL THE TREES THERE.
UM, AND I HAD MET WITH A COMMUNITY GROUP THERE THAT WE TOLD WE WERE GONNA ASSESS THE TREES, DO SOME, I GUESS, MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORTIVE WORK TO THE TREES, IDENTIFY THE ONES THAT NEEDED TO COME DOWN AND WE WERE GONNA REPLACE THEM.
I HAVEN'T GOTTEN, UM, AN UPDATE FROM DIRECTOR SVANTE.
THE COMMUNITY GROUP HAS CONTACTED ME.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT? AND IF YOU REMOVED THE TREE, IT WAS DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE, UM, MAINTENANCE BUILDING, UH, JOSHUA COUNTY PARK.
SO YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT? UM, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER IN FRONT OF ME FOR THAT, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY REACH OUT TO THE PARKS DIRECTOR AND SEE WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT.
BUT I, I CAN SAY, UH, ASIDE FROM ORANGE PARK, THE, THE WINDS AND LIKE I SAID, JUST AN AGING TREE INVENTORY OVERALL, IT'S, IT'S UNFORTUNATELY A PROBLEM WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PARK SYSTEM.
IT'S NOT JUST, UM, JUST ORANGE, BUT I, I WILL CERTAINLY, WE'LL CERTAINLY GET BACK TO YOU WITH THAT.
WE TOLD THIS COMMUNITY GROUP THAT WE WERE GONNA DO IT, YOU KNOW, OVER A YEAR AGO, AND I JUST WANNA KNOW WHERE WE ARE BECAUSE THEY'RE CONTACTING ME ABOUT WHERE ARE WE WITH THIS? CERTAINLY.
WE'LL, WE WILL CERTAINLY GET BACK TO YOU.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
SOMEONE TO MOVE 15 THROUGH 18.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POMAR? YES.
UH, THE TIME IS NOW 6:04 PM AND, UH, I HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE GRAND APPLICATION FOR URBAN PARKS AND GREEN ACRES OPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST.
YEAH, LEMME JUST, LET'S DO THAT.
WHY DON'T WE BRING UP FIRST, EXCUSE ME.
UH, SIR, WE'RE GONNA JUST COME UP POINT OF ORDER.
JOSH, CAN YOU PLEA, PLEASE EXPLAIN THE GRANT APPLICATION, THEN I'LL CALL THE OPEN, UH, HEARING AND THEN WE CAN BRING HIM UP FOR QUESTIONS.
UM, MR. VICE PRESIDENT, I DO HAVE, UH, KIND OF A RENDERING OF THE PROJECT THAT WE'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE BOARD.
IF WE CAN JUST, UM, PASS OUT, SUSAN, CAN YOU PERHAPS, UH, PASS OUT THE, UH, MATERIALS THAT MR. Z HAS TO THE BOARD?
[01:05:03]
OKAY.LET'S WAIT FOR EVERYONE TO GET A COPY SO THAT WAY WE CAN ALL REFER TO WHAT MRS. H WILL BE TALKING ABOUT.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT UP.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, WE DO ALSO HAVE, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL COPIES UP FRONT.
IF ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK GREAT.
PERHAPS, WOULD YOU LIKE A COPY OF THE DOCUMENT? SINCE YOU'RE GONNA COME UP WITH PUBLIC COMMENT, WE CAN GIVE HIM ONE OF THE COPIES AS WELL.
IS THERE ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A COPY OF THE MATERIALS THAT MR. ZITS IS HANDING OUT.
ALRIGHT, NOW THAT EVERYONE HAS A COPY, MR. ZITS, PLEASE PROCEED.
JOSHUA Z COUNTY PARKS, THE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS HEARING IS TO OBTAIN PUBLIC COMMENT ON A PARK DEVELOPMENT GRANT APPLICATION TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS, URBAN PARKS AND GREEN ACRES GRANT PROGRAMS. THE APPLICATION IS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO WEEK WAKE PARK, LOCATED AT ELIZABETH AVENUE AND MEER AVENUE IN NEWARK, INCLUDING REPLACEMENT AND IMPROVEMENT TO THE TRACK CIRCLING THE LAKE AND THE ADDITION OF NEW FITNESS EQUIPMENT.
UH, I WANT TO DIRECT EVERYONE'S ATTENTION TO THE CONCEPT PLAN THAT WE DISTRIBUTED.
UH, IT'S PREPARED BY THE COUNTY ENGINEER.
THE PROJECT PROPOSES THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PERIMETER JOGGING TRACK AND CIRCLING THE LAKE.
THE TRACK IS APPROXIMATELY 2.2 MILES IN LENGTH AND THE REMOVAL REPLACEMENT OF THE TRACK IS ESTIMATED AT $735,000.
ALSO, 15 PIECES OF EX EXISTING FITNESS EQUIPMENT ALONG THE TRACK'S ORIENTATION THAT WILL BE REMOVED AND REPLACED AT THE TOTAL COST OF $650,000.
OTHER PARK APPRENTICES SIGNAGES BENCHES ARE PROPOSED ALONG THE TRACK AT A TOTAL COST OF $350,000, INCLUDING DESIGN AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AS WELL AS CONTINGENCIES.
THE TOTAL ESTIMATED PROJECT COST IS $2,307,550 AS PER AN ESTIMATE PREPARED BY THE COUNTY ENGINEER.
THE PROJECT IS LOCATED IN URBAN AID MUNICIPALITY AND WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE ADVERSELY STRESSED OVERBURDENING COMMUNITY, AS DETERMINED BY THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE MAPPING TOOL.
THEREFORE, WHETHER OR NOT THE $500,000 NON-MATCHING GRANT REQUEST IS FUNDED BY THE URBAN PARKS PROGRAM, THE COUNTY OF ESSEX IS STILL ELIGIBLE FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE COST OF THE PROJECT THROUGH THE TRADITIONAL GREEN ACRES PROGRAM.
THEREFORE, FULL FUNDING IS AWARDED.
THIS PROJECT CAN BE COMPLETED WITHOUT ANY COUNTY OR LOCAL INVESTMENT.
THE COUNTY IS PREPARED IN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT AS A REQUIRED COMPONENT OF BOTH THE URBAN PARKS AND GREEN ACRES APPLICATIONS.
THE PROJECT SCOPE PROPOSE PROPOSED REPLACEMENT OF EXISTING PARK INFRASTRUCTURE ALONG WITH PARK APPEARANCES, SIGNAGE AND BENCHES TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL UTILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF THE FACILITY.
THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS IN ENHANCEMENTS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED TO HAVE ANY ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENTS IN WEEK QUAKE PARK WEEK.
QUAKE PARK OFFERS SPACES THAT ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AND ARE DEMONSTRATIVELY SUITABLE FOR THE PLANNED ADDITIONS AND ENHANCEMENTS.
LOCATIONS WERE SELECTED TO MINIMIZE VEGETATION CLEARING, GRADING AND SOIL EROSION TO THE GREATEST POSSIBLE EXTENT.
IN THE SHORT TERM, THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRACK WILL SUSTAIN ACTIVE RECREATION AT WEEK QUAKE PARK AS IT WILL PROVIDE VISITORS WITH AN UPGRADED FACILITY FOR WALKING AND JOGGING.
ADDITIONALLY, THE NEW FITNESS EQUIPMENT WILL INCREASE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEWARK AND ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS.
THE NEW TRACK AND FITNESS EQUIPMENT WILL ALLOW FOR MORE SUSTAINED ACTIVE RECREATION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND IMPROVE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF POPULATIONS DIS DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY THE SOCIAL DE DETERMINED DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.
THE PROPOSED RENOVATIONS WILL ALSO IMPROVE THE OVERALL QUALITY OF VISITOR EXPERIENCE IN BOTH THE LONG AND SHORT TERM, THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRACK AND THE ADDITION OF NEW FITNESS EQUIPMENT.
QUAKE PARK IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE ACTIVE RECREATION ON SITE AS THE UPGRADES WILL CREATE A MORE ENJOYABLE AND AESTHETICALLY PLEASING ENVIRONMENT OVERALL, WHICH COULD LEAD TO INCREASED ATTENDANCE BY VISITORS LOOKING FOR BOTH ACTIVE AND PASSIVE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
ADJACENT ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES TO THE PROJECT SITE AT WEEK WAKE PARK INCLUDE THE ENVIRONMENTAL EXI, THE ENVIRONMENT EXISTING WITHIN THE PARK THROUGH THE PROPOSED CHANGES.
ALTHOUGH THE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE NOT EXPECTED TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT THIS ENVIRONMENT, THE THREE POINT, THE THREE 11.33 ACRE LAKE IS SURROUNDED BY THE EXISTING TRACK THAT WILL BE REPLACED AND ENHANCED WITH FITNESS EQUIPMENT.
THERE ARE NOT, THERE ARE NOT ANTICIPATED IMPACTS TO THE LAKE AS THE PROJECTS PROPOSES ONE FOR ONE REPLACEMENT OF AN EXISTING FEATURE.
THE FITNESS EQUIPMENT IS NOT ANTICIPATED TO HAVE ADVERSE IMPACTS ON THE LAKE.
IT IS NOT ANTICIPATED THAT ANY PERMITS WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
HOWEVER, SHOULD THE KNEES ARISE, SHOULD THE KNEES ARISE, ALL NECESSARY PERMITS WILL BE ACQUIRED IN A TIMELY MATTER MEASURES AND PRECAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN TO MITIGATED ADVERSE IMPACTS THAT BOTH PROJECT SITES INCLUDE BUT AREN'T LIMITED TO THE ERECTION OF SILT FENCING DURING
[01:10:01]
AND AFTER.IN CONSTRUCTION, THE PURIFICATION OF SOIL AND SEDIMENT CONTROLS, SCHEDULING AND SAGING EFFORTS TO MINIMIZE OVERALL DISTURBANCE AND SIGNIFICANT LANDSCAPE ACTIVITIES THAT INCLUDE THE REPLANTING OF ANY FLORA WHOSE REMOVAL IS REQUIRED FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE WORK.
ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT WILL COMPLY WITH ANY AND ALL RULES AND REGULATIONS REQUIRED BY THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND OR OTHER REGULATORY AGENCIES REGARDING BUILDING REMEDIATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND TO THE ATTAINMENT OF ALL THE NECESSARY PERMITS FOR BUILDING REMEDIATION AND SOIL CONSERVATION AS NEEDED.
UH, IF THE BOARD IS ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.
SO I'M GONNA OPEN UP THE PUBLIC COMMENT IN JUST A MOMENT AND THEN I'M GONNA ALLOW THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO SPEAK AND THEN I'M GONNA COME TO THE COMMISSIONERS JUST SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND HOW WE'RE GONNA DO THIS.
AND JUST SO THAT EVERYONE KNOWS FOR THE RECORD, THE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS WILL BE DIRECTED, UH, TO THE EPA AND THE ORGAN ORGANIZERS OF THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THIS GRANT.
JUST SO THAT EVERYONE IS CLEAR HOW THIS IS GONNA WORK.
SO AT THIS POINT, I HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE GRANT APPLICATION FOR URBAN PARKS AND GREEN ACRES PROGRAM OPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST US, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD AND YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I APOLOGIZE FOR OUR, MY MISTAKE.
ADAM KRAMER, WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.
UM, ANYBODY WHO KNOWS THE PARK KNOWS THAT AFTER RAINS, THE GROUNDS GET EXTREMELY MUDDY, UM, AND OVERFLOW WITH WATER.
AND THAT ROUTE 22, WHICH ABUTS IT, UM, FLOODS, UM, IS THERE, IT SEEMS, FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN OF THE PROJECT AND KNOW OF IT, IT'S ABOUT A ONE FOR ONE IN TERMS OF ASPHALT AND ABOUT THE SAME IN DRAINAGE.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO USE THIS PROJECT TO IMPROVE DRAINAGE TO MAKE THE AREA, UM, LESS PRONE TO FLOODS? THANK YOU MR. KRAMER.
DO WE HAVE SOMEONE ELSE FOR THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK? PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
UH, DOUGLAS FREEMAN WHEAT GRADE PARK, SUPPOSED TO START THE CONSERVANCY.
UM, LOOKING AT THE MAP, AND I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND LIKE WHERE IS THE EQUIPMENT IS GONNA STILL BE IN THE SAME AREA AROUND THE EROSION BARRIER BECAUSE THE EPA, UM, PROJECT IS A EROSION BARRIER, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO TAKE THE, UH, LITTER THAT DOESN'T GO INTO THE LAKE.
THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, VOIDS WHEN THEY LOOK AT THE PARK WHERE THERE'S OVERGROWN VEGETATION IN AREAS.
AND THEN THERE'S AREAS WHERE THE ORIGINAL DESIGN NEEDS TO BE CUT BACK OUT SO THAT THE, THE DEBRIS, CUZ THERE'S A LOT OF BOTTLES, THERE'S, UM, FISHING LINES THAT THE DUCKS IN AND THE DIFFERENT, UH, WILDLIFE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING STUCK ON.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE FOX FAMILIES AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
SO THE REASON WHY WE ASKING FOR THE EQUIPMENT AT THE TIME WHEN, BACK IN 2011 THAT THE NFL DIDN'T WANT PUT THIS HERE, IT DIDN'T HAVE THAT MUCH USAGE.
BUT DUE TO THE, UH, LET'S MOVE, UH, INITIATIVE AND THE ADVOCACY OF THE PARK, WE HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITY FOR THE EQUIPMENT AND IT'S TURNING INTO ALMOST FIGHTS BETWEEN THE RUNNERS AND THE JOGGERS AND THE WORKOUT PEOPLE.
CAUSE THE WORKOUT PEOPLE ACTUALLY WORK OUT OVER THE TRACK.
SO THIS IS WHY WE ASKING FOR THE MEETINGS WHERE EVERYBODY CAN BE AT EASE AND ACTUALLY TAKE THE, SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT AND MOVE IT OVER SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE CONFLICT.
THAT'S WHAT WE TRYING TO RESOLVE BECAUSE EVEN, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT, BUT SOMEBODY BURNED DOWN THE PORTER POT DOWN TO THE GROUND.
SO THESE THINGS WE WANT TO RESOLVE SO THAT THERE'S NO MORE NEGATIVE THINGS GOING ON IN THE PARK AND WE CAN GO BACK THROUGH A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT.
SO WE ARE ASKING FOR A MEETING, UM, WITH THE EPA CAUSE WE KNOW WHY THIS IS HERE BECAUSE IT'S AN EROSION BARRIER AND WE, WE WANT THE EROSION BARRIER AND WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF THE VEGETATION AND THE UNDERGROUND, UH, ROOTS THAT'S ON THE ONE NOW.
AND THERE'S SOME GAPING HOLES THAT PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY GETTING HURT ON.
SO WE WANT IT, BUT WE'RE JUST SAYING, CAN WE SIT DOWN AND HAVE A MEETING TO DISCUSS, YOU KNOW, THE EQUIPMENT PART OF IT SO THAT IT'S NOT, UM, GOING TO JUST BE THE SAME THING WHERE WE TRYING TO BREAK UP FIGHTS ALL THE TIME IN THE PARK.
AND AS CUSTOM, WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE WILL, UH, PUT TOGETHER IN WRITING OF, YOU KNOW, YOUR INQUIRY FOR A MEETING.
AND I'M SURE THAT PERHAPS THE ADMINISTRATION COULD, UH, ATTEMPT TO ANSWER SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU RAISED TODAY IS I'M SURE THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WAS VERY THOROUGH IN THEIR RESEARCH IN THIS GRANT APPLICATION AND COULD PROBABLY ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS, WHICH PERHAPS A MEETING FOLLOWED UP IF THEY'RE ABLE TO DO SO.
[01:15:01]
IS THERE ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE AT THIS TIME? OKAY.I THINK, UH, MR. FREEMAN ASKED MY QUESTION, WHERE IS THE FITNESS EQUIPMENT GOING TO GO? LOOKING AT THIS MAP, WHERE WILL IT BE? SO JO THROUGH, UH, JOSHUA ROSE EIGHTS, UH, ES COUNTY PARK TO YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT, UH, EVERYTHING, THIS IS STILL VERY PRELIMINARY.
UM, WE'RE, THE GRANT APPLICATION IS DUE MARCH 1ST, SO, UM, WE HAVEN'T EVEN GONE OUT YET TO, UH, HIRE, UH, AN ARCHITECT TO DESIGN IT YET.
BUT CERTAINLY, UM, IF THERE'S INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC AS TO WHERE THEY FEEL, OR I SHOULD SAY THE PARK USERS AS TO WHERE THEY FEEL THE EQUIPMENT SHOULD GO, UM, IF IT'S A BETTER LOCATION AROUND THE TRACK THAN WHERE WE HAVE IT CURRENTLY, UM, WE ARE CERTAINLY OPEN TO THOSE SUGGESTIONS.
BECAUSE YOU SAID AT THE BEGINNING THAT IT WOULD BE REMOVED FROM WHERE IT IS BY THE TRACK.
SO MY QUESTION IS WHERE WILL IT GO? BUT THAT YOU DON'T KNOW YET? CORRECT.
COMMISSIONER GRAHAM, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE, UH, THE PARK WAS UPGRADED? UH, JOSHUA HS.
COUNTY PARKS? I ANTICIPATED YOUR QUESTION TODAY AND I ACTUALLY LOOKED THAT UP.
UH, 2010 WAS THE LAST TIME THE TRACK WAS, UH, IMPROVED.
THE TRACK COMMISSIONER COOPER.
I'M, I'M RIGHT NOW CHANNELING, UM, OUR COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT RICHARDSON, IF HE WAS HERE CUZ HE USES AND WALKED THAT PARK EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SO I KNOW HE'S EXCITED TO SEE THIS IMPROVEMENT GET MADE.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WALKED THAT TRACK.
I USED TO RUN IT MANY, MANY MOONS AGO WHEN I WAS STILL FIT TO RUN AT THE TIME.
UM, GREAT QUESTION WAS ANSWERED.
I DRIVE THAT AREA PRETTY FREQUENTLY AND IT DOES RAIN AND DOES FLOOD A LITTLE BIT.
SO THAT PROPOSED CHANGES THAT YOU'RE MAKING, WILL THAT TAKE SOME OF THAT INTO CONSIDERATION TO MITIGATE IT? SOME, UH, SO JOSHUA COUNTY PARK.
SO THERE ARE CERTAIN AREAS ALONG THE TRACK WHERE YOU ARE CORRECT.
SO, UH, OUR PLAN IS TO REROUTE THOSE PORTIONS OF THE TRACK TO, UH, TO ALLEVIATE THE FLOODING, UM, AS FAR AS FLOODING IN OTHER AREAS OF THE PARK, UM, THAT WOULD NOT BE APPLICABLE UNDER THESE GRAND CONDITIONS.
I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE PARK, THE TRACK PARK.
OH, NO, I DID HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION.
WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ITEM NUMBER 19 AND 20? OR IS IT THE SAME? UH, JOSHUA EIGHT, LIKE A HALF DIDN'T GET ONE'S LOOKING AT 2 MILLION.
SO WE WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T GET TO THAT.
OH, WE DIDN'T, WE, LET'S GET TO, WE'LL GET TO THAT IN IN A MOMENT.
LET'S JUST STAY WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE HEARING AND THEN WE'LL GET TO THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? OKAY, MR. ZS.
I AM GONNA ASK, I KNOW YOU WILL, BUT I'M GONNA PUT IT ON RECORD.
IF YOU FIT THROUGH ADMINISTRATION, JUST KEEP US BRAAS TO THE PROJECT.
AND I KNOW IN PARTICULAR OUR PRESIDENT WILL BE, UH, VERY INTERESTED IN KNOWING SINCE HE'S AN AVID USER AND PROMOTER OF THE PARK.
THAT'D BE BE KEPT, UH, ABREAST OF WHAT'S GOING ON.
BUT FOR THE PURPOSES, THE CLARITY TONIGHT, ALL WE'RE DOING IS JUST TAKING PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AN APPLICATION.
AND THE APPLICATION IS NOT DICTATING EXACTLY THE PLAN AS OF THIS POINT, THAT THAT IS TO BE DEVELOPED AT A LATER TIME.
SO SIMPLY THIS IS REALLY MORE OF A MECHANISM FOR APPLYING FOR A GRANT.
WOULD THAT BE FAIR TO SAY? UH, JOSHUA JOSES COUNTY PARKS.
I'VE BEEN KNOWN TO WRITE GRANTS MYSELF, SO.
THERE'S NO OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
I'M GOING TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND ASK FOR SOMEONE TO MOVE.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
ROLL CALL MADAM CLERK TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE APPLICATION FOR URBAN PARKS AND GREEN ACRES HEARING.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POMAR? YES.
MR. Z IS STILL ON THE HOOK BECAUSE WE HAVE, UH, EIGHT THREE 18TH THROUGH 20.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, THAT IS CORRECT.
WHY DON'T YOU, LET'S TAKE 'EM ALL TOGETHER.
COUNTY PARKS, UH, NUMBER 18 IS A RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO BE APPLYING, UH, TO GREEN ACRES FOR PROJECTS THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM.
SPECIFICALLY, THEY ARE FOR THE BRANCH BROOK PARK ALLIANCE, WHICH WILL BE APPLYING FOR BALLFIELD IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE EXTENSION DIVISION OF BRANCH BROOK PARK.
UH, SPECIFICALLY THESE ARE THE THREE DIAMONDS LOCATED BEHIND WHAT WILL BE THE NEW CHERRY BLOSSOM CENTER.
WE'RE LOOKING TO UPGRADE THE INFIELDS IN THOSE PARKS, UM, AND MAKE THEM TURF.
IT'LL ALSO INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, THE USUAL PARK, APPENDS, BLEACHERS, BENCHES, WHAT HAVE YOU, AND THEN BOTH THE ZOOLOGICAL
[01:20:01]
SOCIETY IN NEW JERSEY, AS WELL AS THE ESSA COUNTY PARKS FOUNDATION.THEY WILL BE SUBMITTING SEPARATE GRANT APPLICATIONS FOR THE SAME PROJECT.
IT'S GONNA BE THE EXTRA, EXTRA, SORRY, AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK, UH, PLAYGROUND EXHIBIT OVER AT THE TURTLEBACK ZOO.
UH, AND THAT IS IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,325,000.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, A SUPPORT RESOLUTION FROM THE COUNTY, UM, STATING THAT WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE APPLICATIONS.
UH, NUMBER 19 AND 20 ARE, UH, DIFFERENT BUT THE SAME, SO TO SPEAK.
UH, NUMBER 19 IS THE, UH, THE ENABLING RESOLUTION TO, TO THE GREEN ACRES PROGRAM, UH, FOR THE PROJECT OVER AT WEEK QUAKE.
AND THEN NUMBER 20 IS THE RESOLUTION TO APPLY FOR THE URBAN PARKS, UM, APPLICATION.
SO WE'RE APPLYING FOR TWO SEPARATE GRANT APPLICATIONS, AGAIN, ONE THROUGH THE STANDARD GREEN ACRES PROGRAM.
AND THEN, UH, ONE THROUGH THE URBAN PARKS PROGRAM, THE ONE THROUGH GREEN ACRES.
WE ARE REQUESTING THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE PROJECT AND THEN THE ONE FOR THE URBAN PARKS, UH, APPLICATION.
THE MAXIMUM YOU CAN REQUEST IS $500,000, WHICH WE WILL, WILL BE REQUESTING.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
MR. PARO? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS EITHER.
MR. PRESIDENT? MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
CAN I HAVE SOMEONE MOVE? I'LL MOVE IT.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER ME CARLO.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT TOMORROW? YES.
LET'S, UH, TAKE 21 THROUGH 42, WHICH ARE, UH, MEMORIAL RESOLUTIONS, COMMENDATIONS, UH, AND SUCH.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? CAN I HAVE A MOVER? I'M MOVE IT.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POMAR? YES.
THAT BRINGS THIS TO NUMBER 44.
UH, THANK YOU MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
THE, UH, DIVISION OF, UH, DFAB DIVISION OF FAMILY BENEFITS, UH, HAS MADE A FUNDING, FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR, UH, HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOUSING HARDSHIP.
THIS EMERGENCY DECLARATION WILL ENABLE THE DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO, TO THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE A UNTIL SUCH TIME AS, UH, HE, COMPETITIVE.
LET ME INTERRUPT YOU FOR ONE MOMENT MEETING.
WE NEED A QUORUM AND, UH, WE ARE AT THE MOMENT HAVE ONE.
CAN WE JUST DO ONE, UH, JUST FINISH THIS REAL QUICK.
JUST WE HAVE ONE MORE, ONE ITEM.
I DON'T HAVE A FORUM IF EVERYBODY ELSE IS MISSING.
UH, THIS EMERGENCY DECLARATION WILL ENABLE THE DEPARTMENT TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO COMMUNITY UNTIL SUCH TIME AS A COMPETITIVE CONTRACT PROPOSAL COMES BACK.
THIS EMERGENCY DECLARATION SHOULD BE FOR A PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS FROM 1 1 23 TO 3 31 23 IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000.
COMMISSIONER COOPER
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT POMAR? YES.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO REPORT, UH, BOARD COMMITTEES.
DO WE HAVE ANY MADAM CLERK? I DO.
BUT BEFORE, CAN YOU RECORD MY VOTE? YES AND AFFIRMATIVE FOR 18, 19 AND 20, PLEASE.
I WANNA THANK THE BOARD FOR, UM, RECEIVING COMMUNITY, UM, CONNECT ONE BANK IN MY ABSENCE EARLIER IN THE MEETING, I APOLOGIZE.
I WAS HELD UP WITH A FAMILY ISSUE.
[01:25:01]
UM, CONNECT BANK WAS WITH US.THEY DID NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BEFORE IN OUR HEARINGS IN DECEMBER.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY OFFERED, UM, WE HAVE A GOOD, UM, PROGRAM THAT THEY OFFERED.
SO THE COUNTY IS GOING BACK WITH THEM.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO, UM, WORKING WITH CONNECT ONE BANK AGAIN AND WE'LL RECEIVE THEM IN NOVEMBER, DECEMBER OF THIS YEAR, UM, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR COMMUNITY, THE INVESTMENT ACTIVITIES FOR UM, 2023.
AND INDEED THEY DID COME AND PROVIDE A VERY THOROUGH OVERVIEW, SO THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER REPORT ON BOARD COMMITTEES? OKAY, SEEING NONE.
ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS, WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS, UNFINISHED BUSINESS, NEW BUSINESS.
OKAY, MADAM CLERK, GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND 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.
UM, I WANNA TALK ABOUT, LIKE I SPOKE TWO WEEKS AGO ABOUT THE SITUATION WITH OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTRACTS.
UM, I'M OF THE OPINION THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT IS TO MAKE SURE WE HAD LAW AND ORDER.
AND EVEN THOUGH I DON'T LIKE PAYING TAXES LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, I THINK THIS IS ONE AREA WHERE WE CAN'T SKIMP.
BECAUSE IF WE SKIMP AND WE END UP LOWERING THE STANDARDS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GET BODIES AND FILLED POSITIONS, AND THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE THE PROBLEM OF A LOT OF CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, THE EXPERIENCE, THE SEASONS, THE MOTIVATED OFFICERS ARE MUCH LESS LIKELY TO CROSS THE LINE AND CREATE A CIVIL RIGHTS PROBLEM OF CITIZENS.
AND THEY'RE THERE TO PROTECT US AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT THEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE SHERIFFS AND THE CORRECTION OFFICERS, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE PROFESSIONALS.
THEY'RE NOT REALLY GONNA B***H MOANING, COMPLAIN.
BUT IF I WAS IN THEIR SHOES AND I SAW THE ORDINANCE RAISED ALL SORTS OF COUNTY OFFICERS, BUT NOT THEM, AND SAW A CONTRACT THAT'S BEEN EXPIRED SINCE DECEMBER 31ST, 1997, EXCUSE ME, IN 2007, WHICH IS FIVE YEARS, ONE MONTH AND TWO WEEKS, UM, I WOULDN'T BE FEELING GOOD.
UH, AND THIS IS WHERE WE COULD HAVE PROBLEMS. UH, I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH HEALTHCARE AND LITIGATIONS, UH, AND IT'S COMPLICATED.
AND I KNOW THE SHERIFFS CAN'T GET EVERYTHING THEY WANT CUZ THE TAX BASE JUST WON'T SUPPORT IT.
BUT I'M HOPING SOMEHOW THIS BODY CAN USE ITS INFLUENCE OVER THE ADMINISTRATION TO GET A COMPROMISE, GET THIS CON CONTRACT PASSED SO THAT WE CAN HAVE, UM, CONFIDENCE IN THE MORALE OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SO THAT THEY CAN DO THEIR JOB.
AND I'VE ASKED BEFORE, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE ON THE RECORD THAT THIS IS CONFIRMED.
WHEN THIS ULTIMATELY SETTLES, THERE'S AN EXTREMELY HIGH LIKELIHOOD THAT THERE WILL BE A LOT OF BACK PAY FOR THE DIFFERENTIAL THAT WILL BE DUE, THE SHERIFF'S CORRECTIONS OFFICERS AND THE PROSECUTORS, PEOPLE IN THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE FOR THE DIFFERENTIAL OVER THAT NOW MORE THAN FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
AND I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY A RESERVE SOMEWHERE SO THAT WE'RE NOT, WHEN THIS ULTIMATELY SETTLES AND HOPEFULLY SOONER THAN LATER, UM, AS TAXPAYERS IN THIS BODY AND THE ADMINISTRATION CAUGHT, UM, WITH OUR PROVERBIAL PANTS DOWN ON THAT ISSUE.
I, UH, THANK YOU MR. VICE PRESIDENT.
I CAN COMMENT, UH, TO SOME DEGREE.
UM, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE HAVE, UH, 26 BARGAINING UNITS, UH, UH, UNDER, UNDER THE COUNTY.
AND 21 OF THOSE 26 BARGAINING UNITS HAVE, UM, HAD AGREEMENTS, UH, SINCE THAT TIME.
UM, THE, THE, THE FIVE, UH, UNITS, UH, THAT WERE REFERRED TO ALL HAPPENED TO BE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND HAD ISSUES WITH US GOING INTO THE STATE, UH, HEALTH BENEFITS PROGRAM BACK IN 2017 AND HAVE BEEN PURSUING, UH, ISSUES REGARDING THAT, UH, PRETTY MUCH EVER SINCE.
SO THE SAME AGREEMENT THAT WE'VE OFFERED TO, AND IT'S BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE OTHER 21 UNIONS, IS THE SAME, UH, AGREEMENT THAT IS ON THE TABLE FOR THOSE FIVE UNIONS.
UM, AND THE REAL ISSUE IS, UH, THE, THE ISSUE OF GOING INTO STATE HEALTH BENEFITS AND THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT.
UM, AND THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS AS I SAID BEFORE, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO SIGN THAT DEAL TONIGHT AND AND PAY EVERYBODY AND THERE ARE, UH, ADEQUATE RESERVES IN PLACE TO DO THAT.
ANYONE ELSE IN THE PUBLIC? MR. FREEMAN, DID YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ELSE? UH, YES.
UH, MR. FREEMAN, UH, FROM WEEKLY PARK SPORTS AUTHORITY, UM, SUPPORTING JOSE, COACH JOSE LOPEZ
[01:30:01]
AND O CHARLES, I'M REQUESTING THROUGH YOUR OFFICE OF MR. PRESIDENT THAT THE ESSENCE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT CREATE A DATABASE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS INSTEAD OF OPERATING WITH YOU.UM, TO SEE THAT WE ARE NOT TRAINED IN CPR AND A E D SITUATIONS AND THERE'S ABUNDANCE OF YOUTH THAT'S USING THE COUNTY FIELDS NOW.
BUT NOW WE HAVE TO BE TRAINED AND KNOW WHO'S AROUND THE CHILDREN SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE A ELIJAH SMITH SITUATION WHERE HE'S NO LONGER HERE AT 12 YEARS OLD.
SO I'M ASKING THROUGH YOUR OFFICE THAT WE HAVE SOME TYPE OF COMMITTEE THAT'S CREATED THAT WE CAN ALSO PARTICIPATE IN.
CUZ AS YOU SAID, WE ARE WILLING TO, UH, PARTICIPATE TO DO THE CPR TRAINING THAT WE HAVE DONE LAST YEAR WHERE WE GAVE OUT EQUIPMENT AND THESE THINGS TO DIFFERENT CULTURE.
BUT WE NEED SUPPORT FROM THE COUNTY TO VALIDATE CERTAIN SERVICES SO THAT THE COACHES UNDERSTAND THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE A MANDATORY THING, NOT SOMETHING THAT'S OPTIONAL.
IT'S A CHILD'S LIFE THAT'S NOT OPTIONAL AND WE CANNOT HAVE A CHILD.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SCHOOL HAD TO CLOSE BECAUSE ALL THIS CHILD WAS VERY POPULAR IN WISE ACADEMY.
HE'S NO LONGER HERE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT PROPERLY TRAINED IN CPR AND A D D EQUIPMENT.
SO WE, OFFICE, OFFICE WE ARE ASKING THAT, HOW CAN WE HELP SUPPORT AND BE A PART OF THIS SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER CHILD IN THIS SITUATION.
AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO FORWARD YOUR REQUEST TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
GOOD EVENING, MAGGIE FREEMAN, BWAY PARK SPORTS AUTHORITY CONSERVANCY.
I DON'T WANT TO BE A BROKEN RECORD ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID FROM MR. FREEMAN AND MR. KRAMER ABOUT THE NEEDS OF THE PARK, BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT YEARS AGO WE STOOD BEFORE THIS MICROPHONE WITH MS. ED WADO AND TALKED TO SEVERAL OF YOU AND THOSE WHO HAVE GONE ON, UM, AND RETIRED OR, YOU KNOW, MOVED ON FROM THE POSITIONS.
BUT ONE THING THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL IS THAT THE COUNTY MADE IT A POINT TO MEET WITH CONSERVANCIES EVERY MONTH FOR UPDATES FOR WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT.
UM, THOSE MEETINGS HAVE NOT BEEN HAPPENING OVER FIVE YEARS.
UM, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHY THESE PARKS SITUATIONS ARE HAPPENING TO THIS DEGREE.
UM, THERE'S DEBRIS IN THE PARK, UM, AT AN ALL TIME HIGH.
THERE ARE TREES GOING DOWN EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THERE ARE PLANES FLYING AS LOW WHERE WE CAN SEE THE WATER FROM THE PILOT.
I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY ISSUES THAT ARE HAPPENING THAT ARE JUST NOT BEING ADDRESSED IN A TIMELY FASHION.
SO I'M JUST ASKING THAT MEETINGS, WE, AGAIN, WE NEED THOSE MEETINGS TO HAPPEN WITH THE CONSERVANCIES THAT ARE ACTIVE KEYWORD ACTIVE CONSERVANCIES IN THE PARK THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING THE JOB.
UH, I BELIEVE THERE IS MECHANISMS IN PLACE FOR THAT, BUT WE WILL FORWARD YOUR REQUEST TO THE ADMINISTRATION SO THEY CAN, UH, ADEQUATELY RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTION.
I WILL SAY LOPEZ AGAIN, PARKS FORCE AUTHORITY PARTY FOOTBALL COACH.
UM, SECOND, I HOPE THAT YOU CONSIDER MR. FREEMAN'S, UM, RECOMMENDATION FOR ALL ENTITIES IN ALL THE PARKS TO BE CERTIFIED.
AND, UM, PLEASE TAKE THE TRAININGS THAT WE RECOMMEND TO HELP THESE KIDS.
CAUSE UM, I'M GOING HOME TONIGHT WITH THAT KID.
I'M THE KIND OF COACH THAT, UM, I JUST DON'T COACH FOOTBALL.
I HEAR THEIR PROBLEMS WHEN THEY COME TO ME AND THEY TALK TO ME ABOUT WHAT GOES ON IN SCHOOL, WHAT GOES ON AT HOME.
AND, UM, OF COURSE I'M NOT NO LONGER A LICENSED COUNSELOR LIKE I USED TO BE CUZ I'M RETIRED, SO I CAN'T, UM, DIAGNOSE THEM.
BUT I HEAR THEM AND I'M THE KIND OF COACH THAT, UM, I TAKE THAT HOME WITH ME.
I SIT HOME AND I CRY SOMETIMES.
AND I DON'T HAVE NOBODY TO HELP ME, BUT I DUST MYSELF OFF LIKE AN OLD TUXEDO IN THE CLOSET AND I COME BACK THE NEXT DAY AND I PICK UP RIGHT WHERE I LEFT OFF.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME WHAT I DO.
I LOVE WORKING WITH THESE KIDS.
IT'S IS ALL I LOVE DOING, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? I SLEEP AND I DREAM AND I, AND I, THIS IS WHAT I DO.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? AND I'M HOPING I, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT.
I WILL MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT BECAUSE I GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT THIS CASE, UM, THAT DOESN'T GO IN VAIN.
SO I, I HOPE THAT YOU GUYS PLEASE, YOU KNOW, TAKE MR. FREEMAN'S RECOMMENDATION AT HEART AND MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
AND WE HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR AND, UH, YOUR EFFORTS IN COACHING ARE APPRECIATED BECAUSE I KNOW IT GOES WELL
[01:35:01]
BEYOND THE, UH, THE GAME.IN FACT, THE GAME WAS SOMEWHAT INCIDENTAL, RIGHT FROM THE LESSONS THAT ONE LEARNS THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING INVOLVED IN ATHLETICS AND SO FORTH IN CLUBS.
SO WE HEAR YOU AND WE WILL, UH, FORWARD THAT.
AND IF I MAY JUST OFFER SOMETHING TO YOU, UH, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I'M IN A ROLE OF, YOU KNOW, CAREGIVING AND BEING A DAD AS WELL, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT OLD ADAGE ON THE PLANE WHERE THEY SAY PUT THE MASK ON BEFORE YOU CAN HELP ANYBODY ELSE.
AND, UH, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, IT YOU, YOU WITH HEAVY HEART AND WE HEAR THAT.
AND UH, YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT ANY PROGRAMS THAT YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM IN THE COUNTY, UH, CERTAINLY WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DIRECT YOU.
UH, BECAUSE GRIEF IS A VERY DIFFICULT THING.
EVERYONE HANDLES IT DIFFERENTLY.
AND IT COULD BE A HEAVIER SUBJECT MATTER FOR FOR SURE FOR OTHERS.
AND IF YOU NEED ANY ASSISTANCE, UH, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO STICK ON AFTER THE MEETING AND TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MAYBE WHERE WE CAN DIRECT YOU TOWARDS THAT.
UH, BECAUSE IT IS VERY, UH, VERY IMPORTANT.
I CAN TELL YOU AS A CAREGIVER, I SPENT MOST OF MY DAY WORKING AND TAKING CARE OF AN 86 YEAR OLD MAN WITH PARKINSON'S.
AND THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHERE I HAVE TO STEP OUT AND I NEED HELP BECAUSE IT'S A PRETTY HEAVY BURDEN.
AND I CAN TELL YOU FOR SURE THAT EVERYBODY I KNOW IN THIS ROOM WELL HAS BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT HAS PERSONALLY REACHED OUT TO ME TO REASSURE, HEY, YOU OKAY? YOU LOOK LIKE TODAY, YOU'RE A LITTLE HAPPY HEARTED.
AND SO I SEE THAT IN YOU AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT AND YOU MENTIONED IT.
AND SO I WILL BE HERE AFTER THE MEETING AND IF WE CAN ASSIST YOU, WE'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO SO.
EVERYBODY AGAIN, CHARLES MET YOU.
S COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY EXPLORERS.
UH, JUST WANT TO REITERATE THIS STUFF, LIKE HOW EMERGENCY HAPPENS, LIKE AN INCIDENT HAD TO HAPPEN FIRST AND THEN SOMEBODY HAS TO CALL.
SO I'M GIVING Y'ALL A TIMELINE WHILE THE AEDS ARE NEEDED THAT NEED TO BE AROUND.
CAUSE BY THE TIME FIRST RESPONDERS COME, BY THE TIME WE COME, YOU DON'T LAST ABOUT PROBABLY FIVE, SIX TO 10 MINUTES.
SO BY THE TIME SOMEBODY CALL, IT GOES TO NINE ONE ONE, NINE ONE ONE, CALL CENTER, NINE ONE ONE, WHERE'S YOUR EMERGENCY? YOU GOTTA GIVE THEM THE INFORMATION AND THEN YOU GOTTA TELL 'EM WHERE IT'S AT AND THEN TRY TO GIVE 'EM ALL INFORMATION WHY PEOPLE PANIC AND WHY THEY DOING STUFF.
SO BY THE TIME 9 1 1 SENT TO THE DIRECT RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE EITHER EMS, FIRE POLICE, THAT TAKES TIME.
THERE'S A RESPONSE TIME THAT HAS TO HAPPEN AND THEN IT'S ON TIME.
SO I THINK, I BELIEVE I KNOW THAT THE AEDS HAVE TO BE INSIDE THESE BUILDINGS WHERE SOMEBODY CAN RUN AND GET IT.
AND IF THEY'RE TRAINING IT, THAT WILL SAVES LIVES.
IT WILL SAVE LIKE THAT, THAT TOTAL TIMEFRAME TAKES ABOUT 10 MINUTES BY THE TIME THEIR FIRST CALL IS MADE TO THE TIME FIRST RESPONDERS GET THERE.
SO JUST HAVE TO REITERATE THAT TO Y'ALL.
I RECEIVED SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE, UH, PROGRAMS THAT Y'ALL HAVE GOING ON, COUNTY YOUTH SERVICE COMMISSION.
UH, BUT THERE'S NOTHING IN HERE ABOUT LIFESAVING CPR AND AED TRAINING THAT'S PROVIDED TO THE YOUTH.
I CAN CAN HELP Y'ALL WITH THAT.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH DOING THAT.
I HAVE, UH, EXPERIENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND, AND, UH, FIRE, UM, NINE ONE ONE CALL OPERATOR.
AND ALSO, UH, THE RESTORATIVE AND TRANSFORMATION JUSTICE FOR USE AND COMMUNITY PILOT PROGRAM.
I WORKED IN THE YOUTH HOUSE AT ONE TIME.
I WORKED AT NORTH STATE PRISON.
UH, I COULD GO BACK TO THE YOUTH HOUSE IF Y'ALL ALLOWED, AND I COULD TEACH THOSE KIDS CPR IN FIRST DAY TWO.
SO, YOU KNOW, MY, MY RESOURCES IS HERE AND I'M WILLING TO GIVE IT TO Y'ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY, EVEN THE KIDS THAT, THAT SAME, THE COURT, THE JUSTICE, I CAN GIVE IT TO THEM TOO.
SO LET Y'ALL KNOW THAT I'M HERE.
PLEASE, LET'S GET THESE AEDS AND LET'S GET PEOPLE TRAINED AND JUST SEEK SIMPLE CPR AND FIRST AID.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO SPEAK? OH,
SO I HAVE BEEN DOING EXPLORE PROGRAM AT WEEK WAKE PARK SINCE LAST YEAR.
UH, A LITTLE HICCUP NOW IS I'VE BEEN VOLUNTEERING MY TIME TO DO THESE PROGRAMS MYSELF AND SOME PEOPLE FROM UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL EMTS.
UH, NOW THE PROBLEM IS THEY WANT US TO PAY $500 TO DO THESE PROGRAMS FOR THE HOURS.
I USED TO DO IT EVERY THURSDAY FROM FIVE TO EIGHT.
MATTER OF FACT, FIVE TO SIX OF US FREE PIANO LESSONS.
AND THEN FROM SIX TO EIGHT WE HAVE A FIRE PARK AND THEN WE HAVE AN EMS PART.
BUT NOW I HAVE TO PAY $500 EVERY CLASS FOR THE HOURS TO DO IT.
SO I'M JUST ASKING FOR THE SPACE AND THE TIME.
30 SECONDS IF I GO TO THANK YOU.
IF I GO TO EITHER WAKE, WAKE PARK, WESTSIDE PARK, ANY PARK IN THE COUNTY THAT I SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PAY, HAVE TO PAY TO TEACH KIDS AND EITHER SENIORS HOW TO DO CPR FOR STATE.
WE HAVE ANOTHER GENTLEMAN COME ON.
[01:40:01]
I HAVE ABOUT THREE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT I'VE BEEN RUNNING FOR THE PAST.CAN WE JUST, CAN YOU SPEAK UP A LITTLE BIT MORE SO WE CAN, IT'S NOT COMING IN CLEAR.
I HAVE ABOUT THREE ORGANIZATION NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT I RUN.
UM, THE CENTRAL WAR STEELERS, WHICH IS, UH, POP WARNER, UH, RED LIGHT ON ALL STARS.
AND, UM, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT FOR A LONG TIME LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TO LIKE THE FREE STUFF THAT USED TO, YOU KNOW, USED TO GIVE CHILDREN.
UM, AS, AS YOU MAY KNOW, AS YOU DON'T, AS YOU DON'T KNOW, POP WARNER MAKE US ALL BE A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, BUT THE CITY LIKE TO BE THERE.
THERE'S LIKE NO TYPE OF GIVING BACK OR MONEY OR SOME TYPE OF LIKE, EFFORT TO HELP THESE CHILDREN.
I WORK A FULL-TIME JOB AND I'M SPENDING LIKE BASICALLY ALL MY MONEY HAVING SIX CHILDREN ON MY OWN, BUT I'M SPENDING ALL OF MY MONEY TAKING CARE OF THESE CHILDREN.
WE JUST CAME BACK FROM MICHIGAN.
I'M TRYING TO LIKE DO FUNDRAISERS.
THERE'S NO HELP, THERE'S NO TYPE OF LIKE, ASSISTANCE IN THE CITY OF NEWARK IN ESSEX COUNTY.
UM, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT LIKE, HOW CAN WE, HOW CAN YOU ASSIST ME? BECAUSE THESE PARENTS DON'T GOT IT.
THEY'D RATHER SPEND ONE 50 ON SOME JORDANS THAN PAY A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE TOOK KIDS OUT OF THE CITY OF NEWARK AND ESS ESSENCE COUNTY TO MICHIGAN FOR $125 IN THREE DAYS FOR THREE DAYS.
BUT WE GOT DOWN THERE, WE WAS BROKE, THERE WAS NO TYPE OF ASSISTANCE, THERE WAS NO TYPE OF HELP.
WE DON'T GET HELP FROM POT WARNER.
THEY TRY TO STOP WHAT WE ARE DOING.
SO WE GOTTA COME DOWN TO THE COUNTY TO GET PERMITS TO USE THE FIELD.
UM, AS FAR AS THE YOUNG, THE YOUNG MAN THAT LOST HIS LIFE FRIDAY, I HAD A, A PRIVILEGE TO COACH HIM LAST YEAR UNDER THE PREDATORS, BUT THE PREDATORS WASN'T MOVING, RIGHT? THEY HAD NO, LIKE LEGAL PAPERWORK.
BUT THESE FELLAS WAS JUST GETTING PAID TO USE 17 YEAR OLD KIDS ON 13 YEAR OLDS.
13 YEAR OLDS ON EIGHT YEAR OLDS.
SO WHAT, WHERE DOES IT STOP? LIKE I I, I DID, I I BECAME THE PRESIDENT AGAIN JUST TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS, BUT IT'S STILL NO HELP.
I, I, UH, LINKED UP WITH HIM ONE YEAR TO DO AN ESS ESSENCE COUNTY WHEN THE, YOU KNOW, THIS POLICE AND AND BLACK THING WAS GOING ON.
WE DID A ES COUNTY COACHES VERSUS THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT.
SO AGAIN, I'M ASKING IF WE COULD JUST HELP WITH THE CHILDREN BECAUSE THE PARENTS, THE PARENTS IS NOT 30 SECONDS.
WHAT WE COULD DO IS WE COULD DIRECT YOUR INQUIRY IN TERMS OF WHAT RESOURCES MAY BE AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN WITH RESPECT TO THE SPORT LEAGUES THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.
WE CAN FORWARD THAT TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND I WOULD ASSUME IT TO THE PARTS OR ONE OF THE RESPECTIVE DEPARTMENTS CAN FORWARD YOU THAT BECAUSE THIS GOVERNING BODY DOES NOT MANAGE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION DOES.
BUT WE'LL BE HAPPY TO FORWARD THAT INQUIRY ON YOUR BEHALF TO THEM.
IF YOU COULD ENSURE THAT YOU LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION TO SUSAN WHO'S IN THE BACK THERE, SHE'LL COME UP WITH THE CLIPBOARD.
JUST LEAVE YOUR NAME, EMAIL AND ET CETERA.
MR. OWENS WEEK WAY PARK SPORTS AUTHORITY AND LEXUS COUNTY PARKS LEAGUE.
I'M ON THE SAME TRAIN WITH MY COUNTERPARTS.
UM, IT'S POSSIBLE FOR THE COUNTY TO COME WITH DEFIBRILLATORS IN EACH PARK.
IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WHEN PEOPLE GET PERMITS, UH, FOR SPORTS, THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE MEDICAL PERSONNEL PRESENT AT EACH GAME? WHEN WE DO OUR EVENTS, WE ALWAYS HAVE THE EMTS AVAILABLE.
THEY, UM, IN CASE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW FOR YOUTH SPORTS EVENTS, THE EMTS DO, UH, PROVIDED FOR FREE, UH, WITH THE WEEK WAY PARK LAKE, UM, THE TRACK RENEWAL.
HAS ANYBODY PRESENTED THE IDEA OF A COVERED SPACE WITH SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT? BECAUSE IN THE BEGINNING WHEN YOU COME IN FROM ECO AVENUE, THERE'S A CERTAIN AREA THAT PEOPLE THAT THEY WORK OUT THERE AND IT BECOMES VERY CONGESTED.
THEY HAVE THE TRAFFIC, THE, UH, VEHICLE TRAFFIC HERE, THERE, PLUS THE LAKE.
IF YOU COULD MOVE BACK TO A COVERED AREA, UH, ON THE OTHER SIDE, THAT WOULD PROBABLY WORK BETTER THAN JUST, UH, REFURBISHING THAT AREA.
THEY SAID IT'S VERY, A LOT OF CONGESTION JUST IN THAT AREA CUZ IT'S A, UH, INTEREST AND, UH, EGRESS FROM THAT AREA.
BUT AGAIN, I'M BACK ON THIS TRAIN.
THE E THE AEDS ARE NEEDED AT, UH, CENTRAL LOCATIONS IN EACH PARK AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AT EACH EVENT.
UH, EARLIER THIS EVENING, UM, I DON'T THINK YOU WERE HERE FOR THAT.
PERHAPS THERE WAS A HEARING ON THE GRANT.
SO WITH RESPECT, WITH YOUR INQUIRY WITH THE, UH, EXERCISE EQUIPMENT, UH, THAT WAS A TIME TO SUBMIT THOSE ON RECORD THAT WILL BE FORWARDED TO, UH, THE STATE EPA FOR
[01:45:01]
ITS CONSIDERATION OF THE GRANT.HOWEVER, IT'S SIMPLY A GRANT APPLICATION HEARING.
SO THAT MEANS THERE'S STILL TIME FOR PUBLIC INPUT WITH WHERE YOU MAY THINK SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT SHOULD GO.
AND THE IDEA PERHAPS BEING COVERED MAY NOT BE NECESSARILY A BAD IDEA.
MAY BE A GREAT IDEA, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN FORWARD THAT PORTION OF YOUR COMMENTARY TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND THEY COULD TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION CUZ IT'S STILL A LOT OF PLANNING TO BE DONE.
THE GRANT, IT'S NOT SET IN STONE BY ANY MEANS.
SO IF YOU'RE NOT, THERE'S NOT, UH, WE NOT MISSED A BOAT ON HAVING INPUT FOR THE PARK IMPROVEMENTS.
THAT'S JUST A GRANT, A MECHANISM TO GET THE GRANT GOING BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO PAY FOR IT, WHICH WOULD BE GREAT.
AND WE DON'T PAY FOR IT CUZ IT COMES THROUGH A GRANT.
THAT'S PROBABLY ONE THING EVERYBODY HERE COULD AGREE ON, IRRESPECTIVE OF YOUR PARTISANSHIP OR, OR ALL THAT STUFF.
UM, WITH THE SECOND PORTION, WHICH YOU STARTED WITH ACTUALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND DEFIBRILLATE AND SUCH, WE WILL, UH, PREPARE THAT INFORMATION THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION AND HAVE THAT IN RESPONSE, UH, SENT TO, UH, YOUR OTHER MEMBERS, YOUR COLLEAGUES WHO ARE HERE.
AND IF YOU LEAVE YOUR NAME WITH SUSAN, SUSAN IS VERY BUSY TONIGHT CUZ I KEEP CALLING HER OUT.
LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION WITH HER.
AND THEN THE, THE PORTION THAT YOU INQUIRED ABOUT THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND THE TRAINING AND ET CETERA, WHICH WE WILL BE PREPARING FOR OTHERS, WE CAN HAVE YOU, UH, INCLUDED IN THAT RESPONSE.
WELL, PUBLIC COMMENT IS ONLY ONCE, BUT I'M GONNA GIVE YOU 30 SECONDS AS YOU DIDN'T LOSE YOU ALL TIME.
WE DON'T WANT TO SET A BAD PRECEDENT.
I PLEASE FOR YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, UH, MR. OWENS WEEK WAY PARK SUPPORT STORY ESA COUNTY PARKLEY.
UM, IN WEEK WAY PARK LAST WEEK WE HAD A PORTA POTTY SET ON FIRE LAST NIGHT WE HAD, UH, A SECTION OF A PARK SET ON FIRE.
UH, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT INCON SURVEILLANCE WE COULD DO TO TRY TO CURTAIL THESE TYPE OF THINGS, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
UH, I'M SURE THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE, UH, PORTA PARTY INCENDIARY AND SO WE'LL LET LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, RAMP UP THEIR EFFORTS OVER THERE CUZ THEY'RE VERY GOOD WITH THAT.
IS THERE ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? OKAY.
IT COULD ONLY SPEAK ONE STORY IN PUBLIC.
WHAT'S THAT? WE BAY PARK ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORITY? NO, MADAM.
BUT WE COULD ONLY SPEAK ONE STORY IN PUBLIC COMMENT, EVEN IF IT'S A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION.
BECAUSE YOU'RE STILL THE REPRESENTATIVE.
I MEAN IT WAS, BUT I'LL BE HERE.
I'LL LET YOU SEARCH SOME GOOD NEWS.
GIVE US YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
IS ANYONE OPPOSED TO EXCELLENT NEWS TODAY? EXCELLENT.
MADAM STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND GIVE US SOME EXCELLENT NEWS.
OKAY, SO I'M HERE, UH, QUA PARK ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORITY.
UH, WE RECENTLY WENT DOWN TO MERCER COUNTY TO, UH, DO AN ENVIRONMENTAL KIND OF PITCH PROJECT WITH THE AMERICAN BEVERAGE, UM, COMPANY.
UM, OUR GROUPS, WE HAD TWO GROUPS SELECTED.
THEY WON $2,500 TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT A, UM, UM, ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT FOR, AND WE ARE GONNA USE THE PARK OR AT WEEK WAY PARK AS THE HOME BASE TO KIND OF GET THAT KIND OF TRAIN ROLLING.
SO THEY HAVE, UM, NOT ONLY DESIGNED THEIR OWN IDEAS ABOUT WHAT, UM, RECYCLING SHOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT THEY NOW HAVE MONEY TO KIND OF PUT TOWARD THIS PROJECT.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THIS IN THIS UPCOMING YEAR, UH, WITH ABOUT 10 TO 15 YOUTH, UM, IN THE PARK THAT WE'VE KIND OF WORKED WITH WHEAT, GREAT PARKS, SPORTS AUTHORITY WITH.
WELL JUST DO DULY NOTED FOR, ALL RIGHT.
SCENE, NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS.
BEFORE I ASK FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR, UH, TOLERATING SOMETHING OF A CHOPPY, UH, WHAT WAS IT? INDEED? A LITTLE CHOPPY.
WAS IT MR. PARO AGENDA? A LITTLE UNUSUAL, A LITTLE CHOPPY, BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR INDULGENCE.
YES, IT WAS MENTAL GYMNASTICS TODAY,
MR. JACKSON, IF I JUST HAVE ONE MOMENT OF YOUR TIME AFTER THE MEETING, SUSAN, IF YOU COULD JOIN ME AS WELL.
AND MR. JACKSON AND COACH, IF YOU COULD JUST, UH, COME UP HERE WHEN YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE MEETING ADJOURNED.