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WHAT'S DOING GOOD SUNDAY? I MEAN, EXCEPT FOR FOOTBALL, BUT I WAS MOVING FOR THE LION MAKES IT SO MUCH DIFFERENT.
I WAS, AND YOU CAN'T MOVE FOR THE
I WANT JUST HAVE A GREAT UNDERDOG STORY AND THEY REALLY, YOU KNOW.
SOME WERE GOING TO FOURTH COURT.
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE, UH, 2024 BUDGET HEARING.
I DON'T HAVE A GAVEL AND I WON'T DO A CRUISE CHEF BANGING ON THE TABLE OF MY SHOE.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE.
BUT I DO WANNA WELCOME EVERYONE HERE TO I, SOMEBODY GUYS APPRECIATE THE POLITICAL HUMOR.
WELL ANYWAY, SO WELCOME TO THE, UH, 2024 BUDGET HEARING SCHEDULE WE DO HAVE, AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, UH, TWO EVENINGS OF REVIEW, DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT, WHICH THE ADMINISTRATION WILL PRESENT NUMEROUS, UH, DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS AND OTHER STAFF TO, UH, GO THROUGH THE 2024 BUDGET, WHICH WE INTRODUCED.
PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE NEXT, UH, COMMISSIONER MEETING WHERE THE BUDGET WILL BE, UH, READ INTO THE RECORD AND ET CETERA.
WHY DON'T WE START FIRST, UH, MAD CLERK WITH A ROLL CALL, AND THEN WE'LL INTRODUCE, UH, WE'LL HAVE MR. JACKSON INTRODUCE HIS TEAM.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
AND NOW WE HAVE THE JOB SO WE CAN MAKE IT OFFICIAL.
SO, UH, FOR THE RECORD, UH, THIS, UH, MEETING WAS PUBLICLY ADVERTISED ACCORDINGLY.
MADAM CLERK, CAN YOU CONFIRM? I CONFIRM MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, WHY DON'T WE, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE STARTING WITH THE BOARD OF TAXATION.
SO WHY DON'T YOU INTRODUCE WHO'S HERE WITH YOU TODAY SO WE CAN, UH, BEGIN OUR PRESENTATION? UH, CERTAINLY, UH, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE MRS. DURKIN, WHO'S, UH, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, UH, CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICE AND HAS DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND SHE'S GONNA GO THROUGH OUR BUDGET.
ALSO, OUR DEPUTY, UH, ADMINISTRATOR, UH, WHAT'S YOUR NAME? MR. JONES.
AND OUR CFO MOAN, MOHAM, WHO IS HERE, UM, AS WELL.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
UM, UH, BUT OUR DEPUTY, MR. COLTRANE, UH, MR.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SPEAK FIRST ABOUT PLEASE? WHY DON'T YOU INTRODUCE, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN START WITH YOUR PRESENTATION AND JUST START, AND THEN FRANK CAN GO OVER AND THEN WE'LL ASK ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE MAY HAVE.
LET'S, LET ME TELL YOU THE, UM, MARKET, WE HAVE A VERY STRONG MARKET, WHETHER IT BE THE CITIES OR THE SUBURBS IN SSON COUNTY.
UM, WE'RE GOING UP PROBABLY DAILY, BUT WHAT GOES UP, COME DOWN.
SO WAS TALKING JACKSON ABOUT THE, UM, 1988
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THAT, UM, 1988, WE LIVED THROUGH THAT, UM, AND SURVIVED IN ABOUT FIVE YEARS.PEOPLE THAT I KNEW WERE LOSING MY JOBS AND DIFFERENT THINGS WERE HAPPENING.
BUT IN 2008, IT TOOK 10 YEARS TO COME BACK WITH, UM, A REASONABLENESS OF PRICING.
NOW THE PRICES ARE SO WORTH, UM, UM, IRVINGTON, UM, MAPLEWOOD, SOUTH ORANGE AND ROSELAND.
I'D LIKE TO DO THE, WE HAVE TWO 10, WE HAVE ACTUALLY FOUR TOWNS TO, UH, HAVE OUR JOINT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
UM, SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE WHAT THE REACTION IS, UM, TO THE NUMBERS BECAUSE THE NUMBERS THAT PEOPLE WERE USED TO, AND I'M GONNA TELL YOU VERY HONESTLY, LIKE $500,000 ASSESSMENT, AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE 1,000,002 NOW TAX RATE GOES DOWN, BUT STILL IN ALL THEY'RE GONNA BE, IF THEY HAVEN'T DONE IT IN A WHILE, THEY'RE GONNA FEEL THE IMPACT OF HOWEVER THEIR AREA, UM, WENT UP AGAIN.
UM, THE CONDOS ARE ANOTHER PROBLEM, SO I SAY SO UP IN VALUE, BUT THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE FIRST ONES TO FALL IF THERE'S A PRICE, UM, DIFFERENTIAL KIND OF THING.
BUT THEY'RE ALSO THE LAST ONES TO COME UP WITH VALUE AGAIN.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTING THAT THE, UM, WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING, THE LISTING, THE, UM, TAX RATES ARE, UH, THE MORTGAGE RATES ARE COMING DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT HOW LONG IT'S GONNA TAKE? UM, I DON'T KNOW.
PEOPLE WERE USED TO UNDER FOUR.
UM, I WAS USED TO THAT IN THE EIGHTIES.
SO BASICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S WHAT YOU'RE USED TO, WHERE WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL IS IF THERE'S ANY FORECLOSURES, THOSE, THEY HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON ANY OF THE TOWNS.
AND SO THE S HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH THE EXPENSES, OTHERWISE PEOPLE ARE FIGURING OUT WHAT THEY CAN PAY THIS MONTH.
AND ON THE AGENDA, WE HAVE NINE TOWNS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR BOARD MEETING IS THURSDAY.
WE INVITED EVERY, THE BUSINESS ADMINISTRATORS AND THE ASSESSORS TO COME IN ON THE JANUARY 10TH MEETING TO SAY, THESE ARE THE 10 TOWNS WE'RE LOOKING THE CONCERN.
I DID GET A CALL FROM, UM, ONE OF THE TOWNS AND I TALKED TO THAT BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR ON THE PHONE 'CAUSE HE COULDN'T MAKE THE MEETING.
THEY JUST GOT FINISHED PAYING OFF THE BOND FROM THE LAST REBOUND.
I THINK THAT'S A CONCERN WITH ANY OF THE OTHER 10 TOWNS.
AND I PROBABLY TELL YOU WHAT THE TOWNS ARE, THEY'RE BELVILLE, BLOOMFIELD, PAUL WELLS, CEDAR GROVE, FAIRFIELD, GLEN RIDGE, MONTCLAIR VERONA, AND WEST CALWELL.
SOME WERE ONLY DONE FOUR YEARS AGO, BUT THEY'RE NOT, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT GONNA ORDER THEM FOR NEXT YEAR.
SO WE'RE PLANNING 26, 27, AND 28 AND TALKING TO THE TOWNS TO SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE FOR THEM, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY'RE FALLING IN THE RATIOS AND WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU HAVE TO STAY CLOSE TO A HUNDRED PERCENT.
I'M JUST GONNA POINT OUT NORTH, NORTH IS IN BIG DRIVE.
THERE ARE 55%, AND THAT WAS EVEN AFTER THEY APPEALED TO TAX COURT.
UM, AND GOT A JUDGMENT, BUT IT ONLY RAISED IT FROM 53 TO 55.
SO THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PAY, HAVE COUNTY TAXES, ANYONE THAT'S FORWARD.
MR. UH, LEMME FIRST START WITH, UH, LEMME START WITH MR. MCINERNEY FIRST.
UH, IF HE HAS ANY QUESTIONS, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO GO THAT WAY, MR. MCINERNEY FIRST WITH SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AND MR.
SO JUST BEFORE I GET TO YOUR BUDGET, I DO HAVE SOME, SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW, UM, RECENT CONSTRUCTION OF RENTAL PROPERTIES HAS REALLY
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BEEN, UH, ACCELERATING NESSES COUNTY.AND, UM, UH, A LOT OF IT, UH, I'M FINDING A LOT OF IT GOES ON THE PILOT PROGRAMS. SO HOW DOES, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT A MUNICIPALITY OR, WELL, YOU GOTTA REMEMBER THERE CONS, THE CONSTRUCTION, UM, THE BUILDING IS NOT PAYING TAXES, RIGHT? THEY'RE PAYING TAXES ON THE LAND.
WELL, I WENT TO A PROGRAM ABOUT PILOTS.
PILOTS, IF YOU HAVE A PILOT IN NEWARK THAT AFFECTS THE WHOLE STATE.
SO IF SOMEBODY HAS A PILOT IN JERSEY CITY, YOU'RE PAYING, RIGHT? OKAY.
SO THE PROBLEM IS IT WAS A DEVICE TO HELP GET INVESTORS INTO THE MUNICIPALITY.
BUT WHEN I SEE FIVE PEOPLE BIDDING ON A PARTICULAR PRO PROJECT, WHY DID YOU NEED A PILOT? I, I AGREE.
I, I, I HAVE THE TENDENCY TO BELIEVE THAT AT TIMES PILOT PROGRAM IS, IS NOT NECESSARY GIVEN THE COMPETITIVE NATURE OF REAL ESTATE RIGHT NOW.
NO CHOICE BY THE MUNICIPALITY.
AND WE DON'T HAVE, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL.
UM, BASICALLY WE ASKING ASK IN JANUARY JUST TO KEEP TRACK OF DID YOU HAVE A NEW PILOT? MM-HMM,
UM, SO WE HAVE THEM, THE ASSESSOR TELL US IF THEY, WHAT ARE YOUR HOURS? DO YOU WORK ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY? UM, YOU KNOW, ARE YOUR TAX MAPS UP TO DATE? DID YOU MAKE CHANGES THIS YEAR? YOU NEED TO GIVE US THE PAGES.
I MEAN, THERE'S LIKE, CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS IS PILOT, LONG TERM ABATEMENTS AND FIVE YEAR, UH, 30 YEAR MAINTENANCE, THIRTIES, FIVE YEARS, YOU KNOW, AND WE'VE ALSO EXPERIENCED WHERE THEY'VE EXTENDED THAT TIME.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S A CONCERN THROUGHOUT THE STATE UNTIL, LET SAY, START DOING SOMETHING IN THE LEGISLATURE.
THE OTHER QUESTION DEALS WITH, UH, ACQUISITIONS OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES BY CORPORATIONS AS OPPOSED TO INDIVIDUALS.
ARE YOU SEEING THAT? ARE YOU, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU NO, I MEAN NOW FOREIGN INVESTORS IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND I DON'T KNOW REALLY.
I HAVEN'T LOOKED TO SEE WHOSE NAME THEY'RE PUTTING IN, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF MONEY COMING IN FROM TRYING TO TO BUY, TO BUY.
YOU KNOW, A THOSE ARE SOME CONCERNS BETWEEN THE PILOTS AND THE CORPORATE ACQUISITION ESPECIALLY OF, BUT THE PRICES ARE SO, I MEAN, UNBELIEVABLE WITH, UM, I WAS CONCERNED, I'LL TAKE MILLBURN
UM, WHEN THEY GOT NEW ASSESSOR, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DOING A COMPLIANCE PLAN BECAUSE THE ASSESSMENTS BETWEEN 1 MILLION AND 2 MILLION WERE, YOU KNOW, SUFFERING.
THEY WEREN'T GETTING THE PRICE OF WHAT THEY, THEY WERE ASSESSED AT WITHIN ONE YEAR.
EVERYBODY WAS BUYING HOUSES BETWEEN 1 MILLION AND 2 MILLION.
THEY, THEY DID APPEAL THEIR ASSESSMENT THIS YEAR.
UH, EAST ORANGE APPEALED THEIR ASSESSMENT AND THEY DID VERY WELL.
THEY WENT FROM IN THE EIGHTIES TO 92 I THINK IT WAS, AND, UM, NOR APPEAL.
AND THEY GO TO TAX COURT FOR THAT.
AS FAR AS YOUR, AS FAR AS YOUR BUDGET GOES, I MEAN, WE'RE LOOKING AT FIVE INDIVIDUALS IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
IT'S, IT'S THE SAME BASICALLY AS IT WAS THE PRIOR YEAR.
THERE'S A SMALL INCREASE FOR CONTRACTUAL SALARY INCREASES AS WELL AS, UH, A LITTLE MONEY FOR INCREMENTS AND MERIT WAGES.
I, I THINK IT'S MORE INCREMENTS THAN MERIT AND THEN CONTRACTUAL INCREASE OF $8,200.
UM, I, I REALLY DON'T, DON'T HAVE A LOT TO SAY.
BUT YOU, YOU HAVE, UM, GONE UP ON YOUR NON-PROFESSIONAL, UH, SIDE.
SO CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN WHY THAT'S UP TO 77 5? BECAUSE AS I THINK I TOLD EVERYBODY LAST JANUARY THAT OUR TRUST FUND, WHICH WE WERE PAYING FOR THE VENDOR WHO DOES WHAT'S CALLED THE MOD CORE AND UH, THE
SO THEREFORE THE PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE ANY, UM, REASON, NOT A REASON, BUT THEY COULDN'T WIN THE CASE IN ORDER WHEN THEY APPEALED.
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MONEY THAT WE GET AND PUT IN THE TRUST FUND.AND WE WERE, UM, YOU KNOW, PAYING THAT BIG BILL, WHICH IS AROUND $111,000.
UM, BUT WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT WE, UM, THEN DID A SURVEY FOR THAT FOR THE REST OF THE STATE, FIND OUT WHAT, WHO PAYS FOR THAT PROGRAM.
AND BASICALLY 14 COUNTIES THE COUNTY PAY.
SO I'M NOT ASKING FOR ANY OF THAT.
BUT BASICALLY THE THING IS, AND IN OTHER ONES THEY PAY HALF AND HALF.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THIS, I MONITORING OUR TRUST FUND AND PAYING WHEN WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY, WE'LL KNOW, UM, APRIL 1ST, BUT THEY PUT IT IN THE BUDGET FOR UM, YOU KNOW, THE JULY 1ST SO THAT WE, WE KNOW WHO CAN ABLE TO PAY THE VENDOR.
SO THE EXPENSE, THE EXPENSE DID NOT CHANGE.
IT'S JUST THE SOURCING WE SWITCHING FROM WHERE IT'S FROM, WHERE IT'S BEING PAID.
THE OFF BUDGET NOW FROM MY DEDICATED TRUST FUND TO, WE PAY OUT THE TRUST FUND.
UM, AND I WILL BE ASKING THE OTHER COUNTY, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT, BUT MOSTLY IT'S, WE BUY, UM, WE BOUGHT LE NOVA'S FOR THE MUNICIPALITY FOR THE ASSESSOR THERE, UM, SO THAT THEY CAN GO OUT IN THE FIELD AND WE'VE UPGRADED THOSE TWICE SO FAR.
UM, WE ALSO PAY FOR THEIR EDUCATION SO THAT THE MUNICIPALITY DOESN'T LIKE EXTRA COURSES AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO DEPENDING ON, AND WE PAY FOR DUES FOR THE ASSOCIATIONS AND DIFFERENT THINGS, UH, UH, THE TRUST.
SO WHAT'LL HAPPEN IS WE'VE ALREADY TOLD THEM WE CAN'T PAY FOR THE ANY COURSES ANYMORE AND REIMBURSE THEM.
WHAT WE NORMALLY DID WAS TELL THEM TO SEND US THE CERTIFICATES OR ATTENDANCE AND
THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU MR. THANK MR. FAK, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
QUESTIONS NUMBER ONE, YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE WERE FOUR TOWNS THAT ARE DOING RE ABOUT THIS YEAR, MR. THAT CORRECT? IRV MAP WAS SOUTH THERE TOWN.
AND THEN YOU MENTIONED THERE ARE 10 TOWNS THAT ARE GOING TO BECOME, WHAT IS THAT ABOUT? WELL, WE'RE TALKING TO WITH THEM AND TO THE, ONE OF THE TOWNS WE NORTH PAWELL.
I'M THINKING THEY'RE NOT CLOSE ENOUGH.
WE'LL PROBABLY DISCUSS THEM AGAIN NEXT YEAR, BUT THEN THERE WOULD BE NINE THEN WE WOULD BE ORDERING THEM 26, 27 OR 28.
SO WHO CAN TELL TOWNS OR WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE RE OKAY, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND THEN I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION ON THE THIRD.
ON THE THIRD PAGE, THERE'S A LIST S COUNTY BOARD TAXATION.
BETWEEN MUNICIPALITIES, A LIST OF TAX RATE, COUNTY AND SO ON.
I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW, DOES THAT FIRST CALL THE TAX RATE FOR 2023 GIVES A NUMBER? TELL ME, TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE ASKING NOW.
WHAT ABOUT DOES THAT, DOES THAT INDICATE WHICH TOWN HAS THE HIGHEST TAX RATE? HAS THE, WE DON'T GO BY THAT.
UM, MAINLY BECAUSE IT DEPENDS, THE NUMBERS ARE LOWER WHEN THE, THEY'VE HAD A
AND THAT'S WHERE WE GET THE RATE.
THE REST OF THE PAGE IS HOW IT'S DIVIDED SUCH AS
THE COUNTY IS 0.5, THE COUNTY OPEN SPACE IS, YOU KNOW, 0.019.
AND THEN THE SCHOOL, IF YOU GO FURTHER IN THE PACKET, IT GIVES YOU, UM,
AND YOU CAN TELL FROM THOSE, THOSE HOW MUCH THE TOWN SPEND ON THEIR SCHOOLS, BUT THIS AND HOW MUCH THEY SPEND ON THE MUNICIPALITY AND HOW MUCH THE COUNCIL YEAH, I KNOW THAT.
BUT ON THIS LIST, THERE IS NO COLUMN THAT SHOWS WHICH TOWN HAS THE HIGHEST TAX RATE AND WHICH TOWN HAS, THERE IS NO NUMBER ON THIS PAGE WHICH SHOWS THAT, WELL, WE DON'T TREAT IT AT THAT BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN A REVAL HAS BEEN DONE AND THAT'S WHY IT'S LOW.
BUT WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? I MEAN, THE BIG PROBLEM IS IRVINGTON WITH THE $6, RIGHT? NEXT YEAR.
I MEAN, I SHOULDN'T SAY NEXT YEAR.
THIS YEAR IN JULY, THAT TAX RATE SHOULD
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GO DOWN FOR $3.SO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE REBATE QUESTION.
IF I TAKE THE 2023 RATIO COLUMN MM-HMM
OH, I CAN GET YOU AN, YOU WANNA KNOW THAT'S, SHE WANTS TO EQUALIZED EFFECTIVE.
REALLY, YOU WANNA KNOW WHO'S PAYING MORE, RIGHT? BECAUSE I HEAR THAT ROSELAND HAS THE LOWEST TAX RIGHT? IN ESSEX COUNTY.
THE ROSELAND, THE RESIDENT SEEMS TO DISAGREE WITH THAT AS NECESSARILY, I DUNNO, THAT'S, I WANNA KNOW WHICH TOWNS HAVE THE LOWEST.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE, LET ME MAKE YOU AWARE, BECAUSE OF ROSELAND BEING REVAMPED, ROSELAND HAS A SPECIFIC PROBLEM I KNOW WITH THEIR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY.
SO I'M ANTICIPATING A LOT OF APPEALS MAINLY NOT JUSTIFIED
AND ONE OF MY THINGS WERE WAS TO ALSO SAY EVERYBODY HAS TO THINK OUTTA THE BOX SUCH AS LIVINGSTON WITH THE LIVINGSTON MOLD.
THEY HAVE TO THINK OUTTA THE BOX.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH THAT PAID PARCEL? THERE WAS A NEW BUYER THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A PROBLEM TOO, BECAUSE THEY PAID A LOT LESS THAN THEIR ASSESSMENT, WHICH CREATES ANOTHER PROBLEM.
IT'S OWNED BY A NUMBER OF COMPANIES AND THAT'S ANOTHER PROBLEM.
SO BASICALLY WITH THAT, DO YOU DO COMBINATION HOUSING? I THOUGHT THEY SHOULD HAVE WHITE NEWS THERE.
THEY SHOULD HAVE A PICKLE BALL REPORT.
I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO THINK THINGS THAT WEREN'T THE SAME THAT WERE USING IT BEFORE IN A COMBINATION OF THOSE THINGS.
AND I WOULD DO, IF I WAS LIVING, I DO THIS STUDY AROUND THE COUNTRY, WHAT DID THEY DO WITH MALLS THAT HAVE LOST BIG TENANTS? THEY'RE BRINGING A LOT OF TENANTS IN THOSE MALL BY BUILDING APARTMENTS AND THAT ADDS A LOT OF PEOPLE TO THE TOWN AND A LOT OF, UH, REQUIREMENTS FOR THE TOWN.
SO THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM, BUT I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT THE TAX RATES AND YOU'LL PROVIDE.
SO YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I THINK I HAD ANOTHER PAPER.
IT'S IN MY ORDER THAT IT DID EXACTLY THAT.
JUST SO THAT ROSELAND TAX
OH, ALL THE TOWNS IN ESSEX COUNTY.
WHO'S GOT THE HIGHEST TAX? WELL, WE DID HAVE SOMEONE WHO COMPLAINED TO US.
THEY WENT TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE BECAUSE, UM, BASICALLY THERE WAS IRVINGTON, ORANGE, EAST ORANGE, AND OF COURSE NEWARK, UM, THAT THEIR, UM, TAX RATE WAS OVER $5.
SO THEY COMPLAINED TO US AND WE KEPT SAYING THAT IT'S A FUNCTION OF THE BUDGET, IT'S A RATEABLE BASE.
WELL, NORTH WASN'T ABOVE $5, THEY WERE $3 AND SOMETHING WHEN THIS PERSON WAS COMPLAINING.
SO I SAID, WELL, NORTH DOES THE CITY AND PERSON SAID OVER THERE RENAISSANCE CITIES, SO THEY DON'T COUNT.
IT WAS THE OTHER TOWNS THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, CITIES.
THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION AND I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YEAH, ONLY THE PILOTS.
UM, YEAH, SO MY UNDERSTANDING, MY LIMITED UNDERSTANDING OF PILOTS, SO A FIVE YEAR PILOT IS TYPICALLY A AS OF RIGHT PILOT.
SO DEVELOPERS OR CONTRACTORS BUILDING, UH, SMALLER CONSTRUCTION, MAYBE THREE FAMILY HOUSE OR TWO OR ONE, THEY GET A FIVE YEAR TAX ABATEMENT AS OF RIGHT.
SO WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT OVER FIVE YEARS, IT COULD BE 15 OR 30, AND IT'S NEW CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE I KNOW YOU REFERENCED THERE ARE A LOT OF BIDDERS, BUT ON NEW CONSTRUCTION, THIS A DEVELOPER, THEY PICKED THEIR GC SO THERE'S NOT REALLY ANY BIDDING GOING ON IN NEW CONSTRUCTION.
AND THEN THEY COME BECAUSE OF A BUDGET, UH, GAP.
UM, AND THEY'LL ASK THE MUNICIPALITY FOR A PILOT FOR 15 YEARS, 30 YEARS OR, OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
SO I I I JUST DON'T UNDER, I DIDN'T, IT DIDN'T QUITE CLICK WITH YOU WERE SAYING THE, THIS BIDDING PROCESS WHERE PEOPLE GOING FOR PILOTS LIKE FOUR, FIVE DEVELOPERS OR FIVE CONTRACTORS GOING FOR A PILOT FOR PARTICULAR PROJECTS.
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I JUST DON'T SEE THAT.WELL, THE PILOTS HAVE TO BE GIVEN.
OH, BUT OKAY, SO THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING.
I MEAN, I KNOW PARTICULARLY WHERE IT HAPPENED IN MAPLEWOOD BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE I LIVED.
I MEAN, I KNOW WHEN SOMETHING, UM, IS OFFERED FOR SALE, UH, WHETHER IT BE JUST A PRIVATE OWNER OR SOMEBODY PUTS TOGETHER SOME PARCELS OF LAND, WELL THE, THEY COME OUT OF THE WOODWORK, THE DEVELOPERS BECAUSE TOO, AND THEN THE TOWN DOES NEGOTIATE ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THEM BECAUSE THERE ARE FIGURES THAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR.
BUT BASICALLY, UM, THE PILOTS, WHEREVER IT IS NEGOTIATED, WHICH COUNTY OR WHAT HAVE YOU, IT ALL AFFECTS YOU.
BUT IN THE HOUSING, YES, IN THE HOUSING WOULD DO A TWO FAMILY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND, UM, THEY'LL HAVE, YOU KNOW, FIVE YEAR ONES.
BUT IT'S THE THIRD YEAR, UM, BASICALLY THAT THEY'RE ONLY PAYING.
AND I ALSO HAVE SEEN A CORPORATIONS BUYING A LOT OF SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES AND TWO FAMILY HOUSES.
I THINK BIGGEST PROBLEM IS, IS WHEN AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A CORPORATION, REALLY A SINGLE PERSON, WHAT THEY DO WHEN THEY BUY A ONE FAMILY HOUSE TO FLIP, THEY PUT IT IN AN LLC.
SO BASICALLY IT'S NOT A CORPORATION, IT'S JUST SOMEBODY WHO IS SINGLY, L-L-C-I-I, I GET YOU.
I'M CLEAR ABOUT LLC AND THOSE SMALLER FOLKS, AND THEY'LL USE THE ADDRESS SOME 4 55 MLK, AND, AND THAT'LL BE THE LLC.
BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT CONGLOMERATES COMING IN AND BUYING UP.
AND THAT'S NOT A SINGLE PERSON, THAT'S NOT INDIVIDUAL.
THAT'S, WE CAN LOOK THAT UP IF THEY PUT IT IN THE NAME.
WHAT? RIGHT, WHAT TOWNS ARE YOU I'M TALKING ABOUT NEWARK.
WELL, WE'LL FIND OUT WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE.
OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM IS, UH, THE FLIPPING OF THE PROPERTY TO THE NEW HOMEOWNER.
I MEAN, YOU CANNOT BELIEVE THAT, UM, AT THE HEARINGS, THE SAD STORIES WE HEARD FROM THE NEW BUYER WHO ACTUALLY GET STRAPPED WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS ON THE PROPERTY THAT THEY DIDN'T DO, WHICH THEY PURCHASED, WHICH THEY HAD AN ATTORNEY FOR, THEY HAD A REALTOR FOR, AND THEY REALLY, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE, UM, PERSON THAT WAS THE DEVELOPER PAYING THAT
SO I DON'T, THAT'S COMMISSIONERS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I COME BACK TO MR. MCINERNEY, BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE WE ROUND IT UP.
MR. MCINERNEY, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A POINT, IMPORTANT POINT ABOUT THE TAX RATES AND YOU TRIED TO HIT ON IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE, THAT YOU CAN'T LOOK AT JUST TAX RATES AND DETERMINE, UH, WHAT LEVEL OF TAXES.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE IN ONE TOWN AND YOUR A, A PROPERTY IS ASSESSED AT A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THE TAX RATE IS $2, YOU'RE GONNA PAY $2,000 IN REAL ESTATE TAXES.
YOU GO TO THE NEXT TOWN AND THAT PROPERTY IS ASSESSED AT DOUBLE THAT AT 200,000, BUT THE TAX RATE IS LESS ON THE DOLLAR.
YOU'RE STILL GONNA BE PAID 2000.
AND THAT'S WHY THE TAX RATE IN OF ITSELF WILL NOT BE AN INDICATION OF WHO'S PAYING MORE TAXES OR LESS.
YOU HAVE TO ASSOCIATE THAT RATE WITH THE ASSESSED VALUES IN TERMS OF THE COMPARISONS THAT YOU MADE.
BUT WE WILL DO A STUDY FOR YOU.
AND I THINK I EVEN HAVE ON MY DESK, THERE'S A SEMINAR I WENT TO ABOUT PILOTS, SO I WILL SEND IT TO ALL OF YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE, MS. TOKEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR WISDOM WITH US TODAY AND FOR THE QUESTIONS ASKED BY MY COLLEAGUES HERE.
UP NEXT WOULD BE THE SHERIFF, AND IF YOU FOLLOW IN THE BIG BOOK, THAT'S GONNA BE TAB NINE B.
[00:30:22]
GOOD EVENING, SHERIFF.LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO OUR 2024 HEARING.
WOULD, UH, IF YOU COULD TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE WHO YOU HAVE WITH YOU, UH, FOR THE RECORD, WE'D APPRECIATE IT.
WE HAVE, UH, OUR CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT, JAMES SPANEL.
WE HAVE OUR SENIOR UNDERSHERIFF MAYOR JONES.
WE HAVE, UH, UNDERSHERIFF FITZ, AND WE HAVE UNDERSHERIFF, UH, YOUNGEST OFFICE.
I SAY MORE ABOUT THEM AS WE GO ALONG A LITTLE BIT, ONLY IF IT'S POSITIVE, RIGHT? I THINK THEIR PRIDES A LITTLE BIT.
I CAN'T GIVE HIM A RAISE, SO I GIVE HIM A PAT ON THE BACK.
ALL RIGHT, SO THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
WELL, I, WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY BEFORE THIS, UH, BODY.
WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS LIKE TO POINT OUT THE REMIND, UH, ALL OF US THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITIZENS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND HOW WE, UH, WORK WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS.
EVERY MUNICIPALITY, NOT A WEEK GOES BY, THAT WE DON'T GET A CALL FROM ONE OF THE CHIEFS ASKING FOR SOME KIND OF AN ASSISTANCE.
AND WE ARE HAPPY TO COMPLY WITH THEIR REQUEST, UH, ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THERE'S, WE, LIKE THE, UH, COUNTY EXECUTIVE LIKES TO POINT OUT AND CORRECT ME.
SO ABOUT THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT WE DO, THAT ESUS COUNTY IS A DESTINATION.
AS ALL OF YOU KNOW, UH, OUR ZOO IS NUMBER ONE IN THE BRASS IN THE COUNTRY.
THE ATTENDANCE IS, GOES THROUGH THE ROOF ON A DAILY BASIS.
AND DURING THE SUMMER IN PARTICULAR, OUR PARKS, BEGINNING WITH NEWARK ALL THE WAY UP TO, UH, MILLBURN AND FROM
'CAUSE ALL OF US KNOW THAT WE'RE SAFETY.
THAT STUFF DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING.
IF PEOPLE CAN'T GO TO ENJOY WITHOUT LOOKING OVER THEIR SHOULDERS AND, UH, WORRYING ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN, WORRYING ABOUT THEIR CARS BEING THERE WHEN THEY RETURN TO 'EM, THEY'RE NOT GONNA GO THERE.
THERE WERE DAYS WHEN WE HAVE UP TO 15 OR 20,000 PEOPLE AT THE ZOO, AND I CAN TELL YOU ALL OF LAST YEAR AS THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, WHEN PEOPLE RETURN TO THEIR CARS, THE CARS ARE WHERE THEY LEFT THEM.
THE CARS ARE INTACT WITH WHAT THEY LEFT THEM IN.
NOT MANY THE FARMERS CAN SAY THAT, OKAY? BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE, IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE UP THERE, AND THEY WORK HARD AND AS CONVENIENT.
THEY TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
I APPLAUD ALL THE FOLKS IN OUR DEPARTMENT.
AND PEOPLE COME FROM EVERYWHERE AND THEY'RE SHOCKED.
OH MY, THIS IS ES COUNTY, THIS IS BIG AGAIN.
THEY'RE LOCATED WHERE THEY LEFT THEM INTACT.
THEY LEAVE AND WITHOUT INCIDENT, AND THEY COME BACK THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND TELL ALL THEIR NEIGHBORS WHAT A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE THIS IS.
ES COUNTY IS INDEED A DESTINATION.
I APPLAUD THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE ADMINISTRATION FOR DOING A GREAT JOB THAT THEY DO WITH THE SUPPORT OF THIS BOARD.
OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD ALL SHOULD BE PROUD.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK THAT SAFETY IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECTS ALONG WITH ALL THE PRISTINE AND ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE NEW FOLKS, UH, PROVIDE SOME AFTER THE PANDEMIC, UH, COMMITTED THE ASSIST, AS I SAID BEFORE, ALL OF US ABOUT INVESTA COUNTY ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS ALMOST DAILY.
WE GET CALLS TO THE ASSISTANCE IF FEW OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, OUR COURTS DIVISION, WHICH IS UNDER THE, UH, ABLE LEADERSHIP OF
WE SCREAM IN AND OUT OF THIS PLACE ON A DAILY BASIS.
AT THE END OF THE YEAR, OVER 2 MILLION VISITORS, IF YOU INCLUDE OUR EMPLOYEES WHO COME TO WORK EVERY DAY AT ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS, WE PROBABLY SCREEN CLOSE TO 3 MILLION FOLKS WITHOUT INCIDENT.
[00:35:01]
YES, WE DO.IF PEOPLE GET A LITTLE EXCITED ONCE IN A WHILE, OF COURSE THEY DO.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER, LAST YEAR, WE HAD ONE GUN, USUALLY WE AVERAGE AT LEAST ONE OR TWO A YEAR.
UNLESS YOU ONLY NOT ONCE, ALL THE WAY TO SEPTEMBER.
WE WANT A NINE MILLIMETER WITH A 10 GROUND CLIP, WHICH WAS SWIFTLY, YOU KNOW, NOTICED BY OUR, UH, ENTRY FOLKS, MAYBE REST, LOTS OF KNIVES.
PEOPLE LIKE TO COMFORT WITH THEIR KNIVES AND BASE AND WHATNOT.
SO WE CAN CONFISCATE THAT'S NOT ALLOWED TO COME INTO THE COURTROOM.
OUR COURT DIVISION ALSO NOW WE HAVE 63 JUDGES.
WE WE'RE ALL THE FULL COMPLIMENT.
I THINK IT'S FULL COMPLIMENT, FULL COMPLIMENT, 63 JUDGES, WHICH IS THE MOST THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE I BEEN, WHICH I'VE BEEN IN FOR THREE, FOUR YEARS.
SO, YOU KNOW, BUT NOW WE'RE, WE'RE FULL, FULL STRENGTH.
AND AGAIN, THEY'RE ALL BUSY, BUT WE MAINTAIN ORDER.
AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE TRIALS WHERE THERE ARE VERY DIFFICULT TRIALS.
AND, YOU KNOW, IN THIS MESSAGE, UH, WE HAVE MORE THAN OUR FAIR SHARE OF, UH, OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF NEW JERSEY.
PROBABLY WANT A THIRD FAIR OR NOT.
AND THE REST OF 20 COUNTY, UH, HANDLE THE OTHER TWO FAIR.
BUT SO WE, WE, WE KEEP BUSY, BUT WE, AGAIN, OUR OFFICERS DO A GREAT JOB.
EVERY JUDGE WILL CALL ME AND COMPLIMENT THIS.
AND, UH, ONCE IN A WHILE, WE GET A LITTLE BIT OF A COMPLAINT NOW AND THEN.
BUT, UH, VERY, VERY RARE INDEED.
AND JOHN SAL DOES A GREAT JOB ALONG WITH ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WORKING FOR ME.
VIRGINIA, OUR BUREAU OF NARCOTICS, WHICH, UH, ALL OF YOU KNOW IS THE OLDEST NARCOTICS IN THE SQUAD IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, OUTSIDE OF NEWARK.
NEWARK STARTED ONE BACK IN THE FIFTIES, AND THEN THE REST OF THE COUNTY STARTED ONE LATE IN THE FIFTIES.
AND IT'S BEEN THE BUREAU OF NARCOTICS EVER SINCE.
AND THEY DO A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL JOB ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UH, WE WORK WITH, WELL WITH OUR PROSECUTORS ON FEDERAL CONGRESS AND, UH, YOU KNOW, QUITE A BIT OF A, OF A, UH, DRUG SEIZED LAST YEAR, ALONG WITH, UH, ALMOST 20 YARDS FROM THE BBO PEOPLE THEMSELVES.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LOCATED IN THE, UH, PARK BUILDING ON THE CLIFTON, BUT NOW THAT'S UNDER THE RENOVATION.
SO WE'RE BACK UP IN WEST ORANGE NEXT TO OUR, UH, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE.
I BUREAU NARCOTICS, AS WELL AS OUR PATROL DIVISION IS UNDER THE ABLE LEADERSHIP OF UNDER THE SHERIFF JONES.
UNDER THE SHERIFF JONES, UH, HEADS THE MOST, UH, THE VISIBILITY WITH THE PEOPLE.
OUR, OUR, OUR PATROL DIVISION DOES AN OUTSTANDING JOB ON A REGULAR BASIS, UH, ALONG WITH OUR, UH, UH, AUGMENTED BY OUR DEPUTY SHERIFF DIVISION.
IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE DEPUTY SHERIFF DIVISIONS OF VOLUNTEER GROUP, UH, WE WERE THE ONLY ONES IN THE STATE THAT, THAT HAVE THAT FOR A WHILE.
I THINK, UH, ANOTHER COUNTY STARTED ALREADY LIVING TWO COUNTIES HAVE 'EM NOW, AND WE HAVE A TOTAL OF, WE TRY TO MAINTAIN IT AROUND 60 75.
THEY PAY THEIR OWN ACADEMY TRAINING ON THEIR OWN.
THEY BUY THEIR OWN UNIFORMS, AND THEN THEY COME TO WORK FOR FREE.
LAST YEAR, THEY PROVIDED 7,000 HOURS OF FREE PET PATROLLING.
NOT A WEEK GOES BY OR SOMETHING ON A DAILY BASIS, BUT EVERY CHIEF IN THE COUNTY CALLS FOR OUR DEPUTIES TO ASSIST SYSTEM OF TRAFFIC.
THEY CAN STAND BY, THEY CAN RESPOND TO CALLS WHEN THEY'RE, WHEN THEY HAVE EMERGENCIES IN THEIR TOWNS.
AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE WELL KNOWN, THEY'RE WELL RESPECTED, AND EVERY DEPARTMENT ASKS FOR THEIR SERVICES.
ON THE LEADERSHIP ON THE SHERIFF JONES.
IT'S A GREAT, GREAT RESOURCE FOR US TO, UH, TO AUGMENT OUR OWN FOLKS.
OUR FUGITIVE SQUAD LAST YEAR CLOSED OUT 1,973.
FUGITIVE WARRANTS WERE ISSUED.
THAT'S A REMARKABLE CLOSEOUT RATE OF 60%.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE GO AFTER THE BADS OF THE BAD AND BRING 'EM IN BECAUSE THEY USUALLY, WHEN THEY'RE OUT THERE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CHURCH AND DO A NICE THING.
MOST OF THE TIME, THEY, THEY'RE GOOD, THEY MISBEHAVE THEM.
SO WE LIKE TO GET OFF AS, AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
AND AGAIN, 1172 OUT OF 1973, THAT'S A VERY, VERY GOOD NUMBER.
WHEN I FIRST CAME UP HERE, WHEN I FIRST BECAME SHERIFF, WE HAD 39,000, ALMOST 4,000, 40,000 WARNERS OUTSTANDING IN THIS COUNTY.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE THEY IS LETTING US A LOT BETTER.
SO I, MY PREDECESSOR AND I WORKED ON, I CAME BACK FROM THE NEWARK.
I SAID, WE GOTTA WORK ON THIS.
WE WERE BACKING AWAY, BACKING AWAY, BACKING AWAY, AND NOW WE'RE DOWN TO 19, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN 2000.
SO I THINK IT'S A, IT, IT IS, IT IS A GOOD FEDERAL IN OUR CAPTAIN THAT OUR, OUR TIVE SQUADRON UNDER CHIEF CHIEF SPAN, AND THE STAFF, THEY DO A GREAT JOB OF DETECTIVE BUREAU IN THAT AREA.
[00:40:01]
WE APPLIED FOR, AND WE RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY $3.5 MILLION IN GRANT FUNDING, WHICH ASSISTED IN HIRING AND PROACTIVE.WE HAVE ONE FUND, ONE, UH, GRANT.
THE COPS GRANT, WHICH WE APPLIED.
WE WERE THE FIRST ONE TO APPLY FOR THAT, UH, UNDER OUR SENATOR, OUR TWO CENTERS AND OUR, IN OUR CONGRESSMAN HELP US OUT WHEN, THAT WAS EIGHT YEARS AGO, JUNE, I THINK 2016 WAS 2016 WAS THE FIRST YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE 15 OFFICERS AND PAY FOR THEM FOR, FOR THAT.
I THINK WE MISSED ONE YEAR LAST YEAR.
THEY, THEY STOPPED IT FOR SOME REASON, BUT THEN WE LOBBIED AND LOBBIED AND, UH, GOT OUR, OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO PUT 'EM BACK IN THE BUDGET.
SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AROUND FOR, FOR THINGS THAT, FOR THINGS THAT WE CAN UTILIZE.
UH, FOUR OH THOUSAND WAS AWARDED TO THE CHESTER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR ADDITIONAL BODY-WORN CAMERAS.
I KNOW YOU'VE ALL, SOME OF YOU HAVE EXPRESSED A CONCERN ABOUT THE, WHETHER WE HAVE ENOUGH BODY-WORN CAMERAS, AND WHETHER WE, UH, WE'RE GONNA, UH, USE 'EM ON A REGULAR BASIS.
I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT ESSEX COUNTY, OUR DEPARTMENT WAS THE FIRST DEPARTMENT IN ESSEX COUNTY, THE FIRST IN NEW JERSEY MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENTS TO HAVE BODY-WORN CAMERAS WERE THE FIRST, WE KICKED IT OFF.
SOME OF YOU, MAYBE PAT, I REMEMBER SHE WAS AROUND IN THOSE DAYS, BUT WE HAD THE, THE NEWS 12 AND, UH, AND THE NEW JERSEY NETWORK DID A BIG STORY ON IT.
WE'VE BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT OF THAT TECHNOLOGY FOR A LONG TIME.
AND AGAIN, WE USED TO PUT THE $400,000 FROM THE GUN GENERAL TO AUGMENT OR A CAMERA.
UH, WE HAVE A TACTICAL RESPONSE TEAM.
TACTICAL RESPONSE TEAM IS, UH, WELL TRAINED.
AND, UH, THEY'RE TO EXTRACT INDIVIDUALS WHO, WHO MAY BE INCLINED NOT TO, UH, TO, TO WANT TO COME OUT WHEN THEY HAVE.
AND WE GET CALLED, GO OUT WITH A PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AND GO OUT AND SERVE, UH, WARRANTS.
AND THE ARREST, THE BAD GUYS, THEY GO OUT.
WE HAVE NEGOTIATORS TRAINED WITH THE Q RT TEAM TO GO AND NEGOTIATE A COURSE AND USE LOTS OF, LET'S READ THE COURSE, IF WE SHOULD HAVE TO RESORT TO THAT.
YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR THEY WENT ALLOW 62 TIMES WITHOUT AN INCIDENT.
THEY GO IN AND PEOPLE LOOK AND NEGOTIATE, AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, EVERYBODY GO, I'M ALWAYS ON PINS AND NEEDLE WHEN I GO OUT.
YOU KNOW, I GET A CALL IN THE MORNING, FIVE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, AND I GET FACTS.
D 18 DEPLOYED PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE DOING A RESEARCH WITHOUT INCIDENT.
I GO, GOD, OFFER PRAYER, AND I MOVE ON.
BUT LAST YEAR, OUT OF THE 62 1, WE REFUSED TO COME OUT, LET GRANDFATHER OUT AND GRANT, UH, IT WAS A OTHER PERSON, A YOUNG WOMAN OUT, AND HE STAYED.
EVENTUALLY, WE HAD GO IN AND WE TRY TO ATTACK HIM, ONE OF OUR OFFICERS, AND FORCE HIM.
WE HAD TO, UH, USE, UH, FORCE ON HIM.
AND, UH, HE'S AT THE HOSPITAL.
WE SPEAK, I THINK NEXT WEEK, TOMORROW.
WE HAVE SURGERY A COUPLE DAYS.
SO, BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY INCIDENT WE HAD OUT OF 62.
BAT AVERAGE, I THINK FOR, FOR, FOR AN I THAT GOES ON.
AND THAT KIND OF ENDANGERMENT SUBMISSION ON A MENT MISSION ON A REGULATION.
AND THAT PRT TEAM WAS UNDER THE COMMAND OF, UH, UNDER SHERIFF JONES, UH, OUR OFFICER OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT UNDER THE ABLE LEADERSHIP, UNDERSHERIFF, FITZ
YOU WERE THERE, YOU VISITED ALL OF OUR SITES.
YOU KNOW, WHEN, UH, JOE WAS TOUGH TO MATCH, HE ALWAYS IS.
BUT, UH, YOU ARE VERY DEMANDING.
AND WE, WE, WE DID MORE THAN ANYBODY AT THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
WE WERE A ROLE MODEL FOR THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, THE FACT NATIONAL LEVEL.
AND IT ALL STARTED
THERE WERE THE FREEZERS IN THE BACK.
OUR PEOPLE WOULD START IN THE MORNING, YOU'D TELL US, UH, HOW MUCH YOU NEED IN WHAT ORANGE, HOW MUCH YOU NEED IN, IN LIVINGSTON, WHAT YOU NEED.
THEY WOULD DELIVER, RIGHT? EVERY DAY ON A REGULAR BASIS.
GET THERE AND WAIT UNTIL SET IT UP, HANDLE SECURITY.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF THERE WAS SOME LEFTOVER, RETURN IT BACK FOR FREEZER AS QUICKLY AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN.
WE WOULD START AT THREE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, FOLKS, YOU KNOW, AND WE DID THAT THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE PANDEMIC FOR A COUPLE YEARS THIS MONTH.
AS YOU KNOW, I'M VERY, VERY PROUD OF OUR, OF OUR EFFORT UNDER THE ABLE LEADERSHIP OF, UH, UNDERSHERIFF.
YOU KNOW, JOE AND I DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
WE CONDUCT MEETINGS, WE DO THIS, WE DO THAT.
BUT IT WAS JUST, IT WAS JUST AS SMOOTH AS CAN POSSIBLY BE.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH ALL OF OUR OTHER MUNICIPAL COORDINATORS THROUGHOUT THE, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND RESPONSE TO THEIR REQUESTS AND JUST TO, WE'VE BEEN PRETTY GOOD LUCKY SO FAR THIS YEAR WITH WEATHER, WEATHER WISE EVENTS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE, UH, FLOODING THAT WENT ON.
WHATEVER THEY NEEDED, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, EQUIPMENT THAT THEY NEED.
WE NEED BARRICADES, WE NEED, UH, LIGHT TOWERS,
[00:45:01]
WE NEED, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, SIGN BOARDS, WHATEVER IS NEEDED.AND WE SAY HOW HIGH WE RESPOND IMMEDIATELY WHENEVER THEY CALL TAKEN CARE OF ON A, ON A, ON AN AUTOMATIC PILOT BASIS.
WE WORK WITH THE STATE POLICE, OUR PARTNERS AND RELAY, UH, NEEDS TO THEM IF THEY, IF, IF WE HAVE TO GO TO THEM AND THEY RESPOND.
WE, AGAIN, OUR EMERGENCY MATTER OFFICE, COLONEL CALLAHAN FROM THE STATE POLICE, HE'S THE OM COORDINATOR FOR THE, UH, FOR THE STATE AS I AM FOR THE, FOR THE COUNTY HERE.
ALL OF HIS PEOPLE SING OUR PRAISES BECAUSE OUR IS THE SMOOTHEST OPERATION GOING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO, NO DRAMA HERE.
WE TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS PEOPLE ASK FOR WHAT WE DO.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE THERE TO DO.
SO I, I COMMEND, UH, UNDERSHERIFF FITZ AND THE REST OF THESE FOLKS FOR, FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT THEY DO.
I KNOW FRANK IS PROBABLY GONNA ASK ABOUT THAT.
SO, UH, LET ME DISCOVER A LITTLE BIT.
HE MIGHT, HE MIGHT ASK HIM ABOUT THAT.
HE PROBABLY, PROBABLY, I CAN ANTICIPATE THAT FROM FRANK.
THE REVENUE STREAM, UH, LAST YEAR WAS DOWN TO 3 MILLION FROM OUR, FROM OUR, UH, AGAIN, THE, THAT'S, UH, OUR FORECLOSURE, OUR BUSINESS OFFICE UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF, UH, JIM SPANGLED.
WE WENT DOWN, IT WAS DURING THE HEIGHT OF OUR, YOU KNOW, UH, THE FORECLOSURE SEASON.
WE USED TO BRING IN SIX, SEVEN, SOMETIMES $8 MILLION.
I'M NOT UNHAPPY ABOUT THE DROP IN THAT, BY THE WAY.
WHICH MEANS THAT WE NOT, WE'RE NOT, NOT MUCH FORECLOSURES GOING AROUND AS THERE WERE.
SO THAT IS THE WORST PART OF MY JOB, BY THE WAY.
THAT'S THE PART THAT I HATE THE MOST.
ANYTIME YOU HAVE TO GO TAKE SOMEBODY'S HOME AND THEN YOU GO BACK AND, YOU KNOW, AFTER IT'S SOLD AND YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND AVIC THEM AND SEND 'EM OUT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A STANDING ORDER FOR THE FOLKS WHEN WE GO THERE.
IF THEY DON'T WANT TO COME OUT, LEAVE, COME BACK, YOU KNOW, THEN THE BANK WILL CALL, WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE JUDGE ORDERED SUE, WE WILL SUE YOU.
BUT THEN YOU GO THROW 'EM OUT AND I'M NOT GONNA THROW IT OUT.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I'M NOT THAT UPSET ABOUT FRANK CALLING FROM 7 MILLION TO 3 MILLION.
I, HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET TO ZERO, YOU KNOW, SO WE CAN ELIMINATE THAT, THAT DIVISION, AND DO SOMETHING IMPORTANT.
BUT ANYWAY, SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE.
I THINK JUST ABOUT ANYTHING I CAN THAT I MISSED.
OH, CANINE BOMB CANINE ON BOMB UNIT, WHICH YOU ALL SEE AND YOU SEE 'EM AROUND.
UH, WE HAVE THE BUSIEST BOMB SQUAD AND CANINE UNIT ON THE EAST COAST NEXT TO NEW YORK CITY.
WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF OUR OWN FACILITIES, THE FEDERAL COURTS, THE AIRPORT, PENN STATION, BANKING CENTER FOR THE WORLD.
WHEN THERE'S A BOMB THREAT AND THERE'S SOMEBODY LEAVES SOMETHING BEHIND US, WHO DO THEY CALL? THEY CALL US.
AND WITH ABLE LEADERSHIP, UNDERSERVED, UH, FITS UP OM THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PLACE UP THERE, OUR CANINE UNIT.
AND THEY'RE ALWAYS ON THE GO, ON THE GO.
AND WHEN THEY'RE NOT ON THE GO, WHEN THEY'RE NOT RESPONDING TO THAT, THEY'RE ASSIST ASSISTING OUR PATROL DIVISION.
THEY'RE PATROLLING OUR PARKS, THEY'RE PATROLLING OUR RESERVATION, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, SO THEY WOULD SIT AROUND IN THE WAITING FOR, TO GET A CALL FOR, TO GO ON THE
AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK WE'RE JUST ABOUT GOVERNOR HALL.
THANK YOU SHERIFF FOR RECOGNIZING COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER HAS JOINED THE MEETINGS.
UM, I, I WAS GONNA BRING UP THE REVENUES, BUT SINCE YOU EXPLAINED IT, UM, THERE, THERE'S NO NEED TO GO FURTHER.
IT'S BASICALLY THE FORECLOSURES THAT ARE DOWN, THE VOLUME OF FORECLOSURES ARE DOWN, THE VOLUME OF YOUR RECEIPTS ARE DOWN.
UM, YOU, YEAH, JUST TO, TO GIVE YOU A BACKGROUND, RIGHT, UH, ABOUT 2,800 FORECLOSURES RECEIVED IN 2019.
20, 23, ABOUT 700 RECEIVED, RIGHT? AND ABOUT 300 SALES.
SO IT, IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE MATH.
ONE OF, ONE OF THE CONCERNS TYPICALLY WE GO THROUGH IS, IS ON THE SALARY SIDE, LOOKING AT WHAT WE DO BUDGET FOR OVERTIME.
AND, AND IN THIS YEAR'S, UH, WE, YOU BUDGETING $4.5 MILLION.
NOW IT'S FUNGIBLE THE SALARIES AND WAGES THAT YOU HAVE, IT'S ALL ONE NUMBER.
UM, AND IT'S FUNGIBLE BECAUSE IF YOU ARE OVER ON, UM, OVERTIME YOU ARE, YOU ARE HOPING YOU HAVE SOME ATTRITION WITHIN YOUR SALARIES AND WAGES THAT TO USUALLY COVER THAT.
BUT I MEAN, IT'S TYPICAL THAT YOU HAVE MORE THAN
[00:50:01]
FOUR AND A HALF MILLION.AND, AND LOOKING AT THE FIRST PAYROLL OF 2024 WAS AROUND $257,000, WHICH WOULD, WOULD REALLY ESTIMATED IF YOU CARRY THAT OUT, THE 26 PAY, BUT WHAT YOU HAD BUDGETED OR WHAT WAS CHARGED FOR, FOR LAST YEAR.
SO I'M STILL, I'M STILL WONDERING WHY WE NEVER BRING THAT NUMBER UP TO WHAT TYPICALLY HAPPENS EVERY YEAR.
IS THERE, IS THERE A REASON FOR THAT OR JUST IT, IT IS HARD TO PREDICT WHAT WE NEED IS GONNA BE ON THE OVERTIME BASIS.
UH, WE DEAL WITH EMERGENCIES ON REGULAR, WE DEAL WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, HUMAN NATION BEING OFFICERS SICK.
THEY USE SOME OF SICK TIME AND UH, BEFORE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO REPLACE THEM WITH, TO BRING THEM OVERTIME.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO, YOU KNOW, SAY ON THE NEXT YEAR, I'M GONNA NEED THIS NUMBER.
AND THE OTHER THING, BASED ON THE CONTRACT, YES.
WEEKENDS IS EITHER YOU HAVE TO DISCRETION THE SHERIFF, WE CAN PAY THEM TIME, WEEKEND DAYS, OR PAY THEM OVERTIME.
LAST YEAR WE HAD A PILOT PROGRAM AND WE STAYED WITHIN OUR TOTAL BUDGET, WHICH WAS MY CONCERN.
WE OFFERED TO PAY THEM THE OVERTIME INSTEAD OF GIVING THE WEEKEND TIME.
'CAUSE THAT WEEKEND TIME ACCRUES INTEREST, IF YOU WILL.
IT'S ALMOST AN UNFUNDED LIABILITY IF YOU HAVE ONE WEEKEND DAY OR EIGHT HOURS OF PAY IN YEAR ONE AND YOU CASH IT OUT IN YEAR 25, SURE IT'S GONNA COST US A LOT MORE MONEY.
SO IT'S MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE TO ATTACK IT THIS WAY, PROVIDED THAT WE CAN STAY UNDER THE BUDGET FOR LONG TERM.
THE SHORT TERM, IT MAY NOT BE, BUT LONG TERM, IF THAT LIABILITY DOESN'T GROW, WE CLEAR IT OFF OUR BOOKS IMMEDIATELY.
UH, THAT'S, AND THAT'S WELL, WELL UNDERSTOOD.
UH, IT'S PAY AS YOU GO AS AS OPPOSED TO HAVE THAT ACCRUE AND CORRECT.
AND, AND AS YOU SAID, IT, IT, IT'S REALLY ONE, ONE NUMBER THAT, THAT WE LOOK AT IN THE SIZE AND WAGES ABOUT OTHER EXPENSES.
UM, THERE'S JUST, UH, A COUPLE HERE.
ONE IS THE EQUIPMENT AND MAINTENANCE EXPENSE.
THAT WAS $1 MILLION LAST YEAR AND IT'S NOW ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR.
LAST YEAR WE WERE, LEMME JUST FOR THE RECORD, MR. SPANO SPEAKING AT THIS POINT.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK, I DIDN'T ASK THAT ON MY APOLOGIES.
UM, LAST YEAR WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO GET CAPITAL MONEY IN PURCHASING CARS, IN PURCHASING THE CARS.
BASICALLY IT'S ALMOST PRICE OF A CAR DOUBLES RIGHT.
THE PRICE TO WHEN YOU UPFIT IT.
SO IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF CARS WE GOT, PUT MORE NEW CARS IN THE FIELD, WE TOOK MONEY, WE USE OUR EQUIPMENT LINE TO PUT THINGS IN THE CARS THAT WERE NEEDED TO OUTFIT THEM TO MAKE THEM POLICE VEHICLE.
SO THAT WAS A SPIKE LAST YEAR? CORRECT.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS, FRANK, WE CAN GET A CAR FOR 35,000 IF WE'RE WE LUCKY, 35 FOOT AND THEN THE COMPUTER, THE LIGHTS, THE LIGHTS, EVERYTHING ELSE ACROSS TWICE MORE THAN THAT.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S USUALLY NOT BUDGETED FOR.
AND THERE'S A SETTLEMENT OF SUIT HERE.
TYPICALLY WE SEE SETTLEMENT OF SUITS IN A, A LINE ITEM IN THE COUNTY BUDGET, BUT WE, WE, WE HAVE ONE HERE SPECIFICALLY FOR, FOR YOU.
AND I HAVEN'T SEEN IT HANDLED THAT WAY IN THE PAST.
USUALLY SETTLEMENT OF SUITS, REGARDLESS OF THE DEPARTMENTS, UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICE, THOSE GO TO SETTLEMENT OF SUITS, UM, WHICH IS A SINGLE WINE ITEM IN ANOTHER AREA OF THE BUDGET.
SO WHAT IS, WHAT IS THIS FOR? I'M NOT ASKING THE PARTICULARS ABOUT THE CASE OR ANYTHING, BUT, UM, SO I CAN JUST STATE YOUR NAME WHEN YOU SPEAK
THANK YOU, MR. UH, SO WE INCLUDED
AND UM, AND WE JUST HAD THE LINE ITEM IN HERE.
WE DID NOT BUDGET ANYTHING THIS YEAR.
BUT IT'S, IT'S ONLY, IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN IT IN, IN THE SHERIFF'S BUDGET.
THAT'S, HAS IT BEEN THERE IN THE PAST? UH, PROBABLY ONE YEAR, LIKE LAST YEAR.
NOW IS THIS SETTLEMENT AS, IS THIS A SETTLEMENT THAT'S ALREADY BEEN IN PLACE, THAT'S TAKEN PLACE AND YOU EXPECT TO PAY THIS MONEY OUT? OR IS THIS AN ESTIMATE OF SETTLEMENTS THAT YOU PERCEIVE MIGHT TAKE PLACE DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR? THIS, THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL LIABILITY, UNKNOWN AMOUNT OR POTENTIAL LIABILITY.
WE DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH IS IT.
SO THERE'S SOMETHING, THERE'S A SPECIFIC CASE THAT YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PAYOUT ON AND THIS IS HOPEFULLY TO COVER THAT.
IS IT TO HOPEFULLY COVER THE WHOLE AMOUNT OF WHAT YOU PERCEIVE THE CASE WILL COST FOR AN INSTALLMENT? 'CAUSE I KNOW WE DO INSTALLMENTS WITHIN THE SETTLEMENT SUITS LINE ITEM OR IS THIS AN INSTALLMENT PIECE? UH, EVERY EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT AND SOME OF THEM WILL BE COVERED BY, UM, WE HAVE EXPOSURE AND OUR ACCESS LIABILITY INSURANCE WILL KICK IN AND YOU KNOW, EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT.
[00:55:01]
PAY ONE OF THEM, WE HAVE TO PAY ALLBUT I MEAN THIS ISN'T LIKE A SLIP OR SUCK SLIP AND SLIDE OR, OR, OR A FENDER BENDER.
IS IT, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS TAKING PLACE THAT THERE'S A SPECIFIC CASE? I BELIEVE SO, YES.
I DO NOT KNOW THE DETAILS ABOUT THAT.
BUT IT IS A SPECIFIC CASE THAT HAS EXPOSURE AND YOU'RE PUTTING AN AMOUNT IN HERE WHICH YOU BELIEVE MAY OR MAY NOT.
UM, AS FAR AS THE GRANTS, UM, I KNOW THERE WAS SOME OUTLINED HERE IN THE BUDGET.
I'M JUST TRYING TO DETERMINE, BUT YOU DO GET CHARGEBACKS AND REIMBURSEMENTS FROM, FROM UH, UH, WELFARE.
CORRECT? IS, IS THAT IN THE BUDGET? IS THAT ONE OF THOSE NUMBERS BACK THERE? IT IS.
IF YOU LOOK ON, EXCUSE ME, THE THIRD PAGE, RIGHT? IS THAT THE 2 25? YEAH.
YOU'LL SEE THE CHARGE BACK FROM VARIOUS AGENCIES, RIGHT? WE ALWAYS STARTED AT 2 25 IF YOU LOOKED LAST YEAR UP AT 3 99.
A LOT OF THAT IS BASED ON OVERTIME.
SO IT'S A VARIABLE THAT WE, WE CAN'T ACCOUNT.
SO TRY TO BE CONSERVATIVE WITH 2 25 IS THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.
AND THEN, UM, THE, THE FOLLOWING, WHICH, WHICH, UH, WHICH GRANT IS THAT? THE HIRING HONOR? THAT'S THE COPS HIRING GRANT.
AND WHAT, SO WHAT DOES THAT TYPICALLY PLAY THE FIRST YEAR OR THE SECOND YEAR? FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD YEAR.
PROCTOR IT'S A $1.85 MILLION GRANT.
SO WE AVERAGE IT AT 600,000 A YEAR.
BUT DID YOU KNOW EVENTUALLY THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY ON, BUT I GUESS YOU CAN BALANCE THAT OUT WITH PATRICIA, GOOGLE, PATRICIA, YOU UH, PART THE GRANT, UH, PAPERWORK DOCUMENTATION.
YOU HAVE TO RETAIN THE OFFICER AFTER THREE YEARS.
BUT YOU COULD TIME IT WHEN LIKE SOMEBODY ELSE LEAVES.
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO HIRE SOMEBODY.
YOU JUST CAN'T USE A DISCIPLINE.
YOUR CURRENT FORCE UNLESS YOU HAVE A HIGHER INCREASE, THEN, THEN, THEN YOU ARE ABLE TO OKAY.
AND THEY ACT AND THAT GETS AUDITED.
YOU JUST CLOSED A, A FIVE YEAR AUDIT THAT WHICH WERE SUCCESSFUL IN.
WHERE DO YOU STAND WITH THE, WE ALL UNDERSTAND WHERE THINGS ARE DESCENDING TRUTH WITH THE SHERIFF'S AT THE PBA.
CAN YOU JUST GIVE US AN OVERVIEW AGAIN? 'CAUSE YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE UNION.
YOU HAVE IBW WHERE, WHERE DO YOU STAND WITH ALL? I THINK THAT'S ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS SPEAK TO THAT.
WELL, I'M JUST SAYING WHICH ONES AREN'T, WHICH ONES ARE OUT OF ALL YOUR UNIONS.
WHICH ONES? THE PBA SUPERIORS AND THE PBA OFFICERS 180 3 A AND 180 3 RESPECT.
EVERY OTHER ONE HAS BEEN FOR 2024 IS NEGOTIATED.
YEAH, WE ONLY HAVE THE TWO, UH, P-B-A-P-B-A 180 3 A, WHICH HAVE IB IBEW AND I THINK WE HAVE A HANDFUL, MAYBE THREE.
SO IT'S ONLY PBA AND PB 180 3.
UM, SO THE PBA CONTRACTUAL INCREASE OF 1 MILLION 2 56.
THAT, THAT'S PART OF IT, RIGHT? THAT'S NOT ALL OF THE BODIES.
UM, THIS, THE BODY IS THAT THERE, UH, COUNTY, THIS IS PART OF THE, UM, THE INCREASE FOR 2024 ONLY.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS, UM, UH, THAT'S AN ESTIMATE FOR 2024 TO MAKE SURE IT'S PART OF THE BUDGET.
AND, AND THE REST IS WE HAVE AGREED YOU YES.
FOR THE, AND UM, THE ITEM UNCLASSIFIED CONTRACTUAL INCREASES.
WHAT IS THAT FOR? AND IFIED? THIS WOULD BE, UM, ANYBODY UNDER, NOT UNDER, UH, A UNION CONTRACT.
SO YOU WILL, YOU WILL GET SOMETHING, UH, YOU DO NOT GET INCREMENT.
IT ONLY, UH, CONTRACTUAL INCREASES ONCE IT DECIDED IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A GUARANTEE, BUT ONCE IT DECIDED WE WILL DO, GET SOMETHING.
IS IT MORE, IS IT MORE LIKE ON A MERIT BASIS OR? I BELIEVE SO.
AND UM, UM, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE POSITIONS I HAD, I HAD NOTICED THAT IN COUNTING 'EM UP, I ONLY HAD IN THE, THE FIRST PAY PERIOD UNLESS I'M MISSING SOMETHING 419.
THAT'S, THAT'S, I HAVEN'T BEEN, I DIDN'T BREAK IT DOWN BETWEEN SOS OR, OR CLERKS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT IT'S 419 THAT ACCOUNT OFF THE PAYROLL, WHICH IS A LOT LESS THAN, UM, IT'S LISTED IN THE, IN THE PROJECTIONS HERE.
THESE, THESE PROJECTIONS SEEMS TO BE ACCURATE.
WHAT'S THAT? THE, THE PROJECTIONS IN THE PERSONNEL SUMMARY ARE ACCURATE.
16? YEAH, ACTUALLY IT'S ACTUALLY THE, THE OFFICER VACANCIES ARE EIGHT NOW INSTEAD OF 11,
[01:00:01]
WHICH YOU SAY THERE'S FOUR UH, OFFICERS AND EIGHT, EXCUSE ME, UH, NINE INVESTIGATORS THAT ACTUALLY CAME DOWN.BUT FOUR 19 IS, THIS SHOULDN'T BE AN I CAN REMEMBER.
OH, WHAT, WAS THERE ANY POINT IN TIME OR WERE YOU WERE VERY LOW ON LIKE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR OR THE END OF LAST YEAR? WE WERE LOW ON OFFICERS.
WE, WE HIRED, UH, LATE I GUESS EARLY JULY, UH, OF ABOUT 23.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS THE LAST TIME THERE WAS THAT LEVEL OF HIRING.
SO I HAVE TO SEE WHERE WE'RE ON NORTH.
NO, WE HIRED, WE HIRED THREE OR FOUR MORE SINCE THEN.
IT, IT'S NOT THE DIFFERENCE THAT I'M COMING HERE.
THE HIRING IS, IS IT'S NOT, IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT.
'CAUSE BY THE TIME WE GET THE BUDGET, WE GET THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ADMINISTRATION THAT'S THAT SIGN OFF ON IT.
THEN WE HAVE THE POLICE ACADEMY AND NOW THERE'S A POLICE OFFICERS BEING LICENSED.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S BECOME A REAL CHALLENGE TO BE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE IN THE ACADEMY ON TIME WHEN RIGHT.
SO WE HAVE TO GET 'EM IN THERE AND THEN GET 'EM OUT AND BE READY.
IT TAKES SIX MONTHS FOR US TO GET A RECRUIT INVESTIGATORS BACKGROUND CHECK.
PSYCH AND PSYCHIATRIST AND BE IN A MODEL, ALL THAT OTHER STUFF.
IT'S AT LEAST A SIX MONTH PROCESS.
AND BY THE TIME YOU DO THE ACADEMY STARTED ALREADY, SO YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IT'S A REAL, REAL CHALLENGE FOR US TO MAINTAIN OUR, OUR OUR TO, YOU KNOW, UP, UP TO SNUFF WITH IT.
WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB WITH IT THIS YEAR.
'CAUSE SO FAR, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE ALMOST WHERE WE SHOULD BE.
SO YOU'RE ONLY ABOUT EIGHT POSITIONS SHORT ABOUT EIGHT.
AND THAT, THAT'S THROUGHOUT RIGHT? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVERYBODY, NOT JUST, THAT'S JUST ON, THAT'S JUST THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
WHAT KIND OF VACANCIES DO YOU HAVE ELSEWHERE? UH, WE HAVE ABOUT, I THINK FIVE SECURITY GUARD VACANCIES.
HOW MANY? FIVE SECURITY GUARD VACANCIES.
WHICH WERE IN THE PROCESS OF FILLING AND A HAND MAYBE ONE OR TWO CIVILIAN CARS.
I'M STILL WAY OFF, SO YEAH, IT IS AWFUL LOT.
UM, THAT'S IT FOR ME, MR. PRESIDENT.
COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER SEBEL.
UH, SHERIFF, WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE CARS AND THE CARS ARE DOING FINE IN ALL THE PARKS AND SO ON.
ONE THING YOU DIDN'T MENTION, WHICH YOU REALLY NEED TO BE PRAISED FOR THE PARKING GARAGE AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN RESERVATION.
I REMEMBER WHEN THE CARS WERE BEING STOLEN FROM THERE ON A REGULAR BASIS AND NOW, AND EVERYONE USED TO CALL ME, THEY WERE AFRAID TO PARK THERE AND GET THE BUS TO GO INTO THE NEW YORK CITY.
YOU HAVE A SHERIFF'S OFFICE THERE ALL THE TIME.
IT'S MIRACULOUS HOW IT HAS CHANGED, BUT, BUT I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT NOW WE HAVE THE, UH, THE FOBS FOR THE CAR BECAUSE EVEN BEFORE WE HAD THE STEALING OF THE CAR AND STOPPED AND YOU DIDN'T EVEN MENTION IT AND THAT, I MEAN, YOU REALLY DESERVE A LOT OF PRAISE FOR THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE PARK THERE TO GO INTO THE CITY AND PASS IT ALL THE TIME AND IT'S ALWAYS CROWDED.
IT IS NOT JUST THE, UH, ZOO, UH, PATRON PEOPLE WHO PARK THEIR CARS.
ALL THEIR GOING TO WORK AND THEY TAKE THE BUS FROM THERE AND MOVE ON.
SO IT'S THE SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND, UH, YEAH, IT WORKS OUT WELL.
AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, OUR FOLKS ARE, IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE UP THERE.
PEOPLE ARE ASSIGNED UP THERE, DAM AND ANOTHER FOLKS THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, UNDER THE SHERIFF JONES ON THE SHERIFF FITZ IS THERE, IS RIGHT THERE ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO WE JUST, YOU KNOW, OUR PEOPLE JUST, UH, THEY RESPOND, THEY'RE VISIBLE.
YOU SEE 'EM WHEN YOU GO VISIT, YOU ALWAYS SEE IT.
AND PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THERE TO OF THE CITY.
ALL, EVERYBODY WILL SEE THE SHERIFF RIDING AROUND ONCE IN A WHILE ON OUR, UH, OCCASIONALLY IF YOU, YOU KNOW, WELL, IT'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS JOE WALKING AROUND AND, UH, ME CHASING HIM.
OH, YOU KNOW, I CAN'T, I CAN'T KEEP UP WITH HIM ANYMORE.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
UM, SO FROM LISTENING TO YOUR PRESENTATION, ARE YOU PLANNING ON HIRING ANY NEW SHERIFF'S OFFICES THIS YEAR? DID I HEAR YOU CORRECTLY THAT THERE'S EIGHT, YOU'RE EIGHT SHORT RIGHT NOW? WE'RE ABOUT EIGHT SHORT, YES.
FROM OUR, FROM OUR, WE'RE ALLOWED.
SO ARE YOU PLANNING, UM, A CLASS TO ADDRESS THOSE EIGHT? YEAH, WE LIKE THE CIVIL AS SOON AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, BUT AGAIN, IT JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE, WE HAVE APPLICANTS, SO THEN WE HAVE THE CIVIL SERVICE.
WE HAVE HIRE FROM THE CIVIL SERVICE LIST.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE FIRST REQUIREMENT.
AND, UH, IF WE CAN'T FIND ONE DAY, THEN WE LIKE SQUEEZE IN AN INVESTIGATOR, YOU KNOW, BUT MOSTLY FROM CIVIL SERVICE.
SO BY THE TIME WE GET THE LIST FROM CIVIL SERVICE AND THEN BY THE TIME OUR PEOPLE START TO BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION, AND BY THE TIME THEY GET PSYCHED BY THE PSYCHIATRIST AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF, IT'S, IT'S AT LEAST A SIX AT BEST ON A GOOD DAY.
AND THAT'S BEFORE THEY START THE ACADEMY.
THEN THEY START THE ACADEMY FOR ANOTHER SIX MONTHS.
[01:05:01]
STARTED THAT PROCESS YET, OR NO? YEAH.UM, SO FOR, FOR EIGHT YOU SAID.
AND THEN, UM, WITH RESPECT TO CARDS, HOW MANY ARE YOU TARGETING TO PURCHASE NEW CARDS THIS YEAR? IN THIS BUDGET? NO, WE PURCHASED CARDS ALREADY.
WE, WE HAVE, WE JUST FINISHED UNDERSHERIFF.
UH, FITZ IS IN CHARGE OF OUR VEHICLE MAKERS THING.
HOW MANY HAVE WE GOT? HOW MANY CARS IN THE, UH, 39 39 CARS? WE JUST, WE JUST BROUGHT IN BRAND NEW 39 CARS.
WE'RE OKAY WITH CARS RIGHT NOW.
CARS ARE NOT A PROBLEM FOR US AT THIS PARTICULAR JUMP.
OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, CARS, MOST OF OUR PATROL CARS ARE PARTICULARLY GO 24 7, ONLY TWENTIES.
SO THEY, THEY TEND TO WEAR OFF A LITTLE BIT QUICKER THAN, THAN, THAN THE CAR PARKED IN YOUR GARAGE, YOU KNOW? FOR SURE.
BUT, UH, BUT AGAIN, SO FAR WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE IN TERMS OF CARS.
SO SHERIFF, WHEN YOU MAKE A COMMENT LIKE, CARDS ARE NOT A PROBLEM FOR US, IT MAKES ME THINK THAT SOMETHING ELSE IS, IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S NOT MENTIONED IN THIS BUDGET THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS? I THINK WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A AMPLE SUPPLY OF CARDS LAST YEAR, AND LUCKILY THEY'RE BEING PUT IN SERVICES HERE.
THAT WAS A LARGE PROCESS ALSO, BECAUSE SUPPLY CHAIN, WHICH EVERYONE KNOWS, TOOK A LONG TIME TO GET IT, EVERYTHING DONE, BUT THEY'RE FINALLY BEING ROLLED OUT.
ALMOST, ALMOST ALL OF 'EM ARE OUT NOW.
I, WE, WE WILL START PLANNING FOR FOLLOW FOR NEXT YEAR, RIGHT? KNOW WE, 'CAUSE THEN WE'LL HAVE TO REPLACE SOMEBODY'S CARD, I'M SURE BY, BY NEXT YEAR.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S FOR NEXT YEAR.
THE LICENSING IS AFFECTS OFFICERS MORE AFTER THEY START WORKING UP TO THE ACADEMY AND KEEPING THAT LICENSE ACTIVE.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD DEVELOPMENT.
I DON'T, I DON'T TAKE ISSUE WITH THAT.
I, I THINK THAT THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PROFESSION.
IT'S BEEN A PROFESSIONAL ALL ALONG AND I'VE ALWAYS BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR THAT.
I THINK THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE, THIS IS, YOU'RE GONNA BE LICENSED LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE'S, AND, AND YOU HAVE TO COMPLY WITH WHAT WHATEVER THE LICENSING IS REQUIRE YOU TO DO.
IF NOT, YOU COULD BE GONE, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT THE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY WHEN, WHEN THE OLD LADIES, YOU STILL MOUNT WITH CIVIL SERVICE AND PROCESS, AND WHEN THE POLICE OFFICERS HIRED FOR CIVIL SERVICE, HE GETS OUT OF HIS ACADEMY, PROBATIONARY PERIOD.
IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO, TO, TO GET RID OF THEM.
YOU KNOW, YOU BASICALLY HAVE TO HAVE TO BE A VERY SERIOUS, SERIOUS ISSUE.
AND USUALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, SHORT OF GOING TO JAIL, YOU CAN'T GET RID OF, YOU KNOW, IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT.
SO, AND WE DO RECRUIT FROM THE HUMAN RACES ON OCCASION, YOU GET THE ONE OR TWO THAT ARE NOT, UH, CAME TO DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, COMMISSIONER GRANT, UM, IS THERE AGE LIMIT FOR, TO BE A SHERIFF OFFICE? WAS THAT A, IS THERE A AGE LIMIT? IS IT CUT OFF? WELL, WAS IT A PENSION SYSTEM THAT, UH, YOU 35 35 TO GET TO A POLICE AND FIRE PENSION.
AFTER THAT, YOU WERE GOING INTO A SPECIAL SECTION OF CARS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UM, THE AGE LIMIT, THERE'S AN AGE LIMIT FOR, UH, HOW LONG YOU CAN STAY IF YOU'RE A PER EMPLOYEE, BUT THERE'S NO AGE LIMIT TO BE HIRED, LIKE IN MUNICIPAL POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SOMEBODY TOLD ME THEY WAS INTERESTED AND THEY, THEY'RE IN THEIR FIFTIES, AND I WAS LIKE, NO, IT'S GOTTA BE A, THEY STILL THINK THEY GET INTO THE PURSE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE WE CLOSE OUT? YEAH, I DO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, GO AHEAD.
UM, JUST WITH RESPECT TO TRAINING, UM, SHERIFF AND CHIEF, UM, DO WE HAVE TRAINING IN THIS BUDGET? UM, THE THINGS I'M THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS ABOUT WE DON'T DO TRAINING OR WE DON'T DO TRAINING ENOUGH.
DO WE HAVE INSERVICE TRAINING, ELECTRIC BUDGET TRAINING? IT WAS, I'M TRYING TO RECALL ABOUT YEAH, YEAH, YEAH.
YOU KNOW, THOSE, ALL THAT, WE WEREN'T DOING ANY TRAINING THERE.
THERE'S A TRAINING LINE THAT'S IN THE BUDGET.
IT MIGHT BE A, A SUBSECTION OF THIS, BUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S IN THE TRADING BUDGET, HISTORICALLY, THE SHARE EXCEEDS WHATEVER THE BUDGET IS.
HE WILL JUST TAKE FROM OTHER LINES TO FUND THE TRADE.
WE EVEN TAKE SOME OF THE, UH, I, I KNOW, TAKES SOME OF OUR CONFISCATED, UH, UH, JUST FUNDS AND USE IT FOR, WE CAN'T USE IT FOR SALARY.
WE, WE GOTTA DO THAT ON A REGULATIONS.
AND IF WE'RE SHORTING THAT LINE, I SAY, WE'LL TAKE SOME FROM THE, UH, YOU KNOW, FROM THE MONIES THAT WE SEIZED TO THE NARCOTICS, AND, UH, ALL, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH OUR FEDERAL, FEDERAL PARTNER, WE HAVE A, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF A CACHE IN THERE THAT WE CAN, UH, LEAN BACK ON AND USE IT FOR THE RIGHT THING.
THANK YOU, SHERIFF, UH, CHIEF, AND TO ALL THE UNDER SHERIFFS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
[01:10:01]
YOUR EXCELLENT PRESENTATION AND FOR FIELDING OUR QUESTIONS.WE WENT A LITTLE OVER, BUT I HAVE A FEELING THAT THE NEXT PERSON UP WILL SHAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME OFF, SO WE'LL BE BACK OUT ON QUEUE.
THANK MR. PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR GREAT SUPPORT.
LET'S, LET'S GO SEE YOU, SHERIFF COURT.
UP NEXT, FOR THE RECORD, WE HAVE THE COUNTY CLERK CLERK OF ELECTIONS.
THAT'S GONNA BE TAB SEVEN F ON THE BIG BOOK, AND WE HAVE OUR ESTEEMED CLERK, MR. CHRIS DURKIN, DO YOU HAVE A JOKE TO START TODAY OR ARE WE GOING, JOE, SIR, WE'RE ALL BUSINESS.
ALL BUSINESS TODAY SO THAT WE CAN GET BACK ON TRACK ON TIME, BECAUSE WE WENT A LITTLE OVER WITH THE SHERIFF.
PLEASE, UH, JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD.
CHRIS DURKIN, ESSEX COUNTY CLERK THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST OF ALL, COMMEND AND THANK THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE ESSEX COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE, UH, WHO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY, UH, EVERY DAY ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF ESSEX COUNTY, UM, BEYOND FORTUNATE, UH, TO KNOW IT'S SUCH DEDICATED PUBLIC SERVANTS, UH, IN SO MANY WAYS THE LAST FEW YEARS WERE REALLY CHALLENGING FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.
AND I WANNA THANK THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO THE PEOPLE OF ESSEX COUNTY.
I WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION COUNTY EXECUTIVE, JOE VINCENZO, OUR BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR, ROBERT JACKSON.
JAY COLT, CHIEF OF STAFF, PHIL, ELIJAH, FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS PROCESS.
OUR TREASURER, HUSAM MOHAMED, AND OUR BUDGET ANALYST AND ET DE BLASSIO FOR YOUR PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE AND DEDICATION.
OUR BUDGET IS STRAIGHTFORWARD.
UH, THERE'S NO CHANGE TO OUR STAFFING LEVEL.
UH, OUR SALARY AND WAGES HAVE MINIMALLY INCREASED, UH, 2.7%.
OUR ELECTION BUDGET IS TO REMAIN FLAT.
UH, WE, WE PAY FOR THE, UH, GENERAL ELECTION, UH, THE SCHOOL ELECTIONS IN APRIL, THE NONPARTISAN MAIL ELECTION, THE SPECIAL ELECTION.
THE PRIMARY ELECTION IS FUNDED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS OR THE MUNICIPALITIES, UH, THAT ARE HOSTING, UH, THE ELECTION.
UH, WE SEEK TO RETRIEVE, UH, REIMBURSEMENTS FOR ANY COST THE COUNTY, UH, HAS INCURRED FOR THOSE ELECTIONS.
UH, WE'RE A REVENUE GENERATING, UH, OFFICE THROUGH FEES GENERATED THROUGH PASSPORT APPLICATIONS, NOTARY SWEARING INS, COUNTY IDENTIFICATION CARDS, BUSINESS REGISTRATIONS.
UH, WE WERE PROJECTED TO GENERATE 200,000 IN 2023.
WE EXCEEDED THOSE EXPECTATIONS AND GENERATED 253,000, UH, IN REVENUE.
UH, 2023 WAS A, A GOOD REVENUE GENERATING YEAR, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LOOKING TO TRAVEL, UH, AFTER THE PANDEMIC PROVIDE OUTREACH SERVICES, UH, WHERE WE USE PASSPORTS AND SWEAR IN TO THE REPUBLICS.
MANY OF THE MUNICIPALITIES, UH, AT NIGHTS ON THE WEEKENDS.
UH, WE, IN EVERY MONTH, WE AT LEAST 10, UH, MUNICIPALITIES OF 22.
AND OBVIOUSLY HOME OFFICE, UH, IN NEWARK, UH, COVID CHANGED A LOT, YOU KNOW, AND ONE BEING THE LENGTH OF TIME FOR A PASSPORT.
UH, CURRENTLY WE ARE AT OUR BEST TURNAROUND TIME FOR PASSPORTS.
UH, THEY'RE COMING FASTER THAN THEY EVEN DID BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS CAUGHT UP, UH, WITH, UH, WITH STAYING ON TOP OF, UH, PROCESSING PASSPORTS.
WE TALKED FOR YEARS NOW, UH, REAL ID, AND YOU ARE GONNA NEED A REAL ID TO TRAVEL DOMESTICALLY, A REAL ID OR A PASSPORT, UH, IN ABOUT 16 MONTHS.
SO THAT'S THE FINAL DEADLINE UNTIL IT'S MAY 7TH, 2020 25.
UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU GONNA NEED TO UPDATE YOUR LICENSE AT THE DMV IF, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT YET.
UH, AS FAR AS NOTARY PUBLICS, THIS IS INTERESTING.
IN 2022 AND JULY OR 2022, THE, UH, STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED A LAW, UH, THAT ALL NEW NOTARY PUBLICS NEED TO TAKE A COURSE AND A TEST, UH, TO, UH, BE A NOTARY.
AND THE COURSE OF THE TEST ARE NOT THAT EASY, UH, PRETTY INVOLVED.
SO, UH, ATTORNEYS, PEOPLE WHO HAD ACTIVE NOTARIES ARE GRANDFATHERED IN, SO DON'T NEED TO, UH, TAKE THAT
[01:15:01]
COURSE OR TEST.UM, OUR ONLY UNFORESEEN, UH, COSTS, UH, THE ELECTION BUDGET WOULD BE, UM, ANY INCREASE IN POSTAGE, UH, AND ALSO AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF VOTE BY MAIL, UH, APPLICATIONS.
UH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE MIGHT PROJECT A LITTLE LOW, UH, AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF, AND IT'S PRESIDENTIAL YEAR, SO I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE QUITE AN INCREASE.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE, UH, FACTORED THAT IN, BUT MAYBE NOT ENOUGH.
UH, WE ARE EXCITED TO ROLL OUT A NEW, UH, ELECTION APP IN A COUPLE WEEKS, UH, WHICH WILL BE, UH, A ONE STOP, UH, ELECTION INFORMATION, UH, APP.
THE 2024 ELECTION CYCLE, UH, IS OUR BIGGEST WIN, UH, WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL, UH, ELECTION.
UH, WE HAVE NOT ONLY PRESIDENT, BUT DELEGATES ON THE BALLOT.
WE HAVE, UM, US SENATOR, UH, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE EIGHTH, 10TH, AND 11TH DISTRICTS.
WE HAVE THE OFFICE OF SHERIFF, THE OFFICE OFFICE OF REGISTERED DEEDS AND MORTGAGES, AND WE HAVE MANY MUNICIPAL OFFICES ON THIS BALLOT.
PRIMARY ELECTION IS JUNE 4TH, UH, VOTER, VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS 21 DAYS BEFORE ELECTION DAY, WHICH IS MAY 14TH.
UH, WHAT'S ALSO INTERESTING ABOUT, UH, FEDERAL LAW, AS FAR AS A BOOK BY MAIL BALLOTS, WE ARE MANDATED, UH, BY FEDERAL LAW TO MAIL OUT BALLOTS AND ESPECIALLY FEDERAL ELECTIONS, 45 DAYS BEFORE ELECTION DAY, WHICH IN THIS CASE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JUNE 4TH.
WE'RE MAILING OUT BALLOTS AT THE END OF APRIL, LAST WEEK IN APRIL.
AND PEOPLE ARE, ARE IN THE PROCESS OF VOTING IN MAY NONPARTISAN ELECTIONS, UH, PRETTY BIG SIZE MUNICIPALITIES, WHICH HAVE A MAY 10TH ELECTION.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, HAVING CLARITY ON, YOU KNOW, THEY ALREADY RECEIVED THE BALLOT, NOW HERE COMES ANOTHER BALLOT.
THEY'RE NOT READY YET FOR THE PRIMARY AND LOOK LIKE, PUT THAT BALLOT ASIDE OR NOT WANT TO VOTE YET, UH, IN THE PRIMARY, MAYBE NEEDING MORE INFORMATION.
YOU KNOW, WE GET MOST OF OUR VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS TWO WEEKS BEFORE ELECTION DAY, LEADING UP EVERY DAY, UH, BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST DON'T SEEM TO BE READY TO CAST THE THOSE VOTES.
AND THEN MAYBE THEY MISPLACE THEM, UH, AND THEN RUSHING TO GET SECOND BALLOTS, UH, OUT TO, UH, VOTERS.
UH, EARLY VOTING, UH, FOR A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, FIVE DAYS IN THE PRIMARY, USUALLY IT'S THREE DAYS, UH, BUT FOR A PRESIDENTIAL IT'S FIVE DAYS.
AND WE HAVE 10 EARLY VOTING CENTERS, UH, THROUGHOUT ESSEX COUNTY.
UH, THERE ARE 28, UH, SECURE BALLOT DROP BOXES.
EVERY, YOU KNOW, EVERY MUNICIPALITY HAS AT LEAST ONE, UH, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, THE INCREASING TECHNOLOGY FOR ELECTIONS.
I WANNA COMMEND THE BOARD, UH, FOR ALL PAPER.
WE ARE THE FIRST, UH, COUNTY TO GO ALL PAPER, UH, WITH ELECTIONS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, ALLOWS, UH, FOR US FOR MORE ACCURATE, UH, VOTER INTENT.
UH, WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE VOTER INTENDED WITH PAPER BALLOTS, BUT THERE'S AN INCREASE IN COST, UH, WITH, WITH PAPER AND WITH PROGRAMMING.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE BIGGEST INCREASE IN COST PROGRAMMING OF THE MACHINES.
UM, AND YOU CAN'T JUST MAKE A CHANGE, UH, A SIMPLE CHANGE, UH, TO, UH, THE BALLOT, UH, USED TO BE WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE, WE COULD MAKE A LAST MINUTE CHANGE, UH, TO A BALLOT.
WE COULD GO OUT, LET'S SAY A SMALL TOWN HAD A, UH, INCORRECT SPELLING OF A NAME OR A NAME LEFT OFF.
YOU COULD GO AND REPLACE THOSE BALLOTS ON THOSE MACHINES.
NOW YOU HAVE TO REPROGRAM THE WHOLE COUNTY.
UH, AND THAT'S FOR SECURITY PURPOSES.
THEY DON'T WANNA JUST, YOU, YOU MAKING SMALL CHANGES, UH, TO THE, YOU KNOW, TO THE ELECTION, UH, TECHNOLOGY, THE PROCESS.
UH, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, UH, WENT THROUGH AN ISSUE WHERE THEY MADE A SIMPLE CHANGE, BUT THEN REPROGRAMMED THE MACHINES AND THE, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE, THE MACHINES FOR THE BALLOTS TO BE ACCEPTED, THEY WEREN'T UPDATED WITH THE NEW CHANGE.
SO THEY WEREN'T ACCEPTING THE BALLOTS ON ELECTION DAY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS LAST YEAR, UH, AND IT WAS A BIG TO DO, BUT IT SHOWED THAT THE PRO THAT THE TECHNOLOGY WORKED, THAT THEY DIDN'T REPROGRAM THE WHOLE COUNTY.
SO, UH, THE MACHINES WERE NOT ACCEPTING THE BALLOTS.
THEY HAD TO BRING ALL THE BALLOTS BACK AND COUNT THEM IN-HOUSE.
IT JUST TOOK A WHILE TO GET THE ACCURATE COUNT.
UM, SO I THINK I'VE COVERED QUITE A BIT.
I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OF THE COMMISSIONERS YOU MAY HAVE.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
[01:20:01]
THANK YOU, MR. DURKIN.AND BEFORE WE TURN IT OVER FOR QUESTIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT, UH, I THINK THE GENERAL CONSENSUS WOULD BE THAT YOUR OFFICE HAS DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL JOB.
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES, CERTAINLY SINCE COVID.
AND, UH, YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO ADAPT QUICKLY AND YOUR OUTREACH HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONAL.
AND WE WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION IN THIS BOARD SO THAT WE CAN ASSIST GETTING THE WORLD OUT THERE.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR APP, AND AS SOMEONE WHO GOT THEIR, UH, PASSPORT LAST YEAR, I CAN TELL YOU IF IT'S EVEN BETTER NOW.
IT WAS GREAT LAST YEAR WHEN I GOT IT DONE FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY.
AND SO THEY'RE WATCHING AND YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT TRAVELING.
THIS IS AN EXCELLENT WAY, AND MR. KIN'S DEPARTMENT OFFERS AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE.
SO I COMMEND YOU ON THAT AND ALL THE SERVICES WE'VE DONE.
SO, UH, MR. KINNER, ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE A LOT.
SO YOUR, YOUR SALARY AND WAIVES LINE ITEM IS ONLY INCREASING BY CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, JUST A MERIT INCREASE, AND THEN WHATEVER, WHATEVER PERCENTAGE INCREASE THIS CONTRACTUAL.
AND THEN THE SAME 21 PEOPLE THIS YEAR AS LAST YEAR, OR THE SAME 20 POSITIONS ARE THE SAME, AND YOUR OTHER EXPENSES ARE EXACTLY THE SAME.
UM, THERE'S SOME SHIFTING AROUND WITHIN THE OTHER EXPENSES, BUT AGAIN, IT COMES DOWN TO 123,000.
UM, AND THE REVENUE SIDE, YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU, YOU WERE UP, UH, THIS YEAR, UM, MORE THAN WHAT WAS IN WHAT WAS ANTICIPATED.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, MR. PRESIDENT, I, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
THERE'S NOTHING ELSE RELATED QUESTION.
THAT MEANS, UH, MR. DREN IS OFF THE HOT SEAT FROM THE FINANCE GUY.
MR. POLLAK, YOU DO HAVE NO QUESTION.
COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER SE DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER SIEBEL, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
FIRST OF ALL, IS THERE ANY DECISION, HAS ANY DECISION BEEN MADE ABOUT THE, UH, REDUCTION IN AGE FOR, UH, STUDENTS TO VOTE ON SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS? BECAUSE YOU TOLD ME THAT WAS BEFORE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL? GREAT QUESTION.
UH, AND I'LL ADD THAT, UH, THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE, UH, LEGISLATURE PASSED, UH, A BILL AND GOVERNOR SIGNED IT, WHERE 17 YEAR OLDS CAN VOTE, UH, IN A PRIMARY ELECTION WHERE THEY WILL BE 18 BY THE GENERAL ELECTION.
UH, AND THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN 2016, BEGINNING IN 2016, NOW 2020 26, 20 26.
SO TWO YEARS FROM NOW, THAT'S BEING, THAT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED.
THE 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS, UH, VOTING, UH, WHERE THE NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL PASSED AN ORDINANCE, UM, WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN WORD FROM THE STATE.
SEE, THE, WE HAVE A STATEWIDE VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM.
UH, EVERY COUNTY UTILIZES THAT STATEWIDE VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM.
UH, AND WE CAN ONLY, EACH COUNTY CAN ONLY, UM, DO WHAT THE SOFTWARE OF THAT SYSTEM IS CAPABLE OF.
CURRENTLY, THE SOFTWARE IS NOT CAPABLE OF ACCEPTING A 16 OR 17-YEAR-OLD IN THE SYSTEM, ALLOWING THEM TO REGISTER.
UM, SO UNLESS THEY UPDATE THE TECHNOLOGY, THE SOFTWARE, UH, AT THIS POINT TODAY, I DON'T SEE IT AS POSSIBLE.
UM, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, LIKE I SAID, UPGRADE THE SYSTEM IN ORDER TO, UH, TO DO THAT.
I'M NOT SURE IF THAT WAS THE CASE FOR THE 17 YEAR OLDS PUSHING THAT OFF FOR TWO YEARS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CAPABLE OF DOING THAT.
SO EVEN THOUGH NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL HAS ALLOWING THE 16 YEAR OLDS TO VOTE, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO, UNLESS THE STATE ALLOWS IT.
WELL, THE STATE HAS TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE.
SO THE STATE HAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SYSTEM, THE STATEWIDE VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM, IS CAPABLE OF ACCEPTING 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS IN THE SYSTEM.
UH, ALSO, THE CURRENT VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS SAY YOU MUST BE 18 ON THE FORM.
AND THE STATE ISSUES, THE FORMS, THE STATE PROVIDES THE WORDING FOR THE FORMS. SO THE STATE WOULD THEN HAVE TO ISSUE OTHER VOTER REGISTRATION FORMS. AND WE CAN'T, I, I, I WOULD THINK THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO TREAT 16, 10, 17 YEAR OLDS DIFFERENTLY THAN WE TREAT 18 YEAR OLDS IN THIS PROCESS.
NOT, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO HAVE A DOUBLE STANDARD AS TO THIS IS GONNA BE ONE WAY FOR A 16-YEAR-OLD TO VOTE, TO REGISTER AND VOTE, AS OPPOSED TO AN 18 YEAR.
SO EVEN THOUGH YOU ASKED IT, IT, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN UNLESS, WELL, I'M NOT GONNA SAY IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
I JUST KNOW THAT THE STATE HAS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO IF OTHER TOWNS WANT DO IT, THEY HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE IF THE STATE WILL ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN.
[01:25:01]
STATE HAS TO BE, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO MAKE THE SYSTEM CAPABLE OF ACCEPTING 16, 17-YEAR-OLD REGISTERED VOTE.AND I HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION, WHICH DOESN'T MEAN VERY MUCH, BUT I'M AUTHORIZED TO BE IN ANOTHER REPUBLIC.
YOU, YOU CURRENTLY A, YOU A REPUBLIC? YES.
SO I DON'T HAVE TO TAKE YES, THANK YOU.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
DO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS, EVEN THOUGH THE NEWARK CITY COUNCIL PASSED, UH, GAVE THE RIGHT TO 16 TO 17 YEAR OLDS TO VOTE, IT'S PRETTY MUCH JUST A, A FEEL GOOD MOMENT.
YOU KNOW, I PERSONALLY THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A GOOD THING TO GET MORE, UH, GET THE STUDENTS INVOLVED, ESPECIALLY BEING THAT THEY ARE ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN SCHOOL RIGHT NOW, WHEN YOU'RE 18, YOU'RE TRANSITION TRANSITIONING TO, YOU KNOW, OTHER STAGES OF LIFE.
MAYBE YOU GONNA COLLEGE, MAYBE YOU WANNA WORK, UH, AND MAYBE YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA GET A 16 TO 17-YEAR-OLD IN THE HABIT OF VOTING, UH, AND ENGAGING THEM, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY.
BUT THERE'S, WE HAVE TO BE, IT HAS TO BE APPLICABLE TO THE SYSTEM AND HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY DO IT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER GIL? UM, FIRST OF ALL, UM, CHRIS, I MEAN, YOUR OFFICE DOES A GREAT JOB.
SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IN CONCUR WITH MR. PRESIDENT, EVERYBODY'S HERE, THE OUTREACH, EVERYTHING TOPNOTCH, SO COMPLIMENTS TO YOU AND, AND THE SERVICE THEY PROVIDE.
AND HOPEFULLY THE BUDGET, UM, AND THIS BUDGET REQUEST PROVIDES YOU WHAT YOU NEED, CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.
I I JUST WANTED TO ASK A FOLLOW UP QUESTION BECAUSE I JUST, I, I JUST WANNA BE SOMEWHAT CLEAR, AND I, AND I KNOW YOU'RE NOT THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY ON THIS, BUT, UM, THE, THE LEGAL AUTHORITY OF THE, OF THE LOCAL BOARD OF ED, THE, THE NORTH BOARD OF EDUCATION, UH, THROUGH MR. PRESIDENT, BELIEVE THAT THEY HAD THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO SET THE AGE, OR THE COUNCIL, EXCUSE ME, THROUGH AN ORDINANCE OF WHO IS, WHO COULD BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN BOARD OF, IN THEIR LOCAL BOARD OF EDUCATION RAISES THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION, RIGHT.
IS RELIED ON A STATE AGENCY, BUT THE, THE STATE AGENCY WILL BE CHARGED WITH FIGURING THIS OUT.
SO, MEANING THAT, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING IT RIGHT.
LIKE THE, THE, THE STATE AGENCY'S NOT SAYING STATE AGENT DOESN'T
IT'S JUST THAT THIS OPERATIONALLY IT CAN'T MOVE FORWARD UNTIL THEY FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE ACTUALLY GONNA IMPLEMENT THE ORDINANCE ITSELF.
UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, OR THAT, AND THAT'S, I'M, SO THAT'S A QUESTION, NOT A STATEMENT.
THAT'S A QUESTION I JUST WANT YEAH.
THE POWER TO DO THAT DOES LOCAL, I BELIEVE THE POWER DOES LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES TO SET THAT, THAT AGE.
I MEAN, THEY CAN, THEY CAN'T DO THAT.
THEY RECEIVED LEGAL COUNSEL TO SAY THAT IT IS, UM, LEGAL TO DO, RIGHT? THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS TO PAY FOR THIS, RIGHT? OBVIOUSLY IN ANY INCREASED COSTS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RESPONSE TO THESE, ANY INCREASED COSTS FOR, FOR THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, BUT AT THIS POINT, UH, AS YOU JUST SAID, IT'S A LEGAL ASPECT.
IT'S A MATTER OF, UH, IS IT APPLICABLE? UH, IT, ARE WE ABLE WITH THE CURRENT STATEWIDE VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM AND ITS SOFTWARE, IS IT CAPABLE OF DOING THIS, UH, ACCEPTING 16, 17 YEAR OLDS IN THIS SYSTEM AND, AND THEN MAKING THEM, UH, AND THEN MAKING, YOU KNOW, MAKING THEM INACTIVE FOR THE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE NEXT ELECTION, FOR THE PRIMARY 'CAUSE.
THAT'S WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO.
IF THEY'RE 16-YEAR-OLD, THEY'RE NOT ELIGIBLE TO VOTE THE PRIMARY.
YOU KNOW, ARE THEY CAPABLE OF MAKING THEM INACTIVE AND THEN MAKING THEM LIVE AGAIN, UH, FOR NEXT APRIL? AND THEN WHAT ABOUT A SCHOOL BOARD THAT HAS AN ELECTION IN THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION? ARE THERE SEPARATE BALLOTS? SO 16-YEAR-OLD IF A LIVING STUDENT WANTED TO PROVE THAT, RIGHT? AND A 16-YEAR-OLD COMES IN TO VOTE, THEY'RE ONLY ELIGIBLE TO VOTE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD BALLOT.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, TRAINING BOARD WORKERS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT BALLOT AND THE RIGHT, YOU KNOW, VOTING CORRECTLY, UH, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS THEIR ELIGIBILITY.
[01:30:01]
IT'S INVOLVED.THINGS ARE NEVER THAT EASY, ARE THEY, MR. DURER.
AND WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU HERE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, STEER THAT SHIP.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH WITH ALL THE QUESTIONS.
I THINK WE CAN LET MR. DRER OFF THE HOT SEAT AT THIS POINT, AND I THINK THE SURROGATE WILL BE NEXT.
ON THE BIG BOOK, THAT'S TAB SEVEN B.
JUST BEFORE, UH, BOARD OF LUCK, YOUR CALENDAR WAS BEAUTIFUL THIS YEAR.
HOW ARE YOU, SIR? GOOD EVENING.
AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AND FOR BEING ON TIME.
WE ARE FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
UH, SERVE AGAIN FOR THE COUNTY VESSELS FLOOR.
CAN WE HAVE, ADAM, CAN YOU ASSIST THE SERGEANT GETTING IN, PASSING THE INFORMATION HE HAS ALONG? NO, WE'RE IN SEVEN B.
SEVEN, SEVEN BI HAVE SEVEN MM-HMM,
I SERVE AS A SURROGATE FOR THE COUNTY VESTEX, UM, THE SURROGATE COURT, UH, HOUSE RESIDENTS TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS FOR FAMILIES AT EVERY STAGE OF THEIR LIFE, UH, FROM BIRTH TO DEATH, UH, THROUGH ADOPTION AND GUARDIANSHIPS.
UH, WE HELP RESIDENTS IN THIS COUNTY MAKE VALUABLE DECISIONS, UM, THAT IMPACT THE LIVES OF THIS YEAR AND OTHER COMING YEARS.
UH, WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS A, UM, A BREAKOUT FROM THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST, UH, YEAR, AS WELL AS JUST GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT OF THE SORT OF VALUE, UM, THAT WE OFFER TO THE COUNTY VESSELS.
UH, WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, ACTUALLY ON OUR WEBSITE, IS OUR IMPACT PAGE IN TERMS OF THE RESIDENCE THAT WE SERVED.
UM, SINCE I STARTED THIS, UH, OFFICE FROM 2018 UP UNTIL 2000 TO 2023, UH, FROM 2018, UH, WE SERVICED OVER 8,700 RESIDENTS.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAD TO NAVIGATE, UH, COVID AND SCALED UP TO ABOUT 10,000 RESIDENTS.
MOST OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS, UNFORTUNATELY PASSED AS A RESULT OF THE DEADLY VIRUS CALLED COVID.
UM, WE ALSO PROVIDED YOU A SNAPSHOT IN TERMS OF THE, THE NOW INFORMATION, UH, TO ENSURE RESIDENTS ARE RECEIVED, UH, REAL TIME INFORMATION ON WHAT WE DO, HOW WE IMPACT THE LIVES AS RESIDENTS, AND WHAT SORT OF VALUE THAT WE OFFER.
UH, ANY OF YOUR SNAP PACKAGE, YOU SHOULD HAVE OUR BUDGET.
UM, I SHOULD SAY OUR PROPOSED BUDGET, UH, AND OUR IMPACT NUMBER THROUGH 2023, I'M SORRY, 2023, WHICH IS OUR BUDGET WAS 1 MILLION, UH, 4,000 5 66.
UH, WE GENERATED ABOUT $806,000 IN REVENUE.
AND WE, UH, WERE, WE EXPERIENCED ALMOST 10,000 CASES.
UH, THE REASON WHY WE WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU SOME SORT OF METRICS IN TERMS OF PUBLIC RELATIONS, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTOOD THAT IN OUR COURT, MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO, HOW WE IMPACT THE LIVES OF RESIDENTS.
AND SO WE DECIDED TO, UH, AS YOU WANT FAMILIAR WITH, UH, THE FIRST YEAR, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE BUILT IN THE WORK OF THE PREVIOUS SURROGATE TED STEVENS AND, AND PROVIDE INFORMATION THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, THROUGHOUT THE, THE REGION.
AND SO WE REACHED OVER 20, ALMOST 22 MILLION RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THIS REGION.
UM, AND WE WANT MULTIPLE PLATFORMS, WHETHER IT WAS ONLINE, PRINTING TV, AND THOSE PLATFORMS SCALED UP TO BEING ON, UM, UH, SIX 11.
[01:35:01]
UM, WE WERE ON ROI, UH, WE WERE ALSO AJ.COM, UH, DOING OP-ED ARTICLES ABOUT WHY STATE PLANNING IS IMPORTANT.UH, WE ALSO, UH, DECIDE TO TRANSLATE SOME OF OUR LEGAL DOCUMENTS AND TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT OUR SPANISH SPEAKING AUDIENCE IS ABLE TO RECEIVE INFORMATION IN THE LANGUAGE WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH.
UH, WE ALSO CREATED WHAT THEY CALL SERVICE CORNER.
SO PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO RECEIVE INFORMATION DAY TO DAY ABOUT HOW TO NAVIGATE OUR COURT BASED ON THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS AS WELL AS WE PROVIDED, UH, VIDEOS ENSURE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO GET INFORMATION AS THEY NEED IT.
AND SO, IF INFORMATION IN OUR PACKAGE, HOPEFULLY I PROVIDE SOME SORT OF, UH, SNAPSHOT OF WHAT WE DO.
WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COMPARED OURSELVES TO THE OTHER COUNTIES, UM, LARGER COUNTIES THAT MIRROR US IN TERMS OF CAPACITY, BERGEN COUNTY AND PASSADE COUNTY, UH, HUDSON COUNTY IN TERMS OF THEIR REACH AND SEE IF WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
SO I THINK THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET OUR INFORMATION OUT, UH, GET INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC.
AND I THINK WE'VE DONE A SUCCESSFUL JOB WITH THE HELP OF THE COUNTY AS BEING A SUPPORT AGENT FOR THE THINGS THAT WE DO.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR COURT, UM, THAT ARE REPRESENTED IN TERMS OF PROJECTS.
UM, THROUGH, UH, IN 2022, WE ASKED THE COUNTY TO SUPPORT A PROJECT CALLED, UH, OUR DIGITIZATION PROJECT.
IT'S HARD TO SAY WITH CHRISTMAS.
SO
UH, WE ARE WORKING RIGHT NOW WITH THE COUNTY GOOD AND SOLUTION TO DIGITIZE OUR RECORDS FOR MY FISHING FOLKS DATED BACK TO THE 16 HUNDREDS.
THE OVERALL COST OF THIS PROJECT IS $1.3 MILLION OF THE 14 COUNTIES MUNICIPALITIES STATE AGENCY TO HAWAII, NEW JERSEY.
WE ARE THE ONLY OFFICE WHO APPLY AND QUALIFY FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNDER THE AMERICAN RECOVERY ACT FOR $1 MILLION.
AS OF TODAY, WE DISPERSED, UH, $500,000.
WE HAVE THE BALANCE OF ALMOST 500,000.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE FULLY, UH, INSURED THAT OVER 2 MILLION IMAGES AND 82,000 DOCUMENTS THAT COULD BE EXPOSED TO WHATEVER ELEMENTS ARE PROTECTED AND FOREVER WILL BE IN OUR DIGITAL SYSTEM.
UM, AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG MAJOR PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE FOR MORE RIGHT NOW.
UH, AS OF THIS MOMENT, WE HAVE ABOUT 54% COMPLETE.
WE HAVE ONE MORE YEAR TO GO, AND GOD WILLING WILL BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THIS PROJECT BY END OF THIS YEAR.
IF NOT, UH, WE'LL DEFINITELY BE BACK ASKING FOR MORE HELP AND MORE ASSISTANCE.
UM, LASTLY, WE ALSO TOOK ON A PROJECT FROM, UH, JUDGE NER AND A OC REGARDING, UM, OUR ADULT, UH, GUARDIAN AND MONITORING PROGRAM.
UH, WHICH IS AN UNDERFUNDED, IT'S AN UNFUNDED MANDATE, UH, BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE ABLE TO SHIFT OUR STAFF AND OUR TEAM TO ENSURE WE TAKE ON THOSE MAJOR PROJECTS.
UH, FINALLY, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO DO THIS DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE LOST, WE'RE LOSING, AND WE LOST 101 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN OUR COURT OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.
UH, WE EXPERIENCED, UM, TWO RETIREMENTS, OR ONE OF 25 YEARS IN 27 YEARS.
AND THIS YEAR WE LOSING OUR CHIEF PROBATE CLERK OF 42 YEARS.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT I, FOR ME TO SHARE THAT WE HAVE SOME TREMENDOUS STAFF THAT DECIDED TO PICK UP THE SLACK AS WELL AS WE WERE ABLE TO FIND SMART, UH, NIMBLE, UH, PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR CORE.
UH, ONE WAS A REFERRAL FROM THIS COMMISSIONER BODY.
UH, WE WANT TO BRING ON FULL TIME WHO STARTED WITH US AS AN INTERN, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOUNG PERSON IS ABLE TO, UH, TO HAVE SOME SORT OF CONTINUITY WITH OUR CORE AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR RESIDENTS.
AND SO, UH, THAT IN FRONT OF YOU IS OUR BUDGET.
I THINK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF YOU RIGHT NOW, AND I'M OPEN TO ANY QUESTIONS.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND CERTAINLY THE VISIBILITY HAS BEEN NOTICED.
I, I CERTAINLY HAVE NOTICED THAT.
AND IN PARTICULAR FOR MY HISTORIAN COLLEAGUES, THE DIGITIZATION, AND I DON'T HAVE BRACES, UM, OF THE RECORDS.
SO I THINK IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE COMPLETION.
I KNOW YOU AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT A NUMBER OF TIMES OVER, UH, OF THE LAST YEAR.
SO WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO MR. MCINERNEY FOR QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET SPECIFICALLY.
ALRIGHT, WELL, THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE COUNTY CLERK'S BUDGET.
UH, WE DON'T SEE AN INCREASE IN, UH, SALARIES AND WAGES OTHER THAN, UH, WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
[01:40:01]
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR.AND AS FAR AS OTHER EXPENSES, SO THERE'S A 1.3% INCREASE IN SALARIES AND WAGES IN 2024 FROM 2023.
UH, EXPENSES WERE, UH, BUDGETED LAST YEAR FOR, FOR 17,000, AND THEY'RE THE SAME FOR THIS YEAR.
SO THERE'S NOT, THERE'S NOT A LOT TO ADDRESS THERE.
THERE'S ONLY ONE QUESTION I REALLY HAVE IS THAT IN LOOKING AT THE PAYROLL REGISTER, UM, ALTHOUGH 15 IS BUDGETED HERE, I HAVE 16 EMPLOYEES ON THE PAYROLL REGISTER.
SO I DON'T KNOW, ARE THERE 16 PEOPLE IN YOUR OFFICE EMPLOYED RIGHT NOW? NO.
UH, WE HAVE, WE HAD A TERMINATION AT THE END OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR, AND WE ALSO HAVE A SEASONED EMPLOYEE AS WELL.
YEAH, NO, THERE, EVERY SALARY HERE FOR THE MOST PART IS, LOOKS LIKE A FULL-TIME.
BUT I'LL, I'LL SIT DOWN WITH, UH, HASSAM AFTER AND, UH, TRY, TRY TO RECONCILE THAT.
BUT, BUT RIGHT NOW THERE'S ONLY 15 EMPLOYEES.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, I WANNA COMPLIMENT YOU ON YOUR DIGITAL GRANT.
I'M NOT EVEN GONNA TALK TO SAY YOUR NAME,
CONGRATULATIONS FOR GETTING THAT.
AND I WANNA COMPLIMENT YOU AND I MEANT TO TELL CHRIS, THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR THE INTERNS THAT YOU GUYS HAD THIS PAST YEAR.
HEARD REALLY GOOD COMPLIMENTS FROM THE STUDENTS, WHAT THEY LEARNED ABOUT YOUR OFFICE THAT THEY NEVER WOULD'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO, WASN'T FOR YOUR INTERNSHIP, UM, IN YOUR OFFICE AND IN CHRIS'S OFFICE.
SO THANK YOU FOR, FOR HAVING THEM IN AND EDUCATING THEM ON, ON YOUR OFFICE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
COMMISSIONER GRANT, I HAVE A QUESTION, UM, ON THE SHEET.
SO CASES, WHAT ARE THE CASES? SO CASES COULD BE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
COULD BE, UH, PROBATING WILLS.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON ANYTHING THAT COMES IN REVENUE WISE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? NOT SO MUCH AS A QUESTION, BUT A COMMENT.
I SHOULD WANNA COMMEND YOU AND YOUR OFFICE ON THE YEOMAN WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING.
I'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT WHAT, UH, A SURROGATE OFFICE ACTUALLY DOES, UH, BASED ON SOME OF YOUR PRESENTATIONS AND BEING IN SOME OF THE PLACES WHERE YOU WERE DOING YOUR PRESENTATIONS AND THE WAY THAT YOU HIGHLIGHTED THE OFFICE AND WHAT A SURROGATE OFFICE DOES IS JUST INCREDIBLE THINGS THAT I I I'VE NEVER KNOWN.
AND YOU GUYS ARE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
YOU'RE MAKING WHAT YOU DO KNOWN AND MM-HMM,
UM, YOU REALLY HAVE TAKEN THAT OFFICE TO A, A HIGHER LEVEL AND I COMMEND YOU FOR THAT.
COMMISSIONER GRAHAM, ONE MORE QUESTION.
UM, IF WE WANTED YOU TO COME OUT AND DO A PRESENTATION, IF YOU LIKE THE SENIOR GROUP? YES.
WE, SO IT WAS IN POINT FOR US TO, TO HIRE, UM, IN THE BEGINNING A COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT IN THE BEGINNING.
AND, UM, THAT COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR GOING WHEREVER PEOPLE ARE TO PRESENT SENIOR GROUPS.
'CAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, DEATH DOESN'T HAVE AN AGE TO IT.
AND, UM, UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE GO THROUGH EXPERIENCES WHERE A GUARD NEEDS TO BE APPOINTED.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE GET OUT AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
WHEREVER PEOPLE ARE ONLY REQUIREMENT IS WE ACTUALLY JUST HAVE 10 MORE PEOPLE.
AND IT JUST, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE WANNA BRING AN ATTORNEY WITH US, UM, TO ANSWER LEGAL QUESTIONS WHERE WE CAN'T ANSWER CERTAIN QUESTIONS.
AND I, I HAVE A REQUEST AS WELL.
I DIDN'T PUT IT THIS IN OUR BUDGET BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING A CHIEF, A PROBATE CLERK, AND, UM, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA HIRE A PERSON AT THE SAME, UH, SALARY.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO INCREASE OUR INCREMENT.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE IT AT $7,500.
WE WANT TO INCREASE IT BY 20,000.
WE WANTED TO, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE PUT MORE OF THE MORE MONEY BACK INTO OUR SALARIES.
OUR EMPLOYEES, THEY EARNED IT.
THEY'RE DOING MORE RESPONSIBILITIES AND THEY DESERVE IT.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I, I ASK, I'M ASKING FOR THAT, MR. PRESIDENT.
I WANNA ASK FOR CLARITY FOR WHAT HE'S SAYING.
THE SOMEBODY'S LEAVING, RIGHT? WE HAVE A PERSON THAT'S LEAVING.
AND YOU'RE GONNA REDISTRIBUTE THAT WORK AMONG OTHER EMPLOYEES THAT WORK IS GONNA BE REDISTRIBUTED, BUT WE
WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS ALSO INCREASE.
WE ALSO WANT TO, UH, INCREASE OUR INCRE LEVEL SO WE CAN PUT SOME MONEY BACK INTO THE SALARIES OF OUR CURRENT STAFFERS AS WELL.
[01:45:01]
WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL MONEY, WE JUST WANT TO, WE DISTRIBUTE WHAT, WHAT'S ALREADY THERE.WE DISTRIBUTE WHAT'S ALREADY THERE.
SO, SO, SO IF I SUE YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, SO MR. MC OR MR. PAUL, UH, HELP ME WITH THIS, BASED ON WHAT, UM, THE SURROGATE JUST ASKED, WHAT DOES HE NEED TO DO? BECAUSE HE SAYS IT'S NOT IN THE BUDGET, IS IT? DOES HE NEED TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THAT OR, I'M NOT SURE IF THAT REALLY COMES, BUT WE DO HAVE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING CHIEF GIO.
YOU CANNOT INCREASE THE INCREMENTAL LEVEL THAT'S NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE UNION AND THEM, BUT YOU CAN CLEARLY GIVE THEM NEW TITLES OR GIVE THEM PROMOTIONAL EXISTING TITLES.
IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE LOSING $60,000 IN SALARY AND YOU WANNA PROMOTE PEOPLE TO NEW TITLES AND SPEND THAT $60,000 THAT WAY, THAT WOULD BE MORE THAN APPROPRIATE.
THANK, BUT YOU, BUT INCREMENTS ARE NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE UNION AND THE, UM, ADMINISTRATION.
SO I THINK THIS IS BETTER QUESTION SUITED FOR THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, WITH CHIEF OLOS, RECOMME ALLOWED CHIEF OF STAFF, AM I SUPPOSED TO SAY THAT? WE GOT YOU.
USUALLY I YELL AT ME WHEN I JUST ADD STUFF WITHOUT
SO YOU'LL RECOGNIZED, YOU RECOGNIZED COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON PRESIDENT.
SO, SO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WHAT I JUST HEARD, UH, CHIEF STAFF SAY.
SO THIS IS A PUBLIC SECTOR, RIGHT? I'M MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR UNIONS, RIGHT.
SO IF YOUR CONTRACT IS, LET'S SAY, UH, YOUR EMPLOYEES, UH, MAKE $10 AN HOUR FOR THE SAKE OF THIS CONVERSATION, YOU CAN'T PAY 'EM ANY LESS THAN THAT.
BUT NOTHING PROHIBITS YOU FROM PAYING THEM MORE THAN THAT.
IS THAT, IS THAT RIGHT? NO, NO, IT'S NOT ON.
I'M MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE PRIVATE, THE PRIVATE SECTOR.
SO MR. MCINERNEY, DID YOU WANT WEIGH? WELL, IF IT'S UNDER, IF THEY'RE UNDER A CONTRACT, NO, EVERYBODY HAS, THERE'S A LEVEL OF AUTHORITY FOR WHAT EVERYBODY'S PAID, EITHER IF IT'S UNDER A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT OR UNDER A SALARY ORDINANCE, YOU HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THAT.
NOW, IF A SALARY ORDINANCE IS PART OF THE EQUATION, IT USUALLY WILL HAVE A RANGE AND YOU CAN INCREASE THAT PERSON'S SALARY WITHIN THE RANGE OF THE SALARY ORDINANCE.
IF THEY'RE NOT ALREADY AT THE TOP.
GOT, BUT OTHER THAN THAT, YOU HAVE TO ABIDE.
BUT WHETHER, WHATEVER DOCUMENT AUTHORIZES THAT, IT IS A CIVIL SERVICE.
SO I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT THE BOARD IS HAPPY WITH THE DEPARTMENT'S OVERALL WORK, AND I THINK THEY'RE VERY PARTICULARS OF YOUR DEPARTMENT.
I THINK YOU SHOULD, UH, SEEK THE ADVISEMENT FROM CHIEF EIA TO WORK THOSE THINGS OUT.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S A QUESTION FOR US TO, TO ANSWER.
WE, I THINK THAT'S A BETTER SUIT FOR THE ADMINISTRATION.
THERE'S A WAY TO, THERE'S A WAY TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.
I'M ASSUMING EVERYONE IS AT THE TOP OF THEIR IN READY WHEN I SAID IF THEY'RE NOT IN THE RANGE, YOU CAN GIVE THEM A, YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, STEP, STEP THEM UP.
BUT I'M ASSUMING THAT THEY'RE THERE FOR WHILE ALREADY AT THE TOP OF THE RANGE.
BUT THERE'S WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH IT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE THAT IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHERE, YOU KNOW, IF A CLERK FOUR IS LEAVING, THEY MOVE THE CLERK THREE TO THE CLERK FOUR, CLERK TWO TO CLERK THREE, YOU KNOW, AND THEN THANK YOU.
BEFORE WE BREAK, LET ME JUST WAIT, WAIT.
YOU GOT MY HAND UP BEFORE? YOU GOTTA BE QUICKER.
UM, DO YOU HAVE A REQUEST FROM, FROM SENIOR RESIDENTS IF YOU GUYS HAVE MORE OF THOSE FOLLOW LIFE CARDS? WE DO.
CAN, UH, WE HAVE, WE HAVE FOLLOW LIFE CARDS.
WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT GIVEAWAYS.
WE'D LIKE TO GIVE, SO I'LL WORK WITH THE CLERK TO COME TO YOUR OFFICE.
I WAS REQUESTED TO BRING SOME TO A SENIOR BUILDING.
SO BEFORE YOU, MR. KEN, YOU'RE ARE DONE.
BUT BEFORE YOU GO AND WE CREATE A LITTLE COMMOTION HERE, WE ARE ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, WHICH IS GOOD.
REMEMBER, GOVERNMENT DOES WORK EFFICIENTLY AROUND HERE, AND THE TIME IS NOW 5 48.
WE WERE SCHEDULED TO TAKE A BREAK AT SIX TO SIX 30.
SO I'M GOING TO CALL FOR THAT.
WE TAKE OUR BREAK NOW AND COME BACK AT ABOUT SIX 15.
SO, MR. JACKSON, MR. JACKSON, CAN YOU ALERT THE REST OF WHO'S HERE? AND I'LL STATE THAT FOR THE RECORD THAT WE WERE RUNNING ABOUT 15 MINUTES EARLIER, IF THEY COULD ADJUST THEIR CALENDAR, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANYONE WOULD'VE A PROBLEM IN TRYING TO LEAVE A LITTLE EARLIER TONIGHT.
AND THAT IS FOR THE RECORD, THE BOARD OF THIS ORDER, BOARD OF ELECTIONS, COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION SLASH SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS, REGISTER OF DEED TO MORTGAGES, FOLLOWED BY SUPERINTENDENT SCHOOLS AND THEN CORRECTIONS.
SO IF YOU CAN, IF YOUR TEAM CAN ADJUST, UH, WE'D APPRECIATE THAT.
SO WE COULD ALL LEAVE A LITTLE EARLY AND STILL DO THE BUSINESS ON HAND.
YOU SHALL, WE'RE GONNA TAKE, UH, UH, AN ADJOURNMENT TILL SIX 15.
[01:50:01]
I PUT MY APRON ON.NO, I WAS, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW.
IT'S, I DON'T, I THINK THAT DECLINE.
WILL YOU PRESIDENT? HOW ARE YOU? YEAH, EXACTLY.
WHAT DON'T I DON'T SHUT, WE, I DON'T HAVE A SUPERVISOR.
HOW ARE YOU FEELING? IT WAS, IT WAS VERY GOOD.
HEY PHIL, HOW ARE YOU THE BEST UNDER, CAN I DO IT OR I CAN PRINT IT? YEAH.
WHAT HAPPENS IS WE HAVE WHO THAT, THAT EXACTLY.
HEY, UM, LION, HOW YOU DOING LION? HOW? HERE, I'M OKAY.
[01:55:04]
JUST ME? I THE WINDOWS WERE CRACK ALL.INTERRUPTING, BUT SHE HIT THE FLAG.
YEAH, I WAS TRYING GET LISTEN, THE DAY TODAY, I, THE FIRST THREE ARE GOOD.
I SPOKE TO THE ACCOUNT MANAGER.
I REACHED OUT TO THE ACCOUNT MANAGER AT, UM, TODAY SALAD.
NO, BECAUSE BEFORE COMING HERE I, HUH? I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON THIS YEAR, BUT I'VE SOMETHING.
HEY, KAREN SAID THE SAME THING.
I GOT AN BUT YOU SOMEBODY GO THROUGH THE BUSINESS DISTRICT I THAT SUNDAY MORNING.
ARE WE UP? SHUT DOWN THE, UH, TECHNOLOGY.
IS THIS RECORDING ALL? IT'S IT'S TURN, TURN, TURN OFF.
JUST ON DOUBLE CHECK THAT WATCHING.
THERE'S ONLY FIVE PEOPLE WATCHING, RIGHT.
COME UP WITH ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR, OKAY.
THE OPTIONS ARE MICHAEL, WHAT DID THEY, FEBRUARY OR MARCH? END OF FEBRUARY.
HE WAS TOLD THAT MARCH, THE END OF MARCH DOESN'T, YOU STOPPED PAYING THE END OF FEBRUARY, BUT IT CARRIES OVER THE EXTRA.
[02:17:09]
THAT'S[02:17:09]
HOW[02:17:10]
THE[02:17:10]
CURVE CARS ORIENTED.DON'T FORGET TONIGHT'S GARBAGE.
DON'T FORGET, HE STILL GOT SOME RESPONSIBILITIES AT HOME.
DON'T THINK ABOUT THAT, RIGHT? TALKING ABOUT THAT, THAT SPECIAL ON THE QUARTERBACK.
KYLE, ARE WE, UH, READY TO GO? READY? DO IT AGAIN.
WE ARE, UH, HERE, WE ARE HERE TO REV, UH, TO REVIEW THE 2024 BUDGET AND, AND THE REST OF THE SCHEDULE.
FOR THIS EVENING, WE'LL HAVE THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, THE COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION SLASH SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS, THE REGISTER OF DEEDS AND MORTGAGES, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS AND CORRECTIONS AS WE GET STARTED.
MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
UH, COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT OMA HERE.
MR. JACKSON, CAN YOU INTRODUCE WHO WILL BE PRESENTING, UH, TODAY FOR COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION? I'M SORRY, BOARD OF ELECTIONS? OKAY.
UH, BOARD OF ELECTIONS, UH, MS. AMS IS GOING TO PRESENT FOR THE, AND, UM, I'LL ALLOW HER TO INTRODUCE WHATEVER.
MS. AMS, BEFORE YOU GET STARTED, LEMME JUST MAKE EVERYONE AWARE THAT WE ARE IN THE BIG BOOK ON SEVEN D AS IN DAVID, SEVEN D SO THAT WE CAN ALL TURN TO THAT AND, UH, HAVE YOUR BUDGET INFORMATION.
AND PLEASE FOR THE RECORD, STATE YOUR NAME AND START YOUR PRESENTATION.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
I AM THE CLERK OF THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
WITH ME THIS EVENING, I HAVE MR. PETER FRANZI, WHO IS OUR DEPUTY CLERK, ALONG WITH MS. UH, ETT COTTON, WHO WAS ONE OF THE, UH, THE ELECTION STAFFERS IN MY OFFICE.
I'D LIKE TO USE MY TIME BRIEFLY TO PROVIDE TO ALL OF YOU, UH, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2023 AND OUR PLANS FOR 2024.
WITH REGARDS TO OUR BALLOT PROCESSING.
OUR OFFICE, UH, PROCESSED OVER 49, CLOSE TO 50,000 MAIL-IN BALLOTS LAST YEAR.
THAT WAS COVERING ALL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS MUNICIPAL SPECIAL GENERAL, AND THE NOVEMBER, UM, PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS.
UM, WE SCHEDULED 160 POLL WORKER TRAINING CLASSES.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CLOSE TO 3000 POLL WORKERS THAT WE TRAIN TO
[02:20:01]
COVER ALL OF THE 256 POLLING LOCATIONS ACROSS ESSEX COUNTY.OUR 2024 PLANS FOR ELECTIONS, THE 2024 ELECTION CALLS FOR 10 ELECTIONS THIS YEAR.
WE WILL BE RUNNING FROM FEBRUARY THROUGH JUNE AND SEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER.
WE HAVE A SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION IN ROSELAND, OUR NEWARK AND IRVINGTON SCHOOL BOARDS, FIVE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, AS WELL AS OUR JUNE PRIMARY AND OUR NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTIONS.
OUR STAFFING, WE HAD ONE OPEN POSITION, WHICH WAS FILLED WITH A NEW HIRE.
PRESENTLY, ALL OF OUR POSITIONS ARE FILLED.
OUR 2024 SALARY BUDGET KEEPS OUR CURRENT STAFF AND INCLUDES THE 3% CONTRACTUAL INCREASE PER STAFFERS THAT ARE ENTITLED.
WE'VE ALSO BUDGETED A 2% CONTRACT IN RESERVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR ELECTIONS.
THE BOE HAS BEEN, BEEN REIMBURSED FROM LOCAL AND SCHOOL BOARD AS WELL AS SPECIAL ELECT ELECTIONS, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF 353,000.
IN 2023, OUR 2023 GRANTS, WE RECEIVED 1,000,183, UM, $1,183,000.
UM, JUST THIS YEAR ALONE COVERING OUR GENERAL ELECTION AND OUR PRIMARY ELECTION.
AND WE ARE EXPECTING ANOTHER 535,000 IN 2024.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO APPLY FOR THESE GRANTS AS THESE HELP OFFSET THE COST OF THE, FOR THE ELECTIONS.
WITH REGARD TO OUR 2024 BUDGETED ITEMS, THE BOE HAS SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN OUR SUPPLY COSTS AND IN OUR VENDOR FEES.
IT'S REFLECTED IN THE 2024 BUDGET.
THERE'S AN INCREASE FROM 2023 TO 2024 IN OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT OF CLOSE TO $678,000.
AND JUST TO UNBUNDLE THAT NUMBER, I'LL GO THROUGH THE ACCOUNTS WITH INCREASED CHANGE YEAR OVER YEAR.
OUR LARGEST EXPENSE FALL WITHIN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES, PRINTING AND BINDING RELIANCE GRAPHICS.
LAST, LAST YEAR, WE BUDGETED $18,000.
THIS YEAR WE HAVE IT AT $120,000.
THAT COVERS ALL OF THE ELECTION PRINTING, UM, AND MATERIALS THAT ARE NEEDED TO RUN THE 10 ELECTIONS THAT WE HAVE THIS YEAR.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, DOMINION, VOTING MACHINES.
WE NOW HAVE A CONTRACT, WHICH WE DID NOT BEFORE.
THAT COVERS THE ELECTIONS FROM 2023 AND ALL OF 2024.
WE BUDGETED THAT THIS YEAR AT $212,000.
THOSE ARE THE POLL PENS THAT CHECK IN OUR VOTERS, THAT THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR, UH, POLLING LOCATIONS THAT IS BUDGETED AT $741,000.
LAST YEAR IT WAS BUDGETED AT 82.
AND WITH REGARDS TO RENT AND TAXES, WE HAVE 127 LEASES.
SO WE DO PAY RENT AT SOME OF OUR HOLDING LOCATIONS.
THOSE, THOSE COSTS HAVE ALSO GONE UP.
AND WITH OUR ELECTION BOARD WORKERS THIS YEAR, WE KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE LONGER, UH, EARLY VOTING DAYS AS WELL AS WE WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL BOARD WORKERS.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE ALSO INCREASED THAT NUMBER THERE AS WELL.
YOU SHOULD KEEP IN MIND, COMMISSIONERS THAT YEAR OVER YEAR, THE BOARD OF ELECTION WOULD ALWAYS HAVE TO TURN TO FINANCE AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO COVER WHERE WE FELT SHORT.
AND WHAT WE DID THIS YEAR IS WE THOUGHT THAT WE CAPTURED THE ACTUAL COSTS FROM 2023.
WE'VE PUT CONTRACTS IN PLACE FOR 2024 AND WE BUDGETED ACCORDING TO THE NEED.
SO YOU SEE THAT 3 MILLION THERE, THAT'S A REAL COST.
THAT'S WHAT IT COSTS TO RUN THESE ELECTIONS IN ESSEX COUNTY.
LAST YEAR, I THINK I REMEMBER ALL OF YOU ABOUT A POLL WORKER INITIATIVE BECAUSE WE WERE STRUGGLING TO GET POLL WORKERS TO SERVE IT AS POLL POLL WORKERS FOR OUR ELECTIONS.
WELL, WE WERE, WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO REACH OUT TO, UH, SEVERAL HIGH SCHOOLS, CORONA, NUTLEY, EAST ORANGE, HIGH NEW TECH, DONALD PAYTECH, WEST CALDWELL TECH.
WE GOT 150 STUDENTS TO SERVE AS POLL WORKERS.
WE PARTNERED WITH THE SCHOOLS AND WE MADE IT PART OF THEIR HISTORY CLASSES.
THEY RECEIVED LESSONS IN HISTORY, CERTIFICATES, COMMUNITY HOURS, AND THEY ALSO GOT PAID.
THIS IS A PROGRAM WE PLAN ON EXTENDING THROUGHOUT ESSEX COUNTY.
WE'RE EXCITED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE BALLOT PROCESSING CENTER HAS BEEN OPEN BALLOT PROCESSING CENTER, YOU SAY? YES, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR SPACE FOR QUITE A WHILE.
WE WERE EITHER OPERATING ELECTIONS IN, IN CONFERENCES ROOMS, OR IN OTHER, UH, DEPARTMENT'S OFFICES.
UM, I WENT TO, UH, UH, MR. JACKSON AND
[02:25:01]
EXPRESSED MY, UH, MY NEED.AND THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND SPACE IN THE WHOLE RECORDS.
ESSEX COUNTY NOW HAS THEIR FIRST ELECTION BALLOT PROCESSING CENTER.
WE HAD OUR FIRST ELECTION THERE, UH, IN NOVEMBER OF 2023.
IT'S STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT I THANK YOU ALL FOR SEEING THE NEED AND PROVIDING US WITH THE SPACE.
IN CLOSING, THE BOE IS LOOKING FORWARD TO A VERY BUSY YEAR, 10 ELECTIONS SINCE PRESIDENTIAL POST.
OUR PLAN IS TO STAY WITHIN OUR 2024 APPROVED BUDGET AND CONTINUE WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR FINANCE TEAM.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO APPLY FOR OUR GRANTS.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US THIS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
BEFORE WE GO FURTHER, LEMME RECOGNIZE THAT COMMISSIONER SEABOLD AND GRAHAM HAVE JOINED US AS WE DID THE ROLL CALL.
AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MR. MC IN A MOMENT.
BUT CERTAINLY, UH, THERE THE ROLE THAT YOU AND THE DEPARTMENT STARTED AS CRITICAL, AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGE RIGHT THERE.
YOU KNOW, THE PANDEMIC HAS CHANGED THE NATURE OF THE ELECTIONS AND THE EARLY VOTING, AND WE CHANGED MACHINES, AND SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT THROWN YOUR WAY.
SO YOU'VE RESPONDED WELL, AND IT'S, UH, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, ON A HIGH LEVEL, CERTAINLY I THINK APPROPRIATE TO COMMEND YOU FOR BEING PROACTIVE AND TO REALIZE, YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF GOING TO FINANCE AND TRY TO ANTICIPATE SOME OF THESE THINGS BECAUSE, UH, WE YOU'VE HAD A LEARNING CURVE BECAUSE OF THE CHANGES, RIGHT? I MEAN, THAT WAS YES.
I DON'T THINK WE COULD HAVE SEEN THAT 10 YEARS AGO.
AND, UH, CERTAINLY THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
SO WE COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK, MR. MCKEN.
SO, UM, THERE'S NOT MUCH, UH, REALLY CHANGED TO THE SALARIES AND WAGE LINE ITEM.
AS I SAID, IT'S JUST UP BY THE CONTRACTUAL AMOUNT.
BUT I WILL, UM, I DO HAVE 14 EMPLOYEES ON THE PAYROLL REGISTER.
I'LL, I'LL GIVE THAT TO MR. HAM AND YOU CAN REVIEW THAT.
WE, WE JUST FOUND DOWN THE LAST PAYROLL THAT THERE WAS SOMEBODY LEFT OVER FROM THE PRIOR YEAR THAT GOT A FINAL PAY IN 2024 THAT MADE IT LOOK LIKE THERE WERE MORE THAN THE BUDGETED AMOUNTS.
UM, SO OUTSIDE OF SALARIES AND WAGES, YOU DID GIVE US A NICE ANALYSIS OF THE RATIONALE ON YOUR INCREASES IN EXPENSES.
AND BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT YOUR BUDGET IS MORE IN LINE WITH THE ACTUAL YES.
WELL, PRIOR TO THAT, YOU, YOU WOULD HAVE TO GET TRANSFERS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE TO DO THAT.
UM, THERE WAS A NUMBER YOU THREW OUT 212,000, WHICH FOR A, FOR AN ITEM AND
AND WHICH LINE ITEM IS THAT IN? THAT WOULD FALL UNDER, UH, NON-PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
OKAY, SO THAT'S, SO IT'S BUNDLED IN THERE.
WHAT ELSE IS IN THAT? UH, NO INK.
WHAT IS THAT? WHAT IS NO INK? SO THOSE ARE THE, UM, IF YOU, WHEN YOU GO TO VOTE A GREEN MODULE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE USED TO CHECK IN OUR VOTERS.
AND SO THAT IS 741000.6 THAT'S IN THERE.
AND THE ELECTION FOR THE BOARD WORKERS THAT NUMBER.
THERE IS JUST A FUNCTION OF A SET AMOUNT PAID TO ELECTION BOARD WORKERS TIMES THE, THE AMOUNT OF BOARD WORKERS YOU BELIEVE YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO, THAT, THAT IS ACCURATE.
AND SO THIS YEAR THERE'S 10 ELECTIONS.
YOU SAID YOU PARTICIPATED, I'M UNAWARE.
SO HOW, HOW DOES THAT DIFFER FROM, FROM OTHER HERE? SO WITH MUNICIPAL, WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS AND THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.
WHAT'S REALLY IDEAL ABOUT THAT IS THAT THOSE MUNICIPALITIES HAVE TO RETURN OR REIMBURSE US FOR ANY EXPENSES THAT WE PUT OUT.
SCHOOL BOARDS, SCHOOL BOARD, YES.
SO WHAT, WHAT THE, UH, WHAT THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, THE COSTS THAT WE WILL BE PICKING UP IS FOR THE PRIMARY ELECTION AND THE GENERAL ELECTION.
UM, WHAT YOU SHOULD ALSO KNOW IS THIS YEAR OUR EARLY VOTING IS EXTENDED, WHICH, WHICH IT USED TO BE SIX DAYS, BUT BECAUSE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL YEAR, IT'S NOW NINE DAYS OF EARLY VOTING.
SO WE ANTICIPATE LONGER DAYS AND LONGER HOURS.
OF COURSE, MORE POLL WORKERS WOULD BE INVOLVED WITH THAT.
UM, AND OF COURSE, WITH THE GENERAL ELECTION, WHAT WE DO PLAN ON DOING THIS YEAR IS AMPING UP AND RAMPING UP THE AMOUNT OF POLL WORKERS THAT WERE TRAINING AND HOW MANY WILL BE AT EACH OF THOSE POLLING LOCATIONS.
WE DO EXPECT THAT MORE VOTERS WILL COME OUT.
AND SO WE PLAN ON BEING PREPARED JUST TO ASSIST VOTERS AT EACH OF THOSE LOCATIONS.
ON THE, UH, ON THAT REIMBURSEMENT SIDE, I DON'T, I, ARE THOSE REVENUES BROUGHT INTO
[02:30:01]
GENERAL TREASURY OR, OR ARE THEY USED TO, SO WHAT I, WHAT I'VE DONE SINCE I'M TALKING ABOUT THE REIMBURSEMENT SPOKE OF FOR THE BOARD OF ELECTION, DO YOU WANNA EXTEND? YES.WE HAVE REIMBURSEMENT FROM EARLY VOTING GRANTS AND, UH, THE FUNDS RECEIVED WILL BE OFFSET WITH THE APPROPRIATION.
AND WE HAVE THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR BOARD WORKERS.
AND THIS IS ONE OF THE ANTICIPATED LINE ITEMS IN THE REVENUE.
SO WE, WE GET, SO, SO THAT'S, THAT'S IN THE REVENUES WE HAVE, WE HAVE ONE LINE ITEM REVENUE FOR, UH, BOTH WORKERS REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE STATE.
UH, IT COST TO US 300 FOR EACH BOARD WORKER, AND WE GET REIMBURSE, UH, 225.
THERE IS SOMETIMES, UM, UM, TIMING DIFFERENCE.
SO THE GENERAL ELECTION WILL BE, WILL BE REIMBURSED IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR HERE.
SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS, ACTUALLY THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION AND, UH, BOARD ORDERS REIMBURSEMENT FOR BOARD ORDERS LINE.
SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS 242,000.
AND THERE IS ANOTHER LINE ITEM FOR 472,000, I BELIEVE.
THIS WAS, THIS IS FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR BOARD WORKERS FOR, UH, UH, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE 300 AND THE 2 25.
AND THOSE REIMBURSES ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF THE EXPENDITURES MADE IN YOUR BUDGET? YES.
SO YOUR, YOUR EXPENDITURES ARE IN ESSENCE EXAGGERATED BY THE AMOUNT OF REIMBURSEMENT YES.
IN, IN THIS, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, YOU HAVE TO PICK UP THE REVENUE, BUT, BUT IF YOU WERE GONNA NET IT OUT, HER EXPENDITURES ARE REIMBURSED BY THOSE TWO REVENUE ITEMS. THAT IS CORRECT.
FOR, FOR THE, THE, THE EARLY VOTING IS NET, BUT THE, UH, THE VOTE WORKERS ACTUALLY THE REVENUE ON ITS APPROPRIATION.
AND, AND, BUT IT IS A REVENUE ONLY BASED ON WHAT'S EXPENDED? YES.
SO THAT REALLY, SO THEY WE'RE LOOKING AT, UM, $700,000 WORTH OF REIMBURSEMENTS AGAINST YOUR EXPENDITURES.
OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UM, NUMBER ONE, YOU MENTIONED THE SCHOOLS YES.
WHERE STUDENTS ARE PARTICIPATING AS POLL WORKERS.
HOW DID YOU PICK THESE SCHOOLS? SO WE KNEW THAT WE, WE WERE GOING TO START NEW WORK AND ALMOST LIKE A BUSHFIRE WORD SPREAD.
AND THE SCHOOLS STARTED CALLING US, BUT WE KNEW THAT WE COULDN'T ACCOMMODATE ALL THE SCHOOLS.
WE WANTED TO MAKE IT MANAGEABLE.
THERE WERE THINGS THAT WE NEEDED TO TEST TO SEE IF IT WORKED.
SO WE DID START WITH THESE SCHOOLS, THE STUDENTS THAT I MENTIONED.
AND WE DO HAVE A PLAN GOING INTO NEXT YEAR TO ROLL IT OUT TO THREE MORE SCHOOLS.
OUR PLAN IS YEAR OVER YEAR TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM TO ALL OF THE SCHOOLS.
ALL OF THE MUNICIPALITIES LIVE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
SO EVERY SCHOOL WILL EVENTUALLY PARTICIPATE? YES.
AND WILL YOU CHOOSE THE THREE SCHOOLS FOR THIS YEAR? UH, I'VE ALREADY CHOSEN THE SCHOOLS FOR THIS YEAR.
THE SCHOOLS, UH, CALWELL AND WEST CALWELL, CALWELL HIGH SCHOOL, ORANGE HIGH SCHOOL, FAIRFIELD, ESSEX FALLS.
NORTHWELL NORTHWELL, AND ROSELAND WILL BE GOING TO WEST ESSEX HIGH SCHOOL.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE SCHOOLS IN ADDITION TO THE SCHOOLS THAT WE'RE ALREADY WORKING WITH.
SO THERE, HOW MANY SCHOOLS DOES THAT? WE HAVE, UM, SEVEN OUT.
UM, SO WE HAVE 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
THAT'LL EVENTUALLY BE INCLUDED.
AND MY OTHER QUESTION HAD TO DO WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION.
WHEN IT OCCURS DURING A MUNICIPAL ELECTION, THE UH, TOWN HAS TO PAY THE MONEY FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION, THE BOARD OF BED, THE BOARD OF BEDS.
NOW, WHAT HAPPENS IN A TOWN WHERE THE, UH, SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION OCCURS THE SAME TIME AS THE, UH, PRIMARY ELECTION? IN THE GENERAL ELECTION, THEY, THE, THE SCHOOL BOARD STILL HAS TO PAY.
AND HOW IS IT DETERMINED HOW MUCH THEY HAVE TO PAY WHEN IT'S A REGULAR ELECTION? WE KEEP THOSE COSTS VERY WELL SEPARATED FROM ALL OF THE OTHER COSTS IN THE DEPARTMENT.
TTA WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH ME.
BUT WE HAVE A SYSTEM NOW WHERE WE UNBUNDLE OUR BILLS.
WE HAVE OUR VENDOR IDENTIFY THE BILLS.
IF THE BILLS NEED TO BE BROKEN OUT BY TOWN OR BY ELECTION, IT'S DONE.
SO, AND THEN WE CAN ACTU UM, ACCURATELY CAPTURE THOSE COSTS, UM, THAT ARE EITHER FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD OR FOR THE MUNICIPALITY.
NOW, IF I DO A VBN, CAN I VOTE FOR THE ELECTION? GENERAL ELECTION? AND I ALSO VOTE FOR THE BOARD THAT, HOW IS THAT SEPARATED? SO ARE YOU ASKING HOW
[02:35:01]
WE SEPARATE THE, THE, THE COST, THE, SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T BREAK THE COST PER BM WE BREAK OUT THE COST PER, UM, OKAY.THE DOMINION, UH, THE MACHINES, THE VOTING, UH, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING ON THAT PARTICULAR ELECTION.
SO THE COST IS NOT BROKEN DOWN BY OR PER BALLOT.
WELL, HOW IS IT BROKEN DOWN AT THE REGULAR ELECTION? IT FOR THE, FOR WHICH, FOR, FOR THE DOMINION MACHINE.
SO FOR DOMINION, WE WOULD CHARGE WHERE THE MACHINES ARE, IN WHAT LOCATION, WHAT TOWN.
AND SO WE WOULD, WE WOULD THEN, SO LET'S SAY WE'RE IN EVERY TOWN, RIGHT? SO THEN EVERY TOWN.
SO THEY ARE ABLE TO TELL ME HOW MANY MACHINES ARE IN THAT TOWN AND WHAT IT COSTS PER MACHINE FOR THAT TOWN.
AND I GET A REPORT, HOW MANY MACHINES WENT OUT, HOW MANY WERE SERVICED, HOW MANY ARE IN RESERVE.
AND WE ARE ABLE TO PAY FOR THOSE MACHINES AS NEEDED.
AND I ALSO KNOW THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS, SHE CAN SPEAK TO THAT BETTER BECAUSE SHE REALLY MANAGES THE MACHINES.
I MORE OR LESS MANAGE THE ROVERS THAT MAINTAIN THE MACHINES ON THE DAY OF THE ELECTION.
AND, AND WHEN PEOPLE VOTE USING THE MACHINE, SOME MAY VOTE FOR THE REGULAR ELECTION, SOME MAY VOTE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD, SOME MAY NOT VOTE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD.
SO, UM, I, IF WE GO BACK TO YOUR ORIGINAL, UH, QUESTION, WHICH WAS IF A SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION AND A, I THINK YOU SAID PRIMARY WERE ON THE SAME DAY, BUT THEY WOULDN'T BE BECAUSE THERE ARE SPECIFIC DAYS THAT YOU CAN HAVE A SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION AS OPPOSED TO WHEN YOU CAN HAVE THE PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTION SO THAT THE TWO WOULD WOULD NEVER COST, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE A SCHOOL BOARD AND A PRIMARY.
UM, BUT I MEANT YOU HAVE THE SCHOOL BOARD AND A GENERAL ELECTION.
SCHOOL BOARD AND THE REGULAR ELECTION.
SO THOSE COSTS, AGAIN, ARE SEPARATED.
THOSE MACHINES ARE, ARE, ARE, UM, ARE, ARE, WHAT'S THE WORD I MEANT? PROGRAMMED DIFFERENTLY.
AND SO AGAIN, WE GET A FULL LIST OF HOW MANY MACHINES ARE GOING OUT, HOW MANY ARE FOR SCHOOL BOARD, HOW MANY ARE FOR GENERAL.
AND BASED ON THAT INFORMATION, I KNOW HOW MANY ROVERS TO SEND OUT.
BECAUSE KEEP IN MIND, I'M ONLY IN CHARGE OF ROVER.
SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS IS IN CHARGE OF THE MACHINES.
SO I JUST NEED TO KNOW, I HAVE BODIES ACROSS ESSEX COUNTY THAT IF A MACHINE GOES DOWN OR A VOTER CAN'T VOTE, I HAVE SOMEBODY ON SITE TO SERVICE AND FIX THAT MACHINE.
BUT YOU KNOW, FROM THE VOTE, WHETHER THEY VOTED FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION AND THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION, WE WOULD KNOW FROM THE BALLOT EXACTLY WHETHER IT WAS A BALLOT FOR GENERAL OR VOTE OR BOTH FOR SCHOOL.
SO YOU WOULD GET THAT INFORMATION? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
UM, MS. AMOS, SO POLL WORKERS, HOW MUCH ARE THEY BEING PAID NOW? SO POLL WORKERS ARE PAID $300 FOR THE DAY.
SO ARE YOU SEEING MORE PEOPLE EXPRESS INTEREST? WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF PEOPLE EXPRESS INTEREST.
UM, WE GET A LOT OF LISTS FROM THE STATE.
UM, THEY LET THEIR LISTS ARE COMING IN CONSTANTLY.
AND WE ALSO HAVE, UM, UH, A LOT OF, UH, INTERESTS FROM THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WEBSITE.
I WAS ABOUT TO COMMENT, YOU DID A GREAT JOB OF PUTTING THAT ON THE WEBSITE SO THAT PEOPLE COULD APPLY AND EXPRESS THEIR INTEREST.
SO THAT WAS A NICE, UM, TIDBIT TO PUT UP.
ALSO, WANNA COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR HIGH SCHOOL POLL WORKER PROGRAM.
THAT WAS A REALLY, A GREAT WAY TO GET YOUNG PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE ELECTION PROCESS AND WHAT IT MEAN BY GETTING TO ACTUALLY WORK IN IT.
UM, AND YOU SAID YOU'RE GONNA ROLL IT OUT MORE TO MORE SCHOOLS THIS YEAR.
COULD YOU JUST GIMME THE LIST OF SCHOOLS AGAIN PLEASE? SURE.
SO THIS YEAR WE WILL BE GOING TO CALWELL HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH WILL SERVICE CALWELL AND WEST CALWELL.
WE'LL BE GOING TO ORANGE HIGH SCHOOL AND, UH, SERVICING FAIRFIELD ESSEX, L NORTH HOLWELL AND ROSELAND.
WE WILL BE GOING TO WEST ESSEX HIGH SCHOOL.
COMMISSIONER HAS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION THAT PERPLEXITY I PROBABLY WON'T ANSWER TO.
WHY ARE THESE STUDENTS BEING GIVEN CREDIT IN HISTORY CLASS? IS THAT BECAUSE THEY NO LONGER TEACH CIVICS?
SO WHY THEY'RE THE, I I UM, 'CAUSE THEY DON'T TEACH CIVICS.
I, I KNOW CAN'T SPEAK TO WHAT THEIR LESSON PLANS ARE.
AND YOUR LESSON PLAN IS ABOUT HISTORY.
IT'S ABOUT THE ELECTION HISTORY.
[02:40:01]
YES.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS.
AS A PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE, I MAKE SURE I MAKE AN INTERTWINED DNA.
'CAUSE YOU CAN'T GO ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXCELLENT JOB.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN, UM, A REAL LEARNING CURVE, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A UNIQUE SET OF CHALLENGES BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A UNIQUE SET OF TIMES.
BUT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB.
I THINK I SPEAK FOR THE BOARD, WHAT WE SAY, THAT WE'RE VERY, UH, PART OF THE WORK YOU'VE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AND YOUR EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
YOU CAN'T TELL THAT YOU STILL SO NEW.
WHAT'S THAT? IT'S AMAZING TO BE HERE A LONG TIME.
WE'RE GONNA DO THE COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION STAFF.
UH, SUPERINTENDENT OF RELUCTANCE NEXT.
THAT MAKES THINGS OKAY, GO AHEAD.
WE ARE EXPERIENCING A TECHNICAL UPGRADE MOMENTARILY, BUT FOLKS COME ON IN AND OUT THE SEAT.
WE ALMOST LOST THE FLAG AND TABLE COVERS THERE.
ALRIGHT, KYLE, ARE WE GOOD TO GO? WE ARE.
MR. JACKSON, PLEASE INTRODUCE THE NEXT SPEAKERS FOR, UH, OUR PRESENTATION.
UH, COMMISSIONER SPANO IS HERE TO PRESENT FOR HER DEPARTMENT AND I'LL ASK HER TO INTRODUCE YOUR STAFF MEMBERS AS YOU THIS.
I HAVE MY ASSISTANT ANDREW WILLIAMS WITH ME.
AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION.
MY NAME, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT EZ AND COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER AND COMMISSIONERS.
I'M THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS, COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION FOR ESSEX COUNTY.
THE 2024 BUDGET REQUEST FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE IS $3,305,140.
MY OFFICE WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET TO STAY ON TRACK FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS.
NOW ALL OF OUR ELECTIONS ARE BASICALLY ELECTRONIC, VERY ADVANCED, THEREFORE BECOMING INCREASINGLY MORE EXPENSIVE WITH ALL OF THE NEW MACHINERY AND THE TECHNOLOGY.
THE NEW TECHNOLOGY, HOWEVER, IS SECURE, MORE EFFICIENT AND EVEN ALLOWS US TO TALLY THE NUMBER OF VOTERS THAT VOTE EACH DAY.
AS WE DO IN EARLY VOTING, WE CAN ACTUALLY GO IN AND MONITOR THE TURNOUT AT VARIOUS POLLING LOCATIONS.
WE HAVE ALL THAT AVAILABLE TO US DESPITE THE DIFFICULTY IN PREDICTING ELECTION TRENDS TO BE PRUDENT WITH OUR BUDGET ALLOCATION.
I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A FOLLOWING JUSTIFICATIONS WHY I HAVE THIS INCREASE IN MY BUDGET.
THE COST OF LICENSING AND WARRANTING FOR, FOR THE VOTING MACHINES WAS ONCE COVERED IN A TWO YEAR CONTRACT WHEN WE PURCHASED THE EQUIPMENT.
SINCE THEN, THEY ARE A YEARLY FEE THAT WE NOW HAVE TO PAY THE COST.
SAME FOR THE ELECTRONIC POLL PADS, THE INITIAL LICENSING AND WAS IN THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT.
AND NOW ALSO IS A YEARLY COST.
WE ALSO HAVE THE NUMBER OF VOTING DAYS FOR PRIMARY ELECTION FOR EARLY VOTING, BECAUSE THIS IS A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
[02:45:01]
NORMALLY IT'S THREE DAYS OF EARLY VOTING.THIS YEAR, BY LAW WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE FIVE, WHICH IS MORE STAFFING AND JUST MORE OF EVERYTHING.
UM, AND WE HAVE OUR NINE DAYS OF EARLY VOTING FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION, WE EXPECT TO BE EXTREMELY BUSY BECAUSE THIS IS A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, AS WE ALL KNOW.
UM, IT INCREASES OUR MOVING EXPENSES, HOWEVER, SO THAT THE BOARD CAN REALIZE THE FUNDING FOR THE EARLY VOTING IS REIMBURSED BACK FROM THE STATE.
BUT IT JUST TAKES A REALLY LONG TIME AND IT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN IN THE FISCAL YEAR THAT THE ELECTION TOOK PLACE.
AND ALSO WE ALSO GET REIMBURSED FOR ANY SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS FROM THE MUNICIPALITY, ANY MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS THAT ARE DONE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT THE MUNICIPALITIES WE BILL, WE PAY, THEN WE GET REIMBURSED.
AND FROM THE STATE ALONE, WE GOT APPROXIMATELY $529,500 BACK TO THE COUNTY.
RECOGNIZING COMMISSIONER BOLS RETURN, UH, COMM, UM, SORRY, MR. MCINERNEY QUESTIONS, RIGHT.
SO, UM, WE WERE, WHEN YOU WERE JUST DISCUSSING THE AMOUNT OF REVENUES THAT YOU GET BACK, I'M SORRY, I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
WHEN YOU WERE DISCUSSING THE REVENUES FOR THE EARLY VOTING THAT COMES BACK FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, UH, I GUESS THIS IS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION, IS THAT MONEY INCLUDED IN THE SAME LINE? REVENUE, LIGHT ITEMS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY OUTLINED BEFORE WHEN WE HAD THE, UH, BOARD OF ELECTIONS HERE, UM,
THERE IS NOT, IT'S NOT ON THE REVENUE LINE ITEM.
IT'S ALL OFFSET WITH APPROPRIATIONS.
IT'LL OFFSET THE APPROPRIATION HERE.
WHICH, WHICH LINE? I I KNOW IT'S OTHER EXPENSES.
UM, IT ACTUALLY, IT'S UNDER THE NONPROFESSIONAL SERVICE.
THE BIG PIECE IS ACTUALLY NONPROFESSIONAL SERVICE.
SO THAT INCREASE UNDER NON-PROFESSIONAL THOUGH, THAT'S THE LICENSING FEE THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED WHEN WE, THE FIRST TWO YEARS.
CORRECT THAT 500 WHEN, WHEN THE MACHINE WERE PURCHASED ORIGINALLY, UM, IT WAS CAPITALIZED AND, UH, CAME WITH, WITH THE PRICE, THE LICENSE FOR TWO YEARS.
AND AFTER THAT WE HAVE TO PAY UP THE, SO THAT'S WHY THAT, THAT'S WHY THAT NON-PROFESSIONAL LINE ITEM INCREASED 500,000.
SO AGAIN, IT'S, YOU KNOW, STATE REIMBURSEMENT OF 529,500.
A LITTLE CONFUSED WHICH LINE I DOES DOES THAT GO STILL GOES AGAINST THE PROTECTION? YES, IT IS.
UH, BECAUSE MORE, MOST OF THE UH, UH, AMOUNT, IT'S NOT ONLY FOR LICENSES.
WE HAVE OTHER EXPENSES FOR MOVING THE MACHINES AND IT'LL BE PAID FROM NON-PROFESSIONAL SERVICE.
WE HAVE EXPENSES FOR PROGRAMMING THE MACHINE, WHICH IS AN EXTRA SERVICE.
WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
AND, UH, BETWEEN THE, THE ACTUAL VOTING MACHINE PROGRAM, THE VOTING MACHINES AND PROGRAMMING, THE, THE WHOLE BOOKS, THE KNOWING AND ALL THIS WILL BE PAID FROM THAT LINE ITEM.
AND WHEN WE GET THE REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE STATE, FROM EARLY VOTING GRANT WILL BE ACTUALLY PUT IN THIS LINE ITEM.
SO YOU'RE SAYING IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE INCREASE IN THE LICENSING, THE 500,000, THAT THAT, THAT, THAT AMOUNT WOULD BE BASICALLY ZERO, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE GET, WE GET, WE GET A MILLION DOLLARS AGAINST A MILLION DOLLARS.
IT'S JUST SOMETIMES THERE IS TIME IN DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THE ELECTION IS HELD IN IN NOVEMBER.
AND BY THE TIME, YOU KNOW, THE STATE SEND US REIMBURSEMENT THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
BUT, BUT BOTH OF THOSE, BUT, BUT THOSE AMOUNTS DO GO, GO AGAINST THAT NON-PROFESSIONAL LINE ITEM? YES, I BELIEVE SO.
SO THE REASON YOU ONLY HAVE AN INCREASE THERE IS BECAUSE OF THE LICENSING ISSUE.
AND ACTUALLY, UM, MR. MCINERNEY, MY LICENSING FOR THE TWO COMPANIES KNOWING THE PUL HEAD COMPANY AND DOMINION IS ALMOST $400,000.
SO IF I WERE TO STAY AT FIVE 40, I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY LIKE ASSAM JUST SAID TO DO WHAT I NEED TO DO FOR NO, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THAT WAS THE INCREASE.
AND THEN ALSO UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT 529,000 REIMBURSEMENT COMES FROM AND WHERE IT'S APPLIED.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER LINE, I'M LOOKING AT THE LINE ITEM, UM, FOR EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR AND THERE WAS NOTHING EXPENDED LAST YEAR YET.
THAT AMOUNT IS STILL AT 148,000.
[02:50:04]
UM, 11 0 0 2 6.WE DID PAY OUT THAT ONE LAST YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE SHOWING YOU.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT WITH, UM, WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
AS FAR AS, UM, AS FAR AS THE SALARIES AND WAGES GO, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A 1% OVERALL INCREASE, UM, AND THE INCREASE FOR YOUR BASE SALARIES, IT'S JUST THE INCREMENTAL INCREASE IN ANY POTENTIAL.
UH, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTUAL INCREASE.
UM, AND THE TEMPORARY HELP, HOW DID, WHAT IS THAT FOR YOU? THAT'S NOT THE POLL WORKERS, RIGHT? NO, I, TO DO THE POLL WORKERS TEMPORARY HELP IS FOR, UM, I BRING IN, WHICH I'M IN THE PROCESS OF RECRUITING RIGHT NOW, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS 2024 YEAR.
WE, I BRING IN WHAT WE CALL, WE CALL THEM SEASONALS, WHERE WE TRAIN THEM AND THEY WILL HELP US WHEN WHAT HAPPENS WITH MY OFFICE, THE BIGGEST INFLUX THAT AFFECTS ME IS THE VOTER REGISTRATION.
SO IF THEY START HAVING THESE MASSIVE VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVES, I HIRE SEASONALS AND TRAIN THEM SO THAT WE CAN STAY ON TOP OF THE VOTER REGISTRATION AND KEEP IT APPARENTLY.
LAST YEAR I DID NOT USE, I USED VERY LITTLE, BUT I KNOW THIS YEAR I'M GONNA NEED SEASONALS.
SO IT, IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT WITHOUT THAT LICENSE TO INCREASE YOUR BUDGET WOULD BE EXACTLY, ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME AS WHAT IT WAS EXACT YEAR WITHOUT THE LICENSE ON.
COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
UM, MS. SPANO, THE LAST PERSON BEFORE YOU TALKED ABOUT, UM, THE SCHOOL BOARD AND LOCAL ELECTIONS BEING REIMBURSED.
DO YOU GET REIMBURSEMENT YOUR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE AS WELL? YES, WE GET REIMBURSED FOR ANY ELECTION OTHER THAN WHAT THE COUNTY PAYS FOR IS A PRIMARY AND A GENERAL.
ANY OTHER ELECTION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT IS FOR THE MUNICIPALITY TO WE, IT REIMBURSED.
UM, WHILE YOU ARE CHECKING THE, UM, EQUIPMENT LINE ITEM THAT MR. NEY JUST POINTED OUT, CAN YOU ALSO RE-LOOK AT YOUR PRINTING AND BINDING? YOU ASKED FOR $83,000, BUT IN HERE IT SAYS LAST YEAR IT SPENT $2,400.
SO YOU STILL NEED THAT? OR IS THAT AN OVERSIGHT? THAT FOR WHAT? FOR PRINTING.
I I HAVE TO PRINT, UM, PAMPHLETS FOR THE POLL WORKERS THAT HAVE ALL OF THE, UM, HELP ME.
WHAT ARE THE FORMS IN THERE? THE, UM, AFFIDAVITS FOR IF THEY WANNA VOTE, UH, DIS DISABLED.
IF THEY HAVE A, AN AFFIRMATION FOR A CHANGE OF ADDRESS.
I HAVE TO PRINT THOSE, LIKE THE OLD PAPER ONES.
BUT THESE JUST HAVE THE FORMS, THE CERTIFICATION, WE GET OUR, ALL OF OUR ENVELOPES FOR ALL OF THE LETTERS THAT WE MAIL OUT FROM THE PRINTER.
SO YOU DO A LOT OF PRINTING FOR WHAT YOU JUST DESCRIBED.
SOUND LIKE YOU SPENT MORE THAN $2,400.
THAT'S WHAT WAS CHARGED IN 2023.
I KNOW I'VE SEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS FROM YOUR OFFICE BEFORE AND THAT NUMBER TO ME LOOKS LIKE IT'S LOW, BUT YOU PROBABLY SPENT MORE THAN'S PROBABLY BEING CAPTURED RIGHT THERE.
I THINK WE'VE SPENT MORE THAN THAT AS WELL.
SO THIS NUMBER BE ACCURATE ON 2023, CHARGE ON, UH, 11 0 0 24.
I MEAN, DO I NEED MY GLASSES? AM I NOT LOOKING? AM I NOT LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS WRONG? FOR THE RECORD, WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS LINE ITEM, UH, 11 DASH 0 2 3, UH, WHICH IS PRINTING AND BINDING.
SO IF I GET THIS CORRECTLY, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT, YOU ARE CALLING ATTENTION TO THE WHAT WAS CHARGED IN 2023, WHICH WAS $2,421.
YOU'RE REQUESTING FOR THIS, YOUR 83,400.
UH, DO YOU THINK THAT THE 24 21 IS NOT ACCURATE? 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU SPENT MORE THAN THAT, RIGHT? MR. MOHAM? YES.
HAM, I'M FISHER SURE THERE IS A POSSIBILITY WHEN WE PUT THE PURCHASE ORDER NUMBER, THEY CHARGE THE INCORRECT ACCOUNT.
UH, SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING UNDER NON-PROFESSIONAL
[02:55:01]
SERVICE.AND INSTEAD OF, UH, UH, PUT IN THIS ACCOUNT NUMBER FOR THE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE PRINT AND
AND THAT WOULD, EXCUSE ME, MR. MR. MCINERNEY, BUT THAT WOULD ALSO APPLY TO 11 0 0 2 6 TOO WITH 143 HAS NOTHING AGAINST IT.
SO YOU MIGHT WANNA JUST RE YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THAT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ALLOCATED CORRECTLY.
IS THAT WHAT, WAS THAT WHAT WE NEED TO DO MR. NER? YES.
I THINK YOU AND MR. MOM COULD LOOK THAT OUT, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.
THANK YOU VICE PRESIDENT FOR RECALLING THAT, THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DO.
ANYONE HAVING TO DO ELECTION WILL HAVE A VERY BUSY YEAR.
SO WE WISH YOU THE BEST AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD SERVICE.
WE, THIS ONE, I JUST HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I, WE JOKE SAME FIVE EMPLOYEES.
EVERYBODY ELSE IS PETER ON THE STAGE? GOOD EVENING.
OH, YOU TALKING ABOUT MR. JACKSON, CAN YOU INTRODUCE OUR NEXT, UH, SPEAKER? WE HAVE THE REGISTER OF DEED, THE MORTGAGES CORRECT.
WE DO HAVE OUR, OUR TEAM REGISTER.
MR. RIVERA'S GONNA PRESENT HIS BUDGET AND STAFF WISHES TO MR. RIVERA.
FIRST, THANK YOU FOR ARRIVING EARLY.
SINCE WE ARE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND I'M SURE NO ONE OBJECTS TO BEING OUT EARLIER.
PLEASE FOR THE RECORD, STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND YOU MAY PROCEED AS SOON AS YOU'RE READY.
MY NAME IS JUANA AT THE COUNTY REGISTER.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME EARLY.
UM, TO JUDICIAL PRESIDENT EZ AND VICE PRESIDENT, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR APPOINTMENT.
AND TO FORMER PRESIDENT RICHARDSON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ON THAT BOARD.
UM, ALSO WANTED TO, UH, I KNOW IF SHE'S HERE DO THOMAS MARIE THOMAS.
SO CONGRATULATIONS FOR HER AS WELL.
UM, SO WITH ME TONIGHT, MY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT FERELLI, UH, AND MY ACCOUNT
UM, SO FOR 2023, OUR OFFICE RECORDED OVER 74,000 DOCUMENTS, UM, WHICH THE AVERAGE ABOUT 6,000 DOCUMENTS A MONTH.
FIRST, UM, SORRY, MR. ONE MOMENT JUST SO THAT I CAN GET EVERYONE I FAILED TO.
IT'S TAB SEVEN, EVERYONE, JUST SO THAT WE COULD BE ON PAGE WITH YOU.
SO JUST TO REPEAT THAT, UM, OUR OFFICE RECORDED OVER SEVEN 4,000 DOCUMENTS IN 2023.
UH, AVERAGING ABOUT 6,000 DOCUMENTS A MONTH, UM, WHICH HELPED US GENERATE FOR THE COUNTY ALONE A REVENUE OF OVER 11,400,000.
UH, DESPITE THE SIGNIFICANT RATE INCREASES, UH, WE DID PRETTY GOOD IN 2023 CONSIDERING.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO A BETTER 2024.
UH, DEFINITELY HAVE TO THANK MY STAFF AND WORK DAY IN AND OUT TO ENSURE THAT OUR WORK IS PROCESS EFFICIENTLY.
UM, WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON RECORDING ON TODAY'S, UH, COMPARED TO OUR NEIGHBORING CLAIMS THAT ARE STILL WORKING ON JANUARY 13TH.
AND ONE COUNTY IS STILL WORKING ON DECEMBER 15TH.
UH, RESPECTFULLY, UM, MY STAFF, THEY'VE BEEN, UH, RESILIENT IN THEIR EFFORTS TO MEET OUR REVENUE GOALS AND THEY'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THIS YEAR IS OUR, OUR REPORTING SYSTEM LAND IS KNOWN AS, UH, RECORD ALERT, WHICH WILL HELP MINIMIZE AND DECLINE SOME OF THE FRAUD THAT HAPPENS WITH, UH, MORTGAGES AND DE AND, UM, BEST OFFER WILL HELP PROTECT RESIDENTS AND NOTIFY THEM ANYTIME THERE'S, UH, ANY ACTIVITY ON YOUR DEED.
UH, SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT, THAT SHOULD HAPPEN AT OUR RENEWAL PERIOD AROUND JULY, AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.
UM, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT AS FAR AS OUR BUDGET, IT'S A FLAT BUDGET.
I KNOW LAST YEAR THERE WAS ONE VACANCY THAT WE, UM, GAVE BACK, UM, BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET CUTS AND, UH, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH IT.
THERE REALLY WEREN'T ANY CHANGES.
SO YOU FLATTENED YOUR BRINGING IN MONEY.
THAT WAS RECORDED, RIGHT? WE'RE RECORDED, SIR? YES.
UM, HOW IS, DO YOU HAVE ANY BACKLOG AT THIS POINT IN TIME OR NO? WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON TODAY'S WORK.
AND WHAT, WHAT ABOUT, UM, IS THERE, IS THERE TRUST FUNDS ASSOCIATED? DO YOU HAVE A, A TRUST FUND? YES, WE HAVE A TRUST.
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS IN THAT ACCOUNT RIGHT NOW? WHAT DO YOU PAY OUT OF THAT?
[03:00:01]
ABOUT 350,000 CHECK.AND WHAT IS THAT? WHAT DID, WHAT HAVE, WHAT HAVE YOU USED IT FOR? WE'VE USED THAT FOR UPGRADES.
SO LAST YEAR, THIS TIME I MENTIONED WE WERE GONNA OVERHAUL OUR SERVERS, WHICH WERE OUTDATED.
UH, AND WE UPGRADED ALL OUR SERVERS AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS ADDED, UH, NEW HARDWARES SO THAT, UM, OUR STAFF CAN HAVE AN EASY AND SMOOTH, UM, TECHNOLOGICAL EXPERIENCE.
SO ALL THAT'S PAID OUTTA THAT THRUST, WHICH GARNERS SOMETHING FROM THE FEES? YES.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE STILL COLLECT FEES FOR CODE BLUE, WHICH WE AVERAGE ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND EACH YEAR.
I THINK THIS YEAR MAY HAVE BEEN A LITTLE LESS.
WHAT IS THAT? IS THAT A DOLLAR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON YOU? $2.
AS FAR AS YOUR BUDGET GOES, THERE'S REALLY NO INCREASES IN, IN THE STAFFING LEVELS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY INCREASE THAT YOU REALLY, UM, EXPERIENCE HERE IS, IS THE CONTRACTUAL INCREASES THAT YOU'RE REQUIRED TO GIVE, BOTH IN INCREMENTS AND THEN A PERCENTAGE INCREASE.
UM, SO THERE'S NOT MUCH THERE.
AND AS FAR AS YOUR OTHER EXPENSES GO, YOU'RE BUDGETING, UH, THE SAME AMOUNT AS YOU BUDGETED LAST YEAR, AND YOU BASICALLY EXPEND IT ALL, YOU KNOW, FOR THE MOST PART.
SO THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY REASON TO LOWER IT OR ANY REASON TO INCREASE.
UM, AND THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE HERE.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.
COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
UM, MR. RIVERA, I MISSED A DEED ALERT THING THAT YOU JUST DISCUSSED.
WHEN DOES THAT GO? SECOND, IS THAT A FEE THAT'LL BE CHARGED FOR? THAT WILL BE FREE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF ES COUNTY.
WE'LL TAKE, WE'LL INCUR THAT COST AND THAT WILL BE PART OF THE NEW CONTRACT WITH LAND X, WHICH IS OUR RECORDING SYSTEM.
HOW DOES THE PERSON GET INVOLVED WITH PUTTING THEIR D WELL USE OUR WEBSITE.
AND WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WAS THE START DATE FOR THAT? AGAIN, WE DON'T HAVE THE EXACT START DATE.
IT'LL BE PART OF THE UPGRADE WHEN WE RENEW THE CONTRACT IN AUGUST.
SO BEFORE THE, LIKE THE END OF THE YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS? EXCELLENT WORK.
UH, MR. RERA, BY YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM, I KNOW YOU ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING GREAT TO SAY ABOUT YOUR TEAM, SO WE EXPECT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY CONTINUE.
I WOULD EXPECT NOTHING LESS FROM A PREP MAN, BUT THAT'S JUST ME.
THAT'S JUST ME PERSONALLY TOO.
AND WHEN THE ALERT DOES COME, UH, ONLINE, PLEASE ADVISE US SO WE CAN HEAR IN THE VISIBILITY OF THAT.
'CAUSE THAT IS AN EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE AT NO CHARGE TO THE COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT WE REALLY SHOULD ALL BE, UH, COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING.
OH, WE GOT SEVEN MORE QUESTIONS.
MR. JACKSON? WE ARE THE VICTIM OF ACTUALLY MOVING ALONG TOO FAST.
DO WE HAVE, UH, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS HERE? WE'RE READY.
UH, WE ARE ABOUT AN HOUR AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AT THIS POINT, SO, UH, IS DOING VERY WELL.
SO WE NEXT SPEAKER, WE'RE GONNA BE ON SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
WHAT TAB IS THAT? THAT TAB IS ONE MORE.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, WE ARE ON TAB NUMBER 14.
AND MR. JACKSON, CAN YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE OUR NEXT SPEAKER, SUPERINTENDENT SCHOOLS? ABSOLUTELY.
MR. PRESIDENT, UH, MR. JOE IS HERE, WHO'S OUR ESTES COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT TO PRESENT HIS BUDGET AND ALSO INTRODUCING STAFF MAY WITH HIM.
UH, IF NOT, WE'LL JUST HAVE MR. MR. Z.
MR. ZARA, PLEASE FOR THE RECORD HERE, JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND YOU MAY PRE BRING IT UP AGAIN.
I SERVE AS THE EXECUTIVE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR ESSEX.
UH, IN ESSEX COUNTY, WE HAVE 23 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, 26 CHARTER SCHOOLS, 18 APPROVED PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR STUDENTS WITH DIS DISABILITIES.
OVERALL, THERE'S A 17, 117,000 STUDENTS AND THOUSAND EDUCATORS.
WE REPRESENT THE COMMISSION OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
UH, WE REPRESENT THE COMMISSIONER ON EDUCATIONAL LAW RULES AND REGULATIONS.
WE ASSIST IN CERTIFICATIONS, UH, SUBSTITUTE CERTIFICATES.
WE ASSIST PARENTS AND GUARDIANS WITH DISPUTES.
WE ASSIST, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN COMPLETED REPORTS
[03:05:01]
INCLUDING SAC REVIEWS, MONITORING STATE REPORT CARDS, AND MANDATORY TESTING.WE REVIEW ALL SCHOOL BUDGETS FOR APPROVAL, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION CONTRACTS, SCHOOL ELECTIONS, AND OTHER FINANCIAL REPORTS.
WE SUPPORT THE COUNTY CHILD STUDY TEAM, UH, WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN
WE PLAN MONTHLY ROUND TABLE MEETINGS WITH ALL OF THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS, AND WE MEET AT THE VOCATIONAL SCHOOL IN WEST CALDWELL.
PART OF THIS POSITION, I SERVE AS A TRUSTEE AT ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE.
AND BASICALLY WE MAKE OUR OFFICE A SERVICE BUREAU FOR SCHOOLS, PARENTS AND GUARDIANS.
UH, WE HAVE CURRENTLY FIVE STATE OF NEW JERSEY STAFF, MYSELF, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT, OCEANO AND COUNTY BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR, COUNTY EDUCATION SPECIALIST IN COUNTY SUPERVISOR CHILD STUDY.
FIVE STATE POSITIONS, UH, THAT ARE IN THE STATE BUDGET.
AND AS FAR AS THIS BODY'S CONCERNED, WE HAVE FIVE ESSEX COUNTY SUPPORT SCALE.
UH, AND REGARDING OUR BUDGET, I THINK DECREASE IN THE YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE ARE CONTRACTUAL INCREASES.
55 COUNTY EMPLOYEES HAVE RECEIVED.
I THINK EVERY OTHER ITEM HAS BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT, PRETTY STEADY, WITHOUT ANY INCREASE TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
MR. MCINERNEY, ANY QUESTIONS? WE HAVE THIS CONVERSATION EVERY YEAR.
THERE'S, UH, NO INCREASE IN YOUR EXPENSES.
IT'S THE SAME FIVE COUNTY POSITIONS.
UM, AND, UM, YOU'VE GIVEN US A NICE OUTLINE OF WHAT YOU DO.
OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S THE FASTEST PRESENTATION TODAY AND, UH, I THINK THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S REFLECTIVE OF THE EXCELLENT WORK THAT YOU DO AND THE EDUCATION SYSTEM AS A WHOLE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE EXCELLENT WORK THAT YOU DO IN AND OUTTA THE OFFICE.
YOU'RE VERY KIND AND THE OFFICE DOES STILL THE JOB AND, UH, THERE ARE SOME AMAZING THINGS HAPPENING IN THIS COUNTY.
AND JUST TO BE BRIEF, THE NEW JERSEY STATE TEACHER OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR WAS FROM EAST STARTERS.
UH, ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE GETTING ACCOLADES.
UH, THE TEST SCORES ARE, UH, RIGHT WHERE THEY SHOULD BE OR GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND, UH, WE JUST SEE GREAT THINGS HAPPENING.
AND IT'S NICE TO HAVE SOMEONE LIKE YOURSELF ON THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COLLEGE BOARD, UH, 'CAUSE THAT REALLY, YOU KNOW, YES, IN COLLEGE, UH, THROUGH, UH, THE YEARS.
I, I, IN MY OPINION, I THINK IT'S VERY SOLID NOW WITH GOOD LEADERSHIP.
AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN ACCREDITED WITH MIDDLE STATES AND, UH, THE COUNTY'S BEEN VERY GENEROUS IN FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
AND, UH, IT, IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL, UH, OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS.
AND ALSO THE NEW BUILDING IS SPECTACULAR.
LET'S CALLED IT JUST STATE OF THE ART.
AND WHEN YOUR EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AND SYSTEM IS WORKING WELL, EVERYTHING ELSE NEEDS TO DO.
THANK YOU, MR. HAVE A GOOD EVENING.
DIDN'T TAKE THAT TAKE LONG AT ALL, PROBABLY.
NO, WE'RE GONE TO THE LAST ONE, RIGHT, MR. JACKSON? ARE WE A VICTIM OF BEING TOO EARLY? UH, MR. UM, OUR DIRECTOR'S ON HIS WAY.
UM, MOTION SHOULD BE HERE SHORTLY.
SHALL WE JUST TAKE A BRIEF JE THEN UNTIL HE ARRIVES? YOU WANNA DO ADMINISTRATION TOMORROW IS ON HIS WAY HERE.
MR. JACKSON, DO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR WHAT WE CAN DO IN THE MEANTIME? YEAH, WE CAN DO, UM, MR. MR. UM, ITS GOOD.
WE CAN DO SOME ADMINISTRATION JOB.
WE ADVERTISE BASED ON THE DEPARTMENT OR YEAH, IT WAS, DID WE ADVERTISE? WE, WE ADVERTISED IT FOR, I THINK WE NEED TO STICK TO WHAT WE HAVE.
SO WE'LL, WE'LL TABLE THAT FOR A MINUTE.
LET'S TAKE A, UH, LET'S TAKE A, UH, WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING TO BE ABOUT 10 OR 15 MINUTES, DO YOU KNOW? 10 MINUTES.
LET'S TAKE A 10 MINUTE ADJOURNMENT AND, UH, WE'LL COME BACK IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES.
IT IS NOW ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT.
HUH? I CAN'T WAIT BECAUSE IT'S SILLY.
SOUNDS LIKE A, UH, BROWNIE BREAK.
YOU CAN'T GET AHEAD IF IT'S NOT LATE.
[03:28:11]
WEDNESDAY.[03:28:12]
I[03:28:12]
SAID[03:28:12]
LET'S DO THAT.ALRIGHT EVERYONE, WE ARE, UH, BACK IN SESSION AFTER A BRIEF, BRIEF RECESS AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE WITH OUR LAST PRESENTATION, WHICH IS CORRECTIONS, UH, MATTER CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE RULE.
ABSENT, UH, COMMISSIONER MECADO.
COMMISSIONER, UH, MARY THOMAS.
MR. JACKSON, CAN YOU INTRODUCE THE NEXT SPEAKER OR WE'LL BE PRESENTING CORRECTIONS? YES, MR. PRESIDENT.
HAPPY TO, UM, DIRECTOR RON CHARLES IS HERE.
UM, HE WILL PRESENT THE BUDGET AND ALSO PRESENT MEMBERS OF THE STAFF.
UH, DIRECTOR, PLEASE FOR THE RECORD, STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND JUST GET STARTED.
[03:30:43]
WHICH, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUTTA CIVILIAN TASK FORCE.UM, WE CREATED EXPANDED PROGRAMS OF JOB SKILLS LIKE THE OSHA CERTIFICATION COURSE, JOB SKILLS SUCH AS CULINARY ART CERTIFICATIONS AND PROGRAMS AS MAT AND THE REENTRY PROGRAM.
AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY SIX YEARS, EVERY OFFICER WHO WAS WORKING AT THE ACADEMY IS NOW TRAINED AT THE POLICE ACADEMY.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF, OF WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED, UH, IN 2023.
UM, AND WE CAN FORWARD TO 2024.
THIS BUDGET IS OUR ROADMAP, WHICH SUPPORTS OUR CORE MISSION AND FOCUSES ON OUR MAIN AREAS, WHICH ARE MAINTAIN A SAFE AND SECURE FACILITY FOR THOSE UNDER OUR CARE.
UM, THROUGH ENHANCED STAFF TRAINING, TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES, IMPROVE AND EXPAND THE DELIVERY OF PROGRAMS FOR OUR PRISONERS ASSET FACILITY, IMPLEMENTING NEW JERSEY ATTORNEY GENERAL'S LICENSING PROGRAM AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE, PROVIDE SERVICES ALONG WITH OUR COMMUNITY DEPARTMENT PARTNERS ESTABLISHING THE FACILITY AT THE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE.
THOUGH IT'S PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT TIME IN OUR CORRECTIONS PROFESSION, I BELIEVE THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE DEPARTMENT, TOGETHER WITH THE CONTINUOUS SUPPORT FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, UH, WE CAN, UH, ACHIEVE OUR GOALS.
MY TEAM IS HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THE BUDGET.
UM, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES AND WHEN, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS LOOK AT THE BUDGET, THEY SEE, UM, REALLY A LOT OF, UH, CHANGE INCREASES IN, IN THE, UH, IN THE SALARY AND WAGES LINE ITEM.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW WHY, WHY THAT IS, BUT I'D, I'D LIKE YOU TO EXPLAIN, UM, THE TRANSITION NOW FROM DELANEY HALL TO BRINGING THAT IN-HOUSE, HOW THAT ITS EFFECT THIS BUDGET.
I MEAN, WE CAN SEE THE REDUCTION IN, IN THE CONTRACTUAL AMOUNT, BUT THEN, UH, BECAUSE OF THAT, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR PAYROLL? TALK ABOUT THE CERTIFICATIONS INVOLVED WITH, WITH GETTING THAT IN-HOUSE.
TALK ABOUT THE DWELLING WHERE, YOU KNOW, WHERE IT'S AT.
SO JUST TAKE US THROUGH THAT WHOLE TRANSITION.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY.
UH, BACK IN APRIL OF 2000, UM, THE COUNTY ENTERED INTO A CONTRACT WITH THEN, UH, JOHN CLANCY.
CC IT WAS FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL, UM, IN FACILITY, UH, PROGRAM, UH, WE DECIDED, UM, LAST YEAR, TOWARDS END, LAST YEAR THAT UM, WE CAN DO A BETTER PROGRAMMING AND MAKE THEM MORE AVAILABLE TO MORE INMATES IF WE BROUGHT THE PROGRAM IN-HOUSE.
WE ENDED THE CONTRACT DECEMBER 31ST, UH, WITH THE, OR WITH GEO GROUP.
UM, WE BROUGHT THE PROGRAM, UM, IN-HOUSE WITH DR AND SOME OF HER TEAM.
UM, THERE'S, THERE'S TWO REASONS.
ONE, YES, THERE WAS THE SAVINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT, BUT TWO IS THAT THE EXPANSION OF THE PROGRAM TO THE OTHER POPULATION THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AFFORDED, THAT I THINK IS SIGNIFICANT.
UM, ONLY THE INMATES WERE CLASSIFIED AS LOW TO LOW, MEDIUM.
WERE ACTUALLY IN DELANEY HALL.
NOW WE'RE, WHEN YOU SAY LOW, LOW, LOW MEANING WHY THAT THAT WAS, THAT THAT WAS WHAT IS GEARED FOR AN THAT FROM A SECURITY STANDPOINT.
CLARIFICATION, I THINK ON WHAT THAT MEANS.
WHAT IS LOW MEAN AND MEDIUM FOR THE PURPOSE OF, AND THAT'S, THAT'S FOR A CHARGE WISE, FOR, THAT'S LIKE A BURGLARY CHARGE, THOSE TYPES OF THING.
IT GOES BY THE
SO, UH, BUT NOW THAT THE PROGRAM'S IN HOUSE, WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO SERVICE, UH, ALL OF THE POPULATION IN, IN DIFFERENT STAGES.
SO THE FIRST, THE FIRST SECTION, UM, IS THOSE WHO ARE LOW, THE MEDIUM, THE MEDIUM TO HIGH, BOTH ABOUT 300 MH GONNA DO THE SECOND PART OF THIS YEAR, RIGHT AROUND JUNE, JULY WILL BE THE MAXIMUM AND, AND POSSIBLE FEDERAL NEEDS FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE FEEL WE CAN, UM, DO A BETTER JOB OF THE PROGRAMMING.
NUMBER ONE WE'RE OFFERING THEM, AND TWO, IT'D BE A GREAT SAVINGS AND THE ACTUAL EXPANSION OF THE, OF, OF THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO COULD BE AFFECTED BY THE PROGRAM.
SO THAT'S THE REASON I'M BROUGHT IN.
UM, FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, GEO, WE'VE BEEN PAYING GEO ABOUT $13 MILLION.
[03:35:02]
UM, SO THAT EXPENSE WILL, WILL, WILL, YOU'LL SEE IS REDUCED IN, IN, IN THE BUDGET.WE DO HAVE SOME SALARY, UH, INCREASES FOR THE STAFFING, HAD TO BRING IN AS FAR AS THE COUNSELORS AND THE CASE MANAGERS AND ALL THAT'S REQUIRED IN THE CONTRACT, UH, THAT WE HAVE WITH THE STATE FOR THE MONEY.
UM, SO THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S SMALL, UH, STARTUP FEE FOR THAT.
SOME PROGRAM LIKE SOFTWARE, SOME BOOKS, SO THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
UM, BUT WE THINK THAT WE CAN SAVE SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS ON THE PROGRAM.
I'M SORRY, DID YOU SAY SUT AND MILLION? SEVERAL.
SO, SO WHERE IS IT, WHERE IS IT HOUSED NOW? IT'S WITHIN YOUR FACILITY.
SO WHAT DID YOU, YOU MADE EXTRA, THERE'S EXTRA SPACE THERE OR WHAT WE DID WAS WE CARVED OUT A SECTION JUST, I'M SORRY, WE, WHEN WE GO BACK, THERE'S THREE OF US SPEAKING AT SOME TIME.
JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION WITH FRANK ON OCCASION.
JUST SO THAT, SO WHOEVER WAS TRANSCRIBING THESE RECORDS DOESN'T GO CRAZY.
ROGER CHARLES'S DIRECTOR AGAIN, UM, WHAT WE DID WAS WE, WE SET US A SECTION, UH, OF THE JAIL AND ONE OF THE BUILDINGS TO HANDLE, UH, ALL OF THE DRUG AND ALCOHOL PEOPLE WILL BE PROGRAMMING, UM, THROUGH THIS PROGRAM THERE WE PROVIDE THE SERVICES, UM, AND WE BRING IN, WE HAVE RESTROOMS SET UP, WE HAVE COUNSELING SESSIONS SET UP, WE HAVE, UM, JOB SKILLS, FLEXIBLE EVERYTHING.
WE'RE BRING THE SERVICES TO THEM.
OKAY, SO, SO OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE GO TO OUR OTHER EXPENSES, THE, THE REDUCTION OF 12, ALMOST $13 MILLION IS, IS IN FACT A CONTRACT FOR A WHOLE YEAR.
WHEN, WHEN EXACTLY DID YOU BRING, DID THIS HAPPEN IN 2023 WAS OBVIOUSLY IT HAPPENED IN 2023, BUT WHAT, WHAT MONTH DID, DID IT START IN 2000? THE CONTRACT ENDED DECEMBER 31ST OF, UH, 2023.
OKAY, SO YOU'VE HAD A YEAR NOW? NO, ONE MONTH.
ALRIGHT, SO, UM, AND, AND YET WE, WHEN WE HAD THIS CONTRACT, THE STATE WAS LOOKING TO REIMBURSE US.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS DIFFERENT THAT OR, BUT WE DID GET A GRANT OUTTA CORRECTIONS THAT'S CORRECT.
WE'RE WE'RE STILL GETTING THAT? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND IT WAS, IS IT 23 MILLION I BELIEVE? I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT, YES.
SO, SO LET'S GO THROUGH THE, UH, THE SALARIES AND WAGES WHERE THERE'S AN INCREASE OF 12,463,000.
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY YOU CAN TELL ME HOW MUCH OF THAT IS FROM THIS TRANSITION WITH THE, UH, FROM THE
UM, IN THAT, UM, IN THAT NUMBER ONE, IT'S, IT'S THE ACTUAL CONTRACT, UH, RAISED THAT, THAT THE OFFICERS JUST GOT, UM, WHICH IS, WHICH IS PENDING IN THERE.
UM, ALSO THERE'S ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN SALARIES FOR THE ACTUAL DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROGRAM.
THERE ARE 11 EMPLOYEES, UM, THAT WE HAVE TO BRING.
UM, AND I'M ASSUMING THAT THE INCREASE IN SALARIES, CONTRACTUAL INCREASE IN SALARIES THAT IS IN THERE IS EXCLUSIVE TO 2024.
THE REST WAS PAID OUT OF THE RESERVE KIND, I WILL DEFER TO, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
UH, MOHAM? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
THIS IS, UM, UH, THIS IS THE, THE NEW BASE SALARIES FOR ALL OFFICERS AFTER THE CONTRACTS HAPPENED.
SO THIS, THIS WILL REFLECT YOU ON, SO THERE'S REALLY NO CONTRACTUAL, THE CONTRACTUAL INCREASE IS ALREADY IN THE SALARY.
AND ANYTHING PRIOR TO THAT WENT AGAINST THE YES, THE RESERVE IN THE BALANCE SHEET.
AND, UH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE HIRED NINE 11, UM, NEW STAFF MEMBERS TO RUN THE PROGRAM.
THAT'S EVERYWHERE BETWEEN CASE MANAGERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS.
THAT'S DRUG AND ALCOHOL, UM, CERTIFICATION OFFICERS, UM, AND TWO, TWO, UH, CASE MANAGERS AND ALL THAT'S REQUIRED FROM THE STATE AS FAR AS MANAGING THE, UM, THE GRANT.
UM, SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE CAME FROM GL WHO'VE BEEN WORKING WITH US FOR THE LAST 10, 12, 15 YEARS.
SOME OF THEM WE WERE TO HIRE HIRED.
SO THERE'S 11 NEW PEOPLE, UH, STAFF MEMBERS OF THE, SO HA HAS THERE BEEN A, A, A COMPLIANCE PROGRAM THAT HAD TO BE PUT INTO PLACE TO MATCH THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE STATE COMPLIANCE? THAT'S CORRECT.
THE STATE DOES COME ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, SORT OF WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY'RE GIVING THE GRASS TO GRANT FOR IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.
THEY GO INTO THE CASE MANAGEMENT OF THE INDIVIDUALS.
THEY GO INTO WHAT PROGRAM THEY'RE RECEIVING.
THEY, THEY GO INTO THE CASE MANAGEMENT IF THERE'S ANY, UH, REENTRY, IF IF THEY'RE LEAVING, UM, WHAT PROGRAMMING THEY'RE RECEIVING, WHAT, UH, TYPE OF IN-HOUSE STUFF AND, AND ALL THAT.
SO THE STATE'S PARTICIPATION REMAINS THE SAME? CORRECT.
[03:40:01]
THAT WE'VE CHANGED FROM GOING FROM OUTSOURCING.WE, WE WE'RE, BUT SO DO, DOES OUR PROGRAM HAVE TO GET A STAMP OF APPROVAL? IS THAT, UM, WE, WE ALREADY RECEIVED THAT FROM THE STAFF.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'LL BE ONGOING? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO GETTING BACK TO THE 12 MILLION DID YOU SAY HOW, HOW MUCH OF THAT WAS FROM, WAS THE, FROM THE, SO IT IS ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN SALARY FOR THE, FOR THE STAFF, UM, TO RUN THE PROGRAM.
AND SO THE OTHER, AND THEN YOU HAVE THE NORMAL INCREASES.
SO I, I THINK WE, HOW WE GOT TO THAT NUMBER OR HOW, OR WHY THE NUMBER IS NOT, I GUESS IF YOU LOOK AT PAYROLL OVER THE FIRST OR SECOND PAYROLL OF THIS YEAR.
WHY, WHY IS THAT? WHY IS THAT A LITTLE BIT OF, YEAH, SO THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS THAT, ONE IS THAT THOSE PEOPLE WEREN'T ACCOUNTED FOR AND PAYROLL NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO JUST YET BECAUSE THEY, THEY JUST CAME ON BOARD.
THAT MAKES NUMBER TWO IS THAT THE INCREASE, THE 17.33% FROM THE OFFICER'S CONTRACT, UM, DID NOT TAKE EFFECT UNTIL FEBRUARY'S APPROXIMATELY THIS COMING LEAVE THAT'S NOT IN THERE.
AND THERE ARE 20 CORRECTION OFFICERS THAT ARE IN THE POLICE ACADEMY RIGHT NOW WHO ARE NOT REFLECTING IN PAYROLL ONE AND TWO.
SO ALL OF THAT COMBINED, UH, MAKE FOR WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AS DISCRE BETWEEN WHAT WAS BUDGETED AND WHAT WAS ON THE PAYROLL ABOUT ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF MILLION, I THINK IT WAS.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SHOWING DIFFERENT FOUR VACANCIES, ABOUT FOUR MONEY WISE FROM WHAT PAYROLL WANTED DO IN CHARLOTTE.
I'M SHOWING ABOUT 50 TO, I WAS, I THINK IT WAS LIKE 50 VACANCIES.
I'M TALKING, I WAS SAYING MONEY, NOT, NOT DOUBT, NOT, NOT, NOT DOLLAR.
BUT I SAW IT SHOWED A WIDE, A WIDE DISPARITY BETWEEN WAS CORRECT.
UM, AND, AND NOW AS FAR AS ANY OTHER, OTHER EXPENSES, UH, LEMME JUST GO TO OVERTIME.
I MEAN, OVERTIME YOU'VE, YOU'VE PRETTY MUCH APPROPRIATED OVERTIME THAT WAS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU WOULD INCUR.
SO WHAT WE DID WAS LAST YEAR WE SAW A REDUCTION OF, OF THE 30%, WHICH I TALKED ABOUT, UH, EARLIER.
UM, SO WHAT WE DID WAS WE TOOK THE, THE WHAT WE SPENT LAST YEAR, 7.8, AND WE JUST ALL, WE KEPT AT THE SAME HOURLY HOUR HOURS, BUT WE JUST HAD THE CONTRACTUAL RAISE RAISE POCKET.
WHAT TOLD WHAT, EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT BETTER AN OFFICER OVERTIME RATE, WHAT A CONTRACT WAS ABOUT $65 AN HOUR.
NOW THE SELLER, THEIR OVERTIME RATE IS ABOUT 77, 78.
HAS THAT BEEN AN INCENTIVE TO BE ABLE TO KEEP OFFICERS BECAUSE YOU, YOU'VE HAD SUCH A LARGE TURNOVER RATE? I THINK THE SETTLE SETTLING OF A CONTRACT, UM, HAS DONE, UM, HAS INCREASED MORALE.
I THINK THAT THE, THE TIDE OF THEM WANTING TO LEAVE AND LEAVING HAS SIGNIFICANTLY SOLD OUT SIGNIFICANTLY.
WHAT, UM, WHERE ARE YOU WITH TRAINING? UM, WHAT'S THE COST OF THAT? HOW DOES THAT IMPACT ON YOUR BUDGET? SO, UM, AND AGAIN, IT USED TO BE BACKLOG, USED TO BE GUYS WORKING WITHOUT BEING TRAINED.
AND SO, UM, EVERYONE WHO IS EVERY OFFICER AT THE JAIL IS NOW TRAINED AT THE ACADEMY, UH, HAS BEEN TRAINED THROUGH THE POLICE ACADEMY.
WE HAVE ONE CLASS THAT WILL BE GRADUATING ON MARCH THE 15TH, UM, OF 52 OFFICERS.
UM, AND THEY WILL COME BACK TRAIN AS WELL.
AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING UP TO SET ANOTHER CLASS UP TOWARDS THE END OF THE YEAR, UM, AS WE WORK THROUGH THE NUTRITION RATE, UH, FOR THIS YEAR.
SO, UM, THE TRAINING HAS, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY, UM, INCREASED, UM, THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO PUT THROUGH THE ACADEMY.
UM, AS, AS YOU MAY KNOW, IN APRIL WE TOOK OVER THE ACADEMY AND RIGHT.
UM, SO WE'RE RUNNING, WE'RE WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH JUST THERE'S OF DIVISION WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
SO THINGS ARE WORKING OUT VERY WELL AS FAR AS GETTING THOSE, NOT ONLY, NOT ONLY WERE THEY REQUIRED, UH, ACADEMY, UH, THE BASIC COURSE, BUT ALSO THROUGH THE ENHANCED TRAINING.
SOME OF THE SELF EXTRACTION, SOME OF THE SAFETY STUFF, SOME OF THE HANDCUFFING, SOME, SOME OF THAT.
WE, WE HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD STUFF COMING UP IN END OF MARCH, OF APRIL AND MAY, UM, THAT WE HAVE SUBMITTED FOR AT THE ACADEMY FOR, FOR OUR OFFICER.
AND DO WE STILL HAVE THE SAME CONTRACT FOR MEDICAL SERVICES? OH, WE DON'T.
UM, THE CFG, UM, WE EXERCISE THE OPTION FOR, FOR, FOR THIS YEAR.
AND WE HAVE THE SAME MEDICAL, UM, UM, SAME, UH, FOOD SERVICE PROVIDER.
UM, RME DINING WAS THE EXERCISE, THE TWO YEAR CONTRACT FOR THIS YEAR AND 4.5.
[03:45:01]
SO THOSE, THOSE ARE THE TWO BIG CONTRACTS.AND OF, UM, AND THOSE SERVICES ARE, UM, I MEAN THOSE COSTS ARE, ARE BASICALLY CONTRACTUAL BUT MAKE UP A LARGE PART OF YOUR BUDGET THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
UH, THE EXAMPLE THE, THE GED CONTRACT HAD THE, YOUR CONTRACT HAD THE INCREASE OF THE, UH, FOOD CONSUMPTION RATE, WHICH WAS 4.5, SO THAT, THAT YOU ARE OBLIGATED TO INCREASE IT BY THAT AMOUNT.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, YEAH, I JUST ASKED YOU, WE DID IT BY 4.4.
WE, WE RAISED, RAISED THE CONTRACT.
AND THAT SHOULD BE STABLE NOW.
AS FAR AS, UH, THE FEDERAL MARSHALS PROGRAM, UM, WHAT, WHAT IS, WHAT IS THE PER DIEM NOW? WE, WE WE'RE GETTING $132, UM, PER DAY FROM THE FEDERAL, BUT IT'S UP FOR, UH, RENEGOTIATION ON THE SMALL TAX.
AND IS THERE, IS THERE AN INTERNAL COST ANALYSIS DONE TO COME UP WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CALLS IT A JOEY FORM? WHAT JOEY FORM? JOEI.
UM, AND THAT BASICALLY IS, THAT TAKES INTO A ACCOUNT OUR SALARY WAGES, OUR EXPENSES, YOU WORKING HERE IN NORTH JERSEY, UH, PENSION COSTS, ALL, ALL THAT IS IN, IS IN IS IN THE PERFORMING.
AND I'M ASSUMING SOME LEVEL OF IN
SO, UH, IF I COULD JUST EXPECT PERHAPS AN INCREASE IN THE NEGOTIATION BECAUSE NOW THEY TAKE SALARIES AND WAGES AND ALL THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
THAT, THAT'S OUR GOAL, THAT'S OUR PART OF OUR NEGOTIATIONS.
YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR WE, UH, THIS YEAR WAS JUST ABOUT 17% HIGHER IN SALARY WAGES THAN WE WERE IN LAST YEAR.
SO THAT'S SOME OF THAT, THE INDIRECT COST, CERTAINLY UTILITIES HAS GONE UP.
UM, FOOD SERVICE, MEDICAL, GAS, ELECTRIC, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
SO WHEN WE SIT DOWN WITH THEM AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN WASHINGTON, THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE FACTOR INTO OUR COST ANALYSIS.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT THOSE COST OF SALARIES AND WAGES WERE ONLY ACCOUNTABLE IN THAT JOEY, UH, CALCULATION WHEN THEY WERE PAID? SO IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN YOU GO TO DO YOUR ANALYSIS THIS YEAR, YOUR DIRECT COST ANALYSIS, OR I SHOULD SAY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES, DO THEY, UM, THEY ONLY TAKE IT TO CONSIDERATION WHAT THE CURRENT COST IS? THE CURRENT SALARY, CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY.
DO WE MISS OUT ON THE REIMBURSEMENT OF THAT RETROACTIVE? UM, SOMETIMES THEY REIMBURSE BACK TO, UM, 12 MONTHS OR, OR, OR SIX MONTHS.
IT, IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHAT, WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WELL WE WE'RE TALKING A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW, RIGHT? WE'VE ALWAYS, WE'VE HAD A INCREASE OF OVER THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS, THREE OR FOUR YEARS, UM, A SMALL AMOUNT, COUPLE OUT LIKE EIGHT, SEVEN OR $8.
AND REMEMBER WHEN WE STARTED FIRST STARTED THE PROGRAM IN 2008, WE WERE GETTING THE, THE RATE WAS 170 MILES.
BUT I'M, I'M JUST, I'M CONCERNED, LIKE I KNOW THE RETRO IS QUITE LARGE.
AND SO IF THAT DOESN'T, DOESN'T GET, IF THAT GETS ONLY CAPTURED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, THEN THAT RETROACTIVE NEVER GOT IMPUTED INTO THE CALCULATION OF THE, OF THE PER DIEM THAT, THAT, THAT IS FOR.
UM, THAT'S WHAT I, THAT'S WHAT I GOT.
I'M GONNA COME BACK TO YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER FURTHER.
ALRIGHT, MR. POLL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON QUESTION.
SO HOW MANY PRISONERS WERE IN DELANEY HALL? WELL, WE, WHEN WE PULLED BACK IN DECEMBER ABOUT 120, ABOUT 120 MM-HMM.
AND SO HOW MANY COUNSELORS AND CASE MANAGERS WERE IN DELANEY HALL? UM, I I, FOR THAT 120, THEY HAD TWO PROGRAMS GOING.
SO I, TO US IT WAS ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT.
SO EVERYBODY IN THE LANEY HALL WASN'T FROM THE COUNTY.
THEY HAD ONE TIME, THEY HAD UNIQUE COUNTY THERE.
SO, SO DEDICATED TO OUR PROGRAM IS SEVEN OR EIGHT, 400.
AND SO NOW YOU BROUGHT IT IN THE HOUSE AND YOU HAVE HOW MANY COUNSELORS? UH, WE HAVE 11 OLD TOTAL.
AND ALL TOTAL OF THAT INCLUDES CASE MANAGERS? YES.
SO HOW MANY OF 'EM ACTUALLY DO THE, UM, THE WORK TO, UM, FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL FOR TREATMENT? THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S THREE, THERE'S FOUR CASE MANAGERS THERE.
THE ACTUAL COUNSELORS THEMSELVES.
[03:50:02]
SO HOW MANY, HOW MANY PRISONERS ARE YOU GONNA BE GONNA BE TREATED NOW? OUR OUR OUR GOAL IS TO DO BETWEEN 250 AND 300 THIS STAGE.WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS STAGE? WELL, WE WANT TO DO THE ME MINIMUM AND MEDIUMS FIRST BEFORE WE GET INTO THE HIGHER RISK, UH, INMATES.
SO NOW YOU'RE GOING TO SERVICE MORE, UH, FOLKS WHO NEED IT WITH LESS COUNSELORS OR CASE MANAGER.
IF, IF, IF WE MAKE A ASSESSMENT AT THE TIME, WE, WHEN WE INCREASE, WHEN WE GO TO THE, UM, I'LL HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND ASK, HIRE MORE.
AND I'VE BEEN SUPPORTIVE, UH, ENOUGH FOR THAT.
BUT RIGHT NOW TO DO THIS NUMBER, I THINK WHERE I THINK WE'RE FINE.
SO YOU DON'T THINK IT'LL BE OVERBURDENED TO YOUR CASE MANAGERS AND THE COUNSELORS? UM, HAVING A, A, A GREATER WORKLOAD, UM, FROM, FROM TALKING TO THEM, I, I, NO ONE'S, NO ONE'S MENTIONED THAT OR SAID ANYTHING.
UM, WE WENT TO REVIEW WHAT THEY WERE WORKING OVER AT, AT THE LEADING HALL BEFORE, UM, WE PUT OUT THE, UH, UM, THE JOB, UH, FAIR.
UM, SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, I, I HAVEN'T HAD ANYBODY SAY ANYTHING.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
UM, I HAVE A, A LONG LIST OF QUESTIONS.
UM, SO I'LL START WITH WHERE COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON LEFT OFF.
SO YOU TOOK THE 120 THAT WAS IN DELANEY HALL AND YOU MOVED THEM INTO THE PRIMARY JAIL.
UM, AND SO YOU SAID THAT YOU ADDED MORE STAFF PEOPLE.
CAN YOU BREAK OUT, NOT TODAY, IF YOU SAID IT AS A FOLLOW UP, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS BUDGET, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO SEE WHO THE CURRENT PEOPLE WERE AND WHO THE NEW BODIES ARE THAT YOU BROUGHT IN TO SPECIFICALLY DEAL WITH THIS ADDITIONAL INFLUX OF INMATES THAT YOU BROUGHT IN.
UM, NEXT QUESTION RELATED TO THAT, THAT SAME AREA.
HOW MANY MENTAL HEALTH FOLKS WAS HIRED TO, UM, DEAL WITH THIS NEW LIST OF INMATES? HAVE, JUST LISTENING TO YOUR PRESENTATION LAST YEAR, AS LONG AS, AS WELL AS WITH, UM, WITH PHIL, ELIJAH TOLD US A LOT OF THE INMATES HAVE THOSE CO CURRENT MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, AND I KNOW THE BOARD AS A WHOLE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH PIECE BEFORE.
SO HOW MANY, UM, NEW FOLKS HAVE YOU BROUGHT ON? AND NOT JUST C-L-A-C-D PEOPLE, CADC PEOPLE, BUT YOU SPECIFICALLY NEED PEOPLE WITH THAT CO-OCCURRING BACKGROUND TO DEAL WITH THOSE MENTAL HEALTH PEOPLE.
SO IN THAT BREAKOUT, CAN YOU PLEASE LIST OUT HOW MANY MENTAL HEALTH PEOPLE DO YOU HAVE? UM, SO IN ROLAND OVER FROM DELANEY HALL, DID ANYBODY LOSE THEIR JOB? DID WE KEEP ALL OF THOSE BODIES AND ABSORB THEM TO COME OVER? DID WE LET ANYBODY GO? COUNTY EMPLOYEES? UH, NO ONE LOST THE JOB.
SO EVERYBODY GOT MOVED OVER RIGHT NOW? GO, UM, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DID.
WE, WE OFFERED THE, WE OFFERED EVERYONE TO COME TO TWO JOB FAIRS.
UM, SOME CAME, SOME, SOME DID.
SO, THE CHIEF OF STEP, WE HAD NO EMPLOYEES AT DELANEY HALL.
THERE WAS NO COUNTY EMPLOYEES WORKING AT DELANEY HALL.
SO WE'VE HIRED SOME OF THE GEO STAFF TO COME OVER AND SOME OF 'EM WERE ABSORBED IN, I MEAN, GEOS AND, UH, THEY HAVE FACILITIES AROUND THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, A LOT OF 'EM AROUND THE COUNTRY.
A LOT OF 'EM WERE MOVED TO OTHER FACILITIES.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ENDED UP, BUT I WORKED CLOSELY WITH, UH, SUSAN CLEARY, WHO'S THEIR PRESIDENT.
WE OFFERED THEM ANYONE, ANY OF THE, NOT THE COUNSELORS, BUT ANY OF THE CUSTODIAL STAFF, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, POSITIONS AT THE YOUTH HOUSE.
AND I THINK A HANDFUL OF THEM REACHED OUT TO US AND WE OFFERED THEM POSITIONS.
SO WE WORKED WITH SUSAN TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT, IT WAS A DIFFERENT PRIVATE COMPANY.
SO I CAN'T ANSWER WHAT HAPPENED TO EVERYONE.
I KNOW A COUPLE OF US GOT PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE CONCERNED WHEN THEY HEARD ABOUT US TERMINATING THAT CONTRACT THAT THEY WOULD LOSE JOBS.
AND I KNOW I REACHED OUT TO MR. JACKSON WHO SAID, WHAT YOU JUST SAID THAT YOUR INTENT WAS TO BRING AS MANY BODIES AS YOU COULD OVER.
UM, WHAT IS THE STATUS OF YOU GUYS IMPLEMENTING ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE AMBROSE REPORT? I KNOW IN OUR HEARING YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT YOU HAD DONE AND THERE WAS SOME THINGS THAT YOU WERE STILL WAITING FOR.
I KNOW, LIKE SOME OF THE THINGS WHERE YOU HAD IMPLEMENTED SOME CAMERAS AND THERE WERE A COUPLE OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU WERE STILL WORKING ON DIRECTLY.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
RON CHARLES, DIRECTOR OF CORRECTIONS.
SO WE ARE WORKING, UM, WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH AMBROSE GROUP.
I MEET WITH THEM, UH, ONCE A WEEK AT PHONE CONVERSATIONS, UM, ANOTHER DAY OR TWO EACH WEEK.
WE ARE ABOUT 85%, UH, DONE ON THE CRITICAL, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY HAVE.
[03:55:01]
WE'RE ABOUT 70, 80% DONE ON THE SPECIAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT, THAT THEY HAVE HAD.WHAT'S YOUR TIMELINE FOR GETTING TO 100%, IF YOU RECALL, YOU GUYS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AMBROSE.
UM, THEY WERE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
SO FOR ME, THAT MEANS THAT YOU GUYS ARE GONNA TAKE ALL OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENT THEM SO THAT WE'LL HAVE A BETTER FACILITY.
SO WHAT'S YOUR TIMELINE FOR COMPLETING THAT, AND DO YOU HAVE THAT MONEY AND THE BUDGET TO MEET THOSE THINGS? SO, UM, AMBROSE BROKE HIS UP, HIS REPORT TO TWO THINGS.
HE, WHAT WE CALL CRITICAL, UH, FINDINGS, AND HE PUT RECOMMENDATIONS, RECOMME, UH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS, CRITICAL FINDINGS ARE, UH, WHAT I AGREE, UH, WE SHOULD, UH, HANDLE.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE ONLY 100% ON THAT.
THE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, I AGREE WITH ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF 'EM ARE TALKING LIKE MAJOR STRUCTURAL STUFF PUT TO THE PLACE, WHICH ARE NOT GONNA BE DONE.
UM, BUT I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA GET ABOUT 90% FOR THAT.
I'M HOPING TO HAVE EVERYTHING DONE BY BY JUNE 1ST.
AS A FOLLOW UP TO THAT COMMISSIONER, LET ME JUST ADD, UH, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT POINT.
UM, IF YOU ANTICIPATE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS BEING DONE BY JUNE WHILE IN ADVANCE OF THAT, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO, THEN WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE JUST AN UPDATE.
UH, I KNOW WE'LL HAVE A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING AT SOME POINT.
SO THAT WOULD BE PERHAPS SOMETHING YOU COULD, IS THIS IS THE CRITICAL NEEDS ADDRESSED? A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND THEN WE AGREE WITH ABOUT, LET'S SAY 90%.
I I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF YOU AGREE WITH A HUNDRED PERCENT.
FRANKLY, I THINK THERE'S ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENCE, A PROFESSIONAL OPINION IN ANY REPORT.
UM, BUT IF YOU CAN THEN QUANTIFY THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE THEN DONE, SO THAT BY THE TIME YOU HAVE YOUR, UH, YOUR JUNE DEADLINE, IF THAT'S WHAT IT IS, OR HOWEVER WE HAVE OUR COMMITTEE MEETING, WE CAN THEN EVALUATE ON THOSE TERMS AS WELL.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE MECHANISM AND THE MATRIX.
I THINK WE COULD HAVE AB ABSOLUTELY.
WE, WE KEEP OUR MATRIX ON A SPREADSHEET OF, OF, OF TIME MANAGEMENT OF EVERY RECOMMENDATION OR EVERY CRITICAL FINDING THAT, THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO, UM, I, I CAN CERTAINLY AT, AT THAT TIME PROVIDE TO THANK YOU, DIRECTOR.
I, GOING BACK TO COMMISSIONER, UH, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
UM, SO IN THINKING ABOUT, UM, SOME OF THE COMMENTS IN AMBROSE GROUP FROM SOME OF THE OFFICERS, YOU HAVE A REALLY BIG BUDGET.
WHERE IS THE TRAINING LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET FOR AFTER YOUR FOLKS LEAVE THE ACADEMY? THEY COME WITH YOU, RIGHT? THEY'RE ON YOUR STAFF.
WHERE IS THE TRAINING LINE ITEM WITHIN THE BUDGET? BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LOT OF LINE ITEMS. YEAH, SO, UM, THERE'S NO PARTICULAR, UH, TRAINING BUDGET LINE.
UM, WHAT WE DO IS WE CALL, WE CALL IT IN-SERVICE TRAINING.
WE CALL IT MANDATORY IN-SERVICE TRAINING, WHICH WE CALL MISSED FOR SHORT.
UH, AND THAT IS THE QUARTERLY TRAINING THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO EACH YEAR, THE REQUALIFICATION FOR, FOR A FIREARM TYPES OF THINGS.
AND WE, AND WE MANAGE THAT WITHIN, UM, THE OVERTIME AND, UM, THE, THE BUDGET LINE.
SO YOU DON'T SEND THEM OUT ANYWHERE OR BRING ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE OUTSIDE IN.
THAT'S ALL DONE BY IN-HOUSE STAFF.
UM, SOME, ABOUT 95% OF IT IS IN-HOUSE STAFF.
NOW, IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY, THAT WE WANT, REALLY WE'RE GONNA START LOOKING AT DOING, UM, SOME ER TEAM, UM, SPECIAL OPERATIONS GROUP COME IN MAY OR JUNE, NOW THAT THAT'LL BE OUT, THAT'LL BE OUTSIDE.
A GROUP OF US VISITED THE FACILITIES OF, UM, ABOUT OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND WE DID A TOUR AND SOME OF US HAD SOME CONCERNS THAT WE EMAILED TO YOU RELATED TO THE STAFFING RATIO.
WHEN YOU BROUGHT THE INMATES OVER FROM THE DELANEY HALL, DID THAT INCLUDE A NUMBER OF WOMEN AS WELL? UM, THERE WAS, THERE WAS ONLY FOUR, SIX WOMEN THERE AT THE TIME.
SO I KNOW THAT SOME OF OUR CONCERNS REALLY CENTERED AROUND THAT SHOE AREA THAT YOU HAVE AND THE WOMEN, IF YOU RECALL THE WAY THAT, UM, YOU GUYS PRESENTED SOME THINGS TO US IN ORDER FOR THE WOMEN.
THE WOMEN UNFORTUNATELY WEREN'T TREATED LIKE THE MEN, UM, FOR SAFETY REASONS.
THEY NEED TO MOVE AROUND WITH A PERSON, WITH A BODY.
SO HAVE YOU GUYS HAD A CHANCE TO GO BACK TO, TO REVISIT THAT AREA BASED UPON SOME OF THE COMMISSIONER'S CONCERNS? YEAH, SO THE BUILDING, WHEN YOU GUYS CAME INTO WORK, THE BUILDING IS, I DON'T WANNA SAY REARRANGED, BUT IT'S RECLASSIFIED.
SO, UM, IT IS DIFFERENT HOUSING UNITS IN DIFFERENT PLACES NOW, INCLUDING, INCLUDING WILLIAM.
SO I WOULD LIKE AN UPDATE ON HOW YOU GUYS RELAY THAT OUT.
BECAUSE IF YOU RECALL SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED, SOME OF OUR CONCERNS THAT WE HAD, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY, THAT THEY'VE BEEN ADDRESSED.
UM, TO YOU, MR. JACKSON, IF WE CAN.
AND, UH, TO THE DIRECTOR, WHEN WE SENT THOSE RECOMMENDED, WHY DON'T WE JUST SEND THAT JUST FOR THE SAKE OF CLARITY TO THE FULL BOARD SO THAT WE COULD BE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE SINCE WE ARE ON THE COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC SAFETY AS A COMMITTEE AS A WHOLE.
UH, SO NOT EVERYONE WOULD HAVE THAT INFORMATION, NOT JUST TO THE VICE PRESIDENT.
VICE PRESIDENT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PERSONNEL SALARY, THERE'S A ITEM IN HERE WITH
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THE NUMBER FOR WHARTON.AND I THINK I RECALL THAT THE WARDEN LEFT AND YOU GUYS WERE INTERVIEWING.
DID HE GET THAT PERSON FILLED YET? PROBABLY FOR MR. JACKSON OR PHIL? I'M NOT SURE.
SO THE WARDEN ON, UM, HERE, CILLO, UH, BECAME THE, UH, DIRECTOR OF THE POLICE ACADEMY AND BACK IN MID-APRIL.
UM, WE THEN, UH, PUT OUT A BULLETIN AS FAR AS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS.
AND, UH, MY COMMITMENT TO THE BOARD WHEN I, WHEN I WAS, WHEN I WAS APPOINTED, THAT I WAS GONNA SEEK TO, TO FIND, UH, QUALIFIED, DIVERSE CANDIDATES, UM, THE SEVEN OR EIGHT PEOPLE WHO APPLIED FOR THAT, NONE OF THEM HAVE ANY WARDEN EXPERIENCE.
UM, SO I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WAS A GOOD GROUP.
UM, SO, UM, WE, WE ARE LOOKING, WE ARE STILL DO TO, OR THREE OTHER PEOPLE SINCE THEN WHO, WHO AREN'T A GOOD FIT.
AND WE, WE CONTINUE, WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR IT.
NOW, THERE, THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT TO HAVE A WARDEN, UM, HUDSON COUNTY DOESN'T, UNION COUNTY DOESN'T.
UM, BUT FOR FACILITY THIS, THIS LARGE, UM, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND I, UH, WE CERTAINLY CAN USE, UH, THE EXECUTIVE STAFF.
JOE ALLOWED CHIEF IS SAY, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION DO THAT WHEN T WAS DIRECTOR, UH, UH,
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, I, I STILL SAY WE HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF LEADERSHIP.
NOW WE HAVE RON CHARLES AS THE DIRECTOR, AND REGINA MAR AS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
WE ARE CONTINUING TO LOOK FOR AWARDED, BUT WE HAVE TWO ADMINISTRATIVE, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORDS, JUST AS WE HAD WHEN OUR TEAM WAS THE DIRECTOR.
CHIEF COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, LAST QUESTION I THINK IS, UM, WHERE DOES THE YOUTH DETENTION HOUSE FALL UNDER, UM, DOES IT FALL UNDER SHERIFF OR UNDER CORRECTIONS? SO, OFFICER CHIEF, SO ALLOW CHIEF OF STAFF THAT IS A DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICES AND THE STATE SPECIFICALLY DOES NOT WANT CONSIDERED LAW ENFORCEMENT.
REMEMBER, JUVENILE DETENTION OFFICERS ARE NOT CONSIDERED LAW ENFORCEMENT DO NOT CARRY WEAPONS.
THEY'RE NOT POLICE AND FIRE AND THAT'S BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT THAT TO BE SOFTER AND NOT, UH, CONSIDERED LAW, YOU KNOW, LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES.
IT'S MORE, THE INTENT IS FOR IT TO BE MORE REHABILITATIVE FOR THE YOUNG KIDS.
SO IT'S UNDER BY AROUND THE STATE, NOT CONSIDERED LAW ENFORCEMENT.
CHAIR, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT.
DID YOU PUT TOGETHER, DO, DOES THE FACILITY HAVE A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET? WHAT WE DO, UM, WE ARE, UH, FINALIZING IT FOR, FOR 2024.
UM, WHAT WE DID HAVE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, SIGNIFICANT EACH YEAR WE HAVE A CAPITAL BUDGET PLAN.
UM, WHAT WE DID IN 2020, UH, FOUR WAS, OR 2023, SORRY, UH, WAS WE DID THE, UH, 10 MILLION HOUR UPGRADE ON THE ROOF ROOFING.
WE DID THE, THE WIFI, UH, WHICH IS ABOUT ANOTHER HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, UM, IN THE MEDICAL AREA.
AND WE DID THE UPGRADED TO THE INTAKE FENCING YARD UPGRADE, WHICH IS ANOTHER FI ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO WE SPENT ABOUT $11 MILLION LAST YEAR.
UM, THIS YEAR WE'RE LOOKING TO GUARD ONE SYSTEM, WHICH IS THE AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR THE SHOE, UM, FACILITY UPGRADE CAMERAS MORE, UH, COMING OUT OF THE, AT THE AMBROSE REPORT AND WE'RE GONNA UPGRADE THE PPD SYSTEM.
WHICH, WHEN, WHEN YOU GUYS WERE THERE, UH, TOURING, UM, SOME OF THE OFFICE NOT AS AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE, UM, FOR HELP THAT OFFICER WEARS OR ACTUALLY ANY STAFF MEMBER WEARS ON HIS OR HER BELT.
IF, IF THEY WERE TO BE KNOCKED HORIZONTAL, THERE IS, OR IF THEY PRESS THE BUTTON, IT, IT REACTS IN AND MATCH THE CONTROL, IT PINPOINTS EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE.
AND THEN EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM IS SENT TO THEM.
WE ARE, THE SYSTEM IS THE ORIGINAL SYSTEM FROM WHEN WE OPENED UP THE JAIL.
UM, WE ARE NOW GONNA UPGRADE CERTAINLY, UH, A MORE BETTER SYSTEM IS THAT, THAT COMMUNICATION THAT WE WERE IN.
SO YOU SAID YOU'RE PLANNING FOR THAT FOR THIS YEAR? CORRECT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, VICE PRESIDENT? I'M FINE.
UH, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS BEFORE I COME BACK TO MR. MCKINNA? OKAY, MR. MCNA, YOU GOT IT BACK ON THE HOT SEAT BECAUSE THE MONEY GUY WANTS TO ASK.
NO, I JUST, JUST TO, I I WAS, UH, YOU TOUCHED UPON THE POINT ABOUT, UM, THE COMPUTATION FOR THE PER DIEM AND UM, I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE THAT IN THAT COMPUTATION WE WERE PAYING INTO A, ACTUALLY PAYING INTO A CONTRACT RESERVE FOR THOSE ACTING.
SO, UM, I'D BE CURIOUS TO KNOW IF THERE WAS SOME SORT OF ACCOUNTING FOR THAT WHEN THAT COMPUTATION WAS TAKING PLACE.
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PERCENTAGE INCREASES THAT THE CORRECTION OFFICERS WERE GOING TO GET EVENTUALLY.UM, THAT WAS ALLOWED TO BE IMPUTED INTO THE CALCULATION FOR THE, FOR, FOR THE PER DAY.
SO, SO, UH, WHEN WE START THAT, IF, I WILL CERTAINLY ASK THAT AND LOOK INTO THAT AND, AND REPORT BACK.
BUT THAT WOULD BE FOR PRIOR CALCULATIONS, RIGHT? WHERE, WHERE YOU WERE JUST BASING IT ON THE SALARIES BEING PAID WITHOUT ANY INCREASES.
SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE SAID, WE GOTTA PUT SOMETHING IN THERE 'CAUSE EVENTUALLY WE'RE GONNA BACK.
I'D BE CURIOUS NOT TO THAT AS WELL AS, OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, I JUST WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU DIRECTOR AND YOUR STAFF.
YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH MAINTAINING THE, THE PLACE, KEEPING IT ALL TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, IN SPITE OF SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU HAVE WITH THE, WITH THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU SERVE.
AS YOU AND YOUR STAFF HAVE DONE A REALLY, REALLY GOOD JOB.
AND I LOOK FORWARD ESPECIALLY TO HEARING ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH COMPONENT.
I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT YOU GUYS TOOK OVER DELANEY HALL.
UM, I OFTEN GOT MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE DELANEY HALL THAN, THAN YOUR ACTUAL LOCATION.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR THAT YOU GUYS TOOK IT OVER AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT DR. VEGA IS GOING TO BE DOING FROM PROGRAMMING.
I APPRECIATE THE KIND WORDS AND IT'S A TEAM EFFORT.
UH, YOU KNOW, SO THE LADIES AND BEHIND ME ARE JUST PART OF THE TEAM.
BEFORE WE BREAK, LET ME JUST GIVE YOU SO WE CAN CLOSE, UM, RECORD PROJECT'S NOW, 8 0 5 AND WE'VE CONCLUDED THE HEARINGS FOR THIS EVENING.
I MIGHT ADD 55 MINUTES EARLIER.
THANK YOU TO OUR ADMINISTRATIVE COLLEAGUES FOR SPEEDING THE PROCESS UP A LITTLE BIT FOR TOMORROW.
WE WILL BE, UH, RESUMING AGAIN, BEGINNING AT FOUR, UH, WITH THE, AND THIS ORDER, THE PROSECUTOR DEPARTMENT OF, UH, PARTS OF RECREATION, PUBLIC WORKS, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION, THE HOSPITAL, DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICE, CITIZEN SERVICE, CITIZEN SERVICES, SORRY, COUNTY COUNCIL, ADMIN AND FINANCE, CENTRAL EXPENSES AND INSURANCES, DEBT SERVICE, UNCLASSIFIED, DEFERRED CHARGES, REVENUE AND COMMISSIONER AND ADMINISTRATION.
SO WE'LL COME BACK AGAIN TOMORROW AT FOUR.
I WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING WELL PREPARED TODAY.
I WANT TO THANK OUR STAFF FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER AND MY COMMISSIONER COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU EVERYONE MEETING ADJOURN.