[00:00:02]
MIKE BEFORE OTHER ONES.HOW WE DOING, BUD? GOOD TO YOU.
WELCOME TO PART 2 20 24 AS COUNTY, UH, BUDGET HEARINGS ARBITRARILY.
AND I JUST WANT TO DECLARE FIRST OF ALL THAT, UH, I HAVE BEFORE CERTIFICATION FROM THE CLERK THAT THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.
I HAVE, UH, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COMMISSIONER GRAHAM AB ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER LUCIANA AB ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS AB ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON AB ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER SIEBEL AB ABSENT, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT, UH, COOPER AB ABSENT, COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT ARI HERE.
HOW ARE YOU? GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT.
I'M, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING YOUR TEAM YESTERDAY.
SINCE WE DID RUN A LITTLE BIT EARLY, WE HAD, UH, YOUR TEAM READY TO GO.
SO WE HOPE WE HOPE TO HAVE A PERFORMANCE TONIGHT.
COLLECTIVELY, WHY DON'T YOU INTRODUCE FOR US, WE HAVE, I BELIEVE THE PROSECUTOR'S HERE FIRST, SO PLEASE INTRODUCE WHO WE HAVE HERE AND, UH, WELL, LET'S GET STARTED.
UM, AS YOU MENTIONED, OUR PROSECUTOR IS HERE, MR. STEVENS, HE'S GONNA PRESENT HIS BUDGET FOR 2024.
MR. PROSECUTOR, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
PLEASE FOR THE RECORD, INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND AFFILIATION AND WHO YOU HAVE WITH YOU TODAY.
PRESIDENT, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU IN THAT SEAT.
I ALSO WANT, UH, START BY JUST THANKING EVERYONE ON THE COMMISSIONER, UM, FOR THE COMMISSIONERS, I SHOULD SAY, FOR EVERYTHING THEY'VE DONE TO HELP YOU AS COUNTY PROSECUTORS.
MORE AUGUST, EXCUSE ME, OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, ESPECIALLY, AND I ALSO WANNA THANK THE ADMINISTRATION.
UM, COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR JACKSON HAS BEEN SO EASY TO WORK WITH, AND HE'S ALSO AVAILABLE TO US IN TERMS OF MEETING THE CONCERNS THAT WE DO HAVE, UH, SO WE CAN STAY FOCUSED ON OUR, ON OUR CORE WORK.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE WORKERS RELATED HAVE.
SO SINCE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO PASS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, FIVE YEARS TIME FLIES AND YOU'RE HAVING FUN WITH YOU.
AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE GONNA BE FOLLOWING, UH, WE ARE TAB NINE ON THE BIG BOOK SO THAT WE COULD FOLLOW THE PROSECUTOR.
I'M SURE HE IS GONNA MAKE, UH, AN OVERVIEW FIRST AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO INTO THE SPECIFICS.
OKAY, MR. PROSECUTOR, THANK YOU.
WITH ME TODAY IS, AM I RIGHT? FIRST ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR, VANESSA DALE.
ALSO BEHIND ME IS, UH, WENDY LYNN WILLIAMS, WHO IS OUR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR, AND ALSO OUR FINANCE, UH, PERSON, ETHAN MATHIS.
STRANGER HAS COME FROM THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE BEFORE COMING TO US IN 2023.
THE ESSEX COUNTY PROCESSES ALSO AS A VERY, VERY BUSY AND VERY INTERESTING YEAR, UM, IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH AS A UNIT, UM, WORKING ON THIS VERY, VERY HIGH LEVEL.
AND THE RESULTS I THINK ARE SHOWN AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COUNTY.
UM, WE HAD A VERY GOOD DISTINCTION OF BEING A, A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE THE ONE NUMBER THAT THE ESSENCE COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IS JUDGE JOHN, PERHAPS AT MOST OTHER PROSECUTOR'S OFFICES ARE NOT JUDGE JOHN IS A HOMICIDE NUMBER, AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW.
AND I'VE SAID IN THE PAST, WE HAVE THE DUBIOUS DISTINCTION OF BEING ONE OF 21 PROSECUTORS' OFFICES.
YET WE DEAL WITH BETWEEN 25 AND 30% OF THE VIOLENT CRIME
[00:05:01]
IN THE ENTIRE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.UM, PROSECUTION AND OUR HOMICIDE NUMBERS, UH, REFLECT THAT.
UH, IN 2022, WE ENDED THE YEAR WITH, UM, APPROXIMATELY 90 HOMICIDES, UM, FAR OUT DISTANCING ANYBODY ELSE IN THE COUNTY, BUT I'M EXTREMELY HAPPY TO REPORT THAT AT THE END OF 2023, WE FINISHED THE YEAR WITH 62 HOMICIDES.
SO WE'VE HAD A MARKET DECREASE IN THE, THE, THE MOST SERIOUS CRIMES THAT WE DEAL WITH.
BUT OUR, THE NUMBERS THAT WE EXPERIENCE REALLY OVERSHADOW, I THINK ANYONE ELSE.
SO WE'RE EXTREMELY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
A LOT OF THAT IS THE GOOD WORK AT THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
BUT IN TERMS OF DEALING WITH OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR COLLABORATORS, SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE, I THINK ONE OF THE KEY HALLMARKS OF THE OFFICES.
BUT WE HAVE REALLY DONE, UH, UH, UTMOST TO INCREASE AND PROMOTE COLLABORATIONS WITH OUR FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL PARTNERS.
I THINK THAT SOME OF THAT WORK STARTS TO COME TO FRUITION, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS IN EAST ORANGE, NEWARK, AND OUR CORE FOUR CITIES.
ALSO BEING ORANGE AND IN IRVINGTON.
UH, THE HOMICIDE NUMBERS WERE DOWN IN ALL THOSE CITIES, AND EAST ORANGE PARTICULARLY WENT FROM 11 IN 2022 TO THREE FOR LAST YEAR.
SO THERE'S BEEN A, A, A MARKET DECREASE, AND THAT WAS SHOWN ACROSS THE BOARD.
NOW, WHAT THAT DOES FOR OUR OFFICE IS IT ALLOWS US RESOURCES, WHICH WE HAVE AND TO BE IN FOLLOWING THROUGH ON THE CASES WE DO HAVE SINCE IN OTHER AREA, OTHER UNITS HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED A DECREASE.
SVU, FOR INSTANCE, WAY UP, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WAY UP.
BUT WE'RE ABLE TO SOURCES, IF YOU WILL, AND BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COVER THOSE BASES AS WELL.
IN TERMS OF CLOSING OUT CASES, WE ALSO SHOWED A, A GREAT, UM, SUCCESS IN THAT NATIONWIDE CLOSING OUT HOMICIDE CASES IS ABOUT 63%, 64% NATIONWIDE.
SO WE WERE EXTREMELY HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO BRING JUSTICE TO A LOT OF FAMILIES WHO HAPPEN TO SUFFER THROUGH THAT SORT OF, UM, VERY, VERY SERIOUS SITUATION.
IN ADDITION, OUR TRIAL SECTION, WHICH IS INCREASINGLY, UH, MANNED AND WOMAN, IF YOU WILL, BY YOUNGER AND YOUNGER APS ARE SHOWING GREAT SUCCESS IN WINNING TRIALS AT, AT A REALLY SIGNIFICANT LEVEL AS WELL.
AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT SINCE, AS WE ALL KNOW, THE SITUATION INVOLVING JUDGES STATEWIDE HAS BEEN A CONCERN.
ESSEX DEALT WITH THAT EARLY ON BECAUSE WE, THE PARITY OF JUDGES, WHICH WE DID HAVE, AND SO ESSEX IS REALLY UP TO ALMOST A FULL COMPLIMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY, MANY YEARS OF JUDGES.
HOW THAT AFFECTS US IS THAT MEANS THERE ARE MORE CASES THAT ARE GONNA BE READY FOR TRIAL.
SO OUR PEOPLE HAVE TO BE READY TO GO.
SO WE ARE MEETING THAT DEMAND, UM, WITH A YOUNGER STAFF, UH, AND ALSO GETTING, HAVING SUCCESS ALONG THE WAY.
SO THE LEVEL OF JUSTICE, IF YOU CAN SAY, OR THE, THE, THE QUALITY OF IT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY GOOD FOR THE OFFICE IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.
UH, EVERY YEAR I'VE COME TO YOU, I'VE INDICATED THAT, UM, WE HAVE DIFFICULTY BRINGING IN SOME STAFF, ESPECIALLY, UH, ASSISTANT PROSECUTORS BECAUSE IT'S PUBLIC SERVICE WORK.
SO WE ARE NOT ABLE TO COMPETE WITH, UM, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, CERTAINLY IN TERMS OF WHERE THE SALARIES WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER, BUT WE ARE ABLE TO COMPETE.
WE'RE A LITTLE CLOSER IN TERMS OF SOME OF OUR PUBLIC PARTNERS.
GLAUER COUNTY IS A, UH, KIND OF, UM, A, UM, BIRD KIND OF, OF ITS OWN MAKING DOWN THERE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY CONTINUE TO LEAD THE, THE STATE AND ANY AP THAT I LOSE TO GLOUCESTER COUNTY WHO CAN DO A THIRD OR QUARTER TO WORK AND GET, YOU KNOW, A LOT MORE MONEY.
BUT IN TERMS OF LOSING SOME OF THE OTHER OFFICES, UNLESS IT'S A GEOGRAPHY GEOGRAPHICALLY ORIENTED, THAT THAT'S ANOTHER SITUATION.
BUT, BUT WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AND, AND REALLY KIND OF THE TIDE OF PEOPLE LEAVING TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S JUST A NATURAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE ESTES COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE FOR THE RIGHT REASON TO GET TRIAL EXPERIENCE, TO GET THE KIND OF THING THERE AND THEN TO KIND OF FURTHER THEIR CAREER.
SO THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN, IN ANY OFFICE.
UM, BUT WE, WE DO OUR BEST AND HAVE BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL IN KEEPING OUR FOLKS ENGAGED.
A LOT OF THAT CREDIT GO TO, UM, INDIVIDUALS WITH ME, UH, OUR FIRST ASSISTANT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY, UH, VALUABLE IN TERMS OF HAVING A OPEN DOOR POLICY AND MAKING SURE THAT THE YOUNG APS ARE AS TRAINED AS THEY NEED TO BE IN FIELD, THAT THEY'RE VALUED.
AND, UM, ALSO, UH, THESE KIND OF ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR GWEN WILLIAMS, WHO COVERS A MYRIAD OF THINGS, INCLUDING OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF.
[00:10:01]
THING OF NOTE I REALLY WANT TO BRING TO THE, THE, THE COMMISSION'S ATTENTION IS THAT, UM, WE HAVE HAD, AND PROSECUTING IN GENERAL OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, HAS DEALT WITH ALTERNATIVES TO PROSECUTION.WE DEAL THAT ALL THE TIME, UM, EVEN IN ALL LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM, DEFUND THE POLICE, WHICH IS OF COURSE TO ME, THE MOST POORLY WORDED INITIATIVE THAT HAD A A, A REAL GOOD GENESIS IS ABOUT TRYING TO NOT HAVE POLICE DO NON-POLICE FUNCTIONS, RIGHT? SO WE, WE GONNA HAVE AS FEW INTERACTIONS AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE DON'T POLICE PUT POLICE IN A BAD SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE NOT REALLY EQUIPPED TO HANDLE.
SIMILARLY, PROSECUTOR'S OFFICES HAVE BEEN DEALT DEALING WITH THE TREND TO NOT PROSECUTE INDIVIDUALS WHO SHOULD NOT BE PROSECUTED.
YOU ALL KNOW OUR MOTTO, SEEKING JUSTICE, SERVING JUSTICE, DOING JUSTICE.
SO IN THAT WAY, THE PROSECUTOR IS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE COURTROOM OUT OF THE ATTORNEYS WHOSE DUTY BOUND TO BRING TO THE COURT'S ATTENTION EVIDENCE THAT TENDS TO DISPROVE A PERSON'S GUILT AS OPPOSED TO BRINGING A PER EVERY PERSON TO HAVE TO GO TO TRIAL.
AND WE DO THAT, UH, CERTAINLY AS WE, AS ALL PROSECUTOR'S OFFICERS DO.
WE THOUGH HAVE A GREAT DISTINCTION OF HAVING ONE OF THE LEADING PROGRAMS TO HELP KEEP MENTALLY ILL INDIVIDUALS OUT OF THE COURT SYSTEM.
OUR MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION PROGRAM, WHICH MS. WILLIAMS HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR THE LAST 16 YEARS, HAS BEEN A MODEL IN THE STATE, AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY PROUD OF IT FOR A LONG TIME WITH SENATOR RUIZ'S HEALTH, THOUGH IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT IN A VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT WAY IN TERMS OF THIS YEAR, THE STATE, THE, THE GOVERNOR SIGNED LEGISLATION TO, TO EMBARK ON A STATEWIDE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION PROGRAM.
AND I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT THAT PROGRAM IS REALLY KIND OF BASED ON WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, ESSEX COUNTY FOR THE LAST 16 YEARS.
IN FACT, UH, MS. WILLIAMS AND I HAD THE DISTINCTION OF BEING ABLE TO GO AND TESTIFY ON BEHALF OF THE BILL DOWN IN FRONT OF THE STATE, UH, AT THE SENATE.
UM, AND I HOPE TO GET DOWN THERE AGAIN SOON, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE.
SO, UH, BUT THAT WAS A, UM, EXTREMELY, UH, POSITIVE EXPERIENCE AND ONE WHICH I THINK HELPED, UH, LEAD TO THE PASSING OF THAT LEGISLATION.
SO, SO I, I GIVE OUR OFFICE REALLY GOOD MARKS, UM, AS OBJECTIVELY AS I CAN.
AS I INDICATED, WE'RE DOING OUR CORE FUNCTIONS IN TERMS OF, UM, THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO PROSECUTING CRIME.
AND ALSO WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO ALSO TO BE CONTEMPORARY PROSECUTORS, IF YOU WILL, BY EMBRACING THE KIND OF PROGRAMS THAT KEEP PEOPLE OUT OF THE PROSECUTORIAL SYSTEM.
AND, AND WE'RE DOING SO WITH SOME SUCCESS NOW.
UM, WE'VE BEEN OPERATING WITHIN OUR BUDGET AS WE HAVE HISTORICALLY.
IN FACT, UM, WE END UP EVERY, UM, YEAR KIND OF, UH, HAVING A SURPLUS.
AND, AND THIS YEAR REALLY IS, IS NO DIFFERENCE.
UM, OUT OF THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR THIS YEAR, I THINK OUR $40 MILLION, UM, REQUEST, WHICH WE HAVE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, WE CAN WORK WITHIN THEM.
UM, EVEN THOUGH WE'RE DEALING WITH SITUATIONS WHICH ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAT WE HAVEN'T, UH, DEALT WITH BEFORE.
THERE'S A, A BIG BILL OF A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND.
WE'RE LOOKING AT DEALING WITH THAT DEALS WITH SHELVING, UH, HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE, UM, THE MOVE FROM, FROM, UH, UM, ONE RECORD STORAGE FACILITY TO ANOTHER RECORD STORAGE FACILITY.
UH, IT'S BROUGHT SOME ISSUES TO THE FOREFRONT IN TERMS OF PERHAPS BRINGING IN SOME PERSONNEL THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED, UM, THAT ARE MORE MAIL ORIENTED, STRONGER TO BE ABLE TO MOVE SOME FILES AROUND AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT AT THE SAME TOKEN, UH, THAT WE NEED TO BE MORE OF A PAPERLESS SOCIETY AS WELL.
AND SO WE ARE PLANNING ON EMBARKING ON A VERY ROBUST SCANNING PROCESS TO BE ABLE TO START FROM THE MOST RECENT CASES, MOVING BACK SINCE THEY GO BACK SO FAR, BUT IN ORDER TO STEM THE TIDE AND, AND KIND OF REDUCE OUR PAPER FOOTPRINT, UH, GOING FORWARD.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT? UM, OUR BUDGET PRETTY MUCH SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
THERE ARE REALLY NO SECRETS HERE.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HOLD SOME POSITIONS CALLED AGENTS, UH, WHICH I'VE TALKED TO, UM, THE ADMINISTRATION.
I TALKED TO PHIL ELIJAH ABOUT BEING ABLE TO GIVE SOME INCREASES TO SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO, UM, ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
ANDREW LIEBOWITZ, WHO IS A SCIENTIST, WHICH WE, UH, WERE ABLE TO BRING OVER FROM NYPD, WHO, UM, WORKS TO HELP PROCESS EVIDENCE, UH, IN OUR OWN IN A LAB, WHICH WE WORK ACTUALLY OUT OF THE UNION COUNTY LAB, WHO, UM, WORKS PROCESS INDISPENSABLE IN TERMS OF BEING, BEING ABLE TO HANDLE AS MUCH OF E EVIDENCE PROCESSING IN HOUSE AS OPPOSED TO SENDING IT TO THE STATE POLICE.
SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE CONTROL OVER THAT, OBVIOUSLY.
[00:15:01]
THAT, UNION HAS THEIR OWN, JUST FOR ON THE RECORD, JUST SAY YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION WHEN YOU TALK.I'M DALE, FIRST ASSISTANT UNION COUNTY, AND SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTIES HAVE THEIR OWN DNA LAB.
NOTWITHSTANDING THE AMOUNT OF CASES WE HAVE, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE, UH, OUR OWN DNA LAB, BUT MR. LIEBOWITZ IS ESSENTIALLY OUR ONE PERSON DNA LAB THAT WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF THE UNION COUNTY LAB.
AND IT, IT WAS LIKE A COMPROMISE THAT WE MADE, BUT HE'S REALLY MADE THE DIFFERENCE IN, IN, IN BEING ABLE TO SOLVE SOME OF THESE CASES.
YOU KNOW, YOU SEND THINGS DOWN TO TRENTON AND TRENTON ABLE TO SOLVE, BE SIX, SEVEN MONTHS BEFORE RESULT.
HE CAN DO THE TURNAROUND WEEKS AND, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, YOU KNOW, WELL, WE'RE ASKED FOR SOME MORE MONEY ON HIM.
HE'S ESSENTIALLY THE, THE ESSEX COUNTY DNA LAB BY HIMSELF.
AND HE, AND HE WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH THEM, AND, AND WE, IT'S A, IT'S A WIN-WIN SITUATION IN TERMS OF IF HE HAS SOME DOWNTIME, WHICH IS, UH, RARE, BUT HE IS AVAILABLE TO HELP UNION OUT ON SOME OF THE CASES.
SO, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A GREAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE WORK WITH THEM.
UM, ONE GENTLEMAN I WANTED TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION, ANOTHER GENTLEMAN IS RUDY SNELLING.
HE IS AN AGENT WHO WE BROUGHT IN FROM HUDSON COUNTY, AND HE'S BECOME KNOWN STATEWIDE AS BEING A SUPERIOR TRAINER.
HE'S OVER AS WE SPEAK NOW, UM, FINISHING UP OUR, OUR, UH, CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM, CT, I'M SORRY, TRAINING, TRAINING, CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING PROGRAM, CIT, WHICH, UH, IS THE FOURTH TIME WE'VE RUN IT.
IT ALSO DEALS WITH THE CONTEMPORARY LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHERE WE'RE TRAINING THE POLICE TO RECOGNIZE SITUATIONS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MENTALLY CHALLENGED AND TO HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM UPFRONT SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE STREET WHERE THEY'VE BEEN TRAINED THROUGH A, A VERY ORGANIZED CLASS PROCESS.
AND HE RUNS THAT, AND NOT ONLY FOR US, BUT HE ALSO CONTRIBUTES ON A STATEWIDE BASIS IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION.
AND HE'D BE A MAJOR LOSS IF WE WERE TO LOSE HIM AND, AND INDIVIDUALS LIKE HIM.
SO THERE, ALL OF THAT THOUGH, WE'RE ABLE TO DO.
AND IN, IN ADDITION TO A COUPLE OTHER INDIVIDUALS, NANCY COX BEING A PERSON WHO RUNS OUR SANE NURSING PROGRAM, UH, DEALING WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS, UM, THEY'RE EXTREMELY SPECIALIZED INDIVIDUALS, SO WE, WE CAN'T LOSE THEM AND CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE DO.
UM, BUT WE'RE ABLE TO, THE, THE INCREASES WHICH ARE MODEST, WHICH WE ARE OFFERING, UH, TO GIVE THEM, I THINK WOULD BE ENOUGH TO KEEP THEM IN THE FOLD FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, WHICH, UM, WILL BODE WELL FOR THE OFFICE AND CAN CONTINUE US TO MOVE IN THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING.
SO, UM, SO IN SHORT, I THINK WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE DO, AND WE DO THIS ALSO IN A WAY OF HAVING COOPERATED WITH THE COUNTY.
UM, WE ASKED FOR SOME, SOME, UH, TO GIVE BACKS, UH, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, ABOUT 10%.
AND WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE CAN'T FORESEE NEEDING THOSE PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE.
BUT AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED TO YOU, THE, THE CONTINUUM THAT WE DEAL WITH IN TERMS OF KEEPING ASSISTANT PROSECUTORS, IT'S RARE FOR US TO REACH THE NUMBER THAT WE THINK WE NEED.
I MEAN, IN A PERFECT WORLD, WE HAVE NUMBERS THAT WE'D, WE'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, TO MEET.
BUT BECAUSE, UH, OF THE SITUATION THAT WE DEAL WITH AND HAVE ALWAYS DEALT WITH, IT'S DIFFICULT AND WE'VE NEVER REACHED THAT FULL NUMBER.
SO WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OPERATE NONETHELESS IN TERMS OF WHO WE HAVE AT THIS POINT.
IN FACT, WE STILL HAVE OPENINGS NOW THAT, UM, WE STILL NEED TO MEET.
SO, UM, SO, AND WE'RE ENDEAVORING TO DO THAT ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO, SO FAR, UM, YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T BEEN, I HAVEN'T MESSED IT UP TOO MUCH IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE.
AND, UH, WE'VE, WE'VE, UH, BEEN ABLE TO KIND OF MOVE ALONG AND KEEP THINGS GOING.
LET ME, UH, BEFORE WE MOVE ON, LEMME RECOGNIZE THAT SINCE YOUR BEGINNING OF YOUR PRESENTATION, COMMISSIONERS GRAHAM, MARY THOMAS, LUCIANO RICHARDSON, AND COOPER JOINED US, UH, MR. MC, ANY QUESTIONS, UM, YOU RAISED, UM, BECAUSE TYPICALLY YOU DO HAVE LOT SLIPPAGE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, BUT IS THAT JUST A FUNCTION THAT YOU'RE BUDGETING, YOU KNOW, POSITIONS THAT YOU, UM, HAVE BUDGETED FOR, HAVE VERY LITTLE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY BE FILLED, AND THEREFORE THE DISPARITY BETWEEN THE TWO AREN FILLED? SO IT'S A QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU KEEP THE MONEY AND GIVE IT BACK AT THE END OF THE YEAR SINCE YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO FILL THOSE.
OR YOU WOULD HAVE A REDUCTION, LET'S SAY, COMING IN TO THE, UH, TO, TO THE BUDGET YEAR, UH, AT, AT, AT A LOWER AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE TYPICAL OF WHAT YOU, YOU, YOU, YOU SPEND EVERY YEAR.
SO I GUESS, I GUESS THE QUESTION
[00:20:01]
IS, YOU'RE STILL, THOSE POSITIONS, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE TOUGH TO FILL IN AND YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FILL 'EM, UM, ARE STILL AN OPPORTUNITY TO FILL 'EM, YOU STILL NEED THAT OPPORTUNITY TO FILL THOSE VACANCIES, RIGHT? 'CAUSE I MEAN, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE DO, WE DO MORE OR LESS SOMETIME LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, RIGHT? SO WE'RE CONTINUING IN A AND WE GET REQUESTS EVERY DAY.I NEED MORE SUPPORT STAFF OVER THERE.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THE FINDING THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT TO BRING IN, THEN THERE'S THE PROCESS.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE JUST CAN'T COME AND NOT SIGN UP TOMORROW TO WORK WITH THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, WE GO THROUGH BACKGROUND CHECK, WHICH IS EXTREMELY TIME CONSUMING IN ORDER JUSTICE TO GET PEOPLE THROUGH TO BE ABLE TO WORK.
I MEAN, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR IN THAT, THE NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS THAT I HAVE TO DEAL WITH, I ONLY DEAL, AND I DON'T DEAL WITH FIRST INTERVIEWS.
I ONLY DEAL WITH SECOND OR THIRD INTERVIEWS.
BUT WE'RE DEALING WITH 400 PEOPLE IN EVERY, UH, THE CLOSEST OFFICE TO OURS IS PROBABLY ABOUT 220 OR 230 PEOPLE.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BIG PART OF THE JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BRINGING THE RIGHT KIND OF PERSON IN.
NONETHELESS, WE DO NEED THE PEOPLE.
AND, AND IF THERE IS SURPLUS AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE KIND OF ARE ABLE TO WORK AROUND PERSONNEL DEFICIENCIES BY BRINGING IN TECHNOLOGY AS WELL.
UM, THE CHIEF OF DETECTIVES COULDN'T JOIN US TODAY.
MITCH MCGUIRE HAPPENS TO BE AN ADDITION TO BEING AN EXCELLENT, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONAL IS A TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONAL.
AND SO THAT WE ALSO, I THINK PROBABLY LEAD JUST ABOUT ANY OTHER OFFICE IN TERMS OF OUR TECHNOLOGICAL ABILITY, UH, THE TYPE OF PRODUCTS THAT WE BRING IN.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO SOFTWARE AND SOME PRODUCTS, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU'RE TALKING BIG MONEY ALONG THE WAY, BUT WE NEED THOSE ITEMS. WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE TRYING TO BREAK INTO PHONES OR WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE TRYING TO GET BODY WORN CAMERA FOOTAGE IN FROM THE CITY OF NEWARK, PARTICULARLY MOVING AND KIND OF WORKING WITH ON THAT PROJECT BECAUSE THEY HAD SOME TECHNOLOGY WHICH WAS INADEQUATE.
UM, AND, AND I THINK THAT THEY'VE TURNED A CORNER NOW, BUT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF, UH, TO ACCEPT THAT.
AND THE COUNTY NEW DATA CENTER IS GONNA BE A BIG HELP IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE READY FOR THAT.
BUT THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE USING SO THAT WE, YOU KNOW, DO A TRANSFER, UH, ALL THE TIME IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO MEET SOME OF THE CONCERNS OF THE OFFICE.
UH, AND THAT HAS BEEN HELPFUL THAT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE, UH, UPPER BUDGET IN OUR SALARY HAS BEEN A, A, A BENEFIT, IF YOU WILL, GOING FORWARD.
IF I COULD JUST ALSO ADD, PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME,
WE'RE A FEEDER OFFICE AS WELL.
SO ALL THE OTHER COUNTY PRO IN TERMS OF STAFF.
ALL THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST ASSISTANT, THE DIRECTOR OF HOMICIDE IN, IN PA SAY COUNTY, THE DIRECTOR OF THEIR TRIAL.
THEY'RE ALL FORMER ASSISTANT PROSECUTORS.
ALL THE PEOPLE THAT RUN THE TRIAL TEAM IN, IN, IN HUDSON.
THOSE SUPERVISORS ARE FROM OUR TRIAL TEAM.
THE UNIONS, THE SENIOR PEOPLE IN UNION, AND MIDDLESEX, A LOT OF THEM ARE ALL COMING FROM OUR OFFSET.
IT ALSO IS CIVIL AS WELL, SO IT JUST MAKES IT, THAT'S WHY WHEN THE PROSECUTOR SAID, WE GOT A PRETTY YOUNG STAFF.
THE STAFF ARE GETTING YOUNGER AND YOUNGER EVERY YEAR JUST BECAUSE THEY CAN GO AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, RUN THESE OTHER SMALLER PROSECUTOR'S OFFICES WITH, WITH THE SKILLS THAT THEY ACQUIRE WITH US.
ONE THING I MEANT TO MENTION, I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE YEAR WE'VE HAD, IN ADDITION TO THE NUMBER OF CASES AND CLOSEOUT RATES THAT WE'VE HANDLED SOME VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT CASES.
UH, ONE REALLY BETWEEN THE ARREST CASE THAT CALLED, UH, THE GENTLEMAN NAMED JAMES RAY, WHO WAS, UH, AN ATTORNEY IN MONTCLAIR WHO KILLED HIS GIRLFRIEND, AND THEN, UH, LED TO CUBA.
UM, AND THIS WAS IN MY THIRD WEEK OF BEING PROSECUTED.
AND SO, UM, WE, I WOUND UP TALKING WITH MY, MY NOW GOOD FRIEND GREG
AND SO WE WORKED WITH THE FEDS AND ABLE TO DO SOME GUESS SOMETHING I'D NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE.
IT WAS CALLED A RED NOTICE, WHICH IS AN INTERNATIONAL WARRANT.
SO BASICALLY WE HAD TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER COUNTRY THAT HAD A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH CUBA THAN THE UNITED STATES HAD.
BUT LONG STORY SHORT, THAT THIS GUY WHO KILLED HIS, HIS GIRL, HIS GIRLFRIEND, WORKED ALL DAY TO ACCUMULATE FUNDS, TRANSFERRED HIS DAUGHTER TO HIS BROTHER, THEN FLED TO, TO PENNSYLVANIA, LEFT HIS CAR HIKE DOWN TO, TO TEXAS, ACROSS THE BORDER OF MEXICO, GOT ON A PLANE AND GOT TO CUBA.
AND WE BASICALLY GOT HIM BACK JUST BEFORE HE ACTUALLY ENTERED CUBA ROCK.
[00:25:01]
CASE, BRINGING HIM BACK HERE, CASE WAS SO NOTORIOUS THAT 2020, THE TELEVISION SHOW DID A SPECIAL ON THAT AS, AS, AS WELL.SO, I MEAN, SO WE HAVE HAD THESE EXTREMELY NOTEWORTHY CASES THAT, THAT COME UP ALONG THE WAY AND, AND DO THAT.
SO THAT TENDS TO ALSO HELP MAKE THE OFFICE VERY ATTRACTIVE IN TERMS OF COMING IN.
I BRING ALL THAT TO SAY SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO PEOPLE.
WE GO TO A CONFERENCE EVERY YEAR DOWN IN, UM, ATLANTIC CITY PROSECUTOR COLLEGE.
AND SO MICHELLE MILLER, THE AP WHO HANDLED THAT COPY AWARD THIS YEAR FOR THE MOST OUTSTANDING CASE, A NO BRAINER, THEY CHANGED THE FORMAT THIS YEAR.
SO THEY DIDN'T LET ME SPEAK VERY OFFENSIVE.
BUT HAD I SPOKEN, MY, MY CLOSING WAS GOING TO BE EVERYBODY WHO HAS AFFILIATION, WHO USED TO WORK WITH THE SES COUNTY PROSECUTOR OFFICE.
AND MY GUESS IS THAT HALF OF THE ROOM WOULD'VE STOOD UP.
'CAUSE THAT'S HOW MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY POPULATED AROUND THE STATE WILL COME THROUGH THIS OFFICE.
SO THE, UM, THE AMOUNT OF APS THAT YOU DO HAVE IS BASICALLY MARKET.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S WHAT YOU CAN HIRE.
YES, YOU, IF YOU COULD, YOU, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECAUSE IT'S BUDGETED FOR.
BUT IT SEEMS THAT THAT JUST SEEMS TO BE THE SAME LEVEL.
AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S A, THERE'S A POINT ALMOST OF NO RETURN WHERE YOU CAN'T HIRE MORE THAN THOSE.
WE, WE, UM, AT SOME POINT WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, MR. MATT.
WE'RE HOPING THAT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WHETHER IT'S A BAD ECONOMY OR WHETHER IT'S WHATEVER, THAT NOW THAT THIS JOB BECOMES EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE THAN IT IS NOW AND PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO THE STABILITY AND THE, AND, AND THE ABILITY TO LEARN FROM THIS KIND OF PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
SO HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL, I GUESS YOU SAY, WITH REGARD TO THAT.
UM, BUT THE WAY IT IS RIGHT NOW, THAT AS INDIVIDUAL LEAD, WE'RE ABLE TO FORTUNATELY KEEP THOSE, FILL THOSE POSITIONS AND OCCASIONALLY GET A LITTLE BIT AHEAD OF THE GAME WITH REGARD TO IT.
BUT WE DO HAVE SOME MORE ROOM FOR GROWTH, THAT QUESTION.
AND IT'S NOT FOR LACK OF CRIME.
WE, WE, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
UM, WE HAVE A LETTER THAT ROES PUT TOGETHER AND WE SEND IT OUT TO EVERY ASSIGNMENT JUDGE IN THE STATE SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE CLERKS, BECAUSE MOST OF OUR YOUNG ATTORNEYS COME IN FROM CLERKSHIPS, ESPECIALLY THE CRIMINAL CLERKSHIP.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE KIND OF THE BALL'S ROLLING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THEY UNDERSTAND THE COMPUTER SYSTEMS THAT ARE, ARE INVOLVED.
YOU KNOW, THEY GENERALLY WATSON SOME TRIALS AND YOU KNOW, THEY'VE GOT AN INTERACTION WITH A JUDGE ON A, FOR A WHOLE YEAR WHO DOES CRIMINAL CASES, WHICH IS EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL.
AND SO THAT'S OUR MAIN FEAR SYSTEM.
SO WE, UM, OUR ASSIGNMENT, UM, CALLED HIM AND SAID, YOU, I GOT THE LETTER FROM ATLANTIC COUNTY, WHICH, UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE TRYING TO ATTRACT THE PEOPLE.
THEY WANT US TO COME, UH, THEY WANT TO ATTRACT OUR PEOPLE AND HAVE OUR, OUR JUDGES SEND THEIR CLERKS THERE FOR INTERVIEW.
IT WAS OUR LETTER
SO, SO THAT WAS INTERESTING TO FIND OUT THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, SAY FLAT'S MOST SINCERE FORM OF COMPLIMENT.
IT'S, UM, SO, SO WE ARE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S OUR MAIN THEATER SYSTEM.
OCCASIONALLY WE DO GET SOME LATERALS.
THERE'S ONE GUY I CAN'T EVEN UNDERSTAND WHAT HE DID.
THIS GENTLEMAN WAS, UM, SENT UP BY A MUTUAL FRIENDLY LAW THOUGH, BUT HE, UM, HE LEFT A JOB AT A FIRM MAKING $400,000 THAT F**K, RIGHT? YEAH.
I FIGURED HE MUST BE INDEPENDENTLY WEALTHY, BUT EITHER WAY,
I MEAN, HE CAME IN THERE FOR THE RIGHT, DOING THE RIGHT THING.
I, I CAN AFFORD TO DO THAT, BUT HE DID IT.
SO, SO OCCASIONALLY WE GET SOME VERY INTERESTING LATERALS LIKE THAT AND OTHERS WITH LESS OF A, A, A DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THE MONEY THEY MADE AND THEY'RE MAKING NOW.
BUT THAT'S AN AREA THAT WE'RE CERTAINLY LOOKING TO TRY TO EXPLOIT BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE, UM, ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND THEY CAN'T DEAL WITH 80 HOURS WEEKS IF, IF THEY'RE IN A LAW FIRM OR WHATEVER OTHER, YOU KNOW, THE PARTICULAR CLIENT THEY HAVE.
IT'S NOT WHAT THEY THOUGHT THEY, THEY WANTED TO WORK WITH.
AND SO THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO COME ON THE, ON THE GOOD SIDE, SO TO SPEAK.
WE'RE, WE, I MEAN WE'RE CONSTANTLY, WE, WE ALL THE TIME SO FAR, WE'VE HAD A GOOD YEAR.
OUR LAST YEAR WE WERE KIND OF KIND OF SCRATCHING, TRYING TO MAKING SURE WE KEPT OUR, GOT OUR NUMBER IN, BUT WE'VE BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL.
BUT THE INTERVIEWING IS A CONSTANT PROCESS, THAT FIRST ASSISTANT AND A TEAM OF INDIVIDUALS WHO DO THAT ALL THE TIME.
UH, SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY BEATING PA SO TO SPEAK, TO GET PEOPLE IN.
WHAT, WHAT ABOUT, UH, YOU DO HAVE SOME DISCRETION THOUGH IN
[00:30:01]
TERMS OF THE MERIT PAY OR THE INCREASE PAY.YOU CAN, AND WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT APS NOW, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS NOT THE WHOLE DEPARTMENT.
BUT IN THAT REGARD, JUST EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
THERE WAS SOME SORT OF, UH, SCHEMATIC OR SOMETHING WHERE, WHERE YOU WERE ABLE TO WE HAD STEPS, YEAH.
A STEP SYSTEM IS A GREAT SYSTEM WHERE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO, UM, TO SEE WHERE THEY'RE GONNA GO.
WE CAN PROJECT WHERE THEY'RE GONNA BE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS FROM A SALARY PERSPECTIVE.
THAT'S BEEN HELPFUL ALONG WITH THE PROSECUTOR, THE REINITIATION OF THE PROSECUTOR'S PART PENSION, THAT WAS INSTRUMENTAL I THINK, IN, IN GETTING PEOPLE TO STAY ON BECAUSE IT'S A REAL GOOD PENSION SYSTEM.
SO ARE YOU IN PFRS DEPART? ARE APS AND PFRS? NO, THEY'RE IN THE PROSECUTOR'S PART.
IT'S A SPECIAL, UH, PART OF HERS.
IT'S MORE LAW LAW ENFORCEMENT ORIENTED TO, THEY TRIED TO GET INTO PFRS.
SO, UM, BUT YOU DO HAVE DISCRETION, ISN'T THERE? I THOUGHT THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE YOU COULD INCREASE AN AP SALARY OUTSIDE OF THE STEPS.
I MEAN, I HAVE THAT DISCRETION ADMINISTRATION.
I, YOU KNOW, I CLEAR IT WITH, UM, THE ADMINISTRATION FROM LETTING 'EM KNOW WHAT I'M DOING WITH REGARD TO MY BUDGET.
I HAVEN'T HAD A PROBLEM YET WHERE, WHERE MERIT DID, IN FACT, WE ACTUALLY DID STEP UP PEOPLE A FULL STEP IN ORDER TO BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE ON AN OFFICE WIDE BASIS.
SO, YEAH, I MEAN, WE'VE DONE, I THINK ALL WE COULD DO IN RESPONSIBLY IN ORDER TO STAY IN OUR, WITH OUR, WHERE OUR BUDGET IS NOW YET, MOVE PEOPLE ALONG AND MAKE IT.
UM, AND THAT'S BEEN, I THINK, HELPFUL THOUGH, IN TERMS OF THAT IT IS.
SO YOU CAN, YOU CAN, IT'S THE, THE STEP INCREASE IS NOT SOMETHING DONE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, ANNIVERSARY OR ANNIVERSARY.
SO, BUT YOU CAN, SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU CAN MOVE THAT STEP UP WITHOUT IT BEING THE ANNIVERSARY? WE, WE, WE USUALLY KIND OF MAKE MOVES ON AN ANNIVERSARY BASIS AND WE MOVE PEOPLE UP TWO STEPS SOMETIMES.
I GUESS THE POINT IS, YES, WE DO.
TO INCREASE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WANT TO KEEP.
WHAT, WHAT ABOUT VACANCIES RIGHT NOW? WHERE, WHERE DO YOU STAND? I HAVE THE PAYROLL.
WELL, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 118 RIGHT NOW OUT OF A BUDGET OF 1 27.
AND, UH, THOSE ARE ASSISTANT PROSECUTORS.
SO WE HAVE THE NINE VACANCIES THERE.
UM, WE ALSO, FROM OUR INVESTIGATOR STANDPOINT, WE HAVE 82 CURRENTLY OUT OF 90.
SO THAT'S EIGHT, EIGHT OPENINGS, WHICH, UM, WE'RE INTERVIEWING VERY ROBUSTLY FOR RIGHT NOW.
AND THEN SUPPORT STAFF, WE'RE AT ONE 19.
AND SO THERE ARE NINE OPENINGS THERE.
SO IT'S TYPICAL THAT YOU STILL HAVE THOSE, THAT LEVEL OF 27 TOTAL.
COMMISSIONERS, QUESTIONS? YES.
COMM COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
UM, HOW DO YOUR SALARIES COMPARE TO OTHER PLACES? LIKE ARE WE $20,000 OR IS IT 50,000? LIKE WHAT'S THE NUMBER? UM, IT WOULDN'T BE 50.
IT WOULD BE, UM, LAUER COUNTY, WHICH I THINK HAS THE HIGHEST STARTING.
THEY, THEY START THEIR PEOPLE IN THE EIGHTIES AND OURS ARE OUR STARTING SALARY.
I THINK IT'S $71,723 FOR ENTRY LEVEL.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 10,000 IN TERMS OF THE DIFFERENCE THERE.
UM, SO IT'S NOT HUGE MONEY, BUT, UM, YOU LOOK AT THE ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THEIR WORK AND, AND THE INCREASE IN SALARY.
SO THAT MAKES IT ATTRACTIVE TO SOME PEOPLE.
UM, MR. MAC NAME, MR. JACKSON, THIS, DOES THIS AREA HAVE THAT CONTRACTUAL INCREASED THING WITH THE UNION CONTRACTS, LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER PLACES? UH, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE UNIONS, YES.
THERE, THERE'S ONE UNION THAT'S INVOLVED AMONG THE, ONE OF THE FIVE IS IN THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
DID WE SETTLE WITH THOSE PEOPLE TOO OR ARE WE STILL TALKING ABOUT JUST MR. JUSTIN? JUST STATE YOUR NAME 'CAUSE WE HAVE AROUND JACKSON COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
AND THAT NUMBER IS SOMEWHERE THAT IF WE ARE ABLE TO DO IT TO, SO THAT IS CORRECT.
THE RESERVES, UM, THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION PROGRAM.
WE HAVE, WHO DECIDES IF A PERSON GET TO GO TO THAT PROGRAM? BEN WILLIAMS. UM, WE GOT A TEAM OF PEOPLE.
WE HAVE A, A UNIT THAT, THAT THESE APS, THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.
UM, ONE OF WHICH HAPPENS TO BE THE DAUGHTER OF THIS YEAR'S, UH, THE STATE BAR PRESIDENT FOR, UM, FOR NEW JERSEY, UM, WHO'S VERY IN INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING THE LAW PASSED.
BUT THEY'VE BEEN, THEY TAKE APPLICATIONS IN AND THE, UM, PERSON, UM, THE DEFENSE, THE ATTORNEY OR THE INDIVIDUAL MAKE THE APPLICATION AND IT'S GOTTA BE A, UM, DIAGNOSED, UM, UH, AILMENT.
IT CAN'T BE JUST BECAUSE YOU APPLY, YOU
[00:35:01]
GET IN.SO THERE'S GOTTA BE A DIAGNOSIS AND THERE'S GOTTA BE A NEXUS BETWEEN THE DIAGNOSIS AND THE CRIME TO WHICH THEY'RE, THEY'RE ACCUSED COMMITTED.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S DONE AND EMBEDDED, YOU KNOW, AS SERIOUSLY AS WE CAN.
AND THEN IT'S A VERY STRUCTURED PROGRAM, UH, THAT'S BEEN EXTREMELY AIDED BY, UH, RECENTLY RETIRED, BUT BROUGHT BACK JUDGE BERNA LEE, WHO IS, UH, BEEN HANDLING THE PROGRAM FROM THE JUDICIAL SIDE THROUGHOUT VERY COMMITTED INDIVIDUAL.
AND SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO SOME THINGS WITH THEM AND TRY TO, YOU KNOW, JUST REALLY KIND OF KEEP THEM ON TRACK BECAUSE AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, WE, WE HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER WHO, WHETHER IT'S AN ALCOHOLISM OR NARCOTIC PROBLEM OR MENTAL HEALTH, YOU KNOW, KEEPING 'EM ON TRACK IN TERMS OF THE MEDICATIONS AND TREATMENT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO KEEP.
AND SO WITH THAT JUDICIAL IMP PREMATURE, SOMETIMES THAT'S ENOUGH TO KEEP THE PERSON KIND OF ON A STRAIGHT AND NARROW.
AND THEY'VE HAD SOME SIGNIFICANT SUCCESSES WITH THAT.
JUAN, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANNA ADD WITH THAT? UH, GW WILLIAMS ON BEHALF OF THE SES, COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, UM, MME. COOPER, UM, IT IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM.
UH, THE PERSON WHO HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH A CRIMINAL OFFENSE HAS TO APPLY FOR IT.
FIRST IS TO SEE IF THAT PERSON IS LEGALLY ELIGIBLE.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS USUALLY IT'S A NONVIOLENT OFFENSE.
HOWEVER, WE DO MAKE CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS.
UM, IF A ROBBERY IS NOT A REALLY TRUE ROBBERY, MIGHT HAVE BEEN A THEFT, UM, I HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT THAT PERSON.
UH, WITH REGARD TO VETERANS, THEY COME THROUGH INSTEAD OF A VETERANS DIVERSIONARY PROGRAM, THEY APPLY THROUGH MY MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM.
MOST OF MY VETERANS HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH AN UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A WEAPONS OFFENSE.
AND DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THEY WILL BE ALLOWED INTO THE PROGRAM.
BUT THE, UM, IT IS USUALLY FOR ONE TO TWO YEARS, THEY HAVE TO MEET WITH, UM, OUR CLINICIANS.
WE HAVE A, AN AGREEMENT INTO, UM, COUNTY AGREEMENT WITH THE SES COUNTY HOSPITAL CENTER, AND THEY HAVE THE CLINICIANS WHO ACTUALLY MEET WITH THE INDIVIDUALS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE A MENTAL ILLNESS AND WOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR THE PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S HOW THEY COME INTO THE PROGRAM.
AND ONCE THEY SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THE PROGRAM, WE HAVE, UM, WHAT WE CALL A, UM, MOVING ON CEREMONY, NOT A GRADUATION.
'CAUSE GRADUATION SIGNIFIES SOMETHING HAS ENDED MOVING ON.
SAYS THAT YOU'RE CONTINUING, UM, AND SAID, WE TELL THEM THIS IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF THEIR LIFE, BUT NOW THEY HAVE TO TOOLS TO HELP THEMSELVES WITH THEIR ILLNESS, THE MEDICATION, THE JOBS IF NEED BE IN HOUSING, UM, IF WE CAN HELP 'EM GET THAT AS WELL.
AND CURRENTLY UNDER THE NEW LEGISLATION, UM, ONCE IT BECOMES EFFECTIVE, WE WILL HAVE A STEP DOWN PROGRAM AS WELL.
AND THAT STEP DOWN PROGRAM THAT THEY WILL STILL BE WITH US ONE YEAR AFTER THEY GRADUATE.
SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WHILE THEY ARE OUT, UM, SUCCESSFULLY LIVING THEIR LIFE, THAT THEY'RE STILL UTILIZING THE TOOLS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH WHILE THEY WERE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PROGRAM.
THANK YOU MS. WILLIAMS FOR THAT.
UM, DETAILED OVERVIEW, UH, PROSECUTOR STEVENS, I'M THINKING ABOUT THIS PROGRAM IN CONTEXT OF CORRECTIONS, BEING HERE AND HEARING FROM THE DIRECTOR OF CORRECTIONS AS WELL AS THE CHIEF OF STAFF AND ELIJAH, HOW THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT MORE AND MORE OF OUR INMATES ARE DISPLAYING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
UM, AND A LOT OF TIMES IT SOUNDS LIKE SOME OF THEM WERE PROBABLY NOT DIAGNOSED PRIOR TO GOING INTO THE PENAL SYSTEM.
SO I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW THIS PROGRAM WORKED.
AND I GUESS IT'S SAFE FOR ME TO ASSUME THAT A PERSON WOULD NEED TO APPLY TO GET INTO THIS PROGRAM BEFORE THEY GO THROUGH THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM, RIGHT? THAT'S THE KEY TO TRY DIVERSIONARY.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP THEM OUT OF, OUT OF THE SYSTEM.
UM, AND PERHAPS ANTICIPATING A QUESTION OF WHERE YOU'RE GOING, MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION TO ME IS REALLY ONE OF THE ISSUES OF OUR CON AND IT, I WAS EXTREMELY, UH, SURPRISED THAT WHEN WE WERE DOWN THE, THE TESTIFYING IN FRONT OF THE SENATE THAT SOME OF THE SENATORS DIDN'T SEE IT AS QUITE AS IMPORTANT.
BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, NOT TO GET POLITICAL, EVERYBODY CAN'T AGREE ON UNDER CONTROL, BUT I THOUGHT WE COULD ALL AGREE THAT PEOPLE, THAT THE MENTAL HEALTH IS AN ISSUE, UH, AND A GROWING ISSUE.
SO, UM, BUT NONETHELESS, FORTUNATELY DID PASS.
SO I THINK THAT THIS IS THE SORT OF ISSUE THAT I'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT.
AND WHEN I WAS A MUNICIPAL COURT JUDGE, IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT MOST MANY OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME BEFORE ME THEN WERE REALLY SUFFERING FROM A MENTAL PROBLEM THAT JUST GOT THE, THE POINT WHERE THE COMMUNITY COULDN'T STAND IN AND SOMEONE FILED CHARGES AND THE PERSON WAS IN FRONT OF ME.
SO CLEARLY, UM, FROM, FROM THE SCHOOL LEVEL ON UP, I THINK IT'S AN AREA OF SOME GROWTH IN TERMS OF OUR ABILITY INTO THE ISSUES THAT WORK NOW WE APPROACH IT FROM
[00:40:01]
A MENTAL HEALTH STANDPOINT.I, YES, RECOGNIZE THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER SEABOLD HAS JOINED THE MEETING COMMISSIONER, UM, OUT OF YOUR BUDGET, HOW MUCH IS DEDICATED TOWARDS THIS MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION PROGRAM? AND IS IT ENOUGH? WELL, IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE APS DOING IT.
IT'S MORE IN TERMS OF JUST THE, THE HEAD COUNTS THAT WE HAVE IN, IN THE UNIT ITSELF, AS OPPOSED TO THAT.
AND THERE ARE THREE APS WHO ARE WORKING THE PROGRAM NOW.
UM, SO WE COULD INCREASE THAT.
BUT ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THIS NEW LEGISLATION IS THAT ON HOLD, I'M SEEING THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE GONNA GET A MILLION DOLLARS DEDICATED TOWARD OUR PROGRAM, WHICH WILL CERTAINLY HELP, UH, THE PROGRAM ITSELF.
BECAUSE A BIG PART OF IT IS, YES, IT'S THE PROSECUTORS TO GET PEOPLE INTO THE PROGRAM, BUT THE FOLLOW UP IS, IS REALLY IT, HAVING THE CLINICIANS TO BE ABLE TO, TO, TO MEET WITH THE, OR WHOEVER FOLLOW UP PROGRAM ALONG WITH THEM AND MAKE SURE THEY STAY ON TRACK.
UM, THE HOSPITAL ITSELF HAS, YOU KNOW, GOTTA HAVE ADDITIONAL STAFF PERHAPS TO WORK WITH THAT AS WELL.
SO THE ENTIRETY OF IT IS WHERE THAT MILLION IS GOING TO GO, NOT JUST TO OUR OFFICE.
HOW MANY PEOPLE TYPICALLY APPLY, HOW MANY DO YOU ACCEPT AND HOW DO PEOPLE FIND OUT ABOUT THIS PROGRAM? UM, MADAM UM, COOPER, IF I MAY ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR YOU, UM, CURRENTLY, PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
GWENDOLYN WILLIAMS ON BEHALF OF THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
CURRENTLY WE ARE IN CAPACITY FOR OUR PROGRAM.
WE HAVE 20 SLOTS THAT HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO, UM, JUDGE LEE'S, UM, PROGRAM WITH THE NEW LEGISLATION.
WE WILL DOUBLE, MAYBE TRIPLE THAT NUMBER THAT WILL COME THROUGH ES COUNTY, BUT WE ARE, WE HAVE, UM, INFORMED DEFENSE COUNSEL, UM, UH, FOR THE COUNTY ABOUT THE PROGRAM AS WELL AS WE GO TO VARIOUS COMMUNITY MEETINGS INFORMING THE PUBLIC ABOUT IT AS WELL.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE, OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS, BUT THE BULK OF OUR FUNDING COMES FROM, UM, IN KIND SERVICES FROM THE ESSEX COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE THAT PROSECUTOR STEVENS WAS TALKING ABOUT, THE SALARIES FOR THE ASSISTING OF PROSECUTORS WHO ARE ASSIGNED THERE.
OTHER THAN THAT, THE FUNDING FOR EVERYTHING ELSE WOULD EITHER BE FOR THE CLINICIANS THAT GOES THROUGH THE ESSEX COUNTY HOSPITAL CENTER, AS WELL AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE INSURANCE, EITHER MEDICAID, MEDICARE WILL PAY FOR OR PRIVATE INSURANCE THAT PAYS FOR IT.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY, UH, WITH REGARD TO THE PROGRAM.
BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT ONCE WE ARE TOLD IN WRITING THE EXACT AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WILL BE BUNDLED TO ESSEX COUNTY AND WHAT THE PARAMETERS OF THAT WILL BE, WE WILL BE ABLE TO INCREASE, UM, BY DOUBLING OUR STAFF AND TO HANDLE THAT AS WELL AS WE'VE TALKED TO BOTH RUTGERS HOSPITAL AND, UM, CLARA MASS, UM, THAT ARE DOING CERTAIN PROGRAMS. NOW, WHAT PROSECUTOR STEVENS DID NOT TELL YOU ABOUT IS THAT THROUGH OUR GRANT PROGRAMS FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, WE HAVE ALSO NOT ONLY ARE DOING THE, UM, TRAINING FOR LAW ENFORCEMENTS, BUT THERE IS NOW A PROGRAM CALLED ARRIVE TOGETHER WHERE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE HAS FUNDING THAT GOES TO CLARA MASS AND NOW IN THE CITIES OF NEWARK, UM, EAST ORANGE AND ORANGE.
UM, A SOCIAL WORKER GOES OUT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN THEY RECEIVE TELEPHONE CALLS REGARDING A PERSON WHO MIGHT BE DECOMPENSATING TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THAT PERSON SHOULD BE, UM, HOSPITALIZED OR WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN.
CAN THEY STAY, CAN WE JUST QUIET THE SITUATION OR SHOULD THAT PERSON BE, UM, TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.
ALSO, WE HAVE A NEW PROGRAM THAT WE'RE STARTING, UM, HOPEFULLY WE ARE STILL IN MEETINGS IN EAST ORANGE FOR A MUNICIPAL DRUG COURT PROGRAM.
AND THAT WILL ALSO BE CO-OCCURRING, DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AS WELL AS WE HAVE OUR OPERATION HELPING HANDS GRANT PROGRAM WHERE WE HAVE, UH, PEER RECOVERY SPECIALISTS GO OUT WITHOUT COMMUNITY JUSTICE COORDINATOR AND WE NEED PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC TO GET THEM SERVICES BEFORE THEY ARE JUSTICE INVOLVED SO THAT THEY CAN GET HELP AS WELL.
SO WE ARE BEING PREVENTIVE AS WELL AS WE ARE BEING, UM, REACTIVE TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
COMMISSIONERS, WE'VE GONE OVER JUST A LITTLE BIT.
SO IS THERE ANY OTHER BURNING QUESTIONS OR PERHAPS, OR REQUEST FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR ANYTHING WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT TODAY? SO WE CAN BE ON TRACK.
COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS, I'LL MAKE A REQUEST FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND WE COULD, YOU KNOW, CONSENT TO ME HAVE YOU TAKE TIME.
BUT THIS IS JUST ON YOU INVOLVEMENT AND THE COURT SYSTEM.
I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN A BIG PRIORITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF INVEST IN ALTERNATIVES, UM, BEFORE YOU EVEN GET COURT INVOLVED, ESPECIALLY AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.
SO I'M WONDERING IF WE COULD HAVE SOME KIND OF UPDATE ON
[00:45:01]
INCREASES, DECREASES, MAYBE STASIS EVEN AS FAR AS WHAT YOU'RE SEEING WITH YOUTH INVOLVEMENT, UM, AND INTERVENTIONS SUCH AS DIVERSION PROGRAMS OR ET CETERA TO KIND OF PROMOTE RESTOR.YEAH, I, UM, AND, AND COMMISSIONER, CONGRATULATIONS ON OPENING BOARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE JOB IS THAT IT, IT IS REALLY ALL ENCOMPASSING AND, UM, TRYING TO GIVE YOU A, A SNAPSHOT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE WE'RE DOING, AND I'M GLAD YOU ANSWERED ABOUT THE JUVENILE COURT OF THAT ISSUE IN AND OF ITSELF.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE MOST VETTING PART OF THE CRIME AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED IN THE COUNTY, IS OUR YOUTH.
UM, FROM EVERYTHING FROM WHAT THESE KIDS HAVE ALWAYS DONE IN TERMS OF GETTING IN TROUBLE TO THE MUCH MORE SOPHISTICATED ISSUES OF CAR THEFT, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THE
UM, AND THE FACT THAT INDIVIDUALS, UM, ADULTS ARE RECRUITING, UH, JUVENILES BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM IS ABOUT, UM, A BIG PART OF IT IS ABOUT, UH, REHABILITATION, UH, AS OPPOSED TO, UM, INCARCERATION, UH, AT, JUST FROM A NUMBERS STANDPOINT, THE NUMBER OF YOUTH IN THE YOUTH DETENTION FACILITIES STATEWIDE ARE THE LOWEST NUMBER, THE LEVEL IT'S EVER BEEN, AND THEY CLOSING THESE DAYS.
BUT NONETHELESS, UM, WE'RE SEEING YOU DO SOME OF THE MOST SERIOUS CRIMES THAT WE'VE EVER SEEN DO AS WELL.
WE DO WHAT WE CAN, A PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, AND WE WANT TO DO AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE MORE ACTUALLY IN TERMS OF INTERACTING WITH YOU AT AN EARLY LEVEL.
THE WAY I SEE IT IS WHEN WE MEET YOU, USUALLY IT'S THE WORST DAY OF THEIR LIFE, WHETHER THEY WOULD OR NOT, BECAUSE THEY'RE ABOUT TO BECOME PROSECUTED, THEY'RE ABOUT TO GET A RECORD, THEY'RE ABOUT TO GO TO THE YOUTH HOUSE.
I MEAN, IT'S THEIR WORST DAY OF THEIR LIFE AND THEY MAY NOT EVEN REALIZE IT AT THE TIME BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENT IN SOME OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THAT ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP KEEP THEM FROM BEING SYSTEM INVOLVED IS CERTAINLY WHAT IT WOULD BE AN ASSET FOR ALL OF US.
UH, SO WE, WE, UM, WE ARE BIG FANS OF THAT AND WE TRY TO INTERACT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO ANTHONY HIGGINS IS OUR HEAD OF OUR, OUR, UM, JUVENILE UNIT.
UH, HE'S VERY ACTIVE WITH, UH, JJ, UH, C AND ALL OF THE OTHER ENTITIES THAT YOU AROUND THE, UM, THE STATE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE AS ACTIVIST, I THINK WE CAN BE RIGHT NOW.
AND THIS IS G WILLIAMS AGAIN ON BEHALF OF THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT WE ARE ALSO PREVENTIVE IN THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE.
WE HAVE A COMMUNITY JUSTICE UNIT AND WE GO OUT TO THE SCHOOLS AND WE TALK ABOUT THINGS SUCH AS, UM, INTERNET SAFETY, HOW TO BE SAFE AT HOME.
WE GIVE THREE CONFERENCES PER YEAR.
UH, ONE IS CALLED WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT? YOUTH CONFERENCES GIVE, UM, QUESTION FACTS, SCENARIOS TO THE YOUTH.
SO, AND WE HAVE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES AROUND 40 TO 60 OF US AND THE YOUTH THAT WE HAVE USED TO GO OUT, WE ACTIVE IN ALL THE, UM, MOST OF THE BOARD EDUCATION'S CAREER DAYS, IF THEY INVITE US, WE GO OUT TO TALK ABOUT CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL, AS WELL AS WE HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, A RISING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS, AND THEY'RE WITH US FOR SIX, FIVE OR SIX WEEKS DURING THE SUMMER.
THEY SPEND ONE WEEK AT STATE TROOPER YOUTH WEEK, THEY DO A MOCK TRIAL, AND THEY ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF HAVING, OR SOME OF THE CLASSES THAT WE DISCUSSED IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE A PERSON WHO COMES IN TO TALK ABOUT MANNERS IN TERMS OF HOW TO HAVE AN INTERVIEW, HOW TO SHAKE A HAND, HOW TO PUT A TIE ON FOR SOME OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW HOW TO PUT A TIE AS WELL AS TABLE MANNERS THAT YOU ARE BEING INTERVIEWED OVER A MEAL, UM, WHAT PLATE, WHAT FORK IS FOR WHICH, AND WHICH, UM, GLASSES FOR WHAT.
AND SO THAT THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE THAT TRAINING MOST OF THE TIME, EITHER FROM HOME OR AT SCHOOL.
SO WE'VE HAD OUR, SOME INTERNSHIP PROGRAM NOW FOR 21 YEARS.
WE HAVE BEEN DOING IT AND IT IS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL.
UH, WE HAVE A VERY HIGH AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE ON A COLLEGE AND BECOME POLICE OFFICERS BY FIGHTERS, UM, EVEN ATTORNEYS AND PROSECUTORS.
AND WE DO HIRE FROM OUR COLLEGE INTERN THAT COME AS WELL TO BE PART OF OUR OFFICE STAFF OF THE OFFICE.
THANK YOU, MR. PROSECUTOR FOR A VERY THOROUGH, UH, UH, FOLLOW UP.
MR. I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER GILL.
AND, UM, FIRST WITH A COMMENT, NOT ASKING YOU TO SAY ANYTHING, BUT THERE'S RESIDENT PUBLIC REPORTS THAT, UM, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE GONNA BE FULLY CONFIRMED, UH, BY OUR STATE SENATE, AND I THINK THAT'S LONG OVERDUE.
[00:50:21]
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FOR BRINGING THAT UP.I THINK, UH, IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT THE BOARD AGREES YOU'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB, YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM.
WE KNOW IT TAKES MORE THAN ONE, BUT CERTAINLY YOU'RE THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP OVER THERE AND WE APPRECIATE ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU DO.
TWO, TWO, ACTUALLY TWO, UM, TO FOLLOW UP, JUST TWO QUESTIONS TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
THAT, UM, ONE, UM, DO WE, I, I UNDERSTAND THE FOCUS ON, UM, STARTING SALARIES FOR RETENTION, BUT DO WE HAVE ANY DATA ON HOW MUCH DEBT, UM, INCOMING, UM, ASSISTANT PROSECUTORS ARE CARRYING BOTH FROM THEIR UNDERGRADUATE AND LAW SCHOOL DEGREES AS IT RELATES TO THOSE SALARIES? UH, DEBBIE, QUESTION NUMBER ONE AND AND SECOND QUESTION TO YOU MR. PRESIDENT, IS ON, UM, ON, UH, CYBER, UM, CRIMES AND, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE EXPLOSION OF, EXCUSE ME, WITH THE EXPANSION OF SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, KIND OF BEING A REAL BACKBONE, OUR ECONOMY HERE IN THIS MM-HMM,
AS IT RELATES TO, UM, WELL, I GUESS I'LL TERM BROADLY CYBER ACTIVITY.
FROM A CYBER STANDPOINT, UM, WE'VE DONE MORE IN THE WAY OF INTERACTING WITH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITIES TO TRY TO KEEP PROTECT, UH, CHILDREN FROM CYBER CRIMES THAN THE BUSINESSES.
UH, THERE'S A, UM, A GROUP INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN ICAC, WHICH, WHICH IS, WE WORK WITH THE STATE POLICE AND ALL ALSO THE HOMELAND SECURITY, UH, A VERY ROBUST LEVEL TO TRY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.
AND DEBORAH FRIAR IS THE HEAD OF OUR, OUR UNIT THAT DEALS WITH THOSE.
AND SO WE, WE'VE TAKEN SOME MAJOR, MADE SOME MAJOR STRIDES WITH REGARD TO MAKING SURE WE KEEP THE CHILDREN AS, AS, AS FREE AND AS PROTECTED AS POSSIBLE AND EDUCATE THEM IN TERMS OF THE DIFFICULTIES WE DEAL WITH, UH, BUSINESS COMPLAINTS FROM TIME TO TIME WHEN WE DEAL WITH THOSE KIND OF ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS.
I CAN'T THINK OF A MAJOR, UM, CASE WE'VE GOTTEN LAST YEAR WITH REGARD TO THAT.
BUT WE, UM, UM, OUR UNIT THAT DEALS WITH THEM, WE HAVE A UNIT DEDICATED THAT DEAL WITH THAT ON A, ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO THE CLAIMS THAT ARE, THE, THE, UM, CASES THAT COME THROUGH, WE ARE PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THEM, BUT IT IS NOT BEEN ONE OF THE MAJOR UNITS, UM, WHICH HAS DONE A LOT OF ACTIVITY, FRANKLY, YOURSELF AND WITH REGARD TO THE DEBT.
I CAN HANDLE THAT IF YOU WANT.
SO JUST TO GIVE YOU SOME NUMBER, PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
OH, AGAIN, R ON BEHALF OF THE ECP ON MR. STEVENS, UH, PROSECUTOR STEVENS.
UM, I CAN JUST GIVE YOU LIKE FOR, I JUST DID SOME BIRTH JUST TWO DAYS AGO.
SO WE HAD SEVEN 13 PEOPLE PASS THE NEW JERSEY BAR FOR THE TWO TESTS THAT WERE GIVEN.
FEBRUARY, SITTING, SITTING, AND FOR THE JULY HAD SEVEN 13 PEOPLE.
THE, THE YEAR BEFORE IT WAS ABOUT 7 86.
IN 2010, IT WAS ABOUT 2,500 PEOPLE THAT PASSED IN NEW JERSEY BAR.
AND WHAT THAT TREND TELLS YOU IS LESS PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LAW SCHOOL 'CAUSE EXPENSIVE, BUT EVEN SETON HALL LAW SCHOOL HAS REDUCED THEIR CLASS SIZE.
UM, JUST TO KIND OF REFLECT THIS, IT'S ABOUT $60,000.
I WENT TO BENJAMIN CARDOZA SCHOOL ALONG, UM, IN NEW YORK CITY, TIER TWO SCHOOL, SUPPOSEDLY PRETTY GOOD.
IT WAS $15,000 A YEAR WHEN I, WHEN I GRADUATED IN, UM, 1993.
IT'S AROUND $60,000 A YEAR TO GO THERE NOW, JUST FOR THE TUITION.
SO IT IS EXPENSIVE AND THAT'S WHY IT'S, IT'S, IT'S TOUGH FOR US TO HIRE AND WE
AND IT IS JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA SPEND $60,000 A YEAR FOR SCHOOL AND, YOU KNOW, TIMES THREE, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, $180,000, YOU KNOW, A JOB, PAY 70 GRAND A YEAR, YOU KNOW, BY THE TIME YOU TAKE OUT, YOU KNOW, THE BENEFITS PACKAGE AND ALL THAT, IT, IT, IT, IT IS,
[00:55:01]
IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT.IT'S NOT JUST NOT AFFLUENT OF A POSITION ANYMORE.
LESS PEOPLE GOING TO LAW SCHOOL PRICES ARE, I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHY EITHER, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU GO TO LAW SCHOOL, YOU LEARN THE CONSTITUTION, YOU LEARN CONTRACTS.
I DON'T THINK IT'S ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHEN WE LEARNED IT.
YOU KNOW, CONSTITUTION'S VERY OLD, LAW CONTRACTS IS THE SAME, PROPERTY IS THE SAME, YOU KNOW, CIVIL PROCEDURE'S THE SAME, THE PRICE JUST LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE JUST GOES UP, UP, UP AND UP, UP.
SO LESS PEOPLE ARE GOING LAW SCHOOL AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S AFFECTING OUR NUMBER.
SO LIKE WHEN WE WAS TALKING ABOUT LIKE EVERY, WE FEED EVERY, UM, ALL THESE OTHER OFFICES, IF YOU HAVE 713 PEOPLE PASSING THE BAR, YOU GOT 21 COUNTY PROSECUTORS OFFICE, 13 PEOPLE, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THEM ARE GONNA BE INTERESTED IN CRIMINAL LAW? MUCH LESS CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.
WE'RE ALL FIGHTING OVER A SMALL GROUP OF, OF LAW SCHOOL GRADUATES RIGHT NOW.
EVERYBODY'S INTERVIEWING, YOU KNOW, MIDDLESEX AND UNION, YOU KNOW, ALL OVER THE PLACE.
SO IT'S, IT'S SMALLER GROUP NOW.
ONE POTENTIAL SAVING GRACE, ACTUALLY GOING BACK TO WHAT GWEN WILLIAMS WAS TALKING ABOUT IS THERE ARE SOME INDIVIDUALS COME OUT AND AS, AS THE, NOT THE PROSECUTORS, BUT THE PERSON WELL WITH REGARD TO THE COMMUNITY AND THEY DON'T REALLY KIND OF PRACTICE WITH THAT.
HOWEVER, DIVERSION PROGRAMS KEEPING PEOPLE OUT OF THE SYSTEM IS VIEWED, UH, DIFFERENTLY.
SO WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO EXPAND SERVICES, UH, AND ATTRACT A GROUP OF, OF, UH, STUDENTS WHO ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN RESTORATIVE COMMUNITY JUSTICE.
AND SO WE CAN DOUBLE, I, I HAVE REALLY, I'D BE SURPRISED IF WE HAVE DIFFICULTY KIND OF FILLING THOSE SLOTS ONCE THEY'RE MADE AVAILABLE TO US, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE'S A GROUP OUT THERE, RUTGERS IS A VERY ACTIVE, UH, LAW SCHOOL IN TERMS OF, UH, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND THINGS TO THAT EFFECT.
SO I THINK THAT WE'RE GONNA BE SUCCESSFUL IN, IN GETTING THOSE, UH, POSITIONS FILLED THAT'RE NOT THE TRADITIONAL SORT OF A PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE FUNCTION.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA TAKE ONE MORE QUESTION FROM VICE PRESIDENT, UH, COOPER, BECAUSE WE ARE ALMOST HALF AN HOUR OVER OUR TIME IN HERE.
AM I GONNA CHARGE? I CAN CHARGE FOR THIS.
IS THAT ONE OF THE ONES? UH, NOT, NOT UNDER, NOT AMONG THE FIVE AMONG.
SO WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE AMENDED THE SALARY RANGE THAT WE LOOKED AT IT TO INCREASE IT? FROM WHAT YOU SAID A MINUTE AGO, ONE OF OUR BIGGEST COMPETITORS IS AT 80, AND I THINK YOU SAID WE WERE AT 71 SOMETHING.
SO WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU LOOKED AT MAKING SOME ADJUSTMENTS? EVEN, YOU KNOW, FIVE GRAND IS A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR, FOR SOME PEOPLE DECIDING BETWEEN A JOB CLOSE TO HOME VERSUS GOING 40, 50 MILES AWAY, YOU KNOW, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO ENCOURAGE US TO MAYBE LOOK AT MM-HMM,
I'VE ACTUALLY MADE THAT IN THE S IT WAS LOW.
UM, AS I SAID, WE'RE TRYING TO DO IT IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY BECAUSE I CAN'T, UM, RAISE THE INCOMING CLASS SALARY WITHOUT GOING BACK AND, AND ADJUSTING THE A HUNDRED, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE THERE NOW TOO.
SO, SO I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING WE, WE ARE LOOKING AT AGAIN IN TERMS OF, UH, GIVING THEM ANOTHER STEP UP FOR, UH, UH, STUFF HIGHER.
SO THAT'S ALWAYS, THAT'S ON THE TABLE.
SO, AND WE, WE, RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN, IN LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR PEOPLE THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE AND, AND KIND OF ADJUSTING THOSE SALARIES AND, UM, BUT I DON'T THINK THE, THE ISSUE WE'RE HAVING WITH REGARD TO BRINGING, BRINGING PEOPLE IN AGAIN, IT'S NOT JUST A-E-C-P-O ISSUE.
IT'S A NATIONAL ISSUE FROM, UM, PROSECUTORS AND DAS TRYING TO GET GOOD PEOPLE TO JOIN THIS, UH, SORT OF WORK.
THANK YOU MR. PROSECUTOR AND FOR THE ENTIRE TEAM.
THANK YOU FOR OUR OWN PRESENTATION.
SO YOU TO CHIEF JOINING AS WELL.
AND WE HAVE, UH, PARK OF RECREATION BE TAB NO NUMBER 13.
TAB ALWAYS DID I THINK THEY SHOULD AN BECAUSE IT I THE SICK.
FOR THE RECORD, I BELIEVE MR. SANTE TRAINED TO BOARD HIS FIRST
[01:00:02]
TO MAY POINT THAT HE IS UNDER.I THINK THAT WAS HIS PLAINTIFF.
I, MR. PRESIDENT, YOU NOTICE WE'RE DRESSED IN BLACK.
THERE MUST BE A REASON FOR THAT TODAY.
UH, MR. DOCTOR, PLEASE INTRODUCE CBF.
CERTAINLY, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, DIRECTOR SANTE, WHO, UH, DOES A GREAT JOB RUNNING OUR PARKS IN RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS HERE WITH HIS TEAM.
I'LL ALLOW HIM TO PRESENT HIS BUDGET AND HIS TEAM.
MS. ALANTE, YOU FOR THE RECORD, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION.
DAN ALANTE, DIRECTOR OF THE ESS COUNTY PARK SYSTEM.
UH, MY NAME IS DAN SANTE, DIRECTOR OF THE ESS COUNTY PARK SYSTEM.
WITH ME TONIGHT IS JOSHUA ZAS, OUR BUSINESS MANAGER, OUR ADMINISTRATIVE, A ASSISTANT JAMIE DONOFRIO.
WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT OUR 2024 BUDGET REQUEST A RECAP FOR 23, WHICH WAS A EXCITING YEAR FOR THE ESS COUNTY PARK SYSTEM.
OVER 979 GUESTS VISIT TURTLEBACK ZOO, WHICH SET A NEW ATTENDANCE RECORD.
TWO NEW SENIOR CENTERS, GLENFIELD PARK, WALLY CHOICE COMMUNITY CENTER IN MONTCLAIR BRANCH ROAD PARKS.
CHERRY BOSSES WELCOME CENTER IN NEWARK OPEN, BRINGING THE NUMBER OF COMMUNITY CENTERS IN THE PARK SYSTEM UP TO SEVEN.
WE ANTICIPATED OPENING TWO ADDITIONAL ONES THIS YEAR.
BETWEEN THOSE SEVEN COMMUNITY CENTERS, A TOTAL OF 318.
IN ADDITION, THERE ARE NUMEROUS ATHLETIC UPGRADES AND THE IMPROVEMENTS OF THE FRANCIS BYRNE, UH, GOLF COURSE.
WE CONTINUE TO RECEIVE RATE REVIEWS OF, OF OUR GOLFING FACILITIES, AS WELL AS OUR PARK IMPROVEMENTS.
THE RICH HISTORY OF THE SES COUNTY PARK SYSTEM, HISTORIC MILESTONE IN 24 BURG PARK, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, OPENED 100 YEARS AGO IN 19 24, 50 YEARS AGO, 1974, SES COUNTY ACQUIRED THE NIKE MISSILE BASE, WHICH NOW HIRES THE RED ARTISTS AT RIKER HILL ART PARK.
OUR PROJECTS WE ANTICIPATE IN 24.
WE ARE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THE COMPLETION OF THE PICKLEBALL COURTS IN BRENT BROOKDALE PARK.
THE WEEK WAKE GOLF COURSE WILL UNDERGO AND COMPLETE RENOVATION, WHICH WILL IMPROVE THE FIRST PUBLIC GOLF COURSE IN THE STATE OF NEW NEW JERSEY.
WE ARE PLANNING A PROCESS OF IMPROVING THE WALKING PATH AROUND THE SHORELINE OF WEAK WAKE PARK, WHICH WILL ALSO INCLUDE NEW EXERCISE AMENITIES.
THE HISTORIC PARK ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, WHICH WAS BUILT IN 1916, WILL COMPLETE ITS RES RENOVATIONS.
IN ADDITION, WILL BE OPENING UP TWO COMMUNITY CENTERS, ONE IN IRVINGTON PARK AND INDEPENDENCE PARK IN NEWARK.
WE ARE ALSO EXCITED ABOUT ATH ATHLETIC FIELD IMPROVEMENTS, WEAK WAKE PARK, BEL, I'M SORRY, YCA PARK.
BELLEVILLE PARK, BRANCHFORD PARK THIS YEAR, AS WELL AS PICKLEBALL COURTS AND GLENFIELD PARK, VERONA PARK AND IRVINGTON PARK.
THESE NEW AMENITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS ARE A WIN FOR THE RESIDENTS OF ESTES COUNTY.
AS LEISURE TIME IS IMPORTANT TO BOTH A MENTAL AND A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, WE ARE HERE TO PRESENT OUR 24 BUDGET.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, IF I CAN, WE WOULD LIKE TO START WITH OUR REVENUE THAT'S GENERATED THROUGH OUR DEPARTMENT.
JOSHUA WILL PASS OUT THE, UH, REVENUE REPORT FOR 2023.
YOU GOT SO, MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU JUST NOW IS THE BREAKDOWN OF OUR REVENUES GENERATED IN THE PARK SYSTEM.
AND IF YOU NOTICE, THE BOTTOM CHART IS THE 22 REVENUE.
AND I'LL JUST LOOK AT THE TOTAL IN NINE.
IN 2022, 20,295,000 WAS GENERATED.
THE PIE BREAKS DOWN THE PERCENTAGES.
TURTLEBACK ZOO AND THE SOUTH MOUNTAIN COMPLEX REPRESENTED 56%.
REVENUE GENERATED WAS 22 2 MILLION.
UH, GOD, WE HAD GOLF FOR A SECOND TIME.
AND TURTLEBACK ZOO OF 13, UH, 13,000,001, TWO.
SO YOU CAN SEE OUR TOTAL REVENUE, UH, IN 23, WHICH IS EXCEPTIONAL.
UH, WE FEEL THAT THAT NUMBER WOULD'VE BEEN EVEN HIGHER IF WE HAD A GOOD FALL.
[01:05:01]
WE HAD THOSE RAINY WEEKENDS.YOU CAN SEE OUR REVENUE, WHAT THE PERCENTAGES BREAKING OUT ARE AS THE TOTAL NUMBER FOR GOLF WAS AT 20%.
CODY ARENA AND REPRESENTS THE GROSS OF 22 2 8 4 20 23.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT, FRANK? I DO.
UM, SO, SO THE REAL INCREASE IS, IS, UH,
WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS IT? JUST THE INCREASE.
HOW MUCH OF THAT? UH, ACTUALLY, UH, THE, THE ATTENDANCE NUMBER WAS REALLY DRIVEN LAST YEAR OF 980, CLOSE TO 980,000.
UM, THAT DR, YOU KNOW, DROVE TURTLEBACK ZOO CONSIDERABLY, UH, THAN IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS.
UM, AND AGAIN, GOLF, YOU KNOW, WE HAD, ACTUALLY GOLF WOULD'VE MADE A LITTLE BIT MUCH STRONGER.
BUT KEEP IN MIND, WE ONLY ACTUALLY HAD TWO GOLF COURSES LAST YEAR.
THE SEC, THE THIRD ONE DIDN'T OPEN UNTIL LIKE AUGUST.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHICH OF COURSE THAT KEPT THAT NUMBER DOWN AS WELL.
JUST TO GIVE YOU, AGAIN, I DON'T WANNA SPEND TOO MUCH, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, UH, ICE TIME RENTALS, WE BREAK THAT DOWN.
BLOCKS OF TIME, 3,200 HOURS OF ICE TIME WAS RENTED AT THAT FACILITY.
UH, PUBLIC SKATING, 36,000 PEOPLE.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT GOLF, JUST THE ROUNDS OF GOLF, WE GENERATED 92,800 ROUNDS OF GOLF BREAKOUT.
THAT WAS ALMOST 17,000 ROUNDS.
HENDRICKS GOLF COURSE, 36,000 ROUNDS.
AND WEEK WAKE, WHEN I TELL YOU THIS NUMBER, IT'S THE HIGHEST NUMBER EVER GENERATED.
IT WAS FORTY THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED FORTY THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED ROUNDS OF GOLF.
IT'S THE HIGHEST NUMBER WE'VE EVER HAD.
ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER, CLASSROOM RENTALS, 43 PROGRAMS FOR THE YOUTH AND SO FORTH.
THOSE ARE REGISTERED PROGRAMS, NOT THE PEOPLE THAT JUST DROP IN WAS OVER 500.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE PERMIT ROOMS. 318 ROOMS WERE BLOCKED IN THOSE SEVEN FACILITIES.
AND TURTLEBACK ZOO HAD 979 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE.
WHAT, I MEAN, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE WORLD? WE HAVE NO RETURN HERE.
I MEAN, HOW MANY ROUTES CAN YOU, WHAT WELL, ON RECORD, IF I, IF I TALK TO OUR GING EXPERT, MR. LAJA RIGHT HERE, UH, RIGHT NOW WE THINK OUR, OUR GOLF IS, AGAIN, COULD GO UP A LITTLE MORE, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO BALANCE IT WITH THE MAINTENANCE OF THE GOLF COURSE.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE JUST SPENT A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY ON, ON THE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO TWO OF THE GOLF COURSES THIS YEAR.
WE'RE GONNA DO DO WEEK WAKE TO KEEP, WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE KIND OF SHUT DOWN A MORNING AT EACH GOLF COURSE TO ADDRESS THE MAINTENANCE OF THE COURSE TO KEEP IT IN PRISTINE CONDITION AS POSSIBLE.
SO IF YOU TALK TO A GOLFER, THEY, THESE NUMBERS ARE GOOD, BUT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GENERATE REVENUE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MORE ROUNDS WE COULD PUSH OUT JUST BASED ON DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME.
SO THERE, THERE'LL BE A POINT GIVEN GOOD WEATHER THAT THE ONLY INCREASES YOU MAY SEE IN THE GOLF REVENUES IS FROM FEE INCREASES.
ORDINANCE, WE'LL HAVE OUR SECRETARY AT THE, AT THE NEXT MEETING.
UM, ARE THOSE, ARE THOSE ADJUSTED IN A WAY THAT MIGHT ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THE OTHER COURSES THAT DON'T GET AS MUCH ACTIVITY IN TERMS OF, WE, WE HAVE A, A TIER APPROACH ON OUR GOLF COURSE.
SO IF THIS RIGHT HERE, SO, OKAY, SO IF I USE A SENIOR EXAMPLE, OKAY, IT'S, UH, ROUND THEABOUT FOR WEEK WAKE IS WITH THE CARD AND SO FORTH, $25.
$30 AT HENDRIX AND IT'S $40 AT BURN.
SO THERE'S A TIER ON THE GOLF COURSE FEE.
BUT I'M SAYING, DOES THAT DO ANYTHING TO HELP GENERATE MORE ROUNDS AT THE ONE THAT CHARGES THE LEASE? WELL, YOU GENERATE MORE IF, IF I, IF I WASN'T A SENIOR PLAYING GOLF, I'M GONNA BE PAYING A HIGHER FEE RIGHT.
SO I'M REALLY GONNA GENERATE MORE MONEY IF I'M A NON-SENIOR PLAYING AT THE GOLF COURSE.
AND AGAIN, YOU GOTTA KEEP, YOU KNOW, FRIDAY, SATURDAYS, AND SUNDAY.
AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, TEE TIME BOOKING AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
UH, AND EVENING HOURS, WE OFFER A REDUCED RATE, WHICH IS A TWILIGHT RATE AND SO FORTH.
SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO CAPTURE EVERY, WE PRICED, UH, I THINK WE GET THE, THE WHOLE COURSE FOR $6,500
[01:10:01]
FOR A GOLF TOURNAMENT.SO THE AMOUNT WE HAVE IN REVENUE IS ANTICIPATED FOR THE, WELL, WE ANTICIPATE BASED ON OUR PREVIOUS NUMBERS FOR NEXT YEAR, WE'RE ANTICIPATING AN INCREASE ABOUT 1.7 IF, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING PLAYS OUT WITH WEATHER AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
AND THAT'S BASED ON BURN BEING OPEN UP, BUT NOT, I KNOW IT'S NOT JUST BURN, BUT GOLF.
SO, AND THEN A WEEK, WE'LL CLOSE PROBABLY AUGUST, I THINK, WHEN WE DO THE CONSTRUCTION.
SO, UM, LET'S, I'M, I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH EVERY DEPARTMENT.
SO WE JUST KINDA LOOK AT THE OVERALL, OVERALL BUDGET IN THE GENERAL, UM, YOU, THE SALARIES AND WAGES ARE ACTUALLY, UM, UP BY, UH, ABOUT $400,000, WHICH IS LESS THAN A 4%, AROUND 3% INCREASES THAT BASICALLY CONTRACTUAL FOR THE MOST PART, YES.
SO THERE, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF ADJUSTMENT IN THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS CORRECT.
AND, UH, AND WE STILL DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, MONIES COMING OUT OF OPEN SPACE TO HELP, UH, SUBSIDIZE THE LARGE NUMBER OF MAINTENANCE.
WE HAVE MAINTENANCE OPERATION.
YOU KNOW, OPERATIONS ON THE, UH, ON THE, UH, OTHER EXPENSES.
UM, CAN YOU, CAN YOU GO THROUGH, UH, YOU KNOW, THE INCREASE HERE, WE DO HAVE AN INCREASE OF OVER $800,000 THAT'S BEING REQUESTED, UM, FROM TURTLE BAG ZOO TO THE GOLF COURSES TO MAINTENANCE OF PARK.
SO CAN YOU JUST ADDRESS THOSE INCREASES WHAT THEY'RE FOR? UH, JOSHUA PARK? UH, I'M SORRY, MR. MCELROY, ARE YOU TALKING, UM, FOR THE SALARIES OR THE OTHER EXPENSES? I'M TALKING ABOUT OTHER EXPENSES.
SO THE BIG ONE, UM, YOU'LL NOTICE IN MAINTENANCE, UH, THE REQUEST IS ADDITIONAL 5 31 OF THAT 5 31, 500 OF THAT IS, UH, SET ASIDE FOR OUR SNOW CONTRACTS.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE APPROPRIATING MONEY.
I THINK I SPOKE TO MR. MOHAM ABOUT, WE'RE ACTUALLY APPROPRIATING MONEY THIS YEAR IN THE BUDGET FOR, FOR THE SNOW MOHAMED
UM, WE ADDED THAT LINE ITEM FOR, UH, FOR THE SNOW CONTRACT.
THAT'S, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME TO BE, UH, BUDGETED IN THIS BUDGET.
SO THIS IS, PUT IT IN THE MAINTENANCE PARK AND THE, THE SNOW CONTRACT BASICALLY TO ALL THE BOX AND, UH, BE, YOU KNOW, UH, SNOW HAPPENING, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD BE, UH, COVERED BY THIS CONTRACT.
AND WE STILL HAVE MONEY IN RESERVE.
UM, AND ON THE GOLF COURSE, THERE'S, THERE'S A, A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN OTHER EXPENSES TOO.
WHAT IS, WHAT IS THAT FOR? SO YEAH, ADJUST CARDS.
SO, UH, YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE 89,000.
WELL, THERE'S, I'M LOOKING AT THE OVERALL INCREASES HERE ON THE SUMMARY SIDE.
SO WITH THE GOLF COURSE YOU THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT WE, UH, SUCH, UM, BEAUTIFUL GOLF COURSES, WE CERTAINLY WANT MAINTAIN THEM TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES.
UH, AND SO THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES, MATERIALS, SUPPLIES, MATERIAL, YEAH.
GRASS SEED, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE ALSO WE'RE, WE'RE NOT THAT IT'S COMING OUT THIS BUDGET, BUT WE'VE ALSO STARTED TO MOVE TO, UH, ELECTRICAL, UH, EQUIPMENT ON THE GOLF COURSE.
SO, UM, OUR, OUR GREEN MOWERS AND SO FORTH THROUGH ELECTRICAL.
UM, SO AGAIN, WE'RE GETTING AWAY FROM THE DIESEL AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF THERE.
OH, SO THERE ARE BENEFITS, UM, BOTH IF ONE OF THE, UH, HYDRAULIC LINES BREAK ON THE, ON THE MACHINE AND THEN YOU DON'T NOTICE IT.
NOW, THIS IS KIND OF LIKE A, A PROBLEM.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ELECTRIC CHARGED EVERY NIGHT AND THEY'RE ABLE TO, UH, CUT THE GREEN AT THE GOLF COURSE FOR A FULL ABOUT EIGHT OR NINE HOUR, YOU KNOW, IN THAT CYCLE.
WHAT ARE THE DEDICATED FUNDS THAT YOU HAVE AVAILABLE TO YOU AT THIS TIME? UH, I DON'T, MR. PRESIDENT, I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER AVAILABLE.
BECAUSE THOSE ARE BALANCES LEFT IN ACCOUNTS.
I, I MEAN, I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.
COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS? I HAVE A STATEMENT.
UH, LEMME HAVE COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON RAISE THE SANDS AND THEN WE'LL HAVE COMMISSIONER SBO MAKE YOUR STATEMENT.
I, I HAVE A STATEMENT AS WELL.
I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU GUYS ON THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO IN THE PARK RECREATION, UH, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DO, GOLF COURSES, UH, THROWBACK, ZOOM, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE, JUST TAKE THAT OFF.
P IT'S TEAMS, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE TEAM, BUT IT'S EVERYBODY BEHIND.
[01:15:01]
GIVE NO COMMISSION IS EVIL.I HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, WITH THE AGENT OPEN SPACE AND BEING ON THE OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND ADVISORY BOARD FOR SO MANY YEARS.
WE HAVE THE LARGEST OLDEST PARK SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY.
AND WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE LIKE DAN
SO WHAT COULD WE DO THAT'S BETTER THAN HAS SUCH WONDERFUL PEOPLE AS DAN AND THE WHOLE ENTIRE STAFF RUNNING THIS FANTASTIC SUB SYSTEM IN ESSEX COUNTY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOU DO.
COMMISSIONER, GRANT, UH, REAL QUICK.
THE, UM, WHAT'S THE AGE LIMIT FOR THE, UH, GOLF CARD FOR THE SENIORS AGE LIMIT? I MEAN, WHAT'S THE AGE? I BELIEVE IT'S 55.
I HAVE TO CHECK WITH MR. ELIJAH.
I'LL GET YOU BACK FOR OUR MEETINGS AND EXPLAIN.
MY KIDS ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR HALLOWEEN PROGRAM AT THE ZOO.
THE LIGHTS WERE SPECTACULAR THIS YEAR.
I WAS UPSET ALL THE RAINY DAYS.
WE'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH ON A WEEKEND, SO I'M SURE YOU GUYS, YOU A NUMBER WAS AMAZING THAT YOU MADE FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE ZOO.
SO I DO WANT TO COMMEND YOU FOR ALL THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO.
THE ADMINISTRATION IS DOING A FANTASTIC JOB.
MY DAUGHTER JUST TOLD ME TO TELL YOU GUYS ONE THING, THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE MORE MILKY WAYS THAN SNICKERS.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THE LOVE MASK COMMISSION.
THANKS FOR THE GREAT JOB YOU DID.
UM, TO THE TEAM THAT'S HERE, UM, YOU KNOW, JOSH AND JAMIE DO A GREAT JOB.
YOU KNOW, JUST WANT TO NOTE, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE MISSING KATE.
UM, SHE'S AN EXCELLENT EMPLOYEE AND HAS BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS.
WE KNOW SHE HAD A UNFORTUNATE, UH, DEATH IN HER FAMILY BY LOSING HER, HER FATHER.
UM, I DID HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS DON'T HAVE TO BE ANSWERED TONIGHT THROUGH THE PRESIDENT.
FIRST QUESTION AGAIN, NOT A BUSINESS WE LIKE TO BE IN, BUT WHOLEHEARTEDLY I SUPPORT IT AND WE ALL SUPPORT IT.
HOW IS OUR DEER MANAGEMENT GOING THIS YEAR THAT IS CURRENTLY GOING ON RIGHT NOW? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO, I, I MEAN, I JUST TALK IN GENERAL ABOUT THE, JUST IN GENERAL, THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME NIGHTS IT'S, YOU KNOW, IF YOU, I DON'T WANNA SAY THE WORD SUCCESSFUL, BUT, YOU KNOW, SOME NIGHTS ARE GOOD AND SOME NIGHTS IT'S KIND OF HARD TO, YOU KNOW, FIGURE IT OUT.
IF IT RAINS, THAT'S THERE'S ICE ON, ON THE GROUND, THAT'S A PROBLEM 'CAUSE OF THE SOUND AND SO FORTH AND SO ON.
UM, WE HAD ONE VERY GOOD NIGHT AT, UH, SOUTH MOUNTAIN.
WE NOTICED A LOT OF DEER AT THE HILLTOP, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, OR FORTUNATELY, WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED, WE CANNOT SHOOT, WE CAN'T GET CLOSE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAIN MAINTAIN THE, YOU KNOW, THE LEVEL INSTEAD OF GOING ABOVE THE LEVEL.
AND I DID HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION, AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE AN ANSWER, BUT AGAIN, YOU COULD GET BACK TO US.
ARE WE GONNA BE DOING ANOTHER OPEN HOUSE AGAIN AT ZOO? OR IS THAT KIND OF, THAT SHIP SAILED? UM, I, I, I DON'T THINK MM-HMM.
ME AND PHIL MIGHT HAVE ANSWERED IT.
CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW THERE'S NOT, UH, ANOTHER, ANY DATE, ANYTHING PLANNED? NO.
I, I'M JUST SAYING 'CAUSE A COUPLE PEOPLE ASKED.
THAT WAS SOMETHING WE WERE GONNA GET BACK TO.
I KNOW WE KIND OF TEMPORARILY PUT THAT ON THE BACKGROUND.
BUT IF YOU DO OR YOU DO DECIDE THAT THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, JUST PLEASE TELL US WHEN THAT WAS SOMETHING WE ENJOYED PARTICIPATING IN.
SO, YOU KNOW THE QUESTIONS, UH, BEFORE EVERYONE GETS UP AND HUGS YOU, UH, WHY DON'T WE,
PERHAPS THE BETTER REWARD WOULD BE THAT WE MOVE UP, UH, MR. STATES UP ON THE AGENDA A LITTLE BIT, AS I PROMISE.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, YOU'RE BOTH FOR FAVORITE PRESIDENT SHOULD.
ALRIGHT, EVERYONE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND, UH, FOR THE JOB THAT YOU DO
[01:20:01]
ALL THE TIME.YOU GUYS WERE READY TO HUG HIM TWO MINUTES AGO.
ALRIGHT, WE'RE GONNA BE MOVING ON TO PUBLIC WORKS TO SEE IF WE CAN CATCH UP, UH, BACK ON OUR SCHEDULE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A VERY LONG NIGHT.
THERE'S NOT EVERY HONOR CALLED IN HERE.
YES, MR. JACKSON, DO YOU KNOW HOW TO FIX IT? UM, GOOD EVENING.
MR. PRESIDENT, UH, DIRECTOR OF RAHE IS HERE WITH HIS TEAM TO PRESENT HIS BUDGET.
I'LL SAN PRESENT YOUR TEAM AND THEN, UH, GET INTO YOUR BUDGET.
PLEASE JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND SAY YOUR AFFILIATIONS WITH THE GOOD AFTERNOON, UH, COMMISSIONERS AND PRESIDENT.
I'M THE COUNTY ENGINEER AND I'M ALSO THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR WITH ME.
UH, LYDIA SAMWELL, SHE'S THE BUDGET ANALYST.
UH, IF YOU CAN GIMME TWO MINUTES, I'LL JUST GIVE A SYNOPSIS.
UH, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS HAS SIX DIVISIONS, UH, ENGINEERING PLANNING, ROADS AND BRIDGES, MOSQUITO FLEET AND BILLINGS AND GROUNDS.
ONE IS A PLANNING BOARD, WHICH MEETS EVERY MONTH.
AND THE A BOARD OF CONSTRUCTION APPEALS, WHICH MEETS ALSO ONCE IN A MONTH.
THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE, UH, BOARDS REQUIRED BY, BY LAW.
WE SUPPORT PARKS FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE LIKE 200 MILLION, MORE THAN $200 MILLION WORTH OF CAPITAL PROJECTS OUT THERE.
WE HAVE, WE RECEIVE A LOT OF STATE, FEDERAL, UH, GRANTS, SAFETY GRANTS FOR TRAFFIC LIGHTS, UM, BRIDGE GRANTS, PAVING GRANTS.
UH, A A TYPICAL YEAR WE GET, LAST YEAR WE GOT FEDERAL GRANTS IN $46 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANTS.
UH, STATE GRANTS AROUND 15 TO $20 MILLION.
UH, THE STATE GRANT, THE ANNUAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM GRANT, WE USE FOR PAVING AND TRAFFIC LIGHTS.
AND WE GET BRIDGES GRANTS, WHICH WE FIX BRIDGES AND WE SUPPLEMENT THAT WITH CAPITAL.
UH, JUST A CAP OF $20 MILLION.
AND I GET MY USUAL LOCATION AND IT, IT'S, IT'S COMING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MEETINGS.
UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR INTRODUCTION AND I AM HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE JUST GIVE US, THERE'S NOT A BIG INCREASE AT ALL BETWEEN SALARIES, BUT THERE WAS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF SLIPPAGE.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT MY BUDGET THIS YEAR, MY BUDGET IS 6.5% LESS THAN LAST YEAR.
TOTAL BUDGET, UH, DROPPED, I DROPPED IN 5% FROM LAST YEAR.
AND THAT'S IF I CUT MY SNOW LINE SO THAT I'M TRYING TO USE MY TRUST MONEY, UH, LITTLE BIT TRUST MONEY IN THIS YEAR.
MY TRUST MONEY FOR THIS, NO, IT AROUND $8.7 MILLION.
THEY HAVE $800,000 IN MOSQUITO TRUST MONEY.
THIS IS ALL PLANNING WE HAD FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.
AND THAT'S, IT'S A, WE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RESERVES NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE, WAS REFERRED AS THE SNOW VERB, UM, IS NOW REFERRED TO MUHAMMAD, THE COUNTY TREASURE, WE CALL IT NOW THE STORM RESERVE.
THE STORM RESERVE, THE STATE HAVE A DIFFERENT TERMINOLOGY FOR IT.
YOU CAN USE SNOW OR ANY OTHER STORM.
BUT IF I CAN, WE YOU JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THROUGH, UH, PARKS, THERE IS AN AL THERE IS A ALLOCATION, UH, FOR, FOR SNOW WITHIN PARKS.
THE, THE, THE HAM
AND THIS, THIS YEAR WILL HAVE BEEN IMPROVE IN THE BUDGET.
BUT PUBLIC WORKS DOES NOT HAVE A SNOW LINE ON IT, DOES IT? WE, WELL THROUGH THE, THE BUDGET PROCESS, UM, THE, THE SNOW RESERVE, YOU KNOW, THE STORM RESERVE HAS SUFFICIENT FUND FOR THIS YEAR, AND THE, THE, THE SNOW LINE WAS CUT BY 200 MILLION.
BUT I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A, I MEAN WE HAVE THE RESERVE, THERE'S
[01:25:01]
EIGHT OVER $8 MILLION IN THERE AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A WAY TO HELP IN TRYING TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.THAT, THAT IS GONNA HELP THIS YEAR.
AND, AND AGAIN, IT NO, WASN'T THAT BAD LAST YEAR, YEAR.
WE ROLLED THE PREVIOUS YEAR, BUT THE BALANCE OF THE MONEY INTO THE STORM, SO THIS YEAR WE, IT, WE HAVEN'T USED THAT FOR, FOR THE, THE COMPANY BUDGET.
SO WE HAVE $8.7 MILLION IN THE TRUST MONEY.
THE STORM WAS RESERVE AND $800,000 IN THE, THE MOSQUITOES MOSQUITO, SIR.
SO IT'S, IT'S, I HAVE TO CHANGE.
HOW MUCH DID YOU BUDGET LAST YEAR FOR SNOW? MOSQUITO SNOW WAS AROUND $4.5 MILLION.
AND UH, THIS YEAR IT'S, UH, AROUND ONE POINT WE CUT, WE CUT BY 2.5 MILLION.
MOSQUITO IS, IS, I HAVE $800,000.
I USUALLY SAVE LIKE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS EVERY YEAR AND TAKE THAT FLOW ALL INTO THE
AND THE LAST YEAR WE HAD 10 MACCIES AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE SEEN THAT I FILLING THOSE VACANCIES UP.
UH, WE HAVE FIVE MACCIES WHEN WE STARTED THIS BUDGET AND WE PUT FOUR, UH, NEW PHYSICIANS BRING MOSQUITO AND ONE MECHANIC.
YOU HAVE FOUR VACANCIES RIGHT NOW? WE HAVE FIVE VACANCIES IN YOUR WHOLE DEPARTMENT, RIGHT? YEAH.
AND, BUT WE ARE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER FOUR POSITIONS IN THIS BUDGET.
SO ALL YOUR POSITIONS ARE FILLED EXCEPT FIVE.
UM, THE SNOW BRIDGES AND HOW MUCH DETAIL, BUT I'M LOOKING AT IT DOWN ABOUT REALLY $400,000.
SO IS THAT TWO AND A HALF MILLION COME OUTTA OTHER LINE ITEMS AS LINDA, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.
IF YOU CAN, I CAN, I CAN ANSWER THAT BUSH, UH, MR ER, UH, HUSAM, MOHAMAD COUNTY TREASURER, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE SECOND PAGE, YOU WILL ACTUALLY SEE THERE IS THE A ONE LINE COURT, ROADS, ROADS AND BRIDGES SNOW LINE AND HELD THE TWO AND A HALF MILLION UNDER THE, THE VARIANCE COLUMN.
ON THE SUMMARY, UH, IF YOU COULD LOOK AT THE SECOND PAGE.
UH, IT'S SUMMARY'S WRONG, RIGHT? YEAH, IT WILL ACTUALLY, IT'LL, IT WILL SHOW THAT TWO AND A HALF MILLION, UM, REDUCTION.
THE PAGE ACTUALLY THIRD PAGE SUMMARY.
YEAH, HE'S LOOKING, HE'S LOOKING HERE.
HE'S LOOKING BECAUSE THAT PAGE WAS NOT CHANGED.
SO IS THAT A NEXT YEAR? $2 MILLION REDUCTION IN EXPENSE? YAY.
BOOK SCRATCH ALL BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED 800 POUNDS.
YEAH, NO, I, THIS I HAVE TWO THOSE.
I PROBABLY HAVE THE OTHER ONES IN THE CARD.
UM, ALRIGHT, SO ALL YOUR OTHER EXPENSES ARE DOWN TO ROUGHLY 17 MILLION, 16 MILLION.
AS FAR AS CAPITAL PROJECTS, UM, WE GOT A GREAT REDUCTION IN DEBT SERVICE ON CAPITAL PROJECTS.
WHAT, WHAT MAJOR PROJECTS, UH, DO WE HAVE COMING UP IN 2024
THE, THE FIRST BUILDING CAME ON BOARD WAS THE HISTORIC COURTHOUSE, WHICH WAS, WE SPEND A LOT OF CAPITAL ON THE $55 MILLION WE SPEND IN.
BUT NOW WE HAVE TO INVEST ON UPGRADING THE MECHANIC MECHANICS AND THE DEFIER PROTECTIONS.
SO WE PLAN TO PUT MORE MONEY REINVESTING, NOT MAJOR MONIES, BUT REINVESTING IN THE BUILDINGS ON, ON THE, ON THE GRANT SIDE.
WHEN WE GET GO FOR GRANT, THEY WANT US TO DESIGN IN HOUSE, OTHERWISE IT'LL TAKE FOREVER TO FINISH A JOB.
SO WE, FOR THE CAP, WE USE CAPITAL MONEY TO FUND GRANT DESIGNS FOR TRAFFIC, DESIGN TRAFFIC, LATE DESIGNS.
WE, I USE THE MONEY CAPITAL TO DESIGN THE, THE TRAFFIC LAKES SO THAT THAT EXPEDITES THE WHOLE THING.
WE HAVE ORANGE PARK BUILDING COMING.
UH, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, WAR FIELDS, WHICH WE HAVE IN THE LIST.
[01:30:01]
YOU'LL, YOU'LL BE SEEING THE, THE CAPITAL PROJECT LIST IN THE COMING, UH, WEEKS.WHAT, WHAT ABOUT DOT MONEY DID THAT, THAT STAGE FAIRLY CONSTANT.
DOT GET $10.5 MILLION IN, IN ANNUAL TRANSFER PROGRAM AND THE 2.5 MILLION IN BRIDGE.
UH, AND WE'RE ABLE TO SPEND ALL, ALL THAT MONEY.
AND I, I, WE FUNDED THE PARKING DOCK HERE.
UH, WITH THAT MONEY, UH, WE HAD $750,000, UH, WHICH WE PAY EVERY YEAR FOR 20 YEARS.
AND 2026 IS THE LAST YEAR THAT WAS FUNDED BY THE, AN ANNUAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM FUND.
UM, THERE'S NOTHING MORE IN THE HOSPITAL CENTER IN TERMS OF BUILDING CRAFT.
WE HAVE TO REINVEST ON, ON MAJOR CAPITAL, UH, EQUIPMENT MEANS THE, THE CHILLER, THE BOILER, UH, THAT KIND OF STUFF.
AND, UM, WHAT ABOUT THE JAIL? BECAUSE WE, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT NEEDS FOR IMPROVEMENTS.
JAIL IS BEING HANDLED THROUGH THE DCO.
WE ARE REINVENTING, REINVESTING MONEY THROUGH THE, THE OPERATING COSTS THERE.
SO EVERYTHING ROOF WAS JUST FIXED.
UH, $10 MILLION WAS SPENT BRAND NEW ROOF.
THAT IS GOOD FOR NEXT 20 YEARS.
BUT THE BUILDING ITSELF IS THERE.
BUT WE HAVE, AGAIN, WE HAD TO AT LEAST 1% OF THE, THE CAPITAL COST HAS TO, YOU HAVE TO PUT BACK IN THE BUILDING TO KEEP UP THE BUILDING.
ALL OUR BUILDINGS IN GREAT SHAPE.
AND WHAT IS THAT? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT CAPITAL COST? THAT IS ACTUALLY, WE CAPITALIZE THAT COST.
SO THERE IS A CAPITAL PLAN FOR THAT FOR THE JAIL.
IT'S, AGAIN, IT'S NOT PRESENTED YET.
IT'S ALL, IT'S ALL IN THE WORKS IN HOSPITAL CENTER.
UH, THE HISTORIC COURTHOUSE, VETERANS COURTHOUSE, LEROY SMITH BUILDING IS BRAND NEW.
UH, WE HAVE TO SPEND SOME MONEY AT THE YOUTH HOUSE 50 SOUTH CLINTON.
UM, NOW WE HAVE TO UPGRADE THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM AND THE BILLING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH WE ARE DOING RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S ALL BEEN APPROVED FROM CAPITAL ORDINANCES CAPITAL.
I USE MY CAPITAL MONEY TO FUND THEM.
SO I MEAN OVERALL YOU, YOU PRIOR BUDGET IS DOWN BY TWO 1.9 MILLION OF WHICH REALLY TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS COMES FROM.
IT MUST, IT MUST BE DOWN MORE BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE CONTRACTUAL INCREASES.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY MORE, IT'S ACTUALLY MORE, YEAH.
SO YOUR BUDGET HAS DECREASED BY MORE THAN ACTUALLY THE CONTRACTUAL INCREASE AND, AND CONTRACTUAL ON THE, ON THE SERVICES SIDE TOO.
EVERYTHING IS EXPENSIVE NOW, RIGHT? SO TOTAL INCREASE IN THAT SIDE IS 4.5, BUT MY NET REDUCTION IS 6.5.
SO THAT MEANS I HAVE SACRIFICED A LOT
COMMISSIONER STEVE, THIS IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, UH, WORK FOR ESSEX COUNTY AND SANJEEV DOES A WONDERFUL JOB KEEPING US AS UP TO DATE AS POSSIBLE.
IT'S REALLY VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
BUT YOU WERE REALLY DOING A GREAT JOB FOR ASES COUNTY.
YOU ALWAYS THERE WHEN RECORD YOU.
I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT AND YOU'RE ALWAYS HELPFUL.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER? CIA? THANK YOU.
JUST THE OTHER DAY I EMAILED HIM OR FORWARD HIM AN EMAIL FROM A RESIDENT ABOUT A SIGN THAT WAS, I GUESS KNOCKED DOWN WITHIN LIKE TWO HOURS.
THE TEAM WAS OUT THERE AND THEY PUT THIS, YOU KNOW, DANGEROUS INTERSECTION SIGN ON ONE OF OUR FAMILY ROADS.
SO THAT WAS A
UM, YES, SANDY, YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT DO A FANTASTIC JOB.
I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION.
WHAT YEAR IS ORANGE PARK PLANNED FOR? IT'S COMING YEAR, THIS YEAR.
I MISSED THAT PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION.
WE ARE GOING BEFORE THE, THE, THE TOWN COUNCIL, UH, IN THE COMING WEEKS TO PRESENT IT.
DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE? NO, SORRY.
UM, I WOULD THINK WE'RE, I DON'T KNOW THE, THE BUILDING TIME, BUT IT, I IT'LL BE DONE THIS YEAR.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS SUCH A GREAT PRESENTATION AND JUST SO MUCH TO UNPACK.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT DOES.
UM, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT, THERE'S SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES
[01:35:02]
IN 2024 AND BEYOND, RIGHT? IN TECH AND ENGINEERING.AND WE JUST LOOK AT THE WEALTH OF DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
I'M CURIOUS ABOUT LIKE PIPELINES WITH OUR SCHOOLS AND GETTING YOUNG PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THE STEM AND INTERESTED IN DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT EITHER RELATE TO SOME OF THE WORK THAT'S TAKING PLACE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
ARE THERE CURRENTLY PROGRAMS OR KIND OF PIPELINES MAYBE FEEDING FROM OUR SCHOOLS INTO THE OFFICE AND FOR INTERNSHIPS OR LEARNING ABOUT STEM AND ENGINEERING THAT COULD HELP PREPARE THAT NEXT GENERATION OF, YOU KNOW, YOUNG FOLKS WHO COULD BE DOING INCREDIBLE WORK HERE? I'M FROM N JT UNIVERSITY, MOST ENGINEER FROM N JT.
AND THEN AGAIN FOR THE, FOR THE WORKERS.
WE HAVE MOSTLY UNION WORK NOW.
SO LOOKING HAS AN APPRENTICE PROGRAM AGAIN.
WE, WE, WITH THE
AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR NEW PROGRAMS FOR THE, THE FAMILY COURTS, WHICH WE HAVE.
WE DON'T HAVE THE FAMILY COURTS THE ONE WE ARE BUILDING HERE.
SANDRA, YOU MIGHT WANNA MENTION ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE WE GOT WORKING FOR YOU NOW, THOSE FOUR YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY GOT ALL 20 YEARS ARIZONA.
ALL J COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, SPEAKING OF YOU THAT YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT RECENTLY, YOU HAD A WONDERFUL GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE I THINK WHO WERE FROM NJIT WHO WORKED ON THE ILFORD PARK DOG PARK.
AND I BELIEVE THAT, I HEAR CORRECTLY THAT IT WAS LED BY YOUNG PEOPLE.
SOME OF THE DESIGN FEATURES THAT WERE INSTALLED.
THERE WAS A GROUP OF I THINK THREE YOUNG MEN AND A YOUNG LADY.
TWO YOUNG MEN AND ONE, ONE GIRL.
SO, SO, UM, I DON'T THINK WE HEAR ALL, ALL THE TIME, A LOT OF THIS PART OF THE, UM, ADMINISTRATION YOU GUYS UTILIZE.
I'D LOVE TO HEAR MORE, BUT I WAS SHOCKED AT THE, UM, UNVEILING THE RIBBON CUTTING TO SEE THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THE ROLE THAT THEY HAD PLAYED.
IF YOU HAVEN'T GONE TO VISIT THE DOG PARK AT, UM,
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO, UM, DO THE ADMINISTRATION TALK ABOUT DOING A DOG PARK, THE WEEKLY PARK.
IT'S A LOT OF, UM, INTEREST IN THAT.
AND THEY WALK A LOT OF DOGS IN THE PARK NOW.
SO IF THEY HAD A SPECIFIC AREA THAT THEY COULD WALK THEIR DOG, THEN THEY WOULDN'T BE RUNNING AROUND THE TRACK GOING AROUND.
YOU HAVE A THOUGHT IN MIND IN TERMS OF LOCATION.
SO, SO I'M THINKING MAYBE ON THE MEER AVENUE SIDE, UM, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT INSIDE OF THE PARK WHERE IT COULD BE, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SOME, SOME SPOTS RIGHT OFF OF ELIZABETH AVENUE AND, UH, ON THE MEER AVENUE SIDE.
MATTER OF FACT, THEY'RE RENOVATING A BUILDING RIGHT NOW, UH, RIGHT ACROSS.
THINK TOO A COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS.
EVEN LIKE ONE OF THE OLD LOTS, LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF PARKING.
THERE'S A LOT OF PARKING OVER THERE TOO AND SOME OF THEM ARE UNDERUTILIZED.
ONLY LOCATION IS MOST TO THE 22.
THERE WAS, THERE WAS A DUMPING BILL.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT AND UM, FOR COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
AND IF I MAY, ONE OF THE GREAT FEATURES AT BURG PARK, THAT WAS NICE, THE WAY THE KIDS LAID IT OUT.
THEY LIKE SEGREGATED AN AREA FOR LITTLE SMALL DOGS AND A, A SEPARATE AREA FOR BIGGER DOGS, IF YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THE DOGS HOW THEY ARE.
AND IT WAS NICE TO SEPARATE, UM, TO, TO SEPARATE IT THE WAY THAT YOU DID.
BUT IT STILL LOOKED SO SEAMLESS, LIKE AS IF IT WAS ONE BIG AREA.
ALRIGHT COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
CONTINUE THE GREAT WORK, THE FACILITIES, I THINK WE WOULD ALL AGREE.
THEY ALL LOOK FANTASTIC AND UH, YOU KNOW, BUILDING THEM IS PROBABLY THE EASIER PART.
MAINTAINING OMA IS THE CHALLENGE, RIGHT? LIKE RESTORATION WORK.
WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU WITH THAT.
ALRIGHT, UH, NEXT, UH, GROUP UP BEFORE OUR BREAK, HOPEFULLY WE CAN CATCH UP AND BE BACK ON TRACK.
WE WILL HAVE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION HOSPITAL CENTER, AND THEN WE WILL ADJOURN FOR A SHORT BREAK.
SO IF YOU'RE, SO IF YOU'RE HUNGRY, YOU MAY WANT TO LIMIT YOUR QUESTIONS.
I MEAN, THOSE ADJUSTMENTS
[01:40:01]
DIRECTOR, MS. STEER, TO PRESENT THE BUDGET.AND, UH, YOU HAVE STAFF YOU WANNA INTRODUCE FRANK.
MR. DELGAUDIO, PLEASE FOR THE RECORD, STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION.
I'M FRANK DELGAUDIO, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH REHAB FOREX COUNTY.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY STAFF ON THE, THEY DO ALL THE LEG WORK AND PREPARE ME WITH ALL MY, MY DETAILS.
SO WELL PLEASE PROCEED WITH THE PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL ASK SOME QUESTIONS.
SO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION, WE HAVE, UH, PRETTY MUCH GROWN IN THE PAST YEAR.
UM, OUR BIGGEST ADDITION OBVIOUSLY IS IN OUR, OUR DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH MANAGEMENT, WHICH HAS BECOME A SEPARATE DIVISION UNDER HEALTH AND REHAB.
UM, AND ALSO COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES.
THE GOOD THING ABOUT THOSE TWO DEPARTMENTS IS THERE'S NO BUDGET LINE.
THEY'RE 100% GRANT FUNDED, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE EMPLOYEE WHO'S OUR HEALTH OFFICER.
AND ABOUT 30% OF HER SALARY IS ACTUALLY FUNDED THROUGH, UM, OTHER CONTRACTS AND 10% THROUGH A GRANT.
SO, UM, YOU WON'T SEE A BUDGET LINE FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE 54 EMPLOYEES, UH, THEY ARE FULLY, UH, SUFFICIENT ON GRANT FUNDING, INCLUDING OFFICE SUPPLIES AND THEN ANCILLARY EXPENSES.
SO THE BULK OF OUR BUDGET IS HOSPITAL SET.
AND, UM, THAT'S, I'M JUST HERE TO FIELD QUESTIONS.
UH, THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF A, SOME DIFFICULTY IN THE HEALTHCARE FIELD, UH, FINDING PEOPLE THAT WANNA WORK ANY LONGER.
AS YOU READ THE NEWSPAPERS AND SEE WHAT IS GOING ON IN HEALTH, WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE WHERE, UM, WE, OUR NURSING COUNT WHERE WE MAY HAVE TWO VACANCIES LAST YEAR, THIS TIME WE HAD ABOUT SIX VACANCIES.
SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A LOT OF NURSES ARE COMING OUT OF THE ACUTE CARE SETTING.
THEY'RE A BIT BURNED OUT FROM THE PANDEMIC AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT WITH US.
SOME MORE PER DIEMS ARE COMING OUR WAY WHERE WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A LULL DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN WE HIRED ACTUALLY SCHOOL NURSES TO WORK AT THE HOSPITAL.
SO, UM, FROM THAT STANDPOINT, IT'S ALL GOING WELL.
PHYSICIANS ARE STILL A CONCERN.
WE'RE STILL DOWN TO PSYCHIATRISTS, BUT ALL OF OUR INTERNISTS AND OUR CONSULTING PHYSICIANS, ALL OF THOSE SPOTS ARE FILLED.
UM, YEAH, UH, THE, THE THING ABOUT THE HEALTH IN THE DAYS OF, I ALWAYS WONDER WHERE IS THE BUDGET? YOU KNOW, JUST I DIDN'T REALIZE ACTUALLY POSITION FOR FUNDING, RIGHT? YEAH.
WELL, WELL THE, THE PUBLIC HEALTH MANAGEMENT HAS 11 EMPLOYEES, RIGHT? CURRENTLY.
AND, UM, COMMUNITY HEALTH HAS 54.
SO WE'RE AT, WHICH UNDER WHICH GRANT? THERE'S NUMEROUS GRANTS.
CI A MOSTLY HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS CI A, WHICH IS DEPARTMENT IS CI A, WHICH IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL GRANT THAT FUNDS THE, THERE'S A LOT OF HEALTHCARE STRENGTHENING GRANTS AND VACCINE GRANTS THROUGH OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT WHERE WE'RE FUNDING A LOT OF SEASONAL EMPLOYEES TO DO THAT WORK WITH OUR MOBILE UNITS.
UM, BUT OVER ON THE COMMUNITY HEALTH SIDE, THE BIG ONE IS THE, UM, ONE IS THE, UM, THE SPECIAL CHILD UNIT, THE LARGEST
WE HAVE ABOUT 24 WORKERS, FOUR WORKERS JUST DOING THE SPECIAL TREATING SYSTEM.
AND, UH, IN THE NURSING SHORTAGE, WHICH THE BABIES SAY WE HAVE NURSING, I NOTICED THAT EVEN AS OF THIS TIME, THOSE ISSUES WITH 56 VACANCIES IN, IN NURSING.
SO THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE CHALLENGE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S STILL THAT HIGH.
THE ONLY ISSUE THERE THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, IS THAT THERE'S 10 POSITIONS THAT AREN'T FUNDED.
SO WITH THE, THE HEAD COUNT IS THERE AT ONE 30, BUT 20 OF THOSE ARE, UH, 10 OF THOSE ARE NOT FUNDED POSITIONS.
WE DIDN'T FUND THEM IN THE BUDGET.
'CAUSE THE WAY WE FIGURED OUR STAFFING IS THOSE POSITIONS IF WE WERE TO NEED THEM.
THERE'S OTHER ROOM IN THE BUDGET WHERE WE HAVE TO, IF WE NEED A FEW MORE OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
BUT WE CAN OPERATE WITH FOUR ATTENDANTS ON EACH SHIFT, THREE ON THE NIGHT SHIFT.
AND THAT COUNT COMES OUT TO OUR 1 1 20.
THERE'S ALSO, THOSE VACANCY ARE ALSO CAUGHT BY THE PER DIEMS. SO THERE'S SEVERAL PER DIEM VACANCIES, UM, IN THE NURSING, NURSING DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW.
SO THE, RIGHT NOW THERE'S ONLY ONE PER DIEM WORKING.
WE HAVE 12 PER DIEM VACANCIES.
AND ON THE RN SIDE, THE POOL NURSE, THERE'S, THERE'S 21 THAT ARE BUDGETED.
UM, THERE ARE 18 OF THOSE THAT ARE VACANT.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS TO SHOW VACANT IS MISLEADING TO THE EXTENT THAT SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS ARE NOT FUNDED.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT APPEARING ON THE PAYROLL 'CAUSE THEY'RE NOT THERE.
SO, SO, SO REALLY IS IT 56 VACANCIES?
[01:45:01]
CORRECT.SO HOW MANY NURSING VACANCIES ARE THERE? BECAUSE I KNOW AT THE END OF THE YEAR WHEN WE GO THROUGH TRANSFER NURSING, THE HOSPITAL SAYS IT'S THE FIRST PLACE WE GET HAS MONEY FROM THE ABILITY TO HIRE NURSES.
WELL, ON THE RN SIDE, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, YOUR UNIT UNIT STAFF, WE HAVE 61 BUDGETED.
WE CREATED ACTUALLY, UH, TWO ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME RNS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, BUT AT NO EXPENSE TO THE BUDGET.
SO RIGHT NOW, UH, OUR COUNT IS AT 58, BUT TWO RN ORIENTATION.
AND, UM, SO WE'RE REALLY ONLY SHORT TWO NURSES RIGHT NOW.
WE DO HAVE INTERVIEWS LINED UP.
THEN THERE'S SOME NURSES THAT ARE IN MANAGEMENT TITLES, OUR ADMISSIONS OFFICER, INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL OFFICER.
WE HAVE A, UM, UTILIZATION REVIEW, UH, COORDINATOR.
SO THOSE POSITIONS ARE THERE, RNS AND TWO ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSES THAT ARE NOT IN THAT HEADCOUNT.
AND ALL OF THOSE TITLES AND POSITIONS ARE FILLED.
HAS OUR, OUR QUESTION, UM, FOR THE HOSPITAL CENTER, UM, IN TERMS OF REIMBURSEMENT WE GET, HOW IS THAT, HOW IS THAT, IS THAT, IS IT EVEN WELL, IN 2023, WE HAD A VERY GOOD YEAR.
WE HAD A VERY HIGH PER DIEM RATE.
SO YOUR RATE, YOUR REVENUE IS BASED ON ACTUAL COST.
SO IN 2022, OUR COSTS ACTUALLY WENT DOWN.
SO EVEN THOUGH, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HEAR IT.
AND WHAT'S THE DELAY? IT'S JUST A TWO YEAR FORMULA.
YOU'RE ALWAYS TWO YEARS BEHIND.
SO THEY LOOK AT YOUR COSTS FROM TWO YEARS PRIOR.
BUT THERE WERE SOME OTHER CONSIDERATIONS THAT WERE TAKEN WHERE OTHER EXPENSES ARE COMING IN WITH SOME OUTLAY ON SOME OPERATING EXPENSES AND, UH, ELECTRONIC RECORD SYSTEMS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO, SO OUR RATE WILL REMAIN CONSTANT FOR THE, SO OUR REVENUE IS ANTICIPATED TO BE EQUAL OR GREATER THAN AS IN 23.
AND HOW MUCH OF THAT ACTUALLY COVERS? NO, OVERALL, WELL, IT COVERS THE REVENUE.
I, THIS YEAR WAS, I BELIEVE IT WAS AROUND 56 MILLION.
SO OUR OPERATING BUDGET IS A LITTLE OVER 26 MILLION.
WE WE'RE ALSO ADDING TO THAT COMPUTATION INDIRECT COSTS, AREN'T WE FROM OTHER AREAS? CORRECT.
SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST YOUR COSTS THAT ARE SOURCE THAT ARE ASSOCIATED YOUR BUDGET HERE.
UM, THE OTHER THING THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS THAT'S, THAT'S NOT BERG IS THE MUST HAVE MEDICAID CORRECT.
THAT BRINGS IN, WHAT IS IT, 7 MILLION OR 9 MILLION OR SOMETHING? WE'RE UP AROUND 8 MILLION.
THE COMMISSIONERS AND HOW, HOW WELL THAT'S WORKING NOW.
IT'S ACTUALLY A FINANCIAL PIECE, BUT SINCE IT'S HOSPITAL RELATED, IT, I, I KIND OF ADMINISTERED A PROGRAM THROUGH A, THROUGH A CONSULTING FIRM THAT ACTUALLY DOES A LOT OF OUR WORK.
AND THEY, THEY DO GREAT WORK FOR US.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS FOR YEARS, IF YOU ALWAYS HEAR, UM, A LOT OF LAKERS SAY, WELL, NEW JERSEY'S 48TH IN THE COUNTRY, AND BRINGING MONEY BACK INTO THE STATE, WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO TO BRING MONEY BACK INTO THE STATE.
SO ACTUALLY OUR STATE LEGISLATORS CAME UP WITH A BILL WHERE IT'S A RE IT WAS ORIGINALLY A PILOT PROGRAM THAT ONLY WAS IN SEVEN COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THERE IS A FEE THAT THE COUNTY ASSESSES BASED ON MEDICAID DISCHARGES.
THEY WANT TO SEE MORE, UM, CARE FOR THE UN FOR THE UNDERSERVED POPULATION AT THE SAME SURE.
THOSE HOSPITALS ARE GETTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE LOWER PAYMENTS THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING FROM THE FED MEDICARE BENEFITS.
SO WHAT THE PAYMENTS DO IS THEN YOU PAY BACK IN THROUGH, THROUGH, UM, THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THROUGH CMS AND THEN THAT, AND THEN THAT MONEY IS THEN IT'S ALMOST TRIPLE TRIPLED AND REDISTRIBUTED TO THE HOSPITAL.
I HAD THE MOST MEDICAID PATIENTS THAT YEAR SINCE THAT YEAR.
SO EVERY YEAR NEWS ISRAEL BENEFITS THE GREATEST, UH, FOLLOWED BY UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, CLA MOSS, BARNABAS EAST ORANGE, WHICH IS NOW KAWELL.
BUT EVERY HOSPITAL IS ON THE, UH, BENEFIT BENEFITING SIDE.
NONE OF THE NINE HOSPITALS IN THE PROGRAM COME AT AT US AS A DEFICIT.
SO THE NUMBERS WE'RE TALKING, UH, NEWARK, BETH ISRAEL, IT'S AN EXTRA $67 MILLION ANNUALLY.
SO THE PROGRAM'S WORKING WELL, THEY, THE DATA ACTUALLY OPENED IT UP TO ALL OF THE COUNTIES.
NOW WE, YOU WOULD HAVE TO KNOW WHICH COUNTIES ARE INCLUDED.
IT'S BEEN OPEN TO ALL COUNTIES, BUT YEAH, BUT NOT ALL OF 'EM ARE PARTICIPANTS.
[01:50:01]
UM, NOT SURE.SOME DON'T HAVE HOSPITALS, BUT EVERY, ANY, EVERY COUNTY WILL BENEFIT FROM IT.
'CAUSE THE COUNTY GETS AN ADMINISTRATION FEE OFF THAT TOO.
SO THAT'S WHERE OUR, OUR MONEY'S COME OUT OF THAT PROGRAM.
SO YOUR OTHER EXPENSES STILL OUTSIDE OF THE SALARY ARE FLAT? FLAT.
THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO INCREASE.
UM, SO OTHER THAN REALLY THE CONTRACTUAL INCREASES THAT YOU HAVE WITHIN YOUR SALARIES AND WAGES, THEN UH, THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY YEAR.
ABOUT 3 MILLION BUDGET? CORRECT.
COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS, YOU MENTIONED AN AUTISM PROGRAM OR, UH, AS A PART OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
AND WE'RE JUST SEEING INCREASES IN AUTISM ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND PART OF IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST BECAUSE WE'RE RECOGNIZING AUTISM ACROSS ALL LEVELS OF SEVERITY.
ARE THERE DIFFERENT GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE INCREASING BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE OF DIAGNOSIS? OF DIAGNOSIS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN YOUR SPACE? THAT'S A GREAT ENT.
SO OUR PROGRAM, WE TREAT, UM, CHILDREN BASICALLY FROM BIRTH TO THREE YEARS OLD, WHICH IS EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM, WHICH IS A SEPARATE GRANT.
AND THEN IT GOES FROM FOUR YEARS OLD TO 18.
SO BASICALLY IT'S CASE MANAGEMENT.
AND WITH THE HELP OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF, WE WERE ABLE TO RECRUIT, UH, QUITE A FEW WORKERS THIS YEAR.
SO THE GRANT INCREASES ARE FOR MORE STAFFING? IT'S FOR ADDITIONAL STAFFING.
RIGHT NOW OUR CASE, OUR SPECIAL CHILD WORKERS ARE AVERAGING A HUNDRED TO 110 CASES A PIECE.
SO THEY'RE BUSY, THEY'RE KEEPING BUSY AND THEY'RE OUT IN THE FIELD.
SO THAT, THAT'S, IT'S REALLY BUSY.
HOW MANY COUNTIES SEND PEOPLE TO OUR FACILITY? HERENESS COUNTY? WELL, THROUGH AGREEMENTS, THERE'S TWO.
WE HAVE, UH, PASSAIC AND MIDDLESEX.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE PATIENTS FROM, YOU KNOW, OCEAN MORRIS ONE HUDSON.
THEY, THEY, SO, UM, THE BILLING WORKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
WHEN WE HAVE PASSAIC AND MIDDLESEX, UH, WE BILL THE STATE 100% FOR THE COST.
THE OTHER COUNTIES, WE HAVE TO SEND THEM A BILL FOR 15% OF THE PER DIEM RATE.
DO ALL THE COUNTIES HAVE A FACILITY? NO.
THE ONLY COUNTIES RIGHT NOW THAT ACTUALLY OWN AND OPERATE IS, UM, HUDSON, WHICH IS MEADOWVIEW AND PARTIALLY, UH, CORNERSTONE IN UNION, NEW BRIDGE AND BERGEN, THEY GET STATE FUNDING.
THEY HAVE ABOUT 340 MENTAL HEALTH BEDS WHERE THEY'RE FUNDED THROUGH THE STATE FOR, BUT THEY'RE, UH, PRIVATELY RUN AND ALL THE OTHER COUNTIES SENT TO ESSEX COUNTY, THEY GET REFERRED.
YOU KNOW, WE SEE A LOT OF REFERRALS COMING OUT OF THE MIDDLESEX COUNTY AREA.
BUT WHAT DO THEY DO WITH THE PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE PATIENTS? SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, WHAT HAPPENS IS THE SHORT-TERM CARE FACILITIES, BECAUSE WE DON'T TAKE PATIENTS WHO WALK UP TO THE FRONT DOOR.
SO THEY'RE SCREENING, THERE'S DESIGNATED SCREENING CENTERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE THAT THE STATE FUNDS FOR THIS 30 DAY STAY.
SO WHAT HAPPENS THEN? THESE PATIENTS GET PUT, PUT ON A REFERRAL LIST.
THEY SEE A JUDGE WITHIN DAYSS OF THEIR ADMISSION TO WHEN THESE CARE FACILITIES, THEY GO BEFORE A JUDGE.
AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS, SAY THEY'RE EITHER COMMITTED OR THEY'RE NOT COMMITTED, THEN THAT SHORT TERM CARE WOULD HAVE TO EITHER FIND DISCHARGE OPTIONS, THEN THEY REFER TO US AND THEY REFERRED TO EVERY OTHER HOSPITAL IN THE STATE.
SO THE THREE STATE HOSPITALS, THE COUNTY HOSPITALS AND WHOEVER WANTS TO TAKE THEM, IT'S PRETTY MUCH YOU, YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, TAKE YOUR PICK.
AND, AND HOW MANY BEDS DO YOU HAVE IN THE FACILITY AND ARE THEY ALL OCCUPIED? WE HAVE 180 BEDS RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE 162 PATIENTS IN HOUSE, BUT THE REMAINDER ARE ON PRIVATE 'CAUSE THEY CAN'T GET ALONG WITH, HAVE A ROOMMATE.
SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY SINGLE BED OCCUPANCY.
SO WHAT WE DO IS WE BLOCK BEDS.
THERE ARE USUALLY NEW ADMISSIONS OR SOME THAT ARE LONG TERM AND WE KNOW THEY JUST, AND WE TRY TO WORK AROUND IT TO GET THAT NUMBER UP SO WE CAN INCREASE OUR BED COUNT.
BUT ON TOP OF THAT, WE DO PAY MONEY.
AND THAT'S IN THE BUDGET WHEN WE HAVE ESSEX COUNTY PATIENTS IN OTHER HOSPITALS.
'CAUSE YOU COULD HAVE AN ESSEX COUNTY PATIENT SAY IN, UH, CLARA MOSS IN SHORT TERM SCREENING AND MEADOWVIEW JUMPS ON IT AND THEY ADMIT THEY WOULD GRAB THE PATIENT.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, WE DON'T HAVE ANY EMPTY BEDS.
WELL, I'VE GOTTA COMMEND YOU FOR THE FANTASTIC JOB YOU'RE DOING WITH THAT HOSPITAL.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS? MR.
WE APPRECIATE, UH, YOU'VE BEEN DOING IT WITH YOUR TEAM FOR TIME, SO THANK YOU FOR ONGOING AS WELL.
BEFORE WE TAKE A BREAK, IT'S JUST BEFORE JUST
[01:55:01]
A, WE SCHEDULE FOR A SIX O'CLOCK, UH, BREAK.WE WILL HAVE IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER, UH, BEGINNING AT SIX 30, DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICES FOLLOWED BY COUNTY COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATION OF FINANCE, CENTRAL EXPENSES AND INSURANCES, DEBT SERVICE, UNCLASSIFIED, DEFERRED CHARGES, CONDITIONERS AND ADMINISTRATION TELLING.
ARE THEY, ARE THEY, WHAT'S THE STEPS? YEAH,
[02:20:28]
WE[02:20:29]
BROUGHT[02:20:29]
THAT[02:20:29]
UP[02:20:29]
TODAY.LIKE THE FIRST YEAR WE, WE TOLD HIM MM-HMM.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN? HE BROUGHT THAT UP? TODAY? HE DID THE AUDIT.
SO HE HAD TO HAD THE AUDIT AND SAY WE, WE MADE HIM AWARE, LIKE HE GAVE HIM
[02:31:10]
SERVICES.[02:31:11]
AND, UH, BEFORE YOU TODAY WE'LL BE, UH, ANSWERING QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE, UH, COUNTY FUNDED PORTION OF OUR DEPARTMENT.SPECIFICALLY WE'LL BE HERE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR THE, UH, DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS, WHICH WAS FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE DIVISION OF WELFARE.
UH, THE DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES, WHICH HOUSES OUR JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER, UM, OFFICE OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, WHICH IS UNDER OUR DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ACTION.
AND WE ALSO HAVE, UH, THE COUNTY FUNDED PORTION OF TWO OF OUR DIVISIONS THAT ARE GRANT FUNDED, UH, INCLUDING OUR DIVISION OF SENIOR SERVICES AND THE, UH, DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ACTION.
AND BEFORE YOU GO FURTHER, LET ME, UH, JUST TAKE A POINT OF ORDER.
LET ME JUST HAVE, UH, THE CLERK JUST DO A ROLL CALL TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHO'S HERE AFTER OUR BREAK.
SINCE WE HAVEN A DROP OFF OF A COUPLE.
AND, AND MR. PRESIDENT, I HAVE A, A NUMBER OF, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM VARIOUS DIVISIONS INCLUDING OUR, UM, CFO FROM THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, UH, ONE OF OUR ANALYSTS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR, UH, DIRECTOR OF YOUTH SERVICES JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER.
REVEREND UH, DENNIS HUGHES IS HERE.
UH, MAURICE BROWN, REPRESENTING THE DIVISION OF, UH, SENIOR SERVICES AND TERRENCE MCCOY, WHO OVERSEES OUR DIVISION OF, UH, COMMUNITY ACTION, I BELIEVE OFFICIALLY THE LARGEST ENTOURAGE OF THE HEARING.
AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS DIRECTLY.
COULD WE JUST RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER LUCIANO JONES
DO YOU, HAVE YOU WANNA DO INTRODUCTION OF ANYTHING OR DO YOU WANT TO GO RIGHT TO THE
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE UP TOO MUCH TIME.
HOW ARE YOU SIR? UM, JUST FROM AN I WELL HERE SIDE, UM, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, BUDGET IS THE AMOUNT OF REIMBURSEMENTS THAT WE GET.
SHARE THAT SOMETHING, IS IT DELAYED SOMETHING BASED ON THE, OR YOU GET EVERY YEAR BASED ON THE COST? UH, THE, THE REIMBURSEMENT IS, IS BASED ON, UM, ON OUR COSTS IS, IS A PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL COSTS.
UH, A NUMBER OF, UM, CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE COVERED THROUGH OUR INDIRECT COSTS, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, FACILITIES, MAINTENANCE, UM, YOU KNOW, OTHER, OTHER ISSUES THAT IMPACT THE OPERATIONS OF, OF THE DIVISION.
UH, WE'RE ABLE TO GET OUR REIMBURSEMENTS IN A, IN A TIMELY FASHION.
UH, THE ONLY VARIABLE AS FAR AS, UH, THE REIMBURSEMENT RATE THAT WE GET BACK IS THROUGH CHILD SUPPORT, WHICH REPRESENTS A, A SMALLER, UH, FUNCTION WITHIN THE DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE DIVISION OF WELFARE.
UH, BUT, BUT THE OVERALL REIMBURSEMENT RATE IS CONSISTENT ACROSS, YOU KNOW, VARIOUS BENEFIT PROGRAM CATEGORIES.
AND, AND WHAT, WHAT PERCENTAGE IS THAT? UH, IT, IT, IT AVERAGES
[02:35:01]
BETWEEN 55 AND 60% ACROSS THE BOARD.AND THE REST IS, IS COUNTY FUNDED? YES.
SO LOOKING AT YOUR OVERALL BUDGET, UM, IN SALARIES AND WAGES, OTHER THAN FAMILY ASSISTANCE BENEFITS, EVERYTHING ELSE, EVERYTHING ELSE IS BASICALLY INCREASE, I'M ASSUMING JUST THE CONTRACTION FAMILY AND BENEFITS A CONTRACTUAL INCREASE OF, WELL, IS THERE AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT IN YOUR OPPOSITION, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? THE, THE NUMBER OF, UH, POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN REQUESTED AS PART OF OUR 24 BUDGET IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE REQUESTED LAST YEAR.
UM, THE DIFFERENTIAL IS ATTRIBUTED TO CONTRACTUAL INCREASES.
UM, EVERY YEAR YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR BUDGET PASSED BY THE STATE.
WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS, DO YOU THINK THAT SOMETHING THAT, THAT YOU, YOU, YOU FORMULATE AND THEN PASS OFF TO THE STATE? HAVE THEM APPROVE? YEAH.
UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
PART, PART OF OUR FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE IS THAT WE, UH, KEEP THAT WE KEEP AN APPROPRIATE, UH, STAFFING LEVEL.
UH, THE STATE DOES REVIEW HOW WE BREAK DOWN OUR STAFF WITHIN THE DIVISION.
AND OUR AGREED UPON STAFFING NUMBER WITH THE STATE FOR THIS DIVISION ALONE IS 832 POSITIONS.
WHAT, 832 POSITIONS? I DO REMEMBER 1000.
I REMEMBER 7 48, THAT'S WHERE I STARTED.
UM, IN, UH, IN YOUR DEPARTMENT, IN THE OFFICE OF DIRECTOR, THERE'S, THERE'S AN ADJUSTMENT.
THE SALARY, THE 401, THAT IS THAT ANSWER THAT IT JUST SAYS ADJUSTMENT.
IF I COULD EXPLAIN THROUGH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THE, THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTORS ADMINISTRATIVE ARM THAT OVERSEES THE SIX DIVISIONS THAT MAKE UP THE DEPARTMENT, UH, WITHIN THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR IS MY POSITION.
THE IT, UH, A NUMBER OF THESE INDIVIDUALS, BECAUSE OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT THEY SPEND SUPPORTING VARIOUS DIVISIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH MAY BE GRANT FUNDED, WE'RE ABLE TO OFFSET CHARGES TO DIFFERENT GRANT PROGRAMS. SO THAT IS THE ADJUSTMENT THAT YOU SEE IN THE BUDGET RELATED TO THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR.
NO, I'M READY FOR WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
AND, AND I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ADEQUATELY STAFF THAT OFFICE.
IT IS A VERY VALUABLE, UH, CONSUMER SERVICE THAT OUR DEPARTMENT OFFERS TO RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
WE GET A LOT OF CALLS, ESPECIALLY FROM SENIORS WHO SHOP AT LOCAL SUPERMARKETS WHO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF THEY'RE BUYING A POUND OF GROUND MEAT, THEY'RE GETTING A POUND OF GROUND MEAT.
WE DO, UH, INSPECTIONS OF GAS STATIONS, LAUNDRY MATS.
UH, WE HAVE JURISDICTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY OVER A NUMBER OF MUNICIPALITIES AROUND THE COUNTY.
THE CITY OF NEWARK IS ITS OWN, UH, ENTITLEMENT COMMUNITY.
SO THEY HAVE JURISDICTION, UH, OVER THE CITY.
UH, BUT, UH, WE WE'RE PROUD TO REPORT.
WE DON'T ALWAYS MEASURE OURSELVES BASED ON REVENUE.
WE, WE TRY TO MEASURE OURSELVES BASED ON THE NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS THAT WE PROACTIVELY DO EVERY SINGLE YEAR, AND ALSO RESPONSES THAT WE MAKE TO INQUIRIES ON BEHALF OF RESIDENTS.
SO WE, WE SAW IN 2023, UM, AN INCREASE IN OUR INSPECTION OF, OF DEVICES BY CLOSE TO 500 INSPECTIONS.
UH, WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, PROACTIVE INSPECTIONS, UH, INCREASED BY ABOUT 75.
AND THE, UH, OVERALL REVENUE WENT UP IN 23 VERSUS 22 BY ABOUT 20 LITTLE UNDER $28,000.
UH, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF OUR WEIGHT AND MEASURES TEAM.
MR. LEWIS TURKO IS OUR SUPERINTENDENT, HAS BEEN FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND HE'S ROUTINELY CALLED UPON BY OTHER, UM, LOCAL AREAS TO PROVIDE TRAINING TO THEIR WEIGHT AND MEASURE STAFF.
[02:40:01]
YOU IN THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER, THERE'S AN ADJUST.WE'RE LOOKING AT THE AMOUNT OF OVERTIME PAID LAST YEAR, ABOUT 2.8 MILLION AMOUNT BUDGETED THIS YEAR, 75.
SO THE QUESTION IS, WHY WOULD YOU BUDGET 75? AND I KNOW YOU MIGHT HAVE SLIPPAGE IN SALARIES AND WAGES AND ONE WATCH THE OTHER, AND THE FACT IS SALARIES AND WAGES IS IN FACT ONE LINE.
JUST, YEAH, I MEAN, WHEN WE PRESENT THE BUDGET OF THE, THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER, IT'S, IT'S ESSENTIALLY FOR, UM, AN OPTIMUM NUMBER OF JUVENILE DETENTION OFFICERS AND STAFF.
YOU KNOW, THE FACILITY HAS A CAPACITY OF, UM, YOU KNOW, SINGLE, SINGLE BEDS, 209 DOUBLE BEDS 242.
AND TYPICALLY WE STAFF UP TO, UM, ADDRESS THE NECESSARY COVERAGE.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE THE STATE'S LARGEST CONSOLIDATED FACILITY.
UH, WE HOUSE 6, 6 6 COUNTIES AND, UH, FEDERAL INMATES, UH, OR DETAINEES AS WELL.
VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF FEDERAL DETAINEES.
AND, UM, BASED ON COVERAGE, UH, WE DO UTILIZE OVERTIME BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE MANDATORY STAFFING AT ANY GIVEN TIME, AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY RECRUITING OFFICERS.
UH, THERE'S NO LONGER A CIVIL SERVICE TEST REQUIREMENT, SO WE CAN'T HIRE JUVENILE DETENTION OFFICERS PROVISIONALLY, UH, THEY HAVE TO PASS A BACKGROUND, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND, UH, GO THROUGH AN ACADEMY.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY TO, UM, DEVELOP KIND OF A PIPELINE OF CANDIDATES WHO MAY NOT HAVE, UM, COMPLETED THE ACADEMY ON THE CORRECTION SIDE, BUT CAN BE CONSIDERED FOR EMPLOYMENT AT THE JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITY.
WE'RE LOOKING TO HOST A, UH, JOB FAIR WITH OUR, OUR ONE STOP HERE IN THE COUNTY TO RECRUIT ADDITIONAL OFFICERS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE OPERATE IN AN ENVIRONMENT, IN LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE STATE RIGHT NOW THAT, UH, RECRUITMENT IS A CHALLENGE AND IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
IT'S A CHALLENGE ON THE ADULT CORRECTIONS SIDE, AND IT DEFINITELY IS A CHALLENGE FOR JUVENILE FACILITIES.
BUT THE ADMINISTRATION'S BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF OUR EFFORTS TO, UM, DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO RECRUIT OFFICERS AND RETAIN THEM.
SO OVERALL, EVERY, ON THE SALARY, WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT WHATEVER YOUR CONTRACTUAL INCREASES ARE BASED ON COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, WHICH YOU NEGOTIATED, AND ON THE, AND ON THE OTHER EXPENSE SIDE, UM, UM, THERE IS AN INCREASE IN THE FAMILY SERVICES SIDE.
WHAT IS THE FAMILY ASSISTANCE SIDE? IS THAT JUST A FUNCTION OF THAT? THE, UH, FAMILY CRISIS, CRIME THREATS, 2 MILLION INCREASE IN THE APPROPRIATION FOR THE, UH, JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER, NOT FOR THE FAMILY ASSISTANCE.
YEAH, I, I, I WILL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU.
UM, MR. PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW, I, I, WE JUST GOT OUR, OUR BUDGET REQUEST APPROVED BY THE STATE, LIKE LESS THAN AN HOUR AGO.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME VARIATIONS, UH, ON THE DFA BUDGET.
COMMISSIONER QUESTION, COMMISSIONER MURRAY.
AND WHAT, UH, BOARD, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
IT'S JUST A QUESTION ON THE, ON THE YOUTH SERVICES PIECE, I WAS LOOKING NOW FOR THE YOUTH SERVICES, THINK IT'S ON PAGE THREE OF THE YOUTH SERVICES TAB, AND THERE WAS A VARIANCE FOR, A VARIANCE FOR WHAT WAS PLANNED, THE ACTUAL, AS FAR AS YOU WERE UTILIZED.
SO I WAS JUST WONDERING IF YOU OR SOMEONE COULD KIND OF SPEAK TO THAT DIFFERENCE.
IS THAT A MATTER OF, YOU KNOW, HIRING, TO YOUR POINT EARLIER, NOT BEING ABLE TO FILL THE POSITIONS BASED OFF EITHER NEED OR, YOU KNOW, UH, JUST FRANKLY, RECRUITING IS DIFFICULT ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, AND IF SO, HOW ARE THOSE NEEDS AND SERVICES FOR THE YOUTH FULFILLED? UH, I, I'LL, I'LL START AND I'LL ASK REVEREND HUGHES TO, TO CHIME IN.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE POSITIONS THAT, UM, ARE PART OF OUR JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER BUDGET THAT PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT FOR, FOR OUR JUVENILES, THERE ARE DEFINITELY, UH, PRIORITY FROM SOCIAL SERVICES STAFF TO,
[02:45:01]
UH, A NUMBER OF THE COMMUNITY YOUTH WORKERS WHO ARE ESSENTIALLY ADVOCATES ON BEHALF OF OUR, OUR JUVENILES.UM, DEPENDING ON THE SNAPSHOT OF WHEN THE BUDGET IS PRESENTED, YOU DO HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE YOU MAY HAVE, ESPECIALLY IN THE COMMUNITY YOUTH WORKER POSITION, THAT TENDS TO BE KIND OF LIKE A SPRINGBOARD.
UH, WE'VE HAD COMMUNITY YOUTH WORKERS WHO'VE BECOME FAMILY SERVICE WORKERS AT OUR COUNTY WELFARE AGENCY BECAUSE THEY'VE TAKEN THE EXAM, THEY'VE CERTIFIED SHOW UP THAT IDENTIFY VACANCIES AND THOSE SUPPORT POSITIONS.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE WORKED THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION TO TRY TO FILL THOSE POSITIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE POSITIONS THAT, UH, ENTAIL SOMEONE SERVING AS SERVING ADVOCATE FOR, FOR THE JUVENILES IN, IN ADDITION TO OUR SOCIAL SERVICES STAFF.
BUT THAT IS, UH, A NON-CIVIL SERVICE, UH, POSITION.
AND, UH, WE HAVE ALWAYS BENEFITED FROM GETTING GOOD CANDIDATES AT THE COMMUNITY YOUTH WORKER SPOT, BUT THEN THEY SPRINGBOARD INTO SOMETHING ELSE.
THEY GET PICKED UP BY THE COURTS.
THEY MAY GET PICKED UP BY COUNTY WELFARE.
UM, BUT I WILL ASK DIRECTOR HUGHES IF HE WANTS TO ADD ANYTHING, UM, TO THAT NOT THE RIGHT, JUST PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, THE RIGHT.
DENNIS HUGHES DIRECTOR THAT THIS COUNTY DO NOT INTENTION CENTER.
UM, JUST TO ADD WITH DIRECTOR RAM SAID, UM, THOSE ARE POSITIONS.
DIRECTOR RAM SAID THAT NORMALLY LIKE A BOARD, UM, YOUTH, FAMILY WORKERS NORMALLY DON'T COME IN AS SOCIAL WORKERS, BUT THEY, THEY STILL THOSE POSITIONS AND ASSIST THOSE WHO ARE SOCIAL WORKERS.
AND ALSO, LIKE NOW WE HAVE A COUPLE THAT ARE IN THE COURT.
THEY HAVE A COUPLE THAT WENT TO 50 SOUTH
THEY TAKE THEIR TEST AND MAKE OTHER AVENUES FOR EMPLOYMENT, AND WE WIND ON LOSING.
WE ABLE TO MAINTAIN WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
AND DOES THAT COMPLEXIFY THE RATIOS THEN THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE FOR THE YOUTH WHO HAVE WORKERS OR NOT REALLY? BECAUSE I KNOW SOME OF OUR NUMBERS THIS YEAR ARE LOWER.
AS FAR AS YOUTH WHO ARE BEING DETAINED, JUST LIKE TECHNICALLY A GOOD THING.
SO DOES THE FACT THAT THERE WERE KIND OF FOUR FILLED IN THAT POSITION VERSUS THE 11, DOES THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO FULFILL ANY TYPE OF RATIO? OR DOES IT ALL KIND OF BALANCE OUT IN THE END? IT KIND OF BALANCE IT OUT, YEAH.
COMMISSIONER SIEBEL, IT GOT ONE OF THE LARGEST DEPARTMENTS IN ESSEX COUNTY, AND I THINK YOU DO A FANTASTIC JOB.
YEAH, I, IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND THE, THE WAY YOU KEEP UP WITH IT IS UNBELIEVABLE.
AND I HAVE TO ADD THAT WHEN YOUR STAFF COMES BEFORE THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS TO EXPLAIN A RESOLUTION, THEY ALL DO A REALLY GOOD JOB EXPLAINING EVERYTHING TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
SO I HAVE TO APPLAUD YOU FOR THE GREAT WORK YOU'RE DOING IN SUCH A LARGE DEPARTMENT, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
WE, WE APPRECIATE THE KIND WORDS AND I'M BLESSED TO HAVE A GREAT TEAM THAT I WORK WITH EVERY DAY.
I JUST WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD SAID.
UH, WE KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN THERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
AND, UH, HATS OFF TO YOUR DIVISION DIRECTORS BECAUSE WE DEAL WITH THEM ON A PRETTY REGULAR BASIS AT OUR MEETINGS, AND THEY'RE USUALLY ALWAYS PRESENT AND THEY'RE ALWAYS PREPARED.
UH, ONE THING, UH, I WILL ASK YOU, UM, BEING, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD PUT ON RECORD, YOU DO HAVE THE LARGEST DEPARTMENT, AND I KNOW THAT IT'S VERY FLUID.
IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED FROM US? I MEAN, AS FAR AS, I MEAN, I KNOW THERE PROBABLY IS, BUT ANYTHING THAT'S OUTSTANDING RIGHT NOW, LET BE OUTTA
BUT, UM, NO, REALLY, I MEAN, I KNOW THAT YOU'VE ALSO HAD A LOT OF SHUFFLE.
I DON'T KNOW, ARE YOU GUYS STILL IN TRANSITION OR ARE YOU, IS I KNOW JOE D OR COUNTY EXEC ORIGINALLY WAS HOPING THAT EVERYONE COULD KIND OF BE IN THE SAME AREA.
IS THAT STILL PART OF THE PLAN OR IS THAT, UM, IS THAT KIND OF YEAH, BY THE WAYSIDE, I DON'T KNOW.
I KNOW THAT WAS PART OF THE PLAN, RIGHT? IS THAT ESSEX COUNTY WAS ALL GONNA BE IN ONE HUB HERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE STAYING IN EAST ORANGE OR YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT OR WHERE WE'RE AT.
UM, IF, IF I CAN'T, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR DEPARTMENT OPERATES OUT OF VARIOUS SERVICE HUBS.
UH, OUR LARGEST IS 3 23 21 UNIVERSITY AVENUE, WHICH IS THE OLD MBNA, UH, CREDIT CARD COMPANY, WHICH THE COUNTY PURCHASED, UH, DID A BEAUTIFUL JOB OF RENOVATING THAT SPACE.
AND THAT IS KIND OF LIKE THE CENTRAL
[02:50:01]
HUB FOR OUR DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS, WHICH IS KNOWN OF AS OUR DIVISION OF WELFARE.THE ONE STOP OPERATES OUT OF 50 SOUTH CLINTON STREET IN EACH EAST ORANGE, WHICH IS A COUNTY OWNED FACILITY AS WELL.
A LITTLE BIT OLDER BUILDING, BUT, BUT IN RELATIVELY GOOD SHAPE.
AND WE'VE MADE SOME INVESTMENTS THERE OVER THE YEARS.
WE'RE LOOKING TO MAKE SOME ADDITIONAL INVESTMENTS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS IN ADDITION TO THE ONE STOP BEING HOUSED THERE.
WE ALSO HAVE, UH, OUR, UH, STAFF FROM OUR DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS, UH, PRIMARILY OUR SNAP OFFICE AND OUR SHELTER UNIT, WHICH WORK OUT OF THAT BUILDING, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE DFAB EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE ABOUT 160 DFAB EMPLOYEES THAT WORK OUT OF 50 SOUTH CLINTON STREET IN EAST ORANGE.
OUR DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ACTION, WHICH IS REPRESENTED HERE BY DIRECTOR MCCOY, IS HOUSED AT 50 SOUTH CLINTON STREET IN EAST ORANGE.
AND WE ALSO HAVE, UH, PARTNERS OR TENANTS FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR THAT ARE CO-LOCATED IN THAT BUILDING.
SO 50 SOUTH CLINTON STREET IS PRETTY MUCH FULLY STAFFED.
WE HAVE A CLOSE TO 430 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES THAT WORK OUT OF THAT SERVICE CENTER.
OUR DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, OPERATES OUTTA KIPP'S CASTLE IN, IN VERONA.
IT'S A SMALLER DIVISION, BUT THEY OVERSEE ALL THE CDBG PROGRAMS, UH, AND OTHER ENTITLEMENTS FOR THE BALANCE OF COUNTY.
AND THEN WE DO HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF STAFF THAT, UM, ARE HOUSED AT THE GIBRALTAR BUILDING, THE FAMILY COURT BUILDING THAT WORK EITHER FOR THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER OR WORK FOR OUR YOUTH SERVICES COMMISSION.
UM, KIND OF ADMINISTERING SOME OF THE PREVENTION PROGRAMS THAT WE FUND OUT OF THAT OFFICE, BUT THEY WORK CLOSELY WITH THE FAMILY COURT AND THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER.
SO IT'S HARD TO KIND OF GET US UNDER ONE ROOF.
BUT, UM, THE INVESTMENT THAT THE COUNTY MADE AT THE UNIVERSITY AVENUE, I, I MEAN, I'VE BEEN THERE A LOT THE LAST TWO AND A HALF, THREE MONTHS, PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY.
AND, UM, IT IS A, YOU KNOW, STATE OF THE ART FACILITY THAT'S BETTER EQUIPPED THAN 18 RECTOR WAS TO SERVE OUR CUSTOMERS AND ALSO PROVIDE BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS UPON THIS? ALRIGHT, SCENE.
THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT, TO YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE TEAM.
I THINK YOU ALL AGREE IT'S, UH, TOUGH JOB AND YOU GUYS DO A WONDERFUL JOB.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING.
DOING, HOW ARE SIR? UP NEXT IS COUNTY COUNCIL AND THAT IS TAB FIVE IN THE BOOK.
THEY USED TO BE IN CORONA WHERE IT, THEY'RE 50.
GO BECAUSE EVERY PAPER PUT IN THEIR TOWN OR WHOEVER THAT MAY BE A PLACE YOU WANT.
UH, MR. JACKSON, UH, THANK YOU.
JOHN IS HERE TO PRESENT HIS BUDGET AND, UH, GO AHEAD SIR.
JOHN COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL OFFICE DOES AND THEN I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, WE HAVE 376 CLAIMS FILED AGAINST THE COUNTY LAST YEAR TOWARD CLAIMS. WE HAVE OPEN LITIGATING CA LITIGATING CASES OF 149 MATTERS.
UH, WE HAVE DISCIPLINARY GRIEVANCES THAT WE HANDLE FOR THE COUNTY.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, MENTAL HEALTH SECTION.
WE HAVE 25, UH, HEARINGS, UH, UH, A MONTH ABOUT, UH, EXCUSE ME, A WEEK, ABOUT 250 CASES A MONTH OF MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS.
AND THEN WE HAVE WORKERS' COMP AS WELL.
AND I CAN SAY, UM, I SPEND ALMOST ALL OF MY TIME AS LIKE A CORPORATE CORPORATE
[02:55:01]
COUNSEL FOR THE COUNTY.I SPEND MOST OF MY TIME TALKING TO THE DEPARTMENT HEADS.
SO THAT'S WHAT I PERSONALLY DO.
I DON'T DO ANY OF THE LITIGATION OTHER THAN GIVING LITIGATION ADVICE TO THE LAWYERS THAT WORK FOR ME.
UH, ALTHOUGH I DID HAVE A FEDERAL COURT HEARING TODAY.
UH, BUT, UM, THAT'S VERY RARE.
SO I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UM, MR. MIKE, ERNIE, UH, SO IT'S THE SAME NUMBER OF PHYSICIANS THAT YOU HAD PRIOR 19, CORRECT? WE HAVE A, WE HAVE AN OPEN, OPEN POSITION.
WELL, IT SAYS THERE'S THREE VACANCIES THERE NOW, OR THERE'S, THERE'S ONLY ONE NOW TWO.
ONE JUST STARTED WE LAST WEEK.
ANOTHER PERSON'S GONNA START THE NEXT COUPLE.
THE INCREASE IN SALARIES AND WAGES IS, UH, 1.7% PRIOR YEAR.
SO SOME OF YOUR LAWYERS AREN'T OBVIOUSLY ARE THEYVE BARGAINING.
THEY'RE ALL AT WILL EMPLOYEES.
BUT YOU DO HAVE SECRETARIES AND THAT ARE PART OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS.
SO, SO, UM, HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT YOU GIVING RAISES TO YOUR, UH, TO YOUR, TO OUR LAWYERS? YEAH.
UH, IF THERE'S A, A GROSS PROBLEM WITH A SALARY, I'LL RECOMMEND AN INDIVIDUAL GET AN A, A INCREASE.
UH, IF NOT, I'LL JUST, I WILL THEN SAY TO ALL THE LAWYERS, YOU GET THE SAME PERCENTAGE INCREASE AS THE OTHER COUNTY EMPLOYEES GET.
SO THAT'S, SO THAT IT KIND OF MIRRORS WHAT ON COLLECTION BASIS TO EVERYBODY ELSE? CORRECT.
WHAT, UH, WHERE DO WE STAND WITH SETTLEMENT OF SUITS THAT, THAT'S NOT DIRECTLY IN THE BUDGET, BUT THAT LINE IS, UM, UH, HAS BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL, UH, AMOUNT NOW, BUT IT HAS OVER TIME, UH, INCLUDED INSTALLMENT, UH, PAYMENTS ON CLAIMS THAT LITIGATED AND FOUND AGAINST ACCOUNT.
IS THAT STILL THE CASE WITH THE SETTLEMENT OF SUITS? TO, TO, TO GIVE YOU A MORE COMPLETE ANSWER, I THINK THE SETTLEMENT OF SEUSS LINE IS A VERY, VERY DIFFICULT LINE FOR THIS YEAR.
WE'VE ALL COLLECTIVELY TALKED ABOUT SIGNIFICANT OUTSTANDING LITIGATION THAT WE HAVE.
WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT WE CALL THE MICROWAVE CASE.
WE TALK ABOUT THE, THE, THE TWO YOUNG MEN THAT WERE, WERE HIT BY SHERIFF'S OFFICERS IN FRONT OF, UH, THE, THE SCHOOL RIGHT UP HERE, UH, WHEN, UH, VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS HARRIS WAS HERE.
WE TALK ABOUT THE, THE YOUNG MAN THAT WAS HIT ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PARK.
THESE ARE ALL VERY, VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT MATTERS AS WELL AS OTHER VERY HEAVY LITIGATED MATTERS, ALL OF WHICH WE'RE GONNA TRY TO AGGRESSIVELY ASSERT STATUTORY DEFENSES TO.
IT'S EITHER WE'RE GONNA BE FOUND TO NOT BE LIABLE AT ALL, OR IT'S GONNA BE A BIG NUMBER, UM, IN THE DEPARTMENT REQUEST.
NOW 2,000,003 50,000, IS ANY PART OF THAT ALREADY ENCUMBERED? NO.
FOR, FOR, SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY CASES WHERE WE SETTLED ON AN INSTALLMENT BASIS NO.
SO THAT NUMBER IS BASICALLY WHAT IS AVAILABLE.
HAS ANY THAT BEEN USED IN THE SHORT PERIOD OF TIME IN 2024? NO.
YOU KNOW, I I SAY THAT FOR ANY, WE HAD A $50,000 SETTLEMENT FOR A MATTER, UH, WITH A, WITH A, UH, INMATE AT THE CORRECTION FACILITY.
UH, I THINK IT WAS 2023, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST WEEK OF 2024, 50,000 WAS THINKING.
SO IT'S A BIT, BUT I'M TRYING TO BE ACCURATE, SO, OKAY.
SO, SO THAT, THAT NUMBER THERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE INSUFFICIENT.
IF SOME OF THESE CASES THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED COULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY IN INSUFFICIENT, UM, ON YOUR OTHER EXPENSES.
I MEAN, IT'S $5,000 THAT I'M LOOKING AT HERE.
I'M SORRY, WHAT'S THE WORD? UM, 29, UM, ON THE TOTAL DEPARTMENT AND 1 MILLION AT BASKET COUNTY COUNCILORS, THE SAME AMOUNT AS
[03:00:01]
IT WAS IN THE PRIOR.IT WAS THE SAME AMOUNT IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO.
AND THAT'S SUFFICIENT FOR YOU? IT WAS NO INCREASE AMOUNT.
I, I'VE CUT BACK SOME OF THE EXPENSES.
I'M THAT I'VE CUT BACK SOME OF THE EXPENSES.
SO OTHER THAN, OTHER THAN THE OVERALL, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT COUNTY COUNCILS, INSPECTOR GENERAL AND YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND THE OVERALL INCREASE IS 1.7% WAGES AND NO INCREASE IN OTHER EXPENSES.
SO THERE'S REALLY NOT A LOT TO OBJECT IN TERMS OF YEAH, I, YOU, YOU SEE MY CONCERN, MY CONCERN IS NOT, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO, I'VE, I'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH YOU SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT HOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET OUR HANDLE ON EXPENSES OUTSIDE COUNSEL, JUST LITTLE THINGS THAT, THAT YOU CAN GET SOME, SOME, UH, SAVINGS ON INTERNALLY.
UH, I'M GONNA TREAT ALL THE MONEY AS IF IT'S MY OWN AND, AND, UH, AND YOU KNOW, HOW CHEAP I AM.
SO, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, UH, SO WE'VE CUT BACK ON A LOT OF THINGS.
WE DON'T GET THE LAW JOURNAL ANYMORE.
WE DON'T GET, YOU KNOW, PAPER LAW WITH ALL SORTS OF LITTLE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN, THAT I'VE BEEN DOING TO CUT BACK EXPENSES.
BUT THE BIG ISSUE IS THE AMOUNT OF LITIGATION THAT THIS COUNTY HAS.
AND SO WE'RE REALLY, WE'RE REALLY GONNA HAVE TO KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED.
AND YOUR STAFF IS SUFFICIENT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF STAFF I KNOW THEY'RE QUALIFYING.
YOU HAVE THE, THE AMOUNT OF STAFF THAT YOU NEED TO PURSUE THOSE CASES.
YEAH, AND WHAT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO DO ALSO THIS YEAR FOR ANY IS, UH, WE, WE HAVE, UH, 27 CASES THAT ARE BEING HANDLED BY OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
THE, THE REALLY COMPLEX ONES I'M GONNA STICK WITH OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO BRING MORE STUFF IN HOUSE TO TRY TO SAVE A LITTLE MONEY AS WELL AND GET A OKAY, EVEN THOUGH THIS, THIS WAS IN YOUR DEPARTMENT, WE, WE DID UNDER YOUR DIRECTION THE ECIA OF THE LEGAL COUNSEL WHERE WE WERE SPENDING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON MEDIA ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES.
AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE ALL SPENT SOME TIME TOGETHER TALKING ABOUT THAT.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE ADMINISTRATION I TALKED TO, TO THE, TO THESE TWO GUYS AND WE TRIED TO EFFECTUATE SOME SAVINGS AND WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE.
WE'RE GETTING AS GOOD, IF NOT BETTER REPRESENTATION FOR A FRACTION OF WHAT WE WERE PAYING A FRACTION WE'RE PAYING WELL IN EXCESS OF A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
NOW WE'RE PROBABLY, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA END UP PAYING A HUNDRED SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A REALLY SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS WITH THE QUALITY IS, IS REALLY EXCELLENT.
WE'RE VERY QUESTION THAT HUNDRED THOUSAND VERSUS A MILLION, THEY SOUND LIKE WE WOULD GET RIPPED OFF, ALTHOUGH I DON'T, NO, WE WEREN'T WORTH, WE WEREN'T, WE WOULDN'T ABSOLUTELY NOT RIPPED OFF IF THE LAW, THE LAWYER IN PHILADELPHIA WAS AN EXCELLENT LAWYER.
REALLY HIS ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF EXTREMELY WELL.
BUT
AND, UH, UH, WE PAY $150 TO $200 AN HOUR HERE AT ESSEX COUNTY.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE FIRM THAT ALREADY HAS EIGHT OR NINE CLIENTS ON THE SAME MATTER, JUST ADD US TO THE LITIGATION, AND NOW WE'RE PAYING ONE 10TH OF THE OVERALL BILL BECAUSE YOU'RE REPRESENTING EVERYBODY BECAUSE THEY'RE REPRESENTING EVERYONE AT A MUCH LOWER HOURLY TIME CHARGE.
SO WHEN YOU PUT THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER, UM, WE'RE GETTING THE, THE SAME IF NOT BETTER REPRESENTATION FOR MUCH, MUCH LESS, MUCH LESS MONEY.
SO AGAIN, THE ONLY, UH, YOUR, YOUR BUDGET HAS YOU VERY LITTLE OF AN INCREASE ALL CONTRACTUAL, UH, UM, IN TERMS OF THE SALARIES AND WAGES, THE ONLY CONCERN IS WHETHER OR NOT SETTLEMENTS OF SUIT IS SUFFICIENT TO COVER.
I'M, I'M VERY, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT AND, AND I'M VERY CONCERNED FROM THIS STANDPOINT.
UH, I, I WILL MAKE A DECISION, I WILL TALK, TALK TO ALL OF YOU ABOUT IT, OF WHETHER WE ROLL THE DICE ON SOME OF THESE CASES.
UH, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN YOU ARE A JUDGE AND THERE'S AN IMMUNITY THAT GOES TO A, AND MR. PAKIA WILL GO OVER THIS WHEN THERE'S IMMUNITY THAT ATTACHED TO A CASE SO THAT THE KIT BY THE, THE CAR OR THE, THE PERSON THAT WAS BEATEN AT THE JAIL BY OTHER INMATES, THERE'S A STATUTE THAT SAYS WE'RE NOT LIABLE FOR WHAT OTHER INMATES DO.
UH, AND YOU'RE TOTALLY IMMUNE FROM ANY LIABILITY FROM THAT.
IT'S, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT THOUGH, WHEN YOU'RE A JUDGE TO SAY, AM I GOING TO, UH, LET, LET OFF THE COUNTY OR AM I GONNA FIND A WAY TO KEEP THE COUNTY INTO THE CASE SO THAT THIS KID GETS SOME MONEY? IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT.
SO THE INDIVIDUALS THAT, UM, PERPETRATED THIS
[03:05:01]
HAVE ALL BEEN CHARGED WITH CRIMES AND FOUND GUILTY.SO THE, THE, THE RIGHT WAY IS TO SAY IT WASN'T THE COUNTY, IT'S THESE PER PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN FOUND GUILTY.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.
ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I OPEN IT UP? I WANT TO JUST REMIND EVERYONE THE QUESTIONS SHOULD PERTAIN TO THE BUDGET AND STAFFING, BUT NOT SPECIFIC CASES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S PENDING LITIGATION AND WE SHOULD NOT BE DISCUSSING THAT.
THOSE QUESTIONS YOU CAN DIRECT TO MR. PARLA, UH, AND, UH, THROUGH MR. PARLA TO, UH, MR. UH, ST.
QUESTIONS TO
ANY QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, LET ME ASK MR. PARLO, ROB, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, HEAVILY LITIGATED MATTERS AND SOME UNCERTAINTY ON SETTLEMENT SUITS.
THE CORRESPONDING ISSUE WITH THAT IS MOST OF THOSE HEAVY CASES ARE HANDLED BY OUTSIDE COUNSEL.
ALTHOUGH YOU'VE REDUCED THE AMOUNT GOING OUT HEAVILY, LITIGATED MEANS HEAVILY, LAWYERED MEANS YES.
DO WE HAVE, UH, DO YOU ANTICIPATE, UM, SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN, IN THOSE FEES TO OUTSIDE COUNSEL THIS YEAR FROM LAST YEAR? OR IS IT ON A SIMILAR, WE, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE TRIED TO BUDGET FOR IT.
UH, AND, UH, AND AS, AS MICHAEL WILL TELL YOU, IT'S A, IT'S A FINE LINE.
DO YOU WANT TO PAY YOUR OWN LAWYER OR DO YOU WANT TO GET RID OF THE CASE AND PAY THE OTHER SIDE, UH, TO, TO MAYBE GET RID OF, UH, THE UNCERTAINTY OF WHAT A RESULT WOULD BE.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THAT IN ONE OF THOSE CASES THAT, THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, UM, OR WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY OUTSIDE OF THE LAWYERS AND, UH, BECOMES A FINANCIAL DECISION.
IT BECOMES A FINANCIAL DECISION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? JUST, UH, AND MR. PRESIDENT, TO YOUR POINT, AND JEROME HAS DONE THIS IN COURTNEY BEFORE HIM GIVING US, UM, A LIST OF THE, WE'LL CALL THEM THE HEAVILY LITIGATED MATTERS AND THE AREAS OF CONCERN.
SO IF WE CAN GET IT, WE WILL MEET AGAIN, MAYBE GET AN UPDATE ON SURE.
WHAT THOSE CASES ARE AND I CAN MEET SEPARATELY WITH, UH, EITHER YOU AND THE COMMISSIONERS OR JUST BE HAPPY TO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER.
THANK YOU MR. PER, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, JUDGE.
I DID HAVE A QUESTION ACTUALLY THAT WAS ON MY MIND.
SOME OF THESE CASES, UM, ARE THEY, WHEN THEY ARE, WHEN THE OUTCOME IS AWARDED, IS IT AT THE LIABILITY OF THE COUNTY OR ARE WE INSURED IN ANY WAY? IN THE VAST MAJORITY OF CASES WE ARE INSURED, BUT WE HAVE A SELF RETAINED RETEN SELF-INSURED RETENTION, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF MATTER IT IS, BUT WE, WE'VE INCREASED THAT, THAT SIR, UH, TO $750,000 I SEE ON, ON A GOOD NUMBER OF THE MATTERS.
I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN DISCUSS TONIGHT.
WORKERS' COMP, UH, MATTERS WHICH, UH, UH, ARE, ARE HANDLED DIFFERENTLY AND THAT'S A, THAT'S ANOTHER PROBLEM.
I COMMISSIONER ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? UM, FIRST OF ALL, I'VE BEEN A FRIEND OF JEROME ST.
JOHN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS,
AND WE ARE REALLY FORTUNATE THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE APPROACHED HIM TO BECOME OUR COUNTY COUNCIL.
AND I'M SO DELIGHTED THAT YOU ARE OUR COUNTY COUNCIL.
SO WE DO GO BACK TO THE OLD DAYS TOGETHER, RIGHT BEFORE HE BECAME A JUDGE.
WE'LL JUST
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, SIR FOR COMING IN TODAY FOR YOUR GOOD WORK.
IT'S NOT EASY WORK, AND WE'LL BE IN TOUCH ABOUT THOSE CASES, YOU KNOW, IN THE PROPER CHANNEL, MR. PER I I'M ALWAYS AROUND.
YOU KNOW THAT, SO DON'T HESITATE TO CALL.
YOU KNOW THAT, RIGHT? WE KNOW WHERE YOU'RE AT.
YOU KNOW WHERE I AM, YOU KNOW WHERE I'M POSITION.
WE HAVE, UH, UH, ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE.
AND, UH, TREASURER MOHAM WILL, UH, HANDLE THIS, THESE ITEMS HE HAS TO SHIFT FROM ONE HOT SEAT TO THE OTHER ONE.
AND WHAT FOUR? STARTING ON FOUR.
YOU'VE BEEN WITH US FOR A COUPLE OF EVENINGS.
UH, SO PLEASE JUST FOR INVITE, SAY YOUR NAME, AFFILIATION, AND JUST YOU'RE READY.
I'M HERE TO, UH, TAKE THE ITEMS FROM, UM, ADMINISTRATION FINANCE TO THE REVENUES.
SO START, UM, ADMINISTRATION FINANCE HAS EIGHT DIVISIONS,
[03:10:01]
OFFICE OF DIRECTOR, ACCOUNT AND CONTROL MANAGEMENT, BUDGET INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY, HUMAN RESOURCES, PUBLIC INFORMATION PURCHASING OFFICE AND TREASURER'S OFFICE.UM, FOR, UH, WE CURRENTLY HAVE, UH, HAVE, UH, 47 ACTIVE EMPLOYEES ACROSS THE EIGHT DIVISIONS WITH FIVE VACANCIES.
UM, THE SALARIES AND WAGES, UH, IT'S, UH, IT WAS, IT HAS VERY SMALL INCREASE DUE TO CONTRACTUAL INCREASES AND PROMOTIONS AND, UH, WE TRY TO KEEP IT TO THE, TRY TO KEEP IT FLAT EVERY YEAR.
UM, OTHER EXPENSES WE HAVE AT ALMOST FLAT.
WE HAVE ONLY ONE INCREASE IN HUMAN, UH, RESOURCES DUE TO, UH, A CONTRACT FOR BACKGROUND CHECK.
WE DO IT NOW, UH, THROUGH HUMAN OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES, AND WE HAVE TO, TO BUDGET FOR THAT.
OTHER THAN THAT, THE WHOLE, THE WHOLE OTHER EXPENSES CONSIDERED FLAT, SO I WILL MOVE TO CENTRAL EXPENSES INSURANCE.
AS WE'RE MOVING ON, UH, MS. MARVIN IS HANDLING CENTRAL EXPENSES AND INSURANCE, JUST SO WE KEEP ON THE SAME CASE.
UM, THIS CATEGORY COVERS INDIRECT COST, UM, FOR THE COUNTY, INCLUDING POSTAGE, UH, COPY MACHINE LEASES, UH, MAINTENANCE CONTRACT TO OFFICE EQUIPMENT, UH, BUILDING, UH, LEASES, UM, UM, UM, COUNTY PROPERTY LEASES AND PARKING AND SENIOR TRANSPORTATION MATCH.
WE HAVE TO, TO MATCH THE GRANT.
AND THE, THE JORK GRANT MATCH.
UM, THERE WAS THE INCREASE IN THAT LINE ITEM DUE TO INCREASE IN SENIOR TRANSPORTATION CONTRACT PLUS THE JO, THE JORK, UM, CONTRIBUTION.
UM, AFTER THAT, THERE IS THE, THE INSURANCE COST UNFORTUNATELY WENT UP.
UH, WE HAVE A BIG INCREASE IN THE WORKERS' COMP AND THIS DUE TO, UM, UH, BIG AMOUNT OF CASES, UH, COVID CASES, UH, CLAIMS, WE EXPECT TO, UH, TO ALREADY TO ALREADY FILED AND, UH, EXPECT TO BE SETTLED IN 2024.
SO THERE IS INCREASE OF $2 MILLION.
AND, UH, THIS IS DUE TO ALL THESE COVID CASES.
UM, OUR RISK, UM, MANAGEMENT, UM, MR. DELGADO, HE'S HANDLING, UM, ALL THESE CASES AND HE, UM, HE WILL TRY TO, TO CLOSE ALL OF THEM FROM 2024.
AND WE HAVE OUR LIABILITY INSURANCE.
UH, THIS IS FOR THE, UH, THE BUILDING INSURANCE ALSO WENT UP, REGULAR INSURANCE WENT UP.
UM, AND THIS IS WHEN, UH, THE DEATH INSURANCE LINE WENT UP.
SO LET'S STOP HERE FOR A MINUTE.
YOU GONNA DO DEBT SERVICE AS WELL? I'LL, BEFORE WE GO TOO FAR AHEAD, WE GOT TWO TABS HERE.
LET ME GIVE MR. MCINERNEY AND THE COMMISSION AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THAT, JUST SO THAT WE DON'T GET TOO, TOO MUCH ON OUR PLATE AND WE CAN STAY FOCUSED.
MR. MCINERNEY SPOKE TO GENERAL TREASURY, TREASURY GENERAL, UM, 23 MILLION, UH, SORRY, 19 MILLION 6 0 6 5.
WHAT IS, WHAT IS IN THERE AGAIN? YEAH, THIS IS FOR ALL THE, THE OLD INDIRECT COST FOR, YOU KNOW, FOR POSTAGE COPY, MACHINE LEASES, MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS, UH, LEASES TO, UH, TO PROPERTIES, YOU KNOW, FOR, WE HAVE PARKING LOTS, WE HAVE BUILDINGS LEASING, UH, THE SENIOR, UH, TRANSPORTATION MATCH.
UH, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, BIG AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR SENIOR TRANSPORTATION AND THE RC GRANT MATCH.
SO, SO WHERE DOES THE INCREASE OF 4.7? THAT'S DUE TO SENIOR TRANSPORTATION AND, AND AZURE GRANT? THE, THE, THE, OUR MATCH REQUIRED, IT WENT UP THIS YEAR.
I, I'M, I'M SORRY, CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? I'M SORRY.
THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO HAVE, THE COUNTY HAS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SENIOR CENTERS TRANSPORTATION GRANT AND THE COAST WENT UP AND FOR AND HOW MUCH IS THAT? DO YOU KNOW? I DO NOT REMEMBER THE EXACT AMOUNT.
I DO NOT REMEMBER THE EXACT AMOUNT.
CAN YOU TAKE THAT FOR ME? SURE.
SO WHY DON'T I JUST ASK YOU BREAK DOWN THE INCREASE ON, IF NOT THE WHOLE THING.
I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT, WHAT GENERATES THAT CHANGE OF 4,000,007 50.
I REALLY FINANCES THE ONLY THING THERE IS YOUR CONTRACTUAL INCREASES YES.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE TWO ITEMS FOR BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO DEBT SERVICES? SEE NOW LET'S MOVE ON TO THE DEBT SERVICE, PLEASE.
SO THE COUNTY DEBT SERVICE FOR 2024 IS
[03:15:01]
102 MILLION.AND, UH, THIS IS, UM, A REDUCTION FROM LAST YEAR FROM ALMOST 32 MILLION FROM 2023.
AND PROJECTED DECREASE IN, UH, 2025 TO 89, UH, 0.3 MILLION, ASSUMING THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL, UH, THAT WILL BE ISSUED.
SO THIS NUMBER IS BASICALLY A TARGET.
ONCE WE ISSUE MORE, DEBT AMOUNT WILL GO UP.
BUT AS OF RIGHT NOW FOR 2024, IT'S 102 MILLION.
UM, THIS IS BUDGETED FOR THAT SERVICE.
AND, AND YOU SAID 2025 IT'LL DROP TO 89.3 MILLION, ASSUMING THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL DEBT ISSUED.
SO, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE DEBT OUT THAT IS EITHER IN THE WAY S RIGHT NOW, UM, CONVERTED TO FROM DEBT SERVICE.
UM, FOR, FOR 2023, BECAUSE OF THE INTEREST RATE WAS RELATIVELY HIGH, WE, UH, WE DID NOT ACTUALLY ISSUE ANY DEBT FOR 2023 TO, TO TRY TO SAVE, YOU KNOW, FUNDS BECAUSE WE HAD, WE HAD ENOUGH CASH FLOW TO KEEP US FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR.
UM, SO WE DID NOT, WE DIDN'T ISSUE BANS EITHER.
NO, WE DID NOT, WE DID NOT ISSUE ANY BANS OR BONDS.
UH, SO WE TRIED TO, TO HOLD BECAUSE THE INTEREST RATE WAS RELATIVELY HIGH LAST YEAR.
I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU.
UM, I DIDN'T SEE THE, THE A FS IS, IS NOT PREPARED YET.
THE A FS IS IN THE FINAL STAGE RIGHT NOW.
IT'LL BE FILED WITH THE STATE IN END OF THIS WEEK.
SO ARE THERE INTER FUNDS, UH, IN CURRENT FUNDS? BASICALLY WE HAD THE, WE HAD LEFT OVER FROM PRIOR YEARS AND WE HAD ENOUGH CASH FLOW TO SUSTAIN AS PER AT LEAST ONE YEAR.
WITHIN, WITHIN THE CAPITAL FUND? YES, WITHIN THE CAPITAL FUND, YES.
THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T SEE A NEED TO ISSUE MORE DEBT.
SO WE DID THIS FOR, WE, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF, UM, UM, JAN OUTSTANDING NOT ISSUE AUTHORIZED BY NOT, UH, WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE ONLY ONE YEAR, WHICH IS LAST YEAR.
UH, WE HAD, UH, THE REGULAR 20 MILLION WHAT WE AUTHORIZED EVERY YEAR.
AND PLUS WE HAD AN EMERGENCY, WHICH WAS THE JAIL ROOF.
SO THAT'S ALL WE HAVE IN AUTHORIZED AND NOT ISSUED.
YES, AROUND 33 MILLION BASICALLY.
UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S IT FOR THE, THAT SERVICE.
SO 2025 DROPS THAT 89 80 9,000,002.
SO THERE WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL ROUGHLY, UH, 22 MILLION DECREASE UNLESS WE ADD ON ADDITIONAL DEBT.
IT'S PROJECTED TO, TO, BASICALLY WE HAVE TO, TO DO A BOND SALES THIS YEAR, WE CANNOT, UH, WE, WE HAVE TO ISSUE BOND OR NODE THIS YEAR.
IT DEPENDS ABOUT THE, THE MARKET.
WE WILL SEE IF THE MARKET, UH, EXPECTED TO GO DOWN MORE, WE WILL ISSUE NOTE BECAUSE IT'S ONE YEAR.
AND IF THE INTEREST RATE IS, IS LOW ENOUGH, WE CAN DO BONDS BECAUSE THE BONDS WE HAVE TO COMMIT FOR AT LEAST 15 TO 20 YEARS AND WE CANNOT RECALL THE, THE BOND FOR, FOR, FOR EIGHT YEARS.
SO WE'LL STUCK WITH THAT AND HIGHER INTEREST RATE AT LEAST FOR EIGHT YEARS.
BUT THAT'S, SO, BUT VERY LIKELY SOME OF THAT PRINCIPLE WON'T HIT.
SO EITHER THE END OF, UM, 2024 OR NOT, MAYBE NOT EVEN UNTIL 2025.
YES, IN, IN YEAR 25 THERE IS ANOTHER DECREASE IN, IN DEBT SERVICE TO, TO 66 MILLION.
ARE WE MOVING ON NOW TO UNCLASSIFIED AND DEFERRED? IS THAT CORRECT? YES.
SO UNCLASSIFIED, AND THAT'S TAB NUMBER 18.
FOR THOSE FOLLOWING, IT SHOULD BE EVERYBODY UNCLASSIFIED DEFERRED CHARGES.
COMMISSIONER, DID ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OUT THE, UH, DEBT SERVICE? I KNOW THAT WE'VE BID THE PRESENTATION AND, AND STUDIED
UM, THIS SECTION INCLUDES THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND PRO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INCLUDE OUR, UH, SINGLE AUDIT, UM, CHARGES, UM, AND THE NACU AND, UH, NJ MEMBERSHIPS AND THE IBEW DEVELOPMENT FUND, WHICH ARE REQUIRED BY, UH, BY THE IBEW CONTRACT AND PLUS PRIOR YEAR BILLS, WHICH IS BASICALLY, UH, ANY OUTSTANDING BILLS PRIOR TO 2022.
WE HAVE TO PUT IT SEPARATELY IN THE BUDGET, WHICH IS
[03:20:01]
VERY, VERY SMALL AMOUNT.UM, AND THERE IS THE, THERE IS INCREASE IN THE UTILITY BUDGET AND THIS, UH, DUE TO RISING COST AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND UTILITIES.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT'S THE UTILITY COST GOING UP AND WE HAD TO INCREASE THE LINE ITEM TO COVER THAT.
SO, ANY QUESTION? ALRIGHT, MOVING ON TO ROGER, WHICH IS, WHICH TAB THIS IS, UH, 19 REVENUES IS TAB 19.
UM, REGARD REVENUES, THE STATE REGULATION ALLOW US TO ANTICIPATE REVENUES UP TO THE LEVEL COLLECTED IN A PRIOR YEAR.
UM, SO WE, UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD, UM, SOME DECLINE IN SOME OF THE REVENUES, LIKE THE REGISTER OF DEED 'CAUSE OF THE INTEREST RATE AND THE HOUSING.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, THE FINANCING AND REFINANCING BASICALLY WENT DOWN.
SO THE REGISTER OF DEED HAD A DECLINE IN, UM, IN THE REVENUES AND PLUS THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT, UH, LIKE THE SHERIFF, UH, MENTIONED YESTERDAY, LAST NIGHT, UH, THE FORECLOSURE ACTIVITIES WENT DOWN.
SO THE REVENUES FROM FORECLOSURE WENT DOWN.
UM, WE HAD OTHER LINE ITEMS ACTUALLY WENT DOWN ALSO.
UM, SO, BUT WE HAVE, UH, WE INTRODUCING NEW REVENUE STREAMS. UM, SO WE HAVE, UM, IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSIONERS WILL BE, UH, AN ORDINANCE TO, TO INCREASE THE PARK FEES AND THIS WILL REGENERATE NEW REVENUE AND PLUS THE, UM, THE DIVISION OF YOUTH HOUSE HAS, UH, NEW CONTRACT WITH MULTIPLE COUNTIES TO HOUSE THE
SO WE, WE EXPECT A NEW STREAM OF REVENUES FROM THESE ITEMS.
THE, UM, THE ONE REVENUE ITEM THAT I HAVE QUESTION IS ON THE INVESTMENT, UM, THAT WE MADE, UM, ON OUR LARGE CASH BALANCES SINCE OUR, OUR SUR OUR SURPLUS REVENUE.
HOW DOES THE MILLION DEBT, WE'RE ONLY ANTICIPATING 6 MILLION? YES.
UM, IS THAT THERE? UM, 2023, WE WE'RE FORTUNATE ABOUT THE INTEREST RATE WAS SO HIGH AND IT WAS IN OUR FAVOR.
WE COLLECTED AROUND 11 MILLION FOR THE ITEM OF, UH, UH, INTEREST AND INVESTMENT.
UH, BUT FOR 2024, THE INTEREST RATES START GOING DOWN, PLUS WE WILL ACTUALLY HAVE TO PAY OUT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CONTRACTS, YOU KNOW, THE CO THE CORRECTION CONTRACT SETTLED AND WE HAVE TO PAY THESE LIABILITIES.
SO WE DO NOT EXPECT, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, A RP FUND IS ALMOST DRYING OUT RIGHT NOW, SO THE AMOUNT OF CASH IS GOING DOWN AND I COULD NOT ACTUALLY, UM, AND PAID $11 MILLION WILL BE UNREALISTIC TO ANTICIPATE THE SAME AMOUNT.
NO, ACTUALLY, ACTUALLY THE, THE CONTRACT RESERVE, WHICH WAS ALL CASH YES.
WAS 30 SOME ODD MILLION BUCKS.
THAT'S GOT WANTS THE CONTRACT PAID? YES.
UM, ACTUALLY IT'S SCHEDULED TO BE, UH, THE FIR THAT WILL BE PAID IN, IN, IN P IN, UH, AND CATEGORIES.
BASICALLY ACTIVE PEOPLE WILL BE PAID FIRST, AND THIS WILL BE IN PAYROLL THREE THIS FRIDAY WILL BE THE FIRST, UH, PIECE WILL BE, WILL BE PAID.
BUT THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG REDUCTION IN AVAILABLE CASH.
AND, UM, YEAH, SO, SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, OH, THE, UH, ONE OTHER ITEM THERE IS, IS THE FUND BALANCE ANTICIPATED, WHICH IS 36 MILLION.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE WITH THE A TO A FS AND THAT'S WHY I WANT TO SEE THAT.
UH, IF YOU FEELING THAT PUNISHED, THAT 36 MILLION AS OUR RESULTS OF OPERATIONS IN 2023.
FOR 2023, WE, WE MADE IT, WE, WE REGENERATED THE, THE FARM BALANCE 36 MILLION.
SO, UH, OUR FARM BALANCE WENT UP, UH, LIKE ALMOST A HUNDRED THOUSAND FROM THE PRIOR YEAR.
SO IT WAS NOT A BIG INCREASE, BUT WE, WE REGENERATED THE 36 MILLION FOR 2023.
SO OUR FUND BALANCE IS 126 MILLION AND WE ANTICIPATE 36, AND THIS WILL LEAVE US WITH 9 MILLION.
SO JUST THE COMMISSION, THE COMMISSION WE'RE ABLE TO DISSIPATE PORTIONS OF OUR PORTION, OUR BUDGET GAP, UM, OR FOR OTHER REASONS, UM, TO EXPAND SPENDING.
UM, BUT THEN AGAIN, YOU HOPE THAT YOUR RESULTS OF OPPORTUNITIES COMES FROM FUND BALANCE, WHICH IS A BUILT UP OF YOUR PRO, LET'S SAY PROFITS IF YOU WILL.
UM, BUT YOU HOPE TO REPLENISH AT LEAST THAT IN THE, IN THE, IN THE YEAR THAT YOU ANTICIPATE SO THAT THERE'S NOT A REDUCTION IN THE FUND BALANCE.
SO THAT'S VERY GOOD NEWS THAT YOU ANTICIPATE THAT 36 MILLION,
[03:25:01]
WE, WE KEPT THE 36 MILLION FOR MULTIPLE YEARS AND WE WERE FORTUNATE WE COULD REPLENISH IT EVERY YEAR.AND FOR 23 WITH THAT, THE OTHER ONE IN, UM, IS THE, UH, IS THE, THAT PROSECUTOR PILOT PROGRAM THAT'S, THAT'S NO LONGER IN EXISTENCE.
UM, ACTUALLY THERE IS, UM, IT ACTUALLY IS THERE, THEY ACTUALLY CHANGED THE NAME.
IT'S CALLED, UH, PUBLIC LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPONENT, WHICH ACTUALLY INCREASED FROM 4 MILLION TO 7 MILLION.
UM, THEY CHANGED THE NAME OF IT.
IT'S ACTUALLY THROUGH THE PROSECUTOR OFFICE.
IS THERE, IT UH, IT ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY RUN THROUGH THE PROSECUTOR OFFICE, BUT YOU'LL SEE IT HERE UNDER LAW ENFORCEMENT.
UH, LEMME PUT YOU THE EXACT, UH, IT'S ONE WHAT IT OFFSET THE APPROPRIATIONS IN THE OFFICE.
UM, ACTUALLY IT'S OFFSET THE WHOLE BUDGET.
UH, IT SAID LAW ENFORCEMENT COMPONENT.
SO THE 7 MILLION IS NOT SHOWN AS A, AS A REVENUE? ACTUALLY, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SHOWN HERE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE LAST, LAST PAGE, ACTUALLY IT SAID HERE, THE, THE THIRD, ACTUALLY THE FOURTH FROM THE DOWN FROM, FROM THE BOTTOM, IT SAY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANT COMPONENT.
IT ACTUALLY WAS BUDGETED 3 MILLION AND THE STATE GRANTED A 7 MILLION.
SO THIS IS WHAT WE ANTICIPATING FOR, FOR 2024.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OTHER, OKAY.
ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. MOHAMED, ARE YOU GONNA GIVE HIM A NO, I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION.
WHERE YOU'RE COMING TO ALL OUR COMMISSIONER MEETINGS AND EXPLAINING THE FINANCES SO CAREFULLY BECAUSE THANK YOU.
I I WOULD LIKE STOLE MY THUNDER, BUT, UH, MRM, I FEEL SOME OF THIS YEAH, I'VE DONE SAY THAT I'VE WORKED NOW WITH SON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND I, I, HE IS SO RESPONSIVE TO EVERYTHING THAT I HAD, SO I, I WOULD'VE PUT, PUT A LITTLE PAT, PAT SEA
I, I, I WOULD BESS IF I DIDN'T SAY SOMETHING MYSELF BECAUSE I WORK SO CLOSELY.
THAT COMES TO THE CONDITION MEETING.
UH, PLEASE, IF I, IF I MAY, UH, PLEASE RECOGNIZE, UM, OUR SENIOR, UH, BUDGET ANALYST, UH, MRS. DE BLASSIO, SHE'S THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE SCENES.
UH, SHE'S WORKING DAY IN AND DAY OUT ON THE BUDGET.
AND WE START ACTUALLY THE BUDGET PROCESS IN JULY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.
AND SHE'S WORKING WITH ALL THE DEPARTMENTS TIRELESSLY.
AND, YOU KNOW, HER ATTENTION TO DETAILS ARE, IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S AMAZING.
SO I THINK IT, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT ETHICS CREDIT DOES REALLY LEAD THE WAY IN THE PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET, THE QUALITY OF BUDGET.
UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S, WE, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS.
CERTAINLY WE HEAR IT AT EVERY MEETING AND I HEAR IT IN LEADERSHIP.
I KNOW PRESIDENT RICHARDSON HAS SAID THE BENEFIT OF THAT AS WELL.
AND IT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT GETS BETTER EVERY YEAR.
AND DESPITE WHATEVER CHALLENGES THAT WE MAY HAVE THAT ARE GONE OUR WAY AND AWAY BEYOND OUR CONTROL, NATURAL DISASTER AND COVID AND THINGS THAT THE COUNTY HAS DONE AN EXCEPTIONAL DOUBT TO BE ABLE TO REACT.
AND, AND THE REASON WHY OUR, OUR, OUR RATING IS SO GOOD IS BECAUSE WE DO ANTICIPATE THE RAINY DAY.
AND ESSEX COUNTY AS A WHOLE IS VERY WELL PREPARED.
AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.
MR. MCNA, DID YOU WANT TO ASK? THANK YOU SO MUCH.
JUST GONNA SAY THERE'S TWO PEOPLE AND WHEN I CAME HERE, IT WAS 40 IN THAT DEPARTMENT.
EVERYTHING WAS DONE ON THE ACCOUNTING PAPER.
I THINK THEY DONE ON ADVOCATE A COUPLE.
IS IT JUST, IS IT JUST MOHAMMAD AND, AND YES, THAT, THAT'S IT.
ALRIGHT, BEFORE WE, WE JUST HAVE ONE MORE WITNESSES FOR MOMENT.
UH, MR. ER, THE LAST ONE IS THE COMMISSIONER'S ADMINISTRATION.
AND THAT IS, WHAT ONE ARE WE? THREE.
THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE WAS A COUPLE, THERE'S ONE ACTUALLY WE'RE WITHIN
[03:30:01]
OUR POSITION WITHIN THE COURT OFFICE.OBVIOUSLY THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE DOES, DOES NOT CHANGE.
WE HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF FREE ORDERS, THE SAME AMOUNT OF AIDES ALLOCATED, THE SAME AMOUNT OF PROFESSIONALS.
UM, SO, UH, THE FREEHOLDER'S OFFICE DOESN'T CHANGE.
COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER OPEN.
THEN OUR, UH, OTHER EXPENSE LINE ITEM STAYS THE SAME AS SIGNED.
SO THIS OFFICIALLY CONCLUDES THE RECORD, REFLECT THAT IT IS NOT SILENT.
THANKS TO THE EXCELLENT PRESENTATIONS TODAY.
OUR COLLEAGUES ON THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THIS FASTER THAN SCHEDULED.
WE WANT TO THANK, UH, MR. DOOLEY IN THE BACK WHO HAS BEEN SERVING AS THE ENFORCER,
WE THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO DOING IT.
BUT LET'S WAIT A YEAR BEFORE WE DO IT AGAIN, RIGHT, MR. M AND, UH, YES, OF COURSE YOU ARE, UH, TO OUR STAFF.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE HARD WORK.
YOU CAN ONLY MOVE THEM ALL ALONG.