[00:00:01]
TAKE A PHOTO BOMB FOR OUR PRESIDENT, EJWE ALL GOOD? MAKES IT MORE OFFICIAL.
GOT THREE CEREMONIAL GOT NEXT WEEK.
I CAN'T BE, I PUT HIM ON MY NAME AND THE DATE OF THE MEETING.
[00:06:03]
ALL RIGHT.I AM ADORING MARIE THOMAS, HONORED TO SERVE IN THE POSITION AS THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER FOR DISTRICT TWO HERE IN THE GREAT STATE OF ESSEX, DAUGHTER OF NEWARK.
AND FRANKLY, I'M JUST HERE TO CELEBRATE ALL OF YOU AND OUR HONOREES WHO ARE EN ROUTE.
SO, AS WE HONOR BLACK WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH AND THE AUTISM EDUCATION AND AWARENESS MONTH, GIVE YOURSELVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR BEING A PART OF THE VILLAGE THAT HELPS MAKE THIS WORK HAPPEN AS WE CELEBRATE OUR HONOREES.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MY COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT, MY BOARD PRESIDENT, WHO DOES SUCH INCREDIBLE WORK TO UPLIFT THE PEOPLE, FAMILIES, BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUALS LIKE YOU.
BE HONORABLE, MR. CARLOS PRIMERA MAKES A NOISE FOR HIM.
TAMARA, I WANNA THANK YOU AGAIN FOR JOINING US AS WE CELEBRATE TWO COMMUNITIES IN APRIL.
AGAIN, BLACK WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IN AUTISM EDUCATION AND AWARENESS MONTH.
THERE ARE SOME INCREDIBLE WOMEN WHO ARE GOING TO HONOR, WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED AND CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE SO MUCH TO THESE COMMUNITIES.
IN ADDITION TO TWO COMMENDATIONS FROM THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE JOINED.
WE COUNCILWOMAN LOUISE SCOTT ROUNDTREE, WHO WILL BE PRESENTING HONOREES WITH PROCLAMATIONS FROM THE CITY OF NEWARK.
LATER TONIGHT, THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WILL BE VOTING TO RECOGNIZE BLACK WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH AND AUTISM EDUCATION AND AWARENESS MONTH FORMALLY IN ESSEX COUNTY.
SO YOU ALL GET TO BE A PART OF THAT HISTORY, OR SHALL I SAY, HERSTORY THIS MONTH.
AND WE'RE TRULY, TRULY HONORED TO DO THAT WORK.
OUR FIRST HONOREE IS A HUGELY IMPACTFUL PERSON WHEN IT COMES TO SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITH AUTISM, THE PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM, AND EDUCATORS AND PROFESSIONALS WHO ADVANCE THE INTEREST OF AUTISTIC INDIVIDUALS.
AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER, AND IF I'LL JUST BRIEFLY SAY THIS, IF FOLKS HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE DATA OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE NUMBER OF AUTISM, UH, RECOGNITION FORMALLY HAS BEEN GOING UP.
AND PART OF THE REASON WHY WE'RE SEEING MORE INCREASE IN NUMBERS IS BECAUSE WE ARE RECOGNIZING IT EARLIER.
WE'RE DETECTING AND DIAGNOSING EARLIER, BUT THAT WORK IS IMPOSSIBLE IF YOU DON'T HAVE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, MAKING SURE THE WORD GETS OUT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE DE-STIGMATIZE OUR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM OR OUR CHILDREN WITH ANY LEVEL OF DISABILITY AS SOMETHING BEING WRONG WITH THEM, AS OPPOSED TO THEM JUST BEING DIFFERENT.
AND IT BEING OUR JOB AS A VILLAGE TO HELP FIGURE OUT HOW TO HELP CULTIVATE THE BEAUTY AND THE BRILLIANCE THAT LIVES WITHIN THAT DIFFERENCE.
AND SO TONIGHT WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO I KNOW PERSONALLY AS A MEMBER OF THE, THE NORTH BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR HER INCREDIBLE WORK THERE.
I KNOW AS A MEMBER OF MY CHURCH COMMUNITY, THE WORK THAT SHE DID IN THE BOARD FOR 25 YEARS IN URBAN EDUCATION, 15 OF WHICH WORKING AS A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, I COULD SPEAK TO HER ABOUT MAKING SURE THE WAYS THAT SHE MAKES SURE OUR BEAUTIFUL BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH IS ALWAYS FLOWING AND MOVING AS IT IS.
BUT TONIGHT, WE'RE GONNA CELEBRATE THE WORK THAT SHE DOES, SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO OUR NEURODIVERGENT YOUTH.
I SHOULD MENTION THAT SHE'S ALSO A PROFESSIONAL RESEARCHER.
IT'S, SHE'S CALLED DOCTOR HANDFIELD FOR A REASON, RIGHT? BECAUSE SHE RESEARCHES THE IMPACT THAT TRAUMA OR COMMUNITY VIOLENCE HAS ON THE BEHAVIOR OF CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE NEURODIVERGENT BEFORE YOUR WORK, DR.
DOROTHY HANFIELD AND HONORING AND SUPPORTING AND UPLIFTING THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES OF THOSE WITH AUTISM.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE WELCOME YOU TO THE PODIUM FOR SOME REMARKS AND TO GET YOUR AWARD.
[00:10:02]
COME RIGHT DOWN.MAKE SOME DORS FOR ONE MORE TIME.
WHILE YOU WERE SPEAKING, I'M THINKING, WELL, WHO'S SHE'S TALKING ABOUT? SHE'S TALKING ABOUT ME,
BUT IT IS A TRUE HONOR TO BE RECOGNIZED.
I DON'T DO THE WORK FOR RECOGNITION, BUT I DO APPRECIATE BEING RECOGNIZED FOR, UH, ACKNOWLEDGING AND, UH, SUPPORTING FAMILIES WHO ARE DEALING WITH A LOVED ONE OR LOVING A LOVED ONE WHO IS NEURODIVERGENT AND IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THE INFORMATION OUT TO FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY FAMILIES OF COLOR AND IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, OR THAT DON'T GET THE SERVICES THAT THEY DO DESERVE.
SO THEY CAN BE JUST AS INFORMED AS ANY OTHER FAMILY THAT ARE, ARE IN OR IN, UH, THE ESSEX COUNTY AREA.
SO AGAIN, I APPRECIATE, UH, TO BE RECOGNIZED.
I'M TRULY HUMBLE AND I REALLY LOVE BEING A SERVANT LEADER WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'LL DO ONE TOGETHER, DO ONE WITH OUR HONORABLE PRESIDENT AS WELL.
I AM NOT GONNA MAKE IT ANY PRETTIER
HANFIELD SAID, WE DON'T DO THE WORK FOR FLOWERS, BUT THEY SURE SMELL AND LOOK GOOD.
HANDFIELD, TO RECOGNIZE YOU FOR THE HUMBLE, SELFLESS WORK YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY.
ON BEHALF OF OUR CHILDREN, OUR FAMILIES, ACTIVISTS, ADVOCATES, OUR PARENTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WITH AUTISM, I WANNA TRANSITION NEXT TO HONOR THE WOMEN WHO ARE DOING INCREDIBLE WORK, NOT JUST IN NEWARK, NOT JUST IN ESSEX COUNTY, BUT IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
AS WE RECOGNIZE BLACK WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2016, TO UPLIFT AND SUPPORT THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF BLACK AND MINORITY WOMEN FOLLOWING BLACK WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, OR RATHER FOLLOWING BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN FEBRUARY AND WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH IN MARCH.
IT'S POIGNANT TO RECOGNIZE THE UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES AND CONTRIBUTIONS AND HISTORY OF BLACK WOMEN IN APRIL.
I'D LIKE NOW TO ADD UP TO THE PAGE, OR RATHER WELCOME TO THE STAGE, THE ONE, THE ONLY MISS SHOSHANA PAGE.
I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT YOU WHILE YOU RIGHT HERE.
'CAUSE I WAS SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT YOU WHILE YOU WERE SITTING.
BUT SPIRIT SAID, SINCE SHE ALREADY NOW I COULD TALK AT LENGTH ABOUT THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE AS A SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGIST TO THE MAYOR OF NEWARK, MAYOR RA BARAKA, I COULD TALK AT LENGTH ABOUT DURING COVI AND PARTICULARLY ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE DOING TO HELP OUR SENIORS, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO WERE VULNERABLE, AFFECTED BY VIOLENCE, ALL TYPES OF THINGS, HOMELESSNESS DURING THAT TIME, AND ALL THE WORK SHE DID TO REPLACE THE 23,000 KNOWN LED SERVICE LINES IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS AT NO COST OF RESIDENCE.
I COULD TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT SHE'S DONE BEING A PROUD RECIPIENT OF THE 2023 NEW JERSEY LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES, OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN THE MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT AWARD INSIDE A NEW JERSEY'S TOP POLICY MAKERS FOR 2023, AND RECENTLY THE 2024 WOMEN OF IMPACT AWARD FROM THE VIRTUOUS HOUSE IN SO MANY OTHER WORK THAT SHE'S DONE UNDER HER TENURE OF THE NEW JERSEY URBAN MAYOR'S ASSOCIATION AND WOMEN'S FUND OF NEW JERSEY FOR POLICY ANALYSIS, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND CAPACITY BUILDING.
BUT I WANT TO SPEND 30 SECONDS TALKING ABOUT HER HEART AND HER SPIRIT.
HANDFIELD DOESN'T DO IT FOR THE WORK OF BEING RECOGNIZED, BUT DOES IT FOR THE SPIRIT.
AND SO, SHOSHANA, WHOSE NAME MEANS IN HEBREW RIGHT, IS ABOUT PRAISE, AND IT'S ABOUT WORSHIP, AND IT'S ABOUT REJOICE.
I THANK YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE TO OUR CITY, WHO YOU ARE TO BLACK WOMEN WHO YOU MENTOR.
YOU DON'T SEE AS COMPETITION, BUT YOU TAKE THEM UNDER THEIR WING AND YOU SUPPORT THEM.
AND I THANK YOU FOR WHO YOU'VE MENTIONED ME, A PRAYER ROY, A SISTER, A FRIEND, A SISTER IN THE WORK.
[00:15:01]
RECOGNIZE YOU AS OUR FIRST HONOREE FOR BLACK WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.UM, I HAD TO WRITE SOMETHING DOWN BECAUSE IF I DON'T, I RAMBLE, APPARENTLY.
UM, BUT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU, UM, JUST FOR, SINCE THE DAY THAT I'VE MET YOU, YOU'VE CREATED A SPACE FOR, FOR EVERYBODY TO SHINE, BUT PARTICULARLY BLACK WOMEN.
AND IT'S BEEN A, YOU'VE BEEN A SAVING GRACE IN THIS SPACE FOR ME, JUST WATCHING YOU RISE TO NOW.
COMMISSIONER AND LORD ONLY KNOWS WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO NEXT, BUT I KNOW THAT AS WE WATCH, YOU'RE GONNA DO AMAZING THINGS.
SO I'M JUST THANKFUL FOR YOU IN THIS MOMENT, IN THIS WORLD AND IN THIS WORK.
THANK YOU PRESIDENT, UM, RIS AND THIS DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR PUTTING ESSEX FIRST AND THE PROVING THE LIVES OF ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.
THE THEME OF TODAY'S CELEBRATION REVOLVES AROUND THE ESSENCE OF PROGRESS, THE CONTINUOUS JOURNEY TOWARDS A MORE INCLUSIVE, EQUITABLE, AND JUST WORLD.
IT IS A JOURNEY THAT REQUIRES BLACK WOMEN TO DREAM BIGGER, ADVOCATE LOUDER, AND TAKE BOLD STEPS TOWARD CREATING A BETTER TOMORROW FOR ALL.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO AS BLACK WOMEN, RIGHT? WE MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER.
I AM PROUD TO BE A BLACK WOMAN, PROUD TO COME FROM A LINEAGE OF STRONG BLACK WOMEN WHO TELL YOU THINGS THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT, RIGHT? BUT YOU NEED TO HEAR IT.
AND I'M THANKFUL FOR, UM, THE BLACK WOMEN IN MY LIFE WHO LOVE ME AND SUPPORT ME BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THE PRESSURE AND THE STRUGGLE OF WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A BLACK WOMAN.
TODAY, THE INCREDIBLE STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE OF BLACK WOMEN HAS BEEN EVIDENT THROUGHOUT HISTORY AND CONTINUES TO SHINE BRIGHT TODAY, ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK AT TODAY'S OTHER HONOREES.
WHEN WE EMPOWER OURSELVES, WE EMPOWER OTHERS TO DO THE SAME.
CREATING A RIPPLE EFFECT OF EMPOWERMENT THAT TRANSCENDS BOUNDARIES AND LIMITATIONS.
THE COMMON THREAD OF ALL WOMEN, REGARDLESS OF RACE AND ETHNICITY, IS THAT WE HAVE ALL FACED DIVERSITY, DISCRIMINATION, AND CHALLENGES WITH UNWAVERING DETERMINATION, COURAGE AND GRACE.
OUR ABILITY TO RISE ABOVE OBSTACLES, BREAK BARRIERS AND CREATE CHANGE IS A TESTAMENT TO THE INDOMITABLE SPIRIT THAT RESIDES WITHIN EACH OF US AS SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGIST FOR MAYOR RAJA BARAKA OF NEWARK, THE SEAT OF ESSEX COUNTY AND NEW JERSEY'S LARGEST CITY.
IT IS ONLY THROUGH POLICY AND ADVOCACY THAT WE AMPLIFY OUR VOICES, STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT, AND CHAMPION CAUSES THAT PROMOTE EQUALITY, JUSTICE, AND EMPOWERMENT FOR ALL ADVOCACY MUST BE AT THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR WORK.
SO LET US ADVOCATE LOUDER, SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER AND WORK TIRELESSLY TO DISMANTLE BARRIERS AND CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE SOCIETY FOR OUR NEXT GENERATION.
I'M GONNA TELL A LITTLE STORY, LITTLE QUICK.
I I'M GOING OFF TOPIC AND I SAID I WASN'T GONNA DO THIS.
UM, BUT WE ARE, ME AND, UM, THE COMMISSIONER ARE IN THIS INCREDIBLE, UH, TEXT GROUP CALLED YOUNG BLACK EXCELLENCE.
AND, UM, IT'S ABOUT 30, UM, INDIVIDUAL INCREDIBLE INDIVIDUALS FROM ACROSS THE STATE IN POLICY LENSES AND, AND, AND JUST DOING DYNAMIC THINGS.
AND WE SEND EACH OTHER STUFF THAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING AND WE CLAP AND WE APPLAUD, AND WE, WE, WE JUST SUPPORT EACH OTHER.
AND I THINK THAT THAT HELPS ME GET THROUGH THE DAY.
SEEING YOU, SEEING THE RECOGNITION THAT YOU GET ON THAT TEXT THREAD AND, AND CREATING THOSE SPACES WHERE WE CAN ALL THRIVE IS, IS WHAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO.
SO I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT SPACE.
I'M THANKFUL FOR YOU IN THIS SPACE.
AND I'M JUST, I'M NEWARK FORWARD.
I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S GONNA LIGHT UP TONIGHT.
IT ACTUALLY MORE LOOK THIS WAY.
ONE MORE AND THEN LET'S DO ONE ON YOUR PHONE SO WE CAN DO BOTH.
I GOT, I GOT CARLOS PRESIDENT.
[00:20:22]
ONE OF THE, I MEAN, EVERYTHING THAT WAS SHARED RESONATED WITH ME, BUT ONE OF THE LAST THINGS THAT ANA JUST SPOKE ABOUT WAS LIFTING UP OTHERS, CELEBRATING OUR SISTERS AND BROTHERS AS THEY DO INCREDIBLE THINGS.UM, AND I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF SEEING THIS PARTICULAR NEXT HONOREE DO INCREDIBLE THINGS SINCE SHE WAS LIKE 15, 16 YEARS OLD.
UM, AND IN THE PAST HAS MAYBE ONE OR TWO YEARS I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE HER NOT JUST AS A YOUNG GIRL DOING REALLY GREAT WORK, BUT A YOUNG WOMAN WHO'S DOING INCREDIBLE WORK, NOT JUST AS AN ARTIST, BUT AS AN ORGANIZER IN THE SPACE OF RACIAL JUSTICE, IN THE SPACE OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN THE MIGHTY SOUTH WARD.
AND TO HELP RAISE ME UP, I JUST WANNA HONOR FIRST LADY BARAKA COUNCILWOMAN ROUNDTREE FOR MAKING THEIR WAY EVEN GIVE SOME ROUND APPLAUSE FOR THEM AND ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY DO TO LIFT UP REALLY INCREDIBLE YOUNG WOMEN, LIKE THE YOUNG WOMEN WE ARE ABOUT TO RECOGNIZE RIGHT NOW.
BUT FAGER KEGLER IS THAT YOUNG WOMAN I'M SPEAKING TO.
SHE'S A DEDICATED 22-YEAR-OLD STUDENT AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY.
SHE'S EARNING HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND ADMINISTRATION NEXT MAY.
SHE'S PASSIONATE FOR FOSTERING POSITIVE CHANGE AGENTS, JUST LIKE A POSITIVE AGE AGENT.
IN ADDITION TO BEING A YOUTH ORGANIZER FOR THE SOUTH WARD ENVIRONMENTAL ALLIANCE, A DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO ENHANCING THE LIVES OF NEWARK RESIDENTS IN SOUTH WARD IN ITS VICINITY.
SHE'S JUST A KIND PERSON WITH A KIND SOUL WHO USES THAT KINDNESS TO UPLIFT OTHERS.
YOU MAY RECOGNIZE HER VOICE WHEN YOU HEAR HER IN A FEW MOMENTS FOR BEING THE YOUNG WOMAN WHO GAVE THE POEM, UH, CELEBRATING THE SOUTH WARD DURING MAYOR BARAKA'S STATE OF THE CITY JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO.
BUT IT'S JUST MY HONOR TO RECOGNIZE FAJA KEGLER, WHO'S AN ARTIST, A SPOKEN WORD POET FOR HER EXTENSIVE VOLUNTEERISM, LEADERSHIP, CREATIVITY IN SERVICE, AND EVERYTHING IT BRINGS TO THE CITY OF NEWARK AND ESSEX COUNTY.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, WE'RE GONNA BRING UP FAGER SPECIFICALLY FOR HER WORK WITHIN THE SOUTH WARD ENVIRONMENTAL ALLIANCE, BUT FOR HER WORK ACROSS THE BOARD.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, I WAS AT THE SOUTHWARD ENVIRONMENTAL ALLIANCE TODAY, UM, PUSHING OUR WORK, UH, MAKING SURE THAT WHAT WE DO IS, IS HEARD IN THE COMMUNITY.
AS A STUDENT, AS SOMEONE WHO'S BORN AND RAISED IN NEWARK, AS SOMEONE WHO'S HAD, UH, SUCH A IMPACT ON THEIR COMMUNITY, BY THE COMMUNITY HAVING SUCH AN IMPACT ON ME, UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO WAS INVOLVED.
SO, SO AS MY MOTHER, MY MOMAGER, ALL THE THINGS THAT'S TAKEN THAT LAST PHOTO, THAT CERTAINLY WON'T BE THE LAST PHOTO 'CAUSE IT'S GOT SOME MORE PICTURES IN KEEPING WITH YOUNG BLACK BRILLIANCE.
AND BY THE WAY, LEMME JUST SAY THIS.
LET ME LEAD WITH YOUTHFULNESS IS A SPIRIT.
[00:25:01]
IT IS NOT DETERMINED BY AGE OR BIRTH CERTIFICATES.IT'S AN ENERGY, IT'S A SPIRIT
I'M THINKING OF WHAT, UM, COUNCILWOMAN MINISTER ROUNDTREE ALWAYS SAYS, IT'S PREPARATION FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
AND THAT DOESN'T HAVE A AGE REQUIREMENT ON IT.
BUT IF WE GONNA TALK ABOUT AGE, GO AHEAD.
I WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO BRING UP OUR NEXT HONOREE WHO NOT ONLY IS A SEASONED MENTOR, ACCOMPLISHED LEADER, PROLIFIC WRITER, COMPELLING SPEAKER, A PROUD HAITIAN AMERICAN BORN AND PORT OF PRINCE, AND RAISED IN IRVINGTON, WHO NOT ONLY HOLDS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FROM MONTCLAIR STATE WITH AN INTERNATIONAL STUDIES MINOR, BUT HAS SERVED AS THE CHIEF OF STAFF TO STATE SENATOR RENEE BURGESS AND LEGISLATIVE AID TO FORMER ASSEMBLYWOMAN JAFFER, AND WORKED ON GOVERNOR MURPHY'S CAMPAIGN IN 2021, ALL UNDER THE AGE OF 25 YEARS OLD.
I I I'M NOT DONE THOUGH, BECAUSE WHEN SHE'S NOT GETTING HER BEAUTY SLEEP, SHE'S CLEARLY OUT HERE DOING THE WORK BECAUSE SHE'S ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE ESSEX COUNTY YOUNG DEMOCRATS, THE POLITICAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS MANAGER FOR THE NEW JERSEY LEAGUE OF CONVERSA OF CONSERVATION OF VOTERS FOCUSING ON COMBATING ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM.
THIS YOUNG BLACK WOMAN IS A YOUNG BLACK WOMAN LIKE FAGER, WHO ROCKS IS A YOUNG BLACK WOMAN LIKE DR.
HANFIELD, LIKE SHAANA PAGE, WHO ROCKS.
AND SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WANNA BRING UP MY FRIEND, MY PARTNER IN THE MOVEMENT, UM, WHO I, I'LL CLOSE BY ADDING SOMETHING THAT'S, SHE'LL SEE HER ACCOMMODATION, BUT I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NAME THE WOMEN WHO COME BEFORE US.
SHE'S INSPIRED BY HER LATE GRANDMOTHER, MISS HER GABRIELLE, WHO PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN RAISING HER AND HER SISTERS AND COUSINS.
AND SO, JASMINE, AS WE RECOGNIZE YOU, WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THE WOMEN WHO CAME BEFORE YOU ON ALL WHOSE SHOULDERS YOU STAND AND WHO CAN LOOK AT YOU AND SAY, WELL DONE.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, JASMINE, TELL US.
[00:31:03]
IN FITTING WITH JASMINE'S SPIRIT, SHE ENDED GIVING FLOWERS NOT TO HERSELF, BUT TO HER VILLAGE AND ALL THE WOMEN WHO MAKE HER.
SO CAN ANYONE WHO'S HERE SUPPORTING SOMEONE ELSE, CAN YOU GIVE YOURSELVES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR BEING THE VILLAGE, FOR BEING A PART OF THE WORK? OUR ALREADY RECOGNIZED, OUR INCREDIBLE FIRST LADY FROM THE CITY OF NEWARK, MS. LINDA BARAKA, OUR COUNCILWOMAN ROUNDTREE, WHO WILL BE PRESENTING AND CLOSING US OUT IN A LITTLE BIT WITH COMMENDATIONS FROM THE CITY ONE ARE FORMERLY RECOGNIZED, TWO OTHER INCREDIBLE WOMEN.
BEFORE WE BRING UP OUR LAST HONOREE, WE HAVE MY FORMER BOARD OF EDUCATION, UH, MEMBER EMERITUS.
ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T SERVE TOGETHER, I WAS MENTORED BY HER AND COACHED BY HER BE HONORABLE.
MRS. RICHARDSON, WHO IS HERE WITH US, MS. ANTOINETTE RICHARDSON.
WE HAVE A WOMAN WHO SIMILARLY NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION, BUT WHO NOT ONLY DOES INCREDIBLE WORK AS A HERSTORY MAKING LEADER HERE WITHIN, UH, THE BOARD OF, OR RATHER THE COUNTY OF ESSEX, BUT ALSO SERVES AS THE FIRST LADY, NOT JUST OF ESSEX COUNTY DEMOCRATS, BUT OF STATE NEW JERSEY DEMOCRATS, THE ONE AND ONLY MS. JACQUELINE JONES, WHO'S WITH US TODAY.
SO AS JASMINE SHARED, THE VILLAGE IS WIDE.
AND AS A BLACK WOMAN, WE CAN'T DO THIS BY OURSELVES.
WE DO THIS WITH SO MANY OTHERS WHO ARE SUPPORTING US AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THIS NEXT AND FINAL, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, HONOREE FOR BLACK WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH AS WELL AS AUTISM AWARENESS HISTORY MONTH.
I WANNA TALK ABOUT A WOMAN AS THE FOUNDER AND CEO OF THE GYM PROJECT, A PIONEERING NONPROFIT DEDICATED TO ELEVATING HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT THROUGH YOUTH ORGANIZING AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.
AN ORGANIZATION THAT, SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 2006, HAS DIRECTLY IMPACTED THE LIVES OF MORE THAN 3,500 YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS.
A WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE WHITE HOUSE, WHO'S BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE CITY OF NEWARK, WHO HAS HAD PUBLICATIONS CELEBRATING HER EVERYWHERE FROM THE NATIONAL JOURNAL TO THE NA, TO THE BLACK ENTERPRISE TO NEW JERSEY, SPOTLIGHT TO PBS, TO FORBES MAGAZINE, WHO IS NOT ONLY A GRADUATE OF RUTGERS UNIVERSITY NEWARK, BUT EARNED HER MASTER'S DEGREE FROM CUNY SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, WHO WAS ALSO AN ALUM FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL OF RUTGERS, WHO IS NOT ONLY AN ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER OF THE GREATER NEWARK HEALTH COALITION, IMPACT ESSEX MEMBER WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, THE FORMER VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR RUTGERS UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, A FORMER ASSOCIATE BOARD MEMBER AT THE UNITED NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSES, WHO'S NOT ONLY A A, A LECTURER AT THE BRONX COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND A FOUNDER IN RESIDENCE AT ANTLER NEW YORK CITY, BUT HAS RECENTLY BEEN A PART OF HISTORY HERE IN THE CITY OF NEWARK, WHERE ONE OF HER, ACTUALLY SEVERAL OF HER YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE GYM PROJECT HELPED USHER IN A HISTORIC ORDINANCE LOWERING THE VOTING AGE FOR SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS HERE IN THE CITY OF NEWARK.
THAT WAS A GYM PROJECT YOUTH WHO HELPED BE A PART OF THAT WORK.
[00:35:01]
OF COURSE, WE WERE JOINED BY SO MANY INCREDIBLE STAKEHOLDERS LIKE THOSE FROM THE JERSEY INSTITUTE THAT'S RIGHT, OF SOCIAL JUSTICE.AND SO MANY OTHER ORGANIZERS, OUR COUNCIL PRESIDENT LAMONICA MACGYVER, ME AND ENTIRE, UH, CITY MUNICIPAL COUNCIL, UH, MINISTER ROUNDTREE, WHO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
BUT THERE WERE YOUNG PEOPLE NOT JUST IN THE ROOM WHEN IT WAS HAPPENING, BUT THEY WERE DRIVING AS SOME OF THE YOUNG KIDS WOULD SAY, THEY WERE DRIVING THE BOAT TO MAKE IT WORK.
AND THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WERE GYM PROJECTS.
SO, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WANNA RECOGNIZE MY FRIEND, MY SISTER, MY MENTOR IN MY HEAD IN THE MOVEMENT, WHO DOES INCREDIBLE WORK, AND WHO I CONTINUE TO BE INSPIRED BY AS WE CELEBRATE HER ON TODAY.
Y'ALL MAKE SOME NOISE FOR HER AS SHE MAKES HER WAY UP HERE.
AS GOD WOULD HAVE IT, THIS CELEBRATION WOULD ALSO BE ON HER BIRTHDAY.
SO WHEN WE END, WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE SOME CUPCAKES OUTSIDE IN THE HALLWAY FOR Y'ALL, JUST TO CELEBRATE NOT ONLY HER BIRTHDAY, BUT EVERYONE ELSE, AMANDA, EVERYONE.
I'M SO, SO EXCITED TO BE HERE.
UH, I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THIS RECOGNITION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ESS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
SO WHEN I LOOK INTO THIS ROOM, I FEEL LIKE HOME, RIGHT? I SEEING MY SISTERS, I'M BEFORE GIANTS AND QUEENS.
I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY IF IT WASN'T FOR SO MANY YOUNG WOMEN WHO, WHO PAVED THE WAY AND WOMEN FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE TO PAVE THE WAY.
AND SO WHEN WE HEAR ABOUT EVEN THE HISTORIC ORDINANCE WITH THE SUPPORT OF RYAN HAYGOOD, AND YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, FOR THE PRESIDENT OF COUNCIL MACGYVER, IT TAKES A VILLAGE.
AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A BLACK WOMAN IN CELEBRATION FOR A BLACK WOMAN HISTORY MONTH HERE, OUR BRILLIANCE CANNOT BE CONTAINED.
AND IT, IT KIND OF FLOWS LIKE A RIVER, RIGHT? AND TOUCHES EACH PERSON.
BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE TOGETHER, WE'RE A FORCE.
WE'RE A, A BEACON OF A SUPPORT NETWORK OF HEALING.
AND I KNOW THAT HEALING THAT I GET EVERY DAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN I CONNECT WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME, BEEN OVER, I DON'T EVEN KNOW, LIKE
AND JUST BEING IN THIS SPACE JUST TELLS ME THAT THERE IS WORK TO DO.
BUT IT'S WORK KNOWING THAT YOUR SISTERS ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS.
UM, I DO THIS WORK BECAUSE I DO IT BECAUSE THERE'S YOUTH WHO ARE BRILLIANT, ALL YOUTH ARE BRILLIANT.
AND I ALSO DO THIS WORK, AND I DON'T REALLY TELL THIS STORY, BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD WHEN I WAS A YOUNG PERSON THAT I WOULD NOT AMOUNT TO KNOW ANYTHING BY, UH, SOMEONE VERY CLOSE TO ME, A FAMILY MEMBER.
AND, AND I THINK OF THAT, I THINK ABOUT THE MANY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE THAT MENTOR, THAT PERSON TO LEAN ON.
AND SO I REFLECT ON THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE AND THAT CREATING THAT PATHWAY OR THAT SPACE FOR THEM TO FLOURISH AND GROW IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN MY TRUE LIFE'S WORK AND HAS BEEN OVER ALMOST TWO DECADES NOW IN DOING THIS TYPE OF WORK.
AND IF I THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE WOMEN WHO'VE COME TO MY LIFE TO HELP ME EVEN HAVE A CHANCE, IT'S JUST TOO MANY TO THINK OF.
THERE'S THIS ONE WOMAN, HER NAME IS BASHEERA BROWN.
SHE BELIEVED IN ME WHEN I WAS A COLLEGE STUDENT BEFORE PEOPLE THOUGHT WOULD THINK THAT I WAS CRAZY.
THINKING ABOUT AN IDEA ABOUT WHAT IS THE GEM PROJECT.
THIS IS A WOMAN WHO WAS FIGHTING BREAST CANCER, AND SHE WAS A TWO TIME SURVIVOR.
AND IT WAS A TIME DURING MY LAST YEAR OF COLLEGE WHERE SHE, SHE MARCHED WITH ME TO ADDRESS ISSUES.
AND, AND SHE SAID, AND SHE POURED INTO ME AND, AND REALLY JUST SPOKE TRUTH TO POWER WHEN IT COMES TO YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS DOING SOMETHING.
AND THOSE ARE THE WORDS THAT I TAKE ON WITH ME, UM, FOR FOREVER.
AND THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF CONNECTIONS THAT WE AS WOMEN CAN CONTINUALLY SUPPORT OTHER WOMEN, UM, AND YOUNG WOMEN, UM, TODAY AS WELL.
[00:40:19]
SOME MORE NOISE FOR AMANDA.SO INSPIRED BY YOU AND HONORED TO BE IN THE WORK OF YOUTH ORGANIZING AND YOUTH WORK WITH YOU.
A LOT OF TIMES WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME, HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO RUN FOR OFFICE? I TELL THEM NEVER.
TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST, IT WAS NEVER A PART OF THE GOAL.
I WAS TAKING YOUNG PEOPLE FROM MY ORGANIZATION.
TO THE MAYOR'S LEADERSHIP BREAKFASTS, ACTUALLY AT KING'S RESTAURANT.
AND WHEN I WANTED HIM TO NOTICE MY YOUNG PEOPLE SO HE COULD PULL THEM INTO THE WORK, HE NOTICED ME AND THE REST HAS BEEN HISTORY.
AND IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR ME RUNNING FOR OFFICE AND DOING THAT WORK WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD, I WOULD'VE, MAYBE I WOULD'VE.
'CAUSE FATE HAS WORKED IN A LOT OF REALLY INTERESTING WAYS HERE.
BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD'VE MET CHAIRMAN JONES, WHO SIMILARLY SAW ME WHEN I WAS GETTING ON FOR THE WORK THAT I WAS DOING, WAS SHE WINS JUST YOUNG PEOPLE.
Y'ALL LITERALLY DOING THE WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE.
AND CHAIRMAN SAID, HOLD ON, I SEE SOMETHING FOR YOU AND I BELIEVE IN YOU AND CONTINUE TO CULTIVATE ME AND CULTIVATE ME.
SO I WANNA FIRST OF ALL HONOR OUR CHAIRMAN LEE LAURA JONES, Y'ALL, WHO IS HERE WITH US TODAY, WHO ALWAYS FINDS IT NOT ROBBERY TO COME AND CELEBRATE OUR YOUTH AND CELEBRATE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
I ALSO WANNA GIVE A FEW MORE THANK YOUS AND THEN WE'LL CLOSE BY ACTUALLY HAVING CHAIRMAN ROUNDTREE.
AND SINCE YOU'RE HERE, CHAIRMAN JONES, I'LL HAVE YOU JUST HELP US CLOSE OUT AS WELL.
I WANNA THANK ADAM, MY INCREDIBLE PARTNER IN THIS WORK HERE.
[00:45:31]
AH, ANYHOW, UM, WE'VE GOT TO DO ONE MORE THING BEFORE I STOP CHAIRMAN JONES.AND THAT IS THAT ME NO, A DORIAN WITHOUT A DANA.
AND I, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO HONOR THE MOTHERS THAT NURTURE.
UM, SOME OF, SOME, SOME WOMEN DON'T HAVE DANA'S.
SOME OF OUR YOUNG WOMEN NEED AN A DORIAN AND A DANA AND A HASHANAH.
THEY NEED AN EXAMPLE OF A JACKIE JONES THAT CAN SHOW YOU THAT YOU CAN BE, WILL BE, AND GOING TO BE SOMEBODY IF YOU HANG WITH US, BECAUSE WE ARE GONNA PUSH YOU INTO YOUR DESTINATION NO MATTER WHAT YOUR LOCATION IS.
IT DOES NOT DETERMINE YOUR DESTINATION.
AND IF YOU'RE SOMEWHERE WHERE IT'S NOT GREAT, WE CAN PUSH YOU TO GREATER.
SO WE THANK YOU, WE HONOR YOU, WE LOVE YOU.
AND ON BEHALF OF MAYOR RASPBERRY ROCK, THE NESS COUNCIL, REVEREND LOUISE, SCOTT ROUNDTREE, LADY BARAKA, AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT GOES WITH THE CITY OF NEWARK AND ABROAD, WE CELEBRATE YOU.
WE HONOR YOU, AND WE CONGRATULATE YOU.
WHY DID I LET HER GO FIRST? WHY DID I LET HER GO FIRST? SO, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOK, IT, IT, I, YOU KNOW, I GOT NOTICE OF THIS LATE AND I I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR JASMINE CALLING ME UP, UH, YOU KNOW, EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON, UM, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, AND THEN MY WIFE JACKIE CALLING ME UP.
UH, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA GET YOU BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T CALL ME UP
BUT, UM, BUT YOU KNOW, LET ME JUST SAY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, ON THIS, UH, INAUGURAL CELEBRATION FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, BLACK WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH AND A DORIAN, UH, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVING THE FORESIGHT, UH, THE VISION TO EMBRACE THAT, YOU KNOW, AT A TIME THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE BEGIN, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE CONTINUE TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE, YOU KNOW, BLACK WOMEN, UH, YOU KNOW, WHICH ARE THE FOUNDATION OF, YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITIES REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOUR ETHNICITY IS.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO SAY TO, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD, CARLOS PALM, YOU KNOW, FOR ALSO HAVING, YOU KNOW, THAT ELEMENT OF SUPPORT.
YOU KNOW, TO SUPPORT YOUR COLLEAGUES AND TO BE HERE, TO BE HERE.
AS YOU KNOW, WE EMBRACE, YOU KNOW, THE SPIRIT OF, YOU KNOW, BLACK WOMEN.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, YOU KNOW, I COME FROM, UH, YOU KNOW, A HOME THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, A MODEL HOME THAT A BLACK WOMAN, YOU KNOW, MADE SURE THAT HER ONLY SON, UH, YOU KNOW, WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, WAS GOING TO BE ON THAT STRAIGHT AND NARROW.
ALTHOUGH SHE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD, I HAVE TWO OTHER SISTERS.
IT WAS, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT MOTHERLY, YOU KNOW, DIRECTION.
AND, YOU KNOW, MY, YOU KNOW, MY PATERNAL, YOU KNOW, ADVICE FROM MY FATHER THAT MADE SURE, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I HAD A MINDSET THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, EXPANDED UPON, YOU KNOW, MORE THAN JUST THE SPACE THAT A BLACK MAN WOULD OCCUPY, BUT ALSO THE RESPECT, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, AND ADMIRATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT THAT HE WOULD HAVE FOR BLACK WOMEN.
AND THAT'S WHAT I DO FOR, YOU KNOW, MY FIRST LADY, UH, JACQUELINE JONES, WHO'S SITTING BACK THERE, UH, YOU KNOW, AT THE BACK OF THE, THAT'S WHAT, UH, YOU KNOW, MY FRIEND RAS BARAKA DOES, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR, YOU KNOW, HIS FIRST LADY, LINDA BARAKA, WHO FLEW TODAY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, ALL OF US WHO OCCUPY, YOU KNOW, THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS SO-CALLED SPACE OF LEADERSHIP, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO EMBRACE, YOU KNOW, THE SPIRIT OF, YOU KNOW, UH, OF AN INTERNAL RESPECT FOR YOUR SPOUSE AND GIVING HER, YOU KNOW, THE SPACE AND THE LATITUDE TO LEAD WHEN IT'S TIME TO LEAD.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO JASMINE, UH, TO AMANDA WHO I CAME IN ON, UH, YOU KNOW, HER PRESENTATION, UH, YOU KNOW, TO ALL THE OTHER, UH, HONOREES, UH, YOU KNOW, SHOSHANA WAS ALSO MENTIONED.
I GET THESE EMAILS CONSTANTLY FROM SHOSHANA.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, SHE'S ON POINT, ALL THE HONOREES THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT A DORIAN HAS, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, ALLOWED US TO SEE WHAT THEY ARE, FEEL WHO THEY ARE, KNOW WHAT THEIR JOURNEY WAS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, KNOW WHAT THEIR MISSION IS GOING
[00:50:01]
FORWARD.SO, UH, YOU KNOW, TO MY FRIEND, UH, YOU KNOW, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MY LITTLE MENTEE WHO IS BECOME, I'M BECOMING HER MENTEE, DANA SHOULD KNOW THAT BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE APPLE DOESN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE.
AND DANA, YOU'VE DONE A MAGNIFICENT JOB WITH THIS YOUNG LADY.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ONE STOP FOR THIS YOUNG LADY AND, UH, YOU KNOW, KNOW IF IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, IF I'M ALWAYS GOING TO BE AROUND, AND I EXPECT TO FOR A LITTLE BIT, UH, YOU KNOW, THE PATHWAY AND, AND, UH, THE FUTURE FOR THIS YOUNG LADY AND ALL THE FOLKS THAT SHE TOUCHES IS A BRIGHT AND SHINY FUTURE.
AND THAT IT'S GOING TO BE A ROAD TO SUCCESS AND PROSPERITY, LOUISE FOR, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST BLACK WOMEN, BECAUSE THAT IS GOING TO BE A CENTRAL THEME IN THIS, BUT IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE THE COMMUNITY, THE VILLAGE THAT WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO UPHOLD, UPLIFT, AND, UH, AND MOVE FORWARD.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, TODAY, AND I'M, I'M, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET, YOU KNOW, JUST TO BE JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN LOUISE, JUST TO GET MY TIME IN
I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO ALL OF THE HONOREES, UH, YOU KNOW, JASMINE AND AMANDA AND ANA, AND ALL OF YOU THAT HAVE COME, YOU KNOW, TO BE CELEBRATED.
KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND THEN DORIAN, UH, YOU KNOW, KEEP THE SPIRIT AND THE FAITH OF MAKING SURE THAT THESE YOUNG LADIES AND SO MANY MORE ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF ALL OF OUR AGENDAS.
SO WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ALL THE HONOR AND THEIR VILLAGE, AND OF COURSE, OUR CHAIRMAN AND OUR COUNCIL COME UP TOGETHER FOR A BRING OUTSIDE.
[01:09:32]
[01:09:33]
SOMEONE'S[01:09:34]
GONNA BE MISSING THAT.I HAD TO TAKE CARE OF THAT EARLIER.
WE WAIT FOR THE FILES AND WE'LL GET STARTED.
WHAT'S GOING ON? DID YOU WANT SOMETHING TO
[01:10:01]
EAT? THE'S? STILL THERE? THEY'RE ABOUT TO TAKE IT AWAY.MR. HARRY, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA ROLL THIS.
THIS MEETING OF THE ASES COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS HEREBY CALL INTO ORDER.
THIS MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAMED IN ADDITION TO TAKING PLACE IN PERSON.
UH, MS. EVANS, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
SO COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER IS ABSENT.
HERE, PLEASE STAND FOR THE SALUTE OF FLAG.
I'M GONNA ASK COMMISSIONER URIAN, UH, MARY THOMAS TO LEAD US IN THE SALUTE IP SUSAN FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH TO STAND ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, LIBERTY, JUSTICE FOR.
I'M JUST GONNA ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE, UH, FOR ALL THOSE THAT WE LOST SINCE THE LAST MEETING, INCLUDING AND ESPECIALLY, UH, FORMER COUNTY EXECUTIVE SHAPIRO.
AND I ALSO WANT TO ASK YOU TO KEEP IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.
UH, UH, UH, CONGRESSMAN DONALD PAYNE JR.
WHO SERVED HERE WITH DISTINCTION AND CERTAINLY IN CONGRESS AS HE'S HOSPITALIST.
I HAVE BEFORE ME CERTIFICATION FROM THE CHIEF OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES THAT THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.
SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF TRANSCRIPTS.
UH, MS. EVANS, ARE THERE ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO BE APPROVED? NO.
OKAY, MS. EVANS, ARE THERE ANY TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION? NO.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A COMBINED CONFERENCE BOARD MEETING, AND WE WILL VOTE ON EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
SO IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THERE WILL BE TIME LATER IN THE EVENING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OTHER ITEMS. SO YOU ASK, I ASK THAT AT THIS TIME YOU KEEP IT TO AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.
I WILL BE SPEAKING TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.
I THINK IT'S FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET INTRODUCTION OF THE 2024 COUNTY OF ESSEX BUDGET.
MY NAME IS LISA MADDOX DOUGLAS.
I AM THE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEE SUPERVISORS UNION.
WE REPRESENT, UH, THE SUPERVISORY AND MID-LEVEL AND MANAGERIAL EMPLOYEES WITHIN THE DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TO ASK THAT YOU INDEED PASS THIS BUDGET PRESENTED.
UM, AND OF COURSE, I'M GONNA ASK THAT YOU ALSO PROVIDE MY UNION WITH A BREAKDOWN OF THE BUDGET.
'CAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE QUITE DIFFERENT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEARS.
UM, CURRENTLY OUR AGENCY IS AT RISK OF LOSING FEDERAL FUNDING BECAUSE WE'RE DELAYED IN PROCESSING SNAP BENEFITS.
UM, WE ARE FALLING ALSO BEHIND WITH MEDICAID CASES SINCE THE UNWINDING OF THE MEDICAID PROGRAMS. TO BE QUITE FRANK.
IT APPEARS THAT WE HAD SOME, UM, TROUBLED LEADERSHIP IN THE PAST, AND, UM, HOPEFULLY THINGS ARE GETTING A LITTLE BETTER.
UM, MY COUNTERPART, MR. WEINER'S NOT HERE, BUT WE CAN ATTEST THAT WE HAVE COME BEFORE YOU ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS TO ADVISE YOU THAT THINGS WERE GETTING BAD AND NOW WE'RE HERE.
UM, WHILE I AM UNCERTAIN ABOUT THE CURRENT VACANCIES IN OUR AGENCY, BECAUSE I HAVE REQUESTED QUITE A FEW OVER REQUESTS AND I HAVEN'T RECEIVED THEM TO DATE, UM,
[01:15:01]
THIS IS MY LAST DITCH EFFORT THIS AFTERNOON TO ASK THAT YOU DEFINITELY PASS THIS BUDGET.UM, WE HAVE CERTAIN NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE NOT MET IN TERMS OF STAFFING.
SO WE HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH PROCESSING THE CASES.
WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES, WE DON'T HAVE THE MANPOWER.
WE'RE DOWN APPROXIMATELY 80 EMPLOYEES.
AND DESPITE GRIEVANCES PROCESSES AND THE CIVIL SERVICE PROCESSES, IT APPEARS THAT THE PROMOTIONS ARE HAPPENING, BUT IT'S QUITE STAGGERED.
SO WE ASK THAT YOU DEFINITELY PASS THIS BUDGET.
UM, WE HAVE A JUNE 30TH DATE THAT WE HAVE TO BE COMPLIANT WITH THE PROCESSING OF THE BACKLOG CASES.
UM, BUT WE HAVE CONFLICTING STATISTICS AND THE COMMUNICATION IS A LITTLE CHALLENGING.
SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS HAPPENED.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M HOPEFUL THAT IT'LL HAPPEN.
MY HOPE IS THAT THE MONIES THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE SNAP AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT, UM, IN 2023, IT WAS ABOUT HALF A MILLION DOLLARS, 545,000.
WE ALSO RECEIVED PANDEMIC FUNDING FOR 530,000.
WE RECEIVED THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN MONIES FOR 674,000, AND WE ALSO RECEIVED ADMINISTRATION OF SNAP TIMELINESS MONIES FOR 577,000.
ALONG WITH THIS $2,170,000 INCREASE IN TODAY'S BUDGET PRESENTATION FOR 2024.
I HOPE THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO HIRE THE STAFF THAT WE NEED, UM, NOT ONLY TO HIRE, BUT TO PROMOTE THOSE WHO ARE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THEIR PROMOTIONS.
UM, WE ARE DEFINITELY, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS AND WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL AGREE THAT THIS BUDGET IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE INDEED PUTTING THE CONSTITUENTS OF ESSEX COUNTY FIRST BY ENSURING THAT THEY RECEIVE THE BENEFITS THAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING, EVERYONE.
JAMES TROI, VICE PRESIDENT FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE LODGE 1 0 6, REPRESENTING THE SWORN SUPERVISORY STAFF WITHIN THE ESSEX COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY TO ORDINANCES ONE AND TWO ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, THE BUDGET, UM, WE QUESTION, AS MY COLLEAGUE SAID, THERE'S VERY CONVOLUTED, I'M NOT AN ACCOUNTANT.
I CAN BARELY BALANCE MY OWN CHECKBOOK.
SO INTERPRETING SUCH A VERBOSE DOCUMENT IS A LITTLE ROUGH FOR ME.
BUT WE'RE MOVING TO RAISE THE COUNTY TAX LEVY.
AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE REDUCTION IN THE DEBT SERVICE ALONE IS ROUGHLY THE EQUIVALENT TO 7% OF THE ENTIRE COUNTY BUDGET.
SO AGAIN, AS SOMEBODY WHO CAN BARELY BALANCE THE CHECKBOOK, I HAVE TO WONDER IF WE SAVED 7% ON THE OVERALL.
IS THERE REALLY A NEED TO INCREASE THE LEVY? WE ALSO HAVE TO WONDER ABOUT UNFILLED POSITIONS.
WE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY AT ONE YEAR PLUS WITHOUT A WARDEN AT THE LARGEST CORRECTIONAL FACILITY IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
YET THAT SALARY LINE IS STILL THERE.
ARE WE DOING AWAY WITH THE WARDEN OR AREN'T WE? WE ALREADY SAVED THE YEAR'S WORTH OF HIS SALARY AND BENEFITS PROJECTED INTO THE NEXT YEAR.
WE HAVE TO WONDER ABOUT CIVIL SERVICE TITLES THAT DON'T REALLY EXIST.
PEOPLE THAT ARE IN WORKING TITLES THAT THE COUNTY MADE UP, THAT THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION DOESN'T RECOGNIZE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN PROVISIONAL PRO POSITIONS, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THERE IS AN ACTIVE CERTIFICATION ISSUED BY CIVIL SERVICE.
AND AGAIN, IT COMES BACK TO FUNDING FOR THE BUDGET.
IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THESE ITEMS IN THE BUDGET, WHERE ARE THEY? MAYBE WE NEED TO RAISE THE MONEY IN ANTICIPATION OF ALL THE MONEY WE'RE GONNA PAY OUT ON HEALTHCARE REIMBURSEMENT.
FOP 1 0 6, ALL BY ITSELF SUBMITTED A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS IN HEALTHCARE REIMBURSEMENT REQUESTS LAST WEEK.
THAT IS THE FIRST OF MANY HEALTHCARE REIMBURSEMENTS UNDER OUR AWARD FROM PERC.
SO MAYBE THE EXTRA MONEY IS GONNA BE NEEDED TO FUND THAT.
MAYBE THE NEW JERSEY STATE COMPTROLLER MISSED A LOT IN HIS REVIEW THAT WAS PUBLISHED THIS WEEK.
MAYBE WE WILL BEGIN HELPING HIM OR HER OR THAT OFFICE FIND WHERE TO LOOK FOR THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, POSSIBLY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CARES ACT AND FEDERAL FUNDS THAT DIDN'T GO WHERE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO GO.
FOP 1 0 6 WAS IN FRONT OF THE APPELLATE DIVISION AGAIN YESTERDAY.
PBAS 180 3 AND 180 3 A ARE IN BINDING ARBITRATION.
WHO'S PAYING THOSE LEGAL FEES? THE TAXPAYERS YOU LOST.
[01:20:01]
'CAUSE WHATEVER THOSE COSTS ARE TO DATE, THEY'RE ONLY GOING UP NEXT YEAR.RESOLUTION 52, THE IISHA HOWARD LITIGATION.
I REPRESENT THE PERSON WHO IS ACCUSED OF DROPPING THE BALL ON HER CASE.
WHAT ARE WE DOING THERE? WHAT ARE WE DOING? CAN WE PLEASE GET MANAGEMENT IN PLACE AND FIX THESE PROBLEMS? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, MR. TRACY.
OKAY, MADAM UH, ACTING CLERK, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THERE'S NO ONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
UH, MS. EVANS, LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE AND INTRODUCTION.
ON FIRST READINGS, DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCE OF RESOLUTIONS FOR INTRODUCTION OR, AND FIRST READING? NO.
LET'S MOVE ON TO SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR LISTING PURPOSES ONLY.
UH, MS. EVANS, DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCE OF RESOLUTIONS ON SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT? YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE FIVE RESOLUTION NUMBER R 2024 DASH 0 2 3 8.
RESOLUTION NUMBER R DASH 2 24 DASH 0 2 3 9.
ORDINANCE NUMBER OH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 0 7.
ORDINANCE NUMBER OH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 0 8.
AND ORDINANCE NUMBER OH 2024 DASH ZERO NINE.
OKAY, MS. EVAN, LET'S MOVE OUT OF ORDER, UH, TO RESOLUTION NUMBER THREE.
AUTHORIZED IN THE 2024 BUDGET TO BE READ BY TITLE.
PLEASE, UH, READ INTO THE RECORD.
MR. JACKSON, YOU WANNA EXPLAIN THE RESOLUTION? UH, YES.
UH, MR. MOHAMMED WILL EXPLAIN.
MOHAMMAD COUNTY TREASURER, UH, RESOLUTION TO READ THE BUDGET BY TITLE.
THIS IS TO AUTHORIZE US TO READ THE BUDGET ONLY BY TITLE AND INSTEAD OF READING THE TO THE TOTAL BUDGET, UH, LINE BY LINE.
MR. BA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, I DON'T.
MR. MCINERNEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I DO NOT.
COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO TAKE RESOLUTION NUMBER THREE? MOVE IT.
MOVE BY COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS.
COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WAS A YES FOR, UH, COMMISSIONER MERCADO.
I WANNA RECOGNIZE, UH, COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER HAS JOINED THE MEETING.
ALRIGHT, MS. EVAN, LET'S MOVE, UH, BACK IN, UH, TO REOPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR RESOLUTION R DASH 20 24 0 0.
IF IT'S COMMISSIONER MERCADO, IT'S A YES.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE BACK TO RESOLUTION R DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 2 3 8, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
SO I HEAR THAT, UH, HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON RESOLUTION NUMBER R DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 2 3 8 OPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THIS RESOLUTION, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE TO STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
NOW, MR. BAZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I DON'T.
MR. KINER, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
COMMISSIONERS, DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ON RESOLUTION R 20 24 0 0 2 3 8? I'LL MOVE IT.
DO I HAVE THE SAME MOVER AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION? YES.
[01:25:01]
COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS? YES.COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMM COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT PALMERA? YES.
UH, FOR THE RECORD, THAT WAS A YES FOR COMMISSIONER COMB.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER R DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 2 3 9 FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE 2024 COUNTY BUDGET, WHICH WILL BE REC INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
OR DID WE JUST, YOU KNOW, HOLD ON A SECOND HOW WE DID THAT.
UM, I HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON RESOLUTION, UH, NUMBER R DASH 24 DASH 0 0 2 3 9 OPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THE ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICRO FOR TO STATE YOUR NAME FOR AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MR. BOWS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, I DON'T.
MR. MACINERNEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, JUST THAT, UH, THIS FINALIZES THE, UH, BUDGET FOR THE YEAR AT OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS, OUR BUDGET HEARINGS.
WE HAD THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BUDGET, AND NOW IT'S THE ADOPTION.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ON RESOLUTION R DASH 2024 DASH 0 2 3 9.
MOTION SECOND MOVE BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, SECOND BY GRAHAM.
DO I HAVE THE SAME MOVER AND SECOND TO APPROVE? YES.
COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
SO LET'S, UH, PLEASE READ INTO THE, UH, STATEMENT.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF THE, OF THE COUNTY OF ESSEX, THAT THE BUDGET HEARING BEFORE SET FORTH.
IT'S HEREBY ADOPTED AND SHALL CONSTITUTE AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PURPOSES STATED OF THE SUMS THEREIN SET FORTH AS APPROPRIATIONS AND AUTHORIZATION OF THE AMOUNT OF $451,435,000 FOR COUNTY PURPOSES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 0 7, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
I HEREBY DECLARE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 7 OPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WILL LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THE ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
SEEING NONE, MS. SHABAZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I DO NOT.
NOTHING GOOD TODAY, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 7? MOVE IT.
MOVE BY COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
DO I HAVE THE SAME MOVER AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE? YES.
COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
OKAY, MS. EVAN, LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 8, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
I HEREBY DECLARE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 0 8 OPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MR. BAZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I DON'T.
MR. PRESIDENT, MR. KINNER, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 8.
[01:30:02]
MOTION.SECOND MOVE BY COMMISSIONER, UH, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER MOVE.
AND SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
DO I HAVE THE SAME MOVER AND SECOND TO APPROVE? YES.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A DELAY THERE AND WE'RE GONNA ASK, UH, KYLE, IF YOU CAN REACH OUT TO LIONEL, SEE IF WE CAN FIX THE DELAY, PLEASE.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT PALMER? YES.
OKAY, MS. EVANS, LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 9, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
I HEREBY DECLARE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 9 OPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FORWARD AGAINST THE ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MS. BAZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
MR. MCINERNEY, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SCENE, NONE.
UH, DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? UH, AND SECOND, THE CLOSING OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS ORDINANCE.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
DO I HAVE TO SAY MOVER AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE? YES.
SECOND COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
AND THAT'S A YES FOR, UH, COMMISSIONER MECADO, ADAM DELO.
ALL RIGHT, MS. EVANS, LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTIONS NUMBER ONE AND TWO, WHICH ARE ADVICE AND CONSENT NOMINATION APPOINTMENTS FOR THE ESSEX COUNTY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD AND THE ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE ADVISORY BOARD OF TRUSTEES, RESPECTIVELY.
AND THEY'LL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON, UH, THANK MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND OUR TEAM ARE HAPPY TO PRESENT TWO OUTSTANDING, UH, NOMINEES, UH, THIS EVENING.
THE FIRST IS GLORIA RAL, WHO WILL BE NOMINATED TO THE ESTES COUNTY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD, AND I'LL ASK HER TO COME UP AND, AND MAKE A PRESENTATION TO THE BOARD.
I'VE BEEN WITH NEW JERSEY TRANSIT FOR APPROXIMATELY 25 YEARS, WORKING IN THEIR, UH, HUMAN RESOURCES TALENT ACQUISITION DEPARTMENT, UM, RESPONSIBILITY OF BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS WITH DIFFERENT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, UH, DEPARTMENT LABOR, UM, MILITARY, UH, BRANCHES, UH, COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, AS WELL AS, UH, NOW TRADE SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS, JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.
UM, ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR, UM, THE RECRUITING OF THE NEW JERSEY TRANSIT POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS ASSISTING WITH THE, UH, RECRUITING OF OUR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WITH NEW JERSEY TRANSIT.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
JUST WANTED TO COMMENT TO THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO, AND, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE IT, EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO, BUT ESPECIALLY YOUR SPEAK ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP PIECE.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO SOME OF YOUR VISION, PARTICULARLY WITHIN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND HOW TO CONTINUE TO GET OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND OUR NEXT GENERATION READY FOR THE WORKFORCE OF THE 21ST CENTURY.
YEAH, SO, UH, CURRENTLY WE DO WHAT'S CALLED INFORMATION SESSIONS WITH, UM, THE DIFFERENT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.
AND BASICALLY WE PRESENT TO THEM, UH, THE RESUME WRITING SKILLS, WHAT US AS AN ORGANIZATION, NEW JERSEY TRANSIT SPECIFICALLY LOOK FOR IN A RESUME.
UM, HOW TO FILL OUT AN APPLICATION, UH, THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF AN INTERVIEW, HOW TO PRESENT YOURSELVES, ALL THOSE BASIC WHERE I'M SURE THE CAREER SERVICES DEPARTMENT IS TELLING THEM TO DO.
BUT WHEN IT COMES FROM AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS ACTUALLY RECRUITING, UH, FOR INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN ALL AREAS OF THE ORGANIZATION, UM, I THINK IT DEFINITELY HITS HOME TO THE YOUNG ADULTS.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS OUR BRANDING IS A BIG, UM, PART OF WHAT WE DO BECAUSE WE TRY TO EDUCATE YOUNG ADULTS THAT NEW JERSEY TRANSIT IS NOT ONLY, UM, TRAINS AND BUSES, BUT WE ARE AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS APPROXIMATELY 12,000 EMPLOYEES WHERE WE HAVE A REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE A MEDICAL DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE A, A LAW DEPARTMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, HUMAN RESOURCES MARKETING.
SO THERE ARE DIFFERENT AREAS THAT A YOUNG ADULT CAN COME INTO THE ORGANIZATION
[01:35:01]
AND DEFINITELY BRANCH OUT TO DIFFERENT PARTS.IT'S NOT ONLY MECHANICS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, HVAC AND, AND TRADES LIKE THAT.
WE DO HIRE FOR CORPORATE POSITIONS AS WELL.
SO WE TRY TO EDUCATE THEM, UH, ABOUT THAT.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE REACHING OUT TO HIGH SCHOOLS AS WELL, TRADE SCHOOLS, TEACHING THEM THAT THEY MIGHT NOT GO TOWARDS THE DIRECTION OF COLLEGE, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
WE STILL ARE INTERESTED IN BRINGING THEM ON BOARD TO THE ORGANIZATION.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, CAN YOU PLEASE LEAVE YOUR BUSINESS CARD WITH OUR, UM, STAFF? OH, ABSOLUTELY.
ADAM IS RIGHT THERE BEHIND YOU.
HE'LL, HE'LL BE ABLE TO TAKE IT.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME HERE TODAY AND FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.
UH, NUMBER TWO IS OUR, UH, FORMER, UH, DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF THIS BODY, MS. CYNTHIA MARTINEZ, WHO'S GONNA BE NOMINATED TO THE ESTES COUNTY, UH, BOARD OF ESTES COUNTY COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
INDEED, SHE IS A DISTINGUISHED, UH, FORMER MEMBER OF THIS BOARD.
IT WAS NICE TO SEE YOU BACK HOME.
UM, I'M CYNTHIA MARTINEZ AND I'M HERE FOR THE ES COUNTY BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPOINTING, UM, MY CAREER IS AS A HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER AND IN PRIVATE PRACTICE I WORK WITH ADOLESCENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, UM, AND, AND THE DIFFERENT DYNAMICS THAT THEY GO THROUGH.
UM, I BRING EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING ON WHAT OUR COMMUNITY, YOUTH NEEDS AND THEIR, AND ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS AND THAT OF THEIR FAMILIES.
UM, SOME OF YOU AS MENTIONED, MAY RECOGNIZE ME ALSO AS BEING A COMMISSIONER ON THE BOARD.
AND I THINK THAT THAT REALLY BRINGS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE ON UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, ALSO WHERE THERE'S GROWTH FOR OPPORTUNITY.
EDUCATION FOR ME IS REALLY A SIGNIFICANT, UM, PROFOUND, SIGNIFICANT, UH, CORNERSTONE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND IN OUR COUNTY'S HISTORY.
IT HAS HELPED COUNTLESS OF RESIDENTS REALLY ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS, THEIR DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS.
I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF CON, OF CONTRIBUTING TO THE BOARD'S TRUSTEES AND WITH GREAT HUMILITY AND A SENSE OF DUTY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SERVE ON THE BOARD, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
WE OWE YOU OUT OF GRATITUDE FOR NOT ONLY SERVING ON THIS BOARD AND FOR THE OTHER WORK THAT YOU DO ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY, BUT FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SERVE.
I CAN SEE THAT OUR PRESIDENT OF VA COUNTY COLLEGES VERY EXCITED, BIG SMILE ON HIS FACE THAT YOU'RE JOINING THE ADVISORY BOARD, AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
UM, I TOO, JUST WANT TO, UM, CONGRATULATE YOU FOR STEPPING UP TO SERVE ON THE BOARD.
I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, UM, AT THIS INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION, UM, THAT WE SERVE.
WE DO GREAT, TREMENDOUS WORK HERE, AND YOUR BACKGROUND WILL BE A WONDERFUL COMPLIMENT, SO THANK YOU.
IT IS, AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY SHE'S FROM BLOOMFIELD TOO, SO THERE YOU GO, BLOOMFIELD.
I WAS GOING TO SAY SOMETHING NICE UNTIL HE STEPPED IN
ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU, MY FRIEND.
I'M HAPPY TO SEE YOU STILL INVOLVED AND, AND DOING, DOING THAT WORK THAT YOU DO.
I TOO SERVED, UH, WITH, UH, CYNTHIA WHEN SHE WAS A, WE WERE FORMERLY KNOWN AS FREEHOLDERS, WASN'T COMMISSIONERS AT THE TIME.
AND, UH, I COULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT OF A BETTER FIT.
I ALSO JUST WANNA PUT ON RECORD IMPORTANCE HERE.
WE DO HAVE OUR COLLEGE PRESIDENT IN THE AUDIENCE, DR.
BACHI, AND UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, AND YOU'LL BE SERVING, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE TABLE FROM HIM ON THAT ADVISORY BOARD, BUT UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP, UM, YOU KNOW, THINGS HAVE REALLY GONE IN A GREAT DIRECTION.
BACHI, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE BUMPS IN THE ROAD THAT WE'VE HAD OVER THE LAST, LIKE SIX OR EIGHT YEARS OVER AT THE COLLEGE.
AND THAT'S A TESTAMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN TO HOW IMPORTANT THESE ADVISORY ROLES ARE, UH, IN YOUR CABINET.
AGREE COMMISSIONER COULD INSIDE BETTERMENTS LAW.
I'M SO GLAD THAT, UH, YOU'RE RAISING YOUR HAND TO SERVE AND ALSO ECHO MY, THE SENTIMENT TO MY COLLEAGUES, UM, UH, NOT ONLY YOUR TIME HERE ON THE BOARD, UM, WHICH WAS A PLEASURE TO SERVE WITH YOU BACK WHEN WE WERE CALLED FREE HOLDERS.
UM, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING BY THE WAY, THAT WE'RE NOW CALLED COMMISSIONERS
UM, BUT, UH, UH, ALSO, UM, YOUR WILLINGNESS NOW TO CONTINUE AND, UH, WITH THIS TYPE OF PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, WILL BE A GREAT ASSET, I KNOW TO THE COLLEGE AND TO THE BOARD BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE, YOUR KNOWLEDGE, AND YOUR DEDICATION.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING IT.
FURTHER QUESTIONS, JUST COMMISSIONER MURRAY.
ECHOING AND SENTIMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES.
GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WORK AND YOUR SERVICE.
I DIDN'T GET TO KNOW YOU OR SERVE WITH YOU ON THE BOARD, BUT I JUST CONTINUE TO HEAR SO MANY INCREDIBLE THINGS.
[01:40:01]
JOURNEY OF SERVICE WITH OUR INCREDIBLE BOARD PRESIDENT AT THE, OR RATHER, PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE AT ESSEX COUNTY.AND SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE INCREDIBLE THINGS YOU'LL CONTINUE TO DO.
AND THAT'S IT FOR THE ADVICE AND CONSENT, UH, MR. B, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY, COMMISSIONERS, WE'RE ALL DONE.
DO WE HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? MOTION.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON ON ONE AND TWO.
WE ALL CALL MS. EVANS FOR ONE AND TWO.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR AND ADDED STARTED NUMBER 50, WHICH IS FROM THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
AND WE'LL BE READY INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
MS. AMOS AND MR. FRANGI WILL PRESENT THESE ITEMS. GOOD EVENING.
I'D LIKE TO START WITH ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
UH, THIS IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO, UH, THREE BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
YEAH, JUST PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
SO WHOEVER TRANSCRIBES THAT HAS TO NOT GO THROUGH, BACK TO THE RECORDS VERY WELL.
NICOLE AMOS, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
AND, UH, THE FIRST ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
UH, A CONTRACT AWARD TO THREE BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION TO PROVIDE MOVING, TRUCKING AND DELIVERY OF ELECTION MATERIALS.
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $22,161 AND 53 CENTS.
THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY REQUIRES, I'M SORRY.
THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY REQUIRES THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS TO RETAIN ELECTION BALLOTS FOR FIVE YEARS.
AT PRESENT, WE HAVE BALLOTS THAT ARE FROM 2020 AND UP THROUGH 2023 THAT HAVE BEEN STORED IN AN AREA IN THE HALL OF RECORDS.
THEY NOW NEED TO BE EMPTIED, AND SINCE WE CANNOT YET DESTROY THE BALLOTS, WE MUST MOVE THEM TO ANOTHER FACILITY.
THE THREE BROTHERS STORAGE WILL, WITH YOUR APPROVAL BOX WRAP AND MOVE THE BALLOTS TO ANOTHER LOCATION, I BELIEVE WE HAVE A, UH, REPRESENTATIVE FROM THREE BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION.
SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? SURE.
WHY DON'T WE BRING 'EM UP AND JUST HAVE 'EM, UH, INTRODUCE THEMSELVES IN OUR COMPANY.
UH, BEFORE YOU START, UH, MR. COLT, THIS IS THE SAME COMPANY THAT IS, UH, ALREADY MOVING ITEMS FOR US.
IS THAT CORRECT? JULIE IS COLT, UH, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THEY DID A FANTASTIC JOB MOVING FROM OUR BELLEVILLE LOCATION TO THE NEWARK, NEW NEWARK LOCATION, AND NOW THEY'RE BEING, UH, SOUGHT TO MOVE FROM THE, UH, SECOND FLOOR CAFETERIA TO OUR NEW LOAD STORAGE UNIT IN, UH, THE CITY OF NEWARK.
JUST TELL US YOUR NAME AND YOUR NAME OF YOUR COMPANY, AND, YOU KNOW, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR COMPANY.
UH, YEAH, EVERYONE, MY NAME IS GILBERT GOMEZ, CO THREE CONSTRUCTION.
UM, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE ALL THE FIRES FROM UE THE NEW RIGHT NOW.
WE GOT THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE THOSE FIRES FOR ELECTIONS, AND YES, THANK YOU.
GREAT, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR THE VENDOR? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
NOT A QUESTION, BUT I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR DOING A GOOD JOB, AND I WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION FOR SELECTING THIS VENDOR.
THEY, THEY'VE BEEN WITH US, WHAT, TWO YEARS NOW? THEY DID SOMETHING ELSE FOR US, DIDN'T THEY? THEY QUITE, THEY MOVED THE, UH, FORMER WAREHOUSE FROM BELLEVILLE TO NEWARK.
AND, UH, THEY ARE ALSO, WHEN WE WENT OUT FOR THAT WAS MINORITY, UH, BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY SET ASIDE.
THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING ABOUT.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
LET'S MOVE ON TO MS NUMBER 50.
ITEM NUMBER NICOLE AMOS, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
ITEM NUMBER 50, THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT.
UH, THIS IS TO PROVIDE MAPPING SERVICES FOR THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, REMINGTON AND VERNICK, AND AN ENGINEERS, UH, FOR A 24 MONTH CONTRACT FROM DATE OF AWARD AND AN IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $150,290.
COMMISSIONERS FEDERAL, I'M SORRY.
THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS OFFICE DOES NOT HAVE THE FAMILIARITY WITH USING THE SOFTWARE NEEDED TO CREATE THE MAPS AND SHAPE FILES.
IN THE PAST, THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS HAS COMMISSIONED
[01:45:01]
REMINGTON AND VERNIG EN ENGINEERS WHO ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THIS AREA AND HAVE WORKED WITH THE COUNTY OF ESSEX FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS.REMINGTON WORKS WITH THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS TO ASSIST WITH CREATING, UPDATING AND MAINTAINING MAPS FOR THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS WOULD ASK COMMISSIONERS TO PLEASE REVIEW AND APPROVE THE CONTRACT FOR REMINGTON AND VERN ENGINEERS.
I HAVE WITH ME THIS EVENING MR. KEVIN ZELINSKY OF REMINGTON AND VERN, SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY.
TELL US ABOUT THE COMPANY AND, UH, WHAT THEY PROPOSE TO DO WITH MAPPING.
I'M KEVIN ZELINSKY WITH REMINGTON AND VERN ENGINEERS.
UH, WE'VE BEEN SERVING THE, UH, ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS AS, UH, NIKKI SAID FOR UM, DARN NEAR 25 YEARS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO DOING THE MAPPING THAT'S REQUIRED UNDER THE, UH, STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS, UH, UNDER TITLE 40, TITLE 19 AND TITLE 15, UH, WE ALSO PRODUCE ALL THE DIGITAL MAPS, UH, THAT IS INTEGRATED WITH THE SBRS SYSTEM THAT ALL THE, UH, LOCAL MUNICIPAL CLERKS USE WITHIN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX, AS WELL AS ADDRESS RANGE REPORTS, WHICH IF THERE ARE MOVED VOTERS BECAUSE OF REDISTRICTING PURPOSES, WE WOULD PREPARE THOSE LISTS SO THAT THE SYSTEM CAN BE UPDATED APPROPRIATELY.
UM, AND IT'S ALL UNDER, UH, IT'S ALL IN COMPLIANCE WITH THOSE TITLE CODES THAT I HAD MENTIONED.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON NO.
MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS.
DO I HAVE A MOVER FOR NUMBER FOUR AND 50 TO TAKE HIS ONE MOTION.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
ROLL CALL MS. EVANS FOR NUMBER FOUR AND 50.
COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER FIVE.
AND ADD IS STARTED NUMBER 49, WHICH IS FROM THE COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION, SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UH, MS. SPANEL HANDLE THIS ITEM.
CAN WE LOWER THAT MICROPHONE FOR MS. BANGAL? PLEASE? PLEASE SOUND UNCOMFORTABLE.
PRESIDENT PALM ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
I'M THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS, COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION FOR ESSEX COUNTY.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO PRESENT MY CONTRACT WITH KNOWING, WHICH IS OUR ELECTRONIC POLL PAD COMPANY.
THEY PROVIDE ELECTRONIC POLL, BOOK SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES IN ORDER FOR ESSEX COUNTY TO HAVE ELECTIONS AND HAVE ELECTRONIC POLL BOOKS.
I HAVE KEVIN SHOT HERE WITH ME THIS EVENING.
SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, GREAT.
LET'S BRING HIM UP, HAVE HIM INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY AND WHAT HE'LL BE DOING WITH US.
UH, YEAH, I'S KEVIN SEAN, I'M THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OF NO, INC.
UH, WE ARE ELECTRONIC POLE BOOK VENDORS.
SO WE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT, UH, WHEN YOU GO IN AND CHECK INTO THE POLLING LOCATIONS, WE'RE VERIFYING WHO YOU ARE BY, UH, WITH THE IPAD, UH, AT THE POLLING LOCATIONS.
AND, UH, THIS SPECIFIC CONTRACT IS FOR, UH, HELPING SUPPORT THE COUNTY IN THEIR ELECTIONS, UH, UH, LOADING AND GETTING THE POLL PADS READY TO GO OUT TO POLLING LOCATIONS, AND THEN PRE POST ELECTION, HAVING THEM COME BACK IN, GETTING THE DATA OFF THE POLL PADS AND BACK INTO YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM.
MR. BA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY, ANY QUESTIONS? YES, I DO.
THIS IS AN OPEN-ENDED CONTRACT.
SO I'M, I'M LOOKING AT THE SCHEDULE IN THE INFORMATION, UH, PROVIDED EXHIBIT FIVE, CONSUMABLE PRICE LIST, IS THERE AN HOURLY RATE APPLIED ALSO FOR ANY SORT OF LABOR INVOLVED? THERE'S TWO PIECES TO THIS CONTRACT.
THE, THE, THE ONE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I BELIEVE IS FOR, IS RELATED TO THE SERVICES PIECE, RIGHT? SERVICES, THE CONSUMABLES? YES.
SO, UM, ON THE, UH, HOURLY RATE, UH, FOR SERVICE, FOR THE SERVICES PIECE, YES.
UM, IS, IS THAT A SET RATE OR OR IS THAT BASED ON NOT HAVE SERVICES IS NOT AN HOURLY RATIO, IT'S A FLAT FEE PER, PER, PER PER REPRESENTATIVE THAT I HAVE.
IT'S A PER PERSON PER DAY CHARGE, UH, THAT PEOPLE ARE WORKING OUT WITH YOUR, UH,
[01:50:01]
ELECTION GROUP AT THE WAREHOUSES, GETTING THOSE FULL PADS CONFIGURED AND READY TO GO OUT THE FULL APPLICATIONS.UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEN THERE'S A PRICE LIST ON THE CONSUMABLE SIDE, AND I'M ASSUMING YES.
THAT THIS IS ON A, PER A PER CONSUMABLE BASIS? YES.
A PER PRODUCT BASIS? YES, SIR.
AND SO IT'S BEEN ESTIMATED WHAT THAT WOULD BE, AS WELL AS THE HOURS I'M LOOKING AT HERE? YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
AND THEN THERE'S AN ALLOWANCE FOR UNSEEN EXPENSES AND EQUIPMENT OF 75,000.
UM, IS THIS THE FIRST YEAR CONTRACT? NO, WE'VE HAD THIS CONTRACT.
WE WERE PROVIDING SERVICES FOR THE LAST OKAY.
WHAT, WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS EXPENDED LAST YEAR? IT'S SPENDING LAST YEAR.
I DON'T, OH, YOU CAN GET IT TO ME.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. MCINERNEY.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO.
FRANK, CAN YOU PUT, DO I HAVE TO SAY MY NAME AGAIN, PLEASE? GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
I'M THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS, COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION FOR ESSEX COUNTY.
I AM PRESENTING TO YOU TONIGHT A CONTRACT WITH DOMINION VOTING MACHINES, WHERE THEY PROVIDE THE VOTING MACHINE PROGRAMMING, SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE SO THAT OUR, UH, VOTING MACHINES CAN BE VOTED ON AND WE CAN HAVE A SUCCESSFUL ELECTION.
I DO HAVE RON ROSSIO, THE SENIOR SALES MANAGER FROM DOMINION.
SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, CRAIG? LET'S BRING HIM UP.
TELL HIM, UH, WHAT HE'S GONNA DO AND ABOUT HIS COMPANY.
I KNOW HE IS BEEN HERE IN THE PAST, BUT IT'S ALWAYS GOOD, A GOOD REFRESHER, ESPECIALLY ON ELECTION SEASON AND THERE'S BEEN SOME CHANGES, SO THAT'S OKAY.
I AM THE SALES REPRESENTATIVE FOR DOMINION VOTING, UM, ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENT.
I LIVE IN, CURRENTLY IN CEDAR GROVE AND GREW UP IN VERONA.
IT'S NICE TO SEE ALL YOU AGAIN.
UH, SO THIS PARTICULAR CONTRACT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS FOR, UH, ELECTION PROGRAMMING, WHICH IS AN HOURLY COST AND VARIES, UH, BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THE ELECTIONS, THE ELECTION DAY SUPPORT, AS WELL AS ANNUAL LICENSE FEES PER MACHINE AND MACHINE WARRANTIES FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
MR. SHABAZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
MR. PRESIDENT, MR. KINER, HOW MUCH THIS WAS LAST YEAR? I'M SORRY, CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? UH, THE LAST CONTRACT, DID YOU HAVE THE, YOU HAD LAST CONTRACT, CORRECT? YES.
WAS THIS, WAS THIS THE SAME TYPE OF SERVICES? YES.
WHAT DID YOU EXPECT IN THE LAST CONTRACT? THE LAST WE CAN GET YOU, WE CAN GET YOU THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. MRAY? THAT'S IT.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
I JUST WANTED TO PUT ON THE RECORD A COUPLE OF NOTES HERE, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS CONTRACT.
UM, OVER THE YEARS THAT I'VE SAT ON THIS BOARD, I'VE KNOWN RON, UM, FROM LIVING IN ESSEX COUNTY, BUT MORE SO BECAUSE OF HIS REPRESENTATION WITH DOMINION VOTING.
UH, SOME YEARS BACK WHEN WE WENT TO THE NEW MACHINES, DOMINION WAS KIND ENOUGH TO OPEN THE INVITATION UP TO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE ADMINISTRATION.
SO WE HAD A VERY THOROUGH, UH, OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE WERE GETTING, OUR PRODUCT AND OUR MAINTENANCE AND WHERE WE WERE GOING, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT.
AND I, AND I SAY THIS BECAUSE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT ARE HERE TONIGHT OR AT HOME, UH, OF A LOT OF DUBIOUS ALLEGATIONS AGAINST DOMINION.
UM, SO JUST FOR THE FOLKS THAT ARE WATCHING AND PAYING ATTENTION, UH, OUR GOVERNING BODY, AT LEAST THE ONES THAT WERE HERE, UH, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, ALONG WITH SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION HAVE HAD COMPLETE TUTORIAL OF WHAT YOU DO AND THE MACHINES.
UH, WE HAVE THE UTMOST CONFIDENCE THAT EVERYTHING, UH, IS ON BOARD AND IS, UH, VERY SECURE, AND THAT OUR VOTING PROCESS HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY IS, UH, ABOUT AS GOOD AS IT GETS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
SO TO YOU, RON, GREAT THAT YOU'RE HERE FROM ESSEX COUNTY AND YOU'RE A GOOD FRIEND, AND WE KNOW THE FAMILY, UM, BUT WE ALSO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO BECAUSE WE TAKE THE INTEGRITY OF OUR ELECTIONS VERY SERIOUS.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
THE $250,000 OPEN-ENDED ALLOWANCE, WHAT EXACTLY IS THAT FOR? HAVE WE USED IT DURING THE LAST CONTRACT? AND WHAT WOULD BE LIKE AN EXAMPLE THAT FALLS IN THAT CATEGORY, PLEASE? SO WE'LL GET TO, UH, WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU AS FAR AS WHAT OF THAT WAS USED IN THE PAST, BUT THAT WOULD GO TOWARDS ANY UNFORESEEN COSTS, ANY CONSUMABLES THAT NEED TO BE USED TO OPERATE THE MACHINES FOR POLL WORKERS IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
THAT'S ALSO FOR ANY RENTAL EQUIPMENT OR ANY, UM, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
UM, IF THE SUPPORT NEEDS WERE TO INCREASE, THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO COVER THAT.
AS WELL AS, UM, ANY EXTRA ELECTIONS, IF THERE
[01:55:01]
WAS AN ELECTIONS THAT CAME UP, AND THEN ALSO ANY PARTS AS WELL.SO DID WE USE ANY, I I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT $250,000 WAS IN THE SAME CONTRACT.
DID WE USE IT LAST TIME? IF YET, WHAT FOR? I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT AMOUNT, BUT AS I RECALL, WE DID USE SOME OF IT, BECAUSE MANY TIMES OUR MACHINES MIGHT COME BACK AND THEY'RE MISSING A WHEEL OR THE BIN IS CRACKED, WE HAVE TO REPLACE THAT PARTS OF THE MACHINE.
UM, THERE WERE, WE HAD TO BUY THESE THREADS BECAUSE WE HAVE A SCANNING A SCANNER THAT TAKES OUR BALLOT, THESE CLEANING SHEETS TO CLEAN THE SCANNERS TO KEEP THEM UP, VARIOUS THINGS THAT COME UP SO THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN THEM.
UM, ONE OF MY OTHER QUESTIONS WAS HOW MUCH DID WE EXPECT FROM THIS CONTRACT THE LAST TIME? AND ON HERE IT TALKS ABOUT, UM, WARRANTY FOR TWO YEARS.
SO THE AMOUNT THAT WE'RE PAYING TODAY WILL WARRANTY THE MACHINES FOR 24 AND FOR 25, OR DID I MISREAD THAT? YES.
THAT IS FOR 24 AND FOR 25, THAT'S ALSO THE ANNUAL LICENSE FEE.
SO EACH, EACH UNIT HAS A FIRMWARE AND THEN AS WELL AS A WARRANTY.
SO YES, THEY'RE COMPLETELY COVERED AS FAR AS THAT FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
COMMISSIONER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE NUMBER FIVE AND NUMBER 49 IS ONE.
COMMISSIONER LUCIANO SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ROLL CALL IN SEVENTH AND FIVE AND 49.
THERE WAS COMMISSIONER LUCIANO WITH A YES.
AND THAT HE JUMPED THE GUN A LITTLE EARLIER.
COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER SIX, WHICH IS IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, WHICH SHOULD BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? DO I PRESUME THAT OUR ESTEEMED CLERK, MR. DURKIN, IS GONNA PRESENT THIS ONE? YOU ARE CORRECT, SIR.
HAS HE BEEN BUSY LATELY? JUST A LITTLE.
I'M THE ONE DOING THE JOKES TODAY.
HOW, WHAT ARE
UH, CHRIS DURKIN, ESSEX COUNTY CLERK.
UH, I STAND BEFORE YOU TONIGHT, UH, ON A PROPOSED CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR ELECTION GRAPHICS FOR DEMOCRACY SUITE MANAGEMENT, UH, A VOTE TALLYING SYSTEM THAT MEETS THE STATE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
UH, ELECTION GRAPHICS IS AN ESSEX COUNTY BASED, UH, BUSINESS IN VERONA.
UH, AND I HAVE HERE WITH ME TONIGHT, UH, CHRIS WILLIAMS, WHO IS DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR ELECTION GRAPHICS, AND HE HIMSELF IS A RESIDENT OF VERONA.
LET'S BRING HIM UP AND LET'S HAVE HIM INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY AND AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.
UH, CHRIS WILLIAMS, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS ELECTRO GRAPHICS.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND WHAT YOU PROPOSE TO DO WITH US.
SO, WE'RE, UH, PRINTER MOSTLY IN ESSEX COUNTY.
WE ALSO DO YOUR SUPERINTENDENT'S CERTIFICATIONS, LOGIC AND ACCURACY TESTING EVERY YOUR VOTING MACHINES AT THE WAREHOUSE.
UH, FOR THE CLERK'S OFFICE, I DO YOUR TALLY OF ALL YOUR VOTING MACHINES ON ELECTION NIGHT, SET UP ALL YOUR REMOTE TALLY COMPUTERS FOR YOUR TOWNSHIPS, AND DO ALL OF YOUR STATE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND WEBSITE REPORTING.
MR. SHABAZZ, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, NO.
MR. PRESIDENT, MR. KINON, ANY QUESTIONS? WAS, WAS THE LAST CONTRACT ALSO A TWO YEAR CONTRACT? EXCUSE, OR THIS IS TWO YEARS OF WHAT, FOUR YEARS? YES.
IT'S A TWO YEAR EXTENSION, SIR.
WHAT, WHAT WERE THE EXPENDITURES, UM, EQUIVALENT TO THIS? THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME IN THE LAST CONTRACT, THE LAST FISCAL YEAR WAS APPROXIMATELY 95,000.
AND I THINK THE YEAR BEFORE WAS APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED.
WAS THE CONTRACT ALSO FOR 220,000 OR IT WAS LESS THAN THE MAXIMUM.
THE MAXIMUM ALLOWS FOR, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF LEEWAY.
SO YOU, SO OUT OF, IF IT WAS TWO 20 OUT OF THAT, YOU SPENT 195,000 IN THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT? CORRECT.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER GILL? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
AND THIS, UH, QUESTION MAY BE FOR THE VENDOR OR MAYBE FOR OUR COUNTY CLERK.
THE, THE, THE, JUST SO I'M UNDERSTANDING THE, THIS IS THE, THIS IS THE TECHNOLOGY THAT, UM, IS IT THE SAME TECHNOLOGY THAT WE USE NOW TO GET THE REAL TIME TALLIES DURING THE COURSE OF THE, THE COURSE OF THE DAY? AND HOW DOES THIS WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE VENDORS THAT PROVIDE THE MACHINES? SO IT'S, IT'S THE SAME TECHNOLOGY THAT USES THE DOMINION VOTING SYSTEM
[02:00:01]
TALLY, BUT THEN WE COORDINATE WITH SIDAL, WHICH IS THE ONLINE SYSTEM.WE, WE TAKE THE TALLY THAT'S FROM DOMINION VOTING, AND WE AIR GAP IT FROM THE VOTING SYSTEM, AND THEN IT'S POSTED ONLINE SEPARATELY.
SO IT KEEPS IT COMPLETELY SECURE FROM DOMINION.
SO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, PLEASE.
SO I COULD GO INTO A MORE DETAILED EXPLANATION IF YOU'D LIKE.
THERE'S AN EXPORT FROM THE DOMINION VOTING SYSTEM SOFTWARE THAT THEN IS DATA MINE FOR SAL ONLINE, WHICH THE TWO SYSTEMS NEVER TOUCH.
SO THERE'S SEPARATE, SO THREE MR. PRESIDENT, SO THERE'RE, THERE'S, THEY'RE A SET, IT'S A SEPARATE OPERATING SYSTEM THAT THAT NEVER INTERFACES WITH, WITH THE INTERNET, WITH THE INTERNET.
AGAIN, THAT'S 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S BASICALLY LIKE AN, AN EXCEL EXPORT OF THE DOMINION SYSTEM, RIGHT.
TALLY THAT THEN WE USE A DATA MINING SYSTEM CALLED SIDAL TO PULL THE RESULTS AND POST ONLINE THAT WE NEVER TOUCHED THE DOMINION SYSTEM TO THE INTERNET.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, UM, THE, THE GENESIS OF MY QUESTION IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THIS BOARD AND THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, WE WERE, WE WERE IN MANY COMMUNITY AND ADVOCACY GROUPS.
WE WERE LEADERS IN ESSEX COUNTY IN MOVING OUR VOTING MACHINES TO, UH, PAPER.
AND THE MAIN REASONS, ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WE DID THAT.
AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH, YOU KNOW, THE MOVEMENT NOW WHERE MORE PEOPLE ARE VOTING BY MAIL TO BEGIN WITH.
BUT ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS WE DID THAT WAS BECAUSE OF THE SERIOUS QUESTIONS REGARDING THE SECURITY OF OUR ELECTIONS OVERALL.
AND THAT IT WAS DETERMINED BY ALMOST ALL THE EXPERTS THAT THE MOST SECURE WAY TO PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF OUR ELECTION PROCESS WAS TO VOTE ON PAPER BALLOTS.
THAT'S WHY WE NOW VOTE ON PAPER BALLOTS IN, IN ESSEX COUNTY.
UM, BUT, AND, AND ALSO ELIMINATING THE CHANCE, RIGHT, FOR POTENTIAL INTERFERENCE, SINCE THERE'S NO, UM, CARTRIDGE SO TO SPEAK, THERE'S, THERE'S LESS OPPORTUNITY FOR THERE TO BE POTENTIAL INTERFERENCE THROUGH, UM, THE INTERNET OR OTHER TECHNOLOGIES THAT MAY BE USED ON MACHINES THAT DON'T USE PAPER BELTS.
SO I JUST THINK FOR THE RECORD, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THIS IS ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ANOTHER VENDOR, IT'S ANOTHER NUANCE TO THE PROCESS THAT POTENTIALLY COULD, YOU KNOW, SINCE IT'S INFORMATION THAT'S BEING UPDATED IN REAL TIME, THAT, UM, WE WOULD WANT TO BE ASSURED TO KNOW THAT IT'S AS SAFE AND AS PROTECTED AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE ACTUAL PROCESS ITSELF OF, UM, HOW WE GO, BUT EVEN THE RELAYING OF THIS INFORMATION RIGHT.
CREATES A GAP WHERE THE INFORMATION COULD BE POTENTIALLY TAM YEAH.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T PERSONALLY PROVIDE ANY TECHNOLOGY OR SOFTWARE.
I JUST PROVIDE THE SERVICES AND DOMINION PROVIDES THE TALLY SOFTWARE.
SIDAL PROVIDES THE CERTIFIED REPORTING SOFTWARE.
SO, SO LET'S MOVE INFORMATION FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER.
BUT THE, THE TWO, BUT THE TWO ARE NOT SHARING NEVER THE TWO ARE NOT SHARING INFORMATION.
CHRIS, DIRK AND ESSEX COUNTY CLERK THREE.
UH, AS COMMISSIONER GILL STATED, WE DO HAVE THE MOST SECURE VOTING SYSTEM.
UH, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF YOU, UH, AND THE ADMINISTRATION.
UH, IT'S, UH, HAND MARKED, UH, PERSONAL HAND MARKED BY THE VOTER, UH, ON EVERY, UH, VOTING METHOD, WHETHER IT BE VOTE BY MAIL, UH, PROVISIONAL ELECTION DAY VOTING, UH, AND, AND BEING, HAVING THAT WE KNOW THE VOTER INTENT, UH, IN CASE OF A RECOUNT, UH, NOT EVERY SYSTEM, UH, IN NEW JERSEY COUNTIES HAVE THAT.
THEY, UH, MOSTLY HAVE ELECTRONIC, UH, INSTEAD OF HAVING THE HAND MARKED, UH, PERSONAL VOTE FROM EACH VOTER.
UH, THROUGH YOU, UH, MR. PRESIDENT AND FOR THE CLERK AND MR. WILLIAMS. SO, AS YOU WERE EXPLAINING THAT YOU UPLOAD THE INFORMATION THAT YOU GET FROM DOMINION, THERE'S ALSO A PIECE WHERE YOU UPLOAD THE VOTE BY MAIL.
THAT'S NOT DOMINION, RIGHT? NO, THAT, THAT'S DOMINION AS WELL.
SO YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T TOUCH VOTE BY MAIL THEN? NOT AT ALL.
THAT'S THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
I JUST WANTED TO, AGAIN, PUT THAT ON THE RECORD.
UM, AND I ALSO WANT TO PUT ON THE RECORD THAT YOUR COMPANY HAS BEEN WITH US FOR MANY YEARS.
[02:05:01]
ARE IN ESSEX COUNTY.I KNOW MR. WILLIAMS PERSONALLY IS A VETERAN OF MANY YEARS, AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, VETERANS OF HIS STATUTE HAVING CONTRACTS HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
MR. MCINERNEY, JUST AGAIN, THIS WHOLE DOWNLOADING OF THE EXCEL, IS THAT STILL IN THE, IS THAT STILL IN DOMINION'S DOMAIN? THE EXCEL FILE? YES.
THE DOMINION PROGRAM CREATES THE EXCEL FILE.
AND THEN THE EXCEL FILE AT THAT TIME, WHO TAKES POSSESSION OF THAT? IT, IT GETS USED BY THE SAL PROGRAM.
THAT IS COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM DOMINION.
SO IT IT TAKES THAT ELSE THAT IS DOWNLOADED FROM THE EXCEL FILE.
YEAH, IT MINES THE VOTE DATA FROM THE EXCEL FILE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S ACCESSIBLE IN, IN THE COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE.
I COULD GIVE A DEMONSTRATION IF ANYONE WANTED TO SEE IT.
IF YOU COME DOWN TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE.
WELL, THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I SEE NONE.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? MOTION.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER AND VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT PALMERO? YES.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. CLARK, UH, FOR YOUR PRESENCE HERE TODAY AND FOR EXPLAINING ALL THAT.
UM, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION SEVEN THROUGH 11, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
I DID NOTE THAT UPON YOUR ARRIVAL, MR. RICHON HAD TO EXIT THE BUILDING.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS COINCIDENCE.
UH, JOSHUA ZAS, S COUNTY PARKS.
UH, NUMBER EIGHT IS A CONTRACT AWARD, I'M SORRY.
NUMBER SEVEN IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO GSP PROPERTIES TO PROVIDE MASONRY WORK.
UH, THIS IS EXERCISING THE TWO YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $672,615.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS THE TWO YEAR OPTION FOR THIS, UH, CONTRACT.
IT'S FOR ANY MASONRY WORK THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE ESSA COUNTY PARK SYSTEM NUMBER EIGHT IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO CENTRAL NEBRASKA PACKING TO FURNISH AND DELIVER FROZEN ANIMAL MEAT.
UH, 24 MONTH AGREEMENT NOT TO EXCEED $270,000.
UH, SPECIFICALLY THIS, UH, THESE PRODUCTS WILL BE USED, UH, FOR ALL CARNIVORES IN THE TURTLEBACK ZOO, AS WELL AS BIRDS OF PREY.
UM, TO DATE, THE ZOO CURRENTLY HAS 143 DIFFERENT SPECIES, UH, WITH A TOTAL POPULATION OF OVER 1200 INDIVIDUAL ANIMALS.
NUMBER NINE, A CONTRACT AWARD TO MAKE ROBERT SALES TO FURNISH AND DELIVER FISH, UH, FROZEN FISH.
24 MONTH AGREEMENT NOT TO EXCEED 270,000.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS FOR, UH, THE FISH EATERS OVER AT THE ZOO, WHICH INCLUDES SEA LIONS, PENGUINS, SOME OF THE BIRDS, SOME OF THE CARNIVORES, AND THEN THE SHARKS AND STINGRAYS.
NUMBER 10, A CONTRACT AWARD TO HARVARD PROTECTION SERVICES FOR SECURITY SERVICES AT THE TURTLEBACK ZOO.
EXERCISING THE 24 MONTH OPTION NOT TO EXCEED $257,010 AND 40 CENTS.
UH, THIS IS FOR OVERNIGHT SECURITY SERVICES AT THE ZOO.
UH, TYPICALLY IT WOULD RUN FROM, UH, APPROXIMATELY 5:00 PM TO 7:00 AM UH, WHEN, UH, WE DO NOT HAVE ZOO STAFF PRESENT.
ADDITIONALLY, THEY WOULD WORK HOLIDAYS.
THE ZOO IS CLOSED, UH, THREE DAYS A YEAR, CHRISTMAS, THANKSGIVING, AND JANUARY 1ST.
NUMBER 11, A CONTRACT AWARD TO FIRE SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES, UH, TO PROVIDE MONITORING OF FIRE, FIRE SECURITY, AND ELEVATOR ALARMS. 24 MONTH CONTRACT NOT TO EXCEED $95,640.
UH, THIS IS TO MONITOR ALL THE FIRE, UH, SECURITY AND ELEVATOR ALARMS AND BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
MR. VAL, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MACKIN ON ANY QUESTIONS FROM SEVEN THROUGH 11? YEAH.
ON QUESTION ON EIGHT, NINE, AND 10, DO YOU HAVE THE AMOUNTS THAT WERE, UH, EXPECTED LAST YEAR? UH, ADJUST WAS EIGHT.
ESSA COUNTY PARKS, UH, NUMBER, MY, UH, ASSISTANT, LOVELY ASSISTANT MATT DOOLEY HERE,
[02:10:01]
FOR NUMBER 10.MATT DOOLEY IS THE UNSUNG HERO OF THESE MEETINGS COMING THROUGH FOR ALL YOU GUYS TO COME TO PRESENT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON SEVEN THROUGH 11? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
ON THE ITEM RELATED TO THE SECURITY SERVICES, IS THIS, THAT NEW COMPANY, I THINK THE FIRST TIME THEY BID A SMALLER LOCAL GROUP.
MR. CORY, OR IS THIS CHANGE NAME THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? UH, NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE, YOU THINK IT WAS ONLY $400 BETWEEN THE TWO BIDDERS? RIGHT.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONS, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO I HAVE A MOVER FROM I'LL MOVE THEM.
MOVE BY COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD SECOND.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM SECOND FOR SEVEN THREE ELEVEN.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT PALMERO? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 12 THROUGH 15, WHICH ARE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON, I ASSUME WE HAVE MR. ANTONIO.
DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ADAM NUMBER 12 AWARDS MARLBOROUGH INCORPORATED A CONTRACT TO REPLACE THE CULBERT CARRYING JOHN F. KENNEDY PARKWAY OVER A TRIBUTARY OF THE CANOE BROOK IN THE TOWNSHIP OF MELBOURNE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,847,116.
THIS, THIS IS A 240 DAY CONTRACT.
THIS FULLY GRANT FUNDED AND MARLBOROUGH INCORPORATED SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE FOUR BIDS THAT WERE RECEIVED.
MR. CARMEN SALVATO OF MARLBOROUGH INCORPORATED IS HERE THIS EVENING TO INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
I'M ONE OF THE CORPORATE, UH, SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY.
MARLBORO'S BEEN IN BUSINESS SINCE 1983.
WE BASICALLY DO BRIDGE WORK, UH, FOR 41 YEARS NOW.
UH, OUR BACKGROUND IS HEAVY CONSTRUCTION.
WE HAVE OUR OFFICE IN MONTCLAIR.
UM, WE'VE, MOST OF OUR WORK IN THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS BEEN IN MONMOUTH AND MIDDLESEX AND MERCER COUNTIES.
UH, THERE'S ONE ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENT ON THE COMPANY'S PAYROLL.
UH, I LIVE IN THE CALDWELLS, AND WE'VE, UH, COME FROM A FAMILY THAT WAS IN BUSINESS SINCE 1925.
SO WE'VE BEEN IN ESSEX COUNTY, UH, COMPANY FOR A LONG TIME.
WE, UH, WE USE OPERATING ENGINEERS LOCAL 8 25 LABORERS, 4 72, UH, NEW YORK CITY DOCK BUILDERS AND, UH, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY CARPENTERS UNIONS.
WE HAVE, UM, AFFILIATION WITH ALL THE UNIONS, AND WHEN WE ASK FOR PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND WORK, WE WILL ASK FOR ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS.
MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS HERE, MR. PRESIDENT? COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS, AND THEN COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
I'LL, UM, BORROW MY COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON'S, UH, A DODGE HERE, BUT COULD YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR EMPLOYMENT OF ESSAS COUNTY RESIDENCE AND A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT FOCUS? WE HAVE A, WE HAVE TO, UH, IT'S A HIRING HALL SYSTEM ALL THE UNIONS HAVE, SO WHEN WE NEED PEOPLE, WE CALL THE HALL AND WE WILL ASK FOR WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE.
AND WE WILL ASK FOR RESIDENTIAL ESSEX COUNTY.
IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU ALWAYS GET THEM, YOU KNOW, THE UNIONS ARE LOCATED WELL, THE LABORS ARE LOCATED HERE IN NEW ESSEX COUNTY, SO WE WILL ASK FOR IT AND HOPEFULLY GET THEM.
UM, JUST WITH YOUR EXPERTISE FOR THE SCOPE OF THIS WORK, UM, VERY FAMILIAR WITH JFK PARKWAY.
IS THAT GONNA BE OUTTA COMMISSION FOR SOME TIME OR WILL YOU STILL BE RUNNING ONE SIDE OR LANES? HOW DOES THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT AFFECT IT? I'M NOT AN ENGINEER.
I DIDN'T BID THE JOB PERSONALLY.
I PUT THE BID DOCUMENTS TOGETHER.
I, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, BARRIER CURVE ON THE JOB.
I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THEY'RE GONNA PUT THE RULE, THE TRAFFIC AND KEEP IT, KEEP IT OPEN AS BEST WE CAN.
I THINK YOU CAN CLOSE JFK PARKWAY.
MR. ANTONIO, JUST FOR THE RECORD, AGAIN, THAT'S A VERY TRAVELED THOROUGHFARE.
SO, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR OUR KNOWLEDGE, UH, DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS FOR THIS PROJECT, WE WILL BE
[02:15:01]
A MAINTENANCE AND PROTECTION OF TRAFFIC PLAN IN PLACE TO MINIMIZE CLOSURES.SO THE ROLE IS TO MAINTAIN TRAFFIC FLOWING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE DURING CONSTRUCTION IN PHASES PERHAPS, BUT ALWAYS TRAFFIC WILL BE ALLOWED TO FLOW.
SO NOTHING'S ACTUALLY BEING SHUT DOWN.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON.
MR. ANTONIO, DAVID, ANTONIO, YOU'RE NOT AS LUCKY AS MR. ZAS
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER, UH, 13 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO PIM CORPORATION TO PERFORM CLEANING AND HIGH PRESSURE JADING OF COUNTY ROADWAY, STORMWATER, DRAINAGE, PIPES AND STRUCTURES.
THIS TWO YEAR AS NEEDED BASIS, CONTRACT
PIM CORPORATION SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE THREE BITS RECEIVED.
THE SERVICE SHOULD BE PROVIDED BY PIM, IS CRUCIAL IN, IN MAINTAINING OUR ROADWAY, DRAINAGE SYSTEM, CLEAN AND CLEAR OF BLOCKAGES AND OBSTRUCTIONS.
MR. UH, BELMONT SALAZAR OF PIM IS ALSO HERE THIS EVENING.
HE WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND YOUR AFFILIATION AND TELL US ABOUT WHAT THE PROJECT'S ABOUT.
I AM, UH, BEL SALAZAR WITH PIM CORPORATION.
UH, WE ARE A NEW JERSEY COMPANY.
WE HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS SINCE 1986, UH, PRIMARILY DOING REHABILITATION OF, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE, BRIDGES, HIGHWAYS, UH, WASTEWATER AND WATER SHIPMENT PLANTS.
WE ALSO DO MANHOLE REHABILITATION, UH, PIPE CLEANING, PIPE REHABILITATION, UH, AND CCTV INSPECTION OF PIPELINES.
SO WE WERE THE, UH, LOW BIDDER ON THIS TWO YEAR CONTRACT FOR, UH, ESSEX COUNTY CLEANING, UH, DRAINAGE STRUCTURES AND PIPELINES, AND ALSO DOING, UH, CCTV INSPECTION OF THE, UH, PIPELINES.
MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 14 AUTHORIZES THE EXERCISING OF A ONE YEAR EXTENSION TO THE CONTRACT TO NORTH JERSEY, BOBCAT AND JESSICA INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE PARTS AND SERVICES TO SPECIAL OFF-ROAD EQUIPMENT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 56,005 $450 IN THE AGGREGATE.
THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC PUBLIC WORKS UTILIZES VARIOUS SPECIALIZED WORK VEHICLES SUCH AS BOBCATS, BACKHOES, AND, UH, FRONT END LOADERS, WHICH REQUIRE OCCASIONAL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS, WHICH WILL BE AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS CONTRACT.
ITEM NUMBER 15 IS A RESOLUTION TO CONSENT TO THE TOWNSHIP OF MY MAPLEWOOD RESOLUTION TO RELOCATE AN EXISTING NJ TRANSIT BUS STOP ON IRVING CAN AVENUE FROM MISS CORWIN LOCATION NEAR WETMORE AVENUE TO A LOCATION NEAR EDEN TERRACE.
THERE IS NO FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE COUNTY BY CONSENTING TO THIS BUS STOP RELOCATION REQUEST.
OKAY, MR. B, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS.
DO I HAVE A MOVER? I'M MOVING.
WHICH PLAN FOR, WE ARE DOING 11, UH, SORRY.
I READ THE WRONG THING IN FRONT OF ME.
COMMISSIONER COOPER, WHAT ROADWAYS ARE GOING BE? UM, THANK YOU.
SO THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, SO, UH, THAT'S GONNA BE BASED ON OUR WHAT BRINGS INSPECTORS FEEDBACK.
IT'S GONNA BE BASED ON COMPLAINTS, AND IT'S GONNA BE BASED OUR LOCAL NOW ELECTRIC LOCATIONS THAT ARE PRONE TO LOCALIZE FLOODING.
UH, IT'S GONNA BE COUNTYWIDE, IT'S GONNA BE OVER TWO YEARS.
THERE'S NOT A SPECIFIC LIST RIGHT NOW, BUT IT WILL BE CREATED AS TIME GOES ON.
UH, SO WE KNOW THAT THERE'S LOCATIONS WHERE THE CATCH BASINS, CATCH BASINS MUST BE CLEANED TO HAVE OF A MAJOR FLOODING EVENT.
UH, THERE'S COMPLAINTS ABOUT PIPES THAT MAY BE BLOCKED.
THIS IS A CONTRACT THAT WILL HELP US CORRECT THAT.
I CANNOT GIVE YOU A SPECIFIC LOCATION RIGHT NOW, BUT THIS CONTRACT WILL BE USED HEAVILY.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT CATCH FACES ON CERTAIN COUNTY LAWYERS THAT I'VE OBSERVED.
SO I WAS WONDERING HOW WOULD YOU LIKE THE PUBLIC TO REPORT ANY OF THEM? DO THEY EMAIL CALL? NO, WE HAVE BOTH.
[02:20:01]
DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.UH, WE ACCEPT EMAIL, WE ACCEPT PHONE CALLS, AND WE HAVE A WEBSITE LINK ON OUR EC DPW.ORG WEBSITE TO REQUEST, UH, SERVICE INCLUDING CLEANING OF POTHOLES.
AND THAT WAS EC DPW.ORG? CORRECT.
SO E FOR ESSEX, C FOUR COUNTY, ESSEX COUNTY DPW DPW.ORG.
WHEN YOU GO THERE, YOU'LL SEE REQUEST A SERVICE.
YOU CAN REPORT POTHOLES, CATCH BASIN CLEANING, ALL KIND OF GOOD STUFF.
DO WE HAVE A MOVER FOR 12 THROUGH 15? MOTION MOVED BY COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS.
ROLL CALL MS. EVANS ON 12 TO 15.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT PALMER.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 16, WHICH IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICES.
AND WE'LL BE READY FOR THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, MR. COLTRANE'S GONNA HANDLE 16 THROUGH 19.
BOARD IS THE DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICE DIVISION OF SENIOR SERVICES APPROVAL TO USE A 2024 SERVICE PROVIDER AND RATE UNDER THE RESPITE CARE SERVICE ACT IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $477,750.
AND THIS IS GRANT FUNDED, UH, TO PROVIDE OF TEMPORARY SHORT-TERM CARE FOR SUPERVISORY AND ELIGIBLE PERSONS ON BEHALF OF CAREGIVERS AND EMERGENCIES OR INTERMITTENT BASIS.
NUMBER 17 IS THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, DIVISION OF POLICE ACADEMY, THE RESOLUTION APPROVING PARTICIPATION WITH THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY, ACCEPTING THE SUB-AWARD GRANT FOR LEO TEFF OH 7 24 FOR A PERIOD OF JULY 1ST, 2023 TO JUNE 30TH, 2024.
APPROVAL OF PARTICIPATION ONLY 18 DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, EXTENSION OF THE SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT.
THIS IS A TIME EXTENSION ONLY FROM MARCH 31ST, 2024.
THE NEW DATE WILL BE DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.
AND NUMBER 19, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REHABILITATION DIVISION OF THE HOSPITAL CENTER, TWO YEAR AFFILIATION AGREEMENT WITH THE MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY.
UH, THIS IS TO PROVIDE NURSING STUDENTS CLINICAL EXPERIENCE AT THE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL IN CEDAR GROVE.
OKAY, MS. SHABAZZ, ANY QUESTIONS ON 16 THROUGH 19? NO LEGAL QUESTION, MR. PRESIDENT.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON 16 THROUGH 19? SEE NONE.
DO I HAVE A MOVER MOVE BY COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
ROLL CALL MS. EVANS ON 16 THROUGH 19.
COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EREZ? YES.
CAN YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? UH, I'D LIKE TO BE, UH, SURE.
RECOGNIZING COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, RECOGNIZING THE AFFIRMATIVE FROM SEVEN TO 15.
WE GOOD? YOU GUYS GOT THAT? OKAY.
UH, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 20 AND ADDED STARTER NUMBER 52, WHICH IS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
WE'LL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. GOOD EVENING.
JOHN IS TO OFFER COUNTY COUNSEL TO CONTRACT WITH COMPANY BY THE NAME OF ROBESON FORENSIC.
ROBESON FORENSIC PROVIDES EXPERTS, UH, RECOGNIZED BY THE COURT SYSTEM AS EXPERTS, VARIOUS DEALS.
SO THE COUNTY COUNSEL NEEDS AN ARCHITECT, THEY NEED AN ENGINEER, THEY NEED A MEDICAL EXPERT.
[02:25:01]
TO GIVE US AN EXPERT OPINION ON A MATTER THAT IS TO BE LITIGATED.CALL, HAVE AN EXPERT, AND THEY, OKAY.
52 IS A COMMISSION FROM THE, UH, COMMISSIONERS TO HIRE OUTSIDE THAT A, A LITIGATION.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH THEM ON ANOTHER MATTER AND REQUEST.
AND SO WE'RE, WE WERE REQUESTING PERMISSION TO HIRE THEM ON THIS CONFLICT.
MR. SHABAZ, ANY QUESTIONS ON 20 AND 52? UH, YES, I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON 20.
JOHN, THE, UM, THE $50,000 OR THE NOT TO EXCEED $50,000, IS THAT JUST FOR THE SERVICE OF THE COMPANY TO FIND EXPERTS OR DOES THAT FEE ALSO COVER USAGE OF THE EXPERT? THEY, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
THEY ACTUALLY HAVE EXPERTS THAT WORK FOR THEM.
SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO FIND THE EXPERTS IF YOU CALL THEM AND ASK FOR AN ENGINEER, UH, CIVIL ENGINEER, THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE A WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY WORK FOR THE COMPANY THAT PROVIDE EXPERTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND SO THAT IF WE NEED SOMEONE NOTICE TO PROVIDE A CIVIL ENGINEER FOR PLANS AND ADVISE US FROM AN EXPERT'S OPINION, THEY HAVE SOMEONE ON STAFF.
MR. MCINERNEY, ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
ANY QUESTIONS ON 20 AND 52? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT FOR NUMBER 20.
IS THIS A FIRST TIME VENDOR? WE'VE USED THEM BEFORE.
AND FOR ITEM, UM, OTHER RESOLUTION.
COULDN'T WHAT YOU SAID, I'M SORRY.
ITEM NUMBER 52 IS TO RETAIN A FIRM LAW GROUP TO TAKE A MATTER THAT WE HAVE WHERE WE HAVE A CONFLICT AND WE HAVE TO BRING AN OUTSIDE IN, IN ADDITION TO THE LAWYERS THAT ARE AT THE COUNTY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DO I HAVE A MOVER ON 20 AND 52? MOTION.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
WE'LL CALL MS. EVANS ON 20 AND 52.
COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT PALMERO? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 21, WHICH IS FROM THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING.
AND WE'LL BE RIGHT INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? MR. COLT, MR. PRESENT THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING CONTRACT, UH, CHANGE ORDER FOR DREW ROGERS INC.
AND.DESIGN TO FURNISH AND DELIVER A SILK SCREEN.
UH, THE CHANGE ORDER IS FOR $90,000.
THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS FOUR 450,000, WHICH BRINGS UP THE NEW CONTRACT OF 540.
WE HAVE EXPENDED $442,614 AS OF DATE IN THE CONTRACT THAT EXPIRES JUNE 8TH.
THIS IS COUNTYWIDE FOR PEOPLE TO DO EMBROIDERY.
OKAY, MR. BASS, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, NO.
MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCY, WERE YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED IN ADVANCE? YES, HE DID.
HE, SO HE'S SO APPRECIATE
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
WHAT WAS THAT AMOUNT AGAIN? MORE, WHICH AMOUNT? NO, I THINK HE'S WITHDRAWING THE QUESTION.
DO I HAVE A MOVER? PLEASE MOVE IT.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM FOR NUMBER 21.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT PALM IS, YES.
LET'S GO, UH, TO RESOLUTIONS 22 THROUGH 29
[02:30:01]
AND ADDED SERGEANT NUMBER 51, WHICH ARE TEMPORARY EMERGENCY INSERTION OF ITEMS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, THE FIRST ITEM, 22 IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,651,216 FOR OUR, UH, DIVISION OF SENIOR CITIZENS, UM, WILL BE PROVIDING FOR, UH, SUPPORTING PROVISION OF NON-EMERGENCY TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS AND DISABLED RESIDENTS.
UH, ITEM 23, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $637,000, UM, IS FOR TEMP, IS FOR TEMPORARY RESPITE CARE.
IT'S FUNDS THAT ARE USED TO PROVIDE PERIODIC RELIEF FOR CAREGIVERS OF FRAIL, ELDERLY, OR IMPAIRED ADULTS.
UM, OR IT'S ALSO EMERGENCY SERVICES WHEN THE CAREGIVER MIGHT BE INCAPACITATED.
AND, UM, THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCHES.
THERE WAS NO COUNTY MATCH ON 22 EITHER.
UM, ITEM 24, UH, IS, UH, INCOME, UH, THAT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS.
TRANSPORTATION FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, UM, GENERATED FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.
IT'S A PROGRAMMING INCOME THAT WE PUT BACK INTO THE PROGRAM, UH, PRO MONEY FROM 2023 THAT WE PUT BACK INTO OUR PROGRAM FOR THIS YEAR.
ITEM 25, UH, IS FOR ALSO FOR A RESPITE CARE PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $19,723 AND 56 CENTS.
UM, THIS IS MONEY IF YOU HAVE, UH, IF A PERSON WHO RECEIVES SERVICES HAS AN INCOME OVER 175% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL, THEY, THEY PUT IN A SMALL SHARE OF THAT COST AND THAT GENERATES MONEY, WHICH WE IN THEN PUT BACK INTO THE PROGRAM.
UH, THIS MONEY, UH, FOR THIS YEAR WILL PROVIDE, UH, RESPITE CARE FOR ABOUT SIX UH, CLIENTS.
UH, ITEM 26, UH, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, THE AMOUNT OF $1,200,000.
THIS IS, UH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO PROVIDE FOR MOSQUITO CONTROL.
UM, THIS AGREEMENT WAS APPROVED ON APRIL 3RD, UH, OF 2024.
AND THIS WILL PROVIDE FOR EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES FOR OUR ESSEX COUNTY, UH, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, ITEM 27, UH, $300,000 IS MONEY FROM THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW JERSEY FOR A TURTLEBACK ZOO.
THIS FUNDING WILL PROVIDE FOR EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES AS DETERMINED AGAIN, NO COUNTY MATCH.
UH, ITEM 28, UH, DEPARTMENT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES FOR A REACH FOR RECOVERY, UH, PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES FOR MOBILE OUTREACH SERVICES TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS.
UH, THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCH AND IT'S FOR $52,792.
UM, ITEM 29 FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF LAWRENCE PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, THIS IS UP TO, TO PROVIDE FOR EQUIPMENT AND OTHER SERVICES, OUR POLICE TRAINING ACADEMY IN THE AMOUNT OF $39,276.
AND, UM, UH, FINALLY, ITEM 51 FROM THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS A, IS A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $2 MILLION, WHICH WILL, WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO SCOUR, UM, VARIOUS BRIDGES AROUND, UH, ESSEX COUNTY.
UM, UH, AND THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCH HERE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON 22 TO 29 AND 51? UH, NO.
MR. NEY, UH, ON 51, WHAT DOES SCOUR MEAN? I AM REALLY GLAD YOU ASKED ME THAT QUESTION, FRANK.
UH, WHEN THE MEETING'S OVER, UH, IT'S ACTUALLY TO, UM, YOU KNOW, SEDIMENT GATHERS AROUND THE ABUTMENTS AND APPEARS OF OUR BRIDGES AND IT PREVENTS FLOWING ISSUES.
SO, AND ALSO POTENTIALLY SOME, UH, DAMAGE.
SO YOU GO AND YOU REMOVE THE, UH, THROUGH SCRUBBING, YOU REMOVE THE SEDIMENT FROM AROUND THE ABUTMENTS AND THE PIERS TO ALLOW FOR A GREATER WATER FLOW AND, UH, MITIGATE ANY POSSIBLE DAMAGE.
DON'T ASK ME ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT A BRIDGE.
FREE MONEY TO CLEAN BRIDGES AND ABUTMENT.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
ARE THE PARKS SPRAYED BY, UM, FLORIDA MOSQUITOES? UH, YES.
UH, MO MOST OF THE EFFORT, THOSE I, I WISH MR. UH, ANTONIO WAS HERE, BUT MOST OF THE EFFORT THAT WE, THAT WE SEE, THE MAJORITY OF THE PROBLEM IS IN, LIKE, IN THE, IN THE WESTERN PART OF, UH, NEW JERSEY.
BUT I WOULD SAY IF THERE WAS, IT'S NOT, NOT AN OVERWHELMING AMOUNT, BUT THAT'S WHERE THE PROBLEM IS.
WE, THE HELICOPTERS ARE SPRAY THERE AND, AND SO FORTH.
SO WE SPRAY ALL AROUND ESSEX COUNTY.
SO THEY DO RESIDENTIAL AREAS TOO.
UM, MOSTLY THE PARKS MOSTLY ARE PARKS OR, AND, AND SOME OF THE BUDDING AREAS, SOME OF THE, THE BUDDING STREET AREAS.
'CAUSE NEIGHBORS WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE PARK I HAVE AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM.
SO WE'LL TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THOSE SURROUNDING STREETS.
[02:35:01]
OKAY.DO I HAVE A MOVER FOR 22 TO 29 AND 51? I'LL MOVE IT.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
ROLL CALL MS. EVANS ON 22 TO 29 AND 51.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 30 THROUGH 48 AND 53 TO 61, WHICH ARE, EXCUSE ME, IMMEMORIAL, COMMENDATIONS, PROCLAMATION RESOLUTIONS, WHICH WILL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? EXCUSE ME.
DO I HAVE A, OH, COMMISSIONER, MAYOR THOMAS, THE PRESIDENT.
I WAS GONNA DO THIS AT THE END, BUT I'LL JUST BRIEFLY SAY AS WE, UM, BRING IN THE COMMENDATIONS, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FIRST, MR. PRESIDENT, FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF TODAY'S CELEBRATION OF THE, UH, WOMEN, BLACK WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, UH, COMMENDATION THAT WE HAD EARLIER, AS WELL AS AUTISM AWARENESS AND TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THESE EVENTS.
AND THIS IS WORK WITH YOU EVERY SINGLE MONTH TO CELEBRATE INCREDIBLE INITIATIVES HERE TO THE STAFF, ADAM KYLE, WHO ARE HERE IN THE ROOM.
BUT I KNOW WE HAD LATIFA, MARISSA, NICOLE, CALVIN, BEHIND THE SCENES, MAKING EVERYTHING WORK.
REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT TODAY.
I WAS ACTUALLY GONNA BRING IT UP AND PUT YOU ON THE SPOT AT COMMISSIONER COMMENTS SESSION.
YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB TODAY.
UH, DO I HAVE A MOVER? B******T MOVE BY COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GRAHAM.
ROLL CALL MS. EVANS ON 48, UH, AND THROUGH 53, AND I'M SORRY, THROUGH 30 THROUGH 48 AND 53 TO 61.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
SO MOVED AND I BELIEVE WE GOT ALL OF THE ADDED STARTERS HERE, SO WE'RE ALL GOOD.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THE REPORT OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONERS, ANY BOARD REPORTS? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
WE HAVE A T AND R MEETING SCHEDULED FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL.
I'M SORRY, I'M TRYING TO RECALL.
THANK YOU FOR APRIL 30TH, UM, WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, SO THANK YOU.
CAN YOU GUYS SEND US THAT FLYER AGAIN THAT, UM, WE WERE CIRCULATING FOR THE TNR TRAINING WITH THE GIFT CARD THING ON IT? SOMEONE ASKED ME FOR IT, BUT I COULDN'T FIND IT ANYMORE.
MR. PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
UM, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, TNVR TRAP NEUTER AND RELEASE THE FERAL CATS THROUGHOUT ESSEX COUNTY, WHERE THE ADMINISTRATION, WE SUPPORTED AND CREATED A $50,000 GRANT.
UM, THE PAST COUPLE YEARS AND EACH YEAR WE'VE BEEN SPENDING MORE MONEY, MORE MONEY AS WE'VE BEEN ADVERTISING.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE ASSOCIATED HUMANE SOCIETY AND ONE OTHER GROUP THAT WE ADDED A C PAW LAST YEAR WHO HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, AND SOMETIMES THEY BRING THE MOBILE VAN, BUT THEY CAN, UM, COUNTY RESIDENTS CAN GET FERAL CATS, UM, SPA IT TO HELP CONTROL THE CAT COLONY POPULATION.
AND WE ARE WORKING TO GET THAT INFORMATION OUT MORE DILIGENTLY TO SOME OF THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT IT'S KIND OF BEEN SLOW WITH PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM.
WE ALSO, UM, HAVE BEEN HOSTING, UH, LIKE A TRAIN A TRAINER PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY, UM, RESIDENTS AND ACTIVISTS WHO WANT TO TRAP THOROUGH CATS TO HELP MAINTAIN, UM, THE COLONIES.
BECAUSE WE LEARNED DURING OUR LAST YEAR OR TWO OF COMMITTEES, AND I'M LOOKING AT MR. AND MR. DOOLEY TO HELP ME OUT
[02:40:01]
HERE, THAT, UM, THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THE, UM, INVESTMENTS THAT WE'VE MADE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP THE NUMBERS DOWN.UM, MR. JACKSON, IF, OR MR. DOOLEY, IF YOU RECALL, THE NUMBER OF CATS THAT WOULD'VE BEEN BORN? COMMISSIONER, I MAY ACTUALLY RECALL THAT.
BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO RECALL OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD RIGHT NOW, MR. DOOLEY AND HIS DUE DILIGENCE DID PROVIDE THAT NUMBER, AND I'M GONNA ESTIMATE IT, BUT IN THE ONE YEAR THAT WE SPAYED OR NEUTERED ABOUT JUST AROUND 300 CATS, IT PREVENTED THE BIRTH OF ABOUT 5,000 UNWANTED KITTENS BECAUSE AN ADULT, UH, FEMALE CAT CAN PROVIDE FOUR LIT UP TO FOUR LITTERS A YEAR, IF I THAT'S CORRECT.
RECALL COPY AVERAGING ABOUT FOUR KITTENS.
AND WHEN YOU DO THAT MATH EXPONENTIALLY, YOU NEED SOMEONE LIKE FRANK MCINERNEY TO DO THE NUMBERS
HOWEVER IT IS, IT IS ACTUALLY STAGGERINGLY HIGH.
HOW MANY, UH, FERAL CATS WERE NOT BORN AS A RESULT OF THE SPAY AND NEUTERING OF A FEW HUNDRED CATS.
AND IF WE CAN INCREASE THAT NUMBER TO SAY 500 CATS, YOU SHOULD THEY IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE THIS PROBLEM, I KNOW, UH, OUR FAVORITE, UH, CAT ADVOCATE, CHARLIE GERTZ WOULD TELL YOU THAT IN EAST ORANGE AND IRVINGTON, YOU SEE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, MM-HMM.
AND I THINK THAT THIS EFFORT WILL CURB A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF, OF THAT.
SO, AND AGAIN, THOSE ARE ROUGH NUMBERS, BUT THE POINT IS THAT THE, THE, THE RATE, UH, IS STAGGERINGLY HIGH.
I KNOW WE HAVE A GOOD LITTLE BIT OF FUN WITH IT BECAUSE IT'S, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE WORKING ON IT WITH GREAT PERSONALITIES, BUT IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAM THAT I COMMEND YOU FOR LEADING ON IT.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SERVING ON IT AS WELL.
AND I THINK IT WAS IT COMMISSIONER, UH, RICARDO WAS ON IT AS WELL.
WHO SERVED ON IT LAST TIME, SO I'M SURE WE'LL BE DOING THIS.
SO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON FOR BRINGING IT UP.
NOW I JUST WANT TO THANK BOTH OF YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND THE WORK THAT YOU PUT IN AND TIME AND ENERGY, AND THANK YOU FOR BECOMING AN EXPERT ON, UH, TNR, UH, IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
I, I JUST AM SO GRATEFUL THAT I AM NOT A CAT BECAUSE YOU IMAGINE BEING PREGNANT FOUR TIMES A YEAR,
BUT THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN VERY IMPACTFUL AND I WANNA THANK THE BOARD AND THE ADMINISTRATION FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND FOR FUNDING THIS INITIATIVE.
AND IF MAMA MEOW WAS HERE, SHE WOULD SAY, UM, PLEASE GIVE MORE SUPPORT FOR THE CATS AND KITTIES.
AND I'M GOING TO TRANS YOU KNOW HER RIGHT NOW AND SAY, MEOW.
I WAS GONNA ASK THAT YOU CLOSE THE REPORT WITH THE MEOW I.
IT WOULDN'T BE THE SAME IF YOU DIDN'T, CHARLOTTE, IF YOU'RE WATCHING AT HOME, WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOUR ADVOCACY.
ANY OTHER REPORTS, ANY WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS, ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS, ANY NEW BUSINESS? SEE YOU NINE.
LET'S, MS. EVANS, LET'S GO ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND AFFILIATION.
FOR THE RECORD, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MATT, CAN YOU ADJUST THE MICROPHONE PLEASE, IF YOU DON'T MIND? THANK YOU, MR. DOOLEY.
I WANT TO SAY BURY PARK FINALLY IS ON THE MAP FOR YOUR CONSERVANCY.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A NON-PROFIT, 5 0 1 C3 THERE AT THE PARK.
MATTER OF FACT, ON THE 27TH OF THIS MONTH, WE HAVE IN OUR FIRST EVENT AN AUTISM AWARENESS EVENT THERE.
UM, BUT WE STILL HAVE ISSUES THERE AT THE PARK.
I KNOW EVERYONE SAY WE PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO THE PARK, BUT THAT PARK BEEN NEGLECTED FOR YEARS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS IS THE TURF AND THE PLAYGROUND.
MOST OF THE STUFF IS IN THE PLAYGROUND AREA.
UH, WE FINALLY GOT THE BATHROOM OPEN.
AND SO UNBALANCED, THEY GOT PLYWOOD ON CERTAIN SPOTS BECAUSE IT HAD HOLES IN THE TURF.
JOE D HAD PROMISED THAT HE WOULD PUT SOME TYPE OF WATER OR SPLASH PARK FOR THE KIDS ON THE SIDE OF IT.
THE, THE BATHROOM, THE PLAYGROUND, THE CENTERPIECE.
WE HAVE A BIG CENTERPIECE WITH THE TREES IN IT.
BUT THE, THE WALL, THE RETAINER, IT'S NOT, I GUESS, CONCRETE BECAUSE YOU CAN ACTUALLY PICK UP ALL THE PIECES.
THERE'S NO WHAT MASONRY OR WHATEVER THEY PUT BETWEEN IT, ALL THE PIECES.
AND NATURALLY YOU CAN JUST PICK 'EM UP.
THE, THE CINDER BLOCKS, THE PLAYGROUND AR AREA EQUIPMENT.
NOW, I WAS TOLD THAT THE COUNTY HAS A CONTRACT FOR POWER WASHING, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE, WELL, I SENT PICTURES AND SO FORTH TO THE, TO THE COUNTY
[02:45:02]
IS THE YELLOW.THE EQUIPMENT IS YELLOW, BUT IT'S BLACK.
AND IT'S A LOT OF BACTERIA IN KIDS AND SOME PEOPLES DON'T, YOU KNOW, THE KIDS.
EVERY, EVERY WARM DAY IS FULL.
AND IT'S NEVER BEEN LIKE THAT BEFORE.
UM, AND THEN I WANNA ASK FOR TRASH CANS.
NOW, I HEARD YOU HAD A LOT OF TRASH CANS BECAUSE WE NEED MORE ACCEPTABLES IN THE PARK, BUT WE NEED, AND I HAD ASKED THIS BEFORE TO PUT 'EM AT LEAST THREE CANS ON THE OUTSIDE, ON THE ORIGIN PARKWAY SIDE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF IT IS NOT GONNA SOLVE THE PROBLEM, BUT IT WOULD HELP THE PROBLEM A LOT.
I ASKED FOR THAT AND I HEARD THAT YOU HAD PLENTY OF 'EM.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED RECEPTACLES OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, ANOTHER THING THAT GOD RESTED.
SO, UH, RON RICE, UH, 30 SECONDS, UH, PEDESTRIAN WALK, IT CROSSES OVER.
'CAUSE SPEEDWAY SCHOOL IS THERE ALL AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE PARK.
AND IT'S, IT'S HARD 'CAUSE YOU GOT THE PARKWAY SOUTH AND PARKWAY NORTH, SOUTH ORANGE AVENUE.
BUT THE KIDS, THE ENTRANCE TO THE SCHOOL IS IN THE MIDDLE.
KIDS WE NEED TO, HE HAD A PLAN AND HE HAD MONEY TO PUT A PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT OR WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE REASON WHY IT DIDN'T GO THROUGH.
BUT I WOULD LIKE, EXCUSE ME, FOR SOMETHING FOR THE SAFETY OF THE KIDS.
'CAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS IN THAT.
YOU GOT THREE SCHOOLS IN THAT AREA.
SO HERE'S WHAT I'M GONNA RECOMMEND, SINCE YOU HAVE GOOD QUESTIONS, I'M GONNA ASK ADAM IN THE BACK TO TAKE YOUR INFORMATION AND EXTEND THAT LIST.
I KNOW THAT I SEE MR. JACKSON WAS TAKING DUBIOUS NOTES.
THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE BEING IN THE PROCESS OF BEING ALLEVIATED OR IN FUTURE PLANS.
UH, BUT THERE WAS A NUMBER OF THINGS.
SO SINCE THIS ISN'T REALLY A BACK AND FORTH, BUT I DO WANNA HAVE YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED OR PERHAPS AN UPDATE SO THAT YOU CAN GET, YOU KNOW, SOME DIRECTIONS.
SO, UH, CAN YOU PLEASE SEE ADAM, ADAM, PLEASE TAKE THE, HER INFORMATION AND THE THINGS THAT WE CAN EMAIL.
IF YOU SEND IT TO US OR ADAM, WE CAN SEND IT TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND THEY WILL CONTACT YOU DIRECTLY WITH A RESPONSE ABOUT SOME OF THE UPDATES ON THE VARIOUS THINGS THAT YOU BROUGHT TO THE TABLE TODAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING TO THREE MR. PRESIDENT.
THREE, MR. WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA HOLD OFF ON DURING PUBLIC COMMENT.
COMMISSIONER, COMMENT SESSION.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? WE HAVE OUR ESTEEMED PRESIDENT FROM ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE HERE, WHO'S BEEN WAITING PATIENTLY.
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.
MY NAME IS, UH, AUGUSTINE BOCE, THE PRESIDENT OF ES COUNTY COLLEGE.
UH, I HAVE BEEN SENDING MY MESSAGES, UH, TO YOU ON INDIVIDUAL BASIS, BUT AT THIS STAGE, I WANT TO TAKE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT I'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE COLLEGE.
UH, AS YOU KNOW, EVERY YEAR WE SERVE OVER 10,000 STUDENTS, WHETHER THEY'RE DOING CREDIT PROGRAMS OR WORKFORCE PROGRAMS. AND EVERY EVENT, OR EVERY PROGRAM WE DO, WE FIND AT LEAST ONE OF YOU SUPPORTING FROM THE OTHER END.
AND I CAN SEE THAT ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, THE FACULTY, THE STAFF, THE STUDENTS, EVERYTHING THAT, UH, THE BOARD IS DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE COLLEGE, WE DO REALLY APPRECIATE.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOUR SUPPORT WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IN THE ADMINISTRATION TO PUT A NEW CAMPUS WEST ACCESS CAMPUS FOR THE COLLEGE IS SOMETHING THAT WE CANNOT FORGET.
WE'LL ALWAYS CONTINUE TO APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO AND ALL THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE ARE DOING HERE AT THE MAIN CAMPUS.
EVERYTHING, WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU AND MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU.
AND I WAS GONNA SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT IT IN OUR UPCOMING COMMENT FOR, UH, COMMISSIONER COMMENT SESSION.
SO IF YOU GOT ING, MR. TERESA, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING AT THIS POINT? NO.
YOU'RE THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, SO I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T OVERLOOK YOU AT THIS POINT.
I, I'M NOT HESITANT TO GET THE MIC, SIR.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE, WE GOT YOU THERE IF YOU NEEDED IT.
THERE'S NO WISH TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
UH, COMMISSIONER, COMMON SESSION.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I DO WANT TO COMMEND, UH, WE, WE DID TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER, BUT I LIKE TO PUT IT IN THIS PART 'CAUSE WE USUALLY KINDA SKIP OVER HERE.
BUT COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS HELD THE BLACK WOMEN'S HISTORY AND AUTISM AWARENESS PROGRAM EARLIER TODAY.
AND I WANNA COMMEND YOU FOR THAT.
AND THAT MIGHT BE YOUR FIRST BIG, UH, HONORING THING HERE.
AS COMMISSIONER, I'M GONNA CONGRATULATE ON THAT.
AND FOR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HONORED, IF YOU WANNA SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT WHAT YOU DID EARLIER TONIGHT, THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME.
UM, AND AS I SHARED EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON, WE WERE ABLE TO INTRODUCE AN INAUGURAL TO INAUGURAL RESOLUTIONS, OF COURSE, THAT ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHO AND WHAT WE STAND FOR AS A BOARD,
[02:50:01]
REGARDLESS.BUT IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT THINGS ON PAPER.
AND SO IT WAS AN HONOR TO DRAFT AND WRITE, AND OBVIOUSLY TONIGHT GET THE SUPPORT FOR TWO DIFFERENT RESOLUTIONS.
ONE, RECOGNIZING BLACK WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, WHICH HAS BEEN CELEBRATED SINCE ABOUT 2016, STARTED, UM, IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, BUT FRANKLY HAS BEEN, UH, TRAVELING ACROSS THE WORLD IN THE COUNTRY TO TAKE A MOMENT TO CELEBRATE THE EVERYDAY BLACK WOMEN IN OUR LIVES, IN OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR BUSINESSES, UM, IN OUR COUNTIES THAT DO REALLY INCREDIBLE WORK.
SO IT WAS AN HONOR TO, TO RECOGNIZE, UH, FIVE INCREDIBLE WOMEN WHO DO INCREDIBLE WORK IN DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS, PUBLIC, PRIVATE, ET CETERA.
THAT'S MOVING ESSEX COUNTY FORWARD.
ALSO, WANT TO, UH, TAKE A MOMENT TO ALSO CELEBRATE AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH, WHICH AS THE WOMAN WHO JUST, UH, SPOKE EARLIER, UH, SHARED IN A FEW DAYS, OR RATHER NEXT WEEK, WE'LL BE CELEBRATING SOME OF THAT WORK ACROSS THE COUNTY WEEK, WICK PARK, BURG PARK, WHERE I SPENT A LOT OF TIME GROWING UP AS WELL AS WEEK, ACTUALLY.
UH, BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS IN NEW JERSEY FOR AUTISM, THE NUMBERS ARE INCREASING.
UM, AND THEN ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE NUMBERS ARE INCREASING IS BECAUSE WE'RE DIAGNOSING EARLIER.
AND NEW JERSEY'S REALLY AHEAD OF THE MARK.
UH, AS FAR AS THIS WORK, AND I SHARED THIS EARLIER IN THE REMARKS, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHARE HERE TOO.
MY BACKGROUND'S IN EDUCATION AND THE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, AND I'M OF THE BELIEF THAT EVERY SINGLE YOUNG PERSON IS BRILLIANT, REGARDLESS IF THEY LOOK DIFFERENT, SPEAK DIFFERENT, LEARN DIFFERENTLY.
THEIR DIFFERENCES ARE NOT, UH, THEIR WEAKNESSES, THEY'RE THEIR SUPERPOWER.
AND SO WHEN WE CELEBRATE, UH, AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH, WE'RE NOT, UH, NECESSARILY JUST CELEBRATING YOUNG PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES WHO ARE SERVING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
WE ARE CELEBRATING YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE SPECIAL AND THEY'RE DIFFERENT TO THE WAY THAT THEY CAN MOVE THROUGH THE WORLD.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAKES THEM BRILLIANT.
AND IT'S OUR JOB TO FIGURE OUT AS A VILLAGE, AS A COMMUNITY, NOT ONLY SUPPORT THEM AND THE TEACHERS, EDUCATORS, PARENTS WHO SUPPORT THEM, BUT TO CREATE EVEN MORE AWARENESS.
AND SO IT'S, IT WAS AN HONOR TO, TO RECOGNIZE, UH, SIX BRILLIANT WOMEN, UM, WHO ARE BOTH WITHIN THE AUTISM AWARENESS SPACE, AS WELL AS BLACK WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP, IN POLITICS, BUSINESS ARTS, EDUCATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
AND TO HAVE AN INCREDIBLE BOARD LIKE EACH OF YOU WHO SUPPORT THIS WORK, WHETHER YOU WERE HERE IN PERSON, I KNOW YOU WERE HERE IN SPIRIT, I KNOW SOME FOLKS MAYBE DIDN'T GET THE INFORMATION TOO LATE, BUT I KNOW WHERE WE ARE AND WHO WE STAND WITH AS A BOARD, AND THAT'S JUST TO SUPPORT INCREDIBLE, UH, PEOPLE DOING INCREDIBLE THINGS EVERYDAY PEOPLE HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
SO THANK YOU FOR PRESIDENT FOR HELPING MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AGAIN, THANKS TO THE STAFF I MENTIONED EARLIER, EVERYONE BEHIND AND IN FRONT OF THE SCENES TO MAKE THIS WORK HAPPEN, AND LET'S CONTINUE TO DO IT BIGGER AND BETTER EVERY YEAR.
WHILE HE IS HERE, I DO WANT TO ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UH, I, ALONG WITH COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, WE HAD THE, UH, HONOR OF GOING TO THE ESSEX COUNTY, UH, COLLEGE GALA, WHICH WAS EXCELLENT.
UH, THEY HAD A GOOD NUMBER OF HONOREES, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, SIR, AND TO YOUR TEAM.
IT WAS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO SHOWCASE THE AMAZING STRIDES, UH, THE SCHOOL HAS BEEN DOING, UH, YOU KNOW, COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE, WITH ESSEX COUNTY GOVERNMENT AS A WHOLE.
AND WE'RE VERY PROUD TO BE THERE AND TO SEE EVEN SOME SCHOLARSHIPS DONATED THAT DAY, FULL RIDES TO OTHER SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, AS, AS WITH OUR FOUR YEAR PARTNER SCHOOLS.
AND SO WE WERE VERY EXCITED TO, TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
AND, UH, UH, COMPLIMENTS TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND HIS TEAM FOR THE ESSEX CARES PROGRAM, UH, CELEBRATION OF THE 11 NONPROFITS THAT DO A VARIETY OF, UH, WALK 5K WALKS AND, UH, RUNS AND WALKS THROUGHOUT THE VARIOUS PARKS.
EVERY ORGANIZATION THERE DOES SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS, UH, SOMEONE, WHETHER IT'S CANCER OR AUTISM OR ANY, ANYTHING IN THE SPECTRUM THAT, YOU KNOW, TOUCHES ALL OF US IN ONE FARM OR ANOTHER IN OUR LIVES WAS, UH, REALLY HUMBLING TO BE THERE AND TO SEE THE GOOD WORK BEING, UH, HAPPENING THERE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
UM, I TOO WANNA ECHO YOUR SENTIMENTS ABOUT THE ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE GALA.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. PRESIDENT FOR EXTENDING YOUR INVITATION TO US.
IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE FULL RIDE SCHOLARSHIPS AS WELL.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR AND PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO CALL ON THE BOARD IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO HELP THE KIDS IN THE INSTITUTION, INSTITUTION BE MORE IMPACTFUL.
I WANNA THANK MS. PAM FOR ALWAYS COMING OUT AND ADVOCATING FOR BURG PARK.
UM, WE ORGANIZED THE COMMUNITY AND, UM, WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, SOMETIMES WORKING ON ADMINISTRATION'S NURSE WITH BURG PARK, BUT YOU GUYS LOVE HER BECAUSE HER HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
SHE HAS BROUGHT UP SOME ITEMS THAT I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE ADDRESSED MR. JACKSON.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF WE HAVE WORKED ON THE DRAINAGE ISSUE.
MY SON PLAYS FOOTBALL THERE AND THE OTHER WEEK THEY STARTED PRACTICING AGAIN WITH ALL THAT RAIN, UM, ONE AND IT'S ONLY SEEMED TO BE HAPPENING ON HIS ONE SIDE OF THE PARK.
IT WAS, UM, A, A GOOD AMOUNT OF WATER THERE.
SO MUCH SO THAT IT IMPEDES YOU FROM ENTERING THE FILL AT THIS ONE.
IF I'M LOOKING AT THE FILL, IT'S THE LEFT HAND
[02:55:01]
SIDE, THE, THE DRAINAGE THERE JUST SEEMS TO BE A LOT DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHER AREAS OF THE PARK COMMISSIONER.SO LOOKING AT THE FIELD FROM, IF I'M LOOKING AT THE FIELD WITH THAT ORTON PARKWAY BEHIND ME YES.
UM, STRAIGHT ON AND THE CHILDREN'S PLAYGROUND IS THAT WAY.
IT'S ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, LIKE THE TRACK AND FIELD WITH THE FOOTBALL PART IS, YEAH.
THAT'S, IT'S A LOT OF STANDING WATER THERE ALL THE TIME.
AND I KNOW WE'VE MADE SOME TREMENDOUS INVESTMENTS IN THAT PART AND THE KIDS ARE STARTING TO USE IT MORE BECAUSE IT IS BEAUTIFUL.
WE PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT HARD WORK, WE DON'T WANNA SEE SOMETHING LIKE, UM, STANDING WATER, UM, MAKE, UH, A VERY POSITIVE THING BECOME NEGATIVE AND PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO GO THERE.
THE OTHER THING THAT'S HAPPENING THERE IS PEOPLE ARE WALKING THE DOGS, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE POLICE THIS, BUT THEY'RE WALKING THEIR DOGS ON THE FIELD, SO WHEN THE KIDS ARE COMING OUT, THERE'S A PLAYING PRACTICE, THEY'RE DEALING WITH DOG FECES.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE PUT UP MORE SIGNAGE, I REALLY DON'T KNOW, BUT I'M JUST WANNA PUT IT OUT THERE BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT FECAL MATTER SOMETIMES HAVE SOME NEGATIVE, UM, PARASITES WITH IT.
UM, I WOULD LIKE AN UPDATE, IF YOU CAN, ON THE REPAIRS FOR THAT SHERIFF AREA THAT WE WALKED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
I KNOW YOU GUYS WERE GOING OUT TO BID, YOU WERE CALLING, UM, COST ESTIMATES ON HOW TO FIX IT.
I WANNA KNOW IF WE STARTED DOING ANY WORK THERE.
IF SO, WHAT IS THE, UM, ESTIMATED COMPLETION, UM, TIMELINE? THAT'S IT FOR ME, MR. PRESIDENT.
I CAN, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, MR. PRESIDENT.
I CAN, I CAN JUST THE LAST ONE AND I'LL GET SOME INFORMATION FROM MR. UM, FROM OUR DPW ON THE DRAINAGE ISSUE AND ALSO THE OTHER ONES.
BUT WITH RESPECT TO THE, THE SECOND FLOOR AREA, UM, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT MR. PORE, UM, UH, DEALT WITH, NO, I'M SORRY, WITH THE, THE ELECTIONS DEALT WITH EARLIER ABOUT MOVING, UH, BOXES OUT OF THE SECOND FLOOR CAFETERIA OVER, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO DO IS CREATE SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO MOVE FROM THE SECOND FLOOR TO TEMPORARY OFFICE SPACE.
SO WE'RE CREATING THAT THERE AND ALSO ON THE THIRD FLOOR CAFETERIA.
WE, CTO WON THAT PROPOSAL AND I THINK THAT THEY HAVE, UM, I WANT TO SAY SIX MONTHS, EIGHT MONTHS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO COME UP WITH THE, UH, DESIGN.
AND ONCE THAT'S STARTED THEN WE'LL START MOVING PEOPLE OVER.
UM, BUT I WOULD SAY I'M GOING TO SOMETIME NEXT YEAR, I THINK THE PROJECT WILL BE DONE MAYBE SPILLING A LITTLE BIT UNTIL 26TH, BUT IT'S, IT'S ON ITS WAY AND THAT'S WHY, AGAIN, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DO NOW IS JUST CREATE TEMPORARY SPACE TO MOVE PEOPLE OUT AND SO WE CAN WORK.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER GILL? UH, THANK YOU, UH, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, JUST SINCE WE'RE ON SOME SPECIFIC CONSTITUENT FOLLOW UP, I'LL JUST HOP ON THE HOP ON THE TRAIN FOR THE ADMINISTRATION.
UM, THE, UM, UH, UH, I BELIEVE THIS WAS FLAGGED IN, IN MR. JACKSON, IF WE COULD JUST GET AN UPDATE.
THE, UM, AT BROOKDALE PARK, THE, UM, THE, UH, THE SMALL RETAINING WALL THAT CIRCLES, UH, IF YOU WERE TO KIND OF EXIT THE TRACK AND BE GOING UP TOWARDS, AROUND THE PLAYGROUND IS IN EXTREME DISREPAIR.
UM, THAT I, I THINK IT'S BEEN FLAGGED.
PEOPLE HAVE, I HAVE CONSTITUENTS HAVE SAID THAT THEY HAVE SUBMITTED, UH, THE PICTURES AND THIS INFORMATION TO THE, UM, THROUGH THE WEBSITE.
YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE INFORMATION THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE, UM, AS WELL AS SOME DISREPAIR WITHIN THE PLAYGROUND ITSELF.
SO I, I KNOW MAYBE IN PROCESS, BUT IF I COULD JUST GET AN UPDATE ON THAT THROUGH YOU.
JUST SPEAKING OF, UM, CONSTITUENT SERVICES ON THE PARK PIECE ACTUALLY AT YOUR INCREDIBLE 5K LAST MONTH, UH, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING ABLE TO GET, UH, AN ADDITIONAL TOUR OF WEEK WAKE PARK AND THERE'S A PARTICULAR PART OF THE PARK NEAR THE MERE AVENUE SECTION WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF ILLEGAL DUMPING TAKING PLACE.
UM, AND SO I'M WONDERING IF WE COULD, AND I DIDN'T SEE TOO MANY SIGNS OVER THERE.
I KNOW WE HAVE SIGNS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE PLACE OF THE PARK, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY THERE.
AND SO WE COULD GET SOME SIGNS ON THE ILLEGAL DUMPING AND MAYBE EVEN LIKE FENCES EVENTUALLY WOULD HELP.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME COMMUNITY ORGANIZING WORK THAT'S HAPPENING THERE TO, UH, TACKLE THAT ISSUE.
BUT IT'S REALLY DANGEROUS ACTUALLY, THE AMOUNT OF STUFF THAT WAS THERE.
AND THERE'S SO MANY, LIKE CHILDREN WHO FREQUENT THAT PART OF THE PARK IS JUST REALLY CONCERNING HOW MUCH, UH, ILLEGAL DUMPING IS TAKING PLACE IN THE, IN THE ACTUAL MATERIALS THAT ARE THERE COULD BE JUST SERIOUS HAZARD, UH, HEALTH HAZARD TO FOLKS.
SO JUST SOME I'LL FOLLOW UP ON THAT WOULD BE YOUR WRITING, JUST SO YOU WOULD KNOW.
AND THEN THERE WAS A CONCERN THAT WAS RAISED EARLIER DURING ONE OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AROUND, UH, ONE OF OUR DETENTION CENTERS IN THE ABSENCE OF A WARDEN.
AND SO JUST LOOKING TO SEE WHERE ARE WE WITH THE HIRING THERE.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES, BUT I'M SURE THE COMMISSIONERS WOULD APPRECIATE AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE ARE AS FAR AS THE HUMAN CAPITAL AND MAKING SURE THAT, UH, WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED THERE SO THAT THE CONDITIONS OF THE FACILITY CAN BE AT QUALITY.
[03:00:03]
OKAY.ANYTHING ELSE? WE'RE GOOD? I'D LIKE TO CLOSE OUT WITH, UH, CONGRATULATING MS. EVANS FIRST.
SURVIVING HER FIRST DAY HERE UP ONDALE.
WE'LL BE ROTATING SOME STAFF IN AND OUT.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE EVERYONE KIND OF CROSS TRAINED AND READY TO GO.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.