[00:00:01]
HERE.COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT ERISH HERE.
PLEASE STAND TO S SOLICIT THE FLOGGING AND ASK COMMISSIONER GIL TO LEAD US IN THE SOLUTION I, THE LEAD TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS WARM BY NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY OF JUSTICE FOR A WHILE.
I'M JUST GONNA ASK YOU TO REMAIN STANDING JUST FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND HONOR OF THOSE WHO WE'VE LOST SINCE THE LAST TIME WE CAME TOGETHER.
I HAVE BEFORE ME CERTIFICATION FOR THE DEPUTY CLERK THAT THIS MEETING IS COMPLIANT WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.
AT THIS POINT IN THE MEETING, I'D LIKE TO, UH, WELCOME 'EM ALL TO THE GREAT TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR AND I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE MAYOR, NEW MAYOR OF HISTORIC COLLECTION RECENTLY.
RENEE BASKETBALL, IF YOU CAN COME ON UP AND PLEASE SAY A FEW WORDS.
I'M SITTING IN YOUR CHAIR TODAY.
I'M HONORED TO HAVE YOU HERE IN THE GREAT TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR.
AND I, I WANNA LET YOU ALL KNOW HOW MUCH I PERSONALLY APPRECIATE YOU AND THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'VE HAD.
IT'S MY DISTINCT END HUMBLE PRIVILEGE TO WELCOME YOU TO THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR, UM, THE TOWNSHIP OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AND MUTUALITY.
AND IN REGARDS TO MUTUALITY, CERTAINLY WE EXHIBIT THAT MANY TIMES OVER WITH OUR PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE HAVE WITH, UM, ESSEX COUNTY, WITH THE, UM, STREET SYSTEMS OF 12 COUNTY STREETS THAT WE HAVE HERE WITH OUR FOUR, UM, SHARED PARKS.
FOUR, UH, ESSEX COUNTY PARKS THAT WE HAVE HERE WITH SOCIAL SERVICES THAT WE, UM, PARTICIPATE IN.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN INCREDIBLE STEWARDS AND PARTNERS, AND I'M PROUD TO CONTINUE THESE PARTNERSHIPS WITH YOU AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
I'D LIKE TO, UM, OFFER YOU THAT AFTER TONIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOUR MEETINGS GO LIKE, LIKE OURS GO UNTIL 1112 AT NIGHT,
SO IF AT THE END OF TONIGHT, UM, YOU GET AT A REASONABLE TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER YOU TO STAY IN OUR FREE TOWNSHIP.
AND, UM, IN RECOGNITION OF AUGUST, WHICH IS KNOWN AS BLACK BUSINESS MONTH, I'D LIKE TO OFFER YOU TO GO OUT AND EXPERIENCE SOME OF OUR BLACK BUSINESSES.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE OF THE, THE MONTH THAT IT IS.
AND WE CERTAINLY ARE PROUD TO HAVE DIVERSITY IN ALL AREAS OF OUR COUNTY.
AND, UM, YEAH, I, I LOOK FORWARD TO US CONTINUING AND, UM, STRENGTHENING THE PARTNERSHIPS AND EVEN THE, UH, WHAT IS IT, THE ESSEX HUDSON, UM, GREENWAY THAT WE ARE GOING TO HOPEFULLY CONTINUE TO BE WORKING ON.
AND UM, COMMISSIONER GILL, I'M PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL TO YOU 'CAUSE WE HAVE A LONG AND AND STRONG RELATIONSHIP.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR WARM WELCOME.
I DUNNO THAT ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THEY'RE THE NEW COUNCIL, SO WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING.
UH, BUT I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER PERHAPS TO MONTCLAIR'S ALL NATIVE SON, COMMISSIONER KON, IF YOU WOULD.
PERHAPS HE COULD INTRODUCE SOME, ANYONE WHO MAY BE HERE AS WELL.
THANK, THANK YOU FOR, I KNOW WE ALSO HAVE, UH, I SEE THE BOARD, UH, COUNCIL IF THEY'D LIKE TO, TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
THANK YOU FOR THIS QUICK OPPORTUNITY.
I DIDN'T NEED TO GET OUT OF YOUR AGENDA.
I'M BEFORE YOU AS A RESIDENT OF THE FOURTH WARD.
INSTEAD OF WEARING MY COUNCILWOMAN HAT, I LIVE ON WOODLAND AVENUE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM GLENFIELD PARK.
I'M HERE TO PLEASE ASK THE COMMISSIONERS TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL SAFETY AT GLENVILLE PARK.
SOME MORE SHERIFF'S OFFICERS CAN CONTROL AND MONITOR WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ACTIVITY AFTER SUN GOES DOWN.
AGAIN, I LOOK RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
SO I SEE HERE A LOT RESIDENTS HAVE SOME CONCERNS REGARDING ACTIVITIES HAPPENING INFIELD PARK.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE ENSURE THAT WE HAVE SOME MORE OFFICERS TO FOLLOW THAT AREA.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO COMMISSIONER MCGILL, WHO IS A FRIEND, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT.
EVERY TIME YOU CALL, YOU ANSWER,
[00:05:02]
UM, WHATEVER ISSUE YOU HAD IN THE PARK, YOU WERE ABLE TO MAKE A QUICK CALL.AND I APPRECIATE YOU DOING THAT.
AND I THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE, LORD.
UH, I WOULD JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO.
UH, IN THE FIRST WORD, WE HAVE OTHER BEAUTIFUL, UH, ANDERSON PARK IN THE IRISH GARDENS, WHICH ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF OUR WARD.
UH, AND, UH, SOME GRAY COUNTY ROADS AND OTHER THINGS THAT YOU DO.
AND SO IF THEY EVER DON'T WORK, I'LL, I'LL BE IN TOUCH.
AND, AND VICE VERSA,
UH, THANK YOU, OF COURSE, TO THE, UM, ELECTED COUNCIL.
FOLKS OF COURSE ARE, UH, MAYOR DR.
VACAVILLE, UM, WHO'S FAMILIAR TO MANY OF US, UH, HERE, UM, YOU KNOW, STARTING TO GET A LITTLE NOSTALGIC.
I WAS GONNA ASK, UH, FORMER MAYOR JACKSON, IF YOU WANTED TO
UM, AND, UH, I WOULD BE, UH, REMISS IF, UM, UH, UH, IF I DID NOT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE ANOTHER PERSON ON THIS DAY WHO HAS A, A DEEP TIE TO, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY TO OUR COUNTY, BUT TO THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR, OUR DEPUTY
SO, AGAIN, UM, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU, UH, TO EACH OF YOU FOR THOSE KIND WORDS.
UM, AND WE'LL BE SURE TO FOLLOW UP.
AND, UH, THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT FOR ALL.
UM, REINSTITUTING, WHICH I THINK IS A, A CRITICAL SERVICE, NOT ONLY FOR MONTCLAIR, BUT FOR, UH, OUR COUNTY WHERE WE CAN BRING THESE MEETINGS, UH, AS CLOSE TO THE PUBLIC AND, AND TRY TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS A, AS A LIFELONG, UH, MONTCLAIR, UH, RESIDENT, UM, I'M HONORED TO BE ABLE TO SERVE ON THIS BOARD, UH, COMMUNITY, OF COURSE, AS A, I REPRESENT THE ENTIRE COUNTY, BUT THIS COURSE IS COMMUNITY HAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART.
AND, UH, THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT FOR, UH, CONTINUING THAT TRADITION OF ALLOWING MR.
SO WITH THAT, UM, WE WILL TRY TO BE A TAD SHORTER THAN THE MONTCLAIR TOWNSHIP COUNCIL
SO, UM, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE, WHO WAS ABLE TO JOIN.
UM, UH, I ALSO SEE, UH, FROM THE TOWNSHIP HALL FOR FACTS.
WANNA GET SHOT, BRIAN SCAN IN THE BACK.
SO PEOPLE, I'LL PROBABLY NAME THE WHOLE, THE END NAME, THE WHOLE ROOM.
BUT, UM, UH, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US, UH, TO MAYOR, TO THE, TO THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND TO THE TOWNSHIP ADMINISTRATION FOR HOSTING US.
UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THE GREAT PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE, UH, HAVE HAD AND CONTINUE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO HAVE IN WORKING TOGETHER.
AND, UH, CERTAINLY, UH, I'M NEXT DOOR IN BLOOMFIELD AND I DID SPEND A GOOD NUMBER OF YEARS WORKING HERE IN WHAT USED TO BE CALLED THE MONTCLAIR HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
SO CERTAINLY MONTCLAIR IS NO STRANGER TO ME.
AND, UH, MY WIFE, UH, GREW UP NEXT DOOR IN GLEN RIDGE.
SO MONICA HAS BEEN A LONG TIME HOME FOR ME, A TRANSPLANT FROM WATSON COUNTY, UH, BY WAY OF, UH, UNION CITY TO
UH, MONICA IS VERY WELCOMING TOWN FOR ALL OF US HERE.
UH, NOW IT'S A PLEASANT SHE DONE, DONE.
YOU PROBABLY WILL YELL AT US AT PUBLIC THE COMMENT, AND THAT'S OKAY.
YOU'LL GET THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
BUT DEPUTY CLERK, YOU WILL, UH, WILL GIVE YOU ALL THAT INFORMATION.
UM, AT THIS POINT, MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO BE APPROVED? I, YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE FOUR, UH, FROM THE APRIL 20TH, AUGUST 3RD, SEPTEMBER 14TH AND OCTOBER 12TH, 2022.
COMMISSIONER, DO YOU, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO YOU HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE TRANSCRIPT? I'LL MOVE IT.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER LUCIANO, SECOND BY MERCADO.
DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GI? YES.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT RO? YES.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO TOPICS OF DISCUSSION.
DEPUTY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY? NO.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A COMBINED CONFERENCE BOARD MEETING, AND WE WILL VOTE AN 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 AND 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.
SO I ASK YOU PLEASE LET ME A COMMENT AT THIS TIME TO AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.
[00:10:01]
OKAY.DEPUTY, QUICK, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THERE'S NO TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
SO, SO LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE OF INTRODUCTIONS AND FIRST READING.
UH, LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR THIS AND PURPOSES OF, DO WE HAVE ANY NO, MR. PRESIDENT.
DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCE RESOLUTION ON SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING TENDER? YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE TWO ORDINANCE O 22 2 4 0 11 AND ORDINANCE.
LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 11.
AND YOU'LL REGRET TO THE RECORD ADVOCATE TIME.
I HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH ZERO 11 OPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR AFFILIATION AND YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, YOU WILL HAVE TO BE GONNA SPEAK SEAT NONE.
MR. CARLO, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS MR. MACINA? NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER, IF ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY.
COMMISSIONS DO HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND ORDINANCE O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 11.
SECOND BY GI DO I HAVE THE SAME MOVER AND SECOND? YES.
WE WILL CALL MICHAEL DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 12.
IT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT LENGTH TIME.
I HEREBY DECLARE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 2 OPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MIND FROM CITY NAME AFFILIATION TO THE RECORD.
WE'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES OF SPEAK.
STEVE, UH, MR. PAR, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, JUST A COMMENT, MR. PRESIDENT.
THIS WAS DISCUSSED AT LENGTH AT THE LAST MEETING WE HAD, WHAT WAS INTRODUCED.
THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE SALARY ORDINANCE AFFECTING THE POSITION OF THE CLERK, OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
IT IS, UH, ADJUSTING THE SALARY RANGE TO BEING A LITTLE CLOSER WITH OTHERS.
SIMILARLY SITUATED, UH, PROFESSIONALS IN THE COUNTY.
UH, THIS PARTICULAR RANGE HADN'T BEEN ADJUSTED, UH, IN YEARS.
SO, UH, THAT WAS THE REASONING FOR THIS.
ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS, YOUR HONOR.
COMMISSIONER, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, SIR? COMMISSIONER GIL.
OKAY, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THE, JUST, UH, FOR YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, UM, THIS AGAIN, YOU SAID, LESLIE, THIS IS ONLY SETTING THE RANGE.
UM, IT DOES NOT, THE, THE NEGOTIATION WOULD STILL HAVE TO HAPPEN WITH A, UM, WITH A PERSON WAS FILLING THAT POSITION.
THIS JUST SETS THE FLOOR AND THE CEILING, UH, OF WHAT THE SALARY CAN BE.
IT DOES NOT DETERMINE WHAT AN INDIVIDUAL'S, UH, SALARY WOULD BE.
JUST, IT WOULD BE WITHIN THAT RANGE OR SUMMARY.
AND, AND IT AFFECTS WHICH TIME PERIOD.
UH, WAS EFFECTIVE AS OF JULY 1ST.
ANY OTHER QUESTION? MR. DO HAVE, UH, SO A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE OH DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 2.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS, SECOND.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
DO I HAVE THE SAME MOVER? AND SECOND TO APPROVE.
ROLL CALL BY THE DEPUTY CLARK.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT PALMED.
MAD DEPUTY CLERK RESOLUTION ONE HAS BEEN DRAWN BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 2.7, WHICH ARE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS RECREATION AND CONSTABLE FRED AND
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, MR. ZAS WILL HANDLE RESIDE.
JOSHUA ZA, S COUNTY PARKS NUMBER TWO AND NUMBER THREE ARE RELATED.
AND THEN NUMBER TWO IS A PARTIAL FUNDING SOURCE FOR NUMBER THREE.
UH, NUMBER TWO IS, UH, BUDGET INSERTION FROM THEOLOGICAL SOCIETY IN NEW JERSEY IN THE AMOUNT OF $250,000 THAT WILL BE USED, UH, TO HELP FUND NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS AN AWARD TO SOUND TECHNOLOGIES, UH, TO
[00:15:01]
FURNISH AND DELIVER A NEW, UM, NEUROLOGIC, I'M JUST GONNA SAY CAT SCAN MACHINE.UM, AND THE AMOUNT OF, UH, $943,193 AND 50 CENTS.
WE DO HAVE OUR ZOO DIRECTOR HERE, UM, WHO COULD, UH, EXPLAIN MORE INTRICATELY WHAT THE MACHINE WILL DO.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR RECORD.
HI, JILLIAN FAZIO, S COUNTY TRAIL BAPTIST ZOO DIRECTOR.
UM, WE ARE ACQUIRING A CT SCAN MACHINE, WHICH WILL HELP US TO PERFORM DIAGNOSTICS IN OUR NEW ANIMAL WELLNESS CENTER.
UM, THIS WILL ELEVATE OUR ABILITY TO RUN DIAGNOSTICS ON GROUNDS.
RIGHT NOW, IF WE NEED TO USE A CT MACHINE, WHICH WE'VE HAD TO DO NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE TO TAKE THE ANIMALS OFF GROUNDS TO OTHER FACILITIES, SOMETIMES TO OTHER STATES REQUIRING PERMITTING, UM, AND ESCORTS IF IT'S A DANGEROUS ANIMAL.
SO, UM, THIS WILL ALLOW US TO DO ALL OF THAT DIAGNOSTICS ON GROUNDS.
UH, MR. PAR? ANY QUESTION? NO QUESTION MS. MCNA? NO QUESTION.
MRS. ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT CYNTHIA HERE? I'M GOOD.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS QUESTION.
JOSHUA ZA CHESTER COUNTY PARKS NUMBER 4, 5, 6, AND SEVEN, UH, ARE ALL QUASI RELATED AND THAT THEY'RE FUNDING SOURCES FOR ITEMS LATER IN THE AGENDA.
UH, SPECIFICALLY NUMBER FOUR IS, UH, NUMBER FOUR IS, UH, AUTHORIZATION U COUNTY RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND, UH, TO FUND THE WEAK QUAKE PARK, UH, TO FUND THE DESIGN OF THE WEAK QUAKE PARK TENNIS AND BASKETBALL COURTS.
NUMBER FIVE, THE AUTHORIZATION TO USE THE ESA COUNTY RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND TO FUND THE DESIGN SERVICES FOR THE PICNIC AREA AT THE SOUTH MOUNTAIN RESERVATION, NOT TO EXCEED 225,000.
NUMBER SIX, UH, AGAIN FROM THE RECREATIONAL OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND AUTHORIZATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $199,500 TO, UH, FUND THE DESIGN OF THE RENOVATION OF THE SEA LION HABITAT.
AND FINALLY, NUMBER SEVEN IS THE AUTHORIZATION FROM THE ES COUNTY RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND TO FUND THE DESIGN OF THE
AS I MENTIONED, UH, ALL FOUR OF THOSE ITEMS ARE ON THE AGENDA, UH, SHORTLY.
BUT, UH, SINCE WE DO HAVE THE ZOO DIRECTOR HERE, UM, SHE IS A VOLUNTEER TO SPEAK ABOUT BOTH THE AUSTRALIAN HABITAT PROJECT AS WELL AS THE, UM, RENOVATION OF THE SEA LION.
SO JILLIAN
UM, THE AUSTRALIA HABITAT RENOVATION IS MOSTLY A GUEST SAFETY, UM, RENOVATION.
SO WE'LL BE REORGANIZING THE BOARDWALK, UM, WHICH HAS DETERIORATED OVER TIME AND GIVING GUESTS MORE ACCESS TO OUR, UM, PLAYGROUND AREA.
AND THE FARM IS WITHIN THE EXISTING FOOTPRINT OF THE WALL YARD, UM, AND THE AVIARY AREA.
AND THEN THE SEA LION SOUND RENOVATION, UM, IS DUE TO DETERIORATION OF THAT EXHIBIT AS WELL.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, NEEDING TO DO RENOVATIONS TO FIX IT UP.
COMMISSIONER
JUST FOR CONTEXT, FOR THE OPEN TRUST FUND, UH, RESOURCES TYPICALLY, ARE THEY USUALLY USED FOR, UH, INITIATIVES LIKE THIS AS FAR AS REHABILITATION OF PROJECTS THAT HAVE KIND OF GONE, UM, UNDER SERVICE IN SOME WAY OR IN THE RENOVATION? AND THEN ALSO, IS THIS A RENEWABLE TYPE OF GRANT OR IS THIS A MORE, A ONE TIME OPPORTUNITY? SO I'M GONNA LET JOSH ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
SO THE RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND, UM, IS, UH, ANY, IT IS BASICALLY FOR ANY KIND OF IMPROVEMENT, UH, TO TAKE PLACE WITHIN THE ES COUNTY PARK SYSTEM.
UH, HISTORICALLY WE'VE USED THAT FUNDING SOURCE FOR VARIOUS DESIGN, UH, DESIGN FOR VARIOUS IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
WE'VE ALSO USED THE TRUST FUND, UH, TO ACTUALLY FUND THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ONCE WE GET THOSE BACK, BACK FROM THE BIDDERS.
BUT IT'LL BE A ONE TIME ALLOCATION FOR THAT SPECIFIC PROJECT.
COMMISSIONER? I'M SORRY, MR. AK AND, AND, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT IF THIS WAS, UH, EMBEDDED IN YOUR QUESTION, BUT THE SOURCE I KNOW, AND I'M ASKING THIS QUESTION, STOP ME IF YOU KNOW THE ANSWER BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW THIS NUMBER OF COURT.
THE OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND IS, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S PENNY OR A PENNY AND A HALF THAT COMES, UH, THROUGH YOU.
I BELIEVE IT'S A PENNY AND A HALF NOW.
AND IT COMES OUT OF, UM, TAXES THAT RAISED PENNY AND A HALF FOR EVERY A HUNDRED DOLLARS OF ASSESSED PROPERTY.
SO, AND THAT'S HOW THAT, SO YES, IT IS RENEWABLE EVERY TIME, UH, TAX.
[00:20:03]
OKAY, COMMISSIONER, GO.I, MR. PRESIDENT ON THE CLINE EXHIBIT, UM, HOW, HOW OLD IS THAT EXHIBIT? UH, THREE, MR. PRESIDENT JUSTICE, UH, APPROXIMATELY 10 YEARS, GIVE OR TAKE.
SO THESE, THE RE THESE RENOVATIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING FOR NEW, FOR NEW HABITAT OR FOR, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY STRONG WEAR AND TEAR ON THE EXHIBIT ITSELF.
SO THE HABITAT HAS SIGNIFICANT WEAR AND TEAR DUE TO THE SALT WATER THAT'S BEEN USED.
SO OVER TIME, THAT REALLY DETERIORATES THE GUN AID AND ALL THE EQUIPMENT.
UM, SO IT'S NECESSARY RENOVATIONS TO MAINTAIN THE SPACE.
UM, AND WE'RE LOOKING TO PUT, UH, DIFFERENT SPECIES IN THERE SO THAT THE HABITAT WILL LAST LONGER.
UH, HOW, HOW LONG WOULD THIS HABITAT BE? HOW LONG WOULD THIS HABITAT LAST? I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN GIVE AN ACCURATE ANSWER.
IT IS NOT REDONE OR, OR RENOVATED YET.
BUT, UM, OUR GOAL WITH LIKE RENOVATING NEW HABITATS IS ANYWHERE BETWEEN 15 AND 20 YEARS.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY'LL NEED SOME SORT OF UPDATE AT SOME POINT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL IS THAT IT'S LASTING FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
SO, UH, DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE TWO THROUGH SEVEN? I'LL MOVE IT.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MERCADO.
ROLL CALL COURT TWO THROUGH SEVEN.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
JUST WANT TO KNOW FOR THE RECORD, UH, MR. ZON BEFORE FIVE 30
I'M, I'M JUST SAYING PAT COMFY HERE TO, TO MOVE MY ITEMS. I, SHE SAID SO, MR. PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER, HE, HE'S NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE YET? NO, HE'S GONNA HAVE TO SIT HERE.
MAD JUDGE, LET'S MOVE ON TO 18, 16 AND 42, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
AND IT'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON, I ASSUME THAT THE VOICE OF ESSEX COUNTY, MR. ANTONIO IS GONNA BE READING THESE.
DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ADAM NUMBER EIGHT, AWARDS AIR SYSTEM MAINTENANCE INCORPORATED A TWO YEAR CONTRACT TO PROVIDE MISCELLANEOUS HVAC SYSTEM REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE AT VARIOUS ESSEX COUNTY BUILDINGS ON A AS NEEDED BASIS AND AMOUNT.
AIR SYSTEMS INCORPORATED SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE FOR BIDS OF THE RECEIPT.
WE DO HAVE MR. MARKS AT THE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE THIS COMPANY AND PERHAPS ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE MARKS JUDY, JUST PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY, THE CONTRACT, AND HOW MANY ENS COUNTY EMPLOYEES AND RELATIONSHIP YOU HAVE.
UH, I WORK FOR AIR SYSTEMS MAINTENANCE.
WE'RE AT SEVEN 18 JEFFERSON AVENUE,
WE HAVE, UH, 28, UH, TRUCKS ON THE ROAD.
AND WE DO HAVE FIVE ESSEX COUNTY THAT LIVE MOSTLY ESSEX COUNTY POLICE.
UM, I'VE BEEN WITH THE COMPANY 20 YEARS AND WE'VE HAD SEVERAL PROJECTS IN ESSEX COUNTY.
I WAS ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN WARD SMITH PUBLIC SAFETY, AND WE DO A LOT OF COUNTY WORK.
BUR BERG AND HUDSON BRIDGEWATER.
UM, SO WE'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.
WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE GOOD RECORD OF WHAT WE DO.
MR. BECKER, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS IN REFERENCE TO THE PARADE.
ANTONIO, DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ADAM NUMBER NINE ALLOWS FOR THE RESURFACING OF THE TENNIS AND BASKETBALL COURTS THAT WE CREEK PARKING NORTH, ALONG WITH OTHER SITE AND LIGHTING UPGRADES BY AWARDING A CONTRACT TO SHORT TOP CONSTRUCTION IN AN AMOUNT THAT TO EXCEED $861,980.
SHORT TOP CONSTRUCTION SUBMITTED ACTUALLY THE SOLE BID.
THIS PUBLICLY ADVERTISED OPPORTUNITY IN THIS CONTRACT WILL NOT EXCEED
WE DO HAVE, UH, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM SHOUP CONSTRUCTION ALSO HERE THIS EVENING.
AND HE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO, UH, INTRODUCE THIS COMPANY, PERHAPS
[00:25:01]
ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE HAVE.PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION.
I'M A, UH, AN EMPLOYEE FOR SHORT TOP INSTRUCTION.
UM, WE'VE DONE QUITE A FEW JOBS IN THIS, UH, ESSEX COUNTY, GROVER CLEVELAND, UH, IRVINGTON PARK.
UM, WE'RE DOING, WE DID GLENFIELD, UH, ALSO VERONA.
WE RESURFACED THE COURT COURTS THERE.
SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING IS RESURFACING, UH, THE COURTS, BASKETBALL COURTS.
WE, THERE'S ALSO A, A, AN ELECTRICIAN, UH, CONTRACT THAT'S UNRELATED, I GUESS, OR PART OF IT.
BUT, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE RESURFACING AND BE PUTTING IN ALL NEW, UH, GARBAGE CANS.
THEY'RE GONNA BE SOLAR POWERED, UM, COMPRESSION GARBAGE CANS AND WHATNOT.
AND THEN NEW PAINT AND FENCING AROUND THESE CORDS.
CAN YOU TELL US WHERE YOU'RE BASED AND NUMBER? YES.
WE'RE BASED OUT OF, UH, FARMINGDALE, NEW JERSEY.
AND WE HIRE LOCALLY AS DEPENDING WHERE WE ARE.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE NUMEROUS PEOPLE THAT WE WORK IN DIFFERENT, IF WE'RE WORKING IN SOUTH JERSEY, WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM THERE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
WE FIRED QUITE A FEW PEOPLE FOR WHEN WE'RE DOING THESE JOBS.
THIS, PAUL, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
MR. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY.
SO YOU SAID THE, UH, WORK INCLUDES PAINTING AND FENCING? YES.
SURFACE AFTER THE NEW ASPHALT, AND THEN IT HAS TO WAIT 90, UH, 90 DAYS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN IT'S ALL NEW PAINTING, STRIPING, NEW NETS, UH, ALL.
AND THOSE COLORS ARE PROBABLY CONSISTENT WITH THE ONES THAT CURRENTLY EXIST? WELL, YEAH, USUALLY, USUALLY THE, THE COUNTIES, THEY, THEY GO THROUGH WHAT COLORS THEY WANT.
JUST LIKE IN IRVINGTON, THOSE COLORS, IF YOU SEE THAT PART THERE.
YEAH, NO, I, I GREW UP IN THE PARK, SO THAT'S WHY I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT IF IT WERE, IF IT WAS CONSISTENT WITH, WELL CURRENTLY IS THERE, OR IF IT'S A NEW VISION.
UM, AND MAY BE SOMEONE FROM THE, UH, THE DEPARTMENT COULD SPEAK TO THIS TOO, BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT, AND MAYBE IT'S NOT NECESSARILY AS RELEVANT 'CAUSE IT'S MAINLY AROUND PAINTING AND FENCING, BUT WE ARE DOING, YOU KNOW, CONSTRUCTION OR REDEVELOPMENT AND THESE PARTS ARE ASSOCIATED TO THE FOLKS THERE.
IS THERE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT INPUT ON WHAT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND IS IT REFLECTING, UH, WHAT PEOPLE AROUND THERE ARE AND USE THE PARK ACTUALLY WANT IT TO LOOK LIKE? UM, AND SO MAYBE THAT'S NOT PRECISELY IN YOUR VIEWPOINT BECAUSE, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO OPEN THE FLOOR TO SPEAK TO THAT IF YOU COULD.
ANTONIO, CAN YOU ADDRESS, UH, IT'S DAVID AN ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, THIS IS SAME MAINTENANCE PROJECT AND IT'S REPLACING IN KIND, HOWEVER, LIKE I MENTION, THERE ARE PUBLIC PROJECTS WHICH ARE FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGING APART, BUT ADDING THINK FOR CREATING NEW SPACES FOR THE PUBLIC.
IN THOSE INSTANCES, WE DO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE PUBLIC, UH, INPUT.
AND ALSO THE PART HAS VARIOUS, UM, THAT YOUR NAME, BUT THIS ASSOCIATIONS IN THE PARKS AND, UH, WE TAP INTO THAT KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT'S LOCALLY PREFERRED.
SO THERE'S ALWAYS INPUT COMING UP TO THE DECISION MAKING.
DESIGN PROJECTS ARE PERMANENTLY CHANGING THE PARK TONIGHT, BUT FIRST DOING IS MORE OF A MAINTENANCE
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, THANK YOU.
UH, DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 10, AWARDS BA ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR.
THE CONTRACTOR PERFORMED THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM UPGRADES AT THE ESSEX COUNTY PUBLIC OF RECORD AND THE ANNEX BUILDINGS IN NORTH AND AN ELECTRIC SEAT, $559,000.
THE PROPOSED WORK INCLUDES NEW FIRE, SMOKE AND HEAT DETECTORS, DUCT SYSTEM, SMOKE DETECTORS, MANUAL PULL STATIONS, SPEAKERS AND SCROLL LIGHTING, AND THE NEW MONITORING CONTROL MODULE VA ELECTRICAL SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE THREE BIDS RECEIVED.
THIS CONTRACT WILL LAST 180 DAYS.
MR. GEORGE SAR
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE ABOUT AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND THE PROJECT.
MY NAME IS GEORGE
WE ARE NOT A BIG COMPANY, UH, BUT, UH, WE, UH, HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY.
ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO, WE DID, UH, A NEW FILE ALARM PROJECT IN THE VETERANS COURTHOUSE.
ALSO, WE HAVE A CURRENT PROJECT RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE SERVICE CONTRACT WITH THE WHOLE ESSEX COUNTY.
UM, OUR WORK, 20% OF WORKFORCE IS BASED, UH, IN ESSEX COUNTY ALSO.
[00:30:02]
UH, MR. PARLEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS MR. MAC? NO QUESTION.COMMISSIONERS ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
GOING ON TO NUMBER 11, DAVID ANTONIO, THE T PUBLIC WORKS, ADAM 11 AWARDS FRENCH AND P ASSOCIATES.
THE CONTRACT TO DESIGN ENGINEER THE IMPROVEMENT TO THE PICNIC AREA AT THE SOUTH MOUNTAIN RESERVATION IN MILL AND AMOUNT ELECTRIC EXCEED $225,000.
THIS CONTRACT ALSO INCLUDES INSPECTION SERVICES, WHICH WOULD BE NEEDED DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE OF THE PROJECT.
GRETCHEN PERELLO SUBMITTED THE HIGHEST SCORING OF THE THREE PROPOSALS WE SEE IN RESPONSE TO THE PROJECTS ADVERTISED, RFP AND MR. MICHAEL PEGA IS ALSO HERE THIS EVENING.
YOU WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF, THE COMPANY, AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GOOD EVENING.
JUST PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME UNTIL WE ANSWER FOR THE RECORD.
I'M THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT FOR FRENCH AND PRO.
UH, OUR COMPANY'S BEEN AROUND FOR ABOUT 50 YEARS NOW.
UH, WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF WORK UP IN ESSEX COUNTY OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, UM, RANGING FROM THE TURTLEBACK ZOO TO QUA PARK AND OTHER, OTHER EXHIBITS THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED.
SO IN, IN THE CASE OF THIS PROJECT, UH, WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE RFP, THEY'RE LOOKING TO, UH, CHANGE OUT THE, UH, PAVILIONS THAT ARE EXISTING IN THERE AND TO UPGRADE THE BATHROOMS AND TO DO OTHER LITTLE PARK, UH, UPDATES IN THAT AREA.
NO QUESTIONS MR. ANI? NO QUESTION.
COMMISSIONS COMMISSION AGAIN PRESIDENT.
UM, AND NONE OF THIS, UM, WILL RECEIVE THE, THE CURRENT, NONE OF THE WORK PLAINTIFF SEE THE CURRENT, CORRECT? CORRECT.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO NUMBER 12 RIGHT HERE.
WE SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SEA LION EARLIER, BUT I, I DON'T, UM, DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 13, AWARDS FRENCH AND PARALLEL ASSOCIATES.
CONTRACT TO DESIGN ENGINEER THE AUSTRALIAN HABITAT FOR AFFILIATION IMPROVEMENTS AT WALL YARD AND 80 AREA OF THE TURTLEBACK.
SO IN WEST ORANGE AND ON
THIS CONTRACT ALSO INCLUDES INSPECTION SERVICES ATED THROUGH CONSTRUCTION BASED ON THE PROJECT, SUBMITTED THE SOLE PROPOSAL TO RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THE PROJECT'S ADVERTISED RFP.
AGAIN, MR. PEGA HERE TO CUT FROM THE SCOPE OF WORK AND DESCRIBE PERHAPS WITH IMPROVEMENTS.
WELL, WE SPOKE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENTS.
YOUR, LEMME JUST GO BACK TO QUESTIONS.
UH, MR. PAR, YOU, ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T MR. BECK COURSE WE HONOR EARLIER COMMISSION WE SPOKE WITH.
WE ABOUT ANTONIO, WE MOVE ON TO NUMBER 14.
MS. ELLO, AGAIN, I THINK I SKIPPED ONE.
YEAH, 11 IS SOUTH MOUNTAIN, THE PICNIC AREA.
THE SEA LINE IS THE NEXT ONE IS NUMBER 12.
SO DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 12 AWARDS FRENCH AND PERELLO.
THE CONTRACT IS SAND ENGINEER, THE IMPROVEMENTS TO HOUSE
LION SOUND AT AXIO, THE WEST ORANGE AND AN AMOUNT THAT WE RECEIVED.
THIS CONTRACT ALSO INCLUDES THE INSPECTING SERVICES, WHICH WILL BE REQUIRED DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PROJECT.
DIRECTOR PERO SUBMITTED THE SOLE PROPOSAL RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THE PROJECT'S ADVERTISED RFP AND MR. MICHAEL PGA IS HERE WITH THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SCOPE OF WORK.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THE S EARLIER.
SO LET'S TELL US ABOUT THE UPGRADE.
WHAT'S SAY YOU OVER? WHAT'S THAT? TELL US ABOUT, UH, THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT.
SO THIS SPECIFIC PROJECT, UH, AGAIN, IT'S UH, IT'S ORIGINALLY THE SEA LINES.
THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE UP TO THE LEMURS AND THE TORTOISES.
UH, WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THE TANK IS GONNA BE REDUCED DOWN WITH WATER.
IT'S GONNA BE OPEN TO THE ANIMALS THAT THEY'RE GONNA PUT A NEW TREE WITH NETTING ACROSS IT.
BUT THE, UH, LEMURS CAN GET AROUND, THE PEOPLE CAN SEE IT.
UH, THEY'RE GONNA REDO THE CIRCULATION IN THE AREA.
UM, BUT WE'RE ALSO GONNA MAINTAIN MOST OF THE STRUCTURE THERE ABOUT A DAY.
WHAT EXACTLY IS LEER? A LEMUR IS, IF
[00:35:01]
YOU SAW MADAGASCAR, HE'S THE KING.I GOT, THAT'S THE EASIEST WAY SAW.
BUT I THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. PARLIN.
YOU, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY OTHER ANIMAL QUESTIONS? OKAY, THAT SOUNDS GOOD.
JUST ANTONIO, WE'LL GET BACK ON TRACK HERE.
UH, DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 14 AWARDS, VIP SPECIAL SERVICES.
THE CONTRACT TO PRESSURE WATER, VARIOUS ESSEX COUNTY FACILITIES AND AN AMOUNT METRIC SEAT $137,160.
THESE FACILITIES INCLUDE THE ROOF OF THE CODY ARENA, WEST GAR.
ALSO THE PARKING DECKS OF THE TURTLEBACK SUIT COMPLEX AS WELL AS THE PARKING LOT AT THE RECORD.
UH, THE TOTAL RECORDS COMPLEX, UH, VFP SPECIAL SERVICES SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE THREE BITS RECEIVED.
AND THIS CONTRACT WILL LAST 120 DAYS.
UH, VIP SPECIAL SERVICES IS SS COUNTY AND MINORITY OWNED COMPANY LOCATED IN ORANGE.
ITEM NUMBER 15 ALLOWS FOR THE PURCHASE OF A NEW LEICA M 2 0 5 STEREO MICROSCOPE BY AWARDING I MILLER PRECISION OPTICAL INSTRUMENT, A CONTRACT IN THE AMOUNT OF $41,585.
THIS MICROSCOPE WILL BE USED BY THE COUNTY'S BIOLOGISTS WORKING IN THE DIVISION OF MOSQUITO CONTROL FOR MOSQUITO SAMPLE SPECIES AND SEX IDENT IDENTIFICATION, WHICH REQUIRED DATA TO BE COLLECTED AND SUBMITTED TO THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
PRECISION APPLICABLE INSTRUMENTS MUST THE SOLE BIDDER FOR THIS PUBLICLY ADVERTISED OPPORTUNITY.
THIS PURCHASE IS FULLY GRANT FUNDED.
ITEM NUMBER 16, AUTHORIZES INCREASING TURCO FLOW SLOPES EXISTING CONTRACT TO CONSTRUCT A NEW SOCCER FIELD AND OTHER BOTH FIELD IMPROVEMENTS AT BEBO PARK BY AN ADDITIONAL $166,574 EXCHANGE ORDER WILL INCREASE THE CONTRACTS AND ACTUALLY EXCEED AMOUNT FROM 2,759,890 TO 2 MILLION, NOT HUNDRED 26,464, WHICH REPRESENTS A 6% INCREMENT.
THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS WILL COVER THE UNFOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE APPLICATION OF 115,000 SQUARE FEET OF GRASS, SEA VERSUS GRASS.
SO TO BE USING THE OUTFIELDS AND SURROUNDING AREAS FOR THE FACEBOOK FACILITY.
ANY QUESTIONS OF THIS
WE HAVE 42 MINUTES AT THE END.
DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SPORTS.
I WAS TRYING TO GET YOU MR. TO GO HANG OUT AFTER THIS AREA.
SO,
ITEM NUMBER 42 AWARDS, MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL.
THE CONTRACT TO PERFORM THE ESSEX COUNTY ROADWAY SAFETY ACTION HAND IN AN AMOUNT THAT YOU EXCEED $400,000 WITH ALL THE PLAN TO GENERATE A LIST OF COUNTYWIDE PRIORITY ROADWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH WILL BE PROJECTS THAT CAN BE ELIGIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTATION TO THE FEDERAL, STATE, UH, SAFE STREETS AND RULES FOR ALL PROGRAMS. MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL SUBMITTED THE HIGHEST SCORING OF THE TWO PROPOSALS RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THIS PROJECTS ADVERTISED.
RP THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN IS FUNDED THROUGH A GRANT FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
MICHAEL BAKER'S KREER IS ALSO HERE THIS EVENING.
WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THIS COMPANY AND PERHAPS EXPLAIN BETTER THAN I CAN, BUT THE SAFETY ACTION PLAN CONNECTED TO US.
AND YOU SAID THAT THE GRANT FUNDED? YES.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD AND TELL US ABOUT THE PLAN.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME OKAY? ALRIGHT.
WE TRY TO CRASH DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
I'M A PROFESSIONAL PLANNER WITH MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL.
UH, WE'RE A LARGE ENGINEER IN FRONT THIS MAKING PRESENCE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
WE HAVE ABOUT 45 EMPLOYEES IN OUR GATEWAY CENTER, UH, OFFICE.
WE ALSO INCLUDE A WOMAN, LAND FIRM COMMERCIAL PLANNING ASSOCIATES, NWSP.
AND WSP ALSO HAS SIGN PRESENCE IN OFFICE AT THE GATEWAY CENTER.
[00:40:01]
UM, WE WORKED PREVIOUSLY WITH MR. ANTONIO TO PREPARE THE ESSEX 2045 TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN.THAT'S AN UPDATE FROM THE PREVIOUS PLAN.
THAT'S A, THE MASTER PLAN IN TERMS MASTER PLAN FOR ESSEX COUNTY.
AND THAT PLAN REALLY ESTABLISHED THE NEED FOR THIS STUDY.
UM, WE FOUND THAT SAFETY, PERSONAL MOBILITY AND DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACTS EQUITY COMMUNITIES WITH SIGNIFICANT FACTORS THAT NEEDED MORE STUDY, MORE EFFORT AND PRIORITIZATION OF SPECIFIC TYPE OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.
UM, SO WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD FAMILIARITY WITH DAVID, THE PLANNING, STAFFING.
UM, THESE TYPES OF STUDIES TYPICALLY IDENTIFY THAT A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION.
SO I I BELIEVE ONE, ONE EXAMPLE IS FROM PHILADELPHIA.
THEY FOUND MORE THAN 50% OF THESE SEVERE CRASHES OCCURRED ON JUST ABOUT 15% OF THE WORKPLACE.
SO THIS PROCESS, IT'S A DATA DRIVEN COMMUNITY LED PROCESS.
WE USE OUR, UM, CRASH DATA THAT'S PROVIDED BY NEW JERSEY EOT.
WE LOOK AT THE ROADWAY FEATURES AND CHARACTERISTICS, THE TYPE OF TRIPS PEOPLE MAKE, DEMOGRAPHIC MAKEUP OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND WE USE THOSE FACTORS TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE RISK IS GREATEST, WHERE THE NEED IS GREATEST, AND WHERE THAT IMPACTS THE EQUITY COMMUNITIES ARE GREATEST AND PRIORITIZE THE PROJECTS.
SO WHAT IT DOES IS ENABLES US, INSTEAD OF FIXING, YOU KNOW, EVERY ROAD IN EVERY INTERSECTION, WE CAN FIND A SMALL NUMBER SPREAD ACROSS THE CAN BASED ON THOSE FACTORS.
YOU GET BASICALLY THE BEST BANG FOR THE BUCKETS.
IT'S THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE, UH, UH, WAY TO DO THIS.
UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING IN THE MEADOWLANDS, UH, MIDDLESEX COUNTY.
WE'RE, WE'RE ALMOST DONE WITH A SIMILAR STUDY IN, UH, ATLANTIC CITY.
AND WE'LL BE DOING ONE IN COUNTY AS WELL.
SO WE HAVE A REAL GOOD FAMILIARITY WITH THE PROCESS, WITH METHODOLOGIES AND WITH, UM,
SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S THAT BIG PICTURE PLAN ANSWERING QUESTIONS.
DO YOU WORK AT ALL WITH
WELL, THE, UH, WE JUST COMPLETED, UH, WE JUST COMPLETED THREE STUDIES WITH THAT.
WE HAD 6 24 5 TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
WE COMPLETED, UH, BY NEWARK BICYCLE MASTER PLAN FOR THE CITY OF NEWARK, UM, AND SOMERSET COUNTY TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN.
SO I WORKED VERY MUCH WITH THEM.
I MANAGED ONE AND MANAGED AT LEAST 10 UH, TRANSPORTATION PLAN STUDIES ACROSS, UH, JT WATER COUNTY SIX, UH, SOMER
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IN SAFE HERE.
NOW REMEMBER, THIS STUDY IS ACTUALLY FUNDED BY A FEDERAL HIGHWAY GRANT.
TPA WOULD
BUT THEY'RE NOT A DIRECT PARTNER IN THIS ONE.
AS THEY WERE THE OTHER UNDERSTOOD.
MR. BRA, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NO QUESTIONS.
UM, SO AS FAR AS SAFETY PLAN, HAVE YOU, THIS WILL IDENTIFY RISKS THAT THE COUNTY HAS WITH REGARD TO ITS, ITS ROADWAYS? THESE RISKS ARE SOMETHING THAT WE ENLIGHTEN THE RISK MANAGER, I WOULD ASSUME, IN TERMS OF FOLLOWING UP WITH INSURANCE COVERAGE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
WELL, WHAT WE DO IS PRIORITIZE, WHEN I SAY THIS, WHERE CRASHES OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY AND WHERE THE SEVERITY IS HIGH.
SO SEVERE ISSUE CRASHES AND FATALITIES.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE DID THE TRANSPORTATION TESTING PLAN, S COUNTY HAD 206 TRANSPORTATION FATALITIES IN FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE FOCUS ON.
UM, IN TERMS OF INSURANCE AND OTHER THINGS, WE'RE REALLY A NUMBER TWO.
OH, I'M NOT SAYING YOU DO THAT, BUT IS, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE YOUR DATA TO SURE, YEAH.
THE GOAL IS TO REDUCE THOSE NUMBERS.
SO THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS THE INFORMATION THAT YOU ANALYZE AND PUT TOGETHER, UM, IS THAT INFORMATION THAT'S USED TO IMPROVE THOSE ROADWAYS AND DO YOU GIVE THAT ADVICE? YES.
OR IS THAT THE SECOND? I, WE PRIORITIZE WHERE THE RISKS GREATEST AND THEN WE HAVE A STANDARD LIST OF, OF TYPES OF IMPROVEMENTS.
COULD BE A CIVILIZATION ACROSS ALL LOWER SPEED LIMITS, NARROW ROADWAY, OTHER THINGS.
AND WE FIGURE OUT, BASED ON THE CONDITIONS AT THOSE LOCATIONS, WHAT ARE THE BEST TYPE OF IMPROVEMENTS.
WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS ASSEMBLE CUSTOM DESIGN FOR EACH LOCATION.
A PROJECT THAT HAS VERY CUT CONTEXT AND
AND THEN THEY ADVANCE TO, UH, SO WE'RE CUSTOM SIDE PROJECTS BASED SPECIFICALLY TO WHAT WE PRIOR TO YOUR CONTRACT, MR. ANTONIO, PRIOR
[00:45:01]
TO THIS CONTRACT, DID THE COUNTY HAVE ANY METHODOLOGY DETERMINE NOT THE SAFETY ISSUES IN CERTAIN AREAS? WELL, THAT 2045 TRANSPORTATION PLAN HAS ALL THE NUMBER NO, I KNOW.I'M ASKING ANTONIO, WHY DON'T YOU ADDRESS THIS, THIS HAVE SOMETHING TO DO PRIOR TO YOUR, UH, DAVID ANTONIO.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PROCESS FOR US TO COLLECT DATA.
UH, ALL THE DATA THAT WE USED CAME FROM THE N-J-T-P-A LIKE PRESIDENT MENTIONED.
UH, THEY, WE PROVIDED US, PROVIDED US WITH HIGH RISK LOCATIONS, NOT JUST INTERSECTIONS FOR CORRIDORS FOR US TO TAKE ACTION ON.
UH, WHEN WE DID OUR TRANSPORTATION PLAN UPDATE A YEAR AGO, THREE YEARS AGO, YOU HAD PRIORITY LISTING OF PROJECTS.
WHAT IS DIFFERENT WITH THIS PROJECT TODAY IS THAT THERE'S A POT OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AVAILABLE TO CONSTRUCT SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.
BUT THE FEDERAL POWER ADMINISTRATION HAS TOLD EVERYBODY IN THE UNITED STATES THOSE PROJECTS MUST BE BORN FROM A DOCUMENT.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE DOING.
OTHERWISE THEY'RE NOT GONNA, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ELIGIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THIS IS, UH, SAFE STREETS FOR ALL FUNDING TO PLAN IMPROVEMENTS, HOPEFULLY TO IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE CARRIED OVER TO SAFE STREETS FOR ALL IMPLEMENTATION FUNDING.
YOU CAN'T GO FROM ONE TO THE OTHER WITHOUT, WITH MISSED STAFF.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER TO GO.
I THINK, FRANK, YOU TAKE US OVER
HE SAID MY QUESTIONS
SO, UM, THIS HAS BEEN A, AN A, UM, AN ONGOING, UM, ISSUE HERE AT THE COUNTY.
UM, I KNOW WE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WE, I SEE IT IN THE AUDIENCE.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY MEMBER MANY MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY, UM, YOU KNOW, SAFE STREETS AND COMPLETE STREETS AND, AND BIKE AND WALK, UM, COALITION, UM, WHO ARE, WHO HAVE ACTUALLY JOINED US TONIGHT.
WHERE, WHERE I, WHERE I GUESS THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE, UM, IS WE, WE CURRENTLY HAVE A COMPLETE STREETS POLICY THAT WE PASSED SOMETIME AROUND 2012 ON, ON THE BOOKS, UM, THAT'S SITTING THERE, RIGHT? SO, SO EVERY PROJECT WE DO RIGHT NOW SHOULD BE BEING DONE IN, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THAT, UM, WITH THAT POLICY.
WE ALSO, NOW, WHAT I'M BEING TOLD IS THAT WE ARE GONNA, WE ARE, WE ARE GOING TO, THROUGH A FEDERAL GRANT NOW HAVE A STUDY WHICH IS GONNA HELP US ESSENTIALLY PRIORITIZE A SAFETY ACTION PLAN.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE, AND THEN THERE'S FEDERAL MONEY NOW FOR IMPLEMENTATION, UM, OF THIS PLAN.
WE ALSO HAVE A VISION, UH, A VISION ZERO, A COUNTY VISION ZERO GRANT, RIGHT? THAT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DEALING WITH.
WE HAVE THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR, WHICH IS GOING THROUGH A VISION ZERO PROCESS ON ITS OWN WITH REPRESENTATIVES, INCLUDING YOU, ANTONIO, WHO SERVE ON IT.
I BELIEVE WEST ORANGE IS THE ONLY OTHER COMMUNITY THAT HAS GONE THROUGH THIS VISION ZERO, UM, PLANNING, UM, PROCESS.
SO KIND OF HOW LONG FROM WHEN WE START HERE TO WHEN WE WOULD SEE THIS LIST.
AND YOU KNOW, AS THE FIRST QUESTION.
THE SECOND QUESTION IS, WHAT CAN WE BE DOING RIGHT NOW? BECAUSE I, I, I THINK THIS IS, I THINK THIS IS GREAT, RIGHT? AND IT'S A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS AND ROADWAY SAFETY.
AND I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD NOW FOR OVER A DECADE TALKING TO 'EM BLUE IN THE FACE ABOUT LIKE, WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO HOW WE PRIORITIZE THESE PROJECTS.
WE'RE GREAT AT DOING THESE PROJECTS AND EVEN HAVE RUN INTO RECENTLY SOME PUSHBACK, QUITE FRANKLY FROM, FROM THE DEPARTMENT, UH, UH, FROM THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT IMPLEMENTING SOME OF THE VARIED THINGS THAT I THINK THIS STUDY'S ACTUALLY GONNA SHOW.
SO WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO RIGHT NOW? UM, ABOUT, THIS IS THE FIRST QUESTION.
AND NUMBER TWO, WHAT, YOU KNOW THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT DOES THE ADMINISTRATION PLAN TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PLAN JUST DOESN'T GO ON THE SHELF, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND COLLECT DUST? 'CAUSE I'M ALL FOR, I'M ALL FOR THE PLAN, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF PLANS.
SO, UM, AND, AND I SAY, I SAY YOU ARE GREAT.
YOU SERVE, YOU TAKE THE CALLS, YOU SERVE ON THE COMMITTEES, BUT, UM, UM, I'M ANXIOUS TO GET GOING SOONER, YOU KNOW, AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WHAT ARE WE, WHAT STEPS ARE WE GONNA TAKE AS A COUNTY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GONNA ALSO GO TO IMPLEMENTATION? UM, ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, UNLIKE OTHER PLANS, THIS PLAN HAS TO LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE WORK RATE, REGARDLESS OF WORK CREEK OWNERSHIP, NOT ONLY FOR COUNTY ROAD, IT'S GONNA DRAW DOWN TO A LOCAL LEVEL B, AT THE END OF THE PROCESS,
[00:50:01]
THERE IS GRANT FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT THE PROJECTS.IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT TYPICALLY HAPPENS WITH OTHER PLANNING EFFORTS.
THIS MAKES IT ATYPICAL THE PATH BECAUSE WE'RE DOING SOMETHING KNOWING THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WILL BE IMPLEMENTATION OF FUNDS FOR WHATEVER C DID AS A PRIORITY IMPROVEMENT.
AND FINALLY, THIS PROJECT, UH, PETER TOUCHED A LOT ON THE TECHNICAL ASPECT OF IT, BUT BEYOND THE TECHNICAL ASPECT OF THAT COLLECTION, CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS AND DATA, THERE ARE GONNA BE STAKEHOLDERS GROUPS.
THERE'S GONNA HAVE TO BE A COMMITTEE, AND WE HAVE TO HAVE MEMBERSHIP INVOLVEMENT FROM THE MUNICIPALITIES.
IDEALLY THE FACT THAT SOUTH ORANGE GROUP WILL BE A GREAT CHOICE AND BELIEVE WATCH ORANGE S GROUP AND THEY LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED ALREADY, BRING THAT TO THE TABLE, HELP US INFORM OUR PLAN.
AND THE SAME THING GOES WITH MONTAIR SCHOOL.
BRING US LIKE YOU'VE DONE SO FAR.
SO WE HAVE TO DUPLICATE EFFORTS.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING GONNA DO.
SO IF I COULD JUST FOLLOW UP, UH, MR. ANTONIO, UH, WHEN DO WE SEE COMPLETION OF THIS PLAN? WHAT THAT, WHAT DOES THAT TIME ENVELOPE AND THEN WHAT WOULD BE A TIMELINE FOR A TIME FOR FINDING WHATEVER THE CONCLUSION IS? I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW, THE DETAILS ARE BAD POINT.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET THE TIME FRAME, RIGHT.
SO I'M SURE YOU, MR. THE PRESIDENT DAVID ANTONIO FROM COURT COURT.
UH, WE WERE HOPING TO HAVE A MEETING TAKE OFF IN EARLY SEPTEMBER.
NOW BECAUSE WE HAD THIS STEP COMPLETED, UH, YOU SAID, BUT I BELIEVE IN THE PROPOSAL YOU HAVE ONE YEAR TO COMPLETE.
THE PLAN HAS TO BE TO FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION, UH, BY THE END OF OCTOBER THEY REVIEW IT, UH, YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR.
UH, BUT I THINK WE CAN EXPEDITE IT BECAUSE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE READY TO GO.
BUT GOOD THING IS THAT WE'VE ALREADY WORKED WITH DAVID.
WE ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF DATA RESOURCES, SO I THINK WE CAN EXPEDITE IT.
SO YOU GET IT THROUGH THEM IN OCTOBER.
AND THEN THE SAME QUESTION, RIGHT? SO WE GET IT TO THEM IN OCTOBER AND THEY'RE GONNA REVIEW IT.
AND THEN WHAT, DID WE GET A RESPONSE OR AN OPPORTUNITY THEN TO FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF THOSE THINGS FOR GRANDCHILDREN THIS YEAR? IS IT? YEAH, THAT'S OCTOBER OF, UH, 25.
25, RIGHT? I'M SORRY, BUT THREE MR. PERSON, I APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING.
BUT OCTOBER 25 DOESN'T WORST CASE SCENARIO.
UH, BECAUSE I ALWAYS, CASE SEEMS TO BE WITH PLANNING, THERE'S ALWAYS DELAYS.
BUT WE'RE HOPING TO GET THIS WRAPPED UP SOONER THAN THAT.
WE BELIEVE THAT ONCE WE SUBMIT TO FEDERAL HIGHWAY WITHIN THREE WEEKS TO A MONTH, YOU'LL APPROVE THE PLAN.
AND AFTER THAT WE CAN JUST SEEK IMPLEMENTATION OF FUNDING AND, UH, ON, ON A ROLLING BASIS.
SO COMMISSIONER GILL'S POINT EARLIER, CAN WE GET PERHAPS, UH, NOT LIKE A TIMELINE OF THE OTHER PROJECTS YOU HAS? SO COMMISSIONER GILL MENTIONED A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT EFFORTS THAT ARE GOING ON BECAUSE THIS IS ONE LINE OUT OF MANY RIGHT.
AND I THINK WE, COMMISSIONER, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR YOU, BUT I THINK ONE THE HIGH LEVEL IS WE HAVE SEVERAL THINGS GOING ON SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND WE GET JUST A VERY GENERAL TIMELINE OF HEY, YOU KNOW, STUDY, CONCLUSION, IMPLEMENTATION, STUDY INCLUSION, CLIENT CYCLE IMPLEMENTATION.
RIGHT? CAN YOU GIVE US A HIGH LEVEL ABOUT, IS THAT COMMISSIONER A GOOD START? WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANY FURTHER? NO, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
AND, AND, UM, AND WE CAN ABSOLUTELY, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME FOLLOW UP, YOU KNOW, CONVERSATIONS AROUND IT.
AND I, I GUESS GUESS THE FIRST QUESTION, UH, ANOTHER ADDITIONAL FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, FORGIVE ME IF I MISSED THIS IN SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION, BUT THE, THE ACTUAL STRUCTURE OF THIS COMMITTEE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT IT HELPS PUT THIS PLAN, WHAT, WHAT'S THE, WHAT HAS BEEN OUR, UM, WHAT HAS BEEN OUR APPROACH? ARE WE, DO WE DO THIS THROUGH THE, DO WE DO THIS THROUGH EACH INDIVIDUAL TOWNSHIP MANAGER WHO SERVES? HOW ARE WE MAKING THOSE DECISIONS? SOME OF THE GROUPS THAT YOU JUST HIGHLIGHTED THAT MAY SERVE ON THIS? UM, AND IS THAT, UM, IS THE, IS THE FORMATION OF THAT FOR YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, UM, FLEXIBLE OR IS WHATEVER WE VOTE ON TONIGHT WHEN WE VOTE ON THIS? YOU KNOW, WHEN WE VOTE ON THIS, AND AGAIN, I'M FOR THE, SO I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR THIS IS, WE WANNA SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND I DON'T WANNA HOLD UP THE PROGRESS, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE LEVEL OF INPUT, QUITE FRANKLY, THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE THE CHALLENGE, RIGHT? WE, WE HAVE, WE DO GREAT WORK.
UM, OUT THERE ON OUR ROAD PROJECTS WHERE WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGES IS, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO QUICKLY UNDERSTAND HOW WE PRIORITIZE THINGS, WHEN WE PRIORITIZE AND WHY WE DID THEM RIGHT, THAT THERE'S A PLAN FOR THAT.
SO IT'S NOT JUST, THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT AT THIS INTERSECTION.
I CALLED MY COMMISSIONER, WE NOW HAVE A TRAFFIC LIGHT, RIGHT? LIKE THAT IS A BAD WAY TO DO ROADWAY, UM, SAFETY.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING THERE SLOWLY.
NOT AS FAST AS I WOULD LIKE, BUT WE'RE GETTING TO THAT POINT WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS LIKE IN OTHER,
[00:55:01]
UM, IN TECHNOLOGY NOW IN OTHER CITIES, YOU KNOW, KANSAS CITY IS ONE OF THEM WHERE YOU CAN QUICKLY GO ON ANYBODY, ANY CITIZEN CAN GO ON.THEY CAN GO ON TO THE, THE, THE CITY WEBPAGE AND THEY CAN SEE EVERY SINGLE
AND WHERE DID THE KIND OF THAT QUICK SUMMARY OF THAT, OF THE, OF THE NUMBERS, RIGHT? SO IT'S ALSO, IT'S IT'S BASED ON SOME DATA AND, AND SIGNS ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
SO, UM, SO THE FIRST QUESTION IS, WHEN WE, WHEN WE GO ON THIS TONIGHT, IS IT, DOES IT INCLUDE THE CON, DOES IT INCLUDE A CONCRETE, UM, COMMITTEE SO TO SPEAK, THAT'S GONNA BE A PART OF THAT? DO WE STILL HAVE TIME TO KIND OF TALK THAT THROUGH AND WHAT THAT LOOK LIKE? AND THEN, AND THEN SECONDLY, DOES IT ALSO, DOES THE PLAN ALSO INCLUDE FOR, UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS FOR BASIC THINGS LIKE THE LOWERING OF SPEED LIMITS, OR IS THIS JUST KIND OF, IS IT, IS IT JUST KIND OF BRICK AND MORTAR CONSTRUCTION? OR AGAIN, ARE WE GONNA ALSO LOOK AT THINGS LIKE SPEAKING OF AVERAGE SPEED ON COUNTY ROADWAYS, ET CETERA, WHICH ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE OF AN ISSUE? YOU KNOW, BOTH HERE LOCALLY AND, AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, THEY'RE TELL YOU THE OF PUBLIC WORKS.
THE FIRST QUESTION IS THE FOLKS TONIGHT.
THERE'S NO CONCRETE, THERE'S NO SET LISTING OF MEMBERSHIP FOR THAT COMMITTEE.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE DEVELOPED TO THE CONSULTANT AND THE COUNTY, OF COURSE, FROM THE BOARD.
UM, BUT WE DO WANT TO ESTABLISH A WIDE ARRAY OF DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE COUNTY, NOT JUST TECHNOCRATS PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE INVOLVED IN
UM, AS FAR AS PETER PERHAPS GETTING ANSWER BETTER AVAILABLE CHOICES, IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDING LOW RISK.
SO I, I GUESS TO ANSWER A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
SO FIRST OF ALL, IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WE HAVE THE STEERING COMMITTEE, WE'LL WORK WITH DAVID TO DEVELOP THAT TO COMPLETE 10 TO 15 PEOPLE.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE EACH MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVE ON THAT.
THERE ARE SEVERAL PUBLIC MEETINGS.
WE DO FOCUS GROUPS AND POP UP MEETINGS.
SO LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN GO TO, UH, A FARMER'S MARKET OR A PUBLIC FAIR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, SET UP A TABLE AND KIND OF TALK TO PEOPLE AS THEY GO TO THESE EVENTS AND GET THEIR FEEDBACK.
UM, WE'RE GONNA DO A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT WHERE WE CAN TEST SOMETHING LIKE A CHANGE TO AN INTERSECTION, A BETTER CROSSWALK INTERSECTION.
SO THERE'S A VARIETY OF THINGS.
AND PLUS I THINK WE ALSO HAVE A PUBLIC SURVEY AND ALL THOSE THINGS HELP US TO PRIORITIZE WHAT'S IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF WHAT KIND OF IMPROVEMENTS.
IT'S, UH, PHYSICAL CHANGES TO THE ROADWAY.
IT COULD BE NARROW, THE ROADWAY, IT COULD BE LOWERING THE SPEED LIMIT.
IT COULD BE ADDING A CROSSWALK.
IT COULD BE CHANGING THE AMOUNT OF TIME PEDESTRIANS HAVE TO CROSS AN INTERSECTION.
YOU KNOW, WE'LL PROBABLY PRIORITIZE LOCATIONS NEAR PARKS AND SCHOOLS THAT HAVE A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS, UM, AND ACCESS TO TRANSIT.
SO, UM, THERE WERE ALSO, UH, PUBLIC EDUCATION TO GET PEOPLE TO SLOW DOWN, UH, SPEED CAMERAS, THAT SORT OF THING.
THAT'S GONNA BE CONTROVERSIAL.
I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WORD WE GONNA DO THAT, BUT THERE'S REALLY A COMPREHENSIVE LIST THAT WE COULD SHARE WITH YOU AS WELL.
UH, SO WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT ALMOST ANYTHING THAT MIGHT FIT SOME THESE SPECIFIC LOCATIONS.
SO IT'S CUSTOM DESIGNED TO IONS, THE NUMBER OF IONS, SEVERITY OF IONS, DESIGN OF THE ROADWAY, THAT SORT OF THING.
SO IT'S NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
AND THEN I GUESS IN TERMS OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE ACTUALLY ZERO COMPLETE STREETS.
THOSE ARE POLICIES AND INITIATIVES THAT SAY WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING.
I DO A LOT OF THESE STUDIES, ALMOST NONE OF 'EM HAVE MONEY AT THE END TO DO THE IMPROVEMENT.
WE NEED TO GET THIS STUDY AND THIS LIST OF PROJECTS THAT THEY ADMINISTRATION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
'CAUSE THERE IS DEDICATING MONEY TO IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THE MORE INFORMATION, THE BETTER CASE THAT WE CAN BUILD FOR EACH OF THESE TYPES OF IMPROVEMENTS, THE BETTER CHANCE WE HAVE TO GET THAT.
THERE'S ALMOST NEVER MONEY AT THE END OF THE ROAD.
IT'S NOT A LOT OF STUDIES THAT SAY WHAT I, I'VE PROBABLY BEEN TO 10 PRESENTATIONS.
SO LOOK AT A WAY TO RECRUIT A CAR.
THIS IS, THIS IS
SO IN THE INTEREST OF TOPIC, BECAUSE I DO WANT TO MOVE ALONG, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, UH, MR. JACKSON FOR YOU, IF WE CAN JUST GET A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF THE DIFFERENT EFFORTS, UH, INITIATIVES THAT WE'RE DOING FOR ROAD SAFETY IN ADDITION TO THIS ONE.
THIS IS A GENERAL TIMEFRAME OF STUDY, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.
AND YOU CAN HAVE THAT TO US SO WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT.
UH, COMMISSIONER, ANY LAST QUESTIONS OR I THANK MR. PRESIDENT IS A, YOU KNOW, FINAL COMMENT.
JUST, UM, DEFINITELY I ENCOURAGE AGAIN, THE ADMINISTRATION TO
[01:00:01]
PRIORITIZE THAT, UM, COMMUNICATION WITH THE, UM, AT THE MUNICIPAL, UM, AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL.SO THE INFORMATION GOES BACK DOWN TO OUR, UM, MUNICIPALITIES BECAUSE WE HAD A, A MEETING MAYBE SIX WEEKS AGO, I THINK THE DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT'S IN A MEETING.
AND I DON'T REMEMBER EVER US DOING A MEETING LIKE THIS BEFORE WHERE WE, WE WENT TO, WE WENT TO WEST ORANGE AND, AND HAD A MEETING ABOUT CURRENT, UM, INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS, UM, THAT WE ARE UNDERTAKING WAS A COMMUNITY MEETING, A PUBLIC MEETING I FELT WAS GREAT.
THAT'S ALL ABOUT PROJECTS THAT ARE ALREADY BA
SO, YOU KNOW WHAT I, WHAT I'M HOPING IS THAT WE CAN GET A LITTLE BIT EVEN FURTHER AHEAD OF THAT, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, BE DOING THAT SAME LEVEL OF OUTREACH AS EXTENSIVELY AS WE CAN.
UM, BEFORE YOU KNOW, THIS DOOR IS ALREADY BEING ASKED TO TAKE THAT ACTION.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE IT? SURE.
I BE APPROPRIATELY, DO I HAVE A SECOND PLEASE? WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA MOVE EIGHT TO 16 AND 42.
ROLL CALL DOWN, LOOKING CLERK TO 16 AND 42.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR C THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.
ALL RIGHT, MADAM DEPUTY COURT, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 17 AND 18, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC REHABILITATION, WHICH WE DIRECTED AT LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, MR. DEL? MR. DELGADO, YOU'RE UP ON THE HOT SEAT.
UM, GOD, 1717 IS A, UM, AN APPROVAL OF OUR 2025 SK MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE CONTRACT, UH, FROM JULY 1ST, 2024 TO JUNE 30, 20, 25, $70, 18 PARTICIPANTS IN HOW IN ESSEX COUNTY.
UM, THIS PROVIDES GRANT FUNDING FOR, UH, LOCAL PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES ON DRUG AND ALCOHOL DIFFERENTIATE IN EDUCATION.
I DON'T KNOW IF HE HAS SOMETHING THE STAFF ALSO WANTS TO HANDLE.
MR. PRESIDENT TORRE OF COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES.
UH, NUMBER 17 IS AN ITEM THAT'S AN ANNUAL GRANT RENEWAL FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
IT IS AS, UM, MR. ADMINISTRATOR PROVIDED THE INFORMATION FOR IT IS TO PROVIDE SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION PROGRAMMING, MOSTLY TARGETING OUR LOCAL YOUTH.
THIS IS, UH, SOME OF THE ONLY FUNDING THAT WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY PERTAIN TO SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION.
BEFORE YOU GO, UH, MR. PAR? NO.
MR. MC? YES, I HAVE THIS QUESTION.
THERE'S A PIECE OF THIS CALLED COUNTY COORDINATION FOR 70,000.
IT'S OUTSIDE OF THE 2 72 3 80.
IS THAT ALSO COVERED BY GRANT FUNDING? YES.
SO THE GRANT IS FOR 340 3004 14? YES.
ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, LET'S MOVE OUT TO 18.
MR. DEL, WE DOING 18? YES, SIR.
I'M FRANK DEL, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION.
RESOLUTION 18 IS A AFFILIATION AGREEMENT WITH ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE.
IT'S A NURSING AFFILIATION AGREEMENT.
UH, THE COUNTY COLLEGE REACHED OUT TO US AND THEY HAVE A TWO YEAR RN PROGRAM.
SO WE SEE THIS AS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, UM, AS A, UH, SOURCE OF FINDING EMPLOYEES.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE TWO, UH, WHAT WE CALL EXTERNALS THAT ARE CURRENTLY WORKING FOR THE HOSPITAL ON A TEMPORARY BASIS OUT OF THIS PROGRAM, UM, WITH JUST SEEKING THEIR APPROVAL TO, TO START THIS AFFILIATION AGREEMENT.
SO THE STUDENT WOULD SPEND ONE SEMESTER, ONE DAY, TYPICALLY FOR SEMESTER AND GET THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, UH, PSYCHIATRIC EXPERIENCE AT THE HOSPITAL.
MR. MICHAEL, IS THIS THE FIRST TIME THIS AFFILIATION MR. PRESIDENT? YES.
WITH ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE FRESHMEN.
ARE WE AFFILIATION AGREEMENT WITH OTHER FEMALE RUS OR C HALL CALWELL UNIVERSITY AS WELL GOING OKAY.
FOR YOU AND MR. PRESIDENT? THERE ARE SO MANY ONLINE SCHOOLS NOW.
WE HAVE NUMEROUS AFFILIATIONS WITH, WE HAVE WITH FORDHAM IN NEW YORK, NYU, SETON HALL, CALDWELL, UM, FELICIA RUTGERS.
[01:05:01]
THEY NEED, UH, THE, THE STUDENTS.SO, AND WE ALSO HAVE THE MEDICAL SCHOOL AFFILIATION WOULD HAPPEN.
ANY QUESTIONS ON 18TH? DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR, UH, THOSE MOVE 17 AT 18.
MOTION? WE COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS, SECOND BY RICHARD ROLL CALL ABOUT THE DEPUTY COURT ON TEENTH AT 18.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
SO, OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 19 AND 20, WHICH ARE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
THEN WE BE RIGHT INTO THE RECORD AT TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, MR. MR. PRESIDENT, UH, MR. ST.
MR. CAN YOU HEAR ME ALRIGHT? I CAN HEAR YOU.
YOU HAVE D YOU LOOK TOLD OTHERWISE.
SO BEING TOLD WE NEED TO CATCH WITH THE MICROPHONE.
CAN WE GO OFF HERE THE MICROPHONE AND NOT NOW PEOPLE CAN SEE HOW D YOU LOOK TODAY.
JOHN ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL HERE TO ADDRESS, UH, NUMBER 1920.
NUMBER 19 IS TO INCREASE THE FEES TO BE PAID, EXCUSE ME, TO FROM THE MATERIAL OF BURNS FROM 200,000, UH, BY AN ADDITIONAL $250,000.
AND THAT'S AS A RESULT OF THE, THE AMOUNT OF NEGOTIATIONS AND LABOR ISSUES THAT WE HAD TO FACE THIS YEAR.
AS I THINK ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN ON A BOARD FOR CONSIDERABLE PERIOD OF TIME, KNOW THAT THE CONFLICT WITH THEM HAS BEEN PRETTY STATIC AT $200,000 FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
UH, AND THIS YEAR IT'S BEING INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY BECAUSE OF THE VOLUNTARY NEGOTIATIONS AS WELL AS THE INTEREST ARBITRATIONS THAT WE'RE FACING AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
AND THAT THOSE ARE THE REASONS WHY, UH, THE WE HAVE THESE ADDITIONAL FEES TO THE FIRM.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
WHY DON'T WE DO 20 AND THEN CRIME? UH, NUMBER 20, THIS IS TO FUND THE DECISION THAT WAS MADE BY, UH, ARBITRATOR CURE IN AN AWARD TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICERS, UH, AN INTEREST ARBITRATION.
UH, THEY WERE REQUESTING A INCREASE THAT WAS GREATER THAN THE AMOUNT THAT THE ARBITRATOR AWARDED TO THEM.
THE ARBITRATOR AWARDED TO THEM, UH, 2% IN 2018 AND 2% IN 2019.
UH, NOW WE HAVE A RETRO ACTIVE PAYMENT THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE THROUGH UNIONS AND THEREFORE WE NEED YOUR FUNDING APPROVAL TO FUND THAT RETROACTIVE PAYMENT TO THEM PURSUANT TO THE ARBITRATOR'S AWARD.
UH, TRUMP, JUST TO GO INTO NUMBER 19 A LITTLE BIT, UH, THOSE LABOR MATTERS AND, AND THERE'S UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT ALL OF THE, UH, BARGAINING UNITS.
IT'S, UH, FOUR OR FIVE OF THEM I THINK THAT GENOVA BURNS HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON IN THE PAST CALENDAR YEAR.
BUT IT'S NOT JUST ONE YEAR OF NEGOTIATIONS.
IT IS, I BELIEVE IT IS SIX OR SEVEN YEARS THAT'S BEEN WRAPPED UP.
AND THEN RELATED, UM, APPEALS AND PER DECISIONS THAT GET APPEALED AND THE MANY, MANY LAYERS OF BOTH ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL, UH, LEGAL PARTS OF THE PROCESS.
AND IF YOU COULD, I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO TOO MUCH, BUT IF YOU JUST GIVE A SNAPSHOT OF WHERE WE ARE, WHAT REMAINS OUTSTANDING, AND JUST AT WHAT LEVEL OF, LET'S CALL IT NEGOTIATION OR APPEAL.
THOSE ARE JUST, SO FOR THE BOARD'S EDIFICATION, WE'VE DISCUSSED THIS DURING, UM, LEADERSHIP MEETING AND MEETING, UH, SEPARATELY.
WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BINDING INTEREST ARBITRATION.
AND THERE ARE, THERE ARE FOUR OF THOSE MATTERS THAT, UH, ARE ISSUED TWO OF THOSE BINDING INTEREST ARBITRATION MATTERS WERE BROUGHT BY THE COUNTY, UH, AGAINST SUPERIOR AND RANK FILE SHERIFF'S OFFICERS.
UH, THE ARBITRATOR CAME DOWN WITH AN AWARD, UH, IN THOSE MATTERS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING.
WE THINK THAT THE ARBITRATOR MADE SIGNIFICANT ERRORS IN THE WAY IN WHICH HE RENDERED HIS DECISION, UH, BOTH STATUTORILY AND FROM A PRACTICAL MATTER AND A COMPENSATION MATTER.
SO WE ARE, WE ARE APPEALING THOSE AWARDS TO HER BY STATUTE.
THEY MUST HAVE A DECISION BACK TO US BY SEPTEMBER 6TH.
THE SAME TWO UNIONS WHO HAVE A TWO YEAR AWARD OF 2%, UH, WHEN WE WERE ASKING FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME, UH, THEY HAVE NOW FILED FOR, THEY HAVE FILED FOR PROVIDING INTEREST ARBITRATION AGAINST THE COUNTY.
[01:10:01]
SAME UNIONS, UH, ON THE YEARS THAT WERE NOT COVERED BY THE ARBITRATORS DECISION.SO WE HAVE AN APPEAL, WHICH WE, WE, IF WE ARE SUCCESSFUL, THEN THEIR BIN INTEREST ARBITRATION WOULD TAKE IT OFF THE BOARD BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER YEARS THAT HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED.
IF WE ARE UNSUCCESSFUL, THEN WE WILL PROCEED TO BINDING INTEREST ARBITRATION WITH THEM ON THOSE SUBSEQUENT YEARS.
THE MAIN ISSUES THAT ARE BEING ADDRESSED NOW WITH THE BINDING ISSUES ARBITRATION.
AND IF I CAN JUST INTERRUPT THERE, THE TWO YEARS THAT WERE AWARDED BY THE, UH, BY THE ARBITRATOR, WERE 2018 AND 19 LEAVING UNDECIDED IN 2020 TO 24? CORRECT.
UH, MR. MCINERNEY, ANY QUESTIONS ON, UH, NUMBER 19 OR 20? YEAH, ON, ON NUMBER 20.
WHAT, WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE VOTING ON CONTRACT WITH? WHAT? SOLELY ON THE INTEREST ARBITRATION REPORT.
WE'RE VOTING ON COURT BORDER, ISN'T IT? FOR IN A SENSE, YES.
WE ARE, WE ARE VOTING ON THE FINDING INTEREST ARBITRATION AWARD MADE BY THE ARBITRATOR, WHICH AWARDED TO THESE TWO UNIONS A 2% RAISE IN EACH OF THE YEARS IN QUESTION, WHICH WE POINTED OUT TO MR. BARO AND TO FUND IT.
WE THINK THAT HE MADE A MISTAKE.
WE THINK THAT WE SHOULDN'T, WE WE'RE NOT GOING TO PAY THIS AMOUNT IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL BEFORE FIRST, BUT WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED IN CASE WE, OUR, OUR APPEAL IS DENIED.
IN FAIRNESS, THEY SHOULD BE PAID.
THIS IS WHAT WE BEEN AGREED TO GO INTEREST ARBITRATION.
THIS IS WHAT THE, THE ARBITRATOR AWARDED TO TO THEM.
AND WE AGREED ON THE INTEREST ARBITRATION PROCESS.
WILL CALL MADAM DEPUTY COURT FOR 19.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT RIS? YES.
I WAS A LITTLE HURT 'CAUSE I USED TO LIVE ON THE CORNER OF NORTH FULLTON AND CLAREMONT AND YOU TO POINT THAT OUT TO EVERYONE ELSE.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO P WILSON 21 THROUGH 23, WHICH ARE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR THAT WILL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, MR. PRESIDENT, MR. HUNT WILL HANDBOOK 21 AND, UH, MR. COLTRANE WILL HANDLE THE BALLOT.
MR. COLTRANE
UH, CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER, UH, NUMBER 21 IS FROST, UH, INCREASE.
UM, WE'RE LOOKING THE ENHANCE OF CYBERSECURITY.
AS YOU KNOW, UM, CYBER SECURITY IS A BIG CHALLENGE FOR US THESE DAYS.
SO WE LOOKING FOR, UM, ONE MINUTE ASSIST US WITH THIS CYBER SECURITY.
NOT ONLY THAT, THIS, UM, SAFEGUARD OR ASSISTANCE, BUT ALSO IT HELPS US TO, UH, REDUCE OUR INSURANCE, UH, COSTS AT SAME TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR, UH, MS. DO
UM, IT SAYS THE, UM, TO THE BERGEN COUNTY COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT.
CAN YOU JUST EXPAND ON THAT AND WHAT THAT THE APPLICATION FOR THE COUNTY IS? SURE.
SO, UM, THE WAY WE PURCHASE TECHNOLOGY, THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN PURCHASE IT PROPERLY AND SAFELY IS THROUGH THE
FOR YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? UM, THERE ARE RULES AND REGULATIONS IN THE LOCAL PUBLIC CONTRACT LAW.
WE WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT FOR SOME TYPE OF SOLICITATION IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.
UH, SHI IS A VENDOR OF THE BERG COUNTY CO-OP, AND THEY'RE USING THAT AS PART OF THE, THE CO-OP, WHICH IS THE LAB UNDER LOCAL PUBLIC CONTRACT.
[01:15:01]
QUICK FOLLOW UP QUESTION THAT THE, UM, I MEAN THE UN UNDERSTANDING, THE, THE LIMITATIONS OF THAT WE'RE UNDER, UNDER THE STATE LAW.UM, DO, DO WE FEEL THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GET THE BEST VENDORS FOR THIS ISSUE? SURE.
AND THE VENDOR THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY USING IS ONE OF THE NUMBER ONE VENDOR ACTUALLY THE ENTIRE ROAD DATE.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY AM I NUMBER 22 WITH MR. ZS? YOU KNOW, WAS UP FRONT AND I'M SITTING HERE JUST WAITING
THE, IN FACT, UH, CONSULTING ENTERPRISE LLC TO PROVIDE ADVERTISING CONSULTING SERVICES, A 36 MONTH CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 450,000.
THEY WERE THE 6.5% COMMISSION FEE, WHICH WAS THE LOWEST.
THE VENDORS OUT OF THE ORANGE SIX EMPLOYEES AND FOUR FIRMEX.
NUMBER 23 IS THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION OF FILINGS OFF OF OFFICE OF PURCHASING CONTRACT AWARD.
THE THREE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDERS, UH, ON A UNIT COST BASIS TO FURNACE, UH, OVER THE COUNTER PHARMACY.
THIS IS A COUNTYWIDE, UH, BID.
THE THREE VENDORS, ONE IS FROM LAKEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ONE IS FROM JERSEY CITY AND ONE IS FROM GEORGIA.
UH, PREVIOUS CONTRACT WAS FOR 80 $85,863 AND 75 CENTS.
UH, THAT'S WHAT WAS EXPENDED UNDER THE LAST CONTRACT.
AND THIS IS NOT TO EXCEED $200,000.
MR. PAR, YOUR QUESTIONS OF 22 AND 23.
MR. MC, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE BASE FOR THE, UH, FULL COMMISSION RATE? WHAT, WHAT DO YOU APPLY THE RATE AGAINST? THIS WAS A RFP THAT WENT OUT A COMPETITIVE CONTRACT WITH THE RFP PROCESS.
AND IT WAS A COMBINATION OF LOWEST COMMISSION PLUS ALL OF THE TECHNICAL MANAGERIAL PROCESS.
THAT'S WHAT WAS, UH, SCORED A COMMISSION ON.
WHAT, WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE BASE PRICE? THEY ARE GOING OUT FOR ADVERTISING AND I'M NOT AN ADVERTISING PERSON.
SO THEY'RE GONNA, OKAY, SO THEY'RE GOING OUT FOR THE CORRECT AND WE'RE GONNA PAY, THEY'RE OUR CONSULTANT REPRESENTING US TO GO OUT FOR THE ADVERTISING.
THEIR COMMISSION ON THAT PERCENT? CORRECT.
THAT'S BOUGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND.
THANK, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS ON 2223? COMMISSIONER? IT JUST ON, ON, UM, 22.
SO THIS IS FOR, UM, IS THIS FOR, UM, TELEVISION AND DIGITAL OR I WOULD, IMA I'M NOT THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, BUT I WOULD IMAGINE FOR, FOR ADVERTISING FOR ALL.
SO THERE, SO THIS, THIS FIRM IS PLACING ALL OF OUR ADVERTISING ACROSS ALL OF OUR PLATFORMS OR JUST, I DON'T KNOW.
WE CAN GIVE IT VIA A LATER DATE.
PLEASE BE THE CALL COMMISSIONER FIELD QUESTION.
SO WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THE COMMISSIONER ON THAT.
MR. COL, I APPRECIATE PI WAS TRYING TO GET TO HIS, TO FOLLOW UP ON MR. RICHARDSON'S.
UH, LONG TIME STRUGGLE TO SEE IF WE COULD ACTUALLY GET THE COMMISSION ACTUALLY INCLUDED IN ANY OF THE ADVERTISING.
YOU MEAN OUR PICTURE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE OUR PICTURE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON 2023? ALL RIGHT.
I'M GONNA MOVE 22 AND 23 TO MOVE, I'M SORRY.
NOT THE VEHICLE OF 21 THROUGH 23.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 24, WHICH IS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DE AND MORTGAGES.
[01:20:01]
COLTER, ARE YOU DOING THAT AS WELL? I AM DOING UP TO, UH, 27.UH, THE OFFICER OF THE REGISTER OF THESE AND MORTGAGES, CONTRACT TO OPTICAL STORAGE SOLUTION TO PROVIDE SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT FOR THE LANDTECH SYSTEM.
SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2024 THROUGH SEPTEMBER THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 2026.
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $79,000 PUBLICLY ASKED, ADVERTISED A FAIR AND OPEN ONE RESPONDER, WHICH WAS THIS PARTICULAR VENDOR INCLUDES A $5,000 ALLOWANCE, JUST IN CASE THERE'S ANYTHING THAT ARISES THAT WAS UNFORESEEN.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE 24? NO OTHER QUESTIONS, MR.
DO I MOVE THEM? MOVED BY MARK.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT PALM? YES.
RICHARD FROM THE OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF WILL BE READ INTO
MR. COL, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THIS IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO US CORRECTIONS.
LLC IS SO RESPONSIBLE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER TO PROVIDE EXTRADITION SERVICE 24 MONTH CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED HUNDRED $50,000.
UH, THE LAST CONTRACT WE EXPENDED $129,701.
UH, 26 TO THE CONTRACT BOARD, TO TRAFFIC SOLUTIONS TO SOLE RESPONSIBLE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER.
UH, A 24 MONTH AGREEMENT NOT TO EXCEED $57,800.
AND NUMBER 27 IS THE OFFICE OF A SHERIFF CONTRACT AWARD, THE EAGLE POINT GUN TJ MAR MORRIS, AND SOME OF THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BID FOR PURCHASE OF VARIOUS FIREARMS AND TRADE IN PAYMENTS OF PREVIOUSLY OWNED FIREARM.
24 MONTH AGREEMENT NOT TO EXCEED 46,420 AND $2 AND 20 CENTS.
THANK YOU MR. THEY'RE PURCHASING 477 NEW FIREARMS. THANK YOU MR. BECK.
ANY QUESTIONS ON 25 TO 27? JUST TO SOME CLARITY ON 25? UM, MR. COLTRANE, THIS IS A PRIVATE FIRM THAT DOES THE EXTRADITION FOR WHAT USED TO BE DONE BY THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, CORRECT? THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT IS STILL DONE DEPENDING ON WHAT LOCATION.
SO THERE IS LOCATIONS THAT ARE WITHIN THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT THAT YOU CAN PUT SOMEONE IN YOUR VEHICLE.
ANYTHING, LET'S SAY LONG DISTANCE.
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT OR THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE GOES OUT TO DO THAT.
AND DOES, UH, ANY OTHER SHERIFF OR PROSECUTOR AS THE COMPANY, THIS GROUP, OR THEY GO ON THEIR OWN? UH, NO, THEY GO ON THEIR OWN.
MR. MACKIN, ANY QUESTIONS? 20.
QUESTION 27, YOU HAVE, SO I'M GONNA MOVE 25 TO 27 FORWARD.
COMMISSIONER, UH, RICHARDSON TO MOVE AGAIN.
SECOND BY MERCADO ROLL CALL MATTER.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
I MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 28, WHICH IS IN THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR WITH DIRECT TO THE RECORD.
LIMITED TIME, MR. CHER, UM, MR. PRESIDENT CONTRACT AWARD TO STEVEN AND SUMING AND DEED TO PROVIDE PSYCHIATRIC AND OTHER EXPERT SERVICES, 12 MONTH CONTRACT FROM DATE OF AWARD AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $50,000.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, JUST BRIEFLY.
THIS WILL BE USED BY THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE AS AN EXPERT WITNESS IN ANY CASES.
MR. PRESIDENT? THAT'S CORRECT.
COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS? 28TH.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER THOMAS.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON ABOUT 29 THROUGH 41, WHICH ARE ALL COUNTY BUDGET ASSERTIONS OF ITEMS OF REVENUE FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.
AND THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD
[01:25:01]
AT LIMITED TIME.MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, ITEM 29 IS A BUDGET ASSERTION IN THE AMOUNT OF $3,750 FOR THE SMART STEPS FUNDS PROGRAM.
THIS PROVIDES, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE AND COUNSELING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OVERALL PROGRAM.
AND THERE'S NO, UH, COUNTY MATCH.
ITEM 30, UH, IS, IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE
UH, THIS GRANT COVERS, UM, THE COST OF THE SYSTEM THAT'S USED, THE TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM THAT'S USED, AND THE AMOUNT, I'M SORRY, I SKIPPED ONE.
UM, ITEM 29, UM, IN THE SEARCH FROM THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF LABORED AMOUNT OF, UH, NO, WHAT AM I SAYING? NO, YOU DID 29.
UH, AND ACTUALLY HE GOT MY JOKE.
THAT'S, I WAS QUEING YOU FOR THAT ONE.
A PAMPHLET THAT WE OWE A DATA REPORTING ANALYSIS SYSTEM.
UH, THIS COVERS A COST FOR US TO USE THAT, UH, THAT PARTICULAR SYSTEM.
UM, ITEM, UH, 31, UH, IS A, AGAIN, A BUDGET ASSERTION FOR THE SAME PROGRAM.
THIS IS FOR THE YOUTH, UH, DIVISION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $991,423.
THIS IS A JOB TRAINING VOCATIONAL SKILLS AND SCORE, UH, CORE SKILLS PROGRAM.
AND, UH, THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCH.
AGAIN, UH, DESIGN FOR OUR, OUR YOUNG, UH, ITEM 32, UH, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.
UH, THIS IS FOR ADULTS AND DISLOCATED WORKERS.
UM, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UH, SERVICES, UH, UH, GRANT, THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCH.
AGAIN, 2 MILLION, UH, $68,319.
UM, THERE'S TWO COMPONENTS OF IT.
ONE IS FOR, UH, ADULTS IN GENERAL, UH, AND APPROXIMATELY $968,000.
AND FOR DISLOCATED WORKERS, UH, ABOUT $1.1 MILLION.
UH, ITEM 33, UM, UH, DIVISION OF LABOR AS FAR AS DIVISION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT.
UH, THIS IS FOR OUR WORKFORCE, NEW JERSEY ALLOTMENTS, UH, THE AMOUNT OF, UH, $5,746,137.
UH, AGAIN, TWO, TWO COMPONENTS.
UH, TAN, UH, THREE, APPROXIMATELY $4 MILLION.
AND, UH, GENERAL ASSISTANCE CLIENTS, UH, AND ABOUT $1.75 MILLION.
AND THERE'S NO, NO COUNTY MATCH.
UH, ITEM 34, UH, BUDGET INSERT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALLIANCE PROGRAM.
THIS IS A PROGRAM INCOME FROM COMMUNITY ACTION.
THIS IS FOR, UH, THIS IS $50 PER APPROVED APPLICATION.
THE FEES IS PAID BY THE PROGRAM AND NOT THE APPLICANT.
AND THIS HELPS PEOPLE WITH, UH, TEMPORARILY WITH PAYING THEIR GAS OR ELECTRIC, UH, BILLS.
THE AMOUNT OF 5,300, UH, DOLLARS.
ITEM 35 70 $2,609, UH, FROM THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES FOR HUMAN SERVICES, OUR HUMAN SERVICES ADVISORY COUNCIL RENEWAL.
THIS IS UNDER OUR DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ACTION OF 18 MEMBER BOARD.
UH, THAT'S, UH, ALMOST NOW 40 YEARS, UH, IN EXISTENCE.
UH, PROVIDES A FORM FOR PUBLIC PART AND INPUT AND PARTICIPATION IN DECISION MAKING AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION.
THERE IS A MATCH OF THIS FOR US FOR $10,237 AN 87 CENTS, UM, AND IS COVERED BY AN EMPLOYEE WHO PARTICIPATES IN THE PROGRAM.
ITEM 36, UH, AGAIN, IN THE SEARCH OF REVENUE FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY FAMILY HEALTH SERVICES FOR SPECIAL SPECIAL CHILD HEALTH SERVICES CASE MANAGEMENT GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $306,233.
THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE AND COORDINATION OF SERVICES TO FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN BY SPECIAL NEEDS FROM BIRTH TO, UH, AGE 21, UH, THAT THE GRANT COVERS FROM JULY 1ST, 2024 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2025.
AND THERE'S, UH, AN IN COUNTY MATCH, UH, THAT WE COVER BY FRINGE IN OFFICE SPACE.
UH, ITEM 37, UH, NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR COUNTY HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM.
UM, THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT THAT WAS, UH, INSERTED BACK IN 2023 WAS $1.9 MILLION.
UM, OUR, OUR, WE HAVE A NEW GRANT NOW FOR 3.8 MILLION.
UH, THIS SUPPORTS, UM, AND THE DECISIONS, THE DIFFERENCE TO SUPPORT PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM, STAFFING AND SERVICES WITHIN THE COUNTY THAT FOCUSES ON ENSURING EQUITY AMONG ITS RESIDENT RESIDENTS.
AND THERE'S NO, UH, COUNTY MATCH ITEM 38, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR MEDICAL RESERVE CORPORATION 2024 FOR, UH, THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH MANAGEMENT.
UM, THE ME, THE MRC OR MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE
[01:30:01]
A WAY TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, AND ACTIVATE MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO RESPOND TO COMMUNITY HEALTH NEEDS DURING THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.UH, AND THIS IS A CONDITION OF BEING ON THE LINKS AGENCY.
AND THERE'S NO, UH, COUNTY MATCH ITEM 39, UM, NJ, UM, UH, TPA FOR THE, UH, 2025.
THIS IS AN ASSERTION OF REVENUE AMOUNT OF $181,207 50 CENTS.
UM, SUPPORTS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND PLANNING ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY NJT PA AND COOPERATION WITH NJ AT NJ.
UH, AND THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCHING $187,207 AND 50 CENTS.
UH, ITEM 41, UH, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR WEALTH, WEST NORTHFIELD ROAD AND LABEL STREET, UH, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE AMOUNT OF $2,098,252.
UH, THIS IS FUNDING, UH, FROM THE LOCAL BRIDGE'S FUTURE NEEDS PROGRAM, UH, CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR REPLACEMENT OF WEST NORTHFIELD AVENUE BRIDGE, UH, IN LIVINGSTON.
AND THE LABEL SEAT STREET BRIDGE OVER TONY'S BROOK IN MONTCLAIR.
AND THERE'S NO MAP THAT, THAT WAS 40 40.
WHAT DID I, WHAT DID I SAY? YOU SAID 41 SLIP IS, IS THIS, IS THIS LIKE VODKA OR
THIS IS IN THE AMOUNT OF $358,182.
UH, THIS GRANT PERIOD IS FROM JULY 1ST, 2024 TO JUNE 30TH, 2025.
UH, THIS ENABLES OUR, UH, DEPARTMENT TO MAINTAIN AND PROVE ITS EFFORTS TO INVESTIGATE AND PROSECUTE CRIMES INVOLVING SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN'S.
UH, THERE'S NO ACCOUNTING MATCH, BUT THERE IS A, UM, PART OF THAT'S, UM, WE DO MATCH WITH HAVING TWO ASSISTANT PROSECUTORS, ONE DETECTIVE, AND ONE, ONE INVESTIGATIVE AGENT.
AND THIS, I SHOULD SAY THAT THIS, UM, UH, I SHOULD SAY THIS DOES NOT HAVE THE COUNTY MATTER IF I MISSPOKE.
UH, BUT THE MS. GRANT COVERS THE SALARIES OF THOSE FOUR INDIVIDUALS.
AGAIN, TWO PROSECUTORS, ONE DETECTIVE, AND ONE INVESTIGATED.
ANY QUESTIONS ON NUMBER, UH, 29TH TO 41? NO QUESTIONS.
MR. MCINERNEY? NO S COMMISSIONERS.
MR. COMMISSIONER MARIE THOMAS TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE REVENUE COMING IN AND ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S FUN.
REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUES FROM HOUSING TO, UH, YOUTH PROTECTION, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ET CETERA.
HAD A QUESTION ABOUT ITEM 34 AROUND THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALLIANCE PROGRAM.
I'M REALLY GLAD TO SEE THAT THE COUNTY IS A PARTNER THERE.
UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE HOUSING, UH, NATURE IN THIS COUNTRY, IN THIS STATE, IT IS INCREASINGLY UNAFFORDABLE TO LIVE WHETHER YOU'RE PAYING RENT OR YOU'RE, WHETHER YOU'RE PAYING A MORTGAGE.
AND LET'S NOT EVEN JUST INCLUDE GAS AND ELECTRIC, RIGHT? AND SO YOU THINK OF THIS PROGRAM WHERE YOU'RE ACTUALLY GIVING ASSISTANCE TO FOLKS WHO ARE TEMPORARILY IN NEED.
I HAVE A QUESTION JUST ABOUT THE FREQUENCY, RIGHT.
OF UTILIZATION OF THE PROGRAM.
I KNOW THAT THIS $5,300 COMING IN, THAT LOOKS LIKE ROUGHLY 106 APPLICANTS THAT ARE BEING PROCESSED.
IF THIS ISN'T OUR FIRST YEAR AS A PARTNER WITH THIS PROGRAM, IS THAT AN INCREASE FROM APPLICANTS THAT WE SEEN BEFORE? THE DECREASE? ARE WE SEEING, UH, YOU KNOW, SPIKES ON IMAGINE 'CAUSE OF THIS? HOW APPLICABLE IT IS TO SURVIVE DUE DAY TO DAY? JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THE UTILIZATION OF THE PROGRAM.
I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE 29 TO 41 PLEASE? I'LL MOVE.
SECOND, UH, SECOND BY COMMISSIONER THOMAS.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON ABOUT MOTION 43 TO 62, WHICH ARE IN MEMORIAL COMMUTATION AND PROCLAMATION RESOLUTIONS.
UH, PLEASE DO THEM INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UH, MR. PAUL, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, MR. MC? ANY QUESTION? NO.
ANY QUESTIONS? 360 2, MOVE, MOVE.
SECOND MERCADO WILL CALL MAD EXECUTIVE CLERK AT 43 TO 62.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT JIMENEZ? YES.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO REPORT BOARD COMMITTEES.
UH, COMMISSIONER, DO YOU HAVE ANY BOARD REPORTS?
[01:35:03]
NONE.DO YOU HAVE ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS? NONE.
ANY WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS? NONE.
COMMISSIONER ANY NEW BUSINESS TO DISCUSS? OKAY.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER, PLEASE COME TO THE BANK UPON AND STATE YOUR NAMES, ADDRESS AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I AM A TAXPAYER AND RESIDENT OF MONTCLAIR.
AND I'M SPEAKING AS AN INDIVIDUAL, NOT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY ORGANIZATION, ALTHOUGH SOME OF YOU KNOW ME FROM OTHER AFFILIATIONS.
I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE COUNTY AND REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE THE MEETING IN MONTCLAIR.
I THINK MONT THE MODEL TOWN OF PROGRESSIVE IDEAS, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.
UH, THE FACT IS THAT WHILE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MY COMMISSIONERS DO IS TO HAVE, UH, TOWN HALL MEETINGS IN THE DISTRICTS THAT YOU REPRESENT.
I CAN'T RECALL WHEN WE'VE EVER HAD A TOWN HALL MEETING SO THAT I CAN HEAR FROM MY FREEHOLDER.
AND SO MY FREEHOLDER CAN HEAR FROM ME.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF PUBLIC, UH, ATTENDANCE AT THESE MEETINGS.
SO, UH, I BELIEVE THAT IN MY RECORD AND WHAT I'M SEEING IN THE COUNTY,
THIS IS VERY LOW VOTER TO TURN OUT, VERY LOW VOTER TO TURN OUT.
AND I THINK PART OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
AND I THINK WE CAN DO BETTER WITH THAT.
UH, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WOULD, UH, CONSIDER THAT.
UH, IT IS THE SECOND LARGEST COUNTY IN THE STATE, UH, HAS OVER 320,000 PEOPLE OF AFRICAN ANCESTRY IS THE ONLY COUNTY WHERE WE HAVE FOUR AFRICAN AMERICAN PEOPLE, FIVE AFRICAN AMERICAN MAYORS, ONE FEMALE.
SO THERE IS AN EXPECTATION THAT THERE WILL BE DIVERSITY IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE COUNTY'S BUSINESS.
OKAY? WHEN I WALK AROUND SOME OF THE COUNTY PROJECTS, SOMETIMES I SEE VERY FEW AFRICAN AMERICANS, VERY FEW.
AND I DON'T GET THAT IF WE REPRESENT SUCH A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE COUNTY.
HOW IS IT THAT WE'RE LEFT OUT OF SOME OF THE CONTRACTS? I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT I HEARD, UH, SEVERAL OF THE COMMISSIONERS ASKED, WHAT IS THE REPRESENTATION OF PEOPLE FROM ESSEX COUNTY AND SOME OF THE CONTRACTS THAT WERE GIVEN OUT? I REMEMBER MR. RICHARDSON USED TO ASK THAT QUESTION CONTINUOUSLY.
UH, THE PERSON WHO TALKED ABOUT THE, UH, ENGINEERING SERVICES, I'M INTERESTED IN KNOWING HOW MANY AFRICAN AMERICAN ENGINEERS IN THAT COMPANY, SINCE WE HAVE NJIT, RIGHT HERE IN ENDURE, ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE ENGINEERING SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, CALL YOU TO ASK IF YOU DO SEVERAL THINGS, 30 SECONDS.
ONE, UH, I WOULD HOPE THAT, UH, YOU WOULD, UH, TAKE A LOOK AT THE COUNTY, UH, ELECTION BUREAU AND SEE IF WE CAN HAVE ALL OF THE COUNTY ELECTION BOARDS GO INTO THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND, AND GET THOSE KIDS REGISTERED BY THE TIME WE GRADUATED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I'LL, UH, SEND MY OTHER REQUEST AND, UH, FOR YOU FOR WRITING THIS.
I DON'T HAVE, UH, MORE TIME, BUT, UH, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING LONG HERE.
AND, UH, PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO DO WHEN I CALL YOUR OFFICE.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW.
IF WE HAVE, UH, ADAM IN THE BACK, YOU CAN TAKE YOUR INFORMATION AND YOU CAN DIRECT QUESTIONS TODAY AND WE WILL RESPOND TO
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION.
I AM A LONGTIME BOARD MEMBER, CURRENT PRESIDENT BY AND MONTCLAIR AND CURRENT TASK FORCE MEMBER OF THE VISION ZERO MONTCLAIR TEST FORCE.
UM, I'LL TRY TO GET MY POINTS ACROSS.
ONE JUST TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE URGENCY.
SO ESSEX COUNTY IS NUMBER ONE IN ROADWAY FATALITIES FOR PEDESTRIANS, NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE.
WE ARE THE TOP 10 FOR COUNTIES AS FOR PEDESTRIANS AS A PART OF PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL ROADWAY, FATES TOP 10 IN THE COUNTRY.
AND WE KNOW WE CAN DO BETTER AT THAT.
SO I APPRECIATE SOME OF THE COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, AND WHAT WAS GOING ON REGARDING HAVING A PLAN, PUTTING A PLAN IN PLACE.
WE'VE HAD A COMPLETE STREETS POLICY, BUT WE HAVEN'T DONE ENOUGH WITH IT.
UM, AND I THINK THIS IS EVIDENCE OF THAT TWO, TWO COUNTIES.
UM, WE HAVE A VERY HIGH NUMBER OF ROADWAY FATALITIES.
WE HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF PEDESTRIAN FAT.
[01:40:01]
AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING SOME GREAT THINGS WITH VISION ZERO.I THINK WE CAN LEARN FROM WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING, UM, THE NUMBER OF PEDESTRIAN FATALS IN ALL OF HUDSON COUNTY UP TO THIS POINT.
SAME TIME ONE, ONE PEDESTRIAN.
SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN THERE.
AND I'M ONE OF MANY A GROWING NUMBER OF ADVOCATES IN ESSEX COUNTY.
WE'RE GETTING ORGANIZED, WE'RE PUTTING OUR HEADS TOGETHER.
WE'RE DOING, UM, WE'RE WORKING IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO MAKE OUR ROADWAYS SAFER.
AND WHAT WE ARE REALIZING, YOU KNOW, OUR COUNTY ROADS ARE THE MOST DANGEROUS ROADS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR TOWNS, AND WE NEED TO WORK MORE CLOSELY WITH THE COUNTY.
SO WE'RE REALLY THRILLED TO HEAR ABOUT THIS PLAN COMING UP.
AND I KNOW THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS A CRITICAL PART OF THAT.
WE CAN DEFINITELY HELP WITH THAT.
UM, I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THE MEETING TO MONTCLAIR TODAY.
UM, IT'S BEEN VERY, VERY HELPFUL AND WE LOOK AT, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND GETTING MORE THINGS DONE TO MAKE OUR RELEASE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING TO MONTCLAIR.
UM, I'M A BUSINESS LEADER, ENTREPRENEUR, A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER.
I HAVE A VERY SICK CHILD AT HOME, BUT IT FELT I THAT I HAVEN'T LEFT IN WEEKS.
BUT IT FELT SO IMPORTANT FOR ME TO COME OUT TO SPEAK TO YOU THAT I DID LEAVE HER WITH MY HUSBAND.
UM, I'M HERE TO ASK YOU ALL TO HAVE THE COURAGE AND CREATIVITY TO CREATE LIVABLE COMMUNITIES FOR ALL.
I'M ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS OF THE MONTCLAIR BIKE BUS.
I MADE THESE, UM, YOU CAN GOOGLE WHAT A BIKE BUS IS.
WE SHEPHERD HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES, UH, VIA BIKE TO SCHOOL ACROSS EIGHT SCHOOLS IN MONTCLAIR EACH FRIDAY.
THE BIKE BUS REALLY REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF OUR TOWN.
IT REDUCES TRAFFIC AND CLIMATE EMISSIONS WHILE INCREASING JOY AND EQUITY.
WE HAVE BEEN IN THE NEW YORK TIMES.
I'VE BEEN INTERVIEWED BY THE WASHINGTON POST, THE BOSTON GLOBE, COUNTLESS ALL THE PUBLICA PUBLICATIONS.
UM, AT A NATIONAL LEVEL, WE'VE RECEIVED MORE RECOGNITION AND PRAISE FROM GOVERNMENT LEADERS IN OTHER STATES THAN WE HAVE LOCALLY.
IF YOU WANNA LEARN, UM, MORE ABOUT BIKE BUS, UM, MONTCLAIR BIKE BUS, YOU CAN CHECK US OUT.
THE BIKE BUS HAS BECOME, UH, A TRUE POSITIVE, UH, A FORCE FOR POSITIVE CHANGE IN MONTCLAIR, UH, AND GLOBALLY.
WE'VE WORKED TO TURN OUT OUR FIGHT BUS COMMUNITY TO VOTE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN PUSHING OUR TOWN TO CREATE THE VISION ZERO TASK FORCE AND TO CHANGE SPEED LIMITS IN MONTCLAIR ON AVERAGE.
NOW IN MONTCLAIR, WE HAVE THE SAME RATIO OF PEOPLE BIKING AS IN PORTLAND, OREGON, WHICH IS A TOWN THAT HAS INCREDIBLE BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO EVERY WEEK WHEN OUR PEOPLE ARE BIKING, IT'S THE SAME AMOUNT.
WE'VE LEARNED THAT YOU REALLY DON'T NEED A STUDY OR A COMMITTEE.
IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.
WE'VE FOUND IN MONTCLAIR BIKE BUS AS SO SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
I'VE BEEN IN NUMEROUS PUBLICATIONS TALKING ABOUT SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC INFRASTRUCTURE DID NOT EXIST.
IT'S REALLY TIME TO CREATE THE COMPLETE STREETS TRAFFIC INFRASTRUCTURE TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.
AS YOU KNOW, ESSEX COUNTY, AS PAUL JUST MENTIONED, HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF PEDESTRIANS KILLED IN CAR CRASHES IN THE NATION.
IF YOU LOOK JUST 15 MILES IN ANY DIRECTION, YOU'LL FIND TOWNS THAT PRIORITIZE THIS 30 SECONDS ASK TO YOU IS TO CREATE PROTECTED BIKE LANES IN ESSEX COUNTY TO GO ON A SCENE TRIP AND SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
TO SEE IMPROVEMENTS TO PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AS EQUAL AS HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS.
AND NUMBER ONE, TO PRIORITIZE EQUITY, SAFETY, AND JOY OF OUR CITIZENS.
WE'RE DOING SOMETHING INCREDIBLE IN MONTCLAIR, UM, THAT IS ACTUALLY REDUCING EMISSIONS.
UM, I'M HERE 'CAUSE I WANTED TO ASK YOU, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR, UM, RESOLUTION NUMBER 16 HERE, WHERE YOU'RE SWITCHING FROM SOD TO SEED.
UM, I'M SO PLEASED TO SEE THAT WHEN YOU START TO DO FIELDS WHERE YOU'RE INCORPORATING PLAYING FIELDS, WHERE YOU'RE INCORPORATING GRASS AND LESS, UH, PLASTIC SURFACES.
AND I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE BE MORE MINDFUL ABOUT ANY FUTURE PROJECTS THAT COME BEFORE YOU AS YOU VOTE ON 'EM.
ARTIFICIAL TURF HAS NO PLACE IN 2024, WE ARE IN A CLIMATE CRISIS.
THIS MATERIAL CAUSES TEMPERATURES THAT ARE 50 TO 70 DEGREES WARMER THAN AMBIENT TEMPERATURE.
AND IT'S EVEN WARMER THAN ASPHALT.
[01:45:01]
GOOD THAT EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO DO SOME PLAYABLE PARTS AND PROVIDE RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES, BUT IF YOU ARE CARPETING OUR PARTS WITH PLASTIC, YOU'RE HARMING OUR KIDS AND YOU'RE HARMING THE NEXT GENERATION.YOU'RE INVESTING IN PETROCHEMICALS, YOU'RE SPREADING
AND EVEN WORSE, I ASKED YOUR OFFICE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE TURF WHEN YOU'RE DONE WITH IT.
AND THE RESPONSE WAS REALLY DEVASTATING.
IT WAS, IT'S UP TO THE CONTRACTOR, WHATEVER HE WANTS TO DO.
AND THE ANSWER IS THERE'S NO NOTHING BUT THEY CAN DO OTHER THAN DUMP IT IN A LANDFILL.
SO THE FACT THAT OUR COUNTY IS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS MASSIVE TOXIC BURDEN IN OTHER STATES IS WRONG.
THESE, UH, THE RAW MATERIAL IS IN AND OF ITSELF PROBLEMATIC.
YOU'RE CREATING, UH, YOU'RE JUST SUBSIDIZING CANCER ALLEY WHERE PLASTIC IS MADE, AND YOU'RE SUBSIDIZING THE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY WHEN THAT'S NOT WHAT OUR KIDS NEED.
SO I NEED TO SEE MORE MINDFULNESS.
I'M BEGGING YOU TO PLEASE EXPLORE GRASS, GOOD OLD GRASS, UM, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, INVEST IN THAT.
INVEST IN PEOPLE WHO CAN MAINTAIN IT.
INVEST IN OUR PEOPLE, AND IT WILL PAY US BACK.
AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT BELLEVILLE IS A HYBRID SOLUTION.
UM, AND IF YOU WANT ANY MORE INFORMATION, I HAVE A HUGE PUBLIC ACCESSIBLE HARD DRIVE WHERE YOU CAN FIND ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S WRONG WITH ARTIFICIAL TURF.
IT IS NOT WHAT THEY'RE SELLING IT TO YOU AS.
IT'S A REALLY TERRIBLE PRODUCT.
AND, UM, REAL QUICK, I JUST WANTED TO SAY ONE THING ABOUT THE VICE BUS.
'CAUSE I'VE BEEN A VERY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT AND MY SON HAS AS WELL.
UM, I JUST CAN'T, UM, STRESS ENOUGH HOW MUCH FUN IT IS IN ADDITION TO EVERYTHING ELSE.
IT'S TRULY JOYOUS TO WATCH THE KIDS SHOW UP AT SCHOOL.
UM, AND PEOPLE ARE CHEERING AND OUR PRINCIPAL IS CHEERING.
AND, UM, I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY WORK TIMES WHEN WE'VE HAD 70 RIDER AT ONE SCHOOL.
UM, IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S A WONDERFUL WAY TO GET KIDS TO BE ACTIVE.
UM, AND IT REALLY BURNS ENERGY SO THAT WHEN THEY GET TO SCHOOL, THEY CAN BE MORE FOCUSED.
UM, THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO ADD, THREE THINGS I WANNA TALK ABOUT.
THE SECOND THING IS, UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
AND AS YOU KNOW, UM, SO PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT GROVE IS COUNTY, RIGHT? AND ONG IS ALSO COUNTY.
SO THE DAY THAT, UM, ON AT BLOOMFIELD, UM, THE DAY AT BLOOMFIELD AND GROVE, THAT, THAT, UM, LEFT HAND SIGNAL WENT UP WAS LIKE BY, BY OUR SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, UM, BY
REALIZE THAT THAT WAS LIKE ONE OF THE HAPPIEST DAYS EVER BECAUSE WE'VE NEEDED THAT LEFT HAND SIGNAL FOREVER.
IT WAS A VERY SMART, UM, MOVE.
WE REALLY NEED ONE AT WATCH, UM, AND GROWTH.
AND I JUST, I WANT TO PLANT THAT IDEA.
UM, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND VEHICLE SAFETY.
IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST TOO MUCH TRAFFIC.
UM, AND I, I, I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY ABOUT THAT EXCEPT, UM, WHAT WE HAVE ON ROAD.
[01:55:37]
THOSE[01:55:37]
PEOPLE PRESSING ME BEHIND ARE FARTHER THAN I AM FROM THE, FROM THE, YOU KNOW, SPEED LIMIT.MOST OF IT IS 25, 20, 35, 40, SO DEPRESSING.
BUT I'M ACTUALLY ON MY RIGHT ON THAT ROAD AND I'M ACTUALLY MORE RESPECTING THE LIMITS THAN THEY ARE.
IT'S JUST TO ECHO TO WHAT SOME SPEAKERS HAVE SAID, UH, TODAY, THE URGENCY FOR MORE INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF P TODAY FOR THAT KIND OF MOBILITY IN THIS TOWN, EVEN IF THERE'S ALMOST ZERO INFRASTRUCTURE FREIGHT.
SO IF YOU DO THEM, I THINK WE SEE GROW, UH, PROTECTING BASIC LAND.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT ANOTHER, ALL OF THIS IS EXPENSIVE.
UH, I HAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE DISCUSSION, DISCUSSION PRIORITIZATION IS ABOUT.
THERE COULD BE SOME QUICK WINS THAT WE SEE AROUND SOMETIMES THE BIKE LANE IS ONLY, YOU KNOW, PAINTING ON THE STREET.
I SAW ONE THIS MORNING, ANOTHER
I THINK VANTAGE HAS MANY INTERSECTION THAT HAVE BEEN SEPARATED, IS KIND OF BULLET THAT TEND TO LIMIT THE WIDTH OF THE STREETS.
SO LIMITS THE PEOPLE THAT PASSING ON PEOPLE THE LEFT.
UH, THERE ARE SEVERAL INITIATIVES THAT LOOKS TO US PRETTY EASY AND
WE BACK ON THE DAY SIX TO
AND I WONDER WHAT CAN BE DONE TODAY IF I QUOTE PERMISSION APPEAL.
HOW ARE YOU? I LIVE IN MONTCLAIR, BUT WHILE I WAS SITTING HERE, UM, I SAID, LET ME COME UP AND CELEBRATE SOME THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN ESSEX COUNTY.
SO EVERY COUNTY HAS A CHILDCARE RESOURCE AND REFERRAL AGENCY, AND I REPRESENT PROGRAMS FOR PARENTS, WHICH IS ESSEX COUNTY.
UM, WE ARE CELEBRATING 40 YEARS, SO I WANTED TO PUT A FACE TO A NAME BECAUSE I'LL BE REACHING OUT TO YOU.
I'VE TALKED TO COMMISSIONER GILL AND WE'VE TALKED WITH, UH, BOB JACKSON RECENTLY JUST ABOUT OUR PROGRAM TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE THE AGENCY THAT PROVIDES SUB SUBSIDY FOR FAMILIES, FOR CHILDCARE AND CAMP.
AND IF ANYBODY NEEDS ANY INFORMATION, WE DO PARENT EDUCATION.
WE PROVIDE, UM, CDC, WHICH IS THE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CREDENTIAL WHERE, UH, FOLKS WHO WORK IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE COME AND WE QUALIFY THEM WITH THOSE CREDENTIALS.
SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ARE YOUR CCR AND R AND WE ARE CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF SERVICE.
AND WE WILL HAVE OUR GALA ON OCTOBER 1ST, AND I WILL BE SENDING THAT INVITATION OUT FOR ANY SUPPORT THAT YOU COULD GIVE.
BUT WHEN YOU GO OUT AND YOU TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU DO, I HOPE THAT YOU PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK BECAUSE ESSEX COUNTY IS ROCKING, UM, PROVIDING THESE SERVICES FOR OUR FAMILIES IN NEED.
PLEASE COME TO EVERY MEETING AND SEE THINGS LIKE THAT.
SEEING NO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC QUESTION TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME, WE GONNA CLOSE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT IF I'M GONNA MOVE ON TO THE COMMISSIONER COMMENT SESSIONS, UH, COMMISSIONER ANY TIME.
AND I WILL HAVE YOU, COMMISSIONER GA UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, ALSO, UM, JUST WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU, ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE GOVERNING BODY WHO JOINED US, UH, HERE TONIGHT.
COUNCILWOMAN, UH, SUSAN CHIN ANDERSON IN THE BACK AS WELL.
IT'S A GOOD TIME TO BE WITH US TONIGHT.
UM, AND JUST REALLY QUICKLY, UM, AGAIN, THANK MR. PRESIDENT FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR KEEPING THIS TRADITION GOING.
UM, AND, AND THEY, AND I ALSO THANK, UH, KATHY AND THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT, UH, PUTS A, A LITTLE BIT MORE EXTRA FOR SURE, UM, YOU KNOW, TO MOVE THIS AROUND.
AND THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THAT.
UM, JUST WANTED TO, TO, UM, FOLLOW UP ON A COUPLE COMMENTS ON THE, ON THE BIKE BUS.
AND, AND I'LL PUT, PUT THIS IN THE CATEGORY OF, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, DO AS I SAY THAT AS I DO BECAUSE I, THE INVITATION HAS BEEN EXTENDED THROUGH THE BIKE BUS FOR ME TO JOIN.
I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO JOIN ON ONE OF THOSE RIDES.
I HAVE A 15 AND A 12-YEAR-OLD THAT I'M ENCOURAGING THEM TO DO IT.
BUT I, I'M SURE, UM, THAT, UM, THAT WOULD EXTEND THAT SAME INVITATION TO THE COMMISSIONERS.
UM, IT IS SOMETHING, UH, TO SEE.
[02:00:01]
ON A, ON A FRIDAY, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE ENTER THE NEXT YEAR, I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR MANY OF YOU TO MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, AT YOUR CONVENIENCE AT A CERTAIN POINT, UH, IN TIME, UM, TO SEE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, UM, IN THAT SPACE.UM, JUST, UM, AND I KNOW WE WILL RESPOND TO THESE IN, IN WRITING, UH, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY ALSO TO MEET, UM, WITH, UH, WITH MS. GROSSMAN, ISSUES REGARDING, UH, TURF, THE USE OF, OF TURF AND, AND PARTICULARLY WHAT WE'RE DOING AND IN THE AREA OF LANDSCAPING.
UM, NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, SO, UH, THIS, THIS ISSUE OF, OF THE TURF THAT WE'RE USING IN OUR FIELD IS ONE THAT IS EMERGING, UM, ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
UM, AND I WOULD AGAIN, IMPLORE THE ADMINISTRATION TO PLAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHAT OTHER STATES, UM, UH, AND OTHER COUNTIES ARE DOING AROUND IT.
UM, PARTICULARLY IN MASSACHUSETTS.
THEY'VE ALREADY BANNED THIS TYPE OF STUFF THAT WE'RE USING THAT, THAT WE'RE TERING OUR FIELDS WITH.
UH, I KNOW THAT'S A SEPARATE AND LONGER CONVERSATION FOR, FOR US TO HAVE, BUT A SHORTER TERM SOLUTION IN BANKING ADMINISTRATION, BUT IN THE LANDSCAPING THAT WE'RE DOING IN THESE PROJECTS.
UM, AND THE SHOOT GOT RAISED WHEN WE RECENTLY DID SOME QUICK REMEDIATION IN GLENFIELD PARK.
UM, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE, THESE ARE SIMPLE, UM,
UH, AND I WANT, YOU KNOW, THANK THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, FOR PAYING ATTENTION TO THOSE CONCERNS AND, AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING A, YOU KNOW, A MUCH LARGER DIALOGUE, I THINK, ABOUT HOW WE'RE GONNA APPROACH, UM, THESE PROJECTS.
NO ONE IS, UM, AGAIN, NO ONE IS, UM, QUESTIONING.
UM, AND I THINK THE ADMINISTRATION OR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, UH, OR THIS BOARD'S COMMITMENT TO OUR OPEN SPACES AND OUR PARKS, THEY'RE TOP NOTCH.
THEY'RE SECOND TO NONE AS FAR AS, AND I THINK WE'RE CONCERNED ACROSS, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE STATE.
UM, BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME, WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SECOND TO NONE, UM, IN THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, SAFETY.
UM, I THANK, UH, THE ADVOCATES AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE RAISED THOSE ISSUES AND PRESIDENT BEFORE CONTINUING THIS DIALOGUE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT THE TURF AND OTHER, UM, ELEMENTS OF THE PRODUCTS THAT WE'RE USING IN THESE PROJECTS IS AS SAFE AS IT, UH, HUMAN POSSIBLE.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER? COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS.
UM, THANK YOU TO, UH, YOURSELF, MS. KATHY, AND TO THE ENTIRE, MAKING US HAVE SUCH A SEAMLESS MEETING IN THE BEAUTIFUL TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR.
UM, MY COMMISSIONER, GA, I FEEL LIKE YOU WERE JUST THE UNOFFICIAL HEAD HONCHO OF THIS TOWN.
ANYTIME I MADE MONTCLAIR, I'M LIKE, LISTEN, I GET TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WITH THE, UH, COMMISSIONER GU.
BUT IT'S JUST A TESTAMENT TO LISTEN TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE SAYING ABOUT HOW RESPONSIVE YOU ARE AND PRESENT TO THE NEEDS, NOT JUST OF MONTCLAIR, BUT TO THE ENTIRE, UH, ESUS COUNCIL.
IT WAS VERY GOOD TO BE, I WANTED TO SPEAK ON THE PROTECTIVE BIKE LANES AND SOME OF THE ISSUES AROUND, UH, PEDESTRIAN AND THE PARTICULAR SAFETY THAT CAME UP.
BECAUSE WHERE I LIVE IN NEWARK, WE'RE RIGHT OFF OF SOUTH ORANGE AVENUE, WHICH IS ALSO A COUNTY ROAD.
AND YOU MEAN YOU SEE SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRAVELERS ON THAT STREET, WHETHER IT'S PEDESTRIANS, WHETHER IT'S YOUNG PEOPLE ON THEIR WAY TO SCHOOL AND THEIR ELECTRIC BIKES OR ELECTRIC SCOOTERS, UM, OR FOLKS WHO ARE IN WHEELCHAIRS AND THEY'RE COMMUTING UP AND DOWN THE STREET WITH THOSE, UH, TYPES OF, UH, VEHICLES, IF YOU WILL.
SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE AS A BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE COUNTY OF ESSEX, JUST ONE, SEEING WHAT FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AND HOW WE CAN MAKE SURE, UH, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT GOES TO PROTECTING OUR COMMUTERS AND OUR TRAVELERS.
BUT THEN ALSO, AS WE COULD SEE FROM TONIGHT'S CONVERSATION AROUND THE VENDOR FROM, WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE STUDY THAT'S WORKING IN CONVERSATION WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
HOW CAN WE LOOK AT NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING? I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY ABOUT A YEAR AGO, PRIOR TO ME SERVING ON THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS TO PARTICIPATE IN A SIMILAR, UH, SAFE TRAVELER, UH, TOUR, IF YOU WILL, OF, OF DENVER VIA BIKE.
AND DENVER'S A CITY THAT'S KIND OF AHEAD OF THE CURVE WITH THIS BECAUSE IT GOT ED SOME MILES OF PROTECTED BIKE LANES FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON THAT WE DISCUSSED TODAY.
AND SO IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE REALLY ON THE RIGHT TRACK, BUT OF COURSE, THERE'S ALWAYS MORE WORK TO DO.
AND SO THANKS TO THE BOARD AND TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR HELPING US MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT.
ALSO WANTED TO LIFT UP SOMETHING THAT, UH, MR. HARRIS SHARED WHO I'M FAMILIAR WITH, THE SPACE OF NAACP, WHICH IS SO GREAT TO KIND OF HEAR YOU COME AND SPEAK ON THE ISSUES FROM, AS A RESIDENT HERE IN MONTCLAIR ON THE VOTER REGISTRATION PIECE, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, WHETHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOVEMBER OR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, PROUD TO BE A FORMER BOARD MEMBER FROM THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND JUST THIS YEAR IN NOR WE PASS HISTORIC ORDINANCE GIVING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO VOTE AT THE AGE OF 16, UH, IN GLOBAL SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS.
AND SO JUST LIKE WE HAVE ALL THESE INCREDIBLE PARENTS, COMMUNITY LEADERS HERE AT THIS MEETING, THINGS COULD BE REALLY FILLED WITH YOUNG PEOPLE TOO.
[02:05:01]
AND ONE, ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE MAKE THAT HAPPEN IS BY MAKING SURE YOUNG PEOPLE KNOW THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE, UH, KNOW THAT THERE ARE WAYS IN VERY ACCESSIBLE PATHWAYS TO VOTER REGISTRATION, AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO AS COMMISSIONERS TO, TO IMPROVE THAT.AND SO HAPPY TO THOUGHT PARTNER WITH YOURSELF AS FAR AS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT I'M CONNECTED WITH IN THE EDUCATION AND THE CIVIC SPACE TO MAKE SURE WE GET ALL OF RIGHT YOUNG PEOPLE IN A COUNTY REGISTERED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BOTH FOR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS, MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS, AND NATIONAL ELECTIONS.
BECAUSE, UH, FUTURE THAT IS IN THE HANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEN'S INFORM THEIR VOICES, THEIR BRILLIANCE, THEIR HUMOR, THEIR WICKED.
UM, IT'S A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL OF US.
SO TRULY LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH COMMISSIONERS AND COMMUNITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.
ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER SPEAKER SPEECHES WHO CAME UP, ALL THE ACCOLADES, THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON.
AND AGAIN, OUR COMMISSIONER GI YOU KNOW, YOU'VE KNOWN
BUT WHAT QUESTIONS I HAVE TO ASK IS TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
THERE WAS A DISPARITY STUDY DONE, UH, OVER SEVERAL YEARS.
WHEN WILL IT BE ROLLED OUT? WHEN WILL BE MADE OF, UM, MR. P, UH, MR. PRESIDENT? UM, I LIKE THAT.
AND MR. JACKSON, CAN YOU, UH, PLEASE ADDRESS? YES.
UM, UH, COMMISSIONER, UM, MY RECOLLECTION IS THAT THE BOARD WAS GONNA SCHEDULE A MEETING ON THE, UH, COMMITTEE, THE, UH, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION COMMITTEE TO REVIEW THE REPORT.
UM, AND WE JUST WAIT FOR THAT MEETING TO BE SCHEDULED.
SO, SO IT CAN'T BE ROLLED OUT PUBLICLY UNTIL THAT MEETING HAPPENS? OH, I, YES, IT COULD BE.
I, I, SO I THINK QUESTION I, I THINK IT SHOULD BE RE RELEASED PUBLICLY, SO THE PUBLIC TO HAVE, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIGEST IT.
AND THEN I'M GONNA CALL FOR THE FRONT OF ACTION MEETING, UH, AND A SMALL BUSINESS MEETING AND A
IN LIGHT OF THE STUFF THAT IS BEING SAID AROUND CORRECTIONS, RIGHT? SO WE NEED TO HAVE ALL OF THOSE MEETINGS THROUGH YOU, UH, UH, DEPUTY COURT TO SCHEDULE THOSE MEETINGS MAYBE LATE SEPTEMBER.
AND WE'D DEFINITELY LIKE TO GET, UH, THE PEOPLE FROM THE DISPARITY STUDY ABOUT THE OFFICE OF IT TO COME IN TO A PUBLIC FORUM SO WE HAVE NUMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SO WE CAN ASK ALL OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED TO ASK AND WHAT, WHATEVER THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE, WE'D LIKE TO HEAR THEM IN A PUBLIC FORUM.
BUT I THINK THE STUDY SHOULD BE RELEASED NOW.
MAYOR, WE ARE ALREADY IN THE WORK, SO MAYBE SOME OF THOSE COMM THOSE COMMITTEE MEETINGS ALREADY.
I KNOW WE HAD TO RESCHEDULE ONE OF 'EM, UH, IN SEPTEMBER, BUT WE, WE'LL, COMING UP NEXT MONTH, TWO, SO WE CAN GET 'EM ON THE CALENDAR.
YOU'D LIKE TO RESERVE THE WEDNESDAY THAT I DON'T MEET, GENERALLY SPEAKING FOR THOSE, I MEAN, WE TRY TO RESERVE WEDNESDAYS FOR, OF COURSE OUR MEETINGS, OUR SPECIAL ALLIANCE.
WE HAVE THE CURRENT EVENT COMING UP, SPEAKING TO COMMISSIONER RICARDO ABOUT IT.
AND THEN THE WEDNESDAY WE DON'T HAVE THOSE.
WE TRY TO DO THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND COMMISSIONER GU ORGANIZING A GUN SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING COMING UP, I BELIEVE ON THE 24TH, BUT DON'T ONLY THROUGH A LOT OF DATES HEAD, BUT WE WON'T BE DOING THAT.
UH, UH, MR. DEPUTY CLARK, UH, WHY DON'T WE TRY TO UPDATE THE COUNCIL WITH THE UPCOMING COMMITTEE MEETING SO WE CAN UPDATE THE, NOW THAT SUMMERS KIND OVER AND, YOU KNOW, BACK AND THE FULL
UM, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS? I WANT A COUPLE OF, UH, COMMENTS HERE.
SO FIRST I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING OUT TODAY.
I WANT THANK JUAN P FOR THE WARM WELCOME.
I SIT IN THE SHERIFF AND HEIDI'S TEAM, MR. ROBERT JACKSON, WHO REMEMBER THE ONE CLERK TODAY.
UM, THANK YOU TO THE MAYOR AND MEMBERS.
THE COUNCIL CAME FOR THE WARM WELCOME I LIKE TO PUT OUT THERE.
NOT ONLY DO I HAVE BIKES, I HAVE A BUS.
THE BUS IS A STORY, BUT EVERY DAY.
BUT I DO HAVE A COLLECTION OF OLD BIKES IN PARTICULAR THAT I LIKE TO RESTORE THINGS.
UH, YEARS AGO WHEN I SERVED AS A DIRECTOR OF THE MONTCLAIR HISTORICAL SOCIETY, I DID DO HISTORIC BIKE TOURS IN MONTCLAIR.
AND, UH, THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN.
SO, UM, I DO HAVE AN UBER DAD SHIFT IN THE MORNING.
I HAVE THREE KIDS THAT I GET OFF TO SCHOOL, BUT IF I COULD SQUEEZE IN A BIKE BUS TOO, I'D BE HAPPY.
SO IF YOU COULD SEND ME THE INVITATION, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO JOIN.
I'LL TRY TO MAKE ONE OF MY OLD BIKES TOO, JUST FOR TOP OF THE CONVERSATION.
UM, FOR THOSE OF YOU, I APOLOGIES FOR NOT RECALLING EXACTLY WHICH SPEAKER HAVING TURF INFORMATION ON DATABASE.
IF YOU CAN FORWARD ME THAT INFORMATION, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
UH, IF YOU COULD SEND IT OVER MY WAY, I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
I'M SURE ALL THE MEMBERS MAY, UH, CARE FOR AS WELL, BUT I DON'T SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY, BUT SURE.
[02:10:01]
UM, ARE, MAY, MIGHT THERE.I WANTED TO THANK THE STAFF FOR, UH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF WORK TO GET OUT HERE.
SO I WANNA THANK THE STAFF FOR DOING EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY FOR KATHY, WHO'S, UH, HERE FULL FORCE WITH THE BROWN FAMILY IN THE BACK THERE.
THEY, THEY COULD RECOGNIZE 'EM.
BROWN FAMILY IS AN EXCEPTIONALLY TALENTED, THEY'RE LIKE THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY OF MONTCLAIR.
UM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE MIXED, BUT THEY'RE ALL TALENTED.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES TO ENTERTAINMENT AND, AND THE VERY BRIGHT CHILDREN THAT YOU HAVE AND, AND, UH, CERTAINLY, UH, WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE, HAVE KATHY HERE, UH, AT THE HELP TODAY.
AND WITH THAT, I'M VOTE FOR MOTION TO ADJOURN.