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CALLED TO ORDER.THE MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAMED IN ADDITION TO TAKING PLACE HERE IN PERSON.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
HERE, PLEASE STAND FOR THE, THE FLAG.
I'M GONNA ASK COMMISSIONER LUCIANO TO LEAD US TO THE I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION, NATION UNDER GOD AND INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
AND I'M JUST GONNA ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE, UH, IN HONOR OF THOSE THAT WE LOST RECENTLY.
I KNOW, UH, FRIENDS WHO, EVERYONE HERE, UH, COUNCILWOMAN TRUMP AWAY AND OTHERS, UH, SO I'M GONNA ASK FOR A MOMENT TO SIGN.
I HAVE BEFORE MORE ME CERTIFICATION FROM THE DEPUTY CLERK THAT THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF TRANSCRIPTS.
MADAM DEPUTY CLARK, ARE THERE ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO BE APPROVED? UH, YES.
MR. PRESIDENT, THERE IS ONE FROM THE JANUARY 17TH, 2024 CONFERENCE, BOARD MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS TO COMMENTS? DO I HAVE SO TO MOVE IT, MOVE IT, MOVE IT.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
DO WE HAVE ANY TOPICS OF THIS FOR DISCUSSION? NO.
MR. UH, TOPICS OF DISCUSSION? I'M SORRY.
LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A COMBINED CONFERENCE BOARD MEETING, AND WE WILL VOTE ON EVERY ITEM AND ON THE AGENDA.
SO IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE AGENDA ITEMS ONLY, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES SPEAK.
THERE WILL BE TIME LATE LATER IN THE MEETING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANY OTHER ITEMS? SO I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE LET ME YOUR COMMENT AT THIS TIME TO AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THERE'S NO ONE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
SO WE'RE GONNA, UH, MOVE FORWARD.
UH, AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GONNA MOVE OUT OF ORDER.
AT THE REQUEST OF THE ADMINISTRATION, WE WANT TO TAKE RESOLUTIONS NUMBER SIX AND SEVEN FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, WHICH SHOULD BE READ INTO THE REC INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
GOOD EVENING, MR. GOOD EVENING, MR. JACKSON.
GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. GOOD EVENING, DIRECTOR.
MR. PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS HAS TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THE FIRST ONE IN HIS CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR, FOR 12 MONTHS TO CFG, OUR MEDICAL PROVIDER AT THE JAIL FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS.
AND THEN, UH, EXTENSION FOR THE PHYSICALS FOR CORRECTION OFFICERS.
THAT IS ALSO A CONTRACT EXTENSION.
MR. PRESIDENT, I DO HAVE, UH, THE NEW CEO OF CFGS.
I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE HIM SO HE CAN INTRODUCE HIS EXECUTIVE TEAM.
IF, UH, THE BOARD WOULD USE HE'S FIT, PLEASE PROCEED.
HIS NAME IS BRANDON DE JULI IF I ASK HIM TO COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
PLEASE, FOR EVERYONE WHO'S ABOUT TO SPEAK, JUST PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD BEFORE YOU SPEAK.
I'M JOINED TONIGHT BY OUR SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS, NATASHA MCMILLAN, OUR, UH, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, MADELINE BELL AND DR.
ANSET OUR CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER.
WHY DON'T YOU TELL US ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR US? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, CFG HEALTH PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES TO ESSEX COUNTY JAIL.
UM, WE, UH, HAVE BEEN A LONGSTANDING, UM, UH, CONTRACTS CONTRACTOR OF, OF THE JAIL.
UM, WE, UM, UH, ARE IN THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNTIES IN NEW JERSEY AND WE ARE ALSO IN TWO COUNTIES IN NEW YORK.
UM, AND, UH, OUR, UM, UH, OUR MAIN AIM IS TO PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF HEALTHCARE, UM, THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH, UH, COMMUNITY STANDARDS AND BASED UPON THAT BASED MEDICINE.
IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF YOUR TEAM WISHING TO MAKE ANY STATEMENTS OR EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ANY FURTHER ONTO THE CONTRACT, OR YOU ARE A POINT PERSON AND THEY'RE HERE IN CASE WE HAVE QUESTIONS, I'LL, UM, ASK DR.
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ESSEX COUNTY AND CFG.UM, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
I HAVE SOME, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
UH, TO HAVE SOME VERY LEARNED PEOPLE BEHIND ME THERE THAT, UH, WORK AND COOPERATE WITH THE COUNTY IN ORDER TO DELIVER THE HEALTH, UH, CARE THAT FRANKLY IS, UH, SORELY LACKING IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE BECOME THE, UH, LARGEST, UH, ADDICTION CENTER SERVICING RIGHT NOW, ROUGHLY 350 PATIENTS ON, UH, SUBOXONE AND OTHER MEANS OF, UH, MEDICATION ASSISTED THERAPY.
WE'RE ALSO PROBABLY THE LARGEST, UH, PSYCHIATRIC CENTER IN THE COUNTY SERVICING OVER 500, UH, PATIENTS THAT HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS.
UM, CURRENTLY WE'RE SCREENING ROUGHLY 60 NEW, UH, ADMISSIONS A DAY.
SO IF YOU DO THE QUICK MATH, IT'S CLOSE TO 2000 PEOPLE A MONTH THAT ARE COMING TO THE FACILITY AND BEING TRIAGED AND SCREENED AND PLACED IN DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, WHICH THEN ALSO ARE COORDINATED WITH, UH, COMMUNITY CENTERS.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ROUGHLY 21 COMMUNITY AFFILIATED, UH, COMMUNITY BASIS ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH.
A NUMBER OF THEM THAT I KNOW THIS GROUP SPONSORS SUCH AS N-J-C-I-R, UH, TEAM MANAGEMENT 2000, A NUMBER OF GROUPS THAT WE WORK WITH IN ORDER TO COORDINATE THE CARE SO THAT WHEN WE DISCHARGE PEOPLE, SO WARM HANDOFF.
AND THANKS TO THE, UH, LEADERSHIP FROM THE, UH, COMMISSIONERS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CREATE AND, AND BASICALLY DEVELOP A LOT OF PROGRAMS. AND DURING COVID, SO WE STARTED THE MAT PROGRAM DURING COVID.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYONE HERE IS FAMILIAR WITH THE NUMBERS, BUT WITH THE PROGRAM, WITH THE TEAM, WITH THE MANAGEMENT WE'VE HAD, WE HAD REALLY, I WOULD SAY EXCELLENT NUMBERS COMING OUT OF COID DURING THE THREE YEARS OF COD, WE SUSTAINED ONE, UM, MORTALITY.
AND I THINK THAT'S NOTABLE GIVEN THE LEVEL OF MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY THAT WAS GOING ON DURING THAT TIME.
AND I THINK IT'S A TESTAMENT TO CUSTODY'S DEDICATION AND LEVEL OF COOPERATION WITH OUR MEDICAL TEAM.
I THINK COMMISSION'S GONNA WANT HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT LEMME MOVE ON.
MR. PARLOVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE CONTRACT? UH, THIS, JUST ON THE CONTRACT ITSELF, THIS IS JUST A ONE YEAR, MAYBE THIS IS FOR DIRECTOR CHARLES, UH, OR THE ADMINISTRATION.
THIS IS JUST A ONE YEAR EXTENSION.
UH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER EXTENSIONS LEFT ON THE EXISTING CONTRACT? R RON CHARLES DETER DIRECTOR OF CORRECTIONS.
SO AT SOME POINT IN 25 YOU'LL GO BACK OUT BID? YEAH, THAT'S THE ONLY QUESTION I HAVE.
I'M SORRY, COULD YOU REPEAT THAT SECOND PART AGAIN? SO IN SOMETIME IN 25, YOU'LL HAVE TO GO BACK OUT FOR FOR BID? THAT IS CORRECT.
WE HAVE TO CREATE, UH, RFP AND HIM SEND IT OUT IN 2025.
DIRECTOR, WHEN DO YOU THINK THAT RFP, WHEN YOU THAT SET IN MOTION? MY GOAL IS TO CREATE IT THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2025 TO RELEASE IT, PROBABLY RIGHT AROUND IN JUNE OR JULY.
UM, IT'S A VERY, VERY, VERY COMPREHENSIVE RFP, UM, AND WHEN WE'RE GONNA LOOK TO ENHANCE IT, UH, THE SERVICES.
SO WE'RE GONNA PROBABLY HAVE IT OUT BY THE SUMMERTIME.
MR. PRESIDENT, MR. ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? NO FURTHER QUESTION.
IT'S ALSO A COMPETITIVE CONTRACT AND HAS TO GO OUT FOR 20 DAYS.
MR. MCINERNEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
JUST THAT THE, THE AMOUNT EXPENDED FOR 24 WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS THAN WHAT THIS AMOUNT IS HERE.
MR. UH, DIRECTOR CHARLES, CAN YOU ADDRESS THAT? UH, THIS IS, DO WE EXPECT AN INCREASE IN SERVICES? SURE.
THE, THE, THE POPULATION IS, IS EXPECTED TO, UH, ESCALATE FOR 2025.
UM, THAT, THAT FIGURE IS NOT THE EXCEED AMOUNT, UH, OF THE 18.6.
UM, SO WITH THE INCREASE DUE TO THE, UH, PAROLE VIOLATORS PROGRAM, UH, WE, WE WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO SEE THE INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF SERVICES AND THE DOLLAR AMOUNT.
IN, IN A CONTRACT THIS SIZE, WITH THE VARIABLE NATURE OF IT, IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BRING IT IN AND WE DO IN A NUMBER OF AREAS FOR GOODS AND SERVICES TO BRING IT A LITTLE HIGHER, JUST TO AVOID THE ALL IT IS, IS ENCUMBERING THAT LINE OF THE BUDGET.
AND WHAT THAT DOES IS AVOID, UH, THE NEED TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR A CHANGE OF CONTRACT.
NOT, NOT EXACTLY ATYPICAL, BUT IT IS A BIGGER CONTRACT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. MCINERNEY? NO, I DON'T.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S START UP WITH COMMISSIONERS.
MR, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, MR. PRESIDENT? COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS? I JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, THANK YOU FOR THAT INSIGHT ON MAKING IT BIG BIGGER SO THAT IT PREVENTS TIME, UH, BACK TO THE BOARD.
DOES THE EXPANSION OF THE CONTRACT THOUGH, DOES THAT ALSO MEAN INCREASED SERVICES ON MENTAL HEALTH ADDICTION, ET CETERA? OR IS IT JUST THE CURRENT SERVICES AS THEY ARE AND INCREASED ALLOTMENT SO THERE COULD BE A PREVENTED TIME FOR A RETURN? I GUESS I'M GETTING AT, IS THERE ANY INCREASE IN THE ACTUAL SERVICES THEMSELVES? WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA SEE INCREASE NOT ONLY IN THE NUMBERS BECAUSE OF, OF THE POPULATION, BUT ALSO THE TYPES OF SERVICES AS WELL.
COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE TYPES
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OF SERVICES? SURE, SURE.AND I'M GONNA DEFER TO DOCTOR ON ONE THING.
SO, UM, WITH THE HELP OF CFG AND, AND DR.
AN SAID TOO NOT, UH, WE CREATED A MENTAL HEALTH UNIT, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY, UM, IN THE OLD COLUMBUS HOSPITAL, UH, WHICH IS NOW CALLED SILVER LAKE HOSPITAL.
I'LL LET THE DOCTOR SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.
BUT ALSO WITHIN THE JAIL, WE ARE THE ONLY COUNTY FACILITY IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY THAT HAS A STEP DOWN UNIT, UH, FOR MENTAL HEALTH.
UM, IT'S, WE TOOK THE, THE INMATES WHO ARE ABLE TO CO-MINGLE AMONG THEMSELVES AND WE PUT THEM INTO A, A HOUSING UNIT.
WE HAD THE OFFICERS TRAINED, ESPECIALLY FOR DEALING WITH THOSE TYPES OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND, AND ADDRESSING SOME OF THAT.
UM, CFG HAS BEEN A GREAT PARTNER, NOT ONLY, UH, WITH US, BUT ALSO THE CIVILIAN TASK FORCE WHO PROVIDED US SOME OF THE TRAINING.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE'RE INCREASING OUR MAT, WHICH IS THE, UH, THE MEDICATION, UM, WHICH THE DOC TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT.
SO WE'VE BEEN ON THE FOREFRONT OVER THE LAST SIX, EIGHT MONTHS ON SOME OF THE SERVICES.
AND WE'RE, WE'RE ONLY TO CONTINUE TO GET BETTER FOR GOING IN 2025.
SO I'M GONNA LET DOC SPEAK TECHNICALLY MORE ABOUT THE, THE MEDICAL PROGRAM.
UM, PART OF THE, THE PART OF THE, I WOULD SAY THE AIM WAS TO TRY TO INCREASE OUR NUMBERS.
WHEN WE WERE SAT AND ACTUALLY STOOD HERE BEFORE THIS BODY, WE HAD SAID THAT WE WERE GOING TO TRY TO PROMOTE ADDICTION SERVICES.
AND AT THAT TIME WE HAD ROUGHLY ABOUT A HUNDRED PATIENTS ONGOING.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 350, SO WE'VE TRIPLED WHAT WE ARE DOING IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ACCESSING CARE FOR MEDICATION ASSISTED THERAPY, BUT WE'VE ALSO INCREASED THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ACCESSING MENTAL HEALTH.
SO WE'VE RECOGNIZED THAT WE WERE ACTUALLY UNDER COUNTING, UNDER ASSESSING THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS.
AND SO NOW WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SCREENING RIGHT FROM THE DOOR.
SO WE ADDED ACTUALLY MORE STAFF.
IT WASN'T SUBSIDIZED, BUT WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE DOCTOR WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT.
AND SO NOW WE HAVE A PRE-BOOKING SCREEN.
SO THAT PRE-BOOKING SCREEN ALLOWS PEOPLE TO BE SEEN WITHIN MINUTES OF ARRIVAL INTO THE FACILITY.
AND THEN WE HAVE ALSO, WE'VE ADDED ON REMOTE UH, SERVICES.
SO WE HAVE REMOTE NURSING, WE HAVE REMOTE MD PHYSICIAN SERVICES.
SO ALL OF THESE SERVICES ARE BASICALLY CULMINATING TO WHERE WE CAN GIVE RENDER REAL TIME MEDICINE TO PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING IN LESS DESIRABLE CONDITION.
SO IF THEY'RE COMING IN AND WE'RE KEEPING THEM, THAT MEANS LESS ADMISSIONS TO THE HOSPITAL.
LIKE FOR INSTANCE, TODAY THERE'S ONE PATIENT IN THE HOSPITAL FOR A POPULATION OF OVER 2100 PEOPLE.
SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP THAT CONSISTENTLY LOW.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN RENDERING MORE SERVICES THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE WHOLE, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, BODY KNOWS THAT WE HAVE DIALYSIS RIGHT THERE ON CENTER, RIGHT ON THE CENTER.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO RENDER DIALYSIS FOR PATIENTS, UM, AS THEY COME INTO THE FACILITY.
AND THERE'S A NUMBER OF SPECIALTIES FROM ORTHOPEDICS TO ORAL SURGERY THAT WERE PERFORMED ON SITE.
SO THOSE ARE ALL PRETTY MUCH ADDED ON COURSE FROM THE LAST TIME THAT WE SPOKE, UH, IN FRONT OF THE BODY.
DIRECTOR ACROSS THE DOCTOR CAN ANSWER, UH, HOW MANY STAFF MEMBERS HAVE YOU INCREASED SINCE THE LAST TIME YOU CAME TO THE BOARD TO NOW? CAN I KNOW THAT SOME OF IT IS REMOTE, BUT CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT THE INCREASES HAVE BEEN IN TERMS OF STAFFING OR AVAILABLE STAFF TO HELP? WELL, I, THE PERSON, THE PERSON THAT REALLY PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THAT STUDENT BEHIND ME, BUT UM, AT ONE POINT WE WERE DOWN TO TWO, TWO RNS.
WE NOW ARE FULLY STAFFED WITH RNS, I WOULD SAY ALL TOGETHER STAFF WISE POSITION FOR POSITION, PROBABLY LIKE 10 NEW STAFFERS IN DIFFERENT ROLES FROM RNS TO MD.
PART-TIME WE ADDED, UH, EVEN A PART-TIME, UH, DENTAL ASSISTANT, UH, PART-TIME PHLEBOTOMIST.
SO ANCILLARIES WE'VE ADDED IN WHEN IT COMES TO PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, WE'VE ADDED IN TERMS TO CONTRACTING, WE'VE ALSO ADDED TOO, SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF LEVELS IN WHICH WE'VE ADDED AND THEN SURE, NOT LEAST, BUT ALSO MEDICATIONS BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE GIVING MEDICATION TO OVER 300 PEOPLE FOR DRUG ADDICTION, THAT ADDS UP VERY QUICKLY.
UM, SO THE COST HAS DEFINITELY INCREASED AND I'D SAY WE WE'RE DOING WELL BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE COST OF MEDICAL INFLATION ACROSS THE BOARD, IT'S DOUBLE DIGIT.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP IT IN SINGLE DIGITS JUST BY BEING COST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT.
HAVE YOU HAD, UH, ANY CHALLENGES WITH, UH, NURSING SHORTAGES? HAS THAT IMPACTED YOU TO A GREAT DEGREE OR HOW HAS THAT IMPACTED YOU? UM, ONE WOULD THINK SO, BUT I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LEVEL OF EMPHASIS THAT CFG PUTS ON RECRUITING, IT'S A FULL PRESS JOB.
I MEAN, THEY'RE DOING IT LITERALLY DAY AND NIGHT, NIGHT AND DAY.
THE DIRECTORS ACCOMMODATED US BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF, UH, TRAINING SESSIONS SO WE CAN DO ONBOARDING.
SO RIGHT NOW, WE FRANKLY, FRANKLY, HAVE FILLED IN ALL OF OUR RN POSITIONS, OUR POSITIONS WE'RE ALMOST CLOSE TO FULL CAPACITY THERE.
AND, UM, IT'S REALLY A TESTAMENT TO THE H AND R DEPARTMENT, TO THE MANAGERS THAT ARE ON SITE.
THEY'RE BASICALLY INTERVIEWING PEOPLE.
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OF THE WEEK YOU'LL GET AN INTERVIEW, IT DOESN'T MATTER.AND SINCE WE'RE OPEN 24 HOURS, WE CAN USUALLY ACCOMMODATE A PERSON'S SCHEDULE.
SO WE'VE BEEN ACTUALLY VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THAT ENDEAVOR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, SO THIS IS FOR MOVING SIX AND SEVEN, OR DO WE, UH, DO WE NEED TO DISCUSS SEVEN IN GREATER DETAIL, MR. JACKSON? NO, IT'S PROVIDE PHYSICALS FOR, ACT FOR BOTH.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE SIX AND SEVEN? COMMISSIONER SIEBEL ON MOVE.
UH, SECOND ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK FOR SIX AND SEVEN.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
AND FOR EVERYONE WHO CAME TODAY, LET'S GO BACK ONTO OUR ORIGINAL FORMAT.
UH, LET'S GO INTO ORDINANCE AND ON INTRODUCTIONS AND FIRST READINGS.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY? UH, YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE ONE ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING.
SO LET'S MOVE TO ORDINANCE NUMBER ONE, WHICH WILL BE READ AND TO THE LI UH, TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
OUR TREASURER, MR. MOHAMMAD, WILL HANDLE THIS ITEM.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, HUSAM MOHAMMAD COUNTY TREASURER.
UM, THE, UH, ORDINANCE NUMBER ONE IS FOR, UH, REAPPROPRIATING, UH, 3,169,000, UH, FROM, UH, AN ORIGINAL ORDINANCE WAS PASSED IN, UH, EARLY IN A YEAR, UM, TO, UH, TO CHANGE THE PURPOSE TO USE IT FOR, UM, UH, RENOVATION TO, UH, VETERANS COURT HOUSE ELEVATORS.
AND THERE IS, THERE IS NO ANY, UH, NEW AUTHORIZATION.
MONEY FROM ONE PURPOSE TO OTHER.
ONE, CHANGE THE PURPOSE FROM, FROM ONE PURPOSE TO THE OTHER, AND THERE IS NO EXTRA DEBT IS, IS REQUIRED.
MR. PARLOVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NO.
JUST TO COMMENT THAT, JUST TO TOUCH ON WHAT MR. MOHAMMAD SAID, THAT I THINK'S IMPORTANT THAT THERE'S NO NEW MONEY HERE.
IT'S JUST MOVING MONEY, MOVING FROM ONE USE THAT'S NO LONGER NEEDED TO A NEW DIFFERENT USE.
THE QUESTION IS, ARE ARE THESE AUTHORIZATIONS FUNDED AT THIS TIME OR UNFUNDED? UH, AS OF THIS TIME, WE ISSUE ONLY NOTES.
BUT WHEN WILL YOU BE GOING AFTER BONDS ON THIS? THIS COULD BE, UH, THE, THE, THE ANNIVERSARY IS NEXT YEAR.
SO IT WOULD BE, SHOULD BE JUNE OF 2025.
SO RIGHT NOW EVERYTHING'S BEING FINANCED BY SHORT TERM, UH, BANK.
SO THE MONEY'S THERE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT'S CONSIDERED FUND OR UNFUNDED.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? I'LL MOVE IT.
UH, MOVED BY COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
MAD DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GI? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR LISTING PURPOSES ONLY.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, RESOLUTIONS AND SECOND READING FOR PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT.
DO WE HAVE ANY? YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE THREE.
ORDINANCE 0, 20 24 0, 0 0, 0 0 14.
SO LET'S GO TO ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH ZERO FOUR, WHICH WILL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UH, HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 20 24 0 0 4 OPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MR. PARCO, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I DON'T.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO.
COMMISSIONERS, DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 1 4.
DO I HAVE THE SAME MOVER AND SECOND TO, UH, MOVE IT? YES.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK TO MOVE THE ORDINANCE.
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YES.COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
LET'S MOVE TO ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH ZERO 15, WHICH YOU BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
I HEREBY DECLARE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH 15 OPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES OF SPEAK, SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENT.
MR. PARLO, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, I DON'T.
UH, DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? UH, AND SECOND, THE CLOSING ON PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 5.
SHE WAS QUIET THOUGH, AND YOU GOTTA BE A LITTLE LOUDER THAN THAT.
UH, ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK ON ORDINANCE O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 0 15.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH ZERO SIX, WHICH WILL BE READ AT, UH, INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
I HEREBY DECLARE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH ZERO 16 OPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES OF SPEAK.
MR. PARLOVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, I DON'T.
DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE O DASH 24 DASH 0 0 1 6.
MOVE BY SERVANT SECOND BY RICHARD, DO I HAVE TO SAY MOVE AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE ON? YES.
UH, ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
I BELIEVE THE QUEEN'S WAVE HAD NOW BEEN RENAMED THE SERMONS WAIVE
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS ONE AND TWO, WHICH ARE ADVISED AND CONSENT NOMINATIONS FOR THE HOMELESS TRUST FUND TASK FORCE AND FOR THE ESSEX COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY BOARD.
AND THEY'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. SIR JACKSON? I THANK MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, WE HAVE, AS YOU SAID, TWO OUTSTANDING, UH, NOMINEES.
UH, THE FIRST IS KYRA WATTS TO SERVE ON THE HOMELESSNESS HOMELESSNESS TRUST FUND TASK FORCE.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION, UH, FOR THE RECORD AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
I AM THE CURRENT GRANTS MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF NEWARK FOR THE OFFICE OF HOMELESS SERVICES.
AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR CAREER.
IS THIS SOMETHING YOU DO FOR A LIVING OR TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR, YOUR BACKGROUND.
YOU CAN GIVE US THE EDITED VERSION.
UM, A LOTS OF BACKGROUND WITHIN THE, UM, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, UH, WORKING FOR THE MOUNT SINAI HOSPITAL.
UM, AS THE DIRECTOR OF PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGY, I HAVE OVER 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN HEALTHCARE.
I TRANSITIONED INTO NEWARK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF UM, HOMELESS SERVICES TO BASICALLY CONQUER HOMELESSNESS HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
WITHIN MY ROLE, I CURRENTLY MANAGE THE HOPPEL GRANT AS WELL AS THE ESG GRANT, EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT AND HOMELESS, UM, OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH HIV AND AIDS.
UM, I NOT ONLY FACILITATE MY GRANTS, BUT I HAVE CHOSEN TO SEE THE PUBLIC IN ESSEX COUNTY.
I SEE APPROXIMATELY 35 TO 40 PEOPLE A DAY ON A WALK-IN AT ONE 10 WILLIAMS STREET.
I PLACE INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS FAMILIES FOR TEMPORARY SHELTER PLACEMENT.
AND I HAVE EXCELLED AT SUSTAINABLY, UM, FINDING HOUSING, PERMANENT HOUSING FOR THE PUBLIC.
I'M VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT ALL THAT I DO.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THE OPERATIONAL PORTION, THE FISCAL PORTION, AS WELL AS THE PROGRAMMATIC.
UM, I AM HANDS ON, BOOTS ON THE GROUND, WHICH NORMALLY YOU DON'T GET BOTH, UM, SIDES OF THAT SQUARE WITHIN ONE INDIVIDUAL.
I THINK I WOULD BE A ASSET BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND DEVELOPMENT, I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE NEEDS
[00:30:01]
ARE, AND I ACTUALLY HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCE.I CAN CONFORM TO THE INDIVIDUALS IN WHICH I SERVICE AND I CAN STEP UP AND ADVOCATE FOR THEM AS WELL.
I'D SAY YOU'D BE AN ASSET AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR THE WELL-ROUNDED RESPONSE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMS? COMMISSIONER RICHARD? WANT A CLAP? THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS, THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH FOR COMING HERE TONIGHT AND FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERTISE WITH US.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR VOLUNTEERING AND IF YOU KEEP YOU UP TO GOOD WORK, WE'LL DOUBLE YOUR PAY NEXT YEAR.
NEXT UP IS, UH, EDWARD OLLI, WHO'S, UH, NOMINATED TO SERVE ON THE ESSEX COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY.
MR. BOLI? NO STRANGER TO A FEW OF US, I BELIEVE.
PLEASE TELL US FOR YOUR NAME, FOR THE RECORD AND AFFILIATION, AND TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF.
RICKY BOGGO, UH, LIVINGTON RESIDENT.
I'M A, UH, ATTORNEY BY TRADE AND I, I WANT TO HEAR HER, I WANT TO COMMEND HER AND HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
IT'S HARD TO FOLLOW SOMEONE LIKE THAT.
I'VE BEEN AN ATTORNEY FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
I'VE BEEN A SINCE, UH, FOR 21 YEARS.
AND, UH, I ALSO, IN ADDITION TO PRACTICING LAW, I RUN MY, A SMALL BUSINESS WHERE I EMPLOY 10 PEOPLE WITH ALL THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS THAT COME ALONG WITH THAT.
AND ESPECIALLY IN TODAY'S AGE WITH, UH, TRYING TO GET STAFF TO, TO WORK FOR YOU, WHICH HAS BEEN DIFFICULT.
I, UH, I'M A RESIDENT OF LIVINGSTON.
I LIVE THERE WITH MY WIFE AND THREE BOYS WHO ARE ALL IN HIGH SCHOOL.
AND LIVINGSTON, ONE OF THEM AS A SENIOR.
HE'S GRADUATING, HE'S BEEN GOING TO COLLEGE IN, IN, UH, IN THE FALL.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ON THE BOARD.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF EXPERIENCE ON THAT BOARD AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM AND LEARNING FROM THEM.
I TOO HAVE A SUN GOING OFF TO COLLEGE SO I CAN EMPATHIZE WITH THE COLLEGE TRIPS AND VISITS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD.
I'VE KNOWN RICKY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW.
THERE'S BEEN AN, UH, UH, AN APPOINTMENT THAT'S BEEN AVAILABLE ON THE SES COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW.
AND I'M VERY, VERY PLEASED THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS CHOSEN RICKY TO FILL THAT POSITION BECAUSE I THINK HE WILL BE A TREMENDOUS ASSET TO THAT BOARD.
THEY DO A WONDERFUL JOB HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY, AND I KNOW WITH RICKY'S EXPERTISE, HE WILL CONTRIBUTE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT TO THAT BOARD.
SO THANK YOU, RICKY, FOR BEING WILLING TO GIVE UP YOUR TIME TO DO THIS.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I THINK WE ALL CONCUR WITH YOUR SENTIMENTS, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEE, THANK YOU MR. PAGOLI.
WE APPRECIATE WELL, WE'RE NOT WE'LL GET THERE.
THANK YOU MR. PAGOLI FOR COMING TODAY AND FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERTISE WITH US.
WE HAVE A MOTION FOR COMMISSIONER SIEBEL TO MOVE ONE AND TWO TOGETHER.
MR. RICHARDSON, YOU'RE TOO LATE ON THE WAVE.
YOU GOTTA HAVE TO THROW A LITTLE VOCAL CALL ON IT.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK FOR NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
WHO SAID YOU CAN'T HAVE FUN AT THESE MEETINGS? I GUARANTEE YOU IT'S BETTER THAN ANYTHING ON C-SPAN RIGHT NOW.
UH, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS FROM THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET.
AND THERE WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. MOHAMMED WILL HANDLE THIS ITEM.
HUSAM MOHAMMAD COUNTY TREASURER.
UM, RESOLUTION NUMBER THREE FOR, UH, TRANSFER OF APPROPRIATION.
UM, THIS IS TRANSFER BETWEEN, UH, LINE ITEMS IN THE BUDGET.
UM, WE ARE ALLOWED TO DO TRANSFER IN, UH, FOR THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.
AND THERE IS NO ANY, UH, EXTRA AUTHORIZATION.
IT'S JUST MOVING, UH, FUNDS FROM, UH, SOME LINE ITEM TO THE OTHER.
AND THERE IS NO FISCAL IMPACT, EXTRA FISCAL IMPACT.
AND WE DISCUSSED THIS AT THE LAST MEETING.
WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE MORE IN DECEMBER MEETINGS.
THIS IS USUAL BUSINESS AS USUAL, REALLY FORWARD CLOSING OUT THE YEAR.
UH, MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS ON NUMBER THREE? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS ON NUMBER THREE? SEE NONE.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE OR WAIVE? WE HAVE A WAVE FROM COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS FROM THE OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, MISS RISK MANAGEMENT, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. DELGAUDIO WILL HANDLE THIS ITEM.
[00:35:01]
DELGAUDIO.UH, FRANK DELGAUDIO, COUNTY RISK MANAGER.
UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR IS A, UH, A CONTRACT, UM, WITH THE PMA MANAGEMENT COURT TO, UH, IT'S, UM, CLAIMS THIRD PARTY CLAIMS ADMINISTRATION SERVICES FOR THE COUNTY'S WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAM.
UH, THIS PROGRAM HAD FOUR, UM, BIDDERS THAT RESPONDED TO THIS RFP AND, UM, THE EVALUATION COMMITTEE CHOSE, UH, PMA MANAGEMENT TO CONTINUE.
THEY'VE BEEN SERVICING THE COUNTY SINCE 1997.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, JUST TO COMMENT, UH, MR. DELGAUDIO, I THINK WE'VE TALKED IN THE PAST ON THIS CONTRACT, THAT THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATION HAS HELPED IMPART WITH SOME OTHER EFFORTS TO KEEP, UH, WORKERS' COMP CLAIMS IN CHECK AND TO ACTUALLY GET AHEAD OF SOME OF THEM WITH SOME PREVENTATIVE IDEAS.
IS THAT STILL HAPPENING? HOW'S YOUR, YOUR, UH, BACKLOG, IF IT WERE, AS IT WERE, OF, UH, WORKERS' COMP CASES? WELL, YES, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
SO, UM, WE'RE FUNDAMENTALLY SELF-INSURED FOR WORKERS' COMPENSATION.
THERE'S A A MILLION DOLLAR SELF-INSURED RETENTION.
SO IN THAT PROCESS, YOU HAVE TO SELF-ADMINISTER ALL OF THE CLAIMS. THIS IS THE SERVICE THEY PROVIDE.
FOR COVID ALONE, WE HAD OVER 250 COVID-19 CLAIMS THAT WERE SUBMITTED THROUGH WORKERS' COMPENSATION.
SO A LOT OF THESE ARE IN, UM, LITIGATION OR THEY'RE, AND THEY MANAGE, EVERY ONE OF THESE CLAIMS RECOMMEND WHAT MAYBE WE COME TO A SETTLEMENT AND CLOSE OUT THE CASE.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT'S DONE ON THEIR END.
SO WHERE THE REAL SAVINGS WE SEE, UM, ESPECIALLY THROUGH PMA, IS THE MEDICAL BILL REPRICING.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE GET AN INJURED EMPLOYEE AND THEY MAY NEED SHOULDER SURGERY, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO WHAT HAPPENS IS, UM, THE MEDICAL BILLS COME IN FOR THE COUNTY TO PAY AND IT'S DOLLAR ONE.
THE JOB OF THE TPA IS TO REPRICE THOSE MEDICAL BILLS.
SO THERE'S A USUAL AND CUSTOMARY, USUALLY YOU COULD TRIM 60% RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF THE MEDICAL BILL.
WHAT THEY'RE CONTRACTED TO DO IS TO GO BEYOND THAT, AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THEY'RE PAID.
IF THEY GET THE USUAL AND CUSTOM, THEY DON'T RECEIVE ANYTHING.
ALL OF THE OTHER PROPOSALS WOULD TAKE A PERCENTAGE OFF THAT USUAL AND CUSTOMARY, WHICH ANYBODY CAN GET.
ANY FIRM CAN PROVIDE THAT SERVICE.
SO WHAT MAKES THIS UNIQUE IS THAT OVER AND BEYOND, AND IT MAY ONLY BE 2%, 3%, BUT IT IS AN EFFORT AND IT DOES SAVE US QUITE A BIT OF MONEY.
MR. UH, MACKINDER, ANY QUESTIONS? I THINK ONE OF THE POINTS TO MAKE TOO IS ON THE COVID CASE IS THERE WAS A, I BELIEVE LEGISLATION OR STATE LAW THAT, THAT PUT THE ONUS ON THE EMPLOYER, UM, UM, IN THAT AN EMPLOYEE COULD SAY THAT THEY WERE, UH, TAKEN ILL BY, BY COVID AND IT WAS UP TO THE EMPLOYER TO PROVE THEY WEREN'T.
AM I CORRECT IN SAYING THAT THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? THAT'S ABSOLUTELY A HUNDRED PERCENT CORRECT.
THAT WAS PART OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER BY THE GOVERNOR, BUT IT WAS FOR, IT WAS FOR FIRST LINE TYPE FOR CORRECTIONS SHERIFF, UH, HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES.
UM, THE MAJORITY OF OUR CASES, UH, COME FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR THE COVID-19.
SO THAT, AND AGAIN, AGAIN, WE DO, AND GREAT JOB BY OUR HEALTH DEPARTMENT DOING THE CONTACT TRACING WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO FIGHT SOME OF THESE CLAIMS STATING THAT THEY WERE, UM, AND THAT WAS OUR BURDEN, IS TO SHOW THAT THEY WERE NOT INFECTED IN THE WORKPLACE WHERE THE CONTACT TRACING WOULD SAY IT WAS FROM A FAMILY MEMBER WHO WAS TESTED POSITIVE.
SO THOSE CASES, WE WERE ABLE TO FIGHT AND DENY, BUT, UH, BUT AGAIN, THAT, THAT HAD A LOT TO DO WITH, WITH A SPIKE IN THE WORKERS' COMP, IN THE WORKERS' COMP CLAIMS THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST, OVER THE LAST YEAR.
AND LUCKILY WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, WHAT'S KNOWN AS A SECTION 20 A SECTION 20 SETTLEMENT IN WORKERS' COMP IS A, IT'S A LUMP SUM AND THEY CAN'T REOPEN.
SO MOST OF THESE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN SETTLING FOR SMALL AMOUNTS THAT ALSO COVER THE LEGAL FEES, ANY MEDICALS IN THERE.
SO WE'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE, AND AGAIN, THIS IS WHAT THE TPA HAS BEEN ASSISTING US WITH TO GET ALL OF THESE CLAIMS THROUGH THE COURTS AND GET SETTLED EVEN PRIOR, BEFORE THEY GET TO COURT AND CLOSED OUT.
NOW, WE'VE HAD SOME CATASTROPHIC TYPE COVID CLAIMS ALSO.
WE HAVE A FEW FROM OUR CORRECTIONAL FACILITY THAT WERE ABSOLUTELY CATASTROPHIC CLAIMS. WELL OVER $5 MILLION CLAIMS, WHICH WERE INSURED.
ONCE YOU HIT MILLION DOLLAR MARK HERE, THEN YOU'RE INSURED FOR THESE LOSSES.
MR. MACON, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. DELGAUDIO? NUMBER FOUR.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? I'LL MOVE IT.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SERMONS.
[00:40:01]
NUMBER FOUR.COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION FIVE, WHICH IS IN A DIVISION OF JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER.
WE'LL BE RIGHT INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT WARDEN BIFF WILL HANDLE THIS ITEM.
WARDEN BIFF, ESSEX COUNTY JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER ON BEHALF OF RESOLUTION NUMBER FIVE, WHICH IS EMERGENCY DECLARATION FOR REFRIGERATION UNIT AT THE DETENTION CENTER, UH, FOR THE COST OF $41,096 AND 49 CENTS.
UH, DURING A, A ROUTINE INSPECTION, UH, ONE OF OUR, UM, KITCHEN MANAGERS OBSERVED THAT THE REFRIGERATION UNIT WAS NOT MAINTAINING, UM, THE CORRECT TEMPERATURE.
WE CALLED OUT A SERVICE COMPANY, WAS DETERMINED THAT, UH, SEVERAL COMPRESSORS WEREN'T WORKING.
THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO GET, UM, THE UNIT RESTARTED, UH, COMPANY WAS CONTACTED.
THEY PROVIDED, UM, A TEMPORARY MOBILE UNIT THAT HAS BEEN ON SITE AND THE PRICE THAT WAS PROVIDED.
UM, THE PRICE THAT WAS PROVIDED CONTAINS PARTS, LABOR, CRANE SERVICE, AND REMOVAL OF THE OLD UNIT.
SO EVERYTHING'S INCLUDED IN THAT PRICE CRANE SERVICE.
I'M ASSUMING THIS IS SOME MONSTER OF A, LIKE A, ALMOST LIKE A MOVABLE ROOM THAT HAS TO BE LIFTED IN AND OUT OF THE BUILDING.
SO SOME OF THE EQUIPMENT IS ACTUALLY LOCATED ON THE ROOF.
SO IN ORDER FOR THEM TO REMOVE AND REPLACE A CRANE HAS TO BE PLACED IN THE INTAKE YARD TO REMOVE THE OLD UNIT AND THEN PLACE THE U NEW UNIT IN PLACE SIMILAR TO AC UNITS? YES.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? MR. PRESIDENT? COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS, HAS IT BEEN DETERMINED HOW LONG THAT OCCURRED? YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF HOW LONG THE KIND OF ERRORS WITH THE REFRIGERATION TOOK PLACE, AND IS THAT WHAT CONTRIBUTED TO IT BEING IN THIS CONDITION RIGHT NOW? THE NEGLECT OR, SO THE REFRIGERATION UNIT IS, UM, ORIGINAL TO THE FACILITY.
I BELIEVE THAT FACILITY WAS CONSTRUCTED SOMETIME IN 95 AND 96.
SO WE'VE MADE REPAIRS OVER THE YEARS, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST MAJOR REPAIR ACTUALLY TO THAT UNIT THAT, UM, THE TEMPERATURE IS ACTUALLY CHECKED, UM, ON EACH SHIFT TO ENSURE THAT IT'S ACTUALLY, UM, MAINTAINING THE CORRECT TEMPERATURE.
UM, WE'VE HAD PROBLEMS IN THE PAST THAT, UM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT BY, YOU KNOW, RECHARGING THE SYSTEM.
UH, WE'VE HAD COMPANIES OUT IN THE PAST THAT HAVE MADE, UM, SEVERAL, SEVERAL MAJOR REPAIRS, BUT THIS PARTICULAR TIME THEY JUST COULDN'T GET THE UNIT RESTARTED WHATSOEVER.
SO THAT'S WHEN WE HAD THE EMERGENCY TEMPORARY UNIT BROUGHT OUT, TRANSFERRED ALL THE FOOD OVER, AND, UM, GOT THE QUOTE TO GET IT REPLACED.
SO THERE WAS NO DISRUPTION IN SERVICES.
WE DIDN'T LOSE ANY FOOD DURING THE TIME ON THAT UNIT DOWN.
AND THE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT, UH, ARRIVED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE IT? MARY THOMAS? YES, SURE.
UH, MOVED BY COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS.
ON SECOND WE HAVE THE WA FROM COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON FOR THE SECOND ROLL CALL.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK AND NUMBER FIVE, COMMISSIONER GILL.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS EIGHT THROUGH 11, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION.
THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
WHAT DO WE HAVE? MR. UH, HARLOW JACKSON HEALTH OFFICER, UH, MS. HARLOW WILL, UH, HANDLE EIGHT AND NINE A HEALTHY CONGRATULATIONS TO HER ON, UH, A RECENT, UH, WEDDING, I BELIEVE.
UH, MAYA HARLOW, HEALTH OFFICER FOR ESSEX COUNTY, UH, FOR THE CONTRACT AWARD TO STRATEGIC HEALTH SOLUTIONS TO PROVIDE CONSULTING SERVICES FOR NATIONAL FAB ACCREDITATION, UH, NOT TO EXCEED 103,000.
UM, I PRESENTED IN FRONT OF THIS BOARD BEFORE, UH, OUR DEPARTMENT IS GOING FOR NATIONAL ACCREDITATION.
IT IS, UH, A VERY INTENSE PROCESS WITH OVER A THOUSAND DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED.
EACH OF THOSE DOCUMENTS NEED TO HAVE BACKUP AND EXPLANATION.
SO THIS PARTICULAR FIRM IS OUT OF ESSEX COUNTY.
UH, THEY, UH, PROVIDE, UH, THEIR, UH, KNOWLEDGE AS THEY WERE, UH, ALSO EMPLOYED BY FAB THEMSELVES.
SO THEY'RE GIVING US EXTREMELY INSIGHTFUL, UH, GUIDANCE AND ALSO, UH, PROVIDING A MOCK SITE VISIT, WHICH WE WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ON OUR OWN.
SO THEY'RE PROVIDING US THAT KIND OF GUIDANCE AS WELL.
UH, YOU DOING NUMBER, ALL OF THESE CORRECT? EIGHT AND NINE, CORRECT.
[00:45:01]
GO.UM, FOR INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, SHARED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF IRVINGTON TO, TO UTILIZE ESSEX COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER TO PERFORM PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICER SERVICES FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF IRVINGTON ON A TEMPORARY BASIS UNTIL AUGUST 13TH, 2025.
I HAVE BEEN THE COVERING HEALTH OFFICER FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF IRVINGTON FOR I BELIEVE THE LAST FOUR YEARS.
UH, THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF LOOKING FOR SOMEONE.
UM, BUT, UH, THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE DO HAVE, I CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT THEY GET THE TECHNICAL GUIDANCE THAT IS NEEDED FOR PUBLIC HEALTH STANDARDS OF CHAPTER 52.
UH, WE HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP, SO TO CONTINUE THAT UNTIL THEY FIND A PERMANENT HEALTH OFFICER, UH, IS THE WAY THAT, UH, THEY'D LIKE THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO GO.
AND, UH, 10 AND 11 WILL BE DONE BY, UH, WHO? MR. JACKSON? UH, MR. DEL HANDLE? 10.
SO LET'S ASK, DO WE HAVE, UH, LET'S KEEP, UH, LET'S DO QUESTIONS EIGHT AND NINE.
MR. PARLOVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON EIGHT OR NINE? NO, I DON'T.
MR. KERNER, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? EIGHT OR NINE? UH, NO COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS? OR EIGHT OR NINE? OKAY.
SEE, NOW LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER, UH, COMMISSIONER SEABOLD.
NO, I'M JUST ASKING THE QUESTIONS.
MR. DELGAUDIO HANDLE NUMBER 10.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO NUMBER 10 AND THEN WE'LL MOVE 'EM ALL TOGETHER.
FRANK DELGAUDIO, DIRECTOR ESSEX COUNTY HOSPITAL CENTER.
RESOLUTION 10 IS FOR AN EMERGENCY PURCHASE WITH A BELL ENVIRONMENTAL.
UH, IT WAS TO ACTUALLY TREAT A, A BEDBUG INFESTATION WE HAD ON ONE OF OUR, UH, PATIENT CARE UNITS.
SO THE STATE CONTRACT CURRENTLY ONLY PROVIDES FOR IDENTIFICATION, BUT NOT REMEDIATION.
UM, WE WENT TO SEVERAL VENDORS ATTEMPTING TO REMEDIATE AND BELL USES A, A SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT USE PESTICIDES.
AND, UH, WE'RE VERY HESITANT TO USE PESTICIDES IN PATIENT ROOMS. UH, SO WE'RE ASKING FOR YOUR PERMISSION, UH, FOR THIS EMERGENCY CONTRACT.
UM, ACTUALLY THE WORK HAS, HAS BEEN COMPLETED, AND WE'RE GLAD TO SAY THAT IT'S BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE.
DID, UH, BELL ENVIRONMENTAL, DID THEY BRING THE DOG?
THAT'S, WE'VE HAD HIM IN THE PAST, BUT I HATE TO SAY ROSCOE IS RETIRED.
THEY CALL ALL THE DOGS ROSCOE.
THEY STILL HAVE THE DOGS THERE.
MAKE SURE WE GET THE NAME OF THE NEXT DOG FOR OUR FUTURE MEETINGS.
ITEM 11, UH, MR. PRESIDENT IS, IS SIMPLY, UM, ADDING AN A DOLLAR AMOUNT, $436,158 TO THE AGREEMENT THAT WAS APPROVED AT OUR LAST MEETING.
UH, MR. PARLOVE, YOU ANY QUESTIONS? NOPE.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON NUMBER 11? SEEING NONE, COMMISSIONER SIBO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE? 8 3 11? YES.
AND I WAS JUST GOING TO COMMENT ON, UH, EIGHT AND NINE.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE AS A WONDERFUL HEALTH OFFICER HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY, BUT SHE'S LEFT SO SHE CAN'T HEAR ME, BUT I CAN SAY IT ANYWAY 'CAUSE SHE'S TERRIFIC.
I'M SURE SHE'S GONNA GO HOME AND WATCH IT ON TV LATER.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE, UH, A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO MOVE EIGHT THROUGH 11.
DO HAVE A SECOND MOTION? WE HAVE, UH, MURRAY THOMAS ON THE SECOND ROLL CALL.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK FOR 8, 9, 10, AND 11.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 12 THROUGH 15 AND ADD TO STARTER NUMBER 63, WHICH ARE FROM THE PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
UH, I'M GONNA ASK MR. ZAS TO, TO PUT HIS WAYS ON SO HE CAN FIND HIS WAY TO THE MICROPHONE.
UH, COMMISSIONER, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING NICE TO SAY ABOUT ME, I AM, UH, CURRENTLY HERE.
I TOLD THE BEST TO SAY ABOUT YOU, JOSH, COMMISSIONER RICHARD.
BEFORE MR. ZAS GETS STARTED, IN LIGHT OF HIM NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND HIS WAY HERE, HAVING TO USE GPS AS WE HEARD YOU IN THE BACK, OR WAVES, WHO KNOWS, OR WAVES OR WHATEVER.
IT'S A GOOD REASON FOR HIM TO GO LAST.
GIVE HIM EXTRA TIME TO FIND HIS WAY TO THE MICROPHONE.
HE'S ALWAYS, WELL, I'LL HAVE TO TOO LATE IN THE AGENDA.
WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
MR. STATES, PERHAPS YOU'VE NAILED YOUR
[00:50:01]
OWN COFFIN.IN MY DEFENSE, I DID PUT THE PHONE BOTH ON VIBRATE AND SILENT AND IT STILL TALKED FOR WHATEVER REASON.
UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, NUMBER 12 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO AIR SYSTEM MAINTENANCE FOR MISCELLANEOUS ABACK SERVICES AT THE ZOO.
IT'S A 24 MONTH EXTENSION NOT TO EXCEED $312,500.
AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, JUST FOR ANY KIND OF HVAC, UH, ISSUES WE MAY BE HAVING AT THE ZOO.
UH, THE PREVIOUS, UH, 24 MONTH CONTRACT WE EXPENDED 277,000 OF THAT.
NUMBER 13 IS A NEGOTIATED CONTRACT WITH TOPIARY JOE, JOE, THE SOLE, UH, RESPONS BIDDER TO PROVIDE TOPIARY PRESERVATION SERVICES FOR THE ZOO AND NOT TO EXCEED $27,360 AND 20 CENTS.
THIS IS, UH, FOR ALL THE TOPIARIES THROUGHOUT THE, UH, SOUTH MOUNTAIN RECREATION COMPLEX.
UH, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY TO, UH, 20 TOPIARIES, AND THIS WILL BE TO, UH, REPLACE THE FILLER MATERIAL WITHIN THOSE TOPIARIES.
NUMBER 14 IS A LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH THE VO-TECH SCHOOL, UH, FOR USE OF EAGLE FIELD.
UH, IF THIS BOARD CAN REMEMBER, UH, BACK IN JANUARY OF 23, THE VO-TECH, UM, GAVE, UH, ISSUED A GRANT OF A MILLION DOLLARS TSTA COUNTY PARKS DEPARTMENT, UH, FOR IMPROVEMENTS OVER AT EAGLE FIELD.
AND THIS IS NOW, UH, THE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE WITH THEM FOR THEM TO RECEIVE FIELD TIME OVER AT, UH, EAGLE FIELD.
IT'S FOR 350 UNITS OF TIME ANNUALLY.
UH, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, EAGLE FIELD IS LOCATED IN CEDAR GROVE AND, UM, THEY PLAY, UH, SOFTBALL OVER AT THAT FIELD.
UH, SIMILARLY, NUMBER 15 IS A LICENSE AGREEMENT, UH, WITH THE VO-TECH FOR BURG PARK.
UH, AS I SAID THIS BACK IN JANUARY ALSO OF 23.
UH, THE VTECH GRANTED THUS COUNTY PARK SYSTEM, $3 MILLION FOR IMPROVEMENTS OVER TO VAILS FOR PARK.
THIS IS THE AGREEMENT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR, UH, FOR THEM TO HAVE FIELD TIME.
AGAIN, IT'S 350 UNITS OF PLAYTIME ANNUALLY AND THE VO TECH USES, UH, THIS COMPLEX FOR SOCCER, FOOTBALL, BASEBALL, AND SOFTBALL.
AND FINALLY, NUMBER 63 IS, UH, A GRANT APPLICATION RESOLUTION, UH, TO APPLY FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
UH, GRANT, IT WOULD BE FOR BRANCH PARK IN THE AMOUNT OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO IMPROVE, UH, PATHWAYS IN THE PARK.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS ON 12 TO 15 AND 63? SCENE NONE.
COMMISSIONER SIBAL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE THESE? ABSOLUTELY.
DEPUTY CLERK, WE'RE DOING 12 THROUGH 15 AND 63.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
I MEAN, I'LL TURN ON YOUR WAYS AND FIND YOUR WAY HOME.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 16 THROUGH 18.
UH, WHICH, UH, AND 6 64 AND 65, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
THEY WILL BE, UH, WITH, UH, RIGHT INTO THE RECORD LATER TIME.
I SEE THAT 19 HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN AND THAT WAS FROM PARKS.
UH, DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER, UH, 16 IS AN AWARD OF CONTRACT TO AIR SYSTEMS MAINTENANCE INCORPORATED TO PERFORM THE REPLACEMENT OF TWO CHILLER UNITS LOCATED AT THE ESSEX COUNTY HISTORIC COURTHOUSE HERE IN NEWARK AND IN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,189,336.
AIR SYSTEMS INCORPORATED SUBMITTED THE SOLE BID RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THIS ADVERTISED OPPORTUNITY.
THE SOLAR UNITS WILL REPLACE EQUIPMENT THAT IS NOW 21 YEARS OLD AND WILL ENSURE THAT THE HISTORIC COURTHOUSE'S HVAC SYSTEM WILL CONTINUE TO PROPERLY PROVIDE COOL AIR IN THE SUMMER MONTHS.
MR. VASCO CORDATO OF AIR SYSTEMS INCORPORATED IS HERE AND HE WILL LIKE TO BRIEFLY INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY, PERHAPS TOUCH ON THE SCOPE OF WORK.
AND OF COURSE, AND SIR, ANY QUESTIONS? THE BOARD MAY HAVE VASCO.
PLEASE JUST FOR THE, UH, RECORD, STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOUR CONTRACT WORK WOULD ENTAIL.
MY NAME'S VASCO CORDERO WITH THEIR SYSTEMS MAINTENANCE.
UM, AS ANTONIO HAD SAID, IT'S THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TWO CENTRIFUGAL CHILLERS AT THE HISTORIC COURTHOUSE, WHICH ARE PRETTY
[00:55:01]
MUCH AT THE END OF THEIR LIFE.UM, WE WOULD BE REMOVING THEM, PUTTING IN NEW ONES, BETTER EFFICIENT UNITS, UH, WITH THE FREONS AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY WOULD BE WORKING.
AS FAR AS AIR SYSTEMS, WE'VE DONE LOTS OF WORK WITH THE COUNTY, WITH THE CITY OF NEWARK.
WE EMPLOY A LOT OF ESSEX COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
WE ARE A UNION LOCAL 4 75 OUT OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY SHOP WITH OUR PIPE FITTERS.
ALSO LOCAL 22, WHICH WOULD BE OUR SHEET METAL GUYS.
UH, WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR ABOUT 50 YEARS NOW AND RUNNING STRONG AND HAVE A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU GUYS AND CONTINUE TO, TO GROW WITH YOU.
MR. PARLOVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I DON'T.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 17 AWARDS COLLIERS ENGINEERING, A ONE YEAR CONTRACT TO PERFORM TRAFFIC ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES FOR TRAFFIC SIGNALS ALONG COUNTY ROADWAYS ON A AS NEEDED BASIS IN AN AMOUNT THAT TO EXCEED $199,800.
COLLIERS ENGINEERING SUBMITTED THE HIGHEST RATED PROPOSAL OF THE SIX THAT WE RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THE ADVERTISED PROJECT RFP.
THIS CONTRACT WILL ALLOW THE COUNTY TO RESPOND IN A TIMELY MANNER TO POTENTIAL REQUEST AND NEEDS TO MODIFY EXISTING TRAFFIC SIGNALS OR EVEN INSTALLATION OF NEW ONES AS NEEDED.
MR. ANTHONY MARIANI OF COLLIERS ENGINEERING WOULD LIKE TO TAKE SOME TIME TO INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY AND PERHAPS ALSO DESCRIBE HIS SERVICES AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD AND TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOUR WORK WOULD ENTAIL.
UH, MY NAME'S ANTHONY MARIANI.
I AM A SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER FOR COLLIERS ENGINEERING DESIGN.
WE'RE FORMERLY IN MAJOR CONSULTING.
WE'VE BEEN, UH, ASSISTING THE COUNTY ON PROJECTS SIMILAR TO THIS SINCE TWO, 2018.
AND, UH, SOME OF OUR OTHER EMPLOYEES HAVE BEEN HELPING SINCE IN THE PREVIOUS LIFE AT, UH, CSX IN THOSE TYPE OF COMPANIES.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN HELPING THE COUNTY WITH ON-CALL STYLE SERVICES, UM, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
AS, UH, DAVID MENTIONED THIS IS A WAY FOR THE COUNTY TO, UM, PRODUCE SERVICES ON A QUICK BASIS ON ANY KIND OF PROJECT THEY MAY NEED.
AND, UM, PARTICULARLY ANY KIND OF EMERGENCY SITUATION.
UM, WE MOST KNOW WE HAVE BEEN HELPING THE COUNTY OUT WITH SEVERAL INTERSECTION JOBS.
UH, WE RECENTLY COMPLETED THE BLOOMFIELD AVENUE 12 INTERSECTION PROJECT THROUGH, UH, DOWNTOWN MONTCLAIR.
UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY ASSISTING WITH WRAPPING UP, UH, BID DOCUMENTS FOR TWO OTHER PROJECTS.
ONE IN THE TOWNSHIP OF BLOOMFIELD FOR NINE INTERSECTIONS AND 12 INTERSECTIONS SPORADICALLY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UM, AND BEGINNING TO DESIGN ANOTHER 31 INTERSECTIONS, UH, AGAIN, SPORADICALLY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
MR. PARLOVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? NO QUESTIONS, NO.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION.
I THINK YOU'VE DONE SOME WONDERFUL WORK ON THE, UH, INTERSECTIONS THROUGHOUT ESSEX COUNTY, ESPECIALLY BLOOMFIELD AND MONTCLAIR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS FOR THE VENDOR? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK, SIR.
MR. ANTONIO, NUMBER 18, DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER, UH, 18 AWARDS A TWO YEAR CONTRACT FOR THE DELIVERY OF BOTTLED DRINKING WATER AND THE RENTAL OF WATER DISPENSERS AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED.
AND $237,896 TO DS SERVICES OF AMERICA.
DS SERVICES OF AMERICA WAS THE SO BIDDER TO THIS PUBLICLY ADVERTISED OPPORTUNITY.
ITEM NUMBER 64 IS THE APPROVAL OF AN EMERGENCY DECLARATION MADE BY THE COUNTY ENGINEER IN RESPONSE TO DAMAGES CREATED BY A LIGHTNING STRIKE, WHICH HIT THE TURTLE BACK EX, I'M SORRY, THE TURTLE EXHIBIT BUILDING AT THE TURTLEBACK SUIT ON THE EVENING OF AUGUST 28TH.
DAMAGES TO THE BUILDING'S ROOF, ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SYSTEMS REQUIRED IMMEDIATE SERVICES FROM SURF PRO FOR CLEANUP.
SUNNY ELECTRIC FOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FIXES NORTHEAST ROOF TO REPAIR THE ROOF AND GSP FOR GENERAL BUILDING REPAIRS.
THE APPROVAL OF THIS EMERGENCY DECLARATION WILL ALLOW FOR PAYMENT TO THE MISSION VENDORS IN AN AMOUNT OF $144,500.
ITEM NUMBER 65 IS THE ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT THE COUNTY SUBMITTAL OF A GRANT
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APPLICATION TO THE NORTH JERSEY TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AUTHORITY UNDER THE LOCAL SAFETY PROGRAM TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION OF SAFETY IMPROVEMENT AT 70 COUNTY OWNED ROADWAY INTERSECTIONS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY IN AN AMOUNT TO AMOUNT OF APPROXIMATELY $64 MILLION.THE GRANT APPLICATION PROPOSES THE, THE RECONSTRUCTION OF 59 EXISTING SIGNALED INTERSECTIONS, PLUS THE CONSTRUCTION OF 11 NEW TRAFFIC SIGNALS CURRENTLY ON SIGNALED INTERSECTIONS.
THIS IMPROVEMENT SPAN ACROSS 13 MUNICIPALITIES.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, 26 OF THESE LOCATIONS WILL BE ALONG BLOOMFIELD AVENUE, BETWEEN BLOOMFIELD AND WEST CALDWELL.
EIGHT LOCATIONS WILL BE ON SANFORD AVENUE IN NEWARK, EAST ORANGE, AND IRVINGTON.
SIX LOCATIONS WOULD BE ON EISENHOWER PARKWAY, BOTH IN LIVINGSTON AND ROSELAND.
FIVE LOCATIONS WOULD BE ON SOUTH ORANGE, ORANGE AVENUE, AND LIVINGSTON.
AND IT'S A FIVE 50 SMALLER SETS OF, UH, PARTICULAR LOCATIONS.
IF YOU WISH YOU COULD GO THROUGH ALL OF THEM, MR. I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY.
UH, I BELIEVE THOSE CERTIFICATIONS ARE, ARE ATTACHED TO THE APPLICATION.
THEY'RE IN THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
I'M GONNA OPEN IT UP TO EVERYONE ELSE IN A MOMENT.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, THE, UH, BLOOMFIELD AVENUE CORRIDOR, WHICH WE'VE JUST DONE.
SO IS THIS GRANT REQUEST SORT OF RETROACTIVE TO FIND SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE ALREADY DONE, WHICH FOR NEW THINGS AND WHAT ARE THOSE NEW THINGS THAT WE WERE DOING SINCE WE JUST UPGRADED IT? CAN YOU CLARIFY? UH, DAVID, I'M TELLING YOU THE DEPARTMENT OF
SO THAT DOES, IT'S NOT IMPACTING WHAT WE HAVE RECENTLY DONE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, WHICH HAS BEEN A LOT.
AND YOU SAID THAT'S A $64 MILLION GRAM? CORRECT.
THIS IS PROBABLY THE LARGEST APPLICATION WE SUBMITTED.
WE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL, UH, IN SUBMITTING, BEING APPROVED AND ACTUALLY DELIVERING 36 AND $40 MILLION PROJECTS.
YEAH, I WAS GONNA SAY THIS, THIS SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY HIGH NUMBER FOR US.
I DON'T RECALL ANYTHING THIS HIGH.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARITY IN THAT.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS ON 64 AND 65? NO QUESTIONS MR. MCINERNEY.
JUST HOW DID YOU DETERMINE, I'M LOOKING AT THE LIST HERE.
HOW DID YOU DETERMINE WHICH, UH, TRAFFIC LIGHTS YOU WERE GONNA INCLUDE IN THIS APPLICATION? OKAY.
UH, DAVID AND AN ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, UH, FEDERAL GUIDELINES REQUIRED THOSE LOCATIONS BE SHOWN IN THE NG GPA'S SCREENING OF SAFETY NEED INTERSECTIONS OR CORRIDORS.
FURTHERMORE, THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS MUST SHOW DEMONSTRABLY THAT WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING WILL REDUCE COLLISIONS TO PEDESTRIANS OR, UH, OR VEHICLES AND PROVIDE SAFETY MEASURES THAT CAN BE MEASURED.
UH, AS A MATTER OF FACT, UH, ANTHONY, ANTHONY FROM COLLIERS IS ACTUALLY A, A PERSON THAT HELPED US DEVELOP THE APPLICATION PACKAGE.
MAYBE YOU CAN TOUCH ON SOME OF THE SURE.
JUST STATE AN AFFILIATION AGAIN.
AND THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PREVIOUS CONDUCT.
THIS IS JUST YOU ASSISTED THE COUNTY ENGINEER'S OFFICE WITH THE APPLICATION, UH, HERE IN THIS GRANT.
ANTHONY MARIANI, COLLIER'S ENGINEERING DESIGN.
UM, SO A LOT OF THE INTERSECTIONS THEY, LIKE DAVID SAID, THEY APPEAR ON, UH, ENGINE JTPA HAS, UH, CRASH SCREENING LIST, WHICH IDENTIFIES, UM, HIGH RISK LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND MAINLY ON CORRIDORS OR INTERSECTIONS.
UM, AND IN ORDER TO, YOU KNOW, UH, SUBMIT THESE APPLICATIONS, PART OF THE APPLICATION, YOU HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A BENEFIT ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU WERE RECOMMENDING, UM, BEING, YOU KNOW, UH, THROUGH SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES, UM, THAT, UH, CORRELATE TO BENEFIT COSTS AND, UH, DETERMINING IF THERE IS A ACTUAL POSITIVE IMPACT OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, SO THE COUNTY HAS A RUNNING LIST OF INTERSECTIONS THAT ARE HIGH PRIORITY AS WELL AS, UH, ADJACENT INTERSECTIONS, WHICH DO FORM THE BENEFIT FROM THESE ALSO IMPROVEMENTS.
UM, SO IT'S A, YOU KNOW, A TOTAL EFFORT TO DETERMINE THIS LIST BASED ON WHAT'S AVAILABLE AND WHAT, UH, THE COUNTY IS SEEING.
I, I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS, BUT I HAVE A FEELING COMMISSIONER GI IS GONNA ASK SOMETHING ALONG THE LINE.
SO LET ME, UH, UH, MR. MC, DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR ARE YOU GOOD? YOU DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTION? THAT WAS THE ONLY ONE.
AND, YOU KNOW, FIRST, FIRST AND FOREMOST, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE SIZE OF THIS PROGRAM AND TO ADMINISTER IT AND THE, AND THE ACTUAL APPLICATION.
I, I HAVE A, A, A COMMENT AND A QUESTION BOTH KIND OF FROM THE, FROM THE MACRO TO THE MICRO.
I'LL START WITH THE, THE MACRO AND, AND IT'S A, IT'S A CONCERN, UM, AND I APPRECIATE, UM, WHAT'S REQUIRED UNDER THE N-J-T-P-A, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO, UM, TAKE A HARD LOOK AT, UM, THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT IS THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC OUTREACH THAT WE'RE DOING, UM, IN BOTH TAKING INPUT ON THESE PROJECTS, UM, AND, UM, AND THEN, UM, EXPLAINING WHY
[01:05:01]
WE HAVE MADE DECISIONS, UM, IN THE WAY THAT WE HAVE.WE HAVE, WE DO HAVE A SHORTAGE OF INFORMATION, UM, RIGHT NOW THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR, TO OUR MUNICIPALITIES ABOUT HOW THESE DECISIONS ARE MADE.
SO UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT HAPPENS VERY OFTEN FOR US WHO WERE IN THESE ELECTED POSITIONS IS THAT THERE IS A ACCIDENT
SO, UM, I, I STRONGLY WOULD URGE, UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS WOULD FIT IN THIS PROGRAM, BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WAS REQUIRED, UH, THROUGH THE FEDERAL GRANT, BUT OUT OF THE BLUE, I NEVER SAW US THROUGH THIS BEFORE.
WE HAD A MEETING IN WEST ORANGE, UH, THE COUNTY OF ESSEX THAT WE WERE, THAT, UM, UH, WAS TO REVIEW, UM, SIX OR SEVEN OF THESE INTERSECTION PROJECTS.
I'VE NEVER SEEN US DO THAT BEFORE.
UM, AND, UH, WHERE WE INVITED THE COMMUNITY TO COME AND HEAR FROM US ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE WERE DOING, WHY WE WERE DOING IT, INVITED LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BE THERE.
UM, SO WHAT I'M HOPING IS THAT MAYBE THAT, UM, IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THIS GRANT AND IN THIS PROGRAM, THAT WE CAN ADD A MORE ROBUST, UM, UH, PUBLIC OUTREACH COMPONENT.
NOT ONLY, NOT ONLY WHAT'S REQUIRED MAYBE UNDER THE GUIDELINES, BUT LET'S, IN ESSEX, WE DO THINGS ABOVE AND BEYOND, LIKE FIRST AND FOREMOST THAT MAYBE WE COULD BE FIRST IN CLASS AND THE AMOUNT OF OUTREACH THAT WE'RE DOING, UH, TO THESE COMMUNITIES, TO THESE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE ON THE GROUND.
UH, SO WE CAN, UM, UH, COMMUNICATE JUST A TAD BIT MORE, YOU KNOW, ABOUT, ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING ON THE MICRO LEVEL.
UM, UH, LOCALLY, UM, I'M, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN QUITE A BIT OF COMMUNICATION.
I KNOW, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT AND MR. JACKSON ON, UM, MOUNT HEBRON, UM, MOUNT HEBRON ROAD AND VALLEY ROAD, AND ALSO, UM, UH, WHICH I THINK IS SCHEDULED IN THIS QUEUE.
UM, SO JUST GETTING A SENSE OF TIMING ON LIKE, WHEN WE WOULD SEE KIND OF LIKE THE ACTUAL RESULTS FROM, FROM THESE, FROM BOTH THE PRIOR CON, NOT, NOT, NOT ONLY ON NUMBER 65, BUT ON THE CONTRACT THAT WE WERE JUST AWARDED, I BELIEVE, WHICH WOULD COVER THAT FOR THE DESIGN OF THAT, THE REDESIGN OF, UM, OF THAT INTERSECTION.
SO QUESTION AND A QUESTION AND A COMMENT.
I CAN ADDRESS THE, UH, MOUNT HEIN AND VALLEY ROAD THAT IS PART OF THE, PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND A AFFILIATION.
ANTHONY MARIANI, COLLIER'S ENGINEERING AND DESIGN.
I CAN ADDRESS THOSE TWO INTERSECTIONS.
THEY'RE PART OF, UH, SOME OF THE, THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS THAT WE ARE FINALIZING RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE WITH N-J-D-D-O-T BEING REVIEWED.
UM, AND ONCE WE RECEIVE THE, THEIR COMMENTS BACK, WE'RE GONNA FINALIZE THOSE, AS IN THOSE IMPROVEMENTS WILL BE, UM, THEN PUT A BID FOR, UM, ADDRESSING ALL THE, ALL THOSE IMPROVEMENTS JUST THROUGH MR. PRESIDENT.
AND MAYBE THIS IS MR. JACKSON.
WE COULD TAKE THIS BACK TO ADMINISTRATION.
IF, IF, WHEN THAT, WHEN THAT COMES BACK, THERE'S BEEN A HIGH LEVEL OF INTEREST, UM, OVER CLOSE TO A THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED A PETITION, UM, REGARDING THE REDESIGN OF THAT INTERSECTION, UM, LOCALLY.
SO MAYBE WE COULD DISCUSS, UM, SOME TYPE OF BEYOND, ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WE WOULD DO HERE, HERE IN OUR REGULAR COURSE OF BUSINESS, SOME TYPE OF OUTREACH MEETING OR SOMETHING THAT ONCE WE HAVE OUR FINALIZED PLAN, SO WE MAKE SURE WE, YOU KNOW, UM, COMMUNICATE BACK IF THERE'S, IF THERE'S AN APPETITE TO DO THAT.
SO THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER GILL'S POINT, AND HE'S BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THIS FOR A WHILE.
AND I WAS GONNA ADD, I'LL ADD MY 2 CENTS IN A MINUTE.
UH, SO SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD THIS CONTRACT, MR. ANTONIO, AND THROUGH YOU, MR. JACKSON? OF COURSE, BUT, UH, MR. ANTONIO AND THROUGH OUR VENDOR, UH, THIS IS, UH, AN IMPORTANT AREAS.
I MEAN, WHEN A THOUSAND PEOPLE COME TOGETHER AND SIGN A PETITION, IT'S OBVIOUSLY AN AREA OF CONCERN.
SO WE WOULD APPRECIATE SOME KIND OF MECHANISM FOR INPUT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN FEEL LIKE THEIR VOICES ARE HEARD, THEIR THOUGHTS ARE CONSIDERED.
AND YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THAT THERE COULD BE SOME GOOD CONSIDERATION THAT CAN COME OUT OF THOSE, UH, THAT INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC SINCE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE IN THE FRONT LINES DEALING WITH THE INTERSECTIONS AT THAT TIME.
SO LET'S JUST PUT THAT ON NOTICE.
COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT UP.
MY QUESTION, GENERAL WITH RESPECT TO NUMBER 65 WAS TWO, UH, ONE, UH, WHAT DOES THIS DO IN TERMS OF BIKE LANES AND THOSE KIND OF, UM, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ISSUES THAT ARE CONCERNED? DOES IT ADDRESS THOSE THINGS AS A WHOLE? I DON'T NEED VERY SPECIFICS, ANTHONY MARI, ANY CO ENGINE DESIGN.
UH, SO BIKE LANES ARE REVIEWED, UH, BASED ON THE, YOU KNOW, THE CURRENT CONDITIONS OF EVERYTHING, BUT THEY'RE DEFINITELY A TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX TO USE AT VARIOUS DIFFERENT LOCATIONS.
AS FAR AS PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS, WE, YOU KNOW, WE INSTALL BRAND NEW PEDESTRIAN, UH, TRAFFIC SIGNAL EQUIPMENT, WHICH HAS PEDESTRIAN COUNTDOWN TIMERS, PUSH BUTTONS.
UH, WE IMPLEMENT DIFFERENT TYPES OF IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS CURB BUMP OUTS.
UH, THERE IS TIMING MECHANISMS SUCH AS ALL PEDESTRIAN PHASES OR WE PEDESTRIAN INTERVALS, WHICH HELP, UH, REDUCE THE RISK OF PEDESTRIANS IN THE INTERSECTION.
SO, UM, SINCE, UH, IMPROVEMENTS
[01:10:01]
ARE MEASURED IN SAFETY, WE, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO THROW EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO IMPROVE THAT SAFETY.DOES THAT INCLUDE THE INSULATION OF THOSE FLASHING CROSSWALKS THAT ARE ONLY ACTIVATED WHEN PEOPLE TOUCH THEM? I MEAN, NOT, NOT, NOT A TRAFFIC LIGHT PER SE, BUT I SEE THEM AROUND LIKE A COUPLE OF OUR PARKS, AND I THINK THEY WORK VERY WELL.
YEAH, THAT IS A, UH, A DIFFERENT TYPE THAT'S USUALLY USED AT MIDBLOCK LOCATIONS.
THOSE ARE CALLED RAPID, UH, HEARING RAPID FLASHING BEACONS.
UM, IT IS A LESSER FORM OF CONTROL IN TRAFFIC SIGNALS, UM, IF YOU HAVE A FULL TRAFFIC SIGNAL WITH THE COUNTDOWNS AS A GREATER FORM OF CONTROL.
BUT THEY ARE USED IN LOCATIONS THAT ARE MAYBE NOT WARRANTING A TRAFFIC SIGNAL, BUT CAN, YOU KNOW, THEY GREATLY REDUCE, I THINK IT'S ABOUT 92% YIELD RATE FROM VEHICLES TO PEDESTRIANS WHEN THEY'RE IN THE ACTIVATING CROSSWALKS.
IS THAT, UH, IS THAT COVERED BY THIS, BECAUSE I KNOW THIS REFERENCES INTERSECTIONS AND THAT'S, YOU SAID IT'S A MID, IT CAN BE.
UM, IT'S PART, IT'S ONE OF, UH, FH W'S PROVEN SAFETY COUNTERMEASURES.
UM, BUT THEY'RE MORE KNOWN FOR MIDBLOCK LOCATIONS, AND THESE ARE ALL FOUR OR THREE LEGGED INTERSECTION LOCATIONS.
WHAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR THAT GRANT? ON A VERY HIGH LEVEL, MR. ANTONIO, FROM WHEN WE APPLY TO A NOTICE IS GIVEN AND TO WHEN THE AWARDS ARE DOLED UP, UH, DAVID ANTONIO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, HISTORICALLY SUBMITTING THE APPLICATION IS DONE THIS TIME OF YEAR.
UH, BY JULY, AUGUST OF 25, WE WILL HAVE SOMETHING FROM THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION CONCERNING THE GRANT AMOUNTS THAT GONNA COME TO THE COUNTY TO UNDERTAKE THESE IMPROVEMENTS.
UH, THEN THERE'S A DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD, YOU KNOW, INSTRUCTION OF REVENUE, UM, THINGS OF THAT SORT.
THEN WE HAVE TO SOLICIT A, UM, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING COMPANY TO, UH, DEVELOP A PLANS.
SO, UM, I WOULD SAY THE CONSTRUCTION IN 26.
THAT'S WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME.
'CAUSE BY THE TIME THE GRANTS COME IN AND THEN, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THESE PROJECTS HAVE TO BE PLANNED OUT, AND THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PROJECTS IF YOU GET THE WHOLE AMOUNT OR EVEN HALF THE AMOUNT, FRANKLY.
UH, SO THAT'S A 20 YEAR, 26, UH, PROJECT.
I, DAVID ANTONIO DEPARTMENT PUBLIC WORKS MUCH ACCELERATION PROCESS WAS FASTER.
IT IS THE PROCESS WE HAVE IN PLACE, UNDERST AND YEAH, UNDERST THINGS TAKE TIME, AND THAT'S A LOT OF OUR MONEY TO SPEND AND WE NEED OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
UH, COMMISSIONER, THANK, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, THE, UM, UH, WE WOULD ALSO JUST USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, AND, UH, I KNOW, UM, OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS IS GONNA BE THRILLED TO HEAR THAT I'M PUTTING THIS ON THE RECORD, BUT
WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST, THERE HAVE BEEN QUITE A FEW ADVANCEMENTS, UM, IN, YOU KNOW, IN THAT AREA.
AND, UM, I, I WOULD STRONGLY URGE US TO, TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR, UM, COMPLETE STREETS, UH, POLICY AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CONSISTENT WITH MANY OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED, UM, IN THIS PLANNING OVER THE LAST, UH, 12 YEARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, SECONDLY THERE, UM, AND I'LL, I'LL SEND THIS TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
THERE WAS, UM, READ A, JUST READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF KANSAS CITY IS USING, WHICH IS AN, I THOUGHT WAS A GREAT TOOL, WHICH NOW, UM, MATT, WHICH IS NOW HAVE, THEY HAVE ON THEIR WEBSITE, WHICH BASICALLY, UM, MAPS QUICKLY ANY INTERSECTION THAT'S WITHIN THEIR CITY, COMPARABLE SIZE TO, TO, UM, ESSEX COUNTY, UH, WHERE ANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS COULD QUICKLY GO AND SEE WHEN THERE IS AN INCIDENT.
WHEN, WHEN IS THE LAST TIME THIS INTERSECTION HAS BEEN LOOKED AT, WHEN'S THE LAST TIME THERE'S BEEN ANY ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT? WHAT ARE THE STANDARDS FOR WHETHER, HOW WE'RE MAKING THE DECISION ON WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE A CHANGE OR NOT? YOU KNOW, IT'S 'CAUSE 'CAUSE TO GIVE YOU A PRIME EXAMPLE, NOT TO COME BACK TO JUST ONE INTERSECTION, BUT, UH, WE HAD A, WE HAD AN INCIDENT, UM, AT, UM, ON VAL ON VALLEY AND MOUNT HU, WHICH IS A COUNTY, UM, INTERSECTION.
THE INCIDENT ACTUALLY WAS NOT, HAD NOTHING TO DO ACTUALLY WITH THE DESIGN OF THE INTERSECTION.
IT WAS ACTUALLY, THE PERSON WAS LOOKING THE WRONG WAY.
YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO THE, THE PUBLIC RELEASE, POLICE REPORT.
BUT THE, THE, THE IMMEDIATE REACTION IS THAT THE INCIDENT IS A RESULT OF THE DESIGN OF THE INTERSECTION, UM, ITSELF.
AND SOMETIMES IT IS, AND SOMETIMES IT ISN'T.
BUT ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO, I THINK THAT JUST PUTS MORE OF THIS INFORMATION OUT INTO THE PUBLIC, UM, YOU KNOW, SQUARE, UH, SO TO SPEAK.
I, YOU KNOW, I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE, AND I, I I'LL SEND IT.
THERE SEEMS TO BE, AND I'M SURE YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THESE TOOLS, UM, REALLY EASY AND ACCESSIBLE WAYS TO DO THAT NOW.
SO PEOPLE CAN QUICKLY FIND OUT, AND WE CAN DIRECT AS A COUNTY, WE CAN DIRECT PEOPLE TO THOSE, TO THOSE PLACES.
AND THEY CAN KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, QUICKLY, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THIS ROAD WAS REPAVED? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT THIS INTERSECTION WAS UPDATED? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME IT WAS, YOU KNOW, ANY, ANY OF TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES QUICKLY RIGHT THERE? WAS IT STRIPED? WAS THERE FLASHING LIGHTS? HOW, HOW MANY INCIDENTS HAVE THERE BEEN AT THIS INTERSECTION RECORDED IN THE LAST
[01:15:01]
MULTIPLE YEARS? THIS IS, THIS IS ALL INFORMATION THAT'S NOW READILY AVAILABLE THAT SITS IN ALL THESE DIFFERENT PLACES, RIGHT? AND THIS IS JUST WHERE WE AS GOVERNMENT WITH OUR OUTSIDE VENDORS HAVE TO GET BETTER.LIKE IT, TO ME IT'S LIKE KIND OF ALMOST, IT'S AMAZING THAT WE STILL HAVE THIS HAZE AROUND HOW THESE PROJECTS GET DONE AND TO YOUR POINT, TO PRESIDENT, BUT PEOPLE DON'T FEEL THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE SOME FRONT END INPUT.
NOTHING AGAINST THESE PROJECTS.
THE PROJECT ARE GREAT, GONNA VOTE FOR IT, SUPPORT IT, OF COURSE.
BUT LIKE, IT'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS IN AN INNOVATIVE AND A NEW WAY AND ENCOURAGE EVERYONE WHO'S WORKING ON THAT TO PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND AS YOU MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER THROUGH YOU.
MR. JACKSON, WHAT IS MR. ANTONIO, WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE FOR YOUR COMPLETE STREETS, UH, REPORT? IF, IF IT'S 12 YEARS OLD, WHAT, WHAT'S THE INDUSTRY STANDARD? HOW LONG THAT DOCUMENT IS RELEVANT BEFORE NEEDS UPDATING, UH, DAVID, LIKE A MASTER PLAN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? WHAT'S THE INDUSTRY STANDARD? UH, DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, LIKE, UH, COMMERCIAL MENTIONED, WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST COUNTIES TO, I IMPLEMENT A COMPLETE STREETS POLICY.
SO THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS WESTERN INDUSTRY STANDARD.
WE ESTABLISHED A STANDARD HERE, HERE, UH, HOWEVER, OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE ANY ORGANIC PLANNING DOCUMENT, SUCH AS THE COMPLETE STREETS POLICY IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.
UH, SO THE ANSWER IS, ANYTIME YOU FEEL IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY, YOU SHOULD TAKE IT.
IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THIS IS A BIG APPLICATION, SHOULD THIS BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD? IT MIGHT BE A TIME, A WORTHY TIME, OF COURSE, BECAUSE I WOULD THINK WITHOUT MUCH FUNDING AND THAT MUCH CHANGE, POTENTIAL CHANGE, THAT IT WOULD BE A TIME TO REVISIT IT AND SEE IF WE COULD ENHANCE IT.
'CAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE EVERYONE WOULD AGREE, AS GREAT AS ANYTHING IS, THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
AND THOUGH WE COULD PROBABLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, MAYBE SOMETHING TO GIVE SOME THOUGHT AND MAYBE WE CAN HAVE A FUTURE DIALOGUE ABOUT IT.
WHAT DO YOU SAY, COMMISSIONER? I, I, I APPRECIATE IT, MR. PRESIDENT.
WE JUST ALSO ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES COMPLETELY STREETS IS ASSOCIATED WITH BIKE LANES, AND THAT'S PART OF IT, BUT, BUT COMPLETE STREETS IS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST, YOU KNOW, MORE, MORE THAN JUST STRIPING BIKE LANES.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT TRAFFIC, CALMING, INCREASING SAFETY, WHICH, UM, ESSENTIALLY CONTRIBUTES NOT ONLY TO, UH, THE PROTECTION OF THE COMMUNITY, THE PROTECTION OF OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH, BUT ALSO TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
SO, UM, THIS PROJECT THAT WAS JUST COMPLETED, UM, UH, ALONG BLOOMFIELD AVENUE FROM NEWARK, ALL THE WAY UP THROUGH, UM, YOU KNOW, INTO, INTO VERONA, CONTRIBUTES TO THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE DOWNTOWN, UM, YOU KNOW, AREAS, UH, FOR ALL THE COMMUNITIES THAT IT TRANSVERSED.
SO, UM, IT'S, UM, IT'S A, IT'S, I APPRECIATE THAT WE WERE FIRST, I THINK IT'S PROBABLY TIME.
THERE'S A TON OF MONEY THAT'S COMING TO THE, TO THE, YOU KNOW, TO THE STATE, TO THE COUNTY ON THESE PROJECTS.
UM, AND, UM, IN, IN ADDITION TO THE, UM, UH, THE, UM, THERE'S SO MANY ACRONYMS IN THE TRANSPORTATION WORLD, THE SAFETY, THE, OUR, OUR TRANSPORTATION SAFETY ADVISORY, THE OTHER, THE OTHER CONTRACT, THE OTHER DAVID ANTONIO PUBLIC WORKS.
SO, SO WE HAVE A, A, IN ADDITION TO OUR, OUR MUNICIPALITIES, WEST ORANGE AND MONTCLAIR, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY ELSE IN THE COUNTY THAT HAVE CREATED THEIR OWN VISION ZERO TASK FORCE.
WE NOW HAVE A SAFE STREETS FOR ALL WE, THIS BOARD OTD ON A CONTRACT TO ANOTHER FIRM THAT IS SUPPOSED TO PUT TOGETHER AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT'S GONNA BE MAKING MANY OF THESE ALSO RECOMMENDATIONS TOO, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
SO, UM, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE UPDATE WHEN THAT'S READY ON THE FORMATION OF THAT, UM, THE FORMATION OF THAT COMMITTEE, UM, WHERE IT FITS IN, IN THIS, UM, IN THIS PROCESS.
AND, AND, UM, AND REALLY EXCITED ABOUT ALL WORK THAT, THAT'S POTENTIALLY BEFORE US.
UM, AND WANNA ALSO, I SHOULD FINALLY ADD, AS WE APPROACH BUDGET SEASON, WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU, THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS THE RESOURCES THAT IT NEEDS, YOU KNOW, TO EFFECTIVELY ADMINISTER, UM, THESE PROGRAMS. SO THANK YOU.
SO, MR. ANTONIO, WE HAVE SOME HOMEWORK TO DO, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S ALL VERY PROMISING, AND, UH, I, THIS IS A VERY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY AND I HOPE THAT WE ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL.
SO, UH, WE COMMEND YOUR DEPARTMENT'S GOOD WORK.
PLEASE SHARE THAT WITH THE COUNTY ENGINEER AS WELL.
SO WE ARE NOW DONE, UH, COMMISSIONERS.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE 16 THROUGH 18, 64 AND 65, MOVE BY SIEBEL.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GILL, WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GI? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS.
19 WAS WITHDRAWN FOR THE RECORD.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 20 AND ADD STARTED 68
[01:20:01]
AND 70, WHICH ARE FROM THE OFFICE OF COUNTY COUNCIL.AND THEY WILL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
AND I, I THINK WE HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS TODAY, DON'T WE? UH, MR. UH, COUNTY COUNSEL, ST.
JOHN WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. THANK YOU, MR. ST.
MR. UH, THIS IS, UH, MR. PRESIDENT JEROME, ST.
THIS IS TO APPROVE THE RECEIPT OF $263,887 AND 54 CENTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO, FOR REIMBURSEMENT TO THE COUNTY, TO THE COUNTY, THROUGH THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S OFFICE FOR SERVICES THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S OFFICE PROVIDES IN GETTING MONEY BACK FOR THE COUNTY FOR, UM, CERTAIN, UH, CHILD CARE.
UH, ITEMS, UH, I JUST WANT JUST A NUMBER.
WE RECOVER OVER $4 MILLION A YEAR FOR THE COUNTY.
WITH THESE TWO FULL-TIME LAWYERS AND ONE PART-TIME LAWYER.
SO 67 WITH THE MONEY, AND THEN 67, BUT I MEAN, KEEP THE MONEY COMING AND, OKAY.
I WILL, UH, NUMBER, NUMBER, UH, 67 68.
WHERE DO YOU WANT ME TO GO? 68.
UM, I, I TOLD YOU ALL THAT WE WERE HOPING TO GET A RESOLUTION OF THESE, THESE CONTR CONTRACTUAL ISSUES.
UH, BEFORE I GO OVER IN DETAIL, I WANT TO, I WANT TO THANK, UH, THE UNION REPRESENTATIVES WHO WERE VERY AGGRESSIVE BARGAINERS WITH US, BUT THEY DID IT ALL IN GOOD FAITH.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND MR. JACKSON, WHO, WHO ARE IN THIS, IN THIS, IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS, AS WELL AS SYL SYLVIA HALL, WHO IS THE, OUR HEAD OF LABOR FOR THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S OFFICE.
WITH ALL THAT SAID, UH, WE HAVE COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH IBEW FOR THE, WITH THE NINE UNITS THAT ARE SET FORTH IN EX, UH, NUMBER 68.
UH, AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE WAGES, THEY ARE FOR A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, STARTING FOR 2% FOR THE FIRST YEAR, 2% FOR THE SECOND YEAR, AND 3% FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
UH, AND THAT IS THE, WHAT WE HAVE NEGOTIATED WITH, WITH IBEW FOR A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT.
UH, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT JUST TOOK PLACE THIS AFTERNOON, A NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE SURROGATE OFFICE, UH, THAT CAME TO FRUITION THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE SAME RECOMMENDATION OF, UH, IN 24 2 25, 2 26, 3, UH, 27 3 AND 28 3.
SO THAT'S THE SECOND UNIT, NOW, SEPARATE UNIT THAT HAS AGREED, UH, TO THE, UH, AGREEMENT THAT THE COUNTY HAS NEGOTIATED WITH THE LARGEST UNION REPRESENTATIVE, WHICH IS IBEW.
MR. FARVE, ANY QUESTIONS ON 2068 AND 70? I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON 68 JEROME, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES ARE COVERED UNDER THIS IBEW CONTRACT? I KNOW THEY'RE IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS AND AREAS OF THE COUNTY.
MR. VICKI, I'M GONNA GUESS, BUT MR. JACKSON MAY KNOW BETTER.
I THINK IT'S BEING 900 AND A THOUSAND, BUT I, THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING'S.
DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? YEAH, YEAH.
SO, SO ROUGHLY IT BETWEEN 900 A QUARTER TO A THIRD OF THE WORKFORCE? CORRECT.
I THINK THE SURROGATE IS MAYBE FIVE
MR. MCINERNEY? UM, I, I GUESS THE ONLY THE COMMENT I HAVE IS THAT THOSE SEEM TO BE, UM, AFFORDABLE AND TO SOME DEGREE AND FAIR INCREASES.
IS THIS GONNA BE MORE OR LESS THE STANDARD GOING FORWARD NOW WITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH OUR OTHER UNIONS, UH, AS A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD? NO,
WE HAVE TAKEN THE POSITION NOW FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
WE TRY TO BE FAIR AND EQUITABLE WITH ALL EMPLOYEES AT THE COUNTY.
SO THAT, UH, THIS, WE, I BELIEVE, WILL SET THE STANDARD FOR, WHICH IS A VERY FAIR FROM BOTH SIDES ON THIS MATTER, BY THE WAY.
UH, WITH THE EMPLOYEES OF THE UNION, MEMBERS OF I-B-E-D-W, AND WE WILL, UH, MR. MCINERNEY, WE WILL DEFINITELY SAY TO THE OTHER UNITS OF COUNTY, UH, EMPLOYEES OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT, WE THINK THIS IS FAIR.
WE WANT TO TREAT YOU THE SAME FAIRLY AS WE DO TO OTHER WITH IBEW.
SO, YES, TH THIS WILL SET THE STANDARD.
IT'D BE NICE TO GET FIVE YEAR CONTRACTS, THOUGH, WHICH FIVE, FIVE WE WE'RE, I'M, I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THE FIVE YEAR CONTRACT.
YEAH, IT'S A, IT'S A GOOD START.
UH, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON, UH, NUMBER 2068 AND 70? CAN COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? THANK YOU.
JOHN FOR DOING SUCH A FANTASTIC JOB AND WORKING SO HARD FOR THESE FINAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
UH, BUT MY, MY FRIEND FOR ALL THESE YEARS, THAT'S VERY NICE OF YOU TO SAY THAT.
[01:25:01]
OKAYAND, DON'T GIVE HIM TOO MUCH CREDIT.I, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S, WE'VE GOTTA KEEP HIM ON HIS TOES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DO I HAVE A MOVER? I'LL MOVE IT.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLARK FOR NUMBER 2068 AND 70.
IT'LL BE A YES FOR THE PREVIOUS VOTES AS WELL.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
SO MOVED RESOLUTIONS 21 TO 24 FROM THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING.
THERE WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON, MR. TRE, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, OFFICE OF PURCHASING, UH, CONTRACT AWARD TO THE FIVE LOWE'S RESPONSIBLE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDERS TO FURNISH AND DELIVER CLOTHING SUPPLIES FOR THE ESSEX COUNTY AGENCIES, PREDOMINANTLY USED BY JUVENILE DETENTION, UH, THE HOSPITAL CENTER AND CORRECTIONS, BUT ANY OTHER, UH, AGENCY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY MAY USE THEM.
IT WAS AWARDED TO, UH, HOME DOLL FOOTWEAR, ACME SUPPLY, BOB BARKER COMPANY, CHA DECK AND GOLD TECHS.
UH, AND THIS AWARD IS NOT TO EXCEED $450,000 PREVIOUSLY EXPENDED.
OUT OF THE $450 $50,000 WAS $300,000.
UH, 22 CONTRACT AWARD TO OMNI DISTRIBUTION LLC TO PROVIDE AND INSTALL VEHICLE GRAPHICS FOR ESSEX COUNTY AGENCIES, EXERCISING A TWO YEAR CONTRACT, THE EXTENSION AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 200 AND, UH, $20,000, UH, EXPENDED.
AND YES, WHEN YOUR NEW VAN COMES IN, YOU CAN USE THIS CONTRACT TO MARK UP YOUR NEW VAN.
THE BOARD VAN, LET ME JUST SAY, LET ME, LET ME CLARIFY.
THE, THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONER'S VAN, ONE OF US MAY BE A CAR 23, UH, CONTRACT AWARD TO AIRLINE VENDING SERVICES, THE HIGHEST RESPONSE AND RESPONSIBLE REVENUE GENERATED BID.
UM, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 44 MACHINES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY VENDING MACHINES, AND THEY ARE PAYING $185 PER MACHINE PER MONTH, WHICH COMES OUT TO ABOUT 8,000 101 HUNDRED AND $40 PER MONTH.
AND THE SECOND YEAR OF THE TWO YEAR CONTRACT WILL BE A 5% INCREASE.
AND NUMBER 24 IS A LEASE AMENDED WITH IRON GATE ASSOCIATES TO PROVIDE 245 PARKING SPACES AT 2 13 2 25 HOLLEY STREET.
UH, THE ORIGINAL LEASE EXPIRES DECEMBER 31ST, 2025.
UM, THIS PARKING, UH, LOT IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE NEW JUVENILE COURTHOUSE ON, UH, HALSEY AND WASHINGTON.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS? 21 TO 23.
MOVE BY, RICHARDSON, DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY SERMONS.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK 21 TO 23.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
I MEANT THAT WAS 21 TO 24, BUT I THINK WE ALL KNEW 'CAUSE HE COVERED THEM ALL.
UM, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 25 TO 31.
AND ADDED START IS 61, 62, 67, AND 69, WHICH ARE COUNTY BUDGET INSERTION OF ITEMS OF REVENUE FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.
AND THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
ITEM 25, THE AMOUNT OF A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AS TO OUR DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ACTION TO PROVIDE TENANTS AND LANDLORDS WITH INFORMATION ABOUT FAIR HOUSING TRUTH IN LENDING THROUGH WORKSHOPS AND TELEPHONE COUNSELING AND ADVOCACY.
THERE'S NO, UH, COUNTY MATCH ITEM 26, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $500,000, UH, FOR COVERS A PERIOD DECEMBER 1ST, 2024 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2026.
THIS ADULT LITERACY PROGRAM PROVIDES, UH, UH, ON THE JOB, UH, LITERACY SKILLS SUCH AS ESL CUSTOMER SERVICE TO ENABLE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
[01:30:01]
UH, ITEM 27, UH, IS ANOTHER, UH, IN INSTALLMENT OF THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT, UH, AGREEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $122,621 AND 60 CENTS.UH, AND THERE'S NO, UH, COUNTY MATCH.
ITEM 28, UH, IS A REIMBURSEMENT FOR COST TO THE, FOR THE 2024 GENERAL ELECTION.
UH, THIS IS GOING TO THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, THE AMOUNT OF $44,983 AND 42 CENTS, UH, ITEM 29, UH, TO THE GRANT TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $281,262 AND 99 CENTS.
THIS IS, UM, REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE 2023 GENERAL ELECTION EARLY VOTING, UH, POLL WORKER, UH, UH, COST.
UH, ITEM 30, UH, IS THROUGH THE OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF IN THE MATTER OF $103,990.
THIS IS FOR, FOR THE, UH, F THE FY 24 PEDESTRIAN SAFETY GRANT.
ITEM 31, GOING TO THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THE AMOUNT OF $428,403.
UH, THIS IS A GRANT THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM RJW, UH, RWJ ST.
BARNABAS, UH, FOR THE PURCHASE OF A, UH, MOBILE PEDIATRIC HEALTHCARE VEHICLE WITH ONE WHEELCHAIR LIFT.
UM, IT'LL BE DEDICATED TO PEDIATRIC HEALTH CLINICS WITHIN ESSEX COUNTY.
UM, AND WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT THE, UM, TOTAL AMOUNT WILL BE ABOUT $450,000.
AND WE HAVE A COUNTY HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT THAT IS GOING TO, UH, COVER, UH, THE REST, UH, ITEM 61, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $316,752, UH, GOING TO THE COMM DIVISION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH, UH, TO PROVIDE FOR MO MOBILE OUTREACH, UH, SERVICES TO SUPPORT RE RESIDENTS WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE, UH, DISORDERS.
UH, AND THERE IS NO, UH, COUNTY MATCH ITEM 62 GOING TO THE DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS AND THE AMOUNT OF $208,833 FROM THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF, UH, HUMAN SERVICES.
THIS IS TO HELP TO, UM, UH, MITIGATE THE, UH, SNAP, UH, BACKUP.
AND, UH, UH, AS I CAN REPORT, WE HAD, UM, UH, I BELIEVE WE HAD, UH, 18,000 AT THE START OF 2023.
UM, AND THAT WAS WHITTLED DOWN ALMOST TO ZERO, UH, UH, MORE, MORE RECENTLY.
BUT WE'VE ALSO PICKED UP ANOTHER, UH, I THINK THE BACKLOG IS NOW 4,200, UM, BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING ANYWHERE FROM A 1200 TO 1500 NEW CASES, UH, A WEEK.
SO IT'S, UH, QUITE A BIT, BUT WE'RE AGAIN MANAGING TO KEEP THAT, UH, THAT NUMBER DOWN.
UH, IT'S ALSO AN EARLY VOTING GRANT GOING TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF, UH, $989,290, $99 AND 17 CENTS.
THIS IS REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION, EARLY VOTING.
UM, AND THERE IS, UH, AS WITH THESE GRANTS, ELECTION GRANTS, THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCH.
UH, AND WHAT'S THE 69 IS AWESOME.
69 IS, UM, UH, AS, UH, DR. ANDERSON MENTIONED, UH, AND DIRECTOR CHARLES MENTIONED EARLIER, THE, UM, THE MAT PROGRAM, UH, FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
THIS IS COMING FROM THE NEW JERSEY DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH FOR $719,729.
UH, AGAIN, TO SUPPORT THE, UH, FANTASTIC PROGRAM THAT, UH, THOSE TWO GENTLEMEN, UH, DISCUSSED EARLIER.
ANY QUESTIONS ON 25 TO 31? 61? 62, 67, 69? NO QUESTIONS, MR. MCINERNEY? UM, I, I JUST SAID ON NUMBER 27, THE OPIOID, THE OPIOID, UM, AMOUNTS ARE, ARE, THEY SEEM TO BE COMING IN ON A REGULAR BASIS.
IS THERE A S IS THERE, ARE THEY COMING IN MONTHLY OR, OR IS IT SPORADIC OR IT, IT'S, IT VARIES.
I THINK MOST OF THEM ARE, ARE QUARTERLY.
THERE ARE SOME ANNUALS, BUT ALSO TOO, WHAT'S HAPPENING IS AS SETTLEMENTS ARE DONE, WE'RE GETTING PAYMENTS.
SO IT'S A, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SPREADSHEET.
YEAH, IF I CAN GET THAT JUST TO SEE WHAT'S GONNA BE ANTICIPATED, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT FOR 25 5 IN TERMS COMING IN.
AND THE OTHER THING IS, IS THAT UNRESTRICTED MONEY? THE NO, NO.
IT IS RESTRICTED RESTRICT, IT IS RESTRICTED FOR, FOR PARTICULAR KINDS OF PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE THAT HAS TO BE USEFUL.
THESE ARE NOT GENERAL REVENUE.
ANY COMMISSIONERS? ANY QUESTIONS? DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO
[01:35:01]
MOVE? I'LL MOVE IT.THIS IS 25, 31, 61, 62, 6 7, AND 69.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE THE RESOLUTION 32 TO 60, WHICH ARE IMMEMORIAL COMMENDATIONS PROCLAMATION RESOLUTIONS.
THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEE, NAN, DO I HAVE SOMEONE MOVE? MOVE IT.
SECOND BY RICHARDSON WHO GAVE UP ON THE WAVE? ROLL CALL.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GI? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
OKAY, MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER ADDED STARTERS? WE HAVE ONE REMAINING RESOLUTION 66 FROM THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
SO LET'S MOVE TO THAT RESOLUTION NUMBER 66 FROM THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
IT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. PAR? YES, I CAN HANDLE THAT.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS A RECOMMENDATION TO AWARD A, UH, CONTRACT TO NIELSEN OF MORRISTOWN AS THE SOLE RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER TO FURNISH A NEW VAN FOR THE, UH, BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
UH, THE VAN THAT THE, UM, BOARD USES TO, UH, DELIVER SUPPLIES, DELIVER PEOPLE, UM, AND DO VARIOUS THINGS THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, UH, WAS IN DISREPAIR.
AND THE COST TO REPAIR THE OLD VAN, WHICH WAS IN EXCESS OF 10 YEARS OLD, WAS, UH, WAS REALLY COST PROHIBITIVE.
SO, UH, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF MR. COLBY, OUR, UH, STAFF PUT TOGETHER, UH, BID SPECIFICATIONS ADVERTISED FOR A BID.
AND, UM, THIS, UH, DEALERSHIP DID PROVIDE THE SOLE RESPONSIVE BID.
SO RECOMMEND THAT WE, UH, APPROVE THIS AND WE WILL HAVE A NEW VAN FORTH WITH, THERE'S NOTHING LIKE A COOL MINIVAN TO MAKE, MAKE A STATEMENT.
IT IS, UH, MR. MCINERNEY A MAGNET.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE NEW MINIVAN? COOL.
IT IS, DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? MOVE IT.
EVERYONE'S FIGHTING TO MOVE IT.
NOW THAT HE IS A FATHER, HE UNDERSTANDS THE VALUE OF A MINIVAN.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GI? YES.
FOR THE SCHOOL COMMISSIONER MERCADO.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
IT MAY NOT BE AS COOL AS A BUS, BUT IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR US.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, REPORT A BOARD COMMITTEES.
DO WE HAVE ANY, ANY COMMISSIONERS? NONE.
ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS, ANY WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS? ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? ANY NEW BUSINESS? OKAY.
LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
WE HAVE ONE PERSON HERE WHO STUCK OUT THIS ENTIRE MEETING.
WE THANK YOU FOR THAT AND WE APPRECIATE IT.
MY NAME IS BEN VITALE, AND I'VE BEEN SOUTH ORANGE FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
I'M A MEMBER THERE OF A MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHICH ADVOCATES FOR PEDESTRIAN CYCLISTS AND PUBLIC TRANSIT RIDERS.
HOWEVER, I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN AND THE PARENTS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.
UM, YOU'RE ON A GREAT MEETING HERE.
I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN EARLIER 'CAUSE THERE'S SOME OF THESE ISSUES.
I RIDE A BIKE DAILY, UH, FOR TRANSPORTATION AND FOR RECREATION.
I RIDE NEW JERSEY TRANSIT TRAINS AND BUSES ROUTINELY.
MY CHILDREN COMMUTE TO SCHOOL DAILY.
I'M NOT A BIG SAFETY GUY, BUT EMPIRICALLY IT'S NOT, UH, IT'S TOO DANGEROUS TO CROSS THE STREET.
UH, I'M HERE TO ASK YOU TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON ISSUES FACING PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS IN ESSEX COUNTY.
I'M A SOFTWARE ENGINEER, AND I'VE BEEN STUDYING DATA FROM THE STATE POLICE AND THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY TRAFFIC ADMINISTRATION.
UM, SO FAR I FOCUS ONLY ON PEDESTRIANS.
ESSEX COUNTY HAS MORE PEDESTRIAN FATALITIES FROM THE DECADE ENDING 2022 THAN ROUGHLY 80% OF OTHER COUNTIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
25 PEDESTRIANS WERE KILLED IN TRAFFIC CRASHES IN 20 22, 25.
PEDESTRIANS, WHERE ARE WE COMPARED TO OTHER NEW JERSEY COUNTIES? WELL, THERE ARE 21 COUNTIES, AS YOU KNOW, PER CAPITA, PEDESTRIAN DEATHS IN ESSEX COUNTY ARE WORSE THAN 16.
OF THOSE OTHER COUNTIES, WE ARE SAFER THAN FOUR.
SO I'M STILL WORKING ON ANALYZING IT, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE MANY OF THE PEDESTRIANS ARE KILLED ON COUNTY ROADS.
[01:40:01]
IS, PARTICULARLY THROUGH TRAFFIC MOVING AT HIGH SPEEDS THROUGH TOWNS.WHEN I TALKED TO MUNICIPAL LEADERS ABOUT PROBLEM SPOTS IN MY TOWN, THEY REFER ME TO THE COUNTY BECAUSE THE PROBLEMS AREN'T COUNTY ROADS.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTI, YOUR CURRENT PROJECT UNDERWAY AT ROUTE 6 38.
I SPOKE TO MR. ANTONIO IN THE HALLWAY.
I'VE ATTENDED A COUPLE OF HIS MEETINGS BEFORE.
6 38 IS KNOWN AS VALLEY STREET.
UH, THIS PROJECT IS, UH, 20 YARDS FROM OUR HIGH SCHOOL WHERE A STUDENT WAS HIT THE LAST MONTH.
UM, AND IT CONTAINS ELEMENTS THAT WILL MAKE PEDESTRIANS SAFER, UM, INCLUDING STUDENTS.
UH, I SEE MR. ANTONIO IS WORKING ON THE LOCAL SAFETY ACTION PLAN.
UM, BUT THE NUMBERS TELL US THERE'S MUCH MORE TO DO.
UM, THE STATE IS WORKING ON VISION ZERO LEGISLATION.
THE IDEA IS TO USE SYSTEMS ENGINEERING, UH, AS I'M SURE ALL OF YOU KNOW, TO TRY TO GET TRAFFIC DEATHS TO ZERO.
WE MIGHT NEVER, EVER GET THERE, BUT WE SHOULD KEEP TRYING.
I I HOPE THE STATE WILL PASS THAT LEGISLATION.
THIS IS THEIR SECOND CRACK AT IT.
IT GOT WATERED DOWN THE FIRST TIME.
AND, UH, ADVOCATES, UM, THAT I WORKED WITH SAID, LOOK, NO, THIS IS SERIOUS.
RIGHT? WE WAITED ANOTHER YEAR, YEAR, NOW WE'RE GONNA TRY AGAIN.
UM, SO I HOPE THEY'LL PASS IT.
BUT WE NEED ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT TO WORK TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, THE FUNDING COMES FROM THE FEDS.
THE ENFORCEMENT IS MOSTLY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
THE FINGER POINTING IS, UH, WELL, IT'S NOT SURPRISING, BUT IT'S NOT HELPFUL.
SO, UM, I HOPE THE COUNTY WILL MAKE THIS A PRIORITY.
AND I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM SHARES IN THOSE CONCERNS, BOTH ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE SIDE AND ON THE LEGISLATIVE SIDE.
AND AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD EARLIER, WE WERE ASKING SOME QUESTIONS, AND I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SAFETY.
SO WE WILL CERTAINLY KEEP WORKING ON IT.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, I THINK, AN ONGOING PROCESS.
I DON'T THINK IT EVER ENDS UNTIL WE MAYBE HIT THAT ZERO NUMBER TILL, YOU KNOW, IN PERPETUITY, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK ON IT.
SO THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY AND FOR YOUR NICE COMPLIMENTS ABOUT THE WAY WE RUN OUR MEETINGS HERE.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, AS, UH, PRESIDENT PREMIER SAID, IT'S DEFINITELY SHARED CONCERNS.
AND, UM, SPECIAL THANKS TO COMMISSIONER GILL FOR YOUR, UH, LINE OF INQUIRY TONIGHT.
AND THE, UM, JUST THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND ALL OF US AS A, AS A BOARD, UH, TO MAKE ESSEX COUNTY SAFER FOR ALL OF US.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT, FIRST OF ALL, TO THINK, UH, THE PRESIDENT FOR, UH, ACKNOWLEDGING, UH, THE SUDDEN, UM, AND UNFORTUNATE DEATH OF, UH, CALVIN CRUMP.
UM, THE FIRST, UH, BLACK WOMAN COUNCIL MEMBER IN THE CITY OF NEWARK, UM, ONE OF THE LONGEST PRESIDING COUNCIL PRESIDENTS, UH, AND JUST A KIND WOMAN, UM, WHO MADE TIME AND SPACE, NOT JUST FOR ME, BUT FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.
UM, YOU THINK ABOUT HER AND SHEILA OLIVER.
THERE ARE SO MANY BLACK WOMEN IN NEWARK AND ESSEX COUNTY IN NEW JERSEY, WHO WOULD'VE NEVER SEEN THEMSELVES IN POLITICS, NEVER SEEN THAT THEY HAD A VOICE IN THIS IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR THEM.
NOT JUST FOR THEIR SERVICE, BUT THEIR MENTORSHIP AND THEIR HARD WORK.
UM, AND WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT WHEN WE EMPOWER PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST AT THE MARGINS, PEOPLE, UH, MAYBE THEY'RE BLACK, MAYBE THEY'RE IMMIGRANTS OR RECENT IMMIGRANTS, WHAT HAVE, WHAT HAVE YOU, THAT OPENS THE DOOR FOR EVERYONE.
AND SO FOR THE LEADERSHIP AND LEGACY OF FOLKS, UH, LIKE COUNCILWOMAN, UH, MOTHER CRUMP, AS WE AFFECTIONATELY CALL HER, THE CITY OF NEWARK, THE COUNTY OF ESSEX, THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY WILL BE FEELING THAT IMPACT FOR GENERATIONS.
AND FRANKLY, IN NEW JERSEY, IN PUBLIC, UH, GOVERNMENT, WE'VE BEEN LOSING A LOT OF GIANTS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, AND SO I ALWAYS THINK IT'S FITTING FOR US TO FIND A MOMENT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING TO GIVE, UH, SOME SILENCE, A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THOSE WHO ARE LOST.
THE HOLIDAYS ARE WEIRD LIKE THAT ANYWAY, BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH IT'S ABOUT FAMILY AND CELEBRATION, IT ALSO CAN BE MOMENTS OF GRIEF FOR THOSE OF US WHO'VE LOST LOVED ONES.
SO I'M THINKING OF EVERYONE WHO'S GRIEVING TODAY, ESPECIALLY THINKING OF, UH, THE CRUMP FAMILY, LARRY, OUR COUNCILMAN HERE IN NEWARK, UH, VEDA, ALL ZELMA, ALL THE, THE PEOPLE WHO WERE AFFECTED.
AND THEN LASTLY, UM, ACTUALLY, UH, ON THE NOTION OF GRIEF, UH, DECEMBER 1ST WAS WORLD AIDS DAY.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO JUST COMMEND FOLKS IN BOTH THE COUNTY OF ESSEX ACROSS THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, WHO ARE DOING WORK AROUND AIDS EMPOWERMENT, AIDS AWARENESS, UM, AIDS PREVENTION, UM, AND SO, AND ALSO LIKE CELEBRATING PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST ADVOCATES FOR, FOR FOLKS WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM VARIOUS DISEASES AND CHRONIC ILLNESSES.
[01:45:01]
THANK YOU.AND, UM, HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE, AND YEAH, LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT MEETING.
APPRECIATE YOUR CONT UH, YOUR, UH, YOUR COMMENTS, ESPECIALLY ABOUT, UH, COUNCIL CRO, VERY APROPOS COMMISSIONERS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, I DO HAVE, UH, ONE THING TO BRING UP.
I, UH, WAS ASKED TO HOST THE UNITED STATES LATINO AFFAIRS INITIATIVES.
WE'LL BE HOSTING THEIR AWARD CEREMONY COMING UP.
UH, I THINK THAT IS ON THE, UH, 11TH.
SO, UH, I'D INVITE YOU ALL TO JOIN ME ON THAT DAY.
UH, SOME OF THE HONOREES OF FOLKS THAT WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH, UH, FOLKS THAT WE HAVE ACTUALLY AS HONORED AS A BOARD, UH, JULIO PONTE IS ONE OF 'EM, AND, UH, I BELIEVE A FEW OTHERS.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE CERTAINLY WOULD INVITE YOU TO COME.
IT'S AT 4:00 PM WE SHOULD GO FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, AND, UH, WE WELCOME YOU TO COME TO THAT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS? UH, THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE AN UBER DAD SHIFT TO COMPLETELY LATER ON.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVE IT SECOND.