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CLEARLY THERE'S SOME SWEET POTATO PIE, UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT, FEEL SOME TYPE OF WAY.
UM, BUT GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.
MY NAME'S A DORIA MURRAY THOMAS.
I HAVE THE HONOR OF SERVING AS THE ESSEX COUNTY COMMISSIONER HERE IN THIS GREAT COUNTY OF ESSEX BY WAY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.
SO PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY MY BROTHER IN THE WORK IN THE MOVEMENT COMMISSIONER WAYNE RICHARDSON.
AND WE'RE SO HONORED TO DOING, UH, TO BE DOING A SPECIAL PRESENTATION TONIGHT AS WE RECOGNIZE TWO INCREDIBLE WOMEN.
ONE, A YOUNG WOMAN AND A STUDENT HERE IN THE GREAT CITY OF NEWARK WHO HAS MADE NATIONAL FEATS AND STATEWIDE FEATS WITH HER, UH, INCREDIBLE SPEECH AND DEBATE ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
AND ANOTHER WHO ALSO, UH, HAS, HAS DEEP ROOTS IN THE CITY OF NEWARK.
IT DOES INCREDIBLE WORK, UH, FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES, AND THE ISSUES OF GRIEF RECOVERY AS WE CELEBRATE CHILDREN'S GRIEF AWARENESS MONTH IN ESSEX COUNTY.
UH, BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, THE LARGE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
THAT FOR MANY OF US, FOR MOST OF US, I'D IMAGINE THIS IS NOT AN EASY DAY.
UM, WE ARE IN A, A COUNTRY, UNFORTUNATELY, UM, THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS ELECT PEOPLE THAT MATCH UP WITH THE VALUES THAT WE SAY WE HAVE.
AND SO AS WE HOLD THAT GRIEF, AS WE CELEBRATE CHILDREN'S GRIEF AWARENESS MONTH, IT'S ALSO OKAY FOR US TO GRIEVE, UM, THE CHANGES TO GRIEVE WHAT WE HAVE LOST, TO GRIEVE.
UM, EVERYTHING THAT FEELS LIKE IT'S FADING AWAY.
BUT EVEN AS WE GRIEVE TO HOLD HOPE, TO HOLD HOPE, AND I'M OF THE BELIEF THAT JOY AND CELEBRATION IS ESSENTIAL TO HOPE BUILDING.
AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS YOUNG WOMAN, ASHLEY LCO, WHO I'M GONNA BRING UP TO THE PODIUM, I WANT YOU TO GIVE HER A JOYOUS ROUND OF APPLAUSE BECAUSE SHE REPRESENTS SO MUCH.
SHE REPRESENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE HER FROM THE GREAT CITY OF NEWARK, FROM THE GREAT COUNTY OF ESSEX REPRESENTS FRANKLY WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF, WHICH IS HAVING A GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND A GENERATION OF FOLKS WITH QUESTIONS, WITH INTEGRITY AND WITH A VOICE.
SO ASHLEY IS A SENIOR AT SCIENCE PARK HIGH SCHOOL, WHO IS AN IB DIPLOMA PROGRAM, UH, CANDIDATE AND A QUEST BRIDGE FINALIST.
IB IS, UH, THE INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE PROGRAM, WHICH IS AN EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE AND IMPORTANT PROGRAM.
SHE'S IN HER SIXTH YEAR OF COMPETITIVE DEBATE, HAVING STARTED IN SEVENTH GRADE
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WITH MR. AUSTIN, WHO I'M GONNA BRING UP IN A MOMENT.AND SHE COMPETES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.
RECENTLY, ASHLEY DID WHAT NO SCIENCE PARK HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT HAS EVER DONE.
SHE WON THE NEW YORK CITY INVITATIONAL DEBATE IN SPEECH TOURNAMENT.
THIS THREE DAY COMPETITION WAS HELD ANNUALLY AT THE BRONX HIGH SCHOOL OF SCIENCE IS ONE OF THE NATION'S MOST DEMANDING, MOST DIFFICULT SPEECH AND DEBATE CONTEST.
AND IT ATTRACTS SKILLED DEBATERS FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SCIENCE PARK HAS ACTUALLY BEEN ATTENDING THIS TOURNAMENT FOR OVER 40 YEARS, BUT IT'S ONLY MADE IT TO THE FINALS IN 1991.
AND IN 2000, WHICH IS PROBABLY BEFORE YOU WERE BORN, IT IS
SEPARATELY AT THE TOURNAMENT, ASHLEY WAS ALSO RECOGNIZED AS THE TOP SPEAKER IN LINCOLN DOUGLAS DEBATE.
THERE WERE OVER 134 COMPETITORS FROM ACROSS THE UNITED STATES BEFORE ATTENDING SCIENCE PARK HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE ATTENDED ANN STREET SCHOOL IN NEWARK, WHERE HER MOTHER TEACHES TODAY.
ASHLEY HOPES TO ATTEND YALE UNIVERSITY IN THE FALL AND CONTINUE TO WORK WITH SCIENCE HIGH WITH THE SCIENCE PARK DEBATE TEAM.
ASHLEY, WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU.
AND WE KNOW THAT YOUR DEBATE COACH, MR. ALSTON, MY GOOD FRIEND AND BROTHER IN THIS WORK HAS POURED SO MUCH INTO YOU, INTO SO MANY OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WITHIN SCIENCE AND THROUGHOUT THE SCIENCE, SPEECH AND DEBATE LEGACY.
SO I ACTUALLY WANNA INVITE YOU TO COME UP TO SAY A FEW WORDS AS WE CELEBRATE ASHLEY AND OFFICIALLY INTRODUCE HER TO THE PODIUM AS WE MARK HER TODAY IN HISTORY AS A YOUNG WOMAN DOING EXTRAORDINARY THINGS FROM THE GREAT COUNTY OF ESSEX.
THANK YOU FOR INVITING US HERE AND, UH, RECOGNIZING US.
UH, I AM HONORED TO TEACH AND COACH, UH, SUCH A WONDERFUL PERSON.
I ALWAYS SAY I HAVE THE BEST TEACHING JOB IN AMERICA 'CAUSE I GET TO WORK WITH SOME OF THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST PEOPLE I'VE EVER MET IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.
ALSO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALWAYS WANT TO BRING OUT ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE DO IN NEWARK IN DEBATE IS THAT THE CITY OF NEWARK SUPPORTS DEBATE.
WE GET TO FIGHT AGAINST KIDS ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.
WE GET TO TRAVEL ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, AND OUR ALUMNI COME BACK AND SUPPORT US ALL THE TIME.
WE HAVE AN ASSISTANT COACH, UH, TE TOPE OG.
WE HAVE, UH, ASSISTANT COACH DAVID ASS JAY.
HE GRADUATED IN 2018 AND HE COMES OR 17 AND HE COMES BACK AND HE HELPS COACH, RIGHT? AND SO THERE'S A CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE IN DEBATE AND THAT, AND SO I APPRECIATE THE CITY OF NEWARK.
I APPRECIATE OUR CITY 'CAUSE WE LOVE DEBATE IN OUR CITY AND WE WIDELY SUPPORT IT.
AND SO LIKE THE INDIVIDUAL VICTORY IS, EV IS A VICTORY FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
UH, THE ONLY THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD TO THAT IS ON DAYS LIKE TODAY MAKES MY TEACHING JOB SO MUCH BETTER BECAUSE I LOVE WHAT I DO.
AND THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT I THINK EXIST AS A TEACHER AND WHAT WE DO IN TEACHING IS NOT TO TEACH KIDS HOW TO GET JOBS.
THAT'S PART OF IT, BUT IT'S SECONDARY.
RIGHT? THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT I THINK THAT WE DO AS AN EDUCATOR AND WHAT WE DO IN DEBATE IS WE TEACH KIDS HOW TO BE GOOD CITIZENS IN A DEMOCRACY.
RIGHT? AND I THINK THAT THIS TYPE OF EDUCATION AND THIS TYPE OF TRAINING, THE REASON WHY I AM DOUBLED DOWN ON LOVING WHAT I DO IS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, TO TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO ENGAGE IN DEBATE AND DISCUSSION AND EVIDENCE.
AND THAT IS THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE ACTUAL DEMOCRACY BETTER.
SO AS WAS SAID, I'VE DEBATE, I'VE BEEN DEBATING FOR SIX YEARS NOW.
UM, AND OVER THOSE SIX YEARS I MIGHT NOT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN WINNING NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS, BUT I'VE DEVELOPED A LOT OF CRITICAL SKILLS THAT'S JUST MADE ME LOVE DEBATE AND REALLY APPRECIATED MY EDUCATION IN NEWARK.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, JUST THE ABILITY TO CRITICALLY THINK TO READ LITERATURE AND APPLY IT TO THE WORLD.
UM, THE ABILITY TO HAVE THINGS LIKE MEDIA LITERACY, UH, AND JUST RESEARCH SKILLS AND THE ABILITY TO SEE BOTH SIDES OF AN ISSUE AND TO FORM THOUGHTS OF MY OWN ABOUT POLITICAL ISSUES THAT AFFECT US TODAY, UH, HAS BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND IT'S UNIQUE AND HAS ONLY HAPPENED BECAUSE OF DEBATE.
UM, THE ABILITY TO DEBATE BOTH SIDES OF A TOPIC, TO DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND INTERACT WITH PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE DIFFERENT POLITICAL
[00:10:01]
BACKGROUNDS, FAMILY LIVES, UM, SCHOOLING.IT'S REALLY UNIQUE AND I'M REALLY EXCITED AND REALLY THANKFUL TO BE A PART OF A PROGRAM THAT'S SUPPORTED BY THE CITY, UM, AND BEING SURROUNDED BY GREAT COACHES AND TEAM MEMBERS THAT HAVE MADE THIS ALL POSSIBLE.
SHOULD WE DO A, YOU PUT HER IN THE MIDDLE.
CAN WE GET ONE WITH ASHLEY BY HERSELF? CAN WE GET ONE WITH ASHLEY BY HERSELF? DO ONE WITH OH, DO ONE WITH THE OTHER COMMISSIONER TOO.
SO, A LOT OF MY, MY COLLEAGUES DON'T KNOW, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, BROTHER AUSTIN KNOWS I USED TO BE A HIGH SCHOOL SPEECH AND DEBATE JUDGE.
UH, WE USED TO TAKE KIDS FROM NEWARK TO YALE TO HARVARD TO UPENN TO ST.
JOE'S, ALL THE WAY TO, UH, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA.
THE NEWARK KIDS USED TO COMPETE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
MAN, IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT KIND OF HELPED A LOT OF THE KIDS BECOME WELL-ROUNDED, UH, WAS THEY GOT TO INTERACT WITH FOLKS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, DIFFERENT ETHNICITIES, AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WERE, WHICH WAS, THOSE THINGS WERE INVALUABLE.
'CAUSE A LOT OF OUR KIDS, THEY STAY IN THAT FOUR BLOCK RADIUS PRETTY MUCH THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.
BUT SO THAT WAS REALLY, UH, INSPIRATIONAL TO ME BEING ABLE TO DO THAT, UH, AND TAKE THOSE KIDS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
I REMEMBER WHEN, YEAH, WE ALL, WE ALL USED TO TRAVEL TOGETHER, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT'S MORE HISTORY HIGH SCHOOL AND YALE HAS A FANTASTIC, YEAH.
WELL, ASHLEY, WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU NEXT TIME AS A STUDENT AT YALE AND THEY MAY COMING BACK AND HELPING US PRESENT THIS TO NEXT YEAR'S CHAMPION 'CAUSE WE KNOW SHE'S JUST GETTING STARTED.
APPLAUSE FOR ASHLEY, EVERYONE.
YEAH, IT'S INTERESTING AT A TIME WHEN IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO ACTUALLY FIND WORDS TODAY.
UM, BUT TODAY WAS HARD TO FIND WORDS.
IT'S EASY TO FIND WORDS CELEBRATING IN YOUNG PEOPLE LIKE ASHLEY, EDUCATORS LIKE AUSTIN, UH, EDUCATOR SUPPORTERS AND ELECTED OFFICIALS LIKE COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, UM, AND EDUCATORS AND NONPROFIT LEADERS WHO I'M GONNA BRING UP LIKE MS. LINDSAY SCHUCK, UM, WHO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE AND IN A TIME WHERE THEY'RE TRYING TO FEED ON HOPELESSNESS AND FEAR AND DIVISION, THAT THERE'S ACTUALLY A LOT OF JOY AND A LOT TO CELEBRATE.
SO AS I SHARED EARLIER NOW, NOVEMBER IS ACTUALLY NATIONAL CHILDREN'S GRIEF AWARENESS MONTH.
AND SO TO COMMEMORATE IT HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY, I'D LIKE TO INVITE MS. LINDSAY SCHMUCK, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE IMAGINE CENTER, TO JOIN ME AT THE PODIUM.
NOW IN THE COMMENDATION, YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORK THAT LINDSAY DOES AT IMAGINE, BUT IF I COULD TALK PERSONALLY REALLY QUICKLY, WHEN I WAS IN MAYBE HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE, I FIRST MET LINDSAY THROUGH MY MOM BECAUSE THEY WERE EDUCATORS TOGETHER.
AND AT THE TIME YOU WERE FOUNDING SPARKS YOU WERE FOUNDING THRIVE.
FOUNDING, UM, ONE OF THE PREMIER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HERE IN NEWARK.
AND I REMEMBER BEING A KID, JUST MEETING THIS WOMAN BEING LIKE, I LOVE HER ENERGY.
[00:15:01]
LOVE WHAT SHE BRINGS TO YOUNG PEOPLE.AND I WAS A YOUNG PERSON MYSELF.
UM, TO SEE YOU AS A PARENT, TO SEE YOU AS AN EDUCATOR, AND NOW IN THIS ROLE AS A LEADER, CONTINUE TO BLOSSOM.
AND FOR ME TO STILL NOW AT MY BIG 20 SOMETHING AGE AND SAY, GOD, I LOVE THIS WOMAN'S ENERGY AND I LOVE WHAT SHE BRINGS TO THE WORLD, IT FEELS LIKE A TRUE GIFT.
NOW, AS WE CELEBRATE NATIONAL CHILDREN'S GRIEF AWARENESS MONTH, WE, THIS MONTH WAS CREATED TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN WHO WERE GRIEVING AND THE BENEFITS THEY OBTAINED THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF OTHERS.
I, MYSELF WAS A CHILD WHO WAS GRIEVING WHEN MY FATHER GROWING UP HERE IN NEWARK WAS GUNNED DOWN TWO BLOCKS FROM OUR HOUSE ON 18TH AVENUE.
UM, IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR MOTHERS LIKE A DANA MURRAY WHO MADE SURE I WAS WRAPPED AND COVERED NO MATTER WHAT WAS GOING ON, IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR HAVING AN EDUCATOR ACTUALLY LIKE MR. AUSTIN GOING TO THE CHAD SCHOOL OR TEAM OR IN MY CHURCH, IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR INTERCESSORS LIKE THAT, WHO HELPED ME SEE WHO I WAS AND WHO I COULD BE DESPITE THE DIFFICULTIES, I'M NOT SURE I'D BE HERE TODAY.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, STORIES LIKE THOSE THAT LINDSAY WORKS WITH AND MYSELF ARE NOT UNIQUE.
ONE IN 13 CHILDREN IN NEW JERSEY WILL EXPERIENCE THE DEATH OF A PARENT OR SIBLING BY THE AGE OF 18.
I'D IMAGINE THIS ORGANIZATION WAS RECREATED IN TWO, IN OCTOBER OF 2011 BY MARY L. ROBINSON AND DR.
AND IT'S NOW HEADED BY LINDSAY SERVING CHILDREN IN NEWARK IN THE SURROUNDING AREA BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ALONE.
IN FACT, I WOULDN'T EVEN BE IN POLITICS HAD I NOT STARTED MY ORGANIZATION.
SHE WINS THAT WORKS WITH YOUNG WOMEN AFFECTED BY GUN VIOLENCE HERE IN NEWARK.
AND IT WAS LITERALLY JUST FROM DOING THAT WORK IN THE COMMUNITY THAT SOME YEARS INTO THAT, THE MAYOR, UH, MAYOR BARAKA LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, HOW ABOUT THIS? HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT RUNNING FOR OFFICE? 'CAUSE THESE ARE THE TYPES OF VOICES AND STORIES WE NEED IN ELECTED OFFICE TOO.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THE WORK OF IMAGINE, THEY HAVE BEEN PROVIDING GRIEF EDUCATION AND TRAININGS FOR SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND BUSINESSES ACROSS NEW JERSEY AND BEYOND.
IN FACT, ON JANUARY 4TH, GOVERNOR MURPHY SIGNED INTO LAW THE GRIEF BILL S3 30, RIGHT.
ALLOWING SCHOOLS TO TEACH CHILDREN, AGES, GRADES, CHILDREN, GRADES, AGES FROM EIGHT THROUGH 12 ABOUT GRIEF AND LOSS AND SUPPORTING STRUCTURES TO AID THEM IN THE GRIEVING PROCESS.
PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR GRIEVING CHILDREN IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE FUTURE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF OUR CHILDREN'S FAMILIES AND SOCIETY.
AND LINDSAY, WE'RE SO EXCITED FOR YOU TO ACCEPT THIS COMMENDATION ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS DECLARED NOVEMBER AS CHILDREN'S GRIEF AWARENESS MONTH.
AND FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO MAKE SURE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO SUFFER ALONE.
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN A FAN OF A, OF A YOUNG PERSON BEFORE? BECAUSE I'VE BEEN A DORIAN'S BIGGEST FAN SINCE I THINK SHE WAS A FIFTH GRADER WHEN I MET HER.
AND I SAW HER AND I SAID, THIS GIRL IS GONNA CHANGE THE WORLD.
LIKE I AM SO LUCKY TO BE IN HER ORBIT.
UM, I BECAME A TEACHER IN THE CITY OF NEWARK IN 2005 AT DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL UNDER THE WONDERFUL TONY MOTLEY AND ANITA ZIAD, WHO HAVE BEEN MODELS AND MENTORS OF MINE FOR SO MANY YEARS.
AND, UM, NOVEMBER 6TH, SORRY, NOVEMBER 7TH, 2005.
I WAS 21 YEARS OLD AND MY FATHER DIED OF A GLIOBLASTOMA WHILE I WAS A FIRST YEAR TEACHER ON SOUTH NINTH STREET.
AND I REMEMBER FEELING SO ALONE AS A 21-YEAR-OLD, AND MY CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS AND THE TEACHERS OF MARTIN LUTHER KING SCHOOL DROVE TO MY FATHER'S FUNERAL TO MAKE SURE I KNEW I WASN'T ALONE.
AND MY BABIES AT THAT SCHOOL GOT ME THROUGH THAT LOSS.
AND IT WAS AT THAT MOMENT THAT I SAID, I'M NEVER LEAVING THIS CITY.
THIS CITY SHOWED UP FOR ME IN A WAY THAT I WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW UP FOR THIS CITY.
I WAS BLESSED ENOUGH TO BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO FOUND A SCHOOL AS A DORIAN MENTIONED THRIVE ACADEMY.
AND WE MOVED FOUR OR FIVE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
UM, BUT OUR FAMILY STAYED WITH US BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT WE CARED ENOUGH TO MAKE SURE THEY HAD GREAT PLACES, THAT WE DROVE BUS ROUTES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY COULD GET THERE, THAT I WOULD ANSWER THE PHONE TO MAKE SURE THE BABY HAD LUNCH THAT THEY NEEDED.
UM, AND IN MY SECOND YEAR AS A PRINCIPAL, ONE OF MY WONDERFUL CHILDREN, MARQUETTE DORSEY, HIS FATHER WAS MURDERED HERE IN THE CITY.
AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT I EVER HAD TO TALK TO A 7-YEAR-OLD ABOUT THE DEATH OF HIS PARENT.
I WENT TO THE HOME, I SAT WITH A FAMILY.
I WELCOMED MARQUETTE BACK, AND EVERY YEAR I'VE STAYED IN TOUCH WITH MARQUETTE.
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ENOUGH TO GO ON TO DON BOSCO, AND NOW HE IS A SENIOR AT DEPAUL WITH A FULL RIDE TO NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY, UM, A 4.3 GPA AND A BRILLIANT YOUNG MAN.UM, IN 2018, MY HUSBAND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE FOUR COLON CANCER AND HE PASSED AWAY LEAVING MYSELF WITH A 4-YEAR-OLD SON AND A FOUR WEEK OLD DAUGHTER.
AND IF IT WEREN'T FOR, IMAGINE IF IT WEREN'T FOR RAYNELL, MARQUETTE'S MOTHER, MOST OF US WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.
UM, IMAGINE HELPED ME AS A 34-YEAR-OLD MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN, PUT MY LIFE BACK TOGETHER.
AND TWO YEARS LATER, OUR FOUNDER MARY ROBINSON, WAS STEPPING DOWN.
AND I GOT SOME CALLS FROM SOME OF THE WIDOWS THAT I HAD BEEN IN GROUP WITH AND THEY SAID, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER DOING THIS JOB.
AND I CALLED MY NEWARK FAMILIES.
I CALLED THE PARENTS WHO HAVE BEEN WITH ME FOR GOD 15 YEARS.
AND I SAID, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS? DOES, DO WE WANT THIS? SHOULD I GO DO THIS? AND THEY SAID, PLEASE GO.
UM, PLEASE HELP MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS HERE IN THE CITY OF NEWARK HAVE ALL OF THE GRIEF SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED, THAT ALL CHILDREN DESERVE WHEN THEIR LOSSES HAPPEN, WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A DANA MURRAY AS A MOM, WHO CAN BE THE STRONG WOMAN AND CARRY THAT FAMILY.
AND SO IMAGINE JUST LEAST A SPACE AT FIVE 70 BROAD STREET TO CREATE A HOME FOR GRIEF HERE IN THE CITY.
WE FEEL SO BLESSED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE GRIEF SUPPORT TO EVERY CHILD, EVERY FAMILY HERE IN THE CITY WHO NEEDS IT.
OUR SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND IN SPANISH BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT GRIEF KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES.
CHILDREN CAN COME TO IMAGINE FOR AS LONG AS THEY WANT.
THERE IS NO FEE FOR ANYTHING THAT OUR CHILDREN NEED.
AND SO, I FEEL SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, A DORIAN, FOR RECOGNIZING THIS, UM, FOR KNOWING THAT ALTHOUGH GRIEF IS NATURAL AND NORMAL, IT CAN BE INCREDIBLY DISRUPTIVE AND IT CAN BE ONE OF THE TOP FIVE ADVERSE THINGS A CHILD HAS TO DEAL WITH.
BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY.
AND SO OUR MISSION IS TO INCREASE THE DENSITY OF GRIEF INFORMED ADULTS IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN.
SO THAT A DORIAN'S STORY IS THE REALITY FOR THE MAJORITY OF OUR CHILDREN, INSTEAD OF THE EXCEPTION TO WHAT HAPPENS.
AND SO, I FEEL SO DEEPLY CONNECTED TO THIS CITY WHO TAUGHT ME HOW TO GRIEVE, WHO TAUGHT ME HOW TO SHOW UP FOR PEOPLE WHO WAS THERE DURING THE WORST TIMES OF MY LIFE.
UH, AT THE FUNERAL OF MY HUSBAND, I VIVIDLY REMEMBER SEVEN OF MY STUDENTS SHOWING UP TOGETHER, CUTTING THE LINE.
IT WAS A THREE HOUR LONG LINE.
'CAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES I REALLY WANTED TO SEE.
THEY WERE THE ONES THAT GOT ME THROUGH THAT LOSS AND HELP ME COME BACK STRONGER EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR THEM.
AND SO, UM, AS MUCH AS I DO FOR MY OWN TWO CHILDREN, I COMMIT ALL THAT I KNEW MY KIDS NEEDED TO EVERY SINGLE CHILD WHO IS GRIEVING A LOSS.
AND SO, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECOGNIZING OUR ORGANIZATION TODAY.
WE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH THE AFTERSCHOOL ALL STARS AND THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS AND CREATING GRIEF AND FORM SCHOOLS ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF NEWARK.
AND SO WE KNOW THAT NEWARK UNDERSTANDS HOW TO WRAP UP OUR CHILDREN WITH LOVE AND SUPPORT.
AND I'M SO HONORED TO BE A PART OF THAT, A VERY SMALL PART.
WE'RE GONNA BRING UP COMMISSIONER AND THEN LIZZIE, YOU'LL GET ONE YOU BY YOURSELF.
THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE ONE YOU BY YOURSELF.
ONE OF MY BEAUTIFUL STAFF MEMBERS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HERE WITH ME TODAY SO THAT WE CAN TAKE A PICTURE AGAIN.
I'LL HOLD IT, HOLD IT FOR HER.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO LINDSAY.
THANK YOU EVERYONE AGAIN FOR PARTICIPATING AND JOINING US THIS EVENING.
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ALL[00:56:23]
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GO.THIS MEETING OF THE ESTES COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS HEREBY CALLED ORDER.
THIS MEETING MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAM IN ADDITION TO TAKING PLACE HERE IN PERSON.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL COMMISSIONER GUILD.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
HERE, PLEASE STAND FOR THE SALUTE TO THE FLAG.
I'M GONNA ASK COMMISSIONER MERCADO TO LEAD US IN THE SALUTE, PLEASE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE LAW.
IT'S GONNA ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR ALL THOSE THAT BE LOST SINCE THE LAST TIME WE CAME TOGETHER IN THIS CHAMBER.
I HAVE BEFORE ME CERTIFICATION FOR THE DEPUTY CLERK THAT THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETING ACT.
MAD DEPUTY CLARK, ARE THERE ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO BE APPROVED? NO.
LET'S MOVE ON TO TOPICS OF DISCUSSION.
THAT BEING THE CASE, LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION.
TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A COMBINED CONFERENCE BOARD MEETING, AND WE'LL VOTE ON EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
SO IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THERE WILL BE TIME LATER IN THE MEETING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OTHER MATTERS.
SO I WILL ASK THAT YOU PLEASE LET ME A COMMENT.
SO 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 LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE ON INTRODUCTION OF FIRST READINGS.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY? YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE THREE ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE TO ORDINANCE NUMBER ONE AND IT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, OUR COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, MR. ST.
UH, AS WE ALL KNOW, THE COUNTY IS IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING A NEW FAMILY COURTS BUILDING, UH, WHICH SHOULD BE COMPLETED, UH, IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2025.
THAT BUILDING WILL HOUSE THE FAMILY COURTS AND SOME COUNTY OFFICES THAT ARE NOW HOUSED AT THE GIBRALTAR BUILDING IN NEWARK.
THEY'RE HOUSED AT CONDOMINIUM UNITS THAT THE COUNTY OWNS, WHICH WE PURCHASED MANY YEARS AGO.
AND WE PROVIDE THE JUDICIARY AND COUNTY OFFICES IN THAT BUILDING.
THE THO ALL OF THOSE OFFICES WILL BE MOVED OUT OF THE GIBRALTAR BUILDING INTO THE NEW FAMILY COURTS BUILDING, AND WE WILL THEN BE LEFT WITH AN EMPTY SEVERAL, AN EMPTY CONDOMINIUM UNIT, AND WITH NO USE TO THE COUNTY.
SO WHAT THE COUNTY IS PROPOSING TO DO IS TO SELL THE CONDOMINIUM UNIT TO THE OWNERS OF THE SURROUNDING CONDOMINIUM UNITS.
IN THE GIBRALTAR BUILDING, THE SALES PRICE WILL BE $11 MILLION, UH, $1 MILLION PAID UPFRONT, $10 MILLION PAID OVER 15 YEARS.
[01:00:01]
AND ORDER TO MONETIZE THAT OBLIGATION, THE ESSEX COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY WILL BE ACQUIRING THE UNITS AND ISSUING $11 MILLION WORTH OF DEBT.THEY'LL BE ACQUIRING THE UNITS FROM US ISSUING $11 MILLION OF DEBT.
WE'LL HAVE, UH, $11 MILLION OF CASH, UH, TO BE USED FOR COUNTY PURPOSES.
THE BENEFIT TO THE COUNTY AND WHAT WE'RE DOING TONIGHT IS PROVIDING A GUARANTEE FOR THAT DEBT OF VASES.
UH, AGAIN, THE DEBT WILL BE SECURED BY A A, A MORTGAGE IN EFFECT ON THE UNITS THAT WE'RE SELLING.
AND A, A GUARANTEE FROM A SPECIAL PURPOSE ENTITY OF THE ACQUIRING ENTITY.
UH, I DON'T WANT TO OVERSTATE THE CREDIT WORTHINESS OF THE ACQUIRING ENTITY, UH, OF THE GUARANTEEING ENTITY.
UH, SO IT'S, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT'S OG, IT'S A IRONCLAD.
THEY HAVE TO PAY OFF THAT DEBT OVER THIS PERIOD OF TIME.
SO THAT'S THE, THE BASIC OUTLINE OF THIS TRANSACTION.
WE'LL BE MONETIZING THIS ASSET, THIS ASSET THAT IS NO LONGER, UH, NEEDED BY THE COUNTY.
THE OTHER MAIN BENEFIT TO THE COUNTY AT THIS POINT IS WE HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT CARRYING CHARGE FOR THAT SPACE.
IT COSTS US APPROXIMATELY 3 MILLION, $300,000 A YEAR FOR THE CARRYING CHARGES FOR THAT SPACE.
BY SELLING THAT, THOSE CONDOMINIUM UNITS TO THE PURCHASER, WE NO LONGER WILL HAVE THAT 3 MILLION, $300,000 WORTH OF, UH, CARRYING CHARGES PER YEAR.
AND THAT WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT BUDGETARY BENEFITS TO THE COUNTY.
SO THAT'S A, A BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE, UH, OF THE TRANSACTION.
ANY QUESTIONS IN, UH, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM IN DETAIL.
MR. DITZ IS HERE FROM THE GIBBONS LAW FIRM WHO'LL BE ACTING AS BOND COUNSEL TO THE IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY IN THIS TRANSACTION.
AND HE'S MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS WELL.
WELCOME, MR. PARLOVE, YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? YES.
JOHN, THIS IS, UH, NOT MY TYPICAL WHEELHOUSE, SO I JUST WANNA BREAK IT DOWN SO THAT I'M, I'M CLEAR WHAT, WHAT THE BOARD'S BEING ASKED TO DO IS TO, UM, AUTHORIZE A GUARANTEE FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST THAT WILL BE ISSUED ON THESE BONDS BY THE ECIA.
AND, UM, THE PAYMENT ON THOSE BONDS WILL BE MADE THROUGH, I THINK, LEASE PAYMENTS FROM WHOEVER'S ACQUIRING THIS SPACE THAT THE COUNTY CURRENTLY OWNS? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO THAT'S HOW THAT DEBT WILL BE, LET'S SAY, RETIRED, SO TO SPEAK? THAT'S CORRECT.
AND BY AUTHORIZING THIS GUARANTEE, WHAT THE COUNTY IS DOING IS PROTECTING MORE OR LESS THE, UH, ECIS UH, BONDS IF THE NEW OWNER DEFAULTS.
SO THE, SO IF THEY PAY X MILLION OF DOLLARS OVER THE COURSE OF HOWEVER MANY YEARS AND THEN STOP PAYING, WELL, THE COUNTY WILL STEP IN AND THEN DO WHAT IT HAS TO DO TO COVER THAT DEBT.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
AND, AND, AND TO GIVE YOU A, A, A DOWNSIDE, AND I THINK YOU'RE ENTITLED TO HEAR WHAT THE DOWNSIDE WOULD BE, UH, LET'S SAY FOUR YEARS FROM THE PURCHASE DATE, THEY STOP MAKING PAYMENTS, UH, AT, AT, SO WHAT IS OUR, WHAT IS OUR, WHAT IS OUR, WHAT ARE OUR REMEDIES AT THAT POINT IN TIME? WE TAKE THIS SPACE BACK.
ALRIGHT? SO WE NOW HAVE THE OWNERSHIP OF THE SPACE THAT WE USED TO OWN BACK AGAIN.
AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SEEK ANOTHER PURCHASER OF THE SPACE.
THE SIGNIFICANT BENEFIT TO US AT THAT POINT IN TIME, IF IT WAS FOUR YEARS LATER, WE DID NOT SPEND $3.3 MILLION A YEAR IN CARRYING COSTS.
THREE, THREE TIMES FOUR OBVIOUSLY IS 12 PLUS THE $300,000.
THAT'S 13 TWO OF CARRYING CHARGES THAT WE HAVEN'T PAID.
SO IF WE HAD TO PAY OFF THE ENTIRE DEBT, WE'D BE AHEAD OF THE GAME.
THEY'VE ALREADY PAID OFF FOUR YEARS OF THE DEBT.
UH, SO I, I LOOK AT IT AS WE'RE CERTAINLY TAKING A RISK, BUT WE ALREADY HAVE THE RISK BECAUSE WE ALREADY OWN THE PROPERTY.
AND, AND SO THAT, THAT IS OUR RISK AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND WE'RE TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE RISKS TO THE COUNTY BY SELLING IT.
AND, AND JUST ONE FOLLOW UP, MR. PRESIDENT AND TALKING ABOUT THOSE CARRYING COSTS, A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THAT, AS I UNDERSTAND, AND, AND WE'VE MET AND DISCUSSED THIS, UH, PRIOR TO THE MEETING, UM, IS SECURITY ON THE BUILDING, RIGHT? CORRECT.
OF WHICH THE COUNTY PROVIDES THROUGH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, I THINK CORRECT.
WILL THERE THERE BE NO MORE, UH, COUNTY SHERIFF SECURITY AT THAT SITE? THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT.
BECAUSE THERE'LL BE NO MORE COURT FACILITIES IN
[01:05:01]
THERE, I BELIEVE.BUT, BUT AGAIN, WE HAVE UTILITIES, WE HAVE YEAH.
VERY SIGNIFICANT CARRYING COSTS, CONDOMINIUM FEES, THERE'S A WHOLE LIST OF OF, UH, EXPENDITURES THAT WE HAVE TO CARRY THAT SPACE, WHETHER WE'RE IN IT OR NOT.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, JEROME, IS LET'S, LET'S FOLLOW THE CASH.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE A BUYER WHO'S GONNA BUY THIS, UM, THAT'S OWNED BY THE COUNTY.
ARE THEY BUYING IT FROM THE COUNTY OR ARE WE TRANSFERRING IT TO THE ECIA AND THEY'RE BUYING IT FROM THE ECIA? THEY'RE BUYING IT FROM THE ECIA.
SO WE HAVE TO GET THE PROPERTY TO THE ECIA.
AND WHAT, WHAT'S THE MECHANISM THAT GETS THE PROPERTY FROM THE COUNTY TO THE E-C-I-A-J? JUST A, A TRANSFER OF THE, OF THE OWNERSHIP.
UH, MR. MCINERNEY AT THIS POINT IN TIME, UH, THE A EA ALREADY OWNS A PORTION OF IT AND WE OWE THE BALANCE.
WE OWN MOST OF THE, UH, MOST OF THE CONDOMINIUM UNITS.
THEY OWN A PORTION AND, UH, OUR PORTION, WE WILL TRANSFER IT TO THEM.
THEY WILL THEN, UH, LEASE PURCHASE IT TO THE CONDOMINIUM OWNERS.
WILL THEY LEASE PURCHASE OUR SHARE AND THEIR SHARE? YES.
SO WE'RE MOVING OUR OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN THE CONDOMINIUMS. THE ECIA WHO, WHO ALREADY HAS A OWNERSHIP IN THOSE CONDOMINIUMS SUBSEQUENTLY, WE'RE NOW SELLING IT TO A BUYER.
SO WE TRANSFER THE PROPERTY, WE TRANSFER TITLE TO THE BUYER.
THEY HAVE TITLE NOW WITH, THEY'RE LEASING IT.
SO WE STILL MAINTAIN TITLE UNDER THE LEASE.
IT'S A IN EFFECT THE LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENT.
SO, SO WE STILL OWN THE PROPERTY.
WE HAVE A LEASE, THEY'RE UNDER OBLIGATION NOW.
SO GIVE, THEY'RE GONNA PAY A MILLION DOLLARS TO THE ECIA.
AND THEN THEY'LL PAY IT AS PART OF THE PURCHASE PRICE TO US.
HOW DOES THAT MILLION DOLLARS, THAT GOES FROM THE BUYER TO THE ECIA RIGHT TO US ASS A LEASE PAYMENT, AND THEN HOW DOES IT GET FROM THE ECIA TO US IN EXCHANGE FOR WHAT WE'RE, FOR WHAT WE'RE TRANSFERRING TO THEM, THE, SO IS THERE, IS THERE, IS THERE ANOTHER DOCUMENT BETWEEN OTHER THAN A TRANSFER OF SOME SORT OF DOCUMENT THAT ALLOWS THE ECIA TO PAY US? YES.
WHAT WOULD THAT DOCUMENT? WELL, PART OF THE, WE, WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE THAT AT PRESENT.
IT'S PART OF THE BOND DOCUMENTS.
SO THAT MONEY'S GONNA GO TO THE ECIA AND THEN THE ECIA HAS AN OBLIGATION TO PAY THAT MONEY TO US.
SO IMMEDIATELY THERE'S A MILLION DOLLARS THAT GOES FROM THE BUYER TO THE ECIA RETURN FOR A LEASE COMMITMENT FROM THE BUYER.
AND THEN THE MILLION DOLLARS MOVES OVER TO THE COUNTY.
SO RIGHT NOW THE COUNTY'S AHEAD BY A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND TO, TO BE MORE SPECIFIC, AT THE EXECUTION OF THE LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENT IN DECEMBER, LIKE A HOUSE CLOSING, UH, NOT CLOSING AT A, AT THE CONTRACT FOR SALE OF A HOUSE, WE'RE REQUIRING THAT THEY PUT UP $250,000 NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT.
THE $750,000 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS MILLION DOLLARS AND THE TWO 50 THAT WILL BE PAID AT THE TRANSFER DATE, WHICH SHOULD BE ROUGHLY, ROUGHLY MAY, JUNE, WHEN WE FINISH THE NEW BUILDING.
BUT ONCE THAT HAPPENS, WE'RE AHEAD BY A MILLION.
WE GOT A MILLION DOLLARS IN OUR CORRECT.
SO NOW WHAT IS THE AMOUNT OF, WHAT'S THE COMMITMENT AGAIN, THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE COMMITMENT BETWEEN THE BUYER AND ECIA? WHAT'S THAT AMOUNT? THE FULL AMOUNT IS TO AMORTIZE $10 MILLION OF DEBT.
PURSUANT TO A DEBT SERVICE SCHEDULE THAT'S ATTACHED TO THE LEASE AGREEMENT, WHICH IS THE SAME EXACT DEBT SERVICE SCHEDULE FROM THE ECIA TO THE BOND HOLDER.
SO NOW THAT, UH, I BELIEVE THAT CAME TO AROUND $17 MILLION WHEN WE LOOK AT IT OVER THE PERIOD OF TIME, INCLUDING CAPITALIZED INTEREST AND THE, THE THEORETICAL, UH, THEORETICALLY BASED ON INTEREST RATES AT THE TIME OF, OF THIS TRANSACTION.
SO INTEREST RATES, I I WE'RE ALL GUESSING ARE GONNA BE LOWER NEXT JUNE THAN THEY ARE NOW.
AT LEAST THE FED HAS BEEN TAKING STEPS TO LOWER THE DISCOUNT RATE.
AS YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GET A MEETING NEXT WEEK.
WE'LL SEE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, BUT LET'S, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE RATE, LET'S GO, LET'S GO WHAT TO WHAT THE SCHEDULE SAYS AND ASSUME THAT'S CLOSE.
SO YEAH, I BELIEVE THE SCHEDULE'S AROUND $17 MILLION.
THAT WILL BE THE SCHEDULE OF THE DATE OF CLOSING.
SO THAT, THAT NOW HAS TO BE PAID TO THE ECIA FROM THE BUYER ON AN ANNUAL BASIS UNDER THE LEASE AGREEMENT.
THAT 17 MILLION GOES TO THE ECIA AND THEY, THEY GIVE IT TO THE BOND HOLDERS.
THE BOND HOLDERS GAVE US HOW MUCH, THEY GAVE US $10 MILLION C.
NOW THE ECIA HAS THE $10 MILLION
[01:10:01]
THAT THE BOND HOLDERS GAVE THEM.WHERE, WHERE DOES THAT MONEY GO? DIRECTLY TO THE COUNTY.
SO THE COUNTY AND WHEN DOES THAT, SO THAT MEANS A, THE COUNTY GETS A MILLION AND IT GETS 10 MILLION.
SO 11 AS OF THE DATE OF THE ISSUANCE OF THE BONDS.
BUT THERE'S $11 MILLION COMING INTO THE COUNTY.
AND THEN NOW WHAT WE HAVE IS THE COUNTY HAS, ITS 11 MILLION.
THE BOND HOLDERS ARE HOLDING PAPER FOR 10 MILLION.
UM, AND THE LEASE OBLIGATE, WHICH WILL GENERATE FOR THEM INTEREST OF ROUGHLY ANOTHER 7 MILLION, LET'S JUST SAY OVER THE TERM.
AND NOW THE BUYER IS FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE PAYMENTS TO THE ECIA AND IN RETURN, THE ECIA PAYS THE BOND HOLDERS.
SO THE, THE, AND ONE FURTHER POINT, THE, WHAT WE HAVE DECIDED TO DO, WE, MEANING THE PEOPLE SITTING AT THIS TABLE, UH, WITH THE ADMINISTRATION OBVIOUSLY, IS THAT WE'RE TO TAKE THAT MILLION DOLLARS AND RATHER TO, THAN JUST PUTTING IN THE GENERAL REVENUES OF THE COUNTY, WE'RE GONNA CREATE A RESERVE FUND SO THAT IF, IF, IF THEY'RE LATE ON THE PAYMENTS OR THERE'S A PROBLEM, WE HAVE THE MONEY SITTING THERE TO MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU OR TO THE GENERAL REVENUES OF THE COUNTY AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY DIDN'T MAKE THEIR PAYMENT THIS MONTH.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE SHORT ON MONEY.
UH, SO WE HAVE, WE'RE CREATING A RESERVE WITH THEM.
BUT IF, IF IT GOES BEYOND THAT RESERVE, THEN THE COUNTY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE.
SO, SO RIGHT NOW IT'S KIND OF, UH, BETWEEN THE BUYER AND THE BOND HOLDERS, THAT'S A KIND OF A, THE ECI IS JUST A CONDUIT.
THE COUNTY WINDS UP WITH $11 MILLION, WHICH THE COUNTY CAN DO AS IT, IT IT PLEASES WITH CORRECT.
PUTS IT IN AS REVENUES OR PUTS IT IN A RESERVE, WHATEVER IT DOES.
UM, SO, SO REALLY THE ONLY THING THAT HAPPENS IS IN EFFECT, IT'S THE GI IT'S THE GIVING UP OF A, OF, OF A, A USELESS ASSET AT THIS POINT.
UH, IN RETURN FOR THE PROMISE TO PAY $9 MILLION.
WITH THE ONE UPFRONT WITH THE EXPOSURE THAT IF THEY DON'T PAY, THE COUNTY HAS TO PAY, THE COUNTY HAS TO PAY, THE COUNTY HAS TO GUARANTEE THOSE BONDS IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE MARKETABLE TO THE BOND HOLDERS.
SO THE, THE LEASE, THE LEASE HOLDER, WHICH IS THE PERSON ACQUIRING THE PROPERTY OR OR LEASING THE PROPERTY IS NOT, IS RESPONSIBLE, BUT THEY'RE NOT GUARANTEEING IT.
BUT THEY ARE, BUT THEIR ASSETS ARE NOT, I, WE COULDN'T GO OUT TO THEIR WHATEVER PUBLIC MARKET AND SAY, LOOK HOW GREAT THIS CREDIT IS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PUBLICLY RATED.
THEY'RE A, THEY'RE A SMALL REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT COMPANY.
THEY OWN OTHER PROJECTS IN NEWARK, SUBSTANTIAL PROJECTS.
SO I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THEY'RE NOT SOMEBODY THAT'S ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THIS BUSINESS.
THEY HAVE OTHER VERY LARGE PROJECTS IN THE CITY OF NEWARK, BUT THEY'RE A REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT ENTITY.
IT'S, THEY'RE NOT LIKE A PUBLICLY TRADED, UH, RATED COMPANY.
THEY'RE AN UNRATED PRIVATE COMPANY.
THEY, THEY, THEY DON'T HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL TO GO OUT AND BORROW $10 MILLION RIGHT NOW AND PAY IT TO PAY THAT.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HANDLING IT THIS WAY.
SO, UM, LET ME JUST GET MY THOUGHTS TOGETHER.
SO REALLY WHEN THE DUST CLEARS, WE GIVE UP THE PROPERTY AND WE WIND UP WITH $11 MILLION.
AND WE DON'T HAVE THE CARRYING COSTS AND, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE CARRYING COST.
AND AGAIN, THE EXPOSURE IS IF, IF THEY DON'T PAY.
NOW, IS THERE ANY, ARE WE DOING ANY CREDIT WORTHINESS? UM, EVEN IF IT'S A LIGHT ONE, UH, ON THE BUYER ITSELF? I MEAN, IS THERE, IS IS THERE A WAY TO MAKE, UH, SOME EVALUATION AS TO THEIR ABILITY TO PAY THIS ANNUAL AMOUNT? WE, WE, WE HAVE LOOKED AT, WE ASKED FOR BALANCE SHEET DOCUMENTS.
AND, UH, WE, WE'VE LOOKED AT THEM.
I CAN TELL YOU FROM, I'M JUST TELLING YOU FROM MY EXPERIENCE, FROM MY REVIEW, NOT MR. JACKSON, NOT MR. CORY, JUST FOR MINE.
THEY ARE A PRIVATELY HELD REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT COMPANY WITH ASSETS CONSIST PRIMARILY OF ILLIQUID ASSETS, ILLIQUID ASSETS, NAMELY REAL ESTATE DEBT.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE, AT THE ROCKEFELLER GROUP WHO OWNS REAL ESTATE ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT A SUBSTANTIAL BUT LOCAL REAL ESTATE COMPANY.
I, I, I WOULD WONDER IF YOU COULD SHARE THOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WITH THE BOARD SO WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT 'EM AS WELL.
UM, DON'T, AND THE OTHER THING, UH, JACKSON AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY LIMITATION IF WE GOT GOT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS TO, TO, TO MR. MCINERNEY? NO, THEY DON'T THINK THEY GAVE US ANY.
DID WE SEND 'EM TO LOCAL FINANCE BOARD? I DON'T THINK SO.
[01:15:01]
SO SURE.WE'LL BE HAPPY TO GET, YOU'LL SEE EXACTLY WHAT I SAID.
SO, UM, ALRIGHT, SO, SO I MEAN, I'M, I'M TRYING TO MAKE IT, JUST ASKING THE BOARD IF YOU HAVE A BETTER OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF, OF HOW THIS IS.
SO WE, WE DISCUSSED THE LEADERSHIP AND YOUR QUESTIONS WERE WELL VETTED, MR. MCINERNEY.
SO WHY DON'T WE DO THIS, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO COMMISSIONS OF QUESTIONS, BUT WHY DON'T MR. JACKSON, THROUGH YOUR OFFICE, PLEASE JUST SHARE THOSE DOCUMENTS, FINANCIALS TO THE BOARD UPON THE REVIEWS, SHOULD THEY HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OF THE CREDIT WORTHINESS OF THE REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER, UH, WHICH HAS BEEN LOCAL UNSU SUCCESSFUL APPARENTLY FOR SOME TIME, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE COULD ASK THOSE QUESTIONS.
MR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. MR. PRESIDENT? LEMME JUST, I'D LIKE TO MAKE ONE OTHER POINT.
IT'S ALSO INCUMBENT, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND AND LEARNED ABOUT THE TRANSACTION, THAT, UM, THE, UM, THE ENTITY WHO'S ACQUIRING THE PROPERTY, UM, WILL NOW, UM, BE RESPO, IS NOW PLANNING ON DOING SIGNIFICANT RENOVATIONS IN ORDER TO MAKE THE PROPERTY MORE MARKETABLE FOR ITS USE.
UH, MR. BERRY IS CORRECT, SOMETHING WANT TO TAKE THE ENTIRE GIBRALTAR BUILDING REHAB NOW THEY WILL OWN THE ENTIRE BUILDING.
THEY WANNA REHAB THE ENTIRE BUILDING.
THEY BELIEVE THEY'VE ALREADY HAD PRELIMINARY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY ABOUT CREATING A FIRST CLASS HUGE OFFICE COMPLEX.
THEY HAVE NO CONTRACTS, THEY HAVE NO, UM, AGREEMENTS WITH THE STATE.
UH, I CAN ONLY TELL YOU FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, NOT WITH THEM, BUT MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE FROM THE OLDEN DAYS, SO TO SPEAK, IF THEY ARE ABLE TO LEASE THAT BUILDING OUT TO THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, A HIGHLY CREDIT WORTHY TENANT, UH, THEY'RE ABLE TO REHAB THE BUILDING AND LEASE IT, SAY TO THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY OR ANY HIGHLY CREDIT WORTHY, UH, ENTITY.
I, I BELIEVE WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO IS THEY'RE GONNA FLIP THE BUILDING.
THEY'LL FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO BUY IT FROM THEM.
THEY'LL MAKE A VERY SIGNIFICANT PROFIT, WHICH THEY'RE ENTITLED TO FOR PUTTING THE WHOLE DEAL TOGETHER.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE'LL BE OUT.
'CAUSE THEY HAVE TO PAY OFF OUR DEBT.
SO I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION THAT THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT I KNOW THAT IS THEIR BUSINESS PLAN.
DO WE KNOW WHETHER THEY SECURED THE RESOURCES FOR THE COST OF THOSE RENOVATIONS? I I DO NOT.
THEY, THEY COULD WE FIND THAT OUT THAT'S POSSIBLE.
I, THEY, THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT HAVING THE, THE, THE, THE, UH, RESOURCES TO, TO DO THE, TO DO THE REST OF THE CONDOMINIUM, THEIR CONDOMINIUM UNITS.
BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY BANK COMMITMENTS.
NO, I KNOW, BUT ASSUMING, ASSUMING THEY'RE GONNA ACQUIRE THIS PROPERTY TO RENOVATE IT, THERE HAS TO BE SOME ASSUMPTION THAT THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES TO ACTUALLY PAY FOR THE RENOVATIONS.
OTHERWISE THE DEAL FALLS APART.
SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE POINT I'M MAKING.
IF WE HAVE ANY, ANY, UH, INFORMATION ON THAT.
ONLY, ONLY AT MEETINGS WHEN THEY SAY THAT THEY HAVE LINES TO DO THE WORK.
BUT WE HAVE, WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING.
AND, AND FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, ALL WE'RE SAYING, OKAY, WE BELIEVE YOU 'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA WRITE US A CHECK FOR A MILLION DOLLARS.
WE HAD COMMISSIONER SIEBEL FIRST COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
CAN YOU GIVE US THE NAME OF THE REAL ESTATE COMPANY WHO IS GOING TO DO BE THE LEASE BUYER? SURE.
MR. JACKSON CAN'T, 'CAUSE I CAN, CAN EVER REMEMBER THEIR NAME? IT SHOULD NO, I, I DON'T REMEMBER IT EITHER, BUT WE CAN GIVE IT TO YOU.
YEAH, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE NAME OF THE COMPANY.
YEAH, IT'S A RESPONSIBLE COMPANY.
IT'S A SPECIAL PURPOSE COMPANY FOR DOING THIS TRANSACTION.
IT MAY BE IN A BACK OF DOCUMENTS.
THE GROUP IS
THAT'S FINALLY WE'LL GET, WE'LL GET TO, I JUST DON'T REMEMBER THE ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT ENTITY THAT THEY'VE CREATED TO DO THE TRANSACTION.
ANINI IS A, IS A, A REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT GROUP, HAS DONE PROJECTS HERE IN NEWARK.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE A SUBSTANTIAL REAL ESTATE COMPANY.
BUT AGAIN, THEY'RE A REAL ESTATE COMPANY AND THEY WILL HAVE THE WHOLE GIBRALTAR BUILDING.
THEY'LL HAVE THE WHOLE GIBRALTAR BUILDING.
MR. MCINERNEY, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASKED BECAUSE I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT SOME OF THOSE, THOSE QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
I REALLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, UM, WHY WE WERE GUARANTEEING A PAYMENT FOR A THIRD PARTY ENTITY TO ONLY PAY US BACK.
IT REALLY WASN'T MAKING A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE TO ME.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT FULLY DOES, BUT AT LEAST I GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN EXPLANATION.
SOME OF MY QUESTIONS ALSO INCLUDED WHAT WERE THEIR TOTAL ASSETS WORTH? UM, DID WE DO AN APPRAISAL ON THE PROPERTY AND ITS CURRENT CONDITION? WHAT IS IT WORTH? THIS $10 MILLION, A $17 MILLION NUMBER THAT I HEAR BEING THROWN AROUND?
[01:20:01]
UM, IS IT, IS IT THE MARKET NUMBER THAT WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO? AND WHEN I HEARD ABOUT THIS DEAL THE OTHER DAY, THE LEADERSHIP MEETING, THE FIRST THOUGHT THAT CAME TO MY MIND WAS THAT THEY WERE GONNA FIX IT AND FLIP IT.AND IN MY OPINION, IF WE'RE GUARANTEEING THIS, IF THEY CAN'T DO THE DEAL WITHOUT US GUARANTEEING IT, THEN THAT MEANS WE ARE EQUALLY PUTTING SOME SKIN IN THE GAME FOR THEM.
AND WE SHOULD GET SOMETHING ELSE OUT OF IT THEN.
BECAUSE IF, IF WE DON'T GUARANTEE IT, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE DEAL CAN'T HAPPEN.
UM, ONE MOMENT, A CLARIFICATION.
IT'S NOT A $17 MILLION TRANSACTION THAT WHAT, WHAT, WHAT MR. MCINERNEY WAS TALKING ABOUT.
IT'S LIKE WHEN YOU BUY THE, THE, THE, THE $400,000 HOUSE AND YOU PAY THE MORTGAGE OVER 30 YEARS, YOU'VE PAID, UH, $3 MILLION.
YOU'RE NOT PAYING $3 MILLION FOR THE HOUSE, YOU ONLY PAID 400,000.
IT'S, SO THIS, THIS TRANSACTION IS ONE PLUS 10.
I, I, I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THAT.
I OWN A COUPLE PROPERTIES AND I, UM, PAY MORTGAGE ON THEM EVERY MONTH.
SO I GET THE WHOLE PRINCIPLE ON INTERESTING.
AND IT STILL GOES BACK TO WHAT IS THIS CURRENT PROPERTY AND ITS CURRENT STRUCTURE, WHAT IS IT APPRAISED FOR? SO, UM, I CAN BE BETTER INFORMED ABOUT IF THIS IS A GOOD DEAL THAT WE SHOULD SUPPORT, THAT I SHOULD SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED MY VOTE.
UM, AND, UH, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW FROM MR. VECCHIO, DO WE NEED TO DO A RESOLUTION TO SET ASIDE THAT RESERVE THAT, UM, THE ADMINISTRATION TALKED ABOUT, TO MAKE SURE THAT IF ANY EVENT THE PARTY DEFAULTS THE MONEY IS HELD IN OBEYANCE, UM, SO THAT THEY WON'T HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD LOOKING FOR, LOOKING FOR, UM, FUNDING.
AND THEN ONE OF MY OTHER QUESTIONS WOULD BE, HAVE WE DONE THIS IN THE PAST? HAVE WE GUARANTEED PAYMENTS LIKE THIS BEFORE TO OURSELVES, TO SOMEBODY? IT JUST SOUNDS WEIRD.
WE'RE GUARANTEEING PAYMENTS TO OURSELVES.
SO LET, LET'S STOP THERE BEFORE WE GET TOO AHEAD OF OURSELVES.
UH, MR. BECK, CAN YOU ASK THE FIRST QUESTION, MR. MCINERNEY, CAN YOU ANSWER THE SECOND QUESTION OF THAT? RIGHT.
SO THE QUESTION COMMISSIONER WAS DO WE NEED TO, DOES THE BOARD NEED TO, UH, UH, HAVE A RESOLUTION TO SET ASIDE A SPECIAL ACCOUNT? THE ANSWER IS NO.
CAN YOU ADDRESS THE, UH, ISSUE? I, I'VE BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.
I NOT RECENTLY, CERTAINLY NOT UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION, BUT IN THE PAST THERE HAVE BEEN TRANSACTIONS WHERE THEY'VE EVEN BEEN BETWEEN COUNTY ENTITIES THAT HAVE BEEN FINANCED IN A SIMILAR WAY.
THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY.
I AGREE WITH YOUR FIRST QUESTION ABOUT THE APPRAISAL ISSUE, BUT, BUT THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY.
AND THERE'S TWO PIECES TO THIS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE CASH, UM, ONE I HAD YOUR QUESTION, BUT WHAT HELPS ME UNDERSTAND THIS BETTER AND HAVE A, UM, A, A MORE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF, OF THE BENEFIT, UM, THE POTENTIAL BENEFIT TO THE COUNTY IS THE REDUCTION OF THE OPERATING COSTS THAT WE'RE NOW INCURRING.
WHICH, WHICH IN AND OF ITSELF, UM, IS EXCEEDINGLY HIGH AND HAS TO BE, HAS TO BE BUDGETED FOR EACH YEAR.
BUT TO THE CRUX OF YOUR QUESTION, YES, WE'VE DONE THAT.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE BEEN TRANSACTION, WE SOLD THE WATER RIGHTS FROM THE COUNTY, I BELIEVE TO THE EC UA AT ONE POINT IN TIME.
SO YES, BUT THIS IS, THIS IS NOT THE SAME AS THAT.
THIS IS THE COUNTY AND AN INDEPENDENT ENTITY.
SO, SO THERE IS A, I'D LIKE TO THINK THERE'S A, A MARKET IMPACT THAT THIS TRANSACTION HAS.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A MARKET ISSUE HERE BASED NOT ONLY ON, UH, WHAT A WILLING BUYER, UM, WILL PAY TO A WILLING SELLER, BUT ALSO BASED ON THE FACT THAT, UM, THE COUNTY IS, UM, LOOKING, HAS NO USE FOR THE PROPERTY ANYMORE.
AND, UM, AND IT'S SITTING THERE AND IT'S GONNA SIT THERE AND IT'S GONNA CONTINUE TO ACCRUE COST, AND YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE COSTS.
SO WE MIGHT SEE THAT THERE'S A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY HERE THAN WOULD BE IN A, IN A DIFFERENT ARMS LENGTH, UH, TRANSACTION.
AND THIS IS AN ARM LENGTH ONE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S A LITTLE MORE FLEXIBILITY HERE BECAUSE I, I THINK THE GENERAL PERSPECTIVE WAS THAT THERE'S REALLY NOT A LOT OF MARKETABILITY FOR THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY.
UM, MR. PRESIDENT NEWARK IS HOT.
THERE'S A LOT OF BUILDING HAPPENING IN NEWARK RIGHT NOW.
AND SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHO ELSE IS HERE.
IS IT THE PERSON FROM THE ECIA IS HERE? MR.
DO YOU WANNA EXPLAIN YOUR PORTION OF, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON, MR. PRESIDENT, IF, IF, IF I MAY, BEFORE MR. DRAKE COMES UP? YES.
UM, I, I AM EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH, UM, TALKING NUMBERS OUTSIDE OF A CLOSED SESSION BECAUSE THE PARTY IS, WE'RE STILL IN AN, IN A, UM, DUE DILIGENCE PERIOD.
AND, UM, I DON'T WANT TO SHARE ANY NUMBERS
[01:25:01]
OR ANY OF OUR PERSPECTIVE UNDERSTAND ON THOSE NUMBERS OUTSIDE OF A CLOSED SESSION.I, I DON'T MIND MR. DITZ TALKING.
AND I, AND I'M SURE MR. DITZ, UH, UNDERSTANDS THE PARAMETERS OF WHICH WE SHOULD BE SPEAKING HERE.
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD.
JOHN DRAKE, UH, GIBBONS LAW FIRM.
WE NEED, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT MICROPHONE CLOSE, NO MATTER.
CAN YOU PLEASE ASSIST? THANK YOU.
JOHN DRAKE FROM GIBBONS LAW FIRM, UH, BOND COUNSEL TO THE IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY ON THIS MATTER? UM, I THINK ONE THING THAT, UH, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT IT WAS MENTIONED BRIEFLY, BUT I WANT TO ACCENTUATE, IS IF ANY OF THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE DONE FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS ON THAT BUILDING, UH, WE WOULD GONNA GET THAT THE ASSET THAT WASN'T WORTH X DOLLARS.
RIGHT? IT'LL BE X DOLLARS PLUS THE IMPROVEMENTS IF THEY DON'T PAY.
SO, UH, WE'RE GONNA GET AN IMPROVE ASSET IF THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO, UH, GET THE, GET THE IMPROVEMENTS DONE.
UM, THAT'S ONE POINT I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.
THE SECOND POINT TO HIGHLIGHT FROM THE COMMISSIONER'S, UH, QUESTION, UH, THAT MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE WERE REFERRING TO THAT, UH, THAT THE COUNTY WOULD GET, UH, IN TERMS OF THAT RESERVE FUND, THOSE MONIES WOULD BE HELD BY THE BOND TRUSTEE.
SO THE BOND TRUSTEE WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE MONIES AND THEY UTILIZED THE, OF THE, UH, THE, UH, DEVELOPER OR, UH, LESSEE WOULD NEED TO REPLENISH THAT FUND UNDER HIS ACCOUNTS.
SO, UH, ITS BOND HELD FUND TRUSTEE AND MONEY TO BE HELD BY THEM JUST TO, TO HIGHLIGHT THAT ASPECT OF IT.
AND IT'S A, A SIMPLEST TRANSACTION FROM A STRUCTURING PERSPECTIVE.
THE AUTHORITY IS SIMPLY BUYING, UH, THE PROPERTY FROM THE COUNTY FOR $11 MILLION.
UH, AND THEN THEY WILL BE SELLING THAT PROPERTY, UH, UH, LEASING THAT PROPERTY, UH, TO THE DEVELOPER TO HAVE IT PAY OVER 15 YEAR TIMEFRAME.
SO THE SALE, UH, AND KINDA GETS THE MONEY AT CLOSING, UH, BESIDES THE MILLION DOLLARS THAT WAS PAID UP FRONT.
AND THE LEASE THEN GOES OUT TO DEVELOPER FOR THE MAKE PAYMENT OVER 15 YEARS.
UH, THE SECURITY ON THE BONDS, BESIDES THE COUNTY GUARANTEE IS WE'RE HOPING THAT THE, THERE WILL BE, UH, STATE LEASE IN PLACE BY THE TIME WE DO THE BONDS IN MID-JUNE OF NEXT YEAR.
AND SO, UH, HOPEFULLY THERE'LL BE A, A REVENUE STREAM THAT'LL BE PUT IN PLACE.
UH, BUT EVEN IF IT'S NOT IN PLACE AT THAT POINT IN TIME, UH, WE'LL, WE WILL HAVE THE SECURITY OF GETTING THE BUILDING BACK AT ANY POINT IN TIME.
THE, UH, DEVELOPER INITIALLY REQUESTED FOR US TO SELL THE BUILDING TO THEM AT CLOSING.
UH, WE, THE, THE, THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM STATED, NO, WE'RE NOT GONNA SELL IT TO YOU.
WE'RE ONLY GONNA LEASE IT TO YOU BECAUSE IT WASN'T, PAYMENT WAS NOT MADE, WE DIDN'T WANT TO FORECLOSE ON THE PROPERTY, WE JUST WANTED TO TAKE THE PROPERTY BACK IN OUR NAME, THE AUTHORITY.
SO IT GAVE US THAT EXTRA SECURITY KNOWING THAT WE COULD GET THE PROPERTY BACK ON OUR OWN WITHOUT HAVING TO FORECLOSE UPON THE PROPERTY ON A, ON A SALE.
SO THE OTHER PROTECTION WAS A LEASE BACK VERSUS A SALE THAT GIVES THE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION TO THE AUTHORITY SLASH COUNTY.
SO THE WORST CASE SCENARIO HERE IS THEY MAKE IMPROVEMENTS, THEY CAN HANDLE IT, WE GET IT BACK, WE COULD DO AS WE PLEASE IN THE FUTURE, SELL IT, DO WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
IT REALLY, IT'S AMENABLE RISK.
SIMPLISTICALLY, YOU'RE NO WORSE OFF THAN WHEN YOU GOT IT BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT THAT'S WORTH $11 MILLION.
YOU KNOW, AND THEN THE HOOK FOR WOULD BE THAT YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SELL IT AT SOME POINT IN TIME AND WHATEVER YOU GET FROM THAT SALE, THE PROCEEDS WOULD THEN BE UTILIZED TO PAY OFF THE AUTHOR'S BONDS.
BECAUSE THAT ASSET PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE SOLD, UH, BY THE AUTHORITY.
IF EVER REPOSSESSED BY THE AUTHORITY, THEY WOULD SELL IT, PAY OFF THE BONDS.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, SO WE'RE JUST, THIS IS LIKE THIS FIRST READING, SO WE WILL VOTE ON THIS AGAIN SO WE CAN HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THAT WE BROUGHT UP HERE VETTED.
WE'LL BE A COUPLE MEETINGS BEFORE WE DO THIS AGAIN IN A MONTH'S TIME.
WE WILL HAVE OUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
UM, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, DO YOU STILL HAVE ANY QUESTION? WAS ANY OF NO, I'M GOOD.
THIS TRANSACTION NEEDS TO GO TO LOCAL FINANCE BOARD.
SO, UH, SO WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER GOVERNMENT REGULATORY AGENCY REVIEWING THIS TRANSACTION, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW NEXT WEDNESDAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. MC? JUST AGAIN, JUST SO THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THIS, IT'S BASICALLY, THERE'S TWO PARTS TO THIS.
ONE IS A LEASE BETWEEN THE ECIA AND THE, UH, AND, AND THE PERSON LEASING THE PROPERTY.
THERE'S A CASH FLOW STREAM FROM THAT LEASE.
THE COUNTY IS TAKING THE, WE'RE TAKING THAT CASH FLOW, UM, THAT POTENTIAL CASH FLOW AND WE'RE MONETIZING THE LEASE IS ONE SEPARATE.
AND THEN THERE'S INVESTMENT COMPONENT WHERE WE'RE TAKING THAT CASH FLOW, POTENTIAL CASH FLOW, AND WE'RE MONETIZING IT AND GOING TO MARKET AND SAY, WHAT WILL YOU GIVE ME FOR THESE 15 YEARS WORTH OF PAYMENTS? AND WE'LL GIVE YOU $10 MILLION.
AND THAT INVE, THAT PIECE IS THE PIECE THAT'S BEING RENDERED BACK TO THE COUNTY.
SO IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT IT THAT WAY, THOSE TWO INDIVIDUALS, ONE FROM A LEASE STANDPOINT AND ONE FROM MONETIZING THOSE LEASE, LEASE PAYMENTS AS AN INVESTMENT.
[01:30:01]
IT? MOTION.MOTION BY MADE BY PRESIDENT SECOND BY MERCADO WILL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLARK.
I, I I THOUGHT YOU HAD A QUESTION.
IT'S JUST TO MOVE FORWARD IN THE READING PROCESS.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
UH, MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE, WE'RE GONNA GET THE ANSWERS TO MR. MCNO AND MR. PAUL, YOU'LL YES, PLEASE.
THE, AS I ASKED BEFORE, BEFORE, WE'RE GONNA GET THOSE, UH, THE, THE DOCUMENTS WE REQUESTED EARLIER TO MR. MCINERNEY AND TO THE BOARD.
THANK YOU DRAKE, WHAT YOU CAN.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TIME TO READ IT AT THE NEXT LEADERSHIP MEETING AS WELL.
UH, LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE NUMBER TWO, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, THE, UH, OUR JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITY, UH, HOUSES, UM, JUVENILES FROM OUTSIDE OF ESSEX COUNTY.
AND, UM, UH, HERE TO, FOR, IT'S BEEN, UH, NOT UNIFORM, I WOULD SHOULD SAY, 'CAUSE OF DIFFERENT, UH, COUNTIES COMING IN AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND WHAT OUR COSTS WERE.
SO THIS IS AN EFFORT TO STANDARDIZE WHAT WE CHARGE, UM, UH, OTHER COUNTIES THAT UTILIZE OUR FACILITY.
UM, AND IT WOULD BE FOR, UM, $325 PER DAY FOR, FOR SENDING COUNTIES WITHIN A 50 MILE RADIUS OF THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER AND $750 PER DAY FOR SENDING COUNTIES GREATER THAN 50 MILES FROM THE JUVENILE DETENTION, UH, FACILITY.
UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THIS, THOSE, THOSE COUNTIES ARE ALSO, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR PROPORTIONATE SHARE OF, OF THE EDUCATION AND MEDICAL COSTS THAT WE INCUR AS WELL.
UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A, A, JUST A UNIFORM WAY OF HANDLING IT.
THAT IF, IF YOU WANT TO SEND YOUR KIDS TO OUR FACILITY, FINE, BUT HERE ARE THE, THE RATES, NO, NO.
INDIVIDUALLY NEGOTIATED, UH, RATES.
THIS IS KIND OF, WE'RE MAKING IT STANDARDIZED.
AND, AND PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE WE'VE HAD, UH, DIFFERENT COUNTIES COME ON, DIFFERENT COME ON ONLINE.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER STIFEL, DOES THIS MEAN THAT EVERY COUNTY WHO SENDS JUVENILE DELINQUENTS TO ESSEX COUNTY WILL BE PAYING THE SAME THING? CORRECT.
DEPENDING UPON WHERE THEY'RE, SO ATLANTIC COUNTY WOULD NOT BE PAYING, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THEY WERE PAYING DIFFERENT PRICES BEFORE.
NOW THEY'LL BE PAYING THE SAME.
AND DOES IT, UH, DEPEND ON HOW, UH, HOW MUCH THE COUNTY CAN PAY.
SOME COUNTIES ARE MORE AFFLUENT THAN OTHERS.
THANKS FOR YOUR ANSWER, COMMISSIONER.
UM, HOW MANY COUNTIES DO WE ACTUALLY GET KIDS FROM? SAY, YOU KNOW.
THE QUESTION IS, HOW MANY, UH, COUNTIES DO WE, UH, NEGOTIATION ANY DEALS WITH? WE HAVE, UH, FIVE RIGHT NOW.
AND, UM, ALSO WE HAVE THREE, UH, THREE KIDS FROM THE US MARSHALS, UH, PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE FI UH, FIVE COUNTIES, FIVE COUNTIES IN THE US MARSHALS.
DID WE INCREASE THE RATE THIS YEAR OR NO? UH, NO.
WE HAVE A, WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT, UH, WITH BEAY COUNTY THAT'S WILL HAVE, WILL REMAIN IN PLACE BECAUSE WE HAD A, AN EXISTING AGREEMENT WITH THEM.
BUT FOR EVERYBODY ELSE, IT WOULD BE THE, WOULD BE THE SAME.
WE HAVE NOT, UM, SOME OF OUR MORE RECENT AGREEMENTS, I THINK WE INCREASED IT.
UH, UM, THEIRS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN, THAN THE ORIGINAL FOLKS, BUT, UM, THIS WAY WE THINK IS, IS A, IS A FAIR PRICE.
IT'S AN ACCURATE PRICE, AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES, MRS. JACKSON.
UM, YOU MENTIONED PASSE COUNTY.
I THINK THAT WAS THE FIRST COUNTY THAT WE, THAT WE WENT IN.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER COUNTIES? UM, WE, WE HAVE ATLANTIC, CUMBERLAND, HUDSON, PASSAIC AND UNION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER MERCADO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE IT? YES.
VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, ROLL CALL.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK NUMBER TWO.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
SO, MOVE, LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDERS NUMBER THREE, WHICH WILL BE READ AT THE RECORD AND TO THE RECORD LATER TIME RECOGNIZING COMMISSIONER GILL, JOIN THIS MR. JACKSON.
UH, MR. ZA WILL HANDLE THIS ITEM.
GOOD EVENING, MR. ZA, YOU KIND OF EARLY JOSHUA ZA S COUNTY
[01:35:01]
PARK'S.UH, I'M HERE JUST TO INTRODUCE THE, UH, 2025 RATE PACKAGE.
UH, WE'RE, UH, RECOMMENDING MARGINAL INCREASES THROUGHOUT SEVERAL DS COUNTY PARK FACILITIES, INCLUDING CODY ARENA.
UH, THE GOLF COURSES, THE ZOO PERMITS, THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER.
JUST TO GIVE THE BOARD A QUICK OVERVIEW.
LIKE I SAID, THERE ARE MARGINAL INCREASES.
FOR INSTANCE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING A $2 INCREASE FOR ADMISSION OVER AT THE ZOO.
WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED A NEW RATE THIS YEAR WHERE ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS WILL GET IN FOR 50% OFF THE ADMISSION, TUESDAYS AFTER TWO O'CLOCK.
UM, AS THE BOARD ALSO KNOWS WEAK WAKE PARK IS UNDER CONTEN, UH, EXTENSIVE CONSTRUCTION.
UH, AND ONCE THAT REOPENS, IT'S GONNA BE A WORLD CLASS FACILITY.
SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THOSE RATES BE INCREASED TO MATCH WHAT HENDRICKS IS CURRENTLY AT.
UM, ALL THESE RATES WE'RE PROJECTING ABOUT, UH, $1.8 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
I THINK THIS CAME UP LAST YEAR.
WHAT IS THE FEE? THE DEPOSIT FOR FOLKS WHEN THEY USE OUR PARTS? I NOTICED THAT SOME PARTS, IT'S A, IT'S A MESS AND YOUR STAFF HAVE TO WORK REALLY, REALLY HARD TO CLEAN UP WHEN IT'S, WHEN IT'S DONE.
SO WHAT'S THE, THE DEPOSIT THAT WE MAKE THEM PAY OR, OR GARBAGE COLLECTION FEE AFTER? UH, JOSHUA'S HS COUNTY PARKS THROUGH YOU, MR. UH, PRESIDENT, UM, THERE IS AN ATTENDING FEE, I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO FOR, UH, ROOM RENTALS.
I'M JUST LOOKING IT UP RIGHT NOW.
UH, I'M JUST NOT SAYING I, I KNOW WE HAVE IT IN THERE.
I JUST, FOR WHATEVER REASON, IT'S JUST NOT, UH, COMING CLEAN.
BUT THERE IS AN ATTENDANCE FEE THAT WE DO CHARGE THE, THE USER, UH, AGAIN, TO, FOR THE CLEANUP FEE.
UM, ALSO, USUALLY WE HAVE ATTENDANCE THERE A LITTLE EARLIER BEFORE THE PROGRAM BEGINS, THEN AFTERWARDS, UH, TO, TO CLEAN UP.
SO CAN YOU JUST VISIT THAT FEE AND SEE, UM, WHEN THE LAST TIME WE ASSESSED IT AND IF WE NEED TO INCREASE IT AGAIN? I'VE GOTTEN, UM, A LOT OF CALLS THIS PASSED SUMMER FROM THE FOLKS THAT'S AROUND ORANGE PARK.
ABOUT HOW MUCH LITTER AND TRASH WAS LEFT AFTER THOSE EVENTS WERE DONE? YEAH.
UM, WE'RE RECOMMENDING A $75 PER HOUR FEE FOR THAT.
THEY HAVE TO PAY THAT AS A DEPOSIT UP FRONT.
THAT'S, UH, IT'S NOT A DEPOSIT.
THAT'S PART OF THE WHOLE PACKET.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'LL, I'LL MOVE IT.
COMMISSIONER SIBO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE IN? MOVE BY SEA BOLT.
COMMISSIONER GIL? CATCHING UP HERE.
UM, JUST, UM, THE, THIS ORDINANCE TO MR. PRESIDENT COVERS, UM, UH, FEE ACCESS FOR, UM, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT RENT OUR FACILITIES.
UH, JOSHUA AIDS AS COUNTY PARKS FOR YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? YES.
IT'S FOR PROFIT AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, AND, UM, AGAIN, MR. PRESIDENT, THROUGH YOU, IS THERE A, UM, IS THE FEE INCREASED FOR, FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS VERSUS NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS? THAT IS CORRECT.
WHAT IS THE, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? UH, I'M LOOKING RIGHT, RIGHT NOW.
WE MAY HAVE TO PUT MR. Z PLA ON THE MEETING.
MR. RICHARDSON, UH, BECAUSE HE, APPARENTLY HE TAKES A LITTLE TIME.
I KEEP TRYING TO TELL YOU
SO NONPROFIT MEETING, UM, SO IT WOULD BE 150 AN HOUR AS OPPOSED TO SOMETHING LIKE SIX 50 TO RENT THE WHOLE BUILDING FOR A, FOR A PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND FOR, UH, AND YOU, MR. PRESIDENT FOR AND FOR FIELD, NOT JUST BUILDING, BUT FOR FIELD ACCESS.
THAT, THAT IS FOR THE ROOM RENTAL FOR FIELDS.
UH, THAT'S, WELL, FOR INSTANCE, FOR DAY CAMP, UH, PROFIT WOULD BE $200.
AND I'M NOT SEEING A DIFFERENCE IN THE FIELD RENTAL.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S JUST THE, UM, THE DAY CAMP AND THE ROOM RENTALS.
SO THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE IN FIELD, DO WE? HOW MANY LOOK, I FEEL LIKE THERE IS THOUGH.
AND I'LL JUST CUT TO THE, TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I'M, I'M JUST GONNA GET TO THE, THE, THE BOTTOM LINE OF MY POINT IS THAT, UM, AND I'VE, AND I'VE BEEN ON THIS ISSUE FOR A LONG TIME, YOU KNOW, FOR-PROFIT, UM, SPORTS, UM, LEAGUES
[01:40:01]
THAT ARE USING OUR FIELDS AND FACILITIES, UM, SHOULD HAVE TO PAY A HIGHER FEE.WE ARE SUBSIDIZING THEIR BUSINESSES AND WE ARE SUBSIDIZING THEIR BUSINESSES AT THE COST OF OUR NON-PROFITS THAT ALSO UTILIZE THESE FACILITIES.
SO TO ME, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY A FOR-PROFIT SPORTS LEAGUE WOULD BE PAYING THE SAME PRICE THAT A NON-PROFIT WOULD BE PAYING TO UTILIZE OUR FACILITIES COMMISSIONER GUIDE.
I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS INHERENTLY IN THERE SINCE WE HAD DIFFERENT RATES FOR THE ROOM FACILITY, THE FACILITIES ALREADY, UH, JOSHUA COUNTY PARKS, UH, MR. COMMISSIONER, I, UH, MR. PRESIDENT, I DON'T WANNA MISSPEAK.
LET ME, UM, AS, AS THE BOARD KNOW, THIS IS ON INTRODUCTION.
SO LET ME GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON THAT AND WE'LL CERTAINLY GET BACK TO THE BOARD WITH, WITH, I JUST MIGHT NOT BE SEEING IT AS ALL.
THANK YOU MR. YOU, MR. THANK YOU.
AND I, I, AGAIN, AND I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT THAT EITHER YET, SO I, SO I, I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT YEAH, I, I, I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE ALL FAR OFF THE MARK.
I, 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE RAISED FOR NON-PROFITS AND FOR PROFIT BUSINESSES AND I THINK THAT THE SPIRIT IS THERE.
IT MAY JUST BE THAT AT THE MOMENT HE CANNOT IDENTIFY THAT.
AND THIS IS OUR FIRST READING, SO WE DO HAVE A CRACK AT IT AGAIN.
SO JOSH, UH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SOME OF THESE, THE HOLISTIC THING IS NON-PROFIT AND PROFIT AND HOW YOU, UH, RENT COMMISSIONER RICHARD, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I, I DO.
I JUST WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON COMMISSIONER GILLS, UH, QUESTION, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR YEARS IN HERE.
UH, THESE, UH, UH, SPORTS LEAGUES WHO RENT OUT FIELDS IS, YOU KNOW, PUTTING IN A FEE FOR CLEANUP BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THEY LEAVE THE, THE FIELDS FILTHY.
THEY COME FROM OTHER PLACES AND THEY HAVE, UH, NO REGARD FOR THE FIELDS.
SO IS THERE A FEE FOR CLEANUP? HAVE YOU CHARGED THEM AN EXTRA FEE FOR CLEANING UP, UH, JOSHUAS EIGHT TEXAS COUNTY PARKS THREE YEAR.
MR. PRESIDENT, YES, THERE IS FEES FOR, UH, CLEANUP.
AND WHAT IS, WHAT ARE THOSE FEES? UH, JUST, UH, SO THE COMMUNITY ROOM, AS I ALLUDED TO EARLIER, WAS $75 AN HOUR.
NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE FIELDS.
I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ROOM.
TALKING ABOUT THESE SPORTS ORGANIZATIONS.
RENT THE FIELDS, SOCCER, BASEBALL, UH, THREE YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
SO FOR A FESTIVAL, UM, IF THERE'S A BIG FESTIVAL, UH, THE MAINTENANCE CLEANUP FEE FOR THE FESTIVAL WILL BE $1,500.
I AM NOT SEEING A, A FEE FOR THE SPECIFICALLY FOR WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
BUT AGAIN, LET ME, LET ME GET BACK TO THE BOARD.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, WOULD YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE, MR. WE'RE GONNA DO FIRST READING AND COMMISSIONER COOPER HAS, UH, I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER GI HAD SOME QUESTIONS.
SO, I MEAN, I'M COMFORTABLE MOVING FOR ASSISTANCE ON FIRST READING, BUT JOSH, I THINK WE'D LIKE GET SOME QUESTIONS LIKE THAT.
SO I THINK, UH, WHAT I'M HEARING HERE IS THE NON-PROFIT AND PROFIT RATES ACROSS THE BOARD AND ANY KIND OF RENTAL FACILITY, RENTAL AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE.
NUMBER TWO, THE CLEANUP FEES THAT APPLY TO ALL OF THOSE RESPECT, WHETHER IT'S THE PARK HOUSE, THE FIELD, OR, AND IF IT'S A SPORTS LEAGUE OR A FESTIVAL.
I MEAN, I THINK WE, YOU DO THIS REGULARLY THAT YOU, YOU, I THINK YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
YEAH, CERTAINLY MR. PRESIDENT.
WE WILL, WE WILL GET BACK TO YOU WITH THOSE ANSWERS.
COMMISSIONER RICE, PRESIDENT COOPER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD TO, AND TO ADD TO THAT, AND IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A PART OF THIS FEE STRUCTURE, BUT IS THERE A WAY TO DIFFERENTIATE FOR ESSEX COUNTY GROUPS TO GET FIRST PRIORITY, FIRST DIBS ON THE FIELD? UM, AGAIN, GOING BACK TO ORANGE PARK IS WHERE I'M GETTING A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT.
THE, THE, THE TEAMS THAT'S PLAYING, YOU KNOW, GREAT, WE WANT THEM TO COME, BUT ALLEGEDLY THEY'RE NOT ESSEX COUNTY BASED TEAMS. AND WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL FACILITIES NOW, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WONDERFUL UPGRADES WE PUT IN.
BUT THAT PART IS GETTING USED A WHOLE LOT.
AND THE FOLKS ARE COMPLAINING THAT WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THE FIELD, THE TIME IS ALL TAKEN BY ALLEGEDLY THE GROUPS FROM OUT OF ESS COUNTY.
I HAVEN'T DONE ANY RESEARCH, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO BUILD IN SOME KIND OF MECHANISM FOR ESS COUNTY BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO KIND OF GET FIRST D FIRST PRIORITY, PUT OUT AN OPEN CALL OR SOMETHING.
IF THEY DON'T RESPOND, THEN OPEN UP THE GATE TO, TO OTHER PEOPLE.
SO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, SO THE WAY THAT WORKS IS PRIORITY ALWAYS GOES TO YOUTH BASED ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE COUNTY, UM, INCLUDING SCHOOL GROUPS.
SO, UH, WITH SO MANY YOUTH-BASED, UM, SPORTS GROUPS, THAT DOESN'T LEAVE A WHOLE LOT OF RENTALS TO ADULT, UM, LEAGUES.
SO AGAIN, IT WOULD BE YOUTH-BASED IN COUNTY, YOUTH-BASED SCHOOL GROUPS, TAKE UP THE MAJORITY.
THEN NEXT IN LINE WOULD BE ESSEX COUNTY, UM, ORGANIZATIONS, UH, OUTSIDE OF YOUTH BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THEN IF THERE'S ANYTHING LEFT OVER THAT, IT WOULD BE AN OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION.
SO, SO IF, IF, IF THAT'S THE CASE, MR. ZAS, HOW DOES ALL OF THESE
[01:45:01]
BASEBALL TEAMS OUT OF NEW YORK AND OTHER PLACES OCCUPY SO MUCH SPACE IN WEEK WAKE PARK, UH, JU THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? UM, I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.LIKE I SAID, IT'S BASED ON YOU MAYBE PERHAPS IN WEEK, AND I DON'T WANNA MISSPEAK, BUT MAYBE IN WEEK WAKE, UM, THERE'S NOT THAT MANY YOUTH GROUPS THAT UTILIZE THOSE FIELDS, SO THEREFORE IT IS AVAILABLE TO OTHER ADULT LEAGUES.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK OF WITHOUT ACTUALLY PULLING THE PERMITS.
WELL, THE TIME OF YEAR HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH AS WELL.
WHEN YOUTH GROUPS ARE IN SESSION OR IN SEASON, IS THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER RICHARD PERHAPS SOMETHING AS WELL, OR WE, I MEAN MAYBE I WOULD THINK SCHOOL GROUPS ARE NOT USING IT.
ALRIGHT, WHY DON'T WE, WHY DON'T WE GET THOSE QUESTIONS BACK.
I THINK YOU GET A SENSE OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR FOR THE NEXT TIME.
RIGHT? DO WE HAVE A MOVER FOR THIS? I AM.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND THEN SECOND.
MADAM DEPUTY CLARK, NUMBER THREE.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
SEE, I DIDN'T HEAR I WAS ON THE BALL.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE OF SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR LISTING PURPOSES ONLY.
DO WE HAVE ANY MADAM W BUSH? NO.
MR. PRESIDENT, DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCE RESOLUTION ON SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT? NO.
UH, SO LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS ONE THROUGH FIVE OF WHICH ARE ADVICE AND CONSENT NOMINATIONS FOR VARIOUS APPOINTMENTS.
RESOLUTIONS SIX THROUGH 22 ARE ADVICE AND CONSENT NOMINATIONS ARE REAPPOINTMENTS.
SO WE'RE ONLY GONNA HAVE NEW FOLKS FOR THE FIRST FIVE.
LET'S BEGIN WITH THE NOMINATIONS ONE THROUGH FIVE.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT.
OUR, OUR FIRST, UH, CANDIDATE, OUR NOMINEE IS MAHARI GERBER MICHAAL TO THE ESSEX COUNTY PLANNING BOARD.
MR. MICHAAL, GOOD EVENING, MR. GERBER MICHAAL.
WOULD YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE ANY RELATION TO THE YOUNG LADY WHO BACK WHO?
IS THAT, IS THAT YOUR BIG SISTER BACK THERE? YOU SISTER, YOU GOTTA DO RIGHT BY HER AROUND HERE.
ESPECIALLY YOU NEED TO DO RIGHT BY HER.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME OFFICIALLY FOR THE RECORD AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
FIRST OFF, I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THIS WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE MY COUNTY.
MY NAME IS MAHARI GMIC, UH, BROTHER OF EK GABRIEL MICHAEL'S SON OF TTA GABRIEL MICHAEL.
AND I'M GABRIEL MICHAEL, I'M HERE TODAY AS A NAVY VETERAN.
HAPPY TO ACCEPT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE ON THE ESSEX COUNTY PLANNING BOARD.
I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA LOOK AT MRS. GMIC AND SEE IF SHE GIVES ME THE THUMBS UP WITH A THUMBS DOWN BEFORE WE ALRIGHT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. GMIC? I WOULD JUST SAY THIS IS A GREAT ADDITION.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WILLING TO DO THIS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE AS WELL.
NEXT, UH, UH, NOMINEE IS, IS YVETTE KABAN TO THE ESSEX COUNTY VETERANS ADVISORY REPORT.
MS. KABAN, PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU CAN GO TO THE MICROPHONE AND JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
UM, AND I WORK WITH, UM, I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS THE OTHER QUESTION? THAT'S ALL.
WE ARE NOT GONNA HARASS YOU LIKE WE DID HIM A LITTLE BIT.
YOU KNOW, SO I'M AN ARMY VETERAN AND I HAVE WORKED FOR 10 YEARS WITH, UM, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, UH, SSVF PROGRAM, SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR VETERANS, UH, SERVICES, HELPING VETERANS ARE HOMELESS OR AT LEAST OF BEING CALLED HOMELESS.
I ALSO WORKED THERE WITH THE SS, SOS AND J STAKEHOLDERS GROUP.
UM, AND I ALSO VOLUNTEERED WITH DIFFERENT, UH, VETERAN GROUPS IN ORDER TO HELP THE VETERANS THAT ARE, UM, HOMELESS OR AT, OF BECOMING HOMELESS.
ANY QUESTIONS? MR. MS. KABAN? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, MR. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY HERE.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON WITH NUMBER THREE.
UH, HAVE YOU HEARD THIS GUY, WHAT'S HIS NAME? MICHAEL
[01:50:01]
KERMAN.MICHAEL KERMAN TO THE ESTES COUNTY VETERANS ADVISORY, UH, BOARD.
UH, MY NAME IS MICHAEL KERMAN.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE PARKS RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF, UH, A BLOOMFIELD.
I HAD, UH, TRYOUTS FOR BASKETBALL LAST NIGHT, SO I'M A LITTLE SCRATCHY
BUT, UM, I COME FROM A LONG LINE OF, UM, FAMILY MEMBERS THAT SERVED, UH, WORLD WAR II VIETNAM.
MY FATHER SERVED, MY GRANDFATHER SERVED, MY GREAT UNCLE WAS KILLED IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE.
UH, CURRENTLY WE ARE, UM, TRYING TO REVITALIZE, UH, VETERAN AFFAIRS WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, I THANK YOU FOR, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO SERVE AND HELP, UH, OUR VETERANS, UH, NOT ONLY IN BLOOMFIELD, BUT IN ESUS COUNTY.
AND I LOOK FORWARD, UH, TO WORKING WITH THE OTHER, UH, BOARD MEMBERS IN TRYING TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR OUR VETERANS.
THEY'RE MUCH NEEDED AND WELL DESERVED.
COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. KERMAN? WELL, I'LL ADD SOMETHING SINCE I DO HAIL FROM THE GREAT TOWNSHIP OF BLOOMFIELD.
AND I HAPPEN TO KNOW MR. KERMAN WELL AS I THINK HE'S AN EXEMPLARY AND THE BEST MUNICIPAL PARKS RECREATION DIRECTOR IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
I'M NOT SAYING COUNTY, JUST SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY, YOU KNOW, BEEF WITH THE, THEY, THEY DO A PHENOMENAL JOB AS WELL.
WE LOVE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY AS WELL.
MAYBE ONE DAY YOU'LL BE LIKE LUCKY, UH, LIKE MRS. ANTE, YOU'LL HAVE A BUS DEDICATED IN YOUR HONOR, AND PERHAPS WELL DESERVED.
I I DO KNOW THAT, BUT I DO MISS, I DO KNOW MRS. SC TO BE AN EXCEPTIONAL PERSON.
AND THE VETERANS PROGRAM THAT YOU HAVE, UH, THAT TRICKLED DOWN FROM THE AVERAGE, UH, PERSON IN THE PUBLIC TO THE SCOUTS AND HONORING THE VETERANS HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONAL.
AND I, AS THE BLOOMFIELD RESIDENT, DO APPRECIATE THAT.
AND ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, I I THINK WE WOULD ALL AGREE WITH THAT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE.
WE HAVE OUR VETERANS DAY PARADE, UM, AT 11 O'CLOCK ON MONDAY, IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN GOING.
AND THEN THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY, UH, MORNING AT BLOOMFIELD HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE A VETERANS RESOURCE FAIR.
SO IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU AND YOU CAN SHARE IT WITH THE, WITH THE BOARD.
NUMBER FOUR IS, UH, TYRONE WILLIAMS JR.
ALSO TO THE ES COUNTY VETERANS ADVISORY BOARD.
GOOD EVENING, MR. WILLIAMS. PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF.
MY NAME IS TYRONE WILLIAMS, JR.
FROM, UH, UM, I LIVE IN WEST ORANGE NOW, SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY.
I'M 25 YEAR VETERAN OF THE MONTCLAIR POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHERE I COMMAND THE COMMUNITY POLICING UNIT.
UM, I'M ALSO A, A COMBAT VETERAN FROM THE FIRST GULF WAR.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE THE HONOR OF BEING ABLE TO SERVE OUR COUNTY AND, AND MOSTLY OUR VETERANS WHO RICHLY DESERVE TO KNOW ALL OF THE BENEFITS AND, AND THINGS THAT THEY'RE, UH, ENTITLED TO 'CAUSE FOR SO LONG.
AND, AND TOO, TOO MANY TIMES THE VETERANS DON'T EVEN KNOW THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO AFTER THEY'VE SERVED FOR OUR COUNTRY.
SO I JUST APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.
COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER GILL, THIS IS, UH, SOMEONE WHO HAILS FROM YOUR, THE GREAT TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR.
WELL, HE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, THIS, WHICH HAD ANY QUESTIONS.
HE ACTUALLY HAILS FROM WEST ORANGE NOW, SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE SHOULD APPOINT.
HE DOES ENOUGH TIME IN MONTCLAIR, I THINK.
NOW, UH, THANK, THANK, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, THANK YOU FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, YOUR WILLINGNESS, UH, TO SERVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, UH, MR. WILLIAMS HAS, UH, DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF IN OUR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, IN VARIOUS LEADERSHIP POSITIONS, UH, ALSO IN VARIOUS YOUTH ATHLETIC LEAGUES, UH, MENTORING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, MAKING SURE THAT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DIRECTLY CONNECTED, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY, AND ALSO JUST PITCHING IN ON WHEREVER HE CAN TO HELP.
AND, UM, SO I AM THRILLED TO SEE THIS APPOINTMENT.
SO THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS SELECTION.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, WORKING WITH YOU IN THE WORK THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO ON THIS BOARD.
I THINK YOU, YOU GET AN UNOFFICIAL VOTE FOR MS. BROWN SITTING TO, UH, MY RIGHT HERE AS WELL.
SO, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONERS.
ARE YOU WILLING TO SERVE HIM FOR YOUR SERVICE? THANK YOU.
FINALLY, UH, JONATHAN AND REDLINE TO THE ESSEX COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
UM, THANKS TO THE BOARD FOR, UM, CONSIDERING THIS APPOINTMENT.
UM, I CURRENTLY SERVE ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION IN WEST ORANGE, AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE THERE.
UM, I FINISHED A 20 YEAR CAREER AS AN ATTORNEY AT THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE IN THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, UH, WHERE I DID LITIGATION AND REGULATORY, UM, ISSUES THERE.
[01:55:01]
OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO GET INVOLVED AND HELP THEM, UH, PROGRESS THEIR MISSION.ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS.
UM, AND FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU, MR. REDWINE, FOR THIS APPOINTMENT.
UM, TO THE PREVIOUS APPOINTEES TO THE VETERANS COMMITTEE, MR. GEBER, GEBER MARKLE, UH, MS. KABAN, MR. SPEARMAN, AND MR. WILLIAMS. I JUST THINK IT'S TIMELY THAT WE ARE APPOINTING YOU TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION ON A DAY, FRANKLY, AS SOMBER.
IS THIS WHERE WE'VE ELECTED A PRESIDENT WHO HAS MADE IT CLEAR AND ACTUALLY EXPLICITLY STATED HIS INTEREST IN DEFUNDING THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
DEFUNDING ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WHO'S DISPARAGED, VETERANS LIKE THOSE WHO ARE HERE WITH US TODAY, IN FACT CALLED THEM LOSERS AND SUCKERS.
UM, WHILE WE ARE NOT HERE TODAY TO SPEAK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, IT MAKES IT EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT HERE IN THE LOCAL LEVEL, IN A COUNTY LIKE ESSEX, WE'RE DOING THE WORK TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, AND CELEBRATING THE WORK THAT YOU, YOURSELF AND ALL THE OTHER FOLKS WILL BE APPOINTED TO THESE INCREDIBLE BOARDS WILL BE DOING AT THE COUNTY LEVEL BECAUSE JOY AND JUSTICE WHEREVER IT LIVES, UM, REVERBERATES.
AND SO, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, PARTICULARLY AS WE MAY HAVE TO FACE SOME DIFFICULT OBSTACLES, UH, WITH WORK LIKE PROTECTING OUR VETERANS, PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT, AND PROTECTING OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, THANK YOU ALL AND CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE WHO'S BEING APPOINTED TO THESE BOARDS.
I'D LIKE TO CONGRATULATE ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE BEING APPOINTED TO THESE, UH, BOARDS.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE JOE DI VINCENZO FOR SELECTING SUCH OUTSTANDING PEOPLE TO COME BEFORE US FOR ADVICE AND CONSENT.
YOU ALL ARE SO QUALIFIED, AND IT'S SO WONDERFUL THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO PUT IN THE TIME AND EFFORT TO MAKE ESSEX COUNTY EVEN BETTER.
AND I'D LIKE TO JUST MAKE ONE STATEMENT ABOUT THE ESSEX COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSION.
I AM THE COMMISSIONER LIAISON TO THAT GROUP, AND THEY DO WONDERFUL WORK.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN TO SOME OF THE MEETINGS AND I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE PART OF THE GROUP.
I I WANNA ECHO MY COLLEAGUE SENTIMENTS.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CAME BEFORE US TODAY, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME HERE AND FOR VOLUNTEERING YOUR TIME.
IF YOU, UH, DO A GREAT JOB IN YOUR FIRST YEAR, WE DOUBLE YOUR PAY THE SECOND YEAR.
SO
I THINK ONE OF THE BEST THINGS WE SEE AT THESE MEETINGS, UH, IS THE CALIBER OF PEOPLE THAT YOU RECRUIT TO VOLUNTEER, AND OUR NUMEROUS BOARDS.
UH, SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, WE'RE GONNA ALSO INCLUDE NUMBER SIX TO 22, WHICH ARE REAPPOINTMENTS, WHICH WE TYPICALLY DON'T BRING FOLKS FOR REAPPOINTMENTS.
SO THIS IS YOUR ONLY TIME YOU COME BEFORE THE BOARD, UNLESS WE PUT YOU ON ANOTHER BOARD AND WE ROPE YOU IN TWICE, UH, TO DO SO.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE, UH, ONE THROUGH 22, MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, SECONDED BY MERCADO.
UH, ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY COTA ONE THROUGH 22.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
AND CONGRATULATIONS ALL PLEASE FEEL, DO NOT FEEL OBLIGATED TO STICK AROUND FOR THE REST OF THE MEETING.
THIS IS YOUR EXIT STAGE, RIGHT? YOU DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE REST OF THIS, WHAT GOES ON FOR THE REST OF THE MEETING.
AND MS. GERBER? MICHAEL, I EXPECT TO SEE SOME PICTURES LATER ON ONLINE.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 23, WHICH IS FROM THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
OUR TREASURER, MR. MOHAM, WILL HANDLE THIS ITEM.
JOSE, MOHAMMAD, COUNTY TREASURER.
UM, RESOLUTION NUMBER 23 IS FOR TRANSFER, UH, OF APPROPRIATION OF, UH, YEAR 2024.
UM, THIS IS TRANSFER BETWEEN EXISTING LINE ITEMS. THERE IS NO, UM, UH, ADDITIONAL AUTHORIZATION, THIS ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE, UH, JUST BETWEEN EXISTING LINES.
AND THIS WOULD TO MAKE SURE ALL OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE, UH, FULLY FUNDED, UH, THROUGH TO THE END OF THE YEAR.
MR. PARLA BACK YOU, ANY QUESTIONS? AND THESE, UH, UM, THESE DEPARTMENT TRANSFERS ARE ALL LISTED ON THE, UH, ATTACHMENT, CORRECT? YES.
THAT'S IT, MR. KINON, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, NO.
OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT, UH, AGAIN, THIS IS JUST TAKING
[02:00:01]
MONIES FROM AREAS THAT, UH, ARE UNDER EXPENDED TO THOSE AREAS THAT MAY VERY WELL BE OVER EXPENDED IF WE DON'T MAKE THESE TRANSFERS PRETTY ROUTINE BUSINESS, CORRECT? VERY ROUTINE, ROUTINE BUSINESS.COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE.
DO I HAVE A MOVER FOR 23? MOTION SECOND.
MOVED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SERMONS.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 24.
LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER 24, WHICH IS FROM THE DIVISION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT, WHICH WILL BE ADDED TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
THIS IS AN OPERATING AGREEMENT BETWEEN, UM, OUR DIVISION OF EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING, UH, WITH THE NEW JERSEY TRANSIT CORPORATION TO PROVIDE FOR THE, UH, THE JOB ACCESS REVER REVERSE COMMUTE, UM, UH, SERVICE THAT WE OFFER TO OUR, TO OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, ITEM 25, UH, IS AN ASSERTION OF $650,000 FROM NEW JERSEY, UH, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DIVISION, UH, TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT, UM, UH, FOR PART OF THE COST OF OPERATING THAT SERVICE, UM, NEW JERSEY TRANSIT FUNDING FOR EXPENSES ASSOCIATED FOR PROVIDING THE, UH, ARC, UH, SERVICE.
AND THERE IS A, UM, IN COUNT IN KIND COUNTY MATCH THAT WE, UH, WE DO MATCH THESE, THESE FUNDS.
UM, ITEM 26 IS A, UM, UH, AGAIN, A AGREEMENT, AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND THE METAL IN METAL LINK, UH, TO PROVIDE FOR THE RC SERVICE, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,367,608.
UM, THIS PROVIDES THE ESSEX NIGHT OWL, LIEUTENANT FAIRFIELD AND WEST ESSEX SHUTTLES.
UM, AND THIS AGREEMENT IS FROM, UH, JULY 1ST, 2024 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2025.
OH, AND I'M, DO YOU WANNA DO 27? I MEAN, WE JUST KINDA ROLLED ON THERE.
DO YOU WANNA STOP START? YEAH, I'M SORRY.
UM, THIS IS, UH, UH, AN AGREEMENT FOR THE WAVE, UH, TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM IN THE, FROM JULY 1ST, 2024, ALSO TO JUNE 30TH, 2025 IN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 670,500 AND, AND 70 $70 $577 AND 69 CENTS.
UM, THIS WAS A PUBLICLY ADVERTISED FAIR AND OPEN RFP THROUGH THE COMPETITIVE CONTRACTING PART, UH, PROCESS.
AND THIS, UH, THAT TAKES, UH, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH OUR, UM, WELFARE PROGRAM TO, UH, FOR WORK, FOR WORK, UH, OPPORTUNITIES.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS ON 24TH OR 27? YES, I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON 26TH.
MR. JACKSON? I SEE THE, UH, TERM OF THE AGREEMENT IS ONE YEAR FROM JULY ONE OF THIS YEAR TO JUNE 30TH NEXT YEAR.
THE OPTION, UH, THAT'S REFERENCED IN THE, IN THE BACKUP MATERIAL, TALKS ABOUT AN 18 MONTH OPTION.
ARE WE JUST GOING TO DO THIS FOR THE 12 MONTHS, UH, THAT'S LISTED HERE ON THE AGENDA? OR IS THERE AN AN OPPORTUNITY TO TACK ON SIX MONTHS? I THINK THE, THE WAY I READ IT WAS WHEN THE CONTRACT WAS INITIALLY BID, UH, HOWEVER MANY YEARS AGO THERE WAS THE 18 MONTH OPTION AVAILABLE.
UH, YEAH, TO MY UNDERSTANDING, MR. PARLOVE, THIS IS JUST FOR THE 12 MONTHS.
UM, I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON 18 MONTH DOC.
YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S NOT A CRITICAL ISSUE.
I JUST DIDN'T WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ADDED UP.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO, THAT'S IT.
COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS? IN 24 TO 27? SEE NONE.
MOVED BY RICHARD, SECONDED BY SERMONS.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK 24 THROUGH 27.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
MOVING ON TO RESOLUTION 28 AND 29, THEREFORE, THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION, THERE WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
THIS IS A, UH, 24 MONTH CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR GREEN VALLEY LANDSCAPE DESIGN AND MAINTENANCE TO PROVIDE FOR THOSE SERVICES AT OUR, UH, ESSEX COUNTY HOSPITAL CENTER IN THE AMOUNT OF $26,112.
UH, ITEM 29, UH, UH, LET'S SEE, MR. TORRES IS GONNA HANDLE, UH, THAT ITEM.
AND IF I JUST COULD, COULD PLEASE BEFORE HE STARTS, MR. TORRES IS A PARTICULARLY PROUD, UH, FATHER TODAY.
HIS DAUGHTER WAS HONORED AT OUR, UH, TEAMWORK CEREMONY.
[02:05:01]
THIS MORNING.UM, AND SHE'S A STUDENT AT WEST CALDWELL YES.
OF TECHNICAL SCHOOL AND, UH, REALLY DOING TREMENDOUS THINGS.
SO NOT ONLY IS HE A GREAT EMPLOYEE, HE'S A GREAT DAD.
I, I BELIEVE I CONGRATULATIONS MR. TORRES BEING THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA BEAT YOU UP ANY HERE TONIGHT.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA LET YOU GO EASY.
WHAT, TELL US ABOUT, UH, 29TH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYONE.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
GERALD TORRES, DIVISION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES DUE TO PRESIDENT.
UH, THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF AN ITEM THAT WAS PRESENTED IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR TO THE BOARD, UH, FOR AN APPROVAL OF A GRANT AND A BUDGET INSERTION.
THIS IS A FOUR YEAR GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE ARE DOING IN COLLABORATION WITH RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, NEW JERSEY MEDICAL SCHOOL, SCHOOL, AND A UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL.
IT WILL BE TO EXPAND THE WORK OF OUR QUICK RESPONSE TEAM THAT I MENTIONED, THAT THE PREVIOUS MEETING, TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEALING WITH, UH, OPIOID RELATED OR SUBSTANCE USE RELATED OVERDOSES.
THIS PARTICULAR INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WILL INCREASE THE STAFFING.
RUTGERS WILL HIRE A, UH, NOT JUST A CARE NAVIGATOR THAT WILL SUPPORT OUR TEAM.
UH, THEY WILL ALSO HIRE A NURSE, WHICH WILL BE, UH, AN EASY WAY FOR US WHEN WE'RE DOING OUTREACH TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MEDICATION TO INDIVIDUALS IN THE FIELD.
UH, AND ALSO ALONG WITH THAT, A DATA ANALYST THAT WILL SUPPORT THE OUTCOMES AND THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE GRANT OPPORTUNITY.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS ON 28 OR 29? NO, NO QUESTIONS.
DO I HAVE A MOVER FOR 28 29? I'LL MOVE IT.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, ROLL CALL.
MAD DEPUTY CLERK IN 28 AND 29.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
ENJOY YOUR HAPPY NEWS WITH YOUR DAUGHTER TODAY, AND PLEASE LET HER KNOW WE ARE CONGRATULATING HIM.
MS. MARK, LET'S MOVE ON TO 30 THROUGH 34, WHICH ARE FROM THE PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME HERE FOR MORE ABUSES.
MR. ZAS, JOSHUA ZAS HAS COUNTY PARKS LIKE, UH, A HORROR MOVIE VILLAIN.
UH, NUMBER 30 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO SHOW YOUR PROPERTY SERVICES LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER FOR LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES OVER AT CEDAR GROVE.
UH, SPECIFICALLY, THIS IS AN 18.
THIS CONTRACT WOULD RUN, UH, 18 MONTHS, UH, BEGINNING APRIL, FIRST OF NEXT YEAR THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST OF NEXT YEAR.
AND THEN PICKING UP AGAIN IN APRIL 1ST OF 26, AND THEN FINALLY EXPIRING APRIL 31ST OF 26.
ALTHOUGH IT'S A 24 MONTH CONTRACT, THERE'S ONLY 18 MONTHS OF SERVICE.
UH, IT'S IN THE AMOUNT OF $6,639 AND 25 CENTS PER MONTH, UH, WHICH COMES TO A FIXED AMOUNT OVER THE 18 MONTHS OF 119,506.
AND THERE IS A $50,000 ALLOWANCE ON THAT CONTRACT.
WHAT BRINGS IT UP TO ITS TOTAL OF, UH, A HUNDRED SIXTY NINE FIVE HUNDRED SIX.
NUMBER 31 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO VIP SPECIAL SERVICES TO PROVIDE POWER WASHING SERVICES, 24 MONTH CONTRACT NOT TO EXCEED $164,000.
UM, AND AS, AS AS STATED, THIS IS FOR POWER WASHING OF, UH, ANY FACILITY IN THE ESSA COUNTY PARK SYSTEM, THERE IS A, UH, $35,000 ALLOWANCE ON THAT CONTRACT AS WELL.
NUMBER 32 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO TERRY, UH, GEIS, UH, TO PROVIDE THE PUBLICATION OF THE SPIRIT OF ESSEX NEWSLETTER, EXERCISING A 24 MONTH OPTION NOT TO EXCEED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THIS IS FOR THE NEWSLETTER THAT COMES OUT QUARTERLY, UH, INFORMING THE PUBLIC OF THE VARIOUS, UM, THEREABOUTS FOR THE COUNTY PARK SYSTEM.
NUMBER 33, A CONTRACT, UH, AWARD WITH MILLENNIUM STRATEGIES FOR GRANT PROCUREMENT SERVICES.
AGAIN, EXERCISING THE 24 MONTH OPTION AND NOT TO EXCEED $96,000.
UH, MILLENNIUM MILLENNIUM STRATEGIES HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN, UM, UH, OBTAINING THE VARIOUS GRANTS THAT RECEIVED, UH, BE IT THROUGH, UH, DCA OR GREEN ACRES.
AND NUMBER 34 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO V ROACHS TO PROVIDE DEER BUTCHERING SERVICES, EXERCISING THE THREE MONTH EXTENSION NOT TO EXCEED $20,000.
UH, THE COST OF THIS IS, UH, A HUNDRED DOLLARS PER BUTCHER DEER.
UH, SINCE THE PROGRAM'S INCEPTION IN 2008, THEY, WE PROCESSED, UH, 57,800 POUNDS OF VENISON, WHICH HAS PROVIDED APPROXIMATELY 228,000 MEALS, UH, FOR THOSE IN NEED.
SO, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
MR. MACKLIN, ANY QUESTIONS? I, I JUST WANT TO HEAR THAT.
HOW, HOW MANY POUNDS WAS THAT?
[02:10:01]
YOU.ANY QUESTIONS ON 30 THROUGH 34? I'LL MOVE IT.
COMMISSIONER TIBO, BUT I THINK COMMISSIONER GILL HAS A QUESTION.
LOOK, THANK IT WAS JUST TO, AGAIN, ON THE, ON UM, 32, UM, THIS IS THE, UH, UH, THIS NEWSLETTER IS MAILED WHERE, UH, JOSHUA'S HS.
COUNTY PARKS TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
THIS IS THE NEWSLETTER THAT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT PUTS OUT QUARTERLY, UM, TELLS YOU ABOUT THE DIFFERENT, UM, HAPPENINGS FOR THAT QUARTER.
UH, WE HAVE AN EXTENSIVE MAILING LIST.
IT GOES, I COULDN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY RESIDENTS, BUT IT'S THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
SO IS IT, IT'S A COUNTYWIDE MAILING.
SO THE, THE NEWSLETTER IS SPECIFIC TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, BUT THE MAILING GOES OUT COUNTYWIDE.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A NEWSLETTER FROM PARKS THAT'S MAILED TO EVERY HOUSEHOLD FOUR TIMES A YEAR IN THE COUNTY.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S EVERY HOUSEHOLD.
IT'S A, IT'S, UM, A MAILING LIST WE'VE MAINTAINED THROUGH THE YEARS.
SO USUALLY AT A, AN EVENT OR A CONCERT, WE HAVE A, A SIGN IN SHEET AND WE OBTAINED THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES FROM THOSE SHEETS.
AND THE, DID, SO THIS, THIS COVERS JUST THE PRODUCTION OR THE ACTUAL MAIL? UH, THIS IS JUST THE PRODUCTION.
THE, THE MAILING WOULD BE SEPARATE.
SO IN JUST THE SIZE OF THE MAILING, WHAT'S THE ROUGH SIZE OF THAT, UH, LIST OR I WOULD, I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU.
JUST TO, SO IT'S A, IT'S, SO IT'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR FOUR NEWSLETTERS? UH, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR EIGHT, SINCE IT'S A TWO YEAR CONTRACT.
UH, AND ARE THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, IN, IN, IN HONOR OF MY GOOD FRIEND, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, ARE THE
AND I, I MEAN, I, I APPRECIATE IT AND I, AND I SAY THAT IN JEST, BUT I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THAT ANSWER MEANS BECAUSE LET ME, LET ME PULL, I, I DON'T HAVE THE NEWSLETTER IN FRONT OF ME.
LET ME, LET ME LOOK AT A, A RECENT NEWSLETTER AND SEE.
YEAH, I PROBABLY COULD ANSWER WHERE THE ANSWER IS NO.
SO, UM, OUR NAMES, YOUR HONOR, AND SOMETIMES OUR NAMES AREN'T, SOMETIMES IT JUST SAYS THE, THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, BUT THE PICTURE AND NAME OF OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS.
SO IF THERE, SO ALL I'M SAYING IS THE POLICY SHOULD BE CONSISTENT.
I I WILL CERTAINLY TAKE THAT BACK TO THE, UH, THE PARKS DIRECTOR.
I MEAN, AGAIN, THROUGH MR. PRESIDENT, AGAIN, I'LL BE WANTING TO BE CLEAR, LIKE I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE, THE, THE PICTURE AND THE NAME OF OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
HE SHOULD BE ON IT, BUT I JUST THINK THAT BETWEEN THE TWO BRANCHES, IT SHOULD BE CONSISTENT.
SO WE HAVE QUITE A FEW THINGS HERE THAT ARE LISTED.
UM, AND I, I APPRECIATE TAKE IT BACK, BUT THE PEOPLE YOU'RE TAKING BACK ARE ALSO AT THE TABLE RIGHT NOW.
SO I, I
WE LIKE TO REQUEST MAYBE A LITTLE INCLUSION.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, HOW DO YOU GET ON A MAILING LIST? I I, HOW DO YOU GET ON A MAILING LIST FOR THIS? SO, UH, JOSHUA'S, HSA COUNTY PARK.
SO, UH, LIKE I, LIKE I STATED, AT VARIOUS EVENTS WE DO HAVE SIGNUP SHEETS AND THEN PEOPLE, UM, LEAVE THEIR ADDRESSES AND CONTACT INFORMATION.
THEN WE DERIVE THE MAILING LIST FROM THAT, WHERE I'VE GONE TO SEVERAL EVENTS, LIKE SERIOUSLY JUST A SIGN UP.
SO, SO WHEN YOU GO TO A CONCERT, SAY, UH, BROOKDALE PARK CONCERT, THE COUNT, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ALWAYS HAS A TENT SET UP.
AND THEN THERE WE HAVE LITERATURE ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS AND THERE'S ALSO A SIGNUP SHEET THERE, A MAILING LIST SHEET.
MAYBE SIGNUP ISN'T THE CORRECT TERMINOLOGY, BUT A MAILING SHEET.
SO I'M GONNA SPEAK FOR THE WHOLE BOARD.
COMMISSIONER SIBO PROBABLY GETS IT
CAN YOU? SO WE, WE WILL DEFINITELY MAKE SURE, UM, ALL THE COMMISSIONERS RECEIVE THE NEWSLETTER WHEN IT'S PRINTED.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION IS HOW MANY PEOPLE THIS IS.
SO THIS ENTITY THAT'S VENDOR WRITES THE ENTIRE NEWSLETTER AND THEN YOU GUYS SEND IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE TO PRINT AND MAIL IT OUT? THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PAYING FOR.
SO WE, WE WOULD DERIVE THE TEXT, UM, IN-HOUSE AND WE WOULD SEND IT TO THIS, UM, THIS COMPANY TO, UH, TO PUT IT INTO A NEWSLETTER FORM WITH GRAPHICS, UM, AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND THEN IT WOULD BE SENT OUT TO PRINT.
UM, I'M, I'M THINKING ABOUT OUR MEETING THE OTHER DAY WITH COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON WITH THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION THINGS.
[02:15:01]
I THINK THERE'S SOME ITEMS THAT WE MAY NEED TO SAY, HEY, MAYBE THIS MAY BE SOME OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP SOME MORE SMALL PEOPLE.IF THIS IS THE ONLY PERSON THAT RESPONDED, UH, WELL THIS IS A 24 MONTH OPTION.
I'D HAVE TO GO BACK THREE YEARS AGO TO, TO SEE WHETHER THERE WAS OTHER RESPONSES.
SO THAT MEANS TOTAL, THIS WHOLE CONTRACT WOULD BE FIVE YEAR DURATION ALTOGETHER.
SO IT WAS A THREE YEAR INITIAL CONTRACT WITH A TWO YEAR OPTION.
ALL I DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD DO THAT, PLEASE.
SO I HAVE A MOVER FOR 30 TO 34.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER SIEBEL SECOND.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SERMONS ROLL CALL MATTER.
IF THEY PUT OUT A PICTURE ON
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
IT'S A, I HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT IT.
ABOUT WHAT COMMISSION? THIS NEWSLETTER? WELL, THE TIME IS NOT PASSED FOR THAT, BUT, UH, MR. ZAS, JOSH, COMMISSIONER SEABOLD IS A BIG FAN OF YOURS IS AS A QUESTION.
I THINK YOU CAN, YOU CAN ANSWER THAT.
ARE WE EMAILED THIS NEWSLETTER? UH, JOSHUA ATE HAS COUNTY PARKS.
I'M NOT SURE THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I KNOW IT'S PRINTED, BUT LET ME FIND OUT IF IT'S EMAILED AS WELL.
'CAUSE I THINK I GET IT, BUT I'M NOT SURE.
SO LET ME, LET ME TRIPLE CHECK.
35 AND 36 HAVE BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO 37 THROUGH 43 AND NUMBER 61, WHICH ARE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
AND THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER, UH, 37 AWARDS SCHROER PROPERTY SERVICES, A TWO YEAR CONTRACT TO PERFORM THE MECHANIZED STREET SWEEPING OF COUNTY ROADS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,366,000.
COUNTY ROADWAYS WILL CONTINUE TO BE SWEPT AS PER THE COUNTY'S STREET SWEEPING SCHEDULE, WHICH IS ABOUT 10,000 CURB LANE MILES PER YEAR.
THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS ROADWAY INSPECTORS WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT THE SWEEPING SERVICES ARE BEING PERFORMED AS PER CONTRACT.
UH, WE DO HAVE MR. JAMES TIERNAN OF SUGAR PROPERTY SERVICES.
HE WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE SUGAR SERVICES AND PERHAPS LET US KNOW MORE ABOUT THE SWEET SWEEPING PROGRAM.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD AND TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING UNDER THIS CONTRACT.
UH, HOW YOU DOING? MY NAME IS WILLIAM BERRY.
THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
HOW YOU DOING? UH, I WORKED FOR SGA FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
UH, THE STREETS WE SLEPT, HAD THE CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY FOR MANY OF THOSE YEARS I WORKED FOR THE COMPANY.
AND, UM, I GUESS THAT'S ABOUT IT.
ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, I WOULD HAVE A COUPLE.
MR. BECK, YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS FOR ME.
MR. MCINERNEY? ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
SO I WANNA KNOW, HOW DOES THIS WORK? YOU GUYS HAVE A LIST OF COUNTY ROADS THAT YOU SWEEP? YES.
THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY? YES.
UM, SO YOU SAID YOU HAVE INSPECTORS.
WHAT TIME ARE THOSE INSPECTORS OUT ON THE ROAD? I WORK OVERNIGHT AND I'M OUT THAT MIDNIGHT, TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING TIME.
WHAT TIME DO THE INSPECTORS GO OUT? UH, DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
THE COUNTY WORK INSPECTORS WORK FROM EIGHT O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING TO FOUR, UH, THE DAY AFTER.
THAT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SEE VISUALLY IF THE CURB LINE HAS BEEN CLEANED, IF IT'S BEEN SWEPT.
WE HAVE FOUR OF THEM THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY OF ETHICS, UH, TO DO MORE THAN OBSERVE FOR STREET SWEEPING, TO OBSERVE FOR OTHER KIND OF VIOLATIONS OF THE COUNTIES RIGHT AWAY OR ORDINANCES.
BUT YES, ONE THING THEY DO LOOK FOR IS WHETHER OR NOT THE STREET APPEARS HAVE BEEN SWEPT.
UH, YOU GO A WEEK OR TWO WITHOUT SWEEPING A ROADWAY, THERE WILL BE A LOT OF DEBRIS ACCUMULATED OF THE CATCH BASINS ON THE CURB LINE.
AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT TELL US ABOUT IT.
WHO DOES, DO YOU HAVE AN INSPECTOR THAT'S OUT DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOUR WHEN ON THE STREETS THAT DO LIKE THAT 2:00 AM TO 6:00 AM MIDNIGHT TO 6:00 AM TIME PERIOD? NO, THEY'RE DURING THE MORNINGS TO SEE THE ONLY IN THE MORNINGS, YES.
THEY LOOK FOR AFTER THE FACT, I MEAN, TO SEE IF IT WAS SWEPT.
SO NOBODY, YOU HAVE NOBODY TO INSPECT THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.
UH, WE, DAVID AND ANTONIO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
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UH, THERE WOULD BE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE WE, WHERE THERE WOULD BE OVERNIGHT INSPECTIONS THAT WOULD BE UTILITY WORK OCCURRING OVERNIGHT.UH, BUT STREET SWEEPING, UM, THE HOURS THAT ARE, LET'S SAY MIDNIGHT TO SIX IN THE MORNING, THE SWEEPER MAY NOT PASS BY TILL FIVE 30 IN THE MORNING.
SO IT WOULD BE INEFFECTIVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY WAITING FOR THE STREET SWEEPER TO PASS BY.
IT IS MORE EFFECTIVE TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THE ROAD WAS SWEPT A FEW HOURS AFTER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, COMMISSIONER SERMONS.
SO WHO DO WE CALL IF THE STREET ISN'T SWEPT? UH, ACTUALLY YOU CAN CALL THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, OUR MAIN OFFICE, THE MAIN PHONE NUMBER.
UH, AND TEST LET US KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND, UH, WE'LL HAVE TO, I INSPECT HER FOLLOW UP IMMEDIATELY.
AND IF THERE'S NO, IF APPEARS THAT THE ROAD WAS NOT SWEPT, WE'LL FINITELY CONTACT WALKER.
SO WHEN YOU COME THROUGH THE TOWNS, THAT'S THE COUNTY ROAD, LET'S JUST SAY CLINTON AVENUE FOR INSTANCE.
YEAH, I, IT'S THE POLICE IS THE TOWNSHIP POLICE, UH, TO WRITE THE TICKETS IF THE CARS AREN'T MOVED FOR STREET CLEANING.
SO, UH, DAVID AND TONY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, UH, THERE SHOULD BE IN PLACE A MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE PROHIBITING, UH, CURBSIDE PARKING TO ALLOW FOR THE STREET SWEEPING.
SO THE CARS ARE NOT BEING MOVED AND SWEET SWEEPING CANNOT OCCUR PROPERLY.
THAT WOULD BE AN ENFORCEMENT ISSUE.
WE, WE CANNOT ISSUE TRAFFIC TICKETS OR, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC VIOLATION TICKETS.
OUR INSPECTORS CANNOT DO THAT.
THEY CAN ONLY EXPECT TO WHETHER OR NOT THE ROAD WAS SWEPT.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER WAS, DO THE VENDOR COMMUNICATE BACK TO YOU IF THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THEIR JOB? LIKE THE CARS AREN'T MOVING? UH, YES, THEY DO ACTUALLY.
UH, THEY KEEP A LOG SHEET AND COMMUNICATE IT TO YOU.
WE PUT DOWN STREETS WHERE IT'S, PLEASE.
WHEN, WHEN YOU GUYS, HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
BECAUSE THIS MEETING HAS TO BE TRANSCRIBED EVERY TIME WE SWITCH SPEAKERS, YOU HAVE TO NAME, INTRODUCE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION, JUST YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD EVERY, AND THEN ANSWER THE QUESTION JUST SO THAT WHEN THEY RECORD THESE THINGS AND THEY TRANSCRIBE IT, THEY KNOW WHO'S SPEAKING.
YES, WE DO, UM, CHECK THE STREETS OR RIGHT DOWN THE STREETS WHEN THERE'S TOO MANY CARS ON CERTAIN BLOCKS, WHATEVER BLOCK THAT, IF THERE'S 10 CARS OR WHATEVER IT IS ON PACIFIC PACIFIC STREETS.
SO WE ONLY PAY THIS GROUP FOR MILES THAT THEY ACTUALLY SWEAT.
LIKE, SO SAY FOR AN EXAMPLE, IF THEY COME OUT TO SPRINGFIELD AVENUE AND IT'S A BUNCH OF CARS ON THERE AND THE CARS HAVE BEEN MOVED, THEY CAN'T CLEAN IT.
DO WE STILL PAY THEM FOR THAT TIME? FOR, FOR SHOWING UP? YES, WE DO ACTUALLY, BECAUSE THE ROAD THAT THE SHIPPING OCCURS, UH, UP TO THE VEHICLE, THE, THE SWEEPER GOES AROUND, IT CONTINUES TO SWEEP OUT THE CURB LINE.
UH, SO YES, WE GET INVOICED PER, UM, TIME.
THEY GO OUT THERE TO SWEEP A ROADWAY.
SO WE NEED TO FOLLOW UP WITH ENFORCEMENT IF, IF WE REQUIRE TO MOVE THE CAR OUTTA THE WAY.
A AND THEN DO Y'ALL, HOW DO YOU COMMUNICATE TO THE TA WITH THE TOWNS? LIKE, HEY, THE VENDOR SAID THEY WENT OUT, THEY CAN'T DO THEIR JOBS.
WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO PAY THEM.
WE GOT, WE WE NEED YOU GUYS TO DO THE ENFORCEMENT PART.
DAVID AND ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, WE GET REPORTS FROM THE COMMUNITY, WE GET REPORTS FROM THE VENDOR AND WE DO HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH THE TOWNS TOTAL PUBLIC WORKS AGENCIES AND IF AND IF HAVE TO WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS ABOUT THIS.
UM, JUST GOING BACK TO THE ENFORCEMENT.
SO WHO ENFORCES THE COUNTY ROAD, THE MUNICIPALITY OR THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S? DAVID ANTONIO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, THE ORDINANCES FOR, UH, STREET SWEEPING OR ANY KIND OF PROVISION OF PARKING ALONG THE COUNTY ROAD.
SO THAT'S BOTH LOCAL AND SHERIFFS CAN DO BOTH.
LOCAL POLICE AND SHERIFFS CAN DO BOTH.
SO, SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.
UM, IN THE NORTHWARD BROADWAY, WHICH IS A, A, A STRETCH OF, OF STREET THAT IS OFTEN NOT SWEPT BECAUSE OF CARS NOT MOVING.
UM, SO WHAT HAPPENS AFTERWARDS? UH, IS NEWARK PD OR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT CONTACTED FOR ENFORCEMENT OF THE ORDINANCE? DAVID AND TONY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS? IF, UM, IF THAT IS THE CASE, UH, THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE COMMUNICATION FROM, UH, WITH THE AGENCIES THAT CAN HELP US SWEEP THE ROADWAY THAT BEGINS BY THEM ENSURING THROUGH ENFORCEMENT, ENSURING THAT THE CURRENT PLAN'S AVAILABLE TO BE SWEPT.
UH, IF THAT IS NOT HAPPENING, WE CAN DEFINITELY, UH, FOLLOW UP WITH, YOU KNOW, WITH THE PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN STREET SWEEPING.
UH, BUT YOU MENTIONED PARTICULAR ROADWAYS.
UH, I JUST GAVE AN EXAMPLE OF, OF BROADWAY IN THE NORTH WARD.
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OF A ROADWAY THAT, UM, VERY OFTEN IS NOT SWEPT BECAUSE A LOT OF CARS DON'T MOVE.IT'S A BUSINESS AREA AND THEY JUST DON'T MOVE.
SO DOES THE PROVIDER NOTIFY THE COUNTY? THE COUNTY NOTIFY? YES.
UH, WILLIAM BERRY, UM, BROADWAY, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IS ONE OF THE BEST AREAS BECAUSE, UH, WE HAVE TO GO, YES, WE HAVE TO GO WITH A TRAFFIC AGENT THAT WRITES TICKETS ON BROADWAY.
BROADWAY IS ACTUALLY DONE DURING THE DAYTIME.
SO WE GO WITH TRAFFIC AGENTS IN NEWARK IN PARTICULAR TO TICKET ON THEM PARTICULAR STREETS.
LET'S TAKE ANOTHER COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AND THEN LET'S MOVE ON.
UH, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, LET'S COME TO YOU FIRST.
SO TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS THEY'LL GET TICKETED AND TOLD IN SOME INSTANCES.
DEPENDS ON WHERE, BECAUSE I KNOW IF THEY COME ON WHEN THEY COME ON MY STREET, THEY DON'T JUST TAKE IT.
THEY TOW, THEY SHOULD BE DOING THE SAME THING EVERYWHERE.
IT SHOULD BE UNIFORM, MY OPINION.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
UM, I, I'M, I'M TRYING TO GET THIS ISSUE ADDRESSED.
UM, MR. JACKSON AND I HAVE HAD SOME INTIMATE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS TOPIC.
UM, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS THE BEST TIME THAT WE COULD BE MOST EFFECTIVE WITH STREET SWEEPING? IS IT THE OVERNIGHT? 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, IN MY TOWN WE HAVE OVERNIGHT HOURS, RIGHT? BUT THEN I NOTICED IN SOME OTHER TOWNS THEY HAVE DAYTIME STREET SWEEPING HOURS, WHICH WOULD BE BETTER SO THAT WE CAN HELP YOU.
I THINK WE HAVE TO HELP YOU WITH THE ENFORCEMENT PIECE SO THAT YOU CAN DO, SO THAT YOU CAN DO YOUR JOB.
UH, DEPUTY ANTONIO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, UH, THE REASON WHY THERE'S DIFFERENT HOURS FOR DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTY HAS TO DO WITH, UH, THE CONTEXT OF WHAT IS ALONG THOSE CURBS, RIGHT? RIGHT.
IT'S THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
YOU SEE PEOPLE WHO WORK DAYTIME AND NEED TO HAVE CURBS AT PARKING FOR THE CARS OVERNIGHT.
IS THAT COMMERCIAL? IS IT THAT COMMERCIAL DISTRICT WHERE THERE IS NO CARS PARKED ALONG THE CURB LINE? UH, SO THAT END, THAT, THAT QUESTION REQUIRES A LITTLE BIT OF ANALYSIS ON MY END, I AND PUBLIC WORKS.
UH, UNLESS WILLIAM HAS SOME KNOWLEDGE BASED ON EXPERIENCE DOING STREET SWEEPING.
LIKE I SAID, THAT QUESTION WOULD REQUIRE US TO DO SOME, DOING SOME DO SOME THINKING AS TO WHAT WOULD MAKE MOST SENSE AS FAR AS, UH, BEING MORE EFFECTIVE STREET SWEEPING.
SO, MR. PRESIDENT, I'M ASKING IF WE CAN DO SOME THINKING, BECAUSE I KNOW IN MY TOWN AND SOME OF THE TOWNS THAT I REPRESENT, THE CARS AREN'T MOVING FOR THEM.
I'VE BEEN OUT THERE AND HAVE SEEN THE STREET SWEEPER AND THE CARS JUST AREN'T MOVING.
AND THEN OUR CONSTITUENTS COMPLAIN THAT IT'S DIRTY, IT'S FILTHY.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE CARS THAT DON'T MOVE.
I KNOW RECENTLY IN MY TOWN WE TOWED A CAR.
I LOOKED ON GOOGLE MAP, THE CAR HAD BEEN IN THE SAME PLACE FOR FOUR YEARS AND HAD NOT MOVED, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO COVID, WHEN YOU LOOKED ON A CO ON A GOOGLE EARTH MAP, THE THE, THAT SAME CAR WAS THERE IN 2022.
AND SO I'M, I'M INTERESTED IN HELPING HOW WE CAN BE BETTER AND MORE EFFECTIVE BECAUSE WE'RE SPENDING THE MONEY.
THIS IS A, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THIS VENDOR.
AND IF THEY'RE GOING OUT THERE TO DO THE WORK AND THEY'RE STILL GETTING PAID, WHETHER THEY'RE SWEEPING OR NOT, WE'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
BECAUSE IF NOT, NOTHING'S GONNA CHANGE.
SO, MR. JACKSON, CAN WE GET, UH, THROUGH YOUR OFFICE A REPORT OF WHERE THESE TROUBLED AREAS ARE SO WE CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, TRY TO ENCOURAGE MORE ENFORCEMENT? I, IN BLOOMFIELD, WE, YOU CAN'T HAVE A CAR MORE THAN 20, 48 HOURS AFTER 48 HOURS IS CONSIDERED ABANDONED.
AND THEREFORE WE DON'T HAVE A CAR SITTING THERE FOR FOUR YEARS.
SO THERE'S A HIGH TURNOVER AND CLEANING IS DONE, UH, DURING THE DAY.
'CAUSE I DON'T THINK WE, WE DON'T HAVE AN OVERNIGHT, UH, NO PARKING ISSUE, YOU KNOW? 'CAUSE IT'S, WE'RE TOO CONGESTED.
SO I SUGGEST THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT, UH, DEALT WITH DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT PARTS DEPENDING ON THE NATURE OF THE MUNICIPALITY.
SO, MR. ANTONIO, TO MR. JACKSON'S OFFICE, I THINK THAT IT'S INCUMBENT ON YOU TO TELL US WHERE THE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES ARE.
SO THEN MAYBE WE CAN DRAW A PLAN OF ACTION THAT MAYBE WE CAN SUPPORT THAT PLAN OF ACTION.
I, THE, THE CONTRACT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THE ISSUE.
IT SEEMS TO BE THE, THE IMPEDIMENT TO THE CONTRACT, UH, OBLIGATION BEING MET IN CERTAIN AREAS WHERE CARS AREN'T BEING MOVED AND ENFORCEMENT ISN'T ENOUGH.
I'M SURE IF YOU GET YOUR CAR TICKETED AND TOWED A COUPLE TIMES, YOU'D BE MORE VIGILANT ABOUT IT.
SO WHY DON'T WE DO THAT, MR. JACKSON? IF YOU CAN, UH, CERTAIN DO THAT.
THANK I AGREE WHOLEHEARTED, MR. PRESIDENT.
I JUST ALSO WANTED TO ADD, AND I DON'T KNOW IF, UM, AGAIN, NO, NO ISSUE WITH THE, THE CONTRACT OR THE CONTRACT, BUT JUST WOULD, UM, ALSO SUGGEST THAT, UM, IN MANY OF OUR, UH, URBAN CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY NOW UM, BUSES ARE EQUIPPED WITH, UM, AI TECHNOLOGY THAT, UM, AUTOMATES THOSE TICKETS RIGHT FROM, SO WHEN A, SO WHEN A, SO WHEN A,
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UM, WHEN A BUS IS PARKED, UH, SORRY.WHEN A CAR IS PARKED AT A BUS STOP, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS VERY ANTI CREATIVE PROCESS WHERE WE CALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, SOMEBODY COMES OUT THE CAMERA RECORDS THE PLATE, AND YOU GET THE TICKET.
UM, AND THE SAME THING COULD ACTUALLY BE DONE FOR OUR STREET SWEEPING, LIKE THE STREET SWEEPERS COULD EASILY EQUIPPED WITH THAT TECHNOLOGY.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE SHOW GROUP IS LOOKING AT IT, BUT IF THEY'RE NOT, THEY ABSOLUTELY SHOULD AND WOULD ENCOURAGE, UM, THE ADMINISTRATION AND OUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO, UM, UH, IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS, UH, WITH THE SCHROER GROUP, BECAUSE THAT WILL SOLVE THIS ISSUE FAIRLY QUICKLY.
I KNOW LICENSE PLATE READERS IN MY AREA PICK UP CARS THAT ARE UNREGISTERED AND WANT TO, FOR WHATEVER REASON, AND THEY DEALT WITH THE, THE CAMERA IS RIGHT EQUIPPED ON THE STREET SHEET MACHINE TAKES A PICTURE OF THE LICENSE PLATE AND IT'S IMMEDIATELY, UM, PROCESSED FOR 18.
ALRIGHT, SO WE HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION.
THANK YOU, SIR, FOR COMING TO REPRESENTATIVE SHAW.
UH, DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 38 ALLOWS FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND INSTALLATION OF BUILDING ACCESS CONTROL AND SECURITY SYSTEM EQUIPMENT ON A COUNTYWIDE AND AS NEEDED BASIS BY AWARDING SIGNAL ELECTRIC CORPORATION, A TWO YEAR CONTRACT IN AN AMOUNT ELECTRIC SEAT, $159,600.
UH, THIS CONTRACT WILL COVER THE NEEDED REPAIR AND NEW INSTALLATION OF ITEMS SUCH AS ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCKS, CART ACCESS SYSTEMS, AND SECURITY CAMERA AS THROUGH OTHER COUNTY COUNTIES, VARIOUS BUILDINGS.
ITEM NUMBER 39 AWARDS A TWO YEAR CONTRACT TO NATIONAL DUST CONTROL SERVICES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $108,599 TO PROVIDE THE RENTAL AND CLEANING OF 136 VARIOUS SIZED MATS FOR VARIOUS ESSEX COUNTY BUILDINGS.
NATIONAL DUST CONTROL SERVICES CORPORATION SUBMITTED THE SOLE BID RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY OF ESSEX, AND ITEM NUMBER 40 WILL ALLOW FOR THE PURCHASE OF TWO NEW COUGAR ULTRALIGHT VOLUME SPRAYERS BY AWARDING CLARK MOSQUITO CONTROL A CONTRACT IN AN AMOUNT THAT TO EXCEED $56,982.
CLARK MOSQUITO CONTROL PRODUCTS MUST THE SO BITTER TO THIS PUBLICLY ADVERTISED OPPORTUNITY.
THESE TRUCK BED MOUNTED SPRAYERS WERE USED BY THE DIVISION OF MOSQUITO CONTROL FOR THE APPLICATION OF AEROSOLIZED MOSQUITO ADULTICIDE, WHICH KILLS THE MOSQUITOES ON CONTACT AS THEY FLY THROUGH ITS MIST.
THIS PURCHASE IS FULLY FUNDED BACK, RAN FROM THE N-J-T-E-P ITEM NUMBER 41 IS THE AWARD OF A NEGOTIATED CONTRACT TO A LA TORE CORPORATION TO FURNISH AND DELIVER 18 MTECH COMPOSITE MATS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $28,449.
THESE SPECIALIZED MAT ARE USED TO PROVIDE HEAVY VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT SUPPORT AS THEY AXIS ONTO AREAS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE DAMAGED BY TIRES OR TRACKS.
OFFSET VEHICLES SUCH AS LAWNS, PARKS, WETLANDS, RIVER BEDS, AND ALSO PROTECTS THE EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES FROM SINKING AND JAM TOMATO MARSHES.
ITEM NUMBER 42 AWARDS READY CARE LLCA TWO YEAR CONTRACT TO FURNISH FIRST EIGHT PRODUCTS AND EQUIPMENT IN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 11,500 $624.
READY CARE LLC WAS THE SOLE BID TO THIS PUBLICLY ADVERTISED OPPORTUNITY.
THESE FIRST EIGHT SUPPLIES ARE CAPPED AT VARIOUS DPW FACILITIES WHERE EMPLOYEES WORK, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH HEAVY MACHINERY POWER TOOLS OR PERFORM AUTOMOTIVE REPAIRS IN ORDER FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO REMAIN OSHA COMPLIANT.
AND ITEM NUMBER 43 MODIFIES THE CURRENT CONTRACT WITH MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL TO PERFORM THE DESIGN ENGINEERING REQUIRED FOR THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND ITS, WHICH IS INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM DEPLOYMENT ALONG CENTRAL AVENUE BY INCREASING ITS NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT BY $75,000 TO A NEW TOTAL, NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $381,579.
THESE, THIS CHANGE ORDER RESULTS FROM ADDITIONAL ENGINEERING AND SURVEYING, WHICH WAS REQUIRED TO SATISFY N-J-D-O-T REVIEW COMMENTS OF THE PLANS AND, UH, AND THEIR REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL
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RIGHT OF WAY PLANS.UH, THIS PROJECT ENCOMPASSES THE FULL LENGTH OF CENTRAL AVENUE FROM, UM, AL KAY NEWARK ALL THE WAY TO VALLEY STREET IN, UH, IN ORANGE, AND INCLUDES 38 SIGNAL S INTERSECTIONS.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PROJECT IS ESTIMATED TO BE OVER $4.1 MILLION AND IT WILL BE GRANT FUNDED AND ITEM NUMBER 61 AWARDS, A B CONTRACTING THE CONTRACT TO CONSTRUCT THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK BOARDWALK AT THE TURTLEBACK SUIT IN AN AMOUNT THAT YOU EXCEED $1,345,884.
THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK BOARDWALK PROJECT FEATURES NEW 10 FOOT WIDE BOARDWALK AND A DECK SYSTEM THAT WILL CONNECT THE AMAZING ASIA EXHIBIT TO THE PETTING SEW AREA.
THE DECKING WILL BE A COMPOSITE BOARD SYSTEM TO ELIMINATE THE CHANCES OF SPLINTERS AND REDUCE MAINTENANCE.
THE SECONDARY DECK WILL ALLOW VISITORS TO STOP AND LOOK AT THE AUSTRALIA EXHIBIT, AS WELL AS THE AMAZING ASIA EXHIBIT NEAR THE TOP.
A CONCRETE PLAZA WILL CONNECT THE AMAZING ASIA EXHIBIT TO THE PREHISTORIC PLAYGROUND, THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK AND THE PADDING SUIT.
THE CONCRETE PLAZA WILL HAVE MULTIPLE POINTS OF VIEW OF THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK EXHIBIT AND PLENTY OF SEATING FOR VISITORS.
THERE WILL BE NEW WAVE FINDING AND EDUCATIONAL SIGNAGE, UM, TO HELP VISITORS EDUCATE THEMSELVES ABOUT THE ANIMALS AND THEIR HABITATS.
AND WITHIN THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK EXHIBIT, THERE'S, UH, GONNA BE NEW SHADE STRUCTURES AND THERE'LL BE NEW LANDSCAPING IRRIGATION, UH, NEW WALKWAYS, ALL PART OF THE CONTRACT A AND B CONTRACTING SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE FIVE BITS RECEIVED, AND THIS CONTRACT WILL LAST 120 DAYS.
MR. ANDREW BE OF AB CONTRACTING HERE THIS EVENING TO INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY AND PERHAPS TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE PROJECT ITSELF.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD AND TELL US ABOUT WHAT THE WORK YOU WOULD BE DOING IF THIS WERE TO MOVE FORWARD.
ANDREW BUP WITH AB CONTRACTING.
UM, WE'VE BUILT A FEW PROJECTS FOR THE COUNTY BEFORE, UM, ANOTHER ONE AT THE, UH, TURTLEBACK ZOO AND ONE IN CEDAR GROVE.
UM, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND WE THINK WE'LL DO A GOOD JOB FOR YOU.
WHERE ARE YOU BASED? HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY? UH, OUR OFFICE IS AT, UH, WHARTON.
AND DO YOU EMPLOY ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS WHILE YOU'RE DOING WORK HERE, SINCE YOU'VE DONE A COUPLE OF PROJECTS ALREADY? UH, ACTUALLY ALL OF OUR PEOPLE ARE, UH, ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS.
A FEW IN NEWARK, SOME IN WEST ORANGE.
UH, WHILE WE HAVE THE VENDOR HERE, COMM UH, MR. PARLOVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? NOT OF THE VENDOR.
UM, MR. MR. ARY FOR THE VENDOR? NO, NO QUESTION.
ALRIGHT, UH, QUESTIONS ON 37 TO 43 AND 61.
UH, MR. ANTONIO ON 61, THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK.
UH, CAN YOU AGAIN TELL, TELL US WHERE THAT'S LOCATED OR WILL BE LOCATED IN THE, OR MAYBE I, I SEE, UH, SOMEBODY IN THE BACK WHO MIGHT HAVE FUN IDEA.
MY WIFE'S A LITTLE MAD AT ME, SO I'M GONNA STAY A LITTLE EXTRA.
UM, THE AUSTRALIAN, UH, THE PROJECT, UH, MR. ANTONIO ALLUDED TO IS, UM, IS, IT'S GOING IN THE SAME SPOT THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN AUSTRALIAN EXHIBIT.
UM, IT'S BETWEEN, UH, WHAT WE CALL AMAZING ASIA AND THE PETTING ZOO AREA.
SO IT JUST EXPAND UPON THAT, BUT IT'S WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE ZOO.
AND, UM, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GONNA ASK.
WILL THIS BE GOING INTO ANY WOODED AREA, UH, CURRENTLY WOODED AREA OR, UM, UH, JOSHUA SAY PARKS, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT NOW.
ANY QUESTIONS ON 37 TO 43 AND 61? SEEING NONE, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, 61 IS A LITTLE BETTER THAN THE, UH, COMMISSIONER PATRICIA SEABOLD EXHIBIT THAT WAS DEDICATED TO HER, SO IT COULD LOOK NICE.
WE WILL THANK YOU OUT FOR YOUR PAT MOTION.
WE HAVE A MOTION ALREADY ON THE FLOOR BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK 37 TO 43 AND 61.
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COOPER? YES.LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, NUMBER RESOLUTIONS 44 AND 45, WHICH ARE IN THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING, AND THEY'LL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
DO WE ACTUALLY HEAR FROM MR. COLT? NOW? I'M NOT HERE.
WE, WE HAVEN'T BEEN HERE ALL NIGHT, BE HERE.
ALL PHYSICALLY ANNUAL OMNI, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF FOUR 40 MILLION AFTER THE LIST OF ALL THE CO-OPS AND MANDATES.
STATE CONTRACTS WE EXPENDED LAST YEAR, $20,000,824 AND WAIT EIGHT $20,824,151 AND 51 CENTS.
UH, THIS IS ALLOWING US TO UTILIZE THE OMNIBUS TO APPROVE, UH, REQUISITIONS FROM THE DEPARTMENTS.
WE DO NOT SPEND IN THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING ANY OF THIS MONEY, AND IT DOESN'T COME OUT OF THE PURCHASING BUDGET.
WE DO APPROXIMATELY 40 TO 50,000 REQUISITIONS.
AND IF THIS IS NOT AWARDED, WE WOULD BE HERE PROBABLY UNTIL TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK.
AWARDING ALL THE CONTRACTS THAT WE, WE, YOU ALLOW ME TO AWARD.
45 IS A NAME CHANGE TO PROVIDE FOR TRAFFIC AND SIGNALS, ROAD ROAD IMPROVEMENTS FROM TREK TECHNOLOGY TO TIFFANY ELECTRIC.
IT'S JUST MARRYING ONE SECTION OF A COMPANY TO THE OTHER, AND THE NEW NAME WILL BE TIFFANY ELECTRIC.
MR. PARVE, ANY QUESTIONS ON 44 AND 45? YEAH, UH, ON 44, IT'S THE QUESTION OR, OR MAYBE A PART COMMENT ON THE, UH, OMNIBUS JAY.
CAN WE JUST, JUST TO GO THROUGH THAT A LITTLE BIT.
WE, WE'VE SET THE BOARD THAT IS, HAS SET A MINIMUM OR A MAXIMUM AMOUNT, UH, OR CONTRACT AMOUNT THAT YOU CAN USE, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE OMNIBUS.
AT ONE POINT, IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN 50,000, I THINK IT'S A HUNDRED, IT'S 175,000.
SO IF RECENTLY A DEPARTMENT WANTED TO BUY A, A TRUCK OR SOMETHING AND IT'S UNDER THE $175,000 THRESHOLD, THIS OMNIBUS ALLOWS US TO PURCHASE IT UNDER ONE OF THE STATE CONTRACTS OR CO-OPS.
THAT'S WHAT I, THAT WAS WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY NEXT.
IT'S, YOU UTILIZE THE STATE CONTRACTS, THINGS WHERE, UH, IT HAS ALREADY BEEN BID, BUT THROUGH A STATE CONTRACT OR THROUGH, UH, SOME OTHER PORTAL.
THE UNDER THE STATE, EXCUSE ME, ALLOWS, GOES OUT FOR BID, LET'S SAY FOR VARIOUS VEHICLES OR ANY OTHER COMMODITY THAT THEY WOULD, THE STATE WOULD NEED.
THEY GO THROUGH THE NORMAL BIDDING PROCESS AND WE ARE ALLOWED TO USE IT.
SAME THING WITH ALL THE CO-OPS THAT WE BELONG TO.
WE PROBABLY BELONG TO EVERY CO-OP IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
AND IF THE DEPARTMENT NEEDS SOMETHING, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO GO UTILIZE THAT, SEND THE REQUISITION THROUGH MY OFFICE AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY STILL HAVE TO COMPLY WITH ALL THE REG REGULATIONS THAT THAT BIDDING CO-OP WENT OUT FOR.
THAT'S WHY LOTS OF TIMES THEY DO NOT ATTACH THE ADDITIONAL PAPERWORK THAT'S NEEDED.
AND THAT'S WHERE I GET MY WONDERFUL REPUTATION OF NO, THAT, THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO CLARIFY.
EVEN THOUGH ESSEX COUNTY ISN'T NECESSARILY DOING THE PAPERWORK OF THE BID AND THE ADVERTISEMENT, IT HAS COMPLIED WITH THE LOCAL PUBLIC CONTRACTS LAW THROUGH EITHER THE STATE PROCESS OR THE, UH, ONE OF THE CO-OPS CORRECT.
THAT YOU KINER ANY QUESTIONS? 44 45? WELL, JUST TO COMMENT, UH, THE FACT THAT ALL OF THESE VENDORS THROUGH EITHER THE COOPERATIVES OR THE STATE, THEY'VE BEEN VETTED AND ARE QUALIFIED, UM, BASED ON THEIR REPRESENTATIONS, BASED ON THAT WHOLE PROCESS.
IF WE DIDN'T DO THIS, THE OMNIBUS, WE WOULD, WE WOULD BE HERE MUCH LATER THAN NORMAL.
WHAT TIMES? BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF CONTRACTS THAT PASS THROUGH THE COUNTY IS, UM, QUITE SIGNIFICANT AND WE ONLY SEE A SMALL PART OF THEM, THE ONES THAT HAVE TO COME BEFORE US.
UH, SO THIS IS AN IMPORTANT WAY TO NOT ONLY, UH, ALLOW THE BOARD TO FUNCTION ON THE MORE IMPORTANT, UH, CONTRACTS AND ISSUES, BUT ALSO TO EXPEDITE THE, UH, PURCHASE PRODUCTS AND, UH, SERVICES.
I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON 44 45? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
I THINK YOU SAID YOU SPENT 21 MILLION LAST YEAR.
[02:45:01]
DO WE NEED TO DOUBLE IT? YOU, YOU'VE ONLY SPENT 21 MILLION.THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING DOESN'T KNOW WHAT A DEPARTMENT MAY NEED.
SO THEY MAY GO OUT AND SAY, WE NEED A NEW LIFT TRUCK AT $150,000.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH AVAILABLE FUNDS THAT WE CAN UTILIZE AND REMEMBER THIS, IT'S THE AVAILABLE FUNDS OF THE DEPARTMENT.
YOU ARE NOT, I AM NOT SPENDING $40 MILLION.
I AM JUST SEEING IF THESE OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THEIR BUDGET ARE ALLOWED TO SPEND IT.
MY CONCERN IS THIS, WE'VE ONLY SPENT, UH, $21 MILLION AND FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO THROUGH THIS, THROUGH $175,000, I GET THAT.
IT'S THROUGH THE STATE CONTRACT, UM, OR CO-OP.
SO WE'RE NOT SEEING ALL OF THESE.
THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY ALREADY.
THE $20 MILLION AND NOW WE'RE DOUBLING IT.
ONE OF OUR BIGGEST JOBS AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, AND I GET WE WOULD HAVE TO SIT HERE LONGER, IS THE CHECKS AND BALANCES WITH THE SPENDING AND THE BUDGET.
SO MY CONCERN IS THE DOUBLING OF IT.
IF THE PRESIDENT HAS ONLY BEEN TO 21 MILLION THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, THIS WAS THE SAME AWARD AS LAST YEAR.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH AUTHORIZATION.
YOU ARE AUTHORIZING ME TO ALLOW THE DEPARTMENTS TO SPEND THEIR BUDGET THROUGH THE OMNIBUS.
IT IS NOT THAT I, SOMEONE'S SPENDING THIS MONEY, THIS $40 MILLION IS NOT REAL MONEY BECAUSE UNTIL THE DEPARTMENT GETS A INVOICE OR A REQUISITION THAT THEY'RE BUYING SOMETHING, THEN I WOULD APPROVE IT AS LONG AS IT COMPLIES WITH ALL THE STATE REGULATIONS.
AND THEN THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE MONEY WITHIN THEIR BUDGET TO UTILIZE IT.
WHAT IS THE CURRENT NUMBER THAT WE APPROVED LAST YEAR FOR THE, I DON'T, I I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER.
I THINK MR.
BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN YOU SAID MEETING TALKING YOU SAID WAS AN INCREASE, IT'S NOT AN INCREASE.
I THOUGHT IT WENT FROM 20 MILLION TO YOU WEREN'T INCREASING IT.
MAYBE IT WAS AN INCREASE OVER WHAT WE ACTUALLY SPENT.
I UNDERSTOOD IT TO BE FOR MY PURPOSE AS A CLARIFICATION OF LEADERSHIP, I UNDERSTOOD IT TO BE THAT LAST YEAR WE SPENT ABOUT THE 21 MILLION AND THAT THE 40 MILLION CEILING WAS THE SAME LAST YEAR.
IT'S A CUSHION THERE THAT WE HAVE.
NO, THAT, THAT WASN'T MY TAKEAWAY.
MY TAKEAWAY WAS WE ONLY, WE SPENT, WE APPROVED IT FOR 20, WE SPENT 21.
WE WANTED TO INCREASE IT SO THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THAT CUSHION IN THE LAST ASK THE QUESTION WE'RE USING MR. PRESIDENT IN THE FIRST YEARS, WHICH IS NOW ALMOST 10 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN DOING THIS, WE HAVE INCREASED IT BECAUSE OF THE COST OF ITEMS, ET CETERA.
SO WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA COME IN NEXT YEAR OR WHAT'S THE COST OF BECAUSE OF INFLATION OR WHATEVER.
AND WE'RE JUST HEDGING OUR BET TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS SO WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN.
AND MR. PRESIDENT, I, I THINK IN THOSE EARLY YEARS, AND MAYBE EVEN BEFORE YOU, JAY, IT USED TO BE MAYBE THERE WAS 5 MILLION AND WE WOULD UP IT EVERY QUARTER.
YES, IT WOULD COME BACK QUARTERLY, SIR.
I WAS GONNA SAY IT WAS MR. MAC OR MAYBE MORE THAN THAT.
IT WAS DONE EITHER QUARTERLY OR SEMI-ANNUALLY, SEMI-ANNUAL.
AND, AND THEN WE WOULD SEE THIS A COUPLE TIMES A YEAR.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING, THAT THIS IS MORE OR LESS JUST ALL UPFRONT AS OPPOSED TO BROKEN DOWN TO VARIOUS PERIODIC, UH, AUTHORIZATIONS OF THE SAME BILL, THE SAME OMNIBUS.
THE EXPENDITURES ARE VETTED BY THE FACT THAT DURING OUR, UH, UPCOMING AUDIT THAT WE HAVE, NOT AUDIT, I GUESS, BUT OUR BUDGET REVIEWS AND, AND THE, UH, HEARINGS THAT WE HAVE, THE BUDGETS ARE DEPARTED, ARE, ARE BUDGETED.
THE DEPARTMENTS ARE BUDGETED ACCORDINGLY.
SO THEY'RE NOT SPENDING ANY MORE MONEY.
THIS IS JUST THE AMOUNT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO AUTHORIZE WITHIN WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED.
THIS IS JUST AN AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE.
YOU STILL HAVE TO HAVE THE FUNDS AVAILABLE IN THE BUDGET LINE ITEMS. THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
THIS IS AN AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE, JUST LIKE ANY AUTHORIZATION THAT WE PROVIDE THROUGH THE NORMAL COURSE OF OUR AGENDA.
BUT, SO THIS IS JUST A DIFFERENT WAY OF AUTHORIZING IT.
SO IT DOESN'T COME I, I THOUGHT IN THE LEADERSHIP VIEW.
I I, NO, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I, I, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS ON 44 45, YOU HAVE A MOVER? NO, SIR.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MERCADO.
[02:50:01]
DEPUTY CLARK ON 44 AND 45.COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO 46, WHICH IS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR.
AND THAT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THIS IS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR RESOLUTION APPROVED PARTICIPATION WITH THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAM.
UH, THIS IS TO SUPPORT THE OPERATION OF THE RESPONSE TEAM.
EXAMINATION PROGRAM FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS IS VS OH SEVEN DASH 23 FOR A PERIOD OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2024 TO SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.
UH, THIS PROGRAM ALSO CONTINUES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF PARTICIPATION OF NURSE EXAMINERS CONTINUED SERVICES AT HOSPITAL SITES FOR VIC, UH, SITES FOR PEDIATRIC VICTIMS, EXPANDABILITY TO SERVE NON FATAL STRANGULATION VICTIMS NURSE MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT, INCLUDING AND SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT.
THIS IS AN IN-KIND MATCH OF $55,677 THROUGH WAGES, SALARIES, AND FRINGE BENEFITS.
MR. PARLO, I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
MOVE MY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND BY, UH, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
DEPUTY CLERK NUMBER FORTY SEVEN FORTY SIX.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 47 THROUGH 54 AND ADDING STARTER 62 AND 63, ALL OF WHICH ARE COUNTY BUDGET INSERTIONS OF ITEMS OF REVENUE FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.
THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON, UH, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THIS IS THE FIRST ONE IS FROM THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH, THE AMOUNT OF $1,757,705.
THIS IS TO ORGANIZE, IMPLEMENT, AND TO MONITOR PROGRAMS FOR SERVICES FOR ESTES COUNTY RESIDENTS WITH ALCOHOL AND DRUG RELATED IS ISSUES.
IT REQUIRES A MATCH OF $279,380, WHICH WILL MEET THROUGH, UH, SALARY AND WAGES.
UH, ITEM 48 IS, UM, GRANT GOING TO THE, UH, OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF IN THE AMOUNT OF $326,943 AND 72 CENTS.
THIS IS TO, UH, FOR PROJECTS THAT WILL BUILD, MAINTAIN, AND SUSTAIN OUR ABILITY TO, UH, RESPOND TO, UH, INCIDENTS OF TERRORISM.
UM, THIS, THESE FUNDS ARE USED FOR SPECIAL EQUIPMENT, UH, AND THERE'S NO, UH, COUNTY MATCH ITEM 49.
ALSO WITH THE OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF, THE AMOUNT OF $234,000.
THIS IS TO IMPLEMENT THE NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND NATURAL RESPONSE FRAMEWORK.
UM, AND, UH, THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCH FOR THIS ONE EITHER.
UH, ITEM 50, UH, IS WITH THE, UH, THE NURSE EXAMINER GRANT PROGRAM THROUGH THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR.
THE AMOUNT OF $222,709 ON THIS CO CORRESPOND TO ITEM 46 EARLIER THAT WE HAD, UH, FOR A BUDGET INSERTION.
AND THERE IS AN IN KIND MATCH OF $55,677, WHICH ARE, WHICH IS MET THROUGH SALARY, WAGES, AND, UH, AND BENEFITS.
ITEM 51, UH, IS GOING TO THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK.
THIS IS FOR, UH, AN AMOUNT OF $341,934 AND 50 CENTS.
UH, THIS IS FOR THE 2024 SPECIAL GENERAL ELECTION EARLY VOTING GRANT.
UM, UH, FOR THE, UH, SEPTEMBER, THIS DISTRICT 10, UH, SPECIAL ELECTION, UM, ITEM 52, ALSO GOING TO THE COUNTY CLERK, UH, $57,941 AND 42 CENTS FOR THE, UH, DISTRICT 10 SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION ON JUNE 4TH, 2024.
UH, ITEM 53, UH, GOING TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, UH, REIMBURSEMENT AND THE AMOUNT OF $1,045,731 AND 46 CENTS.
AND THIS IS FOR THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 10 SPECIAL GENERAL ELECTION ON SEPTEMBER 18TH.
UH, ITEM 54, UH, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $16,114 AND 68 CENTS.
UH, AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE 2024 SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION.
UH, AS I SAID, GOING TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
[02:55:01]
62, UM, IS GOING TO THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH MANAGEMENT, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $168,049.THIS IS FUNDING TO, UH, FOR ACCELERATED PREVENTION PREPAREDNESS IN, IN RESPONSE TO EMERGING HEALTH THREATS.
UM, AND THERE'S NO, UH, COUNTY MATCH ITEM 63, ALSO GOING TO THE, GOING TO DIVISION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $24,330.
THIS FUNDING WILL ALLOW THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH TO ATTEND 2025 COMMUNITY.
ANDY DRUG COALITION OF AMERICA NATIONAL LEADERSHIP FORUM, FEBRUARY 3RD THROUGH FEBRUARY 6TH, 2025.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE? UH, THOSE ITEMS? NO QUESTION.
NO QUESTIONS, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS.
MOVE BY COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, 47 TO 54 62 AND 63.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 55 THROUGH 60 AND ALSO 65 AND 66, WHICH ARE A MEMORIAS COMMENDATIONS, PROCLAMATIONS RESOLUTIONS.
THEY'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE? SEEAND? I HAVE A MOTION.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
DEPUTY CLERK AND DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GI? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RE RESOLUTION 64, WHICH, UH, WILL BE RIGHT INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
THIS IS FOR THE OFFICE OF COUNT, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL.
MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THAT'S THE SETTLED LAST MEETING.
I, I TOLD YOU I'D BE BACK WITH A SETTLEMENT OF THIS, UH, CONTRACT WITH, UH, PBA LOCAL 180 3.
IT'S BEFORE YOU NOW FOR, FOR THE YEARS 2018 THROUGH CALENDAR OF 2023.
UH, IT'S ALL SELF-EXPLANATORY AS TO WHAT THE RAISES WILL BE.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE LEADERSHIP OF THE, OF THE UNION AND THEIR ATTORNEYS FOR WORKING SO COOPERATIVELY WITH OUR OFFICE, WITH MR. JACKSON AND, UH, AND WITH, UH, SYLVIA HALL AND WITH OUR OUTSIDE COUNSEL ON GETTING THIS RESOLVED.
AND THIS WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE ONES THAT WE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MEETING.
THIS WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE ONES WE DISCUSSED LAST MEETING.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS? NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
JOHN JUST SAID HE THANKING EVERYBODY FOR THAT COOPERATION, BUT IT ONLY TOOK SEVEN YEARS.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, SECOND BY SEA BALL.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
UH, TO REPORT OF BOARD COMMITTEES.
DO WE HAVE ANY BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS? I BELIEVE DID WE HAVE A DISCUSS A DISPARITY STUDY.
DISPARITY STUDY? UH, DID YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT THAT COMMISSIONER? YEAH.
UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES WHO WERE ABLE TO ATTEND THANK THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, AND EVERYONE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION WHO WAS HERE, UH, FINALLY GETTING, YOU KNOW, THE DISPARITIES THAT IT TOOK QUITE A WHILE, BUT WE FINALLY GOT TO LOOK AT IT AND IT'S, UM, IT'S PRETTY BAD.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THE ORGANIZATION THAT, THAT PUT IT TOGETHER GAVE US SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN, UM, WE CAN WORK ON AND KIND OF MOVE
[03:00:01]
FORWARD, YOU KNOW, BUT WE STILL, THERE'S STILL SOME QUESTIONS AND, AND, AND QUITE A FEW OF 'EM, YOU KNOW, LIKE ONE OF 'EM WAS, UH, WHAT ARE OUR KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS? HOW DO WE MEASURE WHAT WE ARE DOING? YOU KNOW, HOW CAN THE, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO BE UPDATED REGULARLY ON ANY PROGRESS.AND OUR ORDINANCE FROM A FEW YEARS AGO, I THINK WHEN BRITTANY WAS HERE, AND IT WAS SOME KIND OF A SET ASIDE, I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT IT IS, MR. PAUL OF RECORD, DO YOU REMEMBER THAT ORDINANCE WHERE IT ALLOWS A MAJOR AND A MINOR TO WORK TOGETHER AND THEY GOTTA GET THREE BIDS OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
HAS IT EVER BEEN USED? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, MR. JACKSON? UH, YES.
ONE OF THE, THROUGH YOU PRESIDENT.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE, UH, OPTIONS THAT, UM, UH, TWO COMPANIES COULD GET TOGETHER AND FORM A NEW ENTITY, WHICH THEN COULD BE, UM, COULD BID ON THINGS.
HOWEVER, THAT NEW ENTITY WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE, TO MAKE THE STATE, UH, REQUIREMENTS FOR A SET ASIDE WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE MINORITY OR WOMAN OR VETERAN CONTROL.
AND AND I DON'T THINK IT HAS EVER BEEN IMPLEMENTED.
WE HAVE NOT YET TO THIS POINT.
BUT I JUST WANTED, IF I MAY, MR. PRESIDENT AND MS. CHRISTIAN IS TO SAY THAT THAT WOULD BE, I THINK WE COULD HELP FACILITATE THAT, BUT ULTIMATELY THAT WOULD TWO PRIVATE ENTITIES WOULD'VE TO COME TOGETHER AND DO UNDERSTOOD.
BUT WE, BUT I THINK YOUR POINT WAS WERE WE HELPING TO FACILITATE THOSE? YEAH.
AND THEN TO, YOU KNOW, UH, ACCOUNTABILITY.
YOU KNOW WHO I, I KNOW YOU SAID WHEN, WHEN I ASKED THAT QUESTION AT THE DISPARITY STUDY MEETING, THAT WE WOULD ALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCOUNTABILITY.
BUT, AND THEN THE ENTITY FROM JERSEY CITY WHO YOU SAID WAS SO HELPFUL AND, UH, THE DISSEMINATING INFORMATION TO YOU GUYS, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE AN OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY YES.
AND WE DON'T HAVE NO SUCH ENTITY.
AND WE'VE DONE AWAY WITH THE, UH, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION OFFICERS AS WELL.
IS THAT STILL, STILL AROUND? YEAH, BUT IT'S UNDER, UM, UH, THE, UH, ATTORNEY, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL DOES, DOES OUR AFFIRMATIVE ACTION INVESTIGATIONS.
SO WE NO LONGER HAVE AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION OFFICE.
I KNOW IT USED TO BE THE SMALL BUSINESS AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.
SO THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION OFFICE NO LONGER EXISTS.
WELL, THE, THE, THE FUNCTION OF THAT OFFICE WAS TO DO, WHEN WE HAD ISSUES OF SOMEONE ALLEGING DISCRIMINATION IN ONE FORM ANOTHER.
THAT'S WHO THE, THE OFFICE AT ONE POINT WAS DOING.
THOSE INVEST THOSE INVESTIGATIONS ARE NOW BEING HANDLED BY THE INSPECTOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, WHICH IS WHO, UH, MR. SAG DOMINIC.
BUT NOW WE STILL, AGAIN, WE STILL HAVE A LOT, LOT OF, LOT OF WORK TO DO.
UH, SO THROUGH YOU MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS GET A MEETING BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR, MAYBE SOMETIME EARLY DECEMBER WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS.
AND SO WE CAN SEE WHAT PROGRESS THEY MADE.
COMMISSIONER, TO BE CLEAR, THAT THE CONDUCT A COMMITTEE MEETING, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
I WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, COMMENT ON AT OUR LAST MEETING, WE PASSED A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING GLOBAL CAT DAY AND WANT TO THANK MAMA MEOW AND HER COLLEAGUE THAT'S HERE TONIGHT FOR ALL OF THEIR INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY DO AROUND COMMUNITY CATS AND FERAL CATS AND HELPING TO CONNECT OUR RESIDENTS TO RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND I, I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN, UM, PRESENTED WITH YOUR PROCLAMATION THAT WE DID AT THE LAST MEETING, RECOGNIZING ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND WE JUST WANNA THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF ALL OF OUR LITTLE HEARTS AND JUST SAY MEOW AND, AND, AND KEEP UP.
AND I HAVE A FEELING THAT IN THE UPCOMING PUBLIC COMMENT, WE MAY HEAR FROM MAMA MEOW AND MAYBE GET A MORE ROBUST MEOW
UM, I LIKE TO, UH, BRING UP, SO WE HAVE, UH, I KNOW COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT AND I, WE SPOKE EARLIER.
UH, TODAY WE HAVE OUR BANKING COMMITTEE REVIEW THAT WE NEED TO DO BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT YEAR.
AND WE HAVE AT THE MOMENT, ONE TENTATIVE DAY.
BUT I THINK WE NEED, IS IT TWO DAYS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO SO IF WE COULD DO TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3RD AND TUESDAY DECEMBER 10TH, BACK TO BACK TUESDAYS.
I KNOW WE TRY TO DO WEDNESDAYS.
I'M A BIG BELIEVER, LET'S TRY TO DO EVERYTHING ON WEDNESDAY.
BUT GIVEN THE HOLIDAY CYCLE THIS YEAR, TWO
[03:05:01]
WEDNESDAYS ARE AUTOMATICALLY OFF THE BAT BECAUSE WE HAVE TWO COMMISSIONER MEETINGS AND WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO WRAP UP AT THE END OF THE YEAR BUSINESS ORIENTED.SO IF, UH, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT, YOU'RE GOOD WITH THAT.
AND COMMITTEE MEMBER AND MEMBERS OF OUR COMMISSION, WE'RE GONNA MOVE WITH DECEMBER 3RD AND DECEMBER 10TH AT, UH, 5:00 PM SO WE HAVE A REGULAR MEETING START TIME.
UH, AND WE'RE GONNA INVITE THE BANK.
SO MS. BROWN, IF YOU CAN, LET'S FOLLOW UP WITH OUR BANKING CONTACTS AND DO THAT.
AND IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION FOR ADMINISTRATION ON THE DATES, DO THEY, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE IT WORK, MR. PRESIDENT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GOT IT AND, UH, WE'RE ALREADY WORKING ON THE CALENDAR FOR NEXT YEAR SO THAT MAYBE WE CAN ANTICIPATE THESE THINGS MUCH MORE LONG TERM.
SO, WE'LL, WE WILL NOT IRON THAT OUT.
SO LET THAT BE, UH, FOR THE RECORD, UH, WE'LL HAVE A BANKING REVIEW ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3RD AND 10TH, BOTH AT 5:00 PM AND DO YOU, MR. MR. RICHARDSON, GO AHEAD, MR. PRESIDENT, FOR THE BANKING COMMITTEE.
UH, ONE OF THE ANO A QUESTION I'D LIKE TO, UH, ADD TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE IS HOW ARE THE COUNTY BANKS SUPPORTING MBS WHO NEED CREDIT AND FUNDING FOR CONTRACTS? THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THAT WE ALWAYS, I'M SORRY, WE ALWAYS YEAH, YEAH.
WE ALWAYS ASK THEM ABOUT THE SMALL NONPROFITS AND TO EVERY BANK, THEY ALWAYS HAVE THE SAME LIST OF NON-PROFITS THAT THEY ALL FUND.
SO I HOPE THEY DON'T COME IN THERE THIS YEAR WITH THAT EXACT SAME LIST, BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE A PROBLEM FOR ME.
'CAUSE THAT'S SAYING TO US, WE'RE NOT LISTENING TO YOU.
SO COMMISSIONER, REPHRASE EXACTLY WHAT YOU WOULD WANT THE QUESTION TO BE SO THAT WE CAN POSE IT SO MS. BRO CAN CAPTURE THIS, PLEASE.
SO THE QUESTION IS, HOW WOULD ACCOUNT THE BANKS WHO DO BUSINESS WITH ACCOUNTING SUPPORTING MBAS AND THOSE MINORITY BUSINESSES, ENTERPRISES WHO NEED CREDIT AND FUNDING SO THAT THEY CAN BUILD THEIR BUSINESS AND GET CONTRACTS AND THAT KIND OF STUFF, HOW DO THEY WORK WITH EM? MADAM DEPUTY COOK, PLEASE COMMUNICATE THAT, THAT IF THEY EVEN WORK WITH IN WRITING TO, UH, MR. JACKSON, UH, SO THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND SO THAT THAT'S ADDED THERE AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S LEFT, YOU KNOW, THE BOOKS OR SURE.
GETS, YOU KNOW, LEFT OFF AND BANKS WERE NOT MADE AWARE AND CANNOT PROPERLY ANSWER THAT DAY AND BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD.
WE, WE NEVER SHOULD HAVE ANYONE CAUGHT OFF GUARD.
AND THEY SHOULD BE FULLY PREPARED TO ANSWER THAT SENSE.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
SO, MR. PRESIDENT, WE SHOULD JUST AMEND THE REPORT THAT WE HAVE TO RESPOND TO.
PUT THAT QUESTION ON THERE AND JUST ADD VETERAN TO, AS A, AS A PART OF THE QUESTION, MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, ON THE, THE QUESTION.
EXCELLENT POINT, EXCELLENT POINT.
I THINK THAT'S, WELL, MR. RICHARDSON, DOES THAT WORK FOR? ABSOLUTELY.
UH, ANY OTHER REPORT OF, UH, COMMITTEES AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE? SEEING NONE, LET'S MOVE ON.
ANY IN COMMUNICATIONS OR UNFINISHED BUSINESS COMMISSIONERS.
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 MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AFFILIATION WITH THE RECORD.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU SPEAK, MS. GALLO, LET'S, UH, HAVE ADAM ADJUST OUT FOR YOU.
JUST WANNA PRESENT A VERY SPECIAL GUEST, BRIAN R HACKETT.
HE'S THE NEW LEGISLATOR DOWN IN THE NEWARK SHELTER.
HE HAS BEEN WORKING DUE DILIGENTLY TO TRY TO CHANGE A VERY POOR SYSTEM THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE.
HE'S GOING TO HAVE A, THE, UH, A PROGRAM ON DREW BARRYMORE WITH THE NEWARK SHELTER.
THEY'RE TRYING TO GET CATS AND DOGS ADOPTED.
BRIAN HACKETT HAS THE SOLUTIONS.
AND LET'S STOP AS MY, I HAVE A CAT THAT'S GONNA COME OUT OF THE BAG AND SAY, TRICK OR TREAT.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS AT ASSOCIATED HUMANE SOCIETIES.
THANK YOU CHARLOTTE, FOR THAT, UH, NICE INTRODUCTION.
UM, I KNOW IT'S BEEN A VERY LONG MEETING THIS EVENING, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR INDULGENCE.
JUST FOR, UH, A, A MOMENT TO, UM, ALLOW ME ON BEHALF OF ASSOCIATED HUMANE SOCIETIES BASED HERE IN NEWARK, WHICH IS OUR STATE'S LARGEST ANIMAL PROTECTION ORGANIZATION AND ANIMAL SHELTERING ORGANIZATION.
TO HUMBLY THANK YOU ALL, UM, THE ESSEX COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THE ESSEX COUNTY GOVERNMENT FOR THE GENEROUS, UH, GRANT
[03:10:01]
THAT YOU FUND FOR US THIS YEAR TO PROVIDE ALL THE COUNTY RESIDENTS IN ESSEX COUNTY WITH, UH, FREE SPAY NEUTER SERVICES FOR OUTSIDE COMMUNITY CATS.AND THIS IS SO VITAL NOT JUST TO SPAY NEUTER ANIMALS TO PREVENT MORE POPULATION AND SAVE LIVES, BUT IT'S REALLY A MATTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
THE MORE OF THESE CATS THAT ARE FIXED AND VACCINATED, UM, THEY'RE PROTECTING THE PUBLIC FROM RABIES EXPOSURE.
AND ALSO IT REDUCES COMPLAINTS THAT COUNTY RESIDENTS COULD HAVE PERTAINING TO CATS BECAUSE WHEN THEY'RE NOT FIXED AND THEY'RE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, IF THEY'RE NOT FIXED, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, YOWLING AND LOOKING FOR MATES AND SPRAYING AND IT'S PROBLEMATIC.
SO YOUR GRANT, UH, REALLY HELPS ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS COUNTYWIDE, WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF IT.
WE HAVE, UM, SERVED THOUSANDS OF COUNTY RESIDENTS, MAINLY IN NEWARK IRVINGTON, BUT IT'S OPEN TO, UH, ALL COUNTY RESIDENTS.
I THANK COMMISSIONER COOPER FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THIS AND SUPPORT.
AND, UH, BECAUSE IT'S BEEN SO EFFECTIVE AND BECAUSE IT'S BEEN RELATIVELY SPEAKING, UM, IN TERMS OF THE WHOLE COUNTY BUDGET, A VERY SMALL INVESTMENT, BUT A VERY WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT.
WE WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST FOR 2025 A CONSIDERATION FOR POTENTIAL INCREASE IN THAT BECAUSE OF HOW POPULAR THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN.
UM, WHEN WE SERVICE RE RESIDENTS IN ESSEX COUNTY, MAINLY AT OUR NEWARK FACILITY, WE SHARE WITH THEM THAT THIS IS A RESULT OF THE ESSEX COUNTY GRANT AND YOUR GENEROSITY.
AND IT'S REALLY GONE SO FAR BECAUSE STATEWIDE, THIS IS REALLY AN ISSUE.
THERE ARE MILLIONS OF UNFIXED CATS OUT THERE THAT THEY CAN'T BE ADOPTED INTO HOMES LIKE YOU, YOU OR I MAY HAVE A PET CAT.
THESE ARE OUTDOOR COMMUNITY FERAL CATS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE OPTION IS EITHER THEY'RE ALL ROUNDED UP AND KILLED, WHICH WE DON'T DO ANYMORE.
IT'S NOT POPULAR, IT'S NOT HUMANE, IT'S NOT FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE.
OR THE OTHER OPTION IS DOING TRAP NEUTER, VACCINATE RETURN, WHICH IS REDUCING THE POPULATION, PROTECTING THE PUBLIC AGAINST RABIES AND ADDRESSING THOSE COMPLAINTS.
SO THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
IT'S BEEN A REAL GREAT SUCCESS.
AND I'M PRETTY SURE I SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE BOARD THAT WE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
UH, WHILE WE HAVE A GOOD TIME, UH, WITH THE COMMITTEE AND, AND A LOT OF FUN AND WE APPRECIATE CHARLOTTE COMING WITH HER LIGHTHEARTED, UH, YOU KNOW, DEMEANOR.
SHE DOES BRING A LOT OF SERIOUS BUSINESS TO THE TABLE.
SHE'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL A LOT BEING FUNDS FOR IT.
AND I THINK WE'VE INCREASED THIS QUITE A BIT SINCE THE INITIAL INCEPTION, RIGHT? WHERE I KNOW COMMISSIONER MECADO AND I AND COOPER SERVED ON THE INITIAL COMMITTEE, WE CALL IT THE CAC COMMITTEE HERE, THAT'S, UH, UH, HOW WE LIKE TO REFER TO IT.
UH, BUT IT'S OPEN TO ALL, AND I THINK WE ALL TAKE, UH, THE ANIMAL, UH, YOU KNOW, CONCERNS FOR, FOR THE ANIMALS.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO.
THE INCREASES HAVE BEEN VERY SUBSTANTIAL AND THE PROGRESS HAVE BEEN GOOD.
I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE TO ASK FOR YOU TO DO FOR US, AND THAT WOULD BE TO HELP US QUANTIFY WHAT, UH, BASED ON THE NUMBER OF CATS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT HAVE BEEN SPAYED OR NEUTERED, WHAT POTENTIAL FUTURE IMPACT THAT WOULD'VE HAD.
SO IF YOUPAY, YOU KNOW, ONE CAT, HOW MANY CATS ARE NOT BORN AS A RESULT OF IT.
I KNOW MR. DOOLEY HAS DONE A GOOD JOB UP UNTIL, I THINK I LOST TRACK OF THE THOUSANDS OF CATS THAT WOULD'VE BEEN BORN INTO IT.
I THINK THAT THOSE METRICS ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN SHARING WITH THE PUBLIC.
'CAUSE IT SEEMS, UM, LIKE YOU'RE JUST DEALING WITH ONE CAT AT A TIME, BUT THE POPULATION GOES EXPONENTIALLY.
I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR, I KNOW.
BUT FOR US TO GO TO THE PUBLIC AND SHARE THIS INFORMATION AND SEE WHAT A REAL SERVICE DOES, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
SO THAT KIND OF METRIC IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
UM, AND WHATEVER INFORMATION YOU PUT OUT TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW WE CAN GET THEM TO YOU, UH, 'CAUSE A, A LOT OF FOLKS ARE LIKE CHARLOTTE.
THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE JUST WORKING ON THEIR OWN AND TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD PROBLEM.
WE NEED THAT EASE OF GETTING THEM TO, UH, BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THIS GRANT.
'CAUSE I REMEMBER IN THE FIRST YEAR, WE DID NOT USE ALL THE FUNDS IN THE GRANT.
GRANTED IT WAS COMING OUTTA COVID AND IT WAS A TOUGH YEAR FOR A LOT OF THINGS, AND WE DIDN'T EXPEND ALL THE FUNDS ALLOCATED IN YEAR ONE.
AND, UH, CHARLOTTE WILL BE, UH, YOUR, YOU KNOW, GO-TO PERSON AS WELL WHEN WE HAVE OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A COMMITTEE MEETING.
THIS IS, WE'RE AT THE END OF THE YEAR ALREADY, SO WE'LL HAVE TO KICK IT OVER TO THE BEGINNING OF NEXT YEAR WHEN WE'LL CALL THAT TOGETHER.
I'D BE HAPPY TO, THROUGH COMMISSIONER COOPER PROVIDE, UM, A FULL REPORT FOR 2024 WITH THE STATISTICS AND, UH, WHO WE HELPED WHERE IN THE COUNTY.
AND, UM, IT'S BEEN THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF CATS.
IT'S ROUGHLY ABOUT A HUNDRED DOLLARS PER CAT IN THE COST OF THE SURGERY, THE VACCINES, THE EAR TIPPING, AND, AND YOU KNOW, WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE.
SO IF YOU DO THE MATH JUST ROUGHLY BY A HUNDRED, IT KIND
[03:15:01]
OF GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF HOW MANY CATS COULD GET DONE WITH, UH, WHAT YOU APPROPRIATE.BUT IT'S REALLY MEANINGFUL BECAUSE AS YOU NOTED, FOR EVERY CAT THAT IS FIXED, WE'RE PREVENTING DOZENS MORE LITTERS IN JUST A FEW YEARS.
SO WE'RE INCREMENTALLY GETTING AT THE PROBLEM IN MY HOME COUNTY.
UM, WE'VE LOOKED AT THIS ON A COUNTY LEVEL AS WELL.
AND, AND THERE IS A COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER WHERE, UM, THE COUNTY HAS NOT BEEN AS GENEROUS AS YOU ALL HAVE IN, IN HELPING, UM, SUBSIDIZE SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS. BUT, UH, LOCAL NONPROFIT GROUPS THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS, LIKE WE HAVE IN ESSEX COUNTY OVER JUST THREE, FOUR YEARS, THEY'VE SEEN AN EXPONENTIAL REDUCTION IN THE KATZ COUNTY WIDE, WHERE THE SHELTER WAS EUTHANIZING ABOUT A THOUSAND A YEAR, AND IT'S UNDER 200 NOW IN JUST SEVERAL YEARS.
SO YOU CAN SEE JUST TREMENDOUS EXPONENTIAL IMPACT OVER SEVERAL YEARS WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, WHATEVER YOU'RE INVESTING IN.
AND, UM, IT'S BEEN VERY POPULAR.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY CLINIC AND VETERINARY SERVICE IS SO DIFFICULT IN THIS, UM, ECONOMY.
YOU KNOW, AS YOU NOTED, SOME OF THE FUNDS WERE NOT FULLY USED BECAUSE THERE'S A VETERINARY SHORTAGE.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, UM, VETERINARY SERVICES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE ON THE PRIVATE MARKET.
AND SO WHEN WE CAN PROVIDE VETERINARIANS TO GIVE THESE SERVICES TO COUNTY RESIDENTS THROUGH OUR NONPROFIT, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE COUNTY GRANT, IT'S REALLY A WIN-WIN WIN.
AND ALL SHIPS KIND OF RISE WITH THE TIDE THANKS TO THAT.
SO IT REALLY IS VERY EMPOWER, EMPOWERING, UM, FOR, FOR THE, FOR ESSEX COUNTY.
AND WHEN I GO AROUND THE STATE, I DO THIS STATEWIDE.
UH, I I REALLY POINT TO COUNTIES LIKE ESSEX THAT HAVE A FORWARD THINKING APPROACH TO THIS.
AND, YOU KNOW, POINT TO THE SUCCESS, ESPECIALLY SERVING COMMUNITIES LIKE NEWARK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE EXTRA TIME.
ANOTHER GOOD REASON WHY MAYBE YOU SHOULD CONSIDER BURLINGTON COUNTY, UH, A MOVE TO ESSEX.
UH, COMMISSIONER COMMENT SESSION.
SEEN, THERE'S NO OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS POINT.
COMMISSIONERS, ANYTHING? SEE? NONE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO MOTION? SO MOVED.