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THIS MEETING OF THE ESTES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS IS HEREBY CALL TO ORDER.
THE MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAMED IN ADDITION TO TAKING PLACE HERE IN PERSON.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
PLEASE STATE THE SALUTE TO THE FLAG.
I'M GONNA ASK VICE PRESIDENT COOPER TO LEAD US IN THE SALUTE I PLEDGE TO LEAD TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER
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GOD, INVIS WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.I JUST ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THOSE THAT WE LOST SINCE THE LAST TIME WE CAME TOGETHER.
I LITERALLY HAVE BEFORE B CERTIFICATION FROM THE DEPUTY CLERK THAT THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF TRANSCRIPTS.
MAD AND DEPUTY CLERK, ARE THERE ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO BE APPROVED? YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE TWO FROM THE FEBRUARY 7TH AND THE SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2024 CONFERENCE BOARD MEETINGS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO I HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE TO ACCEPT? I? THE MOTION.
MOTION BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SERMONS, FORMERLY KNOWN AS COMMISSIONER GRAHAM
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION? NO.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
TONIGHT'S MEETING AS A COMBINED CONFERENCE BOARD MEETING, AND WE WILL VOTE ON EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
SO IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY AGENDA ITEM, UH, PLEASE DO SO.
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 ITEM.
SO I ASK YOU, PLEASE LET ME A COMMENT AT THIS TIME TO AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.
SEEING NONE, MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THERE IS NO ONE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE ON INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING.
LET'S MOVE TO ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING FOR LISTING PURPOSES ONLY.
UH, DO WE HAVE, UH, LET'S SEE, WHERE ARE WE ON? UH, YEAH, NO, I GOT YOU.
UH, THE, UM, ORDINANCE AND RESOLUTION ON SECOND READING FOR PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT? NO, MR. PRESIDENT? WE DO NOT.
SO LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTION ONE AND ADD START NUMBER 44, WHICH ARE FROM THE OFFICE OF ACCOUNTS AND CONTROLS, AND WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, OUR CFO, MR. SALAMA WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. GREAT.
GOOD EVENING, MR. GOOD EVENING.
LET'S FIRST ADJUST THAT MICROPHONE A LITTLE LOWER SO WE CAN CATCH EVERY WORD.
THIS IAB SAMA, CFO, UH, FOR THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
THE ITEM NUMBER ONE IS THE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN.
THIS CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN IS OUTLINED TO STATE THE ADDRESS, THE COMMENTS, UH, IDENTIFIED BY THE AUDIT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2023.
UH, THIS PLAN HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO, UH, IN A COMPLIANCE WITH OUR RELATION OF THE SINGLE AUDIT ACT AND THE NEW JERSEY DIVISION, LOCAL OF GOVERNANCE SERVICE.
THE CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN ARE DESIGNATED TO IMPROVE OUR INTERNAL CONTROL, ADDRESS ANY COMPLIANCES ISSUES, AND TO ENSURE THE FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND, UH, THE COUNTY WILL ADOPT THIS RECOMMENDATION WITHIN THAT WAS DONE WITHIN SIX DAYS OF THE AUDIT OF THE ORDER RECEIVED AUDIT.
WILL YOU BE HANDLING NUMBER 44 AS WELL? YES.
ALRIGHT, WHY DON'T YOU INTRODUCE THAT AS WELL, AND WE'LL TAKE OUR QUESTIONS TOGETHER.
ITEM NUMBER FOUR FOR THIS, WE HAVE CERAMIC CFO.
THIS ITEM IS TO ADDRESS TO, FOR THE AUDIT SERVICE, WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE AUDIT SERVICE FOR, UM, FOR THE COUNTY BY BELOW.
AND WE, UH, WAS, UH, THROUGH THE OFFICE OF THE PERSON, UH, OFFICE.
WE, UH, ADVERTISE FOR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR, FOR, UH, QUALIFICATION, FOR THE AUDIT SERVICE FOR 2024 AUDITS.
AND, UH, WE RECEIVED ONLY ONE, UH, UH, REQUEST.
AND THAT'S FROM, UH, SOME CLIENT COMPANY, AND THAT'S THE ONLY ONE ON THE LIST.
MR. PARLOVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON NUMBER ONE AND 44? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT SINCE MR. MCINERNEY IS AWAY, I DO WANT TO ATTEMPT A VERY, UH, MAYBE A BUNT, I WON'T EVEN SAY A PINCH HIT, MAYBE A BUNT.
UM, HE, I KNOW HE DID GO OVER THIS WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, UM,
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AND THERE ARE AUDIT COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS JUST ON SIX FINDINGS, WHICH, UH, HE HAD NO ISSUES WITH AND HE HAD NO ISSUES WITH THE, UH, THE ACTION PLAN THAT WAS SET FORTH.I CAN ALSO SAY THAT NUMBER 17, LATER IN THE, UH, AGENDA WILL REQUIRE THE BOARD TO ACCEPT THIS COUNTY AUDIT.
AND THEN THAT GETS SENT DOWN BY THAT RESOLUTION IS SENT TO THE, UH, LOCAL FINANCE BOARD.
SO THAT'S CONNECTED WITH 17 WILL BE CONNECTED WITH, UH, NUMBER ONE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON NUMBER ONE OF 44? SEE NONE.
DO I HAVE COMMISSIONER SEABOLD TO MOVE? SECOND.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK FOR NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER 44.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS FROM THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, AND THAT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, DIRECTOR AMOS AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR FRANZI WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. THANK YOU.
MATT, CAN YOU GIVE AN ASSIST MATT'S UNOFFICIAL ROLE IN ADDITION TO WORKING FOR THE, THE OFFICES TO WORK THE MICROPHONE HERE.
NICOLE AMOS, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
ITEM NUMBER TWO, BOARD OF ELECTIONS CONTRACT AWARD TO RELIANCE GRAPHICS INC.
TO PROVIDE PRINTING SERVICES FOR ELECTION MATERIALS, EXERCISING A TWO YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION OPTION AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $252,000.
RELIANCE GRAPHIC SERVICES THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS BY PRINTING ESSENTIAL ELECTION MATERIALS.
THEY PROVIDE A SECURE FACILITY FOR PRINTING THE ELECTION INFORMATION MATERIALS PRINTED WITH PRECISION.
AND THIS SERVICE ENSURES THAT MY STAFF CAN FOCUS ON OTHER LOGISTICS OF THE ELECTION.
THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS HAVE COME TO TRUST AND RELY ON RELIANCE GRAPHIC GRAPHICS, KNOWING THEY PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL PRINTING SOLUTIONS THAT UP, THAT UPHOLD THE INTEGRITY OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS.
I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. BOB FEDERALLY PRESIDENT OF RELIANCE GRAPHICS FOR ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS.
SO LET'S JUST HAVE MR. FEDERALLY COME ON UP AND INTRODUCE HIMSELF.
UM, I LIVE IN NORTH CALDWELL, GREW UP IN BLOOMFIELD AND I'VE LIVED IN NESSUS COUNTY MY ENTIRE LIFE.
AND OUR COMPANY IS IN VERONA, SO WE'RE WELL SITUATED IN THE COUNTY AND WE APPRECIATE THE CONFIDENCE OF, UH, THE STAFF HERE AND, AND, AND OUR ABILITY TO PERFORM THE TESTS.
AND THIS IS A CONTRACT EXTENSION, CORRECT.
UH, MR. PARLOVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON NUMBER TWO FOR EITHER THE STAFF OR THE VENDORS? I DO NOT.
COMMISSIONER, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER SIEBEL.
I JUST WANNA ADD THAT RELIANCE HAS DONE A WONDERFUL JOB FOR THE COUNTY AND I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE TO CONTINUE.
I TOO WANT TO ADD THAT'S THE DISTRICT THAT I REPRESENT, UM, VERONA, WHERE THE BUSINESS IS LOCATED.
HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN WITH US, BOB? UH, PROBABLY 35.
IF IT'S NOT BROKE, WE DON'T FIX IT.
SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK AND, UM, YOU KNOW, GOOD LUCK WITH THE 13 DAYS FROM NOW WITH ALL THE STUFF THAT'S GOING ON.
WE CAN, CAN'T WAIT TO MOVE ON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS, YOU HAVE ME AT BLOOMFIELD.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE? I'LL MOVE.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
I'M SORRY, WHAT NUMBERS ARE WE ON? TWO.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I WILL HANDLE ITEMS THREE AND FOUR.
MR. TORRES WILL HANDLE, UH, NUMBER FIVE.
UM, ITEM THREE IS A 24 MONTH CONTRACT EXTENSION WITH LINEN RENTAL AND LAUNDRY SERVICES, UH, TO PROVIDE FOR, UM, LINEN SERVICES AT THE ESSEX COUNTY HOSPITAL, UH, CENTER.
UH, THEY PROVIDE SHEETS, TOWELS, BLANKETS, AND BREAD AND, UH, UH, BEDSPREADS, UH, AND THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $167,000.
UH, ITEM FOUR, UH, ALSO WITH THE, UH, ESSEX COUNTY HOSPITAL CENTER IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO CLINICAL SERVICES MANAGEMENT.
P UH, PC, UH, A TWO TWO YEAR EXTEND, 24 MONTH EXTENSION, UH, NOT TO EXCEED $114,000.
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AND THIS COMPANY, UH, UH, HELPS US WITH OUR ASSESSMENTS AND PREPARATIONS FOR JOINT COMMISSION.UM, UH, UH, REVIEWS WHEN THEY COME IN.
UM, AND THEY ALSO REVIEW ALL OF OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.
ANY QUESTIONS OF 3 0 4? NO, I HAVE NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON 3 0 4? OKAY.
PRESIDENT JOEL TORRES, DIVISION COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME HERE TONIGHT.
ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS FOR A, UH, APPROVAL OF A, UH, BUSINESS ASSOCIATE AGREEMENT WITH UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL LOCATED HERE IN NEWARK.
IT IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR DIVISION AND THE, UH, THE HOSPITAL FOR OUR ESSEX COUNTY QUICK RESPONSE TEAM.
THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM THAT WE LAUNCHED LAST DECEMBER.
WE HAVE A CASE MANAGER AND A PEER RECOVERY SPECIALIST ON STAFF.
OUR WORK IS TO, UH, HOPEFULLY WITHIN 24 TO SEVEN TWO HOURS, OUTREACH TO INDIVIDUALS WHO SUFFERED A NON-FATAL DRUG RELATED OVERDOSE AND TRY TO HELP THEM AND GUIDE THEM THROUGH, UH, SERVICES.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY, THROUGH THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS PAST YEAR, WE REALIZED THAT OVER 85% OF THE RESPONSES ARE SPECIFICALLY FROM FIRST RESPONDERS.
UH, WE STARTED THIS PILOT WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, BUT THE FIRST RESPONDERS ARE THE FIRST ONES WHO WERE THERE ON THE SCENE.
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL COVERS NEWARK, EAST ORANGE, AND ORANGE, WHICH HAS A LARGE MAJORITY OF OUR OVERDOSES HERE IN THE COUNTY.
AND THEREFORE, WE, UH, FORMULATED THIS AGREEMENT TO BE ABLE TO SHARE DATA AND SHARE INFORMATION.
SO THEY WILL BE SHARING, UH, CASE INFORMATION, CLIENT INFORMATION WITH OUR STAFF, AND OUR STAFF WILL BE DOING THE OUTREACH.
CURRENTLY, THEY HAVE ABOUT 250 INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WAITING TO BE CONTACTED BY OUR TEAM.
UH, BUT WE NEED TO WAIT UNTIL THIS AGREEMENT IS APPROVED.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. TORRES? I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
MR. TORRES, YOU DESCRIBED THIS AS A PILOT PROGRAM.
IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WILL, UM, CATAPULT IT TO A PERMANENT PROGRAM OR A MORE PERMANENT FIXTURE? YES.
UH, LAST MONTH, I BELIEVE, OR AT THE LAST MEETING, UH, THE BODY APPROVED, UH, BUDGET INSERTION FOR A GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION.
THIS IS A FOUR YEAR GRANT THAT CONTINUES ON, UH, AS LONG AS WE PERFORM AND WE REAPPLY.
UH, WE HAVE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF RECEIVING THIS.
THIS WILL EXTEND ACTUALLY THE PROGRAM.
SO WE'LL BE WORKING CLOSELY, NOT JUST WITH UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, BUT ALSO RUTGERS UNIVERSITY TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM AND HAVE MEDICAL TEAMS SUPPORTING OUR STAFF AND GOING OUT AND DOING ADDITIONAL WORK.
ANY QUESTIONS ON NUMBER FIVE? NONE.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE AS ONE? I'LL MOVE IT.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
DEPUTY CLERK ON THREE, FOUR AND FIVE.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO SIX THROUGH EIGHT.
THEY ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER SIX, WE'LL ALLOW FOR THE PURCHASE OF TWO NEW 2024 YAMAHA WAL MARINE, TWO X ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES BY AWARDING POMPTON SPORTSCENTER, A CONTRACT AND AMOUNT TO EXCEED $50,861.
POMPTON SPORTSCENTER WAS THE SOLD BIDDER TO THIS PUBLICLY ADVERTISED OPPORTUNITY.
UH, THESE ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES ARE TO BE USED BY THE DIVISION OF MOSQUITO CONTROL TO ACCESS PLACES SUCH AS DIRT ROADS, WOODED AREAS, DEEP FOREST, UH, WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE BE DEEMED INACCESSIBLE TO PERFORM EITHER WATER MANAGEMENT OR THE APPLICATION OF MOSQUITO, ARIDE OR ADULTICIDE.
UM, THIS PURCHASE IS FULLY FUNDED AGAIN BY AN NJDP GRANT.
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, AUTHORIZED THIS EXECUTION OF A FEDERAL AID AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AND THE NJ DOT.
THIS GRANT REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT WILL ALLOW THE COUNTY TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION COST OF SIGNALIZE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS AT SEVEN LOCATIONS IN NEWARK AND IRVINGTON IN AN AMOUNT OF $8,283,420.
THE IMPROVEMENTS WILL OCCUR AT THE EXISTING SIGNAL, LESS INTERSECTIONS OF SPRINGFIELD AVENUE WITH BECKER TERRACE, CLINTON AVENUES, AND GROVE STREET IN IRVINGTON.
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ADDITIONALLY, THERE'LL BE FOUR NEW TRAFFIC SIGNALS, WHICH WILL BE CONSTRUCTED ON SPRINGFIELD AVENUE AT ITS INTERSECTION WITH ORANGE SMITH AND 42ND STREET IN IRVINGTON, AS WELL AS SOUTH 17TH STREET IN NEWARK.AND ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS A RESOLUTION CONSENTING TO THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR'S ORDINANCE, WHICH REDUCES THE SPEED LIMIT ALONG THE ENTIRETY OF VALLEY ROAD TO 25 MILES PER HOUR.
THE COUNTY WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING SPEED LIMIT SIGNAGE, BUT THERE IS NO OTHER FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE COUNTY BY CONSENTING TO THIS TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR ORDINANCE.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS ON SIX, SEVEN OR EIGHT? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE ITEMS? NO.
I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SIEBEL FOR SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK SIX, SEVEN AND EIGHT.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS NINE AND 10, WHICH ARE FROM THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ACTION.
THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, ITEM NINE IS AN ASSERTION OF REVENUE IN THE AMOUNT OF $17,698.
THIS WILL PROVIDE FOR SEVEN, UH, THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE TO JOY'S ANGELS, UH, LOCATED IN MONTCLAIR AND SUPPLEMENT SOME ADMINISTRATIVE DOLLARS, UH, FOR THE COUNTY IN THE AMOUNT OF $10,698.
AND ITEM NUMBER 10, UH, CORRESPONDS WITH THAT.
UM, IT RAISES THE, UM, COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT, UH, TWO JOY'S ANGELS FROM, UH, 202, UH, FROM $213,200 TO $220, $220,000, $200.
AND AGAIN, THIS PROVIDES FOR EMERGENCY FOOD, UM, ASSISTANCE.
AND THIS IS PARTICULARLY GIVEN, UH, DURING THE, I SAY HOLIDAYS ARE APPROACHING.
YOU, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS AT NINE OR 10? SEEING NONE.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? MOTION.
MOVE BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 11, WHICH IS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF.
WE'LL BE READY INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
DO WE GET MR. COLT TO ACTUALLY SAY AWARE TODAY? I'D BE GLAD TO WORK.
NUMBER 11, MR. PRESIDENT, OFFICE OF THE, THE SHERIFF PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL AND ENGINEERING SERVICES TO UPDATE THE ESSEX COUNTY MULTI JURISDICTIONAL ALL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN.
AND THE AWARD GOES TO BLACK AND VETCH A 12 MONTH CONTRACT FROM THE DATE OF AWARD NOT TO EXCEED $179,509 AND 1 CENTS.
THIS IS A PROACTIVE MITIGATION PLAN FOR OIL HAZARD APPROACH FOR OEM AND IT'S GRANT FUNDED.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO DO 12 AND 13? ARE YOU DOING THOSE TOO? I AM MR. PRESIDENT.
THESE ARE FROM, WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT, LET'S HOLD OFF.
'CAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE LOADED WITH TWO OTHERS.
SO LET'S DO JUST NUMBER 11 FOR THE MOMENT.
UH, MR. PARLOVE, YOU, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
YEAH, I, UH, COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD AT THE LEADERSHIP MEETING, WE WERE, IT WAS INDICATED THAT THIS IS UPDATED EVERY FIVE YEARS.
SO ARE WE DOING IT NOW IN THE FIFTH YEAR? WE ARE DOING IT NOW.
UH, IT'S AN ONGOING HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, WHICH IF THERE'S CHANGE, UH, IF THERE'S CHANGES TO THE PLAN DURING THE COURSE OF IT, THEY SHOULD BE ONGOING.
AND THIS IS FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY NOW.
SO WE DON'T GET THIS AGAIN FOR FIVE YEARS UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF IN THE MEANTIME? YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER SIBO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE IT? YES, PLEASE.
SECOND BY COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ROLL CALL MATTER.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 1213 AND ADDED START IS 47 AND 48, WHICH ARE FROM
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THE OFFICE OF PURCHASE PURCHASING.AND THEY'LL BE READY TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. COLT, YOU WILL BE HANDING ALL FOUR OR JUST THE FIRST TWO? I'LL BE HANDLING ALL FOUR.
UH, DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION OF FINANCE, OFFICE OF PURCHASING CONTRACT OF AWARD TO THE FOUR LOWESTS RESPONSIBLE BIDDERS FOR ITEMS ON A UNIT BASED COST IS THE COST TO FURNISH AND DELIVERY, TOILETRIES AND BEAUTY SUPPLIES.
OCTOBER 27TH, 2024 THROUGH OCTOBER 26TH, 2026.
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $175,000.
AND THERE ARE FOUR SUPPLIERS, PHOENIX TRADING, SALTON, UH, WASHINGTON CARE SUPPLY, NUTLEY, NEW JERSEY, CHARM TECH, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AND BOB BA, UH, BARKER COMPANY, UH, VIENNA AND NORTH CAROLINA.
NUMBER 13 IS THE OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF FINANCE, FINANCE OFFICE OF PURCHASING AWARDED TO NAP COMPUTERS TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.
THIS IS A 24 MONTH CONTRACT EXTENSION AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $140,985.
WE MAINTAIN 4,338 PIECES OF EQUIPMENT AND IF SOMETHING BREAKS, YOU CALL THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING AND WE'LL BE GLAD TO HANDLE IT FOR YOU.
HOW GLAD WILL YOU BE TO HANDLE THEM? VERY GLAD.
I JUST WANTED TO VERY, VERY GLAD YOU OFFERED IT.
SO I FIGURED I WOULD ASK 47 OFFICER PURCHASING LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AND CAMELOT ASSOCIATE, UH, FOR 70 SOUTH ORANGE AVENUE, SUITE 1 0 2, LIVINGSTON, NEW JERSEY, OCTOBER 14TH, 2024 THROUGH APRIL 30TH, 2025.
THIS IS FOR A LEASE FOR THE ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE BOARD.
BOARD OF, UH, BUREAU OF NARCOTICS.
UH, THEY HAD TO MOVE OUT OF, UH, CODY ARENA AND WE NEEDED TO FIND SPACE SINCE THEIR PERMANENT, UH, LOCATION IS NOT FINISHED BEING RENOVATED.
NUMBER 48, UH, OFFICE APPROVAL OF EMERGENCY, UH, PURCHASE FOR VARIOUS VENDORS, PERIOD DURING THE COID PANDEMIC IN THE AMOUNT OF $44,000,675, $318 AND 6 CENTS.
THIS IS REALLY A CATCHALL FOR ANYTHING WE HAVE PURCHASED FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC TO UP UNTIL TODAY.
ANYTHING RELATING TO COVID AND CLOSING OUT THE BOOKS THAT THE BOARD NOW HAS APPROVED ALL THE EXPENDITURES.
SO THIS IS MONEY THAT'S ALREADY BEEN SPENT.
MOST OF IT ALREADY SOME TIME AGO, BUT WE'RE JUST DOING A CATCHALL HERE FOR THOSE PURPOSES ARE CLOSING OUT THE BOOK.
MR. PARVA, ANY QUESTIONS ON 1213 AND 47 AND 48? JUST ON 47, UH, JAY, THAT'S A, NOT EVEN A ONE YEAR LEASE.
THE PLAN IS FOR BON TO GO BACK TO THEIR OLD HOME.
THE PLAN IS UPON COMPLETION OF THE RENOVATION AT ONE 15 CLIFTON AVENUE, THEY'LL BE GOING RETURNING, HOPEFULLY BACK TO THAT LOCATION SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
SO THIS IS JUST TEMPORARY SHORT TERM? YES.
ANY OTHERS? NOT FROM AGAIN? YES.
THE UH, LEASE AGREEMENT IS AT A SPACE THAT'S ALMOST OUTSIDE OF ESSEX COUNTY.
DOES IT MATTER? NO, IT IS WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF IT.
BUT JUST WHERE WE IT WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF ESSEX COUNTY.
AND, UH, IT IS ACROSS THE STREET FROM NORTH ACADEMY.
I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT IS AND IT IS IN ESSEX COUNTY, BUT ALMOST NOT OKAY.
AS LONG, AS, LONG AS IT'LL TAKE CARE OF ESSEX COUNTY.
MR. PRESIDENT ALMOST DOES NOT COUNT.
AND THE ADDRESS IS LIVINGSTON, NEW JERSEY.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO AGREE WITH MR. COLTRANE THAT LIVINGSTON IS STILL, LIVINGSTON STILL WITHIN ESSEX COUNTY.
FOR THE RECORD AS, UH, AS THE
AS LONG AS IT TAKES CARE OF ESSEX COUNTY, IT'S ALL RIGHT.
THAT, THAT, THAT'S ONLY ON A TEMPORARY BASIS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
UM, FOR ITEM NUMBER 47, HOW LONG IS THE CONSTRUCTION EXPECTED TO TAKE? WELL,
HOPEFULLY THE VENDOR DOING THE CONSTRUCTION AT ONE 15 WILL DO IT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER WITHIN THE, WITHIN THIS TIME PERIOD.
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CONSTRUCTION ALWAYS SEEMED TO BE SOMETHING UNEXPECTED.WHAT IF WE NEED IT PAST, UH, APRIL? CAN WE JUST EXPEND EXTEND IT ON A MONTH TO MONTH? OR WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING? THERE IS A PROVISION THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
THERE IS A PROVISION FOR MONTH TO MONTH IN THIS CONTRACT.
UM, FOR ITEM NUMBER 48, IS THIS EVERYTHING FROM COVID TIME OR IS SOME MORE THINGS FLOATING OUT THERE THAT YOU MAY COME BACK TO US? THIS IS EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE PURCHASED DURING THE COVID PERIOD HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OVERTIME.
ONLY HAS TO DO WITH ANY ITEMS THAT WE PURCHASED, WHETHER IT WAS MASK, WHETHER IT WAS, UH, CLEANER HAND, CLEANER WATER, WHATEVER, FOOD.
THIS IS A CATCHALL FOR ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE.
AND IF YOU LOOKED AT THE BACKUP, THERE'S A LIST OF EVERY VENDOR THAT WE HAVE SPENT MONEY WITH THIS NUMBER.
DOES IT INCLUDE THE MONEY THAT WE GAVE TO THE CITIES OR IS THAT A SEPARATE TRANSACTION? THAT IS A TOTALLY SEPARATE TRANSACTION.
UM, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 12.
THAT $175,000, IS THAT PER VENDOR OR FOR ALL FOUR VENDORS? THAT'S THE ADVOCATE NUMBER THAT CAN'T BE EXCEEDED.
THAT IS THE, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
THAT'S FOR EV ALL THE VENDORS, THE FOUR VENDORS THAT WE ARE AWARDING.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IS IF THE HOSPITAL CENTER NEEDS A TOILET PAPER OR SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ON THE LIST, THEY CAN BUY CORRECTIONS, COULD BUY ANY, ANYONE IN THE, WITHIN THE COUNTY CAN PURCHASE OFFICE FROM ANY OF THOSE FOUR.
PARDON? FROM ANY OF THOSE FOUR THAT'S LISTED.
DO THEY STILL HAVE TO, LIKE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO COMPARISON SHOP, JUST PICK WHOEVER GOT WHAT THEY WANT? CORRECT.
AND THEN THE $91,000, THAT'S ALL THE TOTAL FOUR SPENT ON THESE KIND OF ITEMS. THAT'S, UM, MENTIONED INSIDE THE MEMO FOR NUMBER 12? YES.
NUMBER 12, IT'S NOT TO EXCEED $175,000.
THE PREVIOUS AMOUNT THAT WAS SPENT, IT SAYS 90 SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS, PROBABLY, YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? VICE PRESIDENT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE? UH, 12 13 47.
SECOND BY MERCADO, WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GI.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO 14 THROUGH 16, WHICH ARE COUNTY BUDGET INSERTIONS OF ITEMS OF REVENUE FROM VARIOUS SOURCES.
THEY'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK MR. PRESIDENT.
ITEM 14 IN THE AMOUNT OF $58,000 IS A REIMBURSEMENT TO OUR DIVISION OF SENIOR SERVICES FOR, UM, COSTS THAT ARE NOT, UH, THAT ARE NON-FEDERAL ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.
UM, ITEM 15 IS, UM, CORRESPONDING TO ITEM EIGHT, WHICH MR. ANTONIO JUST, UH, WENT THROUGH IN THE AMOUNT OF $8,283,420 AND 38 CENTS FROM THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO FUND THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THOSE SEVEN, UH, INTERSECTIONS.
ITEM 16, UH, IN AMOUNT OF $1,359,250 IS MONEY FROM A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, BLOCK GRANT FOR THE REHABILITATION OF ELEVATORS AT THE, UH, VETERANS COURTHOUSE.
UM, THIS IS PARTIAL FUNDING FOR THE REHABILITATION OF SE SEVEN ELEVATORS AT THE COURTHOUSE.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ROLL CALL MATTER OF DEPUTY CLERK 14, 15 AND 16.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 17, WHICH IS ON THE RESOLUTION ACCEPTED THE 2023 COUNTY AUDIT.
WE WILL, UH, READ THIS INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UM, AS MR. MSA INDICATED EARLIER, THIS IS THE RE AND ALSO, MR. BARKO, THIS IS THE RESOLUTION ACCEPTING, UH, THE REPORT THAT MR. UH, SLAMMA GAVE EARLIER.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? NO, THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK ON NUMBER 17.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
[00:35:01]
RESOLUTIONS 18 THROUGH 41 AND 49, WHICH ARE IN MEMORIALS COMMENDATIONS RESOLUTIONS.AND THAT WILL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
ROLL CALL MAD DEPUTY CLERK ON 18 THROUGH 41.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
OKAY, MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY ADDED STARTERS THAT WE HAVEN'T COVERED YET? UH, YES.
MR. PRESIDENT, THERE ARE FOUR REMAINING.
WHAT DO YOU GOT? 42, 43, 45 AND 46, CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
FROM THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S DO 42 AND 43, WHICH ARE FROM THE OFFICE OF COUNTY COUNCIL.
IT ALWAYS SEEMS YOU DO SEEM TO LEAVE THE BEST FOR LAST, UNFORTUNATELY.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JEROME.
UH, BEFORE I GO INTO BOTH OF THESE, I THINK I CAN SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MR. JACKSON.
I WANT TO THANK, UH, BOTH OUR DIRECTOR OF LABOR, SYLVIA HILL AND OUR OUTSIDE COUNSEL FOR THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DID.
BUT I, I WOULD PARTICULARLY LIKE TO THANK THE LABOR LEADERS THAT WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH OVER MANY HOURS.
THEY WERE VERY, VERY REASONABLE TO WORK WITH.
UH, VERY, VERY, JUST COULDN'T HAVE BEEN MORE COOPERATIVE.
SO THAT, UH, I, I KNOW PERHAPS YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT FEELING ABOUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE IN THIS ROOM DURING THE COURSE OF THIS PROCESS.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THEY, THEY WERE A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH.
SO IF THEY WERE HERE, I WOULD THANK THEM IN PERSON.
BUT I WANT TO THANK, LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT THEY WERE REALLY A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH.
SO THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT THEIR FULL COOPERATION WITH US, CORRECT.
HOW ABOUT AT THE END? ABSOLUTELY.
MR. MR. PRESIDENT, IF I MAY, THIS IS THE, THIS IS A, UH, MOA AND SETTLEMENT THAT WE HAVE WITH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, 180 3 A, WHICH ARE THE SUPERIORS.
IT'S, UH, AND YOU CAN SEE THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE, THAT, UH, SETTLEMENT.
UH, IT IS A SIX YEAR CONTRACT, AND I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THE CONTRACT.
MR. PARLO, ANY QUESTIONS ON 42 OR 43? I, I DON'T WANT TO GET THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I DON'T WANNA GET TOO DEEP INTO IT, UNFORTUNATELY.
UH, I KNOW THIS CAME IN LATE TODAY, SO I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SEE IT.
BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, ARE THE TERMS COMMENSURATE WITH THE OTHER, UH, BARGAINING UNITS THAT HAVE COME BEFORE? I KNOW THAT WAS A BIG DISCUSSION THAT HAD GONE BACK AND FORTH WHERE THIS WOULD LAND.
THEY, THEY, FOR THE OUT THE BEGINNING YEARS THAT THEY ARE LESS THAN THE OTHER CONTRACTS.
AND THEN WHAT THE COUNTY AGREED TO DO IS ON EFFECTIVE 11 59, 12 31 20 23, THEY WOULD BE RESTORED TO THE SALARY THAT THEY WOULD'VE HAD HAD THEY AGREED WITH THE OFFER THAT WE, WE MADE TO THEM INITIALLY.
SO IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
AND THIS, THERE IS NO RETRO DURING THAT, DURING THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
AND THIS TAKES US THROUGH THE LAST CONTRACT.
SO NOW WE JUST HAVE, THEY HAVE TO NOW GET BACK ONTO 2024 AND CORRECT.
COMMISSIONER HAS ANY QUESTIONS ON 42 AND 43? HE JUST DID 42 AND, I'M SORRY, 42.
AND I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU A, A 43.
THAT'S PROSECUTOR'S RANK AND FILE INVESTIGATORS TO YOUR TIME.
HOLD ON ONE SECOND SINCE I ALREADY OPENED UP A CAN OF WORMS AND MR. PARVE, YOU'RE ASKING QUESTIONS THAT I, LET ME OPEN IT UP TO COMMISSIONER ON JUST 42.
BE HAPPY TO COMMISSIONER ANY QUESTIONS ON 42 OR DO YOU WANNA RESERVE FOR 42 AND 43? NO.
CAN WE DO ONE, ONE TIME? OKAY.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, THEN RICHARD, I'M GONNA YIELD TO COMMISSIONER LUCIAN.
DO YOU WANNA GO FIRST? YOU'RE ALL POINTING AT EACH OTHER.
THANK YOU THROUGH YOU MR. PRESIDENT.
I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS COME TO FRUITION AND THIS IS BEING RESOLVED HERE TONIGHT.
UM, SO THANK YOU, UH, TO OUR JUDGE HERE WHO HANDLES THINGS.
JOHN, UH, TO THE REST OF THE ADMINISTRATION, TO THE LABOR LEADERS THAT WERE PART OF THIS, AND TO THE MEMBERS THAT HAVE VOTED TO RATIFY AND AGREE THIS, THIS IS GREAT.
UM, ONE QUESTION I WOULD HAVE THOUGH IS, AND AGAIN, I THINK IT COULD BE ANSWERED HERE, UM, BUT I'LL DEFER TO MICHAEL PARLA VECCHIO.
[00:40:01]
UNDERSTANDING IS BEFORE TONIGHT THERE WERE THREE UNIONS THAT HADN'T SETTLED.SO THERE'S STILL ONE OUTSTANDING THAT HAS NOT CORRECT 180 3, WHICH ARE RANK AND FILE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
BUT WE, AND AND I, I'LL GIVE YOU MY MR. PRESIDENT IF I MAY PLEASE.
MY OPINION IS, HAD WE HAD A DAY OR TWO MORE, WE WOULD'VE BEEN PRESENTING THAT THEY WOULD.
SO HAVE WE PRESENTED IT TO THEM YET? OH, SURE.
SO IT HAS BEEN PRESENTED TO THEM.
I SAID WE HAD A DAY OR TWO MORE TO GET THE PAPERWORK DONE.
I, I, I FIRMLY BELIEVE WE WOULD'VE BEEN HERE TODAY WITH ALL THE CONTRACTS.
I JUST WANTED TO ASK THAT QUESTION BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE WERE ALWAYS TOLD THERE'S THREE, THERE'S THREE OUTSTANDING TO SEE TWO AND NOT THE THIRD.
I WAS WONDERING, BUT NOW THAT I KNOW, AND I THINK THE RECORD REFLECTS THAT THE SAME AGREEMENTS THAT THESE UNIONS HAVE, I'M UNDERSTANDING WAS THE SAME AGREEMENT THAT WILL BE OR HAS BEEN OFFERED TO THE THIRD? NO, I THINK NO.
SO THAT, MAYBE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A QUESTION.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A MUCH MORE, NOT COMPLICATED BUT COMPLEX DISCUSSION.
THE, THE OFFERS WERE BASED ON THE BINDING ARBITRATION THAT THEY SOUGHT, THAT WE WENT THROUGH.
AND I, I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THE DETAILS, BUT, UH, AT, AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
BUT THEY'RE CONSISTENT WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE BINDING ARBITRATION THAT THEY, THAT THEY INSISTED UPON THAT, THAT WE UNDERTOOK.
SO FOR THIS, THESE TWO OR THE, OR THE ONE THAT'S STILL 1 8 3 A AND 180 3 RANK AND FILE, THE OFFER THAT WE HAVE MADE TO THEM IS CONSISTENT WITH THAT.
UH, AND UNTIL WE HAVE SOMETHING IN WRITING SIGNED, I'M ONLY GIVING YOU MY OPINION AS TO WHAT WILL HAPPEN.
I BELIEVE THAT WILL BE RESOLVED IN VERY SHORT ORDER.
AND WE'LL BE BACK, WE'LL BE BACK BEFORE YOU AT THE NEXT MEETING.
YOU'LL LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT MR. UH, ST.
I THINK THAT THAT'S, I THINK WE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, LEAVE IT THERE BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD PROGRESS GOING ON ON BOTH SIDES.
AND MAYBE THIS WAS HELD ON FRIDAY.
PERHAPS WE WOULD'VE THREE TODAY.
LET'S DO WITH JUST THIS ONE AT THIS MOMENT, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
WHAT'S THE PERIOD YOU SAID, I THINK I HEARD YOU SAY THAT THERE'S A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE THERE'S NO RETRO.
THERE IS, IT'S A BIFURCATED RETRO.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE, UH, THE 2%, 2 18, 2 AND A HALF, 2 22, 2 2 2 0.8% OF 2 23, THAT WILL BE PAID ON A RETRO BASIS.
BUT WE HAVE, WE ALSO SAID TO THIS, TO THIS, THE LEADERSHIP HERE.
UH, IF YOU ACCEPT OUR OFFER, WE WILL BRING YOU UP TO THE SAME POSITION.
YOU WOULD BE HAD YOU ACCEPTED OUR OFFER WAY BACK WHEN, BUT YOU WON'T BE GETTING THOSE RETRO YEARS, YOU'LL BE GETTING RETRO YEARS AS I'VE INDICATED HERE.
BUT THE, THE RETRO, THE OFFER THAT WE MADE WAY BACK WHEN WAS HIGHER.
THAT'S ON THIS, THIS PIECE OF PAPER, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
SO THESE PEOPLE EFFECTIVELY ARE GONNA HAVE THE NEW, THE, THE NUMBERS THAT I SEE THERE, LIKE A, UH, A SERGEANT ONE, SERGEANT TWO.
WHAT ARE THOSE LIKE NEW STEPS THAT, THAT WILL BE CREATED FOR THEM? EFFECTIVE DECEMBER SOMETHING 23? YEAH, SO, SO IF, IF YOU DECEMBER 31ST BECAUSE THE CONTRACT IS UP, THEN YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T MAKE IT INTO A NEW CONTRACT YEAR.
BUT, UH, BUT GOING FORWARD, UH, MAYBE, UH, THE WAY I EXPLAINED IT TO MYSELF WAS IF, IF TWO, IF, IF MR. JACKSON AND I WERE IN THE SAME POSITION, BUT AT DIFFERENT UNIT, UH, UNITS, UH, AND HE ACCEPTED THE COUNTY'S OFFER WAY BACK WHEN HIS CONTRACT, UH, AND HIS PAYCHECK WOULD BE AT AS AT THE END OF THIS PERIOD OF TIME, AND MY CONTRACT PAYCHECK WOULD BE EXACTLY THE SAME GOING FORWARD.
WE TRIED TO GIVE PEOPLE, THAT'S THE OFFER THAT WE'VE MADE TO 'EM, LOOK, WE'RE GONNA BRING YOU UP TO DATE.
YOU'RE GONNA BE IN THE SAME POSITION HAD YOU ACCEPTED OUR OFFER.
HOWEVER, DURING THE YEARS THAT YOU DIDN'T ACCEPT THE OFFER, YOU'RE GONNA BE GETTING THESE RAISES, BUT NOT THE FULL RAISES YOU WOULD HAVE GOTTEN HAD YOU ACCEPT OUR OFFER WAY BACK WHEN.
AND, AND AS I SAID, THEY WERE VERY GRACIOUS ABOUT IT.
UH, AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT CRITICIZING THEM FOR WHAT THEY DID.
I THINK THEY FACED REALITY GOING THROUGH THE ARBITRATION PROCESS.
I'M NOT GONNA READ INTO THEIR MIND WHAT THEY WERE DOING, BUT THEY WERE, THEY WERE GRACIOUS.
AND DID YOU SAY THAT EACH OFFER IS BASED UPON THE CLAIM THAT THEY FILED FOR MEDIATION OR ARBITRATION, WHATEVER IT WAS? WHAT WHAT HAPPENED WAS WE WENT THROUGH A BINDING, UH, ARBITRATION.
THE ARBITRATOR MADE A DECISION AND THE DECISION, UH, HAD CERTAIN, UM, PAYMENTS TO BE MADE OVER FIRST SEVERAL YEARS.
UH, THE AR THE ARBITRATOR DIDN'T DO WHAT HE, WE THOUGHT HE SHOULD HAVE DONE.
IF YOU REMEMBER WAY BACK WHEN I WAS TALKING TO HIM, I SAID, LOOK, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO APPEAL THIS BECAUSE WE DON'T THINK IT WAS
[00:45:01]
THE, THE RIGHT WAY OF DOING THINGS.AND WE WERE HIGHLY CONFIDENT THAT THE DECISION WOULD BE REVERSED.
UH, WE, WE CAME BACK TO, I BELIEVE AND TOLD YOU THAT THE, THE AR THE PERK DID REVERSE THE DECISION.
THEY VACATED THE, THE, THE ARBITRATOR'S DECISION AND SAID, NO, NO, NO, YOU CAN'T JUST GIVE THEM THE TWO, THE TWOS AND ZEROS THAT YOU DID.
YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND FOLLOW THE STATUTE AND, AND, UM, TO COST OUT YOUR DECISION MORE.
AND, AND WE, THERE'S UNCERTAINTY WITH THAT.
I ALWAYS, I, MY PHILOSOPHY IS IF THERE'S UNCERTAINTY, THAT'S A GOOD TIME TO COME TO A RESOLUTION WHEN NEITHER SIDE REALLY IS A HUNDRED PERCENT CERTAIN OF HOW THINGS ARE GONNA BE WORK TO WORK OUT.
THEY FELT THERE WAS SOME UNCERTAINTY AS WELL.
THEY SAT AND SAT DOWN IN GOOD FAITH AND WE WERE ABLE TO RESOLVE THINGS.
THE UNION VOTED TO ACCEPT THIS, EXCUSE ME, ALREADY.
DID THEY VOTE TO ACCEPT THIS? YES, THEY DID.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON 42? COMMISSIONER RICHARDS, DO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, SO ALL OF THE LAWSUITS ON BOTH SIDES HAVE BEEN SETTLED.
SO THE COUNTY DROPPED ALL OF THEIR LAWSUITS AND THEY DROPPED ALL OF THEIR LAWSUITS? THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
WITH, WITH THIS, WITH THIS BARGAINING UNIT 1, 3 8, 1 8, 3 8 SUPERIOR.
REMEMBER THE, THE, THE, I KNOW YOU REMEMBER THIS, BUT I'M JUST BRINGING, JUST SAYING IT FOR THE RECORD.
REMEMBER WE HAD THE LAWSUIT WITH REGARD TO THE SWITCH OF HEALTHCARE.
THAT, THAT HAS BEEN, THEY AGREED TO, UH, WITHDRAW THAT AND DISMISS IT WITH PREJUDICE SO THEY CAN NEVER BRING IT AGAIN.
THAT THAT'S, THAT WAS ACCOMPLISHED.
ALSO, COMMISSIONER MERCADO AND THE RETRO AS INDICATED IN THE SETTLEMENT THAT, UM, THAT IS, UH, THAT THE FUNDING FOR THAT IS ALREADY SET ASIDE BY, BY THE COUNT, BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE PREPARED NECESSARY FUNDING TO PAY THAT.
UH, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE US TO PROCESS THIS? THE PAYMENTS? YES.
I, I CAN'T, I REALLY CAN'T HAZARD A GUESS.
UH, IF YOU REMEMBER IN OTHER INSTANCES WHERE WE HAD TO PAY RETROS AND IT, IT TAKES, IT TAKES TIME.
JOHN, IF YOU RECALL, I'M ASKING THAT QUESTION BECAUSE AFTER WE APPROVED, A BUNCH OF US WAS BOMBARDED WITH EMAILS, UM, FROM SOME OF THE MEMBERS SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HADN'T RECEIVED THEIR PAYOUT.
AND I THINK I RECALL MR. JACKSON SAYING THAT WE HIRED SOME ADDITIONAL PEOPLE OR DID SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO HELP US PROCESS SOME THINGS ALONG IN, IT'S A LOT OF MOVING PARTS.
SO I MAY BE CONFUSING SOME DIFFERENT UNIONS TOGETHER.
BUT HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE US TO PROCESS THIS, UH, THROUGH UNION? MR. PRESIDENT? I THINK, UM, MAD VICE PRESIDENT.
YOU'RE, THE ISSUE YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO IS FOR THE PENSION RETROS.
WHICH WAS A SEPARATE THING, WHICH TAKES, 'CAUSE IT'S, IT, IT'S A BACK AND FORTH WITH THE STATE AND TRYING TO GET INFORMATION TAKES QUITE A BIT OF TIME FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
BUT THE, THE ACTUAL SALARY RETROS THAT WE DID FOR CORRECTIONS AND, AND SOME OF THE OTHER, I THINK WAS WITH 45, 60 DAYS, SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES.
SO IT'LL BE THAT SAME KIND OF TWO PRE THAT PROCESS THE PAYMENT AND THEN WHATEVER PENSION RECALCULATION DO HAVE TO DO.
YEAH, THE THE PENSION, THE PENSION PART WILL COME SECOND, BUT THAT WILL BE, THAT'S GONNA TAKE A LITTLE BIT.
WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THAT? UM, I RECALL WE HAD ONE UNION THAT YOU GUYS SETTLED A COUPLE OF YEARS AND THEN SOME YEARS WAS STILL OPEN.
DID WE SETTLE THOSE? THAT GROUP ONE UNION IS A COUPLE OF YEARS.
REMEMBER IT WAS ONE THAT'S, THAT'S THE NEXT NUMBER.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S, LET'S WRAP THE CONVERSATION ON THIS ONE SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
MR. JACKSON, I'M JUST GONNA ASK THAT IF YOU CAN, WHEN, UH, THIS, UH, ASSUMING THIS GETS APPROVED, WHEN WE VOTE ON IT, IF YOU CAN KEEP US POSTED ON THE TIMING OF THE SALARY AND THE PENSION RETRO PAY.
SO WE CAN JUST KEEP POSTED AS WE WILL LIKELY BE FIELDED SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS AND WE CAN GIVE THEM PERHAPS BALLPARK ANSWERS BASED ON WHAT YOU TELL US.
I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT EXACTLY A PRECISE SCIENCE, BUT GIVE US AN INDICATION WHEN YOUR OFFICE IS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE NUMBER 42? MOVE BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
THIS, UH, UH, MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, THIS IS A, THIS IS A NEW CONTRACT WITH, UH, PROSECUTORS.
INVESTIGATORS RANK AND FILE FOR THE, FOR CALENDAR YEARS, 24 AND 25.
SO, UH, THEY, THEY FILED FOR A BINDING ARBITRATION.
WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS AND, AND AGAIN, THAT QUESTION OF UNCERTAINTY LED US TO A BARGAINING TABLE AND WE WERE ABLE TO REACH A
[00:50:01]
VOLUNTARY RESULT.AND THAT VOLUNTARY RESULT, AS THAT SET FORTH HERE, THERE'LL BE A 2% INCREASE IN 2024 AND A 2% INCREASE IN 2025.
MR. PARLOVE, YOUR QUESTIONS ON NUMBER 43? YES, MR. ST.
JOHN? I THINK WHAT, UH, IF I'M CORRECT, COMMISSIONER, WHAT THE COMMISSIONER WAS TALKING ABOUT WAS AS A RESULT OF ONE OF THE ARBITRATIONS, THE ARBITRATOR ONLY MADE A DECISION AS TO, LET'S SAY THE FIRST TWO OR THREE YEARS AND THEN LEFT OPEN SOME OF THE OTHER ONES.
THAT WAS WHAT WAS HANDLED BY PERC CORRECT.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I THINK YOU WERE TALKING, YES.
SO THAT WAS CORRECTED BY, I MISUNDERSTOOD THE, THAT WAS AN ERROR THAT WAS CORRECTED BY PER THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON 43? I THINK WE PROBABLY HANDLED MOST OF THIS THAN 42.
SO NOW IS THIS THE ONLY UNION THAT HAS A CONTRACT HERE FOR 2025? YES.
SO HOPEFULLY THIS OPEN THE FLOODGATES.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE ON? 43.
MOVE BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND BY RICHARDSON.
DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GI ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 45 AND 46 OF WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT DIVISION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT.
UM, MR. PRESIDENT, YOU DID SAY THE BEST FOR LAST, WHICH WAS NOT
I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS I DIDN'T REALLY MEAN THAT.
JOSETTE VANDYKE, REPRESENTING DIVISION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT.
WE'RE ASKING TO ENTER INTO A GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE FOR 200, UH, $269,000 AND $928 AND 18 CENTS TO DO PRE-APPRENTICESHIP IN THE HEALTH FIELD.
UH, FOR NUMBER 46, WE ARE ASKING TO ENTER INTO A GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT CONTRACT WITH THE ESS COUNTY SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY ADULT SCHOOL, THE VOC SCHOOL FOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND ESL TRAINING FOR ONE, UH, HUNDRED 45,000 1 0 1, UH, 52 6.
MR. PARLOVE, YOUR QUESTIONS ON 45 AND 46? NO.
COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS ON 45 AND 46.
WE'RE REINVESTING IN OUR OWN SCHOOLS, SO I LIKE IT.
UH, DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? MOVE, MOVE BY RICHARDSON.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
SO, OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO REPORT OF BOARD COMMITTEES.
DO WE HAVE ANY COMMISSIONERS? SEEING NONE.
DO WE HAVE ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS? NONE WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS.
ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NONE.
LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT WITH ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER.
STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, PRESENT IF I MAY.
IT WAS PART OF THE, WHEN WE MOVED ALL OF THE UH, OKAY.
BUT SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT UP, YOU WANT TO GIVE HER HER DO.
I WANTED THE VICE PRESIDENT TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON, BECAUSE SHE'S A REPRESENTATIVE, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
WELL, I THINK THAT'S A FABULOUS IDEA, COMMISSIONER.
SOMETHING SHE WANTED TO PUT ON THE RECORD, THE RECOGNITION.
WE, WE DID MOVE THESE ALREADY, BUT WHY DON'T WE DO THIS.
WHY DON'T WE SAVE THIS FOR THE COMMISSIONER COMMENT SESSION.
GIVE HER A FEW MINUTES TO THINK ABOUT IT.
BECAUSE I'M SURE SHE HAS A LOT TO SAY.
LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
SET YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
[00:55:01]
GOOD EVENING, SIR.I'M A RESIDENT OF WEST ORANGE AND THUS ESSEX COUNTY.
I HAVE, UH, I LIVE ON A COUNTY ROAD.
UH, IN AUGUST OF THIS YEAR, WE HAD THE ROAD REPAVED.
THE ROAD WAS REPAIRED, IT WAS RES STRIPPED.
UNFORTUNATELY, UH, DAMAGE OCCURRED TO MY PROPERTY AND MY NEIGHBOR'S PROPERTY.
AND THE STRIPING WAS DONE DIFFERENTLY IN THE LAST THAN IT HAD BEEN IN THE LAST 10 YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT.
I HAVE REACHED OUT TO MULTIPLE AREAS THROUGH WEST ORANGE AND TO THE ESSEX COUNTY GROUP.
UH, I FOUND MY WAY UP TO COMMISSIONER GILL, WHO I SPOKE WITH AROUND THREE O'CLOCK THIS AFTERNOON.
AND HE RECOMMENDED THAT I COME TO SPEAK AT THIS MEETING AND, UH, REQUEST A REMEDIATION, WHICH WOULD SPECIFICALLY BE TO REPAINT THE ROAD THE WAY THAT IT WAS.
UH, THE ISSUE I HAVE IS THAT THE SHOULDER WHERE I PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN ORDER TO PULL INTO MY DRIVEWAY IS FAR TOO SMALL.
I DRIVE A COMPACT CAR AND IT BARELY FITS.
IT WAS NOT THE CASE FOR THE LAST, LAST 10 YEARS.
UM, AND OUR CURB DRAINS THAT ARE DIRECTING OUR DRAIN WATER AWAY FROM THE HOUSES ARE NOW BLOCKED.
SO, UM, MY, MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN FIND A WAY TO, UH, WORK WITH PS EG, WHO WAS THE CONTRACTOR TO RE REDO IT.
UH, I HAD RAISED THE CONCERN IN AUGUST, AND AS SOON AS IT HAD HAPPENED, I'D BEEN DIRECTED TO PPSE AND GPSE AND G HAD THEN REACHED OUT TO ME AND PROMISED TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION.
UM, DUE RAIN, I GUESS THEY WERE ABLE, THEY HAD TO POSTPONE.
AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY I WAS INFORMED THAT, UM, THIS WAS NOT THE CASE AND THE ROAD WAS PAINTED THE WAY IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAINTED FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.
FROM WHAT I CAN TELL FROM THE EMAILS, NO ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN.
UM, I FOUND THAT UNFORTUNATE AND DISHEARTENING, AND THEN I RAISED MY CONCERN TO SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND FIND MYSELF HERE.
I DO HAVE A PRESENTATION, WHICH I AM HAPPY TO, TO PROVIDE TO YOU.
UH, IT HAS PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE PARKING CONDITIONS AND OF THE, UM, THE BLOCKED CURB DREAMS. SO I THINK WHAT WE'LL WE'LL DO HERE IS, SINCE THIS IS NOT REALLY A BACK AND FORTH, WHAT I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO DO IS OUR, UH, OUR COMMUNICATIONS OFFICERS BEHIND YOU, HIS NAME IS ADAM.
AND ADAM CAN TAKE THE, THE GIST OF YOUR SCENARIO SO THAT WE CAN REQUEST, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION, OUR COUNTERPARTS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF GOVERNMENT TO HAVE THEIR DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING LOOK INTO THESE MATTERS.
THESE ARE ENGINEERING AND THINGS THAT FOLLOW STATE GUIDELINES AND OTHER SUCH THINGS THAT I AM NOT PERSONALLY IMMEDIATELY AWARE OF.
I THINK I'M FAMILIAR WITH IT, BUT I'M NO EXPERT ON IT.
AND WE'LL ASK THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AND EXPLORE INTO THE MATTER AND JUST ADVISE WHAT WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE NEXT STEP.
AND WE WILL FORWARD YOUR INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE HERE WITH, WITH YOU TO THEM AS WELL SO THAT WE CAN DO IT.
UH, SO ADAM, IF YOU CAN PLEASE JUST CAPTURE HIS INFORMATION AND, UH, MR. JACKSON WILL FORWARD THAT TO YOUR OFFICE SO THAT YOU CAN HANDLE IT AS YOU SEE APPROPRIATE ON YOUR END.
SINCE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE MORE ON THE, THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.
MR. UH, COMMISSIONER SANO? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THROUGH YOU.
I KNOW WE DON'T NORMALLY DO THIS AND I'M NOT GETTING INTO ANY DIALOGUE, BUT I WANTED TO PUT SOME COMMENTS ON THE RECORD.
ONE, UH, FIRST THANKS TO THE RESIDENT THAT'S HERE BEFORE US TONIGHT.
WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE PEOPLE COMING AND BRINGING ISSUES, UM, TO US FIRSTHAND.
TWO, I DO WANT TO PUT ON THE RECORD THAT COMMISSIONER GILL, WHO IS NOT PRESENT, DID CALL ME AND HE BROUGHT ME UP TO SPEED, UH, A LITTLE BIT ON AGAIN, WHAT THE ISSUE WAS HERE, UM, FOR THE RESIDENT THAT'S HERE AND AGAIN, WHAT, WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS YOUR NAME AGAIN, SIR? MY NAME IS DAN MUELLER.
MR. MUELLER, LISTEN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
THE ONE THING I WILL SAY, AND I ONLY AM SAYING THIS BECAUSE I WAS ASKED BY, UM, COMMISSIONER GILL TO GET AHEAD OF THIS.
I SPOKE WITH MR. ANTONIO, WHO'S PART OF PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, AND YES, WE ARE AWARE THAT YOU DID CONTACT THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE.
WE ARE AWARE THAT THIS PROJECT WAS NOT OUR PROJECT, BUT A PROJECT BY PSE AND G, CORRECT? UM, THAT'S CORRECT.
WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE WILL LOOK INTO THIS A LITTLE FURTHER, PRELIMINARILY, I WAS TOLD THAT THE POSSIBLE REMEDIATION, UM, MAY HAVE TO COME BASED UPON THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY CHANGING THE, I GUESS, STRUCTURE OF HOW IT HAS TO
[01:00:01]
BE STRIPED.UM, AGAIN, WE AS THE COUNTY, EVEN IF IT'S A COUNTY ROAD, WE USUALLY CONFORM TO THE RULES OF WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITY.
BUT I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE STREET.
I, UM, YOU WOULD THINK THAT IT WOULDN'T BE CHANGED WHEN SOMEBODY GOES IN AND DOES THIS.
HOWEVER, SOMETIMES WHEN THINGS GET CHANGED, NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY GO IN AND THEY HAVE TO WORK UNDER DIFFERENT PARAMETERS.
RIGHT? BECAUSE EVEN LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, BRIDGES, YOU BUILD A BRIDGE TO HOLD CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WEIGHT, AND THEN WHEN YOU RECONSTRUCT IT 50 YEARS LATER, YOU HAVE TO BUILD IT TO HOLD A DIFFERENT TYPE OF WEIGHT.
RIGHT? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? JUST LIKE ROAD STRIPING AND ROAD SIGNAGE.
SOMETIMES THE STATE CHANGES HOW IT HAS TO BE CONSTRUCTED.
SO WE'RE GONNA GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT THOUGH.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING.
WE'LL SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING IN OUR POWER THAT WE CAN DO TO BRING IT BACK TO THE WAY IT WAS.
UM, AND IF WE CAN'T, WE'RE GONNA TELL YOU WHY WE CAN'T.
UM, AND WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING WE CAN HERE.
SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, PERSONAL, UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER.
SO WE'LL FORWARD THE INFORMATION TO MR. JACKSON'S OFFICE, WHO CAN THEN SEND IT ACCORDINGLY TO HIS TEAM FOR REVIEW.
SEEING THAT THERE'S NO ONE ELSE HERE, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THERE IS NO ONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER COMMENT SESSION.
AND I BELIEVE, UH, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON HAS SUGGESTED OR BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE VICE PRESIDENT MAY HAVE SOMETHING SHE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US.
I, I WOULD LIKE TO OPEN THE FLOOR SO YOU CAN HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT VERY KIND IF YOU COMMISSIONER 49 ACTUALLY IS, GIVE US A LITTLE BACKGROUND AND WHAT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON FOR GIVING ME AN OPPORTUNITY IN BRINGING IT TO THE BOARD'S ATTENTION.
THAT RESOLUTION NUMBER 49 WAS CELEBRATING AND RECOGNIZING GLOBAL CAT DAY THAT OCCURRED ON OCTOBER 16TH, 2024.
WE WERE EXPECTING MAMA OW TO BE HERE TONIGHT.
AND SHE GOT CAUGHT UP WITH ANOTHER, UM, ENGAGEMENT.
SO I'M GOING TO REALLY RESERVE A LOT OF MY COMMENTS UNTIL SHE'S HERE AT THE NEXT MEETING BECAUSE WE WANTED TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE HER AND GIVE HER THIS ACCOMMODATION FOR ALL OF HER HARD WORK AND TIRELESS EFFORTS TO GO THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, UM, TO BRING OUR ATTENTION TO THE NEED TO WORK ON THE FERAL CATS OR THE COMMUNITY CAST AS THEY'RE OFTEN REFERRED TO.
SO I'M GONNA HOLD THOSE COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING WHEN SHE SAID THANK YOU.
AND IT IS INDEED A CATASTROPHE.
OH, I HAD TO THROW THAT OUT THERE.
WE KNOW WE LOVE CHARLOTTE AND WE DO WISH THAT SHE WAS HERE.
AND WHILE WE MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A GOOD TIME, UH, WE DO VALUE HER ADVOCACY BECAUSE SHE HAS BEEN HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL.
COMING TO THIS BOARD, HELPING TO ORGANIZE THIS COMMITTEE AND LENDING A VOICE TO THAT, WHICH IS IN ALL SERIOUSNESS A BIG PROBLEM IN MANY OF OUR CITIES.
AND IT'S BEEN A LOT OF ACTION.
SO KUDOS TO MS. GALLO FOR ALL OF HER GOOD WORK AND FOR INDULGING US IN A LITTLE BIT OF HUMOR.
'CAUSE SHE'S THE FIRST THROW A LITTLE BIT OF HUMOR AT US.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO COMMEND THE ADMINISTRATION WHO'S BEEN STEADFAST RIGHT ALONGSIDE THE BOARD MOVING THE FUNDING IN THE AGENDA FORWARD.
MR. JACKSON AND HIS STAFF, MATT, YOU GUYS HAVE REALLY WORKED SIDE BY SIDE WITH US, ALONG WITH JAY.
MR. PRESIDENT TO PUT TOGETHER THAT RFP THAT WENT OUT.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS DID A TREMENDOUS JOB WHEN, WHEN THE COMMUNITY HAS COME OUT AND SPOKE OUT.
YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN RIGHT THERE ALONGSIDE OF US.
WE INCREASED THE FUNDING THIS PAST YEAR AND IT'S BEEN REALLY, REALLY, REALLY EFFECTIVE THIS PAST YEAR, THE SERVICES AND THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE FOR THE COMMUNITY CATS.
AND WHILE I STILL HAVE THE FLOOR, I WANT TO COMMEND THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THESE, UM, ARBITRATION DECISIONS FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
I KNOW WE ARE, I'M SPEAKING FOR THE BOARD NOW.
WE ARE ALL HAPPY TO SEE THESE CONTRACTS GET SETTLED.
REALLY, REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THIS.
IT WAS A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH AND I COMMEND YOU ALL FOR, FOR STAYING IN THE COURSE AND GETTING IT DONE.
AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD FOR THAT LAST CONTRACT TO COME TO US BECAUSE THEN WE START THE WHOLE PROCESS ALL OVER AGAIN WITH THE 20 PLUS UNIONS AND HOPEFULLY THIS TIME WE COULD DO THE ONE SIZE FIT, ALL THAT, WHATEVER WE DO, WE'RE ABLE TO GET ALL THE UNIONS TO COME TOGETHER TO COLLECTIVELY.
I JUST WANNA SAY COINCIDENTALLY, I, I WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH, UH, WITH MATT AND, UH, JESSICA, UH, JUST BEFORE THE MEETING.
WE'RE ACTUALLY CLOSE TO RUNNING OUT OF MONEY THAT WE ALLOCATED FOR, UH, THIS YEAR.
[01:05:01]
A GOOD THING.YEAH, THAT MEANS A LOT OF GOOD WORK HAS BEEN HAPPENING.
UM, IF NO ONE ELSE HAS ANYTHING, GO.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, JUST A REMINDER, TOMORROW WE HAVE THE DISPARITY STUDY.
FOLKS FOR THE DISPARITY STUDY WILL BE HERE AT FIVE 30, SO MAKE SURE YOU'RE HERE IF YOU CAN MAKE IT SO WE CAN HEAR ALL OF THE GOOD, UM, COMMENTS AND ANSWERS THAT THEY'RE GONNA COME WITH AND SOLUTIONS ON HOW TO FIX THIS DISPARITY IN ESSEX COUNTY.
HAVE A REALLY ROBUST, UH, MEETING AND CONVERSATION.
I HAVE TWO THINGS I'D LIKE TO SHARE.
NUMBER ONE IS A LITTLE HOUSEKEEPING.
SO COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS.
I KNOW THE MEMO HAS GONE OUT, BUT ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5TH, WE ARE TAKING OUR STAFF OUT TO OUR ANNUAL END OF THE YEAR PARTY FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
AND THAT'S A MEMO THAT WAS DISTRIBUTED, UH, BY TODAY BY, UH, MADAM DEPUTY CLERK.
SECONDLY, I WANNA WISH FLORENCE MANSFIELD, UH, OF NUTLEY ON HER 100TH BIRTHDAY.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SPONSORING SOMETHING FOR HER AND, UH, GOD BLESS HER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
SO, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJO? MOVE SECOND.