AND IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY FOUND
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YOUR TOWN OR YOUR CITY, FEEL FREE AT SOME POINT THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM OR TOWARDS THE END, HEY, TO COME UP AND, UH, FIND YOUR TOWN OR YOUR CITY HERE IN THE A M BECAUSE I LIKE TO SAY THERE IS NO ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WITHOUT YOU, OUR RESIDENTS, OUR ADVOCATES, OUR CHAMPIONS.SO THIS IS YOUR CHAMBERS AS MUCH AS IS MINE AND MY BOARD COLLEAGUES.
GOOD AFTERNOON OR GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
I'M SO HONORED TO BE WITH YOU TODAY.
MY NAME IS ADO MARY THOMAS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOU TO THIS SPECIAL BELATED, BUT CERTAINLY NECESSARY AND NO LESS SIGNIFICANT PRESENTATION, COMMEMORATING TRANSGENDER AWARENESS THAT WAS CELEBRATED LAST MONTH.
I'M SO PROUD, IN PARTICULAR, TO HONOR TWO HONOREES FOR THEIR DEDICATION AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR TRANS AND NON-BINARY COMMUNITY.
UH, PART OF THE REASON WHY WE'RE DOING THIS CELEBRATION, THAT'S TWOFOLD.
ONE, I BELIEVE THAT OUR JOY IS A REVOLUTION.
WHEN YOU HAPPEN TO EXIST IN THIS WORLD, IN A BLACK, IN A QUEER, IN A TRANS BODY, EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE IS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE.
AND SO AS WE COME INTO A YEAR WITH A PRESIDENT WHO HAS QUITE LITERALLY A DECLARED WAR ON OUR TRANS BODIES, DECLARED WAR ON ALL THOSE WHO ARE OTHERED AND MARGINALIZED, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE COME TOGETHER AND CELEBRATE US NO MATTER WHAT AND NO MATTER THE CONTEXT.
AND SO I WAS SO PROUD TO SPONSOR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MY DEAR FRIEND AND BRETHREN, THE MOVEMENT, REGINALD BLOOD.
SO WHO YOU HEAR FROM IN A MOMENT, A RESOLUTION NOT ONLY FORMALLY RECOGNIZING TRANS AWARENESS WEEK AND TRANS AWARENESS MONTH THIS PAST NOVEMBER HERE IN THE ESTHER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, WHICH IS THE VERY FIRST TIME THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE HISTORY OF THIS BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
BUT TO CELEBRATE TWO INCREDIBLE ADVOCATES WHO ARE DOING THE WORK ON THE FRONT LINES EVERY SINGLE DAY.
GIVE YOURSELVES AND YOUR VILLAGE AND OUR ADVOCATES A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AS I SAID, WE ARE JOINED IN THIS WORK, NOT OURSELVES, BUT THROUGH OUR BELOVED PARTNERS AND SOLDIERS IN THE MOVEMENT.
SO THAT FOR DO, I'D LIKE TO BRING UP SOMEONE WHO FRANKLY WAS KIND OF A MENTOR TO ME IN MANY WAYS.
I WAS JUST GETTING STARTED IN THIS WORK OF PUBLIC ADVOCACY THROUGH ELECTED OFFICE.
MOST OF MY BACKGROUND HAD BEEN EDUCATION AS A TEACHER, AS A YOUTH ADVOCATE, AND THEN AS A FOUNDER AND CEO OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT I RUN TODAY, STILL CALLED SHE WINS INC.
WHICH WORKS WITH MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS AND TRANS YOUNG NON-BINARY YOUTH AFFECTED BY GUN VIOLENCE.
WHEN THAT WORK CALLED ME TO RUN FOR PUBLIC OFFICE FOR THIS TIME AND BECOME ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION HERE IN NEWARK.
I WAS LIKE, HOW CAN I DO THIS? AND HOW CAN I DO THIS AND FEEL LIKE I HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT I NEED? AND I MET AND WAS COACHED AND MENTOR BY THE REGINALD BLOOD CELL, WHO TODAY IS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ESSEX COUNTY OFFICE OF LGBTQ PLUS AFFAIRS AND A FEARLESS ADVOCATE FOR THE WORK.
SO ONE MORE ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR REGGIE AS WE BEGIN OUR REMARKS.
UH, COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS, UM, YOU, YOU TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR HISTORY WORKING TOGETHER.
AND, UM, I I WOULD SAY THAT AS MUCH AS YOU SAY I TAUGHT YOU, YOU TAUGHT ME A LOT AS WELL.
AND IN FACT, UH, A LOT OF, UH, MY CONSCIENCE VOTES AT THE BOARD OF ED, UH, WAS A LOT OF WITH COUNCIL WITH A DORIAN.
UM, SOMETIMES, UH, WHEN YOU'RE IN PUBLIC BODY SPACES, UH, IT'S OFTEN FORGOTTEN WHY WE SERVE.
AND OFTENTIMES COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS WOULD ALWAYS REMIND ME THAT WE ARE HERE TO SERVE CHILDREN.
AND IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PERSONALITIES OF THE ADMINISTRATION OR THE WHOEVER THE SUPERINTENDENT IS.
AND I WAS ALWAYS GRATEFUL TO HAVE A FRIEND IN THE DOOR AND WHEN ISSUES WILL COME, COME FORWARD.
AND OFTENTIMES DIFFICULT CHALLENGES, UH, WHEN TRANSITIONING BACK TO LOCAL CONTROL, UH, BATTLING WITH EGOS AND A DORIAN WAS ALWAYS LOCK STEP AND KEY WITH ME.
AND ALWAYS MAKING SURE WHEN I CHAMPION ISSUES AROUND THE L-G-B-T-Q BASE THAT I HAD HER SUPPORT, UH, UNEQUIVOCALLY.
AND FOR THAT, I'M ALWAYS GRATEFUL.
AND IT JUST REMINDS ME THAT THIS IS A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT.
EVERY POSITIONS WE WORKED IN TOGETHER, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO WORK IN THIS SPACE OF EQUITY FOR L-G-B-T-Q PEOPLE.
AND WHENEVER THOSE WHO THOUGHT THAT IT WAS NOT POPULAR TO TALK ABOUT TRANS AND NON-BINARY AND L-G-B-T-Q ISSUES, I COULD ALWAYS COUNT ON THAT VOICE FROM MAORI.
AND FOR THAT, I'M ALWAYS GRATEFUL TO YOU.
UH, BUT FOR THE REASON WHERE I'M HERE IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE TWO EXTRAORDINARY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DOING THE WORK, WHO'S WALKING THE WALK, TALKING THE TALK, AND PRETTY MUCH ARE MAKING LIFE BETTER, UH, FOR TRANS
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AND NON-BINARY PEOPLE.AND OFTENTIMES, TRANS AND NON-BINARY INDIVIDUALS VOICES ARE NOT IN THE ROOM.
AND WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT TRANS AND NON-BINARY PEOPLE WITHOUT THEM EVEN BEING PRESENT.
AND OFTENTIMES WE DO A DISSERVICE, UH, TO THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY WHEN WE DON'T INVOLVE THEM.
AND AS WE KNOW, THE POLITICAL CLIMATE NOW THAT THERE ARE ABOUT 113,000 TRANS YOUTH THAT ARE WITHOUT HEALTHCARE, UH, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE USING TRANS AND NON-BINARY YOUTH AS A POLITICAL BARGAINING CHIP.
AND OFTENTIMES IN THOSE SPACES, UH, IT DOES MORE HARM THAN GOOD.
AND YOU EVEN HAVE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO CALL THEMSELVES ALLIES, USE THAT AS AN EXCUSE OF MAYBE WE'RE GOING TOO PROGRESSIVE.
MAYBE WE'RE GOING TOO FAR WHEN WE'RE DISCUSSING TRANS ISSUES.
AND I SAY TO THEM ALL THE TIME THAT OFTENTIMES WE'RE NOT GOING
AND UNTIL WE HAVE TRANS AND NON-BINARY INDIVIDUALS OCCUPYING POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP POSITIONS THAT MAKE DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE LIVES, WE ARE NOT COMPLETELY, FULLY WHOLE AS A SOCIETY.
AND THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS, SHANNON CUDDLE AND IMANI EMBODIES THIS WORK.
UM, I REALLY ADMIRE BOTH OF THEM BECAUSE IT'S VERY HARD SOMETIMES TO EVEN GET OUT OF BED WITH ALL OF THE RHETORIC THAT'S SURROUNDING OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THESE INDIVIDUALS GET UP EVERY SINGLE DAY, PUT THEIR BOOTS ON AND KEEP TRACK TO MAKE SURE KIDS ARE SAFE, MAKE SURE TRANSGENDER WOMEN, TRANS MEN HAVE ACCESS TO RESOURCES.
AND FOR THAT, ON BEHALF OF OUR ADMINISTRATION, OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE BOARD, UH, WE SAY THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.
UM, AND, AND YOU WILL REMEMBER THIS WHEN WE WERE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD, WHEN THE STATE HAD FIRST INTRODUCED THE GARDEN STATE QUALITY CURRICULUM, TWO, UH, NEW JERSEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I REMEMBER BEING IN THOSE BOARD MEETINGS, HEARING FROM PARENTS, UM, SOME COMMUNITY LEADERS WHO HAD BEEN MISINFORMED ABOUT WHAT IT MEANT TO FRANKLY TALK ABOUT THE LIVES, THE LEGACIES, AND, AND JUST LIKE THE EXISTENCE OF TRANS NON-BINARY AND QUEER FOLKS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION AND THE, THE HOOPLA THAT RAN AROUND AND THAT WAS STIRRED FROM MISINFORMATION.
IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE IN THE ROOM TODAY WITH PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THAT MISINFORMATION CAN LITERALLY NOT JUST HARM LIVES, BUT IN FUTURES, LIBERATING FUTURES.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT WE NOT ONLY TELL THE TRUTH, BUT WE SAY IT LOUD AND WE CELEBRATE THOSE WHO ARE DOING THE WORK.
WITH THAT SAID, I FIRST OF ALL WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE MY BOARD COLLEAGUES WHO ARE NOT HERE WITH US IN PRESENCE TODAY, BUT WHO CAN, UH, 100% WITH CONSENSUS, FULL CONSENSUS OF THE BOARD, PASS OUR RESOLUTIONS HONORING TRANS REMEMBRANCE DAY AND HONORING TRANS VISIBILITY HERE AT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY TO PUSH THIS, UH, INCREDIBLE WORK FORWARD.
WITH THAT SAID, IT'S MY HONOR AND PRI PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE OUR FIRST HONOREE, NONE OTHER THAN AMANI HAYES, FROM PROJECT T UP TO THE PODIUM, MAKE SOME NOISE, ALLOW ME TO SHARE SOME INFORMATION AND HIGHLIGHTS FROM AMANI'S COMMENDATION THAT WILL BE RECEIVED TONIGHT.
AMANI IS A GRADUATE OF RUTGERS UNIVERSITY WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN JOURNALISM.
SHE'S THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR PROJECT T, WHICH STANDS FOR TRANS EMPOWERMENT AND ACTION, THE FIRST ALL TRANS NON-BINARY STAFFED GRANT IN THE STATE OF JERSEY AT THE NORTH JERSEY COMMUNITY RESEARCH INITIATIVE.
WE CAN MAKE SOME NOISE FOR THAT.
PROJECT T SERVES AS A POWERFUL FORCE OF SUPPORT AND EMPOWERMENT FOR THE TRANS COMMUNITY.
THEIR DEDICATION TO FOSTERING A NURTURING AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT SHINES IN THE PROGRAMMING, TESTING, COUNSELING AND SPECIALIZED MEDICAL SERVICES.
PROJECT T ALSO CULTIVATES A SENSE OF BELONGING AND CONNECTION AND ENGAGING ACTIVITIES AND CULTURAL EVENTS THAT CELEBRATE THE RICH DIVERSITY OF THE TRANS COMMUNITY.
PROMOTING UNITY AND UNDERSTANDING AMANI WORKS TIRELESSLY TO HELP TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH AND WITHOUT HIV, WITH THEIR MEDICAL CARE AND ACHIEVE THEIR GENDER AFFIRMING GOALS.
SHE'S PASSIONATE ABOUT EMPOWERING HER CLIENTS TO UNLOCK THEIR POTENTIAL AND ACHIEVE MEANINGFUL RESULTS IN BOTH THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES.
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ENABLES HER TO ASSIST HER CLIENTS IN GAINING CLARITY, SETTING REALISTIC GOALS, AND DEVELOPING AN ACTIONABLE PLANS TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES AND ACHIEVE SUCCESS.AMANI, WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU'VE DONE AND EVERYTHING YOU CONTINUE TO DO TO PROMOTE, PROTECT, AND CELEBRATE TRANS AND NON-BINARY LIFE.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THIS BOARD THAT WILL BE RECOGNIZING YOU, YOUR WORK.
OR LET ME TELL YOU THIS, YOU GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS AN HONOREE FOR NOT ONLY TRANS VISIBILITY WEEK AND TRANS REMEMBRANCE DAY, BUT FOR THE WORK YOU DO FOR THE HISTORY OF THIS ENTIRE COUNTY, THE SECOND LARGEST COUNTY IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
'CAUSE YOU DO THE WORK NOT FOR FLOWERS OR TO BE CELEBRATED 'CAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, CONGRATULATIONS.
CAN WE GIVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO ANI? WE'LL TAKE A PHOTO WITH YOUR COMMEND AND GIVE YOU OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME REMARKS.
OH MY GOD, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T EX OH MY GOD, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.
I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS.
UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T DO THIS FOR THESE ACCOLADES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I DO THIS BECAUSE I DO THE WORK, BECAUSE I KNOW HOW IT IS GROWING UP AT THE AGE OF EIGHT TRANSITIONING.
AND, YOU KNOW, I COME FROM VIRGINIA AND YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AS PROGRESSIVE AS NEW JERSEY.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN ALL OF THESE THINGS COME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I SET OUT TO HELP PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF, YOU KNOW, IN TRANSITIONING.
UM, THAT'S ONE OF MY PRODUCTS RIGHT THERE FROM A EARLY TEENAGER.
HE'S A YOUNG MAN NOW, SO HE DECIDED TO COME OUT TO SUPPORT ME.
I LIKE TO THANK MY HUSBAND, UM, ELIJAH, WHO HE DOES THE WORK TOO.
HE DOESN'T GET A LOT OF CREDIT, BUT HE DOES A LOT OF WORK BEHIND THE SCENES AND HE KEEPS ME GROUNDED.
SO I JUST WANT TO, I ALSO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, WANT TO STAY CONGRATULATIONS TO SHANNON AS WELL.
UM, I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, JUST CONTINUE TO KEEP DOING THE WORK.
YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, I DON'T DO IT FOR, FOR THESE PURPOSES.
I DO IT BECAUSE IT'S JUST OUT OF THE KINDNESS IN MY HEART, YOU KNOW, JUST, I DON'T KNOW.
AND MY GRANDMOTHER TOLD ME SHE DID AND GONE THERE, BUT SHE TOLD ALWAYS, SHE JUST ALWAYS SAID, WHY YOU HELP SOMEONE OUT, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS, YOU'LL ALWAYS STAY BLESSED.
BLESSED YOU ARE, AND A BLESSING YOU CONTINUE TO BE.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR DEPUTY CLERK WHO JUST ENTERED THE ROOM.
DEPUTY CLERK MADAM KATHY BROWN, AND OF COURSE, BEHIND THE SCENES, ADAM AND KYLE, SOME OF THE, THE WINDS BENEATH OUR WINGS HERE AT THE ESUS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
ALL RIGHT, SO WITH THAT SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP OUR SECOND AND CERTAINLY NOT LAST HONOREE, NONE OTHER THAN SHANNON CUDDLE.
WOULD YOU MIND JOINING US AT THE PODIUM? SOME NOISE Y'ALL FOR SHANNON.
SHANNON, I DON'T KNOW IF I SHARED THIS WITH YOU, BUT I REMEMBER THIS WAS DURING THE PANDEMIC.
I WANNA SAY IT WAS A, A TRAINING FOR GSC, AND I HEARD YOU SPEAK.
NOW, MIND YOU, AT THIS POINT, EVERYONE IS ZOOMED OUT, RIGHT? WE, ANYBODY REMEMBER BEING ZOOMED OUT FROM ALL THE ZOOMS AND I, I SAID, LISTEN, IF I GET ANOTHER ZOOM, I'M A ZOOM UP OUT OF THIS PLANET.
AND SHANNON, YOU OPENED YOUR MOUTH.
AND I REMEMBER FEELING JUST FROM THE SCREEN THAT THIS IS REAL, THAT THIS IS REAL.
AND IT'S NOT JUST REAL FOR YOU, IT'S REAL FOR ALL OF US.
AND THEN YOU HAD A WAY OF LITERALLY THROUGH A BOX IN A SCREEN, MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE ELSE KNEW HOW REAL IT WAS TOO.
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IF WE DIDN'T TAKE THE WORK OF PROTECTING OUR TRANS NON-BINARY AND QUEER YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES LIVES SERIOUSLY.OF COURSE, OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE INTERACTED IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS THROUGH THE WORK, THROUGH THE NJ DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND, UH, L-G-B-T-Q-I-A AFFAIRS.
I KNOW LAUREN IN HER REGARDS, BUT IT'S AN HONOR TO CELEBRATE YOU TONIGHT AND TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH REGGIE, UH, TO DO THIS BECAUSE YOU DO THE WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY, JUST LIKE AMANI IN OUR VILLAGE WHO IS HERE WITH US TODAY.
NOW, LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SHANNON FROM THE OFFICIAL COMMENDATION.
SHANNON CUDDLE IS RECOGNIZED AS A NATIONAL LEADER IN THE SAFE SCHOOLS MOVEMENT AS AN EDUCATIONAL LEADER, CONSULTANT, AND ADVOCATE FOR OVER 20 YEARS, ALTHOUGH THEY DEFINITELY DON'T LOOK LIKE IT.
THEY HAVE DRIVEN INNOVATION AND EDUCATION AND CIVIL RIGHTS POLICY, ANTI-BULLYING AND WELCOMING SCHOOLS, EQUITY AND INCLUSION, ADVOCACY AND PROGRAMMING ON THE SCHOOL, DISTRICT, CITY, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS.
THEY'RE THE FOUNDER OF THE NEW JERSEY SAFE SCHOOLS COALITION, WHICH IS OF COURSE, HOW WE FIRST MET THE SAFE SCHOOLS ACTION NETWORK.
NATIONAL SAFE SCHOOLS DAY IN THE OFFICE OF HUMAN RIGHTS, OFFICE OF EQUITY AND YOUTH BULLYING PREVENTION, BY THE WAY, THAT'S FOUNDER, RIGHT? FOUNDER AND CEO.
ANYBODY KNOW WHAT A FOUNDER MEAN? UP IN HERE.
IN 2018, SHANNON WAS ELECTED TO SERVE ON THE SOUTH ORANGE MAPLEWOOD BOARD OF EDUCATION, MAKING THEM THE FIRST KNOWN OPENLY TRANSGENDER, NON-BINARY ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, WHERE THEY SERVED AS THE FIRST VICE PRESIDENT.
THEY WERE ALSO ELECTED TO SERVE AS THE FIRST VICE PRESIDENT TO THE ESS COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION, AND AS A BOARD OF DIRECTOR TO THE NEW JERSEY SCHOOL BOARD'S ASSOCIATION.
IN 2017, SHANNON WAS ELECTED AS A DISTRICT LEADER IN ESS COUNTY, AND IN 2020 THEY BECAME THE FIRST OPENLY KNOWN TRANSGENDER ELECTED OFFICIAL TO SERVE AS A DELEGATE TO THE DNC.
AND WERE A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE DNC TRANSGENDER AND NON-BINARY CAUCUS IN 2024.
THEY WERE AN OFFICIAL SPEAKER AND PRESENTER AT THE DNC IN CHICAGO.
WE COULD DO ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THAT.
I HAD THE PITCH OF BEING A DELEGATE FOR THE STATE AS WELL AND THE DNC AND I GOT TO BE LIKE, I KNOW SHANNON
SHANNON WAS PROUDLY APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR MURPHY TO THE NEW JERSEY ANTI-BULLYING TASK FORCE, WHERE THEY SERVED AS CHAIRPERSON AND WAS RECENTLY APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR MURPHY AS A COMMISSIONER OF THE NEW JERSEY ADVISORY COMMISSION ON ADVANCING LGBTQIA PLUS YOUTH EQUITY IN SCHOOL.
SHANNON WAS ALSO RECENTLY REAPPOINTED TO THE THIRD TERM ON THE ESS COUNTY LG BT QIA ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SHANNON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK, FOR YOUR HARD WORK, MUCH LIKE IMANI AND OUR FELLOW, UH, PRI UH, LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD.
AS WE SAY IN THE CHURCH HERE IN THE ROOM, YOU ARE DOING THE WORK AND WE SEE YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO SHANNON.
UM, FIRST, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH TO COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS, UM, ALL THE ESS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, UH, OF COURSE, UH, REGGIE BLEDSO, THE DIRECTOR OF THE ESS COUNTY OFFICE OF L-G-B-T-Q AFFAIRS, UH, OUR ESS COUNTY EXECUTIVE JOE ZO FOR ALL THE SUPPORT OF, UH, SUPPORTING THE GBT QYA PLUS COMMUNITY AND ALSO RECOGNIZE A FELLOW HONOREE IMANI, UM, WHO'S DOING, UH, ABSOLUTELY, UH, AMAZING WORK AT PROJECT T.
UH, YOU KNOW, I'M VERY HUMBLED BY THIS, UH, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, UM, AND GRATEFUL TO BE HERE.
I'M GRATEFUL TO BE HERE, UM, AND STANDING WITH YOU AND JOINING WITH YOU TODAY.
AND BECAUSE WE ALSO STAND ON THE SHOULDERS THAT COME BEFORE US, AND I STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE ME, THOSE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN IN NEW JERSEY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T.
ALSO, SINCE WE'RE HAVING SUCH, UH, A RECOGNITION HERE TO ALSO REMEMBER, UH, NEW JERSEY'S OWN BAB STEIN, WHO I STAND ON THE SHOULDERS ON, AND SO MANY OTHERS WHO WAS A STAUNCH, UH, TRANS ACTIVIST WITH HER ORGANIZATION THAT HELPED BE ABLE TO CREATE THE MANY, UH, CHANGES IN LAWS AND POLICIES WE HAVE, UM, ALSO, UH, UNDER HER NAME WITH THE BAB SIMINE LAW.
SO I THINK AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT, AND THUS SO MANY OTHERS THAT COULD BE HERE, SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER, BEING RECOGNIZED TODAY THAT ARE UNKNOWN AND KNOWN THAT ARE
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DOING THE WORK.THEY ARE OUR COLLEAGUES, THEY ARE OUR NEIGHBORS.
THEY'RE IN OUR CLASSROOMS, THEY'RE OUR TEACHERS, THEY'RE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.
AND OUR INDIVIDUALS IN WITHIN THE COMMUNITY ARE TRANS AND NON-BINARY INDIVIDUALS.
OUR LGBTQIA PLUS NEIGHBORS, FAMILIES AND FRIENDS ARE IN EVERYDAY WALKS OF LIFE.
AND THERE ARE SO MANY OF US, I JUST WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE, INCLUDING THE AMAZING YOUTH, AMAZING YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE THE NEXT GENERATIONAL LEADERS THAT ARE CREATING THAT FOUNDATIONAL CHANGE AND THE WAVE OF CHANGE THAT WE WE'RE SEEING HAPPEN NOW, AND THAT WE ALSO STAND AND PULL THEM UP RIGHT WITH US.
THAT'S MY JOB AS AN ADVOCATE AND A LEADER TO PULL UP THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS TO BE, BUT MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE CREATING THE WAVES THAT ARE CREATING CHANGE.
AND I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND SAY THANK YOU TO THE LEADERS AND OUR SCHOOL BOARDS AND OUR TOWN COUNCILS, OUR STATE LEADERS, OUR GOVERNOR AND OTHERS THAT ARE SPEAKING OUT AND SPEAKING UP FOR THE TRANS AND NON-BINARY COMMUNITY, THE LGBTQIA PLUS COMMUNITY.
BECAUSE NOW MORE THAN EVER, WE NEED OUR ALLIES TO STAND UP AND SPEAK UP.
WE CANNOT BE SILENT, ESPECIALLY NOW MORE THAN EVER, OUR TRANS YOUTH ARE UNDER ATTACK.
OUR TRANS FAMILIES AND TRANS PERSONS ARE UNDER ATTACK.
WE NEED SUPPORT AND WE NEED ALLIES TO STAND UP AND SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER, BECAUSE THERE IS NOT, AS AUDREY LORDE SAID, THERE IS NO ONE SINGLE ISSUE.
WE DO NOT LEAVE SINGLE ISSUE LIVES, LGBTQIA PLUS TRANS AND NON-BINARY PERSONS.
IT'S INTERSECTIONAL WITHIN MEDICAL, HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, OUR WAY OF LIFE, HOUSING, ALL OF IT.
WE ARE ALL PART OF THE FOLD OF OUR COLLECTIVE COMMUNITIES.
WE ARE STRONG AND WE ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING THIS, OR MAYBE OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW, BASED UPON COLLECTIVELY WHAT YOU'RE HEARING IN THE NEWS OR ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR.
WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER, AND WE WILL FIGHT TOGETHER AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE TO ENSURE FULL EQUITY AND EQUALITY FOR ALL PERSONS, INCLUDING L LGBTQ PLUS PERSONS, TRANS AND NON-BINARY PERSONS, AND TRULY CREATING EQUITABLE SOCIETY AND WELCOMING SAFE SCHOOLS FOR ALL STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
WELL, FROM A ZOOM BOX, I WAS BLOWN AWAY AND I WAS LIKE, I NEED TO KNOW THIS PERSON.
I THANK GOD, GOD THAT I WAS, UM, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I WOULD BE REMISS IF WE DID NOT BRING UP A LEGENDARY ICONIC, UM, AND YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ME USE THIS TERM A LOT, LABORERS IN A VEN VINEYARD, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE REAP THE HARVEST, BUT NOT EVERYONE'S DOING THE WORK.
WE'RE REALLY BLESSED TO HAVE A ROOM OF PEOPLE HERE DOING THE WORK, ONE OF WHICH IS A MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ PLUS ADVISORY BOARD.
NONE OTHER THAN LESLIE A FARBER FOR TO MAKE SOME REMARKS.
BY THE WAY, B STEIN WAS, WAS WAS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE AND WE WENT THROUGH A LOT TOGETHER.
BUT SHE WAS A TERRIBLE DRIVER.
BUT THE, THE REST OF US WHO, UM, ANYWAY, UM, BY THE WAY, BEFORE I GET INTO, YOU KNOW, SUBSTANCE, THIS COUNTY IS PHENOMENAL.
UM, I REMEMBER I, I WAS TELLING A FEW PEOPLE BACK IN 2004 WHEN THE DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP ACT WAS PASSED TO ALLOW SAME SEX COUPLES TO HAVE SOME KIND OF LEGAL RECOGNITION.
AND THEY WERE GIVING THE COUNTY GOVERNMENTS, UM, THE DISCRETION TO
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ADOPT IT FOR THEIR OWN EMPLOYEES OR NOT.ESSEX WAS, I WAS IN THIS ROOM WHEN THEY DID A VOTE ON IT, AND ESSEX WAS THE VERY FIRST ONE.
UM, AND THERE WERE SOME OTHERS THAT RESISTED UNTIL THEY WERE DRAGGED KICKING AND SCREAMING TO DO IT.
I WON'T MENTION NAMES DOWN SOUTH JERSEY FOR THE COUNTY THAT SORTS WITH, OH, I WON'T MENTION THAT.
BUT, UM, BUT ANYWAY, AND NEW STATE OF NEW JERSEY GENERAL.
UM, AND, UM, AND AS AN ATTORNEY, I'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, UM, EXPERIENCES EVER SINCE THE ELECTION.
I'VE BEEN GETTING LOTS AND LOTS OF PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS, SAME SEX COUPLES OF WANTING TO ESTATE PLANNING ALSO FROM A LOT OF TRANS ADULTS WANTING TO GET THEIR NAME CHANGES DONE.
THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN ELSEWHERE.
PARENTS OF TRANS KIDS WANT TO GET THEIR NAME CHANGES DONE AND ADVICE ON HOW TO GET THEIR OTHER, UM, IDENTITY DOCUMENTS CHANGED.
AND, UM, NOT SO MUCH, YOU KNOW, I KEEP TELLING THEM, YOU'RE, YOU'RE OKAY IN NEW JERSEY FOR THE MOST PART.
UM, BUT TRAVELING ELSEWHERE, YOU GOTTA BE CONCERNED, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE GONNA BE IN AN AIRPORT SOMEWHERE THAT DOESN'T WELCOME YOU.
I, FOR EXAMPLE, I CANNOT GO IN AN AIRPORT BATHROOM IN FLORIDA.
YOU HAVE THAT BIRTH, ARE SIGNED TO SEX.
MAYBE I'LL TAKE THE CHANCE, MAYBE I WON'T.
UM, BUT THAT'S, AND THAT'S, I'M NOT SURE, THAT'S NOT THE ONLY PLACE THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, NEW JERSEY IS ONE OF THE, I THINK IT'S WHAT, 26 STATES PLUS THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HAS PROTECTIONS FOR LGBT PEOPLE IN TERMS OF, UH, EITHER EMPLOYMENT HERE.
WE HAVE PLACES OF COM ACCOMMODATION, WHICH INCLUDES PUBLIC SPACES, UH, LIBRARIES, EVEN POLICE STATIONS IN PRISONS OR CONSIDERED PLACES OF PUBLIC ACCOMMODATION.
UM, AND IN HOUSING AND BANKING AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE VERY, VERY FORTUNATE HERE.
UM, AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT LEADERS, ESPECIALLY IN THIS COUNTY MENTIONED THE COUNTY ITSELF, OUR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL AND CREATING THE BOARD, UM, WHETHER THE BOARD WAS CREATED OUT OF TRAGEDY, BUT IT'S SOME, SOME GREAT STUFF.
WE HAVE NOW HAVE OUR LIAISON, OR REGGIE'S DOING PHENOMENAL WORK.
UM, I KEEP SAYING, WOW, YOU CAN DO THAT.
YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK, YEAH, WE WERE THE FIRST COUNTY DO THAT'S DONE.
SOME OTHER COUNTIES STARTED COPYING, DOING THAT.
UM, AND I OBVIOUSLY, I'M GONNA THANK, YOU KNOW, REGGIE, OUR COMMISSIONER, UM, AND PATS, WHO'S OUR KIND LIAISON, SHE'S NOT HERE AT THE MOMENT.
UM, AND ALL ALWAYS ARE EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
AND YOU SEE, THERE'S SOME IN THIS ROOM, IT CAN HAPPEN WITH JUST US ALONE.
UM, WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE FREEDOM TO READ BAIL WAS PASSED WITH A LOT OF ALLIES IN TRENTON.
THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, DESPITE THE FACT THAT NEW JERSEY'S A PRETTY SAFE PLACE TO BE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, TRANS PEOPLE ARE, AND, AND LGBT PEOPLE IN GENERAL ARE GETTING ATTACKED IN SCHOOLS TRYING TO TAKE BOOKS OUT OF THE LIBRARY.
OH, YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT THAT STUFF.
I DON'T WANT MY KIDS EXPOSED TO THAT STUFF.
THAT'S, AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S CERTAIN GROUPS THAT DON'T EVEN NEED TO BE MADE THAT ARE STILL ON THE, ON THE ATTACK.
UM, AND, UM, LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE.
UM, THERE IS, YES, OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS THERE'S BEEN OVER, I GUESS FOUR, 400% IN, IN BIAS OR ANTIBI, YOU KNOW, ANTI LGBT BIAS CRIMES.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S ALSO BEEN HAPPENING IN A LOT OF MINORITY GROUPS IN GENERAL, BUT ESPECIALLY IN LGBT PEOPLE SEEING THE LARGEST, LARGEST INCREASES.
UM, AND SOME OF THOSE ARE BASED ON STATISTICS FROM THE FBI.
WE, WE DO HAVE A GOOD HATE CRIMES LAW HERE.
THERE'S A GOOD FEDERAL HATE CRIMES LAW AND EVERYBODY'S GOTTA LEARN.
PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF, OF REPORTING IT, BUT THAT PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE AFRAID OF REPORTING THESE THINGS.
AND ALTHOUGH WE KNOW THAT TRANS AWARENESS MONTH WAS LAST MONTH, EH, WE'RE EXTENDING NOVEMBER INTO DECEMBER A LITTLE BIT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE TEMPERATURES ARE NOT KEEPING WITH THAT, UM, OUTSIDE.
BUT I WANNA SAY THAT, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, DESPITE ALL THIS, DESPITE ALL THE PRESSURES AND THE BAD THINGS, IT'S STILL A, IT'S A MOMENT OF JOY.
IT'S NOT PRIDE MONTH 14, WHITE JUNE, BUT IT'S STILL A MOMENT TO BE PROUD OF WHERE WE ARE AND SUPPORT WE HAVE AROUND THE STATE AND EVERYBODY ELSE.
SO, I, I JUST WANT TO FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THOSE WORDS.
THANK YOU FOR THE REMARKS THAT ACTUALLY TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE HISTORY, LESLIE, OF HOW WE GOT HERE AND THE WORK THAT ESSEX COUNTY AND NORTH JERSEY IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN DOING.
UM, IN A MOMENT, WE'RE GONNA BRING UP EVERYONE WITH THEIR FAMILIES, FRIENDS WHO ARE HERE, GATHERED TO DO, UH, SOME GROUP PHOTOS.
I PROMISE Y'ALL PHONE PICTURES COME OUT CUTE, HIS COME OUT A LITTLE BIT CUTER, UH,
UH, BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, I WANTED TO SHARE AN EXCERPT, UH, FROM A POEM CALLED A POEM FOR THE KICKED OUT, UH, BY A NON-BINARY POET, K YOLANDI BARRETT.
THAT TO ME, UH, SPEAKS TO THE MAGNITUDE OF THE DAY AND TOUCHES ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE SHARED BY OUR HONOREES.
TOGETHER, WE ARE A PRAYER NO MATTER WHAT.
TOGETHER WE ARE AN ANTHEM, DESPITE THEIR CIS HETERO FUSS.
TOGETHER, WE ARE STRONGER THAN THE WORLD'S UNSAID.
TOGETHER, WE ARE AS MIGHTY AS OUR ANCESTORS UP FROM THE
[00:30:01]
DEAD.AS WE CELEBRATE TRANS VISIBILITY AWARENESS.
DAY, MONTH, YEAR, Y'ALL, WE GONNA GO UP FOR US ALL YEAR IN OUR LGBTQ PLUS AND TRANS AND NON-BINARY COMMUNITY, WE ARE GOING TO CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT THEY TRIED TO BURY US, BUT DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE SEEDS TO AMANI, TO SHANNON, TO LESLIE, TO EVERYONE HERE, TO LAWRENCE, OUR YOUNG PERSON, INCREDIBLE WORK TO EVERYONE HERE.
WE KNOW THAT THE ROAD AHEAD WILL BE TOUGH, BUT WHAT A GIFT TO KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT IN IT ALONE.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR HONOREES AND YOU LOOK AT THE WORK IN THE VILLAGE THAT WE'RE A PART OF TODAY, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER, AND WE GOING, WE GONNA MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR EACH OTHER.
SO CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO SHANNON, TO IMANI OUR FIRST EVER, BUT CERTAINLY NOT OUR LAST HONOREES FOR THE ES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
FIRST RECOGNITION OF TRANS VISIBILITY.
IF WE HAVE OUR FAMILY MEMBERS FOR EACH HONOR, WELL, ACTUALLY, HOW DO WE DO THIS? LET'S FIRST GET A PHOTO WITH BOTH HONOREES TOGETHER, UH, WITH REGINALD AND, AND LESLIE, IF YOU MIND JOINING US.
AND I KNOW WE HAVE A, AN ALUM, AN ALUM OF THE BOARD AS WELL.
THE ADVISORY BOARD IS HERE, REGGIE.
[01:08:20]
[01:08:26]
GOOD[01:08:26]
EVENING.[01:08:26]
THIS[01:08:26]
MEETING[01:08:27]
OF[01:08:27]
THE ESTES COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS HEREBY CALL TO ORDER.THIS MEETING, MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAM IN ADDITION TO TAKING PLACE HERE IN PERSON.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, THE ROLL CALL, PLEASE.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER HERE.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE SALUTE TO THE FLY.
I'M GONNA ASK COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS, UH, TO LEAD US IN THE SALUTE.
MY PLEASURE TO LEAD 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.
WELL, AND I'M JUST GONNA ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND HONOR OF THOSE THAT WE LOST SINCE THE LAST TIME WE CAME TOGETHER.
THANK YOU FOR ME CERTIFICATION FROM THE DEPUTY CLERK THAT THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO TRANSCRIPTS.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, ARE THERE ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO BE APPROVED? NO.
ARE THERE ANY TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION? NO.
LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A COMBINED CONFERENCE BOARD MEETING.
WE WILL VOTE ON EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
SO IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON
[01:10:01]
AGENDA ITEMS ONLY, UH, PLEASE COME AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THERE WILL BE TIME LATER IN THE EVENING FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO I ASK YOU AT THIS TIME TO PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENT TO AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.
JAMES TROI, VICE PRESIDENT, FOP 1 0 6, REPRESENTING THE SWORN SUPERVISORY AND INVESTIGATIVE STAFF WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS SPEAKING.
INTERESTING THAT THE TWO DEPARTMENTS WHOSE UNION REPS MOST COMMONLY APPEAR BEFORE THIS BODY, DFAB AND CORRECTIONS, ARE THE TWO MOST IMPACTED BY THE REALLOCATION OF MORE THAN $5 MILLION.
WE NOTE THAT 1.6 MILLION MOVING TO CORRECTIONS IS TO COVER SALARY AND WAGES OF CORRECTIONAL AND POLICE ACADEMY STAFF WITH LIMITED EXCEPTION ACADEMY STAFF ARE ASSIGNED TO THE ACADEMY BY THEIR RESPECTIVE AGENCIES.
THERE'S NOT MUCH OF A SALARY TO SPEAK OF.
SO IT HOLDS THAT NEARLY ALL OF THESE FUNDS ARE TO STAFF THE JAIL.
ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES STOOD BEFORE THIS BODY AT THIS MICROPHONE ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO, AND ISSUED A CAUTIONARY TALE THAT STAFFING THE FACILITY WOULD BECOME SEVERELY PROBLEMATIC WITH NEW STATUTORY REGULATION, EFFECTIVE ONE, ONE OF 24 THAT APPARENTLY FELL ON DEAF EARS.
I STOOD HERE AROUND MAY OF 2022, SPOKE AGAINST QUESTIONABLE TO SAY THE LEAST, HIRING PRACTICES, RETROACTIVE CORRECTIONS, UH, DEEMED ACCEPTABLE DESPITE AN AUDIO RECORDING OF CHIEF OF STAFF ELIJAH DIRECTING WAR, THEN WARDEN CILLO TO PROCEED DESPITE KNOWING IT WAS UNLAWFUL.
I BELIEVE THE QUOTE WAS, WE'LL BEG FOR FORGIVENESS.
WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR PERMISSION.
THAT PREDATED DIRECTOR CHARLES.
JUST TO BE CLEAR, TIME IS VERY LIMITED.
SO WE'LL FOCUS ON THE SALARIES AND NOT DISCUSS THE APPROXIMATE $330,000 SETTLEMENT THAT WILL BE BEFORE THIS BODY AT YOUR NEXT MEETING.
BECAUSE PEOPLE WORKED OVERTIME FOR MANDATORY IN-SERVICE TRAINING AND DIDN'T GET PAID FOR SIX MONTHS.
AND WE HAD TO FILE IN FEDERAL COURT UNDER FLSA AND THAT CASE IS SETTLED, ALTHOUGH THE PAPERWORK IS CATCHING UP WITH IT, YOU'RE BUDGETED FOR A WARDEN, BUT YOU HAVEN'T HAD ONE IN MORE THAN 18 MONTHS.
YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE A CONFIDENTIAL AID AT A DEPUTY DIRECTOR'S SALARY SIGNING AND ACTING AS A DEPUTY DIRECTOR IN SPITE OF CIVIL SERVICE RULES.
THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS A WRITTEN ORDER OUT THAT NOBODY WORKS FROM HOME YET.
A RETIRED UNION COUNTY CAPTAIN HAS BEEN DOING EXACTLY THAT FOR YEARS, PLURAL.
HE HIMSELF ARGUING IT'S A TERM OF HIS EMPLOYMENT, HE MANAGES THE JAIL SCHEDULING UNIT.
SEASONAL EMPLOYEES ARE BEING, UH, NEWLY CREATED.
SEASONAL EMPLOYEE POSITIONS ARE BEING INTRODUCED TO SWORN PERSONNEL AS THE WARDEN PENSION ADJUSTMENTS FROM LAST YEAR'S RETROACTIVE RAISES STILL TO BE REFLECTED IN PEOPLE'S PENSIONS.
I HAVE A PRESSING ENGAGEMENT THIS EVENING, SO NEED TO LEAVE.
BUT CERTAINLY THE CLERK'S OFFICE, MEMBERS OF YOUR STAFF, SEVERAL OF YOU ALONG WITH ADMINISTRATOR JACKSON, DIRECTOR CHARLES, AND OTHERS, HAVE MY DIRECT CONTACT INFORMATION.
WE'D WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THESE FUNDS AND OTHERS AT ANY TIME WITH YOURSELVES OR THE ADMINISTRATION.
GOOD EVENING, LISA MADDOX DOUGLAS REPRESENTING SUPERVISORY AND MANAGERIAL EMPLOYEES WITHIN DFAB WHERE WE PROVIDE FINANCIAL, EXCUSE ME, MEDICAL AND FOOD ASSISTANCE TO THOSE WHO ARE FOOD INSECURE.
I STAND BEFORE YOU REGARDING RESOLUTION NUMBER SIX TO QUESTION THE INTENTIONS OF CURRENT DFAB ADMINISTRATION OR THE DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICES REGARDING THE FAILURE OR JUST STRAIGHT OUT REFUSAL TO HIRE AND SUBSEQUENTLY PROMOTE EMPLOYEES.
I ALSO ASK THAT YOU BE REMINDED OF YOUR OATH TO ENSURE THAT THE CONSTITUENTS IN WHICH YOU ALL REPRESENT AND PERHAPS RECEIVING SOCIAL SERVICES THAT YOU AS COUNTY REPRESENTATIVES OR OF COMMISSIONERS, THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT COUNTY GOVERNMENT CAME INTO EXISTENCE SOME 50 YEARS AGO TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO THOSE WHO CAN'T HELP THEMSELVES.
THE TAXPAYERS, WHICH INCLUDE MYSELF AS A NEWARK, VOTE FOR AND RELY ON YOU TO CAUTIOUSLY MAKE LAWS, VOTE ON RESOLUTIONS, APPROVE AND REJECT SPENDING AND BUDGETS, WHICH ARE SUBMITTED TO YOU BY THIS EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT.
SOME OF YOU REPRESENT AREAS WHERE YOUR CONSTITUENTS OR THE HOUSEHOLD MEDIAN INCOME OR POVERTY LEVEL DOESN'T FALL BELOW THE GUIDELINES.
SO MANY OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS DON'T REALLY REQUIRE THESE SERVICES, BUT WE IMPLORE YOU TO HAVE EMPATHY REGARDING THOSE WHO SO DESPERATELY NEED THESE SERVICES.
SO AS YOU REVIEW THIS APPROPRIATION OF TRANSFER, WHICH IS QUITE CONSISTENTLY SHIFTED, OR THE RESOURCES HAPPEN TO HAPPEN, I GUESS ANNUALLY FROM DFAB, WE ASK THAT YOU INQUIRE WHY THIS SHIFTING OF BUDGETARY RESOURCES ARE SO SIGNIFICANT AND WHY THE AMOUNT IS SO LARGE.
[01:15:01]
INC INCREASED FROM LAST WEEK.IT LOOKS LIKE IT WENT FROM, I THINK, $2 MILLION DOLLARS TO $2,100,000 IN SALARIES AND $1,300,000 FROM OTHER EXPENSES.
SO THIS, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS QUITE INSULTING AND IT'S DISHEARTENING, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE INITIAL BUDGET REQUESTED ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO FUND THE SALARIES FOR NEW HIRES AND PROMOTIONS.
IF YOU WOULD LOOK AT OUR STATISTICS, YOU'LL SEE THAT DFAB HAS PROCESSED WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM JANUARY IN 2024.
WE WERE AT A TIMELINESS RATE OF 40% FOR CASES PROCESSED WITHIN 30 DAYS, AND 33% FOR CASES PROCESSED WITHIN SEVEN DAYS.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA GIVE YOU SOME CONTEXT.
30, THOSE WHO ARE ENTITLED TO EXPEDITED BENEFITS, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE LESS THAN $150 ON HAND IN THE BANK AND THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.
SO, FAST FORWARD 2024, WE ARE NOW AT 49% PROCESSING RATE AND FOR 30 DAY CASES AND SEVEN DAYS, WE ARE PROCESSING CASES AT 48%.
LET'S BE CLEAR, I DID NOT INCLUDE THE NEW JERSEY CARE COMPONENT, AGE BLIND DISABLED.
I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT OUR NEW JERSEY CARE POPULATION OF BLACK MATERNAL HEALTH.
BUT AS I TAKE MY SEAT, I'M ASKING THAT YOU REQUEST THAT YOU RECEIVE A WRITTEN EXPLANATION EXPLAINING TO OUR UNIONS AND EMPLOYEES OF ESSEX WHO WORK DILIGENTLY TO PROCESS THESE BACKLOGS AND CASES AND ALSO TO THE CONSTITUENTS WITHIN THE COUNTY.
PLEASE AT, UH, PROVIDE US WITH A RESPONSE AS TO WHY DFAB IS IN A POSITION TO TRANSFER APPROPRIATIONS WHEN THE AGENCY IS STILL UNDERSTAFFED AND LESS THAN HALF OF THE CLIENTS WHO WALK THROUGH OUR DOORS ARE EATING.
DAVID WEINER, PRESIDENT OF LOCAL 10 81 CWA, REPRESENTING THE NON-SUPERVISORY EMPLOYEES OF THE ES COUNTY DIVISION OF WELFARE.
I INTEND TO SPEAK FOR MY THREE MINUTES ON EACH RESOLUTION, UM, AS IS, UH, APPROVED AND ALLOWED AS FAR AS THE TRANSFER OF THE FUNDS RESOLUTION NUMBER SIX.
THIS FIRST, THIS ITERATION OF THIS WAS POSTED ON 1213, UH, ASSERTED THAT $2 MILLION IN BUDGETARY SALARY AND WAGES FUNDING FROM OUR BUDGET AND $1 MILLION IN OTHER EXPENSES WOULD BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE COUNTY.
WHERE TO THE COUNTY'S FUND? WE DON'T KNOW.
APPARENTLY OUR BROTHER IN THE CASE IS GOING TO THE JAIL.
THE SECOND ITERATION, AS MY SISTER JUST SAID, WENT UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ON THE SALARIES AND $300,000 ON OTHER EXPENSES.
WHY THE INCREASE? MEANWHILE, DFAB WAS BUDGETED FOR 832 TOTAL EMPLOYEES FOR THIS YEAR.
WE, I DON'T THINK WE REACHED 760 AS A RESULT.
AS MY SISTER INDICATED, HALF OF OUR CLIENTS ARE NOT GETTING THEIR SNAP FOOD STAMP BENEFITS IN A TIMELY BASIS.
AND WHO DO THEY TAKE IT OUT ON? US.
'CAUSE WE'RE THE FIRST ONES THAT THEY SEE WHEN THEY COME IN MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS.
THEY GO WITHOUT BENEFITS AND WITH INFLATION, THE COST OF FOOD IS GOING THROUGH THE ROOF.
AS I HAVE ASKED BEFORE, BEFORE THIS BODY PREVIOUSLY, I REITERATE, I REITERATE MY QUESTION NOW, HOW DO CAN MEMBERS OF THIS BODY, ESPECIALLY THE MEMBERS OF COLOR, ALLOW THIS HUMAN TRAVESTY TO CONTINUE FOR CLIENTS TAKING OUT THEIR FRUSTRATIONS AND EITHER IN PUBLIC OR UPON US? YOU CANNOT HAVE A SOCIAL SERVICE SYSTEM WHEREBY YOUR MONTHS, IF NOT YEARS BEHIND PAYING THE BENEFITS.
THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY WAS IN OUR AGENCY ON MONDAY AND THEY WERE THERE FOR ALL DAY LONG CHECKING OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
'CAUSE THEY KNOW THERE'S THINGS, THINGS WRONG IN OUR AGENCY.
SO I ASK FOR TONIGHT FOR THAT.
NOW, MAY I CONTINUE FOR MY NEXT ONE? WOULD YOU RESET THE CLOCK? NO, SIR.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT, UH, RESOLUTION SAYS THAT IT'S, IT'S FIVE MINUTES.
SO THE, IT'S IN THE BYLAWS AND THAT'S THE PRACTICES RESOLUTION.
NONE OF THESE RESOLUTIONS ON HERE FOR THE CONTRACTS HAVE THE MOAS IN THEM.
ONLY THE LAST MEETING YOU HAD THE MOA FOR OPIU.
HOW CAN YOU SIT AND VOTE UPON A RESOLUTION? 30 SECONDS.
THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE MOA MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.
JOHN, THE COUNTY COUNCIL DOES NOT RECOUNT WHAT'S IN THE CONTRACT.
YOU'RE VOTING ILLEGALLY ON CONTRACTS.
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE IT 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE ACCORDING TO YOUR BYLAWS.
YOU JUST GOT THEM AT 1115 TODAY.
I KNOW 'CAUSE I SAW THE STAMP.
[01:20:01]
YOU BETTER CHECK WITH YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL ESTEEM, MR. PAULO, IF YOU'RE NOT BREAKING THE LAW BY APPROVING CONTRACTS WITHOUT READING THEM FIRST.THANK YOU, MR. YOU'RE MORE THAN WELCOME TO STAY FOR THE END OF THE MEETING.
FOR TOWARDS THE END, YOU HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY ITEMS. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME ON AGENDA ITEMS? SEEING NONE, LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE OF THE INTRODUCTION ON FIRST READING.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTIONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING? NO.
LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR LISTENING PURPOSES ONLY.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, LET'S MOVE ON, UH, TO ORDINANCE AND RESOLUTIONS ON SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING FOR TONIGHT.
DO WE HAVE ANY? UH, YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE ONE.
SO LET'S MOVE TO ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 1 7.
IT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
I HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 1 7 OPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK THE RECORD.
RECORD REFLECT THERE'S NO, UH, ONE COMING TO THE MICROPHONE AT THIS TIME.
MR. PARLOVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, I DON'T.
MR. MACK, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, I DON'T.
COMMISSIONERS, DO I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
DO I ASK A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE O DASH 2024 DASH 0 0 1 7.
I MOVE, MOVE BY COMMISSIONER MERCADO.
COMMISSIONER GILL ON THE SECOND.
DO I HAVE THE SAME MOVER AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE? YES.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
OKAY, MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS ONE THROUGH FIVE AND NUMBER 17.
ONE THROUGH FIVE ARE FROM THE OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND 17 FROM THE DIVISION ON THE HOSPITAL CENTER.
AND THEY'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER CHECK AT A LATER TIME.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT.
ITEM ONE IS AN AGREEMENT, UH, WITH 360 ADVANTAGE LLCA 36 MONTH AGREEMENT.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE ARE TRYING AT EVERY TURN TO, UH, MAKE HEALTHCARE MORE AFFORDABLE, UH, FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
UM, WE HAD A CONVERSATION A LONG AGO ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE CARD AND ACTUALLY LOOKING AROUND FOR OTHER TYPES OF, UH, UH, BENEFITS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
THIS PROGRAM, UH, AN EXAMPLE OF THAT, IT'S A FULLY, UH, VOLUNTARY PROGRAM, UM, UH, THAT WE HAVE, SIMILAR TO SOME THE OTHER ONES WERE OFFERED.
BUT THIS IS EXCITING BECAUSE IT PROVIDES FOR, UM, SOME SAVINGS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL BENEFITS.
BUT, UH, I'M GONNA INTRODUCE MR. JOE MARILLO, WHO'S, UH, WHO'S THE HEAD OF THE ENTITY THAT'S GONNA BE WORKING ON THIS, HE AND HIS TEAM.
WE'RE GONNA TALK FOR A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS ALL ABOUT AND, UH, THE BENEFIT FOR OUR EMPLOYEES.
LET'S BRING UP, MR. MARILLO, CAN YOU COME ON UP, INTRODUCE YOURSELF, SAY YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD, AND IDENTIFY YOUR TEAM WHEN YOUR TEAM SPEAKS.
IF THEY SPEAK, PLEASE HAVE THEM IDENTIFY WITH THEIR NAME AND AFFILIATION AS WELL FOR THE RECORD.
HELLO, HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL MY NAME'S JOE MARILLO.
I'M PRESIDENT OF IMAC INSURANCE.
I HAVE, UH, ALONG WITH ME, UH, BARRY MARILLO, VICE PRESIDENT OF IMAC INSURANCE AND ELIZABETH ROAN.
SO, UM, THE 360 PROGRAM, I'M GONNA HAVE MY, UH, MY TEAM DO A LITTLE OVERVIEW, BUT IT'S A TOTAL WIN-WIN FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND THE EMPLOYER.
THERE ARE SOME SAVINGS FOR THE EMPLOYER AND THE EMPLOYEE GETS A, A DIGITAL THERAPEUTIC PROGRAM THAT'S TOTALLY FUNDED THROUGH TAX SAVINGS THROUGH THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
BUT BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I'M JUST GONNA HAVE BARRY MARILLO DO AN OVERVIEW.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
UH, BARRY MARILLO FROM IMAC INSURANCE.
THANK YOU FOR, UH, HAVING US TODAY.
UH, JUST WANTED TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM THAT, UH, WE HAVE BEEN ROLLING OUT TO OUR CLIENTS.
UH, WE DO A LOT OF PUBLIC SECTOR WORK IN ESSEX COUNTY AND IN NEW JERSEY, UM, ON THE INSURANCE SIDE.
UM, SO WE'RE VERY WELL ATTUNED AT, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SECTOR BENEFITS AND, AND EMPLOYEES AND, AND ROLLING OUT THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS. UH, THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESS SUCCESSFUL FOR, UH, THE CLIENTS THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED IT.
UH, IT IS, IT IS GREAT FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
THE EMPLOYEES CAN GET A DIGITAL THERAPEUTIC THAT IS AIMED AT GETTING THEM HEALTHIER.
IT ENGAGES WITH THEM, UH, THROUGH NON-THREATENING TEXT MESSAGES.
[01:25:01]
WOULD, UH, EMPLOYEES CAN OPT OUT IF THEY DO NOT WANNA BE PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM.UM, BY PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM, LIKE JOE MENTIONED, THERE'S A TAX SAVINGS THAT THEY CAN UTILIZE TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS, LIKE ACCIDENT PLANS, GUARANTEED ISSUE, WHOLE LIFE INSURANCE, UH, CRITICAL ILLNESS PLANS, DENTAL, VISION.
UH, WE WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ON WHAT THAT BENEFIT OFFERING IS PRIOR TO ROLLING IT OUT TO THE EMPLOYEES.
UM, DURING THE EN ENROLLMENT PROCESS, THE EMPLOYEES GET TO, UH, MEET ONE-ON-ONE WITH OUR ADVISORS, UH, LEARN ABOUT THE PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, HAVE ONE-ON-ONE, UH, SESSIONS WITH OUR ENROLLMENT TEAM, UH, TO MAKE THEIR ELECTIONS.
UH, AND THEN AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE THEY WOULD HAVE THOSE POLICIES.
UM, AND WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO JUST MAKE SURE IT'S A VERY SMOOTH COMMUNICATION PROCESS FOR THE, FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
AND WE'LL DO, YOU KNOW, ONSITE MEETINGS? WE DO VIRTUAL MEETINGS, UH, WITH EMPLOYEES AS WELL.
UH, I JUST WANNA ALSO INTRODUCE ELIZABETH DEN FROM OUR TEAM, WHO'S OUR DIRECTOR OF ENROLLMENT, UH, JUST TO KIND OF GO THROUGH SOME OF THE EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCES THAT SHE'S HAD, UH, WITH SOME OF OUR OTHER CLIENTS.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU MAY WANNA LOWER THE MICROPHONE A LITTLE BIT.
YOU IT, CAN YOU HEAR ME? THANK YOU.
ELIZABETH ROL AND DIRECTOR OF, UH, ENROLLMENT FOR IMAC INSURANCE.
SO TO BARRY AND JOE'S POINTS, IT'S A TERRIFIC PROGRAM THAT REALLY IS AIMED AT GETTING EMPLOYEES HEALTHIER.
AND, UH, A LOT OF THESE SUCCESS STORIES THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING WITH EMPLOYEES IS THAT IT'S KEEPING HEALTH TOP OF MIND.
AND BECAUSE THEY HAVE ACCESS TO NOW A PACKAGE OF ANCILLARY BENEFITS THAT ISN'T COSTING THEM ANYTHING BECAUSE IT'S FULLY TAX, UH, FULLY FUNDED THROUGH TAX SAVINGS, THEY'RE BEING ABLE TO GET ADDITIONAL MONIES THAT THEY CAN UTILIZE TOWARDS, UH, COPAYS, HOSPITAL STAYS.
UM, WE'VE HAD, UH, WE LIKE TO CALL THEM, THEY'RE TECHNICALLY SUCCESS STORIES, BUT, UH, IN CERTAIN INSTANCES WE'VE HAD EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE BEEN ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM THAT HAVE BEEN UNFORTUNATELY DIAGNOSED WITH CRITICAL ILLNESSES THAT DUE TO THOSE ILLNESSES THEY'VE HAD TO LEAVE WORK FOR A TEMPORARY PERIOD AND THEY'RE ABLE TO COLLECT A LUMP SUM AS A RESULT OF THAT DIAGNOSIS.
WE'VE ALSO HAD FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN BENEFITED BY, AS BARRY SAID, THE WHOLE LIFE IN, BECAUSE ALL OF THE PLANS THAT WE'RE OFFERING ARE GUARANTEED ISSUE TO ALL EMPLOYEES.
THERE'S NO MEDICAL SCREENING OR ANY MEDICAL QUESTIONS ASKED BECAUSE OF THE COUNTY DEATH BENEFIT CLAIMS AS A RESULT AFTER THE FACT FOR LIFE INSURANCE THAT THEY'VE BEEN ENROLLED IN.
UH, SO WE'RE FINDING A LOT OF SUCCESS, UH, WITH EMPLOYEES THAT ARE KEEPING HEALTH TOP OF MIND AND ALSO BEING ABLE TO GET A PACKAGE OF ANCILLARY BENEFITS AT NO ADDED EXPENSE TO THEM.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO ADD BEFORE WE GO INTO LINE? OKAY.
JUST AS A PREFACE, I KNOW MR. MCINERNEY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS, SO I'M GONNA DEFER MOST QUESTIONS TO MR. MCINERNEY, BUT WHEN THAT CAME UP TODAY, UH, MS. MURILLO, YOU MENTIONED THE WORD OR THE TERM DIGITAL THERAPEUTICS TWICE.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? EXCUSE ME.
SO THE DIGITAL THERAPEUTIC PORTION OF THE PROGRAM IS WHAT ENGAGES WITH THE EMPLOYEES VIA TEXT MESSAGE.
UM, SO IT IS PROVIDING TIDBITS OF INFORMATION BASED ON HOW EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ENROLLED AND COMPLETE THEIR SURVEY.
UM, BASED ON THEIR AGE, THEY'LL GET TARGETED INFORMATION TO THEM DELIVERED THROUGH 'EM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO KEEP, UH, WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, CONDITIONS THAT THEY MAY BE FACING.
IF THEY SAY THAT THEY HAVE A HEART CONDITION, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA GET DIFFERENT INFORMATION THAN SOMEONE THAT POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, SAYS, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING'S GOOD.
I JUST WANT GENERAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS INFORMATION.
AND IS THIS A ONE-WAY CONVERSATION? IN OTHER WORDS, YES.
BASED ON WHATEVER, UH, DETAIL THE EMPLOYEE PROVIDES, THIS NOW COMES AT VARIOUS TIMES SOME HELPFUL HINTS, CORRECT.
ONE WAY IT'S NOT A CONVERSATION, IT'S NOT A CONVERSATION, THERE'S NO UNDERSTOOD, UM, DISCUSSIONS.
IT'S JUST PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION.
SO, UH, ONE OF, UH, THERE'S A NUMBER ISSUE.
ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT, UH, THAT I WANTED TO ADDRESS WAS, UM, THE FACT THAT THIS IS A, UH, USES TAX SAVINGS IN ORDER TO, UH, FUND THESE BENEFITS TO, UH, TO COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
AND THE CONCERN WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE THAT, THAT THE PLAN HAS SOLID, UH, UH, FINDINGS IN TERMS OF THE, THE, UH, THE, UH, UH, TAX LAWS THAT IT UTILIZES IN ORDER TO, UH, PROVIDE THOSE SAVINGS.
UM, BOTH IN THE, BOTH OF THE EMPLOYEE UNDER, UH, UNDER FICA AND MEDICARE AND ALSO TO THE EMPLOYER.
UH, THAT'S WHERE THE SAVINGS COMES FROM, AND THAT'S WHERE THE FEES, THE FEES ARE PAID.
THERE'S A SAVINGS OF $200, LET'S SAY, UM, FOR AN EMPLOYEE BASED ON THE FACT THAT HE HAS A REDUCTION IN HIS SALARY, WHICH REDUCES THOSE PAYROLL TAXES.
THAT 200, OUTTA THAT $200 $86,
[01:30:01]
UH, IS, UH, A PART OF A FEE ON A MONTHLY BASIS.UM, THE REST OF THAT MONEY CAN BE UTILIZED TO, UM, PROVIDE THOSE DIFFERENT SERVICES THAT WERE JUST OUTLINED BY THE VENDOR.
UM, THE EMPLOYER ALSO WOULD HAVE A TAX SAVINGS.
'CAUSE WE KNOW THERE IS AN EMPLOYER SHARE TO BOTH FICA AND TO MEDICARE.
UM, THAT GENERATES A SAVINGS, WHICH OF WHICH $36 WOULD GO TO THE, UH, TO THE, UH, THIRD PARTY TO, TO THE VENDOR.
UM, SO THERE WOULD BE, THERE WOULD BE $120 A MONTH THAT, UH, IS A FEE CHARGED.
UM, THE REST OF THE SAVINGS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE, UH, THE $36, UH, TO THE COUNTY, UM, WOULD BE A BENEFIT TO THE COUNTY, WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD IN IGNORE TO THE GENERAL TREASURY OF THE COUNTY.
UM, IN THAT, I DO HAVE A QUESTION.
I I HAVE SEVERAL, BUT, BUT ONE OF THEM IS, UM, THEY TALKED ABOUT THE DIGITAL WELLNESS PROGRAM, BUT THEN ALSO WE HEARD ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR LIFE INSURANCE AND, AND THE ABILITY TO FUND COPAYS.
I'M ASSUMING COPAYS ON MEDICAL WHAT, UH, COPAYS ON CLAIMS THAT YOUR MEDICAL INSURANCE DOESN'T COVER.
UM, AND SO JUST HOW DO THOSE CLAIMS GET PAID? HOW DO THE, UM, UH, HOW, HOW DOES THAT PROCESS TAKE PLACE IF THERE'S A, A COPAY SOMEWHERE THE EMPLOYEE WANTS TO GET PAID, DO THEY SUBMIT THAT TO SOMEBODY OR IS IT, IS IT JUST, HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? YES.
SO WE HAVE, UM, THE BENEFITS ARE THROUGH, MARY, CAN YOU JUST PUT YOUR NAME ON THE RECORD AGAIN? I'M SORRY.
BARRY MARILLO FROM IMAC INSURANCE.
UM, SO THE POLICIES THAT THE EMPLOYEES WOULD GET ARE THROUGH, UM, AN INSURANCE CARRIER.
SO THEY WOULD SUBMIT THEIR CLAIM TO THE INSURANCE CARRIER, AND THEN THE INSURANCE CARRIER WOULD, UH, REIMBURSE THEM FOR THE ACTIVITIES THAT, YOU KNOW, MEET THEIR CRITERIA.
AND SO, SO HOW, HOW WOULD THEY DO THAT? HOW WOULD THEY TRANSMIT THOSE, THOSE CLAIMS? SO A PORTION OF THAT, THE, THE PREMIUM THAT'S COMING OUT OF THEIR, THEIR PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS THAT IS COMING FROM THE TAX SAVINGS GOES TO PURCHASE A POLICY WITH THE INSURANCE CARRIER, RIGHT.
THAT WE DO DURING THE ENROLLMENT.
SO ONCE THE ENROLLMENT'S COMPLETE, WE GIVE, YOU KNOW, THE INSURANCE CARRIER A FILE OF EVERYONE THAT ENROLLED.
WE GIVE, UM, PAYROLL A FILE OF EVERYONE THAT ENROLLED TO DEDUCT THE CORRESPONDING AMOUNTS.
UM, AND THEN THEY HAVE AN INSURANCE POLICY, UH, FROM THE CARRIER.
UH, SO THEN WE COMMUNICATE THAT TO THE EMPLOYEE AS WELL.
AND WE SHOW THEM EXACTLY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS YOUR POLICY, THIS IS HOW YOU ACCESS YOUR POLICIES, THESE ARE HOW YOU SUBMIT CLAIMS. OKAY.
UH, AND OUR TEAM HELPS, UH, EMPLOYEES WITH FILING OF THOSE CLAIMS AS WELL.
SO, SO THERE IS A PROCESS FOR THEM TO, UH, SUBMIT THOSE CLAIMS AND THAT PROCESS IS OUTLINED BY YOUR, BY YOUR PEOPLE DURING THE INTRODUCTORY ABSOLUTELY.
ALL OF THAT'S COMMUNICATED THAT WE, WE PROVIDE PAYCHECK EXAMPLES AND SHOW THEM EXACTLY WHAT, UM, WHAT DIFFERENT DEDUCTIONS WOULD WE HAVE IF THEY, THEY WERE TO ENROLL.
UM, SO EVERYTHING'S FULLY TRANSPARENT TO THE EMPLOYEE.
WE DO A LOT OF EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS, UH, AND THEN WE CONSTANTLY, UH, SEND THEM EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON LIKE A QUARTERLY BASIS JUST TO SAY, HEY, YOU HAVE THIS ACCIDENT PLAN YOU SIGNED UP FOR, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE USING IT.
UM, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WITH EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THEM AND YOU MAY NOT REMEMBER TO USE IT ALWAYS.
SO, UH, WE TRY TO GIVE EXAMPLES OF, OKAY, YOU'RE IN AN ACCIDENT PLAN.
UM, OVER THE PAST THREE MONTHS, HAS ANYONE IN YOUR FAMILY, UM, HAD AN INJURY WHERE THEY ENDED UP IN THE ER OR AT URGENT CARE? UM, AND WE'LL GIVE SOME EXAMPLES JUST TO, TO REMIND THEM TO, TO UTILIZE THE POLICIES.
I'M SORRY, MR. PRESIDENT, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE A PRESENTATION HANDOUT.
ARE THERE ANY EXTRA FOR ME FOLLOW ALONG? YES, I WAS, SORRY.
I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION WE ALL HAD ONE.
UH, CAN WE, ADAM, CAN YOU HAND IT TO ADAM? HE IS RIGHT BEHIND YOU.
VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, ARE WE ALL GOOD NOW? EVERYONE ELSE? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VICE PRESIDENT FOR LETTING ME KNOW.
SO, UM, OKAY, SO, SO THEN THERE IS THIS, THIS, UM, SCHEDULE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF POLICIES AND BENEFITS THAT THEY CAN ACQUIRE WITH THE TAX SAVINGS, UH, FROM THE PAYROLL TAXES AFTER THE, AFTER THE PAYMENT OF THE FEE.
AND THEN THERE'S ALSO, UM, THE DIGITAL, UM, UH, ASPECT OF THIS, THE, UH, THE, THE DIGITAL CORRECT THERAPEUTICS, UM, IN, IN THIS, IT, IT'S
[01:35:01]
SHOWN IN YOUR EXAMPLE, THE SCHEDULE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO THE, THE BOARD, UM, OF, OF APPROXIMATELY A THOUSAND DOLLARS COMING OUT OF A PAYCHECK AND THEN GOING RIGHT BACK TO THE EMPLOYEE.UH, UM, NOW THIS MONEY, UH, FROM MY LAST CONVERSATION DURING THE WEEK, UM, DOESN'T REALLY TRANSFER.
THERE'S NO REAL MONEY TRANSFERRING HERE, BUT JUST EXPLAIN HOW THAT FACILITATES THE, UM, THE PROGRAM AS WELL AS THE TAX SAVINGS END OF IT.
SO, UH, PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME.
OH, AGAIN, BARRY MARILLA FROM IMAC INSURANCE.
UM, THE PROGRAM UTILIZES A COUPLE OF COMPLIANCE AND IRS REGULATIONS.
UH, WE USE A SECTION 1 25 PLAN TO DEDUCT, UH, THE THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM THE EMPLOYEE'S PAYCHECK.
UH, THAT GOES TO, UM, THE SECTION 1 25 PLAN THAT'S, UM, GOVERNED BY THE EMPLOYER.
THE EMPLOYER THEN REIMBURSES THAT ON A NON-TAXABLE BASIS TO THE EMPLOYEE FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE, THE COMPLIANCE OF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
THEN, UM, ALL OF THE, THE DIFFERENT COMPLIANCE ACTIVITIES THAT WE, WE PROVIDED.
UM, SO FOR, BY THE VIRTUE OF PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM, RECEIVING THE DIGITAL THERAPEUTIC, UM, OBTAINING THAT HEALTH IN RELATED INFORMATION, THEY ARE ABLE TO GET THAT REIMBURSEMENT ON A NON-TAXABLE BASIS.
BUT BOTH OF THOSE ARE NET NEUTRAL TO THE EMPLOYEE.
BOTH OF THOSE ARE, UM, UM, INDIVIDUAL TRANSACTIONS, CORRECT? RIGHT.
THE, THE MONEY COMING OUT IS FOR THE 1 25 PLAN.
AND THEN THE REIMBURSEMENT IS BASED ON BEING A PARTICIPANT IN THE, IN THE ENTIRE PROGRAM THROUGH A SELF-INSURED MEDICAL REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM.
BUT, BUT AGAIN, THERE IS NO ACTUAL MONEY THAT GOES TO A 1 25 PLAN.
IT, IT, IT'S JUST, IT GOES TO THE 1 25 PLAN AND THEN IT GETS REIMBURSED.
BUT DOES CASH ACTUALLY MOVE TO A 1 25 PLAN AND COME BACK OR IS IT JUST BASED ON THE, BASED ON THE LEGAL IT'S BASED ON THE LEGAL.
LEGAL DOCUMENTS DOCUMENTS, CORRECT.
UM, SO, SO THAT KIND OF EXPLAINS HOW IT WORKS.
AND ONE OF THE ISSUES OBVIOUSLY HERE IS THAT, UM, WOULD, WOULD, WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO GET, UM, SOME ASSURANCES ON AND THAT, THAT IT DOES QUALIFY FOR THE TAX BENEFITS THAT IS, UH, REPRESENTED, UH, TO US BY THIS COMPANY.
AND I DID ASK THEM TO, UH, PROVIDE ME WITH SOME LANGUAGE AND EXAMPLES AND I, I DID GET A CORRESPONDENCE THAT, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY OUTLINES THEIR POSITION AND SOME OF THE, UM, THE, UH, UH, IRS AND OTHER PROFESSIONAL, UM, UH, PUBLICATIONS THAT THEY'VE RELIED ON IN ORDER TO COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS IS, UH, THIS IN FACT DOES QUALIFY FOR THE TAX ADVANTAGES.
IF I'M SAYING ANYTHING THAT IS INCORRECT, PLEASE INTERRUPT ME.
UM, SO ONE THING I WILL READ HERE THAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS MEMORANDUM THAT WAS SENT TO ME TODAY, UH, IS FROM THE COMPANY AND IT SAYS THAT THEY'RE CONFIDENT THEY'RE IN COMPLIANCE OF OUR PROGRAM.
WE'VE BUILT INDEMNIFICATION LANGUAGE INTO OUR MASTER SERVICE AGREEMENTS THAT AGREES TO INDEMNIFY, HOLD, HARMLESS, PROTECT AND DEFEND OUR CLIENTS FROM ALL CLAIMS OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES, REASONABLE ATTORNEY FEES AND COURT COSTS, IF ANY SUCH LEVIES ARE APPLIED BY THE IRS.
SO LET ME JUST PUT THIS QUESTION TO YOU, WHAT YOU'RE EFFECTIVELY SAYING HERE, AND IT WILL, I'M SURE WHEN IT GOES THROUGH THE LEGAL REVIEW, UH, PROCESS, WHICH IT WE'LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN A SECOND, IT HAS YET TO DO THAT.
UM, BUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT THIS COMPANY IS SAYING THAT IF THIS, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THE IR GETS SHOT DOWN BY THE IRS, YOU ARE GOING TO REIMBURSE OUR EMPLOYEES FOR ANY COURSE THAT THEY'VE INCURRED UP TO THAT POINT.
SO THAT, THAT'S THE GUARANTEE IN THERE.
THAT GIVES ME A LEVEL OF, UH, YOU KNOW, A LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT, UH, BEFORE TODAY, UH, YOU KNOW, I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE THAT ADVANTAGE.
UM, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IS THAT THERE, THERE'S A LOT OF LEGALESE TO THIS.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS, I'LL JUST ADDRESS THIS TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
UM, THE CONTRACT HAS YET TO GO THROUGH A LEGAL REVIEW.
IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
A FINAL LEGAL, IT'S NOT SIGNED.
SO WHAT WE DO HERE IN APPROVING THIS TONIGHT GETS IT AS FAR AS TO THE POINT WHERE, UH, IT STILL HAS TO, UH, GO THROUGH THE, UH, PROCESS OF, OF A LEGAL REVIEW BY THE COUNTY AND, UH, AND WILL NOT BE SIGNED BY THE COUNTY UNTIL THAT
[01:40:01]
PROCESS TAKES PLACE IN ANY ISSUES ARE, ARE RESOLVED, WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH WHAT HAPPENS ON A, ON A REGULAR BASIS AT TIMES.AND I WANT TO THANK MR. PARLOVE AND MR. MCINERNEY FOR TAKING DAY.
WE DISCUSSED THIS AT LENGTH OF LEADERSHIP, AND WE JUST SPEAK TO THE TEAM THAT'S PRESENTING TONIGHT.
UH, QUICK QUESTIONS FOR ME AND THEN I'LL OPEN UP TO THE BOARD.
THIS IS JUST TO REITERATE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE, OF ALL, THIS IS COMPLETELY VOLUNTARY, CORRECT? CORRECT.
YOU HAVE OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROGRAM? YES.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU OFFERED IT TO OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT? EIGHT 18 MONTHS.
HAVE YOU SEEN AN INCREASE OR A DECREASE IN PARTICIPATION OF EMPLOYEES AFTER THE FIRST YEAR? AFTER THE FIRST YEAR, THERE'S USUALLY AN INCREASE.
WHY WOULD YOU, UH, WHY DO YOU SUSPECT IS THE CAUSE OF THE INCREASE? I THINK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS, WHEN WE WERE KIND OF NEWER AT THIS, AND IT WAS A NEW PROGRAM, UM, EMPLOYEES WERE A LITTLE SKEPTICAL OF IT.
SO ONCE THEY WANT, THEY WANTED TO KIND OF SEE HOW OTHER PEOPLE HAD EXPERIENCES WITH IT, AND THEN ONCE THEY REALIZED WHAT IT WAS AND WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE, THE NEXT YEAR THEY, THEY KIND OF, THE WORD KIND OF SPREAD IN MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ENROLLED.
HAVE YOU HAD ANY COMPLICATIONS WITH THE OTHER GOVERNMENTS, UH, IMPLEMENTING THIS? NO.
COMMISSIONER SIEBEL, THEN VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
FOLLOW, FOLLOWING UP ON A QUESTION THAT PRESIDENT PALMS ASKED.
WHAT, WHAT, UM, GOVERNMENTS DO YOU WORK WITH? YOU SAID THERE'S ANOTHER GOVERNMENT HANDLING THIS, LIKE MUNICIPALITIES AND BOARD OF EDUCATIONS WE WORK WITH.
CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME EXAMPLES? HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY? YEAH.
UH, BELLVILLE TOWNSHIP'S ONE, UM, UH, BEVILLE TOWNSHIP THAT, UH, CEDAR GROVE.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME WHEN YOU SPEAK.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND JUST ANSWER THAT QUESTION IF YOU CAN PLEASE.
JOE MARILLO, I'M AT INSURANCE.
SO IN ESSEX COUNTY, WE HAVE, STARTING FROM THE WEST, WE HAVE, UH, FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP, WE HAVE, UH, WEST ESSEX BOARD OF EDUCATION.
WE HAVE, UM, EAST HANOVER, HANOVER TOWNSHIP, CITY OF CLIFTON, BELLEVILLE TOWNSHIP, LYNDHURST BOARD OF EDUCATION, UH, BERGEN COUNTIES COMING ON AS WE SPEAK.
UM, AND WE HAVE, WE HAVE FOUR OR FIVE OTHERS THAT ARE, WE'RE WORKING ON AS WE SPEAK ALSO.
AND WE'RE ALSO DOING THIS IN, UM, COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS.
AND WE HAVE ABOUT 5,000 MEMBERS IN THE AREA, BUSINESSES, AND COMMERCIAL ACCOUNTS.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
SO THIS RUNS IN CONJUNCTION ALONGSIDE THE TRADITIONAL HE COMMISSIONER COOPER.
I'M SORRY, WE'RE NOT PICKING UP ON THE AUDIO.
CAN YOU RESTART? SO THIS RUNS ALONGSIDE THE TRADITIONAL HEALTH BENEFITS.
SO BARRY MURILLO AGAIN, UM, YES, IT'S A COMPLETELY ANCILLARY ADD-ON, UH, PROGRAM THAT DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH, UH, THE EXISTING EMPLOYEE'S BENEFITS.
I'M NOT REAL CLEAR ON HOW YOU GET PAID.
SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU GUYS GET PAID THIS IS THAT $15 MILLION THAT I SEE HANDWRITTEN ON THE RESOLUTION, UM, BASED UPON THE TAX DEDUCTIONS THAT A PERSON WOULD NORMALLY GET OUT OF THE TAKEN OUTTA THEIR PAYCHECK.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THE $15 MILLION NUMBER.
UH, THAT'S A THREE YEAR FIVE OH OH OH IF EVERYBODY ENROLLED.
SO THE, THE, THE FEE IS DEPENDENT ON THEIR ENROLLMENT.
UM, SO YOU'LL NEVER BE CHARGED FOR A MEMBER THAT'S NOT ENROLLED.
UM, AND YOU'LL NEVER HAVE NOT HAVE A TAX SAVINGS FOR THAT TO SUPPORT THE FEE.
UH, BUT YEAH, WE DO GET PAID THROUGH THAT FEE.
MR. JACKSON, IS THAT YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF YES.
THAT ASSUMES THAT EVERY EMPLOYEE THAT WE HAVE SIGNS UP FOR THE PROGRAM AND REMAINS IN THE PROGRAM FOR THREE YEARS.
SO WE HAVE TO CERTIFY TO THE BOARD THE MAX EXPOSURE.
BUT AGAIN, EVEN IF THAT WERE TO OCCUR, THAT $15 MILLION DOES NOT COST US ANYTHING.
IT'S PAID FOR OUT OF THE $650 WE SAVE PER EMPLOYEE FROM, UH, TAX BENEFITS.
MR. NAN, MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MC? YEAH.
JUST HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE ENCUMBER, HOW DO WE APPROPRIATE THOSE MONIES? IN OTHER WORDS, THEY'RE, DO WE WE HAVE TO CREATE A A LINE? DO THEY GO TO A CERTAIN LINE ITEM? UM, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE PAYING MONEY OUT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN AUTHORIZATION OR A LINE ITEM TO PAY IT, TO PAY IT OUT OF, I WOULD DEFER TO MR. MOHAMMAD.
SO I WOULD DEFER TO OUR MR. MOHAM.
WE, WE CAN DEAL WITH THAT ISSUE LATER.
THAT'S, THAT'S, I WAS JUST, I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE THAT, SO, OKAY.
HAVE YOU HAD ANY ISSUES WITH ANY OF THE PLACES SO FAR RELATED TO, UM, THE IRS? NO, NOT SO FAR.
AND YOU SAID YOU'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 18 MONTHS? WELL, THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR SEVEN PLUS YEARS.
AND THEY'VE NEVER HAD ANY TYPE OF
[01:45:01]
ISSUES LIKE THAT.UM, WE PERSONALLY HAVE ONLY BEEN INVOLVED FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS.
SO IN YOUR, UM, PRESENTATION OVERVIEW HERE AT ONE LINE, IT SAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN OPT OUT.
IF PEOPLE DON'T OPT OUT, ARE THEY AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO BE ENROLLED IN? SO WE DO LIKE A 60 DAY ENROLLMENT FOR AN EMPLOYER OF THIS SIZE, UM, WHERE WE ARE EDUCATING, WE'RE COMMUNICATING, WE'RE GIVING ALL THE INFORMATION SO THE EMPLOYEES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPT OUT.
UM, IF THEY DON'T OPT OUT, THEY WOULD BE OPTED IN.
BUT THEN THERE'S A GRACE PERIOD AFTER AS WELL FOR 30 DAYS.
SO THEY'LL SEE THEIR FIRST PAYCHECK AND SAY, HEY, I, YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
THEY CAN STILL GET AT THAT POINT.
SO THERE'S LIKE 90 DAYS, UH, WHERE THE EMPLOYEES CAN, CAN OPT OUT.
AND IS IT FOR ONLY ONE YEAR OR WOULD THEY BE ENROLLED FOR THE ENTIRE CONTRACT? THE ONE YEAR? IT'S ONE YEAR.
THERE'S AN OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD EVERY YEAR WHERE IF THEY WANT TO GET OUT THE NEXT YEAR, THEY COULD GET OUT.
OR IF THEY DIDN'T GET IN THE FIRST YEAR, THEY OPTED OUT BECAUSE THEY, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T WANT TO.
UH, THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO GET IN IS DURING THE NEXT OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD.
WHAT'S THE SIZE, UM, EMPLOYEE WISE OF THE OTHER, UM, CLIENTS THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU'RE DOING THIS PROGRAM WITH? SO, I MEAN, ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, 1500 LIVE GROUPS.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WHERE WE WORK WITH OUR LITTLE SMALLER, UM, SO THEY KIND OF RANGE FROM, YOU KNOW, 200 EMPLOYEES TO 1200 EMPLOYEES.
SO IF WE DO THIS, WE WOULD BE YOUR LARGEST CLIENT THAT'S PARTICIPATING IN THIS KIND OF PROGRAM WITH YOU? FOR US, YES.
UM, FOR MR. JACKSON LEGAL REVIEW, WHY HASN'T THAT BEEN COMPLETED YET BEFORE IT WAS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD? WE OCCASIONALLY WILL DO, WE'LL DO, WE'LL DO THAT.
WE'LL HAVE A CONTRACT THAT, UH, IN FACT WE DO, I'LL DEFER TO MR. UH, TO OUR COUNCIL TO EXPLAIN BETTER OFF PERMIT.
UH, COMMISSIONER, IF YOU DON'T WANNA GO AHEAD WITH THE PROGRAM, I, I DON'T WANNA REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS.
AND, UH, SO IF YOU DECIDE YOU'RE NOT GONNA GO AHEAD WITH THE PRO, WITH THE, WITH THE PROGRAM, I'LL SAVE 20 HOURS WORTH OF WORK.
IF YOU, IF YOU DO WANT TO GO AHEAD WITH THE PROGRAM, I'LL REVIEW EVERY DOCUMENT IN DETAIL.
THAT DOESN'T MAKE ME REAL COMFORTABLE.
THIS SOUNDS, WELL, I DON'T REVIEW YOU, I DON'T REVIEW YOUR DOCUMENTS IN ADVANCE ANYTIME.
IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU DON'T WANT A PROGRAM, IF YOU DON'T WANT A CONTRACT, I'M NOT REVIEWING DOCUMENTS IN A VACUUM.
IF YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD WITH THE PROGRAM, I'LL REVIEW ANY DOCUMENTS YOU WANT ME TO REVIEW, BUT YOU HAVE TO TELL ME THAT YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD WITH THE PROGRAM.
I DON'T DO SPEC, I DON'T DO SPECULATIVE DOCUMENTS.
IN OTHER WORDS, IS THERE ANY, IS THERE ANY, UH, REASON TO BELIEVE THIS WOULD NOT PASS, UH, LEGAL REVIEWS SINCE IT'S BEEN OUT THERE USE IN OTHER CLIENTS? I HONESTLY, I DON'T KNOW.
I MEAN, I, I MEAN, I, I AM VERY, VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT THE DOCUMENTS.
UH, AS MR. JACKSON, MR. COLTER WILL TELL YOU, I'M VERY AGGRESSIVE ON MAKING SURE THAT THE COUNTY IS PROTECTED AND THAT THE APPROPRIATE, UH, COVENANTS ARE IN THE DOCUMENTS AND THAT THERE ARE, THERE'S BEEN MANY TIMES WHERE I JUST SAY I'M NOT, I'M ADVISING THE CLIENT, THE COUNTY, TO NOT PROCEED WITH THE TRANSACTION.
COMMISSIONER COOPER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? NO.
SEEING NONE, DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE IT? I'LL MOVE IT.
WE CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER PRESENT, NOT VOTING.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
COUNSEL, NOW YOU HAVE DOCUMENTS TO REVIEW
IS THAT, IS THAT MY CHRISTMAS PRESENT? MRS. MARY OR WHATEVER YOU CELEBRATE HAPPY HOLIDAYS? YES.
YOU HAVE DOCUMENTS TO REVIEW, AND I WOULD THINK IN DUE ORDER IF THERE'S ANY PROBLEMS, YOU'LL COME BACK TO THE BOARD WITH ANY OF THOSE ISSUES AND CONCERNS.
IS THAT, UH, DOES THAT CUT THEM LOOSE? THEY'RE, THEY DON'T REQUIRE FOR ANYTHING ELSE.
ALL RIGHT, MR. MARILLO, MR. MARILLO AND MADAM ALL HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
HOPEFULLY WE ALL MOVE HIM ALONG A LITTLE FASTER.
NOW, MR. PRESIDENT? UH, I'M NOT RENEE BURGESS.
I'M JULIA'S CULTURE DEPUTY COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
UH, I AM REPRESENTING, UH, THE SMALL BUSINESS AT THIS POINT, AND EACH COUNTY IS
[01:50:02]
REQUIRED TO HAVE A PACO.A PACO IS A PUBLIC AGENCY COMPLIANCE OFFICER, AND THE PACO IS THE LIAISON BETWEEN THE DIVISION, THE TREASURY DIVISION, AND THE PUBLIC AGENCY, AND IS THE PUBLIC AGENCY POINT OF CONTACT FOR ALL UH, MATTERS CONCERNING IMPLEMENTATION AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF STATUTES AND REGULATIONS.
THE PACO IS ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTERING CONTRACT PROCEDURES PERTAINING TO EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES REGARDING BOTH THE PUBLIC AGENCY AND THE VENDOR WITH CONTRACTS.
VENDORS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO GOODS AND, UH, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AND GENERAL SERVICES AND CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS.
UH, AS SUCH, THE PACO MUST BE THE AUTHORITY TO RECOMMEND CHANGES TO THE EFFECT OF A SUPPORT IMPLE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STATUTE ON ITS REGULATION.
UH, ANNUALLY ON JANUARY 10TH, EACH GOVERNMENT AGENCY IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A PACO.
AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, WHEN THE BOARD APPROVES OF MS. BURGESS, WE WILL SEND THE DOCUMENTATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? I'LL MOVE.
MAD AND DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER THREE.
UM, MR. DELGAUDIO WILL HANDLE ITEMS THREE THROUGH FIVE, AND I BELIEVE NUMBER SEVEN ON AGENDA.
FRANK DELGAUDIO, COUNTY RISK MANAGER.
UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER THREE IS A, THE APPOINTMENT OF INSURANCE BROKER SERVICES FOR, UH, THE MASSEY AGENCY FOR THE COUNTY'S PROPERTY AND LIABILITY COVERAGES SPECIFIC TO THE, UM, PUBLIC OFFICIALS CYBER LIABILITY, COMMERCIAL CRIME, UM, AND THE RIKER HILL ART PARK LIABILITY AND THE POLLUTION LIABILITY POLICY.
I DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM THE MASSEY AGENCY.
WE'VE HAD A LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH A, A CITY-BASED BROKERAGE.
UM, IT'S INTERESTING 'CAUSE I MET LARRY BARN FROM THE MASSEY AGENCY ABOUT 24 YEARS AGO, AND HE WAS OUT THERE IN THE STREETS WHEN I WAS IN A, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AND HE REALLY IMPRESSED ME.
AND WHEN I CAME TO THE COUNTY, ACTUALLY CALLED FOR A MEETING TO TRY TO BRING THE MASSEY AGENCY ON BOARD.
UM, THEY SCORED THE HIGHEST IN THIS PROPOSAL.
AND, UH, WE HAVE RAMEL MASSEY HERE, THE OWNER OF THE AGENCY.
LET'S BRING 'EM UP REAL QUICK TO INTRODUCE HIMSELF AND TELL US WHAT HIS SERVICES ARE ALL ABOUT.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
RAMEL MASSEY, PRESIDENT AND OWNER OF MASSEY INSURANCE AGENCY.
JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE KIND OF WORK YOU WOULD BE DOING FOR US.
UH, SO, UM, CURRENTLY WE ARE THE BROKER FOR YOUR CRIME POLLUTION DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS, UH, THE RIKER HILL TENANT AND THE CYBER POLICY.
UH, WE, UH, RESPONDED TO AN RFP AND WE RECEIVED THE HIGHEST SCORE AND WE ARE PLEASED TO BE HERE, UM, WITH YOU AGAIN.
UM, WE ARE PROUD TO SAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEWARK, UM, SINCE 1975.
UH, WE WAS SERVING 50 YEARS IN THE CITY OF NEWARK.
WE ARE A MINORITY WOMAN OWNED FIRM, AND ONE OF ONLY 30% OF FAMILY OWNED BUSINESSES THAT SURVIVE TO A SECOND GENERATION.
60% OF OUR EMPLOYEES RESIDE IN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
AND GIVING BACK IS PART OF OUR DNA.
WE ARE A TRUSTED RESOURCE IN THE COMMUNITY, AND WE WANT TO THANK THE COUNTY OF ESSEX FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
UM, YOU HAVE BEEN A CLIENT OF OURS SINCE NINE, SINCE 2006, WHICH IS 18 YEARS.
SO, UH, THE COUNTY OF ESSEX HAS BEEN A PART OF OUR SUCCESS, UH, FOR THE PAST 18 YEARS, AND WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU.
UH, WE'VE NOT JUST BEEN SURVIVING, BUT THRIVING, UM, HERE IN THE CITY OF NOR COUNTY OF ESSEX.
WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT.
I'M SURE I SPEAK FOR ALL OF US WHEN I SAY YOU CHECK A LOT OF BOXES OF THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE.
UH, VERY QUICKLY, MR. PARLOVE, MR. MCINERNEY, OR NO, NO QUESTIONS? NO.
MR. MCINERNEY COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? MR. PRESIDENT? GO AHEAD.
UM, MARY THOMAS THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU MRS. MASSEY FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
IT'S UNSURPRISING THAT YOU GUYS SCORED THE HIGHEST ON THE RFP AS A NATIVE NEWARK,
[01:55:01]
I'M SO FAMILIAR WITH NOT ONLY THE HISTORY AND LEGACY OF YOU, YOUR FAMILY WITHIN THE SMALL BUSINESS WITHIN THE INSURANCE, UH, WORLD, BUT FRANKLY YOUR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY TOO, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING NECESSARY SERVICES THROUGH THE INSURANCE COMPANY.SO I'M VERY GLAD TO HEAR ABOUT, UH, THE HIGH SCORES AND JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORTING THE WORK THAT YOU ALL, UH, DO, NOT ONLY ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY AND THE CITY OF NEWARK AND THE GREAT COUNTY OF ESSEX, BUT, UH, THE ENTIRE STATE.
ALRIGHT, FRANK, LET'S GO BACK TO 17TH.
MR. PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE ON FOUR FOUR.
WERE YOU, I THOUGHT YOU WERE DOING THREE AND 17.
THERE'S, UH, 3, 4, 5, AND THEN 17.
MS. MASTER, YOU COULD HAVE A SEAT.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE HIM WORK SOME MORE.
SO, RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR, UH, FRANK DELGAUDIO, COUNTY RISK MANAGER.
UM, THIS IS FOR THE BROKER APPOINTMENT SERVICES FOR THE COVERAGE OF THE CORRECTIONAL FAC FACILITY, PROPERTY AND FLOOD.
UH, THIS IS FOR A BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENTAL INSURANCE AGENCY.
THEY'VE BEEN THE INCUMBENT BROKER SINCE 2004 ON THE ACCOUNT WHEN THE JAIL FIRST OPENED.
UM, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT COVERAGE TO PLACE.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF MARKETS FOR CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES, ESPECIALLY ONE WITH THE, UH, VALUES AND THAT'S IN A, UM, A FLOOD ZONE.
SO, UM, WE'VE HAD A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS AGENCY.
THEY GO OUT TO OVER 50 MARKETS EVERY YEAR AND PRESENT A VERY, UM, ROBUST, I WOULD SAY, UH, ANALYSIS OF, OF WHAT OUR CHOICES ARE MOVING FORWARD.
RESOLUTION NUMBER FIVE IS A SIMILAR RESOLUTION FOR APPOINTMENT OF BROKER SERVICES FOR THE COUNTY'S, UH, PROPERTY AND CASUALTY AND INSURANCE BROKER SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDE, UM, THE COMMERCIAL LIABILITY, WHICH IS IN EXCESS COVERAGE.
UM, THERE'S TWO LAYERS TO THAT.
THE PROPERTY COVERAGE, WORKERS' COMPENSATION, THE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE, ACTIVE ASSAILANT, AND THE, UH, APPROPRIATELY THE DRONE LIABILITY POLICY.
THIS IS FOR, UH, CON CONNOR STRONG AND BUCKALEW.
THIS WAS THE ONLY, UH, RESPONSE TO THIS RFP.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A QUESTION HERE, MR. PAR.
MR. DELEO ON THE, THESE POLICIES COME BACK BEFORE THE BOARD EVERY YEAR FOR RENEWALS, UH, OR IF WE HAVE A NEW POLICY THAT COMES UP FOR APPROVAL, WHEN DO WE ANTICIPATE, AND THAT'S THE WORK THAT THE BROKERS DO, THEY BRING IT TO YOU AND YOU RECOMMEND IT TO THE BOARD? WHEN DO WE EXPECT THOSE POLICIES TO COME BACK OR COME TO THE BOARD? ALRIGHT, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
SO THE, UH, CORRECTIONAL FACILITY POLICY IS A JANUARY 1ST RENEWAL.
THE REMAINDER, ALL THE OTHER COVERAGES ARE, UH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DRONE LIABILITY POLICY, WHICH IS A NOVEMBER POLICY, UM, OR A JUNE 1ST RENEWAL.
SO TYPICALLY TWO WEEKS AFTER THE COVERAGE IS PLACED IS WHEN WE BRING, UH, FOR APPROVAL TO THE BOARD.
SO, RESOLUTION 17 IS A NON FAIR AND OPEN CONTRACT REQUEST WITH ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON, BARNABAS HEALTH, UM, FOR THE INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT SERVICES FOR THE PATIENTS OF THE ESSEX COUNTY HOSPITAL CENTER.
SO WE'VE HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH RWJ BARNABAS SINCE 2014.
UM, SO THEY PROVIDE THEIR ENTIRE NETWORK TO OUR PATIENTS FOR SPECIALTY, UH, MEDICAL SERVICES, YOU KNOW, OUTPATIENT VISITS, AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE TO HAVE A PATIENT GO FOR INPATIENT SERVICES, WE ALSO UTILIZE CLARA MOSS FOR THOSE SERVICES.
IT'S BEEN A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP AS I FEEL OUR PATIENTS GET SOME OF THE BEST MEDICAL CARE IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, AND WE HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR ENTIRE PHYSICIAN NETWORK THROUGH THIS CONTRACT.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE COVERED THREE.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MR. PARLOVE ON FOUR, FIVE AND 17? NO QUESTIONS.
SEEING NONE, CAN I HAVE A MOVER TO MOVE? 3, 4, 5, AND 17? I'LL MOVE IT.
SECOND BY SIEBOLD ROLL CALL MATTER.
DEPUTY CLERK THREE, FOUR, FIVE, AND 17.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 6 7, 8, 9, AND AT STARTER NUMBER 68, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE.
THEY'LL BE READY TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT COUNTY TREASURER MOHAMMAD WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. GOOD EVENING, MR. MOHAMMAD.
UH, HUSAM MOHAMMAD COUNTY TREASURER.
[02:00:01]
RESOLUTION, RESOLUTION NUMBER SIX IS FOR, UH, TRANSFER OF APPROPRIATION.UM, THIS IS THE, A ROUTINE TRANSFER RESOLUTION WE DO EVERY YEAR, UH, TO MAKE SURE, UM, ALL OUR, UH, DEPARTMENTS ARE COVERED AND, UH, THERE IS NO ANY OVER EXPENDITURES.
UM, THIS IS NOT A MOISTURIZATION JUST MOVING MONEY FROM, UH, DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS IN THE BUDGET.
UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER, UH, SEVEN.
UH, THIS IS FOR, UM, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR ACCOUNTING SERVICES.
UH, WE HAD AN RFQ FOR, UH, ACCOUNTING SERVICES.
WE HAD THE COMPANY IN NEW JERSEY.
GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES, UH, RESPONDED TO THE RFQ.
UM, THEY ARE, UH, WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS AND YOU DOING A GREAT JOB, UH, PROVIDING, UH, ACCOUNTING SERVICES TO VARIOUS COUNTY DEPARTMENTS.
AND WE HAVE, UH, MR. ALE, UH, REPRESENTING, UH, NEW JERSEY GOVERNMENT SERVICES HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE? LET'S BRING HIM UP.
JUST HAVE A QUICK INTRODUCTION.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
ANTHONY AVALO, NEW JERSEY GOVERNMENTAL SERVICES.
UM, BASICALLY WE'VE BEEN HELPING OUT THE COUNTY THE LAST FEW YEARS.
UH, THE COMPANY WAS FORMED IN 2016.
WE'LL DO ANYTHING THAT THE COUNTY MAY WANT.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF, UH, OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES THAT WE HELP WITH.
I GO BACK TO 77 WITH THE CITY OF NEWARK.
UH, KIM GOES BACK TO 81 WITH THE COUNTY VESTEX.
UH, SHE STARTED OUT STAMPING IN MAIL AND ENDED UP FINISHING UP HER CAREER AS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.
UM, I WAS THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER IN THE CONTROLLER WHEN I WAS HERE.
AND THEN MY LAST SIX YEARS I WAS THE BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE VOCA VOCATIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UH, WE DO WHATEVER'S NECESSARY AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO.
AND I KNOW WE PUT YOU TO THE TEST DURING COVID FOR SURE, RIGHT? YES.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT MR. A VALLEJOS HERE? NO, MR. MCINERNEY? UH, JUST THAT, UH, ANTHONY IS THE, IS A NUMBERS MAN.
AND SO HE, THEY, THEY CALL ON HIM FOR JUST ABOUT ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF ANALYTICAL WORK THAT KIND OF STUMPS EVERYBODY ELSE.
SO I CAN SEE THE NUMBERS EMITTING FROM HIS BRAIN RIGHT HERE,
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. AEO? I, I KNOW WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH HIM.
LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER EIGHT.
UM, UH, PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE BOND COUNCIL SERVICES.
UH, WE ADVERTISE FOR, UH, REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION.
AND THIS IS TO, TO, UH, QUALIFY THE WHOLE LIST FOR, UM, UH, WE GRADED, UH, UH, REVIEWED ALL THE PROPOSALS AND ALL OF THEM.
UM, AN ANALYST TO BE USED AS NEEDED FOR, UM, BOND COUNCIL SERVICES, NOT TO EXCEED $80,000 PER TRANSACTION.
I HAVE, UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER NINE, UH, TO PROVIDE, UH, PROFESSIONAL.
UM, THIS IS FOR RFQ FOR FINANCIAL ADVISOR SERVICES.
ALSO, THIS IS A CERTIFYING, UH, QUALIFYING THE LIST, UH, AND TO BE USED AS NEEDED AND FOR, UM, NOT TO EXCEED $80,000 PER TRANSACTION.
AND YOU WANNA DO 68 AS WELL? SURE.
UM, THE, THE SHERIFF, ARMANDO RAH IS RETIRING AND WE, HE'S THE CUSTODIAN OF THE, UH, OF THE PETTY CASH FOR THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT.
AND THIS RESOLUTION TO CHANGE THE, UH, THE CUSTODIANSHIP OF THE PETTY CASH TO THE NEW SHERIFF ELECT.
ANY QUESTIONS? UH, SIX THROUGH NINE AND 68.
COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, I'LL DEFER TO COMMISSIONER MAYOR THOMAS.
UM, YOU SHARE THAT THIS IS A ROUTINE REAPPROPRIATION OR APPROPRIATION.
COULD YOU ELABORATE ON THE ROUTINE NATURE OF IT? YES.
UM, THE, UH, HUA MOHAMMAD COUNTY TREASURER, UM, THE, THE LAW ALLOW, UM, ANY GOVERNMENT ENTITY TO TRANSFER, UM, FUNDS IN, UH, IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS OF THE YEAR, NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER.
AND THIS IS, DOES NOT REQUIRE, UH, DOES NOT AUTHORIZE ANY NEW FUNDING TO THE BUDGET.
IT'S WITHIN THE ACTUAL BUDGET AND JUST MOVING FUNDS BETWEEN LINE ITEMS AS NEEDED, UH, TO, TO MAKE SURE ALL THE COUNTY, UH, DEPARTMENTS ARE, ARE COVERED.
AND THERE IS NO OVER EXPENDITURES OF ANY, IF ANY, LINE ITEM.
AND SO, WHERE THERE'S APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT THAT IS RECEIVING ON THE BACK END OF THAT FOR WHICH FUNDS ARE LEAVING, WHAT ARE THE PROCESSES IN PLACE TO ENSURE THERE ISN'T A DISRUPTION
[02:05:01]
OF SERVICES? THE, THE DEPARTMENT, UH, SAM HAMED COUNTY TREASURER, THE DEPARTMENTS USUALLY, UH, CONTACT US AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE A, A, A GOOD REASON.AND WE HAVE TO DISCUSS WHY THERE IS ANY TRANSFER.
THAT'S WHY THE TRANSFER IS LIMITED TO $6 MILLION.
OUR BUDGET IS 840, UH, 840 MILLION.
AND EVERY, EVERY, UH, EVERY LINE ITEM TO BE TRANSFERRED IS, HAS, IS JUSTIFIED TO, TO, TO US, YOU KNOW, THROUGH CONVERSATION WITH, WITH THE DEPARTMENT.
THE BACKUP DOCUMENTATION FOR THIS PARTICULAR RESOLUTION FOR SIX, I'M, I'M REFERRING TO WAS, WAS NOTICEABLY THINNER THAN THE OTHERS.
'CAUSE YOU MENTIONED JUSTIFICATION.
I COULDN'T READ ANY JUSTIFICATION, EVEN THOUGH I'M SURE IT, IT DOES EXIST.
SO I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU SOME SPACE TO ONE, ELABORATE ON, UM, THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS APPROPRIATION, PARTICULARLY FROM THE DIVISION OF FAMILY SERVICES AND BENEFITS, WHICH DOES IS ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE WORK WE DO AT THE COUNTY.
AND ASSUMING THAT THERE IS AN APPROPRIATION FROM THAT DEPARTMENT ELSEWHERE, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD CAUSE A DISRUPTION IN SERVICES.
AND SO IF IT WOULDN'T, THE QUESTION IS ONE, WOULD YOU RESPOND TO WHETHER OR NOT IT WOULD OR WOULD NOT CAUSE A DISRUPTION IN SERVICES? AND THEN TWO, WERE THE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES IN PLACE THAT THE COUNTY IS TAKING TO ENSURE THAT THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED WITH FULL INTEGRITY, EVEN WITH THE APPROPRIATION, UH, JOSE, MOHAMMAD COUNTY TREASURER IN REFERENCE TO THE WELFARE, UM, THE, UH, TRANSFER, UH, WE, UH, THIS IS FOR SELLERS AND WAGES.
THIS IS TAKING MONEY FROM SELLERS AND WAGES LINE ITEM.
UH, WE PROCESSED THE FINAL PAYROLL OF THE YEAR TODAY, AND WE HAVE, UH, LEFTOVER MONEY, $5 MILLION.
AND THIS IS BASICALLY A SALARY SAVING BASED ON, UM, WE CALL IT NO PAY DUES.
THIS MEAN, UM, EMPLOYEES, THE, THE, UH, THEY FINISH THEIR TIME OFF AND THE BASICALLY TAKE TIME OFF WITHOUT PAY.
AND WE THE, BECAUSE WE ALREADY FINALIZED THE PAYROLL, SO THERE IS NO ANY DISRUPTION SERVICE.
AND THIS IS THE, TO THE, THE FINAL PAY OF THE YEAR IS ACTUALLY THIS FRIDAY.
AND THIS WILL BE LEFTOVER MONEY, WE CAN ACTUALLY TRANSFER.
AND FOR THE OTHER EXPENSE, THIS WAS FROM THE BENEFIT, UH, WELFARE BECAUSE IT'S PARTIALLY, UH, FUNDED, UH, BY THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
SO WE BUILD IN A WELFARE BUDGET, UH, UH, COMPONENT FOR, UH, FRINGE BENEFIT.
AND THIS MONEY IS NOT BEING USED.
SO WE, WE, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WHAT NEEDED.
AND THIS IS NOT NEEDED FOR ANYTHING.
IT'S NOT GONNA DISRUPT ANY, ANY SERVICES.
UM, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE YOU SHARED THAT THERE'S JUSTIFICATION.
UM, CAN THAT JUSTIFICATION IN WRITING JUST BE PROVIDED TO BOARD MEMBERS? 'CAUSE IT WASN'T IN THE BACKUP DOCUMENTATION PACKET FOR ITEM NUMBER SIX.
SO, UM, I'M REALLY CONCERNED TO SEE THAT WE'RE TRANSFERRING SO MUCH FROM SALARY WAGES FROM DFAB AND FROM THE HOSPITAL CENTER DURING THE BUDGET HEARINGS EARLIER THIS YEAR, THOSE DIRECTORS ARE HERE BEFORE US AND TALKED ABOUT THE VACANCIES THAT THEY HAD IN THEIR DEPARTMENTS.
SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS, WHY WERE NOT THOSE VACANCIES NOT FILLED, ESPECIALLY IN DFAB RECENTLY, I WAS APPROACHED BY A PERSON WHO CLAIMED THAT SHE WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF DFA, AND SHE SHOWED ME HER PAY STUB.
HER PAY STUB HAD THAT, SHE MADE, HER HOURLY RATE WAS $16 AND 89 CENTS.
SHE CLAIMED THAT SHE WORKED AT DFA.
I DON'T REALLY RECALL WHAT POSITION THAT SHE WAS IN, BUT THAT'S NOT A REAL LIVABLE WAGE.
THAT'S ABOUT $30,000 WORKING 35 HOURS A WEEK.
SO TO HEAR THAT AND TO SEE THAT WE'RE TRANSFERRING $2.1 MILLION JUST FROM SALARIES AND WAGES FROM DFA, WHEN THIS PERSON, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE MAKE $16 89 CENTS.
THAT'S CONCERNING TO ME BECAUSE, UM, WE COULD HAVE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO PEOPLE THIS MORNING.
I BROUGHT A, A, A DOZEN OF EGGS FROM THE STORE.
THEY WERE 7 99, 7 99 FOR A DOZEN OF EGGS.
THAT WAS HALF THAT WOMAN'S HOURLY RATE IF SHE REALLY WORKS AT DFA.
SO I WOULD REALLY LOVE TO KNOW, ESPECIALLY COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT WE GET COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE LONG WAIT TIMES AT DFA, HOW LONG PEOPLE WAIT TO GET THEIR BENEFITS PROCESSED.
AND I REMEMBER DIRECTOR RAMOS, WHO GAVE A WONDERFUL REPORT, HIS DEPARTMENT DOES SO MUCH, THEY SERVICE THE NEEDIEST OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IF WE HAVE VACANCIES, I THINK I RECALL IT WAS AT LEAST LIKE 50 VACANCIES ON THE BOOK.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS A TRUE NUMBER OR JUST AN ANTICIPATED NUMBER.
HOW ARE WE TRANSFERRING OUT $2.1 MILLION FROM DEFECT? MR. JACKSON? I GET THAT.
I GET THAT IT WAS LEFT OVER MONEY.
I UNDERSTAND THE BUDGETING PROCESS THAT THERE WAS MONEY LEFT OVERS, THE END OF THE YEAR IS ON 52ND PAYROLL
[02:10:01]
RUN.IT WAS LEFT OVER AND YOU TRANSFERRED IT OUT.
MR. MOHAMED, MY QUESTION IS REALLY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION, WHY DID WE NOT FILL SOME OF THOSE VACANCIES OR GIVE OUT SOME ADJUSTMENTS? AND I GET THAT IT'S SOME UNION PEOPLE, BUT IF WE REALLY GOT SOMEBODY MAKING $16 AND 89 CENTS AN HOUR, THAT'S REALLY DEEPLY CONCERNING FOR ME.
WELL, I, I DON'T WANT TO SPECULATE ON WHAT SOMEONE SAID TO ME 'CAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA.
I'D HAVE TO LOOK AT DOCUMENTATION.
SO I DO NEED HER PAYROLL THING THAT SHE GAVE TO ME.
UM, BUT SECONDLY, I MEAN, WE, UH, VO RAMSON NOW, MR. BRADLEY, WHO ARE, UM, AND, AND, AND CARLA AND OTHERS WHO ARE RUNNING THE AGENCY WOULD LIKE NOTHING BETTER THAN TO HIRE PEOPLE, UM, AND MAKE A VERY GOOD EFFORT TO DO SO.
AS MR. MUHAMMAD ALLUDED, ALLUDED TO, UH, EARLIER, ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE HAVE, UM, SOME OF THE, THE BUDGET, IF YOU WANNA CALL 'EM SAVINGS OR, OR OR WHATEVER, IT'S BECAUSE WE HAVE PEOPLE, UM, WHO, UH, HAVE RUN OUT OF BENEFIT TIME, DON'T HAVE ANY MORE VACATION, DON'T HAVE MORE SICK, SO THEY'RE OUT WITHOUT PAY.
SO THAT HELPS THAT, THAT, THAT BOLSTERS UP THAT THAT NUMBER THAT MR. MUHAMMAD IS REFERRING TO.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE DON'T WANT TO HIRE PEOPLE.
I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE, WE WOULD LOVE TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE, BUT THERE IS A PROCESS THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS TO APPROVE EVERYBODY THAT GETS HIRED BECAUSE OF ITS STANDARD.
SO IT'S NOT EASIER JUST TO SAY, I'M GONNA SNAP A FINGER AND, AND HIRE, UH, PEOPLE.
UM, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT MR. RAMOS AND MR. BRADLEY AND THAT WHOLE TEAM WOULD LOVE TO HIRE PEOPLE AND, UM, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND GET AS MANY AS WE CAN ON BOARD.
I MEAN, WE WOULD LIKE TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE.
I APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSE, MR. JACKSON.
WHAT CAN, CAN YOU GET BACK TO US AND TELL US WHAT WAS OUR STAFFING LEVEL AT DFA IN JANUARY COMPARED TO WHAT IT IS LIKE NOW? AND, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HIRE? I GET IT THAT WE'VE GOTTA DO BACKGROUND CHECKS.
WE SHOULDN'T HIRE ANY OF YOUR BODY.
AUDREY CROSS THE T'S, BUT IT'S STILL CONCERNING THAT IT'S $2.1 MILLION.
AND I GET, IF PEOPLE DIDN'T COME, COME TO WORK, THAT HELPS US REALIZE SOME STATEMENTS.
BUT IF IT'S $2.1 MILLION AND PEOPLE NOT COMING TO WORK, THERE SHOULD BE SOME TERMINATIONS.
IF, IF THAT NUMBER REPRESENTS THE 2.1, AND I GET HERE, BUT PEOPLE SHOULD BE TERMINATED IF THEY'RE OVERSTATE THEIR, YOU KNOW, VACATION AND SICK TIME AND, AND WE GOT THAT MUCH OF A SAVINGS FROM THEM NOT COMING TO WORK.
WE, WE, WE, WE SHOULD LEAVE OURSELVES AT THESE.
I JUST ASK MR. MOHAM, WHAT'S THE SALARY, WAGES, BUDGET FOR THE, UH, ROTH? UM, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, AROUND PROBABLY 60 MILLION.
SO I MEAN, AS IT'S PERCENT OF OUR TOTAL, IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A BIG NUMBER, WHICH AGAIN, WE'LL, WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THIS WHEN MR. BRADLEY AND MR. RAMOS ARE HERE FOR THE BUDGET HEARINGS AND SO FORTH.
UH, WE DO HIRE PEOPLE, BUT WE DO PEOPLE WHO LEAVE.
SO IT, IT, IT, WE WILL, WE'LL BE ABLE TO PRESENT SOMETHING I THINK THAT WILL, WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IN SHORT ORDER.
MY QUESTIONS ARE, MR. PRESIDENT, WHAT WAS THE STARTING NUMBER IN JANUARY WAS OUR ENDING NUMBER NOW IN, IN DECEMBER? WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE PEOPLE FALL INTO THAT BUCKET THAT DON'T COME TO WORK THAT WE REPRESENT, YOU KNOW, A SAVINGS FROM? UM, AND THEN WHAT, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO ONBOARD A PERSON? LIKE THE BACKGROUND CHECK, LIKE WHAT ARE THE HICCUPS? BECAUSE REMEMBER THE OTHER SIDE IS WE HAVE A WHOLE WONDERFUL EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING OFFICE UP THE STREET THAT WE FUND AND PAY.
CAN WE PLAY THE CONNECTION GAME? CAN WE RECRUIT SOME PEOPLE FROM THEM? IT'S JUST CONCERNING UP $2 MILLION.
AND I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, IT'S GETTING TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER DEPARTMENT.
I'M GONNA SEND YOU THE PAY STUB.
I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT THE STARTING SALARIES ARE AS WELL.
EXPERIENCE EDUCATION GOES INTO THE BUCKET THAT YOU COME OUT WITH, WHAT THE STARTING SALARIES ARE.
BUT $16 89 CENTS BROKE MY HEART TO HEAR THAT.
I'M GONNA EMAIL YOU, I'M GONNA EMAIL IT TO YOU.
I I'LL BE HAPPY TO LOOK AT IT.
I DON'T, I I CAN'T, I I KNOW YOU CAN'T GIMME AN ANSWER RIGHT NOW, BUT I WOULD LOVE A FOLLOW UP.
SO TO WRAP THIS UP, WE'RE GONNA SEND HER TO THE PAYCHECK.
KATHY HAS THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU POST TODAY, VICE PRESIDENT MR. JACKSON, WE'LL GET TO THOSE QUESTIONS AND THEN WE COULD HAVE A ROBUST, UH, DISCUSSION WHEN WE HAVE OUR BUDGET HEARINGS.
IS THAT, AND THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, MY QUESTIONS AS WELL AS FAR AS THE WRITTEN JUSTIFICATION FOR THE APPROPRIATION, BECAUSE THAT CONTEXT WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL AND I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT IT'S JUST A CONCERN FOR, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT THE 49% IMPROVED PROCESSING RATE, RIGHT, THAT WAS SPOKEN ABOUT, THAT WORK CONTINUES, ET CETERA, ON BEHALF OF OUR CITIZENS OF THINKING PRESIDENT.
KATHY, WE GOOD? WE'RE GOOD WITH THEM.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? 6, 7, 8, 9 AND NUMBER 68.
MOVED BY COMMISSIONER, UH, MARY THOMAS, SECOND BY MERCADO WILL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK
[02:15:01]
COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 10, WHICH IS, OH, THAT'S BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO 11 AND 35 OF WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, AND THEY'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UH, DIRECTOR CHARLES WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. GOOD EVENING, DIRECTOR CHARLES.
RON CHARLES, DIRECTOR OF CORRECTIONS.
THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS HAS, UH, TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
NUMBER 11 AND NUMBER 35 FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, THE FIRST ONE IS THE MAINTENANCE CONTRACT, UH, BEING AWARDED TO THE, UH, SOLE RESPONSIBLE BIDDER, UM, DCO WHO HAS BEEN, UH, AT THE JAIL SINCE ACTUALLY BEFORE IT'S OPENING IN 2000, UM, TONIGHT.
MR. VECCHIO, UH, THE EXECUTIVE IS HERE, SO I KNOW YOU GUYS WANT TO PROBABLY WANNA SPEAK TO HIM AS WELL.
PLEASE HAVE HIM COME UP AND JUST INTRODUCE HIMSELF AND WHAT HE'S GONNA BE DONE.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD BEFORE YOU BEGIN.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT DAVID DELVECCHIO FROM DCO ENERGY AND AS THE DIRECTOR SAID, UH, WE WERE PERFORMING OUR FUNCTION AT THE JAIL BEFORE IT WAS ACTUALLY OPEN.
AND, UH, WE'VE BEEN THERE AND WE'VE HAD A GOOD PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY.
AND IN TERMS OF, UH, WE HAVE 59 EMPLOYEES OF THE COUNTY, 55 OF WHICH ARE MEMBERS OF LOCAL 68 AND, UH, 16 OF WHICH LIVE IN THE COUNTY CURRENTLY.
SO, UM, AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ANYBODY HAS ON ANY OF OUR FUNCTIONS OR ANYTHING RELATED TO WHAT WE DO THERE, MR. PAR? NO QUESTION.
THERE'S, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A COMPONENT INSIDE THIS CONTRACT.
I THINK IT'S LITTLE MATERIALS OR WHAT IS THAT WAS 150,000 OR SOMETHING.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? YEAH, IT'S WHAT, WHAT IS THAT NOW WHAT DOES THAT HAVE? I BELIEVE, UH, MR. PRESIDENT, I BELIEVE IT'S, UH, IN THIS CONTRACT IT'S 250,000 FOR TWO DIFFERENT ITEMS. RIGHT.
ITEMS. RIGHT ITEMS. SO IT'S 500 OR YES.
WHAT? YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET IT TO ME NOW, BUT USUALLY WE'LL USE SOME TIMES.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? UM, DAVID DELVECCHIO AND THE FIRM THAT HE'S REPRESENTS HAS BEEN WORKING FOR ESSEX COUNTY FOR SO MANY YEARS AND THEY'VE REALLY BEEN DOING A WONDERFUL JOB SO FAR.
I CAN'T REMEMBER ANY PROBLEMS, SO THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? COMMISSIONERS? OKAY.
ALRIGHT, MR. CHARLES, UH, LESS NUMBER 35? YES, RON CHARLES, DIRECTOR OF CORRECTIONS.
UM, ITEM NUMBER 35 IS FOR THE CONTRACT BEING AWARDED, UM, FOR THE PURCHASING OF THE OFFICER, SEMI-AUTOMATIC NINE MILLIMETER GUNS.
THE AMOUNT IS NOT TO EXCEED 69,000 AND CHANGE.
COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS ON 35? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? 11 AND 35.
MOVE BY SIEBEL SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, ROLL CALL.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER 12, WHICH IS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK.
IT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? MR. COLTER? MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS, UH, FROM THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK CONTRACT AWARD TO OPTICAL STORAGE SOLUTIONS TO PROVIDE SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT FOR A LAND DECK SYSTEM.
JANUARY 1ST, 2025 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2026, EXCUSE ME.
WE HAD ONE RESPONDENT, WHICH IS THIS PARTICULAR VENDOR.
NO QUESTION MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTION.
DO I HAVE A MOVER? I'LL MOVE IT.
MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
[02:20:01]
RICHARDSON.COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
SO MOVE, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION, RESOLUTION 13, WHICH IS ON THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ACTION.
AND WE'LL BE RIGHT INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
THIS IS, UH, AN AGREEMENT WITH THREE AGENCIES IN THE TOWNSHIP OF BURLINGTON, EAST ORANGE, AND MONTCLAIR TO PROVIDE FOR CODE BLUE EMERGENCY HOMELESS SERVICES.
IT IS, UH, UM, $35,000 FOR EACH OF THE AGENCIES WHO PROVIDE FOR, UH, RESPITE SHELTER AND FOR THE HOMELESS.
AND IT'S FUNDED THROUGH THE, UH, REGISTERS $2 PER DOCUMENT, UH, SURCHARGE.
ONE COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT.
SO FOR THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THIS, YOU GUYS SEND THE MONEY TO THE CITY AND THEN THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT TO THE CITY TO GET REIMBURSED? UM, I CANDIDLY, I'M NOT SURE THE LOGISTICS OF THAT I CAN FIND OUT.
AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION THAT I WAS ASKED WAS, IS IT A PER DIEM PER PERSON AMOUNT OR LIKE A GROUP RATE PER DAY? I'M NOT SURE.
THIS IS JUST FUNDING THAT PROVIDES IT.
NO, BUT YOU KNOW, IF THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDE HOUSING SERVICES TO SOMEONE UNDER THIS PROGRAM, WAIT.
THIS IS JUST PROVIDING A, A, A PLACE FOR FOLKS TO GO WHEN THE TEMPERATURE REACHES A CERTAIN DEGREE.
SO THEY HAVE LIKE, UH, THE RED CROSS OR, UM, SALVATION ARMY WILL PROVIDE FOR A LOCATION THAT INDIVIDUALS.
SO THE QUESTION I WAS ASKED, LET'S SAY IN EAST ORANGE, IF WE PICK UP 10 HOMELESS PEOPLE AND WE MOVE THEM TO AN AGENCY, DO THEY GET A PER PERSON RATE OR IS IT ONE GROUP RATE FOR THE DAY? REGARDLESS HOW MANY PEOPLE? OH, IT, IT'S A, IT'S A, I'M GONNA ALMOST CALL IT LIKE A RETAINER OF KIND OF A, SO IT'S A FLAT RANGE.
I THINK COMMISSIONER, WHEN WE DECLARE CODE BLUE, THEY'RE OPEN DURING THAT TIME AND WHATEVER THAT CAPACITY IS, THE CAPACITY IS AT THAT TIME.
BUT THE QUESTION THAT I WAS ASKED BY AGENCY WAS, DO THEY GET TO BILL PER PERSON THAT THEY HOUSE OR A FLAT RATE? IT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING, I THINK WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS A COUPLE YEARS AGO, THAT IT WAS NOT A PER PERSON RATE, THAT IT WAS JUST A FLAT RATE FOR OPENING BEING AVAILABLE.
THANK YOU TO WHATEVER THEIR CAPACITY WAS.
AND THAT VARIES FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION.
WHO'S THE SECOND? I'LL SECOND MERCADO.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 14 THROUGH 16, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT.
THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, DIRECTOR RICHARDS ENG GREEN WILL HANDLE 14 AND I WILL DO 15 AND 16.
VALENTINA RICHARDSON, GREEN DIRECTOR OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT IN REGARDS TO THE AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO INDIVIDUAL TRAINING AGREEMENT WITH VENDORS UNDER THE APPROVED STATE OF NEW JERSEY ELIGIBILITY TRAINING PROVIDER LIST FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2025 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2025, NOT TO EXCEED $2.5 MILLION.
UH, THE DIVISION OF TRAINING EMPLOYMENT THROUGH THE COUNTY RECEIVES FEDERAL MONEY THROUGH THE STATE TO PROVIDE VOCATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL TRAININGS FOR PARTICIPANTS IN OUR WORKFORCE INITIATIVE OPPORTUNITY ACT, AS WELL AS FOR OUR WORKFORCE, NEW JERSEY TANNING RECIPIENTS AND GENERAL ASSISTANTS, AS WELL AS OUR SNAP FORMERLY FOOD STAMP PARTICIPANTS.
MR. JACKSON, YOU WANNA MOVE ON TO 15 AND 16? UH, YES, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THESE ARE VERY SIMILAR.
WE'RE JUST EXTENDING TIMES FOR THE, UH, AGENCIES TO, UM, COMPLETE THE PROJECTS.
UM, THE NEW EXPIRATION DATE IS GONNA BE SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025, WHICH REPRESENTS A NINE MONTH EXTENSION.
UH, 15 IS FOR, UH, SOCIAL PROGRAM AGENCIES AND, UH, 15 IS AND 16 IS FOR, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED.
SO IT'S JUST A NINE MONTH EXTENSION FOR EVERYBODY TO COMPLETE.
THE SO WE'VE ALREADY APPROVED THESE, WE'RE JUST EXTENDING THE DEADLINE, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
YEAH, WE'VE DONE THIS PRETTY REGULARLY, I THINK, ESPECIALLY SINCE COVID PUSHED DEADLINES.
MR. PARVA, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? 14 THROUGH 16.
MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND BY MERCADO.
WE'LL CALL MAD DEPUTY CLERK 14, 15 AND 16.
[02:25:01]
PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.SO LET'S MOVE ON TO 18, WHICH IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION.
IT'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
THIS IS A CONTRACT WITH INTEGRITY HOUSE, UM, FOR $205,000 NOT TO EXCEED.
UM, MS. SHORTER IS HERE FROM THE INTEGRITY HOUSE TO DISCUSS THE PROGRAM.
I'M ROBIN SHORTER, SENIOR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AT INTEGRITY HOUSE.
I'M ALSO THE, UH, PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE, UH, REACH FOR RECOVERY GRANT.
JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
SO THE ROAD TO RECOVERY VAN, ALSO KNOWN AS REGIONAL RECOVERY STATIONS ITSELF AND HOTSPOTS IN ESSEX COUNTY.
FOUR TO FIVE DAYS A WEEK FROM 10:00 AM TO 3:00 PM WE ARE STAFFED WITH AN L-C-A-D-C, WHICH IS A LICENSED DRUG AND ALCOHOL COUNSELOR, AN LPN NURSE, AS WELL AS A FEW PEER RECOVERY SPECIALISTS.
WE ARE IN 16 DIFFERENT LOCATIONS PROVIDING EDUCATION INFORMATION AND HARM REDUCTION SERVICES TO OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION.
EXPERIENCING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, UH, HOMELESSNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES WE CAN PROVIDE ON THE SPOT, UH, DETOX SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS OR ANY LEVEL OF TREATMENT THAT IS NEEDED.
UH, WE DISTRIBUTE MATERIALS AND SERVICES TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO MINIMIZE THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF SUBSTANCE USE, MENTAL HEALTH AND HOMELESSNESS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXCELLENT WORK MR. PARLOVE.
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? I'LL MOVE IT.
UH, COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT SECOND BY SIEBEL.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK HONOR.
THROUGH 19 THROUGH 28 AND ADDED START OF 67, WHICH FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS, MR. ZAS.
NUMBER 19 IS A NEGOTIATED CONTRACT AWARD WITH RESURFACE, UH, TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE REPAIR FOR ZAMBONI MACHINES OVER THE, UH, ESCA COUNTY CODY ARENA.
CURRENTLY WE HAVE THREE ZAMBONIS.
THIS WOULD BE FOR PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, UM, AND THEN, UH, ANY OTHER REPAIRS THAT MAY BE NEEDED.
NUMBER 20, CONTRACT AWARD TO THE THREE LOWEST BIDDERS ON A UNIT COURSE BASE BASIS FOR VARIOUS, UH, GROUNDS, EQUIPMENT PARTS, UH, VIA CATALOG DISCOUNTS AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $250,000.
AGAIN, THIS IS FOR, UM, MAINTENANCE, UH, MOWER MAINTENANCE, UH, BLADE SHARPENING, UH, ADJUSTMENTS FOR BOTH OUR MAINTENANCE AND OUR GOLF COURSES.
NUMBER 21 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO LANE LABORATORIES FURNACE AND DELIVER FROZEN LIVE ANIMAL FOOD FOR THE TURTLEBACK ZOO AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $132,000.
UH, CURRENTLY WE HAVE 150 DIFFERENT ANIMAL SPECIES AT THE ZOO WITH THE TOTAL POPULATION OF JUST OVER 1200.
THIS CONTRACT WOULD FEED, UM, THE, SOME OF OUR BIRDS OF PREY.
OUR CARNIVORES, OUR REPTILES NUMBER 22 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO, UH, THE DBA OF MIDDLE VALLEY FARMS FURNACE AND LIVER HAY TO THE TURTLEBACK ZOO MEANT NOT TO EXCEED $165,000.
THIS IS FOR, UH, BASICALLY ANIMALS IN OUR FARM AND PONIES, UH, UH, INCLUDING GIRAFFES, UH, COWS, SHEEP, GOATS, WALLABIES, PRAIRIE DOGS.
NUMBER 23 CONTRACT AWARD TO PLAIN FIELD FRUIT AND PRODUCE TO DELIVER, UH, PRODUCE, UH, EXERCISING.
THE, UH, 20, THE 12 MONTH OPTION, UH, MEANT NOT TO EXCEED $220,000.
AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, FOOD FOR, UH, BIRDS, SOME OF THE REPTILES AND THE VARIOUS AMPHIBIANS.
NUMBER 24, UM, IS, UH, IS A BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING.
I BELIEVE THE BOARD DOES THIS, UH, EVERY YEAR TO RAISE THE BUDGET LEVELS FROM 1998, UH, IN ORDER TO, UH, ISSUE THE, UH, SALARIES AND WAGES FOR, UH, NUMBER 25.
NUMBER 25 IS THE ALLOCATION FROM THE ESTA COUNTY RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND, UH, FOR PARK MAINTENANCE STAFFING FOR THE YEAR 2025 AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED SEVEN, UH, MILLION $187,855
[02:30:02]
AND 55 CENTS.UH, THIS IS, WE CURRENTLY HAVE, THIS IS, I'M SORRY,
THIS IS TO FUND 62 POSITIONS, UH, OUT OF OUR MAINTENANCE.
UH, IT INCLUDES TWO NEW POSITIONS FOR THE MONTE IRVIN ORANGE PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, WHERE THAT COMES ONLINE, UH, NEXT YEAR.
UH, SO CURRENTLY IT WOULD FUND 62 POSITIONS, FIVE OF WHICH ARE VACANCIES, WHICH INCLUDES THOSE TWO NEW ONES.
NUMBER 26, UH, I'M SORRY, JUST, YEAH.
RESOLUTION OF USED FUNDS FOR THE OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND FOR, UH, VARIOUS PARK IMPROVEMENTS.
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $250,000.
THIS IS FOR, UH, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE ALWAYS REQUEST EVERY YEAR.
UH, IT'S KIND OF A CATCHALL FOR VARIOUS PROJECTS THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO THROUGHOUT THE PARK.
SYSTEM NUMBER 27 IS, UH, AUTHORIZATION TO USE.
COUNTY RECREATION OPEN TRACE TRUST FUND FOR THE 2024 RUTGERS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PROGRAM.
THIS IS, UH, SOMETHING WE, WE DO EVERY YEAR WITH, UH, RUTGERS.
THEY, UH, THEY RUN VARIOUS FOUR H PROGRAMS AND SOME EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS. THEY'RE LOCATED IN GARIBALDI HALL, WHICH IS, UM, UH, RIGHT NEXT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER.
NUMBER 29 IS AUTHORIZATION TO USE THE YES COUNTY RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND TO FUND RIVERBANK PARK PAINTING.
UH, AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $104,245.
THIS IS FOR AN EXISTING CONTRACT WE HAVE WITH GRAPHIS PAINTING.
THIS WOULD JUST BE THE FUNDING MECHANISM.
UH, BASICALLY IT'S FOR PAINTING THE STADIUM OVER IN RIVERBANK PARK, UH, GRAFFITI REMOVAL AND WHAT NOT.
JUST FOR THE RECORD, THAT'S 28, NOT, OH, I'M SORRY.
I JUST WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR THAT'S ALL.
AND 67, CORRECT? UH, I BELIEVE WE'RE ON 28, CORRECT? 20.
I DID 28, BUT YOU CALLED IT 29.
AND THEN, UH, 67 IS ANOTHER ANIMAL FOOD CONTRACT.
IT'S, UH, WITH WF FISHER FOR, UH, DRY ANIMAL FOOD EMBEDDING FOR THE ZOO.
UH, IT'S A TWO YEAR CONTRACT NOT TO EXCEED $440,000.
AND THIS WOULD BE USED FOR, UH, VARIOUS ANIMALS INCLUDING THE GIRAFFES, FLAMINGOS, PRAIRIE DOGS, UH, AND AGAIN, UH, SOME OF THE PRIMATES AND, UH, ANIMALS OVER AT THE FARM.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS? JUST, JUST A BRIEF COMMENT ON 24, BECAUSE IT'S AN ANNUAL, UH, RESOLUTION.
THIS BOARD REVIEWS, IT DATES BACK TO, UH, WHEN THE, UH, COUNTY OPEN SPACE, UH, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND WAS CREATED 25 PLUS YEARS AGO.
AT THAT TIME, UH, THE COUNTY ORDINANCE PERMITTED, UM, THE USE OF FUNDS FROM THE TRUST FUND TO SUPPLEMENT THE PARKS BUDGET FOR MAINTENANCE.
UM, PROVIDED THAT THEY KEPT THAT THE COUNTY KEPT THE PARKS DEPARTMENT BUDGET AT THE 1998 LEVELS, OBVIOUSLY, UH, YOU WOULD IMAGINE THAT BECAME IMPRACTICAL AFTER SOME TIME.
SO THIS BOARD DECIDED TO AMEND THAT ORDINANCE AND ALLOW AN ANNUAL WAIVER OF THAT REFERENCE TO 1998 BUDGET LEVEL.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, IT ALLOWS THE COUNTY TO USE OPEN SPACE DOLLARS TO FUND MAINTENANCE AND OTHER, UH, RESTORATION, UH, FOR PARKS PROPERTY, UH, EVEN THOUGH WE NO LONGER, UH, HOLD TO THAT 1998 BUDGET LEVEL.
MR. MACKER THERE ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS ANY QUESTIONS ON 19 TO 28 AND 67? NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT, UM, IN REFERENCE TO, I THINK IT'S 25, THE OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND.
WHEN WILL THE, WHEN WILL THE DATES BE OPEN FOR THE TOWNS TO APPLY TO THESE, UM, THE PROJECTS FOR THE TRUST? UH, JOSHUA'S HS COUNTY PARKS? UH, THE LAST FLOODING CYCLE WE HAD WAS DURING, UH, 2020.
UM, WE, THE OPEN SPACE BOARD DOES REVISIT ANNUALLY TO SEE WHETHER IT'S FEASIBLE TO RUN IT OR NOT.
BUT, UM, AT THIS TIME, I DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION IF IT'LL BE A PROGRAM IN 2025 OR NOT.
BUT CERTAINLY IF IT IS, WE DO INFORM ALL THE MAYORS AND ADMINISTRATORS OF EACH MUNICIPALITY.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE DID ONE? 2020.
UH, MR. ZA, UH, MAYBE A CERTAIN COMMISSIONER HAS ALWAYS WANTED TO DRIVE A ZAMBONI MACHINE.
MAYBE YOU COULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
THIS GUY BE A LITTLE MORE EXCITED THAN C-SPAN.
YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A LITTLE JOKE.
COMMISSIONER SIBO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE IT? I'LL MOVE IT BY COMMISSIONER SIBO, SECOND BY MERCADO.
UH, WELCOME MAD CLERK, 19 TO 28 AND 67 FOR THE FOLKS WHO RATHER BE WATCHING CSPAN.
ABSENT CO COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
THANK YOU MRS. A HAPPY HOLIDAY.
I HOPE EVERYONE HAS A HAPPY HOLIDAY.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 29 TO 32 AND ADDED
[02:35:01]
START AS 57 TO 58, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT LATER TIME.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 29 IS THE AWARD OF A TWO YEAR CONTRACT TO AMERICAN WEAR TO FURNISH DELIVERED UNIFORM RENTALS, INCLUDING THE CLEANING TO BOTH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IN AN AMOUNT THAT TO EXCEED $305,000 IN THE AGGREGATE.
THESE UNIFORMS ARE USED DAILY BY PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES IN THE DIVISION OF MOSQUITO CONTROL, BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS, ROADS AND BRIDGES, AND FLEET MANAGEMENT.
ITEM NUMBER 30 WILL ALLOW FOR THE MODERNIZATION OF SEVEN PASSENGER ELEVATORS AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT LOCATED AT THE VETERANS COURTHOUSE IN NEWARK BY WARDING, SMBA CONSTRUCTION A CONTRACT IN AN AMOUNT THAT EXCEED $6,123,000.
THE MODERN, THE MODERNIZATION OF THESE ELEVATORS IS IMPORTANT AS THEY'RE USED BY THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING JURORS.
TO ACCESS THE 13 STORY TALL VETERANS CARHOUSE BUILDING SMBA SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE FOUR BIDS RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
MR. NICHOLAS B FROM SM BA CONSTRUCTION.
WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE THIS FIRM, BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE PROJECT, AND AS ALWAYS ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, SUPPORT.
GOOD EVENING, PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION.
I'M THE OWNER OF SMBA CONSTRUCTION.
A LITTLE HISTORY OF MY FAMILY AND OUR BUSINESS.
UH, MY FAMILY HAS BEEN IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION FOR OVER 40 YEARS.
UH, WE'VE BUILT, RENOVATED, AND CONSTRUCTED MANY SCHOOLS, JAILS, COURTHOUSES, AND PUBLIC FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
SMBA IS A SECOND GENERATION SM UH, SBE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS.
WE ALSO SPECIALIZE IN HISTORICAL RENOVATIONS.
IN 2005, WE COMPLETED THE $20 MILLION RENOVATION OF THE HISTORIC ESSEX COUNTY COURTHOUSE UNDER COBRA CONSTRUCTION.
I WAS A SENIOR PM FOR THAT PROJECT.
OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WE'VE RENOVATED AND RESTORED MANY ELEVATORS IN HUSICK, IN HUDSON AND ES, UH, PASSE COUNTIES.
UH, FIVE PROJECTS TOTALING 12 ELEVATORS.
UH, SOME DETAILS FOR THE VETERANS PROJECT IS A RENOVATION OF SE SEVEN ELEVATORS AND AN ELEVATOR MACHINE ROOM.
UH, WE WILL BE COMPLETING TWO ELEVATORS AT A TIME, TURNING THEM OVER TO THE COUNTY FOR USE AND THEN DOING TWO MORE.
UM, IN, IN TOTAL, THE PROJECT WILL TAKE ABOUT TWO YEARS.
UM, THE PROJECT CONSISTS OF ALL NEW EQUIPMENT AND CABS FOR THE ELEVATORS.
UM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL ALL I HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? OKAY, YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 31 IS AN AWARD OF A TWO YEAR CONTRACT TO DIGITAL TEAM SIX TO PROVIDE COMPUTER SYSTEM NETWORKING SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $65,000.
UH, THIS CONTRACT WILL AUGMENT THE PUBLIC WORKS IT RESOURCES DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OR RENOVATION OF COUNTY FACILITIES.
DIGITAL TEAM SIX SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE THREE BIDS RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY.
AND ITEM NUMBER 32 IS THE EXERCISING OF A TWO YEAR EXTENSION OPTION TO HANDY LIFT SERVICES CONTRACT TO PROVIDE MAINTENANCE AND SERVICE ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS TO THE 12 CHAIR AND PLATFORM LIFTS THAT ARE LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
ITEM NUMBER 57 IS AN AWARD OF CONTRACT TO JC CONSTRUCTION TO CONSTRUCT A NEW TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT THE INTERSECTION OF VALLEY STREET AND ARNOLD TERRACE IN SOUTH ORANGE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $431,496.
THIS IMPROVEMENT IS BEING FUNDED BY NJ DOT GRANT JC CONSTRUCTION SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE SEVEN BITS RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY.
AND MR. JOHN COYA OF JC CONSTRUCTION WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY, TOUCHING THE SCOPE OF WORK AND ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS THE WORK MAY HAVE.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND TELL US WHAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO DO.
UH, MY NAME IS JOHN KONYA, OWNER OF JC CONTRACTING.
WE'RE A DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY WORK THROUGHOUT THE STATE, MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTY AGENCIES.
[02:40:01]
PERFORMED ON AND OFF FOR ESSEX COUNTY FOR THE LAST 15 PLUS YEARS.WE'RE GONNA INSTALL A NEW TRAFFIC SIGNAL AT THE INTERSECTION AND ALL OTHER INCIDENTAL WORK THAT'S, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? NO, NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? OKAY.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 56 IS COUNTY'S TERMINATION OF THE CONTRACT WITH TEON CONSTRUCTION TO REHABILITATE THE PARKS ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AND ACCEPTING THE ASSIGNMENT OF ALL THE SUBCONTRACTS IN ORDER TO FINISH THE PROJECT IN THE MOST REASONABLE AND EXPEDITIOUS MANNER.
TEON CONSTRUCTION MATERIALLY BREACHED IS CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY OF ESSEX WHEN THEY SUBMITTED A LETTER OF PROJECT WITHDRAWAL.
MR. ANTONIO, WHAT NUMBER ARE YOU ON? 58.
YOU SAID SOMETHING ELSE SAID 56 FOR THE RECORD.
I JUST WANNA CLARIFY FOR THE RECORD 'CAUSE WE WERE A LITTLE CONFUSED HERE.
UM, DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, UH, TECHNICAL CONSTRUCTION, MATERIALLY BREACHES CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY OF ESSEX WHEN HE SUBMITTED A LETTER OF PROJECT WITHDRAWAL ON NOVEMBER 29TH.
AND SUBSEQUENTLY A BONDING THE PROJECT, THE CONTRACT WITH TECH AND CONSTRUCTION AS PROVISIONS AS TO THE COURSE OF ACTION TO BE TAKEN IN THE EVENT OF THE CONTRACT BEING TERMINATED FOR COSTS SUCH AS THE CONTRACTOR ABANDONING THE PROJECT.
THIS PROVISIONS ALLOW THE COUNTY TO ASSUME THE ROLE OF THE CONTRACTOR AND ASSUME ASSIGNMENT OF ALL SUBCONTRACTS IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
THE COUNTY HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE SUBCONTRACTORS AND THEY HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR WILLINGNESS TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT.
OKAY, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. ANTONIO? WE HAVE 29 TO 32 AND 57 AND 58, 2 OF WHICH WE ALREADY COVERED.
I'M SORRY, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ON 58.
MR. PARVE, UH, MR. ANTONIO, NUMBER 58, CONTRACT TERMINATION.
IT MAY, PART OF THIS GOES TO MR. ST.
THAT'S NOT USUAL BUSINESS FOR US.
I, I WE DON'T SEE THAT TOO OFTEN.
UM, AND I, AND I DID READ SOME OF THE BACKUP INFORMATION.
UH, IS IT CORRECT WE'RE PURSUING A PERFORMANCE BOND TO COVER THOSE COSTS? I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR PRESENTATION WAS THAT WE CAN TAKE OVER THE, UH, MANAGEMENT OF THAT PROJECT, BUT ARE WE PURSUING THE COSTS, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? THAT IS CORRECT.
UH, THE SURETY, UH, BONDING COMPANY, UH, HAS ALREADY BEEN, UH, ENGAGED WITH THE COUNTY, BOTH OUR, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL AND OUTSIDE COUNCIL ON THIS PROJECT.
UH, THEY'VE BEEN TO THE SITE, THEY'VE BEEN IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND WE HAVE A FOLLOW UP MEETING COMING UP NEXT WEEK.
SO YES, THE GOAL IS TO OBTAIN FROM THEM THE MONIES THAT HAVE BEEN LOST, IF ANY.
MR. BECKER, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? MY QUESTION IS ABOUT NUMBER 15, 8 2.
SO IF THE, LET'S SAY THE SUBS OR WHOEVER COME IN TO, TO COVER THAT, IF THE PRICE GOES UP, DO WE HAVE TO EAT THAT COST OR DO THE BOND INSURANCE COMPANY? PEOPLE PAY FOR IT.
UH, THAT THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, THAT IS AN ISSUE FOR THE ABANDONED COMPANY THERE.
THIS A LITANY OF ITEMS THAT WE HAVE TO GO OVER WITH ABANDONED COMPANY, INCLUDING THE COST INCURRED SO FAR TO SECURE THE FACILITY BECAUSE IT'S EMPTY.
UH, SECURITY GUARDS, CAMERAS, THINGS OF THAT SORT.
ITEMS LIKE THIS WILL BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION.
DO I HAVE SOMM GONNA MOVE? MOTION MOVE BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, SECOND.
DEPUTY CLERK 29 TO 32, 57 AND 58.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
MOVING ON TO RESOLUTION 33 AND 34 AND ADDED STARTED 63 THROUGH 66, WHICH ARE FROM THE OFFICE OF COUNTY COUNCIL.
THAT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UH, I MUST COMMENT, FIRST OF ALL, LET ME, LEMME SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOUR VERY FESTIVE JACKET,
WE APPRECIATE THE HOLIDAY FESTIVE.
UH, THIS WILL BE BACK ON VALENTINE'S DAY ALSO.
WELL, I MAKE IT TWO, TWICE A YEAR APPEARANCE.
33, UH, UH, 33 IS A LIST OF QUALIFIED OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL, WHICH WE DO REGULARLY EVERY YEAR WITH YOU.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING FOR APPROVAL OF OUR LIST OF OUTSIDE QUALIFIED COUNSELS TO REPRESENT THE COUNTY.
UH, 34 IS A LIST OF QUALIFIED REAL ESTATE APPRAISERS, UH, TO, UH, REPRESENT THE COUNTY IF WE NEED APPRAISAL WORK DONE.
[02:45:01]
UH, RFPS.WE'LL MOVE ON TO 63 TO 66, UH, AND THEN, UM, 63 THROUGH, PARDON ME BEFORE WE'RE GETTING TO THEM.
THESE ARE ALL CONTRACTS THAT HAVE BEEN NEGOTIATED WITH VARIOUS UNIONS.
UH, THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME RAISES AS, AS, UH, THE SAME, THE RAISES THAT WE WENT AND DISCUSSED WITH YOU ON AN EARLIER CONTRACT.
AND THEY'RE ALL THE, UH, RAISES OF 2, 2, 3, 3 AND THREE OVER FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS? UH, YEAH, I DID WANT TO JUST TO ADDRESS, UM, WHAT, UM, A POINT MR. WEINER RAISED EARLIER AND, UH, HE, HE OFTEN RAISES GOOD POINTS THAT, UH, I, I DIDN'T WANT TO JUST LEAVE OUT THERE ON, ON, UH, MENTION.
SO WITH RESPECT TO THESE ADDED STARTERS, 60 THREES TO 66, UM, I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY WHAT, UM, WHEN RESOLUTIONS ARE PROPOSED BY THE EXECUTIVE.
UM, WE DO HAVE A REQUIREMENT OF 24 HOUR NOTICE FOR THOSE.
HOWEVER, THE PRESIDENT CAN ALLOW IT, UH, IN HIS DISCRETION TO COME ON, ON THE, UH, THE AGENDA.
AND I THINK THAT'S EVOLVED OVER TIME.
IF YOU, UH, MANY OF US MIGHT NOT RECALL, BUT MR. WEINER CERTAINLY WILL, WHEN WE HAD, I'LL CALL IT TWO CYCLES OF MEETINGS PER MONTH AND MET FOUR EVERY MET FOUR WEEKS OUT OF, UH, EVERY MONTH, UM, IT WAS LESS COMMON TO HAVE ADDED STARTERS BECAUSE YOU WOULD MEET EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
UM, NOW THAT WE MEET, UH, ONE CONFERENCE MEETING, ONE BOARD MEETING A MONTH, UM, SOMETIMES I'LL SAY THE WORK PILES UP AND ESPECIALLY AT THE END OF THE, UH, CALENDAR YEAR, UM, IT'S SOMETIMES IMPORTANT SO THAT EVERYTHING GETS, UH, CAN GET ADDRESSED AND REVIEWED BY THE BOARD THAT IT, UM, THE THINGS DO THAT ADD STARTERS DO COME, UH, COME TO US AND, AND GET PLACED ON THE AGENDA.
SO, UM, THERE IS A, SO JUST TO REITERATE, THERE IS A 24 HOUR RULE, BUT THAT CAN, IN THE DISCRETION OF THE PRESIDENT BE WAIVED.
UH, WE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ARE, YOU'RE WAIVING IT.
OUR UNION PARTNERS IN THIS MATTER, WE WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT THE BOARD IS STANDING BEHIND THE CONTRACTS.
SO WE NEGOTIATED, AND WE DON'T WANT THEM TO HAVE TO WAIT A MONTH TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A TRA WE HAVE A AGREEMENT.
SO WE APPRECIATE YOU DOING THIS PARTICULARLY AROUND THIS TIME OF YEAR.
AND I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT BECAUSE, UH, BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS FALL ON TWO WEDNESDAYS NEXT WEEK BEING HANUKKAH, AND THEN CHRISTMAS OF COURSE, AND THEN THE NEW YEAR'S, I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GET IT ON AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE EARLY CHRISTMAS GIFT OR WHATEVER YOU CELEBRATE, JUST TO GET IT UP AND MOVE IT FORWARD.
SO NO NEED TO HOLD IT, UH, TILL JANUARY.
SO, MR. MACKIN, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS? YES, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT.
SO, MR. PRESIDENT, I APPRECIATE THE CONCERN, UM, WITH WANTING TO GET THESE ON FOR THE HOLIDAY.
MY CONCERN IS I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THEM.
AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE FIVE OR SIX UNIONS RUNNING AROUND MAKING COMMENTARY ABOUT THAT.
WE TOOK AWAY THEIR RIGHTS, WE TOOK AWAY THIS, WE TOOK AWAY THAT.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IF WE HELD THIS TO THE JANUARY MEETING, WHAT HARM WOULD IT BE TO GIVE US TIME TO REVIEW IT? WOULDN'T THE PAYMENTS JUST STILL GET CALCULATED THE SAME WAY ANYWAY, OR NO? AND THE QUESTION, IF WE WAITED UNTIL JANUARY, YES.
UH, THAT WOULD BE YOUR DISCRETION.
WE'LL HAVE TO TELL OUR, AGAIN, OUR UNION PARTNERS, I'M SORRY, THE BOARD IS NOT APPROVING YOUR CONTRACTS.
WE HAVE NO REASON TO SAY WE'RE NOT APPROVING THE CONTRACTS OTHER THAN SOME OTHER UNION IS COMPLAINING THAT THEY DIDN'T GET THE SAME CONTRACT.
UM, THAT WOULD BE TOTALLY UP TO YOU.
BUT AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, I'M RESPECTFULLY ASKING THAT, THAT ALL THESE UNIONS NEGOTIATED IN GOOD FAITH.
AND I DON'T SEE, BECAUSE ANOTHER UNION IS COMPLAINING THAT THEY DON'T LIKE THEIR DEAL.
WE HOLD THEIR RAISES UP AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.
SO LEMME PUT ON THE RECORD, MY CONCERNS AND COMMENTS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH WHATEVER SOMEBODY CAME TO THE MIC TO SAY.
MY CONCERN IS WHOLLY ABOUT THE OTHER.
THEY WERE MAINLY FROM THE SHERIFF CORRECTIONS PROSECUTED PEOPLE WHO ALLEGED THAT THIS BODY SOME TIME AGO MADE A DECISION TO STRIP AWAY THEIR RIGHTS.
SO FOR ME, I'M ONLY ONE OF NINE OR FIVE OR HOWEVER MANY IS HERE TONIGHT.
MY REQUEST IS IF IT'S, I, I GET THAT
I DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO READ THAT.
I ALWAYS LIKE TO KNOW WHAT I'M MOVING ON BEFORE I VOTE.
THAT'S JUST MY REQUEST TO THE PRESIDENT AND TO THE REST OF THE BOARD.
UH, I APPRECIATE COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER.
SOMEBODY SAYING THE RIGHTS ARE STRIPPED AWAY.
WHAT RIGHTS? THOSE, THOSE SHERIFF AND CORRECTIONS OFFICERS PEOPLE REMEMBER WE'RE GOING AROUND
[02:50:01]
SAYING THAT WE UNILATERALLY VOTED TO STRIP AWAY THEIR RIGHT TO, UM, NEGOTIATE FOR CERTAIN THINGS ABOUT VOTING.I HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THE RESOLUTION, NOT TONIGHT FROM BEFORE.
SO MY ASK IS IF WE HOLD TO JANUARY, I'M NOT SAYING THAT I DON'T WANT TO VOTE ON IT.
I, IF I MAY, MR. PRESIDENT, I THINK YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE WHOLE NOTION OF GOING INTO STATE HEALTH BENEFITS.
LARGELY, I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF, ONE MAY BE OUTSTANDING ON THAT.
BUT LARGELY RESOLVED WITH THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL SEE WHERE THAT GOES.
THERE HAVEN'T STRIPPED OF ANYTHING, IT'S JUST STILL THE, SOME OF IT'S STILL TO BE ADJUDICATED.
THIS CONTRACT, HOW DIFFERENT IS IN THE ONES WE APPROVED AT THE LAST MEETING? MR. JACKSON? REPEAT THE QUESTION, MR. PRESIDENT, PLEASE.
THESE CONTRACTS, HOW DIFFERENT ARE THEY THAN THE ONES THAT WE RECENTLY APPROVED? IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME.
UH, SO THAT BEING SAID, I THINK WE'VE HAD ENOUGH TIME.
WE UNDERSTAND THIS IS REALLY JUST THE SAME CONTRACT.
I'M NOT INCLINED TO TABLE TO JANUARY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? I'LL, I'LL MOVE IT.
SECOND BY MERCADO, WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER PRESIDENT.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, LET'S SEE.
WE HAVE 36 THROUGH 38, WHICH ARE FROM THE OFFICE OF SHERIFF.
THEY'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UH, MR. COLTRANE WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. MR. COLT, MR. PRESIDENT CONTRACT OF NEW JERSEY TO PURCHASE AMMUNITION.
I'M SORRY, MR. TRIC, WE'RE HAVING A LITTLE DIFFICULTY PICKING YOU UP ON THE MICROPHONE.
I'D BE GLAD TO SPEAK A LITTLE LOUDER.
MR. PRESIDENT, SIR, WE WOULD NOT WANNA MISS YOUR LOVELY ONE.
THIS IS A CONTRACT WITH ATLANTIC TACTICAL TO PURCHASE AMMUNITIONS UNDER THE STATE CONTRACT.
38 SPECIALS, 50 ROUNDS PER BOX AT $205 AND 17 CENTS TOTAL.
UH, 37 IS THE OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF, AGAIN, LAWMAN SUPPLY OF NEW JERSEY.
PURCHASE OF AMMUNITION, AGAIN UNDER THE STATE CONTRACT, FIVE CASES OF 38.
WINCHESTER 150 GRAIN, UH, AT $546 AND 73 CENTS PER CASE TOTAL.
YOU WANNA GO TO 38? YES, THIS IS SHERIFF.
UH, THIS IS A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF AT 4 84 82 SCOTLAND ROAD, LLC FOR THE EXECUTION OF, UH, A LEASE FOR 4 4 82 GLIB STREET IN ORANGE.
THIS IS TO, UM, HOLD PPES AND OTHER ITEMS THAT THE SHERIFF NEEDS.
UH, IT'S $28,800 PER YEAR FROM SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2024 TO AUGUST 31ST, 2025.
ANY QUESTIONS ON 36 TO 38? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'LL MOVE, MOVE BY MERCADO.
DO SECOND COMMISSIONER SERMON ON THE SECOND ROLL.
CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK FOR THIRTY SIX, THIRTY SEVEN AND 38.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 39 TO 61, WHICH ARE FROM THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING.
THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING, WHICH I AM THE DIRECTOR, SO I CAN DO DO THIS ONE.
CAN YOU DO THEM QUICKLY? BUSY NIGHT.
THIS IS A LEASE AGREEMENT FOR 2 61 UNIVERSITY AVENUE LA PARK CORPORATION.
JANUARY 1ST, 2025 TO JUNE 30TH, 2025.
UH, AND THEN MONTH TO MONTH FROM JULY 1ST TO DECEMBER 31ST AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $124,000.
UH, THE REASON WE'RE DOING A SIX MONTH AGREEMENT AND THEN MONTH TO MONTH AFTERWARDS, THESE 52 SPOTS ARE FOR JUDGES AND HOPEFULLY OUR NEW COURTHOUSE WILL BE, UH, COMPLETED AND WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO
[02:55:01]
MONTH TO MONTH.UH, AND 61, RIGHT? I'M GOING TO 61 NOW.
AND OFFICE OF, UH, ADMINISTRATION OF FINANCE PURCHASE CONTRACT TO KITCHEN TANGO, WHICH IS THE CAFETERIA HERE IN A HALL OF RECORDS COMPLEX.
JANUARY 1ST, 2025 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST.
THIS IS A REVENUE GENERATING CONTRACT, $15,600, UH, ANNUALLY, $30,000 ALLOWANCE FOR ADDITIONAL CATERING FOR VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS.
SO IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO USE THOSE, THEY'RE ALLOWED TO USE IT UNDER THE CONTRACT.
NAN, DO I HAVE A MOVER? I MOVE.
SECOND BY MERCADO ROLL CALL MATTER.
DEPUTY CLERK THIRTY NINE SIXTY ONE.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER 40, WHICH IS FROM THE OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
IT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
WHEN WE TRANSITION AT THE STATE HEALTH BENEFITS BACK IN, UH, 20 17, 1 OF THE, UH, INCENTIVES, UM, OR PERKS THAT WE OFFERED AT THAT TIME WAS FREE A DENTAL PLAN FOR OUR EMPLOYEES WHO WERE, UH, ACTIVE AS OF DECEMBER 31ST, 2016.
UM, AND WE'VE RENEWED THAT POLICY, UH, EVERY YEAR SINCE, UH, WE'RE DOING THAT AGAIN, UM, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1.9 MILLION.
UM, I SHOULD ADD THAT, OF THAT $1.9 MILLION, $600,000 OF IT IS PAID FOR BY THE EMPLOYEES WHO GO TO A HIGHER LEVEL PLAN, UM, WHO HAVE OPTED TO GO TO A PPO DENTAL ORTHO PLAN.
UH, THEY PAY THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE PAY FOR THE BASE PLAN AND WHAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE, THE SUPPLEMENTAL, UM, UH, COVERAGE.
UH, SO THAT, THAT IS FOR, UM, AND THAT AMOUNT INCLUDES.
SO IT'S ABOUT 1.3 MILLION, UH, COST TO US AND ABOUT $600,000 TO THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO TAKE THE, UH, UPGRADED PROGRAM.
NO QUESTION MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTION.
DO I HAVE A MOVER FOR NUMBER 40? I MOVE.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
41 TO 56, WHICH ARE A MEMORIAMS COMMENDATIONS PROCLAMATION RESOLUTIONS.
THEY'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
COMMISSIONERS ANY QUESTIONS? 41 TO 56.
DO I HAVE A MOVER? I'LL MOVE IT.
MOVE BY MECADO SECOND BY SERMONS.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
DEPUTY CLERK, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDED STARTERS THAT WE HAVEN'T COVERED YET? UH, YES.
MR. PRESIDENT, THERE ARE FOUR REMAINING RESOLUTIONS.
59 FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR.
NUMBER 60 FROM THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY, EXECUTIVE NUMBER 62 FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICES AND NUMBER 69, WHICH IS A COUNTY BUDGET INSERTION.
MR. TRE, MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE COURT REPORTER SERVICE FOR VARIOUS COUNTY AGENCIES, UH, ELITE TRANSCRIPTION FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2025 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2025 MOUNTAIN NOT TO EXCEED $300,000.
WE HAD ONE RESPONDENT ON AN RFP.
NUMBER 60 IS THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICE FOR 2025 GLEN FRIESEN IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $60,000.
THIS WAS A PUBLICLY ADVERTISED FOR OPEN RFP ONE RESPONDENT.
THAT'S, UH, DO YOU WANNA DO 62 AND 69 AS WELL? IS THAT YOU OR NOT? THAT WAS 59 AND 60.
BUT DO YOU WANNA DO 62 AND 69 OR IS THAT SOMEONE ELSE? UH, I I CAN COVER 62 IF WANT.
60 ITEM 62 FROM DEPARTMENT CITIZEN SERVICES, UH, YOUTH SERVICES COMMISSION.
THIS IS FOR THE GPS ELECTRONIC MONITORING SERVICES.
THE ANKLE UH BRACELET PROGRAM.
[03:00:01]
PER DEVICE PER DAY.AND IT'S, UH, OPEN-ENDED AS NEEDED.
AND THIS IS COMING FROM, UH, GRANT FUNDING AND, AND IT'S AMOUNT, TOTAL AMOUNT.
AND FOR THE YEAR 2025 NOT TO EXCEED $59,433 AND 50 CENTS.
AND 69 IS A BUDGET INSTRUCTION.
YOU WANNA COVER THAT? UH, MR. BROWN WILL COVER THAT ITEM.
GEEZ, WE KEPT THIS POOR GUY HERE TO THE VERY END.
WELL, IN FAIRNESS, HE, I'VE BEEN HERE IN A WHILE, BUT SHOULD HAVE HAD HIM OUT HERE.
I'M THE DIRECTOR FOR SENIOR SERVICES AND, UM, HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
UH, WHAT THIS IS IS AN INSERTION OF THE SECOND.
ARE WE, UH, IS THAT JUST TOO CLOSE TO THE MICROPHONE OR WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF STATIC ON THERE.
HE DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY ANYWAY.
WE MAY HAVE A DEFECTIVE MICROPHONE THERE.
OUR AREA PLAN CONTRACT FOR 2024.
THIS IS THE ACTUAL SECOND HALF OF THAT.
NORMALLY WE WOULD RECEIVE IT IN JULY, BUT THE STATE WAS A LITTLE LATE THIS YEAR, SO WE DIDN'T GET IT UNTIL REALLY OCTOBER, EARLY NOVEMBER.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR THE ASSERTION OF 5,220,948.
UM, PLUS WE ALSO HAD OUR MATCHING FUNDS OF $154,448, TOTALING 5 MILLION 3 75, 3 53 96.
SO WE'RE ASKING TO HAVE THAT INSERTED INTO OUR BUDGET SO WE CAN PAY FOR THE SERVICES FOR OUR SENIORS.
QUESTIONS ON 59, 60, 62, AND 69.
NO QUESTIONS MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS.
DO I ASK SOMEONE TO MOVE THEM? I'LL MOVE IT.
MOVE BY MERCADO SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SIEBEL.
MAD DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT.
LET'S GET MR. BROWN IN A LITTLE EARLIER NEXT TIME.
DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, COMMISSIONERS? ANY BOARD UH, COMMITTEE REPORTS? NONE.
ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS? NONE.
ANY WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS? NONE.
ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NONE.
MADAM DEPUTY COOK, 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 AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MR. WEINER, THESE BENCHES REMIND ME OF CHURCH.
THERE'S NO MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR MORE COMFORTABLE SEATS, SIR.
WELL, YOU CAN TAKE IT OFF OUR BUDGET.
THIS IS FROM YOUR OWN CODE, WHICH YOU ADOPTED IN 24.
NON-BOARD MEMBERS ATTENDING REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS SHALL NOT BE PERMITTED TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS. ONLY MORE THAN ONE TIME NOT TO EXCEED THREE MINUTES ON ANY LISTED AGENDA ITEM.
THAT MEANS YOU'RE ALLOWED TO SPEAK ON EACH ITEM FOR THREE MINUTES.
AND ALSO, AND BY THE WAY, THIS CLOCK SHOULD BE SET TO FOUR MINUTES BECAUSE IT SAYS NON-MEMBERS SAME THING, HAD PERMITTED TO SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC COMMENT MORE THAN ONE TIME NOT TO EXCEED FOUR MINUTES ON ANY SUBJECT.
SO THEREFORE, YOU'RE VIOLATING YOUR OWN CODE OF CONDUCT BY NOT ALLOWING ME TO HAVE SPOKEN INDIVIDUALLY ON EACH RESOLUTION.
SECONDLY, I JUST WANT TO COMMENT.
BUT YES, WE HAVE CLERICAL MEMBERS THAT NOT ONLY COLLECT MEDICAID, NOT ONLY COLLECT FOOD STAMPS BECAUSE THEIR INCOME IS SO LOW, BUT THEY, THEY ALSO QUALIFY FOR PUBLIC HOUSING.
AND I DON'T RECALL MY EVER SAYING TONIGHT ANYTHING ABOUT MY DISCOMFORT WITH OTHER UNION'S CONTRACTS VERSUS MY CONTRACT.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE MISS THE, UH, LEARNED COUNCIL GOT THAT FROM, BUT I DIDN'T BRING IT UP TONIGHT.
ALSO, THERE'S NO $2,100,000 IN, IN, UH, I GUARANTEE YOU.
WHOEVER SAID THAT THERE'S NO $2 MILLION IN, IN UNUSED MONIES FROM PEOPLE NOT COMING TO WORK IS THAT JUST ISN'T TRUE.
AND I CAN'T, WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING IT.
SA LASTLY, I'VE BEEN COMING TO THESE MEETINGS
[03:05:01]
AS PAT KNOWS FOR THE LAST 44 YEARS, UH, AS MY, OF MY PRESIDENCY.I JUST WANNA POINT OUT NOT ONLY MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HANUKKAH, BECAUSE THEY DO CONVERGE THIS YEAR.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY EVER NOTICED, 'CAUSE I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THESE WALLS FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS.
EVERY SINGLE SCULPTURE ABOVE THE SCONCE HAS A JEWISH STAR.
THAT MEANS THAT JEWS WERE INVOLVED WITH THE BUILDING OF THIS COMPLEX.
SO I WOULD ASK FOR COUNSEL TO GIVE ADVICE AS TO WHAT YOUR CODE SAYS, MR. PRESIDENT, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT VERSUS WHAT YOU ASSERT WITH ALL DUE IN TERMS OF MY RIGHTS.
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, SIR, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET YOU THAT RESPONSE.
IS THERE ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WISH TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THERE'S NO ONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
SO WE'RE MOVING ON TO COMMISSIONER, COMMON SESSION COMMISSIONERS.
I, I, I JUST, UM, WANTED TO PUT THIS ON THE RECORD.
UM, ACTUALLY, UH, FOR SOME, FOR SOME FOLLOW UP, UM, WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, WE HAD ANOTHER, UM, IN, IN THE TOWNSHIP OF MONTCLAIR COUNTY ROAD.
WE HAD ANOTHER ACCIDENT TODAY ON, UM, UH, BELLEVUE, UH, AND, UM, BELLEVUE AND VALLEY ROAD.
UM, WE ARE, UM, BASED ON THE OUTREACH THAT I'M GETTING IN FROM THE COMMUNITY, UM, AT A, UM, CRISIS POINT WITH THE CONCERN ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR COUNTY ROADS, UM, IN, IN, IN A, IN THIS, IN OUR, IN MY HOMETOWN.
UM, I'M RESPECTFULLY, UM, ASKING, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, UM, THERE'S A SERIES, AND I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE MR. JACKSON CAN COMMENT IF THERE'S BEEN A SERIES OF FORMAL, UM, REQUESTS MADE OF THE COUNTY, UH, INCLUDE, UH, THAT WERE, THAT WERE SENT OVER IN THE LAST FEW DAYS IN Q INCLUDE INCLUDING, BUT NOT TO, UM, THE USE OF DELINEATORS, UH, AND CONES FOR AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE ON SOME OF THESE COUNTY.
UM, THE, THE USE OF, UM, UM, DELINEATORS AND, UM, CONES AT THE CRASH ZONE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED, UM, YOU KNOW, BY THE TOWNSHIP, UM, AND BY, UM, UH, OTHER ADVOCATES, UM, FOR IMMEDIATE EVALUATION OF WHETHER WE CAN DO THAT, UM, AT THE COUNTY LEVEL.
UM, AN IMMEDIATE REDUCTION IN SPEED, UH, ON GROVE STREET, UM, TO 25 MILES, UH, PER HOUR, UH, AS WELL AS, UM, UH, OTHER, UM, REQUESTS, UM, THAT, THAT I THINK HAVE BEEN, IF NOT WE'LL MAKE SURE HAVE BEEN PROVIDED, UM, TO THE, TO THE, TO THE COUNTY.
SO I JUST, UM, THE, THE, THE REASON I, UH, FELT COMPELLED TO PUT IT ON THE RECORD AND IS THAT I KNOW THESE, THESE HAVE BEEN ONGOING, UM, DIS DISCUSSIONS, BUT I, I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH THAT, UM, IN JUST LOOKING AT THE, THE RAW, THE RAW DATA, UM, WE, WE DEFINITELY HAVE, UM, AN ISSUE, UM, LOCALLY, UH, THAT RIGHT NOW, UM, I THINK THERE'S BEEN ENOUGH OUTREACH TO SAY THAT, UM, WE, WE NEED TO EVALUATE WHAT OUR RESPONSE IS AND, AND SHOULD BE.
SO WITH, WITH, UM, AND AGAIN, NOT TO SAY THAT WE HAVEN'T, BUT WITH A SENSE OF, WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY.
SO, UH, PARTICULARLY, UM, FOR THE SUMMIT, MAYBE THE RAPID RESPONSE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, UH, SINCE WE HAVE HAD AN UNUSUAL, UM, UM, HIGH VOLUME OF FATALITIES, UH, ON, ON THESE, ON THESE ROADWAYS.
THAT BEING SAID, I'M, I'M NOT HERE TO HAVE A DEBATE ON WHETHER THE CRASHES WERE CAUSED OR NOT BY THE ENGINEERING OR NOT, LIKE THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT AND WHAT THE, WHAT SOME BUREAUCRATIC MANUAL SAYS.
UM, UM, I'M, I'M HERE TO SAY THAT THE COMMUNITY IS DEMANDING SOME ACTION AND WE, I THINK AS A GOVERNMENT NEED TO RESPOND.
UM, AND AGAIN, AND PARTICULARLY WITH, UM, WITH MY, ALSO MY HOMETOWN MONTCLAIR, UM, IT IS, UM, IM IMPERATIVE IT'S RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANT TO DO ONE OF THOSE RESONATING CROSSWALKS, UM, THE TOWNSHIP REQUEST OF THE COUNTY THAT SAID THAT SAYS WE WANT TO PUT IT IN A CROSSWALK, AND THEN THEY, THEY, THEY COME TO SANJEEV AND HIS TEAM AND THEY SAY, YOU, YOU OBJECT TO US.
AND WE, I I DON'T KNOW THERE'S EVER BEEN AN OCCASION WHERE IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, REJECTED.
UM, BUT IN, YOU KNOW, IN ALL CANDOR, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A CERTAIN SENSE OF, UM, AT LEAST IN
[03:10:01]
THAT ONE PARTICULAR MUNICIPALITY OF LATE, IT'S BEEN, UM, TRYING TO PUSH THE, THE, THE BLAME ONTO THE COUNTY.AND IN TERMS OF CROSSWALKS, IN TERMS OF THOSE KIND OF INSTALLATIONS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THOSE ARE ALL MUNICIPAL INITIATED.
AND I KNOW I HAVE SAID THAT MORE THAN ONCE TO, TO THOSE WHO I THINK ARE, SHOULD UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.
EVEN THE SPEED LIMITS, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN REQUESTED, IF YOU REMEMBER, THERE WAS, THERE WAS SPEED REDUCTIONS THAT CAME FROM, UH, REQUEST FOR VALLEY AND SOME OTHER PLACES MM-HMM
BUT THE, IN MY, IN, IN MY OPINION, I THINK THE TOWNSHIP IS, IS NOT, UH, STEPPING UP TO THE PLATE AND TAKING ON THE RESPONSIBILITY AND PUSHING THE BLAME ONTO THE COUNTY WHEN IT IS HISTORICALLY, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THAT THE COUNTY, THE TOWN COMES UP AND SAYS, WE WANT TO PUT, YOU KNOW, ACRO OF ONE OF THE FLASHING CROSSROADS ON HERE.
IT'S, SO I THINK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, SO NO, I APPRECIATE THAT, MR. JACKSON.
I THINK, UM, THEN, UM, MY, MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE GOVERNING BODY WAS TO REQUEST A MEETING AND, AND MAYBE WE CAN HAVE ONE MEETING WITH ALL THE RELEVANT PARTIES TO, TO SORT THIS OUT BECAUSE I, I DO HAVE A LEVEL.
I'M NOT, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
SO I'M, I AM, I AM NOT INTERESTED IN, NOR NOR I'M SUGGESTING ARE YOU, AND GOING BACK AND FORTH ON WHO DID WHAT, BUT MAYBE WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHO NEEDS TO BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION BOTH ON THEIR SIDE AND OURS.
I, I WILL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO HELP TRY TO FACILITATE THAT.
I KNOW YOU'LL MAKE YOURSELF ANYONE ELSE AVAILABLE.
UM, I THINK SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE LITERALLY, RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOT, WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT FLASHERS.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IF THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, IF THEY IDENTIFIED FIVE PLACES WHERE THEY COULD PUT THE, UM, I'M CALLING THEM CONES, BUT THEY, I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
THEY'RE THE, WE DID 'EM ON PARK STREET.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRAFFIC CALMING, UM, MEASURES.
UM, THE, I I KNOW WE HAVE RESPONDED ON THE VALLEY ROAD.
I THINK THAT WE'RE DONE WITH THAT ACTUALLY.
THAT'S ONE OF THE, THAT'S ONE OF THE PIECES OF MISINFORMATION THAT'S OUT THERE.
WE DID APPROVE THE, THE VALLEY ROAD.
SO I, I, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ON THAT.
AND, AND WE DO HAVE THE INTERSECTION THAT YOU SLATED, SLATED TO, SLATED TO BE SLATED TO BE DONE.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO, UM, WE NEED TO MAYBE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO TRY TO CUT THROUGH, CUT THROUGH WHAT OTHER COMMUNICATION IS, DOESN'T HAPPEN.
AND, AND I'LL, I'LL TRY TO WORK WITH YOUR OFFICE AND FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT, BUT I, I, I, I APPRECIATE THAT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
AND I, I JUST, IF I MAY, COMMISSIONER MR. PRESIDENT, BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS IS WHEN WE TAKE QUOTE UNQUOTE INITIATIVE ON SOME OF THESE THINGS, THEN WE GET PUSHBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, OH, YOU DIDN'T CHECK WITH US, SO WE DON'T WANT THAT.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A COMMUNITY INITIATED, BECAUSE THEN WE KNOW THE COMMUNITY WANTS IT, AND THEN WE CAN SIMPLY SECOND IT.
BUT I A HUNDRED PERCENT THOUSAND PERCENT AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT A CONVERSATION, AND WE CAN JUST HAVE AND, AND TRY TO GET SOME STUFF DONE.
UH, SO I, YOU RAISE GREAT POINTS, UH, COMMISSIONER AND MR. JACKSON, SO PERHAPS WE CAN GET A MEETING, WHICH AT MINIMUM WOULD INCLUDE THE COUNTY ENGINEER AND THE MUNICIPAL ENGINEER AND WHATEVER OTHER FEEDBACK THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE BEEN RECEIVING, UH, TO AT LEAST THAT'S A STARTING POINT, RIGHT? TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO AND THEN MOVE ON.
MIGHT I ASK, MIGHT I ASK THAT WE PLEASE, LIKE, TRY TO DO THIS IN JANUARY? I MEAN, I REALIZE WE'RE ALREADY UPON THE HOLIDAYS.
LET'S TRY TO SCHEDULE THIS FOR JANUARY.
SO WE HAVE A SENSE OF URGENCY HERE.
AND, UH, THERE'LL BE A LOT OF, UH, PEOPLE ON THE MOVE LOCALLY BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS.
COMMISSIONER SIEBEL, I THINK THE MAYOR OUGHT TO BE INCLUDED ALSO.
I DON'T, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH THAT.
I, I, BUT I THINK THAT, UH, AT MINIMUM, THE ENGINEERS FROM THE TWO GOVERNMENTS MINIMUM SHOULD BE THERE SO THAT THEY CAN ARTICULATE MAYBE SOME OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE FROM A DOT POINT OF VIEW AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SOUND GOOD, COMMISSIONER? IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH, WE'RE ABSOLUTELY, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME, THERE'S SOME BACK AND FORTH ON THAT ALREADY.
AND THAT, WHAT I'M JUST TRYING TO DO IS I'M GONNA TRY TO FUNNEL THAT AND, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY RESPECTFUL THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION HAS LOTS OF THINGS TO DO
SO IT'S IMPORTANT, BUT WE JUST, I WANT TO, I WANT TO TRY TO DO THAT.
THE MAYOR, THE MAYOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THIS.
WE'VE, WE'VE MADE SUGGESTIONS AND WE'LL TRY TO, WE'LL TRY TO DO IT, BUT I, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T, AGAIN, FELT COMPELLED TO, UM, TO SPEAK ON IT TONIGHT JUST BECAUSE WE JUST HAD ANOTHER ACCIDENT.
IT JUST, SO LIKE, YOU HAVE A HIGH PROPENSITY OF ACCIDENTS AND WE ARE DEFINITELY HEARING FROM, UM, UM, YOU KNOW, RANK AND FILE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE GRAVELY, GRAVELY CONCERNED, YOU KNOW, INCLUDING NOT LIMITED TO SOME OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TRANSPORTATION ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN THE, UM, IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO GENTLEMEN, IT'S IN YOUR HANDS TO GET THE MEETING TOGETHER.
I'D ASK YOU TO KEEP ME POSTED AND COURSE I'D BE HAPPY TO SUPPORT IN WHATEVER WAY I CAN.
I'M SURE OTHER COMMISSIONERS WILL AS WELL.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS? UH, LAST POINT, UH, TODAY, COMMISSIONER GILL, SIEBOLD AND LUCIAN AND I ATTENDED THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES ANNUAL END OF YEAR LUNCHEON, WHICH WAS A, ALWAYS A VERY NICE EVENT TO, UM, YOU KNOW, AND GIVE THANKS TO OUR EMPLOYEES WHO, UH, DO SO MUCH FOR MAKING ESSEX COUNTY, UH, THE GREAT COUNTY THAT IT IS.
AND WITHIN THAT OPPORTUNITY, UH, THEY GAVE US A PRIZE, UH, RETIREMENT, UH, SEND OFF, SEND
[03:15:01]
OFF TO SHERIFF ONUR.SO, UH, KUDOS TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR ORGANIZING THAT.
OUR BOARD GAVE HIM A LITTLE TOKEN OF OUR APPRECIATION AND HIS SEND OFF ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE BOARD.
SO IT WAS A NICE WAY TO SORT OF END THE YEAR.
SO WITH THAT, I WISH YOU ALL A WONDERFUL YEAR.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING 24 AS GOOD AS POSSIBLE.
MEETINGS ARE MORE FUN THAN CSPAN.