[00:00:10]
THIS MEETING OF THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS HEREBY CALL TO ORDER.
THIS MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAMED IN ADDITION TO TAKING PLACE IN PERSON.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE UTE TO THE FLAG.
I'M GONNA ASK COMMISSIONER MERCADO TO LEAD US IN THE UTE A TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE OVERALL, PLEASE JUST STAND FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND HONOR OF THOSE WE LOST SINCE THE LAST TIME WE GATHERED TOGETHER IN THIS CHAIRMAN.
CERTIFICATION FOR THE DEPUTY CLERK FOR THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.
SO WE'LL GONNA MOVE ON TO TRANSCRIPTS MATTER.
DEPUTY CLERK OF ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO BE APPROVED.
YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE ONE FROM THE MAY 15TH, 2024.
CONFERENCE BOARD MEETING COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A COMBINED CONFERENCE BOARD MEETING.
WE WILL BE, UH, WE WILL VOTE ON EVERY ITEM ON THE, UH, AGENDA.
SO PLEASE, IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WILL LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THERE WILL BE TIME LATER IN THE EVENING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OTHER ITEMS. SO I ASK YOU, PLEASE LIMIT RIGHT NOW TO JUST AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, LET THE RECORD REFLECT APPARENTLY PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY AND THEY HAVE NO ONE, NOTHING TO SAY TODAY IN PUBLIC COMMENTS.
UM, WE'RE GONNA TAKE, UH, THINGS OUT OF ORDER TODAY.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON, UH, TO RESOLUTIONS ONE AND TWO, WHICH ARE FROM THE DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES AND TEMPORARY EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION, UH, RESPECTIVELY.
THEY'LL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT LATER TIME.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
UM, ITEM ONE AND TWO ARE RELATED, UH, TO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE, UH, UH, GRANT THAT WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE.
STATE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,970,090.
UH, ITEM ONE IS A RESOLUTION, UM, GRANTING ACCEPTANCE, UH, THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE STATE.
AND ITEM TWO IS THE INSERTION.
UM, AND AGAIN, OF THAT AMOUNT GOING TO OUR DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES.
THIS IS A FUNDING THAT PROVIDES SERVICES FOR YOUTH AT RISK AND COURT INVOLVED YOUTH.
UM, THERE'S A, UH, $110,000, UH, AMOUNT THAT GOES FOR PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCH.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEE? NONE.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE IT ION MOVE BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? DO HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
BY, UH, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
UH, LET'S OF, WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK NUMBER ONE AND TWO.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S GO BACK IN ORDER, UH, TO ORDER, UH, ORDINANCE OF RESOLUTIONS OF THE INTRODUCTION OF FIRST READING.
MADAM DEPUTY CLARK, DO WE HAVE ANY? UH, YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE TWO RESOLUTIONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING.
RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE FOR INTRODUCTION AND FOR FIRST READING.
IT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
[00:05:01]
JOSE MOHAM, UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE, UM, UH, FROM THE OFFICE MANAGEMENT BUDGET, UH, TO EXCEED THE COUNTY TAX LEVY, TO ESTABLISH A CAP BANK, UH, THIS RESOLUTION, UM, TO, TO AUTHORIZE, UH, THE COUNTY TO EXCEED THE TAX LEVY BY 1%, WHICH IS $3 MILLION TO ESTABLISH A CAP BANK.THIS IS JUST AN AUTHORIZATION OF THE BUDGETING TOOL TO ALLOW US TO, TO BANK THIS FOR FUTURE, UH, IF, UM, UH, TO NOT TO BE USED IN, UH, IN THE FUTURE YEARS IF NEEDED.
UH, HISTORICALLY, WE NEVER USED THIS, UH, AUTHORIZATION BEFORE.
UH, BUT IT'S A STANDARD RESOLUTION WE DO EVERY YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? IT MOVED BY BOL SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ROLL CALLED MAD DEPUTY CLERK NUMBER ONE.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION TWO FOR THE INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READINGS.
IT'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? MR. HAMMOND, UM, RESOLUTION NUMBER TWO IS THE INTRODUCTION OF THE 2025, UH, COUNTY OF ESSEX BUDGET.
UH, THIS IS THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BUDGET.
UM, IT WAS, IT WAS DISCUSSED ALREADY BY THE BOARD, UH, PUBLIC HEARINGS AND INCLUDE 1.99 OF, UH, TAX INCREASE.
YOU ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
AS YOU KNOW, MR. UH, PRESIDENT, WE, WE CONDUCTED OUR, OUR, UH, BUDGET HEARINGS, UM, SOME TIME AGO.
UH, WHATEVER ADJUSTMENTS HAD TO BE MADE WERE WERE MADE AS IT WAS SAID THAT THE TAX INCREASES JUST A, A SMIDGEN BELOW 2%, UH, 1.99%, UH, OF $9 MILLION TAX INCREASE.
THAT EQUATES TO, UM, I DUNNO IF THE FREE IF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO THE BUDGET, BUT, UH, I RECOMMEND THAT WE MOVE FORWARD ON INTRODUCTION.
THIS WAS FULLY VETTED OUTTA OUR BUDGET, UH, HEARINGS THAT WE HAVE BACK IN JANUARY FOR TWO DAYS, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE DO ON AN ANNUAL BASIS ON A DEPARTMENT BY DEPARTMENT BASIS.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS OR CONS? SEE? NONE.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE? I'LL MOVE IT.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR LISTING PURPOSES ONLY.
DO WE HAVE ANY MANY DEPUTY CLERK? NO, WE DON'T.
LET'S MOVE ON TO SECOND READINGS IN PUBLIC HEARING.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCE RESOLUTIONS ON SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING? UH, YES.
MR. PRESIDENT? UH, WE HAVE ORDINANCE OH 2 0 2 5 0 0 0 0 4.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 0 4, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
I HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 0 4 OPEN.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
LET THE RECORD REFLECT THERE'S NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC QUESTION TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
MR. PARCO, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NOTHING, UM, IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE DISCUSSED, UH, UPON INTRODUCTION OF THIS AT THE LAST MEETING.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'LL MOVE IT.
UH, JUST THAT, UH, THIS, UH, INCREASE, UH, DUE TO THIS, UH, ORDINANCE WAS ABSORBED IN THE, UM, IN THE, UH, COMMISSIONER'S BUDGET WITHOUT AN INCREASE OVER THE 2024 APPROPRIATION.
WE HAVE MOVED BY LUCIANO SECOND BY MERCADO.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GID? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER THREE, WHICH IS FROM THE BOARD OF COMMERS AND CAN READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, MR. DITZ AND MR. ROTHER ARE HERE TO ADDRESS THIS ITEM.
[00:10:01]
PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE, STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND JUST GIVE US A SUMMARY.STEVE ROTHER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ECIA.
UH, I I WOULD LIKE, UH, JOHN DITZ, UH, TO MAKE THE PRESENTATION FOR US.
HE BEST KNOWLEDGEABLE OF ALL THE FACTS.
MR. DITZ, PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YEAH, JOHN DITZ FROM THE GIBBONS LAW FIRM.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY, UH, UH, APPRECIATE MAKING A PRESENTATION IN FRONT OF THE PRESIDENT AS WELL AS THE, THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
WHAT THIS TRANSACTION ENTAILS IS THAT WHENEVER THE ESSEX COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY UNDERTAKES THE FINANCING, THEY NEED TO COME IN FRONT OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER BOARD TO GET YOUR CONSENT TO UNDERTAKE THE PROJECT.
AND SO, WHAT IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY IS A CONSENT RESOLUTION TO UNDERTAKE THIS FINANCING.
THIS FINANCING INVOLVES THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS IN A NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $80 MILLION.
THE APPROACHES OF WHICH WILL BE UTILIZED TO REFINANCE AN EXISTING LOAN THAT THE BORROWER HAS IN CONNECTION WITH THIS PROJECT, AS WELL AS TO UNDERTAKE VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS TO THE NEWARK TEACHERS VILLAGE, WHICH IS LOCATED IN THE AREA OF PALSY STREET IN NEWARK.
THE PROJECT THAT IS UNDER BEING UNDERTAKEN IS TO, UH, HAVE A HOUSING, UH, UH, FACILITY, WHICH WILL CONTAIN 200 8203 UNITS, 80 OF WHICH WILL BE SENIOR UNITS, SENIOR UNITS.
AND 123 WILL BE WORKFORCE HOUSING UNITS, WHICH IS NOT, WHICH IS NOT LOW AND MODERATE INCOME, BUT IS ABOVE THAT TO ENCOURAGE, UH, TEACHERS AND OTHERS IN THAT AREA TO HAVE A RENT THAT IS MORE AFFORDABLE FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR, UH, UH, UH, FOR THEY ABLE TO LIVE IN THAT IN THE AREA.
THE, UM, TRANSACTION IS NON-RECOURSE TO THE AUTHORITY, WHICH MEANS THAT THERE'S NO FINANCIAL OBLIGATION FOR THE, UH, UH, IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY IF THE PROJECT DOES NOT MOVE FORWARD WELL FINANCIALLY.
IN ADDITION, THERE IS NO FINANCIAL INVOLVEMENT OF THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
THERE IS NO COUNTY GUARANTEE ON THIS TRANSACTION.
IT'S PURELY A PROJECT THAT'S GONNA BE BASED SOLELY ON THE RENTS AND THE RENTAL STREAM THAT IS PROVIDED BY THE TENANTS TO PAY THE DEBT SERVICE ON THE BONDS, EVEN THOUGH THE TRANSACTION IS ESTIMATED NOT TO EXCEED $80 MILLION, UH, SINCE THERE IS OTHER FUNDS COMING IN FROM OTHER SOURCES, THE AUTHORITIES ISSUANCE IS GOING TO BE APPROXIMATELY $40 MILLION ON THE TRANSACTION.
THIS TRANSACTION HAS BEEN REVIEWED BY, UH, THE COUNTY'S, UH, FINANCE, UH, EXPERT, UH, FRANK, UH, FRANK MCINERNEY.
HE UNDERTOOK AN EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT AS WELL AS THERE WERE SOME PROJECTIONS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE PROJECT AS WELL THAT WAS LOOKED OVER BY THE AUTHORITIES FINANCIAL ADVISOR, AS WELL AS FRANK MCINERNEY.
SO AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO, UH, HAND IT OVER A LITTLE BIT TO FRANK MCINERNEY TO DISCUSS HIS REVIEW OF THE PROJECT FINANCING.
I KNOW YOU WERE, UH, INVOLVED IN THIS AS WELL, AND DURING LEADERSHIP, UH, VICE PRESIDENT I, YOURSELF AND MR. PARCO SPOKE QUITE A BIT ABOUT IT, AND IT'S GONE TO US A FEW TIMES.
SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST GIVE US A SUMMARY OF, UH, OUR FINDINGS? WELL, I DID, UH, I DID RECEIVE IT TOOK SOME, UH, SOME TIME.
UM, BUT I DID RECEIVE THE AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, UH, FROM, FROM THE, UH, DEVELOPER, UM, INITIALLY, UM, IT WAS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, EVEN THE UNAUDITED ONES THAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY FROM 2021 WE GOT AT FIRST.
UM, THE, THE PRO THE PROJECT AS IT EXISTS NOW WAS, WAS, UM, UH, HAVING ISSUES WITH MAKING, UH, PAYMENTS ON ITS, UH, PRINCIPAL OBLIG, PRINCIPAL DEBT OBLIGATIONS, AS WELL AS, UH, MAKING INTEREST PAYMENTS, UM, THAT HAD ACCRUED ON THREE OF THE ENTITIES THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THIS, UH, TO A PRETTY, PRETTY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.
SO IT GAVE ME A, UM, QUITE, QUITE A BIT OF A CONCERN DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE COUNTY WASN'T, UH, SIGNING OFF ON ANY OBLIGATION, UH, IF THE BONDS WERE NOT PAID.
UH, NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT, UH, PROJECTIONS WERE PROVIDED BY THE, UM, BY THE DEVELOPER.
THEY, UH, BASICALLY SHOWED THAT MONIES, UH, NOT JUST THE MONIES HERE THAT WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH THE COUNTY, OTHER FUNDING IS GOING TO BASICALLY REFINANCE THAT DEBT UNDER THE THEORY THAT IT WOULD, UM, ALLEVIATE THE PRESSURES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING EXPERIENCED BY THAT ENTITY IN, IN ORDER TO SATISFY ITS DEBT OBLIGATIONS.
THE DEBT OBVIOUSLY BEING, UH, TAX EXEMPT.
[00:15:01]
THERE'S SOME CAPITAL APPRECIATION BONDS IN THERE THAT DON'T, THAT DON'T HAVE TO BE PAID FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.UH, SO AGAIN, UH, THIS IS NOT, WE ARE NOT, NEITHER AM I, OR THIS BOARD IS HAD COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THIS DEAL IS A GOOD DEAL OR A BAD DEAL.
WE'RE, WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY REPRESENTATIONS WHATSOEVER.
UM, WE ARE SAYING THAT THE INFORMATION THAT I REQUESTED IN ORDER TO SEE HOW THEY WERE GONNA GET THEMSELVES OUT OF THE PREDICAMENT THEY'RE IN NOW IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD, WAS PRESENTED.
UM, I DID HAVE SOME OBJECTIONS TO SOME OF THE NUMBERS THAT I SAW IN THE PROJECTIONS, AND THEY DID ADJUST THOSE, THOSE AMOUNTS.
UM, AND IT, IT APPEARS THAT, AND AGAIN, I SAY APPEARS THAT, UM, THIS FUNDING, ALONG WITH OTHER FUNDING THAT THEY'RE GETTING, UH, WILL HELP THEM, UH, OBTAIN A PROFITABLE STATUS AT LEAST ENOUGH TO PAY DOWN THE BONDS.
THE BONDS ARE BEING PAID DOWN BASED ON HOW MUCH PROFIT THEY HAVE.
SO IF THERE'S NO PROFIT, THERE MAY NOT BE ANY BONDS PAYING.
UM, AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME ON THAT IF I'M WRONG.
IT'S SOMETHING I HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE.
UM, BUT IT'S JUST BASED ON THE PROFITABILITY.
UM, BUT, BUT GIVEN THAT, I, UH, WE DID GET THE ORDERED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, UH, THE LAST ONE WE GOT WAS FOR DECEMBER 31ST, 2023, BUT IT WAS ISSUED ON FEBRUARY 25TH, 2025.
SO WITHIN THAT PERIOD OF TIME, THERE'S SOME COMFORT THAT I HAVE THAT HAD THERE BEEN ANY SUBSEQUENT EVENTS, UH, AFTER THE DECEMBER 31ST, 2023 UP TILL NOW, WHICH IS OVER A YEAR OLD, UM, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN DISCLOSED BY THE AUDITORS IN THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, UH, AND MADE AVAILABLE TO THE READER OF THOSE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS TO ANY RISKS THAT THEY MIGHT, UM, HAVE ON THIS, UH, ON THE ENTITY ITSELF.
UM, THERE WAS A, UH, THE AUDITOR DID SAY THAT THE SUBSEQUENT THAT THEY DID REVIEW THE SUBSEQUENT EVENTS OF THE ENTITY, UH, THEY MADE NO MENTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT, UH, THERE WAS ANYTHING OF A NEGATIVE NATURE THAT HAPPENED, UH, AFTER THE END OF DECEMBER 31ST, 2025, 2023.
SO, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THAT, I'M SATISFIED THAT WE'VE DONE AS MUCH DILIGENCE I THINK WE HAVE TO DO ON THIS IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.
UM, I DON'T KNOW, IS, IS THERE SOMEBODY FROM THE ENTITY HERE TODAY OR THEY WERE ASKED TO COME, BUT THEY DID NOT APPEAR.
SO I, I, UH, YOU KNOW, I GOT THE INFORMATION I NEEDED.
UM, AND I'M ASKING THE BOARD IF THEY WOULD MOVE FORWARD ON THIS.
MR. DRAKE WAS, JUST FOR THE RECORD HERE, IS THE COUNTY OF ESSEX LIABLE FOR ANY OF THIS? IF THIS LAW LOAN SHOULD NOT, UH, DO WELL, THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AND THE AND THE ESSEX COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY ARE NOT FINANCIALLY LIABLE ON THIS TRANSACTION? CORRECT.
LI AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SCENARIO WITH THE, UH, TRANSACTIONS THAT ARE BROUGHT FORTH BY THE ECIA ALL THE TIME.
THEY'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT HELD LIABLE FOR THAT.
THE ESSEX COUNTY IS ONLY IF THE COUNTY PROVIDES A COUNTY GUARANTEE, WOULD YOU BE, UH, LIABLE? BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE IN THIS, IN THIS SITUATION.
AND THERE'S ONE THING I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD TO IT, THAT FRANK, UH, FRANK MCINERNEY STATEMENTS, THESE BONDS HAVE AN ADDITIONAL RESTRICTION ON THEM.
UH, UNLIKE TYPICAL BONDS ISSUED BY THE COUNTY OF ES OR ES COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY, THESE WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO BE SOLD TO WHAT'S KNOWN AS QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYERS OR ACCREDITED INVESTORS UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS.
THOSE BASICALLY MEAN THE PEOPLE WHO CAN BUY THESE BONDS HAVE TO BE SOPHISTICATED TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
'CAUSE IT'S A VERY COMPLEX TRANSACTION.
UH, THE REGULAR JOE, MOM AND POP WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PURCHASE THESE BONDS.
ONLY SOMEBODY WHO'S SOPHISTICATED AND IS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIALS THAT FRANK WAS DI FRANK MC WAS DISCUSSING.
THEY'LL BE ANALYZED IN DETAIL BY A BUYER OF THESE BONDS SO THAT THEY COULD BE ENSURED THAT THESE BONDS COULD GET REPAID.
SO THERE WILL BE ANOTHER PERSON LOOKING OVER THE FINANCIAL WHEREWITHAL, AND THAT'S BASICALLY THE INVESTOR WHO WILL BE BUYING THESE BONDS.
MR. PARVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
NOTHING TO ADD TO WHAT FRANK SAID.
COMMISSIONERS COMMISSIONER SEABOLD.
THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, AND THEN I THINK COMMISSIONER LUCIANO, I HAVE A QUESTION OUT OF CURIOSITY.
WHEN WILL THIS DEVELOPMENT BE COMPLETED? WELL, THE DEVELOPMENT'S ALREADY THERE.
UH, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER, IT'S GOING TO BE REFINANCED AND VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS ARE GONNA BE MADE TO CONVERT IT INTO A, A PROJECT THAT'LL HAVE, AGAIN, 203 UNITS WITH 80 SENIORS, 123 WORKFORCE HOUSING.
SO IT'S ALREADY THERE JUST BEING RECONSTITUTED.
UH UH, BUT IT'S ALREADY PRESENT AND FINISHED.
YES, THE DEVELOPMENT, BUT AGAIN, BE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT'LL BE DONE AS WELL.
BUT THE DEVELOPMENT IS FINISHED.
[00:20:01]
YOU.AND IT'S LOCATED NEAR HALSEY STREET AREA.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
SO WE'RE BEING ASKED TO SUPPORT THIS, THIS BOND FINANCING WON'T AFFECT THE COUNTY'S RATING AT ANY MARK, RIGHT? THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
AND, UM, I THINK YOU SAID THIS ISSUANCE IS $40 MILLION.
THAT'S ROUGHLY 50% OF THE TOTAL FUNDS NEEDED.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WAS PRESENTED TO US.
DO THE PROJECT HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE SOURCE TO GO TO FOR THIS $40 MILLION? NO, THE REASON FOR THAT IS, UM, WHAT MAKES IT ATTRACTIVE TO THE BORROWER SLASH DEVELOPER IS THAT ONLY AN AUTHORITY CAN ISSUE TAX EXEMPT BONDS.
SO THEY'RE GONNA BE SAVING, LET'S SAY, INSTEAD OF 7%, YOU GO DOWN TO 5% OR EIGHT TO FIVE.
SO IT'S ATTACK EXEMPT NATURE IS WHY THEY'RE IN FRONT OF US.
OTHERWISE, THEY WOULD JUST GO TO A BANK OR SOME OTHER ENTITY TO PROVIDE THE FINANCING.
SO, MR. PRESIDENT, IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS FUNDING DEAL WOULD BE VERY LUCRATIVE FOR THIS PROJECT IF, I THINK THIS PROJECT CERTAINLY NEEDS SOME SUPPORT TO BE REHABILITATED FOR NEWARK, THE COMMUNITY AND THE FOLKS WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM BEING IN IT.
I'M JUST A LITTLE TAKEN BACK THAT THERE'S NOBODY FROM THE ENTITY HERE TONIGHT KNOWING THAT YOU'RE ASKING US TO SUPPORT THE FUNDING OF $40 MILLION FOR A SIGNIFICANT PROJECT IN NEWARK.
I'M, I'M, I'M A BIT OFFENDED BY THAT.
WE WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT WE WOULD HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE HERE.
THIS IS A BIG, UH, TRANSACTION.
COMMISSIONER LUCIANO, THANK YOU.
MR. DITZ, UM, OVER THE YEARS THAT I'VE SAT IN THIS CHAIR, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE DONE THIS.
THE, UH, IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY HAS BEEN LIKE A DRIVING AGENCY FOR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO BORROW AT A, I GUESS, BETTER RATE.
SO WE SPEAK, IS THIS DEVELOPER A NONPROFIT OR A GOVERNMENT AGENCY? IS THAT WHY WE'RE DOING THIS? I JUST, I KEEP HEARING BORROWER AND DEVELOPER.
WE'VE NEVER REALLY HEARD THAT BEFORE.
NORMALLY WE HEAR CHARTER SCHOOL, PUBLIC SCHOOL.
UM, SO I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY I, I DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE OPEN UNLESS THEY ARE SOMEHOW GOVERNMENT RELATED.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE WERE IN THAT BUSINESS.
ONE, ONE OF THE POWERS OF AN IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY IS THEY'RE ABLE TO LEND MONEY TO A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ENTITY.
AND, AND THIS ENTITY COMES UNDER THE NOT-FOR-PROFIT STATUS, UH, IS HOW WE'RE ABLE TO UNDERTAKE THIS TRANSACTION.
I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND.
WE DON'T JUST DO THIS FOR DEVELOPERS AND PEOPLE.
SO THAT DEVELOPMENT TEACHES DEVELOPERS, ADMIN BEEN COMPLETED FOR MANY YEARS.
UM, I DON'T THINK THEY WERE EVER ABLE TO REALLY, UH, DO WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO FROM THE BEGINNING TO MAKE IT A, A TRUE TEACHER'S VILLAGE.
I DON'T THINK THAT WAS, THAT EVER CAME TO PASS.
UH, I KNOW THE DEVELOPER VERY WELL.
AND, UM, SO WHAT STRIKES ME IS WHY DOES THE IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY WILLING TO GET THIS TYPE OF BOND OR LOAN, UH, THAT THEY'RE DOING WITH SOMETHING THAT'S SO VOLATILE? YOU DON'T KNOW.
EVEN THOUGH, BASED ON WHAT MR. MCINERNEY SAID, WHETHER OR NOT THEY COULD ACTUALLY PAY, AND HE SAID HE'S NOT USUALLY, UH, MR. MCINERNEY HAS A CLEAR THE DIRECTION THAT HE GIVES US, YEAH, THIS IS A GOOD THING.
UH, THE, THE BOARD SHOULD PASS IT.
BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT HE DID TODAY.
HE'S JUST SAYING BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT THEY GOT, THAT THEY SATISFIED THE QUESTIONS THAT HE ASKED.
SO IF THEY DON'T PAY THE BONDS BACK FOR WHATEVER REASON, WHAT IS THE, UH, IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY ON THE HOOK FOR IF THEY DON'T PAY THE BONDS BACK, THERE'LL BE NO FINANCIAL RECOURSE IN TERMS OF REPAYING THE LOAN.
I THINK WHAT THE INVOLVEMENT WOULD BE THERE IF THERE WAS A LAWSUIT IN TERMS OF THE INVESTORS SAYING, I DIDN'T GET PAID MY MONEY.
I WOULD IMAGINE THEY WOULD SUE THE AUTHORITY PROBABLY.
SO I GUESS THE, UH, THE GENERAL COUNSEL PROBABLY WOULD GET INVOLVED IN TERMS OF WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS WITH THE TRANSACTION.
WE WOULD BE, UH, INDEMNIFIED BY THE BORROWER IF THEY HAVE FUNDS AVAILABLE, THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE DOCUMENTATION, AN INDEMNIFICATION CLAUSE TO THE AUTHORITY.
SO ALL THE, UH, BELLS AND WHISTLES WOULD BE BUILT INTO THE DOCUMENTS TO PROTECT, TO PROTECT THE AUTHORITY.
YOU KNOW, HOWEVER, THEY WOULD NEED FUNDS, OBVIOUSLY TO, TO DO SO.
THERE WOULD BE A LEASEHOLD MORTGAGE ON THE PROPERTY.
SO THERE'S SECURITY BESIDES THE PAYMENTS
[00:25:01]
FROM THE RENT.SO THERE WOULD BE SECURITY TO, UH, AS WELL TO THE BOND HOLDERS.
UM, AND I THINK THE KEY ASPECT HERE, AND THE REASON WHY FRANK NER CAN'T, UH, GIVE A SOLID EVALUATION LIKE HE TYPICALLY DOES, IS BECAUSE, AND AS MR. LUCIANO MENTIONED, THIS TRANSACTION IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, UH, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE AN UNRATED TRANSACTION.
USUALLY A TRANSACTION THROUGH THE IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY HAVE A BOND RATING OF A DOUBLE A, TRIPLE A, EVEN TRIPLE B.
THE CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT HAVE COME THROUGH HERE, UH, WITH YOUR APPROVAL, PROBABLY WERE AT THE LOWER END OF THE RATING CATEGORY LIKE TRIPLE B, UH, AFTER TRIPLE B MINUS, THEY'RE KNOWN AS UNRATED BONDS.
SO THESE ARE UNRATED BONDS, WHICH THEN REQUIRES THE AUTHORITY TO, UH, PUT INTO THEIR DOCUMENTS TO PROTECT IT FROM THESE LAWSUITS THAT I JUST MENTIONED, TO BE ONLY SOLD TO QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYERS.
'CAUSE THEY, THEY ARE THE INDIVIDUAL OR THE ENTITIES THAT ARE GONNA NEED TO LOOK OVER AND SCOUR TIGHTLY THE, UH, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND THE PROJECTIONS.
THEY'RE GONNA BE THE ONES WHO ARE GONNA BE ASKING LOTS OF QUESTIONS REGARDING, CAN THIS PROJECT SURVIVE? BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WOULD BE PUTTING IN $40 MILLION, THEORETICALLY.
RIGHT? SO THEY'RE GONNA NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS BUTTONED UP AND, AND LOOKED AT CLOSELY TO BEFORE THEY INVEST THEIR MONEY.
SO OUR PROTECTION IS THAT THESE QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYERS, SOPHISTICATED INVESTORS, WILL DO THEIR HOMEWORK TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BONDS THAT ARE BEING SOLD HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET REPAID.
THAT'S THE COMFORT I GET, IS THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE PUTTING THEIR MONEY THERE AND THEY HAVE TO BE QUALIFIED IN A SOPHISTICATED FINANCIAL LEVEL.
YEAH, NO, I KNOW THE DEVELOPER VERY WELL AND THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF OTHER DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THE CITY AND THEY DO GOOD, GOOD WORK.
SO I JUST HOPE WE CAN HELP 'EM DIG OUT.
LET'S GO TO, UH, FRANK MCINERNEY AND MR. PARLO, I JUST WANNA WEIGH IN LEGAL.
AND THEN COMMISSIONER COOPER, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTIONS AS WELL? YOU WANNA COME BACK TO YOU AFTER THAT? WELL, UH, YEAH.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON THAT SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS AND CONCERNS THAT BASED UPON THE QUESTIONS THAT YOU JUST ASKED, CAME UP IN LEADERSHIP WHERE WE ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS.
WHERE THE COUNTY OR THE ECIA WON'T HAVE TO GUARANTEE THIS.
THEY GAVE US ASSURANCES THAT THE ISSUANCE WOULD ONLY BE ISSUED TO QUALIFIED, UM, INVESTORS, MEANING NO MOM AND POP LITTLE PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE EXPERIENCE, UM, BUYING THIS KIND OF PAPER WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO MAKE THE INVESTMENT IN THIS.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB IN PRESENTING THIS PROJECT TO US, DESPITE ALL OF THE CONCERNS.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT.
UM, I WAS HOPING TO HEAR FROM THE GROUP TONIGHT TO HELP ME, YOU KNOW, MAKE UP MY MIND.
UM, LET'S GO TO MR. MCINERNEY, 'CAUSE YOUR NAME WAS BROUGHT UP A COUPLE OF TIMES.
WHEN, WHEN THESE BONDS ARE UNDERWRITTEN, THERE IS DOCUMENTATION PRESENTED TO THE INVESTORS OR POTENTIAL INVESTORS.
AND WITHIN THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE, UH, LISTINGS OF RISKS.
AND THOSE RISKS ARE, UH, FAIRLY EXTENSIVE, UH, OBVIOUSLY IN A CASE WITH UNRATED BONDS.
UM, AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THEY, UM, THESE, UH, THIS GROUP ALSO HAS ANOTHER PROJECT OUT IN, UH, JERSEY CITY.
AND WE, I KNOW I'VE WORKED WITH JEROME ON THIS A BIT.
HE WAS ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT OFFERING AND SEE THAT THE, UM, THE EVALUATION OF RISKS AND THE OUTLINE OF RISKS WAS, WAS VERY EXTENSIVE.
SO THAT THOSE, UH, SOPHISTICATED INVESTORS WHO WOULD, UH, WHO WOULD BE BUYING THESE BONDS, UH, WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO AND KNOWLEDGE OF, UM, THE RISKS AVAILABLE AND, UH, OR, OR, OR THE RISKS THAT MAY EXIST IN THIS TYPE OF, UH, O OF A TRANSACTION.
FRANKIE, JUST FOR THE RECORD, YOU CLAR, JUST TO CLARIFY, WHEN YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU WORK WITH JEROME, YOU'RE WORKING WITH COUNTY COUNCIL? UH, I'M SORRY, MR. PRESIDENT? VERY WELL.
I WAS WORKING WITH COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, JEROME ST.
JOHN, WHO HAS A, A VERY GOOD KNOWLEDGE OF, OF BONDS.
AND, AND TO VICE PRESIDENT'S POINT, HE WAS PRESENT AT OUR LEADERSHIP MEETING WHEN WE VETTED THESE THINGS.
AND THE TWO OF YOU, UH, PRESENTED MR. PARLOVE? SURE.
I I THINK MY QUESTION IS FOR MR. DITZ, AND IT MAY DOVETAIL ON WHAT FRANK WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT, JOHN, GIVEN THE RESTRICTION ON THE LEVEL OF INVESTORS THAT CAN, UH, INVEST IN THIS PROJECT, THE SOPHISTICATION, UH, OF THOSE INVESTORS, IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT THERE COULD BE NO INVESTMENT IN THIS? THAT, IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WOULD ALL PASS ON THE DEAL AND THEN AT SOME POINT IT WOULD, IT WOULD JUST DIE? GREAT QUESTION.
WELL, THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, MR. GIO.
UH, THAT'S WHAT'S OCCURRING RIGHT NOW IN HUDSON COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY.
THEY'RE ISSUING BONDS UNDER A SIMILAR TYPE OF PROJECT, THE TEACHER'S VILLAGE UP
[00:30:01]
IN, IN THE COUNTY HUDSON.AND, UH, THEY'VE BEEN MARKETING THE BONDS FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS NOW.
UH, USUALLY A DEAL THAT FRANK TALKS ABOUT, RICK MCNERNEY TAKE ABOUT A WEEK TO MARKET AND SOLD WITHIN A WEEK.
THIS HAS BEEN TAKING ABOUT TWO WEEKS AND THREE WEEKS NOW.
SO YES, THOSE INVESTORS ARE SCOURING OF THE DOCUMENTS AND THEY'RE ASKING THEM, I ASSUME LOTS OF QUESTIONS AS TO, TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE PROTECTED.
SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, YOU WOULD GET TO THE, UH, FIVE YARD LINE AND THEY MAY SAY, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TO BUY THE BOX.
SO, SO THE MARKET WILL REALLY DICTATE HOW GOOD OR NOT GOOD THIS, THIS OFFERING IS.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
SO TO PIGGYBACK THEN ON YOUR QUESTION, MIKE, YOU ASKED IF, AND I DIDN'T EVEN THINK OF THAT.
WHAT IF NOBODY BUYS THE BONDS? HAVE, DID ANYONE BUY THE JERSEY CITY BONDS? IT'S, IT'S IN THE PROCESS STILL.
AFTER THREE WEEKS, NO ONE HAS BOUGHT THOSE BONDS YET.
AND AND HOW LONG IS THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY? OR IS IT ENDLESS? I WON'T SAY ENDLESS, BUT IT'S PROBABLY FIVE OR SIX WEEKS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
BUT USUALLY IT TAKES LIKE TWO WEEKS FOR THESE, THIS TYPE OF PRODUCT, TWO TO THREE WEEKS.
SO, UM, IT'S TAKEN MORE TIME THAN PROBABLY ANTICIPATE.
IS THAT PROBABLY BECAUSE THERE'S JUST A LOT OF FINANCIAL INSTABILITY RIGHT NOW, OR JUST NO, I THINK THE REASON THE PROJECT ITSELF ISN'T DESIRED, I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S NOT DESIRED, BUT, UH, THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES BEFORE YOU PUT IN THEIR DEAL.
I DUNNO WHAT THEIR DO THEIR SIZE WAS, BUT I'M SURE IT FAIRLY APPRECIABLE.
THEY WANNA MAKE SURE THEY, THEY'LL GET A RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT.
AND UNRATED BONDS GET A RATE PROBABLY OF 7% INSTEAD INSTEAD OF FOUR OR FIVE.
SO THEY'RE GETTING PAID FOR THAT RISK.
SO, SO IT DOESN'T MATTER TOO MUCH, BUT, UH, TO GET PAID BACK, IT'LL BE A NICE, NICE RETURN.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER LOUISIANA, MR. PAR.
'CAUSE WE, WE DISCUSSED THAT AS WELL.
IF NOBODY BUYS THIS PAPER, THE PROJECT CAN'T MOVE FORWARD.
AND I THINK YOU SAID A MINUTE AGO THAT THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE PLAN.
LIKE THEY'D HAVE TO GO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING ELSE FOR FINANCING.
YEAH, THEY, THEIR UL THEIR ALTERNATIVE PLAN WOULD BE THE TAX EXEMPT MARKET WOULD NOT BE THERE FOR THEM.
SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO, UH, UH, UNDERTAKE REFINANCING OF THEIR BANK LOANS WITH REGULAR BANKS AT THAT POINT IN TIME, BUT WITH HIGHER INTEREST RATE.
HIGHER INTEREST RATE FOR SURE.
WHICH MAKES THE PROJECT LESS VIABLE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO IN SHORT, IT'S POS NO FINANCIAL OBLIGATION RISK TO THE COUNTY OF TEX AND THE UCIA.
IT IS HIGHER RISK, HIGHER YIELD IF, UH, YOU'RE LIMITING IT TO SOPHISTICATED, UH, INVESTORS AND THE MARKET WILL BEAR IF THAT RISK IS WORTH IT OR NOT.
PRESUMABLY BECAUSE YOU HAVE MORE SOPHISTICATED BUYERS OR INVESTORS, I SHOULD SAY.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO ASK ABOUT IT? MR. JACKSON? ANYTHING ON BEHALF OF ADMINISTRATION OR ARE YOU, ARE YOU, I WOULD JUST SAY, AS MY MOTHER WOULD SAY, WE DON'T HAVE A NICKEL IN THIS QUARTER, SO
WELL, BEING THAT THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS, THERE ARE SOMEONE WHO WANT TO MOVE IT, I'LL MOVE IT.
SECOND BY MERCADO, WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK NUMBER THREE.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? NO.
I WANNA THANK, UH, FRANK MCINERNEY FOR TAKING A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO REVIEW THIS, UH, AND BROUGHT US TO A POINT WHERE WE WERE MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE WITH MR. DITZ AND YOUR COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR, UH, PRESENTING ALL THE INFORMATION THEY'VE REQUESTED TO TAKE A LITTLE TIME.
MR. MCINERNEY, I JUST WANT TO THANK ECIA AS WELL FOR GETTING ME THE INFORMATION AND WORKING WITH ME ON THIS.
AND WE, WE THANK YOU ALL AND WE ALSO EXPRESS THE DISAPPOINTMENT FOR THEM TO, THAT THE, THE BOARD HAD FOR THEIR NON NON PRESENCE TODAY.
COMMISSIONER SIEBEL, IT DOESN'T RELATE TO HOW WE VOTED, BUT I'M CURIOUS AGAIN, YOU SAID THE PLACE IS ALREADY DEVELOPED.
WHAT PERCENTAGES ARE I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
I THINK IT, IT, IT HAS BEEN RENTED.
FRANK, I BELIEVE, CORRECT? YES.
IT, YES, IT'S RENTED, BUT THEY'RE GONNA DO RE MR. PRESIDENT? YES, GO AHEAD, FRANK.
THEY'RE GONNA REDEVELOP, I MEAN, THEY, THEY ARE DOING IMPROVEMENTS PART, RIGHT? THIS MONEY PRIMARILY, I BELIEVE IS FOR A NUMBER OF THINGS, SOFT COSTS THAT ARE INVOLVED.
BUT ALSO FOR, FOR IMPROVEMENTS, THERE ARE OTHER FUNDINGS, AND AGAIN, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WHERE THE, THOSE FUNDS WILL BE USED TO REFINANCE
[00:35:01]
THE EXISTING DEBT THAT THEY'RE UNABLE TO PAY NOW.LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS FOUR THROUGH 10 OF WHICH ARE FROM THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET.
AND THEY'LL BE READY TO THE RECORD AT LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
MR. MOHAMED WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. UH, GOOD EVENING.
OSA MOHAM, UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR TO NUMBER EIGHT, UH, ALL OF THEM FOR THE SAME PURPOSE, DIFFERENT OFFICES.
UM, UH, THIS RESOLUTION AUTHORIZED THE COUNTY TO EXCEED THE 2% CAP, UH, FOR AND BUDGET INCREASES FOR VARIOUS CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICES.
UM, THE ALLOWABLE INCREASE IS DETERMINED BY A CALCULATION THAT'S CONSIDERED THE REVENUE COLLECTED BY EACH OFFICE AND BY, IN THE END OF THE YEAR, UH, THE OFFICES ARE, UM, BOARD OF ELECTION, UH, BOARD OF TAXATION, SURROGATE COURT, UH, PROSECUTOR OFFICE AND SHERIFF OFFICE.
SO, UH, THIS IS FROM, UH, FOUR TO EIGHT, WHICH ARE THE SIMILAR, SIMILAR ONES IN NATURE, CORRECT? YES.
MR. PARVA, ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE? UH, MR. MUHAMMAD AND I DESCRIBED THIS DAY EARLIER TO THE PRESIDENT.
I SAID, TODAY IS LIKE YOUR SUPER BOWL.
IT'S THE BUDGET, IT'S ALL YOUR BIG ITEMS.
UH, THE, UM, THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, UH, BACK IN 2016 IMPOSED, UH, 2% HARD CA, UH, CAP AND, UH, UNCONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS, UH, AND, UH, TO, TO EXCEED THE 2% HAS TO BE, UH, AUTHORIZED BY THE RESOLUTION.
THE CALCULATION HAS ACTUALLY TAKEN IN CONSIDERATION THE REVENUES COLLECTED.
SO IF THE REVENUE FROM THE PRIOR YEAR WENT DOWN, IT ACTUALLY COULD AFFECT THEIR PERCENTAGE AND THEY HAVE TO, UM, TO, TO HAVE THE, THE RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE, THE INCREASE OF THE 2%.
ANY QUESTIONS ON FOUR THROUGH EIGHT? NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON FOUR THROUGH EIGHT? OKAY.
YOU WANNA MOVE ON TO NINE AND 10? SURE.
UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER, UH, NINE IS THROUGH TRANSFER, A TRANSFER OF, UH, APPROPRIATION RESERVES.
UM, THIS IS, UH, TO, UM, TO DO A TRANSFER, UH, UH, INTO THE 2024 BUDGET.
UM, TO, TO MAKE SURE ALL THE COUNTY DEPARTMENTS HAS, UM, ENOUGH FUNDS TO, UM, TO PAY PRIOR YEAR BILLS FOR 2024.
AND THERE IS NO ANY BUDGET IMPACT OR ANY, ANY INCREASE.
UH, JUST TRANSFER BETWEEN LINE ITEMS. OKAY.
UH, NUMBER 10 IS THE EXTENSION OF, UM, THE 2025 TEMPORARY APPROPRIATION ONE MONTH, UH, EXTENSION.
UH, BECAUSE WE INTRODUCED THE BUDGET ORIGINALLY WHEN WE DID THE TEMPORARY BUDGET, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FOR THREE MONTHS, AND WE INTRODUCED IN THE BUDGET.
SO TO, TO OBTAIN AN AUTHORIZATION TO, TO SPEND MONEY, WE HAVE TO EXTEND THE TEMPORARY BUDGET FOR ANOTHER MONTH UNTIL THE, THE BUDGET GETS ADOPTED.
MR. PAR, ANY QUESTIONS ON NINE AND 10? NO QUESTION.
UH, THE AMOUNTS TRANSFERRED TO THE SHERIFF AND THE CORRECTIONS, IS THAT BASICALLY FOR OVERTIME OR WAS THAT FOR THE, THE, THE CONTRACTUAL INCREASE OR, UH, JOSE MOHAMED COUNTY TREASURER? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
THIS IS FOR THE POTENTIAL, UH, IN INCREASES FOR 2024.
JUST A QUICK ONE FOR NUMBER NINE.
DOES IT GET TRANSFERRED FROM LIKE ONE RESERVE ACCOUNT YEAR TO A, TO THE NEXT RESERVE ACCOUNT YEAR? YES.
IT'S BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS IN PRIOR YEAR BUDGET, 2024 BUDGETS.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE FOUR THROUGH 10.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
DEPUTY CLERK NUMBER FOUR THROUGH 10.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER 11 AND 12, WHICH ARE FROM THE DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES.
IT'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, WARD AND BAR CLIP IS HERE, UH, AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE, UH, VENDOR.
WARREN BIFF, ESSEX COUNTY JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER HERE ON BEHALF OF RESOLUTION, UH, NUMBER 11, WHICH IS A CONTRACT TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES FOR THE RESIDENTS AT THE ESSEX COUNTY JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER.
I HAVE REPRESENTATIVES HERE FROM THE SCHOOL TO ANSWER ANY POTENTIAL QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THE, UH, CONTRACT.
MR. PARVA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY PARTICULAR QUESTIONS.
[00:40:01]
TO GIVE, UH, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
NO, NO QUESTIONS ON, UH, THE CONTRACT ITSELF.
WHY DON'T WE HAVE, UH, WHY DON'T YOU HAVE YOUR, YOUR TEAM INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND TELL US ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, UH, THROUGH THEIR WORK? GOOD EVENING, DR.
LATI WALTER MCLEOD, SUPERINTENDENT ESSEX REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES COMMISSION.
TAISHA MASSEY, VICE PRINCIPAL SOLDIER IN HIGH SCHOOL.
MICHAEL DIO, PRINCIPAL SOLDIER IN HIGH SCHOOL.
JUST STATE YOUR NAME AGAIN WHEN YOU BEGIN SPEAKING AND TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU DO.
WALTER MCLEOD, SUPERINTENDENT, UM, ERE, UH, ESSEX REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES COMMISSION.
UM, WE PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION TO THE RESIDENTS DOWN AT THE YOUTH DETENTION CENTER.
UM, WE ENSURE THAT THEY RECEIVE THE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS IN, ALIGNED WITH THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, UM, CORE CURRICULUM CONTENT STANDARDS, AS WELL AS ENSURING THAT STUDENTS WHO HAVE AN IEP, UM, THEY RECEIVE THE SERVICES THAT ARE OUTLINED IN THEIR IEP.
COMM, UH, MR. PAR? NO QUESTIONS.
MR. KINER? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, UH, REALLY NOTHING OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT, UH, MS. COMPANY'S BEEN WITH THE COUNTY FOREVER.
AND, UH, I, IT WOULD BE NICE TO KNOW LIKE GRADUATION RATES AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, DIPLOMAS THAT ARE GIVING OUT AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
IF THEY'RE, THAT, THAT WOULD BE A GOOD METRIC TO, UH, HEAR.
LET ME GET THE QUICK COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO THAT.
I WAS GONNA ASK THE SAME THING, LIKE HOW MANY KIDS DID YOU SERVICE THIS YEAR COMPARED TO LAST YEAR? HOW MANY GRADUATED? UM, HOW ARE YOU FINDING THE IEPS SYSTEMS WORKING WITH THE KIDS THAT YOU HAVE THERE? THINGS LIKE THAT.
I, I AGREE WITH MR. MCINERNEY, AND IF YOU CAN'T DO IT TODAY, MAYBE THEY CAN SEND IT TO US, BACK TO US.
UM, LAST SCHOOL YEAR WE GRADUATED EIGHT INDIVIDUALS, UM, AND WE PROVIDE THEIR ACADEMICS BASED ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN WHICH THEY COME FROM.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF A STUDENT, UM, IS COMING FROM IRVINGTON AND THEIR FRESHMEN AND THEY'RE WITH US FOR SAY, A YEAR, WE WILL ONLY PROVIDE THAT EDUCATION FOR THAT FRESHMAN YEAR.
AND THEN SOMETIMES THEY GO BACK TO THEIR DISTRICT.
UM, SO LAST YEAR WE HAD EIGHT STUDENTS THAT COMPLETED THEIR SENIOR YEAR WITH US, AND THEY ALL GRADUATED AND RECEIVE, UM, THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS FROM, UM, THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
IN REGARDS TO STUDENTS WITH IEPS, UM, THOSE STUDENTS ARE, UM, EDUCATED, LIKE I SAID, BASED ON THEIR IEPS.
WE PROVIDE COUNSELING SERVICE, THERAPEUTIC SERVICE, UM, FOR EACH AND EVERY STUDENT.
UM, THEY ALSO HAVE THEIR YEARLY MEETINGS IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE PARENTS ARE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS TO ONLY FOR THE, UH, THE EDUCATIONAL AND ACADEMIC COMPONENT.
SO THE STUDENTS DO RECEIVE COUNSELING, UM, AND THEY ALSO DO RECEIVE SUPPORT FROM A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, UM, IN THE AREAS OF READING AND LANGUAGE ARTS AND ALSO MATHEMATICS, SPEECH AND SPEECH THERAPY WHEN NEEDED AND NECESSARY.
HOW MANY KIDS TOTAL ARE YOU SERVICING THIS YEAR? CURRENTLY 9 3 9 3 93 STUDENTS.
SO I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THE, THE DURATION OF SERVICE IS LIMITED BECAUSE THERE DURATION IN THERE VARIES OF GREAT DEAL.
IS THAT CORRECT? IT VARIES PERSONALLY.
JUST SPEAKING TO THE MICROPHONE, JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION.
CAN YOU JUST KIND OF GIVE US A SENSE OF LIKE HOW MUCH TIME ON AVERAGE? I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S AN AVERAGE, BUT IF YOU CAN KIND OF JUST ADDRESS THE, UH, YEAH.
SO BY EACH STUDENT IT DOES, IT DOES VARY.
SO WHILE THEY ARE THERE, WE EDUCATE THEM ACCORDING TO THE STANDARDS.
AND THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE THERE THROUGH THEIR SENIOR YEAR OR DORM, THEIR SENIOR YEAR, THEY WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO GRADUATE AS LONG AS THEY COMPLETE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THEIR, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO IS IT OFTEN A MATTER OF MONTHS PER STUDENT? UH, JUST LIKE A, A A, A SHORT WINDOW, IF YOU WILL.
PRESIDENT, I, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT'S THE YOUNGEST GRADE YOU HAVE? LIKE PROBABLY SEVENTH OR EIGHTH.
I WOULD LIKE, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO COMMEND YOU FOR DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB WORKING AT THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER.
I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY, BUT I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
AND THEN COMMISSIONER RED TODD THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, JUST, SO, JUST SORT TWO QUESTIONS, I GUESS.
THE 11.9, THAT'S, THAT'S ON OUR SIDE.
AND THEN THERE IS ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING THAT YOU RECEIVE O OF AND ABOVE OVER THE 11.9 IN THAT FIVE YEAR PERIOD OF TIME.
SO, SO WE DO NOT RECEIVE ANY STATE FUNDING.
THE 11.9 THAT COMES FROM THE COUNTY IS WHAT WE UTILIZE TO EDUCATE THE STUDENTS.
SO THERE'S NO OTHER FUNDING OTHER THAN WHAT WE PROVIDE? NO, WE DO NOT RECEIVE ANY OTHER FUNDING, SIR.
[00:45:01]
IS THE, JUST IN ARRIVING AT THAT NUMBER, IS THAT BASED ON WHAT THE PURE, THE PER PUPIL COST IS THAT THE STATE SCHOOL FUNDING FOR? LIKE, HOW DO YOU GET TO THAT NUMBER? SO THAT NUMBER, UM, COMES, SO JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION SINCE FEW OF YOU TALKED BACK AND FORTH.LATI, WALTER MCLEOD, SUPERINTENDENT ERE THAT NUMBER DERIVES FROM THE, UM, WHAT IT IS REQUIRED, WHAT IT COSTS TO EDUCATE E EACH STUDENT.
UM, AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT, SO CAN I, I'M SORRY, JUST TIME IT UP BASED ON, IS IT, IS IT LIKE A SCHOOL, LIKE A REGULAR PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT RIGHT.
HAS A NUMBER, LIKE I CAN GO ON THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WEBSITE RIGHT NOW AND IT'LL TELL ME PER PER PUPIL COST IS IT FOR SOMEONE TO ATTEND THE MONTCLAIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS? SO, SO, SO IS IT, IS IT A, IS THAT NUMBER BASED ON, IS IT, IS IT A, IS IT A SAME IDEA? NO, THE THE FORMULA IS NOT THE SAME, SIR.
SO THE NUMBER IS BASED ON, UM, WHAT IS REQUIRED.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THIS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, A STUDENT IS REQUIRED TO HAVE, UM, ENGLISH, MATH, SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES.
AND SO WE MUST PROVIDE THE, THE TEACHERS IN ORDER TO PRO TO, TO, UM, TO EDUCATE THEM IN THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS ACCORDING TO THEIR CONTENT.
UM, A TEACHER THAT, UM, IS AN ENGLISH CERTIFIED TEACHER CAN PROVIDE ALL FOUR LEVELS.
HOWEVER, MATH AND SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES REQUIRE SPECIFIC CON SPECIFIC CONTENT CERTIFICATIONS.
AND SO, AND WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE, THE CERTIFIED STAFF THERE TO PROVIDE THAT, AS WELL AS THE COUNSELING STAFF THAT IS NEEDED AND NECESSARY, AS WELL AS THE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS THAT ARE NEED, THAT ARE NEEDED AND NECESSARY.
SO THAT NUMBER IS DERIVED, IS DERIVED FROM THE NUMBER OF STAFF MEMBERS THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PROPERLY EDUCATE, UM, THE STUDENTS AND ENSURE THAT THEY'VE MET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO COMMEND THEM FOR THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY DO AND, AND IT'S HARD TO REALLY QUANTIFY, UH, THE GRADUATES EIGHT MAY SEEM LIKE A, A LOW NUMBER, BUT YOU GOTTA UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A LOT OF MOVEMENT.
THEY'RE IN AND OUT, AND A LOT OF 'EM MAY NOT BE SENIORS AT THE TIME THAT THEY COME IN, OR THEY COULD BE SENIORS, BUT THEY LEAVE BEFORE THE YEAR IS UP.
RIGHT? THEY GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SO IT'S REAL HARD ALSO TO PUT A, A PRICE ON IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH PER PUPIL BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY MOVEMENTS.
UM, I'VE BEEN IN JUVENILE JUSTICE FOR MY ENTIRE CAREER.
I'VE WORKED FOR THE JJC DURING THE DAY, AND I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE SCHOOL AND INTERACT WITH THEM IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES OVER MY YEARS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE WORK THAT YOU DO, UM, DOESN'T HAVE A PRICE, YOU KNOW, ASIDE FROM THE, THE TRANSIENT POPULATION THAT YOU SERVE.
AND FOR THAT LIMITED TIME, UM, THE SPACE THAT YOU CREATE AND THE EDUCATION THAT YOU PROVIDE IS A LIFELINE TO MANY OF THESE KIDS.
UM, YOU TALK ABOUT MATH, SCIENCE, AND, AND THOSE CORE COURSES, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU OFFER OTHER COURSES AS WELL.
UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH THE ART TEACHER AND SEE, AND, AND, AND SAW SOME OF THE KIDS' ART WHILE THEY WERE THERE.
UM, THEY HAD ELECTRONICS CLASS THAT WAS GOING ON THOUGH.
SO THERE'S OTHER, UM, EDUCATION THAT GOES ON THERE.
AND
I WANNA COMMEND YOU ON YOUR WORK AND, UM, I WILL SUPPORT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE HIGH SCHOOL, THEY DO THE WORK.
UM, AND, AND AGAIN, UM, THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF, UM, WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, HANDS ON WITH THE KIDS, UM, TO, TO WORKING WITH THIS POPULATION.
SOME GO BACK HOME TO THE DISTRICTS AND SOME COME TO THE STATE, UM, AND, AND, AND FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT THE COUNTY'S DETENTION CENTER IS AN, IS A FOCAL POINT, UM, IN JUVENILE REHABILITATION AND TRYING TO REDIRECT A LOT OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST FIRST COMING IN CONTACT WITH THE JUVENILE SYSTEM.
AND, UM, AND ALTHOUGH WE TRY TO DETER KIDS FROM COMING TO THE DETENTION CENTER, DO WE KNOW THAT THEY GET THERE? WHAT'S THE POPULATION THERE NOW? 93.
THE STATE HAS ABOUT LESS THAN 300 STATEWIDE.
UM, SO THAT'S A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN DETENTION AWAITING, YOU KNOW, THEIR DUE PROCESS.
UM, AND IN THE INTERIM, YOU TRY TO PROVIDE THE EDUCATION AND I JUST WANT YOU TO JUST STRESS, YOU KNOW, UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ROLE THAT YOU PLAY AT THAT DETENTION CENTER BECAUSE IT IS A LIFELINE TO, UH, TO MANY OF THE KIDS.
JUST WANNA CLARIFY, IT'S $11.9 MILLION FOR FOUR YEARS, RIGHT? UP UNTIL, UP UNTIL DECEMBER OF 2029.
AND HOW MANY KIDS ARE THERE AGAIN? CURRENTLY? RIGHT NOW, 90, 95.
[00:50:02]
FOUR.93 IN A REGULAR SCHOOL DAY, I USED TO BE A TEACHER.
IT'S DIFFICULT TO EDUCATE KIDS IN A REGULAR SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT TO DO IT IN A DETENTION CENTER, YOU HAVE EARNED YOUR PLACE IN HEAVEN.
JUST, UH, THE IDEA OF FUNDING CAME UP BEFORE, UH, AND I DO RECALL, WAS THERE ANY POINT IN TIME WHERE THERE WAS AN EFFORT MADE TO TRY TO GET THE, UH, THE, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICTS FROM WHERE THESE STUDENTS CAME FROM TO, UM, SHARE IN THAT BURDEN OF THE COST? THEY SHOULD.
THAT WAS AN EFFORT AT ONE POINT IN TIME.
YES, IT'S, UH, YOU RECALL THAT? SO WE ARE THE CONTRACTED VENDOR, SO THAT EFFORT WOULD COME FROM THE COUNTY AND IT WOULD BE IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE COUNTY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WE WOULDN'T BE INVOLVED WITH THAT.
I, I KNOW, I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST, AND I'M GOING BACK A BIT, BUT THAT, THAT EFFORT WAS MADE.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, IT WOULD BE THE COUNTY THAT WOULD HAVE TO HAVE TO DO THAT IN ORDER TO FUND THIS.
UM, SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT'S AT OR, OR WHATEVER HAPPENED OF IT, BUT I KNOW, I KNOW AN EFFORT WAS MADE AT ONE POINT IN TIME TO EXPLORE THAT.
DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION, COMMISSIONER? YEAH.
YOU SAID THERE ARE, ARE 93 KIDS THERE, HOW MANY COUNTIES ARE THEY FROM? WARDEN? I THINK THAT'S A QUESTION FOR THE WARDEN.
JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION.
WARDEN BARCLAY, ESSEX COUNTY JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER.
UH, CURRENTLY WE ARE HOUSING RESIDENTS FROM ESSEX, UNION HUDSON, UH, PASSAIC, UH, GLOUCESTER AND MERCER.
NOW GOING BACK TO WHAT, UH, FRANK MCINERNEY SAID, NONE OF THOSE DISTRICTS WHERE THESE KIDS WOULD GO TO SCHOOL IF THEY WEREN'T IN THE DETENTION CENTER, PAY FOR PART OF THEIR EDUCATION.
SO, SO THE COUNTIES THAT, UH, WE ARE CONTRACTED WITH TO HOUSE THEIR RESIDENTS DO PAY A PERCENTAGE.
SO THE PER DIEM RATE INCLUDES, UM, A COST FOR EDUCATION AND ALSO MEDICAL CARE.
SO IF THEY WERE IN THEIR HOME COUNTIES, THEY WOULD BE GOING TO SCHOOL THERE, BUT THE SCHOOL WAS STILL PAYING PART OF THEIR EDUCATION AT THE DETENTION CENTER.
SO I BELIEVE THE FUNDING COMES FROM THE COUNTY.
I, UM, UNAWARE OF IT COMING FROM THE ACTUAL SCHOOL DISTRICT.
WELL, THERE'S A NUMBER OF US EDUCATORS HERE, AND I'M MARRIED TO ONE, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GOOD WORK.
I, YOU KNOW, LIKE VICE PRESIDENT SAID, REGULAR TEACHING IS HARD ENOUGH SO THAT THIS HAD A CERTAINLY A LAYER OF COMPLEXITIES.
CAN I ASK SOMEONE TO MOVE IT NUMBER PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND BY RUDO WILL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK NUMBER 11.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
UH, THIS IS AN AGREEMENT WITH THE URBAN LEAGUE OF ESSEX COUNTY IN THE AMOUNT OF $57,000 TO, TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR YOUTH ON PROBATION AGE, AGES 16 THROUGH 19, UH, TO DEVELOP, UH, CRITICAL LIFE SKILLS AND JOB SKILLS AND HOPEFULLY TO REDUCE LIKELIHOOD OF THEM, UH, HAVING A PROBATION VIOLATION.
OKAY, MR. PARLOVE, YOU, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
WE'LL CALL MADAM W CER NUMBER 12.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER 13, WHICH IS FROM THE DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS, WHICH CAN BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? MR. COLTRANE? MR. PRESENT.
THIS IS THE CONTRACTOR OF PROTO CAFE TO PROVIDE CAFETERIA CONCESSION AT 3 23 21 UNIVERSITY AVENUE FROM APRIL 1ST, 2025 THROUGH MARCH 31ST, 2028.
WE HAVE ONE RESPONDENT AND IT'S A REVENUE CONTRACT FOR $450 PER MONTH OR 1% OF THE GROSS REVENUE.
MR. PARLO, YOU ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, IS THIS THE SAME OR A DIFFERENT VENDOR THAN WE HAVE IN THE, UH, MARTIN LUTHER KING? THIS IS, THIS IS A DIFFERENT VENDOR THAT IS THERE NOW, AND APPARENTLY, UH,
[00:55:01]
WHAT HEARSAY SAYS IS THEY, LIKE THIS VENDOR IS, UH, HAS GOOD PRODUCT AND A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY UTILIZE IT.COMMISSIONERS ON 13? ANY QUESTIONS? SEE NONE.
MOTION MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
IS THAT, IS THAT A YES? A NOD FOR THE SECOND.
COMMISSIONER LUCIANO, THE SECOND ROLL CALLED MATTER.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
MOVING ON TO RESOLUTION 14, WHICH IS FROM THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, BACK IN DECEMBER, THE AWARD APPROVED AN AGREEMENT WITH RUTGERS UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SCHOOL TO, UH, IMPLEMENT THE FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, UM, TRAINING.
UM, AND THAT'S BEEN AMENDED THIS AGREEMENT.
IT WILL AMEND THAT IN THE AMOUNT OF $60,000.
THEIR, THEIR SCOPE OF WORK HAS BEEN EXPANDED TO NOW INCLUDE NARCAN TRAINING AND LIFE SUPPORT SERVICES.
SO THIS FUNDING, UM, WILL ALLOW FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
MR. PARLER, LIKE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
DO I MOVER FOR 14? I'LL MOVE IT.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 15 THROUGH 24.
AND ADDED START IS 80 80 IN 89, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS.
MUCH TO THE DELIGHT OF MR. RICHARDSON WOULD PUT MR. ZIS ON THE BACK END IF, IF, IF I MAY MR. THROUGH YOU.
THIS GUY IS SO EARLY IN THE AGENDA, BUT I MOVE TO PUT HIM, LET'S PUT HIM FIRST NEXT TIME.
SO I THINK YOU ABOUT TALK TO COOPER NEXT.
UH, NUMBER 15 IS THE NEGOTIATED CONTRACT AWARD TO STRUCTURE CARE, UM, TO, UH, PROVIDE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS TO THE PARKING RIDE FACILITIES AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $590,500.
UH, THIS IS TO SERVICE THE THREE PARKING DECKS CURRENTLY LOCATED AT THE SOUTH MOUNTAIN RECREATION COMPLEX.
IT INCLUDES TWO INSPECTIONS PER YEAR AND THEN AS NEEDED, UM, POWER WASH AND CAULKING REPAIRS, CONCRETE, UM, REPAIRS AS WELL.
NUMBER 16, CONTRACT AWARD TO CLARK MOHAM LANDSCAPING, UH, LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDER.
IT'S PRIVATE LANDSCAPING MAINTENANCE FOR THE NORTHERN, SOUTHERN AND MIDDLE DIVISIONS OF GRANTSBURG PARK.
2124 MONTH CONTRACT NOT TO EXCEED $568,815 AND 20 CENTS.
AGAIN, THIS IS, UH, LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE OVER IN BRADFORD PARK.
UH, THE MONTHLY COST OF THIS CONTRACT IS $20,367 AND 30 CENTS.
AND THERE THERE IS AN $80,000 AS NEEDED.
ALLOWANCE NUMBER 17, CONTRACT AWARD TO GRASSROOTS TURF PRODUCTS, LOWEST RESPONSE TO BIDDER FURNACE, AND DELIVER VARIOUS GOLF COURSE ACCESSORIES.
UH, FROM CATALOGS FOR 25 AND 26 AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $300,000.
UH, THIS IS A 20% DISCOUNT ACROSS ALL THE CATALOGS FOR VARIOUS GOLF COURSE ACCESSORIES AND SUPPLIES.
NUMBER 18, A CONTRACT WITH, UH, HUDSON COMMUNITY ENTERPRISES PROVIDE JANITORIAL SERVICES AT THE TURTLEBACK ZOO 24 MONTHS NOT TO EXCEED $196,000.
UH, THE COST PER PER HOUR FOR THIS CONTRACT IS $24 AND 50 CENTS, WHICH THEY'LL BE PAYING, UM, FOR THESE SERVICES.
UH, WE DO HAVE A REP HERE FROM THE COMPANY IF THE BOARD HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND TELL US ABOUT THE CONTRACT AND THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
I'M A SENIOR VP OVER AT HUDSON COMMUNITY ENTERPRISES.
HUDSON COMMUNITY ENTERPRISES HAS AN OFFICE HERE IN NEWARK AT 50 PARK PLACE.
WE EMPLOY ABOUT 90 PEOPLE FROM MESES COUNTY.
LAST YEAR WE PAID OVER $2.1 MILLION IN SALARIES, UH, TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SERVICING TURTLEBACK ZOO AGAIN WITH, UH, WITH, YOU KNOW, YOUR APPROVAL.
MR. PAAK, YOU ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
MR. MCINERNEY ON, ON THIS PARTICULAR, ON THIS ONE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ONE BEING 19? I'M SORRY, ON, UH, 18TH.
JUST, JUST, UH, COMMISSIONER MR. UH, JUST, JUST A
[01:00:01]
COMMENT.YOU, I THINK YOU, YOU GUYS CAME UP, UH, AT OUR LAST MEETING AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE PAY STRUCTURE, AND IT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION THAT THE AMOUNT THAT YOU WERE PAID WAS THE AMOUNT THAT YOU GUYS ASKED FOR, RIGHT? AND, UH, RIGHT? YES.
SO WE, THE 24 50, FOR EXAMPLE, IS THE HOURLY RATE THAT WE ARE PAID.
WE PAY OUR PEOPLE ABOUT $17 AN HOUR, OKAY? UH, WHICH IS ABOVE THE MINIMUM WAGE.
UH, THE, THE BALANCE OF THE, THE, THOSE FUNDS GO TOWARDS THE ADDITIONAL TAXES, FICA, SUI, WORKERS' COMP INSURANCES, AND A PORTION GOES TOWARDS THE VOCATIONAL ASSISTANCE THAT WE OFFER FOR THE PEOPLE AT ALL OF OUR SITES.
AND SO, FOR ME, IT WAS LIKE, YOU, YOU'RE UNDERBIDDING YOU SHOULD ASK FOR MORE MONEY.
WE, WE, UH, WE WE'RE NOT PREDOMINANTLY WORRIED ABOUT MONEY, BUT WE HAVE A MISSION TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT TO PEOPLE WITH VARYING ABILITIES.
SO WE, WE, UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE COVER OUR EXPENSES AND WE WANT TO OFFER GOOD SERVICE, YOU KNOW, TO, TO OUR CUSTOMERS.
AND, AND YOU DO THAT, BUT IT STILL TAKES FINANCE.
SO YOU SHOULD ASK FOR MORE MONEY.
OR THE NEXT
AGAIN, I WANT TO ECHO MY COLLEAGUE.
UM, 'CAUSE WE SPOKE ABOUT YOUR, YOUR COMPANY LAST, UM, LAST MEETING, AND ONE, YOU KNOW, UM, I APPLAUD THE WORK THAT YOU DO AND THE MISSION THAT YOU HAVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYING THOSE FO THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT, UM, THAT ARE NOT EASILY EMPLOYED BY O BY OTHER COMPANIES AND, AND, AND OTHER FOLKS IN, IN THE BUSINESS.
SO, UM, YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF GOOD FOR YOUR STAFF AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO.
UM, AND THEN A LOT OF THAT, YOU CAN'T PUT A DOLLAR AMOUNT, UM, RIGHT.
UM, SO WE, WE DO, I I WANT TO APPLAUD YOU AND I ECHO HIS STATEMENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, IN THE NEXT GO ROUND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE, WE FEEL YOU DESERVE MORE, OKAY FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO, ALTHOUGH IT'S WHAT IT IS.
WE DON'T GET INVOLVED IN DECIDING A NUMBER, BUT WE DEFINITELY, UM, UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO IN HIRING AND PROVIDING TRAINING AND VOCATION TO THOSE, UM, UH, PERSONS WITH LIMITED UH, ABILITIES.
MAY I SPEAK, UH, STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION EVERY TIME YOU SPEAK.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION, YOUR RESPONSE.
JOHN COX, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR, UH, HUDSON COMMUNITY ENTERPRISES.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS.
UH, WE WORK HARD TO FULFILL OUR MISSION, AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF, UH, MANY OF THE SES COUNTY OFFICIALS AND THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, WE'RE ABLE TO DO SO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONS? I'M MOVING.
WELL, WE'RE NOT MOVING IT YET, BUT I'LL COME TO YOU.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE IT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE THEM ALL AS ONE, BUT WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU ONE.
WE'RE GONNA, UM, ON 19, UH, JOSHUAS HS.
COUNTY PARKS NUMBER 19 IS A CONTRACT TO PROVIDE THE PRODUCTION OF ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES WITH LG EVENTS, UH, FROM, UH, AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $192,600.
THIS IS FOR OUR VARIOUS SUMMER CONCERT SERIES AND OTHER EVENTS.
UH, THE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES OVER AT BROOKDALE WILL TAKE PLACE, UM, JULY 2ND, JULY 11TH, JULY 18TH, JULY 25TH, AUGUST 1ST AND AUGUST 8TH.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THERE ARE THE VARIOUS, UM, LOCAL PARK SUMMER CONCERTS, NUMBER 20 CONTRACT AWARD TO DEER AND COMPANY FOR THE PURCHASE OF A JOHN DEERE PRODUCTS, UM, FORS COUNTY GOLF COURSE UNDER THE EDUCATIONAL SERVICE COMMISSION OF NEW JERSEY, CO-OP NUMBER 22 DASH 2312 AMOUNT ACT, YOU EXCEED $177,055 AND 45 CENTS.
UH, AS THIS BOARD KNOWS, UM, EVEN IF WE'RE PURCHASING OFF A CO-OP, UM, ANY AMOUNT OVER 175,000, WE DO HAVE TO BRING TO THE, UH, COMMISSIONERS FOR APPROVAL.
UH, THIS IS TO PURCHASE THREE SPRAYERS, ONE FOR EACH GOLF COURSE.
NUMBER 21 CONTRACT AWARD BUSINESS TECH PARTNERS TO PROVIDE A POINT OF SALE SYSTEM FOR THE CODY ARENA, EXERCISING THE 24TH MONTH OPTION NOT TO EXCEED $148,080.
AGAIN, THIS IS THE POS SYSTEM WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN PLACE OVER AT THE ARENA, AND THIS IS THE EXTENSION.
UH, THE COST PER MONTH IS $4,920, AND THEN THERE'S A $30,000 ALLOWANCE FOR AS NEEDED ITEMS. NUMBER 22, A CONTRACT AWARD LAKE MANAGEMENT SCIENCES FOR THE MONITORING, CHEMICAL CONTROL OF ALGAE, UM, AT THE VARIOUS PARK, SPA AND LAGOONS 24 MONTH OPTION, NOT TO EXCEED $137,350.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS TO MONITOR AND, UM, CONTROL ALGAE, UH, AND OTHER INVASIVE, UH, SPECIES IN THE WATERWAYS.
UM, UH, INCLUDES, UH, BROOKDALE PARK, LAKE BROOKDALE, I'M
[01:05:01]
SORRY, BRANCH BROOK PARK LAKE, BRANCH BROOK, PARK LAGOON, GROVER, CLEVELAND PARK, IRVINGTON PARK, MONTE IRVIN, ORANGE PARK, VERONA PARK, QUAKE LAKE, AS WELL AS THE ORANGE RESERVOIR.NUMBER 2323, UH, IS OUR CONTRACT FOR THE EXHIBITION OF FIREWORKS, WHICH STAR FIRE CORPORATION AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $99,000.
UH, THIS YEAR OUR FIREWORKS WILL BE TAKING PLACE AS FOLLOWS.
BROOKDALE PARK ON JUNE 27TH WEEK, WAKE PARK, JULY 1ST.
BROOKDALE PARK, I'M SORRY, BRANCH BROOK PARK, JULY 27TH WEEK, WAKE PARK, JULY 1ST, BROOKDALE JULY 2ND.
AND THEN, UM, THERE'LL BE AN ADDITIONAL WEEK QUAKE EVENT OVER IN MAY, BUT WE HAVE NOT DETERMINED THE DATE YET.
NUMBER 24, CONTRACT TO WARD TO ROTUND AND SONS FOR THE OPERATION OF THE COMPOUND COMPOST FACILITY OVER AT THE SOUTH MOUNTAIN.
UH, RESERVATION, EXERCISING 20 MORE FOUR MONTH CONTRACT, $170,400.
UH, THIS IS REVENUE THAT COMES INTO THE COUNTY.
THIS IS TO RUN THE FACILITY THAT, UM, MULCHES AND COMPOSTS AND, UM, ALL THAT STUFF OVER AGAIN IN THE SOUTH MOUNTAIN RESERVATION.
YES, NUMBER 88 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO RAY PALMER ASSOCIATES.
THE SOLE RESPONSIVE BIDDER PROVIDE FUND, PUMP AND FILTER PLUMBING SERVICES AT THE TURTLEBACK ZOO 24 MONTH CONTRACT NOT TO EXCEED $772,250.
UH, AGAIN, THIS IS FOR PLUMBING REPAIRS AND PARTS OVER AT THE ZOO.
AND THEN FINALLY, NUMBER 89 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO PLASTIC EXPRESS, INC.
THE SOLE RESPONSIVE SPONSOR BIDDER 24 MONTH CONTRACT NOT TO EXCEED $634,370.
AND THIS IS FOR AQUATIC SALT AT THE, UH, VARIOUS EXHIBITS AT THE ZOO THAT, UM, DO USE AQUATIC SALT.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
OKAY, WE'VE ALREADY VETTED NUMBER 19.
SO, MR. PARLOVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON 15 THROUGH 24 88 AND 89? NO QUESTIONS.
ON ON 15 H, HOW MANY, HOW MANY GO? UH, H HOW MANY FACILITIES, HOW MANY GARAGES ARE INVOLVED IN, IN THESE INSPECTIONS? AGAIN, UH, JOSHUA'S HS.
COUNTY PARKS, UH, IN THE PARK, IN THE COUNTY PARK SYSTEM, THERE'S THREE PARKING DECKS.
THEY'RE ALL LOCATED AT THE, UH, SOUTH MOUNTAIN RECREATION COMPLEX.
SO WHEN IT SAYS $12,000 FOR UNDER THE, UH, TITLE FORMAL INSPECTION, IT'S $12,000 PER VISIT TIMES 12.
SO WHAT IS IT ARE, ARE THE VISITS QUARTERLY? SO IT WOULD BE TWO INSPECTIONS PER DECK PER YEAR.
SO THERE'S THREE, THERE'S THREE PARKING DECKS, RIGHT? AND THIS IS A TWO YEAR CONTRACT.
SO, SO EACH PARKING DECK GETS INSPECTED, A TOTAL OF, UH, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? FOUR TIMES OVER THE LIFE OF THE CONTRACT.
FOUR TIMES THREE IS 12, RIGHT? 12.
AND THAT AND, AND WHAT IS INVOLVED WITH A FORMAL INSPECTION? WHAT IS THAT STRUCTURAL? IT, IT'S EVERYTHING.
UM, THEY MAKE SURE YOU KNOW ALL THE CAULKINGS IN PLACE AND THEN THEY REPLACE THE CAULKING IF NEED BE.
UM, IT'S EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT.
SO THEY WOULD NOT INSPECT THE ELEVATOR OR THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL GATES THAT OPEN AND CLOSE THAT'S UNDER A SEPARATE CONTRACT.
AND I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT, UH, IS SOMETHING REQUIRED AS WELL UNDER THE INSURANCE POLICY? THAT, THAT IS CORRECT.
OKAY, BEFORE WE MOVE IN, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS ON 15 TO 24 88 AND 89? SEEING NONE, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, YOU WANTED TO MOVE? 19, DO YOU WANT TO MOVE? NO, THAT'S FINE.
COMMISSIONER SEABOLD ON THE MOVE.
DO YOU WANT A SECOND? IT? I'LL SECOND.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
26 HAS BEEN REMOVED, SO WE'RE GONNA DO 25, 27, AND 28, WHICH ARE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
THERE WILL BE RUNNING TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UH, DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 25 AWARDS PRICHARD INDUSTRIES, A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT TO PERFORM THE JANITORIAL SERVICES AT THE COUNTY PROPERTIES AT THREE 20.
AT 3 21 UNIVERSITY AVENUE, WHICH HOUSED THE DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $3,204,772.
THIS CONTRACT INCLUDES CLEANING ALL INTERIOR FLOOR SPACES, EXTERIOR
[01:10:01]
BUILDING PERIMETER, SKY BRIDGE AND PARKING AREAS, PLUS PROVIDING ONSITE CLEANING EQUIPMENT, AND OF COURSE CLEANING SUPPLIES.PRICHARD INDUSTRIES SUBMITTED THE HIGHEST SCORING PROPOSAL OF THE NINE RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
WE'LL, AT THIS TIME, LIKE TO, UH, INTRODUCE PRITCHARD INDUSTRIES AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE WORK MAY HAVE.
JUST PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND THE CONTRACT.
YES, MY NAME IS AZI ROS, I'M WITH PREACHER INDUSTRIES.
I'M ONE OF THE OPERATIONS MANAGERS TO RUN THE SHOW.
AND TELL US ABOUT THE CONTRACT, THE EMPLOYEES YOU HAVE WORKING.
UH, WELL, WE HAVE ACTUALLY, WE ARE RETAINED THE CONTRACT AT 3 21 UNIVERSITY AVENUE.
WE HAVE, UH, NINE EMPLOYEES TOTAL, INCLUDING A SITE MANAGER, AND WE RUN THE SUPPLIES, CHEMICALS, EQUIPMENT, AND ALL THE STUFF.
UH, I JUST WANNA MENTION THAT DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE, UH, MAINTAIN STUFF AND SUPPLY ALL THE THREE LOCATIONS THAT ESSEX COUNTY OPENED FOR VACCINE CENTERS.
SO, UH, WE'RE VERY PROUD TO, UH, UH, TO WE, WE ARE ABLE TO DO THAT.
IS YOUR COMPANY BASED HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY? YES, SIR.
AND ARE YOUR EMPLOYEES ESSEX COUNTY RESIDE? UH, WELL, YES.
THEY MOST LIKELY YES, BECAUSE THEY COME BY BUS AND WALK THROUGH THE, FROM HOME TO THE SITE.
MR. PARLOVE, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS, MR. KINON.
ANY QUESTION? 25 ARE, ARE YOU LOCATED IN ES COUNTY OR IN FLO PARK? WELL, WE ARE IN FLO HOME PARK, SIR.
WELL, THAT'S NOT ES COUNTY, BUT WE HAVE AN OFFICE IN, IN OUR 3 21.
I, I'M BASED IN 3 21 UNIVERSITY AVENUE.
THIS WAS A VERY COMPETITIVE, I'M LOOKING AT THE BIDS HERE, THEY'RE VERY TIGHT AND, UH, I THINK YOU HAD EIGHT OR NINE BIDS HERE, SO, UH, CON YOU KNOW, CONGRATULATIONS ON IT.
AND IT'S A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, SO IT'S ROUGHLY 640,000 A YEAR.
THANK YOU AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
UH, ARE YOU AFFILIATED WITH ANY LOCAL UNIONS? WE HAVE A 32 BJ.
UH, DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 27 IS THE EXERCISING OF A TWO YEAR OPTION TO THE EXISTING CONTRACT WITH MAGIC TOUCH CONSTRUCTION COMPANY TO PROVIDE COUNTYWIDE MISCELLANEOUS PLUMBING SERVICES ON A AS NEEDED BASIS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,175,612.
THIS CONTRACT EXTENSION DOES NOT INCREASE THE CONTRACTUAL UNIT COST NOR THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT.
UH, I BELIEVE THERE'S A BALANCE OF ALMOST HALF A MILLION DOLLARS LEFT IN THIS, UH, PURCHASE ORDER.
THIS CONTRACT ITEM NU UM, AND ITEM NUMBER 28 IS AN AWARD OF CONTRACT TO FRENCH AND ELLO TO PROVIDE THE DESIGN, ENGINEERING, AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES REQUIRED TO PERFORM THE RENOVATIONS TO THE GIVEN HABITAT AT TOTAL BACKED SUIT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $168,000.
FRENCH AND ELLO SUBMITTED THE SOLE PROPOSAL RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY IN RESPONSE TO THE PROJECT'S ADVERTISED RFP, UH, MR. ANDREW FRENCH OF FRENCH AND ELLO WILL NOW TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE THE COMPANY, FRENCH AND ELLO IN TOUCH IN THE SCOPE OF WORK, AND OF COURSE, ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS PORT MAY HAVE.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE, BUT PLEASE REMIND THE BOARD, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOUR COMPANY'S ALL ABOUT, WHERE YOU'RE LOCATED AND WHAT THE SCOPE OF WORK INCLUDES.
GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS, UH, DREW FRENCH FROM FRENCH AND PERELLO OR CONSULTING ENGINEERING COMPANY.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR ESSEX COUNTY DOING ENGINEERING WORK FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
UM, WE DO EVERYTHING FROM ROADWAY, BRIDGES TO PARK IMPROVEMENTS, ATHLETIC FIELDS, BUILDING DESIGN, UH, AND WE'VE DONE AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF, UH, WORK AT THE TURTLEBACK ZOO, INCLUDING THE PENGUIN EXHIBIT.
UH, THE DRAFT EXHIBIT LINE HYENA.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS CONTRACT IS FOR THE RENOVATION AND REFURBISHMENT OF THE GIBBS EXHIBIT, UH, INCLUDING THE, THE OUTDOOR EXHIBIT AREA WITH NEW NETTING, UH, NEW, UH, CLIMBING EQUIPMENT FOR THE GIBBONS, UH, NEW FENCING, LANDSCAPING, UH, ALSO THE EXHIBIT ITSELF WHERE THEY HAVE THE VIEWING AREA AND HOUSES.
THE GIBBONS WILL BE REFURBISHED WITH NEW GLASS, VIEWING AREA, NEW CEILINGS, NEW LAD LIGHTING, UH, ALL IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE A ZA AS WELL AS WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE ZOO DIRECTOR.
ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NO QUESTIONS.
AND PERILLO HAS DONE EXCELLENT WORK FOR ESSEX COUNTY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND EVERYTHING YOU DO IS WONDERFUL.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT WORK.
WE LOVE WORKING FOR ESSEX COUNTY.
UH, MR. FRANKLIN, JUST FOR THE RECORD, THIS, UH, THESE ENHANCEMENTS
[01:15:01]
DO NOT EXCEED THE EXISTING PERIMETER OF THE ZOO, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT, YES.UH, OTHER QUESTIONS? WELL, HOLD ON.
WE'RE NOT MOVING ANYTHING HERE.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER LUCIANO'S, EAGER TO MOVE.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
MAD AND DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON, UH, THROUGH TWO RESOLUTION 29, WHICH IS A CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE AND RESOLUTION 30 THROUGH 87, WHICH ARE MEMORIAS COMMENDATIONS PROCLAMATION RESOLUTIONS, WHICH CAN BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
COMMISSION HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEE NANDA.
MOVE BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
SECOND BY MERCADO 29 THROUGH 87.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 90, UH, FROM THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD LATER TIME.
MR. COLTRAN, MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS A NAME CHANGE FROM DREW ROGERS TO SOURCE GROUP LLC.
THEY PROVIDE A EMBROIDERY FOR VARIOUS SHIRTS AND SILK, SILK SCREENERS.
MR. BECK, ANY QUESTIONS? JUST THE NAME CHANGE, NOT A COMPANY CHANGE.
SO THIS HAS NO IMPACT TO THE EXISTING CONTRACT, CORRECT? CORRECT.
MR. MACKIN, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS ON NUMBER 90? SEE NONE.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE REPORT OF BOARD COMMITTEES.
ARE THERE ANY, UH, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? THANK YOU.
I WANT TO REPORT THAT THE TNR COMMITTEE WILL HAVE A MEETING ON MARCH 26TH AT 4:00 PM HERE WE, UM, HAVE I BELIEVE, EXTENDED AN INVITATION TO THE VENDORS AND THIS YEAR WE, UH, INCREASED, I BELIEVE THE FUNDING THAT WE ALLOCATED.
AM I RIGHT, MR. JACKSON? UH, THAT'S CORRECT.
COMMISSIONER FROM 100 TO 200 TO 200.
SO DO WE WANT TO, UM, DISCUSS C WORK THAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED LAST YEAR AND WHAT THE FORECAST IS FOR THIS YEAR? AND I THINK WE RECENTLY WENT OUT TO BID.
DID WE? WE ACTUALLY ADDED ANOTHER PARTICIPANT AS WELL.
SO NOW WE'RE UP TO THREE VENDORS FOR DOING THE T-T-N-V-R ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT ESSEX COUNTY.
I THINK YOU WERE OUT THROUGH THE ILLNESS, BUT, UH, THAT WAS WHEN WE MOVED THAT CONTRACT.
AND, UH, AT, UM, THE MAYOR'S MONTHLY MEETING THAT I PARTICIPATED IN WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, UH, THE MAYOR OF BELLEVILLE EXPRESSED INTEREST AS WELL.
SO THEY PROBABLY WOULD BE, UH, VERY, THEY'VE BEEN IN CONTACT MR. PRESIDENT? YEAH, THEY PROBABLY WOULD BE, UH, THEY WOULD INCREASE THE NUMBERS, UH, BECAUSE I'M SURE THEY HAVE A SIMILAR FERAL CAT ISSUE OVER THERE AS WELL.
IF YOU RECALL THAT IT WAS A NUMBER OF TOWNS THAT WAS NOTED THAT WE WANTED TO INCREASE THEIR PARTICIPATION AND THAT WAS ONE OF 'EM.
SO I'M REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT.
YEAH, I BROUGHT, I BROUGHT IT, UH, WE HAVE THAT MONTHLY MEETING, SO I'LL JUST KEEP BRINGING IT UP AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN, UH, PROMOTE.
IS THERE, UM, DO WE HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF FLYER? WE DID ANNOUNCEMENT.
ADAM HAD DONE A FLYER THAT WE SENT OUT TO FOLKS AND THE ADMINISTRATION HAD DONE SOMETHING LAST YEAR MM-HMM.
THAT I THINK WE RESENT OUT AGAIN.
SO WE COULD TAKE THOSE DOCUMENTS TOGETHER AND SEND THEM OUT TO THE TOWNS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
UH, MADAM DEPUTY CLARK, CAN YOU PLEASE SEND THAT AROUND TO EVERYONE BECAUSE WHEN WE DOUBLE THE BUDGET ON THIS THING, I'M SURE WE NOW WE CAN HAVE GREATER CAPACITY AND WE COULD EXTEND THIS BEYOND WHAT WE HAVE MET WITH HUGE SUCCESS.
UH, MR. DOOLEY, DO YOU KNOW OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD THOSE METRICS? I LOVE TO ASK THESE METRICS.
WHAT CAN YOU TELL US THE METRICS ON, UH, WHAT WERE, HOW MANY CATS WERE SPAY OR NEUTERED? AND I'M GONNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT HERE.
YOU'RE REALLY GOOD AT MR. MATTHEW DOOLEY.
OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
I BELIEVE THE METRICS ARE, UH, EACH FEMALE
[01:20:01]
CAT WOULD HAVE ABOUT FOUR LITTERS PER YEAR, UH, CONSISTING OF ABOUT FOUR CATS.SO IF YOU DO THE MATH AND YOU, THE END RESULT FOR LAST YEAR, I THINK WE ABOUT OVER 6,100 CATS FIRST PREVENTED IN JUST A ONE YEAR ALONE.
THAT IS, AND WE KEEP DOING THAT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, THAT'LL BE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.
SO I WANT TO COMMEND COOPER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER FOR THAT AND THE ADMINISTRATION AND MATT FOR A HOPPING US WITH THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE ON AN ISSUE THAT IS PROBABLY SO MUCH OVERLOOKED.
AND WE GIVE IT A LOT OF ATTENTION HERE AND, UH, I WON'T GIVE THE MEOW, BUT I'M SURE MAMA MEOW WILL GIVE US THE MEOW.
BUT YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO PINCH IT FOR VICE PRESIDENT.
ANY, AND IT IS ONE OF THE MORE FUN COMMITTEES, I'LL TELL YOU THAT.
RIGHT? IT'S SO ANY OTHER COMMITTEE REPORTS? ALRIGHT, DO YOU HAVE ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS? ANY WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS? SEE, NONE.
SEEING NONE, LET'S GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES TO SPEAK, THIS WOULD BE YOUR TIME.
UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
UM, SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF WEEKLY PARK SPORTS AUTHORITY.
UH, JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU SOME GREAT NEWS ABOUT THE GIRLS FLAG PROGRAM THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE OTHER PARKS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE GLENFIELD PARK.
THEY HAVE COMMITTED TO DOING THE, THE NFL FLAG GIRLS PROGRAMMING, UH, BURY PARK AND WEST SIDE PARK TOO.
UM, THE WINNER OF THE TOURNAMENT WAS GONNA START, UH, THIS IS GONNA BE, ACTUAL LEAGUE IS GOING TO START IN APRIL THE 12TH.
AND THE WINNER OF THOSE PARTICULAR LEAGUES IS GOING TO GO TO THE GIANTS REGIONALS IN JUNE, THE FIRST.
AND I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER WAYNE RICHARDSON FOR HELPING US PUT IT TOGETHER AND ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, HELPING OUT WITH THE COLLABORATION.
WANNA SPEAK TO THAT? YOU GOOD WITH IT? NAH, HE, HE, HE SAID, UH, I, I GOT SOME OTHER STUFF I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THOUGH.
BUT THANK YOU, DOUG, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO.
RIGHT? YOU ALWAYS IN A PARK, YOU'RE ALWAYS DOING GOOD STUFF, ALWAYS COMING UP WITH DIFFERENT INNOVATIONS AND, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU.
SEEING, THERE'S NO ONE ELSE HERE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE ANY SPEAKERS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THE COMMENT SESSION FOR THE COMMISSIONERS.
ANY, UH, COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES.
SO WHEN THE RUBBERIZED TRACK WAS PUT DOWN AROUND THE LAKE MM-HMM
WHAT'S THE, UH, LIFE, UH, EXPECTANCY THAT I, I I DON'T KNOW IF MR. I CAN FIND OUT AND LET YOU KNOW TOMORROW.
MR. CORY, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, THE PERSON WHO SHOULD HAVE ASKED YOU WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE RIGHT NOW WOULD'VE BEEN JOSH STATES.
BUT AGAIN, YOU LET HIM LEAVE, WE LET HIM LEAVE QUITE EARLY.
AND THE REASON WHY I ASK IS BECAUSE THEY JUST PUT IT DOWN AND IT'S COMING UP ALREADY.
OH NO, THAT'S NOT GOOD THAT IT ALL.
SO WHO'S THE VENDOR? UH, I DON'T KNOW.
I'LL GIVE YOU THAT, BUT YOU CAN FIND OUT, RIGHT? YES.
WHO THE VENDOR IS BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY COMING UP.
I NOTICED IT TODAY, COMMISSIONER AND I BELIEVE IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS PUT DOWN IN THE WEATHER TEMPERATURE SYSTEM.
I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WAS PUT DOWN, BUT THEY'RE THE PROFESSIONALS, THEY SHOULD KNOW WHEN TO PUT IT DOWN SO IT WON'T COME UP, PAID ENOUGH MONEY.
I DON'T CARE WHAT TIME OF THE YEAR IT WAS.
WHENEVER THEY PUT IT DOWN, THEY'RE THE EXPERTS.
THEY SHOULD KNOW WHEN TO PUT IT DOWN SO IT DOESN'T COME UP.
WE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY IN THESE PARKS.
COMMISSIONER, IS IT, UH, EXTENSIVE OR IS THE LIMIT TO AN AREA? WHAT, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? IT DOESN'T MATTER.
NO, I UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE, BUT HOW, HOW EXTENSIVE IS THE ISSUE? UM, IT IS GONNA GET WORSE.
COMMISSIONER, WOULD YOU MIND IF I HAVE A PIECE OF YOUR
YOU WANT I JUST DID A PA NO, YOU HAD ALL IT.
WHAT IS, ALRIGHT, MR. JACKSON, CAN YOU, UH, CAN YOU PLEASE INQUIRE, CAN YOU HAVE SOMEONE TAKE A LOOK AT IT? OBVIOUSLY CONTACT THE VENDOR, RIGHT? AND THEN, UH, JUST GIVE US AN UPDATE AS TO THE EXTENT OF WHERE IT IS AND WHAT MIGHT BE SOME OF THE ISSUES.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THERE'S NOT, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY IT'S A FREAK THING AND NOT AN EXTENSIVE THING.
THAT THE WHOLE THING HAS TO BE REDONE.
THROUGH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
AND I WANT TO KNOW WHO THE VENDOR IS.
AND WE'LL, WE WILL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THAT'S, AND WE, WE'LL TRY TO GET HIM IN HERE.
SO THEY CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION.
[01:25:01]
THAT'S IT.UH, MR. JACKSON, I'M LOOKING FOR AN UPDATE ON VAILS BOOK PARK LAST YEAR.
WE'VE GOTTEN A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS.
UH, I KNOW I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT DRAINAGE, THE WATER AND SOME OTHER THINGS.
AGAIN, NEW PARK THAT WE JUST MADE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF IMPROVEMENTS TO.
I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE STATUS OF THAT AND, UM, HOW HAVE OUR CONVERSATION BEEN GOING WITH THE CITY OF NEWARK RELATED TO THE TRAFFIC FLOW.
THIS, THE SPEED GOES REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY FAST THROUGH THAT PART.
AND BECAUSE WE'VE DONE ALL THOSE WONDERFUL IMPROVEMENTS, THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE USING THAT PARK.
AND I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO BE PROACTIVE INSTEAD OF REACTIVE.
NOT WAIT FOR A KID TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT, FOR US TO SAY, OH, WE SHOULD DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT ARE WE DOING AROUND THAT? AND, UH, THE STATUS OF ABOUT TWO, THREE MEETINGS AGO WHEN COMMISSIONER GILL WAS TALKING ABOUT THE CHANGES ON THE ROADS IN MONTCLAIR, HE MADE THE SPEED.
I ASKED FOR A REVIEW OF THE COUNTY, UM, ROADS, ESPECIALLY IN TOWNS THAT WERE HEAVILY POPULATED.
I KNOW I WENT BACK THROUGH THE CITY OF EAST STAR TO MAKE SURE I WASN'T WRONG.
I ONLY FOUND ONE SPEED LIMIT SIGN AT THE WENDY'S THAT'S AT THE INTERSECTION OF CENTRAL AVENUE AND MON THAT'S AT 35.
AND THEN I DIDN'T FIND ANOTHER SPEED LIMIT SIGN UNTIL I GOT UP INTO ORANGE, WHICH WAS 35.
AND THEN AGAIN, WHEN I GOT DOWN INTO NORTH, THAT WAS 25.
SO I'D LIKE TO KNOW, I'M GONNA ASK FOR YOU GUYS TO DO SOME KIND OF REVIEW.
I BELIEVE WE SHOULD SLOW THE TRAFFIC DOWN BECAUSE AT 35, THINK ABOUT IT.
I, MYSELF, IT'S GUILTY PEOPLE ARE DOING 40, 45 AND HEAVILY POPULATED AREAS, YOU KNOW, SO IF YOU BRING IT DOWN TO 25, WE'LL GET THE 35 MAX THAT WE WANT PEOPLE TO DO.
I NEED TO SLOW DOWN AND I'M WORKING ON IT.
IT'S SOMETHING I'M STILL PRAYING ON TO.
HOPEFULLY ONE DAY I'LL BE DELIBERATE FROM MM-HMM
FULL DISCLOSURE,
BUT YOU KNOW, IN THE PLACES WHERE IT'S HEAVILY POPULATED AND I KNOW, UM, I LOOKED UP THE RULES THAT, UM, PUBLIC WORKS DISCUSSED FOR HOW THE SIZE AND SPEED WOMEN GET AND I GET IT.
BUT I THINK IF WE COULD, YOU KNOW, BE MORE CAUTIOUS IN THINKING ABOUT THE KIDS, THE SENIORS THAT'S IN THE STREET, YOU KNOW, IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
ANYTHING ELSE? COMMISSIONERS? I HAVE ONE THING.
UH, THE BOARD WILL BE RECOGNIZING OUTSTANDING WOMEN, UH, IN ESSEX COUNTY.
IT'S OUR ANNUAL WOMEN'S CELEBRATION, UH, EVENT.
AND IT WILL NOT TAKE PLACE NEXT WEDNESDAY, BUT WE NORMALLY HAVE OUR WEDNESDAY MEETINGS JUST FOR THE RECORD.
IT'LL BE HELD ON THE 27TH AND IT'LL BE HELD AT THE WOMEN'S MON CLINIC CLUB.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, I WANNA MAKE SURE I DON'T GET THE SEND PEOPLE TO THE WRONG WAY.
SO I'M GONNA DEFER YOU TO THE COMMISSIONER'S WEBSITE TO GET THE INFORMATION THERE SO WE DON'T, UH, SEND PEOPLE TO THE WRONG PLACE.
BUT WE WILL BE THERE AT 6:00 PM ON THURSDAY, MARCH 27TH.
WE ASK EVERYONE TO JOIN US AND, UH, IT'S IN A GOOD NUMBER OF BACKYARDS FOR SOME PEOPLE HERE TODAY.
SO HAVE A GOOD STATE OF UNDER, IT'S STILL ON UNION STREET.
UH, THE WOMEN'S CLUB ON UNION STREET.
THANK YOU, UH, FROM THE MONTCLAIR EXPERT TO MY RIGHT HERE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVE.