[00:00:02]
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 HERE IN PERSON.
MADAM DEPUTY COURT, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
PLEASE STAND FOR THE SALUTE TO THE FLAG.
I'M GONNA ASK COMMISSIONER LUCIANO TO LEAD US IN THE SALUTE I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF OURS TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER, UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I'M JUST GONNA ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND HONOR THOSE WE LOST SINCE LAST TIME WE CAME IN THESE CHAMBERS.
I HAVE BEFORE ME CERTIFICATION FROM THE DEPUTY CLERK THAT THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF TRANSCRIPTS.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY? NO, WE DO NOT.
DO WE HAVE ANY TOPICS OF DISCUSSION? NO, WE DO NOT.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A COMBINED CONFERENCE BOARD MEETING, AND WE WILL VOTE ON EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
SO IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THERE WILL BE TIME LATER IN THE EVENING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OTHER ITEMS. SO I PLEASE AT THIS TIME, ASK YOU TO LIMIT YOUR COMMENT TO AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.
SEEING NONE, MADAM DEPUTY CLARK, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THERE'S NO ONE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE OF RESOLUTIONS ON INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READINGS.
MADAM DEPUTY CLARK, DO WE HAVE ANY? NO.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR LISTING PURPOSES ONLY.
LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING FOR PUBLIC HEARING.
DO WE HAVE ANY? NO, WE DO NOT.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THE RESOLUTIONS.
WE'RE GONNA SKIP ONE FOR THE TIME BEING.
WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH, UH, RESOLUTIONS TWO THROUGH SIX AND ADD STARTER NUMBER 41, WHICH ARE FROM DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
THERE WE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, ITEM TWO, UH, IS THE REPLACEMENT OF EIGHT COMMERCIAL DRYERS AND, AND REMOVAL OF THOSE UNITS FROM THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
UH, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THESE, UH, THESE DRIVES ARE FROM THE ORIGINAL, UH, JAIL.
UM, THERE ARE GONNA BE EIGHT WASHERS AND THE PRICE IS $398,256.
AND THIS WILL COME FROM, UH, CAPITAL FUNDING.
UH, ITEM THREE, UM, IS TO, UH, UH, FOR THE LAUNDRY DETERGENT, INFUSION SYSTEMS, AND CHEMICAL SUPPLIES.
THIS IS A ONE YEAR FROM THE DATE OF AWARD, UM, IN THE AMOUNT OF 70,000, UH, $475.
THIS INCLUDES A ONE YEAR SUPPLY OF DETERGENT DISINFECT, THE STAIN REMOVE REMOVER AND BLEACHING AGENT.
AND THIS IS ALSO COMING FROM, UH, CAPITAL FUNDING.
UM, ITEM FOUR, UH, IS TO, UM, SUPPLY FOR INMATE UNIFORMS AND THE AMOUNT OF, UM, AND, AND IT'S TO ACME SUPPLY COMPANY LIMITED, UH, AND THE AMOUNT OF $350,000.
UM, THE PREVIOUS CONTRACT WAS IN THE SAME AMOUNT, AND THIS WILL BE PAID FOR, FOR OPERATING FUNDS.
AND THIS IS A TWO YEAR, UH, AGREEMENT DECEMBER 12TH, 2025 THROUGH DECEMBER 11TH, 2027.
UH, ITEM FIVE, UH, UH, IT'S WITH GD CORRECTIONAL SERVICES.
THIS IS A AUTHORIZATION FOR A CONTRACT EXTENSION, UH, A 90 DAY CONTRACT.
IT'S EXTENSION NOT TO EXCEED 3 MILLION.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN, UH, GOING BACK AND FORTH ON, ON, ON, UH, ON THIS CONTRACT.
UM, AND, AND SO WE NEED A THREE MONTH EXTENSION WHILE WE GO OUT AGAIN FOR, UH, A NEW BID.
AND BY THE TIME WE GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS AND AWARD IT, UM, WE THINK WE'RE GONNA NEED SOME MORE TIME.
SO THIS CONTRACT IS GONNA, UM, CONTINUE FOR 90 DAYS UNDER THE SAME, UH, RATES AS OUR EXISTING CONTRACT.
ITEM SIX, UH, SIMILAR, UM, UH, CONTRACT ASCENSION.
THIS IS WITH C-H-C-F-G, UH, HEALTH SYSTEMS, SIMILAR CONCEPT.
UM, EXTENDING IT FOR 90 DAYS FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $5,400,000.
UM, THIS ONE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE, UM,
[00:05:01]
INVOLVED BECAUSE WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE OFFICE OF, UM, THE OSC TO GIVE US A, THEY HAVE TO APPROVE CONTRACTS OVER A CERTAIN AMOUNT, UM, BEFORE WE EVEN GO OUT FOR BID.AND THEY HAVE A, A RATHER, UM, HOW SHOULD I PUT IT? COMPLEX, UH, PROCESS, UH, TO GET THEIR APPROVAL.
UH, SO WE'RE, WE'RE STILL WORKING ON THAT.
UM, SO WE'LL BE GOING OUT FOR BID ONCE THEY APPROVE IT.
SO WE NEED SOME MORE TIME TO, UM, UH, SO THIS, SO THIS EXTENSION WILL COVER THAT FOR 90 DAYS, AND WE, WE WILL BE BACK TO THE BOARD WITH THE FULL CONTRACT.
41, UH, IT'S A CON AS A CONTRACT ORDER FOR CFG, UH, HEALTH SYSTEMS, UH, IN THE, IT'S A 20% CHANGE ORDER IN THE AMOUNT, UH, NOT TO EXCEED $3,720,000.
UM, WE'VE HAD, AS YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF, WE, WE'VE TAKEN IN PAROLE VIOLATORS IN OUR POPULATION HAS GOTTEN BIGGER, SO WE HAVE MORE, UH, INMATES AND WE ALSO HAVE SOME OF THE COSTS OUT OF, OF HEALTHCARE, UH, SUPPLIES AND, AND PHARMACEUTICALS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE, UM, THREE, UM, UH, INMATES WHO ARE IN, WHO HAVE BEEN ESSENTIALLY CONSTANTLY IN THE HOSPITAL AND THE COST, UH, WITH RANGING FROM, THERE'S A, UNFORTUNATELY A, A CANCER SITUATION, ANOTHER ONE WITH A HEART SITUATION.
SO, UM, AND WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE HEALTHCARE COSTS.
SO, UM, OUR COST HERE HAVE, HAVE KIND OF GONE BEYOND WHAT WE ANTICIPATED, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT THE CHANGE ORDER WILL GET US THROUGH THAT.
AND THEN WE WILL BE THE NEW CONTRACTS AS WE SET FOR FOOD.
AND ALSO, OBVIOUSLY FOR THIS WE'LL BE COVERED IN OUR TEMPORARY BUDGET.
AND FINALLY, OUR FINAL BUDGET FOR 2026.
SO WITH THAT EXCEPTION AND EVERYTHING ELSE, A PRETTY NORMAL ROUTINE BUSINESS CORRECT HERE.
MR. BAZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE ITEMS? UH, NO.
MR. PRESIDENT, THEY WERE ALL REVIEWED.
MR. MCINERNEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? JUST ON FIVE AND SIX.
SO ARE YOU SAYING IN 90 DAYS YOU'LL HAVE ANOTHER CONTRACT? YES, SIR.
SO YOU'RE STARTING NOW TO DO THE WHOLE PROJECT? YES.
AND THAT WAS REGULATORY ISSUES THAT ONE OF THEM WAS REGULATORY? YEAH.
THE OSC, UM, AND MR. COL, YOU CAN SPEAK TO IT, UH, TO SAY THAT IT'S CONVOLUTED, I WOULD BE COMPLIMENTARY, YEAH.
COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS? THESE ADD COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? JUST TO COMMENT, MR. PRESIDENT, UM, I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD ABOUT 14 YEARS.
CFG HEALTH SYSTEMS HAS BEEN WITH US A VERY LONG TIME.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S A REP HERE FROM THE PUBLIC, BUT LOOKING AT, UH, ITEM NUMBER SIX AND ITEM NUMBER 41, YOU KNOW, WE ARE TALKING A LOT OF MONEY, $8 MILLION, BUT I CAN PUT ON RECORD THAT I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THEM WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND THEY'VE DONE A GREAT JOB.
I MEAN, I'VE BEEN HERE AND PRESENTED A NUMBER OF TIMES THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS FOR THEM IN THE PAST, SO THEY HAVE BEEN, WELL EDIT IT.
COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS, HAVE A QUESTION.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. JACKSON FOR THAT ELABORATION.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO, AGAIN, JUST THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ITEM SIX AND 41, UH, BECAUSE THEY BOTH WERE SPEAKING TO THE INCREASE FOR THE HEALTH BUDGET FOR THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, BUT THERE'RE TWO DIFFERENT RESOLUTIONS.
SO COULD YOU JUST ELABORATE ON WHY THOSE TWO DIFFERENT RESOLUTIONS ARE THERE PERTAINING TO THE SAME GENERAL ISSUE AREA? UH, TO PUT IN SIMPLE TERMS, I HAVE SIX IS DEALING WITH, UH, JANUARY 1ST, 2026 THROUGH, UH, MARCH 31ST, 2026.
AND THE SECOND ITEM IS DEALING WITH OUR CURRENT, UH, 2025 ISSUES AT THE OVERLY SIMPLIFIED, BUT THAT'S REALLY WHAT'S GOING ON.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO I'M GONNA MOVE, UH, WE'VE GOT, UH, TWO TO SIX AND NUMBER 41.
MARY THOMAS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SECOND THAT? CERTAINLY.
THIS IS NUMBER TWO THROUGH SIX AND NUMBER 41.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER SEVEN, WHICH IS FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS AND COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION.
IT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UM, MS. SPANO IS NOT HERE YET.
CAN WE ADJUST THE MICROPHONE THERE IF YOU DON'T MIND, PLEASE.
WE'RE ON NUMBER SEVEN, MS. BENGAL, YOUR TIMING IS IMPECCABLE.
CAN WE, UH, BRING YOU UP TO THE MICROPHONE TO, UH, SPEAK TO WHAT YOU'RE HERE FOR TODAY? NUMBER SEVEN.
IS THIS ON? AND GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.
[00:10:01]
THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS FOR ESSEX COUNTY COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION.I'M HERE TONIGHT BEFORE YOU TO ASK YOU FOR YOUR APPROVAL OF MY PRINTING CONTRACT, WHICH IS WITH, UM, I'M, I'M NERVOUS BECAUSE THE CHAIRMAN STAND RIGHT HERE.
I BROUGHT THEM ALONG WITH ME IN CASE THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS.
WHY DON'T WE JUST HAVE 'EM COME UP AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND TELL US WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO AND OKAY.
KEVIN PANTE FROM ROYAL PRINTING.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD AND JUST TELL US ABOUT THE SERVICES YOU YOU'LL BE OFFERING.
I AM ONE OF THE OWNERS OF, UH, ROYAL PRINTING SERVICE.
WE'RE LOCATED IN WEST NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY.
UM, YOU KNOW, NOT TOO FAR FROM HERE.
WE SPECIALIZE IN A LOT OF ELECTION MATERIAL.
UM, WE PRINT FOR ROUGHLY HALF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, UM, SUPPLYING BALLOT SELECTION, MATERIAL SUPPLIES, POLL BOOKS, UM, VOTING AUTHORITY SLIPS AND CARDS, UM, VOTER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT CARDS, ANY, ANY KIND OF VARIOUS TYPE OF ELECTION MATERIAL THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.
UM, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN CONTRACTED WITH THE, UH, COUNTY OF ESSEX FOR THE LAST, I THINK SIX, SEVEN YEARS NOW, WORKING WITH PATTY, DOING SOME OF THE SAME TYPES OF MATERIALS.
MR. BAZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
MR. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? MR. RESIDENT COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS.
JUST WONDERING IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO EMPLOYMENT OF ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS WITHIN YOUR COMPANY, IF I COULD, I'M SORRY.
THE EMPLOYMENT OF ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS WITHIN YOUR EMPLOYMENT OF ESSEX COUNTY WITHIN YOUR COMPANY, WHO'S, HOW MANY REPRESENTED, REPRESENTATIVE, ET CETERA.
I, I, I'M GONNA BE HONEST AND TELL YOU, I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
WE HAVE 66 FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES.
UM, I'M GOING TO ESTIMATE THAT THERE PROBABLY ARE FIVE OR SIX THAT ARE ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS.
I, I, I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT WITHOUT HAVING THAT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.
SO, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONS? OKAY, GREAT.
CERTAINLY SAY NO OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS, ANYONE TO MOVE? NUMBER SEVEN, I'LL MOVE IT.
MOVE BY COMMISSIONER GIL OR I, SECOND? SECOND.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK ON NUMBER SEVEN.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS EIGHT THROUGH 10, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICES, AND THEY CAN BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, ITEM EIGHT IS, UM, IN THE AMOUNT OF $80,000 IS FOR OUR CODE BLUE HOMELESS SERVICES, WHICH ARE, UM, DONE THROUGH THE IRVINGTON, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT IMPROVEMENT CORPORATION AND, AND EAST ORANGE.
UM, AND THE AGREEMENT WILL BE FROM DECEMBER 1ST, 2025 THROUGH MARCH 31ST, 2026.
ARE YOU GONNA TAKE NINE AND 10 AS WELL? UM, ITEM NINE IS GONNA BE, UM, SHAMEIKA.
PIERA AND ALSO, UM, I THINK ALEXIS IS HERE AS WELL.
MATT, WOULD IT KEEP YOU BUSY TONIGHT? GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
UH, SPEAKING TO THE MICRO, JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION.
MY NAME IS SHAMIKA P I'M FROM ESSEX COUNTY DIVISION OF SENIOR SERVICES.
I'M A SUPERVISOR OF THE INFORMATION AND ASSISTANT UNIT.
UM, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE HEATING OIL PROGRAM FOR SENIORS.
UM, WE WILL, WE GIVE ONE TIME, ONCE A YEAR FOR SENIORS TO GET OIL, EMERGENCY OIL, 250 GALLONS OF FREE EMERGENCY OIL USE FOR SENIORS THAT'S IN NEED.
UM, WE HAVE A, WE GO BY THE EMERGENCY, UH, GUIDELINES, THE POVERTY GUIDELINES, AND WE DO A, UH, I'M SORRY, I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS.
WE'RE ALL, WE'RE ALL FRIENDLY HERE,
JUST, YOU KNOW, WE, WE JUST REALLY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, UH, UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
WE HAVE AN INTAKE, UM, PROCESS AND THEY CALL IN AND WE DO AN INTAKE PROCESS AND WE DELIVER 250 GALLONS OF EMERGENCY OIL FOR THE SENIORS OF ESSEX COUNTY.
MR. BAD, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO LEGAL QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS ON THIS.
ANY QUESTIONS THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS, AND THEN COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
[00:15:01]
THANK YOU.I JUST WANTED TO, UH, CELEBRATE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO EVERY SINGLE DAY, ESPECIALLY TO PROTECT OUR SENIORS.
WE LIVE THEIR WHOLE LIVES LOOKING OUT FOR US, CHAMPIONING US SO THAT WE GET TO DO THAT.
AND YOU PARTICULARLY AND YOUR TEAM GET TO DO THAT THROUGH YOUR WORK.
SO JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AND IN FACT, RIGHT BEFORE THIS MEETING, I GOT TO HONOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT CALLED CLINTON HILL ACTION WORK WITH THE SIMILAR WORK IN THE SOUTHWARD OF NEWARK.
SO JUST THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, COMMISSIONER.
WHAT NUMBERS DO SENIORS CALL IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN THE COMING? OH, OKAY.
SO THEY CALL, THEY EITHER CALL THE MAIN NUMBER, THE (973) 395-8375.
THAT'S USUALLY THE MAIN NUMBER THAT THEY CALL.
OR THEY CAN ALSO START CALLING 9 7 3 3 9 5 8 3 6 5.
SEE, THAT WASN'T SO BAD, RIGHT? NO.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER 10.
I'M THE DIRECTOR FOR SES COUNTY YOUTH SERVICES COMMISSION.
UH, TODAY WE, WE ARE REQUESTING APPROVAL FOR, FOR, UH, A CONTRACT AWARDS TRACK POOL TO PROVIDE GPS ELECTRONIC MONITORING SERVICES FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2026 TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2026, NOT TO AC EXCEED $129,434.
THE EQUIPMENT THAT WILL BE USED BY THE DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE COMMISSION ON THE YOUTH SERVICES WILL BE FOR COURT ORDER YOUTH, UM, AS A DETENTION ALTERNATIVE WHILE THEY WAIT THEIR FINAL DISPOSITION AND QUESTIONS.
MR. BOWS, ANY QUESTIONS? NO LEGAL QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS, THANK YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH, WITH YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP, SO I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
IT'S NOT EXACTLY RELATED TO THIS PARTICULAR, UH, RESOLUTION, BUT JUST AS FAR AS THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT IN GENERAL, I'M WONDERING WHILE WE HAVE YOU, IF YOU COULD SPEAK A LITTLE BIT TO SOME OF THE WORK YOU DO AROUND, UH, PREVENTING THAT CYCLE OF RECIDIVISM THAT UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ENTER THESE SYSTEMS FIND THEMSELVES IN.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU AND YOUR DEPARTMENT ARE KIND OF, UH, IMPLEMENTING TO MAKE SURE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, UH, REVISIT US AS MUCH AS THEY CAN? RIGHT.
SO THE YOUTH SERVICE COMMISSION, WE DO NOT PROVIDE DIRECT, UM, SERVICES.
WHAT WE DO IS WE PROVIDE FUNDING GRANTS FOR NON-PROFIT AND GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO PREVENT YOUTH TO, UM, PREVENTING THEM TO GO INTO THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
AND THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN, UM, COURT INVOLVED, GIVE THEM, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY SUCH AS AN ALTERNATIVE, ALTERNATIVE TO DETENTION.
THAT WAY THEY ARE LEARNING SOME, UH, LEARNING WHAT THE MISTAKES THEY HAD DONE, UM, GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THEIR EDUCATION AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY DON'T ENTER THE, UH, THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AGAIN.
SO YOU GUYS ARE MORE PROVIDING SUPPORTS FOR THIRD PARTY AGENCIES THAT ARE DOING THAT PREVENTION WORK, IS WHAT I'M HEARING? YES.
PREVENTION ALL THE WAY INTO, UH, UH, REENTRY.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, COMMISSIONER THOMAS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE EIGHT THROUGH 10? SURE.
COMMISSIONER LUCIANO, I SECOND ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK FOR EIGHT THROUGH 10.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S GO BACK TO, UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE.
WE'RE GONNA GO BACK AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO 11.
UH, MR. JACKSON, CAN YOU EXPLAIN RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE? UH, MR. MOHAM WILL EXPLAIN THIS ITEM.
UM, RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE IS FOR TRANSFER OF FUNDS FOR THE 2025, UH, APPROPRIATION, UM, YEAR.
UM, THIS IS TO MAKE SURE ALL THE DEPARTMENTS ARE, UH, COVERED AND THERE IS NO ANY OF COURT EXPENDITURES.
AND I'M HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
MR. CHABA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS MR. KINON ON ANYTHING? YES.
I HAD SPOKEN TO MR. MOHAMED ON THIS BEFORE, UH, BUT I WANTED THE, UH, BOARD TO UNDERSTAND WHERE SOME OF THE LARGER, UM, ALLOCATION, THERE'S 1.6 MILLION, UH, GOING TO CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, FACILITY, UH, SALARIES AND WAGES AND 1,000,006, UH, CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES.
UH, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE, UH, SALARY AND WAGE ALLOCATION OF 1,000,006 THERE BASED ON THE OVERTIME.
[00:20:01]
AT FACILITY THAT I'D LIKE, UM, MR. MOHAMMAD, JUST TO EXPLAIN WHAT HE EXPLAINED TO ME, THAT'S TAKING PLACE, THAT'S DRIVING THIS.SO FOR THE S AND WAGES, WE TRANSFERRING 1.6 MILLION.
UH, LIKE, UM, UM, YOU, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE OVERTIME, UH, WE HAVE, UM, UH, THE, THE AMOUNT OF, UH, MATES ARE ACTUALLY INCREASING.
WE HAVE, UH, OVER 2200 AND YOU REQUIRED, UM, MORE OVERTIME.
PLUS WE HAVE, UM, NO PAY DUES, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYEES, THE FINISH WITH THEIR SICK TIME AND VACATION TIME AND THE GET DOCKED AND SOMEBODY ELSE HAS TO DO THE WORK.
UM, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE LARGE INCREASE IN OVERTIME AND FOR THE OTHER EXPENSES.
LET ME MA'AM, OTHER EXPENSES? YEAH, I JUST WANT TO, LET ME JUST BEFORE YOU GO TO OTHER EXPENSES ON THE 1.6, IT IT IS OVER A TIME, BUT AS HE WAS SAYING, AND MAYBE JUST TAKE IT CLEARER, UM, THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF, UM, UH, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS THAT DON'T SHOW UP FOR WORK.
AND AS A RESULT, THIS CREATES A, A NEED TO FILL THOSE SPOTS.
AND THIS, THIS IS A, FROM WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING, IT'S IT'S, IT'S QUITE A BIG PROBLEM.
AND THAT CR CREATES THE NEED TO HAVE OTHER CORRECTION OFFICERS BROUGHT IN OR EXTEND THEIR TOURS THAT GENERATES THIS LARGE AMOUNT OF OVERTIME, WHICH REQUIRES THIS TRANSFER.
AND I, I WOULD JUST ASK MR. MOHAMMAD OR THE ADMINISTRATION AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THAT? JUST
THE, THE, ACTUALLY THE AMOUNT OF, UH, PEOPLE WHO, UM, MISSED WORK AND THEY DIDN'T GET PAID, IT'S AROUND $7 MILLION AS OF TO DATE.
UM, SO THIS IS COVER, UM, MOST OF THE OVERTIME.
UM, AND WE REQUIRE ONLY TO DO 1,000,006.
SO, SO THEN THE QUESTION IS, DOES, ARE WE MAKING MONEY BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T GO, I MEAN, IS ONE 1.6 IS THE TRANSFER? IT'S NOT WHAT THE OVERTIME IS? NO, THAT, THAT DOESN'T EQUATE TO THE OVERTIME BECAUSE OF PEOPLE NOT SHOWING UP FOR WORK.
THAT'S, YOU MEAN, THAT'S JUST THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WE NEED IN THE BUDGET TO MAKE UP FOR THAT DIFFERENCE.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS, OKAY, WE'RE SAVING 7 MILLION.
WHAT IS, WHAT IS IT, WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY, WHAT OVERTIME IS SPECIFIC TO THE AMOUNT OF OVERTIME THAT'S PAID BECAUSE OF THAT FACTOR? SO THE, THE, THE PROBLEM IS THE NO PAY DUE $7 MILLION.
SO OFFICERS WILL BE DOCKED UNDER REGULAR TIME AND OTHER OFFICERS HAS TO WORK TIME AND A HALF BASICALLY MAKE, SO IT'S REALLY HARD TO TELL SO THAT, THAT'S WHY WE NEEDED THE TRANSFER.
IF I MAY, I THINK OUR BUDGET FOR OVERTIME IS 9.3 MILLION.
AND THE ACTUAL EXPENSE IS GONNA BE ABOUT 12.3.
SO YOU WOULD SAY THAT DIFFERENTIAL WOULD BE YEAH.
SO IT'S, IF ANYTHING, MAYBE IT'S A, WE'RE A LITTLE AHEAD OF THE GAME.
WELL, THAT'S THE POINT I WANTED TO MAKE EITHER WAY.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MR. MCINERNEY.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER, MAYOR THOMAS.
IT'S LESS ABOUT THE BUDGET PER SE, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THIS MAYBE ISN'T FOR YOU OR FOR SOMEONE ELSE, FOR THE ADMINISTRATION AND MORE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN, IN THE JAIL.
SO I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
SO ONE, IF THERE'S SO MUCH, SO FEW PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING INTO WORK THAT FLAGS TO ME ONE, PERHAPS A NEED FOR A BETTER ASSESSMENT AROUND WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING ON IN THE JAIL TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THE STAFF WHO ARE SAYING ACTUALLY DON'T WANNA BE HERE.
I MEAN, LIKE THAT MANY PEOPLE CALLING OUT TO ME SIGNAL SOMETHING.
AND SO I'M WONDERING WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS DOING TO ONE, UH, PAY CLOSER ATTENTION TO WHAT IS THE QUALITY OF, UH, THE EVERYDAY EXPERIENCE OF BEING A OFFICER.
CERTAINLY HERE AT THE BOARD OF COMMISSION MEETINGS, WE DO GET, UH, ANY COMMENTS ABOUT, FROM FOLKS RUNNING THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE NATURE OF THAT'S LIKE.
SO I'M WONDERING ONE, WHAT'S THE RESEARCH AND THE WORK BEING DONE BY THE ADMINISTRATION TO SEE WHAT THE EXPERIENCE IS LIKE FROM CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS SO WE CAN MAKE THIS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY, UH, WANT TO ACTUALLY COME TO WORK.
SECONDLY, WHERE ARE WE WITH KIND OF HIRING AND STAFFING? BECAUSE IT DOES SEEM THEN IF WE'RE SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY IN OVERTIME, PERHAPS WE DO NEED TO EXPAND THE ACTUAL HIRING POOL OR RATHER THE POOL OF PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE.
AND SO WHERE ARE WE WITH STAFFING, ET CETERA.
WE HAVE, UM, COUPLE, COUPLE POINTS THERE.
ONE IS WE PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT A HUNDRED TO 120 PEOPLE MORE THAN WE HIRE, MORE THAN WE NEED TECHNICALLY NEED BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE OF, UM, PEOPLE NOT COMING TO WORK AND WE STILL HAVE A, A SHORTAGE.
UM, I I THINK THAT ONE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE, YOU'VE GONE THROUGH AND IMPROVED CONTRACTS, WE'VE INCREASED THE PAY, UH, OF FOLKS TO COME TO WORK, UH, SUBSTANTIALLY SINCE, CERTAINLY, CERTAINLY SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
UM, SO, AND BUT ALSO DIRECTOR CHARLES AND DIRECTOR VEGA AND OTHER ARE LOOKING AT PROGRAMS, MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS, OTHER THINGS TO, TO MAKE, UM,
[00:25:01]
TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS.BUT I, I WOULD SAY THAT WHILE THE, UM, CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF OUR LARGER DEPARTMENTS, UM, I I FIND THAT IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING, SOMETHING THAT'S OUR RALLY ENDEMIC TO WORKFORCE IN GENERAL.
GENERAL GENERATIONALLY, UM, THERE'S A DIFFERENT MINDSET.
UM, PEOPLE COME TO WORK, UM, TO ACCOMPLISH CERTAIN THINGS.
LIKE I WANT TO GO BIKE, BIKE RIDING, YOU KNOW, TO COLORADO.
SO HOW I EARN MY MONEY TO GO TO MY BICYCLE THING AND I GO AND YOU SAY, WELL, WHAT ABOUT OTHER ISSUES? OR LIKE, NO, I'M, I'M GOOD IF YOU DON'T, IF I DON'T COME TO WORK AND I'VE DONE MY VACATION TIME, OKAY, DON'T PAY ME.
THERE'S A, THERE'S A DIFFERENT MINDSET AMONG THE YOUNGER GENERATION AND I'M NOT, I'M NOT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IT IS JUST, AND, AND CORRECTIONS GUYS GET A LITTLE BIT BEAT UP BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S SUCH A LARGE DEPARTMENT, BUT IF YOU ASK AN EVIL AND DFAB ASK, UH, YOU KNOW, OTHER PEOPLE, THE SHERIFF ASK SHERIFF JONES, IT IS, IT IS A GENERAL, GENERAL RELATIONAL, I CAN'T SAY THE WORD, UH, DIFFERENCE, UH, OF MINDSET.
I, I, IT'S, IT'S, I IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT JAIL IS ACTUALLY A THOUSAND PERCENT BETTER THAN IT WAS 10 YEARS AGO.
I MEAN, IN TERMS OF JUST THE ENVIRONMENT, WHAT'S THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE? UM, WORK ISSUES.
IT, IT'S, IT'S A DIFFERENT AND WE HAVE TO, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO MANAGE ACCORDINGLY TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE THERE.
BUT, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CHANGE THAT MINDSET.
YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING AROUND MENTAL HEALTH AND YOU KNOW, I'M THINKING ABOUT MAYBE IT WAS AROUND THIS TIME LAST YEAR, YOU KNOW, WE HAD MM-HMM
UM, BRADY, UM, AND AGAIN, I'M NOT IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I'M NOT IN CORRECTIONS, BUT I HAVE FAMILY THAT IS RIGHT.
UM, AND I HAVE FAMILY WHO ARE INSIDE JAILS.
SO I KNOW IT'S NOT EASY BEING AN INSIDER AS AN INMATE OR WORKING THERE.
UM, I SAY THAT TO SAY, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON IN RECENT, YOU MENTIONED
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT SERIOUSLY, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING MORE ABOUT BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE'S A GENERATIONAL THING, BUT THEN ALSO JUST THE WORK ITSELF IS, IS NOT EASY FOR ANYONE.
IT'S, IT'S, I THINK IT'S THE TOUGHEST JOB IN NOR COUNTY.
I MEAN, I, I I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR PEOPLE DO IT.
UM, AND SO I THINK SOME OF THE ISSUES I TALK ABOUT THAT THOSE ISSUES WITH THE DIFFERENT, THE DIFFERENT MINDSET I THINK ARE MORE HIGHLIGHTED OR HIGHLIGHTED THERE JUST BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULT, SO YOU, YOU SEE IT MORE, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S HARDER TO MAKE YOURSELF COME IN TO DO THAT JOB THAN MAYBE SOME OTHER JOBS WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY.
I, I RESPECT EVERYBODY'S WORK AND I, EVERYBODY WORKS HARD AND HAVE TOUGH RESPONSIBILITIES, BUT I, FOR ME, THAT'S A TOUGH, TOUGH, TOUGH JOB.
I MAY I ADD SOMETHING? I JEROME PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME.
WE, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE DISCIPLINES ON THESE MATTERS.
I A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE WITH THEM.
IT'S A, IT IS A GENERATIONAL PROBLEM AND PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA BE ABSENT WITHOUT PERMISSION AND THEY'RE GONNA GET THEIR PAY DOC.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A NEW WORLD OUT THERE IS WHAT IT'S SO, AND I SEE IT.
AS ROBERT SAID, WE HAVE DISCIPLINES ALL THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, UH, ON PEOPLE THAT HAVE A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE ABOUT WORK THAN I HAD IN THE STONE AGES AND THAT SOME OF YOU VERY RECENTLY HAD.
SO IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT ATTITUDE.
ALRIGHT, LET'S BRING IT BACK TO THE BUDGET.
MR. MACONE, YOU HAVE A QUESTION ON THE BUDGET? YEAH.
I JUST WANT TO ADD SOMETHING TO THAT.
YOU, YOU'VE, YOU'VE HAD THIS ALMOST METAMORPHS TO THE JAIL THOUGH.
I MEAN, WE'VE, THAT'S A PART OF IT, BUT THEN HOW MUCH, WHAT DEGREE OF IT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, PRIOR THE COUNTY JAIL WAS FOR NONVIOLENT PRISONERS THAT, YOU KNOW, MIGHT BE SECOND STORY BURGLARS OR NONVIOLENT DRUG OFFENDERS.
UH, NOW YOU HAVE FEDERAL INMATES THERE THAT ARE MURDERERS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO TO A STATE PRISON OR, OR FEDERAL PRISON, YOU MIGHT FIND THAT THE, YOU MAY NOT HAVE THAT, BUT THOSE GUYS ARE TRAINED AT A WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL.
AND SO HOW MUCH OF THAT ADDS TO THE STRAIN DEALING WITH THESE, UH, CAREER CRIMINALS AS OPPOSED TO YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS ONLY A COUNTY PRISON WHERE YOU COULDN'T STAY THERE MORE THAN A YEAR? EXCELLENT POINT.
LET'S BRING IT BACK TO THE BUDGET, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE HERE.
SO MR. JACKSON, LISTENING TO MR. MOHAM, DO WE NEED TO INCREASE THE STAFFING LEVELS AT THE PRISON, THE POPULATION TO BE GROWING? UH, WELL WE'VE DONE, WE'VE, WE, WE'VE DONE THAT.
JOHN SAID, WE'RE DOING MORE WITH, UM, UH, GUIDANCE AND, AND COUNSELING AND DISCIPLINE, ALL THOSE KIND OF MIXED TOGETHER.
[00:30:01]
UM, AND WE'RE ALSO DOING, UM, I THINK A, A A BETTER JOB OF, OF MANAGING THE, THE OVERTIME.ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE AMBROSE GROUP WILL DO FOR US IS TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT WAYS THAT WE CAN MANAGE THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
SO, SO THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME, BUT I DO NOT THINK WE NEED TO ADD MORE PEOPLE.
WE JUST NEED FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET PEOPLE TO COME TO WORK.
SEPARATE TO MY SECOND QUESTION.
THE
AND MAYBE COMING UP WITH SOME KIND OF STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS THIS.
DID WE MAKE THIS A PART OF THE THING THAT IS PART OF THE THING THAT IS PART OF THEIR, THEIR ASSIGNMENT? I, I'M NOT SURE IT WAS THE SECOND OR THE ONE THAT WE JUST JUST APPROVED, BUT IT, IT'S INCLUDED.
I FIND OUT SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU AND GET BACK.
WE COULD BRING THIS BACK TO OUR COMMITTEE LEE, IN, UH, 2026 SINCE THAT COMMITTEE HASN'T MET IN A WHILE, THE UPCOMING REPORT, IT WOULD BE PROBABLY, UH, APROPOS THEN BRING, CONVENE THAT COMMITTEE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON NUMBER ONE? SEE NONE.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, THIS IS NUMBER ONE.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 11 AND 12, WHICH ARE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION DIVISION OF HOSPITAL CENTER.
AND THEY CAN BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
HI, IS THIS MS. AL? MR. DELGAUDIO DOING THIS? YES.
FRANK DELGAUDIO, DIRECTOR ESSEX COUNTY HOSPITAL CENTER.
RESOLUTION NUMBER 11 IS A CONTRACT WITH IPPC PHARMACY TO PROVIDE THE ACTUAL PHARMACY PROVIDER FOR THE PATIENT POPULATION AT THE HOSPITAL CENTER WAS ADVERTISED AS A COMPETITIVE CONTRACT.
WE ONLY HAD, UM, THEY WERE THE SOLE BIDDER ON THIS, ON THIS OPPORTUNITY.
UM, IT'S A THREE YEAR WITH A TWO YEAR RENEWAL OPTION.
THE COST FOR THE, FOR THE THREE YEARS IS NOT TO EXCEED 6,500,000.
SO WE AVERAGE APPROXIMATELY 88,000 DOSES PER MONTH AT THE HOSPITAL CENTER.
THIS CONTRACT IS ALSO AWARDED BASED ON A DISCOUNT OFF WHOLESALE PRICING.
IT'S NOT A PRICE BASE PER DRUG.
SO WHAT THEY DO IS THEY GET A WHOLESALE PRICE AND THEN THEY GIVE US A DISCOUNT.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE ASKED TO MAKE A DETERMINATION FOR THE AWARD OF CONTRACT.
THE NEXT RESOLUTION NUMBER 12 IS AGAIN, WAS ADVERTISED AS A COMPETITIVE CONTRACT FOR THE COST REPORTING AND REIMBURSEMENT SERVICES, UH, TO PINO CONSULTING GROUP.
UM, THIS AGAIN IS A, A THREE YEAR CONTRACT WITH A TWO YEAR RENEWAL OPTION.
THE COST FOR A THREE YEAR CONTRACT IS $505,000.
MR. BAEZ, ANY QUESTIONS ON 11 OR 12? NO, NO LEGAL QUESTIONS.
MR. MCINERNEY, UM, ON, ON THE, UH, THE PINOT CONTRACT IS THAT, THAT THAT DOES ALL THE INDIRECT COSTING WITH REGARD TO, UM, ESTABLISHING A RATE OF, OF, UH, REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE STATE THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? IT, IT ALSO IS A CONTRACT.
IT DOES THE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE PATIENTS AT THE COUNTY HOSPITAL, BUT THEY ALSO PERFORM THE INDIRECT COST REPORTS FOR THE COUNTY, FOR THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
THEY DO ALL THE IN INDIRECT COST REPORTING FOR THE COUNTY TOO.
IT'S INCLUDED IN THIS CONTRACT FOR D FIVE WELFARE, THEY DO THAT TOO.
AND THEN ON 11, IS THAT DISCOUNT UNIVERSAL OR DOES IT APPLY INDIVIDUALLY TO DIFFERENT DRUGS? UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? IT'S A UNIVERSAL DISCOUNT ON THE, THE MONTHLY, UH, INVOICE.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS.
ANY QUESTIONS TO COMMENT ON NUMBER 11 AND 12? COMMISSIONER GIL.
UH, THROUGH YOU ON, ON NUMBER 12.
WHAT, WHAT HAVE WE SPENT PRIOR, UH, ON THIS CONTRACT, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? THE LAST CONTRACT WAS ANNUALLY, IT WAS 131,000 PER YEAR FOR TWO YEARS.
ON 11 IS THE, THE PHARMACY CORRECT? OF 12? YEAH, WELL, 12 ON THE, FOR THE PENAL CONSULTING GROUP.
WHAT, WHAT WAS THE 120,002? 131 OVER TWO 30 OVER TWO YEARS.
AND, AND JUST TO, I'M UNDERSTANDING AGAIN THROUGH YOU MR. PRESIDENT.
[00:35:01]
OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND SO TO SPEAK.SO DFAB AND OTHER MORE THAN JUST THE HOSPITAL CENTER? CORRECT.
YEAH, IT, IT COVERS THE WHOLE IN INDIRECT COST REPORTING.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, IF, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT GOES THE COST OF FUEL, THE COST OF UTILITIES, EVERYTHING THAT GOES, THAT IS PAID BY OTHER DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS PUBLIC WORKS TO RUN THE HOSPITAL AND TO RUN OTHER GRANT FUNDED AGENCIES IS DONE THROUGH THE INDIRECT COST REPORT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON 11 AND 12? SEE DONE.
COMMISSIONER GIL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE HIM? UH, YES.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER FOR 11 AND 12.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE TO RESOLUTION 13 THROUGH 21 AND ADDED STARTERS 36 AND 38, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS THAT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. ZAS WILL BE ADDRESSING THESE.
UH, MR. JACKSON, BEFORE WE START WITH MR. J, UH, MR. ZAS, WE HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BROUGHT UP LAST WEEK ON A COUPLE OF P UPDATES.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, SIR.
MR. PRESENT? UM, UH, BERG, UH, THERE ARE THREE ISSUES THAT WE, WE TOOK A LOOK AT.
UM, ONE WAS THE, UH, UH, UH, THE LONG JUMP PIT, WHICH, UM, IT IS BEING EVALUATED BECAUSE THE CRITERIA FOR DOING THEM AND SOME SAFETY ISSUES ARE STILL IN QUESTION.
SO THAT'S AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION TO, TO WHETHER THAT'S POSSIBLE.
UM, THE USE OF THE KITCHEN, THE KITCHEN WILL BE INSPECTED ON FRIDAY.
UM, AND SHERIFF JONES AND HIS TEAM ARE AWARE OF THE TRAFFIC SITUATION THERE IN TRYING TO EVALUATE SOME, UH, ALTERNATIVES.
UH, SO THOSE ARE THE THREE ISSUES WITH RESPECT TO WEAK WAKE PARK.
UM, THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A NUMBER OF COMMENTS ABOUT A NEW BASEBALL FIELD AND, AND THERE ISN'T A NEW BASEBALL FIELD.
THE BA THE FIELD THAT'S THERE IS JUST BEING UPGRADED.
THE FIELD IS THERE IS BEING USED, BUT IT'S UNDER, IT'S UNDER THE STANDARDS OF ESSEX COUNTY.
UM, AND WHAT WE'RE DOING IS BASICALLY UPGRADING IT TO LIKE ALL THE OTHER BASEBALL FIELDS THAT WE HAVE, WHERE WE PUT THE ARTIFICIAL TURF IN THE INFIELD AND RESOD THE OUTFIELD AND GIVING IT A NEW BACKSTOP.
AND I THINK IT'S A NEW BENCHES.
SO IT'LL BE FITTING THAT THAT FIELD WILL BE FITTING, UM, AND, AND, AND BE FITTING, I BELIEVE, THE, THE WEEK WAY PARK COMMUNITY AND ALSO BE UP TO THE STANDARDS OF THE REST OF THE FIELDS IN THE, UH, IN OUR PARK SYSTEM.
AND THE, THE BOARD WAS, UH, PROVIDED WITH A LETTER FROM PRINCIPAL THOMAS, UM, PRINCIPAL, UM, UH, THOMAS KHALI FROM THE, UM, WAKE WAKE HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, UH, AND I, I DON'T, I WON'T READ THE WHOLE THING, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO, TO HEAR A PART OF IT AT LEAST.
HE SAYS, DEAR DIRECTORS IS DIRECTED TO DIRECTOR SANTE.
UH, DEAR DIRECTOR SANTE, AS YOU KNOW, WEAK WAKE HIGH SCHOOL HAS A LONG, PROUD AND RICH TRADITION, ONE THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO DECADES OF COMMUNITY PRIDE, ATHLETIC EXCELLENCE, AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.
TODAY, THAT TRADITION IS AT RISK WITHOUT ACCESS TO A PROPER HOME BASEBALL DIAMOND.
WITH THIS IN MIND, I AM HUMBLY SENDING YOU THIS CORRESPONDENT TO EXPRESS THE URGENT NEED AND PROFOUND IMPORTANCE OF CONSTRUCTING A VARSITY BASEBALL FIELD IN QUA PARK FOR OUR STUDENTS AND BROADER COMMUNITY.
LAST YEAR, OUR BASEBALL TEAM COMPLETED AN ENTIRE SEASON WITHOUT A HOME DIAMOND.
THE ABSENCE OF A DEDICATED FIELD NOT ONLY UNDERMINES THE INTEGRITY OF THE PROGRAM, BUT ALSO DENIES OUR STUDENT ATHLETES AND EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE, COMPETE, AND GROW IN FACILITIES COMPARABLE TO THOSE AFFORDED TO STUDENTS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY AND COUNTY.
A VARSITY BASEBALL FIELD IS NOT A LUXURY.
IT IS ABSOLUTE NECESSITY FOR ENSURING FAIR ACCESS TO ATHLETIC OPPORTUNITIES, STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, AND WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE.
UM, UH, WEAK WAKE HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL IS MORE THAN AN ATHLETIC TEAM.
A FULLY BUILT VARSITY FIELD WILL HELP US RECRUIT, RETAIN, AND INSPIRE STUDENT ATHLETES WITHOUT CONTINUING, WHILE CONTINUING TO BUILD BRIDGES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.
I RESPECTFULLY URGE YOU, URGE YOUR SUPPORT AND LEADERSHIP AND MAKING THIS PROJECT A REALITY.
BY INVESTING IN A PROPER VARSITY FIELD IN WEAK WAY PARK THE CITY WILL BE AFFIRMING ITS COMMITMENT TO ATHLETIC EQUITY, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, AND THE FUTURE OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
SO, UM, AS I ALLUDED TO LAST, LAST MEETING, THIS IS REALLY A COMMUNITY DRIVEN AND, AND EDUCATIONAL AND SCHOOL DRIVEN, UM, PROJECT.
AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT, UM, A NEW FIELD, IT'S SIMPLY BRINGING THE OTHER FIELD OR BRINGING THIS UP TO STANDARD.
THERE WAS ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE WALKING, THE, THE, THE QUALITY OF
[00:40:01]
THE WALKING TRACK VERSUS, UM, BRANCH BROOK AND THE, UM, FOR THE, JUST SO YOU KNOW, THE SAME THAT THIS BOTH TRACKS WERE DONE BY WITH THE SAME SPECS AND ALSO BY THE SAME CONTRACTOR.THE DIFFERENCE WAS THAT THE, UM, AND, AND YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON HAS BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT SOME OF THE PIECES THAT WERE COMING UP ON THE WEEK WAKE ONE, THE, THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT THE, THE WEEK WAKE TRACK WAS PUT IN LATE FALL WHEN IT COOLER.
UM, AND THE BRANCH WORK WAS DONE IN THE SUMMER.
AND WE THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT ALONE MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS OF HOW THE, THE SUBSTANCE ADHERES TO THE, TO THE, THE UNDERLAYMENT.
BUT IN, UH, WHEN THE WEATHER, THE WEATHER WARMS UP IN THE SPRING, THE CONTRACTOR WILL BE COMING BACK AND REDOING THOSE SECTIONS OF THE WALKWAY THAT WERE PROBLEMATIC.
SO THAT, THAT'S GONNA BE TAKEN CARE OF.
UM, WITH RESPECT TO PERMITS, UM, THERE ARE, UH, THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT OUT OF COUNTY VERSUS IN COUNTY, UH, PERMITS.
AND WE HAVE, UH, EIGHT IN COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE PERMITS ON THE, ON THE SPORTS FIELD AT WEEK WAKE AND SIX OUT OF COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE, UH, PERMITS.
UM, IN SOME CASES, UH, WE CAN HAVE THERE BY THE, THE, THE OUT OF COUNTY ADDRESS IS, MIGHT BE NEW YORK OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT THEY, THEY ARE THE PARENT ORGANIZATION FOR A LOCAL.
SO IT'S SOMETIMES DECEIVING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE THE, WHERE THE ORGANIZATION IS FROM.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE IN SOME CASES WHERE WE HAVE IN COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ALSO HAVE TEAMS FROM OTHER LIKE NEW YORK THAT MIGHT COME IN AND PLAY IN OUR LOCAL, UM, UM, UH, LEAGUES.
SO, UM, THE PROBLEM OF, I I I THINK IT'S, IT'S, IT'S THE, THE PROBLEM OF OUT OF COUNTY PEOPLE USURPING TIME, UM, IS NOT, IS NOT WHAT WE THOUGHT IT WAS OR WHAT MAY, MAY OTHERS MAY HAVE THOUGHT.
THE OTHER THING I CAN SAY IS THAT THE WAY THE PROCESS WORKS IS IF, WHEN THE, WHEN THE GATES OPEN, SO TO SPEAK, AND YOU CAN REGISTER FOR, UH, A PERMIT, IT'S NOT ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS.
SO YOU, YOU CAN BE EARLY REGISTERED, BUT THEN DAN AND HIS TEAM TAKE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO USE THE FIELDS, THEY EVALUATE, ARE YOU LOCAL? ARE YOU NOT LOCAL? WERE YOU, DID YOU USE THE FIELD LAST YEAR? YOU KNOW, ARE YOU, WE'VE BEEN WITH US FOR A LONG TIME.
SO ALL THOSE THINGS ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
SO THERE WAS A CONCERN THAT, YOU KNOW, THE OUTSIDE GUYS KNOW WHEN THE, WHEN THE THING'S OPENING UP, IT'S LIKE BUYING CONCERT TICKETS.
YOU KNOW, YOU GET IT, YOU GET IT.
ALL IT MEANS IS THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE REGISTERED, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE GONNA NECESSARILY GET A FEEL.
UM, THE FINAL THING THAT CAME UP AND I SPOKE WITH, UM, UH, LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES, UH, FROM THE AREA ABOUT THE, THE RINK CONCEPT.
UM, THERE WAS AN ART, MY CONVERSATION THERE WAS NOT, UH, ANY ENTHUSIASM WHATSOEVER WITH RESPECT TO SKATING, ICE SKATING.
UM, BUT THERE WAS SOME RESPONSE TO, AND SOME EN ENTHUSIASM BEHIND DO, LOOKING AT A ROLLER POSSIBILITY, UM, EVEN IF IT'S NOT A PERMANENT SO TYPE, LIKE THERE'S A, THERE'S ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO POP UP, UH, RINKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, DIRECTORS AND HIS TEAM ARE EVALUATING THAT AS A POSSIBILITY FOR THE PARK.
UM, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN ONGOING EFFORT.
BUT WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN, THAT CAN HAPPEN.
SO I THINK THOSE ARE THE ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED AND, AND IF ANY OTHER QUESTIONS THE BOARD HAVE HAPPY TO ADDRESS 'EM.
SO WITH RESPECT TO VALES BIRD, THE LONG JUMP, UH, PIT IS BEING EVALUATED TO SEE IF IT'S POSSIBLE.
THE KITCHEN IS BEING INSPECTED ON FRIDAY, UH, THE WEEK WAKE PARK.
THE, UH, BASEBALL FIELD IN QUESTION IS NOT SOMETHING IN QUESTION.
THAT LETTER INDEED HAS BEEN SENT TO ALL THE COMMISSIONERS, SO EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF IT.
IF ANYONE NEEDS TO SEE IT HERE, I HAVE A COPY HERE AT THE, AT THE DESK.
UM, AND THEN WITH RESPECT TO THE TRACK, THAT'S GOING TO BE, IT MAKES SENSE OBVIOUSLY TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS WHEN THE WEATHER'S BETTER AND WE HAVE BETTER ADHESION, WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE LIKELY CULPRIT FOR THAT BY SUMMING IT UP PRETTY MUCH.
AND THEN WITH THE PERMITS, UH, THE LIST MAY BE SOMEWHAT DECEPTIVE AT OUTSIDE GROUPS, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE GROUPS WE BELIEVE ARE TRULY INTENDED TO BE ESSEX COUNTY PEOPLE.
LET'S START WITH, UH, 22 THROUGH 26.
AND AGAIN, WE'LL BE DOING, UH, I'M SORRY, THE 2226.
IT IS 13TH OF 21 WITH 36 AND 38 IS AT IT STARTERS.
UH, JOSHUA EIGHTS S COUNTY PARKS NUMBER 13 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO TRAFFIC SAFETY SERVICE, UH, TO FURNISH AND DELIVER RENTAL PORTABLE LIGHT TOWERS AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $126,660.
THIS IS FOR THE VARIOUS LIGHT TOWERS THAT WE RENT FOR, UH, THE SUMMER CONCERTS, THE HOLIDAY LIGHTS OVER AT THE ZOO, AND ANY OTHER KIND OF, UH, PARK EVENT THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE DURING THE EVENING.
NUMBER 14 IS, UH, STATE OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS ACCEPTANCE AND EXECUTE
[00:45:01]
EXECUTION OF A GRANT APPLICATION FOR GREENBURG PARK IMPROVEMENTS.THIS IS, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY SURFACES.
THE AMOUNT OF THE GRANT IS $1,375,000.
UH, IT'S GONNA BE TO IMPROVE PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALKS, ADD SOME NON-SLIP PAVING, UH, RAMP IMPROVEMENTS, PATHWAY LIGHTING AND SIGNAGE.
NUMBER 14 IS, UH, STATE OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY REPAIRS ACCEPTANCE AND EXECUTION OF GRANT APPLICATION FOR RIVER BANK PARK IMPROVEMENTS.
THIS, UH, THIS GRANT IS FOR $400,000 FOR PLAYGROUND SAFETY AMENITIES SUCH AS RUBBER SAFETY, SURFACE IMPROVEMENTS, EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE, AND SIGNAGE.
NUMBER 16, UH, IS A BIT OF HOUSEKEEPING.
THIS IS A RESOLUTION WE DO EVERY YEAR BASED ON, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER COUNCIL'S RECOMMENDATION BACK IN 2004, UH, TO WAIVE THE BUDGET LEVELS OVER 1998 SO THAT WE CAN, UH, THEN, UH, GET TO NUMBER 17, WHICH IS THE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE RELEASE AND ACCEPTANCE OF, UH, ESA COUNTY RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $7,424,906 FOR SALARIES AND WAGES IN 2026.
THIS IS A SLIGHT INCREASE, UH, FROM 2025.
UH, WE WERE AT, UM, SEVEN, UM, 7,432,885 THIS YEAR, AGAIN, IT'S $7,674,906.
AND, UH, THIS INCLUDES A SLIGHT INCREASE IN SALARIES OF 58,000.
OVERTIME IS A HUNDRED THOUSAND AND THEN THE FRINGE INCREASE IS 79,000.
AND THEN TIED INTO THAT IS NUMBER 18, WHICH IS THE $250,000 FROM OPEN SPACE.
THAT'S FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT SAVES THE SAME AS LAST YEAR.
NUMBER 19, AUTHORIZATION TO USE THE RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND FOR FLOORING AT THE TURTLEBACK ZOO SAVANNAH CAFE, AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $97,339.
UH, THIS IS FOR, UH, FLOORING IMPROVEMENTS, REMOVAL AND DISPOSAL OF THE EXISTING VINYL FLOORING, THE PREP OF THE SUBFLOORING, AND THEN TO FURNISH AND INSTALL NEW FLOORING.
WE ANTICIPATE THAT, UH, THIS PROJECT WOULD START IN JANUARY, WHEN TYPICALLY THE ZOO'S A LITTLE LESS CROWDED.
NUMBER 20, AUTHORIZATION TO USE, YES, COUNTY RECREATION, OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND FOR TREE WORK AND STU REMOVAL AT MONTE URBAN ORANGE PARK.
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
THIS IS FOR AN EXISTING CONTRACT.
THIS IS JUST A SIMPLY A FUNDING MECHANISM FOR THE TREE WORK AND STOP REMOVAL OVER AT MONTE IRVIN ORANGE PARK.
NUMBER 21 IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO, UH, DOT DESIGN FURY IMAGE AND FORTRESS GRAPHICS AND SIGN LABS TO FURNISH AND DELIVER BANNERS AND SIGNS.
24 MONTH CONTRACT NOT TO EXCEED $200,000.
THIS IS FOR ANY KIND OF, UH, SIGNAGE OR BANNERS THAT, UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WOULD USE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF A YEAR.
AND THEN MOVING ON TO NUMBER 36, 36, 37 AND 38, I OMITTED TO SAY 37 EARLIER.
NUMBER 36 IS A NEGOTIATED CONTRACT WITH V ROACH AND SONS TO, UH, PROVIDE DEER BUTCHERING SERVICES.
AND MOUNTAIN KN TWO EXCEED $20,000 SINCE THE PROGRAM THE DEER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM STARTED IN 2008.
UH, WE'VE, UH, THE NUMBER OF VENISON THAT'S BEEN DONATED TO COMMUNITY FOOD BANKS IS, UH, 61,761 POUNDS.
THIS CONTRACT WITH V ROACH AS FOR THE SAME PRICE PER CARCASS THAT IT WAS PREVIOUSLY, WHICH IS A HUNDRED DOLLARS PER CARCASS.
NUMBER 37, A CONTRACT AWARD BUG COMPANY OF MINNESOTA, UH, FURNISHED AND FURNISH AND DELIVER FROZEN LIVE ANIMAL FOOD FOR THE TURTLEBACK ZOO MOUNTAIN KNOCK TO EXCEEDS $75,000.
UH, RIGHT NOW THE TURTLEBACK ZOO HAS AN ANIMAL POPULATION OF 150 SPECIES, WHICH ACCOUNTS FOR APPROXIMATELY 1500 ANIMALS.
THIS, UH, THIS CONTRACT IS, UH, FOR THE BUG PORTION OF THE FROZEN AND LOVE ANIMAL FOOD.
IT WOULD FEED REPTILES, AQUATIC SPECIES AND SMALL MAMMALS WHO WOULD EAT BUGS.
AND FINALLY, NUMBER 39, CONTRACT AWARD TO, UH, UH, MIDDLE VALLEY FARMS AND WF FISHER.
TWO LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDERS FOR HAY AND ANIMAL FOOD AT THE TURTLEBACK ZOO AND MOUNTAIN UDE SEED $165,000.
AND THIS WOULD FEED, UH, ALL THE FARM ANIMALS AND ALSO, UH, WE USE THE HAY FOR BEDDING FOR VARIOUS OTHER ANIMALS.
SO, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
MR. BZA, ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE ITEMS? UM, THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS.
I JUST WANNA REMIND THE BOARD THOUGH, UH, NUMBER 16, IT IS REQUIRED BY ORDINANCE FROM 2004 THAT THE BOARD MUST VOTE TO ALLOW THE COUNTY TO UTILIZE THE TRUST FUND TO COMPLETE SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT MR. ZES OUTLINED.
MR. MCKINNEY, ANY QUESTIONS ON RESOLUTION? 17.
UM, WHAT ARE THE FRINGE BENEFITS COMPONENT OF THAT, OF THAT NUMBER? DO THEY GET HEALTH BENEFITS IN THERE OR NO? UH, JOSHUA ZES COUNTY PARKS STUDIO.
YOU, MR. PE YET THAT'S, UH, IT ACCOUNTS FOR UM, ANY KIND OF UNIFORM ALLOTMENT AS WELL AS HEALTH BENEFITS AND THEN OTHER INCIDENTAL
[00:50:01]
SYSTEMS. WHAT'S THE QUALIFICATION IN THAT CATEGORY FOR HEALTH BENEFITS? IT WOULD SAME AS COUNTY.SO THE OPEN SPACE FRONT, IT'S JUST THE FUNDING MECHANISM FOR THAT? NO, I KNOW AT ONE POINT I THOUGHT WE DID NOT PROVIDE HEALTH BENEFITS FOR THEM.
WE GOOD? ANY OTHERS? I'M DONE.
THANK YOU MR. ZAS AND MR. JACKSON, UH, FOR YOUR INSIGHTS.
I'LL SPEAK TO MR. JACKSONS IN A QUICK SECOND.
FOR THE OPEN TRUST, OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND IS, IS IT USUAL PER FISCAL YEAR THAT WE ACCESS SOME OF THESE FUNDS TO MAKE PARK IMPROVEMENTS OR, UH, IF YOU COULD JUST SPEAK TO THE REGULARITY OF THIS TYPE OF RESOLUTION? SURE.
UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, JUSTICE ROSE, A SAC HEADING PARKS? YEAH, WE'VE BEEN, UM, DOING THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDS FOR AT LEAST THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS, IF NOT FURTHER.
AND IT'S, UH, FIVE OR SIX YEARS AGO IT WAS 200.
AND THEN THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS IT'S BEEN BUMPED UP TO TWO 50.
AND SO IT'S JUST BECAUSE OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN ESSENTIALLY? CORRECT.
UH, TYPICALLY IF IT'S, IF IT'S UM, SOME TREE WORK THAT WE DIDN'T PARTICULARLY BUDGET FOR, WE WOULD TAKE IT OUTTA THERE OR, YOU KNOW, SOME OTHER KIND OF IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS THAT.
AND THEN MY SECOND QUESTION KIND OF DOVETAILS REALLY WELL TO WHAT MR. JACKSON SHARED, AND I APPRECIATE THAT UPDATE, UH, BECAUSE I THINK LAST WEEK'S MEETING CAME WITH A LOT OF FERVOR, A LOT OF QUESTIONS, A LOT OF CONCERNS, BUT ALSO SOME OF IT WAS CONNECTED TO SOME MISINFORMATION.
SO I APPRECIATED YOU USING TODAY'S OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF CLARIFY THE THINGS THAT WEREN'T MISINFORMED, BUT ALSO THAT WERE BASED OFF MISINFORMATION, BUT ALSO WANNA LIFT UP THAT PART OF THE AREAS OF MISINFORMATION TO ME, UM, THAT EMERGED WAS BECAUSE PERHAPS THERE'S MORE THAT WE COULD DO AS A COUNTY GOVERNMENT AS FAR AS OUR COMMUNICATION, RIGHT? SO WHEN THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, MAJOR, UM, IMPROVEMENTS HAPPENING IN A PARK THAT MAY, THAT ONE ARE JUST AT SCALE, YOU CAN SEE THEM LIKE YOU CAN'T DRIVE THROUGH A GOOD PARK AND NOT SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE BASEBALL FIELD, RIGHT? SO WHEN WE HAVE THESE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AT SCALE AND THAT CAN EVEN DISRUPT THE FLOW OF THE CULTURE OF OUR SPACE, WHAT ARE THE WAYS THAT WE'RE KIND OF COMMUNICATING THAT WITH THE COMMUNITY SET SO THAT FOLKS UH, KNOW IN ADVANCE? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SUGGESTED LAST WEEK, AND SOME VERSION OF THIS MAY ALREADY EXIST, BUT I'D LOVE TO WORK WITH MY COMMISSIONERS IN THE ADMINISTRATION AND KIND OF BUILDING THIS OUT IS SOME KIND OF QUARTERLY COMMUNITY MEETING WITH PERHAPS THIS DISTRICT BASE, RIGHT? SO WE LET PEOPLE KNOW WHO ARE THE, THE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS OR COMMUNITIES, UM, THAT ARE DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN SAID PARK IN OUR DISTRICT THAT WE FORECAST, THESE ARE THE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT ARE GONNA BE GOING ON, RIGHT? AND THESE ARE HOW THESE COME ABOUT.
SO THAT WAY PEOPLE KIND OF KNOW IN ADVANCE, OH, OKAY, IN DECEMBER OR NOVEMBER WE MAY SEE SOME CHANGES IN THE BASEBALL FIELD.
NOW OF COURSE WE CAN'T ALWAYS ACCOUNT FOR EVERYTHING.
SOME THINGS WILL HAPPEN AND THEY MAY NOT BE IN TIME FOR THAT MEETING, BUT AT LEAST, UH, DIFFERENT MECHANISMS LIKE THAT CAN HELP, UH, GET US AHEAD OF THE CURVE AS FAR AS COMMUNICATION AND PEOPLE CAN ONE, HAVE THE ACCURATE INFORMATION EARLY.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO KIND OF EXPLORING WHAT THOSE POSSIBILITIES COULD LOOK LIKE WITH YOU GUYS.
AND THAT CONNECTS TO MY QUESTION FOR 13.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S AROUND KIND OF PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS IN BRANCH BROOK PARK.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WILL ACTUALLY, UH, CAUSE SOME KIND OF BARRIER OR OBSTRUCTION WITHIN THE PEDESTRIAN, UH, SPACE OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S FAIRLY MINOR AND KIND OF, YOU KNOW, NOT AS DISRUPTIVE, YOU THINK? SURE.
JOSHUA CHESTER COUNTY, CORRECT.
14 THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? UM, WE'RE, WE'RE IN THE VERY PRELIMINARY STAGE.
NO, IT'S, IT HASN'T EVEN BEEN DESIGNED.
THE FIRST STEP IS TO ACTUALLY GET THE FUNDS, YOU KNOW, CERTIFIED AND ALL THAT GOT, BUT UM, CERTAINLY ANY KIND OF, UM, UM, DISTRIBUTE, UM, DISTURBANCE TO THE USUAL, UH, USE OF THE PARK, WE WOULD, UH, POST SOME SIGNAGE AND LET THE, LET THE PUBLIC KNOW.
LEMME ASK YOU ONE OTHER QUESTION TO MR. SATES WHILE I HAVE YOU.
THIS WAS AROUND THE SKATING RINK IN BRIGHTENS BROOK PARK.
THERE WAS QUESTIONS AROUND, NOT NECESSARILY THE MANAGEMENT OF IT, BUT THE FACT THAT LIKE PRICES ARE GOING UP AND PEOPLE ARE LIKE, DANG, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ME TO AFFORD TO BRING A FAMILY, UH, TO BRANCH BROOK.
I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS COMING UP IT WAS MUCH CHEAPER, BUT LIKE, THAT WAS NOT THAT LONG AGO, BUT LIKE STILL KIND OF LONG AGO.
UM, AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THE PRICES AFTER HEARING THE, THE COMMUNITY OUTCRY, I WAS LIKE, WOW, THESE ARE, THESE ARE HIGHER THAN THEY USED TO BE.
OF COURSE WE JUST LIVE IN AN ECONOMY WHERE PRICES HAVE TO INCREASE BECAUSE COST OF LABOR ET CETERA INCREASES.
BUT I'M WONDERING IF YOU OR SOMEONE FROM THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT CAN, CAN SPEAK TO THE PRICES AND HOW WE DETERMINE WHAT THOSE RATES LOOK LIKE EACH YEAR.
SO, UH, JOSHUA'S HS COUNTY PARKS, UM, JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT, I REMEMBER WHEN WHITE CASTLE BURGERS WERE A QUARTER, SO
UM, MR. H BEFORE MY TIME THAT PUSH IT IN PERSPECTIVE DOESN'T APPLY TO ANY ANSWER ABOUT INFLATION.
I REMEMBER WHEN THE DOLLAR STORE, YOU SAID THINGS WERE ACTUALLY A DOLLAR, NOT A DOLLAR AND 50 CENTS.
SO I HEAR MR. ZAES, WHAT IS INDEED THE PRICE OF BURGER TODAY? DO YOU, I I DUNNO, MY DOCTOR TOLD ME TO STOP EATING THAT SO I CAN
UM, TO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT UH, BRIDGEFORD PARK ROLLER SKATING RINK, THAT'S ACTUALLY A RENTED FACILITY.
[00:55:01]
UM, WE DO, UH, LEASE THAT OUT TO BE MANAGED.SO WE DON'T HAVE MUCH SAY IN ANY OF THE, THE PRICING THAT'S ALL PRIVATELY, UM, MANAGED SO TO SPEAK.
AND HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN PRIVATELY MANAGED? OH, I MEAN I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE BEEN HERE 21 YEARS AND IT CERTAINLY EXCEEDS MY TIME HERE.
YEAH, I'M JUST WONDERING, AND MAYBE THIS IS A LONGER CONVERSATION, BUT YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'VE BEEN IN RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT ORGANIZATION FOR SOME TIME NOW.
I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD WORK WITH THEM TO GET SOME KIND OF COMMUNITY DAY, ONCE A YEAR OR SOME SPECIAL RATES WHERE EVEN IF IT'S NOT ALL THE TIME, 'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE NEED TO MAKE REVENUE, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENT RESIDENTS THAT HAVE MADE BRANCHFORD PARK.
LIKE WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, I FEEL LIKE IT WAS JUST PEOPLE FROM JERSEY WHO WERE THERE.
BUT NOW YOU LOOK AT BRANCHFORD PARK, THERE'S PEOPLE FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY COMING DOWN TO THAT RANK.
AND SO WHAT MIGHT IT LOOK LIKE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED MADE THAT RANK WHAT IT IS TO GET SOME KIND OF SPECIAL DAY OR SUPPORT SO THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY TAKE THEIR FAMILIES THERE AND THEN NOT BREAK THE BANK.
SO I'D LOVE TO JUST EXPLORE WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE DOWN THE LINE.
'CAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE A REAL VALID COMMUNITY OUTCRY FOR SOMETHING.
I'LL TALK TO THE DIRECTOR AND THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR, AND THEN WE CAN CERTAINLY REACH OUT TO, TO THE MANAGEMENT TEAM OVER THERE AND, AND, AND SUGGEST THAT.
UM, I JUST WOULD, UH, WITH THAT CONTRACT, I RECALL THERE, UH, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THERE WAS AN AUDIT PROVISION IN THERE FOR THE COUNTY, UM, FOR WHATEVER REASON.
BUT IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET A COPY OF THAT CONTRACT STATE? YEAH, WE COULD, WE COULD CERTAINLY PROVIDE THAT TO THE BOARD.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, THE RESPONSE FOR ALL THE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS THAT CAME OUT LAST WEEK FROM THE COMMUNITY RESIDENTS THAT CAME OUT QUESTION, I THINK THAT SENT AN EMAIL BACK TO, RELATED TO THE RATES WAS THE EMAIL SAYING THAT THERE WAS NOT A DIFFERENCE IN THE RATE THAT WE CHARGE FOR COUNTY RESIDENTS VERSUS NON COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT USE THE PARK.
COUNTY PARKS TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
SO, UM, WE ARE DEVELOPING OUR 2026 RATE PACKAGE, AND WHEN WE PRESENT THAT TO THE BOARD, UM, I THINK THE BOARD WILL BE HAPPY TO SEE THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS FOR, UM, COUNTY VERSUS NOUN COUNTY.
UM, DEFINITELY WITH THE GOLF COURSE AND THEN ALSO PROFIT VERSUS NONPROFIT FOR PERMITS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING WE LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING TO THE BOARD, UM, EARLY NEXT YEAR.
SO MR. JACKSON, WHEN, UM, DIRECTOR SO'S OFFICE GET THE APPLICATION, THEY EVALUATE WHETHER YOU'RE IN TOWN OR OUT OF TOWN, AND THEN THEY ASSESS WHAT THE FEES IS GONNA BE.
WELL, THE, THE FEES ARE SET BY THE BOARD, BUT WHAT THEY DO WHEN THEY GET THE, UM, APPLICATIONS IS THEY EVALUATE AND JOSH GETS SPEAK TO IT MORE INTELLIGENT.
I, BUT BASICALLY WHAT I WAS TRYING TO POINT, I WAS TRYING TO MAKE WAS THAT THE FACT THAT YOU GET IN EARLIER THAN SOMEBODY ELSE, AS LONG AS YOU GET IN WITHIN THE APPLICATION WINDOW, YOU'RE EVALUATED EQUALLY.
AND I THINK THE CONCERN WAS THAT SOME OF THE OUTSIDE GROUPS, YOU KNOW, AT 1201, THEY GET THEIR THING AND THEN THEY'RE, THEY TAKE THE FIELD.
THAT, THAT WAS THE POINT I WAS SO THE COUNTY RESIDENTS IS STILL GETTING FIRST OPPORTUNITY OVER THE NON YES.
AND BASED ON DESPITE THE, UM, PUBLIC PERCEPTION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER GI? UH, THANK YOU, COMM PRESIDENT.
JUST TO, UM, AND I, I KNOW THIS IS NOT THE TIME, BUT, UM, TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT, AND I'VE, I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR OVER A DECADE, PROBABLY NOW, OR LONGER THAN I'D LIKE TO REMEMBER, BUT THE, UM, THE, THE FOR-PROFIT SPORTS LEAGUES THAT ARE UTILIZING, UM, ARE FIELDS ARE SUBSIDIZING THEIR BUSINESSES ON OUR BACK, SO TO SPEAK.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO, I'LL PUT IT ON RECORD NOW AND WE'LL HAVE MORE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS DURING THE BUDGET HEARINGS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A CONTINUED INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF FEES THAT THE FOR-PROFIT LEAGUES HAVE TO PAY TO UTILIZE OUR FACILITIES.
WE, WE ARE SUBSIDIZING FOR PROFIT BUSINESSES WITH TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND WE SHOULD BE GETTING EVERY SINGLE OUNCE OUT OF THOSE FOR-PROFIT SPORTS LEAGUES.
I'M NOT AGAINST FOR-PROFIT SPORTS LEAGUES, BUT WHEN WE, WHEN WE DO THAT, SO I KNOW THERE'S A, I KNOW THERE'S A, I KNOW THERE'S A, A CHANGE NOW WHERE THEY'RE PAYING MORE THAN NON-PROFIT SPORTS LEAGUES, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT WHEN, AS WE ENTER INTO THAT BUDGET PROCESS IS TO EXPAND THAT, UM, EVEN MORE.
UM, SECONDLY, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, UM, UH, VERY HAPPY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE FIRM THAT DOES THE SIGNAGE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE, UH, FOR THE, FOR THE PARKS.
IF, IF, UM, THROUGH YOU, MR. UH, MR. JACKSON, IF YOU COULD MENTION TO THE ADMINISTRATION THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT PICTURES OF OUR COMMISSIONERS
[01:00:01]
AS WELL,SO WHEN WE APPROVE THIS TONIGHT, THAT WE APPROVE IT WITH THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE COMPANY AND THE GREAT WORK THEY DO.
BUT ALSO JUST MENTION TO THEM AGAIN THAT THERE'S ALSO NINE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSIONER BOARD WHO ALSO HAVE GREAT HEAD SHOTS,
UH, AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT.
COMMISSIONER GILL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE 13 THROUGH 21, 36.
BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ROLL CALL MATTER.
DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 22 THROUGH 26.
LET'S MOVE ON TO 22 TO 26, WHICH ARE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND THEY CAN BE ROUTED TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER, UH, 22 IS AN AWARD OF CONTRACT TO BRIGHTVIEW ENGINEERING TO PROVIDE CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT SERVICES REQUIRED TO SUCCESS SUCCESSFULLY CONSTRUCT THE 29 TRAFFIC SIGNAL AND WORK IMPROVEMENTS ALONG GROVE STREET, CLINTON AVENUE IN IRVINGTON AVENUE IN AN AMOUNT TO EXCEED $280,000.
BRIGHTVIEW ENGINEERING SUBMITTED THE HIGHEST RATE OF PROPOSAL OF THE THREE RECEIVED BROTHER, THE COUNTY OF FEX AND MR. ANDREW LARSON OF BRIGHTVIEW ENGINEERING IS HERE THIS EVENING TO INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS SUPPORT MAY HAVE.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME, AFFILIATION, AND TELL US ABOUT THE PROJECT AND YOUR COMPANY PLEASE.
I AM A PROJECT MANAGER AT BRIGHTVIEW ENGINEERING.
WE ARE A SMALL ENGINEERING FIRM THAT'S, UH, CENTERED IN LIVINGSTON.
WE HAVE OVER 50% OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE ASEX COUNTY RESIDENTS.
UH, WE'VE BEEN SERVING VARIOUS MUNICIPALITIES IN ESSEX COUNTY AS OUR TRAFFIC ENGINEERS AND WORK WITH THE COUNTY FOR PREVIOUS DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SPECTRUM SERVICES.
AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SERVE THE COUNTY.
MR. BAZ, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR WHILE HE'S HERE? COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER FOR ITEM NUMBER 22.
ARE YOU, UM, IS THIS NORTH GROVE STREET IN EAST ORANGE AS WELL OR JUST I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO FINISH THE, ALL THE DOCUMENTS THROUGH YOU MR. PRESIDENT? YES.
DOES THIS INCLUDE THAT INTERSECTION THAT WE'VE GOTTEN A COMPLAINT ABOUT WOOD ROAD IN SPRINGDALE? YES.
UH, THROUGH YOU MR. PRESTON? YES IT DOES.
UH, DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 23 AWARDS MULTI FORCE, A TWO YEAR CONTRACT TO PERFORM THE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE AND EMERGENCY REPAIRS FOR THE COUNTY'S FUEL FORCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $62,000.
THIS CONTRACT IS USED TO KEEP THE COMPUTER AND SOFTWARE SYSTEM USED BY THE COUNTY'S NINEVEH FUNERAL LOCATIONS.
OPERATIONAL ITEM NUMBER 24 AWARDS, A BC FIRE SAFETY, A TWO YEAR CONTRACT, INSPECT, TEST AND MAINTAIN THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND FIRE HOSES LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY'S FACILITIES IN AMOUNT TO EXCEED $36,071 A BC FIRE SAFETY SUBMITTED TO LOWEST OF THE TWO BITS RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY.
THE SERVICE PROVIDED WITH THIS CONTRACT ENSURES THAT OUR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND HOSES ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE OF NEW JERSEY FIRE SAFETY REGULATIONS.
AND ITEM NUMBER 25 IS THEY'RE EXERCISING OF A TWO YEAR OPTION TO THE EXIST EXISTING CONTRACTS WITH MORE THAN SALT AND ATLANTIC SALT TO FURNISH AND DELIVER ROADWAY SALT IN AMOUNT TO EXCEED FIVE, $5 MILLION IN THE AGGREGATE.
THIS CONTRACT ALLOWED FOR THE REPLENISHMENT OF THE COUNTY ROAD.
WE SOLD STOCK AS, AS IT IS DEPLETED DURING SNOW AND ICE EVENTS DURING THE WINTER.
AND ITEM NUMBER 26 AUTHORIZES EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OF EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES USED BY THE COUNTY IN MOSQUITO CONTROL ACTIVITIES IN AMOUNT OF UP TO $2 MILLION.
THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE USED TO FUND ADMINISTRATIVE EQUIPMENT,
[01:05:01]
SUPPLIES AND STAFFING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE YEAR ROUND OPERATIONS OF MOSQUITO CONTROL PERFORMED BY THE COUNTY OF PHYSICS.AND BEFORE I GET ONTO THE QUESTIONS, WITH RESPECT TO 25, A $5 MILLION, UH, CONTRACT FOR SALT, WE HAVEN'T COME CLOSE TO USE, THANKFULLY, KNOCK ON WOOD, WE HAVEN'T COME CLOSE TO USING IT BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT NEED FOR SALT BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF STORM.
CAN YOU, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? UH, TYPICALLY, UM, EVEN IF YOU HAVE TWO OF THE WORST SNOW STORMS, SNOW SEASONS, SORRY, IN RECENT HISTORY, THAT WOULD STILL COVER US.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE VERY WELL COVERED THERE.
MR. BAZ, ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE ITEMS? NO, NO LEGAL CONCERNS.
COMMISSIONER, IS THERE ANY QUESTIONS? MR. MR. PRESIDENT? I HAVE NOTICED THAT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WE ALSO USE THE BRINE.
IS THAT SEPARATE? AND HOW MUCH DO WE USE MORE OF THE SALT OR THE ACTUAL BRINE IN OUR COUNTY? UH, PRESIDENT, UH, THE USE OF THE BRINE IS SEPARATE FROM THE ROCK SALT.
IT'S A DIFFERENT, UH, NOT CHEMICAL.
IT'S A DIFFERENT, UH, PRODUCT.
AND WE USUALLY PRE-TREAT LOCATIONS OF OUR ROADWAY SYSTEM THAT WOULD BE PRONE TO AN ICING OR A CONDITION THAT'S MORE DANGEROUS, LIKE THE CURVES AND THE HILLS.
UH, WE TEND TO USE MORE OF THE, THE ROADWAY SALT, ACTUALLY, UH, THAT'S IN WEIGHT AND IN COST.
BRIAN IS CHEAP AND IT'S MORE EFFICIENT AND IT'S PROVEN TO BE A GREAT, UH, TOOL TO OUR TOOLKIT, UH, FOR ASYNC AND SNOW EVENTS.
YOU ACTUALLY ASKED MY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, SO, OKAY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? LUCINA, WOULD I MOVE? COMMISSIONER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE? 22 TO 26.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
MADAM DEPUTY COURT COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 27, WHICH IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION.
THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES.
AND THAT CAN BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? MR. COLTATE? MR. COLT? GOOD EVENING.
HOW ARE YOU? I'M DOING WELL, SIR.
YOURSELF? UH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION.
DIVISION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICE.
ACCEPTANCE OF A LETTER OF INTENT FOR THE 2027 MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE GRANT FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR'S COUNSEL ON ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE ADMISSIBLE ALLIANCE GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $343,414.
THIS ALLOWS FOR THE MUNICIPALITIES TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT MONEY, YOU KNOW, FOR NEXT YEAR.
THANK YOU, MR. ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
MOTION MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 28, WHICH IS IN THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR AND CAN BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. COULTER, THIS IS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE COURT REPORTER SERVICE FOR VARIOUS COUNTY AGENCIES.
UH, THE AWARD IS TO ELITE TRANSCRIPTION JANUARY 1ST, 2026 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2020, UH, 2026 IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $200,000.
ANY QUESTIONS? SO I'M GONNA MOVE IT MOVE BY GIL.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK AT 28.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION, RESOLUTION 29 30 AND ADDED STARTED NUMBER 30, DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE AND, AND CAN BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION, FINES, OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCE CONTRACT AWARD.
THIS IS A TWO YEAR, UH, CONTRACT EXTENSION, JANUARY 19TH, 2026 THROUGH JANUARY 18TH, 2028.
MOUNTAIN NOT TO EXCEED $150,205 AND 44 CENTS.
YOU WANNA DO 30, ARE YOU DOING 30 AS WELL? UM, NO, I'M DOING 30 ALSO.
UH, DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION OF FINANCES, OFFICE OF
[01:10:01]
PURCHASING APPROVAL OF THE 2026 OMNIBUS JANUARY 1ST, 2026 TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2026.AND REMEMBER THIS, THAT THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING DOES NOT SPEND THIS MONEY.
ALL THE DEPARTMENTS WHO UTILIZE STATE CONTRACTS, ALL THE CO-OPS, YOU ARE ALLOWING ME TO APPROVE THEM AND REVIEW THEIR, THOSE PURCHASE ORDERS THIS WAY.
OTHERWISE, WE DO ABOUT 50,000 PURCHASE ORDERS A YEAR AND EVERYONE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO THIS.
THIS IS A NORMAL FUNCTION AND THIS IS DONE ANNUALLY.
AND WHAT ABOUT 39? 39 OFFICE OF COUNTY COUNSEL.
THIS IS THIS GENTLEMAN TO MY LEFT HE WILL SPEAK ON.
WANNA GO BACK? UH, LET'S HOLD OFF ON THAT.
LET'S, LET'S VOTE ON, UH, 29 AND 30.
SO BEFORE WE DO THAT, 30 WAIT, I WAS, I'M SORRY.
UH, ADMINISTRATIVE LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AND TARA KENNEDY REALTOR, LLC, EXECUTION OF PERMITTING THE COUNTY TO LEASE SPACE AT 1 55 PROSPECT AVENUE, WEST ORANGE, JANUARY 1ST, 2026 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2027.
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $299,174 AND 73 CENTS.
WE DO HAVE A CURRENT LEASE WITH THEM.
AND THIS NEW LEASE, THIS IS WHERE PARKS IS RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE MOVING PARKS OUT OF THAT BUILDING.
WE ARE NOW ADDING THE SHERIFF'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS DIVISION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION BUSES, WHICH WILL BE PARKED THERE UNTIL WE BUILD OUR NEW BUILDING IN VERONA.
AND THE ONE THAT WE JUST PURCHASED THAT EARLIER THIS YEAR.
OKAY, MS. SHABAZ, ANY QUESTIONS ON 29 30 AND 39? NO QUESTIONS.
MOVE BY LUCIANO, DO YOU HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLARK ON TWENTY NINE THIRTY AND 39.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 31 THROUGH 35, WHICH ARE 2025 COUNTY BUDGET INSERTION OF ITEMS OF REVENUE FROM VARIOUS SOURCES THAT CAN BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, MR. PRESIDENT, UM, ITEM 31 IS, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,375,000 IS A GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS TO OUR DEPARTS DEPARTMENT FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY UPGRADES AT BROOK PARK, INCLUDING, UH, ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS, NEW CROSSING SIGNS, STRIPING SIGNAGE AND TREE PRUNING, AND THERE'S NO, UH, COUNTY MATCH.
UH, SIMILARLY, ITEM 32, UH, FOR RIVERBANK PARK, ALSO FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF COUNTY AFFAIRS.
AND THE AMOUNT OF $400,000 FOR SIMILAR, UH, UPGRADES WITH NO COUNTY MATCH.
UH, ITEM 33, UH, RELATES BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 26, WHICH IS THE $2 MILLION FOR OUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS WITH THE MOSQUITO CONTROL OPERATION.
AND THERE IS, UH, AN AMOUNT OF $2 MILLION, AND THERE IS NO COUNTY MATCH FOR THIS AS WELL.
UH, ITEM 34, UH, IS A REIMBURSEMENT TO OUR BOARD OF ELECTIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $723,601 AND 72 CENTS.
THIS IS REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE 2025 PRIMARY EARLY VOTING, UH, UH, EFFORT.
UH, ITEM 35, UH, SIMILARLY IS FOR THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, AND THIS IS A REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE 2025 PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTION DAY, UH, GRANT.
UM, AGAIN, $18,341 AND 3 CENTS.
AND THERE IS NO, UM, COUNTY MATCH.
RIGHT? THAT I, I DID, I THINK I DID 35, RIGHT? YEAH, THAT'S IT.
THAT'S ALL FOR YOU AT THE MOMENT.
MS. SHABAZ, ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS ON 31 AND 35? SEE NONE.
SO I'M GONNA MOVE IT MOVE BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND BY LUCIANO.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GID? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S GO ON TO, I THINK WE MAY HAVE SKIPPED ONE HERE.
LET'S GO BACK TO, UH, NUMBER 40, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'VE DID 40.
OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR.
[01:15:01]
UH, THIS IS, UM, A CHANGE ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $150,000.UM, THIS IS PART OF OUR, UH, TMDR, UH, PROGRAM.
UH, THE BOARD APPROVED IN THE, IN THE, IN OUR ANNUAL, IN OUR 2025 BUDGET, AN AMOUNT OF $200,000, UH, TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT OUT OF OPERATING FUNDS.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN, UH, VERY SUCCESSFUL, UH, IN THIS EFFORT, AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR MORE MONEY TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO THE ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES.
UM, AS A RESULT OF THE SUCCESS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD, WE STARTED OUT WITH ONE, UH, GROUP, I THINK IT WAS ASSOCIATED, WAS OUR FIRST ONE.
UM, AND WE'RE NOW UP TO THREE AGENCIES, UH, PERFORMING THE PROCEDURES.
UM, EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE THRILLED, THRILLED WITH IT.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING FOR SOME MORE MONEY TO, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO EVEN MORE PROCEDURES.
UM, AS A RESULT, IT'S BEEN A PHENOMENAL PROGRAM.
VERY, I THINK WE SHOULD ALL BE VERY PROUD OF THAT.
SO THAT'S REALLY GOING TO CURB THE FERAL CAT, UH, POPULATION AND THOSE IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT REALLY FACED A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM WITH THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON 40? NO QUESTIONS.
MR. KINER, ANY QUESTIONS ON 40 COMMISSIONERS? QUESTIONS ON 40? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT.
HOW MUCH IS THE INCREASE AT HERE? UH, THE, WE'RE GOING FROM 200,000 TO 350.
SHEET WOULD BE THE ADMINISTRATION AND WITH THE BOARD FOR SUPPORTING THIS.
I WANNA THANK THE BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE COLLECTIVELY FOR MOVING THIS, UH, PROGRAM ALONG.
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, WE'VE HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE, THE FEDERAL COUNTY COMMUNITY.
SO, THANK YOU GUYS, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THE ISSUE MATTER.
THANK YOU, MADAM VICE PRESIDENT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE IT? YES.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK ON 40.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
WE GOT THE MAGISTRATE WE'RE GONNA COME BACK TO, BUT RIGHT NOW, LET'S GO TO RESOLUTIONS 44 THROUGH 56, WHICH ARE MEMOS, COMMENDATIONS, PROCLAMATION, RESOLUTIONS MAKE.
COULD BE BETTER TO THE RECORD AT LATER TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'LL MOVE.
MOVE BY LUCIANO SECOND BY VICE VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
SORRY, I JUST ON, UM, IF, IF IT HASN'T, IF 46 HASN'T BEEN, UH, PRESENTED, UM, COULD I ASK, UH, COMMISSIONER MERCADO, IF I COULD BE ADDED TO FINE WITH ME.
COMMISSIONER MERCADO, UH, GI COMMISSIONER GILLARD IS REQUESTING TO CO-SPONSOR NUMBER 46 WITH YOU.
ALRIGHT, WE'LL MAKE THE NOTATION.
SO WE'LL MOVE BY LUCIANO SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ROLL.
CALL OUT ON DEPUTY CLERK ON 44 TO 56.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
OKAY, LET'S GO BACK TO ADDY STARTERS.
WE DID 40, SO WE HAVE NUMBER 42 AND 43, WHICH ARE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND THE OFFICE OF COUNTY COUNCIL, RESPECTIVELY.
ARE THESE THE LAST TWO MATTERS FOR THE EVENING?
EVERYONE, I WANT TO THANK THE, THE, THE SHERIFF SHERIFF JONES, UH, CHIEF SPANO, OUR ADMINISTRATOR, MR. JACKSON, SYLVIA HALL.
UM, MR. MOHAMED, UH, AND, UH, OUR OUTSIDE COUNSEL, JOHANNEN.
WE'VE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE LAST, UH, CONTRACT NEGOTIATION WITH SHERIFFS RANK AND FILE TODAY.
WE SIGNED YOU AN MOA, WE'LL BE RETURNING TO YOU ON THE 14TH, UH, TO, FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR APPROVAL.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE LAST ONE.
AND I WANT TO THANK THE EXECUTIVE TEAM FROM THE UNION.
THEY WERE, THEY WERE TOUGH NEGOTIATORS, BUT, UH, FAIR NEGOTIATORS.
AND I DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT, MR. JACKSON? YES, SIR.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE HAPPY WITH THE CONCLUSION, WELL, WITHIN, IN THE PARAMETERS OF EVERYTHING WE DISCUSSED WITH YOU OVER THE LAST MANY, MANY, MANY MONTHS.
SO YOU'LL BE HAPPY WHEN YOU SEE IT, UH, ON THE 14TH.
UH, NUMBER 42 IS THE ANNUAL LIST OF OUTSIDE COUNSEL THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S OFFICE IS ALLOWED TO CHOOSE FROM TO HIRE LAWYERS.
[01:20:01]
THE LIST, THE LIST IS SHRINKING BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO WORK FOR WHAT WE'RE GETTING PAID.I AM COMFORTABLE THAT WE ARE BEING WELL REPRESENTED.
AND WHEN IT, IF THERE COMES A TIME WHEN I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE REP WELL REPRESENTED, I'M GONNA COME BACK TO YOU AND SAY WE CAN'T DO IT ANYMORE.
SO I'VE GOTTEN SOME ADDITIONAL LAWYERS THAT HAVE NEVER WORKED WITH IN THE PAST TO GET ON OUR LIST THIS YEAR.
I'VE MADE SOME OUTSIDE CALLS, GET PEOPLE INTERESTED.
NUMBER 43 IS SIMPLY, UH, A LIST OF APPRAISERS IN CASE WE NEED TO APPRAISE SOME PROPERTY.
UH, THOSE ARE THE TWO MATTERS.
ANY QUESTIONS ON 42 OR 43? NO QUESTION.
MR. MR. MCINERNEY, ANY QUESTIONS ON 40? YEAH, THE, THE, THE IDEA THAT EVERYTHING, EVERY CONTRACT WE GET EVERY YEAR GOES UP, AND YET I THINK OUR FEE HAS STAYED STAGNANT ON THE, ON THE LEGAL SIDE.
THAT MAKES NO SENSE NOT TO RAISE IT.
IF YOU'RE RUNNING INTO PROBLEMS FINDING PEOPLE THAT, UH, ARE RELUCTANT TO WORK FOR A HUNDRED, WHAT IS IT? $150 AN HOUR? WE, WE, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, SO JUST RAISE THE FEE.
WE REALLY WORK TOGETHER TO DO EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO KEEP THE, TO, TO, BUT WE NEED THE QUALITY.
BUT YOU, I MEAN, THIS YEAR YOU HAD VERY GOOD CONTROL OVER YOUR SETTLEMENT OF SUITS, I THOUGHT.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S, AND YOU USE THEM AS WELL, BUT I'M SAYING THERE'S, THERE'S A TIME WHERE YOU JUST HAVE TO RAISE THE FEE.
DON'T, THAT'S WHAT WE CONSTANTLY HEARING, THAT THE LEGAL FEE IS TOO LOW.
I TAKE IT, I HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO COME BACK TO YOU AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE GETTING WELL SERVED.
AS OF TODAY, WE ARE WELL SERVED.
IF WE'RE NOT, WE'VE LOST A COUPLE GOOD FIRMS THIS PAST YEAR, BUT I REPLACE THEM.
OKAY? SO, UH, IF I, IF I CAN'T REPLACE 'EM, I'M NOT GONNA HAVE US REPRESENTED BY FIRMS THAT ARE, I DON'T THINK REPRESENT US APPROPRIATELY.
THERE'S, THERE'S, THERE'S THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE A LOWER RATE, BUT YOU ARE GUARANTEED PAYMENT.
AND SO THERE'S SOME ENTICEMENT, UH, TO OFFSET THE, YOU KNOW, THE LOWER FEE BASED ON A HUNDRED PERCENT COLLECTIBILITY, YOU KNOW.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON 42 OR 43? SEEING NONE.
SO I'M GONNA MOVE IT MOVE BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK ON 42 AND 43.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
JOHN, I BELIEVE YOU WORKED THE LAST TWO ITEMS ON SUNDAY.
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IT COMES AROUND.
RIGHT? SO, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
LET'S MOVE ON TO THE REPORT OF BOARD COMMITTEES.
I KNOW WE, WE'VE KIND OF VETTED A NUMBER ALREADY AND WE'RE AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY BOARD REPORTS AT THIS POINT? SEEING NONE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS? OKAY, WE DID HAVE A WRITTEN COMMUNICATION THAT MR. JACKSON READ EARLIER.
SO WE DO WE HAVE ANY OTHERS? NONE.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU WILL HAVE FOUR MINUTES TO SPEAK.
UH, BEFORE YOU START, VERY PRECIOUS, START WITH, ALRIGHT, I'M GOING HOME.
YOU KNOW, REALLY THANKS FOR EVERYTHING THIS YEAR AND I REALLY WANT YOU ENJOY THE HOLIDAY.
I CAME IN AT THE TAIL END, BUT I DID HEAR THE MENTION THAT THE INSPECTION WILL BE FRIDAY.
THERE WERE SEVERAL REPORTS WITH BURG.
THERE'S AN INSPECTION ON FRIDAY WITH THE KITCHEN WITH RESPECT TO THAT.
AND, UH, THERE'S ALSO, UH, THEY'RE REVIEWING THE LONG JUMP, UH, PIT AT THE, THE TRUCK FACILITY.
AND THAT'S UNDER CONSIDERATION.
I, I KNOW YOU CAME AT THE VERY END OF THAT, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE 'CAUSE YOU WERE HERE ADVOCATING FOR IT LAST WEEK.
I WANT TO THANK YOU, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU ALL.
BUT, UM, I WANT TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF SOMETHING THAT, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, COOPER HAD MENTIONED LAST WEEK ABOUT PUTTING THE SIGNS UP ABOUT THE CLOSING OF THE PARK.
THEY SHOULD BE AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE PARK WHEN THE PARK IS CLOSED, BUT WE DO HAVE PEOPLE STILL THERE AFTER HOURS, YOU KNOW, AT THE PARK.
AND IT SHOULDN'T BE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SIGNS, WHICH I HAD MENTIONED THAT AND HAD CONTACTED DAN AND JACKIE IN REFERENCE TO SEVERAL SIGNS THAT SHOULD BE THERE IN THE PARK.
BUT THE HOURS OF CLOSING, I THINK THAT'S WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE TO SAY RIGHT NOW.
[01:25:01]
EXCITED THAT IT'S KITCHEN GONNA BE INSPECTED.SO IF I CAN MOVE ON, THANK YOU.
AND IF WE CAN JUST TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT SIGNAGE WE HAVE WITH RESPECT TO THE HOURS OF OPERATION FOR THE PARK.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? OKAY, MADAM DEPUTY CLARK, I, FOR THE RECORD, REFLECT THAT THERE'S NO ONE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER COMMENT SESSION COMMISSIONERS, COMMISSIONER LUCIANO, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I WAS HERE EARLY, UH, THIS EVENING AND UH, UH, MY HAT GOES OFF TO OUR COMMISSIONER COLLEAGUE MARY THOMAS.
UM, SHE HONORED, UH, FOUR DIFFERENT GROUPS.
ONE IN PARTICULAR REALLY HIT HOME FOR ME.
WE HAD THE SHABAZZ FOOTBALL TEAM FROM 2025 IN FRONT OF US, AND THEY'VE BEEN AN OUTSTANDING TEAM.
WE HAD ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO SPOKE TO US, UH, WHO WILL BE GOING ON FOR A FULL SCHOLARSHIP TO STANFORD UNIVERSITY.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF AS RESIDENTS OF ESSEX COUNTY AND MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD.
SO TO YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU, UH, FOR WHAT YOU DID TONIGHT AND I WAS GLAD TO BE A PART OF IT.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
AND I WAS GONNA ASK COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS, AS WE USUALLY TRY TO RECAP, UH, CAN YOU GIVE US A RECAP OF WHAT TOOK PLACE PRIOR TO OUR MEETING TODAY? ABSOLUTELY.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, THAT NOD, COMMISSIONER LUCIANO AND FOR BEING THERE AND SHOWING, UH, THE YOUNG MEN AND ALL OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UH, ONE OF OUR HONOREES WAS THE MALCOLM X SHABAZZ, UH, HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM.
THEY MADE IT TO THE STATE FINALS.
THEY JUST ACTUALLY, THE LOSS, THEIR LOSS WAS MAYBE EARLIER THIS WEEK OR LAST WEEK.
SO IT'S VERY BITTERSWEET FOR THEM.
BUT THEY MADE HISTORY IN THEIR, UM, UH, TRAJECTORY TO THE STATES.
THEY ENDED WITH A RECORD OF 12 TWO.
UM, AND WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO ME IS NOT TO YOUR POINT, NOT JUST WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON THE FIELD, BUT WHAT THEY'RE, HOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING ON THE FIELD IS TRANSLATING TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CLASSROOM.
SO I WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THEIR PRINCIPAL.
UH, BUCKMAN, WHO I KNEW FROM WHEN SHE WAS A PRINCIPAL AT SPEEDWAY NEAR RIGHT, UM, NEAR THE PARK.
UM, AND WHO'S JUST BEEN DOING INCREDIBLE WORK THERE TO, UH, COACH GAINES, WHO, THIS IS ACTUALLY HIS SECOND YOUNG PERSON GOING TO STANFORD UNIVERSITY, UH, FROM MALCOLM X SHABAZZ HIGH SCHOOL.
EVERY SINGLE YEAR THEY HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE GOING ON TO COLLEGE.
BUT NOT ONLY ARE THEY GOING ON TO COLLEGE, THEY'RE GIVING BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY AND DOING EXTRAORDINARY THINGS.
AND SO WE HAD CLOSE TO 40 YOUNG PEOPLE FROM THE MALCOLM X SHABAZZ HIGH SCHOOL HERE.
THEY HAVE THEIR, I DUNNO IF YOU GUYS ARE ON TIKTOK OR INSTAGRAM, BUT THERE'S A WHOLE MOVEMENT CALLED LIKE THE QUARTERS AT MOVEMENT.
THE YOUNG GUYS ARE LIKE, NO MORE HOODIES.
SO ALL THE YOUNG MEN ARE IN HERE AND THEIR QUARTER ZIPS AND THEIR KHAKI PANTS.
AND JUST BRILLIANT AND AMAZING.
AND SO IT WAS AN HONOR TO CELEBRATE THEM.
IT WAS AN HONOR TO CELEBRATE THE BAPS, UH, CONGREGATION OF CLIFTON MOND DEER, WHO ACTUALLY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE BASED BOTH IN PASSAIC COUNTY AND ESSEX COUNTY.
UH, AND THEY'RE A CONGREGATION, A HINDU CONGREGATION THAT DOES EXTRAORDINARY COMMUNITY SERVICE WORK.
AND WE CELEBRATED THEM FOR THEIR DIWALI CELEBRATION THAT OCCURRED LAST MONTH, AS WELL AS A CLINTON HILL ACTION COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION WHO ACTUALLY, WHEN I LEAVE HERE, I'M GONNA GO TO THEIR HOLIDAY, UM, EVENT.
THEY JUST DO INCREDIBLE WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY HELPING, HELPING MAKE SURE THAT OUR SENIORS HAVE SUPPORTS THAT THEY NEED.
THEY HAVE A COMMUNITY RUN GROCERY STORE.
THEY HAVE A RENT AND MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE FOR COMMUNITIES, UM, ALL TYPES OF THINGS.
SO IN HONOR TO CELEBRATE THEM AS WELL AS A WOMAN OF THE ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY, UH, OMEGA CRON, UH, CORPORATION CHAPTER BASED HERE IN NEWARK AND IN ESSEX COUNTY, WHO HAS A WHOLE INITIATIVE AROUND MOTHERS WHO ARE GRIEVING, UH, INFANTILE DEATHS AND MAKING SURE THAT THESE MOTHERS DON'T HAVE TO GRIEVE ALONE.
AND SO THEY GO DIRECTLY TO THE HOSPITALS AND THE LIKE, AND MAKE SURE THEY PROVIDE FOR WOMEN AND FAMILIES WHO ARE GRIEVING, UH, THE UN UNEXPECTED DEATH OF CHILDREN.
AND SO IT WAS AN HONOR TO CELEBRATE ALL OF THESE INCREDIBLE ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO MY COMMISSIONER WARDEN LUCIANO FOR THAT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
AND TO YOUR POINT, THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL HAS AN EXCEPTIONAL MARCHING BAND.
'CAUSE I SEE THEM PERFORM EVERY YEAR IN BE OH YEAH.
THEY'RE LIKE A HIGHLIGHT OF THE PERFORMANCE AND THE QUARTER ZIP MOVEMENT IS REAL.
UM, ANY OTHER, UH, COMMENTS, COMMISSIONERS? I DO HAVE ONE MORE ON THE 18TH.
THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND HIS TEAM AND VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF WILL BE DOING THE ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE.
THIS IS THE LAST ONE OF THE YEAR.
UH, WE'VE HAD A GOOD NUMBER OF THEM THIS YEAR, REGRETTABLY, BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES WITH SNAP.
AND THEN WE HAD THE ANNUAL TURKEY ONE THAT WE DO FOR THANKSGIVING.
AND IT'S, IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT, I DO IT EVERY YEAR.
IT'S, UH, IT'S A NICE WAY TO CLOSE OUT THE YEAR BECAUSE AFTER THAT, PRETTY MUCH A LOT OF PEOPLE KIND OF JUST, YOU KNOW, WE, WE GET BUSY WITH OUR FAMILIES AND ALL.
SO TO THAT END, UH, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO DO THAT COMMISSION, MR. PRESIDENT THROUGH YOU.
WILL THAT BE AT, UM, SOUTHBOUND AT THE CODY ARENA? CODY ARENA? I KNOW WE, WE JUMPED BACK AND FORTH.
THE CODY ARENA SEEMS TO BE, ITS NEW HOME THERE.
WE DO ONE AT, UH, AT THE CHERRY BLOSSOM CENTER FOR THE TH THANKSGIVING AND, AND THAT ONE THERE.
SO I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY, SINCE THIS IS OUR LAST MEETING, OUR REORGANIZATION MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ON JANUARY 7TH.
[01:30:01]
BUT UNTIL THEN, THANK YOU ALL.UH, 2025 HAS BEEN AS THEY SEEM TO BE, LONG YEARS AS WE GET A LITTLE OLDER.
SO I WANT TO THANK OUR, OUR COLLEAGUES.
I WANT WE HAVE, UH, NEW OR TO THE ROLE OF HERE, UH, BUT NOT NEW TO US.
MR. MARTINO IS NEW TO THE GROUP, SO BOTH WE WE'RE HAPPY.
WE HOPE YOU'RE HERE AGAIN FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND LIKE IT, UH, WE'LL STICK AROUND.
UH, MR. JACKSON TO YOU AND TO YOUR TEAM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALWAYS, UH, YOU KNOW, YOUR PROFESSIONALISM WHEN IT COMES TO RUNNING THESE MEETINGS.
UH, IT'S A LOT OF WORK THAT WE DO HERE.
AND THEN WE WILL HAVE THE BUDGET HEARINGS AT THE END OF JANUARY.
SO WE'LL BE POSTING THE CALENDAR OF EVENTS, UH, MEETING SCHEDULE AND ALL THAT.
AND JANUARY 7TH WHEN WE OFFICIALLY VOTE ON IT.
BUT REORGANIZATION WILL BE HERE WEDNESDAY THE SEVENTH AT 5:00 PM IF ANYONE HAS NOTHING ELSE.
DO YOU HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVE.
COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU COULD JUST HANG OUT FOR A SECOND, HEAR FOR A SECOND.