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YOU GIMME THE HIGH SIGN.THIS MEETING, ASEX 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 CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS.
HERE, PLEASE STAND FOR THE SALUTE TO THE FLAG.
I'M GONNA ASK, UH, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT TO LEAD US IN A PLEDGE.
HI, PRESIDENT P FLYER OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD AND INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY DURING JUSTICE OR ALL I'M GONNA ASK THAT YOU ALWAYS JUST, UH, REMAIN STANDING, UH, FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
AND IN PARTICULAR, PARTICULAR, UH, WE HAVE THREE FOLKS THAT KEEPING YOUR THOUGHTS.
UH, ONE IS RONALD ROSSIO, WHO WAS, UH, ONE OF THE VENDORS WHO CAME AND DID BUSINESS WITH ESSEX COUNTY FOR A LONG TIME.
DID, UH, WELL BY US AND, UH, WAS ALWAYS HERE TO ANSWER MANY QUESTIONS, UH, RELATED TO DOMINION VOTING MACHINES AND THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
UH, I WANNA ASK ALSO THAT YOU KEEP IN MIND AND YOUR THOUGHTS.
ALBERTA DANIELS, WHO'S THE, UH, LONGTIME COMMUNITY ADVOCATE AND ALSO THE MOTHER OF FORMER FREEHOLDER CAROL CLARK.
AND THEN LASTLY, OF COURSE, UH, WE LOST, UH, ONE OF THE GIANTS IN NEW JERSEY, UH, GOVERNMENT, UH, FORMER GOVERNOR DICK CODY.
I HAVE BEFORE ME CERTIFICATION FROM THE DEPUTY CLERK THAT THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, ARE THERE ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO BE APPROVED? NO.
DO WE HAVE ANY TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION? NO.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A COMBINED CONFERENCE BOARD MEETING.
WE WILL VOTE ON EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA, SO THERE'S NOT ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT THAT.
AGENDA ITEMS ONLY, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THERE'LL BE TIME LATER IN THE MEETING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OTHER ITEMS. SO I ASK YOU AT THIS TIME, YOU PLEASE LIMIT IT TO AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.
GOOD EVENING, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR'S TO ALL OF YOU.
UH, MY NAME IS LISA MADDOX DOUGLAS.
I AM THE PRESIDENT FOR THE PUBLIC EMPLOYEE SUPERVISORS UNION, UH, WITH THE DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER 27.
WITH RESPECT TO RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE, WE SEE THAT YOU PLANNED OR DFAT PLANS TO RETURN $1 MILLION BACK TO THE COUNTY.
WE ARE A LITTLE UNCLEAR AS TO WHY THAT'S HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE MULTIPLE VACANCIES WHICH NEED TO BE FILLED.
AS YOU ARE AWARE, OR MAYBE YOU'RE NOT, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AT 832 EMPLOYEES AND WE'RE NOWHERE NEAR THERE.
SO WE'RE ASKING THAT YOU DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT, THAT YOU GET BACK TO OUR UNION AND LET US KNOW EXACTLY WHEN THEY PLAN TO FILL THESE VACANCIES.
AND, UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THESE VACANCIES COULD DEFINITELY BE REMEDIATED IF THEY ACTUALLY REQUESTED A CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION FOR OUR ENTRY LEVEL POSITIONS, WHICH HAS NOT HAPPENED YET, AS OPPOSED TO MOST OF THE POLITICAL APPOINTMENTS THAT WE SEE COMING IN AT LEAST MONTHLY.
WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY WE DON'T HAVE A COUNTY WELFARE AGENCY DIRECTOR.
WE HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A DIRECTOR FOR WELL OVER TWO YEARS.
SO WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOME FORM OF STRONG LEADERSHIP, WHICH IS WHY WE BELIEVE WE'RE IN THE MESS THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE BATTLING TIMELINESS AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO DEFINITELY ADDRESS BEFORE WE ARE FINED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU, WHEN YOU DO IDENTIFY WHO THE LEADERSHIP IS, MEANING A COUNTY WELFARE AGENCY DIRECTOR, NOT A POLITICAL APPOINTEE, THAT YOU SELECT SOMEONE WHO IS KNOWLEDGEABLE OF WHAT WE DO THERE AT THE COUNTY,
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BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD DIRECTORS OR DIVISION HEADS.AND IT HASN'T, AS YOU CAN SEE, WORKED OUT VERY WELL, WHICH IS WHY I GUESS WE STILL HAVE A VACANCY.
ALSO, WE ALSO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL OF THE RFPS THAT WENT OUT REGARDING THE STATE HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN.
THEY HAVE YET TO CALL THE UNIONS TO THE TABLE.
WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
AS YOU ARE AWARE, WE HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED A 36% INCREASE, AND IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING THAT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE AND THAT THE UNIONS HAVE NOT BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO THE TABLE.
UH, FINALLY WE SEE IN, UH, NUMBER 20, NUMBER 27, THAT 30 SECONDS, THANK YOU SO MUCH, IS NOT, NOT INCLUDED IN ALL OF THE REQUESTS TO HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR, OUR COUNTY.
AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT.
THE YMC IS NOT IN THE LIST OF VENDORS, AND WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT WITHIN THE RFP PROCESS.
AND IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, IT CAN GET US THAT INFORMATION QUITE QUICKLY, BECAUSE FROM WHAT WE UNDERSTAND, WE ARE ON A WAITING LIST FOR BEDS, SPECIFICALLY FOR MALES WITHIN THE CITY OF NEWARK.
SO WE ASK THAT YOU LOOK INTO THIS SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THESE SEVERE HOMELESS POPULATION THAT WE HAVE AND THOSE WHO ARE UNSHELTERED.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
DAVID WEINER, PRESIDENT LOCAL TEN ONE CWA, UH, REPRESENTING THE NON-SUPERVISORY EMPLOYEES OF THE DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS.
AND I SPEAK ON RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE, UH, SPECIFICALLY 2025 FUNDING FOR DFAB AS SORT OF THE ABBREVIATION FOR WELFARE, UH, BEING TRANSFERRED FROM 2025 SOMEWHERE, UH, TO SOMEBODY.
WE DID AN OPEN REQUEST TODAY TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
WE'RE ASKING THESE, THE COMMISSIONERS TO RESPOND TO THESE QUESTIONS IN WRITING, AS IS THE NORM FOR THEM TO DO.
WHEN ASKED HERE, PLEASE DELINEATE THE SOURCES OF THE $1 MILLION OF DFAS BUDGETED FUNDING FOR 2025 BEING TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER COUNTY AGENCY.
NOW, THE DOCUMENT, THE RESOLUTION DOESN'T SAY TO WHICH AGENCY, BUT IT IS ON A LIST OF MONIES FROM DIFFERENT AGENCIES TO BE TRANSFERRED.
LAST YEAR, I TRANSFERRED $3.4 MILLION TO THE JAIL, AND WE STILL ARE GRIEVING THAT THROUGH ARBITRATION.
SECONDLY, WE'D LIKE THE YOU TO PLEASE DELINEATE THE AGENCY THAT'S RECEIVING THE $1 MILLION OR AGENCY, UH, RECEIVING THE ONE RECEIVING THE $1 MILLION OF MONEY FOR 2025, NOT SPENT BY, NOT SPENT ON STAFFING AND MAYBE HEALTH BENEFITS AS WELL.
THIRDLY, PLEASE PROVIDE THE MEMORANDUM OF, USUALLY IT'S FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR OFFICE FROM MR. COLT, DEPENDING WHAT THE SUBJECT MATTER IS, THIS RESIDENT HAS NO SUCH MEMORANDUM IN IT.
IT DOESN'T EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE MI, WHERE YOU GOT THE MONEY FROM, WHERE YOU'RE PUTTING IT TO.
WE, WE'D LIKE TO KNOW NUMBER FOUR ALSO, UH, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DFAS, AS MY SISTER SAID EARLIER, IS SUPPOSED TO BE 2 32 TOTAL EMPLOYEE.
WE'VE NEVER GOTTEN ABOVE 7 75.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE OVERDUES.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE CLIENTS LINED UP.
CLIENTS NOT GETTING THE BENEFITS TO WHICH THEY'RE LEGALLY ENTITLED.
AND THAT MONEY COULD BE SPENT EITHER ON STAFFING OR PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, AND LONG TERM, IT SHOULD BE SPENT ON PRINTERS FOR THE EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE SIX EMPLOYEES TO EVERY PRINTER.
AND WHEN YOU'RE PRINTING OUT REAMS AND REAMS OF STUFF FOR A CLIENT'S CASE, IDENTIFYING INFORMATION, IT OFTEN GETS JUMBLED TLED TOGETHER BECAUSE IT IT, NOBODY'S THERE TO WATCH THE, THE, THE, UH, PRINTING COME 30 SECONDS.
UM, WISH I WISH I HAD A LITTLE SOUND OR BELL OR SOMETHING.
'CAUSE THAT'S A LITTLE DISCONCERTING WHEN YOU'RE TALKING.
SO BASICALLY, WHERE IS THE $1 MILLION COMING FROM? WE'RE FUNDED BY FEDERAL, STATE, AND COUNTY FUNDING.
IF YOU TAKE $1 MILLION AS YOU TOOK 3.4 LAST YEAR, THAT MONEY SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN TO ANYONE EXCEPT TO US.
I'M, I'M ASSUMING IT'LL PASS TONIGHT, BUT AT LEAST I'M PUTTING THIS I SAW ON THE RECORD.
RECOGNIZING COMMISSIONER COOPER HAS JOINED, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? OKAY, MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, LET THE RECORD REFLECT.
THERE'S NO ONE WILLING WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
MR. PRESIDENT, IF I MAY, I JUST WANTED TO, UM, MR. JACKSON, PLEASE, IF I MAY JUST, UM, NOT THE WHOLE LIST OF ITEMS THAT WERE RAISED, BUT
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THE ONE FOR THE TRANSFER RESOLUTION.CAN WE GET MICROPHONE, THE, THE ONE FOR THE, UH, TRANSFER RESOLUTION WE'RE NOT TAKING MONEY FROM? THERE'S NO $1 MILLION BEING TAKEN FROM DEFENSE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE LIST, DENNIS, I YOU HAD YOUR MOMENT AT THE FLOOR, SIR.
YOU HAD YOUR MOMENT OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU CAN COME BACK.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN'T, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? BETTER? YES.
THERE IS NOT $1 MILLION BEING TAKEN FROM DFAB.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE LIST OF PLACES WHERE DOLLARS ARE COMING FROM, THERE'S NO $1 MILLION FROM DFAB.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, ORDINANCE ON, UH, ON INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING.
MADAM DEPUTY CLARK, DO WE HAVE ANY YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE ONE ORDINANCE FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING.
LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, ORDINANCE NUMBER ONE FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING.
AND IT'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UM, MR. JOSE, UH, MUHAMMAD WILL HANDLE THIS ITEM.
CAN I, UM, MR. ZAS? I'M TOTALLY CONFUSED.
UH, JOSHUA ZAS S COUNTY PARKS.
WE BOTH HAVE EARS, SO THAT'S, THAT'S TRUE.
UH, JOSHUA ZAS ES COUNTY PARKS.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA DO A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF, UM, SOME OF THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM 2025, AND THEN I'M GONNA GO OVER SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS.
UM, SOME OF THE BIGGER ITEMS IN THE 2026 PROPOSED FEES.
SO, UH, WE'RE PROPOSING FEE INCREASES FOR 2026 IN THE FOLLOWING DIVISIONS, ARCHIVAL CODY ARENA, ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER, GOLF, THE PARKING DECK, TURTLEBACK ZOO, AND PERMITS WITH INCREASES AT THESE FEES, WE ANTICIPATE, UH, APPROXIMATELY $1 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR 2026.
THERE'S A FOUR THAT'S A 4% INCREASE FROM 2020 FIVE'S REVENUE, WHICH WAS $24,717,000.
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF GOLF ROUNDS WAS JUST OVER 88,000, WHICH IS REMARKABLE CONSIDERING THAT WE EQUATE GOLF COURSE WAS CLOSED UNTIL MIDGUT.
WE ISSUED 1,315 PERMITS FOR OUR ATHLETIC FIELDS, SPECIAL EVENTS, ROOM RENTALS AND PICNICS, AND ATTENDANCE AT THE TURTLEBACK ZOO TOPPED OVER 933,000 VISITORS FOR 2025.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING JUST TO, AS I SAID, JUST TO, JUST TO HIT SOME OF THE, UM, THE, THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YEAR'S PROPOSED FEE INCREASES, UH, OVER AN ARCHIVAL, WE'RE, UH, PROPOSING SOME NEW FEES FOR, UH, BUSES OF, UH, 30 OR 50 RIDERS.
THIS WOULD BE FOR TOURS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM, UH, MOST NOTABLY, UH, OVER IN BRADBROOK PARK WHERE WE HAVE OUR CHERRY BLOSSOM EVENTS.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO IMPLEMENTING A NEW FEE FOR HISTORY TALKS.
IT WOULD BE, UH, FOR IN, UH, IN LIBRARY TALKS DURING WORK HOURS, THAT WOULD BE FREE.
BUT, UH, IN COUNTY LIBRARY TALKS OUTSIDE OF WORK HOURS, THERE'D BE $150 FEE.
TALKS AT NINE NON-LIBRARY FACILITIES IN THE COUNTY WOULD BE 150.
AND TALKS AT FACILITIES OUTSIDE OF ESA COUNTY WOULD ALSO BE 150.
UH, AGAIN, PROPOSED FEES OVER AT CODY ARENA, WE'RE GOING UP SLIGHTLY FOR OUR PUBLIC ADULT SESSIONS FROM $12 TO $14.
AND THEN THE, THE PRIVATE PARENTAL HOUR, UH, WE'RE PROPOSING AN INCREASE FROM, UH, A VERY MODEST INCREASE FROM 4 95 TO, I'M SORRY, FROM FOUR, YEAH, 4 95 TO 500.
UH, OVER AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER.
WE'RE, UH, WE'RE KIND OF CLEANING UP OUR FEES.
WE'RE ELIMINATING SOME OF THE ONES THAT, UM, WE DON'T NECESSARILY NEED LINE ITEMS FOR, UH, SUCH AS THE TODDLER AND PRESCHOOL COURSES COMMUNITY COURSE FOR YOUTH COMMUNITY COURSE FOR ADULT.
AGAIN, WE'RE CLEANING THOSE UP.
AND IN ORDER TO CHARGE THOSE FEES, UM, WE'RE GONNA LUMP IT ALL INTO A, A CATEGORY WE ALREADY HAVE, WHICH IS CALLED SPECIALTY WORKSHOPS, UH, WHICH HAS A, A FEE OF A RANGE OF ZERO TO 3000.
SO THOSE FEES FIT VERY NICELY WITHIN THAT.
AND AGAIN, I'LL JUST CLEAN UP, UH, ON OUR BOOKS, UH, SOME OF THE FEES THAT AREN'T REALLY, UM, NECESSARY WITH THAT CATCHALL OVER AT GOLF, WE'RE PROPOSING A $5 INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD FOR WEEK QUAKE HENDRICKS AND BURN.
UH, FOR INSTANCE, OVER AT WEEK WAKE, THE UH, ADULT WEEKDAY FOR A CARD HOLDER WOULD GO UP FROM 35 TO 40, UH, WEEKDAYS FOR NON CARD HOLDER, 50 TO 55 AND SO ON.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S A A $5 MODEST INCREASE ACROSS THE BOARD OVER AT THE PARKING DECK.
UH, WE'RE INCREASING THE MONTHLY RATE FROM $55 TO 60, AND THEN THE YEARLY RATE FROM $535 TO $580.
AND OVER AT THE TURTLEBACK ZOO, WE'RE PROPOSING AN INCREASE FOR OUR GROUP TOURS.
UH, IN SEASON, OFF SEASON, UH, AGAIN, IT'S, UH, A MODEST INCREASE IN SEASON WOULD BE FROM $15 TO 17, AND THEN OFF SEASON 13 TO 15, AND THEN OVER AT OUR PERMITS.
UM, I KNOW, UH, IF COMMISSIONER GILL WAS HERE, UH, THIS EVENING, HE ALWAYS ASKS US THIS QUESTION, BUT IF THERE'S A RATE FOR TURF FIELDS FOR THE NON-PROFIT VERSUS FOR-PROFIT, UH, WE ARE NOW INTRODUCING THAT RATE FOR THE NON-PROFIT.
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WOULD BE, UH, $50 FOR YOUTH FIELD AND, UH, $75 FOR LIGHTED YOUTH FIELD.AND THEN, UM, IT WOULD BE, UH, A HUNDRED DOLLARS, IT WOULD BE 75 FOR A YOUTH FIELD FOR PROFIT, AND THEN A HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR THE LIGHTED YOUTH FIELD FOR PROFIT.
UM, LIKE I SAID, THOSE ARE SOME OF THE, THE HIGHLIGHTS, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY SPECIFICALLY HAVE.
THANK YOU ZA, UH, MR. ZA FOR, UH, THOSE DETAILS.
MR. ANU, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY? I, I DO.
ON, UH, ON THE PARKING DECK INCREASE, DOES THAT APPLY TO ANY PARKING DECKS AT THE, AT THE ZOO? UH, JOSHUA'S HS.
SO YOU'RE MR. PRESIDENT, THE FEE RATE IS ONLY FOR THE FIRST PARKING DECK, THE OLDEST ONE THAT'S RIGHT ON LONG NORTHFIELD AVENUE.
THAT'S THE ONLY ONE WE CURRENTLY CHARGE FOR RECALL.
IS, IS, IS THAT THE ONE THAT RECEIVED THE GRANT FROM THE STATE? BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME RESTRICTIONS BASED ON THE GRANT THAT YOU COULD ONLY INCREASE.
UH, AGAIN, I KNOW THERE WERE, THERE, THERE WERE MM-HMM
WERE RESTRICTIONS PUT ON THAT ON THE FIRST PARKING DECK.
UM, WE GOT MONEY FROM THE POOR AUTHORITY, AND I KNOW THERE WERE RESTRICTIONS ABOUT MAKING ANY INCREASES IN, IN THOSE RATES.
SO I, I JUST WONDER, AM I CORRECT IN SAYING THAT, NUMBER ONE, AND THEN, AND NUMBER TWO, HAS THAT BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IF I ASKED? SO, SO THAT DECK WAS BUILT IN, I WANNA SAY 2004.
UM, I OFFHAND, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WAS FUNDED BACK THEN.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A GRAND OR IT WAS CAPITAL OR NO, IT WAS TWO, IT WAS $2 MILLION FROM THE PORT AUTHORITY.
UM, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY RESTRICTIONS.
WE HAVE MODERATELY INCREASED IT IN THE PAST.
UM, AGAIN, AND THIS IS ANOTHER MODERATE INCREASE, BUT I'M, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY RESTRICTIONS FOR THAT.
PLEASE DO ME A FAVOR, JUST YEAH, CERTAINLY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
ANY OTHER? YOU GOOD? UH, MR. MCINERNEY? THAT'S GOOD.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
THANK YOU MR. ZAS FOR THAT UPDATE.
ONE, WOULD YOU JUST REMIND THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC WHEN THE LAST, UH, FEE INCREASE OCCURRED? IS IT AN ANNUAL PRACTICE? WAS IT AT THE SAME RATE? WOULD YOU JUST REMIND THE BOARD OF THE NATURE? SURE.
UH, JOSHUA ZAS, COUNTY PARK STUDIO, MR. PRESIDENT, WE DID, UM, INCREASE THE RATES, UM, LAST YEAR.
UM, BUT NOT, NOT ALL THE RATES THAT ARE INCREASING THIS YEAR WEREN'T NECESSARILY INCREASED LAST YEAR.
SO FOR INSTANCE, LAST YEAR WE INCREASED THE, UM, THE ACTUAL ADMISSION RATE TO THE ZOO.
AND THIS YEAR WE'RE NOT PROPOSING THAT IT'S THE GROUP RATE.
AND WAS IT AROUND THE SAME ROUGHLY INCREASE? YEAH, WE ALWAYS TRY TO, TO, TO MAKE IT AS MODEST AS AS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE PARK SYSTEM.
AND IT'S TYPICALLY ANNUAL OR ARE THERE TIMES YEAH, IT'S, IT'S ALMOST ALWAYS ANNUAL.
AND I GUESS THE, THE STRUGGLE IS, THAT'S KIND OF DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD, RIGHT? ON ONE END, YOU LITERALLY DO NEED THESE INCREASES TO SUSTAIN THE WORK OF THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE, WHICH ARE BAR NONE, YOU KNOW, TOP QUALITY TO RESIDENTS.
THEN AT THE SAME TIME, TO THE EVERYDAY RESIDENT, IT'S LIKE, WELL, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? NOW I HAVE TO GO FROM PAYING $15 TO 20? AND SO I, TWO QUESTIONS.
ONE, AS FAR AS MESSAGING, HOW ARE WE AS AN ADMINISTRATION, AS A COUNTY GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATING TO OUR RESIDENTS THAT THESE INCREASES ARE HAPPENING, BUT HERE'S HOW IT'S BENEFITING YOU, RIGHT? THESE ARE THE WAYS IN WHICH THIS MAKES YOUR LIFE BETTER.
AND THEN SECONDLY, UM, WOULD YOU REMIND US OF WAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED THE NONPROFITS THAT ARE GETTING, YOU KNOW, SPECIAL RATES ON TURFS VERSUS OTHERS, BUT ARE THERE WAYS THAT ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE BEING SHIELDED FROM ANY INCREASES IN ANY, UH, COUNTY SERVICES? OR IS IT JUST ACROSS THE BOARD IN ALL AREAS, EVERYONE WILL EXPERIENCE THAT INCREASE? SO, UH, JOSHUA ZAS, COUNTY PARKS, MR. PRESIDENT, SO, UH, TO SPEAK, TO SPEAK TWOFOLD ON THAT.
UM, SO, UH, AS FAR AS THE PUBLIC GOES, I THINK, UM, JUST WITH THEIR OWN EYES, THEY COULD SEE THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE, CERTAINLY WITHIN THE PAST FIVE YEARS, IF NOT IN THE PAST 20 ODD YEARS.
UM, ALL THREE OF OUR GOLF COURSES HAVE BEEN RENOVATED WITHIN THE LAST THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
IN FACT, UM, IN AUGUST WHEN WE QUAKE REOPENED, THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN FIVE YEARS WE'VE HAD ALL THREE GOLF COURSES OPEN.
AND OBVIOUSLY WITH THAT, IT'S NOW, I'M NOT A GOLFER, BUT FROM WHAT GOLFERS TELL US, IT'S NOW A HIGHER QUALITY COURSE.
AND BECAUSE IT'S A HIGHER QUALITY COURSE, UM, THE RATES ARE JUSTIFIED.
UM, AS FAR AS YOUR QUESTION WITH THE PROFIT VERSUS NON-PROFIT OR IN COUNTY VERSUS OUTTA COUNTY, FOR THE GOLF COURSE, WE DO HAVE AN IN COUNTY RATE VERSUS AN OUTTA COUNTY RATE, AS WELL AS WITH OUR NON-PROFITS, WE HAVE THE NON-PROFIT RATES VERSUS THE NON NON-PROFIT RATE VERSUS THE PROFIT RATE FOR, UH, FOR PERMITS.
NOW THAT'S, THAT'S A NEW FEE WE'RE INTRODUCING THIS YEAR.
BUT ACROSS THE BOARD THOUGH, EVEN S COUNTY RESIDENTS WILL SEE THOSE INCREASES, CORRECT? YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON AND THEN COOPER? YEAH, MR. ZA.
UH, ARE THERE ANY FIELDS OR, UH, PARKS WHERE ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS HAVE FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL? SO I ANTICIPATED YOUR QUESTION, MR.
I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR A LONG, I HAVE, I HAVE, I HAVE BEFORE ME.
THE RATES OF PRIORITIES FOR OUR
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PERMITS,SO, NUMBER ONE, UH, PRIORITIES ALWAYS TO THE ESSEX COUNTY VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS FOR ANY FIELD, THAT'S PRIORITY NUMBER ONE.
PRIORITY NUMBER TWO WOULD BE FOR ESSEX COUNTY MUNICIPALITIES.
AND WHEN I SAY THAT, THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN THOSE MUNICIPALITIES.
UM, THEN IF THERE'S ANY, UH, FIELD SPACE LEFT, IT WOULD GO TO YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, IF THERE'S ANY FIELD SPACE LEFT, IT WOULD GO TO ADULT ORGANIZATIONS.
COULD YOU PLEASE SEND THAT TO ME? CERTAINLY APPRECIATE MM-HMM
IN FACT, MS, IF YOU DON'T MIND, JUST SEND IT TO THE DEPUTY CLERK SO WE CAN ALL GET IT.
YEAH, WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL PASS THE INFO ONTO THE ADMINISTRATION.
YEAH, I THINK IT'LL BE HELPFUL.
SO EVERYONE HAS ON THE SAME PAGE.
I SAW THAT WE HAVE A IN COUNTY OUTTA COUNTY RATE FOR GOLF, AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE ARE INTRODUCING THE NON-PROFIT AND FOR-PROFIT.
HAVE WE INTRODUCED, UM, MAYBE I MISSED IT.
DO WE HAVE A RATE FOR, UM, COUNTY RESIDENTS VERSUS OUTTA COUNTY RESIDENTS WHEN THEY USE THE PARKS? IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN THE FEE OR IS THE FEE THE SAME? UH, NO, THE ONLY, THE ONLY, AS YOU MENTIONED, IT WOULD BE, UH, IN COUNTY VERSUS OUTTA COUNTY FOR GOLF SPECIFICALLY.
AND THEN PROFIT VERSUS NON-PROFIT FOR PERMITS.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S, IT'S THE SAME WHETHER YOU'RE A COUNTY RESIDENT OR NOT.
SO I'M GOING TO REQUEST THAT WE CAN START TO, UM, TAKE A RESEARCH TO LOOK AT DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT NEXT YEAR.
YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB WITH UPGRADING OUR PARKS.
THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THEY'RE GETTING A LOT OF USE.
UM, ORANGE PARK IS ROUTINELY USED EVERY SINGLE WEEK, EVERY SINGLE WEEK BY, UM, A LOT OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND LOOKING AT THE NAMES AND SOME OF THE VEHICLES THAT YOU SEE, I DON'T KNOW IF SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE NECESSARILY FROM THE COUNTY OR FROM THE STATE, JUST LOOKING AT THE PLATES.
AND I DON'T WANNA TARGET ANYBODY.
I JUST THINK THAT SINCE WE'VE INVESTED A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY INTO UPGRADING OUR FACILITIES, THEY'RE GETTING A LOT OF USE.
PERHAPS WE SHOULD START TO LOOK AT THE WAY YOU DO FOR GOLF.
HAVE A PRICE FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
AND A PRICE FOR THE NON-RESIDENTS.
ESPECIALLY IF THE RUMOR IS TRUE THAT SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE LEADS AND, YOU KNOW, MY KIDS PARTICIPATE IN THE LEADS AND I PAY A LOT OF MONEY FOR MY KIDS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LEADS.
AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE, YOU KNOW, THE LOCAL ORGANIZATION, CHURCH GROUPS THAT RUN THE LEAGUE VERSUS SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO DO IT.
I PAY A LOT MORE MONEY TO THE PEOPLE WHO DO IT AS A BUSINESS.
WHEN MY SON PARTICIPATES, EVERYBODY WHO HAVE KIDS NOW KNOW WHAT I'M REFERRING TO.
SOME OF THESE LEAGUE FEES ARE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
AND I'M JUST SAYING IF THEY'RE MAKING A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY OFF OF IT, WE SHOULD GET A PIECE OF THAT TOO, BECAUSE THEY'RE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE FACILITIES THAT WE'VE PUT IN.
AND WE'VE DONE A BEAUTIFUL, MAGNIFICENT JOB WITH, WITH CREATING THE OUTDOOR SPACES THAT WE HAVE.
SO FOR NEXT YEAR, IF WE CAN RESEARCH THAT, MAYBE, UH, SO JOSHUA IS AX COUNTY PARK.
SO JUST, JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, WE, WE ARE OPTIMISTIC THAT THE NEW, UH, PROFIT VERSUS NONPROFIT RATE WILL HELP SIGNIFICANTLY IN THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE A FOR-PROFIT SPORTS LEAGUE, UM, YOU WOULD PAY A HIGHER RATE THAN FEWER A NON-PROFIT SPORT LEAGUE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S DEFINITELY THE FIRST STEP.
UM, THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT THERE'S, THERE'S SOME OTHER IDEAS THAT MIGHT BE FLOATING AROUND TO, TO HELP CURTAIL THAT.
UM, BUT WE'LL CERTAINLY LOOK INTO IT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUGGESTION.
SO THEN THE RATES THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE NON-PROFIT VERSUS FOR-PROFIT, YOU'RE GONNA APPLY THAT NOW? CORRECT.
AND, UH, ASSUMING THIS IS APPROVED, YES.
SEEING OTHER QUESTIONS, I'M GONNA MOVE IT.
MOVED BY MECADO SECOND BY SIEBEL.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S JUST GO OUT OF ORDER FOR A MOMENT TO NUMBER RESOLUTION OF ROBINSON'S.
UH, MR. DAVIS IS HERE AND, AND WE CAN KNOCK THIS OUT 'CAUSE HE ONLY HAS ONE MORE TO GO.
MR. RICHARDSON INSISTED THAT WE DO THIS.
SO WE'RE GONNA
AND, UH, MORE SPECIFICALLY, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON FOR SPEARHEADING THIS EFFORT TO GET ME OUTTA HERE EARLIER.
IT WOULD RUN FROM MAY 1ST OF THIS YEAR THROUGH APRIL 30TH, 2030.
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,290,673 AND 44 CENTS.
UH, SPECIFICALLY THIS IS ONLY FOR THE GOLF CARTS, UM, USED ON OUR GOLF COURSES.
UH, WE WILL BE COMING BACK AT A LATER TIME, UH, FOR SOME ADDITIONAL UTILITY CARTS THAT WE WOULD USE FOR MAINTENANCE, THE ZOO AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER.
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BUT THIS IS SPECIFICALLY ONLY FOR THE GOLF CARTS.UH, IT INCLUDES 205 GOLF CARTS THAT PATRONS WILL BE USING.
THAT COMES OUT TO APPROXIMATELY 68, UH, CARTS PER COURSE.
IT ALSO INCLUDES 27 MAINTENANCE VEHICLES AND THEN ONE HANDICAPPED VEHICLE.
AND THE, UM, THE AMOUNT INCLUDES A HUNDRED THOUSAND ALLOTMENT FOR REPAIRS.
UM, SO AGAIN, THIS IS FOR, UH, GOLF CARTS ONLY AT THE GOLF COURSE.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
MR. MCIN? NO QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY COURT FOR NUMBER 11.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
ALRIGHT, LET'S GO BACK TO, UH, ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING.
MADAM DEPUTY CLARK, DO WE HAVE ANY? NO, WE DO NOT.
DO WE HAVE, UH, ANY ORDINANCE RESOLUTION OF SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT? NO, WE DON'T.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S GO BACK TO RESOLUTIONS.
WE'RE GONNA GO TO NUMBER ONE, WHICH IS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION OF FINANCE, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET.
AND THAT COULD BE READ UNTIL THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
MR. MOHAMMED, WE'LL HANDLE THIS ITEM.
SAM MOHAMMAD COUNTY TREASURER.
UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE IS FOR TRANSFER, UH, OF APPROPRIATION, UH, FOR THE 2025 BUDGET.
WE ALLOWED TO DO TRANSFER TO PRIOR YEAR BUDGET IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS.
AND, UH, JUST TO MAKE SURE, UM, TO PAY ALL THE OUTSTANDING BILLS FROM LAST YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NO QUESTIONS.
MR. PRESTON? MR. MCINERNEY? UH, NO.
THESE ARE BASICALLY GOING TO THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES.
ROUTINE BUSINESS THIS TIME OF YEAR ANYWAY.
SO, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? SEEING NONE? SO I'M GONNA MOVE IT, I'LL MOVE IT.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK NUMBER ONE.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MARY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
RESOLUTION NUMBER TWO HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
SO WE'RE GONNA GO THROUGH RESOLUTIONS THREE THROUGH 10, WHICH IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT DIVISION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT.
THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, DIRECTOR RICHARDSON GREEN WILL HANDLE THREE AND FOUR.
AND DIRECTOR SORE WILL HANDLE FIVE THROUGH 10.
UH, VALENTINA RICHARDSON, GREEN DIRECTOR OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT.
SO THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT DIVISION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO INDIVIDUAL TRAINING AGREEMENTS WITH VENDORS UNDER THE APPROVED STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
ELIGIBLE TRAINING AND PROVIDERS LIST.
JANUARY 1ST, 2026 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2026.
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 2.5 MILLION GRANT FUNDING.
YOU WANT ME TO READ NUMBER FOUR? YEAH, GO NUMBER FOUR.
AND THEN WE'LL ASK QUESTIONS IF WE HAVE ANY OF THOSE.
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT DIVISION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO INDIVIDUAL ON THE JOB TRAINING AGREEMENTS WITH STATE REGISTERED EMPLOYERS UNDER THE STATE WORK BASED LEARNING GRANT.
JANUARY 1ST, 2026 THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, 2026.
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 500,000 GRANT FUNDING.
SO A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND.
INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE RECEIVING PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, THAT INCLUDES WORKFORCE NEW JERSEY OR SNAP BENEFITS OR INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR WORKFORCE INITIATIVE.
OPPORTUNITY ACTS ARE REQUIRED TO BE IN A TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITY.
THIS IS WHAT THIS FUNDING GOES TOWARDS.
THERE'S SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR TRAINING PROGRAMS. SO WE HAVE THE INDIVIDUAL TRAINING ACCOUNTS THAT WE'RE UTILIZING AS WELL AS TAPPING INTO DEPARTMENT OF LABOR GRANTEES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
SO THIS IS TO, UH, AWARDS HELPING PEOPLE GET THE JOBS, GET THE TRAINING, BUT ULTIMATELY TO GET JOBS AND SUSTAIN THEIR FAMILIES.
ANY QUESTIONS, MR. YOUNG? ANYONE? ANY QUESTIONS ON 3 0 4? UH, NO.
MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MACON, ANY, ANY QUESTIONS ON 3 0 4? YES, I HAVE A COMMENT.
SO THIS IS $6,500, UM, WHICH I, AS YOU SAID, IS AN INCREASE, RIGHT? I CAN REMEMBER THIS BEING SIGNIFICANTLY LESS.
I'M SORRY, FRANK, A LITTLE LOUDER.
I'M TALKING ABOUT RESOLUTION NUMBER THREE.
THE MEMORANDUM SAYS THAT THE, UM, THE COST OF THIS IS 6,500.
SO THAT'S HIGHER THAN IT'S BEEN.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, IS THIS ATTACHED TO RESOLUTION FOUR? IN OTHER WORDS, THEY GET THE TRAINING AND THEN THROUGH RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR, THEY ARE PLACED WITH
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AN EMPLOYER OR ON THE JOB TRAINING.THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
THEY GET THE INITIAL TRAINING IF THEY'RE AT THAT LEVEL, AND THEY NEED THAT REMEDIAL TRAINING.
AND THEN TO GO INTO THOSE WORK-BASED LEARNING TRAININGS TO ULTIMATELY END IN EMPLOYMENT.
SO, SO THESE, THESE ARE LIKE FIRST STAGE NUMBER THREE, SECOND STAGE NUMBER FOUR.
ONE OF, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP REPEATEDLY ON THIS RESOLUTION IS, IS THAT, IS THE NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS THAT, OR THE OPERATION TO GET IN PLACEMENTS.
WHAT'S BEEN THE SUCCESS RATE ON THAT? IN OTHER WORDS, ONCE YOU COME OUTTA ON THE JOB TRAINING TO ACTUALLY PLACE THEM WITH, WITH AN EMPLOYER? IS THERE A STATISTIC THE COUNTY KEEPS ON THAT SUCCESS STORY? WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND I CAN GET THAT TO THE BOARD THROUGH OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD.
WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU IN TERMS OF SUCCESS.
UH, I UNDERSTAND YOUR, YOUR CONCERN AND YOUR QUESTIONS.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS AND THE SUCCESS STORIES.
WE HAVE THEM AND WE'LL GET THAT INFORMATION.
BUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO AS WE TAP INTO THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR GRANTEES AND WHAT WE DID IN THE DIVISION IS SOMETHING THAT HADN'T BEEN DONE PRIOR.
WE HAD AN ORIENTATION WHERE WE INVITED ALL OF THE GRANTEES TO COME INTO THE 50 SOUTH CLINTON STREET LOCATION TO LEARN WHAT THE ONE STOP WAS.
'CAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, MANY PEOPLE DID NOT KNOW THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDED.
WE HAVE BEEN ONBOARDING, RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT 10 DIFFERENT GRANTEES.
SO IN THE PAST, MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT THE, THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF TRAININGS.
THEY WERE IN THE SAME AREAS, SAME THING.
GETTING THE SAME RESULTS AND NOT POSITIVE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
SO WE SPREAD THE NET A LOT WIDER.
SO WE HAVE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES.
SO I, I'M VERY OPTIMISTIC IN TERMS OF THE SUCCESS RATE OF THESE INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THESE PROGRAMS, THEY'RE ENDING WITH JOBS.
THAT'S PART OF WHY THEY WERE AWARDED THE GRANT.
WE'RE NOT JUST TRAINING PEOPLE TO TRAIN 'EM ANYMORE.
WE'RE TRAINING PEOPLE FOR SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT SO THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY.
AND BUT AGAIN, LIKE THAT, THAT, THAT WAS THE ISSUE IN THE PAST WHEN THIS COME UP.
THAT ONCE ALL THIS WAS DONE, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND POSITIONS IN, IN FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT.
UM, AND THAT, AT THE TIME WHEN THIS CAME UP, I THINK IT WAS A YEAR OR TWO YEARS AGO, THERE REALLY WASN'T MUCH IN TERMS OF STATISTICS THAT ALLOWED THE COUNTY TO TRACK THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY YOU'RE SAYING NOW THAT THAT'S CHANGED.
THE, THE FORMAT FOR THAT HAS CHANGED BECAUSE ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS TO GET THE MONEY IS THAT THEY HAVE TO REPORT THESE STATISTICS.
THE STATE IS NOT AWARDING PEOPLE MONEY JUST TO GIVE THEM MONEY.
NOW WE'RE NOT WORKING WITH PEOPLE JUST TO HAVE THEM TO BE ON THE BOOKS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT PEOPLE THAT HAVE ACTIONABLE ITEMS THAT HAVE JOBS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS.
THANK I AGAIN, LIKE, I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WE WILL HAVE BETTER DATA AND WE'LL HAVE BETTER SUCCESS STORIES TO REPORT.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE METRICS WHEN THEY, AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS DO MOVE ALONG WITH THE PROGRAM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. KINNER? COMMISSIONERS? ANY QUESTIONS THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSIGHT AND FOR YOUR WORK.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND TO SOMETHING THAT YOU LIFTED.
SO YOU MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE BOARD FOLKS ARE SEEING THE HITS FROM THESE FEDERAL CUTS.
HAS THAT RESULTED IN A DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF, UH, CONSTITUENTS OR, UH, ES COUNTY MEMBERS WHO ARE BEING SERVED BY THE PROGRAM OR JUST YOU GUYS HAVING TO BE A LITTLE CREATIVE? AS FAR AS RESOURCE SECURITY? I LIKE HOW YOU SAID THAT.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
BEING CREATIVE, OUTREACHING PEOPLE WHERE BEFORE IT MAY HAVE APPEARED THAT WE WERE SITTING, WAITING FOR THEM TO COME TO US.
WE'RE GOING OUT THERE, GETTING THE PEOPLE, FINDING OUT WHO HAS THE PROGRAMS, GETTING THEM IN, EXPLAINING TO 'EM WHAT IT IS THAT WE DO, WHAT IT IS THAT WE CAN OFFER THEM.
SO WE, WE SHOW THEM WHAT'S IN IT FOR THEM.
AND ONCE YOU START SHOWING PEOPLE WHAT'S IN IT FOR THEM, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO WANT TO WORK WITH YOU.
AND WE'VE HAD SOME TREMENDOUS SUCCESS.
NJIT IS ONE OF THE FIRST GRANTEES THAT CAME ON BOARD, HAS BEEN TREMENDOUSLY SUCCESSFUL WITH THEM.
AND THAT'S IN THE TECHNOLOGY FIELD.
LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NUMBER FIVE.
JOHN SIRS DIRECTED VISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR RESOLUTION NUMBER FIVE.
WE'RE REQUESTING THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE BOARD TO ACCEPT FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, THE PROGRAM YEAR 25 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,216,482.
IN ORDER FOR US TO RECEIVE THESE FUNDS, THE COUNTY PREPARED THE 20 25 20 29 5 YEAR CONS CONSOLIDATED PLAN, WHICH IDENTIFIED AND ANALYZE THE NEEDS FOR HOUSING, SOCIAL SERVICES, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, AND HOMELESSNESS ASSISTANCE FOR THE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME POPULATION RESIDING IN ESSEX COUNTY.
EACH GRANT HERE COVERED BY THE CON CONSOLIDATED PLAN MUST BE FURTHER DE DELINEATED IN A ONE YEAR
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ACTION PLAN, WHICH DETAILS THE PROPOSED USE OF CDBG FUNDS, AS WELL AS HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP AND EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANTS.UH, WE EXPEND THESE FEDERAL DOLLARS THROUGH HOUSING, REHABILITATION, PUBLIC FACILITIES, HOMELESSNESS NEEDS, PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS, AND PUBLIC SERVICES FOR RESOLUTION NUMBER SIX, IT'S TO AUTHORIZE THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP HOME PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,199,356 AND 9 CENTS.
AND THEN FOR RESOLUTION NUMBER SEVEN, IT'S THE AUTHORIZATION TO RECEIVE THE EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT, ESG AND THE AMOUNT OF $464,006.
RESOLUTION NUMBER EIGHT IS THE AUTHORIZATION TO EXTEND SEVERAL PROJECTS.
THERE'S A MATRIX ATTACHED, UH, FROM PROGRAM YEAR 2024.
CDBG, UH, PROGRAM, UH, EXTEND THE EXTENSION TO SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2026 SO THAT THE, UH, MUNICIPALITIES AND THE AGENCIES CAN FINISH THEIR PROJECTS.
RESOLUTION NUMBER NINE IS REQUESTING A SIX MONTH EXTENSION FOR PROGRAM YEAR 2023 UNTIL JUNE 30TH, 2026 OF S UH, SEVERAL PROJECTS SO THAT, UH, THE MUNICIPALITIES AND THE AGENCIES CAN FINISH THEIR PROJECTS.
THERE'S A MATRIX ATTACHED, BEN, ON RESOLUTION NUMBER 10.
IT'S ONE PROJECT FROM PROGRAM YEAR 2024.
IT'S EXTENSION UNTIL JUNE 30TH, 2027.
THE REASON FOR THIS EXTENSION, WE BELIEVE THE THE MONEY WILL BE EXPENDED BEFORE THAT.
HOWEVER, THIS PROJECT WILL NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL THEN.
WE NEED TO KEEP THE PROJECT OPEN BECAUSE OF PAPERWORK.
UNDERSTOOD WITH NUMBER EIGHT AND NINE, MR. SORES IS ANY UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES FOR THE EXTENSIONS OR, I KNOW SOMETIMES IT'S JUST A LITTLE EXTRA TIME IS WHAT THEY NEED.
ANYTHING UNUSUAL? THERE'S NOTHING UNUSUAL OF THAT.
IT'S JUST TIMING AND GETTING THE MUNICIPALITIES TO, TO MOVE ON THESE PROJECTS.
SO JUST AS LONG AS THERE'S NOTHING UNUSUAL, THAT'S FINE.
MR. ANNU, ANY QUESTIONS? ACTUALLY, I HAD A SIMILAR QUESTION.
UH, WITH RESPECT TO EIGHT NINE IS THAT, IS THE ASSUMPTION THAT THERE'S, THERE'S NO 2025 PROGRAMS THAT NEED EXTENSION 'CAUSE THEY'RE BOTH FROM 20 24, 20 25.
UH, THE, THE PROGRAM HERE, 2025 IS ACTUALLY RESOLUTIONS FIVE, SIX, AND SEVEN.
WE ARE ABOUT SIX MONTHS BEHIND BECAUSE OF THE HUD CUTS.
THEY, THEY SHUT DOWN AND THEN THE, THE GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN.
NORMALLY, WE WOULD'VE BEEN HERE PROBABLY IN SEPTEMBER, EARLY OCTOBER TO, UH, THEY DIDN'T AUTHORIZE THESE FUNDS UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF DECEMBER AND IT WAS ALREADY TOO LATE FOR THE DECEMBER UH, MEETING.
THAT'S WHY, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE HERE NOW.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DO HAVE COMMISSIONER COOPER.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, QUICKLY, WHEN, WHEN YOU GUYS ADVERTISE FOR YOUR GRANTS, WHEN YOU PUT THEM OUT, HOW DO PEOPLE APPLY? DO YOU DO IT THROUGH THE PURCHASING PORTAL THROUGH JAY'S OFFICE OR YOU HAVE A SEPARATE PLACE THAT PEOPLE GO TO THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? WE, UH, ANNOUNCE IT ON, UH, THROUGH VARIOUS MEDIA.
UH, WE PUT OUT PUBLIC NOTICES.
WE PUT IT ON THE COUNTY WEBSITE.
WE HAVE OUR OWN PORTAL THAT, UH, AGENCIES AND MUNICIPALITIES HAVE A DEADLINE TO SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATIONS.
CAN YOU PLEASE SEND THAT TO THE DEPUTY CLERK AND THEN I CAN FORWARD IT TO WHO ASKED ME THAT QUESTION? I DIDN'T KNOW THE ANSWER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, SO THANK YOU.
THROUGH YOU MR. PRESIDENT? YES.
COMMISSIONER COOPER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE TO NINE? YES.
ROLL CALL MAD DEPUTY CLARK FOR THREE TO 10.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS.
ALRIGHT, SO LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER.
SO LET'S GO THROUGH 12, 12 THROUGH 18 AND ADDED STARTER
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NUMBER 50, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.THERE'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER, UH, 12, UH, WORKS THE FINAL ENGINEERING DESIGN FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BRIDGE TREE BRIDGE OVER THE PASSAIC RIVER BETWEEN NEWARK AND HARRISON TO MAJESKI AND MASTERS.
INCORPORATED IN AN AMOUNT THAT YOU EXCEED $21,596,298.
BUT JETSKI AND MASTERS SUBMITTED THE HIGHEST RATE OF PROPOSAL RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
THE BRIDGE STREET BRIDGE OVER THE PACIFIC RIVER REPLACEMENT IS NOW THE THIRD STEP OF THE FOUR OF THE FEDERAL CONCEPT DELIVERY PROCESS.
THIS PROCESS ADVANCES LOCAL PROJECTS FROM LOCAL CONCEPT THROUGH PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING FINAL DESIGN.
AND AS WITH EVENTUAL CONSTRUCTION, THIS ENGINEERING PHASE OF THE PROJECT IS ALSO BEING FEDERALLY FUNDED.
UH, MR. RICHARD JACKSON OF, UH, MAJESKI AND MASTERS IS HERE, AND HE WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY AND PERHAPS TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
RICHARD JACKSON, VICE PRESIDENT OF MAJESKI MASTERS.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND THE PROJECT AND WHAT IMPACT IT MAY HAVE.
YEAH, SO, UH, MY COMPANY, UH, WE, WE MANAGE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.
UH, WE'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 1893.
WE SPECIALIZE IN BRIDGE DESIGN, SPECIFICALLY MOVABLE BRIDGES.
UH, WE'VE HAD THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH ESSEX, ESSEX COUNTY TO DELIVER THE PRELIMINARY ENGINEER ENGINEERING PHASE OF THIS PROJECT, UH, ON TIME UNDER BUDGET.
UH, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTIN CONTINUING THAT INTO FINAL DESIGN AND, AND THROUGH CONSTRUCTION.
UH, OUR, OUR COMPANY IS, UH, IS NATIONWIDE.
UH, I HELP MANAGE OUR, UH, MOUNT LAUREL AND OUR PHILADELPHIA OFFICE.
WE HAVE, UH, A HALF DOZEN PEOPLE THAT, UH, RESIDE IN ESSEX COUNTY.
WE BUILT OUR TEAM, UH, BASED ON FOLKS THAT ARE, UH, LOCAL TO ESSEX COUNTY, KNOWN BY ESSEX COUNTY.
SOME OF THEM ARE HERE WITH ME TONIGHT.
UM, AND, UH, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH, UH, ESSEX COUNTY ON THIS.
ANY QUESTIONS? NONE MR. PRESIDENT.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? COMMISSIONER RICHARD? YES.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW IF THERE WAS A, AN ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, IMPACT STUDY DONE? THE, THERE WAS, AND, UH, THE, THE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT, IT WAS ACTUALLY A CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION DOCUMENT.
UH, AND THAT WAS DELIVERED AT THE, UH, AT, AT THE END OF, UH, UH, PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING.
UH, IT, IT IS AN EXTENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT, UH, AND IT LOOKS INTO EVERYTHING FROM, UH, YOU KNOW, FROM, UH, ANY, ANY PLANT LIFE.
UH, YOU KNOW, ANIMAL LIFE FISH, UH, ALL THE RESOURCES IN AND AROUND THE AREA.
THE COMMUNITY, UH, COMMUNITY IMPACTS, SOCIAL IMPACTS, ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS.
UH, IT ENDS UP BECOMING A VERY LARGE DOCUMENT, AND THAT WAS WHAT WE ENDED UP DELIVERING AT THE END OF PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING.
SO IN TERMS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL, THE COMMUNITY IMPACT, UH, WAS THERE ANY NEGATIVE IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY? UH, WELL, THE, THE BRIDGE IS GOING TO BE, UH, DETOURED.
CLAY STREET WILL BE THE DETOUR FOR BRIDGE STREET.
UH, SO THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT WE'VE BEEN MITIGATING, UH, WITH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN EVALUATING, UH, THAT EFFECT, WE EVALUATE THAT EFFECT IN, IN, UH, PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING.
UM, AND, UH, AND I GUESS WE FOUND THAT, UH, THE LEVEL OF SERVICE OF THE ROADWAYS, UM, WILL NOT BE SEVERELY IMPACTED BEYOND WHAT THEY CURRENTLY ARE.
AND, UM, UH, AND I GUESS WHEN BRIDGE STREET IS DONE BEING BUILT, CLAY STREET WILL BE, UH, UH, WILL BE, WILL BE DETOURED THROUGH, THROUGH BRIDGE STREET.
SO, UM, THERE, THERE'LL BE SOME SHORT TERM, UH, IMPACTS TO THE AREA DUE TO THE REPLACEMENT OF THESE TWO, UH, BRIDGES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER COOPER? THANK YOU.
WHAT'S THE TIMELINE? HOW LONG IS THIS PROJECT GONNA TAKE? UH, SO THIS IS A, A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT.
UH, A FINAL DESIGN WILL BE TWO YEARS.
AND THEN, UH, WE ARE, YOU KNOW, PART OF THIS CONTRACT IS FOR US TO PROVIDE SERVICES DURING CONSTRUCTION, UH, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT THREE YEARS.
DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 13 AWARDS A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO SPAR WICK CONSTRUCTION TO REPLACE THE LABEL STREET CULVERT OVER THE TONY'S BROOK IN MONTCLAIR IN AMOUNT THAT EXCEED $948,199.
UH, SWICK CONSTRUCTION SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE FOUR BITS RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY.
THIS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS FULLY FUNDED WITH AN N-J-D-O-T GRANT.
UH, THE CULVERT IS ON ABEL STREET, WHICH, UH,
[00:45:01]
IS BETWEEN FRANK AND FOREST STREET, ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY FROM THE WALNUT STREET TRAIN STATION IN MONTCLAIR.UH, AND WE DO HAVE MR. BRIAN GERSTEN OF SPAR CONSTRUCTION THIS EVENING AS WELL.
HE WILL ALSO LIKE TO, UH, INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY AND, UH, PERHAPS TOUCH ON THE SCOPE OF WORK AS WELL.
JUST PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD AND JUST TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND THE SCOPE OF PROJECT.
BRIAN GERSON SPARWOOD, CONTRACTING PRESIDENT.
UM, SPARWOOD CONTRACTING IS A FAMILY OWNED COMPANY IN BUSINESS SINCE 1993.
WE'VE DONE MANY PROJECTS IN ESSEX COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES.
UM, ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE FROM LOCAL 4 72, LOCAL 11 IRON WORKERS, AND LOCAL 8 25 OPERATORS.
UM, UH, THE PROJECT ITSELF IS A BRIDGE DECK REPLACEMENT, UH, OVER A SMALL BROOK IN MONTCLAIR.
UH, I THINK THE, IT'S ABOUT A SIX MONTHS PROJECT STARTING THIS SPRING.
ANO, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS? YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK.
UH, DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER, UH, 14 EXERCISES IS A ONE YEAR EXTENSION OPTION TO THE CONTRACTS TO FURNISH AND REPAIR SPECIALTY TIRES TO THREE VENDORS IN AN AMOUNT I TO EXCEED $80,000.
THE THREE VENDORS ARE INTERCITY TIRE AND AUTO CENTER, BARNWELL HOUSE OF TIRES, AND F AND S TIRE CORPORATION.
UH, THESE SPECIALTY TIRES TO REFURNISH INSTALLED UNDER THIS CONTRACT ARE TYPICALLY, UH, THE ONES FOUND IN THE COUNTY EQUIPMENT SUCH AS FRONT END LOADERS, BOBCATS, UH, LARGE HEAVY TRUCKS, ET CETERA.
UH, ITEM NUMBER 15, IT'S A CHANGE ORDER WHICH MODIFIES THE EXISTING CONTRACT WITH KS ENGINEERS TO PROVIDE CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE 2024 BROADWAY RESURFACING PROGRAM BY INCREASING THE CURRENT NA EXCEED AMOUNT FROM 250,000 TO A NEW NA EXCEED AMOUNT OF $299,919.
THIS IS AN INCREASE OF $49,919, WHICH IS ABOUT 20% OF THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT.
UH, THE COST FOR THIS CHANGE ORDER WILL CONTINUE TO BE FUNDED BY NJ D OT FUNDS.
UH, ON NUMBER 16 AUTHORIZES THE RENEWAL OF THE SHARED SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AND THE COUNTY OF HUDSON FOR THE JOINT OPERATION, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF THE THREE BY COUNTY MOVABLE BRIDGES OVER TO PA PACIFIC RIVER.
UH, THREE BRIDGES COVERED BY THIS AGREEMENT ARE THE BRIDGE STREET BRIDGE, THE CLAY STREET BRIDGE, AND THE JACKSON STREET BRIDGE, UH, ALL OVER THE PA PACIFIC RIVER.
UH, DISAGREEMENT ESTABLISHES THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE TWO COUNTIES SO THAT DISPUTE BRIDGES CAN CONTINUE TO BE OPERATED SAFELY AND EFFICIENTLY.
AND ITEM NUMBER 17 IS A RESOLUTION CONSENTING TO THE CITY OF EAST ORANGES RESOLUTION TO ADD A NEW BUS STOP ALONG SOUTH ORANGE AVENUE, WESTBOUND NEAR SUNNYSIDE TERRACE, AS REQUESTED BY ANGIO TRANSIT.
UH, THERE IS NO FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE COUNTY BY CONSENTING TO THE CITY OF EAST ORANGE RESOLUTION.
ITEM NUMBER 18 IS THE ADOPTION OF THE ESSEX COUNTY ROAD SAFETY ACTION PLAN, WHICH IDENTIFIES ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS TO REDUCE FATAL AND SERIOUS INJURY CRASHES ON THE COUNTY ROADWAY NETWORK.
UH, THE LISTING OF CANDIDATE ROADWAY SAFETY PROJECTS WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR DESIGN, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION FUNDING UNDER THE FEDERAL SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM BOARD ADOPTION OF THE PLAN WILL ALLOW THE COUNTY TO ADVANCE THIS IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS TO ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION FEDERAL FUNDING.
AND ITEM NUMBER 50 AUTHORIZES THE SUBMITTAL OF AN APPLICATION AND EXECUTION OF A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE N-J-D-O-T, WHICH WILL FUND THE REPLACEMENT OF TWO BRIDGES IN AMOUNT OF $2,009,725 THROUGH THE 2026 LOCAL BRIDGE FUTURE NEEDS PROGRAM.
THIS PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THE NEW JERSEY TRANSPORTATION TRUST FUND.
UH, THE FIRST BRIDGE IS THE DRAPER TERRACE CULVERT, WHICH IS IN MONTCLAIR.
AND THE SECOND ONE IS THE NORTH LIVINGSTON AVENUE BRIDGE, WHICH IS IN ROSELAND.
ON, UH, FROM 14 TO 18 AND NUMBER 15, MR. NU, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UM, JUST A BIT OF INQUIRY WITH RESPECT TO 15,
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THAT INCREASE IN THE SCOPE, WHICH COVERED THE, I GUESS THE RESURFACING ALONG BLOOMFIELD AVE.IS THAT THE ONLY INCREASE OF SCOPE? BECAUSE IT THEN GOES TO STATE THAT THE FINAL PHASE OF MILLING AND PAVING COVERING BLOOMFIELD AVE REMAINS THE SAME.
SO, UM, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THE K ENGINEERS HOURS FOR CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT HAD TO BE INCREASED BECAUSE THE DURATION OF CONSTRUCTION INCREASED.
UH, BUT AT THIS POINT, CONSTRUCTION HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND STILL HAS THE TERMS OF SERVICE OF, UH, KS ENGINEERS.
SO THE, THE REASON FOR THE CHANGE ORDER IS BECAUSE ADDITIONAL HOURS WERE REQUIRED BECAUSE CONSTRUCTION TOOK LONGER THAN ANTICIPATED.
SO IT WAS, THE HOURS COULD HAVE MADE IT SEEM LIKE IT WAS, IT'S NOT THE QUANTITY AND IT'S NOT THE CONSTRUCTION, IT'S THE ENGINEER HOURS.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? I DON'T.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? THANKS COMMISSIONERS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON 14TH, 18 AND 15? SO THEN SEE NONE.
DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE 12 THROUGH 18 AND NUMBER 15.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MARIE THOMAS.
THANK YOU MR. THANK YOU MR. PORTER.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER 19, WHICH IS IN THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR.
WE'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. COLTRANE, MR. PRESIDENT, PARTICIPATION, UH, RESOLUTION.
NOW CAN YOU HEAR ME A LITTLE, LITTLE BIT? YEAH.
UH, PARTICIPATION, UH, WITH THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, NEW JERSEY, UH, PROSECUTOR'S INSURANCE FRAUD REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF INSURANCE FRAUD.
THIS IS ALSO A SALARY OF $150,143 BENEFITS 99,857 FOR ONE ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR AND ONE INVESTIGATOR.
MR. KNIGHT? ANY QUESTIONS? NONE MR. PRESIDENT.
THE 19TH, SO I'M GONNA MOVE IT.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS.
AND THAT IS STARTER 52, WHICH IS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS.
IT, IT'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. MR. PRESIDENT, UH, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AWARD TO WHITMER PUBLIC SAFETY GROUP, LLC TO PROVIDE FIREARMS AND ACCESSORIES UNDER THE NEW NEW JERSEY STATE CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $6,137 AND 58 CENTS.
IT'S FOR A SIX GLOCK, UH, NINE MILER, NINE MILLIMETER HANDGUNS, UH, SIX AIM POINT RED DOT SITES WITH MOUNTS.
UH, THE VENDOR HAS COMPLIED WITH THE NEW JERSEY WITH THE COMMISSIONER'S RESOLUTION OF 2015 AND NUMBER 52 IS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION.
UH, REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY DECLARATION PAYMENT TO GD CORRECTIONAL SERVICE LLLC FOR FOOD SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,224,049 AND 74 CENTS.
UH, THIS EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED ON DECEMBER 10TH, 2025 TO BE ABLE TO SUBMIT AND FEED ALL THE INMATES TO THE END OF THE YEAR.
MR. AN, ANY QUESTIONS? 19 AND 52.
NONE, MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK FOR 19 AND 52.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO 21 THROUGH 23, WHICH ARE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION.
THEY WILL BE RIGHT INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. TRIC, THEY BUSY YOU TODAY, HUH? YES, THEY ARE MAKING ME WORK.
MR. JOCKS, ARE YOU MAKING NO MORE CAR TODAY? ABSOLUTELY.
EARN THAT MONEY MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, THIS IS A DIVISIONAL HO HOSPITAL CENTER ANNUAL ANNUAL CERTIFICATION OF FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR ESSEX COUNTY HOSPITAL CENTER FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2026.
UH, YEARLY RESOLUTION THAT THE COUNTY WILL SUPPLY FINANCIAL PLANS AND OTHER APPLICABLE DATA REQUIRED BY THE STATE 22 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION
[00:55:01]
DIVISION HOSPITAL CENTER NEGOTIATED CONTRACT AWARD TO ALDA MAGE, THE SOLE RESPONSIBLE BIDDER TO PROVIDE TON CEREAL SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $50,000.IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TIAL MEANS, IT IS HAIRCUTTING, WHICH I DO NOT USE.
OH, I'LL BE THERE TOO ONE DAY.
WHY NOT? WHY SPEAK FOR YOURSELF.
UM, 23 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION CONTRACT, UH, CHANGE ORDER WITH ENTERPRISE UNLIMITED, UH, TRANSLATION SERVICE AND GLOBAL LANGUAGE SYSTEMS TO PROVIDE LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION SERVICES.
UH, THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS FOR $300,000.
A 20% CHANGE ORDER OF $60,000 BRINGING THE TOTAL TO $360,000.
MR. ANY QUESTIONS? NONE, MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS.
I HAVE, UH, SEABOLD TO MOVE IT.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MARIE THOMAS.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
SO MOVE, LET'S MOVE ON TO 24 AND 25, WHICH ARE FROM THE OFFICE OF COUNTY COUNCIL, THOUGH WE READ INTO THE RECORD AT THE LATEST TIME.
OUR LAST TWO CONTRACTS OF THE 27.
UH, SO 24 IS, UH, AND I'LL MAKE IT EASY.
THEY'RE BOTH THE SAME FOLLOWING THE, THE FORMAT THAT WE ALWAYS FOLLOW ON ALL OTHER 25 CONTRACTS.
AND SO THESE ARE THE, THE, THE LAST TWO CONTRACTS.
ALL CONTRACTS WILL TERMINATE IN 2028.
I WANT TO THANK THE UNION REPRESENTATIVES WHO WERE DIFFICULT NEGOTIATORS, BUT HONEST, FORTHRIGHT, AND, AND FROM THAT STANDPOINT, WE APPRECIATED WORK WITH THEM.
I WANTED TO THANK MR. JACKSON, MR. MOHAMED, UH, MS. HALL, WHO WAS OUR HEAD LABOR LAWYER, AS YOU KNOW, AND OUR OUTSIDE, UH, UH, LABOR LAWYER.
AND, UH, IT WAS JUST, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE REPRESENTING THE COUNTY AND GETTING ALL 27 OF THESE MATTERS COMPLETED.
WITH THAT, I'LL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? NONE, MR. PRESIDENT.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB AND NOW WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DEAL WITH IN TERMS OF THE UNIONS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
I WOULDN'T SAY THAT
WELL, THANKS FOR DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB.
BUT AGAIN, I WANT DO THANK I DO WANT TO THANK THE UNION, THE UNION HEADS, THEY WERE ALL FORTHRIGHT AND HONEST.
DO YOU WANNA MOVE IT? COMMISSIONER? I'LL MOVE IT.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, THIS IS FOR 23, 4 AND FIVE.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS.
SOLUTION 26, WHICH IS IN THE OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES.
IT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD A LETTER TIME.
THIS IS, UH, A REQUESTING APPROVAL OF DENTAL BENEFITS CONTRACT WITH, UH, UH, WITH AETNA AND LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY FROM JANUARY 1ST, 2020 6TH OF DECEMBER 31, 20 26 IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1.9 MILLION.
AS THE BOARD MAY RECALL, IT APPROVED FOR US TO OFFER A FREE, UH, DENTAL PLAN TO OUR EMPLOYEES, ANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO WERE IN PLACE, UH, AS OF 12 31 20 16, WHICH WE HAVE DONE OVER THE YEARS.
UM, AND THIS IS RENEWING THAT PLAN.
UH, NO, ACTUALLY NO INCREASE FROM, UM, FROM LAST YEAR.
UM, WE DID ADD AN ENHANCEMENT, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, WHERE EMPLOYEES COULD, UH, UH, UP TO ANOTHER HIGHER UPGRADE TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF COVERAGE AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE, BUT GET THE BENEFIT OF THE, THE AMOUNT THAT WE WOULD CONTRIBUTE FOR THE STANDARD PLAN, SO TO SPEAK.
AND WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD, UM, 364, UH, EMPLOYEES WHO, WHO ARE, HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THAT.
UM, BUT AGAIN, IT'S THE SAME POLICY WE'VE HAD SINCE, UH, WE MOVED INTO, UH, STATE HEALTH BENEFITS AND IT'S A FREE BENEFIT TO OUR EMPLOYEES.
ACTIVE AMPUTATE EMPLOYEES, ACTUALLY.
MR. AWO, ANY QUESTIONS? NONE, MR. PRESIDENT.
ANY QUESTIONS? MOTION SOM A MOTION.
[01:00:01]
GILL.COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT MARIE THOMAS.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 27 AND 28, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICES AND WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. COLTRANE, MR. PRESIDENT, DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICE, DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS, APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY SHELTER AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES.
24 MONTH CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $19,508,520 THAT WE RECEIVED.
15 PROPOSALS AND 12 WERE RECEIVED WITH CONTRACTS AND THEY PROBABLY ARE ON THE MATRIX.
YOU WANTED 2028 DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICE, DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ACTION, APPROVAL OF CONTRACT TO PROVIDE CODE BLUE EMERGENCY SHELTER PROGRAM JANUARY 1ST, 2026 TO JUNE 30, 20, 26.
ANY QUESTIONS? NONE MR. PRESIDENT.
ON RESOLUTION 27, UM, UH, IT WAS MENTIONED DURING THE COMMENT PERIOD, BUT I'VE ALSO KNOWN, UH, THAT THE NEWARK YMCA HAS ALWAYS, I THINK, ALWAYS BEEN ON THIS LIST.
UH, IS THERE, IS THERE A REASON WHY THEY'RE NOT AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME? WHEN THE PROPOSALS CAME IN, THEY FAILED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT AS ADVERTISED.
THE, THEIR, THEIR PROPOSAL WAS, THE PROPOSAL WAS REJECTED.
THEY FAILED TO SUBMIT ALL THEIR DOCUMENTS NEEDED.
THEY DIDN'T LIKE, I UNDERSTAND THAT.
AND THEY EVEN CAME IN FRONT OF ME THAT PARTICULAR DAY AND JUST WASN'T THERE.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER, MAYOR THOMAS THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
THIS IS ALSO, UH, WITH RESPECT TO 27.
THAT'S UNFORTUNATE TO HEAR ABOUT THE WHY I LIVE IN NEWARK, OBVIOUSLY.
AND IT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE JUST DOWNTOWN, ANYTIME YOU'RE IN MILITARY PARK OR IN JPAC, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THE IMPACT THAT THAT SHELTER HAS ON FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.
UM, AND SO THAT IS UNFORTUNATE, UM, TO HEAR.
UH, BUT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT OF THE 12, UH, FOLKS WHO DID SUBMIT AND WERE ACCEPTED, ROUGHLY HOW, WHAT, ROUGHLY WHAT PERCENT OF THE SHARE OF ESSEX COUNTY BEDS DO THOSE 12 CONTRACTEES REPRESENT? I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DEPARTMENT AND GET THAT DOCUMENTATION.
DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF, LIKE, JUST, JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, LIKE ROUGHLY HOW MANY, AS FAR AS, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF HOW MANY FOLKS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH AS FAR AS VENDORS FOR HOMELESSNESS.
DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF THAT? OR IF NOT, I UNDERSTAND IF YOU NEED TO GET THAT INFORMATION, BUT, UH, WE'LL HAVE, I'LL BE GLAD TO GET THAT INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT, BUT I HAVE, RIGHT NOW I DON'T HAVE IT.
AND REMEMBER, EVERYTHING THAT PEOPLE, PEOPLE SUBMIT IS REQUIRED BY LAW OR BY LAW AND NEW JERSEY PUBLIC CONTRACT.
OKAY, SO THEN I'LL, I'LL JUST FOLLOW UP WITH SOME OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS THEN.
'CAUSE THAT MAY BE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION NEEDED, SO.
MR. COOPER, DID YOU HAVE NELSON? I DO.
UM, I, I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN OVERSIGHT WHEN I READ THIS THAT I DIDN'T SEE THE WHY ON HERE.
MY CONCERN IS, UM, KNOWING THAT THEY'VE BEEN A LONG STANDING COMMUNITY PARTNER PROVIDING THE BEDS, A LIST OF PEOPLE THAT DID RESPOND, UM, ARE THE NUMBER OF BEDS, KNOWING THAT THEIR PARTICIPATION ISN'T THERE, DID THE AVAILABILITY GO DOWN? LIKE, SO SAY FOR AN EXAMPLE, IF THEY WERE PARTICIPATING, YOU HAD A HUNDRED BEDS THAT WAS MADE AVAILABLE WITH THE Y DID WE SEE A DECREASE? LIKE I SAID, MR. PRESIDENT, THROUGH REVIEW? THAT WOULD BE A DEPARTMENT DECISION HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO PROCEED? I THINK THAT, THAT, UM, THERE ARE 412 BEDS PROVIDED BY THE, THE PROVIDERS THAT WE DO HAVE.
UM, AND IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY SITUATION THERE, IT WOULD BE WHEREWITHAL, LEEWAY, WHATEVER FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO SAY WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH.
AND THAT MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE, UH, THE Y TO, TO GET BEDS AT THAT POINT, BUT WE CAN EVALUATE THAT.
AND IF THAT COMES TO WORK ATTACK DOWN AT FOUR 12, WE MAY HAVE
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS GETTING AT.
SO IF WE FIND THAT, THEN THE DEPARTMENT COULD COME BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE POTENTIALLY SOME ADJUSTMENTS.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
YEAH, I WAS GOING TO ASK, UM, HOW OFTEN DOES THIS BID GO OUT? IS THIS A YEARLY
[01:05:01]
BID? I'LL LET YOU KNOW IN A SECOND.IT'S A COMPETITIVE CONTRACT THAT CAN GO OUT MULTIPLE YEARS.
SO WHAT IS THIS ONE? THIS WAS 24 MONTHS.
SO THEY COULD POTENTIALLY GET ANOTHER CHANCE TO BID.
AND LIKE MR. JACKSON STATED, THERE'S AN EMERGENCY.
THERE'S AN EMERGENCY, THEY NEED ADDITIONAL BETTING THROUGH MR. PRESIDENT.
COMMISSIONER, I'M GONNA ASK A QUESTION.
I'M NOT SURE IF THIS'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE, UH, ON HAND INFORMATION TO OR MEETING TO GET LATER, BUT WHERE ARE WE AS FAR AS, UM, ROUGHLY HOW MANY, UH, YOU SAID 400, 4 12 WAS THE NUMBER MR. JACKSON? YES.
UM, AND SO EVERY YEAR, ARE WE, EACH OF THOSE BEDS BEING USED, UM, ARE THERE BEDS THAT ARE UNDERUSED? ARE THERE BEDS THAT WE ARE IN NEED OF? THIS IS ALSO IN RESPECT TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP EARLIER.
IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE LIKE A SURVEY OF THE LAND AS FAR AS NEED, WHAT WE'RE REACHING, WHAT WE'RE MISSING.
I CAN'T GIVE YOU A SURVEY OF THE LAND BECAUSE THAT IS NOT MY DEPARTMENT, WHICH YOU NEED TO GET DOWN AND DIRTY.
KNOW HOW MANY BEDS ARE EACH IN EACH UNIT.
HOW MANY OF THE 12 PEOPLE, UH, 12 AGENCIES HAVE PER BED.
SO I CAN'T REALLY GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME.
I'LL MAKE SURE THE DEPARTMENT COMES AND GIVES YOU THAT INFORMATION.
SO IF I COULD ASK MR. JACKSON, PERHAPS WHAT WE COULD DO IS HAVE THE DEPARTMENT JUST COME BACK TO US WITH, JUST GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE METRICS, RIGHT? SO HOW MANY BEDS ARE AVAILABLE? HOW MANY TIMES DO WE MAX OUT THOSE 412 BEDS? YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF GIVE US SOME PERSPECTIVE BECAUSE IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD.
I I THINK EVERYONE IS CONCERNED, HEY, WHAT HAPPENS IF NOT, NOT ENOUGH BEDS, RIGHT? BUT IF WE HAVE 412 BEDS AND ONLY 200 ARE BEING USED, BUT SPREAD OUT AMONG 12 AGENCIES, THEN THEY ALWAYS HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACCOMMODATE.
BUT WE NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE PERSPECTIVE.
SO CAN, CAN YOU JUST HAVE THE DEPARTMENT GIVE US LIKE A NARRATIVE OF SUMMARY OF SOME SORT THAT YES.
IS THAT COOL EVERYONE? COMMISSIONER? YES.
THAT GIVE US A LITTLE BLUR PERSPECTIVE.
COMMISSIONER VICE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE? 27, 28.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS.
LET'S MOVE THE RESOLUTIONS 29 THROUGH 35 AND ADDED START OF 51, WHICH ARE THE 2026 TEMPORARY EMERGENCY APPROPRIATIONS FROM VARIOUS RESOURCES.
AND THERE WILL BE, UH, READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, AS YOU SAID, THESE ARE ALL BUDGET INSERTIONS.
ITEM 29, UH, IS FOR THE, UM, WORKFORCE WORKFORCE PROGRAM FOR OUR DIVISION OF, OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $5,895,006.
AND THIS IS FOR, UH, JANUARY ONE THROUGH JANUARY 30.
AND THESE FUNDS HELP, UH, UH, RECIPIENTS OF, UM, OF AID AND FINDING AND RETAINING FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT.
ITEM 30 AND THE AMOUNT OF $323,245 AND 60 CENTS, UM, IS A REIMBURSEMENT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS, COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION FOR THE 2024 GENERAL ELECTION EARLY VOTING, UH, COST.
AND THERE AGAIN THERE STONE COUNTY MATCH FOR THAT ITEM.
UM, 31 IS AN AMOUNT OF $250,000 FOR THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR.
THIS IS TO, UH, SUPPLEMENT THE, UH, EFFORTS IN THE TERMS OF INSURANCE FRAUD.
IT PROVIDES FOR, UH, SALARY INFRINGED BENEFITS FOR ONE ASSISTANT PROSECUTOR AND ONE INVESTIGATOR.
ITEM 32, UH, TO OUR DIVISION OF PUBLIC HEALTH MANAGEMENT, $75,000.
UH, THIS WILL PROVIDE FOR A SHARED SERVICES COORDINATOR FOR THE PERIOD OF JAN, JULY 1ST, 2025 THROUGH JUNE 30TH, 2026.
AND THEN THIS WILL HELP TO IDENTIFY AND NEGOTIATE AND IMPLEMENT SHARED SERVICE AGREEMENTS WITHIN THE NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY AND CITY, UH, HEALTH OFFICERS.
UH, AND THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCH.
UH, ITEM 33, UH, $24,951, UH, AGAIN TO OUR LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH GRANT.
UH, THIS WILL HELP TO, UH, PREVENT, PREPARE, AND HELP US TO PREVENT, PREPARE, AND RESPOND TO EMERGENCY HEALTH THREATS.
THIS IS MONEY THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR, TO PROVIDE FOR TWO REENTRY COORDINATORS FOR THE CORRECTIONAL FACILITY.
[01:10:01]
35, UH, $44,415 GOING TO THE OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF TO HELP REDUCE PEDESTRIAN INJU INJURIES AND CRASHES, UH, AND, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION AND NO COUNTY MATCH.UH, ITEM 51, UH, THROUGH THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
THIS IS FOR LOCAL BRIDGES FUTURE NEEDS PROGRAM.
UH, THIS IS, UH, FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE AMOUNT OF $2,009,725.
AND THIS IS FUNDING FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DRAPER TUR OF, UH, OF THE BRIDGE OVER DRAPER TURBIS OVER INITIAL IN BROOK IN MONTCLAIR AND NORTH LIVINGSTON AVENUE, UH, OVER FULTON FULLERTONS BROOK IN ROSELAND.
MR. AJA, ANY QUESTIONS ON, UH, 29 35 AND 51? NONE.
MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? MOTION MOVE BY COOPER SECOND.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 36 THROUGH 49 AND 53, WHICH ARE IN MEMORIALS, COMMENDATIONS, PRO COMMISSION RESOLUTIONS, ETC.
THEY COULD BE READ FOR THE RECORD AT LATER TIME.
COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YEAH, I'D LIKE TO BE ADD ADDED TO 42.
I JUST RECEIVED ON MY IPHONE NOTICE ABOUT, UH, GOVERNOR RICHARD CO.
I JUST LOOKED HE WILL LIE IN STATE AT THE NEW JERSEY STATE HOUSE ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 22ND, WITH A WAKE BEING HELD AT ST.
JOHN'S IN ORANGE ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 23RD, AND A FUNERAL MASS AT THE CATHEDRAL BASILICA OF THE SACRED HEART IN NEWARK ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 24TH.
I KNOW THAT THE BOARD DID BY ACCLAMATION A, UH, IMMEMORIAL RESOLUTION FOR THE LATE GOVERNOR.
I'M GONNA ASK THE DEPUTY CLERK TO SEND THAT INFORMATION, EXTEND THAT TO THE BOARD, PLEASE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ON 36 TO 49 AND 53? SAY NONE.
MOTION MOVED BY COOPER SECOND.
DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
UH, MADAM DEPUTY CLARK, ANY FURTHER STARTERS? WE COVERED 'EM ALL.
ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO REPORT OF BOARD COMMITTEES.
I KNOW IT'S EARLY IN THE YEAR, SO WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE ANY AT THIS STAGE.
LET'S MOVE ON TO LEGISLATIVE REPORTS.
UH, WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS SAYING NONE.
ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS SAYING NONE.
ANY NEW BUSINESS? SAYING NONE.
LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER, PLEASE GO TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS THE AFFILIATION.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, MR. CHAIR, I WOULD POINT OUT THAT THIS, THIS BODY HAS ALWAYS BEEN GOVERNED BY ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.
MAKE IT CLEAR THAT DURING A MEETING, PUBLIC MEETING, A POINT OF PRIVILEGE CAN BE CALLED BY SOMEBODY IN THE AUDIENCE.
IF THEY CAN'T HEAR WHAT'S BEING SAID, THAT'S IN ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER.
SO I WAS NOT RESPECTFULLY OUT OF ORDER BY ASKING TO SAY, MAKING A POINT OF ORDER AND ASKING THAT WE COULD HEAR MR. JACKSON.
'CAUSE WE COULDN'T ACTUALLY, I WAS HAVING JE TO HEARING MR. COLT.
SO PERHAPS YOU SHOULD, SHOULD LOOK AT THE SYSTEM.
SECONDLY, UM, I WANNA POINT OUT THAT MR. MOHAMMED, UH, APPEARED, AT LEAST I HEARD HIM SAY THAT THE $1 MILLION, UH, WAS TRANSFERRED FROM 2025 FROM WELFARE.
AND I BELIEVE MR. MCINERNEY INDICATED THAT THE MONEY WAS BEING SENT TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE AND THE JAIL.
I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT HE SAID.
I I, I I'M SORRY I COULDN'T HEAR YOU EITHER, SO I ASK YOU TO, TO CORRECT ME MAYBE ON YOUR TIME, BUT, BUT THANK YOU.
YEAH, WE'LL DO, AND SECONDLY, OR THIRDLY, WHEREVER THE HELL I AM, I WANNA MAKE A POINT
[01:15:01]
THAT, UM, I NOTE THAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN REDOING THE, THE BALL FIELDS AND SOCCER FIELDS WITH ARTIFICIAL GRASS.ARTIFICIAL GRASS IS ABSOLUTELY A TOTAL DANGER IN HEALTH RISK.
IT HAS PFAS, WHICH ARE FOREVER CHEMICALS IN IT.
IT HAS VOCS, HEAVY METALS, UH, AND IT'S LINKED TO CANCER, REPRODUCTIVE ISSUES, IMMUNITY PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN WHO INGEST THE DUST OR ABSORB CHEMICALS THROUGH THE SKIN WITH THE INDOOR TURF RELEASING EVEN MORE TOXINS.
SO I WOULD RESPECTFULLY SUGGEST THAT THE ADMINISTRATION LOOK VERY CAREFULLY AT GO CONSIDERING GOING BACK TO REAL GRASS BECAUSE THIS STUFF IS GOING TO KILL PEOPLE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME.
AND FINALLY, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THERE IS A WAITING LIST RIGHT NOW IN DFAB FOR, UH, HOUSING AND WITHOUT THE YI SERVED ON THE WISE BOARD FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS.
AND I KNOW, IN FACT, I'M HAVING LUNCH WITH MR. BRIGHT, UH, IN A WEEK OR SO, THE DIRECTOR.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE JOB THEY DO THERE IS JUST I I IMMEASURABLE AND TO LOSE THE WHY.
AND, AND, AND, AND THEY DID MISS THE DEADLINE.
BUT TO LOSE THEM AND THE HOUSING THEY HAVE AND THE FACILITIES THEY HAVE, THE SOCIAL SERVICES THEY HAVE WOULD BE AN ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE.
AND I DO ASK THAT AS MR. JACKSON SAYS, IF THERE IS A NEED THAT THEY RECONSIDER AND ALLOW THE Y TO GET, UH, CLIENTS AND INDIVIDUALS SENT TO THEM, TO THEIR VERY WELL DONE AND VERY WELL RUN SHELTER.
I'M JUST TRYING TO GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO ONE.
IS ANYONE ELSE SUPPOSED TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? MADAM DEPUTY, QUICK LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT.
NO ELSE WISHES TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
SO WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE COMMISSIONER.
ANY COMMENTS? COMMISSION COMMISSIONER RICARDO? YES.
I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK, UM, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN PUTTING UP A TENT AND SOME PORTA PARTIES FOR THE FAMILIES OF THE DETAINEES AT DELANEY HALL.
UM, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE REQUESTING TO PUT UP THEIR OWN TENTS ON OUR PROPERTY, SO I JUST WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON THAT AND WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE SOME OTHER DISCUSSIONS AND HOW THE ORGANIZATIONS CAN HELP SUPPORT THAT EFFORT AS WELL.
AND THANKS TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER SIEBEL.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REITERATE WHAT THE, UH, COMMISSIONER SAID BECAUSE I SAW THAT NOTICE TODAY THAT A TENT WAS PUT UP AND SOME, UH, PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.
AND I'M VERY HAPPY THAT THAT FINALLY WAS TAKEN CARE OF.
COMMISSIONER, COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
SIMILARLY, I'D LIKE TO COMMEND, UH, BOTH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THIS BOARD, UM, FOR THE WORK THAT WAS DONE TO GET THESE, UM, YOU KNOW, PORTA-POTTIES IN THIS TENT INSTALLED.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE ARE ON THE FRONT LINES HERE AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, SPEAK FOR MONTHS ON END ABOUT THE CONDITIONS THERE.
SEVERAL, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, MYSELF INCLUDED, HAVE BEEN THERE, UM, HAVE SEEN CHILDREN LIKE CHANGING THEIR CLOTHES OUTSIDE, YOU KNOW, IN, IN, IN THE FREEZING COLD SO THAT THEY COULD PUT ON CLOTHES PEOPLE TO GO INSIDE TO VISIT THEIR MOM AND THEIR DAD.
AND SO THE SIMPLE THINGS LIKE HAVING A TENT, UM, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, PORTA POTTY SO PEOPLE CAN USE THE BATHROOM AND VISIT THEIR LOVED ONES WITH SOME DIGNITY.
UM, IT'S REALLY NOT SMALL AT ALL.
AND SO I COMMEND THE BOARD, I COMMEND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
I COMMEND THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THIS WORK.
UM, AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE DO NOT OPERATE DELANEY HALL.
IT'S NOT WITHIN OUR JURISDICTION, BUT I THINK, UH, HISTORY, UH, WILL SMILE UPON US FOR DOING SOMETHING WITH WHAT WE HAVE.
RIGHT? AND THIS THING THAT WE DO HAVE SOME AUTHORITY OVER BEING THIS, YOU KNOW, PARKING LOT, BEING ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT GIVES HUMANS HUMAN DIGNITY.
AND SO I, I'M PROUD OF US FOR THAT WORK AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO EXPLORE OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS AS THEY ENDURE THESE VERY DIFFICULT TIMES.
ANYONE ELSE? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR THE ADMINISTRATION.
THE, UM, I GOT AN EMAIL FROM A, UH, NOT REALLY A RESIDENT OUT OF TOWNER ABOUT THE DRESS CODE WHEN YOU GO TO VISIT THE JAIL.
IS THAT POSTED ON THE WEBSITE THERE TELLING PEOPLE WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT WEAR THIS? IS THAT TO DELANEY HALL OR TO THE, OUR JAIL? OUR JAIL? I, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSTED.
SO I'M CURIOUS, OVER THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY, THIS WOMAN ALLEGED THAT SHE WAS FROM OUT OF TOWN OUTTA STATE VISITING FAMILY AND SHE
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WANTED TO GO VISIT A RELATIVE WHO WAS AT OUR COUNTY JAIL.I ASKED THAT QUESTION SPECIFICALLY, WHICH SIDE? SHE SAID I WAS AT THE COUNTY JAIL AND THAT SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED IN BECAUSE SHE WASN'T DRESSED APPROPRIATE.
AND SHE SAID THE PERSON SHE WAS GOING TO SEE IT WAS GONNA BE A WINDOW VISIT, NOT AN IN-PERSON CONTACT.
SO SHE ASKED FOR A, IF WE COULD PUT THE DRESS CODE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS ON ONLINE.
I HAVEN'T GONE MYSELF TO LOOK, BUT JUST LISTENING TO THE COMMENTS HERE ABOUT ICE, AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT WE DID PUT UP THE TENT AND THE PORTA POTTIES TO SUPPORT THAT.
I THINK IF WE COULD DO THAT EXTRA STEP FOR OUR SIDE SO THAT PEOPLE ARE AWARE WHAT THE RULES ARE.
'CAUSE SHE SAID SHE COULDN'T GO VISIT HER RELATIVE.
I'D BE VERY CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT SHE WORE.
I WAS TOO, I WANTED TO ASK THAT QUESTION SO BAD MYSELF.
I, YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T WANNA BE INSENSITIVE, BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF, IF, IF THE DRESS CODE IS ONLINE FOR PEOPLE.
SO IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN HAVE DIRECTOR CHARLES, JUST DOUBLE CHECK IF IT IS, IF NOT, THAT WOULD BE MY ASK.
WE PUT IT UP, YOU KNOW, JUST TO DRESS.
ANYONE ELSE? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
I, UM, SO I, LATE LAST YEAR, I ASKED ABOUT THAT TURN IN THE NORFOLK, UH, MAKING THAT LEFT FROM, FROM SOUTH ORANGE AVENUE ONTO OF NORFOLK.
HAVE WE DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THAT? HAVE WE, HAS IT BEEN LOOKED INTO? HAVE YOU HAVE SOME INFORMATION? YOU HAVE AN UPDATE FOR ME? YES.
UM, THAT, UM, MR. VARESE AND HIS TEAM ARE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THAT CORNER.
BUT AS YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER WITH THESE CHANGES ON PARTICULAR MAJOR STREETS LIKE THAT, IT TAKES A BIT OF RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING, BUT I'LL FIND OUT WHERE THEY ARE ON IT.
'CAUSE I, I ACTUALLY MENTIONED IT, UM, TO HIM, BUT RIGHT AFTER IT WAS, IT WAS MENTIONED TO ME AND HE, HE SAID, WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
BUT I, I'LL GET AN UPDATE AND GET IT TO THE, THE CLERK TO THANK YOU.
ANYONE ELSE EARLIER TODAY? UH, COMMISSIONER COOPER RICHARDSON.
LUCIANO AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, JOIN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR THE PRESENTATION OF, UH, WHAT IS A VERY RESPONSIBLE BUDGET.
AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING THE BUDGET HEARINGS HERE FOR THE PUBLIC COMING UP, UH, LATER ON THIS MONTH.
THEY, THOSE DAYS ARE GONNA BE ON JANUARY 26TH AND 27.
IT'S AN ANNUAL THING THAT WE, UH, DO HERE.
SO I JUST WANNA REMIND THE COMMISSIONERS ABOUT, I KNOW WE'VE ALL GOTTEN THE MEANING INVITATION, SO WE WILL, UH, WE'LL BE THERE.
BUT IT WAS A, IT'S A TOUGH YEAR WITH THE HEALTHCARE CRISIS.
IT'S OUT OF CONTROL WITH THE PRICING.
AND DESPITE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT ESSEX COUNTY HAS, UH, MANAGED THAT EXTREMELY WELL WHILE STILL OPERATING, UH, VERY EFFICIENTLY WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, CONSTANTLY MAKING SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, OFTEN, UH, WITH THE COST OFFSET.
AND, UH, I THINK THAT THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
WE'RE STILL BUILDING AND DEALING WITH, OF COURSE, UNEXPECTED, UH, CRISIS AT TIMES.
SO WE WANNA TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR THAT TODAY.
SO SEEING THAT THAT'S, UH, MR. MR. PRESIDENT, I JUST PLEASE THE BOARD GET COPIES OF THE AT GLANCE, UH, YOU GOT FOR THE BOARD MEMBERS.
AND THE OTHER THING, IF I CAN I, YEAH.
UM, THE, YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED FROM TIME TO TIME, I THINK FOR THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE DAYS THAT WATER HAS BEEN SHUT OFF INTO THIS BUILDING AND SOME OF THE BUILDINGS NEXT DOOR, THE CITY OF NEWARK IS STRUGGLING WITH THE WATER MAIN ISSUE OUT FRONT.
AND IT, THEY'VE BEEN TURNING IT ON AND OFF SPORADICALLY THROUGH IT, SO IT MAY CONTINUE.
SO I JUST WANT TO, THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON.
THAT'S WHAT, WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THEY'RE TURNING IT ON AND OFF SPORADICALLY.
UM, AND I HOPE THAT, I KNOW THEY WORKED ON IT NIGHT AND DAY OFF THE WEEKEND, SO, BUT IT'S STILL WHATEVER REASON IF SOMETHING HAPPENED TODAY AND THEY SHUT IT OFF AGAIN TODAY, SO, AND IT'S NOT A GOOD TIME OF YEAR FOR THAT KIND OF WORK EITHER.
SO I'M SURE IT MAKES IT EVEN MORE CHALLENGING.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION MOVE BY COOPER FOR SECOND BY RICHARD.
I WANT YOU TO CHECK THIS JUDGE IN CASE SOMEONE ON A TRIP.