* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:01] YEAH, MY BROTHER, MY AGENDA WAS MISSING STUFF. SORRY. ONE SECOND. ONE SECOND. GOOD EVENING. THIS MEETING OF THE ASEE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS HEREBY CALL TO ORDER. THIS MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAMED IN ADDITION, TAKING PLACE HERE IN PERSON ROLL CALL. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER COOPER. HERE. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. HERE. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. HERE. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD. HERE. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. HERE. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS HERE. PLEASE STAND FOR THE SALUTE TO THE FLAG. I'M GONNA ASK COMMISSIONER MERCADO TO LEAD US IN THE SALUTE PLEASURE ELGI TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. PLEASE JUST STAND FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND HONOR ABOVE WE LOST SINCE THE LAST TIME WE CAME TOGETHER. THANK YOU. I HAVE BEFORE ME A CERTIFICATION FROM THE DEPUTY COURT FOR THIS MEETING IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY SENSE FOR THIS TO BE APPROVED? NO. MR. PRESIDENT? WE DO NOT. OKAY. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK ARE THE TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION? NO. MR. PRESIDENT, THERE ARE NONE ALL LET'S GO ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A COMBINED CONFERENCE BOARD MEETING AND WE WILL BOARD EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA. SO IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WILL LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. THERE WILL BE TIME LATER IN THE EVENING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON OTHER MATTERS. SO I PLEASE ASK YOU TO LIMIT THINGS TO AGENDA ITEMS ONLY YOU MAY RECOGNIZE. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO'S, JOIN US. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. UM, MY NAME IS, UH, WINIFRED VICTOR HINES. AND UM, I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE QUA PARK ASSOCIATION. AND IN MY CONCERN I HAVE, UM, SEVERAL CONCERNS ON THE AGENDA. WHEN I FIRST TOOK A LOOK AT IT, UM, I WAS SURPRISED, RATHER SHOCKED BECAUSE OF ALL THE COMMITTEES. AND, UM, AND IT SEEMS AS IF, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE NOT, UM, ASKING ANY COMMUNITY INPUT ON THE COMMITTEES. AND THEN, UM, SO YOU'RE JUST RUSHING EVERYTHING IN. AND SO A LOT OF THE COMMITTEES, FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, LIKE, WHY DO YOU NEED A BUDGET? I CAN'T, I HAVEN'T HAD TIME RIGHT NOW TO LOOK AT IT 'CAUSE I JUST ARRIVED. BUT, UM, FROM MEMORY, LIKE YOU HAVE A FINANCE AND A BUDGET AND YOU HAVE, UM, SOME OF THESE OTHER COMMITTEES THAT SEEM TO BE REDUNDANT. AND SO, UM, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. SO, UM, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU GUYS TO ADDRESS TO SEE WHY SO MANY COMMITTEES. I'M HAPPY TO WHY TO ADDRESS IT RIGHT NOW IF YOU WANT THAT ANSWER. YEAH. SO THESE ARE STANDING COMMITTEES EVERY YEAR WE HAVE HAD THESE, WE'VE HAD THESE COMMITTEES BEFORE. [00:05:01] YEAH, BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE HAD IT, IT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT BACK AND FORTH. IF YOU WANT ME TO ANSWER, I'LL ANSWER TO GIVE YOU THE ANSWER. 'CAUSE YOU ASKED ABOUT IT. THESE ARE STANDING COMMITTEES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR, SINCE PROBABLY THE BEGINNING OF THE COMMISSIONER BOARD AND AND COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN ADDED. THESE ARE ONLY COMMISSIONER BOARDS. THESE ARE NOT PUBLIC OUT THERE COMMISSION. THIS IS JUST FOR THE BOARD TO WORK TOGETHER IN SMALLER GROUPS AND THAT'S HOW THAT WORKS. YEAH. BUT IT'S JUST MAKING SURE THAT GOOD PROJECTS DON'T GET LOST BETWEEN ALL THESE COMMITTEES. PROJECTS NOT BE A LOT BETWEEN, BETWEEN COMMITTEES. BECAUSE HERE IT SEEMS AS IF, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU ARE TRYING TO BLOCK THE PUBLIC FROM, UH, BEING INVOLVED IN ANY OF THESE COMMITTEES AND BEING INVOLVED IN ANY OF THE COMMUNITY INPUT. SO DECISION MAKING AND, UM, THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE ALSO WITH, UM, THE VENDORS. RIGHT. I CAN'T SEE IT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE, UM, IT'S TOO MUCH AND I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT WHILE I'M HERE. BUT HOW MANY, UM, LIKE THE VENDORS, RIGHT? HOW MANY TIMES HAVE THEY THE SAME VENDOR BEEN USED WITHIN THE FIVE LAST FIVE YEARS? AND IN TERMS OF THE NO BID CONTRACT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT? ARE THERE ANY MINORITIES OR PEOPLE OF COLOR WHO ARE INVOLVED AS WELL? BECAUSE I MEAN, IT JUST SEEMS SHOCKING ALL OF THIS. SO, YOU KNOW, IF ANY OF YOU CAN ANSWER THAT, YOU KNOW. DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MOM? HUH? DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SO WILL YOU ANSWER IT OR WILL IT BE IN WRITING? I, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW MANY VENDORS WE DEAL WITH. WE DEAL WITH SO MANY. OKAY, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW ALL OF THE CONTRACTING IS DONE PER THE STATE GUIDELINES, NOT OUR GUIDELINES. THAT'S JUST THE LAW. WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE LAW. SO A LOT OF TRACKS OR COLLECTIVE, IF YOU WANT ME TO ANSWER IT, YOU NEED TO LISTEN. 'CAUSE I LISTEN TO AND YOU SPEAK. SO THERE IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION COMMITTEE. THESE COMMITTEES THAT YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ARE COMMITTEES THAT WE MAKE WITHIN THE BOARD. THIS IS NOT INTENDED, NOR THEY HAVE BEEN TO BE PART OF OTHERS. WE HAVE COMMITTEES THAT DO BRING IN PEOPLE ADVISORY BOARDS THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE BRINGS FORTH AND WE'VE GOT THEM HERE. YEAH. BUT I'M CONCERNED THAT YOU'RE USING THESE COMMITTEES GATE. THEY'RE PUBLIC MEETINGS, THEY'RE HELD HERE, YOU KNOW, SO JUST YEAH, THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE HELD HERE WITH THE PUBLIC. NO DIFFERENT THAN THE LAST TIME WE HAD A MEETING WAS THE BANKING COMMITTEE. WE HELD THAT HERE IN THE PUBLIC. YEAH. AND THESE WERE ADVERTISED JUST LIKE THESE MEETINGS AND SOME OF, THERE'S NOTHING SECRETIVE ABOUT IT. THERE'S NOTHING, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE TO THAT EFFECT. WELL, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE SECRETIVE. NO, OF COURSE THEY'RE NOT. THAT'S WHY WE PUT 'EM ON PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, JUST THE WAY THE PROCESS THAT YOU'RE DOING IT. THE PROCESS IS OPEN AND TRANSPARENT LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE DO NOW TO LEAVE OUT ALSO A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE, THE PUBLIC, IT, IT IS A PUBLIC PROCESS AND IT'S TRANSPARENT. JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER MEETING THAT WE DO. PERHAPS YOU FAIL TO SEE THEM ADVERTISED, BUT THEY'RE HERE AND THEY ARE ADVERTISED. JUST LIKE YOU LEARNED ABOUT THIS MEETING. WELL, I HAVEN'T SEEN THEM ADVERTISED. WELL, MAYBE YOU HAVEN'T LOOKED HARD ENOUGH OR WE DON'T MEET ALL THE TIME WITH IT. MAYBE YOU'VE HIDDEN IT. THERE'S NO HIDDEN BECAUSE IT WOULD SO LONG WE DON'T DO IT BECAUSE I HAVEN'T SEEN IT. OKAY. YOUR TIME IS UP, MADAM. THANK YOU. WE'LL ADDRESS ANY OTHER QUESTIONS WE HAVE THERE IN WRITING. IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR INFORMATION WITH ADAM IN THE BACK. OKAY. THANK YOU. RECOGNIZING, UH, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT MARY THOMAS HAS JOINED US. GOOD EVENING. MATT, CAN YOU ADJUST THAT FOR ME PLEASE? HE'S GONNA, HE'S GONNA HAVE YOUR HAND UP. SORRY. I THANK YOU. UH, MICHELLE BOYNTON AND I JUST, GOOD EVENING. QUESTION ONE. UM, EVERYONE HAS, UM, THEIR RIGHT TO SPEAK. YES. AND, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT FROWNS AND FACES BEING GIVEN, LIKE, OKAY. BUT AGAIN, UM, LIKE THE MINORITIES, IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS FIVE YEARS, DOES THAT MEAN THE SAME PEOPLE ARE THE SAME ONES AND WHO YOU BRING OR WHO YOU DON'T BRING? IS IT OPEN FOR SO MANY OTHER? MY SISTER, SHE HAS A CON CON, UM, CONSTRUCTION COMPANY. UH, ALL I HEAR IS THIS BLOOMFIELD, THIS, AND I WORK IN GLEN RIDGE, BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF PROBLEMS GOING ON AGAIN WITH BLOOMFIELD THAT THINGS WASN'T DONE. SOMETIMES THINGS DO HAVE TO CHANGE WHAT'S GONNA BRING ABOUT A CHANGE WHERE FIVE YEARS IS NOT JUST GONNA BE HIM OR THE NEXT FEW YEARS IS GONNA BE THIS ONE'S COUSINS OR A FRIEND. IT IS COLLECTIVE. I MEAN, IT'S, WE CAN DO SO MUCH AS WELL TOO, BUT I JUST THINK THAT EVERYONE SHOULD RESPECT WHAT SOMEBODY SAY. YOU HOLD YOUR HEAD, YOU GET UPSET. YOU CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE WE ARE HUMAN. WE HAVE RIGHTS TO SPEAK ON ANYTHING. AND IF YOU ARE NOT FOR IT, YOU'RE KIND OF AGAINST IT. SO JUST, JUST DON'T. SO IT, WHEN IS THE CHANGE GONNA COME? THAT'S, THAT'S JUST MY QUESTION, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE WITH SOMETHING FOR FIVE OR 10 YEARS, IF IT WORKS, IT'S STILL TIME TO BRING, I MEAN, WE GROW, BRING SOMETHING NEW ON BOARD. WE JUST CAN'T HAVE THE SAME PEOPLE DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. SO THAT'S JUST MY QUESTION IF YOU CAN ANSWER THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ADAM. ANYONE ELSE ON AGENDA ITEMS? HI. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT AND COMMISSIONERS. I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK, [00:10:01] UM, ABOUT THE, UH, COMMISSIONS OR I KNOW THERE WERE RESOLUTIONS, SO, SORRY, NOT AS ORGANIZED AS I WOULD LIKE TO. UM, BUT THERE WERE RESOLUTIONS ABOUT THE COMMITTEES. UM, THERE WAS COMMITTEES, LET'S SEE, SORRY, HERE WE GO. RESOL, UH, 25 THROUGH, UH, 36, 37. UM, BUT I AM ACTUALLY FOCUSED, UM, ON A FEW OF THEM. UH, FOR ALL THESE COMMITTEES. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S PUBLIC NOTICE, UH, GIVEN AS WELL AS RICH OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC INPUT, UM, FOR THESE, UH, COMMITTEES ESPECIALLY. UH, THERE WAS ONE WHICH WAS DEALING WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. UM, THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME, UM, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER. SO I JUST WANTED TO, UH, ADD THAT AND MAKE SURE IT WAS PART OF, UH, YOUR CONSIDERATION AS WELL AS YOUR THINKING. THANK YOU. UH, SORRY. NORM TER, 99 BERKELEY AVENUE, BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY. THANK YOU. THANKS. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? MADAM DEPUTY CO THE RECORD REFLECT AS THE ONE WHO'S WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME. SO LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE OF INTRODUCTION, ORDINANCE ON INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING. DO WE HAVE ANY? NO, WE DO NOT. OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR LISTENING PURPOSES. DO WE HAVE ANY? NO, WE DO NOT. OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, ORDINANCE RESOLUTIONS ON SECOND MEETING IN PUBLIC HEARING. DO WE HAVE ANY? YES, MR. PRESIDENT? WE HAVE ONE. ORDINANCE NUMBER OH 2 2 6 0 0 0 0 1. OKAY. LET'S MOVE TO PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCE O DASH 2026 DASH 0 0 0 1. WE'LL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. I HEREBY DECLARE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2026 DASH 0 0 0 0 1 OPEN. IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICRO AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES, MINUTES TO SPEAK. OKAY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THERE. NO MOTION TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME. MS. SHABAZZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ORDINANCE? NO, MR. PRESIDENT. MR. MCINERNEY? JUST AGAIN, I I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EVER RESOLVED WITH REGARD TO A PARKING DECK INCREASES. I HAD MADE AN INQUIRY ABOUT THE ISSUE OF, UH, THE FINANCING ON THE GARAGES AND WHETHER OR NOT THAT HAD ANY IMPACT OR WHETHER OR NOT PROHIBITED EITHER IN FULL OR A PORTION OF THAT. UM, I THINK WE, WE EMAILED SOMETHING ON THAT. OH, YOU DID? YEAH. AND THERE'S NO, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NOTHING. NO. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DIDN'T SEE THAT. THANK YOU. MR. MCKINNEY. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS TO COMMENTS? DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOTION A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT? I'LL MOVE IT. MOVE BY SIEBEL THE SECOND BY RICHARDSON. DO I HAVE THE SAME MOVER? AND SECOND TO APPROVE OR O DASH 2026 DASH 0 0 0 1. YES. YES. THANK YOU. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY COURT. COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ. YES. SO MOVED. LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION ONE AND TWO, WHICH ARE FUND FROM THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. AND WE'LL BE READY TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. JACKSON? GOOD EVENING. MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. DIRECTOR DEL GUARD, WILL HANDLE THESE ITEMS. GOOD EVENING, MR. DELGAUDIO. GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT FRANK DELGAUDIO, COUNTY RISK MANAGER. UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE IS FOR THE RENEWAL OF THE, UM, PROPERTY INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE ESSEX COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. UM, THE PREMIUM REPRESENTS A 5% INCREASE OVER EXPIRING CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES IS NOT IN EVERYONE'S APPETITE. AND WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT OUR INCUMBENT CARRIER FACTORY MUTUAL AGREED TO PROVIDE A QUOTATION THAT WAS THE ONLY QUOTATION WE RECEIVED. UM, THE SECOND RESOLUTION IS FOR THE EXCESS FLOOD INSURANCE FOR THE ESSEX COUNTY CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. THE FACILITY LIES IN A FLOOD ZONE, AS YOU REMEMBER DURING, UM, HURRICANE SANDY THAT WE, UM, HAD SUBSTANTIAL FLOOD DAMAGE. SO THIS PREMIUM, FORTUNATELY, WAS A DECREASE OF $10,500 OVER THE EXPIRING WITH THE SAME INCUMBENT CARRIER. UM, THAT'S ACCESS. THANK YOU. MSBA. ANY QUESTIONS ON ONE AND TWO? NO. MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS ON ONE AND TWO? MOTION, UH, MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT, UM, BY COMMISSIONER COOPER. SECOND BY MERCADO WILL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK IN ONE AND TWO. COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SO MOVED. NUMBER THREE HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE ADMINISTRATION. SO [00:15:01] WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO NUMBER FOUR IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. AND THAT'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. GOOD EVENING, MRS. ORRIS. GOOD EVENING. UM, JOHNSS, UH, DIVISION DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR. WE ARE THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS PER PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED THE AWARDING OF PROGRAM YEAR 2025, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF 12,000 FOR MONTCLAIR NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR YOUTH PROGRAM ACTIVITIES. AT THIS TIME, MNDC IS REQUESTING THAT THE UNENDED BALANCE OF 12,000 BE REALLOCATED FOR SENIOR PROGRAMMING ACTIVITIES. THANK YOU, MR. BOWES. ANY QUESTIONS? NO. MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS ON NUMBER FOUR? MOTION MOVED BY COMMISSIONER COOPER. SECOND BY SIEBOLD ROLL CALL MAD DEPUTY CLERK ON NUMBER FOUR. COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MARIE THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ. YES. SO MOVED. THANK YOU MR. SORRY, MR. PRESIDENT, CAN I ASK A QUICK QUESTION? YES, GO AHEAD. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SENDING THE LINK FOR THE GRANT FROM THE OTHER MEETING. QUESTION, IS IT, DOES IT GO OUT THE SAME TIME EVERY YEAR WHEN YOU DO THE OPEN CALL THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? WE NORMAL. THE NORMAL TIMEFRAME IS LATE OCTO IN EARLY OCTOBER THROUGH THE MONTHS OF NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER. WE USUALLY CLOSE OUR APPLICATIONS AT THE END OF DECEMBER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. THANK YOU. LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS FIVE THROUGH 15, WHICH ARE FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS RECREATION CULTURAL AFFAIRS. THEY'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. GOOD EVENING, MR. ZAS. GOOD EVENING. JOSHUA ZAS, ESA COUNTY PARKS NUMBER FIVE IS A CONTRACT AWARD WITH RODENT PRO AND LEAN LABORATORIES TO LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDERS TO FURNISH AND DELIVER SUPPLEMENTAL, FROZEN AND LIVE ANIMAL FOOD AT THE TURTLEBACK ZOO. UH, AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $375,000. THIS IS FOR, FOR A NUMBER OF ANIMALS OVER AT THE ZOO POPULATION, INCLUDING RAPTORS, SMALL MAMMALS, REPTILES, AND AMPHIBIANS. NUMBER SIX IS A CONTRACT AWARD, LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDER, UH, TO PROVIDE LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES AT TURTLEBACK ZOO. UH, AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $353,570. THIS IS WITH LIT INC. UH, THE DATES OF THIS SERVICE WOULD BE APRIL 1ST OF THIS YEAR THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST. AND THEN THERE'D BE, UH, A STOPPAGE UNTIL APRIL 1ST OF NEXT YEAR UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST, 2027. UH, IT IS 16,865. $16,865 A MONTH, WHICH, UH, IT'S 18 MONTHS OF SERVICE. SO THE FIXED TOTAL IS $303,570 AND THEN IS ALLOWANCE OF 50,000 FOR A TOTAL OF 3 53 570. NUMBER SEVEN TO CONTRACT AWARD TO PLAINFIELD FRUIT AND PRODUCE. AND CUTLER PRODUCE THE TWO LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDERS TO DELIVER PRODUCE TO THE TURTLEBACK ZOO. UH, AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $165,000. AND THIS IS FOR, UH, ANY OF THE ANIMALS IN THE ZOO THAT OBVIOUSLY EAT, PRODUCE, INCLUDING MAMMALS, BIRDS, REPTILES, AND VERTEBRAES. NUMBER EIGHT, A CONTRACT AWARD TO FIRE AND SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES, UH, FOR MONITORING FIRE AND SECURITY ELEVATOR ALARMS. EXERCISING THE 24TH MONTH CONTRACT OPTION NOT TO EXCEED $95,640. AGAIN, THIS IS FOR ANY, UH, FIRE, UH, ALARMS OVER IN THE VARIOUS BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE PARK SYSTEM. UH, IF THE ALARM GOES OFF, THEY WOULD CALL WHOEVER THE FACILITY MANAGER IS. AND THEN, UH, IF THERE IS AN ACTUAL, UH, EMERGENCY, THEY WOULD CONTACT 9 1 1 OR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. NUMBER NINE, UH, CONTRACT AWARD TO NOT FEE, UH, THE LOWEST RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE ESA COUNTY GOLF COURSES. TEE TIME INTEGRATED SERVICES AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $30,000. THIS IS A NEW SERVICE WE'RE OFFERING, UH, FOR GOLFERS THIS YEAR. BASICALLY WHAT IT IS, IS, UH, IT'S FREE FOR GOLFERS TO SIGN UP. THEY WOULD GET A TEXT MESSAGE NOTIFICATION IF THERE'S A TEE TIME THAT SOMEONE CANCELED LAST MINUTE, AND THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO THEN, UH, SIGN UP FOR THAT TEE TIME ON A FOR COME FIRST SERVE BASIS. NUMBER 10, APPROVAL OF SUB-GRANT AGREEMENTS FOR THE 2026 LOCAL ARTS PROGRAM. UH, AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 394,330 $36 52. APPLICANTS WERE FUNDED THIS YEAR. UH, THE GRANT AWARDS RANGE FROM 2,400 TO 10,000 DEPENDING ON, UH, WHAT THEY'RE APPLYING FOR. AND, UH, IF THE BOARD IS INTERESTED AND WOULD LIKE TO PASS ALONG TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS APPLICATIONS FOR THIS PROGRAM, OPEN ON, ON JUNE 1ST, AND THEN THE DEADLINE BE, UH, AUGUST 15TH OF THIS YEAR. AND YOU COULD FIND, UH, THE LINK WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE ON THE PARKS WEBSITE UNDER CULTURAL AFFAIRS FARES. NUMBER 11, [00:20:01] APPROVAL OF THE SUBGRANT AGREEMENTS FOR THE 2020 C SIX LOCAL HISTORY PROGRAM. AMOUNT, NOT EXCEED 81,000. THIS IS, UH, FOR 14 APPLICANTS RANGING THE GRANT AWARDS RANGE FROM 943,000 TO 10,000. AND AGAIN, IT'S THE SAME, THE SAME, UM, DATE DATES AS THE OTHER PROGRAM. UH, THE APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE FIRST AND THEN THE DEADLINE IS AUGUST 15TH. NUMBER NUMBER 12 IS AUTHORIZATION UCS COUNTY RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND TO FUND WEST SIDE PARK COMMUNITY BUILDING HVAC IMPROVEMENTS. THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $617,300. THIS IS FOR THE LABOR AND MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT SERVICES NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE WORK. UH, CONFIRM VENTILATION EXHAUST REQUIREMENTS, AND THEN INTRODUCE EQUIPMENT AND CONTROLS THAT CAN BE, UH, SERVICED SAFELY. UH, AT A LATER DATE. UM, WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO THE BOARD TO ACTUALLY AWARD THIS CONTRACT. NUMBER 13, AUTHORIZATION TO USE ESSEX COUNTY RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND TO FUND LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS. AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $500,000. UH, ESSEX COUNTY HAS 10 LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS FOR THE PARKS AND RESERVATIONS. UH, OF THOSE, THERE'S THREE LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE VENDORS. AND, UH, THIS IS, UH, SUPPLEMENTAL MONEY IN ORDER TO, TO PAY THOSE VENDORS FOR THOSE SERVICES. THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE DONE IN, UH, PREVIOUS YEARS. NUMBER 14, AUTHORIZATION USE JUSTICE COUNTY RECREATION, OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND FOR ENGINEERING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SERVICES FOR HVAC REPLACEMENT AND UPGRADE AT THE CODY ARENA. AMOUNT NOT TO RECEIVE $194,600. THIS IS, UH, TO FUND, UH, AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT'S UPCOMING. UH, SPECIFICALLY IT WOULD BE TO SERVICE THE EXISTING, UH, TO SERVICE AND REPLACE EXISTING UNITS AT CODY ARENA. AND THEN, UH, TO PERFORM HEATING AND COOLING CALCULATIONS TO CONFIRM VENTILATION AND EXHAUST REQUIREMENTS. NUMBER 15, AUTHORIZATION. USE ESS COUNTY RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND FOR A PUMP STATION CONTROL PANEL AT HENDRICKS FIELD. AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 139,210. UH, THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH ONE OF THE PUMP HOUSES OVER, UH, HENDRICKS FIELD, AND THIS IS THE FUNDS THAT WOULD BE USED TO REPLACE IT. AND AGAIN, WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO THE BOARD AT A LATER TIME, UH, TO USE THOSE FUNDS WITH THE VENDOR. THANK YOU. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. MR. VAR. ANY QUESTIONS ON FIVE 15? UH, NO. MR. PRESIDENT, THEY WERE ALL REVIEWED PREVIOUSLY. MR. MCINERNEY, UH, RESOLUTION 10 AND 11 ARE, ARE, ARE TWO SEPARATE GRANTS WITH SUB-RECIPIENTS. JOSHUA ZE, COUNTY PARKS TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? THAT'S CORRECT. UH, ONE IS, UH, HISTORY AND ONE IS ARTS. OKAY. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT, HOLD ON. I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD. MR. MCNA, BEFORE WE MOVE ON. I'M SORRY, MR. PRESIDENT, I DIDN'T MEAN TO GO AHEAD. UM, RESOLUTION NINE, THAT'S A 24 MONTH, UH, UH, CONTRACT OR 12, UH, THAT IS A 24 MONTH CONTRACT. MR. MC, ARE YOU GOOD? ANY OTHER? YEAH, I'M SORRY, MR. CHRIS. I'M DONE. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL, ALL THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA DEALING WITH OPEN SPACE HAVE TO DO WITH THE OPEN SPACE, UH, ADVISORY BOARD, WHICH MET AND REVIEWED ALL OF THESE AND AGREED THAT THESE SHOULD BE ON THE AGENDA. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT. THREE, MR. PRESIDENT. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. UH, GOOD EVENING. MR. ZAS. UH, QUICK QUESTION, NOT EXACTLY RELATED TO THESE PARTICULAR ITEMS, BUT JUST RELATED TO, UH, THE CALENDAR FOR THE YEAR. I RECEIVED, UM, AN INQUIRY FROM, UH, THE CITY OF NEWARK, ONE OF THEIR, UH, MEMBERS, I BELIEVE, OF THEIR PARK RECREATION DEPARTMENT. UH, JUST WANTED TO ASK WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO COORDINATE IN PREPARATION FOR, UM, EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE LAST SUMMER THROUGH THE COUNTY AT THE PARKS. THEY WANTED TO KIND OF REACH OUT AND SEE WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO BE TO COORDINATE IN ADVANCE FOR THIS YEAR TO SEE IF THINGS ARE STILL ON THE AGENDA. UM, JUST WANTED SOME GUIDANCE ON THE BEST DIRECTION TO POINT THEM TO. SURE. UH, JOSHUA'S HS. COUNTY PARK STUDIO, MR. PRESIDENT, THE BEST, THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT THAT IS TO CALL THE PARKS, UH, MAIN NUMBER, WHICH IS 9 7 3 2 6 8 3 5 0 0. MM-HMM. AND THEN JUST ASK TO BE CONNECTED TO THE PERMITS DEPARTMENT, AND THEY CAN CERTAINLY VERIFY ANY OF THAT INFORMATION. PERFECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE IT? NO, I'D JUST LIKE TO MOVE IT ALL. THAT'S WHAT I ASKED. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT SOUNDS GOOD. I WILL DO THAT INSTEAD. DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. ROLL CALL MANAGER. DEPUTY CLERK. THIS IS FOR FIVE TO 15. COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER? YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER BOL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SOLE MOVED. THANK YOU, MR. ZAS. THANK YOU. LET'S MOVE ON. RESOLUTION 1617 AND ADD START 66, WHICH IS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. THERE'LL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. CALDER, I BELIEVE YOU'RE HANDLING THIS. I AM MR. PRESIDENT, UH, NUMBER 16, [00:25:01] DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS DIVISION AND ENGINEERING CONTRACT AWARD TO AIR SYSTEMS MAINTENANCE, LLC, THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BIDDER TO PROVIDE AND REPLACE THE TWO EVAPORATED COOLERS AT 3 23 21, UH, UNIVERSITY AVENUE. UH, NOT AMOUNT, NOT TO EXCEED $858,680. 17. DEPARTMENT OF UH, PUBLIC WORKS AGAIN TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION SERVICE FOR HVAC, REPLACEMENT AND UPGRADES AT CODY ARENA, WHICH MR. ZA JUST MENTIONED. FRENCH AND PERILLA ASSOCIATES. AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $194,600. AND WHAT WAS THE LAST ONE, MR NUMBER? 66. 66. THE LAST ONE ACTUALLY, UH, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS. ACCEPTANCE AND EXECUTION OF A GRANT APPLICATION FOR 2026 LRIG. HILLTOP RESERVATION DOG PARK. THANK YOU MR. BAZ. ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE? NO. MR. PRESIDENT. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS? 16, 17 AND 66. COMMISSIONER COOPER. THANK YOU. WHICH ITEM? NUMBER 66. I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO READ THAT. IT'S A GRANT. UH, UM, IT'S ALLOW, IT'S ALLOWING US TO APPLY FOR A GRANT. WE'RE JUST APPLYING IT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S WHY IT CAME LAST. SO WE FIGURED WE PUT OUT JUST AN APPLICATION REQUEST. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE IT? YES, PLEASE. THANK YOU. MOVED BY COOPER SECOND BY MERCADO. WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLARK. FOUR SIXTEEN SEVENTEEN AND 66. COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS. YES. SO MOVED. LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER 18, WHICH IS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF. WE'LL BE RIGHT INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. COLTER, IS THAT YOU? YES. THIS IS A CONTRACT WITH MILLENNIUM STRATEGIES LLC TO PROVIDE CONSULTING FOR GRANT WRITING. UH, 36 MONTH AGREEMENT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $72,000. AND THEY HAVE ALREADY, UH, WORKED ON 15 GRANTS APPLICATIONS. GREAT. THANK YOU. UH, MR. BAZ, ANY QUESTIONS? NO. MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS ON 18? MOTION MOVED BY COOPER. DO SECOND. SECOND. SECOND BY MERCADO. WE'LL CALL OUT ON DEPUTY CLERK ON NUMBER 18. COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MARY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT ER. YES. SO MOVED. LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER 19, WHICH IS ON THE OFFICE OF THE PRO PROSECUTOR. WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. COULTER, MR. PRESIDENT DUE THE RESOLUTION OF, OF APPROVING PARTICIPATION WITH THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, UH, EDWARD BY MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT ADMINISTERED BY THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY, ACCEPTING A SUB-AWARD, UH, JA ONE SEVEN TF UNDER STATE CONTRACT FOR PERIOD OF JULY 1ST, 2025 TO JUNE 30TH, 2026. THANK YOU, MR. SHABA. ANY QUESTIONS? REQUIRE RESOLUTION? NO. MR. PRESIDENT. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS. THE 19, SEE NONE. SO I'M GONNA MOVE IT, MOVE IT. MOVE BY RICHARDSON. SECOND. SECOND. BY MERCADO. WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER GI. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ. YES. SO MOVED. LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 20 THROUGH 24, WHICH ARE TEMPORARY EMERGENCY APPROPRIATIONS OF 2026 FROM VARIOUS RESOURCE, UH, SOURCES THAT WILL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. OBJECTION. YES, MR. PRESIDENT. ITEM 20 IN THE AMOUNT OF $168,958 IS A GRANT WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY FOR THE EDWIN, UH, BY MEMORIAL ASSISTANCE GRANT. THIS IS GONNA SUPPLY, UH, PROVIDE, UH, FUNDING FOR TWO DETECTIVES ASSIGNED TO THE NARCOTICS TASK FORCE. IT PROVIDES FOR TWO DETECTIVES, 76% OF THEIR TIME AND 62% FRINGE. AND THERE'S NO, UH, COUNTY MATCH ITEM 21, UH, ALSO FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY IN THE AMOUNT OF 11,000, $20 AND 14 CENTS, UH, TO PROVIDE, UH, BO BODY ARMOR. UM, THIS WILL WILL BE FOR EIGHT VEST, UH, FOR THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE. UH, AND WITH THIS, THEY WILL BE, UH, CURRENTLY, UH, THEY'LL BE, BE COMPLETELY UP TO DATE. AND THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCH FOR THIS GRANT. UH, EITHER. UH, ITEM 22 IS ALSO FOR BODY ARMOR IN THIS CASE FOR OUR DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, THE AMOUNT OF $61,135 AND 78 CENTS. UM, THIS WILL PROVIDE FOR, UH, 47, UH, OF THE, OF THE 72 VESTS THAT THEY'RE GONNA NEED TO DO, [00:30:01] UM, IN 2026. AND THEY WILL DO THE, THE BALANCE OF 25 LATER ON THIS YEAR, UH, THROUGH AN ADDITIONAL GRANT. ITEM 23 IS A CHARITABLE DONATION, THE AMOUNT OF $47,924 TO THE OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF, UM, GENEROUSLY GIVEN BY DR. DE PACO. THIS WILL PROVIDE FOR A HORSE TRAILER, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR MOUNTED UNIT, UH, IS ABLE TO TRANSPORT THE HORSES SAFELY AND SECURELY. AND THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCH. UH, ITEM 24 IS, UM, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF STATE. IT'S A REIMBURSEMENT TO US FOR THE 2025 EARLY VOTING GENERAL ELECTION, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $31,653 AND 66 CENTS. UH, THIS IS FOR THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK AND IT'S, UM, REIMBURSING US FOR PRINTING SUPPLIES AND OVERTIME EXPENSES DURING THIS NINE DAY PERIOD AND NO COUNTY MATCH. THANK YOU, MS. SHABAZ. ANY QUESTIONS ON 20 THE 24TH? NO, THESE WERE ALSO REVIEWED. MS. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU MR. MCINERNEY. NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONER. ANY QUESTIONS? MOTION MOVED BY COOPER A SECOND. SECOND BY MERCADO. WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLARK. COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER BOL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ. YES. SO MOVED. LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 25 THROUGH 62. RESOLUTION 25 TO 43 OF RESOLUTIONS CREATING THE OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEES FOR THE BOARD. THESE ARE THE COMMITTEES THAT WE HAVE EVERY YEAR AND THEY'RE JUST FRESHLY REAPPOINTED EVERY YEAR. THESE ARE WORKING BOARDS BY THE BOARD. THIS IS NOT MEANT TO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC INVOLVED WHEN WE HAVE THESE COMMITTEE MEETINGS. THEY ARE ADVERTISED JUST LIKE ANY OTHER MEETING THAT WE HAVE. WE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO MEET, UH, AT TIMES. 'CAUSE SOMETIMES WE ONLY NEED 'EM AS NECESSARY. BUT THIS IS ROUTINE COMMITTEES THAT WE'VE HAD ESTABLISHED HERE SINCE PROBABLY INCEPTION OF THE BOARD AND A FEW ADDED OVER TIME. SO AT TIMES SOME OF THEM DON'T ARE HERE. FOR EXAMPLE, NUMBER 26 OF THE BANKING REVIEW COMMITTEE, WHICH TAKES PLACE EVERY OCTOBER. THAT IS ADVER ADVERTISED PUBLICLY. THE THE BANKS THAT WE DO BUSINESSES COME IN, THEY TELL US ABOUT THEIR PORTFOLIO, WHAT THEY'VE DONE FOR ES AND SO FORTH. THAT'S ALL THEY ARE. THEY'RE NOT BRAND NEW COMMITTEES. WE JUST HAVE TO REESTABLISH THEM EVERY YEAR. WE'RE ALSO, UH, MOVING IN THIS WE ARE RESOLUTIONS CREATING, UH, ARE RESOLUTIONS. 44 TO 62 ARE IN MEMOS, COMMENDATIONS, PROCLAMATION RESOLUTION THAT CAN BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON ANY OF THESE? MOST OF YOU'RE SERVING ON THE SAME BOARDS. AGAIN, WE DIDN'T MAKE REALLY ANY CHANGES. I MOVE. MOVE BY . SECOND. SECOND BY COOPER ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY COURT. COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS. YES. SO MOVED. ALL RIGHT. UH, LET'S SEE. MAD DEPUTY COOK. DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER ADDED STARTERS? UH, YES. MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE THREE REMAINING RESOLUTION. 63 FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS RESOLUTION 64 FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND RESOLUTION 65 FROM THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING. ALRIGHT, LET'S GO TO 66. I'M SORRY. 63, WHICH WILL BE, UH, RIGHT INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. JACKSON, UH, MR. COLTATE WILL HANDLE THESE THREE ITEMS. THANK YOU, SIR. MR. PRESIDENT IS SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS COMMISSIONER REGISTRATION CONTRACT AWARD TO MAIN STREET MOVERS, REGION B TO PROVIDE DELIVERY AND PICKUP OF ELECTION MACHINES AND MATERIALS. 24 MONTH CONTRACT FROM THE DATE OF AWARD. NOW WHEN YOU SEE THE AMOUNT OF WATER, IT IS NOT TO EXCEED $3 MILLION. THEY HAVE 531 MACHINES AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY'RE GONNA HAVE SPECIAL ELECTIONS LIKE TOMORROW. SO THAT'S WHY THIS IS NOT TO EXCEED THE $3 MILLION. SO THEY HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS IN THERE IF THEY NEED IT. UH, NUMBER 64 IS THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, STATE OF NEW JERSEY COMMUNITY FAIR ACCEPTANCE AND EXECUTION OF A GRANT APPLICATION. MEDIA, UH, MEDICATION ASSISTANT, UH, TREATMENT EXPANSION, STATE REQUIRED RESOLUTION TO SUBMIT THE GRANT APPLICATION. AND 65 IS A NAME CHANGE IN THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING APPROVAL OF SECOND LEASE AMENDMENT FOR THE ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF LEASE NAME CHANGE AND RENT PAYMENT ALLOCATION FOR TWO 13,220 FIVEY STREET, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. IT WAS JUST A NAME CHANGE FROM ONE COMPANY TO ANOTHER. THANK YOU. MR. SHABAZ, ANY QUESTIONS ON 63, 64 AND 65? NO. MR. PRESIDENT. MR. MCINERNEY? UH, 63. THE 3 MILLION IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WE'RE GONNA SPEND. THE 3 MILLION IS TO NOT TO EXCEED CORRECT? JUST TO BE SURE. CORRECT. NOT TO EXCEED. [00:35:01] JUST IN CASE WE NEED ANOTHER ELECTION ANYTIME TO HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS TO BE ABLE TO USE IT. SO WE SHOULD SEE AN UPTICK THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF THE UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCE OF A SPECIAL ELECTION. CORRECT. OKAY. UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS ON 63, 64 AND 65? UH, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. MY QUESTION WAS DURING A SIMILAR UH, VEIN, SO I KNOW IT'S NOT TO EXCEED THE 3 MILLION, COULD YOU JUST REFRESH FOR BOTH THE BOARD MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC WHAT THE TYPICAL EXPENDITURE IS? UH, BUT NO, IT'S, IT RANGES OF COURSE, BUT WHAT IS THE KIND OF ESTIMATE? THE ELECTION, THERE'S 531 I BELIEVE MACHINES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND THEY HAVE TO PAY THIS VENDOR PER MACHINE EVERY TIME THEY GO OUT FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION. THEY DON'T KNOW. SO I JUST RAN, YOU MAY SEE THE 20% CHANGE ORDER IN THE NEAR FUTURE BECAUSE THEY RAN OUT OF MONEY FOR THE OLD CONTRACT. MM-HMM . SO INSTEAD OF RUNNING OUT OF MONEY, WE, WE JUST PUT IN THERE NOT TO EXCEED X DOLLARS. YEAH, THAT MAKES SENSE. THIS WAY AT LEAST WE HAVE THE ABILITY THEY CAN RUN THE ELECTIONS WITHOUT COMING BACK TO THE BOARD ALL THE TIME. WHAT, WHAT MAY BE HELPFUL TOO THEN, JUST SO I CAN GET A SENSE OF THE POTENTIAL VARIABLE, IF IT'S 531 NOW BECAUSE OF THE, UH, SPECIAL ELECTIONS, HOW MUCH DO WE TYPICALLY HAVE ON A NON-SPECIAL ELECTION YEAR? HOW MANY, UH, UNITS OR MACHINES DO WE TYPICALLY HAVE? FIVE. WE OWN 531 MAYBE. I THINK THERE'S SOME EXTRA THAT'S COUNTYWIDE. MM-HMM . FOR THIS ELECTION. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ARE IN THIS DISTRICT COMMISSIONER. IT MAY, IT MAY RANGE BECAUSE OF EITHER BOARD OF ED OR ELECTION YEARS, UH, WHERE, YOU KNOW, SOME YEARS WE DON'T. WE HAVE LESS ELECTION THAN OTHERS. SO I THINK THAT NUMBER FLUCTUATES OVER A THREE OR FOUR YEAR CYCLE. YEAH, I'M, I'M AWARE. I'M AWARE. I'M JUST, AND MAYBE I'M ASKING THE QUESTION NEBULOUSLY AND I APOLOGIZE IF I, YOU, AND AGAIN, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION 'CAUSE WE NEED IT. I JUST WANNA GET CLARITY ON THE ROUGH RATE. SO WE HAVE 531 MACHINES THAT ARE, THAT ARE RIGHT. AND 5 31 ARE GOING TO BE POSSIBLY USED THIS ELECTION CYCLE. CORRECT. WHICH IS HIGHER THAN USUAL, YOU SAID BECAUSE OF SPECIAL ELECTIONS. AM I FOLLOWING THAT WELL, EXAMPLE WOULD BE IF WE HAVE TO RUN IN THE CITY OF NEWARK, UH, AT LARGE ELECTION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU MAY ONLY USE A MAKING A NUMBER UP A HUNDRED MACHINES OR 50 MACHINES. MM-HMM . SO EACH ELECTION IS DIFFERENT. THEY HAVE A SCHOOL BOARD, SOME TOWNS HAVE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS, SOME DON'T. YEAH. NOR A FEW OTHER PLACES DO. CORRECT. SO EACH ONE IS DIFFERENT AND THERE'S A, A RATE PER MACHINE. SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT THERE'S A RANGE. WE JUST WANNA BE ON THE SAFE SIDE AND YOU DON'T HAVE A ROUGH ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY ARE GONNA BE USED. MORE OR LESS. GOT PREPARE FOR THE WORST FOR USAGE OF ELECTIONS, UNDERSTANDABLY. AND, AND JUST ASKING BECAUSE YOU KNOW, A NUMBER THAT BIG CAN STAND OUT CERTAINLY TO, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT IT UP. A VOTER CONSTITUENT A RESIDENT. SO HAPPY FOR THAT CLARIFICATION. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. WE'LL PROVIDE YOU WITH A PER UNIT NUMBER. I DON'T REMEMBER OFF TOP. THAT'S WHAT I WAS GETTING AT THE PER UNIT. ROUGH. OKAY. THAT'S HELPFUL. THANK YOU. WE'LL THAT TO THE CLERK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER COOPER, DO YOU RECALL WHAT THE TOTAL PRICE WAS THAT WE SPENT ON THE LAST CONTRACT? UH, DREW, YOU, UH, MR. PRESIDENT? NO, I DON'T. BUT WE CAN GET YOU THAT NUMBER. THE NUMBER THAT'S REFLECTED IN THE DOCUMENTS IS IT SAYS $140 PER MACHINE. THAT'S THE NUMBER. RIGHT? THE NUMBER'S NOT GONNA CHANGE. AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION IS, UM, IN HERE IT REFERENCED THAT I RECALL YOU GUYS HAD BROKEN UP THE COUNTY INTO LIKE SECTIONS. THERE'S A REFERENCE IN HERE SAYING THAT SOMETHING HAS TO GO BACK OUT. WHAT HAPPENED WAS THERE'S TWO ZONES, ZONE A AND ZONE B. ZONE B CAME BACK BECAUSE OF THIS ELECTION. TOMORROW THEY NEEDED TO GET IT ON THE AGENDA. SO WE CAN HAVE IT. THE NEXT MEETING YOU WILL SEE ZONE A. SO BOTH ZONES WILL BE ALREADY HOPEFULLY APPROVED BY THEN. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. ANYONE ELSE? SO I'M GONNA MOVE IT. MOTION SECOND. MOVE BY COOPER. SECOND BY MERCADO WILL CALL MADAM DR. CLERK FOR SIXTY THREE SIXTY FOUR. 65. COMMISSIONER COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL. YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ. YES. SO MOVED. OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO BOARD OF REPORTER BOARD COMMITTEES. ANY, UH, COMMITTEE? WE HAVEN'T REALLY HAD ANY COMMITTEE MEETINGS YET THIS YEAR. SO DO WE HAVE ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS? ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? SEEING NONE. ANY NEW BUSINESS? SEEING NONE? OKAY. PUBLIC COMMENT. LET'S GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. IF ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE. STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. VERY GOOD JOB. HELLO AGAIN. [00:40:01] UH, WINIFRED VICTOR HINES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WEE PARK ASSOCIATION. AND UH, THIS IS BASICALLY OLD BUSINESS. AND I'M HERE AGAIN FOR, UM, THE MATTER CONCERNING THE PAUSE CONSTRUCTION ON A FOURTH BASEBALL OR SOFTBALL FIELD. AND WE QUA PARK. AND YOU HAD PROMISED, UM, COMMISSIONER OMARE THAT YOU WERE GOING TO CONTACT DAN AVANTE IN ORDER TO ARRANGE A MEETING BETWEEN THE QUA PARK ASSOCIATION COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS REGARDING THE PLAN BASEBALL FIELD AND RECENT DECISIONS. AND WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YOU, YOU PROMISED AGAIN AND NOTHING HAPPENED AS USUAL. SO NO COMMUNITY INPUT AS USUAL, LITTLE TO NO, UM, TRANSPARENCY. AND YOU GUYS CONTINUE TO DO WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU WANT. JUST LIKE WITH THE COMMUNITY CENTER WHEN WE HAD IT TWO STORIES AND THEN IT WAS KNOCKED DOWN TO MAKE IT ONE STORY. WHY NOBODY KNOWS YOU GUYS ARE GOING AHEAD TO AND BUILD THIS SOFTBALL FIELD THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS RARELY USE BECAUSE PEOPLE FROM NEW YORK OR CONNECTICUT AS COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON POINTED OUT, USE IT MORE SO THAN THE RESIDENTS. AND THEN YOU WENT AHEAD AND YOU GAVE YOUR WORD THAT YOU WERE GOING TO SET UP A MEETING SO THAT WE CAN HAVE INPUT. AND THAT WAS WHAT? DECEMBER 3RD. AND THEN I SENT YOU AN EMAIL AND I HAVE IT RIGHT HERE. OKAY? UH, DECEMBER 18TH ASKING YOU TO FACILITATE THIS AND NOTHING. AND THEN YOU CLAIM THAT ULYSSES GRANT, OKAY. THAT YOU ADMIRE HIM, BUT HE WAS ABOUT WHAT? INTEGRITY, WHICH YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE OF. OKAY. BASED ON YOUR RECORD. NOW I AM SICK AND TIRED OF COMING HERE AND HAVING TO TELL YOU GUYS HOW TO DO YOUR JOB. OKAY? I HAVE THINGS TO DO. YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE PUBLIC. YOU DO WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU WANT, ALRIGHT? IT'S NOT A KINGDOM. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO LISTEN TO US. MAYBE YOU GUYS SHOULD TAKE A COURSE. I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE I'M TIRED OF SPEAKING TO YOU AND HOPING FOR DIFFERENT RESULTS. OKAY? SO WE HAVE HERE A PETITION WITH SIGNATURES. OKAY? I HAVE SOME RIGHT HERE. YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT IT IF YOU WANT. AND, UH, MS. BOYTON ALSO HAS SOME MORE. AND IT'S BEEN GETTING A LOT OF PLAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA. AND THEN PEOPLE JUST TALKING TO US AND PEOPLE ARE ENRAGED ABOUT THIS, OKAY? AND THEY ARE SICK AND TIRED OF NOT BEING TED BY THEIR PUBLIC REPRESENTATIVES. I MEAN, WHEN ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO LEARN? OKAY? WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO STOP DISRESPECTING US AND DISMISSING US? ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. DO YOUR JOBS. IT'S OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS. I WORK HARD FOR THIS, OKAY? IT'S NOT YOUR OWN BUSINESS. YOU HAVEN'T CREATED THIS. ALRIGHT? SO YOU CAN'T GO AHEAD AND DO WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU WANT. YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC. OKAY? 30 SECONDS. THANK YOU. UH, ONE MOMENT. UH, YOU'RE DONE. NOW I'M GONNA RESPOND TO THAT. NUMBER ONE, YOU'RE NOT QUALIFIED TO TO CALL ME ON MY, OH, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M QUALIFIED ABOUT. NUMBER TWO, IT ISN'T ULYSSES GRANT I'LL AT MY QUALIFICATIONS AGAINST, AGAINST ULYSSES DAY. AND THERE'LL BE ONE OF US SPEAKING DOWN, OKAY? BECAUSE YOU HAD YOUR MOMENT. BUT DO NOT INSULT. SECONDLY, YOU NOT ONLY, NOT ONLY YOU NOT QUALIFIED TO CALL ME OUT ON MY CHARACTER, YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL ANYBODY. MY, MY HERO IS NOT ULYSSES. IT IS GROVER, CLEVELAND. GET THAT AT LEAST RIGHT? THIRD, EVERY MEETING, EVERY MEETING I CALL AND I ASK IF THERE'S ANY REPORT IN COMMITTEES. THERE VERY COMMITTEES THAT YOU CRITICIZE THAT WE JUST CREATED IN SECRECY. EVERY SINGLE ONE. IF YOU COME TO THE TABLE, COME ACCURATELY. ELISE, LASTLY, I DID NOT PROMISE YOU A MEETING. I SUGGESTED TO MR. JACKSON THAT PERHAPS WE SHOULD SCHEDULE A MEETING WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT. YOU MADE LEAPS ABOUT PROMISES. YOU CAN GO BACK AND WATCH A VIDEO. LET ME KNOW WHAT TIMESTAMP I MADE A PROMISE TO YOU BECAUSE IT'S NOT THERE. THERE'S ONLY ONE PROMISE I EVER MAKE. AND THAT IS TO WORK HARD AND DILIGENTLY. AND THAT I DO. AND WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I COULDN'T CARE LESS. NOW YOU'RE DONE. YOU CAN COME BACK TO THE NEXT MEETING, YOU CAN SEND. AND I THOUGHT YOU COULDN'T CARE LESS BECAUSE YOUR TIME IS NOW DONE. IF YOU CARE, AS IF YOU DON'T CARE DONE AT ALL, YOUR TIME IS NOT DONE. YOU ACT AS IF YOU DON'T CARE [00:45:01] AT ALL. I DON'T CARE FOR BEING CAUGHT OUTTA WHEN YOU SAY SOMETHING, YOUR FOLLOW IT THROUGH BECAUSE IT, IT'S TIME'S YOUR JOB. IT'S YOUR JOB. GET IT RIGHT. OKAY? I GET IT RIGHT ALL THE TIME. OKAY? I MISSPOKE GROVER, MR. PRESIDENT, HE WAS STILL ABOUT INTEGRITY, WHICH YOU ARE NOT. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, MR. MR. PRESIDENT, NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER. IF, IF I MIND MR. PRESIDENT, NO. NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER. I I HAVE SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO ADD FOR THE RECORD. GO COMM LUC, JUST FOR THE RECORD, AS IN ONE OF THE NINE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD, I DID TAKE A PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO MEET WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. AND MA'AM, WE HAVE IN WRITING FROM YOUR MAYOR, RAS BARAKA AND THE SOUTHWARD COUNCILMAN PATRICK COUNCIL, THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT FIELD BUILT. SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD THAT THOSE ARE MEMBERS OF YOUR COMMUNITY VOTED IN TO REPRESENT YOUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE PUT IN WRITING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT. MAYBE YOU SHOULD START WITH THEM. IF I, IF I, IF I ALSO, IF I, MR. JACKSON, I, HEY, I WROTE THE MEETING HERE AND IT, NOW I'M CALLING ON MR. JACKSON TO SPEAK. IF YOU CANNOT FOLLOW ALONG, YOU HAVE TO GO. THAT'S HOW IT IS. EVERYBODY HAS THEIR TWO TIME. YOU HAD YOUR TIME TWICE TODAY. HE HAD THEIRS. NOW HE, NOW IT'S MR. JACKSON. I'M ASKING MR. JACKSON TO SPEAK. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. AND AGAIN, I WANT TO REITERATE, IT IS NOT A NEW FIELD. THE FIELD'S THERE WE'RE JUST, WE, WE REFURBISHING THE FIELD AND MODERNIZING THE FIELD. IT'S NOT A NEW FIELD. WE MADE THAT, THAT THAT CLEAR. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES, BUT IT'S JUST NOT, FOR WHATEVER REASON, NOT SINKING IN. IT'S NOT A NEW FIELD. UM, WE RECEIVED LETTERS FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, THE MAYOR, THE COUNCILMEN, UH, STRONGLY ASKING US TO, UH, TO IMPROVE THE FIELD BECAUSE THEY CANNOT PLAY. THEY HAVE A, A WHOLE SEASON OF AWAY GAMES. THAT'S A, THAT'S A DISGRACE FOR THE CITY OF NEWARK AND FOR, FOR THE KIDS. THAT'S A DISSERVICE TO THE KIDS OF THE COMMUNITY. SO, UM, WE'RE RESPONDING TO, TO THE LEADERSHIP OF THE COMMUNITY, UM, TO BUILD THESE FIELDS. AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT A NEW FIELD. MR. PRESIDENT, IF I MAY, COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE A COMMENT, SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE. NO PROBLEM. I, I'D JUST LIKE TO ECHO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, PARTICULARLY BY MR. JACKSON. SO TWO THINGS THAT ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO REINFORCE HERE. ONE, IF OUR KIDS NEED AND USE THAT FIELD, THEN WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT FIELD IS TENDED TO WEAK WAKE PARK. AND THIS IS DATA THAT BACKS US UP. THIS IS NOT HEARSAY, WEAK WAKE PARK IS THE MOST USED PARK PER PROBABLY PER CAPITA OR SOMETHING IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY OF ESSEX. THE SECOND LARGEST COUNTY IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY HAS THIS PARK IN THE HEART OF THE SOUTH WARD OF NORWELL WAS BORN AND RAISED. THAT IS USED THE MOST. SO IF IT IS USED THE MOST, WELL, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF IT. AND WHO IS OUR MOST PRECIOUS MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE CHILDREN. AND SO IF THE DEMAND IS COMING FROM OUR SCHOOLS, RIGHT, THAT OUR BABIES DESERVE TO HAVE A FIELD, RIGHT? THAT WE, WE HAVE A FIELD IN EVERY OTHER CITY, EVERY OTHER TOWN IN ESSEX. AND OUR KIDS CAN'T HAVE ONE IN THEIR OWN BACKYARD. SO WEAK WAKE PARK BASEBALL TEAM AND WE QUICK HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL TEAM CAN'T, RIGHT? SO THAT THE, THE DEMAND IS COMING. NUMBER ONE FROM THE YOUNG PEOPLE. THAT'S WHO WE'RE RESPONDING TO. NUMBER TWO, THIS WAS NOT LOST IN US IN THE DECEMBER MEETING. SO SOMETHING THAT I SHARED, SOMETHING THAT OTHER MEMBERS OF THE, THE BOARD SHARED AND THAT WAS ECHOED BY MR. ZAS, RIGHT? WHICH IS THAT EVEN WHEN WE ARE MAKING FIXES AND RENOVATIONS TO THE PARKS AND OTHER COUNTY FACILITIES, IT'S OUR JOB ONE AS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND CERTAINLY AS AN ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S HAPPENING AND PREFERABLY KNOWS IN ADVANCE, RIGHT? AND SO, SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE CAN IMPROVE ON IS MAKING SURE THAT PARTICULARLY IN WEAK WAKE PARK, BUT FRANKLY ANYWHERE IN OUR COUNTY PARKS AND ACROSS THE COUNTY, WHEN WE ARE HAVING RENOVATIONS OR UPDATES, THE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. WHY, HOW LONG IT'LL BE AND WHAT'S THE DEMAND FOR IT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS SOMETHING THAT I'M GONNA TAKE AS A PERSONAL COMMITMENT TO DO, IS TO HAVE, MAYBE IT'S A TWICE A YEAR OR QUARTERLY UPDATE MEETING FOR THE, THE COUNTY PARKS IN MY DISTRICT. HEY, THESE ARE THE RENOVATIONS THAT ARE GONNA BE HAPPENING IN THIS PARK. THIS IS WHY IT'S HAPPENING. THIS IS WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT. THAT WAY PEOPLE AREN'T CAUGHT OFF GUARD. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE THE FACTS. AND THE FACTS ARE THIS ONE, THIS IS NOT A NEW PARK OR NEW BASEBALL FIELD. ITS RENOVATIONS TO THE MOST HIGHLY USED PARK IN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX. TWO, IT'S BECAUSE OUR KIDS NEED IT. AND OUR KIDS ARE OUR PRIORITY. THAT'S WHO WE'RE PRIORITIZING. THREE MULTIPLE THINGS CAN BE TRUE AT ONCE. SO ONE, THERE'S MORE WORK THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS IN ADVANCE WHEN THESE RENOVATIONS ARE HAPPENING. AND TWO, THERE'S MORE THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE THE ONES WHO ARE GETTING A TOP PRIORITY OF THESE PARKS. WHAT WE KNOW AND THE DATA SHOWS, AS MR. ZAS SPOKE ABOUT THIS, I WANNA SAY AT THE LAST MEETING, IS THAT THERE IS NO PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT FOR OTHER RESERVERS OF THESE PARKS OUTSIDE OF ESSEX COUNTY. IN FACT, TO MY UNDERSTANDING, MAYBE THIS COULD BE CORRECTED BY SOMEONE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, ESSEX [00:50:01] COUNTY RESIDENTS, UM, HAVE PRIORITY AND MAYBE MR. UH JACKSON YOU COULD SPEAK TO THAT. SO I JUST HOPE THAT'S CLEAR AND, AND I SEE YOU NODDING YOUR HEAD. AND IF THERE'S SOME MISCON DISCREPANCIES, DISCREPANCIES THERE, THEN WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO SEE HOW WE CAN FIX THAT. BUT WE'RE ON THE SAME SIDE HERE, RIGHT? UM, AND I HOPE EVERYONE HAS THE FACTS WHEN WE COME AND HAVE CONCERNS. THANK YOU. UM, MICHELLE BOYTON WEEKLY PARK. I I LISTEN TO THE GENTLEMAN FIND RA ROCK. THIS PERSON S DON'T HAVE KIDS. I HAVE CHILDREN. I'M 66 IWAY PARK. EVER SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, HOW MANY AND NO DISRESPECT OF US IS PLAYING SOFTBALL IN WEWE PARK AND THEY'RE NOT ALL FROM ESUS COUNTY 'CAUSE WE'RE IN WWAY PARK. I WALK IT. YEAH, ME TOO. AND THERE PEOPLE ARE IN WEEK WAY PARK AND IF YOU WALK IT, THEY WILL BE TALKING. YES, IT'S GONNA BE RENOVATED. IT'S ALREADY, WE STILL HAVE FOUR. SO, BUT I'M SAYING THERE'S SOMETHING OTHER THINGS TO DO THAN JUST PLAY SOFTBALL, FOOTBALL. MY NEPHEWS, THEY DO IT. I LOVE IT. THEY DO IT. IT'S FINE. WE HAVE YOUNG LADY, WE SKATING. WE CAN GO. I MEAN WE, WE CAN DO MORE THAN JUST THAT. BUT AGAIN, IF THAT'S BEING RENOVATED AND STOP WITH THE DISRESPECT. 'CAUSE ROCK, ROCK AND THIS ONE SHARP JANE GIBSON, I GREW UP WITH THEM. THEY WERE THERE. SO WHAT? BECAUSE ROZ WANTED, WHERE'S HIS CHILDREN? WE HAD CHILDREN THAT'S THERE AND THEY ARE NOT MY NEPHEW PLAY FOOTBALL. THEY ARE NOT ALL FROM ESSEX COUNTY. AND THESE PEOPLE KNOW NOTHING OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THAT PARK. THEY, WHAT'S THIS, WHAT THEY DO, WHAT THEY, SO IF THEY HAVE INFORMATION ON WHAT'S GOING ON AND GIVE THEM THE RIGHT TO HAVE AN OPTION, OKAY, WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS. 'CAUSE I SPOKE WITH THE GENTLEMAN WHEN THEY WAS OPENING UP FOR LIONS GATE. HEY, TALK TO ME. IT'S GONNA TAKE MONEY BUT WE CAN DO IT SO WE CAN DO IT, DO IT. STOP GETTING MAD AT SOMEBODY BECAUSE THEY'RE TELLING YOU THEIR HEART IS HURTING. ANY ONE OF YOU DOWN IN WHEAT WAY PARK, NO ANOTHER OF YOU, EVERYBODY ELSE YOU'RE IN WEEK WAY PARK WALKING YOU ON WEAK WAY PARK PLAN. NO YOU'RE NOT. AND HOW LONG AND WHAT TOWNS YOU, YOU'RE NOT THERE. WE BEEN THERE. OUR KIDS NEED MORE THAN JUST BASEBALL, FOOTBALL. GIVE THEM SOMETHING AND THE ADULTS, THE OLDER PEOPLE, OH WE, THEY AIN'T PLAYING A LITTLE SOFTBALL AND YOU CAN'T PLAY SOFTBALL ALL YEAR ROUND. SO AGAIN, OH WELL GO TO BRANCHFORD. WHY WE FROM SOUTHWARD? WHY WE GOTTA GO TO BRANCHFORD PARK? SO LET'S TAKE CARE AND LET'S JUST START RESPECTING EACH OTHER. STOP GETTING MAD. 'CAUSE SOMEBODY HAVE AN OPINION. EVERYBODY HAS OPINIONS. SO WHAT ROS ROCK. THAT WAS NOT EVEN RIGHT. WHAT? MY DAUGHTER WORKED FOR RO. SO WHAT RA'S NOT DOWN IN WHEAT GRADE PARK. I AIN'T SEEN HIM THERE. SO I WORE COUNSELOR INE AND SCHOOL. THESE KIDS WANT SKI. ANYBODY SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THAT? YOU CHECKED WITH THE SCHOOLS. YOU CHECKED WITH ALL MY RUN. YOU CHECK WITH WHEAT GRADE HIGH SCHOOL AGAIN. MA'AM, I KNOW YOU'RE DIRECTING IT AT ME. NO, NO, NO. I'M, WE BELIEVE IN HOME RULE HERE. YES. THE HOME RULE OF YOUR COMMUNITY. MM-HMM . IS YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. AND WE GOT THAT JUST LIKE OTHER COMMUNITIES ASK US TO DO THINGS, WE DO IT. SO WHEN WE ARE CALLED OUT AND WE'RE LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY WANTED YOU SAY, EXCUSE ME. I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THOUGH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. OFFICIALS, AGAIN, WHAT? WE HAVE AN OFFICIAL NOW ANYBODY GOT PROBLEMS WITH THAT? SO IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO ELECTED WHO. WHEN YOU GET IN AND DO A JOB, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO IT. SO I'M JUST SAYING WE ALL CAN RESPECT EACH OTHER IN HERE. I'M I'M ONLY SAYING YOU BECAUSE YOU SAID THAT AND I CAN LOOK UP AT THE CEILING SO I DON'T LOOK AT ONE PERSON. I'M NOT DIRECTING IT. YOU SAID THAT. SO THAT'S WHY I SAID WITH RISE, MY DAUGHTER WORKED FOR HIM. I KNOW HIS MOM. SO THAT MEANS NOTHING THOUGH. HE'S NOT A WE PARK AND IF THEY'RE ALL FOR IT, THEN COME AND TELL US. HAVE A MEETING WITH THE KIDS, HAVE A MEETING WITH THE PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH WARD. YOU KNOW, I SAY, HEY LISTEN, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO SO EVERYONE WON'T GET UPSET. WE ARE NOT ADDING A FOURTH BASEBALL FIELD. WE'RE ADDING TO THAT ONE. AND THEN LATER WE CAN ADD TO SOMETHING ELSE. 'CAUSE IT'S ENOUGH OF THE PARK. THAT'S ALL. SO NO DISRESPECT TO ANYBODY, BUT I WISH EVERYBODY WOULD UNDERSTAND EVERYBODY'S HEARTFELT FEELINGS AND STOP GETTING HEADACHES AND YELLING. DON'T DO THAT. 'CAUSE I'M SORRY THAT YOU WERE YELLED AT. AND THEN SHE'S FINGERS POINTING TO HER. WE, WE ARE ADULTS AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR EVERYONE. SO EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION. I HAVE KIDS, I HAVE GRANDKIDS, YOU KNOW, THE IN WEPAY PART. SO I'M JUST SAYING LET'S KEEP IT, LET'S BEAUTIFY AND LET'S JUST TRY TO START HAVING RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER AS HUMAN BEINGS. I MEAN, 30 SECONDS, FEBRUARY MARTIN LUTHER KING, LET'S ACT LIKE HE DIED FOR A REASON. OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA. GOOD EVENING. DANA MURRAY, BOARD RESIDENT. DANA MURRAY, NEWARK RESIDENT. UM, AS A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF NEWARK WHO FREQUENTS WEEK WAKE PARK. I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT I FREQUENTLY WALK, NOT JOHN WOULD WALK THROUGH THE PARK, TALKED TO RESIDENTS THAT'S IN THE PARK. UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK SOME OF THE MISCOMMUNICATION IS COMING IN BECAUSE THERE WAS A FOLLOW UP TO THE CONCERNS THAT WAS ECHOED BY THE COMMUNITY. UM, I THINK SOME RESIDENTS WAS NOT, WERE NOT IN THE FOLLOW UP MEETINGS WHEN THAT WAS DISCUSSED. SO TO THE CREDIT OF MR. JACKSON, HE DID A VERY THOROUGH REPORT ON WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE BASEBALL FIELD. MM-HMM. THAT IT WAS NOT BEING A NEW FIELD, BUT IT WAS BEING, UM, RENOVATED. HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE SKATE PARK THAT RESIDENTS TALKED ABOUT [00:55:01] THAT THEY WANTED, THAT THAT WAS BEING WORKED ON. SO A LOT OF THINGS THAT'S BEING RAISED TONIGHT ARE BEING RAISED BECAUSE PEOPLE WEREN'T IN THE MEETING WHERE IT WAS PRESENTED AND DISCUSS THOROUGHLY ABOUT WHAT WAS THE UPCOMING EVENT. TO THAT POINT, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD AS A NEWARK RESIDENT THAT THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE USING THE WEEK WAY PARK TO PLAY BASEBALL IS WEEK WAY, WEEK WAY WAS ONE OF THE SCHOOLS IN SHABAZZ THAT ARE BOTH LOCATED IN THE SOUTH WARD. AND WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE, RESIDENTS WANT TO HAVE SPACE TO DO OTHER THINGS, I GET ALL OF THAT. WE ALSO HAVE TO ALSO PRIORITIZE STUDENTS WHO ACTUALLY USE THE PARK. WEAK WAY DOES NOT HAVE A BASEBALL FIELD AND NEITHER DOES SHABAZZ. SO THEY UTILIZE THE PARK. SO THE REASON WHY THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE MAYOR OF NEWARK PUT IN THIS LETTER SUGGESTING THAT WE PRIORITIZE FIXING THE PARK WAS BECAUSE IF THEY DID NOT DO THAT, THEY WOULD NOT BE, IT WOULD NOT BE A QUAL A FIELD QUALIFIED FOR THEM TO PLAY BASEBALL AT MM-HMM . SO THE REASONING BEHIND THE BASEBALL FIELD WAS CLEARLY CENTERED AROUND THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS IN THE CITY OF NEWARK. IF THAT IS AN ISSUE, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU GO TO THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AND POSSIBLY ASK SUPERINTENDENT WHY THEY NEEDED THE FIELD. AND THAT COULD BE BETTER. EXPLAINED THAT FOR STUDENTS IN NEWARK, THE PARK, THIS PARTICULAR PARK, WHICH IS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THEIR SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH WARD WAS A PRIORITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THEY PLAY BASEBALL. ANYONE ELSE? GOOD EVENING. UH, NORM TERRIA, UH, NINE, NINE BERKELEY AVENUE, BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, OPEN SPACE. NO MATTER WHETHER YOU LIVE IN NEWARK, WHETHER YOU LIVE IN BLOOMFIELD, IT'S TIGHT. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH OPEN SPACE FOR EVERYONE. WE ENCOUNTER THAT EVEN AT, UH, WATS SING PARK, WHERE THERE'S A SOCCER FIELD THAT'S UTILIZED BY THE GLEN RIDGE SOCCER TEAM BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY PLACE TO GO. SO I HAVEN'T EXPLORED IT 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME. BUT WHAT IS THE FORMAL POLICY OF THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WHEN IT COMES TO PRIORITIZING RESERVATIONS AT COUNTY PARKS? THAT'S WHAT I WANNA KNOW. SO WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE POLICY? WHO GETS, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, SHABAZZ AND BASEBALL ACTUALLY, BUT, UM, BUT THIS COLLABORATION OF FIGURING OUT PRIORITIZATION OF WHO, YOU KNOW, UH, RESERVATIONS AS WELL AS THE TIMELINE, THE ATHLETIC DIRECTORS KNOW RIGHT NOW MORE, MORE THAN LIKELY THEIR SCHEDULES FOR BASEBALL, FOR SOFTBALL, FOR SOCCER, FOR FIELD HOCKEY, FOR LACROSSE, WHATEVER SPORT, UM, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT UTILIZES A FIELD, TRACK AND FIELD. SO I THINK THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERY RESIDENT, NO MATTER WHAT PARK THEY UTILIZE, UM, TO UNDERSTAND AND THEN TO, AS YOU WERE MENTIONING, COLLABORATE, UM, TO REALLY HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE BOARD, NOT THE AUDIENCE. OKAY. VERY GOOD. UM, LET'S, LET'S SHIFT GEARS A LITTLE BIT. SO, UM, TALK ABOUT THE RESPONSIVENESS OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE STANDARD IS FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHEN IT COMES TO HOW QUICKLY YOU RESPOND TO CONSTITUENTS. AND ONE COMMISSIONER THAT I REACHED OUT TO IN PARTICULAR AND I JUST CHECKED MY EMAIL, IT TOOK ME A GOOD TWO, TWO AND A HALF MONTHS TO GET A RESPONSE VIA EMAIL. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE TO ME AS A RESIDENT, TO ME, AS A CONSTITUENT, TO ME AS AN ESSEX COUNTY TAXPAYER TO HAVE TO CONSTANTLY EMAIL. AND IT WAS ACTUALLY INTERESTINGLY, AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR THAT I SENT THAT EMAIL. I SENT ONE AT THE END OF JANUARY, FOLLOWED UP AGAIN IN MID-FEBRUARY, END OF FEBRUARY, RECEIVED A RESPONSE IN MARCH, SENT SOME DOCUMENTS, HAD TO CHECK BACK IN APRIL TO FIND OUT WHETHER THOSE DOCUMENTS WERE RECEIVED. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO ME FROM THE COMMISSIONERS. AND I KNOW EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN PATTERNS AND EVERYBODY HAS THEIR OWN STANDARDS. BUT EVEN IF YOU JUST SAY RECEIVED, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. SO THAT IS WHAT I EXPECT AS A TAXPAYER, AS A RESIDENT, AS A CONSTITUENT. UM, SOME VERY QUICK THINGS IN THE LAST 10 SECONDS THAT I HAVE. UM, THE SNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF IT. AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE CROSSWALKS THAT HAVE CROSSING GUARDS TO CLEAR THEM OUT, UM, AS PART OF SNOW REMOVAL. UM, OPERATIONS, THAT'S AMAZINGLY IMPORTANT, UM, TO ME. UH, AND, AND THANK YOU TO, UM, THE COMMISSIONERS AS WELL AS DPW TO RESPONDING TO MY EMAIL ABOUT BLOOMFIELD AVENUE AND WATT SING. THAT [01:00:01] WAS TOTALLY BLOCKED OFF THE CROSSING GUARD THERE. MALCOLM HAD TO WALK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. I HAVE VIDEO OF IT, ESCORTING PEDESTRIANS. IT WAS UNACCEPTABLE. SO WHEN A SNOW EVENT HAPPENS, AS COMMISSIONERS, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BUDGET MONEY IN THE SAME WAY THAT YOU DO FOR ROAD PLOW. 30 SECONDS, WHICH IS WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. UM, PLEASE BUDGET MONEY FOR THE CLEARING OF CURB CUTS, ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY AT INTERSECTIONS WHERE MUNICIPALITIES HAVE CROSSING GUARDS BECAUSE THE DAY AFTER THE SNOWFALL, TWO DAYS AFTER, THAT'S WHERE THE PRIORITY IS. UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. MAD DEPUTY KIRK LEFT THE RECORD. REFLECT THERE. NO ONE ELSE QUESTION TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME. COMMISSIONERS COMMENT SESSION. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEE NONE. A MOTION TO ADJOURN. MOTION MOVED BY LUCIANA. SECOND BY COOPER. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. AYE. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.