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UH, TONIGHT WE'RE MEETING FOR OUR ANNUAL, UH, PUBLIC, UH, HEARING ON THE BUDGET, WHICH WE SHALL, UH, TREAT MORE LIKE A COMMITTEE HEARING, IF YOU WILL.
SO WE'RE GONNA START THE MEETING TODAY WITH A ROLL CALL, AND THEN I'LL FOLLOW WITH THE PLEDGE.
AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GO RIGHT INTO OUR, UH, FIRST PRESENTER.
SO, ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, CERTAINLY.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS HERE, I'M GONNA, UH, PLEASE STAND FOR THE, UH, COMMISSIONER MERCADO TO LEAD US INTO THE PLEDGE.
PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE 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.
AND MAY WE PLEASE JUST STAND FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND HONOR OF THOSE THAT WE MAY HAVE LOST SINCE IT'S THE LAST TIME WE CAME TOGETHER.
CERTIFICATION FROM THE CLERK OF THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT.
WHO DO WE HAVE FIRST TODAY TO PRESENT THE BOARD OF TAXATION? BOARD OF TAXATION.
SIR, PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
PRESIDENT PALMS. UH, IAN GROMAN.
DO YOU HAVE A, I'M ASSUMING A NARRATIVE THAT YOU WANT TO START OFF WITH AN OPENING STATEMENT? SURE.
WHY DON'T WE START WITH THAT? AND THEN WHAT WE'LL DO COMMISSIONERS, WE WILL HAVE, UH, OUR, OUR BUDGET CONSULTANT, MR. MCINERNEY, UH, BEGIN WITH ANY QUESTIONS AND THEN WE'LL ALL CHIME IN TODAY.
AND JUST SO THAT THERE'S NO CONFUSION, THE GENTLEMAN SITTING IN COMMISSIONER SEABOLD SEAT IS NOT PAT SEABOLD, IT'S MR. MARTINEZ.
JUST FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE RECORD, WONDERING WHY SOMEONE ELSE MAY BE SITTING THERE PLEASE.
SO, UM, WE HAVE SUBMITTED OUR, OUR BUDGET TO YOU FOR A 2026.
I WANTED TO THANK THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR, FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN HELPING TO PREPARE THIS BUDGET.
UH, THIS IS MY FIRST YEAR DOING IT, SO, UH, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT OF A LEARNING CURVE AND THEY WERE VERY, VERY HELPFUL IN HELPING ME TO GET TO THIS POINT.
SO BASICALLY WE HAVE HERE A BUDGET THAT'S SHOWING A, A 4% INCREASE OVER OUR COSTS.
LAST YEAR WE HAD COSTS THAT ARE INCREASING, UM, IN OUR BUDGET.
WE HAVE SOFTWARE THAT CONNECTS US TO ALL OF THE ASSESSORS IN THE COUNTY, AS WELL AS THE NEW JERSEY DIVISION OF THE TREASURY.
THE COSTS ON THAT GO UP SIGNIFICANTLY EVERY YEAR.
AND THEN THERE ARE THE STAN STANDARD WAGE INCREASES.
OTHER THAN THAT, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY INCREASES IN OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR OVER LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.
I HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORTING I PROVIDED FOR ALL OF YOU IN ADVANCE.
YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT IN YOUR PACKETS THAT WILL SHOW YOU WHAT THE TAX RATES ARE IN EACH ONE OF THE TOWNS IN THE COUNTY AND HOW THAT WORKS.
WITH INTERRUPT, WE WE'RE ON TAB FIVE, PAGE 44.
I WAS JUST, UH, LOOKING FOR THAT SO I CAN MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
FIRST PAGE 44, AND THE FIFTH TAB IS MR. JACKSON STATE.
UM, THAT WILL SHOW YOU WHAT THE TAX RATES ARE FOR EACH ONE OF THE TOWNS AND HOW THOSE TAX RATES ARE APPORTIONED TO THE COUNTY.
UM, IN ADDITION, IN THAT PACKET, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE A PIE CHART OF WHAT EACH TOWN AND THE COUNTY'S PERCENTAGE IS.
THAT GOES TO THEIR MUNICIPAL BUDGET, THAT GOES TO THE COUNTY BUDGET, THAT GOES TO THEIR SCHOOL BUDGET, AND THINGS LIKE THE LIBRARY BUDGETS AND OPEN SPACE TRUST FUNDS.
UM, AT THE END OF THE PACKAGE, YOU WILL SEE WE'VE INCLUDED, UM, THE EQUALIZATION RATIOS FOR EACH TOWN.
SO YOU'LL SEE AS YOU'RE LOOKING THROUGH THAT SOME TOWNS HAVE A VERY LOW EQUALIZATION RATE.
SOME TOWNS HAVE A VERY HIGH EQUALIZATION RATE.
WE ARE FORTUNATE IN ESSEX COUNTY THAT THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IS A VERY GOOD REAL ESTATE MARKET.
AND SO A LOT OF TIMES ASSESSED VALUES ON PROPERTIES ARE NOT SHOWING WHAT THE ACTUAL VALUES OF THE PROPERTIES ARE AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
UM, WE HAVE HAD, EVERY TOWN IN THE COUNTY HAVE A REVAL, UM, OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST 10 YEARS.
AND WE ARE ON TRACK TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF THE TOWNS ARE HAVING REVALS EVERY 10 YEARS, SOMETIMES EVEN SOONER, SOMETIMES EIGHT OR NINE YEARS IF WE SEE LARGE DISCREPANCIES.
AND WHERE THE VALUES ARE COMPARED TO V ASSESSED VALUES.
AT THE VERY END OF THE PACKET IS OUR ABSTRACT OF READABLE, AS YOU CAN SEE, WHAT THE VALUE IS OF THE PROPERTIES IN EACH ONE OF THE TOWNS DIVIDED BY CATEGORIES.
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THAT IS MY BASE OF PRESENTATION.I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY GOOD QUESTIONS.
UH, RECOGNIZING COMMISSIONER GIL HAS JOINED THE MEETING, MR. MCINERNEY.
LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S NOT A ALREADY BIG BUDGET.
UM, JUST FOR THE RECORD, ON THE, UM, ON THE REVALS YOU SAID, ARE THERE ANY OTHER RE UM, REVALUATIONS LINED UP FOR THIS YEAR OR, YES.
THIS YEAR, FAIRFIELD, CEDAR GROVE AND VERONA ARE GOING THROUGH A REVAL.
AND WE WILL HAVE THOSE NEW VALUES BY FEBRUARY 10.
WELL, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TODAY.
NOW WE'RE GONNA HAVE THOSE NEW VALUES FOR THOSE THREE TABS.
ARE THERE OTHERS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN, UH, NOT HAD REEVALUATION? SURE.
ON THE LAST PAGE OF THE PACKET, YOU'LL SEE WE HAVE THE STATUS OF THE VALS FOR EACH ONE OF THE TOWNS.
SO IN 2027, NEWARK WILL HAVE A REVAL.
UM, ALSO IN 2027, I'M JUST REFERRING TO THIS 'CAUSE I, I DON'T ALWAYS REMEMBER IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
CALDWELL, UH, FAIRFIELD AND THAT'S IT.
GENERALLY IT'S ABOUT THREE TOWNS EACH YEAR, BUT YOU'LL SEE ON THAT SCHEDULE THAT THERE ARE REVALS SCHEDULED RIGHT NOW THROUGH 2029.
AND THAT'S HOW WE TRY TO KEEP THE, THE TRUE VALUE OF THE PROPERTIES AS CLOSE TO THE ASSESSED VALUE OF THE PROPERTIES AS POSSIBLE.
IT MAKES IT MORE, UM, FAIR FOR THE MUNICIPALITIES IN TERMS OF THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE COUNTY.
HAS THE EQUALIZATION TABLE BEEN TAKEN? CORRECT.
I WAS WONDER IF YOU FORWARD A COPY OF THAT TO THE BOARD? THE CLERK OF THE BOARD.
IT IS IN THE PACKET, THE EQUALIZATION TABLE.
I DIDN'T GET THE, IT'S THE SECOND TO THE LAST PAGE OF THE PACKET, BUT I CAN SEND THAT TO THE CLERK OF THE BOARD IF YOU'D LIKE.
WELL, IF IT'S HERE, YOU DON'T NEED TO, BUT YEAH.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE, THE LAST PAGE, THE STATUS OF REEVALUATIONS, THE PAGE RIGHT BEFORE THAT, WE'LL SHOW YOU THE, UM, THE EQUALIZATION TABLE.
UM, AS FAR AS YOUR, AS FAR AS YOUR BUDGET GOES, IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
UM, I LOOKED AT THE PAYROLL, THERE'S FIVE EMPLOYEES OVER, I'M SORRY.
UM, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE PAYROLL, THERE WERE FIVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING PAID.
IT'S THE SAME FIVE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE IN THE BUDGET.
UM, THERE'S VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT I CALCULATE THE PROJECTED PAYROLL TO BE AND, AND, UM, WHAT'S ANTICIPATED IN, IN THE CURRENT YEARS, UM, IN THE CURRENT YEARS BUDGET.
UM, OTHER EXPENSES ARE RELATIVELY THE SAME.
YOU SAID YOU HAD A LITTLE INCREASE FOR ON THE SOFTWARE THAT, UM, THAT WE USE.
IT'S THE BRT SYSTEM THAT CONNECTS US WITH ALL OF THE ASSESSORS IN THE COUNTY AS WELL AS THE DIVISION OF THE TREASURY AND TRENTON.
WHAT, WHAT ABOUT ARE, ARE YOU, UH, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, ARE DO YOU HAVE A, YOU HAVE A TRUST FUND? YES, WE DO.
AND WHAT IS IN THE TRUST FUND NOW? UH, APPROXIMATELY $30,000.
AND WHAT SPECIFICALLY DO YOU USE THAT FOR? IT'S USED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, MAINLY FOR OUR COMMISSIONERS, FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE OFFICE, UM, THAT KIND OF THING.
DO YOU PRETTY MUCH USE IT EVERY YEAR OR, OR YOU PACKAGE FOR THE MOST PART? YEAH.
WE ACTUALLY, UM, ESPECIALLY DURING THE, UM, THE APPEAL SEASON.
WE HAVE SOME SEASONAL EMPLOYEES THAT COME IN THAT HELP OUT ON A KIND OF A PER DIEM BASIS.
I GOT THEY'RE PAID OUTTA THAT TRUST FUND AS WELL AS WELL.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS I NEED TO TELL YOU, BUT THANK YOU.
ANYBODY ELSE? COMMISSIONER? ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONER.
SORRY, SORRY, IT WAS A COUPLE MINUTES LATE.
JUST AGAIN, WHAT WERE THE REVALS? THE FAIRFIELDS FAIRFIELDS IS THIS YEAR.
AND THERE WERE TWO O THERE WERE TWO OTHERS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I SEE NONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYBODY.
I HOPE THE REST OF THE EVENING GOES THIS SMOOTHLY FOR ALL OF YOU.
MR. JACKSON, WHAT DO YOU HAVE NOW? WE HAVE THE SHERIFF NEXT.
IS IS THE, OH, HE'S ALREADY HERE.
WHAT, UH, PAGE, UH, UH, SHERIFF WILL BE, UM, PAGE 73.
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GOOD EVENING, SHERIFF.PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
SHERIFF, UH, WITH ME, CHIEF SPANEL.
ALRIGHT, WHY DON'T YOU GIVE US AN OVERVIEW WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
FIRST, UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SINCERELY THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED, CONTINUED, UH, SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP.
NONE OF WHAT I'M ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT HAPPENS WITHOUT COLLABORATION, SHARE PRIORITIES AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO INVEST IN PUBLIC SAFETY THE RIGHT WAY.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO TODAY IS WALK YOU THROUGH WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH OPERATIONALLY AND THE REAL OUTCOMES.
AND THEN BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT HOW WE STRENGTHEN THE AGENCY WHILE DOING, WHILE DOING IT.
LET ME START WITH THE BUREAU OF NARCOTICS.
THIS PAST YEAR WE SAW A 200% INCREASE IN ARREST AND CHARGES, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE'VE REMOVED OVER $1 MILLION WORTH OF NARCOTICS FROM THE STREETS OF ESTES COUNTY.
THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.
THAT COMES WITH BEING PROACTIVE, INCREASING OUR PRESENCE IN COMMUNITIES, AND IMPROVING COORDINATION WITH OUR FEDERAL MUNICIPAL PARTNERS.
OUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF THE STRONGEST SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT THIS COUNTY.
OUR OEM CONDUCTED FULL SCALE TRAINING EXERCISE AND RESPONDED TO 30 EMERGENCY EVACUATION.
EVA ACTIVATIONS EVERYTHING FROM STORM RESPONSES TO HOSPITAL INFRASTRUCTURE FAILURES TO ACTIVE THREAT COORDINATION.
WE ALSO DEPLOYED EQUIPMENT 257 TIMES, INCLUDING LIGHT TOWERS, MESSAGE BOARDS, AND OUR SKY WASH UNIT.
HONESTLY, OUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS SUPPORTING MUNICIPALITIES ALMOST DAILY.
WE'VE ALSO INVESTED IN OUR NEW OEMM DRONE TRUCK, WHICH ALSO ALLOW, ALLOWS TO US TO PROVIDE REAL TIME INTELLIGENCE AND FASTER RESPONSE SUPPORT DURING EMERGENCIES.
WHEN IT COMES TO OUR, WE SAW A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN COMPLAINTS LAST YEAR THAT IS NOT BECAUSE OVERSIGHT WAS, WAS REDUCED.
IT IS BECAUSE OUR OFFICERS ARE MORE VISIBLE, MORE ENGAGED IN BUILDING STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
THEY SERVE THAT DECLINE TELLS US TRUST IS MOVING FORWARD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
OUR PATROL DIVISION DIVISION HANDLED APPROXIMATELY 4,000 CALLS FOR SERVICE, WHICH IS A 60 PER 61% INCREASE.
THAT INCREASE REFLECTS ENGAGEMENT BEING, BEING PRESENT AND ACCESSIBLE.
THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC COMPLAINTS, ESPECIALLY SPEEDING.
LAST YEAR WE SAW A 62% INCREASE IN MOTOR VEHICLE.
SUMM SUMMONS IS DRIVEN BY PROACTIVE TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT AND 114% INCREASE IN DISORDERLY PERSONS, LARGELY BECAUSE OF OUR INCREASED PRESENCE IN PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACES.
OUR GOAL IS SIMPLE, MAKING SURE OUR PARKS ARE SAFE, FAMILY FRIENDLY AND ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE.
WHILE VISIBILITY HAS INCREASED, CRIME CONTINUES TO TREND DOWNWARD.
OUR FUGITIVE SQUAD, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR BUREAU OF CRIMINAL IDENTIFICATION, RECEIVED A 2,111 WARRANTS, ENCLOSED 2,193, MEANING THAT THEY ACTUALLY REDUCED BACKLOG ENCLO MORE CASES THAN THEY RECEIVE.
THAT SPEAKS TO EFFICIENCY COORDINATION AND STAYING FOCUSED ON PRIORITIES.
OUR TRANSPORTATION DIVISION COMPLETELY COMPLETED NEARLY 20,000 CUSTODY MOVEMENTS AND LOGGED ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND TRANSPORTS ALL WITHOUT MAJOR INCIDENT.
THAT'S HIGH VOLUME, HIGH RISK WORK DONE PROFESSIONALLY EVERY SINGLE DAY.
OUR CANINE AND BOMB UNIT RESPONDED TO NEARLY 1000 CALLS FOR SERVICE, INCLUDING AIRPORT SWEEPS, SCHOOL SAFETY CHECKS, AND SECURITY AT HOUSES OF WORSHIP DURING HEIGHTENED SAFETY CONCERNS.
MUCH OF THEIR WORK IS ABOUT PREVENTION, MAKING SURE SITUATIONS NEVER ESCALATE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
OUR COURSE DIVISION CONTINUES TO PROVIDE SECURITY ACROSS THE ENTIRE PERCENTAGE WITHOUT INCIDENT.
WE SCREEN NEARLY 2 MILLION INDIVIDUALS WHILE MANAGING LAYERED SECURITY OPERATIONS ACROSS MULTIPLE FACILITIES.
THAT WORK IS CRITICAL AND OFTEN HAPPENS BEHIND THE SCENES.
WHAT IS ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAINING SAFE AND FUNCTIONING COURTS? OUR TACTICAL RESPONSE TEAM DEPLOYED 66 TIMES LAST YEAR, ASSISTING MUNICIPALITIES WITH BARRICADED SUBJECT SUBJECTS, HIGH RISK WARRANTS, AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE OPERATIONS.
THOSE DEPLOYMENTS RESULTED IN NO LOSS OF LIFE.
LIFE AND NO MAJOR INJURIES, WHICH SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO TRAINING EQUIPMENT INVESTMENT AND OUR CONTINUED EXPANSION OF LESS LETHAL OPTIONS.
TECHNOLOGY IS ALL, IS ALSO PLAYING A BIGGER ROLE IN HOW WE OPERATE.
OUR DRONE PROGRAM COORDINATED THROUGH OUR OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SUPPORTS OUR TACTICAL RESPONSE TEAM AS WELL AS OUR PATROL LARGE
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EVENTS AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE.PROVIDING REAL TIME SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.
IT ALLOWS US TO MAKE SMARTER DECISIONS IN THE OFF, OFTEN REDUCES THE NEED FOR FORCE.
IT'S A BIG PART OF MODERN PRECISION BASED POLICING.
OUR CIVIL PROCESS DIVISION COLLECTED 3.4 MILLION IN COMMISSIONS IN FEES LAST YEAR.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, ONE OF OUR AREAS I'M PERSONALLY PROUD OF IS OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM.
THIS TEAM DID NOT EXIST PRIOR TO THIS ADMINISTRATION, AND IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR, THEY BECAME A MAJOR PART OF HOW WE APPROACH PUBLIC SAFETY.
THEIR PRESENCE AND COMMUNITIES HAS HELPED REDUCE COMPLAINTS, IMPROVE COMMUNICATION, AND BUILD TRUST WITH OUR RESIDENTS, SCHOOLS AND FAITH ORGANIZATIONS.
THEY'VE ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH OUR PATROL UNIT AND HELP KEEP PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACES SAFE AND OF, AND OFTEN HELP DEESCALATE SITUATIONS EARLY BEFORE THEY BECOME ENFORCEMENT ISSUES.
WE ALSO MADE A COMMITMENT TO MODERNIZE AND HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC.
BEFORE THIS ADMINISTRATION, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OFFICE HAD VERY LITTLE DIGITAL, UH, PREP PRESENCE.
WE MADE A DECISION TO TREAT DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AS A PUBLIC SAFETY TOOL.
WE LAUNCHED A, A SHERIFF LED COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING A DIRECT Q AND A SERIES SO RESIDENTS CAN HEAR DIRECTLY FROM LEADERSHIP AND BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW, HOW WE DO OR WHAT WE DO.
SINCE LAUNCHING THAT EFFORT, WE'VE REACHED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS ONLINE WITH SOME VIDEOS RECEIVING OVER 90,000 VIEWS.
THAT KIND OF TRANSPARENCY STRENGTHENS TRUST AND HELPS PREVENT PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY START.
IN CLOSING, THE 2 20 26 BUDGET ALLOWS US TO KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING.
IT ALLOWS US TO SUSTAIN OPERATIONAL SUCCESS, CONTINUE MODERNIZATION, AND MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF SERVICE OUR RESIDENTS EXPECT AND DESERVE.
I TRULY APPRECIATE AND CONTINUE OUR, YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND PARTNERSHIP.
AND ON BEHALF OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THIS COUNTY.
WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
LEMME RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER COOPER HAS JOINING THE MEETING.
UM, LET ME JUST START WITH REVENUES.
UH, LAST YEAR, UH, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, UH, INCLUDING THE ADDITIONAL FEE, UH, GENERATED, UH, ALMOST $3.3 MILLION WORTH, WORTH OF REVENUES.
AND YOU SEE THAT, YOU SEE COLLECTING THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY ANY PROBLEM THIS YEAR, UM, OR ANY REAL CHANGES THE SAME AMOUNT IS ANTICIPATED.
SO I'M ASSUMING SAME AS ANTICIPATED AS 1 25.
ALRIGHT, LET'S, LET'S TALK ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE KEY THINGS IN THE OLD, NOT JUST IN YOUR DEPARTMENT, BUT IN A LOT OF THE LARGER DEPARTMENTS THAT I SEE, AND ESPECIALLY LOOKING AT LAST YEAR'S BUDGET AND TRYING TO PROJECT OUT WHAT WILL, UH, BE THE EFFECT OF OVERTIME.
AND AGAIN, AS I SAID, IT'S NOT JUST IN SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, IT'S IN A LOT OF THE LARGER DEPARTMENTS, ESPECIALLY IN PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO I HAVE, UM, GONE THROUGH THE PAYROLL AND JUST GIMME A SECOND HERE WHILE I BRING THIS BACK UP.
AND SO WHEN THE, I TOOK THE SECOND PAYROLL, THE FIRST PAYROLL HAD SOME INCREASES IN IT, MAYBE SOME RETROS, I'M NOT SURE.
BUT I WAS ASSURED THAT THE SECOND PAYROLL IS MORE REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT WE'LL SEE.
AND, UM, THERE WERE 4,060 HOURS A TIME AND A HALF THAT GENERATED, UH, $310,000 OF, UM, OVERTIME.
AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER 452 STRAIGHT OVERTIME HOURS THAT GENERATED, UM, ABOUT $23,000.
SO IF, IF I'M LOOKING AT THAT AND TRY TO PROJECT THAT OUT FOR THE YEAR, UM, THAT WOULD COME TO SOMEWHERE CLOSE TO $8.7 MILLION, WHICH IS NOT THAT FAR OFF OF, UH, WHERE, WHERE YOU WERE LAST YEAR.
UH, UNDERSTANDING THAT, UH, CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN SETTLED AND INCREASES IN SALARIES WILL OBVIOUSLY IMPACT THE AMOUNT OF OVERTIME IN 2026.
BUT I, I CAN SEE THAT YOU'RE AT 7.1 IS BUDGETED YET THE PROJECTIONS THAT I COME UP WITH SHOW A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT, UH, MORE THAN THAT.
SO, UM, JUST DOVETAIL IN A SECOND ABOUT VACANCIES.
UH, SO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THESE TWO KIND OF MATCH UP.
UM, I HAD, UM, I THINK IT WAS ABOUT 445.
LET ME JUST SEE FOR A SECOND HERE.
I THINK I ROUGHLY CAME UP TO MAYBE 25 VACANCIES.
IS, IS THAT CORRECT? 29 20 CHIEF SPANEL, SORRY.
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UH, SPANEL 29 VACANCIES AS OF TODAY.SO WHEN WE TALK, I'M NOT GONNA ANSWER THE QUESTION FOR YOU.
SO LET'S JUST TALK ABOUT THE OVERTIME.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE VACANCIES.
IS, UM, DO YOU SEE THE OVERTIME BEING LESS THAN WHAT I'M, THAN WHAT I'M PROJECTING? NO, BUT THERE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF FACTORS THAT AREN'T TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IS REIMBURSABLE OVERTIME.
THERE'S A LARGE AMOUNT OF OVERTIME THAT'S REIMBURSABLE FROM OFFICERS THAT THE SHERIFF HAS ASSIGNED TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES AS WELL AS SOME, UH, REIMBURSEMENTS FOR WITHIN THE COUNTY.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THERE'S PARKS REIMBURSEMENTS, THERE'S REIMBURSEMENTS FOR, COULD YOU MOVE THE MIC CLOSER? THERE'S PARKS REIMBURSEMENTS.
WELFARE GIVES US REIMBURSEMENTS.
SO THEY'RE NOT FACTORED INTO THAT NUMBER THERE.
THAT'S WHY OUR NUMBER IS LESS THAN THE 8.1.
SO, SO THAT'S GONNA MAKE UP SOME, BUT OBVIOUSLY I'M, IF I'M PROJECTING EIGHT POINTS, EVEN IF YOU HAVE 8.1 THE SAME AS LAST YEAR, YOUR BUDGET IS, IS LIGHT.
SO THE, DO YOU SEE THOSE VACANCIES IN SOME WAYS MAKING UP THE DIFFERENCE? ABSOLUTE SLIPPAGE FROM THE VACANCIES? I MEAN, WE'RE ALMOST THROUGH THE FIRST OR HALFWAY THROUGH WINTER ALREADY.
BY THE TIME WE DO ANY HIRING, IT WON'T BE TILL THE SUMMER.
'CAUSE WE HIRE IN, UH, IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHEN THE POLICE ACADEMY HAS THEIR CLASSES.
SO IF YOU HAVE SIX MONTHS OF SLIPPAGE, THAT MAKES UP THE DIFFERENCE IN THE OVERTIME.
SO, UM, SO I GUESS YOU'RE, YOU'RE KIND OF FORCED IN A WAY NOT TO HIRE, BUT DO YOU SEE ANY, ANY ANYTHING PRO UH, PROBLEMATIC ABOUT THAT, THAT YOU HAVE TO KEEP THOSE VACANCIES IN ORDER TO MAKE UP FOR THE OVERTIME? WHAT WAS THE QUESTION, FRANK, DO YOU HAVE, DO YOU SEE SOMETHING PROBLEMATIC IN OTHER WORDS? NO.
THE STAFF YOU HAVE NOW IS THE STAFF THAT YOU NEED? NO, WE PLAN ON FILLING ALL OUR VACANCIES.
IF YOU, THEN THE QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU MAKE UP THE OVERTIME? THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA BE 7.1.
IT'S GONNA BE GREATER THAN THAT.
BASED ON WHAT I SAID, THE, THE, THE SALARY AND WAGE LINE WILL BE LESS.
AND THE SLIPPAGE BETWEEN THE TWO IS NORMALLY WHERE WE MAKE UP THE OVERTIME.
SO, AND THAT'S, THAT WAS SIMILAR LAST YEAR.
YOU DID GET SOME TRANSFERS THOUGH.
ALSO, AND THAT'S A POSSIBILITY AS WELL.
ON THE, UM, ON THE SALARY AND WAGE, ON THE OTHER EXPENSE SIDE, UM, WHAT WAS THE ISSUE LAST YEAR WITH UNIFORM ALLOWANCE? WHAT WAS IT NOT BUDGETED FOR? UNIFORM ALLOWANCE WAS PART OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.
WHEN THEY SETTLED THE CONTRACTS, UNIFORM ALLOWANCE WAS BARGAINED IN.
SO NOW THE OFFICERS GET A THOUSAND DOLLARS UNIFORM ALLOWANCE MULTIPLIED BY THE NUMBER OF ACTIVE OFFICERS WE HAVE IN THAT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING GROUP EQUATES TO THE 349,000.
SO NOW IT'S, IT HAS ITS OWN, IT HAS ITS OWN LINE ITEM? CORRECT.
SO THAT OBVIOUSLY COMES OUTTA SALARIES AND WAGES, RIGHT? I MEAN, THAT'S INCLUDED IN SALARIES AND WAGES? NO, AS FAR AS I KNOW IT'S HAS ITS OWN LINE ITEM.
BUT TYPICALLY LAST YEAR, WAS IT INCLUDED IN, IT WAS, IT HASN'T BEEN PART OF THE COLLECTING BARGAIN AGREEMENT SINCE 2011? OH, IT HASN'T.
IT WAS TAKEN OUT, OR, SORRY, NO, 2012 WAS PUT BACK IN, IN THE, THE MOST RECENT CONTRACT.
UM, AGAIN, THE, THE ONLY THING, LIKE I SAID THAT REALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, STANDS OUT IS, IS THE OVERTIME ISSUE.
AND IF YOU HAVE THAT, UM, YOU CAN GET THE TRANSFERS AND MAYBE MAKE UP SOME OF THAT FROM, FROM THE VACANCIES, UM, THEN I GUESS THAT'S, THAT'S THE WAY YOU'LL DEAL WITH IT.
UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
ANY COMMISSIONS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SHERIFF? THANKS, COMMISSIONER LUCIANO.
THANKS CHIEF, FOR YOUR BUDGET.
UH, JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON TOP OF FRANK, UM, SHERIFF, YOU MENTIONED FILLING ABOUT 20 VACANCIES, UH, OR, OR SOMEWHERE 29.
DOES THAT ALSO MEAN, JUST BECAUSE I KNOW FROM MY 15 YEARS OF BEING HERE THAT YOU USUALLY HAVE PROMOTIONS ONCE OR TWICE A YEAR.
WILL YOU BE DOING THAT? DO YOU HAVE THE YES.
YOU HAVE THE, THE NEEDED FUNDING THAT YOU NEED TO ALSO? SURE.
I JUST, 'CAUSE I WAS LOOKING AT IT, I KNOW YOUR RECOMMENDED AND YOUR ADOPT IT LOOKS THE SAME, BUT I WAS WONDERING IF WITH A LARGER FORCE YOU NEED A LARGER BOSS, A MORE, A BIGGER POOL OF, OF BOSSES.
OH, WE, YEAH, WE DO PLAN ON PROMOTING VERY SOON.
OR DO, BUT I'M SAYING AS LONG AS YOU HAVE ENOUGH FUNDING FOR THAT, YOU GUYS WE DO.
AS LONG AS THAT, THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
YEAH, IT, IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S MORE OF RIGHT, FRANK, IF YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MORE STAFF, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE MORE BOSSES.
DO YOU NEED MORE MONEY FOR IT? BECAUSE NOW'S THE TIME.
IF YOU GUYS FEEL THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO TALK TO THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE, OF COURSE, I THINK I SPEAK FOR THE REST OF THE BOARD WHERE WE CALL, WE CARE ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT.
IF THIS IS WHAT'S NEEDED, THIS IS WHAT'S NEEDED.
WE DON'T NEED, YOU KNOW, TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT SIX MONTHS FROM NOW.
NO, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE HAVE IT, BUT, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE GOOD.
[00:25:01]
LET ME, LET ME ADDRESS THAT TOO, MR. PRESIDENT.MR. SO, SO IF, IF A CAPTAIN RETIRES, THEN OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A PROMOTION.
BUT THE DIFFERENTIAL IS, IS A LOT LESS THAN YOU THINK.
BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS A LIEUTENANT BECOMES A CAPTAIN, A SERGEANT BECOMES LIEUTENANT, AND FIRST STEP, UH, BECOMES A SERGEANT.
SO THE DIFFERENTIAL IS REALLY BETWEEN TOP STEP AND YOUR NEW HIRE ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT.
IT'S NOT AS GREAT AS IT IS BETWEEN THE RETIRING, UM, SENIOR OFFICER AND THE FIRST STEP.
IT'S JUST BETWEEN ASSUMING YOU ASSUMING THAT WHEN THE CAPTAIN, WHEN THE LIEUTENANT GOES TO CAPTAIN, THEN EVERYBODY ELSE GETS PROMOTED AS WELL.
THE VARIANCE OF THE COURSE IS, IS, UH, MUCH LESS.
I I JUST THOUGHT WITH A A MORE OF A GREATER FORCE, YOU MIGHT NEED A GREATER AMOUNT OF SUPERVISORS.
AND IF YOU NEEDED IT, WE'RE HERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER COOPER? THANK YOU.
A QUICK QUESTION PROBABLY FOR MR. JACKSON, THE UNCLASSIFIED FOLKS IN THIS BUDGET, IN, IN GENERAL, HOW DO THEY GET THEIR INCREASES? 'CAUSE I NOTICED IN 26 IT DOESN'T HAVE A NUMBER, BUT IN 25 IT, IT DID.
WHAT, WHAT UNIT WOULD THAT BE ON PAGE? WHAT PAGE IS THAT? WE GENERALLY HAVE THEM WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
YOU, THEY'RE LOCAL, THEIR STAFF WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY AND OUR UNCLASSIFIED GET THE SAME INCREASE AS OUR, UH, AS OUR CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEES DO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER GRAHAM? HOW MANY STEPS? SERMON.
COMMISSIONER, HOW MANY STEPS DO THE SHERIFF OFFICER HAVE? SIX.
COMMISSIONER GIL, THANK MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, NOT, NOT A BUDGET RELATED QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, THROUGH YOU, UM, OBVIOUSLY BUDGET'S VERY SOUND PROUD TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT IT, UH, BOTH, UH, SUPPORT OUR SHERIFF.
UM, IT'S MORE OF A POLICY RELATED QUESTION.
HAVE WE HAD, UM, ANY, UM, ICE RELATED, UM, INCIDENTS ON COUNTY, UH, PARKS, FACILITIES, OR PROPERTY? NO.
NOT THAT I'M, HAVE WE? NO, NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, ARE, UM, HOW, WHAT IS OUR CURRENT POSITION, UM, WITH OUR OFFICERS AS IT PERTAINS TO, UM, WHAT WE'RE SEEING GOING ON NATIONALLY? SO, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR POSITION IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, WE DON'T, UH, WE DON'T ENFORCE IMMIGRATION, YOU KNOW, UH, LAWS.
THAT'S, YOU KNOW, OUR JOB IS TO PROTECT EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY COME FROM.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, OUR STANCE.
UH, WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY, UH, COMMUNICATION WITH ICE.
UH, WE'VE ASKED, UM, IF WE DO, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, UH, THERE ARE PLANS FOR THE CHIEFS AROUND THE COUNTY AS WELL.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF THEY DO PLAN ON COMING INTO A MUNICIPALITY TO MAKE A NOTIFICATION TO US MM-HMM
UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, WE ARE WORKING ON.
UH, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NOT UP, UP TO THIS POINT, NOTHING, NOTHING YET, YOU KNOW? RIGHT.
I, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE LAST TWO YEARS, NOW THAT WE'VE SETTLED THE CONTRACTS.
UM, WHAT'S THE STARTING STEP IN THE ENDING STEP? AND ARE YOU FEELING LIKE IT'S MORE COMPETITIVE? THINKING ABOUT NOW THAT WE SETTLED THE CONTRACT? I'M THINKING ABOUT THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW IN YEARS PRIOR, WE HAD SOME CHALLENGES ALLEGEDLY ATTRACTING PEOPLE.
'CAUSE OUR NUMBERS WERE LOWER.
WHERE ARE WE NOW? IS IT MORE COMPETITIVE? THE NUMBERS LOOK MORE IN LINE WITH STATEWIDE NUMBERS.
THE NEW CONTRACT, OUR STARTING STEP IS ABOUT 60, UH, WHICH IS PRETTY HIGH IF YOU LOOK AROUND THE, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, MUNICIPALITIES.
BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR, UH, OUR LA I BELIEVE IT'S ONE 20.
I BELIEVE IT GOES WITH THE 1 29.
SO I, I THINK IT NOW IT'S PRETTY COMPETITIVE.
SOMEWHERE IN THE, THE RANGE WHERE IT SHOULD BE.
AND WE, AND WE HAD THE SAME LEVELS OF SHIFT ON THE SUPERIOR SIDE TOO, RIGHT NOW THAT THOSE CONTACTS, ABSOLUTELY.
ONE OF THE, UH, THERE'S, I HAD IT ON THE PAYROLL.
I, I AM ASSUMING THAT'S TOP STEP AT A SALARY OF 109,375.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? THAT'S IT.
BUT THAT DOESN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, THAT'S THE BASE.
AND THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE FOR 2026 WILL THAT AS WELL AS ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S PENSIONABLE, FOR EXAMPLE, EDUCATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS BEFORE COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? HANDS OUT? ANY MORE MONEY? I WANT
[00:30:01]
JUST, UH,I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, I'M JUST TEASING YOU.
WE GOTTA KEEP IT LIGHT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THIS, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE LONG MEETINGS HERE AND WE ARE HERE FOR A WHILE.
UH, SHERIFF, I WANNA COMMEND YOU NOT REFLECTED IN HERE, BUT I DO RECALL THAT WE'VE HAD SEVERAL DONATIONS OF BODY ARMOR.
AND RECENTLY A, UH, VERY EXPENSIVE HORSE TRAILER.
AND THEY'RE NOT REFLECTED HERE, BUT I THINK THEY NEED TO BE COMMENDED BECAUSE IT TAKES A LOT FOR INDIVIDUALS TO WANT TO CONTRIBUTE ON SUCH A, I MEAN, THOSE ARE EXPENSIVE ITEMS. MM-HMM
AND I KNOW, UH, MR. JACKSON ALWAYS UPDATES US WITH THE BODY ARMOR.
SO WE ARE, UH, UP TO DATE WITH, UH, UH, I KNOW THEY HAVE A LIFESPAN.
AN EXPIRATION DATE, IF YOU WILL.
AND TO HAVE THE TRAILER, I KNOW, HELPS US PUT SOME OF OUR MUCH LARGER EVENTS, UH, WHEN WE NEED IT.
SO I WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON THAT.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT REFLECTED IN HERE, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
I'M GONNA ADD TO THAT, MR. PRESIDENT.
NOT, WELL, NOT MONEY, BUT MAYBE, POSSIBLY PUT ME ON API, POSSIBLE GRANTS.
UH, SHERIFF, I DO KNOW RECENTLY WE HAD A FIRE IN ONE OF OUR COUNTY PARKS.
UM, I KNOW WE HAVE THE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
DO WE ENGAGE IN ANY, UH, ASSISTANCE TO FIRE DEPARTMENTS OR IN ANY WAY LIKE THAT? WE HAVE.
SO THE, UH, THE FIRE IN, UH, YOU, YOU'RE SPEAKING OF, UH, EAGLE ROCK.
UM, AND ALSO BEFORE, PRIOR TO THAT WAS LIVINGSTON.
THAT, THAT WAS, THAT, THAT STARTED THE CREATION OF THE DRONE PROGRAM.
UM, YOU KNOW, UM, TO BE HONEST, IN, WHEN WE HAD THE LARGE FIRE IN LIVINGSTON AND UNDERSHERIFF FIGLIO HERE, HE JUST WALKED IN BEHIND ME.
UM, HE'S IN, HE'S ONE OF OUR PILOTS.
HE'S, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE MASTER BEHIND THE, THE WHOLE DRONE PROGRAM.
BUT, UM, PRIOR TO THAT, WE HAD, WE HAD NO DRONE PROGRAM.
WE HAD TO CALL UNION COUNTY TO, TO ASSIST US IN LIVINGSTON.
UM, SO, UM, WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS DRONE PROGRAM, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAN ACTUALLY SEE, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING ON FROM, YOU KNOW, JUST FROM LOOKING AT, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR MONITORS AND OUR TRUCK, WHICH, UH, HELP THEM OUT TREMENDOUSLY.
I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, YEAH.
AGAIN, ACCOLADES TO THAT AND WILDFIRES ARE STARTING TO PICK UP NOW.
YOU KNOW, IT'S BECOMING A THING.
I, I KNOW THAT'S BECOMING A THING.
'CAUSE WE'VE HAD VERY DRY YEARS.
SO IF THERE'S ANY GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ANY OF THAT STUFF, PLEASE CONTINUE TO LET US KNOW, OR YOUR DEPARTMENT KNOW.
'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING NEW THAT YOU GUYS HAVE NOW BEEN HELPING OUT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WITH.
I KNOW WE HAVE CHARGE OFFS FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE BUDGET, AND THAT'S ALREADY IN YOUR BUDGET.
BUT TYPICALLY, I USED TO SEE GRANTS BEING CHARGED OFF HERE.
ARE THERE ANY GRANTS THAT, UM, WE, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A COPS HIRING GRANT THAT WE RECEIVED $1.8 MILLION FOR A FEW YEARS AGO.
UM, THE RULES HAVE CHANGED A LITTLE BIT WITH THE COPS HIRING GRANT.
WE HAVE TO BE AT OUR FULL STAFFING LEVEL.
WE CANNOT SUPPLANT OUR DEPARTMENT BY HIRING THOSE OFFICERS.
WE HAVE EXCESS OF OUR TABLE OF ORGANIZATION.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THE SHERIFF CAN ONLY CONSIDER WHEN HE DOES THE HIRING, WHEN WE GET TO OUR FULL TABLE OF ORGANIZATION TO ACTUALLY EXERCISE THAT GRANT.
SO WILL THAT GRANT BE PART OF YOUR BUDGET THIS YEAR, OR IS IT ANTICIPATED? IT'S NOT ANTICIPATED IN THE BUDGET.
IF IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'LL BE, IT'LL BE AN ADDED BONUS, IF YOU WILL.
SO IS IT, IS IT POSSIBLE YOU'LL HAVE ANOTHER, IF YOU FILL THOSE 20, 29 POSITIONS? I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ALL POLICE OFFICERS OR SHERIFF'S OFFICERS, BUT IF YOU FILL THOSE POSITIONS, ARE YOU SAYING THERE'S A POTENTIAL FOR UP TO 1,000,008 IN GRANTS OVER YEARS, OVER THREE YEARS.
SO 600,000 PER YEAR FOR THREE YEARS, WHICH IS NOT IN THE BUDGET.
SO THAT'S PART AND PARCEL OF MAKING THAT, THOSE NUMBERS AS WELL.
SO THAT 600 WILL, WILL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHILE, WHILE WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS.
UH, COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES.
UM, SHERIFF CHIEF, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE ROLE THAT YOUR, UH, DEPARTMENT PLACE IS, IS CRITICALLY AND VITALLY IMPORTANT TO THE WORK THAT WE DO.
UM, YOU GUYS ARE THE ONES THAT KEEP THE PUBLIC SAFE IN THE ENTIRE COUNTY AND THE PARKS AND EVERYWHERE.
MY QUESTION IS, UH, ABOUT VEHICLES.
UM, HOW IS THE FLEET GOING AND DO YOU HAVE A, A FLEET REPLENISHMENT, UH, STRATEGY OR, THIS IS PROBABLY, UH, WE'RE PROBABLY IN THE BEST SHAPE WE'VE EVER BEEN WHEN IT COMES TO OUR FLEET RIGHT NOW.
UM, FITS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, IN CHARGE OF OUR FLEET.
I, I DUNNO IF YOU AGREE WITH ME, FITZ.
CAN YOU JUST GO TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE? JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD, AND THEN TELL, UH, FITZGERALD FIGLIO.
UH, SO I OVERSEE FLEET AND WE ARE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.
UH, OVER THE, UH, THIS PAST YEAR, WE'VE, WE'VE RE UH, WE, UM, WE HAVE THE NEW MOTORCYCLES.
WE HAVE, UH, PATROL VEHICLES THAT WE PUT OUT BEFORE THAT.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF ROLLING OUT OUR BOMB TRUCKS THAT WE PURCHASED OVER
[00:35:01]
A YEAR AGO.BUT IT TAKES SOME TIME TO, TO OUTFIT AND GET EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
WE ROLLED OUT THREE LAST WEEK, AND WE'RE WAITING FOR TWO MORE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY OUR, OUR PATROL CARS ARE SOMETHING THAT ARE OUT CONSTANTLY.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD PROBABLY LOOK AT TO SOMEHOW START THINKING ABOUT REPLENISHING, UM, THOSE VEHICLES.
AND THEN THERE'S OTHER, UH, PIECES OF EQUIPMENT THAT ALSO NEED TO BE EVENTUALLY REPLACED.
SO WE'RE IN, IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THAT, WITH THE SHERIFF AND, AND THE, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION.
SHERIFF, I'D SAY IT'S BEEN A GREAT YEAR FOR YOU.
YOU, TO YOU AND TO YOUR DEPARTMENT, TO CHIEF MANGO AND TO ALL INVOLVED.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXCELLENT PRESENTATION TODAY.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE GOOD WORK THIS YEAR.
THAT'LL BE TAB FIVE, PAGE 50, TAB FIVE, PAGE 50.
MR. PRESIDENT, WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO HAVE, UM, THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS IS SUPPOSED TO COME AFTER DINNER.
WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO HAVE THEM COME EARLY IF THEY'RE AVAILABLE? I THINK WE COULD DO THIS.
AND, UM, MR. MOHAMMAD'S GONNA HANDLE, UH, THE DEEDS AND MORTGAGES, UM, OKAY.
SO I THINK WE, WE WOULD BE IN DECENT SHAPE.
SO, I, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS, UH, WRITTEN INTO THE BYLAWS, BUT I THINK THE, THE, UH, COUNTY CLERK HAS TO DO A JOKE BEFORE YOU START.
HOW ARE YOU, SIR? PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, CHRIS DURKIN, ESSEX COUNTY CLERK.
UH, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE, UH, BEFORE YOU, UH, AND ALL THE COMMISSIONERS AND, UH, ALL THAT YOU DO ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF ESSEX COUNTY.
AND, UH, I'VE WORKED ALONGSIDE, UH, EACH OF YOU FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS AS COUNTY CLERK, AND THREE YEARS BEFORE THAT, AS DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES FOR THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
AND, YOU KNOW, I, I ALWAYS COMMEND YOUR, YOUR DILIGENT FIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE TAXPAYERS OF ESSEX COUNTY.
UH, AND YOU KNOW, I'M IMPRESSED AND I'M HONORED, UH, TO WORK ALONGSIDE YOU.
AND, UH, PUBLIC SERVICE IS GETTING MORE DEMANDING AS WE KNOW, BUT IT'S MORE REWARDING.
UH, IT'S WHERE WE SEE THE BIGGEST IMPACT EVERY DAY.
OUR OFFICE IS HELPING PEOPLE WITH VERY REAL, UH, AND PRACTICAL NEEDS, WHETHER THAT'S GETTING, UH, UNITED STATES PASSPORT, UH, SWEARING IN, UH, NOTARIES, UH, REGISTERING BUSINESS NAMES, UH, ISSUING COUNTY IDENTIFICATION CARDS, UH, OR MAKING SURE, UH, EVERY VOTE IS COUNTED.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO PUBLICLY THANK THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE ESSEX COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE OFFICE WHO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY EVERY DAY.
UM, WE ARE A REVENUE GENERATING OFFICE.
SO THROUGH THE FEES, UH, FROM, UH, U US PASSPORTS, FROM SWEARING IN NOTARIES, FROM, UH, ISSUING IDENTIFICATION CARDS, FROM REGISTERING BUSINESSES, UH, WE'VE EXCEEDED OUR, UH, EXPECTATION, UH, OF REVENUE EACH YEAR.
UM, ALSO JUST A SIDE NOTE ABOUT, UH, REAL ID, UH, AS A POINT OF INFORMATION, UH, AS YOU KNOW, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, YOU NEEDED A REAL ID TO FLY DOMESTICALLY, EITHER A PASSPORT OR REAL ID.
NOW THERE'S A WORKAROUND BECAUSE NOW YOU CAN PAY A $45 FEE, UH, AND NOT HAVE A REAL ID AND HAVE YOUR CURRENT LICENSE, DRIVER'S LICENSE.
AND STILL, I MEAN, IT, IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANNA HURT THE ECONOMY WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, STOPPING PEOPLE FROM, FROM FLYING.
SO THERE'S, THERE'S A WORKAROUND TO THAT.
NOW, UM, ALSO THIS IS OUR, OUR MOST ACTIVE ELECTION YEAR, UH, SINCE I'VE BEEN COUNTY CLERK, MAYBE EVER.
RIGHT? IT'S, UH, WE HAVE, UH, TWO SPECIAL ELECTIONS, UH, THAT, THAT ARE TAKING PLACE.
THE PRI SPECIAL PRIMARY JUST TOOK PLACE, UH, ON FEBRUARY 5TH.
AND WE HAD THE BIGGEST TURNOUT IN, IN MANY YEARS, I MEAN, BIGGER THAN A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL 2024, UH, PRIMARY.
UH, SO AN INCREDIBLE, UH, TURNOUT SIX, SIX DAYS OF EARLY VOTING.
UM, AND THE GENERAL ELECTION FOR THAT SPECIAL PRIMARY FOR CD 11 WILL TAKE PLACE APRIL 16TH.
AND THAT WILL HAVE NINE DAYS OF EARLY VOTING.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A MONTCLAIR SPECIAL SCHOOL ELECTION, UH, WITH TWO QUESTIONS, BOND REFERENDUMS ON MARCH 10TH.
UH, WE'VE ALREADY MAILED VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS OUT, UH, FOR THAT ELECTION.
UH, AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A, A POINT OF INFORMATION ON THE INCREASE IN VOTE BY MAIL AND THE WORKLOAD, UH, IN THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE IN 2017, UH, WHEN GOVERNOR MURPHY RAN FOR GOVERNOR THE FIRST TIME, WHICH IS ONLY, WHAT, EIGHT YEARS AGO,
[00:40:01]
WE MAILED OUT ABOUT 10,000 VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS.UH, THIS PAST GENERAL ELECTION, WE MAILED OUT 62,000 BALLOTS, SO MORE THAN 600%.
AND THERE'S A NEW LAW THAT'S, UH, YOU'RE NOW ABLE TO APPLY FOR A VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT ONLINE.
SO, AS YOU KNOW, WE HAD VOTER REGISTRATION ONLINE TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO UPDATE THEIR VOTER REGISTRATION, TO CHANGE THEIR ADDRESS, TO UPDATE THEIR PARTY.
UM, BUT NOW THIS WILL REALLY HELP BECAUSE WE ALWAYS NEEDED A HARD COPY VOTE BY MAIL APPLICATION IN OUR OFFICE WITH THE ORIGINAL SIGNATURE.
NOW, IT'LL GO TO A PORTAL AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY MAIL OUT A VOTE BY MAIL BALLOT, UH, TO VOTERS.
ALSO, ANOTHER IMPORTANT LAW IS THAT IF YOU'RE 17 YEARS OLD, UH, AND YOU'RE GONNA BE 18 BY THE GENERAL ELECTION, WE JUST HAD THAT IN THIS PRIMARY, UH, YOU CAN VOTE IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION.
AND THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND THAT WAS THAT IF YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO VOTE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION, YOU SHOULD HAVE A SAY IN WHO GETS NOMINATED AT THE PRIMARY.
AND THIS WILL BE A LOT OF 17 YEAR OLDS THAT'LL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS JUNE PRIMARY.
'CAUSE IT, IT CAPTURES A YEAR.
IF YOU TURN 17, NOVEMBER 3RD, 2025, YEAH.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE NON-PARTISAN ELECTIONS ON MAY 12TH FOUR.
WE HAVE, UH, BELLEVILLE, WHICH IS MAYOR AND TWO AT LARGE COUNCIL.
WE HAVE IRVINGTON MAYOR AND THREE AT LARGE COUNCIL.
WE HAVE NEWARK, THE FULL GOVERNING BODY, THE MAYOR NINE COUNCIL.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, ORANGE FOUR WARD COUNCIL SEATS.
UH, WE HAVE A ACTIVE, UH, PRIMARY ELECTION RIGHT WITH US SENATOR WITH, UH, THREE DISTRICTS OF CONGRESS.
THE EIGHTH, THE 10TH, AND THE 11TH.
WE ALL, ALL NINE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
UH, WE HAVE DEMOCRATIC COUNTY COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE 11 MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE LOCAL RACES, WHETHER THAT BE MAYOR OR COUNCIL RACES.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S A POSSIBILITY, LIKE THERE WAS FOUR YEARS AGO OF A RUNOFF IN NEWARK, RIGHT? WHICH WOULD BE A WEEK AFTER THE PRIMARY.
I KNOW FOUR YEARS AGO WE HAD A RUNOFF IN THE WEST WARD AND THE SOUTH WARD OF NEWARK.
UH, SO WE'LL SEE IF THAT TAKES PLACE.
BUT THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, A REAL, UM, WORKLOAD TO BE ABLE TO TURN AROUND THOSE MACHINES, UH, TO PROGRAM THEM AND TO GET THEM BACK OUT INTO THE FIELD.
UH, AND THEN WE HAVE THE GENERAL ELECTION, WHICH IS IN, ON NOVEMBER 3RD.
AND WE HAVE SCHOOL BOARD THAT'S ON THOSE, ON THAT BALLOT.
UH, WE HAVE 18 OF OUR 22 MUNICIPALITIES THAT RUN IN NOVEMBER THAT THE SIGNATURES WENT UP.
THAT'S ANOTHER THING ABOUT THE NEW LAW LAST YEAR WITH, UM, UH, INCREASING SIGNATURE, UH, FOR PARTISAN CANDIDATES, BUT DECREASING SIGNATURES FOR NONPARTISAN CANDIDATES.
UH, SO, UH, THAT'S REALLY, UH, AN INTERESTING THING.
AND THEN, UM, WE HAVE, I WENT THROUGH THE CHANGES IN THE LAW THEN.
THEN, UM, I THINK I PRETTY MUCH JUST ABOUT COVERED.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I, YOU KNOW, I, I'M HERE, UH, HERE FOR YOU.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.
AND IT WAS ALWAYS VERY THOROUGH.
YEAH, THERE'S A LOT, AN AMAZING AMOUNT OF, UH, STUFF HAPPENING THIS YEAR, AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT ALWAYS GETS BUSIER.
YOU ALWAYS COME THROUGH, YOU'RE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
I'VE NEVER SEEN YOUR DEPARTMENT NOT WORK WELL.
SO, I MEAN, THAT'S, UH, THE TESTAMENT TO THAT.
I DO HAVE TO COME AND GET MY PASSPORT, BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE.
SO IF ANYONE LISTENING, MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR PASSPORT THIS YEAR.
AND I, I, I'M SURE THAT MR. MCKINNEY WILL ADDRESS IT IN TERMS OF STAFFING.
WE JUST WANNA ENSURE THAT GIVEN ON ALL THIS THAT'S HAPPENING HERE, THAT YOU'RE ADEQUATELY, IT'S, YOU KNOW, ELECTIONS AND THE PRELUDE TO WHAT USED TO BE ELECTION DAY SEEMS TO BE SO MUCH MORE COMPLICATED AND SO MANY MORE MOVING PARTS.
SO I'LL, I'LL DEFER TO MR. MCINERNEY, HIS LINE OF QUESTIONING, BUT SOMETHING I'D BE KIND OF CURIOUS TO HEAR AS WELL.
SO, UH, MR. MCINERNEY, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE OVER? THANK YOU.
UH, CHRIS, ON THE, UH, TABLE OF ORGANIZATION, I'VE, ON THE PAYROLL FOR THE SECOND PAYROLL, I HAD, UH, FULL-TIME POSITIONS AT 20, WHICH WOULD MEAN YOU, YOU HAVE A VACANCY IN YOUR OFFICE, OR NO? I HAVE, I HAVE 20 FULL-TIME POSITIONS AND TWO PART-TIMES.
SO FOR 22, SO THAT'S WHY, RIGHT? UH, YEAH.
WE HAD A RETIREMENT LATE LAST YEAR, UH, THAT WE FILLED.
WHEN, WHEN DID YOU FILL THAT? WAS IT JUST RECENTLY OR, UH, YEAH, IT WAS IN OCTOBER.
SO, SO LAST YEAR IT WAS STILL LAST YEAR.
[00:45:01]
ALRIGHT.SO, SO YOU'RE SAYING THERE, THERE ARE NO VACANCIES AT THIS POINT? NO.
IN YOUR ALL 21 POSITIONS ARE FILLED? YES.
SO THERE REALLY, I MEAN, THERE REALLY IS NO DIFFERENCE.
THERE'S, YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN, UH, THE 3% INCREASE, I'M ASSUMING THAT'S BASICALLY CONTRACTUAL.
UM, AND AS FAR AS THE OTHER EXPENSES GO, YOU HAVEN'T ASKED FOR ANY INCREASE THERE AT ALL.
YOU'RE STILL AT A HUNDRED FIFTY EIGHT, A HUNDRED FIFTY 9,000 ROUGHLY, THERE.
AS FAR AS THE, UM, THE, UH, REVENUES GO, IT, IT WAS UP OVER WHAT WAS ANTICIPATED.
AND, AND YOU'RE ASSUMING THAT YOU WOULD COLLECT ROUGHLY THE SAME IN 2026? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO THERE REALLY VERY LITTLE, IF ANY, DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR BUDGET IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND YOUR BUDGET THIS YEAR.
OBVIOUSLY, OTHER EXPENSES ARE THE SAME, AND THE ONLY, UH, THE ONLY THING YOU'RE DOING WITH SALARIES AND WAGES IS ASKING FOR, UH, WHAT, WHAT, UH, IS, UH, IS MANDATED BY, UH, THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS OR, OR ANY OTHER INCREASES.
SO GIVEN THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S, I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING MORE TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, GET INTO.
I, I WILL ASK ONE OTHER QUESTION.
YOUR, YOUR TRUST FUND, UH, WHERE IS THAT NOW? WHAT DOES THAT STAND AT? YEAH, SO THAT'S SORT AN IMPORTANT POINT.
UH, WE JUST HAD, UM, WE JUST BOUGHT A IDENTIFICATION CARD, MOBILE UNIT.
UH, AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH BLOOMFIELD HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, THROUGH PRESIDENT CARLOS PALMS, UH, MAYOR JENNY MONDELL, UH, WITH HEALTH DEPARTMENT, GETTING PEOPLE, UH, WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, DISPLACED IN THE MUNICIPALITY AND GETTING THEM, ID GETTING THEM SITUATED.
AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA LOOK TO GO TOWN BY TOWN WITH THIS MOBILE UNIT, UH, SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO, UH, BRING THAT TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES.
UH, SO THAT, THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT POINT.
HOW, HOW MUCH, HOW SO THAT WAS 20,000.
SO WE WERE AT 105,000 AT THE MOBILE UNIT WAS 20,000.
WE'RE AT 85,000 WITH OUR, UH, DEDICATED.
AND, AND WHAT ELSE IS, WHAT ELSE ARE YOU ABLE TO USE THAT FOR? UM, THAT, THAT SUPPLEMENTS FOR OTHER UPGRADES OF OFFICE? UH, ANYTHING THAT'S, YOU KNOW, SCANNERS OR ANYTHING THAT'S GONNA, ANY TEMPORARY HELP.
WE, SO WE DON'T, UH, PAY FOR HELP OUT OF OUR DEDICATED.
UH, COMMERS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR.
WE'RE JUST SO HAPPY YOU'RE HERE, CHRIS, AND YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB.
I, I THINK WE, I, THE, THE REFERENCE YOU MADE TO THAT, UM, MOBILE, UH, PORTABLE SCANNER, UH, ID THING HAS, UH, BEEN FANTASTIC AND BEAUTIFUL.
AND AS YOU SAID, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THROUGH YOU, I, I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW INVOLVED ELECTIONS ARE NOW WITH HOW EARLY THEY START AND HOW LATE THEY GO.
UH, WE REMEMBER IT USED TO BE WHERE ABSENTEE BALLOTS WERE MAILED OUT ABOUT TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE ELECTION.
UH, EVERYONE KNEW THE RESULTS ON ELECTION NIGHT.
NOW BALLOTS ARE MAILED OUT 45 DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION, AND IT'S ABOUT 14 DAYS AFTER THE ELECTION WHERE THE CURE DEADLINE COMES.
SO IT'S A PRETTY LONG STRETCH, UH, OF WORK, UH, FOR MEMBERS OF MEN AND WOMEN OF THE ESSEX COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE AND ALL THE THREE, ALL THREE ELECTION OFFICES.
NOW, THERE A RECENT CHANGE WITH THE POSTMARKING WITH THE US POSTAL SYSTEM.
HAS THAT HAD A, WHAT KIND OF AN IMPACT HAS THAT HAD WITH YOU? VERY IMPORTANT, UH, POINT THAT NOW, UH, BEFORE WHEN YOU BROUGHT YOUR MAIL TO THE POST OFFICE, IT WOULD GET, UH, POSTMARKED IMMEDIATELY.
NOW IT WAITS TO GO TO A PROCESSING, UH, FACILITY BEFORE IT GETS POSTMARKED.
UH, AND THAT COULD BE UP TO THREE DAYS OR MORE.
UH, SO THAT'S GONNA BE, IT'S GONNA AFFECT BALLOTS AND WE'LL FIND OUT HOW MANY BALLOTS IT'S AFFECTED THIS ELECTION IN THE COMING WEEKS.
UH, AND THEN ALSO IT AFFECTS BILLS, RIGHT? UH, TAXES, IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA REALLY, UH, AFFECT EVERY, ALSO WE'RE GONNA MEET OUR, UH, REVENUE, UH, PROJECTION.
BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS STOPPED US, NOT JUST US, BUT EVERY COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE FROM DOING REMOTE, UH, PASSPORT SERVICES.
SO THEY NO LONGER ALLOW US TO GO AS WE WERE GOING TOWN BY TOWN.
SO NOW WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE MADE THE, UH, THE PARK AND RIDE KIND OF A SATELLITE OFFICE TO TRY AND GET IN THERE ONCE A WEEK.
BUT, BUT THEY WON'T ALLOW US TO GO TO ANY TOWN HALLS, AND WE THINK THEY WON'T SAY WHAT IT IS.
WE THINK IT'S THAT THEY WANT TO GENERATE MORE REVENUE THROUGH THE US POSTAL SERVICE, THROUGH THEIR AGENCY, THEIR FACILITIES, WHERE, AND THIS IS, LIKE I SAID, EVERY COUNTY IN NEW JERSEY, UH,
[00:50:01]
IS NOW PROHIBITED FROM GOING OUT TO TOWNS AND PROVIDING SERVICES LIKE THAT.NO, GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED, SIR.
BUT WE'LL MAKE THE REVENUE, WE WILL.
THANK YOU, CHRIS, I WANNA MAKE SURE I, UM, HEARD YOU RIGHT.
DID YOU SAY THAT IF THE 17 YEAR OLDS, IF THEIR BIRTHDAY WAS NOVEMBER 3RD OR FIFTH, THEY COULD VOTE IN THE UPCOMING PRIMARY IN JUNE? YES.
BECAUSE THEY'LL BE 18 BY NEXT NOVEMBER 3RD.
IF YOU'RE GONNA BE, IF YOU'RE TURNED 17, NOVEMBER 3RD, 2025, OR AFTER, YOU'RE GONNA BE 18 BY THIS NEXT GENERAL.
SO YOU'RE QUALIFIED FOR THIS JUNE 2ND PRIMARY TO VOTE JUNE 2ND, AND, BUT YOU HAVE TO REGISTER TO VOTE.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE THING ABOUT IT.
WHENEVER YOU HAVE A A AN ELECTION, DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE SIX DAYS OF EARLY VOTING? YES.
FOR A REGULAR PRIMARY, UH, IT'S SIX DAYS OF EARLY VOTING FOR A PRIMARY NINE DAYS.
FOR A GENERAL PRESIDENTIAL, IT'S 10.
UM, BUT YEAH, IT'S, I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO VOTE, UH, THANK YOU.
AND SO, AND THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS WITH THE GOVERNOR AND LEGISLATURE REALLY MADE IT EASIER TO VOTE.
WE SAW IT IN THIS GENERAL ELECTION AFTER THE EIGHT YEARS.
AN INCREDIBLE TURNOUT, YOU KNOW, AND THEN WE JUST SAW IT JUST NOW.
SEE NOW, MR. DURKIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION AS ALWAYS.
WELL, I THINK WE'RE GONNA SEE YOU A LOT MORE ACTUALLY, MR. JACKSON? YES.
UH, WHAT DO WE HAVE NEXT, SIR? NEXT IS OUR, UH, SURROGATE.
THAT'S, UM, SAME TAB, PAGE 58.
UH, THE, UH, UH, MS. AMOS IS HERE FROM THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, WHICH WILL BE TAB FIVE, PAGE 41 PAGE, OKAY.
LET'S DO THAT BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE RUNNING A LITTLE EARLY AND IF THERE'S THE SAME IS HERE, LET'S, LET'S GO AHEAD AND RUN ALONG.
EVEN THINK THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO THE SURROGATE LAST YEAR.
WE, WE GOT THAT A LITTLE EARLY.
JUST FOR THE RIGHT COULD STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND INTRODUCE WHO IS WITH YOU.
PUT THE BACK OVER JUST A LITTLE CLOSER, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UH, NICOLE AIS HERE, UH, DIRECTOR WITH THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, AND WITH ME, MR. UH, PETER FRANZI, MY DEPUTY CLERK WITH THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
WHY DON'T YOU JUST TELL US, GIVE US AN OVERVIEW AND THEN WE WILL ASK QUESTIONS.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO JUST, UH, PRESENT TO YOU OUR 2026 BUDGET FOR THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, THE 20 CENT 2026 ELECTION CALLS FOR SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION.
AND IN FEBRUARY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, AND IN APRIL WITH, UM, A SPECIAL SCHOOL, SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION, UH, IN MONTCLAIR.
WE ALSO HAVE OUR TWO ANNUAL ELECTIONS IN APRIL FOR NEWARK AND IRVINGTON.
WE HAVE FOUR MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.
WE HAVE THE JUNE PRIMARY, AND OF COURSE THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION.
WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 11 ELECTIONS THIS YEAR.
THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF THE BUSIEST ELECTION YEARS IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTY.
OUR ELECTION SEASON WILL RUN FROM JANUARY THROUGH JUNE OF 2026, AND AGAIN, SEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER OF 2026.
AND WHILE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE HAVE THE SUMMER OFF, I PROMISE YOU WE DO NOT BECAUSE WE ARE ALWAYS PREPARING FOR ANOTHER ELECTION.
WE BELIEVE YOU
AND, UH, WHEN WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR 2026 SALARY, UM, KEEPS OUR CURRENT STAFF AS IS AND ALSO INCLUDES THE 3% FOR ANY 2026 CONTRACT, CONTRACTUAL INCREASES.
UM, THAT OF COURSE, THE STAFF IS ENTITLED TO.
I'M GONNA JUMP INTO THE BUDGET IF I MAY, PLEASE, OR DO OKAY.
SO YOU'LL RECOGNIZE THAT SOME OF OUR EXPENSES CANNOT BE NEGOTIATED AS THEY ARE.
SOME OF THE SERVICES ARE REQUIRED TO ADMINISTER ELECTIONS HERE IN OUR COUNTY.
BUT YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THAT FROM 2025 TO 2026, THERE IS A JUMP IN THE EXPENSES IN THE AMOUNT OF $490,293.
AND I'D LIKE TO BREAK THAT OUT FOR YOU, IF I MAY PLEASE.
THE BOARD WORKERS, UH, THAT'S THE LARGEST, UH, INCREASE.
[00:55:01]
INCREASE THERE IS 302,993.AND THE REASON THAT YOU SEE THE INCREASE THERE IS BECAUSE, OF COURSE, WITH 11 ELECTIONS THAT WE'RE HOLDING THIS YEAR, WE'LL HAVE MORE BOARD WORKERS.
BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO LEAVE WITH LETTING YOU KNOW THAT WHILE THERE'S AN INCREASE OF 302,000, THAT MONEY IS REIMBURSED TO US BY THE STATE.
SO THAT MONEY IS COMING BACK TO US AND WE DO, UH, SUBMIT OUR EXPENSES TIMELY OR ANY GRANT FUNDING THE NEXT INCREASE.
AND THEY'RE SMALL, BUT I JUST LIKE TO RUN THROUGH THEM SO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW WE GET TO THE, TO THE, UH, FOUR 90.
UH, THERE'S AN INCREASE IN EQUIPMENT AND MAINTENANCE, UH, REPAIR OF 3,500.
AND THAT'S JUST FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF OUR ELECTION EQUIPMENT.
UNDER NON-PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, THE, YOU'LL SEE 56,000.
THAT'S FOR, UH, THE SHERIFF COVERAGE.
NOW, A LOT OF THE SHERIFF COVERAGE, IT'S QUITE HIGH, BUT AGAIN, THAT'S MONEY THAT'S REIMBURSED THROUGH GRANT FUNDING.
BUT SOME OF THOSE EXP EXPENSES WE CANNOT GET FUNDED THROUGH THE GRANT.
SO YOU, THAT'S THE 56,000 THAT THE COUNTY WILL HAVE TO ABSORB UNDER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES A HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR THE SERVICES OF DOMINION.
AND KNOWING THOSE, THAT'S THE ACTUAL ELECTION POLL PAD AND THE ELECTION VOTING MACHINE FOR SCANNING, UH, TRAVEL.
WE DO PLAN ON, UH, GOING TO MORE SEMINARS, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE COUNTY REPRESENTING THE COUNTY.
OUR TELECOM TELECOMMUNICATIONS, UH, INCREASED THERE OF 1.8.
THAT'S REALLY FOR UPDATING, UH, UH, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, UH, PRESENCE.
AND ALSO FOR COUNTY CELL AND INTERNET, UH, RENTAL OF EQUIPMENT.
YOU'LL SEE THERE'S AN INCREASE OF $8,000.
WE, UH, DO RENT A TRUCK AND THAT'S REALLY FOR BALLOT RETRIEVAL FROM DROP BOXES.
AND THERE'S AN INCREASE OF 22,000.
YOU'LL SEE UNDER RENT AND TAXES.
MANY OF OUR POLLING LOCATIONS, AND WE HAVE 275 OF THEM ACROSS ESSEX COUNTY, BUT MANY OF THEM HAVE INCREASED THEIR, UM, THEIR RENT.
AND SO THAT'S COMING IN AT A TOTAL OF 22,000.
I CAN ALSO REPORT OUT OF THE MONEY THAT, UH, THE FOUR 433,993, I CAN, UH, TELL YOU, I'M SORRY, OF THE FOUR HUNDRED AND NINETY TWO HUNDRED AND NINETY THREE THAT WE ARE OVER 432,993 OF THOSE DOLLARS WILL BE GRANT FUNDED AND RETURNED TO THE COUNTY.
SO WHAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT YEAR OVER YEAR IS AN INCREASE OF $57,300.
I'D LIKE TO CLOSE OUT BY JUST SAYING TO ALL OF YOU THAT THE BOE WILL, UH, CONTINUE TO, UM, STAY WITHIN OUR APPROVED AND PLAN BUDGET.
WE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OUR FINANCE TEAM AND OF COURSE OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO APPLY AND SEARCH FOR GRANTS.
AND OF COURSE, WE ARE MAINTAINING OUR OUTREACH PARTNERSHIPS AND A WAY TO ENGAGE WITH ALL OF OUR VOTERS.
AND THAT WILL CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION FOR THIS EVENING.
MR. MCINERNEY QUESTION? YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
UM, OUTLINE OF EXPENSES, THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY GONNA BE THE MOST THAT, THAT WE WERE GONNA DEAL WITH, SO I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO GET THAT RIGHT OFF THE BAT.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME, WHEN YOU SAID, UH, WE'RE GONNA GET REIMBURSED ON THE, UH, BOARD WORKERS, UH, WHAT PORTION OF THAT WILL WE GET REIMBURSED? YOU KNOW, ABOUT THE INCREASE? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF IT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A PORTION OF IT.
SO, UH, WITH, WITH OUR POLL WORKERS, WE ARE ALLOWED TO GET FULLY REFUNDED, UM, FROM THE STATE.
UH, LAST YEAR FOR OUR PRIMARY ELECTION, WE RECEIVED BACK $607,000 THAT COVERED ALL OF OUR POLL WORKERS.
AND AGAIN, WITH OUR GENERAL ELECTION, WE WERE REIMBURSED ANOTHER $660,000.
AGAIN, THAT COVERS, UH, THE POLL WORKERS.
SO DO YOU HAVE ANY ESTIMATE OF WHAT YOU'LL GET REIMBURSED THIS YEAR OUT OF THIS, UH, OUT OF THIS LINE ITEM FOR BOARD WORKERS FOR THE 302,993, I'M EXPECTING THAT WE WILL BE RE FULLY REIMBURSED.
UM, AS FAR AS YOUR OTHER, UH, AS FAR AS SALARIES AND WAGES, I, I KNOW YOU HAVE AN INCREASE HERE, WHICH LOOKS BASICALLY, UM, A CONTRACTUAL INCREASE IN SALARIES, BUT THERE'S NO INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS.
SO, UM, AT LEAST HOLD ON ONE SECOND.
AND IT'S 12 AND, UH, I'M SORRY, 13.
I DID NOT SEE 13 EMPLOYEES, UH, HIRED.
ARE, ARE THEY FULLY HIRED AS, ARE YOU HAVE A FULL COMPLIMENT OF 13? WE, WE ARE.
IS THAT FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR YOU HAD THEM? YES.
I'M LOOKING AT THE WRONG PAGE.
[01:00:01]
PART-TIME EMPLOYEES? ARE YOU WE DO HAVE ONE PART-TIME EMPLOYEE.I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN SAY A NAME, SO I, I WON'T WHERE WHERE WOULD THEY BE LOCATED ON THE, ON THE, UH, POSITION IN SALARY ALLOCATION? IT SHOULD BE JUST TEMPORARY HELP.
THEY WOULD, THEY'RE NOT TEMPORARY HELP.
TEMPORARY HELP, BUT SEASONAL HELP.
UM, BUT THE PART-TIME PERSON WOULD BE UNDERSTAFFED.
AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT HAVING THAT EXACT DOCUMENT IN FRONT OF ME, JUST SEE IF I, I MIGHT HAVE IT HERE.
SO IN, IN THE, AS JUST TO RECAP, THERE'S, THERE'S A 4%, UH, INCREASE, WHICH I'M ASSUMING IS THE CON IS, IS CONTRACTUAL.
UM, NO INCREASE IN THE STAFFING.
AND YOU'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB AT EXPLAINING WHY THE EXPENSES ARE UP TO THE DEGREE THAT THEY ARE IN 2026.
I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
ANY COMMISSIONERS? ANY QUESTIONS? MS. SAMUEL AND THE TEAM COMMISSIONER GIL.
THANK YOU SAND FOR THE JOB TO CONTINUE TO DO.
THANK I JUST, UM, AGAIN, NO ISSUES WITH THE BUDGET.
IT'S VERY SOUND POLICY RELATED QUESTION.
DID YOU, UM, UM, UPDATE, UM, FOR THE PUBLIC, UM, THE LATEST, UM, WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF POTENTIALLY BEING ABLE TO MOVE, UM, SPECIFICALLY IN MONTCLAIR, OUR POLLING LOCATIONS OUT OF OUR LOCAL SCHOOL OR WHERE WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS? IF, IF, IF THERE'S A 'CAUSE IT'S, IT CONTINUES TO BE A QUESTION THAT I CONTINUE TO GET, UM, LOCALLY.
THANK YOU, MR. THANK PRESIDENT.
UM, I WOULD SAY ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, UH, I DID HAVE A VERY PRODUCTIVE MEETING WITH, I BELIEVE IT'S THE DEPUTY MAYOR ALONG WITH TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY SIX POTENTIAL LOCATIONS THAT WE WILL BE GOING TO REVIEW.
UH, WE'LL BE, UH, DOING SITE ASSESSMENTS.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO ALSO SHARE WITH THEM HOW SITES ARE SELECTED.
UM, WE, UM, ALSO DISCUSSED, UM, WHY THOSE LOCATIONS ARE AND WHERE THEY ARE.
UM, THERE WAS JUST A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF.
I THOUGHT, I THINK THEY THOUGHT WE HAD THE LUXURY OF JUST MOVING, PULLING LOCATIONS TO WHEREVER.
UM, AND THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.
AND I'LL JUST GO BACK A YEAR, IF I WILL.
COMMISSIONER, I DID GET A REQUEST TO REVIEW THIS, AND WE DID, WE MADE IT A SUMMER PROJECT.
WE LOOKED AT A LOT OF LOCATIONS WITHIN MONTCLAIR, AND WHILE WE THOUGHT WE FOUND VIABLE LOCATIONS, A LOT OF THOSE LOCATIONS WERE NOT INTERESTED IN SERVING AS POLLING LOCATIONS.
UM, AND SO THAT WAS THE OTHER STUMBLING BLOCK.
WHILE WE WERE ABLE TO LOCATE A SPACE OR A LOCATION THAT CHECKED ALL OF THE STATE BOXES AND COUNTY BOXES, THOSE, UM, OWNERS, IF YOU WILL, UM, JUST, WE'RE NOT INTERESTED IN SERVING AS, UM, AS A POLLING LOCATION.
SO WE'RE KIND OF RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED.
UH, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME NEW LOCATIONS THAT WE BUILT.
WE WILL BE REVIEWING AND WE'RE WORKING JUST, YOU KNOW, HAND IN HAND AND ALONGSIDE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IN MONTLEY THROUGH, THROUGH YOU VICE PRESIDENT.
JUST A FOLLOW UP QUESTION, DO, UM, FOR CLARIFICATION, UM, WHEN, WHEN INDIVIDUAL SITES ARE USED, ARE THOSE SITES COMPENSATED? YES.
WHICH IS REFLECTED IN MY, IN MY BUDGET INCREASE.
AND THAT'S IN THE BUDGET, RIGHT? YES.
AND WHO AND WHO NEGOTIATES THOSE CONTRACTS AND RATE, AND HOW ARE THOSE RATES SET? YOU KNOW, IT'S QUITE INTERESTING, UM, THAT THE RATES ARE, SOME DON'T CHARGE AT ALL.
OTHERS CHARGE A HUNDRED A DO A HUNDRED DOLLARS A DAY.
A STATE SAYS THAT WE CAN BE REIMBURSED UP TO A HUNDRED A DAY, AND MOST OF THE SITES THAT WE WORK WITH WILL WORK WITHIN THAT BUDGET.
THERE ARE SOME SITES THAT, I HATE TO SAY THIS, IT'S SORT OF LIKE, UM, AN ARM WRESTLE THAT WE'RE NOT WINNING BECAUSE THEY CAN DICTATE THEIR COST AND, UH, WE HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO PAY IT BECAUSE WE NEED THAT LOCATION.
SO THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, SO THAT'S, SO THAT'S, BUT THERE'S ONLY A SET RATE ON THE STATE REIMBURSEMENT? YES.
ANYTHING, ANYTHING ELSE IS DIRECTLY COMING FROM THE COUNTY.
UM, SO, UH, THROUGH MR. PRESIDENT.
SO, SO THOSE LOCATIONS, THIS, THIS ISSUE I KNOW IS, UH, ALSO AS COMMISSIONER PRIMES KNOWS, AND OTHERS, UM, ON THE BOARD RISES FROM THE FACT THAT, UM, WE ARE STRUGGLING WITH, UM, THE AMOUNT OF DAYS ACTUALLY THAT OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED.
AND IN A YEAR, LIKE THIS YEAR WHERE WE HAD, UM, ADDITIONAL, UM, 1, 2, 3, 4, ACTUALLY ADDITIONAL, UM, ELECTION DAYS, THOSE WERE FOUR DAYS OF, UM, OF LOCAL SCHOOL CLOSURES.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ALL THE MUNICIPALITIES
[01:05:01]
ACTUALLY, QUITE FRANKLY, ARE, ARE DEALING WITH THAT DEAL WITH, EXCUSE ME, DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE.IS THE, UM, SO THE, THE, THE, THE FINAL QUESTION THROUGH MR. PRESIDENT, WOULD, WOULD THE DISCUSSIONS NOW THAT ARE BEING HAD, UH, THAT ARE, THAT ARE, THAT ARE THE EVALUATIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE, IS THIS NOW A FOCUS ON, UH, THE 26 FALL? SO, AND SO THIS WOULD NOT AFFECT JUNE OF 25, EXCUSE ME, OR THIS JUNE, JUNE OF 26.
SO THEY, THERE ARE SOME, THERE ARE SOME, UH, TIMELINES THAT WE DO HAVE TO FOLLOW.
UM, AND SO MUNICIPALITIES ARE ASKED TO SEND TO, TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, ANY LOCATIONS THAT THEY NEED TO CHANGE.
THEY HAVE UNTIL APRIL 1ST TO DO SO.
THEN WE WILL THEN PRESENT TO OUR COMMISSIONERS OF THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS ANY CHANGES.
OF COURSE, WE PRODUCE ALL OF THE, UH, PAPERWORK TO SUPPORT THOSE CHANGES IN POLLING LOCATIONS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT REALLY IS UP TO OUR BOARD TO DETERMINE, TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE GONNA MAKE THAT CHANGE.
AND SO, SO THERE ARE A, A FEW THINGS THAT THEY FACTOR IN.
UM, UM, IF IT'S A CONVENIENCE FOR THE VOTER, UM, IT HAS TO BE BENEFICIAL TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY AND NOT JUST ONE PARTICULAR, UH, SEGMENT.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION AROUND IT BEFORE A DECI A DECISION CAN BE MADE.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YEAH.
WE ARE LOOKING TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE ANY CHANGES FOR 2026.
SO JU WE'RE PUSHING FOR THAT JUNE, BUT WE CAN PROMISE A THAT SO JUNE'S POSSIBILITY JUNE, EVEN THIS JUNE WOULD BE A POSSIBILITY.
IT'S A POSSIBILITY, BUT RIGHT.
I, I THINK JUST A GENERAL FOLLOW UP TO THAT, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER FOR BRINGING UP THOSE A VERY IMPORTANT POINTS.
WHAT'S THE GENERAL LEAD TIME FOR MO I, THIS MAY BE DIFFICULT, BUT WHAT'S THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME THAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THAT CHANGE? BECAUSE YOU, YOU KNOW, PRINTING OF BALLOTS AND SO, AND WITH THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF JUST GETTING THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE ELECTION GOING, WHAT'S A MINIMUM LEAD TIME OR, SO IF WE'RE, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT, WHAT'S, WHAT ARE THE POLLING LOCATIONS FOR 2026? RIGHT.
SO FOR REQUEST FOR CHANGING, I MEAN, I, I, REALISTICALLY, JUNE IS PROBABLY A CHALLENGE.
IS NOVEMBER, MORE NOVEMBER WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE REALISTIC.
SO IT, IT DOES TAKE, IT, IT DOES REQUIRE SOME TIME.
AND I WOULD SAY TO DO IT SAFELY AND PROPERLY, I WOULD SAY ANYWHERE BETWEEN TWO TO THREE MONTHS.
AND THAT'S REALLY GOING THROUGH ALL OF THE, UM, THE MEETINGS AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE WITH AND THE FOLKS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH.
AGAIN, IT'S NOT A DECISION THAT'S MADE, UH, IN THE BOARDROOM WITH JUST OUR COMMISSIONERS.
WE TALK TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY BEFORE WE MAKE A POLLING LOCATION CHANGE.
AND THAT VETTING PROCESS TAKES SOME TIME.
WHY DOES, I WAS REALLY JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF HOW LONG THAT TAKES.
'CAUSE IT'S NOT JUST A SIMPLE DECISION THAT'S MADE IN AN OFFICE.
AND, AND CERTAINLY WE WANT TO GIVE THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC SUFFICIENT NOTICE CORRECT.
OF THE CHANGE OF A POLLING LOCATION BECAUSE THEY, THEY BECOME HABIT AND PEOPLE, IT MAY BE DIFFICULT, I WOULD IMAGINE ABSOLUTELY.
TO GET THAT WORD OUT TO CHANGE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE CREATURES OF HABIT, RIGHT? RIGHT.
AND SO YOU JUST GO TO THE SAME PLACE ALL THE TIME.
AND, AND SO YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, SIR.
THANK YOU FOR THE LINE OF QUESTIONS.
AND THIS IS A BUSY YEAR FOR ALL.
IT'S, THAT'S AN UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE NIGHT.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEE NONE.
THANK YOU, SIR, FOR COMING, AND I APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE TODAY AND FOR YOUR THOROUGH REPORT.
WHEN YOU HAVE A MOMENT TO SETTLE, LI PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND INTRODUCE ANYONE WHO MAY BE WITH YOU.
UH, MY NAME, MY NAME IS KENNY, UH, SURROGATE, UH, FOR THE COUNTY OF ESSEX.
UH, WITH ME IS OUR DEPUTY SURROGATE.
DO YOU MIND IF I PLEASE JUST GO RIGHT INTO YOUR INTRO, INTRODUCTION AND TELL US ABOUT, UH, YOUR BUDGET, AND THEN WE'LL ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.
UM, DO YOU HAVE HANDOUTS? I DO.
DO I GIVE THIS TO THE OKAY, WE CAN DO THIS.
DO WE HAVE, UH, IS ADAM MAY HAVE JUST STEPPED OUT THE ROOM THERE.
WE'LL SEE TO BE POSSIBLE, HONOR AGAIN.
UM, JUST WANTED TO SHARE A FEW THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE WITH OUR COURT.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHOW YOU SOME OF OUR ACTIVITIES.
WITH OUR COURT, WE DECIDED TO, UM,
[01:10:01]
AGAIN, MORE OF TRYING TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT WE DO, WHO WE ARE, AND TO ENSURE THEY HAVE A COMPLETE PICTURE OF THE TYPE OF, UH, WORK THAT WE DO.UM, IN 2025, LEMME GIVE YOU ANY INFORMATION ABOUT OUR IMPACT NUMBERS.
WE'VE SEEN ABOUT 10,084 CASES, UM, AND WE GENERATED $796,303 AND 38 CENTS.
UM, IT'S A LITTLE MORE THAN WE'VE GENERATED IN 22, 24.
HOW ENGAGING MY HIGHLIGHTS, YOU CAN SEE IT.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH COLUMBIA BANK, UH, TO DONATE, UH, MONEY TO CASA FOR ADOPTION DAY.
UH, WE HAD A GOODWILL INITIATIVE WE DID WITH OTHER COURSE AND OFFICES THROUGHOUT THE, THE, UH, CITY, I MEAN WITHOUT THE COUNTY, UH, JUST TO SIMPLY JUST, UH, TO BRING GOODWILL TO OUR, OUR, UH, EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS, UH, HEALTH AS WELL.
UH, WE ALSO DID AN OUTREACH INITIATIVE WITH EX ASTAR MARCH MIDDLE SCHOOL, UH, COUNCIL, UH, MAYOR'S TALK, UH, THE HONORABLE, UH, MAYOR TED GREEN.
UH, WE DID A, A LIVING LEGACY WITH JAMILLA BEASLEY.
UH, WE ALSO PARTICIPATED A NUMBER OF FESTIVALS AT RANCHO PARK, AS WELL AS, UH, A HOME BY INITIATIVE WITH, UH, UH, THE ESSENCE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST.
WE WOULD LOVE TO DO MORE IN TERMS OF GETTING OUT IN THE PUBLIC AND SHARE WHAT WE DO.
UM, WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH AS WELL, UH, FROM ADOPTION DAY, UH, WITH AND ALSO PARTICIPATED INITIATIVES WITH CITY OF ORANGE, AS WELL AS WE DECIDED TO ADOPT THE THURGOOD MARSHALL ACADEMY PROGRAM, WHICH IS A LAW PROGRAM AT UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, WE DID HAVE SOME STAFFING CHANGES IN OUR COURT.
UM, IN 2025, WE LOST A STAFF ATTORNEY WAS HIRED AS THE CHIEF PROSECUTOR WITH THE CITY OF NEWARK, AND THE SENIOR PROBATE CLERK WAS NOW A PARALEGAL WITH THEIR LAW FIRM THAT SPECIALIZED IN WILL TRUST IN THE STATES.
WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE, UH, TWO RECENT RUCKER LAW STUDENTS, UH, LAW SCHOOL GRADUATES, I'M SORRY.
UH, JSA IS A RECENT GRADUATE AND A MEMBER OF THE BAR, AS WELL AS NICO, WHO'S CURRENTLY STUDYING FOR THE BAR.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO BRING TALENT THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIP TO TEMPORARILY ADDRESS STAFFING ISSUES, TO FILL VACANCIES, TRAIN OUR STAFF TO PROMOTE INTERNALLY AND PROTECT OURSELVES FROM STAFF LOSS.
WE ALSO TRY TO CREATE PIPELINES WITH ESTABLISHED INSTITUTIONS, UH, TO PROMOTE OUR SERVICES.
UM, REGARDING, UH, JUST TO GIVE YOU A WINDOW OF OUR, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IN, UH, LAST YEAR, 2025, WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH, UH, RUTGERS UNIVERSITY.
AND, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE, UH, TWO STUDENTS FROM CHINA WHO WORKED ON THE VISAS, UH, TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR, UM, IN OUR COURT.
WE WERE ABLE TO HIRE TWO UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THIRD MARSHALL PRE-LAW PROGRAM.
UM, WE WERE GIFTED, UH, A BOARD OF COMMISSIONER, UM, REFERRAL, AS WELL AS WE HAD THREE STUDENTS THAT CAME BY NEWARK YOUTH CAREER PATHWAYS.
WE WERE ABLE TO BRING IN A RETIREE FROM EXUS, UH, WHO USED TO WORK IN OUR COURT WITH OVER 40 OF EXPERIENCE.
WE'VE DONE THESE SORT OF THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A DISRUPTION OF SERVICES, SOMETHING THAT WE EXPERIENCED IN 2024.
UH, WE WERE, UNFORTUNATELY, WE, WE, WE LOST, UH, TWO EMPLOYEES AND WE WERE ABLE TO FILL THOSE EMPLOYEES, AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CREATED PARTNERSHIPS WITH RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, UM, WHEREVER WE COULD FIND PEOPLE WHO GAVE US TALENT AT NO COST TO OUR TAXPAYERS.
AND THAT'S THE BEST PART ABOUT BEING ABLE TO FIND, UM, STAFF, UH, WHO ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SORT OF SERVICES.
AND SO IF WE CAN'T HIRE THEM, WE ARE ABLE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE CREATE THOSE PARTNERSHIPS TO GIVE, TO FILL THOSE GAPS.
AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE, UH, CREATING THOSE SORT OF PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, ONE, WE CAN, UH, SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC WHAT THE COURT DOES.
THE SECOND ALSO CREATE LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS SO WE CAN, UH, UH, PROTECT ANY DISRUPTION IN SERVICES AS WELL.
OUR 2026 BUDGET, UH, OUR BASE SALARIES IS ONE OR 1 MILLION, UH, 32,720.
OUR TEMPORARY HELP IS $5,700, WHICH IS A TOTAL OF 1,038,420.
UM, AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR ADOPTED BUDGET WITH OUR NON-PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, STATIONARY SERVICES AND TRAVEL RELATED EXPENSES, WHICH IS TOTAL OF 17,000, THE GRAND TOTAL IS 1,000,500, 1 MILLION, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY 500,000, BUT $1,055,420 IS OUR TOTAL BUDGET AS WELL.
AND BEHIND IT, YOU ALSO SEE OUR SALARY ALLOCATION.
UM, I, I JUST WANT TO RECONCILE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, UM, WHAT THE, UH, WHAT THE BUDGET INDICATES IN THE ANTICIPATED LOCAL REVENUE.
IT INDICATES THAT YOUR COLLECTIONS, UM, WERE 630 2008
[01:15:01]
87, AND YOUR, UM, HANDOUT HERE SAYS THAT THERE WERE 796,000.WHERE DO YOU KNOW WHERE, WHY THERE WOULD BE A DIFFERENCE IN THOSE TWO NUMBERS? SURE.
SO THE DIFFERENCE, PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR BY CUT OUT.
SO I'M THE DEPUTY SURROGATE DEVERO MACDOUGAL.
SO THE DIFFERENCE, NO LIKELIHOOD, IS JUST A TIMING ISSUE.
UM, IN TERMS OF WHEN WE GET OUR FUNDS UPSTAIRS TO, UM, HASSAM, UM, AND ANNETTE IS JUST A TIMING THAT WE DIDN'T GET THE REPORTS IN ON TIME.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY IT'S JUST, WE, WE JUST DON'T THE MANPOWER TO STAY ON TOP OF AS QUICKLY AS WANT.
SO YOU PROBABLY SEE A TWO, THAT'S LIKE ABOUT THREE, MAYBE THREE OR FOUR MONTHS.
WE WERE KIND OF BEHIND, I BELIEVE.
UM, WE WERE, SO THAT'S WHY WHAT THEY WOULD'VE HAD, UM, AT THE TIME THEY PROBABLY PUT TOGETHER, THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT ALL.
SO WE ACTUALLY BEEN WORK, WORKING ON CATCHING, CATCHING UP.
SO THAT 700, THAT 700,000 NUMBER THAT HE GAVE YOU, IT'S FROM OUR SYSTEM THAT WE GENERATE FROM THE PROPRIETARY SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE.
SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S, UM, IT'S, UH, PROBABLY UPDATED SOON IF, IF MY YOUNG LADY THAT DOES THE WORK, UM, HAS GOT HER REPORTS IN.
SO WE TRY TO DO OUR BEST TO STAY TIMELY, BUT IT, WE JUST GET BUSY, ESPECIALLY THIS, THIS, UM, STARTING BACK IN LIKE, I I'M GONNA SAY AUGUST, WE JUST BEEN TRYING TO CATCH UP.
AND SO SOMETIMES YOU GET BEHIND AND THOSE ARE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GET BEHIND.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT, IS IT, IS IT THAT YOU'RE, YOU ARE, THERE'S, THERE'S AN ISSUE ABOUT PROCESSING IT OR THERE'S AN ISSUE ABOUT COLLECTING IT ONCE IT'S PROCESSED? NO, WE, WE'VE COLLECTED IT JUST A MATTER OF TIMING OR HER GETTING THE PROPER REPORTS UPSTAIRS SO IT CAN, IT CAN BE IN AGREEMENT.
SO ARE ALL THOSE REPORTS TO GET THE HUNDREDS, HAVE THEY BEEN, HAVE THEY BEEN FOLLOW? UH, I BELIEVE WE ARE PROBABLY, WE IN FEBRUARY, SO, UM, JANUARY.
SO I THINK WE ARE CAUGHT UP NOW.
I'LL HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK IT AND GET BACK TO YOU, BUT IF YOU COULD, I'D APPRECIATE IT.
YEAH, I KNOW, I KNOW THAT BACK IN NOVEMBER WE HAD TO CATCH UP AND I HAD TO TAKE HER OFF OF OTHER THINGS WE WERE DOING TO CATCH UP.
SO I KNEW WE WERE BEHIND OUR LIFE BACK IN NOVEMBER, SO WE SHOULD CAUGHT UP.
BUT I'LL CONFIRM THAT, UM, THE SURROGATE WOULD REACH OUT AND LET YOU KNOW.
BUT, BUT THE 6 32 IS, IS A CORRECT NUMBER FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME.
THAT ACTUALLY WAS CALLED PREPARE SOME YES.
FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME THAT THEY HAD.
WHAT, WHAT GRANTS ARE YOU, ARE YOU GETTING, IF ANY, AT THIS POINT IN TIME? DO YOU GET ANY GRANTS? NO GRANTS.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR TRUST ACCOUNT? WHAT IS, WHAT IS IN THERE NOW? AND YOU CAN EXPLAIN WHAT WE, WHAT YOU'RE ABLE TO USE THAT FOR.
SO I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER THAT'S IN THE TRUST ACCOUNT, RIGHT, RIGHT NOW THAT, THAT MONEY IS WHAT ALLOW US TO DO THINGS TO IMPROVE THE COURT.
SO TO BUY TECHNOLOGY OR, OR ACTUALLY WE DON'T REALLY, UM, U UTILIZE IT TO TRAIN PEOPLE, BUT IT CAN BE ANYTHING TO UPKEEP IMPROVE THE SURROGATE COURT.
I, I BELIEVE THE STATUTE, UM, SAYS NOT, I BELIEVE, I KNOW IT SAYS THAT WE GET $2 PER TRANSACTION, RIGHT? RIGHT.
AND SO PRIOR TO US MOVING OVER TO THE NEW BUILDING, IT WAS LARGE ABOVE, WE HAD TO UPGRADE THE COMPUTERS.
AND SO THAT TOOK A LARGE PART OF WHAT WE HAD.
AND SO EVERY YEAR WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL BLUESTONE IS A PROPRIETARY SYSTEM, RIGHT.
SO WE HAVE TO, I BELIEVE AND COST US, UM, 50,000 FOR, FOR MAINTENANCE AND THEN THAT EACH YEAR.
SO BECAUSE THAT WE NO, NO LONGER HAVE THE FUNDS, WE USED TO HAVE PRETTY MUCH FROM ONCE YEAR TO NEXT, WE, WE GAP, WE, WE COLLECTED JUST ENOUGH TO PAY FOR THE PROPRIETARY SYSTEM.
AND SO THAT DOESN'T ALLOW US TO DO MUCH ANYTHING ELSE, BUT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE SYSTEM WE NEEDED TO ENSURE THE CONSTITUENTS, UM, HAVE THEIR WILL PROBATED ADMINISTRATION AND DOCUMENT SO FORTH.
SO JUST IF YOU COULD GET ME THE NUMBER THAT'S IN THE TRUST G AND THEN IF YOU COULD FOLLOW UP AGAIN ABOUT, ABOUT, ABOUT THE REVENUES.
UM, REALLY WITH REGARD TO YOUR OTHER EXPENSES, I DON'T THINK THERE'S MUCH TO TALK ABOUT THERE AT $17,000.
UH, I DID HAVE, DO YOU HAVE A VACANCY? 'CAUSE I HAD ONE LESS POSITION IN PAYROLL NUMBER TWO.
YOU, YOU HAVE HOW MANY VACANCIES? WELL, NO, WE, WE FILLED ALL VACANCIES.
EVERYTHING'S FILLED AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
SO THE ONLY REAL, I MEAN, YOU HAVE IN SALARIES AND WAGES, YOU HAVE A 5% INCREASE, WHICH IS BASICALLY, UH, CONTRACTUAL.
IT'S THE SAME, SAME NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AS LAST YEAR.
YOUR OTHER EXPENSES ARE THE SAME.
UH, SO THE ONLY ISSUE THAT I HAVE, IF YOU COULD FOLLOW UP, WOULD BE ON RECONCILING THOSE, UH, THOSE AMOUNT OF REVENUES.
AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S A, ONE LAST ISSUE.
I KNOW LAST YEAR WE TALKED ABOUT A WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT AND OUTREACH INITIATIVES, UH, REGARDING THE, UH, FIRM THAT WE WORKED WITH BEFORE, UM, IN WHICH WE SAW, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS, UH, INCREASED REVENUE
[01:20:01]
AS WELL AS INCREASE ACTIVITIES.WE WANNA REVISIT THAT CONVERSATION AGAIN WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
UM, AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY AS OF THIS MOMENT, YOU KNOW, FROM, UM, UH, BLUE, FROM, FROM OUR BUDGET LINE.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO, WE PUT A RFP OUT.
UH, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT RP IS HONORED.
UH, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AGAIN WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT THE WEBSITE CONSULTANT AND SERVICES THAT WE PUT OUT.
AND WE LIKE TO HAVE THAT, UH, IMPLEMENTED AGAIN FOR, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, UM, ARE, UH, WE ARE, UH, ENGAGED, UH, LOCALLY, WHAT, WHAT WE'RE DOING, AS WELL AS INCREASE THE ACTIVITY OF OUR, OUR COURT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE, KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE DO, YOU KNOW, FROM THE STANDPOINT OF ESTATE PLANNING, GUARDIANSHIP AND THOSE MATTERS AS WELL.
AND IT WAS VERY HELPFUL, YOU KNOW, IN 2023 AND 2022.
AND WE WANNA CONTINUE THAT SERVICE AS WELL.
ARE YOU ASKING FOR AN INCREASE IN, IN OTHER EXPENSES? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? OR, I WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE IN EXPENSES, YES.
HAVE YOU HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AT THIS POINT, OR NOT THIS YEAR? NO.
WELL, WE'LL, YOU CAN HAVE IT WITH US THEN IF YOU THAT'S WHAT THIS, THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
SO WHAT, WHAT'S THAT AMOUNT, WHAT'S THAT, UH, NUMBER THAT YOU SEEK THAT YOU NEED THAT WOULD, UH, INCREASE PARTICIPATION AND OUTREACH AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS? WHAT, 70? IT WOULD BE 70,000.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY COMMISSIONER COOPER? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
SO THIS 70,000, WAS THIS, THIS WAS THE WEBSITE AND THE OUTREACH, COMMUNITY OUTREACH STUFF THAT YOU HAD DONE WHEN YOU WERE, UM, GOING TO DIFFERENT TOWNS TALKING ABOUT WILLS AND THINGS? ABSOLUTELY.
IT INCLUDED, UM, OUTREACH INITIATIVES, FORMULATING OUR, UM, OUR WEBSITE TO MAKE SURE IT WAS LESS LEGAL AND MORE, UH, INFORMED TO JUST LAYMAN, UH, INDIVIDUALS.
ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WERE IN, UH, NEWSPAPERS.
WE WERE IN JOURNAL ARTICLES AND MAGAZINES WHERE THE PUBLIC READS AND, AND KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE DO.
UH, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE TOUCH AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
AND BASED ON OUR NUMBERS, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST WE, WE, WE KIND OF LED THIS SPACE AMONGST ALL SURROGATES COURT THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
WE WANTED TO CONTINUE TO LEAD IN THAT SPACE AS WELL.
SO WE WOULD LIKE TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THAT SPACE FUNDED SO WE CAN DO THE SORT OF THINGS THAT WE DO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES.
UM, SURROGATE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THAT OFFICE SINCE YOU'VE COME ON BOARD.
UM, THE SERVICES THAT YOUR OFFICE PROVIDES IS, UH, IT'S A SERVICE, NOT, NOT EVERYBODY IS AWARE OF.
UM, AND I THINK, UM, TO YOUR CREDIT, UM, WANTING TO DO MORE OUTREACH AND REALLY EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE SERVICES THAT YOU PROVIDE, UM, AND, AND THE BENEFITS OF, OF KNOWING, UM, THE SERVICES THAT YOU PROVIDE.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, THANK YOU AND YOUR STAFF.
UM, I JUST, UH, HAPPEN TO BE A BENEFACTOR OF YOUR SERVICES OF FROM THE SURROGATE'S OFFICE THROUGH MY FAMILY, AND USUALLY FOLKS THAT COME TO YOUR OFFICE ARE STILL DEALING WITH LOSS AND DEALING WITH OTHERS.
SO, UM, I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOUR STAFF, UM, FOR THE WAY THEY, UH, FOR THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE, FOR THE WAY THEY TREAT THE FOLKS THAT COME TO YOUR OFFICE.
UM, I WAS, UH, I WITNESSED IT HANDS ON.
NO ONE KNEW I WAS A COMMISSIONER.
I WAS THERE WITH MY FAMILY, YOU KNOW, HAD TO HANDLE SOME SURROGATE BUSINESS AND, UM, UM, THEY WERE COMPASSIONATE, THEY WERE EMPATHETIC.
AND I JUST WANT TO KUDOS TO YOUR STAFF AND TO YOUR LEADERSHIP FOR, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEE NOW, I, I HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO CAME TO ME FOR ASSISTANCE LOOKING FOR A LITTLE GUIDANCE, AND I REFERRED 'EM TO YOUR OFFICE ALL WITH, OF COURSE, VERY EXCELLENT FEEDBACK.
SO THANK YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR GOOD WORK AND FOR YOUR STAFF AS WELL, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY WERE THE FRONT, FRONT LINES AND SO ALL THE FOLKS THAT I KNOW HAD EXPERIENCED IN THE OFFICE HAD NOTHING.
BUT, YOU KNOW, VERY POSITIVE COMMENTS.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT YEAR HERE, BUT WE'LL SEE YOU, I'M SURE ALONG THE WAY.
BE SURE YOU HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, MR. JACKSON.
I THINK WE COULD, UH, TAKE A BREAK AT THIS MOMENT.
UM, WELL, I THINK WE CAN, I, MY, MY DRUG IS, WOULD BE TO KEEP GOING.
I MEAN, WE'RE, UH, MR, I THINK TAKE A DIG.
UH OH, YOU NEED TO TAKE A BREAK? OKAY.
WHY DON'T WE TAKE THAT BREAK NOW FROM FIVE 30 TO
[01:25:01]
SIX.WE WILL MOVE IT UP A LITTLE EARLY.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE DI THE DINNER BREAK, THE DINNER BREAKDOWN.
SO LET'S DO THAT NOW WE'RE A LITTLE EARLY AND THEN THAT'LL ALLOW US TO GET, UH, SUPERINTENDENT TO SCHOOLS OR WHOEVER MAY COME JUST TO NO, THEY, THEY'RE, WE COULD HAVE EVERYBODY HERE BY SIX O'CLOCK.
LET'S HAVE EVERYONE HERE BY SIX O'CLOCK.
I
YEAH, IF YOU NEED A BREAK, THAT'S FINE.
SAYING WE COULD BE DONE BY SIX O'CLOCK IS WHAT I'M SAYING.
YOU IDENTIFY, UH, COMMISSIONER COGNIZE.
THE COMMISSIONER MARY THOMPSON.
WE'RE GONNA ADJOURN, TAKE THE DINNER BREAK AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK WITH THIS.
[02:04:33]
SESSION[02:04:34]
FOR[02:04:34]
THE[02:04:34]
BUDGET[02:04:34]
HEARING,[02:04:35]
THEN[02:04:35]
WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE DEPUTY CLERK CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE.COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT MURRAY THOMAS.
OKAY, MR. JACKSON, LET'S MOVE ON.
[02:05:01]
NEXT ON THE HONOR, UH, COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION, WHICH WOULD BE PAGE 47.PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND WHO'S WITH YOU, AND THEN YOU CAN GET STARTED RIGHT INTO YOUR PRESENTATION.
GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT CARLOS PALM COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT, A DO, AND MURRAY THOMAS AND COMMISSIONERS.
I'M THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS, COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION FOR ESSEX COUNTY.
THE 2026 BUDGET REQUEST FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE IS $3,345,315.
MY OFFICE WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET TO STAY ON TRACK.
WE HAVE AN INCREASE IN ELECTIONS WITH A SPECIAL PRIMARY, A SPECIAL GENERAL, AND A SPECIAL SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION IN MONTCLAIR.
EACH ELECTION INCREASES OUR COSTS WITH OVERTIME, MANPOWER, PROGRAMMING COSTS, AND OTHER ELECTION MATERIALS.
ALTHOUGH WE ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN A FLAT BUDGET, EACH ELECTION BRINGS IN ITS OWN INCREASED COSTS.
WE DO SUBMIT REIMBURSEMENTS FOR EARLY VOTING ELECTIONS TO THE STATE DIVISION OF ELECTION, AND WE ALSO BILL EACH TOWN FOR SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS AND MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS SO THAT THE COUNTY CAN RECOUP SOME MONIES.
DESPITE THE DIFFICULTY IN PREDICTING ELECTION TRENDS.
WE WILL, HOWEVER, MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE PRUDENT WITH OUR BUDGET TO DATE THE FOLLOWING REIMBURSEMENTS TO THE COUNTY HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AND THEY ARE SINCE, SINCE 2023, WE MORE THAN 1.3 $0.3 MILLION IN GRANT REIMBURSEMENTS.
AND THAT IS FOR MY DE THANK YOU, MR. ER.
LET'S, IF WE CAN MOVE JUST TO THE REVENUES FIRST.
UM, 47, UH, NO, LET'S, LET'S GO TO, UH, THE, UH, SALARIES AND WAGES.
UM, WHEN I LOOKED AT THE SECOND PAYROLL, I HAD, UH, ON THE PAYROLL, UH, COUNT WAS 21 EMPLOYEES.
CORRECT? DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE A VACANCY? I DO NOT.
I JUST HAD AN, AN EMPLOYEE RETIRE FEBRUARY 1ST.
SO THAT'S PROBABLY, THAT WAS EFFECTIVE OF FEBRUARY 1ST.
AND IS THAT, IS THAT GONNA BE FILLED THEN? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
WITH ALL THE ELECTIONS I HAVE, YES.
SO, SO AS FAR AS SALARIES AND WAGES GO, YOU HAVE A 3% INCREASE, WHICH IS BASICALLY, I'M ASSUMING COLLECT, UH, UH, CONTRACTUAL INCREASES CORRECT.
IN THE SALARIES AND, UH, AND POTENTIAL INCREMENTS.
UM, AND AS FAR AS THE OTHER EXPENSES GO, UM, WE'RE BASICALLY LOOKING AT SAME AS WHAT WAS, CAN YOU SPEAK INTO YOUR MICROPHONE? YEAH.
HE'S NOT PICKING WHAT WAS APPROPRIATED FOR 2025 AS BEING APPROPRIATED FOR 2026.
UM, THE EXPENDITURES FOR NON-PROFESSIONAL SERVICES WERE BUDGETED.
1 MILLION, 1 39 AND 862,000 WAS EXPENDED.
AND YOU'RE REQUESTING 1,000,017.
IS, IS THERE, IS THERE AN EXPECTATION YOU'RE GONNA, YOU'RE GONNA NEED 1,000,017 WHEN IT WASN'T EXPENDED IN 2025? YES.
BECAUSE OF ALL THE SPECIAL ELECTIONS I HAVE.
SO THOSE SPECIAL ELECTIONS ARE WHAT'S GONNA MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 25 AND 26? I'M SORRY, THOSE SPECIAL ELECTIONS ARE WHAT'S GONNA MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN THAT EXPENDITURE OR APPROPRIATION BET? UH, FROM 1925 TO 1920.
I MEAN, LIKE WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT, FRONT OF US, LIKE THIS SPECIAL EARLY, THE SPECIAL GENERAL THAT'S COMING UP, THE SPECIAL PRIMARY, THERE'S NINE DAYS OF EARLY VOTING.
THAT'S NINE DAYS OF OVERTIME FOR VENDORS TO BE ON SITE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
AND SO AS FAR AS YOUR TEMPORARY HELP BUDGET GOES, THAT'S ADEQUATE AT A HUNDRED THOUSAND? I'M, I TRY TO, I'M PRETTY, PRETTY GOOD WITH MY TEMPORARY BUDGET.
AND I TRY TO KEEP THAT FURTHER.
LIKE, I DON'T, I TRY NOT TO ABUSE IT IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR RIGHT.
IN ANTICIPATION IF I NEED IT TOWARDS THE END.
BUT WE DID KIND OF HOLD OUR OWN IN 2025.
SO I PLAN ON DOING THAT SAME THING IF I CAN.
THAT'S WHY I WANNA FILL THIS ONE VACANCY.
SO YOUR OVERALL BUDGET, BECAUSE THERE'S NO
[02:10:01]
INCREASES IN OTHER EXPENSES, IS UP 2% OR 52 OR $53,000 CORRECT.FROM WHAT IT WAS IN 2025? I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR MS. MANGO? I KNOW WE TALKED QUITE A BIT ABOUT ELECTIONS EARLIER WITH THE, UH, PREVIOUS PRESENTATION, SO I KNOW WE'VE PRETTY MUCH EDITED, SO WE DON'T ENVY YOU.
WE KNOW IT'S A LOT, A LOT OF WORK COMING THIS WAY.
YOUR OFFICE IS EXTREMELY BUSY, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY AT THIS TIME.
UM, I HAVE MORE OF A PROCESS QUESTION THAN, UH, THAN A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS.
UM, WHEN, WHEN THE PAPER BALLOTS ARE SUBMITTED AND THEY'RE COLLECTED IN THE DISTRICTS, UM, WHO SEES THOSE? THIS, HOW DOES THAT WORK? YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PAPER BALLOT THAT GOES ON ELECTION DAY? YES.
AS WELL AS THE, UM, MAIL-IN BALLOTS.
WELL, THE MAIL-IN BALLOTS GET RECEIVED BY THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
THEY GET SCANNED BY THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
I HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MAIL-IN BALLOT.
IF YOU VOTE ON MACHINE, EITHER ONE EARLY VOTING OR GENERAL ELECTION DAY, THE BALLOT GOES INTO A RED BALLOT DROPBOX INTO THE MACHINE, AND THEN THOSE RED BAGS ARE RETURNED ON ELECTION NIGHT TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS.
THEY HAVE CUSTODY OF THE BALLOTS.
AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM? THEY HAVE, THEY GO THROUGH, I MEAN, I'M NOT, I DON'T RUN THAT DEPARTMENT, SO I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE, BUT I DO KNOW THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN AUDIT BY STATUTE.
AND IF THERE IS AN ELECTION WHERE THERE COULD POSSIBLY BE A RECOUNT, THEN THE PAPER BALLOTS WOULD COME INTO PLAY.
AND THAT'S WHY IT HAS BEEN SAID THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A PAPER BALLOT, UM, SET UP, IT IS THE SAFEST AND MOST SECURE BECAUSE THERE'S A PAPER TRAIL.
SO THAT'S WHEN THE PAPER ABOUT, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WHEN AT THE END OF ELECTION NIGHT, THE MACHINES ARE, THERE'S TWO CARDS IN THE MACHINE.
ONE STAYS, THE OTHER CARD IS TAKEN OUT, WHICH IS THE TALLY OF THE DAY.
THAT TALLY, THAT CARD GOES TO CHRIS DURKIN.
SO HE CAN DO HIS UNOFFICIAL RESULTS, BUT THERE'S A BACKUP IN THE MACHINE.
BUT IF THERE IS EVER A QUESTION OR A RECOUNT, THEY REVERT TO THE PAPER BALLOTS.
I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
THANK YOU MS. VANGO FOR JOINING US AGAIN FOR OUR ANNUAL PARTY HERE AT THE HEARINGS, OUR ANNUAL PARTY.
WE'LL SEE YOU ALONG THE TRAIL, I'M SURE.
NEXT WILL BE, UH, SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, WHICH IS, UH, TAB 11, PAGE 1 64.
GOOD EVENING, MRS. I JUST, WHEN YOU SETTLE IN, PLEASE JUST, UH, STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND THEN YOU MAY BEGIN AT YOUR, UH, CONVENIENCE.
UH, MY NAME IS JOSEPH ZI SERVE AS THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT FOR ESSEX, UH, FOR THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
UH, WHY DON'T YOU JUST TELL US, UH, GIVE US AN OVERALL NARRATIVE ON YOUR BUDGET.
UH, BUDGET, UH, I BELIEVE IS SIMILAR TO WHAT IT IS YEAR AFTER YEAR, PARTICULARLY IN THE, UH, EXPENSE AREA.
SALARIES ARE, UH, THE INCREASES IN SALARY ARE CONTRACTUAL.
AND, UH, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT, UH, THE NUMBERS ARE, UH, VERY REASONABLE.
AND IN SOME CATEGORIES, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR 25, UH, THE MODIFIED BUDGET, UH, AND WHAT WAS CHARGED, WE ACTUALLY, UH, WENT DOWN IN SOME AREAS.
AND, UH, AGAIN, WE HAVE FIVE COUNTY EMPLOYEES IN OUR OFFICE.
ONE, UH, JUST BEGAN UNPAID FAMILY LEAVE.
SHE HAS A SERIOUS MEDICAL SITUATION, AND, UH, THE OTHERS CERTAINLY ARE PICKING UP THE STACK.
UH, SO AGAIN, WE HAVE, UH, FIVE COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
ONE IS ON, UH, EXTENDED UNPAID MEDICAL LEAVE, AND WE HAVE FIVE
[02:15:01]
STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION EMPLOYEES.EVERY COUNTY OFFICE, UH, HAS TO BE PROVIDED, UH, BY THE COUNTIES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THEIR USE.
UH, JUST BRIEFLY, I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY FOR YOU.
UH, WE HAVE 23 SCHOOL DISTRICTS AT ESSEX COUNTY, 18 CHARTER SCHOOLS IN 17 APPROVED PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
APPROXIMATELY 117,000 STUDENTS IN ESSEX COUNTY.
AND, UH, OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE, ARE BROAD.
UH, THE MOST IMPORTANT I THINK IS NEW JERSEY CUSACK, THE QUALITY SINGLE ACCOUNTABILITY CONTINUUM, WHERE WE GO INTO A SCHOOL DISTRICT EVERY THREE YEARS AND WE DO A DEEP DIVE ON GOVERNANCE, FINANCE, FACILITIES, OPERATIONS, INSTRUCTION AND PROGRAM.
WE WILL BE IN NEWARK TOMORROW DOING THAT.
I ALSO REVIEW CONTRACTS FOR SUPERINTENDENTS, ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATORS TO MAKE SURE THEY COMPLY WITH CODE AND STATUTE, AND THAT THERE'S NOTHING IN THOSE CONTRACTS THAT'S, UM, NOT ALLOWABLE.
THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CONTRACT CAN BE ANYWHERE FROM THREE, FOUR TO FIVE YEARS.
ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENTS AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATORS CAN ONLY HAVE A ONE YEAR CONTRACT AT ANY TIME.
UH, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF MIDYEAR BUDGET REVIEWS, LOOKING AT THE BUDGETS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY, UH, PROJECT TO BE, UH, SOLVENT BY, UH, THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
UH, WE, UH, DEAL WITH THE CERTIFICATION, SUBSTITUTE TEACHER CERTIFICATION, TRANSPORT TRANSPORTATION CONTRACTS FOR ALL THE BUS COMPANIES WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
THEY'RE REVIEWED BY OUR OFFICE, SPECIAL EDUCATION PLACEMENTS OUT OF DISTRICTS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE DEAL WITH COMPLAINTS, DISPUTES, AND RESIDENCY ISSUES.
ONE OF THE BIGGER GROWING CONCERNS ARE, UH, RESIDENCY ISSUES WITH THE, THE UNCERTAINTY IN OUR WORLD AND IN OUR SOCIETY.
UH, MANY PEOPLE, UH, HAVE MOVED OUT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, WANTS THEM TO LEAVE AND BE A MEMBER OF THE NEW SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND, UH, THERE ARE SOME EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO STAY IN THEIR ORIGINAL DISTRICT.
UH, WE MEET WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TWICE A MONTH, VIRTUALLY.
WE MEET WITH EVERY ESSEX COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT ONCE A MONTH.
IT'S USUALLY THE LAST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH.
AND ONE OF THE VERY NICE THINGS WE DO IS WE HAVE AN ACADEMICS AWARD DINNER IN MAY, WHERE WE HONOR THE TOP TWO SCHOLARS, UH, IN EVERY SENIOR CLASS IN ESSEX COUNTY.
YEAH, AGAIN, AS AS EVERY YEAR, THERE'S VERY LITTLE TALK ABOUT HERE IN TERMS OF THE FINANCES.
UM, THERE'S A 6% INCREASE IN, IN SALARIES AND WAGES, UM, UH, AND THE OTHER EXPENSES ARE THE SAME.
BUDGET, UH, IS, UH, 413,000 FOR THE YEAR.
I, I HAVE A TECHNICAL QUESTION, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
DO YOU REVIEW, UH, WHEN YOU BROUGHT UP THE BUSINESS ADMINISTRATORS, DO YOU REVIEW THEIR CONTRACTS? DO YOU REVIEW SUPERINTENDENT SCHOOLS CONTRACTS? YES.
DO YOU DO THAT AT THE VOCATIONAL LEVEL AS AS WELL, OR JUST ANY, ANY SUPERINTENDENT IN NEW JERSEY'S CONTRACT HAS TO BE REVIEWED EXCEPT, UH, VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS ARE NOT.
I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS ANY QUESTIONS.
ALRIGHT, MR. ZARA, AS ALWAYS, A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU, SIR.
NOT TO TALK SO MUCH, MUCH NEXT TIME.
UH, NEXT WE'LL DO, UH, PAGE 55, WHICH IS ALSO IN TAB FIVE, UH, WHICH WILL BE THE REGISTER OF DEEDS AND MORTGAGES.
UM, AND MR. UH, MOHAMMAD'S GONNA HANDLE THAT.
UM, MR. RIVERA WILL, YOU KNOW, WAS SCHEDULED TO COME TO THE FIRST MEETING AND HE HAS A VACATION, SO HE'S NOT UNDERSTOOD.
MR. MOHAM, JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
HUSAM MOHAM, UM, DIRECTOR OF FINANCE.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MR. RIVERA.
UM, SO THE BUDGET FOR THE COUNTY REGISTER OF DE OF MORTGAGES, WE HAVE S AND WAGES, UM, UH, 2015 WAS 2,015,224 AND REQUESTED.
AND, UM, UM, EXECUTIVE RECOMMENDED FOR 2026 IS 2,077,621.
AND THE INCREASE REPRESENTS THE, UM, CONTRACTUAL INCREASES THE 3%, UH, OTHER EXPENSES 158,983 AND, UH, FOR 2026 IS THE SAME OR IT WAS FLAT, THERE WAS NO INCREASES.
SO, JACKSON, WHAT WAS THAT PAGE AGAIN? 65.
I'VE GOT SIX PAPER CUTS ALREADY.
[02:20:01]
SORRY.WE'LL PROVIDE TO BE AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE HERE WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, TABLE CONTACT WOULD BE GOOD.
UM, SO THE, THE OFFICE GENERATE REVENUE, UM, UH, LAIER ANTICIPATED WAS THE 11 MILLION 2 53 200 AMOUNT COLLECTED IN, UM, UH, FULL YEAR WAS 13 MILLION 5 22 FOR 56 AND 40 CENTS.
UM, AND FOR 2026, WE ANTICIPATED THE SAME 11 MILLION.
AGAIN, FOR TO BE CONSERVATIVE, WE'RE NOT SURE ABOUT THE FUTURE.
UH, IF YOU ACTUALLY CAN, UH, ANTICIPATE MORE.
UM, THE OFFICE HAS TWO TRUST FUNDS.
UM, THE REGULAR TRUST FUND, UH, AND HAS THE BALANCE AS OF THE END OF THE YEAR OF 292,000 AND COULD BLUE, UH, TRUST FUND AND HAD A HUNDRED THOUSAND IN THE END OF THE YEAR.
AS OF THE 1231, UH, 2025, THE OFFICE CURRENTLY EMPLOYED 24, UH, EMPLOYEES WITH FOUR UH, VACANT POSITIONS.
MR. BECKETT THERE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, YES.
UM, JUST GETTING BACK TO THAT REVENUE ITEMS. SO IT, IT WAS 13 FIVE 13 MILLION 5 22 YOU SAID? YES.
THAT WAS COLLECTED IN, SO IT'S THIS, IT'S, YOU'RE BASICALLY PLAYING IT SAFE BY NOT ANTICIPATING WHAT YOU COLLECTED IN, IN THE PRIOR YEAR? THAT THAT'S CORRECT, YES.
UM, AS FAR AS THE SALARIES AND WAGES, UM, I HAD, UM, THERE WERE FOUR, FOUR VACANCIES.
I ONLY CAME UP WITH 21 EMPLOYEES ON THE PAYROLL.
I'M SURE THAT'S RIGHT, BECAUSE THIS IS 28 THAT ARE BUDGETED.
ARE, ARE THERE THAT MANY, ARE THERE ANY VACANCIES? UH, YES.
YOU HAVE, UH, FOUR VACANCIES? YES.
SO THERE IS VACANCIES THERE? YES.
ARE THOSE VACANCIES GONNA BE FILLED ANYTIME SOON OR, I'M, I'M NOT TOO SURE.
UM, SO AGAIN, IF WE LOOK AT THE, THE INCREASE SALARIES AND WAGES IS 3%, I'M ASSUMING THAT'S ALL CONTRACTUAL? YES.
AND THAT INCLUDES THE INCREMENTS AS WELL? YES.
IF THE ELIGIBLE TO GET AN INCREMENT, YES.
AND THEN OTHER EXPENSES REMAIN EXACTLY THE SAME AS THEY WERE IN THE PRIOR YEAR? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, GETTING INTO THE TRUST ACCOUNTS, YOU HAVE $200,000 IN THE FIRST ONE YOU TALKED ABOUT? YES.
UH, THE, THEY HAVE IN THE END OF, UH, THE YEAR YOU HAD 292,000 AND THIS, THE, THE SOURCE OF THAT TRUST FUND IS $2 PER DOCUMENT CHARGED.
AND IS TO, UM, TO UPGRADE THE OFFICE AND, YOU KNOW, UH, PAY FOR ANY UPGRADES OR ANY, UM, COMPUTERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WAS THERE ANY ACTIVITY IN THAT, UH, TRUST FUND LAST YEAR OR, YES.
AND THAT WAS DRAWN DOWN FOR THEY USUALLY HAVE ACTIVITIES? YES.
AND, AND THE CODE BLUE THAT, I MEAN RECENTLY, BUT DID THAT, WERE YOU ABLE TO EXPEND MONEY YES.
OUTTA THAT FUND RECENTLY? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
ACTUALLY, THIS IS THE $3, UM, UH, CHARGE, UH, AND SOME OF THE DOCUMENTS, AND IT GOES TO THE CODE BLUE, UH, TRUST FUND.
AND THE OFFICE OF REGISTER OF DEEDS, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO SPEND THAT MONEY, THIS MONEY SPENT BY CITIZEN SERVICES FOR, I'M SORRY, CAN YOU SAY THAT AGAIN? THIS, THE, THE, THE, YOU DO NOT HAVE ABILITY TO SPEND THE FUNDS.
THEY ONLY COLLECT THE FUNDS AND THE FUNDS GET PAID DISPERSED BY CITIZEN SERVICES.
YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR SHELTERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
YOU JUST COLLECTED CITIZEN SERVICES? YES, WE COLLECTED AND WE HAVE ANOTHER, ANOTHER DEPARTMENT ACTUALLY SUSPENDED.
UM, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
ANY COMMISSIONERS ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. MOHAMED REPRESENTING THE, UH, THE COUNTY REGISTER COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT? THREE, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR, YOU KNOW, THIS INFORMATION AND OF COURSE STEPPING IN, UM, AND ABSENTIA, UH, A PROCESS QUESTION JUST ON REVENUE AND, UH, THE KIND OF STANDARDIZATION OR RATHER THE, UH, LIKELIHOOD OF THAT SAME AMOUNT.
ONE, HOW IS REVENUE TYPICALLY GENERATED THROUGH THIS PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT? AND THEN SECONDLY, THE AMOUNT OF LIKE ROUGHLY 13 MILLION.
IS THAT A STANDARD AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT WE SEE A SIMILAR ONE, UH, OR LEVEL LAST YEAR, OR IS THAT AN AN YES.
UM, THE REGARD, THE REVENUES, THE REVENUES SET BY THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.
IT'S A STANDARD FOR ALL THE COUNTIES.
AND BASICALLY THIS IS TO RECORD ANY
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MORTGAGE OR DEED, UM, AND, UM, REFINANCING.UM, SO YOU HAVE A LOT OF, A LOT OF FEES.
THEY DO AND THE, THE COLLECT MONEY AND SEND IT TO STATE OF NEW JERSEY, NEW JERSEY.
SO WE COLLECTED ON BEHALF OF THE STATE AND WE WIRE IT TO THEM EVERY MONTH.
UM, AND, UM, AND 13 MILLION BASICALLY, UM, THEIR, THEIR REVENUE WENT UP THIS YEAR.
I GUESS THE INTEREST RATES WENT DOWN, UH, SLIGHTLY AND PEOPLE DO REFINANCING, SO THEY HAVE TO RECORD THE DOCUMENTS AND YOU KNOW, IF ANY SALE ALSO WE, WE COLLECT MONEY ON, ON SALES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEE NONE.
THANK YOU MR. MOHAMED FOR FILLING IN.
JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC, LEMME JUST, UH, RUN DOWN THE SCHEDULE FOR TOMORROW.
JUST SO WE DO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HERE IN THE MEDIA.
TOMORROW WE WILL RESUME A PART TWO OF OUR, UH, BUDGET HEARINGS BEGINNING AT FOUR O'CLOCK SCHEDULED TO APPEAR MORE OR LESS IN THIS ORDER, ALTHOUGH SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT, UH, TIMES COUNTY COUNCIL, DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION, PUBLIC WORKS, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION, DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE, CENTRAL EXPENSES AND INSURANCES THAT SERVICE UNCLASSIFIED, DEFERRED CHARGES, REVENUES, COMMISSIONERS, AND ADMINISTRATION.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH EVERYONE FOR MAKING THIS AS PAINLESS AS POSSIBLE.
WE'LL HAVE A MOTION TO, TO CLOSE MOVE IT SECOND, MOVE BY SECOND BY MERCADO.