* 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. [00:00:05] GOOD EVENING. THIS MEETING OF THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS HEREBY CALLED INTO ORDER. THIS MEETING, UH, MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAMED IN ADDITION TO TAKING PLACE IN PERSON. MADAM DEPUTY COURT, PLEASE CALL THE RULE COMMISSIONER GILL HERE. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO. HERE. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. HERE. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER SERMONS ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. HERE. COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS HERE. PLEASE STAND FOR THE SOLUTION, THE FLAG. I'M GONNA ASK VICE PRESIDENT COOPER FOR LEAD US IN THE I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC OF WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE. I'M JUST GONNA ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND HONOR OF THOSE THAT WE'VE LOST SINCE THE LAST TIME THAT WE CAME TOGETHER. THANK YOU. I HAVE BEFORE ME CERTIFICATION FOR THE DEPUTY CLERK THAT THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETING, ZACH. SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF TRANSCRIPTS. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, ARE THERE ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO BE APPROVED? NO. MR. PRESIDENT. OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION? NO. MR. PRESIDENT. OKAY. SO LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENTS. TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A COMBINED CONFERENCE BOARD MEETING. WE WILL VOTE ON EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA. SO THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEM ONLY. PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. THERE WILL BE TIME LATER IN THE EVENING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OTHER ITEM. SO I ASK YOU, PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENT AT THIS TIME TO AGENDA ITEM ONLY. LEMME RECOGNIZE THAT COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS HAS JOINED THE MEETING FOR THE RECORD. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. UH, MY NAME IS DANIELLE TORO. I CURRENTLY SERVE AS A VICE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR WINONA'S HOUSE HERE IN NEWARK. UM, WINONA'S HOUSE AS HOUSE, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN, UM, AMAZING SUPPORTERS OF OUR ORGANIZATION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, IS A DESIGNATED CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER, UM, HERE IN ESSEX COUNTY. UM, AGAIN, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US OVER THE YEAR IN SUPPORTING OUR ORGANIZATION. WE ARE, UM, A VERY UNIQUE ORGANIZATION THAT SERVES VICTIMS, CHILD VICTIMS OF ABUSE. WE SERVE ALMOST CLOSE TO A THOUSAND CHILDREN A YEAR IN OUR FACILITY. WE HAPPEN TO BE CELEBRATING OUR 25TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR OF PROVIDING SUPPORT TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. IN OUR 25 YEAR HISTORY, WE HAVE SERVED CLOSE TO 13,000 CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE WERE FACING, UM, A DIRE SITUATION OF NEARLY $575,000 IN FUNDING BEING CUT FROM THE STATE BUDGET. MY TEAM, UM, ALONG WITH, UH, ROBERT CROCKER, WHO IS OUR CEO, UM, AND SUPPORTERS ARE HERE TONIGHT. UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE RESOLUTIONS, THANKFULLY, IN BOTH THE SENATE AND THE COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS C ANN BALTISTA AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF PREVENTION SERVICES AT WYNONA HOUSE CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER. AND I'VE HAD OTHER, I'VE FULFILLED OTHER ROLES, INCLUDING THE ROLE OF FAMILY ADVOCATE. UM, WE SERVE FAMILIES, UM, WHO'VE EXPERIENCED, UM, CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, THE NON-OFFENDING FAMILY. AND WE ARE IN THE FRONT LINES PROVIDING DIFFERENT KINDS OF SERVICES FOR THEM. UM, AND I'LL GIVE YOU, UH, AN EXAMPLE OF THE KIND OF OF FAMILIES THAT WE SERVE. UM, RECENTLY A FAMILY, UH, OF FIVE CHILDREN AND THEIR MOM WALKED INTO WYNONNA'S HOUSE. UH, THE TWO YOUNGER GIRLS WHO WERE AGES THREE AND FOUR, UH, SUFFERED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE FROM THE HANDS OF THEIR FATHER. AND, UM, THEY ALSO HAD A PROLONGED HISTORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. UM, SO THIS PROBLEM WAS COMPOUNDED BY INTERSECTIONS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF ABUSE, AND THEY WERE ALSO HOMELESS AT THIS POINT, LIVING OFF OF THEIR CARS. SO, UM, WHEN THEY WALKED IN, WE PROVIDED DIFFERENT SERVICES SUCH AS [00:05:12] CAN BE BUILT UP AND CAN FINALLY BE BROKEN. THIS FAMILY TODAY IS LIVING IN THEIR OWN APARTMENT. MOM IS CON HAS BEEN CONNECTED WITH JOB RESOURCES. SHE'S WORKING, THE FAMILY IS SUSTAINING THEMSELVES. UM, THE OLDEST CHILD IS NOW BEEN ACCEPTED TO NJIT UNIVERSITY HERE IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. AND THIS IS THE KIND OF WORK THAT WE DO IN OUR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. RECOGNIZING COMMISSIONER SEABOLD, JOINING THE MEETING. GOOD EVENING COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS BRIAN HACKETT. UH, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS FOR ASSOCIATED HUMANE SOCIETIES HERE IN NEWARK. UM, SPEAKING IN REFERENCE TO ITEM 31, COMMISSIONER COOPER'S RESOLUTION ON JUNE, ADOPT A CAT MONTH. JUST WANNA VERY BRIEFLY, UH, THANK COMMISSIONER COOPER FOR HER CONTINUED TIME AND ATTENTION TO THIS. AND THANK THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR YOUR SUPPORT, UH, ON THE COMMUNITY CAT ISSUE AND SPAY NEUTER AND VACCINATION OF OUTDOOR CATS THROUGHOUT ESSEX COUNTY. UH, WE CONTINUE TO HAVE GREAT SUCCESS AND GREAT SUPPORT WITH THAT PROGRAM. THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT AND THANKS TO THAT SUPPORT, WE'RE ABLE TO ACTUALLY GET MORE OF THESE ADOPTABLE CATS INTO LOVING HOMES OF MANY, UH, ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS AND, UH, RESIDENTS OF, OF THE STATE BEYOND ESSEX COUNTY. MANY FOLKS DON'T REALIZE THAT 95% OF THE ANIMALS EUTHANIZED IN OUR STATE, UH, ARE CATS. SO THIS TYPE OF EFFORT, THIS TYPE OF WORK, IS REALLY NEAR AND DEAR TO THE HEARTS OF MANY OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS THAT WE SERVE EVERY DAY. SO I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR GREAT SUPPORT AND GREAT WORK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS? OKAY. SEEING NONE, UH, MADAM DEPUTY KIRK, LET THE RECORD REFLECT DESPITE THE NICE SIZED AUDIENCE THAT WE HAVE HERE, WE HAVE NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AGENDA ITEMS. UH, SO WE'RE GOING, UH, TO WHERE THEY WANT. TURN FOR A SECOND HERE. I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TODAY. I'M GOING TO CALL ON COMMISSIONER GI TO SPEAK ON NUMBER 69, WHICH IS THE RESOLUTION RELATED TO . UH, UH, THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. UM, UH, EXCUSE ME, MR. PRESIDENT . YEAH. ONE, EITHER ONE WORKS. IT'S A, IT IS A DIFFERENT MEETING, UH, VERY QUICKLY. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO, UH, THANK COMMISSIONER, UM, SEABOLD, UM, FOR AGREEING TO BE A CO-SPONSOR ON THIS, UM, RESOLUTION. UH, BUT MOST LIKELY, I THINK WE WILL, UH, PROBABLY END UP DOING THIS BY, UM, ACCLIMATION. UH, BUT THIS IS A, UH, AS WE HEARD, UH, EARLIER, UH, TODAY FROM, UM, TWO OF OUR SPEAKERS. AND I KNOW THERE ARE SOME OTHER PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO ARE HERE TO SUPPORT. THIS IS A RESOLUTION, UH, SUPPORTING, UH, THE RESTORATION OF FUNDING TO WYNONA HOUSE, UH, IN THE FY 26 NEW JERSEY STATE BUDGET. UM, AS WE'VE JUST, UH, HEARD, UM, UH, ABOUT, UH, I THINK ALL OF US HERE ON THE BOARD ARE FAMILIAR WITH JUAN WINONA'S HOUSE, UM, AND, UH, NAMED OF COURSE AFTER THE LATE GREAT SENATOR WINONA LITMAN, BUT IT'S OUR CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER HERE IN, UH, ESSEX COUNTY. IT SERVES, UH, OVER 950 CASES ANNUALLY PROVIDING, UH, WRAPAROUND SERVICES, UH, TO CHILD VICTIMS OF ABUSE ACROSS THE 22 MUNICIPALITIES OF ESSEX COUNTY AND OFFERS PREVENTION SERVICES REACHING OVER 3000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UM, EACH YEAR. UH, THIS YEAR, UNFORTUNATELY, I KNOW THAT WE HAVE A, A, A PARTICULARLY CHALLENGED, UM, CHALLENGES WITH OUR, OUR STATE BUDGET. UH, BUT THERE WAS A CUT OF 575, UH, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS OF A GRANT IN AID AND APPROPRIATION, UH, IN THE STATE BUDGET. AND, UM, I KNOW THAT AT LEAST, UM, AND I'M HOPING, UH, THAT WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT WE WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO SEE THAT RESTORED BEFORE THE STATE BUDGET IS PASSED. UH, HOPEFULLY, UH, IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. SO THIS WILL BE A RESOLUTION TO SEND A MESSAGE BOTH TO, UH, UH, MEMBERS OF OUR STATE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, UH, THE GOVERNOR, UM, AND ANYONE ELSE WHO'S PAYING ATTENTION THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO CUT BECAUSE THIS PROGRAM IS TOO, TOO, JUST TOO CRITICAL, UM, FOR, UH, FOR OUR OWN COMMUNITY HERE IN THE COUNTY. SO, UM, WITH THAT, UM, MR. PRESIDENT, UM, I, I'M HAPPY TO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE, SIR? I'M HAPPY TO MOVE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER STU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SECOND? VERY MUCH SO OUR COMMISSIONER. ARE WE, UH, ALL GOOD WITH BY ACCLIMATION? YES. YES. OKAY. UH, COMMISSIONER GILL AND SIEBEL, ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? YES. YES. [00:10:01] THANK YOU. UH, SO WE HAVE MOVED BY COMMISSIONER GILL. SECOND BY SIEBEL. WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK FOR NUMBER 69. COMMISSIONER GILL. YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO. YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ. YES. SO MOVED. WE'RE, UH, GONNA JUST MODIFY THINGS A LITTLE BIT. WE'RE MOVING INTO OUR SUMMER SCHEDULE, SO WE'RE TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, WE ONLY HAVE ONE MEETING A MONTH, SO WE'RE GONNA MODIFY THINGS JUST A LITTLE BIT. COMMISSIONER GU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES UP INTO THE WELL FOR A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY? SURE. THIS, THIS MAY COME AS A SHOCK TO ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE VACATION PLANS AT TIMES TOO, AND WE CHANGE THE SCHEDULE. SO, MR. PRESIDENT, IS THERE TIME FOR COMMENT ON THE INFORMATION? NO, NO, NO. WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GONNA HOLD OUR COMMENTS IN THE INTEREST OF TIME. WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS WE'RE GONNA GET UP FOR A BLUE PICTURE. WE'RE GONNA SAVE OUR COMMENTS FOR THE COMMENT SESSION A LITTLE BIT LATER ON IN THE INTEREST OF TIME. BUT I KNOW EVERYONE IS EAGER TO, YOU KNOW, UH, SHOW SUPPORT FOR THIS. COME UP HERE IN FRONT, IN FRONT OF ME AND FACE THAT WAY. AND WE'LL GET A COMMISSIONERS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN IN THE, WELL PLEASE. WE'RE HAVE TO MAKE LIKE A SEMICIRCLE HERE. MAKE LIKE A C EVERY ONE. SO THAT GUYS, THE BIG CAMERAS TAKE, DO YOU WANNA JOIN? JUST TRUST ME, THIS RIGHT? I HAD LIKE 40 KIDS. THIS IS YOUR, THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY. GET IN NOW WE HOLD PEACE. YES. JOIN US, PLEASE. COME, TOMMY, WE GOT A MEETING. GET IN. THERE YOU GO. I'M DOING SIX FOR YOU. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. I LOST THE MS. PAMELA GASTON. THERE SHE IS. RIGHT. AND, AND I'M GONNA READ A LITTLE BIT OF THIS AND THEN MAYBE YOU CAN COME UP AND TAKE A QUICK PICTURE WITH US. BUT YOU, YOU GOTTA HEAR THIS. FOR 51 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED COMMUNITY WITH NEW JERSEY COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED, AND SHE'S RETIRED. MM-HMM. UH, YOU, YOU ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO BE MISSED. SO MS. GASTON IS A WRITER, EVENTS COORDINATOR, WORKER ADVOCATE FOR THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. SHE'S A FOUNDING MEMBER AND PAST PRESIDENT OF NEW JERSEY NETWORK OF ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED. SHE'S A VOLUNTEER ADVISOR AND MENTOR FOR JUSTICE INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS. SHE IS ALSO A LONGTIME MEMBER OF NEW JERSEY CULTURAL ACCESS NETWORK AND HER 50 PLUS YEAR CAREER AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE NEW JERSEY COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED IS HIGHLIGHTED BY SEVERAL AWARDS FOR HER EFFORTS IN TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. PLEASE COME UP AND TAKE A QUICK PICTURE THERE. MAKE IT SIR [00:15:01] IT BACK THERE. RICHARD. WHAT YOU DOING BACK THERE MAN? AND I WANT TO THANK BROTHER THIS TO ATTENTION. THAT'S RIGHT TO THE ABOUT YOUR SERVICE. IF YOU WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME BACK. REALLY RICHARD. YOU WANNA GET IT ONE? YOU WANNA GET IT ONE? I CAN TAKE IT IF YOU WANT. GET IT ONE. OKAY. YOU TRADEMARK THAT SAYING, BY THE WAY. CONGRATULATIONS. OKAY. ADAM, CAN YOU FACILITATE THE EXIT THIS WAY? MAY BE BETTER IF YOU'RE LEAVING THIS WAY. MAY BE EASIER FOR YOU. THIS WAY MAY BE EASIER. YEAH, THAT'S TRUE. CAN I MESS WITH THAT FOCUS? HE'S NOT EVEN THANK YOU EVERYONE. JUST MAKE IT EASIER. CORRECT. ALL RIGHT EVERYONE, LET'S MOVE ALONG. YEP. WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON. UH, LAST ONE ON THE CYCLE HERE. UH, NUMBER 31, COMMISSIONER COOPER. THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT. JUNE IS ADOPT A CAT MONTH. AND WE WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE SOME COMMUNITY GROUPS AND RESIDENTS THAT FOR THEIR EXTRAORDINARY WORK. FIRST, LET ME THANK THE BOARD, MY COLLEAGUES FOR SUPPORTING THE T AND R ACTIVITIES, MR. JACKSON AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, THE ENTIRE ADMINISTRATION FOR FUNDING THE INITIATIVE. WE'VE HAD A TREMENDOUS IMPACT WITH OUR COMMUNITY CAT POPULATION. ALSO WANNA TAKE THIS MOMENT TO, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE AND, UM, HIGHLIGHT SOME FOLKS IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WORK REALLY, REALLY HARD. PAM PARISO OF THE ASSOCIATED HUMANE SOCIETY. UM, HER CERTIFICATE IS GONNA BE ACCEPTED BY BRIAN. THANK YOU BRIAN TOO, 'CAUSE YOU EQUALLY DO, UH, A BIG AMOUNT OF WORK IN THIS ARENA. AMANDA , PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF I MISPRONOUNCE YOUR NAME. MARCIA SANFORD FISHKIN. LIZ FARAS. IF SHE'S HERE. JULIE. [00:20:03] JULIE IS JULIE HERE. I'M SORRY. AND, UM, AMANDA AND MARCIA MELENDEZ, I'M GONNA PLEASE ASK YOU ALL TO COME TO THE FRONT AND WE HAVE A CERTIFICATE AND WE WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE YOU AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AROUND COMMUNITY CATS. AND NATURALLY WE HAVE TO ASK MAMA MEOW, TO PLEASE JOIN US BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU, NONE OF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE. YOUR STRONG CONTINUOUS ADVOCACY. WE, WE THANK YOU MAMA. OW. SO PLEASE COME FORWARD. UH, 31 FACE THAT WAY, EVERYONE, THE GUY WITH THE BIG CAMERA. GOT IT. ELIZABETH COMMISSIONERS, PLEASE COME JOIN US. WHY TAKE THIS PICTURE? I'M GONNA BE A RIGHT BEHIND. DON'T SMILE. AND WE'RE GRATEFUL TO ALL THESE WONDERFUL COMMISSIONERS. THANK YOU. I'M GONNA MOVE. SAY IT AGAIN. I CAN'T, I GOTTA DO, I GOTTA DO SOMETHING SPECIFIC YOU'LL SEE IN A MINUTE AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY DOWN. UH, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE NUMBER 31? YES, PLEASE. SECOND. THANK YOU. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. LET'S VOTE ON NUMBER 31. ROLL CALL. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GI? YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS. YES. SO MOVED. AND THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TODAY. ALRIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE AND RESOLUTIONS ON INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING. MADAM DEPUTY CLARK, DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTIONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READINGS? YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE TWO ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING. OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE NUMBER ONE FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING. IT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. JACKSON? GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. UM, THIS ORDINANCE WILL, UM, UH, SIMPLY CODIFY SPEED LIMITS WITHIN OUR PARKS, UH, SYSTEM, UH, WHICH WASN'T, UH, PROPERLY DONE, UH, HERE BEFORE. UM, AND IT WILL ESTABLISH SPEED LIMITS AND WILL ENABLE OUR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, UH, TO ENFORCE SPEED LIMITS, UH, IN OUR PARK SYSTEM. THANK YOU. MR. PARLEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I DON'T. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. ONE QUICK COMMENT. UM, HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE'RE MOVING TO DO THIS, TO POST THIS IN OUR PARKS. MR. JACKSON, I JUST HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL REQUEST. CAN WE ALSO PLEASE POST THE NO SMOKING SIGNS AROUND THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AT SOME OF THE PARKS THAT WAS IN THE PARK RECENTLY AND FOLKS WERE SMOKE, THEY WERE WATCHING THEIR KIDS PLAY, BUT THEY WERE SMOKING CIGARS AND VAPE PENS AND THINGS. SO I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD DO THAT AND THEN DOUBLE CHECK IF THE ORDINANCE SPEAKS TO, YOU KNOW, THE VAPING PENS AND THE OTHER NEW, UM, ITEMS THAT PEOPLE USE TO SMOKE. THANK YOU. ABSOLUTELY. WAYNE. COMMISSIONER RICHES. MR. PRESIDENT? UH, UH, I, I JUST LIKE TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT. I GET A LOT OF CO COMPLAINTS IN WEAK WAY PARK AROUND THE TRACK GOING AROUND THE, UH, THE LAKE, UH, WHERE PEOPLE WALKING DOGS, UH, AND THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSE TO BE ANY DOGS OR BIKES ON THOSE TRACKS. SO, CAN WE PUT SIGNS UP? NO DOGS ON THE TRACKS AND NO BICYCLE RIDING? YES, SIR. THANK YOU, SIR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO I STILL MANEUVER IT? I'LL MOVE IT. MOVE BY BOL SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. ROLL CALL. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GALE? YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS? YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER [00:25:01] PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SO MOVE. OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE NUMBER TWO FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING. YOU'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. JACKSON? MR. UH, DIRECTOR DELGAUDIO. GOOD EVENING, MR. DELGAUDIO. GOOD EVENING, BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, FRANK DELGAUDIO, DIRECTOR OF, UH, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION. UH, THIS ORDINANCE, UH, IS REQUESTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE THAT WAS PASSED BACK IN 2021 REGARDING THE HOSPITAL FEE PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES INCREASED PAYMENTS OF, UH, MEDICAID TO, UH, NINE OF THE COUNTY HOSPITALS. SO HAS, UM, AMENDED THE LEGISLATION TO BRING THIS FROM A PILOT PROGRAM TO ROLL IT OUT TO EVERY COUNTY, TO EVERY HOSPITAL IN THE STATE IS NOW ELIGIBLE. SO WITH THAT, THEY ALSO INCLUDED, UM, THE STATE TO, TO ASSESS THE MAXIMUM FEE, WHICH IS 5% OF ALL NET HOSPITAL REVENUES, AND AT THE SAME TIME, UM, INCREASE THE FUNDING TO THE PROGRAM. SO BASICALLY WHAT THIS DOES WITH DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY GOING TO THE ESSO COUNTY HOSPITALS AND THE COUNTY BASICALLY AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE. OKAY. MR. POLLAK, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NO QUESTIONS. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONER HAS ANY QUESTIONS? I'LL MOVE IT. MOVE BY LUCIANO SECOND. SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. ROLL CALL. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS? YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. COMMISSIONER SIBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO MOVED. OKAY. SO I THINK AT THIS TIME WE'RE GONNA MOVE OUT OF ORDER TO TAKE RESOLUTION NUMBER 14, WHICH IS IN THE HOSPITAL CENTER. AND AS, UH, AN ADDED START NUMBER 58 THROUGH 62, WHICH ARE ALL INSURANCE POLICY CONTRACTS. THEY CAN BE READ INTO THE RECORD PLAN SO WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MR. GAUDIO BEING HERE. NUMBER 14. UH, FRANK DELGAUDIO, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH AND REHAB. UH, RESOLUTION 14 IS A, UH, AFFILIATION AGREEMENT WITH FELICIAN COLLEGE. IT'S A NURSING AFFILIATION AGREEMENT. SO, UH, THIS, UH, AGREEMENT, WE HAVEN'T HAD STUDENTS IN ABOUT TWO YEARS GOING BACK TO THE COVID PANDEMIC AND THEY, UH, WISH TO REINTRODUCE AND BRING NURSING STUDENTS TO THE ESSEX COUNTY HOSPITAL CENTER FOR THEIR PSYCHIATRIC ROTATION. OKAY, LET'S GO AND TAKE 58 TO 62 AS WELL, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS ONLY ONCE IF WE HAVE ANY. UM, FRANK RIO, UH, RISK MANAGER FOR ESSEX COUNTY. UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER 58 IS A, UH, REQUEST FOR RENEWAL OF THE COUNTY'S EXCESS GENERAL LIABILITY, AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY, UM, LAW ENFORCEMENT LIABILITY FOR THE COUNTY, UM, HAD A COUPLE OF TOUGH YEARS, BUT I THINK WHAT, UH, WE PUT TOGETHER ON THIS POLICY IS A FAIR RENEWAL. WE'RE ALSO ABLE TO INCREASE, WE HAD A TOTAL OF 7 MILLION IN LIABILITY COVERAGE IN EXCESS OF OUR 1 MILLION. SO THIS PRESENTS AN INCREASE UP TO 10 MILLION, SO AN ADDITIONAL 3 MILLION OF AN INCREASE THERE WITH, UH, ONLY ACTUALLY $12,000 200 IN ORDER TO GET THAT INCREASE WITH THAT ADDITIONAL $3 MILLION. SO THIS WAS, UM, A VERY AGGRESSIVE MARKETING BY OUR BROKER, CONNOR STRONG. AND, UM, THIS WAS THE RECOMMENDED WAY TO GO TO INCREASE OUR, OUR LIABILITY COVERAGE. OKAY, LET'S GO ON 59. ITEM 59 IS A RENEWAL OF OUR, UM, EXCESS WORKERS' COMPENSATION PROGRAM. UH, THIS RENEWAL RENEWAL REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF $31,318, UM, DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC AND STILL SOME OPEN CLAIMS THAT WE'RE SEEING THE COUNTIES FACING OVER 300% LOSS EXPERIENCE ON OUR WORKERS' COMP LINE. AS ALL OF THESE CLAIMS ARE STARTING TO RESOLVE THEMSELVES. YOU KNOW, I I HAD PUT OUR PROGRAM UP THERE WITH ONE OF THE BEST PUBLIC ENTITY RISK AND WORKERS' COMP PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY. WE REALLY MANAGE THIS TIGHTLY AND, UM, THE PROGRAM IS WORKING WELL AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE UNDERWRITERS SEE BECAUSE WITH THAT TYPE OF LOSS EXPERIENCE, ALL THE PUBLIC ENTITIES IN THE STATE ARE ACTUALLY SEEING THAT ARE INCREASE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN LESS THAN THE OTHER COUNTIES HAVE SEEN. OKAY. 60 ITEM 60 IS A RENEWAL OF THE ACTIVE ASSAILANT POLICY. UM, SLIGHT INCREASE ON THAT POLICY OF, UH, $2,500. OKAY. FORWARD 61 61 IS A RENEWAL OF [00:30:01] THE COUNTY'S PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY. THAT'S THE MEDICAL MALPRACTICE FOR THE HOSPITAL CENTER. UH, AGAIN, ANOTHER TOUGH LINE OF BUSINESS. UM, SMALL INCREASE ON THAT, UH, POLICY BY 5,000. OKAY. AND 62 62 IS THE, UH, RENEWAL OF THE COUNTY'S COMMERCIAL PROPERTY INSURANCE. THIS WAS THE, UH, LARGEST INCREASE, ALTHOUGH OUR RATE WAS DROPPED CONSIDERABLY. UM, WE ADDED QUITE A BIT OF PROPERTIES AS OF SIX ONE. WE ADDED THE NEW WINONA LIPMAN FAMILY COURTS BUILDING OVER $180 MILLION IN VALUE. SOME OF THE PARKS IMPROVEMENT BUILDINGS. SO OUR VALUES HAVE GONE UP BY OVER 200 MILLION. SO, UM, HAVING AN INCREASE OF 93,000 TO TAKE ON THAT 200 MILLION IS A REASONABLE NUMBER STANDS REASONABLE. OKAY. THANK YOU. UH, MR. PARLA BACK, ANY QUESTIONS ON 1458 THROUGH 62? UH, MR. PRESIDENT, JUST REGARDING SOME OF THESE RENEWALS, FRANK, ARE THERE ADDITIONAL POLICIES THAT ARE STILL OUTSTANDING OR STILL, UH, NEED TO COME TO THE BOARD FOR RENEWAL? I, I THINK THERE'S MORE THAN JUST THIS RIGHT THROUGH YOU MR. PRESIDENT. THIS IS, UH, THERE'S FOUR ADDITIONAL POLICIES THAT ARE THROUGH THE MASSEY AGENCY, SO WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL OF OUR NUMBERS AND PREMIUMS TOGETHER IN TIME TO PRESENT. AND I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, HAVING THIS AS AN ADDED STARTER FOR THIS MEETING SO WE COULD GET THE PREMIUMS PAID QUICKLY. GREAT. THAT, THAT WAS IT. THANK YOU MR. MACKIN. ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE ITEMS? NO QUESTIONS. NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS ON 1458 TO 62? MOTION SEEING NONE MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, RULE CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK 1458 THROUGH 62. COMMISSIONER GILL? YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO MOVED. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, LET'S GO BACK IN ORDER. UH, LET'S GO TO ORDINANCE OF SECOND MEETING IN PUBLIC HEARING FOR LISTING PURPOSES ONLY. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY? NO, WE DON'T. DO NOT, MR. PRESIDENT. OKAY. MOVING ON. DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCE RESOLUTION ON THE SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING? YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE ONE ORDINANCE NUMBER O2 2 5 0 0 0 0 8. OKAY. SO LET'S MOVE TO PUBLIC HEARING FOR ORDINANCE O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 0 8, WHICH WILL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. I HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 0 8 IS OPEN. IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THERE'S NO ONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME. SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO MR. PAR. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I DON'T. MR. MCINERNEY? NO. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEE? NONE. DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 0 8? I'LL MOVE IT. MOVE BY SEBEL. SECOND BY RICHARDSON. DO I HAVE THE SAME MOVER AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE? YES. THANK YOU. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GIL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO MOVED. OKAY. LET'S GO TO RESOLUTIONS ONE THROUGH FOUR. UH, THESE ARE ADVICE AND CONSENT REAPPOINTMENTS TO THE L-G-B-T-Q ADVISORY BOARD, MR. JACKSON? UM, YES, AS YOU SAID, MS, THESE ARE JUST REAPPOINTMENTS OF, UH, MEMBERS TO THE BOARD. THANK YOU MR. PARLA BECKER, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, I DON'T. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL. THANK YOU. I SERVE ON THIS BOARD AS THE, UH, COMMISSIONER REPRESENTATIVE AND I'M VERY PLEASED THAT THEY'RE ALL WILLING TO BE REAPPOINTED. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? AND I'LL MOVE IT. I WAS GONNA COME BACK TO YOU. DON'T WORRY. I DIDN'T FORGET YOU. OKAY. I'M ON THE BALL. MOVE BY SIEBEL. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. MARY THOMAS ON THE SECOND ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK FOR ONE TWO FOUR. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS? YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS ABSENT. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SO MOVED. LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS FIVE THROUGH 10 AND ADDED STARTER NUMBER 63, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. AND WE'LL BE RIGHT INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. THE VOICE OF ESSEX COUNTY, MR. ANTONIO IS HERE. GOOD EVENING. DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS IN AWARD CONTRACT [00:35:01] TO, UM, SUM ENGINEERING TO PROVIDE THE CONSTRUCTION, ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION SUPPORT SERVICES REQUIRED TO SUCCESSFULLY CONSTRUCT THE WALNUT STREET WEST HOLBROOK GAP ROUNDABOUT IN LIVINGSTON IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $254,991. AMON ENGINEERING SUBMITTED THE HIGHEST RATED PROPOSAL OF THE SIX RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY. THIS CONTRACT COST WILL BE FULLY FUNDED WITH A FEDERAL GRANT, AND TODAY WE HAVE BOTH MR. DECHEN PATEL AND BRIAN SMITH OF ARMS AND ENGINEERING GROUP. VERY EXCITED TO INTRODUCE YOUR COMPANY AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, SUPPORT WE HAVE. GREAT. PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND WHAT YOUR PROJECT, UH, OVER, YOU KNOW, SCOPE IS ALL ABOUT. UH, MY NAME IS DICKON PATEL. UH, I'M A PROJECT MANAGER FOR OM SUM ENGINEERING. UH, WE'LL BE OVERSEEING, UH, BRIAN WILL MYSELF, UH, AND BRIAN WILL BE OVERSEEING THIS PROJECT. UH, THE PROJECT, UH, IS A CONSTRUCTION, UH, OF A THREE-LEGGED INTERSECTION TO A ROUNDABOUT. UH, AND WE ALSO HAVE A CONTRACTOR, UH, HERE PRESENT, UH, WHO WILL BE, UH, CARRYING OUT THIS WORK AS WELL. OKAY. TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY. WHERE ARE YOU BASED, YOUR EMPLOYEES? WE ARE OUT OF, UH, UH, WE ARE LOCATED IN PISCA, NEW JERSEY. UH, WE ARE APPROXIMATELY, UH, 60 EMPLOYEES. UH, WE ARE A MINORITY COMPANY. UM, ANYTHING ELSE? UH, WE HAVE, UH, WE DO EMPLOYEE, UH, WE DO HAVE A RESIDENT HERE, UH, WHO'S LOCAL TO ESSEX COUNTY. AND WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO HIRE MORE PEOPLE, UH, AS YOU ENROLL. GOOD. AND WE'D LIKE TO SEE COMPANIES LIKE YOURS HIRE MORE ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS, SO WE APPRECIATE THAT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. BECKIO? ANY QUESTIONS? I NO, I DON'T. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTION. COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR WHILE HE'S THERE? OKAY. SCENE NONE. THANK YOU. YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, SIR. YOU'RE WELCOME. DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM NUMBER SIX IS THE AWARD OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE WALNUT STREET AND WEST HAR GAP ROAD IN LIVINGSTON, ROUNDABOUT TO JA ALEXANDER IN AN AMOUNT TO EXCEED $1,147,967. JA ALEXANDER SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE TWO BITS RECEIVED, BUT THE COUNTY, THIS CONSTRUCTION COST WILL ALSO BE FULLY FUNDED WITH FEDERAL FUNDS. UH, THIS CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WILL CONVERT EXISTING STOP CONTROLLED THREE-LEGGED INTERSECTION OF WALNUT STREET, WEST BROOK GAP AND PAEC AVENUES IN LIVINGSTON INTO A MODERN ROUNDABOUT. AND MR. FRANK PASSERO OF J ALEXANDERS ALSO HERE THIS EVENING TO INTRODUCE THIS FIRM. AND AS ALWAYS ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION, TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND THE SCOPE OF WORK. MY NAME IS FRANK SRO FROM JA ALEXANDER. I'M A PROJECT MANAGER. WE'RE A MINORITY COMPANY LOCATED IN BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY. UH, WE'RE A HEAVY CONSTRUCTION, A ROADWORK COMPANY, AND, UH, WE ARE, WE ALSO ARE A UNION COMPANY, 4 72 8 25. WE, OUR, OUR EMPLOYMENT IS ABOUT 35%, UH, ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS. IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, YOU SAID YOU'RE FROM BLOOMFIELD? BLOOMFIELD, YES. OH GOD. THE BEST TOWN IN ESSEX COUNTY. I HEAR, BUT I WOULDN'T BE BIASED WHEN I SAY THAT. THANK YOU MR. PAR. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE GENTLEMEN? NO QUESTIONS HONOR. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL, I HAVE A QUESTION. FIRST OF ALL, WHEN WILL THIS WORK START? UH, WE JUST GOT NOTICE OF THE AWARDS, SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE PROBABLY A PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETING WITH SANJEEV. SO I WOULD ASSUME PROBABLY ANOTHER FOUR WEEKS. AND WHEN DO YOU EXPECT IT TO BE FINISHED? WE FIGURE THE DURATION OF THE JOB SHOULD BE ABOUT SIX MONTHS. SIX MONTHS? YEAH. BECAUSE PEOPLE IN LIVING CENTER ARE WATCHING TO SEE WHEN IT WILL BE DONE BECAUSE THAT'S A DIFFICULT INTERSECTION. YES. IT'S IN PHASE. THEY'RE ALL WAITING FOR IT TO BE DONE. YEAH. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PROBLEMS IN THE PAST ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WANTED A TRAFFIC LIGHT THERE. THEY WANTED ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER, SO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR YEARS. THANK YOU. BLOOMFIELD'S COMING TO THE RESCUE, SO ABSOLUTELY. LIKE YOU'RE LIVING. SOME PEOPLE KNOW IT'S A DIFFICULT INTERSECTION. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU, SIR. I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. I WAIT A FOLLOW UP. I'M, I'M SORRY. WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CHARGE YOU EXTRA. WE BE TAKING LAND AWAY FROM SOME OF THE, UH, FACILITIES THAT ARE AROUND THAT AREA. I KNOW THERE'S TREES ON THE ONE SIDE THAT ARE COMING DOWN. I KNOW PUBLIC SERVICE HAS TO MOVE SOME OF THEIR UTILITIES. SO THERE IS A, UH, A SECTION OF, UH, WHICH WAS WOODED, UH, AND [00:40:01] THERE'S A CHURCH RIGHT THERE THAT WON'T BE AFFECTED. NO, NO, WE'RE NOT TAKING ANY PROPERTY BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LOT OF PROPERTY IN THE FRONT, NEAR THE INTERSECTION AND THAT WON'T BE EFFECTIVE JUST ON THE ONE SIDE THERE. YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY HAS A RIGHT OF WAY OVER THERE. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. OKAY. YOU'RE WELCOME. OKAY. THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MR. ANTONIO, LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER SEVEN. DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, AWARDS, BIP SERVICES, A TWO YEAR CONTRACT AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $388,600 TO PERFORM THE CAULKING OF WINDOWS OF VARIOUS COUNTY FACILITIES ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS. VIP SERVICES SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE FIVE BIDS RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY. ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS THE EXERCISING OF A TWO YEAR EXTENSION TO THE EXISTING CONTRACT WITH AURORA ENVIRONMENTAL INCORPORATED TO PROVIDE THE REGULATORY INSPECTION, REPAIR, AND MAINTENANCE OF THE COUNTY'S VEHICLE FUELING LOCATIONS ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS IN AN AMOUNT THAT YOU EXCEED $167,100. THIS CONTRACT EXTENSION DOES NOT INCREASE THE CONTRACT TOWARD UNIT COST NOR THE CONTRACT AMOUNT. AND ITEM NUMBER NINE, IT'S AN AWARD OF CONTRACT TO AT NORTHERN LLC TO FURNISH A FOUR BY FOUR HEAVY DUTY TRUCK CHASSIS TO REPLACE A MASON DUMP BODY TRUCK, WHICH IS CURRENTLY USED BY THE DIVISION OF ROADS AND BRIDGES. THIS NEW TRUCK WILL BE USED FOR LEAF LEAF PICKUP, CATCH BASIN, AND CLEANING POWER HOLE REPAIR AND OTHER SIMILAR, SIMILAR ACTIVITIES. ITEM NUMBER 10 AUTHORIZES THE SUBMITTAL OF AN APPLICATION FOR FUNDING TO THE NJ TPAS LOCAL CAPITAL PROJECT DELIVERY PROGRAM IN AN AMOUNT OF $4,427,750 FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE JACKSON STREET BRIDGE OVER THE PASSAIC RIVER BETWEEN THE CITY OF NORTH AND THE TOWNSHIP OF HARRISON. THIS MOVABLE BRIDGE WAS BUILT IN 1900 AND WAS LAST REHABILITATED IN 1991 AND IS JOINTLY OPERATED AND OWNED WITH HUDSON COUNTY. THE LOCAL CAPITAL PROJECT DELIVERY PROGRAM IS THE INITIAL STEP IN THE FEDERAL PROJECT DELIVERY PIPELINE AND FUNDS. THE PLANNING AND PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING PROJECTS THAT SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THIS STEP ARE THEN ELIGIBLE FOR OTHER PHASE, LIKE FINAL ENGINEERING RIGHT AWAY AND EVENTUALLY CONSTRUCTION. AND ITEM NUMBER 63 IS THE EXERCISING OF A TWO YEAR EXTENSION TO THE EXISTING CONTRACT WITH TIMOTHY BRYAN ELECTRIC TO PROVIDE FOR THE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF THE COUNTY'S ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS IN AN AMOUNT THAT YOU EXCEED $79,250. THIS CONTRACT EXTENSION DOES NOT INCREASE THE CONTRACTUAL UNIT COST NOR THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU MR. ANTONIO. MR. BECK, ANY QUESTIONS ON THESE ITEMS? WE HAD FIVE THROUGH 10, ALTHOUGH WE BET SOME. AND NUMBER 63. UH, JUST A QUESTION, MR. ANTONIO. NUMBER EIGHT, HOW MANY FUELING STATIONS DOES THE COUNTY HAVE? DO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? NO RATE WILL BE THE CONVENTIONAL FUELING STATIONS. THOSE ARE EIGHT. THERE'S EIGHT OF THEM. AND, UH, THOSE ARE BOTH ARE UNLEADED AND DIESEL DIS UH, FUEL. THANK YOU MR. MCINERNEY. ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. COMMISSIONER SIBO, WE WILL MOVE FIVE THROUGH 10 AND 63. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. ROLL CALL. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS? YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SO MOVED. LET'S MOVE TO THE RESOLUTION 11 AND 12, WHICH ARE FROM THE DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES. THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT. ITEM 11. UH, WE HAVE, UH, NINE CONTRACTS, UH, A CONTRACT WITH NINE, UM, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PROVIDERS, UH, THREE YEAR CONTRACTS. THIS, UH, WILL, UH, THESE CONTRACT AMENDMENTS WILL, UH, INSERT $932,543 FOR THE 2025 FUNDING YEAR. UH, ITEM 12 IS, UH, APPROVAL RESOLUTION REQUIRED BY THE STATE, UH, AS PART OF OUR, UH, ALTERNATIVE INITIATIVE INNOVATION AWARD PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $60,000, $57,000 FOR PROGRAM SERVICES AND $3,000 FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. AND THIS PROGRAM SUPPORTS THE YOUTH ON PROBATION AGE, AGE NINE, 16 THROUGH 19, UH, TO HELP THEM TO DEVELOP, UH, CRITICAL LIFE AND JOB SKILLS. THANK YOU MR. PARLER. I'D LIKE YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. [00:45:01] MR. MACINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS ON 11 OF 12. MR. MARY THOMAS. THANK YOU. I WAS, UM, REALLY JUST HAPPY TO HEAR THAT WE RECEIVED THAT GRANT IN RESOLUTION NUMBER 12. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU HAD KIND OF INSIGHT ON WHAT THOSE PROGRAMS LOOK LIKE, JUST BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S SUCH IMPORTANT WORK AND IT REALLY HELPS REDUCE THE RATES OF RECIDIVISM THAT WE SEE IN FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE SYSTEM. SO IF YOU HAD ANY INSIGHT ON WHAT THOSE PROGRAMS INCLUDE, IF NOT, UM, I'M HAPPY TO GET IT A LATER DATE, BUT IF YOU COULD PAINT A PICTURE. YEAH. I'LL, UM, COMMISSIONER, I WILL, UH, HAVE, UH, DIRECTOR, UH, MARTINEZ PUT TOGETHER A PROFILE OF WHAT THOSE PROGRAMS ARE FOR YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS, WOULD YOU'D LIKE TO MOVE IT? SURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MS. SECOND. SECOND. SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. ROLL CALL MAD DEPUTY CLERK FOR 11 AND 12. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SO MOVED. LET'S MOVE ON TO 13 AND ADD STARTED NUMBER 64, WHICH FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS. THEY'LL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. AND I DARE SAY I DON'T SEE MR. ZAS. WELL, MR. PRESIDENT, I'M SUBSTITUTING FOR MR. ZAS. GOOD. THANK YOU. MR. CULTURE DEPARTMENT PARKS, UH, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIR. CONTRACT CHANGE WITH, UH, DO JET TREE EXPERTS AND THE AMOUNT OF $180,000, UH, TOTAL AMOUNT WILL NOW BE $1,080,000. UH, THIS IS A 20% CHANGE ORDER. OKAY. AND NUMBER 64 IS CONTRACT CULTURAL AFFAIRS AWARD TO ACQUI MISS IRRIGATION OF NEW JERSEY, LLC TO PROVIDE IRRIGATION SYSTEM MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR SERVICES FOR VARIOUS PARK FACILITIES. THIS IS A ONE MONTH CONTRACT EXTENSION FROM JUNE 10TH, 2025 TO JULY 16TH, 2020. UH, FIVE MOUNTAIN OUT TO EXCEED $138,803 AND 83 CENTS. THANK YOU MR. PARLOW BAKER. ANY QUESTIONS? JUST A QUESTION ON 13, UH, JAY, THE RESOLUTION SAYS, DO JETS AND THEN AND DOWNS TREE SERVICE. ARE THEY TWO SEPARATE COMPANIES OR ONE COMBINED COMPANY? THEY, THEY ARE TWO SEPARATE COMPANIES. OKAY. SO THEY EACH HAVE DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE CONTRACT. YES. IT'S ALL FOR TREE STUMP, GRINDING, TAKING DOWN TREES, ET CETERA. THANK YOU, MR. MCINERNEY. NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS? I'LL MOVE IT. MOVE BY SIEBEL 1364. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND. BY RICHARDSON, WHO'S VERY DISAPPOINTED. MR. ZA ISN'T HERE TODAY. YES. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SO MOVE, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 15. AS RESOLUTION 14 WAS ALREADY DONE EARLIER. 15 IS FROM THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING AND COULD BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. COLTRANE. MR. PRESIDENT, UH, MR. ST. JOHNS STOLE MY MIC. SO, UH, THIS IS, UH, WE'RE NOT THERE YET. MR. ST. JOHN, WE HAVE TO WAIT. YOU HAVE TO BE PATIENT, SIR. CONTRACT AWARD TO FOUR LOAFS RESPONSIBLE BIDDERS, ITEMS OF UNICOR SPACE TO PROVIDE PRINTING SERVICES. THIS IS A COUNTYWIDE SERVICE FOR EACH DEPARTMENT. WE HAD A, UH, FOUR VENDORS RECEIVING THE CONTRACT PREVIOUSLY. WE SPENT $182,000. THIS IS NOT TO EXCEED $225,000 FOR THE YEAR. JULY 12TH, 2025 TO JULY 11TH, 2027. THANK YOU MR. PARLOVE. NO QUESTIONS. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. SEEING NO QUESTIONS. SOMEONE TO MOVE. 15. MOTION MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. DO HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND BY RICHARDSON. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK ON 15. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SOLE MOVED. SO LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER 1617 AND ADDED START OF 65, 66 AND 68, WHICH HAVE IN THE OFFICE OF COUNTY COUNCIL, THEY'LL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. ST. JOHN, NOW IT YOUR TURN. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT JEROME, ST. JOHN COUNTY COUNCIL, UH, NUMBER 16 AND NUMBER 17 ARE TWO MORE, UH, AMICABLE SETTLEMENTS OF CONTRACTS WITH, UH, TWO OF OUR ADDITIONAL UNIT, UH, UNIONS. UH, THEY BOTH FOLLOW THE 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 5 YEAR, UH, UH, TEMPLATE THAT THIS BOARD AND THE ADMINISTRATION HAS SET UP. I WANT TO THANK MR. JACKSON, [00:50:02] MS. HALL, WHO, UH, AS YOU KNOW IS OUR DIRECTOR OF LABOR RELATIONS, AS WELL AS THE UNION REPRESENTATIVES WHO WERE TOUGH BARGAINERS, BUT, BUT, UH, BARGAINED IN GOOD FAITH AND I APPRECIATE THAT. GOOD. UH, ANY QUESTIONS ON EITHER THE MATTER? WE WILL MOVE ON. WE'LL TAKE THE QUESTIONS ALL AT THE END THERE. THANK YOU. LET'S MOVE ON. UH, AND THAT WAS, WE'LL TAKE 65. NEXT 65. YES, SIR. UH, 65. THANK YOU, JUDGE. 65 IS, UM, 65. THIS IS THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT, UH, TO THE, UH, AMBROSE GROUP. UH, AND WITH REGARD TO THIRD PARTY SUBPOENAS, UH, THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THEIR CONTRACT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 20,000 BUCKS. UH, NEXT NUMBER, 66. 66. THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO, UH, THE OUTSIDE COUNSEL, UH, CONTRACT WITH THE COUNTY BY THE NAME OF WARS. THEIR NAME IS WAL P O'REILLY. UH, INCREASING THE AMOUNT TO AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $600,000. UH, BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF THIS LITIGATION, WHICH I'VE DISCUSSED WITH MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD ON, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. UH, SAME THING, UH, WITH NUMBER 60, I THINK YOU WANT ME TO 68? YES. OKAY. NOT I CAN DO 67, BUT 68. UH, THIS IS A SHARED SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY OF LAUER FOR ESSEX COUNTY JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITY TO HOUSE, UH, JUVENILES FROM THE COUNTY OF, OF GLOUCESTER. OKAY. MR. BECKER REQUESTED THE 16, 17 65, 66, AND 68. JUST EXCUSE ME, WITH RESPECT TO 68 WITH GLOUCESTER COUNTY. THAT'S AN EXISTING RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH GLOUCESTER. NO, I SHOULD HAVE SHORTENED THE TERM TO ONLY SIX MONTHS. 30 DAY. WE CAN GET OUT IN 30 DAYS BECAUSE OF THE PRICING SITUATION. THEY UNDERSTAND, UH, WE'RE DOING THIS AS A FAVOR TO GLOUCESTER COUNTY AND ALSO TO THE, UH, JJC. UH, AND I EXPRESSED THAT FAVOR ALSO TO, UH, THE JJC. SO WE'RE REALLY JUST TO HELP PEOPLE OUT. GOT IT. THANK YOU, MR. MCKINNA. ANY QUESTIONS? UH, NUMBER 66. WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL NOT TO EXCEED PRIOR TO THIS? MAYBE NOT THE ORIGINAL, BUT WHAT WAS, WHAT WAS THE NOT TO EXCEED PRIOR TO THIS AMENDMENT? UH, UH, NUMBER 66. UH, THIS IS THE, UH, THI THIS CASE. WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL AMOUNT? MR. MCINERNEY? YEAH. RECOLLECTION. A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. HOW HOW MUCH? A HUNDRED THOUSAND. SO THIS IS AMENDING IT BY HALF A MILLION, AMENDING IT UP? YES, THAT'S CORRECT. FROM 100 TO FIVE TO 600, EXCUSE ME. 100 TO 600? CORRECT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS MR. ARY? NO. OKAY. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL, HOW MANY NEGOTIATIONS ARE STILL OUTSTANDING? THANK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONER. I WAS GONNA MENTION THAT WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED 24 OUT OF 26, SO WE NOW HAVE TWO, TWO MORE TO DO. UH, MR. JACKSON AND I SPENT TODAY WITH, WITH, UH, A GROUP, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL RESOLVE. UH, AND THEN WE'RE HOPING TO GET BOTH DONE. BUT WE WE'RE, WE'RE VERY, I'M VERY HAPPY AT THE NEGOTIATING TEAM THAT WE'VE GOT 24 OUT OF 26 COMPLETED. ONCE WE HAVE ALL 26, HOW LONG WILL THAT LAST TILL WE HAVE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN? WE, WELL, WE HAVE ONE THAT EXPIRES AT END OF THIS YEAR, OF, OF THE 24. SO THAT WILL HAVE TO BE NEGOTIATED. BUT THE OTHER, ALL THE REST OF THEM ARE FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, 2028. SO WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE. SO 2028. UH, I'LL BE THE OTHER ONE LEFT HERE BY THEN. , THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT WORK. MAY VERY WELL BE, SIR. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I DO. THANK YOU. UM, I MISSED A CONVERSATION RELATED TO, UM, ITEM NUMBER 66. SO, MR. PARILLO, CAN YOU CAN OFFLINE JUST GIVE ME, WHY IS IT JUMPING SO MUCH FROM A HUNDRED THOUSAND TO 600,000 OFFLINE? YES. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I'LL MOVE IT. MOVED BY SEBEL. THIS IS 16, 17 65, 66, AND 68. YES. DO HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND. BY RICHARDSON. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GI ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER BOL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO MOVE, LET'S MOVE ON TO 18, WHICH IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. WE'LL BE RIGHT INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. JACKSON? UH, MR. ST. [00:55:01] JOHN YEARS. MR. ST. JOHN NUMBER 18. THANK. THANK YOU. UH, THIS IS A, UH, AMENDMENT TO THE, A SHERIFF'S SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH UNION COUNTY, AGAIN TO H HOUSE UNION COUNTY INMATES IN YESES. COUNTY CORRECTION FACILITY. UH, IT IS, IT HAS ESCALATIONS IN THE, THE PER DIEM, AND OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S, IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AGREEMENT. OKAY. THANK YOU MR. BECK. ANY QUESTIONS? NOPE, NO QUESTIONS. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. SEE? NONE. DOES I MOVE IT? MOVE IT. MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. SECOND RICHARDSON. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK FOR NUMBER 18. COMMISSIONER GI. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO MOVED. LET'S MOVE ON TO 19 AND 20 AND ADDED CHARTER 67, WHICH IS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR, AND THAT'LL BE RIGHT INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. COLTRAN, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THIS IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO THREE DIFFERENT VENDORS, UH, ELLI FORD INC. RIDGE FLEET SERVICE FOR THE PURCHASE OF EIGHT VEHICLES, UH, FORD EXPLORERS EQUIPPED WITH EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND SIRENS. 4 20 25 CHEVROLET MALIBU, FULL-SIZED VEHICLES AND ONE FORD UTILITY POLICE INTERCEPTOR. TOTAL COST FOR THIS IS $503,435 AND 44 UH CENTS. UM, THESE ARE ALL PURCHASED EITHER UNDER THE STATE CONTRACT OR CO-OPS, AND IT IS FUNDED THROUGH THE TRUST FUND FOR THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE. UH, NUMBER 20 IS A RESOLUTION, APPROVING PARTICIPATION WITH THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY GRANT PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY, ACCEPTING A SUB-GRANT, UH, AWARD FOR APPEAR MARCH 1ST, 2025 TO FEBRUARY 28TH, 2027 UNDER THE 25 0 4 HELP AND HOPE, UH, GRANT PROGRAM. LET'S TAKE 67 TOO. 57. IT SAYS 67. 67. 67. UH, OFFICER OF THE PROSECUTOR, PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT, CONTINUE LEGAL SERVICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING ADMINISTRATOR HILLARY M BARNELL, A 12 MONTH AGREEMENT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 77,000. THIS IS A PUBLICLY ADVERTISED FAIR AND OPEN RFP AND THEY WERE THE ONLY RESPONDENT. THANK YOU MR. PARCO. QUESTIONS ON 1920 AND 67? NO QUESTIONS MR. KINER. NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS, SOMEONE TO MOVE IT MOVE BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. SECOND. SECOND. SECOND BY RICHARDSON ROLL CALL ABOUT DEPUTY CLERK 1920 AND 67. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL. YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS ABSENT. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS. YES. SO MOVED. LET'S MOVE ON TO FUND TIME RESOLUTIONS 21 TO 29, WHICH ARE 2025. BUDGET INSERTIONS OF ITEMS OF REVENUE. THEY COULD BE READ TO THE RECORD LATER TIME. MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. UH, 21 IS FROM THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY TO OUR PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IN THE AMOUNT OF $225,000 FOR THE HELP AND HOPE GRANT PROGRAM. UH, THIS WAS, THIS IS, UH, AN EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM THAT'S DONE AT THE MUNICIPAL COURT LEVEL. UH, IT WAS A PILOT PROGRAM THAT STARTED IN EAST ORANGE AND IT'S ACTUALLY EXPANDING NOW TO, UH, IRVINGTON AND THERE'S NO MATCH, UH, FROM THE COUNTY ITEM 22 DEPARTMENT OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, AGAIN TO OUR PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE FOR THE CHILD ADVOCACY ADVOCACY PROGRAM. UH, THIS IS THE AMOUNT OF $358,182, UH, GRANT PERIOD FROM UH, JULY OF THIS YEAR TO, UH, UH, JUNE OF NEXT YEAR. UH, AND THIS ENABLES OUR PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE TO INVESTIGATE, UH, CRIMES INVOLVING SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN. UH, IT PROVIDES A PERCENTAGE OF SALARY AND FRINGE FOR FOUR STAFF MEMBERS AT THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE. UH, ITEM 23 IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, ALSO TO OUR PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH DIVERSION SUPPORT GRANT AND THE AMOUNT OF $1,812,416. AND THIS HELPS WITH, UM, UM, INDIVIDUALS, UH, WITH OUR, UH, HOSPITAL CENTER, WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE, UM, UH, UH, MENTAL CHALLENGES, SHALL I SAY. UM, AND IT'S BROKEN UP TO, UH, DOLLARS THAT GO TO OUR PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE OR PERSON AND ALSO TO OUR HOSPITAL CENTER, UH, FOR THAT PURPOSE. ITEM, UH, [01:00:01] 24 IS FROM THE NEW JERSEY COUNCIL ON SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS TO OUR DIVISION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH, UM, SERVICES. AND IT'S THE AMOUNT OF $343,414. UH, THIS IS THE, THE MUNICIPAL ALLIANCE GRANT THAT WE'VE, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT OVER THE YEARS. UH, WE HAVE 18 OF OUR COMMUNITIES IN THE PROGRAM. FOUR ARE NOT, UH, PARTICIPATING. UM, AND THE, THE ORANGE S TRAILS, NEWARK AND MONTCLAIR NO LONGER, UH, PARTICIPATE. AND, UH, THERE'S NO, UH, COUNTY MATCH ITEM 25 FROM THE NEW NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO OUR DIVISION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,891,800. THIS IS OUR EARLY INTERVENTION GRANT. THIS PROVIDES, UM, UH, AN ABILITY TO IDENTIFY, EVALUATE, AND TREAT CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS FROM, UH, BIRTH TO THREE YEARS OLD. AND THE CONTRACT RUNS FROM JULY OF THIS YEAR TO JUNE OF NEXT YEAR. UH, IT COVERS, UH, $2,747,681 IN SALARIES FOR 38 EMPLOYEES, UM, AND SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT, ET CETERA. AND THERE IS IN KINDER, IN KIND MATCH OF $1,117,226 THAT WE, UH, UH, MATCH BY PROVIDING FIRM BENEFITS AND OTHER, UM, FACILITY, UH, EXPENSES TO, TO PROVIDE FOR THAT MATCH. ITEM 26 IS FROM THE NEW JERSEY ELECTIONS TO OUR, UH, SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS, UH, COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION, UH, $509,686 84 CENTS. THIS IS REIMBURSING, UH, FOR THE 2024 EARLY PRIMARY AND SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTIONS. UH, ITEM 27 IS, UH, SIMILARLY FROM THE NEW JERSEY ELECTIONS TO, UH, OUR, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS. CORRECT. UH, COMMISSIONER OF REGISTRATION. AND THIS IS REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE 2023 EARLY GENERAL ELECTION EXPENSES. ITEM 28, UH, 9 28 IS FROM NEW JERSEY ELECTIONS TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $20,429 AND 1 CENTS. THIS IS FOR THE 2024, UH, SPECIAL PRIMARY ELECTION. UH, THERE WAS $706,557 AND 5 CENTS INSERTED PREVIOUSLY. AND THIS IS ADDITIONAL, UH, FUNDING FOR THAT, UH, ELECTION. AND, UH, ITEM 29 FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY TO OUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. IT'S A CLEAN COMMUNITIES GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $95,311 AND 52 CENTS. AND THIS IS FUNDED THAT FOCUS ON, UH, PICKING UP AND DISPOSAL OF LITTER, DEBRIS, AND TRASH ALONG OUR COUNTY ROADWAYS. THANK YOU, MR. PARLOVE. YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS ON 21 TO 29? COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS. THANK YOU, MR. JACKSON. UH, FIRST OF ALL, WE LOVE MONEY COMING INTO THE COUNTY BUDGET, SO IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE THESE. NO MA'AM. UM, ARE ANY OF THESE THAT'S RIGHT. MR. PRESIDENT, UM, ARE ANY OF THESE GRANTS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FOR THE FIRST TIME OR ARE MOST OF THESE, UH, RECURRING AND JUST KIND OF A RENEWABLE? UH, MOST, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE RECURRING. THE ONLY ONE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IS WHEN WE ARE, UH, WITH THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, WHEN WE'RE EXPANDING THE PROGRAM INTO, UH, IRVINGTON. GOT IT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER, MAYOR THOMAS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE IT? CERTAINLY. THANK YOU. I HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. ROLL CALL. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK 21 TO 29. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO MOVED. LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 31 THROUGH 57 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 31, WHICH WE ALREADY MOVED EARLIER THIS EVENING. THESE ARE IN MEMOS, CONDEMNATION PROCLAMATION RESOLUTIONS. THEY CAN BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE. MOVE. IT MOVED BY RICHARDSON. SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. ROLL CALL. MAD DEPUTY CLERK. THIS IS 30 THROUGH 57, THE EXCEPTION OF 31, WHICH WAS ALREADY MOVED. COMMISSIONER GILL, ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. COMMISSIONER BOL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SOLE MOVED. ALRIGHT. MAD DEPUTY CLERKIN. YOU HAVE TO STARTERS, SHOULD WE COVERED THEM ALL? UH, THEY'VE ALL BEEN TAKEN CARE OF WITH THE DEPARTMENTS. GOOD NEWS. ALL RIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON TO REPORT OF BOARD COMMITTEE COMMISSIONERS. ANY REPORT OF BOARD COMMITTEES AND MA WE ALREADY HEARD FROM THE CAC COMMITTEE CAU I, YOU KNOW, REPORT THERE EARLIER TODAY, SO WE WERE IN GOOD SHAPE SEEING [01:05:01] NONE. DO YOU HAVE ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS? RAIN C COMMUNICATIONS, ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NEW BUSINESS? SEE NOW LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE. YEAH, MOM CALLING ME OUT. DON'T NEED IT. I'M LOUD ENOUGH. NO, NO. WAIT, WAIT. I WAIT. I GOTTA FINISH MAKING MY STATEMENT. CHARLOTTE CALLING ME OUT. I WANT, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON. FOR THE RECORD. I HAVE TO READ THE PARAGRAPH OR THE PEOPLE WHO TYPED THIS UP GET MAD AT ME FOR NOT READING IT AND I'M NOT COMPLIANT. OKAY. UNDERSTAND. SO IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. YOU WILL HAVE FOUR MINUTES TO SPEAK NOW, RECOGNIZING YOU, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. WE ALL KNOW WHO YOU ARE, BUT PLEASE TELL US WHO YOU ARE. OKAY, MA. I'M GONNA MAKE THIS VERY SHORT AND SWEET. I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM THAT THE COMMISSIONER, ESPECIALLY COMMISSIONER COOPER, WHO BELIEVED IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND MAKING A CHANGE. AND TONIGHT YOU MAKE SO MANY PEOPLE THOSE RESCUERS, THEY ARE SO GRATEFUL AND APPRECIATIVE THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THEM. AND, AND EVERYBODY NEEDS A LITTLE KINDNESS SOMETIMES. AND I WANNA THANK AGAIN, I'M NOT GONNA ELABORATE. YOU KNOW, MY MISSION, MY MISSION IS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE LIKE EACH ONE OF YOU DID IN THIS ROOM BY THE RESIDENTS, BY THE RESCUERS, BY THE FEEDERS. AND ESPECIALLY THOSE COMMUNITY CATS THAT ARE VOICELESS. SO THEY JUST WANNA SAY MEOW, MEOW IN THEIR OWN WAY. THANK YOU. THANK GOD. THANK YOU MS. GALLO. NOW YOU'VE MADE OUR NIGHT COMPLETE. THANK YOU. WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THAT. IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE GOT THE ACTUAL OW. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? MR. JUST A MICROPHONE THERE, MADAM. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS DANNA DENNIS. I AM A RESIDENT OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, FORMERLY OF, UH, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. AND SO I'VE BEEN IN ESSEX COUNTY IN A TOTAL OF ALMOST SIX YEARS. UM, I'M HERE ON TWO ISSUES TONIGHT. UM, I'M ALSO A PARENT. I'M A TAXPAYER. UM, I AM PROFESSIONALLY FOR ALMOST A DECADE. UM, WHAT, A LITTLE OVER A DECADE NOW, EXCUSE ME. UH, TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVOCATE. I MOSTLY WORK ON CITY, STATE AND FEDERAL CAMPAIGNS AT THE NEW YORK CITY LEVEL. BUT I LIVE HERE AND I CARE ABOUT MY COMMUNITY AND WHAT'S HAPPENING AT ESSEX COUNTY. AND I ALSO SERVE IN ESSEX AS THE EAST ORANGE SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL. UH, POLICY DIRECTOR. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN. UM, THEY'RE BOTH TODDLERS. ONE IS NEURODIVERSE AND THE OTHER IS, UH, ALSO NEUROTYPICAL. AND I'M HERE MAINLY ON THE FIRST ISSUE AROUND MY NEURODIVERSE CHILD AND ALL CHILDREN, I GUESS I AM. UM, I'VE BEEN WATCHING AND EMAILING AND CALLING AROUND THE RENOVATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN MONTE IRVIN PARK. UM, WHICH I LIVE IN EAST ORANGE, BUT I'M ONE BLOCK AWAY FROM THE PARK. I'M IN A REALLY PECULIAR INTERSECTION ON HARRISON, WHICH PUTS ME A FEW BLOCKS FROM SOUTH. UM, ORANGE PUTS ME RIGHT THERE NEXT TO ORANGE AND PUTS ME IN EAST ORANGE, RIGHT? AND SO, UM, I HAVE GONE TO COUNCIL MEETINGS AND BOTH MUNICIPALITIES I HAVE CALLED THE PARKS DEPARTMENT SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE EMAILS DATING BACK TO MAY OF 2022, WHERE ALMOST EVERY YEAR AROUND THIS TIME, AS WE KNOW, KIDS ARE ABOUT TO GET OUT OF SCHOOL, THEY'LL BE ENTERING THE PLAYGROUND ON HEAVY ROTATION, RIGHT? MAINLY A DAILY BASIS. AND WE HAVE A PLAYGROUND THAT IS FALLING APART AND IT'S REALLY OFFENSIVE TO SEE ALL OF THE AMAZING UPGRADES. IT'S KIND OF LIKE A BITTERSWEET THING THAT'S HAPPENING IN MONTE PARK, RIGHT? WE JUST GOT THIS REALLY GREAT, UH, BASEBALL FIELD. WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY CENTER BEING BUILT, AND I'M SO EXCITED FOR THOSE THINGS. BUT THEN TO SEE THE PLAYGROUND BE IGNORED, UM, ON PARTS THAT, YOU KNOW, I KEEP BEING TOLD ON THE PHONE, HEY, THEY'RE ON BACK ORDER. HEY, YOU NEED TO EMAIL MAINTENANCE. I'VE EMAILED MAINTENANCE, I'VE CC'D OTHER PEOPLE, SO I'M NOT SURE WHO'S OVER THAT, BUT I JUST WANNA PUT THAT ISSUE OUT THERE. UM, AND I WILL, YOU KNOW, START TO BRING MORE PARENTS IF I NEED TO OR IF WE NEED TO GET A PETITION. BUT HOPEFULLY BEING HEARD TONIGHT IS ENOUGH AND WHOEVER IS, UM, YOU KNOW, RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSIGHT CAN LOOK INTO THAT. AND THE ISSUE, THE MAIN THINGS THAT I WILL SAY IS THE SWING. IT'S BEEN BROKEN SINCE 2022. THE MARIGO ROUND HAS HOLES AND DENTS ALSO BROKEN, AND MOST OF THE STRUCTURE IS NOT INCLUSIVE TO CHILDREN OF ALL NEEDS. SECOND, I HAVE A QUESTION UM, I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, UM, AND SAFETY STREET SAFETY PLANS? THERE'S BEEN NO UPDATE IN BOTH, IN A, UM, AND SO I HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS AROUND THAT. I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH MY CITY, BOTH CITIES, THE COUNTY AS AN ADVOCATE, TRYING TO GET SOME UPDATES. IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE THE CASH THAT HAS BEEN INFUSED INTO THE FREEWAY DRIVE PROJECT, BUT WE NEED TO TALK MORE ABOUT HIGHWAY TWO 80 AND ALSO WHAT IS GONNA HAPPEN ON CENTRAL AVENUE AND MAIN STREET, WHICH ARE BOTH COUNTY ROADS AND HOW WE'RE GONNA MAKE THOSE SAFER FOR RESIDENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MADAM. AND IS OUR POLICY. WE WILL RESPOND IN WRITING, BUT IF YOU SEE ADAM HERE IN A MOMENT, UH, HE'LL, HE CAN TAKE YOUR EMAIL, [01:10:01] UH, YOU CAN SYNTHESIZE YOUR QUESTIONS. WE CAN SEND THEM OVER FOR PARKS, FOR EXAMPLE, WE WOULD SEND IT TO THE ADMINISTRATION, WHICH ARE OUR COLLEAGUES ACROSS FROM US, AND THEY WILL FORWARD IT TO THE PARKS, AND THEN WHEN THEY GET THE RESPONSE, WE'LL FORWARD THAT TO YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. OF COURSE. GOOD EVENING, SIR. GOOD EVENING. UH, MR. PRESIDENT AND EVERYONE, UH, EVERYONE HERE PRESENT? UM, MY NAME IS RAYOR STEEL DAMES. I RESIDE ON, IN LAKE STREET IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, HERE IN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX. I'M AN OATH TAKER. I WAS IN IRAQ WHEN THEY FIRST VOTED, UH, PROVIDING SECURITY WITH THE UNITED STATES ARMY. UM, I'M A VETERAN OF THIS COUNTRY. I'M ALSO A RETIRED NEW YORK FIREFIGHTER. AND, UM, I HAVE CONCERNS IN MY CITY THAT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED FOR OVER TWO AND A HALF YEARS. I ASSUME EVERYONE HERE DROVE, UM, TO COME TO THIS MEETING, BUT, UM, WE ARE FACING A SAFETY ISSUE ON LAKE STREET, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE PARK. UM, I AM GLAD THAT YOU GUYS ARE ENFORCING THE 25, LOWERING THE SPEED INSIDE THE PARK, AND I WISH THE SAME THING NEWARK PD CAN DO ON LAKE STREET AND EN ENFORCE THE SPEED LIMIT THERE AS WELL. UM, MY, MY WIFE, UM, LOST A VEHICLE IN A TOTAL LOSS ACCIDENT COMING OUT OF OUR HOMES. UM, THE REASON WHY IS 'CAUSE LAKE LAKE STREET, IT'S THE LONGEST ROAD IN, IN THE CITY OF NEWARK. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S PROBABLY ANOTHER COUNTY THAT HAS A LONGER ROAD, BUT IN NEWARK IS THE LONGEST STRETCH OF ROAD WITHOUT A A, UM, STOP SIGN, STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT. MY HOUSE IS ON THE 10TH HOUSE FROM SECOND TO EDMONTON. FOR THE PAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, I'VE ATTENDED THE NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL MEETING, AND I'VE SPOKEN WITH THE NORFOLK COUNCILMAN WHO WORKS FOR THIS COUNTY, UM, TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE ISSUE. HE LIVES ON THE STREET AND HE ONLY COMES WHENEVER HE WANTS TO GET VOTES. AND, UM, WE ARE, THE WHOLE ENTIRE BLOCK IS ALREADY UP TO HERE WITH THE, THE SAFETY CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE. SO THIS BODY HERE AT SOME POINT VOTED TO REMOVE THE PARKING ON, ON BRANCHWOOD PARK BETWEEN SECOND AND, AND BLOOMFIELD, WHICH WAS A GREAT THING AS A NEWARK FIREMAN. I USED TO WORK OVER ON SUMMER AVENUE, AND I USED TO DRIVE THE FIRETRUCK AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT MANEUVERING THROUGH, THROUGH THERE. SO WHEN YOU GUYS REMOVE THAT PARKING THERE, THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE ON THE MONTLEY APARTMENTS, THEY STARTED PARKING OVER ON OUR SIDE. NOW WE'RE HAVING PHYSICAL INTERACTIONS WITH THE PEOPLE LIVING THERE, MEANING THEY'RE BLOCKING OUR DRIVEWAYS, PHYSICALLY MOVING BARRIERS, DOING THINGS JUST TO, FOR US TO HAVE A PHYSICAL ALTERCATION. AND WE DO NOT WANT THAT. UM, LIKE I SAID, OUR INSURANCE WENT UP, WE LOST A VEHICLE. MY WIFE WAS BADLY HURT. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN. UM, I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN TO MY FAMILY OR TO ANYBODY. MY BLOCK. I HAVE ALREADY ATTENDED MANY MEETINGS THAT HAVE THE SIGNATURES. I HAVE SUBMITTED IT, IT'S BEEN TWO AND A HALF YEARS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS FOR US TO GET THE COUNTY TO HELP CITIZENS DOWN AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. BUT, UM, I'M HERE FOR ANYBODY TO HELP ME OUT ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY SIDE PERHAPS, UM, SO THAT WE COULD GET SOME RESOLUTION DOWN OVER ON LAKE STREET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO WHAT WE CAN DO, SIR, IS WE, I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, IS LAKE STREET A COUNTY ROAD? IT'S NOT. IT'S A, IT IS A TOWN, IT IS A CITY OF NEWARK ROAD. SO I THINK WHAT WE CAN, WE CAN DO, WE, WE CAN CERTAINLY SEND, UH, AN OVERVIEW OF YOUR CONCERNS TO THE ENGINEER ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF NEWARK. WE DON'T DO THOSE ROADS AND THAT COUNTY ROADS PER SE, BUT WE DON'T LIVE IN VACUUMS AND ENGINEERS FROM ALL OF THE TOWNS IN ESSEX COUNTY DO WORK WITH OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. AND MAYBE THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CONCERNS COULD BE RAISED, COULD, UH, INQUIRE IF THERE ARE TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES FOR ONE, UH, AND ANY OTHER MEASURES THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO LAKE. I I, I THINK I HEARD COMMISSIONER RICHARD SAID THERE'S NO, UH, STOP SIGNS OR THINGS OF THAT NATURE. IT, IT PRO IT NEEDS A LOT MORE ANALYSIS THAN I CAN GIVE YOU AT THIS MOMENT. UH, CLEARLY UNDERSTAND. UH, SO WHAT WE COULD DO IS ADAM PERHAPS CAN TAKE YOUR INFORMATION, HE'S IN THE BACK THERE, UH, AND THEN WE CAN JUST, UH, SEND A GENERAL INQUIRY TO THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD SOME CONCERNS, UH, ON THE ROAD. YOU KNOW, ARE YOU, ARE THERE ANY MECHANISM OR ANY PLANS FOR THEM TO DO ANYTHING ON LAKE STREET WITH TRAFFIC, CALMING AND PARKING OR WHATEVER THE, WHATEVER THE ISSUES MAY VERY SPECIFICALLY BE. AND WE CAN CERTAINLY INQUIRE THAT BECAUSE I, I CAN GUARANTEE THAT OUR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTS DON'T LIVE IN DIFFERENT WORLDS. YOU KNOW, THEY, WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER. SO, THANK YOU, SIR. OKAY. THANK YOU SIR. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME FOR PUBLIC TIME? GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MAGGIE FREEMAN, WEAK PARK SPORTS AUTHORITY. UM, I WANTED TO HAND THE COMMISSIONERS, UM, A COPY OF THE, UM, LONG JUMP REQUEST THAT WE CAME AT THE LAST MEETING, KIND OF DISCUSSING WITH THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU'RE MAKING WITH THE TRACK. WE CAN HAND TO ADAM IN JUST A MOMENT. SO YOU, OKAY. SO YEAH, SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE COMING TO ADVOCATE FOR BECAUSE IT'S NEEDED. WE WANNA JUST IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE TRACK, UM, UH, FACILITIES THAT'S AT WEAK WAY PARK AND WE WANTED [01:15:01] TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S NOT JUST UP TO DATE FOR THE, THIS PARK, BUT THAT IT KIND OF MEETS THE, THE, UH, DEMANDS OF THE ENTIRE ESSEX COUNTY SYSTEM. SO WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE YOUTH HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO EXPAND. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU HONOR, ADAM. WE'LL HAVE THAT, HE'LL DISTRIBUTE THAT TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND WE'LL SEND A COPY TO THE ADMINISTRATION AS WELL, ADAM, SO THAT THEY OF COURSE HAVE A COPY AS WELL. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? MR. FREEMAN? I SAY THAT BECAUSE I SEE YOU JUST WALKED IN . HOW DOING GOOD EVENING TODAY. OKAY. UM, MR. FREEMAN WITH GREAT PARK SPORTS AUTHORITY, UM, NINE TWO THOMAS CARMICHAEL DRIVE. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE COMMUNITY FOR THE LONG JUMP PITT. WE DO HAVE A PETITION ON MAGGIE, GABE, A NAME. WHAT WE FOUND OUT IS THE YOUTH ARE REALLY STARTING TO EXCEL WHEN IT COMES TO RECREATIONAL SPORTS AND ATHLETICS SPORTS. WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW IS BECAUSE OF THE COUNTY PARKS, THEY ABLE TO PRACTICE EVEN ON THEIR OWN. UM, YOU HAVE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ARE COMING TO THE TRACKS AND THEY'RE TEACHING THE YOUNGER CHILDREN ON THEIR OWN. WHAT THEY ASKING FOR IS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A FACILITY THAT HAS THE LONG JUMP PERIOD SO THEY CAN START PRACTICING ON THAT TOO. UM, SOME OF THEM WANT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AND SEE IF THEY CAN GO TO THE OLYMPICS OR EVEN WITH COLLEGE, BUT IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE THE ACTUAL EQUIPMENT, HOW DO THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE DOING IT RIGHT? IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE EQUIPMENT? UM, WELLSBURG DO HAVE ONE, AND WE HAVE BEEN GOING UP THERE AND IT'S A GREAT, UM, COMPLEX FOR SPORTS, UH, TO SEE HOW IT HAS TRANSFORMED. WELLSBURG PARK IS AMAZING. WE JUST ASKING THAT YOU CONSIDER ADDING THE LONG JUMP PIT INTO WEAK WAY PARK SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE THE, THE OFFICIAL, UM, TRACKING FIELD IN THAT FACILITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. MR. JACKSON? YEAH, JUST, JUST A COUPLE COMMENTS ON, ON ON SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED. I KNOW WE DON'T NORMALLY DO THIS MS. PRESENT, BUT I JUST QUICKLY, UM, MONTE IRVIN PARK, THE, THE PLAYGROUND. WE LOOKED AT, UH, PLANS AT OUR PARKS MEETING, UH, TUESDAY, UH, TO DO A TOTAL REHAB, NOT EVEN REHAB, A TOTAL REDO OF THE PLAYGROUND. SO THAT'LL BE A TOTALLY NEW EXPANDED, UM, PLAYGROUND WITH, UH, AREAS FOR OLDER KIDS. UM, AND, AND FOR THE YOUNG, REAL YOUNG GUYS TOO, WITH SHADE STRUCTURE. IT, IT'LL BE, I THINK IT'LL BE FANTASTIC. AND ALSO ADDRESSING SOME OF THE NEEDS FOR KIDS WITH, UM, UH, DISABILITY. SO I, I THINK IT'LL BE A, A TREMENDOUS, UH, IT'S GREAT TO ADDITION, UM, AND THE, THE ACCOUNTING EXECUTIVE, UH, AT THE SAME MEETING, INSTRUCTED, UH, DIRECTOR SANTE AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR HARTWICK TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO A, A LONG JUMP PIT AT, UH, WEEK WAKE. GREAT. THAT WAS A GREAT UPDATE. SEE, YOU FOLKS CAME. WE HEARD, WE LISTENED AND NOW THEY'RE WORKING ON IT. SO THANK, WE WANT TO THANK YOU ADMINISTRATION AND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR LOOKING INTO IT. NOW, FOLKS, PLEASE, THIS WON'T HAPPEN TOMORROW. I DON'T WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN IN A DAY. YOU KNOW, THIS TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, BUT, BUT THERE IS TRACTION HERE, UH, FOR MR. JACKSON. AND, UH, IF THERE'S ONE THING ESSEX COUNTY DOES, RIGHT, IT SPARKS. SO CERTAINLY WE DO THAT. THANK YOU MR. JACKSON FOR SHARING THIS STUFF. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD HAVE, UH, ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? OKAY, SEE NONE. WE'RE GONNA CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT TO, UH, COMMISSIONER, COMMENT SESSION. COMMISSIONERS, ANY COMMENTS? YOU DON'T GET FLOWERS TODAY, COMMISSIONER MURRAY LAST WEEK. WE DO THAT ONCE IN A WHILE. WE DON'T DO IT EVERY MEETING. I THINK THAT COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS, THANK YOU. I DID GIVE FLOWERS TODAY IN THE FORM OF BEING ABLE TO CELEBRATE, UH, TWO GROUPS OF YOUNG PEOPLE. UM, ONE THE 13TH AVENUE ELEMENTARY VOICE TEAM WHO ARE STATE CHAMPIONS OR, RIGHT, NOT STATE CHAMPIONS, BUT CITY CHAMPIONS. UM, AND THEY'RE LIKE SIXTH, SEVENTH, AND EIGHTH GRADE. AND JUST BRILLIANT ON AND OFF THE COURT. SO THAT WAS MY FLOWERS, GETTING TO CELEBRATE THEM TODAY AND HEAR THEM SPEAK SO ELOQUENTLY, NOT JUST ABOUT, UH, ATHLETICS, BUT ALSO LIKE ABOUT CHARACTER AND HOW THEY TRY TO CHANGE THEIR COMMUNITY AND THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING, AS WELL AS CELEBRATING THE, UM, SPARKLE MOTION, UH, WOMEN OR WOMEN AND NON-BINARY, NON-BINARY YOUTH, UH, FRISBEE TEAM OF, OF MAPLEWOOD COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL AND SKIN IN THE GAME, WHICH IS AN INTERFAITH ORGANIZATION BETWEEN A JEWISH SYNAGOGUE AND, UH, BETHANY BAPTIST CHURCH HERE IN NEWARK. AND I THINK IT'S, UH, SYNAGOGUE, BENET, AND MONTCLAIR. UH, SO THOSE ARE MY FLOWERS, MR. PRESIDENT. SO ALL GOOD. UM, BEAUTIFUL CELEBRATING THEM. BUT I DID WANT TO, UH, JUST BRIEFLY KIND OF SHARE SOMETHING THAT IS A, A DEEP PASSION OF THIS BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS AND CERTAINLY, UH, COMMISSIONER GILL, WHICH IS THE SAFE ROADS IN TRANSPORTATION LEGISLATION AND INITIATIVES HERE AT THE COUNTY. AND I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE LIFTED UP BY TWO OF THE, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND SEEING HOW THERE COULD BE SOME POTENTIAL SYNERGY AND MAYBE EVEN HOW THE MUNICIPALITIES BOTH IN NORTH WHERE I'M FROM, AND THEN EVEN EAST ORANGE, [01:20:01] COULD LOOK AT SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING HERE IN THE COUNTY TO, TO, UH, POTENTIALLY KIND OF APPLY IT TO THOSE CONTEXTS. UH, BECAUSE THAT IS, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY SAFETY IS REAL AND ROADS ARE DANGEROUS. AND UNFORTUNATELY ESSEX COUNTY, UM, AND NEW JERSEY HAS HAD A LOT OF ISSUES, RIGHT? UH, WHEN IT COMES TO, TO PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AND, UH, COMMUTER SAFETY. AND THERE'S SOME COMMON SENSE LEGISLATION THAT WE CAN DO AND BE SUPPORTIVE. AND, AND THIS COUNTY HAS REALLY ALSO LED THE WAY A NUMBER OF WAYS THERE AS A COUNTY GOVERNMENT. AND THERE'S CERTAINLY WAYS THAT WE COULD COLLABORATE WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING HOW WE CAN EXPLORE THAT. UM, AND I ALSO WANTED TO LIFT UP THE, YOU KNOW, CON CONCERN ABOUT THE SANDPIT, UH, FOR THE TRACK AND FIELD AT WEEK WAY. THAT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT IS DOABLE. AND I DEFINITELY WILL BE FOLLOWING UP WITH, UH, THE OFFICE OF PARKS AND RECREATION JUST TO SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE THERE, WHAT A ROUGH TIMELINE COULD LOOK LIKE, AND HOW WE CAN WORK ON, UM, GETTING THAT DONE. SO THANK YOU AGAIN, UH, TO DOUG AND, AND MAGGIE FOR LIFTING THAT UP. I DID WANNA JUST HIGHLIGHT A FEW, UH, REALLY BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY, UH, EVENTS. I KNOW THIS IS OUR ONE MEETING IN THE MONTH, SO I WANNA CELEBRATE AS MUCH AS WE CAN IN THIS MEETING THAT WE HAVE. UH, JUST LAST WEEK I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND, UH, WELL, MANY OF US, SEVERAL OF US ATTENDED THE FLAG RAISING FOR THE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITY. UH, SO THAT WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL. AND THEN A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT, I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE LAVENDER GRADUATION AND THE QUEER PROM AT, UH, MAPLEWOOD SOUTH ORANGE COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL. AND SO IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL AND SO SHOUT OUT TO THOSE INCREDIBLE YOUNG PEOPLE, THEIR TEACHERS, THE CO-CHAIRS OF SPECTRUM. AND THEN SHANNON, WHO'S ACTUALLY ON THE LGBTQ PLUS ADVISORY BOARD HERE, ESSEX COUNTY, WHO ORGANIZES THAT EVERY YEAR WITH INCREDIBLE HARD WORK AND HARD WORK. ALSO WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE 59TH ANNUAL, UH, CELEBRATION OF GUYANESE INDEPENDENCE DAY AS A PROUD GUYANESE AND AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN. IT WAS REALLY AN HONOR TO CELEBRATE, UH, THOSE INCREDIBLE HONOREES AND THE ANNUAL FLAG RAISING THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE NEWARK CITY HALL. SHOUT OUT TO ALYSSA FOR ALL HER WORK FOR THAT INCREDIBLE, UM, REALLY BEAUTIFUL EVENT THAT DAY. AND ONE OF MY YOUNG PEOPLE, ARI WAS ONE OF THE HONOREES THERE, SO I WAS REALLY PROUD OF HER. SHE'S DOING AMAZING THINGS. UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS CARIBBEAN HERITAGE MONTH. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT TO EVERYONE, PARTICULARLY IN A TIME IN OUR COUNTRY WHERE THERE'S SO MUCH EMPHASIS ON HATE AND DIVISION AND OSTRACIZING PEOPLE BASED ON WHO THEY ARE. IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE CELEBRATE WHO WE ARE AND WE CELEBRATE THE DIFFERENCES THAT MAKE UP ALL OF US. AND SO, WHETHER YOU ARE AN IMMIGRANT YOURSELF OR DESCENDANT OF IMMIGRANTS, OR ALSO LIKE ME, A A DESCENDANT OF PEOPLE WHO, UH, WERE FORCED TO COME HERE WITHOUT CHOICE, UM, KNOW THAT YOUR DIFFERENCE IS YOUR SUPERPOWER. AND I THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT THIS COUNTY ALWAYS MAKES TIME AND SPACE TO CELEBRATE, UH, THE DIFFERENT HERITAGES AND COMMUNITIES THAT MAKE US BE IT THROUGH OUR JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION COMING UP NEXT WEEK, OR EVERY SINGLE ETHNICITY AND CULTURE AND RELIGIOUS MINORITY, WE FIND A WAY TO CELEBRATE THEM HERE. UM, SO CERTAINLY WANNA CELEBRATE CARIBBEAN HERITAGE MONTH, WHICH IS NEAR AND DEAR TO ME. UH, BUT ALL OF THE, UH, DIFFERENCES THAT MAKE US AS A COUNTY AND TO, UH, COUNCILMAN PRESIDENT LARRY CRUMP OF NEWARK FOR PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION TODAY FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WE HONORED FROM 13TH AVENUE BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM. HE WAS THE REASON WHY THEY WERE ABLE TO GET HERE SAFELY. AND SO WE THANK YOU PRESIDENT, UH, CRUMP FOR THAT SUPPORT OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS I SHOULD SAY? I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD, UH, UH, WE UNFORTUNATELY HAD TO RESCHEDULE OUR JEWISH HERITAGE CELEBRATION BECAUSE A VERY CLOSE RELATIVE OF ONE OF THE HONOREES PASSED AWAY THAT DAY. AND WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE, UH, VERY, THE APPROPRIATE THING TO MOURN WITH THEM, UH, AND, AND NOT PROCEED. WE HAVE NOT YET, WE SCHEDULED THAT. UH, BUT WE, WE WILL WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT. I THINK WE NEED A LITTLE BIT OF, OF TIME, UH, FOR THAT HONOREE TO, YOU KNOW, MOURN AND, AND GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE'S AWARE. WE, WE CERTAINLY DIDN'T FORGET WHERE WE'RE MOURNING WITH, UH, WITH THAT PERSON. SO I WILL ASK YOU TO PLEASE KEEP, UH, THOSE FOLKS, UH, IN, IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND IN YOUR HEARTS, UH, AS THEY GO THROUGH A VERY DIFFICULT TIME, UH, WHICH IS SOMETHING NONE OF US WOULD EVER LIKE TO EXPERIENCE. SO, I HATE TO CLOSE ON A SOMBER NOTE, BUT WE WILL, WE WILL COME BACK. AND, UH, IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVE IT A SECOND BY THE PRESIDENT. UH, ALL IN FAVOR? 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.