* 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. [00:00:07] GOOD EVENING. THIS MEETING OF THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS HEREBY CALLED INTO ORDER. THE MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAMED IN ADDITION TO TAKING PLACE HERE IN PERSON. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. COMMISSIONER GILL. HERE. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO. HERE. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. HERE. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. HERE. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL. HERE. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. HERE. COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT EZ HERE. AND LET ME RECOGNIZE, SO THE RECORD, UH, COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS JUST WALKED IN. THANK YOU. PLEASE STAND FOR THE SALU. I'M GONNA ASK VICE PRESIDENT COOPER TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG ON THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS, ONE NATION OF THE GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICES FOR ALL. PLEASE JUST REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN HONOR OF THOSE WHO BE LOST SINCE THE LAST TIME WE CAME TOGETHER. THANK YOU. I HAVE BEFORE ME CERTIFICATION FOR THE DEPUTY CLERK. THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT. LET'S MOVE ON TO TRANSCRIPTS. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, ARE THERE ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO BE APPROVED? NO. MR. PRESIDENT, ARE THERE ANY TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION? NO. MR. PRESIDENT. OKAY. SO LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. TONIGHT'S MEETING, EXCUSE ME. TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A COMBINED CONFERENCE BOARD MEETING. UM, AND IT WOULD, AND WE WILL VOTE ON EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA. SO IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE. STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. THERE WILL BE TIME LATER IN THE EVENING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON ANY OTHER MATTER. SO I ASK YOU, PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS AT THIS TIME TO AGENDA ITEMS ONLY. SEEING NONE. MADAM DEPUTY CLARK, PLEASE LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THERE'S NO ONE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME. SO, LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE OF RESOLUTIONS ON INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING. DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTIONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING? YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE TWO ORDINANCES FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING. OKAY. SO LET'S MOVE TO ORDINANCE NUMBER ONE FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING. IT'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. JACKSON? GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, UH, MR. MOHAM WE'LL, UH, ADDRESS THIS ITEM. GOOD EVENING, MR. MOHAM. IT'S A BIG NIGHT FOR YOU TODAY. YES, IT IS. UH, GOOD EVENING. HASAM MOHAMMAD COUNTY TREASURER. UM, UH, ORDINANCE NUMBER ONE, UH, IT'S TO PROVIDE FOR THE ACQUISITION OF, UM, UH, REAL PROPERTY, UH, AND ASSOCIATED COST, THIS AMOUNT OF $5 MILLION, UH, TO BE AUTHORIZED FOR BONDS AND NODES 4,000,760 AND IS TO PURCHASE THE PROPERTY IN VERONA FOR THE WAREHOUSE. THANK YOU. MR. PARVA, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, NOT A QUESTION ON THE BOND ORDINANCE ITSELF. UM, BUT JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON THE PROPERTY. SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM PRIOR MEETINGS THAT, UH, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PLACE IS FOR, UH, A WAREHOUSE FACILITY OR STORAGE FACILITY SO THAT WE CAN RETIRE SOME RENTAL PROPERTIES WHERE WE'RE PAYING RENT AND BRING THINGS IN HOUSE. SO IT'S ULTIMATELY A SAVINGS IN TERMS OF ANNUAL RENT COSTS. IS THAT CORRECT? UH, THAT THAT'S CORRECT. UH, MR. PAR? YEAH. WE'RE, WE'RE CONSOLIDATING OPERATIONS OF THREE ENTITIES. OUR 35, UM, MLK IN NEWARK, OUR BELLEVILLE FACILITY WHERE WE HAVE VOTING MACHINES AND, UM, THE TRANSPORTATION, UM, UH, ENTITY, WHICH IS NOW IN MAPLEWOOD. SO WHEN WE COMBINE THOSE, UM, THE RENTS THAT WE'LL PAY WILL DEDICATE TO ACQUIRING THIS PROPERTY AND, AND, UH, BUILDING A NEW FACILITY. AND WE SHOULD ACTUALLY COME OUT AHEAD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. PAR BANKER. MR. MCINERNEY, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I KNOW THIS WAS, UH, DISCUSSED QUITE A BIT. SO, DO I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MOVE. MOVED BY COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY COURT. COMMISSIONER GILL? YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SO MOVED. OKAY. THANK YOU. LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE NUMBER TWO, UH, FOR INTRODUCTION AND FIRST READING. IT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. JACKSON, MR. MOHAMAD. UM, GOOD EVENING. MOHAMAD COUNTY TREASURER. UH, ORDINANCE NUMBER TWO IS TO PROVIDE FOR IMPROVEMENT FOR ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE, [00:05:01] UH, APPROPRIATING AMOUNT OF 3,100,000, UH, AUTHORIZING BOUND AND NORTH FOR, UH, 1,000,005 50 AND 1 MILLION. FIVE 50 OF CHAPTER 12 TO BE FUNDED BY THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. AND THE PURPOSE OF THIS, UM, ORDINANCE FOR VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS FOR COUNTY COLLEGE, NO WORK CAMPUS. THANK YOU, MR. PARLOVE. ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. MR. MCINERNEY. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONERS? ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SCENE NONE. DOES SOMEONE MOVE? IT SHALL MOVE. SECOND. MOVED BY MERCADO. SECOND BY MARY THOMAS. ROLL CALL MAD DEPUTY CLERK. AND NUMBER TWO, COMMISSIONER GILL. YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SO MOVED. OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE, UH, NUMBER THREE, WHICH WILL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT LATER TIME. MR. JACKSON. MR. MOHAM. UM, GOOD EVENING. OSA MOHAMMAD COUNTY TREASURER. UM, UH, ORDINANCE NUMBER THREE IS TO AMEND, UH, BOUND ORDINANCE, UH, 25, UH, DASH 0 0 0 2, WHICH WAS, IT WAS ADOPTED, UH, BY THE BOARD ON, UH, FEBRUARY 5TH, 2025 MEETING. AND THIS IS TO INCREASE THE, THE, TO ACTUALLY TO, UH, TO HAVE A DIFFERENT PURPOSE TO DIFFERENT THAN ONE WAS INTENDED ORIGINALLY TO ADD THE ACQUISITION OF MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT. THIS WAS NOT LISTED IN, UH, ORIGINAL ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. AND THERE IS NO ANY FISCAL IMPACT. IT, IT IS NOT ON NEW FUNDS. IT'S JUST, UH, RE-APPROPRIATING FOR THE PURPOSES ONLY. THANK YOU. MR. PARLO. BACK. YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? NOPE. HE JUST ANSWERED IT. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. YES. IT'S JUST A CLARIFICATION OF INCLUDING OTHER ITEMS. MR. MCINERNEY, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS OR ? NUMBER THREE. SEE NONE. SHALL I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE IT? MOTION. SECOND. MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. SECOND BY MERCADO. ROLL CALL MADAM. DEPUTY CLERK NUMBER THREE. COMMISSIONER GI? YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO MOVED. OKAY. LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE OF SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING FOR LISTING PURPOSES ONLY. DO WE HAVE ANY MANY MADAM DEPUTY CLERK? NO. MR. PRESIDENT? WE DO NOT. ALRIGHT. DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCE AND RESOLUTIONS, UH, FOR SECOND READING IN PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT? YES, MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE TWO RESOLUTION NUMBER R 2 25 0 0 3 0 2. AND RESOLUTION NUMBER R 20 25 0 3 3. OKAY, MADAM DEPUTY, LET'S MOVE, UH, OUT OF ORDER TO RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE, AUTHORIZING THE 2025 BUDGET TO BE READ BY TITLE. IS THAT WHAT WE WANNA DO? YES. SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THAT. MR. JACKSON. UH, MR. MUHAMMAD, UH, GOOD EVENING. SAN MOHAMMAD COUNTY TREASURER. UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER ONE IS TO AUTHORIZE, UM, TO READ THE BUDGET BY TITLE ONLY. UH, THE LAW REQUIRED TO, FOR THE BUDGET TO BE READ IN, IN FULL AND THIS RESOLUTION, UH, TO AUTHORIZE US TO ONLY READ IT BY TITLE ONLY. THANK YOU. THAT'S FINE. WHEN YOU'RE READY. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU MR. MOHAMMED. UH, MR. BECK, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS. UH, COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, SIR. MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND. SECOND BY RICHARDSON. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. 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, UH, MOVE BACK TO REOPEN, UH, PUBLIC HEARING. UH, FOR RESOLUTIONS R 2025 DASH 0 3 0 2, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. I HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON RESOLUTION NUMBER R 2025 DASH 0 0 3 0 2 OPEN. IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR AGAINST THIS RESOLUTION, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. SCENE NONE. MR. PARLA VACO. ANY QUESTIONS? UH, NO. THIS IS THE RESOLUTION TO EXCEED THE COUNTY TAX LEVY AND TO ESTABLISH A CA, UH, CAP BANK. OKAY. MR. MCINERNEY, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. OKAY. COMMISSIONERS. SEEING NONE. DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ON RESOLUTION R 20 25 0 0 3 0 2, MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, SECOND BY MERCADO. DO [00:10:01] I HAVE THE SAME MOVE OR SECOND TO MOVE IT? YES. THANK YOU. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. 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. LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS R DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 3 0 3, WHICH, UH, FOR ADOPTION OF THE 2025 ESSEX COUNTY BUDGET, UH, WHICH WOULD BE WRITTEN FOR THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME, I HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON RESOLUTION NUMBER R DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 3 0 3 OPEN. IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR AGAINST THIS RESOLUTION, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE. STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. SEEING NONE, MR. PARLOVE, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, JUST FOR THE RECORD, MR. PRESIDENT, IT'S, THIS IS ADOPTION OF THE 2025 COUNTY OF ESSEX BUDGET. THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION, MR. MCINERNEY. NO COMMENT. COMMISSIONERS, SEE NONE. DO I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING ON RESOLUTION R 2025 DASH 0 0 3 0 3? I'LL MOVE IT. I'LL SECOND MOVE BY SIEBEL, SECOND BY MERCADO. DO I HAVE THE SAME, UH, MOVER AND SECOND FOR APPROVING IT? YES. YES. THANK YOU. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY COOK ON THE RESOLUTION. COMMISSIONER GILL. YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MARIE THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS ABSENT. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO MOVED. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, LET'S, UH, UH, WE'RE GONNA GO OUT OF ORDER FOR A MOMENT. WE'RE GONNA GO TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 58, WHICH IS FROM THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. IT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO ASK COMMISSIONER SEABOLD, WHO WILL SPEAK TO THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, PRESIDENT PALMARIS. I AM REALLY SO HONORED TO SPONSOR THIS RESOLUTION, RECOGNIZING TRANSGENDER DAY OF VISIBILITY IN ESSEX COUNTY. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT OCCASION TO LIFT UP TRANS AND NON-BINARY JOY, HISTORY, ACCEPTANCE, AND RESILIENCE. AS WE HAVE SEEN UNFOLD IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS IN WASHINGTON AND THE LAST FEW YEARS, IN SOME AREAS, THE TRANSGENDER AND NON-BINARY COMMUNITY HAS COME UNDER TERRIBLE ATTACK SIMPLY FOR TRYING TO EXIST AS THEIR MOST AUTHENTIC SELVES. POWERFUL POLITICAL FORCES ARE ATTEMPTING TO ERASE THIS COMMUNITY AND THESE PEOPLE FROM AMERICAN SOCIETY. WE WILL NOT ABANDON OUR TRANS FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND NEIGHBORS. WE WILL ALWAYS STAND WITH THEM IN SOLIDARITY. AND ESSEX COUNTY WILL ALWAYS BE A PLACE OF LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE. TO PARAPHRASE THE FAMOUS HOLOCAUST ERA POEM FROM MARTIN NIE MOLER, FIRST THEY CAME FOR THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY, AND WE SAID, NOT TODAY. I THANK MY COMMISSIONER COLLEAGUES FOR SUPPORTING THIS RESOLUTION. AT THIS POINT, I HAVE JUST A FEW COMMENTS. KATHY, A A HEARN O'BRIEN, WHO'S HEAD OF HY HYEN SPOKE TO ME ABOUT PRESENTING THIS RESOLUTION AND I WAS IN TOTAL AGREEMENT AND I WAS SURE THAT ALL THE COMMISSIONERS ALSO WOULD BE IN AGREEMENT. SO AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THE MICROPHONE OVER TO I HAYES, WHO WAS A BOARD MEMBER AT HIIN AND PROGRAM MANAGER AT PROJECT TEA, AS WELL AS REGGIE BLEDSO, HEAD OF THE ESSEX L-G-B-T-Q ADVISORY BOARD TO SAY A FEW WORDS, IF YOU WILL, COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER THIBO. AT THIS POINT, MR. UH, REGGIE, JUST ONE MOMENT. I INADVERTENTLY SKIPPED OVER A STATEMENT THAT THE CLERK NEEDS TO READ THAT'S RELATED TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ON RESOLUTION R DASH 2025 DASH 0 3 0 3. LEMME JUST HAVE THE DEPUTY CLERK READ THE STATEMENT FOR THE BUDGET, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA COME RIGHT BACK TO YOU THE STATEMENT, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF ESSEX, THAT THE BUDGET HERE AND BEFORE SET FORTH IS HEREBY ADOPTED AND SHALL CONSTITUTE AN APPROPRIATION FOR THE PURPOSES STATED OF THE SUMS THEREIN SET FORTH AS APPROPRIATIONS AND AUTHORIZATION OF THE AMOUNT OF $460,435,000. [00:15:03] FOR COUNTY PURPOSES, THIS IS THE COMPLETION OF THE STATEMENT. THANK YOU, MADAM DEPUTY CLERK. MY APOLOGIES, I GOT THE STINK FROM LEGAL ON THAT, SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE GOT THAT. SO, REGGIE, PLEASE COME ON TO THE MICROPHONE. UH, GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I'LL BE REALLY, REALLY BRIEF, UM, AS AN ALLY IN SUPPORTER OF THE TRANS COMMUNITY, UH, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING. UH, YOU'RE SETTING A TONE, UH, FOR THE REST OF THE STATE AND THE REST OF THIS COUNTRY. UH, RIGHT NOW WE SEE THAT THE TRANS AND GENDER DIVERSE COMMUNITY AND NON-BINARY COMMUNITY IS A TREMENDOUSLY UNDER ATTACK. AND WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING TODAY, UH, IS STEPPING UP. YOU'RE STEPPING UP AND YOU ARE PRESENTING YOURSELVES TO BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY. AND FOR ME, I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WORK AND LIVE IN A COUNTY, UH, THAT PUTS THEIR MOUTH, UH, PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS, AND WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY EACH AND EVERY DAY THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, UH, TO ADVOCATE FOR INCLUSIVITY, TO ADVOCATE FOR WHAT'S RIGHT AND TO ADVOCATE AND GIVE INDIVIDUALS OFTENTIMES IN GOVERNMENT THAT WILL NOT HAVE A VOICE, A VOICE. UH, SO AGAIN, UH, THROUGH YOU ALL AND THE TONE THAT WE'RE SETTING HERE IN THIS COUNTY, OF COURSE, THROUGH JOE'S LEADERSHIP, UH, WE'RE DOING WHAT IS RIGHT AND WE'RE ALSO LEADING THE WAY EACH AND EVERY DAY. I LIKE TO SAY TO FOLKS EVERY DAY THAT WE MAY HAVE NOT BEEN THE FIRST OFFICE OF L-G-B-T-Q AFFAIRS, BUT WE'RE THE BEST EACH AND EVERY DAY. WE'RE, WE'RE PUSHING THE ENVELOPE, WE'RE PUSHING THE MESSAGE THAT EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN PUTTING ESSEX COUNTY FIRST HAVE A PLACE AT THE TABLE. AND AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA PRESENT TO YOU ALL OUR BOARD MEMBER IMANI HAYES, UH, SHE'S A VERY ACTIVE MEMBER IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING OUR PART TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR GENDER DIVERSE AND TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY IS A PART OF THE CONVERSATION. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, DIRECTOR. AND I'M SURE I SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE BOARD WHEN I SAY WE'RE BEHIND YOU A HUNDRED PERCENT, AND YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ABOUT THE QUALITY OF YOUR DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MA'AM. GOOD EVENING. UM, GOOD EVENING. UM, BOARD, ESPECIALLY OUR COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONERS. UM, I'M IMANI HAYES. THANK YOU. UM, I WORK AT N-J-C-R-I. UM, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT DAY. UM, I'M REALLY WAS OBLIVIOUS THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN CELEBRATE TRANS DAY OF VISIBILITY. I'VE HAD LIKE THREE EVENTS FOR LIKE THE LAST PAST THREE YEARS WITH, UM, RUTGERS, UM, UNIVERSITY TO CELEBRATE THIS DAY AND TO KNOW THAT ESSEX COUNTY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE IT, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING FOR IT. UM, SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR, YOU KNOW, THIS BEING ON THE AGENDA ALSO. UM, HOPEFULLY ONE DAY NEXT WE'LL PUT TRANS DAY OF REMEMBRANCE ON THERE AS WELL. UM, IT'S SAD THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION THAT WE ONLY REPRESENT 1% OF THE COMMUNITY, I MEAN, OF THE POPULATION. AND WE'RE UNDER ATTACK. UM, WE'RE HUMAN, WE BELIEVE JUST LIKE YOU DO. SO WE JUST, YOU JUST WANT OUR PLACE. SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AND WHAT YOU CONTINUE TO DO. AND WE THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE TODAY AND FOR SPEAKING OUT. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER SIEBEL. IS ANYONE ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO INVITE TO COME TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? I THINK ONLY THE TWO PEOPLE WE SPOKE. I DON'T SEE KATHY, IS SHE HERE? OH, AND KATHY O UH, UH, O'BRIEN ALSO. YES. 'CAUSE I, I THINK I TRAVELED UP HERE WITH THIS. I DIDN'T SEE HER IN THE ELEVATOR WITH HER, BUT I DIDN'T SEE HER FROM HERE. COME ON UP. KATHY, PLEASE JUST LOWER THE MICROPHONE A LITTLE BIT AND SHARE A FEW WORDS. PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND AFFILIATION. SURE. KATHY ARON O'BRIEN. I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT HIAS AND DATES FOUNDATION, AND I'M CO-CHAIR OF THE ESSEX COUNTY L-G-B-T-Q ADVISORY BOARD. SO I WANNA, AS REGGIE AND AMANI BOTH SAID, I WANNA THANK ALL OF THE COMMISSIONERS FOR THE SUPPORT OF, UM, THE WHOLE L-G-B-T-Q COMMUNITIES, BUT PARTICULARLY THE TRANSGENDER NON-BINARY COMMUNITIES WHO REALLY ARE FACING SUCH AN UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK THESE DAYS. AND, YOU KNOW, AT OUR MEETING ON MONDAY NIGHT, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW ALL OF US NEED TO STAND UP FOR THE TRANS COMMUNITY AND THAT OUR, THE REST OF THE LGB IN THAT, IN THAT ANALOG NEED TO STAND FIRM AND NOT THROW ANYBODY UNDER THE BUS. AND SO THE SUPPORT THAT YOU ALL SHOW IS REALLY MEANINGFUL AND, AND WE APPRECIATE IT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. AND I KNOW YOU'RE NO STRANGER TO THIS BOARD. I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN HERE QUITE A BIT AND I BELIEVE HONORED AS WELL. SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD. UH, AT THIS TIME, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, UH, HAVE ANYONE ELSE SPEAK OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOU AND THE COMMISSIONER? I JUST WANT, WOULD LIKE TO THANK KATHY FOR ALL THAT SHE DOES. SURE. SHE DOES A WONDERFUL JOB. AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE SOMEONE LIKE KATHY WORKING FOR A GOOD PORTION OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE'LL DO A PHOTO IN JUST A MINUTE WITH THE PROCLAMATION, BUT I KNOW COMMISSIONER MERCADO WANTS TO SHARE SOMETHING. YES. I JUST WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ONE, UM, THANK KATHY FOR HER LEADERSHIP IN THE ADVISORY BOARD. UM, [00:20:01] REGINALD, HIS LEADERSHIP IN LEADING HIS OFFICE, UM, AND THIS ISSUE IS IMPORTANT TO THEM, IS IMPORTANT TO US. AND, UM, WE ARE, UH, A PARTNER IN THIS AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THEM BOTH FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP. UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. UM, TO, UH, DIRECTOR BLEDSO TO KATHY, UM, TO ISIS. UM, I'M THINKING OF SHANNON TOO, WHO I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF HONORING WITH ISIS THIS PAST NOVEMBER, ALTHOUGH IT WAS TECHNICALLY DECEMBER. 'CAUSE NOVEMBER ENDED UP BEING CRAZY WITH THE, THE HOLIDAYS. BUT IN CELEBRATION OF TRANS AWARENESS MONTH, UM, I JUST WANNA, FIRST OF ALL, CONGRATULATE OF COURSE TO MY COMMISSIONER, UH, COLLEAGUE BOL FOR THIS WORK. SS COUNTY, UM, HAS LONG BEEN A SUPPORTER OF MAKING SURE THAT WE CELEBRATE THE BEAUTY OF ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE UP OUR TOWNS AND OUR COUNTY. AND THAT LOOKS LIKE TRANS FOLKS, THAT LOOKS LIKE QUEER FOLKS, THAT LOOKS LIKE PEOPLE OF ALL RACES, COLORS, GENDERS, SEXUALITIES. AND SO WHAT A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO MARK THIS DAY IN HISTORY, TO CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT A, A GROUP OF PEOPLE, TRANS PEOPLE, NON-BINARY PEOPLE WHO REPRESENT 1% OF THE POPULATION YET ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY ATTACKED THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY, THROUGH LEGISLATION, THROUGH RHETORIC, UH, GET THEIR VISIBILITY, NOT JUST ON DAYS LIKE TODAY, BUT ALWAYS, AND, AND BY RECOGNIZING THEIR HUMANITY. AND SO, CONGRATULATIONS. WELL RATHER THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY DAY, REGARDLESS OF THE RECOGNITIONS. UH, AND THEN OF COURSE, I'M, I'M PROUD OF THE BOARD FOR STANDING IN SOLIDARITY AND FOR DOING THE WORK AND SUPPORTING, UH, FOLKS LIKE DIRECTOR BLEDSOE, ISIS, KATHY, AND THE LIKE TO PROTECT AND, UH, CREATE SPACE FOR, FOR ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR COUNTY. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO THANK MR. BLEDSO AND THE BOARD FOR ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY DO AND FOR LEADING THE CHARGE HERE IN THE COUNTY. I ALSO WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER SIBO FOR BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD AND TO OUR ATTENTION SO THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE. AND I ALSO WANTED TO ASK, IS IT OKAY FOR ME TO JOIN IN WITH YOU WITH, UM, BRINGING THIS RESOLUTION FORWARD TO THE BOARD? IF WE CAN HAVE IT BY ACCLIMATION ACCLIMATION. IF THE WILL OF THE BOARD IS BY ACCLIMATION COMMISSIONER SIBO, WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER AB? ABSOLUTELY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. ONE, DON'T, UH, I THINK WE HAVE A PHOTOGRAPHER HERE IS DYING TO TAKE PICTURES. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ONE LAST THING. OF COURSE. SAY ONE MORE LAST THING. I HAVE ONE MORE LAST THING TO SAY. I WAS BROUGHT UP IN A FAMILY THAT BELIEVED STRONGLY THAT WE SHOULD ACCEPT ALL PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT THOSE PEOPLE BELIEVED, NO MATTER WHO THEY WERE, NO MATTER WHAT THEY STOOD FOR. SO I AM REALLY PLEASED THAT I COULD BE HERE TONIGHT SPONSORING THIS IMPORTANT RESOLUTION, RECOGNIZING AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SOCIETY. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU KATHY FOR ALL THAT YOU DO WITH THE ORGANIZATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. THAT'S YOUR LAST, LAST STATEMENT. THAT'S MY LAST STATEMENT. MY LAST STATEMENT. ALRIGHT. WELL, CAN WE HAVE THE SPEAKERS WHO, UH, SPOKE A LITTLE WHILE AGO? THE THREE OF YOU COME ON UP HERE. COMMISSIONERS, WHY DON'T WE LINE UP HERE, WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE AND THEN WE'LL GET BACK TO OUR BUSINESS HERE. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THAT. THAT'S, THAT'S OKAY. NOT A BIG DEAL. WAIT, WAIT. [00:25:03] LITTLE CHOPPY. YEAH, IT'S OKAY. I CAN STAND. YEAH, RIGHT HERE. YEAH. ALRIGHT, MADAM. DEPUTY CLERK AS, UH, LET'S MOVE ON A LITTLE BIT OUT OF ORDER AGAIN TO RESOLUTION 20. AND ADD IS STARTED IS 62, 63, AND 64, WHICH ARE FROM THE OFFICE OF COUNTY COUNSEL. AND THEY CAN BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LIMITED TIME. MR. JACKSON, I BELIEVE. YEAH. UH, YOU HAVE HERE TODAY SPEAK MR. YEAH. MR. ST. JOHN WILL HANDLE THESE. MR. ST. JOHN? OH YES. BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE DIDN'T ACTUALLY VOTE ON THAT LAST ONE, WHICH I THINK IS KIND OF A NO BRAINER, BUT COMMISSIONER S'S GONNA MOVE IT. SECOND. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. ALL IN FAVOR FOR NUMBER 58? AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. AYE. GOOD TO SEE YOU, SIR. HOW ARE YOU DOING BOTH. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT JEROME, ST. JOHN COUNTY COUNCIL, I HAVE FOUR MATTERS. TWO, UH, PLEASE TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HAVE SETTLED WITH, WITH TWO, UH, UNION LOCALS. UH, THE SETTLEMENTS ARE, UH, SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME. THEY ARE FOR FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, 2% FIRST YEAR, 2% IN THE SECOND YEAR, THEN THREE, THREE AND THREE. AND, UH, UH, THOSE ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET. I HAVE TWO MORE MATTERS. ONE FOR A COUNCIL TO REPRESENT, UH, ESSEX COUNTY DIRECTLY. THAT WOULD BE NUMBER, UH, 63. AND NUMBER 62 IS THE COUNCIL THAT REPRESENTS THE CIVILIAN TASK FORCE. UH, AND THAT FIRM IS MCC UH, THE CONTRACT FOR MCCARTER IN ENGLISH REPRESENTING THE CIVILIAN TASK FORCE, UH, IS EXACTLY THE SAME CONTRACT THAT WE HAD FROM LAST YEAR, CARRYING IT OVER TO THIS YEAR. UH, THE, UH, THE OTHER, UH, PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT'S FOR A NEW MATTER AND A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE COUNTY OF ES OF ESSEX. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AT ANY FOUR OF THESE MATTERS. THANK YOU MR. PARLOVE. YEAH. UH, JEROME, JUST FOR ORIENTATION, UH, OF THE AGENDA PURPOSES, NUMBER 20 IS THE MOA BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND CWA LOCAL 10 81. THAT'S THE FIRST OF THE TWO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, RIGHT? WHERE IT'S FIVE YEARS, FIRST TWO YEARS ARE AT 2%, AND THE FINAL THREE YEARS ARE EACH 3% CORRECT? COR CORRECT. AND SAME FOR NUMBER 64, WHICH IS AN MOA, UH, BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICERS, UH, NEW JERSEY, PBA SUPERIOR OFFICE OFFICERS LOCAL, UH, 180 3 A. UM, AND SAME, SAME, UH, TERMS, UH, THE, THE DIFFERENCE BEING MR. DIFFERENCE BEING MR. FATHER THE FIRST YEAR, UH, IN THE 2024. UH, IT WILL ONLY BE ACCORDING TO THE GUIDE, THERE WILL BE NO RETROACTIVE PAYMENTS IN LIE THEREOF. WE'VE, WE HAVE, UH, GIVEN THEM ADDITIONAL EDUCATION INCENTIVES, BUT IT, BUT THE MATH WORKS OUT TO BE EXACTLY 2, 2, 3, 3, 3. OKAY. AND THAT WAS A NEGO, OBVIOUSLY A NEGOTIATED, UH, TERM? THAT'S CORRECT. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. PAR BECKER. MR. MCINERNEY, ANY QUESTIONS ON 20? I DON'T ANY QUESTION. I JUST WANT TO ASK THE ADMINISTRATION IF WE CAN GET AN UPDATE ON WHAT CONTRACTS, UM, UP TO THE END OF 24, IF ANY, HAVE, HAVE NOT BEEN SETTLED? SURE. OKAY. THANK YOU MR. MCINERNEY. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I JUST HAVE A QUICK COMMENT. I WANT TO COMMEND THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CONTINUING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SETTLING THIS UNION CON. I LOOK FORWARD TO US GETTING TO HAVING ALL OF THEM DONE. UM, SIX. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE ALMOST COMPLETED. YES. I WANT TO THANK OUR, OUR DIRECTOR OF LABOR AND RELATIONS LABORING ORDER IN THESE MATTERS, AND SHE SHOULD BE CONGRATULATED AND OUR OUTSIDE COUNSEL AS WELL. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER GIL? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. UH, ECHO THE COMMENTS OF, UH, MY COLLEAGUES ON 63 AND 64. SO, UM, GREAT WORK AND THANK YOU FOR THAT ON, UM, 62. UM, ALSO WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CONTINUING, UH, TO FUND, UH, THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CIVILIAN TASK FORCE. UM, HOWEVER, UM, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, WOULD REQUEST THAT MAYBE WE COULD ARRANGE, [00:30:01] UH, FOR, UM, EITHER MR. UH, RIS AND OR, UM, THE CHAIR OF THE, UM, OF THAT TASK FORCE TO GIVE US AN UPDATE AT A, AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO THE FULL BOARD. UM, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE'RE FUNDING, UM, THE ACTIVITY, BUT IN LIGHT OF WHAT'S GOING ON NATIONALLY. UM, AND, UM, QUITE A FEW THINGS HAVE CHANGED SINCE WE CREATED, UM, THIS, UH, CIVILIAN TASK FORCE, OR SINCE WE WORKED AS A BOARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD IT. QUITE A FEW ISSUES ARE NOT THE SAME. UH, WHAT TO, IN TERMS OF WHAT THE ORIGINAL GENESIS OF THIS TASK FORCE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE. SO, WOULD LOVE TO, UM, UH, MAYBE DO THAT AS A FULL COMMITTEE. I KNOW WE COULD DO IT THROUGH SUBCOMMITTEE, BUT I WOULD ACTUALLY SUGGEST FOR CONSIDERATION THAT, UH, WE ASK THEM TO MAYBE GIVE US, UH, A QUICK UPDATE, UH, AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA. MR. JACKSON. WE'RE AMENABLE TO, UH, THROUGH COMMITTEE, OUR COMMITTEE TO ARRANGE A TIME THAT WE CAN COME TOGETHER AND GET AN UPDATE. ABSOLUTELY, MR. HONOR. OKAY. UH, THANK YOU MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, PLEASE FOLLOW UP WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND A WEDNESDAY, PREFERABLY, UH, WEDNESDAY THAT WE DON'T HAVE, UH, SOMETHING GOING ON HERE AS FOR OUR COMMITTEE UPDATE, UH, ON THAT. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU. SEE NANDO. ASK SOMEONE, SOMEONE TO MOVE. SO MOVE, UH, MOVED BY MERCADO. SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. UH, ROLL CALL. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK ON NUMBER 2062. 63 64. COMMISSIONER GILL. YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MARIE THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO MOVED. THANK YOU. MR. UH, MR. PRESIDENT, DO YOU WANT ME TO GO INTO MY OPERATION NOW OR SHOULD I WAIT TILL NEXT MEETING? LET'S WAIT TILL THE NEXT MEETING. OKAY. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. GLAD YOU'RE WELL. THANK YOU. JEROME GOT JOKES. WHO ARE YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. THAT MEAN, UH, MR. ST. JOHN CAN LEAVE EARLY. HE'S NOT LISTENING. YOU GOTTA WE'RE GONNA LET HIM HOBBLE OUT TODAY. LITTLE HERE. HE DIDN'T HEAR YOU. HE DIDN'T HEAR YOU? YES. SURPRISED HE'S IN SO SOON. HIM, HIM AND, UH, A GOOD FRIEND IN THE BACK, BACK THEN? MM-HMM . . HE WAS SO BUSY TALKING. HE DIDN'T. ALL RIGHT. LET'S, UH, LET'S GO BACK TO RESOLUTION TO THIS IN ORDER, WHICH IS FROM THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS. WE'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. JACKSON, UH, MR. FRANZI, UH, WILL HANDLE THE ITEM. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. UM, I'M HERE, UH, TONIGHT. UH, NO, INC IS A SERVICE PROVIDER. OH, I'M PETE FRANZI, A DEPUTY CLERK OF THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS. I'M SORRY. DID, UM, HERE TONIGHT WHERE NO INC. IS THE SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE BO OE. THEY ARE OUR ONSITE, UH, UH, ELECTION, UH, WORKERS HERE THAT, UH, ARE IN OUR OFFICE, OUR BOE OFFICE DURING ELECTIONS, AND AROUND ESS COUNTY ON ELECTION DAY TO PROVIDE REAL TIME REPORTING ON POLL PAD CONNECTIVITY AND TO TROUBLESHOOT ANY POLLING LOCATIONS. THEIR SERVICE ALLOWS FOR COMMUNICATION TO POLL WORKERS, REAL TIME REPORTING ON VOTERS, BALLOT, CAST, PROVISIONAL BALLOTS, CAST, AND OTHER INFORMATION NEEDED BY THE OUR OFFICE ON ELECTION DAY. NO LINK. ALONG WITH, UH, THE BOARD OF, UH, OF ELECTION ALSO PROVIDES TRAINING TO OUR 2000 PLUS POLL WORKERS ACROSS ESS COUNTY. AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE DAN PETERS, SENIOR MANAGER OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, AND CORY WAGNER, NEW JERSEY, ACCOUNT MANAGER FROM NO, INC, TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. OKAY. THANK YOU. MR. PARLOVE HERE. DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T. MR. MACON, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DON HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? NO. OKAY. COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON NUMBER TWO? OKAY. JUST BECAUSE IT'S ELECTION RELATED, I MAKING A POINT TO ASK THE VENDORS TO COME IN JUST IN CASE, EVEN THOUGH THEY'VE BEEN VETTED, JUST IN CASE ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS. MM-HMM . DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION, MARY? I I, YES, PLEASE. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. AND THIS IS ACTUALLY NOT EXPLICITLY RELATED TO THE, THIS PARTICULAR VENDOR, BUT OUTTA CURIOSITY, THERE'S, UM, A BIG PUSH AROUND, PARTICULARLY IN NEWARK. WE JUST PASSED AN ORDINANCE TO GIVE YOUNG PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS AT 16. UM, SO FAR WE'VE REGISTERED OVER THE 2000 YOUNG PEOPLE, UH, UNDER JUST THESE PAST, UH, SIX OR SO MONTHS IN PREPARATION FOR THE ELECTIONS, WHICH IS VERY EXCITING. BUT THERE'S BEEN SOME CONVERSATION AROUND WHEN IT COMES TO THE ACTUAL EXIT POLLS TO SEE WHO VOTED BASED DEMOGRAPHICALLY, RIGHT. DID 16 YEAR OLDS VOTE? DID 17-YEAR-OLD VOTES? UH, NOTORIOUSLY IN, THERE'S BEEN SOME LIKE COMMENTS AROUND, WELL, HOW DO WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHO'S VOTING? BECAUSE SOMETIMES THOSE NUMBERS ARE DIFFICULT TO FIND. WOULD YOU ALL KNOW, OR SOMEONE FROM THE, THE BOARD OF, UH, BOARD OF ELECTIONS COULD SPEAK TO WHO'S KIND OF, WHO OVERSEES EXIT POLLS OR LIKE DATA AROUND THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF WHO VOTES [00:35:01] BASED OFF AGE, ET CETERA. I KNOW THIS MAY BE OUT OF YOUR PURVIEW, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE IT CAME UP IN A MEETING RECENTLY. HI, GOOD EVENING AGAIN. DAN PETERS, UH, WITH NO INC I CANNOT SPEAK TO THE EXIT POLLING MM-HMM . THE PEOPLE WHO STAND OUTSIDE THE POLLS AND ASK THE SURVEY QUESTIONS. MM-HMM . UM, I CAN SPEAK TO OUR SYSTEM'S ABILITY TO RUN REPORTS BACK AT THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS AT ANY TIME THROUGHOUT THE DAY THAT CAN ACCURATELY SHOW PE THE DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS AND WHEN THEY DID CHECK IN. SO AGAIN, CAN'T SPEAK TO THE TRADITIONAL EXIT POINT. OKAY. BUT THE REPORTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE ELECTION DAY, THROUGHOUT EARLY VOTING, THAT MIANA ANYTIME CAN SHOW, UM, AGE-BASED DEMOGRAPHICS AS LONG AS, UH, THAT THOSE DATA POINTS ARE PROVIDED. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND SO TO THE LATTER POINT THEN, THE POINT THAT YOU GUYS, UH, IN YOUR COMPANY OVERSEE, HOW WOULD ONE, LIKE A EVERYDAY KIND OF CONSTITUENT GO ABOUT GETTING THAT INFORMATION? AND THEN SECONDLY, IS THAT SOMETHING TYPICALLY, UH, THAT YOU GUYS GENERALLY REPORT OUT OR DO YOU ONLY REPORT IT OUT BASED OFF REQUEST? SO WITH OUR SYSTEM, UM, IT'S NOT EVEN A REQUEST TO OUR COMPANY. IT'S ACTUALLY BE REQUEST TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS OR THE SUPERINTENDENT OF ELECTIONS. MM-HMM . DEPENDING ON OKAY. YEAH. IT'S, UH, WHERE THE DATA COMES FROM. UM, GENERAL PUBLIC, AGAIN, I CAN'T SPEAK TO YOUR PROCESSES HERE, BUT TYPICALLY NATIONWIDE, IT'S A TYPE OF FOIA REQUEST OR GOING IN AND GENERAL RECORDS REQUEST. SO THAT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE ON THE FLY BY THE OFFICE WITHOUT HAVING TO REACH OUT TO US AS A VENDOR FOR THOSE TYPE OF VOTING STATISTICS. GREAT. AWESOME. THANK YOU. SO I'LL JUST BE SURE TO SHARE THAT WITH SOME COMMUNITY FOLKS WHO LIFTED IT UP. SO THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH. OKAY. COMMISSIONERS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER MURRAY? THOMAS, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE NUMBER TWO? SURE. CERTAINLY. THANK YOU BOTH. I'LL SECOND MURRAY THOMAS. SECOND BY MERCADO. ROLL CALL MADAM. DEPUTY CLERK NUMBER TWO. COMMISSIONER GILL. YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO MOVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. YOU AS WELL. THANK YOU. LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS THREE AND FOUR, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION. THEY'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU MR. TRIC. MR. PRESIDENT. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REHABILITATION DIVISION OF THE HOSPITAL CENTER. THIS IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO PRODUCT PRODUCTS UNLIMITED INC. TO SOLE RESPONSIBLE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER TO FURNISH AND DELIVER PATIENT UNIT VITAL ASSIGNED MONITORING EQUIPMENT. IT'S A ONE YEAR CONTRACT FROM DATE OF AWARD AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $76,007 AND 68 CENTS. NUMBER FOUR IS THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AGAIN, OFFICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORIZATION FOR THE COUNTY TO OF ESSEX TO APPLY FOR A LOCAL EFFICIENCY ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM, LEAP, UH, SHARED SERVICE COORDINATING GRANT. THANK YOU MR. PARLOVE. ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS ON THREE AND FOUR? SCENE? NONE. SO I'M GONNA MOVE IT. MOTION MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, SECOND BY MERCADO. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. 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 MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS FIVE THROUGH 14, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS. THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON'S FAVORITE GUYS UP. IT'S RIGHT. . JOSHUA'S EIGHT COUNTY PARKS. I'M NOT THE ENTIRE BOARD'S FAVORITE GUY. JUST COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON . I'LL MOVE IT. , UH, NUMBER FIVE IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO SUNNY ELECTRIC, LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDER, UH, TO PROVIDE, UH, OUTDOOR ATHLETIC GAME FIELD LIGHTING, SCOREBOARDS, SPECIAL PLAYGROUND LIGHTING RELATED CONTROL PANELS, AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $619,144 AND 80 CENTS. WE DO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE COMPANY HERE IN CASE THE BOARD HAS ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS. GREAT. COME ON UP. PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND WHAT YOU PROPOSE TO DO. YEP, I'M GOOD EVENING. MY NAME'S RAVI RAMINE FROM SUNNY ELECTRIC. UM, WE'RE ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR. WE CURRENTLY HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THE ESSEX COUNTY RIGHT NOW, AND WE PROVIDE ELECTRICAL SERVICE TO ESSAS COUNTY. OKAY. MR. BECKER, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? UH, NO. MR. KINER? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YEAH. WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED? UM, IN CARNEY. DO YOU EMPLOY ANY ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENCE? YEAH, CURRENTLY FIVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY, YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK. [00:40:01] THANK YOU. JOSHUA. ZA ESSEX COUNTY PARKS NUMBER SIX IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO GSP PROPERTY FOR CARPENTRY SERVICES. UH, CONTRACT EXTENSION AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $715,985. UH, AS STATED, THIS IS FOR CARPENTRY WORK THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PARK. SYSTEM. NUMBER SEVEN, A CONTRACT AWARD TO THE FOUR LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDERS FOR REPAIR SERVICES FOR ESSEX COUNTY PARK'S OWNED VEHICLES, TRUCKS, CARS, BUSES, LIGHT AND HEAVY DUTY EQUIPMENT. 24 MONTH CONTRACT NOT TO EXCEED $600,000. AGAIN, THIS IS FOR THE REPAIR OF ANY, UH, CARS, TRUCKS, BUSES, LIGHTS, HEAVY DUTY EQUIPMENT. UH, THERE'S APPROXIMATELY 87 VEHICLES, OR 87 PIECES OF EQUIPMENT IN THE PARK SYSTEM THAT MAKE UP OUR FLEET. NUMBER EIGHT, A CONTRACT AWARD TO KEN BILL POWER FOR THE PURCHASE OF VARIOUS EQUIPMENT S COUNTY GOLF COURSES UNDER THE EDUCATIONAL SERVICE COMMISSION, CO-OP AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $204,024 AND 33 CENTS. THIS IS TO PURCHASE THREE, UM, HIGH-END MOWERS. UH, ONE FOR EACH FOR THE THREE GOLF COURSES. NUMBER NINE IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO AA BERMS AND GREEN VALLEY LANDSCAPING TO LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDER TO PROVIDE SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL. UH, AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $167,957 AND 12 CENTS. UH, SPECIFICALLY THIS IS FOR TWO ZONES. UH, GREEN VALLEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR WAT SUSSING GLENFIELD, BROOKDALE ANDERSON, CEDAR GROVE PRESBY, AND EAGLE ROCK. AND THEN AA BERMS WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FORSBURG, IVY HILL, ORANGE, AND WEST SIDE. UH, THE CONTRACT WOULD RUN, UM, UNTIL, UH, UH, UNTIL APRIL 5TH. SO IT STARTS UP IN NOVEMBER, RUNS THROUGH APRIL 5TH, AND THEN, UH, AGAIN THE FOLLOWING YEAR. AND IT LINES UP WITH, UH, ANOTHER CONTRACT WE HAVE FOR THE OTHER PARKS. UM, SO THAT THE END THE SAME TIME, MR. PRESIDENT, GO AHEAD. AHEAD, MR. COLTON. UH, DATES ARE MARCH 15TH, 2025 TO APRIL 15TH, 2026. OKAY, NUMBER 11, AUTHORIZATION TO USE YESES COUNTY RECREATION, OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND FOR WHEAT, WAKE PARK MAINTENANCE, GARAGE RENOVATION DESIGN, AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $275,000. THIS IS THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR NUMBER 16 ON THE AGENDA. NUMBER 11, AUTHORIZATIONS USED. YES. COUNTY RECREATION, OPEN TRACE SPACE TRUST FUND TO FUND FENCING IMPROVEMENTS AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $171,000. THIS IS FOR AN EXISTING CONTRACT WITH FOX FENCE. UH, IT'S GONNA BE, UH, FOR ADDITIONAL FENCING FOR FIRE PREVENTION AND SAFETY AT THE ZOO. NUMBER 12, AUTHORIZATION TO USE, YES, COUNTY RECREATION, OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND FOR TREE MAINTENANCE. THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 24,600. THIS IS ALSO FOR AN EXISTING CONTRACT. THIS IS THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR THAT. IT'S TO REMOVE DEAD TREES AT THE ZOO PERIMETER, UH, IN ORDER TO BETTER IMPROVE SAFETY AND EMERGENCY ACCESS. NUMBER 13, AUTHORIZATION TO USE YES, COUNTY RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND, UH, FOR THE LEMUR EXHIBIT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,707,000. 707 TH A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS $974. UH, THIS IS THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR NUMBER 15. UH, RESOLUTION NUMBER 14, AUTHORIZATION TO USE THE ESA COUNTY RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND FOR THE, UH, MONTE IRVIN ORANGE PARK PLAYGROUND ENUM IMPROVEMENTS AMOUNT ACT TO EXCEED 90,000. THIS IS FOR THE DESIGN WORK AND THIS IS FUNDING. UH, ITEM NUMBER 17, UH, MR. COMM, UH, MR. PRESIDENT, I ALSO HAVE, UH, NUMBER 59, I BELIEVE. WELL, I THINK COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON WANTED YOU TO WAIT TILL THE END OF THE MEETING TO PRESENT THAT ONE. WHAT DO YOU THINK, MR. RICHARDSON? NAH, I WILL LET HIM GO. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL LET HIM SLIDE. ALL RIGHT. LET'S ADD NUMBER 59 IN THERE AS WELL. PASS. UH, FINALLY, NUMBER 59 IS AUTHORIZATION TO USE THE RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND TO FUND THE DESIGN SERVICES FOR THE TURTLEBACK ZOO PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENTS AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $98,000. AND THIS IS THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR NUMBER 60. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. ZA. AND I DO DARE SAY THAT. I THINK, UH, MAYBE, MAYBE JUST, MAYBE JUST A LITTLE BIT. COMMISSIONER RICHES IS TURNING, TURNING THE CORNER ABOUT YOUR BEING YOUR ALONE. IT, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK ON MY PART TO GET HIM TO COME AROUND. THANK YOU. IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, MR. PARLA BECKER, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON, LET ME, FOR THE RECORD, JUST CLARIFY, THAT'S, UH, UH, FIVE THROUGH 14 AND NUMBER 59. I, I DO HAVE A QUESTION ON NUMBER SEVEN, MR. ZAS. THAT'S, UH, THE CONTRACT IS AWARDED TO FOUR DIFFERENT, UH, BIDDERS. HOW IS THAT WORK APPORTIONED OR ASSIGNED TO THE, AMONGST THE FOUR, UH, JOSHUA ZSA COUNTY PARKS? THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO A CONTRACT THAT PUBLIC WORKS HAS. IN FACT, UH, PARKS USED TO, UH, PIGGYBACK ON THAT CONTRACT. SO THIS WILL NOW FREE US UP TO HAVE OUR OWN CONTRACT, BUT SPECIFICALLY, UM, ANY OF THOSE BIDDERS, UH, WOULD PROVIDE THE SAME SERVICE AND WE CAN PICK OR CHOOSE DEPENDING ON LOCATION. DEPENDING ON LOCATION. OKAY. GOT IT. MR. KIN, ANY QUESTIONS? YES, [00:45:01] I DO. ON NUMBER SEVEN ALSO, UM, THOSE ARE FIXED DOLLARS. IT SAYS REPAIR, BUT THEN IT GIVES A FIXED DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS AND HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS. DOES THAT, IS THAT ALL INCLUSIVE? LIKE FOR INSTANCE, ONE SAYS $1,500 FOR A LIGHT DUTY TRUCK. WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THAT? IF IT, IT SAYS REPAIR, BUT WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE INCLUDED? UH, JOSHUA IS S COUNTY PARKS. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IT IS A FIXED AMOUNT PER THE VEHICLE. UM, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY GET BACK TO THE BOARD WITH CLARIFICATION. YEAH, I MEAN, IF THE TRANS GOES, I I DOUBT IT WOULD BE $1,500. SO THAT'S WHERE I'M JUST CONFUSED IS YEAH, I, WE'LL CERTAINLY GET BACK TO THE BOARD WITH THE, WITH, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL NOTES. I CAN ASSURE YOU IT WON'T BE $1,500 FOR TRANSMISSION. KNOW THAT'S WHAT THE QUESTION. IF THERE'S SOMETHING I DO KNOW THAT WILL BE IT. COMMISSIONER SAL. THANK YOU. I I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT 10 THROUGH 14 AND 59 WAS ALL DISCUSSED AT THE OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND ADVISORY BOARD MEETING. IT WAS DISCUSSED IN DEPTH BEFORE IT CAME BEFORE YOU TODAY. AND I WOULD ADD THAT AT THE ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS. JOSH DOES A WONDERFUL JOB, SO ALTHOUGH HE DOES A GREAT JOB HERE, HE ALSO DOES A GREAT JOB AT THE OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND ADVISORY BOARD MEETINGS. SO THANK YOU. JOSH, DO YOU MAKE HIM WAIT AT THOSE MEETINGS OR DOES IT GO OFF THE MEETING? WE, WE, WE DO IT ON ZOOM AND WE START PROMPTLY AT THE TIME. SO HE DOES IT FROM HOME PREDICTIVE PRETTY, AND WE GO THROUGH EVERYTHING AND IT'S A GREAT MEETING AND JOSH DOES A GREAT JOB. SO IT IS WITH PLEASURE THAT I MOVE ALL OF IT. . ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONER, HOLD ON. WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU TO MOVE. I THINK COMMISSIONER GILL HAS A QUESTION. I AGREE WITH ALL THAT. UH, JUST A QUICK QUESTION. UM, ON THE, UM, THREE, YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, ON THE PROJECTS THAT ARE SLATED FOR THE, UM, ZOO, ARE, ARE THESE PROJECTS ALL WITHIN THE CURRENT FOOTPRINT OF THE ZOO ITSELF? YES. UH, JOSHUA ZAS COUNTY PARKS, IT IS ALL WITHIN THE CURRENT FOOTPRINT. GREAT. THANK YOU. IF I COULD JUST ADD, WE ADD, WE ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS AT THE ADVISORY BOARD MEETING, WE MAKE SURE. GREAT. GREAT. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT. IT IS MOVED BY COMMISSIONER SEB SECOND. SECOND BY MERCADO. WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK FOR FIVE THROUGH 14 AND NUMBER 59. COMMISSIONER GILL. YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER BOL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO MOVED. THANK YOU MR. ZA. AS ALWAYS. THANK YOU FOR BEING A GOOD SPEAKER. PLEASE DON'T, DON'T LEAVE JUST YET. UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THE LAST MEETING, WE, UH, THERE WAS INFORMATION GIVEN TO US ABOUT THE TRACK GOING AROUND THE LAKE, UH, AND WE PARK COMING UP. I GOT SEVERAL MORE PICTURES THE OTHER DAY. UH, HAS, IS THIS BEING ADDRESSED YET? MR. ZAS? UH, JOSHUA ZAS COUNTY PARKS, WE DO HAVE SOME UPDATES FOR THE BOARD. UM, SPECIFICALLY THE, THE CONTRACTOR HAS BEEN OUT, UH, THAT WAS AS OF, UH, MARCH 31ST. THEY, UH, WALKED THE ENTIRE 2.1 MILE TRAIL ON APRIL 1ST. THEY BEGAN INSTALLATION OF NEW MATERIALS IN THESE AREAS. APRIL 2ND, THEY, UH, COMPLETED THAT WORK. AND THEN, UH, ON THE SEVENTH, UH, THEY RETURNED TO, UH, DO THE SEAL COAT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TRAIL. SO WAS THAT WHAT WAS LACKING BEFORE THAT? THEY HADN'T SEAL COATED THE ENTIRE TRACK? UH, I, I, BY NO MEANS AM A TRACK EXPERT, BUT, UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE, UH, EXPLANATION WAS, IS WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. THAT'S WHY I WAS COMING TO CAR. IT SHOULD BE FINISHED BY NOW. SEEMS LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE DID THAT A LOT SOONER. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE WAITING FOR, BUT I'M GLAD IT'S ADDRESSED THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS. YEAH, I'M SIMILARLY NOT TOO VERSED ON, UH, SEAL COAT AND TRACK MATERIALS, BUT I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT TRACK. 'CAUSE THAT'S WHY I GREW UP IN, THAT'S WHY I'M RUNNING RIGHT NOW TRYING TO TRAIN FOR THIS RACE. AND I KNOW THERE'S ONE PART OF THE PARK WHERE THERE'S JUST, THERE'S THIS TREE THAT WHERE THE ROOTS ARE JUST SO BIG. THERE'S A PART OF THE TRAIL THAT JUST GETS DISRUPTED BECAUSE OF THE TREE. SO I DO, I'M CURIOUS TOO, MAYBE, MAYBE A LATER CONVERSATION, BUT HOW MUCH OF IT IS WITHIN THE CONTROL OF, YOU KNOW, THE VENDORS THAT IS OVERSEEING IT AND THEN HOW MUCH, 'CAUSE IT'S SUCH A, LIKE YOU CAN, WHEN YOU'RE IN THAT PARK, YOU CAN FEEL HOW NATURE NATURALLY BASED IT IS. HOW MUCH OF IT IS ALSO FROM, UM, ASPECTS OF THE ECOSYSTEM THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL. BUT I KNOW THERE'S A BALANCE. THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL. SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE BEING PROACTIVE ABOUT THOSE THINGS THAT ARE WITHIN OUR PURVIEW, EVEN GIVEN SOME OF THE THINGS LIKE TREE TRUNKS THAT ARE KIND OF BEYOND OUR SCOPE TO AN EXTENT. BUT, UH, JOSHUA IS AZA COUNTY PARK. UH, CERTAINLY. UM, IF, UH, THE BOARD OR ITS CONSTITUENTS ARE STILL, UM, EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH THE TRACK, IF YOU COULD LET US KNOW, WE WILL DEFINITELY GET THE CONTRACTOR BACK OUT THERE TO, TO REEVALUATE. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MARCADO? YES, THERE'S A QUESTION FOR JOSH AND, UM, THE, THE STEVE OTTER BOTTLE MIDDLEFIELD [00:50:01] IN, IN BRANCH BROOK, CAN YOU, UM, GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHEN, UM, THE SURFACING OF, OF THE FIELDS, SO SOME OF THOSE FIELDS WERE THE, WERE THE FIRST ONES TO BE SURFACED MM-HMM . SO IT'S BEEN A WHILE. SO, AND, UM, THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH, UM, AND, AND ARE IN NEED OF, UH, RESURFACING, KINDA GET A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, A TIME SCHEDULE OF WHAT, UM, WHEN THEY'RE DUE FOR RESURFACING. UM, NOT ALL OF THEM, BUT AT LEAST THE FIRST ONES. THE ROBERTO CLEMENTE FIELD AND THE LOUIS LOPEZ FIELD AND THE GRECO FIELD. THOSE WERE THE FIRST ONES. AND, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF WEAR AND TEAR AND THEY KIND OF DID SOME PATCH UP WORK OVER THE LAST YEAR OR TWO. BUT IF I CAN GET AN IDEA OF WHEN THAT, IT'S, UM, IT, WHEN THAT'S COMING UP, UM, EITHER THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR. SURE. UH, CERTAINLY JOSHUA COUNTY PARKS, UM, UH, THE MANUFACTURER WILL TELL YOU YOU HAVE, UH, 15 TO 20 YEARS FROM A RUBBER SAFETY SURFACE, BUT IT'S BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE BASED ON USAGE. IT'S MORE LIKE EIGHT TO 12. UM, SO CERTAINLY I'LL, I'LL BRING BACK THOSE COMMENTS AND WE'LL, WE'LL GET YOU A TIMELINE. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. MS. ZA, BEFORE WE LEFT OFF THE HOOK, I WOULD IMAGINE YOU FOLKS ARE SENSITIVE TO IT, BUT CAN WE JUST SCHEDULE, OR CAN YOU HAVE YOUR TEAM SCHEDULE A REVIEW OF THAT TRAIL JUST TO ENSURE THAT WHAT HAPPENED WAS INDEED A FLUKE THING AND THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE LAST NIGHT'S, UH, FROST, IF YOU WILL, DOESN'T TRIGGER A PROBLEM, UM, SINCE IT WAS JUST RECENTLY REDONE. YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T HOW YOU DO THAT, BUT IF YOU CAN JUST HAVE SOMEONE ON THE TEAM JUST PERIODICALLY, YOU KNOW, SO WE CAN STILL HOLD THE VENDOR ACCOUNTABLE IF SOMETHING ELSE SHOULD HAPPEN. UH, THAT WASN'T PART OF THE ORIGINAL SCOPE THAT WAS RECENTLY PREPARED. YEAH, CERTAINLY. MR. PRISON. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT. HE'S OFF THE HOOK NOW, RIGHT? MM-HMM. ALL RIGHT. WE, WE ROUGHED HIM UP A BIT. WE CAN GO HOME EARLY. , DO WE VOTE? THANK YOU. UM, WE HAVE IT MOVED BY. WE DIDN'T VOTE. YEAH, WE, WE, WE MOVED IT BY BOL. SECONDED BY MERCADO. LET'S, UH, CALL THE ROLE MADAM. DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL. YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO. YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS ABSENT. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SO MOVED. THANK YOU. OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE RESOLUTIONS 15 THROUGH 19 AND ALSO NUMBER 60. THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. GOOD EVENING, MR. ANTONIO. UH, GOOD EVENING. DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM NUMBER 15 AWARDS AB CONTRACTING A CONTRACT TO CONSTRUCT THE LEMUR EXHIBIT AT THE TURTLEBACK SEAL IN WEST ORANGE IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 3,707,000 $174. AB CONTRACTING SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE TWO BITS RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY OF ESSEX. AND THIS CONTRACT WILL NOT EXCEED 180 CALENDAR DAYS. THIS PROJECT WILL RENOVATE THE EXISTING SEA LION EXHIBIT TO HOUSE GLEAMS AND CURTISS. THIS ANIMALS WILL HAVE NEW EXTERIOR POOL, CLIMBING TREE STRUCTURES, AND ROCKY CROS. THERE WILL ALSO BE A STAINLESS STEEL NET SYSTEM THAT WILL ENCLOSE THE HABITAT. THE MAIN BUILDING WILL ALSO HAVE A RENOVATED FACADE. MR. ANDREW BEEP OF AB CONTRACTING IS HERE THIS EVENING AND HE WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE. ANDREW, GOOD EVENING. PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND WHAT YOU PROPOSE TO DO. UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME'S ANDREW BUP WITH AB CONTRACTING. UM, THIS IS OUR, UH, THIRD PROJECT AT THE ZOO. UM, UH, LIKE DAVID SAID, IT'S A RENOVATION OF THE, UH, SEA LION EXHIBIT TO CREATE A A, A LEMUR EXHIBIT. UM, IT'S AN EXCITING PROJECT FOR US. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT. UM, I THINK WE'RE GONNA DO A GOOD JOB FOR YOU AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYBODY HAS. THANK YOU. MR. PARLA. VIC, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS MR. MCINERNEY? UM, NO. I JUST, UH, THIS IS BEING FUNDED. UH, ALL BUT A MILLION DOLLARS IS BEING FUNDED OUT, OUT OF OPEN SPACE. THE REST IS COMING OUTTA CAPITAL A MILLION. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YEAH. WHERE'S YOUR COMPANY LOCATED? UM, WE'RE OUT OF, UH, WHARTON, NEW JERSEY, WHICH IS IN MORRIS COUNTY. YOUR UNION OUTFIT? UH, WE'RE IN OPEN SHOP COMPANY. OPEN SHOP. SO HOW DO YOU EMPLOY ANY ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENCE? UM, WE USED TO BE A 50 50 SPLIT, BUT THE OTHER 50% LIVED IN PENNSYLVANIA AND WITH THE SINK HALL, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO COME TO WORK. SO I THINK WE'RE ABOUT A HUNDRED PERCENT RIGHT NOW OF ESSEX COUNTY. YEP. UH, MOST OF OUR PEOPLE LIVE IN BELLEVILLE, NUTLEY, [00:55:01] UM, NEWARK, UH, A FEW PEOPLE IN MONTCLAIR AS WELL, SO THAT'S GOOD. KEEP THE SINKHOLE, , KEEP 'EM OUT HERE. FOR THE RECORD, WE'RE NOT ADVOCATING FOR ST HOLES. IS JUST DOING, WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR PEOPLE FROM MAS COUNTY. I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE MEANT. THAT'S WHAT THE HEART SAYS. RIGHT. COMMISSIONER, I WANNA SEE MORE. ESSEX COUNTY PEOPLE WORK. AGREED. AGREED. GOOD TO SEE THE ESSEX COUNTY. NOT BECAUSE OF SINKHOLES. ALL . THANK. WE'RE TAKING IT ANYWHERE WE CAN GET. COMMISSIONER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? OKAY, YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM NUMBER 16 IS AN AWARD OF CONTRACT TO THE CARA RUBINO ARCHITECT TO PROVIDE THE DESIGN, ENGINEERING, AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES REQUIRED TO PERFORM THE RENOVATION OF THE MAINTENANCE GARAGE AT QUAKE PARK IN NEWARK IN AN AMOUNT THAT TO EXCEED $275,000. UH, THE CARA RUBINO SUBMITTED THE HIGHEST RATED PROPOSAL OF THE THREE THAT WERE RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY. IN RESPONSE TO THE PROJECTS ADVERTISED RFP, UH, THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE THE RENOVATION AND EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING MAINTENANCE GARAGE BUILDING TO ACCOMMODATE COLD WEATHER, MATERIAL STORAGE, VEHICLE AND, AND EQUIPMENT STORAGE, NEW EMPLOYEE BREAK ROOMS, LOCKER ROOMS, OR AMONG SUMMIT IMPROVEMENTS. UH, MS. ALLISON SCHROCK OF THE CARRO RUBINO IS HERE AND SHE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO INTRODUCE HERSELF, A COMPANY, AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS BOARD MAY HAVE. GOOD EVENING. PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY, WHAT YOU PROPOSE TO DO. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT AND COMMISSIONERS, AND THE ENTIRE BOARD. MY NAME IS ALLISON STROKA, PRINCIPAL, THE CARINO ARCHITECTS. UH, WE ARE A FULL ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN FIRM OUT OF PARK, NEW JERSEY. UH, WE HAVE WORKED ON NUMEROUS PROJECTS FOR THE COUNTY, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF, UH, PARKS AND ENGINEERING. WE WORK WITH SANJEEV AND HIS TEAM. THEY'RE FANTASTIC. UH, AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT AND WE DO EMPLOY ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS, INCLUDING MY PARTNER AND FELLOW PRINCIPAL RODERICK WA WATKINS THAT YOU MAY ALSO KNOW AS WELL. THANK YOU MR. PARLOVE. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? NO. NO QUESTIONS. MR. KINER? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS? SEE NONE. YOU'RE OFF HOOK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM NUMBER 17. IT'S AN AWARD OF CONTRACT TO BARRETO DOW TO PROVIDE THE DESIGN, ENGINEERING, AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES REQUIRED TO PERFORM THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PLAYGROUND IN MONTY IRVING ORANGE PARK IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $90,000. BARRETO DOW SUBMITTED THE HIGHEST RATED OF PROPOSAL OF THE SIXTH RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY IN RESPONSE TO THE PROJECT'S ADVERTISED RFP. THIS CONTRACT WILL INCLUDE THE DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING PLAYGROUND LOCATED NEAR THE PORTION OF THE PARK CLOSEST TO THE INTERSECTION OF EAST HIGHLAND AVENUE AND ALLCAT STREET IN ORANGE. THE NEW PLAYGROUND WILL HAVE TWO SEPARATE AREAS FOR CHILDREN. THERE WILL ALSO BE AD ACCESSIBLE CLAY EQUIPMENT, WATER FOUNTAINS, AS WELL AS SHADE STRUCTURES, FENCING, SIGNAGE, LIGHTING AND CEILING AREAS FOR THE PARENTS. ITEM NUMBER 18 AWARDS DCO ENERGY AT THREE YEAR CONTRACT TO PERFORM THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE BUILDING SYSTEMS AND HVAC SYSTEMS OF THE NEW ESSEX COUNTY BY NONA LIPMAN FAMILY COURTS BUILDING IN NEWARK IN AN AMOUNT THAT TO EXCEED $3,198,668. THIS CONTRACT WILL ALLOW FOR TWO STATIONARY ENGINEERS AND TWO MAINTENANCE REPAIRMEN TO BE ASSIGNED TO THE NEW FAMILY COURTS BUILDING TO ENSURE THAT, UH, THE COVERAGE IS AVAILABLE DURING ALL TIMES THAT THE BUILDING IS OPEN. DCO ENERGY SUBMITTED THE SOLE BID RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY OF ESSEX. DCO ENERGY HAS 16 ESSEX COUNTY RESIDENTS OUT OF THE 59 CURRENTLY EMPLOYED BY THE COUNTY OF ASEX THROUGHOUT THE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS. AND 55 OF THESE ARE LOCAL 68 MEMBERS. ITEM NUMBER 19 IS THE EXERCISING OF A TWO YEAR EXTENSION TO THE EXISTING CONTRACT WITH BELL BOLT CAR CARE LLC TO PROVIDE VEHICLE WASHING AND DETAILING SERVICES [01:00:01] AND AMOUNT TO EXCEED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN THE AGGREGATE. THIS CONTRACT EXTENSION DOES NOT INCREASE THE CONTRACTUAL UNIT COST NOR THE TOTAL CONTRACT AMOUNT. AND ITEM NUMBER 60, IT'S IN A WORLD CONTRACT TO PARETO DOW TO PROVIDE THE DESIGN, ENGINEERING, AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES REQUIRED TO PERFORM IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PLAYGROUND OF THE TURTLEBACK ZOO IN AN AMOUNT ELECTRIC EXCEED $98,000. BARRETO DOW TO SUBMITTED THE HIGHEST RATE OF PROPOSAL OF THE SIXTH RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY OF ESSEX. UH, THE DECEMBER PROPOSAL INCLUDES THE REMOVAL OF THE EXISTING PLAYGROUND AND CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW ONE, WHICH WILL HAVE A PREHISTORIC THEME TO IT. IT WILL HAVE TWO SEPARATE AREAS FOR CHILDREN, ONE FOR CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGE OF TWO AND FIVE, AND ONE FOR KIDS BETWEEN THE AGE OF FIVE AND 12. THERE WILL ALSO BE A NEW PLAY EQUIPMENT AS WELL AS SHADE STRUCTURES, FENCING, LIGHTING, AND SITTING AREAS. THANK YOU MR. PARLOVE. ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. MR. MACKIN. ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS? SEE NONE. I SOMEONE TO MOVE 15 THROUGH 19 AND NUMBER 60. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. ROLL CALL. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GIL? YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT PO. YES. SOLE MOVED. OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 21, WHICH IS IN THE OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF TAX STATION. BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. JACKSON, MR. COLTATE, MR. PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE ME FURTHER UNTIL 26. SO, UH, THIS IS THE OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF TAXATION PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE AUDITING AND ACCOUNTING SERVICE, UH, BY SAMUEL KLEIN COMPANY FROM APRIL 12TH, 2025 TO APRIL 11TH, 2026. AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $25,000. THIS WAS AN RFP. WE HAD ONE RESPONDENT. THANK YOU, MR. PAR BECK. ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. MR. MCINERNEY? UH, THIS IS A RECURRING CONTRACT EACH YEAR. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS? DO I HAVE A MOVER? I'LL MOVE IT. MOVE BY SEABOLD. SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK ON 21. COMMISSIONER GILL. YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SO MOVED. MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION 22, WHICH IS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, AND WE'LL BE RUNNING TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. COLTRAN, MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO SO SOFTWARE CORPORATION TO PROVIDE ELECTION NIGHT REPORTING SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT IS EXERCISING A TWO YEAR EXTENSION AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $40,400. THANK YOU, MR. PARLEY. VA. ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTION. MR. MCINERNEY. NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. SEEING NONE OF A MOVER. SO MOVE, MOVE BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. SECOND BY MERCADO. WE WILL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK NUMBER 22. COMMISSIONER GILL. YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SO MOVED. OKAY. MOVING ON TO RESOLUTIONS 23 AND 24, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. COLTRANE, MR. PRESIDENT, THE CONTRACT AWARD TO CHESTNUT RIDGE FOAM TO FURNISH AND DELIVERY DETENTION BUILT-IN PILLOW MATTRESSES TWO YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION. APRIL 12, UH, 13, 20 25 TO APRIL 12TH, 2027. AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $685,720. THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT EXPENDED WAS 4 420 $8,060 AND 71 CENTS. THIS IS OPEN-ENDED AS NEEDED. AND 24. ARE YOU DOING 24 AS WELL? I AM MR. THIS IS ANOTHER DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, THE DIVISION OF POLICE ACADEMY CONTRACT AWARD TO DCO ENERGY TO PROVIDE BUILDING MAINTENANCE SERVICES AT THE ESSEX COUNTY POLICE ACADEMY, EXERCISING A TWO YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $560,714 AND 60 CENTS, UH, EXPENDED. AND THE LAST CONTRACT WAS $503,000. THANK YOU MR. PARLOVE. ANY QUESTIONS IN 23 AND 24? NO QUESTIONS. MR. MCINERNEY. NONE. COMMISSIONERS. SEE NONE. MOVE. I'LL MOVE IT. SECOND. MOVED BY LUCIANO. SECOND BY MERCADO. WE'LL CALL MADAM DE DEPUTY CLERK AT 23 AND 24. COMMISSIONER GILL. YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER [01:05:01] MERCADO? YES. 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 MOVE ON TO NUMBER 25, WHICH IS IN THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR. WE'LL BE READ TO, TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. CO IS A CONTRACT AWARD TO SHI INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION TO PURCHASE CELEBRATE UFD LICENSES UNDER THE BERGEN COUNTY CO-OP AGREEMENT. UH, AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $237,580 AND 90 CENTS. THIS IS FOR FORENSIC LAB CASE MANAGEMENT WITH UNLIMITED STORAGE AND CASE PREVIEW, UH, MOBILE DEVICES FORENSIC TOOL. THIS IS PAID FOR, ADDED THE ESSEX COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S TRUST FUND. MR. PARLO. VAO? NO QUESTION MR. MCIN. NO QUESTION. COMMISSIONERS SEEING NONE OF A MOVER. SO MOVE. MOVED BY MERCADO SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ROLL CALL MATTER. DEPUTY CLERK NUMBER 25. COMMISSIONER GILL. YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY 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. ON 26TH, WHICH IS IN THE OFFICE OF PURCHASING. WE'LL BE RUNNING FOR THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. COLTON, MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS A LEASE EXTENSION FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND IT'S WITH TARA KENNEDY REALTOR, LSE FOR AN EXECUTION PERMITTING THE COUNTY, THE LEASE SPACE AT 1 55 PROSPECT AVENUE WEST ORANGE FROM APRIL 1ST, 2025 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025. AND ON A MONTH TO MONTH BASIS, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2025, AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $72,271 AND 2 CENTS. THIS IS INCLUDING TO THE END OF THE YEAR, ALSO A TOTAL OF SIX MONTH EXTENSION. THANK YOU, MR. PARLA. VAO? NO QUESTION MR. MCINERNEY. NO QUESTION. COMMISSIONERS. SEEING NONE. ANY MOVER. SO MOVE. MOVE BY MERCADO. SECOND. SECOND BY LUCIANO. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK AT 26. COMMISSIONER GILL. YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS. YES. SO MOVED IN THE HOME STRETCH RESOLUTIONS 27 THROUGH 57, 61, AND 65 THROUGH 70. THESE ARE, UM, IN MEMORIAL'S, COMMENDATIONS, PROCLAMATIONS RESOLUTIONS, WHICH WILL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. COMMISSIONERS ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? STERN MOVE BY COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. SECOND BY COMMISSIONER MERCADO. WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. 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. LET'S MOVE ON TO THE REPORT OF BOARD COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONERS, ANY BOARD COMMITTEES? REPORTS? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT. I WANT TO THANK, UM, THE ADMINISTRATION AND OUR STAFF FOR HELPING ME DO THE T AND R COMMITTEE MEETING. UM, THAT ON MARCH 26TH, WE HEARD FROM THE THREE VENDORS WHO, UM, THE COUNTY SELECTED TO DO THE TNR ACTIVITIES AND THIS YEAR WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE THE, UM, ALLOCATION AGAIN THIS YEAR. MR. JACKSON, PLEASE REMIND ME OF THE AMOUNT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO. PLEASE. 200 GRAND. $200,000. SO THAT'S A REALLY GOOD INCREASE AND I WANT TO THANK MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS FOR JOINING IN TO SUPPORT THIS WONDERFUL ACTIVITY IN THE ADMINISTRATION FOR PARTNERING WITH US, REALLY TO . THE GREAT THING THAT CAME OUT OF HAVING AN ADDITIONAL, UM, VENDOR JOIN THIS YEAR WAS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO SERVICE MORE SOME OF THE CITIES, IF YOU RECALL LAST YEAR, SOME CITIES THAT WERE NOT, UM, SHOWING A LOT OF PARTICIPATION. SO WE WERE ABLE TO SEE MORE CITIES PARTICIPATE THIS YEAR COMPARED TO, UM, LAST YEAR. AND THE VENDORS ASKED IF WE WOULD HELP THEM IN MOVING THE MESSAGE ALONG WITH SOME OF THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE KIND OF SLOW WITH JOINING IN BY SENDING OUT FLYERS, REACHING OUT TO THE HEALTH OFFICERS TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TNR UM, ACTIVITIES. I REALLY WANNA, ESPECIALLY THANK MR. JACKSON'S STAFF, MATT AND THE OTHER PERSON FROM YOUR OFFICE HAS BEEN REALLY SUPPORTIVE. JESSICA, JESSICA, I'M GONNA CALL ON MATT IF HE CAN REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF HIS HEAD BECAUSE I DID NOT BRING MY REPORT WITH ME. THE STATISTICS OF THE IMPACT THAT OUR FUNDING IS HAD IS HAD. SO, MR. JACKSON, IF YOU MIND IF I COULD BORROW, UM, MATT, IF YOU COULD JUST, UM, REPORT OUT IF YOU CAN, UM, THE NUMBERS AND [01:10:01] STATISTICS, IF YOU REMEMBER. MR. DOOLEY HAS BECOME A RESIDENT CAT DATA EXPERT. YEAH. YES. . SO, UH, MATT DOULA, OFFICE OF THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. SO, UH, WHAT I DO REMEMBER IS A FEW POINTS THAT, UH, WITH THE DOUBLING OF THE, I THINK BASICALLY DOUBLING THE, UH, MONEY THIS YEAR, WE'RE GONNA BE ON PACE TO, UH, AT LEAST MORE THAN DOUBLE THE CAT SERVICE THIS YEAR, WHICH WE'VE DONE IN 24 COMPARED TO 23. SO OUR PACE HAS BEEN MORE THAN DOUBLING EACH YEAR. AND, UH, WITH THE NUMBER OF BIRTHS PREVENTED, UH, USING THE CALCULATION OF ABOUT FOUR LITTERS PER YEAR AND ABOUT THREE CATS PER LITTER, I BELIEVE IT WAS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD AND MAYBE 6,100 WE PREVENTED LAST YEAR. AND THEN AGAIN, USING THOSE METRICS, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA DOUBLE THAT THIS YEAR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UM, THOSE COMMENTS. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I RECALLED AS WELL. I JUST WASN'T SURE THAT LAST YEAR, BASED UPON THE FUNDING, WE WERE ABLE TO PREVENT 6,000 PREGNANCIES. 'CAUSE CATS CAN GET PREGNANT THREE OR FOUR TIMES A YEAR WITH ON AVERAGE HAVING THREE TO FOUR CATS PER LITTER. SO, UM, WE HAD A GOOD TURNOUT. AND THE COMMUNITY, UH, GROUPS THAT WERE SELECTED ARE DOING TRAINING FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LEARN HOW TO TRACK, UM, FURROW CATS AND BRING THEM IN AS WELL AS THEY HAVE COMMUNITY DAYS WHERE FOLKS COME AND WALK IN. BUT THERE'S FLYERS THAT WE WILL POST AND SHARE FOR PEOPLE TO CALL, TO MAKE APPOINTMENTS TO BRING THEIR CATS IN. THE THREE ORGANIZATIONS I REMEMBER IS THE HUMANE SOCIETY OUT OF NORTH, AND WHERE THE OTHER TWO, UH, THE NEW ONE IS WILDFLOWER, TNR, OUTTA MONTCLAIR AND C PAW, UH, AND I, I NEW, UH, CAW, NEW JERSEY. I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED. SO, BUT THOSE ARE THE THREE ORGANIZATIONS. SO AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU MR. JACKSON AND MR. COLT FOR YOU GUYS PUTTING TOGETHER THAT RFP SELECT ANY ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION, DOUBLING THE AMOUNT, AND FOR THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE BOARD FOR SUPPORTING AND OUR, UM, STAFF OF PUTTING THAT MEETING TOGETHER. SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH. IT SOUNDS, WE HAD A REALLY GOOD YEAR LAST YEAR AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IT BEING EVEN BETTER THIS YEAR. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. VICE PRESIDENT. THIS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN A, UH, HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE COMMITTEE. UH, MAN, I THINK THE RESULTS, UH, ARE SOMETHING, I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, MATT MENTIONED IT, IT JUST, UNDER 800 CATS HAVE BEEN SPAYED OR NEUTERED, UH, OR SO, SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. UH, WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S SEVERAL HUNDRED AND, AND EXPONENTIALLY THE PREGNANCY IS AVOIDED IN FERAL CATS. IT'S JUST IN THE THOUSANDS. SO THAT'S, IF WE CONTINUE THAT GOOD WORK, WHICH I EXPECT US TO DO, WE SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK WHO DID CREATE THE, UH, THE FLYER FOR THAT? I DON'T REMEMBER. I KNOW I HAD IT, I SHARED IT SOMETIME AGO THAT COME OUT OF OUR OFFICE OR THE ADMINISTRATION. MR. PRESIDENT, FROM WHAT I CAN RECALL, THE ORGANIZATIONS INDIVIDUALLY HAVE PUT TOGETHER OUR OWN FLYERS AND SENT THEM TO US AND WE CIRCULATED THEM. WHAT WE HAD DONE IN PRIOR, UM, YEARS THAT, UM, THE GROUPS HAD ASKED, UM, HUMANE SOCIETY ASKED WAS THE ADMINISTRATION THROUGH MR. JACKSON AND US, WE PUT TOGETHER A EMAIL THAT WE SENT OUT TO THE MAYORS AND, AND EVERYBODY ELSE. BUT THE ORGANIZATIONS GAVE US THE FLYERS ABOUT THE DAYS THAT WAS OPEN AND WHETHER, UH, ESPECIALLY HUMAN SOCIETY HAD THE BAN THAT GOES AROUND, HAVE WE GOT THEM FROM ORGANIZATIONS? ADAM, ADAM, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD TO THAT? YES, WE DO HAVE A, OUR OWN FLYER WITH ALL THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ON IT THAT WE, WE MADE IN HOUSE. OKAY. OH, PERFECT. GREAT, ADAM. SO IF YOU CAN JUST SHARE THAT WITH THE, WITH THE STAFF, TOMORROWS, I MEAN, WITH THE BOARD TOMORROW SO THAT WE CAN SEND IT OUT AGAIN. 'CAUSE IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF TIME AND, YOU KNOW, SPRING IS IN THE AIR AND YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS LOVE. SO LET'S GET THAT, LET'S GET THOSE FLYERS OUT THERE, SEE IF WE CAN HAVE THOSE GROUPS HELP US OUT WITH, UH, THE NEUTER AND SPAIN PROCESS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COMMISSIONER MERCADO, I KNOW YOU SERVED COMMITTEE AS WELL. YES. I JUST WANNA ADD MR. PRESIDENT THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THIS COMMITTEE WAS CREATED, UM, UM, THROUGH THE ADVOCACY OF, UM, UH, I DON'T EVEN CHARLOTTE C CHARLIE COW. YES. AND, UM, WE STARTED WITH A BUDGET OF $25,000 FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND, UM, IT'S LED UP TO NOW TO 200. SO I, I JUST WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION, UM, FOR, FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMITTEE. AND, AND IT HAS GONE, YOU KNOW, VIRAL NOW. SO WE'RE GOING TO GET IT EVEN MORE. AND WE SEE, YOU KNOW, THE PRODUCTIVITY AND THE OUTCOMES THAT ARE COMING OUT. SO AGAIN, TO THE ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR, FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS COMMITTEE AND THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR, UH, VICE PRESIDENT CHAIR IN THIS COMMITTEE. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, UH, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT. UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MAMA MEOW AND ALL HER STEADFAST, INCREDIBLE WORK THAT SHE DID WHILE MR AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING. SHE WAS QUITE FEISTY, UM, ON THAT MEETING DAY. BUT, YOU KNOW, SHE'S PASSIONATE ABOUT HER CATS. AND I THINK, UH, THE MONTH OF JUNE, [01:15:01] ADAM, IF YOU REMIND ME, IS ADOPTED CAT MONTH. SO I THINK, UM, THAT MONTH WE'RE GOING TO, UM, DO A RESOLUTION, NOT ANNUAL RESOLUTION FROM THE BOARD. AND I THINK THERE'S GONNA BE SOME COMMUNITY ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, WONDERFUL THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT COMMITTEE AS WELL THAT I THINK WE'RE PLANNING TO DO. SO. THANK YOU. LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT CHARLOTTE'S NOT HERE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLOSE OUT THE CAP COMMITTEE WITH A ME? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER, UH, REPORT ON BOARD COMMITTEES? ALL RIGHT, SEE NONE. UH, LET'S MOVE ON. ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS? SEEING NONE. ANY WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS? SEEING NONE, COMMISSIONERS ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS. SEEING NONE, ANY NEW BUSINESS. ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. IF'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME, ADDRESS, AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. YOU'LL HAVE FOUR MINUTES TO SPEAK. I WILL HAVE ADAM HERE TO ASSIST ANYONE WHO MAY NEED AN ASSISTANCE. CAN YOU HOLD THIS? YES. GOOD EVENING, SIR. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT EZ COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS RICK FOX AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE NORTHERN CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF NEW JERSEY. OUR FEDERATION IS THE OLDEST AND LARGEST VOLUNTEER CONSUMER LED ORGANIZATION OF BLIND PEOPLE IN THE NATION, ESTABLISHED IN 1940. OUR NORTHERN CHAPTER BOASTS 65 MEMBERS, AND MOST OF THEM RESIDE IN ESSEX COUNTY. WE ARE THE VOICE OF THE BLIND TO THE GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE. OUR MESSAGE IS SIMPLE, THAT WITH TRAINING AND OPPORTUNITY, BLIND PEOPLE CAN ENJOY A JOB, A HOME, A FAMILY, AND ALL THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF CITIZENSHIP. WHEN I WAS 13 YEARS OLD BACK IN 1966, I LEARNED HOW TO CROSS STREETS WITH TRAFFIC LIGHTS. AT THAT TIME IT WAS SIMPLE, THE LIGHTS WERE RED, GREEN, AND YELLOW. BUT NOW THE LIGHT, THE TRAFFIC CONTROLS HAVE COMPUTERS AND THAT MEANS THAT THEY CAN DIFFER. THAT IS TRAFFIC PATTERNS CAN DIFFER BASED ON HOW MANY CARS THERE MAY BE, WHERE THE CARS ARE PLACED IN THE INTERSECTION, WHAT TIME OF DAY IT IS, ET CETERA. THIS MAKES IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR A BLIND PERSON TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE TRAFFIC LIGHT WHEN IT CHANGES. SO TO HELP WITH THESE CHANGING CONDITIONS, AUDIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS OR A PS DEVICES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS. THE DEVICES BEEP SOFTLY SO THAT A BLIND PERSON KNOWS WHERE THEY ARE, AND WHEN THE PERSON PUSHES THE BUTTON, THEY HEAR, WAIT, WAIT UNTIL THE LIGHT CHANGES. AND THEN A CLEAR SYNTHETIC VOICE SAYS THE WALK SIGN IS ON CROSSING X STREET. THIS HAS BEEN INSTALLED BY THE COUNTY IN SEVERAL PLACES AROUND THE COUNTY, AND I USED TWO OF THEM IN BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, AND THEY HAVE BEEN LIFE CHANGING. THE MEMBERS OF OUR ORGANIZATION, UM, WISH TO RESPECTFULLY RESPECT REQUEST THAT THE, UM, THE COUNTY WILL REMEMBER BLIND PEOPLE WHEN UPGRADING INTERSECTIONS WITH BUSY AND COMPLEX TRAFFIC PATTERNS. AND WE ARE READY TO PARTNER WITH THE COUNTY TO GIVE INPUT AS TO WHAT INTERSECTIONS OUR MEMBERS ARE TELLING US WOULD BE HELPED BY THESE DEVICES. WE WOULD ALSO, IT WOULD ALSO HELP TO KNOW WHEN THE DEVICES ARE INSTALLED SO THAT WE CAN TELL OUR MEMBERS A LIST OF DEVICES THAT ARE ALREADY INSTALLED WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL. SO I PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE COUNTY FOR THE A PS DEVICES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN INSTALLED, AND HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THIS PROCESS WITH OUR FEDERATION AS PARTNERS SO THAT ESSEX COUNTY CAN BE THE SAFEST COUNTY FOR BLIND PEDESTRIANS AND ALL PEDESTRIANS. 30 SECONDS IN NEW JERSEY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU MR. FOX. AND, UH, I'LL TAKE THIS POINT OF PRIVILEGE TO, WE DON'T NORMALLY GO BACK AND FORTH TO PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT YOU RAISED VERY SERIOUS, UH, UH, POINTS HERE THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN ADDRESS. SO YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T NEED TO COME BACK TO THE MICROPHONE, [01:20:01] BUT, UM, WHAT I CAN DO, UH, IS I COULD ASK THE ADMINISTRATION WHO'S PRESENT HERE, MY, MY COLLEAGUE, MR. JACKSON, PERHAPS WE CAN QUERY ENGINEERING TO SEE IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE IF IT, THIS IS SUCH EXISTS FOR A LIST OF WHERE PS DEVICES ARE ALREADY INSTALLED AND TO SEE IF WE CAN MAKE THIS STANDARD ISSUE, UH, IN FUTURE PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD. I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT LIFT ON OUR PART TO BE ABLE TO INCLUDE THAT, BUT I THINK THE MISSING ELEMENT HERE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU BECAUSE YOU WOULD PROBABLY BE BETTER THAN US IN REACHING A DIRECT AUDIENCE THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM THIS. SO IF THAT IS, UH, SOMETHING, UH, WE CAN DO WITH YOU, UH, WHAT I'LL DO IS I'LL HAVE, UH, ONE OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS, ADAM, UH, COME TO YOU IN, IN A LITTLE BIT. AT THE END OF THE MEETING YOU CAN EXCHANGE CONTACT INFORMATION AND THEN WE WILL BE IN TOUCH ABOUT THE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN SOLICIT. AND MR. JACKSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD, UH, TO THAT AS WELL? THAT SOUND REASONABLE? ABSOLUTELY. HAPPY TO PROVIDE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OF COURSE. NO, NO PROBLEM. I THINK THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT A HEAVY LIFT FOR US TO DO. NOT A HEAVY LIFT AT ALL. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, SIR. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING HERE, COMMERS. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME'S EDWARD DUPREE. I LIVE IN IRVINGTON TOWNSHIP. I LIVE IN THAT GATED COMMUNITY NEAR THE IRVINGTON BAYWOOD BORDERER I WALK TO WITH MY MOBILITY COACH TO THE LOCAL DUCKETT DONUT FROM TIME TO TIME. IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME AT, AT, WELL MY MOBILITY COACH, EVEN THOUGH SHE'S CITED TO CROSS THE STREET TO THE LOCAL DUCKETT DONUTS NEARBY WHERE I LIVE. NONE OF MY MOBILITY LESSONS HAS BEEN COMPLETED. I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO THE LOCAL DUCKING DOORS TO CROSS THE STREET, HOWEVER, IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO DO THAT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THERE ARE NO AUDIO, THERE ARE NO AUDIO SIGNALS TO, TO INDICATE WHERE SAFE, WHERE NOT SAFELY TO CROSS TO CROSS THE STREET. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. UM, WHAT I'LL, I LIKE TO ASK TO DO IS, ADAM, IF YOU CAN FOLLOW UP WITH MR. DUPREE SO WE CAN GET THE INFORMATION ON THE EXACT STREET. I'M NOT SURE THAT'S A COUNTY ROAD OR TOWNSHIP, BUT I'M SURE THAT WE CAN DETERMINE THAT AND EXPLORE WHAT OPTIONS MAY EXIST TO SEE IF ANY IMPROVEMENTS CAN BE MADE. THANK YOU, SIR. THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS, IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO THANK YOU, UH, MR. FOX, MR. DUPREE WHO SPOKEN IN, JUST FOR ANYONE ELSE WHO'S SPEAKING. IF YOU HAVE, UM, SPECI, IF, IF YOU ARE GONNA WORK, ADAM'S GONNA FOLLOW UP 'CAUSE ADAM IS VERY GOOD TO GET THE, UM, ADDRESSES. BUT IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC REFERENCES AS FAR AS INTERSECTIONS, CROSSROADS, ET CETERA, IF YOU COULD PUT THAT ON THE RECORD, UM, THAT WOULD BE GREAT BECAUSE, UM, THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE, THE, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. IF, IF IT'S, UM, PERTINENT TO YOU, AND IF NOT, OF COURSE, WE'LL WE'LL FOLLOW UP AS WELL. BUT YES, IF YOU COULD PUT THAT IN THE RECORD, THAT'D BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. ADAM, YOU WANNA WANT THE MICROPHONE? GIMME ONE SECOND. WE'LL ADJUST THE MICROPHONE. IT'S A LITTLE HIGH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. OKAY. UM, GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU, UM, PRESIDENT, UH, RAMIREZ AND ALL THE COMMISSIONERS. AND MY NAME IS ELLEN SULLIVAN AND I LIVE IN SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY. AND I AM A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF NEW JERSEY, NORTHERN CHAPTER. AND ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO, RICK FOX AND MYSELF MET WITH, UM, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON AND HIS STAFF, AND I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY TO REPORT THAT IN SOUTH ORANGE WE HAD MADE SPECIFIC SUGGESTIONS FOR INTERSECTIONS THAT WERE IMPOSSIBLE FOR PEDESTRIANS, WHETHER THEY WERE SIGHTED BLIND OR OTHER MOBILITY PROBLEMS TO CROSS INDEPENDENTLY. AND NOW THOSE, THERE ARE EIGHT INTERSECTIONS IN SOUTH ORANGE VILLAGE THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS. AND IT IS A WONDERFUL LIFE FOR ME. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON FOR HIS RECEPTIVITY AND FOR YOUR CONTINUANCE TO WORK WITH US TO PROVIDE THESE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, UM, ACCESSIBLE SIGNALS SO THAT ALL OUR CITIZENS CAN BENEFIT FROM THEM. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU MS. SULLIVAN. WE APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK. THANK YOU. [01:25:01] MY PLEASURE. GOOD EVENING. HELLO. THANK YOU FOR HAVING US BOARD MEMBERS. UH, MY NAME IS MICHAEL GIBSON. I'M A MEMBER OF THE NORTHERN CHAPTER. FOR ABOUT THE LAST FIVE YEARS, I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF VERONA ALL MY LIFE IN ESSEX COUNTY. AND ABOUT A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO, YOU KNOW, I CROSSED BLOOMFIELD AVENUE, WHICH IS A MAJOR, MAJOR STREET. AND ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, I WENT AND I WENT TO PUSH THE BUTTON TO CROSS AND THE BUTTON WAS GONE. SO I REACHED AROUND AND THERE WAS A LITTLE FLAT BOARD THERE, AND I PUSHED IT AND IT SAID, WAIT, WAIT, PUSHED IT AGAIN. AND THEN IT SAID OKAY TO CROSS BLOOMFIELD AVENUE 1514. THE COUNTDOWN WAS ON ITS WAY. AND I STARTED CROSSING AND I GOT TO THE OTHER SIDE, 5, 4, 3. AND, UH, TO SAY I GOT A LITTLE EMOTIONAL ON THE OTHER SIDE IS A, IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. AND THAT WAS AT BLOOMFIELD AVENUE AND MALVERN PLACE. AND THEY, SINCE THEN, I GO DOWN TO THE CENTER, THERE'S ONE AT BLOOMFIELD AVENUE AND LAKESIDE AVENUE, WHICH IS A VERY, UH, BUSY STREET AND MANY FATALITIES OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES. AND IT'S JUST, UH, TO SAY IT MEANS A LOT AGAIN, IS A VAST UNDERSTATEMENT. AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD ABOUT THESE IN THE PAST, BUT ACTUALLY TO COME TO VERONA IS, UH, HUGE. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT, FIRST OF ALL. AND THERE'S OTHER EX, UM, INTERSECTIONS THAT ARE NEEDED. BLOOMFIELD AVENUE. POMPTON AVENUE, WHICH IS CRAZY DANGEROUS EVEN FOR A SIGHTED PERSON. BUT, UH, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH AND WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO WORK TOGETHER, LIKE, OR, UH, PRESIDENT RICK FOX SAID THAT WOULD BE GREAT AND HELPFUL TO ALL INVOLVED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. GIBSON, FOR YOUR FEEDBACK. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. MAKE IT HAPPEN. YEAH. YEAH. MM-HMM . YEAH. YEAH, IT LOOKS TOO. OKAY, NEXT SPEAKER. UH, GOOD EVENING. I, I PREPARED A LITTLE SOMETHING. UH, MY NAME IS, UH, RICHARD WHITTEN. I'M A, A PROUD RESIDENT OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, GOOD EVENING. AND ALSO A PROUD FATHER OF A YOUNG LADY WHO IS, UH, VISUALLY IMPAIRED. AND SO, UM, UH, WE, WE DEFINITELY APPLAUD, UM, THE COUNTY FOR ITS DDEI EFFORTS, UM, UH, OF INCLUSION WITH PERSONS, UM, WHO MAY BE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED. BUT WE, WE DO HAVE A, A FEW SUGGESTIONS. SO, IMPROVING THE ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED COMMUNITY, SESS COUNTY IS ESSENTIAL FOR FOSTERING INCLUSIVITY AND INDEPENDENCE. TO MAKE PUBLIC BUILDINGS, OFFICES, AND TRAFFIC LIGHTS MORE ACCESSIBLE, ONE CAN IMPLEMENT SEVERAL KEY MEASURES. FIRST OF ALL, ALL PUBLIC BUILDINGS SHOULD FEATURE TACTILE PI, UH, PAVING AND BRAILLE SIGNAGE TO GUIDE VISUALLY IMPAIRED INDIVIDUALS. UH, REGULAR TRAINING FOR STAFF ON HOW TO ASSIST THOSE PERSONS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT CAN ENHANCE, UH, THEIR EXPERIENCE. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I NOTICED COMING INTO THE BUILDING, I NOTICED THAT THE BRAILLE IS, UH, ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ELEVATORS, ON THE INSIDE OF THE ELEVATORS, ALSO WHERE, UM, THE EMERGENCY, UM, UH, UH, SIGNAL IS. I ALSO NOTICE BRAILLE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE MEN'S BATHROOM ON THE BASEMENT, BUT ON THE FIFTH FLOOR, THERE IS NO BRAILLE, YOU KNOW, SO, UM, A PERSON WHO'S BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED WHO READS BRAILLE, COULD NOT NAVIGATE SIMPLY GOING TO THE BATHROOM ON THIS FLOOR, UM, FOR PUBLIC RESTROOMS, INSTALLING BRAILLE LABELS ON DOORS, AND ENSURING THAT FACILITIES ARE EQUIPPED WITH AUDITORY SIGNALS, WHICH, UH, WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE. NAVIGATION TRAFFIC SIGNALS SHOULD BE MO MODIFIED TO INCLUDE AUDIBLE, UH, SIGNALS AND TACTILE FEEDBACK TO INFORM PEDESTRIANS WHEN IT'S SAFE TO CROSS. ADDITIONALLY, INCORPORATING SMART TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS SMARTPHONE, SMARTPHONE APPS PROVIDE REALTIME INFORMATION ABOUT NEAR, UH, NEARBY LANDMARKS AND AND SERVICES. SO PERSONS CAN KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN TO GO TO NAVIGATE TO THE DUNKING DONUTS. THEY KNOW HOW TO GET TO THE WALGREENS. THEY KNOW HOW, HOW TO GET TO, UH, ESSENTIAL PLACES THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT REGULAR SIGHTED PEOPLE, UM, UH, MAY TAKE FOR GRANTED. UM, AND IT CAN EMPOWER, UH, INDIVIDUALS TO NAVIGATE THEIR ENVIRONMENT MORE. CONFIDENCE. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS CRUCIAL. WORKING WITH [01:30:01] LOCAL ADVOCACY, ADVOCACY GROUPS SUCH AS THE NATIONAL FEDERATION FOR THE BLIND, AND THE COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED, UH, UH, CAN ENSURE THAT THE VOICES OF THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED, UH, COMMUNITY ARE HEARD. OVERALL, THESE ENHANCEMENTS WILL CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE ESSEX COUNTY ENABLING A GREATER ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION FOR ALL ITS RESIDENTS. THANK YOU, SIR. WE APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK TODAY. UH, AND I'M SURE, I THINK MR. JACKSON TOOK NOTE, BUT LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THAT, NOT ONLY THE FIFTH FLOOR BATHROOM, BUT LET'S JUST, WHILE WE'RE AT IT, JUST TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT ALL OF THEM TO ENSURE, UH, THAT NO RENOVATIONS OR ALTERATIONS WERE MADE. AND THAT WAS LOST IN THE TRANSLATION. SO WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WE'LL TAKE NOTE OF THE OTHER COMMENTS THAT YOU MADE AS WELL. THANK YOU. OKAY, . UM, GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING, UH, COMMISSIONERS AND HONORABLE PRESIDENT. I AM CRYSTAL ALLEN AND I AM A PROUD MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF NEW JERSEY, NORTHERN CHAPTER. I WEAR, UM, A ROLE OF THE NEW CHAIR FOR THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE. AND I AM ALSO ONE OF THE UPWARDS OF 851,000 RESIDENTS AT ESSEX COUNTY. UM, HERE, I CURRENTLY AM ENROLLED IN RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, NEWARK, AND I'M A GRADUATE OF ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE. UM, AND I SAY ALL OF THESE THINGS TO SAY THAT I'VE BEEN A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, AND THERE ARE MANY WAYS IN WHICH YOU CAN WORK WITH THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IN NEW JERSEY. I HEAR WE GOT A FE LION COMMITTEE. WE NEED A COMMITTEE FOR THE BLIND AND LOW VISION AND DIFFERENTLY ABLED HERE. AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOU ALL IN A VARIETY OF WAYS FROM, UM, HAVING IN-SERVICE TRAININGS FOR YOUR STAFF. UM, IN OCTOBER WE HAD WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY, THAT'S ON OCTOBER 15TH, AND IT JUST WOULD BE A GREAT, UM, OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE THE LIVES OF ALL IN ESSEX COUNTY BECAUSE ONE THING I CAN SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY, THE BLIND AND LOW VISION COMMUNITY IS ONE COMMUNITY THAT ANYONE CAN JOIN AT ANY POINT IN THEIR LIFE. MM-HMM . FOR VARIOUS REASONS. THAT'S RIGHT. AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE ACCESSIBILITY. WE ARE LIVING IN THE AGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IS REALLY KEY TO ENHANCING OUR INDEPENDENCE AS BLIND AND LOW VISION INDIVIDUALS. AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU ALL DID TODAY WITH YOUR EYESIGHT, IMAGINE IF IT SUDDENLY BECAME IMPAIRED, YOU NEED TO HAVE ACCESSIBILITY SO YOU CAN ENJOY YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE EVERY SINGLE DAY, WHETHER YOU'RE RAISING YOUR FAMILIES, WHETHER YOU'RE IN ENTERPRISING POSITIONS OR EVEN THE POSITIONS WHERE YOU ALL ARE IN AS PUBLIC SERVANTS. SO PLEASE DON'T, UM, LEAVE US TODAY WITH JUST HEARING THESE FEW COMMENTS BECAUSE WE ARE A WIDE COMMUNITY, THE BLIND AND LOW VISION COMMUNITY, WE GO TO, UM, A SEMINAR IN DC EACH YEAR TO ADVOCATE FOR THE DIFFERENT BILLS BEING PASSED, WHETHER IT'S RELATED TO MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, TRANSPORTATION AND SO FORTH. AND I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT, UM, RIGHT DOWNTOWN HERE IN NEWARK, THERE ARE DIFFERENT, UM, STREETS THAT COULD USE MORE ACCESSIBLE TRAFFIC SIGNALS, UM, INCLUDING RIGHT HERE AT THIS INTERSECTION WHERE MARKET AND DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING IS TRUE. AND THIS BUILDING, THE OFFICE FOR THIS DISABLED EXISTS. SO IF YOU HAVE AN OFFICE FOR THE DISABLED RIGHT HERE IN THIS BUILDING AND YOU'RE HOUSING YOUR COMMISSIONER MEETINGS HERE, THERE SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE TRAFFIC SIGNALS SO THAT WE CAN GET TO AND FROM. AND THESE ACCESSIBLE TRAFFIC SIGNALS DON'T JUST ASSIST BLIND AND LOW VISION, BUT PEOPLE WITH OTHER MOBILITY ISSUES, PEOPLE USING SUPPORTIVE CRUTCHES AND CANES, PEOPLE WHO ARE WHEELCHAIR USERS, IT WOULD JUST REALLY INCREASE OUR DAY-TO-DAY QUALITY OF LIFE. AND I HOPE THAT YOU REALLY DO GET MR. FOX'S INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER. YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ABOUT TRYING TO ATTACK WHAT'S NOT DONE, IT'S FOR US TO TACKLE WHAT NEEDS TO GET DONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND BEFORE YOU LEAVE, WE, WE APPRECIATE, THOSE ARE VERY, YOU'RE VERY GENUINE CONCERNS AND I CAN ASSURE YOU, UH, THAT MY COLLEAGUES AND I WILL TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUS. IT'S NOT LIP SERVICE TODAY. I, I, THIS IS OF COURSE SOMETHING THAT WE ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO. YOU MENTIONED THE EVENT IN OCTOBER 15TH. CAN YOU REPEAT THAT? I DIDN'T QUITE CATCH IT. IT'S WHITE KING SAFETY DAY, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GIVE US A RESOLUTION. OKAY, HONOR. WELL, I'M ASKING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN HELP YOU OUT WITH THAT. THAT'S GREAT. [01:35:01] SO WHAT WE'LL DO, UH, SO, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S, YOU'RE ALL CONNECTED, OBVIOUSLY THROUGH THE ASSOCIATION, YOU'LL WORK TOGETHER. SO I THINK WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH MR. FOX AND IT'S OUR POINT PERSON, IF THAT'S OKAY. UH, YOU SIGNED UP FOR PRESIDENT MR. FOX, SO I, LIKE ME, YOU, YOU GET TO BE THE POINT PERSON FOR A LOT OF THINGS, . BUT I, BUT I, BUT I CAN, I FEEL FROM MY BOARD HERE THAT WE ALL OF COURSE WANT TO BE ASSISTING, UH, IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN AND FROM MY COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF GOVERNMENT, THE ADMINISTRATION. AND SO WE WILL BE HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF THE VERY PARTICULAR THINGS WE MENTIONED TODAY. PERHAPS HAVE A MORE FORMALIZED MECHANISM FOR HEARING CONCERNS OVER TIME, NOT JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, THE SIGN AT THE FIFTH FLOOR BATHROOM AND WHICH ARE IMPORTANT, BUT, YOU KNOW, AN ONGOING DIALOGUE. SO WE'LL SEE IF WE COULD DO THAT. AND, UH, IF YOU CAN PROVIDE TO US INFORMATION ON THAT EVENT ON THE 15TH, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, TAKE IT FROM THERE AND WORK ON THAT. YES, THANK YOU. OF COURSE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE TODAY. IS THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKER WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? YES, SIR. OKAY. WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER? YES. YEP. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. HOW ARE YOU? DOING WELL, THANK YOU. UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME, UM, GIVING ME THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON TODAY. I COMMEND YOU ALL ON THE JOB THAT YOU'RE DOING. GREAT JOB. BUT MY PARENTS ALWAYS HAD BELIEVED IN THE CITY OF NEWARK. LOVED IT. MY FATHER WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN THE CITY OF NEWARK. AND AT THE AGE OF 23, I BECAME VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND THEREFORE I HAVE TO START A WHOLE NOTHER ROUTE OF TRYING TO GET THINGS DONE. SO WHAT I WANNA SAY TODAY IS THAT IF, IF WE CAN DO THINGS LIKE COLOR CONTRAST, LIKE, AND TURN INTO THE BUILDING, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU GO INTO UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OR MOUNTAINSIDE, WE SEE THAT THEY HAVE LIKE, MAYBE PURPLE LINING AND IT WILL, THEY SAY, GO DOWN THIS WAY, FOLLOW THE PURPLE LINING. IT MIGHT BE JUST THAT INSTRUCTION AND, AND GO TO THE LEFT. BUT WHEN WE COME IN HERE, SOMETIMES DEPENDING ON YOUR VISUAL, YOUR, YOUR SITE AND YOUR ABILITY WITH HER DISABILITY, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE BUILDINGS OR WHATEVER. BUT IF WE HAVE A, A RUG AT THE END OF, YOU KNOW, THE HALLWAY, WE HAVE THE COLOR CONTRAST AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE, THEY HELP OUT A LOT. AND LIKE THEY SAID, THE AUDIO AND THE VISUAL, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT WOULD HELP ALSO. AND, UH, BEING, UM, VISUALLY IMPAIRED AT THE AGE OF 23, I HAD TO GO TO JOSEPH COONE AND LEARN HOW TO NAVIGATE. AND LIKE MR. FOX SAID THAT, UM, THE TRAFFIC SIGNS. SO WE ARE TAUGHT TO PUT THE BLIND SHADES ON AT THE SLEEP SHADES ON AND TO LISTEN WITH OUR EARS. WE CAN'T VERY WELL CROSS THE CITY STREETS IN NEWARK. I'M A RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF NORTH. I LIVE AT THE BORDERLINE OF IRVINGTON AND NORTH. AND WHEN I'M CH COMING OUT TO SPRINGFIELD AVENUE TO GO TO THE STORE, IF I NEED TO GO TO THE STORE, I'M IN TROUBLE BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC IS SERIOUS. IT'S, THERE'S NO NOTHING THERE TO, YOU KNOW, ASSIST ME CROSSING THE STREET. ALSO, WITH ME LIVING AT CLOSE AND HAVING TO COME OUT TO AVON AVENUE, THE WAY THE STREET IS CUT BETWEEN 20TH STREET AND MONTGOMERY STREET COMES INTO AN ANGLE, THERE IS NO WAY TO SAFELY CROSS THAT. YOU HAVE TO REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND HAVE SOMEONE TO ASSIST YOU. SO MY MOBILITY COUNSELOR HAVE TO ASSIST ME AND SHOW ME HOW I CAN SAFELY NAVIGATE AND BE ABLE TO GET OUT. 'CAUSE THAT'S ABOUT THREE BLOCKS FROM WHERE I AM. SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT WOULD HELP US IF WE HAD MORE TRAFFIC SIGNS, AUTO AUDIO SIGNALS, CONTRAST WITH THE COLORING, BECAUSE EVEN WHEN I COME HERE, I'M GOING TO DEPARTMENT OF ASIAN LANDLORD, TENANT, UM, DIFFERENT PLACES LIKE THAT, HANDLING BUSINESS FOR MY PASSPORT AND STUFF LIKE THAT. IT'S HARD TO NAVIGATE THROUGH HERE. WHEN I'M HERE, I HAVE TO PERSONALLY ASK FOR ASSISTANCE AND I KNOW I CAN'T HAVE SECURITY TO ESCORT ME EVERYWHERE I WANT TO GO IN THE BUILDING. SO I'M JUST ASKING THAT IF WE CAN THINK ABOUT THESE TYPE OF THINGS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF NEWARK AND THE COUNTY OF EXIT, IT WOULD BE, UH, GREATLY APPRECIATED. AND I'M PART OF THE NNFB AS WELL AS COMMISSIONER THE BLIND, AND I LIKE MINE WITH CRYSTAL. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO JUST HAVE YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR HELP, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU AS YOU GET THE JOB DONE. AND AS ALWAYS, YOU ARE ALREADY DOING A GREAT JOB. SO WE ARE JUST ASKING FOR A LITTLE MORE ASSISTANCE. SO I JUST WANNA SAY GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR. JUST PLEASE, THANK YOU. WE DIDN'T CATCH YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, SO PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD. DEBORAH BORA FITZGERALD. OKAY. THANK YOU MS. FITZGERALD. THANK YOU FOR COMING AND [01:40:01] SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS TODAY WITH US. THANK YOU. GOD BLESS. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE ADMINISTRATION. IS THERE ANY OTHER SPEAKER WISHING TO COME TO THE MICROPHONE AT THIS TIME? OKAY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THERE IS NO OTHER SPEAKER AT THIS TIME. WE WANT, I WANNA TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUE TO THANK THE, UH, THE ENTIRE GROUP FOR COMING IN, FOR SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS. WE CERTAINLY WILL BE IN TOUCH. ADAM WILL FOLLOW UP WITH, UH, THE FOLKS THAT WE MENTIONED EARLIER. WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE COMMISSIONER COMMENT SESSION NOW, WHICH IS JUST BEFORE WE ADJOURN. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. UM, YES. UH, SPEAKING, YOU KNOW, UM, I WANNA THANK THE GROUP FOR COMING, UM, TODAY AND, AND, AND IT'S A, IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE. IT'S A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE AND IT'S PUBLIC SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT TO EVERYTHING WE DO. UM, MY QUESTION IS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION, UM, UM, WHAT WOULD, WHAT WOULD, WHAT'S THE COST OF THIS, THIS TECHNOLOGY FOR THE TRAFFICS? AND, AND I, I DON'T NEED AN ANSWER NOW, BUT, AND, AND WHAT WOULD IT COST TO PUT THAT ON ALL COUNTY ROADS, JUST AS, AS WE DO COUNTY ROADS, JUST HAVE IT AT ALL COUNTY ROADS. UM, AND, AND WHAT WOULD THAT COST BE LIKE? IT'S JUST A QUESTION. I KNOW IT'S A LOT EASIER TO DO AS HE INSTALLATIONS, BUT THE RETROFIT SURE. POSSIBLE. I JUST DUNNO WHAT THAT COST WOULD BE, BUT THAT I THINK I'LL PURSUE THAT WITH, UM, THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. ETT. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT. I TOO WANT TO THANK MR. FOX AND THE MEMBERS FOR COMING OUT TO EDUCATE US AND HIGHLIGHT THE, UM, NEEDS AND THINGS THAT WE CAN DO BETTER TO BETTER ASSIST, UM, EVERYONE IN BEING SAFE AND CROSSING THE STREET. I HAD THE PLEASURE OF ACTUALLY CROSSING RECENTLY IN SOUTH ORANGE, ONE OF THE INTERSECTIONS WHERE THIS DEVICE WAS INSTALLED. AND I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED AND SURPRISED. IT WAS KIND OF CAUGHT OFF GUARD TO HEAR THE DEVICE TALKING, BUT IT WAS VERY HELPFUL. IT WAS HELPFUL FOR THE CHILDREN ALSO THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANY VISUALLY IMPAIRED ISSUES TO CROSS TO LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE TIMING IN THE WAY THAT IT WAS COUNTING DOWN. SO I TOO AGREE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER MERCADO, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO GOING FORWARD, ABSOLUTELY WE SHOULD KIND OF MAKE THIS AS A, UH, A REQUIREMENT IN ANY NEW UPDATES THAT WE DO. AND IF WE CAN GET SOME FEEDBACK BACK FROM MR. FOX, AT LEAST AT A MINIMUM ON THE, UM, DESIGNATED, UH, CROSSWALKS AREAS THAT, THAT YOU GUYS HAD HAVE HIGH USE. THE OTHER THING ABOUT THIS THAT WAS REALLY IMPRESSIVE IS, IF YOU RECALL A COUPLE YEARS BACK, UM, A GROUP OUT OF SOUTH ORANGE HAD BEEN ADVOCATING FOR US TO INSTALL WHAT WAS CALLED THE SCRAMBLE TO HELP, UM, SOME OTHER, UM, PHYSICAL DISABILITIES TO HELP PEOPLE CROSS THE ROAD WITH THE TRAFFIC AND THE PLACES THAT YOU INSTALLED. THIS DID BOTH THINGS. IT TALKED AND IT STOPPED ALL THE TRAFFIC AT ALL FOUR INTERSECTIONS TO REALLY HELP YOU MOVE ACROSS. SO IT WAS REALLY, REALLY IMPRESSIVE. AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES, UM, IF YOU GUYS HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED IT, TO GO TO ONE OF THESE, UM, INTERSECTIONS WHERE IT IS SO THAT YOU REALLY GET A SENSE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE THIS AND HOW HELPFUL IT IS. SO I WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION FOR INSTALLING THIS AND, UM, THANK MR. FOX FOR REMINDING ME THAT I MEANT TO COMPLIMENT THE ADMINISTRATION FOR INSTALLING THIS FEATURE AT A COUPLE DIFFERENT PLACES IN SOUTH ORANGE. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, UM, TO ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS FOR TONIGHT. UH, MR. FOX, MR. DUPREE, UH, MS. SULLIVAN, UH, MS. FITZGERALD FROM NEWARK. UM, SHOUT OUT TO NEWARK, ALTHOUGH SHOUT OUT TO EVERYBODY. OF COURSE, NEWARK IS MY BIAS, OF COURSE. UM, MR. GIBSON, UM, AND OF COURSE RICHARD AND CRYSTAL, WHO I, I'VE KNOWN FOR SOME TIME AND CRYSTAL IN YOUR WORK WITH EYES LIKE MINE, UM, IT'S ALWAYS LIKE POWERFUL TO HEAR YOU SPEAK, BUT IT IT, IT PARTICULARLY RESONATED, UM, TONIGHT AS WELL. UM, IT SEEMS TO BE VERY CLEAR, UH, INTEREST AND COMMITMENT ON BEHALF OF BOTH THE BOARD AND THE ADMINISTRATION TO, TO MAKE SOME MOVEMENT HERE. I MEAN, JUST YESTERDAY, UH, THE, THE MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE WITHDREW 11 DIFFERENT, UH, PIECES OF GUIDANCE FROM THE AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT. UM, LITERALLY REMOVING BASIC FEEDBACK AND, AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR, UH, BUSINESSES AND INSTITUTIONS ON HOW TO REMAIN COMPLIANT WITH THE A DA. AND SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, AND I THINK IT'S PRETTY CLEAR, IS THAT THERE'S A COMMITMENT THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER PLACES, ESSEX COUNTY IS COMMITTED TO PROTECTING FOLKS WHO ARE ON ALL LEVELS OF, UM, ACCESSIBILITY NEEDS. AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE TAKE REALLY SERIOUSLY. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE BOARD. I COULD EASILY ENVISION THERE BEING A COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, UM, ON SOME WORK AROUND ACCESSIBILITY IN DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN BE PROACTIVE, [01:45:01] UM, FOR BOTH OUR VISUALLY IMPAIRED, UM, AND OUR, UH, BLIND CONSTITUENTS TO MAKE OUR INTERSECTIONS AND OTHER ASPECTS OF OUR COUNTY ROADS AND COUNTY JUST MORE ACCESSIBLE ACROSS THE BOARD. AND I WOULD LOVE TO, A NUMBER OF YOU MENTIONED YOUR MOBILITY COACHES. AND SO EVEN IF WE KIND OF THINK ABOUT WHAT THESE FUTURE CONVERSATIONS LOOKS LIKE, EVEN BRINGING IN THOSE MOBILITY COACHES AND GETTING THEIR LENSES AS WELL, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THIS, YOU KNOW, MULTI-ANGLE CONVERSATION ON HOW TO MAKE SES COUNTY SAFER FOR ALL RESIDENTS. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR FIRST OF ALL, COMING TO THE MEETING, STAYING THROUGH. WE KNOW IT'S A LONG MEETING, UH, BUT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR INSIGHTS AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCES ARE EXTREMELY IMPACTFUL TO THANK YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR JOINING ME IN SPONSORING THE RESOLUTION, RECOGNIZING TRANSGENDER DAY AND VISIBILITY IN ESSEX COUNTY. I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE FACT THAT YOU ALL WERE ANXIOUS TO JOIN WITH ME. AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO ADAM TUCKER, WHO DID SO MUCH WORK ON THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU, ADAM. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. AND JUST A REMINDER OF ME ON MY WAY HERE, THERE WAS A LOT OF TRAFFIC AT, UH, BRANCH BOOK PARK BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT, RIGHT? 'CAUSE OF THE BEAUTY OF THE PARK RIGHT NOW, JOIN THE FULL BLOOM. SO TWO THINGS. ENJOY THE BLOOM AND DRIVE A LITTLE SLOWER IN THE PARK. SO ACTUALLY, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE BUSY, BUSY, BUSY TAKING PICTURES AND IT COULD BE A LITTLE DISTRACTING 'CAUSE IT'S OVERWHELMING TO SEE THE BEAUTY OF IT. SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE THAT. COMMISSIONER GIL, THANK, UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. UM, JUST, JUST FOLLOWING UP. AND SOME OF THESE WERE, UM, BOTH TRAFFIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE RELATED AND, UM, AS, AS YOU KNOW, ISSUE THAT I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. UM, BUT I WANTED TO, UM, THANK YOU, UH, THANK YOU, THE ADMINISTRATION. UM, I HAVE TO ATTEND, UM, COUNCIL MEETING LAST NIGHT IN MONTCLAIR, UH, TO SPEAK ON A BEHALF OF THE FACT THAT THEY WERE PASSING A REVISED COMPLETE STREETS, UH, ORDINANCE AND THE EXTENSION OF THEIR OWN VISION ZERO TASK FORCE, UH, BOTH THE MEMBERS AND THE WORK OF THAT VISION ZERO TASK FORCE INCLUDED IN THAT WAS RECOGNITION OF THE COUNTY'S EFFORTS, UH, MOST RECENT EFFORTS, UH, TO PROVIDE, UM, ADDITIONAL BALLARDS, UM, UH, ALONG COUNTY THOROUGHFARES, UM, IN MONTCLAIR, UH, THE REDUCTION OF THE SPEED LIMIT ON, UM, ON BOTH VALLEY AND, AND GROVE STREET. UH, AND THE ANTICIPATION OF THE YONG AVENUE, UM, REDESIGN, WHICH I KNOW IS NOT OUR FAULT. WE'RE WAITING ON, UH, . THANK YOU, MR. TRUMP. WE'RE WAITING ON, UM, UH, SOME SUPPLIES THAT STILL HAVE NOT ARRIVED. UM, BUT, UM, AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, THE COMMITMENT THAT THE COUNTY HAS MADE, UH, FOR, UM, THE, UM, I'M PROBABLY GONNA REFER TO THESE, UM, NOT IN THE RIGHT WAY, BUT THE, THE, UM, THE SIGNS THAT TELL YOU THE SPEED, THE SPEED FEEDBACK SIGNS, THE ADDITIONAL 10 SIGNS THAT, UM, THAT WILL BE PLACED, UH, THROUGHOUT, UM, THE COMMUNITY, BUT LARGER THAN JUST ONE COMMUNITY IS ALSO, UH, MR. PRESIDENT. UM, A VERY SIGNIFICANT UNDERTAKING THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE, UH, ALL MY COLLEAGUES TO ALSO HIGHLIGHT IN THEIR TRAVELS, UM, IS FOR THE SAFE STREETS FOR ALL SURVEY PROGRAM, UH, THAT WE ARE UNDERTAKING TO GO THROUGH, UH, THE APPLICATION FOR THE ADDITIONAL FEDERAL MONEY. SO, UM, THAT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE HIRED, WE VOTED ON A CONTRACT THAT HAS HIRED A VENDOR WHO'S OVERSEEING THE OUTREACH PROCESS, AND THAT THAT PROCESS INCLUDES TAKING INPUT FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS. UM, SO I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE ON THE BOARD, UM, TO, TO, YOU KNOW, TALK TO YOUR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS AT THE , UM, THAT, UH, AND THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, MAYBE WE COULD JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION, THAT THOSE MATERIALS ARE , CAN, YOU KNOW, POST THEM ON THEIR OWN SOCIAL MEDIA SITES AND BRING AS MUCH AWARENESS TO THIS PROCESS. IT'S, IT'S, UM, IT'S A, IT'S AN, IT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR US TO GET AHEAD OF THIS, UM, OF THIS ISSUE AND TO REALLY COME UP WITH A HOLISTIC APPROACH, UM, TO THE ISSUE OF TRAFFIC VIOLENCE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MANY ISSUES THAT WE ARE, WE ARE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW, UM, IN THE COUNTY FIRST AND MANY GREAT THINGS. BUT UNFORTUNATELY RIGHT NOW, WE'RE STILL FIRST, UM, IN BOTH FATALITIES AND ACCIDENTS ACROSS THE STATE, AND IT'S JUST, THE NUMBERS JUST ASTRONOMICAL, UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT COMPARED TO, UM, WHAT IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT EXISTS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, NOT, NOT NOTWITHSTANDING THE EFFORTS OF OUR ADMINISTRATION. SO, UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. UM, MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU FOR THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CONTINUING TO PAY ATTENTION TO THOSE ISSUES AND THE ENTIRE TEAM BEHIND YOU. THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU. UH, UH, MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, CAN WE FOLLOW UP WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ON THE [01:50:01] MATERIALS REFERENCED BY COMMISSIONER GI FOR THE, UH, STATE'S FEES PROGRAM? YES. I'M SURE HE'LL MAKE HIMSELF AVAILABLE. SHOULD WE HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS? YES, SURE. THANKS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU EVERYONE. UM, YESTERDAY, UH, I HAD THE PLEASURE ALONG WITH COMMISSIONER GILL AND LUCIANO TO, UH, JOIN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ABOUT A MILLION VOLUNTEERS, , IT SEEMED LIKE, AND A LOT OF OTHER VERY DEDICATED PEOPLE AT THE, UH, ZOO. THEY OPENED UP A NEW ANIMAL HOSPITAL. IT'S CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY, IT'S REALLY FANTASTIC. UM, EVEN BETTER THAN THE SERVICES IT'LL PROVIDE, IT'LL ALLOW THE PUBLIC TO SEE THE WORK GOING ON. SO, YOU KNOW, FUTURE VETS, VETERINARIANS CAN SEE MAYBE BE INSPIRED. SO I WANT TO COMMEND THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AS THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE ENTIRE TEAM ON A PHENOMENAL, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST AN EVENT, REALLY, THE EVENT WAS REALLY UNIMPORTANT IN THE SCOPE OF WHAT THEY BUILT, AND IT'S REALLY TOP NOTCH. AND I'M SURE WHEN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE GOES TO THAT ZOO CONFERENCE HE GOES TO EVERY YEAR, HE'LL BE THE, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE THE ENVY OF THE ENTIRE, UH, YOU KNOW, COUNTRY. BUT, UH, CERTAINLY IF YOU HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO CHECK IT OUT, PLEASE DO SO AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO CHECK IT OUT. IT'S, IT'S REALLY TOP NOTCH. SO, ALL RIGHT. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I THINK, UH, WE'RE ALL DONE, RIGHT? SO LET'S, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO, SECOND. MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT, SECOND BY MERCADO. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THE AYES HAVE IT. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. THANK YOU. YEAH. I WONDER WHAT THE COST, DO YOU HAVE THAT BIG BUDGET. * 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.