* 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. GOOD EVENING. THIS MEETING [00:00:01] OF THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS HEREBY COLIN TO ORDER THIS MEETING. MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAMED IN ADDITION TO TAKING PLACE IN PERSON. MADAM DEPUTY COURT, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? HERE. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? HERE. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. HERE. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. HERE. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD. HERE. COMMISSIONER SERMONS. HERE. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS HERE. PLEASE STAND FOR THE SL. I'M GONNA ASK COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS THE LEAD US IN THE SYLLABUS I ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT THANKS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY FOR JUSTICE PAROLE. I'M JUST GONNA ASK FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND HONOR THOSE. AND WE LOST IT THE LAST TIME WE CAME TOGETHER IN HIS CHAMBERS. THANK YOU. I HAVE BEFORE ME A CERTIFICATION FROM THE DEPUTY CLERK THAT THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT. SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF TRANSCRIPTS. MADAM DEPUTY COURT, DO WE HAVE ANY? UM, NO. MR. PRESIDENT? WE DO NOT. OKAY. MADAM DEPUTY COURT, ARE THERE ANY TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION? WELL, MR. PRESIDENT, THERE ARE. OKAY. SO LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. TONIGHT'S MEETING IS A COMBINED CONFERENCE BOARD MEETING AND WE WILL VOTE ON EVERY ITEM ON THE AGENDA. SO THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY. PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. THERE WILL BE TIME LATER IN THE EVENING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON OTHER ITEMS. SO I ASK YOU PLEASE LIMIT ME YOUR COMMENTS AT THIS TIME TO AGENDA ITEMS. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JOSEPH POLO. I AM HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 34, THE AGENDA, A RESOLUTION. UH, WITH REGARD TO THE WEST ESSEX HIGHLANDS IN WEST ORANGE, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF WEAK CARE, NEW JERSEY NON-PROFIT, WHOSE MISSION IS TO PRESERVE THIS LAST 120 ACRE UNPROTECTED CORE FOREST. AND THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE CANOE BROOK IN WEST ORANGE. THAT RUNS ALL THE WAY THROUGH ROSELAND AND THAT'S EXPELS AND LIVINGSTON TO SHORT HILLS. SERVES FOUR TOWNS OF THE PRIVATE WATER COMPANY WITH THE FIRST COLLECTION WHILE ON THE, ON THE SITE IS CURRENTLY UNDER THREE DIFFERENT APPEALS AT THE APPELLATE DIVISION AGAINST THE DEP PERMIT THAT WAS ISSUED. THERE ARE WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT ISSUES. THERE ARE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA ISSUES FOR WHICH THIS SITE DID NOT MEET IN 2015 AND 2020 WHEN THE ORIGINAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND PROGRAM WAS ENTERED INTO AND STILL DOES NOT MEET. IT IS NOT SERVED BY WATER OR SEWER. THEY ARE AT LEAST TWO MILES AWAY. THOSE OFF TRACK DEVELOPMENTS WILL BE BE COMING AT THE EXPENSE OF TAXPAYERS IN THE TOWN, OR RATE PAYERS OF THE UTILITIES THAT WILL SERVE THEM. THEY'RE ALSO NOT NECESSARILY SERVED BY ELECTRIC GAS, UH, UH, TO SEWER TO CAPTURE THE STORM WATER. STORM WATER MANAGEMENT ON THIS SITE IS IMPRACTICAL. THE EVERY ORDINANCE IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF THE TOWNSHIP WAS SUSPENDED IN ORDER TO ALLOW THIS PROGRAM TO PROCEED. WE ARE AT THE 21ST PLANNING BOARD MEETING IN TWO WEEKS. THERE'LL BE AT LEAST 25. THERE HAVE BEEN HUNDREDS OF COMMENTS TO DATE. THERE HAS NOT BEEN ONE IN SUPPORT OF THIS PLAN. AGAIN, THIS IS THE LAST CORE FOREST IN THE COUNTY THAT IS UNPROTECTED HEADWATERS OF THE CANOE BROOK AND SERVES 23,000 RESIDENTS IN FOUR TOWNS FOR ESSEX L'S WATER IN ROSELAND, CALDWELL, NORTH CALDWELL, ESSEX FELLS BACKS UP VERONA AS WELL AND WEST CALDWELL. THIS IS A RESOURCE THAT CANNOT BE REPLACED, CANNOT BE REPAIRED. IT CURRENTLY FLOODS IN WAYS THAT CANNOT BE MANAGED WITH THOUSAND, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LESS TREES AND BLASTING INTO A MOUNTAIN WHICH IS NOW UNPROTECTED AND HAS NEVER BEEN FARMED. THIS SOIL HAS BEEN UNDISTURBED FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS. SO IT IS A PRECIOUS NATURAL RESOURCE. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 30 EVERY ENVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATION IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY THAT YOU CAN THINK OF. THE NEW JERSEY CONSERVATION FOUNDATION, LEGAL LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS, THE SEATTLE CLUB, THE WATERHEAD INSTITUTE, THE HIGHLANDS COALITION OF RAILROADED BAY WATERS, NORTH NEW JERSEY, BAYKEEPER 30 SECONDS. YES. EIGHT ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONS, MUNICIPAL COMMISSIONS IN ESSEX COUNTY. FIVE MAYORS, REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC MAYORS IN BOTH ESSEX AND MORRIS COUNTY. SUPPORTING THE PRESERVATION OF THIS SITE, WHICH WAS DENIED AT THE PLANNING BOARD 20 YEARS AGO, AT 25% DENSITY ON 120 ACRES. THIS IS 500 JUDAS ON TOP OF THE RIDGE ON 30. IT'S IMPRACTICAL. [00:05:01] CAN'T BE ENGINEERED. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HOPE FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN THE RESERVATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR JACKSON. GOOD EVENING, MS. JACKSON. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING. OKAY. I'M GONNA WORK MY WAY BACKWARDS. UH, ITEM 32, 33. UM, THE DIVISION OF REVENUE INSERTION FOR THE PRIMARY GENERAL ELECTION. I JUST HOPE THAT YOU GUYS ARE KEEPING TABS ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS ELECTION STUFF BECAUSE EVERY MEETING, THERE SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING HERE FOR BACK YEARS OF PAYMENT. UM, I AM VERY, UH, UPSET THAT THE COUNTY CHOSE TO CHANGE THE VOTING MACHINES, THE ONES THAT ARE MORE LIKELY TO CHEAT, UM, WITH THIS SCANNING SYSTEM AND NEVER HAD A PUBLIC HEARING ON CHANGING THE MACHINES, NOR WAS THERE ANY EXPLANATION TO THE VOTERS OF VESTEX COUNTY THAT YOU WERE DOING THIS ON HOW TO USE THEM. THE PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE AT THE VOTING SITES ARE NOT THE ONE WHO SHOULD BE GIVING ME FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE ON HOW TO USE THIS MACHINE. AND I'M TELLING YOU ACROSS THE COUNTY, IT'S STILL NOT BEING DONE PROPERLY. AND CHEATING IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH. NUMBER 21 IS A CITIZEN SERVICE CONTRACT, UH, WITH UNITED COMMUNITY CORPORATION. AND AGAIN, I WANT TO CAUTION YOU, YOU GUYS SHOT A LOT OF MONEY. YOU'RE NOT WATCHING ANYTHING. YOU NEED TO SEE WHO'S RECEIVING THE SERVICES ONCE YOU GIVE THESE COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS THE MONEY, THE RENTAL ASSISTANCE MONEY THAT HAS COME OUT OF HERE, WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF MONITORING. MR. MCNAMER SHOULD NOT, SHOULD NOT GET $13,000 AND HE NEEDS 50. I NEED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND I GET ONE 20. AND IT WAS ALL PAID THROUGH THE COUNTY THROUGH A SERVICE. YOU GUYS NEED TO MONITOR WHAT'S GOING ON ON. UM, I DON'T KNOW IF I, I AGREE. UH, WITH THE SHARED SERVICES WITH THE CITY OF IRVINGTON, IN TERMS OF OUR HEALTH INSPECTOR, YOU GUYS AREN'T EXPECTING ENOUGH OF ACROSS THE COUNTY. A LOT OF THESE STORES, INCLUDING THE BIG CHAIN SEVEN 11, ET CETERA, ARE SELLING ITEMS THAT ARE EXPIRED. SO OUR HELP INSPECTOR NEEDS HELP. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO BE HELPING IN IRVINGTON. SO WE NEED TO MAKE THESE MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE ASKING US FOR STUFF TO DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND GET THE PEOPLE GO ON THE CIVIL SERVICE LIST AND WHATEVER LIST STATE CERTIFIED AND BRING THE PEOPLE IN THAT NEED TO BE THEY ASKING FOR A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH FOR MY MONEY. 'CAUSE YOU GUYS ARE GETTING READY TO DO AN INCREASE IN MY TAXES FOR OVERALL AND NO, I'M NOT GONNA SPEND MY MONEY OVER THERE. UH, THE OTHER THING, THE OFFICE OF SHERIFFS, YOU GUYS ARE BUYING MUNITIONS. HOW MANY OFFICERS DO I HAVE? HOW MANY MUNITIONS ARE WE BUYING? HOW MANY OFFICERS DOES THAT COVER? THIS IS THE SAME QUESTION I ASKED WHEN YOU GUYS ARE BUYING THE BULLETPROOF VESTS, YOU GUYS NEED TO WATCH WHAT'S GOING ON. WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO TO GET 30 VESTS? WE GOT 600 OFFICERS. 700 OFFICERS. I DON'T KNOW THE WHITE NUMBER, BUT WE ARE ONLY GONNA GIVE DONNA, MR. MCNAMER AND MR. FRIEND RIGHT HERE. 30 SECONDS HERE. THE FOUR OF US GET THE BEST AND NOBODY ELSE GETS ONE. YOU GUYS NEED TO REALLY WATCH WHAT YOU'RE DOING. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO MONITOR WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. WE NEED TO DO THAT AND WE DEFINITELY GOTTA DO BETTER AT SOCIAL SERVICE, FOOD STAMPS, EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. YEAH, Y'ALL WANNA BLAME IT ALL ON TRUMP, BUT IT WASN'T WORKING BEFORE HE GOT THERE AND YOU GUYS NEED TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON FOR PEOPLE RECEIVING SERVICES. THANK YOU. LET ME RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER GILL AND VICE PRESIDENT COOPER HAS JOINED THE MEETING. FOR THE RECORD, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? ON, ON AGENDA ITEMS? I CAN SIGN IN, BUT CAN I, YOU CAN JUST GO TO THE MICROPHONE. STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES OF SPEED. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS X BRA WAIT AND I AM A RESIDENT OF THE IRONBOUND. I'M ALSO AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ORGANIZER. BEFORE, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN NEWARK. UM, I AM, I AM I GUESS WANTING TO ADDRESS, UH, RESOLUTION 25 DASH 13 SPECIFICALLY PERTAINING TO THE, UH, INCINERATOR THAT IT IS PROPOSED TO BE VOTED ON TODAY. UM, I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST POINT OUT THAT NEWARK AND ESPECIALLY THE IRONBOUND, IS OVER POLLUTED AND UNDERPROTECTED, RIGHT? WE HAVE TONS AND TONS OF GARBAGE FROM DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES COMING HERE. AND UM, SECONDLY, THEY HAVE MULTIPLE VIOLATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO AIR QUALITY AND ESPECIALLY THE AMOUNT OF WASTE THEY ALREADY TAKEN. UM, THIS IS NOT ONLY AN ISSUE FOR THE IRON MOUNTAIN, BUT FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, RIGHT? WHEN THOSE EMISSIONS COME IN, THOSE SPREAD THROUGH OTHER PARTS OF NEWARK AND OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY. IN GENERAL, IF YOU THINK ABOUT JERSEY CITY AND OUR NEIGHBORS, LIKE WE SHOULD BE GOOD STEWARDS NOT ONLY TO OURSELVES, BUT TO THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITIES AROUND US. UM, SECONDLY, I WANNA TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT SPECIFICALLY TO CHILDREN, RIGHT? I LIVE IN THE IRONBOUND NOW AND A LOT OF THE TIMES, ME AND MY LITTLE BROTHER WHO'S IN SEVENTH GRADE CAN SMELL THAT INCINERATOR SMOKE, RIGHT? THAT, UH, I GUESS GARBAGE COMING IN. AS SOON AS WE WALK OUTSIDE THE DOOR, HE CAN BARELY WALK TO THE RECREATIONAL CENTER BECAUSE THE SMELL IS SO STRONG, [00:10:01] RIGHT? AND WHEN YOU SMELL THAT, THAT MEANS THAT YOU BREATHE THAT IN IT, THAT IN ONE IN FOUR KIDS IN NOR HAVE ASTHMA. AND THAT'S PARTIALLY DUE TO THE AIR POLLUTION IN NORTH. THAT MEANS THE LIFE CHANCES OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY, UM, LOWER BECAUSE OF SIMPLY WHERE WE LIVE, RIGHT? AND IF WE WANNA PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE TO START BY HOLDING THESE INCINERATORS AND SPECIFICALLY RE WORLD WHO'S REBRANDED AND ALSO TRIED TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE WHEN IT COMES TO SPEAKING TO RESIDENTS ABOUT THESE ISSUES. BECAUSE WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW THIS IS NOT WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS NOR NEEDS. AND ONCE WE START TO SEE THE IMPACTS DOWN THE LINE, IT'S GOING TO BE TOO LATE. IF WE THINK ABOUT THE CONTAMINATED SITES, IF WE THINK ABOUT THE WAYS THE AIR IS ALREADY POLLUTED, OUR CHILDREN ARE FACING THAT NOW IN OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT MOTHERS, TEACHERS, PEOPLE WHO WANT TO LIVE AND LOVE NEWARK ARE SUFFERING BECAUSE OF THESE ISSUES. I CAN SPEAK, ESPECIALLY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ORGANIZER ABOUT SO MANY OTHER FACTORS. BUT THE POINT IS, THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST INCINERATORS ON THE EAST COAST WITHIN A ONE MILE RADIUS. IT'S AFFECTING ONE OF THE MOST POPULATION POP POPULATED, UH, AREAS OF NEWARK, RIGHT? IT'S SO DENSE. SO THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SAY. UM, YOU CAN LOOK INTO THE FACTS. WE HAVE FACT SHEETS, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, DATA SAYING THAT THEY HAVE POLLUTED AND THEY HAVE NOT BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR EMISSIONS LED ARSENIC. THESE ARE THINGS THAT THEY ARE ACTIVELY PUTTING IN OUR AIR WITH THE SANCTION OF ENTITIES. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AN ENTITY THAT APPROVES OF THAT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE AN ENTITY THAT SANCTIONS OUR POISONING. AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I HOPE YOU REALLY CONSIDER THAT THIS DOESN'T JUST AFFECT US, BUT THE COMMUNITIES YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SERVE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. VERY NICE. WE'RE ON PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AGENDA ITEMS ONLY. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. SO MY NAME IS ARNOLD COHEN, 2 72 WALNUT STREET, NEWTON, NEW JERSEY. UH, ALSO HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE FIVE YEAR PROPOSED CONTRACT WITH RE WORLD GARBAGE INCINERATOR. YOU SEE HERE A T-SHIRT THAT SAYS LEARN DON'T BURN. THIS IS FROM 40 YEARS AGO. UNDER THEN COUNTY EXECUTIVE PETER SHAPIRO, WHEN WE FIRST STARTED FIGHTING THE GARBAGE INCINERATOR, WE HAD THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE MARCHING DOWN THE STREETS OF FERRY STREET CHURCHES, BUSINESS GROUPS, ALL OPPOSED BECAUSE THE DEP WAS GIVING THEM A PERMIT TO POLLUTE. IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR PERMIT THAT THEY HAVE FROM THE DEP, IT TALKS ABOUT HOW MUCH LEAD, HOW MUCH ARSENIC, HOW MUCH OTHER POLLUTANTS YOU CAN PUT INTO THE AIR. LEGALLY AT THAT POINT WE SAID THAT THE GARBAGE INCINERATOR WAS WAY TOO BIG FOR THE KNEES OF ESSEX COUNTY. AND WE WERE PROOF RIGHT OVER HALF THE GARBAGE COMES FROM NEW YORK CITY. WE, THE RESIDENTS OF NEWARK, THE RESIDENT VESTAS COUNTY, ARE BEING RECIPROCAL FOR NEW YORK CITY NOT KNOWING HOW TO DEAL WITH ITS SOLID WASTE. SO WE'RE HERE TODAY IS SAYING, BEFORE ANOTHER FIVE YEARS GOES BY, LET'S PUT TOGETHER A STUDY COMMISSION TO LOOK AT WHAT ESSEX COUNTY CAN DO TO REDUCE ITS WASTE STREAM TO LESS RELIANT ON THE GUARDIANS, HOW WE CAN REDO THE CONTRACT TO GET OUT OF A PUT OR PAY CONTRACT WHERE WE'RE PAYING FOR ALL THE GARBAGE. REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH ESSEX COUNTY GENERATES, WE'VE GOTTEN OURSELF IN A ROTTEN DEAL, AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GONNA GET OUT OF IT IS TO PUT TOGETHER A COMMISSION. AND COMMISSIONER ALT WAS WITH US BACK THEN AT THE BEGINNING, UH, TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW WE CAN START WALKING AWAY FROM THIS HORRIBLE DEAL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD JOB, HONOR. GOOD AFTERNOON, ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. IT'S MY PLEASURE TO STAND HERE BEFORE YOU. I'M ALEJANDRA TORRES, DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY AND ORGANIZING AT THE IRONBOUND COMMUNITY CORPORATION, LIKE MY IDC PREDECESSORS WHO HAVE COME BEFORE YOU FOR DECADES. I'M HERE TO ALSO REMIND YOU THAT THE IRONBOUND DOES NOT WANT MORE TRASH AND DIRTY AIR FROM THE COUNTY'S OTHER 22 MUNICIPALITIES. THE REAL-WORLD INCINERATOR ALREADY PROCESSES UP TO 950,000 TONS OF WASTE ANNUALLY IN OUR BACKYARD. WE DO NOT NEED AN ADDITIONAL 425,000 TONS OF WASTE TO BE DOUBLED UP AND BURNED NEXT TO OUR HOMES FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS. THE COUNTY SHOULD NOT APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE. THE INCINERATOR IS A HISTORIC PROBLEM. AS MY COLLEAGUE ARNOLD JUST SAID, FOR OVER 30 YEARS, THE COUNTY HAS BEEN SENDING ITS WASTE TO THE IRON BOUND, AND YET HERE [00:15:01] WE ARE DISCUSSING A FOURTH SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT FOR 31 YEARS. FOR EVERY A HUNDRED TONS OF TRASH, THE INCINERATOR BURNS. 30 TONS BECOME TOXIC ASH AND THE OTHER 70 TONS DON'T TURN INTO ENERGY, THEY BECOME AIR POLLUTION. THIS INCINERATOR IS CHOKING US. SOME OF YOU LIVE IN NEWARK. DO YOU WANT TO KEEP BREATHING IN TOXIC AIR? DO YOU WANT YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO KEEP DEVELOPING RESPIRATORY ISSUES BECAUSE OF THIS INCINERATOR HARMFUL EMISSIONS? THE RE RULED INCINERATOR IS ONE OF THE TOP FIVE POLLUTERS IN NEW JERSEY, EMITTING DANGEROUS LEVELS OF LEAD, MERCURY, ARSENIC, AND SULFUR DIOXIDE. IT'S HAD OVER 300 AIR PERMIT VIOLATIONS SINCE 2013. THE MOST EGREGIOUS VIOLATION WAS ONLY SIX YEARS AGO. IN 2019, THE INCINERATOR ILLEGALLY BURNED IODINE RESULTING IN A PINK PLUME. THE INCINERATOR PAID FINES, BUT THE STATE RECEIVED THE MONEY, NOT THE IRONBOUND. THE RESIDENTS OF THE IRONBOUND HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. THIS INCINERATOR IS A THREAT TO OUR COMMUNITY, BOTH NOW AND IN 2015, ESSEX COUNTY JUSTIFIED EXTENDING THE CONTRACT BY ARGUING THAT IT WAS SAVING A LOT OF MONEY BY SENDING ITS WASTE TO THE INCINERATOR. AND WITH THE MONEY SAVED, THE COUNTY COULD QUOTE, CONTINUE ENLARGE AND EXPAND ITS VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING A MAJOR FOCUS ON RECYCLING AND ESSEX COUNTY END QUOTE. WHAT ARE THESE ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES IN RECYCLING PROGRAMS TODAY? I URGE THE COUNTY TO DISAPPROVE OF THIS ORDINANCE AND WORK TOWARDS ENACTING REAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES. INSTEAD OF EXTENDING ITS AGREEMENT, THE COUNTY SHOULD DOWNSIZE THE INCINERATOR, THE COUNTY 30 SECONDS. AND THE CITY OF NEWARK SHOULD ESTABLISH A CITIZEN TASK FORCE FOR THIS PURPOSE. AND I-C-C-I-C-C CAN BE A PART OF THE TASK FORCE. THE FOREST COULD HELP ADMINISTER FUNDS FOR REDUCED WASTE AND AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT POLICIES. THE COUNTY MUST SET ASIDE FUNDS FOR POLICIES RELATED TO WASTE DIVERSION, RECYCLING, AND ORGANIC COLLECTIONS FOR COMPOSTING. SO LESS TRASH IS SENT TO THE INCINERATOR. THE ICC LOOKS FORWARD TO COLLABORATING WITH THE COUNTY TO CREATE THIS TAX FORCE AND PURSUE WASTE MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES THAT PRIORITIZE NEWARK RESIDENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MATT, CAN YOU PLEASE ADJUST IT? , GIMME ONE SECOND. HOLD THE THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I MIGHT BE TALL, BUT I AM MIGHTY RIGHT. . I'M SURE YOU'RE, I'M NANCY ZACK. ALSO, I LIVE IN THE IRON BOUND WHERE I HAVE LIVED FOR 53 HALF A CENTURY NOW AND 47 OF THOSE YEARS I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH IRON BOUND COMMUNITY CORPORATION WHERE I STILL WORK. AND I JUST WANTED TO BRING THIS EXHIBIT TO YOUR ATTENTION. I'LL GIVE IT TO YOUR SECRETARY TO GIVE TO YOU A VERY WONDERFUL RETROSPECTIVE OF 55 YEARS OF WORK THAT THE IRON BOUND COMMUNITY CORPORATION HAS DONE. IT'S AT THE MAIN LIBRARY ON THE THIRD FLOOR. IT WAS CURATED BY MYSELF AND MY DAUGHTER WHO WORKS IN THE CHARLES CUMMINGS ROOM. UM, AND IT, IT'S MUCH BETTER THAN THE OLD BOXES WHERE I HAD ALL PAPERS ALL OVER. IT'S GORGEOUS. SO WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE, ANYTIME THE LIBRARY IS OPEN, GO TO THE THIRD FLOOR AND TAKE A LOOK AND YOU'LL SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE DANGERS OF BURNING. AND WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP. WE STOPPED FIVE OTHER INCINERATORS BESIDE THE ONE THAT IS EXISTING. AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN START TO LOOK AT OTHER SOLUTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, HONOR. GOOD EVENING. HI. GOOD EVENING. UH, MY NAME IS SAMANTHA DEFALCO AND I'M A SENIOR ORGANIZER WITH THE, WITH THE GROUP FOOD AND WATER ACT. UH, FOOD AND WATER WATCH. ALSO SPEAKING, UM, IN REGARDS TO THE, UM, THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN. AND I HAD ALSO LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE COMMISSIONERS TO, UH, REJECT THIS, THIS ORDINANCE, UM, AND, AND NOT EXTEND ITS, UH, AGREEMENT WITH THE PORT AUTHORITY. UM, THE INCINERATOR, AS I'M SURE ALL OF YOU KNOW, IS ALREADY, UH, PROCESSING, UM, 950,000 TONS OF WASTE ANNUALLY. AND, UM, WHEN THAT'S BURNED, IT IS EMITTED INTO THE AIR AND IT'S A MAJOR, UH, DETRIMENTAL. IT HAS MAJOR DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS TO HUMAN HEALTH. AS AN EARLIER SPEAKER SAID, UH, ONE IN FOUR CHILDREN IN NEWARK HAS ASTHMA. THAT'S A REALLY APPALLING AND STAGGERING, UH, PERCENTAGE. AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, NEW JERSEY'S LEGACY OF, OF DUMPING ON NEWARK. AND THAT HAS TO STOP. UM, THIS IS THE, THIS FACILITY IS THE NUMBER TWO EMITTER OF ARSENIC, HYDROGEN CHLORIDE, MERCURY AND NITROGEN OXIDES IN NEW JERSEY. [00:20:01] AND OF COURSE, THAT IS COMBINED WITH ALL OF THE OTHER POLLUTANTS IN THIS REGION. UM, IN THIS, YOU KNOW, NEW JERSEY HAS ONE OF THE STRONGEST ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE LAWS IN THE NATION THAT WAS PASSED, UM, TO HELP COMMUNITIES LIKE NEWARK, UH, YOU KNOW, PREVENT, UH, MORE POLLUTION FROM COMING INTO THE COMMUNITY. AND IN THE SPIRIT OF THAT LAW, WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN PROTECT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITIES. UM, AND, AND LIKE NEWARK, WHICH IS, WHICH IS JUST REALLY THE, THE, THE POSTER CHILD OF WHAT AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY IS WITH THE AIRPORT AND HIGHWAYS AND OTHER INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES AND SUPERFUND SITES. UM, I'D LIKE TO ECHO THE CALL, UM, THAT WAS MADE EARLIER FOR, UH, THE FORMATION OF A CITIZEN TASK FORCE TO HELP TO START TO MAKE PLANS TO DOWNSIZE THE INCINERATOR, UM, AND COME UP WITH WAYS TO REDUCE WASTE AROUND THE STATE AND OR AROUND THE COUNTY. AND, UM, ENSURE THAT THIS, THIS, THIS CONTRACT DOESN'T NEED TO BE CONTINUED. AND, UM, WE CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, STOP PUTTING ALL OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH BURDEN ON ONE COMMUNITY IN THE COUNTY. UM, SO THANK YOU FOR HEARING, UH, HEARING ME THIS EVENING AND WOULD LIKE TO JUST CLOSE BY, UH, ONCE AGAIN ENCOURAGING YOU TWO HAVE REJECT THIS ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. MY NAME IS GUSTAVO AND I AM FROM ABOUND COMMUNITY CORPORATION. I ALSO PREPARED SOMETHING TO THE SAME ORDINANCE THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN REFERRING TO. THIS PROPOSED CONTRACT EXTENSION IS PART OF A LONG AND PAINFUL PATTERN ON WHERE POOR BLACK IMMIGRANT AND WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES ARE TREATED AS SACRIFICE ZONES. THIS NEW WORK INCINERATOR IS AMONG THE TOP FIVE EMITTERS IN ALL NEW JERSEY FOR LEAD, MERCURY, ARSENIC, SMOG FORMING NITROGEN OXIDES, HYDROGEN CHLORIDE, AND MORE. THIS INCINERATOR HAS HAD OVER 800 PERMIT VIOLATIONS IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAJORITY OF STATIONARY SOURCE LEAD, MERCURY, HYDROGEN CHLORIDE, AND, AND NOX EMISSIONS IN THE ESSEX COUNTY. OUR AIR QUALITY IS AMONG THE WORST IN THE STATE. OUR CHILDREN GROW UP WITH ASTHMA AND OUR BASIC RIGHT TO BREATHE CLEAN AIR CONTINUES TO BE VIOLATED. THERE'S A BIG PROBLEM HERE THAT I AM ASKING, WE ALL ADDRESS NOW. WE AS A SOCIETY ARE PUTTING PROFIT OVER PEOPLE AND THE PLANET. WE ARE ALL ASKING FOR US TO PUT EFFORTS ON DOWNSIZING, NOT INCREASING FACILITY OPERATIONS. THIS NEWARK INCINERATOR IS ALREADY APPROACHING ITS END OF LIFE, AND WE ARE SEEING THE COUNTY WANTING TO ADOPT THIS FOURTH SUPPLEMENT AGREEMENT, UM, THAT IS PROPOSED TO, TO END UNTIL 2030. WE AS COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AS, UH, AS IRONBOUND COMMUNITY CORPORATIONS WE'RE DEMANDING THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO PUT OR PAY CLAUSE IN THIS FOURTH SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT. UM, WE, WE NO MORE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS WITHOUT COMMITMENT FOR THE RETIREMENT OF THE INCINERATOR. THE, THERE, THERE NEEDS TO BE, UH, AN ATTENTION INTO WHEN WE ARE PLANNING OUR WAY FORWARD, FOR US TO HAVE IN MIND THAT WE NEED TO PUSH FORWARD THE RETIRING OF THIS FACILITY. I I, I DO NOT SEE EVIDENCE OF THIS HAPPENING. THERE ARE PLANS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE THAT ARE PROPOSING THE EXTENSION OF THE FACILITY. THERE'S EXTENSIONS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND I, I DO NOT SEE A RESPONSE. THANK YOU. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY? OKAY. SCENE DONE. WE'RE GONNA CLOSE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AGENDA ITEMS ONLY. WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE OF RESOLUTIONS. ON INTRODUCTION OF FIRST READINGS. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY ORDINANCE OF RESOLUTIONS ON INTRODUCTION OF FIRST READING? NO. MR. PRESIDENT. OKAY. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING IN PUBLIC LISTING, UH, HEARING AND LISTING PURPOSES ONLY. DO WE HAVE ANY? NO, WE DO NOT. OKAY. SO LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, ORDINANCE OF RESOLUTION AND SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING. DO WE HAVE ANY? YES, MR. PRESIDENT? WE HAVE TWO. ORDINANCE NUMBER OH, 20 25 0 0 0 13. AND ORDINANCE NUMBER OH 20 25 0 0 0. [00:25:01] OKAY, MADAM, LET'S MOVE TO THE PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCE FOR O2 25 DASH THREE. IT WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. I DO HEREBY DECLARE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 20 25 0 1 3 OPEN. IF THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR OR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. THERE'S THE OTHER ONE WITH THE GENERAL AGENDA FOR THE ENTIRE MEETING, AND THIS ONE IS SPECIFIC TO THIS ONE ORDINANCE. OKAY. I DON'T THINK WE'RE SPEAKING JUST SPECIFIC ON THIS WITNESS. YES, YES. THIS SPECIFICALLY ON THIS, YES. UM, I AM IN FULL SUPPORT AND AGREEMENT WITH THE, ALL THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS IN REGARDS TO THIS. UM, I ALSO WANT TO INDICATE TO THE BOARD THAT YOU GUYS NEED TO BE AWARE THAT THE PORT AUTHORITY HAS LOWERED THE PLANE FLIGHT PATH. OKAY. SO THEY ARE NOW FLYING CLOSER TO THE HOUSES. AND AGAIN, THIS IS WHY THE, THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. NOT ONLY THE INCINERATOR, BUT THEY'RE ALSO, UH, EXTENDING AND EXPANDING THE SEWAGE, UH, FORSAKE VALLEY THAT'S BEING ALL EXTENDED DOWN TO REUS AVENUE ALL THE WAY OVER TO ONE TO NINE. UM, PERMITS HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN DONE PROPERLY AT THE CITY, BUT THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING ON THAT. THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER POWER PLANT. SO EVERYTHING THAT THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS HAVE SAID ARE, ARE VERY KEY. BUT WHEN WE ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE POLLUTION THAT'S BEING PUT OUT BY THE, UH, INCINERATOR WITH THE BURNING, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL NOW THAT THAT IS NOW COMBINED WITH THE, UH, GAS COMING OFF OF THE AIRPLANES. NOW THAT THEY'RE FLYING LOWER, THEY'RE EVEN, I'M IN THE WESTWARD UP AT THE TOP. AND THEY'VE EVEN LOWERED THE FLIGHT PATH FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA PUT A NEW, AND THIS DOES GO TO THIS. THEY'RE GONNA PUT A BRAND NEW RUNWAY ON THE EXPRESS SIDE OF ONE AND NINE. SO WE, WE NEED TO REALLY BE CAREFUL AND WATCH WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IN NORTH AND IN ES COUNTY. THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT ALL OF US WITH THE INCREASED TRAFFIC, THE INCREASED TRUCKS, THE IRON BOUND HAS BEEN SCREAMING ABOUT THAT FOREVER. WE'VE BEEN OUT HERE, I'VE BEEN WITH TO SOME OF THE THINGS WITH THEM. BUT THIS IS REALLY GOING TO BE IMPACTFUL FOR OUR HEALTH, FOR EVERYBODY'S HEALTH. UM, AND ASTHMA AND OTHER THINGS ARE AT THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO HAVE, UH, HEARTS REPLACED AND ALL KINDS OF STUFF NOW BECAUSE OF THE POLLUTION THAT'S IN THE AIR. ARSENIC IS VERY SERIOUS BURNING OF THE, UH, CHEMICAL THAT THEY SPOKE OF. AND I CAN'T REMEMBER IT RIGHT THIS SECOND. THAT'S SERIOUS. AND WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THAT. LET'S NOT NOT CARE. AND I'M NOT SAYING THAT YOU DON'T, BUT LET'S NOT NOT CARE BECAUSE WE DON'T LIVE DOWN THERE. 'CAUSE THERE'S THOSE OF US IN THIS ROOM. WE LIVE IN NEWARK AND WE NEED TO BE ON TOP OF IT. AND WE ARE NOT BECAUSE EVERY DAY THEY'RE CHANGING THE PARAMETERS OF WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE DONE. AND IT APPEARS TO BE NEWARK IS THE DUMPING GROUND FOR ALL OF THIS STUFF THAT'S GOING ON. BECAUSE HOW DARE A PORT AUTHORITY NOT HOLD THE PUBLIC HEARING TO LOWER THE AIRPLANES TO FLY CLOSER TO YOUR HOUSE AND MINE. SO IF THEY'RE COMING LOWER DOWN OVER THE WEST WARD, WHEN THEY COMING THROUGH SOUTH ORANGE, WHEN THEY'RE COMING THROUGH MONTCLAIR, WHEN THEY'RE COMING UP FROM SOUTH JERSEY, THEY'RE FLYING CLOSER TO US. NOW, MS. JACKSON, AND WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED, THIS, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH AIR FLIGHT CONTROL AND I DON'T WANT TO CONFUSE THE ISSUE. WE GOTTA STICK TO THE ISSUE AT HAND, BUT IT'S THE POLLUTION THOUGH. I UNDERSTAND YOU WERE SUPPORT OF THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS RELATED TO THIS ORDINANCE. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME ABOUT THIS ORDINANCE? I KNOW SOME PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN ABOUT IT, BUT THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY. IF YOU WANT, REPEAT WHAT YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE SAID BEFORE, THAT'S FINE. PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION. YES, ALEJANDRA TORRES WITH IRONBOUND COMMUNITY CORPORATION. APOLOGIES, I ARRIVED A LITTLE LATE, SO I DIDN'T WANNA MISS MY CHANCE TO SPEAK. UM, BUT JUST TO REITERATE, UH, THE INCINERATOR IS IN FACT A HISTORIC PROBLEM. IT'S CHOKING US. IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST POLLUTERS IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. THE COUNTY SHOULD NOT APPROVE, UM, THIS ORDINANCE. AND I'LL JUST ADD THAT THE IRONBOUND IS ALREADY AN OR OVERBURDENING COMMUNITY. IT'S ONE OF THE MOST OVER POLLUTED AND IMPOVERISHED NEIGHBORHOODS IN NEW JERSEY. IT'S SURROUNDED BY THE AIRPORT, HIGHWAYS, RAIL LINES, THE PASSAIC RIVER, WHICH IS, UM, ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S MOST POLLUTED WATERWAYS, ACTIVE AND ABANDONED INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES, WASTE TRANSFER STATIONS, CLOSE FIGHT FLIGHT PATHS, ACTIVE TRUCK ROUTE, AND NEW JERSEY'S LARGEST POWER BRIDGE INCINERATOR RE WORLD. SO WHY SHOULD OUR COMMUNITY BE SACRIFICED AS A COUNTY'S DESIGNATED DISPOSAL FACILITY? COUNTY COMMISSIONERS? I URGE YOU TO THINK, TO RECOGNIZE THAT IRON BOUND DESERVES BETTER. I'LL JUST REITERATE SOME OF MY PROPOSED SUGGESTIONS TO YOU ALL. UM, AND YOU SHOULD DISAPPROVE OF THIS ORDINANCE AND WORK TOWARDS ENACTING REAL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES. SO LIKE DOWNSIZING, DOWNSIZING THE INCINERATOR, EXCUSE ME, ONE SUCH SUGGESTION IS A CITIZEN TASK FORCE, UM, THAT CAN HELP ADMINISTER FUNDS FOR REDUCED WASTE AND AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT. POLICIES CAN ALSO THINK [00:30:01] OF SOLUTIONS TO DOWNSIZING, DOWNSIZING THE INCINERATOR. UM, BUT SOME IDEAS CAN BE SETTING FUNDS ASIDE FOR POLICIES RELATED TO WASTE DIVERSION, RECYCLING, ORGANICS, COLLECTIONS FOR COMPOSTING. THERE COULD ALSO BE MORE STAFF AT THE FACILITY WHO REVIEW AND AUDIT SOLID WASTE HANDLING PRACTICES TO DETERMINE INAPPROPRIATE OR RECYCLABLE WASTE. LASTLY, THERE SHOULD BE NO PUT OR PAY CLAUSE IN THIS FOURTH SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT THAT WOULD MAKE THE COUNTY LIABLE TO PAY FINES IF THE VOLUME OF WASTE IS REDUCED. SO I URGE YOU ALL, AGAIN, PLEASE DO NOT APPROVE OF THIS ORDINANCE AND LET'S COME UP WITH SOME REAL SOLUTIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF OUR WASTE THAT DOES NOT SACRIFICE THE AIR QUALITY AND HEALTH OF NEWARK RESIDENTS. UM, AND THE ICC IS HERE TO WORK WITH YOU TO COME UP WITH THOSE ALTERNATIVES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. EXCUSE ME. MATT, CAN YOU, I'M SORRY, MATT, YOU'RE THE OFFICIAL MICROPHONE ADJUST. SORRY, ADJUSTMENT. JUST FOR THE RECORD, IF I ANYONE OF THESE, UH, YOU SQUEEZE THE MICROPHONE HANDLE, IT'LL GO UP OR DOWN SO IT SUITS YOUR KNEES. DO NOT TAKE THE MICROPHONE OFF THE STAND, PLEASE. THANK YOU. GOT IT. THANK YOU. UM, I, I SPOKE EARLIER ALSO. CAN YOU JUST REFER YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION? YEAH. SO MY NAME IS, UH, SAMANTHA DEFALCO, AND I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH FOOD AND WATER WATCH. I'M JUST SPEAKING AGAIN TO, UH, REAFFIRM, UM, OUR CALL FOR THE COMMISSIONERS TO REJECT THE ORDINANCE TO EXTEND THE, UM, THE, UH, THE CONTRACT WITH, UH, COVANTA OR REAL WORLD, UH, THE FACILITY, UM, BECAUSE OF HOW POLLUTING IT IS TO THE LUNGS OF PEOPLE OUT LIVE IN NEWARK AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. AND, UM, YEAH, WE, WE'D LIKE TO SEE, UM, ALTERNATIVES TO THIS, UH, BE EXPLORED TO HELP, UH, RE REDUCE THE, THE USE OF THE FACILITY, UM, AND FOR ITS EVENTUAL DOWNSIZING AND CLOSURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS MARTIN TORRES. I WORK WITH THE ICC, BUT I'M NOT THERE ON MY BEHALF AS WORK HOURS. UM, I'VE BEEN PART OF THIS FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, JUST BEING PART OF THE TEAM THAT'S WORKING TIRELESSLY. AND AS SOMEONE WHO LI WHOSE WORKS AND WORKING TOWARDS LIVING IN THE IRON BOUND, UM, AS SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT THE SPACE AND THE PEOPLE THAT OCCUPY. UM, OVER THE LAST, UH, FEW WEEKS, PARTICULARLY AFTER OUR RECENT PVSC COUNCIL MEETING, HEARING SOME OF THE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR THIS SPACE, IT BECOMES MORE AND MORE APPARENT THAT IT COMES AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PEOPLE. UM, MY COLLEAGUES, UM, HAVE MENTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT IT HAS ON OUR CHILDREN THAT ARE IN THE SPACE. UM, I SAY OUR CHILDREN 'CAUSE OUR ORGANIZATION RUNS A PRESCHOOL, AND YOU SEE THE HEALTH AND THE DIFFICULTIES THAT THEY GO THROUGH JUST BEING YOUNG PEOPLE TRYING TO GROW IN THE IRON BOUND WHERE THEY WANT TO BE. UH, THE PHRASE THAT I'VE HEARD A LOT IS TO STOP DUMPING ON NEWARK AND THAT, UH, THE IRON IRONBOUND IS NOT A SACRIFICE ZONE. AND I'VE FELT THAT THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, AS SOMEONE WHO IS A MORE RECENT OBSERVER OF THE, OF THE STANDINGS, THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY SOLUTIONS THAT DO NOT INVOLVE THE CURRENT, UH, STATUS QUO. SO I JUST ASK THAT THE COMMISSION CONSIDERS THE REAL HUMAN IMPACT OF THE, OF THIS ORDINANCE AS WELL AS HOW IT CAN AFFECT GENERATIONS OF FOLKS. I, MYSELF, AS SOMEONE WHO, YOU KNOW, LOVES THE COMMUNITY, LOVES NEWARK, UM, LOVES THE IRONBOUND, LOVES THE WAR THAT WE OCCUPY, UM, AS SOMEONE LOOKING TO LIVE, LIVE AND CONTINUE MY LIFE AND MY CAREER HERE, I THINK IS IMPORTANT THAT I SPEAK ON THIS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT MY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, AND THE, THE COMMUNITY I CARE ABOUT TO BE GREATLY IMPACTED AND DEVASTATED BY THE TOXIC ADMISSIONS THAT CONTINUE TO BE A PART OF IT. AS MY, MY COLLEAGUE NANCY MENTIONED THAT THIS HAS BEEN A FIGHT FOR, FOR DECADES AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE A FIGHT. UM, I JUST HOPE THAT THE FOLKS WHO HAVE DECISION POWERS IN THIS ROOM UNDERSTAND THE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE, ARE AVAILABLE, UNDERSTAND THE, THE IMPACT AND THE DEVASTATION THAT IT HAS ON PEOPLE. AND, UH, KEEP IN MIND THAT THE FOLKS AT THE IRONBOUND DESERVE BETTER, THE FOLKS OF NEWARK DESERVE BETTER. AND THAT THE, I DON'T WANT NEWARK TO CONTINUE TO BE SOMEPLACE THAT STINK. I DON'T WANT IT TO BE HAVING THAT I THAT, UH, REPUTATION AND GOING ABOUT THAT WAY AND AVOIDING THESE KIND OF TOXIC POLLUTANTS GOES A LONG WAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'RE SPEAKING ON ORDINANCE O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 0 1 3. [00:35:11] HI, I AM PAULA RAGOVIN. GOOD EVENING, UH, REPRESENTING FOOD AND WATER WATCH OF NEW JERSEY FOOD AND WATER WATCH STRONGLY OPPOSES THIS ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN. RATHER THAN BEING EXPANDED, IT SHOULD BE DOWNSIZED AND THEN ELIMINATED COMPLETELY. THIS PROPOSAL TO EXPAND THE INCINERATOR IS RACIST. ESSEX COUNTY WOULD NEVER PLACE SUCH A FACILITY IN MY COMMUNITY OF TEANECK OR IN TOWNS IN ESSEX COUNTY OR IN ANY PLACE IN ESSEX OTHER THAN AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY OF THE BOUND. THIS IS SHAMEFUL. THE RE WORLD INCINERATOR ALREADY PROCESSES NEARLY 9,950,000 TONS OF WASTE ANNUALLY. THE IRON BOUND IS ALREADY OVERWHELMED WITH POLLUTION. THERE ARE THREE FRACK GAS POWER PLANTS AND A FOURTH ONE JUST APPROVED BY THE PASSAG VALLEY SEWAGE COMMISSION. AFTER FOUR YEARS OF MASSIVE OPPOSITION BY IRONBOUND RESIDENTS AND ACTIVISTS FROM AROUND THE STATE, THE IRONBOUND IS ALREADY PLAGUED BY OTHER SOURCES OF POLLUTION, FROM TRUCKS, FROM PORT NEWARK, PLANES, FROM LIBERTY AIRPORT, HEAVY INDUSTRY, AND THE EXISTING INCINERATOR. THE ESSEX COUNTY COMMISSIONER ALREADY OPPOSED THE PVSC GAS PLANT. WHY WOULD ESSEX EVEN CONSIDER THIS ORDINANCE TO EXPAND THE INCINERATOR AND INCREASE POLLUTION? REAL-WORLD ESSEX IS THE NUMBER TWO EMITTER OF ARSENIC. ARSENIC IS A KNOWN CARCINOGEN, WHICH MEANS IT MAY CAUSE CANCERS, BLADDER CANCER, BLOOD CANCER, CANCERS OF THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM, LIVER CANCER, LUNG CANCER, LYMPHOMA, KIDNEY CANCER, PROSTATE CANCER, SKIN CANCER. IF YOU'RE PREGNANT, ARSENIC, POISON CAN LEAD TO COMPLICATIONS DURING FETAL DEVELOPMENT, YOUR BABY MAY ALSO HAVE BIRTH DEFECTS. IN ADDITION, DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS CAN OCCUR IN CHILDREN WHO ARE FREQUENTLY EXPOSED TO ARSENIC, ARSENIC FROM THE INCINERATOR. 30 SECONDS. I HAVE A LOT MORE TO SAY. AND A LOT OF 136 HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AND SCIENTISTS IN 2022 WROTE A SIGN LINE LETTER EXPLAINING WHY IT WAS WRONG TO BUILD THE PVSC GAS PLANT. AND THE SAME ISSUES ARE HERE. IT IS THE COMBINED CONTAMINATION FROM ALL THE SOURCES OF POLLUTION, NOT JUST FROM THE INCINERATOR, BUT FROM THE COMBINED SOURCES OF POLLUTION THAT ARE THE PROBLEM. AND IT WOULD BE A SHAME, IT WOULD BE SHAMEFUL IF YOU APPROVE AN EXPANSION, THERE SHOULD BE A REDUCTION AND ELIMINATION OF THIS HORRENDOUS INJUSTICE, ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE. IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME ON THIS SPECIFIC ORDINANCE? THIS IS ON ORDINANCE OH DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 0 1 3. UH, YES, I'M TERRY SUES UNION, UM, NEW JERSEY. UM, YEAH, YOU KNOW THAT EYES ON ICE HAS BEEN DOWN AT DELANEY HALL FOR ABOUT 25 WEEKS EVERY DAY. AND WE KNOW WHAT POLLUTION IS DOWN THERE. YOU ARE NOW HOUSING PEOPLE AT A COUNTY JAIL AND AT A ICE DETENTION CENTER. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE HOUSED DOWN THERE AND YOU ARE PROPOSING, THEY ARE PROPOSING TO EXPAND THE INCINERATOR CAPABILITY. THAT'S INSANE. THAT MAKES NO SENSE WHATSOEVER. AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AS YOU KNOW, THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS LIKE LITERALLY SEVERAL BLOCKS AWAY. THAT'S WHERE ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM LIV, AND THEY ARE UNDER DURESS FROM, AS PAULA HAS SAID, MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF POLLUTION FROM MANY, MANY SOURCES. YOU CAN TICK THEM OFF. YOU COULD TAKE [00:40:01] A WALK AROUND AND SEE ALL THE VARIOUS SOURCES AND JUST WALK DOWN THERE. JUST COME AND SEE DELANEY HALL FOR A DAY AND YOU WILL SMELL ALL OF THIS. AND TO EXPAND IT IS CRIMINAL. SO REALLY, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS. THANK YOU. HELLO AGAIN. I'M GUSTAVO FROM IRONBOUND COMMUNITY CORPORATION. I ALREADY SPOKE A FEW MOMENTS AGO, BUT I WANTED TO TAKE THIS TIME TO JUST HIGHLIGHT TWO THINGS. THE FIRST ONE IS THAT THIS IS A HEALTH CONCERN FOR ALL OF US, AND I WANTED TO ALSO MENTION THAT HOW OUR HEALTH CONCERNS ALSO TRANSLATES TO UNEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES. THERE, THERE'S, THERE IS AN IMPACT THAT GOES BEYOND HEALTH, THAT GOES BEYOND, UH, OUR DIGNITY, WHICH IS AT THE CENTER OF ALL OF THIS. BUT THIS IS JUST, I, I CANNOT FIND A WAY WHERE THIS MAKES SENSE. THAT IS MY FIRST POINT AND MY SECOND POINT. I AM SPEAKING YOU AS AN ENGINEER HERE. AND I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY FOR EVERYONE IN THE ROOM ABOUT HOW THE INCINERATOR IS ACTUALLY FUNCTIONING, WHICH IS TO BURN TRASH, TO BURN ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ARE COMING FROM MANHATTAN, FROM COMING FROM ESSEX COUNTY. AND WE WE'RE DEALING WITH EVERYONE'S WASTE. UM, AND WHEN WE BURN THE TRASH THAT'S USED TO HEAT UP WATER, THAT, THAT, THAT TURNS INTO STEAM AND GENERATES, UH, ELECTRICITY. BUT THE, THE EMISSIONS THAT COME OUT OF THE INCINERATOR ARE THE, ARE ARE THE ACTUAL EMISSIONS THAT ARE HURTING OUR, THAT ARE HURTING OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS ALSO BEING FRAMED AS A RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE. AND I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THIS IS NOT A RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE, SO THAT EVERYONE HERE IS AWARE OF THAT. UM, THANK YOU. OKAY. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS AT THIS TIME REGARDING THIS ORDINANCE. MS. SHABAZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? UH, NO. MR. PRESIDENT, NO LEGAL QUESTIONS. MR. MCINERNEY. ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER LUCIANO. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT THROUGH YOU. FIRST OFF, LET ME SAY GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE THAT'S HERE IN OUR CHAMBERS. IT'S ACTUALLY A GOOD FEELING WHEN WE HAVE INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC AND WE SEE PEOPLE. I'VE BEEN SITTING ON THIS BOARD SINCE 2011 AND PRIOR TO GETTING ELECTED FREEHOLDER AT THE TIME NOW COMMISSIONER, I SAT FOR FOUR YEARS AS A COMMISSIONER ON THE ESSEX COUNTY UTILITIES AUTHORITY. SO I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF EXPERIENCE AND, AND KNOWLEDGE BEHIND WHAT'S GOING ON HERE. AND WHILE I JUST WANT TO PUT ON RECORD THROUGH YOU, COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT, AND AMONGST MY COLLEAGUES THAT I DEEPLY CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN THE SPACE IN ESSEX COUNTY AS WELL. UM, BUT SOMETIMES YOU'RE FACED WITH A VERY TOUGH DECISION AND THIS DECISION IN PARTICULAR TO ME, AND LET ME JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT MOST OF THE THINGS THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE SAID ARE PROBABLY ACCURATE. I KNOW THAT THE INCINERATOR, I'VE ACTUALLY TOURED IT SEVERAL TIMES AND MAN DOES IT STINK. I'VE BEEN THERE, I'VE BEEN THROUGH IT. UM, ELMER HERMAN IS HERE. HE ALSO IS THE DIRECTOR OF OUR ESSEX COUNTY UTILITIES AUTHORITY. HE'S BEEN THERE WITH ME. UM, YOU KNOW, THE WAY IT HAS BEEN PROPOSED TO US IS THERE IS A BAG ON TOP THAT'S SUPPOSED TO CATCH SOME, NOT ALL, NOT ALL OF THE PARTICLES FROM THE BURNING, UH, AND THE WATER VAPOR THAT COMES UP. BUT THE REAL THING THAT I WANTED TO PUT ON RECORD HERE TONIGHT, BECAUSE NO ONE GOT UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND ACTUALLY SAID IT, IS WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES? THE ALTERNATIVES ARE LANDFILL. LANDFILL. FIRST OF ALL, WE ALREADY HAVE A HOUSING CRISIS. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF LAND AND SPACE ANYMORE. LANDFILL CREATES TOXIC SOIL. IT CREATES RUNOFF WATER INTO OUR STREAMS, OUR LAKES, OUR PONDS, OUR WATERWAYS, LANDFILLS ALSO CREATE METHANE GAS, WHICH IS VERY TOXIC AND VERY DANGEROUS FOR HUMAN BEINGS THAT LIVE NEXT TO LANDFILLS. AND NOT ONE PERSON, THOUGH TONIGHT MENTIONED THE ALTERNATIVES. THE ALTERNATIVES ARE BAD AS WELL. SO WE'RE HERE WITH A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD, IS WHAT I'M TELLING YOU AND WHAT I'M EXPLAINING TO MY COLLEAGUES, NO, I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO HAVE AN INCINERATOR AND WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN THE GARBAGE BUSINESS. BUT EVERY ONE OF US IN THESE SEATS, INCLUDING YOU GUYS, CREATE GARBAGE AND THE GARBAGE BUILDS UP. AND WHAT DO WE DO WITH IT? I HAVE LOOKED FOR ALTERNATIVES. I HAVE READ, I HAVE DONE MY HOMEWORK. I DO NOT WANT TO SEE AN INCINERATOR IN ESSEX COUNTY. BUT WE ALSO DON'T HAVE A SPACE FOR A LANDFILL. AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ANYONE HERE, BUT [00:45:01] I AM AN AVID BEACH GOER. I SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN THE OCEAN IN NEW JERSEY AND IN NEW YORK. AND OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, FINALLY I CAN SEE MY TOES AND MY FEET IN THE WATER. AND YOU WANNA KNOW WHY THAT IS? BECAUSE THERE'S NO MORE DUMPING IN THE WATER IN THE OCEAN, WHICH WAS CREATING A TOXIC OCEAN FOR OUR WILDLIFE AND FOR THE SWIMMERS AND THE PEOPLE THAT ENJOY THEMSELVES ON OUR BEACHES. SO AGAIN, HERE WE ARE FACED WITH A DECISION AS TO WHAT TO DO. AND NEITHER DECISION IS A GOOD ONE. AND I COMMEND EVERYONE WHO CAME HERE TO SPEAK IN THE MICROPHONE AND GIVE US THEIR OPINION AND TALK TO US ABOUT THEIR FEELINGS. AND BELIEVE ME, I'M SURE A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE HERE TONIGHT READY TO REJECT THIS. BUT WHAT DO WE DO? THAT IS THE REAL QUESTION, MR. PRESIDENT, DO WE DUMP IN THE OCEANS AGAIN? DO WE SHUT THE INCINERATOR DOWN? DO WE CREATE LANDFILLS AND HAVE TOXIC SOIL AND METHANE GAS? I DON'T KNOW. I'M NOT WELL VERSED IN THAT BUSINESS. I WISH I KNEW MORE. WE HAVE ASKED FOR AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN. THE INCINERATOR AND THEIR COMPANY THAT RUNS IT PROVIDES IT TO US. AND WE HAVE TO TAKE IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. WHAT THEY TELL US IS THAT IS THE BEST ALTERNATIVE AS OPPOSED TO THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE, BUT I WANTED TO JUST PUT THAT ON RECORD BECAUSE I DO HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH THIS. I HAVE SAT ON THIS BOARD. WE HAVE HAD CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES BEFORE. WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF GOOD FOLKS, SOME OF THE SAME PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM BRING OTHER ISSUES TO OUR ATTENTION WITHIN THE COUNTY. AND WE'VE HEARD YOU AND WE'VE TAKEN ACTION AND WE HEAR YOU TONIGHT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ACTION WE'RE GOING TO TAKE AND I CAN'T SPEAK FROM THE OTHER COLLEAGUES HERE, BUT I DID WANNA PUT THAT ON RECORD THAT NO MATTER WHAT, THIS IS A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD AND WE'RE IN A BIT OF A CONUNDRUM. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. MADAM, MADAM, THIS IS NOT YOUR TIME TO SPEAK AND THERE'S NO SPEAKING OUT OF AUDIENCE. WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE QUORUM HERE. THERE IS TWO PUBLIC COMMENTS TO SPEAK. YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME DURING THAT TIME, BUT NOT NOW. JUST LIKE WE RESPECT YOUR TIME TO SPEAK, YOU HAVE TO RESPECT THE BOARD'S TIME TO SPEAK. YOU CANNOT, YOU CANNOT SPEAK AT THIS TIME. IF YOU CANNOT CONFORM TO RULES, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO LEAVE. NO, MADAM, IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR YOU TO BE OUT OF LINE. NOW, NOT ACCEPTABLE. THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YEAH, WHILE MY, I THANK YOU FOR THOSE POINTED COMMENTS. UH, COMMISSIONER LUCIANA, AND YOU'RE RIGHT, NO ONE CAME UP WITH, UH, AN ALTERNATIVE. IS THERE ANYONE FROM THAT PLANT HERE? IS THERE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE COVANTA OR WHATEVER THE NAME OF THE PLACE IS? ANYBODY FROM THEM HERE? YES, THERE IS. THERE IS. YES, THERE IS. SO WE CERTAINLY LIKE TO HEAR FROM WHOEVER THIS IS. UH, IF, IF THAT'S OKAY, MR. PRESIDENT, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE SPEAKER, SO PLEASE JUST, UH, INTRODUCE YOURSELF. SURE. UH, GOOD EVENING COMMISSION. I'M MICHAEL VAN BRUNT. I'M THE VP OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND PERMITTING FOR REAL WORLD. SO THERE WERE A LOT OF THINGS SAID HERE TONIGHT IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF THE FIVE AND POLLUTERS IN, IN THE STATE, OR NUMBER SIX. IS THAT ACCURATE? HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN DEEMED THAT? SO ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS, LET ME GET A LET GET A COUPLE MORE. HAVE YOU GUYS ALSO BURNED IODINE AND THERE WAS A PINK FLUME THAT WENT UP. UH, ARE, ARE YOU ADMITTING ARSENIC INTO THE AIR, INTO THE ENVIRONMENT? SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD. SO I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE. SO YOU COULD ADDRESS THESE COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE MADE AND YOU COULD EITHER, UH, EITHER THEY'RE ACCURATE OR THEY'RE INACCURATE. SO FLOOR IS YOURS. SURE. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. UH, SO I'LL ADDRESS YOUR, YOUR QUESTIONS IN ORDER. UH, THE FIRST QUESTION WITH REGARD TO, UM, YOU KNOW, THE RELATIVE MAGNITUDE OF THE EMISSIONS OF THE FACILITY, UH, RELATIVE TO OTHER STATIONARY SOURCES. UM, THOSE COMMENTS ARE GENERALLY ACCURATE. UM, I CAN'T REFUTE THE FACT THAT WE HAVE IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF EMISSIONS, WE REPORT THOSE EMISSIONS EVERY YEAR TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. UM, THOSE EMISSIONS ARE WELL BELOW WHAT OUR PERMITTED THRESHOLDS ARE. AND DEPENDING ON THE POLLUTANT, THOSE EMISSIONS CAN BE UP TO 99% BELOW, UH, WHAT OUR PERMITS ALLOW US TO EMIT. UM, THE SECOND PIECE OF THAT, THAT I LIKE TO, TO PUT THAT A LITTLE BIT INTO PERSPECTIVE, UM, 'CAUSE YOU'VE HEARD SEVERAL OF THE COMMENTERS REFERENCE VERY APPROPRIATELY, UH, THAT WE WERE THE NUMBER TWO OR NUMBER FIVE SOURCE OF STATIONARY AIR EMISSIONS WITHIN [00:50:01] A PARTICULAR JURISDICTION. WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE TODAY MOBILE SOURCES, AREA SOURCES OF EMISSIONS TYPICALLY ARE THE LEADING SOURCES OF EMISSIONS WE HAVE IN THE COUNTY. UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO, AND WE MAKE THIS PUBLIC, WE WE PREPARE THIS AND ISSUE THIS EVERY YEAR TO, UH, POST IT ON OUR WEBSITE, IS WE PUT OUR EMISSIONS IN PERSPECTIVE TO THE OTHER SOURCES OF EMISSIONS WITHIN THE COUNTY. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE LOOK AT SORT OF OUR NO EMISSIONS, UH, WE REPRESENT IN 2024, WE REPRESENTED 14, SORRY, 10% OF THE NOX EMISSIONS IN 2024 FOR VOCS, WHICH ARE VOLATILE. SO, SO SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN, 10% OF WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS THAT? THAT'S, NO, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. SO 10% OF THE TOTAL EMISSIONS WITHIN THE COUNTY. SO WHEN WE BREATHE IN AIR, OUR LUNGS, OUR BODIES DON'T DISTINGUISH BETWEEN WHERE THAT EMISSION CAME FROM, WHETHER IT'S A MOBILE SOURCE, WHETHER IT'S AN AREA SOURCE, WHETHER IT'S A, A STATIONARY SOURCE. SO WHEN WE DO THAT CALCULATION, WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE SOURCES THAT ARE LOCATED IN THE COUNTY AND NOT EVEN AT ALL CONSIDERING WHAT BLOWS IN FROM UPSTREAM. SO THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE THAT WE FACE IN ESSEX COUNTY, UH, COMMUNITIES LIKE NEWARK AND THE IRONBOUND IS NOT ONLY ARE WE BESIEGED BY THE EMISSIONS WITHIN OUR COUNTY THAT WE ALL GENERATE, BUT ALSO EMISSIONS THAT COME FROM PENNSYLVANIA, UNION COUNTY, CAMDEN COUNTY, THAT BLOW INTO OUR COMMITTEE. WE CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT THOSE ARE. SO THAT 10% IS ONLY LOOKING AT WHAT'S GENERATED WITHIN THE COUNTY, BUT LOOKS AT ALL SOURCES AS OPPOSED TO JUST STATIONARY SOURCES. OKAY. UH, YOUR QUESTION, I THINK YOUR SECOND QUESTION WAS PERTAINING TO IODINE. YEAH. SOMEONE IN THE AUDIENCE MENTIONED YOU GUYS BURNED IODINE. YEAH, WE DO NOT. WE'RE NOT, UH, WE'RE NOT PERMITTED TO TAKE IODINE. UH, WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE IODINE. UM, HOWEVER, IODINE CAN MAKE ITS WAY INTO THE WASTE. SHE, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO US IN 2019. WE HAD A GENERATOR, UH, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO TRACK DOWN EVENTUALLY, UH, THAT WAS PUTTING IODINE IN. THE WASTE GENERATORS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PUT IODINE IN THE WASTE. SO WHEN YOU SAY GENERATOR, WHAT DO YOU MEAN A GEN A GENERATOR THAT YOU SET ON THE GROUND? NO, I APOLOGIZE. SO YEAH, YEAH. EXPLAIN WHAT, WHAT IT IS YOU YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO IF, EXCUSE ME, FOR THE WASTE BUSINESS, WE TALK ABOUT PEOPLE WHO MAKE WASTE. WE'RE NOT IN THE WASTE BUSINESS. RIGHT, UNDERSTOOD. SO A PERSON WHO MAKES WASTE A BUSINESS THAT MAKES WASTE A HOSPITAL, YOU NAME IT, THAT WE CALL THOSE GENERATORS OF WASTE. SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW WHO IT WAS THAT WE FOUND, I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION WITH ME, UH, BUT WE FOUND THAT THERE WAS SOMEBODY PUTTING IODINE INTO THE WASTE, WHICH WOUND UP AT OUR FACILITY. UH, IT DID GENERATE THE COLOR PLUME. I'VE SEEN THE PLUME MYSELF, UH, DRIVING DOWN TO TURNPIKE. IT'S VERY VISIBLE. UH, ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT IODINE THOUGH IS THAT IT BECOMES AN IRRITANT TO YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL BEFORE IT ACTUALLY HAS A, A HEALTH IMPACT OR A NEGATIVE HEALTH IMPACT. UH, WHEN WE DID DISPERSION ANALYSIS, WHAT DISPERSION ANALYSIS IS, IS THAT WHEN SOMETHING GETS EMITTED FROM THE STACK, YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ACTUAL IMPACT IS TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. UM, COULD TAKING INTO ACCOUNT METEOROLOGY, WIND DIRECTION, TEMPERATURE, ET CETERA. UH, WHEN WE TRACE THAT IMPACT AT THE STACK TO WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE AT THE GROUND, IT WAS WELL BELOW A THRESHOLD FOR HEALTH IMPACTS. AND I FORGET YOU, YOU HAD A THIRD QUESTION, COMMISSIONER, WHICH I CAN'T REMEMBER RIGHT NOW. I CAN'T REMEMBER IT EITHER. A, A, A ARSON, ARSENIC. SO, AND THEN I HAVE A FOURTH QUESTION, BUT GO AHEAD. OF COURSE. SO WE DO EMIT ARSENIC, YOU KNOW, IF ARSENIC IS IN THE WASTE. UM, OUR AIR POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE, I THINK ONE OF THE COMM, UH, COMMISSIONER MENTIONED, UH, THE CONTROL SYSTEMS, THE BAGS, UH, WE ACTUALLY HAVE WHAT WE CALL A BACK HOUSE. WE UPGRADED THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT VOLUNTARILY AT THE ESSEX FACILITY IN 20 17 20 18. UPGRADED THE TECHNOLOGY FROM AN OLD STYLE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WAS CALLED AN ELECTROSTATIC. PRECIPITATOR, INSTALLED WHAT'S CALLED A BAGHOUSE. THAT BACKHOUSE HAD REDUCTIONS IN AIR POLLUTION ANYWHERE BETWEEN 47 TO 96% REDUCTION IN WHAT EMISSIONS WERE PREVIOUS TO THAT. THAT SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO PULL OUT METALS THAT ARE PRESENT IN THE WASTE. THOSE METALS CAN INCLUDE LEAD, CADMIUM, MERCURY, AND ARSENIC. SO HOWEVER, IT HAS VERY EFFECTIVE AT PULLING OUT THOSE, THOSE METALS. UM, [00:55:01] AND WE HAVE PERMIT LIMITS IN PLACE FOR CERTAIN METALS. NOT ALL METALS. UH, BUT THE REASON WHY YOU HAVE SOME METALS AND NOT ALL METALS, FOR EXAMPLE, 'CAUSE IF YOU'RE PULLING OUT, SAY MERCURY, WHICH IS A REALLY DIFFICULT MATERIAL TO PULL OUT OF THE GAS STREAM 'CAUSE IT HAS A VERY HIGH, WHAT'S CALLED A VAPOR PRESSURE, MEANING IT'S VOLATILE AND MEANING IT CAN BE IN A VAPOR PHASE. IF YOU'RE PULLING OUT MERCURY AND YOU'RE MEETING YOUR PERMIT CONDITIONS FOR MERCURY, UH, YOU'RE VERY WELL ASSURED THAT YOU'RE ALSO MEETING IT FOR THE OTHER METALS THAT YOU'RE TESTING FOR. SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT YOU ALWAYS MEET THAT LEVEL FOR MERCURY. SO THEN IN ESSENCE, YOU'RE MEANING YOUR LEVELS FOR EVERYTHING ELSE. YEAH. SO IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID? WELL, IN, IN GENERAL, WE HAVE SPECIFIC LIMITS FOR MERCURY, CADMIUM, AND LEAD ARE THE THREE METALS THAT WE HAVE TO TEST FOR ON AN ANNUAL BASIS THROUGH STACK TESTING. THESE ARE THROUGH PROCEDURES THAT ARE SERVED FOR THE EPA. UM, OBVIOUSLY THERE'S DOZENS OF OTHER METALS THAT COULD BE IN THE WASTE SHED. UH, BUT WHAT THE EPA HAS DETERMINED THAT THOSE ARE THE METALS THAT WE NEED TO CHECK FOR TO MAKE SURE THAT AIR POLLUTION CONTROL SYSTEM IS OPERATING EFFECTIVELY. LAST QUESTION, GENERATORS OF WASTE. SO HOW MANY GENERATORS ARE THERE THAT DELIVER WASTE TO, TO YOUR INCINERATOR? AND WHAT OTHER STATES ARE THEY COMING FROM? OR IS JUST EVERYTHING JUST COMING FROM NEW JERSEY OR JUST COMING FROM ESSEX COUNTY? RIGHT. SO PLEASE KEEP IN MIND I'M THE ENVIRONMENTAL GUY. I'M NOT THE BUSINESS GUY. SO I'LL ANSWER THAT QUESTION TO THE BEST I CAN. UM, BUT YOU, YOU ARE THE PERSON THEY SENT. I UNDERSTAND. ALL RIGHT. SO YOU ARE IN A HOT SEAT, RIGHT? I APPRECIATE THAT. UM, SO WE RECEIVE WASTE FROM ESSEX COUNTY. WE ALSO RECEIVE WASTE FROM NEW YORK CITY, ALL BOROUGHS, OR ONE BOROUGH WHERE FROM MANHATTAN, QUEENS, BROOKLYN, OR, OR ALL OF NEW YORK. MOST OF THE WASTE WE RECEIVE FROM NEW YORK CITY IS FROM MANHATTAN. UM, I'LL ASK MY, MY COLLEAGUE STACY, IF THERE'S ANY OTHER INFORMATION YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE ON WHERE THE WAY COMES FROM. I'M SORRY. STACY. STACY BAKER, PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. STACEY S NOW WHEN YOU GET TO THE MICROPHONE, 'CAUSE WE CAN'T RECORD THE LETTER. THANK STACEY, VICTORS, UH, MARKET AREA MANAGER FOR RERO WASTE. THANK YOU. UM, MOST OF THE WASTE COMES FROM ESSEX COUNTY, FROM NEW JERSEY. UM, SOME COMES FROM STATEN ISLAND AND SOME OF THE, UH, DISTRICTS IN MANHATTAN. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS. UH, COMMISSIONER VINCENT, ARE YOU DONE? DO YOU I, I, I'M GOOD. THANK FOR THE MOMENT. THANK YOU. YES. COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS, ANSWER WHERE IN MANHATTAN WE DIDN'T GET AN ANSWER THROUGH YOU. MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, FIRST OF ALL, JUST FOR THE COMMUNITY FOR BEING HERE, UM, THIS IS LITERALLY WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO SO THAT ALL OF MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO VOICE, UH, THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND FRANKLY THEIR SURVIVAL. AND SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE FOR CLARITY. SINCE I HAVE BOTH OF YOU HERE ON BEHALF OF WE WORLD, UM, ROUGHLY WHAT'S THE RATIO OF CONTRIBUTIONS OF ACCESSIBLE WASTE TO THE FACILITY THAT ARE CONTRIBUTED FROM ESSEX VERSUS OTHER MUNICIPALITIES? WE FROM NEW YORK CITY, JUST SAY WE MAKE IT LIKE 360,000 TONS A YEAR FROM THEM AND FROM ESSEX COUNTY, UH, UP, UH, AROUND CLOSE TO LIKE 400. SO IF I'M HEARING CORRECTLY, I'LL REPEAT IT. AND IF YOU COULD, NEXT TIME WE SPEAK IN THE CLOSER THE MIC. THANK YOU. SO WHAT I'M HEARING IS ROUGHLY 360,000 FROM NEW YORK, UPWARDS OF 400,000 FROM ESSEX COUNTY, FROM ESSEX COUNTY. SO THAT'S A FAIRLY COMPARABLE AMOUNT IF I UNDERSTAND CORRECTLY. CORRECT. OKAY. UM, AND IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND ME ASKING, WHERE DO, WHAT TOWNS OR CITIES DO YOU TO RESOLVE TO, IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE SHARING WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO, BUT OUTTA CURIOSITY, DO YOU LIVE IN ESSEX OR ARE YOU NEARBY? OR IF YOU DON'T MIND SHARING, WHAT TOWN AM I? IF YOU'RE COUNTY COMFORTABLE SHARING. UNION COUNTY. UNION COUNTY. OKAY. HOW ABOUT YOU, SIR? I, I LIVE IN ESSEX COUNTY. ESSEX. OKAY. SO I'M ALSO FROM ESSEX. I'M FROM NEWARK TO BE SPECIFIC. UM, AND I REMEMBER BEING FIVE OR SIX OR YEARS OLD WHEN MY UNCLE WHO WAS AROUND 13 AT THE TIME, TOOK HIS LAST BREATHS IN MY FATHER'S APARTMENT FROM ASTHMA. UM, THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME, IN FACT, THE ONLY TIME I'VE EVER BEEN IN THE ROOM WITH SOMEONE WHO LOST THEIR LIFE, UH, BECAUSE OF THE IMPACTS OF ASTHMA IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO AS, UH, MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE SHARED EARLIER, WE CAN'T BREATHE. WE CAN'T BREATHE. AND BWE AND ESSEX, AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE IN, UH, IRONBOUND, WHERE YOU [01:00:01] HAVE AN IN AND OVER INFLUX, OF COURSE, OF GRAMMATIC OF, OF RATHER, UH, ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, BREATHING IS BECOMING EVEN HARDER. SO I'M SURE YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE VALID, UM, AND, AND FRANKLY NECESSARY OUTCRY FROM OUR COMMUNITY TODAY. THIS NEXT LINE OF QUESTIONING IS EXACTLY JUST FOR THE ADMINISTRATION. UM, COULD YOU ENLIGHTEN US ON THE EXTENT TO WHICH, OR RATHER THE PROPOSED INCREASE OF ACCESSIBLE WASTE IN, UH, THE ORDINANCE OR ORDINANCES IN THIS CASE? WHAT'S THE ROUGH PROPOSED INCREASE COMPARED TO THE CURRENT ONE? UH, I'D HAVE TO DEFER TO MR. HERMAN ON THAT. 'CAUSE I, I, THIS IS NOT A, AN ADMINISTRATION OPERATION, SO I WOULD DEFER TO MR. UH, ELMER HERMAN. MR. HERMAN? YEAH. GOOD EVENING. PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. YES. GREAT. GOOD EVENING. UH, MY NAME IS WAYNE DEFEO. I'M A CONSULTANT TO THE SES COUNTY UTILITIES AUTHORITY. UH, YOUR QUESTION WAS REGARDING THE, IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, WAS REGARDING THE INCREASE IN TONNAGE THAT'S BEEN CITED? YEAH, THE INCREASE VERSUS THE CURRENT PROCESSABLE AMOUNT, THE, THE CONTRACT, THE CONTRACT AS IT'S WRITTEN TODAY, DOES NOT CALL FOR THE UTILITY ITSELF FOR RE WORLD TO GET AN INCREASE IN ITS PERMIT. IT IS SIMPLY ALLOWING FOR THE PROCESSING OF THE SOLID WASTE FROM WITHIN ESSEX COUNTY AT 425,000 TONS PER YEAR. BUT IT DOES NOT, JUST TO BE CLEAR, HAVE ANY GUARANTEE THERE IS NO PUT OR PAY CONTRACT HERE THAT USED TO BE DONE 40 OR 50 YEARS AGO. COULD YOU CLARIFY FOR THE LISTERS CLEAR PAY CONTRACT, SOME OF THE RESIDENTS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT A PUT OR PAY CONTRACT MEANS IF YOU DON'T DELIVER A SET AMOUNT OF WASTE, LET'S SAY 425,000 TIMES HUNDRED THOUSAND, YOU DON'T GUARANTEE THAT THEN YOU WOULD PAY A PENALTY FOR EVERY TIME YOU DON'T MAKE. THAT'S GONE. WE HAVE NO COMMITMENT TO DELIVER ANY AMOUNT OF WASTE TO THIS FACILITY OTHER THAN WHATEVER IS GENERATED WITHIN ESSEX COUNTY. OKAY. THERE'S NOT A SET AMOUNT THAT'S GUARANTEED. SO IF OUR COMMUNITIES ENGAGE IN GREATER RECYCLING ACTIVITIES, THAT NUMBER WILL GO DOWN. WE HAVE NO PENALTY, WE HAVE NO GUARANTEE. BUT THERE IS A CONCERN FROM THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT SHARED EARLIER AND, AND I, I'D INVITE THEM, UM, IF A REPRESENTATIVE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE, UM, AROUND AN INCREASE OF UNITS. AND SO WHERE, WHERE IS THAT THEN? SO IF IT'S NOT A CONTRACTUAL INCREASE, IS IT STILL EMISSIONS MAY STILL INCREASE. I'M JUST CURIOUS FOR SURE. SOME ENLIGHTENMENT THERE. AND AGAIN, I DO INVITE ANYONE WHO IS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER FROM THIS SPACE TO, UH, COME TO THE MIC AS WELL TO SHARE INSIGHT ON THIS. I CAN ANSWER THAT FOR YOU. SURE. IT'S A VERY SIMPLE ANSWER, ACTUALLY. AT LEAST WELL, FOR THOSE OF US WHO LIVE, EAT, AND BREATHE THIS, THE FACT IS THAT EVERY YEAR WE AS CITIZENS AND RESIDENTS MAKE MORE SOLID WASTE. AND IF WE DON'T, AS A COUNTY PLANNING ENTITY, WE ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO PLAN FOR THE DISPOSAL OF THAT WASTE. SO WE ESTABLISH A CONTRACT FOR WHAT WE PROJECT TO BE A SOLID WASTE THAT'S GOING TO BE GENERATED WITHIN THE COUNTY EACH YEAR WITHIN THE TERM OF THE CONTRACT. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS SAYS, WE HAVE PREPARED FOR AND PLANNED. WHETHER WE ACTUALLY BRING IT IS UP TO THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTY. IN OTHER WORDS, IF THEY DON'T MAKE IT, THEN THAT NUMBER WILL BE MUCH LOWER. SO FOR CLARITY, ARE WE PLANNING IN THIS PROPOSED, UH, AGREEMENT? ARE WE PREPARING FOR AN INCREASE IN PLANNING, UH, AN INCREASE IN PRODUCTION OF TONS VERSUS LAST YEAR? WE ARE PLANNING FOR THAT. TONNAGE MAY GO UP BECAUSE WE ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO PLAN FOR 100% OF THE PROJECTED, MAYBE TONNAGE THAT IS GENERATED WITHIN OUR COUNTY. AND WHAT OUR YOU PLAN FOR THAT. THANK, IT'S BIGGER, BUT THE PERMIT FOR THE SITE IE THE RE THE RESOURCE RECOVERY PLANT PERMIT IS NO DIFFERENT THAN IT WAS YESTERDAY. AND WOULD YOU SHARE? I HEAR YOU. I GOT YOU. I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU SHARE FOR THE PUBLIC WHAT THE COMPARED PROJECTIONS ARE FOR THIS YEAR VERSUS THE PREVIOUS TERM? I WILL APOLOGIZE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD RIGHT NOW. I DON'T HAVE THIS YEAR'S TONNAGE IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE IT'S BASED ON WHAT WE ACTUALLY GENERATED. IF MY RECOLLECTION IS CORRECT FOR 2024, WHICH WOULD BE THE LAST FINISHED YEAR THAT I HAVE, I DON'T HAVE A FULL YEAR IN 2025. YOU COULD SHARE THAT IF YOU HAVE THE 2024. UH, I, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, IT WAS ABOUT 400,000 TONS. OKAY. SO IF IT WAS ABOUT 400,000 TONS [01:05:01] FOR THE END OF 2000, 2024, THIS POPULATION OF CERTAINLY NEWARK AND OF COURSE THE CITY, THE COUNTY OF ESSEX INCREASE IS INCREASING. RIGHT. THEN IT'S, IT, IT WOULDN'T BE, UH, UNINTELLECTUAL TO ASSUME THAT THE PROJECTIONS ARE GOING UP AND LIKELIHOOD THAT THE ADMISSIONS WOULD GO UP. AND THEN AS AN EXTENSION, THE EFFECT OF THIS ON THE IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY WOULD GO UP AS WELL. CORRECT. I'LL LET MR. VAN. SURE. I I, AS YOU GUYS ARE CHANGING, YOU HAVE TO STATE YOUR NAME AND FOR THE AFFILIATION, BECAUSE THE PROSECUTOR TRANSCRIBED, MAY NOT IMMEDIATELY KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. UNDERSTOOD. MICHAEL VAN BRUN, UH, RE WORLD. UH, SO, SO IN THAT PARTICULAR SCENARIO, THE, THE FACILITY HAS A FINITE CAPACITY. UH, WE OPERATE THE FACILITY CLOSE TO ITS CAPACITY. UH, SO ANY INCREASE IN TONNAGE OR THROUGHPUT THAT WE GET FROM ONE AREA, UM, WOULD, WOULD COME AT IT WOULD, IT WOULD BE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE DIFFERENT AREA. UM, SO WE CAN'T REALLY PROCESS ANY MORE WASTE THAN WE ALREADY DO. AND IN FACT, IF WE WERE GOING FOR THAT TYPE OF A PERMIT INCREASE, WHICH WOULD HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE STATE, THAT WOULD GO THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROCESS THAT WAS BROUGHT UP BEFORE. SO SINCE THIS YEAR'S PROJECTIONS, THIS IS MY LAST QUESTION FOR YOU ALL, THEN I'LL, I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE COUNTY AND THEN I'LL YIELD MY TIME, UH, SINCE LAST YEAR, OR RATHER, THIS CURRENT YEAR'S PROJECTIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. WHEN CAN THOSE PROJECTIONS BE PROVIDED TO THE BOARD AND TO THE COMMUNITY? BECAUSE THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW, UH, BECAUSE WE CAN'T MAKE DECISIONS OFF CONJECTURES, RIGHT? LIKE WE NEED THE NUMBERS AND 'CAUSE WE CERTAINLY ARE HEARING THE VOICES. AND SO WHEN CAN THOSE PROJECTIONS BE PROVIDED, WAYNE DEFEO AS THIS COUNTY UTILITIES AUTHORITY? THE, THE SHORT ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS, UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW SOON I COULD PROJECT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER OR OCTOBER. UH, I CAN TELL YOU WE WOULD PROJECT IT TO BE ABOUT THE SAME. BUT TO AGAIN, CLARIFY AND MAKE SURE I'M CLEAR, AND I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN, AND I APOLOGIZE IF I WAS NOT. OUR AGREEMENT WITH THE BOARD AUTHORITY IS TO GUARANTEE THAT WE HAVE THE SPACE, AS MR. VAN BRU STATED, IF WE DO GENERATE 425,000 TONS, THEY MUST STOP SOMEBODY ELSE FROM BRINGING IN ADDITIONAL TONS. SO THEY DON'T GO OVER THEIR LIMIT. WE HAVE THE, IF YOU WILL, RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL. WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO USE THAT CAPACITY, BUT THEY DON'T GET TO BURN ANYTHING ELSE AND SAY, OH, YOU BROUGHT 4 25, LET'S BRING ANOTHER 900 IN OR SOME NUMBER LIKE THAT. IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. IF WE BRING THEM 4 25 NEXT YEAR, THEN THEY MUST CUT FROM ANOTHER SOURCE. SO THE TOTAL VOLUME BURN WILL NOT CHANGE. THANK YOU. YOU AND THEN ADAM AND PLEASE, I, LET ME REMIND EVERYONE THAT PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW, PUBLIC COMMENT IS NOW CLOSED. I, WITH ALL RESPECT, UNDERSTAND MR. PRESIDENT, SHE WAS RESPONDING TO IT TO STATEMENT THAT I MADE UNDERSTAND SAYING EVERYONE FOR CLARITY, SILENCE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED AT THIS TIME. THIS IS NOW, WE HAD TWO PUBLIC COMMENTS SO FAR. THIS IS COMING UP AGAIN. SO IT, THAT IS THE TIME WHERE YOU NEED TO SPEAK. WE'RE NOT GONNA GO BACK AND FORTH. THIS IS NOW AFTER YOU FOLKS SPOKE. IT IS NOW TIME FOR THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE ADMINISTRATION TO SPEAK. AND THIS WE ARE ASKING QUESTIONS 'CAUSE WE CARE. WE'RE ALSO ASKING QUESTIONS SO THAT YOU CAN BE ENLIGHTENED AS WELL AS WE HAVE THE VENDORS HERE. SO I REMIND EVERYONE THAT AT THIS TIME JUST TO REMAIN SILENT SO WE CAN CONDUCT OUR BUSINESS, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT RIGHT NOW. THAT PORTION FOR THIS AGENDA ITEM IS OVER FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. AND JUST, JUST FOR CLARITY, I KNOW YOU WANNA SHARE SOMETHING. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU WERE RESPONDING TO A COMMENT THAT I MADE EARLIER, CORRECT? I UNDERSTAND. I DON'T KNOW IF WE ACTUALLY HAVE THAT SPACE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PIECE IS CLOSED. SO THAT, MY APOLOGIES IF I PROBABLY MISSPOKE ON THAT. BUT I WOULD LOVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO STAY IN CONVERSATION, CERTAINLY AFTER THE MEETING. SO WHY WE CAN HEAR BOTH VOICES, UH, BECAUSE WE NEED ALL OF US AT THE TABLE. THAT LEADS ME TO MY LAST QUESTION. AND THIS IS ACTUALLY FOR MR. JACKSON OR ANYONE ELSE, MAYBE PERHAPS YOU SIR. UH, FROM THE, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, TO WHAT EXTENT THERE HAS BEEN, UM, A RECOMMENDATION AND FRANKLY A, A CRY, IF YOU WILL, UH, FOR A, SOME LEVEL OF A TASK FORCE TO BE PUT IN PLACE ON THIS QUESTION OF WASTE MANAGEMENT. SO THAT WAY THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MOST IMPACTED BY THESE ISSUES HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE. TO WHAT EXTENT IS THE COUNTY ALREADY ENGAGED IN ANY LEVEL OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORK ON ALTERNATIVES OR JUST NOT EVEN ALTERNATIVES BEING IDEAL. AND THEN ALSO JUST WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN GENERAL. TO WHAT EXTENT ARE WE ALREADY ENGAGED IN THAT WORK, UM, AND HOW CAN WE DO MORE? AND I WOULD DEFER TO UTILITIES AUTHORITY. THANK YOU. UH, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, UH, WE HAVE BEEN, PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE, I'M SORRY. SORRY. UH, WAYNE [01:10:01] DEFEO S COUNTY UTILITIES AUTHORITY. THE ECUA WORKS EXTENSIVELY WITH EACH OF OUR COUNTY MUNICIPAL RECYCLING COORDINATORS. WE HOLD MULTIPLE PROGRAMS EACH YEAR WITH OUR COORDINATORS SO THAT WE CAN EDUCATE THEM ON THE BEST WAYS TO RECYCLE, TO IMPROVE RECYCLING. UH, WE DO PROVIDE MUNICIPALITIES EACH YEAR A CERTAIN NUMBER OF RECYCLING BUCKETS TO HELP THEM. WE PROVIDE TRAINING. I HAVE GONE INTO MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES TO MEET WITH COMMUNITY GROUPS AND EDUCATE ABOUT HOW TO RECYCLE AND HOW TO DO IT PROPERLY. WE ALSO HAVE, UH, HELPED TO FUND AT THE ESSEX COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER IN ROSELAND. WE FUND PROGRAMS WITH THEM SO THEY CAN EDUCATE PUBLIC ABOUT RECYCLING ON A COUNTY LEVEL. OUR JOB IS TO PLAN AND TO HELP MUNICIPALITIES. THE MUNICIPALITIES BY LAW ARE RESPONSIBLE TO RUN A RECYCLING PROGRAM THAT'S STATE LAW THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE MIGHT THINK. WE EDUCATE, WE PROVIDE HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION PROGRAMS TWICE A YEAR, WHICH ONE WAS JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND. WE WILL BE DOING AN ELECTRONIC WASTE PROGRAM IN ANOTHER WEEK FROM NOW WHERE WE WILL HELP THE COMMUNITIES. WE HELP OUR COMMUNITIES BY ALLOWING THE MUNICIPALITIES TO BRING US MUNICIPAL HAZARD, I'M SORRY, HAZARDOUS WASTE SUCH AS PAINT AND LIGHT BULBS TO DISPOSE OF THOSE AT NO CHARGE. THE MUNICIPALITIES, THOSE ARE PAID FOR THROUGH US, THROUGH GRANTS. WE WORK WITH PROGRAMS TO HELP THE MUNICIPALITIES GET BETTER PRICING ON THEIR E-WASTE, SORRY, ELECTRONIC WASTE PROGRAMS AND ALL OF THOSE PROGRAMS. IT IS A CONSTANT OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM. WE ALSO WORK THROUGH THE ASSOCIATION OF NEW JERSEY RECYCLERS, WHICH IS THE STATE ORGANIZATION OF RECYCLING TO TRY AND INFLUENCE LEGISLATION AND REGULATIONS THAT COULD HELP LOCAL COMMUNITIES RECYCLE MORE. AN R FOR EXAMPLE, WORKED THIS PAST YEAR TO TRY TO HELP COMMUNITY GARDENS TO COMPOST MORE. IT IS A STATE REGULATION THAT HAS STOPPED THEM FROM DOING IT, WHICH WE WON'T GET INTO THAT TONIGHT, BUT WE ARE TRYING, ANGELA IS TRYING TO GET THAT CHANGE THROUGH LEGISLATION. SO ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE WHAT WE DO EACH YEAR TO TRY AND HELP OUR COMMUNITIES DO BETTER AND IMPROVE THEIR RECYCLING PROGRAMS. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? PARTLY, I IT DEFINITELY DOES SEEM LIKE THERE IS SOME WORK ON THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PIECE. UM, BUT THERE DOES SEEM LIKE THERE COULD BE MORE, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, MORE ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT FOLKS ON THE GROUND ARE DOING. SO THAT WAY, UM, PEOPLE ARE WORKING IN CONCERT TOWARDS A, A, A, A SHARED GOAL BECAUSE IF THE GOAL IS WASTE MANAGEMENT AND IS HEALTHIER AND MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE ALTERNATIVES TO WASTE MANAGEMENT, THERE SHOULD BE MORE OF A, AND MAYBE THERE DOES EXIST. I'M NOT SAYING THERE DOESN'T EXIST, AND I CAN CL CLEARLY HEAR FROM WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. THERE SHOULD BE EVEN MORE EFFORTS AS FAR AS THAT TWO WAY STREET. AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE AND WORKING, UH, WITH YOU GUYS AS WELL AS OUR FOLKS ON THE GROUND. SO THERE CAN BE MORE OF THAT BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THESE ARE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE TO INGEST ALL OF THIS. AND IF THERE'S MORE THAT WE CAN BE DOING TO THE, TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE HEALTHIER AND SAFER, THEN WE ALL HAVE TO BE INVOLVED IN THAT WORK. THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES MY QUESTIONS, MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU MR. MCINERNEY. YES. EXCUSE. I JUST WANTED, UH, AND AGAIN, NOT TO, UH, BEFORE AGAINST, UM, THE RESOLUTION, BUT JUST HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE ON THIS. UM, WHEN I STARTED HERE, WE, WE HAD A, UH, A LANDFILL, THE HACKETT SACK METAL METAL S LANDFILL. AND THAT LANDFILL REACHED CAPACITY AND IT WAS CLOSED. SO THE OPTION THAT THE COUNTY CHOSE WAS TO CREATE THIS FACILITY. UM, AND AT THE TIME, AS A GENTLEMAN INDICATED EARLIER, THERE WAS A PUT OR PAY, IT WAS 600,000 TONS, AS I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. WE HAD TO PAY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER WHETHER OR NOT, UH, WE ACTUALLY GENERATED THAT AMOUNT OF FLOW. THE PROBLEM WAS TOO, THAT RECYCLING CAME IN. AS RECYCLING CAME IN, THE FLOW WAS DECREASING AND THE AMOUNT OF PUT WAS, UM, THAT WE HAD TO PAY FOR WAS ALSO INCREASING. SO THIS, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IT'S ALMOST LIKE PUT ON THE BRAKES IN REVERSE. THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR THE LAST THREE OR FOUR, UH, DECADES. IN ADDITION, UM, WE, WE ALSO HAVE APPROVED AT THIS BOARD LEVEL ON A FINANCING. UH, I RECALL THROUGH THE ES COUNTY IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY OF A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN A CONDUIT FINANCING FOR THE FACILITY, UH, SO THAT IT COULD EXPAND AND, UM, AND UPDATE ITS, UM, ITS, UH, TECHNOLOGY FOR PURPOSE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EMISSIONS. AT LEAST SUMMIT WAS, WAS DEDICATED FOR THAT. [01:15:01] UM, THE ECIA AT ECUA OR OUR GARBAGE IN THE EXPERT HERE, THE, UH, CONSULTANT CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT IT'S PREDICATED ON THE SOLID WASTE FLOW THAT IS IN A PLAN. SO WHATEVER HAS TO COME FROM ESS COUNTY HAS TO FOLLOW THAT SOLID WASTE FLOW. UM, AND ADDITIONALLY, THE EASTS COUNTY IMPROVEMENT, DES COUNTY UTILITY AUTHORITY, UH, IS DEBT FREE AT THIS POINT. AND IT HAS GENERATED ONE OF THE LOWEST TIPPING FEE RATES THAT IS IN ANY COUNTY IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. SO THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF PROGRESS THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS, AND I JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU. IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING WHERE HELTER SKELTER PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, ATTEMPTING TO, UH, PUT MORE WASTE THROUGH AND GENERATE MORE PROBLEMS WITH AIR QUALITY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN PLANNED OVER DECADES AND WE'VE SEEN IT BEFORE THIS BOARD. YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT, BUT I'VE SEEN IT. I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST 40 YEARS. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT PERSPECTIVE OUT THERE SO YOU HAVE AN IDEA WHERE THIS CAME FROM, HOW WE'VE PROGRESSED, HOW WE'VE BEEN A PART OF IT, AND, AND WHERE IT IS TODAY. THANK YOU MR. MCNANEY. WE APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. UM, A COUPLE. THE SOLID WASTE PLAN THAT YOU KEEP REFERRING TO, IT DOESN'T HAVE MANDATES FOR THE MUNICIPALITIES TO RECYCLE MORE. IT'S, IT'S AT THEIR LEISURE. IF THEY WANT TO FOLLOW THE STATE'S PLAN TO RECYCLE AGAIN, WAYNE DEFEO AS HIS COUNTY UTILITIES AUTHORITY. UH, NO. IT IS NOT VOLUNTARY. IT IS NOT AT THEIR LEISURE. THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY MANDATED IN 1987, AND I HATE TO ADMIT THAT I GO BACK THAT FAR TO THE WORKING ON THAT ORIGINAL LAW. UH, THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY MANDATES THAT EVERY MUNICIPALITY MUST HAVE A RECYCLING ORDINANCE THAT MANDATES THAT ALL GENERATORS, MEANING EVERYONE WHO MAKES SOLID WASTE MUST RECYCLE. WHETHER THEY ARE COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL, INSTITUTIONAL, SUCH AS SCHOOLS OR NOT. IT IS THE LAW. EVERY MUNICIPALITY IN ESSEX COUNTY HAS AN ORDINANCE ON THE BOOKS THAT WE HAVE UPDATED WITH THE TOWNS, AND THEY ARE ALL CURRENT AND CONFORM TO STATE LAW. THE ORDINANCE IS THERE, AND EVERY MUNICIPALITY HAS SOME FORM OF RECYCLING PROGRAM IN ESSEX COUNTY, WHETHER IT'S CURBSIDE OR A CONVENIENCE CENTER, OR SOME COMBINATION THEREOF. SO IT IS NOT VOLUNTARY WHO INSPECTS IT TO MAKE SURE IT'S BEING DONE. I LIVE IN EAST ORANGE AND WE HAVE A PLETHORA OF BIG APARTMENT BUILDINGS. AND ON TRASH DAY, IT'S JUST A TON OF BLACK GARBAGE BAGS. MM-HMM . THERE'S NEVER ANY REALLY RECYCLING THAT YOU SEE OUT. IT IS UP TO THE CITY OR MUNICIPALITY TO ENFORCE THE LAW. THAT'S THE WAY THE STATE HAS, HAS SET THIS UP. SO IT IS UP TO THE CITY OF EAST ORANGE TO ENFORCE ITS RECYCLING ORDINANCE. SO THE CHEMICALS THAT YOU GOT IN YOUR PLANT THAT YOU BURNED, THAT CAME FROM PEOPLE SENDING THEIR TRASH TO YOU, YOU BURNT IT WITHOUT NOT NECESSARILY KNOWING THAT SOME OF THESE CHEMICALS WERE IN THEM. WELL, LEMME GO BACK AT THE, THAT'S GOING TO MR. VAN, RIGHT? I DON'T OWN THE PLAN. SO I'LL REFER TO MR. VAN BRUNT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR YOU. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE RESTATE YOURSELF. YEAH. MICHAEL VAN BRU RE WORLD. YEAH. SO WE HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO, YOU KNOW, UH, MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE SENDING US WASTE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE, UH, WHAT THE LAWS ARE, WHAT THEY CAN PROVIDE. UM, WE CAN ONLY TAKE CERTAIN WASTE TYPES, UM, FROM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S A MANUFACTURING COMPANY OR A COMMERCIAL COMPANY. UM, THOSE ARE ALL DICTATED BY WHAT'S IN OUR PERMIT. UM, AND WE HAVE SOME ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, WHEN THE, WHEN THE WASTE GETS TIPPED AT OUR FACILITY ON THE FLOOR, WE CAN SEE SORT OF LARGE THINGS THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE. UM, LIKE LARGE AMOUNTS OF RECYCLABLES OR SAY LIKE A TREE STUMP THAT WE CAN'T PROCESS. BUT UNFORTUNATELY FOR CERTAIN THINGS LIKE IODINE WHERE IT TAKES A VERY SMALL AMOUNT TO GENERATE THAT PURPLE PLUME THAT EVERYBODY SAW, UH, IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO LOOK AT ALL THE WASTE THAT'S COMING IN ON A DAILY BASIS AND FIGURE OUT, UH, IF SOMETHING'S THERE THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE. UM, SO THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WHY THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT IS DESIGNED AS ROBUSTLY AS IT IS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THAT UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE ALL BEHOLDEN TO LANDFILLS AND US IN THE RECYCLING INDUSTRY ALL TOGETHER, WHAT PEOPLE PUT IN THE BIN. UM, AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE, WE RUN EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS. I KNOW THE COUNTY RUNS EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS. IT'S A CONSTANT EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT SHOULD WIND UP IN THE TRASH AND WHAT SHOULD WIND UP IN RECYCLING AND WHAT NEEDS TO GO TO A HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE DAY IF WE DON'T, UH, APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE. WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE TRASH? EXCUSE ME. UH, WAYNE DEFEO, ESSEX COUNTY UTILITIES AUTHORITY, [01:20:01] UH, BEGINNING JANUARY 1ST, 2026, THEORETICALLY, UH, THE SOLID WASTE GENERATED IN ESSEX COUNTY WILL HAVE NO HOME AND IT WOULD PILE UP ON THE STREETS. IN THEORY. DOES YOUR PLAN THAT SOLID WASTE PLAN INCLUDES ALTERNATIVES FOR REAL, ALTERNATIVES FOR REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF WASTE THAT WE HAVE AND DOING SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT SOME OF THESE COMMUNITY GROUPS TALKED ABOUT TODAY? TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THIS PARTICULAR ORDINANCE, WHICH RELATES TO THIS PLAN AMENDMENT, IS STRICTLY FOR THIS CONTRACT. OUR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN IN GENERAL, THE ONE THAT EXISTS TODAY DOES HAVE PROVISIONS TO ATTEMPT TO TRY AND IMPROVE REDUCTIONS IN WASTE. IT HAS, IT ENCOURAGES MURPH'S, I'M SORRY, MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILITIES TO RECYCLE CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION MATERIAL TO REDUCE WASTE. THAT DOESN'T GO HERE, BY THE WAY, BUT JUST TO SHOW IT DOES DO THAT. AGAIN, WE RUN A HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION DAY. WE RUN THAT TWICE A YEAR. WE APPROXIMATELY 200 TONS OF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL IS TAKEN OUT OF THE STREAM AT THESE JUST TWO DAYS. OUR LAST ONE THIS PAST SATURDAY, I DON'T HAVE THE WEIGHT YET, BUT WE HAD OVER 1,228 RESIDENTS COME TO DISPOSE OF HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE. AND ONE RESIDENT WE KNOW CAME FROM NEWARK, CAME ON A BUS TO CEDAR GROVE, WALKED THREE BLOCKS AND BROUGHT A BAG WITH TWO CANS OF OVEN CLEANER JUST TO MAKE CERTAIN IT WAS DISPOSED OF PROPERLY. AND THAT'S DEDICATION. UM, AND WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE THAT, BUT SHE OBVIOUSLY READ THE EDUCATION MATERIALS. WE DO GET THAT. WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE. I WOULDN'T MIND IF WE HAD 2000 CARS OR 2000 PEOPLE COME. HOW DO YOU EVALUATE PROGRESS IF YOU'VE IMPROVED? HOW DO WE IMPROVE? MM-HMM . THE QUESTION, HOW, WHO EVALUATES IT? WE COULD IMPROVE BETTER EDUCATION. UM, CITY OF NEWARK RECENTLY LOST, AND I'M SORRY TO SAY IT, BRENDA ANDERSON, WHO WAS A WONDERFUL RECYCLING COORDINATOR ON A MUNICIPAL LEVEL. SHE WAS A WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING, UH, AND SHE WAS A GREAT LOSS AND A GOOD FRIEND AND A FORMER STUDENT OF MINE. UH, AND I MISS HER. BUT THAT KIND OF DEDICATION WE HAVE FROM MANY OF OUR MUNICIPAL RECYCLING COORDINATORS, OUTREACH, EDUCATION, AND YOU MENTIONED IT EARLIER, ENFORCEMENT. ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE HAVE TO KNOW IF YOU SPEED THROUGH CERTAIN AREAS, YOU KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET A TICKET. CORRECT. AND PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW, IF THEY DON'T RECYCLE, THEY CAN GET A TICKET. BUT THAT'S UP TO THE MUNICIPALITY TO MAKE THAT DECISION. WE DON'T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY. VP. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I DO, BUT I'M GONNA YIELD BECAUSE WE JUST UNDERSTOOD. COMMISSIONERS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'M GONNA NEED A MOTION, UH, TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 0 3. MOTION MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. DO I HAVE SECOND TO CLOSE IT? SECOND. SECOND BY LUCIANO, DO I HAVE THE SAME, UH, MOVER AND SECOND TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE? YES. OKAY. WE'LL CALL MADAM COURT. COMMISSIONER GILL. UH, PRESENT, NOT VOTING. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. I'M PRESENT. NOT VOTING. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. PRESENT NOW VOTING COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. OKAY. I'M GOING TO ONLY VOTE YES BECAUSE THE TRASH HAS NO PLACE ELSE TO GO. IF THERE WAS AN ALTERNATIVE LOCATION FOR IT TO BE SENT TO TODAY, I WOULD VOTE NO UNEQUIVOCALLY. BUT IN LIEU OF HAVING AN ALTERNATIVE SPACE FOR THE TRASH AND BASED ON WHAT, UH, THE GENTLEMAN SAID FROM EC YOU OR WHATEVER IT'S CALLED, UH, THAT TRASH WOULD JUST PILE UP IN JANUARY. WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THAT. SO RELUCTANTLY ON VOTING? YES. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD? I TOO AM UNFORTUNATELY VOTING YES, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER ANSWER WE HAVE. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER SERMONS PRESENT. NOT VOTING. NO. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER PRESENT. NOT VOTING. COMMISSIONER. PRESIDENT POIS? YES. WHAT DO BECAUSE OF [01:25:01] PRESENT PASSWORD. I DUNNO. IT'S NOT STATUTE, RIGHT? SO, SO, AND WE HAVE, UH, FIVE, NO, UH, NOT, NOT VOTING? YES. SO SANTA FOUR? YES. FIVE NON VOTE. UH, COMM. UM, MS. SHABAZZ, CAN YOU EXPLAIN ON THE RESOLUTION? UM, WELL, AT THIS POINT, BASED ON THE, THE VOTE COUNT, THE RELU, UH, THE ORDINANCE WOULD NOT PASS. AND I JUST WANT TO OBVIOUSLY NOTE THAT THAT DOES PUT US IN JEOPARDY OF THE CONTRACT NOT MOVING FORWARD. JANUARY ONE. SAY THAT AGAIN. I DIDN'T HEAR YOU. CAN CAN WE, UM, COULD YOU REPEAT PLEASE? I DIDN'T HEAR, I DIDN'T HEAR. PLEASE REPEAT. EVERYONE. STOP. ONLY ONE PERSON SPEAKS AT A TIME. LET'S REPEAT THAT AGAIN. FIRST, UH, SORRY, THE FIRST INQUIRY WAS FROM COMMISSIONER BOL. SHE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO REPEAT, UH, WHAT YOU DID MR. BEST. YES. BASED ON THE VOTE COUNT, THE ORDINANCE AT THIS POINT FAILS. THERE WERE ONLY FOUR VOTES WE WOULD NEED. FIVE. AND, AND BASED ON MY UNDERSTANDING, I JUST WANT TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT THIS WOULD BEGIN, I BELIEVE JANUARY 1ST, 2026. AND THERE'S THE POTENTIAL THAT THIS ARRANGEMENT WOULDN'T BE IN PLACE. I DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT LAST PART. YOU WILL NOT PASS COMMISSIONER. SEE BOTH. IT DOES NOT PASS. SO MY, MY COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, MY, MY, MY QUESTION IS, CAN WE, UH, RETRACT THE VOTE TABLES TO THE NEXT RECONSIDER? SO RECONSIDER, YEAH. A MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION, BUT HOLD IT TO THE NEXT MEETING. I HAVE A BUNCH MORE QUESTIONS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANSWERED BECAUSE I'M TORN. THIS ISN'T A VICTORY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE. WE DON'T HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE, RIGHT? YES, WE NEED TO WORK ON DOING SOME THINGS DIFFERENTLY. BUT TODAY, AT THIS POINT IN TIME, WE DON'T HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE. AND THIS TERM THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STARTS 2026. SO HOPEFULLY BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, WE COULD COME UP WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT. SO IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO TABLE THIS, MR. SHABAZZ? UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING, A VOTE FOR RECONSIDERATION TOOK A VOTE. IF I COULD GET SOME MORE QUESTIONS ANSWERED. THE PREVAILING PARTY WOULD HAVE TO PUT FORTH A MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION, AND THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE VOTED ON. SO THE PREVAILING PARTY VOTING? YES. THE THOSE WHO VOTED ESSENTIALLY PRESENT AND NOT PRESENT, AND NO VOTING WOULD HAVE TO, YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO, WELL, I'M, I'M GONNA VOTE FOR THAT. SO CAN I GET A SECOND? I'LL SECOND. HOLD ON. HOLD ON ONE SECOND. HOLD ON. HOLD ON. NO, I'M THROWING MOTIONS IN SECONDS. HERE. HOLD ON. LET'S TALK THIS OUT. LET'S CLARIFY TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE MOVING ACCORDINGLY TO A PROCEDURE. MS. SHA BASS, THE OPTIONS ARE, THE OPTION AT THIS POINT IS FOR SOMEONE WHO VOTED, PRESENT, NOT VOTING, TO PUT FORTH A MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION. AND IF THAT HAPPENS, AND IF THAT PASSES, THEN THE NEXT OPTION WOULD BE EITHER YOU GIVE, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE YOUR VOTE AND OR TO TABLE OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER STEPS YOU WISH TO TAKE BEFORE THE MEETING'S OVER, SOMEONE CAN CHANGE THEIR VOTE. CAN I JUST PUT THAT ON THE RECORD? I THINK THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING FROM YOU, MR. BASS. THAT IS CORRECT. THAT THAT CAN ALSO, SO THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TO, WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT. NOW, THIS COULD BE SOMETHING IF YOU WANTED TO PROCESS OVER THE NEXT HOUR, AND WE CAN GO BACK TO THIS AT THE END OF THE MEETING AND YOU CAN, AS A COMMISSIONER, CHANGE YOUR VOTE. BUT AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW, IT'S A NO. AS IT STANDS CURRENTLY, THE ORDINANCE DID NOT, WAS NOT ADOPTED BY THE END OF THIS MEETING. IF A MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION IS PASSED, YOU HAVE THE, THE COMMISSIONERS CAN REVOTE AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THEIR VOTE IF THEY SO DESIRE. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GI. UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. JUST, JUST A QUESTION, UH, THROUGH YOU. UH, AND FOR OUR COUNSEL, UM, UH, IF I'M PRESENT, PRESENT, NOT VOTING IS NOT AN ABSTENTION, IT'S A VOTE. SO IS, UH, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS CORRECTLY, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M NOT, IS THE, I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY WITHIN THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD THAT VOTED FOR IT, WHY THE WHY IT DOESN'T PASS. IS IT, IS IT A MAJORITY OF, OF WHO IS PRESENT NOW? OR IS IT A MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO VOTE? DID IT'S PRESENT. PRESENT. NOT VOTING IS NOT AN ABSTENTION. AND IT'S NOT A, AND IT'S NOT A NO VOTE EITHER. CORRECT. BECAUSE I I ALWAYS UNDERSTOOD IT TO BE THAT. SO I'M CONFUSED AS TO WHY THE MOTION IS NOT CARRYING WITH THE MAJORITY OF THOSE WHO VOTED FOR IT. THE MAJORITY DIDN'T VOTE FOR IT. YOU NEED FOR THE ORDINANCE TO PASS, YOU NEED A MAJORITY OF THOSE WHO ARE PRESENT. SO WE DO NOT HAVE YOU, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH VOTES TO PASS IT. SO YOU, SO YOU, SO THREE OF [01:30:01] US PRESIDENT. SO YOU STILL NEED, IS IT, IS IT A MAJORITY OF NINE OR IS IT A MAJORITY OF YOU NEED A MAJORITY OF THE NINE PEOPLE, THE PRE THE PRESIDENT AND NOT VOTING DOESN'T REALLY CHANGE THE, THE FACT THAT THIS, BASED ON THE COMPLIMENT THAT IS HERE AND WHO ARE PRESENT, YOU WOULD NEED FIVE AND VERSUS, UH, VERSUS AN ABSTENTION, WHICH WOULD MEAN WHAT YOU WOULD STILL, YOU WOULD STILL NEED FIVE. I I WANNA JUST CONFIRM THAT YOUR ABSTENTIONS DON'T, IF YOU GIVE ME A MOMENT TO CONFIRM THAT YOUR ABSTENTIONS DON'T, UM, AMOUNT TO THE PREVAILING SIDE, BUT THE PRESIDENT NOT VOTING. I LOOK AT IT SOMEWHAT AN ANALOGOUS TO AN AN, AN ABSTENTION. WE'RE GONNA TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS WHILE LEGAL CONSULTS. YEAH. MR. MARTINO UP. [01:37:38] THIS MEETING IS NOW BACK IN SESSION. PLEASE. BACK TO YOUR SEATS. ADAM, CAN YOU PLEASE CALL THE REMAINING COMMISSIONERS? TELL 'EM WE'RE COMING BACK IN A SESSION. WHAT'S UP? THE RESTROOM? OKAY. IT WAS A GOOD TIME. TAKE A BREAK. YES, IT, YEAH. I'M KICKING MYSELF. [01:40:02] WHERE ARE THEY? WE'RE WAITING. PAT, I'M WAITING TO GET EVERYONE BACK. FIND WAYNE PLEASE. WAYNE. WELL, ALEX, FINE. WE'RE JUST WAITING FOR YOU. NO PRESSURE. THIS MEETING IS NOW BACK IN SESSION. WE CONFERRED WITH COUNSEL AND JUST TO GO OVER PROCEDURES. ENSURE, AT THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECONSIDER MOTION MOVED BY, UH, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. I SECOND. SECOND BY MERCADO. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK TO RECONSIDER. COMMISSIONER GILL PRESENT AND I VOTING. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO. YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY. THOMAS. PRESENT, NOT VOTING WITH THE SUGGESTION THAT WE TABLE THIS VOTE UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING. THAT WAY WE'RE NOT, WE'RE NOT AT THIS POINT. WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE VOTE. WE CAN'T TABLE IT RIGHT NOW. WE'RE GONNA RECONSIDER. WELL, THAT'S GONNA, THAT'S GONNA, WELL, WE RECONSIDER. WE CAN GO BACK AND UNDO. I HEAR YOU. BUT THAT'S JUST THE CONTEXT THAT I'M ADDING. WHY IT'S THE NOT VOTE. BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED MORE TIME ULTIMATELY TO BE INFORMED AS WE MAKE OUR DECISION. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. TO RECONSIDER. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. RECONSIDER. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. MR. PRESIDENT WAS THIS, UM, I APOLOGIZE. THIS WAS THE VOTE TO RE TO RECONSIDER. SO, UM, [01:45:02] THIS IS JUST THE VOTE TO PUT IT BACK. JUST TO RECONSIDER. JUST TO RE NOT ON THE ACTUAL VOTE. SPEECHING MY VOTE TO, YES. OKAY. UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER. PRESIDENT PO. YES. SO MOVED. AT THIS TIME I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE. MOTION TO TABLE. MOTION TO MOVE IT, WE HAVE TO ACT THE ONE AT A TIME. YOU HAVE ONE RIGHT? WE HAVE TO ONE MOMENT. YEAH. ONE WE HAVE TO ACT THE ONE AT A TIME. RIGHT? OKAY. THE MOTION TO TABLE CAME FIRST, SECOND. A MOTION TO TABLE ONE. ONE. ONE MOMENT. I JUST GIMME ONE SECOND. YES. THE, THE MOTION TO TABLE WOULD HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED. OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ON A MOTION TO TABLE. ROLL CALL. MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL. UH, THROUGH YOU MR. PRESIDENT, I'M GONNA NEED TO CONFER WITH COUNSEL TO COME BACK TO ME. I CAN'T HEAR YOU. CAN'T CONTINUE. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? NO. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS? YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. THE TABLE TO THE NEXT MEETING, WHICH, WHAT DATE IS THE NEXT MEETING? OCTOBER 22ND IS THE NEXT MEETING TO, YES. TO OCTOBER 22ND. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD? NO. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? NO, THERE'S CONFUSION. WE NEED TO GO. GIL HAS NOT VOTED YET. OKAY. THIS IS A MOTION OF THE TABLE. GIL GIL'S. JUST CHECKING ON AN ISSUE. EMAIL. I MEAN, IT'S NOT MY BUSINESS. UM, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MR. COMMISSIONER GIL. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. AFTER, UM, AFTER, UH, CONFERRING WITH COUNSEL, UH, ABSTENTION. SO I'LL LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION NOW TO MOVE IT. WAIT, WAIT. WHAT IS THE, WHAT'S THE COUNT? WE NEED TO COUNT, PLEASE. LET'S MAKE IT OKAY. UM, THE VOTE WE PASSED. WE NEED TO RECOUNT. SHE DIDN'T CAPTURE IT ALL. OH, OKAY. OKAY. CAN YOU JUST CONFIRM YOUR VOTES AGAIN? PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR VOTES AGAIN FOR, FOR TABLE. YES. THE TABLE WAS TOOK. OKAY. UH, THAT'S, AND, AND JUST SO THAT WE ARE CLEAR, BECAUSE THERE'S NO MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION, YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE VOTE. YOU HAVE TO JUST GIVE THE VOTE THAT YOU GAVE INITIALLY. PLEASE. OKAY. SO, UM, COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY. THOMAS. YES. AND I'M ALSO PROPOSING THAT WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT MEETING WHERE BOTH THE VENDOR AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAN COME AND PRESENT INFORMATION TO TABLE. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. THE TABLE TO THE NEXT MEETING. COMMISSIONER SEA BOLT. I THOUGHT WE VOTED ALREADY. JUST REPEAT. DID WE RECORDING THIS? WE'RE CONFIRMING WE'RE CONFIRMING OUR VOTES. MY VOTE IS THERE WAS CONFUSION. NO. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, PLEASE. YES. COMMISSIONER GILL ABSTENTION. HE'S ABSTAINED. AND COMMISSIONER SERMONS. I KNOW WHAT HE SAID. YES. YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? NO. NO. COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT EZ. IT WAS A NO, IT WAS A NO IS TO TABLE AND FOUR. NO. SO THOSE, SO THE VOTE IS TO TABLE THIS TO THE NEXT PIECE. ONE ABSTENTION. WHAT WAS THE COUNT? THE COUNT WAS FIVE YESES TO TABLE. THREE NOS TO TABLE ONE ABSTENTION. [01:50:01] THANK YOU. OKAY. OKAY, WE'RE MOVING ON. WE'LL LEAVE HERE BY MIDNIGHT. ALRIGHT, SO LET'S, UH, MOVE ON. WE HAVE ANOTHER ORDINANCE. WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 0 1 4. I HEREBY DECLARE PUBLIC HEARING ON ORDINANCE NUMBER O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 1 4 OPEN. IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT FOR AGAINST THIS ORDINANCE, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE. STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. THIS IS ON NUMBER TWO, THE SECOND ONE LIST. AND JAY, IF YOU COME IN TO SPEAK, THIS WILL BE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT. UH, RAYMOND O'NEILL. UM, UH, RESIDENT OF NEWARK LIVE A COUPLE BLOCKS FROM HERE. UM, I, UH, WANTED TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT, UH, THE INCINERATOR AND THE CONTRACT EXTENSION AFTER HEARING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER, UM, TO, UH, UH, SPEAK OUT ABOUT IT. UM, I'M ALSO A CIVIL EN AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER. UM, I HAVEN'T DONE ANY DISPERSION STUDIES IN A WHILE, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN THE STACK DATA FOR THIS INCINERATOR. UM, BUT, UH, SOME OF WHAT I HEARD HERE WAS, UH, UH, KIND OF CAUGHT MY ATTENTION THAT, UH, 10% OF THE COUNTY'S, UH, UH, NITROUS OXIDE KNOCKS, UH, IS FROM THAT POINT SOURCE. AND I THOUGHT, WELL, THAT'S, THAT SEEMS LIKE A LOT TO ME. UH, BUT THEN I HEARD THAT ABOUT 40% OF THE WASTE BEING INCINERATED IS COMING FROM NEW YORK, FROM NEW YORK CITY. SO, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. UM, A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS. UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN ALTERNATIVES STUDIED. IT WAS JUST A QUICK LOOK ON THE INTERNET ON MY WAY HERE TO SEE THAT THERE HAVE BEEN STUDIES OF ALTERNATIVES. UM, AND, UH, I I JUST FOUND IT A LITTLE, UM, UH, OFF-PUTTING TO ME THAT, UM, THE, UH, THE COMMISSIONERS BOARD WOULD ASK THE COMMUNITY WHY THEY DIDN'T COME HERE WITHOUT ALTERNATIVES, UH, OR, OR ASK THEM FOR THE ALTERNATIVES WHEN THE COUNTY HAS THE RESOURCES, UH, AND HAS DONE THIS WORK. UM, THERE WAS ALSO SOMETHING ELSE I HEARD THAT JUST STRUCK ME AS, UH, LIKE NOT GOOD FAITH, RIGHT? WHEN ASKED, WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE? THAT THE ALTERNATIVE IS THAT TRASH WILL PILE UP ON OUR STREETS. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT. LIKE, NOT EXTENDING THIS CONTRACT IS, IS NOT THE SAME AS STOPPING TRASH COLLECTION. AND, UH, I JUST, I JUST FOUND THAT RATHER DISINGENUOUS. UM, THERE'S, UH, THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE HERE TO, UH, YOU KNOW, NOT, UM, LIKE THE FIGHT TO EVEN VOTE AGAIN, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE WANT THIS CONTRACT PASSED, RIGHT? IT, IT, IT SEEMS CLEAR TO ME, GIVEN THE STUDY OF ALTERNATIVES THAT THE COUNTY HAS DONE, THAT YOU'RE TARGET TARGETING THE IRON BOUND COMMUNITY. AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN, UH, AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR DECADES. THE WAY THAT THIS HAS BEEN TARGETED AS A SACRIFICE ZONE. AND, UM, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS ABOUT IT. AND TO SEE THAT IT WAS VOTED THANK YOU, YOU KNOW, TO, UH, TO, TO NOT, UH, AND I, I'M SORRY, 30 SECONDS. I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS. THANK YOU. I'M SORRY. I DON'T KNOW ALL THE DETAILS. BUT, UM, TO SEE THAT, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT A DECISION WAS MADE AND THEN A FIGHT WAS LIKE TO OVERTURN IT, TRY TO GET SOMEBODY TO CHANGE THEIR VOTE, I'M, I'M JUST NOT SURE. ANYWAY, THAT'S MY PUBLIC COMMENT. AND, UH, I HOPE YOU ALL WILL, UH, RE REALLY GIVE CLOSE CONSIDERATION TO THE FACT THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE TARGETING IRON BOUND AS A SACRIFICE ZONE. WE NEED TO REVERSE THAT PRACTICE. AND, UH, THEY'RE ALL ALTERNATIVES TO NEGOTIATING CONTRACT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. HELLO AGAIN. THIS IS GUSTAVO FROM IRONBOUND COMMUNITY CORPORATION. UM, FOR THIS SPECIFIC AMENDMENT, I, I KNOW IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THERE IS A PROPOSAL FOR A INVESTING IN NEW INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THE INCINERATOR. UM, AND I WANTED TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT AND RESPOND SPECIFICALLY TO THE [01:55:01] COMMENTS MADE FOR THE ALTERNATIVES. ABOUND COMMUNITY CORPORATION HAS A VERY CLEAR LIST OF WHAT CAN BE DISCUSSED WITH YOU ALL, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THAT. SECONDLY, I ALSO FEEL THAT WHEN TALKING ABOUT ALTERNATIVES, I THINK THAT THIS WHOLE ISSUE ABOUT WASTE MANAGEMENT AND WHERE IS THE TRASH GOING TO GO, IT SEEMS HAUNTING. AND, UH, THE MOVEMENT AND THE RESTRUCTURING OF IT ALL CAN BE OVERWHELMING. BUT I THINK THAT WHEN WE'RE THINKING OF ALTERNATIVES, I INVITE ALL OF US TO, TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE STEPS THAT CAN BE MADE TOWARDS ALTERNATIVES AS WELL. SO IT'S NOT ONLY ABOUT CONSIDERING OTHER PATHWAYS, BUT ALSO OPENING THE DOOR TOWARDS THOSE PATHWAYS AS WELL. THAT I THINK THAT THAT CAN BE DONE IMMEDIATELY. UM, AND I ALSO WANTED TO SAY, YEAH, JUST WITH ALTERNATIVES, THIS INCINERATOR AND THERE'S PROPOSALS OF THIS ADDED INFRASTRUCTURE, HOW 50% OF THE TRASH THAT THE INCINERATOR IS RECEIVING IS FROM MANHATTAN AND THE OTHER IS COMING FROM THE COUNTY AND OTHERS. UM, I THINK THAT IT'S JUST IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF US TO, TO HAVE THIS VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT, YES, THE COUNTY'S PART ON WANTING TO, TO, TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO, TO GET, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED. BUT ALSO WANTING TO, TO ALSO PUT ATTENTION ON THE FACT THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ADDRESSING, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY AS WELL, THAT, UH, WILL BE INCLUDED IN, IN PART OF THE ALTERNATIVES DOCUMENT THAT WE'RE PRESENTING. THANK YOU. SO JUST, UH, FOR WHATEVER DOCUMENTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SIGN, JUST SEE ADAM SO HE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE RECEIVE THEM. OKAY. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. HELLO AGAIN. ALEJANDRA TORRES, ICC. UH, I'M GRATEFUL TO MY COLLEAGUE FOR RAISING THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE ALTERNATIVES. AND IN FACT, WE DID MENTION THEM IN OUR TESTIMONY AND PERHAPS WE WEREN'T EMPHATIC ENOUGH. UH, WE SUGGESTED WASTE DIVERSION POLICIES, RECYCLING PROGRAMS, AND ORGANICS COLLECTIONS FOR COMPOSTING. WE HEARD FROM, UM, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE, OF THE INCINERATOR THAT THERE ARE THESE PROGRAMS, HOWEVER, PEOPLE ARE NOT EDUCATED ON THEM. ONE, THERE IS NO ENFORCEMENT TO COMMISSIONER, UH, COOPER'S QUESTION. AND SO I INVITE US ALL TO BE CREATIVE IN IMPLEMENTING VERY REAL SOLUTIONS THAT EXIST. AND WE'RE JUST FAILING TO ENTERTAIN THEM RATHER THAN ASSUMING THERE WILL BE WASTE. WE CAN THINK ABOUT HOW TO MANAGE OUR WASTE, HOW TO TEACH PEOPLE TO COMPOST THEIR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES INSTEAD OF JUST DUMPING IT IN A BAG ON THE STREET AND THEN GOING TO THE INCINERATOR. AND SO THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES, AS OTHER FOLKS HAVE MENTIONED THAT EXIST, RESEARCH EXISTS. AND WE ARE INCREDIBLY EAGER TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT THESE BEFORE OCTOBER 22ND. AND I DO LOOK FORWARD TO A PUBLIC HEARING. UM, THANK YOU COMMISSIONER MARCADO, TO DISCUSS THESE ALTERNATIVES. SECONDLY, INCINERATORS, WERE DIS, UH, PARDON ME, LANDFILLS WERE DISCUSSED. LANDFILLS ARE NOT BETTER THAN INCINERATOR. INCINERATOR ARE WORSE. THERE HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT STUDIES ON THIS AS WELL. I'LL READ BRIEFLY FROM ENERGY JUSTICE NETWORK. INCINERATORS, DO NOT AVOID LANDFILLS. FOR EVERY 100 TONS OF TRASH BURNED, 30 TONS BECOME TOXIC ASH THAT GOES TO LANDFILLS. THE OTHER 70 TONS DON'T TURN INTO ENERGY, BUT BECOME AIR POLLUTION. SO IN TERMS OF AIR POLLUTION AND GROUNDWATER IMPACTS BURNING WASTE, THEN BURYING ASH IS FAR WORSE THAN DIRECT LAND FILLING. AND BOTH INCINERATORS AND LANDFILLS ARE WORSE THAN A ZERO ZERO WASTE APPROACH. WHAT WE ARE SUGGEST SUGGESTING IN TERMS OF ALTERNATIVES ARE ZERO WASTE POLICIES. I RECOGNIZE THAT THAT CAN SEEM IMPOSSIBLE. WE CAN WORK TOWARDS THE ZERO WASTE ECONOMY, BUT IN THE INTERIM, WE CAN WORK ON, WE CAN WORK ON REDUCED WASTE, AND THOSE ARE THE POLICIES WE'RE SUGGESTING TO IMPLEMENT ON THE COUNTY LEVEL, ON THE CITY LEVEL. AND THEN, YEAH, LET'S ENGAGE WITH MANHATTAN. SO THEY'RE DOING THE SAME THERE BECAUSE IT'S EJ COMMUNITIES IN MANHATTAN THAT DON'T KNOW ABOUT ALTERNATIVES, AND THEN THEY'RE SENDING THEIR TRASH TO AN EJ COMMUNITY HERE. UM, SO THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY. PUT IT ON THE RECORD IN CASE FOLKS DID NOT HEAR PREVIOUSLY THAT WE ARE COMING WITH SOLUTIONS. THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANNA REMIND, UH, MADAM, MADAM, THE BEST WAY TO GET INFORMATION WOULD BE TO SEE ADAM. SO YOU COULD EMAIL ANY DOCUMENTATION THAT WAY. OKAY. THANK YOU PAULA. VIN FOOD AND WATER WATCH. UM, [02:00:01] ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS ASKED ABOUT RECYCLING IN ESSEX COUNTY. AND THE ANSWER WAS THAT, THAT EVERY TOWN, EV EVERY CITY HAS A RECYCLING PROGRAM. THAT SOUNDS KIND OF LIKE WHERE I LIVE IN BERGEN. WE ALL HAVE RECYCLING PROGRAMS. IT'S ALL VERY NICE. THERE IS NO ENFORCEMENT WHATSOEVER IN MY TOWN OF TEANECK. IF WE PUT STUFF OUT IN RECYCLING, THAT'S GREAT. IF WE DON'T, THAT'S FINE. THERE'S NO ENFORCEMENT. SO ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE ALTERNATIVES IS ENFORCEMENT OF THE RECYCLING PROGRAMS. THERE SHOULD BE, IT SHOULD BE ENFORCEMENT. NOW, ONE OF THE REASONS I TRAVEL ALL THE WAY FROM TEANECK TO HERE IS THAT I TAUGHT KINDERGARTEN, FIRST GRADE IN NEW YORK CITY FOR 44 YEARS. AND I CARE ABOUT CHILDREN. SO MANY PEOPLE HERE DO. AND WHEN I HEAR ABOUT THE IMPACTS FROM THE CHEMICALS THAT ARE COMING, THE EMISSIONS COMING FROM THIS INCINERATOR, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN EVEN THINK ABOUT EXPANDING THE TRASH INTAKE. I, I MEAN, LEARNING DISABILITIES, ASTHMA, NEWARK ALREADY HAS A HUGE ASTHMA RATE, ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN EVEN IMAGINE EXPANDING THIS INCINERATOR. IT'S HORRENDOUS. I MET DELANEY HALL A LOT ON THE WEEKENDS, AND THE SMELL IS SO, SO STRONG. IT'S NOT, IT'S FROM POLLUTION, ALREADY EXISTING POLLUTION IN THE IRON BOUND, FROM THE POWER PLANTS, FROM THE INCINERATOR, FROM THE FAT RENDERING PLACE. THERE'S POLLUTION FROM THE OLD, UH, AGENT ORANGE FACTORY AND THE, AND THE PARTICULATE MATTER FROM THAT. SO THE AIM SHOULD BE TO REDUCE POLLUTION. AND, AND IT, IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THE ALTERNATIVES. AND ONE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE TRASH, THAT, THAT THERE'S A, A SERIOUS, A REAL RECYCLING PROGRAM. NOT ONE ON PAPER, BUT A REAL ONE. IF NEW YORK IS SENDING, SENDING MATERIALS, THEN THEY HAVE TO ENFORCE ALSO, OR, OR 30 SECONDS TAKE. SHOULDN'T TAKE ANYTHING FROM NEW YORK. THIS. AND, AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THOSE OF YOU WHO VOTED TO TABLE THIS, I, I'M SO THANKFUL TO YOU AND I HOPE THAT THERE WILL BE HEARINGS, UM, AND OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. THERE ARE LOTS OF IDEAS, THERE ARE LOTS OF POSSIBILITIES. AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE TABLING THIS. THANK YOU. UH, EX BRA WAY. UH, NEWARK RESIDENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ORGANIZER. THANK YOU. IS THIS ON? OKAY, THANK YOU. AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ORGANIZER FOR CLEAN WATER ACTION. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS ON THE NOTES YOU OR THE NOTES THAT WERE HEARD FROM FREEWORLD AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVES. UM, I REALLY WANNA EMPHASIZE ESPECIALLY TO THE ONES WHO SEEM, UH, UNINTERESTED IN HEARING THE COMMUNITIES OF PERSPECTIVES, SPECIFICALLY THE COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE ON THEIR PHONES. UH, THIS INCINERATOR IS AT THE END OF ITS LIFE CYCLE. IT IS ALMOST TIME FOR THEM TO SHUT DOWN. RIGHT? AND THAT MEANS THAT RE WORLD IS SIMPLY WITH THIS ORDINANCE BUYING TIME TO POLLUTE THIS COMMUNITY. THERE ARE OTHER SOLUTIONS. AND VOTING NO TO THIS RESOLUTION MEANS HOLDING THEM TO FINDING ETHICAL WAYS TO PLACE THIS WASTE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP OF NEW JERSEY AND WHERE THESE INCINERATORS ARE PLACED, THEY ARE PLACED IN COMMUNITIES LIKE NORTH. YOU SEND YOUR WASTE TO PATTERSON. PATTERSON, THEIR RECYCLING CENTER, I'VE ORGANIZED FOR THEM. NOPE, IT SMELLS JUST AS BAD AS THE IRON BOUND. THEY, WE NEED TO HOLD THEM TO FINDING MORE ETHICAL PLACES TO EXIST. THERE'S NO BUFFER BETWEEN THE IRON BOUND AND THE POLLUTION THAT'S GIVEN TO US. I CHALLENGE YOU TO LEARN WHAT MERCURY IS. IT'S A NEUROTOXIN. IT'S A NEUROTOXIN THAT KIDS, CHILDREN, PREGNANT MOTHERS ARE BREATHING IN. I CHALLENGE YOU TO GO TO THE DE DP WEBSITE AND LOOK INTO THEIR, YEAH, THANK YOU. SORRY. I CHALLENGE YOU TO LOOK INTO THEIR 300 VIOLATIONS. WHAT HAVE THEY VIOLATED? LOOK INTO WHAT EXACTLY A BAG SYSTEM MEANS. JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME EMISSIONS, UH, REDUCTION MEASURES DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY ARE FULLY EFFICIENT. THEY HAVE SPOKEN AROUND THE TRUTH. THEY ARE PAID [02:05:01] TO REPRESENT THEIR, UH, REPRESENT THEIR ORGANIZATION AS SOMETHING THAT'S NEUTRAL. WHEN IT REALLY ISN'T. IT ISN'T. MY JOB AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ORGANIZER IS TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. I ADVISE THEIR ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE. THERE IS NO ETHICAL WAY TO APPROVE THIS CONTRACT. THERE ARE OTHER WAYS TO REDUCE WASTE. AND I FEEL LIKE IT HAS BECOME FEAR MONGERING WHERE FOLKS ARE SAYING THE WASTE HAS NO PLACE TO GO IN JANUARY. THAT'S NOT TRUE. THERE ARE OTHER FACILITIES THAT THIS CAN GO TO. WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THE IRONBOUND COMMUNITY SHOULD NO LONGER HAVE TO TAKE THE WASTE OF EVERYBODY IN ITS VICINITY. 30 SECONDS. UM, LET'S SEE. YEAH, I WOULD JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT THE SOLUTIONS THAT THEY HAVE POSED, THE BAG SYSTEM, THE EMISSION REDUCTION MEASURES, THOSE HAVE FAILED IN THE PAST. AND YOU MUST CONSIDER YOUR MORAL OBLIGATION TO THE FOLKS IN THIS ROOM, THE FOLKS IN THE IRONBOUND. AND SECONDLY, YOUR OBLIGATION TO LOOK AT THEIR TRACK RECORD AND DO THE EDUCATION FOR YOURSELF. MY LAST TIME, UM, IT'S JACKSON, JUST, JUST MOVE IT BUTTON, I'M SORRY. DONNA JACKSON. UH, JUST MOVE IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT. OH, I KNOW WE CAN HEAR YOU, BUT SQUEEZE THINGS. IT'S FOR RECORDING PURPOSES. 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE MIKE MONEY. I DIDN'T WANT TO BREAK . UM, I'M NOT SURE WHAT MIKE MONEY IS, BUT FOR BREAKS WE'LL FIX IT LOOKS FANCY. MR. M HOW MUCH IS THAT? OKAY, YOU'RE GOOD. GO. UM, DONNA JACKSON. SO AGAIN, IN TERMS OF THE EMISSIONS, UH, MR. PRESIDENT, I THINK YOU MISUNDERSTOOD MAYBE WHAT I WAS SAYING IN TERMS OF THE CONTRACT, BUT JUST TO CLARIFY ON THE FIRST ONE, IT IS A CONNECTION WITH PORT AUTHORITY. SO IT IS VERY MUCH, UM, ON US TO MAKE SURE WHAT THE PORT AUTHORITY IS DOING. SO WHEN THEY LOWER THOSE PLANES, THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING TO ALL OF THIS THAT EVERYBODY HAS TALKED ABOUT AT THIS MIC. UM, I THINK WE DO NEED TO DO A BIT MORE IN REFERENCE TO RECYCLING ALL THE WAY AROUND, BECAUSE NOW WE HAVE THE RECYCLING BANDITS THAT ARE GOING AROUND ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES TAKING THE PLASTIC BOTTLES OUT OF THE RECYCLING CONTAINERS. UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE TAKING THEM TO THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING ALL OF THESE DOLLARS. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE RIDING OVER TO NEW YORK 'CAUSE THEY GOT IT ORGANIZED. NOW THEY GOT TRUCKS. AND SO IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ENFORCEMENT AND SOMEBODY COULD JUST WALK UP TO YOUR HOUSE, I KNOW THEY, THE, THE BIBLE BAND IS VERY ACTIVE IN EAST ORANGE AND MY PORTION OF THE NEWARK UP IN THE VALES SECTION. IF THAT'S HAPPENING. AND WE ARE NOT EVEN WATCHING WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THAT AS TO WHERE THEY'RE DUMPING THAT THIS IS ALL A PART OF THIS. NOW THE OTHER PIECE THAT I WANT TO CLOSE WITH IS THE IRRESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY COMMUNITY OUT HERE WITH THEIR BUILDING. THESE BUILDINGS GOING UP BY THE THOUSANDS ARE GOING TO, IT'S NO WAY. WITH NO DISRESPECT TO ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM THAT WE GONNA REDUCE GARBAGE. WE DONE BOUGHT LIKE 200,000 PEOPLE BETWEEN ESSEX AND WHATSAPP. WE DONE BOUGHT 'EM HERE. EVERYBODY WANNA BUILD A TRAIN HUB NOW. SOUTH ORANGE. EAST ORANGE, IRVINGTON, YOU KNOW, THEY WANNA GET IN ON IT TOO. MAPLEWOOD NEWARK IS GETTING READY TO PUT UP FIVE MORE BUILDINGS DOWN THERE BY LACKAWANNA STATION. ALL OF THE EGREGIOUS BUILDING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE IRONBOUND THAT UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN. THEY JUST OPENED UP THE BREWERY, WHICH IS ABOUT FIVE BLOCKS FROM THE INCINERATOR. AND THEY JUST PUT 500 UNITS INSIDE THE BUILDING. 500 UNITS TIMES 500 PEOPLE. THAT'S 2,500. THEN THEY TALKING ABOUT THESE FOUR BUILDINGS TO GO UP, RIGHT? WHERE, UH, IBERIA USED TO BE LIKE, COME ON, LET'S BE SERIOUS. WE ARE NOT DEMANDING THAT THE TOWNSHIPS THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS GARBAGE DO THEIR A PART BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SEPARATING THESE GARBAGE IN THESE BIG BUILDINGS. 30. 'CAUSE EVERY TIME 30, MY APARTMENT BUILDING TO MY FRIEND FROM EAST ORANGES POINT, BLACK GARBAGE BAGS, YOU DON'T EVEN SEE A RECYCLING BIN. NORTH IRVINGTON, EAST ORANGE. UH, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY DO 'EM SO WELL UP TOP. SO I HAVE TO ASK YOU, THOSE OF YOU AT THE UPPER END OF VEST COUNTY, HOW OUR RECYCLING LOOKS. BUT, UH, I BET IT LOOKED LIKE BLUE CONTAINERS OUT THERE WITH SOME STUFF IN IT. YOU DON'T SEE BLACK BAGS LIKE YOU SEE IN OUR COMMUNITY. SO IT DOES HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE. THIS BUILDING IS OUTTA CONTROL. THERE'S NO WAY TO REDUCE IT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AND YOUR NUMBERS, BECAUSE IT'S MORE PEOPLE TIME. THANK YOU MS. JACKSON. UNFORTUNATELY, UM, THANK YOU FOR TABLING THIS AND CONSIDERING IT A BIT FURTHER BECAUSE THERE ARE MASSIVE AL ALTERNATIVES AVAILABLE AND THEY HAVE [02:10:01] BEEN PRESENTED TONIGHT TO SOME DEGREE, BUT YOU HAVE COUNTY RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO YOU AND PROBABLY FULL REPORTS THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN THAT CAN MASSIVELY REDUCE OUR GARBAGE STREAM. YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT ONLY RECYCLING, BUT A LARGE PORTION OF THAT IS, IS COMPOST. AS, AS THE, THE KNOWLEDGEABLE YOUNG PEOPLE SAID IT'S ORGANIC MATERIAL. AND YOU TAKE THAT OUT OF THE GARBAGE STREAM AND YOU'LL PROBABLY HAVE THE AMOUNT OF TONNAGE THAT GOES INTO THAT, UM, INCINERATOR. SO I THINK IT'S SERIOUS THAT YOU ALL NEED TO REALLY HAVE CONSULTANTS AND A PLAN FOR HOW TO IMPLEMENT RECYCLING ON A MASSIVE SCALE AND COMPOSTING, OR THEY CALL IT COMPOSTING, BUT ORGANIC MATERIAL REMOVAL. AND I THINK UNTIL YOU REALLY HAVE THAT IN PLACE, YOU DON'T HAVE ANY BUSINESS GIVING MORE MONEY TO THIS INCINERATOR. YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO GO HAND IN HAND. LIKE SOMEBODY SAID, THE LIFE'S THIS INCINERATOR HAS BEEN THERE FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY YEARS NOW, PROBABLY ALMOST 40 YEARS. AND IF WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN PARALLEL TRYING TO CREATE A NEW METHOD AWAY FROM THIS, WE'VE BEEN DELINQUENT. SO YOU MAY HAVE A LITTLE CATCH UP TO DO, BUT THIS CAN BE DONE. AND I APPRECIATE THE BOARD AND THE WHOLE COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S GROUP FOR TAKING A, A RESPONSIBLE APPROACH TO THIS. PLEASE MEET WITH THE COMMUNITY. PLEASE INVOLVE YOUR OWN CONSULTANTS AND GET THESE POSITIONS IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY TAKE STEPS AND PUT MONEY TOWARD TAKING THE STEPS TO REDUCE OUR GARBAGE FLOW. IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN EVERYWHERE. WE'RE NOT ALONE, BUT YOU COULD BE LEADERS IN THIS FIELD AND YOU CAN LOOK AT OTHER CITIES THAT ARE LEADERS IN THIS FIELD. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND, UH, GOOD LUCK TO COMING UP WITH SOMETHING THAT'S AVAILABLE ALREADY. I MEAN, WE WERE TALKING HERE ON THE OTHER, OTHER, UH, UH, VOTE THAT YOU HAD. WE DID A QUICK SEARCH ON AI. YOU'VE GOT A DOZEN ALTERNATIVES, RIGHT, THAT, BUT THEY REQUIRE MONEY, THEY REQUIRE COMMITMENT AND THEY, AND THAT SHOULD BE DONE IN PARALLEL RIGHT NOW AND ACTUALLY ARE A LITTLE BEHIND FOR HAVING ACCOMPLISHED THAT. SO GOOD LUCK. LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU MA'AM. OKAY. SEEING NO OTHER SPEAKERS AT THIS POINT. YOU CAN'T SPEAK TWICE SIR. GOTCHA. I SAW YOU COMING. UM, AT THIS POINT, UH, MR. BA, ANY QUESTIONS? NO, NO. MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS? SO BEFORE I ASK FOR A MOTION TO CLOSE OUR HEARING, UH, IF THERE'S THE WILL OF THE BOARD TO TABLE THIS ONE AS WELL, SINCE WE'RE GONNA BE DOING THAT, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN THAT. SO I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A MOTION TO CLOSE THE HEARING AT THIS POINT. MOTION. SO SECOND. SO MOVED BY MERCADO, SECOND BY, UH, MARY THOMAS. UH, ROLL CALL. MAD DEPUTY COURT TO CLOSE THE HEARING. COMMISSIONER GI STATE IS JUST CLOSE IT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? NO, THIS IS TO CLOSE THE HEARING. CLOSE THE HEARING FOLKS. LET, LET ME CLARIFY. I'M SORRY. SORRY. LEMME CLARIFY THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR AND SECOND. AND ALRIGHT. MERCADO MOTION, SHE'S SECONDED IS SIMPLY TO CLOSE THE HEARING. YES. OKAY. COMMISSIONER, YOU HAVE LUCIANO IS YES. AND COMMISSIONER GI YOU ARE ABSTAIN. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD. YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS. YES. SO MOVED. OKAY. NOW IF IT IS THE WILL OF THE BOARD TO TABLE THIS AS WE DID THE OTHER ONE, THEN I'LL ENTERTAIN THAT MOTION. OTHERWISE I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE. CAN A MOTION TO TABLE? OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION TO TABLE BY ME. YOU HAVE A SECOND, SECOND. SECOND. BY MARY THOMAS. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLARK. THIS IS A MOTION TO TABLE ORDINANCE O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 0 1 4, WHICH IS THE SECOND ORDINANCE ON THE SECTION J OF THE AGENDA. UNTIL WHEN? TILL THE NEXT MEETING. JUST LIKE THE OTHER ONE. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER SEGEL. READY FOR THE ROLL CALL? YES. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSTAIN. ABSTAIN. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? NO. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. [02:15:01] COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. THE TABLE TO THE NEXT MEETING. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO MOVE. OKAY, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON NOW WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS. MR. JACKSON. GOOD EVENING. WAKE UP. WHERE AM I? WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS ONE THROUGH THREE, WHICH ARE ALL ADVICE AND CONSENT APPOINTMENTS TO THE COUNTY, UH, HEALTH AND SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD. THEY WILL BE RUNNING TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. YES. UM, A MEMBER OF OUR STAFF, THE SARAH BONNI, WILL COME AND PRESENT THESE, UH, CANDIDATES. PLEASE DO. GOOD EVENING. GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS SARA BON FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH MANAGEMENT. I'M GONNA READ THREE UH, BIOS FOR ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS. UM, THE FIRST ED TECHNICAL IS A GERIATRIC CARE MANAGER WITH ESSEX, WITH THE ESSEX COUNTY DIVISION OF SENIOR SERVICES, WHERE SHE DEVELOPS AND OVERSEES COMPREHENSIVE CARE PLANS FOR ELDERLY RESIDENTS ENROLLED IN JERSEY ASSISTANCE FOR COMMUNITY CAREGIVING PROGRAM. HER BACKGROUND INCLUDES COUNSELING EXPERIENCE AT THE ROBERT TREAT ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL, WHERE SHE SUPPORTED STUDENTS WELLNESS AND EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND PRIOR ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE WITH, WITH ESSEX COUNTY DIVISION OF FAMILY ASSISTANCE AND BENEFITS. SHE HOLDS A BACHELOR'S IN FAMILY SCIENCE AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT FROM MONTCLAIR STATE UNIVERSITY WITH CONCENTRATION IN FAMILIES, CHILDREN, AND SOCIAL SETTINGS. EDS BRING STRONG SKILLS AND CASE MANAGEMENT, CLIENT ADVOCACY, AND INDI INDIVIDUALIZED CARE PLANNING, REPRESENTING A COMPASSIONATE AND DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH TO SERVING ESSEX COUNTY'S MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. THANK YOU. LET'S GO ON NUMBER TWO. UH, ANTHONY RO. HE IS A FIRE CAPTAIN WITH NUTLEY AND HE'S ASSIGNED TO HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. UM, HE'S THE COORDINATOR FOR THAT AND ALSO THE TRAINING OFFICER. HE'S DEDICATED AND HAS EXPERIENCE FOR OVER 20 YEARS. UM, HE'S FOURTH GENERATION FIREFIGHTER. HE'S A PROVEN LEADER OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OPERATIONS, DEPARTMENTAL TRAINING AND INTER-AGENCY COORDINATION RECOGNIZED BY PASSADE COUNTY FIRE ACADEMY FOR DELIVERING SOME OF THE MOST WELL-PREPARED, CAPABLE, AND MOST DISCIPLINED RECRUITS ATTENDING THE ACADEMY KNOWN FOR DEVELOPING, EXECUTING CRITICAL RESPONSE PROTOCOLS, MULTI-AGENCY TRAINING PROGRAMS, AND OPERATIONAL READINESS. THANK YOU. PLEASE. NUMBER THREE. YEAH. UM, MARGIE HELLER SERVES AS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH AND GLOBAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AT COOPERMAN BARNABAS MEDICAL CENTER AND RWJ BARNABAS HEALTH SYSTEM, WHERE SHE LEADS EFFORTS TO REDUCE HEALTH DISPARITIES AND ADDRESS SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH ACROSS NEW JERSEY AND BEYOND. MARGIE BRINGS, MARGIE BUILDS BRIDGES BETWEEN HEALTH SYSTEMS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESSES, AND ACADEMIC PARTNERS TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. SHE HAS IMPLEMENTED EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM TO STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND ADVANCED ANCHOR MISSION STRATEGIES TO ALIGN INSTITUTIONAL GOALS WITH EQUITABLE COMMUNITY OUTCOMES. MARGIE HAS ALSO CO-LED DISASTER RELIEF MISSIONS IN PUERTO RICO AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC PARTNERING WITH UNIVERSITIES AND NGOS TO IMPROVE HEALTH ACCESS GLOBALLY. HER LEADERSHIP REFLECTS A DEEP COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, COLLABORATION, AND INNOVATION. AND SHE HAS BEEN WIDELY RECOGNIZED FOR HER COMMUNITY SERVICE AND IMPACT THROUGH MULTIPLE AWARDS AND BOARD APPOINTMENTS. THANK YOU. THESE ARE EXCELLENT CANDIDATES. I WANT TO COMMEND THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BRINGING 'EM. THANK YOU FOR STICKING AROUND TO READ THEM. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT, UH, THE FIRST THREE MOVE BY RICHARDSON. SECOND BY SIEBOLD. WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL. YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO. YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT PO. YES. SO MOVED. RESOLUTIONS FOUR THROUGH SEVEN AND 27 ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIVISION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT AND A 2025 COUNTY BUDGET INSERTION OF ITEMS OF REVENUE THAT WILL BE RUN TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. IS THAT MR. VIRA GONNA CORRECT? GOOD EVENING, MR. VIRA. GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT COMMISSIONERS MICHAEL VIRA. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF, UH, SPECIAL TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR BOTH THE DIVISIONS OF SENIOR SERVICES AND DIVISION OF TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT. TODAY'S RESOLUTIONS ONE FOUR THROUGH SEVEN. UH, I'M HERE TO REPRESENT. UM, UM, NUMBER FOUR IS A CONTRACT BETWEEN NEW JERSEY TRANSIT AND THE COUNTY OF ESSEX FOR OUR JOB ACCESS REVERSE COMMUTE PROGRAM. UH, WE PROVIDE, UH, TRANSPORTATION WHERE, UH, TRADITIONAL TRANSPORTATION IS NOT AVAILABLE [02:20:01] FOR, UH, MOSTLY FOR JOB, UM, UH, EMPLOYMENT. UH, WE HAVE THREE PROGRAMS OUTTA THAT. OUR ESSEX, UH, NIGHT OWL, OUR, UH, RUTAN SHUTTLE AND OUR FAIRFIELD WEST, UH, WEST ESSEX SHUTTLE. UM, NUMBER FIVE, RESOLUTION FIVE IS, UH, INSERTING THE, UH, $650 GRANT FROM NEW JERSEY TRANSIT, UM, FOR THE RC PROGRAM. NUMBER SIX IS THE CONTRACT FOR OUR RC PROGRAM WITH, UH, MEADOW LINK COMMUTER SERVICES, WHO HAS BEEN OUR PROVIDER SINCE, UH, UH, 2002 AND DOES A WONDERFUL JOB FOR US. AND RESOLUTION NUMBER SEVEN IS, UH, ALSO ANOTHER PROGRAM THAT, UH, MEADOW LINK DOES FOR US IS OUR WAVE PROGRAM WORKFORCE ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES OF ESSEX COUNTY, WHICH CONNECTS OUR ONE STOP CENTER TO VARIOUS OTHER, UH, AGENCIES TO HELP THOSE THAT ARE, UH, IN NEED OF SERVICE. THANK YOU. KEEP GOING. THAT'S IT FOR ME. AND, UH, WHO'S GOT 27? IT'S 27 SEPARATE TAKE. THEY WERE ALL LUMPED TOGETHER, SO I ASSUME THEY WAS ALL GOING. WELL THAT'S DO FOUR TO SEVEN, THEN LET'S DO FOUR TO SEVEN NOW, MR. JACKSON, WHY DON'T WE JUST DO FOUR TO SEVEN NOW? IS THAT RIGHT? UH, BISHOP BAZ, ANY QUESTIONS? NO. MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTION. COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS ON FOUR TO SEVEN? SEEING NONE, COMMISSIONER SIBO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE IT? ABSO ABSOLUTELY MOVED BY SIBO. SECOND BY MERCADO WILL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK 47 COMMISSIONER GILL? YES. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT PO. YES. THANK YOU. SO MOVED. THANK YOU MR. RO. WE'LL COME BACK TO 27 LATER, MR. JACKSON. IS THAT ALL RIGHT? THAT'S FINE. OKAY. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, LET'S MOVE ON. EIGHT THROUGH 13 ARE AN ADDED START OF 74 FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS. NO EARLY NIGHT FOR MRS. GATES . HE WAITED ALL THIS TIME. JOSHUA'S EIGHT. THAT'S THE COUNTY PARKS. UM, IT IS PAST BY BEDTIME, MR. PRESIDENT, YOU'VE GOTTEN USED TO THAT. WE SPOILED. UH, NUMBER EIGHT IS, UH, CONTRACT AWARD TO THE THREE LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDERS PER CATEGORY TO PROVIDE TREE REMOVAL, TRIMMING, STUMP GRINDING 24 MONTH CONTRACT, NOT TO EXCEED 1.3 MILLION. UH, SPECIFICALLY THIS IS THREE DIFFERENT VENDORS. UH, THE WINNING VENDORS ARE DO JETS, TREE EXPERTS FOR CATEGORY A, WHICH IS TREE REMOVAL. ANTHONY'S AFFORDABLE TREE CARE, WHICH IS FOR TREE TRIMMING. AND THEN FINALLY, DOWNS TREE SERVICE FOR CATEGORY C, WHICH IS STUMP GRINDING. NUMBER NINE, A CONTRACT AWARD TO GARDEN STATE PAVEMENT SOLUTIONS TO PROVIDE PAVING SERVICE PAVING SERVICES FOR BURG PARK UNDER THE EDUCATIONAL SERVICE COMMISSION, NEW JERSEY CO-OP AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $1,139,761 AND 78 CENTS. UH, AS MENTIONED, THIS IS UNDER A A CO-OP CONTRACT, BUT SPECIFICALLY THIS IS FOR THE PAVING OF THE OVAL AREA OVER IN BRANCH BROOK PARK. UM, UH, MAINLY BETWEEN, UH, BLOOMFIELD AVENUE AND HELLER PARKWAY. UH, THIS IS, UH, TEMPERATURE RELATED. SO, UM, WE NEED TO START BEFORE THE COLD WEATHER. AND THEN OUR ANTICIPATION IS THAT WOULD BE COMPLETED IN TIME FOR THE BIKE RACE OVER AT THE, UH, CHERRY BLOSSOM, UH, BIKE RACE IN APRIL. NUMBER 10, A CONTRACT AWARD TO THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDERS PER GROUP NORTHEAST GROUP, UH, LLC FOR GROUP ONE AND CLARK MOHAM LANDSCAPING CONSTRUCTION FOR GROUP TWO PROVIDE LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE SERVICES FOR VARIOUS PARKS. 24 MONTH CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $472,800 AND $429,960. UH, AS STATED, UH, NORTHEAST IS, UH, THE WINNING BIDDER FOR GROUP ONE, WHICH CONSISTS OF BROOKDALE, YCA AND WATT SUSSING. AND THEN, UH, GROUP TWO IS CLARK MOYNIHAN, WHICH CONSISTS OF ORANGE PARK, VETERANS PARK AND QUAKE PARK. THIS IS FOR, UH, A WHOLE SLEW OF LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE, UH, GRASS CUTTING LEAF REMOVAL AND WHAT HAVE YOU. UH, NUMBER 11, CONTRACT AWARD TO CLARK MOYNIHAN LANDSCAPING LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDER TO PROVIDE LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE FOR PARKS IN THE MONTCLAIR AREA. 24 MONTH CONTRACT NOT TO EXCEED $369,600. AS THIS BOARD MAY BE AWARE, UH, MONTCLAIR RECENTLY PASSED AN ORDINANCE THAT, UH, DOES NOT ALLOW FOR GAS LEAF BLOWERS. SO THAT'S WHY WE SEPARATED OUT THESE THREE MONTCLAIR PARKS. UM, AND THEN SPECIFICALLY IT'S, IT'S AGAIN, THEY'RE GONNA BE USED IN ELECTRIC POWER BLOWER AND A DISPENSE OF THE LEAVES, UM, IN THAT MANNER. NUMBER 12 CONTRACT AWARD TO DOWN STREET SERVICE TO PROVIDE INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES CONTROL SERVICES, 24 MONTH CONTRACT, NOT TO EXCEED $182,500. WE DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM, UH, DOWN STREET HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. UH, SPECIFICALLY THE [02:25:01] BOARD MAY HAVE PLEASE BRING 'EM UP. UH, LET'S LET 'EM INTRODUCE THE COMPANY, WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO. GOOD EVENING. PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. UH, SETH TESTA, DOWN STREET SERVICE. RICHARD CLE, UH, DOWN STREET TREE SERVICE. GREAT. WHO'S GONNA SPEAK ABOUT THE COMPANY? UH, DOWN STREET SERVICE. WE OPERATE A TREE SERVICE BASED OUTTA HAWTHORNE, NEW JERSEY, UH, ALSO TRUCKING COMPANY AND MULCH BLOWING AND, UH, GREEN ROOF INSTALLATION IN CITIES. UH, THIS PART OF THE BUSINESS IS OUR LAWN CARE AND PLANT HEALTHCARE DIVISION. SO THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN BE USING FOR THE, UH, INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES THROUGHOUT ESSEX COUNTY. YEAH, THIS IS A, SO THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ONE. I MEAN, INVASIVE SPECIES. UH, CAN YOU TALK A BIT ABOUT THAT? I MEAN, WHAT IT, IT'S PRETTY D DETRIMENTAL TO SO MANY OF OUR PARTS IN OTHER AREAS. YEP. IT COULD BE. UM, WE'VE BEEN AWARDED CONTRACTS IN, UH, THE TOWN OF SEA AL 'CAUSE SO FAR, AND WE'VE ALSO WORKED IN YONKERS. UH, SO SOME OF THESE INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES ARE JAPANESE KNOTWEED, UH, MILE MINUTE, AND RAG MIGHTY. SO THESE COULD TAKE OVER LARGE ACREAGE OF A FOREST AND DESTROY THE OTHER PLANTS THAT ARE, UM, THAT HAVE HOME IN, IN THOSE ACRES. I'M FAMILIAR WITH THE KNOTWEED, THE JAPANESE KNOTWEED. THAT'S TERRIBLE. LIKE IT JUST KILLS EVERYTHING ELSE. SO HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE REMOVAL AND ALL THAT? 'CAUSE I MEAN, THAT'S, IT'S TOUGH. IT'S A TOUGH FIGHT. YEP. I'M GONNA LET MY MANAGER SPEAK TO THAT. PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME BEFORE YOU SPEAK. UH, SETH TESTA. THANK YOU. UM, SO WE'VE DONE SOME WORK AT HILLTOP RESERVATION, VERONA, UM, CEDAR GROVE. UM, WE GOT ABOUT 95% CONTROL. THAT WAS A FOUR YEAR CONTRACT FROM 2018 TO, UH, 2021. THAT'S PRETTY GOOD. YEAH. EXCELLENT. ALL RIGHT. WELL WE LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. UH, COMMISSIONERS, UH, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR ON THIS, MR. BAZ? ANY QUESTIONS? NO, MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS. OKAY. THANK YOU GENTLEMEN. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU. JOSHUA'S EIGHT. SUSA COUNTY PARKS NUMBER 13 IS A CONTRACT CHANGE ORDER WITH VIP SERVICES TO PROVIDE CLEANING AND WAXING OF STATUES, ADDING AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $10,212, WHICH IS THE 20%. DOES THAT WAXING OF STATUES INCLUDE THE ONE OF YOUR ILLUSTRIOUS BOSS AT THE, UH, UH, WELL, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT? THAT ONE, THAT ONE IS INDOORS AND I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYONE WOULD, UM, TARNISH THAT, UH, STATUE . HOW DARE THEY TOUCH IT AT, UH, FINALLY, NUMBER 34, I THINK. I'M SORRY, 74. 74. 74 IS A NEGOTIATED CONTRACT AWARD TO DAVID FRED DEVELOPMENT CORP. UH, DBA WINTERLAND LOWEST RESPONSIVE BIDDER, UH, PROVIDE LIGHTING FOR THE ESTES COUNTY HOLIDAY LIGHTS. SPECTACULAR AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $174,550. UH, AS THE BOARD KNOWS, WE'RE GEARING UP FOR OUR ANNUAL HOLIDAY LIGHT SPECTACULAR PROGRAM OVER AT THE TURTLEBACK ZOO. THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 5:00 PM TO 9:00 PM STARTING IN NOVEMBER 21ST THROUGH NOVEMBER 23RD. AND THEN IT WOULD CONTINUE, UH, DAILY ON FRIDAYS NOVEMBER 28TH TO SATURDAY, JANUARY 3RD. SO WE HOPE, UH, WE HOPE WE HAVE A GOOD TURNOUT AGAIN THIS YEAR. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE. THANK YOU, MR. BAZ. ANY QUESTIONS ON EIGHT THROUGH 13 AND 74? NO, MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTION. COMMISSIONERS. I'LL MOVE IT. SEE NONE. MOVE BY SIEBEL. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. MEMBER MERCADO. WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. . YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE GETTING OUT EARLY, HUH? ? YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO MOVED. THANK YOU MR. ZS. LET'S MOVE ON TO 14TH THROUGH 19, WHICH IS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. THEY WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. GOOD EVENING, MR. ANTONIO. UH, GOOD EVENING. DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. ITEM NUMBER, UH, 14 IS AN AWARD OF CONTRACT TO LS ENGINEERING TO PROVIDE CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES REQUIRED TO PERFORM THE 2026 ROADWAY RESURFACING PROGRAM IN AN AMOUNT ELECTRIC EXCEED $241,915. ADOLESCENT ENGINEERING SUBMITTED THE HIGHEST RATED OF THE FOUR PROPOSALS RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY. A ENGINEERING WILL PROVIDE THE INSPECTION SITE INSPECTION DURING THE RESURFACING OF THE FIVE ROADS, TOTALING 11 MILES, WHICH ARE GONNA BE, UH, RESURFACED UNDER THE 2020 SIXTH ROADWAY RESURFACING PROGRAM. AND MR. KIM LAW OF ADOLESCENT ENGINEERING IS HERE THIS EVENING. HE WILL LIKE INTRODUCE HIS COMPANY AND PERHAPS DR. UNDER THE SCOPE OF WORK. THANK YOU. UH, GOOD EVENING. PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND THE PROJECT. [02:30:02] YES, GOOD EVENING. UM, MY NAME IS KIM LAW. UH, I'M THE PRESIDENT OF LS ENGINEERING ASSOCIATE. UM, LAST YEAR I WAS HERE AND I'M VERY HAPPY TO HAVE, BE ABLE TO WORK WITH SES COUNTY ON ONE OF THE SAME, SIMILAR, UH, RESURFACING, UH, PROJECT. AND, UH, WE ARE FINISHING UP THE GROWTH AVENUE AND ALSO JFK PARKWAY THIS YEAR AND CONTINUE HOPEFULLY NEXT YEAR. AND I CONTINUE TO DO THE GOOD JOB WITH THE COUNTY. THANK YOU MR. PAAZ. ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR WHILE HE IS HERE? NO. MR. PRESIDENT. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? OKAY. YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS. ADAM NUMBER, UH, 15 IS THE AWARD OF CONTRACT WITH FRENCH AND ELLO TO PROVIDE TO THE DESIGN ENGINEERING REQUIRED TO DEVELOP THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS NEEDED TO UNDERTAKE THE 2026 WOULD BE RESURFACING PROGRAM IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $64,500. FRENCH AND ELLO SUBMITTED THE HIGHEST RATED PROPOSAL OF THE FIVE RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY. AND ITEM NUMBER 16 AWARDS MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL. A ONE YEAR CONTRACT TO PERFORM TRAFFIC ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES FOR THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS ALONG COUNTY ROADWAYS ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS IN AN AMOUNT OF RECEIPT. $95,158. MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL SUBMITTED THE HIGHEST RATE OF PROPOSAL OF THE FIVE RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO THE PROJECT'S RFP. THIS CONTRACT WILL ALLOW THE COUNTY TO, UH, TO RESPOND IN A TIMELY MANNER TO POTENTIAL REQUESTS AND NEEDS TO MODIFY EXISTING TRAFFIC SIGNALS OR INSTALLATION OF NEW ONES. ITEM NUMBER 17 AUTHORIZES TO EXECUTION OF A FEDERAL AID AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AND THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. DISCRE AGREEMENT WILL ALLOW THE COUNTY TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION COSTS OF THE SIGNALED INTERSECTION. IMPROVEMENTS AT 12 LOCATIONS ACROSS EIGHT TOWNS IN AN AMOUNT OF $13,247,309. AND NUMBER 18 ALSO AUTHORIZES THE EXECUTION OF A FEDERAL EIGHT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AND THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. THIS GRANT REIMBURSEMENT WILL ALLOW THE COUNTY TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION COST OF THE SIGNALED INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS AT NINE LOCATIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP OF BLOOMFIELD IN AMOUNT OF $9,287,989. AND FINALLY, NUMBER 19 IS A RESOLUTION CONSENTING TO THE TOWNSHIP OF VERONA'S RESOLUTION, ADDING A BUS STOP, ADDING BUS STOPS ALONG LAKESIDE AVENUE, NEAR THE INTERSECTIONS OF MORNINGSIDE HILLSIDE AND PEACE AVENUES. THERE IS NO FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE COUNTY BY CONSENTING TO THIS TOWNSHIP OF BARONA RESOLUTION. AND THAT IS SAID MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU MR. ANTONIO. MS. SHABAZ, ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. ANTONIO? 14TH THROUGH 19? NO, MR. MR. MCINERNEY NO QUESTIONS. COMMISSIONERS. SO I'M GONNA MOVE HIM. MOVE IT. MOVE BY RICHARDSON. SECOND. BY SIEBOLD. WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK 14 THROUGH 19. COMMISSIONER GIL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ. YES. SO MOVED. THANK YOU, MR. ATTORNEY. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. NUMBER 20 HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE ADMINISTRATION. SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO 21, WHICH IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICES THAT CAN BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. MR. PRESIDENT, UH, THE DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICE, DIVISION OF COMMUNITY ACTION CONTRACT EXTENSION, UNITED COMMUNITY CORPORATION TO PROVIDE PERMANENT SENIOR HOUSING SERVICES RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM. THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WAS FROM SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2023 TO AUGUST 31ST, 2025. THE NEW EXPIRATION DATE IS SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025. UH, UNITED COMMUNITY CORPORATION HAD $40,000 UN EXPENDED AND THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE USING FOR THE LAST MONTH. THANK YOU, MS. SHABAZ. ANY QUESTIONS? NO. MR. PRESIDENT. MR. MCINERNEY QUESTION. COMMISSIONERS. SEE NONE. SO I'M GONNA MOVE, MOVE BY RICHARDSON. SECOND BY MERCADO. ROLL CALL MAD DEPUTY CLERK 21. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER [02:35:01] ABSENT. COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT PO. YES. SO MOVED. RESOLUTION 22 AND 23 ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION. AND WE'LL BE READY TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION. INTRA INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT. SHARED PROFESSIONAL SERVICE TOWNSHIP OF IRVINGTON TO UTILIZE THE ESSEX COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER TO PERFORM PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICE SERVICES FOR THE TOWNSHIP OF IRVINGTON ON A TEMPORARY BASIS UNTIL DECEMBER 31ST. 2025. UH, 23 IS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH REHABILITATION DIVISIONAL HOSPITAL CENTER. TWO YEAR AFFILIATION AGREEMENT WITH KEEN UNIVERSITY FACILITY WILL PROVIDE NURSING STUDENTS CLINICAL EXPERIENCE IN THE CARE OF PSYCHIATRIC, UH, PATIENTS. NO COST OF THE COUNTY. EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY. THANK YOU. MS. ANY QUESTIONS ON 2203? NO. MR. PRESIDENT. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTION. COMMISSIONERS STAND? NONE. SO I'M GONNA MOVE IT. MOVE BY SEABOLD. SECOND BY LUCIANO. ROLL CALL MAD DEPUTY CLERK. 2223. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. COMMISSIONER SEABOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ABSENT. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO MOVED. RESOLUTION 24 AND 25, BUT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF, THERE WILL BE RUNNING TO THE RECORD AT LATER TIME. MR. COLTRAN, MR. PRESIDENT IS THE CONTRACT AWARD TO LAWMAN SUPPLY IN NEW JERSEY FOR THE PURCHASE OF AMMUNITIONS UNDER THE STATE CONTRACT 17 FLEET 0 0 7 4 0 IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $7,632 AND 80 CENTS. THIS IS FOR 10,000 ROUNDS OF 12 GAUGE SHOTGUN AMMUNITION IS USED FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES. UH, NUMBER 25, THE OFFICE OF THE SHERIFF LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AND 4 84 82 SCOTLAND ROAD, LLC FOR THE EXECUTION OF PERMITTING THE COUNTY TO EXERCISE A ONE YEAR EXTENSION OPTION. THE LEASE SPACE IS AT 44 82 GLIP STREET, ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025 THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 2026. MOUNTAIN NOT TO EXCEED $28,800. THANK YOU MR. BAZ. ANY QUESTIONS? NO. MR. PRESIDENT. MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTION. COMMISSIONERS. SEE NONE. I'M GONNA MOVE 24 AND FIVE. MOTION, SIR. THANK YOU. MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. SECOND BY RICHARDSON. ROLL CALL MAD DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SO MOVED. 26 IS FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION AND CAN BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. COLTRANE? YES. THIS IS FROM THE OFFICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION CONTRACT AWARD TO THE NORTH JERSEY FRIENDSHIP HOUSE, THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER TO PROVIDE PROCUREMENT OF FOOD BOXES AND FROZEN TURKEYS FOR FOOD DISTRIBU DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM. TWO YEAR CONTRACT FROM THE DATE OF AWARD AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 1,000,308 $880,000. TWO BIDS WERE RECEIVED FROM 26, UH, POTENTIAL 10,000 FOOD BOXES AT $55 AND 58 CENTS PER AND 4,000 FROZEN TURKEYS AT $23 AND 71 CENTS PER PER YEAR. UH, VENDORS THIS FROM ORELL 163 EMPLOYEES 20 ARE FROM EX ESSEX COUNTY. THANK YOU. UH, MR. JACKSON, IF YOU CAN, ON 26, CAN YOU JUST SEND US A DATE ON THAT DISTRIBUTION WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE? UH, WE, A LOT OF US LIKE TO GO TO THAT. THANK YOU. YES, SIR. MS. UH, SHABAZZ? ANY QUESTIONS? NO. MR. PRESIDENT. MR. MCINERNEY? NO. COMMISSIONERS. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO I HAVE SOMEONE TO MOVE IT? NO. SHE MOVE. VICE PRESIDENT, UH, COOPER. SECOND. BEVERLY CARTER WILL CALL MATTER. DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ. YES. SO MOVED. UH, LET'S GO TO 27 THEN WE SKIPPED EARLIER. WILL BE ALMOST LEFT IT WITH OTHERS. MR. JACKSON. UH, WHICH IS, SORRY. THIS IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT AND DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICES CONTRACT, WHICH WILL BE RUNNING TO THE RECORD AT LATER TIME. UH, THIS IS A CONTRACT WITH SH UH, I INTERNATIONAL TO PROVIDE FOR, UH, CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM. UH, FRESH DESK. UH, THIS IS A WEB-BASED CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT PLATFORM THAT ALLOWS FOR TRACKING AND MANAGEMENT AND MANAGING CUSTOMER INTERACTIONS. UH, IT'S BEEN IN USE SINCE, UH, 2021 AND THE AMOUNT OF $383,803 AND 5 CENTS. THANK YOU. MR. S ANY [02:40:01] QUESTIONS? NO. MR. PRESIDENT. COMMISSIONERS ANY QUESTIONS? MOTION MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND. SECOND BY MERCADO. WE'LL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK AT 27. COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO MOVED. UH, RESOLUTIONS 28 TO 33 ARE FAVOR, ARE BUDGET INSERTIONS ITEMS OF REVENUE FROM VARIOUS SOURCES, AND CAN BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. MR. JACKSON? UH, YES. UH, ITEM 28 REFERS BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 17 ON OUR AGENDA EARLIER FOR THE 12 INTERSECTIONS AROUND THE ESSEX COUNTY IN THE AMOUNT OF $12,247,309 AND 1 CENTS. UM, THIS REPRESENTS $11.5 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION AND $1.7 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND INSPECTION SERVICES. AND THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCH. UH, SIMILARLY, NUMBER 29 RELATES BACK TO ITEM NUMBER 18. UH, IT'S IN THE AMOUNT OF $9,287,989 AND 21 CENTS. UH, $8 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION, $1.3 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AND INSPECT AND INSPECTION SERVICES. UH, NO COUNTY MATCH. EXCELLENT. ITEM 30, UH, IS, UH, WITH OUR DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES. AND THIS IS GONNA PROVIDE FOR AN ADDITIONAL $134,755 FOR OUR MAT, UH, PROGRAM WITHIN THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. UM, AND IT WILL EXPAND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM $719,729 TO A NEW TOTAL OF $854,484. AND THESE MONIES ARE USED TO REDUCE RISK OF OVERDOSE AND INCREASE, UM, TREATMENT RETENTION. ITEM 31, UH, WITH THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR, UH, $110,526 AND 31 CENTS. UH, THIS PROGRAM IS USED FOR ITS SUPPORT OPERATION HELPING HERE GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH IDENTIFIES, UH, INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE OPIOID DEPENDENT AND SUBJECT TO A CRIMINAL ARREST AND PROVIDES AN ALTERNATIVE, UH, TO THAT, UH, TO THAT FATE. UH, IN LIEU INCARCERATION, UH, INCLUDES PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. UH, AND AGAIN, NO COUNTY MATCH. UH, ITEM 32, UH, WITH OUR BOARD OF ELECTIONS IN THE AMOUNT OF $49,130 AND 95 CENTS. THIS IS REIMBURSES REIMBURSING US FOR THE 2024 PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTIONS. UM, UH, FOR OVERTIME, TEMPORARY STAFF ADVERTISING, POLL WORKER PAY, POSTERS, AND MAILINGS. UH, NO COUNTY MATCH. UH, ITEM 33, UH, WITH OUR, UH, THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK, ANY AMOUNT OF $172,302 AND 60 CENTS. THIS IS REIMBURSEMENT FOR VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS PROVISIONAL BALLOTS. POLLING PLACE BALLOTS FOR THE JUNE 10TH, 2025 PRIMARY ELECTION. AND THERE IS NO COUNTY MATCH. THANK YOU, MR. BAZ. ANY QUESTIONS? NO. MR. PRESIDENT, MR. MACULAR. HE DID NOT HAVE QUESTIONS EARLIER WHEN I ASKED HIM. COMMISSIONERS ANY QUESTIONS? DO HAVE A MOTION? MOTION. MOTION. MOTION BY MERCADO. SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ON 28 TO 33. ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER BOL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES. SO MOVED. RESOLUTION 34 THROUGH 73 ARE IN MEMOS, COMMENDATIONS PROCLAMATION RESOLUTIONS, WHICH CAN BE WRITTEN TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME. COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THESE RICHARDSON PRESIDENT? I'D LIKE TO BE ADDED TO 34. 34. YEAH, OF COURSE. I TOO WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED TO 34. THAT'S, THAT'S THE RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE PRESERVATION OF THE FOREST AND THE SECOND WACHO MOUNTAIN RIDGE. YES. CAN WE JUMP BY A, CAN WE DO IT BY, I THINK IT'S FINE TO DO BY ACCLIMATION IF EVERYONE'S IN FAVOR. ARE WE ALL IN FAVOR? YES. FINE. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT 34 HAS BEEN MOVED TO ACCLIMATION. COULD I ADD TO THAT? YES, MA'AM. THE, UM, THE ESSEX COUNTY COMMISSIONER ON, ON ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, PROTECTION, UH, VOTED TO SPONSOR THIS. GREAT. WE DID A RESOLUTION. GOOD. WE'RE ON. GOOD COMPANY. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ON 34 TO 73? MOVE IT. MOVE BY RICHARDSON. SECOND. SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER. UH, ROLL CALL. MAD DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GI. ABSENT. COMMISSIONER LUCIANO? YES. COMMISSIONER MERCADO? YES. COMMISSIONER MARIE THOMAS. YES. COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON. YES. COMMISSIONER SIEBEL? YES. COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES. COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES. COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES. SO, MOVE. OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO REPORT A BOARD COMMITTEES. DO WE HAVE ANY BOARD REPORTS? [02:45:03] OKAY. NONE TODAY. DO WE HAVE ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS? I CAN GO AHEAD. DO YOU WANNA GO BACK TO BOARD COMMITTEES? YES. TO ANNOUNCE THE, THE BANKING COMMITTEE IS, I WAS GONNA DO IT IN A COMMENT SESSION, BUT YES, IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT. OKAY. NOW THE, THE BANKING, UM, COMMITTEE IS HAVING ITS HEARINGS, UM, NEXT WEEK ON THE 14TH. AND THEN THE SECOND ONE WILL BE ON THE 21ST. CORRECT. AND AT THE 4:00 PM HERE AT 4:00 PM YES. AND, UH, VICE PRESIDENT CHAIRS OF THAT COMMITTEE, THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE FOLKS THAT WE DO BANKING WITH TO ENSURE THAT, UH, THEIR LINE OF BUSINESS ALIGNS WITH OURS AND THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU MADAM VICE PRESIDENT. I WAS GONNA BRING THAT UP LATER, BUT I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT IT UP NOW. ANY OTHER REPORTS AND UPDATES? LEGISLATIVE REPORTS, WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS, UNFINISHED BUSINESS, NEW BUSINESS. ALL RIGHT. LET'S MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. UH, IF THERE'S ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER, PLEASE CUT TO THE MICROPHONE. STATE YOUR NAME, AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES TO SPEAK. MAMA AND MIA. MATT, CAN YOU HOLD ON A SECOND? MAMA AND MIA, WE'LL FIX UP FOR YOU. I LIKE TO MAKE, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON. WE'LL, WE'LL FIX UP FOR YOU. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR NUMBER 66 FOR THE RESOLUTION FOR NATIONAL CAT GLOBAL CAT MONTH. UH, WE APPRECIATE THAT YOU ARE REPRESENTING THE VOICE LIST. UH, NUMBER 22 IS A VERY GOOD, UH, UH, ACCORDING TO THE RESCUERS, THE ESSEX COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER IS TERRIFIC. SHE'S WORKING WITH THE DOGS AND CATS. I HAVE TO MAKE A, UH, PUBLIC STATEMENT, UH, UH, THAT UH, I MADE A COMMENT LAST MONTH CONCERNING A PETITION THAT WAS BEING, UH, ROUND PUT AROUND THAT THE IRVINGTON WAS BREAKING THE STATE LAW AND NEW JERSEY STATE LAW CONCERNING THE ANIMALS. MAYOR VOSS GOT VERY UPSET WITH ME AND DECIDED THAT, UH, I WAS GOING AGAINST IRVINGTON AND I DIDN'T HAVE THE, THAT IT WAS A VERY, VERY DISAPPOINTING FOR HIM. I JUST MADE THE COMMENT THAT WHAT THERE WAS GOING AROUND AND IF YOU CHECK THE PETITION, I DIDN'T SIGN IT. SO I DON'T KNOW WHY MAYOR WEST GOT EXCITED, BUT WE ARE NOT ADDRESSING THE CATS AND DOGS IN IRVINGTON. I'M HOPING THAT THIS NEW PERSON THAT'S TAKING OVER FROM ESSEX COUNTY, BECAUSE THE RESCUERS HAVE REPORTED THAT SHE SEEMS LIKE SHE'S VERY INTERESTED AND YOU ARE LUCKY TO HAVE A PERSON LIKE HER. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE RESCUERS HAVE CONSTANTLY ASKED, WHEN IS OUR NEXT TRAP AND RETURN AND NEUTER PROGRAM COMMITTEE, COMMISSIONER COOPER HASN'T HAD ONE FOR SOME AND WE NEED TO KNOW THE ENDING AND WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE FUTURE FOR 2 26. SO WE, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT. AGAIN, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE RESOLUTION AND FOR THE SUPPORT THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE BECAUSE CHANGE IS NE NECESSARY. UH, IT LOOKS LIKE IRVINGTON IS CATCH STILL NOT BEING ADDRESSED, BUT I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE THEY TRY TO KEEP ME IN THE DARK SO THAT I DON'T COME HERE AND TELL ANYBODY. WITH THAT IN MIND, YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING AND UM, WITH NUMBER 22, I BELIEVE COMMISSIONER GILL GAVE A COMMENDATION FOR THE BRICK, UH, PIZZA MAN. MAYBE HE CAN BREW IT AT THE ITALIAN HERITAGE THAT HE CAN PROVE TO US HOW GREAT HIS PIZZAS ARE. 'CAUSE EVERYBODY LOVES PIZZA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MEOW. SEE IF WE COULD PASS IT ALONG TO HIM AND THE OTHER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WANTED SPEAK AT THIS TIME. MS. JACKSON, I WANT YOU TO STAY TO 10. THIS IS A GOOD THING FOR YOU. GET THAT FOUR CRACKS ON US. TWO. UH, JUST TWO THINGS REAL QUICK. DONNA JACKSON. UM, OKAY. IN REGARDS TO RESOLUTION 34 IN SUPPORT OF THE, OF THE, UH, PRESERVATION. TOTALLY AGREE. BUT I ALSO WANT TO CAUTION US AND ASK US WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PREVENT FOREST FIRES? UH, WE JUST LOST ALMOST 800 ACRES AT THE WATERSHED. UM, AND THAT WAS VERY SERIOUS. THAT THING BURNED. MATTER OF FACT, I MAY NOT EVEN BE COMPLETELY OUT AT THIS POINT. UH, BUT I JUST THINK THAT AS WE ARE PRESERVING, WE NEED TO ALSO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ON THE PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE. SO I AGREE WITH PRESERVING, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO ALSO HAVE SOMEONE GO UP AND MONITOR AND CHECK TO SEE HOW DRY IT IS. WHAT COULD WE DO TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING? MAKE SURE PEOPLE AREN'T ENCROACHING ON THE PROPERTY, ET CETERA AS THEY DID AT THE WATERSHEDS CAMPERS STARTED THAT FIRE. UM, AND THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE AND THE THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE YOU GUYS TO LOOK INTO, UM, ALTHOUGH I DO WANT US TO ALWAYS ADDRESS THE OPIOID ABUSE HERE AGAIN, LEAVES ME TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW THAT'S WHY YOU NEED TO GET INTO THAT JAIL. THERE IS NO REASON THAT WE ARE SPENDING $134,000 TO PREVENT OVERDOSES. IS THIS ON PEOPLE ONLY? THAT'S JUST COMING IN AND I KNOW IT'S NOT 'CAUSE PEOPLE ARE USING IN THE JAIL. SO WHEN YOU HAVE THE REPUTATION [02:50:02] OF THERE ARE MORE DRUGS IN THE GREEN MONSTER 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE CALL IT THEN THEY ALL ON BROAD MARKET IN NEWARK, THAT'S A PROBLEM. 'CAUSE WE KNOW WHAT BROAD MARKET IS. OPEN TRAFFIC ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT. SO I JUST WANT US TO BE CONCERNED THAT WE SPENDING $134,000 TO PREVENT AND INTERVENE WITH OVERDOSES. NOW, I, MR. CHARLES AND ALL THOSE OTHERS IN ADMINISTRATION, WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT'S THE PROBLEM. YOU GUYS ALREADY CHANGED THE FOOD VENDOR. WE SAID THAT WAS POSSIBLY ONE OF THE WAYS IT WAS COMING IN. BUT THE LEVEL OF DRUGS THAT'S IN THAT JAIL, AND I'M GONNA SAY IT ON THE RECORD, IT'S NO WAY IT'S COMING IN THERE UNLESS SOMEBODY'S BRINGING IT FROM THE OUTSIDE IN. YOU CAN'T PUT THAT MUCH DRUGS IN THE FOOD THAT'S COMING IN THAT FACILITY. I'M TELLING YOU, I KNOW PEOPLE IN THAT JAIL. IT'S NOT HAPPENING THAT WAY. AND YOU GUYS NEED TO DO AN INVESTIGATION AND WE SHOULD NOT HAVE LET THE FEDS TAKE THE MONITOR OFF THAT JAIL. 'CAUSE YOU NEED TO GO IN THERE. 'CAUSE THERE'S STUFF GOING ON AND IT'S OVERCROWDED TODAY. TODAY I GOT SOMEBODY JUST CAME OUT OF THERE THE OTHER DAY AND THEY SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR IN THERE. Y'ALL BETTER GET IN THERE 'CAUSE I WANT THE FEDS TO GO IN AND I ALREADY ASKED THEM, AND I'M NOT GONNA STOP BECAUSE I KNOW MY NEIGHBORING TOWNS ARE COMING IN HERE ABOUT THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. OH, WELL, YES. GET IT. THEY EATING BETTER THAN 'EM AT THE JAIL. THEY SLEEPING BETTER THAN THEY ARE AT THE JAIL. THEY GOT BLANKETS AND PILLOWS. AMEN. GOODNIGHT. GOODNIGHT, MS. JACKSON. GOOD EVENING. HELLO. WELL, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN FIX UP FOR YOU. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS THERESA. UM, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT DELANEY HALL. ACTUALLY, I ACTUALLY, I DON'T KNOW IF SHE WAS, WERE YOU TALKING ABOUT DELANEY HALL? NO. SOMETHING ELSE? A LITTLE BIT. OKAY. UM, YEAH. SO, UM, I'VE BEEN GOING THERE JUST AS AN ADVOCATE CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT HOW ICE IS BEING RUN RIGHT IN THE, THIS COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. UM, THERE'S A COUPLE TANGIBLE THINGS I WOULD LIKE THIS, UH, I GUESS LEADERSHIP GROUP TO CONSIDER WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE. SO, UM, PEOPLE HAVE PRO MAYBE BROUGHT THIS UP, BUT VISITORS THERE, SO LIKE THERE'S NO FORMAL PLACE FOR VISITORS TO STAND. EVERYTHING THAT'S PROVIDED FOR THE VISITORS THERE ARE PROVIDED BY ADVOCATES AND VOLUNTEERS THAT LITERALLY GO OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF THEIR HEART AND PROVIDE CHAIRS. UM, THAT'S HOW IT IS RIGHT NOW. SO THAT THE COMPANY THAT RUNS DELANEY HALL'S GEO GROUP, THAT'S THE CONTRACT THAT I GUESS YOU GUYS SIGN. I'M NOT SURE HOW THAT WORKS. NO. OKAY. MAD. LEMME BE CLEAR FOR YOU THAT DELANEY HALL IS NOT OPERATED BY ESSEX COUNTY. WE DO NOT HAVE JURISDICTION OVER IT. WE'RE NOT HAPPY THAT THEY'RE THERE AND WE'RE NOT HAPPY THAT THEY'RE IN VIOLATION. THAT IT'S THROUGH A FEDERAL CONTRACT, THAT THEY'RE IN VIOLATION OF OUR STATE LAW. RIGHT. AND IT'S BEEN A CONTENTIOUS POINT FOR US. WE, UH, PASSED A, A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF IMMIGRATION RIGHTS. YES. UH, THAT YOU WERE NOT HERE FOR. YES. AND NONE OF US, I BELIEVE, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR EVERYBODY, BUT LET ME JUST SAY THAT. I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY, IF NOT ALL OF US ARE NOT HAPPY THAT THEY'RE THERE. YEAH. REGRETTABLY, IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN GO THERE AND SHUT DOWN. UH, WE WISH IT COULD. IF WE COULD, WE WOULD. BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO, REGRETTABLY. 'CAUSE WE CAN'T TRUMP FEDERAL LAW. RIGHT? WELL, SURE. BUT I STILL THINK THAT IT'S HAPPENING IN NEWARK. SO THERE'S THAT. YES. AND THEN LIKE WHO ELSE? UH, YOU GUYS ARE IN A POSITION OF LEADERSHIP AND INFLUENCE. YES. SO TO PRESS THE COMPANY TO PROVIDE BASIC RIGHTS FOR THE VISITORS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE, I THINK OUR CONGRESSIONAL MEMBERS OF NEW JERSEY ALSO RECENTLY SIGNED A LETTER. THEY WERE ASKING, I THINK BY OCTOBER 16TH, SOMETHING FROM THE COMPANY TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE VISITORS. LIKE, EVERYTHING'S PROVIDED BY VOLUNTEERS, WHICH IS WONDERFUL IN THE SENSE OF HUMANITY. LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE, BUT THAT SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE. THAT COMPANY MAKES BILLIONS OF DO. LIKE, IT'S RIDICULOUS. RIGHT. UM, THERE'S ALSO, THERE'S NO HANDICAP ACCESS FOR THE VISITORS. WE KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOMEONE WHO WENT THAT HAD ANGELMAN SYNDROME COULDN'T BE LET IN. THERE'S NO, THAT'S CLEARLY AGAINST THE LAW. YOU KNOW? UM, THE OTHER THING IS THAT, UM, BECAUSE THEY OPENED WITHOUT PERMITS, , WE'VE HEARD FROM PEOPLE IN THERE THAT THEY JUST DIDN'T HAVE WATER FOR A DAY. WE KNOW THAT FOUR PEOPLE ESCAPED. THEY ESCAPED BECAUSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS NOT GREAT AND PROBABLY REALLY EASY. RIGHT? SO THOSE THINGS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS BODY IS ABLE TO DO, BUT THESE THINGS ARE PERSISTING. AND BECAUSE YOU ARE LEADERS ASKING TO TAKE A LOOK THERE AND SEE WHAT MORE WE COULD DO, PRESS THE COMPANY. THAT COMPANY RIGHT NOW IS ABLE TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT INSIDE THAT FACILITY BECAUSE ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE NOT ALLOWED INSIDE. WHATEVER THE CASE, [02:55:01] THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT. AND THAT'S A PROBLEM. WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S IN THERE. WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE, YOU KNOW. SO 30 SECONDS. YEAH. I'M JUST BRINGING THESE THINGS UP AS SOMEBODY I JUST CARE. AND I, I THINK THE COMPANY NEEDS A LOT MORE ACCOUNTABILITY, YOU KNOW? UM, SO THOSE ARE A FEW THINGS. THERE'S SOME TANGIBLE THINGS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS COULD DO SOMETHING, BUT YEAH. WHATEVER WE COULD DO. UM, YEAH, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. YEAH. AND WE WE'RE NOT FAR OFF THE MARK AT ALL. GOOD EVENING. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD. HI. HI. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CYNTHIA GTA AND I'M ALL LONG-TERM RESIDENT OF ESSEX COUNTY. UM, AND I WANNA JUST INITIALLY START BY ADDING MY VOICE, UM, IN SUPPORT OF THE ICC AND OTHER COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS WHO SPOKE TONIGHT NOT TO EXPAND THE RE WORLD INCINERATOR AND NOT TO EXTEND THE CONTRACT. BUT I AM HERE MOSTLY TONIGHT TO THANK YOU COMMISSIONERS FOR PASSING THE ITA RESOLUTION IN SEPTEMBER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I BELIEVE YOUR COLLECTIVE ACTION SPURRED THE COUNTY OF HUDSON TO DO THE SAME. AND I THANK BRENDAN GILL FOR HIS FORCEFUL PUBLIC MESSAGE QUOTE. WITH THIS RESOLUTION, WE'RE SENDING A CLEAR MESSAGE. IMMIGRANTS ARE A VITAL PART OF THIS COMMUNITY AND NEED TO BE PROTECTED FROM UNFAIR TREATMENT END QUOTE. BUT WHAT IS GOING ON AT DELANEY HALL IS SO BEYOND UNFAIR TREATMENT. IT IS UNFAIR THAT RESIDENTS ARE KIDNAPPED, DETAINED, SENT TO ANOTHER DETENTION FACILITY WITHOUT RHYME OR REASON, ALL WITH LITTLE OR NO DUE PROCESS. IT IS SO UNFAIR THAT FAMILIES ARE BROKEN UP, SEPARATED AND KIDS TRAUMATIZED. IT IS SO FAMILY FAIR, UNFAIR THAT FAMILIES HAVE TO WAIT A LONG TIME FOR A SHORT VISIT AT TIMES, HAVE THEIR PHONE NUMBERS BLOCKED, STAND IN THE HEAT, AND SOON TO BE COLD WITHOUT EASY ACCESS TO A BATHROOM OR A WARM PLACE TO NURSE A BABY. IT IS SO UNFAIR THAT GEO GROUP EMPLOYEES ARE STILL ABLE TO PARK IN THE ESSEX COUNTY PARKING LOT WHILE VIS VOLUNTEERS AND VISITORS ARE NOT. WE, THE EYES ON ICE AFFILIATED GROUPS AND VOLUNTEERS ARE DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO PROVIDE PHYSICAL COMFORT, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION. BUT WE NEED SUPPORT FROM OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS. I'VE READ THAT THE ESSEX COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HAS THE POWER OF INVESTIGATION. PLEASE PUT GEO GROUP ON. NOTICE THAT ANOTHER BODY BESIDES EYES ON ISIS, ACTIVELY INVESTIGATING AND DETAILING THE ABUSES THERE. START WITH CONSIDERING SENDING ANOTHER PUBLIC LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE DIRECTOR OF HOMELAND SECURITY, CHRISTIE NOME AND THE CHAIRMAN OF GEO GROUP, DAVID DONAHUE, CALLING FOR HUMANE ACCOMMODATION TO VISITORS, AS WAS RECENTLY SENT BY SIX CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES, NORCROSS, MENENDEZ, POE, GOTTHEIMER, PALONE, AND MACGYVER. THE LETTER ADDRESSED, UH, ADEQUATE WAITING AREA, CONSISTENT VISITING HOURS, CLEAR COMMUNICATION, RELIABLE ACCESS TO BATHROOMS, ADEQUATE PARKING. PLEASE KEEP THE PRESSURE ON GEO GROUP AND DDHS AS WAS STARTED BY OUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES AND BY THE WORK OF SENATOR ANDY KIM IN HIS OFFICE. PLEASE USE THE POWERS YOU HAVE TO PUBLICLY PRESSURE GEO GROUP AND WORK WITH US TO DO WHAT YOU CAN TO ALLEVIATE THE SUFFERING THERE. LET'S MEET AND WORK TOGETHER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ADAM. MR. JACKSON, UH, IS THERE ANY AUTHORIZED PARKING IN OUR DETENTION CENTER FROM ANYONE AT DELANEY HALL? NO. SO AS FAR THERE IS NO AUTHORIZED PARKING. IF ANYONE HAS DONE IT, IT'S NOT WITH OUR PERMISSION. WE DON'T, WE DON'T ALLOW IT. WE, THEY'VE BEEN INFORMED OF THAT AS WELL. UH, THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. OH, GOOD EVENING. I'M TERRY SEUSS, UNION NEW JERSEY. UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UM, UH, NOT SUPPORTING A PRIVATE, UH, PRISON COMPANY, WHICH IS GEO GROUP IN ANY WAY, AND NOT HAVING ANY RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM. THAT IS A PLACE THEY ARE RUNNING A PLACE IN YOUR BACKYARD OF SHEER UNADULTERATED MISERY. THE PEOPLE IN THERE ARE BEING HELD IN TERRIBLE CONDITIONS. I MEAN, COMPARED TO THE SOUTH LOUISIANA AND THE STORIES THAT ARE COMING BACK FROM THERE, THIS IS GOOD CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, THERE'S SHORTAGE OF TABLETS, SHORTAGE OF MICROWAVE, SHORTAGE OF FOOD. THERE'S FIGHTS, THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE [03:00:01] NOT BEING RUN RIGHT INSIDE. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE. WE ONLY HEAR ANECDOTALLY, MAYBE YOU, LIKE CYNTHIA SAID, COULD INVESTIGATE. WE ARE, AS SHE SAID, ALSO, WE'RE EYES ON ICE. IT'S AN UMBRELLA GROUP OF MANY ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS FROM ACROSS NEW JERSEY WHO ARE GOING THERE ON A REGULAR BASIS, DAILY AND, UM, MOST OFTEN TO SUPPORT THE VISITORS AND TO PROVIDE SOME COMFORT. BECAUSE WHAT THIS IS DOING, THIS WHOLE MASS DEPORTATION POLICY FROM THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AS, AS YOUR COMMISSIONER POINTS OUT, IS DESTROYING FAMILIES IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITIES. IT IS REMOVING BREADWINNERS FROM THEIR FAMILIES, AND IT'S PUTTING THEM IN THESE PLACES WITH NO CONVICTION, NO DUE PROCESS. MANY OF THEM ARE IN THERE FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH THEIR LAW, UH, LEGAL IMMIGRATION PROCESS. AND THEY'RE BEING SNATCHED AWAY. THEY'RE LITERALLY BEING DISAPPEARED. AND WE'VE HAD TWO CASES THIS WEEK WHERE I'VE TALKED WITH THE WIVES OF DIS OF DETAINEES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT ON PLANES. ONE PERSON WAS PUT ON A PLANE, FLOWN DOWN TO LOUISIANA, PUT IN A DETENTION CENTER THERE WHERE EVERYBODY WAS SICK. THERE WAS NO MEDICAL CARE. IT WAS HORRENDOUS. AND THEN HE WAS MOVED TO AN AIRPORT AND TOLD THAT HE WAS GONNA BE DEPORTED. HE HAD BEEN TOLD THAT IN NEWARK ALSO. ONE TIME HE REFUSED TO GET ON THE PLANE AND HE WAS PUT IN SOLITARY IN DELANEY HALL FOR 10 DAYS. SO NOW HE'S IN, UH, UH, A, UH, LOUISIANA BEING TOLD HE'S GOING ON AN AIRPLANE. AND SIX ICE AGENTS ARE SURROUNDING HIM IN A ROOM. THIS IS BASICALLY A DARK SITE THAT HIS WIFE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHERE HE WAS. HER CALLS TO HIM WERE BLOCKED. HE WAS NOT IN THE ICE LOCATOR. THEIR TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY USE. AND HE WAS, IT WAS DISAPPEARED FROM HER FOR ABOUT FIVE DAYS. SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE HE WAS. SO WE WERE ON THE PHONE TO EVERYBODY. WE WERE CALLING EVERY CONGRESSIONAL AIDE. WE KNEW WE WERE CALLING EVERYBODY WE KNEW TO BRING SOME PRESSURE ON ICE. AND LO AND BEHOLD, HE'S BACK HERE NOW AT ELIZABETH, HOPEFULLY TO BE EXPEDITED AND HIS CASE TO BE SETTLED IN A WAY THAT'S ACCEPTABLE. BUT THAT PLACE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. AND IT REALLY NEEDS YOUR OVERSIGHT. IT NEEDS YOUR VISITS. IT NEEDS YOUR CONNECTIONS. IT NEEDS YOUR CALLING OTHER PEOPLE WHERE YOU HAVE INFLUENCE. AND IT NEEDS TO BE SHUT DOWN THAT CONTRACT. THEY ARE ABUSING THAT CONTRACT AT EVERY TURN. WHATEVER 30 SECONDS THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO TO TAKE CARE OF YOU, READ THEIR WEBSITE. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING GREAT FOR THE IMMIGRANTS. NO, NO, NO. THEY ARE NOT. AND THEY ARE A BUSINESS IN ESSEX COUNTY, AND THEY NEED TO BE SHUT DOWN. AND PLEASE USE YOUR RESOURCES TO, TO SEE THAT THAT HAPPENS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MAD PAULA REGO. AND I'M ALSO PART OF EYES ON ICE AND I, UM, TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE OTHER SPEAKERS WHO HAVE BEEN GOING TO DELANEY HALL. I'D LIKE TO ASK EACH OF YOU WHO HASN'T BEEN THERE? AND THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE COME THERE, WE'RE THERE ALL THERE ARE PEOPLE THERE ALL WEEKEND, SEVEN IN THE MORNING TILL EIGHT OR NINE AT NIGHT. COME ON TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, FOUR 30 TILL NINE. UM, AND THEIR DEMONSTRATIONS, THEIR VIGILS OTHER DAYS. BUT YOU NEED TO SEE IT BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO THERE AND YOU SEE WHAT'S GOING ON, IT IS SO HEARTBREAKING. YOU WILL HEAR THE, YOU WILL HEAR THE STORIES DIRECTLY FROM THE VISITORS. PEOPLE WHO ARE WAITING AT SEVEN IN THE MORNING. THEY GET THERE TO WAIT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BE IN THE GROUP OF 16 PEOPLE WHO ARE ALLOWED IN FOR A, A PARTICULAR UNIT. SO PEOPLE HAVE TO GET THERE EARLY. NOW THIS HAPPENED ALL SUMMER LONG. AND YOU KNOW WHAT THE TEMPERATURE WAS LIKE, THERE'S A DRESS CODE THERE. EVEN LITTLE CHILDREN CAN'T WEAR SHORTS IN THIS HEAT, RIGHT? DURING THE, THERE WAS ONE THUNDERSTORM THIS SUMMER A FEW WEEKS AGO. SOME OF US WERE THERE. IT WAS ON A SATURDAY. THEY MADE THE VISITORS STAND NEXT TO THE METAL FENCE AT THE ENTRANCE, DURING THE LIGHTNING, DURING THE THUNDER, DURING THE HEAVY RAIN. YOU, SOME OF YOU SAW THAT STORM. YOU HEARD THAT STORM. THAT'S EVIL. AND IT'S CRUEL AND IT'S WRONG. IF YOU GO THERE, YOU CAN, YOU WILL HEAR THOSE STORIES. YOU WILL SEE THE CRUELTY. [03:05:01] IF YOU, IF YOU GO THERE WEARING A SLEEVELESS BLOUSE, YOU CAN'T GET IN. I GAVE MY SNEAKERS TO A MAN WHO COULDN'T GET IN BECAUSE HE WAS WEARING SANDALS. RIGHT? THIS PLACE IS COOL. AND WE NEED YOUR VOICES. WE NEED YOU. WE NEED YOU. YOU DON'T WANNA ALLOW THEM TO PARK IN, IN, IN ELIZABETH, UH, CORRECTIONAL LOT, THEY PARK THERE ALL THE TIME. YOU CAN WATCH THE WORKERS AND THEIR BLUE SHIRTS GOING RIGHT OVER THERE TO THEIR CARS. IF YOU REALLY MEAN THAT THEY CAN'T BE THERE, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. OKAY? SO WHAT WE NEED YOU TO DO, WE NEED TO FIRST TO SHUT THAT PLACE DOWN. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THEY MUST PROVIDE A SPACE FOR VISITORS INSIDE. THE STORMS ARE COMING. THE RAIN, THE WINTER IS COMING, THE FROST IS COMING. THERE ARE CHILDREN THERE, THERE ARE NURSING MOTHERS THERE. COME THERE. FORCE THEM, FORCE THEM TO PROVIDE SPACE. THERE'S A GYM INDOORS. THEY CAN OPEN UP THAT GYM FOR VISITORS. THEY CAN PROVIDE A BATHROOM. THERE'S NO BATHROOM. WHERE ARE PEOPLE GONNA WAIT? GO TO THE BATHROOM WHEN THEY'RE THERE FOR 6, 7, 8 HOURS WAITING. IT'S INHUMANE, IT'S CRUEL. UM, THE MEALS INSIDE ARE HORRENDOUS. OFTEN IT'S FROZEN FOOD. OFTEN IT'S AT THE WRONG TIME, FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING OR OTHER TIMES. THIS CAN'T BE ALLOWED IN NEW JERSEY. WE NEED YOUR VOICES, YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, EVERY ONE OF YOU. 30 SECONDS. IT, IT'S HARD. IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN HOW HORRIBLE IT IS. BUT YOUR PARENTS, YOUR GRANDPARENTS, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE ARE, FAMILIES ARE BEING SEPARATED. THEY'RE BEING TORN APART. OFTEN THE BREADWINNER, THE MAIN BREADWINNER IS INSIDE DELANEY HALL TIME AND FAMILIES ARE HUNGRY. WE NEED YOU TO SHOW YOUR LEADERSHIP. PLEASE GO TO DELANEY. SPEAK OUT. SPEAK OUT IN LETTERS AND IN ON THE RADIO. ON TV. GO TO THE PRESS, DO WHATEVER YOU CAN. PUT OUT A LETTER FROM ALL OF YOU CALLING FOR CALLING TO SHUT DOWN THAT PLACE. SHUT DOWN YOU. DELANEY HALL. THANK YOU. YEAH, GOOD EVENING. RAYMOND O'NEILL, NEWARK RESIDENT. UM, LAST TIME I WAS HERE, THE COMMISSION PASSED THE RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE IMMIGRANT TRUST ACT. UH, APPRECIATE THAT. UM, HOPE TO SEE ANOTHER RESOLUTION, UH, SOON. UM, SIMILARLY, UH, ENCOURAGING THE STATES TO, UH, STOP INVESTMENT IN ISRAELI BONDS. UM, SO YOU MAY HEAR FROM ME ABOUT THAT. UM, BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT IS, UH, AS OTHERS ARE HERE TO DO THE SAME, UM, SPEAK ABOUT DELANEY HALL. UM, YEAH, I WAS, UH, I, I GUESS I'M, I GUESS I'M PART OF EYES ON ICE. UH, 'CAUSE I'M DOWN THERE, UM, UH, TWO TO THREE TIMES A WEEK. UH, I GET DOWN THERE ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY MORNINGS ABOUT SIX 30 TO HELP SET UP SOME, UH, TABLES SO WE CAN PROVIDE MUTUAL AID AND SUPPORT. AND THERE ARE ALREADY, UH, DISTRAUGHT FAMILIES WAITING ON AN INDUSTRIAL DRIVEWAY, UM, IN WHATEVER THE CONDITIONS ARE, UH, IN HOPES OF SEEING THEIR LOVED ONE. AND, UM, THE INDIGNITY THAT THEY ENDURE BY THE GUARDS AT THE GATE ARE, UM, THEY'RE HORRIBLE. I KNOW FIRSTHAND LAST NIGHT I WENT IN AND VISITED WITH A DETAINEE. UM, AGAIN, IT WAS HUMILIATING. UM, OR, OR, OR WHAT I WAS HUMILIATED AS WERE THE REST OF THE FOLKS BY THE GUARD. I MEAN, IT'S CAPRICIOUS. IT'S, UH, UH, IT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE COMPLETELY THREATENED TO NOT GET TO VISIT IF THEY STEP OUT OF LINE, IF THEY MOVE OR IF THEY LEAN AGAINST DEFENSE. UM, IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S RIDICULOUS. I, I WENT IN AND, UM, I VISITED FROM, UH, AN IMMIGRANT WHO'S BEEN IN THE UNITED STATES 10 MONTHS. UH, HE WAS PICKED UP AT THE BORDER AND HE BEATEN. UM, HE, HE, HE DOESN'T KNOW IF FREEDOM IN THE UNITED STATES. HE BARELY SPEAKS ENGLISH. [03:10:02] UM, HE WAS, HIS HEARING ISSUED A DEPORTATION ORDER FOUR MONTHS AGO. AND HE WANTS TO GO HOME. HIS FAMILY SOLD THEIR HOME TO GET MONEY TO GET HIM TO THE UNITED STATES, YOU KNOW, WITH THE AMER FOR THE AMERICAN DREAM, YOU KNOW, THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK. HE'S A PAINTER. UH, HE PAINTS HOUSES, HE PAINTS HE HIS COMMERCIAL PAINTER. UM, SINCE BEING DETAINED IN THOSE FOUR, IN THOSE 10 MONTHS, HE, HE, UH, HE CAUGHT COVID BECAUSE HE'S BEEN VERY SICK. AND, UM, GEO MAKES MONEY ON A DAILY BASIS OR, YOU KNOW, FOR PER BED, RIGHT? SO THAT, THAT'S THE DEAL. UM, AND, UH, THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF THE, UH, UH, THE, THE CRIMINALITY OF WHAT, UH, OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS DOING. UM, REGARDING THE DELANEY HALL, I HAVEN'T REALLY GOTTEN TO THE BOTTOM YET OF HOW THE, UH, INTERGOVERNMENTAL SERVICE AGREEMENT AND CEC WAS, UH, CANCELED AND DEALT WITH. AND, UM, HOW GEO GROUP, UM, UH, MERGED WITH CEC. I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT TITLE DEED. LIKE I, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THAT GEO GROUP OWNS THE PROPERTY. BUT IN ANY CASE, UM, WHAT, UH, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS DOING IS ILLEGITIMATE. AND, UM, UH, I, I, I'M LIKE OTHERS HAVE SAID, I'M NOT SURE WHAT ALL THAT THE COUNTY CAN DO. 30 SECONDS. THANK YOU. UM, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, OVER 400,000, WE SAY UNDOCUMENTED, BUT ACTUALLY THEY ARE DOCUMENTED. THEY HAVE MORTGAGES, THEY HAVE DEGREES. THESE ARE, THESE, UH, IMMIGRANTS, UH, ARE NOT ENTIRELY UNDOCUMENTED, IF YOU GET MY MEANING. BUT 400,000 OF THEM CONTRIBUTING A BILLION DOLLARS TO OUR ECONOMY. AND 93% OF THEM THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, LOCKED UP IN THESE DETENTION CENTERS HAVE NO VIOLENT OR PROPERTY CRIMES CONVICTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR. OKAY. MADAM DEPUTY CLARK, CLARK THE RECORD REFLECT, THERE'S NO ONE ELSE TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME. SO WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO COMMISSIONER COMMENTS SESSION. COMMISSIONER A COMMENTS. I KNOW MARY THOMAS, UH, HAD AN EVENT EARLIER TODAY, IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT OR WHO WAS HONORED? SURE. THANK YOU. UH, COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT. UM, AND YEAH, I MEAN, SO TODAY, UM, WE ACTUALLY CELEBRATED INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL, WHICH HAS BEEN, UH, GLOBAL SAY, BUT ALSO NATIONAL HOLIDAY THAT'S BEEN CELEBRATED SINCE 2011. UH, WE HONORED SEVERAL, UH, YOUNG LADIES, UH, JESSIE ZA FROM IRVINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, NIRA THOMAS FROM COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL, NALIA UNDERWOOD, A GRADUATE OF CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL IN NEWARK. CURRENTLY A SOPHOMORE AT, UH, MONTCLAIR STATE, AALIYAH GORDON AT LA BRITA OWENS LL ACADEMY IN IRVINGTON. TIFFANY SILAS, UM, WHO'S FROM THE CITY OF NEWARK AND IS AN ENTREPRENEUR ARTIST IN THE CITY. AND THE BARD EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM. SO, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR CELEBRATING THESE YOUNG LADIES AND ALL THE AMAZING THINGS THAT THEY'VE DONE IN ADDITION TO COUNCILMAN CRUMP, MAYOR BARAKA, AND, UH, CONGRESS CONGRESSWOMAN LAMONICA MACGYVER FOR COMMENDATIONS AND CELEBRATION OF THESE YOUNG WOMEN. UH, BUT IT'S ALSO FITTING, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY, UH, IN LIGHT OF THE, THE COMMENTS THAT WERE JUST MADE FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, WE'RE GONNA CELEBRATE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, MANY OF WHOM ARE IMMIGRANTS THEMSELVES, AND PARENTS ARE IMMIGRANTS. WE HAVE TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CREATING THE CONDITIONS FOR THEM TO ACTUALLY BE HERE, UM, AND FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES TO BE PROTECTED. AND CERTAINLY, UH, THIS BOARD IS OF THE BELIEF, UH, THAT THE UNJUST AND FRANKLY, ILLEGAL AND INHUMANE, UH, WAYS IN WHICH, UM, SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES ARE BEING ABDUCTED AND TAKEN FROM THEIR HOMES AND TAKEN FROM THEIR SCHOOLS AND TAKEN FROM THEIR WORK. UM, DOESN'T ALIGN WITH THE VALUES OF, OF DEMOCRACY. AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN WITHIN OUR POWER, UH, TO THE EXTENT THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE, UH, UNDERSTAND OUR OWN LIMITATIONS OF NOT HAVING OVERSIGHT, UNFORTUNATELY, OVER THE ICE FACILITY, UH, BUT BEING, UM, WORKING DILIGENTLY TO SEE WHAT IT IS WE CAN DO TO TRY AND CREATE SOME HUMANE CONDITIONS, UH, FOR THESE, THESE FOLKS. AND SO, UM, I, MYSELF, AND I KNOW OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ACTUALLY VISITED, UH, THE ICE DE CENTER, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK OF, YOU KNOW, TERRY AND ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE FOR, FROM THE EYES ON NICE ORGANIZATION AND COALITION FOR THOSE INVITATIONS. UM, BUT FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN, UM, AND ARE WORKING WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE, UM, AS FAR AS SUPPORTING THESE VISITORS, UM, SO THAT THEY HAVE SOME HUMANE CONDITIONS TO, TO VISIT THEIR FAMILIES. AND IT'S DIFFICULT, UM, BECAUSE IN MY ESTIMATION, IF I HAD A MAGIC WAND THAT THE CENTER ITSELF WOULDN'T BE THERE AT ALL. UM, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT CONTROL. WHAT WE CAN DO IS WORK ALONGSIDE AND IN [03:15:01] LOCKSTEP WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND OTHER ELECTEDS WHO WANT THERE TO BE HUMANITY FOR HOW THESE VISITORS ARE TREATED. AND SO KNOW THAT THERE IS CONCERTED WORK, UH, HAPPENING, UH, TO EXPLORE WHAT WE CAN DO. UM, AND AS THOSE POSSIBILITIES ARE, UM, RESEARCHED AND, AND, AND THIS IS, THIS IS LIKE NOT FLUFF, RIGHT? I'M TELLING YOU REAL STUFF THAT'S GOING ON. UM, WE'LL SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE AND WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO BE IN COMMUNICATION. OKAY. SO THANK YOU ALL AND THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED ADVOCACY. COMMISSIONER S DID YOU ADD ADD, UH, TO ANYTHING ELSE? YEAH. UM, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SCHEDULE IS A, UH, SMALL BUSINESS SLASH AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, UH, MEETING. WE HAVEN'T HAD ONE IN QUITE SOME TIME. I THINK IT'S, IT'S OVERDUE. I'D LIKE TO, UM, IF DEPUTY CLERK WILL REACH OUT TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR SOME DATES. HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET IT DONE BEFORE THIS MONTH IS OUT. UM, SO WE CAN GET SOME UPDATES ON WHAT'S NEW, WHAT'S GOING ON, HOW MANY, UH, NEW VENDORS, MINORITY VENDORS HAVEN'T BEEN HIRED AND GOTTEN ANY WORK, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. SO I'D LIKE TO, UH, IF YOU WOULD REACH OUT AND ABSOLUTELY, LET'S GET THAT SCHEDULED AND CHECK WITH MY COLLEAGUES TO SEE, UM, WHO'S AVAILABLE AND WHAT DATES. OKAY. THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. ANY OTHER COMMISSIONER? VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? THANK YOU. UM, PIGGYBACK OFF WHAT COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON JUST SAID, THERE'S A SMALL BUSINESS, UM, ESSEX COUNTY SUMMIT THAT'S BEING HOSTED ON OCTOBER 16TH AT, UM, ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE. SO ALL YOU KNOW, AVENGERS IS INTERESTED IN DOING BUSINESS WITH THE COUNTY AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT OUR PROCESS. I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGED THEM TO SIGN UP TO ATTEND THAT EVENT. I BELIEVE THAT FLYER IS POSTED ON THE COUNTY'S WEBSITE AND CERTAINLY ON THE COUNTY'S, UH, FACEBOOK PAGE. SO, UM, IF WE CAN POST IT ON OURS, IT WOULD BE GREAT AND PUSH IT OUT SO THAT PEOPLE WILL ATTEND IT. BECAUSE ALL OF US ALWAYS ARE, UM, APPROACHED AND ASKED, HOW DO YOU BECOME A VENDOR? AND THIS WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO GO AND ATTEND THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER DPE. UH, ADAM, IF WE COULD, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD THAT BACK THERE 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING WITH FOLKS, BUT, UH, THE SMALL BUSINESS EVENT THAT WE HAVE ON THE 16TH, CAN WE PUT THAT ON OUR COMMISSIONER, UH, PAGES AND SOCIAL MEDIA AND ET CETERA? OKAY. THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, PLEASE ACTUALLY MISSPOKE ON SOMETHING. I WAS THINKING ABOUT CONGRESSWOMAN MACGYVER IN LIGHT OF HER AS WELL AS MENENDEZ AND, AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, UM, AROUND DELANEY HALL. AND, AND I MISSPOKE THE, THE CONGRESSWOMAN WHO, UM, HONORED OUR YOUNG LADIES TODAY FOR THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL WAS CONGRESSWOMAN MIKEY CHERYL. UM, SO WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE HER AND HER TEAM FOR ALWAYS GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND TO RECOGNIZE, UH, THE, THE FOLKS HERE THAT WE SUPPORT, OR RATHER THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO WE CELEBRATE IN THESE COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER. I APPRECIATE THE COMING. ANYTHING ELSE? UH, BOARD HAS THE, UH, WAS MENTIONED EARLIER, BUT THE BANKING, UH, COMMITTEE IS COMING UP ON THE, UH, SEVENTH AND 14TH. WE ALSO HAVE THE ITALIAN HERITAGE, UH, EVENT COMING UP 6:00 PM ON THE 15TH, WHICH IS COMING UP RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. SO WE WILL, WE'LL BE DOING THAT HERE. I'M SORRY, I SAID, WHAT DID I SAY? SEVENTH AND 14TH? UM, I, I CHECKED THAT WHOEVER'S GONNA TRANSCRIBE THIS, IT'S ON THE 14TH AND 21ST, CORRECT? NOT THE SEVENTH AND 14TH. 14TH AND 21ST. I'M THE BANKING COMMITTEE, BUT THE ITALIAN HERITAGE FESTIVAL IS ON, UH, THE 15TH OF OCTOBER 6:00 PM RIGHT HERE. RIGHT. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING? SO, ALRIGHT. ANY OTHER, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONERS? WE'RE GOOD. WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN. MOVE IT. MOVE BY RICHARDSON. SECOND BY VP. ALL IN FAVOR. RPIA. THE AYES HAVE. * 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.