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THIS MEETING OF THE ASEC COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IS HEREBY CALL TO ORDER.
THIS MEETING IS BEING LIVE STREAMED IN ADDITION TO TAKING PLACE IN PERSON.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE RULE COMMISSIONER SERMONS HERE.
HERE PLEASE STAND FOR THE SALUTE TO THE FLY TO THE FLAG.
I'M GONNA ASK, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, GILL TO LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE.
PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.
TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PUBLIC STANDS.
ONE UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE, THE WORLD.
AND I'M JUST GONNA ASK FOR A MOMENT AS SUNSET HONOR THOSE THAT WE'VE LOST SINCE THE LAST TIME WE CAME TOGETHER IN THESE CHAMBERS.
I HAVE HAD BEFORE ME CERTIFICATION FROM THE DEPUTY CLERK THAT THIS MEETING IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN PUBLIC REC.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF TRANSCRIPTS.
DEPUTY CLERK ANAND, ARE THERE ANY TRANSCRIPTS TO BE TRANSCRIPTS TO BE APPROVED? YES.
MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE 11TH, 2025.
ANY YOU COMMISSIONER ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SECOND, WE HAVE, UH, MOVED BY COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER SECOND BY MERCADO CADO.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY COURT COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES.
COMMISSIONER SIEBOLD AB ABSENT.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
DEPUTY CLERK, ARE THERE ANY TOPICS DISCUSSION? NO.
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 IF THERE HAS ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON AGENDA ITEMS ONLY, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK.
UH, THERE WILL BE MORE TIME LATER IN THE EVENING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON OTHER ITEMS. SO I ASK YOU, PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.
UH, LIVE AT 2 72 MORMON STREET IN THE CITY OF NEWARK.
UH, HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE, UH, CONTRACT OF ESSEX COUNTY AND THE, UH, GAR CENTER RAIDER.
WE'RE HERE LAST TIME, YOU KNOW, AND TO BOIL IT DOWN, REALLY WE'RE ASKING FOR THE TWO THINGS.
ONE IS TO LOOK AT THE ALITY OF THIS BOARD, IMMEDIATELY DOWNSIZING THE INCINERATOR RATE BY STOPPING NEW YORK'S NEW YORK CITY GARBAGE FROM COMING IN THERE.
AND THE RATE AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED, FIX COUNTY WASTE.
SECONDLY, TO PUT TOGETHER A COMMITTEE THAT WILL LOOK AT HOW WE CAN BE LESS RELIANT AS A COUNTY ON THE GARBAGE INCINERATOR.
HOW WE CAN, HOW WE CAN PUT TOGETHER A PLAN TO RE, TO REDUCE OUR RELIANCE THROUGH HOSTING AND OTHER MEANS OF DOWN DOWNSIZING OUR WASTE STREET.
UH, SO RATHER THAN ENTERING TO ENTERING TO FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, WE OBLIGATE OURSELVES INTO THE FUTURE.
WE IMMEDIATELY LOOK AT HOW WE IMMEDIATELY AND LOOK AT HOW WE CAN BE LESS RELI ON THE INCINERATOR IN THE FUTURE.
MY NAME IS WINIFRED VICTOR HINES AND I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
AND, UH, LIKE MY COLLEAGUE ARNOLD COHAN, I AM ALSO AGAINST THE RENEWAL AGREEMENT FOR THE INCINERATOR.
AND I'M GOING TO GIVE SOME BULLET POINTS AS TO WHY I AM AGAINST IT.
AND THE INCINERATION IS OUTDATED, EXPENSIVE, POLLUTING, ESPECIALLY IN ALREADY OVERBURDENED AREAS LIKE THE IRON BOUND.
IT LOCKS THE COUNTRY INTO LONG-TERM CONTRACTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL HARM.
CITIES LIKE, UM, SAN FRANCISCO, AUSTIN, AND MINNEAPOLIS HAVE ADOPTED ZERO WASTE GOALS, REDUCING LANDFILL INCINERATION AND GROWING, REUSE, COMPOSTING AND REPAIR JOBS.
NEWARK AND ESSEX COUNTY CAN FOLLOW SUIT AND YOU HAVE TO, UH, CREATE A NEWARK ESSENCE.
CITI SX CITIZEN TASK FORCE ON WASTE, WHICH INCLUDES RESIDENTS, EJ GROUPS, YOUTH, SMALL BUSINESSES, PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS, AND ASSESS REAL OPTIONS,
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DOWNSIZE THE EXISTING INCINERATOR, INVEST IN LOCAL RECYCLING, COMPOST SYSTEMS, AND EXPLORE CIRCULAR ECONOMY MODELS.AND, UM, THE IRONBOUND, SOUTHWARD AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BORN THE BRUNT OF DIRTY INDUSTRIES FOR DECADES.
AND SO I AM GOING TO SAY THIS IN SPANISH FOR SPANISH SPEAKERS THERE.
SO, UM, IN 30 SECONDS, NEWARK, ESSEX COUNTY, THEN NEWARK.
SO, UM, I'M SPEAKING TODAY AS SOMEONE CONCERNED FOR NEWARK'S IRON BOUND.
SO THIS PROPOSED INCINERATOR DOESN'T SOLVE A PROBLEM.
SO INSTEAD OF MORE POLLUTION, LET'S INVEST IN GREEN SOLUTIONS IN SPACES LIKE WICK PARK, A GYM THAT CAN ABSORB STORM WATER, CLEAN OUR AIR, AND BRING HEALTH AND BEAUTY BACK TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
LET'S BUILD A CLEANER FAIR IN NEWARK TOGETHER.
UM, I JUST WOULD ASK YOU TO REMEMBER WHEN RIVERBANK PARK WAS CLOSED FOR SO-CALLED CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION.
AND WE FORMED A TASK FORCE WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, RESIDENTS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS THAT WE KNEW.
'CAUSE WE'D BEEN WORKING IN THE IRON BOUND FOR 55 YEARS TO TRY TO MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE.
AND SO THAT'S THE KIND OF MODEL THAT I THINK IS BEING SUGGESTED THAT WE SET UP THAT KIND OF A MODEL.
WE WERE ABLE TO, BY DOING THAT, WE WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A PLAN THAT SATISFIED THE SCIENCE AND THE, EVERYBODY WAS HAPPY.
SO USE THAT AS AN EXAMPLE AND LET'S DO IT TOGETHER AGAIN.
I'M ACTUALLY FROM UNION, SPENT A LOT OF YEARS IN ESSEX COUNTY.
AND, UM, SO I AM WELL AWARE OF THE INCINERATOR.
AND, UM, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU HAVE A, A REAL OPPORTUNITY HERE RATHER THAN JUST PASSING THIS CONTRACT AND MOVING ON.
THAT YOU COULD USE THIS AS A TIME TO FIGURE OUT, UH, REALLY THE ALTERNATIVES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
AND, UM, YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY'RE BEING DUMPED ON WITH POLLUTANTS THAT COME FROM THAT INCINERATOR.
AND IT'S DANGEROUS, AND IT'S BEEN THAT WAY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
SO THE WAY TO REDUCE THE EMISSIONS IS TO REDUCE THE INPUT.
RIGHT? AND THAT'S VERY DOABLE.
I SENT SOME OF THE MISSIONERS, UH, EMAILS RIGHT AFTER LAST MEETING ABOUT HOW TO REDUCE THE GARBAGE WASTE STREAM BY A THIRD.
AND IT'S BEING DONE IN MANY, MANY CITIES AND TOWNS AND COUNTIES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.
AND IT'S BY REMOVING THE ORGANIC, UH, WASTE MATERIAL.
AND THERE ARE COMPANIES OUT THERE THAT CAN ACTUALLY HELP YOU MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND I THINK THE IDEAS HERE TONIGHT OF JOINING TOGETHER
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WITH THE COMMUNITY AND WITH YOUR SPECIALISTS, YOU COULD ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.YOU COULD MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE IRON BOUND AND THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY AND THE POLLUTANTS GO TO BAYONE AND NEW YORK AS WELL.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL YOU WOULD BE SETTING, UH, CHARTING NEW TERRITORY, NEW GROUND.
YOU WOULD BRING ESSEX COUNTY INTO THE 21ST CENTURY.
AND, UH, I URGE YOU ALL TO THINK OF YOUR CREATIVE LEGISLATIVE CAPABILITY TO ACTUALLY ACTIVATE SOMETHING THAT WILL ALLOW THE REDUCTION OF THE GARBAGE STREAM.
DON'T JUST WRITE ANOTHER CONTRACT AND KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
NOW IS THE TIME WHERE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ACTUALLY CREATIVE AND BOLD.
AND THE PEOPLE OF ESSEX COUNTY WOULD FIND IT VERY, VERY POSITIVE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN SEE SOMETHING VERY CREATIVE FROM THIS BODY.
IS THERE ANY OTHER MEMBER WISHES TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? OKAY, MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT THERE IS NO ONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE OF RESOLUTIONS AND INTRODUCTION ON AND FIRST READING.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING FOR LISTING PURPOSES ONLY.
DO WE HAVE ANY? NO, WE DO NOT.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, LET'S MOVE ON THE TABLE.
WE HAVE TWO MADAM DEPUTY CLERK.
UH, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ORDINANCE O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 1 3, WHICH WAS TABLED AT OUR PREVIOUS MEETING.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE ORDINANCE O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 1 3 FROM THE TABLE? SO MOVED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? THIS IS A TICKET OUT A TABLE AND SO WE CAN MOVE ON.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, THIS IS TO MOVE, UH, O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 1 3 FROM THE TABLE.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
DO I HAVE, UH, A MOTION TO MOVE OR, OR APPROVE ORDINANCE O DASH 2025 DASH 0 1 3.
UH, MR. MARTINO, DO I HAVE ANY, UH, I'M SORRY, DO I HAVE A MOTION? I'M SORRY.
LET'S MOVE TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE.
MR. MARTINO, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO NOT.
MR. KINNER, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONERS, DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION TO APPROVE ORDINANCE O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 1 3.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK ON O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 1 3.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE ADD AGENDA IS ORDINANCE O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 0 1 4, WHICH WAS TABLED AT A PREVIOUS MEETING.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE ORDINANCE O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 0 1 4 FROM THE TABLE? SO MOVE BY MERCADO.
SECOND BY SERMONS ROLL CALL MATTER.
DEPUTY CLERK, THIS IS TO TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE.
IS THIS TO TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE OR TO VOTE ON IT? YES.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE TO APPROVE ORDINANCE O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 1 4.
MR. MARTIN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO NOT.
COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
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JUST OF A QUESTION? COMMISSIONER MARY THOMAS.MR. PRESIDENT, JUST FOR CLARITY, SO O DASH 2020 2020 25 0 0 0 1 3 MENTIONED SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT.
UM, IS THAT SPEAKING TO, COULD YOU JUST JUST DESCRIBE A BIT ABOUT THE SUPPLEMENTAL NATURE OF THAT? OR THAT I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS ONE OF THE STANDARD CONTRACTS WITH THIS PARTICULAR ORGANIZATION FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT.
SO IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO THE TWO AND PARTICULARLY RUN THE LANGUAGE OF SUPPLEMENTAL.
MR. JACKSON, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING HERE THAT WE COULD ADDRESS? THIS? I WOULD ASK SOMEBODY FROM ECUA.
YEAH, LET'S PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION.
GOOD EVENING, WAYNE DEF WITH THE ESS COUNTY UTILITIES AUTHORITY.
I DIDN'T HEAR THE QUESTION IN THE BACK.
COULD YOU JUST CLARIFY IT FOR ME? SURE.
SO THE QUESTION WAS AROUND THE LANGUAGE OF SUPPLEMENTAL.
UM, I WAS UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT BOTH ORDINANCES ARE IN RELATION TO THESE STANDARD CONTRACTS FOR EXISTING, UH, WORK WITH THE CONTRACTED VENDORS.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST EXPOUND ON WHETHER OR NOT THAT IS THE CASE AND WHAT DOES THE LANGUAGE SUPPLEMENTAL SPEAK TO? THE, THE FIRST ORDINANCE, WHICH YOU JUST PASSED MM-HMM
IS A, WELL, FOR CLARITY WE PASSED TO PUT IT ON THE VOTING.
NO, THE FIRST ONE WAS ALREADY APPROVED.
THE FIRST ORDINANCE THAT WAS ALREADY APPROVED IS A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PORT AUTHORITY AND THE ESSEX COUNTY UTILITIES AUTHORITY FOR FIVE YEARS TO CONTINUE USING THE RESOURCE RECOVERY PLANT IN NEWARK.
SO THAT HAS BEEN APPROVED, THAT WAS APPROVED THROUGH AN INTERLOCAL SERVICE AGREEMENT.
THE SECOND A, OR THE ORDINANCE YOU ARE NOW CONSIDERING WAS A PUBLICLY BID CONTRACT FOR THE DISPOSAL OF MATERIALS SUCH AS BULKY AND DEMOLITION MATERIAL THAT WE CANNOT OBVIOUSLY SEND TO A RESOURCE RECOVERY PLANT.
THAT CONTRACT IS PENDING TO BE AWARDED TO ADVANCED DISPOSAL IN NEWARK.
THAT FACILITY TRANSFERS THE MATERIAL BY RAIL OUTTA STATE, BUT DOES NOT TRUCK THE MATERIAL OUT.
IT ACTUALLY PUTS IT ON RAIL CARS AND IT IS TRAINED OUTTA STATE TO A LANDFILL.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SOMEWHAT.
SO IT'S THE LANGUAGE SUPPLEMENTAL.
IF YOU SEE IT, IT CAN MAKE IT SUGGEST THAT, THAT IT'S AN ADDITIONAL, UH, USAGE OF A RATHER RATE OF PROCESSING OF THE WASTE.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
SO CAN YOU JUST REINFORCE THE FACT THAT THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF THE CURRENT AMOUNTS OF WASTE PROCESSING AT THESE, AT THIS FACILITY RATHER THAN AN ADDITIONAL OR A SUPPLEMENTAL.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? THAT WAY NO ONE'S CONFUSED AROUND THE LANGUAGE.
I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION BETTER.
THE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS TO CONTINUE TO USE THE FACILITY.
THE SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT ALLOWS FOR IF NECESSARY ADDITIONAL TONNAGE FROM US BUT NOT AT THE FACILITY.
IN OTHER WORDS, THAT FACILITY CAN TAKE NO MORE MATERIAL THAN IT CURRENTLY IS PERMITTED TO TAKE.
TODAY WE ARE JUST GUARANTEEING THAT SHOULD SOMETHING HAPPEN AND WE NEED TO USE MORE SPACE, WE HAVEN'T.
BUT WE DO NOT NECESSARILY ANTICIPATE THAT IT WILL GET MORE.
OF COURSE, THE MORE WE CAN DO FOR RECYCLING THE LOWER THE NUMBER, WE HAVE NO GUARANTEE WITH THAT FACILITY.
WE DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE THEM ANY AMOUNT AT ALL.
BUT I WOULD ADD AND CAREFULLY ADD THAT THE CURRENT, THE NEW CONTRACT THAT YOU JUST APPROVED WILL LOCK IN A RATE FOR DISPOSAL FOR ESSEX COUNTY TOWNS THAT IS LOWER THAN 2021 AND IS THE LOWEST RATE IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY FOR DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE.
AND I JUST WANT TO PUT ON THE RECORD TO, UM, THAT EVEN IF THE COUNTY DOES INCREASE ITS, UH, WASTE THAT'S PROCESSED AT THIS ORGANIZATION, THE ACTUAL ORGANIZATION OR THE ACTUAL COMPANY'S FLOOR OR CEILING, IF YOU WILL, OF PROCESSING, DOES NOT INCREASE.
SO THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT MORE, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S AN INCREASE IN WHAT'S GOING TO BE PROCESSED IN THE NET AMOUNT OF PROCESSING AT THE FACILITY.
IT'S JUST, UH, IF NEED BE, THE COUNTY'S CONTRIBUTION COULD INCREASE IF THAT IS THE CASE.
IF THE FACILITY EVER WANTED TO INCREASE A NUMBER, IT HAS TO GO THROUGH A FULL PROCESS AND IT WOULD TAKE SOME TIME FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
THAT IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
AND I, AND I APPRECIATE THE, THE CONTEXT.
ALSO APPRECIATE SOME OF THE, UH, QUESTIONS THAT HAVE COME UP FROM COMMISSIONERS, UH, SINCE THIS FIRST REACHED THE BOARD.
AND CERTAINLY FROM COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ORGANIZERS WHO'VE FLAGGED THESE, UH, THESE ISSUES TO OUR ATTENTION AND ISSUES REALLY BEING, UH, THIS OUR SOCIETY AND OUR COUNTIES, UH, JUST NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT ON WASTE REDUCTION, ON WASTE MANAGEMENT, ON MORE ENVIRONMENTAL WAYS TO PROCESS OUR WASTE.
AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, WORKING CLOSELY WITH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND WITH THOSE LEADERS TO IMPROVE THIS.
UH, BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S JUST MORE THAT WE CAN
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DO, UM, AS A SOCIETY AND CERTAINLY AS A COUNTY.UM, AND WE KNOW WE CAN'T DO THAT ALONE.
AND SO, UM, WHILE IN THE LONG TERM, THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO AND THAT WE, I, MYSELF AND I KNOW OTHER COMMISSIONERS COMMIT TO DOING TO IMPROVE THAT WASTE, UH, THOSE WASTE IMPROVEMENTS.
I KNOW THAT YOU SAID IN 2020, THIS IS ACTUALLY THE LOWEST SINCE 2021, RIGHT? IS THAT CORRECT? OR? THE DISPOSAL PRICE IS THE LOWEST SINCE 2021.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY THERE'S MORE WORK TO DO, UH, HERE ON OUR PART.
UM, AND CERTAINLY THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT ARE A PART OF OUR COUNTY TOO, TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES MORE LIVABLE, UM, MORE HEALTHY, UM, FOR ALL OF US.
SO, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARITY AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SOME OF THE WORK THAT'LL COME OUT OF FUTURE COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY AND OUR LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO IMPROVE OUR WASTE REDUCTIONS HERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? DO I HAVE SOMEONEM TO MOVE? MOVE, MOVE BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
BY MERCADO WILL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK ON ORDINANCE O DASH 2025 DASH 0 0 0 1 4.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS ONE AND TWO, WHICH ARE FROM THE DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES AND THE 2025 COUNTY BUDGET INSERTION OF ITEMS OF REVENUE.
THEY'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? GOOD EVENING, MR. COLTER.
MR. PRESIDENT, I'M HERE EARLY, NOT LIKE, UH, MR. ZA WHO'S GONNA GO HOME, BUT I'M GOING STAY THE ENTIRE MEETING.
IT IS NICE TO SEE YOU MR. COULTER.
DEPARTMENT OF CITIZEN SERVICE, DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICE RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING A GRANT AWARD FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY JUVENILE JUSTICE COMMISSION FROM THE STATE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP FAMILY COURT APPROPRIATION FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT OF $1,970,090.
THIS IS A STATE REQUIRED ACCEPTANCE RESOLUTION AND IT IS INCORPORATED WITH NUMBER RESOLUTION NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS A 2025 COUNTY BUDGET INSERTION OF THE ITEMS OF REVENUE FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY FOR 2026.
COMPREHENSIVE COUNTY FUNDING ALLOCATION, DIVI DIVISION OF YOUTH SERVICES FOR $1,970,090.
THIS IS FAMILY COURT AND STATE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP GRANT FUNDING TO PROVIDE SERVICE FOR AT RISK YOUTH AND COURT INVOLVED YOUTH FAMILY COURT SERVICES IS FOR $515,661.
THE STATE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM SERVICE IS $1,344,429, AND THE PROGRAM MANAGEMENT IS $110,000 AND THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCH.
ANY QUESTIONS ON NUMBER ONE AND TWO? NO QUESTION.
ANY QUESTIONS ON ONE AND TWO? MOTION, SIR.
MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK ON NUMBER ONE AND TWO.
COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION THREE, WHICH IS FROM THE DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WILL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON, UH, MR. NAVAREZ WILL HANDLE THIS ITEM.
LEMME RECOGNIZE, UH, COMMISSIONER LUCIANO HAS JOINED THE MEETING.
HOW ARE YOU? ANDRE NOVAS, UH, HOUSING COORDINATOR FOR ESTES COUNTY.
UM, THIS RESOLUTION IS IN REGARDS TO, UH, UH, GATEWAY LOFTS, UM, GRANTING $400,000, UH, FROM ALREADY APPROVED FUNDS FROM PROGRAM YEAR 22 AND 23.
UH, IT IS FOR, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, NEW CONSTRUCTION OF 58 AFFORDABLE UNITS LOCATED AT 84 PARKER STREET IN NEWARK.
MR. MACK, ANY QUESTIONS ON THE THREE? ARE ARE, ARE THESE FUNDS REPAID BACK TO THE COUNTY? THESE, IS IT THE HOME LOAN PROGRAM? UH, THESE FUNDS ARE, UH, AFTER THE AFFORDABLE PERIOD HAS CONCLUDED, UH, IT'S A LOAN THAT'S FORGIVEN IF IT'S A NON-PROFIT.
BUT IF IT IS A FOR-PROFIT, THEN THE LOANS DO INCUR INTEREST RATE AND THEY ARE PAID BACK TO THE COUNTY.
SO THIS IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT LOAN OR THIS ONE IS A FOR-PROFIT DEVELOPER.
SO THIS WILL BE PAID BACK? YES.
WHAT'S THE, WHAT'S THE TERM ON THOSE LOANS? UH, THEY VARY.
THEY'RE NO TERM HAS BEEN DECIDED YET.
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OKAY.SO THIS HAS INTEREST AND HAS A TERM AND A SCHEDULE OF REPAYMENT BACK TO THE COUNTY? YES.
HUD POLICY ALLOWS ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO 5% INTEREST.
ANY QUESTIONS? NUMBER THREE? YES, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT THE NUMBER OF UNITS, THE AFFORDABLE UNITS ARE HIGHER IN THIS PROJECT.
UM, ARE ALL THE FUNDS ALREADY COMMITTED FOR THIS PROJECT AND IT'S READY TO GO? NO, HUD IS, UH, CLOSED, SO THE FUNDS HAVE NOT BEEN, UH, RELEASED YET BY HUD.
HOWEVER, THE COUNTY HAS APPROVED THESE FUNDS BECAUSE THEY ARE FROM PROGRAM YEAR 22 AND 23.
SO CONCEIVABLY ONE STATE OPEN BACK UP.
THIS PROJECT WILL BE READY TO GO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONS, COMMISSIONER VICE.
WHAT'S THE ADDRESS WHERE, WHERE THESE FUNDS WILL BE USED? SURE.
THE ADDRESS IS, UH, 84 PARKER STREET IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.
AND WHO, WHO, WHO'S THE DEVELOPER? UH, THE DEVELOPER IS, UH, M AND M DEVELOPMENT.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE HER SAY A FEW WORDS? IS IS IT RELEVANT TO THE, JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
UH, RIGHT INTO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE, SO IT GETS PICKED UP.
I AM ONE OF THE OWNERS OF M AND M DEVELOPMENT.
UH, WE ARE BASED IN THE NEWARK IRON MOUNTAIN AND 1 0 3 MAGAZINE STREET, AND WE HAVE BEEN PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THIS AREA SINCE 1997.
UH, WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY WORKED WITH EXA COUNTY IN ANOTHER PROJECT IN, UH, LUA HOMES IS THE NAME OF THE PROJECT WHERE WE HAVE 10 SPECIAL NEEDS HOMES, UH, SINCE 2004.
AND WE ARE LOOKING FOR NOW TO DO A MIXED USE BUILDING.
UH, THE BUILDING IS 58 UNITS AND 31 OF THOSE UNITS ARE GONNA BE AFFORDABLE.
UH, AND THE LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY GO FROM VERY LOW INCOME, WHICH IS 30% OF THE MEDIA TO MODERATE INCOME AS 60% OF THE MEDIAN INCOME.
UH, I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT THE BEST AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS MIXED INCOME HOUSING.
THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY THROUGH NEW JERSEY, HMFA HAS ALLOCATED THE PROJECT $10 MILLION IN LOW INCOME HOUSING TAX CREDITS.
AND, UM, WE DESPERATELY NEED THIS ADDITIONAL HOME FUNDING SO THAT WE CAN, UM, GET THIS PROJECT OFF THE GROUND.
THE PROJECT IS LOCATED A BLOCK AWAY FROM BROAD STREET IN THE SOUTH END, UM, JUST BELOW LINCOLN, THE LINCOLN PARK NEIGHBORHOOD BETWEEN BROAD RA HIGHWAY.
UH, IT'S CALLED GATEWAY LOFTS BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT IN THE ENTRANCE OF NEWARK AND IT WILL BE, UM, IN ADDITION TO CREATING DESPERATELY NEEDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UH, IT WILL ALSO VISUALLY IMPACT THE LANDSCAPE OF THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOPEFULLY PROMOTE ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THAT AREA.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YES.
WE'LL GO TO A, UH, MARITIME SIZES AND BREAKDOWNS.
HOW MANY? THREE BEDROOMS. HOW MANY TWO BEDROOMS. THIS PROJECT IS A CONVERSION OF AN EXISTING BUILDING AND MOSTLY IT WILL HAVE ONE AND TWO BEDROOM APARTMENTS.
UH, WE COULDN'T FIT THREE BEDROOMS. SO HOW MANY TWO BEDROOMS? APPROXIMATELY 60% OF THE UNITS WILL BE THREE, TWO BEDROOMS AND 40% ONE BEDROOMS. NO STUDIOS? NO.
TO YOU MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU FOR, UH, UH, THIS CONTEXT AND THANK YOU FOR, UM, THIS WORK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND, AND MAKING IT MORE ACCESSIBLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
IF YOU COULD JUST REMIND US OF HOW MANY UNITS ARE IN THE PROPERTY OR RATHER IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND ROUGHLY HOW MANY OF THOSE UNITS WOULD BE AFFORDABLE AGAIN? UH, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT? GATEWAY LOFTS? YES.
THE TOTAL PROJECT WILL BE 58 UNITS MM-HMM
AND 31 OF THE UNITS, MORE THAN 50% OF THE UNITS WILL BE AFFORDABLE.
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OF AFFORDABILITY? VERY LOW.SO THIS $400,000 IS THE LAST GAP THAT YOU HAVE TO GET THIS PROJECT MOVING? YES.
WE HAVE THE FUNDING, UH, AND THIS $400,000, IT WILL HELP TO CLOSE THE GAP.
I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH YOUR DEVELOPMENT.
YOU GUYS DO A REALLY GOOD PRODUCT.
AND I'M REALLY HAPPY AGAIN TO HEAR THE HIGH NUMBER OF AFFORDABLE UNITS AND THE VARIED NATURE OF AFFORDABILITY TO MAKE MORE UNITS AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS IN ESSEX COUNTY.
THANK THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BRINGING THIS PROJECT ALSO TO US A MOTION.
I WAS GONNA SAY IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS.
UH, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE IT? MOTION.
AND DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER, PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTION NUMBER FOUR, WHICH IS FROM THE DIVISION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES.
AND WE'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? MR. PALTRY, UH, MR. PRESENT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND REHABILITATION DIVISION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES AMENDMENT TO MODIFY FIVE EXISTING SUPPORT SERVICE CONTRACTS UNDER THE CHAPTER 51 GRANT FOR COMPREHENSIVE ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE SERVICES.
REAL REALLOCATING AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
UH, $200,000 ORIGINALLY ALLOCATED TO MAIN STREET COUNSELING CENTER, OR WHICH PERMANENTLY CLOSED THE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 30.
AND WE ARE RELOCATE, UH, ALLOCATING A HUNDRED THOUSAND TO THE FOLLOWING, GREATER CA, ESSEX COUNTY COUNSELING 40,000 RA INC.
5,000 IN TURNING 500 TOTALING TO $100,000.
MR. MARTINO, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON NUMBER FOUR? NO QUESTIONS MR. MCINERNEY? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS ON NUMBER FOUR? SEEING NONE, I'M GONNA MOVE IT.
MOTION MOVE BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER, SECOND BY MERCADO.
ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
LET'S MOVE THE RESOLUTIONS FIVE THROUGH EIGHT, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS THAT COULD BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UH, GOOD EVENING, MR. PRESIDENT JOSHUA SUSA COUNTY PARKS NUMBER FIVE IS, UH, AUTHORIZATION TO USE SES COUNTY RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND TO FUND THE WEEK WEEK PARK MAINTENANCE, GARAGE RENOVATION AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED 2 MILLION.
THIS IS, UH, PARTIAL FUNDING FOR AN UPCOMING CONTRACT.
UH, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FUNDING WOULD BE IN THE AMOUNT OF 4,168,000.
SPECIFICALLY THE BREAKDOWN IS 2 MILLION FROM OPEN SPACE, $1,919,183 FROM CAPITAL, AND THEN AN ADDITIONAL $248,817 FROM PUBLIC WORKS.
THE, UH, PROJECT WILL INCLUDE THE RENOVATION OF THE EXISTING, EXISTING MAINTENANCE, GRADUATE QUAKE, LOCKER ROOM IMPROVEMENTS, OFFICES, STORAGE FACILITIES, PAVING, AND SOME TREE WORK.
NUMBER SIX IS, UH, AUTHORIZATION TO USE S COUNTY RECREATIONAL OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND TO FUND THE TURTLEBACK ZOO INDOOR OUTDOOR SIGNAGE DISPLAYS AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $192,200.
THIS IS WITH AN EXISTING, UH, VENDOR, SHI.
THESE, UH, SIGN THE SIGNAGE WOULD BE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE ZOO'S MAIN ENTRANCE, UH, TICKET WINDOW LANES.
IT'LL HAVE THE ABILITY TO UPDATE SIGNS IN REAL TIME FOR ZOO VISITORS.
ALSO INCLUDES SOME DIRECTIONAL SIGNS AND, UH, INFORMATIONAL SIGNAGE SUCH AS ZOO PRICING, MEMBERSHIP, DAILY EVENTS, AND WHAT HAVE YOU.
NUMBER SEVEN IS AUTHORIZATIONS.
USE THE S COUNTY RECREATION OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND TO FUND, UH, ENGINEERING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES FOR THE BASEBALL FIELD.
IMPROVEMENTS AT IRVINGTON PARK AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $129,350.
AGAIN, THIS IS THE, UH, THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR, UH, A CONTRACT WITH FRENCH AND PERILLO.
SPECIFICALLY, IT'LL BE DESIGNING A NEW SYNTHETIC TURF SYSTEM, UH, LANDSCAPE TURF, UM, CANOPIES, UH, BENT BLEACHERS, WATER FOUNTAINS, UH, IRRIGATION SYSTEM, LED, SPORTS LIGHTING AND SOME LANDSCAPING.
NUMBER EIGHT IS AUTHORIZATION TO USE THE ES COUNTY RECREATION
[00:35:01]
OPEN SPACE, SORRY, OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND TO FUND THE ANNUAL LEASE OF THE ORANGE RESERVOIR, THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $85,000.UM, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A WHILE MIGHT REMEMBER BACK TO 2012.
UM, THE COUNTY HAD ENTERED INTO A 20 YEAR LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF ORANGE FOR THE, UH, FOR THE ORANGE RESERVOIR.
THE FIRST 10 YEARS WERE PAID FOR UPFRONT WITH THE OPEN SPACE TRUST FUND.
AND THEN THE REMAINING 10 YEARS WOULD BE AT AN ANNUAL AMOUNT OF $85,000.
THE REASON THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE BRINGING IT TO THE BOARD IS BECAUSE, UM, IN PREVIOUS YEARS, ORANGE HAD OWED THE COUNTY SOME MONEY AND, UH, IT HAD OFFSET THE AMOUNT THAT WOULD'VE COME FOR THE LEASE.
SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT'S APPEARING TO THE BOARD.
HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
MR. MARTINO, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DO NOT.
MR. MCINERNEY, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I HAVE ONE, UH, I HAVE TWO.
ONE IS, DID YOU SAY ON THE RESOLUTION NUMBER FIVE THAT THE 248,000 WAS COMING FROM PUBLIC WORKS? UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT ADJUSTER COUNTY PARKS? THAT'S CORRECT.
IT'S COMING FROM THE OPERATING BUDGET.
IT'S FROM PUBLIC WORKS CAPITAL.
SO WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE 1,000,001 19? THAT'S FROM PARKS CAPITAL.
SO THEY'RE BOTH PARKS CAPITAL, CORRECT.
OR UH, I'M NOT SURE THE DELINEATION.
I KNOW DEFINITELY THE 1.9 WAS FOR PARKS CAPITAL AND THEN I'M TOLD THE, THE OTHER 2 48 IS PUBLIC WORKS CAPITAL.
I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'RE THE SAME ACCOUNT NUMBER THOUGH.
NUMBER EIGHT, YOU SAID 85,000? I'M SORRY.
IT'S TWO SEPARATE ACCOUNT NUMBERS.
IT'S TWO SEPARATE AUTHORIZATIONS.
NO, SO, SO THE CAPITAL MONEY'S ALWAYS ALREADY BEEN INSERTED.
WE'RE JUST, THIS RESOLUTION JUST SPEAKS TO THE 2 MILLION FROM OPEN SPACE.
UM, ON NUMBER EIGHT, THE 85,000 MM-HMM
SO, SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT THEY OWED US SOME MONEY AND WE, WE JUST KIND OF, UH, OFFSET THIS 85,000 AGAINST THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY OWED US? THAT, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING, YES.
YEAH, I, I WOULD, I WOULD QUESTION WHY WE WOULD DO THAT.
'CAUSE TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO EXPEND MONEY, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED AN AUTHORIZATION.
UM, I I REALLY, YOU KNOW, I WOULD, I WOULD ASK YOU MAYBE YOU COULD LOOK INTO THAT AND SEE WHAT THAT TRANSACTION WAS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE IDEA OF OFFSETTING IN OUR, IN OUR BUDGET AND EVEN OUR, IN OUR CAPITAL ACCOUNTS IS NOT SOMETHING I I I'VE TYPICALLY SEEN.
SO IF I CAN ASK YOU TO JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND MAYBE GET BACK TO THE BOARD, LET US KNOW EXACTLY HOW THAT HAPPENED.
YEAH, WE'LL CERTAINLY LOOK INTO IT AND LET YOU KNOW.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER IS NUMBER FIVE AND NUMBER 37 CONNECTED.
ARE THEY, IS ONE WITH THERE TWO TOGETHER OR THEY'RE TWO SEPARATE THINGS? I KNOW NUMBER 37 RESOLUTION IS SAYS PUBLIC WORKS, BUT IS ONE SUPPORTING? THEY'RE TOGETHER.
SUE YOU MR. PRESIDENT? UM, YES.
FIVE IS A PARTIAL FUNDING SOURCE FOR NUMBER 37.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION? MOVE SECOND.
SECOND BY VICE PRESIDENT COOPER.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GILL? YES.
I WANT TO GET MR. ZAYS HOME EARLIER.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
I, I'VE BEEN TOLD I'M ANNOYING ENOUGH THAT EVENTUALLY EVERYBODY COMES AROUND.
LET'S LAUNCH RESOLUTIONS NINE THROUGH 15 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF NUMBER 12, WHICH HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
AND WE'RE ALSO GONNA DO ADD HIS START AS 37 AND 38.
THESE ARE ALL FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND CAN READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
UH, DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER NINE, AWARDS MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL.
A ONE YEAR CONTRACT TO PERFORM TRAFFIC ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES FOR THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS ALONG COUNTY ROADWAYS ON A AS NEEDED BASIS IN A AMOUNT TO EXCEED $229,404.
MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL SUBMITTED THE HIGHEST RATED PROPOSAL OF THE SIX RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY.
THIS CONTRACT WILL PRIMARILY BE, BE UTILIZED TO SUPPORT THE FEDERALLY FUNDED CONSTRUCTION OF THE SIGNALIZED INTERSECT.
IMPROVEMENTS AT 25 LOCATIONS ALONG BLOOMFIELD AVENUE IN NEWARK, BEVILLE, BLOOMFIELD AND GLEN RIDGE.
MR. DWAYNE NELSON OF MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL IS HERE THIS EVENING.
HE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE
[00:40:01]
HIS COMPANY AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS SUPPORT MAY HAVE.PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME, UH, AND YOUR AFFILIATION AND JUST TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY AND THE CONTRACT.
UM, UH, PROJECT MANAGER AND SENIOR ASSOCIATE WITH MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL.
I'M OUR NEW JERSEY HEADQUARTERS, OR IN HAMILTON, NEW JERSEY.
WE ALSO HAVE AN OFFICE HERE IN, UH, DOWNTOWN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, WHICH I WORK OUT OF.
UM, WE ARE FULL SERVICE, CIVIL ENGINEERING, UH, COMPANY.
I WORK, UH, DIRECTLY IN THE TRAFFIC ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE HAVE WORKED FOR ESSEX COUNTY PREVIOUSLY, UM, WITH THE MODERNIZATION TRAFFIC SIGNAL, UH, PROJECT ALONG CENTRAL AVENUE, THE PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF BLOOMFIELD AVENUE, UH, PROJECT THAT DAVID JUST REFERENCED.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, MY, MYSELF HAVE MORE THAN 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
UH, WE'RE A 300, UH, COMPANY FIRM IN NEW JERSEY.
UM, MUCH MORE, UH, NATIONALLY.
HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE HERE IN OEX COUNTY? UH, APPROXIMATELY 50.
MR. MACKER, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? NO QUESTION.
COMMISSIONER, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? NO.
YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK, MR. NELSON.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 10 IS AN AWARD OF CONTRACT WITH FRENCH AND PERELLO TO PROVIDE THE DESIGN, ENGINEERING, AND CONSTRUCTION INSPECTION SERVICES REQUIRED TO PERFORM THE BASEBALL FIELD IMPROVEMENTS AT IRVINGTON PARK IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $129,350.
FRENCH AND PERELLO SUBMITTED THE HIGHEST RATE OF PROPOSAL OF THE TWO RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY.
THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE COLLEGE REGULATION SIZE, BASEBALL FIELD WITH SYNTHETIC TURF INFIELD, AND A GRASS OUTFIELD.
THERE WILL BE, THERE WILL BE LD LIGHTING, THERE WILL BE NEW SPECTATOR SEATING AREAS, A NEW ROOF CANOPY, NEW DUGOUTS, TRASH RECEPTACLES, DRINKING WATER FOUNTAINS, NEW FLAGPOLES, AND OF COURSE, A NEW DIGITAL SCOREBOARD.
UH, WE DO HAVE MR. MICHAEL PEGA, WHO WOULD LIKE TO ALSO INTRODUCE THIS COMPANY AND PERHAPS DO A BETTER JOB THAN ME IN, UH, TOUCHING ON THE SCOPE OF WORK.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION.
TELL US ABOUT THE CONTRACT, YOUR COMPANY.
I WORK WITH FRENCH APP PEARL ASSOCIATES.
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH FRENCH APP PEARL FOR THE LAST 27 YEARS.
UH, WE'VE WORKED WITH ESTES COUNTY ON MULTIPLE PROJECTS RANGING FROM TURTLEBACK ZOO TO, UH, OTHER AREAS OF PARKS.
UH, RECENTLY WE DID THE PARK OVER AT ORANGE PARK, UH, THE SYNTHETIC TURF INFIELD FOR BOTH BASEBALL FIELDS.
THIS IS GONNA BE VERY SIMILAR TO THAT WITH THE NEW BACKSTOP, NEW, UH, DUGOUTS, NEW FENCING ALONG THE SIDES.
UH, THE INFIELD WOULD BE SYNTHETIC TURF 'CAUSE THAT'S WHERE MOST OF YOUR, YOUR, UH, MAINTENANCE IS.
AND THEN THE OUTFIELD WILL HAVE THAT NATURAL GRASS FIELD SO EVERYONE CAN HAVE THAT, THAT PLAY.
NOW THE LIGHTING THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IS, THERE'S A SOCCER FIELD IN IRVINGTON PARK ALSO.
THEY'RE GONNA BE PUTTING IN BRAND NEW, UH, MUSCO LIGHT FIXTURES FOR THAT SOCCER FIELD AND SCOREBOARDS.
UM, THEY'LL ALSO BE DOING A LITTLE BIT OF PATHWAY WORK AND SOME BENCHES AND RECEPTACLES FOR THAT PARTICULAR, UH, APPLICATION.
MR. MARTINO, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? NO QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMISSIONERS, QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT.
I, I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I'M GONNA MAKE A COMMENT.
I'M GONNA CHANNEL MY GOOD FRIEND, COMMISSIONER SIEBEL, WHO'S NOT HERE TODAY,
AND WE KNOW THAT THIS PROJECT WILL EQUALLY BE AS GREAT AS ALL THE OTHER ONES THAT YOU'VE DONE FOR US.
ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 11 AWARDS THE RESTORATION OF THE BASKETBALL COURT LOCATED AT THE ESSEX COUNTY HOSPITAL CENTER TO SEE AND CONSTRUCTION IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $103,670.
AND CONSTRUCTION SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE TWO BIDS RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY.
THIS CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WILL INCLUDE THE RESTORATION OF THE BASKETBALL SURFACE AND WILL ADD NEW BASKETBALL RIMS, NETS, AND BACKBOARDS ALONG WITH OTHER IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS BLEACHERS, PRESS,
[00:45:01]
RECEPTACLES, AND TREE TRIMMING.MR. FLACO CHEKI IS HERE THIS EVENING.
ALSO, WOULD LIKE TO TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD ABOUT HIS COMPANY AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
PLEASE JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND ABOUT THE CONTRACT IN YOUR COMPANY.
MY NAME IS KOS CHESKY WITH ZN CONSTRUCTION.
UH, WE'VE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR OVER 10 YEARS.
UH, THIS IS OUR FOURTH OR FIFTH PROJECT WITH, UH, THE COUNTY.
UH, ALL THE PRO THE PREVIOUS PROJECTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, UM, ON TIME UNDER BUDGET.
UH, THIS IS A RELATIVELY SMALL PROJECT.
IT'S A RENOVATION OF EXISTING, UH, BASKETBALL COURT, UH, NEW BLEACHERS, UH, SMALL LANDSCAPING AREA, UH, BENCHES AND SOME, UH, TRASH RECEPTACLES ON TIME AND UNDER BUDGET IS KEY.
SO WE WON'T GET ARGUMENTS FROM US.
MR. BAR, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? UH, NO.
COMMISSIONS QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR? OKAY.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER, UH, 13 AWARDS AERIAL RISE, A TWO YEAR CONTRACT TO PROVIDE PARTS AND REPAIRS FOR SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT AND AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $75,000.
THIS CONTRACT IS USED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS TO MAINTAIN ITS FLEET OF WORK VEHICLES, WHICH ARE EQUIPPED WITH SPECIALIZED HYDRAULIC BOOMS SUCH AS BUCKET TRUCKS, KNUCKLE BOOM VEHICLES, ET CETERA.
UH, THESE VEHICLES REQUIRE REGULAR INSPECTIONS, UH, REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE, SO THEY MAY BE OPERATED SAFELY BY DPW STAFF.
AND ITEM NUMBER 14 AUTHORIZES THE EXECUTION OF A FEDERAL AID AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COUNTY OF ESSEX AND, AND THE N-J-D-O-T.
THIS GRANT REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT WILL ALLOW THE COUNTY TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION COST OF THE SIGNALIZE INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS ALONG CENTRAL AVENUE THROUGH NEWARK, EAST ORANGE, ORANGE, AND WEST ORANGE.
IN AN AMOUNT NITRIC EXCEED $4,295,351.
THIS PROJECT ENCOMPASSES THE FULL LENGTH OF CENTRAL AVENUE AND WILL INCLUDE 38 SIGNAL LOSS INTERSECTIONS.
AND ITEM NUMBER, UH, 15 IS THE BUDGET INSERTION OF THIS AFOREMENTIONED $4,295,351 OF FEDERAL FUNDS, UH, WHICH WILL BE USED LIKE I MENTIONED TO FOR THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL OPTIMIZATION AND ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC SIGNAL IMPROVEMENTS ALONG CENTRAL AVENUE.
AND ITEM NUMBER 37 AWARDS, CN CONSTRUCTION, THE CONTRACT TO RENOVATE THE MAINTENANCE GARAGE AT WHEAT CREEK PARK IN AN AMOUNT THAT YOU EXCEED $4,168,000.
UH, CN CONSTRUCTION SUBMITTED THE LOWEST OF THE FIVE BITS RECEIVED BY THE COUNTY.
THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE THE RENOVATION AND EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING MAINTENANCE GARAGE TO ACCOMMODATE COLD WEATHER, MATERIAL STORAGE, VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT STORAGE.
THERE WILL, THERE WILL BE NEW EMPLOYEE, UH, BREAK ROOMS AND LOCKER ROOMS AND WILL BE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.
AGAIN, MR. BLAGO ZEKI WILL, UH, TOUCH ON THE SCOPE OF WORK AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT WORK MAY HAVE BLAGO.
JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND JUST TELL US ABOUT THE CONTRACT THAT SINCE YOU ALREADY TALKED ABOUT YOUR COMPANY, UH, CHEKI WITH THE CONSTRUCTION.
UM, SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLEX PROJECT THAN THE, THE TENNIS COURT AT THE HOSPITAL.
UM, THIS ONE CONSISTS OF FULL INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR RENOVATION OF THE EXISTING MAINTENANCE BUILDING, NEW PARKING LOTS, UM, EV CHARGING STATION, NEW LANDSCAPING, IRRIGATION, UM, FULL UNDERGROUND, UM, UH, PIPING AND, AND, UH, NEW WATER SERVICE TO THE, TO THE EXISTING BUILDING.
UM, PRETTY MUCH THE, THE TIME FOR COMPLETION IS ABOUT SIX MONTHS AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD AGAIN TO, TO FINISH IT ON TIME AND, UH, UNDER BUDGET, CERTAINLY.
UH, MR. MARTIN, BEFORE HE GOES, JUST MR. MARTINO, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE VENDOR ON THIS CONTRACT? NO, I HAVE NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS ON THIS CONTRACT? COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON? YEAH.
WHERE, WHERE'S YOUR COMPANY LOCATED? UH, OUR COMPANY'S LOCATED, UH, IN ELMO PARK, NEW JERSEY.
BUT, UH, WE HAVE, UM, EMPLOYEES THAT ARE, UH, THEY'RE LIVING IN, UH, ESSEX COUNTY.
AND, UH, I WOULD SAY 65% OF OUR SUBCONTRACTORS ARE, UH,
[00:50:01]
USING, I MEAN, THEY HAVE EMPLOYEES RESIDENCE, UH, IN ESSEX COUNTY.SO IS THIS A PREVAILING WAGE PROJECT? YES, SIR.
SO ARE YOU UNION AFFILIATED? NO, WE ARE NOT.
WE ARE, UH, IN FULL COMPLIANCE.
LIKE I SAID, WE HAD COMPLETED FOUR TO FIVE PROJECTS BEFORE WITH THE MB AND WB PERCENTAGES.
UM, ESSEX COUNTY, UH, PUBLIC WORK DEPARTMENT.
THEY, THEY MAKE SURE IT'S ENFORCED AND WE NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH, UH, THAT DEPARTMENT.
BUT IF YOU'RE PAYING PREVAILING WAGES, HOW COME YOU DON'T WORK WITH ANY UNIONS? YOU DON'T WORK WITH ANY UNIONS AT ALL? UH, NO.
IF IT'S PLA AGREEMENT PROJECT, THEN WE WORK WITH THE UNIONS.
IT'S THE SAME, SAME WEIGHT? UH, YEAH, BASICALLY THE RATES ARE THE SAME.
NOT BASICALLY THE RATES ARE THE SAME.
COMMISSIONER, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'M GOOD.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT, IS THIS THE AREA OVER OFF OF ELIZABETH AVENUE? YES.
THE OUTSIDE STORAGE AREAS ARE GETTING REHABBED.
UPDATED TOO? UH, I'M NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT SURE IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME BUILDING.
UH, THE BUILDING ITSELF, IT HAS A PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF IT.
DAVID ANTONIO BURN PUBLIC WORKS.
IT'S A FEW HUNDRED FEET FROM THE ENTRANCE FROM, OKAY, THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, MR. ANTONIO, WE GOT 38.
DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
ITEM NUMBER 38 AUTHORIZES THE EXECUTION OF A FEDERAL EIGHT AGREEMENT MODIFICATION FOR THE VALLEY STREET 11 INTERSECTION PROJECT, WHICH WILL REVISE THE COMPLETION DATE FROM JULY, 2026 TO JANUARY, 2027.
THIS TIME, THIS TIME EXTENSION REQUEST IS DUE TO THE UNFORESEEN DELAYS IN THE DELIVERY OF TRAFFIC SIGNAL EQUIPMENT FROM MANUFACTURERS.
THERE IS CURRENTLY A NATIONAL SHORTAGE OF ALUMINUM CASTERS THAT MAKE TRAFFIC SIGNAL, ARMS, POLES, OR BASES.
UH, THIS MANUFACTURERS ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING A LEAD TIME OF 70 TO 72 WEEKS FOR THE TRAFFIC EQUIPMENT THAT IS NEEDED FOR THE VALLEY STREET PROJECT.
UH, THIS TIME EXTENSION WILL FACILITATE THE DELIVERY OF THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL EQUIPMENT AND ITS COMPLETION.
THERE IS NO FINANCIAL IMPACT APPROVING THIS TIME REQUEST.
UH, FOR ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT WE DID NOT VENDORS, MR. MARTINEZ, ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE? NO QUESTIONS ON THOSE.
MR. MCINERNEY, JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION.
THE OP, WHEN IT SAYS OPTIMIZATION AND, UM, ADAPTIVE IS, ARE THESE THE ONES THAT HAVE THE REAL TIME SENSORS IN THEM THAT ADJUST THE, THAT ARE ABLE TO ADJUST THE TRAFFIC FLOW OR THE TIMING OF, OF THE, UH, OF THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS BASED ON, ON TRAFFIC FLOW? THAT'S THAT IT'S ABLE TO MONITOR DAVID ANTONIO, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, YOU AND MR. PRESIDENT.
THAT IS ONE OF THE MANY TOOLS AVAILABLE TO MAKE SOMETHING ADAPTIVE.
UH, THE FUNDING FOR THIS PROJECT IS SOMETHING CALLED CMAC, STANDS FOR CONGESTION MANAGEMENT AND AIR QUALITY.
IT'S FEDERAL MONEY DESIGNATED TO IMPROVING AIR QUALITY.
ONE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO HAVE EFFICIENT MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES, UH, THROUGH CORRIDORS EXIST CENTRAL AVENUE.
SO THAT IS ONE TOOL, UM, THAT'S KIND OF BE IMPLEMENTED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
BUT THOSE ARE THOSE SENSOR I'M JUST YEAH, VIDEO DETECTION SENSORS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. VICE PRESIDENT? 14.
SO FOR ITEM 14, YOU SAID WE'RE DOING THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF CENTRAL AVENUE.
ARE WE INCLUDING THOSE CUTE TRAFFIC CROSSING THINGS AT THE AREAS WHERE THERE'S HIGH TRAFFIC, WHERE THE SCHOOLS ARE FOR THE KIDS? SO WE'RE DOING ALL OF CENTRAL AVENUE FROM MISS BEGINNING AT MLK HERE IN NEWARK TO VERY END AT VALLEY AND WEST ORANGE.
SO IN BETWEEN ANY 38 EXISTING SECOND SECONDED INTERSECTIONS, YES.
THEY WILL BE SUBJECT TO IMPROVEMENT.
AND IT'S INCLUDING THOSE AND IT'S LIKE THE NICE ONES THAT WE DID IN SOUTH ORANGE, IS THE QUESTION.
CAN WE CONSIDER, UM, ESPECIALLY IT'S BY THE HOSPITAL ON CENTRAL AVENUE A MONTH.
THAT'S A REALLY DIFFICULT INTERSECTION IS THREE SENIORS BUILDINGS THERE WITH THE HOSPITAL TO CONSIDER SLOWING.
UH, LIKE WE DID IN SOUTH ORANGE.
I THINK IT'S CALLED THE SCRAMBLE.
'CAUSE LITERALLY SOME OF THEM ARE TRYING TO GET ACROSS ON THEIR WALKERS OR WHEELCHAIRS AND THE LIGHT IS TURNING, YOU KNOW, GREEN.
WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT.
[00:55:01]
COMMISSIONER, UH, GIL.UM, WILL THESE, UH, WILL THESE INTERSECTIONS BE DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COUNTY'S COMPLETE STREETS POLICY? UH, DAVID ANTONIO, BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, THEY ARE, THIS IMPROVEMENTS ARE CONGRUENT WITH THIS COMPLETE SPEECH POLICY OF THE COUNTY.
UH, FOLLOW UP QUESTION, UM, THROUGH YOU, MS. PRESIDENT, UM, AS, AS THE COUNTY, UM, UNDERGOES, I, I DO BELIEVE WE'RE STILL UNDERGOING OUR, UM, SS FOUR A, UM, INPUT PROCESS WHERE WE TAKE THIS TYPE OF INPUT, UM, UH, FROM THE COMMUNITIES MM-HMM
THAT, UM, WE ARE SEEKING TO SERVE.
UM, HOW, HOW DOES THE TIMING OF THAT PROCESS, 'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A, WHERE WE HAD ONE OR HAVE A BIG, UM, OPEN PUBLIC MEETING WHERE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE TAKING THE TYPE OF INPUT THAT I THINK, UM, VICE PRESIDENT, UH, COOPER JUST JUST MENTIONED.
HOW DOES THAT WORK IN CONCURRENCE WITH THESE PROJECTS RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE PUSHING OUT THE DOOR? HOW, HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THE INPUT THAT WE'RE RECEIVING RIGHT NOW, EVEN THOUGH THAT PROCESS IS NOT COMPLETED, INCORPORATED IN THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW? UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT DAVID ANTONIO, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, UH, THE STUDY THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WRAPPING UP THE COMPLETE STREETS, UH, THE SAFETY ACTION PLAN, UH, SAFE STREETS FOR ALL.
UM, THE IDEA DIRECTING THIS PLAN IS TO IDENTIFY LOCATIONS WHERE MONEY TIED TO THE PROGRAM CALLED SAFE STREETS FOR ALL CAN BE USED.
AND THAT'S GONNA GENERATE A LIST OF PROJECTS SPECIFICALLY TO TARGET THAT MONEY THAT'S GONNA BE MADE AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE OTHER PLANNING STUDIES LIKE THE RECENTLY COMPLETED SES COUNTY PLAN 2045 COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, WHICH HAS YIELDED THIS PROJECT AND THE SAME INPUT THAT WE'RE RECEIVING THIS MONTH FOR THE SAFE STREETS FOR ALL.
IT'S THE SIMILAR INPUT WE RECEIVED A YEAR AGO WHEN WE COMPLETED THE COMPREHENSIVE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
SO, IN A WAY, UH, THEY'RE, WE'RE KIND OF ECHOING EACH OTHER.
THE TWO PLANS ARE, WE ARE HEARING THE SAME MESSAGE FROM THE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE COMMENTS.
UH, AND THE, THE SAFE STREETS FOR ALL PLAN.
UH, IT'S GONNA BE COMPLETED AT THE END OF THIS MONTH.
AND THAT LIST OF PROJECTS, UH, WANTS, THEY'RE FULLY VETTED.
THEY'RE GONNA BE CANDIDATE PROJECTS FOR THE SAFE STREETS FOR ALL POT OF MONEY THAT'S GONNA MADE AVAILABLE FOR SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.
MR. COMMISSIONER GU, THEN WE'LL COME BACK.
AND I'LL DO SOME ADDITIONAL FOLLOW.
'CAUSE I, I, I WANT TO BE CONSCIOUS OF, OF, UH, THE TIME OF THE MEETING FOR SURE.
BUT, UM, THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR, UM, AND WOULD REQUEST MR. PRESIDENT THROUGH YOUR OFFICE THAT WHEN THAT MAYBE WE CAN TALK ABOUT WHEN THAT, WHEN THAT, UH, STUDY'S COMPLETED.
HOW WE, HOW BOTH THE BOARD WILL BE, UH, BRIEFED, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THAT STUDY.
UH, AND ALSO THEN HOW WE WILL BE AS A COUNTY INTERACTING WITH ALL THE DIRECT, WITH THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT THE STUDY'S GOING TO, UH, COVER.
YOU KNOW, INCLUDING THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE, UM, UH, VISION ZERO TASK FORCE, THE ONES THAT DON'T.
WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, QUITE A FEW THAT DO NOW.
UM, SO THIS IS, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY EVER GETS BACK TO WORK
UM, AND WHO KNOWS IF THAT WILL HAPPEN OR NOT, BUT, UM, IF IT DOES, UM, WE ARE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A RARE, RARE OPPORTUNITY.
UM, LIKE I CAN'T, I CAN'T STRESS IT ENOUGH.
I CAN'T STRESS IT ENOUGH FOR MY, FOR MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL.
THIS IS A RARER OPPORTUNITY, UH, FOR US TO PUT OUR IMPRINT ON, UM, THE ENTIRE, UM, TRANSPORTATION, UH, PLAN, SO TO SPEAK, OF THE COUNTY.
AND IT DOESN'T COME AROUND THAT OFTEN.
SO, UM, SO THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT.
AND WE'LL WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON THAT FOR SURE.
MR. JACKSON, THEN THROUGH YOUR OFFICE, WHEN ENGINEERING DOES COMPLETE THE SURVEYS, COULD YOU HAVE THEM, UH, SCHEDULE TIME TO BRIEF US AND JUST DO THAT, KIND OF SEE HOW THAT'S GONNA IMPACT THESE PROJECTS.
THAT MAY ALREADY BE ON PAPER IN THE WORKS, BUT WE'LL TAKE SOME TIME TO EXECUTE.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT.
I WAS GONNA, UM, ASK FOR WHAT COMMISSIONER GILL JUST ASKED FOR, BUT I ALSO WANNA, UM, ASK THAT I HOPE THAT THE PLAN AND THE FINAL VERSION OF THE PLAN, AT LEAST WHERE A SCHOOL EXISTS WITHIN THE COUNTY ROADS AND STREETS, THAT WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT WE'RE PUTTING THE NICE NEW UPDATED CROSSING INDICATORS.
'CAUSE OFTENTIMES, ESPECIALLY IN THE URBAN CENTERS, SMALL LITTLE KIDS ARE WALKING THEMSELVES TO SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S BEEN PLENTY OF TIMES WHERE I'VE PULLED OVER OR PUT MY CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET TO HELP A KID CROSS BECAUSE
[01:00:01]
THEY'RE LITTLE.THE PARENTS ARE OFF AT WORK AND THE KIDS GOTTA GO TO SCHOOL ON THEIR OWN AND THEY HAVE TO CROSS VERY MANY BUSY INTERSECTIONS.
SO THOSE NICE, UM, CROSSING BUTTONS, WHEREVER WE CAN PUT THEM, I KNOW THEY'RE EXPENSIVE, BUT THEY'RE WORTH IT AS A SAFETY FEATURE TO TELL THE KID WHEN TO CROSS AND WHEN NOT TO CROSS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE'RE GOOD.
COMMISSIONER, VP, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE IT? MOTION? YES.
COMMISSIONER GI, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SECOND IT? SURE.
THIS IS FOR NINE THROUGH 15, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 12 AND ALSO NUMBER 37 38.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
THANK YOU TO NUMBER 16, WHICH IS IN THE OFFICE OF COUNTY COUNCIL.
WE'LL BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
IS THIS MR. COLT? UM, ACTUALLY I'LL BE IN WITH THIS ONE AS PRESIDENT.
THE, UH, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES FROM THE STATE REIMBURSES US FOR THE WORK THE COUNTY COUNCIL DOES ON BEHALF OF DEPENDENT CHILDREN OR THE, OR THE FOR CHILDREN AND COUNTY HAS PROVIDED PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, ASSISTANCE TO, UM, THIS AMOUNTS OF 65% OF OUR COSTS, UM, TO A MAXIMUM OF $309,000 IN CHANGE.
AND THIS WILL COVER THE PERIOD OF OCTOBER 1ST, 2025 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 20, 26.
COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS ON 16? SCENE? NONE.
MOTION MOVE BY VP SECOND BY, I'M SORRY, WHO WAS THAT? WAS THAT, UH, MERCADO? THANK YOU.
MADAM DEPUTY CLERK FOR NUMBER 16.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO 17 AND ADD THIS STARTED.
36, WHICH ARE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION FINANCE OFFICE OF PURCHASING.
COULD BE READ INTO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
MR. COLTRANE, THE DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION OF FINANCE, OFFICE OF PURCHASE OF PURCHASING APPROVAL OF THE VENDOR NAME CHANGE TO PROVIDE WEB WEBSITE CONSULTANT FOR THE COUNTY, ESSEX COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FROM CIVIC SOLUTIONS INC.
TO PACIFIC TECH SOLUTIONS LLC.
UH, THE CONTRACT THAT THEY HAVE WILL NOT EXPIRE UNTIL JULY 7TH, 2020 6, 37 AND OH.
WE'LL GO TO 36 FOR THE RECORD.
UH, THIS IS THE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATION FINANCES OFFICE PURCHASE.
AMENDED THE LEASE AGREEMENT FOR PARKING AT 300 WASHINGTON STREET, NORTH NEW JERSEY WITH REHAB TTRB 300, WASHINGTON LLC, SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2025 THROUGH AUGUST 31ST, 2028.
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $731,808.
THIS IS JUST AMENDING THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION THAT WE PUT OUT, UH, ON MAY 1ST, 2025.
QUESTIONS ON THESE? NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER, VP, WHAT WAS 36 FOR? PARKING FOR THE NEW COURTHOUSE BUILDING.
THIS IS AN ADDITIONAL 88 SPACES FOR THE NEW COURT HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET.
UH, WE HAVE TWO PARKING LOTS THERE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THAT.
THIS IS 88 AND THE OTHER PARKING LOT HAS 2 29.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SOMEONE TO MOVE THESE MOVE MOVED BY RICHARDSON.
UH, ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GID? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO NUMBER 18, WHICH IS IN THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR.
CAN BE READ INTO THE RECORD A LATER TIME? MR. PRESIDENT, THE OFFICE OF A PROSECUTE.
THIS IS A PARTICIPATION, UH, RESOLUTION WITH THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAM ADMINISTERED BY THE DIVISION OF VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND VICTIM ASSISTANCE DEPARTMENT LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY ACCEPTING SUB-AWARD,
[01:05:01]
UH, VA WA 37 DASH 24 PERIOD FROM JULY 1ST, 2025 TO JUNE 30TH, 2026, UH, FOR, UH, VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT, UH, ACT GRANT TO ENHANCE SERVICES FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND OTHER CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN THROUGH THE VICTIM WITNESS ADVOCATE PROGRAM.A MATCHING COVER BY IN-KIND SALARY AND BENEFITS.
OUR SERMONS ROLL CALL MADAM DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS 19 TO 25, WHICH ARE 2025.
BUDGET INSERT ITEMS OF REVENUE FROM VARIOUS SOURCES AND THERE WILL BE READ TO THE RECORD AT LATER TIME.
MR. JACKSON? UH, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
ITEM 19, UH, RELATES TO THE, UH, AGREEMENT THAT, UH, MR. COLTRANE JUST WENT OVER.
UH, AND THE GRANT IS THE AMOUNT OF $110,539.
UH, ITEM 20, UM, IS A GRANT FROM, UH, NEW JERSEY, NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, FOR THE ARRIVED, UH, TOGETHER GRANT PROGRAM, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $350,000.
AND THIS GRANT, UH, ENSURES THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN CONTACT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT OR EXPEND AND ARE EXPERIENCING, UH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EMERGENCIES, HAVE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICES, AND THERE'S NO, UH, COUNTY MATCH ITEM 21, UM, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW, LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, UH, FOR OUR FY 26 WORK, FIRST NEW JERSEY PROGRAM, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,055,179.
UM, THIS PROVIDES, UH, UH, ASSISTANCE FOR, UH, CLIENTS, UH, WHO RECEIVED, UH, EITHER SNAP ORAN BENEFITS WITH FINDING AND, AND, UH, RETAINING FULL-TIME JOBS.
UH, ITEM 22, UH, IS IN SUPPORT OF OUR AREA PLAN FOR OUR DIVISION OF SENIOR SERVICES, UH, IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,276,401, WHICH PROVIDES FOR, UM, IN-HOME SUPPORT, COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND NUTRITION SERVICES.
AND WE RECEIVED, UH, $5.2 MILLION, UH, EARLIER.
UM, AND THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL COUNTY MATCH REQUIRED FOR THIS ADDITIONAL, UH, 2.2 MILLION.
UH, ITEM 23, UH, FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, THIS IS A, A COMPETITIVE AWARD SOLICITATION.
THIS IS THE FR CARA GRANT ON THE AMOUNT OF 799,000, UH, $993.
UM, THIS IS, UH, TO, TO HELP OUR RESPONSE TO THE, UH, OPIOID OVER OVERDOSE, UH, CRISIS THAT WE HAVE IN, IN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND, AND IN OUR CASES, ESSEX COUNTY, UM, UH, FOR MEDICATION HARM REDUCTION, SOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES, UM, UH, FOR, FOR OUR COUNTY RESIDENTS.
ITEM 24, UH, UH, FROM THE, UH, LOCAL ARTS, UH, GRANT PROGRAM, UH, TO OUR DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN THE AMOUNT OF $394,336.
AND THIS GOES TO SUPPORT, UH, LOCAL, UH, ART PROGRAMS. UM, AND BECAUSE THIS IS A RE-GRANT, UM, THERE'S NO COUNTY MATCH REQUIRED.
UH, FINALLY, ITEM 25, UM, FROM THE NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF STATE, UH, THE COUNTY HISTORY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, AGAIN, GOING TO OUR DEPARTMENT OF PARKS RECREATION CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN THE AMOUNT OF 80, $81,000.
THERE'S, UH, $76,000 IN DIRECT, UH, GRANTS, AND IT'S $5,000, UH, GOES TO THE COUNTY TO SUPPORT, UH, THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF THE GRANT PROGRAM.
MR. MARTINEZ, ANY QUESTIONS ON 19TH THROUGH 25? NO QUESTIONS.
COMMISSIONER, VICE PI HAVE A QUICK QUESTION FOR ITEM 20.
DO WE DO THAT IN HOUSE OR IS THAT A OUTSIDE ENTITY THAT DOES THAT PROGRAM FOR, UM, THE MENTAL HEALTH LAW ENFORCEMENT? FOR THE, UM, OH, IT'S A, IT'S ACTUALLY ARRIVE TOGETHER.
IT'S ACTUALLY, I THINK A COMBINATION OF THE TWO.
WE HAVE SOME PER, WE HAVE PERSONNEL WHO ARE INVOLVED IN IT, BUT I THINK WE EMPLOY CONSULTANTS TO HELP OUT AS WELL, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY.
BUT I CAN, I'LL, I'LL DOUBLE CHECK THAT FOR YOU.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? BP WOULD YOU LIKE TO MOVE THESE? YES.
[01:10:01]
TO 25.DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER GI? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT POIS? YES.
LET'S MOVE ON TO 20, UH, RESOLUTIONS 26 THROUGH 35 AND 39 THROUGH 46, WHICH ARE IMMOR COMMENDATIONS PROCLAMATION RESOLUTIONS THAT CAN BE READ TO THE RECORD AT A LATER TIME.
COMMISSIONERS QUESTIONS ON THESE MOVE, MOVE BY RICHARDSON.
SECOND, VICE PRESIDENT COOPER ON SECOND ROLL CALL MATTER.
DEPUTY CLERK COMMISSIONER SERMONS? YES.
COMMISSIONER VICE PRESIDENT COOPER? YES.
COMMISSIONER PRESIDENT EZ? YES.
UH, MADAM DEPUTY CLARK, LET'S MOVE ON TO, UH, WE DON'T HAVE ANY ANYMORE AT THE START IS CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO LET'S MOVE ON TO REPORT OF BOARD COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONERS, ANY REPORTS FROM BOARD COMMITTEES? COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, JUST QUICKLY, WE CONCLUDED OUR BANKING, UH, REVIEW HEARINGS YESTERDAY.
ALL BUT ONE BANK RESPONDED, SO I'LL RESERVE MY COMMENTS.
AND SO WE GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT BANK TO FOLLOW UP AND GIVE US MORE FEEDBACK, AND THEN I'LL COME BACK, UM, HOPEFULLY BY THE NEXT MEETING WITH, UM, ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, FEEDBACK FROM THE BANKS.
THERE WAS A GOOD IMPROVEMENT FROM ESPECIALLY SOME OF THE ONES THAT WE HAD SOME CHALLENGES WITH IN PRIOR YEARS.
AND THERE'S PROBABLY JUST ONE OR TWO, BUT WE'LL SEE.
I HOLD MY COMMENTS TO SEE WHAT THE ADDITIONAL REQUESTS ARE THAT WE MADE, SO THANK YOU.
UH, MADAM VICE PRESIDENT, UH, I COMMEND YOU ON THE RUNNING THOSE MEETINGS.
AND FOR THE STAFF FOR COLLATING ALL OF THAT BANKING INFORMATION, WHICH IS LIKE HERING CAP.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
IT WAS NO, UH, AND FOR MR. MOHAM, WHO WAS, AND MR. MUHAMMAD DID SPEND A LOT OF TIME HERE, HERE WITH US, YOU, MR. JACKSON, THE ADMINISTRATION FOR THAT.
MR. JACKSON, PLEASE EXTEND OUR, UH, COURTESY TO MR. MOHAMED FOR HIS, UH, DILIGENCE.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS? SEE, NONE.
ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORTS? SEE NONE WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS.
MR. PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER UNDER UNFINISHED BUSINESS, JUST FOR MY PERSONAL BUSINESS, I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING LATE.
IF THE CLERK COULD PLEASE MARK ME IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AS A YES FOR ORDINANCE 13.
DOES HE ONLY BE UNTD AS WELL? SO, YES.
UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, THERE'S ALSO RELATED, UH, UNT TABLING OF THOSE ORDINANCES THAT YOU REFERENCED AS WELL.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE IN AFFIRMATIVE FOR THAT AS WELL? YES.
DEPUTY CLEAR COMMISSIONERS, ANY NEW BUSINESS? SEE NONE MORE ON A PUBLIC COMMENT.
DOES ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER? PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE AND STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION FOR THE RECORD.
YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES TO SPEAK.
LET'S CHANGE THE CLOCK TO FOUR, PLEASE.
ALL RIGHT, SO I'M GONNA GO THREE THERE.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, PRE, UH, PRESIDENT PALMARIS.
UH, MY NAME IS NORM TER BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY.
UM, I WANTED TO KIND OF ADD ON TO WHAT VICE PRESIDENT COOPER AND WHAT COMMISSIONER GILL WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.
AND THAT IS MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR ROAD PROJECTS THAT ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW INCLUDE EVERYONE.
I WAS DRIVING EARLIER TODAY DOWN BLOOMFIELD AVENUE, UH, COMING OUT OF, UH, WEST CALDWELL, HEADING ALL THE WAY TO BLOOMFIELD.
I HIT A PATCH OF FRESHLY PAVED ROAD, AND IT WAS GREAT.
I'M SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE SAME FEELING WHEN YOU HIT, UH, YOU KNOW, NEW PAVEMENT, UH, WHEREVER IT IS.
IT, IT MAKES SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT YOUR TAXPAYER MONEY IS GOING, UM, TO GOOD THINGS.
I AM CALLING FOR EQUITY BECAUSE NEW PAVEMENT EQUALS SPEED.
AND AS PART OF THAT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY NEEDS TO RISE TO THE TOP, JUST LIKE THAT PAVEMENT ARISES ABOVE, UM, THE OLD PAVEMENT.
AND HERE'S WHAT I'M GETTING AT THIS BIG PROJECT THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW ON BLOOMFIELD AVENUE REPAVING BETWEEN GLEN RIDGE AND NEWARK.
I'VE SEEN THE PLANS, I'M SURE YOU MIGHT HAVE, TOO.
THOSE PLANS DO NOT UPGRADE THE CROSSWALKS.
THEY ARE THE OLD TRANSVERSE CROSSWALKS OF OUR CHILDHOOD.
WHEREAS WHAT'S NEEDED FOR THE ENTIRE
[01:15:01]
STRETCH ARE LADDER CROSSWALKS, WHICH LOOK LIKE LADDERS, OR WHAT THEY CALL CONTINENTAL CROSSWALKS.THE ONES THAT YOU MIGHT, UM, SEE IN DOWNTOWN MONTCLAIR, BIG BARS, UH, CLOSELY SPACED TOGETHER.
I LOOKED AT THE PLANS, I LOOKED AT THE DETAILS.
AND GUESS WHAT? THEY ARE JUST INSTALLING THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD CROSSWALKS.
AND THAT MISSES THE IMPRINT THAT COMMISSIONER GILL WAS TALKING ABOUT.
UM, SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO CHALLENGE, UM, THE ADMINISTRATOR, THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, EVERYONE TO ADD SOME ADDITIONAL MONEY AND MAKE SURE THAT RIGHT NOW, BEFORE CROSSWALKS ARE PAINTED ON BLOOMFIELD AVENUE, AFTER THIS REPAVING PROJECT IS DONE, MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE HIGH QUALITY, HIGH VISIBILITY CROSSWALKS, SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN EXIST ON AN EQUITABLE PLAYING FIELD.
ONE OTHER NOTE REALLY QUICK, UM, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THE REFERENCE TO COMPLETE STREETS.
I JUST READ THE, UH, 2012 COMPLETE STREETS POLICY OF THIS GOVERNING BODY.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CHECKLISTS, UM, THAT WERE USED, THAT, THAT WERE MENTIONED IN THE COMPLETE STREETS POLICY HAVE BEEN USED FOR THIS PROJECT AND ALL THE OTHER PROJECTS THAT MR. ANTONIO, MR. VARESE, UH, MR. MAHMOOD, ALL WORK ON.
THAT WOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
I'M WITH EYES ON ICE DOWN AT DELANEY HALL, AND I WANTED TO BRING YOU A QUICK UPDATE OF SOME OF THE THINGS HAPPENING THERE, AND ALSO, UH, TRY TO MOTIVATE YOU TO TAKE MORE ACTION TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PLACE, UH, THE DETAINEES ARE TREATED ADEQUATELY.
UM, THE WAY IT'S RUNNING NOW, THE FACILITY PROBABLY SHOULD BE CLOSED.
UM, AND, UH, ALSO, THE CONDITIONS FOR VISITORS ARE ABOMINABLE, AND THEY'RE SITTING IN AN OPEN DRIVEWAY IN VERY, VERY COLD WEATHER THAT'S COMING.
SO WE NEED YOUR HELP AND ADVOCACY TO CALL THE ICE OFFICE IN NEWARK AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR CONTRACTOR GEO, UH, MEETS THE STANDARDS FOR HAVING A FACILITY.
SO, ANYWAY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU.
ALSO, I, I NOT ONLY WANNA EARN YOU TO DO MORE THINGS, I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PASSING THAT IMMIGRANT TRUST ACT RESOLUTION.
UH, NOW WE JUST HAVE TO GET IT ACROSS THE LINE.
WE NEED YOU TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT, TO REACH OUT TO THE SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY PEOPLE, AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S PASSED, THAT ONLY NOT ONLY PROTECTS IMMIGRANTS, THAT PROTECTS THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY FROM DR.
UH, BECAUSE THE IMMIGRANTS, IF THEY'RE NOT AFRAID, THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE DRIVEN UNDERGROUND, AND THEY'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTIVITIES OF THEIR COMMUNITIES SAFELY.
THE SECOND THING IS, UM, CO COMMISSIONER MURRAY THOMAS AND COMMISSIONER GILL HAVE BOTH BEEN TO DELANEY HALL.
AND, UH, COMMISSIONER THOMAS MET WITH, UH, VISITORS.
SHE KNOWS THE STORY ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN THERE, AND SHE KNOWS THE MISERY.
SHE'S TALKED TO THOSE VISITORS WHO HAVE LOVED ONES INSIDE.
UM, COMMISSIONER GILL WAS THERE TODAY.
HE OPENED COMMUNICATIONS WITH, UH, ONE OF THE FACILITIES, UH, ASSISTANT DIRECTORS.
AND WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE VISITORS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GO INTO DELANEY HALL SOON, BECAUSE THEY CANNOT WAIT IN AN OPEN DRIVEWAY ANY LONGER.
IT'S WAY TOO COLD, AND THEY NEED A LOBBY INSIDE WHERE THEY CAN WELCOME THEM.
SO WE NEED YOU IN YOUR WISDOM TO ADVOCATE FOR THAT.
YOU CAN CALL, UM, THE ICE, UH, FIELD OFFICE AND GET THIS DONE.
AND THIS IS A FACILITY THAT IS, THAT IS THERE TO FACILITATE THE ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES OF THESE ICE AGENTS THAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE NEWS EVERY DAY.
AND THE ICE AGENTS ARE ARRESTING PEOPLE AS THEY'RE FOLLOWING THEIR LEGAL IMMIGRATION PROCESS.
70% OF THE PEOPLE IN DELANEY HALL WE'RE IN PROCESS OF FOLLOWING THROUGH AND MEETING THEIR IMMIGRATION REQUIREMENTS.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
IT'S EMBARRASSING AND IT'S HORRIBLE.
AND WE NEED YOU TO ADVOCATE AND TO STEP UP AND, AND TAKE THIS ON AS WELL.
AND ANYTHING YOU DO WILL BE MASSIVELY WELCOME BY THE VISITORS AND BY THE FAMILIES THAT ARE BEING
[01:20:01]
LEFT PENNILESS IN MANY CASES.UM, SO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WOULD MEET WITH US 30 SECONDS, UH, EYES ON ICE, WOULD LOVE TO MEET WITH YOU AND GIVE YOU MORE INFORMATION, PROBABLY GIVE YOU A TOOLKIT SO THAT YOU KNOW WHAT THE VISITORS HAVE AVAILABLE, AND ALSO YOU HAVE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION AND, UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN MUCH GREATER DETAIL.
ANYONE WHO HASN'T BEEN DOWN TO DELANEY HALL, A GOOD TIME TO COME IS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY ALL DAY.
THERE ARE VOLUNTEERS THERE, TIME MEETING WITH VISITORS.
SO PLEASE, UH, YOU CAN SEE ME AFTER IF YOU WANT MORE INFORMATION.
GOOD EVENING, MR. PAUL ROGERS.
UM, MY NAME IS RUSSELL MALICA, ONE SUNDAY, NINE STONEHOUSE ROAD, BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY.
UM, I HAVE AN APARTMENT BUILDING I'M REFURBISHING RIGHT NOW BETWEEN AMPIRE PARKWAY AND GROVE STREET, DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM STAPLES.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY A YEAR AGO, UH, WELL, I'M, I'M OKAY.
BUT FORTUNATELY, UNFORTUNATELY, A YEAR AGO TO AVOID A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT, I HAD A JUMP, THE CURB, AND THERE WAS A, UM, BIG, UH, PIECE OF METAL, UH, FROM A, A COUNTY SIGN THAT WAS LEFT THERE.
UM, MY CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS THE STRIPING, THEY'RE PAVING AND THE DOVETAIL, UH, WITH A GENTLEMAN SAID BEFORE IS THE STRIPING IS WRONG.
WE HAVE STANDARDS FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE APARTMENT BUILDING ON ONE END FOR PARKING, IT'S, UH, 66 INCHES OR 5.5 FEET.
ON THE OTHER END, IT'S 87 INCHES OR ROUGHLY 7.25 FEET.
THE STATE LAW SAYS THE SPACE HAS TO BE NINE FEET WIDE.
AND I HAVE THE, UH, THE, THE STATUTE HERE AND THE LENGTH IS SUBJECTIVE.
UM, WHEN THEY RES STRIPPED, I GUESS IN 23, 24, UM, THEY, UH, NARROWED THE ROADWAY.
AND, UM, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC AND THINGS NEED TO BE ACCOMP, UM, ACCOMMODATED THERE.
BUT, UH, THIS IS THE PERFECT TIME TO REASSESS THE STRIPING.
AND, UH, THAT'S ONE POINT I WANTED TO MAKE TONIGHT.
IF THERE'S SOMEONE AT THE, UH, COUNTY OFFICES WE COULD TALK TO, TO LOOK INTO THAT.
THE SECOND THING IS THE COUNTY PLANTED A TREE IN FRONT OF THE APARTMENT BUILDING, AND THEY PUT UP SIGNS IN FRONT OF THE APARTMENT BUILDING, AND, UH, THE TREE WAS TAKEN DOWN AND THE ROOTS GREW, AND THE SIDEWALK WAS COMPLETELY CRACKING.
WHERE THE SIGN, UH, WAS THAT WITH THE LITTLE METAL STUB THAT I RAN OVER, WHICH I SAW IT AWAY, UM, UH, THE SIDEWALK'S CRACKED.
WHO DO I NEED TO ADDRESS WITH THE COUNTY TO, TO DEAL WITH THAT? THAT'S MY QUESTION.
WHAT I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO DO IS ADAM, UH, IS IN THE BACK.
I'M GONNA ASK HIM, UH, FOR YOU TO SHARE YOUR INFORMATION WITH HIM.
AND PLEASE EMAIL ME THOSE SPECIFIC DETAILS.
THE MORE SPECIFIC, THE BETTER.
AND THEN I'LL HAVE ADAM ON MY BEHALF FORWARDED TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
AND MR. JACKSON, I'M GONNA ASK YOU, PLEASE, UH, HAVE ENGINEERING LOOK INTO THIS.
AND JUST LET ME KNOW WHAT THE FOLLOW THROUGH IS, UH, OR NOT.
THANK YOU, MR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? IT'S LAST CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
UM, HI, MY NAME IS ANNA CHEVEZ.
I AM A RESIDENT OF MIDDLESEX COUNTY, CURRENTLY WORKING AS A SOCIAL WORKER IN NEWARK FOR RUTGERS UBHC.
I AM A UNION REPRESENTATIVE FOR HPAE, LOCAL 5 0 9 4.
I'M A MEMBER OF DSA DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST OF AMERICA, AND I'M ONE OF THE MANY PEOPLE WHO PARTAKE IN THE ICE ON ICE VIGILS.
IT HAS BEEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS KEEPING THEIR EYES ON ICE BECAUSE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS HAVE NOT BEEN DOING SO.
WE HAVE BEEN KEEPING AN ANTI-FASCIST MOVEMENT, MOVEMENT GOING.
YES, ORGANIZERS AND VOLUNTEERS AT DELANEY HALL HAVE DONE THE HARDEST PART ALREADY.
ALL THE ORGANIZING, NOW WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR YOUR HELP.
WE NEED OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS NOW, MORE THAN EVER, TO STEP UP, STAND UP, AND FIGHT BACK AGAINST THIS ADMINISTRATION, AND DEMAND DELANEY HALL BE CLOSED IMMEDIATELY.
I DON'T THINK I NEED TO TELL ANYONE IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AMERICA IS NOT NORMAL.
I DO FEEL THE NEED TO ASK THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, WILL YOU SPEAK UP FOR US? WILL YOU ADVOCATE FOR THE FAMILIES THAT ARE TORN APART AND TRAUMATIZED BY THE HORRORS OF ICE KIDNAPPING, DETENTION, AND DEPORTATION? NOW, THAT
[01:25:01]
WAS ALL I HAD TO SAY ABOUT DELANEY HALL, BUT I HAVE ONE OTHER COMMENT.UM, ON BEHALF OF A COMRADE WHO'S NOT HERE TONIGHT, OVER A MONTH AGO, OUR FRIEND WHITNEY STRUB, REQUESTED WRITTEN COMMENT ON TWO ISSUES AND HAS YET TO RECEIVE ANYTHING.
SO THESE ISSUES ARE, ONE, DO THE COMMISSIONERS ACCEPT THE CONSENSUS OF THE INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE BEEN WITNESSING A GENOCIDE IN GAZA? AND TWO, WILL YOU ISSUE A STATEMENT CONDEMNING ISRAEL'S HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AS YOU DID ABOUT HAMAS AFTER OCTOBER 7TH? THANK YOU, MADAM.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? OKAY, MADAM DEPUTY CLERK, LET THE RECORD REFLECT THERE'S NO ONE WISH TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
COMMISSIONERS, COMMON SESSION.
ANYTHING TO REPORT? COMMISSIONER GILL.
COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, WE WILL, GIL.
UH, MR. PRESIDENT, THANK YOU FOR MR. PRESIDENT FOR THAT.
UM, JUST VERY QUICKLY, UM, JUST WANTED TO, UM, FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE RAISED, RAISED DURING PUBLIC.
UH, TWO THINGS, UH, THROUGH MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, UH, MY OFFICE, LIKE MANY OF OUR OFFICES HAVE RECEIVED A SERIES OF, UM, CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, UH, THE CONDITIONS WITHIN, UH, DELANEY HALL.
AGAIN, FOR THE RECORD, DELANEY HALL IS NOT A COUNTY FACILITY.
IT'S CONTRACTED WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTICE THAT, UH, THAT, BUT THAT BEING SAID, UM, WE DO HAVE FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO WILL CONTINUE TO REACH OUT, UH, WITH SERIOUS CONCERNS, UM, ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON SIDE, UH, THE FACILITY, UH, RIGHT NOW.
UM, AS A RESULT, UM, UH, WE HAVE A, A MEMBER OF OUR OWN CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, UH, WHO IS CURRENTLY, UM, UH, UH, FIGHTING A, A CRIMINAL PROSECUTION, UH, FOR TRYING TO DO HER JOB, UH, OF OVERSIGHT SO SHE COULD FIND OUT, UH, WHAT WAS GOING ON INSIDE, UM, THIS FACILITY.
ALL THAT BEING SAID, UH, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, IS, I'M, I HAVE ACCUMULATED SOME OF THOSE, UM, CONCERNS, UH, TRIED TO VERIFY THE ONES THAT I COULD.
I'M GOING TO CIRCULATE, UH, A LETTER, UH, TO YOU THROUGH YOUR, THROUGH YOUR OFFICE, MR. PRESIDENT.
UH, I INTEND TO SEND A LETTER TO, UH, TO BOTH, UH, DHS, UH, AND EVERY OTHER FEDERAL PERSON WHO HAS RESPONSIBILITY OR OVERSIGHT FOR WHAT'S GOING ON IN THAT FACILITY.
UH, THAT AT LEAST DOCUMENTS AND PUTS ON THE RECORD THE CONCERNS, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED TO US ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING, UH, UH, DETAINED THERE, UH, UNTIL WE HAVE MORE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING ON, UM, INSIDE THAT WAS MENTIONED TODAY.
AND I, UH, THAT, UM, AND, AND EVERY SINGLE, BY THE WAY, EVERY SINGLE COMMISSIONER I KNOW HAS BEEN TO DELANEY HALL.
SO I, I KNOW PEOPLE HAVE ASKED US TO GET BACK DOWN THERE CONTINUING TO GET DOWN THERE.
I, EVERY MEMBER OF THIS BOARD IS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE CON WITH THE SITUATION, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S GOING THERE.
I, I DID HAVE MY, I WAS, MY SCHEDULE ALLOWED ME TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A VIGIL, UH, TODAY.
BUT I DO KNOW, I THINK I COULD SPEAK ON THE ENTIRE BOARD TO SAY THAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, TO PUSH BACK ON, ON WHAT IS GOING ON, UM, RIGHT NOW, BOTH IN THIS COUNTRY AND IN THAT FACILITY, UH, SPECIFICALLY.
UM, SO WITH THAT, FINALLY, UM, THROUGH YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, UH, IF WE COULD ALSO MAYBE GET AN UPDATE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION JUST ON, UM, I KNOW THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT IF THERE WAS A POTENTIAL FOR US TO MAYBE PROVIDE SOME, UH, ACCOMMODATION IN OUR OWN PARKING LOT, UM, THAT'S CONNECTED TO OUR FACILITY, UH, FOR FOLKS THAT ARE THERE, UH, THAT ARE COMING TO VISIT PEOPLE IN THE OTHER FACILITY, UM, YOU KNOW, OR AT LEAST, UH, TO CONTINUE TO TALK THAT THROUGH WITHOUT LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER RIGHT NOW.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO TALK THAT THROUGH FOR SURE.
UH, BUT WE'D LIKE JUST TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO GET AN UPDATE AT SOME POINT ABOUT IF THERE IS ANY OPTION AVAILABLE, UH, TO US.
I WILL SAY THAT WHEN I WAS THERE TODAY, LIKE EVERY SPOT IN OUR, IN OUR LOT WAS FULL, LIKE EVERY SINGLE SPOT.
I MEAN, I, I, I HAD DIFFICULTY FINDING A PLACE, UM, UH, TO PARK.
MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE PARKING ARE GOING INTO OUR FACILITY BECAUSE THEY ALSO, PEOPLE WHO ARE IN OUR DETENTION FACILITY HAVE FAMILIES THAT ARE ALSO COMING TO VISIT THEM.
SO I KNOW WE'RE TRYING TO GET, UM, WE'RE TRYING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT, OF COURSE, FOLKS WHO ARE COMING TO VISIT, PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO ARE DETAINED IN OUR FACILITY, HAVE THAT ACCESS.
UH, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DO KNOW THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A STEADY STREAM OF, OF FAMILY MEMBERS WHO ARE ALSO LOOKING TO, UM, UH, TO BE ABLE TO GET, YOU KNOW, TO, TO GET INTO, UH, THE DELANEY HALL FACILITY.
UH, NOT ONLY GET IN THERE, BUT ALSO BE ABLE TO, UM, THEY OFTENTIMES DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO WAIT, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, AND, UH, AND I THINK WE HAVE SAID THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO ENTER INTO ANY AGREEMENT WITH, UM, WITH THE PRIVATE PRISON FACILITY AS A COUNTY,
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BUT MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING WE COULD DO ON OUR SIDE TO AT LEAST MAYBE ALLEVIATE A LITTLE BIT OF THAT PIECE OF IT.SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR THAT TIME.
UM, OF COURSE, UH, MR. PRESIDENT AND, UH, FOR YOUR CONTINUED LEADERSHIP AROUND THESE ISSUES.
GO, COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON, JUST TO PIGGYBACK A LITTLE BIT, I, I, I RECALL SOME CONVERSATIONS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND FROM SOME FOLKS, UM, WHO ARE DOING IN VIGILS DOWN AT DELANEY HALL ABOUT THE ICE AGENTS OR THE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR DELANEY HALL PARKING IN OUR PARKING LOT.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY UPDATES ON THAT? UM, UH, YES.
UH, UH, THROUGH MR. PRESIDENT, UH, COMMISSIONER, WE HAVE, UM, UH, VISITED THE FACILITY AND, AND ADVISED THEM THAT, THAT WE, THAT'S NOT ALLOWED.
WE'VE GOT, I, I'VE GOTTA BE TWO OR THREE LETTERS SENT TO THE LEADERSHIP.
UM, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE FOR A WHILE, IT WAS QUITE FULL OF THEIR PEOPLE.
THERE'S STILL PEOPLE WHO VIOLATE, YOU KNOW, BECOMING, I GUESS THEY'RE LATE FOR WORK AND THEY DON'T WANNA PARK WHEREVER THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO PARK.
SO THEY, THEY TRY TO SNEAK IN AND PARK AT OUR PLACE.
UM, AND AS MUCH AS WE CAN ROUSE THEM OUT, WE TRY.
BUT I THINK, I THINK WE WE'RE, WE'RE GETTING ON TOP OF THAT.
IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT THE ISSUE THAT IT ONCE WAS.
IT'S TIME TO START TOWING THEM.
TOWING 'EM, PUT A BOOT ON THEIR CAR, WHATEVER, THAT'LL TEACH 'EM A LESSON.
THAT'S, THEY, THEY HAVE TO BE TORN A LESSON, THE WAY THAT THEY'RE TREATING FOLKS COMING TO VISIT THEIR LOVED ONES.
SO, I MEAN, THEY NEED TO GET SOME OF IT BACK.
THEY DO THE SAME THING BACK TO 'EM.
SO MY ISSUE IS THE TRACK AROUND WWAY PART.
AND WE, I'VE ASKED THAT THE FOLKS WHO PUT THE TRACK DOWN COME IN.
UM, YOU, I CAN'T REMEMBER WHO THAT WAS, UM, BUT I, I GOT YOU.
BUT WE NEED TO, THEY NEED TO COME IN AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH US, US.
UH, IT SHOULDN'T BE COMING UP THIS FAST.
SO YOU'RE TRYING, YOU'RE TRYING TO WALK, YOU TRACK, TALKING ABOUT GOING AROUND THE LAKE.
SO I'D LIKE TO LOOK INTO THAT AND WE DEFINITELY GOTTA DO SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE FOLKS AT THELAN HALL.
THEY GOTTA FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO PARK.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, COMMISSIONER, VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER RICHARDSON.
FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO PARK TICKET THEM.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT BEING NICE TO THE OTHER RESIDENTS, PEOPLE THAT JUST COME TO SEE THEIR LOVED ONES, WHY SHOULD WE BE NICE TO THEM TO ALLOW 'EM TO PARK IN OUR LOT? SO IF WE HAVE TO GIVE OUR PEOPLE SOME KIND OF DECAL OR SOMETHING SO WE KNOW THAT THEY BELONG THERE SO THAT OUR EMPLOYEES AREN'T TARGETED, LET'S TAKE THAT EXTRA STEP.
I KNOW IT'S MORE WORK FOR US, BUT LET'S DO THAT.
MY QUESTION IS, UM, AROUND THE STREET, A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, I ASKED IF WE COULD LOOK TO SEE FOR THE SPEED LIMITS OR ON THE, ON THE COUNTY ROADS.
I KNOW I GOT A RESPONSE FROM ENGINEERING THAT ACCORDING TO DOT STANDARDS, SOME OF THE, UM, TOWNS FIT THE REQUIREMENTS THAT THE SPEED LIMIT COULD BE 35 MM-HMM
AND I GET IT, BUT IN AREAS WHERE THERE'S HEAVY POPULATION, THE SPEED LIMIT NEEDS TO BE REDUCED DOWN TO 25.
NOW, I BELIEVE THAT THE RESPONSE THAT I GOT BACK WAS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THE MUNICIPALITIES DO A RESOLUTION TO START THAT PROCESS TO GET THE SPEED LIMIT CHANGED.
BUT IF IT'S A COUNTY ROAD, WHY DO WE HAVE TO GO THAT ROUTE? IF, IF IT'S OUR ROAD, WHY CAN'T WE JUST PASS THE ORDINANCE TO REDUCE THE SPEED LIMIT DOWN SIMILAR TO THE WAY THAT THEY DID IN MONTCLAIR? OR DID THEY EQUALLY HAVE TO DO WITH SPEED, UH, OR ORDINANCE TO CHANGE THE SPEED LIMIT? MONTCLAIR DID MONTCO DID THAT 'CAUSE WHAT YOU, WE WANNA BE SURE THAT THE TOWN IS IN SUPPORT OF WHATEVER'S BEING WRECK.
YOU'RE DOING BLOOMFIELD BLOOMFIELD'S NOT, UH, OPEN TO REDUCING THE SPEED.
THEN WE'RE UNILATERALLY REDUCING THE SPEED WITHOUT THE AGREEMENT OF THE TOWNSHIP.
SO IT'S IT, WHEN WE GET THAT, WE KNOW THAT THE COMMUNITY'S IN FAVOR OF DOING THAT AS WELL.
I JUST WANNA SAY, UM, ON THE RECORD, IF THE SPEED LIMIT IS POSTED AS 35 PEOPLE IS MORE LIKELY DOING 40, 45.
RIGHT? SO WE WANNA GET THAT SPEED LIMIT DOWN SO THAT AT LEAST IF THEY'RE DOING 25, WE CAN GET IT DOWN TO LIKE, MAYBE 30, 35.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THE SPEED THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING ON SOME OF OUR COUNTY ROADS, IT'S WAY TOO FAST AND IT'S TROUBLING.
SO I WILL REACH OUT TO THE MUNICIPALITIES THAT I REPRESENT TO GET THEM TO PASS ORDINANCES WHERE WE CAN REDUCE THE SPEED LIMIT DOWN.
AND REMEMBER HOW THIS CAME TO MY ATTENTION.
I GOT A SPEEDING TICKET ON CENTRAL AVENUE, SO THAT NEED ME REVIEW WHAT THE SPEED LIMIT WAS ON CENTRAL AVENUE AND ON PARK AVENUE.
I'LL DO, I'LL DO, I'LL REACH OUT TO THE MAYORS OF THOSE TOWNS.
COMMISSIONER RICHLAND, YOU WANNA ADD SOMETHING? YEAH.
ONE, ONE OTHER THING, UH, I THINK WE ASKED ABOUT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AND MAYBE A TURN SIGNAL ON NORFOLK
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AND, UM, SOUTH ORANGE AVENUE BECAUSE DURING RUSH HOUR IT IS SO CONGESTIVE YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T EVEN TURN.WE'LL HAVE TO WORK WITH THE SIGNAL NOW BECAUSE THEY ROAD.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? LAST ONE I'D LIKE TO JUST THROW IN THERE IS JUST A REMINDER THAT ON NOVEMBER 13TH, WHICH IS A THURSDAY AT 6:00 PM WE'LL BE CELEBRATING OUR ANNUAL VETERANS CELEBRATION YEAR.
AND WE'LL HAVE SOME WONDERFUL PEOPLE TO HONOR AS WE DO EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
SO PLEASE PUT THAT ON YOUR CALENDAR AGAIN.
NORMALLY OUR GAME IS ON WEDNESDAY, BUT IT DI UH, DIDN'T WORK OUT FOR, UH, THAT THIS DAY.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVE.