ALL IN FAVOR. AYES HAVE IT. [00:00:02] WE WILL MOVE DIRECTLY INTO OUR REGULAR MEETING. ANY ADDITIONAL REPORTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? OKAY. MOVING RIGHT ALONG. [PRESENTATION] WE HAVE THE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS. IS AMY HERE? TOM IS HERE. ALL RIGHT, THOMAS, COME FORWARD. HOW ARE YOU? CONGRATULATIONS. I'M GOING TO STAND HERE IN THE MIDDLE. AMY. ALL RIGHT. I'LL CALL YOU UP SHORTLY. THANK YOU. SO, THOMAS NICHOLS IS SOMERSET COUNTY, VO-TECH TECHNICAL HIGH TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL. HIS COLLEGE INTEREST OF CHOICE IS RUTGERS UNIVERSITY. ARE YOU INTENDED? PROGRAM OF STUDY IS COMPUTER SCIENCE. THOMAS IS A SENIOR HERE AGAIN AT SOMERSET COUNTY VO-TECH HIGH SCHOOL AND CURRENTLY HAS A 3.87 GPA. HE IS AN EXTREMELY MOTIVATED STUDENT ENROLLED IN OUR AUTO BODY REPAIR PROGRAM, AND WHILE HE THOROUGHLY ENJOYS THIS PROGRAM, HE IS HOPING TO PURSUE A CAREER IN COMPUTER SCIENCE. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THOMAS IS MORE THAN DESERVING OF YOUR SCHOLARSHIP BECAUSE HE IS AN EXTRAORDINARY PERSON, BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND PERSONALLY. I HAVE BEEN THOMAS'S SCHOOL COUNSELOR SINCE HIS FRESHMAN YEAR AND HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH HIM SINCE. THOMAS IS HIGHLY MOTIVATED AND TAKES ADVANTAGE OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE MOST RIGOROUS COURSES POSSIBLE. THOMAS RECENTLY TAUGHT HIMSELF HOW TO CODE, WHICH IS WHAT ULTIMATELY DROVE HIS DECISION TO PURSUE COMPUTER SCIENCE AS A MAJOR. THOMAS'S FLUENCY IN SPANISH WILL MAKE HIM HIGHLY MARKETABLE IN THE FUTURE. IT HAS TRULY BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH THOMAS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT ALL THAT HE WILL ACCOMPLISH IN HIS FUTURE. THOMAS HAS TRULY IMPRESSED ME AND SHOULD BE COMMENDED FOR HIS REMARKABLE LEVELS OF INTELLIGENCE, MATURITY, DEPENDABILITY, RESPONSIBILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY AS A STUDENT WHILE HE WAS YET STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL. HIS HONESTY, INTEGRITY AND GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR MAKE HIM EASY TO GET ALONG WITH. I FEEL HE IS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH BOUNDLESS POTENTIAL WHO I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO SEE ACHIEVE ALL OF HIS GOALS THAT HE HAS SET FOR HIMSELF. HE IS MORE THAN AN EXCELLENT STUDENT. HE IS A QUALITY INDIVIDUAL. I AM CONFIDENT THAT HE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN ALL THAT HE PURSUES AND RECOMMEND HIM WITHOUT RESERVATION. AND THIS COMES AS A RECOMMENDATION FROM YOUR COUNSELOR. SO CONGRATULATIONS. AND FROM INJECT FOUNDATION AND SHI INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION SCHOLARSHIP, YOU ARE BEING PRESENTED WITH A CHECK AND THEN THE CERTIFICATE FOR YOUR SCHOLARSHIP ACHIEVEMENT. ALL RIGHT. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO STAND UP. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A PICTURE. YES. IF YOU WANT TO. I'M SORRY. COME ON. YOU'RE FROM SHANGHAI, CORRECT? NO, I'M. YOU'RE IN, JACK, ACTUALLY. COME ON UP. I KNOW. I SAW SOMEBODY FROM SHANGHAI. COME IN. SO ARE YOU. YOU GUYS WANT TO COME AND JOIN THE PICTURE? SO INJAC IS THE NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES, WHERE ELECTED OFFICIALS THROUGHOUT THE STATE COME TOGETHER. AND THIS ORGANIZATION DECIDED TO GIVE SCHOLARSHIPS TO DIFFERENT STUDENTS IN DIFFERENT COUNTIES. SO NICHOLAS THOMAS NICHOLS IS ONE OF OUR RECIPIENTS. SORRY ABOUT THAT. I LOOK LIKE. SO, AMY, IS IT GALDAMEZ? ALL RIGHT, COME ON FORWARD. IS THERE SOMEONE HERE FROM INVESTORS BANK? OKAY. SO AMY GALDAMEZ IS FROM BOUNDBROOK, ANOTHER SOMERSET COUNTY VO-TECH TECHNICAL [00:05:01] HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, GOING TO PURSUE HER COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY CAREER AT CAEN UNIVERSITY WITH THE STUDY IN BUSINESS. AMY GALDAMEZ IS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A WILLINGNESS TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND ACADEMICALLY AS WELL AS IN OFFERING HER HELP WHEREVER IT IS NEEDED WITH A CURRENT 3.91 CUMULATIVE GPA. AMY HAS BEEN A NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY MEMBER SINCE MAY OF 2022, AND LAST SUMMER SHE OPTED TO TAKE A COURSE AT RVCC SO SHE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO TAKE A NEW COURSE THAT WOULD BE OFFERED AT THE VO TECH THIS SCHOOL YEAR. IN FEBRUARY OF 2022, AMY BEGAN HELPING HER MOM WITH HER NEW BABY BROTHER, AND SHE DEDICATED 5 TO 7 HOURS DAILY TO THAT TASK UNTIL HER MOTHER RETURNED TO WORK. EVEN AFTER THAT, THROUGHOUT THIS SCHOOL YEAR, AMY HAS CONTINUED TO HELP WITH HER BABY BROTHER FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME, ALBEIT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. THIS PAST VETERAN'S DAY, AMY ASSISTED AT AN EVENT AT OUR SCHOOL HONORING VETERANS AND GOLD STAR FAMILIES WHO LOST A LOVED ONE WHILE SERVING THEIR COUNTRY. EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS NOT SCHEDULED FOR EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS NOT SCHEDULED FOR ANY HISTORY CLASS THIS YEAR, WITH HER INHERENT NATURE OF GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND, I UNDOUBTEDLY BELIEVE THAT AMY GALDAMEZ IS MOST DESERVING OF THE NJAC INVESTORS BANK SCHOLARSHIP. AND THIS IS WRITTEN FROM YOUR COUNSELOR, SO CONGRATULATIONS. MAMA, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO SUCCESSFUL? THOMAS COME BACK UP AND THEY'LL TAKE A PICTURE WITH YOU. AND. YOU DO HAVE TWO OTHER RECIPIENTS, BUT THEY AREN'T HERE TO RECEIVE THEM. BUT WE WILL ANNOUNCE CHIARA MUNOZ, WHO'S ALSO INVESTORS BANK AND DIVISION OF CITIZENS BANK SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT. AND THEN THE NJAC FOUNDATION 2023 CNG SCHOLARSHIP AWARD. AND THERE ARE ALSO STUDENTS OF THE SOMERSET COUNTY VO-TECH COLLEGE. SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR WINNERS. GOOD ONE WITH THE PSA. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. WE ALSO HAVE APPOINTMENTS TO YOUTH COUNCIL RESOLUTION 20 3-1365. [APPOINTMENTS] WE HAVE SRI MARUJA RAJA EXCUSE ME, ANDERSON, LEE, DIVYANK, BAJAJ, PARTH, MELONIE, NISH BRAHMBHATT AND AGASTYA SHAHANI. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 23 1365? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMISSIONER DRAKE? YES. COMMISSIONER MARANO. YES. COMMISSIONER SOOY. YES. DEPUTY DIRECTOR. SINGLETERRY. YES. DIRECTOR ROBINSON. YES. WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR OUR JUNE 27TH, 20. [APPROVAL OF MINUTES] 23 MINUTES. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ABOVE LISTED MINUTES? SO MOVED. SECOND. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMISSIONER DRAKE? YES. COMMISSIONER MARANO? YES. COMMISSIONER SOOY. NOTED DEPUTY DIRECTOR SINGLETERRY. YES. DIRECTOR ROBINSON. YES. 2023 CASH CAPITAL ORDINANCE. [2023 CASH CAPITAL ORDINANCE] ORDINANCE 23. DASH 1398. GOING COME FORWARD. THE ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING $1,234,772 FROM THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND FOR VARIOUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN AND BY THE COUNTY OF [00:10:04] SOMERSET. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? OKAY. SO THIS THIS I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO BOTH THE ORDINANCES, THE CASH CAPITAL, AS WELL AS THE BOND ORDINANCE, WHICH IS NEXT. UM, WE STARTED OUT WITH A FULL WISH LIST OF ABOUT $44 MILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS. WE MET WITH THE DEPARTMENTS, DEPARTMENT HEADS AND ALONG WITH THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR AND WE WERE ABLE TO CALL THAT LIST DOWN. SO WE ARE ASKING, WE'RE COMING BEFORE YOU TODAY TO AUTHORIZE 1.1 MILLION $234,772 IN CASH CAPITAL AND THEN $20,110,450 IN BOND CAPITAL. SOME OF THE BIGGER TICKET ITEMS THAT WE ANTICIPATE AS PROJECTS MOVING FORWARD, IF WE IF THIS IS AUTHORIZED, IS OUR BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS ARE PROBABLY SOME OF THE LARGER TICKET ITEMS. BRIDGES, BRIDGE IMPROVEMENTS WE'RE ORDERING, WE'LL BE ORDERING SOME TRUCKS FOR RECYCLING AND FOR GARBAGE TRUCKS AS WELL. IN ADDITION TO EQUIPMENT FOR PUBLIC WORKS, OUR IT INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BE MAINTAINED ALONG WITH ORDERING PCS AND PERIPHERALS JUST TO KEEP OUR STOCK UP. SO AS AS ITEMS ARE OUTDATED, WE CAN UPDATE THE PCS AND LAPTOPS AND PERIPHERALS AND ALSO TO CONTINUE TO MITIGATE RISK AGAINST CYBER ATTACKS. AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT ACTUALLY NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN. WE HAVE AN ALLOCATION HERE FOR THE PARK COMMISSION. THEY'LL BE USING THAT FOR ROLLING STOCK AND EQUIPMENT. AND THEN WE JUST HAVE OTHER MINOR. ITEMS THAT THAT THIS WILL BE USED FOR, BUT THOSE ARE PRETTY MUCH THE BIG TICKET ITEMS. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS REGARDING WHAT IS GOING TO BE AUTHORIZED. YES, ACTUALLY, I CAN GIVE YOU SOMETHING. AND ALSO, I SHOULD ALSO MENTION, UM, THE, THE, THE RESOLUTION EARLIER WHERE WE'RE WE'RE ALSO AUTHORIZING SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT WE'RE GOING TO REALLOCATE FROM ARP FUNDING. SO THAT WAS THAT RESOLUTION THAT WAS WE'RE ADOPTING IN THE LAST MEETING. SO WE'RE MOVING THAT OVER TO CAPITAL AS WELL. SO I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE FOR. CONTESTING. I CAN, ACTUALLY. AND. ALL RIGHT. ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO FOR PUBLIC HEARING, 20 3-1398 IS SETTING THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR ORDINANCE 20 3-1398 FOR JULY 25TH, 2023 AT 6 P.M. MOTION TO PASS THE ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING AND SET THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR JULY 25TH. SO MOVE. SECOND. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMISSIONER DRAKE? YES. COMMISSIONER MARANO. YES. COMMISSIONER SOOY. YES. DEPUTY DIRECTOR SINGLETERRY. YES. DIRECTOR ROBINSON. YES. AND THE SAME FOR ORDINANCE 20 3-1399. [2023 CAPITAL BOND ORDINANCE] AND THE PUBLIC HEARING 20 3-1399. IS THERE A MOTION TO PASS ORDINANCE 23 1399 ON THE FIRST READING AND SET THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR JULY 25TH AT 6 P.M.. SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMISSIONER DRAKE. YES. COMMISSIONER MARANO. YES. COMMISSIONER SOOY. YES. DEPUTY DIRECTOR. SINGLETERRY. YES. DIRECTOR ROBINSON. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. [CONSENT AGENDA] MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 20 3-1300 THROUGH 23. DASH 1310. SO MOVE. SECOND, ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMISSIONER DRAKE. YES. COMMISSIONER MARANO. YES. COMMISSIONER SOOY. YES. DEPUTY DIRECTOR SINGLETERRY. YES. DIRECTOR ROBINSON. YES. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 20 3-1311 THROUGH 23. [AWARD OF CONTRACTS] DASH ONE THREE, TWO, THREE. AND. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS. [00:15:03] ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMISSIONER DRAKE? YES. COMMISSIONER MARANO. YES. COMMISSIONER SOOY. YES. DEPUTY DIRECTOR. SINGLETERRY. YES. DIRECTOR ROBINSON. YES. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 20 3-1324 THROUGH 23. [FINANCE] DASH 1350. SO MOVED. SECOND. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMISSIONER DRAKE? YES. COMMISSIONER MARANO. YES. COMMISSIONER SOOY. YES. DEPUTY DIRECTOR. SINGLETERRY. YES. DIRECTOR ROBINSON. YES. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 20 3-1351 THROUGH 23. [ITEMS TO BE ADDED FROM THE JULY 11, 2023 WORK SESSION TO BE ADOPTED TONIGHT] DASH 1364. THE MOVE. IS THERE A SECOND? SOME QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. COMMISSIONER DRAKE? YES. I'M STAYING ON 23 1363. ABSTENTION FROM 23 1363, NOTED COMMISSIONER MARANO. COMMISSIONER SOOY. YES. DEPUTY DIRECTOR SINGLETERRY. YES. DIRECTOR ROBINSON. YES. IS THERE A MOTION TO GO INTO THE PUBLIC SESSION FOR THIS PUBLIC PORTION OF THIS MEETING? FIVE MINUTES. NO YIELDS ON THE TIME? NO. COME BACK A SECOND TIME. MOTION SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK? THERE ARE NO COMMENTS OR PHONE CALLS OR EMAILS. OKAY. HEARING NONE. SEEING NONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC PORTION OF THIS MEETING? ALL IN FAVOR? AYES HAVE IT. NO EXECUTIVE SESSION. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? TO ADJOURN? IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYES HAVE IT. GOOD NIGHT. AND BE WELL. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.