AND MOVE DIRECTLY TO THE WORK SESSION MEETING.
[00:00:05]
REGULAR, YES.I GOT TO WORK SESSION MEETINGS HERE.
IF I MAY GIVE MY REPORT SINCE I WASN'T HERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST MEETING.
SO IN ADDITION TO AS PEOPLE ARE COMING IN, IN ADDITION TO RECEIVING THE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM NACO FOR THE PRESERVATION PLAN, HAD AN EXCELLENT TIME, AS ALWAYS, GLEANING INFORMATION FROM OTHER COUNTY ELECTED OFFICIALS AND STAFF MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE US.
I TALKED ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY POLICE ALLIANCE INITIATIVE AND WE'VE HAD SEVERAL OTHER STATES OR COUNTIES AND OTHER STATES SUCH AS ILLINOIS AND GEORGIA, WHO ARE INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING HOW WE CAME TO THIS POINT OF HAVING THIS INITIATIVE AND WOULD LIKE TO REPLICATE IT IN THEIR COUNTY.
THANK YOU FOR SIGNING OFF ON STANDING AND STEERING COMMITTEES.
IT REQUIRES YOUR STATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REP TO SIGN OFF ON JOINING SOME OF THESE COMMITTEES.
AND JOHN, NO HESITATION SIGNED OFF ON RENEWING ANYONE WHO WANTED TO JOIN THE STANDING OR STEERING COMMITTEE AND THEN SIGNED OFF ON THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN SERVING ON NEW COMMITTEES.
SO AGAIN, JOHN, THANK YOU FOR THAT.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT I FOCUSED ON AND THAT SHELLY BELL, OUR ASSISTANT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR WE'RE FOCUSED ON IS OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
LISTENING TO SOME OF THE ACCOLADES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT OTHERS HAVE DONE AND HOW CAN WE CAN BRING THAT BACK FUNDING FOR SOME OF THE INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE PUT FORTH.
BUT, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO SUSTAIN IT OVER TIME IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE.
AND THEN FINALLY, PUBLIC THE THE OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE.
THERE'S SOME FUNDING AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO CURTAIL OR MITIGATE HAVING JUVENILES BE PUT INTO JAIL WHEN THEY REALLY NEED SERVICES AND OR COUNSELING.
SO WE WANTED TO CONNECT WITH THEM AND HEAR ABOUT HOW WE CAN GET SOME OF THAT FUNDING.
I MEAN, THERE ARE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT WE CAN USE TOWARDS HELPING OUR YOUTH, EDUCATING OUR YOUTH AND AGAIN, KEEP THEM FROM BEING INCARCERATED AND GOING DOWN THE WRONG PATH.
GIVING THEM A SECOND CHANCE AND OR OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A PRODUCTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL LIFE IN SOCIETY.
IT HAS BEEN ALMOST TWO YEARS SINCE WE'VE PARTNERED WITH BRIDGEWATER POLICE DEPARTMENT AND NOW WE'RE READY TO LAUNCH WHERE THE GOAL IS FOR THE POLICE TO NOTIFY OUR COMMUNITY POLICE ALLIANCE COORDINATOR OF THOSE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE.
AND WE HIRED A LICENSED SOCIAL WORKER BY THE NAME OF DAMIEN STACKHOUSE.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND THAT PROGRAM.
SO PLEASED TO SAY THAT THIS PILOT PROGRAM HAS BEEN A VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVE AND EXPANDING TO THE NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH BOUNDBROOK.
SO KUDOS TO BOUNDBROOK FOR JUMPING ON BOARD.
AND WE'RE CURRENTLY SEEKING A LICENSED SOCIAL WORKER FOR THAT POSITION, AND THAT REQUIRES SOMEONE WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE, RELEVANT REAL WORK EXPERIENCE TO TAKE ON THIS ROLE WITH OUR HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, AGAIN, BOUNDBROOK POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND YOU CAN FIND THE JOB AD BY GOING TO OUR HOME PAGE OF SOMERSET COUNTY WEBSITE AND CLICKING ON WE ARE HIRING LINK AND THEN WE HAVE THE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AT THE COUNTY WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE 30 YOUNG SOMERSET COUNTY RESIDENTS WORKING IN A VARIETY OF ROLES ACROSS THE COUNTY AS PART OF OUR A SUMMER EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, AND THE KIDS ARE PAID A STIPEND AND GET SOME REALLY GOOD WORK EXPERIENCE UNDER THEIR BELT BEFORE HEADING BACK TO HIGH SCHOOL OR
[00:05:08]
COLLEGE. SOME OF THEM WILL BE RETURNING TO COLLEGE IN THE FALL, AND IN HOPES OF PUTTING THEM INTO FULL TIME POSITIONS HERE IN THE COUNTY.SO THANK YOU TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THAT AND THOSE WHO SIGNED ON TO HELP IN THAT INITIATIVE.
AND THEN FINALLY, OUR CLERK, STEVE PETER, LAUNCHED HIS COUNTY PHOTO ID CARDS, AND THAT PROGRAM IS ISSUING COUNTY RESIDENT PHOTO ID CARDS AS AN OPTION FOR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE.
AND THESE ARE NOT THE SAME AS DRIVER'S LICENSE OR REAL ID, SO DON'T GET IT CONFUSED.
FOR EXAMPLE, THEY CAN'T BE USED TO BOARD AN AIRPLANE OR DRIVE A CAR, BUT IN MANY CASES, BUSINESSES, NONPROFITS WILL ACCEPT THESE CARDS AS PROOF OF RESIDENCY BECAUSE THEY ARE ISSUED BY A GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY AND SIGNED BY OUR COUNTY CLERK, MR. STEVE PETER.
WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE LAUNCHED VETERAN PARKING IN OUR GOLF COURSES.
SO THIS IS COMING TO FRUITION.
THIS IS WHAT THE SIGN LOOKS LIKE.
SO KUDOS AS WE THANK THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY WELL.
I'M TRYING TO THINK OF WHAT ELSE I THINK THAT'S ALL THAT I HAVE.
SO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, I'LL TURN THE MEETING BACK OVER TO YOU.
NEXT, WE HAVE PRESENTATIONS, THE NJAC FOUNDATION, 2023 SCHOLARSHIPS.
[PRESENTATIONS]
SO I BELIEVE JOHN DONNADIO COME FORWARD.AND I BELIEVE WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM SHI BACK AGAIN.
I'M SORRY, I GUESS IF I PUT MY GLASSES ON.
IF WE HAVE PARTICIPANTS IS EMILIANA HERE? COME FORWARD. DID I PRONOUNCE THAT CORRECTLY? COME FORWARD.
COME ON. DON'T BE SHY. FRONT CENTER.
EMILIANA IS A SOMERSET COUNTY VO-TECH AND TECHNICAL SCHOOL STUDENT.
COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY OF CHOICE IS KANE UNIVERSITY.
SO EMILIANA IS A CURRENT SENIOR AT SOMERSET COUNTY VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOLS AND HAS BEEN ENROLLED IN AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE SINCE HER FRESHMAN YEAR AND SINCE ENTERING AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AS A FRESHMAN.
SHARED TIME STUDENT EMMY IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE KNOWN AS? EMMY HAS BEEN A LEADER.
EMMY'S GRADES ARE WELL DESERVED.
NOT ONLY IS SHE AN EXEMPLARY STUDENT, SHE HAS ALSO FOUND HER HOME HERE IN HER AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE SHOP, WHICH THEN LED HER TO BE ACCEPTED AS A FULL TIME STUDENT IN HER JUNIOR YEAR.
WE COULD NOT BE MORE HAPPY THAT EMMY BECAME A FULL TIME STUDENT WITH US, AND WE ARE EXCITED TO SEE HER CONTINUE HER JOURNEY AT KEAN UNIVERSITY STUDYING FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY. SO THIS WAS WRITTEN BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE VO-TECH, MR. ROBERT PROSCIUTTO.
SO EMMY, ON BEHALF OF NJAC FOUNDATION AND AMAZON SCHOLARSHIP AWARD, YOU ARE RECEIVING A SCHOLARSHIP, A CHECK WRITTEN DIRECTLY TO YOU.
DON'T SPEND IT ALL IN ONE PLACE AND INJECT FOUNDATION AND AMAZON 2023 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AWARD PRESENTED TO EMILIANA IN RECOGNITION FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND DISTINGUISHED SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT AND IS SIGNED BY YOURS TRULY, JOHN DONNADIO, WHO IS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR NJAC.
SO, JOHN AND DO YOU WANT TO DO, JOHN, AS WE GET WAY TO PRESENT THE OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS, DO YOU WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIPS AND NJAC AND WHAT WOULD YOU DO? I'D BE HAPPY TO DO AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, I WOULD SIGN ANYTHING YOU ASKED ME TO AND SPEAK WHENEVER YOU WANTED.
SO CONGRATULATIONS FIRST TO YOU.
AND CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO TAKE A MINUTE TO THANK ALL OF OUR GENEROUS CORPORATE SPONSORS.
WE HAVE PSE&G, WHO'S ALSO HERE TODAY, FRIENDS FROM AT&T, OF COURSE, AMAZON.
[00:10:08]
AND IT'S A HARDWORKING COUNTY VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL GRADUATES JUST LIKE YOU, WHO ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION IN THE GARDEN STATE.SO GREAT JOB, CONGRATULATIONS, AND THANK YOU FOR A FEW MINUTES TODAY, I APPRECIATE IT.
WE'LL DO THE AT&T RECIPIENT RIGHT AFTER.
NO, WE'RE NOT DONE. WE HAVE TWO MORE.
SO THIS ONE IS FOR THE NJAC FOUNDATION 2023 AT&T SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT.
AND AS NICHOLAS IS COMING, HIS COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY OF CHOICE IS RARITAN VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
INTENDED PROGRAM OF STUDY IS MECHANICAL ENGINEERING.
I HAVE SEEN NICK'S SCHOOL COUNSELOR FOR THE PAST.
HE IS INCREDIBLY MATURE, KIND AND COMPASSIONATE, A TRUE PLEASURE TO WORK WITH.
NICK IS AN EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT AND MOTIVATED YOUNG MAN WHO HAS DONE WELL IN ALL OF HIS ACADEMICS.
HE IS A REMARKABLE STUDENT WITH SOLID GRADES RESULTING FROM DILIGENT WORK HABITS.
HE CERTAINLY DESERVES TO BE RECOGNIZED FOR HIS OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT HE WILL BE EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL IN ALL OF HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS.
AND SO YOU TOO WILL RECEIVE A CHECK AND MAKE SURE YOU THANK AT&T.
DON'T SPEND IT ALL IN ONE PLACE AND YOU, THEIR CERTIFICATE READS 2023 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AWARD PRESENTED TO NICHOLAS IN RECOGNITION FOR YOUR DEDICATION TO ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND DISTINGUISHED SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT.
SO BUT THANK YOU, EVERYONE, AND CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN.
IS IT, MAEVE? OKAY. COME ON DOWN.
MAEVE ATTENDED COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY IS HUDSON COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE INTENDED PROGRAM OF STUDY IS CULINARY ARTS LOVE TO FEED THE SOUL AND FEED THE STOMACH. ALTHOUGH MAEVE PLANS ON PURSUING A DEGREE IN CULINARY ARTS NEXT YEAR, SHE IS WORKING TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY IN THE FIELD.
SHE IS A LONG TIME MEMBER OF SOMERSET COUNTY, FOUR H, WHERE SHE PRIMARILY WORKS WITH CHICKENS.
SHE HAS BROUGHT KNOWLEDGE OF THE FARM PROCESS WITH HER TO OUR SCHOOL AND PLANS TO CONTINUE MERGING CULINARY ARTS AND SUSTAINABILITY IN HER FUTURE, ALONG WITH OUR SCHOOL AND PLANS TO CONTINUE.
ALONG WITH THIS, SHE WAS RECENTLY A PART OF A PROJECT AT SCHOOL TO COLLABORATE WITH OUR AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES PROGRAM AND USE WHAT THEY GROW IN THE FOOD WE PRODUCE IN THE CULINARY KITCHEN.
[00:15:03]
WOULD YOU CREATE WE JUST MADE AN OMELET WITH SPINACH THAT THEY GREW.WAS IT TASTY? IT WAS. IT WAS, YEAH.
WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO REPLICATE THAT RECIPE? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
SO, I MEAN, THERE'S A METHOD TO THE MADNESS.
WE HAVE TO HAVE FOOD TO SUSTAIN US.
SO THANK YOU FOR SUCH A HARD ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING IN CULINARY ARTS.
AND WE DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.
SO YOU WILL BE PRESENTED WITH A CHECK.
DON'T SPEND IT ALL IN ONE PLACE, BUT INJECT FOUNDATION AND SEEING 2023 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AWARD PRESENTED TO MAEVE IN RECOGNITION FOR A DEDICATION TO ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND DISTINGUISHED SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT.
PICTURE. AND THEN MIKE, IF YOU WANT TO SAY.
THIS FAMILY EXPECTS YOU TO DO ALL THE COOKING SINCE YOU'RE GOING TO CULINARY.
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT SHE DID WITH THE CHICKEN, THOUGH, BECAUSE SHE WAS LIKE..
JUST TO TO ECHO SOME OF WHAT ARVIN SAID EARLIER, IT'S PSE&G'S PLEASURE TO PARTNER WITH THE NJAC FOUNDATION TO AWARD THE SCHOLARSHIP TO MAEVE AND I DO A LOT OF COOKING ON THE GRILL WITH CHICKEN, SO IF YOU CAN HELP ME WITH SOME RECIPES, I THINK MY FAMILY WOULD REALLY ENJOY IT.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOOD LUCK.
DO YOU WANT SOMETHING WITH ALL OF THE WINNERS AND SPONSORS? SURE. CAN ALL THE SPONSORS AND ALL THE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS COME FORWARD? CONGRATULATIONS.
OKAY. WE HAVE SEVERAL APPOINTMENTS TO THE HUMAN SERVICES ADVISORY COUNCIL.
[APPOINTMENTS]
STEVEN NAGEL, MALLORY DUBUISSON, RAJNI CHOPRA, PAUL GRZELLA, DIANE ROBINSON, RICHARD SHUMAN AND DAVID WALKER. AND WE HAVE ONE APPOINTMENT TO THE LGBTQ PLUS ADVISORY BOARD, HUNTER RASINSKI.MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 23-1469 TO 23-1470.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
MINUTES FROM JULY 11TH, 2023.[2023 CASH CAPITAL ORDINANCE PUBLIC HEARING]
2023 CASH CAPITAL ORDINANCE, PUBLIC HEARING, ORDINANCE 23-1398.APPROPRIATING 1,234,772 FROM THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND FOR VARIOUS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS IN AND BY THE COUNTY OF SOMERSET. MOTION TO OPEN PUBLIC HEARING FOR ORDINANCE 23-1398.
OKAY. MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
NEXT, WE HAVE MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 23-1398.
[2023 CAPITAL BOND ORDINANCE PUBLIC HEARING]
2023 CAPITAL BOND ORDINANCE, PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCE 23-1399, PROVIDING AN APPROPRIATION OF[00:20:07]
$20,110,450 FOR VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS AND PURPOSES FOR AND BY THE COUNTY OF SOMERSET AND AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF 19,104,928 BONDS OR NOTES FOR FINANCING PART OF THE COST THEREOF.MOTION TO OPEN PUBLIC HEARING FOR ORDINANCE 23-1399.
RELATED TO ORDINANCE NUMBER 23-1399.
ANY FROM THE PUBLIC. MOTION TO CLOSE.
OKAY. MOTION TO ADOPT ORDINANCE 23-1399.
ALL RIGHT. NEXT, WE HAVE THE CONSENT AGENDA.
ANY PERSON MAY REQUEST THAT AN ITEM BE REMOVED FOR SEPARATE CONSIDERATION.
SO NEXT WE HAVE MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTIONS 23-14 THROUGH 23-1411.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL.ALL RIGHT, NEXT, WE HAVE MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTIONS
[AWARD OF CONTRACTS]
23-1412 THROUGH 23-1425.NEXT, WE HAVE MOTION TO ADD ABOVE RESOLUTIONS 23-1426 THROUGH 23-1460.
[FINANCE]
MOTION. SECOND.[ITEMS TO BE ADDED FROM THE JULY 25, 2023 WORK SESSION TO BE ADOPTED TONIGHT]
MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTIONS 23-1461 THROUGH 23-1468.NEXT, WE HAVE MOTION TO OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT.
THERE'LL BE NO YIELDING OF TIME.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD.
IS THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? THERE IS NONE. MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYE. AND NEXT, WE ARE ADJOURNING AND GOING INTO PUBLIC OR EXECUTIVE SESSION, CORRECT? THE NONPUBLIC SESSION? YES. SO WE WILL NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
THE MATTER IS GOING TO BE DISCUSSED ARE POTENTIAL PURCHASES OR ACQUISITION OF LAND FOR VARIOUS PROPERTIES? G&P PROPERTIES, CRESTWOOD PROPERTIES AND MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO TALK ABOUT FARMLAND PRESERVATION, DEED EASEMENTS, POTENTIAL LITIGATION, CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS AND THE HILLSBOROUGH MUA.
MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
MOTION SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. ALL RIGHT.
MEETING ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.