>> WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR REGULAR MEETING, SIX O'CLOCK.
[00:00:06]
ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL REPORTS? A SLIGHT CHANGE IN THE TOP OF THE AGENDA, WE WILL DO THE INSPIRING WOMEN ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS AS ONE OF[PRESENTATION]
OUR CONTESTANTS HAS TO LEAVE FOR A CONCERT.SO WE WILL DO THE PRESENTATION OF THE ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS FIRST FOLLOWED BY THE PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL IMPAIRED DRIVING PREVENTION. [BACKGROUND]
>> SO I'D LIKE TO INVITE UP THE COMMISSIONERS FROM THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN AND OUR ESSAY CONTEST RECIPIENTS.
>> YOU WANT TO DO OPENING, GO AHEAD.
>> YOU GET YOUR PART. SO THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR THAT THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN HAS DONE AN ESSAY CONTEST WHERE WE REACH OUT TO SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN SOMERSET COUNTY AN OUR PROMPT THIS YEAR WAS TO TALK ABOUT AN INFLUENTIAL WOMAN IN YOUR LIFE FROM NEW JERSEY.
THESE ARE OUR CONTEST WINNERS.
WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THOMAS EDISON CHARTER SCHOOL, WILLIAM ANNIN MIDDLE SCHOOL, WATCHUNG HILLS REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL.
DO WE HAVE SOMEONE FROM RIDGE HERE TOO? NO. WHO DID I MISS? [BACKGROUND] I'M SORRY, BERNARDSVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
[LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING] WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO IS FROM MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL.
WE HAVE THOMAS EDISON ENERGYSMART CHARTER SCHOOL AS WELL. FIVE OF THE SIX ARE HERE. [BACKGROUND] [LAUGHTER]
>> CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU GUYS, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOUR PARENTS AND TO YOUR TEACHERS.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF TEACHERS WHO'VE JOINED US TONIGHT AS WELL.
MY FELLOW EDUCATORS, HELLO. [LAUGHTER]
>> BEFORE WE BEGIN, I'LL BE VERY REMISS IF I DIDN'T THANK THE COUNTY, THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE, COLLEEN AND SHELLY BELL, PUBLIC INFORMATION, GRAPHICS, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD, COMMISSIONERS OFFICE, THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
THIS YEAR HAS BEEN A PHENOMENAL YEAR WITH THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN AND WE HAD A LOT OF SUPPORT FROM THE PEOPLE THAT I JUST NAMED, THE COMPANIES I JUST NAMED, THE DEPARTMENTS I JUST NAMED.
AND ALSO, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE COMMISSIONERS.
SHANEL ROBINSON, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
MELONIE MARANO AND OUR LIAISON, SARA SOOY, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[APPLAUSE] I DIDN'T WANT TO SAY NAMES BECAUSE YOU GET YOURSELF IN TROUBLE WHEN YOU LEAVE NAMES OUT.
ALSO, PLEASE FORGIVE ME, IF I DON'T PRONOUNCE YOUR NAME WELL, I'M SO SORRY.
ADIJA? AJASH. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[APPLAUSE] HOLD IT UP FOR YOUR PARENTS. [LAUGHTER] [INAUDIBLE].
[APPLAUSE] MAYA [INAUDIBLE] [APPLAUSE] AND LAST, LET'S SEE.
[BACKGROUND] [INAUDIBLE] HELP US OUT. [LAUGHTER]
>> [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE].
>> WHO WERE SOME OF THE WOMEN YOU GUYS WROTE ABOUT?
[00:05:05]
>> CLARA BARTON, THE FOUNDER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS ASSOCIATION.
>> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU. [OVERLAPPING]
>> CAN I ASK FOR A GROUP SHOT OF THE WINNERS STANDING TOGETHER?
>> I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO TAKE THE LIBERTY AND INVITE THE ENGLISH TEACHERS IN THE ROOM, INCLUDING MY FORMER ENGLISH TEACHER, BERNARD. [LAUGHTER]
>> BECAUSE ALL OF YOUR DEDICATION AND THOSE HARD DAYS IN THE CLASSROOM IS PAYING OFF.
CLEARLY WE HAVE SOME INCREDIBLE YOUNG LEADERS.
ANOTHER ONE,123. THANK YOU. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT'S ALL RIGHT. I CAN'T TAKE CREDIT. [LAUGHTER]
>> WHO'S HERE FOR NATIONAL IMPAIRED DRIVING PREVENTION MONTH? YES. [BACKGROUND]
[PROCLAMATION]
A PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL IMPAIRED DRIVING PREVENTION MONTH.WHEREAS, OVER ONE-THIRD OF MOTOR VEHICLE FATALITIES INVOLVED IMPAIRED DRIVERS, WHICH RESULTS IN OVER 10,000 DEATHS ANNUALLY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
WHEREAS, IMPAIRED DRIVING ENCOMPASSES DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL, MARIJUANA, ILLICIT SUBSTANCES, AND/OR MEDICATIONS PRESCRIBED OR OVER-THE-COUNTER, AS WELL AS DISTRACTIONS SUCH AS TEXTING, TALKING ON A CELL PHONE, EATING, NAVIGATING, GPS, ET CETERA.
WHEREAS PREVIOUSLY, AN AVERAGE OF 26,500 INDIVIDUALS WERE CONVICTED OF DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE EACH YEAR IN NEW JERSEY.
WHEREAS CURRENTLY, AN AVERAGE OF 18,000 INDIVIDUALS ARE CONVICTED OF DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF EACH YEAR IN NEW JERSEY; SHOWN THAT A DECREASE OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
WHEREAS IN 2022, 327 INDIVIDUALS CONVICTED OF DUI RELATED OFFENSE APPEARED AT THE SOMERSET COUNTY INTOXICATED DRIVER RESOURCE CENTER FOR EDUCATION, SCREENING, AND IF APPROPRIATE, REFERRAL FOR SUBSTANCE USE EVALUATION.
WHEREAS, SOMERSET COUNTY CURRENTLY HAS SIX IDRC AFFILIATED TREATMENT AGENCIES THAT CONDUCT EVALUATIONS AND OFFER SERVICES TO ADDRESS POTENTIAL SUBSTANCE USE CONCERNS.
WHEREAS, THE 11 MUNICIPAL ALLIANCES OF SOMERSET COUNTY WORKED DILIGENTLY TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS TO PREVENT FUTURE INSTANCES OF IMPAIRED DRIVING.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE SOMERSET COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS DOES HEREBY DESIGNATE DECEMBER 2023 AS NATIONAL IMPAIRED DRIVING PREVENTION MONTH.
THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS RECOGNIZES THIS SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN AND CONTINUES TO SUPPORT ALL EFFORTS TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER.
WE HAVE TWO INDIVIDUALS FROM COMMUNITIES IN CRISIS.
>> ONE FROM COMMUNITY IN CRISIS AND ONE FROM [INAUDIBLE].
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND WOULD YOU CARE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
>> SURE. MY NAME IS KEN MUSGROVE.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF RECOVERY SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY IN CRISIS, COMMUNITY IN CONNECTION.
WE ARE SOMERSET COUNTY'S COMMUNITY PURE RECOVERY CENTER.
AS SUCH, WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER SERVICES TO THE ITRC WHERE FOLKS THAT HAVE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER ARE REFERRED TO RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES.
WE BRING A LENS OF LIVED EXPERIENCE TO THE PEOPLE AND OFFER MULTIPLE PATHWAYS OF RECOVERY, RECOGNIZING THAT NOT EVERYONE RECOVERS IN THE SAME WAY.
FOLKS HOPEFULLY COME TO US AND GET ON A BETTER ROAD TO SAFER DRIVING AND ALSO A SAFER LIFE.
[00:10:04]
>> THE INTOXICATED DRIVER RESOURCE CENTER, IDRC, PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN REDUCING THE NUMBER OF IMPAIRED DRIVERS ON THE ROAD.
AVOIDING THE OFTEN DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF A DUI ON INDIVIDUALS AND THE COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING DUI EDUCATION SCREENING FOR POTENTIAL SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.
IN 2023, SOMERSET COUNTY IDRC HAS SERVED 522 SOMERSET COUNTY RESIDENTS.
OF THAT 522, 255 WERE REFERRED FOR ADDITIONAL INTERVENTION TREATMENT.
IDRC THEN MONITORS THE TREATMENT PROGRESS OF THOSE THAT ARE RECOMMENDED FOR TREATMENTS.
ALL OF THIS PLAYING A CRUCIAL ROLE IN REDUCING IMPAIRED DRIVING BY FOCUSING ON INCREASING AWARENESS AND CHANGING RISKY BEHAVIORS. [BACKGROUND] [APPLAUSE]
>> WE HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO THE LGBTQ+ ADVISORY BOARD.
[APPOINTMENT]
ALEX KLEIN, RESOLUTION 23-2374.IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS RESOLUTION?
>> ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ROLL-CALL, PLEASE.
>> DEPUTY DIRECTOR SINGLETERRY?
>> MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 23-2300 THROUGH 23-2308.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
>> ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? ROLL-CALL, PLEASE.
>> DEPUTY DIRECTOR SINGLETERRY?
>> IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 23-2309 THROUGH 23-2330?
[AWARD OF CONTRACTS]
>> ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ROLL-CALL, PLEASE.
>> DEPUTY DIRECTOR SINGLETERRY?
>> IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTIONS 23-2331 THROUGH 23-2373?
[FINANCE]
>> QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ROLL-CALL, PLEASE.
>> YES, MA'AM. BUT I NEED TO ABSTAIN FROM 2337 AND 2351.
>> ABSTENTIONS FROM 23-2337 AND 23-2351. NOTED.
>> DEPUTY DIRECTOR SINGLETERRY?
>> COME TO THE PUBLIC PORTION OF THIS MEETING. DIRECTOR ROBINSON.
>> I HAVE ONE MORE SET. IT SHOULD BE AT THE TOP.
[ITEMS ADDED FROM THE DECEMBER 12, 2023 WORK SESSION TO BE ADOPTED TONIGHT]
>> I THOUGHT I DID THAT. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE 23-2375 THROUGH 23-2379.
>> ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? ROLL-CALL, PLEASE.
>> DEPUTY DIRECTOR SINGLETERRY?
NOW, IT COMES TO THE PUBLIC PORTION OF THIS MEETING.
ANYONE FROM PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK, FIVE-MINUTES, NO YIELDING OF TIME, NO COMING UP THE SECOND TIME, IS THERE A MOTION TO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC?
>> ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING FROM OTHER.
>> THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.
>> HEARING NONE, SEEING NONE, IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE PUBLIC PORTION OF THIS MEETING?
>> AYES HAVE IT [NOISE] WE WILL ADJOURN INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AND NO OTHER DECISIONS COMING OUT OF THAT?
[Executive Session]
>> THAT IS CORRECT. THERE'S TWO ITEMS. ONE IS POTENTIAL LITIGATION REGARDING MCCORMICK PLAZA, THE OTHER ONE IS PERSONNEL MATTERS RELATED TO THE CORRECTIONS UNIONS.
SO IF THERE'S A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION [NOISE] AS INDICATED, WE WILL ADJOURN DIRECTLY THEREFROM, AND NO FURTHER ACTION WILL BE TAKEN IN BY THIS BOARD.
>> AYES HAVE IT. GOODNIGHT. BE WELL [NOISE]
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.