MOTION TO CLOSE? SECOND. [00:00:02] IN FAVOR? I MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT MEETING PACKET AND WHILE WE WAIT FOR THAT, I JUST WANT TO, I KNOW IT'S BEEN A FEW WEEKS, BUT WE LOST BERNIE. [REPORTS] WE ALSO LOST A LONGTIME EMPLOYEE, PATRICE BROWN. SO I WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IN OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO HER FAMILY. BUT SHE WAS CERTAINLY A BEACON OF LIGHT. SHE WAS BUBBLY ALWAYS SMILING VERY PERSONABLE. SO AGAIN, OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO HER FAMILY. SO I THOUGHT WE WOULD BE REMISS IF WE DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE HER PASSING AS WELL. WELCOME. SO ANY ADDITIONAL REPORTS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT. ARE WE READY FOR THE VIDEO PRESENTATION? [VIDEO PRESENTATION] YES. THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE A YOUNG MAN IN THE AUDIENCE THAT DID A BEAUTIFUL JOB OF FILMING PEOPLE AT THE PRIDE CELEBRATION IN SOMERVILLE THIS PAST SUMMER. HE COLLECTED THE INTERVIEWS. HE EDITED THE FOOTAGE. HE PUT TOGETHER A GREAT VIDEO FOR THE LGBT ADVISORY BOARD. BASICALLY, WHAT IS PRIDE TO YOU IN SOMERSET COUNTY? AND I JUST WANTED TO SHARE IT WITH OUR FELLOW COMMISSIONERS, BECAUSE I THINK FRANK MARANO DID A FANTASTIC JOB ON THIS VIDEO AND I'M REALLY THESE ARE JUST RANDOM PEOPLE. THESE WEREN'T PROPS. WE DIDN'T STAGE AND SAY, HEY, COME, HERE'S YOUR SCRIPT. THESE WERE LITERALLY FRANK SAW THEM AND SAID. HEY, HERE'S A MICROPHONE. WOULD YOU WANT TO TALK? AND IT'S REALLY TOUCHING TO FEEL THE INCLUSIVITY AND THE PRIDE. THEY HAVE TO BE A SOMERSET COUNTY RESIDENT AND TO FEEL SAFE LIVING HERE AND INCLUSIVE. SO I WANTED THE COMMISSIONERS TO SEE IT AND AT THE END YOU'LL SEE HOW PROUD I AM OF THE JOB THAT FRANK MARANO DID AND HOW OUR YOUNG PEOPLE IN SOMERSET COUNTY ARE DOING FABULOUS WORK OUT THERE. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, AFTER THE VIDEO, IF YOU GUYS WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE YOU UP AND THANK YOU TO MEMBERS OF OUR LGBT ADVISORY BOARD THAT ARE HERE IN SUPPORT TONIGHT. SO WITH THAT SAID. SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY WAS FOUNDED ON MAY 14TH, 1688. OVER THE LAST 330 YEARS, THE COUNTY HAS GROWN TO A POPULATION OF NEARLY 347,000 PEOPLE. THE COUNTY SEAT IS IN SOMMERVILLE, A WONDERFULLY WELCOMING AND EXCITING TOWN WITH A DOWNTOWN FULL OF SHOPS, RESTAURANTS, BAKERIES AND ANTIQUE STORES. AND FOR PRIDE MONTH. DOWNTOWN SOMMERVILLE WELCOMES CROWDS OF RESIDENTS TO FAMILY PRIDE NIGHT CELEBRATING THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY AND THEIR FAMILIES. ALL ARE WELCOME AND ALL HAVE THEIR OWN FEELINGS ABOUT PRIDE AND SOMERSET COUNTY. WHAT MAKES SOMERSET COUNTY AN INCLUSIVE AND SAFE PLACE, AND WHY ARE YOU PROUD TO LIVE IN THIS COUNTY? SO SOMERSET COUNTY IS THE MOST THE PLACE I FELT THE MOST SAFE IN MY LIFE BEFORE I CAME OUT. I USED TO WALK AROUND SOMERVILLE AND I WOULD WALK PAST THE HOUSE ON CLIFF STREET WITH ALL THE PRIDE FLAGS AND THE YOU ARE WELCOME AND IT REALLY MADE ME FEEL SAFE AND THEN SINCE I'VE COME OUT, I'VE EXPERIENCED NOTHING BUT LOVE IN SOMERVILLE FROM THE COMMUNITY, AND I'VE WORKED IN RETAIL DOWNTOWN AND IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL PLACE. AWESOME. AWESOME PEOPLE, AWESOME PEOPLE LIKE HER. WELL, I BELIEVE THAT SOMERSET COUNTY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS HAS REALLY OPENED UP AND BEEN TRYING TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE FOR LGBTQ COMMUNITY, AND I AM THANKFUL FOR THAT BECAUSE I'VE LIVED HERE FOR AT LEAST 25 YEARS. THE LGBTQ ADVISORY BOARD HAS BEEN DOING SOME THINGS TO KIND OF WELCOME MORE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY INTO SOMERSET COUNTY, AND I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT. I'M PROUD TO BE HERE BECAUSE I'M PART OF THE BOARD, AND IT JUST IS A WONDERFUL THING TO REFRESHING TO HAVE THE COUNTY WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, LET'S HAVE MORE THINGS FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AS OPPOSED TO JUST, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN DO SOMETHING, MAYBE WE CAN HAVE SOMETHING, MAYBE WE CAN TALK TO PEOPLE. YEAH, BUT THIS HAS BEEN GOOD. SO I'M REALLY GLAD AND THANKFUL TO BE HERE AND I DO FEEL SAFE. I DO FEEL INCLUDED. I THINK SOMERVILLE IS AN INCLUSIVE AND SAFE PLACE TO LIVE BECAUSE THEY ALWAYS HAVE A COMMUNITY DRIVEN EVENTS, AND I'M JUST A BIG FOCUS ON [00:05:04] WELCOMING EVERYONE AND CELEBRATING EVERYONE IN THE TOWN. SO I'M PROUD TO LIVE THERE BECAUSE I'M PROUD TO, YOU KNOW, PARTICIPATE IN ALL THESE EVENTS. I'M PROUD TO LIVE IN THIS COUNTY BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THEY MAKE A LOT OF EFFORTS TOWARDS MENTAL HEALTH AND ADVOCATING FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND IT'S I LOVE THE ARTS HERE IN SOMERVILLE. I GREW UP IN SUSSEX COUNTY, VERNON, WHICH IS A VERY CONSERVATIVE SMALL TOWN. WE HAD TO GO ALL THE WAY TO NEWARK TO HAVE SOMETHING A QUARTER OF THE SIZE AS THIS. SO FOR SOMEONE WHO'S NEVER REALLY BEEN TO A LOT OF PRIDE EVENTS GROWING UP THIS IS A REALLY COOL THING TO HAVE AND I LIKE THAT WE HAVE IT AND ESPECIALLY IN A AREA OF SOMERVILLE LIKE THIS WHERE WE HAVE A BUNCH OF SHOPS YOU CAN DUCK INTO, AND WE'RE SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. WELL, I WOULD SAY, FIRST OFF, THAT THE PRIDE CENTER THAT'S IN SOMERVILLE IS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL. DOCTOR COSSACK AND HIS TEAM ARE ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. I ALSO THINK THAT JUST HAVING, YOU KNOW, EVENTS LIKE THIS WONDERFUL TO KIND OF BRING EVERYBODY TOGETHER. I ALSO THINK JUST IN GENERAL, THAT IT JUST FEELS HOMEY. IT FEELS SO NICE IN SOMERSET COUNTY. IT'S JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A SPAN OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND SO DIVERSE, AND I JUST, I LOVE IT. I'M SO THANKFUL TO LIVE HERE. I THINK WE HAVE A LOT OF GOOD RESOURCES HERE, ESPECIALLY FOR THE YOUTH. I MOVED HERE VERY RECENTLY, AND I'VE LEARNED THAT THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY, REALLY ACCEPTING AND I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT IT. ALL RIGHT. SO I'VE BEEN IN SOMERSET COUNTY LIVING AND OR WORKING SINCE 1987, AND I'VE SEEN THE PROGRESS, I'VE SEEN THE CHANGE. THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE AN EVENT LIKE THIS MAKES ME SO HAPPY. I THINK SOMERSET COUNTY HAS THE POTENTIAL, AND THEY'RE REALIZING THEIR POTENTIAL OF BEING A PLACE, A COUNTY WHERE ANYBODY CAN BE HERE AND BE SAFE AND, YOU KNOW, JUST ENJOY EVERYTHING WE HAVE TO OFFER. HEY, SOMERSET COUNTY. HAPPY PRIDE! I LOVE IT. I LOVE THIS ENERGY. THAT'S THE ENERGY OF THIS COUNTY. SOMERVILLE IS ONE TOWN ABOUT THE TWO AND A HALF LITTLE MILE PART OF IT. BUT WE'VE GOT 300 MILES OF SOMERSET COUNTY THAT LOVES YOU, WELCOMES YOU, AND IS INCLUSIVE OF THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY. SO GIVE IT UP FOR ALL OF OUR SOMERSET COUNTY RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES THAT WELCOME YOU AND WANT YOU TO CALL THIS HOME OR YOUR PLACE TO VISIT. SOMERSET COUNTIES REPRESENTED HERE TONIGHT ARE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENTS HELPING OUT OUR PROSECUTOR'S OFFICES HERE WITH A TENT AND MY PRIDE AND JOY, OUR NEWLY FORMED, WELL, IT'S BEEN SINCE 2020 NOW SOMERSET COUNTY LGBT ADVISORY BOARD. WE'RE HERE BECAUSE WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU BELONG AND WE LOVE YOU. YOU ARE INCLUDED. SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING OUT. IT'S A GREAT NIGHT. ENJOY, CELEBRATE AND HAPPY PRIDE. [INAUDIBLE]. SO MY NAME IS FRANK MARANO. I DID NOT PLAN ANYTHING. I'M SORRY. TELL US ABOUT HOW YOU MADE THE VIDEO. I JUST WENT UP TO PEOPLE AND ASKED THEM FOR INTERVIEWS IF THEY WANTED TO TALK ON BEHALF OF THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY. WHOEVER WE GOT AND I EDITED THE FOOTAGE TOGETHER, AND IT WAS AS SIMPLE AS THAT, AND IT WAS A LOT OF FUN TO MAKE. I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY AND IF YOU GUYS NEED ANYTHING ELSE, I'M ABSOLUTELY HAPPY TO DO ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU GUYS NEED FROM ME. WONDERFUL. WHAT'S GOING ON FOR YOU NEXT YEAR? YOU ARE GOING ON. I'M OFF TO COLLEGE NEXT YEAR. I'M NOT SURE YET WHERE YET, THOUGH, BUT I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO BE OUT OF HERE. YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SAY SOMERSET PRIDE HERE. YOU'RE STAYING HERE? NO, BUT SERIOUSLY, YOU'RE LOOKING AT STUDYING FILM? YEAH, STUDYING FILM, EDITING, CINEMATOGRAPHY, KIND OF EVERYTHING. SO I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO BE CONTINUING THIS. SO IF YOU NEED ME IN THE FURTHER FUTURE, I WILL DEFINITELY BE READY. OF COURSE. FRANK, DID YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANYTHING ABOUT THE VIDEO OR ANYTHING FROM THE ADVISORY BOARD? I JUST, I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF CLEAR. THIS IS MY SON, FRANK. WE WEREN'T VERY CREATIVE WITH NAMES IN OUR FAMILY. BUT THE ADVISORY BOARD WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2020 UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF COMMISSIONER MARANO. WE'VE IT'S JUST BEEN A WONDERFUL JOURNEY. [00:10:01] I THINK IT'S BEEN NOT JUST GREAT FOR THE, THE COUNTY, BUT I THINK IT'S BEEN GREAT FOR OTHER PLACES TO SEE AND I KNOW THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER COUNTIES WITH ADVISORY BOARDS AND IT'S JUST BEEN WONDERFUL AND WE'VE I THINK WE'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO HELP THE COUNTY. AS TO THE VIDEO, IT WAS GREAT. WE TALKED ABOUT, OH, MAYBE WE DO A VIDEO. AND FRANKIE'S A STUDENT IN AT BRIDGEWATER HIGH SCHOOL, BORN AND RAISED SOMERSET COUNTY AND AND I SAID, HEY, WOULD YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, DO THIS, THIS IS WHAT IT IS. AND WE PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND I'M VERY PROUD OF HIM. AND I'M VERY I MEAN, YOU COULD SEE HOW SUPPORTIVE HE IS OF ME AND MY HUSBAND AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING. SO WE'RE JUST WE'RE VERY PROUD AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THE BOARD, TOO. YOU GUYS DID A GREAT JOB. GOOD LUCK WITH EVERYTHING. HIS MOTHER'S PROUD TOO. [INAUDIBLE]. DID YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING? [INAUDIBLE]. SAME. I ONLY SEE DAD. YEAH. I AM EQUALLY PROUD AND I AM BEYOND PROUD OF MY SON. I'M BEYOND PROUD OF THE FAMILY THAT WE HAVE AND THE WAY THAT HE'S BEEN ABLE TO GROW UP IN THIS COMMUNITY WITH HIS FATHER, WITH HIS PARTNER, WITH OUR FAMILY. WE LIVE IN SOMERVILLE. WE'VE RAISED OUR CHILDREN IN BRIDGEWATER, AND WE'RE PROUD OF OUR CHILDREN, BUT WE'RE PROUD TO BE ABLE TO BE DOING THINGS LIKE THIS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THAT IT'S GETTING SOME RECOGNITION AND FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT IT'S GETTING RECOGNITION. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS, FOR THEIR SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY AND FOR ALL YOU DO. I MEAN, NONE OF THESE BOARDS ARE JUST SHOW UP TO A MEETING AND GO HOME. THERE'S LOTS OF WORK TO BE DONE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE PUBLIC REALIZES THAT THERE'S LOTS OF WORK TO BE DONE ON THE BACK END AND ATTENDING EVENTS AND PLANNING THINGS. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE. WE APPRECIATE IT AND MORE THAN WELCOME TO SIT THROUGH THE REST OF OUR MEETING WHERE WE VOTE ON THINGS, OR IF YOU'D LIKE TO GO HOME AND CELEBRATE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HEAD TO DINNER NOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU TO ALL. THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR OUR OCTOBER 22ND MEETING. [APPROVAL OF MINUTES] IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE LISTED MINUTES? MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND? ANY COMMENTS, QUESTIONS OR SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES? ALL RIGHT. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. [ORDINANCE] 24-2199 PROHIBITING LEFT TURNS FROM EASTBOUND GEORGETOWN FRANKLIN TURNPIKE. COUNTY ROUTE 518 INTO BRECKNELL WAY, MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP, SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, AND SETTING THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR NOVEMBER 26TH, 2024 AT 6:00PM. IS THERE A MOTION TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING AND SET PUBLIC HEARING FOR NOVEMBER 26TH AT 6PM. MOTION. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. [CONSENT AGENDA] 24-2100 THROUGH 24-2102. MOTION. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTIONS 24-2103 THROUGH 24-2109. [AWARD OF CONTRACTS] MOTION. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTIONS 24-2110 THROUGH 24-2140. [FINANCE] SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. [ITEMS ADDED FROM THE NOVEMBER 12, 2024 WORK SESSION TO BE ADOPTED TONIGHT] 24-2141 THROUGH 24-2147. MOTION. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. MEETING. ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK? FIVE MINUTES. NO YIELDING OF TIME. NO COMING UP A SECOND TIME. IS THERE A MOTION TO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC? MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. HEARING NONE. SEEING NONE FROM THE AUDIENCE. THERE IS NO PHONE CALLS. OKAY, SO IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC PORTION OF THIS MEETING? [00:15:01] MOTION. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYES HAVE IT. WE WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. [EXECUTIVE SESSION] SO AT THIS TIME, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO OUR COUNTY COUNSEL. THERE IS A NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR PURCHASE, LEASE, ACQUISITION OF LAND, OPEN SPACE IN HILLSBORO, SOLECKI. POTENTIAL PENDING LITIGATION. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS FOR RECYCLING RATES. CULTURAL HERITAGE OR CHP GRANTS. HILLSBORO LITIGATION AND PERSONNEL MATTERS REGARDING POTENTIAL EXPANSION OF SERVICES. SO WITH THAT, I WOULD NEED A MOTION TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION. WE WILL NOT TAKE ANY FURTHER PUBLIC ACTION AND JOIN THE MEETING DIRECTLY THEREFROM. SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYES HAVE IT. GOOD NIGHT. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.