HAVE IT, WE WILL MOVE RIGHT INTO OUR REGULAR MEETING.
[00:00:03]
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMISSIONER REPORTS OR COMMENTS? WE HAVE GUESTS COMING IN.I DIDN'T DON MY PURPLE TODAY, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
[PROCLAMATIONS]
THANKS FOR BEING HERE. SO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH IS OCTOBER 2025, WHEREAS THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A PATTERN OF ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR THAT A PERSON USES AGAINST A PARTNER, FORMER PARTNER, OR FAMILY MEMBER TO CONTROL THAT PERSON.AND WHEREAS, TRAGICALLY, MORE THAN 10 MILLION AMERICANS SUFFER AT THE HANDS OF LOVED ONES EACH YEAR, AND WOMEN ARE TWICE AS LIKELY TO BE TARGETS OF THIS TERRIBLE CRIME AS MEN.
AND WHEREAS SAFE AND SOUND SOMERSET AGENCY SERVICES INCLUDE EMERGENCY SHELTER, 24 HOUR CALL AND TEXT HOTLINE, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, LEGAL ADVOCACY, INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP COUNSELING, VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND VOLUNTEER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESPONSE TEAMS. AND WHEREAS, SAFE AND SOUND SERVICE SERVICES ARE CONFIDENTIAL AND FREE OF CHARGE FOR WOMEN, MEN AND CHILDREN, REGARDLESS OF INCOME, CULTURAL OR ETHNIC BACKGROUND, LANGUAGE, GENDER IDENTITY, OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT SOMERSET COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DOES HEREBY PROCLAIM THE MONTH OF OCTOBER 2025 TO BE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH IN SOMERSET COUNTY, AND DO HEREBY COMMEND THE EFFORTS OF SAFE AND SOUND SOMERSET IN AIDING VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
I ONLY READ THIS RESOLUTION IN PART, A PROCLAMATION IN PART, BUT YOU GUYS ARE DOING SUCH AN AMAZING JOB AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU AND SUPPORTING THE WORK THAT YOU DO. SO YOU WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
GREAT. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JOEL PEERCY. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
HI. GOOD NIGHT, MY NAME IS ANA CAMPOS. I WORK FOR THE LEGAL TEAM.
LAST YEAR, OUR ORGANIZATION SERVED ALMOST 7000 INDIVIDUALS.
THAT IS ALMOST 2% OF THIS COUNTY'S POPULATION.
ANA AS PART OF OUR LEGAL ADVOCACY TEAM, WE ENGAGE WITH ABOUT 682 SURVIVORS IN COURT TO HELP WITH LEGAL SERVICES AND ADVOCATE, COULD ACCOMPANY ME.
I'M SORRY. ALSO, WE HELP OBTAIN ABOUT 800 FINAL RESTRAINING ORDERS TO OUR SURVIVORS AT A TIME WHEN WE'RE HEARING FROM NATIONAL LEADERS THAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IS A PRIVATE ISSUE, A PRIVATE, SMALL FIGHT. WE SEE IN OUR SERVICES, WE SEE EVERY DAY THAT THIS IS A COMMUNITY ISSUE.
AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE SOMERSET COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS FOR STANDING WITH US AND SAYING THE COMMUNITY STANDS WITH SURVIVORS, AND IT'S UP TO ALL OF US TO PARTNER TOGETHER IN ENDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
SO I HAVE A PROCLAMATION FOR HEALTHIER SOMERSET.
THEY WANT TO COME UP. THANK YOU.
EVERYBODY HERE DOES DESERVE IT. OKAY, SO THIS IS HEALTHIER SOMERSET MONTH, OCTOBER 2025.
[00:05:04]
AND WHEREAS THE MISSION OF THE COALITION IS TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE COMMUNITY BY SHARING INFORMATION AND CREATING ALLIANCES AMONG INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE WORKING TOWARD MUTUAL GOALS TO INCREASE EFFORTS TO CREATE A HEALTHIER SOMERSET.AND WHEREAS, HEALTHIER SOMERSET STRIVES TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS, SCHOOLS, WORKPLACES, AND COMMUNITIES IN SOMERSET COUNTY WITH ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN CREATING GOOD HABITS, INCREASED ACCESS TO CHOICES THAT PROMOTE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AND PROMOTE POLICY CHANGES THAT IMPROVE HEALTH.
AND WHEREAS, HEALTHIER SOMERSET EDUCATES DIVERSE AUDIENCES THROUGH VARIOUS MARKETING CAMPAIGNS ABOUT SOMERSET COUNTY'S FOCUS ON HEALTH AND DELIVERS INFORMATION AND ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS FOR HEALTHY BEHAVIORS. AND NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT THE SOMERSET COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DESIGNATE OCTOBER 2025 AS HEALTHIER SOMERSET MONTH AND ENCOURAGES COUNTY RESIDENTS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT HEALTHIER SOMERSET OFFERS TO THE COMMUNITY TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. I MEAN, WOULD YOU GUYS.
WOULD YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? I DO IT EVERY YEAR.
DO YOU GUYS WANT. DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING? DO YOU WANT TO DO. GO FOR IT, SERENA. I DO THIS EVERY YEAR. ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD. SO I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH HEALTHIER SOMERSET FOR MAYBE 15 YEARS.
IT'S BEEN A REALLY INTERESTING JOURNEY TO SEE HOW WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER TO BRING MANY DIVERSE STRANDS OF THE COMMUNITY TO A POINT, TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT AND CREATE A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY FOR EVERYONE.
AND IT'S I URGE YOU TO LOOK AT THE WEBSITE, FOLLOW THEM ON LINKEDIN.
AND ONE MORE, FACEBOOK, RIGHT? SORRY, FACEBOOK, I FORGOT FACEBOOK, JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND THE VERY GOOD WORK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE DOING, BOTH FOUNDATIONALLY AND IN THE STREETS, TO CREATE A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY IN SOMERSET COUNTY.
WE HAVE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. AND, SERENA, YOU WANT TO COME DOWN FOR THIS ONE, TOO? YOU WERE A FEW HATS TO SOMEBODY ELSE. BUT YOU'RE PART OF THE COUNTY FAMILY.
HOW ARE YOU? HEY, HOW ARE YOU? SO. WE HAVE THIS PROCLAMATION TO CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
WHEREAS NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IS CELEBRATED NATIONWIDE FROM SEPTEMBER 15TH THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH EACH YEAR, AND HAS BEEN CELEBRATED IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1968.
AND WHEREAS THE STARTING DATE OF SEPTEMBER 15TH IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT IS THE ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE FOR LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES COSTA RICA, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, NICARAGUA. IN ADDITION TO MEXICO, CHILE THEY CELEBRATE THEIR INDEPENDENCE DAYS ON SEPTEMBER 16TH AND 18TH RESPECTIVELY. WHEREAS SOMERSET COUNTY CURRENTLY HOLDS MORE THAN 55,000 RESIDENTS AS BEING OF SPANISH SPEAKING DESCENT, AND THAT HISPANICS HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTING TO THE COUNTY SINCE BEFORE THE FOUNDING OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
WHEREAS HISPANIC RESIDENTS HAVE LIVED IN SOMERSET COUNTY FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS AND HAVE COME FROM OR ARE DESCENDANTS FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME FROM MANY SPANISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES FROM EUROPE, NORTH AMERICA, CENTRAL AMERICA AND SOUTH AMERICA.
AND WHEREAS. WE'RE ALMOST THERE. AND 2025 HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IS HONORING THE PAST AND INSPIRING THE FUTURE CONTRIBUTIONS OF HISPANIC CULTURE AND LEADERSHIP IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES, ACROSS OUR NATION AND AROUND THE WORLD.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT SOMERSET COUNTY'S BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DO HEREBY RECOGNIZE SEPTEMBER 15TH THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH, 2025, AS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IN SOMERSET COUNTY AND URGE ALL CITIZENS TO LEARN ABOUT AND RECOGNIZE THE NUMEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY HISPANIC RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT HISTORY. OKAY, WE HAVE A FEW SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
[00:10:09]
MONICA MILAN. SHE IS ACTUALLY THE CHAIR OF OUR SOMERSET COUNTY BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP.AND AS A LEADERSHIP ROLE ON THE STATE HISPANIC CHAMBER.
SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GOING TO GO DOWN THE LINE BECAUSE WE ALL SHARE A LITTLE BIT AS PART OF SOMERSET, THE SOMERSET COUNTY FAMILY. THANK YOU TO THE SOMERSET COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
THANK YOU, SARAH, FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL RECOGNITION.
I WANTED TO SHARE WITH EVERYONE THAT'S WATCHING IN OUR AUDIENCE THAT IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, HISPANIC OWNED BUSINESSES CONTRIBUTE TO 100 BILLION TO OUR GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT ANNUALLY.
SO WE'RE UPWARDS TO 100 BILLION. THAT'S A BIG NUMBER.
SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO BE HERE. I OWN A SMALL BUSINESS HERE, A COUPLE IN SOMERSET COUNTY.
AND I ALSO SERVE ON THE STATEWIDE HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
AND I'M GOING TO PASS IT ON TO OUR BEAUTIFUL FRIEND HERE.
VIVIANA. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT IS AN HONOR TO BE HERE.
I AM HISPANIC FROM COLOMBIA. I'VE BEEN IN THIS COUNTRY FOR ABOUT 20 PLUS YEARS.
WHEN I FIRST MOVED HERE, I DIDN'T SEE A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE ME IN ROLES IN THE COMMUNITY AND IN CORPORATE, AND IT'S BEEN AN HONOR TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT AND HOW WE ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE ECONOMY AND TO THE WORLD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I AM VIVIANA CARDENAS. I OWN A SMALL PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO, AND IF YOU HAVE YOUR PHOTOS TAKEN, I'M YOUR GIRL. MUCHO GUSTO, SERENA COLLADO. SO AT ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON SOMERSET, WE FOUNDED A LATINO ADVISORY COUNCIL OF ALL DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS AND HISPANIC LEADERS WITHIN THE COUNTY TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
AND WE PARTICIPATE AND ACTUALLY COORDINATE A LOT OF HEALTH FAIRS.
SO. AND I HAVE PROCLAMATIONS HERE FOR EVERYONE.
SO. AND WHILE WE'RE PASSING THESE ALONG, SO I AM THE FIRST AND ONLY LATINA REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE BOARD OF SOMERSET COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, AND HOPEFULLY NOT THE LAST. MY MOTHER CAME HERE FROM ECUADOR WHEN SHE WAS 12, AND MOST PEOPLE, THEY JUST THINK I'M ITALIAN BECAUSE I'M FROM NEW JERSEY AND TALK WITH MY HANDS A LOT. BUT SHE ENDED UP DROPPING OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND WORKED TWO JOBS TO MAKE SURE TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON AND FOOD ON THE TABLE AND WORK SO HARD SO THE NEXT GENERATION CAN HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
MANY OF THE PEOPLE WITHIN THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY ARE SOME OF THE HARDEST WORKING PEOPLE YOU'LL EVER MEET, AND WE'RE ONE OF THE LARGEST ECONOMIES GLOBALLY.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND MANY MORE TO COME.
[APPROVAL OF MINUTES]
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVED. IS THERE ANY CHANGES, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? HEARING NONE. SEEING NONE. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMISSIONER GRANER.YES. COMMISSIONER DRAKE. YES. COMMISSIONER SOOY.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR MARANO. DIRECTOR ROBINSON. YES.
ORDINANCE 25-1999. ESTABLISHING SPEED LIMITS ALONG GREENBROOK ROAD.
[ORDINANCE]
COUNTY ROUTE 636, NORTH PLAINFIELD BOROUGH, SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY AND SETTING THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR OCTOBER 28TH AT 6 P.M..IS THERE A MOTION TO PASS THIS ORDINANCE ON FIRST READING AND SET THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR OCTOBER 28TH? SO MOVED. SECOND. MOTION. ADAM, WHAT LENGTH OF GREENBROOK ROAD IN NORTH PLAINFIELD DOES THIS GO FROM? DO YOU KNOW? IS IT THE ENTIRE LENGTH? NO. OK, [INAUDIBLE] TO SOMERSET.
OKAY. THANK YOU. WHAT'S THE SPEED LIMIT GOING TO BE? GO FROM 35. OKAY. THAT GOES RIGHT BY THE SCHOOL THERE, RIGHT? YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. LET'S DO A SIGN WARNING, FOLKS.
[00:15:04]
GIVE PEOPLE A WARNING THAT THERE. YEAH. ALL RIGHT.SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HEAR THE ENTIRE CONVERSATION, THIS IS A STRETCH FROM ROCKVIEW TO SOMERSET, THE SPEED LIMIT GOING FROM 35 TO 25. AND THIS IS FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING SET FOR OCTOBER 28TH AT 6 P.M..
ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS? ALL RIGHT. ROLL CALL PLEASE.
COMMISSIONER GRANER. YES. COMMISSIONER DRAKE.
YES. COMMISSIONER SOOY. DEPUTY DIRECTOR MARANO.
YES. DIRECTOR ROBERTSON. YES. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 25-1900 THROUGH 25-1911.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMISSIONER GRANER.YES, COMMISSIONER DRAKE. YES. COMMISSIONER SOOY.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR MARANO. YES. DIRECTOR ROBERTSON.
YES. RESOLUTION 25-1912 THROUGH 25-1921. IS THERE A MOTION?
[AWARD OF CONTRACTS]
SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMISSIONER GRANER.YES. COMMISSIONER DRAKE. YES. COMMISSIONER SOOY.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR MARANO. YES. DIRECTOR ROBINSON.
YES. IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTIONS 25-1922 THROUGH 25-1958.
[FINANCE]
SECONDED. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMISSIONER GRANER.YES. COMMISSIONER DRAKE. YES. COMMISSIONER SOOY.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR. MARANO. DIRECTOR ROBINSON. YES.
IS THERE A MOTION TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 25-1959 THROUGH 25-1975.
[ITEMS ADDED FROM OCTOBER 14, 2025 WORK SESSION TO BE ADOPTED TONIGHT]
SO MOVED. SECOND. ROLL CALL PLEASE. COMMISSIONER GRANER.YES. COMMISSIONER DRAKE. YES. COMMISSIONER SOOY.
DEPUTY DIRECTOR MARANO. YES. DIRECTOR ROBINSON.
YES. NOW IT'S TIME TO PUBLIC PORTION OF THIS MEETING.
ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK IS FIVE MINUTES. NO YIELDING OF TIME. NOW, COMING UP A SECOND TIME, IS THERE A MOTION TO OPEN TO PUBLIC? SO MOVED SECOND.
ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYES HAVE IT. ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK.
ANY TELEPHONE CALLS OR EMAILS? THERE ARE NONE.
HEARING NONE. SEEING NONE. IS THERE A MOTION TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC PORTION OF THIS MEETING? MOTION.
SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYES HAVE IT. COUNTY COUNCIL, WE NEED TO GO INTO EXECUTIVE.
[EXECUTIVE]
WE DO. THERE IS ONE ITEM ON AN EXECUTIVE. IT IS LAND ACQUISITION SOMERSET LAND EQUITIES AS PART OF THE RARITAN RIVER GREENWAY WHICH IS LOCATED IN BRIDGEWATER. SO I WOULD NEED A MOTION PURSUANT TO THE OPEN PUBLIC MEETINGS ACT, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS FOR CLOSED SESSION. ONE OF THEM BEING LAND ACQUISITIONS.WE ARE NOT TAKING ANY ACTION, AND WE'LL ADJOURN DIRECTLY THEREFROM.
HERE'S THE MOTION GOING TO EXECUTIVE. MOTION.
SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. AYES HAVE IT. GOOD NIGHT.
AND BE WELL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.