Heat. Heat. The meeting of the Atlanta County Board of Commissioners is called to order In compliance with the open public meetings act of the state of New Jersey, adequate notice of this meeting of the Atlantic County Board of Commissioners was provided in the following manner. Published in the press of Atlantic City
and mailed to the Hamilton Gazette has been posted on the bulletin boards in the county office building in Atlantic City, the Stillwater Building in Northfield and the County Clerk's Office in Maze Landing. Um, trouble trouble walking in the door.
>> Is there an opening prayer? Commissioner, do you have the >> You got the prayer. >> I do. >> Yes, she does. You're right. >> Right there. >> You do not have to. >> You can do your own. >> That's great. Father, we're grateful for
this day and this opportunity to meet and discuss business in this county. We ask for your guidance. We ask wisdom. We ask for unity. We ask oh God that all that we do will be for the benefit and the uplift of people we serve. In your
name we pray. >> At this time I'm going to ask for a moment of silence. Um John Peterson most recently the department head of the regional planning and economic development department worked for Atlanta County for 36 years. Uh passed away recently. If I ask for a moment of
silence for John. Thank you. Is uh face the flag. >> Salute. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice
for all >> call please commissioner Gat is unable to attend today >> here >> Burns >> here days >> Kerna >> here >> farger >> present >> here >> ruffio here. >> D >> hereers have had an opportunity to
review the minutes from October 21st, 2025. I will entertain a motion to adopt the October 21st minutes as presented. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Roll call, please. >> Martino, yes. >> Burns, >> here. >> Daz >> here. More serious. >> Karn >> here. >> Yes.
>> Parker, >> yes. >> Grizzly, >> here. >> Ruffio, >> yes. >> D >> here. The board of commissioners will continue to utilize a consent agenda format for the sections of the agenda that the commissioners do not feel need additional discussion from the board and
are not tested. This this consent agenda format allows the meetings to run more efficiently and productively so that we can spend additional time during the meeting discussing other important issues that are not as routine. If any commissioner wishes for additional discussion on any resolution or would like a resolution to be pulled from the
consent format to be individually addressed any reason, please advise and we will do so. For the public, prior to the roll call on any resolution or group of resolutions, you will continue to have an opportunity to comment if you so wish. Anyone attending in person who' like to speak regarding an agenda item
or excuse me, a public comment, please come to the podium, speak into the microphone, state your name and the town where you reside. You'll be provided up to three minutes to speak. If you're attending virtually, would like to speak, please raise your hand during the agenda item where a public comment at the end. I'll call upon your name and a
request to unmute will be sent. Please state your name in the town you reside. You will be provided up to three minutes to speak. Right. At this time, we have a presentation for the Atlanta County Prosecutor's Office receiving police agency reacredititation through the New
Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. Good afternoon. Thank you. Appreciate it. Uh I come before you today in gratitude. Uh for those who don't know, my name is Bill Reynolds. I'm Land County Prosecutor. Been in the position
three and a half years, 42 months. Couple days, but he was counting. Uh with me this evening I have uh if please stand first assistant prosecutor Eric Bergman and uh Chief of Detectives Pat Snider and uh Lieutenant Jim Kersner
and uh our new community outreach director Rich Cornet. Uh I am surrounded by a team of great leaders. I have been blessed to have uh institutional experience uh to give me the insight and knowledge on decision- making and uh
leadership. And uh one of the things that we're here for tonight is to share with the county commissioners and the public. Uh we took a long hard look at ourselves at the uh Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office through the accreditation process. So joining us this evening is Mr. Harry Delgado. He's
the director of accreditation from the state chiefs of police association. Uh Mr. Delgado and I got appointed a few years ago when we first uh took over the administration of the office. uh and Chief Snyder took over as the chief of detectives. Uh quite frankly, we were
behind the eight-ball. We were not aware of the process. None of us were educated on the process. We were all new in the position. Mr. Delgado graciously gave us an extension. Uh one of the things that this process does, you have to look at all your evidence and there needs to be an evidence audit when there's a new
leader of a police department or prosecutor's office. Uh, the thing that I think is real important that the public should know and that the commissioner should know, you can share with your constituents, this process is voluntary. And there's a lot of prosecutor's offices that don't do this. And there's a lot of police departments
that don't do this. And we did it voluntarily because if you're going to hold others accountable, including the police departments, you have to start at home, right? You have to make sure your house is in order. And the only way to do that is take a long hard look at your processes, uh, your policies, your
personnel, your evidence. And, uh, one of the things, one of the gentleman's who's not gentleman who's not here this evening is agent Mark Hooker. He's our kind of director of policy and accreditation, body warrant cameras. Uh, Mark and Lieutenant Kersner, integral in
the process of doing this and getting us to where we need to be to be accredited. So, in under our administration, this is the second time that we've been accredited. Now, this is a reacredititation. Uh, one of the things that we did in response to the first accreditation process we went through is
with the assistance of Chief Snder, we created a promotion process that was never in existence in the land county prosecutor's office. And then in addition to that, we actually did executive level reviews, including our own reviews, including the first time ever, county prosecutor, chief of
detectives, the first assistant was ever reviewed because we reviewed each other. And then we actually reviewed the organization, which is called a 360 review. Again, first time ever. And if we didn't do this accreditation process with the assistance of Mr. Delgado, that
none of that would have happened. And uh you know, we had the opportunity to make the place better and to be accountable not only to the police departments who we serve, but the citizens who pay our bills. And uh it is really humbling to see because if you're going to be the
inspector for other people's houses, you better be willing to open up your own. And that's what we did. And we took a long hard look at our processes. And one of the things that I've learned through the journey of doing the job and being in the job, uh, I met I had the fortunate opportunity to meet and spend
time with the prosecutor who prosecuted Coline and Aurara. And he is the prosecutor out in Colorado in a separate district. In Colorado, they have term limits. And uh, he got two termed out. He was on the street for a few years and they created a new district for him. He
ran and won. And I got to spend time with him. He said something real salient that I think it fits county government, local government, and the prosecutor's office. Personnel is policy. If you have the right personnel, you can have success and you have the right people
around you. And the accreditation policy that we've inherited and now improved with the help of Mr. Delgado has shown when you pick the right personnel, anything is possible. And as a leader, my goal is to take obstructions away from the personnel that are in positions
and give them the authority to fix problems and come with solutions. And when you give people the space to do their job, wow, it's been amazing. It's been an amazing 42 months that I've been in the position. And I'm really honored and uh privileged to to be in that position and serve the residents of the
county. And I think this accreditation process gave us the ability to really take a long hard look at what we do every day and who we're responsible to. And that's number one, the taxpayers. So with that being said, I'd like to bring up Mr. Delgado now. He's going to have a brief presentation, but I wanted to give an intro on what the process is and what
we did. Mr. Delgado, thank you. >> Well, I think that by the way, it's it's a privilege to be here. Uh this is one of the uh most I believe um uh you know most assertive prosecutor's office are the ones that I certainly had the
privilege to deal with and I think that the prosecutor doesn't give himself enough credit when he decided to actually re-engage in accreditation process the last time he brought the prosecutor's office in a group of law enforcement agencies meaning total in the uh out of the total law enforcement
agencies in the state of New Jersey less than 12% by having achieved their second reacreditation what he achieved just recently was bringing dropping that percentage and now joining a very exclusive group of less than 8% of all the agencies in the state of New Jersey that actually have
reached accreditation that includes law local law enforcement that includes prosecutor's office obviously sheriff's officers and the like. So that's quite a it's quite remarkable. So if you indulge me for two minutes I'd like to share with you the significance or the details of the achievement. So, the Alani County
Prosecutor's Office has once again made a commitment to adhering to best practices at the state and national level in a highly regarded statewide law enforcement accreditation program. This program administered to the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police and the New Jersey Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission has helped to
transparently demonstrate the professionalism, excuse me, the transparently demonstrate the professionalism, transparency, and preparedness of state's law enforcement agencies in the state's public safety system. Now during these uniquely challenging times and a threat to our health and safety, encouraging law enforcement agencies to follow
standardized practices and policies is a potentially life-saving and cost-effective investment of time and resources. Accreditation status represents a significant professional achievement. I can't emphasize that enough. His prestigious reacredited status demonstrates prosecutors Reynolds
firm commitment to state and national standards and the continued expectations for quality, professional and ethical policing for themselves and all the other agencies in Atlantic County as I said and by the way he has made a difference because I'll be back here on the 24th uh excuse me the 24th I think
this is Monday recognizing an agency that just achieved reacreditation in Alani County. So accreditation provides objective evidence of an agency's ability, a commitment to excellence in leadership, resource manage management, and service delivery. That is the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office. Commissioners can be more confident in
the agency's ability to operate efficiently and meet community needs. Now officers and staff in accredited agencies can take pride that they have been objectively recognized for their professionalism and adhering to the highest standards. just to make this process a little more rigorous and
actually uh challenge the prosecute even more. We actually come here and make sure that all those proofs uh of compliance are presented. And so out of that visitation uh there's a report that is presented is forwarded to me. I get the privilege of reviewing and recommended to the commission um for
accreditation or not. In this case, obviously it was. I'd just like to paraphrase from you is just uh some of what was said uh during that visit by the assessors on the prosecutors Reo's leadership a high level of competence leadership and professionalism is evident within the agency the county the
Atlantic County prosecutor's office is committed to the law enforcement community they serve led by the prosecutor the Atlanta County prosecutor is highly visible engaged in partnerships and a multitude of community outreach programs second to none I mean their engagement in terms of
community initiatives is is is really um incredible. Uh whether future issues relate to budget for body one cameras like most of us um have a a myriad of programs delivered by this office towards community outreach or personnel. This agency will continue to move
forward with a history and commitment to following best practices, a preparedness plan and a verification of of excellence. So it is the opinion of the assessment team at the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office is a highly professional and committed agency which exemplifies all of the tenants of law enforcement accreditation at the state
and national level. So again, it is indeed my honor here today on behalf of the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police and New Jersey Law Enforcement U Commission to congratulate Prosecutor William Reynolds, the Great Asian Manager, Agent Mark Cooker, the members of the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office, the commissioners,
and those citizens and agencies that they so proudly serve for having achieved their fourth reacreditation, joining a very, and I say very exclusive group of law enforcement agencies that have make this long-term commitment to excellence in policing. So to all indeed, congratulations. and I didn't bring certificate.
>> Sure. >> Come on out. >> Where should we do right around the circle here? Is that I thought we getting out of the way. >> That's good. almost the American flag. Well,
prosecutor, that again, congratulations. Thank you for for taking the steps to do that. I think it just um increases the the trust that our community has, not only in your leadership, but of the the members of your staff as well. Um you know, you quoted the quality, professional, and ethical standards um
that your you and your department rise up to. again just says a whole lot about your commitment to that community involvement and thank you for that. >> Thank you. I appreciate it's a really a privilege to not only be here but to serve the community where I was born and raised. Thank you. >> Fantastic >> chairman. Um I just want to say you know
uh prosecutor that you've always been very supportive of your staff and the people that work for you. You've been very vocal about it everywhere you go. You talk about your staff, especially the gentlemen that are here today. And I think that that says a lot about you as a leader. So thank you. And thank you
to, you know, the individuals here today for all you do for our county. >> Thank you so much. >> Any additional commissioner comments or >> keep it up. >> Thank you very much. Appreciate your time. >> Yeah. Thank Thank you again for your efforts.
>> Thank you. >> Appreciate you. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Dana. >> Thank you. Moving on to other agenda items. Ordinance five, >> ordinance amending the code of the county of Atlantic pertaining to land development standards, part two, general
legislation, chapter 86-201 and article 11, section 4-64.10, subpart M3A, regarding the composition of the development review committee of the county of Atlantic. First reading. Second and second are there any
commissioner comments. >> And since this is Commissioner Rley? >> Yeah, just um briefly um the budget finance committee reviewed this one plus all the resolutions on the agenda regarding money and uh recommend of
course approval. What should be noted is the millions and millions of dollars that we're going to be approving uh this afternoon for all kinds of programs. Programs that help people here in Atlantic County. It
really is staggering when you you add up the numbers of the millions and millions of dollars we're appropriating for OO PO problems drunk driving drugs other problems uh the office on
aging child support all these different topics all these different social programs are included in a big way uh in this agenda we're going to be voting on tonight. Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Risley. Any
other commissioner comments? So, this is first reading. So, Terry, can you call the role, please? >> Martino, >> yes. >> Burns, >> yes. >> Daz, >> yes. >> Kern, >> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Grizzley, >> yes. >> Ruffio, >> yes. >> Haze,
>> yes. >> Resolution 597. Grant application and acceptance from the United States Department of Justice through the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office for the Liberty Mid-Atlantic Highintensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force Grant amount
not to exceed $177,000. >> Moved. Second. >> Moved and seconded. Any commissioner comments? Any comments from the public? Please call the RO. >> Bertino, >> yes. >> Burns, yes. Dazain. >> Kern, yes. >> Parker, yes. >> Grizzley, yes.
>> Rafio, yes. D, >> yes. Resolution 598, >> grant an application and acceptance from the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, Office of the Attorney General for the state fiscal year 2026 Operation Helping Hand Grant amount not to exceed $110,526.31.
>> Moved second. >> Moved and seconded. Any commissioner comments? >> Any comments from the public? >> Okay, please call the role. >> Bertino, yes. >> Burns, yes. Stays >> Kern. Yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Grizzly, >> yes. >> Ruffio, yes. days.
>> Yes. If any commissioner would like to discuss remove any grants from the consent agenda, please indicate so now. >> Are there any comments from the public on any of these additional grant items? I'll entertain a motion to combine and
adopt resolutions 599 through 63. >> Move. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Please call the role. >> Bertino. Yes. >> Burns. Yes. Stays. >> Yes. >> Kern. Yes. >> Parker. Yes. Rizley, >> yes. >> Ruff, >> yes. >> Yes. Moving on to professional service
agreements. If any commissioners would like to discuss or remove any professional service agreements from the consent agenda, please indicate so now. Right. Hearing none, are there any comments from the public? Right. I'll entertain a motion to combine and adopt
resolutions 64 through 607. Move. >> Second. Moved and seconded. Any other commissioner comments? All right, please call the role. >> Martino, yes. >> Burns, yes. S, yes. Kern, yes. Parker, yes. Grizzly, >> yes. >> Rafio, yes.
>> Yes. Moving on to competitive contracts. If any commissioners would like to discuss or remove any competitive contracts from the consent agenda, please indicate so now. >> All right. Any comments from the public? obtain a motion to combine and adopt
resolution 608 through 610. >> Moved. Second. >> Moved and seconded. Please call the role. >> Martino, yes. >> Burns, yes. >> SE, >> yes. >> Kern, >> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Grizzley, >> yes. >> Rafio, >> yes. >> S, >> yes. Moving on to bid contracts. If any commissioners would like to discuss or
remove any bid contracts from the consent agenda, please indicate so now. >> Hearing none. Any comments from the public? Okay. All in a motion to combine and adopt resolutions 571 and 611 through 616.
>> Moved. Second. >> Move. Then seconded. Please call the role. >> Yes. >> Burns. Yes. >> Daz. Yes. >> Karna. Yes. >> Parker. >> Yes. >> Grizzly. >> Yes. >> Rafio. >> Yes. >> D. >> Yes. Miscellaneous items. If any commissioners like to discuss or remove any miscellaneous items from the consent
agenda, please let us know. Now hearing none. Are there any comments from the public? I'll entertain a motion to combine and adopt resolutions 617 through 633. Move >> second. Moved and seconded. Please call
the role. >> Martino, >> yes. >> Burns, >> yes. >> Z, >> yes. >> K, yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Grizzly, >> yes. >> Ruffio, >> yes. >> Disease, >> yes. Chapter 159. >> I'll entertain a motion to combine and adopt resolutions 634 through 637.
Chapter 159's >> move. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Are there any commissioner comments? Any comments from the public? All right, please call the role. >> Martino, yes. >> Burns, stays, >> yes. >> Kern, yes. >> Parker, >> yes.
>> Grizzly, >> yes. >> Rafio, >> yes. Stays, >> yes. All right, I'll entertain a motion to combine and adopt resolutions 638 and 640 through 642. Appointments >> moved. Second. Moved and seconded. Are
there any commissioner comments? Any comments from the public? >> All right, please call the role. >> Rino, >> yes. >> Burns, >> yes. Stays. >> Yes. On all of 639, I abstain. >> We're going to vote on that. >> Pull that one. Do that one separately. Commissioner
>> um Kurt, >> we'll do that one separately. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Grizzly, >> yes. >> Ruff, >> yes. >> D, >> yes. Resolution 639, >> appointment of Sergeant Christopher A. Southern to the Youth Services Commission for a term to expire on
October 1st, 2028. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Any commissioner comments? >> Any comments from the public? >> All right. Please call the RO. >> Bertino, >> yes. >> Burns, >> yes. >> Dain, yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Grizzly,
>> yes. >> Ruffio, >> yes. >> D, >> yes. Resolution 643 >> authorizing consent for a roadway solicitation event by the Galloway Township Police Honor Guard at the intersection of Pittney Road, County Route 634 and Jimmy Le's Road, County Route 633 in the Township of Galloway on
Saturday, November 29th, 2025 from 8:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Any commissioner comments? >> Any comments from the public? Please call the RO. >> Bertino. Yes. Burns. Yes. Days,
>> yes. >> Kern, >> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Grizzly, >> yes. >> Ruffio, >> yes. >> Days, >> yes. Resolution 644. >> Resolution to recognize November as diabetes awareness month and to recognize individuals living with diabetes and their caregivers. Sponsor
June BS. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded. Any commissioner comments? Commissioner Burns? >> Yes, please. Though diabetes affects millions of families, including friends, neighbors, and those quietly managing the condition. This month, we honor their strength,
amplify education and prevention, and encourage everyone to stay informed and proactive about their own health. To everyone living with diabetes, diabetes, your resilience inspires us. To the caregivers and medical professionals, your dedication does not go unnoticed.
Let's continue working toward better resources, better access to care, and better outcomes for all. Um, I'd like to mention that today is Tara's daughter's second anniversary. It's called Dia
anniversary. Is that correct, Tara? >> Diversary. >> Diversary. >> Thank you. Um, so thank you everyone. >> Thank you, Commissioner Burns. Any other >> amazing mom? >> Thank you. >> Are there any other commissioner comments? No, Commissioner, I can attest to I met
a friend of mine on over the weekend. His uh seven-year-old son was diagnosed with diabetes in August and um he was just telling me as seven-year-old how challenging it is for him um to go to get tested before lunch, after lunch, before recess um to the point where he's, you know, he's counting his carbs
and um the the education. So, that was one positive thing about his diet, but um the just the stress level on not just on the child, but the parents as well. It was just >> just to listen to him what he's gone through this this summer and here are November. So, it's still fairly new for them, but thank thank you for that
today. >> Okay. >> Any additional commissioner comments this time? >> All right. Any comments from the public? >> Hearing none, please call the RO. >> Martino, yes. >> Burns, yes. Stays, yes. >> Karn, yes. Parker, yes.
>> Grizzley, yes. Rafio. >> Yes. >> Days. >> Yes. All right. Commissioners, we've received copies of written communications and petitions. Are there any commissioner comments? >> Hearing none. Are there any reports of
special committees of the board? >> Yes. >> Okay. Commissioner Burns. >> Last week we honored our veterans with ceremonies throughout the county. One was for our veterans at Meadow View, where each veteran was presented with a proclamation and a pen and a special
birthday celebration for a World War II um Marine. He was celebrating his 100th birthday. The week-long recognition of ceremonies ended at the Atlanta County Veterans Museum dedication in the name of Robert
L. Froolo, a Vietnam veteran and our very own director of veterans affairs. Um, lastly, I'd like to mention that the Atlantic County Senior Advisory Board has three members that are stepping down for various reasons. Um, I encourage
that anyone that's interested in serving on that board to go on the website, fill out the application, and we welcome any additional help. Thank you. That's >> advised people. Thank you, Commissioner Burns. Any other reports of special committees?
And moving on, any unfinished business? Is there any new business? >> I'll just say that the AI sub the AI the AI ad hoc subcommittee did have a good first meeting. It was an excellent meeting. Commissioner Gat asked many
many uh pertinent questions. But I think we have a better understanding within the committee of where we are as a county. I think the conversation continues to grow. The more we talk about it, uh the more we have a a deeper understanding of where we need to go. So there is a um I won't give the full
report but the report will be coming to you guys. You all get a um a copy of the committee report to your email so you can peruse over what the the summary of what's happened at the meeting. And also I just like to say to that I continue to
believe just me personally not the not the committee itself. I personally believe that um uh the right thing to do is to put not to put the cart before the horse and we need to legislate a resolution from this commissioner's board before the policy
is enacted throughout this county. So I want that to be very clear that that's what I believe and um hopefully we get that done. >> Thank you Commissioner Any other new business?
Anyone attending in person that would like to speak now with public comment, please come to the podium, speak on the microphone, state your name, and the town in which you reside. If you're attending virtually, like to make a public comment, raise your hand. I will call your name and request to unmute will be sent. Please state your name in the town you reside. You'll be provided
up to three minutes to speak. Anybody in the public wish to? Anybody online? I see some folks smiling in the audience. I'm not sure if they want to speak or check with everybody on the spot.
Everybody >> just checking. >> I want to get a phone call when I get out of here now. >> Gonna happen either way. >> It's going to happen either way. Multiple people. Hello. At this time, I guess I'll
entertain a motion to close public comment. >> Move. >> Second. >> Yeah. All All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Right. Any comments for the good of the order? >> I do have a comment, Mr. Chair. Uh, first I want to request that the
resolution that we passed um, Commissioner James Bertino on the PAS last at our last meeting. It was requested from council miss and lang city if we would make sure that we forward a copy over to his office um so that they could get on board and maybe
put something on the agenda to get behind this as well so we can have that done. And one other thing that I want want to put out there, I was at the League of Municipalities today and I went to the African-American Chamber and we were talking about the disparity study and you know and just looking at
our RFP and RQ work. That's something that I've been uh involved in and hopefully we can bring some change within our state within that system. One, I think it needs to be a statewide registry and I think there needs to be one system that uh that for for each
municipality so each municipality doesn't have their own system once you're qualified as a contractor to do work with the state with a municipality. That should be that should cover every municipality in the state of New Jersey. It should be one registry which should streamline that system and make it much easier. But the one thing that I wanted
to put out point out that they they brought up at the meeting was 30% of our contracts in the state of New Jersey go to outofstate contractors. 30%. I want us all to sit let that sit settle in for a second and sit with that. 30%
of our state contracts go to out of state contractors. So how do our in-state contractors survive? So that's something that we need to take a look at. something to keep on your radars.
>> Thank you, Commissioner. Any other comments for the good of the order? >> Happy Thanksgiving. >> There is a there is a holiday coming up. I just want to remind everyone that I know that a lot of the food banks are are struggling right now to meet the need for the community. So, um as we do
go shopping for our family meals, our Thanksgiving meals, please keep all those in mind. All right, I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> Second. All in favor? >> I opposed. >> All right, the meeting is now.