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Heat. Heat. It is now 4:00 >> or 1,600 hours. I now call this meeting to order of the Atlantic County Board of Commissioners. In compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act of the State of

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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 Atlant City and mailed to the Hammond Gazette and has been posted on the Bolton boards in the county office

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building in Lank City, the Stillwater Building in Northfield and the County Clerk's Office in Maze Landing. At this time, we'll have our opening prayer. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing us together today. Guide our thoughts,

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words, and decisions with wisdom and fairness. Help us to work in unity and with purpose for the good of all. Grant us clarity, patience, mutual respect as we serve our community. Amen. >> Amen. >> Amen. Please join me in spooning the

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flag of our country. I >> pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

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will be unable to attend today. >> Okay. Thank you. Madame clerk, would you please call the role? here. >> Here >> we have one set of minutes to approve uh this afternoon. Minutes from our April

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7th meeting. Chair will entertain adoption. >> So move. >> Second. >> Any discussion on the minutes? Any corrections? ations hearing. None. Please call the role. >> Burns. >> Yes. >> Daz. >> Abstain.

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>> Burns. >> Yes. >> Parker. >> Yes. >> Ruffw. >> Yes. >> Shanker. >> Yes. >> Grizzly. >> Yes. Board commissioners will continue to utilize a consent agenda format for sections of the agenda that the

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commissioners do do not feel need additional discussion from the board and are not contested. This consent agenda format allows our meetings to run more efficiently and productively so that we can spend additional time during the

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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 for any reason, please advise

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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 wish to do so. Anyone attending in person who would

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like to speak regarding an agenda item or at public comment, please come to the podium, speak into the microphone, state your name and the town where you reside. We provided up to three minutes to speak. If you are attending virtually

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and would like to speak, please raise your hand during the agenda item or at public comment at the end. I will call upon your name and a request to unmute will be sent. Please state your name, the town you reside. You will be

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provided up to three minutes to speak as well. First item we have is a very pleasant item and uh going to have an interview and uh the chair will entertain a motion to bring 205

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uh to the top of the agenda. >> Move. >> Second. >> Okay. Any discussion on that topic? Hearing none. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Motion carries. Madam clerk, would you please uh read 205?

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>> Appointment of Bonnie Lindall to serve in the dual role of county treasurer, chief financial officer, and deputy county administrator effective April 21st, 2026. >> Okay. Chair will entertain a motion. >> Motion second.

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>> Moved and seconded. This time I would ask Bonnie to come to the podium, please. Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon. Many of us have known you for a long long time and know your skills and capabilities. But uh but please

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sure I did prepare a 510 word uh statement. >> Okay. >> And wrote everything down so I wouldn't forget anything. And I know there are some newer commissioners that maybe do not know my history with Atlantic County. So I'll go through that. >> Super. Uh but but before I begin, I'd like to

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extend my ardent thanks to Mr. Dennis Levenson for his steadfast support throughout my tenure as treasurer and CFO >> and now for his trust and recommendation in my nomination as deputy county administrator. I also want to thank the entire commissioner board for your past

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encouragement and your continued support. As many of you may know, I've proudly been serving in Landy County since February 6 of 1989. That's about 37 years of service, dedicated service. My resume outlines

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various roles I've held during this time and for the most recently being treasurer CFO for more than 13 years. Commissioner, my journey with the county has been marked not only by professional growth but also by significant personal

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development. Uh, I'm deeply grateful for the many individuals have contributed to my progress and I'd like to name a few that are really important to me. Um, Mr. William Tate, may you rest in peace, Mrs. Jane Lugo, Mrs. Diana Rutella, and

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Mr. Jerry Del Roso. Their leadership, mentorship, and exemplary professionalism have been invaluable to me as a county employee. I'm truly enthusiastic about the opportunity to serve as Atlantic County's deputy administrator. While

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continuing my role as treasurer CFO in my current capacity, I fostered strong relationships with Atlantic Cape Community College. I serve as liaison to the board of trustees as well as special services and the institute of technology as my role as

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liaison to the board school board. I participate in monthly agenda meetings for the Atlanta County Utilities Authority and attend all agenda and board meetings for the Atlanta County Improvement Authority. You may not have known that, but I do.

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Um, additionally, I'm active uh in the Atlantic County Mayor's Association, regularly attend the county commissioner meetings, and contribute to budget and finance committee meetings. Beyond these duties, I'm involved in several committees, including the labor

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committee, insurance committee, open space review committee, capital committee, and the op opioid settlement committee. I also serve in the capacity of treasurer for the Atlanta County Insurance Commission. I'm fortunate to work alongside a

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talented team in the treasur's office, including Vera Wilson, who's my current accounts payable supervisor, Terry Dulan, who's the chief accountant for payroll and pension, Jeff Monroe, who's doing grants management for us now, and Singh Dinac. Singh was recently promoted

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to chief accountant controller and has recently earned her municipal and county finance license, finance officer license. On the administrative side, I'm surrounded by dedicated leaders and professionals,

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all of all of whom are in the room today except for Tammy. She's online. Uh, Linda Gilmore, Jerry Del Roso, Dami Robbins, Lynn Hughes, Art Murray, and Civo Connor. Our admin team meets weekly and

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continues to discuss important topics that need to be resolved quickly. I look ahead looking ahead. I'm eager to continue maintaining a stable budget, strengthening our capital plan, and supporting the needs of our public, our

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officials, as well as our department heads and division directors. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer. >> Please. >> Fellow colleagues, any any questions for Bonnie? those of us have known her for a long

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time and work with her a long time know of your your skill set and um I think it's a great move on behalf of the county. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you. >> Anyone else? Okay. >> Thank you then. >> Okay.

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>> Thank you. >> Okay. All right. Any other discussion on resolution 205? Hearing none, I'll call the role, please. Um,

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public, we'll open the meeting to the public. Anybody has any public comments to make, now's the time. Hearing none, please call the role. >> Burns, >> yes. >> R Days, >> yes. >> C Days, >> yes. >> Karn,

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>> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Ruffw, >> yes. >> Shanker, >> yes. >> Grizzly, >> yes. Moving on to our bond ordinances. Bond ordinance number one providing for

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various 2026 capital improvements and the acquisition of various capital equipment by and in the county of Atlantic State of New Jersey appropriating $24,515,500 therefore and authorizing the insurance

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of $23,289,000 bonds or notes to finance part of the cost therefore Therefore of first reading >> second. >> Thank you. It's been moved and seconded regarding bond orders number one. It's a

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first reading. Any member of the governing body have any questions? Mr. Chair. Yes. I have a question uh to the administration. the top three drivers uh within the 24.5 million

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appropriation. What what so bond ordinance number one uh supports 13.183 million for facilities and 11.332 million for planning and engineering. I did go over several of the projects

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that were going to be covered >> in the committee. Yeah. In finance committee in the finance committee. >> Y >> um and I don't have well I do have them and if you want it I can go through the details of each project or did that answer your question?

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>> It answers my question. >> Okay. >> Any public comment? No public comment. Correct. That's correct. >> All right. Any further discussion by the board? >> These are all the things that we need to

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do to keep the county running. It's as simple as that. Please call the role. >> Burns. >> Yes. >> Rdays. >> Yes. >> C. Days. >> Yes. >> Kerna, >> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Ruff, >> yes. >> Shanker, >> yes. >> Grizzly,

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>> yes. Please read bond ordinance number two. bond ordinance providing for various capital improvements for the fiscal year 2026 by and for the Atlantic Cape Community College appropriating $5,830,000

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therefore and authorizing the insurance of $5,830,000 bonds or notes of the county of Atlantic State of New Jersey for financing such appropriation the principle of and interest on the aggregate principal

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amount of which will be entitled to state aid pursuant to chapter 12 of the laws of New Jersey of 1971 first reading. >> Okay, chair. Thank you. >> Second motion made second. Any

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discussion? I know that uh there's a number of things for the college in there uh HVAC system and I believe some other things um in this uh ordinance and of course um

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we just uh recently dedicated the um the new baseball field this past weekend there. They have a beautiful new baseball field at ACCCC. They will no longer have to be busted to the Bader

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Field to play a game. That was a a great thing to see. Any discuss other discussion or number two hearing? None. Please call the role. >> Earns, yes. >> Rdays,

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>> yes. >> Case, >> yes. >> Karna, >> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Ruff, >> yes. >> Shanker, >> yes. >> Grizzley, >> yes. Okay, moving in our capital ordinances. Please read by title. Capital ordinance number one.

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>> Capital ordinance providing for various capital improvements, equipment, and furnishings in the county of Atlantic, state of New Jersey, and appropriating 4,370,400 from the capital improvement fund and or the capital surplus fund to fund to pay

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for the cost thereof. First reading. >> Second. Moved in a second. Any discussion? Hearing none. Madam clerk, please call the role. >> Burns, >> yes. >> Rdays, >> yes. >> Cays, >> yes. >> Karna,

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>> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Ruff, >> yes. >> Shanker, >> yes. >> Grizzly, >> yes. Moving on to ordinance number two on final reading. >> Ordinance regulating the towing and

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storage of motor vehicles revising and replacing Atlantic County Ordinance number three of 2014 pertaining to section 126-7 of the county code final reading. >> Move second.

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>> Move in a second. Any discussion? I think we all know that this ordinance has been vetted quite clearly. Any public comment hearing? None. Madam clerk, please call the role. >> Burns, >> yes.

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>> Arday, >> yes. >> Cedays, >> yes. >> Karn, >> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Ruff, >> yes. >> Shanker, >> yes. >> Grizzlies, >> yes. Moving into resolution 189, a grant application. Grant application and acceptance from the New Jersey

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Department of Law and Public Safety for the state fiscal year 20 2025 arrive together grant amount not to exceed $325,000. >> Second been moved and seconded. Any discussion?

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Any public comment hearing? None. Please call the role. >> Burns. >> Yes. >> Days. >> Yes. >> Cays. >> Yes. Kerna, >> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Rupio, >> yes. >> Shanker, >> yes. >> Grizzly, >> yes.

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We have three professional service agreements. Will entertain a motion to combine and adopt these three. Move. >> Second. >> Any discussion on the services agreements? >> Mr. Chair? >> Yep. just from the metal view uh

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resolution 192. Just a quick question of I know we're moving towards auction and so uh for the public's um information it may seem a little odd that we're seemingly increasing or investing into something that we're

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moving to auction. So if we can have administration please just briefly speak to that. 50k on >> that's the one where we have the people come in and do the Medicare and Medicaid that's what that is we have to do we

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have an outside firm within and they have to do all the data and all the analysis for Medicare Medicaid because the nursing home gets as much reimbursement as it possibly can get >> thank you something we have to

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Any other discussion? Any public comment? Hearing none, please call the role. >> Burns, yes. >> Rdays, >> yes. >> Cays, >> yes. >> Karna, >> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Ruff, >> yes. >> Shanker, >> yes. >> Grizzly,

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>> yes. We have uh one competitive contract listed here. Number 193. Renewal competitive contract with Power Plus Translations Incorporated and Accurate Language Services for the provision of interpreter and transcription services

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amount not to exceed $75,000. >> Move. >> Second. >> Been moved and seconded. Resolution 193. And this is of course to uh provide the services of the court system. Any discussion on 193?

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Any public comment? Hearing none, please call the role. >> Burns, >> yes. >> Rdays, >> yes. >> C Days, >> yes. >> Hearn, >> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Ruff, >> yes. >> Shanker, >> yes. >> Grizzly, >> yes. Okay.

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Okay. Moving into bid contracts. I will entertain a motion to combine and adopt 94 through 197. So move >> second >> discussion.

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Any public comment on 194 through 197 hearing? None. Please call the role. >> Burns. Yes. Rdays. >> Yes. >> C days. >> Yes. Kerna, >> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Ruff, >> yes. >> Shanker, >> yes. >> Rizley, >> yes.

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Under the listing of miscellaneous, we have 198 2003. I'm sorry, 203. 203. We're not 198 through 203. Okay. All right. >> Motion to combine. >> Combine. Adopt. Please. Second.

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>> All right. Been moved and seconded. >> Discussion. Any public comment? >> Yes. >> Ask you to motion 192. >> All right. I'll make that motion or amend that motion.

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>> Second. >> Okay. Been moved and seconded to consider 198 through 202. We'll hold 203 out at this time. >> Any public comment?

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>> Yes. 203. >> Oh, we have to get to those separately. >> We have to get to it first. It's we're just at 198 202. >> Okay. >> Yep. Any other discussion? Hearing none, please call the role.

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>> Burns, >> yes. >> Rdays, >> yes. >> Case. >> Hearn, >> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Ruffw, >> yes. >> Shanker, >> yes. >> Grizzly, >> yes. >> Now to consider 203.

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Amending resolution number 108 adopted on March 3rd, 2026, an alternate method contract with William Baney, Esquire for the provision of additional legal services, no additional cost. >> There a motion >> moved. >> Second.

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>> Second. Discussion to respond to commissioner's response. I'd ask that. >> Okay. Very good. Any other discussion?

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203. If not, please call the role. >> Burns. >> Yes. >> Rdays. >> Yes. >> Cays. >> Yes. >> Fern. >> Yes. >> Parker. >> Yes. >> Ruff. >> Abstain. >> Shanker. >> Yes.

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>> Grizzl. Yes. Okay. Moving on. We have one one chapter 159 to consider. Resolution 204. >> State of New Jersey Department of Community Affairs under the caption of

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the LEAP shared services coordinator 2026 in the amount of $75,000. >> Always nice. Is there a motion? >> Moved. Second. >> Moved and seconded. Any discussion? Any public comment on 204

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hearing? None. Please call the role. >> Burns. >> Yes. >> Rdays. >> Yes. >> C days. >> Yes. >> Karna, >> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Ruff, >> yes. >> Shanker, >> yes. >> Yes. Roadway solicitations. Here we'll entertain a motion to combine

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adopt 206 through 208. Move. >> Second. Any discussion? Any public comment? Hearing none, please call the role. >> Burns, >> yes. >> Rdays, >> yes.

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>> C Days, >> yes. >> Karna, >> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Ruff, >> yes. >> Shanker, >> yes. >> Wizley, >> yes. Madam Cler, would you please read by title resolution 209? Resolution

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recognizing April 2026 as community college month sponsored John W. Rizley Jr. >> second been moved and seconded to to consider resolution 209. Uh many of us of course have attended

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our local community college. It is a great facility. Uh we're always looking to increase it increase the attendance there. And I hope and pray that the new president, whomever that will be, will

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be able to invigorate the situation and to increase enrollment because um it is the best bargain around. Simply the best bargain. College costs have gone through the roof. I know. I've got two in college and

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there's no better um bang for your buck than the community college. And um it's my hope that uh we will do everything we can to uplift and increase

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the image of the community college and particularly our community college. It's a way for parents to save a lot of money and avoid that debt which is nothing but a yoke around the the students neck when they're finishing up

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college. So, um, but we should do everything we can to help our our community college. Any discussion on 209? Hearing none, please call the role. >> Hearns, >> yes. >> Hard, >> yes. >> Cedays, >> yes.

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>> Kerna, >> yes. >> Parker, >> yes. >> Ruffw, >> yes. >> Shanker, >> yes. >> Grizzly, >> yes. Resolution 210, please. Resolution supporting Senate Concurrent Resolution number 106, which would determine that

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New Jersey protection against climate threat, resilient environmental and landscape rules are inconsistent with legislation legislative intent. Sponsors June Burns and Michael Ruffio. >> Moved second. >> Moved and seconded. Discussion.

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>> Yes, Chairman. >> Please. Go ahead. Go ahead. >> Thanks, Commissioner. Um, I just want to thank Commissioner Burns um, taking the lead on this. Um, as commissioners at large, you know, we represent the coastal communities of Longport,

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Margate, Bender, Atlantic City. Um, I'm a lifelong resident of Margate. I was on >> Oh, >> um, I'm a lifelong resident of Margate. I was on the Margate planning board. I understand the um, you know, the reasoning and the rationale behind these

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flood regulations. However, I think uh this approach is it's too expansive in how it defines flood hazard areas and I think um it's it's just too too much of a burden, too burdensome to implement. I hope um I hope our fellow commissioners

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agree with us on that. >> Thanks, Commissioner Burns. >> Yes. Um Mike really nailed it. the regulations right now threaten housing affordability, economic growth, and financial stability of our communities with this resolution. So, um, supporting

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this, we we're so environmentally conscious here, but we also have to support our residents, our businesses, um, and the entire Atlanta County community. So, thank you. Well, we hope the uh various counties in

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the state will create enough push back to make this go away. Oh, >> anyone else have any comments? >> Thank you. >> Okay, hearing none, please call the RO.

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>> Oh, public comment. Please call the role. >> Hearns, >> yes. >> R Days, >> yes. >> C Days, >> yes. >> Karn, >> yes. Parker, >> yes. >> Ruff, >> yes. >> Shanker, >> yes. >> Rizlick, >> yes.

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>> Okay. Anyone have any written communications or petitions like the share of the board? >> Hearing none. Any reports of committees to the board? >> Mr. Chair from education and schools. I just like to give a brief, I hope, brief

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legislative update. >> Uh since our last meeting, the school funding formula is under active review. Uh the New Jersey Department of Education signaled that school funding reform act SFR formula is now outdated and under

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legislative review. Uh this is not just academic. This is the central issue driving aid volatility across districts including those here in Atlantic County. uh direct impact uh to us here, the Atlantic City School

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District uh funding stability, county college uh ACCC enrollment pressure and property tax equalization pressures, expectation redistribution uh debates and places winners and

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losers, increases legislative hearings and the increase legislative hearings coming in the in the few months. Um, so I think we should all be keeping an eye on that as the school funding formula is being reviewed and be very interested on

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what that new funding formula will look like because that has probably one of the greatest impacts on uh not just education but also on taxes. So I think that's extremely important. Uh second uh emerging push to restore

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adjust school funding in special regions is uh part of the conversation. So they're looking to do like special regions for like for example the Pelands and the Highlands where uh they will restore school funding for districts um

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in what they are calling the restrained areas. So they they're talking about doing some special sort of funding for those um areas. That's so we should keep an eye on that as well. Uh why this matters? It sets the precedent

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for regional uh carveouts or adjustments and could open the door for urban adjustment arguments and coastal environmental constraint funding models which if what you just heard with the real and the resol resolution we just

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passed all these things majorly impact you know our towns down here in Atlantic County. Let's see. And chair, I will leave my report there. >> Okay. Yes, it would be nice if the state of New Jersey came up with a funding

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formula that the average person could understand. Um, I think right now it's a it's a complicated formula that is um debated and debated and debated and um not a

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really a just a just way to look at it. Any other committees reports any unfinished business? >> My apologies. Yes, chair. One more thing that came out of the state, the clean energy shift, the nuclear moratorum has

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been lifted. >> I think we are all lined up and realize that we need energy. Yes. And we need energy from somewhere. And so it's nice to see that uh finally we're in agreement that nuclear may be the

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direction that we have to at least consider and not continually shut down our nuclear power plants across the state as we know we've done um over the last decade or so or more. And so it's

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nice that uh state of New Jersey is at least considering moving in another direction as we know all of our electric bills are going through the roof. The data the data centers coming in and also while we're talking about data centers I'll throw a little bit of an AI uh committee report in there. I don't know

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if anyone saw the report on the data centers, but a large majority of the data centers that were proposed to be starting to be built are now on p on pause or being cancelled because there's a little piece of machinery, a transformer,

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electric box that we do not make here in the United States. It's only made at the moment in China. And I from you know we we all know China's not exactly our friends at the moment. And so that wait

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time for that transformer that we need for the data centers to turn on to to to work um the wait time is looking like around 3 to five years being pushed out. So that is also on the table. So, that's

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something that we should all kind of be aware of and and know that's happening because, you know, if we it's one thing to build a data center, but if you can't turn it on and it's an awful waste of money.

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>> Sure is. Sure is. Anyone else? We have a new business to consider. I know that uh I've been requested by the board of elections which is composed of two Democrats and two Republicans to

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consider uh appointing a committee to um be as a liaison type of thing. So I'm going to give that due consideration and uh I may be asking um various members to

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to serve on that committee. So, I put that out there. Uh, I do want to mention that uh under the good news uh department that the uh Green Bank bridge in Mullica Township is now open. I want to thank our county engineer. He said it

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would be Tuesday and it happened. So, apparently there were repairs to the conduit and the wiring affecting the span lock on the Green Bank bridge. So, it's fully operational. Hallelujah.

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All right. Anyone else have any new business? Okay. Like we're going to have a short meeting today. All right. I'll now open the meeting up to the public for any comments that anyone would like to talk about on any subject.

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We have anyone online, Lena? No. Okay. There being no comments, we'll move into the good of the order. Anything for the good of the order, >> Mr. Chair, through you. For good of the order, I see a young man from the 177 sitting amongst us. Know we had a

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resolution today from 177. >> I don't I I'd just like to, you know, have him come to the microphone and have brief conversations. >> Sure. >> Um, >> we've been, we were fortunate enough to take a tour out to the 177, arranged some tours.

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>> Yes, we did. uh recently. Since that moment, we've been in continuing to have conversations on how uh our county government as well as our 177 can can help one another, you know, and

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at least communicate. And so Ryan is here in person. So if anyone has any questions for this young man or anything that you would like to share with us, I know that the 177th after the tour had some damage. Uh maybe you can give a brief update on what's going on out at

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the 177. >> So I can um go a little broad here. Um firstly, commissioners, good afternoon. Uh my name is Ryan Lertzum. I'm the family program manager for the 177 Fire Wing. I am the you call the the chief bridge from the family members to their

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airmen to the community relations and partners. Um I myself an army veteran. um grew up locally here as well as in previous phases I was also the stock university student veteran president for

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a couple years at the same time. So my involvement has always stayed local but also at the same time is how can we create a better impact? How can we leverage each other to increase advocacy to what our guardsmen go through as well

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as promote involvement? So one of those things is uh we created amongst the resiliency team members is care day which is a community assessment resiliency and engagement. Think of it like a block party, but it's to our

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community partners locally that I invite at the bases to provide information on what they do, their business model, their advocacy, their information, whatever. And they educate our airmen, just empower what is available to them

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locally. This could be from career affair dynamics, employment to education. I work very closely with the ideal institute and ran over there as well as our local university stock Falcon as well as ACCCC. Um this has not

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been the most easiest last 6 months militarily as you all can uh attest to uh but with the last uh winter storms uh there's been structural damage. Uh I'm not the person to speak on specifics of the engineering. uh my background was

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more in hospitality, but I will say there is uh tens of millions of dollars of infrastructural development happening at the base and uh we are currently working in phases of reconstruction to

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um making it environmentally sound as well as the water damage from the snowstorms. Um, what I would like to see moving forward is a some means of a representation from the wing to reach out to this committee

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just to so show and some means of correspondence. This is my first meeting coming to the commissioners meeting. So I appreciate that. Commissioner Parker, I know we we talk very sound as well. Um and if I can provide any perspective

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from family dynamics to what my mission mission is to what our critical needs are uh I can hope to provide some means of desri description or dialogue. I know right now FY26 on the National Guard Bureau

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published a study that 40% of our suicides in the Air Force is strictly based off of financial distress. And that could be a collective of things that could be budget that could be uh gambling, it could be addiction, that

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could be just monetary literacy. Uh so that is one of our mission statements that we're working on at the Resiliency Center for our airmen. We have roughly 1,400 airmen, 3,100 family members. And that is my pure focus is teaching the

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basics of money, money management, how to utilize the dollar from high school dependents all the way up to grown retirees. And I emphasize on grown retirees. Um, so please, if there's any questions or perspectives, I hope I can help.

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>> Thank you. got a quick question uh on on the resolution we approved today 198 between our county health department and um working with in coordination. Have we done that before? Do you recall we've

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done that before? Is that something new? I've been in the role for four years now and what I can say is my predecessor was more internally advocating where I'm more external advocacy. Um

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>> I don't recall in the past having that done. >> It's very new. Okay. >> Um as far as community outreach is concerned. our current wing commander uh Benjamin uh or aka Toto um Robinson his mission

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in the next year or so that's how his timeline he wants to do as much marketing and outreach to connect to community relations as possible. So that's from tours, that's from education outreach, that's to having Boy Scouts,

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Out Scouts of America out, anything that indulges community outreach, it's one of his top priorities. >> Very good. just like I'd like to say from chair education and schools chair um he'd

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already mentioned all the way from Idol Institute all the way up for all the educational partners that we have um here in the county there's already a working relationship going on and so we're we're looking to build that out and with Ideal Institute there's some

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conversation now that we're having they're uh looking for HVAC instructors and things of that nature nature. And so that conversation has begun with maybe using the officers

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from the 177 CE and offering them those opportunities to come teach at Ideal Institute what they're learning inside of the 177 which would be awesome an awesome awesome you know connection that we can have with our schools with the 177 so those relationships can continue

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to build. Uh so stay tuned. We'll see uh what we can come up with. >> One of the um as everyone can probably kind of see what's happening uh in what I just call world economics is uh drone and AI right that is the the true force

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of industrial evolution right right now. um you know in the precursor of what the Ukraine and Russia conflict is. It forced the world industry to refocus world branding and war branding. I think Stockton when I

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graduated in 19 they had a robust aeronomical program that delved a little bit into AI/ drone affairs. I believe if there are certificate and lentures that the military offers, why are we not

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offering that locally? If that means the high school program starts adopting AI built lensures and certifications to set them up for a professional career, that's something that is probably easily attainable. And I think ACCC is also

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introducing subprograms like that as well. Yes. >> Academic approaches. >> It was actually part of their budget this year that we approved. So from ACIT, ACCCC, Ideal Institute even, they're all and I'm speaking now as the chair of the AI

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committee, they they all have programs right now that that are lining up exactly with what you're saying. And so we're trying to develop what's a in in from the education and school side a regional e academic or educational program um or framework where

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to to your point our region is is is very different. You know we have very specific things that we're looking to create in terms of defense in terms of economic development and all of those things need to be inside of our schools.

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And and so the great minds of the future of all those industries or whatever we're creating, we want to see them graduate from programs right here in our county in our school system. So I I think everybody right now is on board. We're all beginning the conversation of

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growing in the same direction and I'm I'm excited to see where the future uh goes with this. >> Yes, sir. One last comment for everybody is uh what I try to tell new family members coming. We also have a um small active duty component attached to the

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177. That's the 306, the fighter squadron. They're out of shaw. Um however, we still integrate them into our local family. All these active duty personnel is right now. Now, if you take a Google map snapshot of the 177th,

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although it's attached to the FAA campus in totality, if you take a snapshot now, we have received a little over $180 million of federal grant for for infrastructure and innovation. 5 years from now, this whole base is

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going to be monstrously different. That's with infrastructure upgrades as well as the main gate as though as you all may have seen on Tilton Road that's going to be an industrial entry and exit uh gate. However, um it's really exciting. Something is definitely moving

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very quickly because the the time gate on these grants are less than 10 years. So, it's going to be a very unique adaptive change to what's happening on the FAA campus in total for what will be coming for the 177 firew. So, thank you for your time everybody. Thank you. >> Thank you, Ryan. I think they I think

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they added additional fencing just recently as well. >> Yeah. So, yeah. So, that's part of what you >> There's a lot going on. There's going to be a lot of building on the 177 coming up. It's an exciting time. One last thing I'll say about the 177th is that when we took our tour and spoke to the

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fire the fire firefighters wing over the 177, they are in favor of regional dispatch and they feel >> absolutely >> just like the rest of our Atlantic County firefighters that it is it is an absolute matter of life and death. It is it's it's extremely important, extremely

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serious that we take it seriously and uh consider going to a regionalized dispatch system. So >> that's correct, >> Mr. Chair. Yes. Quick question. Um, >> are there gonna be any other tours? I unfortunately missed the missed the last

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one. >> I'm sure >> I'm sure are very very accessible, sir. Um, it's just a simple email and then I'll I'll coordinate dates, schedules, and application. The only aspect of the I

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would just call it the robust tour or the full book are simulators. They're currently down uh for maintenance and upgrades. So typically for a tour we'll have uh personnel go into our actual F-16 simulators and just play around the joysticks, do some combat operations,

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etc. However, um they are very easy accessible. Um Commissioner Harper has my email as well as the public affairs office of the 137th And typically we can do it 90 days out. >> So I did share all that contact information with Tara and I I you know I

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don't try to I don't try to hold on to any of that stuff. You guys know I am not the person to contact to arrange anything. So So Tara does have Tara does have that information. So if anyone is interested in taking a tour >> great staff. You you have to pass a

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security clearance. >> Now full disclosure I pretty much grew up on that base. So I was the snot-nosed kid that used to go in and play all I used to play with all push all the buttons and do all the stuff I wasn't supposed to do anyway. So it's it's it's kind of a home away from home for me.

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>> Mr. Chair, if I may just please >> kind of connect you to good order, right? I do believe that during I know it was before your your tenure um during during co I believe the 177th was helping out at the at Meet View for a minute. I believe >> yes they still have active missions at both Vinland as well as Meadow View for

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uh holiday adoption holiday gifts uh typically we try to run adoption of senior veterans and it's one of our pushes to just reintegrate our airmen for community service and philanthropy a lot of times I work with the BFW

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lifelong member myself but three of our units our med group our um avionics maintenance as well as our maintenance group are adopted by three of our VFW posts. So we that is one of my focal points is that no matter what, we're

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always going to be veterans first regardless of our administrative roles and we take care of each other whether that may be at a senior center or a post American Legion BFW or dad. So yes sir and then just lasting for the good I did notice on social media that they're

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going to be doing night fly at the base uh starting tonight through Thursday. So I think it's important to educate you know the public especially maybe in what's happening around the world today that you don't not have to panic but we do have that uh that sound of freedom coming in the evening hours. So yes sir thank you. >> Yes sir.

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>> Thank you. Anyone else? >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> I uh just have two brief comments. One is that um in the future we'll be setting up a tour of the wastewater. We

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did the solid waste. Now it's time to take the tour of the wastewater plant. And if you've never had that tour, it's it's quite something to see the amount of sludge that comes in and keeps coming and how the plant deals with it. So with

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that, we'll be setting that up that tour. And I just wanted to mention too that um New Jersey Association of Counties and Jack uh will be starting May the 6. They do have a lot of great seminars. So I know it's tough sometimes

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for people to make these seminars. They're during the day, but if you can make it, they the seminars are great and they're they're worth your time. So that that's all I have. Anyone else before we close?

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Not I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. So moved. >> All in favor say I. Motion carries. We are adjourned.