e e e e I'd like to call this meeting to or Clark please adequate notice that this meeting was provided in accordance with chapter 231 Public Law 1975 take a moment of silent
meditation thank God our our creator that we are here and that we're healthy because not everybody is at this time of the year so please remember that please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance led by deputy director AR
Mar I PL Ali to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liy and justice for all God Bless America okay may we have roll
call commissioner Alo here commissioner Al here commissioner Romero here commissioner LS commissioner Taylor pres deputy director marshan here director sorrow here do I have a motion and second to open public comment so second
all in favor I anyone from the public that wishes to address the board on any issue May step up with your name and your location Sandy asabo Upper Deerfield Township um my question is was the
decision to remove the second public comment period on the agenda a group decision taken by a possibly a vote from the entire board or was it a decision that the director made all on his own thank you
great question good evening I'm Nancy richway from Upper Deerfield and Fairfield townships uh at the last meeting it was talked about with the parks and how important it is for people
to get out in nature and enjoy the sunshine in the woods and all that good stuff and uh you might even start charging money to attend your Parks that's why you're going for these Park systems all over the
county and I'd like to know how come a private citizen that spends their own money to buy land and make a park that the County's allowed to destroy it got it another question is a rumor is out
there that the shared service agreement with Gloucester Salem and C County for the Regional Jail That was supposed to be built in salm county has been stopped and that we've already spent $2
million on it can you clarify that thank you hi my name is Jo Kowski I'm from Deerfield Township um I'm here on behalf of 4 Youth Development um I've been a
volunteer co-leader with them for over 12 years and i' also the president of the cumland county fair Association which we work closely with the for storing Fair um so uh I know a lot about that with them as far as how they work
with stuff so um in 2022 the county moved the planning department to the for each building to help support for each because there was a issue with numbers going down and they were concerned about some stuff um currently or at least when
I started they had three assistant program positions and currently there's one person left from people either retiring or leaving because of um having young children um I did know that uh out
of the two that are open there was one that was approved to be posted so that'll bring us back up to two but the three people had individual responsibilities within for each um one was in charge of cloverbud which is kindergarten through third grade and
what they do is get them introduced to all the programs that we have and it's not just regarding animals it's um any kind of item or project that you want to do or habit not habit a like a an
interest we will start a club for you um the cloverbuds start in their own program for a non-competitive activity that they can learn how to work with other kids and see what's out there that they would like um so that was one
person that was just assigned to those positions um there was a school Outreach person who would go to schools and after school programs um and talk with for AG youth to um maybe join some clubs and
see what's out there um especially with this County being so low on income with a lot of people um forage provides a lot of stuff for them to do that's not free that is free you don't have to join with money or
anything um and a lot of kids actually um fundrais for a lot of stuff they have to do and then the third person was in animal and science um so right now we have just the animal and science person um so with the weather starting to get nice a lot
of stuff we do is outside um so a lot of the uh programs that we do especially out at the fairgrounds might not happen if we don't have all three so now that we have the second one listed um I would like to propose that there is an effort
put in for the third spot um forage programs hugely help our youth and become confident caring and contribute citizens so I don't know how much you guys all know about the 4AGE program so um deian who's the one left wrote up this program booklet that I will have
for you guys if you want um it also lists all the clubs that we currently have so it gives you a good idea about um how much the kids actually do um they learn a lot especially the ones in livestock because I at the end of the year at Fair um they do a Livestock
Auction so they need to learn how to take care of the animals how to keep track of what they're spending to see if when they go to auction if they're actually producing a profit um how to take care of the animals properly um there's a lot of stuff with horses as
far as vaccines and stuff so um I would just like to really emphasize that it would be nice to have all three people back in so that we can work with the youth the way that they should um there's a lot of opportunity for um them
to really learn a lot we also do a lot of community service they just recently for um Valentine's Day wrote up 1,400 cards and brought them to the senior centers and Veterans places um and they clean up streets and stuff like that so um you would like I
would hand them out just to get on your attention because it would be nice to have them the ACT bu thank [Music] you good evening sorry uh my name is Cheryl golden I'm the director of the
Cumberland County division of Social Services and I'm here tonight to just to provide you with some information um about an extensive criminal operation that's affecting recipients of public assist Assistance programs for the last few years the supplemental nutrition
assistance program otherwise known as snap um has been a target of skimming operations so funds on on recipient benefits cards that are used to purchase food for our snap households are being
stolen um or what is referred to as skimmed and this has happened in two ways the first is at point of sale machines at a business location where individuals are purchasing food food and the second is if they're doing online grocery purchases um it's happening all over the
country and it has happened right here in Cumberland County so SNAP benefits are loaded on a benefit card that looks like this like a credit card um between the first and fifth day of the month right around midnight within minutes of
these funds being available on the card the entire amount on the card is being skimmed and the card is white wiped out all the snap dollars for the entire month are gone up until the end of 2024 victims of skimming could be provided with
replacement benefits after reporting the incident to our office and providing required documentation the replacement of benefits was a federal decision um a snap dollars that go to residents are 100% federally funded Congress did not include replacement benefits in the last
continuing resolution so anyone that has had benefits stolen after December 21st 2024 will not be getting those funds back they will not receive an additional snap allotment until the following month's benefits are
provided this month Cumberland County has been hit hard as of today we have 251 households that have reported their March benefits stolen these families will not have snap funds to purchase food until
April there's nothing the state of New Jersey can do as the feds have halted the replacement of these benefits this is deeply concerning to me as I just can't imagine you know what some of these families are going through not being able to purchase
food so in an effort to do something for our affected residents I reached out to Jill Lombardo at rural development to see if the division Social Services could work with their food distribution center to assist these families so we met this morning and
we've come with a plan to have special food distributions for the 251 households that lost their benefits so on Monday and Tuesday of next week in the three major municipalities um one of the existing food pantries is going to have
designated time slots from 4: to 6:00 p.m. so a lot of our families are working um and they will be providing the food for these households with a special distribution the distribution will include meat Dairy produce other perishable and non- perishable food
items that they really are using these SNAP benefits to purchase um so at the division of Social Services we are preparing and sending out special vouchers to these individuals um we're reaching out to them to let them know how um and where
to get this food um you know we hope and pray that it is successful and it is going to provide a stop Gap until their ail benefits are received um so I'm speaking to you tonight you know for three reasons one is just to make you aware the situation what's happening and
the hardship that these crimes are creating for our residents um second is to possibly ask for your assistance in informing our Congressional leaders about the crimes and about our need not only for replacement benefits but for long-term solutions to stopping these
things from happening um and the third reason is to let you know that even though the state and federal governments cannot provide relief at this time we are doing what we can to help Cumberland County residents in need I want to publicly thank rural development for
their cooperation and their quick action this is County government working you know at its best and partnering with our nonprofit agencies to work together and to solve problems and to meet the needs of the community so I want to thank you for your time and for your
[Applause] support uh sure can I ask you a question sure what is the required documentation that people have to provide so they have to um you know they give us a a written statement that their benefits have been
lost they give us you know usually get their case number and that information then we do some queries and we are able to determine if it was actually skimmed um you know in the manner that they're reporting okay so a personal statement that they have yes yeah yeah and it's mostly being people are
stealing the cards at point of sale location mostly yes so they put a device in the point of sale and you put card in use the pen and it just takes all of that information so right now the only thing that we can do um is tell people
after they use their card to repin it so the next time they use it it would have a different pin um the state is working on some other um technology issues to help like to um have an app where you can lock and unlock like we can all do with a credit card right um that is not
available yet it should be coming soon they're also working on a chip card um which is not available yet but that should also help so there are some things in the future that we hope um will mitigate some of this but right now um those things aren't in place okay
thank you just want to make a comment I I heard about this today and I really it's you told me about what was happening this is actually you say it's Scout government working but it's it's do and the and the rural development
they pulls together together to be these people are not going to have any food for a month at least not have the the food they doorway have the cause of this it you know it's pretty special you guys did it worked it out and hopefully it goes fine and U so it's actually you and
your staff and the people Jill Lardo and her staff get together to do this uh it's good and and hopefully people hear this that coup came together just a question about the sking is you said there's local uh sale places is is there
certain because the prosecutors in the room is there certain stores you see this happen or is it all over because I was so sometimes yes so um our job at the local level um we consider all of this fraud right so we investigate
individual um clients that may be suspected of fraud the state and the federal government they investigate the stores the retailers vendors and things like that um I know that the FBI is working on these because as I said it is all over the country um you know it's
definitely something we can share with the prosecutor's office um but I do know that there are state and federal law enforcement agencies that are already working on these things now this is going to be a reoccurring monthly problem so it is in different places so
we got hit hard last time I believe it was either in July and August and now again in March so it's and then they'll hit another County hard the following month I mean it's a huge CRI criminal operation um and it it doesn't hit us every month um and some months it might
be two or three but and then we just get hit real hard with hundreds of people this happening too but World develop I can't keep picking up the tab so there are part of a big um they have a federal I believe it's federally funded from USDA it's Food Distribution Center and
they have an enormous operation of food distribution sure if I may say um also too if you're hearing from where these point of sale machines are at and somebody can specifically say where they were at there should be reported to Consumer Affairs here in okay um and
they can go out and take a look at those machines and then I know that they've work hand in hand with the local jurisdictions and the prosecutor office first a couple criminal cases in the past yeah I believe consumer affairs has a specific device that gets attached to it and can determine if it's a skim okay
yes oh good to know purchased them before for gas stations when we experienced this with skimming at gas stations but I'd be interested to know if like out of the 2501 if there were common points of sale where this is occurring we do we can dive into that
like I said this has just happened the past couple days so right now we're trying to get the help to the individuals but yes that will come we will investigate were they all at the same place is it is it one store um because sometimes it is and also you know we like to then also look at the
dollar amount how much money has actually been taken so I will have uh more information in the future but like I said right now have you seen any of those similarities in the reports that you took we saw a lot of similarities this summer yes almost all of it was a one store and there I would be willing
to bet that there is a similarity this time because um the majority of these cases are people that reside in bridon this time you you see that there are resources that are aable
that teams that can work together like you guys work together they can work together to figure it out so hopefully we can minimize this next time it comes around so great thank you thank you thank you
sure is there anyone else from the public like to address the board hi Melissa Niles department head for Human Services so um since you said Bridgeton are most of the uh affected families you probably already know this but the recovery center we participate
in the Wawa Harvest program so you can send the families there uh Wawa donates to us their breakfast sandwiches and Etc you know the hot items that they have at the counter we have those every day and um I mean it's not much but it's
something especially when I hear that we already know how bridon is um in need so thank you anyone else not motion to close motion to close second all in favor all real quick I
just wanted everybody to know that the director is the one that sets the agenda so it is the director meeting me who made the decision you can clear that one up the other question about
um the agreement with the different counties um when you have a glitch I'm going to call it a glitch where you're having a discussion on how formula is going to be presented
and how the counties are going to pay and if you don't have an agreement with the Three Counties now you have to negotiate that's as far as I can go with that because that's exactly what we're doing we're negotiating okay and all I can say is that what we're trying to do is make sure that we
protect the citizens of kland County and that whatever you know we put out it was necessary and we're not being taken advantage of at this point in time I think we're we're making that very clear to everybody and we're sitting down and
we're talking and it's been very amicable uh we just had meeting Monday Friday Friday I'm sorry Friday just had a meeting Friday and it was very nice it was very friendly we're discussing it uh and again negotiations
are there notes were taken that it's BR brought back and it looks like you know things work out that's what we're hoping for at this point in time that's what we're doing as far as when it comes to the jail with the three count okay that's it all right
um we can continue resolution 2025 d155 resolution authorizing change in custodian of custodian of petty cash fund Cumberland County treasure finance office do I have a motion and second second commissioner alino yes
commissioner Al yes commissioner Romero yes commissioner L yes commissioner Taylor yes deputy director Maran yes director SAR yes resolution 20251 156 resolution authorizing and approving additional temporary budget Appropriations in the amount of 32,610
$853 do I have a motion in second so second commissioner altino yes commissioner Al I'm going to say on this one I I asked the director today and we're going to get a report two weeks from now so I'm I'm going tostain for
this until I hear a report so at this time so commissioner rero yes commissioner Lo yes commissioner Taylor yes deputy director yes director Soro yes resolution 25157 resolution authorizing the award
of a non-fair and open contract for providing printing of election materials for the kland county clerk's office and Board of Elections do I have a motion in second so Mo second commissioner alino yes commissioner Al commissioner Romero yes commissioner loads yes commissioner
Taylor yes deputy director marshan yes director Saro yes resolution 20251 158 resolution amending resolution Improvement Authority do I have a motion in second second commissioner altino
no commissioner alre this this uh was simple that was a a a mistake in the number so we're corrected that it was asked by the C that this was corrected to the proper date and that's what we're doing right now so yes commissioner
Romero yes commissioner LS yes commissioner Taylor yes deputy director Mar yes director Sor yes resolution 20251 159 resolution appointing and reappointing members of the cultural and Heritage commission do I have a motion in second second commissioner altino yes
commissioner Al yes commissioner Romero yes commissioner loads yes and I just like would like to make a comment if you don't mind um Karen Barnett has served on this board very um actively and successfully for a number of years I just want to thank her for her service and I'm happy that she's agreed to stay on another term um and Elizabeth O'Brien
is is one of our very longtime seasoned Educators at bridon high school I've gotten a chance to work with her for over eight years at bridon high school she's made a tremendous impact in the community and among our youth in this city and around the county and I'm so just elated that she has agreed to serve
Cumberland County in this way so thank you Elizabeth O'Brien and welcome to the Cumberland County Board of culture and Heritage commissioner Taylor yes deputy director Maran yes director Soro yes resolution 2025 D16 a resolution reappointing members to the planning
board do I have a motion and second second commissioner osino yes commissioner Al yes commissioner Romero yes commissioner LS yes commissioner Taylor yes deputy director Maran yes director SAR yes resolution 202- 161
resolution appointing member to the ran College of South Jersey Board of Trustees Cumberland Campus do I have a motion in second second commissioner altino yes commissioner Al yes commissioner Romero
yes commissioner L yes and also with a comment I would just like to also um welcome Jody MC valy to the rcsj Board of Trustees uh Jody is the owner of satury glass in Vinland and there's additional five locations in South
Jersey uh they specialized in glass manufacturing and with the look that we have of bringing manufacturing back to Cumberland County and offering programs at CCT Tech and rcsj as well as our Workforce Development I think this is a tremendous asset to the Board of
Trustees for rcsj especially in light of us just receiving um a $10 million Grant from the state of New Jersey to further manufacturing education here in South Jersey so welcome J M Valley to the rsj Board of Trustees commissioner Taylor
yes deputy director Maran yes director Sor resolution 202562 resolution accorting member of the youth services advisory council do I have a motion to second so moved commissioner Tino yes commissioner Au yes commissioner Romero yes
commissioner loads yes commissioner Taylor yes deputy director marshan yes director SAR resolution 20251 1633 resolution appointing a member to the children's inter agency coordinating council do I have a motion and second so
second commissioner alino yes commissioner alre yes commissioner rero yes commissioner loads yes commissioner Taylor yes deputy director marshan yes yes resolution 20251 164 resolution appointing member to the Human Services
advisory council do I have a motion and second second commissioner altino yes commissioner Al yes commissioner Romero yes commissioner Lo yes commissioner Taylor yes deputy director Maran yes director Soro yes resolution 202- 165
resolution amending resolution 202- 41 appointing member commission commissioner and Tonio Romero and commissioner Victoria L as members of the Cumberland County Board of Health amending to include commissioner Cy Taylor as an alternate member do I have
a motion in second second commissioner Tino yes commissioner Al yes commissioner Romero yes commissioner loads yes commissioner Taylor yes deputy director marshan yes director Soro yes resolution 20251 166 resolution appointing public agency
compliance officer do I have a motion and second second commissioner yes commissioner Al yes commissioner Romero yes commissioner loads commissioner Taylor yes deputy director Maran director Sor yes resolution 20251
167 resolution authorizing addendum to lease to lease between Cumberland County division of Social Services and the Cumberland County Improvement Authority for 6432 foot of office space at 275 North Dy Drive B do I have a motion in second
sove second commissioner yes commissioner Al yes commissioner Romero yes commissioner LS commissioner Taylor yes deputy director Maran yes director Soro yes resolution 20251 168 resolution assigning hesta Tech H and
white to provide legal services to the Cumberland County Construction board of appeals do I have a motion in second second commissioner altino yes commissioner Al yes commissioner Romero yes commissioner loads yes commissioner Taylor yes deputy director Maran yes
director s yes resolution 20251 169 resolution authorizing payment of bills do I have a motion in second I make the motion second commissioner alino yes commissioner Al commissioner Romero yes commissioner LS yes commissioner Taylor
yes deputy director Maran yes director Soro yes director before we go on I about two I guess uh four two weeks ago I asked about the idea of the second public for to our meeting be added can you are you
going to consider that at all that motion it's it's it's a simple ask most time members don't speak this public doesn't speak the second time might be 5 10 minutes tops U I ask you to consider
that I guess are you going to consider that because I I think it should be added back in I will make the motion put on the floor and I hope someone would second that to add that back into the beat and have a vote on it it's just a simple thing it's a simple act it's uh
common practice there any board I bid on that there's usually two times the public is allowed to address one to say whatever and I really appreciate it because you have a broad opening uh uh request people can talk about anything which I really appreciate but the second part they have
a specific question to ask us that they would be able to get up and say that to us why why it's all their mind at the time so I asked you to do that did you make a motion I'll I'll make I'm asking you to consider it first
so I don't have to but you make the motion I make the motion to put it on the floor I hope someone would second it that we add the public portion back into our into our uh meeting you know we we've been hearing about this for two months if it takes a
second to put it to De to put it to sleep I mean this decision is always being done by our director I want you guys to know about it with respect I was second just for the reason that I like to see it put to sleep I mean I don't I
and that goes for everybody we we lose a lot of time talking about the same thing over and over sometimes so if we put it to sleep we get the boats and and and goes to sleep you know get it over with but I have a lot of
respect for the director because it's a silly updated barbing Barber did it everybody else has done it since I've been commissioner so I really don't see a reason for it but I will second because it needs to be put to
sleep we have a motion in a second roll call roll call commissioner altino yes yes commissioner Al yes commissioner Romero yes commissioner loads yes commissioner
Taylor no commissioner deputy director marshan yes director SAR [Music] no pass say thank you
going to consent agenda items for the next meeting 15821 resolution authorizing the award of a non-fair and open contract for providing software support and maintenance services for the q's n for computerized dispatch system at the
Carland County 911 emergency communications center and Sheriff's Office 15822 resolution exercise first option to renew contract for supplying and delivering toner cartridges OEM only no substitutes for the County of Cumberland and the Cumberland County cooperative contract
purchasing system identifier number 181 CC ccps bid number 24-6 15825 resolution awarding contract for specifications for providing and delivering multipied asphalt for the Cumberland County Public Works Department bid number
25-5 15833 resolution authorizing the award of a non-fair and open contract for celebrate premium system for the prosecutor's office per quote Q 44933 D1 15837 resolution authorizing the award
of a non-fair and open contract for annual maintenance agreement and software license renewal for the Board of Elections proprietary software and Equipment 15843 resolution authorizing purchase from New Jersey state contract vendor for a speed alert trailer for the county office of emergency
management 15846 resolution authorizing the award of a non-fair and open contract for bre key license Premier unlimited IOS and Android extractions for proprietary software Hardware 15851 resolution awarding a contract that'll come on next
15852 resolution amending resolution 20241 185 exercising first option for a new contract for providing food services and food Management Services for the cumland county department of corrections 15853 resolution amending resolution 2024 767 awarding contract
for supplying and delivering office furniture and electronics equipment for the county of Cumberland and the Cumberland County cooperative contract purchasing system identifier number 181 CC ccps bid number 21-55 15859 resolution amending
resolution 20241 157 and 2024 294 in order to accept a grant extension of the state fiscal year 2024 alternative responses to reduce instance instances of violence and escalation together grant program 15864 resolution authorizing
purchase from New Jersey state contract vendor for renewal of required monthly elevator inspection maintenance repair and testing 15866 resolution approving change order number one to contract for Omnia Partners National Cooperative contract vendor for CCTV equipment and installation for the Cumberland County
Department of Corrections 15867 resolution approving change order number four to contract for conducting preliminary assessment for Mid county park to construct a 5.2 mile permanent trail system RFP number 23-24 15879 resolution accepting Grant
award from the southern Shore Regional destination marketing Organization for marketing programming 15880 resolution designating CFO as approval officer for payment of certain claims between meetings 4A colum
5-17 15881 resolution declaring the month of April 2025 as National alcohol awareness month 15822 resolution authorizing memorandum of understanding between the Cumberland County Salem May Workforce Development board and the Cumberland
County Regional Board of Education concerning Ace funding for electrical program for school start starting February 2025 15883 resolution declaring April 2025 as National Child Abuse Prevention month and inviting the community to attend the pin wheels for prevention
Garden ceremony on April 7th 2025 15884 resolution supporting the publishing of legal notices on official government website in a clear transparent and timely manner 15885 resolution opposing Atlantic City Electric
17.23% electricity rate increasing increase in urging Atlantic City Electric to withdraw its application to the New Jersey BPU for an additional 8% increase for the consideration in May and calling on members of the njbpu to uphold their finary Duty as board
members excuse me I just wanted to make a comment about this I want to thank our deputy director for pushing this uh he did a lot of research on this and we appreciate you making this happen I'm happy the board has put this one and uh
I'm happy not only for this board but for the public and for the good people of kland County that this is effective thank you 5886 resolution assigning defense of Cumberland County in the matter of Yani Marty at all versus Cumberland County of
Cumberland and PBA 231 docket number c-117 d25 15892 resolution authorizing increase of monetary cealing for two for legal expenses in the litigation matter of brown Clark at all versus Charles Warren
US District Court docket number 1 20- cv- 7907 and there are two pending resolutions do you want me to read them director we get an explanation on the at all the I thought this Bas was done this number
23 resolution 15892 the the additional money for the Greenberg and that F do there an explanation why I thought we were basically through with that one yeah so it's all but completely you have some
outstanding bills you haven't been built since last year and there is a service provider that provided backup litigation support by way of holding a mass of documents that we're getting rid of with this as what I
anticipate which we'll close it out the thing is there is there a reason why they haven't buildt this since last year because all the stuff they had gathered together they were all hoping that activity would tail off and it has so
continue the health meeting Rec um we do have calls for executive session any anticipated action all right resolution 2025 170 resolution providing for a meeting not open to the public in accordance no wait wait wait
wait that means we'll be coming back right so since we already made a motion and we passed it right for the second public comment okay please ask is there all right
we need a motion do I have a motion in second to open public comment second public comment to second new item right anybody from the public fa oh wait a minute go all in favor thank you Sandy ASO upper dear for
Township thank you very much um I just I did have a quick question do we know what time the the pin wheel for prevention guard is on the S I'll check and we'll get back to we'll know by the next meeting how's that okay okay thank you so
much Nancy rway from Upper Deerfield and Fairfield townships thank you for your vote on the second public comment period I appreciate that really do thank you anyone else I don't give compliments
very often we got you recorded we'll play back uh Terry Carpenter from the cing county library the pin wheel program is at 10:00 a.m. thank you anyone else motion
Clos second all in favor okay now you can now we can go into executive session we have to vote for motion all that stuff you me to read it resolution 2025 170 resolution for
providing for a meeting not open to the public in accordance with Provisions New Jersey senator Byron and be open public meeting Act njsa 10 col 4-12 matters relating to litigation negotiations and the attorney client privilege matters relating to the employment relationship
do I have a motion and second second commissioner alino yes commissioner Al commissioner Romero yes commissioner LS yes commissioner Taylor yes deputy director Maran yes director yes this has been a QBC television
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