Welcome everyone to the Fate County Board of Commissioners meeting August 12th. There you go. For August 12th, it will now come to order. May I have a roll call? >> County Commissioners Bartlett >> here.
>> Cruz >> here. >> D'Vor Duffy >> here. >> James, Deputy Director Lazar >> here, >> Director Leapour >> here. Announcement of the open public meeting law. Ladies and gentlemen, the notice requirement of the open public meetings law has been satisfied with
respect to this meeting specifying the time, date, and location including the annual notice and adopted the reorganization meeting and followed with the county clerk post in the administration building and mailed to two newspapers in accordance with the provisions of the law. >> Please stand for the pledge of
allegiance. Commissioner Duffy, >> please join me. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice
for all. >> Hold on. Father Ryan, how did they know to stand for the prayer? That's very good, guys. All right. Name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit.
uh director, I would like to offer my prayer as uh it's variance from what I usually do, but a hope that our country can take care of the poorest of the poor.
I'm very upset with what's going on in Washington and how we're treating some people rather unfairly. And I will just share this with you. I was out in Long Island on Sunday. I had about three I was talking to about 300 people and I
said to them, "How many of you are happy that we close the border?" Everybody raised their hand. All right? And I said, "How many of you are happy that we are sending criminals back?" Everybody raised their hand. How many of you are for getting rid of the people who are
violent in our country who are undocumented? Everybody raised their hand. And then I said to them, how many of you feel that we should deport people who have been here for 10 or 15 or 20 years, never
committed a crime? Out of that 300, two people raise their hand. So I think the country has a a better awareness of people who are here, who are contributing, who are paying taxes, who are married, have families, and are just
good. They're not citizens, but almost. So, I I just pray that all of you who are leaders in this county can do everything we can to protect those people who have not done anything wrong,
but they just wanted to get out of where they were. And I asked people, I said, "If you're a mother or father and you're living in a violent situation, would you do everything you could to get rid of, get out of where you are and protect your children, your wife?" They all
raise their hand. So, I think we're at a point now in this country, and if I get fired, I get fired. But we need to be better than we are right now. We need to just see people and treat them with honor and recognize that so many of them
are here because of the violence they experience or the poverty in their own neighborhood. And I would just remind everyone that right after Jesus was born, St. Joseph took Mary and they fled to
Egypt and they were undocumented. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for good people up here. In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. That was my prayer. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Please remain standing for a moment of silence to remember all the men and women who have died while
serving in the United States Armed Forces. >> Thank you. >> Have a motion to approve the minutes of July 15, 2025. So moved. >> Second. >> Motion made by Cruz, second by Bartlett. Roll call.
>> County Commissioners Bartlett. >> Yes. >> Cruz. >> Yes. >> Duffy. >> Deputy Director Lazera. >> Yes. >> Director Leapour. >> Yes. Approval of a proclamation. Need a motion. >> Move it. >> Second bylet. Second by Cruz. >> Roll call.
>> County Commissioners Bartlett. >> Yes. >> Cruz. >> Yes. >> Duffy. >> Yes. Deputy Director Lazar. >> Yes. >> Director Laapour. >> Yes. Administrator's report. >> Thank you, director. Uh, first on my agenda is a presentation of the ENJAC Foundation scholarship. Uh, John Dadio,
the executive director of ENJAC, usually joins us. He's on vacation. He sends his regrets, but I will turn it over to Commissioner Bartlett to present to the students. >> Thank you very much, Matt. I'm going to ask Beth Laor to come up. Bethle is our first recipient. Uh, and I know John
Dadio would very much enjoy being here. Pose County is a member along with the 20 other counties in our fair state of the New Jersey Association of Counties. The association represents our county's interests, keeps us apprised of legislation down in Trenton and in Washington that is relevant to the work
that we do here. uh and also has a supporting foundation that does great work recognizing the extraordinary scholars that come out of county schools all across New Jersey, including of course the finest of them all, the Pay County Vocational Technical School
System. So with that, I have two scholarships to present. Uh the first of which uh is sponsored by Investors Foundation and Citizens Bank along with the Njac Foundation. And the recipient is to find your tall young man standing right here next to me. Bethl Aore of
Patterson. Um Bethl is uh a freshman at Keen University studying finance. During his time at PCTI, he demonstrated strong academic effort maintaining a 3.0 GPA while also excelling outside the classroom through his involvement in sports and extracurricular activities.
He currently works as a co-op student at PCTI, gaining valuable real world experience with aspirations to pursue a degree in finance at Keen in the fall. Bethl is clearly on the right path towards future success and is most deserving of this scholarship. So, just so you know, what you're getting here,
Bethl, is a scholarship program award certificate, a special recommendation from the board of county commissioners, and I'm hoping somewhere there's a check. Ah, there we go. Checks there, too. So, congratulations. So, thank you.
You're welcome. >> I I really do appreciate this and I I pray that I can use this to help me move forward in my education and to better the world and to better just my environment, everyone around me, to help my family and just help everyone in
everyone that I can in need. Fantastic young man and you have to get to work. So I'm actually going to ask my colleagues to come down and the other award recipient to come up. We're going to do that photo that usually comes at the end of this whole process and let you get out of here. So I'm going to hand that to you colleague. Come on
down. We're going to pose with a photo with both of our honores and then you'll stay up here and you'll get your uh presentation in just a sec. Congratulations. All right. Thank you. Congratulations. >> All right. I'm proud now to be standing
next to our other NJAC award recipient. This is a scholarship uh funded by the Amazon uh by well Amazon.com. We all know it. Uh you've probably got something on your front porch waiting right now. Um but I want to recognize
Wafiwa Hadi. Wafiqua is uh from Patterson as well, graduated from PCTI and will be starting her freshman year at Rutgers this year pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. Wafikiqua was an exceptional student uh at PCTI and
will be the first in her family to attend college in the United States. So, I'm sure a lot of people are very proud of you. I just want to say I really appreciate this award and I hope to use it to gain my education and further innovate the world around me as an engineer.
>> All right. Thank you, Commissioner. Um, next on my agenda is a presentation of certificates to the PI Valley Junior Hordance 12U baseball team for winning the first annual P County 12U baseball tournament at the Highlands Preserve in West Milford. I'm going to turn this over to Commissioner Cruz.
>> All right, good evening everyone. Come on. Really? >> This is the fun part here. It is an honor to celebrate these young men from Pake Valley Junior Hornets 12U the baseball team on behalf of my colleagues and I want to congrat congratulate each
and every one of you players coaches and family members. You've really shown what dedication, teamwork, and sportsmanship looks like both on and off the field. This victory is not just about the trophies you're about to receive, but it's about the memories you've made, the friendships you've built, and the
example that you have set for the next generation of athletes in our county. We are so proud to recognize your hard work and commitment, and I know that this is just the beginning for each and every one of you. You have many accomplishments ahead of you. Congratulations, Hornets. You made P County proud. Give yourselves a big
round of applause. So, at this time, I'll call up to join me our director of parks and recreation, Daryl Sparta. All right, good evening everyone. First off, I want to thank the players, coaches, and parents from State Valley Junior Hornets for coming out tonight.
And especially thank you guys for participating in the first tournament. So about two years ago, Carrie and I had the idea that we wanted to create this uh this P County Championship tournament series. Uh we haven't gotten to the series part yet, but uh in the future we
hope to include softball and some other sports also. Um and it took a little longer than what we thought after, you know, the idea two years ago to get this all together because of uh the difficulty in trying to get teams to participate. Um, you know, I myself I'm
a coach of uh two different travel teams. My sons both play and we're always traveling up and down the state, New Jersey into Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York. And I thought it'd be a great idea to be able to host uh a tournament here local and in P County for P County
teams to compete and then be able to, you know, have bragging rights of be the best 12U team in the county. Um, but the obstacles we had, like I said, getting in touch with teams was definitely an issue. uh finding dates that worked for everyone was definitely an issue when
little league and all stars everything kind of came together at an unfortunate time. So um for next year we are going to be doing this again. We're going to be getting a date out really soon uh so everybody can plan ahead. Um we're going to be making some changes to the
facility up there at Highlands. Um all three fields come next year will be set up for 5070 which will help. Um, and we're going to be adding a batting cage and um, we're also looking into adding potentially an electronic scoreboard uh, for the first
field which would be the championship field. Um, so we're excited for the future. Again, I want to thank you guys for participating. Congratulate you guys on the victory and um, hand it over to Carrie who's going to talk a little bit about the day of the tournament.
So, as uh Daryl mentioned, this past June, our tournament brought together some of the area's most talented young athletes, including the Clifton Chiefs, the West Milford Bears, and the Ringwood Raptors, who although were unable to attend due to their own team commitments, still deserve our congratulations.
The Poseic Valley Junior Hornets under the leadership of head coach John Mesha and assistant coaches Phil Dean, Raone Cruz, and Steve Bertoley demonstrated outstanding skill, teamwork, and sportsmanship throughout the day. Their hard work paid off as they claimed the championship title, setting an
incredible example for youth baseball in Paya County. I also want to thank and uh thanks and congratulate the unsung heroes, all the parents and siblings who attend every practice and game cheering on their athletes. Tonight, we're proud to honor each of these players individually with a trophy and
certificate to commemorate their achievement. So, please join me in congratulating our 2025 Pa County 12U baseball tournament champions, Paya County uh P Valley Junior Hornets. Yeah. So, we'll hand out these trophies
now. To join us in handing out, uh, I'll ask Daryl and, uh, Carrie to stay up here, but, we'll also call up the coaching staff and head coach, head coach John, Messa, assistant coaches Raone Cruz, Phil Dean, and Steve Berto Bertoi. >> Bertoi. >> Beri.
>> Yeah, you said it. You guys want to join us up here and assist us in handing out these? Let's give a hand for the coaches, guys. All right, first up, AJ. >> Yeah, >> we'll take it from here. >> All right, Michael Cruz.
>> No, come back. Yeah. Go down the line and then we're going to take a big group picture at the end. Oscar Oscar Vez, he's not here. >> Yep. Max Dean, Chase Santiago, Matthew Kanka,
uh JJ, Franulis, I uh Issa, right? Isa >> Issa Issa Shah Dominic, right? >> Yeah, he's going to Dominic David.
There's no duplicates, so I'll just say first names. Bradley and Antonio are not here, so we'll go to Anthony Cruz. That one was, >> Alexander Gonzalez, and AJ, right? AJ. >> Oh, no. No. So, we have Alexander
Jimenez. Wasn't on the list, but we had him here. Yep. All right, guys. One more time for the uh 12U baseball team. >> All right, I'll ask my colleagues to come down for a big photo.
Get this out of the way. >> Lindsay, what do you think? How do you want to do this? have stand behind photo. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. >> Center it right here.
All right. >> Again, but louder. >> Yeah. Somebody. >> Yeah. Somebody in the middle with the trophy. >> Somebody front and center. Hold that. >> How about the coach? The manager. Hold the trophy. Come on. The big You got it. So, come in the front. >> Yeah.
>> All right. Everybody take a little step to the left. Step to the left. >> Tie your shoes, man. Oh, there you go. >> All right, here you go. >> You want that on this carpet? >> All right. Congratulations, boys.
Yeah. And so, uh, our kid, Alexander Jimenez, they'll the girls will make a certificate for he wasn't on the initial >> I can blend with those kids. >> Okay. Right in there.
>> We'll get it. We'll get it. No problem. director. Uh last I just want to remind everyone that the P County Fair starts on Thursday. So I hope uh kids tell your parents make sure they bring you up to uh Garrett Mountain uh starting Thursday. There's fireworks Friday and Saturday and a lot of good food and and rides and all that good stuff. So that's
all I have tonight. Thank you. I just wanted through you. Um, Thursday night at the Pay County Fair is bracelet night. Correct. >> Correct. >> So, if you guys want to go up on Thursday and get a bracelet, it's really
very economical. That's all that's all the rides you can ride when you got the bracelet on. >> Uh, if I can, director, I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge uh West Milford native Jen Powell, who became the first woman to umpire an MLB game,
native of West Milford. She uh she umpired over the weekend uh Marlins versus Braves. She did the bases the first day. It was a double header uh and did uh I think first base the first game, third base the second game and then the next day on Sunday she did a
home plate. So that first strike call was taken away and uh put into uh get it authenticated and it will be in MLB history books forever and ever. And we're just proud that she is a P County native uh from West Milford. Hopefully we can have her here uh in the very near
future so we can give her her proper acknowledgement. And I'll also just ask everyone to please continue to just keep in your prayers the all those affected by the water loss uh here in Pay County, those in the north side of Patterson, Prospect Park and Helden that are still
battling uh with uh very little return to normal water pressure. And so let's just keep all those affected in in our prayers. That's all I have. Director, >> thank you. Anyone else? Okay, moving on to
communications. We don't have any at this time. I'll take a motion to open the public portion of the meeting. >> So moved. >> Motion made by Bartlett. Second by Duffy. Roll call. >> County Commissioners Bartlett. >> Yes. >> Cruz.
>> Yes. >> Duffy. >> Yes. >> Deputy Director Lazar. >> Yes. >> Director Leapour. >> Yes. Anyone from the public wishing to be heard, please step forward to the podium, state your name and your address. You'll have three minutes. Uh, and also keep in mind that anything you
say will be a matter of public record. All right. My name is Chella Foria. My address is 35 Anderson Avenue, Total, New Jersey. Um, as I said, my name is Chella and last Friday I served my last day as the law clerk here for the P State County
Council's office. So, I'm here today uh to thank the commissioners and county council for two wonderful summers of invaluable experience. Specifically, I want to thank all the commissioners and Pate County Council, Miss Nad allwaters for creating this position and giving
P County residents such as myself this opportunity. uh your investment in young P County residents does not go unnoticed. As I head back to Syracuse for my final year of law school, I am confident that my work here at the county has prepared
me for anything I may encounter. So again, I want to thank the state county council's office and the commissioners for giving me this opportunity to grow professionally and personally. Thank you. >> Thank you. Good luck. Good luck to you. Anyone else from the
public? >> Good evening, commissioners. My name is Christopher Herd. I live at four Melrose Avenue in Wanuku. Um, I come tonight with uh some questions about phase two of the Highlands Rail Trail that if you're not able to answer them this evening, I'm hoping that I might be able
to get some answers in the future. Um, I know that phase one is nearing its completion. I was at the Wanuk Burough council meeting last night and they mentioned that uh there was going to be a ribbon cutting sometime in September for phase one. Um I was hoping to find out from you what the timeline for the
beginning of phase two is going to be if there is a beginning. >> Okay. >> Okay. Um, second, um, has the route changed from the original maps that were published on the Pose County website and is the path still going to cross
Ringwood Avenue? I am spoken to a number of people and a number of people have some big concerns about where uh it is going to cross Ringwood Avenue at the North Jersey Water Commission and if the county has any plans on how they're going to stop traffic on Ringwood Avenue
uh barely 500 ft from another light at Warren Hagstrom Drive. Um, next is there any going to be any uh further communication with the residents my property will abut where the trail will go through the parking lot of the Wanukq
first aid squad. I spoke with the uh president of the first aid squad last night. Uh they said they really haven't heard from the county on phase 2. Uh we have an interim superintendent in Wanuk right now, Dr. Matthew Murphy uh who is only going to be in um in the district
for about another year since he is an interim um and he was unaware of really any of the plans that were going on for this since doc uh Mr. McQueeny left for Westwood uh regional district uh last year. Uh I've personally never received any communication from the county about
phase 2. The only communication I ever had was a surveyor coming onto my property and taking a look. Uh and that was about two years ago. Um, I'll just end with this. Uh, the county should be aware that there is a an issue that I
have addressed with the burrow about U-turns being made on Melrose Avenue in front of the Wanuku first aid squad. Um, people use the parking lot to make U-turns. Come down the end of Melrose Avenue, make U-turn to go back out towards Ringwood Avenue. There's a smoke shop out on Ringwood Avenue that they
all want to be pointed in a direction to get back out on Ringwood Avenue. Um, I've talked to the bureau about stopping the U-turns. I'm still working with them about that, but um, that's something that the county needs to know. If that path is going to go right there, people are going to be making U-turns as people
are walking. That's not a good thing. So, I kept it under three minutes. Thank you. >> Anyone else public wish to be heard? >> Seeing no one at the podium, I move to close the public portion. Motion >> made by Duffy to close. Second by Cruz.
Roll call. County Commissioners Bartlett. >> Yes. >> Cruz, >> yes. >> Duffy, >> yes. >> Deputy Director Lazar, >> yes. >> Director Leapour, >> yes. >> Uh, director, if I may address some of Mr. Herd's questions. So, I was writing quickly, so if I missed something, uh,
Nord Murphy, our engineer and project manager back there after the meeting, we can talk more. Um, the the project is tenatively stated to start next year. Um, the route has not changed since what was published on our website. Um there is one crossing by where the water
commission where phase one ends. You know, we're working with the water commission in the town about making sure we have appropriate uh measures to make sure that it's safe for pedestrians to cross. Um we Nordon and I actually did meet with the first aid squad. I don't know how long ago that was. Was that last year? Um but we are due to talk to
people again as we've just gotten final appraisal reports. So we will be reaching back out to various property owners that are affected. Um, and the U-turn, that's the first I've heard of that. I I do know that because I grew up down the street from there. Um, but we've been in constant communication
with the uh business administrator in Waniku and and the mayor and the chief of police and we've been working through these issues as we open phase one and and get to phase two. So, >> like I said, Nordon is back there and after the meeting, we can have a more detailed discussion. So,
okay. Um, county council, there are no late starters. No need for an executive session. Okay. Then I will take a motion on the consent agenda to approve L1 to L 104.
>> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion made by Bartlett, second by Duffy. Roll call. >> County Commissioners Bartlett. >> Yes. >> Cruz. >> Yes. >> Duffy. >> Yes. >> Deputy Director Lazar. >> Yes. >> Director Leapour. >> Yes.
Okay. >> I'm thinking in the next three minutes. >> Yes. >> Um, under new business, uh, on the personnel agenda, before I take ask for a motion, I'll be pulling page eight on the personnel agenda.
>> Okay. I'll take a motion on personnel. >> So moved. >> Second >> by Bartlett. Second by Cruz. Roll call. >> County Commissioners Bartlett. Yes. >> Cruz. >> Yes. >> Duffy. >> Yes. Deputy Director Lazar. >> Yes. >> Director Leapour. >> Yes. Take a motion on the bills list.
>> Move the bills. >> Second. >> Made by Cruz. Second by >> Second. >> Lazaro. >> Roll call. >> Curveball. >> Uh, county commissioners Bartlett. >> Yes. >> Cruz. >> Yes. >> Duffy. >> Yes. >> Deputy director Lazar. >> Yes. >> Director Leapour. >> Yes.
>> And director, I just want to congratulate um the affforementioned Nordan Murphy who was just approved as our next uh Pay County Engineer. I know he's already hit the ground running in these last two weeks in an acting capacity. And I also want to congratulate and recognize Michelle Bubala who was appointed as uh the
assistant county engineer. I believe the first female assistant county engineer in our history. So congratulations to the both of them. We've all >> Okay, with no other issues, no other business, uh I'll take a motion to adjurnn. >> I'll make that motion. >> Motion made by Duffy. >> Second.
>> Second by Cruz. Roll call. County Commissioners Bartlett. Yes. >> Cruz, >> yes. >> Duffy, >> yes. >> Deputy Director Lazar, >> yes. >> Director Leapour, >> yes. Thank you for coming, everyone. Enjoy the fair.