e e e e e e e e e e
e e e e e good all right I call this meeting to order this is a commissioner meeting of uary 26 2025 at 6m at susex County
administrative Center commissioner meeting room one Spring Street Newton New Jersey call please here here all right number three sorry moment of silence and a salute to the flag uh I would like to observe a moment of
silence for Aldo s who passed away at the age of 103 Mr s s provide the rooster call at the start of the sus County Fair Farm fair and H show for many years and he was a World War II veteran was involved with the susex County division of senior services and
veterans committee pledge Al to the flag United States of America the stands indivisible liy Justice for All number four is a public statement pursuant to open open public meetings
act chapter 231 pl1 1975 adequate notice as defined by section 3D of chapter 231 pl1 1975 has been made by regular mail and email such notice being submitted on January 7th 2025 from the administrative center of the county of Sussex located at one
Spring Street newon New Jersey to the following the New Jersey Herald The Star Ledger and Strauss news is also posted on a Bolton board maintain in administrative Center for Public announcements and has been submitted to the sus county clerk in compliance with said act at this time please mute all
electronic devices Commissioners please remove all right uh number five is the approval of the agenda we have two changes tonight uh the first first item is number 11 will be tabled to next meeting in second under executive session discussion
regarding cols litigation will also be taed uh to another meeting and that is due to uh not having councel uh here tonight representing that case motion to approve the agenda as amended commissioner Anderson can I have
a second please deputy director space any discussion yes hence the table what is going on with that before we keep going well then let's not pass any minutes until we get them all right from now on
it's got to be priority just has to get done this is we have this conversation every meeting so get it done any other discussion on that all right all in favor oppos abstain carries number six proclamations
certificates presentations I believe Rick is here for cover Lake Watershed right all by yourself Bob KES all right come on up just state your name in municipality please and and your organization I guess so I I think we I'll I'll help you
out a little bit with that I think what we're looking for is what you're buying why you're buying it how much you're looking for where did you get the the money from with the funds um and what it's going to do and some of that I know already but for everybody else 100% y
you have the floor we'll give you 15 some for wanted Che the property someone could get this property and just start cutting trees build have commment from from
County from from the open space you have that break down by any chance okay y okay and then what is that amount total amount looks like 197
197 was that break down an acre 6,000 5800 minus yourself cost okay anybody else you have it go ahead Bob I'm sorry I cut you before I give you some questions go ahead prot so there's six or seven Lots off
of so that's 30 Acres 65 AC off an you don't have a map with VI well I think we have that I can get it from a I I saw it once before I'll have um our planner send that in engineering to all the Commissioners to
see it um because I did look the through there and that's a C1 stream I'm assuming right it's not so what's your step backs on that 150 never right yeah you think so I guess the other question that I would
have is I get what what is that Miller That's runs perpendicular with possible LS away from plumer in the back so 521 make a left in plumer and then head east you can get in through there that's not
what um what would the price be to the only reason I the only reason I asked that is because I I you've been doing this long time by Frank job is but for the other Commissioners that are here your word is your word that's that's great until it's not until there's more Wetlands than you
think and all of a sudden we just purch wasn't able to be used anyway I mean listen and I will probably abstain from any vote I might I should have talked to you myself You Know cover Lake warship I
live in cover Lake it's a private Lake I don't stock in it obviously you have to as Rick does so I'm just kind of leading this meeting I will no no we're not yeah yeah understood sounds good yeah
came resp AC found you thanks guys I'll I'll get them your number Rick thanks for coming in that's all we have for presentations right okay all right number seven public hearing
there is none number eight is public session from the floor this public session for those wishing to make comment of three minutes or less regarding an agenda item please line up with the microphone state your name municipality agenda of topic for the record motion to open the public for open the floor for public comment so
move de deputy director space seconds any discussion all in favor say I I oppose abstain carries anyone agenda items come on up that many occas
Eng of r how much more do you have there go ahead years many of expc by ESS responsility
while ad will dep thank so two things they were the longest two paragraphs ever didn't expect that I G I gave you the courtesy because you're a County employee and I really appreciate what you do for the senior services I do and
can you leave that with us abely I'll take it and thank you is there anyone else on agenda topics all right motion to close the floor for public comment commissioner Henderson C second de any discussion all
in favor say I I oppose stain carries all right number nine commissioner comments commissioner Henderson you are up okay just a couple of things I feel like I was a slacker for the last two weeks but I'm going to give you what I got on February 18th along with commissioner Carney we attended Sussex
County College Hall of Fame dedication for John Coons he was a staff member of over 35 years who was instrumental in starting most to the athletic programs at the college it was great to see his former students here of all ages as well as staff to see the unveiling I urge you if you're ever at the County College to
please stop in building e and take time to look at it right out in front of the gym on February 19th deputy director space and I did an entire walkth through of the administration building here speaking with every employee that was in at every desk in every cubicle introducing ourself I've said from day
one I think it's a valuable thing for people to put a face to a name and if there's anybody here Department we have missed we are coming February 20th I attended the Sussex County Chamber 45th Year celebration I'd like to say congratulations to the chamber and one of my former law enforcement colleagues
Mike Richards for becoming the 2025 chair on February 25th I attended something I'm sure none of you ever have attended the wallpack council meeting which is held via telephone uh it was a long meeting for 12 people in the town I believe that
have voting rights a half hour if any of you here please say hello because we only talked on voice they don't do it on Zoom they strictly do a telephone conversation so I apologize if I don't recognize your voice here tonight as I've said several times I'm going to go around visiting every municipality to
try to introduce myself to them but become familiar with other elected officials regardless of the Republicans Or democrats I think we all need to work together to reach the goal of what's best for susex County lastly uh to all the Count's employees as I said that I
not visited Jill and I or one of the Commissioners will definitely be there to see you and on February 25th commissioner deot I attended the Sussex County Community College uh monthly meeting and that's all I have thank you
commissioner yes uh to start uh I'm happy to announce that an additional educational session for our County seed library has been scheduled in OPAC on through the division of senior services this session will take place on April 21st from 2:30 : to 4 p.m. at the hopac
on Senior Center uh once again this is a partnership with Sussex County's extension of the Ruckers Master Gardeners program uh previous announced sessions include March 12th which is coming up uh 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 at Newton Liberty Towers April 9th 10:00
a.m. to 11:30 uh at Vernon Senior Center uh additional dates will be announced as such uh if you are interested in attending please call 97357 n555 extension2 25 or email uh kking
sussex.nj us to register um with Sussex County Community College I'm happy to report that uh as of February this month uh suss County Community College has continued its partnership with Hudson farms uh once again a student has been placed in Hudson Farms Greenhouse
internship getting Val valuable hands-on experience during the non-growing season as you can see there was much ice which now has been melting as we enter spring um this partnership is is a tremendous asset to SEC strengthening its agricultural program and providing students with real world experience big
thank you to officials at Hudson Farms as well as SEC for their dedication to this initiative as mentioned uh furthermore yesterday um commissioner Henderson Henderson and I attended susus County Community College's uh Board of Trustees meeting it was great to see new
trustee Paul Fiero uh joining the board uh for his first meeting overall it was a great meeting uh really excited about the new board and the interim president in the trajectory that they're headed on uh for the division of Health Office of Public Health nursing a women's health screening clinic will be held Thursday
March 13 2025 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Office of Public Health nursing 2011 re wheatsworth Road Hamburg to make an appointment please call 97357 n570 extension1 127 fine finally uh the past two weeks have been filled with some local events some highlights were
as mentioned the Chamber of Commerce annual dinner uh which I attended with deputy director space and uh commissioner Henderson uh additionally uh last Saturday I attended project self-sufficiency open that bottle event at Hudson farms uh it was an incredible evening and all proceeds supported
project self-sufficiency Mission which I know is near and dear to many of us individuals in the county um that's it thank you thank you commissioner deputy director space thank you and I I going third I would be piggybacking a lot of the
things that the other two commissioners said so I'll leave out some of my details but when Allan and I toured the administrative Center we also had the opportunity when we ran into facilities and they allowed us to tour the new Provident well not the new Provident Bank The Provident Bank that the county
purchased that's supposed to be for Board of Elections so Allan and I got to see that tour which was pretty neat to see um and I also attended the Chamber of Commerce 45th anniversary and one thing that I found interesting which I knew um that we have four local
businesses say that have been chamber members for all 45 years and that includes the New Jersey Herald perona Farms space farms and the Sussex County fairgrounds and my father-in-law was one of the founding members of the Sussex County uh Chamber of Commerce which is pretty neat and I'm happy to be the
liaison I attended the grand opening of the Chester office for legislative district 24 um they have a very small office besides the office that they have in Sparta because they represent six six municipalities now in Morris so that was
interesting they had a very good turnout they had representatives from each of the municipalities except for one on Saturday I attended Sparta Township Fire Department's installation of officers dinner and I want to congratulate all the line officers and the fire mtic
officers and a congratulations to Chief Ryan Odum who is also a um friend of my son Hunter who is wagees fire chief and the two of them actually met in firefighter 3 at the Sussex County Public Training Academy and are both
friends still um and we had the most interesting one of the most interesting meetings that I've attended as a commissioner last week it was uh director Carney and I serving on the budget committee and we had called together uh Sussex Tech and the college
so we had uh Gus Moda and his team and Dr Corey Homer and his team and the best way that we can fund the schools is by them doing shared services and working together and the two schools and the county sitting down at the table to figure out what's best Ron was there too
and of course Ela um for us to come with the best way to fund both of these schools so I'm looking forward to seeing how how their relationship progresses and the communication with us is already much better and then today we had our we've been doing budget meetings today
was our final budget meeting and we will have the budget presentation on March 10th and I feel like our budget is in really good shape and we are crossing our tees and dotting our eyes and we we literally went over every item line by line and thank you Ron and Ela and Tony
for all the work that you guys put into the budget and then today I attended um a presentation at the OEM with the Sheriff's Office uh serving as a liaison of course it was way over my head because they were it the dispatchers were there they were talking about this
new software with AI um but they were all engaged and it was nice to see them all working together to uh better serve our public um and then my report from Health and Human Services backpack snacks for kids the division of Social Services provides food to Sussex County
residents in need through its food pantry and operates a backpack snacks for kids program which provides Sussex County Children in need with with meals and snacks for the weekend nutritious snacks items are packaged in snack siiz containers and distributed to children
in participating school districts to bring home at the end of the week this program currently assists five school districts and distributes approximately 1,50 to 1350 snack bags per month the food pantry and backpack snacks for kids
program operate solely from donations donations have decreased over the past several months and can vary due to factors such as the economy a food drive is held each year to benefit the backpack snacks for kids program this year the drive will be held at the Weiss
Market location in Franklin and Newton from 10:00 a.m. to 2m on Saturday March 22nd 2025 if anyone is in need of food for themselves or their family they can stop by the division of Social Services located at 83 Spring Street in Newton
New Jersey from 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday food or pet donations are accepted during these hours or special Arrangements can be made for after hours donations by calling 973 383 3600 and I'm going to say one more thing on the food pantry this board is committed to
supporting the Sussex County food pantry and doing what we can do so thank you division of Senior Services Tai J Juan did I say it right whatever moving for the better balance the division of senior services
will be holding classes at Stillwater Community Center located at 9 931 Swartswood Road and Newton from March 4th 2025 to July 31st 2025 the class will be held twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10: to 11:00 a.m. the class helps participants improve balance
and strength which helps prevent Falls to register or obtain additional information please contact the division of senior services at 973 57955 extension 1225 digital learn workshops offered at seccc by County
Library Library the Sussex County Library and staff at the main branch are collaborating with the center for lifelong learning to offer technology workshops on the Sussex County Community College campus in the library room l121 these new educational opportunities
are available through a digital Learn grant awarded to the Sussex County Library System from AT&T and the New Jersey library join County Library staff who will be offering a variety of Hands-On workshops FOC focused on the mature learner call the Sussex County
Public Library at 973 948 3660 extension 3418 and ask for Louisa or Jo Jordana to register or obtain additional information and the dates are Thursday March 6th 2025 from 3:00 to
400m using your Apple phone or iPad or Tuesday 48 2025 from 3 to 4:30 using your Android smartphone or tablet Wednesday 4:16 2025 3 to 4:30 staying
safe online don't get scammed that's it thank you deputy director all right I'm GNA start with the department of engineering planning the division of engineering recently performed a review of work completed in 2024 this look back at engineering by the Numbers identified
a variety of interesting points some of which include the following the department managed and completed projects which invested in excess of 9.3 million in a 2024 sust County Capital Road and Bridge construction program the 24 Capital program included replacement
of two loow poed Bridges replacement of these two Bridges restores full unrestricted operation to those roadways the county will continue to work towards Rehabilitation or replacement of the remaining 11 weight posted Bridges four closed bridges and 56 identified Bridge
deficiencies the division for studies at two County Route intersections resulting in the installation of new Allway stops this is expected to improve Traffic Safety at the intersections the department manag the 24 CSS County guide rail upgrade program program repl 100
deficient guide rail systems this represents an insulation approximately 39,000 ft of gu rail or 8% of gu rail rail system the department completed inspections over 31,000 County transportation assets including among among other assets traffic signs
payement markings and storm water catch basins the department received and responded to over 900 service request requests from residents local governments and internal County staff the department received and approved over 225 Road opening access and Highway
occum City permits representing $80,000 in permit fees to the County Office of bridge of safety traffic fabricated over 650 signs as part of the sesex county sign fabrication shared service program the county offers the municipalities this program provides a cost benefit to
all participants we do make a little money off the towns but it's not much and it saves them a lot of money in Long these tasks represent a portion of the work completed by department of engineering and planning during the 24 year staff will use this look back at 24 to help guide guide day forward
operations to help provide an optimal investment resources that delivers value Based Services to Sussex County in 2025 um this report is from the clerk county clerk um this is Jeff parrot's words not mine um the January
spreadsheet indicates an increase of revenue from January 24 in the amount of $1,148 the current revenue of the clerk's office is up $1,637 from January 31st to 24 fewer real estate transactions have been closed obviously we have a little bit of a market uh crisis however the current
increased sale prices allow allow for greater greater uh Revenue Al we're selling less houses but they're very expensive I don't even know who's buying these houses because it's crazy uh a property alert system as of we have 56 new uh participants to date
1429 the annuals law in December was 21 to date is 755 uh pretty much everybody steals my thunder because I guess as director you do go last but as as a deputy director pointed out with our budget I've been on
the budget committee I guess four years out of the going on five that I've been and this budget um listen zero is great it really is but it's it's not always realistic so the bu that we have it it it it's fair I think it it supports our
County Employees I think we've been doing that for the last four or five years um so this will continue that on and I think when the other Commissioners learn of the budget that that Jill and myself have been working on they'll be they be proud of this budget and it's it's it's a very good one it's it's one
of the best that I've seen um Ron was able to give a tour we did give a tour today I didn't I don't think I told any the Commissioners uh at the jail we have a buyer that's interested and I hope hopefully they end up doing something with it that would be great anybody out there know anybody wants to buy jail
it's right on the hill let me know um as commissioner Henderson uh spoke about we went to John C's Hall of Fame and one thing about what I learned at at at the this presenting of the Hall of Fame for John CPS is he brought to the college most of
the sports which I gotta be honest with you I did not know that until we were there uh I always thought it was John connley bringing that to him I don't know how many times in public I gave that man Kudos uh but I was wrong uh it was John C uh he brought most of the sports there which keeps people here in
Sussex so you know we have a great wrestling program all through the the county uh really in in this part of of the East um and if they're not sure about what they want to do for college they can stay right here at the county college and continue wrestling so kudos to to John cuds um for for doing that
really appreciate that I think it's a big part of college and why people stay here and then as Jill pointed out we met with um Tech and in the College Board and that was that was nice that's something that I called on last year and it never happened so finally I think
having a new um a new president of the college I think that put forward this meeting and they're going to work good together and that is all I have all right number 11 was tabled uh number 12 ordinance there is none number
13's appointments and or resignations there are none number 14 resolutions all right not so easy all right can I get a motion to adopt resolutions a through
L second deputy director space moves Deputy de second any discussion call commissioner Henderson yes deputy director space yes director Carney yes commissioner deg gr yes and
commissioner Hayden is absent uh number 15 is Awards of contracts change orders or bids the board of county commissioner of the county of Sussex has reviewed the award of contract change orders bids consisting of various proposed resolutions and determine that adoption of the said resolutions is in will
further the public interest motion to accept the resolutions a through C commissioner Henderson you have a second second commissioner deg any discussion call please commissioner Henderson yes deputy director space yes director Carney yes commissioner deg grp yes
commissioner Hayden is absent number 16's Financial resolution payment of bills list a is from February 26 2025 motion to pay the bills list so moved second second commission grou any
discussion call please commissioner Hayden is absent commissioner Henderson yes deputy director space yes director Carney yes commissioner degr yes all right 17 personnel there is none number 18 admin report real quick um most of you
probably got the alerts today or yesterday about the project that's going to be happening over here on Route 94 in front of the prosecutor's building this is subject to change um we don't know we've gotten some basic data what it is
but as anything it could change any minute but as we know right now Fe Fe Friday this Friday jcpnl will be replacing a critical pole it's right in front of the the prosecutor's office you go and look and you see the poll it's got the two Transformers that's leaning
over the road that's the one but it Powers a lot of things around here so Route 94 South will be detoured to Route 206 southbound to Liberty Street back to 94 for cars trucks traffic will be DET
detoured to Route 206 South to freeden road which turns into freeden Springdale Road road which turns into Willow Road and continues to 94 where the traffic can either go north or south at that point um during the repair jcpnl will be
cutting power to 11 residential homes in three County buildings the repairs are expected to last into Sunday so basically all the TR awp will be providing traffic control and signage along with the Newton PD while the the duration of the repairs are going so the work is scheduled to start Friday
morning at 9 o' and again subject to change we don't know we these things come out and you just never know and it's supposed to end on uh Sunday at noon so we AP apologize for the detours it's going to be a mess in the circle
but just plan accordingly um the prosecutor's office you guys are going to be out of power and it's terrible planning courts are going to be wide open and the prosecutors not going to be able to get to their servers to do anything so it's a free day work
clear that's a May that's a May so it again to council we get these alerts and everything happens in between so that's what we know now that's all I got thank you County Council all right number 20 is unfinished business anybody have any
unfinished business I don't is weird anyone new business anyone I do I have new business right uh when I sat in Lafayette Township Council in May of 2021 we had a visit from the governor and uh
Congressman goth Heimer uh they were there to tell us about how Broadband was going to be increased in Sussex and Warren County and I just want to read you a quote that come out out of District Five uh from Josh gottheimer it say March 2021 covid-19 relief package
goth Heimer personally fought to include a 10 billion nationalwide investment in broadband and infrastructure projects the state of New Jersey will call back $190 million and Goth Heimer has requested those dollars be utilized to improve Broadband connectivity in susex
and Warren County I can only speak for my town where I live I can tell you I don't know where that $190,000 has gone but cell phone coverage 190 million I don't know where that has gone I'd like to know where that is I will ask any of you as
Commissioners to join me to try to follow that up and see why we have not done anything with our broadband and cell phone coverage is as bad as it is I talked to several people in this room including all of you and all of a sudden you're gone I can round one corner if I don't sit in a chair in one spot you're
out of luck you don't get any coverage and I don't know 190 million and I don't know whether Warren County had any luck with any of this but that's a lot of money not to be accountable commissioner I can tell you that we have not we've made inquiries as well um
not not uh surprisingly uh it is not finding its way uh where it was supposed to go um but I can't I can tell you that we don't either I can answer a little bit to that because when we were pushing for it last year and we were meeting with um all the vendors that were going
to do it you know what was they down there 21 of of what months mayate 2021 he stood in the center left he eight and and understood so my point is that was four years ago we waited so long and you have people and I there's there's um
obviously different providers but there's one provider that's sleeping through the county including Warren County that's been doing their own work funding it their themselves there's not much more that we need to do and it's like why didn't we jump on this a while
ago we could have had this funded so a lot of talk I'm agreeing with you like there was a lot of talk and it's where did that money go whereas I I don't know didn't come here we know that and at this point it's like well you had one provider again coming AC going across the county counties for trying to get to
all of us not by you not by me either not by Jack so there is is lacking but it's it's it's a bit of a process and I I would like to know where that money is going to but I think even in public safety I think it's a huge issue I mean people can't call an accident you can't call
for help I mean I still maintain a home phone I mean with a cell phone you can't take a chance like that in house you had an emergency yeah good well I'm not good I'm going to follow it up good for now yes all right number 22 public session from the floor this
public session is for those wishing to make General comments of three minutes or less on non-agenda topics please line up with the microphone to state your name and Min belly for the record motion to open the floor to public comment so moved commission have a second okay I'll second it sorry deputy
director Carney any discussion voiceful all in favor I oppose abstain carries floor is open Ken gentl add will since that time two years ago 10 months ago two years and 10 months ago the
condition of the bridge has only worsened as it continues toor pictural I came here almost three years ago this is longterm neglect by Sussex County it was brought to your attention
once already long and while I received reassures from the count DPW the is it pictures theface imily
[Music] [Music] we hear report after report about feet of guide rails that are replaced and miles of roads that were resurfaced but when a crumbling Bridge it's crumbling after after you are well
aware thank you you're up J of all thank you I issues typ it's
basically meeting another waste a commissioner who is so disgraced and continues to except for tonight sit there very smug and about himself and basically accom
but my comments very concerned about cuts and how they will affect usally as well as locally I thinke all like andas certainly not way to go
people will suffer don't we uh we both wanted to say the same thing I'll I'll spare you the repetition but um one thing that she forgot my concern is if there's Services right like if you have to get water tested or
soils tested develop and the fing or the labat does that is's to take it so I'm worried that certain services that are mandated won't be available and I just think sense to
look I think that I just one comment we don't have anything cut and dry as any cuts are going to be obviously we always watch where we're getting our money from and whatnot so just to to answer as much as I can there's there's no specifics it's
a gray area for here so we obviously will always do our due diligence and make sure that we're funding where we have to and priority will take pres thank you anyone else good no seeing no one all right motion close the floor for public
comment return to regular business Mr H uh deputy director seconds all in favor say I hi oppose abstain carries number 23 is reminders please check the County's website www.sex.nj.us804anddate.com the subject matters about to be discussed may be excluded from the
public portion of the meeting by resolution of the board of County Commissioners as an exception to the open public meetings act pursuant to njsa 10 412b and whereas it appears necessary for the board of County Commissioners to discuss such matters in executive session now therefore be it resolve that
the board of County commissioners of the county of Sussex in accordance with the provisions of njsa 10 col 412b and njsa 104-113 that the board at this time enter into to an executive session from which the public shall be excluded and be it further resolved that that the
general nature of the subjects to be discussed relate to the following items authorized by njsa 10 412b as designated below item number seven matters relating to litigation negotiations and the attorney client privilege County policy and procedure telework we had further
resolved that the deliberations conducted in Clos session may be disclosed to the public upon the determination of the Sussex County Board of County Commissioners or provided by law that the public interest will no longer be served by such confidentiality and be it further resolved that upon completion of the business for which the
board has entered into the executive session the board shall reconvene and resume its meeting open to the public and be it further resolved that the board does not expect to take formal action after returning from executive session except to adjourn the regular meeting second
e e e e e e e e e e
e e e e e for