this is the commissioner meeting of March 27th 2024 at 6:00 p.m. at the Sussex County administrative Center commissioner meeting room one Spring Street Newton New Jersey can I have a roll call please deputy director Carney here commissioner de grou here commissioner Hayden here commissioner shik here director space here a moment of silence and a salute to the flag today we're going to do the moment of silence for all those that perished on uh the bridge in Baltimore I pledge of allegiance 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 pursuant to the open public meetings act chapter 231 PL 1975 adequate notice as defined by section 3D of chapter 231 PL 1975 has been made by regular mail and email such notice being submitted on January 7th 20124 from the administrative center of the county of Sussex located at one Spring Street Newton New Jersey to the following the New Jersey Herald and the Star Ledger and is also posted on the bulletin board maintained in the administrative Center for Public announcements and has been submitted to the Sussex County Clerk in compliance with said act at this time please M mute all electronic devices I'd also like to ask my fellow Commissioners to please put their phones away so that we are not distracted and looking at them and I'll do it myself too number five approval of agenda there are a few amendments to tonight's agenda we will be adding to number 15 resolutions item s resolution of the Sussex County Board of County Commissioners to establish rules of conduct and the Quorum for public meetings in addition we have a second resolution under item 8 amending the 2024 County budget as introduced followed by a second public hearing for the amended budget um can I get a motion to approve the agenda as amended still move okay deputy director Carney makes a motion commissioner de second any discussion all in favor I I oppose abstain motion carries six Proclamation certificates and presentations deputy director Carney is going to read the proclamation 2024 take down tobacco D um do we have anyone here that's accepting the okay whereas tobacco is still the number one cause of preventable death in the United States and across the globe and whereas the tobacco industry marks a wine Rage of addictive and dangerous products that has resulted in the increase of Youth ecigarettes use and whereas youth tobacco rates are at a 20-year high in the United States due to worsening due to the worsening youth ecigarette epidemic reversing the progress that has been made toward reducing tobacco use and whereas take down tobacco is a campaign for tobacco free kids signature platform for empowering people to stand up and speak out against the tobacco industry's tactics to deive Youth and whereas the take down tobacco national day of action is day of activism where communities across the world rally together against the tobacco industry reflecting on how far they have come and how far they still need to create the first tobacco free generation now therefore be resolved as a such County Board of County Commissioners does here Bri Proclaim that April 1st 2024 is the takeown tobacco national day of action and together with the center of prevention and counseling tobacco free for a healthy New Jersey in incor US recognizes the tobacco products including ecigarettes contain nicotine and other harmful substance substances that can cause lasting health effects and be of further resolve that the board of County Commissioners encourages all Sussex County residents to unite in raising awareness about tobacco youths and their communities and encourages all youth to stay tobacco free by order of the board of County Commissioners commissioner director of Jill space deputy director Chris Carney and Commissioners Jack de gr William Hayden and Earl Sheek you would you like to say anything T you good evening my name is Connie banser and I am the H County coordinator for in corruptible us Incorruptible us is our youth tobac tobacco Action Group um every County in New Jersey does have a chapter so in susex County we are school-based and we have four groups right now um we are at kid Tenny High School High High School Vernon High School and sesex um last year we had 14 Youth that were part of the group and we've grown now to over 66 youth um total and we are still recruiting as well um the group uh we not only focus on anti- vaping and anti- tobacco but any topic that the youth are really passionate about so kindness mental health awareness um again we know that vaping is a big issue in a lot of these schools so the group really comes together and we share resources during the lunchtime and you know they have activities and they really bring everyone together um so it is really a great time that we have with the youth um April 1 is our um national day of action for take down tobacco and it is during spring break so we did do our events last week and this week um and focus on raising awareness about how tobacco companies really Target the youth you know when it comes to e cigarettes and Vapes you know the flavoring of the products um so it does raise awareness you know about these products to Youth and it does give them a voice to you know speak out against backg um we do also have some people hand out as well just a little bit more information about inrupt us we do have an Instagram page and again we post a lot of pictures on there if you wanted to see what we're up to in County thank you great thank you can we get a picture yeah I like to give this to you matter R don't want what's Ron want your head to okay the next Proclamation April 2024 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month I don't think is anyone here from Daisy okay um I'm going to read that one at their closed line event which is later on this month so we're not going to read that one tonight okay number 7 uh authorizing the reading of the 2024 Sussex County budget by the title only in accordance with the njsa 40a colon 4-8 can I get a motion to adopt the resolution moved okay commissioner Hayden makes a motion a second second uh commissioner shik seconds any discussion uh roll call please deputy director Carney yes commissioner de group yes commissioner Hayden yes commissioner shik yes director space yes uh number eight the public hearing 20124 Sussex County budget as approved can I get a motion to open the public hearing for the 2024 Sussex County budget as approved the move second okay deputy director Carney and second from commissioner de group any discussion all in favor I I oppose abstain motion carries okay public hearing is now open is anyone present to be heard regarding the 2024 Sussex County budget as approved uh anyone yes hello Wendy Whipple and over Tam um I was here at the last meeting you introduce the budget could you refresh uh our minds of what the budget surplus was at the time okay falance total what I what is Us in the budet I could see I believe on the first page and what is that used for just generally what is well it's used for flow it's us you antip amener does that money include what came out of the sale of the homestead the SoCal R day fund sale of the homestead separate account okay that'ss me to my dentist Library question I don't know ask it or should I wait I think you should wait okay thank Youk anyone else okay can I get a motion to close the public hearing shall move okay Hayden makes a motion and a second second deputy director Carney any discussion all in favor I opposed abstain motion carries Okay resolution a amending the 2024 County budget as introduced I'm going to ask ask uh Ela to come to read that for us because she has to read it into record County of resolution regarding amending the 2024 budget County budget as introduced the county budget for the 2024 budget year 2024 was approved on 28th day of February 2024 and whereas the public hearing on said budget has been held as advertised and whereas it is desired budg Now resolv by theard of County Commission count am of 2024 be made number three miscellaneous revenues section a local revenues incre on investments and deposits c08 d113 for 1,750,000 even to 1,846 section a local revenues c81 4,272 724 4, 37689 section e special items of General Revenue with higher written consent of local government services other special items state of New Jersey salary reimbursement for County prosecutors 08- from $1,167 to Total section e special items of General Revenue anticipated higher written of local government services other special items code 84 from 22391 167 to 235,000 summary of revenues miscellaneous revenues total section a local revenues 8-1 from 4,272 72 43791 total section e special items of General Revenue prior consent of local government services other special items 08-04 22391 167,000 2 39167 to 235,000 total miscellaneous revenues 1399 from 12,617 12, 61739 General revenues 13299 122 949 79491 3912 79491 39 and further resolve that three certified copies of this resolution in the office of the director govern Services certific am and fur certifi cop of res Valley avable nonas certifi copy of a resolution adopted by the board on the 27th day of march4 thank you can I get a motion to adopt resolution a I move director Carney makes a motion a second second uh commissioner shik seconds any discussion uh roll call vote oh who who I would like to have a discussion okay uh quick enough sorry um again you know I I think this budget was passed at least in my three years the quickest that we ever had and I think r ray selli will test to that um didn't expect it to go as good as it did 1,000% for Jill and I who were here last year going over the budget year actually the year prior to rolling over to our budget of 23 um so kudos to everybody who put their two cents into doing this budget uh for the 24 year and our department heads and so on and so forth and with the inflation the way it is I think we got it down to a good good number with the services that we still provide so thank you all for that healthy budget did do you want to say anything right uh this is Ray sarinelli from zachia of the auditor so ech a little bit about Chris said a goodd process year came prely everybody Andes good long thank you anyone else and just one I guess one more thing because there was a question asked before so that 177% of our budget just to for the audience um information like that's by Statute we have to have X amount of percentage in our fund balance so we can't just take that 17 million and decide we're going to cut taxes and look like Heroes we have to have by Statute a certain uh percentage that's why we have a healthy budget as we do that's all now I'm done thank you now you're done can I get a roll call please deputy director Carney yes commissioner the group yes commissioner Hayden yes commissioner shik yes director space yes second public hearing 2024 amending Sussex County budget as amending amended uh can I get a motion to open the public hearing for amending the 2024 Sussex County budget as approved d stand mov second okay deputy director Carney and a second uh commissioner to group yes okay um any discussion all in favor I oppose abstain okay the floor is open anyone want to speak um is anyone present to be heard regarding amending the 2024 Sussex County budget as approved okay being none can I get a motion that the public hearing be closed osed so moved okay commissioner deg in a second second uh deputy director Carney any discussion all in favor I opposed estain motion carries B resolution final adoption of the 2024 Sussex County budget as amended be it resolved by the board of County commissioners of the county of Sussex that the budget herein before set forth is hereby adopted and shall constitute an appropriation of 22,7 19491 39 for the purposes stated of the sums therein set forth as Appropriations an authorization of the amount of $2,493 1854 for the county purposes to be raised by taxation and certification to the County Board of tax ation of the following summary of General revenues and Appropriations can I get a motion to finally adopt the 2024 County budget as amended still moved deputy director Carney makes the motion and a second second uh commissioner sh second any discussion roll call please deputy director Carney yes commissioner degr yes commissioner Hayden yes commissioner shik yes director space yes resolution C adoption ordinance 24-1 at our regular meeting held on March 13th 2024 we introduced for first reading the following ordinance which was advertised in the New Jersey Herald issue of March 19th 2024 together with a notice of public hearing stating that it would be held at this meeting at 6: p.m. Bond ordinance providing for various 2024 Capital Improvements by and in the county of Sussex state of New Jersey appropriating $ 3,75 th000 therefore and authorizing $2,775 th000 bonds or notes of the county to finance part of the costs thereof can I get a motion that the public hearing be opened so move commissioner degr motion a second second commissioner Hayden any discussion all in favor I I oppose abstain motion carries is anyone present to be heard regarding this ordinance and I get a motion that the public hearing be closed no move second okay deputy director Carney and commissioner deg any discussion all in favor I I oppose abstain motion carries okay motion that this ordinance be finally adopted can I get a motion still move second deputy director car and commissioner de any discussion all in favor I oppose abstain motion carries motion that the resolution be finally adopted and authorize the clerk to advertise this resolution as finally adopted and also post the same on the bulletin board in the lobby of the county administrative Center can I get a roll call please a motion oh okay can I get a motion so moved okay commissioner Hayden and a second second deputy director Carney any discussion can I get a roll call please deputy director Carney yes commissioner degr yes commissioner Hayden yes commissioner schik yes director space yes final adoption of ordinance 24-02 at our regular meeting held on March 13th 2024 we introduced for first reading the following ordinance which was advertised the New Jersey Herald issue of March 19th 2024 together with a notice of public hearing stating it would be held at this meeting at 6: p.m. Bond ordinance providing for the undertaking of 2024 Capital Improvements at and for certain facilities of the Sussex County Community College located within the county of Sussex state of New Jersey appropriating 2.8 million therefore and authorizing the issuance of 2.8 million bonds or notes of the county of Sussex state of New Jersey for financing such appropriation the principle of an interest on the aggregate principle amount of which will be entitled to state aid pursuant to chapter 12 of the laws of New Jersey of 1971 can I get a motion that the public hearing be opened so move okay commissioner Hayden and a second second commissioner shik any discussion all in favor I I opposed abstain is anyone motion is anyone present to be heard regarding this ordinance being none uh can I get a motion that the public hearing be closed so moves okay commissioner shik makes a motion and commissioner degr second any discussion all in favor I I oppose abstain motion carries can I get a motion that this ordinance be final adopted so moved okay commissioner shik makes a motion and a second commissioner deg any discussion all in favor I I oppose abstain motion carries motion that the resolution be finally adopted and authorize the clerk to advertise this resolution as finally adopted and also post same on the bulletin board in the lobby of the county administrative Center can I get a motion to approve it don't I need motion no yeah yeah motion I'll make the motion second second commissioner degr um and a roll call please deputy director Carney yes commissioner degr yes commissioner Hayden yes commissioner shik yes director space yes e final adoption ordinance 24-3 at our regular meeting held on March 13th 2024 we introduced for first reading the following ordinance which was advertised in the New Jersey Herald issue of March 19th 2024 together with the notice of public hearing stating it would be held at this meeting at 6 p.m. Capital ordinance providing for the general Capital Improvements and the acquisition of certain Capital Equipment in and for the county of Sussex state of New Jersey and appropriating the sum of$ 7,244 21144 consisent of 6,250 78678 from the County's Capital Improvement fund and $993,000 22 from the County's reserve for departmental improvements to pay for the cost thereof can I get a motion that the public hearing be opened some move okay uh commissioner degr and deputy director Carney any discussion all in favor I I oppose abstain motion carries is anyone present to be heard regarding this ordinance can I get a motion that the public hearing be closed so okay commissioner degu and a second second uh deputy director Carney any discussion all in favor I oppose abstain okay can I get a motion that this ordinance be finally adopted still moved uh deputy director Carney in a second second commissioner sh any discussion all in favor I I I oppose abstain motion carries can I get a motion that the resolution be finally adopted and authorize the clerk to advertise this resolution as finally adopted and also post same on the bulletin board in the lobby of the county administrative Center can I get a motion still moved okay commissioner commission deputy director Carney and a second a second uh commissioner shik any discussion a roll call please deputy director Carney yes commissioner deg grou yes commissioner Hayden yes commissioner shik yes director space yes number nine public session from the floor this public session is for those wishing to make a comment of 3 minutes or less regarding an an agenda item please line up at the microphone state your name municipality agenda topic for the record we will have the regular public session later on this is for agenda topics only can I get a motion to open the floor for public comment still moved okay deputy director Carney in a second second commissioner shik any discussion all in favor I oppose abstain motion carries floor is open for agenda topics only anyone can I okay sorry I was quick your records already passed this is just way too long but I'm reading Kathy Bren um I wanted I wanted to to thank you for supporting uh resolution R the New Jersey state bill a412 which allows board um to allow Commissioners who Miss three consecutive meetings without an excused absence I think that's a very important thing especially um with things that have been going on lately um people we elect we elect them to do a job they get paid to do a job and I believe they should be here doing the job and I totally support you being on board with that and I just want to say thank you thank you anyone else agenda topics okay can I get a motion to close the floor for public comment they moved okay deputy director Carney and a second second commissioner shik any discussion all in favor I I oppose abstain motion carries number 10 commissioner comments I will start to my right with uh commissioner Hayden nothing at this time nothing okay uh commissioner shank so um I had a terrific uh introduction [Music] [Music] [Music] and I was very very impressed with that tour so um that's all I have for today wonderful you've been you've been busy okay commissioner de gr yeah so to begin uh the Farmland preservation revitalization tour has continued since our last meeting I went to wage Township's council meeting and sanderson's Township council meeting uh both councils provided positive feedback towards the initiative specifically sandison was very enthusiastic and even offered up the goal of Sanden uh preserving a thousand acres where they're currently at 863 Acres preserved for Farmland preservation so uh really terrific love the support and uh I will mention with uh the program too we do have an applicant um the goal is four so we're on a pretty good Pace right now uh I was blessed to uh have the privilege of pouring the applican farm this past Monday uh amazing Farmland out there uh the property uh they're looking to preserve is 154 Acres um great fields for commodity props so uh looking forward to keeping you all up to date on that and uh the preservation piece uh with you know the Outreach effort that I'm doing next I want to say a big thank you to our very own uh Deputy County uh administrator Lorraine hence for joining me this past Friday for judging for each presentations um at Kenny high school so uh her and I really had a great time uh we're already counting down the days to be judges for next year so hopefully more of us can be uh present at it but uh Dave for anonio really did a wonderful job organizing everything and it was a really great program to introduce kids to public speaking um and letting them improve upon you know a vital skill that we all use every day so really great stuff uh moving forward there is an additional report from the division of health and public uh public health and nursing but in the interest of time and everything going on I had a really busy week uh running around for the county I'm going to refer to the minutes where the updates will be provided from the department and be posted there um next this past week uh I did have the opportunity to meet Aaron the program supervisor for the a program at suss County Community College uh specifically a business and horiculture uh our discussion centered around two crucial aspects of the a program she oversees the potential advancement of the program which I've been talking about um with the agricultural Advance U Community College agricultural advancement act and then also the other aspect strategies for Recruitment and Retention for the program and coinci Mally I made further progress on those two aspects so I'd love to share that with you right now so the first in regards to advancement of the program uh I had a visit to the one and only Hudson farms uh so did that this past Friday I had the opportunity to talk with two Greenhouse workers to get and see a firsthand look at their magnificent Greenhouse operation uh it was extremely impressive as they have all different types of hydronics in use and even have a separate building for aquaculture which was I mean really terrific to see um nonetheless uh the concept I have in mind uh with you know Hudson Farms is possibly an internship or even an apprenticeship program uh you know with their Greenhouse which operates year round and has temperature control so the year round operation is really big because as we know Community College academic schedule doesn't capture the prime harvest season as you know August to May and June July August is really you know prime time for that so offering you know these students a comprehensive understanding of you know growing produce in a greenhouse during the fall when they're on campus in the spring when they're on campus uh could be really valuable and something that they can put on on their resume in addition to that um so that was one aspect of the conversation now the second part uh which is in uh regard to Recruitment and Retention of the a program at the community college uh myself and commissioner uh shik as mentioned had the opportunity to visit Sussex Tech uh it was a very informative visit there and I know myself and commissionership great appreciated the hospitality from uh the votch team uh a part of our visit um that uh part of our visit included the tour of green houses that they have at Sussex Tech as well as information for Tex a program I'm happy to say that the administration as well as the instructors are all enthusiastic about working together to advance the a efforts over at the tech school and allow it to streamline to the a program at the community college uh I do want to add and note that the green houses in use at Tech um at the tech school are a little bit outdated so that's something yeah that we might have to um address it down the road nonetheless uh they did have an aqua ponic section of that if you remember uh very small but still gives a great introduction for the tech students um about the possibility of exploring that um so overall I'm happy to continue this conversation with the college um and Hudson farms in Tech uh and really you know get this you know program at secc um going for the a um But continuing to conversation with susus County Community College I know the community college has been in the news and I am one out of two liaison for the college and as such I made sure to be at the Board of Trustees meeting yesterday at the college um to be up to date with the latest so some notable things I just wanted to present you know at tonight's meeting with you guys uh in regards to reserves uh it was said that susus County Community College looks to be conservative and safe with their money uh and as such they currently do have 12 to 13 months worth of expens ens in reserves which explains for you know a higher amount of them uh in addition the college is performing in organizational culture and climate study to uh to better understand workplace culture areas of strengths and weaknesses of the Community College as well as the atmosphere and their overall feeling of being at seccc this will include three types of analysis confidential surveys uh random interviews and uh document review and then uh I also just want to mention that there will will be a separate senior leadership study uh which will include document review random interviews and confidential uh surveys throughout College uh last night the Board of Trustees did a really nice job being transparent as they themselves did not present the information to everyone in attendance but took it a step further and brought in the very sources of this information and had them present so in regard to the reserves that I was mentioning uh the CFO and annual auditor came in and presented that information in regard to the organiz gational culture and climate study they brought in the person who is leading that study and um you know in charge uh finally in regards to the college uh I'd like to just add that they did say enrollment looks to be up for the spring semester uh by 133% and the upcoming s summer enrollment looks to be up by 5% and just to reiterate to everyone uh us as susus County Commissioners appoint members uh to the College Board to trustees and approve the college Bud budgets each year um in my role as liaison and the other as leaz on I actively seek out opportunities at the college that could contribute to the Improvement of susus County this includes the initiatives that I'm currently trying to do to enhance the agricultural program and then finally I know I'm a little bit long I know but uh finally uh the Friday after our prior meeting uh njac had their quarterly board meeting uh of directors via Zoom uh commissioner Stace were on attended as well which was nice um but the meeting consisted of updates regarding legislation that would affect County such as the Oprah Reform Bill in addition the hearing uh in addition to that we did hear from the acting New Jersey Department of Transportation commissioner Francis o' Conor um but within this meeting I would like to uh you know report I did speak up during new business uh portion addressing my fellow njac board of directors uh the lack of accountability for County Commissioners in regards to their attendance and as someone who is new to public office and being elected uh official it is both an honor and a blessing to represent you know the wonderful people of Sussex County uh whether in Sussex County or throughout New Jersey myself and fellow Commissioners around the state come into office for all sorts of reasons right we got voted in for different reasons um yet we share a common goal of serving our constituents and wanting to be in these seats we asked to be here uh we desire to occupy these seats and advocate for our communities but it's crucial that this role is a privilege and not to take advantage of it so as such in collaboration with ld24 assemblyman Mike and Gort uh he is introducing assembly Bill 4102 which would allow the board of County Commissioners to remove Commissioners if the member misses three consecutive board meetings without excused absences uh there is a resolution prepared on our agenda resolution R which states i' like to read them to the record uh resolution in support of New Jersey assembly bill a412 which allows Boards of County Commissioners to remove Commissioners who Miss three consecutive meetings without an excused absence whereas the board of Sussex County Commissioners is committed to maintaining effective governance of the county of Sussex and to fulfill their obligations to its residents and whereas the board of County Commissioners acknowledged the importance of regular attendance at various meetings in order to fulfill the obligations to the community and whereas assemblymen Mike and gamore represents Sussex County in the New Jersey State Assembly and whereas assembly and Gort has sponsored assembly bill a412 which proposes a reasonable measure to address absenteeism among New Jersey's County Commissioners and whereas bill a1402 would provide Board of County Commissioners in the state of New Jersey the ability to remove a sitting County Commissioner who has accumulated three consecutive unexcused absences via an affirmative vote of the majority of the board members present and where as the assembly bill a412 was created using language found in njs 18a 12-3 which permits the removal of a member of a board of education who fails to attend three consecutive board meetings without good cause and whereas Bill a 4102 promotes accountability among the County Commissioners and ensures the efficient functioning of local government now therefore be it resolved that the sues County Board of County Commissioners expresses the full support for Bill 84102 allowing for the removal of a county commissioner who accumulates three consecutive unexcused abses and be it further resolved that the Sussex County Board of County Commissioners urges Swift passage of Bill a412 and commits to advocating for the prompt consideration by prompting a c copy of this resolution to Senator Parker space assemblywoman Don Fantasia assembly men Michael and Gort the New Jersey assembly the New Jersey Senate and all municipalities in Sussex County um in addition I know that our state senator Parker's face will introduced a similar bill in the Senate uh I hope my fellow Commissioners will support the resolution when it comes up because accountability is important at the end of the day uh thank you God bless enjoy Easter and thank you I just want to comment on um that assembly bill a412 um boards are created with odd numbers so that we never come up with a tie and when we when a board is at an even number we could get into a dead heat and then the resolutions stall so that's why we need odd numbers so I appreciate that bill okay deputy director Carney thank you um just a quick question Jack and I don't want to put you on a spot if you don't have the answer that's fine but you brought up the reserves for the college the funds and the reserves for college do you know are they online the reserves yeah and their funds like what they what they have in the in their fund account and and so on and so forth I know they the uh during the public session they were asking to see it online so I'm going to assume that it's currently not on okay okay it should be okay yeah I was just wondering if you could find that answer out that would be great I'm just curious it maybe would help uh resolve some problems that seem to be going on um in some people's minds um all right so I don't have much actually uh our asht tree removal program removal of dead disease and distress Ash and other uh trees along County routes are right away elevation work will also be performed on on as a needed basis within a limits of segment work uh our contractors we have two contractors midur Tree Care and Rich Tree Service this was funded through arpa 17 segments of Road will be will be completed at this time 82 trees have been removed along 40 miles of road it's what you guys are seeing out there a lot of lot of uh free trees if you want to burn Ash total program budget was $450,000 expended to date $251,500 and that's continually changing normal work hours are from 7 to 330 and work began on Monday 717 2023 last year as an estimated to continue for the next several months um St Patrick's Day was a good day uh we we attended uh myself commissioner schik commissioner space and and commissioner degu attended St Patrick's Day Parade it was in the three years that I've attended it it was I think the biggest attendance um that that I've seen anyway so it was a it was a nice day so that was nice I suggest everybody go go next year um met with the BP again commissioner space and myself um with Christina Marx and our administrator Ron Tappen met with the BPU to kind of figure out understand a little bit more I know I reported in our last meeting uh what they're doing and and how they're looking to bring some of this money back to Sussex County and it is a challenge hence I think why they call it a challenge report right um so it's very very difficult I I do in a way feel like they're kind of using us to get information um because they don't want to do it or maybe they don't have the means and to to a point I actually I asked if they had um a grant to facilitate um somebody who works in in this department and they don't so you know everybody here you know works as hard as they can doing what they do so with any further Ado we will be looking to the Mayors uh to help out to push this along the timer strength is three months um so I know we're looking to do another mayor's luncheon kind of go over this with them and get as much information from the public as possible uh to get it back to us and report back to BPU and then that Grant will hopefully come back here and we could update our uh our polls our lines and so on and so forth and get a little bit internet here in Sussex County um there something I brought up probably six seven months ago we do have a Veterans Memorial over in at the Green uh was approached probably about a year ago from a member of my American Legion uh Poston Branchville 157 that he was a member of a non for-profit that actually helped start the veterans uh Memorial over here he came to me he he he purchased a plaque um so I do have some numbers coming in for a headstone so I'm hoping hoping hoping that by Memorial Day we can do a a regr opening at the green with this new Pia plaque prison of War missing an action plaque that would be the head head piece of the Veterans Memorial that's the only plaque that we are missing over there all the other branches are over there and that's one missing piece that I am working on and continue to work on um that's all I have for today okay and I'm going to be brief on mine because I've been doing a lot of reading tonight um so the four well four Commissioners and I so deputy director Carney commissioner schik and commissioner degr we attended the grand opening of insight health and I have a full report um that'll be online that you that you can read and what it is is um the board of County Commissioners we had $300,000 in arpa funds that we were able to allocate and they now have an Insight Health opened up on uh at 33 Newton ad is that the address New Road um in and over and it offers comprehensive psychiatric care for children and adults via teleah health or in-person appointments these treatment options are redefining outpatient Psychiatry for patients um and serve to complement the existing options available within Sussex County so that'll be on my report here we also have the Sussex County veterans appreciation luncheon coming up which is April 24th um at The Farmstead you do need to pre-register you can find the other information on the County website um I have been working with our Deputy Administrator Lorraine hence and Catholic Charities to see if we can bring and and also working with Newton hospital and their true north program to see if we can bring um like a counseling service to our veterans because they need you know if they need therapy somewhere where they can reach out amongst their peers and have a monthly meeting and be able to talk things out without having to go to a psychiatrist um I had I was talking to um a vet last week and he was telling me that when he talked to someone they just wanted to medicate and they don't all want medication they want they want to come amongst their peers and be able to share their stories and they have they have concerns on that and also uh commissioner degr and I attended a uh tourism Expo and you were there longer than I was but I want to congratulate Tammy horsefield I saw a lot of farmers there that I haven't seen at um chamber events so that that was really good so and that is all I have tonight okay approval of consent agenda we have no consent agenda tonight number 12 approval of the M approval of the minutes we have the regular meeting February 28th 2024 and the regular meeting March 13th 24 can I get a motion to approve the minutes from the regular meetings they moved deputy director Carney and commissioner degr any discussion all in favor I oppose abstain abstain okay motion carries number 13 ordinance no additional ordinances tonight number 14 appointments Andor resignations I'm not going to read them I don't have to read them do I no no okay can I get a motion to adopt appointments a to F so mooved okay commissioner Hayden and a second second deputy director Carney any discussion okay roll call vote deputy director Carney yes commissioner de grou yes commissioner Hayden yes commissioner shik yes director of space yes okay next is the resolutions resolution a through s s uh can I get a motion to adopt resolutions a through S she added make motion can we make a motion to end that I want to pull two of them out so we we have three separate votes sure you want three R and S pull out because I don't know what s is we we haven't read that I haven't seen it anywhere okay okay so you want to pull out you want RNs out yeah so it'll be three different votes okay yep sounds good okay so can I get a res can I get a motion to adopt resolutions a through Q still moved second deputy director Carney makes a motion and commissioner Hayden seconds uh any discussion okay can I get a roll call vote uh deputy director Carney yes commissioner dgrou yes commissioner Hayden yes commissioner shik yes director space yes okay can I get a motion to adopt resolution R so move okay commissioner degr makes a motion and a second second commissioner shik any discussion roll call vote uh deputy director Carney yes commissioner degr yes commissioner Hayden no no commissioner shik yes director space yes okay uh resolution s can I get a motion to adopt resolution s still moved okay deputy director Carney and a second I'll second any discussion okay well what what is exactly is the resolution um you wouldn't read to the record the record thank you me but I'm have you too oh you've got it resolution of the Sussex County Board of County Commissioners to establish rules of conduct and decorum for public meetings whereas many Americans believe that our society is increasingly uncivil and this problem is particularly acute and detrimental the national state and local political Arena as work threatens government's ability to function democratically and effective and whereas Across the Nation many counties municipalities and local governments have adopted policies and rules to promote Civility and maintain the Corum at public meetings whereas the county of Sussex maintains its commitment to the Democratic process individual rights of expression robust debate and tolerance of this for disperate views and whereas the county of Sussex convenes public meetings to address controversial issues that often engender passionate and conflicting opinions and whereas an atmosphere of instability and disrespect of these meetings can stifle participation and debate threaten the quality of decisions and undermine the local Democratic process whereas adopting rules of the Quorum applicable to all public meetings will ensure that Civic engagement and local democracy continues to flourish in the county of Sussex and whereas the state of New Jersey Department of Community Affairs division of local government services has promulgated regulations for the adoption by county and local governments of rules and procedures for the conduct of public meetings now therefore be it resolved by the board of County commissioners of the county assus 16 New Jersey as follows one definitions the purpose of this resolution the following terms phrases and words shall have the meaning as reflected herein a director shall mean the member of the board of County commissioners of the county of Sussex presiding over the conduct of the public meeting B public meeting or meeting shall mean any meeting of the board of County Commissioners the county is Su subject to the requirements of the open public meetings Act njsa 10 call 4-6 at SEC C remote meeting shall mean a public meeting that is conducted by any means of live telephonic electronic Andor other audio or video communication equipment to General any person may address the Sussex County Board of County Commissioners at a public meeting on any subject of interest to the county of Sussex 3 manner of addressing the board of County Commissioners a no person shall be permitted to address the board of County Commissioners without first being recognized by the director B upon recognition by the director each person wishing to address the board shall state in an audible tone for the record his or name and address subject of course Daniel's law the subject they wish to discuss and if applicable the person or persons they represent Roman num one to the extent practical those physically present in the meeting chamber shall approach the podium or area designated when addressing the board see all comments questions and remarks will be addressed to the board generally and shall not be addressed to any member of the public um Board of County Commissioners individually or any County employee without permission of the director and if applicable to the commissioner to whom it is addressed d no person other than the director members of the board and the person having the floor should be permitted into any to enter into any discussion without permission of the director e all public comments questions and remarks whether made in person or otherwise in accordance with this policy shall be limited to three minutes per person no person shall be permitted to assign or give their time for public comment to any other person f after a motion has made to close public hearing on any matter or the public comment portion of the meeting no member of the public shall be permitted to address the board from the audience on any matter under consideration without first securing permission to do so meaning maintaining uh disrupt or limiting disruptions G notwithstanding anything here in to the contrary the board May at any time temporarily wave relax or suspend any rule procedural requirement or formalities pursuant to this resolution by affirmative vote of the majority for the Quorum a any member of the public making comments are acting in a manner that is disruptive to the orderly conduct of any meeting shall be called to order by the chair disruptive comments and actions shall include but is not limited to sustained inappropriate statements and behavior such as but not necessarily limited to profanity threats defamatory statements yelling shouting whistling booing hissing incessant clapping foot stamping stomping intentional or repeated interruptions and other actions statements or conduct which disrupts disturbs obstructs interferes with or undermines the orderly conduct of the public meeting B if upon being called to order such person continues to disrupt the meeting the chair May order the person to leave the meeting if such person refuses to leave the meeting the chair may have that person removed C in the event sir you dropped your key card C in the event such person is participating in the meeting telephonically or remotely the chair may direct the clerk uh appro or appropriate staff to mute or continue muting the disruptive member of the public and warn that continue disruption or may result in their being prevented from speaking during the portions of the meeting open to the public comments or removed from the me from the remote meeting member of the public continues to be disruptive after being called to order may be muted while other members of the public are allowed to proceed with their questions and comments if time permits the disruptive individual will be allowed to speak after all their members of the public have been given the opportunity to make comment should the person remain disrupted the individual may be muted or kept on mute for the remainder of the public meeting or removed from the public meeting be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution shall be sent to the County Administrator as I indicated uh it was done conformance with the New Jersey DCA local government services recommendations um and and drafted and brought to you director for yours and the board's consideration thank you director just quick question did everybody get to see this this resolution I know I saw it yeah I saw it I hadn't seen it but now I've I've heard it so I'm good okay Jack you got it I okay okay can I get a motion to adopt resolution C so moved okay commissioner shik makes a motion did I say resolution resolution and we it's already been moved so um commissioner Carney and uh and you have moved okay good okay roll call please uh deputy director Carney yes commissioner degr yes commissioner Hayden yes commissioner shik yes director space yes Awards of contract change orders bids resolution A and B the board of County commissioners of the county of Sussex has reviewed the award of contract change orders bids consisting of various proposed resolutions and determined that adoption of said resolutions is in and will further the public interest can I get a motion to adopt resolutions A to B moved okay commissioner Hayden in a second second commissioner shik any discussion roll call please deputy director Carney yes commissioner de Gro yes commissioner Hayden yes commissioner shik yes director space yes number 17 Financial resolution to payment of bills of March 27th 2024 can I get a motion to pay the bills list still mooved second deputy director Carney and commissioner degr any discussion roll call please deputy director Carney yes commissioner degr yes commissioner Hayden yes commissioner shik yes director space yes number 18 Personnel a resolution uh regarding Personnel agenda of March 27th 2024 can I get a motion to approve the Personnel agenda they moved okay deputy director Carney in a second I'll second any discussion okay roll call vote deputy director Corney yes commissioner degr yes commissioner Hayden yes commissioner shik yes director space yes number 19 administrative report oh thank you that be very brief tonight uh for consideration of everything else we got to do tonight but yeah uh commissioner carne has been working very close with our Statewide Insurance liability uh company to help us put together a training program for our equipment operators or to be equipment operators and we've been very successful in negotiating with caterpillar that is going to perform a free um training series for those people we can select and go down and get certified as trainers the the point of that would be to come back and be able to train our guys that want to be equipment operators and in August caterpillar will be coming back to the county to put on the same type of training that we can provide to all the municipalities that if any of the municipality employees want to take advantage of getting some on Hands-On training on equipment that they may or may not otherwise have the ability to do because of just pure timing and the ability to get all you know leave your job and jump on a machine and take a person to go over and try to train you with it so it gives us a very rare opportunity to put that together both for the county operations and to be able to to to roll that out to our municipalities um lastly I know over a year ago we talked about selling a piece of property in Stan hope the dot wanted it for a light ass sign light uh sunight sightline adjustment and we've been waiting waiting waiting Ela was uh uh gracious enough to deposit the check this last week so that we finally got it after pounds of of 65 Grand we spent every bit of that in paperwork but that was it was it was it was I was just glad to get it and just to close out I would to to comment on the Symposium that you guys went to with the chamber I'm getting an overwhelming response from Tammy about the the farmers that are continuing to call to get the the additional education on the it support and stuff of that nature she has over a dozen Farmers that have called her back to say hey we love what we saw we like to continue on and to improve the processes of their economic developments on their on their Farms so it was very overwhelming how people responded to that that is all I got tonight number 20 County Council report yes I'll be very brief uh I only have one item for all of you uh my only wish is that assembly woman uh Fantasia was here today because this has been near and tear to her heart since you were kind enough to uh bring me into the county uh the county has requested on a myriad of occasion documents via oah requests from the New Jersey Department of Health relevant to um the deaths that do uh Andover Subacute and we have been uh thwarted in our efforts uh from the very beginning uh the do has refused nearly every uh request that we have filed uh and provided sparse documents and those that theyve provided have really haven't said much um we have uh we had filed lawsuits to try to compel the do to provide those records the dates been moved multiple times um the handful of documents that they provided in our opinion have been largely non-responsive um the judge we had a conference just recently uh and the judge has indicated uh that he has reviewed the documents that the do has withholding and finds that the overwhelming majority of those documents withheld by the do are being improperly withheld uh that said it's only a conference uh the state has until May 8th to decide if they're going to turn them over or Force us to a hearing but it was a good welcomed uh um response from the judge that we've been barking up the right tree not the wrong tree uh and if they turn them over it's over if not we'll we'll probably have a hearing sometime over the summer but I feel a little bit better about where they are can and uh am grateful to the commission board current and and prior for their persistence uh in not taking No for for an answer from the state and the Department of Health so that's it sounds good uh number 21 unfinished business business uh I'll ask County Council the same question anyone contact us about a federal investigation of our food pantry no M uh has the AG's office um contacted did anyone on a no-show job no ma'am can I can I just say something fact so when they talked to me last which they said they wouldn't even tell me the det which one is they the feds okay they're not going to tell us anything until we get a Target letter once we get a Target letter it means we and Council should know that as well that means we're pretty much under we're going to be indited okay or somebody's going to be indicted so they're not going to tell us what they're doing if anything they won't even tell me and they talk to me are you looking to tell the donor we don't want their food no I don't want that I just want us to follow IRS protocol I mean everybody else in this room has to why wouldn't we do it why wouldn't we do that just it's so hard not to comment I've never seen anyone want to attack a food pantry I don't want to attack the food pantry but there's something obviously res okay I'm going to move on um number 22 new business any new business okay number 23 public session from the floor this public session is for those wishing to make General comments of 3 minutes or less on non-agenda topics please line up at the microphone and state your name and municipality for the record can I get a motion to open the floor for public comment so move okay commissioner DG in a second second uh uh deputy director Carney any discussion all in favor I oppose abstain okay the floor is open anyone good evening my name is Helen pman I live in Newton I'm here for two reasons tonight but the first reason is one I've been here so many times for i' would like to know the status of the renovations to the dentist Library moving ahead I don't think anything's changed in the last two weeks am I correct no yes it's yeah we don't have any report for you I know you don't want to hear that you want there's you know I I think well I'll I'll applications with the state um we've had some emails back and forth trying to answer some questions that they've had nothing substantive at this point uh I think we're going back and forth on just number right now and as soon as I have something a little bit more definitive or the questions from the uh um the library have been State on the State Library director have been answered or we're asked to provide something different I will uh but at the moment I don't have anything new other than everything that we've we've had that we've been able to turn over has been filed when we get answers we'll give them to you thank you asking your question no problem sounds good yeah okay part two um I I will not recount the incident that I participated in a week ago um with a woman she was having difficulty getting around she was waiting for the show and uh outside HomeGoods holding a little Marshal bag and um we were there 45 minutes I went over got my car got my folding chair for watching the kids my grand kids sporting events and I put um so that she could sit down and wait for this shuttle she used my phone we call the shuttle guide we said I'll be right there 25 minutes later the shuttle came which made me think just so one minute okay um I want to know I have a report that kind gentleman here prepared I haven't really looked into it as yet but how many shuttles we have how many we responsible for who's in charge of that and can we get more I can get that information for you by the next meeting there we do have like a a pamphlet that has all the times and The Roots which I have but I don't have it here with me um and you can follow and see where the pickup times are you know how many different Roots we have we also have an on demand service for people that need to go to like dialysis and it's and and the stops are not on on Our Roots yep but I can bring that pamphlet and get it to you for the next meeting because we do have it I just who's in charge of those people uh that would be um Nick capis but you know from Sussex County Transit so yeah so Sussex County Transit you can look it up like I don't know if you have online or we can I don't think it was in my report today anything on that no when the next meeting we talk about the library yes y or if you if you want to shoot me an email then I can get you the information that way s good I have Miss heal he's um email address oh you do okay good we can get information that'd be great thank you thank you Kenne Collins and over New Jersey Mr Hayden glad you could make it we missed you love your sh thank you I want to thank Mr Mr grouo for his work with the Sussex count Community College AG program Erin's my ex-wife and uh it's wonderful to see her program you know there and your help is great appreciated I know tremendously by her very to share that thank you for your support of a412 or the Bill Hayden bill I hope that gets passed and put to use quickly here this this evening to ask Mr Hayden to Tender his resignation without further delay Mr ha has disgrace this County and all true veterans who have served this nation with honor and integrity you all may have noticed that you haven't seen me at your meeting since Mrs space joined I attended one meeting two years ago to ask for your help getting a rotting bridge near a church in Andover replaced a request which was ignored and the next time when Mr Hayden joined the board wearing this shirt and I sat right in front of him that was the last time I'd been here until two weeks ago once Mr Hayden joined the board I stayed home and I waited for him to fall from grace and it did not take long did it I have to remind you that you and your friends upon the Sussex County Republican party put Mr Hayden there you wouldn't be sitting in that chair if you didn't put him there then you need to stop putting people like that in those chairs thank you J Cornelius I live Inon New Jersey um I'm here again to bring up Stolen Valor uh I have chosen not to use that person's name that I want to talk about so since I don't want to identify whether he's a male or a female I'll say he she so the Hees of the people are the people who pretend they are veterans and are not not the HEI are the ones that have no courage unlike the Warriors who actually go into battle and continue to fight for our country the heis are people who probably are unhappy with their position in life and make stories up of movies that they've seen etate of how exciting the military life is because they have a very dull life now on the contrary my son age 44 with four children has been in the New Jersey National Guard for about 22 years he and 1500 other New Jersey National Guard people male female 25 being New Jersey state troopers have been deployed to Syria now that is a veteran he has four kids when just was born that's a veteran who leaves his family who devotes his life to a cause not someone who is a wannabe who has no courage who is a disgrace to all the other veterans in the area how many minutes do I have keep going okay so I received in the mail a notice of Tor that I'm about to be sued with the rest of you guys who are there so I have decided that thei probably is the best way to describe the person because I don't want to say if they're a male so um anyway so I will um end this early and say that I appreciate coming here I appreciate if you guys um take action about the people who are pretenders uh if you were able and I also um think that we all should be more kind to our veterans because they really do have a stressful life and sometimes we don't appreciate that and I do think that we should honor the veterans like you did at that last meeting that we had okay thank you very thank you Joe laa Barett still waterer five-time combat veteran 21 years retired I'm here because Bill Hayden is a fraud he's lied not just to me but to the people of this County I'm doing this we're going to do in my capacity as chair of the Republican Party a recall this recall will be exhausted it will waste a lot of time and effort but it'll be worth it like all the time and money and effort you have wasted by everybody you have burned and betrayed JD Southall passed JD Southall I was there when he was wounded unlike you Mr I kill Pablo Escobar and all that crap that I've gotten emails all over the country people from said things about you JD Southall I was there when he got when he was red he passed recently I just found out in his name we're going to do a recall on this impostor then saying he's our friend saying he's a republican saying he's with us he calls up a Democrat leader who actually tapes him where he Slanders us horribly horribly saying horrible criminal things about us this is a dishonorable fraud The public's fall because of the this republics fall because institutions have no credibility this man has no credibility and he sociopathically just sits here and your Confederates are low and your Confederates are despicable now these people will continue to waste time and effort and taxpayers money oh big tough guy how many times did you tell me you kill people and throw them in the woods how many times did you tell me what a brave man you were look and you resort to threats of lawsuits and you're a public figure Mr of a free speech constitutionalist but I'm going to sue you and I'm going to sit uh Anonymous bloggers after you and I'm going to do all these lies and Slanders and the Slanders are documented so you're going to get minut and these Slanders are done by someone who is ultimately a liar there's no credibility to anything he does in the name is JD Southall we're going to do a recall I don't care till my dying day my dying day we're going to fix this mess that we brought into this County show that the Republican party is the party of Lincoln we stand for the people good evening my name is Wayne mccab I'm president of the County Historical Society last time I stood in this well you were all freeholders we weren't here when you came in here I was at the store I've been here the longest and I didn't see you Wayne that was a historical event sorry to take your time start again standing of the County Board of I only want to take a moment I have to speak to I understand Mr de that you're the commissioner on hisorical society yes this way you can get a hold me and I make this offer not just to you sir but also to the other members of the board and your staff if you can do it for the microphone just because it's the only thing that picks it up for the record otherwise they won't it'll just be a void in the in the audio beard we have any number of new exhibits that we are reaching out into public more so than we have in the past some 18 years ago the freeer board appointed me the county historian first one and was the one charge go out and educate public our history what do now we're taking a wider approach for trying to get into schools fourth graders trying to get other organizations involved with us coose we have a much Brer approach to how want to educate the public about these import our so I carry the keys to all the buildings in our build complex three buildings now large cemeter if any of you your convenient want to go in and see what we have to offer I have the keys and I'll be able to take you in on my time we're normally open for 4 hours 9 to 1 on Fridays but we're looking also at opening on Saturdays I don't know if we'll get where we were 194 we open up five days a week but we'll try so I off you our hospitality and everything we have offer the public i' like to show you what we have please come by sounds good thank you hi my name from still warship and I want to thank you all for allowing me to speak today um I've been here before about this matter I just want to get an update I want to provide information to the Commissioners because um truly believe that the County May reacted very quickly but we decided to install two traffic lights in still the first two traffic two traffic lights that are literally sitting between the conf of my and this this matter has become very unable for my family it's very terrible for the community the gentleman that just spoke is the head of the society and I heard discussions about the Dennis Library this is the home the former home of Alfred Dennis the same person that put the the library in place this is the former home of Peter WI count militia what for the freedom of our country and the way we're being treated at this time is just terrible we were told that we would have an engineer appointed whatever January it's now the end of March rendering into the second quarter of this year and we have no progress we still have two operating generators operating at 64 de the limit is 65 uh in front of our home we have makeshift electronic fle whatever you want to call it that that's supposed to add electricity to these temporary lights and um um it's all based on myth based on information that's not factual the the engineer claims that there were three accidents in front of this property at the spring house and there's no concrete information that that even happened even if it did happen 16 there were 16 accidents since 2006 um out of 16 accidents 12 of which had to do with deer not one deer caused a traffic light to put our one those accidents caused injuries the injuries that were caused to folks that were driving the properly that were distracted or drunk allegedly um uh had nothing to do with the Spring Pond the spring fond didn't jump in front of the road okay the deer did and I'm punished daily having to deal with his it sounds like New York City outside my house in Bobcat Allen that's not fair we got to step it up I mean I know it's insignificant I know it's a first world problem I know you guys are dealing with a lot of serious stuff but we are dealing with a really serious problem every single day people throwing garbage people are putting signs up now now it's election season I bet you all see some some signs from some of some of the local Commissioners if they're running this election I mean this not you know this is this is just terrible we'll reach out thank you we'll reach back out to Bill copen all if I may Demitri I told you I would get back to you and I will get back to you I know it's been longer than I expected myself too and I've been busy with a lot of stuff and that's no excuse but I will look I will find out from Bill myself tomorrow I have your number I will get I'll get you an answer one way or another I'm not going to promise you that's going to happen next week could be five months maybe they're busy maybe they're backlogged but at least I'll get an answer thank you 95 f as I'm sure most of you are aware I'm here because I live onville road which is currently a 50 m road with literally no I'm the 12-year-old with the bus I'm the 12y old that spoke at many board meetings in regards toing the discontinued bus stop multiple bus stops used to exist on Greenville Road past when students live at the green and the only reason why it was discon when students aged out the there was no longer a need for the bus to come down in the beginning the school district noted that money was on issue for this not being done superintendent said that they're in full support and some board members said they would like to see this fix I've learned that it is easy to say that money isn't an issue for them that they're in full support when they have fingers to point at others I guess they also might have expected or H for me to give up before they ran out of it's been a very long time and many fingers have been ped but the people to point at started to Jo it when it was pointed out that the district already has a bus on another Ro route that crosses a state line in New York to a situation very close to was pointed out that every person that lives on Greenville they picked up at their residents some even neighbors each with their own bus stop and everyone get picked up at their residents on Greenville Road actually live closer to M bus stop than we do yet none of them have to use when a away was found not by the district but by my mother that would turn the bus around that was not a dirt road did not require the bus to back up and require no order of any stops to get changed then the sale of the bus company finally sold and a new company that had the correct do clearance and according to a board member that put on Facebook the new bus company agreed to do it at the start of 2023 school year they just need the school board to give the order there were no more fingers to point out anyone all they had to do was as they CLA to be but I still don't have and excuses I was one minute was the import of less than minutes of sleep fores at all side my and the board is meeting State minim minimal minimal is something not to be striving for when it comes to the safety of children state does not pretend to know what is best or what through every Ro is they leave to the school board so they can take in the nature of these roads and account just like this finally since they were meeting State minimal this a County Road it is a county issue it is a county issue to make sure the road is not I'm only 12 years old but even I realize that it's more effective just else but I guess the board would rather just point fing look to solve the problem where I would like to say the story ended there it's enough there I now have new families that are closer to the board than I am there are now four times the amount ofes and almost double the amount of children when I started advocate most would have thought that this would have given the board a reason to reassess to for but it has not at first we were put at the mount in Greenville Road bus but very recently my school board instead of improving things by sending the bus down like they did for decades their decision or their solution was almost double up the distance for these three other fils making a bad situation even more they did this I believe because they knew I would speak up for myself and that people might actually stand up for me their families cannot speak up for themselves they don't anyone to stand up for them because they don't speak any English the board has only moved the non English speaking family again the school district did not expect me to do exactly what my parents teachers and local law enforcement have told me to do I don't give up and if you see something say something I realize that they may retaliate Against Me by moving me please help the residents on this County Road my parents take pride to raise us and live in still values hard work never did they expect to be a part of a district that points fingers at others I I ask you to please talk to them I ask you to please talk to them to resolve this support me in any way you can if they will not have the bus come back down Greenville Road ask you to please fix this road so students can have access to their education everyone knows students should not be on this road it currently meets almost all the points in the bylaw that Mak the road hazardous I to please P for a change in for like Greenville there is a legislation that protects the kind of roadways non remote or walk there seems to be n to protect remote students from the same hazardous Road access to our education should also be considered please if this road cannot be fixed please think about passing a resolution that you're in support that people under the age of 18 should not be walking on this road to access thank you thanks I just want to commend you for your effort you've been at this for quite some time now I followed through the advertiser and I have listened to the school board meetings um there's not much that our our board can do but we are familiar with your area and like you said we could talk to the school board members you know every little bit helps and I hope that you get a resolution soon I had um when my kids were younger they had a bus stop I live on a k Road also and the bus stop was a mile away at 6:00 a.m. so I do sympathize with you because I wasn't going to let my sixth grader walk you know a mile at 6: a.m. and there there's nowhere for it to turn around it would be in New York state that's where problem is I wonder if there's any way we can find some County property or do something yeah I think it's I mean they've been doing this a while yeah it's been a in unv New York newe another bus that does it and they turn around in Unionville on 284 okay okay well we'll see if we can maybe our voices can be heard and that's the best we can do for you but I commend you keep up the workk thank you all right I'm Leah's mom you just say your name please you said Le's [Laughter] mom um currently we have proposed to the school district another way to turn the bus around it would require it to go into New York that is true um our school district already has buses that are driving through New York on 284 on that part of the state line um so this wouldn't be something new for our district um the new proposed way would keep the bus going in the perfect flow of traffic um that are perfectly pav and um it would be Greenville um it would be Greenville Road which turns into um Mountain Road when you hit New York um then it would go Greenville Turnpike to mining Turnpike it's almost like a perfect triangle right in front of the DPW and at one church and then they would then ex um exit and get back onto Greenville it would be in about an extra 8 minutes um to from the class stop not from our house but from where we're actually getting picked up to the other um and like said currently every person that is picked up [Music] Res thank you hi Barbara holin Township I'm going to try to be quick here um here for multiple reasons I want to clarify my job at moris excuse me previous Ms Don Olive Township School District was obtained and based on my resume because I worked with my current boss in Sparta for two years she recruited me over the summer as I had assumed a position at a summer camp regarding um doing Transportation supervisor um at that summer camp I completed the recor certification education program as a transportation supervisor it was recently publicized the spaces had gotten me my job while the space family has done many great things for Sussex County they did not get me my job I will not thank the spaces for my job because I got my job on my own Merit and because I had worked with my previous supervisor currently now let that be the record case susuk wage Township committee heard from Leah and I last commissioner meeting um at their board meeting commissioner degot was there um in attendance so he heard a lot of what we had they had a question and answer session with us which I'm told is unprecedented with that particular Township committee uh we disclosed many of the information and facts regarding the bus stop um they will be sending a letter of support to the Sussex wage board of education for Leah I am going to ask at each commissioner here to get together and draft a letter of support for Leah the solution want um school district has offered at different times of many is to put a sidewalk in at the base of f of higho mountain along 519 and that would be a county project that is what they are asking for because the state does not make it is not mandatory for a school district to worry about the Traverse from home to bus stop your situation was the same the Traverse from the home to bus stop can be by bicycle it can be by car it can be by your two it could be by one minute um I also want to just put into motion here that please do a letter for them um it's a previously established bus stop that just needs to be reinstated they have over almost $900,000 in their transportation budget just saw the numbers released I want to say also that I support Mr Hayden resigning and the call for him to resign I support recalling the poser as well I also support 4102 and I find it extremely disgraceful that you won't even want to hold yourself accountable for coming to these board meetings and you receive taxpayers money for every day and every dollar that that you do out here so it's it's just it is really disgraceful at this point you lied to myself you lied to me about your stories you made me think that you could identify with my daughter who currently serves in the United States Marine Corps and you are a liar and you need to resign commissioner space just real quick on the topic cuz three people spoke about the the bus route um I if somebody can get us some information because I don't want to take anybody else's time meaning how many people are now to rein Institute the bus stop so it was just Leah at one time now there's more people from what I'm understanding seven people so what does it take to re Institute so if you can get that information Leah or your Mom Leah's mom uh can get that information to Christina marks that way we could understand a little bit more maybe you guys understand it better than I did I I just don't know get my head it but I I'm curious just to see that and I don't have a problem writing a letter of support either um I lived off of Mount Salem Road so I used to take Greenville a lot I lived there for two years um so I I understand that road but I just want to understand the process more too if you can get that to us that'd be great thank you uh Kathy brenon hton Town um I just basically wanted to address what you would call I guess the elephant in the room the accusations of Stolen Valor and that nothing has been said that this is not true this is true there has been no apologies no offers to resign and also I feel that this is a detriment to the whole County basically I feel it's a disgrace someone who calls themselves a patriot and if they are lying about their military service they are certainly not a patriot they are much worse than that and I just feel that maybe in the future in um you know coming up with people who you want to support to be Commissioners maybe you should use a little more caution and a little better judgment because I think this is really a very sad thing for for you got and for the county and this stuff about everybody being sued or whatever it's just a subus to change the subject for what the subject is did you serve in the military did you not serve in the military that is the question which has not been answered in in a good way either you served in the military and you have proof of that you did not serve and you owe everyone an apology and probably a resignation thank you oh I just want to say really quick I was at the um College trustee meeting last night and I was very concerned to hear I mean everybody knows there there's issues going on for college and I was very concerned to hear that the president of the college had a gun in his office and I I find that very very concerning there are things going on you know there discrepancies about what's going on and I just think a firearm mixed in with that is really bad thing okay I'll just address that that there are in they the Board of Trustees oversees the college and they are doing inquiries into everything my my only concern about their uh survey is the survey goes to the trustees and my impression from The Sur from the meeting last night is that the trustees are not really interested in hearing this they basically said it's hear say it wasn't done uh the accusation weren't done properly and I just feel it's going to go by the wayside and if nothing else I feel that maybe the President should temporarily be put on leave or something so he's not carrying around a gun on campus while there's tensions going on yeah I don't think it'll go by the wayside I I do believe that there's an inquiry into all the different allegations so uhy director carne and I met with someone and they assured us I attend the college sometimes I'm a part-time senior student and it makes me very nervous to know that there's tension going on and in president's office he's he's time having a gun thank you thank you R SPID New Jersey I'm about to speak about a very similar topic yesterday at the Sussex County Community College Board of Trustees meeting I spoke in regards to the deplorable behavior of Dr Connelly it's president and so far I'm disheartened at the lack of action from that board I've to this board to take any action within its power to ensure that the Integrity of the institution doesn't fall any farther for the sake of Simplicity and time I will simply read down a list of his transgressions and while I will admit that some of these are not confirmed by official review the sources of these accusations are very credible explicit sexual harassment threatening and blackmail of Staff including but not limited to professors facilities custodial staff and other faculty lack of trans Arcy with money management the statements made about the college budget about which programs are being cut and which professors are being fire do not coincide with the financial statement that was presented by the financial representative and auditor at the board meeting yesterday enlisting staff to uh what boils down to do essentially his Dirty Work my formal my former faculty advisor personally threatened a member of Staff against speaking out at the board meeting in February by threatening the enrollment status of her son at the behest of the president cutting programs and unreasonably firing staff point that several of them have completely cut ties with the university and sought employment elsewhere and bring it up again the fact that there was at least at minimum an accusation of a gun present in his office and there was a reporting uh at the board meeting yesterday which confirmed by the president's own vocal admission that there was done in the office my personal feelings on his reprehensible actions aside these are deplorable objectively morally bankrupt and at time illegal accusations there have been four separate letters of complaint from whistleblowers to the Sanic Community College Board of Trustees it hurts the school one minute thank you there is a decline in registration for the coming semester prospective staff are withdrawing their applications I'm a member of the student government Association and the student ambassadors and I take any possible action to remove him from the County's University thank you for your time Alan Henderson Lafia Township I just want to comment going back to the food pantry I know that seems to be a Hot Topic here now for several months don't know whether you all had the opportunity or not to go to the food pantry but I took it upon myself last Thursday to volunteer at the food pantry at 7:00 a.m. in the morning I can tell you I've lived here my entire life in susex County I was astonished how many bags there are going out to children for lunch program it is incredible I would have never ever thought in a 100 years that that many kids or people are need of food here in our own County I guess we're fortunate maybe we don't see that I will urge anybody in this room if you have nothing to do on a Thursday morning please go there and see the food there that's going out to our own residence suffering with nothing to eat it's astonishing thank you thank you it's a wonderful process that they do they have it down to a science the amount of people that they feed it's incredible thank you evening if you recall I spoke at last's and attested to some very disturbing and horrific behaviors exhibited by the secc and as you can tell I'm nervous again and I apologize I'm here again as it appears the multitude of concerns expressed and evidence presented by numerous students and staff at the past two Board of prestige meetings seems to have fallen on De I have recently learned too that our president has brought Firearms onto campus it is my understanding that this is illegal I now feel much more unsafe than I did before that IFS is also a pathological liar and has been caught Time After Time Dr Connelly just recently removed our coo James Gaddy and put him on an interent lead due to the fact that James spoke the truth regarding the corruption and abuse was all of this evidence presented by multiple students and staff over the last months what will it take for the board to do their job to remove Dr Connelly Dr Connelly has lost his credibility and his Effectiveness as a leader Effectiveness as a leader is now nonexistent I am aware of the reasons behind the Board of Trustees back up sorry I am unaware of the reasons behind the Board of Trustees lack of action it is very suspicious at the least I am probably one of the few persons here in this room and the county that have actually been in their shoes I can say with great conviction they need to do their job minute one minute minute thank you um and I know there is an investigation being launched and the only thing I'll say is this phrase should make sense the fox guard in the hen house we have had multiple investigations and results go back to the top and it's ignored um thank you for your kindness last time that I spoke I do appreciate it thank you hi I'm James Gaddy I am the aform mention CEO six Community College uh technically I still have that job but I am after speaking up here at the commissioner meeting just want to say a few things I wasn't planning on speaking tonight I just enjoy watching fun do um I I was the one who reported that Dr Connelly had a gun in his office because he told me about that I worried about the man's mental health because I was worried he was going to kill himself into his office and so I brought it up to Dr car and I applaud her and K for conducting for constru conduct search but I want to State for the record after Dr Conley came back on Monday he started telling everybody that I fabricated the entire story about him having a gun and you can listen recording but Dr Conelly I don't know to shut off but Dr conell that he did have a gun in his office and and that troubles me and the reason is should trouble all of you even though you don't have jurisdiction over the college is because that very act compromises the college's ability to receive federal financial aid um so I think this is a county issue um Dr Connelly has uh abused his power um even the numbers again I appreciate uh Commission and Shi sh I always want to add a uh for for you know looking into the college and what's done but I also want to be clear about one thing director based uh I think uh you know when I said the $20 million you sort of looked at me like  way um I just want to say that I was wrong okay it's not $20 million there's $20 million in reserves there's another $5.5 million in chapter 12 that you guys Bond every year for the college there's another $1.4 million for for a grant that was received to expand the r building so there is north of $25 million sitting there and this idea that every single year Dr Connelly and Kon Gandhi have to dictate according to our audit what that money is to be used for they lie they're not truthful the money should be used for our students the money should be used for improvements and the money should be used to properly staff the college the money they have put away has been raised on the back of all of us that work there and the reason I spoke out is because the staff is being abused they're being taken advantage of and it's all being done by someone who is delusional and obsessed with power and I'm sorry my dad wasn't a Parker at a law firm he was a mechanic so maybe I appreciate what we do at susex count Community College much more than than the son of a a law partner who's who's sort of taking advantage of our rural County um but something needs to be done here the board defended John Conley last night they did not really talk about launching an investigation and I hope Mr degr fills you in on the other accusations that I made publicly I made accusations about Dr Connelly sexually harassing me I made allegations about being called a at work Dr Connelly refusing to investigate that I've made allegations about somebody refusing to work with me because I'm gay who cares I do a good job and that is the problem telling somebody they're religious and they don't want to work with me it's unacceptable thank you so i' urge you you have power to put pressure on the board and I'd urge you to please use that power thank you I just want to State for the record that you know you had your audio that in the state of New Jersey it is legal to record someone as long as the person doing the recording is speaking and is in agreement the other person does not need to know yeah I just wanted to make sure I want to say that for the record in Cas the audience didn't know or anyone muncipality my municipality yes okay thank you no that's okay commissioner commissioner too I just want to add because you know I I you have a couple people here coming from the college and and again yes our jurisdiction isn't uh we we we put the board of trust in place and that's what we do but I can tell you that commissioner degu and commissioner shik were at the Board of Trustees they have been in contact with the Board of Trustees and to a point commissioner space and myself met with a board of trustee at 5:00 today so we are I'm not going to say taking interest because I'd rather not deal with that we have enough headaches here at the county um but we're trying to get a grasp on what's actually happen happening and I even met with the CFO our CFO the other day so it's not like we don't care We Care my son goes there as a matter of fact he's a sophomore there right now so we do care and I just make sure I want to make sure everybody understands that it's but we can only do so much yeah I'll take one more yes go ahead I respond yes I I completely understand that but the thing is is it has been over six weeks since the first letter was received and none of us I'll be very honest with you none of us to take legal action I just told you I was sexually harassed by the man and I have a list of other things a lot that I have shared and a lot more to share my interest is not legal action my interest is not pushing this further it's simply doing what's right Forex and I know we're all well most people here are trying to do that thank you I appreciate you sorry about that go ahead evening Glen Hall um I'm here about Broadband I was hoping that you would address that um said you were G to go to the meeting last Friday I didn't hear you I did make I did comment on it I'm interested in Broadband what kind of broadband are you looking again you're you're getting very technical we're still it's still I thought we were going to learn a little bit more the only thing that we really learned is like I said earlier was that challenge and finding out at this point we need to start a uh vfn is it vfn got a vfn number if I miss speake it's because I am not you know I don't work in Broadband or or or Communications um that is is getting the word out finding who doesn't have high powered internet because I know you don't think that but most people do that come up to us in compl complain and then kind of get that those numbers get a map hand it to the BPU and then they're going to start coming up with the funds that we're going to be able to use to establish High I'm not anybody made com there's people without internet I never talked about the quality of okay that's where the difference is here I apologize for for misusing words that's why I'm here what kind of broadband is the county asking for there's all kinds and and like I said to you previously it's high powered as we can get so if it's 5G it's 5G if it's four again you're talking to somebody who builds Bridges and Roads you already have so it's a just does there's lots of zones where they don't have any trying to bring us to the have you looked into the possible dangers ofg I mean these transmit only go so far and very close to a Mr hle if I if I may because I was a part of the meeting I just wanted to clarify what the meetings that we had were with the uh BPU to identify areas that potentially they say have internet access period and we're supposed to be putting together these challenges to say okay this area you indicate has Broadband but they actually don't or that they indicate um doesn't have Broadband but they actually do so right now it's it's going through that and that's that's the point that we're at right now it's not figuring out what type of broadband or anything like that it's just identifying sections in the county that are lacking the ability to have internet access and we to do this without the of the municipali sir I [Music] I I think we could raise every everybody in this room who doesn't have good BN band raise your hands I mean look around I feel like we're going TI for T I mean we're just at the end of the day though Glen at the end of the day we're just trying to help money was promised to us and we're trying to pull it back that that's the end of it so we can go back and forth arguing about we have it we don't have it it's not going to get anywhere this is what this to install the polls to install the lines to be able to put the infrastructure in place so that there's connectability throughout the county that would be 5G you're talking we knowability let's Mo on thank you thank you moving on okay thank you we moving on anyone else I'm going to make a mo uh can I get a motion to close the floor for public comment and return to regular business so okay commission sh second from deputy director Carney any discussion enen favor I oppose abstain motion carries number 24 reminders please check the County's website at www.sex.nj.us804anddate.com uh resolution regarding providing for an executive closed session not open to the public in accordance with the provisions of njsa 10 col 4-12 at SEC whereas 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 4-12 B and whereas it appears necessary for the board of County Commissioners to discuss such matters in executive session now therefore be it resolved that at 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 an executive session from which the public shall be excluded and be it further resolv that the general nature of the subjects to be discussed relate to the following items authorized by njsa 10 4-12 b as designated below item number seven matters relating to litigation negotiations and the attorney CL privilege T claim contracts metered parking contracts njtpa study contracts department of engineering be it further resolved that the deliberations conducted in close session may be disclosed to the public upon the determination of the CES 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 it meeting open to the public and be it further resolved that the board expects to or not to we could yes potentially uh take formal action after returning from executive session um motion can I get a motion to adopt the executive session resolution and enter into an executive session I make motion okay commissioner D makes a motion and a second second okay deputy director Carney any discussion all in favor I oppose abstain motion carries okay the time is 9:46 um can I get a motion to adjourn from executive session and return to regular business so moved okay commissioner Hayden with the motion in a second second commissioner sh all in favor I oppose okay uh back in session we're going to adjourn the meeting at 9:20 p.m. motion toting I was adjourning it myself I'll make the motion to adjourn meeting at 9 second and second second by who M Hayden okay all in favor okay all in favor motion carries 920