##VIDEO ID:REYavbACTKc## [Music] [Music] good evening at this time I will call this meeting to order Clerk of the board please call the role certainly commissioner Baker presid commissioner bodc presid commissioner delis for pres commissioner granados presentent commissioner Kowalski commissioner Mirabella president commissioner Williams here Vice chairwoman Leon here chairwoman palmary mudad here chair let the record reflect you have eight Commissioners present for this evening's agenda setting session thank you Clerk of the board please lead us in the prayer and salute to the flag humbly we ask God The Giver of peace and lover of Charity to give the entire family of Nations true agreement with his will and to Grant the light of his Spirit on all who work for justice and peace amen pledge allegiance the flag of the United States of America to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible justice for all congratulations on your award thank you uh Clerk of the board please read the statement of compliance with the open public meetings act the chair wishes to announce that pursuant to the requirements of the New Jersey statutes annotated title 10 chapter 4 section 10 of the open public meetings act adequate notice of this meeting of the board of County commissioners of the county of Union has been given by mailing the annual meeting schedule for the year 2024 along with periodic changes necessitated by circumstance to the newspapers circulating within the county of Union who are designated to receive such notice and by posting the annual meeting schedule for the year 2024 in the administration building and further by filing the annual meeting schedule for the year 2024 with the office of the county clerk and uh chair if I could uh add uh I'd like to note that commissioner budy Jane Kowalski is present thank you uh we will adopt the communication and the minutes later during tonight's regular meeting tonight we have two presentations before we begin uh for our first presentation of the evening the Union County Board of County Commissioners will present a resolution and a check for $1,000 to the students and staff of Barack Obama Green Charter High School recognizing them as the 2024 UC step Civic engagement project winners for their outstanding work on the start now Grant I want to take a moment to acknowledge Dr Yasmin Griffin the team's staff adviser who unfortunately could not be with us today Dr Griffin has shown incredible dedication to her students and we are grateful for her leadership and support in guiding this project to success we are pleased to welcome and in a moment we'll call you forward um Mrs Irene Estes the school counselor along with senior students Lea Slater Hy Jared Lawrence and Alyssa Sullivan uh they've all demonstrated exceptional initiative and passion in their work congratulations to all of you on this well-deserved recognition and I'd like to ask Vice chairwoman Leon to join me uh at the front of the podium and please come forward [Applause] so here we have a check for $1,000 and we also have a resolution I will entire resolution um but we want to just acknowledge that the work that you did with UC step was really fantastic and uh we look forward to working with you in the future so thank you for would you like to of your group um I did as a school coun I just wanted to say that very proud of group of students that we with and for not only at our school also engage I'm just very appreciative being able to be a part of and also being able to receive the to I know her personal so I was very grateful to receive that award and I'm grateful for the opportunity that we had thank you so much you even get AIC you don't have to say anything that's cool I'm just blessed to be in this position okay well thank you so much we're fortunate to have you in our counties thank all right we're going to take a quick picture you guys this you Che all right thank you friends ready one two thank you very [Applause] [Music] okay okay tonight the Union County Board of County Commissioners are happy to announce that several towns in Union County have been the recipient of multiple grants that see to seek to improve the lives and environment of County Citizens the kids Recreation trust fund has granted 20 Union County Towns over $1 million in funding and The Greening Union County program has granted 17 Union County towns with over $11,000 in funding these grants play a crucial role in enhancing the overall quality of life in Union County I would now like to turn it over to commissioner Sergio granados who is the chairman of the open space committee for some remarks thank you very much chair woman I am proud to celebrate the impactful work of the uni County open space Recreation and historic preservation trust fund that has run through director Durban Drake Angelica sedeno and Maria Hernandez I just want to thank them for all their hard work and making sure these grants come to fruition every single year I wanted to also extend my sincere gratitude to the open space committee that includes commissioner Betty Jan Kowalski commissioner Joe bodak and Commissioner James Baker for their dedication and hard work in reviewing and approving these grants their commitment ensures that we continue to prioritize open space conservation recreational opportunities and the preservation of our historic sites this funding is not only an investment in our towns but also an investment in the well-being of every resident in Union County it provides Parks recreational facilities and green spaces that promote physical activity Community engagement and environmental sustainability I'm proud to see how these grants help create vibrant Healthy Communities thank you once again to the open space committee my fellow County Commissioners the municipal leaders for their partnership and commitment to making Union County even better place to live we will now present a video showcasing the towns receiving funding and the incredible projects they undertaking hi County Commissioners just want to thank you for our kids rep Grant uh for lower columia uh Turf project I'm going to turn it to our Carolyn George to talk a little bit about some of the challenges that we're facing right now hi everybody I'm Carolyn George as Angie said I am the rec director today is the most gorgeous day and here we are at our park and no one's here because our field is in such bad condition and we really truly need a turf field here so we would love it if you partner with us again and make it happen yeah we're really excited um you know every Grant helps uh make this project reality so thank you County Commissioners thank you hi Union County Commissioners Ralph Bernardo here from Clark recreation in the township of Park just wanted to take a minute and thank you for the Union County kids Grant we are purchasing a new golf cart for the facility a new scoreboards pickle ball nets uh an air Mister for our summer camp uh so we are thrilled to have all these items and with your generosity uh we're able to purchase them so just a heart thank you to you for your continued support and generosity hi everyone this is Mayor Brian Andrews here in Cranford Township I want to thank Union County for all their support with this year's kids Recreation grant funding the funding this year is going to go to help us upgrade our new 375 Recreation Center as well as to repair our tennis courts in town so I really do want to thank Union County for their support to make Cranford such a wonderful community and all that you do throughout the county H this Chris May in City our municipality truly appreciates the continued efforts of the uni County Board of Commissioners the availability of funding to increase opportunities improve access to resources and enhancing the quality of life within our municipality through the 2024 kids Recreation trust Grant the city will install new synthetic tur at the O'Brien soccer field to address the existing wear and teair all while creating a safer functional and aesthetically pleasing recreational location and this project will Elevate strengthen one of our most valued outdoor spaces completion is expected in the fall of 20125 we are proud to continue our commitment in supporting go green initiatives here in the city of Elizabeth and we are thankful to our partner the Union County Board Commissioners hi everybody I'm gloen stock the mayor of the bur of gwood and I'm here at our Recreation Complex uh with this kids Recreation Grant we are going to be extending our Trails throughout the complex and adding solar lighting and we're also going to be looking at resurfacing our basketball court so I just want to thank the Union County Commissioners for putting this together and helping us with these upgrades hi everyone I am Linda carich with of kennworth and um here in De Mario park this is one of our biggest parks in kennworth and we plan to use the uh kids Recreation Grant um for various things various improvements on this building new garbage cans and we're also planning on using a portion of it towards a the building of a new Pavilion here in this park this park is widely used for by our kids for summer camp and also our senior citizens have their picnics here this enables us to uh be in the park and not worry about uh the sun and the rain and it's going to be great for our community and we really appreciate everything you do and um this is uh we're very grateful to receive this money thank you very much good afternoon everybody this is May d Armstead we're here at Memorial Park right next to our adjacent to our po baseball field uh we're seeking funding from the Union County kids trust fund to have this park renovated and I can tell you if they give us the money it's going to be one exciting looking Park we're going to have it uh we're going to put a theme a baseball theme with the park and it's going to be great we're going to repaint those these poles um and make them look nice and new again so uh any help you can give us Union County we'll take it hello I'm Alis director of community activities and Recreation at the bur of new provin we'll take it in continued effort to update our parks and playgrounds to make them enjoyable and accessible for all residents we've applied for support from Union County kids Recreation trust fund grant for funding to purchase picnic tables benches and shade structures for Oakwood Park thanks to a Greenacres Jake law playground Grant we will be replacing the existing Oakwood Park playground with a fully inclusive playground in Spring 2025 the picnic tables benches and shade structures that we are requ from the kids rec trust fund grant program will complete the park making our most well-used facility into an inclusive space for all to enjoy on behalf of Mayor Al Morgan burough counsel and New Providence Administration I would like to thank the County Commissioners and all who administering the program for your continued support thank you hello I am May agento m from the city of planfield if awarded the Union County green Grand we'll plant over 100 new trees to enhance our Urban canopy for our our city this effort contributes directly to our investment in environmental stewardship creating a beautiful landscape for residents while nurturing the local ecosystem we are grateful to UNI County for their partnership in helping make planfield Greener thank you hello I am mayor Adrian from the city of planfield we are excited to apply for the funding from Union Cony kids Recreation trust fund a 125,000 Grant allows us to make the playground at Hannah Atkins Park Ada accessible providing a safe space for all the children in our community this project meets the growing needs of our community by ensuring every child can enjoy our recreational facilities thank you hello everyone I'm mayor Raymond giobi checking in from Telly field here in the great city of raway and I want to take a moment to thank the Union County Board of County Commissioners and the committee members for their generous support through the 2024 kids Recreation trust fund thanks to this fund we are able to replace 20-year-old play structures here at tul field home to our beloved summer playtime in the park program which brings over a 100 children together each day in the summertime the enhancement of recreational facilities like this one is crucial for our community it helps us create better programs to encourage physical activity and social interaction in our youth your investment not only revitalizes Telly field but provides a safe space for our children to grow and to thrive so from the bottom of my heart thank you hi I'm Cindy Thomas and I'm council president in this great B Rosel and also the community chair for recreation I am excited to say that we have just been awarded the greeny County Grant and this grant will be utilized to plant more trees in our community as you know our community is a Treeline community and we're loving it so we will be planting more trees in 2025 thank you Union County for supporting us in all our endeavors hi my name is Cindy Thomas and I am the council president in this great world of Radell I am also also the commune chair for recreation we are looking to be awarded the Union County kids W trust and Greening Union County Grant if awarded this grant would be utilized to improve and upgrade the splash park right here at Pine Street Park as you know a splash park brings joy to any community and it is wonderful to see this kind of initiative supported by Union County we thank you and when the park is finished we ask that you come out and splash with us hello Union County Commissioners Josh Lardo mayor of Scotch Plains I want to thank you for the kids trust grant money this money will help us build pickle ball courts and tennis courts in Kramer Manor Park one of our historic gems thank you I'm Adam Le director of recreation for the township of Springfield on behalf of Mayor Chris Weber and the township committee I'd like to thank the Union County Board of County Commissioners for the Union County kids Recreation trust fund Grant award we're here at Alvin park off of Mars Avenue in Springfield unfortunately due to weather damage and over a decade's worth of use we had to demolish the playground behind me earlier this year the grant that we're receiving tonight is going to help us rebuild this playground for 5 to 12 year olds in Springfield it's going to include three Bays for swinging um several ramps and several play panels that are accessible from the ground as well as climbing units we're really excited about this project as is this neighborhood in Springfield because theyve been without a playground for most of this year once again thank you very much we want to express our gratitude to the Union County open space Recreation and historic preservation trust fund for their ongoing support of the kids Recreation trust grant program and the city of summit today we are at tatlock Park where a brand new playground will soon serve all Summit residents the existing playground hasn't been updated in over 20 years unfortunately we've had to remove some aging elements due to unavailable replacement parts I'm excited to share that we've begun Gathering feedback from our community particularly from the ideas classes at our elementary schools who worked on this as their class project last spring I love seeing the presentation of their ideas this playground is essential for our families especially as it serves Washington Elementary and our football in the cross fields on behalf of the township of Union we sincerely thank the Union County Commissioners for the kids Recreation trust and The Greening Union County Grant Awards this year's Awards will allow us to move forward with a splash pad at Davis Park this Splash Pad will provide a safe and entertaining environment for families and younger residents promoting an active lifestyle and cool relief in the summer months we appreciate the support which continues to provide recreational opportunities to our families my name is Megan chaer and I'm the recreation director for the town of Westfield I'd like to thank the Union County Board of County Commissioners for the opportunity to apply for the Union County kids Recreation trust gr this year's project will be for the of the Memorial Park tenis courts that you can see behind me these courts are utilized by hundreds of residents a day of all ages and abilities this project will help make these courts a safer place to play and a more inclusive place to play for everyone thank you again for this opportunity and we look forward to the project us okay thank you very much I think if we were giving out Awards I liked mayor armstead's long uh that was like a uh game show yeah a game show microphone and the music in the background uh but we want to thank all of our towns municipalities uh for putting together those videos and we certainly are looking forward to supporting the the new projects that are to come at this time I will call uh our Deputy I will call Deputy Union County Clerk Clara Fernandez to present her resolutions evening everyone we have two items for your consideration tonight be happy to answer any questions thank you thank you office of Union County prosecutor prosecutor Bill Daniel [Music] thank you good evening everyone uh the prosecutor's office uh has three resolutions on for tonight and I'd be happy to answer any all questions you may have on these three thank you thank you very much Office of the Union County sheriff sheriff Pete Corelli chairwoman Commissioners the sheriff's office has three resolutions on the agenda for your consideration I'd be happy can answer any questions you may have thank you hold on CH chairwoman I have a question please sure on number one Sheriff can you please elaborate sure that's a good one number one that's uh that's a 3.5 million it's uh State grant money provided to Union County for our incarcerated that have drug and alcohol addictions uh we help them out with their addictions and this money's uh put to good use about 100 uh inmates a day it's amazing work thank you thank you Sheriff thank you thank you chairwoman department of engineering Public Works and Facilities Management acting director Joe P good evening chair Commissioners the department of engineering Public Works and Facilities has two resolutions on the agenda tonight I'd be happy to try and answer any questions you may have thank you Department of Human Services director Debian Anderson good evening chair and members of the board of Department of Human Services has four resolutions and I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have thank you thank you Department of Parks and Recreation director Victoria Durban Drake good evening chair the um department has one resolution on this evening and I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have thank you Department of Public Safety acting director Dennis Burke thank you madam chair good evening Commissioners Department of Public Safety has F five items on the agenda for your consideration happy to answer any questions thank you Office of the County Manager County Manager edot men thank you chair uh I have three items on tonight's agenda and I'd be happy to answer any questions thank you thank you all auditory resolutions and resolutions of condolence are from the entire board are there any comments from my colleagues okay may I have a motion to adjourn so moved Madam chair may I have a second second all in favor I I okay [Music] [Music]