commissioner waly yes commissioner Pedic here chairperson Wright here commissioner cwell okay I'm G to put him as absent right now we do have a quorum uh chair we can proceed okay call the order notice of meeting the notice of the Board of Commissioners will take place electronically in accordance with the open public meetings Act specifically njsa 10 colon 4- 9.3 notice of this meeting was given by one public advertisement with a suff with sufficient notice herewith to the home News Tribune two filing Advanced written notice of this meeting with the city clerk's office and three posting this notice on the public website of the Housing Authority during the meeting participants including members of the public may be muted by the host however there will be an opportunity for them to participate in speak during the public portion of the meeting where participants will be unmuted at their request thank you time for pledge of allegiance I pledge allegiance to the flag United States of America and to the Republic for one nation under God indivisible andice for all feel like we had better timing in grade school all right let's dive it consideration of previous meeting minutes anybody have any questions what I submitted what I put out if not I'll need a motion in a second a motion I second it uh one second me get sorry motion by chairperson Wright second by commissioner pettings commissioner Pedic roll call commissioner Dunlap yes commissioner waly yes commissioner Pedic yes chairperson Wright yes let the record reflect um Mr Cowell's absent Mr Georgian absent and Miss Medina Hernandez is absent I just have one question at this point um hi council president Escobar I see you there um just just give me one second I've got to go back into the minutes there was something hold on one second I'm sorry um so unfortunately I I made a mistake but I I caught myself I don't believe um Mr manfredy that Mr Dunlap can vote on this because he was absent at the last meeting correct correct if he was absent it is for best practice that he not so i' suggest that given that we have a four-person Corum this evening we carry the minutes to our next meeting till other members can be present who are present at the prior meeting so I think we should correct the record to reflect that great I will um did someone say something sorry oh that's a computer talking there little cyber security issue we've got going on I see we'll address that in a little bit um okay so we're not going to we're going to hold those minutes until the next meeting um but they're ready to go they're in everyone's packet we've seen them sorry I was under the impression we were going to have five individuals here um so the record should reflect then that the vote by the board it that if we could make a motion to uh table those minutes for now and carry them forward to the next meeting just on the basis that commissioner Dunlap was not present we now are aware of that 100% I motion second okay okay uh Miss commissioner waly second yes okay roll call um I guess I cannot ask commissioner Dunlap even this one well we did a motion in a second but he can vote to table them he can vote to table them this vote is car it's just to table it's not to pass on the substance of it but merely to table it and the interim executive director will place it on the next board meeting agenda great uh commissioner Dunlap just a table commissioner dlap I was trying to get question in talking here okay we're just tbling the minutes for the next meeting can you hear me I can hear you sir thank you very this appreciate that what I'm trying to say I didn't know that I would not be oh that's that's okay I I just picked it up it was something um that I remembered yeah it has nothing to do with you directly sir it's just a procedural thing I I can not pass the minutes until the next meeting until we have a quorum and technically um for the minute purposes you were not allowed to uh vote on that so we corrected it it it got caught thank you sir so just the table I'll need your approval to table just the table will be qualifi eligible for anything tonight you'll be okay the rest of the night that's what yes sir great uh commissioner waly yes commissioner Pedic yes commissioner uh chairperson Wright yes motion carries um minutes at this time we're going to move for public comment anyone from the public like to say anything the public present yeah hi Charlie Caville New Brunswick Brunswick today can you hear me all right can't you Charlie Goa gocha okay so I wanted to ask if there's any update on the executive director search or at least on the timeline for when a decision might be made I think we'll see a decision going into the next meeting uh we pulled through or mold over all the resumés that we've gotten compared them with the state statutes and standards making sure that we're doing the appropriate things here um but I think as you mentioned in the last meeting it's nothing you want to rush to it's a very serious position um and New Brunswick uh has a very high demand for that particular role on that particular role abolutely um I also wanted to ask if there's any update on the uh creation of a nonprofit assembling a board for the nonprofit um let's see do we have any update Miss to do you want to feel that one um we have diligently done our our um searches and our legal council has done a phenomenal job in the formation documents I think we have a pretty good um basis to move forward we're um we're just anxiously awaiting uh the formation of it and um the delivery of funds and we can move forward with um serving low-income uh individuals that so desperately need it in our area you know we talk about all the great development and we welcome that but there's so many people that need assistance and this this will help direct and I'm I'm going to turn it over to uh Mr Manfredi and he's been involved he's been working really hard with this and uh and he excites me at times when he talks about it so uh Joe component of it now so that's that that's that's solid Joe you want to speak to it yes we have completed all the formation documents as the chairman and the interim executive director have said and all the necessary Documents To Go to the r s and we are ready for our agenda with our first meeting uh subject to final board members and and notice to the um us Internal Revenue Service that's fantastic all right any other questions yeah will that uh meeting be open to the public Mr M so that that is a uh the nonprofit as a nonprofit We are not a public entity so we're not required to follow or adhere to the New Jersey open public meetings act um however obviously we'll be filing any necessary public documents as required by law well I'm disappointed to hear that this is going to be done behind closed doors I I at least that's what I'm taking away from your remarks there just because uh you may feel like it's legally Justified not to be open to the public I would submit that uh you know if the board's doing good work and the nonprofit uh is actually uh serving the public there's no harm from sharing uh those meetings with the public and opening them up to the public you know I think that's that's uh should should be the the default so Charlie Charlie let me add this I'm so sorry to interrupt you and I won't dock you any minutes or anything even though you went four minutes over last time but listen um that's Mr manfred's job to give you the law right right we don't ask him to get into public policy he just gave you the law it's incumbent upon us if I am the executive director of that agency of that um nonprofit and the board members it would be smart of them to want at times to be open I'm not saying all the time or sometimes or one or two times a year because that gives them the groundwork for information that can get out to the public and to people that are needy and I and I don't think 's anything wrong with that you know I served um for a while with big brothers and big sisters and they would do it and there's some things that you know I know you're going in a different direction with the legality of it but there's not going to be anything Sinister there can't be um this the way it's set up and the way the mission of this money and how it has to be spent for a specific purpose there is no wiggle room there is no misinterpretation um it's a pretty thought out with the officials from the city and uh Mr Man reading and what what um I have to give you props here Zach what chairman uh Wright did um a at from The Authority side chairman um Wright will not be involved with the um with the board uh with the nonprofit board um it this is an important step so of course people want to be transparent it'll be the most transparent board I think you've ever seen in your life uh in Middle sex County and I can say that I can say that openly so and it's for an intended purpose and it's to help low-income uh residents okay sorry Charlie go ahead thanks for all that um yeah I just would would hope if you're seeking to be the most transparent that you know we've got to know that the first meeting is an important moment the precedent is going to be set and I hope sincerely that that precedent is that the meeting is open you want to be invited to the prom I get it I understand I I would appreciate an invitation thank you um I I I do want to ask about the uh Redevelopment uh on the agenda tonight and I I presume there'll be some kind of presentation I would respectfully ask if if the chair is willing to reopen to questions after the presentation just in case there's anything that that that uh the public wants to ask about but you know off the top of my head I'd like to know if the plan is still um uh potentially involving the cultivation of cannabis and uh also you know what the holdup is on on getting the development going I know it's it's now behind schedule and you know quite frankly I think this is an example of why the Housing Authority also serving as the Redevelopment agency is not a great pairing uh because for instance this project as it stands now has zero housing units proposed affordable or unaffordable it's just a warehouse so I don't really see why the Housing Authority is going to be involved in this unless there's something really in it for uh the residents um I I'd like to I'd like to learn more about what might be in it for the residents and also you know what role the Housing Authority is playing here for instance how big is the fee how much money is this bringing in and you know if the applicant is asking for an extension of time are they going to pay the fee again are they going to pay a further fee um because I'm really struggling to see um how it makes sense for this board to be um you know making decisions about a warehouse Redevelopment when we're in the middle of a housing crisis and struggling to build uh enough affordable housing um so so hopefully somebody can answer those questions um maybe uh now a good time Char you done for the evening any more questions only other the only other question I do have is also on the agenda the Cyber incident plan and I was just curious what role uh amtech would have with that the company that runs the website for the Housing Authority or were they involved in this uh creation of the plan or implementation of the plan and uh yeah any information you can provide about uh about that those two agenda items I would appreciate all right Charlie if we don't get to your answer tonight we'll we'll be sure we have the questions and comments and we'll be sure to get it back to you in writing um I think uh we we've pretty much answered over the last four months uh almost all your requests I believe we have correct oh I think we're we're doing a lot better uh I would uh I would just you know reiterate the ask that uh you know after the presentation from the the redeveloper I think having having them back here um is going to open the door to those questions and I believe that's what we're going to hear this evening so let's get into it let's not belabor the point get into it um all right so if that is it from the public let's move this forward I I have a report the secretary's report and uh I'm not even going to apologize but I've got to say it's usually in writing I don't know what happened but it got ahead of me a little bit and most of the stuff is in my packet so I you know I don't like to use the apology word so I'm not going to use it but I I would like to take this time and I want everybody to know who's here in the public and hopefully Charlie you'll print something of this but I'd like to take this time and thank the Board of Commissioners uh of this Authority for their unwavering dedication to this tenant population that we have is so overlooked and I want to call out tonight um and we witnessed this firsthand myself and and my staff where we ended up putting out over 250 Thanksgiving Day baskets and chairman Wright uh commissioner cwell and commissioner Medina Hernandez they came out um they fought against the harsh element they delivered these Thanksgiving baskets it was awful out there the weather had turned last week raining uh they got out there and they went door too and they saw people living there uh in the conditions that they're in you know and uh Smiles on their face and these guys they they went through the entire complex not just right place they came over to R and Village and it was awesome you know um I commissioner waly um was upset because I couldn't call him over I didn't want to get called for having a a me of four so he knows he's involved with the Christmas uh holiday celebration that we're going to be giving out toys um so anyone wants to get involved please come down but that's what it was about and I really thank you guys so that that's my report I thank you I don't want to get on a soap box about low income housing what we need to do and how do we need to move uh that uh agenda item forward but at this time I I think we're good I'm going to close that report uh next time I'll have it in writing I'll correct the record and there are a couple mistakes Mr Pedic thank you for bringing to my attention in the board report spelling errors that I'll tighten up as well I really appreciate it let's get the agenda moving I've closed that there's no more unfinished business we're going to move the new business now chair all right new business let here okay we're GNA move resolution sorry one second R Consulting I'm not working from my desk tonight as you guys can see okay um resolution 2023 number 40 acting as Redevelopment agency resolution approving a First Amendment to a Redevelopment agreement between the housing authority of the city of New Bruns and Sovereign Consulting Inc as redeveloper for property located at 131 Jersey AV block 243 lot 27.0 on the New Brunswick tax map for the construction of a flex Warehouse facility in the 131 Jersey Avery development plan area chair I'll turn it over to you and once everyone's done I'll need a motion in a second um I have no immediate questions about this I'm presuming we're presenting on the delay um and the proposed use for the site going forward I have the information here about can't hear you can you not hear me yeah now yeah my fault allow me meow me to speak from the chest here from the um so I've got the information about the proposed removal of the cell phone tower component of the site uh it appears that that's the only portion of it is is the the rest of the plan is there any uh s removal of the tower there any material changes to the structure or requisite site work there's no material uh chair this is John Hoffman the the Redevelopment Council there are no material changes so just about the same project which you approved back in 2021 the only the only amendment here is a change in time because of the delays that they encouraged because of the studying the Sone Tower and at one time I guess the city but the Board of Education was looking to relocate a school here and so they were asked to wait that uh and there may be other reasons which Mr Mr Clarken can that he can explain it's basically the same application all we're doing is extending the time which it was taken construct it they now have to start construction by January of 2 by by June of 2024 and complete it by January of 2025 other than that the plan is basically the same and I can answer Mr credit question as to why it's before you even before my time probably 50 or 60 years ago the mayor and Council decided that the Redevelopment rather than being done by an independent agency or the city council should be done by the Housing Authority because of the expertise they had in housing so they made that decision by ordinance and it was it was transferred to the housing authority and it's been that way way since back probably I think in the 50s I started working at in the 70s and that's the reason it's with the Housing Authority because of the decision of the of the city council and mayor at that time that they thought this was the agency that had the expertise to handle Redevelopment projects and we have here Mr uh Jim Clarken the attorney and his clients are here to answer any uh answer any questions and as as you said before it's a warehouse project with an office with parking and and truck loading spaces and it's the Project's projected to cost about $13 million and it's basically the same project as before okay Mr chairman if I could enter my appearance for the record please please do thank you James Clarken of the firm of Clarken and vinola for the applicant uh Mr Hoffman has outlined U what the application is about uh the reasoning uh behind the delays uh and it is basically the same project uh as you approved back in 2021 uh I am available as my clients are here uh to answer any specific questions that you may have I will say that uh it will be vetted in detail by the planning board as any application of this nature would be uh I can also uh tell you that all of the standards in the industrial I2 Zone in which the property is located will will be met by the applicant with one exception uh that is Building height next to a residential Zone in this case the residential Zone oddly enough is the St Peter cemetery and without making a terrible joke the people that are six feet under will certainly not be impacted by a building that is slightly higher than it is supposed to be fa fa okay which I also think uh the zoning of it and the ecological condition of the site also speaks to it's not housing that is correct with the tremendous amount of contamination uh it would be uh incredibly difficult to remediate it to residential site standards um it's in an industrial Zone warehousing is a permitted use um it is a use that is needed certainly affordable housing is uh but so are warehouses uh they uh are integral uh to the marketplace and and how we shop and spend our money absolutely and uh somebody's got to pay taxes so let's move this forward um any additional questions from the commissioners before they get started Mr Walby what kind of Warehouse is this I mean what what kind of materials will be stored there we don't know yet because we do not have a tenant we don't know if this will be Last Mile Pick and Pack traditional we're we're not we're not sure the uh the format uh yet so we get a ten any consideration for trucks you know big trucks you know because Jersey Avenue is very you know kind of tight the site the site has been designed uh for I believe up to WB 62 uh which uh all of the other uh industrial users and warehouses on Jersey Avenue have as well we recognize the tightness um it's uh one of the things that that we all have to put up with none of us like to get behind a tractor trailer but we certainly like to place our order and get it the next day are the deliveries during the day or in the evening Mo most of them I mean you might not know at this point the ansers I don't know for sure because uh we don't have the tenant but we do know from uh experience with other facilities uh that these run 247 and that spreads the traffic out so so that they are not concentrated during the morning or afternoon peak hours yeah because uh you know the Brunswick that corner between 7 and 10 and then after 3 o'clock you know it's jammed you know that's stay away from yeah yeah thank you for your so and a lot of those questions really should be directed towards planning um my question is is there any uh change in your financing any change in your capacity to complete the project based upon who funding anything like that the the answer is no uh we had to build in uh increased costs uh because of interest rate changes uh because of substantial changes in the cost of materials uh but we have compensated for that uh with a sufficient amount of equity uh we have a significant cushion uh and it's been vetted by your professionals okay um I believe if I remember when this pre previously became uh previously came before us the proposed use for that site was for cultivation of not just cannabis but for cultivation period is that off the table no it is still on the table uh Hydroponics uh you know we've had discussions about that uh and uh once again we have to wait and see who's going to be the end User it's not off the table okay have there been any conversations with anybody in in that space in the agriculture cultural space there there have been some conversations but I really can't comment on them because I don't want to uh upset the apple cart so to speak understood understood I think that'd be better for traffic too uh commissioner waly if you're transporting vegetation as opposed to Flat packed Goods you're using smaller trucks goe just one more question uh do you know how many uh employment opportunities there will be once this Warehouse is done once once again it depends upon the end user I could anticipate as many as 35 38 uh but it also could could be half of that okay okay commissioner Dunlap you have any questions the questions are being addressed right here the than okay and commissioner pedex H thank you sir no additional questions great Mr Huffman I think it's a wrap um chair I'll need a motion in a second um I got I got one more just just uh on this we're going June 24 to January 25 7 month timeline that's no different than the previous timeline it's just pushed back due to the delays that's correct okay okay yeah we're GNA clean that area up by the 20 year 2025 it's good news oh listen higher higher and better use great great okay let get a motion in a second I got a motion oh wait wait wait wait wait wait wait wait in all fairness we only have one participant from the community let's get that question in I'll allow it let's start the clock Charlie thank thank you uh chairman I I just wanted to ask about you know to your point on property taxes is the applicant uh planning to uh file for a longterm tax exemption and also wanted to lift up my question I already asked about what the Redevelopment fee is going to be what's uh you know what what is the the benefit to the authority there questions hopefully it's high okay um number one uh at this time we don't have an intention to file for long-term tax exemption uh number two like any other uh non-residential user we will make a 2% uh contribution to the affordable housing trust fund oh look at that are answer this is fantastic all right um no other questions comments from the public no all right motion chair I'll make a motion motion P oh Mr Pedic motion second can I get a second my myself chair sorry I was on mute that's okay commissioner Dunlap commissioner don't I can't hear him Mr uh commissioner Dunlap vote please having trouble he ear I heard him thank you commissioner I got him um commissioner waly yes commissioner Pedic yes yes commissioner chairperson Wright yes chair let the record reflect uh motion passes four votes three extensions three absences sorry okay thank you very much your time thank you very much and everybody have a nice holiday thank you good luck thank you we'll see you soon um next resolution 2023 41 we're moving on resolution approving authorizing and ratifying payment of bills for October 2023 motion move chair person right motion gotta pay the bills man yeah I I'll second it well um chair um commissioner commissioner Pedic commissioner waly beat you to the punch sorry okay fair enough roll call commissioner Dunlap yes thank you commissioner waly yes commissioner pedex yes chairperson right yes thank you resolution 2023 42 resolution approving a cyber incident response plan chair if we don't have any questions I'll need a motion in a second questions from the Commissioners actually uh Mr Toto can you just explain what this plan is you know just briefly briefly um I know it I read it I've got more respons possibilities now but I'm going to turn it over to Joe manfredy uh he helped craft this and move it along if unless you don't want to talk about it Joe and I can go ahead and talk about it sorry no that's fine we can both speak to it director um HUD requires all public housing authorities to have now a cyber response plan there is both state legislation on this issue and HUD Direction because obviously the Housing Authority has in its possession confidential information particularly information with regard to our residents as you know residents submit uh confidential financial information so we have to be prepared in the event of a cyber threat or a cyber breach to have a policy in effect whereby we will have steps in place to immediately address any such situation including making proper reporting under the law to both New Jersey State Police and HUD in the event we actually had a breach of confidential information so this is keeping and the FBI and direct to the FBI y yes and and HUD Inspector General so this this overall policy is in keeping with having a protocol in place to deal with those situations anything else director to add to it I don't think so I mean it's pretty intense we've got a response team set up we had to move pretty quickly with it and I thank you Joe for for assisting us with this plan it was it was great it was needed we needed to do it um hopefully we never have to use it but we have a plan and play yes and you have a copy of it uh commissioner Pedic as everyone else does I've put it in um I wish I could send out hard copies to you guys I know it's so hard when you're on your phones or you're on um your laptop and so on and looking at this stuff but um it it's pretty good it's it's strong and we'll see what what the criminals uh try to do you know it's they got to you got to try to stay 10 steps ahead of them so but definitely okay thank you thank you thank you very much question yes sir yeah one how technical is that and secondly when H requires this did did they have any budget for us you know to set up the system or the existing budget is sufficient so it's not so much of a system Joe right it's more if they break into our computer system um I mean we have like malware and we have uh certain things that are already set up um once they give us our money we can kind of budget it h you know we can we can set money aside differently for different threats or different purposes and so on so but Joe un unfortunately like with HUD they they often mandate things but don't fund it for us so it has to be part of our overall budget um but uh basically as the Director said in this situation the steps are spelled out there's a cyber Response Team obviously in the event of any breach and it has happened in housing because Bad actors do start to learn about the type of information maintained on our systems um there is notification to insurance carriers and resources at the state and federal level to try to access if that were to occur and it looks like good Mal's protection I think this one y yeah there's more than that there there's so many wees I mean you you wear you wear yourself out just thinking of how many wees there are is it's terrible it's terrible what people you know we're victims we're open just because people are poor at the Housing Authority tenants doesn't mean they don't have good credit they got good credit a lot of people do they would love to get their hands on that kind of information but chair any other questions I personally know great um I need a motion in a second I motion chair motions second a move waly okay roll call uh commissioner Dunlap commissioner yes I hear you great uh commissioner waly yes commissioner Pedic yes chairperson right yes great chair motion passes with four votes uh at this time we have a walk up um I am asking the Commissioners and I did send you guys a uh email um there needs to be and I'll have Mr Man Frey uh talk about it also there is a change order that's in play here uh we don't need any more money I just on the existing contracts that I have I need a 60-day um addition to to their contracts there's plenty of money in there if I need a service from the existing people that we're Contracting with now um we need 60 more days I'm reviewing the procurement policy uh with legal counsel and some other members um to tighten it up you know we we want to we want to be ahead of the game we be as Progressive as possible and as sharp as possible for HUD and um I was unable to get it done under the time constraints that I was under and with everything else going on so we're still in compliance and um I'm asking you to um have a motion in a second and a roll call on it so we can continue with the existing individuals that we have with the existing money that is there um already allotted to them to continue forward if I happen to need um any of the services that are already afforded to the Housing Authority Mak sense um and I can add chairman these are contracts that I'll just approaching their expiration date under New Jersey local public contracts the board is allowed to to extend those by 60 days as the Director said no additional funding while all procurements are issued for those Services the director and VI have discussed those procurements and they will be issuing promptly fantastic creative I do want to say this I want to leave it because I know people have to head out um we want to be as creative and as thoughtful and as um financially um restraint as possible with with contracts and and I think the residents deserve it taxpayers deserve it and and we're going to do we're going to do great things um under under that microscope so at this time chair if you have any questions or any any Commissioners have any questions please let me know I have a I have a question don't we have that Amendment before to for the extension no that was a different Amendment we had a we had gone over one of the and that is not of issue tonight we had gone over one of the general legal service contract contracts that had reached its uh capacity I believe in in July or August and they needed U an extension but it was more about money than time extension I'm just asking for time extension so we can get um Place yeah contract right I'm sorry uh contracts all contracts that are getting close to so I have some contracts that are up in April let's say or March those are not affected those will end when they end um there are going to be about six or seven um some of them are intertwined like I'll give you an example like magic finish they do our plumbing they do are God forbid something happens underneath of a building um unit monitorization and things like that so those are the ones that I am more or less uh concerned about and that I need some more time until I can put out the uh rfps but it's not costing anymore I'm not hitting the budget we're keeping it the way it is but it just need an additional 60 days oh okay okay commissioner pedex I'm fine okay commissioner dlap yes good okay great chair it's up to you well if it's up to me I uh motion on this I'm looking for a second I I'll second it all right thank you commissioner pedics okay roll call commissioner Dunlap yes thank you commissioner waly yes commissioner Pedic yes chairperson right yes great uh let me hold on I want to make sure I got everything in before I close Joe did we did we um present the financial re right we presented that that went through earlier Joe Alberto usually catches me on it something if I miss something I don't I don't believe I don't believe director you missed anything on tonight's agenda great all right time for adjournment I'll need a motion in a second and I would like to thank you guys all again and thank you council president Escobar for always so diligently uh helping our tenants out really appreciate it hi Doug how are you good yo all right so we have a motion to adjourn great chair you're motioned I you're go second roll call commissioner Dunlap yes commissioner waly yes commissioner Pedic yes and chairperson Wright yes great guys I'll be in touch thank you guys so much thank you Joe everybody everyone have a good evening thank you