[Music] [Music] [Music] the meeting of Atlanta County Board of Commissioners is called to order and compliance with the open public meetings Act of the state of New Jersey adequate notice of this meeting of the Atlanta County Board Commissioners was provided in the following manner published in the Press of Atlantic City and mailed to the Hamilton cazette and has been posted on the Bolton boards in the county office building in laac City Still Water building in Northfield and the county clerk's office in MA Landing we have an opening prayer Heavenly Father we come to you today asking for your guidance wisdom and support as we begin this meeting help us engage in a meaningful discussion allow us to grow closer as a group and satisfy the needs of our community amen amen amen and I ask that everybody keep uh it's going to be uh dday June 6 we uh keep those in mind who lost their lives for our country wall stand for the to the flag of the United States of America and to the repic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liy and justice for all [Music] hey we have aoll call chairwoman commissioner Cory is unable to attend today Bas prestino here Burns here da here G here Parker pres grizzley here K here Commissioners have had an opportunity to review the minutes from May 21 2024 I'll entertain a motion to adopt May 21 2024 minutes as presented move move by Comm parkerson seconded by commissioner bertino all those in favor I and sorry should bastino yes Burns yes da yes G yes Parker yes Grizzly yes K yes anyone attending in person who would like to speak regarding an agenda item or a public comment please come to the podium speak into the microphone state your name and the town where you reside you'll be provided up to three minutes to speak if you are attending virtually and would like to speak please raise your hand during the agenda item or at public comment at the end I'll call upon your name and a request to unmute will be sent please state your name and the town you reside you will also be provided up to three minutes to speak okay that brings us right into our bond ordinances for final reading Bond ordinance number two Bond ordinance providing for various capital improvements for fiscal year 2024 by and for the Atlantic C Community College appropriating $ 3,882 1899 therefore and authorizing the issuance of 3,882 1899 bonds or notes of the county of Atlantic state of New Jersey for financing such appropriation the principle of and interest on the aggregate principal amount of which will be entitled to state aid pursuant to chapter 12 of the laws of New Jersey of 1971 final reading move second move by commissioner Parker second by Burns any commissioner comments see hearing none anything from hey bastino yes Burns St yes SC Parker yes Grizzly yes K yes motion carries uh ordinance number three please Capital ordinance number three supplemental Capital ordinance providing for various countywide HVAC improvements and storm water improvements and and for the county of Atlantic state of New Jersey and appropriating 13, 8926 7.74 therefore from Grant proceeds received from pursuant to the federal American Rescue plan Act of 2021 to pay for the cost thereof final reading move by commissioner Ballas seconded by commissioner Parker Parker any commissioner comments Parker any commissioner com hearing none anything from the public Tru bastino Burns yes St yes G yes Parker rley yes yes let them bring them in they samples of license plates they want to they they email I was I was trying to it's not protest sign no I wasn't I was just going to coordinate it's fine okay ordinance number six ordinance revising speed limits along Old New York Road County routes 575 and 10 in the city of Port Republic and Township of gallilee final reading moved second mov by commissioner da second by commissioner G any commission comments see here none anything from the public roll call altina Burns G Parker grizzley yes yes motion Carri resolutions with resolution 278 please for application and acceptance from the New Jersey office of emergency management performance Federal Emergency Management Agency for federal fiscal year 24 Emergency Management performance Grant Emergency Management agency assistance funded amount $55,000 County inine match $55,000 second move by commissioner GED by commissioner grizzley any commission commento Burns yes G Parker yes grizzley yes K yes motion carries resolution 2 79 please gr application and acceptance from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development for the New Jersey youth for program amount not to exceed $29,400 move by commission g g second by commissioner bino any commission comment Madam chair just wanted to highlight um uh we were briefed yesterday that we're actually getting a higher amount this year for this grant which is really good um we already have uh some programs through the workforce development uh Team that'll put it to good use um for the exciting that we got uh I think it was like 200,000 more any other question comments January n anything from the publico Parker grizzley yes C yes she carries resolution 286 amending resolution number 355 adopted on July 11th 23 a grant from the New Jersey Department of Health office of local public health for the county health infrastructure funding to accept additional funding net increase $ 281 amending resolution number 351 adopted on July 11 2023 a grant from the New Jersey Transit for senior citizens and disabled residents Transportation assistance program to carryover funds n increase $1,462 mooved by commissioner B second by commissioner G any commissioner comments see hearing none anything from the public call bino Burns SC Barker yes grizzley yes turn yes carries resolution 282 Grant application and acceptance from the New Jersey Department of Health for the local public health overd fality review team fiscal year 2025 amount not to exceed $100,000 second move by commissioner B seconded by commissioner G any commissioner comments Madam chair um we did also discuss this one and we've asked uh we asked you if we could uh put a presentation of this on a future agenda um pretty interesting team that we have that that actually kind of looks around at um social media all kinds of different um uh things outside of kind of the medical reason for overdoses and seeing um if there's opportunities uh that we can find of how was that a miss and how can we be better how can we prevent that in the future um it was pretty interesting quick discussion that we had at the budget committee but um we are going to bring that to the full board to just get a greater understanding of of what that team does any other comments from the Commissioners yeah on on that point u i attended one of the seminars um during NJ and Ocean County apparently has a pretty good Dr in intervention maybe we might want to uh see what they've done in Ocean County any other coms okay anything from the public altino Burns yes G yes Parker yes grizley yes turn yes carries resolution 283 please amending resolution number 227 adopted May 7th 2024 agre from the New Jersey Transit for the job access reverse Comm program to include the 5311 Innovations grant funding and the and the English Creek Tilton Road Community shuttle that increased $150,000 second by commissioner Parker second by commission G any pressure comments see here none anything from the public have aoll call alasa Burns da yes G yes Parker yes grizzley yes bur yes motion carries resolution 284 please B contract with various vendors for medical supplies for the Atlanta County cooperative amount not to exceed $439,800 dallo Burns G yes perer grizzley yes yes motion Carri resolution 285 change order number two a contract with arac PE Company Incorporated for resurfacing of Tilton Road County Route 563 section 7 in the townships of Hamilton and Galloway to extend the term date and an increase $935 78 move by commissioner G second by commissioner Parker any commissioner comments see hearing none anything from the public call Ballas fortino yes Burns SE yes G yes yes grizzley yes sh yes motion carries resolution 286 change order number two and final a contract with South State Incorporated for the green Bank Bridge m-01 mechanical and electrical repairs in the township of Mulla that increased $2,798 79 second move by commissioner G second by commissioner bino and commissioner com chair just uh brief when um some of the repairs we undertook some repairs mechanical electrical repairs out there this year to get that bridge ready for this coming season so far everything's going real well uh it is still in the plans as we know for total replacement out there but um I think U the improvements that they made the money we spent should make it more feasable to keep the Bridge open this summer for the voting traffic which we'll all get calls on if it's not working so pretty happy with that so far we'll see how it goes any other commission comments see here not anything from the public call bastino Burns Parker grizzley yes K yes motion Carri resolution 287 F fa agreement with short Toyota to purchase an undercover vehicle for confidential and undercover investigations by the prosecutor's office gangs guns and narcotics task force amount not to exceed $ 42,5 7610 by second by get you get the next one commissioner Parker any commissioner comments see here none anything from the public roll call Dallas Martino yes yes SC Parker grizzley yes yes motion carries resolution 288 equipment use agreement with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Mosquito Control Commission for mosquito control related activities no cost second move by commissioner bertino seconded by commissioner days any commissioner comments um CH Jerry sure this is long sh they don't have a helicopter that we can borrow do that no no no you do not I know it comes up every year we have to put the money up for the I just negotiate with stand up for ask although although they help pay for it though that's that's that's the issue they don't they don't have the helicopter but they give us the money to pay for it it's a shared cost not any other commissioner comments anything from the public call Bas yeso Burns pleas yes Shadow yes Parker rley yes turn yes motion carries resolution 289 agreement with Arkansas State University for an internship program with Elena County Office of Emergency Management no call com okay call Alo Burns yes Shadow yes Parker grizley yes yes Al alternate method contract with Jewish Family Service of Atlanta and C counties to provide Outreach Services for the central Municipal Court of atena County amount not receive $171,400 move by commission Parker second commissioner G any commissioner com see hearing none anything from the okay we have aoll call alaso FS SC Parker yes rley yes turn yes car resolution1 ultimate method contract with Atlanta care John's John Brooks Recovery Center for the offer help and hope program amount not to exceed $299,999 70 second move by commiss bird second by commissioner G any commissioner comments none anything from the public call Bas yeso yes Burns yes SE yes G yes Parker yes grizzley yes yes carries resolution 292 alternate method contract with Atlanta car John Brooks Recovery Center for the operation help enhance program amount not to exceed $778 125 second move by commissioner G second by commissioner days any commissioner comments see he from the public yeso yes Burns yes G yes Parker yes grizzley yes yes Mo Carri resolution 293 inter local agreement with the Atlanta County Improvement authority to provide construction management services for the Still Water roof replacement project amount not to exceed $38,000 Mo by commissioner Parker second by commission and commissioner hear none anything fromo Burns yes Parker yes grizley yes turn yes motion carries resolution 294 local agreement with the city of epan for the resurfacing of New Jersey Avenue County Route 601 from New Road to Michigan Avenue amount not to exceed $15,500 like commission G second commisso any commissioner comments none publico Burns yes St yes yes Parker yes grizzley yes yes motion carries this time I'll entertain a motion to and adop resolution number 295 to 298 159 by commission G seconded by commissioner B any commissioner comments see hear none anything from the public hey Robert roll call Palace yeso Burns sorry yes yes Parker grizley yes yes cares uh appointments entertain a motion to Divine adop res tion number 299 and 300 second move by commissioner second by commissioner G and commission comments I think from the public B yeso yes yes G clker grizley yes yes motion carries okay uh anyone attending in person that would like to speak now at public comment please come to the podium speak into the microphone state your name and the town you reside if you're attending virtually and you would like to make a public comment please raise your hand I'll call upon your name and a request to unmute will be sent please state your name in the town you reside you will be provide up to three minutes as well to speak wonderful mainland [Music] um we did decide to uh go to public before we went into close session just to accommodate our wonderful Mainland support the troops how are you to speaking the M uh yes you do that thei and mostly because everyone that is attending virtually can hear you so my name is Chris mosias and I'm the club advisor at Mainland for support the troops club and I wanted to introduce two students seniors at Mainland Mr Mark to my right and then Mr EMT Lee who's the second vice president and they have a little presentation um when he signs which portray license plates that we like to submit to do it the camera too can are you catching that are you catching I don't know I just want to make sure well he's and I'm going let the young men speak okay speak clearly into the M we just want to make sure we Happ that good afternoon Commissioners ladies and gentlemen I'm here today to present the veterans license plate project to Atlantic City County leaders to ask support our club's primary go goal is to support veterans several months ago we came up with an idea to research veterans license plates we were surprised to find out that New Jersey DMV did not have any license plates for veterans approximately 338,000 veterans reside in New Jersey New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission did not OT offer a standalone uh automobile license plate for our New Jersey Veterans New Jersey offers approximately 14 related license plates plates but does not offer General veterans license plates our club is presenting an idea to expand New Jersey's offering to hundreds and thousands of veterans with this veterans automobile plate veterans will be publicly recognized for their service and gratitude and commitment to sacrifice for this country our miss our mission for this sorry veterans can publicly display their service and commitment and sacrifice for the sake of the citizens of the state New Jersey and the United States of America our club's Mission would be accomplished once we complete this you can put that up if you want sorry we' brainstormed and created about a dozen designs with help from an adovia expert and we are here to present to you our four best designs to all of you our design plan was to keep things simple but instant instantly recognized in symbolism we placed our country's flag in each design the image of the soldiers raising the flag of IO gima's Mount suribachi is instantly recognizable as to the grit sacrifice Blood Sweat perseverance spirit and determination of all America soldiers and at the bottom of our license plate is the word veteran we greatly appreciate your time and hope you can get your support in the form of a resolution thank you no thank you for all you do um we will absolutely support you I know you're getting ready to graduate we will do a resolution and get it off to you at the school because I know you won't be able to be at our next meeting because you will be graduating but we appreciate everything you've done here uh that's some points yeah so we're going to oh okay yeah we're going to you know uh try to put something together for you and make sure that you have copies as well um great job beautiful if I if I may too can we also when we do the resolution make sure we send it to all our legislative team our Senators and the assembly people that represent us here in Atlanta County as we're senators and eight assembly people uh to get them on board with it to get the support so we start that movement to get there not surprised guess I shouldn't say that motor vehicles doesn't have something already like that so I appreciate you guys taking the opportunity to design it and thinking about our veterans and service they've done for this country should be recognized great job I actually did send it all to our Senator and our sen they were going to be here the last time but you were unfortunately something came up and couldn't be here so we have given this information to them I don't know if you have already but we did give it we did give it to our Senator paesa and our two assemblymen uh Claire and uh don bardian Claire s and Don Guardian as well so we'll make sure they'll get they get copies of this thank you congratulations guys um I had the pleasure of working with Mrs Carney um when she started the club I was on City Council in lywood and she reached out to me unfortunately about 2 years before she passed and we worked get together with her and you guys I know you guys have been involved I know Mark you have been um since your freshman year thank you for all that you do because there are a lot of kids that don't not that they don't support but they don't understand and congratulations to both of you and your families for encouraging me to get involved and best wishes in school thank you thank you so mam chair um yeah so we all know but maybe these guys don't Atlanta County has a veterans Advisory Board and personally I think that your presentation should be made to them um and you know see how the guys who represent you know all different uh veterans and Veteran organizations throughout Atlanta County um that's what they're there for to advise and consent the county executive and and us um they meet on the first Wednesday of every month in this room at 7:00 um if that's something that you guys can fit into your schedule I mean personally I think the they would be thrilled about it but um you know that's what this board was put in place for uh many Years Ago by uh dick Squire who Rec P so that will be tomorrow that will be tomorrow so I don't know yeah I I was able to get two out of 20 here tonight Awards Banquets everything baseball games championship games so make sure that the veterans Advisory board has this for tomorrow for we take a look at and we'll give it to our leison yeah yeah I will forward the um the email with all your samples are in the email that was sent I guess you sent it to our clerk you sent it to us I will forward that to the um chairman of the veterans of board thank you believe me I know that they'll be ecstatics this year oh yeah but commissioner ball is our Lea onto that board so make sure that that and then we'll make sure you get the copies and um you know whatever we send to uh you know Mr Senator as well but thank you thank you for that you've done here this is a great work uh any other Commissioners you can watch our our meeting on YouTube in your spare time to see how the vote goes okay just just quickly I just want to say you know thank you I know I don't think we can ever do enough to to fully thank and appreciate our veterans so you know youred effort to that cause um should definitely not go unnoticed and I truly appreciate that so thank you great job great job M chair I just add um and the veterans Advisory Board Bo it's also there's a a link that's available virtually so you don't actually have to come do your presentation um over the internet to them and see it like a zoom call yeah okay they use I guess it's teams Now teams teams yeah we use teams M okay so if that makes it easier yeah might work better okay you can get in touch with uh commissioner B thank you give your they need any yeah is I guess your is your email in it should be attached to the emails I sent outa to make and I'll email you my contact inform gotta thanks thank you so much for being here we really really do appreciate it thank youate Youk congratulations on your graduation thank you Okay resolution uh 301 um Madam chair just a suggestion before you go on the clst session just pick back in the regular orders uh effectively you'll have two um public right so I guess you did that to allow for the gentl speak over just get right back on track of the agenda session yeah you make a motion to go to close session and we'll just for the public so they know when they come back we'll pick right back up on go down motion for Current public hearing portion and we have a motion to close the current public um portion uh by commissioner G and seconded by uh commissioner Parker all those in favor hi I just want to re reiterate to the public that we will be coming back after the executive session resolution 301 resolution authorizing a closed session requested by County Council regarding pending or anticipated litigation and or contract negotiation in which the county is or may become a party requiring confidential Communications move second move by commissioner Gad second by commissioner days any commissioner comments call Bas yes bertino yes Burns yes St yes G yes Parker yes grizzley yes K yes motion Carri you're right okay um anyone from the public going session to close executive session second made by commission G second by all those in favor we are now out of executive session where no action has been taken okay that uh we now have that inclose written portion of the agenda uh we now into written Communications and petitions we some of us may have received copies of written communication petitions any commissioner have will be like to share mam chair yes have communication that was sent guess I'll read Dear Mr Park and Atlanta County Commissioners please accept my gratitude for your recognition of my selection as the 2020 for friends of Education awarde the Atlantic County Council of Education Association posted a wonderful uh event last Friday attended by Mr Parker and Sheriff odonahue highlighting local educational Excellence I am proud to be included among the honores and to receive your support of our work all the best toward your efforts at making Atlantic County a prosperous place to live for all sincerely Christine Ruth Ed aced Equity director this card is for all of us thank you for sharing uh any other Commissioners okay uh reports of special commit uh Committees of the board any reports of special Committees of the board chair the uh public health and environment committee we met on May 15th to discuss uh putting together a resolution and our opposition to uh windmills and in the ocean we put together a resolution four member committee put it together presented it and does not appear on today's J because the chair this board pulled it and um I guess there's other questions but we had we have it prepared have it ready to go and uh four members of this board signed on for that so I guess we'll have a discussion on that topic okay i' first like to say that um on Friday the um resolution was still in draft form so it was not ready to go on no it was in draft form I will ask our uh sister was that not in draft form on Friday I think they were working on it on Friday I don't know it was done or not I guess the Commissioners I'm sorry the committee members who were involved can say whether or not it was finalized but it was Friday I wasn't ready to go on to the agenda yes commission thank you I may um when we initially when we initially talked about putting that uh discussion putting that in committee um we were with UH responsibilities I was they reached out to us as Commissioners and said if we had any questions that we'd like to see discussed in committ to AFF them I know I had the opportunity to send it I sent it twice actually it was the first time my email was blocked by our County server we won't talk about that one but um the second one went through apparently and there was a report in there and some information I thought was really relevant it's the bone report I think you guys see I'm assuming information I'm I'm assuming everybody got that seems to be the one whether you're Pro or against like the the operation windmills all sure I thought some of the information in there was really prevalent you guys needed to review that because I think anytime we're presenting something and at least from and I have a lot of respect for all you Commissioners here because you're intelligent people uh we don't get caught up in the passions from people outside here trying to manipulate us one way or another we've always taken the responsibility as leaders that we're going to review this stuff pro and con put it out there in the resolution which we could do at any time any commissioner could put a resolution on the agenda I'm not saying any I'm just making sure I'm saying from my standpoint I'm looking at going did you guys have the opportunity to review it and if you did you're satisfied with it if that's Incorporated because I thought there was some big issues in there and um you know John and I you and I talked about a couple of them I thought the decommissioning issue because there windmills are 30 years the commissioning costs are going to have to be included who's paying for all that I told about some of the numbers they called about on that people were being hired that were going to be impacted 10,000 15,000 throwing all kind of numbers on what could happen for employees I asked about closing cost on that are they are they pensionable employees do they have health care costs are those costs associated with the users of the windmills because Atlantic energies is doing the windmill project they're the developer any developer and we've dealt with developers in the past there's going to be cost to operate but I think that from my standpoint I want to make sure that's discuss in the public because we're always going to hear whatever side we're talking to they're only going to highlight the issues they want if it's Pro they're going to tell you the positive stuff if they're against it they're going to tell you only the negative stuff and I kind of felt like in our review which we've always done you guys always had and I got confidence in you to come back and look at the information and give us both in that resolution if that's what you want to present so that was my thoughts and concerns saying hey I hope they looked at this stuff it was a lot I don't think you have to read the whole thing I I I really read through the whole environmental impact statement which is really all I was concerned about they talk about the oil spills how it could impact us from Massachusetts to Delaware they give you the floats where they're going to put all it's in there so I just felt like for when the reports coming out and the public asks us why we take a stance one way or another we get back up the data with the information we looked at and presented to them because I think it's important for them to hear that cuz they're not want to hear that from the other sides that are prank saying I'm Pro or against and we're looking at a little bit different that was my thoughts on it so I I let you guys in the committee if you had a chance to look at it I'll let you guys discuss it a little here yeah I felt that as well because there were a couple things CU I said um some things as well and I did see the draft uh form of it and I just felt and I did send an email out as you know to uh the committee because um some the I did send an email as well as we do when there's going to be a committee meeting for remarks from other Commissioners if there's something we would like to re to be reviewed and I didn't see any of that uh being reflected in the minutes that any of that was reviewed and I just felt that these people have come here numerous times and we felt we told them we will look into these items that these unanswered questions that we had and we did tell tell them that we would do that and I didn't see any of that in any of the minutes so that's why I did go back to the committee when I saw that draft and I said we really need to do our due diligence these people have gone through a lot they've given us a great deal of information and I felt it was we should give them that respect back and look into some of the information that they were given us read it go through it try to get the answers go to the stakeholders I did ask for that as well and I didn't see any um that there any of that was discussed and I did ask her to go back to that sherff first of all absolutely I mean I assume it's going to go back to the committee I guess to answer some more of these these questions that people have but just like any issue that comes before the board I mean I I I do my own research exactly I mean I don't we can keep kicking this down the road and keep asking questions and questions again I had a conversation with mayor lra from bner today um there have a resolution it's going to be on the agenda for the 13th of the month the second time um he said that they're also going to put up or they already have put up another $220,000 for the lawsuit to to continue to join that it'll be over $40,000 um you know the CDA came up he you know kind of wears two hats in that point he said they really don't have any interest in it uh it's going to come ashore by uh I guess the Bungalow Beach and the Beer Garden on the portwalk they spent $20 million of purchase that land um you know you know I guess we can kind of answer some the question questions we can also answer them or ask them and of of other people you know we've been doing talk about this for over a year um this is our first committee correct but we received information and we've had the opportunity to research stuff I mean I you know commission I just I didn't see email said the other day um I me I know some commercials I met with Atlantic Shores um you know I I've reached out to people I've read the B reports I've atted two meetings of the r team schools um you know I mean I guess as a Committee Member I feel like you know other people can do the research and send it to the committee if you think this there's things that still need to be addressed um I guess we will have another meeting I'm not sure that I'll be able to to attend but we'll see I guess how it works out um down the road and bring something forward I guess hopefully after the next commune meeting um but you know lot lot of times you know the research should be done on our own and maybe send that information to the committee to to look at you know I don't know that it's I don't usually doesn't work that way where they I you know we ask for input but to say that you know you everybody's free to support or vote down the resolution that comes out of committee um and that's what's going to happen I mean that's how what always happens you know you can send 25 questions to the committee and if you don't answer all 25 I mean then you you vote against it if you're not happy with it I mean I don't know I just I guess we're going to have another committee meeting and we'll we'll take it from there well I I have a big question and since our committee meeting you know I'm out and about and I run into a lot of people from the defend buing King Beach um the Mayors who are now signing resolutions um in their municipalities I believe what they're asking us to do is to um designate money to fight it and so just we have to either make a really strong state that we are asking our state leg legislators to to help us fight this because in the end of the day that's where it comes from it's federal and state they're asking us to spend money which unless we have all 23 municipalities we can't do that um we can't do that anyway so we do this resolution be careful what's going to come back at us you read mayor Sarah's report to us he says right in there we we didn't we're not spending money on Research we're not spending money on attorneys so sure but I mean we're not doing it I mean I guess you have to look at why we're doing I mean you're never going to make everybody happy with with anything that comes out of this out of this board I mean you know I had a conversation I was at the gallery council meeting when they passed the resolution of coing windmills um the same issue but you know day after the meeting council members asked me well aren't talents that aren't in the Municipal Court paying for the courts I'm like yeah I think they are so you know I I think you're right we to take a strong opposition and we I think that was in the resolution supporting bandrew supporting our legislative team Palestina Guardian Swift I mean um you know and then the other issue is maybe something separate down the road I don't know I don't know exactly what they're looking for they're looking for us to spend money um you know and then that's is we're all going have to look at I understand right I I agree I mean and you know the resolution didn't I don't think they had that in there no so Madam chair if I may in terms of doing the research I agree and I have all some not all I have a book that was given to me by the Brigantine uh the Finn Brigantine and I have their research right here that we combed over highlighted all over the place and underline I have Landing store stuff over here so we we the committee I think has done um a good job individually as commissioner DA has pointed out a researching this and we've had this in front of us for quite some time you know quite some time so we combing over and combing over so I think all of us know more about this issue than we ever thought we'd know at this point you know and but but I did appreciate the you know the email that you sent because it did have some additional information from a different perspective you know not just the one-sided I think the users when you're talking about generation of electricity you guys know how the grid Works anybody can generate the electric and it goes into the grid the demand for the use goes wherever it goes so if it's more in North Jersey the electric goes north Jersey it's needed sou that's just a generator of electricity all heures is just owns it and sells the electric into the grid but my thing is as the operator and that's what my concern was because no one ever discusses those things is the end part of it because I still always felt listen anytime you build and I told you guys if I put a road new road in the middle of the Woods I destroy the environment anytime you put something up you're going to destroy the environment you're going to have an impact you got to weigh if it's an impact it's negative or positive to us there's concerns here I have some on cost as I think on the end users the electric cost that's being generated which is supported across the entire grid is going to go to everyone paying in users through the BPU there're the things I want to make sure that is incorporated if that's what usually looking at because I think that's the key to tie in everybody how's an impact in that all around the state it's going to cost them a lot more money for electric over time if that's the only source of generation the generation comes from multiple areas it could be coming from Niagara fallest to the great I don't know how this switching all works with all that the fact that the fact that we're after all of this research all of this time we're still sitting up here saying I don't know I don't know we can all say we don't know to some part of this that we're unsure of to me that speaks to if if you go back to originally what was it the original resolution before I was even up there 2022 2021 or whatever it came out concern when they when the guarantee was that all of these answers would be all of these questions would be answered before moving forward it's not happening we don't have all the answers still with all of this work with all this individual and Collective work we still have question marks all of us up here you know why they don't need us they don't want to tell you the Atlantic Shores they don't Federal they don't need you that's that's where it com that's absolutely correct so again if we're if we're going to and I leave this as this without believeing the point for me on the committee for my take is it wasn't a lack of research being done my uncomfortability is still with with on that end of of the questions that aren't being answered was promised to the answer not just to us but to everyone else to Brigantine to Gallow to EP and we still have not heard from all the municipalities no matter how passionate one or two of them are we have not heard from the 23 different Municipal I think everyone of the 23 municipalities need to speak on this issue need to allow them the time to speak and say how they feel because without doing that I agree it's it's just us making a decision based on what we feel and I don't want to make a decision based on what I feel I want to make a decision based on what's in invest this is a huge deal the economic impact that this could have either way positive or negative I'm not even going to jump on one side or the other the the impact that this could Happ in County just I mean it 100 years 200 years from now they're still going to be dealing with residents are still going to be dealing with the decisions that we make today tomorrow I think we need to hear from everybody I think we still need to hear from them before we make major statements we have to that we owe that to to them uh I still think we need to hear from from our stakeholders they're the ones that are going to be the biggest losers in this and I strongly and I will say it time and time again we need to hear from our stakeholders we need to hear from the crda we need to hear from the Chamber of Commerce we need to hear from the casino Association we need to hear from BC we need to hear from why atantic city they're the biggest losers why are they saying they won we need to hear from it commissioner again I'm sorry sorry interrupt you oh no um no I I totally agree commissioner it's very complex an impactful issue one that we really don't really have much jurisdiction over anyway but um you know I I think it's kind of unfair to say it's been in front of us for a long time we've passed two resolutions that have basically said the same thing there's a lot of questions and the project shouldn't move forward until the questions are answered I think we've been very clear about that so I'm not exactly sure why a third resolution is required but I think the point is it's a complex issue you there are unanswered questions that have been submitted by other Commissioners um I read the resolution on Monday I took last week off um I have a follow-up question if that's the res resolution that's going to put forward that I'll send to the subcommittee so as much as it's an inconvenience commissioner D I would appreciate uh an additional meeting answering as many questions as possible um to making sure everybody at least felt like their voice was heard before and and it's comfortable to be put on the agenda and be advertised um before we make a final stance that's not inconvenience vacation be El yeah so I'm spe um as everyone has said there's there are still so many unanswered questions that have been out there for the last couple years um I can tell you one thing I'm looking at it right here in the picture right over top of days said you know there's there's only one we only have one ocean okay there's no windmills out there you sit on the beach you know you you look at you know you look look at the reports and the people that are that are that want to build this they're telling you you don't have to be on the beach you can be back in the bay and you can look out to the ocean and you're going to see these turbines spinning okay and you know the amount of petroleum that is going to be put into 384 every single one of them thousands of them you know and tell it's you know it can and probably will Le what what what is it going to do to our fishing industry what is it going to you know we're supposed to be Atlanta county is supposed to be our number one um destination is tourism touris they're they're not coming here to see the woods as you talk about put a road in the woods there's Woods everywhere you know we only we only have one ocean and if we we jeopardize this ocean and we jeopardize the tourism industry jeopardized the fishing industry for a few jobs for electricity that we don't even need you know what it's it's I know what you're saying is a resolution going to is a resolution from us going to going to mean an ounce in that ocean so why push it absolutely not I agree but you know and we like our Senators our assembly you know everybody we need to talk to them they are the ones why are we sitting here why are we beating each other up when these are the people we need to talk to and these are the people that need to make mistakes why are we beating each other up I'm doing a resolution when we don't have the answers we're not even in a committee we're asking if you don't if if we go and ask people we want to hear from you I think we have to hear from you people if they say we don't have a stance put that in a resolution they don't have a stance put that in there don't cut and paste from somebody else's resolution I don't even know if some of the stuff in their resolutions are accurate I don't want to be cut and pasting from somebody else's resolution I don't think that I think people deserve more than that I'll be honest why do we need why do we need to have a conversation with our our Senators assemblymen and Congressman that they they already came out haded this and said that they are against it they I I disagree with you one point the congressman has been very strong about it okay our Senators and our assembly have said I've never said they have not gone down and rain but they're against if they have gone against the subsidies they have said we have unanswered questions that's what they have said we have unanswered questions well I think that's where we are right now where we are we're in the same same boat that they are Madam chair if I may all these other towns that are adopting resolutions they didn't do studies they simply took that doesn't mean we do the same thing they do does but on the other there's only seven right now on the other all right but have 23 you know we can each do our own research and formulate our own opinions and I think we need to vote this thing up down up same whatever and get it behind us I would rather your time on met of view and other topics we have here that are more important in this County I'd like to get this issue behind us just vote the resolution up or down and be done with it it's not going to be behind us though never if we take a stance if we take a stance and we say no that's it first I just put that on the record we were the first body came together and said no one put the moratory on there's no credit being given to us on that at all of course not so so doing it again is not going to BU us anything it's we're not going to gain anything by doing that let's just make sure we get it right is is there Madam chair my my question to the to the committee is is there any any research or any indication that a resolution part of this resolution will be funding to get involved in the lawsuit or all we doing just putting words on a piece of paper to say nothing don't well not going anywhere step part we had it needs to be settled in the courts the courts need money stand here and say I'm not looking for a resolution he stood right here said I'm not looking for a resolution said County county is they're standing behind it than I agree with you 100% I look at that picture that is the one thing we have left me right everybody has casinos now we lost a lot of our shopping here we don't have people don't come here to and we know those Casino numbers are going down all right going back toino they're doing great Casino numbers are not going up tourism numbers are not increasing okay unfinished business or any other committee reports any other committee reports unfinished business any unfinished business new business any new business I'm sh I was going to yes new business new you have floated the idea something I've been in favor of a long long time and that's a consent agenda you puted this idea right you want an input ask for inut all right now I am I'm 100% behind that I served in the on the AER Township committee and they've been doing sent agendas for eons there and our clerk par is informed me that at least in what the South Jersey area there we're the only one that does it this way the other CL that other okay so I like the idea and I'll tell you why I like because it allows us more time to delve into really important issues we've done a lot of things we could get into and and explore and like tax assessment nursing home I got a you a number of different things we can get into and really discuss as a body but if we're jammed up approving uh a resolution to extend time to a contractor and this resolution we we group those together and yes the chair should be able to group those together and if anyone has a problem like we do in Township you just ask for that resolution to be pulled out of the list very simple so there's I mean I think we've all been involved in that in different municipalities that we've served on the boards I've done it so um you can reply to it or anybody's opposed so you can let me know like out here I'm in favor I tried to do it as chair and I was told we allowed so I'm glad I'm glad the do attorney thanks we're allowed and if it we're not spend no no processes that good Madam chair if I I just want to let man Park good okay I missed this cuz rolling through here on the committee reports um on the solid waste committee that we've been talking about I think um there's been some information out I I know there's a there was a lawsuit that's been circulated that was uh filed recently about some of the smells that were happening at the year at the acua um I know I think Matt uh denafo is still online and uh I I sent that information from Matt to you guys within the committee but I think it's an opportunity here for the public to hear from uh from the ACA itself on uh how they're proceeding now he has to watch of course some of the information he's given you because it's in litigation but I think it would be good just for you guys to to hear that Matt still available guess Matt are you on yes I'm still okay Matt thank you very much for being here thanks for having me um so as commissioner bertino had uh stated you know this is something that we've been talking about since September uh presented to the board here in December about this pending litigation that was um coming we weren't sure when it was happening uh the planus attorneys decided to drop a 242 page document um on our desk uh the Friday full Memorial Day weekend and a very professional bner um so we've been kind of working through this document for um you know approximately a week and a half with our attorneys uh and our special counsel um I'm really Limited in what I can say it's kind of a frustrating point for me because as you know IED to commissioner board several times uh communication information is is what I like to try to to um relate to uh the public uh as well as as as the board um the attorney has done a very good job of saring the pot creating a lot of Hysteria with news outlets unfortunately um the news is not what it was 10 years ago um but they continue to kind of press with the the media outlets on on making this a a big story um what I can say is a lot of the claims are misrepresentations um inaccurate um representations of of how a landfill operates and I've kind of explained this to to this board and several people in the public in the past is you know people want to think the the ACA and any Solid Waste uh system is a very simplistic system they think you you put your trash into the driveway uh you put it in the truck and it goes on a hole and you don't think about it um it's a highly regulated industry uh a lot of oversight and very complex um two of the the really big things that they are claiming one is concerns of birds at the airport um and if there's any data or any oversight it is with birds at our site uh USDA FAA uh mjde a third party wildlife biologist from Canada that's flown down on a quarterly basis 25 years of successful data uh that we have at our site with absolutely no indication of any concern uh at the airport uh they've um depicted five or six different air strikes that have happened at the airport uh over the course of the past 5 years tried to attribute those to the ACA uh unfortunately the the pl still understand that the um airport has zra population you guys are very aware of the bird sanctuary that was recent relocated uh the airport actually averages about one bird strike a month from its own population uh and the strikes that they've raise concerns with are you three of them are strikes that the planes that didn't take off it's it's birds that are on their site another one that was several miles away uh and another one that was a bird that in 25 years of our data has never been spotted uh the type of bird has never been even spotted on our site uh and the last one was a bald eagle at night time which we can't do anything with bald eagles uh they fly you know they fly where they want to you don't you don't touch a ball Eagle although they are nothing to remove that from endangered species of so so this is like the contrary to what we have you know again a very regulated um uh study we do know and we've we've been very public and transparent about border issues that we had from October until about March um you know there's still some hiccups here and there but it's we're not in the situation that we were in November December January where I was presenting to to this board having public meetings uh in I'm seekin uh presenting at our my own ACA board in public with updates um communicating to you with upgrades ands that we're doing again creating all these things that interacted with the community that's not the picture that they're painting in this uh in this lawsuit at all um but they're trying to take that point in time and make it look like it's a 10year history of of what our organization has stood for which is any you know anything further from the truth um and they're they're comparing a lot of data so the thing I was concerned about and why I reached out to um chairwoman um commissioner Kern uh the FR that the story hit was there was an article that said that I deceived your board as well as njd with and I wasn't sharing information uh and what they were relating that or what they were referring to was this uh operational monitoring system that we installed about a year ago we installed in December but we started the process about a year ago it was a proactive approach to look at the data and look at the um emissions from our landfill on site not the regulatory requirement not the fence line stuff that I presented to this board um back in I guess it was February was the last time I was in front of you um and again this is operational data that's not used with the same tool that our regulatory is it's not under the same protocol uh it's an instantaneous uh response to um what's happening on the landfill it's been a very very helpful tool to the point where we've added actually more of these meters because they tell us a story they give us a heads up before ERS have the chance to migrate off site it's not perfect um but it's a tool in our tool box that we're allowed to use and I always use this example of we Le municipalities meeting uh at The Crab Trap which most of you were there that's always a well attended uh event and I'm looking at the meters on my phone and I actually showed commissioner rley The Meters um the last um Le municipalities at L country club or I'm sorry Atlantic City Country Club and we're looking at these meters at about 8:30 at night we're seeing them go up and I look over at Gary KY my vice president Sol I say hey Gary something's going on at this site we need to check out see what's going on he drives to the site on the way home that night at about 9:30 finds that our vacuum system had dropped about 5 in which is significant uh was able to reset the set point vacuum L goes back up meters go down that was a cause and effect and that's why we got this system um they're trying to use this as regulated data and that's what they're comparing so again this is where the nuances and not understanding the complexities of what the Sal system consists of How It's regulated how it's operated um gets into an attorney's purview uh no offense attorneys in the room but um if you look up the uh article Town landfill you'll see who actually wins in this case um you know all the attorney fees uh of course are being uh claimed and there's a fee shifting here so if we settle for B with this um guess who continues to get paid every Cent that they built for so 242 pages does not come at a um uh low cost for a attorney to do all this with expert reports so it's it's unfortunate situation um you know we're prepared to again defend and and try to get the facts out but this is probably more I said more than I probably should have um but again I've been Bing this up for about 10 days now and it's just very frustrating to uh not be able to explain our side of things and and just kind of go through this and and uh uh you know get people the facts so there should be some more information that's coming out we have some letters that are going to be going back and forth to the courts um their goal is to close us and close us like tomorrow that's that's their their goal um not a possibility not a chance but that is what they are uh aiming for um so you know we're moving through the the proceedings with this but um but that's their uh hope to this so you know there 65 residents in uh this community versus the 274,000 plus residents and millions of tourists in Atlanta County and thousands of businesses um we have to kind of weigh weigh some of these uh these things out so um if you have further questions I can certainly get into more detail on a personal level but obviously in a public uh for probably more than I should I think even you mentioned to me to even try to close something like this would be even more environmentally damaging uh doing something like that you're very passionate we appreciate you giving us the update as much as you can and you know thank you because I know it's been a very difficult time for you as well yes three months less than three months on the job I get notice of this this is a a fun one but but we'll work through it and I'll try to keep the board updated as much as possible with u you know as much as I can as as we move through this yeah thank you thank you all right thanks everybody thanks thank you okay any other uh new business at this time okay uh public comments anyone attending person that would like to speak now on public comment please come to the podium speak into the microphone state your name and the town you reside if you're attending virtually and would like to make a public comment please raise ra your hand I will call upon your name and a request to unmute will be sent please state your name in the town you reside you will be provided up to 3 minutes to speak as well okay uh any comments for the good of the order Madam chair uh Matt brought up the that there's not really great news sources around here uh I think 6abc is fantastic because uh they called me for a comment on the Kelsey situation um I uh semi jokingly posted on my commissioner account to the Kelsey uh that they are welcome in any of the 23 municipalities we have here in Atlanta County any time and we would be grateful to have them and uh I I did get interviewed and it was in the story for about 5 seconds but my my point in actually doing that was hoping to get a message across which is you know Atlantic County is a great great place to visit in the summer um and at any time but we have so much to offer we have the beach we have trees we have Parks we have wineries we have golf courses we have so much to do so I was really trying to use that opportunity to get that message across um so I didn't get to meet the Kelsey yet but uh I'm going to put that in the universe um but uh it was a nice article the mayor of Margate did a great job on camera as well um if anybody caught him talking about the uh need for a date night with his wife um so it was it was a nice highlight I think of our area and a great way to turn kind of a viral situation into a nice message about our area and you did a great job your memorabilia behind you and you did a nice job uh any other comments Madam chair yes so um this Thursday June 6 12:00 we were Donald Park the unveiling of the um biry Freeman Ro two Monument will take place anyone that's planning to attend get there early starts at noon I would recommend getting there early there's going to be very limited parking you know around that area they're only going to have uh 300 seats mainly going to be for veterans um whether they TR veterans there or not who those um but this is you know something that's been in the works for about 3 or 4 years now and even long in the planning stages and um the amount of money that Marco Polo and several other veterans um raised you know 1.5 or so million to have little Monument built bronze Monument um Sasha Architects drew it all out for free plan was very elaborate city of L City U through commissioner Cory uh with his help um with some Co funding helped with maybe about $400,000 donation to The the fund to help get it done um but hopefully it's going to be a beautiful ceremony I know the monument is going to be beautiful and hopefully it stays that way and it's maintained and you know crda and sto Park so start Grassroots never gave up yeah it was a lot of credit was a lot of little beef and beers and you know it was n in everybody but you know they were able to raise a lot of money and um I give trudos to everyone that was on that committee and they're still trying to raise money because there's still you know many things that need to be done there so hopefully we see a lot of people out there Thursday Thursday it's 12 new it's just um oh just is a teacher in me but um you know you mentioned dday earlier and I know that the commemorations on on dday June 6 which was the beginning of the end of World War II I think that's important you know the freedoms that we have um you know come out of cost but it's also the 35th anniversary of the ti Square protest in China today um so when you know Mr G mentions you know the the media and and the you know we mentioned the the soldiers and the on Z which just think it's important that we keep in mind that we do have these freedoms um in in our country thankfully and uh you know that's that's something that you know there's a lot of residents in China that have no idea what happened 35 years ago because they want have access to that information in in that country so um you know once again I just want to thank the students we have here in our country thank exactly forget that anything else for the good of the Y okay I'll entertain a motion to adjourn so all in favor [Music] [Music] [Music]