##VIDEO ID:1RgirVZHIMQ## meeting of the Sussex County Board of County Commissioners today is January 1st 2025 time is now 12:00 p.m. I'd like to invite father Philip Michael tangora up to uh for our invocation in the name of the father and the son of the Holy SP spirit amen Lord Jesus we ask you to bless and to sanctify the Board of Commissioners of suus County strengthen them in their work give them an increase in faith hope and love and all the grace that they need to live virtuous lives we welcome and bless Alan Henderson as he begins his role on this board and we bless in a very special way Chris Carney as he returns as the Director of the board of Commissioners we ask that their Works throughout this year will continue to grow our uh communities throughout Sussex County New Jersey to benefit our schools especially in the areas of reading and writing and critical thinking we ask for uh the blessings upon all their different road projects and other services that they will take upon themselves this year so that we may truly drive as a community centered in Christ here in sucus county and we ask this through you Lord Jesus Christ in name of the father and the son and the holy spirit amen amen congratulations thank you Father thank you thank you hey if everyone would please stand to salute the flag iedge Ali to the flag of the United States of America and to Republic for which it stands one nation withy and justice for all it's like to soldiers yeah our public statement pursuant to the open public meetings act chapter 231 pl1 1975 adequate notice as defined by section 3D of chapter 231 PL 1975 has been made per authorization of the board and per notice which was posted and emailed from the administrative office offices of the county of Sussex located in the administrative Center one Spring Street Newton New Jersey to the following New Jersey Herald New Jersey Sunday Herald The Star Ledger and is also posted on the bulletin board maintained in the administrative Center for Public announcements and has been submitted to the Sussex County Clerk in compliance with set act at this time I just ask if everyone could please mute all your electronic devices okay now I'd like to invite Jeff parrot County Clerk up for the determination statement from the November 5th 2024 election thank you okay on behalf of the county clerks who I'd like to thank everybody for coming out today and uh I'm sure the commissioner is appreciate on the first day of 2025 that everybody made the time to make it here today for the special occasion with that being said I'm going to read the statement of determination statement of determination of the board of count CES relative to the election held in the in in the county of susex in the state of New Jersey for the election of certain officers for the county on the fifth day of November 2024 the said board does determine that at the said election the following officers Christopher carne is elected as a county commissioner for a three-year term congratulations Mr car secondly Mr Alan Henderson was elected County Commissioner for a three-year term Mr Henderson congratul thank you we're duly elected to the office and for the term above set forth I do hereby certify that the foregoing is True full and correct statement of the determination of the board of canvers therein mentioned in witness whereof I have here to set my hand the 21st day of November 2024 okay and it would be also signed by the uh chairman of the election board Mr Mark hefler as chairman and the final certification is as follows I jeffreyan Parr County Clerk of the county of Sussex to hereby certify that the for going is True full and correct copy the statement of determination of board of County campuses relevant relevant to an election held in the county or Regional District thereof on Hein noted and certain officers and certificate thereto appended as fully and entirely as the same remains on file at my office and is signed by Jeffrey M Parr which is me I congratulate once again the candidates and again thank everybody for coming out you thank you hey commissioner Carney if you could please step forward to be sworn in as a member of the Sussex County Board of County Commissioners by county clerk Jeff parrot for three-year term said term to begin immediately and expire December 31st 2027 that's a Bible on a right I I can take that to the gy okay commissioner carne you're raise your right hand so far you're doing very well I'm sir good okay we have the O oath of Allegiance and oath of office and I'm going to ask you to repeat after a minute state of New Jersey County s i Christopher Carney I Christopher Carney do solemnly swear do Solly swear that I will support that I will to support the Constitution Constitution of the United States of the United States and the Constitution constitution of the state of New Jersey of the state of New Jersey and that I will that I will bear true Faith bear true faith and aliance and allegiance to the same to the same and to the government and to the governments established established in the united states in the United States and in this state and in the state Under The Authority Under the authority of the people of the people and then I will and that I will Faithfully faithfully and partially partially and justly and justly perform perform all the duties all the duties of the office of of the office of county commissioner County Commissioner according to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability so help me gu so help me gu Mr commissioner congratulations and this is for a term ending December 31st 2027 let's give a big hand thank all right I'd like to ask Mr Henderson Alan Henderson to be step up to be sworn in as a member of the Sussex County Board of County Commissioners by Vanessa Henderson aens for three-year terms said term to begin immediately and expire December 31st 202's one down here right here it's right there smaller one I don't think got top a little bit the oath of the allegiance and the oath of the office I state your name I Henderson do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution that I will support the Constitution of the United States of the United States and the Constitution and the constitution of the state of New Jersey of the state of New Jersey and that I will bear true faith and I will bear true faith and allegiance to same and allegiance to same and to the governments and to the governments established in the United States established in the United States and in this state and in this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the people and that I will faithfully impartially impartially and justly perform and justly perform all the duties all the duties of the office of of the office of county commissioner County Commissioner according to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability so help me God so help me God congratulations [Applause] conratulations congratulations okay at this time I'd like to um do roll call commissioner Carney here commissioner degr here commissioner Hayden here commissioner Henderson here commissioner space here okay I'd like to ask at this time is there a nomination for director for the board of County Commissioners for 2025 I would like to nominate uh commissioner Chris Cary do I have a second I will second that okay um uh do I have a uh first for a motion to appoint Chris Carney as director to the susex County Board of County Commissioners uh still move okay uh second second uh roll call commissioner Carney yes commissioner group yes commissioner Henderson yes commissioner uh Hayden commissioner space yes okay this time I'd like to invite uh Gary chiso a county surrogate to administer the oath of office for director of the CES County Board of County Commissioners all right repeat after me your o of office for director I state your name I Chris partney do solemnly swear do solemly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and I will support the Constitution of the United States and the cons constitution of the state of New Jersey and the constitution of the state of New Jersey and I will bear true faith and Allegiance and I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same to the same and to the governments established in the United States and to the governments established in the United States and in this state and in this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the people and I will faithfully and I will faithfully and just F perform and justly perform I will faithfully and justly perform all the duties of the office of all the duties of the office of commissioner director for the county of Sussex commissioner director of the county of Sussex to fill a one-year term for the one-ear term set term to expire December 31st 2025 set term to expire December 31st 2025 to which I have been appointed to which I have been appointed according to the best of my ability so help me go according to the best of my abil so [Music] [Applause] congratulations congratulations okay at this time do are is there a nomination for deputy director for the board of County Commissioners for 2025 I will nominate Jill space okay is there a second I'll second that okay and can I have a motion to appoint Jill space as director to the susex County Board of County Commissioners so moved and a second second okay uh commissioner Carney roll call Vote Yes commissioner deg group yes commissioner Hayden obain commissioner Henderson yes commissioner space yes okay at this time I'd like to invite uh Mike and G assemblyman Mike Gort to administer the oath of office to Jill space glad it's not the big one little I'm going to the gym but I'm not ready for Chris's Bible yet okay left hand on the Bible please raise your right hand I st your name I Jill face do solemnly swear do Sol solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution that I will support the Constitution of the United States of the United States and the constitution of the state of New Jersey and the constitution of the state of New Jersey and that I will bear true faith and I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and allegiance to the same and to the governments established and to the governments established in the united states in the United States and in this state and in this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the people and I will faithfully and I will faithfully and justly perform and justly perform all the duties all the duties of the office of commissioner deputy director for the county of Sussex of the office of commission commissioner deputy director of the county of Sussex exactly to fill a one-year term to fill a one-year term said term to expire December 31st 2025 said term to expire December 31st 2025 to which I have been appointed to which I've have been appointed according to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability so help me God so help me God congratulations [Applause] [Applause] okay at this time I'd like to turn over um as chair of the meeting commissioner director Chris Cy all right thank you uh number 10 is the approval of agenda there's one change to this agenda it's item 15 L will be removed to vote on separately motion to approve the agenda as amended so move have a second second any discussion all in favor say I I I I oppose stain all right carries 11 recognition of dignitaries and commissioner remarks I'm start with the dignitaries we have assemblyman Mike and ganore county clerk Jeff parrot sarate Gary Tano Frankford mayor Dave Silverthorn a Pac on mayor Marie gatte a Pac on council person Jennifer Johnson State GOP committeeman Billy marada Vernon mayor Anthony Rossy Lafayette mayor Kevin o and I saw Lisa chamings come in Still Water mayor Lisa chamings is she here there she is and Lisa chamings I hope we didn't forget anybody thank you guys for coming appreciate that and we will go to uh commissioner's comments we'll start to my left with commissioner aen oh I can't hear comments no comments hear commiss the group okay uh glory to God happy New Year to you all uh it is a tremendous blessing to enter my second year as one of your Sussex County Commissioners reflecting on 2024 we made meaningful strides in enhancing and promoting our Sussex County's Farmland preservation program among our accomplishments were the Farmland preservation revitalization tour which featured 13 stops across the county the realignment of resources within our planning department for our preservation program the submission of two Farmland preservation applications and the launch of our up to our 2008 Farmland preservation plan uh looking ahead to 2025 I'm eager to build on this progress a key development this year will be the finalization of the State's new Farmland appraisal formula set to take effect this spring with the hope of it of upda improved appraisal values from the new formula I anticipate a significant increase in preservation applications my goal for us is to manage this theand effectively and aim for four preservation applications annually additionally we plan to complete the Farmland preservation Plan update providing a clear and actionable road map to strengthen this vital program however the top priority for 2025 will be to authorize a public referendum to appear on the November 4th 2025 general election ballot to seek voter approval to continue the Sussex County Farmland preservation Recreation and open open space trust fund for an additional 10-year time period to meet the August deadline for the general election inclusion uh I will begin advocating for this measure immediately uh engaging with all of the municipalities this referendum has previously received unanimous backing from the commissioner board to be placed on the ballot in both 2005 and 2015 I firmly believe in the principles of democracy and entrusting the power to the people to make this important decision I have full confidence that the people of Sussex County will once again make their voices heard another exciting initiative in 2025 is the launch of our County seed Library through the division the senior services after completing phase one in uh 2024 organizing and securing a strong seed supply uh we were roll out Phase 2 early this year allowing residents to order and pick up seeds later in the year phase three will feature educational workshops on seed starting uh healthy gardening practices and Seed saving phase phase four will conclude the year with a program survey assessing plant Health production retention and yield education remains a Cornerstone of my mission in 2025 I'm committed to supporting sus County Community College and the technical school both of which are essential to expanding opportunities for our residents in 2024 we achieved a significant Milestone by launching an agricultural internship program in partnership with Hudson farms and our community college during this past fall semester our first student gained hands-on experience in Hudson Farms State y Greenhouse uh interest is already building for this upcoming spring semester signaling a bright future for the program as we expand it further in 2025 as I continue this journey I'm inspired by the dedicated team of Commissioners uh with whom I serve together we will address the challenges facing our County seize opportunities for growth and work tirelessly to ensure the prosperity and well-being of Sussex County uh thank you for your trust and your support thank you for coming out today may God bless Sussex County and each and every one of you thank you director thank you commissioner uh go to my right our NOS commissioner commissioner Henderson uh first of all I'd like to say a heartfelt thanks to my wife and my family for standing by me through this election process it certainly is not an easy one I'd also like to thank Sussex County residents for the opportunity to serve our community and for your trust in me to work for every citizen of Sussex County regardless of their political AFF affiliation for those of you who have been with me from the beginning I thank you for your encouragement and support for your guidance and your wisdom I've had the advantage and privilege of working in Sussex County for many years serving in various capacities I believe I have seen the best and the worst the strengths and the weaknesses in our community I believe as Commissioners we can continue to work to improve the quality of our community let's ask the hard questions let's look for Equitable Solutions I ran my campaign on three elements that I value and practice in my professional career and as a private citizen they are transparency accountability and responsibility let's put those qualities to work there is no room in government for favoritism or paybacks resulting in appointments due to obligations let's look for the best talents in resources that will best serve our residents I'm looking forward to working with my fellow Commissioners to solve problems headon and continue to move Sussex County forward with Integrity honesty and transparency I am ready to work for you I'm ready to work for Sussex County and again I thank you for your trust and your support in me thank [Applause] you deputy director space thank you first of all I'm very happy to be here today I almost didn't make it my husband is in jacobe Hospital in New York City with this rattlesnake bite but he is recovering after 14 vials of uh antivenom and he will will be home hopefully today I'm leaving to go to the Bronx right after this I want to thank Mike and ganmore for stepping in and swearing man well Parker was going to do that and Christina Mar for stepping in for Parker I asked Christina because she's so good to all of us on the board along with Ron taen so my son is picking up the bulk of the zoo right now because Parker is out of commission um I would first like to thank my fellow Commissioners for entrusting me with the responsibility of being the deputy director of the 2025 board thank you to my family for your never-ending support congratulations to director Carney on being sworn in today and beginning your next term your dedication to the county is remarkable congratulations to our new commissioner Alan Henderson I look forward to working with you your years of experience in Lafayette will certainly be an asset to the county thank you to our constitutional officers who I am proud to work with on a daily basis and I thank them for all they do for our County I also want to thank our County Workforce for their commitment to Sussex County 2024 was an honor for me to serve as director of the board we accomplished many great things I'm proud of the budget we Qui quickly passed below a 090 increase by being fiscally conservative this board was able to be fiscally responsible all while maintaining our infrastructure and not only continuing but also increasing services to our taxpayers we continued collaborations with District 24 and all of our County municipalities always keeping the taxpayers in mind we also worked hard with our local Partners especially Sussex County Technical school as well as Sussex County Community College to help meet the needs of our residents as I enter my fourth calendar year on the board I'm committed to doing everything possible to keep Sussex County moving forward during challenging Economic Times Sussex County is our home and I've said before I'm honored to have this opportunity to serve as commissioner to make Sussex County make sure Sussex County remains a beautiful place to live and work and I also want to invite everyone back for a reception at O'Reilly's that is sponsored by Sen Parker space assemblywoman da Fantasia assemblyman Mike and Gort County Clerk Jeff parrot surrogate Gary chiso SAR Sheriff Mike strata and commissioner director Chris Carney myself and Commissioners Jack de gr and alen Henderson thank you thank [Applause] you well thank you again thanks everybody again for being here today thanks uh to Gary and and and Jeff for swear me I appreciate that um congratulations to Allan it's been a it's been a long road you're finally here I finally get to call you commissioner um after a long time so thank you again um it's been 3 years 11 months since I got sworn in and things have changed dramatically the faces of this board have definitely changed year after year I think the longest people I've served would be commissioner Hayden and commissioner space um good some good some bad you know you kind of people go to different places Don pentas is now in the assembly and some some resign and some moved on but uh you know we're heading in the right direction we've done a lot of good things here in the last 3 years and 11 months uh that I've been here um getting rid of some buildings buying some new buildings uh working on contracts for our underpaid employees that we have throughout the county um dealing with our constitutional officers as they do a great job and and working in concert with them uh year after year is uh what we like to do and and we seem to do a very good job at that uh our infrastructures topnotch our planning and Engineering is is very good our Administration is it's Second To None I've say this all the time our employees at the county make csex County you know we're here to set policy and budget that's what we do and they're here to run the county and they do a really good job and I'm proud to to be a part of it I'm proud to be a director I do appreciate the people who did vote for me to put me in this uh in this spot although I am only one vote as everybody else is here too I hope everybody understands that you know I vote just like Jack and Jill and Bill uh and Allen now so it is one vote I run the meeting that's really about it I get send a bunch of paperwork for POS that's about the only only thing you get as a director um so looking ahead we're going to plan on to contining on our our mayor lunches for those mayors that are here we kind of spearhead things off each other and and bounce things off each other to do some more shared services so we're going to continue doing that and we're going to continue having our department head meetings every month that way we have no questions there's everybody's on page Lots lot of transparency going on so we're going to keep doing that um again I'm just real proud to be a part of s say everybody else is here and looking forward to continue moving on and my door is always open for anybody here I think most people who are here that know me know that uh email me call me whatever I will always get back to you you got any problems you know come and see me that's all I have thank you again for all coming I appreciate it thank you very much [Applause] all right next 13 public session from the floor this public session is is for questions or comments pertaining to agenda items only comments are limited to three minutes or less please state your name municipality and agenda topic motion to open the floor for public comment second second first commissioner commissioner the group moves commissioner Hayden seconds uh any discussion all in favor say I I I I oppose abstain carries the floor is open for any public comments agenda items only all right seeing none motion to close the floor for public comments so moved commissioner space commissioner degr seconds any discussion all in favor say I I I oppose abstain carries all right number 14 approval of the consent agenda all right the board of County commissioners of the county of Sussex have reviewed the con con's consent agenda consisting of various proposed resolutions and determin that adoption of a saidu resolutions is and will further the public interest if any commissioner would like to remove an item to be considered separately please do now all right motion to approve the consent agenta resolutions a through P so moved Mr space second Mr Henderson seconds uh roll call please uh director uh Carney yes sorry uh deputy director space yes commissioner Hayden yes commissioner degr yes commissioner Henderson yes all right 15 is appointments can I get a motion to adopt appointments a through K some motion commissioner space second Mr de seconds any discussion yeah i' like we move L 16 L thatting that's already it's moved it's not it's to break out can't break it out are we good for a through K okay V call uh director Carney yes deputy director space yes commissioner the group yes commissioner Hayden yes commissioner Henderson abstain all right pass so you have this down here as it it l all right so we're going to break out item L uh this we'll I'll just read it for you it's appointment of Earl shik as a member of the suss County Community College Board of Trustees said term to begin immediately and expire October 31st 2028 motion to adopt appointment l so moved commissioner space moves second commissioner degre seconds uh discussion I would like to discuss this as a new person on the board I had no idea of how this process works as far as an appointment to the County Board I did my due diligence and looked into this and spoke to three past chairs of the Sussex County Community search committee uh I can tell you there are two applicants for this position I did speak at 11:00 this morning to the current Sussex County College chair Mr John Wesley who informed me that the college has never seen the applications of the two individuals that put in a resume to sit on the County College Board I find this incredible to be sitting here voting on a resolution that clearly reads and you can see it in your minutes clearly reads that the search committee has approved this individual to sit on the Sussex County College Board I will sit here and tell you that is not the case I'd asked Mr Wesley to be here uh said he thought he could make it he thought the meeting was actually at 6:00 p.m. tonight he confirmed with me no one as a search committee has met or interviewed either of the candidates that are applying for this position and I will make that motion to table this uh for multip multiple reasons which I just stated and also if you look at New Jersey statue title 18a educ ation section 18a 64a requires that there are five people that sit on a search committee for a County College we currently have three people that have not met and I will make the motion to table this for further discussion at another meeting any other discussion so just to get to your point I'm just going to have Ron explain to you at least I don't know what which other one you're talking about besides Earl but if he if Ron you just want to chime in and just explain why Earl I'm sorry just give me a second just explain to to commissioner Henderson just why Earl wouldn't go through that search committee and then that maybe that might clear it up and then from there if you want to keep your motion commissioner then that's fine too I just want you to understand the search committee uh is put together to interview people of candidates that want to be part of the trustee systems and they ultimately give that to me and I give that to the board for for the approval correct I understand um tradition Al like we did with commissioner Yardley he's a known entity we've interviewed him we've worked with him for years we know the search committee at that point there's very little they could ask any different that we didn't already know about the candidate so it's a point across to the board and the Commissioners have the the the decision to go or not same thing with uh previous commissioner Shri he's known entity we worked with him for over a year um we know his background we know what he's done but he's know his performance as a commissioner um that recommendation then comes to the board for for the approval and that's that's typically what we've done sir I appreciate your opinion entirely but when you read this statute it clearly does not give this board the authority to move forward without the search committee recommending that I mean it clearly states this here in the statute and I will make that motion again to table this to have County Council in how this committee has the authority to move forward with an appointment when clearly states it comes from a search committee and I'll even go one step further than that the resumes of the two individuals were sent to the search committee chair yesterday I don't know how they had time to meet how they had time to even look at the applications for either candidate this has nothing to do with the candidates it has to do with what's transparent and what's right for Sussex County so just one more thing to add and we'll just going to move on because we're not going to be here all day about it but I I don't think you put uh made the point of there's a conflict because commissioner ex commissioner shik appointed some of those search committee members yeah so that's where at least what I understand commissioner is where that stems from there's a conflict there that's my understanding of it I I I do get your point but he can't go through that search committee from my understanding from my understanding for that reason how do we bypass a state statute saying that and according to Mr Wesley we have not appointed two people to that Committee in a long time we have three people that are sitting on that committee currently and have never replaced the other two people to sit on that committee how do we bypass a state statute because we feel he's a conflict I think County Council should make that determination certainly not any of us sitting here Kate you want to chim in I I would have to apologize I'd have to review the statute prior to making a opinion on this I think we are setting up oursel for a terrible situation here for future fair enough you make the motion I get second commissioner Hayden second we could go all in favor for that right all in favor yeah all in favor I I I oppose abstain all right carries welcome to your first meeting I didn't think my first meeting would have to be this way uh I forgot where we're at all right 16 no am I 16 okay resolutions are none 17's Awards of contracts change orders viid there are none 18 Again is a public session from the floor uh everyone step up to the mic that we don't have keep your minute uh comments at three minutes or less and state your name and municipality can I get a motion to open the floor for public comment so moved space commissioner Gro seconds any discussion all in favor I I I oppose abstain carries anybody in the public have any comments no all right seeing none you want to come up yeah come on up Kevin Leia Township mayor I just want to congratulate officially um new commissioner for Sussex County I think he's an excellent choice of this position however lapia Township is going to miss him because he does adhere to those standards he talks about honesty integrity and transparency and I think you just saw it here I think it's excellent addition to this board and again good luck with your [Applause] yours anyone else want all right motion to close the floor for public comment and return to regular business commissioner Hayden c a second second commissioner Henderson uh any discussion all right all in favor say I I oppose abstain carries all right number 19 please please visit the County website for all meeting dates and times at www.sex.nj.us804anddate.com discussion all in favor say I I oppose abstain carries thank you again for coming have a good New Year get home safe Mee at 12