Equipment Purchases, Pleading for Relief, Interim Appointment
& Quality of Life Among Topics Discussed
8/10/20 Caucus
By: Carolyn Maxwell
PERTH AMBOY – The meeting was held at the YMCA theater in order to accommodate no more than 25 people and practice social distancing per Governor Murphy’s order.
Fire Chief Ed Mullen made a quick presentation regarding the purchase of a 1994 Pierce 75′ Quint Rear Mount Ladder from Harrington Park. “We currently have a 2005 Tower Truck that costs too much to repair. The truck will be purchased through our Our Fire & Safety contract. We’re requesting $15,000 towards the price. We have $40,000 in yearly contracts with Fire & Safety. We’ll receive $5,000 to get rid of the old truck. We need to have a backup truck at all times. The new truck will have to pass a Pump & Ariel Test. We need $15,000 by September.”
The next speaker to come forward was Chief Operator Officer of Tropical Cheese Orlando Rodriguez. He stated that Tropical Cheese has been in Perth Amboy for over 40 years. “Over 300 of our employees are Perth Amboy residents. We spend around $700,000 on sewer charges plus other additional charges. We have been approached by other cities to relocate there. We recently received a $1.6 million bill in water & sewer charges. We can’t afford this.”
Councilman Helmin Caba sympathized and told Rodriguez, “I fear and share your frustrations. The water bills are out of control.”
Councilman Joel Pabon spoke up and asked one of other spokesmen from Tropical Cheese to explain in detail what some of the aforementioned items such as the BOD and PSS stands for.
It was explained that the terms refer to a type of solid waste material that they dispose of.
Pabon continued, “We asked the previous Business Administrator to reach out to you, but I don’t know if he ever got a chance. I don’t know if there are any grants available to help you (Tropical Cheese) out.”
Tashilee Vazquez, Assistant Director of City’s Office of Economic & Community Development came up to respond to Pabon’s last statement. She explained, “There was only one option, but the grant was topped at $3,000, and they (Tropical Cheese) didn’t apply.”
Councilwoman Milady Tejeda stated, “We have to see what’s the best way to keep them here.”
Orlando Rodriguez spoke up again, “What goes down the sewer (from Tropical Cheese) helps the ecosystem.”
The council then went on to have a discussion regarding Ordinance No. 1: Adding a loading zone on New Brunswick Avenue (in the vicinity between Oak and Elm Streets).
Councilman Pabon stated, “This is a bad location. It will hurt existing businesses even though I know this new business needs a loading space. Without that space, it will mean double parking for the delivery trucks.”
Councilman Helmin Caba then added, “Someone already painted a yellow line on the curb.”
Council President Bill Petrick spoke up, “The amount of feet that they asked for the loading zone was reduced from 40 feet to 20 feet.”
Ordinance No. 2 was discussed next regarding the Division of Engineering.
Law Director Peter King told Council President William Petrick that the changes that the council requested were made. Petrick let the people in attendance know that they require the person be a licensed Engineer, a Planner, and Public Waste Manager.
Councilman Joel Pabon then questioned an item under Bids which was: A request for proposals received on July 31, 2020 for the following: 1.) Online Tax Sales – Realauction.com – $15 per property.
Pabon asked, “What is it costing us?”
It was decided that they would hold this discussion until Wednesday at the council meeting (8/12/20) so they can get more information.
Luis Perez Jimenez, Director of Operations at the USA-PA (Utility Service Associates Perth Amboy) Middlesex Water Company) came up to explain the bid that was received on August 4, 2020 for the cleaning and lining of the sewer main between Gordon Street and High Street. He explained, “The gas company did not do a good job impacting Rector Street. There was a sinkhole that we had to put a camera in to detect the problem which was between Rector and High Streets.”
There was a lengthy discussion regarding Ordinance No. 2 First Reading regarding Interim Appointment. Pabon started off, “We just made a move and put another individual in place. It’s not right.”
Councilman Helmin Caba said, “It should be retroactive.”
Council President Bill Petrick then spoke up, “The ordinance should be changed to 60 days.”
Pabon said, “We don’t have enough time to work with this person (the new Interim Business Administrator).”
Petrick spoke up again and stated, “With Carr (the former B.A.) who just left and the other Business Administrators, we always had an open-door policy.”
Councilwoman Tejeda remarked, “Things will go wrong if we don’t have leadership with open communications.”
Petrick then continued, “The administration has shown lack of consideration for each of us or the people they dismissed. Wilda (Mayor Diaz) is supposed to give 20 days notice to us (the council) and the person she is going to dismiss. Wilda changed the locks on the city hall doors and didn’t give us the keys. We oversee what is going on. The administration created the need for this ordinance. She insulted us.”
The Council went to the reading of the resolutions.
DPW Director Frank Hoffman came up to discuss R-285-8/20 – Inserting into the 2020 Budget $63,456.39 for the Clean Community Grant. “All of this is for recycling. The BID gives money for the mini-sweepers.”
OEM Director Larry Cattano came up to talk about R-293-8/20 – Authorizing 12 police officer recruits to attend the Basic Course for Police Officers at the Cape May Police Academy in an amount not to exceed $30,000.
“These officers have graduated and are going there for training. There are between 124-126 officers in Perth Amboy. Based on our population, the amount of officers we should have is 135.”
DPW Director Hoffman came up to discuss R-294-8/20 – A proposal to New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for two Electric Powered Sanitation Trucks. He explained, “They are rear-loaders, and they are automated. Everything associated with them will be covered by a grant. Their charging time is anywhere between 8-14 hours. We are getting $1 million worth of trucks. We have to scrap 2 of our older trucks. One of our present one-armed-bandits will be used in other parts of town.”
Councilman Joel Pabon questioned R-295-8/20 – A contract with Suburban Consulting Engineers for the design engineering specifications bid document and construction inspection for improvement to the Washington Park Project in an amount not to exceed $3,950.00.
Pabon questioned, “We spent a lot of money on this park, so what is this for?”
Petrick responded, “It’s to refurbish the basketball court. The sewer lining work was already done. The money was secured by Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez.”
Tashi Vazquez Assistant Director of City’s Office of Economic & Community Development came back up to speak, “$75,000 was allocated for fencing for this park and a bid package is being repaired.”
Pabon then suggested, “It’s good to do the work while the park is closed.”
Vazquez ended the discussion, “The esthetics of the park will be taken into consideration.”
Luis Perez Jimenez, Director of Operations at the USA-PA came up to speak about R-300-8/20 – A contract with A&D Industrial & Marine Repair Company for the replacement of well#5 pump, motor and valves in an amount not to exceed $2,090.00. “The original pump was a stage 3, but this one is a stage 5. This well is 85 feet deep and the state does not allow us to go any deeper.”
Perez Jimenez then spoke about R-301-8/20 – A emergency contract with A.C. Schultes, Inc. for emergency repairs at the Runyan Water Treatment Plant – cleaning of the screen and redevelop of well#5 in an amount not to exceed $25,200.00. “We had to put a camera in the well and we found some clogging on the screen. We cleaned the screen and pump with a brush.”
Tashi Vazquez came up to speak about R-302-8/20 – A contract with Ecolsciences, Inc. as a licensed site remediation professionals to conduct additional site investigation services at the former municipal complex at 366 High Street in an amount not to exceed $30,315.45. “This remediation was started in 2013 and it’s our land and our responsibility.”
Pabon spoke up, “We need new developers. It’s an eyesore to the residents who live there and to anyone who passes by there.”
Council President Petrick agreed, “We need to put a “For Sale” sign on the property. Gas and oil tanks have to be removed on the property and remediated.”
After the resolutions were read, the Interim Business Administrator Patricia Perkins responded to comments regarding the relationship the council had with former B.A.’s. “I gave my personal cell phone number and my email address to all the council members” She then gave an update of the Covid-19 numbers in Perth Amboy. “The latest report is: we have 2,385 cases with 135 deaths. We have to work together (the council and myself) and with the residents and the businesses to move the city forward.”
Council President Petrick asked if anyone had any remarks to make about any of the communications.
Joel Pabon asked to address Communications #4 & #10 which were letters written by resident Stephanie Williams. One letter was regarding addresses 490, 492 & 484 Neville Street complaining about noise, loud music, and fireworks. Her second letter was to the council to take action on the lack of police patrols. Pabon complained, “There is a lack of action regarding our police department.”
Councilman Caba also remarked, “We (the council) were inundated with quality of life concerns from our residents. How many calls did the police receive and how many summonses were given out?”
Pabon then added, “The residents are telling the police who the violators are. I need to be filled in because people are blaming us (the council).”
Council President Petrick said, “I’m not blaming Cattano (Deputy Police Chief).”
Cattano then came up and told the council that Sgt. Simone is handling the case involving the addresses on Neville Street.
Pabon then asked about the lights not working on Elm Street.
Cattano responded, “I contacted the Transit Police and Code Enforcement Director Lozada to get information for me.”
Caba then addressed the complaints about Neville Street, and asked to get complaints overall and their results from quality of life issues.
Public Portion:
Resident Ken Balut came up first. He rattled off some of the recent crimes that happened in Perth Amboy, “There was a rape on Madison Avenue and a shooting at the McDonald’s parking lot and fireworks in the middle of the street. The manpower is misappropriated. You’re paying the former Business Administrator Frederick Carr for three months. Why did Carr leave?”
Petrick stated, “He wasn’t getting along with some people.”
Balut continued, “The prior B.A. (before Carr) had a relationship problem. At the Yacht Club, someone died. Ciro’s had a big party. The Armory had a party, and someone was almost killed.”
Petrick spoke up and said, “We may need to have a special meeting about the incident that happened at Seabra’s Armory.”
Balut concluded his remarks by stating, “These people should be held accountable, and Kushner should not have gotten an extension on his property. Put a “For Sale” sign on it.”
Jeremy Baratta came up next. “How many B.A.’s and Law Directors have there been in the past years?”
Petrick responded, “About 10-11 B.A.’s.”
Baratta continued, “The turnover is unreal. The shooting at McDonald’s, a rape near the police substation (on Madison Avenue), and gunplay all over town. They (the police) take orders from the top. There are several lawsuits going on. People are put in positions they are not qualified for. There are no press releases or anything on Nixle regarding crime. These things are happening in the afternoon. Where is the mayor or the police chief? There are no communications to the public.” He then made a comment regarding R-290-20 – A settlement in the mater of John Benyola vs. The City of Perth Amboy in an amount not to exceed $350,000. “How much is being paid in lawsuits. It is at least $2 million. She (Mayor Diaz) has no idea how to do her job. There was a disabled car in the middle of Fayette and State Street. A police car went by and saw it and did nothing.”
Councilman Fernando was not present at the meeting – excused.
