Perth Amboy Caucus
5/10/21 Caucus
By: Carolyn Maxwell
PERTH AMBOY – The first topic discussed after the two presentations included had to do with bids. The first topic was the Public Safety Complex Gate Improvement. The company who was recommended the bid was Giacorp Contracting Inc. for $237,333.
Fire Chief Ed Mullen came up to explain for the 27% increase. “The price of wood has increased by a lot.”
The second bid for outdoor benches for a cost not to exceed $50,000. It was recommended that the bid be awarded to Boston Bench for the furnishing assembly and installation of the benches downtown.
Tashi Vazquez from the Office of Economic and Community Development said that 24 benches will be installed at this current price. “The old benches that were removed will be placed elsewhere in the city.”
The next topic for discussion was R-252-5/21 – Rescinding R-8-1/21 – A contract for professional services of Interim Business Administrator and oversight services to Government Strategy Group in an amount not to exceed $95,000 for a period of 6 months commencing on January 1, 2021 and expiring June 30, 2021.
Councilman Joel Pabon was not happy with this. “This contract is almost over, and I predicted that you would get candidates soon, but let the process finish out. I’m hearing that they have two candidates for the permanent position for business administrator.”
Council President Bill Petrick responded, “I want substantial information that they do have candidates. We need to let this group know (Government Strategy Group) that we are serious, and they need to come to one of our closed session meetings to give us facts on their search for a new business administrator. They could just give us the resumes of the qualified candidates.”
Joel Pabon concluded the discussion, “Take a good look at this contract and give them an ultimatum.”
The next topic for discussion was R-255-5/21 – A contract for a pre-gate renovation and tree replacement where needed to Garden State Sealing in an amount not to exceed $53,000.
DPW Director Frank Hoffman explained through Zoom, “The kind of grate will be a small wire around the trunk of the trees with bricks as reenforcement around it.”
Tashi Vazquez also came up and said, “NPP funds will be used for this and there is a deadline for these funds to be used.”
Hoffman then explained R-256-5/21 – A contract Seacoast Construction for the 2020 CDBG Road Improvement – Commerce Street, Johnstone Street, and Hall Avenue intersection and to add Huntington and 661 Charles Street as an additional location to the contract.
He explained why it was specifically 661 Charles St. “We have to level part of the ground so that the rainwater flows into the grate.”
The next topic was R-262-5/21 – Endorsing the Housing Plan Element and Fair Share Plan and authorizing and directing submission of the plan to the Superior Court.
Council President Bill Petrick questioned if items can be changed in this plan.
Tashi Vazquez came back up to answer. “This plan was adopted by the Planning Board. If you (the council) make changes to it, it will have to go back to the planning board. It is a living document.”
Petrick then asked, “Will this tie us for up to 10 years?”
Vazquez stated, “Between 5-10 years, you can always go back to update or make changes. The current administration supports this plan fully. We can’t deviate from the Housing. It is part of our obligation.”
The next topic discussed was R-270-5/21 – Outdoor benches.
Councilwoman Rose Morales asked, “Before approving this, can we see if we can repurpose the old benches? The new ones look like they are 8-foot benches.
Vazquez explained, “They are only 6-feet in length and people will not be able to lie down on them.”
DPW Director Hoffman came on Zoom again. “Most of the old benches that were salvageable were refurbished by DPW Supervisor Danny Cleaver. The ones from downtown were placed along Sadowski Parkway.”
Morales then asked, “Can we put the budget back on the agenda to be voted on?”
Council President Petrick explained, “It’s just a starting point of our agenda. We need to see if we need to make changes. We can have individual discussions on the budget.”
Public Portion:
Resident Ken Balut came up to speak. “Why isn’t the double-dipping lawyer here tonight? When King was the Law Director, he would be here. Northgrave is in Edison tonight, even though he may be a good lawyer. This is a joke paying this group (Government Strategy Group) to find a permanent business administrator. McCabe (Middlesex County Democratic Chair) and Harry Pozycki (Founder of the Citizen’s Campaign) are running this town. Remsen (Interim Business Administrator) is a nice guy, but he was a mayor at another town for only one year. We hire people who just take our money. The county is drooling over our money and we don’t get a say in anything.” He then asked, “How much of the $96,000 mentioned in R-252 has been spent? What have they done? Where is their report? When one of our former business administrators (Greg Fehrenbach) was here, he always had answers.”
The next person who came up to speak was Reinaldo Aviles from New Brunswick Today. He appreciated when the department directors are prepared and were able to answer all questions. “You can be a nice person, but not know what you are doing. When are the budget discussions going to take place?”
Council President Petrick responded, “It can be done here, and I also want to motivate the Government Strategy Group to come here in person.”
Aviles continued, “The business administrators and directors are appointed by the mayor. Are you in discussion with Fehrenbach? Have you talked to the mayor about this?”
Petrick responded, “I communicate with Fehrenbach and ask him questions and you are being confrontational. I appreciate Fehrenbach’s knowledge and expertise. I sometimes use him as a resource to bounce things off of. I get smarter by asking questions.”
The meeting was then opened up to people on Zoom.
Resident Carolyn Pozycki Torres spoke first. “I know that Kenny Ortiz’s Office delivered 200,000 boxes of food.” She then spoke about the nonpayment of water bills. “Can’t we get money from the Build Back Better funds to help people pay their water bills or for vaccinations? 25% of the people are not paying their water bills and we know the names of the people who have not paid their bills. Our water quality is disgusting and I had to install a whole water system in my home. How can we not be the recipient of these funds? We are the third most impacted city in the county as far as Covid numbers and other problems related to the pandemic. The application that residents can fill out to get funds is similar to filling out a grant application. Is the water rate increase based on only those who are paying their water bills? Everyone should be held accountable.”
Council President Petrick responded, “The administration has a challenge to reach out to the Tax and Water Departments to see what funds are available to help people pay for the water bills.”
The last speaker was Maria Garcia. She read the following statement via Zoom:
“I find it amazingly offensive that there are certain people who don’t live in this town and come to our council meetings to make inflammatory comments about racism, our rules and our police officers.
Is it ignorance or pure demagoguery when someone accuses a council man of being racist just because he liked a meme on Facebook? What exactly is this individual claiming that is racist? Does his believes trampled over Facts? Did he submitted actual proof that what he claims is racist or is it that today it is fashionable to throw around the word racist just because someone disagrees with others? I am sick and tired of these race baiters to come to our town and tried to divide us. This is a town that is very diverse, and we get along pretty well without any outsiders for political reasons trying to enflamed race divisions.
Who are these people to tell anyone what others should like in Facebook? Are we all supposed to be sheep and think alike? Just because someone has a different point of view that doesn’t make them a racist. If, these people had knowledge of history they would have known that throughout the history of the world all races, creeds and religions have been enslaved or have enslave others. Are we supposed to ignore the facts and only believe their propaganda or else? Since when we are not entitled to think for ourselves?
Stop coming to our town with your political BS and propaganda we don’t need your lies and the absurdities that you spew to try to gain political points and destroy our elected officials.
As per those who don’t live in this city and who think that it was okay for 18-year-old cyclist to ride bicycles on the middle of the road doing stunts and putting themselves, drivers and pedestrians at peril I suggest they come here and drive while this so call “kids” are performing their stunts. I want to see how much joy they will have when these “kids” who aren’t kids touch the hood of their car with their bicycle tire or cut in front of their cars. It is quite upsetting for many who live in Perth Amboy that the media and outsiders who failed to investigate the FACTS make assumptions about our city and our police department.”
“You have got to clean your own house first before you tell other people that they aren’t doing it right.”
– Dan Webster.
The meeting went into executive session at 7:55 p.m. with no further action to be taken. All council members were present in the council chambers.
