1 1 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF NEWARK 2 NEWARK, NEW JERSEY 3 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2022 4 x--------------------------------x 5 IN THE MATTER OF: * 6 THE REGULAR MEETING * TRANSCRIPT 7 OF THE HOUSING AUTHORITY * OF 8 OF THE CITY OF NEWARK * PROCEEDINGS 9 Commencing at 5:00 p.m. * 10 x--------------------------------x 11 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF NEWARK 12 500 BROAD STREET 13 NEWARK, NEW JERSEY 14 B E F O R E: 15 HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF NEWARK 16 NORMA GONZALEZ, President 17 FAUSTO BAEZ, Commissioner 18 BRIAN LOGAN, Commissioner (Absent) 19 ALIF MUHAMMAD, Commissioner 20 IMAM DAUD HAQQ, Commissioner 21 PATRICK COUNCIL, Commissioner 22 23 24 ANTHONY HOFMANN, C.C.R. 25 LICENSE NO. XIO1854 2 1 PROFESSIONAL STAFF: 2 3 VICTOR CIRILO, Executive Director 4 KATIA OLIVEIRA, Executive Assistant 5 ELIO MENA, Counsel 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 3 1 I N D E X 2 PAGE 3 Opening Statement 4 4 Public Participation 5 By: Kim Barnes 7 6 By: Myrna Brown 10 7 By: Dedria Smallwood 17 8 9 Items for Approval 21 10 11 RESOLUTIONS PAGE 12 H-1 through H-22 31 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 4 1 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Good evening, 2 everyone. Today is Thursday, October 27th. I want 3 to welcome everybody to the Housing Authority City 4 of Newark's Board of Commissioners meeting. 5 Welcome, everyone. 6 I am sure everybody knows all of the 7 Board and, Director, could you please -- I'm calling 8 the meeting to order. Director, could you please 9 read the Open Public Meeting Act. 10 MR. CIRILO: Thank you very much, 11 Madam Chair. As required by N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 known 12 as the Open Public Meetings Act, notice of this 13 meeting was provided in the following manner. On 14 December 3, 2021 notice of this meeting specifying 15 the date, time and location was transmitted to the 16 Star Ledger, El Especialito and to the Clerk of the 17 City of Newark. 18 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. I 19 would like Commissioner Haqq to lead us in prayer. 20 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Thanks to all 21 mighty God for bringing us together. All mighty God 22 we give you thanks for giving us health and strength 23 and giving us life this day. We thank you for 24 bringing us together to discuss the affairs of the 25 community and our people and we ask that you bless 5 1 the City and bless our people, bless the 2 Commissioners who sacrifice their time and their 3 efforts to look into the affairs of the people and 4 bless our meeting today and grant us success to its 5 conclusion. Amen. 6 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. 7 Next, I would like Commissioner 8 Council, he will lead us in the Pledge of 9 Allegiance. 10 (Whereupon, the Pledge of Allegiance 11 was recited.) 12 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Director, could 13 you please take a roll call. 14 MR. CIRILO: Thank you, Madam Chair. 15 Commissioner Council. 16 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Present. 17 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 18 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Present. 19 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 20 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Here. 21 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Logan. He 22 asked to be excused. 23 Commissioner Baez. 24 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Present. 25 MR. CIRILO: Chairperson Gonzalez. 6 1 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Present. 2 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, we have a 3 quorum. 4 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. We 5 are going to go next to the public participants. If 6 you could read, please. 7 MR. CIRILO: Thank you very much, 8 Madam Chair. In accordance with the Open Public 9 Meetings Act, the Housing Authority of the City of 10 Newark opens every public meeting for comments of 11 the public. Each person choosing to speak at the 12 meeting will be limited to five minutes to speak on 13 any subject on or off the agenda. All speakers must 14 state their name and address for the record. 15 However, in accordance with N.J.S.A. 10:4-12 nothing 16 in the Act shall construe to limit the discretion of 17 a public body to permit, prohibit or regulate the 18 active participation at any meeting. Therefore, 19 please be advised that the Housing Authority of the 20 City of Newark will not entertain any comments from 21 persons who communicate obscene material, make 22 statements which are considered bias intimidation in 23 which a person intends to intimidate any individual 24 or group because of race, color, religion, gender, 25 handicap, sexual orientation or ethnicity or makes 7 1 comments intending to harass or speak in any 2 offensive language. The person who makes these 3 statements will relinquish their allotted five 4 minutes for public discussion. Any person who 5 persists in speaking out of turn or interrupts the 6 peace and order of the meeting will be escorted off 7 the premises. 8 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. I 9 would like to call up Ms. Barnes, Kim Barnes. 10 MS. BARNES: Good evening, 11 Commissioners, Executive Director. First and 12 foremost before I begin I would like to take a 13 moment of silence for Ms. Fortenberry who was on the 14 tenant association board for Terrell Homes. 15 Okay, I would like to put these items 16 on record. Suggestion of a resolution that boilers 17 and furnace should be given a test run in August so 18 that NHA will know just what needs to be repaired 19 before it starts to get cold. This is for the 20 townhouses, the family scattered sites because we 21 know that the senior citizens is being done. 22 The next item, what is the strategy 23 plan when both managers and assistant managers have 24 emergencies beyond their control and to have 25 personnel in place to replace them immediately 8 1 without delay with residents being served in a 2 properly and timely manner. Once again, what 3 emergencies do Commissioners respond to because I 4 had a problem with that how Stephen Crane got 5 exposure for their carbon monoxide and we had a fire 6 down at Riverside Villa that affected three 7 families, not one, three, but we didn't get nothing. 8 There was nobody there. Like they was there for 9 Stephen Crane. I have a problem with that. And 10 also, why can't family services be called in on 11 these emergencies because they have services that 12 can be offered. 13 I'm requesting a job description of 14 the employees here and their responsibilities. That 15 is public information. I am asking for a resolution 16 that myself and Ms. Brown could be consultants for 17 the TA. Where is the resolution that states hiring 18 new employee for the positions that are vacated. 19 This is a non-profit organization which makes that 20 information public for the residents to know. What 21 happened to the capital funding money for Riverside 22 Villa? Start cutting those salaries from the top 23 and low level employees give them a break. Does the 24 RAB conversion require security deposits. Because 25 we had security. I paid a security deposit when I 9 1 moved into where I'm at and they changed back. 2 Vincent Rouse said y'all changed back. When is the 3 residents going to get a memo where their money is 4 and which bank it is in. What happened to the food 5 for the RAB meeting when we were in the Zoom. 6 That's it for me tonight. 7 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 8 Gonzalez. 9 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes, sir. 10 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Ms. Barnes, 11 E.D., what's the deal on that with the RAD that they 12 don't have to pay more security deposit when they 13 changeover. 14 MR. CIRILO: That's correct. We honor 15 whatever is already on the record. We do understand 16 that we need to send a notification, number one, 17 where the security deposit is deposited. Also, any 18 interest that is earned on the security deposit. 19 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Okay, Ms. 20 Barnes. 21 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Could somebody 22 just turn off their phone. 23 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Ms. Barnes, 24 how many tenants do you have? 25 MS. BARNES: We have a hundred and 10 1 eighty-three units. 2 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Ms. Barnes, 3 this is something I think that you need to be heard, 4 you know, I'm very fond of you even though you beat 5 on me. 6 MS. BARNES: I beat on everybody. 7 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I am telling 8 you I am very fond of you. That's why we got to get 9 back on Facebook so you representing the community 10 they can hear you because I like the way you 11 represent people to the point you come up in my 12 office. See, they don't know about that and jump on 13 me so I just want to thank you for your 14 representation of our tenants because believe me, I 15 had a conversation with you for a half hour and I 16 watched tenants call you while I am sitting right 17 there talking to you so I want to thank you. 18 MS. BARNES: You're welcome. 19 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I hope 20 Commissioner Gonzalez can get those questions 21 answered because it is very good questions. 22 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: We will. Thank 23 you, Ms. Barnes, thank you for your time. 24 Our next speaker, Myrna Brown. 25 MS. BROWN: Good evening, everyone. 11 1 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Good evening, 2 Ms. Brown, how are you? 3 MS. BROWN: First of all, I'd like to 4 say to the Commissioners thanks for your time. For 5 the Director, thanks. Whenever I call you about a 6 situation, you will address it and try to do your 7 best to come to that conclusion to help those 8 residents. 9 My first question is I don't know if 10 my five minutes because I have fifteen questions for 11 y'all. Do this agency follow the IPMC which is the 12 International Property Maintenance Code in the 13 housing regulation in section 404-4. That's a 14 bedroom size. 15 My second question is how can I see 16 the bylaws for this NHA agency and the 17 Commissioners. 18 Third, who do the approval for 19 employee hiring for this agency. 20 Fourth, when you hire an employee, do 21 you do background checks on them. 22 Five, where is the update of the 23 budget for 2022 annual plan or was an amendment done 24 and when is that plan going to be submitted to the 25 public. 12 1 Six, have the new budget for 2023 2 fiscal year done yet or when the new fiscal year 3 start in January. When can we get a copy of that 4 legible reading budget. 5 Seven, how do you apply for Woodlawn 6 apartments. 7 Eight, Local 55 had the contract for 8 Woodlawn for over three years. Out of forty-nine 9 units at that property, nine or eleven is only 10 occupied, you have thirty-eight empty. You removed 11 people out of that property years ago and didn't do 12 the repairs to the unit and you still ain't done 13 repairs for Local 55. For whatever reason you got 14 people putting in there. 15 Nine, can the TA have religious 16 service or open prayer in their community rooms at 17 their meetings. Because at one time HUD said no. I 18 just want to know if it is clarified back. 19 Ten, who meets with the Section 8 20 landlords to put a contract together for renting to 21 these Section 8 tenants. If it is y'all, the city 22 want to know because I want to meet with whoever is 23 doing it. 24 Eleven, how often do this agency meet 25 the landlords for information and is the information 13 1 updated on any changes made in the contract if they 2 have a contract with these private landlord that is 3 renting and getting money for Section 8 voucher 4 people. How often do this agency check on the 5 landlords' rental information because they flip, 6 they change and people are in hardship and don't 7 know where to get their money to or how they are 8 going to be treated with their repairs. Why is the 9 landlord that is accepted agency vouchers asking for 10 two times or three times the rental amount when they 11 already in subsidy. Councilman, no disrespect, take 12 that back to the Council meeting, your colleagues 13 and maybe come together and figure out how the City 14 do that. 15 Fifteen, why are the two RAB Board's 16 that this public housing agency has to follow are 17 treated different. What I mean we have to follow 18 the same rules that HUD said for these two RABs. We 19 are entitled to certain stuff that this RAB for this 20 public housing do. Y'all focus on public housing 21 residents. Section 8 are part of this agency that 22 you still have to see what's going on with those 23 people out in the private sector. That y'all 24 getting money to these people to help to keep them 25 with the same decent and sanitary place to live. We 14 1 got to come to a better conclusion with that. 2 Eighteen, why did the Board approve to 3 purchase and car of forty thousand dollars when the 4 director of human resource gets one hundred 5 forty-three thousand and four hundred dollars salary 6 and they can purchase their own vehicle because they 7 don't come on the site and previously all they gave 8 was five hundred dollars towards the previous people 9 for gas monthly. Why are this agency have a tenants 10 giving blank money orders for security deposit. A 11 tenant was relocated to another apartment and the 12 manager told her not to fill out the money order, 13 just her portion and give it to her so whose name 14 going on that money order. 15 That's the end of my questions today. 16 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 17 Gonzalez. 18 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes, 19 Commissioner. 20 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Ms. Brown, how 21 many Section 8 people do you have, how many people 22 in Section 8? 23 MS. BROWN: I asked that before, but 24 you have over -- I am not sure of the number. 25 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Something like 15 1 six thousand. 2 MS. BROWN: You have more than six 3 thousand. 4 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I am not 5 talking about project based. 6 MS. BROWN: Project based and portable 7 Section 8 is all in one RAB meeting so I can get the 8 breakdown or you can get the breakdown, but I am 9 going to get the breakdown too and I am going to 10 meet with Mr. Knight. I am going to give him a 11 chance. I am not going to say he is not doing it. 12 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Did anybody 13 get back to you for your meeting to be allowed here? 14 MS. BROWN: No, but I will see y'all 15 next month. I have something for y'all. 16 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: How do you 17 communicate with the six or seven thousand people 18 that we are talking about that you represent? 19 MS. BROWN: Normally, before the COVID 20 we would meet. We would meet with Mr. Knight. We 21 set up a day to meet. He sends e-mails out to them 22 and the people come in and we have our meeting. 23 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Because I 24 think we need to get back on Facebook because your 25 voice is heard too. Let me ask you another 16 1 question. You brought it up before. I don't know 2 if it is you or Ms. Barnes that the questions that 3 you asked and they were very good questions when we 4 write it back to you it is not in the record and you 5 are asking good questions that anybody on Section 8 6 would want to know. So we have to figure out a way 7 instead of just sending you the letter to answer 8 your questions, there is six, seven thousand Section 9 8 people in Newark want answers. 10 MS. BROWN: Right. 11 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: To at least 12 five of those fifteen questions because I want 13 answers to about ten of them, you follow me? So we 14 have to come up with some way that it becomes part 15 of the record or it is read into the record our 16 answers because you got good questions and, again, I 17 thank you too also. 18 MS. BROWN: Thank you. It is supposed 19 to be legal that you have a reporter there. 20 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you, 21 Ms. Brown. Thank you so much and we will send 22 you -- just for the record, we want to indicate that 23 you are one of the inspectors. 24 MS. BROWN: Right, but I don't put 25 that here. 17 1 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: But I wanted to 2 put that for the record. Thank you so much. 3 Our next speaker, Ms. Dedria 4 Smallwood. 5 MS. SMALLWOOD: Hello. Good evening, 6 everyone. 7 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Good evening, 8 Ms. Smallwood. 9 MS. SMALLWOOD: I haven't been up here 10 speaking in a minute, but anyway I'm speaking in 11 reference to an incident that took place on my site 12 with me. I became a victim some time ago. It 13 wasn't really long ago, some months ago and I 14 brought it to this agency attention to the Board of 15 Commissioners attention about what I had to endure 16 at the hands of the tenants and their guests because 17 they feel like since I won't accept them and their 18 negative lifestyle that I am a problem. Now, the 19 thing is I'm not supposed to accept them with their 20 negative lifestyle. They think that the hallway is 21 their personal apartment or something and when 22 people come in the building, that is not like it is 23 a lobby where I reside at. It's just a walkway 24 entrance and exit, but they feel like they have the 25 right to hang out and when you come in your own 18 1 building, you got to greet them and if you don't you 2 are a problem. Now, I never even heard of nothing 3 like this because I don't know them. They are not 4 there to visit me. They are there to visit my 5 neighbors and they are not there for a good thing, 6 they are there for a negative thing. So of course 7 I'm not going to condone their behavior because it's 8 not what's supposed to be going on. This stuff is 9 not legal, you know, where we live at is not for 10 them to sell their drugs, hang out, socialize, play 11 music. That's not what it is about. Unless you 12 giving a party and it is coming from your apartment, 13 but anyway I became a victim because the residents 14 there updated their associates that was in the 15 hallway selling drugs and, of course, I had to get 16 into a physical altercation and then I had to still 17 have to see this person because security as well as 18 some of the officers said I don't have a name which 19 I don't know the woman because she is no one that I 20 would interact with because she's not my equal 21 because she is younger people age. So, of course, I 22 couldn't pursue no type of charges, but yet still I 23 still have to see this person because she comes 24 there on a regular to socialize with the residents 25 in the building. 19 1 Now, if I reported this to the 2 commission as well as to management everyone knows 3 what is going on as well as security. How come is 4 it that I have to keep calling down or keep making 5 complaints or call security and let them know the 6 update on -- or the weather about to break so maybe 7 you should, you know, continue to check the 8 building. I shouldn't have to keep reiterating 9 something like this. Once you report something one 10 time those notices should go out automatically. 11 Manager is supposed to manage the site, not put 12 residents in harm's way and then you playing sides. 13 You are telling those tenants it is her complaining. 14 If it was up to me, you know, I don't know what they 15 telling them, but I know they ain't telling them 16 nothing right because if they was they wouldn't 17 continue to behave in that fashion. 18 Then when I call SOC there is times 19 they got an attitude because they don't want to hear 20 it like I'm the problem because I am standing up for 21 my safety. Now, if the shoe was on the other foot 22 they would do the same. Housing do not even let 23 their workers come and act with the victims certain 24 buildings that is active they don't come clean the 25 building because they tell them they have to watch 20 1 out for their safety, but what about residents that 2 is innocent. It ain't like I am a part of it. It 3 is not like I condone it. It is not like I tell 4 them come here and hang out and do as you please, I 5 don't. I mean residents don't know how to treat 6 their neighbors the way they want to be treated, but 7 if they are doing a negative lifestyle there is no 8 right way to treat them because they want you to be 9 a part of what they are a part of. So I'm in the 10 middle of back stabbers, you know. I call someone 11 to make my complaint and then they are telling the 12 tenants that it's me or either SOC is telling 13 whoever else, you know, letting them know it is me 14 as well, but I'm quite sure I am not the only one 15 complaining about this. Maybe I am, I don't know. 16 But anyway, that's the nature of me 17 speaking here tonight, but managers are supposed to 18 know how to manage their property and some of them 19 came from projects themselves and they know the 20 mentality of people. You don't even have to come 21 from a project really managers manage your site and 22 that means keep everyone safe and out of harm's way. 23 That's my reason for speaking and it gets back to 24 them whenever I come down here and speak because 25 they feel like I'm the problem. 21 1 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you so 2 much, Ms. Smallwood. I'm going to ask you and nice 3 seeing you again, but I am going to ask you we have 4 Chief Douglas, our security director here, could you 5 please meet with him after this meeting. Could you 6 meet with Ms. Smallwood? 7 MR. DOUGLAS: Sure. 8 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 9 Gonzalez, what site is this? 10 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Bradley Court. 11 Thank you so much and he's here so if you could just 12 meet. 13 We are going to now go into the items 14 for approval and the first item we are going to have 15 is the Board report, September Board report. 16 MR. CIRILO: We have resolutions 17 listed, but it might be out of order. I know we 18 usually do the Board report so I will ask the staff 19 there is a lot of typos so please make sure you 20 address those typos. 21 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: The Board 22 report is first. 23 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 24 Gonzalez, which one are we doing first? 25 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: The September 22 1 Board report. 2 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I have some 3 questions. 4 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes, sir. 5 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Again, the 6 report says we have five hundred vacancies. I know 7 we just made -- got some new help, but I had came in 8 the work session and I was talking about last month 9 that we had a meeting that our Director Khalif had 10 did, Thomas had did most of the turnovers. Do we 11 have a plan yet or do you want to wait for your new 12 hire to come up with a plan or is that going to be 13 still left up to him, E.D.? 14 MR. CIRILO: Thank you very much, 15 Madam Chair. We are trying to find the right 16 balance, Commissioner. Right now our focus is our 17 friends at HUD coming in to do inspections so right 18 now all hands on deck are current structural issues. 19 We have added additional staff. We have been 20 deploying them to the sites where we are targeting 21 to increase those scores, but nevertheless Director 22 Thomas and site staff also do have some help, some 23 additional help not only the force account, but 24 through its maintenance department addressing 25 turnovers but right now we are going to take a 23 1 little step back and focus on these inspection 2 scores which are critical. We need to make sure 3 that our residents are enjoying a decent quality of 4 life and that is why we need to get those scores up. 5 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: E.D., how many 6 apartments do we have vacant now that is available 7 now? 8 MR. CIRILO: Available we have 9 according to this report we have twenty-eight 10 available apartments, but this was as of September. 11 So this is a snapshot. It is about forty-five days 12 behind. I can't tell you what the actual number is. 13 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Could you get 14 back to me on that? 15 MR. CIRILO: Yes. 16 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: So how long 17 you think this turn around is going to be? What we 18 are really saying is we are not going to be able to 19 turnover apartments for a period of time. 20 MR. CIRILO: Not necessarily, 21 Commissioner. We are working on turnovers, however, 22 like I mentioned, the speed that we would want to 23 right now because of all these inspections coming up 24 into the month of December and we just -- Director 25 Thomas just informed me we just got dates for 24 1 December so our manpower is going to be busy in the 2 month of November addressing a lot of structural 3 issues. We do have staff working on turnovers, but 4 not at the level we want. Hopefully, as the year 5 turns, that same level of deployment will be put 6 into this effort to get these vacancy rates lower. 7 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: So are they 8 going to do it when they do the inspections in 9 December like you just found out, is that going to 10 be for the other seventeen or sixteen buildings that 11 we have? 12 MR. CIRILO: That's correct. They 13 usually give us about forty-five day notice before 14 they come in so we just got that notification for 15 the first and second week of December. We still 16 have, you are correct, about seventeen sites that 17 need to be up for inspection. 18 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I heard that 19 if some of the sites that failed that are we allowed 20 to appeal some of the sites because I know there was 21 some argument or some disagreement on some of the 22 phase. Are we allowed to appeal that? 23 MR. CIRILO: Yes. That goes back to 24 our needs for continuous training. REAC does allow 25 for some of the scores to be appealed in twofold. 25 1 Number one, if, for example, if a deficiency is 2 under rehabilitation or is in process of being 3 repaired, we just need to show either a work order 4 or a contract that that matter is being addressed, 5 for example, a punctured roof or issue with a roof 6 or roof fan. If we have a roof company under 7 contract actively addressing that, we can challenge 8 that deficiency and we can get those points back. 9 So it is a matter of really understanding how these 10 things work and we are hoping that for the rest of 11 the inspection into the next cycle our staff skills 12 are sharpened to really understand how the REAC 13 protocol works. 14 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I heard you on 15 Municipal Council saying you are going to take 16 charge of that. That you are certified. Is anybody 17 else in the authority certified to be a certified 18 inspector for REAC? 19 MR. CIRILO: Yes, if you're a 20 certified UPCS inspector, raise your hand. I guess 21 only me. 22 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Did anybody 23 raise their hand? 24 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: No. 25 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: So nobody 26 1 other than you? 2 MR. CIRILO: Yes. 3 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Can we hire 4 somebody to help you? 5 MR. CIRILO: Absolutely. 6 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Because you 7 have fourteen, sixteen buildings, one man. Just a 8 thought. What you think about that. Maybe hire 9 somebody with some certification because I know he 10 can't do it all by himself in forty-five days. 11 MR. CIRILO: Absolutely. We are going 12 to give thought to that. Thank you, Commissioner, 13 that is not a bad thought. 14 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you, 15 Commissioner. And I am going to add to that very 16 good point and I was going to say something similar. 17 Since we are going into staff training and all that, 18 that's something that our current employees should 19 look into, Director, if you do see if we can get 20 in-house staff certified for that. I don't know 21 what it takes, but let's look into that through HR. 22 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 23 Gonzalez, let me ask you something. Section 8, how 24 we doing with Section 8 this month, the report on 25 Section 8? 27 1 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Is that part 2 still in the report, right? 3 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: It is still 4 part of the report. 5 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Remember these 6 are September reports, right? 7 MR. CIRILO: Yes. Any specific 8 question, Commissioner. 9 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: How many 10 vouchers did we issue in the month of September? 11 MR. CIRILO: As of, let's see, we are 12 looking at page twelve active vouchers. We have 13 sixty-four ninety-six vouchers issued. We do have 14 staff here. They may have that number available. 15 Mr. Duane Knight, do you have a second through the 16 Chair. 17 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes, if Mr. 18 Knight would like to come up. If you don't have the 19 information, you can always give it to us in 20 writing. 21 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Let him talk. 22 MR. KNIGHT: No new vouchers have been 23 issued per the HUD review of ensuring that we don't 24 overspend. 25 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: First of all, 28 1 Duane Knight, what was the response to the question? 2 MR. KNIGHT: No new vouchers were 3 issued in the month of September, Commissioner 4 Gonzalez. 5 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: No new 6 vouchers. Is there a reason for that? 7 MR. CIRILO: Yes, I can explain. 8 Commissioner, the way the voucher program operates 9 is we get an allocation of HAP meaning you 10 graphically think of it as a bag of funds and then 11 what we have to do is take the payments and figure 12 out how many vouchers we can extrapolate from that 13 bag of funds. 14 When we are getting close to the end 15 of year, HUD flags us and tells us, look, you don't 16 want to overspend so we don't want to put more 17 vouchers on the street than funds that we have in 18 that bag. So right now we are at that stage where 19 we have to slow down and figure out where we are for 20 the calendar year before we are given the green 21 light again to release more vouchers on the street. 22 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: We probably 23 won't be issuing no more vouchers in '22. 24 MR. CIRILO: We can't answer that 25 until the VMS goes out. It is a report that sends 29 1 out once a month to HUD and that VMS is a tracking 2 mechanism that tells us whether we can continue or 3 just hold off. 4 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Please give 5 that to the Commissioners because that's deep that 6 we can't issue any vouchers, that's deep, but thank 7 you for your honest answer. 8 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you so 9 much. 10 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Thank you for 11 your honest answer. 12 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: We always 13 appreciate that. Now, that September Board report, 14 do we approve? 15 MR. CIRILO: We have to take a motion. 16 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: I will 17 entertain a motion to approve. 18 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Motion. 19 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Second. 20 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Director. 21 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, on the 22 motion. 23 Commissioner Council. 24 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 25 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 30 1 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 2 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 3 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 4 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Logan. 5 Commissioner Baez. 6 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 7 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 8 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 9 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 10 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. 11 Next item, just approving the last 12 month's Board transcripts. 13 Roll call. 14 MR. CIRILO: We need a notion. 15 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Motion. 16 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Second. 17 MR. CIRILO: This is the motion to 18 approve the Board transcripts. 19 Commissioner Council. 20 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 21 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 22 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 23 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 24 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 25 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Logan. 31 1 Commissioner Baez. 2 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 3 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 4 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 5 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 6 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. 7 Could we please go into the 8 resolutions. First one, please, Director. 9 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, the first 10 resolution reads resolution amending Resolution 11 H-22-24-03-03 and authorizing the execution of a 12 Redevelopment Agreement with an affiliate of the New 13 Jersey Performing Arts Center Corporation, NJPAC, 14 for a portion of the former Seth Boyden Terrace site 15 and ratifying all prior actions taken in furtherance 16 thereof. 17 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 18 Gonzalez. 19 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes, sir. 20 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I am a little 21 confused, E.D., because we got an amendment also. 22 When I was looking for the amendment I see it in 23 March and I know you were saying that we have to do 24 this in order to get the waiver, but it is also an 25 amendment in July 28 so there is like two 32 1 amendments, was July 28, 2022 and there was the same 2 resolution. 3 MR. CIRILO: Sure. 4 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I have it here 5 if you want me to send it down. 6 MR. CIRILO: We have Mr. Greg Good of 7 our redevelopment department. He can address 8 questions as to why this resolution needs to come up 9 before us again. 10 MR. GOOD: Madam Chair, Commissioners, 11 Executive Director, to your question, Commissioner, 12 the initial resolution for NJPAC was signed in 13 March. The amendment that we provided in June as 14 well as -- excuse me, July was relative to financing 15 so it still has -- that one came after the Mayor's 16 letter and the RAB Board meeting as per the HUD 17 requirements. The initial resolution from March did 18 not, that is why this amended resolution is before 19 you so that this initial action can occur subsequent 20 to the Mayor's letter and the RAB meeting. 21 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: So I am 22 missing the July. What was the July amendment? 23 MR. GOOD: July was about financing. 24 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Under the same 25 resolution title, under the same number? It was 33 1 under the same number. 2 MR. GOOD: It is part and parcel to 3 the same deal, but that was so NJPAC could address 4 some financial concerns or financial documentation 5 that they needed. 6 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Okay. Thank 7 you. 8 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. If 9 no one else has anymore questions, can I have a 10 motion, please. 11 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Motion. 12 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Second. 13 Director. 14 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Council. 15 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 16 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 17 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 18 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 19 Commissioner Baez. 20 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 21 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 22 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 23 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 24 Gonzalez. 25 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes, sir. 34 1 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I didn't vote 2 on this because this is like I told you before, this 3 is a blank check resolution where the E.D. is 4 allowed to do and I don't believe in giving anybody 5 a blank check especially in 2022, thank you. 6 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. 7 Next item on the agenda, Director. 8 MR. CIRILO: Yes, Madam Chair, the 9 resolution reads resolution authorizing the 10 Executive Director to award a project to Crown 11 Village South Orange Avenue, Inc. subject to the 12 execution of a Development Agreement to develop 13 affordable housing units in Newark's West Ward. 14 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 15 Gonzalez. 16 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes, sir. 17 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I had an issue 18 that I had e-mailed the Commissioners and the E.D. 19 concerning the -- I think it is a hundred and 20 seventy-nine and I think the developer was saying 21 that we could do that. Like I was saying my concern 22 was that low-income people a lot of times when we do 23 deals and we help people get vouchers, our people 24 cannot qualify to get in. Sometimes it's a credit 25 score or something else, but I like our criteria at 35 1 Newark Housing Authority where if a person if they 2 are not a murderer or not a real criminal or sex 3 rapist or something like that, we give them an 4 opportunity. So we have a lot of joint ventures out 5 here right now beautiful buildings that our people 6 can't get in. That concerns me and what I was 7 asking the Commissioners I wanted to add to the 8 resolution if possible that the hundred and 9 seventy-nine that they will use our criteria, the 10 Newark Housing Authority criteria on taking the 11 people in, okay, so I don't know if the developer 12 came and said something to me privately. 13 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you, 14 Commissioner. What I was going to ask to defer this 15 item for today. I asked myself and Commissioner 16 Council, asked the Director to have a meeting with 17 the West Ward Councilman just so we can all be in 18 accord. So for today we are just going to ask for 19 the deferment. We do support the project, we do 20 support affordable housing, but we would just like 21 to see more of the project, some diagrams, et 22 cetera, et cetera so can I please have a motion to 23 defer the item. 24 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Motion to 25 defer. 36 1 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Second. 2 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Director, could 3 you take a roll call. 4 MR. CIRILO: On the motion to defer, 5 Madam Chair. 6 Commissioner Council. 7 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 8 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 9 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 10 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 11 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 12 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 13 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 14 MR. CIRILO: Chairperson Gonzalez. 15 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 16 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 17 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. 18 Next item on the agenda, please. 19 MR. CIRILO: The next item reads 20 resolution authorizing the amendment of Resolution 21 H-17-22-06-01 and authorize an amended contract with 22 ACB Consulting Services for the continued provision 23 of consulting services on a month-to-month basis 24 without interruption commencing at the end of the 25 previous contract term on June 22, 2022 and provided 37 1 the aggregate contract does not exceed the 2 previously authorized amount of four million eight 3 hundred forty-three thousand dollars. 4 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move it 5 for you. 6 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: I will second it. 7 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: I wanted to ask 8 for a motion first. 9 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move it 10 for you. 11 MR. CIRILO: On the motion. 12 Commissioner Council. 13 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: You have -- 14 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: I had some 15 questions. 16 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: I will second it. 17 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: So can we take 18 a vote, Director. 19 MR. CIRILO: Absolutely, yes. 20 Commissioner Council. 21 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 22 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 23 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 24 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 25 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 38 1 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 2 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 3 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 4 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 5 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 6 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next item, 7 please. 8 MR. CIRILO: Yes, Madam Chair, the 9 next item reads resolution approving the fiscal year 10 2023 annual operating and capital budgets and 11 authorizes their submission to the New Jersey 12 Division of Local Government Services. 13 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Could I have a 14 motion? 15 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 16 Gonzalez, I'd like to say something about this if 17 possible. 18 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 19 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I had the 20 pleasure to be on the committee. We went over this 21 forward and backwards and backwards and forward. 22 Some of the things I thought was underpriced and 23 some of the things was overpriced, but what I was 24 told by our financial person that we can always make 25 a resolution and move something to another position 39 1 and I need to put that to be on the record, you 2 know, so because, for instance, we were talking 3 about Baxter Crane and there was a million dollars 4 for four elevators and I thought that was a little 5 crazy, one site gets all brand new elevators and we 6 have so many troubled elevators. My understanding 7 the E.D. is you are saying that even though we are 8 presenting this that it can be changes made 9 afterwards. 10 MR. CIRILO: That's correct, 11 Commissioner. 12 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Okay, so the 13 committee, we approve this. 14 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: First of all, I 15 want to thank the financial committee for meeting on 16 this and reporting back so thank you and could we 17 have a motion. 18 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move 19 it. 20 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Second. 21 MR. CIRILO: Thank you, Commissioners. 22 Commissioner Council. 23 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 24 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 25 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 40 1 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 2 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 3 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 4 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 5 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 6 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 7 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 8 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next item on 9 the finance. 10 MR. CIRILO: Yes, the next item reads 11 resolution approving the Newark Housing Authority's 12 2023 annual budget for the Asset Management 13 Projects, the Central Office Cost Center, the Urban 14 Renewal program and the Section 8 Housing Choice 15 Voucher program for the fiscal year beginning 16 January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023. 17 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Could I have a 18 motion, please. 19 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move it 20 for you. 21 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. 22 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Second. 23 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, on the 24 motion. 25 Commissioner Council. 41 1 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 2 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 3 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 4 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 5 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 6 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 7 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 8 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 9 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 10 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 11 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next item, 12 finance. 13 MR. CIRILO: Thank you, Madam Chair, 14 the next item reads resolution confirming and 15 authorizing the submission of the fiscal year 2022 16 capital fund program award of twenty-seven million 17 three hundred fifty-two thousand five hundred 18 fifty-one and CFP five-year action plan, 2022-2026 19 to the United States Department of Housing and Urban 20 Development's Energy and Performance Information 21 Center system. 22 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Motion, please. 23 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move it 24 for you. 25 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Second. 42 1 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, on the 2 motion. 3 Commissioner Council. 4 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 5 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 6 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 7 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 8 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 9 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 10 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 11 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 12 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 13 MR. CIRILO: The motion passes. 14 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next item, the 15 resolution on security. 16 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, the next 17 resolution reads resolution amending resolution 18 H-19-25-04-03 and authorizing amended contracts with 19 Gateway Group, Prime Security and Pro-Cops for the 20 provision of armed and unarmed security services at 21 various properties increasing the contract amount by 22 ten million for an aggregate amount not to exceed 23 thirty million. 24 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Chair. 25 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Commissioner 43 1 Baez. 2 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Before I vote on 3 this resolution I'd like to go back. Why we paying 4 ten million dollars to thirty million dollars? I 5 expect if we are going to hire somebody to be local 6 residents. 7 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 8 Gonzalez. 9 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 10 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yesterday, the 11 E.D. was saying that it was confusing, little 12 confusion with this resolution and I think he should 13 explain it best. He explained it to us yesterday, 14 but I think he should explain it better because it 15 appears they were getting a ten million dollar 16 raise. 17 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Well, there is 18 two items here and I was just acknowledging my 19 Commissioners first to see if they have any 20 questions. But the first item is, of course, I 21 would like our Director to speak on the increase and 22 the other item I asked for is I wanted the 23 representatives from the three companies to be here 24 just so that we will put a face with the company's 25 name because we do have new Commissioners here and, 44 1 Director, could you please respond to the financial 2 question first. 3 MR. CIRILO: Yes, absolutely, Madam 4 Chair. Thank you very much. 5 Yes, we met with the finance committee 6 yesterday and just a quick summary of the 7 explanation of the contracts are awarded for a 8 certain amount of time, certain amount of years or a 9 cap. If we exceed the cap prior to the end of the 10 term that had been contracted, then either the 11 contract ends or we have the opportunity to increase 12 that cap so that services go on uninterrupted. In 13 this case we reached the cap, a four-year cap of 14 twenty million and that was for the years '19 15 through 2022 so in order for us to complete the 16 service, we will need to inject an additional ten 17 million dollars to finish off the contract term that 18 we had originally allocated in 2019. 19 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: What was the 20 increase related to? 21 MR. CIRILO: Sure. Again, it is 22 related to the fact that we reached that cap earlier 23 than originally intended. Partly -- well, partly or 24 two reasons why. Number one, we had the COVID-19 25 pandemic. We had to deploy extra personnel 45 1 especially during quarantines, place folks in front 2 of senior buildings to safeguard all of our tenants 3 to make sure that there weren't violations of the 4 policies that we had put into place at that time and 5 for that period. In addition to that we do have 6 situations where additional personnel is deployed 7 whenever there are additional -- I'm sorry, whenever 8 there are incidents that occur. At times we have 9 been experiencing additional levels of crime and it 10 requires us to deploy more personnel so between the 11 two we unfortunately exhausted that cap. The one 12 important item and one caveat that anything that was 13 related to COVID-19 was covered by CARES financing 14 so all this money is not coming from the treasury of 15 the Newark Housing Authority, it's partly funded by 16 CARES funds that were extended at that time during 17 the pandemic so we were able to itemize that and 18 write that off and not affect our budgets. 19 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Commissioner 20 Council. 21 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: What were the 22 contract terms? 23 MR. CIRILO: Sure. The contract term 24 is for five years. Initial year was year 2019. 25 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: It is 2019 46 1 until what, 2023 or 2022? When does the contract 2 term end? When does it begin, when does it end? 3 MR. CIRILO: Sure. The first month 4 was June of 2019 and it ends in 2024. 5 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: So the 6 assumption is that the dollars that is associated 7 with the assessment will carry you through to 2024? 8 MR. CIRILO: It will carry us through 9 the first initial period. We have the ability to 10 extend once again and amend it if we have additional 11 expenses. So, basically, we can extend additional 12 one year options at the end of the contract term 13 which we probably require additional injections or 14 the Housing Authority may decide to go out and bid 15 out the work again. 16 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 17 Gonzalez, I don't understand that. 18 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Excuse me, 19 Commissioner Muhammad, I just wanted to make sure 20 that Commissioner Council has completed his 21 questions, please, thank you. 22 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: No problem. 23 MR. CIRILO: So I'm sorry if I 24 confused you, Commissioner Council. So what I was 25 trying to say is that the initial -- these contracts 47 1 are for an initial three-year term with two one-year 2 extensions so that's the five-year period that I was 3 speaking of. So this ten million is to finish the 4 first three years of the contract which would end 5 this calendar year. So in order for us to continue 6 and extend those one year options, we would have to 7 inject more funds into the contract for the last 8 three years. 9 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Why don't we go 10 back out to bid? 11 MR. CIRILO: Well, we hold that right 12 to either bid it out again or exercise the 13 extension. So why we go out to bid, it is 14 discretionary. 15 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Interesting. 16 Also, just for the point of reference and clarity 17 based off of all the information that you just 18 indicated to us, that meant that the resolution is 19 not written correctly. I just want to point that 20 out. One, the resolution is not written correctly. 21 Based off that I am just asking for a motion to 22 defer. 23 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move 24 it. 25 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: So could we 48 1 have a motion to defer. 2 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move 3 it. 4 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: I asked for the 5 motion so let's take the vote. 6 MR. CIRILO: Can I get clarification 7 as to what the issue is? 8 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: We have a 9 motion on the floor. 10 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Motion. 11 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Council. 12 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 13 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 14 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 15 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 16 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 17 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 18 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 19 MR. CIRILO: Chairperson Gonzalez. 20 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 21 If I'm not out of order now what we 22 would like -- what I would like is a follow up 23 meeting next week as soon as possible with our 24 security committee and yourself and finance so that 25 we can get these clarifications. I know we have a 49 1 financial committee -- security committee, but I 2 would like to be part of this meeting so I am going 3 to call a special meeting maybe two weeks from now 4 so that the full Board can be part of it. 5 MR. CIRILO: Okay, so what is that 6 date, Katia? 7 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: It has to be 8 advertised so I'm giving the captain enough time. 9 MS. OLIVEIRA: Two weeks from now 10 would be our work session for next month. 11 MR. CIRILO: We have a work session 12 already scheduled two weeks from now so it doesn't 13 have to be a special meeting. 14 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Okay, great. 15 So that's good. So all right, just send us the 16 information and we will cover it during our work 17 session. 18 MR. CIRILO: Can someone send me a 19 list of the information that is requested? 20 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 21 Gonzalez. 22 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes, sir. 23 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Could we make 24 sure the vendors -- I appreciate they were here 25 because I never met them. I've been here three 50 1 years, I never met them. 2 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes, I was 3 going to do that. 4 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I would still 5 like to meet them. 6 MR. DOUGLAS: I will make sure they 7 are here. 8 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: If you could 9 introduce who is here just a quick intro who is 10 sitting with you. 11 MR. DOUGLAS: Today you asked last 12 week about a company that could fill in just in case 13 we had a problem and a local company so I have one 14 security CPT. I have the representatives from there 15 are here and the next meeting I will make sure 16 everyone else is here. 17 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Do we have 18 representatives from these three companies? 19 MR. DOUGLAS: No. 20 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Who is 21 representing Pro-Cop today, who is representing 22 Gateway Security and who is representing Prime 23 Security? That is what we asked for and I 24 appreciate you going out and looking at other 25 security firms that are local and minority, but I 51 1 was hoping that they would be here. We have three 2 new Commissioners and the names, the companies we 3 want to just like what the Councilman and 4 Commissioner Alif just said, we want to just meet 5 them so the answer is no one was here. 6 MR. DOUGLAS: Right, but I can make 7 that happen. 8 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: We expected 9 them to be here because this was the voting session 10 or last week. So thank you. Could we just go to 11 the next item in operations. 12 MR. CIRILO: Before we do that, for 13 the record, may I ask for guidance maybe a list of 14 clarification or questions so that we can draft this 15 to the wishes of the Board. 16 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: We will. 17 MR. CIRILO: Thank you. 18 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next item under 19 operations, please. 20 MR. CIRILO: Yes, Madam Chair, the 21 next item reads resolution executing a contract with 22 Selph-Ali Consulting to assist the operations 23 department with professional development, develop 24 accountability measures, develop performance 25 measurements and assist the operations department in 52 1 achieving its goals for an initial period of one 2 year with the option to renew for one additional 3 year in an amount not to exceed sixty-two thousand 4 seven hundred twenty per year for a maximum contract 5 amount of a hundred and twenty-five thousand four 6 hundred forty or two years, whichever comes first. 7 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Comments? 8 Questions? First of all, I want to thank you for 9 sending me that job description, the duties. I hope 10 that everyone received it so if no questions, I 11 would like to go to a motion. 12 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move it 13 for you. 14 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Second. 15 MR. CIRILO: Thank you, Madam Chair. 16 Commissioner Council. 17 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 18 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 19 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 20 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 21 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 22 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 23 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 24 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 25 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 53 1 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 2 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next 3 resolution, please. 4 MR. CIRILO: Yes, Madam Chair. The 5 next resolution reads resolution authorizing the 6 Executive Director to execute a contract and make 7 any necessary corrections with W.B. Mason Company 8 for office supplies, paper, technology, break room 9 supplies, coffee, facilities maintenance, food 10 service, furniture, industrial packaging, school 11 supplies and medical supplies for an initial period 12 of two years with two one-year options to renew in 13 an amount not to exceed seventy thousand per year 14 for a maximum contract amount not to exceed two 15 hundred eighty thousand dollars for four years, 16 whichever comes first. 17 Do we have a representative of W.B. 18 Mason here? 19 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: If they could 20 just introduce themselves. 21 MR. RIVERA: Good evening. My name is 22 Alberto Rivera. I'm a sales representative for W.B. 23 Mason. Been with W.B. Mason for twenty-one years. 24 We offer a partnership with the Housing Authority of 25 Newark and their needs on office products from A 54 1 through Z. We have three contracts that we offer to 2 the Housing Authority which is the state contract 3 for the State of New Jersey, the Somerset County 4 with Somerset County Co-op as well as the Middlesex 5 County Co-op. So we offer all three contracts to 6 get a better price. 7 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. 8 Before we take a motion, I would just like to add 9 that W.B. Mason the actual company does work with 10 one of our local Newark paper co-op companies in the 11 City of Newark so we want to thank you for doing 12 that as well. 13 MR. RIVERA: Thank you. 14 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Could I have a 15 motion, please. 16 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Motion. 17 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will second 18 it. 19 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, on the 20 motion. 21 Commissioner Council. 22 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 23 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 24 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 25 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 55 1 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 2 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 3 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 4 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 5 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 6 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 7 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next item for 8 procurement still. 9 MR. CIRILO: Yes, Madam Chair, the 10 next item reads resolution executing a contract with 11 Jewel Electric, L.L.C. for electrical equipment and 12 supplies statewide for a period of two years with 13 two one-year options for a period of two years with 14 two one-year options in an amount not to exceed a 15 hundred and fifty thousand dollars per year for a 16 maximum contract amount of six hundred thousand or 17 four years, whichever comes first. 18 MR. MILLER: Madam Chair, they weren't 19 here last week. 20 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Could I have a 21 motion, please. 22 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: I will move it. 23 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will second 24 it. 25 MR. CIRILO: On the motion, Madam 56 1 Chair. 2 Commissioner Council. 3 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 4 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 5 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 6 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 7 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 8 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 9 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 10 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 11 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 12 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 13 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next item, 14 please. 15 MR. CIRILO: Next item, Madam Chair, 16 reads resolution executing a contract with Amazon 17 Business to purchase office and IT supplies, 18 janitorial and sanitation products and maintenance 19 and repair supplies for an initial period of two 20 years with options to renew for two additional 21 one-year periods in an amount not to exceed two 22 hundred fifty thousand dollars per year for a 23 maximum contract amount not to exceed one million 24 dollars for four years, whichever comes first and 25 provided the associated OMNIA contract remains in 57 1 effect. 2 MR. SPRINGER: Good evening, Board. 3 My name is James Springer. I am the senior director 4 for OMNIA Partners and I am representing Amazon 5 today as they could not be here due to a previous 6 conflict. So our role is the cooperative contract 7 vehicle that you piggyback off of to use a contract 8 like this. I am also representing a number of other 9 suppliers here that are here today as well so we are 10 a partner. And I just want to make myself 11 available. We have national, regional and local 12 representation here today to support the Housing 13 Authority and so I want to make sure to address 14 Amazon and Terminix can't be here today, but any 15 questions that I can try to answer, I will do today 16 for you. If not, we can get them here on the next 17 session for you. 18 I'd also like to commend the Board on 19 taking this step. Maria is doing a fantastic job 20 with the cooperative contracts and it is a mirroring 21 process like sister agencies in New York State or 22 Philadelphia that use cooperative contracts for 23 their benefit every year. So thank you. I will 24 take any questions. 25 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 58 1 Gonzalez. 2 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you, sir. 3 Commissioner. 4 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: E.D., do they 5 have to be responsible for our Section 3 program? 6 MR. CIRILO: Yes, all vendors are 7 required to comply with our Section 3 program, yes. 8 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Sir, are you 9 familiar with that? 10 MR. SPRINGER: I am not. 11 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: The E.D. needs 12 to explain that to you. 13 MR. CIRILO: Maria. 14 MS. MARIA: After the resolution is 15 approved, procurement will follow up with Section 3 16 and all the requirements. 17 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: You want us to 18 approve it first and then you get the agreement. 19 MS. MARIA: Because we have rules to 20 follow so we educate our suppliers with all the 21 requirements that the Newark Housing Authority has 22 and they comply with them. 23 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: You say it's 24 an agreement? 25 MS. MARIA: Yes. 59 1 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: We have to 2 know Section 3 is very important to Ms. Barnes out 3 there. There is some people that it's very, very 4 important the Section 3 because it helps Newark the 5 Section 3. 6 MS. MARIA: Absolutely. 7 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes, thank you 8 for being here. Definitely you need to meet our 9 Director Thomas is here and we will handle 10 procurement like specific procurements after all the 11 procurements are over, but I would like to take a 12 motion now for this particular one. 13 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move it 14 for you. 15 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. 16 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, on the 17 motion. 18 Commissioner Council. 19 MR. MENA: We need a second. 20 MR. CIRILO: My apologies. 21 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Motion by 22 Commissioner Muhammad. Second by Council. 23 MR. CIRILO: Thank you, Commissioner 24 Council. 25 Commissioner Council. 60 1 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 2 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 3 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 4 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 5 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 6 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 7 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 8 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 9 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 10 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 11 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next item. 12 MR. CIRILO: The next item reads -- 13 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Before you 14 start, I just want just for the general public, 15 E.D., could you explain to people Section 3 because 16 that is so important that we just not doing business 17 with them people. Could you real short quickly say 18 something about Section 3, please. 19 MR. CIRILO: Yes, absolutely. Section 20 3 is a federal requirement that all vendors or 21 professionals that do business with a federal entity 22 comply to the highest extent possible with extending 23 opportunities for residents or for folks, residents 24 in the community, not only residents of public 25 housing in our case, but also residents of the 61 1 community. 2 With that said we have a tailored 3 program that has been crafted here at the Housing 4 Authority where either there are employment 5 opportunities extended by vendors or we ask that a 6 certain percentage of the funds be allocated to 7 Section 3 fund that we utilize for training or for 8 employment opportunities for our residents. 9 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Thank you. 10 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, the next 11 resolution reads the resolution executing a contract 12 with Belfort Property Restoration source solution 13 for emergency services, water damage restoration, 14 fire damage restoration, storm damage restoration, 15 structural dehumidification, structural cleaning, 16 decontamination, reconstruction and general 17 contracting, mold remediation, air duct cleaning, 18 contents restoration, electronics restoration and 19 environmental services for an initial period of two 20 years with options to renew for two additional 21 one-year periods in an amount not to exceed five 22 hundred thousand dollars per year for a maximum 23 contract amount of two million or four years, 24 whichever comes first. 25 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Could I have a 62 1 motion, please? 2 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Sorry, is that 3 meaning only for that company specifically? 4 MR. CIRILO: This is optional. These 5 are the as-needed basis. There is no specific sites 6 that have been attached to that contract. 7 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: That was mentioned 8 last week we were talking about so we'd like to keep 9 it moving, please. We need to work on that the 10 children in there. 11 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Just introduce 12 the representative. 13 MS. MARIA: The representative was 14 here last week. 15 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. 16 Could we take a motion, please. 17 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: I make a motion. 18 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will second. 19 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, on the 20 motion. 21 Commissioner Council. 22 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 23 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 24 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 25 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 63 1 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 2 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 3 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 4 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 5 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 6 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 7 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next item, 8 please. 9 MR. CIRILO: The next item reads 10 resolution executing a contract with Cintas for 11 total clean program, uniform rentals, uniform 12 purchase facility first aid and safety, fire 13 protection and related products and services for an 14 initial period of two years with options to renew 15 for two additional one-year periods in an amount not 16 to exceed a hundred thousand dollars per year for a 17 maximum contract amount of four hundred thousand or 18 four years, whichever comes first. 19 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Is the 20 representative here? 21 MS. MARIA: Yes, the representative is 22 here. 23 MR. DUNN: Madam Chair, Commissioners, 24 my name is Christopher Dunn. I am with Cintas 25 Corporation. I have been with them for sixteen 64 1 years. I work only with government agencies for the 2 last five years and I oversee the entire enterprise 3 here. I am working directly hand in hand with Maria 4 and OMNIA partners through that contract. So I am 5 here to answer any questions. 6 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 7 Gonzalez. 8 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes, sir. 9 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Have you met 10 with our central maintenance director yet? 11 MR. DUNN: I have not, no. 12 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: He's back 13 there somewhere. 14 MR. DUNN: I'd love to. 15 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: There he is 16 right behind you, the handsome guy. 17 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. Any 18 other questions? If not, thank you. Could I please 19 have a motion. 20 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will make a 21 motion. 22 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: I will second 23 it. 24 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, on the 25 motion. 65 1 Commissioner Council. 2 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 3 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 4 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 5 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 6 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 7 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 8 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 9 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 10 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 11 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 12 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next item, 13 please. 14 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, the next 15 item reads resolution executing a contract with 16 Global Industrial for handling storage and shelving, 17 HVAC/R and fans, safety and security, plumbing and 18 pumps and janitorial maintenance and related 19 products and services for an initial period of two 20 years with options to renew for two additional 21 one-year periods in an amount not to exceed sixty 22 thousand dollars per year for a maximum of two 23 hundred forty thousand dollars or four years, 24 whichever comes first. 25 We do have Anthony Hatcher with us 66 1 here. He introduced himself earlier. 2 MR. HATCHER: Hi, I'm Anthony Hatcher. 3 I am a product and services manager for Global 4 Industrial. I have been with the company for four 5 years. We are a full service industrial supply 6 company. We provide material handling, 7 electrical -- twenty-one categories of products that 8 would serve your community as well very well. You 9 also have hands on with myself and my team. I'm a 10 national product services manager. I have a local 11 support here that can be on-site to assist with any 12 product or project that you may have, any product 13 needed that you may have. 14 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 15 Gonzalez. 16 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes, sir. 17 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Mr. Hatcher, 18 where are you from? 19 MR. HATCHER: Newark. 20 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Thank you, 21 sir. I made you say that. We know each other. 22 MR. HATCHER: I know Alif very well. 23 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. 24 Just before we go to a motion, just make sure 25 everybody who is here under the maintenance 67 1 category, Maria, please make sure you introduce them 2 to our team because this is why we have this work 3 session and we invite everybody just to have a face 4 with the name and the company. So thank you. 5 Could we entertain a motion. 6 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move 7 it. 8 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Second. 9 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Director. 10 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, on the 11 motion. 12 Commissioner Council. 13 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 14 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 15 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 16 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 17 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 18 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 19 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 20 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 21 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 22 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 23 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next item. 24 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, the next 25 item reads resolution executing a contract with 68 1 Grainger for maintenance, repair -- let me start 2 over. The capital letters are getting to me. 3 Resolution executing a contract with 4 Grainger for maintenance, lower case M, maintenance, 5 repair, operation safety needs and related products 6 and services for an initial period of two years with 7 options to renew for two additional one-year periods 8 in an amount not to exceed a hundred and fifty 9 thousand dollars per year for a maximum contract 10 amount of six hundred thousand for four years, 11 whichever comes first. 12 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: I will make a 13 motion. 14 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Second. 15 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Is there a 16 representative? 17 MS. MARIA: The representative was 18 here last week. 19 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Just for the 20 record, I will second it. 21 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Councilman 22 seconded it. 23 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: I'm sorry, 24 Director. 25 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, on the 69 1 motion. 2 Commissioner Council. 3 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 4 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 5 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 6 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 7 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 8 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 9 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 10 MR. CIRILO: Chairperson Gonzalez. 11 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 12 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 13 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next item, 14 please. 15 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, the next 16 item reads resolution executing a contract with 17 Graybar for electrical, lighting, data 18 communications and security products and related 19 products, services and solutions and related 20 products and services for initial period of two 21 years with options to renew for two additional 22 one-year periods in an amount not to exceed a 23 hundred and fifty thousand dollars per year for a 24 maximum contract amount of six hundred thousand or 25 four years, whichever comes first. 70 1 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you, 2 Maria. 3 MS. MARIA: We have here the 4 representative for Graybar. 5 MR. GENTILI: Thank you for having us. 6 My name is Adam Gentili. I am an account manager 7 for Graybar. I am here with Shawn Lawrence, the 8 dedicated sales representative for the City. We are 9 a distribution company for electrical, data and 10 security products for one hundred fifty-two years. 11 We have been doing business in the state of New 12 Jersey for over a hundred years. We have one 13 hundred and eighty-seven employees working in the 14 State of New Jersey in four facilities. Two of them 15 are sales offices and the other two are very large 16 warehouses in Carteret and Cranbury. We also 17 provide turnkey services to our OMNIA contract, 18 emergency disaster relief services as well and 19 that's who we are. 20 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you so 21 much. 22 Could I have a motion if no one has 23 any questions. 24 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I'll move it. 25 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. I 71 1 will second it. 2 MR. CIRILO: Yes, Madam Chair, on the 3 motion. 4 Commissioner Council. 5 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 6 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 7 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 8 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 9 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 10 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 11 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 12 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 13 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 14 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 15 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next item. 16 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, the next 17 item reads -- and I'm glad we have lower cases now, 18 it is easier to follow. 19 Resolution executing a contract with 20 Home Depot for maintenance, repairs, operating 21 supplies, industrial supplies, paint and paint 22 supplies and related products and services for an 23 initial period of two years with options to renew 24 for two additional one-year periods in an amount not 25 to exceed two million dollars per year for a maximum 72 1 contract amount of eight million or four years, 2 whichever comes first. 3 MS. MARIA: Madam Chair, we have the 4 representative. 5 MR. NYBERG: Good evening. My name is 6 Rich Nyberg. I'm with Home Depot, director of 7 government contracts. I work closely with OMNIA, 8 with Shawn, working with all government agencies for 9 products that you need available through our local 10 stores. We do have thirteen stores within ten miles 11 of this specific location. We have sixty-seven 12 locations in New Jersey. We have over fourteen 13 thousand associates working for us in New Jersey and 14 if this means anything we also impact about eighty 15 thousand direct and indirect jobs in the State of 16 New Jersey and we pay almost fifty million dollars a 17 year in taxes. 18 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. Do 19 I have a motion? 20 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: I'm sorry, thank 21 you. Again, thank you for being here right away. 22 Can you provide us very good paint from there. 23 MR. GENTILI: Good paint, yeah. 24 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: I'd like to add 25 that, thank you. 73 1 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Do I have a 2 motion, please. 3 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move 4 it. 5 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: I will second 6 it. 7 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, on the 8 motion. 9 Commissioner Council. 10 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 11 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 12 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 13 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 14 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 15 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 16 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 17 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 18 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 19 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 20 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next item, 21 please. 22 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, the next 23 item reads resolution executing a contract with 24 AllRisk Services for disaster recovery contractor 25 and related products and services for an initial 74 1 period of two years with options to renew for two 2 additional one-year periods in an amount not to 3 exceed two hundred fifty thousand dollars per year 4 for a maximum contract amount of one million or four 5 years, whichever comes first. 6 We also have two representatives, 7 Christine Masina and Tom Masina, representing 8 AllRisk. 9 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Excuse me, 10 before we proceed, Katia, you were trying to say 11 something. 12 MS. OLIVEIRA: I'm sorry, Victor, you 13 skipped number eighteen. 14 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. So 15 you are at nineteen now and we will go backwards. 16 Thank you, Katia. 17 MR. CIRILO: Thank you. 18 MS. MASINA: Good evening. My name is 19 Christine Masina. I represent AllRisk property 20 damage experts. We are a general contractor 21 specializing in 24/7 disaster recovery services. I 22 am joined this evening by Tom Masina. I want to go 23 on record we are not married. He's my brother older 24 by five years. It is our privilege to be here this 25 evening as a full service disaster recovery 75 1 contractor. It is our goal to make your job easier 2 when there is an incident from a facility break like 3 a burst pipe to a larger natural disaster like a 4 hurricane or a flood. We are here to be an 5 extension of your operations team to facilitate a 6 fast and healthy safe recovery. 7 I just want to make one observation if 8 I may. Participating in many Board meetings how 9 apparent it is to me how much you are in service to 10 your community and what a wonderful exchange it's 11 been tonight. So we are just so privileged to be in 12 that atmosphere as well. My area of specialty is in 13 education. Education to prepare you for the next 14 event so we like to say we share our playbook of 15 lessons learned over thirty years to help you 16 prevent the avoidable and mitigate the inevitable so 17 as it relates to training that's comes up a few 18 times this evening, we make ourselves available to 19 your staff for topics such as proactive mold 20 management, early actions in water mitigation, how 21 to build a team and relative to your residents we 22 have a great deal of experience. We recognize that 23 this is independent living and sometimes when the 24 community leadership does such a great job of being 25 in service sometimes the residents need that extra 76 1 refresher about their responsibility relative to 2 having emergency supplies and so forth. So that is 3 the type of education that we offer. 4 We are taxpayers and residents of New 5 Jersey so we, as I said, it is so important to us 6 that while we are an active response contractor that 7 we give you every asset and resource we can to help 8 you prevent damage and not need our active response. 9 When you do, we are here for you 24/7. 10 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 11 Gonzalez. 12 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes, sir. 13 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: You used the 14 correct word. Have you met our director of central 15 maintenance yet? 16 MS. MASINA: I think that is something 17 that is in the works. That will be our pleasure. 18 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: He asked me to 19 ask a question. How proactive, that's the question 20 he said when I seen him last week. He said I want 21 to know how quick they are going to get here. 22 MS. MASINA: Okay. 23 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Director Thomas 24 is here. I am going to ask Director Thomas to come 25 up. Director, if you could, could you please -- and 77 1 I know -- could you please introduce yourself to all 2 these great vendors. Thank you so much. We are 3 going to use -- we are going to take you up on that 4 training. Make sure you leave your card, but, 5 Director, could you please introduce yourself, tell 6 them what you do, give them your card or any 7 questions you may have for them now. 8 MR. THOMAS: Good afternoon. My name 9 is Director Thomas. As soon as the meeting is over 10 we can go in the back and have a discussion. My job 11 is to oversee the maintenance and capital 12 improvements. So I really deal with the vendors, 13 Jewel Electric, Serve Pro. I really deal with Home 14 Depot on Springfield Avenue. I see Lowe's here. We 15 can talk to you in the back. So a lot of pipes 16 breaking, restoration and flooding that falls under 17 my department and we try to be proactive in doing 18 it. So I would like the training that you say, 19 education and train our residents and not just the 20 residents, the staff how they are supposed to 21 respond when we have a natural disaster. We're 22 looking forward to talking to everybody when we are 23 finished in the back of the room, thank you. 24 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Do you have any 25 other questions? 78 1 MR. THOMAS: No. 2 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you so 3 much. Could we take a motion, please. 4 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: I will make a 5 motion. I like that. 6 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will second 7 it. 8 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair. 9 Commissioner Council. 10 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 11 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 12 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 13 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 14 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 15 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 16 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 17 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 18 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 19 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 20 Madam Chair, we are going to go back 21 to resolution eighteen. The resolution reads 22 resolution executing a contract with Lowe's for 23 maintenance, repairs, operating supplies, industrial 24 supplies, paint and paint supplies and related 25 products and services for an initial period of two 79 1 years with options to renew for two additional 2 one-year periods in an amount not to exceed 3 two million per year for a maximum contract amount 4 of eight million or four years, whichever comes 5 first. 6 MS. MARIA: Madam Chair, we have the 7 representative. 8 MR. PURAN: Good afternoon, 9 Commissioners, Madam Chair. Mohendra Puran from 10 Lowe's. I've been with Lowe's for eighteen years. 11 I live in Jersey City so supporting the Newark 12 Housing Authority with the Union store for the last 13 two years has been part of my achievement here with 14 the Housing Authority of Newark. We have almost 15 six million products available to the Housing 16 Authority as well as what we don't have online and 17 in stores we still have access to all of those here 18 in the City of Newark. 19 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. 20 Welcome to our Newark family. 21 Could I have a motion, please. 22 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move 23 it. 24 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: I will second it. 25 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, on the 80 1 motion. 2 Commissioner Council. 3 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 4 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 5 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 6 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 7 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 8 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 9 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 10 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 11 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 12 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 13 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Next item, 14 please. 15 MR. CIRILO: Next item, Madam Chair, 16 reads resolution executing a contract with Safeware 17 for all security/IT, public safety equipment and 18 solutions and related products and services for an 19 initial period of two years with options to renew 20 for two additional one-year periods in an amount not 21 to exceed two hundred fifty thousand dollars per 22 year for a maximum contract amount of one million or 23 four years whichever comes first and provided the 24 associated OMNIA contract remains in effect. 25 MR. VANKIRK: Good evening, Madam 81 1 Chairperson, Commissioners, Executive Director, my 2 name is Peter Vankirk. I am the national director 3 of Safeware for our government securities solutions 4 division. We hold OMNIA partners contract for Home 5 Land Security, public safety and emergency 6 preparedness this is actually our third go-around of 7 this contract that we have held for multiple years. 8 We serve over a hundred and sixty-seven thousand 9 state and local government agencies such as yourself 10 and we have small local business participation. In 11 fact, one of our local partners is out of East 12 Brunswick eighteen miles away. They are a small 13 business enterprise and also a minority business 14 enterprise. They are a level two under small 15 business enterprise. We also have partners that 16 serve from Eatontown, New Jersey as well which is 17 approximately forty miles away. We have offices up 18 in New York. We have seventeen offices around the 19 country and we provide security complex solutions. 20 We also provide safety and safety products, but also 21 fire safety and we have been in business over 22 forty-three years. We are based out of Atlanta, 23 Maryland and I'm here to answer any questions you 24 may have. 25 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. If 82 1 no one has any questions, I just want to make sure 2 that you meet Chief Douglas and Mike Granger and you 3 probably know each other already so thank you. 4 MR. VANKIRK: Thank you very much. 5 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Could I 6 entertain a motion, please. 7 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Motion. 8 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes, I second 9 it. 10 MR. CIRILO: Yes, Madam Chair, on the 11 motion. 12 Commissioner Council. 13 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 14 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 15 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 16 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 17 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 18 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 19 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 20 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 21 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 22 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 23 Next item, Madam Chair, the next item 24 reads resolution executing a contract with Terminix 25 for all pest control needs and related products and 83 1 services for an initial period of two years with 2 options to renew for two additional one-year periods 3 in an amount not to exceed two hundred fifty 4 thousand per year for a maximum contract amount of 5 one million or four years, whichever comes first and 6 provided the associated OMNIA contract remains in 7 effect. 8 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: You have 9 already introduced yourself. We had some questions 10 for Terminix so if we are good, can I entertain a 11 motion? 12 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move 13 it. 14 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: I will second 15 it. 16 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, on the 17 motion. 18 Commissioner Council. 19 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 20 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 21 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 22 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 23 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 24 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 25 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Abstain. 84 1 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 2 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 3 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 4 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Final 5 resolution. 6 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, the final 7 resolution reads resolution ratifying the emergency 8 procurement of materials, supplies and services to 9 date by the NHA in response to the COVID-19 pandemic 10 in order to protect the health and safety of 11 residents and staff and consistent with HUD waivers 12 and directives. 13 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Commissioner 14 Gonzalez. 15 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes, sir. 16 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: We don't owe 17 nobody here, do we? Are we paying these people, 18 E.D., are we paying people or we are just 19 acknowledging that we did it? 20 MR. CIRILO: Well, there is a list of 21 vendors in the resolution. I am assuming that all 22 these vendors have been paid to date and I see some 23 nods. So the answer these particular vendors have 24 been paid, Commissioner. 25 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Thank you. 85 1 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Thank you. 2 Could I have a motion, please. 3 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move 4 it. 5 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Second. 6 MR. CIRILO: On the motion. 7 Commissioner Council. 8 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 9 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 10 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 11 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 12 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 13 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 14 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 15 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 16 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 17 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 18 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Madam Chair. 19 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes, sir. 20 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: I just want to 21 go on record to just ask what is our percentage of 22 local procurement and local vendors and then I would 23 just want to put on the record for us not to get so 24 caught up. I know it is important, I know it is a 25 great thing and a good use, but let's not forsake or 86 1 forget about local vendors. I know state contracts 2 and co-ops are awesome, they are great usage, but we 3 are the largest City in the State of New Jersey and 4 we have a lot of local vendors here that need to 5 exercise their rights and services so please let's 6 not forget about local vendors in this process. 7 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, so we are 8 being asked to provide a percentage of local 9 vendors, correct, Commissioner Council? I just want 10 to make sure I get that right and then when you say 11 local vendors, we mean companies that are based in 12 Newark community. 13 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: In Newark, hire 14 Newarkers. 15 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: I'm sorry, in 16 the City of Newark hire local Newark residents. 17 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes, what is 18 our percentage of local vendors and local 19 procurement. 20 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: We need to hire 21 Newarkers. 22 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: You have the 23 question. 24 MR. CIRILO: Yes, I think, yes 25 absolutely. 87 1 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Then of course 2 I'm just going to add that to ensure as we go into 3 January of 2023 that we really put a plan together 4 to ensure that we go out and secure local businesses 5 that can partner with the larger businesses. I have 6 been saying that for maybe a hundred years already 7 so I'm just going to say it again and once again, I 8 wanted to thank Chief Douglas. He did do the 9 homework, he went out and found some companies that 10 are local for us to look at and that's what I would 11 like to continue to do. 12 So if no more questions, I would like 13 to entertain a motion to close our meeting. 14 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: I will move 15 it. 16 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Second. 17 MR. CIRILO: Madam Chair, on the 18 motion to adjourn. 19 Commissioner Council. 20 COMMISSIONER COUNCIL: Yes. 21 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Haqq. 22 COMMISSIONER HAQQ: Yes. 23 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Muhammad. 24 COMMISSIONER MUHAMMAD: Yes. 25 MR. CIRILO: Commissioner Baez. 88 1 COMMISSIONER BAEZ: Yes. 2 MR. CIRILO: Chairwoman Gonzalez. 3 CHAIRPERSON GONZALEZ: Yes. 4 MR. CIRILO: Motion passes. 5 6 (Whereupon, the proceedings were 7 concluded at 6:45 p.m.) 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 89 1 C E R T I F I C A T E 2 3 I, ANTHONY HOFMANN, a Certified Court 4 Reporter, and Notary Public within and for the State 5 of New Jersey, certify that the foregoing is a true 6 and accurate transcript of the stenographic notes of 7 said witness(es)who were first duly sworn by me, on 8 the date and place hereinbefore set forth. 9 10 11 12 ___________________________ ANTHONY HOFMANN, C.C.R. 13 LICENSE NO. XIO1854 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25