Votes at a glance: Essex County Board actions, Jan. 6, 2025

The Essex County Board of County Commissioners took a series of formal actions on Jan. 6, 2025. Below are the items the board voted on during this meeting, with the recorded mover/second (when stated), the roll-call outcome and key notes from the record.

1) Resolution 30 — 2025 temporary capital budget Motion: Approve insertion of the 2025 temporary capital budget (capital projects planned for 2025). Mover/Second: not specified / Second by Vice President Cooper and Commissioner Mercado (record shows a second was called) Roll call outcome: Yes — Commissioners Gill, Mercado, Richardson, Seibold, Vice President Cooper, President Palmeri; Absent — Commissioners Luciano, Murray Thomas, Sermons. Tally: yes 6, absent 3. Outcome: approved.

2) Ordinance No. 1 — Salary ordinance (introduction and first reading) Motion: Introduction and first reading of revised salary ordinance reflecting negotiated increases (2% 2024, 2% 2025, 3% 2026). Mover: Commissioner Seibold; Second: Commissioner Mercado Roll call outcome: Yes — Gill, Mercado, Richardson, Seibold, Vice President Cooper, President Palmeri; Absent — Luciano, Murray Thomas, Sermons. Tally: yes 6, absent 3. Outcome: introduced.

3) Ordinance No. 2 — Capital improvements appropriation (introduction and first reading) Motion: Introduce ordinance to provide for capital improvements (parks, roads, buildings), appropriating $13,000,450 (with $12,000,775 to be debt-authorized). Mover: Commissioner Mercado; Second: Commissioner Richardson Roll call outcome: Yes — Gill, Mercado, Richardson, Seibold, Vice President Cooper, President Palmeri; Absent — Luciano, Murray Thomas, Sermons. Tally: yes 6, absent 3. Outcome: introduced.

4) Ordinance No. 3 — Department of Corrections and Sheriff acquisition/ improvements (introduction and first reading) Motion: Introduce ordinance appropriating $5,000,000 for acquisitions and improvements for corrections and sheriff departments. Mover: Commissioner Seibold; Second: Commissioner Mercado Roll call outcome: Yes — Gill, Mercado, Richardson, Seibold, Vice President Cooper, President Palmeri; Absent — Luciano, Murray Thomas, Sermons. Tally: yes 6, absent 3. Outcome: introduced.

5) Resolution (Board of Elections) — Contract with Dominion Voting Systems Motion: Approve contract with Dominion Voting Systems for ballot scanning, training and maintenance through Dec. 31, 2026, not to exceed $887,682.98. Mover: Commissioner Mercado; Second: Commissioner Seibold Roll call outcome: Yes — Gill, Mercado, Richardson, Seibold, Vice President Cooper, President Palmeri; Absent — Luciano, Murray Thomas, Sermons. Tally: yes 6, absent 3. Outcome: approved. Notes: Dominion will provide firmware/warranty, on-site rovers, ballot mapping and support for scheduled elections.

6) Resolution 3 — Corrections reentry grant appropriation ($100,000) Motion: Insert $100,000 state DOC grant into county budget to fund reentry position(s). Mover: Commissioner Richardson; Second: Vice President Cooper Roll call outcome: Yes — Gill, Mercado, Richardson, Seibold, Vice President Cooper, President Palmeri; Absent — Luciano, Murray Thomas, Sermons. Tally: yes 6, absent 3. Outcome: approved.

7) Resolutions 4–9 — SSH and related contract renewals (Division of Community Action) Motion: Accept state SSH funding and approve subcontract renewals to community agencies (19 agencies total; five agencies introduced themselves at the meeting). Mover: Commissioner Mercado; Second: Commissioner Seibold Roll call outcome: Yes — Gill, Mercado, Murray Thomas, Richardson, Seibold, Vice President Cooper, President Palmeri; Absent — Luciano, Sermons. Tally: yes 7, absent 2. Outcome: approved. Notes: Subrecipients include Salvation Army (Cornerstone House), Newark YMCA, Turning Point, Harmony House / New Community and Irvington NIC; services include emergency shelter, rapid rehousing, rental/utility assistance.

8) Resolutions 10–11 — Senior services emergency appropriation (respite program) Motion: Accept state emergency funds for respite program (increase hours to 8 hours; appropriation of $637,000 and balance of $477,750 for direct services). Mover: Commissioner Seibold; Second: Vice President Cooper Roll call outcome: Yes — Gill, Mercado, Murray Thomas, Richardson, Seibold, Vice President Cooper, President Palmeri; Absent — Luciano, Sermons. Tally: yes 7, absent 2. Outcome: approved.

9) Resolutions 12–14 — Health & Rehabilitation contracts and opioid settlement transfer Motion: Approve procurement and grant contracts for mobile pediatric health vehicle, substance-use services allocation and acceptance of municipal opioid settlement funds (e.g., Livingston MOA) to county opioid fund. Mover: Vice President Cooper; Second: Commissioner Seibold Roll call outcome: Yes — Gill, Mercado, Murray Thomas, Richardson, Seibold, Vice President Cooper, President Palmeri; Absent — Luciano, Sermons. Tally: yes 7, absent 2. Outcome: approved.

10) Resolutions 15–17 — Department of Public Works contracts and municipal speed-limit consent Motion: Award contract for traffic-signal modernization at Franklin & Berkeley (JC Contracting; $465,416), purchase five Ford Ranger pickups ($195,760) for mosquito control (NJDEP grant), and consent to Montclair ordinance reducing Grove Street speed limit from 30 to 25 mph. Mover: Commissioner Gill; Second: Vice President Cooper Roll call outcome: Yes — Gill, Mercado, Murray Thomas, Richardson, Seibold, Vice President Cooper, President Palmeri; Absent — Luciano, Sermons. Tally: yes 7, absent 2. Outcome: approved.

11) Resolutions 18, 24, 27 — Prosecutor grants and body armor funds Motion: Accept Department of Law and Public Safety award for narcotics task force ($246,040 insertion), TANF workforce funding, and body armor replacement funding ($88,822.11) for prosecutor/sheriff offices. Mover: Vice President Cooper; Second: Commissioner Richardson Roll call outcome: Yes — Gill, Murray Thomas, Richardson, Seibold, Vice President Cooper, President Palmeri; Commissioner Mercado — present, not voting; Absent — Commissioner Luciano, Sermons. Tally: yes 6, abstain 1, absent 2. Outcome: approved.

12) Resolutions 19–23 — Parks and Cultural Affairs contracts and Green Acres authorizations Motion: Approve mower-maintenance contract (Toro), support nonprofit Green Acres applications and authorize the county to submit Green Acres and Urban Parks applications (Irvington, Weequahic) and apply for local arts regrant program. Mover: Commissioner Seibold; Second: Vice President Cooper Roll call outcome: Yes — Gill, Mercado, Richardson, Seibold, Vice President Cooper, President Palmeri; Absent — Luciano, Murray Thomas, Sermons (Murray Thomas noted absent earlier then recorded present at later votes in some items). Tally: yes 6, absent 3. Outcome: approved.

13) Resolutions 25–26 — Training & Employment (TANF) and Sheriff body armor appropriations Motion: Insert TANF workforce program funds and approve sheriff's body armor temporary appropriation (county to complete vest replacements). Mover: Commissioner Mercado; Second: Commissioner Richardson Roll call outcome: Yes — Gill, Mercado, Richardson, Seibold, Vice President Cooper, President Palmeri; Absent — Luciano, Murray Thomas, Sermons. Tally: yes 6, absent 3. Outcome: approved.

14) Resolution 31 — Authorization to sell condominium units at Gibraltar to the Essex County Improvement Authority Motion: Authorize sale of county-owned condominium units at the Gibraltar building to the Essex County Improvement Authority and authorize execution of legal transfer documents; transaction conditioned on completion of family courts buildout and turnover. Mover: Commissioner Seibold; Second: Commissioner Richardson Roll call outcome: Yes — Gill, Mercado, Richardson, Seibold, Vice President Cooper, President Palmeri; Absent — Luciano, Murray Thomas, Sermons. Tally: yes 6, absent 3. Outcome: approved. Notes: ECIA provided a $250,000 deposit; final transfer and bond issuance to occur when court building turnover is complete.

Notes on roll-call patterns: Many votes recorded a consistent pattern of six "yes" votes among those present and three absences (Luciano, Murray Thomas and Sermons) during earlier votes; some later items show Murray Thomas present. Where the mover was not clearly announced in the transcript the motion entry lists "not specified." The board recorded motions and roll calls for each item; all listed items above were approved by the majority of commissioners present.

This roundup covers items explicitly moved and recorded in the Jan. 6 meeting transcript. For full text of each resolution and the official roll-call vote sheets, see the county clerk’s official meeting minutes and meeting packet filed with the Essex County Board of County Commissioners.