Commissioners praise AFME local ratification and note CFG contract, new inpatient mental health program

Summary

Union leaders thanked the board for ratifying an AFME Local 1697 contract and commissioners commented on a near-$15 million CFG contract and incorporation of an inpatient program on North 13th Street intended to support mental health court initiatives; officials said Medicaid was not part of the CFG payment structure.

Sabora Alexander, president of AFME Local 1697 and a Hudson County employee, publicly thanked the commissioners for ratifying her union's contract at the July 17 meeting and gave special recognition to negotiators and personnel who helped secure retroactive pay scheduling to August 22.

During commissioners' remarks, board members also discussed a county effort to incorporate an inpatient program on North 13th Street to serve individuals with serious mental health issues, describing the project as supporting the county’s planned mental health court. One commissioner raised questions about a CFG contract near $15,000,000; a CFG representative reportedly told commissioners that Medicaid reimbursement is not part of the payment structure for that contract.

Commissioners characterized the contract negotiations and the county’s collaborative approach to corrections and mental health programming as a positive development, and thanked staff and negotiators for their work resolving related contract matters.