Engineering and Human Services update: Ashbrook demobilization, DEP permitting and emergency meal contract

The Department of Engineering, Public Works and Facilities and the Department of Human Services briefed commissioners on ongoing projects and funding adjustments.

Director Paola Kaye told the board the Ashbrook project’s dredging and desilting work is complete and the contractor is demobilizing. Kaye said the area is being restored in accordance with Department of Environmental Protection permitting and that permitting delays involved multiple DEP agencies doing environmental protection review.

Commissioner Baker requested more detail on the permitting delay; Kaye said the review and permitting processes with DEP agencies accounted for the time required to reach the current stage.

Human Services Director Debbie Ann Anderson reported 10 resolutions and described two items of note. Item 3 authorizes the county manager to apply to New Jersey Transit for a fiscal-year 2027 mobility management grant; Anderson said the program includes a cash match requirement. On item 4 she described a service-provider change: a longtime Meals on Wheels nonprofit opted not to provide January services, prompting an emergency authorization for the county manager to contract with Brooklyn Kitchen to cover January meals. Anderson said funds were shifted within the federal grant from February to December to pay for the unplanned January implementation so that "no senior did not go 1 month without a meal." (quote as spoken).

The board recorded these departmental briefings for the regular meeting; no final votes on these items were taken during this agenda-setting session.