[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6664530,"mediaKeyId","2377906-4e81dddce122ff9db09e4256252696a1","parentId",2377906,"title","Reporters and residents press Middlesex County for details on AV spending, Code Blue, Hazmat grant and a leased property","audioSeconds",1030,"startMs",1415900,"endMs",2446670,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2377906-4e81dddce122ff9db09e4256252696a1&start=1415&end=2446","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2377906-4e81dddce122ff9db09e4256252696a1/thumbnail_1415900.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6664530/Middlesex-County/New-Jersey/Reporters-and-residents-press-Middlesex-County-for-details-on-AV-spending-Code-Blue-Hazmat-grant-and-a-leased-property","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6664530-6c994f169d2d88fc42cb8fc65411a22a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170850&Signature=G0FpirESGgkYailzVK1ZGePGPkmVgJiIq8BgxV-ttGS37mxBqu5tpCE2E7HOnO9KzwHbnDDDu4k6lAHdPJF7jmJZQiFz~Dwn0giTQEJlUuOxSGq0qjETy~72KsVmVeVRHqgZFNpUD2pt6d-sgOQRG55PBBYMrSDbspCE47JgeUlQxCogQxDE36E8IeI47lTLE-66h6Hgs9lY2njxo9hPMLCpFGgLrPsOJa9-yZErZICH7B1xTgch9R03AoFAYXrt5j1vjKDE7IvNXcmAgFt3L8vQGa7tB152QGaIzlVB4YCma4F~7IF-CS-SZu82F1hCDd9wMIPtQ7Gsx7ehy7Q5xw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Middlesex County","date","2025-02-23T20:17:34.887Z","article","Members of the public at the March 20 Middlesex County commissioners meeting pressed county officials for more information about several items tied to the 2025 budget and county operations, including a proposed $1.5 million audiovisual equipment purchase, Code Blue warming-center operations, a grant tied to LyondellBasell and a lease or contract that prompted a commissioner to abstain.

Charlie Crabbin Hill, identified himself as a reporter with New Brunswick Today and asked about an \"$1,500,000 expense\" listed for audiovisual equipment across multiple county facilities. \"If you're spending $1,500,000 on AV equipment to do video conferencing, there's no good reason that this can't be video conferencing and the public couldn't contribute via remote access,\" Crabbin Hill said. A county representative replied that the funding is part of lifecycle management for technology across facilities and that some purchases support specific facilities such as the fire academy and training center; staff said they would follow up with specifics.

Crabbin Hill also asked for details about resolution 25-267R (Code Blue), seeking capacity, hours of operation and program statistics. County staff said they did not have full details at the meeting but would provide them. A staff member described a warming-center setup at Olive Street that typically opens in the evening and partners with the Raritan Bay YMCA for programming and donated food; staff said they would email the exact hours and capacity.

Crabbin Hill asked about a grant listed as \"LyondellBasell 315 bar,\" described in the meeting as a grant contribution for hazardous-materials equipment. The reporter asked whether the county had accepted funding from the company that previously experienced a chemical release; a staff member said Chief Morales would compile and send additional information about the grant and equipment.

Shelby Craddock, a New Brunswick reporter, questioned why Commissioner Kenny abstained on resolution 25-250 and asked whether that abstention indicated a conflict; the board said the director recused himself on that item and that staff would provide the resolution details after the meeting. Clerk Kessel and other members emphasized that staff routinely supply details when answers are not available at the dais.

Public commenter Aramis Rosario delivered an extended statement alleging neglect and retaliation by law enforcement and officials dating to December 2019 and urged accountability; Rosario said he had documentation and asked the board to act. \"I forgive you,\" Rosario said, in a statement to the board, adding that his remarks were intended to urge reform and action. The board and staff did not announce immediate follow-up steps for the allegations beyond the standard practice of directing staff to respond to public-record requests.

Why it matters: These questions tie to budget line items and community safety programs funded in the county budget and may prompt staff reports or follow-up agenda items. County staff told the reporters they would provide information after the meeting and said some details (project locations, contract parties and program statistics) would be supplied by departments or appear in subsequent resolutions.

Provenance: Public comments and reporter questions appear in the transcript beginning with questions from Charlie Crabbin Hill and continuing through comments by Shelby Craddock and Aramis Rosario; county staff acknowledged they would provide additional details after the meeting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Middlesex County Commissioners Meeting - 2/20/2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the March 20 meeting, members of the public asked for details about a proposed $1.5 million audiovisual equipment purchase, Code Blue warming-center operations, a hazardous materials grant from LyondellBasell and a lease/contract for county property that prompted a director's recusal; staff said they would provide follow-up information.","taxTitle","Middlesex County, New Jersey","taxId",3540,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6664535,"Middlesex County adopts 2025 budget with lower tax rate, $87.6 million for capital projects",0,1354960,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2377906-4e81dddce122ff9db09e4256252696a1&start=1354&end=1354","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2377906-4e81dddce122ff9db09e4256252696a1/thumbnail_1354960.jpg","/articles/6664535/Middlesex-County/New-Jersey/Middlesex-County-adopts-2025-budget-with-lower-tax-rate-876-million-for-capital-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6664535-dd599eaaefec6f76f0d48129c834edca/orig.mp4?Expires=1771170850&Signature=MOxUZQFuGya13hOCkJ5T0RY99qkx2lwLNkq4I~WQix4Nr~9WAA-14ekSLayoU2NOjlY2~DeMeRQIjMdjvitQ-77kycLAD9qd7pHSP4McaIpZhPaiscV9~VbsPWzQSTGtcGkfIuECQNDp~0wH-u8Yg3IqUixOXP63mFyEGjHazkO4qDKLQNMGWnNY4Z0xHhWabGV~BJk6NxG5ssD7MvxqXl76hX6ux0~pVuXmsRXyQFvsvNub3Pgan9dBL-XnHtPOyLF6sdZUTiERc40HFAXKfD7oqK0DJgIlaT2D9nSZ9Tb~FRAt1RCecSWfJTyiMNTCMdFYIaBwLVEx2oquQNeASg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners on March 20 introduced and approved a $618.9 million operating budget for 2025 that officials say reduces the county purpose tax rate to 0.319 and allocates $87.6 million for capital improvements.

The budget, presented by County Commissioner Director Reyes and Chief Financial Officer Nicholas Jegolinski, sets the net to be raised by taxation at about $503.4 million and reflects what the administration described as continued debt reduction, increased reserves and targeted capital spending. \"Tonight, I'm proud to introduce the 2025 Middlesex County operating budget,\" Director Reyes said during the presentation.

County leaders said the proposed county purpose tax rate of 0.319 is a reduction from the prior year and \"has not been reached in over a decade,\" a change officials attributed to growth in assessed valuation and an emphasis on economic development. Jegolinski told commissioners the introduced budget anticipates operating revenues of about $115.4 million in addition to grants and other funding sources and forecasts roughly $60 million annually in grant expenditures and revenues as a historic trend.

The county plans to appropriate $87,600,000 for capital projects in 2025, funded in part from the capital improvement fund and by authorizing up to $16,761,094 in bonds or notes. The board authorized a public hearing on that capital appropriation to be held March 6, 2025, and directed publication of required notices, the clerk said.

Officials emphasized the county's progress on reducing funded debt, saying funded debt fell from about $400 million roughly a decade ago to about $100 million now. The budget includes an annual debt service appropriation of $46 million; county staff said that represents a significant decline from prior years and sets a target of reaching $40 million in coming years.

Jegolinski cited an increase to the capital improvement (pay-as-you-go) line of $10 million, mandated contractual increases and higher operational costs tied to inflation. He also pointed to an increase to county collections under the optional hospital fee program of $5.4 million, changes in interest income that raise investment receipts by $1.9 million, and a planned reduction of about $10 million in paydown of notes and roughly $4.2 million in debt service reductions tied to lower bond issuance.

The county reported an accumulated surplus (fund balance) of approximately $113 million and said that surplus ratio exceeds the 15% benchmark used by bond rating agencies. Officials noted the county has maintained a top bond rating for more than two decades.

Formal action: the board opened the public hearing on budget resolutions and then adopted the budget and tax resolution. The clerk stated the budget and tax resolution was approved by the board on March 20, 2025, and instructed that a summary be published in the Home News Tribune on March 9, 2025. The meeting record reflects a voice vote with \"Aye\" and \"Motion carries\" recorded; individual roll-call tallies were not specified on the record.

Why it matters: County leaders say the budget frees operating dollars for services by reducing debt service and growing reserves while funding transportation, parks, facility upgrades, IT infrastructure and other capital needs. The capital improvement fund and the planned appropriation aim to address roads, bridges and parks without issuing large amounts of new debt.

The board also authorized the publication and hearing process required by the Local Budget Law and scheduled the capital appropriation public hearing for March 6, 2025. Staff said additional detail on specific capital projects will be provided in subsequent materials and hearings.

Provenance: The budget introduction and detailed financial figures were presented by Director Reyes and CFO Nicholas Jegolinski in the meeting transcript beginning with Director Reyes' introduction of the 2025 budget and continuing through the clerk's summary and statement that the budget and tax resolution was approved on March 20, 2025.

","The Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners introduced and approved the 2025 operating budget and related capital appropriation, citing reduced debt, a $113 million surplus and a county purpose tax rate of 0.319 — the lowest in over a decade.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Reporters and residents press Middlesex County for details on AV spending, Code Blue, Hazmat grant and a leased property

Middlesex County adopts 2025 budget with lower tax rate, $87.6 million for capital projects