Essex County Commissioners Live Meeting November 4, 2026

The Essex County Board of County Commissioners’ meeting on November 4, 2026, included approval of numerous procurement and capital-related resolutions. The board approved a two-year, $7,183,776.59 total-building-maintenance contract with DCO Energy for the correctional facility; a $283,000 printing-services contract with Reliance Graphics for the 2027–2028 election cycles; and a $485,215.39 annual Freshdesk subscription renewal from SHI International under a Bergen County cooperative agreement. Parks and facilities awards included plumbing services from Magic Touch Construction ($1,309,262.50), fire-protection inspection and maintenance from Rail National ($905,224), zoo animal food and supplies, an $88,000 change order to WF Fisher & Sons, and as-needed electrical and building-mat services. The board also approved $2,327,075 for A&B Contracting’s South Mountain mini-golf course improvements, $95,000 for Verona Park softball-field design services, and a $57,508 increase to the Label Street culvert contract for hazardous-material disposal. Other approved items included $185,000 for zoo medical supplies and pharmaceuticals, a Brookdale Park Conservancy funding agreement, and recreation open-space allocations. A grant application for a traffic signal through the federal Safe Routes to School program was also approved. The board requested follow-up information on the reason for DCO Energy’s year-over-year contract decrease. Resolution 35 was withdrawn; the other discussed procurement resolutions were approved by roll-call votes.

The board approved a $1.9 million Aetna dental-benefits contract and resolutions supporting the county’s transition to self-insured health benefits in 2027, including continuation of the Difference Card program and retiree-benefit administration by Retiree First. Union representatives raised concerns about potential benefit changes and requested further discussion and written assurances; the administration described prior employee and union communications and said it remained open to discussion. The board also approved budget revenue insertions totaling approximately $702,608, including state reimbursements for special elections and senior-services funding, with no county match reported. No vote or procurement decision was identified on the public comments about park-program access; administration noted a forthcoming meeting to address the matter.