Pictured are (from left to right, front row) District 2 Freeholder Vice President Wayne Richardson, Freeholder At-Large Romaine Graham, District 3 Freeholder Tyshammie L. Cooper, Freeholder At-Large Patricia Sebold, and Freeholder President At-Large Brendan Gill. (From left to right, back row) District 5 Freeholder Carlos Pomares, District 4 Freeholder Leonard M. Luciano, Freeholder At-Large Rufus I. Johnson, and District 1 Freeholder Robert Mercado. Photo by Glen Frieson
The Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders will hold a meeting at Maplewood Town Hall, 574 Valley Street, Maplewood, NJ, on Wednesday, November 13, at 7 p.m.
The Freeholders hold two meetings per month, one in the Newark Hall of Records and another at a location in a rotating list of Essex County towns (there are 22 municipalities in the County). See the full 2019 list of meeting dates and locations here.
The November 13 agenda includes opportunities for members of the public to address the freeholders. It also includes an ordinance on second reading “establishing an Essex County Correctional Facility Civilian Task Force.” See the agenda here.
The Freeholders, along with the Essex County Executive, shape and control the County budget which is supported by approximately 15-17% of your local tax bill.
According to the Freeholders Board website, the powers of the Board are as follows:
Board Powers. The legislative and investigative powers of County government as granted by the Optional County Charter Law shall be vested in the Board. Pursuant to the grant of powers in the Charter the Board shall:
a. Adopt and amend an Administrative Code.
b. Advise and consent to appointments.
c. Pass ordinances and resolutions.
d. Appoint a clerk.
e. Appoint Counsel of the Board.
f. Override a veto of the County Executive.
g. Approve the annual operating and capital budgets.
h. Appoint accountant of New Jersey to perform audit.
i. Conduct investigations.
j. Designate staff to process and approve funding.
