[Added 12-21-2021 by Ord. No. 803-12-2021[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also renumbered former Articles XI through XXV as Articles XII through XXVI, respectively.
[Amended 3-28-2024 by Ord. No. 199-3-2024]
There shall be a Department of Planning and Business Opportunity, the head of which shall be the Director. The Director shall supervise and be responsible for all divisions and offices within the Department, which divisions and offices shall be: the Division of Planning, the Office of Business Opportunity and Community Services, the Office of Digital Information, and the Office of Data Analytics. There shall be a Deputy Director who shall, during the absence or disability of the Director, possess all the powers and perform all the duties of the Director.
A. 
Within the Department there shall be a Division of Planning, the head of which shall be a Division Chief. Under the direction and supervision of the Director, the Division shall:
(1) 
Engage in activities and assist in the administration of the Hudson County Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund according to the duly adopted Program Statement and Policies and Procedures thereof which may be from time to time amended.
(2) 
Assist the County Open Space Trust Fund Advisory Board.
(3) 
Draft Hudson County's Open Space Plan (OSP).
(4) 
Provide staff support and technical assistance to the Open Space Trust Fund Advisory Committee.
(5) 
Administer and monitor the Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Program and application process.
(6) 
Maintain County maps, charts, data, and records as may be required for the proper and efficient administration of County projects, property, and any other lawful purpose.
(7) 
Render planning services to County departments, boards and agencies as may be required and assist municipal planning agencies upon request.
(8) 
Seek out, apply for and utilize federal and state grants available to counties related to planning and development and monitor and otherwise ensure compliance with federal and state programs in order to maximize County eligibility for and use of all such available federal and state grants.
(9) 
Participate and assist as directed relative to the Hudson County Strategic Revitalization Plan, and any like study or plan as may be required by any government agency having competent jurisdiction.
(10) 
Assist the Hudson County Strategic Revitalization Committee in accomplishing its purpose as a forum for the private and public sector to meet and discuss issues relative to the Strategic Revitalization Plan as may from time to time be amended by the governing body.
(11) 
Provide staff services and assist the Hudson County Planning Board and the Hudson County Economic Development Strategy Committee.
(12) 
Undertake any activities which may be from time to time assigned to it by the County Executive or his/her designee, including being duly recognized as a representative of Hudson County relative to any grant programs, reports, or any relevant activities whatsoever governed or administered by the state or federal government or combination of governments.
B. 
Hudson County Environmental Advisory Commission.
(1) 
There shall be a Hudson County Environmental Advisory Commission which shall be governed by the following provisions:
(a) 
The purpose of the Commission shall be to advise the County Executive and/or the Board of County Commissioners on matters of an environmental nature, as requested, as may relate to buildings and grounds owned or controlled by the County of Hudson.
(b) 
The members of the Commission shall consist of those members who serve on the Hudson County Open Space Advisory Board. Their terms shall run concurrently with their terms on the Open Space Advisory Board, and those serving as officers on the Open Space Advisory Board shall serve in the same capacity as members of the Environmental Advisory Commission.
(c) 
The activities of the Commission shall be controlled by the following provisos:
[1] 
Business of the Commission. The conduct of the business of the Commission shall be governed as much as practicable by those procedures found in the Open Space Advisory Board Program Statement.
[2] 
Commission functions.
[a] 
The Commission is established to advise the County Executive and the Board of County Commissioners on matters affecting the protection, development or use of natural resources, related to land and buildings under the direct control of the County of Hudson, including, but not limited to, County parks, County buildings, County properties, County roads, County bridges and other such County rights-of-ways, County drainage facilities and structures and other County resources that the County government has direct control over.
[b] 
The Commission shall review and advise as requested only on matters directly related to or affecting County-owned land and buildings and has no rule-making, regulatory or enforcement authority.
[c] 
The Commission shall have power to conduct research into the use and possible use of the open land areas owned or controlled by the County of Hudson and may coordinate the activities of unofficial bodies organized for similar purposes, and may advertise, prepare, print and distribute books, maps, charts, plans and pamphlets which in its judgment it deems necessary for its purpose, and as authorized by the County Executive. It shall keep an index of all open areas and buildings owned by the County, including open marshland, swamps and other wetlands, in order to obtain information on the proper use of such areas and may from time to time recommend to the Planning Board plans and programs for inclusion in the Master Plan and the development and use of such areas.
[3] 
Records and annual reports. The Commission shall keep records of its meetings and activities and make an annual report to the governing body, and shall be subject to the Open Public Meeting Act.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq.
[4] 
Administration. The Commission shall be located in, but not of, the Hudson County Division of Planning. The Hudson County Division of Planning shall provide such staff support and technical assistance to the Commission as is reasonably necessary for execution and discharge of its duties.
[5] 
Studies and recommendations. The Commission shall have authority to study and make recommendations to the County Executive and Board of County Commissioners as requested on matters affecting the protection, development or use of natural resources.
[6] 
Grants/funding requests. The Commission shall not have any authority whatsoever to submit grant or any funding applications independent of the County of Hudson. Any such applications shall flow through the appropriate County department, County Administrator and County Executive to be approved by the Board of County Commissioners when appropriate.
A. 
Within the Department of Parks and Community Services there shall be the Office of Business Opportunity and Community Services, which office shall be comprised of three suboffices (with support staff as assigned by the Director) as follows:
(1) 
Office of Minority and Women's Business Affairs.
(2) 
Affirmative Action Office.
(3) 
Economic Opportunity Office.
B. 
Collective objectives of the Office of Business Opportunity and Community Services.
(1) 
Duties.
(a) 
The Office of Business Opportunity and Compliance shall:
[1] 
Assist and facilitate the implementation of plans which will foster meaningful participation by disabled and minority and women-owned businesses and/or individual minority persons and women and persons with disabilities to the extent permitted and/or demanded by all applicable local, state and national laws and regulations in all County purchasing and construction programs.
[2] 
To the extent permitted by law, foster and develop the participation of local businesses and individuals in the County's purchasing and/or construction programs.
[3] 
To the extent permitted by law, foster and develop the participation of disabled individuals and businesses owned by disabled individuals in the County's purchasing and/or construction programs.
(b) 
Individually and severally, the members of the Office of Business Opportunity and Community Services shall monitor activities and contracts made or proposed by the County Purchasing Division, including all construction contracts and purchases made under state contracts to ensure that such contracts are awarded in compliance with all applicable local, state and federal laws and regulations;
(c) 
To the extent not preempted by federal or state law or regulations, the Office of Business Opportunity and Community Services shall also:
[1] 
Assist in the implementation of plans which give preferential treatment to local residents and businesses.
[2] 
Assist in the implementation of approved disabled and minority and women's business enterprise utilization program.
[3] 
Implement a set-aside policy consistent with applicable law and regulation.
[4] 
Assist in the implementation of all Hudson County ordinances now in existence or as may be from time to time amended or enacted.
[5] 
Establish good-faith goals, preferences and guidelines to ensure business opportunity for disabled and minority- and women-owned firms.
(d) 
To the extent not preempted by federal or state regulations, the following definitions shall be applicable to the interpretation of this section:
[1] 
"Independently owned and operated" means a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation which is not a subsidiary or another organization.
[2] 
"Principal place of business" is the location (state) where a firm's major activity takes place.
[3] 
"Women business enterprise (WBE)" is a business which at least 51% of the beneficial ownership is held by women and whose management and daily operation are controlled by a woman or women.
[4] 
"Minority business enterprise (MBE)" is a business in which at least 51% of the beneficial ownership is held by minorities and whose management and daily business operation are controlled by one or more such minority individuals.
[5] 
"Disabled business enterprise (DBE)" is a business in which at least 51% of the beneficial ownership is held by a person with a disability as disability is defined by any provision of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
[6] 
"Afro-American" is a person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
[7] 
"Hispanic American" is a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
[8] 
"Asian American" is a person having origin in any of the original people of the Far East, Southeast, Asia, and Indian Subcontinent, Hawaii, or the Pacific Islands.
[9] 
"Native American" is a person having origins in any of the original people of North America and who maintains cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition.
[10] 
"Minority" is an individual who is either Afro-American, Hispanic American, Asian American or Native American as defined above.
C. 
Advisory Board of the Office of Business Opportunity and Community Services.
(1) 
The Hudson County Advisory Board of Business Opportunity and Compliance (formerly Advisory Board of Minority and Women's Business Development) is hereby reorganized as of the effective date of this amendment.
(2) 
There is simultaneously created a new Advisory Board on Business Opportunity and Compliance which shall consist of 19 members as follows:
(a) 
The County Executive, or his/her designee.
(b) 
Three members of the Board of County Commissioners to be named by its Chair.
(c) 
The Minority and Women's Business Affairs Officer.
(d) 
The Affirmative Action Officer.
(e) 
The Public Agency Compliance Officer designated under § 5-55.
(f) 
The Economic Opportunity Officer.
(g) 
Eight representatives of minority business organizations and groups, individuals, entrepreneurs and other individuals who are knowledgeable in the field and who have demonstrated interest, dedication and who have fostered development of minority- and women-owned businesses.
(h) 
Two representatives with knowledge of the challenges faced by the disabled in participating and competing in the workforce and the business community.
(i) 
One representative with knowledge and training relative to assimilating women, minorities and the disabled into the workforce.
(3) 
The 11 public members shall be appointed by the County Executive with the advice and consent of the Board of County Commissioners and shall serve for terms of three years or until a successor is appointed and qualified. All terms, no matter when the appointment is made, shall be considered to have commenced on the April 1 next after the appointment.
(4) 
The Board shall serve without compensation.
(5) 
Upon the first appointment of its members and thereafter on or after April 1 in each year, the Advisory Board shall annually elect from its members a chairperson, a vice chairperson and a secretary, who shall hold office until April 1 next ensuing and until their respective successors have been appointed and have qualified. The Advisory Board shall meet at least quarterly and written notices of the meeting and the agenda shall be mailed to all members prior to the meeting date.
(6) 
The Division Chief of the Division of Purchasing shall serve an ex officio, nonvoting member of the Advisory Board, and he/she or a respective designee shall attend the meeting of the Board.
(7) 
The Advisory Board shall function as an advisory group of the executive branch of the County government and in so doing shall:
(a) 
Review existing federal, state and local policies and programs relevant to the disabled and minority and women's businesses;
(b) 
Recommend regulatory and statutory changes at all levels of government necessary to create a supportive environment for the disabled and minority and women's business development and stability;
(c) 
Keep abreast of all federal, state and local funding available that have impact on the disabled and minority and women's businesses and recommend to the County the application of such funds;
(d) 
Recommend the allocation of any federal, state and local funds received;
(e) 
Study any special problems confronting the disabled and minority and women's business and recommend solutions;
(f) 
Recommend the establishment of procedures to monitor the efforts of the County to promote the development of disabled and minority and women business enterprises;
(g) 
Keep abreast of legislation, plans, programs, issues and activities in the public and private sectors that relate to the disabled and minority and women's business enterprises;
(h) 
Study the problems confronting the disabled, women and minorities when participating in the workforce;
(i) 
Recommend programs to encourage and assist the participation of the disabled, women and minorities in the workforce; and
(j) 
Advise the County Executive on the measures to fulfill the purposes of the Committee.
(8) 
The Office of Business Opportunity and Community Services shall provide the appropriate supporting personnel for the Advisory Board.
Within the Department of Parks and Community Services there shall be the Office of Digital Information, the head of which shall be the Office Director, and shall have support staff as assigned by the Director of the Department of Parks and Community Services. The Office of Digital Information shall:
A. 
Manage the County's geographic information systems (GIS). The Office shall create, maintain, and make accessible geographic information systems to the various County departments, and to the public, as well as update existing information systems and expand these systems as technology evolves and changes.
B. 
Manage the County's website. The Office shall oversee the design and maintenance of the County website, and maintain and update the content of the County website.
C. 
Manage the County's social media. The Office shall, from time to time, integrate the County's social media platforms into the County website.
D. 
Manage the Hudson County Traveler's Information Station. The Office shall, from time to time, manage the streaming of the Hudson County Traveler's Information Station via the County website.
[Added 3-28-2024 by Ord. No. 199-3-2024]
Within the Department there shall be an Office of Data Analytics under the direction and supervision of the Director.
A. 
The Director may designate an Office Head and such staff as is necessary to perform the functions of the Office.
B. 
The primary mission and function of the Office shall be to build, maintain and foster data analytical services across all County departments and offices; to assist departments and offices in transforming everyday work data into rich and useful analytical information; and to ensure that the data analyzed is used in the most efficient and productive manner.
C. 
The Office will work with all County departments and offices to collect data; to analyze data; to educate County staff as to the value of data; and to develop collaborative arrangements between and among County departments and offices regarding the collection, maintenance and use of data.
D. 
The Office will also be tasked with developing methods to share with the general public the data collected and the analysis of how that data impacts their lives.