Council - Regular Meeting

I owe all of these extensions 10 years, 15 years, 25 and 30 years. For what reason? When you haven't come up with a tax abatement extension for the people suffering in my community. Seniors dealing with HOA fees, the increased property taxes. Why are we not dealing with the people that are suffering instead of giving extensions to the people that already have tax abatements? When is a moratorium going to come in place over anything over five years to come back to the table and reapply? The city is broke. Where is this money coming from?

When I become mayor, we become mayor. I'm still the mayor. Ditto, both of these intelligent women came before you and asked and unanswered, where's this money coming from? Why does the wealthy federal FBI get a tax abatement on the backs of minorities here in the city of Newark? How does that work? Where's my tax abatement? I have a letter here demanding a tax abatement. I'm going to present it to the clerk for each of you to have a copy. And I want to find out what office is giving these abatements because I need an abatement ASAP. I don't have the money that the Nazi regime of the Trump administration has. They don't need a 10-year abatement on anything. They should be paying us to be here. Why are you even considering this? How do you benefit? We know we don't benefit. Who's benefiting from this? I don't see any recognition. Donna just got here. I know Reverend Roundtree isn't down for this. What is this all about? And Bay, I don't really know you, Bay. I know that you work for Clinton Hill Community. Not anymore? Okay. But I know you don't know what this is about. You just got here. But somebody knows what's going on and why This wealthy, established entity needs anything from us. That's a no. Why are you even considering this? And if you consider this and you pass this with this yay, yay, yay, now we know where you stand and what you're about. And you must be getting something from the FBI, because we're not.

And all the speakers, and someone from the administration or Department of Economic Development, explain.

That's right.

No one here?

Well, somebody got to come up.

Oh, the law department. There's an administrator?

We got it.

Good afternoon, Eric Pennington, business administrator. With respect to generally the questions that came about on this property, the applicant for the property, Claremont Properties, presented a request to extend the abatement. In order to extend an abatement, there are certain criteria that have to be met, one of which is that there is a significant renovation to the property or additions to the property. They have complied in all respects with the request for the extension, and those are the circumstances under which we have sought to have that approved. There have been general statements about the city needs money. This tax abatement is not a tax exemption. It may be listed technically as an exemption, but it doesn't mean that they don't have to pay, they do. They pay a significant sum to the city. Indeed, the payment will be equivalent to, if not more than what it would be if they were paid under ordinary taxes. To address a couple of other issues quickly, there were requests here to indicate that the residents are not eligible for abatements, and that's just not true. Any new construction is eligible for a five-year tax abatement essentially as of right. If a new construction comes before the tax assessor's office and asks for that abatement, it is essentially granted. It still has to go before the council, but it's essentially granted. There's also had been sort of a suggestion that Society Hill has not received an appropriate abatement. Society Hill received a 30-year tax abatement. That was more than 30 years ago. That tax abatement expired. They have the right, like anyone else, to request an extension of that tax abatement. And if they comply, and if they qualify under the terms of the long-term tax exemption law or otherwise, It would likely be approved if it came to the council. That has not happened. So the suggestion that the residents of the city are being mistreated by this extension going forward just isn't true. And if someone wants to present an application to extend the debate, would we consider it just like any other one? I'm not happy to answer any other questions. Thank you.

Questions from the council? No answers, no. I'm Clark.

Roll call. Bay? Yes. Council?

Abstain.

Yes.

Jackson?

Abstain.

Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

B is an ordinance amending special improvement districts to amend various sections increasing the administrative fee retained by the city tax collector from 1% to 2%. Is there anyone wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

The BA seems to have problems with percentages and who's eligible for what. Wesley Towers received tax abatements when they owe taxes to the city, a retroactive. I know what we're talking about. I know what we're talking about. Tax collection, why are we increasing the admin fee for the tax collector? Why are we increasing it?

Any other speakers?

Now, Quintana, Deborah Salters, you already know. My question would be the same. Why is it being increased? You know, there was no explanation about it. So we would like to know. So when we get up here, that's what we're asking. Why? Can we get some details? And there was no real answer to my question that I asked. I heard what the BA said, but I don't think I got an answer to my question unless I missed it. But as you know, when we come up to speak, Quintana, this is, you understand the public forum, and she was still talking about the taxes, tax abatements. So when she started, you immediately started to cut her off. Come on now, let's not do this. You know how this goes, come on.

Any other speakers? Hearing none, call the roll.

Call the roll.

Roll call. Bay? Yes. Council?

Yes.

Trump? Yes. Jackson?

Abstain.

Kelly?

Yes.

Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva?

Yes.

President Quintana?

Yes.

C is an ordinance granting a 20-year tax abatement to 452 South Orange Avenue Urban Renewal LLC for a project located in the West Ward to construct a five-story mixed-use building. Sponsored by Councilman Kelly, second by Councilman Council. Is there anyone wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

Once again, I'm going to ask the question, why are all the tax abatements starting with 20 years instead of a five year? We've already experienced all of these slumlords in this city that continue to receive tax abatement without doing the benefit of capital improvement or anything like that. Why are we continuing to give these long-term tax abatements to these developers that every developer that has urban renewal LLC behind it starts a 20 to 30-year tax abatement that's going to saddle my granddaughter in debt when the city is broke? There have been tax abatements given to properties that haven't even expired their tax abatement for additional years, namely Hyde Park Gardens for one. You have 1060 Broad. People didn't have no heat and hot water and elevators this past winter. But you extended it so that they could do capital improvement and the residents are living under deplorable conditions. Let's talk about that. Where's the quality assurance over all of these things to ensure that capital improvement is being done? and that the residents aren't suffering. Georgia King Village, that's private. Let me go back to the senior building, 1060 Broad, and a number of other ones. The city is in compounded debt and deficit. And what the B.A. needs to start doing is coming up here, explaining how he's gonna get us out of the hole. instead of giving all of the developers that donate to your campaign, let's talk about that, to get special perks and conditions while we, the residents of this city, are suffering, Mr. B.A.

Good afternoon, Alif Mohammed. The mayor finally confessed that the AMI is bad. So if you look at this deal, this deal is horrible. You got 80% AMI? You got 60% AMI? Miles Berger showed you how to do it. So my brother, Kelly, this is your award. Correct it now. You don't have to wait for the city to change it. You could just start demanding, hey, it got to be no more than 20 to 50%, just like Miles Burger did it. You don't have to go in and say, oh, we got to change it now. We got to make legislation and all that. That's BS. You could do it now on new development that's still sitting here. And you could drop it down and say 20 to 50%. Because this deal right here, it's got some 80%. So man, this is going to be a very expensive place. So the mayor finally admitted it. Felicia hollered about it for years. Years. The AMI is not right. The AMI is not right. I think somebody said it's up to 130-something thousand now. So you talk, right? So if you just talk, you talk 60%. You got to make that 70%. I was pretty good at math, but my mother owned a candy store. So 70% or 60% is like, oh my god. you up to about $70,000, $70,000, $80,000 that you gotta live, that you gotta be to live in these places. Somebody said Newark is 40,000 or something like that?

No, they went up, they went up.

Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. But I think Newark, that's my problem, I listen to all the time. You know? Welcome, Mr. President. I'm glad you're here, thank Allah. Anyway, it's a bad deal. It's a bad deal, bro. You was welling yesterday. You know, she lit a fire up under this council. Even Pat was talking. So what I'm saying, this is a bad deal. This is just a bad deal. 60%, and they think you do them. Miles Berger, y'all call him all kind of names, showed the way. And the city should set that example on any deals that You got it coming up. And you should be nice enough to write letters and see if the developers, they got all these tall buildings that everybody think is affordable. Would they change it? Would they change it? Thank you.

This is straight nonsense. And I don't know, Kelly, you might think you can do movies after you screw the pooch over here and you don't have to be responsible for this. The AMI was fudged. Ras Baraka, in his election, when he went down to the sports club, made an announcement. It was recorded that the AMI is wrong. that you're utilizing the Airbnb income folk that come through here to come and visitate and go to the Prudential Center, their income. You have the subletters that come through that these slumlords are charging $3,300 a month, $3,600 a month, and you're utilizing their incomes. They are not residents of Newark. You have gone and you have usurped what the census indicated, that the income is not even $30,000. It's not 118,000, so this is clearly not for black and brown people, the people who voted you and who you sit up there and that you're able to get the over $100,000 a year that you're paid for less than part-time work and some of you don't have, most of you don't have office hours. You don't answer your phones. And you have these new people coming in, they're gonna put you out. You're not going to be able to eat off of us for very much longer. So I suggest that you go back and look. This AMI is incorrect. And 80% of 100, what was it, 100, almost 100, 120,000, 130,000? is still nearly 50% more than what Newarkers make. So this is not for Newark residents. There is a house in the ass crack of Newark that is near that studio that went for $1.8 million. Do you know what that means for the rest of the homeowners and the residents here? That in order for them to make back on their $1.8 million in this crappy house, They're going to be charging $33, $36, $4,000 a month rent to the people coming in to do the movies. Who can afford that? That pushes everybody sitting here looking at me right now out or sitting here watching this. Do you have $4,000 a month? This is ridiculous that you would even consider this. So when I get off and sit down and nobody else comes up and say, what's it, yay, yay, yay, you're yaying yourselves out of office. You're yaying yourself into an indictment.

She just got here. Right, Deborah Salters. So you heard what was said, and it's interesting because yesterday Kelly was on fire talking about how is it that properties that are assessed for more is going for less than the West Ward. Well, when that tour was being done in the West Ward last year, all these people, that's not from here, but you're being showed properties and properties and properties. So these deals being done, Again, and we talked about the mixed use. Remember we talked about that a year or two ago? That was one of the things Gonzalez brought up a lot, but then he turned around and said, yes, so it was counterproductive. The fact is, the mixed use, we have a lot of spaces that are not being used. We talked about, perhaps we need to start talking to these developers about not making mixed use all the time. We need more rental spaces, we need more housing than we need stores that are not being rented. If you look at downtown Newark, because these guys have come in like a wrecking ball, and they're charging so much for the rent, so they pushing the people out that have been here for 20, 30 years, all of my life, It looks like a ghost town and like we're in a third world country that been through a war, downtown Newark, because we have no businesses anymore. And the new ones that are coming in are the she-she, niche, poo-poo businesses. Where's all of our shopping and things like this? But yet, you say yes to every development that has mixed use. But when you go by there, there's nobody in the storefronts. Because the rent is too high. And the people that were here were pushed out. What about the set asides that we had years ago for the minority businesses? Which was like 30%. So what is the incentive for these people to do the right thing when they come here and bully you all and tell you what they are and are not going to do. And they continually get away with it. And listen, I understand that we come up here for the formality of it. The deals have been made on the golf course or in the cigar lounge or outside on the corner before we get here. But at some point, you all who say that you work for we the people are going to have to stand up and exhibit some courage so that we can take our city back. Otherwise, you're continuing to show us that this is counterproductive. But we come here because we actually care. We take our time out because this is our city that we're being pushed out of. This is terrible. And this goes into what I said before. It's as if someone told you that a bad deal is better than no deal at all. Where in the world does that make sense? It doesn't. So why would you vote yes on this? If you do, it makes no sense. But we've been saying this. When are you going to do something to change it?

Any other speakers? I don't see any other speakers. Oh yes, one more speaker.

Sorry.

Peace and blessings.

My name is .

My concern about any development that's going on in the West Ward and Newark in general is that the employment that's being gained off those represents the Newark residents. I want to make sure that if this development is coming on and they're getting whatever tax abatement, what representation do we Newarkers have, and more specifically, black Americans? Peace.

My concern is more so not for an ordinance per se for tax abatement. It's more so for a boot and license. So I work for RTB Park and Boot Enforcement.

Let's stick to the ordinance. It's still the ordinance. You have to speak to it.

My name is Miriam Bay, Westwood resident.

My concern is just two questions. Do you care about making Newarkers homeless? That's what I'm thinking about. I'm reading this. I'm saying, do you care about Newark residents and how this is affecting us? Councilman Kelly, I just had one of my neighbors who went through some issues, Hispanic sister. And I referred her to you, she said that you helped her. But the slumlord was trying to get money from her. That was illegal. And once I got involved, he didn't get it. So my issue is the bottom line. How do we feel about Newark residents? That's the bottom line. Do you care? Because if you care, you wouldn't be doing this. unless it's going to help us. You know the issues that we're having here? We're having some serious issues. So let's do something that's going to help the residents when we make these decisions. And if it's not, we're the ethics that we're thinking about, if we're thinking. How are we going to help our residents get employment, get housing? Because the rent is ridiculous. and many cannot afford it. So that means that you're helping Newark residents to become homeless.

Seeing no other speakers.

Roll call. Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump? Yes. Jackson?

No other explanation. yesterday we discussed changing this ami and because this is a new building and so are the rest of them we discussed the income guidelines that too many in this community didn't understand back in 2017 when everybody was clapping for affordable housing i wasn't because i knew the income guidelines then outpaced all of us And so it's only until recently that we realized that this city set the income guidelines from $89,500 to $135,000. We didn't know this eight years ago. I did, but we didn't. And now we're in a housing crisis. A housing crisis. And we have got to do a change now. I know yesterday I asked. I know I have to stand on this. This is in the West Ward. And God knows we need housing. This is not an indictment, Councilman Kelly, against you personally. But this city cannot continue with 400 families a day in that landlord tenant court. And 200 of them being evicted to continue to erect housing that we are not eligible for. Unfortunately, in my closing, our community gets stuck on words. And you guys thought the word affordable meant you could afford it. And you stopped saying low income. I never have stopped saying low income. And I never will. Because I understand that even $60,000 for a family in North right now is low income. And even though we've seen some income gains, they are not enough. So unfortunately I have to vote no to this and other stuff until we change this AMI. We cannot, the buildings downtown are not full. They got many vacant units down there and they don't take Section 8. So people are at a loss right now. So I have to unfortunately vote no because I know my neighbors and I know my family can't afford to move in that building.

Kelly?

Yes.

Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree?

Yes.

Silva? Yes. President Quintana?

Yes.

Council President, Council Members, if I may, just as a reminder of Robert Rules of Order, as we're taking the vote, you can make the comments after.

After, right. What was her first? Yes. I didn't want to. Just for the records.

Okay. Item E is an ordinance granting.

D. I'm sorry? D. I knew that.

Excuse me. Item D is an ordinance granting a 20-year tax abatement to 518 South 16th Street Urban Renewal LLC for a project located in the West Ward to construct a low-rise multi-family building. Sponsored by Councilman Kelly, second by Councilwoman Scott-Roundtree. Is there anyone wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

Yes, ma'am, Ali Muhammad. Now this is a lot better. This one is 30%. But like you were talking about yesterday, who's going to make sure they're complying with it? Somebody said it's a deed or something like that. And then I believe somebody said it was two people in the office to comply about the whole NOC on different things. So this is a lot better, 30%. But who's going to comply? And Ramos and Mr. President, you guys are the historians here. Somebody said, or Allison makes up her own history, that Revert was the first time it happened with Ras Baraka. Shit, I remember Cory Booker. I was on UCC board. Took back 400 lots from us. Mash it, Muhammad. 400 lots were taken back. They always have revert. But she makes up her own situation. But you historians need to tell these people, don't let people just say anything. We always had the 18-month revert. But this is a better deal. But I'm relying on you historians to say it because you guys have been there. These other people don't know. But I remember they took back a lot of lots because Sharp was giving 400 lots and stuff to developers. And all these developers that really worked out was the Portuguese guys down in NEC. They did mostly all these things that you see up here. So this is a better deal of 30%, but it makes sense. And you don't have to wait to change it. You could demand this now or go somewhere else. And they not going to go nowhere else. They ain't going back to Jerry City. They ain't going to go back to Hoboken. They damn sure ain't coming back to New York. And in a minute, East Orange is up there too. Just $2,700. $3,000 to go on South Harrison. So where they going to go? You got them by the testicles. You know, I didn't say the other thing, Mr. President. You know, so you can make your own deal. You don't have to change the rule. You could demand no more of these deals now, unless they between, like Miles Berger, that everybody talked bad about and things he did, but let's talk good when he did something good. 20, 50%. You want to do business in Newark? 20 to 50%. Thank you.

Better is not good. That's a little bit better than the atrocity that you just voted for. But it's still not enough. It's a drop in the bucket. According to the CLIMB report, we need 17,000 units of housing. But since 1996, you have raised over 100,000 units. The high rises were so bad. People can't live in Prince Street projects. It's so bad. And then you build another project. You've been fighting, Silver's been fighting for the project at Iberia. Another high rise, another empty high rise because the New Yorkers move in, they lose their jobs, they move out, the buildings are vacant because nobody can afford them. The AMI, the average median income, that means how much you make is apportionment of the rent you pay. It's like a Section 8 for everybody. So you make so much money, and that's what your rent is charged. But nobody's making that income, so you don't get in the building. They're not saying what you got to have. You have to have $30,000, $60,000 in the bank to qualify for the apartment. Nobody is paying attention to that. And then you're talking and saying things over people's heads. and they're not getting it. And then you're like, well, we're not concerned about the people in the periphery, the ones that ambulate and come down here to city council and make complaints because you have your hostage voting stock in the senior buildings where you go and you threaten them into voting for you and bring jitneys over there to pick them up to bring them down to vote. So you're not concerned about what we're saying. But you should be concerned, Ramos. You are the Director of Welfare for Essex County. You're increasing the people who are now going to need those roles because they're going to be put out. None of you said anything about when Ms. Bay brought those homeless people before you, a working mother who's living in her car. because you keep voting for things where they can't live. I have an increase of homeless people, baseheads, crackheads, itinerants, vagrants in my neighborhood because there's no place for them to live. You keep closing down public housing, then you let public housing go to rot. You put in that RAD or something like that where It's managed off-site, and these management companies are a bunch of pimps, and they're stealing from the people and not doing anything for the public housing. No more abatements. No more nonsense developments.

The other speaker was here. Mr. Parker.

Once again, I'm gonna talk about the 20 year tax abatement and none of these new developers should be given 20 years. Why aren't you starting them at five years? Why is that not the issue when it used to be done? Ever since this administration came to office 13 years ago, this has been a ballooning of tax abatements. You got the HALO building sitting over there, 25 years tax abatement that's not even in compliance with your guidelines, and you haven't rescinded it. Millions in taxes. Never paid land, or they paid land but delinquent in it. Never paid assessment. That building's collecting dust, structurally unsound. Let's talk about who these developers are that live in other countries, other municipalities, other states. Nothing to have for the residents that reinvest that's gonna live here. Why is it there a limitation on your favorite developers that they don't have to provide sufficient parking? Let's talk about that for a minute. In no place in this city that you could do municipal parking that's at a rate that people can afford, nor are we collecting revenues from parking meters and tickets. This has a domino effect on everything here. And the fact that on all of these units, they're making the bedrooms like a closet. But these developers don't live in a closet for a bedroom. The square footage is disgraceful. And yet, time and time again, no one that's doing these developments care about the residents here, but the bottom line is their bottom line. How much profit they gonna be making and creating generational wealth for their families, but you haven't created general wealth for the residents here. What you look like? I'm talking PAC Council and the rest of you that's not paying attention. Disrespectful. At the end of the day, y'all all got paid in your coffers, your campaign coffers. And we see the result of that at the planning board, at everything that got approved after the election. Y'all are disgraceful. You are supposed to be the gatekeepers to represent us. Start doing your job.

Deborah Salters, how you living? How you living? Norcas, how you living? Council folk, how you living? You know, I saw today, and I see it every day, new people in the city who now have made their beds outside of where I live. One on one side, cardboard boxes under them, another one on top. These are new faces. These are not the regular faces that's out here. We have the working homeless out here who are living in their cars. They go to a job, come back, had to put their stuff in storage. Some people don't have storage because they can no longer afford this. But you all know this. We've been talking about this for years. You passed the ordinance that would allow landlords to raise the rent up to 4% or 5% per year. Some have tried to raise it 6.4% and above. So the question is that we always ask who is enforcing because that was one of the issues that were brought up in a pre-meeting yesterday. Ramos found out that a property that was sold was flipped four or five times. Nobody's watching the candy store. These people get these abatements and then they do what they want, but now it's no longer the city's property, so now you're on the other side looking at them mad, like Allison said, she was really upset when she found out they did this, this, and this, but what are you doing to enforce the things that you said you put in place? But again, we're being displaced off of deals that are being made and things that you're saying yes to. And the only ones benefiting, as they should not be, are the ones who you allowed to make the deal. No one's enforcing it. No task force is out there, and you'll probably do it because I'm saying it now, no task force is out there with a sledgehammer making these people do the right thing. And you make these deals like she said, well, there's nothing we can do. I mean, when we made the agreement, they turned around and did something else. But all we can do now is what? Roundtree brought up clean and lean. Absolutely. That way they can't flip it. But you all are not doing anything that benefits we the people. Where's the legislation that is going to allow us to live in the city where our blood, sweat, and tears and our mothers and fathers and grandparents, our ancestors' blood, sweat, and tears were here when nobody else was?

Any other speakers? Not seeing any. Roll call.

Roll call. Oh, no, she's on.

Yes, Mr. Administrator.

Good afternoon, Council President, Council Members, Eric Pennington, Business Administrator. Just for all of the abatements that are before Council today, I think that there are some general issues that should be brought forward. One is that every abatement that is in front of the council today has gone in front of the city council tax abatement committee where there is a fairly rigorous assessment of whether or not the tax abatement should move forward. The council members make up that committee along with certain members of the administration and they vet these applications to make sure that the residents of the city are not taken advantage of, to make sure that the inclusionary zoning ordinance is complied with. to make sure that the city of Newark residents have the first chance to qualify for those apartments that are part of the inclusionary zoning ordinance. The administration person who is most responsible for putting forward the concerns of the mayor is Alison Ladd and her team. They do an outstanding job in making sure that the internal rate of return is appropriate, that the information that is provided to the council through that committee satisfies the requirements of every tax abatement that goes forward, and that this full council, I believe, relies upon its tax abatement committee to get the information it needs to assess these applications and to vote on them. We recognize that Council Member at Large Jackson is new to the council and may not have been privy to that information before now. So to the extent she needs to abstain, I think it's fine. The information that she provides may not be as accurate as the information that other people have because she hasn't been privy to it. I've gotten comments from some of the people in the audience suggesting that I'm giving Councilwoman Jackson the right to abstain or say what she wants to abstain. I'm not giving her permission one way or the other. She has to vote her conscience to do the things that she wants to do. I want to make sure that she and all the other council members and the residents out here are aware of the information that we have and what the process is before the tax abatements come before this city council. If there are any specific questions with respect to this abatement or others, we'll answer them. One final point is the issue that was brought up about the AMI, the Area Median Income. Pursuant to the direction of Mayor Baraka, which we discussed yesterday, we are reviewing now, through Economic and Housing Development, changing the AMI that is applicable to these projects so they are more favorable for the residents of the city of Newark. And we expect that this will be before the council within the short term. And that's the information that is applicable to every tax abatement that goes before this committee. And I think you have sufficient information to vote on it, and you'll vote on it based on what you think is in the best interest of the residents of the city.

Thank you. Thank you.

Roll call. Roll call.

Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump?

Yes.

Jackson? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana? Yes.

E is an ordinance granting a 25-year tax abatement to Conciego Homes Urban Renewal LLC for a project located in the North Ward to construct a new five-story residential building. Sponsored by Councilman Ramos, second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree. Is there anyone wishing to be heard on this ordinance? Alif Muhammad.

Boy, that was some BS that he just got up and said.

The FBI said you're political.

I didn't say it. Your FBI said the deals are made here political. This ain't Alif saying it. The Federal Bureau of Investigation say you in the pocket with somebody, you're going to get a deal. You're going to get a friendly deal. So let's cut the BSL. This is better. But then it goes right back to 80%. And really, 80% is a down low market rate. You're still paying market rate. I don't know why I understand what y'all are trying to do with putting up apartments, but these people are not going to afford it. But there's no compliance. The person got up the other day and said, there's no compliance. He said, I had one person. Now I got two. So you have no compliance that these people are going to do what they say they do. And these are business people. These aren't people of religion. They swear on the Bible or the Quran. These are business people. They're going to hell with that, man. And like Lisa said, it's so political that the lot across the street from my house, y'all voted no, no, no. And then at the election, you vote yes. How do you get hung up in hypocrisy? That's why it's so good that she's up here. She going to learn the rules, but you don't school her publicly. You don't think she know what she talking about? She been out here 30 years. She ain't never been in, I'm getting on. She ain't never been in a New Jersey Supreme Court reprimanded. You've been reprimanded by the New Jersey Supreme Court? No. You don't need to tell her. She knows what she's doing. She's bright. She's been out here. You ain't been out here. It's embarrassing. And y'all need to check him. Because I will. And it ain't physical I'm talking about. You know I sue people. Got one against you right now, don't I?

Thank you.

More nonsense. Another 25-year long-term tax abatement. And I was just surprised that you write poorly written deals. So the deputy mayor comes up and goes, oh, well, they lied to us, because you wrote the deal wrong. The mayor's private attorney, who is our BA, I don't know what law school he went to, but somebody needs to write these ordinances and these deals, these agreements better. This is why they're able to flip. How are they able to do that? Because you wrote it wrong and they played you. You got pimped like you're trying to pimp us. Plain and simple. If you don't want someone to sell the property, then they had to hold onto the property for 50 years. without changing ownership or it reverts back to the city. How long is that line? That's something you could just write. If they don't agree to it, then they don't agree to it. Nobody needs a 25-year abatement. Senator Rice came up with the idea for abatements to lure developers to the city of Newark because nobody wanted to be here. Nobody wanted to be in the ass crack, which is known as Newark. Nobody wanted to be here, and you had to pay developers to come. Now they're paying you to stay to pay you to have bad deals, poorly written deals. You don't enforce code enforcement. You don't enforce sanitation. You don't enforce most of the laws that protect us and give us a quality of life. Many of you don't live here in the city of Newark. So you're not concerned about the developers that come in that don't want to do right by the residents of the city of Newark. So you think, oh, well, they're just standing up here talking. And no, you have to be apprised. I do it in a public forum. It's recorded. I write it down. I give it to you. And then we move later. The same way Raz was very upset when the Nazis came into his office and wanted information, and just very upset that somebody called the Trump administration in. Well, they're running the show. And they don't want you ripping off the people, because that's their job. They want to rip off. You can't all be stealing from us at the same time.

You've got to talk about the ordinance.

You're the only one who answers your phone and comes to work, besides a Roundtree. And Donna, I haven't called you yet. And Ramos, he don't come to the welfare department. This is about abatement. It's a no. It's not necessary. It was a tool. Throw the tool out. It's rusty. It's not usable.

Your time is up. Thank you. Next speaker.

20-year tax abatement. There are developers here that haven't complied with community agreements, benefit agreements. You have, for the last 10 years, had properties that wasn't accessible to Newark residents, only your cherry pick developers and the ones that you created over the years and the ones that realized that they could get a sweetheart deal while the taxpayers, me, foot the bill. You have committees that you infiltrate with all your cherry-picked people on these commissions. Let's start with the planning board, the tax abatement committees that just kowtow and vote on whatever the administration puts forward. No community engagement, even when people come to you to help us with our plight. You haven't written the first piece of legislation on behalf of a resident in 12 years. since his administration been in office. And not one of you have come up with ideas to mobilize and create a real affordable housing for the community. Every time the B.A. steps up here, he's giving what the protocol, the process, and everything else, when his own math ain't mathing on our budget. And yet, We continue to give all the people, and I'm going to say it again, shalom, people that live overseas and other parts of the state, everybody but the people that are here. Allison laughed for years. Everybody asks her, where's the list of properties that Newarkers could invest in? that could take stake in our communities. Everybody here that you are proven for this don't live here, not invested in here. But yet, the hardworking people that invested, that are retired, can't afford to stay here, because you're gonna out-price us in property tax increase. And it's not just Society Hill, Mr. B.A., it's University of States Homeowners Association. that was one of the first to create a society hill that none of y'all give a damn about, that when one of your developers was boring in the land, created a sinkhole, that we got structural damage that the city's not addressing. So don't tell us about what you got going on that protects and we could be engaged in when we have not been engaged at all.

Other speaker.

Deborah Salter. So very basic, which is one of the things I talk about all the time. And the BA said that the tax abatement committee met and vetted these folk thoroughly. Did you all correct the tax abatement committee? Because remember, you weren't in compliance with the number of members that were supposed to be on the board to handle these situations. So was that handled? Were those people put in place? Because I normally get the email for the tax abatement meeting, but I haven't been getting them lately. You haven't had any meetings. Okay. So if you haven't had any meetings, then how were these people vetted? Was this done a year ago or two? You know what I mean? So something's not mapping, right? So if you haven't had meetings, but they're vetted in the meetings, which meetings were they vetted in? Okay. I digress. So let me go to this parking issue that I always talk about. Because in one of the last tax abatement meetings, my questions were about the parking. You're building these edifices. You want five stories, 20 stories, however many stories you have. And those of us who live in the city who are the foundational Newarkers, who have problems parking now, when these people come here and they're not giving adequate parking. So this started out with what, 52 market rate residential, and then there's an 800 square foot gym, a lounge, and a 778 square foot gym. So you got the lounge and the gym, and then you only have, what was it, 31 rental parking spaces. So if you have 52 market rate residential units, and with the breakdown, who are these 31 rental parking spaces going to? with the amount of rent that is being charged, which is a mortgage to live in the city of Newark at this point, and you're not giving adequate parking to those who live here. Where's the handicap parking? Where's the parking for the residents? Because again, you have 800 feet square lounge and 778 square foot gym. 31 rental parking spaces. Where are the parking spaces for the residents who are going to live there? Because now you're inconveniencing, and the northward? The northward. Ramos, do I have to say anything about the northward? Double parking is just, you have to tell the people, the street is not, this is not double parking. Double parking everywhere. Double, triple, quadruple, however they feel, they park. And we need more of this in the North Water, where it takes you 20 minutes to get down a five-minute ride?

And no speaker? I want another speaker.

I just want to add to all the good things that are being said, that in the North Ward, the recreation site that's being underutilized, even though I know that's HUD, is there any way that in the negotiation for the abatements that you can negotiate a space for the undeserved children that exist there? I'm talking about that space right across from where Graffit Avenue Projects used to be in the townhouses now. There's a dance space in there. It's not being used at all. And I don't know if that's something that you can consider adding into the talks and negotiations when it comes to the abatement that perhaps they can bring, just to add on to what they were saying. I didn't hear anyone mention that. Thank you.

Roll call.

Roll call. Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump?

Yes.

Jackson.

Abstain.

Kelly. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva. Yes. President Quintana.

Yes. Mr. President.

Yes, Councilor Ramos.

I just want to state for the record that our office was not involved in the negotiations as far as the particulars of the deal. I do know where the site is. This is Summer Avenue and May Street. this building will go up in an abandoned property that used to be a small supermarket in that neighborhood some years ago and the owner of this actually bought a house next to it that was a local chop shop where they were illegally converting stolen vehicles. So this was an eyesore for that neighborhood for a long time. The residents had an opportunity when this went before zoning to object and raise questions about the density. I do agree with Ms. Salters. I think we live under a fallacy in Newark that people don't drive, and a lot of these projects are getting approved with minimal parking, and that's a headache for everybody. But as far as the location, And the fact that this was an emerging neighborhood some years ago, I think a project like this is going to bring some value to the Summer Avenue and May Street area. And I know that area well because we've walked that area a lot. We've talked to the residents. And between the abandoned supermarket and the chop shop that was next door, it was creating a lot of headaches for the people that lived there.

By the way, there was one time there was a lot of gang activity in that area, stolen cars and abandoned cars. And that is the whole area, as a historian, that was the area almost where the 77 steps came by. When the 77 steps were, Mount Prospect came over to Avington, which there was so many Homicides in that area and just see what counsel Ramos alludes to to see the change it really means something because as a person as a young person coming growing up in that area to Coming down with 77 steps to see it what it is now to a change I mean cars were we were there on Sunday and people were just of taking stolen cars and just put them apart. To see something that's productive, I think it's a change. I think in terms of recreation, I know that there are recreational things that Councilman Ramos is working right now in North Ward on Lower Broadway, I mean on Broadway, next to the Luis Munoz Marine School, the Elwood Park. So there is some kind of recreation. What you're saying is that we should encourage with the tax payments that they do something in terms of sets and parks, and we agree with that. Right. Okay. Thank you. Ten years.

F is an ordinance amending stopping, standing, and parking by adding a new section entitled Limitation on Parking of Motor Vehicles by Certain Commercial Establishments, sponsored by Councilman Ramos, second by Councilman Silva. Is there anyone wishing to be heard on this ordinance? Mr. President.

Yes, Councilman Ramos. Before the speakers, if I could just get two seconds to explain this, if it's okay with you, Mr. Muhammad. So we get a lot of complaints about, especially in residential neighborhoods where we have mechanic shops, auto body places, you know, many of these places were zoned many, many years ago and they create a lot of quality of life issues as it relates to parking. You know, many times some of these shops are parking vehicles on city sidewalks. So through this ordinance, we're stiffening penalties, making sure that the regulations are real clear that they are not allowed to park vehicles that they're working on on city streets, on sidewalks. It threatens the mechanic shops, auto body places, auto dealer places with license revocation if they fail to comply. And that's essentially what it does. Just wanted to put that on the record.

It's Ali Muhammad. This is a good idea. One particular spot on Fabian Place when you get off 78. I don't know if y'all are familiar with that. In the Southwood, you know what I'm talking about. With all them tractor trailers. Just going to reflect them. It's not going to bother them? No. Wow. Because you know they block it off and stuff. And gentlemen, the Northwood gentlemen, we weren't talking about the idea of the building. Excuse me, ladies. We weren't talking about the building. I was in Northwood and it was 440,000 people. We're not talking about that. We're talking about the AMI. That's our problem.

I agree.

That's our problem. We believe you guys are going to do a good job, but we're talking about the AMI. But I like this one. Please vote for it.

Any other speakers?

I get what Mr. Muhammad was saying, okay? But I need to see this ordinance because your ordinances, just like your deals, are poorly written. We have, just like Ramos said, quadruple parking, parking on the sidewalk, illegal chop shops where people are fixing their cars and dumping the chemicals into the storm drains or leaving the chemicals and bottles in front of residents' homes. Okay, so this is something that you need to revise throughout the city of Newark about parking, period. But I'd like to see what this is. You have a blurb that's one, two, three, four, five, six lines long that says nothing. So you're making an amendment, an ordinance, doing what? I call the police now, because last time I checked, triple parking and quadruple parking and parking across the sidewalk was illegal. So you have fights. I had a fight on Sunday, Sunday morning, to get in and out of my driveway, because the illegal conversion that's overcrowded with your auxiliary housing nonsense, Has so many people. They're running a construction company, a recycling, stealing enterprise. And now they're renting garage storage. So you have all of these different entities, these different businesses that you ain't getting no tax dollars from. coming through and impinging, infringing upon the ownership of other people's property and people's parking spaces. And when I say a parking space, I'm talking about my driveway. So I had to fight a business that shouldn't even be, I live in a residential district, a residential zone. Why is there seven construction companies? and a recycling, stealing enterprise, two of them. And then they come and offload the bottles that they've stolen from the city in my driveway. The police don't show up. You need 14 hours for them to come. So what is this ordinance? Is it going to address that, Ramos? Is it gonna address the people illegally parking in your driveway and blocking your driveway? When my mother needed an ambulance to come and take her in an emergency, she had a stroke. There was a fight to get close enough to the house because of double, triple parking. I have a driveway that someone had parked across. So people's lives are in danger. It's not just parking. It's not just convenience.

The question I have for you is enforcement. Who's going to do the enforcement? Every time I try to drive down Ferry Street between the bus traffic, commercial traffic, it takes you at least 20 minutes to get from Penn Station to the other side of Ferry Street. Every morning when school is in session and not when it's in session, court is in session, Our blocks are landlocked through commercial entities and schools, that there's no enforcement, that if you don't leave the block between 6 and 6.30 in the morning, we got gridlocked to get in and out of our block all around the schools, the traffic on South Orange Avenue, 13th Avenue, and the surrounding areas that the residents that live there can't get in and out of our blocks. And that goes for peak morning hours and in the evening time. So the question for you all is, while you making all these amendments, who's gonna be the person to enforce it? And what revenues do you have for the enforcers to ensure that this doesn't happen?

Deborah Salter. So I see what this is about the commercial establishments and the parking. But that was going to be my first thing. Who's enforcing this, right? So as we're coming into the chambers, we're greeted with the sergeant and four police officers.

What we need all this brass up in here for?

Like, somebody going to pull out something and just start spraying.

Like, what?

We need them in the streets, OK? We need them in the street. And we have a sergeant up here who I had to talk about last time refused to take a police report. But he up here in the chamber? What are we doing? So enforcement is important. So we can make all the ordinances we want. We have ordinances on the book that are not being enforced. This is important, because I remember I was driving for this trucking company some years ago, and they didn't want to come to Newark because they weren't allowed to park in Newark. So I had to go everywhere else but Newark. Now? They're parking all over the place. The same company I didn't work for years ago, or I did work for, but I had to go to every other city because Newark wasn't having it. Now these truckers and everybody else is doing whatever they want. So I agree with this ordinance, but at the same time that we're passing these types of ordinances for these folk, also with the auto mechanic shops, with their cars all over the place, I agree with that. But who is enforcing it? Because they're not stopping it. You understand? So this language here is just language. It's not very specific. It's not targeting anything specific, right? So we need specific words in these ordinances to target people so that when you say, okay, this is what it says, bam, I'm slapping you with an $800 fine. Every day that you do this, this, and that, and it's inconvenience in the residence, you're getting hit with this amount of money for this, this, this, and this. It's too ambiguous. And we need enforcement. We don't need enforcement in the chambers or outside the chambers. A sergeant and four police officers or more on a regular. And it's a day meeting. What is the problem? We've got enough going on outside. We need these officers outside. Not up here. You know what's up here. You know what I'm saying? What are we doing? Wasted resources. As soon as I got up here, I start fussing, because it makes no sense. Like, we're just going wild out and jump up there and snatch you off the dais. Come on, y'all. I mean, no, let me stop. But no, like, what are we doing, right? An example of wasted resources. But yet we have ordinances upon ordinances, amendments upon amendments with no enforcement. But then regular citizens are targeted for stupid things.

Any other speakers? Seeing none, roll call.

Jay? Yes. Council?

Yes.

Crump?

Yes.

Jackson?

Yes. Yes.

Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. G is an ordinance authorizing amendments to the bylaws of InvestNORC. Is there anyone wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

Yes, Alif Mohammed. In the hope of transparency, in the hope of transparency, shouldn't the bylaws be connected to it so people can see what they're talking about? They just say bylaws, because I still trying to figure out what Invest North do. I know they almost gave the mayor's wife's best friend across the street an IHOP. They gave him close to, I don't know, a couple million dollars and stuff. Y'all didn't know about that. Oh, OK. Yeah.

The wife's best friend.

Invest North. And then you ride downtown. And you ride downtown, and all you see is empty stores with art. That's crazy, man. Who ever thought about that? And I remember in 68 and 69, I used to hang out in the village, so I knew about the art and everything, because they used to let us drink at 15. You know, the village, the green village. So what I'm saying is, I understand the art thing, but it's art. All Broad Street, it's all art. It's empty stores. What is the National doing?

Don't pucker your lips up at me.

What is the best Newark doing? What are they doing? I mean, what are they doing? My understanding, they're supposed to bring business in Newark. They're supposed to bring and make Newark alive. Your main street is empty. Oh my God, I remember as a kid, we used to have to hold my hand, I used to hate it too, because I thought I was grown, and walk through with so many people downtown. So what do they do in investment law? But you should ask for a little transparency to find out what's going on and stuff. But I know about the money they gave to the African lady across the street. That was public. That was public and stuff. That's the mayor's best friend, wife's best friend. Thank you.

I'm in agreement with Mr. Muhammad. The devil is in the details, and you always come up with open-ended with nothing in between on what you're amending. Now let's talk about Invest Newark, a quasi-governmental agency. They're supposed to be contributing into the revenue streams to the city. We got a classic example of the Nina Simone building that was born out of Invest Newer that I haven't seen a revenue stream come out of. You have vendors, contractors, everybody else in Invest Newark and properties that you seize for taxes and then reselling it and redeveloping things to your favorite developers and yet we haven't got an answer on what revenues we're garnering from a quasi-governmental agency. and yet you want to amend something, but with the transparency on what section and chapter you're amending and what that language says. There's too many unanswered questions about all of these quasi-governmental agencies that you created, including recreation, that we are not getting anything from. No revenues. And they're operating in a silo and yet collecting off of our resources when they supposed to be giving us resources, a percentage. So can somebody answer what Invest Newark is doing and what revenue we are collecting from Invest Newark?

Kudos to the two people that just stood up here and said succinctly some of the issues with Invest Newark. I took a woman who has a handicapped son to one of the Invest Newark selection of properties. She had a house that she was interested in. They wanted $50 for her to register. You register, and you don't get the house. You don't get nothing. So who is this invest for? You had a Newarker with a handicapped child who needed housing, who came to Invest Newark and got no invest, got nothing. I've attended many, many Invest Newark functions. I don't know what they do. I got some potato chips and a Sprite. I don't see any benefit. Okay, I need to make friends with the mayor's wife so I can get $50 million too. I need an investment. Anybody else here need $50,000? Anybody need, what was it, $50 million, Mr. Muhammad?

Anybody want the $50 million?

We all want $50 million. And Deborah says she'll take two. Where is our investment? This is ridiculous. And then you're amending what? What are the bylaws? What is this thing supposed to be doing? And what are you amending it to? Because you could put a little codicil and put it out there just like you had that blue piece of paper that has additional information. You could have told us what this amendment is for. Because so far, none of us have gotten any investments out of Invest Newark, any facilitation. And like Mr. Muhammad said, all these empty stores going to waste. And then they have some artwork. So I got some art I could put in an empty store. Can I have 50 million men? Is that what Invest Newark does? Cause I'm down for that. And then I'll take my $50 million and invest it and actually build some affordable, low, low-income housing for my neighbors who are sleeping on front steps and hanging out at Stephen Crane because their apartments are unlivable. And we have Ramos, the director of welfare, right here. Why is this happening? Don't laugh, council. You're just as culpable. It ain't all on Ramos. This is ridiculous. Invest in what? I'd like to see the language. So I'm going to, what, what, do another request that doesn't get fulfilled?

The other speakers.

Y'all turned it off? Oh, okay. How y'all doing, my esteemed body of legislators? Yeah, Invest North. The mayor has given me a number to call somebody in Invest North. Y'all know I'm a licensed cosmetologist. I have different programs, all that stuff. I never, ever was able to really connect with anybody. in investment work. When you go down there, it's like going into the police department when you're trying to make a complaint on the officers and they say the person that you need to deal with is not there. And I've been consistent. And y'all know I need money. Like, last year when my husband was locked up, my slogan was, help me out. I don't want to sell or sell drugs. You know. So I definitely would qualify for some coins from InvestNORC if they would actually sit down with me and tell me how I could qualify. I'm born and raised here. I need money. And I stood up for this particular reason, because a lot of times when I say things, people move, like the needle get pushed. So we definitely need some clarification about what InvestNORC actually done. And I will piggyback on, I want my $50 million too.

Whoa.

Great day, Newark, again. How you living? So, I mean, I've been asked several times, listen, invest Newark. What are we investing in? Is it in Newark? The directors have changed so many times. I could go through the list of names, but why? There have been business people who have tried to bring businesses to the city of Newark who have attempted to partner with Invest Newark to work with small businesses and minority businesses to no avail. So the speakers that just got up here, I mean, it is what it is. So if we're amending something, it's like we always ask, even with the tax abatements or tax, what do you call it, exemptions and all of those things, and we ask for the actual documentation. So with Invest Newark, I mean, it would be helpful to see the bylaws. I mean, unless it's somewhere we need to go look it up. But we shouldn't have to do that. It should be attached so that we can say, oh, this is what they're amending. OK, that makes sense or it doesn't make sense. And why is it here and why are we wasting time on it? But that's not what we have. And it's the same thing we've been asking you about. We've been attempting to work with you all, you know, to get things done. But we can only do as much as you will do. And so we're asking. InvestNorth, is there someone here from InvestNorth? If you can get up here and just read your bylaws or have your say. And, like, I'm glad that Ramos did what he did. Before you speak, Mr. Ali, let me have a few words. Let me explain this a little bit. That's what we're asking for. I don't like to waste words. So if you can explain it, I won't even have to get up here and talk. You know what I mean? It's not... It's just... Make it make sense is all we're asking. And InvestNerc has received a lot of money. The only thing we know about that came from InvestNerc is this land bank that we have not benefited from. So I don't know. Help me understand. Treat me like a fourth grader. and break it down. Not today's fourth grader, though. I need you to go back old school and actually teach something, break it down so I can understand what's going on. That's all we're asking for, transparency. Reading is fundamental, but comprehension is essential. We need that.

To piggyback off of Ms. Salters here, before you rubber stamp this, do you guys know what these bylaws are? If you don't, don't vote on it. If you do, please explain it to us before you rubber stamp it. Thank you.

good afternoon council president council members so essentially um there's two parts of of this dialogue the first thing is that you know the council members have been what i understand and received a copy of the changes to the bylaws i know that was a request maybe about a week or so ago so i believe everyone received it prayerfully i see people saying yes so i think it's appropriate for you all to at least provide any intel that you want I do have Andrea Mason here from InvestNORC who can also shed light. The deputy director, Alison Ladd, will also go through the details of the amendments. I also think it's important, I don't think it's fair for us to sit here and let folks talk about InvestNORC as if they don't do a good job, right? Like we have heard, a number of praises from people, small businesses, throughout the years that I've been here, actually, of folks who come to this podium and praise InvestNORC for helping them through the process. And it even goes further back from the lead service line process, but that replacement process, a number of those vendors actually got their startup through the lead service line, and they're doing it throughout the state. We do know that When it comes to InvestNORC, they help people when it comes to getting their paperwork right. They help people when it comes to getting their businesses open when it comes to some of these different restaurants that we have throughout the city. There's a number of investors who have gone through that process. As a matter of fact, they actually participate in the men's meeting that happens, and I know there's a men's meeting I think next week, where those folks are also there helping people through the process. As I said, I did hear some comments about a comment about they're calling it the mayor's wife's friend, which I think is just wrong. And what I will say is that the young lady that they're talking about has been a developer way before she knew the mayor. The unfortunate part about these comments is we all know that this young lady has had businesses in Irvington, in Patterson, in Passaic, in Maplewood, in Newark as well. We also know that the project that they're talking about across the street in which she is a co-developer on is involved with all three or four of the businesses including IHOP, and the other restaurants that are across the street where Norkers work. People from this community work at that location. As a matter of fact, she came into the office the other day and talked about how proud she was about the fact that she can hire people from this community. I also recognize and appreciate the fact that there are a number, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

He listened to you prior to your speech and your speaking. And it is correct for you to listen to, you know, it's disrespectful to speak over someone. Continue.

I appreciate it. I also think it's important the fact that they were able to develop a project across the street where people from, people who work in this building, people who work throughout the city live across the street. And I mean, I can tell you that the building is beautiful. There is no doubt about it that no one in this space here cannot say they're not proud of the development across the street that a young lady, a woman of color, who has come up in the ranks and is now known nationally for the work that she does. And to sit here and say that she got this because of her relationship of someone who she knows is wrong. And we know it's wrong. We know which one, we talk about the fact that we want people of color, women, to have an opportunity to develop, and she happens to be one of the people who are doing it well, and as a matter of fact, I will tell you that she also bragged about the fact a few months ago, about the fact that she's willing to help anybody else who wants to learn the business. Now what I will do is give Director Ladd an opportunity to talk about the details of the investment ordinance right now.

Deputy Mayor.

Hi, good afternoon. Alison Ladd, Director of Economic and Housing Development. There are, as the Corporation Council stated, we did provide additional details, I know, to the Council about the Invest Newark bylaw changes. The summary of them, which would be probably helpful for the public is, One, board composition. There was a clarification that the board of directors is five to nine members and that the mayor and the council does the nominees. The second was that the terms, there are no term limits for ex officio members. then there is also open public meetings wanted to ensure that they're following the open public meetings act with notices and that anyone can participate just a note on that the meetings are held by zoom so they are easily accessible Next, that there's an officers and succession plan to allow for succession within the organization. The next one is the standing committees, and that there will be an audit committee, a finance committee, and they will report to the full board. And so that's a summary of the changes of the bylaws that were presented for your consideration.

Thank you so much. Thank you. Any other questions for Councilwoman Banks?

Thank you, Council President. I want to thank Deputy Mayor for giving us that explanation and also to Corporation Council's point, which I appreciate, that I know for a fact in the Central Ward there have been several new businesses opened by black and brown people, specifically several from black women that were open that have been assisted by Best North. We have the new spa on Center Street. We have Harlem Cycle on Halsey Street. There's been several businesses opened, and also Corporation Council mentioned the men's meeting. We also have a women's meeting. Councilwoman Scott Roundtree and I, along with the First Lady and others in the administration, host a women's meeting, and InvestNORC has been there on multiple occasions providing information to people step-by-step how to open up a business, how to put together a business plan, how to apply for funding for their business, and so There are tangible, measurable things that InvestNORC has done to help NORCers in this community to become entrepreneurs and to expand their business opportunities. So I just wanted to put that on the record. Council.

I just want to piggyback, thank you, Council President, on what everyone is saying about Invest Newark. I think some of the issues might be connecting the dots. So if there's a problem and you reach out to Invest Newark, people have called me and said I've had some of the issues that some of you are stating, and I will call an Andrea Mason or I'll call a Marcus Rudolph and say, listen, they have this available, and they will say what they can do, even up to, bothering them about the land bank and the properties that are available for people who are looking for buildings, people who are looking for lots, people who are looking to invest. So there is an issue, I believe, with maybe we are not aware of maybe how we can connect those dots. And Earth and Manny, and as Councilwoman Bay has stated, there are many, we talk about other nationalities opening up businesses here in the city of Newark. Well, there are a lot of the people that look like all of you in this room, that are also opening up businesses. And many of them have stated that you can contact them. They will help you. They will see what they can do. Now, the young lady that just came up, it's about the cosmetology. We can have a conversation about that because we know your work. And I'm sure that because Andrea Mason is sitting in the audience, that she will have a conversation with you. And you don't have to go there asking, can I see somebody and can't put in your request because it's on record and they're in the house. So once it's made known, but here again, invest Newark. We can't have it complain about what we don't have and people are doing it. So it's almost like a knock to the young women and men that are of color that are opening up businesses and hiring Newarkers to work in there. It's like, what are you saying about them when you say that we are not doing that type of work? So I do want to just add to everything that everyone has said about InvestNORC and whatever things that you have to say about them that you're not happy with as a resident and you need information, it is open record. Someone will give you the information. And I am a big, big advocate of sitting here having people. I'm not a lawyer, nor am I an accountant. So I'll never try to legally advise anyone. But if InvestNORC is in the house and they need to explain it, then they will come up to the microphone and have a conversation. Ms. Mason is ready to come to the mic. Thank you, council president.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, council members.

You state your name for the record.

Andrea Mason in Best Newark. Thank you. So good afternoon, everyone. And I appreciate those comments that were made, of course, all of them being incorrect and inconsistent with what we do over at Invest Newark. So as folks were speaking, I did take the opportunity to write down a few notes. I'm going to be reading from my notes. So regarding the bylaws, InvestNURC's bylaws hadn't been amended in 11 years. So we're just trying to become current with what's going on with other nonprofits, as it compares to other nonprofits. And primarily, the updates reflect the work that InvestNURC is doing with the city that allows us to also respond faster to business requests. These bylaws have already been approved by our board, as well as have been reviewed by the law department. As Deputy Mayor mentioned, the supporting documents were sent as late as yesterday, but they've been sent over the last couple months several times. Deputy Mayor also mentioned that some of the main changes that you probably would want to hear about, the finance director is now added to our board as required by the land bank ordinance. There are term limits on board members not appointed by the mayor, and that would be like a 10-year max. We are subject to the Open Public Records Meetings Act. And regarding Invest Newark as an organization, the nonprofit CDC of the city of Newark, which I'm assuming, and what I'm hearing from the public, you don't know about, which means you haven't actually gone to the website. I pride myself on being honest and transparent in all my doings, as I was when in my... past position so invest north primarily focuses we have three public facing um departments small small business development real estate development and then we also have a lending arm and i'm i'm i should be facing forward right not who should i be addressing because i'm like

Excuse me.

OK. So excuse me. I apologize. I don't know.

You're out of order. And you were given an opportunity to speak. It's not going back and forth. No, no, no. I was asked. Sir, you're out of order. You're out of order. She's speaking. You had your time to speak.

I apologize.

You had your time to speak. You have to. Let her finish. You had your time to speak. It is appropriate for you to listen to the speaker as the speaker listened to you prior. Thank you.

Council President, that was my fault. I apologize. I was asking a question. Who should I be directing the responses to? And it's to you.

To the governing body.

I didn't realize. That's why I was sort of turned around and speaking.

Mr. President? Yes, Council. Can I make a suggestion? I think we're getting more information than what's on the ordinance request. And I think at some point we should have InvestNorth come in, do a very detailed presentation, go over all the loans that they've given out, you know, how many of those businesses are still open, or where are these loans going by ward, you know, how many businesses in the North Ward have benefited from their investment. But I don't think today's the time to go through all that.

Council Member Ramos alluded to, can we call for a Meeting a presentation on a given day so that also the public can come and listen to the whole presentation.

I'm happy to oblige, sure.

Thank you. Next week?

It did good.

Not next week. Somebody said next week, not next week.

Roll call next. It did good. Roll call. Next special.

Bay?

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Crump?

Yes.

Jackson? Abstain. Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes.

Yes, with the next special. Right, yes. A invitation so the public would know that at a pre, the presentation will be done and there'll be some questions. Thank you.

Yes, Council President. With conditions. Please allow me to just add three words for my abstention. I am well aware of what I need to do up here. Be clear about that. I do not have a copy because I was not here at the time. So Donna Jackson is not voting on anything that I haven't been presented with. So let's be clear. I know what my job is. I know what I'm supposed to do. I understand everybody's concern, but I am well aware of what is going on, if it's not in front of me, I'm not voting on it. There's no need for any other comment here, there, out in social media land, because Donna's gonna continue to be Donna, and I'm not gonna answer if it's not in front of me. There's no pressure from any council colleague, no pressure from Mr. Pennington, Mr., Thank you so much. I was going to change your name. Mr. Stewart, no pressure. It's me, right? So if it's not in front of me, to the peanut gallery out there and social media world as well, I'm not going to vote on it. And nobody's going to make me because it's not in front of me. Now, when I have the data my colleagues have, you're going to hear me. Thank you.

Next.

H is an ordinance establishing the accessory dwelling unit assistance program and authorizing the use of federal pro-housing grant funds. Is there anyone wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

Alif Mohammed and Mr. President, you definitely going to admonish me. Kenyatta, you know better than coming at me. The woman on the old fiber center, the building over there, she's a front. And the FBI says she takes drug money. And somebody came to me saying, could I lighten up on it? So don't mess with me, all right? Now, please don't mess with me. Plus, I was in the housing authority, so you know I know the real deal. OK, this $4 million, instead of us taking the big houses and making better, why can't we take the $4 million that we have and build 15 modular houses? Y'all know what modular houses, they made already, and they come in. You could build, they used to call them, what they used to call them, but they're actually called modular with two families. And then we could sell those houses on the empty lots that we have. Instead of dropping $4 million in somebody's backyard, and then sell those houses or rent them to the neighborhood. Instead of dropping $4 million in somebody's house that probably is worth about a million dollars now, because most of the houses back there Forest Hills is doing pretty good. So what I'm saying is, instead of spending $4 million on that, how do you say helping the rich with the rich? Why don't we make sense of that $4 million and take some of these empty lots that we've given away and put a modular house on them, two families, three bedrooms, one family? Makes sense. And we can rent them out to people with low income, or we can sell it. And Andrea, she's you to join. I don't have no problem about you. You know, she's wonderful. But please, Kiata, you my guy, don't come at me. You ain't ready for this, bro. The FBI says she take drug money, and I know it. And you could go down there and convince the FBI. I know. We can't. We can't talk. You can't. I told you up front. This has nothing to do with the ordinance. I told you up front that you didn't admonish me. I'm going to stand back. I'm going to take the admonishment.

I know whether the FBI or whatever, that has nothing to do with what we're discussing here. Well, he the one who jumped up to him. I didn't know what I was talking about. Well, we should just stick to the ordinance, please.

Well, you should tell him that. You should tell him that. He's only on 5% of the deal over there. I'm done. But I take the admonishment.

I will abide by your rules. Appreciate it.

Okay, this accessory unit nonsense. I was wondering why the mayor jumped all over this. The accessory unit concept came about by the former governor who intended this for Princeton Junction, Colts Neck, and other... parts of the state that have estate-sized lots. There are no estate-sized lots available here in the city of Newark. You have people who have shanties, lean-tos built in their backyards where they're housing the immigrants that don't have paperwork. That's what these units are. You have people digging out their basements and shoving people down in there, digging like they're trying to find El Chapo. They're digging holes, and now the new thing is building units on top of already old established houses, homes that were built in the 1920s, in the late 1800s. uh... hundreds early nineteen hundreds and you're building without inspection there's no certificate of occupancy there's no investigation no code enforcement no uh... uh... construction code being utilized uh... the prudential no the pfizer building in new york city had a collapse because they were trying to build additional housing units. And I'm pretty sure that the Pfizer building is built better than most of the buildings on North 5th and North 7th Street. But you have people digging out the foundations, putting people underneath. digging out the roofs and putting them on top of the roofs. This ordinance allows for that. And now you want to utilize federal housing funds so that grandma can live in a shack in the back of the house like a dog. Who wants that? And we already have overcrowding. I just told you about the fight for parking. These are already established buildings. They don't have parking. They're old, and you're digging them out underground, and you're building on top of them. Now let's build something in the backyard too. What is wrong with you people? I know most of you don't live here, but the few that do, Quintana, Ramos, do you care about any of the people in the community that vote for you? This is why you're here. Nobody wants to live in a backyard like a dog.

Once again, using federal dollars.

Say your name, Lisa, for the record, please. I'm sorry? Say your name for the record.

Oh, Lisa Parker. Once again, using grant funds to supplement your developer's choice. There was a property in the South Ward that the person said that they were expanding their carport, their driveway. They turned around and converted it into a building that they were selling for almost $1 million that you had no oversight over and allowed them to do it. And I got the paperwork, so don't question me on it, because I bought it here. Once again, this is another way for developers and people that have land to expand on it, to make money. This is another way for those people that are getting properties through tax sales, and we know who they are, to expand and develop to put properties there that they could charge rent on. At the end of the day, when are y'all gonna use resources to really enrich and build and secure our communities that's already established? Because this isn't it. This is another way for developers to benefit and for property owners to expand to do more development so they could enrich themselves. At the end of the day, y'all need to start working for us. With all of the grants that come in here that's not being utilized in the appropriate fashion, and we've seen enough of those grants, that doesn't manifest to the improvement and the betterment of our people. Why do you continue to allow these people to have loopholes? And thanks for mentioning that because in that development across the street, the average Newark worker only made $17 an hour versus their counterparts that were white that made double that. So let's stop pretending, and I got the paperwork on it from DOL, so you could challenge me all you want. I'm coming with receipts. Stop with the nonsense.

Deborah Salters. So yesterday, when Allison Ladd came up, and I believe she said this was from 23 to 4 million, I was like, oh, wow. So we've had this money. Like I said earlier, we've had this money. And I remember when the ADU thing came up, it was voted on about a year ago. And so I see people all over this city that are building no permits. No one's overseeing it. There's no OSHA requirements being handled. I'm taking videos and like, okay, this is what's happening here. Not one time has anyone rolled up on them to ask for paperwork or to ask them what they were doing. And this is happening. But we have $4 million. So yesterday, Donna asked a very specific question, which was my question as well. And you all need to have someone monitoring the chat so you can answer those questions because they're also very good questions because people are working and watching. This is why we need to go to evening meetings because people want to be here, but they're working. So... The question was asked, how much does it cost? I think Ramos brought that up. But the point is, how much does it cost to build an ADU dwelling? We have four million, so if we're doling this money out to people, she's like, oh, there are requirements, but then was asked, well, do you know how much? Yo, y'all had Allison's, and I'm saying y'all, I'm saying it correctly, had her stuttering yesterday. I said, oh my, first time. But anyway, she had no answer for you. She said she would have to ask someone who has illegally built one to, or I think that was around, she had to find out because you don't know. So if you don't know how much it costs to build an actual legal ABU, how do you know how much of this $4 million you're gonna be doling out to people? And who are the people that are gonna be receiving this $4 million? And we have no space. We don't have estates around here in Newark. You're building on top of us, on top of us, on top of us. Well, let's put this here. We've got a space. Let's put this here. We got space. Let's put another five story. Let's put a 25 story over here. Well, can we get eight stories? There's no room. So we have people already with people living in their garages or like was told you, this is what we're seeing and videoing and taking pictures of illegally throughout the city. And it encroaches upon our living conditions because now you've added more people, more noise, more cars illegally to our quality of life. So we're our enforcers for that because she said, oh, you've been doing walks through the city and we saw some and we shut them down. But the ones you haven't seen are still active. But again, how are you gauging this money being given to people who are building ADUs? And why do they need to build that with $4 million instead of building housing?

Any other speakers? I don't see any other speakers. OK. Councilwoman?

Yes. So yesterday, thank you, Council President, I believe Deputy Mayor Allison Ladd gave a very thorough description of how the money, where it came from. They've been in at least three boards, which are the R zones. I don't want to really explain this, but you did give a specific explanation of they're only in R1 zones that these ADUs can be, and I think that's in the north, the west, and the south. And those are the three wards that meetings were given to the public. I'm not sure of who attended those meetings. I was at least three of them briefly for one of them. And the money is limited. It's not like $4 million is just going out and everybody can grab it. It's $40,000, a cap on that. And whatever that $40,000 is, I think the requirements include whatever you can use that $40,000 for. There are some other. costs affiliated with that, associated with that. But those meetings lined out. As a matter of fact, at the last women's meeting, which we had over 100 women at, they went through the presentation slide by slide. And I think it was about an hour and a half. So it's kind of difficult to give you all of the information. The women's meetings are public. They happen once a month. They're on social media. I announce them in the council meetings. Some of you might leave if you're not in the council chambers. When I make the announcement, you might not watch the end of the meeting. It's on our Facebook. It's on our city website. So we might want to start looking at even, I don't know what, I don't look at everything that's on the city website. I know I share and the other council colleagues share their information for their events. So it's not like we're not telling you when we're having these things so you can come to these meetings. and really voice your opinion about what you feel about what they're presenting. It's kind of difficult to present something to you and then in three minutes give you everything you need after you make a three minute remark, because you can have a 15 minute remark at the public meeting that they have when they're presenting these things. So I'm hoping that maybe we will do our best or you will engage more in seeing the end of the meeting or playing back the end of the meeting or calling our offices, saying how can we get more information about this because they definitely did meetings and the truth is that $4 million is assessed and only 40,000 is that's the cap. So whoever applies to do this ADU, that $40,000, you can't build too much of nothing with fees and contracts, but it's something to assist you. Because if you go through the city, I don't know how many of you do what some of us do in each ward, because there are many people We've walked in blocks where people are building cardboard accessory dwellings. And now we're confronted with the situation or the circumstances of code enforcement and other entities and other services telling people, you've got to take that down because that That's illegal, and it might be a fire that's going to burn up the house next door. So now that's what we're confronted with now. The city and the officials are going through the city, finding these illegal ADUs, and they don't qualify. If they've done it illegally, please, no public, they do not qualify for this $40,000. Am I correct, Deputy Mayor? Okay, I just want to make sure. So any other questions you have, thank you, Council President. Please, there she is.

Good afternoon, Council President, Council Members, Alison Ladd, Director of Economic and Housing Development. I'll be brief, because I do know we spoke about it yesterday. But first, the $4 million is for a variety of programs. The amount for the ADU program is about 1.3, so it'll help about 30 homeowners. So that's the second piece. The only people that can apply for the funds have to be Newark residents that live in their house. So the only people who can apply for the funds are Newark residents that live in their house. Next, it can only be in R1 zones, as Council Member Roundtree mentioned, so it's only in three of the five wards. Next, you have to get Central Planning Board approval, and if you're in a historic district like Weak Wake or Forest Hills, you also have to get landmarks in historic approval and then I'll just close by saying that for for these they have to again the funds can be used for Fees can be used for architect can be used for engineers, but they cannot be used for construction costs So that would have to be funded by the person who's building it Thank you. Thank you roll call

Bay? Yes. Council?

Yes.

Crump?

Yes.

Jackson? Abstain. Kelly?

Yes.

Ramos?

Abstain.

Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva?

Yes.

President Quintana?

Resolutions, 7R1A through E are temporary emergency appropriations. A is for Broadway Park, sponsored by Councilman Ramos, second by Council President Quintana. B is workforce investment, sponsored by Councilwoman Bay, second by Councilwoman Scott-Roundtree. C is for the operating expenses, D is for Women's Health, sponsored by Councilwoman Bay, second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree. And E is for the Summer Youth Employment Program. Council as a whole to adopt A through E with sponsors. Roll call.

Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump?

Yes.

Jackson? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana? Yes.

Councilwoman Jackson?

F through L. Hold on.

She has a question. I just want to make one quick comment. I need to publicly let you guys know, as one of the biggest critics of the budget, and I am, I know, on that side of the aisle and up here, that I did vote yes to item C for the emergency appropriation of $67.7 million for the month of July, because I do not want the employees that work for the city of Newark to not be able to meet payroll. Mr. Pennington did give me some explanations yesterday in terms of why this has to be, but that is going to be one of my goals while I sit here, that we will not have to continue to do these emergency appropriations. Like I said, as I criticize, and we did talk yesterday, Mr. Pennington went into some detail with me, I do understand that if this does not happen, we will not be able to meet payroll for July. I do not need to see us looking like the federal government where people are working without money. And I want you to publicly know that's why I did vote for this. But we are also pushing hard, as my council colleagues are, to get this budget done in a timely fashion with enough input so that we can make it happen. So I did vote yes. Don't throw anything up here. But I do want people to meet the payroll this month. Thank you.

F through L are purchasing contracts. F is for medical supplies. G is for communications equipment. H is for communications equipment. I is for computer equipment. J is for leak repairs. K is for concrete mix, sand, and gravel. And L is for fire extinguishers. Council as a whole to adopt F through L, please.

OK. OK. Yes. Council?

Yes.

Yes.

Jackson? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Yes. President Quintana?

Yes. M and N are grant agreements. M is to improve Lincoln Park, sponsored by Councilwoman Bay, second by Councilman Crump. And N is for the Newark Literacy Initiative, sponsored by Councilwoman Bay, second by Councilwoman Scott-Roundtree. Council as a whole to adopt M and N with sponsors.

No call.

Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump?

Yes.

Jackson? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana?

Yes. 7R2A is construction of a new two-family residential dwelling in the South Ward, sponsored by Councilman Council, second by Councilman Kelly.

Rocco.

Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump? Yes. Jackson? Yes. Kelly?

Yes.

Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana?

Yes. B through D, there's a motion to defer these items sponsored by Councilman Council. Second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Grover?

Bay? Yes, to defer.

Council? Yes. Crump? Yes. Jackson?

Yes, to defer.

Kelly?

Yes, to defer.

Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana?

Yes. E through H? are all moving forward. E is new construction of a two-family home in the South Ward sponsored by Councilman Council, second by Councilman Kelly. F is to rehabilitate an existing two-unit property in the South Ward sponsored by Councilman Council, second by Councilman Crump. G is construction of a new mixed-use building in the South Ward sponsored by Councilman Council, Second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree. And H is new construction of a two-family home in the South Ward sponsored by Councilman Council. Second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree. Council to adopt E through H with sponsors, please.

Roll call. Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump? Yes. Jackson?

Yes.

Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana?

Aye. There's a motion to defer by Councilman Council, second by Councilwoman Jackson. Roll call.

Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump?

Yes.

Jackson?

Yes.

Kelly?

Yes.

Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana? Yes.

J is to build a new construction of a two-family home in the West Ward. Council to adopt?

Yes.

Roll call.

Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump? Yes. Jackson? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana? Yes.

K is construction of a new two-family home in the West Ward. Council has a hold on that.

Bay? Yes. Council?

Yes.

Trump? Yes. Jackson? Yes. Kelly?

Yes.

Ramos. Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva. Yes. President Quintana. Yes.

L is to rehabilitate a two-family home in the West Ward. Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call. Bay. Yes. Council.

Yes. Yes.

Jackson. Yes. Kelly. Kelly. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Yes. President Quintana. Yes.

New construction of a, I'm sorry, M is new construction of a three-family home in the West Ward, sponsored by Councilman Kelly, second by Councilwoman Jackson.

Roll call. Bay. Yes. Council. Yes. Yes. Trump? Yes. Jackson? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana? Yes.

Yes. N is new construction of a three-family home in the West Ward.

I said this item be deferred.

Motion to defer by Councilman Kelly, second by Council President Quintana. Roll call.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

O, I'm sorry, O and P are both to be deferred. O is a motion to defer by Councilwoman Bay, second by Councilman Crump. MP is to defer sponsored by Councilwoman Bay, second by Councilman Scott Roundtree.

No call.

Bay? Yes. Council?

Yes.

Crump?

Yes.

Jackson? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva. Yes. President Quintana.

Yes.

Mr. President.

Yes, Councilor Ramos.

Yeah, you know, we had a bit of a fire sale here today with city-owned properties. But, you know, I strongly suggest that at some point the administration consider creating some kind of process for people who are interested in buying city-owned properties to apply and compete. You know, most of these sales that are on the agenda today were done as a result of letters of intent. which is a very individualized process. It doesn't, in my opinion, level the playing field in order for people who are interested in buying city-owned property to effectively compete. And besides it being a clean process, I think it puts the city in a better position to negotiate more pricing and more affordability as a result of some of these sales. Even though they appear to be at 20, $25 a square foot, More competitively priced than what we were getting in the past if you know what city on what property is selling for in North these days Even at twenty twenty five dollars a square foot is well below the market so I would I would definitely through your chair and the clerk have some kind of conversation with the administration and see if we could agree on a process. It doesn't have to be all the properties, but at least a group of the properties that are city-owned to create a open process that would set criteria and at the same time publicize a list that the public can apply for.

As noted by Councilman Ramos, Mayor Clark, Administrator, then Councilman Jackson,

Let me also add, as I campaigned in this community for a long time, one of the major, major issues with not only homeowners but North residents is the failure to be able to buy the house right next to them that is a city-owned property that has sat vacant 10, 15 plus years. And they wanted to either purchase that home move their family in there and or purchase that home and make a little jungle and playground like grandma right here for the kids so we know where they are and the neighborhood children. So I think that Councilman Ramos' request, as we did talk about some of this stuff yesterday, is spot on. But we want the administration to understand in this request that we are serious about shifting what has been incorrectly and unbalanced in our community in terms of NORCers having opportunity. I think that's one of the things that we are resounding loudly today, even in the items that we did defer, some in the south, some in the west. We are talking about the prices that are being charged after something is being assessed. That also rolls into that as well. If the house doesn't have any windows, if it's been sitting dormant for some time, most of those units also need to come down. So we can't overburden the NORC homeowner and or resident that wants to purchase this property with the cleanup of that and then another $100,000 for the empty vacant building. So I totally agree. I hope we move with that expeditiously because every day we wake up when we go out in this community, somebody's doing construction on a house either sitting there or a vacant lot. So a lot of NORCers don't feel we have an opportunity to be a part of this thing, so I think we need to move quickly in having the administration present that, make NORC affordable, but not only that, to have NORCers participate. Everybody's not gonna go to the men's meeting, everybody's not gonna go to the women's meeting, everybody's not gonna come to the council meeting, but if we create a level field where people can get their name in the hat and just not pull it out because it's Donna, and just not pull it out because it's Aniba or Louise, excuse us, first names, we'll be talking about community now. We just have to have, we need to see some more transparency and some more acceptance of regular Norcas, regular Norcas in the process, because we want to be business owners and homeowners as well.

Good afternoon, Eric Pennington, Business Administrator. Council President, the points that were raised today by both Councilman Ramos and Councilwoman Jackson as well as residents, have also brought up these issues on a fairly regular basis are good points, in my opinion, and certainly should be considered by the administration and have been. The properties that our city owned are listed on the city's website, on the EHD website, so people can go on there and look at them. The process for obtaining one of those properties is, as Council Member Ramos indicated, to submit a letter of intent. There is a criteria by which the Economic and Housing Development Department reviews those letters of intent, particularly when there is more than one. They look at that criteria to make a determination as to which applicant is best suited to purchase a property based on price, the intention of what they want to do with it, and if it's an adjacent property owner, they have a some special consideration if it's for a side lot or otherwise. There are de-restrictions which may be imposed if it's a side lot acquisition. That addresses one of the issues I think Council Member Ramos brought up yesterday based on individuals who purchase a side lot, supposedly for a side lot, and should be de-restricted, then they've combined it and sold it. If that is brought to our attention, we will certainly address it and seek to recoup that property. In addition, if there are properties that, such as what Councilwoman Jackson indicated, somebody wants to purchase, they can reach out directly through EHD. Even if they don't see the property on the list, inquire as to whether it is available. You can typically determine who the owner of the property is by calling the tax collector's office or the tax assessor, either one. and they can tell you who the current owner of that property is. If a city-owned, you can immediately submit a letter of intent to EHD. The process for that letter of intent is on the website as well, and it will be considered. With respect to Councilman Ramos's request that there be some other process so that it goes to all of the residents equitably, fairly, not exactly sure which, we encourage that process to be submitted. And the administration would be happy to consider that and certainly work with you and any other council member to make sure that we have an equitable process in place. We believe the process that is in place now is equitable, but everything can be strengthened. And we are happy to engage with you or any others to pursue that.

Mr. President, I appreciate the willingness to consider a better process. And just as an example, I understand what you're saying, that some of these city-owned properties are listed on the city's website. If person X is interested, they submit a letter of intent. But when we get the recommendations, we only get the information on the person you're selecting. So there could be 15 letters of intent that may have been submitted for property X. You know, there's no evaluation process that's summarized in the attachments here, so we don't know why this particular developer or owner is being recommended as opposed to the others who may have applied for the same property. So that's the only reason why I think you need to have a better process, and look, some of these LOIs are a year old, a year and a half, and I know the city's trying to unload some of these properties, but moving forward, I'd like to see a better process, so I'd be happy to work with you on it.

Madam Clerk, if you could convene a meeting as soon as possible. Ramos, yourself, this administrator, any members of council.

And I'd like to finish if I could just by saying that the city does not want to own any of these properties. We want the properties to be on the tax rolls. We want them to enhance the neighborhoods. We want them to be available for housing stock. We want people to develop these properties, have people rent them, own them, purchase them, and live in them. It doesn't serve anyone. to have properties in the city's inventory that are not paying taxes and are not available for residents to own. We need 16,000 units of affordable housing. Each one of the properties that is sold, particularly if it's for affordable housing, reduces that number by one. That is not enough, but those are the things that we need to do. Thank you.

Thank you. It's noted.

Q and R are acceptance of grant funds, Q is for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, sponsored by Councilwoman Bay, second by Councilwoman Jackson, and R is for the Summer Youth Work Experience, sponsored by Councilman Kelly, second by Councilman Scott Roundtree. Council as a whole to adopt Q and R with sponsors. Roll call.

Bay?

Yes.

Council? Yes. Yes. Jackson. Yes. Kelly. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva.

Yes.

President Quintana.

Yes. Excuse me. I'm so sorry, Council President. Yes, Kelly. I just, on page 29, I just need to go back. We need to make a correction. Actually, the address, the 419 15th Avenue, that's actually Central Ward, not West. You know, we have a lot of border properties. And you go across the street. and it's one or the other. So we just did a check that's actually Central Ward. It's at the border.

Yeah. It's at the border.

Council President, Council Members. Central Ward. We will make the correction under Scribner's error. S is a subordination agreement in order to permit the redeveloper to obtain the financing necessary for the- Hold on.

Madam Clerk. Sure.

The actual entity where the address is for page 29, they're in the Central Ward. But where they're doing the property is actually in the West Ward, which is 81 North Munn, which is across the street from Bradley Court.

There's no correction. It's correct.

Let's keep it the same. Okay. It's noted by the council. Councilman Ray Kelley.

Thank you. S is a subordination agreement in order to permit the redeveloper to obtain the financing necessary for the development of a three, two family homes for sale in the South Ward. Sponsored by Councilman Council. Second by Councilman Kelly.

Roca.

Bay. Yes. Council. Yes. Crump. Yes. Jackson. Yes. Kelly. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva. Yes. President Quintana.

Yes. T is investigation for an area in need of redevelopment in the South Ward. Council as a whole to adopt. Yes.

Yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva. Yes. President Klump. I'm sorry. President Quintana. Yes. You messed me up. She messed me up. It was bound to happen one time, right?

Is that the last meeting? I'm so sorry. President Quintana.

Yes. Yes.

7R3A and B are both change orders for the Department of Engineering. A is for the Ironbound Roundabout Safety Project and B is for cities matching funds on a project. Councilors will hold to adopt A and B please.

Roco. Bay? Sorry. Yes.

Council? Yes. Crump? Yes. Jackson? Yes. Kelly?

Yes.

Ramos? Yes. Scott-Groundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana? Yes.

C through G are professional service contracts for engineering services on an as-needed basis. Council as a whole to adopt C through G. Roco.

Yes. Council?

Yes.

Crump? Yes. Jackson? Yes. Kelly?

Yes.

Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana?

Yes. H through K are applications and or acceptance of grant funds. H is for the Safe Streets to Transit Program. I is for the Subregional Transportation Program. J is for Street Resurfacing and Paving, sponsored by Councilman Kelly, second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree. Roll call. I'm sorry, one more. K is for the five-floor paving project sponsored by Councilman Kelly and second by Councilman Scott-Ralph. We counsel as a whole to adopt H through K with sponsors.

Roll call.

Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Clump? Yes. Jackson? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Ramos?

Yes.

Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana?

Yes. Oh. Council President. just if the engineering department could send us a notification on what actual streets are getting paved in 2026 because this becomes complicated because you have this one's for 2027 and then we have others to go down the road but actually for 2026 what streets in each ward are going to be paved That's all. Not about 2027. The remaining this year up until October, November, or whenever the weather permits.

Thank you.

So just so that we are all clear, we have very serious concerns yesterday about the paving. We all know we had Ms. Green come from the South Ford yesterday and talk about that little piece right in front of Avon Avenue School. But we all know we have lost at least a tire, a rim, a bolt on our tire, the undercarriage of your car. We've all lost that. current company included. And so we are very meticulously watching what's going on, and did ask the engineering department to do better oversight when this paving is being done. We all live here. We all see sometimes it's a little too quick. They pave it on Monday, and by the next Monday, it's leaving. um so we need to make sure that these contractors that we're giving these dollars to as well are doing a job that we paid them for the paving that they do in north the pavement that they do in cherry hill you want to make sure it looks the same because we're paying the same money so we were very um robustly discussing yesterday what the pavement looked like i had questions about why we only paved in one side of the street so council as a whole we would deal with psc and g with that um because you know you ride down one side it's okay then when you're coming back to go home after you leave your family's house you know the whole tie is down on broad market so we did yesterday go through this extensively so i don't want us to continue to think that we are not asking for accountability because we did do that yesterday across the board okay

Mr. President.

Yes, Councilor Ramirez.

Yeah, I just want to chime in on the paving, too. I know it's part of the resolutions that we're considering today. The 2027 application includes Heller Parkway from 6th Street to Forest Hill Parkway. And anyone that's driven in that area knows that that street is in desperate need of repair. I ran into former Councilman Curchado this morning at a funeral. and he lives near there as well and you know i'm just i don't know if there's any way that if there's money available to to expedite the paving of that because the 2027 application based on what mr adams explained to us a few meetings ago, this may not get paid until 28 or 29. So, you know, I don't know how we're gonna be, I may have to rent a bike or something and ride around the neighborhood because it's gonna be impossible to get through Hella Parkway. So if the administration could sit down with the engineering director and see if there's a way we may be able to swap this street out and get it done quicker, I would definitely appreciate it.

Or find some funding in the budget. In the budget, you know, hearing. we may be able to find some funding.

Okay, sounds good to me.

Tenya.

L is exception to public bidding to provide the services of a municipal engineer. Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call. Bay. Yes. Council. Yes. Crump. Yes. Jackson. Yes. Kelly. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Absent? Yes. OK. Silva?

Yes.

President Quintana?

Yes. 7R5A and B are applications acceptance of grant funds for the Department of Health and Community Wellness. A is for the women's health outcomes, and B is for the HRSA grant. Council as a whole to adopt A and B. Roll call.

Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump? Yes. Jackson? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Yes. Yes.

C and D are an acceptance of a gift for the health department. C is implementation of the electronic medical record system. And D is the maintenance of the electronic medical record system. Both are sponsored by Councilman Council and second by Councilman Crump.

Roll call.

Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump? Yes. Jackson?

Yes.

Kelly. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva. Yes.

President Quintana. Yes. 7R6A is settlement agreement. Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Bay. Yes. Council.

I thought we were going to defer. Yeah, I thought we deferred.

Change it? Yes. I think the BA is coming up.

We're in a roll call. Can we do?

I know you're in the middle of the roll call, but my understanding was we were going to return that to administration so that the law department can review the Yeah, can review the items that were, I think that there were 13 items on the list that he wanted to verify. Yep. That the amounts were accurate.

Reconsideration.

So we just, you don't have to return it, we just defer it.

Yeah, defer it. Right. Well, you got to change.

Mr. B.A., do you want to return it or defer it? Defer it. Defer it. Defer it, please.

You were on a roll call, by the way.

Yes. So we're doing a motion to reconsider item 7R6A.

Right.

Okay, but we have to continue our initial one. Okay.

We'll say no.

Vote wasn't final. We were in the middle of it. Yes. That's what I'm saying. So we continue, then we do a motion to reconsider, and then do a motion to defer.

Excuse me for one second.

Just let it fail.

We're going to reconsider.

Council President, Council Members, we are going to record no for the item. Now we're going to do a motion to reconsider where we're going to reconsider item 7R6A. Because it failed, we'll do the motion to reconsider and then take a vote. Okay. Motion to reconsider 7R6A. Council roll call, please. BEA? Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Crump?

Just to confirm, this is a motion to reconsider? Yes. A vote we never finished?

Yes.

Yes.

Jackson? Yes, to reconsider. Kelly?

Yes, to reconsider.

Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana.

Yes. Now, council as a whole to defer item 7R6A. Roll call.

Here we go. Bay. Yes, to defer. Council. Yes. Crump. Yes. Jackson. Yes. Kelly. Yes, to defer. Ramos. Yes. Scott-Browntree. Yes. Silva. Yes. President Quintana. Yes.

7R8A is authorizing the reading of the City of Newark's 2026 municipal budget. Is there anyone wishing to be heard on the budget?

What was that?

I have a question. Deborah Salters. So the question is being asked, is there anyone here that has something to say about the budget? But aren't there supposed to be some presentations or something? Are we just supposed to go off of what the summary or whatever was just thrown out there?

Because having something to say about a budget,

Yeah, and the, okay. This seems like it's putting the cart before the horse, is it me? Or were we supposed to just go and get a budget from somewhere and look at it and come back for every department and have something to say in five, three minutes? Like, I don't understand. Is it me? Okay. Authorizing the reading, authorizing reading the city of Newark 26 budget.

This is the first, yeah, this is for the meeting.

Yeah, so the public hearing. Right, like, okay.

Madam Clerk.

I didn't want to take up, I didn't want to jump in on the time. You want me to respond?

I have nothing to say if there's nothing presented.

We can answer, you can answer.

How are you introducing a budget with a summary with no details for the public? How is that part of a council meeting? The budget hearing is separate and apart on a day, on a night, and on the weekend. You don't have no details for a budget and you can't give a summary without a detail per department.

Ms. Parker, Ms. Parker, may I interrupt? There is a schedule that is being put together We're putting it together for there to be representation.

You introduced it last meeting. You're supposed to have a budget hearing if the B8 here introduced it last month. You're supposed to come back with a hearing for it, not approve nothing.

All right, Madam Clerk.

So for the audience, the budget was introduced last month. The public hearing is just on the introduced budget. There are amendments, there are public hearings, and the whole traditional cadre of procedures before adoption. This is not an adoption meeting.

What is it?

It's a public hearing on the budget that was introduced a month ago.

All right, let's continue.

You're playing games. You think that you're dealing with stupid people here. I came here specifically for this. So you're telling me that you're reading whatever the hell it is you're reading, but you're not defining what reading is. Please explain it to us. We're not stupid. Tell us. We're going to read it. So basically they're telling you we're authorizing the reading of the, that's it? That's it? We came here for nothing? Yeah. What does that mean? Because nobody's reading anything. Nobody's going to read anything. Nothing has been distributed. I haven't gotten anything. As a matter of fact, when I called the city clerk's office, I was told to reach out to the budget office. And the wonderful Miss Tate did send me something. But that was the only reason why. That was the only reason why. And I was told that you guys, each and every one of you guys, received the summary budget. Did you? Did you? So we sat here for nothing. So to be told that you're going to do a reading on what? Come on. You guys got to be clear. You get paid very well, to be clear. Thank you.

I want to see the budget. Can we cancel the public speaking until we get an answer?

That's an administration question.

Can the administration? Well, we're saying.

I want to get a copy of the budget. I want to know what the Tree Slushy Fund, how much is in the Tree Slushy Fund?

Excuse me.

I want to know.

Hold on, Ms. Freeman. We're going to try to, because we're going to go back and forward, and let them get together and figure out how we're going to move forward. But for you to start, you know, let them. Okay. Excuse me, can we have some order?

Council President, Council Members, we were advised by our consultant that we had to have this hearing on this state. That doesn't deter us from having additional hearings, but statutorily and in order for the city to report to the state, we need to have a hearing on what was posted in June.

So what do we do here?

Did they see what was posted in June? Did they see what was posted in June?

Council, this is your chance to do the right thing and tell the Minister and the Administrator to get off his ass and do the right thing.

Are we going to have all the department heads give us their presentation, and then there will be a public hearing? Is that the problem? Because that's not what I recall of the years. Yes. So what I'm saying is, what's going on here today, what happens is that all the department heads will have to come before this body, and then there will be a public hearing. Is that correct, Corporation Counselor? Business Administrator?

Yeah. I've been admonished to get off my ass. Let me do that and have something to say. Oh, excuse me, sir. Sir, no, no, no. I'm not going to take threats from anybody in the audience. No, no, sir.

That's not going to happen. Can I just be a, there has to be some water here, you see? We can't just start screaming.

Look, we're trying to do the best for the people and the government's business and the people's business.

But we cannot be disrespectful because he sat there and listened to you and it is important that we listen to each other. You know, we got to run a, this is a government, this is not just a place you just go and this is, sir, you're out of order, the business administrator will, you're out of order.

Thank you, Council President. What I would suggest we do for purposes of meeting the statutory requirements of the budget, that we move forward, we treat this as a required public hearing, we have the presentation from all the department heads, and the council can have another public hearing. You can certainly have a hearing afterwards in which the public can comment on what we say, have objections to what we say, and make their positions known to the council before we actually introduce the budget. You can certainly do that.

All right.

So what we're going to do is... Actually, Ms. Parker's right. Not introduce the budget before you adopt the budget. Before, yeah.

We will have a public... Before the adoption, there will be a public hearing before the adoption of the budget.

That's what the business administrator indicated.

So that's what we're gonna do. Because we don't have all the departments, so to go into a hearing to talk about something that we have not been presented yet.

Councilman Crump. And Mr. President, if I could add, and so there will be, and through the clerk's office, there will be notification of this national hearing for the public, right? So everybody will have an opportunity to speak. after we have our budget meetings.

Today still is technically a public hearing, but we'll have another one. We'll have another one.

Right.

So moving forward, Madam Clerk.

Thank you, Mr. VA. I think at this point, since there's such an objection to speaking on the budget, that we can reflect for the record that we attempted to have it and submit that to the DCA for their consideration.

All right. Excuse me. Wait.

Yes. Councillor Jackson, then Councillor Roundtree.

Put your mic on that.

There you go.

Let me say this, because I know we are all on pins and needles. And let's understand that this today is being forced on the city, as is every other municipality by the governor. The state has done their budget. Now they want us to do our budget. Our budget is not, and be assured, I don't think any of the other council colleagues are gonna do it, but you know Donna is not doing this, Councilwoman Jackson, without proper public hearings. Now, in order for us to get any additional aid, this is the law. Unfortunately today, as prepared as some of you are, because let me just say this to you, it's a public hearing, right? You'd like to see dollars go into other areas, right? Well, get up there and say it. Without the paperwork. I want to see five more million dollars in payment. I want to see six million dollars less in recreation and put it over here with senior services. I'm not saying that's what we're doing. I'm just saying. It's unfortunate. But it's an opportunity, Ms. Daniels, our city clerk is going to send a letter to DCA, but I think we should not miss this opportunity to give some input. So get up, as I'm instructing your Councilwoman, once Councilwoman Roundtree finishes, and give some input into what your note budget looks like. Because at this point, that's all we can do. And then when we have the budget hearings and the departments present, when Mr. P presents his office of... I was gonna say public defender, so you just mind me, because I'm all over the place. But just let's give this process the opportunity that we need to give it, and then we still have time to fight, wiggle around, Take $2 from Larry, give $7 to me, take $18 from Councilman Quintana. Just, I'm playing y'all. Give Councilman Kelly two more dollars, Councilman Ramos will deduct seven, et cetera. So please give some input after Councilwoman Brownfield, but this statutorily by the state, we must do today. And you guys already know we are not trying to pull the wool over, because we're still in the preparation stage, but give us your budget.

So thank you, Councilwoman Jackson and Councilman Quintana. I think my real concern is that I don't know if everyone has access to what was proposed in June, because what I looked at in June, what was given to us in June, even if you don't agree with it, this is the opportunity that if you know, and those who are really sitting in the audience and that are really concerned about the city issues and the funding and the budget, just like you're speaking about this particular item that we're getting ready to vote on about, reading, June it was proposed. So did anyone, I'm hoping that some individuals like the gentleman called Director Tate and got a copy. It was on, it was public. So what Councilwoman Jackson is saying is correct. And what the clerk is saying is correct, and what the VA is saying is correct, that we do need to vote on this based on state statutory requests. But at the same time, June, it was proposed. And maybe you don't agree with where the money is going. Maybe you do have some concerns, and you should state them today if you looked at what was proposed in June. There's some things we're probably not going to agree with and going to vote on or say money should go other places. And that will come. We have our schedule already of the hearings, which will be public for every department. And there's some day and some evenings, I see. So I'm thinking that will get out to the public by the clerk. Am I correct, Madam Clerk? OK. So as soon as I'm sure they are available to the public, they have to first get us all on one page to make sure these meetings happen. And the department's come before us. But they are going to be made available, this schedule of the budget. And as you stated, there's going to be another hearing. And I think that's very important because we all want to make sure that as we go forward that there's transparency and that the community and the public's involved. Thank you, Council President.

Right, thank you. Madam Clerk, we have some speakers. So we're going to put some of the speakers. Go on, Ms. Freeman, and state your name for the record.

Yes, when I become mayor, I'm still the mayor. The mic's not on. Freeman. Story made extremely short. What I'd like to see is the budget. What's being done with the slushy funds? What is being done with the developers that kick in dollars to the city when they pay not to adhere to code? I'd like to see that. I'd like to see more money given to code enforcement and to sanitation, but then to communication, that you establish transparency, that there's some website with transparency and communication so that we can see what is being done with code enforcement, so we can follow up. You have a stagnant, static website that offers no information. I'd like to see transparency. You have an infestation and an outbreak at the Humane Society. The only thing keeping most of us who live in residential zones safe is the feral cat population that's eating up your rats, okay? I'd like to see better protections for them because the vagrants and itinerants have been killing up the cats. So I'd like to see more money spent with the Humane Society and then be able to track that budgeting. I want to be able to see through a transparent website like they have in Baltimore, Maryland. If you don't know what you're doing, call Baltimore because they can let you know how it's done and that we can see When we put in complaints, what's the status of that complaint? Who's the officer taking care of that complaint? That is not being done now. I'd like to be able to see that. I'd like to see where our street sweepers, our new street sweepers, we need new garbage trucks. And you sent eight trucks to Africa. Get them back. Buy new ones. Because the street sweeper that's been coming down my street is not doing a good job. And then I'd like to see money given to sanitation for the storm drains because I'm in a flood zone that never was a flood zone before because of all the illegal development and all of the garbage that a deems men can't possibly handle with all the illegal conversions. you have piles and piles of garbage that these men cannot handle. And your garbage trucks can't handle it either. So I'd like to see money given to new equipment. Your police need better communication equipment, Wi-Fi in the fire departments and in every precinct, and a better phone system because I don't have a Onyx and I don't have a cold. Your phones aren't picking up.

Speaker.

Lisa Parker, how do you have a debt of a loan in $294 million that's a principal with an interest rate of 75.35% to the sum of $222 million? That's a higher rate than a loan shock. Where is the line item for back pay to the pension fund? Where's the union on this? You have a resolution for a dual position for water and sanitation with no salary. That's a blank check. Why hasn't the city hired an engineer in two years? Yet every month, we're paying millions of dollars for emergency funds for engineers as needed. That is a job for, that ALSAC used to have. That's a job. Not one person managing two departments. No disrespect to the person I'm talking about. This is called irresponsible malfeasance. The city has a zero surplus that you're supposed to have three years of surplus in the event of emergency. You are in a compounded deficit and debt of $600 million and no accounting of the revenue streams that should be collected, like the parking. You got cash parking lots in this city. You have now increased our property tax by an estimated 5% after you already increased our property tax over the last three years for 24.8%. and adding another five, that's 30%, and you're getting ready to hit us next year with a revaluation. Tell us where all them money streams are coming from. The cannabis, Invest Newick, all the places you supposed to collect money from. Where's the career development, and I want to call it training, that our offices and our fire department is supposed to have training every year to stay current on the latest crisis? Where's the crisis management money? Let me tell y'all something. The BA here has been lying. All of y'all have been complicit in going along with it that has caused us to be in debt like this. Because you yes, yes, yes everything and never questioned anything until Ms. Jackson came yesterday. Y'all are a disgrace, but you better be doing this orderly and asking the question and telling us where you're getting the money from.

Next speaker.

Opal R. Ray, resided at Vanderpool Street in Newark, New Jersey. And I would just like for you, the council people, to consider. I understand that the libraries, I think the budget there is rather low. But going in, we've purchased plenty of equipment there. But they're saying that the equipment is not, like you can't use certain parts of that equipment. Well, that's either, that's part of the, you know, if we purchase these items, If they're not going to be used, if they're only going to be used for just, say, a specific duty, then that's exactly what we need to probably just monitor or check, see exactly what's going on into the building. And also it needs some of the years of boarding up areas in that building. It seems like that can also be addressed. Either there's more money from the budget, just a little bit more to open up some of the rooms there. And I also noticed that when we're dealing with the, I don't think it has to do with the Department of Sanitation, but the maintenance of our low-income housing, the areas, say, two years ago, we had a lot of people who were coming in and just taking care of the landscape. Now they've decided that it looks Fine, just hack it, and everyone will be OK. It's paid for. It's done. And I just think that if we're hiring people, whether or not they are hired to remain in our country, But if that's the case, they deserve to keep these jobs. And if they're doing a job that is particularly rather keeps the area nice and cared for, why go and hire the ones that's going to just hack wood, throw it everywhere, leave you walking across it. So some of the money should be spent according to maybe we can go back, look at what we had, or we can look forward, what we need. So I thank you for this time. Thank you.

Next speaker. Andy Samrod.

I just want to say that I know that my composer was out of control, and I acknowledge that. I just want to make sure that you guys understood that. But you also have to understand why it is. A couple of months ago, I requested an Oprah request for the GL. journal entry book for those that don't know anything about finance. I wanted to see every single journal entry that was done for the fiscal 23, 24, and 25. There was tons of discrepancies, many discrepancies. Some with the description of salary being charged to, just an example, to paper account code. And then when I added up the totals for specific account codes you're supposed to represent in the budget to the state, it was off. Some of them were right, but some of them were off. Come to find out why? Because it was done on a spreadsheet, and instead of applying that in the journal entry, no. It was recorded on a spreadsheet. It should have been a journal entry. And a journal entry represents every single penny and it's supposed to represent. That way when I do a database and I do a report on it, I'm supposed to get the same exact figures, but I didn't. So that's discouraging that the BA and the finance office is not doing well, right? So that's very discouraging. You know, you guys are supposed to, the state has account codes, right? And then we have our account codes, right? And you're supposed to be able to summarize them to where the state is supposed to be able to allocate them correctly so that way it can be tracked. How can you do that if the numbers are not right in the journal entry book? So that's why I'm a little bit pissed off, because I came to expect numbers, to understand what they're doing in this year. For instance, it was saying that we're supposed to be cutting $6 million off the police department. Well, we asked for 96 to be four. Where is that coming from? Because I want to know whether these are positions that were never filled, FTEs that were never filled, and it's just decreasing that. Or what's being done? You know? But how am I supposed to know that when no transparency is happening? So that was my frustration. I hope you guys understand. It's not directed at, you know, I don't know any of you guys at all in person. But I know what I know. Thank you. You know? Thank you. Thank you so much.

How y'all doing? Eric Adams. I just want to reiterate the importance of having additional street sweepers. The street sweeper that came through my neighborhood the other day was woefully inadequate. It left almost as much trash as picked up. OK? So I'm embarrassed when people from out of town come to my house and the street is filthy. OK? And you should all be also. In addition to that, perhaps we should train some more people who can operate this kind of machinery, all right? Because I don't think we have enough people in sanitation that know how to operate those machines, okay? Secondly, I would like to see new elevators in City Hall. I was here about two weeks ago and an elevator was down. It makes no sense to me we have a billion dollar corporation here and we can't get an elevator fixed or we can't get an elevator, new elevators. Those elevators are the same elevators that I've been coming to council meetings since 74. Same elevators. Okay? Yeah, I'm that old. 67. But that's my point. It's no reason to have visitors coming to our town and not having decent elevators. Okay? Thank you.

Any other speakers?

How y'all doing today? My name is Mark Tompkins. I'm the CEO of Hands of Hope Community. I'm trying to see if we can put some funding towards emergency grassroots, because we out in the community. We do a lot of work in all the neighborhoods with Hands of Hope Community. community grooming and wellness company. We provide neighborhood anchor, providing our mobile research. We do peer support, grooming and wellness, harm reduction, food, clothing. We work with the community. We also started an initiative where we're teaching kids while we're out there working with them barber training. So we're getting them barber skills so they can get certified in that. I'm also a supervisor by training the peer internships. I just see if we can try to find some way we can allocate some money grassroots emergency fundings. Just like I say, I started my initiative my own, and I'm out here, I resigned from my job, and now I'm out here in the streets, and I do a lot of work, me and my team, and we work with the communities. If y'all could support some type of way with grant funding for that, we would greatly appreciate it. And I want to give a special shout out to Pat Council. He actually did help us out a little bit, and we appreciate that. Thank you, Pat, appreciate you much. Thank you. Any other speakers?

Latoya Jackson. So I think environmental funding is very important, and I'm going to tell you why. If you've been seeing me come to this podium, you have seen a change in me. I work in the South a lot with Kim Gaddy and them. and they do a lot to empower the people. Now, I done been going to training programs since I was 16 years old. I dropped out of Shabazz and started at CareerWorks downtown under Mr. Fox years ago. But I never been to a program that actually have, and that's what I know the mayor wants with the Office of Violence Prevention, to have wraparound services like that. When I went through her program, during the time I was, you know, supporting my family, I didn't have money. I didn't want to compromise myself, and I was in this, I stumbled upon this program just going to a South Florida meeting. They had, they fed us every time we went. They had transportation. They even gave us hours and made sure we had transportation back and forth to work. So a lot of things that we struggle with in our city is with the resources. Like, we don't have enough resources. When ecosystems like the South Florida Environmental Alliance and also the Office of Violence Prevention give out grants and funding, when they give out operating budgets to people, it's not enough money for us to actually do the work. The work, if we getting paid, they can never pay us in either ecosystem. But it's just a different field that I've seen over here in the South Ward, where people actually trying to empower their people the right way. So I think we need funding. in the different departments, not just environmental services, but also like OVP, the grassroots organizations, we need to put funding in our budgets that will allow people to properly do the work because all the work is stressful. And a lot of times when we sit and we have grassroots organizations, we are building a plane while we're flying it because we don't have the necessary tools to give the people the information that they actually need to function properly. So I believe if we give the necessary groups the right type of funding, they can really help our community and begin to spark a motivation in people to wanna do better, wanna change, wanna love, that type of stuff. But when you stressed out and we thinking about finances and we can't actually get the things that we need, it's trauma with the people that make decisions, they take it home, it's trauma all around. So I think y'all should allocate money to the organizations and give them enough money to be able to operate and function the right way. That's what's important to me as a New York resident.

Thank you. Any other speakers?

Deborah Salter. So for me, I would say the miscellaneous Items that are constantly put, we need definitions for the miscellaneous, right? We need names and numbers put to the miscellaneous items and then the rest of that money needs to go be directed towards those who are breaking their backs, doing the work who don't have adequate health care, who are not being paid a livable salary, those types of things. The mothers and the others who can't afford to get child care and where they live and things like this. So if we define the miscellaneous funds, then maybe we can put the funds where they need to go. instead of it just being miscellaneous. So we're asking for transparency. So for me, that's what I would like to see. I mean, in addition to other things, I can't find my note disappeared because I was ready with some things, but I'll be ready for the next time. And I believe I saw in the summary, someone correct me if I'm wrong, did I see that we now have a surplus for 26? Did I see that in there somewhere? Minus one. Oh, okay, I thought I saw that. I was looking for my paper, but I can't find it. But yes, so I did wanna say that. We need to be specific, okay, and transparent. As Ms. Jackson said yesterday, maybe not down to the penny, but down to the quarter. I'm gonna go to the nickel, okay? Maybe not the penny, but the nickel. But we need to be transparent so that we can properly put the money where it needs to go. Because we have many needs in this city. And in addition, she's saying the library over here, but even with the workforce for the youth, I know we're doing, we're talking about getting more funds for the workforce. So if it's extra over here, maybe it can go over there because there's a need for jobs. It's a need for training that is going to guide us into an industry that we need to be ready for. We gotta do it because right now we're not ready. So these funds need to go where they need to go, but we need to see what they are.

Any other speakers?

OK, thank you, Sheila Montague. Just a few things I wanted to itemize that I'd like to see in the budget. OK, so property tax relief for homeowners. I would like to see that. Roads, sidewalks, and infrastructure. I heard somebody mention, I think yesterday at the pre-council meeting, I think the question was asked by Councilwoman Donna Jackson, I believe, about why is one side of the street being done and the other is not. I would like that to be finished, done as well. Tree canopy and neighborhood beautification, we need that to lower the temperatures, to kill off the carbon dioxide, because a lot of our kids and grownups as well are still dealing with a lot of environmental racism issues. that's not being addressed at all so i was happy to be a part of the south ward um on meeting that they had recently to see people were actually involved in that um i think there was only like i was the only person that showed up for the one we had in the west ward and that was like two years ago that I know about. Affordable housing prevention with emphasis on helping existing Newark residents. Stay in Newark because too many people are being pushed out. It doesn't have to be. People just need some type of help and there needs to be a greater emphasis on accessibility for that to happen. Small business assistance. I used to have a lot of people that I could go get my hair done now. Right now that's not the case. Many people have been pushed out in Atlanta, North Carolina and different places. We need to try more to do something in the budget to help small business in terms of that. Block Association. I've been a Block Association president now in my neighborhood for literally years, and we haven't had any access to funds to help us beautify our community, and I would like that to be a consideration in the budget. Public safety through prevention. I talk a lot about prevention, including recreation, jobs, constructive activities for young people. They are out in the street, they are organizing on Instagram to do things that are very dangerous in our communities and that is growing. So again, an ounce of intervention is worth a pound of cure. Community benefit requirements tied to large development projects so that neighborhoods receive tangible benefits, not just promises. The reason why people are down here is because they don't see what they're getting out of the deal and we live here. That's insane for everybody to be so ultra and hyper defensive when people are coming down here asking questions. And I just want to say I am so happy and just congratulations to you Donna Jackson first and foremost for being our new council person. but also our council president. I really love how you dealt with that situation, that you didn't make it personal. As a teacher, I've been cursed out plenty of times over the course of 25 years. I have never got up and cursed out a parent. That is insane, and I applaud how you did that, and how you demanded order without disrespecting anybody, and both parties holding them accountable. Thank you.

Any other speakers? Madam Clerk, have I seen any other speakers? Roll call. Roll call. I'd like to offer one thing to the council. No, no, you already spoke.

I would offer my... No, no, but you already had your turn.

It is not right to the process, no. We've got to follow the process. You already spoke, you had your time, and it is not right for others. I appreciate that. Thank you so much. Madam Clerk?

Roll call. Day? Day? Yes. Council?

Yes.

Crump?

Yes.

Jackson?

Yes.

Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana?

Yes.

Seminar 8B is a reappointment of Councilman Ramos to the Joint Meeting Commission. Councils at home to adopt?

Roll call.

Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump? Yes. Jackson? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana?

Yes. C through F are additional council resolutions. C is a ceremonial street designation for Frederica Bay, sponsored by Councilwoman Bay, second by Councilman Crump. D is a ceremonial street designation for Deacon Eugene Vick, Jr., sponsored by Councilman Council, second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree. E is a ceremonial street designation for Ryan and Charity Haygood, Sponsored by Councilman Council. Second by Councilman Kelly. And F is a whole harmless for movies under the stars back to school night. Sponsored by Councilman Ramos. Second by Council President Quintana. Council to adopt C through F with sponsors.

Rocco.

Bay. Yes. Council. Yes. Clump. Yes. Jackson? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana? Yes.

Chi, council as a whole to return Chi to the administration. Roll call.

Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump? Yes. Jackson? Yes. Kelly?

Yes, to return.

Ramos?

Yes.

Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes.

President Quintana.

Yes. H through J are additional council resolutions. H is waiving the special event application permit fees for the Clinton Hill Community Action Farmers Market, sponsored by Councilman Council, second by Councilman Jackson. I is waiving special event application and permit fees for the Meeker Avenue Block Party, sponsored by Councilman Council, second by Councilman Crump. J is a resolution supporting Sebastian's law for window guards, sponsored by Councilwoman Bay, second by Councilman Council. Council to adopt H through J with sponsors.

Roll call.

Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump? Yes. Jackson? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Browntree? Yes. Sova? Yes. President Quintana?

Yes. K is recognizing and commending resolutions and L is expressing profound sorrow and regret. Council as a whole to adopt K and L please. Roll call.

Say. Yes. Council. Yes. Crump. Yes. Jackson. Yes. Kelly. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Got Roundtree. Yes. Silva. Yes. President. Yes.

Council President, Council Members, I just need to consult the business administrator for one second. My apologies. We are on page 56, 7R11A. is the Recreation Center Program to provide STEM, science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics, summer enrichment program, I'm sorry, STEAM. Sponsored by Councilman Council, second by Council President Quintana. Roll call.

Bay. Yes. Council. Yes. Crump. Yes. Jackson. Yes. Kelly. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva. Yes.

President Quintana. Yes. 7R12A and B are resolutions from the Department of Water and Sewer Utilities. A is a change order for the water treatment plant and B is a professional service contract for professional engineering services. Council as a whole to adopt A and B.

Okay.

Bay. Yes. Council. Yes. Crump.

Yes.

Jackson.

Abstain.

Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana?

Yes. Communications, item 8A, council as a whole to defer.

Rocco.

Bay?

Yes, to defer.

Council?

Yes.

Crump?

Yes.

Jackson? Yes. Kelly?

Yes, to defer.

Ramos? Yes. Matt Roundtree? Yes. Silva?

Yes.

President Quintana?

Yes. B through D are all reappointments. D is a reappointment to the ABC Board. C is a reappointment to the Affirmative Action Review Council, sponsored by Councilman Kelly, second by Councilwoman Bay. And D is a reappointment to the Central Planning Board, sponsored by Councilman Bay, second by Councilman Jackson. Council as a whole to adopt B through D with sponsors. Morocco.

Bay. Yes. Council. Yes. Yes. Jackson? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana?

Yes. E, council as a whole to return to the administration.

Roll call.

Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump? Yes. Jackson? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Yes. President Quintana?

Yes.

F is an ordinance amending and supplementing cannabis to add subsections dealing with microconsumption and amending the chapter manner of operations regarding armed security guards and license fee. Sponsored by Councilman Council, second by Councilman Ramos. There's a motion to approve. advance and adopt on first reading as item 6FA.

Roll call.

Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Crump?