City Council - Regular Meeting

A Capital Surplus Ordinance of the City of Elizabeth, in the County of Union, New Jersey, appropriating $1,200,000 for Intersection Improvements in and for the City of Elizabeth, in the County of Union, New Jersey.

Letter dated February 26, 2026, from the His Honor the Mayor subject to the confirmation of your Honorable Body, he appoints Mr. Cesar Vega, 17 Harbor Front Terrace, Elizabeth, NJ, to serve as a Member of the Elizabeth Housing Authority for a term of five (5) years.

A copy of Mr. Vega's resume is attached for your perusal. Which was received.

Letter dated February 25, 2026, from the Business Administrator recommending awarding a contract to Nielson Ford, 170 Ridgedale Avenue, Morristown, NJ, for the purchase of two (2) 2025 Ford Explorers (K8D) Active 4WD, at a total cost of $86,209.95.

Which was received.

Letter dated February 26, 2026, from the Business Administrator advising that being satisfied that an emergency did exist recommends the award of a contract to BNY Iron Works, 922 Spring Street, Elizabeth, NJ, when it was discovered that the wrought iron gate at the ground floor North entrance to City Hall failed and became dislodged from the hinges and the remaining three (3) gates were observed to have significant deterioration at the hinges at a cost of $25,000.00.

Which was received. F.I.O.

Letter dated February 26, 2026, from the Business Administrator advising that being satisfied that an emergency did exist recommends the award of a contract to Empire Construction and Property Management Group, Inc., 82 Railroad Avenue, Belford, NJ, when it was discovered that parts of the recreation pier became dislodged and separated from the structure requiring immediate repairs at an additional estimated cost of $163,800.00 and the work completed prior to the revision totaled $98,060.11; the new estimated total cost is $261,860.11.

Which was received. F.I.O.

Letter dated February 26, 2026, from the Business Administrator recommending awarding a contract to Pellegrino Chevrolet, 1000 Gateway Blvd., Westville, NJ, for the purchase of One (1) 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD, as a replacement, for the Elizabeth Police Department at a total cost of $68,196.30.

Which was received.

Letter dated February 26, 2026, from the Business Administrator recommending awarding a contract to Pellegrino Chevrolet, 1000 Gateway Blvd., Westville, NJ, for the purchase of One (1) 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer, as a replacement, for the Elizabeth Police Department at a total cost of $25,725.55.

Which was received.

Letter dated February 26, 2026, from the Business Administrator recommending awarding a contract to Lawmen Supply Co., 1971 Old Cuthbert Road, Cherry Hill, NJ, for the purchase of Ammunition for the Elizabeth Police Department at a cost of $12,354.00.

Which was received.

Letter dated February 27, 2026, from the Business Administrator requests authorization for the proper City officials to renew the flood insurance for 71 Front Street with Selective Insurance Company of New England, P.O. Box 782747, Philadelphia, PA, through agent-of-record Otterstedt Insurance Agency, 540 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, for the period of April 22, 2026, through April 22, 2027, at an annual premium not to exceed $6,500.00.

Which was received.

Letter dated February 27, 2026, from the Business Administrator requests authorization for the proper City officials to renew the flood insurance for 519 Trenton Avenue with Selective Insurance Company of New England, P.O. Box 782747, Philadelphia, PA, through agent-of-record Otterstedt Insurance Agency, 540 Sylvan Avenue, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, for the period of April 22, 2026, through April 22, 2027, at an annual premium not to exceed $4,600.00.

Which was received.

Letter dated February 27, 2026, from the Business Administrator requests authorization for the proper City officials to apply, accept, and sign all appropriate documents for the FY 27 Community Directed Spending, Appropriations Request; the Community Directed Spending projects will be submitted to our legislative delegation, including Senator Cory Booker, Senator Andy Kim and Congressman Rob Menendez, for sponsoring consideration and determine whether the community projects will be sponsored through their respective offices for a total amount not to exceed $10,000,000.00.

Which was received.

Letter dated February 27, 2026, from the Business Administrator requests that your Honorable Body consider authorizing the City's participation in the United Summer Associate Program ("USA" Program) with United Airlines, Inc., at Newark Liberty International Airport, to facilitate college student summer internship opportunities for neighborhood residents of the City of Elizabeth and to allow the proper City officials to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU); effective date of this MOU will occur upon full execution of same through August 31, 2026; in addition to executing any other documents in connection with this request.

Which was received.

Letter dated March 2, 2026, from the Business Administrator requests your Honorable Body to consider the disbursement to the New Jersey State Police, Fiscal Control Bureau, Accounting and Revenue Unit, P.O. Box 7068, West Trenton, NJ, pursuant to the Shared Services/Intergovernmental Agreement with the County of Union to allow the City of Elizabeth access to the State of New Jersey’s and County of Union’s Interoperable Communications System and Use in Compliance with the Federal Communications Commission’s Narrow Banding Mandate, the semi-annual user subscription fee of $15.00 per radio for 1,163 Radios currently enabled for the City of Elizabeth Police and Fire Departments from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, in the total amount of $40,000.00.

Which was received.

Letter dated March 3, 2026, from the Chief Financial Officer advising that additional grants may be appropriated in the 2026 SFY Budget by budget amendments (Chapter 159).

Which was received.

Letter dated March 3, 2026, from the Chief Financial Officer advising that in compliance with the SFY 2016 Appropriations Act requires that your Honorable Body approve all payments related to accumulated/uncompensated absence benefits.

Which was received.

Letter dated March 3, 2026, from the Chief Financial Officer recommending that your Honorable Body request the Director of the Division of Local Finance to make the estimated changes in the 2026 Municipal Budget to account for the City’s local share of grants (Chapter 159) approved after the adoption of the budget.

Which was received.

Letter dated March 3, 2026, from the Chief Financial Officer requests that your Honorable Body consider approving a Sewer Utility Bond Ordinance to finance various sewer capital projects as part of a long-range plan to upgrade the City’s aging sewer utility infrastructure in the amount not to exceed $12 million.

Which was received.

Letter dated February 17, 2026, from the Director of Planning and Community Development, on behalf of Dilkia Del Castillo, St. Josephs Social Services, 118 Division Street, Elizabeth, NJ, requests approval of a special event license to host the 40th Anniversary Celebration Walk Parade starting from St. Helen’s Roman Catholic Church, Westfield, NJ, to St. John’s Roman Catholic Church, Linden, NJ then to Warinanco Sports Center, ending at the St. Joseph’s Social Services, 118 Division Street, Elizabeth scheduled for Saturday, April 18, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with a set up time at 8:00 a.m. and breakdown at 2:00 p.m. as set forth in Section 12.56 of the Code of the City of Elizabeth.

Which was received.

Letter dated February 20, 2026, from the Director of Planning and Community Development, on behalf of Christopher Nelson, 746 Trumbull Street, Elizabeth, NJ requests approval of a special event license to host a Goodwill Festival on Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at 11 Front Street, Elizabeth, with a set-up time at 7:00 a.m. and a breakdown ending time of 9:30 p.m. as set forth in Section 12.56 of the Code of the City of Elizabeth.

Which was received.

Letter dated February 27, 2026, from the Director of Planning and Community Development requests to rescind Ordinance No. 5726 authorizing the sale of 601-607 Pennsylvania Avenue to Bold Community Care Services, LLC due to not moving forward with the project outlined in that ordinance and adopt a new ordinance authorizing the sale of 601-607 Pennsylvania Avenue to Community Access Unlimited (CAU) for a nominal amount of $1.00; proposed project will consist of constructing eleven (11) permanent, supportive, affordable housing units, 8 one bedroom units specifically designed for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and three (3) two bedroom units.

Which was received.

Letter dated February 25, 2026, from the Director of Public Works requests authorizing Pasquale Vella, the City of Elizabeth’s Municipal Recycling Coordinator, to endorse the submission of the recycling tonnage grant application to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to ensure that the application is properly filed.

Which was received.

Letter dated February 27, 2026, from the Director of Public Works recommending awarding a contract to Suburban Consulting Engineers, Inc., 96 US Highway 206, Suite 101, Flanders, NJ, to provide professional environmental engineering services at a time and material basis for the Pulaski Street Pickleball and Tennis Courts not to exceed $205,520.00 plus reimbursables for the Remedial Action Work, Perimeter Air Monitoring and LSRP Field Oversight services.

Which was received.

Letter dated February 17, 2026, from GKL Environmental Consulting, 14 Running Hills Drive, Newton, NJ, on behalf of N & S Car Wash, requests to enter into an Access Agreement to complete the groundwater investigation at 47-49 West Grand Street to evaluate the extent of contamination from the Chamos Hand Carwash Property which is required by the NJDEP to advance site remediation.

Which was received.

An Ordinance authorizing the City of Elizabeth to enter into a Site Access Agreement with GKL Environmental Consulting, LLC, 14 Running Hills Drive, Newton, N.J. 07860 for site access to 47-49 West Grand Street (Block 329, Lot 5) for Remedial Investigation of Chamos Hand Car Wash located on the adjacent property at 39 West Grand Street (aka 200-210 Union Street).

An Ordinance to rescind Ordinance No. 5726, and authorize the Sale of 601-607 Pennsylvania Avenue (Block 11, Lot 1225), authorizing the conveyance of real property located at 601-607 Pennsylvania Ave (BI 11 Lot 1225), to Community Access Unlimited (CAU), New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation, Federal 501(c)(3), pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:12·21K) for the sum of One Dollar XX/100 ($1.00).

An Ordinance of the City of Elizabeth, in the County of Union, New Jersey providing for sewer system capital upgrades and appropriating $12,000,000 therefor and authorizing the issuance of $12,000,000 bonds or notes of the City of Elizabeth to finance the cost thereof.

A Capital Surplus Ordinance of the City of Elizabeth, in the County of Union, New Jersey, appropriating $1,200,000 for Intersection Improvements in and for the City of Elizabeth, in the County of Union, New Jersey.

Authorize an amendment to the 2026 Fiscal Year Capital Budget in the amount of $12,000,000.00.

Authorize an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget to insert, as an item of Revenue, the 2024 FY Opioid Settlement Increase awarded by the National Opiate Litigation Settlement, in the amount of $2,118.75.

Authorize an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget to insert, as an item of Revenue, the UEZ Midtown Cleaning Crew Grant awarded by the NJUEZ, in the amount of $119,886.00.

Confirm the appointment of Mr. Cesar Vega, 17 Harbor Front Terrace, Elizabeth, N.J., to serve as a Member of the Elizabeth Housing Authority for a term of Five (5) years, pursuant to the Code of the City of Elizabeth.

Authorize the award of a contract to Nielson Ford, 170 Ridgedale Avenue, Morristown, N.J. for the purchase of Two (2) 2025 Ford Explorers (K8D) Active 4WD through the Educational Services Commission of NJ, at a total cost of $86,209.95.

Authorize the award of a contract to Pellegrino Chevrolet, 1000 Gateway Blvd., Westville, N.J., for the purchase of One (1) 2026 Chevrolet Tahoe 4WD through the Bergen County Co-Op, at a total cost of $68,196.30.

Authorize the award of a contract to Pellegrino Chevrolet, 1000 Gateway Blvd., Westville, N.J. for the purchase of One (1) 2026 Chevrolet Trailblazer through the Bergen County Co-Op, at a total cost of $25,725.55.

Authorize the award of a contract to Lawmen Supply Co., 1971 Old Cuthbert Road, Cherry Hill, N.J., for the purchase of Ammunition for the Elizabeth Police Department, at a cost of $12,354.00.

Authorize the award of a contract to Selective Insurance Company of New England, P. O. Box 782747, Philadelphia, PA, through agent-of-record Otterstedt Insurance Agency, for the renewal of a Flood Insurance Policy covering the property located at 71 Front Street for the period April 22, 2026 through April 22, 2027, at a premium not to exceed $6,500.00.

Authorize the award of a contract to Selective Insurance Company of New England, P. O. Box 782747, Philadelphia, PA, through agent-of-record Otterstedt Insurance Agency, for the renewal of a Flood Insurance Policy covering the property located at 519 Trenton Avenue for the period April 22, 2026 through April 22, 2027, at a premium not to exceed $4,600.00.

Authorize the proper City Officials to apply, accept, and sign all documents for the FY 27 Community Directed Spending – Appropriations Request, in the total amount not to exceed $10,000,000.00.

Request authorization to disburse to the New Jersey State Police, Fiscal Control Bureau, Accounting and Revenue Unit, P. O. Box 7068, West Trenton, N.J., pursuant to the Shared Services/Intergovernmental Agreement with the County of Union to allow the City of Elizabeth access to the State of New Jersey’s and County Union’s Interoperable Communications System and Use in Compliance with the Federal Communications Commission’s Narrow Banding Mandate, the semi-annual user subscription fee of $15.00 per radio for 1,163 Radios currently enabled for the City of Elizabeth Police and Fire Departments from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026, in the total amount of $40,000.00.

Authorize the submission of a Municipal Recycling Tonnage Grant Application to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Recycling, and designate Pasquale A. Vella, Recycling Coordinator, City Hall, 50 Winfield Scott Plaza, Elizabeth, N.J. to endorse the submission to ensure that the said Application is properly filed and that any funds received from the recycling tonnage grant be deposited in a dedicated recycling trust to be used solely for the purposes of recycling.

Authorize the award of a contract to Suburban Consulting Engineers, Inc., 96 US Highway 206, Suite 101, Flanders, N.J. to provide professional environmental engineering services at a time and material basis for the Remedial Action Work Plan, Perimeter Air Monitoring and Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP) Field Oversight Services for the Pulaski Street Pickleball and Tennis Courts, 607-627 Pulaski Street, in the amount not to exceed $205,520.00 plus reimbursables.

Grant Permission to Dilkia Del Castillo, St. Joseph’s Social Services, (Applicant), 118 Division Street, Elizabeth, N.J., for a license to hold a 40th Anniversary Celebration – Walk Parade event on Saturday, April 18, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., starting from St. Helen’s Roman Catholic Church, Westfield, N.J. to St. John’s Roman Catholic Church, Linden, N.J. to Warinanco Sports Center and ending point at the St. Joseph’s Social Services, 118 Division Street, Elizabeth, N.J., set up time 8:00 a.m. and breakdown at 2:00 p.m., pursuant to Chapter 12.56 of the Code of the City of Elizabeth.

Grant Permission to Cristopher Nelson, (Applicant), 746 Trumbull Street, Elizabeth, N.J., for a license to hold a Goodwill Festival event on Saturday, June 6, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at 11 Front Street, Elizabeth, N.J.; set-up time 7:00 a.m. and breakdown at 8:30 a.m., pursuant to Chapter 12.56 of the Code of the City of Elizabeth.

Grant permission to place a Vanity Street Sign dedicated to Monsignor João da Silva Antão near Our Lady of Fatima Church, to be placed on the corner of Bond Street at Spring Street, in recognition of his spiritual and storied career here in Elizabeth and Portugal.

Proclaim May 8, 2026, as Provider Appreciation Day in Elizabeth, New Jersey and urge all citizens to recognize childcare providers for their important work and how valuable they are to our communities.

The following item was discussed in closed session authorizing the settlement in the workman’s compensation litigation matter of Dugan v. the City of Elizabeth, in the total amount of $10,000.00.

Pay Utility Bills.

Jonathan Phillips

The Mills at Jersey Gardens

Paramount Assets

Maria Carvalho

Jersey Gelato

United Airlines

Elizabeth Development Company Honorees

10th Annual Leadership Award Reception on March 11, 2026

Elizabeth High School Freshman Basketball Team, Head Coach Cher Neil Pascual and Managers

Congratulate on their Outstanding Undefeated Union County Conference Tournament Victory