Council - Regular Meeting

Thank you. Very good. Madam clerk madam clerk madam clerk. Can you extract? What the young lady and send it to the superintendent of schools? so that when they're preparing curriculum or events in the summer that These are the concerns so if we could do that through your staff would appreciate What school Well, we'll get to this, we'll get to that. All right, okay.

Speaker, next speaker. Lisa Mitchison-Parker. No, no, no. You already had your time. Next speaker.

Come on. We've heard to the speakers. We have already listened. Please, can we have another speaker? Okay. All right. We're not going to come back and forward. Please. Thank you. Next speaker.

All right. Thank you. It was noted. Councilwoman Roundtree.

So when Mr. Willis came to the office, I did reach out to the health department, and just for the record, you don't have to use this company. It was a letter that was sent out, and I did ask the director of the health department, which can't do it right now, to give an explanation to the constituents and to the public of what this process is regarding money. There are exemptions. And she's going to explain all that I asked the council president at the end of this meeting for the sake of the public that are watching this and for those who are in the room that can spread the word and have a numb

Mr.. President just a follow-up to councilman roundtree the letter that was attached to Correspondence that mr. Davis shared does state that the Residents have to use this lew environmental, so we need some clarity through your chair on and the clerk to ensure that if there are other companies that have been pre-qualified, that the residents can contact them. It should reflect in the correspondence that the department shares with the residents.

I'm notified by Councilwoman Roundtree and Ramos if we can get some correspondence on behalf of them. A COUNSEL HAS SOME ANSWERS.

IF THEY HAVE TO RE-ISSUE THESE LETTERS. RIGHT.

Not appearing. Not appearing. See you later.

Madam Clerk, as noted by the speaker, can we extract her conversation to the Department of Engineering, and if we can, get some correspondence from them back. Thank you.

Thank you. Marilyn Solwell. Yeah, before we go, Councilman Jackson and Councilman Kelly,

OK, thank you. Real quick, too, Mama Bae. Is Nelson Long still here? There might be some synergy between you and that gentleman. I spoke to him before the meeting. Can you have a conversation with him as well? Nelson, have a go. Nelson, where is Nelson? Nelson, raise your hand. He's in the back right there. Thank you. Next speaker.

APPEARING. NO, NOT APPEARING. BEAT IT ONE MORE TIME. ANDERSON. NOT APPEARING. OPAL, ALL RIGHT.

No, we called your name, which is, that's what the clerk indicated. No, Madam Clerk, did you call his name? Yes. The name was called, and when your name was, that's what, huh? Did you?

No, speak into the record, okay? Hello? No, hold on. Oh, I...

Since you were here, we're going to make an exception. Okay, right.

Yeah, thank you, Council President. With regards to the fossil fuel ordinance, I sponsored that legislation to go down to the planning board. So I would, through your chair, request an update as to where it is and what is the issue of why it has not been heard by the planning board at this point.

Madam Clerk, yes. As noted by Councilman Crump, that we notify the planning board and quick response on his suggestion. Thank you, Councilman. Thank you.

The time is up. We will extract We will extract what you're saying and we will get it. You're out of order. Please. Please. Excuse me. You're out of order. I'm not. Excuse me. We cannot. Excuse me, you're out of order. We will put, yes. Your time is up and you, we gave you the time. Okay. Excuse me. Excuse me, your time is up. Thank you. Thank you. We don't want, we don't want, thank you. Madam Clerk, extract what was said and forward it to the police department, the Department of Public Safety. Yes, sir. Thank you. You're welcome. To the agenda.

Sorry, before you get there, Council President, if I can say something. Yes. With regards to, I believe it was Ms. Bay that was talking about scamming. I know that AARP has been doing some great programs around the city with the senior services as well as, I know Councilman Bay and I were at Cityplex where they did a program there talking about scamming seniors and giving them information to help them so that doesn't happen. So that may be a resource to reach out to, to talk to, and we may be able to reach out and maybe help provide additional information so that we make sure our seniors don't

Thank you. Thank you. Corporation counsel. I'm sorry.

Okay. Oh, she's going to come to speak. I'm going to speak. Okay.

Did you address the exemptions, please? Because if a home was built and had been under construction or rebuilt, I think when I spoke to you this afternoon, you advised that there were exemptions. So for the public's sake, I know

So for example, a house was built in 1978, burned down in 2001, was rebuilt. Where do they send that certification? Do they provide it to you, or do they send it to the state, or how do they become exempt so that they're not troubled with the fact that someone knocks on their door?

So the letter that I have was sent to a woman that was 85 years old, 84 years old. Young lady sent her son down here to deal with this letter because when they made the phone call, based on what the information is in this letter, they said not only do we have to come but we also need you to have monies ready to pay us based on what was provided in this letter. So how do we deal with that population?

Last two things, Council President. Violations, and this is my last thing, please for the viewers that are watching that might receive this letter or don't receive, haven't received this letter, are based on what you said in reference to 1978 and beyond and the exemptions. So the first thing is what violations are associated, and the second is to please give the information To those viewers, we might have it, and some of the people that are sitting in here might have it, but someone who's watching the council meeting, a contact number, if they have any questions pertaining to these letters tha

I had one more question, but I think Councilwoman Jackson had a question. No, I wanted the contact information for the viewers.

Hold on, hold on, hold on. Mr. Muhammad, please.

And I'm gonna second that motion. There's a mover and a seconder. Okay.

Madam Clerk? No, no, no, no. Just a quick question. Councilwoman, you said that there's a contract that they're supposed to abate these issues?

Can we listen to the business, sir? Please, sir.

I keep calling the church. You got to correct that for the record.

All right. So it's a defer item. So let's continue.

No, we don't have a special, so it would go into the October meeting. Is that correct, Madam Clerk? And then we will bring them as, put them on the agenda so they can speak before this governing body and make a presentation to the governing body. Yes.

Council President. Right? Council President.

We don't have any specials, so. It's October.

Yeah, the pre-meeting. I think all of us will be here to listen to the presentation.

Council President. Yes It's already been deferred but I just want to put on the record I just know I'm gonna say this for the record I'm not talking about that I'm saying this for the record about GKD because there's residents sitting in this audience and we're in my office today and And while we transfer property, and while we do all this, GKD has been on the record, transferred more than once. I'm not talking about Central Ward, because there are other properties. So we've gone through this. They've come to us, they told us it was under new management, lied to us before, in the midst of a bu

Yeah, but moving forward, every single transition should be a presentation.

Do they hold up to what they come and present?

Is there a second? Second. Okay, next item.

Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it.

Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it. Say it.

Anyone up here? No one up here? You're on C.

Talking about this ordinance. That's the previous ordinance.

Excuse me, we got to talk to, address the ordinance.

But we're not, you're not addressing the ordinance. He lied. All right. He lied. All right. Any other speakers? Liar.

Thank you. Can someone come and talk about the gun range in this ordinance and explain, please? And then the next speaker can come after if that's okay. It's a gun range, but someone needs to, it's a North Police gun range, and they need to come and give an explanation.

Public safety's behind you, so he can give you an explanation.

All right. That's regarding the range, right? All right. Thank you. Alif Mohammed. Hold on, hold on. We have a problem with the TV. Can we just pause? No, no, it's not us. Nobody blacks anybody out. No, no. I'm going to take you to dinner. Excuse me, that's technology. 20 years ago, it was not the problem. Okay, go ahead.

Okay, thank you. This is regarding the police range.

You know now. There's an agreement with the previous and then the new person who obtained it and that there's no changes. We will continue to be the same service. Is that correct, Mr. B.A.?

Any other speakers? Do you know the speakers, Madam Clerk? Let's call the roll. Roll call. Excuse me. Excuse me, you're out of order. No, please, you're out of order, please. We're in the middle of a roll call. Go ahead. All right, you're out of order. If you cannot, you gotta go out to the hallway, because we have to run a government. Let's continue.

Can we get someone to give an explanation before the speakers, please?

Okay, all right, all right, all right. Excuse me, excuse me. Officer, officer, she's out of order. You gotta offer your seat, please. You're out of order. Ms. Madani, please, you can exit. No, no, she has been destructive of a meeting. Sorry, you can say whatever. You can't do this in every town. You don't go to every town and do this. You know what? You don't go to every town and then they cater to you this way. That's cool.

regarding rules of this council. The people come and say that they go to other municipalities, they don't do any of these things in other municipalities. It's only done here because we have been kind, but we gotta stop, and I agree with you, Mr. Administrator, I apologize. But from now on, everybody must sit down and moving forward. And if not, we will instruct at the next meeting, we will instruct the police that if anybody's behind, they are to tell them and act like a sergeant of arms and tell them to sit down. So I don't wanna instruct the police, because that's not the function. I think w

Counsel and counsel, you have something?

Councilman. Just a quick question for the Deputy Mayor. Our letter is going to be sent out to homeowners regarding this. How will we get the message out there? Because in my ward, we do have a lot of this going on. Like Councilman Ramos was saying, it's not only the bigger buildings, it's homes as well. And so how are we going to get the message out to them?

Council President, thank you. I just want to ditto what Councilman, Council stated, but also to But the word is respect. And I do pray that as we move forward, when that microphone, you're allowed to say and have your freedom to speak to us whether we agree or disagree. We cannot sit up here and yell at you and say we don't like what you're saying or point fingers at you. We don't have that option. We have that opportunity. There's some municipalities where council people are choking each other, let alone trying to reach out to the people in the audience. So I just pray that as we move forward

If we can, in terms of that, in terms of this, if we can put it, place it in a tax bill, letting people know of this information would be helpful. And also, you know, it would be helpful if we put this to the landlords who get a tax bill. They look at it and always saying, hey, I got a tax bill. And they look at the tax bill. If we could put it also, Mr. B.A., if we can do that and send it in a tax bill. The other thing, again, Madam Clerk, we will have some in-house. The next meeting, yourself and the business administrator will meet with law enforcement. who are doing a great job here for us

Let's talk on the ordinance because we're not talking on the ordinance.

Why should we or not approve this ordinance?

All right, that's good to the ordinance.

But let's talk to the ordinance. Okay. What is your favor of the ordinance? What do you like about the ordinance? You don't like the ordinance?

Thank you, Ms. Brown. Any other speakers? No one else? It's closed. Roll call.

Yes on all, and I abstain on E. Scott Roundtree?

Abstain on M as in Mary, yes on N as in Nancy.

Yes, Madam Clerk. I would like to move on... O, I would like to move the West Ward property. Yeah, I would like to split. I don't know if Councilman Counsel is still deferring, but I would like to split in the West. Yeah, I'm still deferring. I would like to split and move the West Ward property.

Maybe you can remove the South Ward property out of the resolution.

But amend it and remove the South Ward property.

Thank you. Yeah, Mr. President, maybe moving forward, I know it's the same buyer, but they should really split these up by award. This is not the first time this happens.

Department of Economic Development From now on, what you're suggesting is from now on, that there be by wards, not two wards, three wards together. Is that correct? Yes. As ordered by council.

Wait a minute. Just O for me. I still defer on the, I'm still deferring on P. You're deferring on P as well? Yeah. I'm still deferring on P. So it's just O that's being returned.

Unless they're going to return them and split them. Well, that's what I was trying to do.

Let's just do that. OK. The department will have them. I'm a one.

Will you call to defer? Councilman Clerk, excuse me, Madam Clerk, I would like to move this item forward now. Is there a second?

Mr. President. Yes, Councilman. With the budget, I know after the hearings were completed, there were some questions that were submitted through the clerk's office for additional information, and at least the ones that I asked about, I don't remember getting a response. There were some questions about the police, public works. So before the amendments, and also maybe if they can share what amendments were presented to the state that the state's reviewing, just so that we have that information ahead of time.

Oh, okay. So you anticipate amendments based on their feedback? Yes. Gotcha. Thank you. You're welcome.

President Quintana. Yes. Council President, if I could just elaborate a little bit. There's a time of essence here on this, and the building that's going to be built is 100% affordable. So I just want to make that clear, and that's the reason why we're here today, and this is on as an added starter because time is of the essence, but the building is 100% affordable.

We knew how important it was to your award, Council.

OK. OK, so we'll go into motions. Motions. Councilman Bay. Got 100? Councilman Johnson.

Thank you, Council President. Just a motion. With regards to JFK pool, we continue to get, and this has been going on for months and months and months, continue to get constituent concerns about the pool, particularly how it's not prepared. I know I brought this up on a number of occasions and I'm understanding is there's money to fix it, but it just hasn't been done. And I know I'm not the only council person, but we continue to get regular EMAILS AND INCLUDING ANOTHER NOTICES REGARDING THE FACT THAT IT'S NOT, AND PARTICULARLY FOR OUR SENIORS WHO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE TEMPERATURE AND IT IS AFF

Okay. Second? Second. Second. Thank you, everybody. Kelly. Okay.

Councilman Kelly. Thank you, Council President. for the ehd department and ucc along with engineering to please give me a status of a property 97-99 on camden street in the west ward it's been it's right behind the rite aid and um It's been erect for years and it's become a hotel in my ward for the homeless. So I really want a status of it. And if we do own it as a city, we do own it. I'm asking UCC requesting that we tear it down because it's a danger to the homeless people. It's a blight in our community for multiple years. You know, so I'm just asking for that request and that motion for 97

Second. And one last announcement. On October 16th, 2026 at Don Payne Technical High School, I will be doing State of the West Ward. I don't think it's ever been done in the West Ward. And I think it's time with us moving forward in the West, you know, to talk to the West Ward and give them a say of what's going on in our ward. So October 16th at Don Payne Tech, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. All right, roll call.

There's a seconder and there's a roll call. Roll call.

I just want to comment on Councilman. Thank you, Council President. Councilman Kelly's request because I don't know how we have rode by that property and do block parties and shut down the blocks, Mr. B.A. And when you literally go by there, it's a frame that apparently someone was supposed to develop. They built the frame, and now people have sneakers and linen hanging on laundry lines. It's more than a hotel. They literally made it a home. And it's open. It's an open frame two doors away. There was a building that was burnt down three times from squatters, and the church was scared the churc

Is there a second? Second. We need five votes.

All right, here we go. OK. Here we go. Roll call.

Yes. Councilman Silva. Yes. Just real quick. A gentleman came up today, well, a young lady came up today about the Anchor. Just so you know, that's a state-run program. But we do have two Anchor events coming up in the east, October 7th. October 31st call my office we'll give you all the details it's on my councilman page and we'll we're gonna be helping out our seniors because again this is a state-run program but our state legislation legislators get together and I'm sure they're gonna be doing it in other places throughout the city but in the East Ward there's one on October 7th and one on

Yes. Mr. Clerk, just to see if we can have a meeting between Corporation Council, business administrator yourself, about rules. We are going to have to, as of tonight, I really, to the listening public, coming here and using profound words. We have children that listen to this cast, We are going to be meeting, and then since the business administrator oversees the different departments in the Department of Public Safety, is to go over some of these rules. Some of these rules have to be put in place. You can't go to any other city, as I said before, and run a meeting and disturb a meeting. They