Council - Regular Meeting

Here. Madam Clerk, we're changing the order of business. Councilman Bay has some guests who are here, and we want to change the order of business. Thank you. Councilwoman.

Thank you, Council President. Just in case they have to leave before the end of the meeting, we want to acknowledge the students, faculty, and staff from Michelle Obama Elementary School that are here for our council member of the day in the Central Ward. So we just want to welcome them. They've been here all day. I want to thank everyone that spent some time with them and they got a tour. And we just want to thank the teachers and the principal and the faculty and staff for making it possible for them to be here today. And of course, thank my council team, especially my chief of staff, Tolu K

I'm sorry, this is for the reports, right? Apologies. Yes.

Before, Madam Clerk, before any speakers, can Deputy Mayor of Economic Development let us know what this entails? Yes.

Thank you. Speakers? Yes, councilor . Sponsor this.

You want to be a sponsor? I want to sponsor this.

I'm gonna change all the speakers. Deputy Mayor, Deputy Mayor is coming before us.

Before the speakers, can we have clarity from the Department of Economic Development?

I'm Clark. I don't know other speakers. Any other speakers? One more speaker.

We have one more speaker. John, can someone assist with the microphone, please?

All right. Thank you. I'm Clark Sheehan. No other speakers but Councilman Jackson. Deputy Mayor, there's a question by Councilwoman Jackson for you.

I guess you know I'm very much aware of historic preservation, historic sites, and the process. So I did hear Mr. Adams ask about the national, the federal, and the state. I know that there are properties that are already designated. I also think he asked about the timeline. There's also a certain age the property has to be, and I think that Councilman Jackson alluded to that as well. So I hope that that can be explained in all of which you're presenting to us. What is the years? Is it 100 years if a property is 100 years old, 150 years old? Are we going by federal guidelines? Are we creating

Yeah, I think Deputy Mayor said it. I was just going to say it's just like a lawsuit. Anybody can sue, but it doesn't mean you're going to win. So anybody can apply, but you have to go through those three levels before you actually be designated historic. Thank you. That's a nation.

Council as a whole to adopt Yes, madam clerk council president I just got one question about 7r 1f I Received the email today from the provider that kind of made me ask some questions And then I also received the email from a the ba after that email that kind of gave a little bit of clarity to those questions um but but it's still i guess the question that i'm asking is the provider said that the 500 000 that they need is actually more it's almost a million dollars that they need to operate And they said that they have been working without a contract with the city of Newark and have spent up t

So we owe them about 500. So this would take care of what we owe, and they won't be able to proceed business until we have that further discussion.

But this money will take care of what we owe. OK. Thank you.

Note the sponsors. And Jay is Bay and Kelly, right? That's what I have listed here. The others, I don't know who those are.

Council President, I just want to add something to Councilwoman Jackson, even Councilwoman Roundtree. Can we request from the BAs off of the Corporate Council Office to do a site visit as well?

Can we get off? Can they work it through the clerk to get a site visit? Can we hear from you?

You want to hear? Yes, director. He's organizing.

Yes, up to that point, I know that the VA did state that those performance reports, their money's going to be predicated on the performance reports going forward. Because we can't continue to pay money out to people who are taking care of our residents, and we're not getting any feedback on turnout, success rate of those residents. So.

Oh, OK. So results don't lie. I don't care what they put on paper as she's stating, but we have data in our office. When Robin Gilliard was there, we have a whole list of data of individuals that they said they were helping and taking care of and transitioning over a whole year. So we have data. So if the data doesn't match what they put on paper, then there's controversy. So to Councilwoman Jackson's point, the data can be fabricated on paper. The site visit, we've done site visits in the shelters. Surprise, here we are, and shut down. And then we have to worry about, when we do that, where a

And just real quick, I agree with my colleagues. I just, let's treat it like we getting PSE&G or the cable man coming to the house. Let's give a Windows, you know, a time span within a week, and let's not let them know when we're coming. Let's not tell them the day. Let's just tell them between Monday and Friday we'll be there. And I think that'll give a better effect, impact on what we're trying to do. Councilman?

COUNCILMAN. YES, COUNCILMAN. DIRECTOR. DIRECTOR. JUST ONE QUESTION, BECAUSE I RAN INTO THIS LAST NIGHT. AND THIS COULD END UP BEING A PROBLEM FOR YOU AND A PROBLEM FOR THE CITY. HOW MANY PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE I ran into a woman yesterday from Scotch Plains, New Jersey, homeless now in the East Ward. I asked her how she got here. They said they gave her a bus card because there were no services in Scotch Plains. Is that impeding on what we're trying to accomplish here to try to help our own Newark residents first?

to hear the great work that the mayor is doing here um and you know it it is absolutely difficult just to say i think this needs to be a a bigger conversation here that if we're going to have those people here and they have a right to services but obviously our newark residents have preference that we go back somehow and build those other cities go after them financially for sending their homeless or their residents without addresses to this city. There has to be consequences for them not taking care of them where they currently live. and now putting the onus and the responsibility on the city

I just want to say, Councilman, I know that with dealing with the Office of Homelessness, that when people come from other states, because they don't just come from other municipalities in the state of New Jersey. They come from Virginia. They come from Florida. They come from everywhere. And not everybody gets a bus ticket. Somebody might have a cousin here stay for two weeks, and then the cousin put them out. Now they're homeless, and they come to us for a place to stay. Normally, if there's funding, they will say, where did you come from? And we'll get your bus ticket back. That is the firs

In terms of lawsuits, I mean other cities, as a person who has been here a long time, Mayor Sharp James tried with Mayor Koch Because Koch, Mayor Koch in New York would give people a PATH card, you know, one way, to Newark. So they all wind up at the Lincoln Motel, and the city was paying the Lincoln Motel up in East Orange, because we were paying the Lincoln Motel on the other side, and what happened was we tried during that time, and Mayor Koch, Mayor Sharp James went to New York to address the city council, and saying to the city council of the city of New York that they were putting people

Thank you. Next speaker, Lamont Vaughn, appearing.

The Newark Police Department is out of control in this city.

Thank you. Thank you. Next. No. Councilman Kelly.

Next speaker. Just real quick. Ms. Tucker, I just wanted to let you know we have a Drill to Heal program in Westside High School. We've been doing it for about two years now. We've been putting these young people, a class of anywhere from 15 to 30, we've been putting them in a studio. Westside High School has a studio inside, so they've been staying in the building. The music teacher, Coach T, And all of the faculty have been staying after work, not getting paid for it, and helping these children. I've been bringing in artists anywhere from Grav to Rod Digger to Redman to, you're going to kill

Council, no, this is not a Q&A, no, thank you, no, because the Councilman, I'm sorry, not to be disrespectful, but.

Yeah, yeah, and I didn't mean to turn it into a Q&A, and I apologize, Council President, but you can see Terrell or Marvin from my office, and we'll give you more information about the Drill to Heal program that we've been doing.

No, let me, no, I know it won't start, Toya, shh, wait a minute, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Council President, thank you. So we have Big Zay in the audience, which is in the process of putting together something in his studio as well for youth. He's been talking to my staff, Mr. Scott, in reference to his age. I think it's 14 to whatever. I don't know what the age limit is. But he's from 8 Rebel Squad. I got it right, didn't I? A Squad Rebel.

It's a studio that's been in Newark for years, down at 17 Academy Street. And so I think that you need to follow up also with LeVar and Big Zay to find out what their program is.

And real quick, and my son is the one who actually teaches the class for us every other week so often. So it's a very good program. It's a great program, actually. And I see the difference in those artists. Thank you. It's all here. Your next speaker.

Right here, appearing. Afternoon someone assist please John Thank you Good afternoon Council folks I am you know I'm here.

I heard her mention Mumina Oyemi. She's been going for a long time. I do know former Council President Crump was helping you, and a couple of individuals up here did receive the emails, and we did speak to EHG. So I guess we all have to do some follow-up on the findings, and I believe Corporation Council can have Brandy please come and speak to that.

Thank you, Council President. Ms. Scissor, you said 450-452 Springfield Avenue?

So I don't have any information on that, but if you could... Please give my chief of staff your information and we can do some follow-ups since this is an essential award.

He started coming. Thank you, Council President. As my colleague said, the money portion, the investigation should take that and work with you on that. Because you brought all of those files. You've been coming here. since I've been elected. And I think that's when some of this started. But in reference to the not breathing, that's very important. And I spoke to the landlord. I spoke to the owners. I spoke to housing. You sat in my office for two hours, and I spoke to everybody. The very next day, they came to try to abate it. Did they really abate it? Because if you just went to the doctor ye

Can you check the mic? Can you hear me? It's not working. Can you- Go ahead.

You're a veteran, you say. Yes, I am. We do have an Office of Veterans Affairs here, but there's a Department of Traffic and Signals. Now, do you own the property? And that's maybe why Councilwoman Ray.

Did you get a response from Traffic and Signals Engineering?

They denied to Councilwoman Banks. That's what I was going to say. Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilman Silver said for a reason. Yes. So, yes. So they kept having a question about property lines as far as putting it. But we're still pushing back and working on it. So if you could just hold tight for a few minutes, I can come and update you.

I know. She wouldn't, you know. It's some other stuff, but we don't want to break the record. Okay, thank you. So we'll, just hold tight. Okay. I'm ready for you. Thank you.

Councilman Silver. So, just so you understand, ma'am, we follow the ADA guidelines that the federal government sets. And that's why there could be something there that it's not us that implements it, it's the federal government due to the ADA guidelines. So I'm not saying anything by your denial about anything else, but I just want to let you know we follow ADA standards that are set by the federal government. So I just want to let you know that part.

Ma'am, you had your time, and so I'm sorry.

Yes, thank you so much. I just want to give you my information, and I want to get yours. You said that you sent the email. I haven't seen it. I'm not saying that you didn't see it, but I haven't seen it yet. But I definitely will look at it, and we can talk.

All right, thank you. Councilman Bountry.

Since Councilwoman Bates, we do things collectively, which is great, especially when there's something, a great idea. We spoke to you, and he's back there impatiently waiting to deal with the email that you sent that he reviewed. So you know what you got to do, and then Councilwoman Bates' office will do what they're going to do, and we'll all come together collectively to see what we can do to help you and your vision come to reality. Thank you.

Sir, you have to be on the list. You're not on the list. Sorry, you're not on the list. You have to register with the clerk's office to be on the list.

We can. Madam Clerk, after the meeting, you can register for the next meeting. We cannot make any exceptions. Thank you.

THANK YOU. ANY PRE-MOTIONS? NONE? COUNCILMAN KELLY.

Thank you for letting me. I don't really have a motion. I just want to just give an announcement. October 16th at Don Payne Tech, we will be having the first State of the West Ward ever. where we're giving the state of just reflecting what was in the West Ward to now what's going on in the West Ward to what the future of the West Ward is going to be. My vision, I want to thank all my council colleagues who will be in attendance and my staff, especially for helping us put this together. And I also want to thank Joe D. from the county and all of the county representatives that allowed me to use

They're bringing dinner. They're bringing dinner.

I will say, I heard Council President say dinner, but there will be a meet and greet hors d'oeuvres in the foyer of it. After. After. You give people food before they're gone. So after.

Thank you, Council President. And my mama says save her a ticket, Councilman.

A ticket. She has a seat right up front. Would you please let her know that?

I just wanted to announce the seventh annual Newark Emergency Services for Families World Homeless Day in Lincoln Park this Friday. It's been a phenomenal event. I want to thank. I am so incredibly grateful to the city of Newark, specifically the Department of Public Safety. Thank you so much. The Office of Emergency Management, Department of Public Safety, recreation, Newark City Parks, and, of course, my council colleagues that have always supported it. And we have this year, last year we had over 1,000 residents that we served on house and just people who are in need. And we have over 67 ag

Okay. We don't need to vote. Those are motions, right? Okay, so there's a move and a second. All right. Second. Second, roll call. Let's see. All right, to acknowledge. To acknowledge. Oh, you don't want to do it? All right. Okay. We'll go to Councilman Jackson. We're going to motion, right? Yeah, no, but no, she said no. You're going to motion? I'll move her in a second. She's from...

I'm sorry. That's my fault. I was not clear. My fault. I'm so sorry. Okay.

Can I go next? Councilman Roundtree, then you, and then me. No, you're not. You need some water?

expressing, thank you, Council President, expressing profound sorrow and regret for Mr. Leon Eady, who happens to be the uncle of one of our Southwood pastors, Pastor Joshua Younger. He will be funeralized on October 9th. And then the founding mother, we want to express profound sorrow and regret for Mother Bernice Martin from Unity Freedom, founding First Lady of Unity Freedom Church, South 20th Street, Mother Bernice Martin. I believe her funeral will also be on October 9th as well. So that's Mr. Leon Eady and Mother Bernice Martin. We want to also thank everyone that came out. for the Domes

Nothing happening tomorrow, baby. They telling me to make an announcement for something tomorrow. There's not even a seat left. I don't want nobody calling me, cussing me out, talking about they couldn't get in. Amen. Thank you, Jesus. Let's go. First responders appreciation day. Sunday, October 25th, 2026. I done jumped in November and listening to y'all about the breakfast. November, October 25th, Sunday, 11... a.m. to 3 p.m. This was supposed to happen on another day that the weather, the Northeaster came by and went on by us, but it's a touch-a-truck experience. Health screenings, food tru

Thank you. Roll call. We're going to roll call here.

And in conclusion, Council President, I just want to say happy Indigenous Day to everyone next Monday. Don't forget your garbage will not next Monday. Please check social media and everywhere else because they will not be picking up, I don't believe. Is that correct, DPW? They sent out something that only uniformed officers. Yeah, that's next Monday, right, Mr. Waldrop? Right, you're going to send it out. So those of you watching, don't call Councilwoman Jackson and Councilman Quintana saying they didn't pick up our garbage because we notified you now. Thank you so very much, North New Jersey.

Thank you, Council President. Just want to thank and congratulate the African American Heritage Parade Committee for hosting the parade on Sunday. It's the first time in a long time that the parade has come back and has been downtown Newark on Broad Street. I want to congratulate particularly Charles Hall for doing a yeoman's job of making, and his committee, for making sure that we had the parade. You know, it's the first of what we plan on doing, and I'll tell you this, I would tell him all the time, we need a parade, we need a parade. So we finally were able to get a parade. I helped as muc

And I'll second that. And we got rained. We did get a little rain. Councilman Roundtree, Councilman Johnson, we were all there. That was a great event. In the rain. Nothing stopped.

We were on Councilwoman Bay's float, thank God.

So we're going to do a motion. I mean, that's a motion because it's thanking Charles Hall for a great job done. So that's a motion. Second. Oh, that's my motion.

Yes. Sorrow regret on my behalf for Kenneth, Jake Kenneth Pagano, who we had a friendship almost 41 years, and his passing yesterday, and that my absence was due to his funeral. So I just want to sorrow regret for my friend. And Madam Clerk, I would like you to have the schedule From the Devils, they sent the Prudential Center. The schedule of all the events they're having so that we may be able to put this to Channel 78 to help our citizens that come downtown understand that there's some event going on at the arena. and also we're gonna request from them too, moving forward, because it goes f

Madam Clerk, we'll just call to adjourn.