Council - Regular Meeting

Mr. President, I know many of us feel the same way, but I'm very happy to see Judge Pratt here before us, nominated by the mayor to become not only a judge again, but the chief judge. I think we all know her very well and know her professionalism and how she handled the court system and was not just about I'll say not just about justice per se, but about community and about working with the community to make sure that we lower recidivism rate and take care of those who are in need, not just through giving them a sentence, so to speak, but for giving them an opportunity to improve their lives a

Yes, I was telling Councilman Crump that I definitely want to co-sponsor with him, because I've seen the results of her work when she was here. There are many young men and individuals that have been delivered from her leadership. As many of you know, we believe in second chances. Some got third and fourth chances, but normally when they got to Judge Pratt, they just needed that one chance and we saw the results of it. So I'm excited that you said you came home. You really never left because the results are still lingering from your work. So thank you for returning.

Councilman Kelly. I just want to say congratulations, Judge Pratt. I know your work, right? And I know your work from, like Councilwoman said, the results out in the community. You know, me coming up as a teenager in the 90s, people would hate to have certain, you know, go in front of certain judges. And when your name come up, it's like, whew, at least I'm going to get a fair shot. and possibly a second chance. And I won't say any names, but you definitely gave a second chance to one of my family members. And I am forever grateful for that. Thank you, because he's thriving.

Anyone else? Thank you, Judge. You know, to me, we go back, you know, with the days we were in need of Council President Mildred Crump. and working in that office. And you know, someone who knows how to work in a council office, how you interacted with everyone. The time we had the first time we did an event in your chambers, which is one of the most beautiful things we did. Having an event of a swearing in of a judge in their chambers. And that was through your leadership that was possible. Your mom, who was always there, you know, your mom. Because all of us don't get to places on our own, i

ANY QUESTIONS? MR. CHAIRMAN, I SPOKE TO COUNCILWOMAN BAY EARLIER TODAY. the meeting still hasn't been happened between uh council members and the developers so she asked for both six psf a and b to be deferred okay as noted and so she would she's going to defer it move it and you're going to second it okay well there's a movement a second there right as noted continue

I'm sorry. I just want to know what, um, what additional, what justifies the additional $150,000? H H captain.

I want to second that. Silver moves, second by Kelly. I have a inquiry and... And then Councilwoman Jackson.

Thank you, Council President. Just two questions. One on 701 L. With regards to the list of, did we do L? We're not there yet. I'm sorry.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I'M TRYING TO GO BACK. And I missed, I said L, but I meant I. I need better glasses, because that L and I look so much alike. With regards to the, this is seminar one I, with regard to the tree stump, tree removal, pruning, et cetera, is there a current list? And I know there is a current list, but can we get a copy of that list? and also are we able and somebody can let us know to add to that list whether it's from us individually or i know there's the um i think on the city's website there's an up there's a location or a spot where you could um input a tree stump or someth

Like, which trees, which backlog will be attacked first? Like, do you have a list of which areas will be hit first? And if so, can we get that list? Because, you know, I've been up here for years talking about the trees, the trimming, the stumps, and all of those things in the West Ward. So... I would love to know so I can tell my constituents that finally a tree is being addressed. Finally, some trimming is about to happen. Do we have a list of which areas will be attacked first?

Thank you. Thank you, Director. Madam Clerk, as noted by Councilman Crump of the list of, the list he's requesting, by words. Thank you.

And then Sarah second second second by round tree. Okay.

Okay, move it. Is there a second? Second. Second by Roundtree. Continue.

To the first. Is there a second? Second. Second by Jackson.

Is there a second? Second. Second by Jackson.

Mr. President, spoken to Councilwoman Bay earlier and she asked for this matter to be deferred. She'll be here tomorrow.

Deferred, will you second it? I'll second it, sure. I'll get deferred by her and seconded by you. Okay, continue.

Council President, myself and Councilwoman Bay, we have decided to defer this and she'll be here tomorrow. Okay. Move her and a second to defer.

Mr. President, can we get an explanation of this matter? And part of that particularly is as it relates to it being a granting a tax abatement through resolution as opposed to ordinance.

I believe there's a representative. Yes, the developer's attorney. Can she come before us and tell us the questions the councilwoman has asked for? Yeah, I think so.

Well, I'm going to defer to Councilwoman Vey tomorrow, but I do have a quick question. I just wanted to know what things were in place when it comes to protecting the seniors with the elevators, with the return rights and all of those things?

Thank you. Any other questions? Thank you. Thank you. And by the way, we can also have a schedule of the tours when you're going to do so to the nine members of the council. Thank you. Continue.

Council President, I just had a question. Where is this located? Like, what section of the Riverfront Park? Deputy Mayor?

HOW ARE YOU DOING, DEPUTY MAYOR? QUICK QUESTION. DOES ACCEPTANCE CREATE UNFUNDED OBLIGATION TO THE CITY IN ANY WAY?

SO IF WE ACCEPT, DOES THIS CREATE AN EXPENSE LIKE THAT IS UNFUNDED BY AND THE CITY HAS TO TAKE PART IN LIKE MAINTENANCE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? Does it become the city's obligation to anything that is not funded, that's unfunded? Do the city have to deal with the maintenance? Does the city have to deal with anything that's unfunded? Do it becomes our obligation?

So it becomes the city's obligation. Correct, sir.

Any other questions? Thank you. Thank you.

MR. PRESIDENT, IF WE CAN GET FROM ENGINEERING PRIOR TO TOMORROW'S MEETING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF WHEN THEY ANTICIPATE DOING THE PAVING, IS THAT GOING TO BE DONE IN THE SPRING? I HAVE A FEW STREETS ON THIS LIST.

AS NOTED BY COUNCILMAN RAMOS. COUNCILMAN CRUM.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS. ONE ON 7R3A. It seems it extended the completion period. I think at one point it was 365 days, and then it extended the period to time until completed, which to me is an open-ended situation. So is there an estimated date of completion? That's the question.

How you doing, Director? I hear you saying that it's not open-ended, right? But with this $70,000 additional, do we have firm completion date? Do we have a confirmed completion date?

I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS ON DIFFERENT ONES. ON 7R3B, I'M CHANNELING MY COUNCILMAN CARLOS GONZALEZ HERE. I'M SITTING IN HIS SEAT. FOR THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS, ARE THERE GOING TO BE AUDIBLE DEVICES ASSOCIATED WITH IT FOR THOSE WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED?

And one of the. Go ahead. Sorry. Just one last question on seven R3C with regards to the list of the paved roads. Is it possible? So let's, for instance, and I think I'll talk to the clerk about drilling down. Over the last few years, what we've approved as council members, can we associate that directly to what roads were paved?

And that have been paved. They've been approved and have been paid. Okay. All right. And that's my last question. Thank you. Councilor Kelly.

Thank you, Council President. I want to go back to 7R3B. When are the construction dates? And has there been any alternative access for disabilities and things of that nature? Do you know that? Like when are the construction dates?

And that's for the University Avenue improvements also, right?

Okay. I'll second. Second by counsel. Continue.

YES. AS A MATTER OF FACT, HIS SERVICE IS TOMORROW, TOO. AND, YES.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I WANT TO ADD SOMEONE TO SORROW AND REGRET AS WELL. I WANT TO ADD PASTOR POLLARD'S SON, KEITH POLLARD, TO SORROW AND REGRET.

MADAM CLARKE. AS COUNSELOR. COUNSELOR PRESIDENT. YES.

I HAVE TO ADD ALSO EMMANUEL TINA KILLE'S RELATIVE TO GENASIS TODAY. I'D LIKE TO ADD THE SORRY REGRET ALI KARIM GLAMPTON MOHAMMED WHO'S ALSO RELATED TO BISHOP BARBARA GLAMPTON.

And Cork, if you can prepare a resolution of sorrow and regret for tomorrow for council and council and the council members, council, to present, to bring to the wake of Councilman Osborne.

We could do that, bring that, because again, Councilman Osborne contributed a lot to this governing body. sometimes when when colleagues are gone it seems like it goes to the side and we really don't highlight those folks that made it possible for things to happen in the city of north and you know again our councilman osborne served this body with dignity respect his passion for labor and his passion with the housing authority in terms of what he established and what he did. It needs to be recognized and we need to do, all our colleagues, I think we should be in attendance tomorrow for our col

Yes. Just on the water and sewer issue, I just want to mention that there is a catch basin on Salem and South Orange Avenue that is not in place. I know that there's two orange cones by it but we have children walking up and down South Farm Javanu who don't really know what those orange cones really mean and people sometimes who are not paying attention and if somebody falls in this catch basin or step into this catch basin that is an enormous lawsuit on the city of Newark, New Jersey. So please let's address this Salem and South Farm Javanu CATCH BASIN IMMEDIATELY, LIKE ASAP. THANK YOU.

Yeah, I mean, I'll review it, but I know the tax abatement committee vetted this out, so I have no issue at this point. Virginia?

Yeah, I noticed that as well, that it said East Ward. So I'm pretty sure it's not the East Ward. Councilman, council probably can verify that. So if we can make that necessary change.

Any questions? Can we get a little explanation on exactly what this entails?

Council President, I think at the last meeting, I don't know if it was me or someone else requested the information, just like what the penalties were. I don't think that's what we talked about, what the penalties were going to be.

Corporation Council, are we going to also request that community service is done?

And the councilwoman and I and some of us are going to get some T-shirts. made up for it. These folks will come in on a Saturday, and they're gonna miss Saturday football, and they're gonna be busy cleaning some of the areas of the city. Because it's about time that we get them, we get people to know that you just don't buy or pay a fine, but you gotta come back and clean around here and do something around here. And because they will not do it in their communities. So instead of laying on the sofa on a Saturday and getting a fine, they're gonna come here and do some work. I mean, it is import

Councilor Ramos is going to give us some.

I have some North Now shirts I could donate.

Yeah. Councilman. Yes. At this point, I believe the, uh, uh, I've asked her to confirm, but I believe that the timeframe has passed for it to be before the planning board and to come back in that as council members, we can just have it on our agenda at the next meeting and vote on that ordinance.

I don't Clark has thought it by council, uh, Trump. If we can prepare that.

Well, Councilwoman Jackson sort of alluded to, Council President, to what I was going to ask. I know there's one confirmed that exists in the city of Newark. I'm not sure about the others. So if there are more that we are not aware of, I know there's some plans for about six. But the real existing data centers that are open and existing and running is what I think you're asking for Councilwoman Jackson.

And peoples are going up, but we're not using as much.

yeah mr president the first one is an ordinance that i'm sponsoring so i would appreciate your consideration uh i want to thank the engineering department specifically ray concepcion who worked with our office and the clerk on this ordinance it addresses the the right of entry issue which becomes a big obstacle for a lot of our inspectors that are trying to verify that properties are illegally converted. And what prompted us to do this is that we have an issue with a property on Montclair Avenue that from the street is clearly illegally converted, but it has taken the city quite some time to g

THIS JUST ADDRESSES THE CITY'S ABILITY TO GO IN AND CONDUCT THE INSPECTION WITHOUT HAVING TO WAIT MONTHS BEFORE THE COURTS. LIKE IN THIS CASE ON THE PROPERTY OF MONTCLAIR AVENUE THEY HAVE you know, numbered garbage cans outside the property. You could visibly see from the street that they have at least four doors that access different parts of that house. So there are things that the city would not be able to utilize in order to get right of entry. And then they could do what they're supposed to do, which is, you know, find the property owner if they found that they have illegally converted th

Thank you, Councilman Ramos, for that. So we have a mover by Councilman Ramos, second by Councilman Councilman. Now, the other ordinance is Councilman Silva. regarding the change of hours?

Yes. So what was happening here was that a lot of our crews, meaning the city of Newark, whether it was the water sewer department or something else, couldn't start till 9 a.m. I looked into the Board of Education. Approximately 80 to 85% of the students are in school by 8 a.m. already. So school starts at 8.15. And so this is not going to have a... big interference in parents getting their kids to school. And what happens is that, for example, our water and sewer department may start at 7 a.m. and they're getting paid for those two hours while waiting to go out on the street and do the work.

It was nine and that's why we're burning it back to eight. Once again, I think the city does a good job putting out the alerts, traffic advisories. I see them all the time on social media. It's incumbent upon our residents to see those alerts as well, to know that maybe they have to get up a little earlier. But again, this is something that creates a burden for not only for the city where we're paying people just to sit around, but it's a burden on the companies that do work for the city as well and so that's the only thing it was a 9 a.m to 8 a.m start 80 to 85 percent of the kids are in scho

Well, if they're working at seven, then the city needs to crack down on that, obviously.

Thank you, Council President. I agree with some of the things that my council colleagues are saying. You know, being in the West Ward on South Mount Javener with two lanes is hard. It's tough. I guess my question, too, is sort of what Councilwoman Jackson said. When they start, if we give them an 8 o'clock start, does that change cover the physical work? Does it cover the setup time? Because if they get there at 7.30 and they're supposed to start at 8, they do start at 7.30. And she's right, too. My son has to be to school by 8. you know, 8.30, we can get them there. And it's just going up tho

Thank you, Your Honor. Can I ask a question, Council President? Just real quick. So is there a thought about changing the contracts so they don't start at 7 o'clock? I mean, we have that ability, right, for going forward. Yes.

Yeah, so I would hope there's some kind of a way we can figure out and through the cost benefit analysis or whatever to push that back because we know it's an issue and it continues to be an issue for our residents in the city.

So I'm a little confused, I guess. we have on the agenda voting on contracts for elevator repair for those buildings. Is this different for the other elevators? If you could explain that a little more.

What's the difference between fixing the elevators and fixing the elevators?

Continue. I almost feel like it's a chicken and egg situation.

I get it, but it's still a little kind of interesting.

Lord have mercy. Thank you, Council President. Mr. BA, Corporation Council, and our new director, we've been having elevator conversations before I got elected. I am just so, when I think about our seniors trying to walk upstairs to pay their taxes, when I think about the elevator around the corner at 22 Franklin, that we still walking up to the auto squad, And I do know that we voted and some are being repaired. And we're talking about maintenance on new elevators to get a contract in place before the new elevators are, or is this one what we already have that sometimes all three are down and

I understand both of those because I've been stuck and had to call public buildings to get me out. So I'm very aware of the process.

Listen, I know exactly both procedures and areas and who does what. My concern is we're discussing contracts. We're replacing elevators. So I just want to have a clear understanding, not even for me, but for the public, that the contracts we're voting on are for existing issues of elevators we already have in place and what will go in place, I guess, warranties with the new restored or replaced elevators?

Because we spent a lot of money on them coming every other day to fix an elevator. I can't even imagine what kind of contract we have where individuals get to come consistent. I'm just saying, you know, for the sake of pity, people talking about the money we spend and what kind of contract.

I normally don't have an amen corner, but just please, y'all, just let me speak because I don't want y'all to get in no trouble. But We do, we do, and you know we do. So I'm just praying that our contract is reviewed very carefully on what we spend and how we replace parts on elevators that they have to come out. And when you have all three down, when you have 10 down, let's just talk. I was in the health department the other day and I had to walk all the way to the front of the building to go up the elevator and my real concern like councilwoman jackson can run upstairs but we got 80 year old

Just to follow up. So with regards to the maintenance of the elevators, Do we have, does our engineering department or somebody follow up to make sure that whatever maintenance is done is done properly to ensure the safety of the elevators?

Just to clarify, I just want to make sure. So on the DPW side? The, I don't know who's yelling yes out behind you.

Okay. I mean, my question is, I just want to make sure I understand and clarify with the DBW side, with the maintenance of the elevators, that somebody who has the expertise of elevators or understanding engineering or make sure that they're following, to make sure that whatever maintenance repairs are done, are done properly to ensure the safety of all those who ride the elevators throughout the city of North.

All right, thank you. You're welcome. All right, that's it. I got one other question. Yeah, go ahead. I'm sorry, just how much is the contract, or the total amount? It may not be your, I know it's not for you. The amount of the contract.

Over a million, you're thinking. Not to exceed a million. I have to check that. Can you get this? Yes. Can we have that by sometime today?

Can we get that also in writing? Yes. The time frame that 1.5 million covers.

Okay. All right. Thank you. It is, but let him send it. Okay.

I mean, I'm sorry. Yeah, the question I guess we're all talking about, who is the new CFO? Or who is the person who, are they in a room? Maybe we can say hello and meet them or?

Yeah. Councilwoman, you have a question.

The question I have is that this is coming on as an added started today for him to start when?

Yeah. Okay. So I know that the council president and my other colleagues are going to ask, like the information we're asking you for today, wasn't it possible that we could have gotten that a little earlier before it was introduced today?

It would have been nice if he could have been here for us to at least see him today since you want us to vote on this tomorrow.

And no consideration. Like if you want us to consider something to vote on, because you knew that he was on his way, I gather. And I don't know when it was confirmed. by administration but just going forward and this is not just for today this is for future references if it's okay to at least for consideration if it has to come before us to vote we've been confronted over the years with things that we've had to vote on the next day that we were not really even in personnel matters so I just want to make sure that just for consideration like give us some type of heads up email or something lett

The other thing too, if we could say, we didn't get a copy of the resume. I haven't seen a copy. Number two, in terms of describing all those municipalities, None of those municipalities make the size of the city of Newark. I mean, none of them.

All right. Thank you. As noted by my corporation council. All right.

Yes, sir. I would like to second that. Oh, okay.

council president i would like if if if procedurally correct and possible to do i i would like to sponsor that as an added starter for tomorrow's meeting by my counselor up and second by round two yes to be placed on the agenda yes for tomorrow as noted i'm quick yeah yes

You disrespect us. Thank you. Time is up. Next speaker. Thank you. Next speaker. Okay, sorry.

I just want to make a note of today. Is this the first meeting? We've never had anything from the law department, right? I'm just, I'm just, I don't know. I mean, we don't, we don't, we don't have any executive session or anything.