Council - Regular Meeting

Good afternoon. Welcome to the regular meeting of the Newark Municipal Council on Wednesday, June 17. Please stand for the National Anthem, Pledge of Allegiance, and invocation by Dr. Pete Palmer, senior pastor at Trinity Temple Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the

Oh, the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming.

Thank you.

Where citizens and leaders can gather together to address the needs of the people. We thank you for the men and women who have accepted the responsibility of public service. Grant them wisdom beyond their own understanding, courage to do what is right, and compassion for those whose voices are often unheard. Today we lift before you many challenges facing our city. We pray for families experiencing housing insecurity, for those struggling to find safe, affordable, and stable housing, open doors of opportunity and provide pathways towards security and hope. Guide our leaders as they seek solutions that preserve the dignity and well-being of every resident. We pray for those who are facing food insecurity. Remember the children who go to bed hungry, the seniors who must choose between groceries and medications, and the working families who are doing their best but still struggle to make ends meet. Inspire generosity throughout our community and grant wisdom to those who shape policies and programs that'll help meet these critical needs. We pray also for those burdened by illness and limited access to healthcare Bring comfort to the sick, strength to caregivers, and guidance to those working to ensure that quality health care is accessible to all. Bless our hospitals, clinics, physicians, nurses, first responders, and all who labor to preserve life and promote wellness. Lord, unite us across our differences. In a time when division often dominates public discourse, help us to remember our common humanity. Teach us to listen with respect, to disagree with grace, and to work together for the good of all. May every discussion held in this chamber be guided by integrity. May every decision be marked by justice. May every action reflect a sincere commitment to the welfare of the people entrusted to our care. As the prophet Micah reminds us, may we seek to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly before you. Bless this council, bless the city of Newark, and bless all who call it home. In your holy name we pray, amen.

In accordance with New Jersey law, adequate notice of this meeting has been provided to the Star-Ledger, the Jersey Journal, and the public at large, establishing the date, time, and location of this meeting. In addition, the agenda for this meeting was disseminated on June 12th at the time of preparation and posted on the city's website.

Roll call. Council members Bay. Absent. Council. Present. Gonzalez. Present.

Here.

Scott Roundtree. Present. Silva absent. President Crump.

Present.

Council President, Council Members, we are on page three of the agenda. Item five, reports and recommendations of city officers, boards, and commissions. Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Stay absent. Council. Yes. Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly? Yes. Montana?

Yes.

Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva absent. President Crump?

Yes.

6FA and B are ordinances on first reading. A is an ordinance ratifying and authorizing a 10-year extension to the tax abatement granted to Claremont Newark Urban Renewal LLC for a project to make improvements to the FBI building. And B is an ordinance amending the special improvement districts to amend various sections increasing the administrative fee retained by the tax collector from 1% to 2%. Council so hold to adopt A and B.

Roll call.

Bay absent. Council?

Yeah, abstain on A, yes on B. Gonzalez?

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

Yes.

The ordinances adopted today on first reading will be advertised in accordance with law, and a public hearing will be held at a regular meeting on July 15, or as soon thereafter as possible, in the council chamber, second floor, city hall. Public hearing, second reading, and final passage. 6P SFA is an ordinance authorizing the mayor and or his designee to authorize the sale and transfer of city property to Essex Reservoir Urban Renewal LLC. Sponsored by Councilman Kelly, second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree. Is there anyone wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

Great day, Deborah Salters. Yes, so can we get, I mean, I know yesterday with a lot of these were run through very quickly except for one in particular. Can we get an explanation of what this, because it says sale and transfer. of this particular property, and then it says for the amount of $1, pursuant to an agreement for sale and redevelopment of land. Can we get an explanation of what this is and why this sale and transfer is necessary? Because it's not clear here. And I don't remember a breakdown on this.

Thank you for your comments. Next speaker. Hearing none, public speaking is now closed. I will just say this is dealing with Riverside and that the Urban League will be, who are already in receivership, will be taking over the property. That's what this will do. With that being said, roll call.

Bay Accent Council? Yes. Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Quintana? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Raunchy. Yes. Scott Raunchy. Yes. Silva absent. President Trump.

Yes.

B is an ordinance authorizing the mayor and or his designee to enter into and execute an amended lease agreement amending the name of the landlord from Urban Renewal LLC to Catholic Charities Archdiocese of North for the lease of the residential homeless shelter. Is there anyone wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

Yes, Deborah Salter. So the Miller Street, okay, so I'm changing the name of the landlord from Urban Renewal. So Catholic Charities is now the landlord instead of Urban Renewal, is that what we're saying here? With this ordinance and the lease, commonly known as residential homeless shelter and associated office space, because Miller Street has been, even though it has housed many people, it's been terrible. So what are we doing with this? What is this ordinance really doing? It's just saying, changing the name of the landlord. So can someone make, again, this is a question that I would like an explanation to, and who is going to make sure that things improve down at that shelter as of even two weeks ago, right? So are we changing the landlord? because they're saying the name change, is the landlord changing and what's changing with the conditions and the people that are dealing with the homeless people as if they're treating them like trash. People's dogs are treated better in a lot of situations. Now who's overseeing this? Who's checking up and checking in and improving the quality of life the same way that you're changing this name? Again, is it just the name change or the landlord change?

Thank you. Next speaker.

Good afternoon, Ali. Muhammad?

Good afternoon.

There's no money value in there. Why not? There's no money value. That's the most important thing. How much is the lease? Most important thing is the money, baby. Y'all confused, too. What's the cost? Remember, the city is in trouble. Moody says it's in trouble. What's the cost? You don't know? You don't answer or what? This is embarrassing. You know when they turn this thing around? Y'all look at them. Not some of the people, but look at them. They don't even know what's going on. You don't know what's going on. You don't know what's going on. That's a damn shame. Y'all don't know what's going on. Look at you. You're confused. I asked you, you're not confused? You ain't saying nothing. You ain't got a problem. You're a pastor. You're a good talker. What's the money value?

Thank you for your comments, next speaker. Seeing none, public hearing is now closed. I will say it's just simply a name change. Ownership does not change in terms of who the owners of the actual building are, just a name change, and there is no cost associated with that name change. Roll call.

Bay Ascent Council? Yes. Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Quintana? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva absent. President Clum. Yes.

C and D are ordinances amending and supplementing the housing code. C is to establish additional requirements for certificates of habitability. And D is to add provisions establishing alternative security compliance. Is there anyone present to be heard on these ordinances?

Deborah Salters. Additional requirements. Are the original requirements being followed up on? Who's enforcing the original requirements? And what are these additional requirements? Because they're not listed here. Let's see. On D, when it talks about, it's a lot of words here, as amended and supplemented to add a provision establishing alternative security compliance for certain redevelopment projects. What is it? What is that? And why is it only for certain redevelopment projects? What are these certain development projects that we're talking about? And what is the alternative security compliance? First of all, what is the original security compliance? Because we talk a lot about security in the buildings that are here and lack thereof. A bunch of words with no explanations. Again, this is a question that demands an explanation because it's not clear. And if you don't know, get someone who does know. Business as usual. To add a provision establishing alternative security compliance for certain redevelopment. And I'll reiterate. What are these alternative security compliance measures? And why are they only for certain redevelopment projects? And who owns these redevelopment projects? And why is it important for us to establish an ordinance for it?

Thank you for your comments and comment questions. Next speaker. Hearing none. Public hearing is now closed. Anything from the council? You just turned it off.

Councilman Ramos. Like I mentioned yesterday at the pre, I would really encourage the chair and the clerk for us to have a conversation at one of our subcommittees about the overall security ordinance. This ordinance essentially empowers the city's administrator to make alternative recommendations outside the city's security ordinance for certain buildings in the city. You know, I'm all for flexibility, but I think there has to be some standards that we agree on, whether it's surveillance equipment. There's some buildings that the existing ordinance is not enough as far as security requirements are concerned, and they should be dealt with additional conditions based on public safety issues, criminal complaints, and things of that nature. So I believe that this ordinance is a start, but we need to have a much more comprehensive conversation so that we can deal with some of these problematic landlords, and at the same time ensure that if we have residents who are in a 100% affordable senior building who do not want to see an armed guard as part of the 24-hour security, that we're able to make that accommodation. But this ordinance is giving the city flexibility to go around the existing ordinance. But what the alternatives are are not really spelled out here, whether it's surveillance equipment or other things that they can utilize in order to ensure the safety of the residents in these complexes.

Thank you. Councilman, Councilman, Council. Yeah, Mr. Chair, a couple of things. One, the ordinance speaks to new development and what needs to happen as it relates to security measures. I deeply understand what Councilman Ramos is talking about, about having some other kind of conversations But also intrinsically, what we put into the ordinance really speaks to a lot of these buildings that are supposed to have over 100 units security at these sites that are going unmanned without any check or justification or really no punitive penalties behind it for them not doing it. And so what we've engaged in the ordinance was to ensure that those facilities and those buildings that are over 100 units that are supposed to have security in it, armed or unarmed, that if they don't have security, they will be forced to pay a fine of $1,000 a day. The back end of of what the ordinance is speaking to is possible projects that may be happening and what kind of security measures they need on those sites for those projects. So to speak to what you were saying was correct. We need to be able to figure out if it's cameras, what kind of other systems and mechanisms. But the one thing that this ordinance does is it really begins to deal with a lot of these perpetrators who are out here putting our residents in dangerous situations without having security that is mandated by way of ordinance with no punitive damage. inside this ordinance. And so our hope is that once it's passed, that the administration will do their due diligence to follow up and all of those people that are responsible for making it happen, to make it happen and get security in these facilities that are over 100 units.

Mr. President.

Thank you. Councilman Ramos.

As I look at the security ordinance that's on the agenda today, it doesn't cover anything related to what you just mentioned on the record. So I would suggest that you look at it because essentially what the ordinance says is that any provision of this code, the business administrator may approve an alternative method of compliance with the security requirements for a qualifying redevelopment projects that meet the criteria set forth, and basically the developer agrees to a community benefit agreement, and as a result of that, the city may come up with alternatives to the existing security ordinance, which is what you mentioned on the record. So my only feedback is that it should clearly stipulate what those alternatives are because it's on a project by project basis. It gives a lot of authority to the administration to come up with those alternatives. I'm with you. I think we need to strengthen the ordinance to deal with problem actors. And I don't know if this ordinance does.

If you continue to read through the ordinance, you'll see that that information is there, and the part that you read definitely speaks to what the administration part is in allowing the BA to determine that, which we discussed in agreeance to say, hey, what does those parameters look like? Is it video? Is it armed, unarmed? But if you continue to go through it, it speaks to the price that is put on to those individuals who are not in compliance. Thank you.

Thank you, council members.

Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Michelle Nelson, First Assistant Corporation Counsel from the Law Department. Just to add further to the conversation, inside of the ordinance, it also states that the business administrator has to have consultation with the public safety director in regards to any type of alternative flexibilities in regards to the security. So he has to have consultation with public safety to determine what's happening in and around the community and make sure that the residents are safe as well.

Thank you. And three, Mr. President, I think that's a great addition to the ordinance. But again, if you read the two and a half pages that are here, it doesn't include a lot of important information that Councilman Council mentioned on the record. So I would ask the clerk if we can just prepare a summary, make sure everybody has access to it, because I think there's some very important details that the Councilman mentioned that should be in this ordinance. And if it's not here today, then maybe later on we could add it.

Thank you, council members. Anything else from the council? Roll call. Oh, I did. I cut it off. I apologize. We finished, right? No, we finished it. The clerk read the ordinance, and Ms. Salters got up and spoke. And then I asked if there are any other speakers. Yes, she did. You can go back and look at the YouTube or the video. It's there.

I'm sorry, Mr. Muhammad.

All right, roll call. With the notice sponsors counts. Oh Roll call with the notice sponsors for yes. Yes.

Well, go ahead you say Council members I neglected to mention that both ordinances are sponsored by Councilman Council and second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree Thank you roll call Yes Yes Yes Yes on C and I abstain on D

Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva, absent. President Crump.

Yes.

E is an ordinance granting a 35-year tax abatement to 10 Park Place, Newark, LLC for the adaptive reuse of the property located at 10 Park Place into a 10-story high-rise elevator building. Is there anyone present wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

Ali Muhammad, just one minute, one minute. What I just said to Miles, I appreciate this. I think this is the best thing he ever did since he'd been in the town. And I've known him since 1979 when we were young men. This is great. This is brilliant. This is wonderful. This has given people that it's affordable to live downtown with all these other buildings that's not. And believe me, he could have played the same game like the rest of them, 20%, 80% AMI.

I went on Facebook and put up Felicia in the building.

And I said, Felicia has something to do with it. People don't understand. 50,000, 60,000 people viewed that. 60,000 people viewed that, that this idea that it's going to be affordable downtown. And then why I said Felicia, because she was the only one talking to AMI. And y'all thought she was crazy for five years. Y'all was, oh, she ain't listen. When she was telling you it was wrong and everything, y'all was, oh, yo, y'all thought she was crazy, right? But she was telling the truth until the mayor goes down at the farm and finally admits that it's wrong, 80-20. But this man did it before that. I know about the Zanzibar was there. I know when he made the Robert Crowley into the Robert Tree. I know when he took the cart and he made it into a fence. I know about everything he done there because we came up together. But this is a fantastic thing. Now, I'm going to tell you something. I didn't get a chance to say it this time, and I don't slip. I might be 73, but I ain't slipping. Security, he gonna follow the security rule. What I was gonna say, Pat, you should be ashamed of yourself because when I was on the housing board for the security, you said you wouldn't have passed the ordinance. He paid, he wasn't gonna pass the, he wasn't gonna pass the ordinance.

Mr. Muhammad.

Wait, wait, I'm talking about security and it's a part of this bill. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You ain't protecting nobody on this. I'm saying this man, I got tape that this man said that We don't need security. I was an advocate of security for what comes. Listen to me. Listen to me.

Listen to me. This is about a building and security. You have an opportunity to say whatever you want during the hearing of citizens. I got some other stuff to say.

But I'm going to say it here. I'm going to say it in this audience. You said that. When the people need something to call the police, you don't want me to get the transcript and the tape, do you? Because you know I'll get the transcript and tape. Now you're worrying about on Chancellor Avenue that somebody, you wouldn't do it for the housing authority? You remember when I said, you ain't got no skin in the game. I said, I got grandkids now. I'm going to bring the transcript.

I'm asking you now, Mr. Muhammad.

I'm going to bring the transcript.

Thank you very much. Thank you for your comments. Next speaker.

Fantastic, Mal.

Good afternoon. Good afternoon. My name is Jeffrey Feld. My family used to own Epstein Hardware in Orange, New Jersey. And 10 years ago, I appeared and I raised certain questions. I wish Mr. Pennington was here. And I said it to your mother. The first question is, no one has a problem about the housing, but we have to make sure we're going under the right law. I wish the mayor was here, because I raised this 16 years ago. The validity of a non-tax exempt, non-urban renewal entity sponsor, this is a mixed use affordable housing, New Jersey housing mortgage finance agency long term tax exemption. There's an issue whether the HMFA long-term tax exemptions still exist, or whether it was repealed by the long-term tax exemption law. I raise these issues because what you're talking about, you talk about land tax credits, like if you don't pay it. Because one of the issues I raised is if you look at Jersey City and other municipalities, under an HOFA long-term tax exemption, no monies go to the Board of Education. Board of Education. And when I raised that, the mayor stood up and he goes, and he told the former council 10 years ago, you better listen to this man, he's right. Why aren't you making sure that certain portions of these revenues are flowing to the Board of Education? In addition, the way you have it structured, no monies go to the county. And because of my efforts in the last 10 years, the county finally admitted that they weren't monitoring and collecting all the monies that are owed. And this is a time that we really have to make sure we're not against the renovation of the project, but we're doing it under the right law. And when I brought this case against Newark, I did sue Newark. And the court said I had no standing to challenge. They were fudging because there was something called third-party taxpayer standing. Because of my challenge, the state legislature admitted and abolished that right. And if you read the first paragraph of the opinion, Judge Fuentes twisted the law. He said that you were granting a long-term tax exemption for affordable housing under long-term tax exemption law. If that was the case, I would never have brought the case. You were suing under the HMFA long-term tax exemption. I just ask you, many of you know me personally, you know my family. My family received a key to the city. I was born in Newark. My family has close ties. My family is one of the only white members of the Mens of Essex. I'm just talking this as a concerned citizen and we began this with the invocation of the prophet Micah, do justice. Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Good afternoon, Lisa Parker. Good afternoon. I have an issue with these long-term tax abatement, and no disrespect to Mr. Berger, who has created generational wealth for him and his family. Not only has he received renovation subsidies from this council, Now you're extending a tax abatement of which he owns an entire block over there, collecting revenues not only from the state, also from people that are homeless, et cetera. You have an example of a building the Halo Building on Washington Street. They never paid assessment taxes on that property. They're not paying their land taxes, and they have a 25-year tax abatement that none of you had put a motion forward to rescind their tax abatement for being in default and noncompliance of your rules. The other thing is we have an established community that you haven't put forth now one piece of legislation to extend their tax abatement of over 1,000 homeowners that are suffering due to increased taxes that we're supplementing all of these tax abatements for these developers that don't pay into our schools. Thanks for mentioning that. You have done nothing to champion the people that actually live here and develop these communities. And I'm not taking anything away from Mr. Berger, but how much are you going to give PERC to the developers instead of, in lieu of writing legislation for the hardworking homeowners that are paying these increased taxes? How long? I dare one of you right now to take a motion to rescind the tax abatement you have on that Halo building that's leaning and is structurally unsafe, collecting dust. Not one dime have you collected in assessment taxes, but they have the privilege of a 25-year tax abatement. When are you gonna start working for the people instead of development, and creating generational wealth and sustainability for the people that created these neighborhoods and our Newarkers. I'll wait. Just like everything else you do, nothingness for the people.

Thank you for your comments. Next speaker.

Donna Jackson, councilwoman-elect. Good afternoon. Good afternoon, everyone. Walked in late on that security ordinance just as a point of privilege, because if I'd have known that's what was on the agenda when I walked in, I'd have came up here, because it ain't working. These tenants can't even get video footage from the buildings when incidents happening. People are getting robbed in Montgomery Heights, 220 Urban Turner Boulevard, across the board in every entity. And when the victim comes to the management, you're worrying about Mr. Pendleton and the police director getting it. How about the victim? How about the victim? How about when people's cars are smashed and the video footage on the building has it? So I don't know what you did over here, but we're going to revisit that. So let me get to this alleged affordable housing. Alleged. The application is out for the complex already, even though it's not being built. And Norco's supposed to have fresh preference. It's not even posted. So here we go again with another wheel deal where you told the people, Norcas will have first preference, and the applications are zooming, building not even done, and no Norc preference. But y'all voted on this last council meeting, rushed it through as an added starter, and not even following. Go on down there. Look on there. The first preference for North is not even there. What you gonna do about it? Again, 30 year tax abatement. This ain't personal, this business. Mr. Berger has made a lot of money in this city. And he gonna continue to. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Because we don't hold anybody accountable. How many affordable units out of these 169? I'm not impressed. Do the whole building, then I'll be impressed. Lower the income down to under 60,000. Then I'll be impressed. We ain't did that. What you got? 12, four, seven, 27 studios. I'm not impressed. 400 people a day in that landlord tenure court getting put out. I ain't impressed with this little bit. Not at all. Not at all. And it's not personal. These folks have made enough money off the backs of the poor people in this city. Carton Hotel. Y'all putting people in the Robert Street now, and you're paying them. When do the people get payback? When do the people, no, I don't want to live downtown, so I'm not even interested. However, for those that do, make it where they can get in there. So I dare y'all. Stop the application process and make Norco's number one. That's what you told them. Thank you.

Thank you for your comments. Next speaker.

Deborah Salters, and there you have it. NURC is first, we're gonna make sure. NURC is always, they're gonna, oh yeah, we're gonna, yes. We have these initiatives, 100% affordable, yes. Affordable for whom though, right? Are we talking zero to 55,000 a year? Are we talking 35 to 70,000 per year? Are we talking like the other folk, 80 to 100? We need numbers. Because affordable, according to the rubric, is 30% of your income, including your utilities, is paying for your rent and your utilities. The other 70% is supposed to allow the people to be able to live, buy food, medication, take care of their kids, and a whole plethora of things. So is this what we're talking about when we're saying affordable? Or is it the regular cliche that everyone is using to get the tax credits and to get the people hyped up and excited? This is where we are in Newark. And again, let me reiterate, Newark can do what Newark wants to do. And I'm not saying going against the law, but we have a template. There's a rubric, there are things that we can do. Is this what we are doing? And I read the definition of affordable to you all last time. Affordable means that life is made easier. for the residents first, Newarkers first, not transplants that come here and then raise our AMI because they're making more money, but they're not from here. They come here because it's cheaper than New York, Hoboken, Jersey City. These are the things that are raising the average income of our Newarkers. It's not that Newarkers are now getting jobs to where they're making 70, 80, 90,000 a year. It's just not happening. So are we tailoring the real definition of affordable to Newark residents? 0 to 35,000. 0 to 55,000. Simple. These are questions, not comments, that we've been asking. No disrespect to anyone. except those who are trying to get over on the backs of the people.

Thank you for your comments. Next speaker. Hearing none. Well, I'm sorry.

Good afternoon, Council President, members of the Council, and members of the public. Jennifer Mazzaway, I'm an attorney with K&L Gates, and I'm here on behalf of 10 Park Place Newark, which is the applicant for the tax abatement before the Council today. I just wanted to give a few highlights about the project, in particular for public that have spoken. This is 196 residential units, and 100% of the building are affordable units. This is an adaptive reuse of the historic fireman's insurance building right in downtown and in the arts district. We are seeking to set aside 10% of those units for seniors and 10% for artists. With regard to the affordability calculations, they range from 27% AMI to the highest at 57.5% AMI averaging out at 50.1% AMI. So I do think those are important factors for the public to know and for the council to consider as you consider our application. There is 4,500 square feet of retail slash commercial space, which we are providing at a discounted rate as part of our application as well. I do know Mr. Berger also would like to address the council briefly, but I wanted to get some of those nuts and bolts facts out as well. So thank you for your time.

Thank you. Next speaker. All right, let's have quiet in the gallery, please.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Council and public, I'm Miles Berger, and I am the developer of Ten Park Place. 10 Park Place was an office building, as it's mentioned. When I bought the building 35 years ago, Essex County was the tenant, and they stayed in the building for roughly 35 years. They bought and built their own new headquarters for the social services department and moved out. It left me with an empty building, and it was determined by myself and my partners that we would develop this into residential housing. but not residential housing 80-20, but 100% affordable. This is setting a record, not only in Newark, but possibly the state, for the establishment of a building in a tremendous area of the city, one of the finest, right next door to New Jersey Performing Arts Center. to have a 100% affordable housing project with using 30% AMI also. Many of the 80-20s don't get down to 30%, but this building does. There are community benefits with this building too. The state considers the construction or redevelopment of a building into 100% affordable the community benefit itself, and it certainly is. But in addition here, we have a community benefit for the retail space on the first floor, whereby the rent for that space, and most likely that space will be a restaurant as it's right next door to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, but it could be a clothing store too, it could be anything. That rent will be at a lower rate than market rate. The rate is set up for 20 years and we're fixed and obligated to keep the rent at that. The theory behind it is that this will make this space more affordable and make it more easy for a local person in Newark to rent that space and operate a business that they desire to open up in that area. It is our intention to do this project. It will take about a year and three quarters to build. Now, why did we choose 100% affordable instead of 80-20, which it could have been? Aspire supports 80-20. Pilots support 80-20. I've been in Newark for 51 years, practically. And like you heard from Mr. Muhammad before, I've been successful in business here, and I felt this was time to pay back the community, give back the community. If I made it 80-20, then only 20% or roughly 40 units would be affordable. This is the opportunity for those that need affordable apartments in the city to have 196 units. It's unprecedented, the apartments are going to be beautiful, they're in the best location that the city has, and I ask for your support on this project. Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker. Hearing no other speakers, public hearing is now closed. Council, I'm sorry, wait a minute. Do you want to speak on this matter? No. Okay, we're just dealing with this matter. No, we just closed public hearing. She had stood up and was walking towards. No, you didn't even look. Let's not do that, Ms. Montague. So, Councilwoman Bay.

Thank you, Council President. So first of all, I just wanted to say that we know that affordable housing is a priority of this administration. It's a priority of the city, and that's something that we've been striving for long before I got in the seat and for as long as Mayor Baraka has been in office. With that being said, we need to be clear when we talk about blaming or putting things on the city regarding I understand exactly what you're saying because this is my job all day, every day to help the unhoused and to make sure that people find affordable housing and to keep people prevent homelessness. But we know that the city does not say and do the calculations for affordable housing. That comes from HUD. That is a federal calculation that comes from the Department of Housing and Urban Development that they use, and they do not use the city of Newark as a standalone municipality, that the city of Newark is lumped into a region that includes other municipalities that have an average income of $76,000, $96,000. So when they do the calculation, that's where they get that from. And so the city of Newark and the developers that come in are doing that based on those calculations. That is not from the city of Newark. The city of Newark does not say what the calculation is. And we all know that. That is not an opinion. That is fact. Also, with this particular project, what I wanted to do, and I wanted to ask a couple of questions because the attorney, I'm sorry, I forgot your name. Jennifer, if you could, you and Mr. Berger, if y'all could come back. Because when you...

When you stated so I hate to cut councilwoman. We don't normally do it back and forth like this You have some questions for direct. Okay. All right. I'm sorry. Go ahead go right ahead Relax relax. She's going ahead Please councilwoman continue.

Okay, so you have mentioned about the 10% set asides for us for seniors and OK, and the reason I'm calling you back to ask you about that is because in the information that was said that it would be a good faith effort, I want to make sure that there is a guarantee in there that there's 10% set aside, not just a good faith effort for the seniors as well as the people with disabilities, because this is something that's very important. And I appreciate and applaud the Berger organization for doing that, because that is something that's very important. I just want to make sure that that is something that is guaranteed the same way that it was mentioned about making sure that NORCERS are able to make sure that we get, I don't know if you want to call it first rights of refusal, but first access, because again, that's important. We know that it's well documented, the history of the various organizations' contribution to growth and development in the city, and we also know and understand how important it is to make sure that we have those things in place. So I just want to make sure that I'm clear on what you said versus what was written, that it's not good faith effort that is a guarantee.

It's best faith efforts. Thank you, Councilwoman. It's best faith efforts because we have to make sure that HMFA, which is the organization to whom we're going for the low-income housing tax credits, will allow us to do the 10% set-aside for seniors. If it is permitted, we will do it. And there are steps in the financial agreement that we are mandated to follow So to ensure that we're using every possible effort, best effort, to ensure that that set aside is there. We want to have that set aside. It really, for us, was a matter of whether we're permitted to do so with HMFA under HUD's laws. But we are committed to doing so. And I think the language in the financial agreement lays that out. We have to do it unless the law doesn't allow us to do it. I hope that's as much of a guarantee as I can give because it does require us to have that okay from HMFA. But otherwise, we have to do it.

Councilwoman.

So I know that we don't do the back and forth, but I definitely do want to do some follow-up conversations and meetings regarding this because there are some things that we need to clarify.

All right. Thank you, Councilwoman. Anything else from the council? Roll call.

Council Members Bay? Yes. Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly?

Yes.

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

Resolutions, 7R1A through E are temporary emergency appropriations. A is for the Traffic Calming Project, B is the Hypertensive Quality Project, C is Data Management to Support the Hypertensive Quality Project, D is for the SUNUP Summer Food Program sponsored by Councilman Kelly, second by Councilwoman Scott-Rowntree, and E is the Plan for Health New Jersey Grant. Council as a whole to adopt A through E with sponsors.

Roll call.

Council members, Fay. Yes. Council. Yes. Gonzalez. Yes. Kelly. Yes. Quintana. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva Adson. President Clump. Yes.

F through J are purchasing contracts. F is a co-op agreement for document management and records retention. G is a bid contract for fire equipment installation, sponsored by Councilman Kelly, second by Councilwoman Bay. H is a bid contract for lead and healthy homes hazardous inspection. I is a bid contract for blood test kits and lead analyzers. And J is the career exploration for the summer youth employment program, sponsored by Councilwoman Bay, second by Councilman Kelly. Council as a whole to adopt F through J with sponsors.

Roll call.

Council members Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Gonzalez?

Yes.

Kelly? Yes. Quintana? Yes. Ramos?

Yes.

Council Member Roundtree, Scott Roundtree.

Yes, I got you. Silver absent, President Crump.

Yes.

K is the acceptance of grant funds from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for the upgrade and rehabilitation of the Newark YMCA. Sponsored by Councilwoman Bay, second by Councilman Kelly.

Roll call.

Council Members Bay? Yes. Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez?

Yes.

Kelly?

Yes.

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

Yes.

L, council as a whole to return to the administration.

Roll call.

Council members Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Quintana? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva absent. President Clump?

Yes.

Seminar 2A through L are private sale redevelopment agreements. A is construction of new two-family residential dwelling to be sold at market rate in the South Ward. Motion to defer by Councilman Council. Second by Councilman Kelly.

Roll call to defer.

Council members? Bay?

Yes, to defer.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez?

Yes.

Kelly?

Yes, to defer.

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

Yes.

B is new construction of three two-family homes to be sold at market rate in the South Ward, sponsored by Councilman Council, second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Roll call.

Council members, Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Gonzalez?

Yes.

Kelly?

Yes.

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

Yes.

C is a motion to defer by Councilman Kelly, second by Councilman Quintana.

I'm sorry, I believe Councilman Kelly.

Yes, I would like to move it forward.

Certainly, my apologies. Sponsored by Councilman Kelly, second by Councilman Quintana.

Roll call.

Council Members Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Gonzalez?

Yes.

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

D is construction of a new three-family residential dwelling with each unit to be rented at market rate in the North Ward. Council as a whole to adopt?

Roll call.

Council members Bay?

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Yes. Quintana? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva absent. President Crump?

Yes.

Council President, Council Members, before I group, I just want to double check E through G were all motions to defer.

But I can go through individually if there's- Which one do you want? Councilman Kelly? I would like to move F forward.

And moving G forward, 702G.

OK. We'll go through them individually, no problem. OK. Thank you. E is a motion to defer by Councilman Council, second by Councilman Kelly.

Roll call to defer.

Council Members Bay? Yes to defer. Council? Yes. Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly? Yes to defer. Quintana? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva absent. President Clump.

Yes.

F is construction of two new three-family or two-family homes to sell at market rate in the West Ward, sponsored by Councilman Kelly, second by Councilman Quintana.

Roll call.

Councilmembers Bay. Yes. Council. Yes. Gonzalez. Yes. Kelly.

Yes.

Quintana. Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva Atkins? Present.

Yes. G is construction of a residential development with a minimum of 16 units in the South Ward, sponsored by Councilman Council, second by Councilman Kelly.

Roll call.

Councilmembers Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Quintana? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva absent. President Crump.

Yes.

H through L are amendments to private sale redevelopment agreements. H is to correct the sale and appraisal amount. I is to correct the property description. J is to change the project description. K is to change the property description. And L is designating a redeveloper. Councils will hold to adopt H through L. Roll call.

Council members may. Yes. Council? Yes. Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Quintana? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva absent. President Crump?

Yes.

M through R are the balance of economic development resolutions. M is to authorize the execution of an assignment and assumption agreement. N is approving an amended assignment and assumption of a financial agreement. O is approving housing and mortgage finance agency agreement sponsored by Councilman Council. Second by Councilman Kelly. P is a need for a housing project in a central ward. Q is a support for tax credits sponsored by Councilman Council. Second by Councilwoman Scott-Roundtree. And R is a support for tax credits. Council as a whole to adopt M through R with sponsors, please. Roll call.

Councilmembers Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Gonzalez?

Yes.

Kelly?

Yes.

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

Yes. 7R3A through C are engineering resolutions. A is for the extension of time for the municipal aid program for street resurfacing. B is installation of pavement markings on various streets. And C is for the paving project. Council as a whole to adopt A through C. Roll call.

Council Members Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Quintana? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva absent. President Clump?

Yes.

Mr. President.

Councilman Ramos.

We had a lot of discussion yesterday on 7R38, and I forgot to ask the schedule from the department on when these streets are going to get paved, being that this is the second extension. So through your chair and the clerk, if the department can give that to us in writing, I would appreciate it.

Thank you, Councilman.

7R4A, council as a whole to return to the administration.

Roll call to return to administration.

Mr. President, if we can get information as to why these are being returned, this is the second time it comes up on the agenda.

All right, so we'll request that information through the clerk.

There are at least one or two properties in the ward that are problematic that are on this list. So there's one on Broadway in particular that's source of a lot of illegal dumping. So we can get a response at some point. Thank you, councilman.

Roll call to return.

Council members, Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Quintana? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott-Browntree? Yes. Silva-Absent? President Clump?

Yes.

B through E are all finance resolutions. B and C are stipulations of settlements for tax appeals. D is the alternate method for calculating the reserves for uncollected taxes. And E is to authorize the tax collector to issue estimated tax bills for the third quarter of 2026. Councils, I'll hold to adopt B through E, please.

Roll call.

Council members. Bay? Yes. Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Quintana? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva absent. President Crump?

Yes. 7R5A through D are contracts with grant recipients for emergency housing program. A is Circle of Life Treatment Center. B is Emergency Housing Services. C is for Jay's House. And D is Turning Point. Councils will hold to adopt A through D.

Roll call.

Council members Bay. Yes. Council. Yes. Gonzalez. Yes. Kelly. Yes. Quintana. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva Adson. President Crump.

Yes.

A through Q are contracts with subrecipients to provide Ryan White HIV services. P is for Apostle House. F is AIDS Resource Foundation. G is EDGE New Jersey. H is High Sand Foundation. I is North Beth Israel Medical Center. J is North Jersey Community Research Initiative. K is Rutgers Infectious Disease Program. L is St. James Social Services Corporation. M is Urban Renewal Corporation. N is Newark Community Health Centers. O is Zufall Health Center. P is Future Bridge Business Solutions. And Q is Public Strategies. Council as a whole to adopt E through Q.

Roll call.

Council members Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Quintana? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva-Ascen? President Crump?

Yes.

R through V are additional resolutions from the health department. R is the data management support for the hypertensive quality project. S is advocacy support for the hypertensive quality project. T is professional service contract for the certified lead evaluation contractor. U is an open-ended contract to provide animal impoundment and sheltering. And V is to provide a psychiatric nurse practitioner and medical director that will provide field-based services to homeless Newark residents. Council as a whole to adopt R through V, please.

Roll call.

Council members Bay. Yes. Council. Yes. Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Quintana? Yes. Ramos?

Yes on all and I abstain on you.

Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva absent. President Crump?

Yes. Mr. President. Councilman Ramos. Some time ago I had requested through the chair and the clerk's office for us to schedule some kind of tour of the Humane Society. calls and complaints from volunteers and other stakeholders about the poor conditions that some of these animals are being housed in. So I think it'd be, we do invest a considerable amount of money in these services. So I think it's important for the council or subcommittee of the council to have an opportunity to go out there with some of these advocates that reach out to us so that we can do a walkthrough of the facility. Thank you.

7R6A through G. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

And just to, so this contract for almost a half a million dollars is only for three months. So, you know, we're looking upwards of 1.5 million a year that we're spending on animal sheltering.

Thank you. This is great.

7R6A through G are settlements from the law department. Council as a whole to adopt A through G. Roll call.

Council members Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Gonzalez?

I'm going to abstain on all.

Kelly?

Yes.

Quintana? Yes. Ramos?

Yes.

Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva absent. President Crump?

Yes on all except abstaining on G. H and I are professional services contracts for litigation defense.

Council as a whole to adopt H and I.

Roll call.

Council members Fay. Yes. Council.

Yes.

Gonzalez. Yes. Kelly. Yes. Quintana. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva absent. President Crump.

Yes. 7R8A through E are council resolutions. A is waiving a special event fee for restoring love on Schiller Avenue block party. Sponsored by Councilman Council, seconded by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree. Bea is reappointing the clerk, sponsored by Councilman Kelly, Second by Councilwoman Scott-Roundtree. C is a resolution urging Governor Mikey Sherrill to close Delaney Hall. Sponsored by Councilwoman Scott-Roundtree. Second by Councilman Kelly. D is recognizing and commending resolutions. And E is expressing profound sorrow and regret. Council as a whole to adopt A through E with sponsors, please.

Roll call.

Council members Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Quintana? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva absent. President Crump.

Yes. Councilman Gonzalez.

There is a vacancy at the second river by my exiting the council.

So the council must approve someone to replace me at that.

So I would think at the next meeting, at the next.

Reorg. Yeah.

Yeah, reorg.

Continue please.

7 or 9 a and b of public safety resolutions a is for the shared services agreement with essex county and b is authorizing an involuntary disability retirement council as a whole to adopt a and b roll call council members bay yes council yes gonzalez yes kelly yes quintana yes ramos yes

Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva absent. President Crump.

Yes. 7R11A through C are recreation, cultural affairs, and senior services resolutions. A is provide meals to Newark children through the Sun Up Summer Food Program, sponsored by Councilman Kelly, second by Councilwoman Bay. B is accepting a gift of free lunch sponsored by Councilwoman Bay, second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree. And E is accepting a gift from Netflix. Council as a whole to adopt A through C with sponsors please.

Roll call.

Councilmembers Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Gonzalez?

Yes.

Kelly? Yes. Quintana? Yes. Ramos? Yes. Scott Rountree? Yes. Silva absent. President Crump?

Yes.

Communications. 8A 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. Motion to advance and adopt as 6FA. Sponsor. I'm sorry. C. Please forgive me. 6F. C. Sponsored by Councilman Kelly. Second by Councilman Council.

Roll call. Advance and adopt.

Council members. Bay. Yes. Council. Yes. Gonzalez. Yes. Kelly. Yes. Montana. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Dova absent. President Crump.

Yes.

B is an ordinance granting a 20-year tax abatement to 581 South 16th Street Urban Renewal LLC for a project in the West Ward to construct a new low-rise multifamily building with 20 residential units. Motion to advance and adopt on first reading as 6F. B. B.

Yes, D as in David.

Sponsored by Councilman Kelly, seconded by Councilwoman Scott-Roundtree.

Roll call. Council Members Bay. Yes. Council. Yes. Gonzalez. Yes. Kelly. Yes. Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos. Yes. Scott-Roundtree. Yes. Silva-Axit. President Clump.

Yes.

C is an ordinance granting a 25-year tax abatement to Concierge Homes Urban Renewal LLC for a project located in the North Ward to construct a new five-story residential building with 65 residential units. Council as a whole to advance and adopt on first reading as 6FF. 6F.

E. What are you saying? Advance and adopt on first reading. Advance and adopt on first reading. E as in Edward, right? It's going to be E. 6FE.

Yes, yes, yes, yes Yes

D is an ordinance amending stopping, standing, and parking by adding a new section entitled Limitations on Parking of Motor Vehicles by Certain Commercial Establishments, sponsored by Councilman Ramos, second by Councilman Silva. There's also a motion to advance and adopt on first as 6FF.

Roll call. Oh, we need a new second. Second. Second by Councilman Quintana. Roll call.

Council members Bay. Yes. Council. Yes. Gonzalez. Yes. Kelly. Yes. Quintana. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva. Absent. President Crump.

Yes. Mr. President. Councilman Ramos. Aye. For those that weren't tuned in to yesterday's meeting, I just want to say thank you to the clerk's office and the police division for their work on this ordinance. This attempts to address the many complaints that we get about auto repair shops, car dealerships, mechanic shops that in many instances years ago were zoned in residential communities in Newark. We get a lot of complaints about these establishments taking up parking on the street, double parking vehicles. parking vehicles on the sidewalk. And most recently in Newark, we have mechanic shops that are now subletting spaces within their establishment to different mechanics. And one mechanic shop at any given time could be working on anywhere from 20 to 30 vehicles. which creates an incredible quality of life complaint. Unfortunately, many of these vehicles are registered in the state of New Jersey, so if they park on the street, the police division has very little recourse as far as dealing with the many complaints that we get from residents. I'm hopeful that this is a good first step. The police division feels that there are some provisions here that are going to be helpful to them in addressing some of the complaints that we get on a daily basis. The other thing it does is it gives those communities that are being negatively affected by these establishments you know, the right to petition for residential parking. And I know the city's kind of shied away from granting a residential parking permit because it does, in some instances, create problems for neighboring communities. But I think in those areas that are mostly residential that do have a large presence of these shops, it does make sense. So that's it, Mr. President. Thank you, Councilman.

E is an ordinance authorizing amendments to the bylaws of InvestNORC. Council as a whole to advance and adopt on first reading as 6FG.

Roll call.

Council members Bay? Yes. Council? Yes. Gonzalez?

Abstain.

Kelly? Yes. Quintana?

Yes.

Ramos? Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva absent. President Crump.

Yes.

The ordinances adopted today on first reading will be advertised in accordance with law and a public hearing will be held at a regular meeting on July 15th or soon thereafter.

President, if I may.

Councilman Gonzalez.

The abstention there is because yesterday I requested some information regarding a redlined version of the amendment, and I didn't receive anything. So I believe that when we requested some information, it should be provided to us before we exercise the right to vote.

Thank you, Councilman. And so the expectation is, before we vote on this matter again, that even though, Councilman, you'll be gone, we'll still get that information. That's Newark.

Let me take that opportunity and thank my council colleagues, the administration, and the Newark public for the support that I have gotten for the last 20 years. It has been the experience of my life.

We appreciate you, Councilman, and thank you so much. What I will say to you, Councilman, is you're going to have to stay until the end of the meeting because we're all going to want to say something about you. You're going to stay to the very end today. Thank you.

Mr. President, I don't know if I'm going to be here at the end, but I just want to wish my colleague the very best on his retirement. Carlos and I came in together in 2006. I was very disappointed and unhappy for a while when he announced that he wasn't interested in running. For re-election, you know, I think Carlos is definitely a class act, you know person who brings a level of integrity and independence to this legislative body that I think we've all Benefited from incredibly so, you know, I wish you well I know your contributions to the community in the city are not done with but you definitely deserve to enjoy the next phase of your life. And on behalf of residents of the North Ward, your leadership is definitely gonna be missed. God bless you. All right, thank you, thank you.

So we're gonna save it till the end unless anybody has to leave. Okay, let's continue with the agenda.

Item 10, miscellaneous. 10A is approval of the raffle license. Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members Bay. Yes. Council. Gonzalez. Yes. Kelly. Absent. Quintana.

Yes.

Ramos. Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva absent. President Crump.

Yes.

Added starters. 7R2SAS is support for University Hospital Project. Sponsored by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree. Second by Councilwoman Bay.

Roll call.

Councilmembers. Bay.

Yes.

Council? Yes. Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly?

Yes.

Quintana?

Yes.

Ramos?

Yes.

Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva? Absent. President Clunk?

Yes. 2TAS is a private sale redevelopment of new construction of two family homes in the South Ward. Sponsored by Councilman Council. Second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Roll call.

Council members Bay. Yes. Council. Yes. Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly. Yes. Quintana. Yes. Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva absent. President Crump.

Yes.

UAS is a need for housing project in the South Ward, sponsored by Councilman Council, second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council? Yes. Gonzalez? Yes. Kelly? Yes. Quintana? Yes. Ramos?

Yes.

Scott Roundtree? Yes. Silva, absent. President Crump?

Yes.

BAS is a resolution of support for tax credits sought by the developer for property in the South Ward. Sponsored by Councilman Council. Second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Roll call.

Council members Bay. Yes. Council. Yes. Gonzalez. Yes. Kelly. Yes. Quintana. Yes. Ramos. Yes. Scott Roundtree. Yes. Silva absent. President Crump.

Yes.

7R6JAS is a settlement of civil litigation. Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes. Council. Yes.

Gonzalez.

Abstain.

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

Abstain. 7R8FAS is a whole harmless for the Dominican Pride Day. Sponsored by Councilman Quintana.

Second.

Second by Councilman Ramos.

Councilman Gonzalez.

Why is it that we are giving this to a person and not to an institution? Mr. President, this is a...

This is an event at the statue of Duarte, and this is an event that's being hosted right there. There is a Dominican parade, like a Puerto Rican parade, but there's other different festivals. This is like a festival, not a parade.

This is a city property. I don't think that we should give a homeless to an individual simply because he is the organizer.

Well, we do a lot of community parties, events, and this is just a gathering of bringing some folks together. This is not a vendors. This is about just a ceremonial. So we can vote it up or down however you want, but I'm supporting it.

I believe that the legal counsel should give an opinion on this. We are exempting someone from liability on a property that he doesn't own this property. This is a city-owned property. It's a city-owned statute. So why are we giving an exemption to an individual?

We're just giving the right for them to use and utilize this together as a cultural event of theirs.

We are giving him, let's say, an exemption of liabilities, a whole harmless resolution. Well, we're co-sponsoring. That's what it is.

Do we have legal counsel? Is anybody from court counsel in here?

No, we have the VA here.

He's not here in that capacity, so nobody from the legal department is in the room. Sometimes we have three or four of them, and now we don't have any, huh?

You got to do mine. Mr. President, I think we've, I understand what Councilman Gonzalez is saying. So this is essentially like any other private group that's hosting an event on a city-owned property and they seek some kind of hold harmless. Because he's right, it is a park that's owned by the city. But any private organization that's hosting an event, I don't know, Eric, you're many years in law school. Come on, you've got to weigh in on this one.

So maybe this will work in terms of saying in the care of Santiago as opposed to just let's put it this way.

It should be to him. It should be to the organization that he represents.

We know the organization?

So we can make that edit as a Scrivener's error.

And we'll replace it with the actual organization, but it's the organization with the care of Santiago, okay? Yes. All right, everybody, all hearts and minds are clear? Roll call.

Council members, Bay?

Yes. Council? Yes. Gonzalez?

We'll put it in there. on you.

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

Yes. 8FAS is an ordinance establishing the accessory dwelling unit assistance program and authorizing the use of federal Crow housing grant funds. Motion to advance and adopt on first reading as 6FAS. Sponsored by councilman Kelly second by council as a whole roll call to advance and adopt Yes Yes, yes Ramos abstain Yes

Sova absent, President Clunk.

Yes.

Mr. President.

Councilman Ramos.

At some point can we schedule the department to come in to talk to us a little bit about these ADUs. I know yesterday we started a conversation and Councilman Council and I raised some concerns about the existing illegal ADUs that we have all over the city. and how this administration plans on addressing those illegal constructions. I mean, just this past weekend when we participated in the city's cleanup, right off of Verona Avenue, there's property that belongs to the old rail line that they decided to sublease to a truck operator who stores pallets, and inside that, there is an ADU, like somebody lives in a trailer on that property because the person pulled up and we asked a few questions. So they're renting property along the rail line inside a gated community that we know nothing about, and it presents a safety issue for that family that lives there, but at the same time, the city has no records of this apartment, and there's a lot of those around town.

Thank you, Councilman.

We are in the hearing of citizens portion of this meeting, where each speaker will have five minutes to speak. When your name is called, please approach the podium and address the council members. The first speaker is Mr. Ali Fahmy.

Appearing.

Um, Alif Muhammad, good afternoon. Alif Muhammad, assalamu alaikum. Alif Muhammad, Core Towers. Alif Muhammad, the president of Alif Muhammad Nia School. I presented something to Carlos Gonzalez and I'm a Muslim, and I want to say what God say that when people help the needy. He said, helping the weak and the poor is considered the fundamental religious duty and the supplemental act of worship. Wealth is viewed as a trust from Allah, and sharing in less fortune is a mean of spiritual. That's Islam. In Christianity, I got. Christianity views help the weak and the poor as a fundamental mandate and a direct expression of faith. Scriptures teach that defending them, the magnanimity and the act of obedience, honor to God and the reflection of Christ. So that's the highest thing a person could do. More so than even giving is looking out for the poor. And that man did it. And I just want to thank Allah for him and may Allah bless him and his family. You know, I mean, I'm going to miss him. I was hoping he could do what Silver did, was stay out of town to stay on the phone. But I got my girl. Now, I want to talk about Delaney Hall real quick. I put up a thing and it says Delaney Hall had immigrants 2013 to 2017 in Newark, New Jersey. And none of y'all said nothing about it. None of y'all came, and none of y'all whatever. I remember, because everybody was hollering at Joey D. Nobody. And I want to say something about Delaney Hall. And I want to say it to Louise the most. Because you're mentoring the Monica. You're a mentor to her. And I am not getting into who's guilty, not guilty. Whatever happened, it broke my heart. Everybody, I tell you, my heart is broken. But I go back to when Adonisio was a congressperson. I go back when Rodino was the congressperson and Donald Payne couldn't beat him and we was a black town. He didn't get the job, Donald Payne Senior, until Rodino retired. But Donald Payne Junior held that office in such class and dignity. Such class and dignity. What Monica did, guilty, not guilty, whatever, don't make no difference. It was unacceptable, and her mentor should tell her that. Her behavior was unacceptable. And as a mentor, you're supposed to tell somebody when you're right. Now, Delaney Hall, when the police was locking up the mayor, I was wondering why his detail backed up. So I asked the cop. I said, why did they back up? He said, we're taught. that when the fares come in, we have to back up. We don't leave our detail, but we step back because it supersedes everything. You got lawyers here. The federal thing supersedes everything. You don't go down there and bust in a federal agency and say, this is what you want to do. You can't do it. What you do is you go to court, and then the court already ruled against you already in last July. So this is all political BS. It's a political BS. Now Pat, what I wanted to talk about was the security, but when you sat on the board with me, housing, my biggest issue, and everybody will tell you, is that I wanted the enforcement of security, especially for the housing authority. And you didn't fight with me. You told me that if you was been there on a council meeting, now remember now, you're on tape, and you were on transcripts. You said you wouldn't have voted for it. Then one time we had an argument, because Myrna and Kim was talking about something, and you said, well, call the police if you want security. And I went crazy on you. And the reason why I went crazy on you, because I said I got grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the housing authority. I got skin in the game. And I told you didn't have skin in the game. Remember the conversation? I said, because you live on Shea Avenue, and you share protection.

But now you're talking security because of building a channel.

How come you're not pushing it for the housing authority? The most low-income people. Now all of a sudden, you're jumping up on it. Now, if you don't change your mind, I'll bring in the text and the video, my brother. I don't play. You know that. That don't mean I don't still love you. But it should have learned you, out of 45,000 votes, only 1,500 people voted for you. That's a wake-up call. Wa alaykum as-salam.

Thank you for your comments. Next speaker.

Opal R. Wright.

Appearing.

Good afternoon, my name is Opala Wright. I reside at Vanderpool Street in Newark, New Jersey. I'm concerned with the implementation of Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Title VI, improvements to regulation of bank and savings association holding companies and depository institutions. Section 622, there's a concentration limitation on large financial firms. The Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 is amended by adding at the end the following. Concentration limits on large financial firms Limitation is subject to recommendations by counsel under Section E. The financial company may not merge or consolidate with, acquire, all or, substantially all of the assets of or otherwise acquire control of another company if the total consolidated liabilities of the acquiring financial company upon consummation of the transaction would exceed 10% of aggregate consolidated liabilities of all financial companies at the end of the calendar year preceding the transaction. There are exceptions in that section. And title Title VI, this is the improvement. There is the qualified theft lenders, section 624. It says that the Home Owners Act is amended by striking subparagraph A and inserting the following. In general, a savings association that fails to become or remains a qualified thrift lender shall immediately be subject to the restrictions under under subparagraph B, and the subparagraph B first clause by striking subclause three and inserting the following. Three, dividends. The Savings Association may not pay dividends except for dividends that would be permissible for a national bank. are necessary to meet obligations of a company that controls such savings association and are specifically approved by the comptroller of the currency and the board after a written request submitted to the comptroller of the currency of the board In section 628, credit card bank small business lending. It says that section 2C2F5, fifth clause of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 is amended by inserting Period before the following, it says the other than credit card loans that are made to businesses that meet the criteria for small business concern to be eligible for business loans. under regulations established by the Small Business Administration under Part 121 of Title 13, Code of Federal Regulations. There is in Title VII Wall Street transparency and accountability. There's the review of regulatory activities.

Thank you for your comments. Next, Councilman.

Mr. President, for the record, as we before, I don't want to interrupt the speakers, but on the resolution of the Home Harmless Agreement, it was a mistake because Mr. Santiago Paniagua is the organizer. The name of the entity it has incorporated is Centro Dominicano Americano of New Jersey. Madam Clerk, I wrote it down for you, and they're incorporated, so that's the name for the record. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman. Next speaker.

Lisa Mitchison-Parker.

Appearing.

Good afternoon, criminal cult that's running our government. Let me address all of you political prostitutes that denied me entrance to a senior fashion show stating this isn't a political event. You made it political using a city-sponsored event to promote your campaign. I'm a senior, I'm registered, and I had a ticket. How dare you? The same you did at the JFK to try to remove me and Gayle Cheney Field Jenkins. I've come to this podium for 20 years for the people. You political prostitutes have done nothing for the people but enrich yourselves. How dare you? In March, 400 residents joined the planning board meeting to oppose the 150 unit project by KS Group, and we know who they are, the political advisor to the mayor and Daniel Spiegel, to oppose it. That was voted against in March, right before the election, and come this past June, voted in favor of it. Going against the community. Again. Yet Roundtree and others voted in favor of the project. Let's talk about the donations from the KS group to influence the board and the voting that you do here for these developers. Baraka, $42,600. Bay, $5,200. Silver, $2,000. MacGyver, $2,500. Venice, $1,000. That's Silver's person on the school board. And Crump, $1,000. Roundtree, $200. You sell us out for $250. Eight prime properties in the Central Ward to the KS Group. Three properties in the East Ward. Roundtree is a council, a commissioner on the planning board, and sits on a tax committee. How is this not a conflict of interest when you voting on these things and giving perks and going against what the people want in the community? And every last one of y'all that got an appointment on that board. Land use was changed to accommodate developers, not the community. The point here is these same political prostitutes that come to our community for votes, KS Group never amended the RDA from 60 units to get approval from you for 150 units. Why didn't you bring them back to the table? You didn't represent our interests. How dare you? Lastly, Gonzales, I've known you for 20 years. God bless your retirement. Yet not one of those years did you legislate to help my community. You voted to raise our property taxes. Now you want taxpayers to foot the bill for your health insurance. The city is no longer in state health benefits. How are you using a state statute when you are self-insured. You have changed the insurance of these people more than 10 times, and the bargaining union said you're supposed to keep the people whole, not give them less than what they already had. And what about the people that work full-time that was minutes away from their 25 years? You laid off and they didn't get health benefits. How dare you? In all my years coming to this podium, it was always about the people. When I said the city was bankrupt and broke at 688 million compounded debt and deficit, that this administration saddled us in debt. It was Moody's credit rating to confirm the truth. Newarkers, change comes when you vote out these political prostitutes that lie, steal, and cheat for their seats that don't represent you. I don't expect an apology for the disrespect by this entire administration. I do expect the folks that voted for Donna Jackson fill these chambers going forward to support her in her efforts to hold all of these political prostitutes accountable, starting with our budget that none of y'all had that y'all introduced last month.

Thank you for your comments. Next speaker.

Rosalie Alfre.

Rosalie Ofre. Ms. Ofre, not appearing. Pablo. I'm sorry, hold on a second. Councilman Ramos.

I did review the concern that Ms. Ofre had, and I just want to thank the engineering department, because they reached out to us with a summary of the response to her concern. So I'll send it to the clerk so she can share it with the council.

Thank you, Councilman. Continue.

Pablo Oliveira.

Mr. Oliveira, I don't see him, not appearing.

Darnella Lee.

I know I saw her.

I thought I saw her today.

Darnella Lee, all right, not appearing.

Akira Bradley.

Appearing.

Not today.

Okay, no, no. Come on. It's all right. It's all right.

All right. Not today, bitch. I am.

So there's no talking back and forth. Ms. Montague. Wait, wait, wait. Hold up, Ms. Bradley. Ms. Bradley. No, Ms. Bradley, you look forward here. Deal with us. Ms. Montague, please do not call out anybody. Thank you.

I ain't calling nobody.

I didn't say you did. Let's just speak to me. Let's just speak to me.

It's a such thing as pushing buttons, right? You're not supposed to antagonize somebody that don't talk to you, right? You're not supposed to push buttons. Girl, I'm a civilian.

No, come on. We're not going to do this. Both of you, both of you, everybody take a breath, calm down. Let's finish the meeting without all. All right?

You got to give her a time back.

Let's go, Ms. Bradley.

Put her time back.

Go ahead, Ms. Bradley.

I'm coming.

It's okay. Shut up, I am. Not your business.

Ms. Black, too. No comment. Nobody needs to comment. Just nobody comment and let her speak. I will.

I'm trying to find my people. I will. Can we give her a chance? You know what, forget it.

Ms. Bradley, we'll start the time over. Are you sure? You can't, there's no going back. Okay, all right, well.

Felicia Austin Singleton.

Not appearing.

Lamont Vaughn.

Not appearing.

Deborah Salters.

Appearing.

I have a couple proposals I need to be copied and given to the... Sly, if you can... I'm going to speak in a minute. Make copy. All right, Deborah Salters, City of Newark. I have two proposals that I'm giving to the council. One is to reform the Newark City Council structure and compensation, and the other one is for term limits, but I'll get into all of that. Executive summary, this proposal recommends two structural reforms to improve accountability, reduce taxpayer costs, and strengthen neighborhood representation in Newark, New Jersey. One, reduce compensation for Newark City Council members through salary restructuring and tighter expense controls. Two, eliminate two at-large city council seats and transition toward a more district-focused representation model. The purpose of these reforms is to reduce unnecessary government spending, improve accountability between residents and elected officials, strengthen ward-based representation, modernize Newark's municipal governance structure, restore public confidence in local government. Background, Newark currently operates with a municipal council that includes one council president, five ward council members, four at-large council members. While the at-large system was originally intended to ensure city-wide representation, many residents believe it has instead created overlapping responsibilities, increased political patronage, higher taxpayer costs, reduced clarity regarding accountability, At the same time, council salaries and associated expenses have increased despite ongoing concerns regarding affordability, public safety, infrastructure, housing costs, and city services. Residents increasingly expect government to demonstrate fiscal discipline and prioritize essential services over administrative growth. Section one, council compensation reform proposal. Reduce the annual compensation of New York City council members by establishing a revised salary structure. Recommended salary structure, current salary, proposed salary, council president, the council board members and the at-large members would be reduced by 50%, as it is a part-time position. Now, I can keep going with this. And like I said, I'm going to pass out copies to you all. The point is, for reducing the council at-large seats from four to two, because over time, and it's been demonstrated that the work is only getting done by one and a half people on that council. So you have five aides per council person with a minimum salary of $55,000 each. You have the $95,000 salary of the council people up there, except for the president, who gets $105,000. Where is the productivity from all of this? When I've done the assessment over time, like I said, I've tried to get all four council people together, the at-larges, to come and do work in the city. And I'll stand there with them, and they'll be like, oh, well, just talk to Roundtree about it. If I've got to talk to Roundtree all the time, and she's the only one doing most of the work in the streets, why do we need four positions? That'll save us money, a grand total of $740,000 a year. Not to mention the vehicles and the gas that you all get, along with all the other perks. Because now we're talking about being in a fiscal deficit and all of these things. And then the people who are doing the work in the city aren't getting a livable wage salary. Meanwhile, you all are living off the fat of the land, many of you with two six-figure salaries. And now we're talking about giving Gonzales lifetime benefits. when our city workers don't have adequate benefits? They don't have adequate pay. Our DPW workers don't have adequate pay. So why are we paying four people when only two are getting the work done, or one and a half? So that's the purpose of wanting to restructure. And if you all choose not to move it forward, we will put an initiative on the November ballot to push this thing forward. Because if we're talking about Newarkers benefiting, Newarkers living, Newarkers being able to thrive and actually live here, then some changes need to be made. If they're not getting paid adequately, they don't have adequate health insurance, you're doing fire sales on property, which is ridiculous in the city, then this is a way to give back to the community. Stop wasting our money on doing nothing. And let's take those two positions and that $740,000 plus, because that was just the minimum of 55 per aid salary. Some of these aides are getting $70,000, right? And then when you look at the ones, LaMonica's aides, that kept their jobs the entire time she was gone. And then two of them got moved to another department. So we need to now make fiscally responsible decisions.

Thank you for your comments. Next speaker.

Monique Rodwell.

Monique Rodwell. Monique Rodwell. Not appearing.

Shirley A. Branch.

Shirley Branch, appearing.

Good afternoon, members of the chamber.

Ms. Branch, if you'd pull the microphone down so we can hear you. There you go. Thank you.

Okay, good afternoon. My name is Shirley Branch. I resign at 151 Quinton Street. This is simply tenant-landlord problem. Please hear me out. Sewer smell. Okay, what I wanted the landlord to do once I... Boy, it's so hard. When I recognized this odor was in my apartment, I just wanted him to locate exactly where the smell is coming from within the wall structure of the apartment or the basement. Okay, February 26th, the landlord crew, crew workers came in on the first floor. That apartment had been vacant for about five plus years and they came in to remodel it. Since March the first 26th, I'm experiencing a strong foul odor of a rotten egg that has been surfacing daily up in my second floor apartment through the radiator. The smell is equally strong in every room. It occurs at certain hours, which I was told to detect the odor, which is hard. It comes and goes in and out of the rooms. You never know when it comes, but it runs me out of my household. sometimes 7.15 in the morning, late at night 5.00 a.m. to 6.00 in the morning is overwhelming. I have to literally go outside, sit on my step 5.00 in the morning to run away from these elders. Now, in addition to this issue, two buildings down from me is a tenant at 177 Quitman Street. Apartment 3A, Mr. Terrace. He confided in me and spoke to me a couple months ago, and he had the same smell. I asked him, what did he do? He says, I went to the rental office, the site manager, explained the smell to her. They called the crew out. They found the problem less than two weeks. Case closed. They did nothing for me. Okay. This issue was spoken to the site manager of my problem. Her response was to me, maybe it'll go away. And nothing was done. The site manager made it to be known who should ever call in my behalf, the landlord is not going to do any repairs to my apartment. When the crew came in in my apartment just for regular repairs, The bathroom tub drain was installed incorrectly. I reported it to the contractor to send him there and no response. The bad tub doesn't work. The tub doesn't hold water. Okay, I reported a sewer smell to the municipal who can investigate and force the landlord to act. I'm trying to take steps here. I went to code enforcement. One of the inspectors, Mr. Shiggs, I believe that's his name if I'm not pronouncing it wrong, on April 23rd, 26th, he was assigned to my case to investigate, but a new supervisor assigned him to someone else while I was waiting for him to assist me. I had to wait 72 hours until someone else became available. Okay, next inspector, Ms. Brown. April 24, 26, at 10 AM, she came into my apartment. She states, I smell no odor. Well, the odor is not going to be like smoke of a fire. You're not going to come in and smell it like that. It comes and goes and in and out whenever it comes. She goes to the rental office and then later tells the rental people whatever. I wasn't present there with the rental person. She leaves and tells me, call the health department. Health department, April 27, went to 94 William Street. I was told that was for Moe and Mildew, those guys at that desk. They directed me to 110 William Street. They said, this is a clinic. You must go back to City Hall to water and sewer. No help. Okay, then I go back to code enforcement. Code enforcement told me to go to Councilman in Central Ward, which is Amina Bay. Okay, I haven't heard from NetAid in two months, from April 27th. I was told to go to, from the councilman, City Housing Authority. Okay, for what? I'm on a waiting list, I'm waiting. Also go to Housing Authority, 500 Broad.

Ms. Branch, I'm sorry, your time has expired, but what we can do is, if you stay here, somebody will come and speak to you about it, okay?

Thank you, Congress. Yes, my... All right. All right, I'm sorry for the delay. I have no information from Ms. Branch.

All right, thank you.

Marilyn Solow.

Appearing. Thank you.

Hello. Hi. I'm Marilyn Sowell, North resident, my entire life. I'm here today to share more of my unbelievable...

I'm sorry, I don't mean to interrupt you. Could you pull the mic up so we can hear you a little?

Thank you. I'm here to share more of my unbelievable, unfortunate situation. Let me start by saying I'm a firm believer of God. However, my family and I, life and destiny is being controlled by someone other than God, and no one seems to care. No one should be able to control my paycheck, my bank card, my hospital records, my stove, my washing machine, everything. I haven't cooked a turkey in nine years because of their control of my oven range. I'll never stop sharing my horrifying story at every meeting in hopes and prayer it will reach someone who cares. So, I'll take my horrific ordeal to every corner that holds a municipality structure with my bullhorn and tell my story every day. Cyberstalking is ruining my quality of life. I'm a sister, I'm a mother, I'm an aunt, I'm a grandmother, a registered voter, a taxpayer, and a citizen. Why it doesn't protect and serve applies to me. I can't make it through another winter with no heat. My sister might not make it out of the hospital the next hospital stay. Laws are made to protect people from harm. If the legislator hasn't done his part, legislation cannot be effective. I thank you for this platform until next meeting. Thank you.

Thank you for your comments. Next speaker.

Francis Nunez.

Francis Nunez. Not appearing. Francis, okay, appearing.

Good afternoon. Good afternoon. My name is Frances Nunez. I am the new director of advocacy and organizing for the Ironbound Community Corporation. I am also, however, a resident of the East Ward, the daughter of property owners in the West Ward, the mother of a Newark public school student, and a young professional working in the city. And I grew up here. NPS graduate, Science Park High School, Class of 2010. I credentialed myself in this way because I'm what you would all affectionately refer to as a stakeholder's stakeholder in the city of Newark. I am one of those voices that you can't quite dismiss because I have skin in the game and I'm deeply intentional because of it. I've worked housing campaigns across the tri-state area, education equity campaigns in my alma mater state of Connecticut, and immigrant justice campaigns right here in the state of New Jersey across the state. 14 years of community organizing experience is aligning with the 27 years of my life that I've called Newark, New Jersey home. And I'm here today to talk through a few concerns that point to a larger issue within our municipal leadership that I've identified and assessed in my first six months on the job at ICC. That is the following. Other municipal bodies that lead in this city are pointing fingers at you all. Like they're blaming you all for things that are well within their jurisdiction. Because this is such a powerful governing body within the city, they just wipe their hands and say that's not us. That's the city council. That's the ordinances that the city council are putting out. That's the leadership of the council, or lack thereof of leadership. They don't say it outright, but they imply it. And I have examples of this that I've seen repeatedly over the last six months, specifically in central planning and zoning board meetings, where residents are coming and advocating against developments, and they're getting voted through anyway. And literally, the lawyers on the opposing side, on the developer side, are saying, the city council is voting through ordinances that make all of this legal, and your job is just to approve the development. Literally, they're messing with the power of the people to advocate for themselves, and they're blaming you all. And I know that that's not the case, because again, 14 years of experience in community organizing will tell me that it's not y'all. That you all do have to put in an intended effort to shift this narrative, though. That is on you all. So my ask of this body... is to do what councils in the history of Newark has always done, which is work closely with the community members. Myself and other colleagues at the community level are more than willing to organize our neighbors and organizations members to the table to discuss necessary shifts in city ordinances and give you all proper community backing so you can stick up to private interests. I'm happy to do that. I'll speak and say that. I'm happy to organize people in that way. But please make no mistake. Myself and other colleagues at the community level are also more than willing to speak truth to power and to hold you all accountable if we discover that you'd rather serve these private interests than to serve the best interests of the public. And that is not for me to make any designations or have any opinions on whether or not that's the case. I'm just being clear about the fact that the community wants to work with you all to make sure that our needs are being met. And I know that since you all are elected leaders that you all want to listen to your constituencies to make sure that you're improving outcomes for Newark residents. and not lining the pockets of private interests. So none of you have easy jobs, but you do have responsibilities and duties to serve the people. Specifically related to housing, I will be in contact, I will organize your constituents to be in contact so that we can shift the language and shift this narrative and make it so that the planning and zoning boards are held accountable to the people that they are serving. They were appointed, not elected, but they were appointed by somebody who was elected, so they should have the people's best interests at heart. and I look forward in advance to working in collaboration with all of you, thank you.

Thank you for your comments. Councilman Ramos.

I don't typically interject when speakers are on the podium, but Mr. Nunez's point, that's what I mentioned at yesterday's meeting, because I read some of the articles regarding the planning board hearing that was held regarding this project at University Heights, And there were members of the planning board and also some of the attorneys representing the city that did state on the record that it was the city council's fault or responsibility because they adopted some of these ordinances. And I just want to make it clear that with the city's new zoning ordinance, that came from the administration. They had public hearings. The council eventually decided whether or not they wanted to support the changes to the zoning ordinance. I did not vote for it. I voted no. But there were enough members of the council that supported the changes. Regardless of that, I don't think it's fair for members of that body to blame the City Council for enacting laws that enable developers to get away with building with zero parking. I think there's multiple levels that are involved in presenting some of the changes that now the Planning and Zoning Board are guided by. So, you know, I just wanted to put that out there because she's correct. Some of these attorneys and even planning board members that are being put on by this administration are pointing the finger to this governing body solely to justify their actions. And I don't think that's fair.

Thank you, Council Member Ramos. Next speaker.

Latoya Jackson Tucker.

Appearing.

Good afternoon, Latoya Jackson Tucker, City of Newark. So I have watched over the last couple of weeks. I elected officials from here. I know you're part of the clergy, so no disrespect to anything that will come out my mouth. I try to say things as respectful as I possibly can, because not only are you our legislative body, but y'all are my elders. And I'm coming to you today as a mother, a registered voter, a person with skin in the game, somebody that definitely is disappointed with seeing all of our elected officials and even one of our former elected officials being in court right now for what went on at Delaney Hall. I have been in front of you several times talking about other facilities within Newark, the Exeter County Jail, and also Northern State, because I had a son and a husband that dwelled in all of that dysfunction and chaos, yet we won't say anything. So today, my plea for you all is to um think about us because we we voted a bunch of black and brown people to legislate things for us and there's a lot of things that y'all cannot do so i want to know what you can do like what can you do to make the circumstances for our young black and brown boys that's incarcerated in the county and within the state i've seen mikey cheryl and the proud boys come to north to escalate issues for immigrants. And I'm unapologetic when I say immigrants, because I was born and raised here. I've been through different administrations. I can remember the Gibson administration, Keep North Clean, Sharp James. Cory Booker, now Mayor Baraka. And I need y'all to fight for people like me. I've been talking for a few years about the things that my concern, Reviticism. Our returning citizens coming back here, reentry. I've been telling y'all this stuff is BS. I've been watching y'all play in my face. And thousands of other concerned mothers that don't yet have a voice. And I want to know what could y'all do? Because there's a lot of things that y'all cannot do because of policy and your hands being tied. But what could you do? Because at any given time, we rallied for Mayor Baraka. We was down there protesting. My husband from jail said, go ahead, sister soldier, go down there for your mayor. And the same exact thing that they can do to my son with himself sitting in the county with all of his charges dropped, with them putting on a record that his mother was a city employee. And we know the city will not hire me because some things will have to change. What can y'all do? Because I'm like, I won't shut up. I have positioned myself to be able to continue to speak. I need to know what can y'all do? What can y'all do for the countless black and brown young men that are being emasculated every day on a county level by our own North Police? on a state level, what can y'all do? That is my question. I got one minute, 20 seconds, seconds. I'm going to keep saying, what can y'all do? What can y'all do for a citizen that supports y'all? Somebody that every time she comes to the mic, understand policy, understand all of this stuff from my eyes. What can y'all do? What will y'all do? What will y'all do to begin to change some of this stuff? Our young men, it's like my son and stuff. I got skin in the game and stuff. It's important to me. Our children come home to us emasculated with mental health problems. Rutgers, UMDMJ, Robin Wood Johnson, everybody is controlling everything on so many different levels. They giving money. They taking it. They making y'all operate the way that they want y'all to. But what? can y'all do in these elected seats? What will y'all do for our children that we still continue to see being emasculated every day, day after day, across this United States of America? Mikey Sherrill and Joe D., what would y'all do? LaMonica, you got a baby in your stomach. I don't know if it's a boy or a girl. What will you do? For this stuff to be able to stop. For them to stop playing in our faces. What would y'all do? What are y'all willing to do? Because I'm willing to do whatever it takes for my community and my children because I have skin in the game. My family is in these places. But what will y'all do and what could y'all do? The people that believe in God, fear God and not these people. What y'all going to do?

Thank you for your comments. Next speaker.

Sheila Montague.

Appearing.

Recently, I saw a young lady trying to commit suicide on the bridge by Bergen Street, I believe. And I came up to start with this one quote. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Good evening, council president, members of the city council, and residents of Newark. Regardless to the hateful atmosphere that has been created over a period of a decade, we're going to stay focused. We're going to move forward, and anybody who continues to be disrespectful and act like I cannot lift my voice. As a 25-year educator on issues here, we will see you in court. And that's for each and everybody. I've started my process to law, and that's how we're going to move forward in that vein. But to keep it back to these kids, where I always started from, I stand before you tonight not simply as a former mayoral candidate, but as a Newark educator, mentor, advocate, coach, professor, district leader, block association president, and lifelong servant of 54 years of this city. For more than 25 years, I've dedicated my life to helping young people succeed. I have taught in classrooms, coached on basketball courts, packed, mentored students, worked with families, advocated for children, and spent decades to solve the very problems we discuss here at this podium. That is why I submitted a formal proposal to the city of Newark through my organization, Changing the Lens Education consultant services. I emailed the proposal, delivered a hard copy to the mayor's office, and respectfully requested consideration. To date, I have heard no response. Tonight, I am asking that this governing body help to change that. Changing the lens was created to address some of the most pressing challenges facing Newark families. Literacy gaps, youth violence conflict resolution, which is desperately needed, mentorship, leadership development, parent engagement, emotional wellness, and educational advocacy. The proposal includes youth leadership programming, literacy initiatives, violence prevention strategies, restorative justice practices, mentorship opportunities, civic engagement, Family support and intergenerational programming that connects our youth with community leaders. Elders, I'm sorry. Those are not theoretical ideas. These are practical solutions developed from decades of experience that I have working directly with Newark children and families and having success. Every day we hear conversations about public safety, violence, student achievement, and youth engagement. My question is simple. If we know that these are the problems, why are we not investing more aggressively into people and programs working to solve them? The case that was just shared before me, this is not a lone case. This is ongoing. The funding I requested is not for me. It is for Newark's youth, mentorship, literacy, leadership development, violence prevention, and helping young people see possibilities beyond the circumstances that they currently face. The city of Newark has countless talented residents here with ideas, expertise, and solutions. I am asking that local organizations and local talent receive meaningful opportunities to partner with this city in improving outcomes to our residents. I'm not asking for any special or preferential treatment. I'm asking for fair consideration. I am asking for a conversation. I'm asking for an opportunity to demonstrate that this program can do for Newark's children and families. And before I close, I want to say something to a broader Newark. A healthy democracy depends on citizens who are willing to participate. Whether someone runs for office, advocates for a cause, speaks at a council meeting, or challenges the status quo, they should never feel punished for participating in public life. We should encourage civic engagement, not discourage it. If you see somebody doing wrong, you say something. I should not ever have to come down here and defend myself, but I will. We should welcome different voices, not silence them. We should create an environment together where residents can serve their city without a fear of retaliation, intimidation, or any kind of exclusion. My hope is that Newark continues moving toward that standard because I do believe that some of you are trying, and I believe it's challenging, and we want to keep pushing forward. I remain ready, willing, and able to partner with this city and serve its residents because together we can change the lens, and if we do that, we can change the world. Thank you.

Thank you for your comments. Next speaker.

Yolanda Johnson.

Ms. Johnson's appearing.

Good afternoon, Yolanda Johnson.

Good afternoon.

Voting rights of 1965 afforded foundational black Americans the right to vote. But I'd like to add that it wasn't just about voting. It was about representation. Since speaker after speaker after speaker has come up here, I have heard that word representation. Now, Ms. Bay, you might have gotten their numbers for them, but we're expecting you to advocate for us in those rooms where you know that the average person that's working in the city of Newark do not make $8,000 or $80,000 to $90,000 a year annually. So we're expecting each and every last one of you all to advocate for us that's making $25,000 or $15,000 a year, because we can't afford $2,000 to $3,000 for rent, especially in areas where we got to peek outside our door before we leave out. I didn't come to talk about that, but I can't keep hearing. and that's what the voting rights was about. It was about representation. It can't be about self-serving or y'all wanting to get in office or serving your friends or serving your family members, but the rest of us out here need representation. We do. Now I can talk about what I came here to talk about, because that includes representation, PAC Council, and your ward. I don't live in the South Ward, but I've been to the South Ward. And I'm trying to figure out that they keep saying that crime is down. I don't know if I can believe the numbers to that, because each and every time that I have helped somebody there, and me from last year, experiencing on my own, going and trying to file a missing person report and being denied the right. And recently, just two weeks ago, being denied the right to file even a police report. Now, let me understand something here. filing a police report requires, it's our right to be able to document what we believe to be a crime. But being told that we can't file a police report is absurd. Now, I know that this mayor is having, and they're having this meeting tonight, but I want to have a sit down with the captain or whoever at that fifth precinct. Now, I don't know if it's happening in all of the wards, but that South ward, I want to sit down and have a talk with somebody. Because let me tell you something, Martin Luther King said, an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. So we're going to be reporting stuff. We don't even know what the crime is really down because we don't even know how How many people have been turned away from filing a police report? Now, I had to step outside of Newark and go get the FBI to step in to help me because I couldn't file a missing person report on my grandchild who I had custody of. That's a shame. It's a shame. And Councilman Silver not here, but Councilman Silver always representing his war. He is the only one outside of, I don't know, Anebo, but everybody else, I want to just talk to the foundational black Americans. We got people down there, and y'all got this Delaney Hall on this thing, but let me tell you something. I know all of y'all heard about what's happening at that Green Monster, what they call it. I know you know that right now, including my husband, sitting in there for just walking down the street. You understand? We got people in there. They've been sitting there almost 60 days, and I can't know nothing that's going on because they won't answer the phone. You can't go down there to visit because you got the crazy people down there outside of the people that's really actually down there advocating for what's actually happening to them down there. But we got stuff that's happening over there at that Grand Master. Way before, way before the ICE took over that, way before, because Delaney Hall, our people was there first. It was a halfway house for our people, and they still was being treated wrong. Now, don't sit up here and act like, and I'm not talking to Latinos. I'm talking to the foundational blacks. Because don't sit up here and act like y'all don't know about the 13th Amendment, right? The clause, the... What's that called? It's a clause in there that says that once you become incarcerated, right, you become a slave. So let's not pretend that we got some police officers out there that don't care that notice clause, right, that's sending out black and brown brothers to jail just because they're in authority, just because they got a badge on them. So we gotta look into those things too. And I know, Councilman, you said that you was gonna look into that. but we need that right now.

Thank you for your comments. Next speaker.

Humberto Garcia.

Humberto Garcia. Oh, right there. Okay. Appearing.

Louis. And I'm Eva, my councilman. I want to ask a question with Quintana. The number Louis Quintana dropped Almost 5,000. I want to know if the mayor is responsible or all councilmen responsible with the number. Aniba, you still had the same number four years ago. But I vote for you in Lewis, Quintana. My energy, the energy was down. If we was Donna Jackson, put me hot, and energy, I never vote to Newark. I never. My energy was very down. And thank God Donna Jackson promote The corruption in Newark. And enough is enough. Let me ask you a question. I want to know if Louis Quintana responds. Who responsible you dropped? Almost 5,000, 6,000. 2018, you got 17,000. 2022, you had almost 13,000 votes. Why you dropped down? I grateful for you, but I had low energy. But I love you. I still love you. I still love Aniba. I call him the pretty boy in Newark. And you are... You know, I vote for Aniba and Louis because you had great staff. If you never had great staff, at least 75% of Louis and Donna had great staff. Aniba has fantastic staff. Give me energy. And also, Donna put me hot. because Donna did the work, the corruption in Newark. Carlito, I love you so much, but it's enough, it's enough, the corruption. Also, the rent in Newark going $2,500 to $3,000. You cannot blame the Republican or the Democrat. You're responsible to lower the rent in Newark. I want to ask Louis why you dropped the number. Why? It was the mayor or the councilman not doing the work? I want to respond now, because you have to be honest to the people, because the people need to know why you dropped. Because you was the Coca-Cola. You always had the perfect number. You beat the mayor. The mayor of Newark, four years ago, you had the most votes, the mayor. Why did you drop so low? And I want to know why. Carlito, por favor. Luis, I want you to respond right now. If you have the destiny and the heart, I want you to respond right now.

I wanted you to respond right now.

No, who was responsible? Who?

Mr. Garcia, are you finished with your comments?

No. I wanted Louis to respond.

Mr. Garcia, when you finish with your comments, when you finish with your comments, then he'll address your question, okay?

You know, I love you so much every day. counseling, but you're not, you're acting to the people that rank so high. You don't care about poor people. You care for the rich people coming to Newark to destroy the poor people and our rent going higher and higher, almost 3,000. Louis, I love you so much. I know you, Mom, for many years, and you break my heart. The number I want to know right now, you respond. why you dropped almost 5,000 to 6,000 votes. I want to be honest. I'm not scared, because I learned to have, I watch TV, Republican, Democrat, and I learned about life. And I want to know your response. I'm finished.

All right, thank you for your comments. Councilman Natale.

Berto, what happens in elections, right? You have 19 people running at large, right? So the votes go different route. So that is the part of democracy. In the previous election, there was only four people running. Previous to that, In 1990, I ran, I lost by 78 absentee ballots. There were 20-some people running that year. It was competitive. The more people run, the more competitive the race and the election, whether it be at large, whether it be in the ward. Numbers do change because you had 19 candidates. Some of us were on a team, some of us were not on a team. So what happens is the numbers change, but the turnout is what determines the election. So you drop as the many candidates that are in the race. So that's what occurs. In previous elections, there was 12, maybe 10 people, so the numbers are out different. So when you have 19 candidates at large, It is not a popularity contest. It's a who gets to what board. There's five boards. You've got to get elected to five boards. But answering to you, numbers do not drop. You've got to look at the percentage of what the turnout was. And you got to look at what the results were. So in every election, there's always changes, whether you're up or down. But I just want to say, hey, listen, citizens, have you ever been an opportunity? And I'm still here. And I want to thank you for that. You and your family. Thank you. All right. Thank you for your comments. Next speaker.

Shaquille Moore.

Mr. Moore, not appearing.

Donna Jackson.

Good morning. Good midnight. Last official. Oh, no, I ain't going to say that. Because if it get crazy, I'm coming right back down here.

Living conditions.

I know code enforcement is going hard after these businesses. But that need to be suspended. Because people are living in hell. And nothing is being done to these landlords. Not nothing. We are allowing people to live with mold, mildew, rats, mice, roaches, and y'all are killing them. You know what rat feces, rat urine does to a person? Do you know what roaches crawling, leaving? Do y'all understand the health and the damage we're doing to people that's irreparable? When we closed down reservoir apartments, do you understand that in that complex, there were nine black women with pacemakers that were not 50 years old? Yeah, ain't no wow. Y'all know this. took the developer to court, the owner to court, and did nothing. I sat there when we sold out to Georgia King Village. Oh, we believe they're gonna fix the rest of the units, and okay, we'll dismiss the case. Ain't do one thing in them townhouses, one thing. We have nobody qualified in this city in uniform construction code, nobody. And I'm not saying that you're lying, but I'm telling you 90% of what's being built in this city right now don't have the proper permits in place. And you don't have nobody out there checking because when it rains, it gets on that wood and then they come and they put the shingles and insulation on there. Thank you Ali, just looking at you made me remember that. On this wood with no drying out process. Y'all putting people in death traps because we not watching. The rooms you building are so small. All these people that think they want to live downtown, have at it. You better get four twin beds because you ain't putting no full queen or king bed in none of them rooms downtown. Unless you're going to shack on the penthouse. Affordable housing. I really don't want to fight y'all, but y'all better learn. Yeah, it is a federal, but dang it, the rest of it is set by the city. How they came in here and told y'all to make it 89.5? So stop saying it, because it's not true. We learned a little lingo, okay. The affordable housing in North, set by the city of North, 89.5 to 120. Me and Felicia battled that for five years. We just came to an agreement. Wasn't never no big battle, but I needed her to understand that, that the mayor was lying and not building this for us. And y'all keep letting it go. Still 400 people a day up in landlord tenure court. Y'all not doing nothing.

Nothing. Nothing.

But she worried about Delaney Hall while the Green Monster, a.k.a. Essex County Jail, been on lockdown for five and a half months, said nothing. The young man died in Delaney Hall, and y'all, Team Baraka, had a press conference for that young man with nothing for the brother that died from an asthma attack inside the jail 48 hours later. This is going to stop. I don't think y'all ready for me to be up here. So give me a seat right next to Kenyatta. I'll sit down here. I don't got no problem because I'm not playing this game. This budget better get together, and it better get together soon. Some layoffs done went out. Y'all ain't gonna play this game, I'm telling you. The guys that's working for the city under some kind of roofing program, they've been working since May 10th, and they ain't been paid? Y'all better straighten it out, because I'll file a federal complaint for them with the Department of Wage and Hour. Let me tell you employees something. I'm sick of y'all sitting back being quiet when your unions don't represent you. Get up, get together, and sue the city. It's called the Perth Complaint. Anybody that's a per diem employee for the city of North right now that does not have payments in the pension system, sue them. The state law says if you work more than 10 hours a week, you ought to be paid into a pension. All you DPW workers, all you clerks, all of y'all out there, Raz, I want the job. You got the job. You supposed to have a pension. Y'all better fix this, because there's a storm coming on July 1st. I don't need New Jersey PAC. Donna going to be outside.

Thank you for your comments. Next speaker.

George Tillman, Jr. Not appearing. Rodney Davis.

Before you start that clock, Council President, I just got to take a breath. Can you stop and give me a start all over? I told her I got to give her two weeks. I can't wait for the next two weeks, July 1st, to come in here. Carlos, Godspeed to you and your family. May God bless you and your family. Asani, I don't know if you're still here, but you're the most important person in the room. Because the kids over there, you've got people that are not teaching black history in the American history class. We need to know. They're trying to take from black people whole civil rights structure. They don't teach in the schools no more. And the reason why, because those teachers don't really know. They're only 30 years old. What do they know? You ain't born until you turn 40. So, Hassani, I'm wishing you luck that you could do something with teaching. Black history. They don't know everything that black people went through in this country.

They don't have no idea.

Now, down there to the homeless shelter, Catholic Charities, I actually was on that project. And I think you should do the name change. But who want to be associated to the city of Newark? Y'all broke. Y'all ain't got no money. They probably said we can get more funding for the project if we go on our own. So cut them off, you know. And all the biters, you know, they posting this stuff. I wouldn't even worry about nobody posting no stuff. I just heard Donna speak. I don't need to hear you post it on your page, you know, using pieces of bits of other hip hop hits. Put my tape on pause and add some more to yours. And then you fake it. Get ready for the neighborhood awards. Come on, we don't need all that, man. Delaney Hall, who gives about Delaney Hall? Like that Sister Johnson said over there. Let's talk about the green monster, the state facilities. Talk about that. I was all for keeping Delaney Hall, too. They don't lock so many black people up in the country. I was like, you know, who cares? But now that I did my research, I found out that they don't pay no taxes over there. You a bona fide lawyer, Crump. They don't pay no taxes. They skip to their loo. The GO got a tax abatement because they did a federal lease. And I got to ask my man the BA over there, do they pay a fee like all other businesses in the city of Newark pay a fee? You got to pay a fee to have a liquor license and all these other licenses in the city of Newark. They don't pay no fee. What's the holdup? Were you scared to go down there and shut them down? Go back down there again. Get locked up again. At least we know you're with us. You know what I mean? And the Berger organization, that's what I've been telling you about. Lou for the last couple times a couple meetings coming down here if they do anything a hundred percent affordable I'm with it anything a hundred percent affordable So people could have a place to stay I'm all for it. It's course is gonna be a couple of things going on because Nobody don't do a hundred percent affordable tax abatement. The tax abatement should be history You know something we used to do Change with the times, you know get hip But being that they're doing 100% affordable, let's keep more affordable, make your adjustments, keep moving forward. And Larry Crump, you know, to the victor go the spoilers. Quintana, you the highest vote getter, and with the victor goes the spoils, you know? Congratulations on that. You the highest voter. I told, I asked you Larry about the camera, man. When Montague came up to speak, people need to see her face. That lady Johnson had so much passion when she was delivering her message. Citizens want to see their face. Y'all come up with this thing where y'all show the back of people's head, you know, and all that. I asked you about it. And that translates the votes going to you. And that's why Quintana, the highest vote getter, because he always with the people. You got about 200,000 people who didn't vote. That's who I'm talking to and not the groupies. You know what I mean? People want to see Johnny Jackson's face when she get up here and tell her like it is. You know what I mean? She said she ain't even going in there to NJPAC. So what? Big deal. She's going to be standing outside, you know? And I know how y'all move the mobile thing around. I wish you'd take it back over there with Pat in the South Ward back to South Border. That's so cool. You go to the hot spots and all that. What about the working class? They got some problems too, you know? In housing, I want to know something about the housing authority. We want in on everything the housing will do. You're selling a $5 pack of cigarettes, we want in. You're giving out some water, we want in. Now the housing authority, oh boy, I like the young kid down there. He never built a dog house, but I like the young kid down there. He want to hide behind the federal mountains. That's his business. We still don't know what's going on. He done skipped to his Louie and moved down to 570 Broad. So I don't know if he sold the building down there. I don't know if he's leasing it out. I don't know what he doing. But we need to know the city of Newark. Quintana, can you get him down here? We need to know what the curriculum is in the school system forthwith that you're teaching black kids black history in American history class. We need to know what the housing authority doing. This type of letter's got to go out. Thank you for your comments. Thank you for your comments. Next speaker, please.

Next speaker.

Darren Parrick.

How you doing?

Darren Parrick, not appearing.

Miriam Bay.

Did I see Miss Bay? Yeah, she's appearing.

Excuse me, I have some documents that I want to give to the council. Who will give them? Sylvester. Yeah. That will go to the council members. Yes. OK. My name is Marion Bay. And I am a Newark resident. And I'm here today to talk about the issues that we have with housing, with senior citizens. And this is an ongoing issue. Now, I live in the city of Newark, but I work in the city of Newark. And the reason why I'm coming down here again is because the clients that come to see me They're homeless. I have this young lady here who has some very serious problems, nor cannot help her. Okay? And I want to know why. And she's been trying to get a job. It's not like she's sitting down not doing anything. So she is working on getting employment. But the brothers and sisters, and I refer to everybody as brothers and sisters, black, white, Latino, those who are trying to get housing, they're having some serious issues. And now I'm having some issues, knowing that I cannot help them the way that they should be helped because of these issues that we have with housing. And then I also have an issue with one of the... Did I write it down? Yeah, urban renewal. Urban renewal, I came here, I think it was last year, and mentioned that I had clients who were incarcerated, and they were being threatened if they complained about the conditions, they would be sent back to prison. So I'm trying to understand with these shelters, and a lot of brothers that are in these shelters, we have some bad shelters here. And this has been going on for years. So what I'm saying to you is nothing new. But we need to start doing something about these shelters. You know, because we have, with the brothers that I work with, many of them who are in these shelters, it's not good for me. And see, and what happens is that it makes them want to do something that they shouldn't do to send them back. So it's all a part of the plan. Like 50 Cent says, it's all a part of the game. of what they're doing, okay? And so I'm tired of it. I really am. And the other thing that I wanted to talk about is I worked at Delaney Hall for six years. I'm very familiar with Delaney Hall. The city didn't come down when there was issues at Delaney Hall. When there was issues at Delaney Hall, I took care of them, you know? Food issues. You know, heating issues, any issues that the brothers had and the sisters, if they came to me, I addressed them, okay? But at Essex County Correctional Facility, because I worked there too, they got some issues and they've been had issues. So we need to be doing something about them. Okay? I worked in every facility here in the city of Newark. Kentock, all the halfway houses. So I know that when these brothers and sisters are coming home, they need to come home where they're going to be getting the services that they need so they don't be going back to what they were doing before. If they was doing it before. Because a lot of these brothers and sisters were innocent. Okay? So we have to address that. And this young lady need to address and help her Because she's going through something. She lives in either the Central Ward or the East Ward. And everyone that is going through stuff, it also becomes a mental health issue, too. Because they need to have someone to talk to them to understand what they're going through. Yesterday, I talked to a sister. I haven't talked to her for a year. But she told me that with everything that she was going through, that because of the discussion that I had with her, it saved her for a year because of the counseling. That's why when I have clients come to me, I don't be sitting down with them for five minutes. I want to know what they're actually going through so I can help them. And then the other document that I gave that has to be... printed out for you all to see, is dealing with the pension. And I want to know why that information was not given to me when I started here 12 years ago. Now, I sent the information to the state, and the state said to get in contact with human resources, which I went to human resources, and I gave them the information. But see, I work for the people. And I ain't changing. And we have to get better with what's happening. Thank you.

Thank you for your comments. Next speaker.

Reginald Tucker.

Reginald Turner. Reginald Turner. Oh, that's you? All right. There we go. Go ahead, Mr. Turner.

Afternoon, everybody.

Afternoon.

My situation is pertaining to the- Do me a favor.

I'm sorry, Mr. Turner. Put the mic up so we can hear you. Thank you.

This situation is dealing with the scamming of the benefits of EBT. This is my second time here. 320 University Avenue. The first time I went, they like pulled through the computer, they pulled it sideways and let me see how it works. And every time the card is used, it showed every store. So when I brought it to their attention, I said, well, if it's short of restore, that must show who scammed the card. So we're like, no, it won't show here. So this is the second time that she gives me a paper with three stages to go through. Username. Password and some questions. I sat 30 minutes answering the questions. The questions was one plus one, two plus two. It was like simple math. But I think it's designed to deal for the patience of the person. I sat there 30 minutes. Due to not having patience for it, it kept the car from locking. Now they still have access to get in the car. I personally asked for a investigation down at 3.20. For the simple fact, because the lady said, well, you didn't lock your card. Instead, it asked me, did you lock your card? And it's like, how do you know I didn't lock my card? That's what gives me the, you know, I'm a very good listener. So that's what made me think. Like, I mean, and it's like, so when I locked it this time, and it's like, I sat there and I observed the names on the board. And when it came to my name to see the same assistant, she had somebody else to replace her. Because I was going to get her name. Because I personally have a strong feel. I could be right and I could be wrong. But my point is this. I would ask for investigation down there. Because this is like the second time it happened to me. And I like to address all sorts of 1060 Broad Street where I live for a very thorough investigation with the management and as far as the office workers. Because I personally went into the manager office and asked her, can I move from a studio to apartment? She said, no, it's against the lease. But she don't know, two months ago, I already know they moved somebody. So I dig a little deeper, for residents that's been there for years, they're charging $500 just to move people. I don't know which manager it is, but this is facts. Because the person had been there for years, And the system, and it's like it's designed racist. I get along with any people, all people. I'm not a racist person at all. Because I had jobs. I was managers. I did my thing in the work field. But getting back to the point, you know, it's like it's more Hispanic down there. I see like two black women in office. And it's like it's always a cover with something. You got Hispanic manager that takes his dog in the back to poop, where they tell everybody, the seniors, to go back to eat, I mean, back to smoke. They get chased from back there also, but this is the manager of maintenance. He takes his dog back there to do whatever he do and doesn't clean up. Dinner in the front, I'm acknowledging this. They make the black people go inside. I watched this with my own eyes. He's a Hispanic supervisor of the security. And he comes out and looks. He makes the other security workers go tell him to go in. But when the Latinos was out there, they don't say nothing. I've seen it with my own eyes. So I just ask, man, I mean, they need to change some pieces in there because I think it's very unfair. That's the way I lay my head in. I put a lot of slave labor in a lot of these warehouses that help them make millions of dollars because I'm a thorough worker. You can check my background if necessary. But my point is this. I'm retired. Every penny I make, I want back. You know? And it's just that I come respectful every time. But it's like, I compete game. I'm from the streets, though. I'm a street dude. You know, I just turned 64, and I've been in the streets like since I was 19. There's nothing I don't see. I can read things. I can read stuff. But my point is this, though. I just ask to be investigated or changed some people because it's very racist over there. It's not fair. So that, you know, basically that's all I got. That's all I ask of you. Thank you for listening.

Thank you. Thank you for your comments.

Council President, Council Members, that concludes the hearing of citizens.

All right, before we get to any motions, does the council have anything to respond to? Yes. All right, not motions now. No. Not motions.

Not doing motions.

Nothing, anybody? All right, councilwoman has something to say, it's not a motion.

Yes, I do, because it's comments, not motions, I know. I do want to address the Delaney Hall and the Estes County Correctional, I have not worked in any of them, but I have visited all of them over the years to address the concerns of delivering things to those who were incarcerated, halfway houses with the women. It's not public knowledge, but the people who allowed us to come in with the ministries to provide services for them. I said it yesterday when someone said something about Delaney Hall. I've been actually going down there for quite some years. It's not on social media. Of course, they caught me a couple of weeks ago, and I was actually trying to get away from the cameras just to pray. But in reference to going down there for the things that are going on, not just in Delaney Hall when it was a halfway house of the state, I'm trying to just discuss, made it illegal for government to even become involved. That's why the county is no longer involved with oversight or control of Delaney Hall, which has made it difficult for us to do legitimately what we do. In reference to Essex County Correctional Facility, been there too. And what I'm in the process of doing as this meeting is going on is I've spoke to the oversight committee because they have one to be able to enter in. I get complaints, just as some of you out there that are advocates for mothers. I know about the non-visitation. I know that while Delaney Hall was going through what they were going through. So within the next, well, I'm waiting on a date, so I don't want to put it out there. But we are going to go in. I've spoke to some individuals, and the oversight committee will be allowing us to enter so we can go in and deal with these issues that I know are legitimate issues. I've heard other people from the community talk about the Essex County Correctional Center so we can't talk about one without dealing with the other and they're right next door to each other. But having access to what they call the green monster is a lot more workable, I should say, than dealing with the issues at Delaney Hall. I don't care where nobody is and what they have to pay a price for what they do, their consequences. You can pick your sin, but you can't pick your consequence. But that does not mean that they should be molded food, that they should be mistreated, they should be, I mean, dignity. Some people are acting as they act because of how we treat them. You know, you don't know what showing person concern and compassion on the other side, how it might affect them. So just for those who were concerned about the interest in these places, I didn't just drop out. Some people are more vocal than others when it comes to going to these facilities and making it known to the public. But from being behind the scenes, seeing some things and having conversations, so now I'm just making it public that I will be going back down there again. I won't go alone. and I've reached out to the oversight committee to get access, and the mothers that have given me legitimate, well, I'll know they're legitimate when I get in, to deal with what is going on with their children, their husbands, and their sons. Thank you very much, Council President.

Thank you, Councilwoman. Anything else before we, go ahead. So, Councilman, Council, or did you have something, Councilman? Okay, I'm sorry.