Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. On behalf of the Patterson Municipal Council, I welcome you to the special meeting of March 25th at 5:00 p.m. The meeting is now called to order. Madame Clerk, can you please call the role and read the 48 hour notice? Yes, Council President. Roll call for the special virtual meeting of March 25th, 2026. Councilwoman um I'm sorry I don't have my list with me. I'm sorry. You don't know the name? Councilwoman Cotton here. I'm trying to get them in alphabetical order. Councilwoman Cotton. Um Councilman Councilwoman Dava.

Where is it? Thank you. Councilman Jackson's not here. Councilman Khalik. President. Okay. Councilman um Mendes. Councilman Omar. Councilman uh I'm sorry. Councilman Vez Council. Councilman Uden. Councilman Uden. He's not here. and Councilman Vez and Council Council President Councilman Omar is on as well, Madame Clerk. And he's on. Okay,

I'm Thank you. Okay, so we have 1 2 3 4 5 6 seven are uh six are present and there are two three absent at this time. One, two. Cler, can you please read the 48 hour notice?

48 hour notice. Meeting covered by 48 hour notice. Notice of the time, date, location, and agenda of this meeting was transmitted to the North Jersey Herald, the record, the Arabic voice, the Italian voice, the Vay County Post, Dominican News, Laaske International, Ellispiel, the Patterson Press, the City Post News, Tap Inter Patterson, The Weekly, Bangla, Patrika, in addition to any other publication duly requesting such notices at or about 11:00 a.m. on March 25th. Such uh notices were posted on about March 20th. I'm sorry. Such notices were posted on the bulletin board in the offices of the city clerk at city hall.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Clerk. To the public, um for those that want to participate at the time of our public portion, please call into 973 3211579. Meeting ID 8326 star 3 to add to be added to the speaker queue. Once again, 973 3211579. Meeting ID 8326. Press star three to be added to the speaker's queue. Madame clerk, item number one. Item number one. Shall I read all of them? No, we'll go one by one. Okay. I Okay. Since it's a special meeting, I thought I should read them all. No, one by one. We'll take them and they'll be read at that time.

Okay. Resolution number one is a resolution authorizing an award of contractor Clark Kaitton Hints PC for consulting services for the Ivanho Millhouse building reuse study for the department of economic development economic development resolution number 26146. Formal action will be taken. So moved by council, second by council woman Davala. Roll call on item number one. Madam clerk um discussion please. Discussion. I have no idea what this is for. What is it for? I see Mr. Washington is here. Um, Mr. Ba, he's going to be speaking to the items. Mr. Ba.

Uh, thank you, Council President. Um, the Ivon Wheelhouse is a a historic structure uh right within the Great Falls footprint. Um, and this is a project um um this is a feasibility study um um that Mr. our committee is undertaking to see what the potential future uses of this building could be, how it could be restored and so forth. Thank you. So, it's a feasibility study. Roll call. Madam clerk, council president.

Sorry, Council President. Councilman Yud was in here asking me a question. Uh um um Mr. Ba, I understand that this is a historical site. Um, and so now this company that we hiring is trying to figure out what we should do with it because last time it was actually used by the community, like the artists in the community.

So, so the goal, the objective to the company is to give us a buffet menu of what what what is possible with this building, how much it could cost, you know, from from the the the the best possible use to to to to limited use. They're going to give us all the different possibilities based on their structural assessment and the dollars that we have available. So we'll share that report when it comes in and then we'll decide as a as a as a city what the best use and possibility for that building is. Council President. Thank you Council Member Velas.

Uh thank you council president to the chair u Mr. Ba or Mr. um Washington. Anybody could answer this question. Can you look at the record? Um I believe in 2019 um I believe we had the same discussion regarding this building. This is the little one building next to the Burger King site, right? Correct. Yes. Okay. I believe under I I believe Hold on. Uh

please go on uh mute please, council members. So, so I think we had this similar discussion way back. I don't know Ruby recall uh 2018, 2019. I believe uh Ruben Gomez was uh or Mike Pow was the one director and we had this conversation of the utilizing this building and I believe the people that was there was the uh the art people um and and we have a conversation and I I I believe I don't know we did a a study on it. So, can you look into the record before? You know, I know we had to move forward today, but uh we want to make sure it matched with the last uh study that we did uh regarding the uh property because I recall way back there was trying to sell this property. Okay. And uh we got into question why and then everything stopped. But um hopefully this study is not for a recommendation to get rid of it. We cannot uh we cannot give our our landmarks and historic landmarks to anybody out there. We want to conserve it.

Thank you. Roll call, Madam Clerk. Excuse me. Roll call on item number one for adoption. Councilwoman Cotton. Yes. Thank you. Councilwoman Davo. Yes. Councilman Councilman Khik. Council Jackson is not here, right? Counciloman Khik. Yes. Okay. Councilman Mendes, Councilman Omar. Yes, madam clerk. Thank you. Councilman Uden. Yes, madam clounc.

As a councilman of the fifth ward that this landmark is in the fifth ward, I would like the administration to keep me posted of anything eventually of this study come forward for uh get our input as a councilman the area. So my vote is yes to this. Thank you councilman. Council president. My vote is yes. Thank you. The votes are seven in favor, sorry, two absent. Item number one is hereby adopted. Item number three, madam clerk. All right.

Item number three, resolution authorizing award of contract to Trius, Inc. for the purchase and delivery of one airflow model RLSP25 rear loader packer single bin 25 yard capacity under educational services commission of the New Jersey co-op 65mcps bid number ECJ 23/24-04 for the department of public works public works resolution number 26148 moved by dabble a second by vez That is roll call item on item number three. Madam clerk, roll call on item number three. Councilwoman Cotton.

Yes. Yes. Councilwoman Dava. Yes. Councilman Jackson. Councilman Khalik. Yes. Councilman Mendes. Councilman Omar. Yes, Madam Clerk. Thank you. Councilman Uden. Yes, Madam Clerk. Thank you. Councilman VZ. Um uh my question will be uh in my closing but I just want to know when it's going to arrive after we uh authorize the contract for that uh making sure the payment CFO make sure the payment get on time for they go deliver it. My vote is yes. Thank you council president. Yes madam clerk. Your vote is yes. Yes.

All right. Thank you so much. Okay. The votes are seven in favor absent. Item number three is hereby adopted. Item number four madam clerk. Item number four, we don't have that resolution. Which one is that? Why don't we have the resolution? Because it was not given to me. Put yourself on mute. Hold on. Let me put myself on mute. You can't put her on. No, that that's that's on uh Council President. Yes, Council.

The resolution was draft. I I think Mr. Bushi drafted. Um, one one one thing is Mr. uh and Oh, so let me call a discussion. I know you didn't you didn't read it. Can you read it on the floor and then we call a discussion? If there's if those if there's no resolution, would you like to just pull it? It doesn't need to be discussed. We have nothing to discuss if there's no resolution attached. So my question is uh that's why if Mr. Bushi is here, uh supposedly that resolution was already drafted. It was supposed to be on the agenda. So, I'm I'm confused as to where it it is. So, I don't know why the title is in the agenda. Council on the uh call. Yes, he is.

Council. Yes. Thank you, council president. So, I've had discussions directly with Miss Riley about this matter as to why the resolution wasn't provided. I also had a conversation with about why this resolution isn't provided even though it was drafted. Uh we've reached out to the rent leveling board to confirm that there is an actual vacancy here and without uh confirmation that there's an actual vacancy uh the resolution cannot proceed at this time. So so council president may I please council.

So may I please um and let me be loud and clear this individual that is getting replaced publicly resigned. Okay. And I did a screenshot and I don't want to read it because it's so driorary against me that I don't desire. I accept his resignation and really he did me a favor. At this point, I take that post that he did publicly as a resignation letter and that's why I move forward to appoint somebody right away because the rent lever board is so important for me that I need people responsible accountable in that board and the person accepted gave me the information and that's why the title reads that it is. Um, I could I could I could and I believe I sent the the post caution to legal and to let him know that that was the resignation letter and he made it public and uh and he made it in social media uh with profanic language and all that against me and I don't think I deserve a commission in that way. So I accept his his u his um resation of that position. uh moving forward uh I think this the the the the best thing to do even that is here as a title if the resolution was draft uh we could move forward the title is there and it has a resolution number 26149 I don't know why is it has a number so that means that it's draft it says resolution 26149

so if you would like councilman you put a motion on the floor you get a second and we'll do a roll A motion move. There's a motion on the floor. There's a motion on the floor by Councilman. Is there a second? So, there's a I'd like a discussion, but we got to get a second before the discussion. Well, you started the discussion before you even move forward. It's really a a a question to corporation counsel. He Corporation council said what he said. Why you say

that? He has not gotten it legally written. You cannot go by Facebook. You cannot do that. He has not gotten a letter written referring it to the secretary for thems one one second. One one second. So we need to get some real clarification um on how this goes. I had someone resign from a board. I did not send any proof. I just made the recommendation and the item was on the agenda. So, we have to be clear as to one process. But what what person was that council president? I will not mention their name.

Well, then okay then you request the resolution was created and we voted on the new it was done. So there was no issue. We didn't go through this conversation. So, I just want to know like we just have to be streamlined into one process. Councilwoman um Zavala and then Councilwoman Cotton.

So, what I wanted to say is is that um we've had situations where someone sends us a text message and says and we use that as as as a a means of someone not in in this case. I mean, I think we all saw uh the resignation uh on a platform that is used for for investigations, if you call it that, you know, with police and so forth. So I'm trying to understand corporation council in terms of why um did the clerk and you feel that um that that phone call to um the rent leveling uh department like why not go through the person who appoints and and it is the person that has a direct uh contact with the um commissioner. I'm just trying to understand what was the rationale. So if corporation council, madam president can can just clarify that for me.

Corporation council.

Yes. Thank you, council president. So the law department has asked to draft certain things and as a part of our diligence before signing off, we reached out to the rent leveling board repeatedly so that we can sign off on things and that the things that we sign off on are legally competent and the council and the city are protected. And so I can't speak to any other situation. someone by text or email or something else. But when we are told and Councilman Bles did apprise my office of a vacancy, we as the first step always seek to confirm that in various ways. I don't know and I won't opine on whether or not various mediums are acceptable ways or legally cognizable ways to create a vacancy, but that's something that we're looking at and we anticipate that issue being resolved shortly. So, madam clerk, uh, council president council member bles.

Yes. You just stated a scenario that people send you text that people resign without even letters. That's one. And I and I give you credit that you put it forward without putting a name. Let's go. About a couple months ago, Councilman Mendes and Councilman Uden changed uh a commissioner without letter, without nothing and I voted no on that too.

They change it and they change it right in this case. in this case and what and once again I don't need to have a conversation with no one that publicly stated what they stated and I just going to read the part that I'm more interested on. I am okay. I am resigning as your commissioner on the rent levering board. I cannot in no good conscious serve in the capacity or position. So that is a clear enough publicized resigning. I'm not gonna read everything that he put because hey I need words on words but he did me a favor because at the beginning if I could make it clear at the beginning when I recommend this and gentlemen for be uh the levering board everybody was saying hey hold on hold on don't do that they had to do a background check you have to do this and I went forward and appoint them but now he publicly he make it public that he didn't decide to move forward forward and and serve as a commissioner. So

So council the responsible person make your make your motion if you wish again motion to appoint a new commissioner. U second bas can you she read the can she read the title resolution appointing uh madam cler madam clerk can you read the um number four into the record again please? Yes. Number four is a resolution appointing Cheryl Lynn Hajes as a member of the rent leveling board sponsored by Councilman Lewis Villa City Council resolution number 26149. Move. Second. Roll call. Madam clerk on item number four. Roll call on item number four. Councilwoman Cotton.

You know, let me just say I'm going by what my corporation council wants about. I have no idea because if I did know, I wouldn't have went with it because, you know, he's looking for something in writing. He's looking for something. Not from Facebook, not from anything. I have nothing. I have no idea. Councilman, you can shake your head all you want, but I have no idea who your person is, which is probably fine, but I'm saying let's let's try to get it right. Like to me, it should be something. And corporation council reach out to the secretary over there. She has still have not received anything. you're going by that and you know I just can't support something that I know is not right. I can't I I do I do not know this young lady but that's your appointment and I never go against council members appointment because that's your person but the resolution is not here and I remember many times already that we couldn't vote on something because we didn't have a resolution in front of us. Now all of a sudden you guys are changing the thing we have no paperwork in front of us. How you vote on no paperwork in front of us? That's the first thing and many of you have said that before. We have nothing in front of us, nothing to go by. You know, you can't change it like like that. So, I can't go with this until corporation council says until we get the resolution in front of us to say that it's okay. And it doesn't hurt to hold a week to hold back for a week. It doesn't hurt. But that being said, I can't go with this. I'm sorry, Councilman Veles, but I'm going by what my experience of sitting on this council and what I have gone through, what I have seen happen. That's the proper way of doing things. Uh, I cannot support this item for now because they could wait for another week. Madam clerk, my vote is no.

Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilwoman Davin, so just to clarify, the reszo, was the reszo prepared? No. Yes, it was prepared. But you didn't you didn't even hear council. You didn't hear the corporation council what he said. No, corporation council said. No, we're in the middle of roll. Go ahead. Like y'all act like you One second. Council members, I'm done. I'm finished.

The resolution number is attached to the item. We're in the middle of roll call. So, it's it's interesting to me um that we pick and choose sometimes when to do things. Okay. Um uh Mrs. Hajes uh is is is someone that is known in the community. She's a very quiet, humble um uh I call her young lady cuz you know we're young, right? Um, and the fact that someone went into a national platform like uh Facebook, okay, and um put forth that they no longer wanted to serve in the capacity as a um commissioner in the rent leveling and specific to the person who appointed him because although the councilman did appoint him, we all do vote on the person to be on the uh on the board. And so uh when I saw the agenda and I saw it, okay, um I did not see the attached paperwork, but I figured that that was just some, you know, uh uh being that it was something that was somewhat last minute um not come before us, right? Right. And when I say last minute, I'm talking because we can see the timestamps of when the the person, you know, put it forward for whatever reasons, you know, the person had that they no longer wanted to be part of, they publicly uh uh denounced, they publicly indicated that they no longer

want to be in the capacity. So, I I don't know why. Um and and maybe uh um I don't know if the councilman uh reached out to the rent leveling board because although he reached out to corporation council right did he reach out to the office to say that this person had resigned right through this platform and so um on this one I'm going to um because it seems that as though I don't think my colleague contacted the rent leveling board. I think he went directly through legal, right? So he can get his item uh um drafted, right? Um so at this time I'm going to abstain from from this vote. Okay. Um because I have mixed feelings with it, right? Um I don't want the the the my colleague to think that, you know, uh um in in his due diligence he he didn't do something that was correct. um you know and and everyone has the right to say what they want to say. I'm just on this one I'm going to abstain.

Okay. Um Councilman Jackson, Councilman Khalik. Thank you, Madame Clerk. Um

what's in front of me is a resolution put forward by a councilman appointing somebody at a at the level board is a appointment. Nothing in front of me saying somebody resign or somebody whatever you guys discussing that has nothing to do with the resolution resignation or anything has nothing to do with this resolution. What I see in front of me with the resolution number is just a resolution. We appointing somebody which we do in many occasion. Sometime even honoring somebody or or whatn not the resolution is not attached. We move it forward cuz resolution coming in. In this case resolution already written the resolution number is there. Like I said I am I am voting on an appointment. I have got nothing to do with who resigning. I don't care who resigning or whatn not. That's not in front of me. What I'm voting on is an appointment which I'll vote yes for.

Thank you, Councilman. Councilman Mendes, Councilman Omar. Thank you, Madam Clerk. I'm with Councilman Kik on this one. I can only vote on what's in front of me. My vote is yes. Thank you, Councilman Uden. My vote is yes, Madam Clark. Thank you, Councilman VeZ. My vote is yes. Thank you, Council President. So to Miss Hajes, she's an amazing woman voting. We're voting. Councilwoman Dav, my apologies. Before you vote, um I'd like to reconsider.

Councilwoman Dava. So after listening to my colleagues, um I I would have to say that um uh I referred to the um what was the resignation, right, when I should have just paid attention to the what's in front of us, which is an appointment, right? I think I was just trying to um uh maybe let the public understand on the reason uh of my abstension. But you know after carefully you know um just listening to my colleagues right it is true we're not voting on somebody's resignation or accepting it. It's more of what's before us which is an appointment that we've done in the past uh and in this case for rent leveling. Uh so on that um I do uh change my vote to yes.

Thank you, Councilwoman. Council President, so um as I was stating, Miss Hodes is a a great great um woman who um is doing great things in the community. She's a servant of God. Um and as it's already stated, that's what we're voting on. Madame Clerk, my vote is yes for Miss uh Cheryl Hodes. Thank you. The votes are six in favor, one against, two absent. Item number four is hereby adopted. Madam clerk, madam clerk, I'm changing my vote. I just want to say something. Too late to change your vote. No, it's not too late. She already called the the votes. Madam Councilwoman Cotton, she called the the votes already. Well, you'll see what happens. Go ahead.

Okay. Item number five, Madame Clerk. Item number five is a resolution authorizing the award of contract to National Highway Products, Inc. for the purchase of traffic sign materials for the urban enterprise zone for the department of economic development economic development resolution number 26 col 150 moved by Zavala and Vallet second by mess roll call item number five madam clerk roll call on item number five councilwoman Cotton Councilwoman Cotton oh she's not here councilwoman Dava my vote is yes I'm sorry madam clerk My board is yes.

Thank you, Councilman Jackson. Councilman Khalig. Okay. Thank you, Councilman Mendes. Councilman Omar. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Um, to the administration, there are about four new stop signs coming in to the six ward that were approved. I do would like some of them to be solar pan, and I'm happy to support this. My vote is yes. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman Uden.

Uh thank you m before uh we I vote I want to also remind that there are two other stops three stop signs were approved uh which is the intersection of Chamberlain and Cumberland intersection of um course B and Cumberland. These two uh three west stop signs were approved uh I would say about four or five months ago and since streets were repaid people are driving like highways I would say that immediate action would be greatly appreciated my vote yes thank you councilman councilman

thank you madam clerk I just want to remind the council there's uh new signs of whatever is going to the uee zone um and is already established because they going to also So paying the crosswalk and everything to pedestrian safety. U I believe in the past meeting they submitted the list. If you could go back to your documents uh you will see uh the corners uee zone the main street uh Union Avenue, Park Avenue, Main uh Market Street, all that section 10 Avenue um that will have a four-way stop sign in the USA or those that need it. on two-way stop sign that have the neon on it and the flashing light, all that good thing. So, the list is there. Uh you could request the updated list through uh DPW and UE and they work in conjunction with Mr. Satudo and the uh part-time uh traffic engineer that put this together. Thank you to both of them to put it together. At least the money is there and we moving forward. My vote is yes to this.

Thank you, Councilman. Council President, my vote is yes, madam clerk. Thank you. The votes are seven in favor, two absent. Item number five is hereby adopted. Item number six, madam clerk. Item number six is a resolution approving applications for raffle licenses for the New Jersey Community Development Corporation city clerk. Resolution number 26151. Second by mess and dav. Roll call on item number six. Madam clerk, roll call on item number six. Councilman Cotton. Thank you, Madam Clerk. But before I go to item number six, I'm going back to number four. It's going to show Councilman Vles with two appointments on the red limit board. Oppose a question. Oppose. Oppose.

No, they ain't no pose a question. I'm finished. I'm finished. I'm finished. I'm finished. You're not talking. Your request has been stated. Um, item six. I go for item number six is yes. Thank you, Councilwoman Davo. My vote is yes. Thank you, Councilman Jackson. Councilman Khik, yes, Councilman Mendes. Councilman Omar, my vote is yes, Madam Cler. Thank you, Councilman Uden. I voted yes, Madam Clerk. Council, I vote yes. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. Council President, my vote is yes, Madam Clerk. Thank you. The votes are seven in favor. Two absent. Item number six is adopted.

We're going into the last item to the public. Once again, if you would like to call in, the number is 973-3211579. The meeting ID is 8326. Press star three. In your mic, everybody go on mute, please. Uh to call in, the number is 973 3211579. Meeting ID 8326. Press star three. Madam President, item number two. Madam clerk watch this guy jump on now. Wait wait wait wait wait got to go unmute. You're got to go on mute everybody. Council President I was asking for the floor dava.

Um you're taking the last item. Am I correct? Yes. Yes. All right. Yeah. Then the only reason for that is because I did express to everyone that I do have to leave by six. Okay. Councilman Omar, please go on mute. Councilman Omar, please go on mute. I cannot mute your uh ple or uh it. Can you mute Councilman Omar, please? Uh Madame Clerk, item number two.

Item number two is a resolution authorizing the issuance of not to exceed 70 million tax anticipation notes of 2026 of the city of Patterson in the county of PIG, state of New Jersey, finance resolution number 26147. I'll move discussion by council councilman bles second by me zandavala discussion councilman bles uh through the chair council president uh I know we have our fine ba uh in in in in this meeting I request a uh synapsi uh why we moving forward and how we supported on it. Thank you councilman bles Mr. Uh, BA,

thank you, council president. Um, as the council is aware, um, I sent a, uh, a detailed email with a detailed memo from our financial adviser explaining the need for this. Um, the CFO and I have been meeting with our auditor, our bond council, and our financial adviser on the city's cash flow issues. So, at a high level, in a 12 month span, the city of Patterson, our municipal operation um has a balanced every year has a balanced budget, has enough revenue to cover its expenses. However, due to our unique status as a transitional aid community, that revenue um does not come in equally to the expenses. So, the state operates on a June on a July to June budget cycle. We operate January to December. So the in June the state legislature adopts the budget which sets our transitional aid number. We then receive that transitional aid number along with our energy receipts sometime in August or September. That that makes up a large part of our revenue as as we all know um tens of millions of dollars. On the flip side, we incur large expenses at the beginning of the year, including a $30.5 million pension payment that is due in April. What's what's stressing the situation even more this year, as you're all aware, is we still did not receive $7.2 million from last year's state aid due to um the the two items that the DCA requested the city to take action on. Um the the idea of borrowing 70 million to the average person may may may may be shocking, but the state legislature explicitly created this vehicle for for cities and municipalities that have a large portion of their revenue come

later in the year to be able to uh borrow on their borrowing capacity to be able to pay their bills on time. So this is an exercise to ensure that we meet our payroll obligations, that the board of education is paid on time, that every single vendor is paid on time, and it just stabilizes our cash flow situation. By December 31st, once the budget is adopted, our expenses will equal our revenues. This is just a mathematical problem that the city of Patterson and other transitional aid communities face. Your support of this will allow us to meet our financial obligations uh on time. And I will make one more point. Um again, this is a math problem. This is not a BA caused problem, a CFO caused problem or a councilcaused problem. we will be in this situation probably every year in a in a tough situation like this. So hopefully what if if this passes and we are able to receive this TAN, it's our intention to pay it back later this year, but I will immediately be meeting with our state senator Benji Wimbley, our assemblyman Alab Deleiz and Kenyatta Stewart because for the future this requires a legislative fix. simply the revenue comes far too late in the year for us to meet our expenses in the beginning of the year. Uh thank you council president.

So council president. Thank you council member. Uh thank you Mr. Dier for the explanation. Simple and easy uh of the process. My only question is uh since 2018 how many time we have done it uh at CFO? Since 2018 we haven't done one.

Good. So that's the good question. That's the good uh uh how you call it? Not the good question. That's the good news. Ladies and gentlemen, this proved that this administration have been fiscally responsible. The only problem that we have is the state is delivering the aid late and is mandatory us to do some stuff that we believe that is not good for our taxpayer. Right. So we have the the uh uh the uh how do you call that? um the luxury to say we're not going to go after taxation every time the state say go after them. And this time I understand that we are taking a loan against our tax revenue. So when that tax revenue comes in, we're going to pay it off. Hopefully uh the residents of Patterson understand that when they soon as they see that tax bill, please visit the tax office, pay your taxes for we could balance our budget for we could balance our responsibility and move forward. So I just want to say that just in case people saying that we putting uh the city on debt, no, we are not. Anybody that knows government uh this uh TA uh tax loan or tax uh uh note is always has a support if you look at our tax revenues.

Thank you. It's higher is higher than the money that we are borrowing. So we going to be okay. Thank you. Thank you Councilman. Roll call. Madam clerk on item number uh I think it's item number two. Yes. Roll call on item number two for adoption. Councilwoman Cotton. Yes. Councilwoman Dava. Councilwoman Dava. Did she leave? Okay. Um, Councilman Jackson. Councilman Khik. Yes. I'm sorry. I was trying to get unmuted. Okay. Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilman Khik, you said yes. Yes, I did. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman Mendes. Councilman Omar.

Yeah. Thank you, Madam Clerk. I just do want to add that this is something that obviously we want to do, but it's something that we're going to have to do to continue to move things forward. Um, thank you, Mr. BA, for the explanation and I do look forward to uh for you to collaborate with our state partners to help resolve this issue for future. With that being said, my vote is yes, madam clerk. Thank you, Councilman um Uden. Councilman Uden, my vote is yes, madam correct. Thank you, Councilman. Okay.

Consistency matters. And ladies and gentlemen, we are here because we love our city and we do the right thing. We promise ourself that we going to work with this uh with the BA and now with his expertise and knowing that he's doing the right thing for the city of Patterson, uh we moving forward and we going to be okay. The only thing I got to send a message is there's a large amount of money that we had to pay to the school board. hopefully the school board receive it and the education of our city improve. So, um my vote is yes to it. Thank you, Councilman. Council President,

well, I pray that with this uh support of getting this money will help us to pay all of our vendors, school board, all of the things that are out that are outstanding and our employees get paid. Madam clerk, my vote is yes. Thank you. The votes are seven in favor, two absent. Item number two is adopted. Move to close. Madam, Madame Clerk, we have uh finished the agenda, council colleagues, but now it's time to open up public portion. Okay.

Public portion. Anyone wishing to call in? The number is 973 3211579. Meeting ID 8326. Press star 3. We've been announcing it since 5:00. Are there any uh public members in the queue? Council President, before you open it, can I please

I I do have to leave, but um I just wanted all my colleagues, if you don't already know, I really just wanted to say a few words. Um you know, our our city, our county has lost a great leader, uh P County Community College President Rose of almost 40 years, um passed away on Monday night. And I just want to send um Alexia and um his daughters um and the entire family and the entire PCC family condolences. Um there will be uh something done uh in the college. Uh the funeral services were private and um you know soon I will let everyone know. So I just want to at this time just to to Emma and Jenna and Alexia you know my sincerest condolences. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Thank you. Are there anyone speakers in the queue? Madam clerk, uh there appears to be one, but I believe they're just listening at this. No, they hung up. No, they hung up. Okay, so we've had the public portion open since 5:00. It is now 5:43 p.m. There's a motion on the floor to close the public portion. Is there a second? Councilman Veles. Motion. Second. Second by Councilman Khalik and Davala. Roll call to close the uh special meeting of March 25th virtually. Madame clerk, roll call. Yes. Roll call to close the special virtual meeting of March 25th.

I'm sorry. Roll call to close the public portion. Um Councilwoman Cotton. Councilwoman Cotton. Councilwoman Dav. Yes. Um and I'd like to uh I'm going to log off. So um to all of my honores tomorrow, I'm looking forward to seeing you at 6 p.m. at the Brownstone. You know who you are. Uh we'll continue to celebrate women. Um every day is women's day. Uh but this month, uh we we've uh uh highlighted some women in our city who have made a difference. So, with that said, my vote is yes to close the public portion. And on that no, I am logging off. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilwoman Cotton. Sorry, I already I already I said yes. Yeah, I didn't hear you. I'm sorry. Thank you, Councilman Jackson. Councilman Khalik, Councilman Khik. Okay. Yes, Madam Cler. Thank you, Councilman. Councilman Mendes, Councilman Omar. Councilman Omar. Yes, madam clerk. Thank you. Councilman Uden. Yes, madam clerk. Thank you. Councilman Vez,

before Mar Councilwoman Marissa Dav, I don't know if she's log out, but yes, let me send my condolence to her and the PCC uh the laws of steals. I know it's hard for her because out of 40 years dedicated in that college, she had like 31 years working with him and I know is is it's is it's tough for everyone and especially to her. Uh my cond Rose in the P County College family. Um as I say also um I have a woman's honory on the 31st of December uh look at me December of 29 of March this next Sunday at Bocar to all the honores I want to see you there and also my colleagues I invited uh by 12 noon Sunday the 29th just in case you didn't receive the invitation you got it now my vote is yes to close the public motion

thank Thank you, Council President. Yes. To close public portion, madam clerk. Yes. Thank you. The votes are seven in favor to absent the public portion is now closed. Can we have a motion to close the virtual meeting? Special virtual meeting March 25th. Move by Council Member BL. Second by Council President Mims. Roll call to close the virtual meeting of March 25th. Madam Clerk, roll call to close the virtual meeting of March 25th, 2026. Councilwoman Cotton. Yes, Madame Clerk. Thank you, Councilwoman Davala out. Councilwoman Councilman Jackson. Councilman Khalik. Yes.

Thank you, Councilman Mendes. Councilman Omar. Councilman Omar. Okay. Councilman Uden. Yes, Madam Clerk. Thank you, Councilman Omar. Councilman Uden, my vote is yes. He was bothering me here, by the way. Thank you, Councilman VeZ. Uh, my vote is yours. Uh, good night. Uh, stay safe. Uh, God bless you all. Good night, Councilman. Councilwoman M. Council President M.

My heartfelt condolences goes out to our council, uh, Vice President Dava. I am an alumni of Pay County Community College and to all of the staff, his family, all of the students that were impacted. There will never be another Dr. Steven Rose. Madame Clerk, my vote is yes to close the special virtual meeting on March 25th. Thank you. The votes are six in favor, three absent. The special meeting of March 25th, 2026 is now closed. Good night, everyone. Good night.

Good night, everyone. How do you leave? Oh,

I'm trying to leave my meeting. Okay. Not I didn't leave yet. I don't know why.