Council - Regular Meeting

To the public, the meeting is about to start. We need a decorum. Good evening, everyone. On behalf of the Paterson Municipal Council, I welcome you to the regular meeting of August 18th, 2026 at 7 PM. The meeting is now called to order. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Councilwoman Alford? Here. Councilwoman Cotton is present. Council Vice President Davila. Present. Is present. Councilman Jackson is absent at this time. Councilman Khalid.

Present.

Councilman Mendez.

Good evening, Patterson, Preston, Madam Clerk.

Councilman Omar.

Present, Madam Clerk.

And Councilman Velez is absent at this time. Council President Mims. Here.

Madam Clerk, this evening's prayer will be rendered by myself, Council President Dr. Mims, with the flag salute being led by our Council Vice President. We're asking everyone to stand for prayer and the flag salute.

Thank you.

With every head bowed, every eye closed. God, our Father, we thank you because this is the day that you have made, and so we rejoice and we are glad in it. From the rising of the sun to the going down of the sun, your name is worthy to be praised. Now, God, as we're here to do the city's business, we pray that you will pray a special blessing over this meeting on tonight, that it will be done according to 1 Corinthians 14 and 10, that everything that is done is done decently and in order. And this is what we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.

to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Just stand for a few moments for a moment of silence for our troops and anyone that have lost a loved one. Thank you. Madam Clerk, you might be seated. Statement of compliance.

In accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act and JSA 10 colon 4 dash 6 at SEC, adequate notice of the time and place was included in the annual meeting schedule adopted by the Council at its reorganization meeting held on July 1, 2026. Such notice was posted in the City Hall's bulletin boards, posted to the City's website, and transmitted to the official newspapers designated to receive such notices in addition to any other publication duly requesting such notices.

Thank you, madam clerk. We will go into items of the consent agenda, madam clerk.

Consent agenda. All matters listed under consent agenda are considered to be routine by the council and will be enacted by one motion. Listed items are numbers 4 through 33. Any item may be removed from consent agenda at the request of a council member, and if so removed will be treated as a separate matter.

So moved.

Moved by Council Vice President Zavala, seconded by Councilman Mendez-Envelez.

Council President, also I want to move it, yes.

UH-HUH ROLL CALL MADAM CLERK I'M SORRY ROLL CALL MENDEZ DISCUSSION I SAID I SAID MENDEZ AND VELEZ I DID SAY THAT I SAY MOVE IT RIGHT DISCUSSION COUNCILMAN JACKSON DISCUSSION ITEM NUMBER FOUR REGULAR ITEM NUMBER FIVE REGULAR

item 14 regular. 13 regular. 28 regular.

4, 5, 13, 28. 29 regular.

30 regular.

Is that all?

One moment.

45 regular.

You said 25. 45. 45 is already regular.

47.

I'm sorry. I apologize. That's it.

Roll call, Madam Clerk. For the record, regular items are 4, 5, 13, 14, 28, 29, and 30. Thank you.

Roll call, Madam Clerk.

Councilman offered, yes. Councilman cotton. Vice president, Davila, yes, Councilman Jackson, yes, Councilman colleague, yes, Councilman Mendez, yes, but a clerk Councilman Omar, yes, Councilman the last.

For the public we have some resolution that's made in the week of August 22nd to August 29 a Puerto Rican heritage week. Sponsor us the council members and also some honorees as could be. Honor of the this next Saturday in front of city Hall so congratulations to all of them and my voice, yes.

President Mims my vote is just not a part.

Consent items with the exclusion of those mentioned are adopted. Item number four, Madam Clerk. Item number 4 is a resolution authorizing the award of contract to Fairfield maintenance Inc under New Jersey state contract for a monthly inspection of fuel tanks at various locations throughout the city in an amount not to exceed 60,000 from September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2027. This is from the administration and his resolution 26 colon 3 to 9. So move.

Moved by Councilman Velez. Second. Second by Councilman Kalik. Roll call item number four.

Discussion.

Discussion. Councilman Jackson.

So, Council President, I don't recall having any correspondence from the administration with regard to this item outlining not only its purpose, but where these designated spaces are located.

So last week was workshop and in the workshop all of these were fully vetted by this council and the administration. If you would like to give further details to the B.A. One second you requested some information and it is not to the president. Mr. B.A. can you elaborate on item number four please since it's an administrative item.

Thank you, Council President. We do have DPW Director Rodriguez here, but I think the statement of purpose in the resolution says what's going on here. The purpose of this resolution is to authorize a contract for monthly inspection of fuel tanks at various locations throughout the city of Patterson. I think that speaks for itself, but I'd be happy to defer to the Director if there's any specific questions on that.

SO TWO THINGS. DIRECTOR, ONE, THE ITEM NEEDS TO UPDATE. IT SHOULD BE UPDATED. IT SAYS ADMINISTRATION. THAT'S WHY I ASKED YOU TO SPEAK ON IT. IT NEEDS TO BE UPDATED TO, SAY, DPW, TO OUR DIRECTOR.

Thank you, Council President. It's our administration because it's citywide. It's not just DPW. But this is a third party to do our inspection, our yearly inspection on all our gas tanks to get them either passed or failed. Let us know what we have to upgrade on every gas tank that we have in the city.

so one i i i don't recall us going through this item through workshop is this did i miss that i don't sit in the administration zone okay i didn't think so but uh last week yeah oh yeah but uh what what locations is this is this an inspection for this is um 800 broadway or the firehouse um our gas tanks the motor pool um anywhere that has a gas tank So is this, so this is just inspection of the condition of the tanks? Yeah, all gas tanks have to be yearly inspected.

Not the operations of the tanks and how? Both, operation, inspection, make sure that the counts are right, all that.

Make sure the counts are right. Okay, so the purpose, my question, one, I mean, obviously, it describes... the tanks, but there's no outline of what tanks. There's no outline on what the scope of work is. Are we upgrading the mechanism in which people access the fuel so that we can keep a better track on fuel? I mean, through my assessment, we're spending a great deal more than we should be spending specifically because, you know, here's an example. We have an out Landish number of officers who don't live in the city all have take home vehicles and we don't have a way to track how much fuel these officers are using on their commute and you to utilizing city vehicles for potentially personal use and etc so my question is WHAT EXACTLY DOES THE INSPECTION OUTLINE? IS IT OUTLINING A FULL OVERHAUL OF THE TANK OR JUST OUTLINING OR JUST INSPECTING THE CONDITION ON WHETHER OR NOT IT HAS TO BE REPLACED? I APOLOGIZE FOR SPEAKING OVER YOU, DIRECTOR. NORMALLY GAS STATIONS, THERE'S A LIFESPAN ON THE TANK. Since Temple Street Firehouse has been up, I don't recall that tank being dug out.

Temple Street got upgraded a few years back. DPW just got upgraded last year.

The tank was replaced? Yeah.

Okay.

All right, so this is all going to outline everything that I spoke about.

Yeah, this will outline that. This will give us a passing grade. They'll also give us recommendations on what we should do for the following year on the tanks.

All right, just so I'm clear. Will it upgrade the way in which the fuel is accessed? No. So it's just an inspection on the condition of the tank. OK. So my suggestion is that we need to upgrade how the fuel is accessed. where it's way too easy for people to just pull up to the pump and pump gas for vehicles that's not being specifically utilized within the city confines. And I think that's something that we need to be responsible in looking at. So I appreciate the time.

Thank you. Roll call, Madam Clerk.

Council President. Okay. councilman mendez i'll thank you director just a quick question with this uh resolution before uh this contract include the tank sweep uh to those uh to those different area where we have those um gas tank the the tank sweep tank sweep is to determine if there if there's any leak any any leak on the tank as you know dp is very strong when it comes to contamination that will cost a lot of money to the city if we have one of those tank leaking uh on the ground YEP. SO IT COVERED. OKAY, THANK YOU.

ROLL CALL, MADAM CLERK.

HONORED PRESIDENT.

COUNCILOR MCALEE.

DIRECTOR, THE QUESTION CAME UP IS ASSUMING THAT PEOPLE COULD JUST GO UP AND TAKE THE FUEL FROM THE TANK. The process or login sheet that you guys keep departments keep track of which be cool. Putting the gas in the in there.

And the public works you have to have a key fob on close to give up in 5.

I just could not go out there and pull gas in my

NO, NONE OF THE STATIONS. IF YOU HAVE TO GET, IF WE HAVE TO GO TO THE POLICE STATION OR ANY OF THE FIRE HOUSES, THEY WOULD HAVE TO, A FIREMAN OR A POLICE OFFICER WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT AND LET US, THEY HAVE TO ACCESS THE TENT.

THANK YOU. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SUMMING OUT THERE, SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE SUMMING OUT THERE AS WELL. YOU COULD JUST GO UP AND PULL UP AND TAKE GUESTS FROM THERE. THANK YOU.

ROLL CALL, MADAM CLERK.

COUNCILWOMAN NOLFORD. YES. COUNCILWOMAN COTTON. Vice president Davila yes. Councilman Jackson.

Thank you madam clerk. So to the public. I mean, we just have to get on a bending knee to beg the governor for $78 million this year. When we talk about the lack of reporting, somebody walking up to a gas pump with a key fob, taking a vehicle that, by the way, we should only have two take-home vehicles in the city. We have well over 25. That means there's 25 various people that's driving to Wanaque, driving to Pennsylvania. They're driving city vehicles and they're utilizing city fuel. The councilman who is I guess smarter than I am. Can't tell you is the report on how much gas is being utilized was the report on on those take home vehicles, where's the report on what department is using fuel, how we utilizing the few you can't Fix a spending issue if you don't have reports. And the only way to get reports is if you could digitize the system. Not the current, you know, key fob, just unlock it and then anybody can go up there and fill up gas. Not to mention the police vehicle that had a tank on the back of it years ago that would fill up the tank and then go around and fill up various vehicles. Where is that fuel going? How much fuel was getting filled up in that tank? But I mean, I apologize if I'm asking questions that's annoying to some people. Madam Clerk, my vote is yes. Thank you.

Councilman Cully.

THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THERE IS A PROCESS IN PLACE. THERE ARE LEADERSHIP IN PLACE. THEY WILL FOLLOW. THEY WILL CHECK. THAT'S ALL. I'M NOT HERE TO GO ON EVERY SITE TO CHECK IF WHO'S PUTTING THE GAS IN OR WHO'S NOT PUTTING THE GAS IN. I'M SPEAKING. Okay. There's no speaking from the public while the council members are speaking. When somebody's corrected, it's pretty clear some people don't like it. It is what it is. We have a process in place. Let them do their due diligence. My vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

Councilman Mendez.

Just to be clear, on resolution number four, we're not voting on any process of report on how people use the city vehicle or how do people put gas on those vehicles. So we're voting on a legislation to hire this company to do inspection on those sections. And the max amount of the country is $60,000. Tank sweep is very important. If there's oil on the ground, DP is very strict, and it will cost a lot of money to the city to clean that section if we have some contamination. So that's what we voted for, just to be clear. With that being said, my vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

Thank you. Councilman Omar?

My vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

Councilman Velez?

So to the audience here present this is a compliance from New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection that requires the city of Pattinson to follow the rules from the state. This is not new in front of us. We've been doing this for many, many years and the reports are there. The motor pool, the police department, they use a log how many they pull gas into their vehicles and And that's clear. I'm not going to speak on factual statement here. I'm going to speak what is true and what we see out there. Regarding the vehicles that are out of the city or unmandated individuals to take it home, as the individuals are on call, they need a city vehicle. We touched that subject way back. At the time, if somebody on call parked the vehicle in DPW, come back, it is an emergency, they're going to lose more time, and probably the public safety is going to be compromised. So... This is this Patterson's not the only city that does this may your cities does it at the same time and they are responsible accountable to the state and to the administration my vote is yes to this.

President Mims thank you my vote is just not a car.

This item is adopted item 5. Item 5 is resolution authorizing the award of contract of SHI for website hosting, implementation, maintenance, and support services for the Division of Information Technology. This is from the administration, resolution 26-330. So moved.

Moved by Councilwoman Davila, second by Councilman Velez.

Well discussion discussion, Councilman Jackson, I'm web hosting yet so I mean I apologize to these this is the reason why I asked for these items to be pulled off. I'm just trying to understand. How we spend a $54,000 to host the website. Like what services, what other services, I mean, is this a, I do understand it's a municipality, but is this a, what kind of platform is this website hosting working on? $54,000 just to host the site. I mean I know we have servers here in the city with all of our most valuable. Information I know that the service of being managed on site. I've been to the room downstairs, but hosting a website like. What is what it would exactly we paying for for $54,000. Mister BA.

Councilman, at the back of the resolution, it breaks every single service down to the dollar and the cent, totaling $54,566. And we're doing it through the co-op for the public that is not aware of co-op. A co-op is formed, and they go out and bid certain services so all sorts of website hosting companies can submit their price. They pick the best price, and the municipalities are allowed to join that co-op and directly take the best price. So that's what's happening here. The council has every backup.

So and all right not going to prolong this I would I mean this quite a bit here and although I mean I'm a bit apprehensive. This this is something that's being vetted by Mister foot. Very good.

Roll call madam clerk item number 5.

Councilwoman offered yes. Councilman time. As president Bobby left yes Councilman Jackson.

Yes.

Councilman Kelly, yes, Councilman Mendez, yes, but a clerk Councilman Omar.

Councilman of the last to give a little more information to the public. This will serve on this of a website agenda minutes management public notification online form and request record document management. and community engagement so everything that you see in our website serve the taxpayer when they need it forms and others so i think ryan foot is doing a great job with our website and managing the computers and all that my vote is yes

president Mims. So these are some of the items that we've been out of compliance with for a while so I want to commend madam clerk as well as Ryan for working together to update our systems to ensure that we are fully in compliance so madam clerk I know you've been working diligently and doing a lot of training with the staff so I commend you on that work and for this item to come forward I'm very excited about that my vote is yes, madam clerk.

Thank you. This item passes. Item number 13, Madam Clerk.

Item number 13 is a resolution authorizing the award of contract to SHI for the renewal of the annual software support services related to the SDL system for the Division of Information Technology in the amount of $120,120. This is from Finance and it's resolution 26,338. So moved.

Moved by Council President second by Council on the last roll call item number 13, another item of the I T in the court discussion discussion Councilman Jackson.

I mean it's basically the same question $120,000 I don't understand why we have what we didn't have a robust discussion on these items. IN WORKSHOP. I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. $120,000 IS NOT A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY. I DON'T GET IT. WE HAVE STAFF, VERY CAPABLE STAFF. MR. B.A., CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME A QUICK SYNOPSIS ON WHAT WE'RE SPENDING THIS MONEY ON?

SDL has a lot of functions but it primarily serves our economic development department and everything related to construction permitting the UCC office that's the software that facilitates all that at some point everything was paper and stamp and pen and we know that that's not NOT A NOT IDEAL FOR A LOT OF REASONS SO THIS MOVES EVERYTHING TECHNOLOGY WHERE IT KEEPS EVERYONE HONEST THE EMPLOYEES THE CONTRACTORS AND SO FORTH AND I WILL ADD THAT IN YOUR MOU THE DCA STRESSES AND PUSHES US TO CONTINUE EXPANDING SDL INTO OUR ENTIRE CITY THIS WAS A THIS IS AN ANNUAL EXPENSE

yes okay so why why why weren't we given a um a a presentation on the one the into workings the uh facilitation of the the application the software I mean, we're spending $120,000. I mean, that's equivalent to a yearly salary for a pretty high staff personnel in that department. And we should have an idea on capabilities, functionality, implementation, how is it helping us, how is it serving the public. We never had a presentation on this software application. I do know that it was implemented and it supposedly has um you know added aided in that office a great deal but i still have complaints of of of properties that's been worked on that have that that have not been ordered to be taken down there's all kinds of infractions that's still existing people working without permits i asked you for a uh a report on those unpaid sewer connection fees i still didn't get that report I mean, I'm just trying to understand, like, I mean, are we just supposed to have a blank check just to give you guys to do whatever you want to without telling the council or showing the council how things work?

So, Councilman, if this was a new program the administration was bringing forward, absolutely, we'd do a presentation, but this is probably the third or fourth renewal of something that's working. So the administration is bringing back and saying, you know, this software works for us, it's moving our economic development department along, and again, it's a MOU condition to continue expanding So, I mean, if it's the council's desire to have every service we have come in and present to the council every year as a condition of renewal, I guess that's something that could be talked about. But that wouldn't be common.

No, no, absolutely. So, first of all, it would be common. When then Senator Poe, now Congresswoman Poe sat in that seat, we made, it was every time we had, we implemented a new software and or when you're making a claim that something is successful. See, you know, when I'm getting complaints from certain people, I mean, I can only go by what I'm getting from the community because I'm not being shown. I don't have an idea. You're asking me to vote on something. You're asking me to approve spending. I can't help it that the rest of these people, they're not inclined to understand what we're spending money on. But this is what a responsible government does. We should know what we're spending money on. We should know how it functions, especially when we're spending in excess of $120,000 a year. on something on software. We just spent $54,000 on hosting. I mean, we start adding this stuff up. It eventually adds up to $72 or $74 million. So it's not about the totality. It's about making sure we're checking every line. And in my opinion, what we're doing is not responsible. But I'm not going to delay it. I know you already have the vote.

It doesn't have my support. Roll call, Madam Clerk. Roll call.

Council President.

Councilwoman Cotton.

Thank you. It's about the software. I think that maybe Council President, Mr. VA, that probably we need our IT guy here sometimes to explain the software that we have to go through. And I do want to say to Madam Clerk that you have implemented so much stuff that they were in dinosaur age in that clerk's office. Stuff that should have been already implemented was not. And you're just trying to bring it forward so it'd be easier for you and your secretaries in there to do their job when it comes to software. I think that we need to bring in sometime Ryan, a technology person, to explain software that all city needs to use. Software. Because we can have 30 IT person, but you still need that software. And somebody needs to know how to do that software. So I just needed to put that out there. And it's not every year that we do this, but there's certain software that we needed it. We need it. We surely needed it.

Thank you. Thank you, Council President. Councilman Jackson.

So just to the public, let's be clear. First of all, I'm not negating the fact that we need to upgrade. Obviously, the city is in poor condition. Yes, we do need to upgrade. And I'm not denying whether or not the clerk has implemented some changes that are very successful. But that office does not belong to the clerk. That office belongs to the public. And any decision that the clerk makes that the public's money is being spent on, just like any decision that the BA makes who doesn't live in the city, they don't just get to come here and arbitrarily make decisions that impact the community and not show it to the community. That's being responsible. It has to be that has to be transparency on spending has to be transparent on implementation what we're doing is all kinds of things that take place if we're not being responsible in holding them accountable to showing us what is spending our money on. We're just not being responsible but again. I'm not going to hold you guys from a roll call, madam clerk.

Councilman offered. Before my vote, I just wanted to make a suggestion that perhaps in the future we could have some type of, if Brian can't be here, some type of explanation that would explain this and make it more transparent. Because when you do look up some of the pricing, it is in alignment with what's being charged right now in the market. So I think having the explanation would be helpful in helping council members understand understand how money is being spent. Yes.

Councilwoman Cotton?

Yes.

Vice President Davila? Yes. Councilman Jackson?

Thank you, madam clerk, you know responsible governance starts with spending when you have items just stuck in consent agenda did not review every single item is supposed to be vetted by this Council every single item comes to spending should be responsibly vetted should always spending money on should not be a guess which have every item outline detail on what we're spending our money on and you know Although the BA has given not even a report, just his word on how much more responsible this has been, I would have to disagree. Because I saw the reports that was produced by Dave Gilmore. When Dave Gilmore was the director of CI, I saw the reports. I saw what was going on throughout the city when it came to people doing illegal construction, when people were being violated. I saw the administration then go and reverse infractions that was submitted. I don't see that now. So with this new implementation of this software, I can't see the results that have been shown to be equivalent to what Mr. Gilmore was providing to us for less than that. In fact, almost half, because he was denied an increase in his salary as well. So we're spending the money, and I don't know what it's on. So therefore, I cannot support this item. My vote is no.

Councilman Colleague?

My vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

councilman mendez um thank you for the clerk without the right software and the right technology we're not going to be able to update those different departments that we have in the city of paterson sometimes residents request information they have to wait for weeks or months because sometimes we don't have the right software the right equipment in those apartments uh mr va uh i'm requesting formula presentation at the workshop the workshop is have to be used for us to have extensive conversation bring the presentation about the software. People that know about technology know that there's software out there that costs millions of dollars. And in order for us to have the city on the right track, we need the right equipment, we need the right technology. My vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

Councilman Omar? My vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

Councilman the last this is not at all item every time they're going to change software any system in the city of Paterson they always come and presented then the presented to committee then that we have the terror discussion workshop. So this is not new. It's like we I feel like we reinventing the wheel or we funding the city of Paterson today. I'm Alexander Hamilton's around now this is all item. My word is yes.

President Mims? So at the time when our now congressman was the BA, there was a full presentation of the SCL software. This has been here for a long, long time. I will pull it up and I will post it on social media. There was a full presentation that was done. This is a renewal, and it's clearly stated here. It's a renewal of a contract. It's not anything new. This is a renewal, and it states it clearly in the title of this item. It's a renewal. We have had STL for a long time. STL is a software that is utilized because one of the things that we... Miss sometimes the system interface and we really need that when it comes to the zoning and the planning department filling out and getting permits and licensing we need the systems to interface so that we can prepare. So so that people don't have to go for different offices and that's what we're looking to do to our various department heads, madam clerk with that being stated my vote is yes.

Thank you this item is adopted.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. We'll move on to item number 14.

Item 14 is a resolution authorizing an award of contract to Wheelcoats and Company LLC for the registered municipal accountant services to perform the annual audit services for the 2025 calendar year for the finance department in an amount not to exceed $175,000 for a period of one year and it's resolution 26,339. I move.

Well by Council of last second by a second Council, my colleague. Roll call item number 14.

Councilwoman offered. Councilwoman cotton. Vice president that we love. Councilman Jackson.

Thank you, madam clerk. Well, it's pointless for me to hold it up. I mean, obviously, I pulled it off of consent, because this is ridiculous. You know, we still have not had an answer on the personnel person that we are paying well over $15,000 per week. Now we've got 100, I mean, I'm sorry, per pay period. And now $175,000 expense, and we didn't get an outline on that either. Well, it's an audit, so I'm curious to see how that's going to come back when we continuously fall so far out of our budget that we need to continuously increase on transitional aid. Madam Clerk, my vote is no.

Councilman Khaliq?

Yes.

Councilman Mendez?

I vote yes, Madam Clerk.

Councilman Omar?

I vote yes.

Councilman last.

This is the to perform on all the to service for the city of passing that will make the city accountable responsible in the orders comes in. So I was just president Mims yes, madam clerk.

This item is adopted.

Item 28, madam clerk.

Item 28 is a resolution authorizing the award of contract to First Priority Emergency Vehicles Inc. to retrofit the existing mobile command post under the HGAC contract Number AM 10 dash 23 for the police department in an amount not to exceed $280,000 with $71.33. And this is resolution 26 colon 353.

So moved by Councilwoman Davila, seconded by Council President Mims and Velez. Discussion, Councilwoman Alford.

I was just like an explanation as to what this item covers of what it.

Yes, Mister BA for the retrofit for the police cars.

To give me counsel just trying to find the resolution, the numbers of 2028.

No, I I don't have 2828.

This is a card that says mobile command post.

I think that's what it is. It says mobile command post.

It says mobile command post.

Just confirming one thing, Council President.

Mr. B, do you have it?

Yeah, so this is using forfeiture funds that the police department has. And the... The mobile command post is getting upgraded. It's getting retrofitted. That's the purpose of the forfeiture funds, to make improvements to public safety that otherwise don't have to come out of the operating budget. I don't have an itemized list, but I can certainly get that to the council.

Council President.

Councilman Jackson.

Thank you. so mr ba night in and night out people are calling for police response for various matters cat in a tree let it never mind you know the all of the other more serious infractions that take place the residents complain because police response time is is is is is very poor And from what I'm gathering, we have an extreme shortage on cars. It's part of the reason why I continue to make a big deal about these take-home vehicles. We're spending $280,000. I don't care where the money's coming from. How many cars will be will be will we be able to get $280,000 and why are we spending on a mobile command center that is utilized. Maybe a handful of times throughout the year. And I get it they utilize form possibly a high profile situation, but we have residents every day to not getting responses from PD because they don't have cars.

Mr. BA.

Thank you, Council President. So I know cars are a challenge in the police department. I have not heard that it prevents patrol from having vehicles to do patrol. I know response times are an issue. I'm working with DCA. We applied for a grant to expand our TO, but that's really all I can react.

Expand our TO for more personnel? More patrol. Well we have we have PD guys at the PD that are waiting that when they when their shift changes they're waiting for vehicles. We have officers riding two in a car because they don't have vehicles. We have officers sometimes have to ride more than that but they don't have vehicles. You got officers that's being put on walking details on certain certain time slots because there's a shortage in police vehicles. You're the B.A.

and you don't know that we have a shortage in police vehicles. an officer shows up for work is supposed to patrol may say there's no car goes over because I'm not I'm not aware of that occurring that they're showing up to work there's no car for you today go for a walk that your shift today that is not happening in the city matters.

Council president so so again that's not what I say that's not what I said what I'm saying is that there's a shortage of cars that officers have to wait for for it is normally shift overlaps You know, one shift doesn't just end and an officer is completely changed. There's officers that's waiting for a shift overlaps before they can go out and patrol. There's definitely, and there's officers riding two in a car because there's no, there's a shortage on cars. There is definitely a major shortage on police vehicles. And you don't know that? And we're spending close to $300,000 on outfitting. So you acknowledge that, but what exactly are we gaining by, like what's the upgrade? Are we getting new TVs, new satellites, new, like what are we upgrading in this mobile command center that it should be a priority to spend $300,000 on this versus perch in purchasing new vehicles more vehicles.

The technology. Thank you, Council president, the technology of the interior is getting upgraded to 2026 standards.

I can't really say more than that because of the sensitivity of the matter the sense it's really the matter so okay, that's the president's.

So right before, so Mr. B.A., I know we have to give credence to the director. His mother passed away. So we want to put that on the record. I will also like it to be duly noted when it comes to retrofitting and it talks about command polls is directly related to the vehicle is talking about the mouth that goes inside of the vehicle where they're writing and they're typing information on the keyboard it talks about the cameras for surveillance around the vehicle it talks about the lighting it talks about the climate control. Those are the different things so in the future, Mister BA can we just have that description attached to this item because it seems but if you look at the purpose of the bottom, it's clear but can we just explain that what it means to retrofit a car to a command post I'm just make sure it's clear.

Council member last. Thank you got some president to be a bit to the ship is to be a it to Jim is to be a I know you don't have a year here. I'm I'm I'm being said his past 10 years and i believe every year we bring 15 20 cars we replace the back units we get new new motorcycles we we get a lot of vehicles pd through the state grants through OTHER GRANTS THAT WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO GET. SO IF IT'S POSSIBLE, TO CLARIFY THE STATEMENTS, IF YOU COULD SEND US HOW MANY VEHICLES WE HAVE BROUGHT IN, AT LEAST FOR THE PAST TWO TERMS THAT THIS MAYOR HAS BEEN HERE AND NOT PUTTING IN PROCUREMENT OR THE JOB OF GERRY SPECIALITY WHILE HE'S DOING. He's doing a great job trying to fill the quibble police officers to bring us a list how many vehicles we have brought up and chair with the whole Thai Council that's factual. Thank you.

Council president thank you roll call not. Councilwoman offered.

Councilman con.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. You know, I sit on the Public Safety Committee, and this is the first that I'm hearing that they don't have no cars. Because I know if they didn't have no cars, that would be the first thing they would be asking us in our Public Safety Committee, that we need some cars. Correct. And they have not, and they do be buying cars because they got to buy the cars, they got to dress the cars up, they got to put the cameras, they got to put the GPS, they got to put all of that in there. So this is new that I'm hearing that they can't go out and patrol because they got no cars. I know that Captain Murray, Chief Murray would say, we need some cars. And if we need 10 cars or 20 cars, I know he would come back to us and say, we need some cars. so we can patrol and we can do what we need to do. Madam Clerk, my vote is yes.

Vice President Davila.

Thank you so much Councilwoman Cotton as well as I am part of the Public Safety Committee and all of these items do come to committee. Council President is part of it as well and Councilman Omar and we have in the past approved numerous patrol cars and trucks and so news to me today that people come to work and they don't have cars. or that they're waiting. But with that said, I'm in support of this item. My vote is yes.

Councilman Jackson.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. I guess it's fortunate that I'm not a part of the Public Safety Committee. The B.A. just acknowledged that he knows there's a shortage of cars. I don't understand how, I mean, I'm getting calls all the time, not just from members of the public, from people who actually work in the city say, listen, we got a shortage on cars. And this is just irresponsible governance. How is the legislative body responsible for writing the checks? And they're all saying they're on the committee and they don't know that we don't have cars. All right, well, that's why I'm here. That's why I'm here.

Speaking from the audience.

That's why I'm here. I'm here to make sure that we're responsible and we're taking the concerns of the residents serious and this although i'm not against this this uh expenditure in particularly and you know i send a message out to the chief not to worry it's gonna pass we know um we we know what's what's gonna what's going down the timeline but i can't support this is irresponsible spending we have to put priorities of our residents first and patrol cars PD cars and residents response time on on PD response time is very important. Not having a fancy new. Mobile unit that we could pull up in parades. My vote is no matter.

Councilman colleague, yes. Councilman Mendez.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. I think we have to be honest about one thing. We have to be honest about the hard work and the dedication of our new leadership in the police department with Pam Mary, officer in charge, in the beginning of Basi when the state took over. But also, when we talk about a command, a mobile command, that's like having a police department right in the street. They'll be able to get into camera. They'll be able to get data, get additional information that they don't have to be necessarily inside the police department to get those information. I know how important this is. And we all have to be fair and honest with the leadership that we have. in the police department. Unfortunately, the director's not here because his mother passed away. I was in here last week. And also, talking about the shortage on cars, Mr. VA, I know we have proven on multiple occasions the pressures of new vehicles. I need a full report about what is missing How many cars are needed? Because we can't still be approving. I know there's another legislation to buy five of ten new Harley Davidson for, you know, there's more coming. But I need a full report. If that's true, is that correct? I'm in full support of our Paterson Police Department. I know they're doing the best they can to be out there. And I know police response is difficult. We need more police officers. We all know that, that we need more police officers on the ground. Do we have the money? Not at this time. We know that we need more, but we have to do more with what we have. So please, we need that report. My vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

Councilman Omar?

My vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

Councilman Velez?

This type of because not only use for race has seen in the jazz in the part the other day to protect our residents and and also for details that PD have in different wars, especially in operation and I got to go into detail what they could use it for me use it for in the past so we talk about they need something so I got to support what they need my vote is yes.

President Mims.

So this item is for 10 new vehicles that are waiting to get up graded through the retrofitting and that's what we're voting on so we want to police to be fully equipped when they're out protecting and serving the community, madam clerk, my vote is yes.

Thank you this item is adopted.

I'm 29, madam clerk.

Item 29 is a resolution authorizing the award of contract to First Priority Emergency Vehicles for the purchase and delivery of three UTVs, all-terrain transport vehicles, under the HGAC contract for the police department in an amount not to exceed $204,854.53 and is Resolution 26-354.

So move. Moved by Council Vice President Davila, second by Councilman Velez and Councilman Mendez. Discussion, Councilman Alford and then Councilman Velez.

I have a question. Do we know if these are the Polaris UTVs or the rapid vehicle UTVs?

Mr. B.A.?

They are Polaris Expedition ADV vehicles. Thank you.

Councilman the last thank you because the president to the chair CFO can you clarify with the fund is coming from. Forfeiture CFO can you please use your microphone. And tell us about this comment for future.

Roll call madam clerk. Councilman so that one second Councilman Jackson on the purchase of new equipment for the police department.

Yeah for for the PD ATV vehicles, 200,000 hours while we're missing PD vehicles so I just want to add that in and you know we know my I'm fine.

Thank you roll call for these 3 vehicles not part.

Councilman offered yes. Councilman time. Vice president of the land. Councilman Jackson know. Councilman colleague yes. Council and then does.

I think of this purchase is being used with the state funding now with that the dollars my vote is yes, my clerk.

Councilman Omar vote is yes, my clerk Council and the last he needed.

coming from state funding, so my vote is yes.

President Mims.

We just said the police need vehicles and this item is giving them to them. The vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

This item is adopted.

Item 30, Madam Clerk.

Item 30 is a resolution authorizing the solicitation of bids for the purchase of 12 2026 Harley-Davidson motorcycles for the police department that number 26.26 and its resolution 26 colon 3 so both will move discussion.

Moved by Council vice president to have a lot and Council member last second my Council and then this discussion Council of the last.

through the chair mr ba uh i requested um just a simple information uh we are going to trade in the one that we have or we're going to add this one to the fleet that we have

Councilman, this purchase replaces motorcycles that are over 8 years old. So at that point, once the new ones come in, we will use either GovDirect or one of those municipal auction sites to dispose of the motorcycles. If they're in need of, you know, if they don't have any functionality anymore, they could serve as backups. But our intention is to get some funds, recoup some funds when we trade them over.

The last time we did as well, but it was a 2016 we trading.

The one that we had but if that I I stand corrected because I'm communicating with the police department. They are there they're going to be traded in as part of this thank you and that will come in in the bid in the bid in the when we put out the bid our fleet will be in there that we're looking to trade in the bidders will bid on the new and what the value is for the old and we come up with the total product.

that's good that's that that means we now recycling we just invest in the proper way thank you council president thank you roll call madam clerk councilwoman alfred i just want to be clear this is just to go out to bid at this point yes yes councilwoman cotton vice president davila yes councilman jackson yes

Councilman Polly, yes Councilman Mendez. Councilman Omar Councilman the last yes, but of course president means yes.

This item is adopted item number 56, madam clerk.

I 56. 56. 56 or for the item 56 of the resolution authorizing the list the solicitation of bids for the South side branch library stairs and wall rehabilitation project that number 26.17 for the Patterson free public library so move second move by a council member less second by Council McCauley roll call madam clerk.

Discussion. Council member last one of the I oppose a question that's okay solicitation a bit thank you.

So let's roll call now for solicitation of bids Councilwoman offered.

Councilman cotton. Vice president that we love yes Councilman Jackson. Councilman colleague, yes.

Council and then that I was just about to.

Councilman Omar.

My vote is in.

Councilman Velez.

Let me pass.

Councilman Jackson.

Yes.

Councilman Velez.

Yes.

President Mims.

Yes.

This item is adopted.

57, Madam Clerk.

57 is a resolution authorizing the solicitation of bids for the Danforth library stairs and wall rehabilitation project bid number 26.16 for the Patterson free public library resolution 26 colon 382.

So moved. So moved. Moved by Councilman Mendez. Second by Councilman Velez. Roll call. Madam Clerk on solicitation of bids.

Councilwoman Alford. Councilwoman Cotton. Aye. Vice President Davila. Yes.

Which number?

Councilman Jackson.

57. 57. Thank you, Madam Clerk. See, this is the point that I'm making. And obviously, 57 is not, I definitely, I mean, this item should have been on consent. But I have the utmost confidence. But there's an item that got pushed on the consent agenda. This is just for the public's knowledge. 204 chairs were buying for $82,000-plus. 204 chairs at $400 a chair. Like, 200 chairs for $400 a chair. I mean, you talk about irresponsible governance and irresponsible spending. You could bear witness right here. But on this item, Madam Clerk, my vote is yes.

Councilman Kalik?

Yes.

Councilman Mendez?

Thank you, Madam Clerk. We have to support our director, our library director, and our community. Let me encourage all the residents to please support the library and visit the library. There's a lot of service out there, especially a library on Broadway. My vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

Councilman Omar?

My vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

Councilman Velez.

The only thing I'm going to request of the library director as a statutory chair that I am, let's schedule a day. You could point it out to me, the stairs and the walls. It's going to be a bit on, if I could see a before and after on it. We could have scheduled that meeting so we could do a walkthrough. Thank you, Council President. My vote is yes. Madam Clerk.

President Mims. My vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

This item is adopted.

Item 58, Madam Clerk.

58 is a resolution authorizing the award of contract to Envision Wear Inc. for the purchase, delivery, and installation of a 24-hour self-serve library kiosk and canopy for the Patterson Public Library in an amount not to exceed $193,314. This is Resolution 26-383.

So move second by Council member last second by Council president men's roll call madam clerk.

Councilwoman offered yes. Councilman cotton. Vice president that we know yes. Councilman Jackson. Councilman colleague, yes.

Councilman Mendez think about a clerk investing in our library is investing in our children not what is yes, but a clerk.

Councilman Omar. is absent. Councilman Vales.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. This is going to be paid by grant. The money is being used wisely and library and our kids will enjoy it. Public in general. My vote is yes.

President Mims.

Yes, Madam Clerk.

This item is adopted.

Item number 43, Madam Clerk.

Item 43. Item 43. is a resolution authorizing subordination of homeowner rehabilitation mortgage for a Fabian at 5, 9, 7, East 30th Street from community development and his resolution 26 calling it 3, 6, 8, so most of them will cycle more by councilman colleagues second by a councilman and as well for a matter of court.

Councilwoman offered a one second discussion Councilwoman Alper yes, I you know when I saw this I looked it up and I think I have a an understanding of it, but I don't think that the public would would understand what that is.

So this. Director.

Can you give an explanation for the this program that's available in the city of Patterson the whole director the homeowner receive the grant from the city through the federal government's homeowner rehab program he asked to subordinate his mortgage so we can get a lower rate to take money out of this property.

In order to take it one plus one second when you don't come from our yeah, okay, I'm a common director actually he needs to try to refinance and that's why we need to do this. He can't just go and he just can't yes, yes to get permission from the Council, but yeah, thank you director.

Council member last. They're at the thank you know we we did the discussion is but I have a question how long they went to the law on the federal federal law. How many years he was tied up to the 5 years 5 years, OK. He completed.

No, that's why yes, permission to support me OK had how many years he completed. I don't have it in front of me, but in the resolution to 3.

It's in the body of the.

He only has a few more years left.

Okay, all right, thank you.

Any more questions.

Well, councilman Jackson so just so I'm clear director know I'm familiar with this one to make sure because you haven't we haven't seen one of these in quite some time. So there was a $28,000 grant.

Yes.

That was given.

Yes.

And the homeowner is not required to pay back the grant.

He's required to pay it back if he leaves the property.

If he leaves, but currently he's not required.

No payment is required.

Okay. So they're looking to refinance and because there's a lien or is there some type of deed restriction? Yes. That's placed on the property? Yes. Okay. So because there's a deed restriction currently, we have to give him authorization in order to be able to go out. Understood. Thank you. This is actually a phenomenal program. How many homeowners do we have currently active within that five-year window?

I would have to check the records.

Can I please get a report on that?

Yes.

Thank you. Thank you. Roll call, Madam Clerk.

Councilwoman Alford? Yes. Councilwoman Cotton? Yes.

Thank you, madam clerk. I just want to say too that this is an excellent program The only issue is that you you have to hold on to the profit for at least five years But then you will have to pay the money back But anything you want to do with your property you have to come back to the city Because we did put the money out for you to rehab your prop to rehab the property that you're in So it is an excellent program and madam clerk my board is yes vice president Davila Councilman Jackson, yes

Councilman Kelly, yes. Councilman Mendez.

I think the better some of you have program it's really one of the best program that we have in the in the city of Paterson just don't be afraid to to apply to use it all those homeowners in the city of Paterson for a single family is 15,000 for 2 family you have up to 30,000 for 3 family to the 45,000 to fix a roof the site in the window and you will have a lien for 5 years in your property after 5 years the lien it's off And you can sell the property or do whatever you want to do with the property. But it's a great program. And just don't be afraid to use it. Because the community, they could take a lot of positive advantage about this program. So with that being said, my vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

Councilman Omar?

My vote is yes, Madam Clerk. Councilman the last and to add what councilman doesn't want to say is that his office. He holds a lot of people to get to the whole program that's right free no and and free not only for free no cost.

My would fill it up, yes.

President Mims yes, madam clerk.

This item is adopted item 4544, madam clerk. Item 44 is a resolution authorizing an award of contract to Civitas LLC for the consultant services to provide technical assistance to the city's HUD-funded programs, CDBG, HOME, HOPWA, and ESG, for the Department of Community Development for an amount not to exceed $100,000 from September 2026 through August 2027. Resolution 26-369 from Community Development.

so move second move by council president mem second by councilman khalid before we go into vote i want to thank our director about three to four years ago i made a request that this be placed for our not-for-profits to ensure that we are in compliance with hud to ensure if they had any issue with their paperwork or getting their stuff done that we have technical assistance in place so for the last four years this has proven to be very successful and I'm so excited to see it here again for our not-for-profits and to make sure that we stay in compliance roll call madam clerk councilwoman offered yes councilman cotton councilman Jackson

Yes.

Councilman Kelly, yes. Councilman Mendez.

So this this this this company will be in charge of making sure that not not for profit and compliance when they apply this is something that is really made in our community being I've been questioning the department are my great director that we love her, you know, so But I've been questioning the department because I see the biggest not-for-profit most of the time taking all the money. I have nothing against them, but I have a lot of not-for-profits locally that know our community well, that deserve more funding to serve our community. and there are people right here from Paterson that are doing a phenomenal job without the resources, without the funding. And I would love to see this in the table, so I'm looking forward to see all those local not-for-profits taking advantage about this entity, making sure that they are on the right track, WHEN IT COMES TO PAPERWORK, WHEN IT COMES TO TIMELINE, TO USE THE MONEY, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE THE MONEY BACK BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED IN MOST OF THE CASES. THEY'RE NOT READY, THEY'RE NOT PREPARED, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE THROUGH THE PROCESS, AND THEY HAVE TO GIVE THE MONEY BACK. AND THEN THOSE BIG ENTITY, THEY ENDED UP INTO GETTING THE MONEY. SO, YOU KNOW, RIGHTFULLY, THIS IS THE RIGHT PROGRAM. MY VOTE IS YES, MA'AM CLEAR.

COUNCILMAN OMAR?

MY VOTE IS YES, MA'AM CLEAR.

Councilman Velez, yes. President Mims.

Yes, Madam Clerk.

This item is adopted.

Item 45, Madam Clerk.

45 is a resolution authorizing an award of contract to MKW and Associates for Landscape Architecture, Engineering, and Historic Preservation Professional Services for the Division of Historic Preservation under Economic Development in an amount not to exceed $498,940 for a period of one year and is Resolution 26-370.

Discussion.

Moved by Councilman Kotlick, second by Councilman Velez and Omar. Discussion? Councilman Mendez.

Thank you, Council President. I know this is a company that we hired for the historic preservation professional service, including especially Eastside Park section that is part of the historic preservation, but I don't see how much out of the $498,000 would be allocated to a section. In the third ward, I have the largest historic district or historic section in the city of Paterson, so I don't see the amount, how it's split. I know Eastside Park did a lot of work. I know many women from public work, they're doing the best they can to take care of Eastside Park. But a lot of residents use Eastside Park. We have activity every single day and every single week at Eastside Park, whether down the park, up the hill. So we need more resources, more funding to the park. I need the breakdown on that.

So Councilman Mendez if you pull up the document on your tablet, there's a complete breakdown with the scope of work and all the defendants of parameters that are attached to this. This is something that you have advocated for now it's time to get the contract, you know have to go to the procurement process for the details are attached and the tablet.

Looking for a site far going to see up on the full support and it's just for you.

Thank you, thank you, Councilman Jackson and then Councilman cotton. You to the young lady Council Council mccann.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. When I'm looking at this, it said actually 22 people picked up to put this bid in to apply for it. But then I think that everybody needs to understand that this is an architectural engineering. It's not fixing nothing. It's just that they're doing the scope of the work that needs to be done, what we need to change. Then we're going to go out to bid for what needs to be done for this. This is just... This is just engineering service of for our historic if I'm correct and this to be a this is this the engineer or to take the scope of all the story sites that we need to improve. Madam clerk, I mean that Mister BA.

This is part of a $7 million grant the city got, Urban Investment Fund, NJEDA, through the federal government. It's the pavilion at the Rogers Museum. The ATP Bridge within the National Park. A study for the Ivanhoe Wheelhouse. And there's funds towards the rehabilitation of the old doctor caves in that project with NJCDC, who's a sub-grantee. So that's all in that. This is all 100% federal government funded.

Okay. Thank you, Mr. B.A.

Council President just outlined Councilman Mendez that this full detail in the in the body of the resolution he asked specifically about Eastside Park is nothing in here, but he said Park in fact be ages outline some of those spaces And we're spending $500,000 just on design. So this is going to be a completed design. Why are we spending money on the, or let me not say that. I mean, the ATP site, what is the projected use schedule for that?

Mister BA.

Corey Park is done. The next the next phase is the Colt gun mill. So I know there's a mister communities working on a stabilization project for that the ATP site is like right after the the old gun mill and this project would rehabilitate that bridge to be able to withstand like weight going back and forth and being able to be a serviceable passageway. So these are the full design services. They include archaeological. That adds a lot to the cost because both the museum and the ATP site have a lot of archaeology behind it.

I'm I'm I'm in favor Councilman Mendez talking with these sites that we actually utilize Eastside Park. You know and I I do understand that we are spending money I see another expenditure here for 1.2 million dollars for something else maybe we when we continue to add these things up year after year and relative to to the to to the community's use And the requirement or necessity to the community, I think these things are very, very low on the totem pole. And to be spending on this, I mean, I don't see the benefit. But I'm one person.

If I may who's who's got the president right now.

She asked me to go come in and put no no count.

Yeah.

Let me ask you a miss to be a even though we know that she's the one on the floor after comes up after the councilman cut and comes from the list.

I think House of the latest first of all this to be a let me just ask you. You said that we received a $7 million grant for things that are in our city. Is there a time limit on this $7 million, or how long does it last before we have to, say, spend it before we maybe have to return it?

We're under a tight window by the end of the year. By the end of this year? So this design, both of them are supposed to... They have early October dates as a returnable. Okay. Go out to bid immediately. Well, let me rephrase this. We have to disperse the federal parts of the funds by the end of the year. By December 30th? The project could continue past January, but the federal piece has to be paid out and out of the books, and then whatever funds are needed to complete the project, it can continue. So... We're working very diligently.

To get this.

Yeah, just on the museum, the pavilion project is something I'm looking forward to. And I think we have some medium term plans, maybe two, three, four years down the line to maybe turn that entire building into a children's museum and make it maybe the children's museum of the state of New Jersey. So there is a lot to look forward to with the right planning and vision. So I don't think that this is putting money into something that won't get any use.

All right. Thank you. You know, I just want to say to Mr. B8 that, you know, even though it's a grant coming from, but it got to be for historic items and not, we can't spend it on anything else that we want to spend it on. And we have to understand that if they tell us to buy cans, we got to buy cans. I can't go buy paper cups because he told me I got to buy cans. So that's what I think that we need to understand that this is just for historic sites in our city. Thank you, Mr. B8.

thank you councilman velez thank you council president i just want to clarify the record that the biggest and largest historic district is in downtown I want to clarify that yes East Side Park is a historic Park and West Side Park is story Park but downtown is the historic the biggest historic district in the city of Paterson so let's not get confused the city now while we're talking here about those people that travel to mill Street and by how and and and that is since we You see the raceway under those those buildings is full of garbage. So at least this is moving forward to look for a plan how to preserve it all who something better that residents of Patis going joy and enjoy and match it with the great falls and for the record that is located in the 5th Ward of the city of pass.

Thank you comes to press roll call, madam clerk. Councilman offered.

My vote is yes. Councilman cotton. Vice president that we love yes, Councilman Jackson know. Councilman colleague, yes. Councilman Mendez that's not a good. Councilman the last. Yes, my clerk president Mims.

The city talks about a plan here's one I voted yes.

This item is adopted. 46, Madam Clerk. 46 is resolution authorizing an award of contract to French and Pirello Associates for Engineering and Archaeological Professional Services for the Division of Historic Preservation under Economic Development in an amount not to exceed $250,700 for a period of one year and is resolution 26-371.

some of the second more by Council of the last second by Councilman Kali roll call man. This goes to us and Councilman Jackson and then Council of the love. Mister be a can you provide the details of item number 46.

This is for the textile a bridge at the Great Falls National Park. North of the quarry, there is a bridge. This design would design either a rehabilitation of the bridge or replacement, depending on what the design and the engineering study does. Again, fully funded by the federal government. If we don't move forward, we would give it back and another municipality would benefit.

Thank you. Council Member Loz.

I'm happy to see that a lot of this is going to be at the museum. Based on what I see back here. I will museum needed is a kind of upgrade. Everybody knows that this is a treasure for the city of passing and holds a lot of history in there. So if anybody in the in the audience needs a copy of this. You could wax to the clerk. is available because that's where is going to be the project and and really we needed to preserve the the museum and other site around look how beautiful if it goes like this ladies and gentlemen it's going to be beautiful and it's going to match what new jersey new jersey transit did upgrade their garage And for the record also is in the 5th Ward. Thank you council president.

Roll call madam clerk.

Councilman offered yes. Councilman cotton. Vice president that we love yes Councilman Jackson.

Thank you, madam clerk says I guess it's a matter of perspective. They gave us 7 million dollars. We already spent a million dollars of it just on planning. The song playing not does not work being done is not anything being developed. This is close to 3 quarters of a million dollars just going out planning my opinion is like this money laundering right here. The people that's getting these contracts we need to figure it look at look into this and how it's I TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE MOVING AROUND IN THESE PARTS. BUT, MADAM CLERK, MY VOTE IS NO.

COUNCILMAN, COLLEAGUE.

ARE WE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT A PLANNING AND AN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN? FOUR COMPANIES BEATED ON IT. ACTUALLY, FIVE. AND FRENCH AND PARIELO WAS THE LOWEST RESPONSIBLE BEATER. MY VOTE IS YES.

COUNCILMAN MENDEZ.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. I'm very excited to see the museum and this project. I know the museum did a lot of work. I'm not quite sure. I'm not sure if we're going to be able to have the amount of money that needs to be invested in the museum because it's so expensive. destroy that we not to have to do a major capital improvement, but at least restarting the price that's one of the most beautiful building and the history of Paterson is rather the museum every time I buy people to pass and I encourage them to go to the museum sometime I take them to the museum that way to see and when they go inside they get impressed with what they see in the museum in all of that is being it's been built right here in the city of Paterson. But what is just not a clerk.

Councilman Willis.

All this process that we have in front of us when it comes to a war contract or process that people had to bid, I had to commend the purchasing agent of the city of Paterson, Mr. Harris Avalo. He does a great work. He does it by the book, and he makes sure that anything that comes here before us is already vetted the right way. So my vote is yes.

President Mims? My vote is yes, Madam Clerk. This item is adopted. Madam Clerk, can we do item number 35?

Item 35 is a resolution authorizing award of contract to DSI Medical Services for alcohol and drug testing for employees in pre-employment for the City of Patterson in an amount not to exceed $70,000 from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. And is Resolution 26, 360. So moved.

Moved by Councilman Velez, seconded by Council Vice President Davila. ROLL CALL, MADAM CLERK, ITEM 35.

DISCUSSION.

DISCUSSION, COUNCILMAN JACKSON.

THROUGH THE CHAIR, MR. B.A., I DIDN'T GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO THIS. WERE WE ABLE TO AT LEAST ENTERTAIN SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT I SPOKE ABOUT DURING THE WORKSHOP?

MR. B.A.?

CAN YOU BE MORE SPECIFIC, COUNCILMAN? YOU MENTIONED A LOT OF ITEMS AT A GIVEN MEETING.

yeah i know it's rather tough to keep up with but this is a rather pressing matter this is the this the discussion we have with regard to a fireman who was uh arrested for possession of cocaine who is to a two-year-old child in his possession i'll explain thoroughly now that you asked for an explanation

I with all due respect, I'm I'm sorry that is a personal matter we talk about putting the city in legal liability. That was a big theme of the last meeting, I'm sorry, Mister Davis had the largest liability point of order to the city this point of order.

He should not count over me the house and Jackson is the council meeting not to be a meeting. So yet again we have a city employee was published in the newspaper not discussing anything that's not in mention anyone's name who's a fireman. who was arrested and incarcerated for possession of cocaine, while a two-year-old child in his possession had to be hospitalized for coming in contact with this illegal substance. This is a drug screening program. My request was that we should have random testing done, and if this can't entertain it, I mean, I think it's important enough that we should be talking about this with regard to having random screening of people who hold critical positions, police officers, firemen, DPW workers who are driving heavy apparatuses. To have outside individuals who don't reside in the city of Paterson servicing our community while managing a drug habit is very concerning. And we should be doing drug screening of any person driving a fire truck I know you may not be aware, but it was a it was an accident that took place on the corner of Broadway Main Street with 2 firetrucks collided with each other and went into a building. This could potentially have been a situation I'm not making any accusations I'm saying that we need to protect the public's interest and those individuals who are employed in the city should be subjected to random screening I know This is a contractual matter. It's something that needs to be negotiated as well, but it's something that needs to be talked about. We have individuals that's making national headline news and being arrested for possession of cocaine, and they're in a position of authority as a fireman. That's a serious matter. I don't want to be scarfing past that. This item, we're paying $70,000-plus to a third party company and I will apologize to council and to corporation council. I did some additional research via HIPAA. It could potentially be some conflict matters, but It does not stop us from requiring drug screening for people who hold in these critical positions. That's my position. And I'm asking, was it discussed? Is it being considered? Because it's a serious matter.

The police department, by state law, has a system in place. 10% of the PD has to be anonymously drug tested every year. To the extent that other departments, I don't disagree with your points, Councilman, about people operating machinery and vehicles and having some of that in place. And if we don't, I'll be looking at that. Thank you.

If I make House of the Council McCartan, you know I just want to say also that those that hold CDL license or randomly tested. You've got to remember now when when they passed recreation marijuana. That that that put a lot of cities in a city of patterns and I find that like like in a whole because normally if you in an accident, you ordered Matthew going you're going to get tested. Heavy duty operated with CDL automatically you could be picked at any given time to go get tested. And I hear what Councilman Jackson is saying how do we decide who gets tested now and the only thing that I'd be worried about is that somebody don't like somebody. And then they did a costly testing them. See, now, that could be a major problem, you know, because somebody wants to, like, right now, when you have marijuana, which is recreation, which is legal, everybody can smoke marijuana as long as they're not working. But if they get off at 2 o'clock, they can start smoking at 3. Like, we can't do anything about that. So we have to be really careful, like, with people messing with people for no reason. And coming out there, like, but when you're in an accident, automatically. You're a CDL driver, automatically. You get pulled in, all right, Joe Blow, you got to come in now off the road because we got to take you to go get tested. So there's certain people that are going to automatically get tested. And I just want to share that, you know, with you. When we went to recreation marijuana, it really changed a lot of stuff. It really did change. Thank you, Council President.

Thank you. Roll call, Madam Clerk. Councilwoman Alford.

Yes. Councilwoman Cotton?

Yes.

Vice President Davila? Yes. Councilman Jackson?

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Not to rebuttal, but with all due respect, all firemen who work as firemen, they're not CDO drivers. They're certified fire truck drivers by the department. They don't carry CDL licenses so they're not required to have that type of testing. I'm not talking about medical or recreational marijuana. We have illegal substances such as heroin, cocaine, and this has been a habitual scenario through the years. You know, we've had firemen that have 20, 30 years ago that have gone through rehab multiple times, and if you don't have an issue, if you don't have a drug problem, you shouldn't have an issue with having random screening. In fact, council, I'll be the first one willing to stand up. Council members should have to go through Council members should have to go through random screening. So, drug matters are a serious issue in our community. We have individuals, we have youth in our community that are targeted and treated completely unfairly when it comes to drug enforcement, and yet we have members of the administration and council driving around under the influence. We have firemen that's being arrested in other towns. No, we need to be serious about drug consumption, about people who are paid by the city. And when you have a two-year-old child being subjected to it. And remember, we recently had another incident not that long ago. where a tenured fireman was sending a younger fireman out into the community to purchase drugs, illegal drugs, while they were on duty. That's a fact. So the fact that we're not considering doing mandatory drug screening and really talking about implementing this, it's just besides me. I don't understand it. But anyway, I guess some screening is all right. Madam Clerk, my vote is yes.

Councilman Colleague? Councilman Mendez.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Just for the record, I understand that any personal matter have to be discussed under the closed section. Not personal matter should be discussed in public. But also, I don't have a problem with people going through the screening across the board. I believe that it will bring safety across the board. So I truly believe it's important. But we're talking about the company that will get this contract, which is not to exceed $70,000. Let's get back on track on the agenda. Now, it's a resolution, and this is a new company. There was five other companies that participated in this bid, and this was the lowest and responsible bid. And that's the only reason why I'm voting yes on this. My vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

Councilman Omer?

My vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

Councilman Velez.

My vote is total yes.

President Mims.

My vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

This item is adopted.

Item 34, and then we'll do payment of bills and public portion. Item 34, Madam Clerk.

Item 34 is the resolution authorizing endorsement of the NJDEP application of Passaic County for the county office complex at 11 Marshall Street. This is from Public Works and is resolution 26-359. So moved. So moved.

Moved by Council President Mims, Vice President Davila, second by Councilman Mendez and Velez. Roll call, Madam Clerk.

Councilwoman offered yes. Councilman cotton. Vice president that we love yes, Councilman Jackson. Councilman on a man does. Yes, but of course Councilman Omar, yes, ma'am clerk Councilman last.

I just want to say miss to be a when you get a chance. Get in contact with the say County. A sure department to see if they could clear the clear the sidewalks of debris and keep it clean. My what is this and this.

And president Mims I voted just not clear. This item is adopted. Thank you payment of bills, madam chair.

Good evening, council members. You have before you the summary of disbursements. In the amount of $4,683,852.84, there was no payroll, no confirming of checks, just computer checks. which is the total of the $4,683,852.84. The big items here are statutory expenditures for $1,864,729.92, which includes a $800,000 payment to solid waste, and also street lighting, $400,000, and electric, $150,000. THE OTHER, THE CAPITAL FUNDS, SPECIFICALLY THE $1,235,198.03 INCLUDE EMERGENCY STORE REPAIRS, ABOUT $1,152,000. THIS IS ALSO, IN ADDITION, RIVERWALK AND AS WELL AS SUPPLIES. SO MY MOTION IS FOR PAYMENT OF BILLS.

SECOND. Motion by Council Vice President Davila, second by Council President Mims. Discussion. Discussion, Councilman Jackson.

Mr. Chair, Mr. B.A., well, first of all, before I go there, Council, Madam Chair, you said it was $800,000 relative to solid waste. Departments, $1.6? What is that for? Under statutory...

I just explained that to you. The $1,864,729.92. You outlined the total, but I'm asking the 1.6.

No, I gave you the breakdown of solid waste, over $800,000, street lighting, over $400,000, and electricity, $150,000.

Okay.

Okay, that doesn't add up to 1.6, but- Well, look at the payment of bills.

You have them in front of you. They're all broken down there, so you can look at them.

I mean, I can read. I'm asking you as the chair. I mean, you moved it. You should have it in the outline. I've answered your question. Okay. Rather snippy. Mr. B.A., do we have a report on the- Wow. So, is it, are we being, is it targeted for those people speaking from the audience who we have that we're, they're getting singled out and threatened to remove or is it just like anybody can just, certain people?

I have no idea what you're talking about. Okay.

I'm sorry, through the chair, Mr. B8, I'm looking for the outline on the sewer. Um, We're we're exactly the civil repairs taking place and we and I have asked for this report in the past for us to have a city met. For because every year now this is over this is you know it's an it's a no enormous amount that was spending on emergency so repairs. so we can be doing emergency sewer repairs in the same location 30 different times if we don't have a report in in a a map on where these locations are then then we're just getting taken to the cleaners is there do you have a location of where this where these repairs are being being done mr on ba so i mean if you

Excuse me one second. Councilman, I don't have the exact locations of it. I mean, the director indicated he could put that together. But yeah, the sewer's a problem. That's why it was part of the presentation last week. That's part of why it's been written about that we're looking at the future of our sewer system. Yes, if we're spending four, five, six million just to keep this thing going, And it's a 24, $25 million operation. Does that make business sense for the city? That's the diligence we're doing. And when we put out an RFP in the coming months, it's going to be for an asset management plan. That is going to be a document that covers our sewer system A to Z, from the age of everything, from every pipe in the ground to any work on any specific sewer piece. And that document, that report, will be the basis by which we could then decide, hey, are we going to put this, you know, put this out to bid and see what makes sense for the city. So that being said, if we don't pursue that, at least at the end of the day, we'll have a very comprehensive document to the year of every pipe related to the sewer system. So that is coming.

So the reason from asking, I mean last week we talked about some items with regard to the sewer and there was some inaccurate claims that were made. I made contact with several of the mayors from surrounding communities who in fact, I'm waiting on them to provide us with a letter on their letterhead that their municipality was in fact not removed from our sewer system.

Which mayor's councilman, if I could follow up with them?

Once they write those notices, I'll provide that information to you.

So they asked you not to name them?

I'm sorry?

They asked you to keep their name out of it, but we're getting a letter from them?

No, they didn't ask me that. Out of respect for them, can you outline which mayors will say that they, in fact, removed us from the system? That they've been removed? How is that such a curious question?

I don't know what you're asking me. I'm looking forward to these letters. If this is a thing, I want to talk to these mayors and recoup this money for the city. But you're not telling me who to talk to, like which towns are going to tell us, hey, yes, we're still using your system. Please give me that information. I will run with that.

OK so what was which which should be responsible on your part is providing the Council with documentation on which municipalities have been removed. I shouldn't have to do the work that year that your position requires you should be doing the due diligence to prove to the Council that these municipalities in fact that that large facility in total. off of union as does not point to a system that last week me I gave you the grace to saying you didn't know but you've been fairly informed and yes surrounding municipalities are in our sewer system so that's one portion of it was spending millions of dollars to do repairs and we don't we don't even have a a map to show where we're doing the repairs we could be we can be doing repairs in the same exact space over and over again because the work is being done is not being done properly. So it's only prudent for the Council to understand where we're spending money at year after year. Anyway, I will provide the letter from those municipalities.

Councilman Jack on the last. Thank you council president so miss to be a you just on don't even have a year here, but I think you'll see a 4 was well involved in that time when the they went to court. AND THEY MANDATE TO PAY THE CALCULATED FEE FROM HELDEN, PROSPER PARK, CLIFTON, AND I BELIEVE THERE'S ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY THAT WAS CONNECTED INTO OUR SUICIDES. THE COURT MANDATED THAT THEY PAY THAT FEE BACK, OR THE AGREEMENT THAT THEY CALCULATED THEY PAID BACK, AND THEY PROMISED THAT MUNICIPALITY THAT THEY WAS GOING TO GET DISCONNECTED. THEY. Some of them have not disconnected. So we cannot put a gun on them. And I go, we're not going to put a gun on them. So you need to get disconnected. The judge and them decide to go into the agreement. Now, I had a good, healthy conversation. You see, I could put the name on there. We had a good conversation with Mayor Johnson Van Helden. And he said, and he admitted, yes. HE WAS NOT THE MAYOR AT THE TIME. IT WAS TEMPONE. AND HE AGREES THAT THAT AGREEMENT WAS THEIR WAY BACK. SO WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO GET DISCONNECTED, WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO SELF-DISCONNECT, THAT'S ON THEM. AND I THINK IF THEY STILL CONNECTED, THEN YOU WILL HAVE THE CONVERSATION DIRECTLY WITH THEM AND TO SEE WHAT AGREEMENT THEY COULD GET TO GO AFTER ANY BALANCE OR ANY... BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE SYSTEM CANNOT BE BROKEN. YOU NEED TO GIVE THE RIGHT

or CFO had to give the right numbers what amount they had to pay thank you thank you welcome madam clerk councilwoman Alford yes councilwoman cotton uh council vice president Davila yes councilman Jackson

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Responsible governance starts right here, on the spending, on the spending. We can't say, oh, I don't know. You can't hold this position as finance personnel and then don't want to answer questions with regard to the spending. Oh, I've answered that. I mean, that's not responsible governance. And it definitely is not disrespectful to ask questions with regard to our spending. So I don't understand what's all the uproar about. I'm going to continue to ask tough questions. I don't care who doesn't like it. If we're going to ever recover, we got to become more responsible with spending and not just give people a blank check to spend money and then not be responsible or accountable how the money is being spent. The services should match what we're spending and they're not. That's just a fact. And anybody wants to deny that, I don't know, they're in a twilight zone. Madam Clerk, my vote is no.

Councilman Omar. The vote is yes, Madam Clerk. Councilman Velez.

Councilman, who's Councilman Lewis?

Oh, Velez, I'm sorry. Thank you, Madam Clerk, I'm sorry. My vote is yes to payment of bill.

President Mims.

Service rendered, need to be paid. My vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

This item is adopted.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. We have 16 speakers on the list that have signed up to speak for tonight. Each speaker has three minutes. We always act respectfully that there should be, on this side of the dais, a decorum as well as on the other side of the day is and our cold it specifically talks about using profanity and the that lack of use or not non use of using it here in the chambers and we will continue to make sure that we restate that it is in our cold and we will quote it but in this chambers profanity should not be allowed. Madam clerk first speaker. Our first speaker is Elvis term.

How y'all doing, Patterson, New Jersey? We got 25,000 people watching. And we got some clowns in the chamber. They like to laugh. It's showtime, though. To the clowns, hey! But by the way, before I get into my announcements, it's a back-to-school jam. Council President Lisa Mims is doing Back to School Jam on Saturday, August 29th, 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Bell Track Park. That's B-A-F-R to the ones that don't understand me. Track Park. in Patterson, New Jersey between East 23rd Street and East 24th. For more information, you can contact the council president. Come and do your back to school shopping. Downtown Patterson, New Jersey. Don't go nowhere else, y'all. Come downtown Paterson. We got good parking at 65 Elderson Street. 65 E-L-L-R-S-O-N Street, downtown Paterson. A big parking garage that holds over 836 vehicles. Also, you could do your shopping at Center City Mall on 301 Main Street, 301 Main Street, downtown Paterson. Subscribe to my YouTube channel, Patterson NJ Good News. My Facebook, Elvis Good News, D-U-R-H-A-M. Coming soon, Muhammad Fish and Chips, a black-owned restaurant. Muhammad Fish and Chip, my cousin. Coming soon, on the fourth wall, 184 Governor Street, Patterson, New Jersey. And coming soon to the first war, I made a mistake last week, but it's the first war. And the people hope to see the councilman, Michael Jackson, at this Grand Open when we have the Grand Open. It's the new location coming soon of Planet Fitness. This is the first war. It's coming soon to 93 Elderson Street. 93 ELL ISON Street. We got plenty of parking. The parking garage right next to it. It holds 836 vehicles. This is good news for the city of Patterson, New Jersey. I want y'all to know that Patterson's on a comeback. It's going to take some time, but guess what? We got to work together. Peace.

Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. Our second speaker, Ms. Eva Razak, is not here. We're moving on to our third speaker, Ms. Chanel Fills.

Good evening, Patterson. I'm here to discuss, to address a pattern of conduct that has gone on for far too long in the people's house. Truthfully, I can no longer sit back and watch it be dismissed as some twisted personality difference, or at best, some meager political disagreement geared towards random differences of opinion among colleagues. I myself and I'm certain that the public as well has come to see how collectively over the last few years we have repeatedly experience watching the conduct from fellow Council colleagues that have been dismissive disrespectful and unnecessarily disruptive this has included attempts to minimize Councilman Jackson's contributions repeatedly cutting him off why speaking talking over him publicly gaslighting and horrible attempts to derail his responses and convert conversations to the public by casting doubt on his character rather than addressing the legitimate substances of issues he brings before the council you see disagreement in this council is not the problem disrespectful conduct is. Every elected official has the right to be heard, to participate in deliberations, and to represent constituents without being repeatedly interrupted, belittled, and publicly undermined or subjected to personal attacks. No colleague should ever use their position, voice, or influence to create an environment in which other elected officials are intentionally diminished or prevented from effectively participating in discussion. What makes this most particularly concerning for me is how it toxically seeps over into the public as your undignified behavior does not remain between the individual counsel. Instead, it poisons the entire community at large. It affects the fabric of the entire infrastructure of the council body, ultimately allowing you to evade your public duties and the capacity in which all of you are elected to serve in. How many more times will this council body repeatedly interrupt one another in an attempt to discredit one another personally or to turn legitimate policy disagreements into attacks on character? Stop creating confusion, hostility, and division. It's unnecessary chaos. You are eroding the public confidence in you and the governing body. And this gives us, as constituents, the impression that personal conflict is taking precedence over responsible leadership. That's unacceptable. I'm therefore calling for this conduct to cease immediately. We the people are demanding that moving forward basic standards of professionalism be governed at every meeting. Our issues will not be minimized by foolish council rhetoric that continuously wastes the public's time. I refuse to watch this type of conduct. to become normalized simply because it has happened repeatedly over the years. You all are elected to serve the public, not to create personal battlegrounds in this council chamber. There's a proper way to disagree. There's a proper way to challenge a colleague's position. Thank you. And there's a professional way to debate.

Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk.

Next speaker is Eddie Olivares.

Good evening, all. It's happening, Patterson. Only in Patterson. But I told you it was going to happen. So people are complaining about the street flooding. People are complaining about dirty streets, crime, drugs, shootings. It's happening, Patterson. It's happening. Anyway, Lilissa, and I call you by your first name intentionally. You keep on asking for respect. Your wish will not be granted. I have no respect for you. I have no respect for most of the members of this council. How can you ask me to respect Shaheen? Again, I call it by the first name just to show that I have no respect for you. I went to a meeting in the planning board, and this guy voted to knock down a one-single-family house and in that property build a 30-apartment building. How can you ask me to respect a fool like that? How can you ask me to respect? It may be that we are the only city in the entire United States that have a corporation council that does not know the difference between shall and should. How can I respect that? This is foolishness. You guys are a bunch of fools. How can you ask me to respect the VA? We have a BA that cannot give us, can you give me one, one program where we have invested monies and we are getting a return, a profit. This is why people invest, to get a return. Can you give me one program? I bet you can't. How can you ask me to respect that? You guys are a bunch of idiots. I know that you don't like it, Mr. Jackson. Tough. These guys are a bunch of idiots. That's why the city is in the state that it is in. But I told you it was going to happen. Vote for Marisa. Again, I call her by the first name because I have no respect for her. Vote for Lilisa. Vote for Andre. And this is what you're going to get. 2028. Vote for Shaheem. That's what you're going to get. Luis Velez, the drunk, that's what you're going to get. The child, Omar, that's a child. Vote for him, that's what you get. Alex, that's what you get. Cotton, that's what you get. So people of Patterson, once again, I keep on telling you, it's happening. But I told you it was going to happen.

Thank you next week about a clerk next speaker is Corey. The goal.

Mister commissioner T Corey Teague.

Good evening. May 21st 1971 a man walked into a studio. and recorded a song that would go on to be one of the greatest hits in the world, but it became a great hit not only because of its artistry, but because the question that was raised would go on to become a rallying cry for accountability and responsibility. That man's name was Marvin Gaye, and the name of the song was What's Going On. It was only three words, but those three words would become an echo that would go on through the years. And 55 years later, those three words are still relevant today. I'd like to point out that when he went into the studio that day, it was exactly six years and three months after the assassination of Malcolm X, whose picture is no longer on the wall. I ask, what's going on? Where have we gotten to? I also want to let the public and the community know that this very moment Myself, along with Commissioner Kenny Simmons, have a case before an administrative law judge, because even though our classrooms are overcrowded, they're still trying to close schools. We are in the process of fighting that. We're not sure what the administrative law judge is going to do, but in November, you need to ask yourself that question, what's going on? There's a lot of things that's going on in this city, in this school district, and you really have to start asking yourself those questions. Stop just allowing folks to tell you things and start becoming more inquisitive. Start asking why. Start asking who did what and why, where, when, and demand answers. We can only do so much. as advocates and as elected officials, but you as the public have to start coming forward. And when they do come forward, respect the questions that they're asking and give them some answers. Because a lot of people come to these meetings because they don't get the answers that they're asking. And when they're told that this is not the place to go, it's like, where do I go? Because everybody I call don't answer. And when everybody you call don't answer, what happens? You go to any place you can where you feel that there will be somebody that will watch and hopefully somebody will get back in touch with you. Our phones ring constantly. And y'all know we're not lying. Our phones ring constantly. And so I'm down here tonight to let you know as well, I'm just a school board member. I can assist you with school-related issues, but I can't help fix your rent. I can't help fix your street. I can't help fix the flooding. I really can't. But the folks who are responsible for making sure that the city government runs are right here at City Hall.

Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk. Next speaker is Cameo Black.

Good evening. Damn, you the only one up there, ma'am? I said good evening you don't want a good evening. All right, I'm here for 2 reasons one tomorrow, I'm a I'm going to close but it's not going to be so is the body tomorrow we have fun in the sun sun and fun whatever it is with them kids up there the nasty as bathrooms has to be done them kids can not be up it's a lot with the bathrooms looking like that. The other thing some of the Council people know you might start laughing you might start not laughing but the retaliation is disgusting and I like the last thing that I can come up with to send me a paper say that I'm reduced for food stamps because I'm a non-citizen I've been here for 45 years. Them drunk bitches that be at the Elks and y'all be up there laughing, giggling, county commissioners, everybody, they better get it together. It's been a whole month. There's no way I'm a non-citizen. It's nothing but retaliation. Y'all don't want me coming down here. Y'all want me to be quiet. I have been minding my business. But at the same time, we're going to eat. But I shouldn't have to take money out my pocket to pay when all these other people got two, three, four, five, six, seven different incomes. So by I hope what's today Tuesday, I pray to God by Friday, I hear something only person so far been assisted me. Miss cotton only place that financially is the 6 work Council me, you know, I don't actually have enough that I don't beg you for nothing, but the same way yeah, he is state. Motherfucker filet mignon and everything goes I'm not a hamburger hot dog eating bitch. And I want to keep the same thing so somebody better say enough and figure it out, you know if I could go my pocket to feed the homeless, I need some compensation that I've been doing everything for this community, I never ever asked for anything like Corby said my phone ring all night long. I don't get paid not. And I'm sick of it. And I'm before I leave I need to show you a text message because the lady says she's been in touch with you you're not be turning her calls I should not be I'll show you it I should not be getting these phone calls, I'm sick of it. I'm set a point now I don't sound that for a psychiatrist Thomas it on the couch and talk to the people about my problems because I know I don't want to be locked up. So please do you do diligence have a good night.

Thank you miss black next speaker, madam clerk.

Next speaker is Ilya Villanueva.

Good evening, Ms. Ilya.

Members of the council, good evening. Thank you so much for allowing me to be in front of you. You know, in all the years that I've been in politics, I have helped many people to be elected. And I have helped many of you be elected also. I have not been the opportunity to be elected, but I've been part of many of your campaigns, with the exception of some. When we are going to help somebody, we elect who we want to support. We choose who you want to support. So if you're not supported or if you're not voted on help, there's some attitudes that people should not take. That's terrible. Because after you're elected, you have to come here. And you still have to look at those people in front of you. We are not born to be liked by everybody. Okay? So when we don't like a person and we talk about the person and be disrespectful to the person, you're going to get it back too because I will do it. But I'm not here for that. I want to say thank you. You know that I will always have your back. I helped put you there. I will support you. I have support for years. I have support when she started. I support . I support . And most of everything, my brother . And I want to thank you especially for allowing the Puerto Rican community to bring back the Puerto Rican Carnival for the first time in almost 13 years. To the members of the council, Councilwoman Davila, Councilman Velez, thank you for the beautiful flag raising that for the first time in a lot of years we're going to be so proud that we're always proud but that we're going to be so happy to have both of you be the head with the mayor of this flag raising thank you for everything I would be here for you anytime I could help you. But I will not stand. As a woman, I know how it is to be in politics and be looked down and be mistreated and be called and not be elected. But I'm still standing here. After May of 1984, when I helped Councilwoman Maria Magda O'Keeffe, I learned that people don't like us. But we stand tall on what we do and how we prove ourselves of who we are. And when people elect us, good or bad, we're back here. Thank you so much. May God bless each and every one of you. The ones that like us, the ones that don't like us, I wish you the very best. And blessings.

Thank you. We'll do it later. Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk.

Next speaker is Karina Minaudo.

Good evening, Council President, members of the Council, and members of the public. My name is Karina Manaro, and I'm here not only as the chairwoman of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, but also as a woman that was deeply offended by last week's exchange. Councilman Jackson, you have every right to question Vice President, but when the words sit your ass down and shut the hell up were directed to her, who had just courteously given you the floor, It stopped being about the issue and it became about a lack of respect. Respect is not something we show only when we agree. It's something we owe one another, especially when we don't. Today, I had the pleasure of meeting a young woman in the audience, Jay Lynn. who had previously attended zoning board and planning board meetings. She's chosen to speak up about what she believes, and she deserves to be encouraged. Imagine if the response she receives for doing her part to advocate for her community is met with, is not met with thoughtful debate, but rather disrespect. Think about the message that sends not only to her, but to every young person watching and wondering whether civic engagement is worth it. We encourage people to show up, to ask questions, to make their voices heard, but what if they witness what is speaking up, opens up the door of humiliation? Then too many capable people will simply walk away. Young men are watching how adults conduct themselves, especially how men treat women in the position of authority. Young women are watching to decide whether leadership is a place where they'll be respected or whether disrespect is simply the price of having a voice. Passionate disagreement is inevitable, but respect must remain at the forefront. I believe in standing up and speaking up, but doing so while preserving our moral compass and treating others with dignity. The standard we tolerate today becomes the standard our next generation inherits. The quality of our democracy isn't measured by whether we agree, it's measured by how we treat each other when we don't. And if we continue down this path of disrespect, we won't just lose the quorum, we'll lose the trust of the very people we claim to serve. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Next speaker, Madam Clerk.

Next speaker is Joel Keys, Jr.

Testing, testing. Replacing Malcolm X's portrait with the United States flag is a symbol of the anti-black racist mistreatment white America subjects African Americans to daily. African Americans are expected to accept this kind of anti-black racist mistreatment and pretend like it's okay and it doesn't bother us. Moreover, any time we confront the anti-black racist mistreatment, We are accused of playing the race card or that we keep bringing up slavery. When the state apparatus institutionalizes anti-black racism, it is they who are playing the race card and keep bringing up slavery. Let's look at some examples. The Fourth of July yearly celebration. African Americans are asked to celebrate the independence of European Americans and are expected to ignore the fact that on July 4th in 1776, African Americans were enslaved and will remain enslaved for another 89 years. That is the state apparatus bringing up slavery and playing a race card. And you see it polarized whenever any African Americans decide to question and challenge the anti-black racist sentiments and the role of slavery related to that national holiday. Next. Every year in February on President's Day, the state apparatus brings up slavery and plays the race card because those presidents were slave masters. Once again, African Americans are expected to accept this kind of anti-black racist mistreatment and pretend like it is okay and doesn't bother us. If any African Americans decide to question and challenge the anti-black racist sentiments and the role of slavery related to that national holiday, they are accused of always playing the race card and bringing up slavery. One day during the summer semester, I was teaching this lesson in class, and one of my Irish students played a rap song titled, Just. The lyrics in the hook of the song are as follows. Look at all these slave masters posing on your dollar. This statement is as glaring an example of the state apparatus institutionalizing anti-black racist sentiments, and once again, African Americans are expected to ignore it and pretend that it doesn't bother us. If any African Americans decide to question and challenge the anti-black racist sentiments and the role of slavery related to those slave masters posing on your dollar, they're accused of playing the race card and always bringing up slavery. In conclusion, I'm not gonna pretend that replacing Malcolm X's portrait with the United States flag is okay and doesn't bother me because it is another example of institutionalizing anti-black racist sentiments. To some of us, it is the highest level of disrespect. It is unimaginable disrespect and indicative of how this administration feels about African Americans. We've heard that stated before in these chambers. Next speaker, Madam Clerk.

Next speaker, Madam Clerk.

Next speaker is Ariel Lefkowitz.

Good evening. My name is Ariel Lefkowitz. I grew up here in New Jersey, and I currently live in Jersey City. I'm also a puppy mills policy specialist at Humane World for Animals. I'm here to again urge this council to pass an ordinance stopping the retail sale of dogs and cats in pet shops. I'm coming to you because Patterson's one puppy selling pet store seemingly continues to buy puppies from unlicensed breeders, has a history of health violations, and has yet to pay the tens of thousands that they've been fined for violating New Jersey consumer protection law. I visited the store this past weekend, which is an experience that strengthened my belief that this is an ordinance that needs to be passed. As soon as you walk in the door, you're unfortunately hit with the smell of unwashed puppies and their waste. Most of the puppies were stacked in cages that had gridded flooring with no soft material for them to lay on. I saw a doodle that had matted ear hair, as well as a few puppies with overgrown nails. In at least three cases, the breeders listed on the cage cards had license numbers that are currently cancelled and we cannot find updated license numbers that are associated with those names and addresses listed one as of this year one as of 2019 and one as of 2016. additionally according to federal inspection reports and the store's breeder list that they have to submit to the state dng petite pups purchased from an ohio ohio breeder whose license was actually revoked by the USDA in February of this year. This came after dozens of violations that was found by federal inspectors, including a dog that had an untreated open wound on its leg, a buildup of feces from the dogs that was infested with animals. There was dust and cobwebs and dead insects found in the facilities housing dogs and puppies. And the list, unfortunately, goes on. Water that was contaminated and had a filter of algae over the top of it. And there were, I believe, over 30 violations in just one report. It is past time that this store embrace a more humane business model and stop selling puppies. It is past time to stop propping up an industry, meaning the puppy mill to pet shop pipeline, that continues to be a nightmare for both people and pets. And so I urge you to join 155 communities in New Jersey, including Union City and Jersey City and numerous others. There are over 500 across the country that have adopted similar ordinances. And this would be to help protect puppies both in the commercial breeding facilities and the unsuspecting families that are purchasing potentially sick puppies from these stores. Thank you.

Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk.

Next up, we have Jeff Wisniewski.

Good evening, everyone. My name is Jeff. I'm a Patterson resident. I live on North A Street. And I'm here to also talk about the humane pet store ordinance that Ariel was just up here speaking on. I would like to add that We have a big problem going on here and emphasize that because I don't believe that enough of us are paying attention to what's going on to the least protected individuals that are being exploited by puppy mills, breeders, and pet stores like the one Ariel was mentioning that is currently operating in Patterson. This is a big issue that I don't think enough of us are talking about or thinking about what's going on to these other animals that are being bred in facilities across the country, being shipped across multiple state lines to come to our community and other communities. being flooded with these sick animals um transported in questionable conditions and then being sold in these terrible terrible pet stores that do not seem to care about the conditions of these other animals that they are attempting to sell in their businesses and make a profit on. They don't seem to care about their condition beyond how much money they can sell them for or how much money these other animals can bring their businesses. So I would really like it if anyone who's paying attention right now would please do whatever is in your power to pass the humane pet store ordinance in our town, in every town. We need to stop this exploitation that's going on of all these defenseless dogs and cats and other species of animals as well. Yeah, I don't know why we aren't paying more attention to this. WHEN WE HAVE A VERY REALISTIC, FEASIBLE SOLUTION BEING PRESENTED HERE AT OUR MEETINGS AND ORDINANCES LIKE THIS HAVE ALREADY PASSED IN, I BELIEVE IT'S 150 MUNICIPALITIES JUST IN NEW JERSEY. And multiple states have passed this as a state-level law as well. So again, my name is Jeff. I'm a Patterson resident. I'm here to urge everyone, please do whatever you can to get the humane pet store ordinance on the agenda. Please, please.

Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk.

Next speaker is Larry Cohen.

Hi, Larry Cohen. I live in Fanwood. I'm a humane policy volunteer with the Humane World for Animals. I'm here to reiterate what Arielle and Jeff said. I emailed you today the breeder list from the store, D&G Pet, Petite Pets. You got it this afternoon. It looks like this. It's the first page. It's my OPRA request. This is the actual breeder list with my notes on it. I don't know if you guys quite grasp this, but What this shows is clear evidence that this store is breaking the law. They have used breeders that do not have current USDA licenses. That's against the law. They're using breeders, or at least one breeder, with 80 violations during USDA inspections last year. And depending upon when they bought their puppies from that breeder, that's against the law. In New Jersey, if a breeder has three violations, a store may not buy from that breeder for two years. This store had 80. The only breeder that appears to have a current license made an infamous list that Humane World for Animals puts out every year. It's called the Horrible Hundred. They made that list because they had a building where 70 dogs died. because they were left alone with a wood-burning stove. That's the sole breeder that this store is using that appears to have a current license. What I don't understand is that it appears to me that this store is just giving all of us the finger. You know, us, as advocates, your health department, the USDA, the Division of Consumer Affairs, which is still trying to collect $28,000 in fines from 2022. I think they think that they are untouchable. And I also think at some point, if nothing is done, something tragic is going to happen in this store. and the government entities like yourselves with oversight responsibilities are going to suffer some real negative repercussions you have an opportunity to keep yourself from being included in that list if you take action this store is the poster child for why you should pass an ordinance prohibiting pet stores in Patterson from selling dogs, cats, and rabbits. I would love to hear it if you can think of one reason why this store deserves to stay open. Please do something before it's really too late and animals and or people are injured or die. Thank you. Thank you.

Next speaker, Madam Clerk.

Next speaker is Dorothy Martin.

Hello Council, how are you today? I wanted to try to get some clarification on the various buildings and apartments that are being thrown up in any little hole they can find. And I'm seeing we already having floods. What do you think is going to happen if they continue this? We have nowhere for the water to go. OK? And with all these places that are being built, we still have all this homelessness. The Y is gone. No one's going to help them. This place and this amount. Has anyone even talked about how we're going to sustain ourselves with another storm? I REMEMBER WORKING AT SOCIAL SERVICES AND WE HAD TO GO OVER HERE TO PCC TO HELP PEOPLE OUT WITH ALL OF THESE APPLICATIONS AND ALL OF THIS STUFF BECAUSE THE STORMS CAME THROUGH DOWN BY WENDY'S AND THEN I TURN AROUND, THEY'RE BUILDING NEW PLACES RIGHT WHERE THE STORM WAS, WE HAD THE MOST IMPACT. What is going on? When are we going to stop building hundreds of apartments in a two-family home section? You get 12 apartments in that two-family home section. What's going on? Somebody tell me. When are we going to get some green space? They got kids living in these places. They can't even go outside in the backyard. There is no backyard. They have states where they have green spaces. They're not going to let you build like that. Why are we doing this? Somebody tell me, what are we getting out of all of this? No place to walk, no place to breathe. The electrical, has it caught up with all of these apartments? Has the grids been changed? Are our water systems ready to handle this? Do we have anywhere for all this water to go? I'd like to know the answer to that. Is there anything that we have put in place that's going to help us if we had one of those hell of a storms that we've had in the past? We're going to be worse off than we were before. Because there's nowhere for the water to go. And I'm seeing, oh, they're approving this and they're approving that. All these apartments. Well, where are the people that get in these apartments? Because none of the people I know can get in them. Who's coming over here? What guarantee are they going to get? What is this? Patterson is like one of these metropolises you see somebody put together. There's no people sitting in a yard. There's no place for the children to play. And who approves all this stuff.

Thank you next week about a car.

Next speaker is Jalen Griffin.

Hi, how y'all doing today? I just really, I don't really have too much to say. I just came up here to say that this meeting went a little bit better than before. I'm glad you guys conducted yourself in a respectable manner. As someone who people want to be on that other side you guys don't give me hope to be over here I'm like I ain't come I ain't going over here because I'm not about to be arguing with people who I'm supposed to be working with so I'm glad that you guys conducted yourself a little bit better today I applaud you guys for that thank you um the only other thing I have to say just going off of what the last speaker said like we definitely need to figure out what to do with these apartment buildings because it's the city just seems unbreathable. Like, I can't breathe. I go outside to get a fresh breath of fresh air, and it's buildings all over the place. Like, can I get some sun to hit my skin at least? Like, something is just too much. So I want us to, like, start looking into that. And, like, the infrastructure. We need to invest in our infrastructure. You guys are investing in all these other things. We need to invest in the infrastructure first. It can't handle us. I'm so down for our town to be a tourist city because I'm tired of going places and people looking at me like an alien because I say I'm from Patterson, but you can't tell I'm from Patterson. I don't carry myself that way. So I would like for tourists to be able to come over here and be like, oh, OK, now I see what she means. And not just the Great Falls. I don't want people to be scared to drive through my city. It's always a big thing. They don't want to drive through my city. I try to have classes over here, and people are like, yeah, no, I'm not coming to Patterson. And I'm like, it's not that bad. you know, and the homeless situation. We need to figure out what to do about that. Today I was in Broadway Pizza and a guy had to come back, come around the counter to get a homeless guy out because the homeless guy wanted to sit there and eat food that's not from Broadway Pizza. I don't think that businesses should have to deal with that either. I think that's crazy. If we can't figure out a way to get these homeless people off of our streets, we need to go to Wayne. We need to go to Montclair. We need to go to all these little cities around us, Little Falls, and figure out what they're doing to keep the homeless off of their streets so we can do the same. I know they're sending them here, and I feel like we're getting paid for that, and that's not right. We need to figure out what to do because that's not fair. People coming into my building, I'm looking out my door, somebody's peeing by the elevator. Why should I have to deal with that? That's not fair to me. We need to figure out what to do. Whatever tent city they had down here and whatever they did to move the people, they're coming into my building, and I don't like that. At night, I have to walk around towards the back just because I don't want to let them in the front because they stank. because they in the hallway, in the stairwells. I can't walk down the stairwell because I'm inhaling whatever fumes they pumping from the pipe. That's not fair. I feel like you guys need to start thinking about the citizens and our mental well-being because I'm about to snap and I can't take it. So and to the public please come and fight with me, I'm tired of throwing them from the shoulders, I need job right here with me throwing hands to so I hope to see you tomorrow August 19th at the plan aboard me and thank you thank you next week about a clerk.

Next speaker is that will be up at that time.

You are not alone, good evening, miss la rubia.

We're not partisan. I just only go read it. Listen, please. I stand with everyone who believe that violence is never the answer. We all deserve to live with peace, safety, dignity, and with respect. Violence hurts individuals, families, and the entire community. Instead, I'm responding with the anger, hatred we show which shows understanding, compassion, and peaceful solutions. I support those who speak up against violence and who have the courage to stand for what is right. Together we can create a world where people feel safe, valued, and respected. I stand against the violence. I stand for the peace, kindness, and the unity.

Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk.

Next speaker is Pastor Joseph Moore.

And this is the final speaker. Good evening, Pastor.

Good evening.

Former neighbor.

Good evening and greetings. I brought my gang with me. I've been accused of being long-winded, but I'm going to try to be short this evening. My name is Pastor Joseph Moore, for those of you who do not know. I am the pastor of Greater Bethel Kingdom Church 282 Governor Street. I know there are other channels that we can go through, but I want to just put what we're going to say out here so we can put it on the record. We are displeased as an organization of 98 years of service to this city. Not to be informed of a building within 200 feet being constructed adjacent to our church's property. Not only that, but to be totally disrespected by the mass contractors who would cut our locks on several occasions. And at times, ironically, after cutting our locks on our gate at the church, they would place their lock on it. And they would lock out our parishioners from coming into our worship service. Patterson, this could not happen. As I said, Our church has been in existence in the city for 98 years, but in the local place where we are right now, for 60 years, we maintained the property. For 60 years, we were a light to the city. And this, as I said, should not happen. We had a survey to come to survey our land. And we found out that even the contractors are using at least 10 feet of our property as they're building the building. And our property is fenced off by these contractors according to our survey. In addition, there is approximately a 60-foot section or strip of land which is called Jelma Place, which we are asking the city of Paterson to vacate or close to protect the property of our organization. And I repeat, as we have been maintaining that property for over 60 years. I met with our fourth ward council person, along with Michael Dolch. So I presented this matter to them, and I also presented to you this evening. And I'm sure that you can give us direction, and we solicit your thoughts and your help. Thank you very much. And from Greater Bethel Kingdom Church, Greater Bethel Church formerly, which has been in this community for over 98 years. Thank you.

Thank you so much, Pastor and members. There are no more speakers. Move to close. Motion to close by Council Vice President, second by Council Member Les. Roll call to close the public portion. Madam Clerk.

Councilwoman Alford.

Yes, I just want to thank the public for coming out this evening and making your concerns known. Thank you all. Yes. Thank you.

Councilwoman Cotten.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. I just want to say to everyone that came out and spoke tonight about different issues that's going on, and I want to say to the Greater Bethel Church, I have been working diligently downstairs today in the tax assessor office, talking also to Michael Deutsch. We have to get at least the last thing that we need to get is that survey. And I said to you a few minutes ago that I did go downstairs. I have all the maps. also who we can get together one day and I can go to the maps to each map has a lot number and each lot number has owner. And so once we can get all that squared away. He he made 2 different suggestions so I would rather not say it here the suggestions that were made but whenever you would like to me. Council members they look at to try to get Jasmine place vacated There's property that's owned by someone else in there. So once we can figure all of that out, then we can work on getting that vacated, which has to then go to the legal department to be able to get that done. So your proposal, your project is being worked on by me, but it's access to office and also by Michael dot which I told him I would see him so we would maybe sit down next week maybe by the end of this week so we can look to it clearly. Jasmine place has not been used in 40 years. Maybe even longer than that. Then all of a sudden, then you're correct. We don't know. When I saw it, I personally went to the planning board and it was passed by the planning board. You said you would not notify. I'm not quite sure if they have to notify you of a structure of a two-family house or a three-family. PROPER BUILDINGS MAYBE, BUT I'M NOT SURE. SO WE NEED TO FIND THAT OUT. SO I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I AM WORKING ON IT, AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL COME OUT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF GREATER BETHEL CHURCH.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN.

AT LEAST PART OF THAT STREET VACATED. SO IT IS BEING WORKED ON. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. OKAY, THAT'D BE FINE. COUNCILMAN, COUNTING YOUR VOTE? MY VOTE IS YES.

VICE PRESIDENT DAVILA? Thank you very much. I also want to thank every person that came here today to express their concerns or comments. um i also want to address i know that she left but ilia villanueva came before us um specifically saying bringing back the puerto rican festival uh carnival it's actually a carnival uh there's many rides it's already uh stationed over she didn't say where but it is in um pennington park at the bottom by the gazebo The festivities begin on Friday, so the carnival will begin on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. And if I'm not mistaken, the hours of operation are 5 to 10 on Friday. Saturday is from 3 to 10, and Sunday 3 to 10. In addition, we are, the municipal council along with Mayor Saig will be having the Puerto Rican flag raising on Saturday. I think the time change, it's 11. 11. 11, okay, so it's not 12, it's 11. Once again, thank you to everyone, specifically to the speakers. I'm just happy that we're able to sit here. I did speak to Ms. Black outside and also suggested to her as she came here to express what happened with her. that she should also go as well to the board of social services board and also present her situation there and i also want to thank assemblywoman evans thank you so much also for doing your due diligence to speak to her and get the information my vote is yes to close councilman jackson

Thank you, Madam Clerk. And Pastor, I'll be very brief, because obviously we have a limited time to address the public, all of these speakers, which is absolutely ridiculous. I urge you to move with a measure of caution, specifically when it comes to black churches in this community. And over the last several years, the positions have been extremely undermined. Grace Chapel had a large parcel that was stolen from them, that was placed on a tax roll that they were not informed about. And it was confiscated in a foreclosure for $20,000 that they didn't know anything about. Same thing happened to Gilmore where other houses were built across the street. Same thing happened near CFC. I would like to talk with you during the week. It's a very serious matter. You not being informed about things that's taking place in your neighborhood shows a lack of respect for the church and for your entire congregation. So please, make sure you are on top of that. Now, I just want to address something clearly. We have a responsibility here as elected officials. Our responsibilities are clear. And if you can't hold up to your responsibilities and you have an issue with being questioned on what your role is, then that's tough. That's tough. I'm a father of three daughters. By no means do I ever encourage or stand on disrespecting women. But when you're holding a job and I'm asking you a question and you choose to be disrespectful to me, a word means nothing. But the conduct and accusations, oh, I should look in the mirror. What is that supposed to mean? What should my daughters be reflective upon that? after I've been falsely accused and indicted over the last six years and I continuously get indictments. But yet when you're holding the seat of the council presidency and you're preventing and getting in the way of the public's best interest but now you don't want to be held accountable, If you hold this seat, you are gonna be equally accountable. And furthermore, if a woman is gonna be so sensitive, I'm rapping, if a woman is gonna be so sensitive, Why are we having such selective enforcement on who can do what?

Councilman Jackson.

Her sister comes in the front, who's a city employee, directly makes a derogatory statement to me. Councilman Jackson. And the Council President failed to acknowledge that.

You're two minutes, Councilman Jackson.

I understand that, Council President. I understand that. I will be wrapping.

Now Councilman Jackson if you refuse so you're going to have a lot of them out to you.

Madam clerk has 2 minutes is you have people come to him to me and then I was in this battle for the next council person is here come to talk about how the so I need to have the same respect that we have finances counts and you tell me I'm refusing to answer how the how

How is that profession? Councilman Khaliq is the next. How is that profession?

Councilman Khaliq. Thank you, Council President. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Action speaks louder than words. The bill list, line by line, everything was in front of you. Why you got to ask that question? You just want to incite something for no reason. Also, positive or negative? I respect everybody's comment. Thank you for coming to the city council with the concern. Like I said, positive or negative, I take it with great pride. Keep coming. My vote is yes to close the public portion. Thank you.

Councilman Mendez.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. So very brief, I want to say thank you to all the residents of the great city of Paterson for being here tonight, taking the time out of your time to express your concern in this podium. To the pastor, I don't know the full extension of the situation. I know the councilwoman is handling. If I could be helpful anywhere or form, that's my expertise. I'm open and I'm ready to support our community and to help. And I'm just going to say this. As an elected official, We have a responsibility. People elect us to be the role models, to be the leaders of our community. They elect us to represent them. Across the city, we have to be able to agree and disagree with respect. We have to be able to have argument and discussion about how can we improve the quality of life of our residents. Because it's not about us. When we start getting involved in personal attack, everything is going to become a problem because people elect us not to be here talking about ourselves and attacking each other. We have to learn how to be respectful in this chamber. All the city look at us, and they just look at us not to see how we're doing in term of government. They look at us to see what's going to be the next fight and the next argument that need to stop because it's affecting all of us. It's affecting all of us. You could have a discussion with a person, but disrespect should not be allowed in government. It should not be allowed in government. At least I know how I conduct myself. I know that. And I'm very proud of that. But we should reflect on this and how we're doing business here. Because everything is about personal attack. And another note, homeless is getting out of control in this city, Mr. VA. Something has to be done. If you drive by Broadway and he's a team all the way down to Russell Park not because I have a business there, but this is horrible you see people a hopeless draw out of people with mental issue mental problem. Using drug in a broad daylight we have kids walking around our community that they need to stay they see that in downtown it's hard to do business here in Paterson thank you something have to be done that will wrap this up. It's those people most of the day they don't live in Paterson and as your vote, I will they don't live in Paterson with the be a yes, all you have to be done. I'm just you know, I'm I'm saying I'm not using 30 more second council president but didn't this needs to be addressed. You invite people to the city of Paterson. It is a shame how the city looks.

If you're not refusing to stop, then we'll move on to the next councilman.

No, you don't need to move on to the next person. I'm just going to say yes to my vote, but something has to be done with the VA. Next speaker.

Next councilman.

I want to thank the public for coming out and having us hear their concerns. And I echo the same message as what Councilman Kalik said. Respect is a two-way street. So let's continue to respect each other and work together to move our city forward. With that being said, my vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

Councilman below please replay this message everybody's giving about respect both ways every day every day Puerto Rico fly races going to be Saturday August 22nd at 11AM a city Hall, the second a flag raising is going to be at the Roberto Clemente at 2 o'clock at the city Hall we have a live band I want everyone to identify they sell with some part of Puerto Rico they have friends Puerto Rican no matter what nationality you are Come and celebrate with us. Puerto Rico has received a lot of people in Puerto Rico, and we have been mixed with other communities here, and we are proud of that. About the ordinance of the dog, sorry, not the dog, the pet stores, let's be clear. It's not the fault of an irresponsible business or a large business that sells pets in the city or in the state or in any other cities. If the state issued a license, I think your matter should be taken to the state, especially if they have 30, 40 violations issued by the state. It happens when a liquor store is operating is not a good neighbor. And I could testify on that. On the 5th Ward, there was in the liquid store, they had a big fines, big record, and they got shut down permanent. So if you take this to the state level, Department of Health and the state level, they probably going to answer your questions and probably they going to enforce it differently. I just want to let you know that. I have a dog. i probably could do a a kai dog ordinance but i had to talk to my corporates for council on that you know but i i know where you're coming from well the responsibility one cannot be uh the the punishment other i have other things that the lady was talking about redevelopment and why and this and that but last but not least i will bring it forward in um in the next meeting um Madam clerk, you know, I know you understand us but councilman and directed my conversation to man of course you the parliamentarian it doesn't matter to the chair, man, please give your vote can talk about respect.

Madam clerk, you've got to vote that's the respect you have 2 minutes, 2 minutes and then they need your House member last.

Madam clerk, my vote is yes. President Mims, public hearing is now closed.

Before moving on.

Madam President, may I have a floor for a minute?

One second. Before moving on, let me just state this for the record. It has been said this week and last week that when the public comes, they are not heard. That is incorrect. Constituent Services reaches out to the residents Within 24 hours, the matters are resolved. They're at their premise if it's needed. But even on tonight, we had about 16 speakers. There were only maybe two, three, possibly four that were here with concerns for the city. other than that they were not here to talk about I have an issue at this point I keep tallies and records of every Council meeting and I'm going to bring that information forward so that the community will see and know when we talk about I need extra time to speak I need all these things you understand that the rationale because if you're coming and we don't mind that you come for 3 minutes you have your time to speak but to request additional time or for me to get um text messages because you're asking to speak after the time is over or to speak on someone's behalf we can allow that we're here to do the city's business and we want the public to come but you have to be here within three minutes the other thing that was stated i gave her the information in the hallway And to constituent services, Javier. I know last week he was on vacation. I'm not sure where he is tonight. But Mr. B.A., make sure all the concerns that came forward tonight, that they receive a phone call by tomorrow and in September. Constituent services is in the chambers. And if he's not here, there needs to be someone else represented from the administration. Councilman Velez.

THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THROUGH THE CHAIR, MR. B.A., YOU KNOW, I MIGHT SAY THIS IN MY TWO MINUTES, BUT NOW I ASK FOR THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, FOR ALLOWING ME. IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO SEND HOUSING INSPECTOR, CONSTRUCTION OFFICIAL, AND ZONING INSPECTORS TO TWO ADDRESSES, REALLY IMPORTANT, 238 17 AVENUE. Okay, they did a construction, an illegal construction, okay, for the past four years I've been asking To go there the pass a construction official order a demolition in the property because the legal this is to 3817 Avenue. It's not fair for the resident to see a eyesore nest of the houses and the other one is 80 our street. This is we're in Portland housing inspector construction official and so on in department and I want a full report of those 2 property when comes back. action taken was the motive, you know why we send an inspector there and and they will see what is going on, but I want a full report back if it's possible on it on those inspection.

Thank you Council Councilwoman double and then we have one director here.

JUST MAKE THIS STATEMENT. ANYONE THAT SAW THE LAST WEEK'S MEETING AS I PRESIDED AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT WHILE COUNCIL PRESIDENT NEEDED TO STEP OUT, AT ANY point if you're seeing the meeting I was given the respect and yielding to the first word councilman at any point did I accuse the entity that was before us if you look at that video from the beginning to the end there was no accusations and I did exactly what the councilman did today I've gotten phone calls I've gotten complaints and you bring them forward that's what we're here to do to advocate on behalf of the constituents and so i wanted to just make that statement because if you saw today's meeting and you heard it i've gotten numerous complaints i'm advocating that's what we're supposed to do and in addition to that if you understand robert's rules of order there should be a decorum there should be a level of respect. And I can stand on my ground as a woman. I don't use me as a woman as a crutch. So I just want to say, and I apologize to those. I think the only thing that I can apologize today is, Council President, my apologies. I will be buying you a new gavel. But with that said I just wanted to make that statement because I think every person that is here and Councilman Mendez was not here last week, but if you look at the tape you see that as a Council we try our best to respect one another and we can agree to disagree.

Thank you thank you for president that you're welcome, madam clerk was the items. 4040 49 quickly and then we're going straight through.

Item 49 is a resolution addressing the 2026 budget procedure requirement for the downtown industrial park special improvement district. This is authorizing the reading by title only and authorizing the budget introduction and directing the clerk to advertise it and schedule a public hearing and directing the tax assessor to prepare an assessment role of properties within this district. THIS IS FROM FINANCE, RESOLUTION 26-374. IF THIS IS APPROVED, A PUBLIC HEARING WOULD BE HELD ON SEPTEMBER 15. SO MOVED.

SECOND. MOVED BY COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT. SECOND BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT. ROLL CALL, MADAM CLERK.

COUNCILWOMAN ALFORD. YES. COUNCILWOMAN COTTON. YES. VICE PRESIDENT DAVILA. YES. COUNCILMAN KALEEK.

YES, MADAM CLERK.

COUNCILMAN OMAR.

YES, MADAM CLERK.

And President Mims.

Yes, Madam Clerk.

This item is adopted.

We're going to do public works.

item 50.

Item 50 is a resolution authorizing the award of contract to Smith Sunday as fall construction company for the 2026 you easy road resurfacing program for Ward one. This is for the engineering division under the Department of public works for an amount not to exceed 4.99 5.71 point 9, 4, and this is resolution 26 colon 3, 7, 5.

MOVED BY COUNCILWOMAN DAVILA. SECOND BY COUNCILMAN OMAR. ROLE CALL, MADAM CLERK.

COUNCILWOMAN ALLFORD. YES. COUNCILWOMAN COTTON. YES. VICE PRESIDENT DAVILA. YES. COUNCILMAN KALEK.

IT'S HAPPENING, PATTERSON. MORE ROLES BEING PAID. MY VOTE IS YES.

Councilman Omar?

My vote is yes. Yes.

And President Mims, this item is adopted.

Item 51, Madam Clerk.

Item 51 is a resolution authorizing the second and final option your contract with interstate waste services for the collection of solid ways for the Department of public works for an amount not to exceed 6 million 253,000 and 65 cents a $65.81 this is for the year January 2027 through December 2027 so move.

So I'm all by Council president Mims second by Kelly the VP and Omar roll call, madam clerk.

Councilwoman offered yes. Councilman cotton. Vice president Davila yes. Councilman colleague, yes. Councilman Omar, yes. And president Mims, yes.

This item is adopted item number 52, madam clerk.

Item 52 is a resolution ratifying payment for the purchase of rock salt for the Department of Public Works in the amount of $56,246.91. Resolution 26-377. So moved.

Moved by VP Davila, seconded by Councilman Omar Rojo, Madam Clerk.

Councilwoman Alford? Yes. Councilwoman Cotton? Yes. Vice president that the last. Councilman colleague, yes, Councilman Omar, yes, president Mims, yes, this item is adopted item 53, madam clerk. 53 is a resolution authorizing the award of contracts to Environmental Renewal LLC for the disposal of vegetative waste for the recycling division under the Department of Public Works for an amount not to exceed $150,000 contract from September 1, 2026 through August 2027. This is Resolution 26-378. So moved. Second.

Moved by Council Vice President. Second by Councilman Omar Rocco. Madam Clerk.

COUNCILWOMAN ALFORD, YES. COUNCILWOMAN COTTON, YES. VICE PRESIDENT DAVILA, YES. COUNCILMAN KALEAK, YES. COUNCILMAN OMAR, YES. PRESIDENT MIMS, YES. THIS ITEM IS ADOPTED.

ITEM 54, MADAM CLARK.

Item 54 is a resolution authorizing the award of contract to Alden Bailey Restoration Corp. for the restoration of the historic structures at Westside Park Phase 2 for the Division of Engineering under the Department of Public Works for an amount not to exceed $1,292,810. And it's Resolution 26-379. So moved.