Council - workshop

Good evening. Good evening. Decorum in the chambers. Good evening. Welcome to our workshop meeting Tuesday, September 8th at 6.30 p.m. Madam Clerk, roll call.

Good evening everyone if we can have some silence, please. Thank you. Councilmember offered yes here. Councilwoman cotton. Council vice president Davila president. Councilman Jackson. Councilman colleague is absent at this time Councilman Mendes good evening, but it's a welcome to the people's House president clerk. Councilman Omar president clerk. And Councilman Velez is absent at this time. Council President Mims.

I am here, Madam Clerk. Thank you. Could you please read the Statement of Compliance?

In accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, NJSA 10-4-6 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. Set notice was posted in 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. I see our DPW Director is here. I know our DPW Chair, Councilman Cotton, is here as well. Councilman Cotton, can you please go over items 45... 45 through 50. I was 45 to 50 please.

It was really direct is coming here. Billy come up Billy. We've got I director, I'm sorry director, we're doing item number. The first 3 items of director is the applications for the sewer. It's 4 of them. It's the first 4 foot is 4 different projects. Director just make sure the mic is on.

It's a yes to 4, 45, 46, 47, 48, all of the P applications. New buildings, yes is.

They can all be they all can go on consent.

I remember I'm sorry just president. One second, yes, Councilman cotton.

No good director. 47, 45, 48. 49. Yeah, 49. It's for emergency sewer repairs. Yes, for emergency sewer repairs. Which is normal.

Yes.

Yes. That could be our consent. Director number 50. This is a water contract for this Sony. As for construction company for projects not to see $902,000. Yeah, this is a use the rules and it's worth yet the streets are on the streets are on the resolution resolution. That could be a consent to director.

Okay, Councilman Jackson.

Okay, so the whole point of having a workshop and having someone come and outline, I mean I gather that it is maybe the concept of the chairwoman that she can validate what goes on consent or not, but the whole point is that we can have an outline, each item, So not only should council members understand what they are, but for members of the public to understand how they are. Then as a collective decision, we should determine whether or not an item goes on consent. Why would we just have one person who, I guess she's the chair, so she's talked about these items. Read up the titles and then say okay, that's some consent that's on consent and the public hasn't even gotten a description director of what they are for so if we're not going to do that know we're going to do that the point of order point of order and point on order second Council point of order. So, you know, this is a common practice that I'm granted the floor and the clerk never intervenes and someone decides that they're going to speak over top of me and interrupt my input. So for that matter, all of those items, we could put all of them on regular. There's none of them going on consent.

Thank you, let's go into.

So, Council President, yet again, I ask for.

Council President, when he finished.

Point of order.

When he finished.

Point of order. I have the floor and I should not be interrupted in this fashion so directed if we can please those items that we're talking about to the chair met Council president I need to have an understanding of what these items are for how much we're spending and what what services are we rendering for for the on these items he saw.

So director can you please reiterate because it was already stated by the chair and yourself can you go to each of them to talk about what the what the matters are madam clerk all of these items will be on regular.

Okay.

So he needs to explain that Council president why we are doing these items that's what Councilman Jackson was to hear okay, and these are requirements for any buildings going up. That's a J E D P we have to do this.

It's fine count on director.

Yeah, that counts woman just said the 4546 4748 are all. Monitor was TWA applications to the DP these are required there's no money being paid out by the city these applications are required for buildings that are going up.

Okay, I understand that so specifically item number 45 with regard to this 7 story makes use property.

Have we gotten a report back or this is the go out for a is the application for that bill that's a connect to our store to the DP.

Isn't that building already constructed.

I'm not aware of that building being constructed. Not totally anyway.

606 Main Street. Because what I'm concerned about is that some of these locations that already have been constructed and they should have had this application prior to... None of these buildings are constructed. Okay, one moment.

Director can you confirm that not to say that you're right.

I want one more director. I'm trying to make sure because these these are Because this is the same issue we had with the report that was last given to the council back when we were on Ellison Street, where there was a large number of units that were tied in to the sewer, built. They had not paid the sewer fees I asked for a report from the from the BA which he has not provided to us where we were with the collections of those so if he so where we with these with the with these all of these items is on the application relative to a fee to a connection fee I don't have that in front of me, but I have to get that to you. Yeah, we're going to need that before the next meeting please.

Thank you director. That's the first for 4546 4748.

49 is all our yearly emergency store repairs. This should have Tech won the bid it's for not in 2000 that not to exceed $900,000 we all know we have streets where we have plates on the on the street that the broken stores, these are to repair those.

About time thank you so much because pressure. Yes, Councilman that up from 45 to 48 that's all of us and JP application all that will be to our regular it should be on consent but Councilman Jackson request a regular so we will as what Councilman person acts we put it on record, I think it was 4950 I have no issue with those on consent. 4950 or consent. Thank you thank you Council. We have our police and fire if they'll come together. YES, MA'AM.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT, MY APOLOGIES. DID YOU DISCUSS FIRST READING? NOT YET.

NO, YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE FIRST READING. WE'RE NOT THERE YET. FOR WHAT? WE'RE NOT THERE YET. I NEED POLICE AND FIRE. NUMBER 41 TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

OK, CHIEF.

YES. SO THIS IS TO PURCHASE A NEW APPARATUS, A NEW LADDER TRUCK, USING CDBG FUNDING AND CAPITAL FUNDING. IT'S GOING TO BE A 2026 E1 LADDER TRUCK TO REPLACE SOME AGING APPARATUS.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT.

YES, COUNCILMAN VELEZ.

THROUGH THE CHAIR OF THE CHIEF, THIS IS GOING TO BE A NEW TRUCK FOR WHAT HOUSE?

This is going to go to Madison Ave. Madison Ave.

It's going to replace lateral. Are they taking the other truck as a training or whatever?

Yeah, all the other trucks will either be repurposed. We'll have one truck that will most likely go out to pasture, and then the rest of the trucks will stay in service.

The best ones will stay? Yeah.

I KNOW THIS IS WAS WAY BACK. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE A REPORT ON THAT. YOU REMEMBER THE COLLECTION THAT WE HAVE WITH FIRE TRUCKS ON STRAIGHT. WHAT WAS IT? THE COLLECTION THAT WE HAVE ON STRAIGHT AND BROADWAY. What we did with those folks.

Those trucks were we took as much equipment as we could off of them and they were they were basically scrap they were the on repair correct.

Your folks goals and a lot of calls right.

Yeah, thank you thank you very busy.

The latter truck is the busiest ladder truck this correct Madison Avenue is one busy one. Thank you council president.

I don't have to come to safety. I THINK COUNCILMAN JACKSON HAS A QUESTION. COUNCILMAN JACKSON HAS A QUESTION.

SO, CHIEF, HOW ARE YOU? HOW ARE YOU DOING, SIR? GOOD TO SEE YOU. THE ITEM IS NOT IN THE... IT'S NOT HERE.

YEAH, THE PACKET, JUST THE TITLE IS ON RIGHT NOW. THE PACKET IS STILL IN WORKS RIGHT NOW. WE HAD A LITTLE DELAY WITH HOW TO BE ADVERTISED BECAUSE IT WENT THROUGH SOURCE WELL. IT HAD TO BE ADVERTISED FOR 10 DAYS. I SHOULD HAVE THE RESOLUTION COMPLETE AND ALL DONE BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON, AND THAT WILL BE DELIVERED TO EVERYBODY BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

CAN YOU GIVE ME AN IDEA OF THE BREAKDOWN IN COSTS?

YES. I ACTUALLY HAVE THE QUOTE AND EVERYTHING HERE IF YOU GUYS WANT COPIES. NO, I HAVE COPIES HERE. So the total cost of the truck is $2,055,000. And that is actually a reduced price. We were able to pick up this ladder truck off of another city that was in the purchase process. They were pre-construction. So that purchase was started and then it stopped. BECAUSE THEY GOT IN LINE, THE PURCHASE PRICE CAME DOWN. WE WERE ABLE TO GET A LOCK IN THAT PRICE. AND THEN AT THAT POINT, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE DELIVERY ON THE TRUCK BY NEXT YEAR, WHICH IS NEXT JULY, 2027. NORMAL DELIVERY FOR THIS TYPE OF APPARATUS WOULD BE THREE TO FOUR YEARS. SO WE'RE GOING TO GET IT WITHIN A YEAR. SO BY UTILIZING CDBG FUNDS AND CAPITAL FUNDS FOR THE CITY, WE WERE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, GET THIS PURCHASE DONE YOU KNOW, VERY QUICKLY AND SMOOTHLY, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A TRUCK NEXT YEAR, WHICH IS VERY, VERY MUCH NEEDED. AND WE SAVED A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.

SO THE BREAKDOWN IN HOW WE'RE FUNDING IT, HOW MUCH FROM CDBG, HOW MUCH FROM CAPITAL?

CDBG IS $1.3 MILLION AND $114,000. SO IT'S A LITTLE OVER $1.4 MILLION. AND THE $634,000 FROM CAPITAL FUNDS.

And I just want to thank you. This did come before this council previously. We approved it through the CDBG funding. Now we're at the place where we're going to order the truck. So it did come before the council.

Yeah, we appreciate the smooth process it's been. Yes. We don't want to lose the opportunity.

Yes.

Council President.

Count are you done Councilman Jackson, no Councilman Jackson.

So lastly and I do I respect and I appreciate that so obviously we're going out to this truck this year. So there's a knee correct. Yeah, which which of firehouses is this truck Madison off Madison that so headquarters. I'm sorry, you'll have to be and this is the latter. So is the latter the latter truck. Yes, so If my question is because we're is if you know it's a necessity for us to have this truck was a need for it. If we weren't in this particular situation where this other municipality was half way through their process. We didn't have the money available to CDBG it would have taken us 3 to 4 years you're you're saying you're outlining right so yes should this process and I have not been should this process have been started. THREE YEARS AGO, IF WE HAD A POINT WHERE WE... WE STARTED...

THIS IS THE SECOND LADDER TRUCK WE'RE BUYING. SO WE'RE ALREADY PURCHASING ANOTHER LADDER TRUCK THAT WILL BE DELIVERED ACTUALLY TWO YEARS AFTER THE ONE WE'RE GETTING NOW. BUT THAT WAS A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, TWO YEARS AGO, WE STARTED THAT ONE. WE RECEIVED THE CDBG FUNDING LAST YEAR, AND THEN THIS IS FOR THE NEXT YEAR. So yeah, we're in a phase right now where we're starting to, so we're replacing ladder two with the last year's truck, ladder one with this year's truck, and then hopefully next year we can do this again and replace ladder three.

So the ladder truck that's being delivered two years after this one is for which house?

That's for ladder two.

LADDER 2 IS WHICH HOUSE?

TEMPLE STREET, NORTH SIDE.

TEMPLE STREET? YEAH. SO THAT HAS BEEN DETERMINED ALREADY THROUGH AN EVALUATION. NOW, ARE WE AT A POINT WHERE MULTIPLE LADDERS NEED TO BE REPLACED, OR ARE WE JUST...

THEY'RE NEARING THEIR LIFE CYCLE. IT'S USUALLY AROUND 5 TO 10 YEARS FOR BUSIER DEPARTMENTS, WHICH WE ARE. AND AT THAT POINT, WITH THE MILEAGE, THE AMOUNT OF HOURS THE GENERATORS HAVE AND THE MOTORS HAVE, THEY START TO BREAK DOWN.

So if possible, I would like to get a report on those houses, on the conditions of those ladders, specifically those things you just outlined, mileage, service reports, when and what items would be in service, if they went out for hydraulic on the ladder, if they went out for- We'll have full breakdowns of all the apparatus. Correct. what year, how old they were. That should definitely be included here. My concern is this. I mean, granted, we need the ladders, and I think no one takes away from the job that the fire department does. What I'm talking about is this consistent use of CDBG. CDBG is designed to help in other areas where our community is being, you know, hurting, right? Fire department is one of the departments that's capable of producing a great deal of revenue for itself. So we should be outlining on, you know, what the production of the fire department is and not saying that This ladder should be done. But what I'm saying is there's other spaces in the community where CDBG can be more suited to help the residents as opposed to us waiting for an opportunity to pop up and then we just have the money available because it's not being utilized for other situations that could benefit the community better. So it has nothing to do with the fire department and the full support of this. What I'm talking about is how we're spending the money, where the money is coming from, are we doing the reporting properly, are we just buying new engines just because we got the money, or are these engines actually taking the wear and tear that they should require, are these engines being replaced, are they four years old, 10 years, because you say five to 10 years old, that's a big span. Are we replacing our engines at 9 to 10? Or on average, are we replacing them from 4 to 6? So that's a big factor. We need to be able to look at that, especially at a $2 million expenditure.

You know what, Councilman? I apologize, but think about today. I had sent out to the Public Safety Committee WE HAD 100 HAMILTON ON FIRE. HAD WE NOT HAD OUR EQUIPMENT AND THE APPROPRIATE EQUIPMENT, OUR GUYS COULD HAVE BEEN IN THERE WITH A COLLAPSE, PEOPLE COULD HAVE GOT KILLED, AND THAT BUILDING COULD BE ON THE GROUND RIGHT NOW. SO I TELL YOU, THEY'RE VERY, VERY FRUGAL AND SMART WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT PURCHASING EQUIPMENT.

THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN VELEZ?

THROUGH THE CHAIR, Thank God that CDBG funding has rules to go after those funding. There's a federal standard on it that we could go after that money and investing it into the fire department will save lives. in the city of paterson so that will serve the city at large um you imagine if we have to raise funding through the fire department that means it turns into more taxes to the resident more fees to the properties and um and i don't that that would be not suitable going after the taxpayer for everything that we need uh we we identified uh the rules and the rules are set and the money is is claimed by the fire department the same way recreation could do it the same way dpw could do it the same way any other department could do it they could go and ask for funding cdg to invest in our community in this case is a apparatus that will serve 24 hours, 7 days a week and it will serve the whole entire city. Thank you comes.

Thank you so I just want to address and I want to thank miss fields for learning that there was an issue with the sound the issue was in that It's not working to make sure you're speaking in the might that you're close to the might not close with my foes but to speak into the might so that that's the issue and they did resolve that will resolve the concern. This item would you like to not consider regular. Consent thank you so much police you have 2 items yes, ma'am 43 and 44.

Which one would you like to do for 43, okay.

43.

is a resolution authorizing a memorandum of understanding and data use agreement between the city of Patterson and the University of Chicago to adopt the University of Chicago's crime labs, situational decision-making model. So what does that really mean? I think all of you should have received a letter because I spoke with Officer in Charge Murray so that everyone would understand it. What this really is about is we're gonna take all of our officers' body cameras and go way back. And we're going to provide copies to the University of Chicago and then have them go through from start to finish so that they can look at best practices. They can look at how officers talk to people, how force is used, all of the aspects of policing. And that's what precision-based policing is today. The Patterson Police Department is grounded on precision-based policing. So the University of Chicago is charging us nothing. And we will get someone from the outside that we're not paying to say we're the best or we're great. No. They will look at it, critique it, and then tell us what we can do better, how we can do better, if we need to do better, or maybe we're doing really well. You know, the police department's doing a very, very good job. But let's at least let all the body camera footage be looked at from start to finish. From the first time that camera goes on to the second it is off. Thank you.

Council President. Council President.

Councilman Velez and then Councilman Mendez.

So, Director, thank you for your passion, clarification, and what it is all about. Yes, sir. We had the privilege to receive a call from all I see cats Murray now during the break is not not the only privilege to see the call to sit down with my side that yes, and he explained it from a to Z and the good thing of this is that is not New York. No is not held it. from a university, from Haldane or whatever. No. It's a university from Chicago, a high profile city that in the past had a lot of problems with police and community.

Yes.

And analyzing this video, and one of the questions I asked to OIC is that any other videos from cameras It's not going to be the one that are investigating. It's the one that they've signed. They closed cases or whatever to see if they did it the proper way. I think it's a good thing. Especially it comes with zero... taxpayer money not because as a collaboration with them and i think uh... policy to me i don't know if you receive the same as i received that they are even willing to come into the city yes to instruct our officer how to this escalate region relation pre-trained into the situation and that that is a plus for the police department and any department that will will will bring this to their forces so I think this is a not a good idea is a good investment is a good MOU and I have sat and discussed this correct with the OIC he is passionate about it I am passionate about it.

The department is you know the administration

i think we really believe it'll bring us some really good best practices and could save a life who knows what situation and and director it will be transparency between police office community sometimes people see things on social media they don't have the clear idea what happened but when this was disseminated through the professional it will really bring A CLARITY TO TRANSPARENCY BETWEEN POLICE AND COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME. THANK YOU. COUNCILMAN MENDEZ.

THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO THANK THE OIC FOR JUST HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS, THE DIALOGUE WITH THE INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS. I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO OVER. I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.

IT'S A VERY TRANSPARENT

I love the idea of using our own data in terms of the footage that we have with this MOU and the University of Chicago to conduct a professional development and training. Training is always important. Training is always good. And free. And at no cost, which is the best part. But do we have any time window when this is going to, so once they get all the information, how long it's going to take for them to, you know.

You know, I don't want to give you an exact date, but I can tell you, dealing with the OIC every day, the second you approve this, THIS IS GOING TO GO LIKE WILDFIRE BECAUSE HE IS ON IT. HE WROTE THOSE LETTERS. HE SAT WITH ME AND BRIEFED ME. HE WAS ON TOP OF THIS, COUNCILMAN. I TELL YOU, HE IS TRULY A BELIEVER AND LIKE I SAID, Precision-based policing is our model, and that's what we're grounded in at the Patterson Police Department. This is going to happen fast.

Excellent. Just keep us informed, Director. But for them also to look at. Absolutely.

Thank you, Councilman Jackson.

Thank you, Councilman Jackson. Thank you, Councilman Jackson.

But she's well but do you know with regard to the data is it specific is it all the data 100% of all data for what the last 10 years what is it you know it is the look if you think about it body cameras have not really been around Councilman for that wall, yeah, we don't have we don't have 10 years, I'll bet you 20 that we probably only have

You know, maybe a half a decade, a little more. But whatever is there, we are providing. We're providing that data so that we get precision information back from that data. You know, if you put junk data in, you get junk back. So we are putting it all out, and the OIC is on board with that. And that's why say this is precision based policing at its best and it's from a university he is in a police department telling us how to run it.

That's a university that's going to look at our so I get that and I I appreciate it respect that I think that hats go off to all those involved specifically with the or I see in chief Murray, but my concern or my my thought of it is with regard to those specific incidents that the community really pressed understand. The night you see Brooks is murder. The officer Finch the brutal beating of the young man in the hallway. You know that the young man that was last in the police officers possession with regard to those incidents in particular and more importantly director Because there's a segment of this that also needs to be looked at relative to training, making sure our legal department can handle these items. We fired Finch, and he filed a lawsuit against us in which he vindicated. So I'm curious about those specific matters and having them evaluated by an independent.

Here's what I could do. Here's what I can tell you to that question. As you know, if an investigation is closed, then that body camera is free game and legal can confirm that. However, if an investigation is still open, And it has not been closed. Prosecutor has it. Internal has it. We can't give that because we have to prosecute those cases. I have to go tomorrow all day for a deposition from 2017. a case so I will check with him.

I know we can't prosecute not looking about prosecuting know I'm saying community cause transparency is so to keep this sort of community can have an idea of how it's how that the handling of those incidents yet I looked at specifically from from autonomous by and those incidents that that are in fact the reason why the state took over the police department to begin with I'm going to tell you something with the OIC

He's going to be as transparent as he is legally allowed to. And we will follow legal's guidelines. Like I said, what I'm talking about prosecution-wise is if a case is still being investigated for prosecution, we can't interfere and have the University of Chicago in the middle of that. We have to let that investigating body continue with that. cases closed and the investigating body has already shut that down, then we can send that with the data. Then that becomes part of the data and the community will get their answer. But as I said, we're looking to do this to get the best practice and to get the best information as how our officers are handling things.

in the field and force and all of the different things i talked about with precision-based policing and i am correct right uh council i am with that yes so if it's not being investigated that's how it'll be thank you council members consent or regular consent uh director the second item is just for to allow our police officers to go to urgent care they have any medical issues for a second item

yes this is for urgent care yes you know instead of just running over to the emergency room we can take our officers quicker faster same treatment and it works better for us consider regular council members don't stand thank you director director thank you all thank you so much you're welcome i appreciate it director ramirez yeah council president

Councilman Jackson. Very quickly. Director Spezial. Yes sir. And council members. This matter needs to be addressed. Your head of security who we already had.

Somebody approach me.

So now you have the public where the council president is banging the gavel with regard to maintaining the public. The head of security comes in and disrupts this meeting by having an exchange with a member of the public that was very inappropriate. Regardless of whatever it was, there should be no reason why the members of the public should be held in question at all unless they're doing something that has directly to do with security. I don't understand why, you know, and then what's unfortunate is now the public then gets scrutinized because they're here peacefully under control. I don't understand what just happened. That definitely needs to be addressed. There should be a full report on what just took place.

Director, so to say this, when we're sitting here, we don't know, so we're not taking sides. We have no idea. but people were even saying slow your tone they didn't know what was going on when I look back I saw it was just to bring order so we can do that on the side that's why we didn't bring it up here we don't know what it is had to take to assume anything we have to definitely director and coverage of House of B. A. they will handle it thank you so much director Ramirez president.

director Ramirez plans president director Ramirez health and human services see this is what I'm talking about comes back to the room here is a good opportunity if you're just in some how the opportunity we address how they can as a council member if I'm a question of report and he will get it done and he is the city and he will give it director Ramirez please you just you're scraping it under the rug as if it is not justified.

Councilman Jackson, you wanna be combative and it's not going to happen. Director Ramirez, please. Director Ramirez, Health and Human Services.

Good evening, members of the council.

The only item for Health and Human Services, number 42, is the resolution authorizing an award of contract to St. Joe's University Medical Center for medical services in connection with the treatment of tuberculosis. As you know, we are the recipient of a state grant for tuberculosis treatment. Once a patient is found to be positive, St. Joe's then takes over the medical care of that individual.

And this is not anything new correct director, I'm sorry, this is nothing no, no, no, the week over 20 years.

Council members because that consent and this no, no, this is completely grant funded the ground funding 0 from the city correct the state pays for this.

All right, thank you can say thank you director community development. Thank you director. to me development, our committee did me. We have one item item number 30. We had a very intense meeting with this and the information out this item and director will be able to go into it doing a cold that we had American rescue plan dollars where we were able to pay rent for those. residents in the city was facing eviction this is to pay and cover the small amount for the person that monitor the service for us to consult the consultant that that monitor to make sure that we're in compliance with.

So the grant ends in March of next year we have to do a process a step that HUD gives us to go through all of the tenants and we went through the landlord make sure you have all the inspections make sure all the payments of are or process. The consultant was awarded a $100,000 last year they still have a balance left we still need them to help us clean it up and make sure everything is clear so by February when it comes in to do their final sweep that we're done in there.

So director can you also state.

Openly how many people received assistance with their rent last 3 years about 212 people receives assistance for rentals.

Thank you, thank you so much. And I know based on HUD guidelines, we're not able to give the information of the individuals or the demographics based on HUD guidelines. We did ask that question in our committee meeting, and we were told based on HUD guidelines, they cannot give the details or the finite details of the individuals, but we can know the number. Thank you, Councilman Velez, and then Councilwoman Cotton.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, COUNCIL. THROUGH THE CHAIR, MADAM DIRECTOR, FIRST OF ALL, WE WAS TALKING, ME AND MY COLLEAGUE HERE WAS TALKING HOW PROFESSIONAL YOU ARE EXPLAINING EVERY DETAIL, THROUGH DETAIL, EVERYTHING THAT YOU BRING FORWARD US, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT. I COULD SEE IN THE BACK OF THE PAPER SAYS THAT SO FAR YOU HAVE GIVEN ROUND ONE, TWO, THREE TOTAL 212 VOUCHERS. And that's a blessing, even though it's a small amount, but it's a blessing for those that receive it. Okay. I see this is for six-month extension only?

Yes, it's only for the consultant.

Correct. So after those six months, because we don't have more COVID funding available, that's why it's only six months?

It's only six months for the consultant. The attendance will be, the rent will be paid until December. But we have to clean up all of the files and make sure everything's okay. So they'll be coming in to make sure everything's okay.

So this will be the last round, in other words.

HUD's not giving us any more money.

Are you planning to use this company for any future?

They're our main consultant.

Main consultant. Okay. But for the detail of the money that... Of this particular grant, HUD actually put them together with us. Correct. Correct. At least we don't have to return money back. Okay. Thank you, Director. You're welcome.

Thank you so much, Councilwoman Cotton and then Councilman Mendez.

Council on one out of that one question. I heard you say that this money was awarded before.

It is just that their contract was approved in 25 for a $100,000 and we never paid no, no, they got paid in the well balance left so we would have to renew their contract as of September 1st of this year to August 31st of next year that we won't need them for that long we only did them for 6 months.

Thank you.

Council president.

Sorry.

I know Councilwoman. Councilwoman Cott and then Councilman Mendez.

Councilwoman Alford. I think Director McLendon, I think that you probably need to explain what the TBRA is. And I think that what happened was some of the people that were on that TBRA, I mean, you have all these different initials, TRA, TBRA. We got so many different. I think that sometimes they get this and they think that it's forever. Not forever. It's like for a year and a half. Yeah, this is not Section 8. That's what I said. You said, I think you need to explain that.

Yes, this was a grant that was awarded to the city, a little over $5 million, $5.3 million we were given to help... tenants that were in jeopardy of losing their housing during covid they couldn't go to court landlords couldn't evict them right and they couldn't go to work so we had to come up with a program and HUD came up with this grant called home emergency of Reese emergency rescue program so day and I think that taking according to the council we awarded 3.5 million for tenant based rental assistance TV are right that we've got maybe 200 applications we only were the first year a hundred and 21. And then they slowly dropped off when it was time to renew because the first year we paid 100% of their their rent. The second year, we wind up paying only 50% of their rent, and they dropped off. They got assistance from Section 8. They got assistance from the county Section 8, assistance from the state Section 8. So we wind up only having about 45 tenants. We did around three, which we paid 80% of their rent. So that's how we have 44 or 45. Okay. So a total of 212 tenants.

Right. It came to a total of 212. And actually, this only came about because of COVID. Yes. Because people couldn't go out. Because people couldn't go to work. Right. And they were falling behind their bills. And then I think that starting March of next year, we're not going to have any more of this funding.

starting March 5, the tenants to tell them to seek assistance or 2, 1, 1, or through the county or state or.

But we will have the funds yeah, thank you direct thank you and just to put back on the record this is this item is only covering the monitoring this is not for any more eviction payment Councilman this.

I'll take you out of president director. You know when when people are doing the right thing we have to talk about it, you know and I have to say that you do an amazing job taking care of Paterson residents. I've been sending you a lot of rest in a lot of Patersonia that they're struggling whether is that the net that we have program was a program you take care that you take care that we try And you do the right thing, and the staff want to say thank you for doing a phenomenal job, because customer service, that's something that we need in the city of Paterson. And you're doing what you have to do to take care of Paterson residents. I just want to say thank you. And we have to work hard to bring more of this, more funding to rent a system program. We have a lot of people that are struggling in the city of Paterson. They're struggling big time in this community.

I wish I could bring more funds, but I got this by a fluke.

Yeah, I know, I know. Director, the rehab program, what is the funding that we have from the top of your head?

It's CDBG.

I'm sorry?

This is home, but the rehab program is under CDBG.

Do you know any number? Do you have the funding that we have?

We call the clerk's office last week because Council President Councilman Jackson asked for a report but I didn't get the official letter because the young lady that took that meeting was on vacation from waiting for the recent official request and I have the report ready so it's just waiting.

Okay, just let us know because this program really work and I like to promote a lot I have a lot of 3rd Ward resident of a they be taking advantage of the program to go to your office, you help them go through the whole process they apply and they're being successful doing that so doing a great job. Thank you, Council President.

Thank you. Councilman Jackson.

Thank you, Council President. Director, so the total funds that this consultant oversaw was $5 million, $5 point something million. And so we were paying a year's worth of people's rent or mortgages?

So the first year was $112, and then the second year they dropped off because the first year we paid 100% and we gave them a utility check. So they were happy with that.

100% of what? A month? A year?

No, month. So rent went from $545,000 for a studio all the way up to $3,700 for a four bedroom. So we paid 100% of the rent for 12 months.

Okay, alright. I want to slow down is a bit what 5.45 for studio or or how much for 3 that when you say 3, 7, 3,700 3,700 okay. So my question to you is what we paying 6 months worth the right here one year, a full year. Okay so so and these these residents that receive this one year worth of support. They went through this consultant.

Now that comes are yes, they did the consultant screen them made sure they were eligible in in sign the lease agreement between the city, the landlord and the tenant.

And the only amount that the consultants pay was a 100,000 a year. 100,000 a year. And they did all the screening of to all of the screening we did the inspection. I would like I don't I don't expect to see personal data who are the people but I would like to see a breakdown because of 5, 5 million dollars divided by it wasn't 5 million was 3.5 2.5 says even less because if I'm is is only $25,000 if we're paying a million 6 went to the Mill Street apartments we actually renovated a couple apartments there for people live. Mill Mill Street apartments. We renovate it we did that was for the that was for the the building process.

Yes, home ARP paid for 1015 units in there that came from CDBG the home program on speaking of home dollars understood okay. I want to see a report please on the on on the disbursement of these funds you want to buy that in size because I obviously can't give you people's name what he only I don't you know no president the eyes per year.

I just need to see the full year that we're paying for and a breakdown. I could be sent to me electronically nobody has to send print any paper, but I mean I'm sure this is a push of a button just to see a report on these 200 plus residents that have received assistance.

That's why I'm clear you want the assistance that we paid to the landlord to do you want what we paid to the consultant.

So the landlords to the land on behalf of the tenants. Did any of this money go towards anyone who owned their home. These are all rental rental. All renters so if by chance we had homeowners who more or less caught in the same circumstances to COVID has some challenges where there was no with yet I understand not this particular grant that we have programming. We didn't have any I didn't have one. So so we only had programming to out the service 10 landlords in its own language yet. Okay, so I would definitely like to see a breakdown and if it can be included. I would like to see the landlords that it went to specifically.

you can see can show that her home. But no personal identifiable information can be given to the public.

There's no personal identify information by putting forward the the LLC or entity that was he's going to be redacted I cannot.

I can't. I'm sorry.

No, listen, I don't have an issue with that. That's fine. But my issue is that I'm curious on the benefactors of this program. You have $3.5 million that went to aid landlords. Which landlords? which which developers you know it this is a it's a it's a it's a ongoing cycle within this community where we're getting money and I'm not some that I understand you're asking the wrong person you have data because every tool we write I'll start I'll start with the data that you give me.

Yes.

And I'll dig further from that point. But, you know, more importantly for me, I would think that we have a great deal of homeowners that's bearing a great burden. Homeowners have gone through the same conditions that...

If they had a tenant on here, then they would be on that list. Well, I'm sorry if they had a tenant that was assisted through this program, they would be on that list right but I don't have any homeowner that was going through any process like that during covid that didn't ask for assistance unless they had a tenant that they were trying to evict and they couldn't evict because courts won't open once they open we provided assistance for them, but I could not help landlords and could sorry could not help homeowners only landlords.

Madam Director, I understand that and I'm not referring to those landlords and that's helpful as well. Those landlords who have a one or two unit home that were in jeopardy of losing their home because their tenant didn't pay rent. What I'm talking about is the astronomical numbers relative to foreclosures where we had homeowners who've lost their homes and we didn't have any assistance. I'm not saying that you should have been burdened with that. I'm simply asking the facts so I can derive at what we should have done scenario. We have homeowners that have lost homes at a large number and we did nothing to support them we only look towards the the the the developers that was losing large numbers of rent because their tenants don't know me as a matter of perspective in the sense of I would love to get that report whatever needs to be redacted is fine I want to see a report on this specific payment for that year how much we paid out 3.5 for you right for the 4 years, yes, yes, for the 4 years, I appreciate.

I just want to put it on the record that this was requested by the council members during covid we got many calls for individuals that were facing evictions the individuals themselves applied for this program it was a developers was into the Patersonians who are facing eviction they came to community development based on the website, the advertisement, and they applied. It was done per individual, not specifically for a developer or contract. It was individuals that were facing eviction. I can't remember which council member requested it, but we all supported it here. It was Abdelaziz. Assemblyman Abdelaziz made the request. We supported it, and it helped a lot of people, so we're grateful for that. Council members, consent or regular for this item?

Council President.

Consent. Councilman Cotton.

Let me just say, I was the one that asked for the information and you explained to me that they could not give out the information. I think the only way that you might be able to break it down is by units like studios, one-bedroom, two-bedrooms. They're not allowed to indulge anybody's name, whoever the landlord is. But let me just say, in the beginning of COVID, when they started coming up with these programs to help people, we had quite a few landlords that their tenants were not applying. And then the landlord started applying for the tenants. Then we had to start. That's under your program. Then they had to start. Tenants were not applying. They should have applied. They were behind. You had some landlords owed anywhere from $20,000 So you could just show the breakdown of units, meaning studios, first floor, for one bedroom, two bedrooms, three bedrooms. You can't, you can't, we're not able to see anything else. Thank you, Director. Thank you. Council President.

Under City Clerk, Councilman Jackson. We can talk about that later when the middle city been so I'll talk to you in a minute. I'll give you a minute you're interrupting the meeting. I'll talk to you in a minute. Councilman Jack. Councilman Jackson Councilman Jackson.

You you Councilman Jackson, thank you so for point of clarity, I'm not director, I'm not asking about who applied. I'm not trying to get clarification of whether or not a land a large scale developer apply. we all know that councilman abdelaziz is is was the council person of probably the ward where there's a great deal of large-scale developers that have possibly had you know burdens due to people being unable to pay their rent so i'm not saying i don't care who led the agenda or led the charge to get this on the agenda i want to know specifically in detail as much as possible about this is the this this payment because One, I mean, normally the percentage base that you pay out for consultants is how much? What's the percentage of a normal consultancy fee?

No more than 15% of our award.

15%. Right. So let's just say if it was 10% of this particular award, it would be $300,000 plus. So at only $100,000 is well under the range of what we would normally pay a consultant, correct? Correct.

For this grant, HUD set aside what we were allowed to give to consultants. It wasn't even for us to decide. So they had already said how much you can pay and how much your staff can get. They gave us 5.3, 500,000 was supposed to be used for our staff, and 200 was supposed to be used for consultants. We flipped it because we didn't have staff. No one was coming to work. So we actually hired a consultant. They did a training, like a three-day training, and application acceptance at the main firehouse. so that they can get the application they got started with about 50 applications we screen them real quick we got people on board we did a second round this time we had them email it rather than have them come from North Carolina or South Carolina we had them the email it to everybody we screen that we got up to a 112.

That so this 100,000 it is the total amount that they're being paid or this is the remaining balance.

The make remaining of the balance is left so they were paid how much they will put a year one 100,000 year to 100,000 year 3, 100,000 year for 100,000 they have a balance left in year 4. A lot of the reason why we want them to finish out the grant has a grant ends in March.

As approximately 16,000 left to be paid.

So it's the 16,000 to be paid to the to the consultant but all of the funds for rental assistance have been absorbed.

The rental assistance is a different amount of money.

No, no. For this program, all of the money to pay someone's rent, there's no more money left from that.

No, there's still money left. They're lasting until the end of December, which is a different pot. So they have maybe... 200,000 left for the tenants that are already on board. No, he's asking it can any new no, no, no, the program is over right. It's literally told us all going to be finished in March. We need to start wrapping it up get your files.

But we still have relative on the $200,000 that is due to be paid to landlords for tenants that's already on the program. Yes, okay agreements with them so so so when these tenants came in to for this program. This was money that was not paid during COVID?

No, it wasn't paid. We had to sign contracts.

Okay, I apologize because maybe I'm a bit confused. So why are we still holding money back? I'm just going to use an arbitrary number. We have 10 people that's on. We cannot take any more people in. They came onto this list because the the they were delinquent in back rent. So why weren't the landlords paid in full why do we still have a drawdown schedule.

Thank you miss understanding me every year we sign a lease agreement year one you get a $1000 we pay every month for 12 months we don't give you $12,000.

But the lease agreement that we paid was from that point going forward.

Every year we have to sign a new lease. So year one, they got a lease. Year two, they got a lease.

Year three, they got a lease. So I was under the impression that this money was to cover for unpaid rent during COVID-19. So you're saying that this money paid someone's rent moving forward. So that's beyond COVID. If we sign a new lease, then that's beyond COVID. COVID is four or five years ago. So we signed a lease recently for this current year with tenants. who what they said he had a hardship to COVID.

They still have issues with maintaining the rent. I don't see too many people that can pay $3700 working at DPW but your family still in need we still assist you because that is the rule we can't kick you out does not allow you to just evict people that you don't feel like paying a rent. We went through the process they still are in need they may not be cold affected, but they're still COVID tenants we can't just get them out.

Council president all right now councilman the last through the chair, madam madam director as I say every time you come here in front of us you explain it based on the federal guidelines that you receive also. I think what told people office, the work over it because the money came with that title covid funding. But There is a book of instructions, the rules, and it had to be a timeline of spending. And I believe those individuals that had the blessing to have that funding available. If not, they will be in the street. A homeless under the bridge. And those so-called benefit developers, it's not the truth. We're all here benefiting your program, benefiting people that go through hardship and change of circumstance. At least they have a safe haven to go, that is your office, to apply for this money and qualify. And it's all based on income? Yes.

is all based on circumstance and i think you're doing a great job thank you council president let me just clarify thank you i just want to clarify one more thing please do so colbit is the title that congress gave for these folks but it is for people who are in need HUD says you have to do these list of things to see if they're eligible. If they're still eligible after COVID, you still have to provide assistance. Either that, don't provide assistance, or give back the money. So we opted to give them a longer stay on our program rather than give back $4 million or $3 million. We just decided, you know what? You're still eligible. HUD says you're still eligible. We're going to continue. Some of them dropped out that section 8 from the county that section 8 from the city that section 8 from the state so we ended up with about 45 people.

They understand as I understand director and I I'm not discrediting what you're doing I'm trying to understand it for this all what I would like for you to include in this in that report is for those bedrooms the amounts because for me when I have a city employee are recently spoke to who told me that paint $3400 in rain. A city employee who we know doesn't, on average, a city employee makes less than $40,000, less than $50,000. But they're paying $3,400. A month so yes, OK I I love the fact that we have a program that would subsidize or assist. I'm curious on how we're directing that money because we're allowing for the rent rates to be pushed beyond the threshold of the norm the previous norm. We're paying rent on it on it and an apartment that we classified as covid deficient covid require. We're paying $3,400 in a space where the employee is not going to be able to afford that rent once this program ends. Now we're looking at a developer that benefited for four years or for $3,000 plus being paid to them, and then they turn around and evict the tenant, which we're still dealing with the same hardship. Putting a Band-Aid on a blister does not... cure the cause of the issue. I agree. So I'm trying to understand because, yes, these programs are great, rental assistance and all that stuff is great, but it doesn't talk to the underlining factor of how we're allowing for the rent levels to be pushed beyond the point. When a council is taking credit for giving away money like this to finding a grant like this to make sure the landlords can can can push their rent values over the rate as opposed to doing something responsible like the state did and not allowing people to raise the rents beyond this threshold it talks about that the blatant disregard the council has for the public's best concern finding a plot of money for 4 years isn't a fix Finding a plot of money that's given from the federal government to make sure that landlords can make money for four years, that doesn't answer the community's concerns. wholeheartedly please I don't I don't know and I'm not in a never once spoke negatively about the job you do I'm trying to get information so I can understand how I need to evaluate so this item definitely needs to go on regular and I want to get the report prior to me being able to vote please I need to report on the money that all of the money spent out with the last 4 years and in in the amounts I don't need no names who got paid who was paid for but specifically the amounts of rents $3700 $3400 25 whatever it was and I would appreciate that. Thank you.

Thank you madam clerk, let's go to city clerk items. Items 14, 15, and 19 in our packets are for our approvals, for our registrations, for our cab drivers. All the information is attached. 14, 15, and 19. All the information was sent in. They came in pretty late, and it came to this agenda. So 14, 15, and 19.

Council President.

can't count some of the last you say 1415 and 19 all their their applications are attached everything is in compliance read I just want to make and the addresses are included where they will be part of it, I just want to a man and clerk, I'm sorry man and chair.

To the clerk. Madam Clerk, if it's possible, I understand the office examined all this application, whatever. Can you, when you get a chance, send a letter to all the owners of a taxi company that the address that they have in the application to partner with it. uh... because i have a lot of reports in the fifth ward a lot of caps are parked on the streets okay and uh... and taking residents parking and uh... every time i'm explaining them that they supposed to park those vehicles has had the address that they put in the application that they have a lot to park the vehicle uh... thank you i want to put that on the record uh... that that'll be sent to the owners of the cab companies because Well residents are getting hurt with a street park.

Thank you so the president. Count Council councilman out for the councilman Jackson.

I'm I'm similar to what councilman the less on stated I have a question as to and only because there's no I don't have any letters attached to mine. or any paperwork other than the resolution for me to maybe assess and answer the question for myself. But the question is, what is the process for them to research? What process do the livery cab drivers go through to research before it comes to council?

Madam clerk as it goes to your office and on your tablet all that all the information is on your tablet under the item on your tablet that I'm clear. The process of when they come in for their license, what is the process to your office.

TO RENEW. SO, USUALLY, THERE'S AN APPLICATION THEY HAVE TO FILL OUT. THEY ATTACH ALL THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK, THEIR INSURANCE, REGISTRATION, OWNERSHIP VEHICLE, ALL OF THAT. AND IT'S VETTED THROUGH OUR OFFICE, THROUGH TOXICAB, ET CETERA. WE HAVE TO ENSURE WHATEVER whatever form or requirement from whether it's zoning or things of that nature usually wonder when the renewals they have all of that. So all of that is attached to it comes to us as long as everything's there then we put it forth through for the resolution.

And then again to piggyback off what Councilman the less says our city does have an overage of like you know taxi cars and they're usually out of place states. Is there.

Yeah, there's a there's a requirement of parking. That so for example number 19 right. This says the office the mailing address and it says parking location it will have an address is a lot so requirement for those capping a taxi company to open and operate in the city of Patterson is a requirement of parking. for their 19 cars 23 even one livery parking one license for one car needs to show proof that they have a contract with a parking lot they have a contract with something that they park and have their vehicle off the streets and um and all of them are in the application so um i i'm aware that uh A PATTERSON POLICE TRAFFIC ARE DOING THE VISIT DURING THE NIGHT. IF THEY SEE A CAP OUT THERE, THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THEM. SO...

SO I THINK TO THE PUBLIC, To a councilman Alfred's point. We should send this to the taxi inspector there are a lot of taxes that have a New York license plates and Patterson we need to check and see if that registration has been transferred over to to New Jersey we need to get a full report on that from the taxi inspector that's. They are pertaining to that.

So that's 1415 and 19.

Councilman Jackson.

So, Council President, through the Chair, Madam Clerk, the reporting process needs to be a little bit more robust because we should have a record the same way ABC licenses get complaints and we have a PD report. it's clear none of these taxicabs are parking where they're where they're supposed to park where they're supposed to park they're parking all over the streets and we don't have a report on which companies are being um complained upon so residents are voicing their complaints to pd pd says they don't do the enforcement and we're not getting these reports relative from your office on what you know which companies are violating the the process they have to lay out with it parking that the process lead up to your office is a requirement that these companies have designated spaces, but we now as a municipality to the to enforcement have to make sure that they're actually parking where they belong and it would if they're not what are we doing Because now the only level of recourse is through the renewal process and the council can't arbitrarily decide which company is not going to be renewed or which company is in violation if we don't have a full and thorough report on complaints from the residents. The residents should have a clear complaint process because obviously people are calling PD thinking that the police department oversees this and they don't. So I know this is probably not something that you've already had an opportunity to address, but this process definitely needs to be put in place.

So madam clerk these 3 items are for new that could be a process for renewal, the one is not for new to us that new that the third one is not a new. The third one, madam clerk is that new or renewal. It's that it's a lot of you know, it's not a new is Mister McKinsey please no talking in the audience. They're at a number 9 is not a renewal not really all know all 3 of them are now. She said it's not a renewal number 19 is not a renew all new. that they're not a renewal all 3 of the items are new.

It is not you know, I think she could find that a clear that a matter.

They own you they're all know she just stated it and it says in the paper one there were cat 1415 and 19 are all new they're being yeah, they're being added.

19 is not a new app. He's adding an additional vehicle to his to his a lot of vehicles is not a new application that he should definite that this applicant for every applicant for that matter should have a proper a report based on past practices in order for us to do that whether it is a new any or not we need to have the clerk's office needs to outline to the inspection the inspectors and publicizing it to the public where these complaints need to be directed if if the public can take photographs of cars being parked at 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning on it on a block where did he send it Do they send it to a council person? I'm tired of getting complaints over things that I have no authority over. So it needs to be an outline prescription of what the process will be so that when we have a renewal or an addition or even a new applicant, maybe there's a transfer of license. There has to be a process.

Thank you 1415 and 19 Council members. The 2 new on consent or the 2 new on regular or regular for 1415 19, we have a raffle license for Saint Mary's Church, the bingo license for the church. 1617 consent, a regular. Finance item starting at item number 31. Entertainment renewal license. 3rd Ward Councilman Mendes goes to. Entertainment license for the girl sports bar. In the first Ward as well as a new dance Hall for the girl. 32 and 33 consent a regular. 34 is renewal of a coin operated amusement device for master vending. 35 are all pool tables renewals. 36 is coin operated amusement devices for American Lodge. Bacchus, consent. Walgreens renewal for florists, 37. 38. Yes. We've done it many times here. Yes, it has been done. But if there's any item that you want to take off, we can do that. Pool table licenses.

We're voting to renew a cluster of licenses in one vote. We've done it many times. No, they've been listed like this.

They've been listed.

All right. I can't answer that question. One vote.

No, if you had an issue with any one item, you would, of course, bring that up. And if this was the voting meeting, then that item would be stricken off. We'd have to amend the resolution afterwards, obviously. But that one item or that one business wouldn't proceed.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Council President.

Councilman Velez. Yes.

Okay, so right now a number 34.

We passed that are you going back to it.

Yeah, I want to go back to it because I don't 30 for 30 for you know because I see that the owner is in total one in Jersey. So we all allow him to get a life for all the businesses that he has here. individually in Paterson. It's a renewal Councilman this is not know he's done it before we look for the do you understand what I'm saying right I do but we've done it for you guy has a that has a a massive vending business in total will roll total New Jersey. But he has different machines in different. Establishment in Paterson what why does it that the bill you don't come here to get a license for that machine. like any other people does in Patterson. So if I have a machine in my business, I have to come here in the first floor and get an application to operate that machine.

So for example, if you look at the massive ending so you have places like American Lodge so inside of American Lodge they need the vending portion for the pool tables. So some tourists for the pool table so perhaps this is the vendor that has the certification requirement to do it and that's why all of these vendors you utilize that place may be those individual had to come and get a the individual is why they go to them.

I know she mentioned American Lodge, but there's a Wilson Torres, Felipe Plays, Victor Millet, you know, and she mentioned American Lodge. Nothing against American Lodge, right? So I just want to make sure that this company is not double tipping. That's why I'm trying to make sure that they're not making them to come here to the city to get an extra license while they have to honor their license to operate.

No, thank you Councilman. City Council items, there are item 20, Councilman, this is for your appointment, regular or consent. Item 20.

Which one?

Item number 20. 21, Madam Clerk, is a resolution. Regular, 20. 20 is regular. Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. that can go on consent, madam clerk. Oh, you wanted a regular consent? A regular? Okay. Per Councilwoman Cotton's request, all the corporation council, all the women of the council will be sponsors and it will be on a regular. I'm a 22 resolution under a man that they to 5. That fraternity come over 22 is regular. And then these are the honorees council member less would you like your honoree for regular. Council McCaugh and Gilmore Memorial. 26 council of the last.

26, yes, regular.

27 municipal Council sickle cell awareness. Councilman cotton.

But I don't want to cut. The month of September is sickle cell awareness. I had quite a few family members in my family that died at an early age to have sickle cell. They have not found a cure for that and I think that we need to be more aware of the symptoms that it happened because in a second like they're sick like in one second they're fine and then one second they're like sick and i i wanted to make sure that we kind of recognize the sickle cell awareness and i want my ladies to be part of this uh with me for this awareness thank you thank you um 28 is my item my honoree regular madam clerk

I'm 29 is Hispanic heritage month sponsored by all Council members. Can we do regular concern. Consent regular OK regular. Council president one second Council be paying 25 is regular. Yes.

SO, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I JUST, I HAD SUBMITTED MY NAME FOR THE HISPANIC HERITAGE. YES. SO I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE SEPTEMBER 15th.

IT WILL, IT WILL. JUST MAKE SURE. ALL THE HONOREES WILL BE ON THE SEPTEMBER 15th. THERE WAS SOME THINGS THAT WE WERE WAITING ON, BUT ALL OF THOSE HONOREES WILL BE HERE. YES. Item number 51. Is a regular. Honoring J Mark Grayson. Sponsored by myself and caught in one out. Item number 32 Councilman Omar, your honor. 52. Madam clerk, item number 38.

Madam president.

One second.

I just want to, to you.

Yes.

All right. Madam president, I know, just in case, the public want to know what is 21, 32, whatever. We have a copy of the agenda there.

Well, I just, oh. AND I'M STATING IT.

OH, OKAY.

YEAH, I'M SAYING IT, COUNCILMAN, SO I KNOW YOU LIKE TO DO THAT, SO I'M STATING IT ON THE RECORD. I'M NOT JUST GOING THROUGH IT. SO I'M STATING... NO, I'M STATING WHAT THEY ARE, 51 AND 52. THE SECOND READING... ONE SECOND. WE STILL GOT ITEMS. ALL RIGHT, ITEM NUMBER 38, MADAM CLERK, IS A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR THE ONLINE TAX SALES FOR THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT Consent a regular for the payments right. Councilman out for.

I don't know if anyone in the audience at home would want to know that I will I don't understand what that is I would like sure Mister BA item number 38.

For CFO I'm sorry.

CFO. EVERY YEAR WE HAVE A TAX SALE FOR ANY DELINQUENT BILLS. THAT'S TO HOST THE TAX SALE ONLINE.

SO HE SAID, ONE SECOND, COUNCILOR MCCONNELL, JUST SPEAK LOUDER, THEY CAN'T HEAR YOU.

AGAIN, IT'S TO HOST THE TAX SALE ONLINE. SO WE USED TO HAVE, I WANT TO SAY FOUR YEARS AGO, WE USED TO HAVE THE TAX SALE LIVE. IT'S TO HOST THE TAX SALE ONLINE, SO IT GOES TO EVERYBODY.

ARE THESE FOR HOMES?

ANYBODY THAT'S DELINQUENT FROM THE 2025. from 20 to 25 so we are by law we're supposed to have a tax every year.

Okay, and then the real action LLC is who is going to host this current.

Thank you.

Councilman the last of the chair CFO thank you welcome back. I know we do this every year and we We changed the way it probably was more after COVID, during COVID, and now we're still doing it. You know, we know it. We got in front of us. The public is listening. But probably out of 28,000 property that we have in the city of Patterson-X-Payers, they don't know what's going on. They don't watch probably this meeting. We've got seniors that don't watch this meeting. We have people that probably don't tune in to YouTube, what we're talking about. What is the process that you use, or the tax office use, the tax office, to announce that if you don't catch up with your payments, your taxes are going to be sell? What is the process you use?

We send multiple delinquent notices throughout the year, Councilman. So right now, we send bills out for the third quarter, I want to say somewhere around in July. We're sending a delinquent notice out now for any delinquent bills, and we'll probably send another one maybe closer to October, November.

And that delinquent notice is that you owe money, taxes, and the city passes. Correct. But do you send a notice that... This is the due date to pay it. If not, it's going to go to a tax sale this date?

Yes. For the tax sale, there are two advertisements and two notices.

And this is not only property taxes, sewer taxes and other taxes? Property and sewer. Correct. All right. After you sell those taxes, does it go to the general funding? The money general fund of the city, yes, all right, it goes to take it goes to that.

Councilman Jackson, then Councilman Mendoza council president.

Thank you so to the public and councilman Alfred just for a point of clarity, I know his Mike wasn't as well audible. So basically every year if there's unpaid taxes they have to be auctioned at a certain time of year. So if any resident doesn't have or has not paid their taxes within that time frame, any taxes that are on, unpaid taxes that are on the books at that time then becomes subjected to a tax sale. That tax sale used to take place here in the council chambers. It was a public event. Now it's done online. Most of the time, it's large-scale developers that's swiping up people's taxes, placing tax liens so that, you know, the subsequent taxes that they could cover. So if there's a period of two years or more, then they can move forward on a foreclosure. My concern through the chair to the CFO is I've been getting a great deal of complaints from residents saying they're not getting notices until it's late. They're saying that they get a notice and then it's due within a week or two, two week time period. So I know that the ladies down in, the ladies and gentlemen down in your office, I know they do a phenomenal job, but I would like to get a report from you with regard to your staffing. you know, Janine Gatson who we lost a few years ago. I know that there's been some turnover and I'm curious as to the relative to the TO what the staffing conditions are there because this is very critical and also if it's possible for us to get a report on the number of foreclosures that we've had. through the previous year and I mean I would like to go back further because I think that there's a there's a you know obviously residents may have some challenges but making sure that they're getting noticed properly to prevent foreclosure is very important so I'm sure it's a lot to manage but at least based on the staffing before this item because We're we're we're subsequently auctioning people's taxes off without having been there with the required support.

Councilman Jackson home for a minute.

The TV's on we were on it we we're working on a councilman Jackson. Yeah, councilman Jackson so.

Considering that we're now going out to sale on delinquent taxes, if people have a legitimate complaint of whether or not notice is being served properly and if your office is not adequately employed or manned, I have a question of whether or not these notices are being brought to serve the way it should so I would like to get a report on the staffing and the tax collectors office specifically with regard to how we're handling these on on upcoming tax sales.

Councilman Mendes, Councilman Mendes.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. This is a very legitimate concern in our community. We have a legislation in place in the city of Paterson that after you get a lien on your property, that person could do a foreclosure. After two years, that person could start a foreclosure on your property. So you could lose your property by being laid behind or you're taxed or the sewer, whatever the case might be. On the last sale, it was over $1,200. a property that went under the water we sold those taxes and I remember this number and this really alarming to me to see how many people going under the water and cannot pay those taxes because it's almost that's too impossible to catch up. Mister CFO and I make this comment before and we got to do this and I need your guidance on how we can do it whether it's through a resolution or a measure we could take to be able to allow our homeowner and property owner to do partial payment on their taxes on the sewer. If I'm behind $7,000 and I go in the front with $4,000, the city will not take the $4,000. I have to bring the $7,000 in full. So we have to be in place. This is through the chair to legal. I tiny help put in this in place this was the it has got to be a legislation to allow the city to make sure that they take part of payment on those are resting in homeowners that are behind the tax of the sewer so because we have to be able to help them. It's it's awful. I mean if we look at the tax that we pay for any 2 family house is just out of control after the reval where over 14,000 properties were assessed. Without those people going inside the property, those taxes went through the roof. On top, we got the sewer bill. It's just really difficult for homeowners to be able to be outflow in the city of Patterson. The least we could do is just to allow them to make partial payment in those late taxes or sewer that they have to be able to catch up. So I'm looking forward to start to sit down with legal and draft that legislation. Okay. because I need to happen now we have to pay attention about this.

Thank you councilman Alford. Really quick because I know sometimes that the by the time we make our closing remarks people have gone to bed or have gone home. I just wanted to let residents know that there is done direct emergency assistance. under the NJ H M F H a call the emergency rescue assistance so look that one up and on the county level. There's assistance if you are receiving SSI there's the work first New Jersey program to the County Board of Social Services. that are one moment that that are that's available to help our residents when they're facing east of you know these tax issues and if possible, I mean we can have a conversation about how we may be able to disseminate information about programs and such so that residents that are home owners are having some type of outlet for assistance. Council thank you councilman Jackson.

Thank you Council, Council President. And that's phenomenal information, Councilwoman Alfred. The unfortunate reality is the rendering of such services falls on the doorstep of the administration. have to have programming in place the economic community development director just left all of these things that should be programming in place when our residents are at loss but more importantly councilman mendez i mean the requirement or at least our responsibility as legislators is to understand our roles our capacity and what our responsibilities are relative to the tax collection that's state that's that's that's regulated by the state All practices of collection on taxes and unpaid taxes is regulated by the state. If a resident is having a difficult time with paying their taxes, subsequent taxes, they have the liberty to pay. They have the ability to pay those subsequent taxes at any time. Let's say, for example, if a resident fell under strengths and they don't know specifically a program or whatever, and if it's a $2,000 tax lien. You can't come down there with $500 because what the investor paid is accruing interest on 18% daily. Not only that, but... Even if it was allowed to pay a portion, you're going to lose your house for $1. It doesn't matter. If you're a delinquent and you don't pay the full amount and it goes into a foreclosure process, it could be 50 cents. You're going to lose the house. What we should be doing instead of making statements on legislation that we can't have any control over is we should be focusing on why the taxes are so high when we continuously approve these large scale tax abatements for 30 plus years and we helping to support We're moving the line for the redevelopment zone so that more buildings could go in there and more buildings can get a tax abatement. We're not holding the administration accountable for lying to the public and saying that it's an automatic, which, by the way, some of council members was touting that as well, saying it's an automatic, it's not us, it's the state. It's not the state. That's us. You want to press on a matter that we have no control over, that is delegated through the state, but the item we do have control over on regulating how many businesses enter into the redevelopment zone and get a long-scale 30-year tax abatement, you're quiet on. So pick a side. Are you with the residents? Are you with the developers that's getting these long-scale tax abatements? Because, or more importantly, which I'm sure is a part of as well, you don't clearly understand your role, so you're thinking we could just say something snazzy like, oh, we need to make a resolution. We don't have the authority over that. What we should do is focus on the things that we do have the authority on. Now, the mayor, through the mayor's office, through his liaison, I forget the young man's name, that was working under economic development, every single one of these large-scale development projects had to be signed off by the mayor. They had to be signed off by the mayor. I've been asking for a report on how many of these projects has entered into long-scale tax abatements over the last several years. We still, which you made a promise to them, we still have not signed the agreement for Brookslope's pilot, but yet all these other outside developers have been able to get a long-term tax abatement. So let's stand on the things that we can. It makes no sense asking. You asked this question before. I wasn't here that day because I would have sparked you up then. But this right here, that's some irresponsible legislation or attempts to write legislation that sounds good but has no teeth. We don't have control over that. Let's educate the members of the public more clearly. Let's let them fully understand what they do have control over instead of making, you know, A SLIDE REMARK ON WE SHOULD ALLOW THEM TO MAKE PARTIAL PAYMENTS. WHY? IF THEY DON'T HAVE ALL THE MONEY, THEY'RE STILL GOING TO LOSE THE HOUSE. AND THEN TO MAKE MATTERS EVEN WORSE, THE PARTIAL PAYMENT THAT THEY PAID, THEY LOST THAT TOO. NOW THEY'RE COMING OVER HERE ASKING FOR A HANDOUT FOR A PROGRAM TO PAY THEIR RENT SOMEPLACE ELSE. THE CYCLE IS UGLY. WE'RE NOT DEFENDING OUR RESIDENTS, AND THAT'S THE REALITY.

COUNCILMAN VELAZ.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. I have witnessed residents that come into the tax office knowing that they have a bill, they have a due date. And they request to do partial payment until the due payment, until the due date comes. So they have come and bring, if it's $2,000, they come and bring $1,000. Before the due date, they come and bring the other remaining of the money before the due date. concession have been done in the taxes office that they given the chance to do a a partial payment before the due date because sometime is easier for them break payments in 3, 4 times before the due date. Once again, the New Jersey stack law is different. Some of the same way the New Jersey growth, same way the tax abatement, same way other pilots. There's a New Jersey State statute under it. Unfortunately, we are the legislative body in the local level. They always dump it to us, but at the same time, they could avoid to come to us. They could go straight to the state and do whatever they want and the state will allow it. So, starting a fight and blaming us and everything that's happening in our city. I know, since I've been sitting here, we have denied and a council president and other here the council we have denied removal of pilots in the past and pilots that are going to for example governor towers is full of seniors okay we denied the renewal of the pilots and there's other other projects in the city passing that have come in front of us for renewal pilot and we had denied For example, we're going to have a renewable pilot for Brooks low, I want to know what the college is going to do so. We here to serve the community. You see one way we could clap each other, but at the same time we had to make sure the state statue is follow and we do our diligence to the city of Patterson. Thank you council president.

Thank you so let me just address there is an issue with that. There's an issue with the sound through Optimum. Optimum is working on it, but Verizon and YouTube is working fine. But our IT is in direct conversation with Optimum to address the sound concern. Councilman Mendez, very briefly so we can move on so that we can avoid a back and forth debacle. Councilman Mendez.

Thank you, Council President. Just to be clear, I'm always on the side of the public. I don't do things that sound good. I'm very straightforward in what I do. Number one. Number two, the city has full control of our taxes before getting to a lien. When you have a lien on your property, it's a private entity that bought that lien. debt, and you have to pay 80% on top of that. When I'm speaking about making partial payment, it's before they get into the 80% process. We totally understand that, just for your information, Councilman. So that's what I'm talking about. And based on my knowledge and what I see, we're not taking partial payment. I'm not talking about here. I do this every day, and I help people in my office, in the private sector, every single day when it comes to that. Number one. Number two, you're talking about being responsible. When you try to bring the Bruce Loeb abatement project in front of the council and pushing people, they didn't have the paperwork in place, and we give them two years' extension to make sure that they get back on track. You do think it sounds good. You don't enforce the public property. Let's move on. When it comes to me, you better stop that. Bruce wasn't ready, and we gave them Bruce Love two years extension, and everybody's a weakness here. So we're ready to receive Bruce Love back on track. I'm always in the sights of the public, and I'm very responsible with my vote. Thank you, Council President.

One second, Councilman Jackson. To the public, through our state senator, Benji Wimberly, our assembly representatives, Abdelaziz and Kenyatta Stewart, there are three programs that are available. It's called the New Jersey Stay for 65 and older, New Jersey Freeze for our senior citizens, and as well as the Anchor Relief. If you have not gotten your letter for Anchor Relief payments that are going out in October, please reach out to one of our state representatives. But there are programs that are currently in place to assist with some type of relief passed through our state legislators. Councilman Jackson, and then we're moving on, Madam Clerk, to item 38. Thank you.

Thank you, Council President. So Councilman Mendez, the fact of the matter is any resident can make a partial payment on taxes that are not in lien. That is totally incorrect. You can make a partial payment. If you want to go down there and take $5 on the taxes that you're going to owe in the future, they will take your money. They cannot take a payment if it's in lien because your lien is being calculated on a percentage base at that point. And in fact, furthermore, if you have a lien and you want to make a partial payment on subsequent taxes, that means future taxes that have not been added to the existing lien, you have the ability to do so. So what you're talking about makes no sense. Now, relative to Brooks Slope, and I'm saying this for the public's edification, When I wrote the resolution for the pilot, They had everything in place that everyone else had in place. Prior to this, we had 19 pilots on one list. Brookslope was part of it. Brookslope was a renewal and pilot. Brookslope, which is different than any developer, showed proof that they did not make any profit. There are residents that live in that facility. It's a facility that's a co-op owned by the residents there. So there was no profit being made. All of the 500, I published the list, I brought it to the council, over 500 new entries of outside developers that had 30 plus years tax abatements and you never took one stance against those applications. In fact, you voted to move the redevelopment zone on Lafayette Street and you talked about not knowing who the developer was. So let's just make sure, listen, I'm not here to battle back and forth with you. I'm trying to make sure that, one, I take the time to educate the public because they're telling you things that's totally untrue. And I'm proving it right here. The CFO will tell you if they can or cannot make partial payments. In fact, when I heard that, I went to the office and checked. You can make a partial payment. If you want to pay a dollar a day, you can do it. but not on taxes that have been consumed by a lien. So let's just stay clear on the facts.

Thank you. Item 39 is to authorize the tax collector to conduct the tax sale. This should be clear cut. Consent or regular, everyone? Regular?

Yes.

3939 is regular item number 40 resolution resolution authorizing amount of tax so fees charged to delinquent properties due to tax out these fees are there has to be identified on regular administrative items starting item number 7. Number 7 resolution. Acknowledging content and effects of MOU between the state of New Jersey in the city of Patterson for transitional aid including any applicable applicable substance. Consider regular. This is for transitional a 7. The MOU was sent out to all council members on regular. Number 8, authorizing the renewal of contract with associated auto body and trucks for collision auto body repair for the city of Patterson not to exceed $40,000 for one year. A is consent. Item 9 is the award of contract for language line services for in-person interpretation and document transcription services not to exceed $150,000 per New Jersey state contract. Number 10, authorizing the award of contracts for vendors for a request of qualifications for general engineering services for RFQ number 2026-32. Regular number 10. Number 11, resolution of request of qualifications for construction management services, RFQ 2026-38. Regular or consent? Councilman Alford, it will be on regular. Councilman Alford.

I just wanted to know when I read the resolution said it would be on an as-need basis.

Yes. Mr. B.A. ?

Yeah, so thank you, Council President. Good evening, Patterson. Numbers 10 through 13, those resolutions, we went out to RFQ request for qualifications. We pre-qualify firms. So none of these resolutions commit work or commit a payment to any company. We pre-qualify firms, and then as matters come up, We're able to go directly with the pre-qualified firms, and it doesn't have to go through the stringent bidding process every time we need engineering firms. So below, I think, below $53,000 or $55,000, just like procurement laws that could be handled with an administration, anything above that would come to the council anyway for approval.

Thank you based on a previous item number 11.

I just want to just make reference these are our cues and this all went through procurement.

Yes, the purchasing the part of this about us yes, but they want us to read them all some just reading them. I don't 12 what of contract for a request for call for case of a bond Council service of Q number 2026 34. Consent consent so 11 was consent a regular. Consent they ought to me they also be consent, but what of contract to the eye group architect for a class of art for architectural services are accused 2026 37. Number 13. Mister be a number 13.

This pre-qualifies a firm when matters come up with 125 Ellison Street, the Board of Health building, City Hall. The need comes up for different types of architectural and professional services due to the age of the buildings that we have in the city.

So what would be the rate of acquisition for a job?

On anything we asked them to do, they would submit a proposal to the city. Anything below the bidding threshold would be handled in-house in administration. Anything above that number would come to the council for consideration.

So relative to the rule, I don't propose that much. Relative to the rule, I do understand the threshold. It's 45K, right?

For a bidding? 55. It gets updated annually based on inflation.

55 now? Yeah. So for argument's sake, if they came before the administration on three different occasions at $40,000, that then would put them over the threshold or it would not?

as a general matter if we didn't do this process, yes, the first one we could do 40 in house without any extra approval process, but at that point it would be cumulative, but when you pre qualify firms, those those those standards don't apply and this is not to exceed him out is here. There's no specific not to exceed.

OK.

I mean there's no imminent plans to use this group but it's important to have as we have issues come up with buildings and we're scrambling you know we're making phone calls in a week to 3 goes by and nothing happens.

Is there a requirement for deposit this paid on for for their participation of the are entitled to anything if they don't do any any work at all.

No that we never call any of them and use them it just.

All right, that's all that has comes president.

Councilman that's.

It's a big we went through the ball, the process for that was we went out for a bit for this. I believe that I grew.

The RFQ with the test every single one of the services request for qualifications was put out and submissions very similar to the bidding process.

The on the body of the resolution page number to what you see that the eye group. The one that is saw that that is getting the contract to see any other company. Well, I'm sorry which one counts and I don't see any of the company behind I just see the the company does get it that they've got to see any other participating.

It will be it would be on the resolution and there should be I there's a memo for each each recommendation that I signed with the firm names. I look into.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. PAYMENT OF BILLS, AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO OPEN UP PUBLIC PORTION. PAYMENT OF BILLS. PAYMENT OF BILLS, FINANCE CHAIR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. COUNCIL MEMBERS, YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THE SUMMARY OF DISBURSEMENTS IN THE TOTAL OF $15,834,756.93. This was one payroll week, a total of $8,052,115.29. This is higher than the normal payroll week, as there were a little over $1 million in retro for the fire officers, a contract that was signed over February, if I'm not mistaken. And so those payments have been dispersed. In addition, there's also two payments for garbage pickup. That's over by statutory expenditures, capital fund. I believe there was 1.5 for the dispatch center, 400,000 for River Street, and 1 million for the anti-violence grant. MAKING THAT THE TOTAL. SMALL CHECKS COMPUTER CHECKS OF 7 MILLION 782,641 DOLLARS AND 64 CENTS. SO THE TOTAL BETWEEN THE COMPUTER CHECKS AND PAYROLL AND PAYOUTS IT'S A TOTAL OF 15 MILLION 834,756 DOLLARS AND 93 CENTS. SECOND. FOR PAYMENT BILLS. SECOND. ROLL CALL ON PAYMENT OF BILLS MADAM CLERK.

Councilwoman Alford? Yes. Council Vice President Davila? Yes. Councilman Jackson?

Thank you, Madam Clerk. To the members of the public, as I refuse to support this item based on my lack of confidence in the administration and what we've done financially, I want to bring to all of your attention that the council president conveniently has sat us here for two hours before calling the public portion. And I don't know if it's intentional or not if it's not Council president would appreciate if you don't skip over these are just those items. But we have on the second reading of today's agenda. A ordinance purging taxes for a some I don't know some developer. I wrote a resolution requesting an ordinance to purge the unpaid taxes on the YWCA, and we haven't had a discussion on it. Why? I don't know. This discussion should take place in front of the public while the public's here. The YWCA has a $90,000 tax lien, which we referenced tonight, which is relevant. And it's relative to why the entity wants to sell the building. This council, much like on some of the other items, has the ability. And we're showing it, because we've purged maybe five or six items for various vendors and developers. But here you have a community-based entity that's been rendering services in this community since 1926, a property that was given to the city by former Corporation Counsel Hobart, who was the Vice President of the United States, by the way. This property now has a $90,000 tax lien because for whatever reason it was placed on the tax rolls at regardless of the fact that they were non profit entity much like Grace Chapel was so we allow these properties to be targeted while we're purging taxes for developers. But we won't consider a purge for homegrown entity. I'm curious about that and I need to have a nice thank you and by the way. By the way, madam clerk my vote is no.

Councilman Mendez.

I think that we're voting on payment of bill on payment of bill we have a $1,052,115 ago the straight into pay our employees of the city of Paterson with that being say my voice yes, but a clerk.

Councilman no more my vote is just a payment of bills, madam clerk.

Councilman the last.

Payment of bill, yes.

President Mims payments render needs to be paid my vote is just not a part.

Council president.

payment of bills is adopted so that the public has been waiting for a very long time that a clerk we're going to open up the public portion. We have 26 speakers, the speaker has the speaker has 3 minutes to speak after the time it goes off we will call the next speaker, there's no additional time that will be given. Madam clerk first speaker is Reverend Jocelyn Irving.

Good evening.

Good evening.

When Mayor Andre Sayre ran for election, his slogan was, tested and trusted leadership in the team you can trust. Well, let me tell you why I believe you cannot trust him. As many of you know, my son Herman worked for the Patterson Fire Department for 19 years. In 2024, he filed a workman's compensation claim due to extreme post-traumatic stress disorder, along with related seizures. Before the 2026 election, Andre spoke with my sons and told them that Herman's matter would be immediately settled. He said all that needed to happen was for the I's to be dotted and the T's to be crossed. He told my sons he had an immense amount of respect for our family and that he wanted to settle this matter. The business administrator, who sits before you today, also sent a text message to one of my sons telling him that this matter would be settled and that it simply had to go before counsel. So, counsel, I have a question for you. Have you seen the agreement? Has it been settled? I highly doubt that you have. But if you have, why have you not voted for it? Council President Mims, yesterday, Facebook, you posted in honor of first responders. Based upon the behavior of your teammate, Mr. Sayre, how can we trust that statement? He doesn't honor my son, and he doesn't honor the first responders who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorders. Clearly, Herman's 19-year career in the fire department is not being honored there. At this time, Herman is unemployed and awaiting a trial to determine a case that's based upon what Andre told my family should have been settled. He has no health insurance for himself and his daughter. The boy has seizures now. Come on. So when he dies, who's going to come to the funeral? Which one of you is coming if my son dies? Because you better not show up. So I ask you, how is he supposed to support himself and his two little daughters? One has a boot on her leg at this moment. She, too, has disorders and needs her medication. And I'm going to say something that I said before. I guarantee you, and I'll say it again, I guarantee you if his skin were just a little bit lighter, this would not be a problem. Maybe the problem is that he is not affiliated with the team you can trust. So his 19 years of service doesn't matter here. Let me remind you what we're talking about. No drug charge. No. No domestic violence charge as we see some of our... Nothing more than one verbal warning. And this is how you treat him after 19 years of service to the city. I'm asking you to let my son retire with dignity. For those of you watching and listening who are leaders in this community, you cannot let this continue. Take a stand for her. I've been in the city. You have to understand that I think this to a man he said he has an immense amount of respect for thank you and they will eventually happen to you.

Thank you Robert. That's the amount.

That's the amount for. Next up we have Herman Irving. That speaker.

This is a hermit Irving.

I'm here today to specifically ask for your help regarding my retirement and an agreement in principle that was reached in May between myself. There are three say in the business ministry. The situation has been extremely difficult for me but it's taken a tremendous toll on my daughters. We currently have the health insurance because of that My oldest daughter has not been able to see her specialist, nor can she continue doing her physical therapy on her injured leg. Every day my daughters watch me go through this, they've seen me worry, stress, and the strain has caused a lot on me and my family. They're my babies. They did nothing wrong. So I ask, why are they being treated this way? I dedicated a significant part of my life to my work in serving this community. Over the years, I've been fortunate to receive many awards and recognitions for my contributions, last year being Parent of the Year at MLK and Firefighter of the Year a few years ago from this very council where I was awarded for. Those honors have meant a great deal to me because it represents more than just rewards. It represents what I've done for this community, what I've done for my people. That's why I'm especially surprised and hurt that I'm at this moment in my career. After giving much of my life to my work in this community, I hoped that the end of this chapter would give me dignity and closure. Instead, the continued uncertainty surrounding this matter has made it extremely difficult for me and my family to move forward. Guys, I was forced to sell my home so I could have some sort of income, and I'm no longer a passing resident, but somewhere where I wanted to be my entire life. Only a home is a dream of mine and I have to answer my daughter as to why we had to move last can't be at her school anymore and why she can't be around her best friends is one of the things that crushes me most as she asked me that every day. Those are questions no parents should have to answer because of what happened what should have been resolved by the mayor. I'm not asking for special treatment. I'm just asking for a fairness understanding and accountability. An agreement in principle was reached in May. And I'm respectfully asking this council to review what happened, how this didn't happen, and how we can find a way to accept my retirement and come to a resolution. I spent years serving this community, a community that I've loved, that I've helped since I was a little boy when my grandmother asked me to do community service for everybody. She understood what the power of community service was and how helping everybody out. I will not break. I will not bend. There might be tears in my eyes, but I will continue to fight for what's right because God is with me and I walk by faith and not by sight. I hope we can resolve this matter respectfully and fairly because I don't want to have to take any further action. But I also have responsibility to my family and protect the right of my family's interests. I just want to resolve this issue, guys. That's all. I just want to be able to close this chapter of my life and retire with the dignity that I'm supposed to get, like any one of my other brothers before me and after me will get. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Irvine. Next speaker, Ms. Lorraine Collins. Lorraine Collins. I think she left. Mr. Joel Keys, Jr.

The bottom line for all institutions in capitalism is to make a profit. Exploitation is a value of capitalism, which means it is legal to exploit people. And many other policies are not illegal, but are inhumanely immoral. Psychoanalytical theorist Eric Fromm said, quote, when you construct the equation that the bottom line of all institutions in capitalism is to make a profit and add that to the value of exploitation, it equals corruption, unquote. Capitalism is organized crime, and all its institutions engage in corruption, including this local Patterson political institution. Moreover, James Madison said the following, quote, I design a constitution that will leave the power in the hands of the rich. We created an electoral republic. Now, as a politician, you've become captive to your donors. In other words, we gave the rich the raise because the campaign financed the politicians. And they can take out politicians by financing their opponent's campaign," unquote. After the mayoral election, Charles Florio bragged to Councilman Jackson about the part that says, quote, and they could take out politicians by financing their opponents' campaigns, unquote, which was admitting that he financed Andre Seau and a team you can't trust. It was never a secret anyway. Consequently, during the council meetings, when the council members are voting on different bills from the agenda and Madam Clerk calls each of their names, you could use the following interpretation. Councilwoman offered, Madam Clerk, my vote is for sale. Councilwoman Cotton, Madam Clerk, my vote is for sale two. Councilwoman Davila, Madam Clerk, my vote is for sale also. Councilman Jackson, Madam Clerk, my vote is no. Councilman Khalid, Madam Clerk, my vote is for sale. Councilman Mendez, Madam Clerk, my vote is for sale too. Councilman Omar, Madam Clerk, my vote is for sale also. Councilman Velez, Madam Clerk, my vote is for sale. And Council President Mims, Madam Clerk, my vote is for sale too. The same interpretations can be used at the planning board meetings and the board of adjustment meetings. In conclusion, I have a statement from Charles Barron. He said, quote, you know, we say black and Latino faces in high places don't mean black and Latino power or black and Latino self-determination because too many of them are puppets of a neocolonial puppet syndicate. It is a new way to colonize us. Put up. black and Latino face on white policies and continue the same exploitation, unquote. Lastly, what's the correlation regarding the extension of the Garden State Growth Zone program? Thank you.

Thank you very much. Next speaker, Mr. Kemper McDowell.

Good evening, council. Good evening, residents. Good evening. All right. I'm going to try to be quick here. First, I want to say, my brother Herman, when that bell rang, he jumped on that truck and went through a lot of windows. Thank you. So I just want to start by saying, one, this is not a police state. To our security that managed our security at our last planning board meeting, Sometimes democracy can be passionate. Sometimes democracy can be loud. But as citizens, we have to have access to our governmental processes. I just want to mention something about the upcoming August 21st and 26th planning board meetings that were suddenly changed to a Zoom meeting. Now I think if not intended, this looks like a deliberate obstruction of our governmental process. And why I say that is, and this is obstructing process to the very laws, the very ordinances that you make. that you're stopping the citizens from participating and viewing them, hearing them, and giving input, right? So imagine, so you have the council chambers, you have access to the process, you have chairs, you have a mic, you have everything you need so that the people can participate. Now let's flip that. Let's go on Zoom. You can't guarantee everyone has internet access. We just had a problem with Optima, right? You can't guarantee that everyone has a device. We all have computers. We all have smartphones. You can't guarantee that everyone is trained enough to transverse the process of getting onto that Zoom. Therefore, that is not a reliable process for us to participate in government. That process is only made for emergency circumstances during COVID. If this building, God forbid, was to be unaccessible. So I encourage you to ask the planning board to re-institute the in-person process for October 21st and 26th. Please. Just really quick, I want to talk also about our master plan. A lot of our problems exist because we don't have a master plan. Our last master plan was 2014. We're now operating without one. It's diminishing the validity of assumption of validity with our rules and laws. And so they take us to court. We can't prove that we're right because our laws are like 10 years or six years outdated. We went out for a bid for a consultant. We got nobody. Went out again, we got four people. Now has died. Now we have no movement, as far as I know, of obtaining a master plan. And lastly, overdevelopment of the city. We cannot say that constructing apartment buildings versus constructing projects for the good.

Thank you, Mr. McDowell.

I did. I ran out of time.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. McDowell.

Let's say this. Apartment buildings don't make any money. They stress services.

Thank you, Mr. McDowell. Next speaker, Ms. Darlene Morris.

Stress services. Stress services.

Good evening. My name is Darlene Morris. And I watch the council meeting every week. And while I don't live in the city of Patterson, what's going on from what I see in the contact that I get from people in Patterson every week is reprehensible. Think about that there was 175 empty apartments with the housing authority, and you have over 300 homeless people. How does that happen? In addition to that, the lady was just talking about they have $5 million on giving out rent for people But there's no transparency. You don't know who gets it, why they get it, how long they get it. And it seems like, to me, you can never get any clear answers. Even when people come up here with personal problems, you'd say there's a man back there that answers questions. But there's nobody to answer questions of how tax papers, how people that own homes can really get money to help them. We have someone back here that's trying to take care of her mother. All right? She's ill. Then she has to take care of her mother, afraid of running out of money, afraid of if her mother transition, how is she going to live? There's so many problems, but nobody, where are all the ghetto oligarchs and smart people that know how to bring things together to create a plan to help the really constituents of the city? I couldn't live like this. I would be so stressed out if every day I had to worry about if money is gonna come, how money, then on top of you screwing up everything, Donald Trump is making it even worse. Where are people supposed to look for help? They can't look here because even when I send people places and I follow up, Oh well, there's no more money. Then Kenyatta put a list out of where you could, but I knew when I saw the list that it didn't work. So then you have this man sitting here, had to sell his home after he worked in the city. have to sell his home because he can't even get money to help him. How do you sit there week after week after week after week and say, next? OK, thank you, thank you. No, give us some answers. People in the public want to know what you're doing to help the constituency. I don't even know. My head would explode if I had to live like this. And I walked out. I wish they could zoom in on my camera. I went to my cousin's house on Van Houten Street. I think it's 15 and a half, whatever it is. Right in front of it, there's a big thing of garbage that stinks. So you walk out your front door and it's a garbage. How do you people sit here and let people live like that? I would be ashamed of myself.

Thank you. Next speaker, Mr. Eddie Olivares.

Good evening, everyone. I do want to talk about the meetings being proposed to be held on Zoom. As was expected, I was not surprised at all to only see that Councilman Jackson was there protesting with us. You see, Ms. Alpha, why it is that I find it difficult to trust in you? Do you want those meetings virtual? Are you against that? If you're against them, why were you not with us? Ms. Cotton, why were you not with us? Marisa Davila, I don't even wanna ask you. I know exactly who you work for. Mr. Jackson, thank you. Lilisa, I know you want me to call you Mims, you know, until you earn my respect, I will call you by your first name. You work for me, not the other way around. Khalid is not here, he's useless anyway. Mendez, where are you? I sent you a text. Where are you? Do you want those meetings to be held virtual? Oh, he's pretending to be writing something. Over there at the end. Mr. Velez, too busy drinking? Is that what it is? Anyway, listen. People of Patterson. You know, I feel for this band. I wish I could do something. I would do it. And I don't go to bed thinking how it is that we ended up here. I know how we ended up in the situation we're in. It's because of people like you, with the exception of Councilman Jackson. But you know what I do think about when I go to bed? How do we allow it? We allow it. Voting for these fools, we are to blame. People watching, you are to blame. That's how we fix it. I know how we got into this situation we're in. We have a BA that I guess he traded a salary for his dignity. You know, he doesn't work for us. Forget the serious attorney. He's useless as well. The three amigos over here, Mr. Silva. You can't ask him anything that he knows anything about. The answer is always, I don't know. And so, once again, people of Patterson, look in the mirror. It is us, well, I'm gonna exclude myself because I did everything within my power to make sure that people like you didn't win, but you did win. And so blame yourselves, people of Paterson, blame yourselves. You are responsible for what happens here.

Thank you. Next speaker, Ms. Camille Black.

Good evening. First of all, let me start off by saying happy birthday to Mike Jackson. Happy birthday. Shout out to you. Second thing, I'm here for Maritza and Mims. Y'all know what time it is. From last week, let me tell you I am from last week when I came here when I was talk about the food stamps. It was cute of you to go up the I eat beef whatever whatever don't play with me like I'm stupid don't sit here and look crazy because I got the screenshots and Mister me and not here that the one that participated, you know what I'm talking about, you know what I'm talking about I don't want to get charged with defamation and character because I always run into the police.

But miss the me and she's watching so the next post shop that that this the me know.

Don't be mad because she's the stepdaughter and my daughter is the real daughter 99.9 key okay that mean is that that home based in peace, but on another note, I was out shopping and I think you and I see men's immerse. Y'all are freaking jokes to me, okay? Oh, no. It's this side and this side. This is you. You're a cow to me. This is you. And I'm just waiting for the buzzer to go off. I'm not going to press it yet. I'm going to wait until you tell me my time is up. Because every time you talk, this is what you start to remind me of. And you're starting to piss me off. I told y'all to leave me alone. I don't bother y'all. But when y'all come for me and I don't send for y'all, I'm going to show up and I'm going to show up. Every single time. And I'm glad you changed your wig. Now you look like Dora the Explorer. Every wig you wear is ugly. Your makeup is ugly. I'm so sick of you. I don't like you. And then don't sit here and play crazy. Y'all was blowing my phone up after I called y'all. Then y'all text me. You as the council president and you as the vice president, y'all messy as hell. How do y'all represent this city? And another thing you want to always be a House you would never sit with mass. You let us down so bad you forgot who you is but to me you will always be basement Lisa have a good night.

Next speaker, madam clerk.

Next speaker Chanel fields.

All right.

Good evening, Council. To the Council President and members of the governing body, tonight I rise to recognize and honor David Gilmour, a dedicated public servant who has given 11 years of service to the city of Patterson. and whose contributions to the city deserves to be acknowledged publicly and place permanently on the record. Mister Gilmore a recognized veteran came to the city of Patterson from Connecticut with years of professional experience demonstrating understanding and compliance enforcement inspections property management and this full accountability he initially joined the city as a compliance officer bringing with him a level of expertise and institutional knowledge in my view that was not always fully utilized. You go to the extent that it could have benefited the city more nevertheless Mister Gilmore continue to do what public service are expected to do he did his job. He did not need applause. He did not need applause to perform his responsibilities he did not need recognition to enforce the rules he did not need political favors to uphold status he simply continue to serve. One of the areas in which Mister Gilmore made a significant contribution was the city's ongoing struggle with vacant and abandoned properties the movement of these properties towards redevelopment and productive use was not done by the mayor but was a team effort that require individuals to identify navigate the compliance process whole responsible parties accountable and ensure the properties do not remain a stagnant burden on our neighborhoods Mister Gilmore not just not only just played an important role, but he spearheaded the efforts to move these properties forward. Too often a public conversation surrounding redevelopment focuses on final transaction, the ribbon cutting, or the announcement of a new development while overlooking the municipal employees who work behind the scenes to make progress possible. Tonight I want the record to reflect that progress does not happen by itself. I want the public to know that Mr. Gilmore believed in enforcement and daily demonstrated that commitment. He identified instances involving developers who had not paid required mandatory fees and took steps to ensure that those obligations did not simply disappear. He recognized the importance of code compliance inspections, treating those responsibilities as a priority, even when enforcement presented challenges, even when individuals attempted to evade tickets or avoid accountability. That kind of work is not always glamorous, it's not always popular, and it does not always receive the recognition it deserves. But it is essential to the integrity of this municipal government. Rules only mean something when they are applied consistently. Mister Gilmore understood that present what I'm going to ask for my minute from the class please. Mister Gilmore understood the principle he worked to ensure that the city's will apply to everybody and not just some people as we acknowledge his departure for the city service. We should not only allow 11 years of institutional knowledge experience and public service to simply disappear without recognition. Yeah, I'm tribute to the city of Patterson and ways that have not always been. So tonight. I'm asking formally that it be placed within the governing body that someone from this Council will sponsor and that the governor body will co-sponsor. Thank you Council President. Thank you.

Thank you. Next speaker, Madam Clerk.

Next speaker is Khadija.

Hello, good evening. My name is Khadija.

Can you raise the microphone by you? There you go.

I just want to say really quickly in regards to the Chicago Police Department, they have the most extreme force with police brutality. And since 2013, 76% of people that were murdered were African-American. Everything free and good. The master plan. I don't understand how we're doing all this economic development and we have no environmental commission to even counteract the sustainability for this property, for the sewage. You can't keep doing these things if you don't have the calculations to see if the land can even support it. We are currently the state body what commission is being sued by the New Jersey state and the federal agent because of the reservoir the water. They're not covered and basically this possibility for animal pool and with all the flooding that we just had that over poor that's our drinking water so that's dangerous. So again we have no environmental commissioner no oversight for what's happening to buy mentally we're having extreme flooded. So the fact that this planning board. which you guys are saying that the people fell in danger. There was obviously no harm, no was the word. No one was threatening anybody so to make the meetings virtual seen as though you guys are trying to silence the public and it takes more than one Council member to fight against this I can't speak for everybody, but it's obvious if the legislative body run a ticket with the executive body, they're not going to hold their mayor accountable. So it's obvious those people you can't count on but And I'm not about to run around here with team Jackson, but he is clearly the only person that is speaking up about the board meeting becoming for. That's what I want to say tonight.

Thank you next speaker miss Robin Spencer.

Good evening. Now you guys know you never see me down here. Everyone who has spoken tonight. They're my supporting details. Miss Irving who I've never met stated I can carry my glasses stated the mayor's last running slogan was whatever it was. Trust before that it was one Patterson. This city is more divided now than ever. My name is Robin Spencer, I'm repeating it for the people at home. I have created a petition to remove our move our mayor. As a concerned resident of Patterson, I am deeply troubled by the actions, or rather inactions, of our current mayor. His tenure has been marked by a disregard for our community voices and questionable decision making that has negatively impacted our city. Recently, after our community stood united in opposition with young Jalen to unnecessary new apartment buildings, an alarming revelation came to light the zoning official involved in illegal issuance of permits was arrested. These permits crucial to several prop projects were signed off by none other than I'm thinking the mayor I could be wrong. This incident not only raises ethical concerns, but also indicates a severe breach of trust and duty. Moreover, he has allowed the state to hold on to an excessive amount of unused funds, funds that our city desperately needs for infrastructure, education, community improvement. I'm thinking about the why. Instead of investing these funds into pressing community needs he has watched their taxes, residential taxes continue to escalate further burdening the hardworking citizens of Patterson. I wish we could purge residential single-family homes own homeowners who don't have illegal apartments. Our community deserves transparent leadership. And it's not like you haven't heard this before. And listen to its people and prioritize their well-being. We need a mayor who actively engages with the community, seeks consensus. Well, he engages, but he doesn't seek consensus. Consensus is with himself and operates with integrity. The current administration lacks the accountability and transparency in a tenable and jeopardizes the future of Patterson.

Before I said this thank you miss spent.

Before I brought that gentrification in 2020. The people didn't understand what gentrification man it meant not being able to afford where you live So another economic community or ban can move in to where you live.

Thank you, Ms. Spencer.

Thank you. So I ask that please go to my Facebook page and sign the petition to remove the mayor. Ms. Spencer, I'm sorry your time is up. I'm sorry.

Next speaker, Madam Clerk.

Our time is almost up. Ms. Jalen. Ms. Jalen. Next up is Jalen.

All right is in the case if anybody want to see it. All right, here we go. What's up is a good J land and I just invaded City Hall yet again this is like the 3rd year who don't take my hitter blockers off real quick. Let me get right.

Give me a minute miss. Madam president.

Yeah, I've been coming down here three years now, and I've been screaming into the void. Take it from me, community, consistency and discipline take your voice from a whisper to a roar, OK? But I want to say shout out to the council. Y'all are some real gangsters. You never ran or hid from the public when the community showed up. You stood tall and did your dirt in our face. So it's up to the community to catch it, check it, and hold them accountable. Unlike the planning board who's fearing for their life because the community gathered in the chambers August 19th. I was told by Amira McCoy, the Passaic County representative from Governor Mikey Sherrill's office that she spoke with Lalisa Mims, the council president, and council president allegedly said they voted to make meetings virtual due to everyone's safety. Whose safety is on the line? The people who selling out the city and their soul to dirty money or the community that desperately is screaming out for help? as they strip us of our humanity and sanity. So to the community, we will not be shutting down meetings anymore, but we will organize and speak eloquently so they have no reason. Also, will the pay for those positions go down since they aren't incurring any expenses by coming into office? I'm asking for the taxpayers. My shirts say, are you willing to sacrifice the crumbs for the whole loaf. Crumbs meaning the small change we work for that barely pays for our necessities. Crumbs meaning the ego, narcissism, and main character energy that's holding the community back from uniting. Sorry. Crumbs meaning the personal relationships the community has with city officials that hold us back from holding them accountable. So if you're with me and if you're willing to sacrifice your crumbs for the whole loaf, follow me at Jalen's World on Instagram and TikTok and Jalen AG on Facebook. I'll be holding a virtual community meeting on Zoom September 10th at 7 p.m. Make sure you comment, like, and share all of my videos. Thank you.

Thank you, Jaylen. Next speaker, Ms. Leah Mora.

Good evening. I stand before you tonight on behalf of my family, my neighbors and friends, local businesses, the Second Baptist Church, and the seniors at the Rising Dove. We are here to ask for true accountability. First, with September here, schools back in session, protecting our students is our absolute priority. We have six highly dangerous intersections, Carrow and Godwin, Carrow and 12th Ave, CAROL AND GOVERNOR, ROSA PARKS AND 12, HAMILTON AND WILLIAM, AND PARK AND EAST 31ST. OVER TWO YEARS, WE'VE TRACKED THE INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS, CHRONIC SPEEDING, AND CARS COMPLETELY IGNORING THE STOP SIGNS. WITH KIDS AND OUR ELDERLY WALKING THESE SIDEWALKS, WE EXPECT THESE SIX CORNERS TO BE PRIORITIZED IMMEDIATELY FOR THE NEW SOLAR POWER FLASHING LED STOP SIGNS. Second, poor planning has created hazardous conditions for our first responders. Elected officials promised new developments would include parking. Instead, they have found loopholes to charge residents extra out-of-pocket fees. Families who can't afford it are forced to crowd our streets, blocking crosswalks and ambulance. Imagine double parked cars. We need the governing body to step in and close this loophole. Third, we must address the noise and disregard of our community's quality of life. Booming cars are actively violating the ordinance and state laws at all hours. We have seniors at Rising Dove and neighbors with delicate heart conditions being violently startled from their sleep. In a city that already struggles with safety, we should not have to wear earplugs in our own bed just to rest. This is a public health issue, and we ask that you enforce the law. We also have people treating their front steps like public bars and weed lounges. For the record, public smoking of marijuana is legal in New York, but not legal in New Jersey, unless it is a licensed lounge and if a landlord allows it. The smoking noise spills directly onto our sidewalks and homes. We must be mindful of our neighbors. We do not know who is battling what, and we are all dealing with something. A technicality shouldn't force us to breathe secondhand smoke and wear e-plugs in our own beds just to rest. This is a public health issue, and we ask that you fix these loopholes and enforce the law. Fourth, we're still waiting on a July request for an autistic child area sign at 143 Godwin Ave to project a vulnerable child. We need an answer tonight. I will leave you with this. My generation is watching. When the public brings facts to this room, we look for partnership and not dismissiveness. Dismissiveness. True leadership means setting aside political egos and self-righteousness to do the work the community actually needs. You were elected to serve the residents, not the developers. Real change starts with self. One day, you will all have to give an account to the Most High for the negligence we allowed on our watch. The danger is clear. Please take action now. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Javier. Mister Fernandez if you could take that Mister Fernandez if you could take the request our next speaker is on this Hannibal. If you can get the addresses of that request.

That's a fact to follow. Good evening Council getting madam president. Madam clerk to the administration. What Leah shared was just so powerful and we really have to do a better job here in this city protecting our children, they're being exposed to just way too much. So I said I would come back to talk about the election. So we have a midterm elections coming up. And I am affiliated with the League of Women Voters. And I believe that we have done a good job with registering people to vote. What we haven't done is done a good job getting people to turn out when it's time to vote. I believe the last election only about 20% of registered voters voted. We've seen what happens when we don't show up to vote. We don't get the representation that we deserve. So I would like for everyone to just make it their plan to vote in every election. Every election. I saw somewhere that don't not to look at early voting as early voting look at early voting as the first day to vote so make a plan like we really need a plan people talked about planning we have to make a plan to vote if we want to see real change. that's what we have to do because we have to remember that when we vote we win but if we stay home and I don't know how to get people to come out so if somebody like Leah has an idea how we can get people I don't know if people are afraid to vote But if you want to become a poll worker, so you can see the process and make sure that our elections are safe and secure, and they've always been. This is one of the safest, our country is the safest, so don't believe the hype, don't believe the lies. So please, The last day to register for the upcoming election is October 13th. So please, they're trying to remove people from their voter rolls. Check your registration. Go to vote411.org. Check your registration. Make sure that you're registered to vote. And when election time, please vote on the first day. Vote. It's not early voting. It's our first opportunity to vote. Because people are trying to suppress your vote. I've told the story of Otis Moss here many times. And he walked 18 miles to be able to vote. Please. We fought, bled, and died for this right. Don't give it up.

Thank you, Ms. Hannibal. Next speaker is Akbar McIntyre, and he left. Miss Yvonne Romero Rauschenbach.

Hello, Council President, administration, clerk, and all council members. In 2024, I received a certified letter in the mail for a new building to be put up on 15th Ave. I just want to let you know that I was mad, offended, that this developer, and by the way, in-house, meaning a Pattersonian, born and raised, wanted to put up a building with seven units in a R1, R2 zone. Well, I want to tell you that I did my homework and I read a lot about variances, about the master plan. Ladies and gentlemen, how many master plans do we currently have?

Too many.

Do we have a master plan for Patterson or do we have a master plan for the developers? Come 2025, I took that piece of paper and I went to my community and I knocked on doors and I met new members of my community. And the members of my community are beautiful people. They come from different backgrounds, different languages, and we united. We united with dignity and respect. And we came out. We came out to about five meetings. Then we got another certified letter for the Friendship Baptist Church on Park Avenue. And we came to that meeting with the Board of Adjustment. We came. We were there. And that developer said to us, what's wrong with the building? Well, first of all, he wants to... knocked down the church and put up a five-story building with about 32, 34 units. And he's asking us right out there, what is wrong with the building? Ladies and gentlemen, developers do not see us. They do not see us. And the fact that this meeting with the planning board and the board of adjustment will now be via Zoom, that's offensive to me as a homeowner, a property owner. And on top of that, as employee of the Passaic County Board of Social Services, we now have a double whammy where the meeting of the board will now be via Zoom. That's offensive, ladies and gentlemen. We are not to be feared. We are to be heard. We are to be seen. for our family, for our grandparents, for our parents, for our children and our grandchildren. Please, please, for the love of God and the love of Patterson, please make those meetings in person. We would love to see that. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Yvonne. Next speaker, Mr. Asad Akkar. Good evening, Mister actor.

We know that the The city of Patterson was formed some 200 some years ago. And many people know that the SUM, Alexander Hamilton, the SUM formed the city of Patterson. What's often neglected and not talked about is that a corporation created this city with no actual care or plan or expectation of caring for its residents. They only cared about the creation of labor and profit. And that's the reality. And in those subsequent 200 years, that corporation has gone and left. And we've had many mayors and we've had many council. But I don't think it's wrong to say that most of the people of this city often feel like not much has changed in terms of the respect and representation for the people of this city. And I'm here today because the idea that the planning board should be able to make its meetings virtual and avoid the public or create distance between the public is really offensive to all of us. Because this city is already difficult enough. Getting our point of view is difficult enough. And when decisions are made literally about our homes, our streets, the places that our children, the children who had to come here to talk about intersection, when those places are threatened or when they will be changed, we should have the right to come out and say so. And I give, I know everybody on this council, I've worked with everybody on this council, whether I agree with you or disagree with you, it's not the point. I have respect for the fact that you sit there and whether it be a positive comment or an insult, you sit there and you take it. The planning board should not be exempt from such a reality. I have come out, I was grateful to the Ration Box and so many others who literally had to go door to door to make sure their neighbors understood exactly what was happening in their community. They had to do that. We showed up to meetings, rallied people to a meeting late at night when obviously many people have other concerns and things to take care of. And those meetings were often delayed because the planning board would defer to the developers who quote unquote needed more time, but really just wanted to avoid the- The outcry. We showed up again and we knocked it down. And that's the way the process works. And the reality is, is that this council, as far as I understand it, has the power to dictate that the planning board and any other subordinate board of Patterson not avoid in-person meetings in a non-emergency basis. as I understand it. And as I understand it, there is nothing that prohibits you from also making it a in-person meeting and a virtual meeting because we know that so many other residents would be here or would comment if they could. We need to open this city back up, not close it back to the way it used to be.

Thank you, Mr. Octor. Next speaker, Camisha Rogers-Jones.

GOOD EVENING. I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY BECAUSE I TOO ATTENDED THAT PLANNING BOARD MEETING. AND WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT Those who are there to advocate for us and to speak on our behalf should be obligated to hear from us so they know what they're saying and what they're speaking on. When we came there two weeks ago, the room was full of elders, seniors, teachers, professionals that wanted to speak to the overdevelopment. We were met by discourse from the planning board and then subsequently police called on us. We were told that they were afraid for their safety. And I say to you, you're here with a room full of residents. Are you afraid of them? When they come to speak here at this podium, are you afraid of them? That they're going to hurt you? We want to talk to you about what's happening in our city. Instead, we're met with police. We have tears of fear by our planning board chair who says, I'm afraid for my life. Wait a minute. I am a resident of Paterson, New Jersey. I have a voice. I have a say in this. And when I come here, I make you afraid for your life. It's my life you're playing with. And so when I come to express myself, when the community comes to express themselves, you meet them with police. Now you're in a community, a very, very mixed cultured community. That room was full of black and brown people. And you weaponized police against us? Do we understand what that means for us? Do you understand the trauma behind weaponizing police against black and brown people who just come to use their voice? So you call police on us. And then after that, you shut the meeting down and make it virtual? Shame on you. And so I call upon you guys to help us. This should not be okay. They're censoring us. This is our constitutional right. I got a right to be here. You may not like what I got to say, but I'm going to say it. Weaponizing police against its residents, black and brown residents, is atrocious, and they should be ashamed of themselves. We need you to speak up for us. Stand up for us. And have them go back in person. Thank you.

Thank you so much. Next speaker, Mr. Doug Pelham.

Yes.

Mr. Doug Pelham.

I heard a whole lot of lies here about that meeting. I was at the meeting. I'll get there. I was at that meeting. I met the police at the door. They asked me what was going on. You had two security guards in here. One over there. that we've never moved said is not his responsibility for the simple reason we was doing nothing wrong. They called another security. He came through that door, asked what was going on, stood to the side. Everything was fine. Then all of a sudden, oh, we're gonna take a little break. I told them, your break's an hour, I'll be here. Half an hour, I'll be here. 10 minutes, I'll be here. Mr. Joe Keyes told me outside that I'm the gentleman that made them go to virtual because I met the police at the door when they asked me what was going on. When I told them what the issue was, He gathered all his men and went outside and had a conversation. Then he came back in. What he said, we're just here to make sure everything's fine. They did nothing. We did nothing. So going virtual, I wish I could say, is bullshit. Bullshit, because we did nothing. If you don't like people, run out miles we come here for a purpose. Councilman Jackson. Every time I've been down here. Every time I've been here to raise the issue that man right there was right here with us. He let us know what was going on he gave us the walls. We Thank you again. The Friendship Church is in the third ward. The Friendship, let me say it again. The Friendship Church is in the third ward. What councilman is from the third ward? We did not see him at all. A historical church, if you see the grandeur of that church that they're talking about, our councilman was nowhere to be found. Did you say it's not election time? Hold on. I voted for that man. Go ahead. Say it again. I voted for that man. But Councilman Jackson, thank you. One last little phrase. I'm a creature of habit. I go to work the same way, come home the same way. When I go off the beaten path and I see what Patterson has turned to with all these little projects that y'all are building everywhere, you're closed down to Alabama projects, you're closed down to other projects, and now you're building little bitty projects in one and two family homes. Please make it stop.

Thank you, Mr. Powell. Next speaker, Mr. Charles Ferrer.

Good evening Charles for air, I'm going to try to make this quick so I'm looking over the agenda and I watched how we took everything the way we wanted to take it payment of bills normally used to be payment of bills was the first thing Mister room Councilman Rooney used to do it payment of bills first then we would take the 2nd ordinance reading and then the first reading ordinance. I'm concerned because when I look at item number 6. I guess I'm a be here until the meeting adjourned because that needs to be talked about today. These to be talked about today because what they're trying to do in that area when you go down Van Houten or Ellison Street right now this traffic. This morning. My wife works at school too. She left the house in Hilden at 7.15, she got to school too at 7.45. It's a 10 minute ride, 2.2 mile. When all of these buildings open up, traffic is going to be a nightmare. We talk about why the taxes are high, because the residents are covering the cost of the parasites, okay? They say, and I've been in real estate a long time, and I know Alex has too, to make money, you have to invest money. But the developers come here, they get tax credits, they get developer fees, and then they get a tax abatement, okay? And who picks up their slack? The residents. We should not move forward, not another tax abatement. If you want to invest in this city, pay your fair share. Why should you get to pay 75 and we have to pay whatever the rest is on that balance? Pay your fair share. When I owned investment properties, I didn't ask anybody for anything, I paid, okay? But you want to take yours, and then when we were talking about the state took back $7.4 million in transitional aid, and I heard Councilman Velez say, well, the mayor's good with the governor, ask her for more money. Why don't we ask the developers for the money? Okay? They got it. Okay? We don't do that. In other towns, other communities, other states, when they build, developers build things for the residents there. From rec centers to schools, whatever. I'm going to say this other thing in closing. Brother Herman Irvin, I guess he's the new Dave Gilmore. How long is it going to take for him to get his money? Okay? How long I remember when we picked up people who didn't, who lived in Pennsylvania and brought them here to come to work when they shouldn't have been. He's homegrown, he's from here, he deserves better, and he needs to get it. Okay? He needs to get it. Stop the nonsense, administration. Do what's right.

Thank you, Mr. Farrar. Next speaker, Veronique Watkins.

Hello, everybody. I feel like that's a Mitch McConnell minute. I bet you every one of you got health insurance and PTO time. And this man has no health insurance. Hey, I bet you majority of people have health insurance and he doesn't. And no PTO time and no sick time to balance any of that. That's wrong. That's wrong for him to serve us. So my point I wanted to bring up is the new crack epidemic that's taking place in Patterson. And that's the car dealership business in Patterson. I live in the fourth ward. Within a mile radius, there are seven car dealerships and auto places that are flipping cars with salvageable titles. And I've had six cars living in Patterson for 16 years. I bought a car July 13. My car got flooded. the day that car had flooded. And I wasn't even in the state. Not even 30 days I had that car. Okay? So, and then I bought a car, and it said it had 142,000 miles. The car had 217,000 miles. Okay? There is a new crack in the debit in here. They sell cars, they flip them, and we fall prey to it. You don't know what status the car is in. You don't know if that car is going to fall apart. My daughter got stuck on 287 on 12 o'clock at night. on that with that car. And then when I went back to them, no offense. No, there's no offense. It's the truth. Me don't speak no English. You took my money when I was speaking English to you. You took my money. So, and then next door, you got these little sheds and everything like that. And they bring the cars in and then they flip them over. And then it's a brand new car when they pull out. You can't tell me that they're getting rid of the oil, the transmission fluid, any of those things follow the EPA rules. You can't tell me that. They show up in the middle of the night on car beds, dumping cars here, dumping cars there. That's insane. And that's not fair to any of us, because we don't know what's on the road that's going to kill you, kill me, kill your mom, and kill your daddy. And they flip them over and over, like they buy an ounce of Coke, they cut it up, flip it over. That's just the truth. Shame on everybody that does not oversee this mess, that doesn't say anything. They pop up. They disappear in the middle of the night. Like I said, people don't know what they're getting, just like they don't know what drugs they're buying, the fentanyl in it. And then they're dead. And the same concept. And the other thing I want to say also, in the Constitution, in the first 13 states, that took place. And it says it now. I got my coat. It says, Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is our right of the people to alter or abolish that government. We have the right to abolish you and get you out of your seat. We the people, we oversee you. You don't even oversee us.

Thank you, Ms. Watkins. Next speaker, Mr. G. Greer.

good evening good evening I'm here for a few things number one is the solar trash cans that we spent 4,000 plus dollars a piece on and I just happened to be downtown yesterday and I saw every corner turned around they all had plastic bags on. From day one, I told the mayor at the press conference that it was the wrong cans bad idea Myself and Councilwoman of the 4th Ward, we made arrangements to go over to Montclair. She went, I missed it, but I did go to Montclair after that and they have the right cans. But I told them the cans you need are the ones that the county have that's in Guy Mountain. I told them that before they even brought the cans. Those cans need to come off our street immediately. Broadway and Auburn Street. You have the Muslim house right there. The odor from that can is so bad. So bad. Because you wrapped it up in plastic, you got all the garbage in it. Real simple, just get a sledgehammer and just go knock them all down. We got to get rid of those cans. That's number one. The next thing is the famous $19 million that was designed for recreation in the city of Paterson. okay the mayor put together a panel we was going to meetings after meetings after meetings and i remember it was like yesterday i said well the ywca is available so they told me so well we're going to look into it I believe the offer on the table, the gentleman has the Y now for $4.1 million. We had 19 million. We could have went in there as the city of Patterson, say, look, we're gonna give you 3.1 for it because we're gonna use it for the community. I'm pretty sure the folks that were selling it would have been like, yeah, okay, it's gonna stay in the community, let's do it. We lost $19 million. It went back to whoever was giving it to us. That really bothers me and it should bother you guys too because I know all you guys and I don't think, well, at least I hope you would want to do the right thing for the people in the city of Patterson. To see four buildings go on that site, 124 apartments, and yet And the only person that has spoken out against it was Mike. Now, I know in your hearts, y'all don't want that either. I know you guys don't. But you have to communicate that to us. Don't be afraid to speak out. Don't be. You need you need to speak out on that issue you need to go downstairs on the 2nd floor to the mayor and have those private meetings like look look look me look like we come out right now to say none probably but we don't need you to go handle this because it's not right.

Thank you, Mister Graham, thank you, thank you and thank you thank you. That speaker, Mister Donnell Sharon.

Oh, man. First and foremost, let me start off by saying good evening to you all, you council members. I haven't been down here in a while, but I got to get back down here, man. Yeah, you hold that up for me. I love that whoever made that. No screen between the people and the leaders. I love it. And I sat at home, and I saw that whole thing on Facebook and everything, and I was quick to run down here and do something. And I said, you know what I can do? Let me do some legal research. So this is what I came up with. There are New Jersey state laws against city planning boards who unethically hold virtual meetings to silence the public from attending in-person planning board meetings. New Jersey law does provide significant protections against a municipal planning board using a virtual meeting format in a way that effectively prevents meaningful public participation. The basic right. The public has the right to attend public body meetings. New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act states and our state expressly declares that the public has the right to attend meetings of public bodies and witness their deliberations and decision making. The legislature specifically described public attendance as vital to the democratic process. New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act states it applies to municipal planning boards because there are public bodies exercising government authority. A planning board cannot use technology to eliminate meaningful participation. This is particularly important for land use hearings. New Jersey's remote meeting regulation specifically addresses planning boards and zoning boards. Under New Jersey Administrative Code 5 colon dash 39, 1 through 7, before conducting a development application hearing remotely, the land use board must determine whether the electronic technology can adequately protect um protect due process that show include and is not limited to examining exhibits transcribing testimony cross examining witnesses and allowing the public to comment regulation says the board must consider factors including the scale of the project the number of approvals the degree of public interest in the number of potential objectors The law that I independently research are extremely relevant regarding the city planning board. Egregious and deliberate act to choose virtual slash Zoom hearing platforms because it makes harder for the residents to participate is outright unethical while breaking numerous laws. Now, I say this to say this. You can't keep robbing Peter and giving it to Paul. build what cities need design what can be replicated and create development that profits by improving lives and i say this last leadership is not the power to control every voice voice it's the courage to hear voices you disagree with thank you thank you mr donnell thank you

Next speaker miss love on the kitchen is not here she left. Next speaker, former Councilman Ebony Davis. Love on the kitchen, she loves. Love on the kitchen.

GREETINGS CITY OF PATTERSON CONGRATULATIONS COUNCIL PRESIDENT MEMS AND TO THE COUNCIL TO CITY CLERK NEVER MET YOU BUT I WILL COME VISIT YOU TO MEET YOU TO THE B.A. NEVER MET YOU NEITHER ACTUALLY I DID BUT WE NEVER SPOKE CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW by request, but some people just give me a call. I don't know why they're still calling me when you have your good Councilman Mike Jackson in the first ward. It was troubling to hear some of the stuff, but I commend you all, and I would never come down here and try to tell you how to do your job. Having said where you're sitting, first of all, my background, for those who don't know, is a social worker. I am once and always a social worker, always be a social worker. So I never was a politician. I truly was a public servant and took things under the air and had empathy and sympathy for individuals who come to this mic. And what I heard tonight, and I'm not saying that you all were not listening, but I hope you were. And take heed to what's Irvin, the young lady here, and these young kids. Oh my God. To hear them and talk about our plight. Our city's hurting and screaming out. And we need our leaders in the prospective place to step up and step with this community that's speaking outwardly. The community's hurting. I came here because of the parking and the filthiness of our city. Now, I know some of you all, and I don't want to be disrespectful, that was not born here, raised here. You come here. We don't know our neighbors. Patersonia is being priced out, set out, and New Yorkers are coming in. And we don't know. They don't want to know us. We try to know them, but they're very incumbent. I'm still having an issue with my block with commercial parking. That same van. And you know what I'm talking about. No, they're not going to tow them, but they're going to tow our cars. I got my car towed. There's no parking, and I got, anyway. The point is, please, step up. step up and um i commend you for what you all are doing and um thank you councilman jackson for what you said tonight what i heard and standing with the people i know you all will too thank you thank you councilman our last speaker miss robinson good evening

To whoever this is concerning for, please, do right by Mr. Irvin and his family. Do right. Someone is responsible. He served our community 19 years, and he's telling you he have a child who lost health benefits. Do right by that man, whoever's responsible. And as for the zoning meeting a couple of weeks ago, the only thing I could say is that it was not disruptive. Patterson showed up and showed out. The difference with zoning board meetings is that when it involves a certain street, the residents of that street only gets the letter. But because of our young lady on the left, for stepping up jail and I thank you for letting it be public people just showed up because we are tired we are tired our crosswalks are flashing pedestrian lights they are not impactful people are taking crosswalks like they have the right away and not the children not the schools you got school staff in certain areas on grand street that involves kit Patterson prep because they have the street or a school on the grassy Oliver Street, they have their staff on Grand Street using them as crossing guards for the safety of our children okay, we need police enforcement at corners where there are schools okay because if I know anybody that get hurt by a vehicle I seen it today, but just like blink and blink and blink and but guess what That car had a disregard. I was in a crosswalk on Friday on Grand Street after five. Car with Florida plates, you're right, gentrification, came around me and took, you know, as if I was not in the crosswalk. We have to be better at what we're doing. You are serving us. I've sent pictures to... Leslie Street Barkley Street, which is a County Street Barkley Street in Main Street. We have people do our range rains. They are not a fix in the with that piece. The catchment it was all the curve on Friday. I thought the person was been in the doubt been down to take it to the scrap yard. I drove up to Barkley Street to DPW not my job, but for the safety and legal. For the city, because if someone falls off, it's a lawsuit. Same thing on Leslie Street, issue with the same thing, ADA walkway. You got a hole. If you step off the sidewalk, your heel might get caught, and you're down on the ground. People got to be watching who's doing the repairs in this job, because what they do have an impact on taxpayers, and enough is enough is enough.

Thank you miss Robertson Harvey air, Mister Fernandez if you could take the request there are no more speakers can I get a motion to close. Most of those VP devil a second by so as roll call and then there's roll call to close the public portion, madam clerk.

Councilman offered. Councilwoman cotton.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. I just want to make a few comments, if I can, really quickly. And I know it was a lot of speakers here, and I want to say thank you to all the speakers. I was also at that meeting at the Planning Board about the YWCA. Everyone knew how I stand. I did not want four buildings in there. The thing was that I was not invited to that special meeting that they had, so I did not know what was going on. I just want to bring out some points too. The Board of Adjustment meeting have not gone virtual. They keep saying Board of Adjustment, but Board of Adjustment is still in person. I just want to also bring out, and I want to say, sometimes, you know, you may not think that you need to come to meetings and you may not think that you need to show up for things. But let me tell you something. Back in the 90s, if I didn't march on Trenton to get early childhood, there would be no early childhood. If I didn't march on Trenton for all-day kindergarten, there would be no all-day kindergarten. So sometimes you have to come out to let everyone know. And like they said, no, I'm not scared sitting up here. We have to make sure that we let everybody know and we know and we hear you. We hear everything that's being said. And there's a lot of things that you can say. And, you know, I can't say everyone who calls me that I'm going to say on TV what you call me for or what I'm working on or what you need to get done, because there's a lot that needs to get done. The young lady spoke about the to sake Valley water as of right now is a 45 million dollar project that they're covering the by reservoir. So they have started it was tied up for the last 15 years tied up for the last 15 years, people did not want those reservoirs cover because it looks so pretty no no you need to cover the reservoir because everything is in the so I want to say to you continue to speak to call us all tell us what that you would like to hear because I can't tell you if I talk to Jalen or if I talk to Veronica why would I let everybody know who I talk to and what your problem is and what your issue is because it's so important that I can work on your issue and work on your problems That's what it's about. And let's adopt some children. Let's adopt some kids to show them how to live, how to survive, get decent jobs. Let's do that. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Thank you, Council President. My vote is yes. Thank you.

Thank you, Council Vice President Davila.

So I want to thank every person, every speaker that came here today to express themselves, their interests, their wants, their needs. We're listening. I know I'm listening. Unfortunately, there are certain things that come here to us, the Council, and some don't fall in our purview. Councilwoman kind indicated that the Board of Adjustment so there's the planning board and there's the Board of Adjustment she indicated the Board of Adjustment because I heard it a few times is virtual it is not the planning board and the Board of Adjustment are 2 autonomous boards okay, yes, the planning board is all appointed by the mayor and the Board of Adjustment is we all have representation there. I was not a participant. I don't know everything that went down. Did I read some of the things? Yes, but I don't necessarily believe everything I read or watch because depending on what angle, but I specifically, and I didn't get your name, but I really appreciate when someone comes here with a concern and expresses themselves so respectfully as you did. You were passionate, but at any point, I don't think if somebody wants me to listen to them, they don't need to insult me. Because once you start with that, I totally just go, you know, and councilman is someone that I worked with for many years. I am as respectful as I can be. Have I, at times, yes, we're normal, right? But, you know, to hear some of the things that happened to it really is disheartening. But with that, putting it aside, I understand people have pains, people have sorrows, situations, and I think that we are here as the body to be able to come together, come in action, and see what we can do. But just like I indicated, not everything that is said here, oh, you can do this, you can do that, that's not necessarily true. So with that, Council President, thank you very much, and Madam Clerk, my vote is yes to close.

Councilman Jackson.

Thank you. To the residents, I urge you to hold your leaders accountable to tell you what is not true and what is true. To say something vaguely like something is not necessarily true doesn't mean you're being truthful and honest about the situation. Relative to Herman, him and his family already know I've supported him and will continue to support him. The fact of the matter is the mayor is a liar. Not only is the mayor alive, but so are certain people in this council as well. And it shows through. Because in the matter of the tax purge, Brother Farrar, what's going to happen is council president is going to take it off the agenda. Not going to talk about it, not going to task the administration to make sure that this thing is done. They're going to take it off the agenda, as they do every single time when I write legislation. And that's why it wasn't talked about. Oh, it didn't go to committee. Nothing requires. You saw tonight, the fire department put something on the agenda. It didn't even have, it was entitled only. It made it to the agenda. In the past, oh, it can't happen. The rules, those are all lies. Brooks so wasn't ready those all lies we don't have anything to do with the the Council has the authority to remove us from the Garden State growth zone we can that I wrote the legislation is for that they took it off the agenda. The mayor has to sign off on every single tax abatement that's proved. It's all lots and they tell you they can't do something that was not is not true. Tell them to show you the the law some show you facts as Mister Stone is read off. The Council does have the ability to write it right it was an ordinance to require all bodies that go before the the the the municipality must be in person unless there's some the Council has the right to do so the Council controls the purview of how city operations work. That's just a fact. We create the process in how our city government is ran. Then we task the administration to hold them accountable in running it. I ask you, where have we held the administration accountable? We have not. We don't hold them accountable on their spending. We blind vote yes for all of their budgets without holding them accountable. And Councilman, you know the only way the council holds the administration accountable is through the budget. Thank we've got to pay employees Councilman Jackson. Now that was no.

Councilman Mendez.

I think about a clerk. I would just want to say thank you to all the rest of them just for being is pressing your concern because the community has all the right to be upset. You have all the right to be upset because what I what I hear that the planning board decide to go virtual that was disturbing for me it was the respectful And it was horrible because basically what they do is just blocking the community for expressing their concern. Every developer need the input of the community. This city doesn't belong to the mayor. This city belongs to one person. This city belongs to all of us that are here. And they need our input in order for them to move forward and do what they need to do in our community. So I'm in full support of all of you. I was out of the country, you know, and for the meeting on the 29th, about East 29th, I was out of the country. I'm very straightforward. Everybody in the third ward and the city of Paterson know my cell phone number, 973-930-1436. I operate differently. I'm all about bringing people together. I put politics aside when there's an issue in the community, and I don't bring anything here. I do my work there, and I get things done outside. And I've been very affected that way. But when it comes to this, if something has to be done from us, we don't have control of the planning board, but if there's a resolution or something that has to be put in place, I'm ready to move forward because it's disturbing. What I hear, they are afraid of what? This is the people's house. and if everybody have the right to come into this chamber and conduct themselves in a respectful way but you have the right to express yourself because we all live in the city of Paterson and we all know what's going on here all this tax abatement all this development I mean I'm a homeowner and I own multiple properties in the city of Paterson and I feel the pain the same way that all of you are feeling the pain and I know what's going on when I see that so moving forward I'm ready. I'm in full support. About East 29th, I spoke with every person that live around there. I mean, I'm fully aware. I even have a conversation with the person that purchased that property. I'm on top of this, and I'm here to serve the community. I'm all about the people. I put politics aside to get the job done. Madam President, just in closing, Brother Irving, he's been my friend since 2009. He's a phenomenal human being. I don't know what's going on with the administration. We have not seen any document in front of us. I don't know. That's up to the administration, but he knows that he got my full support, and that needs to be done and resolved. My vote is yes, Madam Clerk.

Councilman Omar thank you, madam clerk.

I just want to thank all the residents for coming out speaking today. Your your concerns is like. Councilman Davis said we do hear you so we'll work on that move forward with that being said my vote is yes.

Councilman the last can I take his remaining minutes. Listen, I'm a happy camper. I'm going to try to make the negative to a positive idea now a city. I spoke earlier regarding the taxi taking residence parking. Also, Madam Clerk, if you could send a letter to the OIC regarding establishment taking resident parking, business establishment like bars or whatever, doing this so-called valet parking that are taking resident parking at the same time. mr irving our herman is our friend we know him we know his uh his track records at work but one thing we had to say and it's clear davis knows councilman david knows that if we don't get presented in in a i call it a settlement or anything from the administration WE CANNOT ENTERTAIN IT IF THEY ARE NOT IN FRONT OF US. THAT TIME WILL COME IN A CLOSED SECTION MEETING AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO MAKE A DECISION AND I KNOW IN THIS SIDE KNOWING HIM WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION AND WE'RE GOING TO QUESTION WHY NOT WHILE GOING FAR TO BENEFIT HIM. REGARDING PUBLIC SAFETY THE YOUNG LADY SAY ABOUT CROSSWALK AND OTHER ISSUES OF TRAFFIC I WILL CALL THE PD TO ENFORCE EVERY REGULATION OF TRAFFIC OUT THERE BECAUSE I KNOW THE RESIDENTS WOULD NOT GET MAD IF THEY ENFORCE IT RIGHT AWAY. REGARDING OTHER THINGS, SLANDERING FROM THAT, TO ME, I BLESS THEM. I'M HERE TO DO MY WORK AND I'M NOT 100% A PERFECT PERSON, BUT I TRY TO DO MY WORK BASED ON WHAT THE LORD PUT IN MY HEART TO DO SO. I KNOW THE BIG QUESTION IS IF WE ARE The power to tell the board what to do, not to do. We could look into that, what the law says as an autonomous board. They make the decision where and when to call their meetings. And those councilmen that have been in front of us before knows that. So anything that we could do. in the power of our limit or power that we have in a council listen community we're here to listen to you and we're here to deliver the positive result to the community thank you council president your vote your vote my word is yes

President Mims. Thank you. So I want to thank the public that is present and those that are watching. I want to address a few things. One, 143 Godwin Ave, I believe Ms. Marvis said the address that has been reported while you were speaking. I sent it again. We did not have the autistic signage. That was something that was created. So they will place that there. um also there's many things that were stated our constituent service mr fernandez he took all of those requests but i want to put it on the record because sometimes things are stated to make the community think there's things that can be done on this side which are not so we need to be honest the planning board is an autonomous board the members of that board were appointed by the mayor I saw someone asking the question of their class for an alternate yes it meets the requirement meets the standards class for means appointing people that are residents of the city and alternate is someone that represents the Council. I myself found out that the meet with virtual to post things on social media, I was not aware people reached out to me was not aware. Corporation Council is not here, but to our BA, I am requesting that the lawyer, because there was a lawyer to that board, that there is a statement that is made from the lawyer of that board as to why that took place. Why is the meeting virtual? To my understanding, that there was a resolution, there was a motion and a second, and it was unanimously approved by the board members. And in order for that to be reversed that board would have to reverse it but the lawyer of that board can make a statement to that this Council cannot override that I don't want anyone thinking that we can do that that is not a true statement. And there were many other questions and concerns we had 26 people come to speak. 23 people were present those individuals that had concerns. Mister hand on Fernandez address them and we'll follow up on those concerns. And so we're going to move forward we have some more items that are left but thank you once again to our public madam clerk my vote is yes. Thank you. Public hearing is now closed. Thank you. Madam Clerk, item number 54, that item is removed. The budget is not ready, so we'll bring it back possibly in October. So that item, if you look on your first page, it's number 54. One second, Councilman Velez. Item 54. Yes. So there's no public hearing tonight it will be when it comes back on possible right over.

It wasn't scheduled tonight was scheduled for next week what we will post the revision for the next 15, but we just have to put on the record it will be for October.

Council can we get through these items are you talking about to 53. I did not go there yet okay, when you go to the night, yes, yes. A second reading items we have thoroughly vetted and went through these items item 2 is for the a municipal UCC cold. Number 2 is for the Morris chapter. 3 is for the class to special officers, the president. One second Council member last these items are moving forward on second reading Council member last.

Thank you. A number for can you and me as a school concert to please a sponsor on it.

A cosponsor all sponsor a cosponsor all right. Item number 4, can you add Councilman Velez as a co-sponsor?

I made that request also in the last meeting about the co-sponsor.

You did. Councilman Mendez and Councilman Velez are co-sponsors.

Number 53, Council President.

I'm going there. Okay. Item number 53 resolution adopting the 2026 budget for the downtown industrial Park special improvement district. Madam clerk I'm putting on on the record the director needs to be here for next week. This item is going on regular that director needs to be here. I know it's 53 is not a read. 53 has a public hearing. Yes, it has a public hearing. We need to have the director here making sure. I know we have all the documents that are attached, but we need to get the ratified vote from the business owners as well before he comes next week. Councilman Velez?

Yeah, Council President, through CFO, Council President to CFO. CFO, I had a conversation for the SID Director, Mr. Orlando Cruz, and I advise him that we having conversation on this, even public hearing, and he told me that he was not even aware that this was going on, that he was advised about this.

Mister be a Mister CFO. Well, you're aware that the downtown said director Mister Cruz was not aware this was on the agenda.

I'm not sure about that conversation, but I can assure you that you know I when he sent me a draft budget went back and forth and made edits on it so he certainly news work is moving through the legislative process and I'll make him aware that he needs to be here next week to answer any questions.

Can you do me a favor? I'm not going to put in question the conversation that I had with him. I did ask a question in the Great Falls this past weekend, and I said that we was going to entertain this downtown special improvement district budget. and he told me he was not even aware that was going to be in the agenda so uh probably you had conversation with him i will probably cfo had a conversation with him but probably he was not aware that was going to go to the agenda so if it's possible before next tuesday uh highlight him why we put in the agenda and why we're moving forward for he could be here and clarify his budget, right? So probably he missed that part saying, listening that you go to put in the agenda, just that part. In another part, I know it's probably not part of my conversation with this special downtown industrial budget, through the chair to Mr. Corporate Council. And this will elaborate my other question to Mr. B.A. What is the process to establish new office, new department in our city? What is the process to establish those? for downtown said yeah, this question is to corporate Council, but then it will elaborate on the question to be a big I'm saying are you asking for downtown said no, no, I say the question I'm asking is not to the team. The state what we're talking about now taking the floor to access question because before forget during the day so to the chair to corporate to Council. What is the process so to establish that once again comes to present notice

One second let's move this item for then you can ask a question okay to the House of the last has a question.

Okay, so to cheer to a corporate Council what is the process that any city or personally this city based on the phone to act and on them form of government that we have what is the process to establish a state office a division in our city.

Corporation Council.

Thank you. Good evening, Council President and City of Patterson. So generally speaking, departments are established by either state statute or ordinance through council and then funded through a budget. Thank you.

Mr. B.A., through the Chair, Mr. B.A., I received numerous calls well-respected ministers in the city of Paterson and they came with a concern saying that the mayor office created a clergy office of the city of Paterson managed by the city mayor and he appointed a clergy to run that office. If that is true, OF THAT OFFICE WAS CREATED, THAT CLERKY OFFICE OF THE CITY OF PATTERSON WAS CREATED TO FUNCTION IN OUR CITY, SECOND FLOOR, THIRD FLOOR, FOURTH FLOOR, WHATEVER, AND IT WAS APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR TO RUN THE OFFICE.

Mr. B.A.?

Councilman, in my eight months in change here, the only formal action that I can recall on any of these subjects is the appointment of the fire chaplain back in April. That's the only formal action that I'm aware of that the city's taken with respect to clergy and offices and so forth.

So, in other words, we all aware that the mayor of the city of Patterson appoint chaplains for fire, police, and whatever he want to appoint chaplains, and they are duly sworn by the mayor to run those chaplains' office positions. But he have not created a clergy office managed by the city of Patterson through the mayor's office. Is that correct?

MR. BA, JUST...

I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING FORMAL ON THIS SUBJECT OTHER THAN THE APPOINTMENT OF THE FIRE CHAPLAIN EARLIER THIS YEAR.

CORRECT. SO... AND THIS IS GOING TO BE MY STATE... COUNCIL PRESIDENT, PLEASE. THIS IS GOING TO BE MY STATEMENT, ALL RIGHT? AS YOU HEARD, THE CITY OF PATTERSON HAD NOT CREATED AN INDEPENDENT OFFICE FOR CLERGY IN THE CITY OF PATTERSON RUN BY The city of Paterson. Any office that is open or established in the city of Paterson had to come to the council. We had to approve it, and that's never happened. The office of the mayor, the office of the council, the office of the clerk, any, any, any minister, any pastor could come to our office. they don't need somebody else to be the liaison for that person any minister could come and talk to us and to the mayor and and uh whoever is out there thank you there's such call This such called clergy office of the city of Patterson was not established from this administration, either mayor, either this council. So I want to let the record clear. I love the ministry. I love God. I was going to serve the ministry, but the facts are the facts. We do not have a clergy office established by the city of Patterson, either from the mayor or either from the ministration or either from this Council. They could serve. We all will and do what they have to do to save those lives to bring it to church. God bless you.

Thank you, Council Member Les. Item number five is an ordinance, first reading ordinance of the city of Patterson amending chapter 435. Article 3 entitled Street Openings and Excavations to Revise and Expand the Contents of Permit Applications, Establish Additional Duties and Responsibilities of Permittees, and Increase Penalties for Noncompliance. This was discussed in committee. Corporation Counsel, can you please give an overview of item number five?

Yes, thank you, Council President. And so, as the city knows, a major initiative by the mayor is to repave or pave many, many roads in Patterson. And he's done that through the cooperation and assistance of council. And so, as the city goes through this historic process of repaving uh a substantial amount of our roads uh we saw it fit to take a look at our ordinance uh regarding uh permitting to do road work when contractors come into the city whether it's pseng or someone else and they open up our roads that the city council and the mayor has spent a significant amount of resources in repaving we wanted to ensure that we could hold those contractors accountable so this ordinance updates the process for obtaining a permit to open a road it ensures things that such as when the roads are opened up any repair is done to the same or better standard that it was in it requires the contractor to take pictures it requires the contractor to state what materials they're using to repair these roads And it requires the contractor to certify to the Department of Public Works that they've done the work and submitted the evidence that they've left the road in the same or a better condition. So this is one of the things that the law department saw fit to bring forward. It went through committee. the director of public works also assisted substantially i also want to thank owen campbell from my office for helping spearhead this initiative so the ordinance is before council all the changes that we are suggesting are underlined and it contains also significant enforcement mechanisms should these contractors not abide by this ordinance including but not limited to fines penalties and then the city being able to pursue them civilly to recoup whatever it costs to repair the road that they had damaged. Thank you.

I want to say a big shout out to corporation Council on Campbell your legal team and DPW we've had many concerns in the past for some of the liability fell in the city. This is something that covers the city. This is something that holds each entity accountable for example, I saw today.

there were streets that were paved and now they're being dug up by other entities um and this is something that's much needed um for the city councilman mendez thank you council president a corporation council based on my knowledge there's a legislation already adopted in the city of paris where when the company opened the road they have to fix it with the same standard of quality i'm assuming that this is related with a permit and the paperwork in the process but But the corporation Council this is it's very alarming the way. They open those utility company opening a row it took us over 30 years to fix 9th Avenue. After we fix it for most of all night, I've been is being they've been open and I've been in 3 different part and we are we have piles of 9th Avenue because they don't fix it away supposed to be fixed. Free mystery we have a fitness fixing repaving through the street and they're really open through the street all the way on the top. So I don't understand it that if what's going out, I don't think that we are in connection. I don't know why they have to go after every place of those some pipeline if there's some emergency that what that need to be done they have to fix the this through with the semi-standard quality and is that is that happening here in Paterson so so is very alarming and what and I need to know how how we get it how the administration is going to correct this.

Thank you, a corporation Council. yes thank you council president so councilman mendez your point is well taken which is why this ordinance is needed so for example this ordinance sets standards and metrics that enables the city to take aggressive enforcement action one thing that this ordinance does is it requires color photos of the street before the work was done it also requires within seven days after the work being done additional photos showing that the repair and the condition of the street it also requires the company or the entity that's opening up these streets to certify what materials they're using how they're using it and how they're repairing the road it also imposes liability on the contractor that opens up the streets not only for the cost of the repair but for the cost of the engineering services that the city would need to expend and other things so this sets metrics this sets an ability for the city to have documented photographs of the before and after and it enables the city to better pursue those uh contractors who don't do what they're supposed to do before this was not codified and as you could see by this proposed ordinance there's a substantial amount here that's been added to help with that enforcement with those metrics and to ensure that the work is done the way it's supposed to be done

Thank you, Council President. And, Council President, in closing, Corporation Council, enforcement is going to be the key for us to see the change with that legislation on the floor. And follow up on 9th Avenue, please. There's three sections, and we already got potholes in those sections, and we fixed 9th Avenue almost four months ago. Thank you, Council President.

Council President.

Councilman Jackson, and then Councilman Velez, and then Council McCartan.

So... With all due respect, Corporation Council, this item is a joke. It's not a laughing matter, it's actually very sad because what it looks like to me is an agenda to pile on additional fees. I'm going to tell you why. First of all, the standard of paving, Brother Greer, Brother Farrar, is already set in place by the state. And nowhere in this ordinance that I've seen thus far, unless I've overlooked it, does it talk about those standards. In fact, pledging the contractor to take before and after pictures doesn't outline those standards and whether or not they're actually been applied. For example, anytime a road is excavated, every 12 inches, it needs to be compounded. That's not outlined here. The kind of material that's required to be utilized, quarry press, is not outlined here. where those photographs are supposed to be taken. Are we taking photographs of the underground work that's been done? Are we taking photographs of the finished work? If we're not going to put people in place who know what they're doing to be out there inspecting these issues, It's not going to have any substance to the thing. How are you going to hold somebody accountable in court when you have no evidence unless you're going to excavate what they've been doing? And then furthermore, the companies that's violating these issues are companies that Trump, the city, specifically like PSE&G, or the company that is owned by the city, Passaic Valley Water Commission, doesn't outline what are those requirements. Just saying, to repair it to equal standards, they could come back and argue that, you know what? It's a it was done equal standards because whoever did it prior didn't do it correctly. So we're not even outlining what the state has already put in place that's required for roads. The county on one hand they require all contractors to put 6 inches of concrete below to the below the that they asked for we're not we don't speak about no specifics here. But what we do engage upon in here is the assessment of fees and which I've seen this administration do repeatedly trying to raise you know I guess close budget gaps to fees not that these these fees are nominal it's not like it's going to make any impact but we put more of a focus on the fees than we are the actual work I forget what street it was I think 27th either 20 anywhere between 27th and 29th going towards park at which I'm sure corporation council if you've never drove down Of course he has. He's drove down every single street in this community. That's a joke. If he did drive down them, he would notice that the sinkholes were so large. And if there was any context to this piece of legislation, it would outline the requirement of putting the proper aggregate under the asphalt. Taking before and after pictures, what does that tell us? Does that tell us how the work is done? Does that tell us that it was tamped properly? Does that tell us all of the specifications that's already laid out by the state? I would have respected this more if the state's legislation was incorporated in this. DPW director, without the specific codes, DPW director is not familiar with the codes. I can guarantee you I'm more familiar with the codes than he is. Now, whether or not engineering, and even in engineering, they do sidewalks. They don't do roads. So, I don't know, I mean, obviously I knew you're not gonna have a difficult time getting this through, but I'm gonna tell you guys, just like I told you on every single other matter that comes before us, this is worth the paper it's printed on.

It's pointless. Council President, may I briefly just correct some misinformation? Corporation Council. So first and foremost, this doesn't increase any fees. As you can tell by looking at the ordinance, the fee structure required to obtain a permit remains the same. So we're not increasing fees. What I think the councilman mistakenly thought was an increase in fees is actually the increase in penalties. So if you violate this ordinance, then there's an increase in penalty, and it goes from $1,000 to a maximum of $2,000, which if you're talking about road repair and engineering, those are the appropriate fines, not fees. Additionally, as I said before, the engineer, not the director of DPW, a licensed engineer, is responsible for enforcing this, including applying the appropriate standards. And what the councilman neglected to state is that this ordinance states that the pictures and the scope of work is required now with the application. So before your permit is approved, the engineer gets the pictures. And I'm going to read right from the ordinance because it's pretty clear here. that they have to provide the entire scope of work, including in a manner that minimizes damage to the public streets, sidewalks, curbs, utilities, and other public infrastructure. Excavation shall be limited to the minimum area necessary and permittees shall employ construction methods that preserve the structural integrity and useful life of city infrastructure. So to the extent that Councilman Jackson has come up with a good idea that there should be an ordinance that governs what goes on under the street, pipes, anything else, Passaic Valley Water Commission, I'm happy to work with the Councilman in coming up with legislation that addresses pipes and wiring and things like that. But this just specifically addresses road repair, sets a standard for it that we didn't have before has a mechanism to track the before and after and gives the city vigorous enforcement options should this ordinance be violated again it doesn't increase any fees whatsoever.

My Councilman Alford this week comes president means.

Councilman Alford. I just wanted some clarity on the state ordinance that already covers it because I'm not finding it. What I'm finding that state cover are state rules. So I'm asking for the, I want to look it up so that I can support it if possible.

Jack she's asking you do you have the state because yeah, because this he said that there was a state ordinance that already covered the state doesn't have ordinances to have statues and yes, yeah, there's within is not this is not a state statue is within this in this within the uniform construction code within the uniform construction code it talks about any roads that's

Council President point of order. One. He didn't ask for a floor. No, she asked for a question.

She asked me to answer her.

Oh, so I thought it was for the chair. I did.

Yes.

She did.

So, yet again, I apologize for the rude interruption. So the uniform construction code outlines how roads are supposed to be constructed. What kind of aggregate, for example, if you excavate undisturbed soil, that undisturbed soil is not allowed to go back into the road. But many companies that do work here because we don't have inspectors and they can take pictures all they want to, if they don't show you pictures of the dirt that's going back in the road, that's already laid out by the state. It's already state guidelines that prevent someone from doing that. There's a certain kind of aggregate that needs to be utilized. It's called quarry press. It has to be utilized. There's a certain amount of it that has to be utilized. If you dig a hole larger than 12 inches and you replace more than 4 or 5 feet of aggregate every 12 inches, it has to be compounded. Whether it's through a vibrating roller, whether it's if they're doing an entire street, there's already outlines. I didn't talk anything about pipes, but he's correct. There's specifications on how Pipes and sewer lines and et cetera need to be placed. How big they need to be for certain specific roadways. In certain municipalities in New York, they'll replace 12 inches of concrete. He outlines none of that here. There's already, within the UCC code, there's already requirements for how roads are supposed to be replaced.

corporation Council, I'm going to allow you to speak. It's amazing this item has nothing to do with that this item is saying in public has everything to do that Jackson, I have the floor has everything to have the floor. This item is saying a public service comes and does not replace our ways or the water Commission comes does not replace our always properly based on our photos we can go after them with certain penalties that is what this we don't have it in place currently that's what this is about is not about how deep, how long the pipes can be. This has nothing to do with UCC codes at all. This is specifically, is very clearly written. Corporation counsel, I'm going to let you speak because you can really, that's why I'm glad you're the lawyer. Corporation counsel.

Yeah, so according to the Uniform Construction Code, it only governs building, plumbing, electrical, and structural construction standards, but does not govern or regulate public road repairs. So there's the State Department of Transportation. The State Department of Transportation has standards for its highways, right? The county's responsible for its roads, and the city's responsible for its roads. So I'm not aware, and you know, SOMETIMES I'M SURPRISED BY THE THINGS I HEAR, MAYBE I'LL LEARN SOMETHING, BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY STATE STANDARD THAT WOULD GOVERN THE OPENING AND THE REPAIR AND THE RECONSTRUCTION OF OUR PARTICULAR ROADS. YEAH, CORRECT, COUNCILWOMAN, SO IF YOU LOOK AT The second page of the ordinance, everything that's underlined is what we're adding. And the only thing that's underlined monetarily is it increases the fine from $1,000 to $2,000 if you violate this. But then if you go to the third page, it says what the fees are in section 435-31. And you can see that the fees remain exactly the same. So we're not charging any additional fees. We're just increasing the fine for people who come into our city, tear up our roads, and leave them in a worse condition than they were in.

Once again, best thing since sliced bread. Councilman Velez.

THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AFTER LISTENING THE OPINION OF THE CONSTRUCTION CITY COUNCIL OFFICIAL THAT IS WRONG, BUT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD AS WE SEE HERE IN THIS ORDINANCE. SO ONE THING IS THAT THIS WILL ADDRESS AND CORPORATE COUNCIL, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO YOU AND TO B.A. for driving up and down park avenue market street with me i testify that because we assess the war we assess the street you went up and down with me uh uh checking the street how we want to improve things in my world that is really teamwork uh with administration i want something i drive with you right uh mr ba that i did that with you and our corporate council When I need something, he goes up and down also with me and my ward. And also he walks every year from East 33rd all the way down to downtown in the parade. So he walks the Park Avenue. I'd classify that. But saying that this also will address those illegal individuals out there that excavate our streets. OKAY. AND I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE IN LEGAL CONSTRUCTION OUT THERE THAT THEY SAY, I WANT TO CHANGE THE SEWER LINE THAT CONNECTS TO A HOUSE TO THE SEWER LINE. THEY OPEN WITHOUT PERMIT. AND WHEN THEY GET CAUGHT, THE PENALTY COULD BE HIGHER. SO THIS WILL PUT SOME ORDER INTO ALL THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT DO ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION AND ILLEGAL DWELLINGS AND ALL THE STUFF THAT WE SEE OUT THERE THAT PEOPLE DON'T MAKE ACCOUNTABLE. COVERAGE COUNCIL THANK YOU FOR FOR WALKING UP AND DOWN WITH ME AND ALSO BE A THE 5TH WARD PARK HAVEN AND MARKET STREET AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.

AND DON'T FORGET ON ONE FROM HIS OFFICE THAT REALLY WORKED THAT'S CORRECT. A PATERSONIAN.

YES. YES.

YES. COUNCILMAN.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND BY THE WAY THIS THIS NONSENSE ABOUT You don't know what we are going through because you don't live here. We had to stop that. We have police officer that work here 13 hour, 14 hour, 15 hour day. They probably don't live there, but they know what's going on in Patterson. We have officials that do not live in Patterson, but they know what's going on in Patterson. Thank you. And they serve Patterson quite well. Thank you. Thank you, Council President.

Councilman Omar, did you have a comment? I already have. Oh, you addressed it. Okay. This item is moving forward. Item number six. Council President. Councilman Jackson.

Thank you so Councilwoman I would definitely make sure you get the notice right was here state, New Jersey administrative code. And Jay see 14 that mean is multiple of them in fact specifically right when in this is something that before you even begin to dig is a one could is a one call number that must be called to do a verification all this is news within the state. The state then designates the municipality to put in place specific outline guidelines. None of these guidelines which I'm talking about is provided by a municipality. Because, obviously, if you listen to what's going on tonight, where the municipality lacks the experience or understanding of that code. All the things that I'm talking about is outlined in that code. How much you need to tamper. If you watch any other municipality, when they rip up roads, there's a certain requirement of them doing compaction. The compaction that's required is the reason why our roads are in derelict condition, why we're having sinkholes, because they're allowing for soil to be put back in there. If you look through the municipal code, there is nothing that outlines that. It's all done within the state. You cannot, it's required, and I'll make sure I forward it to you before the week is out. I didn't have it, and I didn't have the research on hand, but I know from personal experience. For example, here's another example of that. The state, this is not the city, this is not the engineer, the state requires that any project that's being built a home a building must maintain is rainwater on the facility now it's not quite relevant to this but it is very relevant because we don't have the inspectors it doesn't matter what they do I can take you on multiple sites where they neglected to put those catch basins on their property Their catch basins must catch rain there. How do I know? I built multiple facilities, and I was required to do so by the state. I was required. And the city inspectors are the ones who are supposed to follow up to make sure that this thing is getting done. This properties right now with a building on a 100% of the of the land, there's no rain basis a catch and that's just this extra rain. This is part of the reason why we're having flooding in areas in the city that we never have flooding before. So yes, when you're derelict on things that are supposed to happen that outline by the state and then you come and make a new ordinance that doesn't even it I mean it doesn't protect the city from that from the most important thing. are they being derelict on the responsibility taken before at the pitches doesn't outline what the work is to be is that's been done we have to have experience. Inspectors on these jobs and that's this point that's just that's the fact of the council thank you so we're moving on this item is moving forward moving on to a final item on the agenda.

This fight, I know item cap I get blamed for a lot of stuff as a council president And I always have to put it on the record every item on this agenda except for this one was vetted to committee. This item went to the clerk past the deadline on Friday. Since to legal which they're not going to do anything with it because there is a clear cut process that all council members are aware of. In addition to that this item we have nothing from Legal Department, telling us the legality of the item. There's nothing here. We have nothing from the Tax Assessor's Office. So Corporation Counsel went to our BA. This item is being removed for many reasons. One, I want to understand in the city of Patterson, there is a law that says if a property which has been in a certain status, tax exemption status, if that property has not been in use for a certain amount of years, which correlates with state law, I want that sent to all council members so that they understand and know what the law says as to why properties go back on the tax rolls. That's number one. number two i want it also stated in the email why it's important for corporation council and the legal department to to watch review and to give their signature on all items to ensure that they protect this council and the city this item was not vetted through legal committee it never went through finance committee it didn't even go to the ba of the city And so to the public, Council President Mims is not the one removing, is not the person that's saying don't put it here. It's being taken off because it did not follow the process. Every other item on here, there are 54 items on the agenda. Every single item was vetted through committee, every one of them. THERE ARE CERTAIN COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT SIT HERE THAT GO TO COMMITTEE MEETINGS. THERE ARE MANY THAT DO NOT GO TO ANY. SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE, I WILL POST THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS. SOME OF THE MEMBERS THAT ARE PART of these various committees can attest to the fact that these things need to be properly vetted item number 6, madam clerk is not moving forward. A corporation Council if you can add to that but item 6 is being removed, madam clerk. Council president corporation Council person the councilman then doesn't have a lot.

Thank you, Council President. First of all, forgive me, I neglected to wish Councilman Jackson a happy birthday tonight. Happy birthday, Councilman. Second of all, just for the Council's edification, the way the process works generally is that if a property is tax exempt, they file an application to be tax exempt with the tax assessor. The tax assessor makes that decision. Tax assessor makes a decision on whether or not it's a completed APPLICATION, WHETHER THERE'S MORE THINGS NEEDED, WHETHER THE APPLICATION IS REJECTED OR FOR WHATEVER REASON. SO IT DOESN'T EVEN GET TO THE LAW DEPARTMENT WITHOUT FIRST GOING THROUGH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT THAT INCLUDES THE TAX ASSESSOR. ONCE THERE'S BEEN A DETERMINATION FROM THE TAX ASSESSOR THAT THERE'S BEEN SOME SORT OF ERRONEOUS TAXES LEVIED OR SOMETHING WAS THERE'S AN ERROR, or there's some sort of tax exemption that should have applied but didn't, then it comes to legal for our in-house tax attorneys to review. Our in-house tax attorneys review the file, they review the state law, they review the circumstances, and then at that point, the resolution moves forward to finance committee, might be economic development committee, so that council is then apprised and put on notice, hey, there's this issue here. This is going to come before the council, and here's why. So that's generally how the process works. We in legal do not move forward with any sort of removal of taxes or anything else unless it comes from the licensed tax assessor, who will then tell us, hey, this is the issue and we need to fix it. And then we start the legal process of that before we ever present it to council. So before it gets to council, it usually goes through those various levels of review.

thank you councilman mendez and then councilman velez question um council president i remember states i mean who submitted this uh it was submitted by councilman jackson just directly to the clerk it wasn't given through an application through the uh tax office it didn't go through the ba it didn't go to uh it was sent to legal that morning they did not have any of those steps that were followed i mean it did not go to the various committees either

I appreciate that because it's very easy to point a finger and just start attacking people. You have to be able to learn how to work when you're in government with other people. Whether you like them or not, you have to be able to learn how to work with people. I've been doing this. I'm just thank you.

Spoken as a former council president, Councilman Velez.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Mr. To the chair, to our fine corporates council. And you have you have always seen this on me and a call and I know all of our new Council will pull off for. I was listening to the process right and it's good that she asked this question because every day we learn with your question I learned with that whatever I say anybody learns in the Council so. This is experience that for the past 10 years, I mean we're all the corporate Council this corporate Council. I could have good ideas in my mind and listen to the public out there. Sounds good. But I always come to you and say, listen, can you look into what the law says? Examinate and look what fit in Patterson, right? I come to you and you examine. You're the expert. You know the law. You know whether it fit or not fit. This is a perfect example. And we are here. We know that before we purge taxes, had to go through a process, a process that is codified, is coded by state tax law. So you imagine, if we go move forward on this, we could even get sanctioned by the state for doing something that is not in the tax law, just because we want to do it and it sounds good or whatever. And we have to be careful, ladies and gentlemen. We are right now in... A fine line with the state right now. They're looking at everything that we're doing when it comes up to financial, when it comes up to giving the house away, right? And I know the MOU is going to be discussed in the next meeting, and I know we have read it, but if whoever read that MOU, we are against the wall. We're against the wall. And we had to make tough decision moving forward. And instead of pointing our fingers, WE SHOULD COME IN WITH PRETTY GOOD IDEAS OR LEGISLATION THAT REALLY SAVED THE CITY NOT BEING TAKEN OVER BY THE STATE. IF YOU WANT TO THINK AND YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR POSITION AS A COUNCILMAN OF THE CITY OF PATTERSON. SAYING THAT, MY VOTE IS, WE'RE NOT VOTING. OKAY.

THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN JACKSON. Councilman Jackson was first. Councilman Jackson.

Okay. So, Corporation Council, can you help me out here, if you will? Can you tell me what law is this that Councilman Velez is referencing that he speaks about the tax law that prevents this action from taking place?

So there is a procedure and I believe you cited it in your proposed ordinance and I want to say this comes in home you your ordinance make very well excuse me have a ton of merit to it it may be a situation in which I didn't ask you to let me let me finish.

He has asked the court to set up for the operation of the question I'm expecting an answer operation Council is responding corporation Council.

He's not answering the question. I asked him for the law. Very simple. I didn't ask him to give me a dissertation. I asked him for the law.

You have to listen. Right. Just calm down a second, okay? So the council, according to state law, has to make a determination that the taxes were erroneously assessed. And before you interrupted me, what I was saying is your proposed ordinance that you drafted may very well have merit to it. But what I would suggest is that you go through the tax assessor and follow those process because the tax assessor will enable this council to determine whether or not these taxes were erroneously assessed. And that would begin with an application for tax exempt status that this particular entity has to file. And that application requires information, that application requires proof. Now, of course, if this council decided that it wanted to, on the spot, without having any of that information handy, determine that taxes were erroneously assessed, I guess the council would do that. I don't know that it would comport with the state law that you cited in your ordinance. So the answer to your question is the state law that you cited in your ordinance That is the same state law that's cited in the other ordinance on this agenda to purge taxes. That has the rubric and the outline on how taxes are deemed erroneously assessed and then can lawfully be purged. So hopefully that answers your question.

so yet again i asked for the law that specifically outlined what councilman velez was talking about for example okay so we'll we'll get we'll get back to that in a second can you outline for me the portion of the law whether it's the state law that's requirement or city code that requires for any item to go before committee

COOPERATION COUNCIL.

YES, THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT. SO, OUR ORDINANCE ESTABLISHES VARIOUS COMMITTEES AND My understanding is that if you want your colleagues to vote or support on a matter that you are presenting, the committee process is a way to have those discussions and to gain that support. So if you're looking for the source of where committees are established, that's in our code. I didn't ask for the source of where committees are established. Just let me finish, please. So committees are established in our code that governs the council body, and I would direct you to that code.

As for the cold as for the cold that requires for any item as a council person. The desire to add to the agenda to be considered where does this outline the requirement for committee.

Yes, corporate now I mean we don't have to back and forth from these if you give me the answer.

Yes, I didn't ask you what part of the cold establishes committees asked you what part of the cold. It requires a council person, a legislator, to have committee approval or committee participation. Furthermore, maybe this gives you a little bit more context that you can enlighten us about. What part of the code, the same code that I'm talking about, requires any item to have legal review? If you could just outline that for me somewhere Nicole wears required to have legal review from your department. Any item that the counts of that any council person wants to present is there a state statue or somewhere in the in the cold that I'm missing that says it requires legal review.

Very briefly and then we're moving on because this item is not going on the agenda.

And then council my car and let's have Council cotton of the way Council my car and then comes in and I'm not done I have another question for me so if if if I could if I have to go in and out now so my car.

I'm sorry I you know I'm looking at. Councilman Jackson did you draw something that I could read you okay, I didn't see because it's not in here. I would I would like to read it myself is in but my understanding is that when you when we do approach. The owner of the property have to have some type of knowledge. They have to apply. You to me that the owner of the property and I'm looking at it. And it's not women and children. It's an enrichment center for women and children. It's not sitting on lot one. It's probably sitting on ten lots. So it's a lot more in detail that needed to be in your resolution.

So point of order, Council President. I thought I still had the floor. You allowed Councilwoman Cotton.

You said OK. I have here.

You said OK.

Wait, wait, wait. You said OK. I have here.

I have one second Jackson you allow Councilman cotton to speak I did not I did not he's almost on Councilman Jackson one of the House of my has the floor Council McCott and you're finished Councilman Mendes and the Council of the last. Councilman Mendes this.

Thank you, Council President. Thank you. This is for the public. I think there's got to be a structure in government, and that's the best way that you avoid lawsuit and big mistake. And the best way to protect the taxpayer of the city is by working with the structure and follow the process and the municipality. When you have a piece of legislation as such as this, when you're purging taxes, this is something that you really have to go through all the proper document and submit the right document to get it done correctly. They have to go through the different committee. Any legislation have to go through legal department, have to be better by legal, then go to the committee, and then right after the committee, then be discussed at the workshop. You might want to do things your way, but that's not the way government works, Patterson. That's not the way government works. You know, it's not that we're against some people or against legislation. No, you've got to do the right thing. In order for you to protect the city, you have to do the right thing. Now, and I'm done with that because that's not on the agenda, but Madam President, Brother Gee spoke about something that is very disturbing to me, and I've been seeing this throughout the city. A couple of months ago, less than a year ago, we spent A few million dollars in those receptacle garbage cans, solar garbage, throughout the city, and they're all displayed throughout the city. Now everywhere we go, we see a plastic bag wrapped around. You see those garbage cans covered. It makes us look really horrible because we gave the voter conference to the administration to purchase those receptacles, those garbage cans. Now they don't work. Now they don't work.

now what we do when we have this one average level over the place and that's not what it is because it's the last meeting I know, but I think he's right there, but we do it in the closing G's not leaving let's say the task where on item 6 because do that and then I'll I'll bring you back to the G I'm coming back because I mean yes, we did that we need our money back with the we have money back out some of the last.

Thank you have a lot as the president to the chair. Through the chair to corporate council and Mr. BA. So I imagine the mayor of the city pass and enter and say, come and bring an ordinance right now and say we want to purge the taxes without vetting it through the process. I guarantee you my colleague will raise hell because he didn't went through the process. This is a fair, responsible government that we have here. Fair, responsible, and accountable government versus dictatorship. The action that some people want to do and create laws and ordinance and resolution They're saying I want this because I think you should be like this is a sound of dictatorship. And this is not a dictatorship government. This is a former government that for the case way before we sit in here and they've councilman Davis was sitting here he will test that we have a process in place to examine a to bet through committee anything that comes in front of us before goes into the fall to a full vote is better the right way because four people probably could think more than one person let us land idea and not make the mistake that we had to be then giving back to the wrong people now and the base the base question of this everybody's fighting with the for this property block a lot number and the and the councilman will be kind right now I have to go fish which block a lot number is the because I don't know but everybody knows everybody the the the big The big subject is the WCF or whatever it's called right now. And I don't know if this property was sold to a private developer. Now, if this property was sold to a private developer, so he's lobbying for the private developer to get money back. And then we sell in the house so we cannot play both sides here. One day we defend the community and now for others we are benefiting the developers. So I don't know which one I stand today, but today I stand for the process, the right process. I cannot come here, it looks good, I get the people ratting on my behalf, but they don't give you the right facts and that is

I'm responsible leadership on that individual so say that this is table, yes, this table, the question is that before and let me just put this on the record so you know we have to be careful even as Council members when we're trying to move or to purge or to do something on behalf of something else. Rumor has it that there is a developer that is trying to do a charter school there, and he's requesting that these taxes be purged. So that's why I'm very concerned that this came before the council. It did not follow the process. The entity in and of itself, as Councilwoman Cotton has already stated, they didn't apply. they did not apply they have to apply if they feel there's some concerns with their taxes it cannot be written by a council person the entity itself has to apply that way the information in the resolution is accurate that's why the information is inaccurate and the deed and the information because there's pertinent questions and information um I need a motion to call the president of the whole House tells us that when you have a motion and a second on the floor, I was most of my counsel has second by Councilman does roll call to the jokes close the workshop meeting. For tonight, madam clerk roll call.

Councilman offer yes, Councilman cotton.

Yes, good night everyone got less you all thank you.

Councilman Jackson.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Brother Farrar, this is why I'm glad you stayed here. This is why I'm glad. You see the lie. You see how the amount of lies. It's a simple question. First of all, tax sales certificate 2600546. 179 1, 8, 3, 1, 8, 3, Cal Street enrichment Center women and children what are you talking about lot number 4, 2, 0, 6, what you lot lot 4, 2, 0, 6, lot one it ain't all these additional yeah, but you've got here here she goes talking over the woman he has a place to go so going to say correct me councilman that's all saying right. Come on. Please reset my time.

No, it's not. You only lost three minutes. It is not being reset. Please reset my time. It will not be reset. He has three minutes, three seconds to his time.

That's why I said you get it. Carry on.

You get it. First of all, according to the code, Brother Farrar, there is no requirement for committee. There is no requirement for legal consent or advice. It's a council person that's a legislator. And it says clearly to get it on the agenda, that's presented on the agenda the Friday before. How's she going to say the item was there late? It was there Friday. There's another item on the agenda that's entitled only. This wasn't only entitled, it was written. And it's clear to the members of the public, Brother Greer, they blatantly do not want to because what they would not let corporation council answer is this does not need anybody else's approval. The council has the ability and the right to pass an ordinance to purge the taxes. We got one on the agenda right now at number two, but it's for an outside entity. The entity that will be the benefactor of this tax purge will be the YWCA. There is no sale that took place. Brother Greer, you witnessed that. There's no sale that took place. The owners are the Y. The YWCA, the enrichment center, are the owners. There is no developer that's going to take place, that's going to reach a benefit. So the fact that the members of this council don't want to entertain an entity that's been tax-exempt since 1899, 1926, it speaks volumes. It speaks volumes.

If they look for any reason... to have it removed. They look for any reason to have it removed.

They even enlist the lying nature of the Corporation Council to evade the questions. I ask them simply, what requirement is in the code? Councilman Mendez.

What the law is for committee assignments.

Councilman Mendez. I didn't ask him about committee assignments. I asked him about the item being written by a council person.

Councilman Mendez.

What requirements in the code requires for it to go before committee.

Councilman Mendez. He couldn't answer the question.

Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez Councilman Mendez And the council president is trying to deny the access. If she was interested in supporting this organization, we would have had an in-depth conversation. How am I personally benefiting?

Don't make false accusations.

How am I personally benefiting?

Where's my personal benefit? Where's my personal benefit? We're going to tell you.

I mean, the last charges they brought me on, they had to be dismissed because it was fictitious. So tell me, where's my personal benefit? See, the benefit that we're missing is, as council president, she's neglecting her obligation to speak on the community's behalf. She's neglecting that. And then instead of giving me the floor, another opportunity to finish up with my question and answer, what do they try to do? Move past it. By erroneously moving the item from the agenda. So, because I still needed five people for it to get on the agenda, right? So I'm not even arguing that. I knew it wasn't going to make the agenda. Didn't I tell you it wasn't going to make the agenda? But I'm here to let the public know and show the public that she has no intention on supporting the public's best interests. That she got no intention.

This is not a Mike Jackson matter. This is not a Mike Jackson matter. But don't worry.