2026-10-07 - Municipal Council

00:00Good evening everyone. We are on the

00:01record. Today is Wednesday, the 7th day

00:04of October in the year 2026. This is a

00:07regular meeting of the Jersey City

00:09Municipal Council. We had a scheduled 6

00:11p.m. start. The clock on my cell phone

00:13is showing 609

00:16p.m. May we have a roll call for the

00:17commencement of this meeting. Council

00:19person Brooks

00:23present.

00:26>> Council person Zupa

00:27>> present. Council person Efos,

00:30>> present.

00:31>> Council person Little,

00:34>> present.

00:35>> Council person Gilmore,

00:39>> not here yet. Council person Singh.

00:44>> Council person Griffin

00:45>> here.

00:46Council person Lavaro

00:48>> here.

00:50>> Council person and council president

00:52Ridley

00:53>> here.

00:55We have eight council members in

00:57attendance at 6:09 p.m. Can we kindly

01:00rise for a moment of silence, please?

01:04Our

01:06great senator Sandre Balden Cunningham

01:13Moika

01:40publication,

01:45justice for all.

01:53>> Thank you very much. on behalf of

01:54Council President Ridley and the members

01:56of the municipal council in accordance

01:58with New Jersey Public Laws of 1975

02:01chapter 231, the Open Public Meetings

02:03Act, also known as the Sunshine Law.

02:06Adequate notice of this meeting has been

02:08provided by the posting on the bulletin

02:10board of the first floor of city hall,

02:11the annual notice, which is the schedule

02:13of meetings and caucuses of the

02:15municipal council for the calendar year

02:172026 and filed in the office of the city

02:19clerk on Tuesday, November 25th, 2025.

02:23In addition, at its time of its

02:24preparation, the agenda of this meeting

02:26was similarly disseminated on Tuesday,

02:28September 29th, 2026 at 11:22 a.m. to

02:32the mayor, municipal council, business

02:34administrator, corporation council, the

02:36local newspapers, and posted on the

02:38city's website so I can certify as to

02:40our total compliance with the Sunshine

02:43Law.

02:46Council members, before we move on to

02:50our regular order of business, there is

02:53one item that we need to add to the

02:55agenda, and it's the very last

02:57resolution on your printed agenda, which

03:00is item 10.67, 67. Resolution 26-682

03:05is a resolution of the city of Jersey

03:07City, County of Hudson, honoring the

03:09civic contributions of the River View

03:12Neighborhood Association for over 40

03:14years with prompts tribute to Doris

03:18Brown and Cliffstein Brain.

03:22Council members, I need a motion to add

03:23item 10.67, resolution 26-682

03:28to the agenda.

03:29>> Motion. Motion was made by

03:33>> second.

03:35>> Yeah, I was about to say it. I'm sorry.

03:38Council person Efro, seconded by Council

03:40Person Singh.

03:42>> On a motion to add item 10.67,

03:45resolution 26-682

03:48to the agenda. Council person Brooks,

03:50>> I.

03:51>> Council person Zupa.

03:52>> Hi.

03:53>> Council person Efos.

03:54>> Hi.

03:55>> Council person Little.

03:56>> Hi.

03:57>> Council person Gilmore is still absent.

03:59Council person Singh.

04:00>> Hi.

04:02>> Council person Griffin.

04:03>> I do.

04:04>> Council person Labaro.

04:06>> Hi.

04:07>> And council president Ridley.

04:09>> I.

04:10>> Motion carries 80

04:12with Council Person Gilmore absent to

04:15add item 10.67

04:17to the agenda.

04:20All right. If you would just allow me to

04:22read into the record. But before I do

04:24that, I'm going to turn it over to our

04:26first assistant corporation council,

04:29Lisa, to do a little explaining about

04:31one of the ordinances that had some

04:34language changed.

04:36>> Yeah. Good evening, council. Um on

04:39ordinance uh agenda item 3.4, for

04:42ordinance number 26-084.

04:45There was some um misinformation about

04:48the deletion of the term deescalation

04:51center under section 160-3 of the

04:55municipal code. I have corrected that to

04:57delete the deletion and the ordinance

05:00now only is intended to add the

05:03additional fee per session of using the

05:07firearm training range in classroom

05:09after 3 p.m.

05:14>> Any council members have any questions

05:16with that change before we take the

05:18vote?

05:20>> No.

05:21>> Hearing none. Okay, if you can just

05:23allow me to read all of the first

05:25readings into the record, starting with

05:27item 3.1, city ordinance 26-081.

05:31It's a franchise ordinance granting

05:33permission to the Bowerer Street LLC,

05:35its successors, and assigns to construct

05:38private improvements within 60 square ft

05:41of the Newark Avenue Public Right of Way

05:43adjacent to lot 2.02, 02 block 11405

05:49on the official tax assessment map of

05:51the city of Jersey City known as 157

05:54Newick Avenue. Item 3.2 city ordinance

05:5826-082

06:00is an ordinance supplementing chapter

06:02332 vehicles and traffic article 9

06:04parking for the disabled of the Jersey

06:06City code designating reserve parking

06:09space at various locations throughout

06:11the city.

06:13Item 3.3, city ordinance 26-0 A3, is an

06:17ordinance supplementing chapter 332,

06:19vehicles and traffic, article 2, traffic

06:21regulations, amending section 332-9,

06:24stop intersections to designate various

06:27intersections into multi-way stop

06:30intersections.

06:31Item 3.4, Four, city ordinance 26-084,

06:35an ordinance amending chapter 160 fees

06:38and charges section 106-3

06:41public safety to include fees for the

06:43use of the public safety training

06:45facility after work hours. And item 3.5,

06:49city ordinance 26-085,

06:52is an ordinance authorizing the

06:53acquisition of various snow removal

06:55equipment by and for the city,

06:58appropriating therefore the sum of

07:00200,000 and providing that such sum so

07:04appropriated shall be raised from the

07:06capital fund balance of the city.

07:09Council members gonna Yes.

07:11>> Sorry, there's just a typo in the title

07:12of the ordinance. It's section 160-3,

07:16not 106.

07:22>> So, it's 160, not 106.

07:26>> Correct.

07:27>> Yep. In the title. I'll make that

07:29correction. Thank you. Great catch there

07:31again, Lisa.

07:34Teamwork makes the dream work.

07:37All right. With that being said, council

07:39members going to be taking a vote on

07:41introduction for items 3.1 through 3.5.

07:45Council person Brooks,

07:48>> I for introduction.

07:50>> Council person Zupa,

07:52>> I for introduction.

07:53>> Council person Ephro,

07:54>> I for introduction. Council person

07:56Little,

07:57>> I for introduction.

08:00>> Council person Singh,

08:02>> I for introduction.

08:04>> Council person Griffin.

08:05>> Hi. Council person Lavaro

08:08>> I for introduction

08:10>> and council president Ridley

08:12>> I.

08:15>> First readings items 3.1 through 3.5 are

08:19introduced 80 with council person

08:21Gilmore absent.

08:25So I did not attend the caucus. Um

08:29however I do believe I have this

08:32correct. I believe that we're going to

08:34be deferring to a couple of items on the

08:36agenda. And please correct me if I'm

08:39wrong, Council President, but I believe

08:41the first item that we're going to defer

08:43to is item 10.12,

08:46City Resolution 26-627.

08:49is a resolution honoring former fire

08:51director Armando Roman in recognition of

08:53his distinguished career of public

08:55service, leadership, courage, and

08:57dedication to the people of this of

09:00Jersey City during Hispanic Heritage

09:02Month. We'll make it a compound motion.

09:05>> Yes, please. It should be three of them.

09:08>> Yep. So, the next one I have

09:11is item 10.65,

09:14city resolution 26-680.

09:17It's a resolution of the municipal

09:19council of the city of Jersey City to

09:21recognize and designate October of each

09:23year as Hindu Heritage Month. And last

09:26but not least is the item that we added

09:2910.67

09:30city resolution 26-682

09:33is the resolution of the city of Jersey

09:35City honoring the civic contributions of

09:38Riverview Neighborhood Association for

09:40over 40 years. So, with that being said,

09:43do I have a motion to defer to items

09:4510.12,65

09:47and 67?

09:48>> Motion.

09:49>> Motion made by council person Griffin.

09:51May I have a second?

09:52>> Second.

09:53>> Second by council person Efos.

09:59On a motion defer to items 10.12, 65,

10:02and 67. Council person Brooks.

10:05>> I.

10:06>> Council person Zupa.

10:07>> Hi.

10:08>> Council person Ephro.

10:09>> Hi. Council person Little.

10:12>> Hi.

10:13>> Council person Singh.

10:15>> Hi.

10:16>> Council person Griffin.

10:18>> Hi.

10:19>> Council person Lavaro.

10:20>> Hi.

10:21>> And council president Ridley.

10:23>> I.

10:24>> Motion carries 80 with council person

10:26Gilmore absent. Defer to items 10.12,

10:2965, and 67. We'll start with item 10.12.

10:35And I'll turn it over, I believe, to

10:38council person Lavaro. Correct.

10:41>> Thank you. Thank you, council president.

10:43Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Um, this is a

10:46resolution gives me great pleasure and

10:49um to honor former fire director Armando

10:52Roman in recognition of his

10:53distinguished career of public service,

10:55leadership, courage, and dedication to

10:58the people of Jersey City during

10:59Hispanic Heritage Month. and it reads,

11:02"Whereas the city of Jersey City is a

11:04proud and diverse community whose

11:06extraordinary strength is rooted in the

11:07contributions, traditions, cultures, and

11:10accomplishments of generations of

11:12residents from throughout the Hispanic

11:13and Latino world. And whereas Hispanic

11:16Heritage Month provides an important

11:18opportunity for the city of Jersey City

11:20to celebrate the remarkable

11:21contributions of Hispanic and Latino

11:23Americans. And whereas among those

11:26individuals whose life and career embody

11:29the ideals of service, leadership,

11:32perseverance, and devotion to community

11:35is Arando Raman. I'm proud. There you

11:38go.

11:56So, I I know you guys are excited and as

12:00am I. Uh Amando definitely deserves

12:03every clap, but if we can just hold the

12:05claps until we actually vote on the

12:09resolution.

12:11Okay. I mean, I'm just asking if you

12:14don't want to do it, you clap. I can't

12:16stop you, but it will shorten the

12:18meeting if we if we wait. Councilman

12:23devotion to community is Armando Roman,

12:26a proud Hispanic son of Jersey City,

12:28whose distinguished career in public

12:30service and commitment to the community

12:32left a lasting mark on the city and its

12:35people. Whereas Armando Raman dedicated

12:37his professional life to the protection

12:39and advancement of the people of Jersey

12:41City and rose through the ranks of

12:43public service when he began his career

12:44as a Jersey City firefighter in 1981 and

12:48then promoted to captain in 1989.

12:50Armando later went on to become the

12:52deputy director of the Jersey City Fire

12:53Department in 1993 and ultimate was

12:56ultimately named the director of fire

12:58and emergency services in 2004, becoming

13:01the first minority named to the position

13:04in Jersey City's history and the first

13:05Hispanic in the state of New Jersey.

13:08Whereas, Director Roman understands that

13:10public safety is not merely a municipal

13:12responsibility, but a solemn promise

13:14made to every resident that when a fire,

13:17emergency, disaster, or crisis strikes,

13:20the city will stand ready to protect

13:22life, preserve property, and serve those

13:24in need.

13:26Whereas throughout his years of service,

13:28Armando Raman demonstrated that

13:30effective leadership is measured not by

13:32titles but by one's willingness to

13:34accept responsibility, stand with one's

13:36community, and dedicate oneself to the

13:39welfare and safety of others. And

13:41whereas as a Hispanic public servant,

13:43Arando represents a proud tradition of

13:46Hispanic and Latino leadership in Jersey

13:48City. A tradition built upon hard work,

13:51family, perseverance, service, and the

13:54belief that success carries with it an

13:57obligation to give back to the

13:58community. And whereas the legacy of

14:00public service established by Armando

14:02Raman has extended beyond his own career

14:05with his sons Armando Jr. and Matthew

14:07continuing the proud tradition of

14:09serving in the Jersey City Fire

14:11Department, demonstrating that a

14:13commitment to protecting one's neighbors

14:15can become a family legacy passed from

14:17one generation to the next. And whereas

14:20the municipal council wishes to formally

14:21express its profound appreciation to

14:24former director Armando Raman for his

14:26distinguished career, his leadership of

14:29the Jersey City Department of Fire and

14:30Emergency Services, and his dedication

14:33to the protection of Jersey City

14:34residents. Now therefore, be it resolved

14:37that the municipal council of the city

14:38of Jersey City hereby honors and

14:40recognizes former director fire director

14:43Armando Raman for his distinguished

14:45career of public service. His

14:46leadership, courage, dedication, and

14:48unwavering commitment to the people of

14:50the city of Jersey City and be it

14:52further resolved with the municipal

14:53council recognizes the Roman family's

14:56tradition of public service and

14:57celebrates the example it provides to

14:59future generations of Jersey City

15:01residents who aspire to serve their

15:03community. And be it further resolved

15:06that the municipal council encourages

15:07all residents of Juria City to celebrate

15:09Hispan Hispanic Heritage Month by

15:11recognizing the extraordinary

15:13contributions of Hispanic and Latino

15:15Americans who have helped build,

15:17protect, strengthen, and enrich our

15:19city.

15:20Thank you, Armando, for all your

15:22service.

15:42I can't say I didn't try.

15:46All right. on resolution 26-627.

15:51Council person Brooks

15:53>> Armando, uh it's been an honor getting

15:56to know you and your family and um you

16:00know, as it's in the resolution, not

16:02just you, but your whole family's uh

16:04service to Jersey City. Uh we honor

16:06that. Um we thank you and I proudly vote

16:11I. Congratulations,

16:17>> Council Person Zupa.

16:18>> Armando, you represent the very best of

16:20what Jersey City is and offers. Uh, it's

16:23it's my pleasure to know you as a friend

16:24and and someone who works so hard for

16:26our community. Congratulations and thank

16:28you to Councilman Lavaro for for

16:30bringing this very important resolution

16:32to us.

16:33I vote I

16:37council person Ephro.

16:39>> Congratulations on this welldeserved

16:41recognition and applause. Uh thank you

16:43Councilman Labaro for bringing this

16:45forward. Um I proudly vote I. Thank you

16:47so much for your service and and your

16:48family service too.

16:53>> Council person Little.

16:55>> Proudly vote I. Uh congratulations on

16:59this well-deserved recognition and thank

17:01you for all your uh public service and

17:03service to our city.

17:08>> Council person Singh,

17:11>> I vote I and thank you and

17:13congratulations for the recognition.

17:19Council Person Griffin,

17:26>> I vote I. Uh although I don't uh know

17:28you personally, um I do remember growing

17:31up hearing your name a lot, especially

17:33when people were looking for sprinklers

17:36to put on the fire hydrants

17:39and and uh wrenches to cut them off. Um

17:43so, you know, as children and as a child

17:45of Jersey City, I do appreciate that.

17:47Um, that just showed how much you care

17:49for the community. So, I vote I,

17:55>> Council Person Labaro.

17:57>> Armando, it's an honor, truly an honor

18:00for me to be able to present this

18:01resolution and um, your your life and

18:05legacy speaks for itself. Um, and it

18:08speaks by everybody who's here in this

18:10room tonight. Um, it's evident your

18:12impact.

18:13Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate

18:15the accomplishments of Hispanics. But if

18:17you took your resume and and everything

18:19that you do and continue to do, I should

18:21say you continue to make an impact, um

18:25it would be second to none. So we thank

18:28you for all you've done for Jury City

18:30and you continue to do and I'm so

18:32honored and blessed to to vote I.

18:39>> Council President Ridley

18:40>> Armando, my buddy, I say thank you.

18:44Thank you for your service to the city.

18:46uh and thank you for

18:49never disappearing after um you know

18:54leaving the city. You are still an

18:56active part of our city and you're

19:00always here as a resource for government

19:02and we appreciate that. So just thank

19:04you for all that you do. I proudly vote

19:07I.

19:12I said I wasn't going to make the

19:13meetings longer, but I do have to say

19:15something. Uh I don't get a vote, but

19:19Mondo,

19:20you're one of my favorite employees. Not

19:22that I show favoritism to anybody, but

19:25uh you were there when I first started

19:27with the city of Jersey City, and you've

19:29seen me grow from when I started as a

19:32very young man to now. And I have to say

19:35those were the good old days. Um we're

19:38in trying times now, but I know we can

19:40get through with it. And just like

19:42Council Person Lavaro said, um, and

19:44Council President Ridley, you didn't

19:46disappear and Jersey City is in your

19:49heart and always will be. You love

19:50Jersey City just as much as everybody

19:52that's up here on Adis. So,

19:54congratulations. Welld deserved.

20:03>> City resolution 26-627

20:06is approved 80 with council person

20:09Gilmore absent. And congratulations

20:11again. Okay.

20:34Amando, don't get mad at me, but we want

20:37to put you on the spot.

20:41But we're not going to time you.

20:42>> Okay.

20:43>> All right. It's not during the public

20:44speaking.

20:45>> Why say a few words when you can say a

20:47lot?

20:48>> It's your flaw.

20:49>> But you got three minutes. No.

20:51>> Thank you. Good evening, ladies and

20:53gentlemen, city council members.

20:57As I stand before you during Hispanic

21:00Heritage Month, I am deeply moved,

21:02profoundly humbled, and immensely proud

21:06to receive this recognition as the first

21:09minority director of the Jersey City

21:11Fire Department in its history.

21:18This this belongs to so many people. It

21:22belongs to former mayor

21:25Brett Chandler

21:27who in 1997 believed in me.

21:33It belongs to Mayor Jeremiah Healey for

21:36continuing to believe in me for an

21:39additional nine years and for allowing

21:41me to be the director for a total of 13

21:44years.

21:46And that's why the clerk mentioned that

21:49uh it's been a long time. Well, I did

21:51see him.

21:54It belongs to the trailblazers who were

21:56the first of many departments. It

21:59belongs to the community leaders like

22:01Elu Rivera, the Reverend Fernando

22:03Cologne who work so tirelessly often in

22:06the shadows laying the groundwork so

22:09that other doors could open.

22:12It belongs to my family whose ever whose

22:16unwavering support and sacrifice and

22:19belief in me have sustained me every

22:22step of my journey. It belongs to this

22:25wonderful city I call home.

22:28A vibrant diverse community that

22:31continually proves to to progress

22:35when we embrace all of who we are. When

22:39we talk about heritage, we talk about

22:41resilience. We talk about community and

22:44the shared dream of building a better

22:46future for the next generation.

22:49Being the first is a tremendous honor.

22:53It's a powerful milestone. However, my

22:56deepest commitment is to ensure that I

22:58am certainly not the last.

23:01I hope that one day I get to see my two

23:03firefighter sons who are with me here

23:06today

23:08in a leadership form and role within the

23:11fire department. Leadership is about

23:14opening doors wider, creating pathways,

23:18and lifting others as we climb.

23:21Thank you, city council members, for

23:23this profound honor and for championing

23:26an inclusive vision for our great city.

23:30Special thanks also go out to Councilman

23:33Lavaro for this acknowledgement.

23:36I would also like to publicly thank

23:39public safety director Lauren Hart,

23:42deputy director.

23:45Lauren Hart and his lovely wife

23:46Christian for their invaluable

23:48assistance in making this happen. Let us

23:52continue working together for our great

23:55city where we can acknowledge the good

24:01stories that and the history the rich

24:04history that this city has to offer.

24:10It was an honor for me to lead the best

24:12fire department in the country for 13

24:15years, the land of the bravest, the

24:18Jersey City Fire Department. Thank you.

24:21God speed much gracias. Yes.

24:55It's always great to start off a meeting

24:56with positive notes. Um, our next

24:59resolution 26-680.

25:03I believe I'm going to be turning that

25:04over to Council Person Singh.

25:08>> Thank you, Sean. Good evening, everyone.

25:11um a recognition of the municipal

25:14council of the city of Jersey City to

25:17recognize and designate October of each

25:20month as Hindu heritage month. Council

25:22offered and moved adoption of the

25:24following resolution. Whereas the city

25:27of Jersey City takes pride in our

25:29diversity of languages, ethnicities,

25:32cultures, religion, heritage,

25:34uh all of which add the beauty of our

25:37community. And whereas the city of

25:40Jersey City is recognized as America's

25:42golden door and many of our residents

25:45are foreign born and immigrated to our

25:48community and whereas it is essential to

25:51our city that our immigrant residents

25:54and their communities are able to

25:56preserve and celebrate their traditions

25:58and culture. Whereas Hinduism is one of

26:01the world's oldest spiritual tradition

26:05and emphasized universe values that's

26:08applicable to all the walks of life

26:11including peace shanti truth satya

26:15nonviolence aimsa and the recognition of

26:18divine spark within all living beings

26:21and whereas Hindu American residing in

26:24Jersey City have made and continue to

26:26make extraordinary economic social

26:29culture contributions across the facts

26:32of civic life including but not limited

26:35to education, medicine, science,

26:37technology, business, law and arts and

26:41public services. Whereas the state of

26:43New Jersey already officially

26:45dis designates October as Hindu heritage

26:48month. Whereas many other communities

26:51across our country already officially

26:54designated October as Hindu Heritage

26:56Month. Whereas the city of Jersey City

26:59had the history of recognizing and

27:01celebrating the cultures of its

27:03residents. Now therefore be it resolved

27:06by the city council of city of Jersey

27:08City as follows of the month of October.

27:12Each year is hereby recognized and

27:14designated as Hindu heritage month in

27:18the city of Jersey City. So be it

27:20further resolved that the city of Jersey

27:22City encourages schools, community

27:25recognition, business

27:27sorry organizations, businesses, city

27:30department, government of a agencies and

27:33residents to participate in educational

27:36artistic culture, civic community

27:38programs celebrating Hindu Heritage

27:41Month in Jersey City. Thank you.

27:52Okay, council members,

27:55we may have another round of applause

27:57after we vote. So on this resolution

28:0026-680,

28:02council person Brooks,

28:03>> I council person Zupa,

28:05>> just want to say how proud I am to

28:07represent a ward with so many uh people

28:10who whose

28:12religion is Hindu and and embrace the

28:16culture and the heritage. Uh such

28:18wonderful people I've worked with over

28:20the years. It's it's quite the honor for

28:22me. I do want to thank my aid Arjun

28:24Jaweria for before we got on the council

28:26for holding events uh for heritage

28:28months throughout uh across the spectrum

28:33and uh say going forward I I hope is an

28:37opportunity for the council and the

28:38administration to work together to to

28:40keep that dialogue open and be very

28:41inclusive. I thank Councilwoman Singh

28:44for this resolution and as I said very

28:45proud day for for Jersey City and for

28:47WC. I vote I

28:51>> council person Efos.

28:52>> Councilwoman Singh, congratulations on

28:54being the first uh Hindu and

28:57Indian-American on on city council. Um

28:59proud to vote I for this resolution. W D

29:02is also home to so many um members of

29:04the Hindu community and the

29:06Indian-American community. Um also

29:08extend thanks to uh Arjaman Jorah for

29:12her work in the past years in in

29:14bringing this uh excellent day forward,

29:17excuse me, excellent month uh forward

29:18and to be celebrated. So excited that it

29:21will be continued to be celebrated.

29:24I

29:27council person sing.

29:31>> Oh wait, are you jumping?

29:33>> It should be it should be uh

29:36>> wait a minute. I'm I'm sorry,

29:38Council Person Little.

29:40>> Disenfranchise.

29:41>> I did not mean to skip you,

29:44>> Frank. Frank not here, so

29:48>> I I just want to say um I am proud to

29:52vote. I you know, the Hindu community in

29:55Jersey City uh contributes so much to

29:58the fabric of Jersey City and um is, you

30:01know, a big part of what makes Jersey

30:03City so special. Uh we may not have

30:05India Square in Ward E but we do have a

30:08large number um of Hindu residents

30:11particularly in Newport. Um and I I want

30:14to recognize uh you know every I I want

30:18to recognize everything that the Hindu

30:20community does um here in Jersey City.

30:23Uh so congratulations and um looking

30:26forward to celebrating this October

30:29because this is in perpetuity

30:32and and congratulations Councilwoman

30:34Sing.

30:41You did it.

30:42>> I tell you I'm I'm very sorry. Council

30:47person Little I actually marked E uh

30:50Council Person Afro's eye on your slot.

30:52That's why I skipped you and I

30:54apologize.

30:55Uh, Council Person Gilmore is not here,

30:58right? Okay, Council Person Singh.

31:02>> My speech is ready. Council President,

31:04should I wait?

31:06>> Nope. We just keep the back door closed.

31:08I greatly appreciate it. Thank you so

31:10much.

31:12You're good.

31:13>> Yeah.

31:15All right. I vote I and thank you so

31:18much.

31:21Okay. So, I'll just vote and wait for

31:23everyone to vote.

31:25>> Thank you. I vote I

31:28>> Okay,

31:29Council Person Griffin. Grow growing up

31:32in Jersey City, I had the opportunity to

31:34watch the Hindu community grow. Um, you

31:37know, just living so close to Journal

31:40Square and McGinley Square. Um, you

31:43know, I I made a lot of friends. I I had

31:46the opportunity to be exposed to their

31:48culture, the great food, uh, and you

31:53know, new people. Um, so I am going to

31:57proudly vote I,

32:01>> Council Person Labaro.

32:04>> First of all, um, congratulations,

32:06Councilman Singh. Um, and thank you for

32:08bringing this resolution to the city

32:10council and to to celebrating this. Um

32:12although and I know we've celebrated

32:14this in many years uh previously as well

32:16but um thank you for your your efforts

32:19here. Um I want to just thank the the

32:22community because this is really about

32:23the Hindu community here in Jersey City

32:25and the heritage as well. Um and it's

32:29one of the strongest and fastest growing

32:30communities um here in Jersey City and

32:33contributing so much um to Jersey City.

32:37uh and when we talk about Jersey City's

32:40growth and uh potential and everything

32:43that's possible here um it can't be said

32:46without referencing the Indian and the

32:49Hindu community here. So thank you all.

32:51Happy to vote I and I and I cast my vote

32:53I

32:58>> Council President Ridley.

33:00>> Uh I proudly vote I. We pride ourselves

33:04on diversity here in Jersey City and

33:07anytime we have the opportunity to honor

33:10our various cultures, we should do so.

33:12And I want to thank the Hindu community

33:14for all of their contributions to our

33:16great city. Um, and I proudly vote I.

33:24>> City resolution 26-680

33:27is approved.

33:2980 with council person Gilmore absent.

33:32Congratulations.

33:37Um,

33:42yes. Yes. Can I go? Can I read my speech

33:45and then

33:47Okay. Um, before I call u couple of

33:51community leaders, I just want to read a

33:54quick

33:56um emotional speech and I would not take

33:59more than two minutes. So, well, I'm

34:01proud to serve as the first Hindu

34:03council woman in Jersey City's history

34:06and thank you.

34:11And tonight, Hindu Heritage Month

34:13recognition is especially meaningful to

34:14me because Jersey City is home to a

34:17growing Indian-American, HinduAmerican

34:19community. One of that has become an

34:22important part of the life of of this

34:24city. I want to thank all of Jersey

34:27City's Hindu organizations who came

34:29together to be part of the celebration.

34:32I came to Jersey City from India and I

34:34have spent many years building community

34:36here. Through all of it, I have always

34:39believed that belonging grows when it

34:41take the time to understand one another.

34:44So celebrating Hindu heritage month is

34:46not only about honoring Hindu

34:48traditions. It is also an invitation for

34:51our neighbors of every background to

34:53learn about a culture, a philosophy

34:56rooted in compassion, service, respect,

35:00inclusiveness and good karma. Hinduism

35:03is one of the world's large oldest

35:06living faith and its third largest Hindu

35:10largest religion. It is often described

35:12not simply as religion but as a way of

35:15life. One of that asks us to do good, to

35:18live with purpose, to respect different

35:20paths and to recognize the humanity in

35:23one another. Those values feel right at

35:26home in Jersey City because our greatest

35:29strength is our diversity. We are a city

35:32of many cultures, many faith, many

35:35traditions, and every one of those

35:37communities deserve to feel seen and

35:40celebrated. As we honor Hindu Heritage

35:42Month, I also look forward to

35:44celebrating many other cultures and

35:46faiths that make Jersey City what it is.

35:49These moments bring us closer together,

35:52and they should help us learn from one

35:54another, and they should remind us that

35:58our differences are not something to

36:00fear. They are what makes this city so

36:02special. And finally, I would like to

36:05invite everyone to celebrate Hindu

36:07Heritage Month uh with community

36:10leaders, Hindu elected officials from

36:12New Jersey to celebrate it right here at

36:15the city hall on October 23rd, 4:30 to

36:186. So, everybody is invited and thank

36:20you so much for listening to me.

36:22Namaste.

36:29And I would like to invite

36:32I would like to invite our community

36:33leaders to speak for a few minutes

36:36please

36:50before you speak if you can just raise

36:52the mic. It's I'm I'm right here. If you

36:54could just raise the mic up to you and

36:55just state and spell your name for our

36:57court reporter, please.

36:59Prain Sharma that is P as in Peter R A V

37:05E E N and last name is S H

37:10A R M A.

37:13>> Thank you.

37:19>> You may speak.

37:21>> Hello and namaste. By the way, namaste

37:25conveys

37:26respectful greetings from my soul to

37:29your soul.

37:32I'm here to talk about our Hindu

37:35Heritage Month movement.

37:39This is not a religious or ritualistic

37:42event but this is to celebrate and

37:46recognize Hindus positive social,

37:50economic, philosophical and cultural

37:53contributions to the local and global

37:56society.

37:59The HHM movement does not seek to target

38:04or exclude any religion or community.

38:09Everyone is welcomed to participate

38:12and observe our movement together.

38:17HHM October was chosen deliberately

38:21because it is a particularly significant

38:24period in the Hindu calendar

38:28encompassing

38:29several major festivals and observances.

38:34HHM provides a common umbrella under

38:38which temples, organizations,

38:42communities and individuals can

38:45celebrate in their own way while being

38:48part of the umbrella and broader shared

38:52observance.

38:54HHM has grown well beyond its beginnings

38:58in the United States and now is

39:01celebrated globally over in Norway, UK,

39:06Germany, South Africa, Nepal, Thailand,

39:10Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand

39:14making it genuinely a international

39:16Hindu community initiative over the last

39:19six years.

39:22Recognition in the United States has

39:26been extensive. In a typical year,

39:28approximately 25 states and 55 cities

39:33and municipalities issue proclamation

39:36recognizing October as Hindu Heritage

39:39Month. In several states

39:43including New Jersey, Virginia, Ohio,

39:46and Georgia, HHM

39:49has received permanent recognition,

39:53eliminating the need to seek a new

39:56proclamination each year.

39:59HHM movement is organized and managed by

40:04affiliated organizations

40:06and people connected and bonded by

40:10common cultural, religious, ritualistic

40:14and philosophical way of life.

40:17Additionally,

40:19the Hindu Heritage Month name, logo and

40:24associated materials have been formally

40:28protected intellectual property of Vish

40:31Hindu parish of America. Their relevant

40:34registration documentation can be

40:36provided separately. Any Sanatani Hindu

40:40organization

40:42or individual is welcome to participate

40:46in and celebrate Hindu Heritage Month

40:49under a common banner program and

40:53agenda.

40:54At the same time, VHPA remains the

40:58founder and steward of HHM and reserves

41:03all rights to its name, logo, identity

41:08and associated materials.

41:11This framework allows

41:13broad community participation while

41:16preserving the integrity, authenticity

41:20and community and continuity of the

41:23initiative.

41:25HHM is inclusive and communitywide but

41:29it is not a free for all. Everyone is

41:32invited and appreciated to journey

41:34together but hijacking of their vehicle

41:37is not acceptable.

41:40For example, anyone can participate and

41:43enjoy at events like Mardigrass, Burning

41:46Man, Lola Palooa or Coachella Valley

41:49Music and Arts Festival. But no

41:52unauthorized person, individual or

41:55organization can unilaterally

41:58elevate itself to be the organizer,

42:01manager, controller or the host of the

42:03event.

42:05But we are fortunate to live in a free

42:07democratic society and all of us are

42:10individually empowered to initiate any

42:16do good or constructive drive that does

42:20not infringe on any existing program and

42:24discourses.

42:25I will suggest that individuals or

42:28organizations

42:30aspiring to become influencers should

42:33create something novel, new and

42:36different on their own merits rather

42:40than copy and paste. May I recommend

42:43coming up with initiatives like Hindu

42:46phobia awareness month,

42:49learning Hindu ways of life or exploring

42:53Hindu civilizations STEM contributions.

42:57There are so many other exciting

43:00opportunities. We are eager to promote,

43:03help, assist and cooperate with

43:06motivated parties.

43:08And the last but not the least, I would

43:10like to invite you all to our 24th

43:15Navaratri Festival on Newark Avenue on

43:19October 16th, 17th, 23rd and 24th.

43:25Please participate,

43:27celebrate, dance and enjoy. Thank you.

43:48Done. Yeah.

43:51Okay. Sorry.

43:54Right. Moving right along.

43:57Right. Our next resolution 26-682.

44:01I believe I'm going to be turning that

44:03over to council person Ephro.

44:05>> That's right. Thank you. Um I spoke with

44:07the Riverview Neighborhood Association

44:09uh before. I'll present a slightly a

44:12bridged version of the resolution right

44:14now because I know we have a lot of

44:16business to take care of this evening.

44:18Um so thanks for understanding that. I

44:20won't read the entire thing in, but

44:22nonetheless, I am really proud to

44:24introduce a resolution of the city of

44:26Jersey City, County of Hudson, honoring

44:29the civic contributions of the Riverview

44:31Neighborhood Association for over 40

44:34years with posumous tribute to Doris

44:36Brown and Cliff Steinbring. Whereas on

44:39October 23rd, 1984, residents of the

44:42Heights met to form the Riverview

44:44Neighborhood Association, RNA, with

44:45goals to curb crime, prevent illegal

44:47dumping, promote public safety, monitor

44:50development, preserve and protect park

44:52space, and other activities to come uh

44:54to promote community involvement.

44:57Whereas throughout its more than 40 year

44:59history, the RNA has fulfilled its

45:01purpose for a better life in the

45:03Heights. Whereas RNA has improved its

45:05neighborhood and quality of life through

45:07numerous accomplishments. Whereas

45:09throughout its storied history, RNA has

45:11been blessed by great leaders including

45:13Veto Brunetti, Becky Hoffman, Kern

45:15Weissman, Roger Heightman, Jocelyn

45:18Patrick, Irene Bor Borgraber, Mariah

45:21Kinberg, Brennan Dan, and the late Maria

45:24Tuzo to whom the gazebo is dedicated,

45:26and the late Theodore and Ruth Conrad.

45:28And whereas by this resolution, the city

45:31would like to pay special posumous

45:32tribute to Cliff Steinbring and Doris

45:34Brown who are responsible for the Peep

45:36POD ordinance and the 100 steps

45:38projects. Now therefore, be it resolved

45:41that the city council of the city of

45:43Jersey City hereby honors and takes

45:45pride in bringing public attention to

45:47the Riverview Neighborhood Association

45:49that has championed for a better life in

45:52the Heights for over 40 years. Moreover,

45:55the city council pays further posumous

45:57tribute to Cliff Steinbring and Doris

45:59Brown for their many valued

46:00contributions to the Heights and the

46:02city itself.

46:06That's all.

46:14With that being said, council members

46:17taking a vote on resolution 26-682.

46:20Council person Brooks.

46:22>> Congratulations, RNI. RNA I vote I

46:28person Zupa.

46:29>> Our community associations are so

46:30important to what we do civically here

46:32in Jersey City uh through from the heist

46:35all the way to downtown. Uh thank you

46:37for what you do. Congratulations on your

46:40milestone. I am slightly jealous that

46:42you're not in W C but uh you know I'll

46:44adopt you as a neighbor uh and and so

46:47appreciative of your of all your work

46:49and Councilman Efro's further

46:50resolution. I

46:54Council Person Efos,

46:55>> I'll accept your jealousy, Councilman

46:57Zupa. Uh I am so so proud to not only

47:01have RNA in the ward that I get to

47:03represent on this city council, but to

47:04also uh be a member of RNA, to to be in

47:08the bounds of RNA. Brendan, you can let

47:09me know if my dues aren't up and uh can

47:12we can fix that as soon as possible.

47:13Okay. Um, but truly just the the

47:16community, the neighborhood, um, and all

47:18of Jersey City are are so so lucky to

47:22have the incredible organizers and

47:24leaders of the RNA, um, today and in all

47:27these years past. So, I already got to

47:29read the resolution in. I'll I'll save

47:32more for the party tomorrow night, but

47:34um, thank you all so so much for the

47:36work you do. It's an honor.

47:40>> Why vote Aishan? Yeah.

47:44What? I didn't hear it. Council person

47:46Little.

47:47>> Thank you, Sean.

47:50>> RNA has become such an important part of

47:53the DNA of Jersey City advocacy. Um,

47:59it is such it is such a pleasure to

48:01celebrate with you tonight. I'm looking

48:02forward to celebrating with you

48:03tomorrow, too. And um you know, like the

48:07resolution said, this organization has

48:09produced so many great leaders and great

48:11community advocates, many of whom I'm

48:13proud to call friends. And um I'm just

48:16so happy that you are celebrating 40

48:19years. And here's to the next 40.

48:25>> I vote I

48:29almost caught you.

48:31Council person sing.

48:34I started my relationship with RNA over

48:3710 years ago and I have to say that I've

48:40learned so much through the community

48:42connected so many wonderful people only

48:45promise I could not fulfill was I

48:49promised Karna that I'll cook Indian

48:51food one day and over 10 years still

48:55working on it. So I vote I and uh thank

48:59you for the work you have done.

49:01Beautiful community you have created in

49:03Heights. Thank you and I vote I

49:09>> council person Griffin

49:17Riverview is is a great organization. We

49:20actually um down on Monaceel we took

49:23some um some cues from them. uh during

49:27our advoc advocacy. Um and we also love

49:31the fact that uh Riverview Jazz plays at

49:34Moors Lounge. Um so a lot of great

49:37things just comes out of River out of uh

49:39Riverview

49:41uh because of the 40 years that the the

49:43neighborhood has built that community.

49:46So I vote I.

49:51>> Council Person Lavaro. I just want to

49:54say thank you to um all the members and

49:56leaders of the RNA. Um I'm the oldest

50:01member of this city council and uh going

50:04back over a decade and I've seen your

50:06impact um in the Heights uh and it's uh

50:12it's truly tremendous to the quality of

50:14life that you've created for the

50:16residents there. and I hope uh everybody

50:18who lives in those neighborhoods will uh

50:20truly appreciates uh the tireless work

50:23that you've put in. Um the last thing

50:25I'll just add is uh I think you have the

50:28best farmers market in the entire city.

50:30That probably doesn't win me any uh

50:32points in other parts of the city, but

50:34uh I love it and uh I'm happy to vote I.

50:42and Council President Ridley.

50:44>> Uh, I vote I and I, as my colleagues, I

50:48want to thank you for your advocacy. It

50:50is important and you all are an example

50:53of what happens when our residents use

50:56their voices and when they uh put their

50:58hands together to make their

51:00neighborhood better. I also agree with

51:02Councilman Lavaro that there is a

51:05wonderful farmers market. Uh but uh it's

51:09it is empowering to see residents really

51:13uh take ownership of their neighborhoods

51:15and we need more of that. So I vote I

51:18congratulations.

51:21>> City resolution 26-682

51:24is approved 80 with council person

51:27Gilmore absent. Congratulations,

51:36>> Brendon. Please come.

51:40>> Hey, before you start speaking, if you

51:42don't mind, if you can just spell your

51:43name for our court state and spell your

51:45name for our court reporter.

51:47>> Sure. Brendan Duhan. B R E N D an last

51:51name Duhan. D O O H A N.

51:55>> Thank you so much.

51:56>> Thank you. Good evening, council

51:58president, members of city council, and

52:00my fellow residents of Jersey City. My

52:02name is Brendan Duhan. I'm the current

52:04president of the RNA. On behalf of our

52:07board, our members, and generations of

52:09devoted volunteers, I want to thank the

52:11city council for this resolution

52:13honoring the organization's more than 40

52:15years of service to Jersey City Heights.

52:17Specifically want to thank Councilman

52:19Ephro and our board member Kate Donnelly

52:21for helping us draft and plan this

52:23event. Uh who are we? Founded in 1983,

52:28the RNA is one of the oldest continually

52:30active neighborhood associations in

52:33Jersey City. Primarily serving the

52:35eastern portion of the Heights, the RNA

52:37actively partners with neighbors, local

52:40government, and local organizations to

52:42improve the quality of life in the

52:43Heights. Our motto is simple, and it's

52:46our mission. It's for a better life in

52:48the Heights. Um, these 43 years really,

52:52it's a mountain of people and effort. Uh

52:55I really want to thank the founders. We

52:56have one of the founders here, Veto

52:58Brunetti. Um

53:04he along with Maria Tuzi uh Tuza, Ted

53:07Conrad, Randy Stanford, um and Doris

53:11Brown and many many others really

53:12started out as a group of angry

53:15residents. They were fed up with crime,

53:17the the development, and just the way

53:19things were going back in the 80s. And

53:21they did what Council President Ridley

53:23said. When you get together and you work

53:25hard and you get your hands dirty

53:27together and you say we're going to make

53:29things better, it's amazing what change

53:31can come. With us, we have former RNA

53:34presidents Becky Hoffman, Kern Weissman,

53:37Mo Kinberg, uh, and many others who have

53:40been president before, including Brian

53:42Rans, Irene Bourneber, uh, and Joselyn

53:45Patrick, who couldn't be here. Also want

53:48to thank our board members who are here.

53:50Uh Alice Bell Black and Kate Donnelly.

53:54In 43 years, we've accomplished quite a

53:56lot. Uh one thing small but big, we got

54:00the 123 bus to change its route so more

54:03folks could commute to the city for

54:04work. Under Becky Hoffman's leadership,

54:07we helped to get the 100 steps rebuilt.

54:10So that connects parts of Jersey City

54:11Heights back to Jersey City Heights and

54:13also to Hoboken.

54:15Um, a big part of our work is

54:18stewardship of parks. We're the official

54:20stewards of Riverview Fisk Park, Hope

54:22Garden, Ogden Zen, and Janet Moore Park.

54:26I want to highlight in 2014, the RNA

54:28established Ogden Zen community garden.

54:31It was an abandoned lot which was in uh

54:34Toxic Avenger the movie if you look it

54:36up, but now it's a fully functional

54:38green space with a community garden and

54:40it's thriving today. Uh in two weekends,

54:42October 17th, we'll have our annual

54:44Pepper Palooa uh fundraiser. And like

54:47Councilwoman Singh mentioned, Kern is

54:50obsessed with peppers and spicy things.

54:52So, please stop on by for that. Um

54:54beyond environmental stewardship, RNA

54:57has served as a vital hub for local

54:59culture. Located within a thriving arts

55:02community, the RNA brings accessible

55:04public programming directly into our

55:06parks. Most recently, we facilitated

55:09printmaking and drawing workshops for

55:10children in the community.

55:13Um, through initiatives like the free

55:14summer music series, the annual pet

55:17Halloween costume contest, and

55:19collaborative events like the drag me to

55:21the garden event, the RNA has created

55:23inclusive, multigenerational events

55:26where diversity, creativity, and

55:28neighborliness are celebrated together.

55:31But we're a thriving, active

55:32organization. So, we're continuing to

55:35advocate for stewardship of the parks.

55:37We continue to advocate for voter

55:38awareness and participation. We

55:41regularly co-host candidate forums for

55:43local, county, and state elections.

55:46We're doing one for the board of ed this

55:47year as well. We continue to advocate

55:49for responsible and sustainable

55:51development in our neighborhood.

55:53Somebody mentioned before the peepod

55:54overlay. So, we are continuing to

55:56advocate for the maintenance of the

55:57peepod overlay in the Heights to make

55:59sure it's responsible and um sustainable

56:02development there. What started as a

56:05small gathering of frustrated neighbors

56:07in 1983 has become a foundational pillar

56:10of Jersey City Heights today. RNA's

56:13history is proof that a united community

56:15can accomplish great things together. We

56:18look forward to keeping our neighborhood

56:20vibrant and our community connected.

56:22Thank you to everyone past and present

56:24who has given their time, energy, and

56:26heart to make the Riverview Neighborhood

56:28Association and the Heights what it is

56:30today. Thank you.

56:39If you can just

56:40>> Bernetti Vi T O B R U N E TI

56:44>> I haven't been in front of this podium

56:47for over 30 years. I am one of the

56:50originators of the Riverview

56:52Neighborhood Association November of

56:541983.

56:56many of the traditions that we started,

56:59monthly meetings, monthly newsletters,

57:03uh, a small flea market, and all of the

57:07other activities that have come

57:08subsequently.

57:10I want to thank two people who are no

57:13longer with us. Ted Conrad, who was our

57:16advisor and our historian, who has a

57:21legend and a fame far beyond Riverview,

57:25and Maria Tuzo, who was relentless in

57:29protecting and making sure that RNA had

57:32coffee and donuts every month. They're

57:35both memorialized at Riverview Fisk

57:38Park. Ted has a cornerstone in the

57:41circle in the center. Maria has the new

57:46pavilion named in honor of her. So, I

57:49just wanted to say I wanted to thank you

57:52for the people that are not here. I

57:55think they're looking down on us and

57:57they're smiling. When we started this

58:00group, unfortunately, it was the same

58:02issues of city services,

58:06crime, development, zoning,

58:10and we would come up here and the city

58:13council at that time, where are you

58:15from? What part of the city? They didn't

58:18understand who we were or that we were a

58:21part of their city. So again, for all

58:24the people that have started the group,

58:2720 to 30 people, Palisad and Ogden

58:30Avenue, we wanted to work to preserve

58:33and improve the neighborhood. Thank you.

58:44All right.

58:46Before we get on to our second reading

58:49ordinance, I just wanted to go over the

58:53items with the business administrator

58:55that we will the resolutions that we're

58:59going to be withdrawing tonight.

59:02um if we can just go through them so all

59:04the members of the public that are here

59:06and watching at home understand we won't

59:08be taking a vote on some of those items.

59:10So I'm going to turn it over to our

59:12business administrator.

59:14>> Okay. Good evening. Um so I'll start

59:18with uh resolution agenda item 10.5 and

59:2310.6 related to the tax sale. Um we

59:26heard a lot of questions from the uh

59:29council members on Monday. We tried our

59:31best to answer as many of those

59:32questions, but it sounds like there may

59:34be more questions. So, we'd like to

59:36withdraw for this council meeting and

59:39put it back on for the next council

59:41meeting to give us uh two weeks to

59:44answer all the questions you might have.

59:46Um so, those two are being withdrawn uh

59:49for this council meeting.

59:55I believe um this

59:58second reading of the one of the

1:00:01ordinances is being um tabled. So the

1:00:04resolution that goes along with it

1:00:06should also be um withdrawn that's

1:00:1010.15.

1:00:15Um and then there is a series of uh

1:00:19resolutions related to a discharge of

1:00:21mortgage. So agenda item 10.2 20 10.21

1:00:2710.22

1:00:2910.23 and 10.24.

1:00:32Um those series of uh lots were there

1:00:37were some questions raised about 955. So

1:00:40we are going to um withdraw those while

1:00:42we're discussing um those lots.

1:00:47>> Sean, I have a point of have a question

1:00:49for the VA.

1:00:51>> Sure. Um

1:00:54it's related to it was related to some

1:00:55of those ordinances. Uh but there there

1:00:57are some items here resolutions I hear

1:01:00regarding our city's finances. So I just

1:01:02wanted to ask uh if the state got back

1:01:05to us about what police or public safety

1:01:08promotions that they're they're okaying

1:01:10and the cost to the city on that.

1:01:13>> Um we are still answering questions. So

1:01:16there has not been a final determination

1:01:18yet.

1:01:18>> Okay. Did the administration put in for

1:01:20promotion requests? This is going to

1:01:23cash flow concern that that

1:01:24>> Yes, we shared our plans.

1:01:26>> Okay. And and how many promotions did we

1:01:28request?

1:01:29>> I don't have that information in front

1:01:30of me right now, but we can

1:01:33>> Thank you.

1:01:34>> share that afterwards. Um Okay. So, I

1:01:37think we

1:01:39there are also two other resolutions um

1:01:42related to the women's advisory board.

1:01:45Uh two members that are no longer part

1:01:47of the board. So, we're there's no need

1:01:49to reappoint them. Agenda item 10.59

1:01:53and agenda item 10.61.

1:01:55>> That's 59 and 61. Correct.

1:01:58>> Correct.

1:01:59>> Okay.

1:02:01Thank you very much.

1:02:13Sorry, I was still on the resolution. So

1:02:16um uh there are just a few additional

1:02:21details we are looking to sort out um on

1:02:25uh ordinance 4.1 um agenda item 4.1

1:02:29rather um I would like to make a motion

1:02:31to table u without public comment and we

1:02:34would bring it back as a first reading

1:02:36next meeting.

1:02:38So item 4.1, city ordinance 26-079.

1:02:42It's an ordinance of the municipal

1:02:44council of the city of Jersey City

1:02:45adopting an amendment to the powerhouse

1:02:47arts district redevelopment plan. We

1:02:49have a motion to table city ordinance

1:02:5226-079

1:02:54prior to conducting a public hearing

1:02:56made by council person Little.

1:02:59>> Second. and seconded by council

1:03:01president Ridley

1:03:05on a motion to table city ordinance

1:03:0626-079

1:03:08prior to conducting a public hearing.

1:03:10Council person Brooks

1:03:12>> I.

1:03:12>> Council person Zupa.

1:03:14>> Hi.

1:03:14>> Council person Ephro.

1:03:16>> I.

1:03:16>> Council person Little.

1:03:18>> Hi. And I want to be clear that um this

1:03:21is this is not an intent to kill the

1:03:23project. We very much do want to see a

1:03:25project move forward here. Um there's

1:03:27just a few tweaks we need to make.

1:03:29Thank you. Council person Sing.

1:03:32>> I.

1:03:33>> Council person Griffin.

1:03:34>> Hi.

1:03:35>> Council person Lavaro.

1:03:37>> Hi.

1:03:38>> And council president Ridley.

1:03:40>> I.

1:03:41>> Motion carries 80 with council person

1:03:44Gilmore absent to table city ordinance

1:03:4626-079

1:03:48prior to conducting a public hearing.

1:03:54So, with that being said,

1:03:59our next item on the agenda is the

1:04:01public hearing on the 2026-2027

1:04:05Exchange Place Alliance and Special

1:04:07Improvement District Assessment Role and

1:04:09Budget.

1:04:13>> Yeah. So, uh, Corporation Council, can

1:04:16we just, um, revisit because I know we

1:04:19said that we were going to table this at

1:04:20the caucus. So just for clarity for the

1:04:23public, um can we just confirm what was

1:04:26cleared up?

1:04:28>> Council President, there has been a

1:04:30legal development uh as an update to our

1:04:34interaction and our quality about this

1:04:36at caucus. I informed you at caucus that

1:04:39over the summer there was a judicial

1:04:41opinion that invalidated an ordinance

1:04:44from 2005 that expanded the SID

1:04:47boundaries. Within the past 36 hours,

1:04:50that judge reconsidered that opinion and

1:04:53reversed it. And so, currently, the 2025

1:04:56ordinance stands and the expanded

1:04:58boundaries are valid. And so, the two

1:05:00items that are currently on the agenda

1:05:03reflect correct special assessments and

1:05:06budgets. So, it is conceivable, it would

1:05:08be lawful for those resolutions to move

1:05:10forward if council would like to. If

1:05:12given what we shared at caucus and how

1:05:15quickly this has materialized, council

1:05:17would like to put this off for two

1:05:19weeks. I'll defer to the administration

1:05:21on whether there would be any problem

1:05:22with doing so.

1:05:26Sorry, I I know just from um being a

1:05:30part of creating an SID usually when

1:05:33boundaries if something like that

1:05:35happens I mean do they have proof of a

1:05:39of of

1:05:41the people outside well outside the

1:05:44boundaries that they voted

1:05:47for the SID whether it be yes or no any

1:05:51vote from the

1:05:53from the assessed property No,

1:05:55>> I don't know the answer to that council

1:05:56person. I'll defer to the BA if she has

1:05:58knowledge, but I don't.

1:05:59>> And Okay. And just one more question.

1:06:02Um,

1:06:04are the

1:06:06people the businesses outside the

1:06:09boundaries

1:06:11saying that they're not a part of the

1:06:13SID?

1:06:15The lawsuit was brought by a property

1:06:17within the expanded boundary challenging

1:06:20that expansion essentially asking

1:06:22whether or not they should be subject.

1:06:24The properties that are currently

1:06:26reflected in the resolution that's on

1:06:27the agenda tonight includes all of the

1:06:29boundaries all of the properties rather

1:06:31within that expanded area

1:06:34including the plaintiff in the

1:06:35litigation that we discussed on Monday.

1:06:37>> Okay.

1:06:40I'll just share this is anecdotal but

1:06:43one person was here prior to the council

1:06:46meeting starting. He asked me I'm here

1:06:49to speak on the the assessment um and

1:06:54wanted to know if that was still on the

1:06:56agenda. I informed him because it was my

1:06:58understanding until just now it was not

1:06:59on the agenda. So he said okay I'll I'll

1:07:01come back for the when it actually does

1:07:03come on. I don't know how representative

1:07:05that is of people who wanted to come and

1:07:08speak but who you know heard at council

1:07:10caucus that this would be tabled. Um but

1:07:12I just want to put that out there that

1:07:14there may be members of the public who

1:07:16expected this to be tabled and if it's

1:07:18going to stay on tonight that might be a

1:07:20problem in terms of welcoming public

1:07:21speakers.

1:07:24So, I I'll just go on the record and

1:07:26state that the notice um of this public

1:07:31hearing was sent to every property owner

1:07:33that's affected in the special

1:07:36improvement district. And when they did

1:07:38the expansion back in 200

1:07:42um

1:07:45five um when they did the 15 15 2015,

1:07:49right?

1:07:51Whenever they did it. I'm sorry. I'm I'm

1:07:53I'm lost there.

1:07:54>> But when they did the ordinance to

1:07:56expand the SID, all the properties um

1:08:00listed in the expansion plus the

1:08:02surrounding properties were notified

1:08:05within a 200t radius uh by certified

1:08:08bail. So to answer your question,

1:08:10Council Person Griffin, um they actually

1:08:13were notified and they were notified of

1:08:16the public hearing of the ordinance. Um

1:08:18I can't remember how many speakers we

1:08:20had on the ordinance, but uh that was

1:08:23done correctly and properly.

1:08:26>> So, okay. So Sean, do we do we have um

1:08:30Well, I I was just asking if they had a

1:08:32like basically if the SID had a meeting,

1:08:34had all the the the

1:08:37uh property owners present and they

1:08:41their vote. I'm not talking about our

1:08:43vote, but is there any way um that we

1:08:46can get a a copy of those letters that

1:08:49were sent out, just the one uh or the

1:08:52ones um for uh the property owners who

1:08:57are saying they're not in uh within the

1:09:00boundaries.

1:09:01>> I can provide you with a with a copy of

1:09:03the letter that was sent out and copy of

1:09:06the letter that was sent out regarding

1:09:08this public hearing as well.

1:09:10>> Thank you. No problem. Okay.

1:09:12>> And I would like to mark Council Person

1:09:14Gilmore present at 7:18

1:09:17p.m. So, we now have all nine council

1:09:19members present.

1:09:20>> Thank you for joining us, Council.

1:09:24>> Uh, BA Choy, in light of um what

1:09:29Councilman Efos has shared and there

1:09:31being speakers here tonight who thought

1:09:32it was tabled and the council telling

1:09:34people it was tabled. Um, does the

1:09:38>> administrator to administrator and put

1:09:42it back for the next council meeting.

1:09:44>> Okay.

1:09:46>> So, just so you know, in order to do

1:09:49that, we have to send out notices to

1:09:51every property owner in that uh SID in

1:09:56order to get that done. And I don't know

1:09:58if by the next meeting that's going to

1:10:00be able to be done because we have to do

1:10:02it by certified mail.

1:10:04>> And we did that for this meeting.

1:10:07>> Yes. But there was there was 28 days

1:10:10from introduction to

1:10:14holding the public hearing and final

1:10:16adoption of their assessment and budget

1:10:19>> for tonight.

1:10:19>> Gotcha.

1:10:23>> I just wanted to put it on the record

1:10:24because there there is a lot of work

1:10:26involved at the same time. I understand

1:10:28what was said at the caucus and I'm

1:10:30sorry I wasn't at the caucus, but um I

1:10:32do believe lawfully we can move forward,

1:10:36but I don't have a horse in the race.

1:10:38Whatever the council chooses to do, I am

1:10:40willing to do it. I just don't want to

1:10:42misspeak and say it's going to be on the

1:10:44next meeting because I don't see that

1:10:45happening. It'll probably be on the

1:10:47first meeting in November if we choose

1:10:50to table it.

1:10:51>> Okay. And with that, does that um if the

1:10:55administration can answer or if Sean can

1:10:57answer, does that uh put I guess that

1:11:00SID at any jeopardy with their

1:11:04role and budget?

1:11:11I believe it's already very late for

1:11:13that um to get their budget approved.

1:11:16So,

1:11:16>> okay.

1:11:17>> As soon as we can.

1:11:21Okay. All right. Well, Councilman, you'd

1:11:24like to wait, right?

1:11:28>> I I understand it it might be a small

1:11:31group um that was intending to speak or

1:11:34not, but I some something just feels

1:11:36wrong about announcing publicly at

1:11:38council caucus that this would be

1:11:39removed from the agenda and then having

1:11:42it come and stay uh and the only notice

1:11:46be tonight right at council meetings. So

1:11:48something just strikes me as as wrong

1:11:49that I I think we should I I don't want

1:11:52to get this wrong. Withdraw carry table.

1:11:55Sean,

1:11:56>> it it you would withdraw it because

1:11:59you're withdrawing. If you withdraw the

1:12:01two resolutions, there's no need to have

1:12:03a public hearing.

1:12:06>> Motion.

1:12:06>> I would motion to withdraw.

1:12:09>> Second.

1:12:16Unless there's a member of this SID here

1:12:18that wants to speak to the absolute

1:12:21urgency of this getting done happening

1:12:24tonight.

1:12:25>> I I don't think we have representation

1:12:28from no

1:12:29>> the SID.

1:12:30>> Okay.

1:12:31>> As I think they were under the same

1:12:33impression

1:12:34>> of the caucus

1:12:36>> to withdraw.

1:12:37>> So

1:12:38>> second.

1:12:40>> Wait a minute. I already have a second.

1:12:42Sorry.

1:12:44But let me um

1:12:45>> slow down. Slow down.

1:12:48>> So we're going to motion to withdraw

1:12:51items

1:12:5410.17

1:12:56and 18. Correct.

1:13:02>> Just make sure.

1:13:03>> Yes. That's right.

1:13:06>> Thank you.

1:13:10And the motion was made by council

1:13:12person Ephro

1:13:16and I believe the second the first

1:13:18second was made by council person

1:13:19Griffin

1:13:24on the motion to withdraw items

1:13:2710.17 and 18 from the agenda. Council

1:13:29person Brooks

1:13:33uh

1:13:38abstain.

1:13:41>> Council person Zupa.

1:13:43>> I I think if a resident came to speak to

1:13:45this council and was told information

1:13:47that was accurate at the time, uh we

1:13:50should we should honor that. And so I

1:13:52vote I.

1:13:54>> God bless. Council person Efos.

1:13:56>> I council person Little.

1:13:59>> I.

1:14:00>> Council person Gilmore.

1:14:02>> Hi.

1:14:04>> Council person Singh. Hi,

1:14:06>> Council Person Griffin.

1:14:07>> Hi,

1:14:08>> Council Person Lavaro.

1:14:10>> I

1:14:11>> and Council President Ridley.

1:14:13>> Hi.

1:14:15>> Motion carries.

1:14:16>> Sean, I'll I'll call back seas. I want

1:14:18to I want to uh vote. I

1:14:22>> You let me do it once before.

1:14:24>> Yeah.

1:14:24>> I hope I'm not out of order.

1:14:26>> It is your prerogative, Cal.

1:14:28>> Thank you, Madam President.

1:14:29>> And I didn't recap the vote until you

1:14:31actually interrupted me. So you're now

1:14:34voting I correct.

1:14:37>> Correct.

1:14:39>> Motion carries unanimously 90 to

1:14:42withdraw items 10.17 and 18 from the

1:14:45agenda which also means there will be no

1:14:48public hearing on the 2026 2027 Exchange

1:14:52Place Alliance Special Improvement

1:14:53District Assessment RO and budget.

1:15:00All right.

1:15:04With that being said, we're moving on to

1:15:06our public request for a hearing. Before

1:15:10we do that though, let me just catch up

1:15:13Council Person

1:15:17Gilmore on his vote on the first reading

1:15:20ordinances items 3.1 through 3.5

1:15:25for introduction.

1:15:28Just make sure your mic. Yep, there you

1:15:30go.

1:15:32That being said, items 3.1 through 3.5

1:15:36are now introduced unanimously 90.

1:15:40We also deferred to

1:15:44resolutions 10.1265

1:15:47and 67.

1:15:51We're going to do them in order. Uh

1:15:53that's 26-627

1:15:57>> I. First one

1:15:59>> I

1:15:59>> Okay, that was Amando Roman. So now that

1:16:04resolution is approved unanimously. 90.

1:16:10Next one was 26 680 Hindu Heritage

1:16:14Month.

1:16:16>> I that is now approved

1:16:21unanimously 90.

1:16:26And last but not least, the Riverview

1:16:29Neighborhood Alliance, 40 years in

1:16:32existence

1:16:3526-682.

1:16:39>> I that is now also approved unanimously.

1:16:4390.

1:16:45So you are now all caught up. Council

1:16:47person Gilmore.

1:16:49>> Thank you.

1:16:50>> Of course. All right. So, the public

1:16:52hearing this, excuse me, public request

1:16:56for a hearing is now here. I'm going to

1:16:59be calling the number and the first name

1:17:00of the individuals. So, please pay pay

1:17:03close attention to your agenda. And

1:17:06everyone watching at home. And if you're

1:17:09nearing the call, just make sure you

1:17:11make your way up to um the podium, just

1:17:14let me get the camera set for Leverne,

1:17:17who is first.

1:17:20All right, Leverne. 5.1. Lever.

1:17:24>> Listen.

1:17:25Uh, Councilman Gilmore, Council

1:17:28President, Councilman Labara, you three

1:17:32people been on this council for uh some

1:17:35time now. I need your support. I need

1:17:39your help.

1:17:41What I found out, I'm very disappointed

1:17:44with this city that we allow developers

1:17:48to come in and take over Jersey City

1:17:52Housing Authority.

1:17:54I got a call from a lady that lives in

1:17:58Duncan. Half of Duncan is Duncan. The

1:18:01other half is belong to another

1:18:04association. Her rent is $3,000.

1:18:08Public housing wasn't built for that. We

1:18:11here to help people. Lafayette Gardens,

1:18:15they did that. We tore down brick and

1:18:17water and put garbage back there. In

1:18:21Montgomery Gardens, you got stack

1:18:23houses. People can hear somebody

1:18:25walking. Not jumping, walking. We allow

1:18:27these people to come into my city and

1:18:32put garbage here. People ain't got

1:18:35nowhere to stay. calling me think I work

1:18:38here about the rent about the housing

1:18:42what they going through and we sit here

1:18:45and argue and fight over these debate

1:18:48these debatements with big developers

1:18:51that's why I do what I do helping

1:18:54housing like the web building the Lena

1:18:57Edwards building the Fred Martin

1:19:00building and stuff like that even the

1:19:02risk is being going up in the Lena

1:19:04Edward building people paying six time

1:19:07they talking about paying 2,000.

1:19:11We got to do better than what we doing.

1:19:13You got six other new council people up

1:19:16there. We need to sit down and go back.

1:19:19You all got to find out what's going on

1:19:21in this city

1:19:24cuz what's going on in our community is

1:19:26not right. You don't I talked to the

1:19:30former mayor about Montgomery Gardens. I

1:19:33didn't know when he was explaining to me

1:19:35a few years back when I said don't tear

1:19:37no one of them big nice brick buildings

1:19:39down let's renovate them

1:19:42he said that's up to the developers

1:19:44that's doing the contract but I'm

1:19:45thinking the developers doing the

1:19:47contract for the city that we ain't done

1:19:49gave him our buildings and our property

1:19:52what's wrong with us

1:19:55we took down brick and water

1:19:59them housing they put back up there is

1:20:02garbage

1:20:05Lassiad Gardens B is the only good

1:20:09building that they ain't take down 16th

1:20:11Street. They need to leave these brick

1:20:13buildings that's still standing. They

1:20:16need to leave them up there for these

1:20:17people to live up there by Dickton them

1:20:20apartments them by Dickton and by 16th

1:20:25Street.

1:20:26>> Thank you Lever.

1:20:27>> Not tonight.

1:20:28>> Lever. Lever. We have a lot of speakers.

1:20:31Lever.

1:20:32>> Lever, you have to

1:20:35got to have somewhere. Miss Lever, your

1:20:37time is up.

1:20:38>> No, I'm sorry. I apologize.

1:20:41>> Okay, we got we got to keep it fair for

1:20:44everybody.

1:20:44>> Next speaker, 5.2, Brendan.

1:20:59Okay, Miss Leverne, we'll send somebody

1:21:01to talk to you on the side

1:21:05Brendan.

1:21:15Okay, let's get started. Good evening,

1:21:19council. A claim has to be filed on time

1:21:21and the rule is the same for every

1:21:23Brandon. Brandon, hold on. Got to bring

1:21:25your mic up. Sure. Thanks, D.

1:21:28Whoops.

1:21:33>> Good evening. I live at

1:21:35>> All right. We're going to ask that the

1:21:36I'm sorry, Brendan. Ask that the back

1:21:38conversations quiet down. Let's be

1:21:40respectful of the speakers.

1:21:48>> Okay. Good evening. I live at Portide

1:21:50Towers. Tonight, I'm taking a break from

1:21:52talking about rent control and ranting

1:21:54about bike lanes to talk about tax

1:21:56refunds and broken sidewalks, things we

1:21:59have, both of which we have a lot in

1:22:01this city. So,

1:22:05say you overpay your New Jersey taxes.

1:22:07>> I'm sorry. Can you please adjust the

1:22:09speaker?

1:22:10>> I'm sorry.

1:22:10>> Thank you.

1:22:11>> Say you overpay your New Jersey state

1:22:13taxes. You have the pay stubs and the

1:22:15bank records. The state really does owe

1:22:17you money. State law gives you four

1:22:19years from the date of your payment to

1:22:21reclaim it to reclaim the money it owes

1:22:24you

1:22:25to pay to file the claim to get the

1:22:27refund. If you file in year five, you

1:22:28don't get you don't get Sorry. You

1:22:31don't get you get zilch even though you

1:22:33can prove every dollar. Say you trip on

1:22:36a broken city sidewalk and get hurt. You

1:22:38have the photos, the doctor's bills.

1:22:40State law gives you 90 days to file a

1:22:42claim with the city. If you file too

1:22:44late, the state says you're forever

1:22:46barred. you get silch from recovering.

1:22:48Some benefits don't exist at all until

1:22:50someone files for them. A veteran in

1:22:53Jersey City gets a property tax

1:22:54deduction only after filing a ring claim

1:22:57with the city. Nobody in this room calls

1:23:00those rules unfair because they apply to

1:23:02every taxpayer, every resident in the

1:23:04same way. Builders know this, too. A

1:23:07contractor who isn't paid has 90 days

1:23:10after last day of their work to file a

1:23:12workman's claim on the building. Some of

1:23:15some of the breaks the law gives

1:23:16builders work the same way. To get a

1:23:18break, the builder has to file a written

1:23:20claim on time with the right city

1:23:22office. When this council writes or

1:23:24changes an exemption to city code, we

1:23:26ask you to build in the same two things.

1:23:29The state builds in its own laws a

1:23:31deadline for the owner to file a ring

1:23:33claim and a and a date when the

1:23:35opportunity ends. Basically recognize

1:23:38how it works in the state of New Jersey

1:23:40for all file claims.

1:23:43Normally laws need to stay consistent

1:23:44and not change out from under you.

1:23:47Normally laws are applied evenly no

1:23:49matter who or what you are, person,

1:23:51company, entity, whatever. Please adopt

1:23:54a resolution making that the city that

1:23:57the council standing rule for every

1:23:59exemption the city considers. Thank you

1:24:01very much for your time.

1:24:08Our next speaker

1:24:105.3 Cynthia

1:24:13I don't think I seen Cynthia.

1:24:175.4 Edward.

1:24:22Edward is here.

1:24:25Good evening. A few things. Uh

1:24:31so there are a couple people down here

1:24:33tonight that would like to address the

1:24:35council on the recent shootings that

1:24:37have been happening in Jersey City. And

1:24:40um I would like to just say a few things

1:24:42about them too. Uh we don't even hear

1:24:47enough about the shootings. It's like

1:24:51it's not even reported. We don't even

1:24:56there's

1:24:58there's like no public city newspaper.

1:25:02We have people running their own

1:25:03businesses, you know, and um we don't

1:25:06even hear enough about the shootings.

1:25:09And then aside from that, we need a

1:25:12plan, a real public safety plan to help

1:25:14curb the gun violence in our city. And I

1:25:19want to let you know that Governor

1:25:20Murphy, you all may be aware,

1:25:23committed state dollars to the hardest

1:25:26hit municipalities across New Jersey,

1:25:28some of them, where they were going to

1:25:31give dollars to nonprofits

1:25:34and help, okay? Give those dollars to

1:25:37help build resources in the community to

1:25:40so-called credible messengers, people

1:25:43that are well known in our community and

1:25:46better known. Okay? better. No, this is

1:25:49a

1:25:52reactive strategy, but a progressive

1:25:54strategy and one that's radical.

1:25:58I think that's what we need from you. We

1:26:00need uh radical

1:26:03commitment, a radical vision

1:26:07to help curbing the gun violence here.

1:26:10We're not safe all times of the day.

1:26:15At any time of the day. And that should

1:26:17go first.

1:26:18That should go first. And I just want to

1:26:21say that I was surprised to hear that

1:26:23the city on resolution 3.4 with all the

1:26:26talk on the our uh public safety

1:26:29training facility and the renaming of

1:26:31the facility. I do want to say on record

1:26:35how we got to the deescalation training

1:26:38center was through a hard tragic death.

1:26:43and Mayor Fulip stood in front of

1:26:44cameras and in front of the world and

1:26:46said, "We have a pre imminent, we have a

1:26:50first class state-of-the-art

1:26:52deescalation training center." us.

1:26:55>> And I want to just refocus our energies

1:27:00on that commitment to make sure that we

1:27:05actually have a deescalation center to

1:27:08make sure that the police are engaged

1:27:12and deescalation tactics and also that

1:27:15the community is informed and also

1:27:18engaged. That was part of the new

1:27:20vision, the new mission and the

1:27:22commitment. The mayor himself even

1:27:24promised it. I thank you.

1:27:27>> Thank you.

1:27:31>> Our next speaker, 5.5, Tina.

1:27:41>> Hi. Yes, my name is Tina NoS. And yes, I

1:27:44do work for Education of Gearmore, but

1:27:46I'm speaking upon myself. Justice for

1:27:48Drew.

1:27:50Justice for Drew.

1:27:53I'd like to take a moment of silence for

1:27:55um Miss Sandra Connham. We just lost

1:27:59her, so she was definitely in our

1:28:01community.

1:28:07Okay, we need more support in our

1:28:10community from everyone. Um me and Chief

1:28:13Staff Africa had went to Atlanta City

1:28:14for the training. I had went from

1:28:16housing and um we was actually able to

1:28:18speak to DCA about homeless and how the

1:28:22nonprofits who do supposed to have the

1:28:24money is not actually doing the footwork

1:28:27in the community. I believe we should

1:28:28all have a meeting with them because I

1:28:30really want to know what's going on for

1:28:32them not having so much money to bring

1:28:35back to the community. Every time you

1:28:36call, they always say they don't they

1:28:38don't have no money and that lead back

1:28:39to us and they are the organization that

1:28:42supposed to have the money to make sure

1:28:44we are able to secure our community from

1:28:48homeless. We also have been getting

1:28:50phone calls from Atlanta, Georgia. As

1:28:52you noted, it had been a lot of vict um

1:28:54eviction have been going on down there.

1:28:56So, they actually have been reaching up

1:28:58here to see that if we have any

1:29:00information that was going on. We also

1:29:03have been getting phone calls about the

1:29:05shooting that have been happening at

1:29:07Lincoln High School. I just wanted to

1:29:09say I don't understand why it's still

1:29:10going on because we have corn we have

1:29:12cameras on each corners.

1:29:18The part to get me we have them on the

1:29:20corner. you don't have no one watching

1:29:22them because reality if you had someone

1:29:24watching them we can stop that because

1:29:27someone would see it on the on the

1:29:29cameras that someone is about to run up

1:29:30on someone and we can report it right

1:29:32away. That's exactly what a couple of

1:29:34communities have. They have the cameras

1:29:37so someone can watch so they can protect

1:29:38our community. I just don't understand

1:29:40what we doing. It seemed like we keep

1:29:42going backwards and backwards and

1:29:44backwards. We should not be talking

1:29:45about homeless. We should not be talking

1:29:47about mental. We should not be talking

1:29:48about guns um violence, but we should be

1:29:52talking about storm ready if something

1:29:54happened to our community. We don't see

1:29:55no papers about storm ready. We don't

1:29:57see no papers about um uh um getting out

1:30:00our community. We don't see nothing

1:30:02about the our community is freezing for

1:30:04the for this winter and we already 15%

1:30:07and everything is going to be people

1:30:09going to be losing their apartment.

1:30:10People is going to be losing their house

1:30:11and we still haven't seen none or

1:30:13solution about that. Right now we

1:30:15getting a lot of phone calls about Paco

1:30:17because a lot of people don't have uh

1:30:19money for their light bill. What we need

1:30:21to know is what is our community is

1:30:23doing and where is the funding it going

1:30:25and why we keep going backwards and

1:30:27backwards and backwards. We need new

1:30:29peas and new leaders who have their

1:30:31boots on the ground so y'all can

1:30:32understand the community. Thank you.

1:30:38Our

1:30:43next speaker 5.6 Ivonne.

1:30:51So before I start what I'm going to

1:30:53speak about I think the city council you

1:30:55should use uh your office to help

1:30:58parents to get into the Trump savings

1:31:00plans. I think many parents will lose

1:31:02the ability to do this and they should

1:31:06I'm saying that you should use your

1:31:08ability to help parents out who can't

1:31:10figure out how to get those Trump

1:31:12savings accounts for their kids.

1:31:14>> Now,

1:31:16>> yeah,

1:31:17>> the Trump savings accounts for children

1:31:20money and some parents may not be able

1:31:22to understand that. So, help them use

1:31:24your office to do that. Okay. Okay. What

1:31:27I'm trying I'm talking about the CGBD

1:31:30money and I just saw online that we may

1:31:32not have the votes. Let me explain why I

1:31:34am against this though I am not against

1:31:36a park.

1:31:38Going back in the 1980s

1:31:41I lived on Vanor Park.

1:31:44The neighbor next door to me bought a

1:31:45home in 1984 for $45,000.

1:31:51The following year, another neighbor

1:31:53sold their property. It was a death in

1:31:54the family for about a pound of money.

1:31:58But what happened is in 1985, a realtor

1:32:01bought that property and it kept on

1:32:02flipping and flipping and flipping. And

1:32:04then the last sale price in 1987 was

1:32:07half a million bucks. Well, in 1987,

1:32:11Stri City started it rebal. And it

1:32:13finished in 1988.

1:32:16and I got a a tax assessment

1:32:20of $375,000

1:32:23which made me receive a bill of $16,000.

1:32:28So I went to the city and I asked them

1:32:30what was going on and I spoke to

1:32:32actually Maryanne Murphy who was then

1:32:35the assistant corporation council and

1:32:37she told me well there's a there's a

1:32:40property on your block three houses away

1:32:43that sold for half a million bucks. Now,

1:32:45in reality, that seal should have been

1:32:47thrown out, but it wasn't. So, when you

1:32:50you when you go to tax court and appeal,

1:32:53you can only appeal the improvements on

1:32:55the property, which is the building. You

1:32:58can never appeal the land value. If you

1:33:01accept money for a lot that's a million

1:33:04bucks, you're setting a precedent that's

1:33:07going to harm many people. Can you

1:33:08imagine we all having a land value at a

1:33:11million bucks?

1:33:13We can't we can't afford that. So, I'm

1:33:16really hoping there was another way to

1:33:18do it. But don't buy something to please

1:33:22the group that down the road when

1:33:23another reval happens or another

1:33:25assessment happen. You're going to end

1:33:27up hurting everyone in Jersey City that

1:33:29owns property. No one can afford to have

1:33:32the a regular lot value at a million

1:33:35bucks. And I know what it it is. I mean,

1:33:39I had to leave downtown. And I was the

1:33:41first president of the Vanos Park

1:33:43Association. I said an awful lot that.

1:33:45But I had to leave cuz I could not

1:33:47afford $40,000 tax bill which happened

1:33:50after the 2018 tax around. Thank you.

1:33:56Our next speaker 5.7 Arjamon.

1:34:10Good evening council members.

1:34:14It is an ancient Hindu teaching meaning

1:34:16the world is one family. And in Islam

1:34:19the Quran teaches

1:34:22to to you your religion and to me mine.

1:34:24Different face, different words, but a

1:34:26message we can carry from both. We do

1:34:29not have to share the same faith to

1:34:31respect to one another and to live live

1:34:34together as one community. This is the

1:34:36Jersey City I believe in. My name is Dr.

1:34:39Arjiman Joeria, a pharmacist, community

1:34:41leader, humanitarian, a proud longtime

1:34:44resident of Jersey City. For more than

1:34:4613 years in US, I have dedicated my life

1:34:48to serving others. Not for titles,

1:34:52political influences or recognitions,

1:34:54but because service is both my

1:34:56responsibility and my calling. I have

1:34:58been honored with more than 28 accolades

1:35:00including the presidential lifetime

1:35:02achievement award and New Jersey

1:35:04Governor's Medallion Award. But my

1:35:06greatest honor is knowing that my work

1:35:08has helped people feel seen, respected,

1:35:12and included. Since October 2023, I have

1:35:15introduced and advocated and promoted

1:35:17Muslim, Sik, and Hindu community

1:35:20heritage month initiatives. I have also

1:35:22worked to advance Hindu Heritage Month

1:35:24resolutions and proclamations in Jersey

1:35:26City and in 12 towns throughout Hudson

1:35:28County. Our donation of land without

1:35:31profit for the Coptic Church at 395 SIP

1:35:34Avenue is another reflection of the same

1:35:36belief. We serve people because they are

1:35:39part of our community not because they

1:35:41belong to a particular faith. I did not

1:35:43discover Hindu Heritage Month nor did I

1:35:45begin this work for political gain. I

1:35:48believe every community deserves

1:35:49recognition. Hindu heritage month is too

1:35:51diverse and beautiful to be claimed by

1:35:55any one organization, ideology, cast,

1:35:58region or individual. It belongs to

1:36:00Hindus of all background. In May 2025,

1:36:03after consulting members of the Hindu

1:36:05community and the then mayor, I began

1:36:07organizing small cultural event at city

1:36:09hall. After I announced the event,

1:36:11organizations including RSS, BHP and HHS

1:36:15questioned my Hindu identity and my

1:36:17right to organize it individual.

1:36:20These are the organizations responsible

1:36:22for atrocities and mob lynching against

1:36:24Christians, Muslims and low Hindus, low

1:36:27cast dalits in in India. In order to

1:36:30organize this event, they even lied to

1:36:32me, mayor's office and the cultural

1:36:34affairs claiming that they own the Hindu

1:36:36heritage month patent trademark and they

1:36:38even threatened me not to hold this

1:36:40Hindu heritage month event. These are

1:36:42the same groups to whom the council at

1:36:44large is providing a platform. Let me

1:36:46say this respectfully but firmly. No

1:36:49organization has the authority to

1:36:51interrogate my identity, erase my

1:36:53service, or decide whether I belong to a

1:36:56community I have worked tirelessly to

1:36:58uplift. In August 2026, I again

1:37:01approached the mayor's office to

1:37:02organize the annual proclamation

1:37:04resolution. I prepared the resolution,

1:37:06obtained approval from the council

1:37:08administrator, and was preparing to

1:37:09submit it through I compass on September

1:37:12202nd, 2026.

1:37:14>> Thank you very much.

1:37:15>> Can I get some time, sir?

1:37:16>> No, sorry. Okay, I'll continue next

1:37:18time.

1:37:22>> I have to be fair with everybody.

1:37:24>> Social media, please look into that.

1:37:26>> Next speaker 5.8, Charlene.

1:37:30>> Charlene's not here.

1:37:31>> Okay.

1:37:33Next speaker, 5.9, Megan.

1:37:38Megan is here.

1:37:43>> Good evening. Um, look around this room

1:37:46tonight. Uh almost 10 people are here

1:37:48taking time away from their families

1:37:50because we care enough about the safety

1:37:51of our children to come here and ask for

1:37:53help. How often do you see that? That's

1:37:56when you know this is serious. We are

1:37:59here because our children deserve to

1:38:00feel safe walking to and from school. I

1:38:03want to invite everyone in this room to

1:38:05come hang out with us on Monaceel one

1:38:07afternoon from Brickenhoff to Fairview.

1:38:10Walk the street and see what our kids

1:38:12see. shuttered businesses, abandoned

1:38:15lots being used as dumping grounds,

1:38:17activity that raises serious questions

1:38:18about whether some businesses are even

1:38:21operating legally, and then ask

1:38:23yourself, what the is happening

1:38:25here,

1:38:27this isn't about

1:38:30our language.

1:38:30>> Hold on one second. Hold on one second.

1:38:33I'm just going to say about your

1:38:34language, just remember you're here to

1:38:36support the kids, right? There are

1:38:38children watching this, just so you

1:38:41know, right? So, let's just not do the

1:38:44profanities can be left out of your

1:38:45speech.

1:38:46>> No problem. Um, this isn't about making

1:38:49Monaceel perfect. It's about making it

1:38:51safe for children. Then we had an active

1:38:53shooting near Lincoln High School during

1:38:55school hours and not all the surrounding

1:38:57schools were notified to go into

1:38:59lockdown. At LCCS, the head of school

1:39:02didn't know what was happening until he

1:39:03saw the police presence directly in

1:39:05front of the school. That should not

1:39:07happen. We have systems that alert us

1:39:10about our weather emergencies and

1:39:11parking. Why don't we have a system that

1:39:14immediately alerts schools and daycarees

1:39:16when there's active safety threat?

1:39:18Since that shooting, we have asked for a

1:39:20safety meeting with the mayor, our

1:39:22council representatives, director and

1:39:23bros, and the west district captain. And

1:39:25we still don't have the meeting

1:39:26scheduled. Let me be clear, this isn't

1:39:29just a ward problem. They're Jersey City

1:39:32children. Their safety is the

1:39:33responsibility of this entire council.

1:39:35And we need all of you to please show

1:39:37up. We don't need another email chain or

1:39:40a follow-up. We need leadership. We need

1:39:41a plan and we need action. Our children

1:39:44don't get to choose the streets they

1:39:46walk down. The adults in this room do.

1:39:49Our kids deserve better. They deserve to

1:39:50get to school safely and come home

1:39:52safely. Thank you very much.

1:40:00>> The the little warning goes for every

1:40:02future speaker. Just the profanity

1:40:04doesn't need to be said in the room. Max

1:40:075.10. Liliana

1:40:10>> Sean.

1:40:10>> Yes.

1:40:11>> Councilman Brook.

1:40:12>> I just wanted to

1:40:13>> I'm sorry. I didn't I didn't see it.

1:40:15>> That's quite That's all right. Um

1:40:18I just wanted to um acknowledge Megan,

1:40:21you know, what you said and I know

1:40:22there's many other parents from the

1:40:24area. Um you know, this incident took

1:40:26place in started in one ward and the

1:40:29pursuit ended in another ward. Um, you

1:40:32know, no matter where people live or go

1:40:34to school, they deserve to be safe and

1:40:36to feel safe. Um, you know, we, uh, are

1:40:40in touch with public safety, with, uh,

1:40:43the leadership of LCCS, uh, with the

1:40:46leadership of Small Discoveries, where

1:40:48my daughter went. Um, and you know, I

1:40:52just want you to know that, uh, we,

1:40:56um, you know, want to learn from the the

1:41:01failures of communication that may have

1:41:03happened during this incident. Um, I

1:41:06think that,

1:41:08uh, we can also engage the board of

1:41:10education um, in terms of the schools

1:41:14that are part of the BOE but not part of

1:41:16the alert system. Um and yeah, I just

1:41:20want to say that you know our office is

1:41:22in touch with uh LCCS small discoveries.

1:41:26We want to schedule a meeting. Um just

1:41:29to make a note, there is a

1:41:32West District captain's meeting

1:41:34scheduled for October 21st at 5:00 p.m.

1:41:38um at St. Alawishas. So if a meeting is

1:41:41not able to be scheduled before that um

1:41:44I encourage folks to come there. Um,

1:41:46it's the night of a council meeting, but

1:41:48I'm going to make a commitment to be

1:41:49there for at least the first half of

1:41:51that meeting. Um, so I just wanted to

1:41:53acknowledge everyone, you know, taking

1:41:55the time to come out and, uh, if there's

1:41:58ways that we can improve communication.

1:42:00Um, we we should do that.

1:42:06Okay. Thank you. You may speak.

1:42:09>> Good evening everyone. I'm here because

1:42:11Monteel Avenue and the surrounding Ward

1:42:14F community are being neglected. We have

1:42:17yet to hear from the office of W F. It's

1:42:21been two weeks. Meanwhile, residents and

1:42:24business owners face ongoing verbal

1:42:26harassment, intimidation, escalating

1:42:29confrontation, and increasingly visible

1:42:31presence of drugrelated and criminal

1:42:33activity. We're living in environment

1:42:35where a simple walk down the street can

1:42:37feel like a confrontation waiting to

1:42:38happen. And somehow we're expected uh

1:42:41expected to accept this as normal. We

1:42:44pay extraordinarily high property taxes

1:42:47in Jersey City. Taxes that should

1:42:48translate into safe streets, clean

1:42:51neighborhoods, responsive government,

1:42:53and basic quality of life. Instead,

1:42:56we're paying more and feeling less

1:42:58protected. And when we raise concerns,

1:43:00the conversation often becomes about who

1:43:03was born and raised here and who is

1:43:04supposedly a gentrifier. This is an

1:43:07artificial and destructive device.

1:43:09Safety is not a privilege reserved to

1:43:11newcomers, nor is something longtime

1:43:13residents should have to sacrifice. We

1:43:16all deserve the same dignity,

1:43:17protection, and investment regardless of

1:43:19how long we have called Jersey City

1:43:21home. We especially frustrating watching

1:43:24how quickly the city mobilizes around

1:43:26certain politically convenient topics

1:43:28while serious incidents affecting our

1:43:30daily lives are met with silence. Where

1:43:33is that same energy when shots are fired

1:43:37near high school? Where is that energy?

1:43:41After nine years of investing in the

1:43:43neighborhood, supporting businesses,

1:43:44building relationships, and growing

1:43:46alongside the community, I never

1:43:48imagined I will stand here and say, "My

1:43:50family no longer feels welcome. We no

1:43:53longer feel safe. And we no longer feel

1:43:55protected by the city we have invested

1:43:57so much in. We're now seriously

1:43:59considering leaving." And that should

1:44:02concern every person sitting on city

1:44:04council because when families who have

1:44:06committed years to strengthen the

1:44:08neighborhood begin planning their exit,

1:44:11that is not a revilitization. This is a

1:44:14failure of leadership. Do better. Thank

1:44:17you.

1:44:23>> Our next speaker 5.11 Veronica

1:44:32Good evening, council president and

1:44:34council members. My name is Veronica

1:44:36Delon Caraman. I'm the director of Small

1:44:39Discoveries Preschool and the co-founder

1:44:42of Little Milestones for Small

1:44:44Discoveries. It is a pediatric therapy

1:44:46clinic also located on Communal. For

1:44:49approximately 10 years, I have worked to

1:44:52create a place where children can learn,

1:44:54grow, and receive care. And tonight I'm

1:44:57here because parents are telling us they

1:45:00feel unsafe to come pick up their

1:45:02children.

1:45:04Families are concerned about the

1:45:06threatening and disruptive behavior in

1:45:08our neighborhood, including near our

1:45:10public park. A park should be somewhere

1:45:13children can play and families can

1:45:15gather comfortably. Parents should not

1:45:17have to worry about what they may

1:45:19encounter walking from the car to our

1:45:22door. Recent reports of gun-related

1:45:25incidences near schools have added to

1:45:27that fear and these concerns are

1:45:30affecting whether families enroll,

1:45:32whether they stay and whether they bring

1:45:35their children to our center. We are

1:45:38losing families because they do not feel

1:45:41safe. In other words, families are

1:45:43disenrolling from my school. But this

1:45:46reaches beyond lost revenue. Behind

1:45:49every enrollment is a child who needs

1:45:51care, a parent who depends on us, and an

1:45:54employee whose livelihood is connected

1:45:57to our ability to keep our doors open,

1:46:0015 employees to be exact, of Jersey City

1:46:03because we hire locally.

1:46:06Their families are already facing

1:46:08challenges. Our clinic serves children

1:46:10with developmental differences. We can't

1:46:13add that fear now to another barrier

1:46:15that they already handle on a daily. I

1:46:19also want to address how these concerns

1:46:21are sometimes received. There can be a

1:46:23tone that frames requests for safety as

1:46:26complaints tied to gentrification

1:46:29as though these are simply newcomers who

1:46:31want to change the neighborhood. These

1:46:33are families who have lived here for

1:46:35years. They have raised their children

1:46:36here, supported the local businesses on

1:46:39Monteello, and built their lives here.

1:46:42They love their neighborhood and do not

1:46:44want to watch it deteriorate.

1:46:47Asking to feel safe in the community you

1:46:49call home should not be dismissed, and

1:46:50every family deserves to be heard. When

1:46:53a parent takes their time away from

1:46:55their family to attend a meeting, when a

1:46:57resident reports a concern, or when a

1:46:59small business owner stands here

1:47:01explaining why families are leaving,

1:47:03that effort needs to matter. Otherwise,

1:47:06people stop speaking up. They lose

1:47:08faith. and families who wanted to stay

1:47:12begin to feel that they're that leaving

1:47:15is the only option. I do not want that

1:47:18for our neighborhood. I want to continue

1:47:20serving its children. Our families want

1:47:22to continue building their lives here.

1:47:24Please give us a reason to believe that

1:47:27our voices matter and that speaking up

1:47:29can help make our communities safer.

1:47:32Thank you.

1:47:32>> Thank you.

1:47:35Our

1:47:37next speaker, 5.12, Ashley.

1:47:41Hey,

1:47:41>> hey, Sean. Um, just really quickly, I

1:47:43just like to say something. Um,

1:47:46you know, I um I grew up in that

1:47:49community. Um, you know, I I know the

1:47:52kids that go to the schools. I know the

1:47:54shop owners. Um, my godmother owned a

1:47:58business on Monttoello for 40 years. and

1:48:01you know

1:48:03keep hearing the same thing. And to also

1:48:07I I need public safety to hear this

1:48:10because there should not be

1:48:14uh uh

1:48:16meetings held the same night as council

1:48:20meetings. Um we we need to work

1:48:23collectively. That includes the board of

1:48:26education that that includes public

1:48:28safety.

1:48:30um and and you know uh uh city

1:48:33government, the council, um respected

1:48:36ward leaders and and community members.

1:48:40And so,

1:48:43you know, I I haven't I mean, I remember

1:48:45being on some emails um but the email

1:48:48that I was using, I don't no longer use

1:48:54it. So, please use my city email address

1:48:58so I can be uh in a conversation as

1:49:00well. Thank you.

1:49:03>> Next speaker 5.12 Ashley. Ashley S not

1:49:07here. Thank you.

1:49:09Next 5.13 Kelly

1:49:14here. 5.14 Carlos.

1:49:28Good evening, council members.

1:49:31Residents are deeply concerned that

1:49:33persistent illegal activity along

1:49:35Monteello Avenue, coupled with

1:49:37insufficient sustained enforcement, is

1:49:41creating an unsafe environment around

1:49:42our schools. Since June 2026, there have

1:49:46been four reported gunfire incidents in

1:49:48the area. One on Summit Avenue in June,

1:49:51Harrison Avenue in July, and Aster Place

1:49:54and Brinkerhoff Street in September.

1:49:57In the Brinkeroff incidents, someone was

1:49:59shot near Lincoln High School during

1:50:01school hours close to PS12,

1:50:04PS17, LCCCCS,

1:50:07Play, Learn Daycare, and other daycarees

1:50:09in the area. Residents has al have also

1:50:13reported a man carrying what appeared to

1:50:14be a machete knocking on doors at night.

1:50:18Crime has become an issue and needs to

1:50:20be addressed.

1:50:21In addition, open air drug dealing near

1:50:24our schools adds to resident safety

1:50:26concerns as well as other quality of

1:50:28life concerns such as litter and public

1:50:30nuisance along Monteello Avenue. I'm

1:50:33asking the council to please work with

1:50:35police and residents on a written safety

1:50:37plan. Tell us who is responsible, what

1:50:40actions will be taken, when they will

1:50:43begin, and when you will report back to

1:50:45the community. Our children deserve

1:50:47better. Thank you for your time.

1:50:55>> Our next speaker, 5.15, Esther

1:51:02Good

1:51:14evening, council.

1:51:17Um, I'm here to ask and speak about

1:51:20resolution 26-595

1:51:23that was on the last council agenda of

1:51:26September 23rd. I was not able to come

1:51:28to the meeting. The resolution is for

1:51:30the approval of the council to apply for

1:51:33federal funds from the Department of

1:51:35Justice Cops Grant to train police

1:51:38officers in deescalation techniques. So,

1:51:41it's a little bit confusing because the

1:51:44resolution

1:51:45says that it was approved by the city's

1:51:47public safety director and the attorney

1:51:49on September 9th and by the business

1:51:52administrator on September 11th and it

1:51:55was on the September 23rd agenda.

1:51:58However, when you look at the Department

1:52:00of Justice website, it shows that the

1:52:02cuto off date for applying for the grant

1:52:05was September 3rd.

1:52:08So, what I'm curious about is did we

1:52:12miss the cutoff date

1:52:15or did the application go in before the

1:52:18approval?

1:52:19Because if the application was already

1:52:21submitted and that's fine, you need to

1:52:24update the wording of the resolution

1:52:26from approval to ratify so that the

1:52:31records are straight for the future

1:52:35reference.

1:52:37Um, so I'm curious about that if someone

1:52:40could look into it. Second thing I want

1:52:43to mention, I don't know if you saw on

1:52:45the meeting claims list, there are a

1:52:48couple of bills. Uh I had asked on July

1:52:511st at that meeting if the public were

1:52:54paying was paying for any um July 4th

1:52:57events. The mayor told all of us that

1:52:59there that there were not. There are two

1:53:01bills on the list. One is for Johnny on

1:53:05the spot for $10,000 and the other is

1:53:07for can you print for $800 having to do

1:53:10with July 4th events. I ask that you

1:53:13make certain that those bills get

1:53:16submitted to the sponsors of the July

1:53:184th event that it does not come from the

1:53:20taxpayers money and once you receive

1:53:22that money it goes toward the delinquent

1:53:25taxes. Um and on a last note I ask that

1:53:28you vote no on the two resolutions

1:53:31having to do with community engagement.

1:53:33We should do that in house and take that

1:53:35$100,000 and apply it to the delinquent

1:53:39taxes because our residents need help.

1:53:42Thank you.

1:53:46>> Sean,

1:53:48VA, um, real quick, if you can, um, I do

1:53:52recall, uh, I believe council person

1:53:56singing about bills that will be

1:53:58associated with the Fourth of July

1:54:01festivities. Um, can you I guess

1:54:06can you like give us some clarification

1:54:09on what if anything that happened

1:54:11because I vividly recall that the

1:54:14taxpayers would not be on the hook for

1:54:17any expenses associated with sanity.

1:54:21>> Yeah, that's correct. Um, regarding the

1:54:24two claims that were in the previous

1:54:27council meeting claims list, we did look

1:54:29into it. Um there was an error in the

1:54:32accounting of it. We have funding from

1:54:34sponsors to pay for those items. Um

1:54:38there was just a a timing error in the

1:54:41way that it was processed. So that was a

1:54:43mistake on our part. But we are working

1:54:45on getting that reimbured so it's not on

1:54:48city using city dollars.

1:54:51Once once said action transpire

1:54:55um if I guess the council

1:54:58>> we can send a um information back to the

1:55:01council so you can share.

1:55:02>> Okay.

1:55:05>> And I I would just like to seek

1:55:07clarification on the record just for the

1:55:09for the public. um these um community

1:55:13engagement awards uh correct me if I'm

1:55:16wrong um BA Choy but I believe they are

1:55:19not to exceed awards so that it is not

1:55:23that we are giving $100,000

1:55:25um we are saying that the city can spend

1:55:28up to $100,000

1:55:30um but they will only be paid for the

1:55:32work which they do. Is that accurate?

1:55:34>> That is correct.

1:55:35>> Okay. So it may be less than $100,000.

1:55:38>> That's right. It's just authorizing the

1:55:39city to work with them.

1:55:41>> Yes. Thank you.

1:55:47>> Good.

1:55:47>> Okay. Sean.

1:55:50>> Okay. Our next speaker 5.16 Marie.

1:56:03>> Evening. You can hear me?

1:56:05>> Yes.

1:56:07Good evening, council president and

1:56:09council members. I am also here to speak

1:56:11about the quality of Ward F. This is my

1:56:14first council meeting and I will be

1:56:16brief, but please don't take my brevity

1:56:20for acceptance.

1:56:22I'm here as a resident, as a parent. I'm

1:56:26here as a homeowner and a taxpayer. I'm

1:56:28here as a neighbor and friend to many

1:56:31people in the Ward F community.

1:56:34We've built our family here proudly for

1:56:38nearly a decade and I am tired. I am

1:56:41disappointed and frankly I am deeply

1:56:45deeply frustrated by the way this city

1:56:47is taking care of Ward F. We are

1:56:51demanding safe clean streets. That's it.

1:56:56That's it.

1:56:58And I have a very simple question. What

1:57:01are we doing here? I'm repeating much of

1:57:04what you've heard from my neighbors.

1:57:07Walk down Monaceel early in the morning,

1:57:11middle of the day

1:57:14during school pickup. What are you

1:57:17seeing between Commun

1:57:21and more or less Storms Avenue?

1:57:23Beautiful new basketball court though

1:57:25close to Montgomery. My children are

1:57:27loving it.

1:57:28There is no logical reason Monaceel

1:57:31Avenue should not receive the same level

1:57:34of attention and care as Grove Street or

1:57:38Central A

1:57:49property values have risen.

1:57:52Excuse me. Homeowners are paying

1:57:56significant property taxes. New

1:57:58development has surged. Yet, the basic

1:58:02quality of life in our neighborhood too

1:58:04often feels neglected. Our community

1:58:07fought for trafficcoming improvements,

1:58:09and we saw progress last year. We have

1:58:12seen a few new businesses open, but look

1:58:14around. Empty lots filled with garbage,

1:58:18neglected retail spaces,

1:58:21vacant storefronts, illegal activity,

1:58:24traffic violations

1:58:27everywhere.

1:58:29And increasingly, residents are doing

1:58:30the work ourselves. We're calling in

1:58:33trespassing on my block every week. We

1:58:36are monitoring and reporting people who

1:58:38disrespect our streets. We are

1:58:40organizing our own cleanups. We are

1:58:43looking out for package theft. We are

1:58:46here daily. I repeat, daily we are

1:58:50monitoring these things. So why are we

1:58:53still dealing with some basic quality of

1:58:56life problems? Why are there so many

1:58:59vacant businesses after all these years

1:59:02connected to some of you?

1:59:04>> Thank you.

1:59:07Our

1:59:09next speaker 5.17

1:59:18sorry thank you

1:59:22I point 18 Kevin

1:59:25Davis

1:59:30tonight I'm excited to announce that I'm

1:59:33starting my own government consulting

1:59:35firm but First, let's talk about my

1:59:38competition.

1:59:40Jersey City is considering a h 100,000

1:59:43I'm sorry, up to $100,000

1:59:45in community engagement contracts.

1:59:4960,000 for Mercer Planning, 40,000 for

1:59:52the Terara Dalell Group to do what?

1:59:55Listen to us. Apparently, regular

1:59:59listening is not good enough. Now, we

2:00:01need luxury listening.

2:00:04And when I saw what luxury listening

2:00:06pays, I realized something. I've been

2:00:10doing this for free like an idiot. So I

2:00:12decided to enter the market.

2:00:21Ladies and gentlemen,

2:00:23budget impact group for advanced

2:00:26strategic solutions.

2:00:32Big Assulting

2:00:34and we're currently accepting government

2:00:36contracts.

2:00:38At BigAs Consulting, we specialize in

2:00:41community engagement.

2:00:43Our focus groups represent a diverse

2:00:46cross-section of Jersey City. As long as

2:00:49everyone agrees with us, no

2:00:51uncomfortable feedback, no arguments,

2:00:55and we do surveys, too. I'm not saying

2:00:58the outcome is predetermined. I'm just

2:01:01saying if the person asking the question

2:01:04already knows what answer they want,

2:01:06that's a pretty efficient survey

2:01:10and big ass Consulting understands

2:01:12government contracting.

2:01:13>> We can't keep utilizing profanity. We we

2:01:17we get

2:01:18>> I was just inspired by K Brennan's

2:01:20immigration bill.

2:01:21>> We just spoke to someone else about

2:01:23that. So, let's just say big A for now.

2:01:25Go ahead.

2:01:26>> Okay. Big A. Uh, completely unrelated,

2:01:29of course. So, if we ever make any

2:01:31money, we may donate to political

2:01:32campaigns. Completely unrelated, of

2:01:35course. Which campaigns? I don't know

2:01:37yet. We're just going to give to whoever

2:01:39is likely to win. And here's our

2:01:41introductory offer. If Jersey City hires

2:01:45Big A Consulting, I will stop posting on

2:01:48Instagram. For the right price, City

2:01:51Hall can finally buy something it has

2:01:54not been able to get for free. my

2:01:56silence. But here's the part that's not

2:01:59a joke. I'm not against community

2:02:00engagement. I'm against paying extra for

2:02:03it. We have planners, staff, meetings,

2:02:06public comment, email, phones. Residents

2:02:09are already talking and we're telling

2:02:11you what we think. So before you spend

2:02:14up to $100,000 on luxury listening and

2:02:17before spending up to $350 an hour to

2:02:20the table events, answer this. What can

2:02:23these consultants do that our employees

2:02:25cannot? We don't have a listening

2:02:26problem. We have a spending problem.

2:02:29Jersey City, it's time to wake the hell

2:02:31up.

2:02:36>> We got seash.

2:02:37>> Next speaker 5.19. Ari t-shirt.

2:02:43Ari

2:02:45>> not here.

2:02:46>> Next speaker 5.20 20. Stephanie,

2:02:54>> hold on. Sh. I just want to say to the

2:02:57to the Ammonella group that came out to

2:03:01speak tonight. Um,

2:03:04I hear you guys concerns. They are real

2:03:07concerns. I'm not dismissive of your

2:03:10concern and your right to advocate for

2:03:13quality of life in your community. Um, I

2:03:17just want you guys to understand my

2:03:20position in all of this. I'm responsible

2:03:24for taking in the totality of all of the

2:03:28residents in Ward F. Um, and like I

2:03:31said, your concerns are real

2:03:35and we are working with public safety to

2:03:38devise a plan. There's complexities in

2:03:42in the plan and the and because we you

2:03:46can't just tell people that they can't

2:03:49congregate in certain areas. Although I

2:03:52am appalled that

2:03:56it just doesn't happen in other

2:03:57communities. So I understand it is a

2:04:00real concern. It is something that I've

2:04:04like gun violence. I've I've been

2:04:07fighting against gun violence

2:04:10for for so long, right? Because I know

2:04:14and understand how detrimental it can be

2:04:16to a community, the person who didn't

2:04:19even get shot, but who witnessed it or

2:04:21who heard the gunshot or who relative

2:04:23have got shot. I mentor kids who've lost

2:04:26four or five friends before they were

2:04:2816. So, I get it. I get it. Um, but I'm

2:04:32on the legislative side and as much as I

2:04:36advocate and come from that world and I

2:04:38wish I had a warn to just make

2:04:40everything go away, it is a challenge

2:04:43and I'm going to be honest with you, it

2:04:45is a challenge and we have to do a

2:04:47better job. There's no other there's no

2:04:50other way to put it. We have to do a

2:04:52better job. We have to ensure that

2:04:54residents feel as safe as possible in

2:04:58their community because the taxes, oh

2:05:01Jesus, the taxes are

2:05:04the taxes are outrageous and it's it's

2:05:07almost robbery for us to ask for higher

2:05:10taxes and deliver less services. So I

2:05:13get it. I I don't take it personally. I

2:05:16feel the frustration. I live the I

2:05:19literally live on the corridor. I I put

2:05:22myself in that situation every single

2:05:25day. It's one of the reasons why I start

2:05:27at Dwight Street and all walk all the

2:05:29way to Montgomery every single day

2:05:31because I want to feel what the

2:05:33residents feel. And trust me, I get it.

2:05:36I can promise you this. I can promise

2:05:39you that I will put my all in trying to

2:05:43bring forth a resolution. And I'm going

2:05:46to also be honest with you guys. It is

2:05:48not easy as one, two, three. as much as

2:05:53it should be. You shouldn't really have

2:05:54to really advocate for quality of life

2:05:57in your community. So, I get it. I don't

2:06:00take any of this stuff personally. And

2:06:03if I was you, I would feel the same way,

2:06:05too. So, I just wanted to say that to

2:06:07you ladies and gentlemen. I know a lot

2:06:08of you I see a lot of you all the time.

2:06:10And I get the frustration. Trust me, I

2:06:12get the frustration. Thank you.

2:06:18Okay, our next speaker

2:06:22520 Stephanie

2:06:25>> start with a quote tonight and I'll let

2:06:26you know who who spoke those words at

2:06:28the end. Now, violence is admirable if

2:06:31waged in the name of democratic

2:06:33revolution. Vigilani justice is

2:06:36necessary when the law itself becomes a

2:06:38mockery. A man has a perfect right to

2:06:41kill those who would destroy him. Luigi

2:06:44Manion believed the health care system

2:06:46was unjust. Roy Den Hollander believed

2:06:50the judicial system was unjust. Luigi

2:06:53Manion allegedly approached United

2:06:55Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson from

2:06:57behind and shot him on the street

2:06:59outside the Midtown Hilton on the

2:07:01morning of December 4th, 2024.

2:07:04Roy Denhollander has been identified as

2:07:06a suspect who dressed up as a Federal

2:07:09Express delivery driver, went to federal

2:07:12judge Esther Sales's New Brunswick home

2:07:15and fatally shot her 20-year-old son,

2:07:17Daniel, and wounded her husband. Luigi

2:07:20Manion and Roy Denhollander are two

2:07:23highly educated men with prestigious

2:07:25backgrounds. Luigi has a bachelor's and

2:07:28masters from the University of

2:07:29Pennsylvania. Den Hollander has a JD

2:07:31from George Washington and a MBA from

2:07:35Colombia. They both wrote manifestos.

2:07:37They both believe their actions were

2:07:39justified. The only difference between

2:07:41the two cases is that some of you think

2:07:43your personal beliefs can justify one

2:07:46and not the other. That is no way to

2:07:48build a society or a justice system.

2:07:52Daniel's law was enacted in 2020 after

2:07:55Den's Den Hollander's actions at Judge

2:07:58Esther Solless's home address. This

2:08:01year, the legislature in New Jersey will

2:08:02vote on an update to that bill that will

2:08:05shield the personal information of

2:08:07elected officials. Currently, it only

2:08:08shields judges and police officers and

2:08:10other mandatory reporters. Now, some of

2:08:13you speak and maybe are, to be honest,

2:08:18cowards when it comes to repudiating

2:08:20this language.

2:08:21But you will benefit from laws that are

2:08:24a direct result of political violence.

2:08:28Miss Rios does not belong in this

2:08:30chamber. She does not deserve to

2:08:32represent this city. Her conduct has

2:08:35disqualified her from employment. She

2:08:38should be fired.

2:08:40There's no excuse for political

2:08:42violence. There's no excuse for saying I

2:08:45don't I don't support violence but and

2:08:48then saying you support tyrannicide or

2:08:50some ridiculous statement. Now recently

2:08:52the members of Luigi Nation have reached

2:08:54out to me to inform me that Miss Rios

2:08:57has been in their words uh banned from

2:08:59sending Luigi mail. She is and her

2:09:01friends are the reason the jury is

2:09:04anonymous because they were trying to

2:09:05influence the jury about nullification.

2:09:08I believe uh her Luigi's himself

2:09:11according to them and his lawyers do not

2:09:13appreciate her actions and yet she works

2:09:17for the city of Jersey City. Thank you.

2:09:25>> Our next speaker 5.21 21. Albin

2:09:29Albin.

2:09:43Good evening, members of the council

2:09:44board. First of all, I'd like to

2:09:47congratulate uh you all for being

2:09:48elected to the Jersey City Council.

2:09:52My name is Alban Koji Lamont Zushita.

2:09:55I'm 19 years old. I was born and raised

2:09:58in Pavonia Newport all my life. I

2:10:01attended elementary school at PS37

2:10:04right on a street at Cordura School and

2:10:07high school at Counter Prep High School

2:10:08right on McGomery Street. All here in

2:10:10Jersey City.

2:10:12I'm now a student attending Rucker uh

2:10:15Ruckers New uh University New Brunswick,

2:10:17but primarily I'm a child and now an

2:10:20adult of this community.

2:10:22My parents and many uh and many in the

2:10:25community alike were fed up with the

2:10:27previous administration and voted for

2:10:28your grassroots movement under the

2:10:31banner of affordable housing. I am now

2:10:35finding out that this very uh

2:10:37administration that we entrusted that

2:10:40advocated that advocated for quote

2:10:42unquote affordable housing has chose

2:10:45city revenues over 270 families within

2:10:48the community. Just like my grandmother

2:10:51who is 90 years old and suffer uh and

2:10:54suffers from dementia.

2:10:56However, the Pavonia Newport complex

2:10:59crisis can be averted. We can follow the

2:11:02example of uh of the Kushner Real Estate

2:11:05Group project, also known as KRE, in

2:11:08coordination with the Solomon

2:11:10administration adding affordable housing

2:11:12for Jersey City residents at 808 Pavonia

2:11:15Avenue.

2:11:17Under the previous administration,

2:11:19the the announcement uh outlined quote

2:11:22unquote

2:11:24received a 30-year tax abatement in

2:11:26exchange for providing a cultural art

2:11:30space slated for a satellite location of

2:11:33the French Art Museum. Mayor Solomon,

2:11:37then a member of the Jersey City Municip

2:11:39uh municipal count uh council, voted

2:11:42against the proposal. The previous

2:11:45administration left Jersey City with no

2:11:47financial responsible way to move

2:11:48forward with the Pompadoo concept.

2:11:51Solomon said, "Well, we appreciate Car

2:11:54Kerry's willingness to partner with us

2:11:56on a new vision. They came to us with a

2:11:59proposal for pivoting from the from the

2:12:01museum to badly needed affordable

2:12:03housing. This kind of flexibility

2:12:05deserves recognition. It's exactly the

2:12:07kind of part uh partnership this city

2:12:09needs and the type of work that will be

2:12:11a trademark of this administration.

2:12:13These are all Mayor Sullivan's words.

2:12:18We have this uh we can have the same

2:12:19approach for new uh for the Newport

2:12:22waterfront complex. I wonder if you, the

2:12:25council, are actively negotiating

2:12:28extension of the deed restrictions with

2:12:30LFRA organizations

2:12:32uh organization to score credits under

2:12:35the A4S50

2:12:37fair share housing center fourth round

2:12:40guidelines also known as municipal

2:12:43extension in extensives preservation

2:12:45credits.

2:12:46>> We don't want relocation

2:12:50complex. Time is up. Next speaker,

2:12:56>> Sean.

2:12:58Um I I just want to thank everyone who's

2:13:02come out from Newport um from the

2:13:04moderate income housing program. Um

2:13:09for for those of you who weren't able to

2:13:11make it yesterday, I think we had a

2:13:12really productive um meeting at the

2:13:14render protection special investigation

2:13:16committee at the annex and we heard from

2:13:18many of you that last night as well. Um

2:13:22and uh myself and Councilman Efos

2:13:25because Newport is in both W E and W D

2:13:28um depending on which building. Uh we

2:13:30are committed to working with you guys

2:13:32and um and and looking for some relief

2:13:35here. Um because I mean there's there's

2:13:38a few things that we're not sure about.

2:13:39We're not sure if this is expiring in

2:13:412026 or 2028. We've heard conflicting

2:13:44reports. We want to look at the actual

2:13:46documents. Um, you know, we we have

2:13:50reached out to LRAK and have, you know,

2:13:53heard the same thing that they've told

2:13:54you that they're going to work with you

2:13:56as a courtesy, but they haven't given us

2:13:58any numbers either, just like they

2:13:59haven't given you any numbers. So, we're

2:14:02going to continue to push and hopefully

2:14:04um get some more clarity on what exactly

2:14:06that means. And um myself and Councilman

2:14:08Ephros are committed to after after we

2:14:10gather more information our on our end

2:14:12and um come up with a a strategy here

2:14:15and um figure out what we can do. We're

2:14:18committed to um coming and having a

2:14:19community meeting with residents in your

2:14:21buildings. I understand last night at

2:14:23the after the committee meeting you

2:14:25formed a WhatsApp group chat and

2:14:27attendance union which is is fantastic.

2:14:30I I highly support you getting

2:14:32organized. Um and I encourage that. And

2:14:35um we are we are going to put our heads

2:14:37together and uh and and we're going to

2:14:39do everything we can to support you. U

2:14:41we're also going to see if we can bring

2:14:43in attorney um not to not as an attorney

2:14:46but um but to provide sort of

2:14:49information on your rights. So not as

2:14:51your personal attorney, but information

2:14:52on your rights more broadly speaking um

2:14:55to the community meeting. So thank you

2:14:57all for being here tonight. Uh we're

2:14:58taking your concerns very seriously and

2:15:01um you know we we want to work with you

2:15:03and and find a solution. We don't want

2:15:05you to have to leave Jersey City.

2:15:12>> Just did ditto what Councilwoman Little

2:15:14said. Um this is a priority for us. This

2:15:16is a priority and uh reached out to the

2:15:18law department to start talking about

2:15:20solutions already. So, we're going to be

2:15:22working really hard, really fast to make

2:15:24sure um that that we fight for you all

2:15:26and we fight with all of you. So, keep

2:15:28getting organized

2:15:30with you.

2:15:40Okay, our next speaker 5.22, Frank

2:15:47Robertson

2:15:50not here.

2:15:51I know. 5.23. Robert couldn't make it.

2:15:555.24. Rochelle.

2:16:00>> No.

2:16:01>> Tell me.

2:16:02>> Sure. She's here. Okay. Sorry.

2:16:11>> That's okay. It's in the back. How you

2:16:14Okay. Good evening, council.

2:16:16No nation is immune.

2:16:19I want to begin with a question. What

2:16:21happens to a society that builds itself

2:16:23on oppression, greed, corruption, and

2:16:26betrayal? History tells us what happens

2:16:29next. No nation is immune. No empire is

2:16:33permanent. No city is above

2:16:35accountability.

2:16:37Obadiah

2:16:381:15 warns us, "As thou has done, it

2:16:42shall be done unto thee." Throughout

2:16:45history, powerful nations and empires

2:16:47have risen and fallen. Rome became one

2:16:50of the greatest empires the world had

2:16:52ever known. Yet politically,

2:16:55instability, economic pressures,

2:16:57internal conflict, and corruption

2:16:59contributed to its decline. History

2:17:02teaches us that the nations do not

2:17:04always fall in a single day. Sometimes

2:17:07the fall begins slowly. It begins when

2:17:09corruption becomes acceptable.

2:17:11Acceptable. When greed becomes more

2:17:13important than people. When money gets

2:17:16greater access than the ordinary

2:17:18citizen. When leaders stop listening.

2:17:21When institutions stop being

2:17:22accountable. When people see wrongdoings

2:17:25become afraid of silence or comfortable

2:17:28enough to ignore it. Eventually what was

2:17:31once unacceptable becomes normal. And

2:17:34this is the danger. So tonight I bring

2:17:37the warning home to Jersey City. Look at

2:17:40your skyline. We are building. We are

2:17:43developing. We are attracting

2:17:44investment. But while we celebrate what

2:17:46is going up, we must pay attention to

2:17:48what what may be falling apart

2:17:51underneath. Can working families still

2:17:53afford to live here? Can our seniors

2:17:56remain in the communities they help

2:17:58build? Are longtime residents being

2:18:00displaced? Are our children inheriting

2:18:03opportunities or inheriting our

2:18:06mistakes? A beautiful skyline cannot

2:18:09hide a broken foundation. Corruption

2:18:12does not belong to one political party,

2:18:15one administration or one generation.

2:18:17Accountability accountability belongs to

2:18:19everybody. Government must be

2:18:21accountable. Develop must must be

2:18:23accountable. Institutions and

2:18:25communities must be accountable. And we

2:18:27the people must remain watchful. History

2:18:30has already shown us what happens when

2:18:33powerful beliefs is no longer has to

2:18:37answer to the people. So let Jersey City

2:18:40grow, but let us build on truth,

2:18:44justice, transparency, and

2:18:46accountability. And above all, let us

2:18:49build with God. Nations have risen,

2:18:52nations have fallen, empires have

2:18:54disappeared, and history continues to

2:18:56warn us. When greed becomes the

2:18:58foundation, corrupt, corruption becomes

2:19:01the structure, oppression becomes the

2:19:03cause and betrayal becomes the

2:19:05acceptance. The foundation eventually

2:19:07cracks. No nation is immune. No city is

2:19:10immune. History tells us what happened

2:19:12next. Will we learn from history or will

2:19:15we become another chapter? Thank you so

2:19:16much. Thank you. Have a good night.

2:19:21>> Our next speaker 5.25 25 Jed.

2:19:29>> Good evening. My name is Jed Arman and

2:19:31I'm here on behalf of the Jersey City

2:19:33Soccer Association. Um, I know a lot of

2:19:35you have been getting emails from my

2:19:37parents. I know I have. Um, and I can't

2:19:39blame them. Uh, never before have we had

2:19:42so many disruptions to our normal

2:19:44practice and game schedules.

2:19:46Um, and let me be clear, this is a

2:19:48departure from past years. We luckily um

2:19:50because of parent pressure and from help

2:19:52from all of you on council, we're

2:19:54starting to resolve the issues and I

2:19:55really appreciate it, but it's taken way

2:19:59it's taken over a month multiple

2:20:01disruptions and it's actually been

2:20:02pretty fraught uh for the organization.

2:20:04So, I'm asking for better fixes um and

2:20:07not excuses because if we can't get

2:20:09fixes, the complaints are just going to

2:20:10keep going. Um

2:20:12my first ask is transparency and

2:20:14clarity. Uh I'm going to give you an

2:20:16example. this weekend and actually next

2:20:18weekend. Um, this upcoming weekend, our

2:20:20young we were told to cancel our

2:20:22youngest and older kid programmings

2:20:23because the field was blocked off. Um,

2:20:26this is a field we use every week. We've

2:20:27had, you know, for years. Uh, and so we

2:20:30spent we spent four years reaching out

2:20:33to the city uh, uh, four years, sorry,

2:20:35four weeks asking the city about this.

2:20:37And in the end, I actually just had to

2:20:38go around them and contact all the high

2:20:40schools coaches and find out that the

2:20:42games weren't they were holes. They

2:20:43weren't even real games. Um, so it all

2:20:45worked out this weekend, but this is

2:20:47dysfunctional. It's not a way to run

2:20:48scheduling, and it's a failure. Um, and

2:20:51it was never an issue before. So, I'm

2:20:53asking for a real sitdown with JCSA,

2:20:55city leaders, the board of education,

2:20:57and the Department of Wreck because when

2:20:58the parties aren't in the same room,

2:21:00what I get is I hear scapegoating. And

2:21:02I'm sick of that. I just want to solve

2:21:03the problem. Um, my second ask is

2:21:06helping to find a replacement location

2:21:07when we are bumped. in the in the past

2:21:09that when it's happened rarely but when

2:21:11it's happened we've always worked with

2:21:13the recck department to find

2:21:14alternatives. So like a good example is

2:21:16after weeks of trying to figure out

2:21:18whether those bumped hours here and

2:21:19there are real I get told book an

2:21:21alternative space ASAP but by that point

2:21:24they're already gone everything's

2:21:25already taken. Um mostly this Monday

2:21:29night high school teams were playing in

2:21:31Caven so therefore our 200 kids had no

2:21:34place to practice. We were told to that

2:21:36the other fields at Caven were already

2:21:37booked. So we checked it out. The grass

2:21:40softball and baseball fields, they were

2:21:41booked. They were empty. Berry Lane

2:21:44booked, it was empty. The football field

2:21:46was also booked. And at least it had a

2:21:48program on it of about 20 to 30 kids. So

2:21:51200 kids were sent into a county park in

2:21:53Bayon where parking was so difficult

2:21:54that many gave up just went home. And

2:21:56meanwhile, 20 to 30 kids were on the

2:21:58biggest turf in Jersey City. It's not

2:22:00about like one group versus another.

2:22:02It's about using the space we have

2:22:03smarter. It's all I'm asking. Um, my

2:22:06third ask is for better maintenance of

2:22:08the fields we already have. It's true,

2:22:10we're short on fields,

2:22:13but if we but with maintenance, we can

2:22:14expand our options across the city. Uh,

2:22:16the Department of Rec just did it with

2:22:18Mercer Park and it's made such a

2:22:19difference and I want to thank them for

2:22:20that. So, I just want to get ahead of

2:22:22this. I want to thank you all and I just

2:22:24want to solve these problems. Thanks.

2:22:26>> Council President, can I ask question?

2:22:30Sorry.

2:22:33>> Make a statement.

2:22:40Okay, next speaker. 5.26, Eric.

2:22:46It's here.

2:22:505.27. Natalie.

2:22:55Natalie.

2:22:56Not here. 5.28. Anna.

2:23:045.29

2:23:06Neha

2:23:09Nha

2:23:11>> no

2:23:13530 Ray

2:23:205.31 Erica Erica is here oh hey Erica

2:23:27>> good evening council president members

2:23:30of the council administration and my

2:23:32fellow Jersey cians. My name is Erikica

2:23:35Walker and though I do work in the ward

2:23:37of council office, tonight I'm speaking

2:23:39on my own behalf.

2:23:42Tonight I'm asking the government to

2:23:44accelerate something but not the tax

2:23:47lane sales. Accelerate the help.

2:23:51Accelerate the resources. Accelerate

2:23:54getting information to the people who

2:23:56need it most because our residents are

2:23:58hurting. This council was just forced to

2:24:01pass a 15% tax increase to close a

2:24:05massive budget gap. Families haven't

2:24:08even had the time to adjust their

2:24:10household budgets. And now we talking

2:24:12about accelerating tax leans. It may be

2:24:15something we've always done in the past,

2:24:17but this year is different. So, we need

2:24:19to do something different.

2:24:22Also, where's that same urgency when it

2:24:24comes to helping people stay in their

2:24:26homes? Frankly, Jersey City needs to get

2:24:29it together. Our communications director

2:24:31is gone. And I say good riddens cuz he

2:24:34wasn't from Jersey City anyway.

2:24:37Our next communications director should

2:24:39be from Jersey City. It should be

2:24:41somebody who understands our

2:24:43neighborhoods, our people, and how to

2:24:45communicate with Jersey Cians.

2:24:52And let's just pay our let's also pay

2:24:55our Jersey cians fair competitive wages

2:24:58so we can retain talent and people

2:25:00instead of constantly paying outside

2:25:02vendors to do work we should have the

2:25:04capacity to do ourselves.

2:25:08But tonight my greatest concern is the

2:25:11people who built this city. For years

2:25:13the message to outsiders was come make

2:25:16Jersey City yours. Well, Jersey City

2:25:19already belongs to somebody. It belongs

2:25:22to the seniors who bought homes when

2:25:24nobody was fighting to live here. The

2:25:26families who stayed through the hard

2:25:28years. The people who paid taxes for

2:25:30decades, raised children here, cleaned

2:25:33their blocks, opened businesses, and

2:25:35helped make Jersey City desirable. Now,

2:25:38they deserve our help staying here.

2:25:42That's why Michelle Hoffman and I

2:25:44through the We Care movement started

2:25:46Jersey City keep it ours

2:25:50because progress cannot mean

2:25:52displacement. And I have to ask after a

2:25:55major tax increase and 105 million in

2:25:58borrowing, why are we still operating

2:25:59with this level of urgency to collect

2:26:01more money from residents? What exactly

2:26:03was the borrowing supposed to solve?

2:26:05Because before we accelerate a process

2:26:07that can put leans on people's homes,

2:26:08let's accelerate solutions, put

2:26:10resources in tax bills, use the city's

2:26:13website, social media, and robocalls.

2:26:15Partner with churches and community

2:26:16organizations. Overcommunicate the help

2:26:19before we over enforce the debt. Jersey

2:26:22City, keep it ours. Keep it ours.

2:26:27Lastly, thank you for respecting the

2:26:29name of Priscilla Gardner.

2:26:31>> Thank you, Erica.

2:26:32>> Justice for Drew. Our

2:26:37next speaker 5.32 Kevin

2:26:53Evening Kevin Weller president of the

2:26:55Portside Towers East Tenant Association.

2:26:58I want to start by speaking to the

2:27:00Newport tenants who are here tonight and

2:27:02to everyone watching from home. You are

2:27:05not alone in this.

2:27:10Some of you have lived in your

2:27:12apartments for 20 years or more. 3 weeks

2:27:15ago, you got a letter saying your rent

2:27:17is now subject to market rates. A letter

2:27:21that would frighten anyone. We hear you

2:27:24and the port side tenants stand with

2:27:26you.

2:27:28On September 21st or thereabouts, LFrack

2:27:30wrote to the moderate income tenants in

2:27:33its four Newport towers on River Drive

2:27:36South and Newport Parkway. The letter

2:27:38says the buildings uh left the state's

2:27:41moderate income housing program on July

2:27:4328th. It asks for every household to

2:27:46send payubs, W2s, and tax returns within

2:27:4930 days by October 21st. That's two

2:27:53weeks from tonight, and it's the same

2:27:55day as this council's next meeting.

2:27:58Tenants didn't wait. They went to the

2:28:00public records themselves and they found

2:28:02documents that point to real protection

2:28:04for these 270 apartments. One is a

2:28:07promise the developer made to this city

2:28:09in 1985. Another is a state rule on

2:28:13paying off state loans early. The third

2:28:16is this city's own affordable housing

2:28:18law. The page in front of you lists each

2:28:21one with its source.

2:28:24The tenants also may face court

2:28:26deadlines. State court rules generally

2:28:28give a person 45 days from notice to

2:28:30appeal a state agency's decision counted

2:28:34from September 21st letter. That could

2:28:36be as early as November 5th. The tenants

2:28:39need now are clear answers from the city

2:28:41offices that can give them. We ask this

2:28:43council to put the Newport buildings on

2:28:46the agenda of your October 21st meeting.

2:28:49Please ask corporation council, the

2:28:51division of affordable housing, and the

2:28:52division of landlord tenant relations to

2:28:55come to that meeting ready to answer in

2:28:57writing whether these protections before

2:28:59you apply to the Newport tenants. Keep

2:29:02the letter you receive from your

2:29:03landlord and keep copy of everything you

2:29:06send to your landlord. Before you sign

2:29:09anything that says your apartment may be

2:29:12exempt from rent control, talk to a

2:29:14lawyer. Free help is available and will

2:29:17help you find it. The records they found

2:29:19already suggest they have more

2:29:21protection than the letter they received

2:29:23tells them and they won't face this

2:29:26alone. We'll be back with them on

2:29:28October 21st here. Thank you for your

2:29:31help and thank you for your comments

2:29:33earlier and we know you guys are on top

2:29:34of it and we'll help these guys out.

2:29:36Thank you.

2:29:39Our

2:29:41next speaker 5.33 Daniel.

2:29:47First off, tenants at Newport were given

2:29:4930 days to file their papers. Deadlines

2:29:52should mean the same thing for landlords

2:29:54and builders as they do for tenants.

2:29:57Okay. Now, that being said, I do want to

2:29:58follow up again tonight on the Korean

2:30:00War Memorial at the end of Washington

2:30:02Street. And I also want to use what is

2:30:03happening there to raise a broader issue

2:30:05with chapter 218 of the Jersey City Code

2:30:07of Ordinances. Now, ordinance 07-153

2:30:11requires that the vehicular access lane

2:30:14on the westerly side of former

2:30:15Washington Street be closed and chained

2:30:17between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. each day

2:30:19by Portside Tower Corporation security

2:30:22personnel. That is still not happening.

2:30:24I continue to go outside at night,

2:30:27usually around 10 p.m., and nearly every

2:30:29night, the entrance is still open to

2:30:30vehicular traffic. I take a photograph

2:30:33and submit another Cclick fix report. I

2:30:35have done so 271 times since last

2:30:38November. The city, of course, as a

2:30:41result, has an extensive record at this

2:30:42point, documenting the same problem over

2:30:44and over and over and over and over and

2:30:46over and over again. There are no

2:30:48uniform security personnel at port side

2:30:50towers. And that brings me to chapter

2:30:52218. Section 218-1A

2:30:56of the Jersey City Code of Ordinances

2:30:57states that an owner of a multiple

2:30:59dwelling with 100 or more units must

2:31:01provide at least one uniform security

2:31:03guard for each residential building 24

2:31:05hours a day, 7 days a week. But section

2:31:08218D allows a landlord to apply to the

2:31:11city for an exemption from that

2:31:12requirement if the city determines that

2:31:14other security arrangements are

2:31:15adequate. And I think this council

2:31:17should reconsider whether that exemption

2:31:19provision still makes sense. The Korean

2:31:22War Memorial provides a very concrete

2:31:24example of the problem. In 2007, this

2:31:27council adopted an ordinance that

2:31:28specifically assigned an important

2:31:30responsibility to Portide Towers

2:31:32security personnel. Every night they

2:31:34were supposed to close and chain the

2:31:35vehicular access lane next to the

2:31:37memorial honoring Korean War veterans.

2:31:39And nearly 20 years later, there are no

2:31:41uniform security personnel there. The

2:31:43gate is routinely left open. and I am

2:31:45still documenting it night after night

2:31:48as of now 271 times. Now, whatever the

2:31:51council ultimately decides about chapter

2:31:53218, I think this illustrates why

2:31:55allowing a large residential building to

2:31:57operate without the uniform security

2:31:59personnel contemplated by the ordinance

2:32:01can have consequences beyond what

2:32:03happens inside the building. So, I ask

2:32:06this council to take another look at

2:32:08section 218-1D

2:32:10of the Jersey City Code of Ordinances

2:32:12and consider whether the exemption

2:32:14provision should be removed. And

2:32:16separately, I am asking again the

2:32:18administration to enforce 07-153

2:32:21as it is written. The vehicular access

2:32:23lane next to the Korean War Memorial is

2:32:26supposed to be closed and chained every

2:32:27night from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. by

2:32:30Portide Tower Corporation security

2:32:32personnel. Thank you. Our

2:32:39next speaker 5.34 Deepa

2:32:43not here.

2:32:44Next speaker 5.35 Sylvia waste her time

2:32:54giving back your time.

2:32:56I can't hear you. Sorry. Sylvia Halo

2:32:58gives back her time.

2:33:00>> Okay.

2:33:025.36. Ezekiel,

2:33:09>> thank you. I I just want to say uh first

2:33:11and foremost, thank you to the Newport

2:33:13tenants for for coming out. Um you know,

2:33:16I I really appreciate that they are

2:33:20fighting for their rights as tenants. Um

2:33:22as the port side tenants have been doing

2:33:23for many years. Um it it feels good to

2:33:27again be in solidarity with them. Um, I

2:33:31I will I will speak briefly, so I won't

2:33:33try won't try to take up the full time,

2:33:35but I I do just want to say that um I

2:33:38think that this is indicative of a

2:33:39broader problem that we're seeing within

2:33:42um Jersey City and in many cities is

2:33:44that landlords are able to organize

2:33:47themselves. Uh they can merge and they

2:33:49can act in concert um in a way that

2:33:52tenants are often not able to. And uh we

2:33:55just saw in this city two of the largest

2:33:56landlords in Jersey City and in fact the

2:33:59country are attempting to merge. Um we

2:34:01saw the real page lawsuit very recently

2:34:04where a large number of landlords

2:34:06illegally colluded. Um and while they

2:34:09were punished for that, I think that I

2:34:11am not alone in feeling that I wouldn't

2:34:13put it past the landlords of the city or

2:34:15any city to continue trying to find ways

2:34:18to um exercise their power over tenants

2:34:21in concert. And so I think that it's

2:34:23imperative that we as tenants and you as

2:34:26a city council who in many ways were

2:34:28elected um arguing that you were in

2:34:31sympathy with tenants which I which I do

2:34:33believe uh work together to help hold

2:34:36these large interests to account. And I

2:34:38think that that starts with one

2:34:40maintaining the laws that are already on

2:34:41the books which mandate things like

2:34:44uniform security for portside towers or

2:34:47provide rental protections for Newport.

2:34:50And then also to take a serious look at

2:34:52some of the ordinances that Jersey City

2:34:54has passed over the years that are very

2:34:56friendly to developers and provide them

2:34:58with the ability to um evade rent

2:35:01protection laws um or at least what they

2:35:03conrue as the ability to evade rent

2:35:05protection laws and also to evade paying

2:35:08taxes often on dubious grounds which is

2:35:11one of the things that has contributed

2:35:12to the budget crisis for this city. Um,

2:35:15so I just want to say obviously we will

2:35:18continue to be here uh as long as these

2:35:20problems persist. So probably until the

2:35:22end of time, but I think that with this

2:35:25council and with um more tenants joining

2:35:28the fight, this is a time where we can

2:35:29make a real difference. So thank you for

2:35:31your time and really appreciate the

2:35:32opportunity to speak.

2:35:36Our

2:35:38next speaker 5.37 Sylvia Meyer.

2:35:53>> Good evening. As you know, I'm a tenant

2:35:55of Port Site Towers, but I'm also want

2:35:58to say that I'm standing in solidarity

2:35:59with the tenants for um Newport.

2:36:04Um at Portside Towers, our management

2:36:07recently invested in brand new security

2:36:10cameras. We have cameras in the lobby,

2:36:13on the street, on the wall, on the

2:36:16ceiling, and cameras pointed at cameras.

2:36:20Now, if anyone here has ever had their

2:36:22home broken into or faced a threat in a

2:36:25building lobby, you quickly realize one

2:36:28glaring truth. A video camera has never

2:36:32once tackled an intruder, deescalated a

2:36:35trespasser, or walked an elderly

2:36:38resident safely to their door. Cameras

2:36:42are passive. They don't stop crimes.

2:36:45They just give the police an audit trail

2:36:47after the harm is already done. The

2:36:51camera simply sits on the ceiling,

2:36:53silently observing like a very expensive

2:36:56spectator.

2:36:58What actually keeps residents safe is

2:37:00trained, active, uniformed security.

2:37:03When an issue unfolds in real time, a

2:37:06trained professional can intervene,

2:37:08diffuse tension, and protect lives on

2:37:11the spot. You cannot replace a living

2:37:14trained the human being with a piece of

2:37:16plastic mounted to drywall.

2:37:19Yet under municip municipal code section

2:37:23218-1

2:37:25paragraph D, landlords are given an

2:37:28escape hatch, they can petition this

2:37:30council for an exemption for from the

2:37:32uniform security mandate. And what are

2:37:36the objective rocks standards for

2:37:38granting one? There aren't any. It's

2:37:42subjective. It's a series of

2:37:44discretionary judgment calls, which

2:37:46means security doesn't come down to

2:37:48public safety. It comes down to billable

2:37:52hours. The landlord with the most

2:37:54creative, high-priced legal team is the

2:37:58one most likely to walk away with an

2:38:00exemption. And when a private

2:38:02residential building gets exempted from

2:38:04securing its own premises, who pays the

2:38:06bill? The taxpayers of Jersey City. Of

2:38:09course, that burden gets outsourced

2:38:12straight to the Jersey City Police

2:38:14Department, pulling our officers away

2:38:16from neighborhood patrols to act as

2:38:19offduty bouncers for private corporate

2:38:22landlords. Safety shouldn't be an

2:38:24optional amenity that the landlord can

2:38:26negotiate away with clever paperwork.

2:38:29The only clean, fair, and effective

2:38:31solution is to close this loophole

2:38:33completely.

2:38:34Strike paragraph D from section 218-1.

2:38:39Eliminate the exemption, keep the

2:38:40mandate universal, and ensure that every

2:38:42tenant in the city gets real protection,

2:38:45not just a staring role on a landlord

2:38:48CCTV production. Thank you.

2:38:56>> Our next speaker, 5.38, Barbara

2:39:04Evening, city council. Like many of my

2:39:07fellow portside neighbors, I am not a

2:39:10lawyer. But I do know that the aim of

2:39:13some of the best laws ever written is

2:39:16fairness.

2:39:17That's why I'm here tonight to ask you

2:39:19to remove paragraph D from ordinance

2:39:23218-1.

2:39:26That paragraph allows a multiple

2:39:28dwelling building to apply for an

2:39:30exemption

2:39:32and avoid responsibility for hiring a

2:39:34uniform security guard. It could be a

2:39:37building like Portide, where a woman

2:39:40trying to escape her stalker ran into

2:39:42our lobby, where a bullet pierced the

2:39:45window of a child's bedroom, and where

2:39:48vandals have smashed the windows of cars

2:39:51parked near our front door. But if you

2:39:55remove paragraph D, a multiple multiple

2:39:59dwelling building would be mandated, no

2:40:02question, to hire a uniform security

2:40:04guard to help protect tenants.

2:40:08If you leave a paragraph D in place,

2:40:11landlords can apply for an exemption to

2:40:13avoid that responsibility.

2:40:16in paragraph D allows landlords who

2:40:19disagree with the city's decision to

2:40:21challenge it possibly again and again,

2:40:25leaving tenants with still no uniform

2:40:28security.

2:40:30Richer the landlord, the bigger the

2:40:32legal budget to keep fighting for an

2:40:34exemption.

2:40:36Oddly enough, there are no set factors

2:40:39that qualify a landlord for an

2:40:41exemption. It's a judgment call left up

2:40:45to the city. And again, the richer the

2:40:48landlord, the bigger the legal budget to

2:40:51keep fighting for an exemption.

2:40:54Once the landlord begins fighting for

2:40:56that exemption, the cost of security, as

2:40:59you've just heard, is shifted to the

2:41:01Jersey City taxer

2:41:03because the police end up forced to deal

2:41:06with security issues that might

2:41:08otherwise be handled by a uniform

2:41:10security guard.

2:41:12I think many in this room know that the

2:41:15aim of some of the best laws ever

2:41:18written is fairness.

2:41:21Make ordinance 218-1

2:41:24fair for everyone in Jersey City. Remove

2:41:29paragraph D in its entirety from

2:41:33ordinance 218-1.

2:41:36Thank you.

2:41:39Our

2:41:42next speaker 5.39 Mark

2:41:51I'm here to talk about safety

2:41:53accountability portside towers and the

2:41:55south end of Washington street

2:41:58specifically our city's strategy of

2:42:00combating non-compliance through the

2:42:02power of highdefinition observation

2:42:07side recently added even more security

2:42:09cameras, presumably to help them gain an

2:42:11exemption. Cameras are great if you're

2:42:13producing a documentary, but cameras are

2:42:16entirely passive. A camera has never

2:42:18walked up to a trespasser and said,

2:42:20"Excuse me, you can't be here."

2:42:23It can't deescalate an argument, and it

2:42:25certainly can't close a gate. It just

2:42:28sits on the wall politely watching so we

2:42:30can gather around a screen later and

2:42:32say, "Well, look, someone broke the

2:42:35rules again." Passive surveillance is no

2:42:38substitute for trained uniform security

2:42:40on the ground to police portside towers

2:42:42on the south end of Washington Street.

2:42:44We need officers who are trained to

2:42:46protect tenants and intervene before

2:42:48situations spiral. Nowhere is the

2:42:51presence more needed than at Dudley in

2:42:53Washington. Ordinance 0515, sorry,

2:42:5607153,

2:42:58uh, specifies that entrance is supposed

2:43:00to be closed and chained shut every

2:43:03single night by portside security to

2:43:05protect the Korean War Memorial. That's

2:43:08the rule on paper. In practice, it

2:43:10simply hasn't been happening. So, the

2:43:12burdens fall upon an unpaid volunteer,

2:43:15our very own Daniel Feldman. For nine

2:43:19straight months, Dan's walked out every

2:43:20single night to photograph their

2:43:22unsecured entrance and file a CC click

2:43:24fix ticket. Tonight, when he gets home,

2:43:26he'll take his 272nd photograph and file

2:43:30his 272nd

2:43:32ticket. 272 consecutive nights. That

2:43:36isn't just civic duty. That's an unpaid

2:43:39full-time internship. If Cclick Fix had

2:43:42a frequent flyer program, Dan will be

2:43:44flying first class to Hawaii by now.

2:43:48Dan's essentially functioning as a

2:43:49walking, breathing human camera. But

2:43:51Dan's not a bouncer or a security

2:43:53officer, and he can't chain that gate

2:43:54shut himself. Just like a lens bolted to

2:43:57a brick wall, Dan can document the VIP

2:43:59violation every night. But without live

2:44:02uniform security, nothing ever changes.

2:44:05Having a neighbor take 272 photographs

2:44:08of an unchained gate is not a security

2:44:11plan.

2:44:12All of this can be fixed very simply by

2:44:15you. eliminate the exemption clause in

2:44:18218-1.

2:44:20Then every building with more than 100

2:44:22units would have to have uniform

2:44:24security 24/7.

2:44:27There'd be no wiggle room for lawyers to

2:44:29play with. Remove the exemption. It's

2:44:31paragraph D 218-1.

2:44:34Thank you.

2:44:39Next speaker 5.40 40 Himsu.

2:44:48>> Uh, hi city council. My name is

2:44:50Himmanshu and I live at Portide Towers.

2:44:53I want to specifically bring uh discuss

2:44:55about some of the maintenance issues uh

2:44:58that we have been facing as well as the

2:44:59security issues.

2:45:01Uh when a drain backs up in our building

2:45:04or water starts coming through ceiling

2:45:06at night, tenants call for help. Today

2:45:09that call often reaches an automated AI

2:45:11system. The system can take a message,

2:45:14it can't clean a drain, shut off a wall

2:45:17or knock on neighbor's door. Like the

2:45:20cameras in our hallways, it can record a

2:45:22problem and it can't fix one. Jersey

2:45:25City expects a person to be there. The

2:45:27city's property maintenance code says

2:45:29that in any building of six or more

2:45:31apartments, the superintendent has to

2:45:33live on the premises.

2:45:35Buildings with more than 42 apartments

2:45:37can't share a separate remnant with the

2:45:39building next door. Each one needs its

2:45:42own person living on the site.

2:45:45New Jersey also holds that person

2:45:47responsible under the state's housing

2:45:49rules. The person the owner puts in

2:45:51charge of the day-to-day upkeep is

2:45:53liable together with the owner for

2:45:55keeping the building up to court. That

2:45:57means every large building in this city

2:45:59has real people who answer for its

2:46:01condition. This council created the

2:46:04rental protection special investigative

2:46:06committee and that committee has the

2:46:08power to subpoena uh witnesses. No one

2:46:11can call a chatbot or a camera to

2:46:14testify. The committee can call the

2:46:16people who run and maintain these

2:46:18buildings. We ask the committee to use

2:46:20that power, find out who the

2:46:22superintendent and managers are at the

2:46:24buildings with the most open violations

2:46:27and ask them under oath why the problems

2:46:29are not fixed. Thank you. Our

2:46:37next speaker 5.41 Danelo.

2:46:45Good evening.

2:46:48Um, tonight I want to talk about

2:46:50endurance,

2:46:52about patience,

2:46:54and about what it takes to keep going

2:46:56and you face something that seems

2:46:58impossible to change. I grew up in East

2:47:02Germany behind the iron curtain. I know

2:47:05what it feels like when a system seems

2:47:07permanent. When institutions seem too

2:47:10powerful to challenge

2:47:13when you are told directly and

2:47:15indirectly this is just the way things

2:47:18are accepted.

2:47:20But people didn't accept it. I was part

2:47:22of that peaceful revolution in East

2:47:24Germany. And I want to be very clear.

2:47:28I'm not comparing the circumstances then

2:47:30with the circumstances now. I'm talking

2:47:33about something much simpler. I know

2:47:36what perseverance requires. I I know we

2:47:40know what it requires. It requires

2:47:42patience. It requires endurance. It

2:47:46requires strength and the moral compass

2:47:48that always points in the right

2:47:49direction. And most importantly, it

2:47:53acquires the ability to suffer a setback

2:47:55without confusing that setback for the

2:47:58end of the road. The Iron Curtain looked

2:48:01permanent. It wasn't. East Germany

2:48:04looked permanent. It wasn't. Change took

2:48:08years. It took countless people showing

2:48:10up again and again, and eventually

2:48:12something that had seemed impossible

2:48:14became reality. I grew up behind that

2:48:18curtain. Today I live in the United

2:48:20States. I made this country my home. I

2:48:23certainly never expected to come here

2:48:26and find another thick curtain in front

2:48:29of me.

2:48:31Not one made from concrete bar wire and

2:48:34watchtowers, but made from delay,

2:48:37ignorance, inaction,

2:48:40and the constant suggestion that

2:48:41ordinary people should eventually become

2:48:44tired, frustrated, and simply give up.

2:48:47that misunderstands people like me and

2:48:50it certainly understands misunderstands

2:48:53us. We have learned something through

2:48:56this experience. We know how to

2:48:58organize. We know how to research. We

2:49:01know how to speak up. We know how to

2:49:03keep showing up and every obstacle has

2:49:06made us us better at it. So we don't see

2:49:10this moment as a reason for frustration.

2:49:13We see opportunity.

2:49:15We see a reason for determination

2:49:18and we have a very calm confidence about

2:49:21what comes next because we have seen

2:49:24supposedly permanent barriers disappear

2:49:27before and we know what it takes. We

2:49:30have the patience. We have the endurance

2:49:32and we are going to use both to help

2:49:34meaningful change in Jersey City. And I

2:49:38stand in solidarity with the Newport

2:49:40residents and I wish you listen to them

2:49:43carefully later. Thank you. Our

2:49:50next speaker 5.42 Sonia

2:49:56>> of my husband and must say it touches me

2:49:58ever again when I hear this story. My

2:50:01name is Sonia Kesha. As you know it's

2:50:03the 57th time I'm speaking here in front

2:50:06of you. I've lived at 100 Warren Street

2:50:08for over 12 years. First, I want to

2:50:11reiterate how grateful we are for where

2:50:14the city has stood by us, including

2:50:16fighting for uniformed security

2:50:19alongside us in Superior Court. We know

2:50:22many of you want real solutions as much

2:50:25as we do. That is why I need to bring

2:50:28you in on what it actually feels like to

2:50:31live in our buildings. On September

2:50:3330th, around 9:15 at night, I came home

2:50:36by myself. It's just a short walk

2:50:39through the courtyard from one tower to

2:50:41the other. On this twominute walk, I had

2:50:44to file not one but three separate

2:50:47security related cyclic fix tickets. And

2:50:50honestly, it should have been five, but

2:50:53I was exhausted and just wanted to get

2:50:55inside my home safely. First, there was

2:50:58an abandoned lobby in the east tower. No

2:51:00dorm, no security. the ladder. Of course

2:51:03not, because our buildings with over 500

2:51:07units don't have security. I passed the

2:51:10empty front desk, walked through the

2:51:12courtyard, and entered through an

2:51:13unlocked door on into the other tower.

2:51:16That door has been unsecured for years.

2:51:19It showed a red light, pretending you

2:51:22need a key fob, but anyone can just walk

2:51:24right in. Then I passed the woman's

2:51:27locker room um at our gym. That door was

2:51:30completely unlocked too. Any creep can

2:51:34walk in, hide and watch or attack women

2:51:37while they are changing. It's terrifying

2:51:39really. Our land loves love, our

2:51:42landlord loves to point at cameras as a

2:51:45solution. But cameras are completely

2:51:47passive. A camera cannot stop an attack

2:51:50from happening. It can't jump from its

2:51:53spot on the ceiling during an emergency.

2:51:55It just records the crime while a human

2:51:57is being victimized. Uniformed security

2:52:00people are trained to protect us, step

2:52:03in and stop problems as they unfold.

2:52:06Under municipal code section 218-1

2:52:09paragraph D, landlords can apply a

2:52:12security exemption. You've heard that.

2:52:14But there's no rigid definition. It's

2:52:17basically a judgment call. and landlords

2:52:19with deep pockets and very well-groomed

2:52:21lawyers that we've seen here use it to

2:52:24duck away, pushing security burden right

2:52:26onto the city's taxpayers and police.

2:52:29What an audacity really for any landlord

2:52:32to ask for a security exemption under

2:52:35these conditions. How dare they? I can

2:52:38tell you the answer is simple. It's pure

2:52:40greed. We know that money over safety,

2:52:43billions over lives. We need you to hold

2:52:46the line on our safety. And I really

2:52:48want to end with saying we are standing

2:52:50with the people in port from port side

2:52:53here. Please give them answers by

2:52:55October 21st. They might not have the

2:52:58four years that we've been coming for.

2:53:00>> Thank you.

2:53:04>> Our next speaker 5.43 Shannon.

2:53:12>> Uh good evening. My name is Shannon Ray.

2:53:14I live at Portside Towers and tonight I

2:53:17am here for our neighbors at Newport.

2:53:20Uh Lafrock's September 21st letter to

2:53:23Newport tenants says that their

2:53:25apartments are exempt from the city's

2:53:27rent control law. The reason the letter

2:53:30gives is one sentence in the city code.

2:53:34The sentence exempts newly built

2:53:38buildings with 25 or more apartments in

2:53:40redevelopment areas where the council

2:53:43approved a redevelopment plan.

2:53:46The city wrote that sentence in 1983.

2:53:49Tenants moved into the Newport Towers in

2:53:521987 and 1988. Almost 40 years later,

2:53:56the owner still relies on that exemption

2:53:58for newly built buildings. City staff

2:54:01have told Newport tenants since 2023

2:54:04that rent control does not reach them

2:54:07because the buildings sit on a

2:54:09redevelopment area.

2:54:13The sentence in ordinance 260 points to

2:54:15a state law that New Jersey repealed in

2:54:191992. The city's own code says so in a

2:54:22footnote. And I'm not a lawyer, but can

2:54:25a repealed law even exempt a building

2:54:28from anything?

2:54:29Rent control is the default rule in

2:54:32Jersey City. The state gives builders a

2:54:35temporary break from it as an incentive

2:54:38to build new apartments. Right now, the

2:54:42city's redevelopment exemptions never

2:54:44ends, even when the conditions of an

2:54:47area change, maybe even after a tax

2:54:49abatement ends, maybe even for really

2:54:52old buildings.

2:54:54The city already saw this problem seven

2:54:57years ago. In 2019, the city council

2:55:00drafted Ordinance 19-128

2:55:03to repeal the redevelopment exemption.

2:55:06That made sense, but that council never

2:55:09adopted it.

2:55:11The tenants at Newport and every other

2:55:14older building in redevelopment area

2:55:17deserve to know when the city's

2:55:18incentive to their landlord ends. We ask

2:55:22a member of this council to sponsor an

2:55:24ordinance that repeals the city's

2:55:26redevelopment exemption or recognize the

2:55:28repealed law it relies on has already

2:55:31meant that exemption stopped existing

2:55:34since 1992.

2:55:36The city already wrote a version of that

2:55:38ordinance in 2019, ordinance 19-128.

2:55:41Please dust it off, update it, and

2:55:44introduce it this fall. Thank you.

2:55:49Our

2:55:52next speaker 5.44 Grace.

2:55:56>> Good evening. My name is Gracie Jolly

2:56:00and I live at Portside Towers.

2:56:04When a landlord raises my rent, I should

2:56:08be able to see the whole rent history of

2:56:12my apartment. That means

2:56:16the flat rent the city recognizes for

2:56:20the apartment called the base rent

2:56:24and every rent charged after it with the

2:56:28dates.

2:56:31Today the law gives tenants pieces of

2:56:34that history. No rule puts the whole

2:56:37history in a tenants's hands. Without

2:56:41it, I can't check whether my rent is

2:56:45legal and neither can my neighbors.

2:56:49A landlord who follows the law already

2:56:52keeps these records.

2:56:55A landlord can h hand a tenant a copy in

2:56:59a few minutes. Our

2:57:03tenant association gave you the text of

2:57:06this amendment at your last two

2:57:10meetings. It adds one new rule in

2:57:14section 260-3.

2:57:18Before any rent increase, the landlord

2:57:22gives the tenant the full rent history

2:57:26of the apartment starting with the base

2:57:29rent.

2:57:32Will one of you sponsor the amendment

2:57:36and introduce it this fall? Thank you.

2:57:46>> Our next speaker 5.45

2:57:49Jessica.

2:57:52>> Evening city council.

2:57:54Know I'm Jessica Bran. I live at Portide

2:57:56Towers East. And you've heard a lot

2:57:58tonight about uniform security

2:58:00requirements. So I don't need to

2:58:01reiterate all of them to you, but um

2:58:04it's another example of where city codes

2:58:08allow landlords to be excused for

2:58:11various things and that creates work for

2:58:14the city every single year. An exemption

2:58:17the city grants for uniform security

2:58:20ends on April 1st of the following year.

2:58:23And to keep it, the owner has to ask for

2:58:26a new inspection between January and

2:58:28March every year. And each time the city

2:58:31inspects, weighs what the tenant files,

2:58:34what the tenants file, decides, and

2:58:36explains it its decision. When the city

2:58:39says no, the owner can go to court. The

2:58:42owner of Portside applied in November

2:58:442024, and the city inspected and denied

2:58:47that exemption in April of 2025, which

2:58:50we appreciated. In June 2025, the owner

2:58:53sued the city. In the meantime, licensed

2:58:56uniform security guards have not been

2:58:59provided for either of our buildings,

2:59:01putting tenants in jeopardy every day.

2:59:03This isn't a problem solely for port

2:59:05side. You've heard all night about

2:59:07problems with security and safety.

2:59:11On September 10th, Councilman Griffin

2:59:13asked your council what happens to the

2:59:15city's law if a landlord gets an

2:59:17exemption. Repealing that exemption

2:59:20answers his question, which was a very

2:59:22good one. The guard requirements stay in

2:59:25place, the same for every large

2:59:26building, and the city has no exemption

2:59:28to grant or deny or fight.

2:59:31Tonight, you've heard from members of

2:59:33our associations, and later tonight,

2:59:35you'll hear from our neighbors at

2:59:37Newport, and you've heard from multiple

2:59:40u many of us, including myself now, that

2:59:42our association stand together in

2:59:44solidarity with their efforts. Please

2:59:46give the Newport tenants written an

2:59:48answers before their October 21st

2:59:50deadline. There's, you know, you don't

2:59:54have time to waste here. And I really

2:59:57appreciate Councilwoman Little and

2:59:59Councilman Efos talking about this issue

3:00:02openly and publicly last night, as well

3:00:03as committing to addressing that

3:00:05tonight. Um, it is definitely

3:00:08appreciated by us and I'm sure by the

3:00:10Newport tenants as well.

3:00:12We also ask that you sponsor an audience

3:00:15an ordinance that repeals the

3:00:16redevelopment exemption in chapter 260.

3:00:18This would benefit everyone. Please

3:00:20sponsor the amendment that gives every

3:00:22tenant the full rent history of their

3:00:24apartment that Gracie just asked you to.

3:00:27Um that way people can make informed

3:00:29decisions about any increases that they

3:00:31see. And Councilman Griffin,

3:00:34will you sponsor the ordinance that

3:00:36keeps the guard requirement and repeals

3:00:38section 2181D?

3:00:41Thank you.

3:00:47>> Our next speaker 5.46 Zachary.

3:01:01Are you Zachary?

3:01:03Oh,

3:01:06>> hello city council. My name is Zachary

3:01:08Premiere. I'm a born and raised resident

3:01:10of Jersey City that resides on 70

3:01:12Armstrong after a three month stay at

3:01:15Hobok and shelter in the winter of 2025

3:01:182026. I'm a beneficiary of SNAP TR and

3:01:22GA. Um having a home is a blessing. I'm

3:01:25currently being subjected to multiple

3:01:27levels of humiliation, dehumanization,

3:01:29and loss of rights along with the lack

3:01:31of opportunities and funding for my

3:01:33education. In the last seven or eight

3:01:35months since placement, I've been

3:01:37dealing with inconsistency and being

3:01:39completely ignored by social services

3:01:41that my situation is managed and

3:01:43controlled by. My biological parents

3:01:45have abandoned me. Not to say that for

3:01:47pity or sympathy. Independence is my

3:01:49strength. 70 Armstrong is a orange

3:01:52management property. It's poorly

3:01:54maintained and takes on a consistent

3:01:55theme of Jersey City residential

3:01:57properties. That filth, inhumane living

3:01:59environments, and unsafe living

3:02:01conditions is the golden standard. The

3:02:03lack of attention to tenants and

3:02:05boundaries management don't apply our

3:02:07respect is my reason for meeting with

3:02:09city council today. Robbery, assault,

3:02:11fear-mongering, and gangstalking and

3:02:13property damage have all been taken

3:02:15against me at 70 Armstrong with JCPD

3:02:18Orange Management and the welfare

3:02:20department on September 9th, 2026. After

3:02:23multiple documented attempts and even an

3:02:25inquiry to take on the responsibility at

3:02:28the residents to help maintain

3:02:29cleanliness and safety, a team of main

3:02:32makeshift constructive e excavation and

3:02:36abatement workers were contracted by

3:02:38orange management to remove organized

3:02:40metal I freelance to get paid for for

3:02:42scrap. Upon arrival, without a work

3:02:44order from Orange Management with a

3:02:46verbal agreement that I could occupy the

3:02:48back area and leave it there, I was

3:02:50taunted into a verbal exchange and then

3:02:52assaulted by five of the workers and

3:02:54violently pursued while trying to stand

3:02:56my ground. I was repeatedly struck

3:02:58across the head and upper body with

3:03:00metal wrenches and work tools. I was

3:03:02robbed of my home keys and wallet

3:03:04encasing bank cards, healthcare cards,

3:03:06and the windows of my home were broken.

3:03:08Onlookers heckled me and continued as I

3:03:10tried to call on the police as as if I

3:03:13was going to be taken as a joke by

3:03:14dispatch that was made to protect and

3:03:17serve. It was as if everyone already

3:03:19understood there would be no justice for

3:03:21me at that moment. I began to understand

3:03:23that living in fear was the only outcome

3:03:24for this situation. I decided to

3:03:26completely disregard that idea and use

3:03:28my rights to make myself heard on my and

3:03:31act on my own sovereignty. A police

3:03:33report was made. A detective has been

3:03:35assigned to the case which information

3:03:37for direct or further contact has been

3:03:39constantly withheld. Rose infestation,

3:03:41constant debris, and no communication

3:03:43along with the police department's

3:03:45overly aggressive control tactics have

3:03:47given me strong PTSD symptoms and

3:03:49multiple mental health states. Sunday,

3:03:51October 4th, I still haven't got the

3:03:53window fixed. And it's been one month

3:03:55after and I'm still in a situation where

3:03:57I'm in contact with the same people, not

3:03:59by choice, but by proximity of where I

3:04:01live. My GA SN SNAP benefits have been

3:04:03continually shut off with only the

3:04:06option to go into the welfare

3:04:07department. Emails, phone calls, and

3:04:09constantly ignoring.

3:04:10>> Your time is up. Sorry.

3:04:11>> What? What's good?

3:04:12>> Your time is up.

3:04:13>> All right. All right. Help me. Help me

3:04:14with that.

3:04:25>> Next speaker. 5.47. Jacob.

3:04:30>> Jacob. Okay. No.

3:04:345.48. Judith.

3:04:58I stand with Newport.

3:05:01Judith Fury Rogers. I live downtown at

3:05:05St. Mary's Resident, a shared home for

3:05:10working women.

3:05:12Women struggling to secure affordable

3:05:15permanent housing.

3:05:18Jersey City needs to create a housing

3:05:22stability grant program for lowincome

3:05:26working individuals and seniors.

3:05:30Not a shelter, not a room in a boarding

3:05:34home, a house, an apartment with a

3:05:39kitchen and bathroom.

3:05:42Downtown Jersey City has experienced

3:05:45significant luxury redevelopment.

3:05:49Housing insecurity

3:05:52caused by gentrification

3:05:54is stressful for everyone,

3:05:57especially St. Mary residents.

3:06:01Jersey City should create a pathway

3:06:05from temporary stability like St. Mary

3:06:09residents

3:06:10to permanent affordable housing.

3:06:14I am asking the city to explore a

3:06:18community land trust model as one

3:06:22possible way to accomplish this.

3:06:26Beginning with a 40 unit pilot program,

3:06:31Jersey City would need to identify land

3:06:35suitable for long-term affordable

3:06:37housing, partner with the community land

3:06:41trust,

3:06:43develop 40 affordable rental units as a

3:06:46pilot program, create a transparent

3:06:50eligibility process consistent with the

3:06:54affordable housing requires. irements.

3:06:57Set aside 20 units for eligible St. Mary

3:07:01residents.

3:07:03This would also create opportunities for

3:07:07developers to participate

3:07:10in building and preserving affordable

3:07:13housing.

3:07:15I am asking the city to take the first

3:07:18step. study the feasibility of a Jersey

3:07:22City housing stability grant and a 40

3:07:26unit community land PL pilot for

3:07:30permanent affordable housing.

3:07:34Jersey City has grown. Our housing

3:07:37policies must grow with the city. Thank

3:07:41you.

3:07:43>> Hi. Hi. Uh Luna, excuse me, Luna.

3:07:48Hi, Councilman Griffin. I I just um I

3:07:50like what you had to say. I just wanted

3:07:52to let you know um that I am actually in

3:07:55conversations with a nonprofit developer

3:07:58who's already built affordable housing

3:08:01here in Jersey City as well as single

3:08:04resident occupancy. Um and

3:08:08>> we'll get in touch with you.

3:08:09>> Yeah. So, I'll give you a card and um we

3:08:13can talk.

3:08:14>> Okay. Because there's a lot of women

3:08:16that need

3:08:16>> Judith, we're done.

3:08:19I

3:08:20>> because he's speaking it's not a

3:08:22question and answer.

3:08:25>> Next speaker 5.49 Luna.

3:08:29>> Oh

3:08:33Luna

3:08:37>> not here. Okay.

3:08:40550 Johnson.

3:08:50Good evening, Council

3:08:53Chambers. Um,

3:08:55the young lady on the right, she pretty

3:08:57much answer my thoughts for the past 24

3:09:01hours. We spoke yesterday about the

3:09:03attorneys.

3:09:05I'm in New York City. I work in the uh

3:09:07government institution with Marcus stock

3:09:09market and I spoke to a friend who's an

3:09:12attorney on the real estate side and he

3:09:15explained to me the right and wrong the

3:09:18illegal was taking place with the new

3:09:20poor organization and I just wanted to

3:09:23get a feedback because I am still trying

3:09:25to digest of what's happening here.

3:09:30I've been working for 40 years in the

3:09:32United States. I've been working for 40

3:09:34years very hard paying my taxes. I'm a

3:09:36US citizen and I love Jersey City, New

3:09:39Jersey. When I discovered Jersey City, I

3:09:41was born in Puerto Rico, came here in 6

3:09:43months and I was raised in the South

3:09:46Bronx for 16 years. For 16 years, I saw

3:09:51the danger that I was in.

3:09:55landlords, corrupted landlords, fires,

3:09:58rapes, corrupted police officers, drugs.

3:10:02I remember when crack was discovered, my

3:10:05mother took us, we went to Puerto Rico.

3:10:07We stood there for two years. I came

3:10:09back and my mother has family in Jersey

3:10:14City, New Jersey. When we moved to

3:10:16Jersey City, New Jersey, my first

3:10:17apartment was in Fifth Street, downtown

3:10:19Jersey City. There for 29 years. After

3:10:23that, my parents took off. I was 19

3:10:25years old. I stood there for 29 years

3:10:28and I discovered Newport. Almost 11

3:10:31years ago, I moved in and I got very

3:10:34comfortable because it's convenience

3:10:36right next to my job in Wall Street, New

3:10:38York.

3:10:39Never in my dream

3:10:42I thought this would happen now where I

3:10:44got a few more years to go to retire. I

3:10:47am here concerned with all these

3:10:50beautiful people who is also concerned.

3:10:52I'm here to support them. I feel like

3:10:55this is my family now because I have no

3:10:57one in Jersey City, New Jersey or in the

3:10:59United States because the majority of my

3:11:02family is gone. So I came here for the

3:11:04second night to ask that very question.

3:11:08when are we going to follow up and have

3:11:10the appointment to speak to an attorney

3:11:13that you could bring to us to represent

3:11:15us to ask the right questions and that

3:11:17way I know what direction to go to go.

3:11:20Um I want to do things the right way. Um

3:11:23other than that I'm still trying to

3:11:25process and digest about how we are

3:11:28being forced to move out when each

3:11:31individual has a certain day. I haven't

3:11:34gotten no letter, no emails, but when

3:11:37the time comes, I want to be prepared.

3:11:40So, I thank you very much for your

3:11:41support. I need you. I love Georgia City

3:11:44and God bless everyone here.

3:11:51>> Next speaker, 5.51, Katherine.

3:11:54>> Um,

3:11:55>> yeah. So, we we don't have a date yet,

3:11:58but um I I have the emails and phone

3:12:01numbers of several people in your group.

3:12:02I understand you're all in one big

3:12:04WhatsApp chat together. So, as soon as

3:12:06we have a date, that is correct.

3:12:07Communicate. I also would encourage you

3:12:09to reach out to attorneys on your own

3:12:11because um if we bring an attorney to

3:12:13speak to the group that will

3:12:16absent of any agreement, they would not

3:12:19be in an attorney client relationship.

3:12:22So, they would just be able to provide

3:12:23general information on your rights and

3:12:25not specific legal advice for your

3:12:28specific case. So,

3:12:30>> thank you very much for your support.

3:12:32Right. Thank you. And I would uh

3:12:35>> if residents have like specific

3:12:37questions or specific questions for the

3:12:40council that we as council members send

3:12:42our aids over to them to get some of

3:12:44their information um so that we can get

3:12:47those addressed.

3:12:49Go ahead Sean.

3:12:50>> Thank you. Our next speaker 5.51

3:12:54Katherine.

3:12:57She's here.

3:13:11My name is Katherine Moore. I live in

3:13:13the Powerhouse Arts District. Um, part

3:13:15of the Powerhouse Arts District

3:13:16Neighborhood Association.

3:13:19I came here to talk about something

3:13:20else, but um,

3:13:23because we didn't do the amendment

3:13:24earlier, but I need to comment about

3:13:26that. New York City zoning resolution

3:13:29passed in 1916, the first zoning in

3:13:32America. It established bulk and use

3:13:35regulations that were meant to promote

3:13:37health and safety for the citizenry. One

3:13:40important issue it was written to

3:13:42address was the terrible situation

3:13:44produced when developers build tall and

3:13:46bulky buildings full to the lot lines

3:13:49with no setbacks. Lack of light and air

3:13:52at street level are clearly recognized

3:13:54as detrimental to basic public health.

3:13:57An interesting historical fact that you

3:13:59will appreciate is the equitable life

3:14:01building in New York that large that

3:14:04largely participated pre precipitated

3:14:06the 1916

3:14:08uh resolution.

3:14:13The building represented in this

3:14:15presentation is a throwback to these

3:14:16problematic designs of early 20th

3:14:19century. Bulky building with no

3:14:21setbacks. It's very disappointing that

3:14:23many projects in Jersey City have this

3:14:25failing. The f a fellow resident in the

3:14:28neighborhood has no doubt that the

3:14:29developer would argue that this is much

3:14:33precedent for this and that is no excuse

3:14:35for repeating this blatant planning

3:14:37mistake. Not only will the experience at

3:14:40the ground level be terrible, lacking

3:14:42light and air, but exacerbate the wind

3:14:45tunnel effect will further diminish the

3:14:47quality of life around the building.

3:14:51Quote from the redevelopment plan, the

3:14:54powerhouse arts district redevelopment

3:14:56plan. All structures within the

3:14:57redevelopment area shall be shall be

3:15:01situated with proper consideration of

3:15:04the relationship to other nearby

3:15:06buildings, including those that are

3:15:08existing or approved and inside or

3:15:12outside of the redevelopment area in

3:15:14terms of light, air, and usable open

3:15:18space, access to the public, and private

3:15:21rights of way.

3:15:24Quality of life should not be a

3:15:26community give back and then be denied

3:15:29this give back because the developer

3:15:31says no. No negotiation to the city

3:15:34planners or to city council. Put this in

3:15:37the amendment and the developer can ask

3:15:40for a variance at the site plan the

3:15:43state and state the reason for the

3:15:46refusal to give us light and air from

3:15:48this new high-rise structure.

3:15:51I'm going to use the last 22 sec 20

3:15:53seconds. Uh

3:15:56the US Census Bureau bureau has

3:15:59announced that they are going to remove

3:16:02they were only going to count US

3:16:04citizens, green holders and green card

3:16:06holders for congressional representation

3:16:09excluding undocumented immigrants and

3:16:11people with other immigration statuses.

3:16:13>> Thank you.

3:16:17>> Our next speaker 5.52 Eric

3:16:30I do. Can you hear me?

3:16:31>> Yep.

3:16:33>> Hello, esteemed members of the council.

3:16:36My name is Eric Heggerman. I'm a

3:16:38volunteer coach with the Jersey City

3:16:40Soccer Association.

3:16:42And first, I would just like to

3:16:44acknowledge that you guys have heard a

3:16:47lot of heavy stuff going on in the city

3:16:49tonight. And I realized that soccer

3:16:52practice for elementary school kids

3:16:56pales a little bit in comparison to gun

3:16:58violence and some of the other things

3:16:59that we're hearing about. And what I

3:17:02would suggest to you is this actually

3:17:04doesn't have to be a problem at all.

3:17:07Right? When I volunteered for uh to be a

3:17:10coach two years ago, I had no experience

3:17:13coaching, but I decided to dive in

3:17:16after the first practice I took my son

3:17:18to. We walked away and he said, "Papa, I

3:17:23love soccer." And I was in and I'm

3:17:26really in right now. I wrote a letter

3:17:28last week to uh Mary Solomon and and all

3:17:31of you that you may uh you may have

3:17:34seen.

3:17:35It's difficult to explain why we're even

3:17:38here.

3:17:40You know, we're talking about a league

3:17:42that has 1,200 kids.

3:17:45For the last two years, I've been to 40

3:17:48practices and 40 games, and only once in

3:17:51that entire time has anything been

3:17:54shifted. On Monday nights over at Caven

3:17:58Point, anybody who's been over there

3:18:00knows what it looks like. You've got 196

3:18:02kids parcelled out onto one soccer

3:18:06field. Parents there, so maybe 300

3:18:10people in all, coaches. They get them

3:18:12into one soccer field and do an hour and

3:18:15a half practice at a set time because

3:18:17they realize that parents of young

3:18:20children have a lot going on and

3:18:22shuttling people over to Caven Point is

3:18:25kind of a hike. Right. This year, for

3:18:28some reason, the city is sending all

3:18:30those parents and all those kids

3:18:32packing, driving around Jersey City

3:18:34looking for a place to play soccer.

3:18:37Sometimes it ends up in the dark at

3:18:38Lincoln Park. kids are getting, you

3:18:41know, we've got third graders going to

3:18:43bed uh or finishing practice at 8:30 at

3:18:46night. And the crazy thing is nobody

3:18:50knows why. We don't understand what's

3:18:52happening. It makes no sense. All right.

3:18:55The city, the BOE, JCSA

3:19:00signed a memor memorandum of

3:19:02understanding in 2013 that made it very

3:19:06clear that if Jersey City raised the

3:19:08funds to turf the field at Caven Point,

3:19:11which they did, right? BOE owns it, the

3:19:15city administers it, and JCSA paid for

3:19:18it. It says in black and white in theou

3:19:21basically that JCSA has first dibs.

3:19:25JCSA teams play each other. They don't

3:19:27travel. It's always there, right? So,

3:19:31what I'm suggesting is that you put them

3:19:32on the calendar first and make the high

3:19:35school team ask for permission.

3:19:42>> The next speaker, 5.53, Leslie

3:19:47Leslie,

3:19:52>> not here.

3:19:55Okay. 5.54. Jordan

3:20:05Ley J O R DN L E H Y. Good evening,

3:20:10Council President and members of the

3:20:11council. My name is Jordan Ley. I live

3:20:13in Ward E. I'm a dad of two. Both my

3:20:17wife and I work full-time. And like many

3:20:19parents, we don't want to be here. But

3:20:22I'm going to take you back in time. In

3:20:24Measure for Measure, Act Two, Scene One,

3:20:27Shakespeare wrote, "We must not make a

3:20:30scarecrow of the law, setting it up to

3:20:32fear the birds of prey, and let it keep

3:20:35one shape till custom make it their

3:20:37perch and not their terror. A scarecrow

3:20:41that never moves becomes a place to sit.

3:20:45That's what our delineators have become.

3:20:47FedEx, UPS, Amazon, they do not fear

3:20:51them. They drive on top of them. Here's

3:20:55what I've learned. There are three

3:20:56problems. First, the request to get

3:20:59these replaced sit 18 months. One street

3:21:04still not replaced. Second, I believe

3:21:07the reason is cost. Each delineator runs

3:21:10about $150 before installation, and the

3:21:14simply can't order and install these as

3:21:18fast as drivers destroy them. Third,

3:21:21most importantly, there are no

3:21:23consequences. A driver who flattens a

3:21:26post pays nothing, not a fine, not a

3:21:29dollar toward the replacement.

3:21:31Put those together and you get a cycle.

3:21:33Drivers break uh break them for free.

3:21:36Taxpayers pay to replace them. the city

3:21:39falls behind and until a post is

3:21:41replaced, the family on the bike or in

3:21:44the school crosswalk pays with their

3:21:46safety. So, I'm asking the council to

3:21:49adopt an ordinance that treats running

3:21:51over a delineator as what it is, damage

3:21:55to city property. My draft does three

3:21:58things. First, each delineator is a

3:22:02separate violation with a fine set by

3:22:04the court. Second, the driver pays

3:22:07restitution for the full cost of

3:22:09replacing that post, including labor

3:22:11installation, so taxpayers stop paying

3:22:15for it. Third, we should have zero

3:22:18tolerance for the destruction of city

3:22:20property. If someone smashed a bench

3:22:23right in front of a cop, they'd arrest

3:22:25him and expect him to pay for it. A

3:22:28delineator is city property, too. And

3:22:30right now we tolerate FedEx, UPS, and

3:22:33Amazon to destroy them every day right

3:22:35in front of us. So what if we do not

3:22:38pass this? Well, for the next 18 months,

3:22:41the luxury Irby development will

3:22:43continue to take advantage of the bike

3:22:45lane as a luxury VIP staging lane on

3:22:48Green Street.

3:22:50This is a simple actional request that

3:22:52you could vote on next week.

3:22:55improve Jersey City safety and stop

3:22:58leaking what is potentially millions of

3:23:00revenue because UPS, FedEx, and Amazon,

3:23:03they are going to run over these every

3:23:06day because the cost less. Thank you.

3:23:15>> Our next speaker 5.55 Derek

3:23:26Good evening, Sad City Council. My name

3:23:28is Derek Shannon. Uh like one of the

3:23:30previous speakers, uh I'm also a uh TSA

3:23:34uh volunteer coach and parent of one of

3:23:37the players. I'm standing here tonight

3:23:39not not to speak just for my team, the

3:23:42white 12 dominators, but for a massive

3:23:45population of working parents across the

3:23:47city, and for also other youth sports

3:23:51programs that operate alongside and in

3:23:54the wake of, you know, organizations

3:23:55like the JCSA.

3:23:58Sports is foundational to the

3:23:59development of our city's youth. And for

3:24:02a large portion of our children, youth

3:24:04leagues are their only gateway to it.

3:24:06Yet this season, decades of established

3:24:09president and the course of dealings

3:24:12between the city and these programs have

3:24:14been suddenly and completely

3:24:16disregarded.

3:24:18Eric mentioned what happened this past

3:24:20Monday for the Short Shots team that

3:24:23comprises 190 families. The prior week,

3:24:27another division, the Juniors, which

3:24:30comprises

3:24:32140 plus, had a very similar situation.

3:24:38So

3:24:39what we need to do is definitely resolve

3:24:42this issue, find out what the issue is

3:24:45and you know support the 1200 local

3:24:48families of just the JCSA and all of the

3:24:51sports programs that exist in its wake

3:24:54because without that all of these

3:24:56programs are going to die. like this

3:24:57consistency and the consistency and the

3:25:00ability of, you know, parents and

3:25:02players to come together as a community

3:25:04and build the fabric um of our city and,

3:25:08you know, hopefully prevent some of

3:25:10these uh you know, larger broader issues

3:25:12that we're talking that have been talked

3:25:14about tonight, you know, can uh you

3:25:16know, be addressed on a long-term basis.

3:25:18But um the you know the parents, the

3:25:21coaches, um the great staff of the uh

3:25:24the board and the staff of the JCSA and

3:25:26everything that makes this city great um

3:25:29you know they all rely on a calendar and

3:25:31we need the city to be able to operate a

3:25:33calendar just like we do. Thank you.

3:25:38Our

3:25:40next speaker, 5.56, Patrice. Um, Eric

3:25:45and Derek. Uh, I just want to give you

3:25:47guys a brief update. So, we had a uh

3:25:50meeting yesterday about this very issue.

3:25:53You're working with um my office is

3:25:56working with the board of ed and

3:25:58recreation. Um, you guys are right um as

3:26:01it relates to theou and everything that

3:26:04it spells out. Um, as a

3:26:08Recreation is is my wheelhouse. I'm a

3:26:11recreation dad. Um so I I understand you

3:26:14guys concern and um I'm working to

3:26:16address it as soon as possible. I just

3:26:18want you guys to know that

3:26:26>> our next speaker 5.56 Patrice

3:26:33no

3:26:355.57 Moren

3:26:42>> are you Moren? Okay,

3:26:45sorry.

3:26:46>> You could just bring the mic down to

3:26:48you. There you go.

3:26:50>> Good evening. My name is Moren Rios. I

3:26:53live in the Greenville section. I've

3:26:55been fighting for 38 months

3:26:58with my landlord. I had inspectors come

3:27:02to my house and had a marina in the

3:27:06court in the superior court. I have

3:27:08turned my rent to the superior court.

3:27:11And yesterday was the final of my test

3:27:14of my court date. I can't believe that a

3:27:18judge has said that it's okay that it's

3:27:22not inhabitable for me to have no hot

3:27:25water, no heat, no working stove,

3:27:30nothing. My landlord, all the rent that

3:27:33I gave the courthouse, they gave it to

3:27:36this landlord. And today I find out that

3:27:40this building is not even registered

3:27:42with the city since 2019.

3:27:47Okay. And how is it that I have

3:27:50inspectors? I had direct the director

3:27:53from the inspectors on had supervisor

3:27:56inspectors on had everybody in my home

3:28:00to inspect my home. But when it was time

3:28:03for them to testify in court, nobody had

3:28:06paperwork in front of them to testify

3:28:08for me. Oh, I don't recall when I came

3:28:11to her home. Oh, I don't recall what

3:28:13what was wrong with her apartment. I

3:28:15don't know what how the city is paying

3:28:17all this money to have all these

3:28:19organization to protect us tenants and

3:28:22nobody's doing nothing when it's time

3:28:24for them to protect us. And then I I

3:28:27even her bringing a contractor to my

3:28:29house with a gun. Come to find out, he's

3:28:31a sheriff's department.

3:28:34Why I have to continue to fight?

3:28:38This is crazy. This is a building with

3:28:4014 family and I'm the only one fighting

3:28:42for everybody in this building. And now

3:28:43I find out this building is not even

3:28:45registered with the city since 2019. But

3:28:48our rent get raised every every month,

3:28:50every every year.

3:28:54And we pay our rent faithfully to these

3:28:57landlords. and he has a warrant out for

3:28:59his arrest for all the summons that he

3:29:01gotten to for my apartment. And guess

3:29:05what? He hasn't been locked up. Cops

3:29:07been to this building. And every time I

3:29:09tell him he got a warrant out for his

3:29:10reds, they don't do nothing. They leave

3:29:12him right there. My lights been shut off

3:29:14by him.

3:29:16He even had somebody come to the

3:29:18building and shut off my light. And when

3:29:19I went downstairs and called the cops,

3:29:20the cops came. They I said, "Identify

3:29:23him." Oh, he worked for PSNG. No, he

3:29:25don't. tell him to show you he was a

3:29:27random person that shut off my light and

3:29:30I'm I'm glad that I'm still here to be

3:29:32able to talk about my story and I'm

3:29:35going to continue to talk about my story

3:29:37because it's corrupt and these landlords

3:29:39continue to do what they doing in Jersey

3:29:41City and they are not being held

3:29:43accountable. Even property manager,

3:29:46she's an inspector for the state which

3:29:48is his daughter and it's sad that I have

3:29:51to continue to fight.

3:29:52>> Thank you.

3:29:58Our next speaker 5.58 Jackson

3:30:04B. No.

3:30:085.59 Quinn.

3:30:10Did I get that right?

3:30:13Hello council members. I'm a WF resident

3:30:16and I am concerned with the overcrowded

3:30:18and deteriorating conditions of many

3:30:20JCPS schools amidst everinccreasing

3:30:22development and density. Earlier this

3:30:25evening, you tabled ordinance 26-079,

3:30:28an amendment to the powerhouse arts

3:30:30district redevelopment plan. To be

3:30:32candid, I have no particular issue with

3:30:34the planned building at 127 Morgan in

3:30:37and of itself. At the last city council

3:30:39meeting, council member Little addressed

3:30:41that this lot is not a good candidate

3:30:43for a school building as part of a

3:30:44developer give back for several reasons.

3:30:47I'm in favor of affordable housing and I

3:30:48have no outright issue with density. My

3:30:51concern is the precedent that this sets

3:30:53for continued development and increases

3:30:55in density without accompanying

3:30:57proportionate public services. In short,

3:31:00where are the schools? When considering

3:31:02amendments to the redevelopment zone, I

3:31:05urge the city to introduce language

3:31:06requiring the addition of an

3:31:08accompanying school within Powerhouse

3:31:10Arts District specifically. Lot 11610,

3:31:14which is approximately 343 to 355

3:31:17Washington, currently sits vacant. This

3:31:19seems like a fantastic spot for a prek

3:31:22through 8 school to alleviate current

3:31:24overcrowding at PS16 and anticipated

3:31:27overcrowding at PS3, PS5, and PS37 over

3:31:31the next few years.

3:31:33When families move into the plan

3:31:34building at 127 Morgan, where will their

3:31:37children go to school? While they're

3:31:39barely potty trained, three and

3:31:40fouryear-olds also need to leave their

3:31:42homes at 7:45 to catch a school bus that

3:31:45pulls off at 8 a.m., 45 minutes before

3:31:48school even starts to take them to an

3:31:50early childhood center 4 miles away.

3:31:52Will their 5 to 10year-olds be stuffed

3:31:54into classrooms of over 30 students? Or

3:31:58will their little legs instead have the

3:32:00opportunity to walk, skip, or even scoot

3:32:02a few short blocks to an educational

3:32:05center in their neighborhood with

3:32:07smaller class sizes suited for an

3:32:08optimal learning environment.

3:32:11My oldest daughter is four years old and

3:32:13Jersey City has been her home her ent.

3:32:15Her grandmother and great aunts and

3:32:17uncle were born in Margaret Hel in the

3:32:191940s and 1950s. They grew up in the

3:32:22Heights on the Boulevard until they

3:32:24didn't. Like so many families, they

3:32:26eventually left Jersey City for better

3:32:28schools, moving to Rutherford when my

3:32:30oldest aunt was in high school. My

3:32:32family has found its way back to Jersey

3:32:34City and has put down roots here. We are

3:32:37not looking to replicate the choices my

3:32:39grandparents made. But I find myself

3:32:41asking, where are the schools? Thank

3:32:44you.

3:32:48>> Thank you.

3:32:505.60 is a dupe of 5.49 49 as is 5.61 is

3:32:56a duplication of 5.47.

3:32:59That being said, on to 5.62.

3:33:03Hugh.

3:33:06Okay.

3:33:19Right. Uh hello council president and

3:33:22council. Uh my name is Hugh Girardano

3:33:25and I am a union representative for the

3:33:27UFCW Local 360. Uh we are a union of 1.3

3:33:32million members nationally and we are

3:33:35the official cannabis labor union under

3:33:37the AFL CIO.

3:33:39I'm here to speak about 10.44 44 the

3:33:43resolution to support the cannabis place

3:33:46420 corp and I'm telling I'm asking you

3:33:49to not support that tonight. Why am I

3:33:52asking you that

3:33:54he used the labor movement to get his

3:33:57licensing? How did he do that?

3:34:00He used labor movement for folks like me

3:34:03to come to the Jersey City Council

3:34:05meetings was getting his license.

3:34:08He used the labor movement for folks

3:34:10like me when we had to come to the

3:34:12cannabis board and support the

3:34:14application. He used the labor movement

3:34:16when he was going to the CRC that which

3:34:19is the state regulatory board to get his

3:34:22final approval.

3:34:24Today there were articles released and

3:34:27Monday was officially he filed to stop

3:34:31the unionization attempt at his

3:34:34facility.

3:34:36the workers at the facility decided to

3:34:38join the UFCW

3:34:40and in that by doing that he's supposed

3:34:43to bargain in good faith. The cannabis

3:34:46place 420 is not bargaining in good

3:34:49faith. In fact, when we had bargaining

3:34:52sessions, he proposed nothing back.

3:34:56That is a direct violation of the

3:34:58National Labor Relations Act on the

3:35:00federal law. It's also a violation

3:35:03because when he attempted to get his

3:35:06license here in Jersey City, he had to

3:35:08show proof of a labor peace agreement.

3:35:11He is now suing to get rid of that labor

3:35:13peace agreement. And what is a labor

3:35:15peace agreement? It says that an

3:35:18employer will stay neutral, that they

3:35:21will not attempt to fire or discriminate

3:35:23against union members, that they won't

3:35:25act like Walmart.

3:35:27Instead, he's in fact acting like

3:35:29Walmart in Amazon.

3:35:32I appreciate the fact that he served our

3:35:34country, but you can't hide behind

3:35:37equity status and use equity for

3:35:39yourself while attacking equity and

3:35:42justice for workingclass people. He's

3:35:45not hurting the UFCW. He's hurting the

3:35:47workers that work at that facility who

3:35:49want a living wage, who want the

3:35:51opportunity for fair and decent health

3:35:53care, personal time, sick time, and a

3:35:56safe working conditions. Jersey City is

3:35:58a workingclass city and deserves to have

3:36:01good jobs in the cannabis industry.

3:36:03Equity and justice is exactly why it was

3:36:05brought here. The UFCW is asking that

3:36:07you not directly ban him and take his

3:36:11permanent away, but make it a condition

3:36:13a conditional approval and let's see if

3:36:16he comes to the bargaining table. And if

3:36:18he doesn't, I hope Jersey City takes the

3:36:20actions needed. Thank you.

3:36:22>> Sir sir, before you go, did you um I

3:36:24know this went to the CB. Did you give

3:36:27any comments to anyone at the city or to

3:36:29the cannabis control board?

3:36:30>> As of yet? No.

3:36:31>> I was just wondering. All right. Thank

3:36:32you.

3:36:33>> Thank you.

3:36:33>> There one one more question. Did you say

3:36:35you're the head of the union?

3:36:36>> Uh, I am the director of organizing for

3:36:38the UFCW Local 360.

3:36:40>> Thanks.

3:36:41>> You're welcome.

3:36:42>> Okay. Council member, can we get his

3:36:45information um offline and uh speak with

3:36:49him?

3:36:50>> I had a question for council. Is that

3:36:52okay?

3:36:52>> For corp counsel.

3:36:53>> Yeah. Okay. Go ahead.

3:36:56>> Go ahead.

3:36:56>> Regarding this um

3:36:58>> question for corp counsel or corp

3:37:00counsel?

3:37:04Go ahead.

3:37:05>> Uh, thank you so much. I was just

3:37:08wondering if it is um time-sensitive for

3:37:10us to vote on this tonight or if the

3:37:13administration might it if cuz I would

3:37:17after hearing these allegations, I would

3:37:19like to review some documentation

3:37:20surrounding this and would would there

3:37:23be a problem with pushing uh 10.44 to

3:37:26the following meeting?

3:37:29Can you let me check on the renewal date

3:37:31and then I can get back to you before we

3:37:33we vote.

3:37:34>> Thank you so much.

3:37:35>> Yeah, because I would I would move.

3:37:36>> Yeah, I think the council wants to know.

3:37:38So, we'll wait on uh BA choice response

3:37:41and then decide how we want to move

3:37:43forward.

3:37:45>> Next one, Sean.

3:37:52>> Our next speaker 5.63 63 Zarula.

3:38:00I hope I got that right.

3:38:03>> People.

3:38:04>> Okay.

3:38:05>> Morphanis and I am something way more

3:38:09annoying than a lawyer. I am a domestic

3:38:11violence survivor turned psychotherapist

3:38:14and tonight I'm here to speak on what we

3:38:16mean when we talk about political

3:38:18violence because our society is very

3:38:21comfortable talking about violence as an

3:38:23individual act. But there's a form of

3:38:25violence that's got a much higher kill

3:38:28count and it is far easier to ignore.

3:38:31This is the violence of the systems that

3:38:33predictably make people sick, abandon

3:38:35them, and make it impossible for them to

3:38:37get care and mass. This is the violence

3:38:40of systems that tells rape victims and

3:38:42survivors of domestic violence that

3:38:44nothing can be done. It's always been

3:38:46this way and it's all a he said she said

3:38:49problem. We call this policy failure,

3:38:52the free market, a tragedy of

3:38:54statistics. But when a hospital closes

3:38:56and ambulances have to travel farther,

3:38:58when emergency departments become

3:39:00overcrowded, women die after reporting

3:39:03abuse to the police multiple times, and

3:39:05yes, when insurance companies deny

3:39:07medically necessary treatment resulting

3:39:10in untold deaths of despair. These are

3:39:13not abstract failures. If we even dain

3:39:16to ask how many people have died because

3:39:19of this system, it becomes helpful to

3:39:21zoom out, kind of adjust our focus and

3:39:25reframe the question.

3:39:27Why are some forms of preventable death

3:39:29treated as tragedies whereas others are

3:39:31treated as the inevitable cost to doing

3:39:33business? There's a term for this and

3:39:36it's called social murder. It's what

3:39:38happens when institutions create

3:39:40conditions where cumulative harm and

3:39:42mass deaths of despair and neglect

3:39:44become quotidian acceptable statistics

3:39:48not tragedies. Christ hospital was not

3:39:51an abstraction. It was part of our

3:39:53city's social infrastructure for

3:39:55generations. When a safety net hospital

3:39:58is treated as a financial asset rather

3:40:00than as a public health infrastructure,

3:40:02we have to ask ourselves what we value

3:40:05and what value we assign to human lives.

3:40:07and also whose lives. I've served North

3:40:10Jerseys dispossessed for nearly three

3:40:12years now. And during this time, I've

3:40:14had multiple patients asked not to be

3:40:16discharged here because they know we

3:40:18won't support them. And I don't want

3:40:20them to be discharged here either. Not

3:40:22because I don't want to run into them. I

3:40:24love the people I serve. I don't want

3:40:26them moving here because I don't want

3:40:27them have to worry about them being

3:40:30extrajudicially murdered for having a

3:40:32psychiatric crisis in public. I don't

3:40:34want them to die because of an ambulance

3:40:36wait time. I don't want them to

3:40:37decompensate after moving to another

3:40:39city when they become eligible for an

3:40:41apartment because we have a negligible

3:40:43number of SRO's. If we're going to do

3:40:45more than pretend to care about

3:40:47violence, we have to address the

3:40:49conditions that make people vulnerable.

3:40:51We can't wait until people are

3:40:52incarcerated, hospitalized, homeless,

3:40:56displaced, or dead to decide that

3:40:58something went wrong. and we can't

3:40:59afford to lose our sense of scale,

3:41:01especially when capitulating to

3:41:03respectability politics that will keep

3:41:05sweeping the bodies of everyday people

3:41:07under the rug. Thank you.

3:41:15>> Our next speaker, 5.64, Patrick

3:41:35Good evening.

3:41:37Uh wanted to talk about development in

3:41:40schools. Um just wanted to say to kick

3:41:44off, I am in no way opposed to the

3:41:46proposed amendment to the powerhouse

3:41:48arts district development plan. um

3:41:51that's been mentioned a few times

3:41:52tonight. Um affordable housing is a

3:41:55vital necessity. We need much more of it

3:41:58downtown. Um density is a boon to the

3:42:01city.

3:42:03But it does raise a very important

3:42:05question,

3:42:06a question that has echoed

3:42:09in these chambers numerous times.

3:42:12Specifically,

3:42:14where are the schools?

3:42:18Uh, where will the kids who move into

3:42:20127 Morgan go to school? 127 Morgan is

3:42:22in the PS16 zone and PS16 is about the

3:42:25most crowded school in the otherwise

3:42:28great state of New Jersey.

3:42:31Um, it looks very much as though the

3:42:32city is continuing to place

3:42:34extraordinary burdens on the school

3:42:35system and I would like to propose a

3:42:37different way forward. As it happens,

3:42:40the last remaining undeveloped block

3:42:44in the PS16 zone, block 11610,

3:42:49is a short walk away from Washington

3:42:51Street. On Washington Street, uh between

3:42:52Bay and First, it's occupied by some

3:42:54pallets of bricks. It is crying out for

3:42:57students. Um it is a big old juicy block

3:43:00that's ripe for redevelopment. I would

3:43:02say the worst fate that could befall

3:43:06block 11610

3:43:08would be to become a residential tower

3:43:11with a silly name and a dinky rooftop

3:43:15pool and an Instagram account.

3:43:19It should be a school. It should be a

3:43:21prek to eighth grade school with 2,000

3:43:23seats. A huge, majestic, stately modern

3:43:28public school. We could turn Washington

3:43:30Street into a powerhouse education

3:43:32corridor from First Street all the way

3:43:34to the main building on Sussex. School

3:43:36after school after school.

3:43:39Uh we know there are active discussions

3:43:41for new school space with developers in

3:43:43the BOE.

3:43:45We also know those develop those

3:43:46discussions aren't really going

3:43:48anywhere. I expect there are two reasons

3:43:50for that. Developers and the BOE.

3:43:54The story of developers providing

3:43:56schools around here is a story, frankly,

3:43:59of inadequacy and failure.

3:44:02Uh, recently, Assemblywoman Kitty

3:44:04Brennan, who I just had the pleasure of

3:44:06meeting, um, held a Q&A where she

3:44:08suggested a few ways forward, including,

3:44:11uh, but also apart from developer

3:44:13financing and construction, um, one, the

3:44:16county could conceivably issue a bond.

3:44:19um the state school development

3:44:20authority could finance construction

3:44:23upon the passing of a bond referendum

3:44:24which is in planning. She also suggested

3:44:27the city could bond for school uh

3:44:29construction. Uh she would write the

3:44:32necessary legislation to make that

3:44:33happen.

3:44:34>> Seems like a great idea. We could then

3:44:35bond for have so much more

3:44:39[email protected].

3:44:41>> Next speaker

3:44:445.65

3:44:46Carissa

3:44:57Okay. So, I want to be very clear that

3:45:00while I am Councilman Brooks's chief of

3:45:02staff, I am here tonight not in that

3:45:04capacity. I am here as a tenant in

3:45:07Jersey City and as a member of the

3:45:09Jersey City Tenants Union.

3:45:12We've heard a lot about the

3:45:14transformation of the Jersey City

3:45:16waterfront over the last 40 years. We

3:45:19talk about billions of dollars of

3:45:21investment. We talk about development.

3:45:24We talk about how Newport helped

3:45:26transform Jersey City.

3:45:29But buildings don't make a city, people

3:45:32do. Thousands of tenants took a chance

3:45:35on Jersey City. They moved into Newport.

3:45:38They raised families there. They worked

3:45:40there. that they built communities here

3:45:42and they paid rent month after month,

3:45:45year after year for decades. Think about

3:45:48what that means. Thousands of thousands

3:45:51of dollars for their home and they still

3:45:53own nothing. After 20 years, they can

3:45:57still receive a letter telling them they

3:45:58can no longer afford to stay. Meanwhile,

3:46:02the Lefrack family has accumulated

3:46:04billions of dollars in wealth. That

3:46:07wealth did not appear from nowhere.

3:46:10Every month, thousands of working people

3:46:12hand over a portion of what they earn

3:46:14just to have a roof over their heads.

3:46:16Those individual rent checks become

3:46:18enormous wealth in the hands of the

3:46:21landlord. And when affordable homes

3:46:23disappear, it doesn't just hurt that

3:46:25household. Every affordable apartment we

3:46:27lose and every rent controlled apartment

3:46:29we lose makes our housing crisis worse.

3:46:31The affordable market gets smaller and

3:46:34more tenants compete for what remains.

3:46:36We cannot look at 160 affordable

3:46:38apartments and say this is only about

3:46:40160 households. When we lose affordable

3:46:43housing, we move the floor upward for

3:46:45everybody. And once affordable housing

3:46:48is gone, rebuilding it is

3:46:50extraordinarily difficult. The cheapest

3:46:52affordable home for the city to create

3:46:54is often the affordable home we refuse

3:46:56to lose in the first place. The city and

3:46:59Lafra have negotiated over these

3:47:01buildings before in 2019 and again last

3:47:04year. But there was one party without an

3:47:06organized seat at the table. The

3:47:09tenants.

3:47:12That is different now. These tenants

3:47:14have organized. They have formed a

3:47:16tenants association. And whatever negoti

3:47:18negotiations happen next, they deserve a

3:47:22seat at the table.

3:47:24A landlord owns hundreds of thousands of

3:47:26apartments and a tenant alone has one

3:47:28lease. But we are not alone. So I want

3:47:33every tenant in this room to stand up

3:47:36right now if you can, including members

3:47:38of the council.

3:47:45Look around.

3:47:47We are not alone. Talk to your

3:47:50neighbors. Organize your building. Form

3:47:52a tenant association. Join the Jersey

3:47:55City Tenant Union so our buildings can

3:47:57fight together. Protect each other.

3:47:59>> Thank you.

3:48:00>> Thank you.

3:48:02>> Free Palestine

3:48:05and healthcare is a human right.

3:48:07>> Our next speaker 5.66

3:48:10Elizabeth.

3:48:18>> Good evening. Uh my name is Elizabeth.

3:48:20I'm a Polook resident and a mother to a

3:48:22kindergartener and a one-year-old. I'm

3:48:24here tonight to ask the same question as

3:48:27my fellow parents. Where are the

3:48:29schools? Given my profession as a

3:48:31licensed architect specializing in K to2

3:48:34school design and a leader with the

3:48:36Council on Vertical urbanism, I am

3:48:38inherently pro redevelopment and pro

3:48:41density. But it must be done in a

3:48:43controlled and strategic manner. There

3:48:46is an urgent, undeniable, and immediate

3:48:49need for more public schools across the

3:48:52downtown Jersey City area. There are

3:48:55over 7,000 residential units under

3:48:57construction in the downtown area alone.

3:48:59And yet, there are no classrooms under

3:49:02construction to support that growth. We

3:49:04watch the skyline change daily. We see

3:49:06the cranes, we see the development, and

3:49:08we see the progress. We welcome the

3:49:10economic development, especially Trader

3:49:12Joe's. And yet in our rush to build up,

3:49:16we are severely neglecting the

3:49:17foundational infrastructure required to

3:49:19support the people who will actually

3:49:21live in those buildings. The reality on

3:49:24the ground for our families is alarming.

3:49:26Look no further than PS16.

3:49:29Our neighborhood school is currently

3:49:31operating at a staggering 200% capacity

3:49:34and it is bursting at the seams. We are

3:49:36busing three and four year olds to four

3:49:39other schools across the city. This is

3:49:42an everyday hardship for students,

3:49:44teachers, and parents. And we are

3:49:45squeezing our children into overflowing

3:49:47spaces, stretching our educators to

3:49:50their limits and expecting them somehow

3:49:52to thrive. It is unfair to them and it

3:49:55is entirely unsustainable for our city.

3:49:57While PS16 is experiencing this crisis

3:50:00right now, the severe overcrowding is

3:50:02coming for PS3, PS5, and PS37.

3:50:07We need public school classrooms for

3:50:09local residents right in the

3:50:11neighborhoods where they live. As a

3:50:13parent, but also as a school design

3:50:15professional, my core belief is simple.

3:50:18Little learners should stay local.

3:50:22Parents should shouldn't be forced to

3:50:24endure long communes

3:50:26to various schools and they shouldn't

3:50:29have to deal with the stressful decision

3:50:32and pressure to pack up and move out of

3:50:34Jersey City the moment their child

3:50:35reaches school age. A true lasting

3:50:38community provides for its youngest

3:50:40members. City leadership often champions

3:50:43that the idea that with density comes

3:50:46diversity and I agree. I love Jersey

3:50:49City and the diversity that it provides,

3:50:51but we must remember that diversity

3:50:53includes family. If we fail to build the

3:50:56schools necessary to support them, we

3:50:58will inadvertently design a downtown

3:51:00that pushes out the very families that

3:51:02anchor our neighborhoods. We are asking

3:51:04this council for immediate action. We

3:51:07need a concrete funded timeline for new

3:51:09classrooms downtown. We need

3:51:11redevelopment plans to include schools

3:51:13in the powerhouse arts district in

3:51:15Newport and in Polish Hook. and we

3:51:17cannot continue to approve new buildings

3:51:20without accounting for the hundreds of

3:51:21children who will live in them. Thank

3:51:23you for your time.

3:51:28>> Next speaker 5.67 Sharon.

3:51:33>> Okay, thank you. 5.68 Roger

3:51:48Good evening. Evening. I really

3:51:50appreciate you guys patience you know

3:51:53and listening all these things. I'm here

3:51:57today on few points. First let me

3:52:00introduce myself. My name is Raju Patel.

3:52:04I'm a president of the Govindasan car

3:52:06center Jersey City Asian merchant

3:52:08association and current board member on

3:52:11the Journal Square SID.

3:52:14I did work for the Greenville Hospital.

3:52:17I was a board member over there. I was a

3:52:19board member on the Hudson County

3:52:20Community I mean I'm sorry Hudson County

3:52:23Community Scholarship Board. I work with

3:52:27Hudson County Chamber of Commerce for a

3:52:30long time as executive member.

3:52:34Today I thank you guys for recognizing

3:52:38Hindu heritage month and we have our own

3:52:42over there

3:52:45and we under her leadership we achieve

3:52:49what we are supposed to achieve.

3:52:52The issue is that when you put a foot I

3:52:56mean crush somebody's toe and somebody

3:53:00is not going to tell you the truth. I

3:53:04think some people don't appreciate but I

3:53:07listen some whining before and I don't

3:53:09think that it is right.

3:53:13So thank you for recognizing Hindu

3:53:16Heritage Month. On top of that, I like

3:53:18to bring some stuff uh to your attention

3:53:22that on Newark Avenue, India Square, we

3:53:26do get

3:53:28police protection now because we have a

3:53:30bad incidents and you must be aware of

3:53:32that.

3:53:35What I like to see that we should have

3:53:38some enforcement too cuz without the

3:53:42enforcement any laws that you guys make

3:53:46has no meaning. On that India square I

3:53:50am the beginner of two parking space.

3:53:54One is right across the Liberty Avenue

3:53:56and the second one uh I got it

3:54:01uh at 817 Newark Avenue and we created

3:54:05we have a lot of problem cleaning the

3:54:09place is a problem and we come I'm here

3:54:12serving this community since maybe last

3:54:1547 years coming to Jersey City now

3:54:20permanently over here all the time so I

3:54:23like to see that if the enforcement is

3:54:25made on the avenue first thing the

3:54:29city's interest is revenue will be there

3:54:33right and second thing the citizens have

3:54:37better quality of life if you walk on

3:54:42the walkways

3:54:43and if you see all kind of filth over

3:54:46there it's not going to help even with

3:54:48the sid

3:54:50>> thank you

3:54:50>> I see your time is up sir

3:54:52>> thank you sir

3:54:595.69 is a duplication of 5.21. 5.70

3:55:04Billy

3:55:14evening. I have a um I have something

3:55:17for the

3:55:23Wait, wait, wait, wait.

3:55:24>> Okay. Please don't, please don't yell.

3:55:26Send somebody over to to speak to you.

3:55:28Denise, can you find out what he needs?

3:55:38>> It's not a duplicate. Oh, it's a father

3:55:41and son.

3:55:42>> Oh, okay. Well, okay. In the future, in

3:55:45the future,

3:55:48in the future, make sure you put senior

3:55:51and then junior. When I'll never say

3:55:54it's a duplication if you do that.

3:56:01>> I apologize for the confusion.

3:56:04>> Hold on one second. Okay.

3:56:14Okay.

3:56:17Uh my name is Al Bimont, a long-term

3:56:22uh tenant of uh Newport complex. Okay.

3:56:27So I have a this minor observation. My

3:56:31understanding is that when

3:56:35uh

3:56:37the estate

3:56:40controls faces up,

3:56:43this city through

3:56:48way of chapter or ordinance picks up

3:56:53what

3:56:56the states

3:56:58is is is facing up. the controls.

3:57:01Basically, the city needs to have a

3:57:04chapter either by way of 260 or 188

3:57:10to have that transa transition

3:57:14seemingly. I have talked to many uh

3:57:19municipality

3:57:21throughout the state of New Jersey and

3:57:23all of them they have the same

3:57:25transition.

3:57:27So why here in Jersey City we don't have

3:57:31that transition.

3:57:33So in our case

3:57:36because of the 1985 redevelopment plans

3:57:43the landlord is exempt

3:57:46from the participation of 260 right

3:57:52which is rent control.

3:57:57It should be so we need to fall within

3:58:02the affordable housing chapter which is

3:58:0488. So, I want you guys from the

3:58:11council to dig in because

3:58:16all or most of the

3:58:20uh municipalities in New Jersey had that

3:58:23transition in place. When the state

3:58:26controls faces up, it falls into the

3:58:29municipal control.

3:58:32Can you investigate and dig into that

3:58:36for me? If that

3:58:39uh uh ordinance is not in place, I

3:58:44wanted you I requesting that you pull

3:58:49forward a motion to

3:58:52uh approve

3:58:55that ordinance, please. because you're

3:58:58going to have crisis after crisis,

3:59:02crisis after crisis. Thank you for for

3:59:05your attention, guys.

3:59:155.70. Billy, thank you for your

3:59:18patience. I apologize for that. No

3:59:20worries.

3:59:23But

3:59:23>> it's better that you hand me this first

3:59:24one.

3:59:32Good evening everybody. My name is Billy

3:59:34Santomaro. Happy Italian heritage month.

3:59:38Uh I'm an Italian-American builder.

3:59:42Always trying to add to the rich tra t

3:59:45tapestry of Jersey City and a lifelong

3:59:48resident. No, growing up here, uh, one

3:59:52of the things, uh, we always had was we

3:59:55always played together.

3:59:58And, uh, last meeting I saw something

4:00:01that I hadn't seen before.

4:00:04And, uh, we actually called the seller

4:00:08during the meeting and we asked the

4:00:11seller if we had time.

4:00:14It was at that moment

4:00:17that I had an idea. So, here we go.

4:00:21Uh,

4:00:24I think we should do both. I think we

4:00:27should build the build a four family

4:00:29building and have a garden. I think we

4:00:32should go take the lot that's currently

4:00:34there and oversized in depth by 143 ft

4:00:38instead of your standard 100 100 ft. We

4:00:41should push the four family towards the

4:00:43rear. Subdivide the facade the front

4:00:46lot. do an access easement providing an

4:00:50garden in the front of the lot and a

4:00:54structure in the back. I think we should

4:00:57offer the developer a $400,000

4:01:01uh

4:01:03port uh purchase price for the front

4:01:05lot. We could offer them a tax incentive

4:01:10uh maybe the 5-year abatement. We could

4:01:13lease the garden to the people. uh they

4:01:17they could be a paying revenue stream to

4:01:19re for us to gain income on that

4:01:22$400,000.

4:01:24Plus, we can have the four units in the

4:01:26back as a as a revenue stream uh coming

4:01:29in for the city. I um I don't know. I

4:01:33think I think it's different. I think

4:01:35it's out there. I think it's changing

4:01:37the culture, which is something that I

4:01:39was hoping to have everybody see. And uh

4:01:43I think that we could use that extra

4:01:46money of the 1.2 million to pay for some

4:01:49of the deferred maintenance that's

4:01:50around the city. Um the drawing

4:01:53represents

4:01:55an idea um a solution. Uh sometimes we

4:02:00don't always have to say yes or no.

4:02:02Sometimes we could negotiate and maybe

4:02:05the seller is a is avail.

4:02:11Thank you, Billy. Thanks for being

4:02:13creative. I know we talked about this

4:02:15yesterday uh when I saw your initial

4:02:17design. I remember back in 2019, the

4:02:19developer was not interested in doing

4:02:21anything kind of community give back

4:02:22because I think we could have had this

4:02:23without any cost to the city whatsoever

4:02:25back then, but uh I mean

4:02:29I think we should be open to any option

4:02:31to have a conversation. Obviously, I

4:02:33think the gardens are very important to

4:02:35us, but if if the funding source is not

4:02:36there, then you know

4:02:40who's a builder. I would encourage the

4:02:42uh city to to look into them.

4:02:50>> Our next speaker 5.71, Teresa.

4:02:58>> Good evening, council members. My name

4:03:01is Teresa Wells. I reside at Newport. I

4:03:06moved there from Brooklyn in 1994. So,

4:03:11I've been living there for over 30

4:03:14years. I had my daughter there. Um, my

4:03:18son was a teenager when I moved there.

4:03:21And, um, he went to St. Anony's. He

4:03:25played basketball at St. Anony's with

4:03:28uh, co coach Hurley. But um

4:03:32I I I'm here because

4:03:34of them trying to eliminate the moderate

4:03:38income program. And I have to say when I

4:03:42found out about it, I asked, well, why

4:03:45are they getting rid of it? And they

4:03:48told me I was told by some of somebody

4:03:51from the tenants association that that

4:03:54the council

4:03:55voted to eliminate. And I couldn't

4:03:58understand why why would they do that?

4:04:01Why would they vote to eliminate and and

4:04:03leave us, you know, hanging like that? I

4:04:07mean, we we built our lives there. We

4:04:11I've lived there for over 30 years. I I

4:04:14I I just couldn't understand why would

4:04:16they why would why would you guys vote

4:04:19against that? And I really do appreciate

4:04:21my representative from W D

4:04:25um saying that, you know, they they're

4:04:27going to give um a a courtesy,

4:04:31but it would have been a courtesy if

4:04:33they would have let people know that

4:04:35they was eliminating the program. I just

4:04:37found out the other day. No, hardly

4:04:39anybody that lives in my building knows

4:04:42about this. I'm trying to get it out to

4:04:44people I know, but I don't know a lot of

4:04:46people in all the buildings.

4:04:49So, you know, but nobody knew about it.

4:04:53These are some shy people you're dealing

4:04:55with. I I have to tell they really shy.

4:04:58So, you know, you going to have to get

4:05:01your claws out and and do some fighting.

4:05:04It's not that, you know, I like I said,

4:05:06to me, the courtesy would have been let

4:05:09people know what you're doing instead of

4:05:12doing it underhandedly. I'm sorry, I'm

4:05:14not as eloquent as the other speakers. I

4:05:17don't know the ordinances or or or

4:05:20anything like that. I'm just shooting

4:05:22from the hip and from the top of my

4:05:23head. But I just I just feel that it's

4:05:26it's so unfair what they're doing. And I

4:05:30like I said, I've been there over 30

4:05:31years. They had different management

4:05:34companies in and out and this is the

4:05:36worst management company. They real shy

4:05:38this management company they got now.

4:05:40They'll put plants all outside the

4:05:44building. Sometimes they'll have ice

4:05:46cream in the lobby, but I need it my

4:05:49floors fixed.

4:05:51You know, don't talk. Don't send me ice

4:05:54cream. I could buy my own ice cream. I

4:05:56need my floors fixed.

4:06:01And we stand with both side. I can't

4:06:02forget that.

4:06:04>> There you go. That's fun.

4:06:10>> Miss Teresa, I just I beg to differ.

4:06:12That was as eloquent as any other

4:06:13speaker tonight. So, thank you.

4:06:20>> I was actually going to say the same

4:06:22thing, Teresa. I think you did a great

4:06:23job shooting from the hip.

4:06:28Next speaker, 5.72, Nelson.

4:06:32>> Yes. Hello. My name is Nelson Morales

4:06:34III. I'm a lifelong resident of

4:06:36Chilltown, Jersey City, pre and

4:06:39postgentrification.

4:06:41Um, I'm also a public servant. I work at

4:06:43the Hudson County Register's office. Me

4:06:44and Miss Ridley know each other very

4:06:46well. But I was very saddened when I

4:06:49found out about the uh the end result of

4:06:52this proposal. Seems November 25th of

4:06:552025,

4:06:57Ordinance 25126

4:07:00was defeated by the previous council.

4:07:02Some council members were present at

4:07:04that um meeting. Now that's about 2 days

4:07:08after my birthday, uh 3 days before

4:07:11Thanksgiving. It's not the Thanksgiving

4:07:13and birthday present I wanted. I'll tell

4:07:14you that much. The end result though was

4:07:17that we were advised um that Newport

4:07:20opted to get out of the affordable

4:07:21housing program which was I guess

4:07:23cooperated with the state. I don't know

4:07:26if there was for retaliation or whatnot.

4:07:28Um when I spoke to some council members

4:07:31I felt disheartening cuz they were like

4:07:33we're not they're not doing that. I said

4:07:34can this proposal be introduced

4:07:36reintroduced? And they're like I don't

4:07:38think that's going to happen. That might

4:07:39be a dub. So I called Mr. Solomon, him

4:07:43being the Cincinnati, taking the Catis

4:07:46approach to local governance, he always

4:07:48said, "Call me." I called him. Guess

4:07:50what? He called me back and he said,

4:07:52"Nelson, what can I do for you?" I said,

4:07:54"What's your unit?" I said, "It's 501,

4:07:55but it's not only me, Mr. Solomon. There

4:07:58are many people such as Brooklyn here

4:08:00who's from a Newport, the new generation

4:08:03of Newport coming up, right?" And Mr.

4:08:06Solomon said, "You know what, Nelson?

4:08:07I'll have someone look into it. Colleen

4:08:09Smith called me. She went in there.

4:08:10That's proactive government. That's not

4:08:12we can't do anything for you. That's

4:08:14what can we do for you and how can we

4:08:16get answers immediately. That's the

4:08:18Cincinnati approach. That's not the

4:08:20soprano state.

4:08:22When I think about Newport as a person

4:08:25of Puerto Rican descent who's always

4:08:27lived here since 78 onward, from looking

4:08:30at the Twin Towers to seeing what we see

4:08:33now, we're part of that marina

4:08:35community. If people don't know, we used

4:08:36to go to the waterfront, play congas,

4:08:38bongos, all of that when there were no

4:08:40guard rails, right? But now when I think

4:08:43about Newport, I think about as

4:08:45something that is the last remnant and

4:08:47nostalgia and memories of those times.

4:08:50It also has that tint, that Statue of

4:08:53Liberty tint, right? There's another

4:08:56statue called um waters so which it it

4:09:00has people shutting up but I would

4:09:02rather represent the Newport of the

4:09:04Statue of Liberty with the light to

4:09:06illuminate for all of those fighting in

4:09:09solidarity for rentals for affordable

4:09:13housing and workers rights. And I'm glad

4:09:15that I stand here with my brothers and

4:09:16sisters with Port Side and everyone else

4:09:20and Jake Efim and Mr. Solomon and anyone

4:09:22else who's an advocate for affordable

4:09:24housing because that's what we are here

4:09:25to fight for and I want to thank you for

4:09:27giving me this platform. Thank you very

4:09:29much.

4:09:36>> Our next speaker 5.73 Lily.

4:09:47>> Uh good evening. Uh I'm Lily. I'm with

4:09:50the Jersey City Tenants Union. Um, I

4:09:53want to uh raise to the council

4:09:55something that uh a doctor, a Jersey

4:09:57City doctor brought up last winter,

4:09:59which was the sheer number of deaths

4:10:02from freezing um that he saw in the a in

4:10:05the ER. Um, and I want to stress that

4:10:09all of these issues that we've heard

4:10:11about tonight, education, public safety,

4:10:13workers, right, all of that is

4:10:15interconnected because poverty is a

4:10:17choice. It's a political choice.

4:10:20Destitution,

4:10:21deprivation, those are political choices

4:10:26that we can make and maybe they don't

4:10:28pay as much as um the what is his name

4:10:34whatever his the company is.

4:10:36>> Um that um Optum um all the pleasing the

4:10:41developers pleasing it doesn't pay as

4:10:44much to save lives in the short term. It

4:10:47might not happen during your tenurs. I

4:10:50highly suggest you consider changing

4:10:52course on especially Jersey City's uh

4:10:55corporate development displacing un

4:10:58untold numbers of families. And by the

4:11:00way, the freezing to death issue um is

4:11:02not just for the unhoused, who by the

4:11:04way being unhoused is a political

4:11:06choice. Again, the fact that they're

4:11:08unhoused people is a political choice.

4:11:10However, as you heard, no no uh hot

4:11:13water and no heating. you could be

4:11:16housed and that could be your your

4:11:17situation as well commonly in Jersey

4:11:19City. Sorry I'm off script at this

4:11:21point. Um, and so,

4:11:24uh, yeah, is is, um, oh god, sorry. Oh,

4:11:28yeah. So, just so we understand along

4:11:31with just like financial issues, we've

4:11:33got cockroaches, rat. It's like a cliche

4:11:35in Jersey City. Of course you have rats.

4:11:36Of course, you've got mold. Of course,

4:11:38there are leaks. Of course, it takes

4:11:39months to to uh, you know, address your

4:11:41issues. And when it they are addressed,

4:11:44it's like a band-aid solution and then

4:11:46it falls apart again. Like, it's it's a

4:11:48joke among tenants. Um and that's why

4:11:50you're seeing um a a rise in in look I

4:11:54mean look at two you two associations

4:11:56right now from two different parts of

4:11:58Jersey City joining forces. Um there are

4:12:00rent strikes popping up. Um it's the

4:12:04people are not just fed up they're riled

4:12:07up. I highly suggest you get with this

4:12:12uh because

4:12:13hopefully you see that interest align

4:12:16there. Um, and so what are the Mhm. Um,

4:12:23oh, as for the highrises,

4:12:27is it economic development? Yes. Is it

4:12:30economic development that falls equally

4:12:33on Jersey City's residents? No. The

4:12:35money goes, as someone has said,

4:12:36elsewhere while families here get

4:12:39displaced and there is no other place to

4:12:40go. There's no like better thing on the

4:12:42market. Um and so please invest in

4:12:44existing families, existing residents um

4:12:48and not developers.

4:12:49>> Thank you.

4:12:49>> And we stand in solidarity with soul.

4:12:55>> Our next speaker 5.74 Julia

4:13:01Julia. No.

4:13:07>> Hi. Um I'm here to discuss um Jersey

4:13:10City's um response to ICE, especially

4:13:13with the police department. Oh, hi. Um

4:13:17so I'm I'm with um I'm a member of

4:13:19Spirit of Liberty. We're both members of

4:13:21Spirit of Liberation. We're like an

4:13:22immigrants rights and justice group and

4:13:25we've been noticing really concerning um

4:13:28cooperation between the Jersey City

4:13:30Police Department and ICE. And we are we

4:13:32feel like this goes against executive

4:13:34order 20263

4:13:36which was signed earlier this year. Um

4:13:38as you might know in April there's um

4:13:40photos of Jersey City police after

4:13:42abductions in Westside shaking hands

4:13:45with ICE. And then more recently um

4:13:47about two weeks ago at Jersey City

4:13:49Medical Center, ICE was um taking a man

4:13:52named Edwin who presumably who was

4:13:55brutalized um potentially by ICE and

4:13:58brought to the hospital. And after he

4:14:00was brought out in shackles in a

4:14:02wheelchair, a Jersey City police officer

4:14:05was accompanying the van, which by the

4:14:07way, the van was parked across three

4:14:09spots in the ambulance bay, blocking

4:14:12potentially life-saving ambulances from

4:14:14parking there. Um, anyway, so I just

4:14:17want to know like what is the

4:14:19accountability here? What is the

4:14:21transparency for like we need to know

4:14:23like what are the like training

4:14:24protocols that Jersey City Police is

4:14:26getting um when dealing with ICE? Um

4:14:29what is the is there accountability for

4:14:31Jersey City um when they disobey these

4:14:34laws and and in addition is there any

4:14:36accountability for Jersey City escorting

4:14:39ICE around the city? we would just like

4:14:41to have this transparency because this

4:14:43is a city of immigrants and this is a

4:14:45city with a lot of vulnerable people and

4:14:48I just think that yeah I think that

4:14:50there's just a lack of transparency and

4:14:53they're coming around every day even

4:14:54today during this meeting not in Jersey

4:14:57City but during this meeting earlier

4:14:59today they were in Union City and West

4:15:01New York driving around when you know

4:15:03wearing masks with these blacked out

4:15:05vehicles with license plates that are

4:15:07completely covered snatching people off

4:15:09the streets And I feel like this needs

4:15:11to be treated as much more of a crisis

4:15:13than it is. I feel like it's becoming a

4:15:15part of daily life almost that ICE is

4:15:17just going to be out. You never know who

4:15:19they're going to take. If they're going

4:15:20to take someone's dad, someone's mother,

4:15:22someone's sister, someone's friend, them

4:15:25themselves. And I just think that this

4:15:27is something that needs to have more of

4:15:28our attention. Um especially with

4:15:31Halloween coming up, something that

4:15:32worries me is are they going to start,

4:15:34you know, going after people

4:15:35trick-or-treating? Like these are the

4:15:37types of things that we need to have

4:15:38accountability on. And I think that part

4:15:40of this comes back to the police

4:15:42department's accountability and them

4:15:44cooperating and escorting ICE around the

4:15:46city. Thank you.

4:15:50>> Thank you.

4:15:53>> Thank you so much for for coming to ask

4:15:56about that. Um I I put in a request um

4:15:59earlier for a full review of uh JCPD's

4:16:03conduct um at the Jersey City Medical

4:16:05Center that night. um if you all can

4:16:08email over any other dates of incidents

4:16:12uh that you all are concerned about um

4:16:14where you've witnessed conduct that

4:16:16appears to be cooperation or seems to be

4:16:18like there's cooperation, I will also

4:16:20make requests around those, including

4:16:22the April one. So, if you can please

4:16:23send those over, I'll make requests for

4:16:26uh reviews of JCPD's conduct in those

4:16:28instances because yeah, this is too

4:16:30serious. Thank you so much.

4:16:35>> Yeah. Um, thank you so much. I I will

4:16:38add that all city employees are are

4:16:40supposed to take a training um on

4:16:43compliance with this executive order.

4:16:46And um you know,

4:16:51the city and JCPD are not supposed to

4:16:53cooperate with ICE unless ICE has a

4:16:56judicial warrant signed by a judge,

4:16:58which I'm sure as you know, they very

4:17:01rarely do, right? They have their own

4:17:03paperwork and it's not signed by a

4:17:04judge. that doesn't count. Um we don't

4:17:07have to cooperate with them with that.

4:17:09So um in any instances of violation, I

4:17:12will also be following up to to uh you

4:17:15know see see what the consequences are

4:17:17if city employees including but not

4:17:20limited to police officers are not in

4:17:22compliance with the executive orders. Um

4:17:24this is something that we're taking very

4:17:26seriously and I know um I'm I've been

4:17:29very proud to partner uh with soul for

4:17:32uh know your rights trainings in the

4:17:33past as well as uh I believe we have one

4:17:35coming up October 15th at uh Grace

4:17:39Church. So thank you for all the work

4:17:41that you're doing uh standing up for our

4:17:43immigrant communities.

4:17:48Our

4:17:52next speaker 5.75 Dianca.

4:18:01No 5.76 Wanda

4:18:08>> and 5.77

4:18:10Aaron

4:18:12>> Rosen.

4:18:13>> Yes.

4:18:16>> No.

4:18:17>> Not here. Okay, that will conclude our

4:18:19public speakers.

4:18:24We are now going to move on to the rest

4:18:26of the agenda.

4:18:30Right

4:18:32on to petitions and communications. Any

4:18:34questions or comments on item 6.1

4:18:38through 630?

4:18:41There are no officer communications or

4:18:44report of directors. So, right on to our

4:18:47claims. Council members going to be

4:18:49taking a vote on the claims. Council

4:18:51person Brooks,

4:18:55may I just may I just ask um if there's

4:18:57any response for the July 4th costs as

4:19:02of yet?

4:19:10Sorry, I I spoke about it um when it was

4:19:14asked directly. It was an error on our

4:19:16part. It's not in this claims list. It's

4:19:18it was actually a prior meeting.

4:19:20>> Thank you. I'm sorry I missed that.

4:19:22Thank you.

4:19:24>> Say okay. With that being said, council

4:19:27person Brooks,

4:19:29pay the bills. I vote I.

4:19:32>> Council person Zupa.

4:19:33>> I. Council person Efos. Hi.

4:19:36>> Council person Little.

4:19:37>> Hi. Council person Gilmore,

4:19:40>> Council Person Singh,

4:19:41>> hi.

4:19:42>> Council Person Griffin,

4:19:43>> hi.

4:19:44>> Council Person Lavaro,

4:19:46>> hi.

4:19:46>> And council president Ridley,

4:19:48>> I.

4:19:49>> Claims are approved unanimously. 90.

4:19:54On to our resolutions.

4:19:57Council members going to be taking a

4:19:58vote on items 10.1

4:20:02through 10.6 16 with the exception of

4:20:0510.56

4:20:07and 15 which have been withdrawn and

4:20:1010.12 which was approved earlier.

4:20:13Council person Brooks

4:20:15>> I and all.

4:20:16>> Council person Zupa.

4:20:18>> Hi.

4:20:19>> Council person Ephro.

4:20:20>> Hi.

4:20:21>> Council person Little.

4:20:22>> Hi.

4:20:23>> Council person Gilmore.

4:20:25>> I.

4:20:25>> Council person Singh.

4:20:27>> I.

4:20:28>> Council person Griffin.

4:20:31>> I. Council person Lavaro

4:20:34>> going through 10.16, right?

4:20:36>> That's correct.

4:20:38>> And 10.15 withdrawn. Correct.

4:20:41>> That's correct. See,

4:20:45>> I'm voting yes uh on all including

4:20:4710.16.

4:20:49Um but I just wanted to make a

4:20:50statement. I'm voting for it. I do

4:20:52support absolutely 100% support more

4:20:55senior affordable housing and at the

4:20:57Kier Center is is a great site for that.

4:21:00But I want to be clear about what I

4:21:01expect when this comes back to us. Um, I

4:21:04strongly prefer that the city keep

4:21:06ownership of the property of this land

4:21:09through a ground lease on fair terms. I

4:21:12won't support selling a public asset

4:21:14unless the administration justifies why

4:21:17a sale may be necessary. Whatever the

4:21:20structure of the development takes, the

4:21:23housing must remain senior affordable

4:21:25housing in perpetuity. And this plan

4:21:28should not be written around a single

4:21:30developer. Uh I expect that a

4:21:32competitive process and an independent

4:21:34appraisal before anyone is designated as

4:21:36a redeveloper. I vote yes.

4:21:41>> Council President Ridley.

4:21:44>> I

4:21:47Okay. Items 10.1 through 10.4 are

4:21:50approved unanimously. 90. Items 10.5 and

4:21:55six were withdrawn. Item items 10.7

4:21:59through 10.11 are approved unanimously

4:22:0290. Item 10.12 was approved unanimously

4:22:05earlier. Item 10 items 10.13 and 14 were

4:22:11are approved unanimously 90. 10.15 was

4:22:14withdrawn and 10.16 is approved

4:22:17unanimously 90.

4:22:20On to our next set of resolutions.

4:22:25Items 10.17 through 27 10.27 with the

4:22:30exception of 1017 18 20 21 22 23 and 24

4:22:36which all have been withdrawn. Council

4:22:39person Brooks.

4:22:41>> Um

4:22:43>> I will say it again before Council

4:22:45Person Brooks votes. So, we're taking a

4:22:48vote on items 10.17 through 27 with the

4:22:52exception of 1017, 1018, 1020, 1021,

4:22:571022, 1023, and 1024, which all have

4:23:01been withdrawn.

4:23:02>> Thank you, Sean.

4:23:04>> Council Person Brooks,

4:23:06>> um before I vote, I just want to speak

4:23:08to 1026.

4:23:10Um my understanding is this um the money

4:23:15for this is it it has been budgeted for

4:23:19um and you know I know there was a

4:23:23public speaker you know talking about um

4:23:28you know may maybe that was like an RFP

4:23:30he was going for. I don't know exactly

4:23:32what that performance was but um you

4:23:35know our infrastructure department is

4:23:37severely backlogged and understaffed.

4:23:39Um, and so if we can get some movement

4:23:43on on backlogged and underst staffed

4:23:46projects, um, you know, I think that

4:23:48that this makes sense. So, uh, with

4:23:51that, I vote I on all

4:23:55>> person Zupa.

4:23:56>> I I certainly support doing more

4:23:58outreach. Uh I just think with the

4:24:00concern about cash flow to the city, the

4:24:03fact that we have underbudgeted other

4:24:06departments

4:24:08uh who need employees

4:24:10uh and thinking we need to be careful

4:24:12with every dollar spent even those

4:24:15budgeted for. I'm going to vote no on 26

4:24:18and 27. I will volunteer my office

4:24:21myself and my office staff to do

4:24:22outreach in WC for WC projects. I know

4:24:25we have social media teams both at the

4:24:28city level and in public safety who can

4:24:30assist with some outreach. Um I would

4:24:33encourage the infrastructure department

4:24:36to utilize those resources. I just don't

4:24:38think at this point given the burdens

4:24:40we've put on our residents we can afford

4:24:42right this second uh hiring companies to

4:24:46do outreach on behalf of our city

4:24:47employees. So no on 26 and 27. I on the

4:24:51rest.

4:24:53>> Council person Efro.

4:24:55Um I am going to vote I on all and um on

4:25:01items uh 1026 and items 1027.

4:25:05Our infrastructure department engineers,

4:25:08transportation planners, etc.

4:25:11um time that they need to dedicate to

4:25:15organizing community meetings, doing

4:25:17communications for community meetings,

4:25:19doing outreach, etc. Um that's time

4:25:22that's taken away from doing engineering

4:25:24studies, from doing transportation

4:25:26planning, and um we are, as my

4:25:30colleague, Councilman Brooks said,

4:25:32severely severely backlogged. if we want

4:25:34to make improvements in street safety um

4:25:37and improvements in the other kind of

4:25:40critical pieces of infrastructure that

4:25:41we need to I I I do not want um them to

4:25:45have to be taken off of the expertise

4:25:48the work of their expertise to um put

4:25:51time into doing this kind of

4:25:52communication and I will certainly um as

4:25:55Councilman Zupa said volunteer my

4:25:58council office to support um but I do

4:26:01think we we need a lot more support at a

4:26:04professional level in some of these

4:26:05cases. So, I am voting eye on on those

4:26:08two, knowing that it is up to $100,000

4:26:12that we've already budgeted for um in an

4:26:15underfunded infrastructure budget. So, I

4:26:17vote I

4:26:20person.

4:26:23>> I'm going to vote I on all as well. Um,

4:26:26you know, and again noting that these

4:26:28are not to exceed contracts and that

4:26:30we're only paying them for work that

4:26:31they're actually performed that they

4:26:34will actually perform. Um, my hope is

4:26:36that the infrastructure department can

4:26:39be creative and um, you know, limit

4:26:41their use of these contracts to only

4:26:43when they are absolutely essential and

4:26:47um, hopefully not spend that entire

4:26:49$100,000.

4:26:50But, uh, you know, as Councilman Brooks

4:26:52said, it's already

4:26:54budgeted for, uh, we already passed the

4:26:57budget this year. This will not affect,

4:26:59this will not affect your taxes. Um,

4:27:01this was already included in the budget.

4:27:03And, um,

4:27:06our departments are underst staffed and

4:27:09uh, street safety is something that I

4:27:10ran on and something that I care deeply

4:27:12about. I want our engineers to be able

4:27:16to do their engineering jobs. I want

4:27:18their our planners to be able to do

4:27:19their planning jobs and I don't want

4:27:21them to be um having, you know, I I

4:27:26don't want them to be pulled in

4:27:27different directions and and not be able

4:27:30to um meet the the

4:27:33um our our goals for street safety and

4:27:36infrastructure as a result. So, um, you

4:27:39know, hoping that they can utilize other

4:27:41resources in house and only utilize

4:27:43these contracts when absolutely needed

4:27:45and hoping that we save some of that

4:27:46money and roll it over into next year.

4:27:49But I do want the infrastructure

4:27:50department to be able to do their jobs.

4:27:52So, I vote I.

4:27:53>> Council person Gilmore.

4:27:56>> Vote I on all but 26 and 27.

4:28:01>> Voting no on 26 and 27.

4:28:03>> Yes.

4:28:10A person saying

4:28:12>> I vote I

4:28:16council

4:28:16>> person Griffin

4:28:18>> I'm going to vote um no on 26 and 27

4:28:22only because um I remember there was a

4:28:24time where we would get calls from

4:28:28departments um to our community

4:28:31organizations and you know they would

4:28:34ask for us to set these meetings up. It

4:28:36was no cost to the city. We would set

4:28:38the meetings up. We knew the

4:28:39neighborhood. Um we we knew who to do

4:28:44the outreach to and you know the

4:28:47meetings were successful. Um you know um

4:28:51is I understand that that um

4:28:56the department is underst staffed.

4:28:59However, you know, with the relations

4:29:01that they build throughout the

4:29:02community,

4:29:04um, you know, it's no issue to reach out

4:29:10and, you know, have these done. They can

4:29:12reach out to the council offices as

4:29:14well, um, to get the word out. Um, so

4:29:18I'm I'm I'm going to vote yes on

4:29:21everything else, but no. On 26 and 27,

4:29:25council person Lavaro.

4:29:28>> Yeah. for um 20 1026 and 1027.

4:29:32Um I'll say for years the city has paid

4:29:37uh outside consultants for engagement

4:29:40that basically just reaches the same

4:29:42residents here in Jersey City. Uh the

4:29:44ones who are already showing up at all

4:29:47the meetings. Um but working families,

4:29:51minorities and immigrant communities

4:29:53have largely been left out that

4:29:54engagement. Um, engagement means

4:29:56listening to residents and letting what

4:29:59they say shape the project and these

4:30:02contracts have no metrics to address

4:30:05that and no uh language that or

4:30:08commitment to changing any of that. Um,

4:30:11so the goal as stated in the resolution

4:30:13is to reaching underserved neighborhoods

4:30:16and uh there's nothing in these

4:30:18contracts that necessarily demonstrate

4:30:20that that's going to be other than kind

4:30:22of business as usual in that regard. Um,

4:30:24I think the money should go to community

4:30:26organizations or hiring professionals

4:30:28already doing that work um with a

4:30:30demonstrated history of success of

4:30:33reaching um underserved neighborhoods.

4:30:35So, I'm not willing to fund the same

4:30:37approach and expect a different result

4:30:39um even with these vendors because as I

4:30:41vote, it's already passed with five

4:30:43votes. Um but I'm voting no on both of

4:30:45those contracts. Voting yes on all the

4:30:47rest.

4:30:48>> So, you're voting no on 26 and 27 and

4:30:51yes on the rest.

4:30:52>> Yes. Council

4:30:57President Ridley,

4:30:59>> I vote I.

4:31:04>> Let me add a recap. Um 10.17 and 18

4:31:10were withdrawn. 10.19 is approved

4:31:12unanimously 90. 1020 through 1024 are

4:31:17withdrawn. 10:25 is approved

4:31:20unanimously. 90 10:26

4:31:25is approved 54 with council members Zupa

4:31:29Gilmore Griffin and Lavaro voting no

4:31:3410.27

4:31:35same vote 54 approved with Zupa

4:31:41Gilmore Griffin and Lavaro voting no and

4:31:46that's it for that page. All right, on

4:31:49to our next set of resolutions. Before I

4:31:51go into all of them, just want to do a

4:31:54little explaining.

4:31:57I'm going to be taking a vote on items

4:31:581028 through 36. 10.36.

4:32:0237 and 38 have to be voted on

4:32:05individually, as do all of the other

4:32:08cannabis uh resolutions. So, I'm going

4:32:11to be calling a vote individually for

4:32:13each of them, but right now we're

4:32:16focusing on 10.28 through 10.36.

4:32:20Council person Brooks,

4:32:23>> vote I on all

4:32:26person Zupa,

4:32:27>> I on all. And for 32, I thank the county

4:32:29for their partnership. My office is

4:32:31hosting county hours for the department

4:32:33of office of aging but also welfare so

4:32:36that county employees will be working

4:32:37out of w and having direct contact with

4:32:40our residents and it's possible through

4:32:42this type of grant funding. So, I

4:32:43appreciate the partnership between this

4:32:44city and the county.

4:32:48>> Council person Efos.

4:32:50>> I vote I on.

4:32:52Council person Little I. And I'd like to

4:32:55thank the Department of Infrastructure

4:32:57um for their commitment to um to

4:33:01focusing on the street safety

4:33:04improvements and the uh Christopher

4:33:06Columbus Drive improvements project and

4:33:09um their commitment to ensure that you

4:33:12know we won't need another six-month

4:33:14extension after this and that these

4:33:15these can be prioritized. So uh thank

4:33:17you to the Department of Infrastructure.

4:33:19I vote I on all.

4:33:21>> Council person Gilmore

4:33:22>> I. Council person Singh

4:33:25>> abstain from 10:44.

4:33:28I know. We're not there yet.

4:33:30>> We're not going to 10:44.

4:33:33>> We're going from 10:28 to 10:36.

4:33:38>> I

4:33:39No problem. I get it. Council person

4:33:42Griffin.

4:33:44>> Hi.

4:33:45Council person Lavaro.

4:33:47>> Just on 10.33.

4:33:50Um notice there's a error. Um the amount

4:33:55the total contract amount on page one um

4:33:58reads 26 $268,620

4:34:02and the contract is for two two $268,000

4:34:07and $820. So we can get that corrected.

4:34:11Um but that being said, I vote yes. Uh,

4:34:15and I I'll just reiterate what I said at

4:34:16caucus, which is, you know, certainly

4:34:19support purchase of vehicle that can

4:34:21bring help to our homeless and unhoused

4:34:24population, our neighbors, but to make

4:34:27the most of it, the city really needs to

4:34:29work much more closely with the county's

4:34:32continuum of care so that this outreach

4:34:35connects people to housing and services.

4:34:38Um, and I don't mean to be snarky here,

4:34:40but and not just to a shower. So, I vote

4:34:43yes on all. Oh, I'm sorry. And I vote no

4:34:48on 10.34.

4:34:50Um, the vendor delivered these supplies

4:34:53and deserves to be paid. Um, but I voted

4:34:56no on these claims. Um, it's about the

4:34:59city spending money without a contract

4:35:01and no purchase order. These are

4:35:04expenditures in

4:35:072026,

4:35:09so it isn't the previous administration.

4:35:11Um, so this administration needs to fix

4:35:14that practice um because it this

4:35:17occurred under their watch. So vote no

4:35:18on.

4:35:20>> No on 10.334 and I and all the rest.

4:35:23>> Thank you, Council President Ridley.

4:35:27>> I

4:35:34>> items 10.28

4:35:36through 10.33 are approved unanimously.

4:35:4090 item 10.34

4:35:43is approved

4:35:4581 with council person Labaro voting no

4:35:48and items 10.35 and 36 are approved

4:35:51unanimously 90.

4:35:54Okay. On to our

4:35:57>> Sean, just for for clarity, you said

4:36:00each one of these we're going to do

4:36:01individual or just 37.

4:36:04>> We have to do each one individually.

4:36:06>> Even though they're renewals, we still

4:36:07have to do them individually.

4:36:10>> I'll turn it over to assistant

4:36:12corporation counsel.

4:36:14>> Yeah. Good evening. Um, as corporation

4:36:16council has explained in the past, when

4:36:18these resolutions of local support have

4:36:20come up before, there was an appellet

4:36:22division decision issued in March of

4:36:252026, this year, just a few months ago,

4:36:27which stated that if the governing body

4:36:30of municipality determines to deny an

4:36:33app a letter or resolution of local

4:36:36support, it must state its reasons on

4:36:38the record. So, I would recommend that

4:36:40they be passed individually,

4:36:42especially if there is going to be a

4:36:44denial and the reasons for that denial

4:36:47need to be on the record.

4:36:49>> So, so,

4:36:50>> so can we um just comment on the

4:36:52denials? Is that sufficient or do we

4:36:55have to give reasons for approvals?

4:36:59>> No, I'm not asking Sean if if we're

4:37:01voting individually. I'm talking about

4:37:02for the comments from the council.

4:37:06>> Sorry. Can you just clarify the question

4:37:07again for me? So, I know we have to do

4:37:09them each individually, but the the goal

4:37:12of doing that before was so the council

4:37:14can explain their vote. Should we only

4:37:16be explaining if we're denying or should

4:37:18we explain whether we're approving or

4:37:21denying voting in favor or voting

4:37:24against?

4:37:25>> Well, the the case that's on point

4:37:28speaks specifically to the denial of the

4:37:31council in that particular regard.

4:37:35If there's a

4:37:37statement that you can make in support

4:37:39of your vote affirmatively as well, I

4:37:42don't think there's harm in also putting

4:37:44that on the record. Certainly with a

4:37:46denial, you need to articulate your

4:37:48reasons.

4:37:49>> There's no one that's going to sue us if

4:37:51we approve the application. No, no one

4:37:53would have standing. So, council's

4:37:54certainly right that we should we should

4:37:56comment, but I mean, practically

4:37:57speaking, no one's going to challenge an

4:38:00approval of the

4:38:02application.

4:38:04>> Correct. All right, let it rip, Sean.

4:38:06>> So, I have a question. So, um

4:38:11want me to talk fast or slow?

4:38:13>> Fast, please.

4:38:13>> Well, then stop all the and

4:38:16>> um Miss Troy 10:44. Do we do we have an

4:38:20answer for that? like is there a

4:38:22>> Oh, I reached out to um u Maynard and he

4:38:26said that if we are concerned about uh

4:38:28what was said from um member of the

4:38:31public um we can withdraw and answer any

4:38:35questions you might have bring it back

4:38:37at another time.

4:38:39>> Okay. I would like to make a motion.

4:38:41>> Hold on. The administration

4:38:43>> Let's wait till we get to that point.

4:38:45>> Oh, let John do his thing.

4:38:48>> I want to get out of here before 12. Um,

4:38:50is the administration going to withdraw

4:38:5310.44

4:38:54or do you want them to do it?

4:38:57>> Doesn't matter either way.

4:38:58>> It's easier if it seems like

4:39:00>> it's easier if you do it because

4:39:03we'll

4:39:03>> withdraw. Thank you, BA.

4:39:05>> Thank you.

4:39:10>> All right.

4:39:1210.37

4:39:14resolution 26-ish 651 652, excuse me.

4:39:19Council Person Brooks,

4:39:23vote I. Council

4:39:25>> person Zupa,

4:39:26>> vote I. I'm not aware of any reason not

4:39:28to. Council

4:39:29>> person Efos. Th this is Grass House

4:39:32Company 107.

4:39:34>> Yes. Um I I vote I have been

4:39:37communicating with the owner. Um I've

4:39:39heard no push back from community.

4:39:44Council person Little.

4:39:46>> Vote I I have not heard any community

4:39:49concerns that have been brought to my

4:39:51attention.

4:39:52>> Council person Gilmore

4:39:54>> I.

4:39:55>> Council person Sting

4:39:57>> I.

4:39:58>> Council person Griffin.

4:39:59>> Hi.

4:40:00>> Council person Lavaro.

4:40:02>> I have uh voted against these um or

4:40:05abstained on these votes generally. Um

4:40:08but this is not a class 5 dispensary.

4:40:11Um, these are class two manufacturing,

4:40:13class three wholesale, and class 4

4:40:16distribution cannabis. I'll be voting

4:40:18yes.

4:40:22Council President Ridley.

4:40:24>> Uh, I,

4:40:27>> City Resolution 26-652

4:40:30is approved unanimously. 90.

4:40:34Next item 10.38, City Resolution 26-653.

4:40:40is Garden Greens LLC. Council Person

4:40:43Brooks.

4:40:46I vote I. Council Person Zupa.

4:40:48>> Vote I. Same reasons. I I don't see any

4:40:51reason to vote no. I know the owners

4:40:52personally. They they give back to the

4:40:54community quite a bit and appreciate

4:40:55their uh business in Jersey City.

4:40:58>> Council person Efos.

4:41:00>> I vote I as I've not heard any push back

4:41:03from the community.

4:41:05>> Council person Little.

4:41:07>> I vote I. I also have not heard

4:41:09substantial push back from the

4:41:10community.

4:41:13>> Council person Gilmore

4:41:14>> I.

4:41:15>> Council person sing

4:41:17>> abstain.

4:41:23>> You want to state your reason?

4:41:32>> She's abstained.

4:41:34>> She don't have to You don't have to

4:41:35state your reason. You don't have to say

4:41:36your reason if you're abstaining.

4:41:38>> Okay.

4:41:39>> Council person Griffin, I apologize.

4:41:41>> Hi,

4:41:42>> Council Person Lavaro.

4:41:44>> As I said, I think uh I've abstained or

4:41:47voted against class 5 retail

4:41:49dispensaries because of um market, but

4:41:53this is a for new applications. I would

4:41:55do that. This is a renewal. So, I will

4:41:57vote I.

4:41:59>> Council President Ridley

4:42:01>> I.

4:42:03City resolution 26-653

4:42:05is approved 8001

4:42:08with council person Singh abstaining.

4:42:14On to our next resolution item 10.39

4:42:17city resolution 26-654.

4:42:21This is Glue Lagoon Farms LLC. Council

4:42:24person Brooks

4:42:26>> vote I.

4:42:27>> Council person Zupa

4:42:28>> vote I for same reasons. Council person

4:42:31Epos vote I as there is no community

4:42:33push back I've heard. Council person

4:42:36Little

4:42:37>> I I also have not heard any community

4:42:39push back.

4:42:40>> I did you vote I I can't hear you.

4:42:42>> Sorry. I

4:42:44>> thank you. Council person Gilmore.

4:42:46>> Council person Singh.

4:42:48>> Hi.

4:42:49>> Council person Griffin.

4:42:51>> I.

4:42:52>> Council person Lavaro.

4:42:53>> Hi.

4:42:54>> And council president Ridley.

4:42:56>> Hi. City Resolution 26-654

4:43:00approved unanimously 90.

4:43:04Next item 10.40,

4:43:06City Resolution 26-655.

4:43:10This is a renewal for Green Flamingo

4:43:12Dispensary LLC. Council Person Brooks,

4:43:15>> I vote I.

4:43:16>> Council person Zupa.

4:43:18>> Hi.

4:43:18>> Council person Efos.

4:43:20>> I.

4:43:21>> Council person Little.

4:43:23>> Hi.

4:43:24>> Council person Gilmore.

4:43:25>> Hi. Council person saint. There are too

4:43:28many dispensaries in Jersey City.

4:43:31>> Council person Griffin.

4:43:33>> Hi.

4:43:34>> Council person Labaro.

4:43:36>> Hi.

4:43:37>> And council president Ridley.

4:43:39>> I.

4:43:40>> City resolution 26-655

4:43:43is approved. 801

4:43:46with council person Singh abstaining. On

4:43:49to our next resolution. Item 10.41

4:43:52city resolution 26-656.

4:43:55Hazy Harvest LLC. It's a renewal.

4:43:58Council person Brooks,

4:44:00>> vote I.

4:44:01>> Council person Zupa.

4:44:02>> I.

4:44:03>> Council person Epos.

4:44:04>> Hi.

4:44:05>> Council person Little.

4:44:07>> Council person Gilmore.

4:44:08>> Hi.

4:44:09>> Council person Singh.

4:44:12>> Council person Griffin.

4:44:13>> Hi.

4:44:14>> Council person Lavaro.

4:44:15>> Hi.

4:44:16>> And council president Ridley.

4:44:18>> I.

4:44:18>> City resolution 26-656

4:44:21is approved. 8 01 with council person

4:44:25sing Singh abstaining. On to our next

4:44:27resolution. Item 10.42

4:44:30city resolution 26-657

4:44:33lifted vision LLC. It's a renewal.

4:44:36Council person Brooks.

4:44:38>> I vote I.

4:44:39>> Council person Zupa.

4:44:40>> Hi.

4:44:42>> Council person Epro.

4:44:43>> Hi.

4:44:44>> Council person Little.

4:44:46>> Hi.

4:44:46>> Council person Gilmore.

4:44:48>> I.

4:44:49>> Council person Sing.

4:44:52Council Person Griffin.

4:44:53>> Hi.

4:44:54>> Council Person Labaro.

4:44:56>> Hi.

4:44:57>> And council president Ridley.

4:44:58>> I.

4:45:00>> Resolution 26-657

4:45:02is approved. 801 with Council Person

4:45:05Singh abstaining. On to our next

4:45:08resolution. Item 10.43.

4:45:11City resolution 26-658.

4:45:14This is MEMS

4:45:18>> Mimi Stink.

4:45:19>> There you go. Thank you, World LLC. It's

4:45:22a renewal. Council Person Brooks,

4:45:25for the reasons that this is a sick

4:45:27name, I vote I.

4:45:31>> Thank you for clearing that up for me.

4:45:33Council person Zupa,

4:45:34>> what can one say after that? I'll just

4:45:36vote I.

4:45:38>> Council person Efos, you're going to get

4:45:39us in trouble, Joel. I vote I.

4:45:43>> Council person Little.

4:45:45>> I I'll be boring and say I have not

4:45:47heard any community concerns. Council

4:45:51person Gilmore.

4:45:52>> Hi.

4:45:52>> At least we still have a sense of humor

4:45:54at this hour. Council person Singh,

4:45:57>> send too many dispensaries in Jeffy

4:45:59City.

4:46:00>> Council person Griffin.

4:46:02>> Hi,

4:46:03>> Council Person Labaro.

4:46:04>> Hi.

4:46:05>> And council president Ridley.

4:46:07>> I actually don't know what the name

4:46:08means outside of the mimi. Um, but no

4:46:12community concerns. I vote I.

4:46:16City resolution 26-658

4:46:18is approved 801 with council person sing

4:46:22Singh abstaining

4:46:25item 10.44 has been withdrawn.

4:46:29So the last one item 10.45

4:46:33uh resolution 26-660

4:46:36um this is for Green Sky Grow LLC.

4:46:41I believe this is new.

4:46:44Council President Brooks.

4:46:46>> Um, so I am support I will be voting I,

4:46:51you know, we uh need new businesses to

4:46:55grow, no pun intended, uh, for the tax

4:46:57revenue. Um, I do want to just take a

4:47:00brief moment to, you know, if there are

4:47:03dispensary owners watching, um, you

4:47:05know, I've had some of you come to me

4:47:07about the smoke shop situation. Um, I

4:47:11know there were, you know, five smoke

4:47:13shops that were, um, you know, uh, had

4:47:19violations issued, I guess, is the best

4:47:21way to put it. um and are still

4:47:24operating. Um you know,

4:47:27>> yeah,

4:47:27>> in terms of uh to be careful, I always

4:47:31say, you know, speaking from personal

4:47:33experience hearing from some of my

4:47:35constituents, there may still be smoke

4:47:38shops operating and illegally selling um

4:47:43you know, marijuana or other drugs. Um,

4:47:45and I just want to say that, uh, you

4:47:48know, we need to

4:47:51crack down on that so legal dispensaries

4:47:53can can flourish. Um,

4:47:57so with that, I vote I,

4:47:59>> Council Person Supa.

4:48:01>> I don't think we've seen the the revenue

4:48:03growth that we were promised when

4:48:05cannabis was legalized. Um, for reasons

4:48:07that Councilman Brooks referenced.

4:48:09However, this business um, is is doing

4:48:12things if they're going to do it

4:48:13properly. They have a location that's

4:48:15secured. It's not advertised. It's in a

4:48:18warehouse off the beaten path in W C.

4:48:20Not it's not it's not located near any

4:48:23uh schools or places or buildings that

4:48:26we would have an issue with this. Uh and

4:48:28there will not be selling uh wholesale

4:48:31out or retail out of the location. So, I

4:48:34also appreciate their commitment to

4:48:35public service and to community building

4:48:37and their partnering as you can see from

4:48:39the resolution uh in the packet agenda

4:48:42packet with PL which is a wonderful

4:48:43organization in Greenville.

4:48:47Vote I

4:48:49council person.

4:48:51>> I vote I um I thank my neighbor for

4:48:54coming uh to my office hours to talk

4:48:57with me about this and also to talk

4:48:58about the um the smoke shop issue. Um,

4:49:02yeah, it doesn't make sense for us to be

4:49:04providing local support to businesses

4:49:06that jump through many, many hoops to

4:49:08get the proper licenses,

4:49:11um, and then to as a city allow

4:49:15shops to to illegally sell marijuana.

4:49:18Um, assuming that is continuing to

4:49:21happen. So, um, yeah, as administration,

4:49:24encourage you to to continue to look

4:49:26into this, um, and provide enforcement

4:49:28there. But I bodai for Green Sky Grow.

4:49:31Congratulations,

4:49:33>> Council Person Little.

4:49:36>> I vote. I I have not heard any community

4:49:38concerns and agree that, you know,

4:49:40additional enforcement

4:49:43may be needed and could possibly even be

4:49:45another revenue source for the city. So,

4:49:47uh hopefully encouraging the city to do

4:49:49to do that. Council

4:49:53person Gilmore

4:49:54>> I.

4:49:56>> Council person Singh.

4:49:58>> I vote I for this because this is

4:50:00cultivate cultivator not the dispensary.

4:50:09>> Council person Griff.

4:50:10>> Hi.

4:50:12>> Council person Lavaro.

4:50:15>> As uh my colleague said, Councilman

4:50:17Singh, um I will vote I on this. um even

4:50:21though it's a new application and I do

4:50:23agree with her that uh market is

4:50:25saturated.

4:50:27Um but this is a cultivator not a

4:50:29dispensary. Um so I'm going to vote I

4:50:33>> and council president Ridley

4:50:34>> I.

4:50:36>> City resolution 26-660

4:50:38is approved unanimously

4:50:4090. Before we move on, our assistant

4:50:43corporation council just would like to

4:50:45address the council.

4:50:47>> Yeah, I'm sorry for everyone. There is a

4:50:49significant

4:50:51uh error in the title of agenda item

4:50:5410.39 resolution 26-654.

4:51:00The title says a resolution concerning

4:51:02renewal local support but it's actually

4:51:05revoking local support for this cannabis

4:51:08uh establishment. Um, if you read the

4:51:11resolution in one of the whereas

4:51:13recital, it speaks to its lease and they

4:51:16are having outstanding issues concerning

4:51:19his lease agreements affecting their

4:51:20ability to produce documents

4:51:22substantiating their site control for

4:51:24the premises.

4:51:26So, um, Sean, I don't know if we need to

4:51:30clarify the council's vote on that

4:51:33because the title was read into the

4:51:35record incorrectly. So the net effect of

4:51:39your vote is maybe not the same

4:51:42intention.

4:51:44>> So what you're saying is it says a

4:51:47resolution concerning revoking local

4:51:50support. It should be instead of

4:51:51renewing.

4:51:54>> Correct. The title of the actual

4:51:57resolution, if you open up the agenda

4:51:59item, is exactly that. a resolution

4:52:01concerning revoking local support for

4:52:03Glue Lagoon Farms LLC to operate a class

4:52:06one cultivator cannabis business. But on

4:52:10the agenda, it says renewing local

4:52:13support.

4:52:14>> Yep. So, council members, with that

4:52:17revelation,

4:52:20>> does anyone want to change their vote on

4:52:23resolution 26-654?

4:52:26>> I don't, but we should give reasons.

4:52:27Sean,

4:52:28>> yeah, that's what I say. We need to give

4:52:30the reasons even if we don't change our

4:52:32vote.

4:52:33>> Well, does anyone

4:52:36>> No, I'm saying you want me You want me

4:52:38to just take a vote again?

4:52:39>> Yeah. Do it again because we have to

4:52:41give the reasoning.

4:52:42>> Redo

4:52:44over.

4:52:46>> But this is this is different. This is

4:52:49revoking someone's stuff. So, if you're

4:52:50voting to revoke it, then you should

4:52:52give them a reason.

4:52:56>> Who's who's asking? You need us to

4:52:57revoke the uh resend the other vote

4:53:02>> motion to rescend.

4:53:04>> I actually point of clarification. I

4:53:06think uh Sean, can't you just call the

4:53:09poll the council people and ask us to

4:53:12give reasons to support our vote on

4:53:131039?

4:53:17If anyone wants to change a vote, they

4:53:18can do it do it at that time, too.

4:53:22Um,

4:53:23>> for example, my my vote's not going to

4:53:25change, but I will I will provide a

4:53:26reason another better reason for

4:53:28>> I I think it's best if I actually retake

4:53:30the vote. Um, yeah,

4:53:32>> we can take a motion to resin the vote.

4:53:35>> I second Joel's motion, Council Brooks's

4:53:37motion.

4:53:38>> Resin.

4:53:40First vote

4:53:43on

4:53:44reszo

4:53:4626-654

4:53:50was made by council person Brooks,

4:53:54seconded by council person Zupa

4:53:57on a motion to resend the first vote on

4:54:00city resolution 26-654.

4:54:03Council person Brooks

4:54:04>> I.

4:54:05>> Council person Zupa.

4:54:06>> I vote I to take the vote again.

4:54:08>> Council person Ephro. Hi, Council Person

4:54:11Little.

4:54:12>> Hi,

4:54:13>> Council Person Gilmore. Council Person

4:54:16Singh.

4:54:17>> Hi,

4:54:18>> Council Person Griffin.

4:54:19>> I

4:54:20>> Council Person Lavaro

4:54:22>> for the reasons explained by Corporation

4:54:24Council. I vote I to resend uh to

4:54:28revoke.

4:54:29>> This is to resend.

4:54:30>> So, this is to resend the vote.

4:54:32>> Okay. It's a motion.

4:54:34>> I I to resend the vote.

4:54:36>> Can Council President Ridley

4:54:37>> I? Motion carries 90 to resend the first

4:54:42vote on city resolution 26-654.

4:54:47So to reconsider

4:54:50resolution 26-654.

4:54:53Council person Brooks.

4:54:55My understanding is this um business

4:54:59does not have a physical location

4:55:00currently. So I vote I to revoke local

4:55:05support. Council

4:55:09person Zupa.

4:55:09>> I also vote I to revoke local support.

4:55:12This business does not have a location.

4:55:14If there's another business that can

4:55:15operate under that license, we should

4:55:16give that person that business an

4:55:18opportunity to do so.

4:55:21Council person Efos.

4:55:23>> I second the reasons of my colleagues um

4:55:26in voting for the revocation.

4:55:32Council person Little.

4:55:33>> Yes. Uh given that the lease is ending,

4:55:35I will vote I for the revocation. Um I

4:55:39I'm remember we spoke about this earlier

4:55:41at caucus, I believe, and I apologize

4:55:44for not catching it. Um it is late. Um

4:55:49but you know, I wish the business owners

4:55:51success and um you know, this is I I

4:55:56have not heard community concerns about

4:55:57it, but it just as a procedural matter,

4:55:59if the lease is ending, I it does make

4:56:01sense to revoke Council person Gilmore.

4:56:06>> I reason stated on the record.

4:56:08>> Council person Sing.

4:56:10>> Hi.

4:56:11>> Council person Griffin.

4:56:14>> I. Reasons um stated on the record.

4:56:19>> Council person Lavaro.

4:56:21>> I vote I as per the administration's

4:56:24advice on this matter.

4:56:28>> And council president Ridley. I uh based

4:56:31on the comments from legal

4:56:35>> city resolution 26-654

4:56:37is approved unanimously 90. That will do

4:56:41it for our cannabis resolution. So if

4:56:45you would follow along I'm going to try

4:56:47to move as quick as possible.

4:56:49>> I we can get out of here at 412.

4:56:53Um so on items 10.46 46 through 10.54.

4:56:59Council person Brooks

4:57:04>> you said through 10.54.

4:57:06>> Yes.

4:57:07>> Uh I vote I congratulations Arjamand.

4:57:11>> Council person Zupa vote I

4:57:13>> I.

4:57:14>> Council person Ephro I.

4:57:17>> Council person Little.

4:57:19>> I for all and congratulations Arjun.

4:57:23>> Council person Gilmore.

4:57:25>> I. Council Person Singh.

4:57:27>> Hi.

4:57:28>> Council Person Griffin.

4:57:29>> Hi.

4:57:30>> Council Person Lavaro.

4:57:32>> I'm voting I and all. Just on the three

4:57:34claims, I'm I'm voting yes. The reason

4:57:37being that these are bills from 2025

4:57:40under the prior administration.

4:57:42Um I appreciate that Corporation Council

4:57:45has been trying to clean this up. Um but

4:57:48we still continue to find unpaid bills

4:57:51um with no contract behind them. Um,

4:57:55one thing I'm gonna ask my my office to

4:57:57do is to follow up on the the account

4:58:00where this is coming from and to work

4:58:02with the administration to get that

4:58:03information. Um, it says it's a a sub

4:58:06account 700 direct payment. Uh, so we'd

4:58:10like to know more about what where that

4:58:11money is coming from. Uh, I vote I and

4:58:15congratulations Arjun

4:58:18>> and Council President Ridley. Uh abstain

4:58:21on 46 and for 52 and I on all arrests.

4:58:25>> Abaining on 46

4:58:28>> and 52.

4:58:29>> Yes. And I on all arrests.

4:58:33>> Okay. Item

4:58:36items 10 point I mean excuse me item 10

4:58:4146 is approved.

4:58:46All right. 801.

4:58:49would count a person Ridley abstaining.

4:58:51Items 10.47 through 10.51 are approved

4:58:56unanimously 90.

4:58:59Item 10.52 is approved 8001

4:59:03with Council President Ridley abstaining

4:59:06and items 10.53 and 54 are approved

4:59:09unanimously

4:59:1190.

4:59:13On to the balance of our resolutions.

4:59:16items 10.55

4:59:19through 10

4:59:2167 but we did approve that earlier with

4:59:25the exception of 10.59 and 61 which have

4:59:29been withdrawn. Council person Brooks

4:59:32>> congratulations Councilwoman Singh on

4:59:34your reappointment and I vote I

4:59:37>> council person Zupa

4:59:39>> congratulations to the reappointments to

4:59:40the women's advisory board which is uh

4:59:42very important to our city and thank you

4:59:44for all the work you do. I vote I on all

4:59:47>> council person Ephro.

4:59:49>> Congrats to all the women's advisory

4:59:50board reappoints being councilwoman

4:59:53Singh and Arand. Um

4:59:55>> I vote I on all

4:59:58council

4:59:58>> person little

5:00:00>> I vote I for all. Uh congratulations to

5:00:02all and um wishing for a successful

5:00:06coming year.

5:00:08>> Council person Gilmore

5:00:10>> I. Council person sing

5:00:13>> for I for all and congratulations to me.

5:00:18>> I think you have to abstain.

5:00:19>> Um technically she does not stop.

5:00:23>> If you can vote if you can go into the

5:00:24polls and vote for yourself, you can

5:00:26vote for your own resolution.

5:00:28>> Council person Griffin.

5:00:29>> Hi.

5:00:30>> Council person Lavaro.

5:00:32>> Congratulations to all the appointees.

5:00:34Congratulations Councilwoman Singh. I

5:00:37vote I on all

5:00:38>> and council president Ridley. I for all

5:00:42>> items 10.55 through 10

5:00:4667 with the exception of 59 and 61 which

5:00:49have been withdrawn are approved

5:00:51unanimously

5:00:5390.

5:00:54>> Hey Sean before I make the motion I just

5:00:57want to apologize my colleagues.

5:01:00>> Thank you Councilwoman. Um I know you

5:01:02took off Monday because last week they

5:01:03gave you a hard time but do want to

5:01:06publicly apologize for their behavior.

5:01:08Motion

5:01:09motion to strike.

5:01:10>> Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait a

5:01:11minute.

5:01:11>> We didn't finish.

5:01:13>> Were you kidding about your your

5:01:15colleagues conduct?

5:01:17>> Don't Don't even Sean.

5:01:18>> I don't know why I'm entertaining cuz

5:01:20I'm tired now, too.

5:01:21>> So, we have a motion to adjourn at 11:10

5:01:26p.m. by Council Person Gilmore. May I

5:01:30have a second officially?

5:01:31>> Second.

5:01:32>> Second by Council Person Griffin. On the

5:01:34motion to adjourn at 11:10 p.m., all

5:01:37council members present by acclamation,

5:01:39please say, "I."