2026-09-09 - City Council
Summary
Built from the official final minutes. No video is posted, so there is no transcript or timing. The minutes record motions, movers, votes and who spoke, but not what speakers said.
- Regular meeting in the Council Chamber, called to order at 12:32 PM and adjourned at 5:20 PM. Six members were present at roll call; Council arrived at 12:37 PM, Jackson at 12:53 PM and Silva at 1:12 PM. Bey, Kelly, Ramos and Silva were absent at adjournment.
- Nine ordinances passed on public hearing and final passage, mostly 9-0; the Martin Luther King Boulevard tax abatement passed 7-0 with two absent and the deed restriction ordinance passed with one abstention.
- Resolutions adopted include a $61,597,042 temporary appropriation for September, the $10,000,000 NJPAC redevelopment agreement (two abstentions) and a $1,534,126.83 affordable housing agreement on Bergen Street.
- The 36-inch water transmission emergency contract extension passed 8-1 with Jackson opposed.
- Thirteen redevelopment land sales were adopted, six were deferred; Jackson voted no on the $653,000 Lagoon Property Development sale.
- Seven ordinances (two Tethys assignments, Doremus lease, historic designation, West Ward plan, retail service charges, tenant brokerage fees) were advanced to first reading; the data center moratorium ordinance was returned to administration.
- Hearing of citizens: nine of 25 people on the list appeared, including Alif Muhammad, Alston-Singleton, McDougald, Clyburn and Lisa Mitchelson-Parker.
- Seven motions at the end of the meeting passed with three or four members absent, including a missing person policy request, school grounds lighting, a city-wide eviction moratorium and the worst landlords list.
Martin Luther King Boulevard Tax Abatement
- Ordinance 26-0292 granting a 25-year tax abatement to 636 MLK Urban Renewal LLC for three four-story buildings with 42 units (33 market rate, 9 income restricted at 40, 60 and 80 percent AMI) and 11 parking spaces. Deferred August 5.
- Four people spoke: Alston-Singleton, Lisa Parker, Muhammad and El-Bomani.
- Closed hearing and adopted by the Council of the Whole, 7-0, with Jackson and Silva absent.
Redevelopment Property Deed Restriction
- Ordinance 26-0974 requiring a recorded deed restriction on all City property sold for redevelopment: if sold before the project is complete, the City is entitled to 90 percent of fair market value, and buyers must meet best-efforts workforce requirements.
- Legislative Administrator Daniel commented; Muhammad, Parker and El-Bomani spoke.
- Council moved and Kelly seconded. Passed 7-0 with Jackson abstaining and Silva absent.
Live Newark Closing Cost Loans
- Ordinance 26-1137 increasing the closing cost loan under the Live Newark Loan Forgiveness Program.
- Daniel and Corporation Counsel Stewart commented. Six people spoke: Parker, Muhammad, El-Bomani, Alston-Singleton, McDougald and Clyburn.
- Council moved and Crump seconded; passed 9-0.
Wayne Pump Station Upgrade
- Ordinance 26-0982 appropriating $7,400,000 and authorizing $7,400,000 in bonds or notes for the Wayne pump station upgrade.
- Director Adeem commented; Parker, McDougald, Muhammad and Alston-Singleton spoke. Passed 9-0.
Short-Term Event Space Regulation
- Ordinance 26-0805 creating a regulatory framework for short-term event spaces and party rental venues.
- McDougald, Clyburn and Parker spoke. Ramos moved and Council seconded; passed 9-0.
Property Compliance Cost Recovery Program
- Ordinance 26-1055 allowing the City to recover extraordinary compliance costs from municipal intervention. Deferred July 15.
- Corporation Counsel Stewart commented; Alston-Singleton, Clyburn, Parker and Keisha Baldwin spoke. Passed 9-0.
Virginia Street Fidelco Property Sale
- Ordinance 26-1155 authorizing sale of four City lots to Virginia Street Fidelco, LLC for $13,810,000 less a remediation and demolition credit, under an amended and restated redevelopment agreement.
- Daniel commented; Keisha Baldwin, Parker and Alston-Singleton spoke. Council moved and Crump seconded; passed 9-0.
Temporary Budget Extension
- Resolution appropriating $61,597,042 for operating expenses of all departments and the Water and Sewer Utilities until the 2026 budget is adopted (September 1 through 30). Adopted by the Council of the Whole, 9-0.
Water Transmission Main Emergency Contract
- Extension of emergency contract E2026-12 for replacement of a 36-inch steel water transmission main through September 12, 2026, not to exceed $1,384,220 ($1,149,220 Under Ground Utilities Corp. and $235,000 Composite Pros, LLC), acknowledging a $25,000 increase and an added $235,000 emergency award.
- Passed 8-1; Jackson voted no.
Pequannock Water Supply Projects
- Change order 3 for the Pequannock aqueduct rehabilitation with Hutton Construction, LLC: increase of $857,191.99 to a total not to exceed $15,733,229.21.
- Suburban Consulting Engineers amendment 2: increase of $353,325 to $1,319,132 for engineering and construction inspection.
- CHA Consulting, Inc.: up to $115,994 for right-of-way stabilization engineering in Wayne.
- USDA Wildlife Services cooperative agreement, $14,749, for deer damage management at the Cedar Grove Reservoir.
- CDM Smith, Inc. increase for design of a dissolved air flotation system at the Pequannock Water Treatment Plant, to a total not to exceed $9,750,390.
- All adopted by the Council of the Whole.
City Land Sales to Redevelopers
- Adopted: Wrighton Management LLC two-family home, $92,068.30 (8-0, Ramos abstaining); All for the Family LLC, two-family home at 80 percent AMI, $43,680; Legacy Housing & Construction LLC, $57,750 (Ramos abstaining); 34 Jersey U R LLC, $173,076.80 (Jackson and Ramos abstaining); first amendment for Clinton View, LLC, $972,000 less an environmental remediation credit of up to $194,400 (Crump and Jackson abstaining); DW2 Construction LLC, $72,862.50; Ahmed Burks LLC, $90,804 (Ramos abstaining); Emmoli Ventures Inc., $400,000 for a six-story mixed-use building; JWC Development Group LLC, $69,750; Etta Investments LLC, $31,825; Brick City Preservation LLC, $106,730 for three two-family homes for Section 8 tenants; IAMYCO Investments LLC, $143,764.11 (Ramos abstaining).
- Lagoon Property Development LLC, $653,000 for a five-story mixed-use building on Clinton Avenue: Council moved, Crump seconded; passed with Jackson voting no.
- Deferred: Home Support Group LLC ($187,000), GonSosa Development LLC ($220,500), IBN Construction Corporation ($102,603), 177 Scheerer Avenue LLC ($78,960), Brice Holdings LLC ($105,170) and Pre-appraisals Property Development LLC ($83,470).
Bergen Street Affordable Housing Funds
- Execution of a deed-restricted affordable housing agreement with Bergen Street Redevelopment Urban Renewal LLC for $1,534,126.83 in federal SLFRF funds, for two mixed-use buildings with 42 units, six of them affordable at under 60 percent AMI for 20 years. Adopted by the Council of the Whole.
New Jersey Performing Arts Center Redevelopment Agreement
- Agreement for sale and redevelopment of land with the New Jersey Performing Arts Center Corporation, $10,000,000, at 614-706 Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson Boulevard.
- Adopted; Crump and Jackson abstained.
Pedestrian Safety Roadway Improvements
- J.A. Alexander, Inc. bid contract for crosswalk, lane and bike lane changes; amended from $1,808,441.88 to $2,051,184.77 (one bid received of six downloads) and adopted as amended.
Crisis Co-Responder Grant Agreements
- Sub-recipient agreements adopted under a $724,424 grant: Circle of Life, $50,000; Distinctly Guided LLC, $30,426; Inspired By U LLC, $30,426 (Kelly moved, Scott-Rountree seconded); Hope Love Kindness Crisis Intervention LLC, $75,000 (Crump moved, Kelly seconded).
- The agreement with Yolanda Alonzo's Love, Inc. ($20,000) was returned to administration.
Civil Litigation Settlements
- Four settlements adopted from the Insurance Trust Fund: $200,000, $100,000, $281,231.84 and $72,768.34.
Municipal Court Forensic Accounting
- Professional service contract of $75,000 with Smolin, Lupin & Co., LLC for forensic accounting and investigative services for the Municipal Court. Adopted.
Raymond Brown Park Improvements
- Right of access and construction agreement ($946,080) letting Invest Newark build park improvements funded by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. Adopted.
Data Center Moratorium
- Resolution supporting a 12-month moratorium on data center development: Ramos moved, Jackson seconded; adopted.
- Ordinance 26-1273 establishing the one-year moratorium was returned to administration.
Historic Designation Streamlining
- Ordinance 26-1023 was advanced to first reading under Communications.
Tethys Affordable Housing Financial Agreement Assignments
- Ordinances 26-0893 and 26-0904 were advanced and adopted on first reading (to return September 23).
Doremus Avenue Lease Assignment
- Ordinance 26-1280 was advanced and adopted on first reading.
West Ward Redevelopment Plan Amendment
- Ordinance 26-1087 was advanced and adopted on first reading (Kelly, Scott-Rountree).
Ground-Floor Retail Service Charge Reductions
- Ordinance 26-1138 was advanced and adopted on first reading.
Tenant Brokerage Fee Ban
- Ordinance 26-1291 was advanced and adopted on first reading (Kelly, Scott-Rountree); public hearing set for September 23 at 6:30 PM.
Missing Person Reporting Policy
- Jackson moved and Council seconded a request that Public Safety clarify the policy and procedure for filing a missing person report. Passed 5-0 with Bey, Kelly, Ramos and Silva absent.
School Grounds Lighting
- Quintana moved and Crump seconded a request for urgent exterior grounds and lighting maintenance at Newark Public Schools. Passed 5-0 with four absent.
Eviction Moratorium
- Jackson moved and Council seconded a request that the Administration activate a city-wide eviction moratorium for non-payment of rent. Passed 5-0 with four absent.
Worst Non-Compliant Landlords List
- Council moved and Crump seconded a request that the owners of an apartment building on Chancellor Avenue be added to the list. Passed 6-0 with Bey, Kelly and Ramos absent.
Other business
- Accepted the City Clerk's marriage license financial reports for January through March 2026.
- Grants and appropriations adopted 9-0: 2023 recycling tonnage grant $306,848.11; Sustainable Jersey micro forest and cool roof project $20,000; Newark YMCA rehabilitation $850,000 (federal housing funds); UASI preparedness $1,556,000 (accepted with Captain George commenting); immunization $388,000; childhood lead prevention $1,775,025; oral health $37,500; Code Red $113,000; public health emergency preparedness $255,608; a $125,000 gift from Newark Alliance for grant process efficiency.
- Contracts adopted: state contracts for heavy-duty vehicle repair (up to $150,000), police vehicle equipment (up to $600,000) and playground rubber surfacing (up to $3,000,000); turf field at the Bo Porter Sports Complex raised by $6,550 to $379,521; bid contracts for blinds, road salt ($500,000), dental supplies ($900,000), paint ($402,000), water meters ($3,000,000) and an assignment of a fire equipment contract.
- Homeless outreach contracts adopted with New Jersey Community Research Initiative ($297,000) and Integrity, Inc. ($336,100); Ryan White HIV/AIDS services contract with Team Management 2000 Inc. ($356,593).
- Tax appeal settlements: credits of $978,995.61 and refunds of $25,657.76.
- Finance: bond anticipation notes of $32,368,000, a UEZ administrative budget application of up to $880,020 for 2027, and an $8,000,000 redevelopment area bond sale.
- Appointments: four reappointments to the Federally Qualified Health Center board and one Board of Adjustment member confirmed; Caribbean Commission and a further health center board appointment deferred.
- Ceremonial street designations for Maurice L. Hagan and Norma Jones adopted; Bishop Frank Garris Way deferred again; block party fee waivers; support for the Polluters Pay act and the New Jersey Statewide Black Agenda; a referral of a Title 41 zoning amendment to the Central Planning Board; commendations and condolences; two raffle licenses.